1Urging the Governor to create a commission, or take other
2executive action, to rename Negro Mountain in Somerset County
3to accurately reflect the history of the region and to update
4related governmental maps, brochures, plaques and signs.

5WEREAS, Negro Mountain is an approximately 30-mile long ridge
6of the Allegheny Mountains that spans from Maryland north into
7the Casselman River in Somerset County, Pennsylvania; and

8WHEREAS, The highest point of Negro Mountain, rising 3,213
9feet, is the highest point in Pennsylvania; and

10WHEREAS, In 1756 during the French and Indian War, a battle
11on Negro Mountain ensued between a band of volunteers led by the
12English-born pioneer Thomas Cresap and Native Americans on the
13mountain; and

14WHEREAS, Historical reports of the account, including reports
15written by Cresap himself, note that while crossing the
16mountain, a party of Native Americans fired upon the volunteers
17and mortally wounded one of the "Negroes." A piece of a hollow

1log was found and placed over the "Negro" to shelter him, and,
2throwing it off, he said, "Save yourselves and never mind me; I
3shall die soon"; and

4WHEREAS, Cresap wrote an account of the expedition for
5Benjamin Franklin's "Pennsylvania Gazette" of June 17, 1756; and

6WHEREAS, It is said that Negro Mountain took its name from
7this battle, notably from the heroism of the "Negro" who gave
8his life to protect the other volunteers; and

9WHEREAS, In 1882, J. Thomas Scharf stated in "History of
10Western Maryland" that the wounded man's name was Nemesis and
11that he was Cresap's servant; and

12WHEREAS, In 1921, the highest point of Negro Mountain was
13officially recognized as Mount Davis, after John N. Davis, the
14settler who once owned the land; and

15WHEREAS, No official geological document or map accurately
16displays the name of the "Negro," Nemesis, who bravely gave his
17life to save others; and

18WHEREAS, The official Pennsylvania transportation and tourism
19map distributed by the Department of Transportation does not
20even have a reference to Negro Mountain, but does reference
21Mount Davis; and

22WHEREAS, The lack of documentation of Negro Mountain on the
23official Commonwealth's transportation and tourism map
24highlights the need to change the name of Negro Mountain to
25something more appropriate for display and print on official
26documents; therefore be it

27RESOLVED, That the Governor, in consultation with the
28Pennsylvania State Archives, the Department of Conservation and
29Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation, create a
30commission, or take other executive action, to rename Negro

1Mountain in Somerset County to accurately reflect the history of
2the region and the heroism displayed by the African American
3known as Nemesis in the Negro Mountain conflict of 1756; and be
4it further

5RESOLVED, That, on or before December 31, 2014, the
6commission or the Governor notify the General Assembly, the
7Pennsylvania State Archives, the Department of Conservation and
8Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation of the
9new name that was selected for Negro Mountain; and be it further

10RESOLVED, That all related governmental maps, brochures,
11plaques and signs bear the new name chosen by the Governor that
12accurately reflects the facts of this heroic historical event.