Fort Piper
(Source: Report of the Commission to Locate the Site of the Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Clarence M. Busch, State Printer of Pennsylvania, 1896. “The Frontier Forts in the Cumberland and Juniata Valleys,” Jay Gilfillan Weiser, pp. 490-491.)
FORT PIPER
This fort was erected, as near as can be ascertained, in 1777. The site of this fort is six miles northwest of Everett, in Hopewell township, and in the heart of Yellow Creek Valley. The old stone house which was the refuge of the early settlers, within the palisade is still standing and in good repair and is used as a dwelling. It is on the farm of James Piper, Esquire, county commissioner of Bedford and a descendant of the original owner of the estate, General Piper. This fort had its origin whilst Colonel John Piper was the lieutenant colonel of the county, during the Revolutionary war and whilst in serving in this capacity he was actively engaged in protecting the frontier settlements from the hostile encroachments of the Indians. When Colonel Piper first settled in the Yellow Creek Valley, it was about the year 1771. He then began the construction of a log fort at the southern end of Black Oak Ridge, near Colonel Piper's house, and frequently was this place occupied by troops of the Revolution who were sent there to protect the settlers. Some time after this Colonel Piper erected a substantial stone house of two stories, to which many settlers at various periods fled for refuge, until the building became known as Fort Piper, and so it is still called at this late day. This old house is remarkably well preserved, and its strong open woodwork seems capable of lasting as long as the masonry. The writer has not data of provincial records showing that a fort was authorized to be built or that there ever was a garrison there.
This fort, bearing the name of Colonel Piper, one of the distinguished heroes of the times, and who held various positions of honor and trust under the early authorities of that period and left a line of distinguished descendants, both in military and civil pursuits, still stands as a monument in perpetuation of the patriotism and zeal which characterized the motives and deeds of its immortal founder.
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