31 Facts About Thomas Cresap

Later, together with the Native American chief Nemacolin, Thomas Cresap improved a Native American path to the Ohio Valley, and ultimately settled and became a large landowner near Cumberland, Maryland, where he was involved in further disputes near Brownsville, Pennsylvania, including in the French and Indian War and Lord Dunmore's War.

Thomas Cresap was born in Skipton, Yorkshire, England, and emigrated across the Atlantic Ocean to the Maryland colony when he was 15 years old.

Thomas Cresap initially settled at the mouth of the Susquehanna River on the Chesapeake, on the lower end of a floodplain called the Conejohela Valley, and built boats.

Thomas Cresap traveled at least once to Virginia, for Virginia-based trader Claiborne traded for furs in the lower Susquehanna area of Chesapeake Bay.

Thomas Cresap fled from Virginia either because of the Native American raids against white settlers in 1722, or because a dozen or more fellow settlers drove him as he cleared timber to make a dwelling and secure his land claim.

Thomas Cresap had little formal education, but became a land surveyor, and was of great service to Lord Baltimore in extending the western boundary of Maryland from the source of the south branch of the Potomac due north, thus adding at least one third more territory to Maryland.

In 1731, Thomas Cresap was commissioned a justice of the peace for Baltimore County.

Thomas Cresap reported the conditions to Lord Baltimore, who as early as 1721 had contemplated extending the northern boundary of Maryland on the west side of the Susquehanna to the northern limits of the fortieth degree of latitude.

Thomas Cresap was held a villain in Pennsylvania, and something of a hero in Maryland, which has municipalities named after him.

Thomas Cresap patented about 2,000 acres of land in Maryland along Antietam Creek, where Cresap established a store and Indian trading post.

Thomas Cresap accumulated a large quantity of furs and pelts and shipped them to England.

Thomas Cresap is said to have erected a stone and log fort over a spring near the Marsh Run.

Thomas Cresap then moved farther west to within two miles of present-day Cumberland, Maryland, where he again embarked in the Indian trade.

Thomas Cresap founded what is Oldtown, Maryland by building a trading post at the foot of the Amerindian trail over Wills Mountain.

Thomas Cresap sent traders over the pass and explored personally in Amerindian lands along the Monongahela upriver of Redstone Old Forts.

Thomas Cresap received or earned a large land grant from the Ohio Country in what much later became West Virginia.

Thomas Cresap fought a number of skirmishes with the Indians and stood his ground, assisted by his wife and later his sons.

When Thomas Cresap's stronghold was surrounded by militia from Donegal Hannah knew how to handle a musket.

Thomas Cresap mounted her horse, sounded a bugle, and rode rapidly to Cresap's fort, three miles and a half down the river.

Thomas Cresap was elected a representative from Frederick County, Maryland to the Maryland legislature.

Thomas Cresap became totally blind a few years before his death.

Thomas Cresap married a second time, to Margaret Milburn, when he was 80 years of age.

Thomas Cresap died c 1790 at his home in Allegany County, Maryland, aged 88.

Thomas and Hannah Cresap had five children: three sons and two daughters.

The oldest son, Daniel Thomas Cresap, remained in Washington County, Maryland, and became a large landholder and a celebrated hunter as well as a farmer.

Thomas Cresap was about fourteen when the family left York County.

Michael Thomas Cresap operated a large trading store at "Old Town," a few miles east of Cumberland.

Thomas Cresap was mistakenly accused of leading this action as well.

Thomas Cresap was the first person in Maryland to raise a company of volunteer riflemen.

Thomas Cresap took sick and was compelled to return to New York, where he died.

Michael Thomas Cresap left five children, two sons and three daughters.