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History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement

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HISTORY

of

Perry County, Pennsylvania

Including Descriptions of Indian and

Pioneer Life from the Time of

Earliest Settlement

Sketches of Its Noted Men and Women and Many Professional Men

By

H. H. HAIN

HARRISBURG, PA.

1922

Hain-Moore Company, Publishers harrisburg, pa.

.

Copyright 1922

By

Hain-Moore Company

JUL 31 32

A681155 /

'I love tin rocks and ril

r M y() all those Perry Countians who

-Z first saw the beautiful rays of the morning sun as it came up o'er the Blue Ridge Mountains, who cherish fond memories of the land of their birth, and to those oilier citizens of the Republic who have chosen to make their abiding place within the borders of the Best Little County in the Com- monwealth, this book is respectfully dedicated.

Thy woods and templed hills."

FOREWORD

THE lands lying north of the Kittatinny or Blue Mountain, which wove a part of Cumberland County until 1820, when Perry County was organized, form historically one of Pennsylvania's most interesting sections for various reasons. Here, when the world was in formation, geologists tell us, oc- curred upheavals and an admixture of the elements so unusual that Perry County, as to-day constituted, has more varieties of soil than any other county in the State.

For many years these lands stood at the very verge of the un- broken forests, a veritable out-post of civilization, where the war- whoop of the red men yet echoed through the hills while the pioneer plied axe and saw, as he hewed from the wooded lands a home for himself and his people. Amid such surroundings there was no place for the weakling or. timid and thus there came to these lands a race of men and women, fearless and unafraid, who builded their homes, carved from the wilderness their farm , peopled the towns, surged over the borders and became useful citizens of other counties and states. They or their descendants have filled positions of honor and trust, which included the Presi- dency, the Vice-Presidency of two governments, governorships, chief justices' places on the supreme courts of three different states, and United States senatorships. From no other county have come more illustrious men or those whose ancestry have abided there, considering the small extent of territory and the necessarily attendant small population of a rural county.

This is more than a history of Perry County, as it records much of Indian habitation and devastation and pioneer life long before its lands became a county, which has come down to us through the mists of another day, being principally based on official records and historical accounts of the period, with here and there a tinge of tradition, when well founded, which has de- scended down the years through generations of responsible people.

Among the first settlers were men and women of mental vigor and talent, and these characteristics became inherent in unborn generations, with the attendant result that Perry County has not only been the birthplace of many men illustrious in the affairs of state, but also of an array of men and women educated in the learned professions, who have held, or hold, responsible positions in their respective communities, all over Pennsylvania and in a large majority of the states of the Union. While the book is in no sense a biographical work, yet it is deemed fit and proper to record the more noted. Unfortunately the list is not complete, as

7

8 FOREWORD

the whereabouts of some at this time is unknown to the author, as many letters seeking information remaining unanswered, and also for the reason that it is difficult to obtain the records of those of the first half -century or more of the county's existence. It will serve as a basis for future records.

Of all these things; of the county's beautiful scenery, with its physical distinction and magnificent mountains, verdant valleys, rambling and sometimes raging rivers ; of its traditions and its treasures — its homes and its people, the book will go into detail.

It is unfortunate that the work was not undertaken a score of years ago ; but the author, who was just young enough to be in- cluded in the last conscription of men for the United States army, in 1918, during the great World War, at an earlier day never even dreamed of personally assuming a work of this importance. Had it been undertaken then, the help of many who have since passed away could have been enlisted, thus securing data which has now been lost for all time.

In undertaking the task of writing and compiling a history of the county of his nativity, the author has not done so under the impression that he is more able to do so than others, as there are many more competent. It was principally undertaken by him as no other had even presumed to do so. A period of almost fifty years had elapsed since the publication of Wright's History of Perry County, the only separate history of the county published since its organization, and which was written in answer to a call from the Governor for the compilation of a history of every county of the Commonwealth prior to the Centennial of 1876.

The book's contents are largely the result of development. While some of the material used dates back to a boyhood scrap- book, and more to the advantages afforded by connection as a correspondent from boyhood and later as editor of one of the county newspapers, and a continual collection of historical data since, yet by far the major portion was gathered, written and compiled during the past three years. As the prospectus an- nouncing its coming publication was being written, June 28, 1919, the bells and whistles at the State Capital were pealing forth the glad tidings that the terms of peace had been signed at Versailles, and two days later war-time prohibition became effective through- out the Nation.

From the very beginning of writing and compiling this volume the author has taken the public into his confidence, through notices in the public press, and at every phase of its compilation, and with some success. Conjointly with letters seeking informa- tion the business end was conducted and its publication assured. As the book goes to press the proposed edition has been almost wholly subscribed for. Inexperienced in the writing of a book

FOREWORD 9

the triple method of traveling the territory, with the greater part of which he was already familiar, searching legal records and doing research work in libraries was adopted in the very begin- ning and continued throughout, and found to be advantageous. His place of residence and occupation made available the wonder- ful library of the State of Pennsylvania, the library of the City of New York, occupying a block; the Carnegie Library at Pitts- burgh, a veritable acreage of books, and others of less impor- tance, an advantage not available a half century ago, when the former history was written. The work has been a pleasanl one, done in connection with filling a regular position, and if the reader enjoys the perusal of the volume half as much as the author enjoyed its writing and compilation he is well repaid for his efforts, undertaken largely as a labor of love. His one aim has been to give to posterity all of the many good things per- taining to his native county and its people, in so far as possible, in the form of a single volume. Had its completion been hurried much valuable data would have been lacking.

The history of a county differs from that of a state or nation. its government being largely a part of a greater territory, and necessarily includes matters of state and national importance, as. they have a bearing upon local conditions. That tendency is a marked one in so far as Perry County is concerned, for in both the pioneer period and the sectional war time these lands were at the very borderland. In this book there will be fonnd many things which naturally are of the state and nation, hut they are here embodied, as their bearing on local matters is of import. To William C. Sproul, Governor of Pennsylvania; Thomas L. Mont- gomery, then State Librarian, and H. H. Shenk, Custodian of Public Records, the author is indebted for public sanction of the undertaking and for putting at his disposal every facility and ad- vantage for securing information. Should he name the published works of others which he has searched for information it would require pages, as he has gone over many hundreds of them.

In his many trips within and without the county, the latter mostly spent in interviewing former Perry countians, every- where he met with the kindest consideration .and regard and to name a list of all who gave information is also impossible, but they have his most profound thanks for help in the preservation of these historical records. Here and there throughout the book he gives mention to a few who have been of marked assistance. Especial credit is due to Miss Margaret H. Barnett, of New Bloomfield, who carefully read practically all of the manuscript and made necessary corrections and valuable suggestions ; to Prof. H. H. Shenk, custodian of Public Records of the State of Pennsylvania, and former Professor of History in Lebanon Yal-

io FOREWORD

ley College, for performing a similar duty ; to Dr. George P. Donehoo, secretary of the Pennsylvania Historical Commission and a noted authority on Indian lore, and now State Librarian, for reviewing the Indian chapters, and to the many who read and criticised chapters with which they were especially familiar.

To those who loaned volumes from their lihraries we are in- debted, and especially so for the valuable scrap books of Miss Minnie Deardorff, Rev. John D. Calhoun, the late Senator Charles H. Smiley and others. Ex-Senator James W. McKee and At- torney George R. Barnett deserve special mention for aiding in research work on many occasions.

The county editors have been uniformly kind and helpful in every way, including the gratuitous use of their columns for furthering the work and for seeking information, and the privi- lege of searching their files. To Messrs. H. E. Sheibley and W. W. Branyan we are also indebted for the use of a number of the interesting electrotypes which help illustrate the book.

Upon the practical completion of the book notice was given through the public press, inviting any interested persons to read, criticise and correct any misstatements which they might find. The privilege of so doing was open for a period of sixty days.

During the many days spent in the capitol building and state library at Harrisburg the writer was treated with the utmost courtesy and consideration, both by the employees and their chiefs. They are skilled in their respective duties and considerate of the general public, whose business calls them to Capitol Hill.

