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One of my favorite things about the Fourth of July is family picnics and setting off fireworks. Since my cousin was born on the Fourth of July, we always have a party at my aunt and uncle's house.
Coming together is still an important part of any holiday in my family. I also have such happy memories of summer nights setting up chairs in my parent's driveway and watching my dad light the various roman candles, sparklers, bottle rockets and the like, much to our amusement.
My family and friends would all come together, sit in the driveway and watch the sparks of color and light that would fill up the summer night sky. I remember the smoke the fireworks created, mingling up among the streetlights giving my street an otherworldly feeling.
Looking back to our earliest settlers here, it's hard to know what their celebrations were like. There were folks living here in our valley in 1776 and even earlier. I often wonder if they knew about the Declaration of Independence and if it significantly changed their way of life here on the frontier.
Obviously at that time, there was conflict between the native Americans and pioneers. This year, 2024 marks the 250th year of Lord Dunmore's war, a very bloody conflict occurring in 1774, between the Colonial Virginians and the Native Americans. Tensions were extremely high between the groups and atrocities were committed on both sides of the conflict. A few years later, in 1777, tensions were high again between the groups. 1777 was called the year of the bloody sevens.
The year 1776, was an important year in the western part of Virginia because in that year, three counties were established in what is now West Virginia. Monongalia, Ohio, and Yohogania counties were established from the District of West Agusta. Of the three, Yohogania does not exist any longer. That county was made up of the counties of Brooke and Hancock in West Virginia and many in Western Pennsylvania including what is today Pittsburgh.
More than a decade later, the soldiers stationed at Fort Steuben in 1787 would have been aware of the day and its importance.
The soldiers stationed at the fort were members of the First American Regiment and consisted of about one-fifth of the entire U.S. Army at the time.
After the revolution, it was hard to encourage volunteers to sign up for the Army.
Most of the men at Fort Steuben were young, in their late teens. Many couldn't read or write and had joined up more or less for the clothing and regular meals.
One of the requirements of service was that one had to have two teeth, one on the top and one on the bottom of their mouth, and they needed to be close together.
This was important so the soldiers could rip an ammunition cartridge without using their hands. This was an important skill in battle.
The officers, however, were veterans, some of them had even been in battle during the revolution and were well prepared to lead the group into the wilderness. They would have known firsthand what was sacrificed for freedom during the late war and how important it was to protect the new country.
For many settlers in the area, it may have been the first time they encountered anyone representing the new country. Part of the mission of the First American Regiment was to protect the surveyors in the newly acquired land west of the Ohio River, but also, they were to remove any settlers who had crossed the river from Virginia to settle.
Unfortunately, sometimes that interaction was not always a pleasant one. A few times, the regiment actually burned out settlers who refused to leave the new territory of Ohio.
In the years following the abandonment of Fort Steuben and the time period of our history when settlers made homes here in our area, the Fourth of July became a day of celebration.
Fireworks were common, just like today. Many were in the streets shooting guns and making lots of ruckus with firecrackers and the like. It was a day of celebration.
This year my family and I were able to spend time together as we did in the past. We had a picnic, visited and enjoyed some firework fun too. This year, I hope you had the opportunity to celebrate the 248th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birthday of our nation. We have a lot to be thankful for.
(Zuros is the Hancock County administrator)