The first people in this area were the Lenni-Lenape Indians, who inhabited the Schuylkill watershed long before European colonization. The first non-Native American, arriving in the late 17th century, was a French Canadian fur trapper named Pierre Bezallion. The Leni Leanpe, who hunted and fished in the area, traded with Bezallion. As a result, William Penn called upon him when needed to act as an arbitrator in Indian affairs. Bezallion used a natural cave that was in Spring City to store his furs and to stay over when he was trapping in this area. However neither he nor the Indians made this area their permanent home. Pierre Bezallion died in 1740 and is buried over in Compass (near Coatesville). As this area was settled it came to be referred to as “Pump Town,” so named due to a public pump frequented by citizens and visitors. The early residents had quite a battle over settling on an official name. There was a group who fought for the name “Pumptown” and others who liked Jamestown. Eventually the natural springs in the area proffered an obvious name and “Springville” was chartered on August 12, 1867. Yet even this choice wouldn’t stand as it was discovered that Pennsylvania already had a “Springville ”. So, in 1872 the name was changed to Spring City.