While the work was in progress death took from us a num- ber of men and women who had offered help in securing material and facts, some of which appears here and there throughout the book. Among these were Prof. L. E. McGinnes, Prof. Daniel Fleisher, Frank Penned, Mrs. Annie Swartz Hench, wife of Harry F. Hench, and Mrs. Clara Lahr Moore, wife of Dr. E. E. Moore, two cultured and learned women.

As the work took form the impression was made that no mat- ter what proportion it assumed upon completion there would still be a lack of finality, as ever and anon there appeared new (or rather old) data, legend, tradition, and sketches of men — and still more men — who had gone forth from Perry County and its territory and lived lives of honor and distinction. There will be errors, of course, but the statements herein made have all been secured or transferred from historical or other books, public records, newspaper files, scrap-books, etc., except where noted. Where statements have differed the one supported by facts has been used.

H. H. Hain.

Harrisburg, Pa., January io, 1922.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Location, Physical Features, Geology, Etc. 15

II. Earliest Records of Indian Inhabitants 37

III. Intruding Settlers Evicted 57

IV. Treaty of Peace, but a Devastating In-

dian Warfare 84

V. Simon Girty, the Renegade 104

VI. Duncan's and Hauh; man's Islands [18

VII. Coming of the Trader 137

VIII. Coming of the Pioneers [48

IX. Perry County in the Revolutionary War 161 X. Perry County Territory in the War of

1812 177

XI. The Province and "Mother Cumberland" [82

XII. Perry County Established 201

XIII. The Fight for the County Seat 221

XIV. Trails and Highways 231

XV. Old Landmarks, Mills and Industries . . 247

XVI. The Earliest Churches 280

XVII. The County Schools, Past and Present 369

XVIII. Academies and Public Institutions 335

XIX. Postrider and Stagecoach 362

XX. Rivers, Streams and Old Ferries 374

XXI. River and Canal Transportation 401

XXII. Building of the Pennsylvania Railroad 421

XXIII. Projected and Other Railroads 431

XXIV. The Sunday School Movement in Perry

County 438

XXV. The Liquor Question 443

XXVI. The County's Public Officials 448

XXVII. The Bench and Bar 459

XXVIII. The Public Press ^3

XXIX. Banks and Corporations 488

XXX. County's Early Years — A Comparison . . . 407

XXXI. Perry County in the Sectional War .... 543

XXXII. The Spanish-American War 580

XXXIII. The World War and Perry County 582

XXXIV. Perry County's Noted Men 604

XXXV. Agriculture in Perry County 862

XXXVI. The Tuscarora Forest 870

XXXVII. Perry County From Many Viewpoints . . 882 XXXVIII. Perry County's Boroughs, Townships and

Villages 911

11

ILLUSTRATIONS

TAGE

The Author Frontispiece

Map of Perry County 6

Gibson's Rock 16

Susquehanna Water Gap, at Duncannon 39

The Lincoln Profile Rock 60

Junction of the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers 82

The Indian Profile at Girty's Notch 105

Scene at Haldeman's Island 131

Sherman's Creek, near Gibson's Rock 140

A Pioneer Bride and Groom 154

The Old State House at Philadelphia 167

William Penn, the Founder of the Province 183

Landisburg, the First County Seat 202

Robert Mitchell, One of the First Commissioners 214

The Courthouse at New Bloomfield 221

New Bloomfield, Looking North 224

The Old Rice Gristmill near Landisburg 2^^

"Westover," the Gibson Mill 258

John Wister, Noted Iron Manufacturer jyS

Rev. Chas. Beatty, Pioneer Missionary 282

Rev. Jacob Gruber, a Circuit Rider 287

Pioneer Communion Service 290

Jacob Buck, a Zealous Churchman 300

Daniel A. Kline, County Supt. of Schools 310

Schoolhouses at Mt. Pleasant ^22

Lewis B. Kerr, Early County Supt. of Schools 327

vSilas Wright, Educator and Historian ^^2

The Loysville Academy 336

Football at Carson Long Institute 342

William Grier, Associate Judge and Educator 345

William Carson Long 346

Donald C. Willard 347

The Tressler Soldiers' Orphans' Home 351

Rev. Philip Willard 353

Charles A. Widle, Supt. Tressler Orphans' Home 355

The Juniata River at Iroquois 374

The Flood of 1889 at Newport 391

The Pennsylvania Canal at Mt. Patrick 402

Pennsylvania Canal and Aqueduct at Newport 41 1

The Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge at Marysville 424

Pennsylvania Railroad Tracks Along the Juniata 429

12

ILLUSTRATIONS

13

r \or,

Rev. Matthew B. Patterson 445

Judge Benjamin F. Junkin 460

Judges Charles A. and James M. Barnett 466

Judges Win. N. Seibert and James W. Shall 468

Horace E. Sheibley, Editor 477

James A. Magee and Wm. C. Lebo, Editors 479

Frank A. Fry and Sons, Editors 480

C. B. Smith and R. M. Barton, Editors |Sj

John A. Baker, Leading Abolitionist and Editor 483

John A. Magee, Democratic Editor and Congressman [X |

John H. Sheibley, Noted Republican Editor 485

The Duncannon National Bank 491

The First National Bank of New Bloomfield 492

Lieut. Edward Moore, Paul Fleisher and James Zimmerman 588

Warren G. Harding, President of the United States 609

-Thomas R. Marshall, Vice-President of the United States 612

Alexander H. Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederacy 614

James G. Blaine, Noted American Statesman 626

Chester I. Long, Lhiited States Senator 633

William Bigler, Governor of Pennsylvania 637

John Bigler, Governor of California 645

Gen. Stephen Miller, Governor of Minnesota 650

Gen. James A. Beaver, Governor of Pennsylvania 655

John Bannister Gibson, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania .... 667

Daniel Gantt, Chief Justice of Nebraska 677

Henry Calvin Thatcher, First Chief Justice of Nebraska . . 681

John A. Thatcher, Pioneer Merchant and Banker 689

The Thatcher Building at Pueblo, Colorado 691

Mahlon D. Thatcher, Noted Financier and Banker 693

Col. A. K. McClure, Noted Editor 701

Luther M. Bernheisel, Noted Builder 70 ^

Elihu C. Irvin, Noted Insurance President 707

Marie Doro, Famous Dramatic Star 709

Carlton Lewis Bretz, Noted Railroad Man 714

Elizabeth Reif snyder, M.D 717

Mina Kerr, College Dean 718

David L. Tressler, College President 720

Chas. W. Super, University President yi^

Jesse Miller, Notable Early Congressman yiy

Benj. K. Focht, Member of Congress 730

Harris J. Bixler, Member of Congress 731

J. R. Flickinger, Principal Central Slate Normal School . . y^y

L. E. McGinnes, Supt. of Steelton Schools, 742

,Wm. Nelson Ehrhart, Supt. Mahanoy City Schools 746

Theodore K. Long, Founder Carson Long Institute 748

14 ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Sheridan E. Fry, Municipal Judge at Chicago 752

Rev. and Mrs. John R. Peale, Martyred Missionaries 754

D. F. Garland, D.D., Noted Welfare Director 763

Anna Froehlich, Noted Teacher 767

H. W. Flickinger, Expert Penman 769

Lelia Dromgold Emig, Genealogist 771

S. Nevin Hench (Inventor) and Walker A. Dromgold . . . 773

Col. George E. Kemp, Postmaster of Philadelphia 'jj'j

Wm. F. Calhoun. Speaker Illinois Assembly 780

Rev. John Dill Calhoun 784

Rev. James Wr. Meminger, D.D 786

Rev. Barnett H. Hart 787

Emmett U. Aumiller, Ex-County Supt. of Schools 7<ji

S. S. Bloom, Member General Assembly of Ohio ~<)S

Rev. Roy Dunkelberger, Missionary 806

Daniel Fleisher, Supt. Lancaster County Schools 808

Milton B. Gibson, Noted Manufacturer 812

John L. McCaskey, Inventor S_>0

Samuel F. Stambaugh, Large Real Estate Dealer S46

Albert H. Stites, State Senator South Dakota 848

Centre Square and Soldiers' Monument at Bloomfield .... 916

Blain Borough and Conococheague Mountain 928

Jane ( Smiley) McCaskey 942

Duncannon Borough and Juniata Creek Road 950

Sherman's Creek near its Mouth at Duncannon 952

Clark M. Bower, Member of Assembly 969

Looking South from Liverpool 983

Marysville from Cove Mountain 100 1

Millcrstown, Oldest Town in the County 101 1

Millerstown's World War Monument 10 1 S

Newport, Perry County's Largest Town . . 1024

Ickesburg and Landscape 1052

CHAPTER I. LOCATION.. PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC.

