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After the French and Indian War, early settlers, such as Capt. James Booth, Jacob Prickett, and David Morgan, moved into what is now Marion County. Because of the danger of Indian attacks, frontier forts were built, with Pricketts Fort being the most important. Today, Pricketts Fort is a state park and tourist attraction.
In 1787, Boaz Fleming led a group from Milford, Delaware, to what is now Fairmont. They settled in the area, but some ended up in different counties. Fleming tried twice to create a new county, but both attempts failed. Finally, in 1842, delegate William S. Morgan succeeded in creating Marion County from parts of Monongalia and Harrison counties. The new county was named after Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, and Middletown became the county seat, later renamed Fairmont. In the 1850s, the arrival of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad helped the area grow, making it important during the Civil War and later for its natural resources.
