MERCERSBURG, Pa. — Known for the Mercersburg Academy campus, the small town that is located at the border of Franklin and Washington counties has a history that stands out among the most fascinating in the region.
Early settlement of James Black
The borough that is now known as Mercersburg, was originally known as the Conococheague Settlement and was the home of the Massawomeck people, who were part of the Iroquois Nation. In the mid-1700s, an Irishman named James Black (1674-1751) settled in the area around the Conococheague Creek and built a mill.
He sold the mill and the land to a colonial judge named William Smith (1728-1775). Smith was a lieutenant in a local militia and served under the command of Col. Benjamin Chambers’ regiment during the French and Indian War (1754-1763).
The abduction of the McCullough Brothers
On July 26, 1756, one of the greatest tragedies of the French and Indian War took place when 8-year-old John McCullough (1748-1823) and his 5-year-old brother James (1751-unknown) were abducted from a roadside not far from their home in the Conococheague Settlement. Their parents and sister were out tending to their crops when six Native Americans from a Delaware tribe and an unknown Frenchman abducted them.
John was taken to live with the Delaware tribes along the Shenango and Mahoning River Valleys for the next eight years before he was finally released and returned to his parents back home in Pennsylvania. James was taken away by the Frenchman, and sadly his fate is unknown to this day.
John would later write about the incident in his memoirs where he shared stories of his upbringing among Native American tribes.
A Revolutionary hero inspires the borough’s name
After the War for Independence, the borough of Mercersburg would officially get its name. The town is named after Gen. Hugh Mercer (1726-1777), who had been a doctor and veterinarian in the area before going off to war. He had been instrumental in the plan for Washington’s historic crossing of the Delaware River, and he had given his life fighting to protect his general and his new nation.
The sanctuary known as ‘Black town’
At the conclusion of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), the state of Pennsylvania became the first state in the new union to abolish slavery, making the state a sanctuary for freed and runaway slaves. The town of Mercersburg became known as Black Town or Little Africa due to the large community of former slaves who had settled there. Many of the slaves who came to Mercersburg had found their way there via the Underground Railroad.
Birthplace of a future President
Mercersburg is also the birthplace of the 15th President of the United States, James Buchanan (1791-1868). The home he was born in sits on the grounds of the Mercersburg Academy and is one of the most visited locations in Franklin County. His niece, Harriet Lane (1830-1903), who had filled the role of First Lady during his presidency, was also born and raised in Mercersburg.
Mercersburg’s history is one of tragedy and triumph, honor and respectability. From being a sanctuary to slaves to the birthplace of one of our nation’s leaders, the legacy of Mercersburg has been one of Franklin County’s most unique. The population may not be as large as that of Chambersburg or Waynesboro, but the history and pride of those who have called Mercersburg home is enough to fill the state.
For more history about Mercersburg, readers may visit these sites:
Mercersburg Historical Society- https://mercersburghistory.org/
Franklin County Historical Society: https://www.franklinhistorical.org/
Conococheague Institute: https://cimlg.org/
