George Washington

In the mid-to-late 1700's, Washington was a surveyor. It was in this capacity that he was sent to meet with the French and try to get them to concede some of the territory they had settled between the Niagara River and the head of the Ohio River. He was not successful. In 1745, he was sent to present day Pittsburgh to establish a settlement for the British. When he arrived at the would-be site, Washington found some French men building a fort. The British out-manned the French, but retreated anyway knowing that several more French men were on their way.