to reveal the location of fort shirley, it is necessary to understand the cultural and geographical significance of the settled land adjacent to the fort. a substantial settlement, aughwick old town, developed around george croghan's homestead, a place where native americans and whites conducted trade and found refuge. in a letter dated 16 august 1754, croghan wrote to the governor of the province that the half king and his fellow mingo seneca people had been staying with him at aughwick since washington's defeat (hazard 1897, 140-141).