Egle's History of Cambria County
  Egle's History of Cambria County CAMBRIA COUNTY.   BY ROBERT L. JOHNSTON, EBENSBURG.       "Previous to the year 1789, the tract of country which is now included within the limits of Cambria county was a wilderness. 'Frankstown settlement,' as it was then called, was the frontier of the inhabited parts of Pennsylvania east of the Allegheny mountain. None of the pioneers had yet ventured to explore the eastern slope of the mountain. A remnant of the savage tribes still prowled through the forests, and seized every opportunity of destroying the dwellings of the settlers, and butchering such of the inhabitants as were so unfortunate as to fall into their hands. The howling of the wolf, and the shrill screaming of the catamount or American panther (both of which animals infested the country in great numbers at the period of its first settlement), mingled in nightly concert with the war-whoop of the savages. It is believed that Captain Michael McGuire was the first white man who settled within the present bounds of Cambria county. He settled in the neighborhood of where Loretto now stands, in the year 1790, and commenced improving that now interesting and well-cultivated portion of Allegheny township, a large portion of which is still owned by his descendants. Luke McGuire, Esq., and Captain Richard McGuire were sons of Michael McGuire, and came with him. Thomas Blair, of Blair's gap, Huntingdon county, was at this time the nearest neighbor Captain McGuire had. He resided at a distance of twelve miles.     “Mr. McGuire was followed not long afterward by Cornelius Maguire, Richard Nagle, Wm. Dotson, Richard Ashcraft, Michael Rager, James Alcorn, and John Storm; the last was of German descent. These were followed by others – John Trux, John Douglass, John Byrne, and we believe, Wm. Meloy. Under the auspices of these men, and perhaps a few others, the country improved very rapidly. The first grist-mill in the county was built by Mr. John Storm. The hardships endured by these sturdy settlers are almost incredible. Exposed to the inclemency of an Allegheny winter, against the rigor of which their hastily-erected and scantily-furnished huts afforded a poor protection, their sufferings were sometimes almost beyond endurance. Yet with the most unyielding firmness did these men persevere until they secured for themselves and their posterity the inheritance which the latter at present enjoy. There was nothing that could be dignified with the name of road by which the settlers might have an intercourse with the settlements of Huntingdon county. A miserable Indian path led from the vicinity of where Loretto now stands, and intersected the road leading to Frankstown, two or three miles this side of the Summit.

John Byrne

1740 - 1838

Transcribed from: Egle, William H., M.D. An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (Harrisburg: DeWitt C. Goodrich & Co., 1876), p. 461-478.

Contributed by Cindy Sobus