Imperial Intentions and Independent Interests: The Ohio Company of Virginia and its Agents, Thomas Cresap and Christopher Gist, 1748--1752

Thomas Cresap and Christopher Gist, two common men from Maryland, began working for the Ohio Company of Virginia in 1748, in an attempt to expand the British Empire's claim in the Ohio River Valley by enlarging the colony of Virginia. This thesis analyses these two agents of empire and their trade and diplomacy with the Indians of the Ohio Valley, as well as their mapping and surveying. This thesis argues that these two "on the ground" agents were building the British Empire, through their work for the Ohio Company of Virginia. However, this was not their only imperial tie, there were many formal and informal ties that bound the Ohio Company to governmental officials. These ties often make it difficult to determine if Cresap and Gist were bring employed by the Ohio Company or the British Empire. This thesis explains the relationship between the Ohio Company, the Ohio Company employees and the British Empire and how the independent interests of the employees and the Company, made it possible for the British to expand into the Ohio River Valley, and compete in the race for empire in North America.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

History

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Hager, Emily S.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Tyler Boulware.
• Joseph Hodge
• Brian Luskey

• African history
• History
• European history

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/704

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1707