Cresap's War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cresap's War |
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 Map showing the area disputed between Maryland and Pennsylvania during Cresap's War |
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Cresap's War was a border conflict between the colonies of Pennsylvania and Maryland. It is also known as the Conojocular War, named after the Conejohela Valley where much of the fighting happened. This conflict took place mainly in the 1730s.
The trouble started in 1730 because of disagreements over land ownership and who had the right to enforce laws. The conflict grew worse over several years. Both Maryland and Pennsylvania sent their own military forces into the disputed area in 1736 and 1737. The fighting stopped in May 1738 when King George II stepped in and ordered a cease-fire. The border was finally settled in 1767. That's when the famous Mason–Dixon line was officially recognized as the permanent boundary between the two colonies.
Contents
Why the Colonies Disagreed
The problem started with how Pennsylvania's original charter (a special document from the King) described its southern border in 1681. It said the border should be a circle 12 miles from New Castle, then a straight line west at the 40th degree of northern latitude.
However, later surveys showed that New Castle was actually much further south than the 40th parallel. This created a big misunderstanding. Maryland argued that the border should be exactly at the 40th parallel, as written. Pennsylvania suggested a different way to draw the line. This would make up for the original mistake. This plan would place the border further south, creating a strip of land about 28 miles wide that both colonies claimed.
Early Settlements and Disputes
Since the 40th parallel was north of Philadelphia, Maryland focused its claims on the less settled lands west of the Susquehanna River. By the late 1710s, Pennsylvania heard rumors that Maryland planned to build settlements in this disputed area.
To strengthen its claim, Pennsylvania created a large land area called a proprietorial manor near the Codorus Creek in 1722. This action caused a crisis between the two colonies. In 1724, the King issued a special order. It said that neither colony could build new settlements in the area until the border was properly surveyed. But the two sides couldn't agree on where the border was. So, people started settling there without permission soon after.
The Start of Trouble
In 1726, a Quaker leader named John Wright and his friends settled near the Susquehanna River. They had explored the area since 1724 and made friends with local Native American tribes. Wright built canoes and started a ferry service across the river in 1730. This made it much easier for new settlers to cross.
More settlers moved across the river that year. This worried Lord Baltimore, Maryland's leader. He was concerned about losing control and money from the disputed land. To counter this, a Marylander named Thomas Cresap started his own ferry service about four miles south of Wright's Ferry.
The Pennsylvania settlers didn't have clear ownership papers for their land because of the King's 1724 order. Maryland, however, gave Cresap ownership of 500 acres along the river's west bank. Much of this land was already settled. Cresap began selling land to Pennsylvania Dutch settlers. This meant they would own their farms under Maryland law. He also started collecting "quit-rents," which were like an early form of property tax for Maryland. In response, Pennsylvania authorities at Wright's Ferry started giving "tickets" to new settlers. These tickets promised land ownership once the area was officially opened for settlement.
Fighting Begins
In late October 1730, Cresap was involved in a conflict on his ferry boat with two Pennsylvanians. According to Cresap, the Pennsylvanians attacked him and his worker. A struggle followed, and both Cresap and his worker ended up in the water. Cresap managed to escape to shallow water.
It later became clear that the Pennsylvanians were actually trying to capture Cresap's worker. This worker was wanted by a landowner in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Cresap was unhappy with how Pennsylvania officials handled his report of the attack. He felt they didn't give him fair treatment. Cresap then reported the incident to Maryland authorities. He claimed that Pennsylvania officials were working against him. From then on, Cresap believed that as a Maryland resident, he didn't have to follow Pennsylvania laws.
A Temporary Agreement in 1732
In 1732, Lord Baltimore of Maryland signed a temporary agreement with William Penn's sons. This agreement tried to draw a border somewhere in the middle. It also meant Maryland would give up its claim to Delaware. However, Lord Baltimore later said the document wasn't what he agreed to. He refused to put the agreement into action.
So, in the mid-1730s, violence broke out between settlers loyal to Maryland and those loyal to Pennsylvania. This border conflict became known as Cresap's War. The issue wasn't fully resolved until 1760. That's when the King ordered Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore to accept the 1732 agreement. Maryland's border with Delaware was set, and the Pennsylvania-Maryland border was defined as a line 15 miles south of Philadelphia's southernmost house.
