Governor Charles Willing Byrd was the son of Colonel William Byrd of Virginia. In 1792 President John Adams appointed him secretary of the Northwest Territory and in 1802 he became acting governor of the territory. He was a delegate to the convention that framed the first constitution for Ohio and was later appointed United States District Judge by President Jefferson. Governor Byrd lived in Adams County from 1807 until 1822 when he moved to Sinking Spring.