PERRY COUNTY. Pennsylvania, is located in the southern central portion of the state, just north of the Kittatinny (Blue) Mountain, its southern boundary being within forty miles of the Mason-Dixon Line, that historic line which not only separated the states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, but which he- came, politically, the boundary line between the North and the South, on the slavery question. In fact, in much of the legislation appertaining to slavery, this line was the barrier against which two contending forces battled, practically from the time of the forma- tion of the United States until the best blood of the nation was spilled in the four years of war between the States, 1861-65.

Perry County is bounded on the north by Juniata County ; on the east by the Susquehanna River, across which lies Dauphin County; on the south by Cumberland County; and on the wesl by Franklin and Juniata Counties. It contains 564 square miles. according to Smull's Handbook, the official publication of the commonwealth. Groff, in the History of the Juniata and Susque- hanna Yalleys, gives the square miles as 480 ; Claypole, the geolo- gist, gives the number at 539, and Wright, in his History of Perry County, makes the number 550, which show considerable variance.

While the size of Perry County is relatively small, yet it is not the smallest county in Pennsylvania, by any means. Twenty- seven others are smaller in area, but many of them have a vastly greater population. It is larger than either Cumberland or Dauphin. Perry County is credited with 564 square miles. The other coun- ties whose area is not so great are as follows : Montour, 130 square miles; Philadelphia, 133; Delaware, 185; Union, 305; Snyder. 311; Lehigh, 344; Lawrence, 360 ; Lebanon, 360; Northampton, 3;_>; Juniata, 392; Cameron, 392; Wyoming, 30; ; Mifflin, 398; Fulton, 402; Carbon, 406; Forest, 423; Beaver, 429; Lacka- wanna, 451 ; Sullivan, 458 ; Columbia. 479 ; Luzerne, 484; Mont- gomery, 484; Dauphin, 521; Cumberland, 528; Adams, 528; Blair, 534, and Pike, 544.

In population, eleven other counties of the state have less. Ac- cording to the census of 1920, Perry County's population was 22,875. The counties having less are Cameron, Pike, Forest, Sul- livan, Fulton, Montour, Wyoming, Juniata, Union, Snyder, and Potter.

15

i6

HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The United Slates Census Bureau, in a bulletin, 192 1, classes Perry County as one of eight "truly rural" counties in Pennsyl- vania— along with Forest, Ful- ton, Juniata, Pike, Snyder, Sulli- van, and Wyoming — for the rea- son that the 1920 census showed no communities of 2,500 or over in population. Were the built-up sections at Newport in one dis- trict, instead of being divided into Newport and Oliver Township, that town would show a greater population than that figure. While classed as a rural county, Perry County is within fifteen minutes of the State Capital, within three hours of Philadelphia or the Capi- tal of the nation at Washington, and within five hours of New York City. A ride of a little over four hours and you are at the surf of the great Atlantic Ocean. The great bend in the river below Newport marks the half-way point over the Pennsyl- vania Railroad, between New York and Pittsburgh.

According to a bulletin of the State Forestry Department 210 square miles are wooded land, comprising 134,400 acres, out of a total of 304,640.

The seventy-seventh degree of longitude west of Greenwich passes through the county, cut- ting the townships of Rye, Watts, Buffalo, and Liverpool, passing the village of Montgomery's Ferry, and going through Liver- pool Borough. On its way through the state it goes through Hanover and passes, a short distance east of Williamsport, thus showing our relative positions with towns in the northern and southern sections. The seventy-seventh degree also passes through the National Capital. All the Southern states, save small sections of Virginia and North Carolina, lie west of it, an unusual fact to many. The entire county lies between the seventy-sixth and.

koto by 1 1 lick

GIBSON'S ROCK

Located on Sherman's Creek. By it lay

the "Allegheny Path," the First Great

Indian Trail to the West.

LOCATION, PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. 17

seventy-eighth degrees, and almosl all of it between the sevent} seventh and seventy-eighth. It lies between the fortieth and fort) first degrees of latitude. A line drawn from Pittsburgh to Read- ing, Pennsylvania, would pass through New Bloomfield, and one from Johnstown to Reading, through Marysville.

Considered in size, Perry County is one of the smaller counties of the state, and yet it is almost half of the size of the state of Rhode Island, and almost one-fourth as large as the state of Dela- ware. Its average length is thirty-fight miles, and its average breadth, fourteen miles. Its elevation varies very much. At the mouth of the Juniata it is 357.4 feet above sea level, and at the Gibson mill in Spring Township, it is 471 feet. The old road over Bower Mountain, in Jackson Township, according to Claypole, the geologist, is 950 feet above the valley, 1,350 feet above Landis- burg, and 2,000 feet above the level of the sea.

Its location is in the Atlantic slope of the great Appalachian Mountain system, of which Groff* says: "The construction of the underground world is so beautifully simple as a whole, and so curiously complicated in details, that it will ever stand the typical district of the Appalachian Mountain belt of the Atlantic sea- board." The shape of the county resembles roughly a triangle, or rather, a pennant. Its acreage is 360,960, according to the Depart- ment of Agriculture of the State.

Along the eastern boundary, where winds the broad Susque- hanna, from a point about five miles above Liverpool to below Marysville, where the river breaks through the Blue or Kittatinny Mountain, the distance is twenty-nine miles, or twenty-one by air

*George G. Groff, M.D., former Professor of Natural History, Bucknell University.

Gibson's Rock. Gibson's Rock is located along the north side of Sher- man's Creek, three miles west of Shermansdale. It is a striking geological formation, of which the county has many, and yet this is a surpassing one in size and interest. Located at the dividing line of Spring and Carroll Townships this mighty crag towers from the bed of Sherman's Creek almost perpendicularly. West of it the old Indian trail, known as the Allegheny Path, crossed the creek to the northern side. Here the moun- tain evidently once breasted the creek and held back waters which covered several townships, according to geologists. Picturesquely situated, this point has long been a mecca for campers, outings, and picnics. Above it, within sound of the human voice, stood the famous Gibson mansion, and still stands the "Westover" or Gibson mill. In that house was born Chief Justice John Bannister Gibson, Governor William Bigler, and John Bern- heisel, representative in Congress from the then Territory of Utah. f,<>\ ernor William Bigler had a brother, John Bigler, who was governor of California at the same time that his brother was governor of Pennsyl- vania, but John Bigler was born at Landisburg, where his parents resided. prior to coming to the Westover mill in 1809. During the early years of the county's existence a bill passed the Pennsylvania Legislature making Sherman's Creek navigable, and many huge boulders were blown from flie creek's bottom, some within the shadow of the great cliff, the drill marks being yet distinguishable. 2

l8 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

line. The trend of the river is from north to south, with consid- erable bend to the west at Duncannon. The southern boundary, starting at the Susquehanna River from a point seven miles north of Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, follows the crest of the Blue Mountain, adjoining Cumberland County, for fifty-three miles, at an average elevation of one thousand feet above the Cum- berland Valley, to the south. The course of the mountain for the first twenty-two miles is almost a straight line, due westward. Then it curves back, northward, to Welsh Hill, and makes a loop, in which lies Green Valley. Going out again to practically the same line from which it receded, to Pilot Knob, it makes a second loop— deeper than the first — which is the location of Kennedy's Valley. Thereafter its course is practically southwest to the Franklin County line for over a dozen miles. The air line dis- tance along the southern border is thirty-eight miles.

The extreme western boundary, which borders Franklin County, is only a little over eight miles, crossing a series of mountains, described further on, at very irregular intervals. From the north- west corner it follows the crest of the Tuscarora Mountain to the Juniata River, the first ten miles being almost straight in a north- eastern direction. It then makes two small offsets at the west of Madison Township and assuming the same general direction runs "straight as a crow flies" to the western bank of the Juniata River. At this point the line runs due north for a mile and a half, and thence almost due east about thirteen miles to the western bank of the Susquehanna River.

