Who Founded York and Why?
Course | Registration opens 5/14/2026 8:00 AM EDT
Frank and Rebecca Countess will discuss the period of time from the 1650s to the 1760s, from the William Penn Family in England to the surveying of the Mason Dixon line through present-day York County. The course will answer the questions as to when and how the Province of Pennsylvania, the County of York, and the City of York were all founded.
Frank Countess
Frank Henisse Countess is a Shareholder at CGA Law Firm specializing in real estate law, estate planning, and administration, bringing extensive expertise as a licensed real estate broker, title insurance agent, and former seventeen-year chair of the firm’s Real Estate Group. A dedicated advocate for York’s economic development, he serves on the York City Redevelopment Authority and the York County Land Bank Authority, while also resolving local property disputes as a member of the York County Board of View. His deep commitment to his lifelong home is reflected in his leadership roles within numerous nonprofits and has earned him prestigious honors, including the Heart of Change Community Service Award, Leadership York’s 2020 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, and a spot on the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal’s Power 30 for Law and Lobbyists.
Rebecca Countess
Rebecca Kingston Countess serves as the South Central Pennsylvania Regional Representative for U.S. Senator John Fetterman, covering eight counties. A longtime nonprofit servant, she chaired the York County History Center board, leading the final fundraising drive and overseeing the renovation of the historic Steam Plant, now the museum’s home, and continues to serve on the Center’s Executive Committee. She has held numerous board and committee positions throughout the county, volunteers extensively, and is especially proud that her family received the Crispus Attucks Heart of Change Community Service Award, reflecting her belief that together we can build a stronger, more resilient, and compassionate community. She also participates in several philanthropic networks, including the Penn State Women’s Philanthropic Network and the York County Community Center Women’s Giving Circle.