 The opening of the Pennsylvania Government Land Office in the area in 1769, and the contract of the Pennsylvania Proprietaries with the Indians opened up the Loyalhannah Valley for settlement for pioneers, many of whom were of German and Scotch-Irish descent.Christopher Saxman in 1764, and Frederick Pershing in 1769 were the first recorded settlers in the area of present-day Youngstown.As a community and village grew, it was often called Martinsburg, after Martin West, another nearby land owner.