The mountains in and surrounding Perry County are from six hundred to twelve hundred feet high, measured from the valley levels adjoining, but are eight hundred to sixteen hundred feet above sea level. A brief description of these mountains follows, much of the information being drawn from the works of Professor Claypole, the geologist:

Mountains.

Kittatinny or Blur Mountain. This mountain is known by various names. Geographers term it the Blue Mountain; the pioneers called it the Kitta- tinny Mountain, derived from the Indian "Kau-ta-tin-chunk," meaning the main or principal mountain ; Conrad Weiser, the Indian interpreter, inter- preted it as "the endless mountain" ; Richard Peters, the provincial secre- tary, in a letter to Governor Hamilton, dated July 2, 1750, first officially called it "the Blue Hills"; the residents east of the Susquehanna called it the First Mountain, and the residents of the Cumberland Valley called and many yet call it the North Mountain, as it lies north of that valley. In a provincial record dated May 6, 1752, this mountain is called "Kekach- tany" or "Endless Hills," the title which the Delaware Indians applied to it. In the Albany grant of July 6, 1754, for the lands which now com- prise Perry County and others, recorded in the provincial records of February 3, 1755, it is called the Kittochtinny or Blue Hills, by which it was known throughout provincial and colonial times in all records. The

LOCATION, PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. [9

description at the beginning of this chapter only applies to this mountain in so far as it is the southern boundary of the county. This Indian 1 "Kautatinchunk," as quoted in some volumes, is said to have been "Tyan- nuntasacta" by the Six Nations, and "Kekachtannin" by the Delaw The name is defined at one place as meaning "steadfast in storm and ever true blue." It is to be regretted that the old Indian name, Kittatinny, has fallen somewhat into disuse. Luther Reily Kelker, in his History of Dauphin County, speaking of the Kittatinny Mountain also being called the Blue or North Mountain, said, "The Indian name alone should be used; any mountain may be blue at a distance, and any one is north of some place."

These mountains (of the Appalachian system) really stretch from a point not far from Newburgh, New York, on the Hudson River, across New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and enter North Carolina and Tennessee, being broken by water gaps to let through the waters of the Delaware, the Lehigh, the Schuylkill, the Swatara, the Susquehanna, and the Potomac (at Harper's Ferry). At the southern part of the county its crest-length of fifty-three miles is unbroken by a single water gap. For seventeen miles it runs, with one small zigzag, parallel to Bower Mountain, separated from it by the steep and narrow vale of the north branch of Laurel Run, which starts at the Franklin County line. Both mountains run on thus southwestward through Franklin County, unite and end before reaching Fort Loudon. Bower Mountain is therefore only a return zigzag of Blue Mountain.

It received its name First Mountain from the early settlers of south- eastern Pennsylvania, especially those who built their cabins along the Susquehanna River at Columbia, Marietta, and Harrisburg, and had occa- sion to go up the river in canoes through the water gaps. The first moun- tain they passed by was this mountain, hence the name, First Mountain. The second was Cove Mountain, and from the Susquehanna to the Lehigh it has retained the name of Second Mountain ever since; the third was the Sharp Mountain of Schuylkill County, which traverses Dauphin County, but does not quite reach the Susquehanna River; the fourth was Peters' Mountain, opposite Duncannon. Here, at the mouth of the Juniata the numerals stopped, as the mountains farther up, Berry's and Buffalo, did not run in the same general direction.

In September, 1742, David Zeisberger, the missionary, and a party of friends, among whom was Conrad Weiser, on their way from the settled part of the province "came to a ridge of forest-crowned mountains, across which led a blind trail, full of loose, sharp stones, and close to high rocks the rugged sides of which rendered horseback riding exceedingly danger- ous. The mountains being without a name, Conrad Weiser called them 'The Thiirnstein,' in honor of Zinzendorf. They were the parallel chains of the Blue Ridge, now known as the Second, Third, and Peters' Moun- tains."

The western end of the Tuscarora Mountain, Conococheague Mountain, Round Top, Little Round Top, Rising Mountain, Amberson Ridge, Bower Mountain, and Middle or Sherman Mountain, named in order from north- west to southeast, across the western end of the county, are all in a way zigzags of different lengths of one range. The following description from Claypole is given verbatim :

"A woodsman can enter Perry County from Franklin County on the rocks at the top of the West Tuscarora Mountain, and walk along the rocky crest of this range, alternately towards the northeast and towards the southwest, for a total distance of thirty-live miles, reentering Franklin County from the crest of Bower Mountain, only three miles across from

20 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

the place where he left it. In all this distance he will keep at nearly the same elevation, say 1,600 feet above ocean level, except at three points, where the wall on the top of which he is traveling is broken down to its base by small streams. One of these water gaps is cut through the West Tuscarora Mountain; a second is made by the head of Sherman's Creek, which cuts through Rising Mountain; the third is made by Houston's Run through the north leg of Bower Mountain. Everywhere else along the line he will find the sharp crested mountain unbroken by gaps, with steep rock-covered slopes or even cliffs always on his right hand, and a gentler, smoother, but still quite steep slope on his left hand. When he turns the east end of a zigzag he will see the mountain crest make a long slope downward into the valleys of Perry County; and when he turns the west ends of the zigzag, he will be on boldly scarped knobs overlooking the shale and limestone valleys of Franklin County. On these knobs he will always reach a somewhat higher elevation above tide. Round Top and Little Round Top are simply the southwestward looking ends of two of the zigzags rather more strongly pronounced than the others."

The district enclosed by these mountains is peculiarly isolated from travel, except along the river. While the extreme western part of the county is bound by this series of mountain ranges, yet the traveler can go through to Amberson Valley, Franklin County, by utilizing the second narrows and the break through Bower's Mountain.

Tuscarora Mountain. The eastern end of the Tuscarora Mountain forms a range alone, along its crest for a distance of twenty-one miles runs the boundary line which separates Perry from Juniata County. Almost straight and continuous, it is broken by a ravine opposite Ickes- burg. A small stream flows through this ravine, draining a small glen in the heart of the mountain, three miles in length and a half-mile in width. At this point the mountain has two crests, the county line following the southern. This mountain slopes gently at both ends. In Gordon's His- tory of Pennsylvania and Belknap's Gazetteer of Pennsylvania, both of which were published in 1832, the Tuscarora is referred to as Tussey's Mountain, in these words, "The Juniata River enters Perry County through Tussey's Mountain." There is a mountain by that name farther up the state, but as these two historians called the Tuscarora "Tussey's Moun- tain" it may have been known to many others by that name and hence the resultant confusion of pioneer and Indian history and legend.

Tiik Hill Ranges Within.

Surrounded by mountains and the Susquehanna River and penetrated from the east to a small extent by other mountains the interior of Perry County is an extensive wedge-shaped area of open country, traversed by many ranges of hills, which vary from two hundred to five hundred feet above the levels of the streams which drain them. Some of these hills are cultivated in common with the lower soil, a prominent and extensive example being the Middle Ridge, which extends ten miles west from Newport.

Raccoon Ridcjc. A ridge in Tuscarora Township, starting some dis- tance from the river. At Donally's Mills it is broken by a gap through which flows the south branch of Raccoon Creek.

Ore Ridge. A ridge paralleling the Tuscarora Mountain at its base, comparatively low and located within Tuscarora Township.

Hominy Ridge. The southern boundary of the western half of Tusca- rora Township. It is of Chemung shale, which Claypole says is among the poorest, adding "of all the Chemung districts that on Hominy Ridge

LOCATION. PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. 21

is the most uninviting. High, steep and rough, it presents little to attract the farmer and the wonder arises why so much of il is cleared."

Umestone Ridge. A wooded ridge starting- at the Juniata River below Bailey's Station, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, in Miller Township, and extending westward through the county to the Madison Township line, forming the boundary between Miller and Oliver Townships and -< pa rating Spring and Tyrone from Saville. Even west of that its formation exists, to the western end of the county, but it is more broad and is cul- tivated. North of Andersonburg and Centre it is two and a half miles broad. From New Bloomfield to the Juniata it has double and at some places triple crests. Limestone generally follows its southern surface. The U. S. Geological Survey names this ridge, Hickory Ridge, and the northern crest, Buffalo Ridge.

