Fort Roberdeau - History of the Original Lead Mine Fort

From the National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, June 1973.

The location of the Fort is in the Sinking Valley region on the slope of Brush Mountain. The site is in an area of dense growth -- trees, shrubs, weeds -- recently removed by concerned citizens. Removal of the vegetation revealed a concrete foundation outlining the fort, poured between 1939-1941 for the purpose of reconstructing the site. Impetus for reconstruction was begun by concerned local agencies with National Youth Administration workers doing the physical labor. This was based upon the work of Donald A. Cadzow, State Archaeologist, who uncovered the original stone and brick foundation. The only remains above ground surface were the powder magazine walls of stone and brick and a square of masonry work, probably part of a smelting plant. Reconstruction efforts were discontinued in 1941 with the advent of World War II.

By Pubdog [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Few descriptions are available on the forts original appearance. The Columbian Magazine (September 1788) notes the erection of "a large fort of logs." Africa (1883) mentions the log fort upon which were mounted two small cannon, possessing a good armament, and manned by a regular garrison of 10-40 men. He also makes note of a smelting furnace. A sketch appearing in The Columbian Magazine of Fort Roberdeau (December 1788) shows a wall of what appears to be horizontal logs with a gate in the center and various out-buildings outside the wall. Craine (1941) notes the accompanying wording, "a timber fort, used for the same purpose as a blockhouse, but designed to accommodate a greater number of persons. Such a structure was generally made in the shape of a hollow square with various buildings and a watchtower within showing the line of loopholes at shoulder height." Craine notes that the stockade logs were horizontal rather than the customary vertical or up-right position because of the out-cropping of limestone which made it difficult to excavate deeply enough to place the logs in a vertical position.

The Fort site presently comprises 1.978 acres. The outline of the fort itself reveals a square structure with blockhouse-type protrusions on each of the four corners.

With the advent of the Revolutionary War, lead for the Continental Army became of great importance. Lead deposits were discovered in what was then the Sinking Spring Valley region, presently Sinking Valley, in Central Pennsylvania. General Daniel Roberdeau, a prominent Philadelphia merchant, an Associator, and a member of the Committee of Safety, was assigned the task of supervising mining operations in the area. Roberdeau, in order to house the miners of the area and to protect them from both Indians and Tories, erected the Fort in l777-l778 near the lead deposits in what is today Blair County. Eugene Craine, citing an original Roberdeau letter, states that he probably set up some kind of fort on an initial visit during 1777 and strengthened it on a second visit in 1778 by building a stockade.

The amount of lead derived from local mines is unknown. The enterprise was apparently abandoned by 1779 due to lack of assistance and expenses involved in mining operations. However, The Columbian Magazine (September, 1788) notes that the miners were from the old country, unused to the frontier life, and that the "whole undertaking fell to the ground." The Fort nevertheless remained standing even after its abandonment by garrison troops and continued to serve as a refuge for the local settlers. Craine notes that the Fort was occupied at least through 1781.

Fort Roberdeau was one of five frontier forts in Blair County in the 1777-1778 time-period. However, the other four were built by private enterprise, of the block-house type. Fort Roberdeau, commonly known as the Lead Mine Fort, appears to have been the only fort in Blair county built and manned by soldiers of the Continental Army.

Official Website

Fort Roberdeau History

Bibliographical References
Africa, J. Simpson, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties,
   Pennsylvania, "Blair County," (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883).
The Columbian Magazine, September and December, 1788, (Philadelphia: W. Spotswood).
Craine, Eugene R., The Story of Fort Roberdeau, 1777 to 1783,
    (Altoona: The Tourist & Publicity Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce, The City of Altoona,  1941).
Davis, Tarring S., ed., A History of Blair County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1,
    (Harrisburg: National Historical Association, Inc., 1931).
Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, (Clarence M. Busch, State Printer, 1896).

Fort Roberdeau; Lead Mine Fort, The

Queen Aliquippa - Seneca Leader and Ally of George Washington

Queen Aliquippa (also spelled Allaquippa) was the leader of the Mingo band of Seneca. Many places have been named for her, including the town of Aliquippa in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. She'd also lived in that region prior to the 1750s. It is believed that one of her children, as son, was named Canachquasy (Kanuksusy). She and her husband visited the founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn, at New Castle, Delaware prior to him leaving for England, for the final time, in the autumn of 1701.

