Zackquill Morgan, who founded Morgantown, was born in Berkeley County in 1735. He was the seventh of eight children of Catherine and Col. Morgan Morgan, who is sometimes remembered incorrectly as West Virginia's first European-American settler. Zackquill and his brother David both fought in the French and Indian War, including in Braddock's Expedition in 1755 and Forbes's Expedition in 1758.

Around 1771, Zackquill moved to what is now Monongalia County. He claimed land along the Monongahela River and Deckers Creek using a method called “tomahawk rights,” where settlers marked trees to show ownership.

During the Revolutionary War, he was made county lieutenant with the title of colonel. He fought with General Horatio Gates at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 and served with honor throughout the war.