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Tibern-ia, Hispan-ia, our own Columb-ia (land of Columbus) and many countries and even the continent of As-ia.
The Development of Father Gallitzin's Colony - Early Roads and Settlements.
When Father Gallitzin first came to the McGuire settlement in 1799, there were but three public roads in what is now Cambria County. The first of these was a road authorized by an act of legislature dated March 29, 1787, to connect the waters of the Frankstown branch of the Juniata River with the waters of the Conemaugh as a "portage" or road between heads of navigation of these rivers. To survey and locate this route, the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, of which Benjamin Franklin was president, on the 6th of April following, appointed James Harris, of Cumberland County, surveyor; Charles Campbell of Westmoreland County and Soloman Adams of Bedford County, Commissioners.
This road was located the same year, the Field Notes of Robert Galbraith, prothonatary of Huntingdon County who made it, hence the name "Galbraith road," or "Frankstown road," are as follows: "Beginning at buttonwood near Dan Titus'; thence up Blair's Run; thence to a beech on top of the mountain; thence to a branch of the Clearfield Creek; thence to a beech at Robinson's improvement; thence to a beech on the north branch of the Conemaugh running southward 620 probably feet or yards) to a chestnut thence across several small branches of the river to the top of Laurel hill; thence to the mouth of the Blacklick Creek below Blairsville." - Col. Rec. Vol. II, p. 656.
The return of this survey was made December 17th, 1787, the entire length of the road to the mouth of the Loyalhanna being 52.25 miles.
On December 18, 1787, James Harris was paid £47, 7 s., and Charles Campbell £34, 3 s., but as the writer has never been able to find out if anything was ever paid to Solomon Adams, it is probable that he did not serve.
Solomon Adams was a brother of Samuel Adams, Benjamin Adams and Rachael Adams, who settled on Stony Creek on the site of the present Seventeenth Ward of the City of Johnstown before the Revolutionary War, as the writer possesses a copy of an affidavit to prove. Samuel Adams was killed in a fight with an Indian in an ambush
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