Mulianoy Ridge. Mahanoy Ridge starts near the Juniata River, in Mil- ler Township, at a point between Iroquois and Losh's Run stations, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and traverses Miller, Centre, and Spring Town- ships. At four points in Miller and Centre Townships it is broken by water gaps. Between Green Park and Landisburg it zigzags, coming to an abrupt incline at the latter place in a promontory known as Bell's Hill.

Dick's Hill. This ridge starts in Miller Township, almost five miles west of the Juniata River, and becomes from that point the boundary line between Miller and Wheatfield Townships. It separates Wheatfield and Carroll Townships from Centre and continues into Spring Township, ter- minating at a point east of a line between Landisburg and Bridgeport, be- ing known as Pisgah Ridge after leaving the Wheatfield Township line. Its central portion is shown in old maps as Iron Ridge, and is sometimes locally known as Rattlesnake Hill. This ridge was probably known as Dick's Hill for its entire length originally, as it is mentioned as being crossed by the old Indian trail to the West as early as 1803, by a woman then 100 years old, as will be noted in our chapter devoted to "Trails, Roads, and Highways." From its eastern gap, through which flows kittle Juniata Creek, one of the three earliest churches took its name — the Dick's Gap Church, long since gone to decay. This church was not located along Dick's Hill however, but along Mahanoy Ridge, a short distance north. Dick's Hill was also the site of two pioneer industries, Perry Furnace and Montebello Furnace. Claypole says, "Curving round sharply it sweeps for almost twenty miles under the name of 'Little Mountain' to the Susque- hanna River at Marysville."

Pisgah Ridge. See Dick's Hill, immediately preceding.

Pine Hill. This ridge starts in Carroll Township and runs east, forming the dividing line between Rye and Wheatfield. It is, in fact, an extension of the Cove Mountain.

Buck Hills. South of New Germantown, in Toboyne Township, a low range called Buck Hills rises gradually, but irregularly, until it merges into Rising Mountain.

Chestnut Hills. The Chestnut Hills rise in Madison Township, west of Centre, run through Jackson and Toboyne, merge into Amberson Ridge, their ascension being gradual.

Round Top. Right after leaving the county the Conococheague Moun- tain turns sharply and reenters the county, forming Pound Top, which commands the head of Sherman's Valley and is a conspicuous object for many miles. Its course is short, however, and zigzaging again, it passes over the county line to the southwest, with a southeast dip, and continues for about twelve miles as a range known as Dividing Mountain, as it di- vides Path Valley and Amberson Valley, in Franklin County.

Dividing Mountain. See Round Top.

HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Little Rount Top. Located in Toboyne Township, south of Round Top.

Rising Mountain. Returning from its long lap into Franklin County the mountain again reenters Perry County and forms the high, broad, stony ridge known as Rising Mountain, lying southwest of New Germantown. To the east lie Buck Hills, which rise gradually into a mountain, hence the name, Rising Mountain.

Amberson Ridge. After Rising Mountain crosses into Franklin it laps and again crosses the line into Perry, being then known as Amberson Ridge. It meets the great fold of Bower Mountain and forms a high knob overlooking Amberson Valley, Franklin County.

Bower Mountain. Bower Mountain is a great level-crested ridge rising near Loysville, passing through Madison Township, gently sloping upward through Jackson Township, and on entering Toboyne it forms a small zigzag and separates into two parts which are unnamed. Named after Nathaniel Bower, whose 200-acre farm saddled its crest.

Mount Pisgah. The highest elevation of the little range of Pisgah Mountains is in Carroll Township. Opposite these mountains, near where Sherman's Creek breaks through at Gibson's Rock, was born John Ban- nister Gibson, once Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. It is also known locally as Pisgah Hill.

Little Mountain. A small ridge lying north of the Blue Mountain, in Rye and Carroll Townships and a short distance into Spring Township.

Slaughterbeck Hill. Sometimes called Michael's Ridge. A conspicuous promontory in Pfoutz Valley, Greenwood Township. It blocks entrance from the west, rising above every other range in the township. Claypole says of it: "It is really a fragment of the great Tuscarora anticlinal which has been cut off by the Juniata River from the main body and constitutes an outlier. In truth the whole of the valley is a continuation eastward of the anticlinal ridge of the Tuscarora, eroded by long ages of frost, rain and sunshine."

Michael's Ridge. See Slaughterbeck's Hill, immediately preceding.

Wildcat Ridge. A high and rugged ridge separating Perry and Pfoutz Valleys, in Greenwood township. It enters Liverpool Township for a short distance, but dies down, the two valleys here being less distinct than farther west. Rough and rocky at places, where wildcats once had a ren- dezvous, hence the name.

Turkey Ridge. This high ridge, at places farmed to its very top, but mostly wooded, is the dividing line between Perry and Juniata Counties at Liverpool Township. Like Wildcat Ridge it loses much of its steepness as it approaches the Susquehanna River. In pioneer years noted as a great wild turkey territory, from which comes the name, Turkey Ridge.

Half Fall Mountain. In provincial and colonial records, frequently re- ferred to as Half Fall Hills. It lies between Buffalo and Watts Town- ships, its crest being the township line. It is an extension, across the Juniata, of the converging Mahanoy and Limestone Ridges, the limestone rocks forming almost a complete dam across the river, producing a "half- falls" from which the mountain takes its name. It spans the territory completely between the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers, being crossed by a public highway. Below Montgomery's Ferry it ends in a conspicuous bluff, near the top of which is a cave supposed to have once been the hiding place of Simon Girty, the renegade, but which records practically confute. (See chapter on Simon Girty.) On a promontory of the moun- tain here is a protruding rock, which viewed coming from the north over the Susquehanna Trail, presents the profile of an Indian as perfect as can be found, and one which only the Creator, that greatest of artists, could produce.

LOCATION, PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. 23

Mount Patrick. A name sometimes applied to the end of Berry's Moun- tain at the village of that name.

North Mountain. See Kittatinny Mountain.

First Mountain. See Kittatinny Mountain.

Second Mountain. See Kittatinny Mountain.

Third Mountain. See Kittatinny Mountain.

Fourth Mountain. See Kittatinny Mountain. This is also known as Peters' Mountain and is located opposite to Duncannon, the Cove Moun- tain being in reality an extension thereof, the Susquehanna water gap cutting through.

Peters' Mountain. See preceding paragraph.

Mount Dempsey. A high promontory of the Blue or Kittatinny Moun- tain, where it laps, located opposite Landisburg, in Tyrone Township. One of the most picturesque spots in the county. An Indian trail, later used as a bridle path, passes its base.

Buck Ridge. A "breaking down" of Rising Mountain, in Toboyne Town- ship.

Big Knob. A mountain ridge north of Blain.

Little Knob. Twin sister to Big Knob, north of Blain.

"The Crossbar." A wooded ridge running from Big Knob, north of Blain, to the Tuscarora Mountain.

Berry's Mountain and Buffalo Mountain. These two mountains are lo- cated in the northeast section of the county, are broken by water gaps by the Susquehanna at Mt. Patrick and Liverpool, are seven and eight miles long, respectively, and unite in a single elevated knob on the east bank of the Juniata River a mile above Newport, known as Round Top, which can be plainly seen from east of the Susquehanna. Both of them have per- fectly straight sharp crests, long gentle slopes towards the cove which they form, and outer terraces, that of Berry's facing south and that of Buffalo facing northwest. Unlike the sharp ellipse of Cove Mountain, that of Berry's Mountain is broken by a gap nearly to its base at its western end on the southern side, by a small stream extending into the Juniata. But a high divide behind the gap virtually closes the upper end of the cove. Berry's Mountain runs on through Dauphin County and returns as Peters' Mountain, then Cove Mountain. Buffalo Mountain also reappears on the east side of the Susquehanna under the name Mahantango Mountain, and along its crest runs the north county line of Dauphin to the northwest corner of Schuylkill County. Buffalo Mountain separates Buffalo Town- ship from Greenwood and Liverpool Townships.