Attempts to Arrest Cresap
On January 29, 1733, a group of about twenty Pennsylvanians tried to arrest Cresap. A witness named William Smith said they came in a forceful way. They demanded that Cresap open his doors and surrender. One person claimed to be the Sheriff of Lancaster County. They said they had many men and would bring more if needed.
Cresap refused to surrender. He said his house was his "castle" and he would defend it. The group forced their way in. Cresap fired a gun, and some in the crowd threatened to harm him and burn his house.
Farmers' Complaints Against Cresap
Several German farmers complained about Cresap and his relatives, the Lowes.
- Frederick Lather paid Cresap for land in 1733. In 1736, Cresap's worker told Lather the land belonged to Cresap. Lather and his family were forced to leave.
- Balser Springler built a house in 1733. Cresap and his relatives took his land and improvements. Springler had to find another place to live.
- Catherine Schultz said that in March 1736, fifteen armed men came looking for her husband. When they couldn't find him, they broke a door and took rum. They also threatened a servant and stole horses.
- Michael Tanner settled on land in 1734. In 1735, Cresap gave Tanner's land to Daniel Low. Low and his family moved into Tanner's house. Tanner had to pay Low or lose his buildings.
- Other people in Chester County said that Maryland agents offered them land. This land had been previously settled by Dutch people.
Maryland and Pennsylvania Send Forces
Maryland sent its militia (citizen soldiers) into what is now York County, Pennsylvania.
- On May 6, 1736, a surveyor with twenty Maryland militia members was seen near John Wright's farm. They said Lord Baltimore sent them.
- On September 5, 1736, three hundred Maryland militia went to John Hendricks' farm. They were led by Colonel Nathaniel Rigby and the Sheriff of Baltimore. The next day, some militia members went west with the Sheriff. Pennsylvanians accused them of taking items from Dutch settlers.
Cresap continued to cause trouble. He obtained land rights for a ferry at Peach Bottom. Then, he damaged some of a farmer's horses. One of Cresap's associates, Lowe, was arrested but later freed from jail by other Marylanders.
Cresap also took over John Hendricks' farm near Wrightsville. Cresap was known for being aggressive. He had previously used an ax in a land dispute in Virginia.
Lord Baltimore had not wanted to negotiate with Native Americans for land. But in 1733, he reached an agreement with Pennsylvania. However, by 1734, Cresap was again forcing settlers from their homes in Lancaster and York counties. He rewarded his group members with these properties.
The sheriff of Lancaster County gathered a group to arrest Cresap. When a deputy named Knowles Daunt was at Cresap's door, Cresap fired through it, wounding Daunt. The sheriff asked Cresap's wife for a candle to help Daunt, but she refused. When Daunt passed away from his injuries, Pennsylvania's Governor Gordon demanded that Maryland arrest Cresap. Instead, Governor Ogle of Maryland made Cresap a captain in the Maryland militia.
Cresap continued his actions, damaging property and livestock. Finally, Sheriff Samuel Smith gathered 24 armed men to arrest him on November 25, 1736. They set Cresap's cabin on fire when he wouldn't surrender. When he tried to escape to the river, they caught him. He was taken to Lancaster. A blacksmith was called to put him in metal restraints. Cresap fought back, but was eventually restrained and taken to Philadelphia. He was paraded through the streets before being imprisoned.
The Conflict Ends
After Cresap's arrest, Maryland asked King George II to step in and restore order. On August 18, 1737, the King issued a proclamation. He ordered both colonies to stop fighting. Some minor conflicts continued, so both sides asked the King for more help.
The King's committee organized direct talks between the two colonies. This led to a peace agreement signed in London on May 25, 1738. This agreement included exchanging prisoners. It also set a temporary border 15 miles south of Philadelphia. Both sides agreed to respect the other's authority to enforce laws and grant land on their side of this temporary border. This would last until the final court decision.
Because Blue Rock Ferry was north of this temporary border, Cresap did not return to the area after he was released. In 1750, the court confirmed the 1732 agreement was valid. This agreement became the basis for the permanent border. Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon surveyed this border, known as the Mason–Dixon line, in 1767. Today, the area where the conflict happened is part of York County, Pennsylvania.
Cresap's son, Michael Cresap, later played a big role in Lord Dunmore's War in 1774. Because of this, some historians also call the 1774 conflict "Cresap's War."
