Abstract
Though they were frequently maligned by American Indians, colonial officials, and frontier settlers alike, Ohio Country fur traders based at Fort Pitt played a surprisingly nuanced role in the region’s affairs. Navigating perilous inland shipping routes, traders forged relationships among distant tribes; occasionally served as translators between Indians and Europeans; and frequently toed the line between their own self-interests and their duties to King, country, and employers. Blurring the lines between commerce and public service, traders also played a supporting role at the many conferences and treaties with Indians held at Fort Pitt. Their knowledge of the country west of Pittsburgh and close ties with Native communities made traders valuable assets in the American diplomatic strategy during the Revolution.