Trent, William, 1715-1787?

William Trent, born in Philadelphia in 1715, was appointed Captain of the Pennsylvania Militia in 1746. From 1749-1754 he was partners with George Croghan in Indian trade along the Ohio River. In 1752 as an agent for Virginia, he was in charge of an expedition transporting gifts to the Miami Indians. He attended Indian councils in 1752, 57 and 59. From 1760-1762 he was a member of Simon, Trent, Levy and Franks, traders. He bought a tract of land on the Ohio River from the Six Nations in 1768 which later became most of Indiana.

Indian trader.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Feb 13, 1715, son of William Trent a Philadelphia merchant (who later moved to site of Trenton, New Jersey who was named for him) and Mary Coddington. Engaged in fur trade with George Groghan and others from which they fell heavily into dept. Appointed justice of the peace in newly established Cumberland Co. Entered service and commissioned captain by Gov. Dinwiddie and ordered to recruit men to build a fort at the fork of the Ohio. Arrived there on February 17, 1754 and began building at the point of merging of the Alleghey and Monongahela. Before it was finished the French seized it and named it Fort Duquesne. In 1763 on behalf of himself and 22 other traders he sought restitution in the form of land grants for losses during the French and Indian War. The group, known as the Indian Company, turned to the State of Virginia for their claim after the Revolution but loss the case. He was in Detroit in 1791, bringing goods for sale to the Native Americans. He married Sarah Wilkins in 1752 and had six children. Died in Philadelphia, 1787. (from "Pa. Mag of Hist. & Biog." v.72, pp.343-375 ; Volwiler. "George Croghan and the Westward Movement." p. 265-269 ; Alberts "Adventures of Major Robert Stobo" p. 26 et al ; "Calendar of Va. State Papers" v.6, p.1="Indian Co." ; Fleming. "Hist. of Pittsburgh" v.1, p.261-2 ; M.P.H.C. v. 19, p.58 ; "Who Was Who", p. 537.)(blue index cards)

William Trent (1715-1787), soldier, Indian trader, and land speculator, was a prominent figure in the development of Western Pennsylvania during the second half of the eighteenth century.