Historical Maps of Snyder County

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Jurisdictional Chronology

• 27 January 1750 -- Cumberland County is formed from Lancaster County; its northern boundary is now the present southern boundary of Perry County; Snyder County area was owned by the Six Nations tribes, but settlers pushed into the area.
• 17 October 1755 -- After Braddock's defeat in the French & Indian War, Native Americans attack settlers' settlements and improvements north of the Cumberland County line, near the present site of Selinsgrove (also known as Gabriel's and Weisertown on the Isle of Que, at the mouth of Penns Creek into the Susquehanna River) and northwest along the banks of Penns Creek. The "Penns Creek Massacre" panics settlers, many of whom flee into southern Pennsylvania counties. Fort Augusta at Sunbury (then called Shamokin) was built the following year as a result of this conflict. Most original settlers never return. Those that do, return for the surveys of the Snyder County area in 1768.
• 23 October 1758 -- Pennsylvania proprietaries purchase the Snyder County area from the Six Nations tribes in the Treaty of Albany. The northeastern line of Penn Township, Cumberland County, is extended north through most of the Snyder County area; the northeastern corner of the Snyder County area lies in the newly extended western boundary of Bethel Township, Berks County, formed 11 March 1752.
• 21 March 1772 -- Northumberland County is formed from Cumberland, Northampton, Lancaster, Berks and Bedford Counties; all of the Snyder County area is included in the new county; Penn Township covers all of now Snyder County except for now Monroe Township. Sunbury is county seat.
• 22 March 1813 -- Union County is formed from Northumberland County; all of now Snyder County is included in the new county; Mifflinburg (Youngmanstown) serves as county seat 1813 to 1815 when New Berlin (Longstown) is chosen as the county seat. In 1855 the county seat moves to Lewisburg (Derrstown) where it remains.
• 2 March 1855 -- Snyder County is created from Union County; Middleburg (Swinefordstown) becomes the county seat where it remains. It is named after Simon Snyder, three-time governor of Pennsylvania 1808-1817, a resident of Selinsgrove.