le ▁and ▁Fort ▁Le ▁Bo e uf ▁to ▁control ▁the ▁port age ▁from ▁the ▁stream ' s ▁head w aters ▁to ▁Lake ▁Er ie . ▁They ▁called ▁the ▁stream ▁Riv ière ▁aux ▁Bo e uf s ▁( C attle ▁River ) ▁because ▁b ison ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁rem ind ed ▁them ▁of ▁French ▁cattle . ▁In ▁ 1 7 5 3 , ▁George ▁Washington , ▁a ▁British ▁subject ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁deliver ▁a ▁message ▁to ▁Fort ▁Le ▁Bo e uf ▁asking ▁the ▁French ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁region . ▁Washington ▁called ▁the ▁stream ▁French ▁Creek ▁rather ▁than ▁Be ef ▁Creek ▁( another ▁common ▁rendering ▁of ▁Riv ière ▁aux ▁Bo e uf s ), ▁and ▁his ▁version ▁pre va iled . ▁ ▁Cour se ▁▁ ▁French ▁Creek ▁begins ▁near ▁French ▁Creek , ▁New ▁York , ▁and ▁flows ▁about ▁ ▁to ▁the ▁Al leg hen y ▁River ▁at ▁Franklin , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁The ▁cre ek ' s ▁d rain age ▁bas in ▁covers ▁. ▁The ▁waters hed ▁includes ▁parts ▁of ▁Er ie , ▁C raw ford , ▁Ven ango , ▁and ▁Mer cer ▁count ies ▁in ▁Pennsylvania ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Ch aut au qua ▁County ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁C ities ▁and ▁towns ▁along ▁its ▁main ▁stem ▁include ▁Mill ▁Village , ▁W att s burg , ▁Cambridge ▁Spr ings , ▁Ven ango , ▁Sa eg ert own , ▁M ead ville , ▁C och r anton , ▁Ut ica , ▁Sug arc reek , ▁and ▁Franklin , ▁all ▁in ▁Pennsylvania .