In the year 1810, Daniel McVicker had high hopes that a new town, over which he'd be the proprietor, would prosper and thrive. Straddling the Glades Pike on the summit of Dry Ridge, the town would stand somewhat at the midpoint between Bedford and Barlein (or rather, Berlin). Berlin was, by way of the Glades Pike, thirty miles to the west in Somerset County. Situated fifteen miles from both established towns would ensure that the new town would be a good stopover point for travelers from either direction.
The town for which Daniel McVicker had high hopes would consist of one hundred lots, fifty to line each side of the main street. That main street through the town would be named Race street. A single cross street, Pine Street, would separate the two lines of lots between the 19th /20th and the 81st / 82nd lots. That single intersection was not planned to lie in the center of the town. Instead, a roughly twelve degree bend in Race Street was positioned at the center, between the 25th /26th and the 75th / 76th lots.
The town was intended to be named Clarksburgh. One might wonder why it was not named McVicker. The surveyor that Daniel employed was named William Clark. More than likely, the surveyor's fee was paid for by McVicker not with money but with the naming of the town after the surveyor.
The tract of land on which the town was to lie was originally warranted on 10 February 1794 by Joseph Tomlinson. The warrant was for two hundred acres. A survey of two hundred and ten acres was returned on 12 August 1795. The survey noted that the tract was "Situated on both sides of the Road Leading from Bedford to Barlein between the place known by the Name of Reises & Weelskers in Bedford Township Bedford County Containing 210-1/4 acres with the Usual Allowance of six pt for Roads &c Surveyed for Joseph Tomlinson Millwright the 12th Day of August 1795." The tract, named 'Dundee' was not patented by Tomlinson though. It was patented by Daniel McVicker on 27 December 1808. In actuality, Joseph Tomlinson sold the property by deed to Daniel McVicker on 19 January 1802. The purchase price was "Two hundred Dollars Lawful money of the State."
A Draft or Plan of the Town of Clarksburg, Bedford County, was recorded at the Bedford County Court House. The following information was included on the draft:
Situate on both sides of the Road on the Dry Ridge in Bedford township and County, to be known and called by the name of Clarksburgh ~ Containing one hundred Lots. The Lots at $10 each, clear of ground rent. Titles to be made by Daniel McVicker. Before the Subscriber one of the Commonwealth's Justices of the Peace in and for the said County, personally appeared William Clark Esq. who being duly sworn deposeth and Saith that, about the year 1810 or 1811, to the best of deponant's recollection he was employed by Daniel, the proprietor of the Town of Clarksburgh in Bedford (now Napier) township, to survey and lay off Lots of the said Town ~ that deponant did survey and lay off the Lots of said Town, at that time, for the said Daniel McVicker agreeably to the above & foregoing draft or plan thereof, which is the Original Plan made by this deponent in his own proper hand writing, excepting some few names of the owners of Lots, which have since been inserted. Sworn & Subscribed the 18th day of February A.D. 1833. Before J. Bonnett Wm Clark
The draft showed the layout of the intended town with the names of the applicants for the individual lots. Those applicants included: Luke Asher, Fedrc Beard, Daniel Bener, George Bener, Henry Berstone, John Black, Mary Campbell, Sean Campbell, John Canady, William Clark, Jas Clemson, John Cuop, Mary Cutshal, Wm C. Dorsey, Jean Earley, Josiah Espy, Jacob Flegle, John Fleming, Fredk Geller, George Geller, Eliz. Gurd, Thos. Handler, Isaac Hann, ADm. Harbolt, William Haslet, Lewis Hawn, Conrad Helem, Michl Hering, Christo Joab, Samuel Kno, George Leman, John Lurdy, Corns Martenus, Chas McDowell, John McNeal, Aaron McVicker, David McVicker, Duncan McVicker, Elizath McVicker, James McVicker, John McVicker, Mary McVicker, Nancy McVicker, Wm McVicker, Marcus Metzger, Thomas Moore, Stephen Morton, Peter Mowry, Chrisly Moyer, Susan Moyers, Ann Ovens, Henry Ritter, John Ritter, Rebeca Ritter, Sean Ryan, Abm Saman, Frd Sams, Samuel Sanson, Patrick Short, James Stewart, Casper Stotler, Jno Tanner, Jams the Waginer, Jesse Walker, George Wallen, Jacob Weyan, George Yount and Henry Yount.
It would appear, from the deeds filed in the Bedford County Court House, that only a few of the potential lot owners actually purchased them from the proprietor, Daniel McVicker. Jean Early purchased Lot #58 on 07 September 1809 from Daniel McVicker for the sum of ten dollars.20 On 11 October 1809, John Cutshall purchased a tract of thirty-five acres from Daniel McVicker. It was part of the original tract named 'Dundee,' but none of it was considered lots in the town. John Fleming purchased lots #18, 19 and 54 and an additional tract amounting to a total of one hundred and fifty-seven acres on 20 October 1809. Fleming paid four hundred and fifty dollars for the lots and additional acreage. Fleming then sold the properties to Robert Philson of the town of Berlin. Philson paid Fleming eight hundred dollars for the properties on 16 January 1810.
In the end, the town failed to materialize. Daniel McVicker died circa January 1838 and the town apparently died with him.
Shown above in the photo, the large house of Marcus Metzgar, a Hessian soldier during the American Revolutionary War who operated a tavern in it, wouold have been located at the center of the proposed town.
