Introduction:

When one thinks about the groups that settled Pennsylvania, he immediately thinks of the Pennsylvania Dutch and English who dominated the state east of the Susquehanna and the Scots-Irish who settled the Alleghenies. Yet, the Welsh who were briefly the largest ethnic group in Pennsylvania are rarely given the recognition of their significance in Pennsylvania’s history. The Welsh settled in two main waves. While the title of this page is The Welsh “Colonization of Pennsylvania there was never a colony in the formal sense, rather in both cases the Welsh sought to create semi-autonomous settlements within the larger colony (commonwealth by the time of the second attempt) of Pennsylvania. The use of the world colony reflects the desire of the Welsh settlers to preserve their cultural integrity and although the Welsh never wanted to live in isolation like the Amish, they did desire to govern themselves.

The Initial Settlement:

The Welsh were some of the first settlers in the Pennsylvania colony. They held positions in the Provincial Assembly, became business leaders, and helped Philadelphia become the commercial center of the 13 colonies. The majority of the first Welsh migrants were Quakers, whom the British government persecuted because they were dissenters from the Church of England. The Welsh sought to create a “colony” in Pennsylvania in which they would be able to practice their faith, speak their language without the influence of the English government.

The Settlement of Cambria County:

At the tail end of the 18th century, another attempt at a Welsh settlement was made. This time in Western Pennsylvania. Cambria County, the Latin name for Wales, was created from the surrounding counties as part of the movement to establish a new Welsh “Colony”. Again, the desire to form a Welsh “Colony” was driven by English attempts to subjugate the Welsh and convert them to English culture.

This map provides context for both settlements and outlines the contributions that these settlements made to the history of Pennsylvania.

About the Author:

My name is Brendan Salyards. I am a Political Science and Economics Double Major and a member of the Gettysburg College Class of 2020. I became interested in the Welsh migrations to Pennsylvania due to my ancestral ties to Welsh in Cambria County. Through this project I have learned much about the history of my home state and a great deal about a group that, while influential, is often forgotten about in Pennsylvania’s classrooms.