What’s in a Name? – Fayette County

Fayette County was named for the Marquis de Lafayette, the French aristocrat who fought for independence along with the Americans in the Revolutionary War. The southern border of the county abuts the Mason-Dixon Line, the demarcation that separates Pennsylvania from West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Fayette’s county seat is Uniontown. Below are some of the communities in Fayette County and how they were named.

Belle Vernon

Belle Vernon translates from the French to mean “beautiful green,” and that was name given to the town by Noah Speers in 1813 when he laid out the town.

Brownsville

Thomas Brown came to the region near the end of the Revolutionary War. It’s location on the Monongahela River made it a desirable embarkation point as the river flowed into the Ohio river and led to the untamed west. The town that grew up there was called Brownsville after Thomas Brown.

Connellsville

This town along the Youghiogheny river was founded in 1806 by Zachariah Connell, who laid out the town in 1790.

Dunbar

Originally known as Frogtown, Dunbar received a less ranine name when it was named for Col. Thomas Dunbar, who fought in the French and Indian War.

Everson

This town was named after William Everson, who was the father of Barclay M. Everson, an industrialist who owned the rolling mill there.

Hopwood

Hopwood went through several name changes before settling on that name. George Washington and John Hopwood were neighbors in Virginia, and Hopwood also served as his aid de camp. They both bought land in Fayette County, and Hopwood named his parcel of land Woodstock like his home in Virginia. Later, after President Monroe visited, John Hopwood’s descendent Moses named the town Monroe after the president. When it was learned that there was already a Monroe, Pennsylvania, they decided on the name Hopwood in 1881.

Lemont Furnace

This town’s industrial past is reflected in its name. A center for ironmaking, Lemont Furnace takes its name from the iron furnace that was once located there.

Masontown

The first settlement here was Fort Mason, a blockhouse built by settler John Mason.

Ohiopyle

Long noted for its whitewater rafting, Ohiopyle took its name from the Lenape words ahi opihəle, which appropriately translates to “frothy water.”

Point Marion

Although it is not known if he ever visited the area, Point Marion was named for Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, who was from South Carolina and was nicknamed the “Swamp Fox.” Good thing they didn’t name the town Swamp Fox.

Uniontown

The county seat of Fayette county, Uniontown shares an illustrious birthday. It was founded on July 4, 1776, the same date that the Declaration of Independence was ratified. It was originally known as Beeson’s Town after Henry Beeson, a Quaker, who settled there.

Written by Janice Lane Palko