The French and Indian War, as it was known in the North American Colonies, was essentially just the North American Theatre of the Seven Years War, as it was known in Europe. The conflict was also known as the War For Empire. The War was the first 'world war' because it was fought in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia (i.e. India and the Philippines). The European theatre was primarily concerned with Austria's attempt to recover Silesia from Prussia. Britain aligned with Prussia against France, which aligned with Austria.
The American theatre involved the British Colonies in conjunction with Britain against the French and their Amerindian allies of primarily the Abenaki and Iroquois Confederacies. France had designs on dominating the Ohio Valley in order to control the beaver fur trade. To that end, a series of forts were constructed southward from Lake Erie to the Forks of the Ohio. The Virginia Colony claimed the Ohio Valley and had begun to construct a fort at the Forks of the Ohio. The French captured it and finish the construction, naming it Fort Duquesne. Two attempts were made by the British to regain control of the fortified position at the Forks. The first, named Braddock's Campaign, for the English commander Edward Braddock, was launched in 1754-5. It ended in an ambush and the death of General Braddock in the Battle of the Monongahela. The second, Forbes Campaign, was named for its commander, General John Forbes. Forbes Campaign, launched in the summer of 1758, culminated on 24 November with the evacuation of Fort Duquesne by the French. The French and Indian War then shifted to the New England theatre.
The French and Indian War ended on 10 February 1763 with the Treaty of Paris.
This region was defined, and essentially came into existence because of, the Forbes Campaign of the French and Indian War. Fort Bedford was constructed as a fortified supply depot along the Communication supply line. There were no residents in this region, at the time, who served in either the Braddock or Forbes Campaigns. Some individuals came to this region as part of, or in conjunction with, the Forbes Campaign, and stayed in this region after the campaign. An example of this would have been John and Jean Fraser.
The most complete collection of rosters for the companies engaged in the campaigns of the French and Indian War within Pennsylvania is found in the published Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Volume I, pages 3 through 368.