As the Dauphin County anthracite coal basin is enclosed at its west end by the Cove Mountain in Perry County, so is the Wiconiseo anthracite coal basin enclosed by Berry's and Buffalo Mountains in Perry County. The two coves resemble each other closely in shape, size and position. Within the cove formed by Buffalo and Berry Mountains is located Hun- ter's Valley, the northern half of Buffalo Township. Berry Mountain, it is said, was named after a family by the name of Berry which resided at its base, below Mt. Patrick, but as it bears the same name east of the Susquehanna it probably derived its name from the fact that immense quantities of berries have always grown along its sides.

Cove Mountain. The Cove Mountain, lying between Duncannon and Marysville, is a sharply recurved ridge, one thousand feet higher than the water level of the water gap below, like the cut-off prow of a canoe- shaped basin— the Dauphin County anthracite coal basin, being the west end of a long-pointed ellipse, the east end of which is Carbon County, be- yond the Lehigh River. The Susquehanna River crosses it diagonally at the east, the northern crest being only five miles in length and the southern

24 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ten miles. The crest at the extreme west is known as "the horseshoe" to sportsmen and overlooks the fertile Sherman's Valley to the west.

Conococheague Mountain. A beautiful mountain is the Conococheague. It forms a long, straight, even-crested ridge from Madison Township, where it starts, to its termination at Round Top, in Toboyne Township, without break or gap of any character. Over it pass two roads, one lead- ing north from New Germantown to Horse Valley and Juniata County, and the other west over the bend in the range to Concord, Franklin County. At its east end it is a perfect arch, but to the west it becomes a south- dipping range. The Indian word, Conococheague, is recorded as meaning "it is indeed a long way."

lUtffalo Ridge. The name applied to the ridge south of the Little Buf- falo Creek. Also known as Furnace Hills.

Furnace I /ills. See preceding paragraph.

Bell's I /ill. The promontory ending of Mahanoy Ridge in Spring Town- ship.

Quaker Hill. An outlying hill of the Pisgah Ridge in Spring Township.

Gallovi's Hill. In "Little Germany," John Faus (Foose), known as the "King of Germany" on account of his large land holdings, took up 300 acres on June 12, 1794, with which he was assessed in 1820, the date of the county's birth, and on which he had erected a sawmill and a distillery. A tavern was kept on the old mansion farm until 1827. The sign of this tavern, was an iron ring suspended from an arm attached to a high post, so suggestive of a gallows that the place came to be known as "Gallows Hill."

Welsh Hill. The point of the Blue Mountain separating Kennedy's Val- ley from Green Valley, in Tyrone Township.

Pilot Knob. Pilot Knob is the highest spur of the Kittatinny or Blue Mountain, and is located not far from Landisburg.

Middle Ridge. The ridge running west from Newport, through Oliver and Juniata Townships, once wooded, but now a fertile section of farm lands.

Crawley Hilt. A high hill in Spring Township, an outlying knoll of the Dick's Hill range, which derived its name from a man named Crawley, who, it is said, was murdered upon it long years ago for his money. His remains were buried near the road which crosses the hill. But a few rods from this road, on the south side of the hill, stood a very small stone school- house in the shadow of a thicket, and tradition tells of the teacher raising a window sash to get a rod without leaving the building, for it appears that at one time the rod was a necessary accessory to every schoolhouse. Tradition may be right, but the writer cannot conceive of any Perry County boy allowing them to remain so handy longer than twenty-four hours. A frame structure later took its place, but it was abandoned. Be- tween Crawley Hill and Mahanoy Hill nestles the famous settlement known as "Little Germany."

Iron Ridge. The name once applied to the ridge just south of Crawley Hill, in Spring Township.

Tiii': Kittatinny Mountain Gaps.

Across the crest of the Kittatinny Mountain, where it drops, (if ten slightly, are a number of famous gaps or passes, some of which were the locations of old Indian trails and are mentioned in provincial and colonial records. Starting from the Susquehanna River these gaps in the order named are Lamb's, Miller's, Myer's, Croghan's (now called Sterrett's), Crane's, Sharon's, Long's,

LOCATloX. PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. 25

Waggoner's, and IVlcClure's. A concise description of each fol- lows:

Holt's Gap. A small gap in the mountain at ,1 poinl jusl wesl of MEai ville, little more than a great depression.

L,amb's Gap. Crosses the mountain almost opposite what was known as I Liftman's mill, in Rye Township, now C,1envale. On the Cumberland side it is the boundary line between Hampden and Silver Spring Townships. Elevation, 1,018 feet.

Miller's Gap. Crosses the mountain at a point a short distance south west of Keystone, the road coming out at Wertzville, Cumberland Count) Elevation, 1,080 feet.

Mxcr's Gap. Almost directly south of Crier's Point. Crossed by a 1 1

road, little better than a trail.

Dean's Gap. The road from Perry County leading up to this gap, which lies almost two miles east of Sterrett's Gap, leaves a point known as "the narrows" and runs in a- southeastern direction; another road from the same point runs towards Sterrett's Gap, in a southwestern direction. There is a considerable farm on the mountaintop at this gap, where Dr. Dean lung resided, having a considerable medical practice in both Perry and Cumberland Counties. The road on the Cumberland side trended in the direction of Mechanicsburg.

Croghan's or Sterrett's Gap. Of all the gaps across the Kittatinny tins one is the easiest for travel and the most noted historically. Through it leads the state highway from New Bloomfield to Carlisle. Across it ran the earliest Indian trail and in pioneer times the old Allegheny Path. Over it passed the great Indian chiefs, the early interpreters, the early traders and the pioneers with their meagre belongings and their first do- mestic animals. Through its then precipitous passes came those first early missionaries of Scotch-Irish Calvinism carrying to these inland forests the message of the Man of Galilee, and across its picturesque ravines to- day roll hundreds of motor cars on pleasure and business bent. From a point of greater elevation several hundred feet west can he seen, looking northward, the historic and picturesque Sherman's Valley, nestling be- n the mountains, one of the famous coves of Pennsylvania, and look- in- southward, the more extensive and productive Cumberland Valley in all its beauty. The elevation of Sterrett's Gap is 925 feet. As late as 1877, according to Beach Nichols' Atlas of Perry, Juniata, and Mifflin Counties, there was a post office located there known as Sterrett's Gap. At that time there was also a store and tavern there. Authorities give the name of the first tavern keeper as a man namel Puller. When the county was created, in 1820, Daniel Gallatin was the tavern keeper. After the middle of the last century there was a new hostelry built, where came the well-to-do from Carlisle, Baltimore and other places, on leisure bent. There came happy throngs, and there were scenes of gayety by day and sounds of revelry by night, but with the growing popularity of the resorts and the easy methods of travel its fame as a resort passed and a struggling lone tavern remained. In fact, there was a road house there until

very recent years, at times being a hostelry of g 1 reputation and again

being a rendezvous for those of questionable reputation, its clientele often changing with the change of proprietors. This gap was originally known as Croghan's Gap, by reason of George Croghan's residing near. Croghan was prominent in provincial all aits. An early order of survey was taken out for the lands at this point by John Armstrong, who sold it to Nathan Andrews. It was returned to the land office June 21, 1788, in the name of Ralph Sterrett, who with his brothers John and James Sterrett, warranted

26 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

408 acres along the crest of the mountain, extending over three miles east from the gap. Accordingly it came to be known as Sterrett's Gap and so it remains, though the Sterretts are gone long since. Descendants of the Sterretts sold the lands to William Ramsey, of Carlisle. In a mortgage dated June 26, 1830, the Ramsey lands in Rye Township included "850 acres of land, two fulling mills, a woolen factory, three dwelling houses, a wagonmaker shop, stable, shed and part of tavern house and part of orchard at same place." (Part of the tavern and orchard were in Cum- berland County, the former being built upon the line.) By right of mort- gage James Buchanan, later President of the United States, became owner of a part of these lands in 1835 and was assessed with 250 acres and a fulling mill.