Washington and Gist visit Queen Aliquippa. 1756
By Rogers, John, ca. 1808-ca. 1888 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

It wasn't until the summer months of 1748 when Queen Aliquippa was mentioned again. Conrad Weiser, who was in the region of Logstown was looking to enter tribes into a treaty with Pennsylvania. At the time, Queen Aliquippa was living in a village on the north bank of of the Allegheny River and a short distance from the Monongahela River.

She is mentioned in an August 27th, 1748 entry in Weiser's journal, as such: "Set off again in the morning early. Rainy weather. We dined at a Seneca town where an old Seneca woman [Queen Allaquippa] reigns with great authority. We dined at her house and they all used us very well."

Weiser left Queen Aliquippa's house and arrived at Logstown in the evening. At George Groghan's trading post, he made it into his headquarters for as long as he was was in Logstown. During his stay, he'd reached out to the Kuskuskies near Sauconk. He'd also met with Queen Aliquippa again between the end of August and September 19th (the day he left Logstown).

The entry in his entry was written: "The old Sinicker Queen from above, already mentioned, came to inform me some time ago that she had sent a string of wampum of three fathoms to Philadelphia by James Dunnings, to desire her brethren would send her up a cask of powder and some small shot to enable her to send out the Indian boys to kill turkeys and other fowls for her, whilst the men were gone to war against the French, that they may not be starved. I told her I had heard nothing of her message, but if she had told me of it before I had parted with all the powder and lead, I could have let her have some, and promised I would make inquiry; perhaps her messenger had lost it on the way to Philadelphia. I gave her a shirt, a Dutch wooden pipe and some tobacco. She seemed to have taken a little affront because I took not sufficient notice of her in coming down. I told her she acted very imprudently not to let me know by some of her friends who she was, as she knew very well I could not know by myself. She was satisfied, and went away with a deal of kind expressions."

By the Summer of 1749, Queen Aliquippa was seen by Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville near Shannopin's Town. Which was located on the east bank of the Allegheny River and also in the region of Pittsburgh. He wrote is his journal: "I re-embarked and visited the village which is called the Written Rock. The Iroquois inhabit this place, and it is an old woman of this nation who governs it. She regards herself as sovereign. She is entirely devoted to the English."

The Commissioners of Virginia, going by the names of Lomax, Fry, and Patten, arrived in the area of Logstown in 1752 and were looking to meet with Queen Aliquippa. She now was living on the south bank of the Ohio River and below the mouth of Chartiers Creek. They met on May 30, 1752 and she presented them with wampum and a 'fine dish of fish' and other provisions for their continuance on to Logstown. In return, they presented her with a brass kettle, tobacco, and other items and went on their way.

George Washington had also visited Queen Aliquippa in 1753. At this time, she was living in the area of present-day McKeesport, in Allegheny County. Washington traveled three miles to the mouth of the Youghiogheny River to visit her. During the visit, her presented her with a match coat and a bottle of rum. Washington expressed in his journal, about the gifts, "...which latter was thought much the better present of the two." He visited her out of his appreciation for her, her son, and warriors from her Mingo band for traveling to Fort Necessity to aid him. Though they did not play an active role in the Battle of Great Meadows.

After Washington's loss (as part of the British command leadership) against the French and their Native allies, he surrendered at Fort Necessity on July 4th, 1754. Meanwhile, Queen Aliquippa left the fort and moved on with her band and other tribes from the Fort Necessity region. They settled in Aughwick Valley in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. She was found dead on December 23, 1754 and it was thought she had passed prior to this date. George Croghan, in charge of Indian affairs at Aughwick, wrote to Colonial Authorities: ""Alequeapy, ye old quine (queen), is dead."

Her birth year is unknown, but it is estimated to be between the year 1670 and the early 1700s. Being that she and her husband may have visited William Penn in 1701, she was possibly born in the 1680s.