^ The mountain near the gap slopes so gradually that the approach from Shermansdale and Fishing Creek is very gentle, and abundant springs of water from high levels are available at the very top. There, upon a small plateau, met four early highways from divergent points, which made it an early centre of trade. And thus, at the dawn of the past century, we find an early trading post. There were stores for exchange and sale and shops for repairs, a tavern where man and beast were fed and cared for, and there dwelt an early physician, Dr. Kaechline, until after a severe and in- tensely cold midwinter night his frozen body was found near the foot of the eastern slope, while a riderless horse at the gap stables gave the alarm, too late. Additional facts may be found in the chapters devoted to Trails, Roads and Highways, and Carroll Township. Something of George Cro- ghan's life also appears in the early chapters of this book.

Crane's Gap. This gap crosses the mountain about three miles west of Sterrett's at an elevation of 1,300 feet. The road enters Cumberland County in North Middleton Township. At an early day it was but a foot- path, but in 1848 was made a public road, now long abandoned.

Sharon's Gap. A small gap about a mile west of Crane's gap, called after the original warrantee of the lands. There was once a road there, but it too has been long since abandoned.

Long's Gap. This gap is directly south from Falling Springs, where William Long, on February 3, 1794, warranted 400 acres of land. Its ele- vation is 1,390 feet. To the older generation it is known as the "Forty Shillings' Gap," tradition having it that a murder was once committed there for the purpose of robbery and that the culprit got but forty shil- lings. As our monetary system has had no shillings in circulation since our divorce from George III the murder was likely a provincial tragedy.

Waggoner's Gap. Crosses the mountain south of Oak Grove Furnace or Bridgeport. It is mentioned in early provincial annals. The road from New Germantown, via Landisburg, leads through this gap, and was known as the Baltimore Pike in the days when teaming to Baltimore with farm produce was an industry.

McClure's Gap. McClure's Gap crosses the mountain at Welsh Hill, southwest of Landisburg. There is really very little gap to the Perry County side from the hollow on the Cumberland side, formed by the folds in the mountain. It is crossed by a road built in 1821 to connect Landis- burg, then the temporary county seat, with Newville, Cumberland County. This gap is mentioned in provincial records as early as 1756. See chapter on "Trails and Highways."

Doubling Gap. Probably named by reason of the doubling of the moun- tain here. In a number of early publications, one as late as June 11, 1829, however, it was called Dublin Gap, and the springs on the Cumberland side were advertised as "Dublin, Gap Springs" as late as 1800. It was first known as McFarlan's Gap, as James McFarlan had located about a

LOCATION, PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. _-;

thousand acres just below the gap. Court records bear out the fact thai it was once known as McParlan's, as in April, 1891, a petition to the Cum- berland County court asked for the laying out of a road from Thomas Barnes' sulphur spring in the gap, formerly known as McFarlan's Cap. to Carlisle. Doubling Gap figures in traditions of the first settlers and was a commanding pass from the Shosshone Indians on the south, to the fi Tuscaroras in the north, long before white settlers dared invade the sec- tion. During the Provincial-Indian wars, an Indian trail from the Sus quehanna, starting at the mouth of the Juniata, followed an almost direel course westward across the county territory, through Doubling Gap, thence to the mouth of Brandy Run on the Conodoguinet. Facing Doubling Gap from Cumberland Valley, the eye meets Round Knob, 1,400 feet above tidewater. On top of it is Flat Rock, one of the most noted lookouts in the whole range of mountains. From its vantage point the whole Cum- berland Valley lies before you, the South Mountain far below and the tortuous Conodoguinet wending its way eastward. During the period from 1820 to 1846 the hostelry known as the Doubling Gap Springs Hotel was in its heyday, and to it came men of note and prominence from far-off points. With the coming of the railroads and the growth of seaside re- sorts its fame gradually dwindled until it is little known.

Tuscarora Mountain Gaps.

Unlike the Kittatinny Mountain, to the county's south, the Tus- carora Mountain, along the northern boundary, has few gaps, and only one of importance. The gaps are mentioned in the report of the survey of i860, which was for the purpose of locating the line between Perry and Juniata Counties.

Waterford Gap. This is the largest gap crossing the Tuscarora Moun- tain and the one through which crossed that old-time trail, the Allegheny Path. Through it passed the red men on their incursions in and out of Perry County territory and the daring and intrepid fellows who followed them. Along this trail passed the trader, the early postrider, the circuit rider, the pioneer emigrant on his way to the valley of the Ohio, and through it to-day is a highway on which pass great touring cars of the modern world. In early annals it was known as Bigham's Gap, but is de- scribed here as Waterford Gap, as that is the official name placed upon it by the County Line Commission. It is also sometimes called the Water- ford Narrows. The residents of the east end of Horse Valley travel via this gap in order to trade at East Waterford, Juniata County, their nearest town. The public road traversing this gap extends from East Waterford through into Horse Valley and to New Germantown.

Bigham's Gap. See Waterford Gap, immediately preceding.

Bealetoum Narrows. Another gap or break in the Tuscarora Mountain is located southeast of Honey Grove, Juniata County, and is known as the Bealetown Narrows. These narrows permit easy access to and from the eastern portion of Liberty Valley, the road passing near the former site of the Mohler tannery, and thence eastward by Walsingham schoolhouse to Saville and Ickesburg.

Winns' Gap. Winns' Gap is located approximately two and one-half miles east of the Waterford Gap. This gap is only a slight depression in the mountain, and according to local gossip was frequently used by the in- habitants living in the east end of Horse Valley for travel into Tuscarora Valley in Juniata County. Tins end of Horse Valley is sometimes called Kansas Valley. Only a trail or path crosses this gap.

28 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Yai.i.kys.

The county of Perry, in itself a part of two of the most beau- tiful valleys of Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna and Juniata, has within its borders a number of beautiful and picturesque valleys, many of them fertile and whose history dates back to almost the middle of the second century past, when the pioneers braved the untold dangers of the frontier to make their homes here. A brief description of each :

The Susquehanna J 'alley. The long, broad and fertile drainage area of the Susquehanna River, extending from within New York State, through Pennsylvania to Maryland, the greater part of Perry County being drained into the Susquehanna via Sherman's Creek, which empties into it at Dun- cannon, and various other streams. Duncannon is located at the most western point of the Susquehanna, the river making a sharp turn to the southeast at that point.

The Juniata Valley. The picturesque valley drained by the Juniata River, extending from the Allegheny Mountains to Duncannon, where the Juniata flows into the Susquehanna. Almost half of the county is drained by the Juniata.

Sherman's I 'alley. Sherman's Valley comprises the larger part of west- ern Perry County, being drained by Sherman's Creek. It extends from west of New Germantown to Duncannon. For several decades it was at the very frontier of civilization. Across it first moved traffic to the west of the Alleghenies, when roads were yet unknown.

Just how Sherman's Valley got its name will always remain a mystery. There is a tradition that a trader by that name was drowned while cross- ing Sherman's Creek, but nowhere is there record to substantiate it. How- ever, as early as 1750 both the creek and the valley are referred to by that name. The first person of that name to patent land was John Shearman, and the tract was the first one east of the Haas mill tract in what is now I 'nm Township. Here Andrew Berryhill took up 331 acres November 26, 17(10, and it is named on the warrant as "Sherman's Valley." It was sold to Isaac Jones in 1773 and he transferred it to John Shearman, whose patent is dated November 24, 1781. While John Shearman, as stated, was the first person of that name to patent land, the valley had been named long before that and the first settler may have been only a squatter and not have patented land. In fact, when it is referred to as Sherman's or Shearman's Valley and creek as early as 1750 it was impossible to patent land, as the land office for these lands was not opened until February 3, 1755. Egle's "Notes and Queries," page 454, says it was so named for the original settler, but gives no evidence to substantiate the fact, yet the writer is inclined to give credence to that statement, as it looks plausible. < )l actual substantiation, however, there is none. It is even likely that the original name was Sherman and that Shearman is a German corruption, as Shearman has the broad German sound.

Page 454, Egle's Notes and Queries, says: "In going over the files of the Carlisle Gazette from 1787 to 1817 we find the original spelling in all references and in official advertisements— so named for one of the early settlers, Jacob Shearman."

Horse ]' alley. Horse Valley lies between the Tuscarora and Conoco- cheague Mountains, in western Perry County, within the confines of To- boyne and Jackson Townships. It was so named because the farmers of Path Valley, Franklin County, of which it is an extension, used it as a

LOCATION, PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. 29

pasture for their horses, before it had been settled. It was once known as

McSwine's Valley.

Little Illinois Valley. This is a small valley located in Toboyne Town ship. The eastern part is cultivated and the western part is wooded. On the north it is bounded by Rising Mountain and Buck Ridge, which is a continuation of this mountain. On the south is Amberson Ridge and Schultz Ridge, a continuation of Amberson Ridge. It is about seven miles long and a mile wide. Brown's Run drains it. The western end of this valley is locally known as Fowler Hollow.

Henry's Valley. Henry's Valley is located in Toboyne and Jackson Townships, between Bower's Mountain and the Kittatinnj or Blue Moun- tain. It is over ten miles long and merges into Sheaffer's Valley. It was named after John Henry, an early settler, who moved to Ohio. It is watered by Laurel Run.

Sheaffer's Valley. Sheaffer's Valley is located in Madison and Tyrone Townships, between Bower's Mountain and the Kittatinny or Blue Moun- tain, and is in reality a continuation of Henry's Valley. It is about six miles long and is watered by Laurel Run, in this section sometimes called Patterson's Run. In earlier years there, was a preaching appointment in this valley, and as so many families named Sheaffer resided in the valley the itinerant missionary, in announcing his services referred to it as Sheaf- fer's Valley, and the name stuck.

Kennedy's Valley. Kennedy's Valley is located in Tyrone Township, in the cove formed by the folds of the Kittatinny or Blue Mountain, the broad part lying close to Landisburg. Called after the Kennedys, early settlers.

Green's Valley. Green's Valley is also located in Tyrone Township, in the small cove formed by a fold of the Blue Mountain.

Liberty J 'alley. Liberty Valley lies east of the watershed which runs from the Conococheague to the Tuscarora Mountain, and between these mountains in Madison Township.

Raccoon J 'alley. The valley lying between the Tuscarora Mountain and Raccoon Ridge in Tuscarora Township. Sometimes termed the Tuscarora Valley. It is watered by Raccoon Creek, eleven miles in length. Tuscarora J 'alley. See Raccoon Valley, immediately preceding. Mahanoy Valley. The valley in Miller Township located between Mahanoy Ridge and Dick's Hill.

Fishing Creek Valley. This valley comprises the most o\ Rye Town- ship and lies between the Blue Mountain and the Cove Mountain.

Buffalo }' alley. The name given in early provincial papers to the terri- tory drained by Buffalo Creek, which rises in Liberty Valley, Madison Township, and flows into the Juniata above Newport.

Pfouts Valley. The limestone valley which extends from the Juniata River to the Susquehanna River and lies between Wildcat Ridge and Tur- key Hills, or the Juniata County line. One of the earliest points settled after the opening of the land office.

Buclnvheat Valley. The valley located between Raccoon Ridge and Hominy Ridge, extending west from the Juniata as far as Eshcol.

Big Buffalo Valley. The local name applied to the territory between Hominy Ridge and Middle Ridge.

Little Buffalo Valley. Located between Middle Ridge and Buffalo Ridge, sometimes called Furnace Hills.

Pleasant Valley. A small valley lying south of Mannsville, its location 'being between Furnace Hills and Limestone Ridge.

Perry Valley. Formerly known as Wildcat Valley. It is located in

30 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Greenwood and Liverpool Townships, between Wildcat Ridge and Buffalo Mountain.

Wildcat Valley. See Perry Valley, immediately preceding.

Hunter's J "alley. Hunter's Valley is a cove formed by the Buffalo and Berry Mountain joining at the west, it lying between the two and wholly within Buffalo Township. Named after the many persons of that name who resided there, James Hunter being the original one. Isaiah Hunter, long afterwards an undertaker at Millerstown, was a grandson.

Buck's J 'alley. Early known as Brush Valley. It lies between Berry Mountain and Half Fall Mountain, in Buffalo Township, extending through Howe to Newport on the Juniata River. Its eastern end joins the Sus- quehanna River.

Brush Valley. See Buck's Valley, immediately preceding.

"Buck Hollow." Located in Toboyne Township, and spoken of by Clay- pole, the geologist, as "the valley without a name."

Fishing Rod J'alley. According to an old map, located in Liverpool Township, south of the wooded ridge, separating it from Susquehanna Township, Juniata County.

The Cove. The Cove is a geological peculiarity. Professor Claypole says its physical features are entirely due to the presence and direction of the Pocono Sandstone Mountain, which crosses the Susquehanna River at Duncannon under the name of Peters,' or Fourth Mountain, rims to the southwest, then curves around, and, turning eastward at the horseshoe re- turns to the Susquehanna River, which it crosses above Marysville. The Cove is considered the western extremity of the southern angle of the great Pottsville coal basin. It is located in Penn Township.

Limestone J'alley. Located between Limestone Ridge and Mahanoy Ridge, starting east of New Bloomfield and running west until it merges into Sherman's Valley near Green Park.

Sandy Hollow. Sandy Hollow is located in Carroll Township. It ex- tends from the township's western boundary in a northeasterly direction, for three miles. It is really a continuation of Sherman's Valley, as Sher- man's Creek, after running close to the base of Pisgah Mountain for sev- eral miles, turns sharply to the right, while the valley continues ahead.

Features of Distinction.

The Perry County territory belongs to one of the more impor- tant drainage systems of the world. The Susquehanna River, north of the Maryland line, including its tributaries, the \\ esl Branch and the Juniata River, drains a territory comprising 21,006 square miles, according to a statement of the Forestry Department of the State of Pennsylvania. Of this immense territory the Wesl Branch drains 6,820 square miles; the North Branch, 5.328; the Susquehanna, from Sunbury to its junction with the Juniata at Duncannon, 1,552; from Duncannon to the Maryland line, 3,895, and the Juniata, 3,411.

As the Christmas season comes around with its pleasing mem- ories and happy greetings, with its gay decorations and beautiful holly wreaths everywhere in evidence, being shipped from south- ern climes, few probably know that holly grows as far north and actually within the limits of Perry County; yet Prof. H. Justin Roddy, of the Millersville State Normal School, in his geological

LOCATION, PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. 31

investigations has found it growing in Greenwood township, 1 the old home of former superintendent of schools, the late Silas Wright.

On the old Wesley Soule farm in Centre Township, nol Ear from New Bloomfield, there grows one of the most rare plants to he found in America, known as the "box huckleberry." A man named Miehaux and his son from France, came to this country over a century ago to make botanical discoveries. They were ex- perts in their line and probably discovered and named more plants in America than any others. They described minutely various plants that were later found to be extinct in the districts named and botanists then thought they had been mistaken. Anion- these plants was named the box huckleberry, which had been discovered in the mountains of Virginia, which form a part of the same sys- tem as do the Perry County mountains. None have been found there since, and their discovery was supposed to have been a mis- take or they had become extinct. About 1875 Spencer F. Baird, who later became president of the Smithsonian Institute at Wash- ington, D. C, while making investigations in Pennsylvania, dis- covered the same plant covering a considerable area (about eight acres) on the Soule farm.

While the species has been found extinct in Virginia, there is one other small plot of it in the state of Delaware, on the banks of the Indian River, near Millsboro. Prof. E. W. Claypole, the geologist, speaks thus of it: "It appears to be a lingering relic of the ancient flora of the county ; maintaining itself on the sterile hillside of Chemung shale, but liable to be destroyed by cultiva- tion at any time. It is exceeding plentiful, forming a perfect mat over much of the ground, but its limits are sharply defined without apparent cause." This farm, as well as the Andrew Comp farm and others, was warranted by Robert McClay on March 22, 1793, its extent being 436 acres.

During 1920, another colony of this famous plant, said to be the oldest living thing on earth, was discovered within the borders of Perry County. It is located on the lands of John Doyle, in Watts Township, not far from the Juniata River, opposite Losh's Run Sta- tion, on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The discovery was made by Mr. H. A. Ward, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, under peculiar circum- stances. Near the colony there is a famous fossil rock, which has been visited by geologists of note from many states. Mr. Ward had accompanied a party of geologists there, they being under the leadership of Dr. Benjamin L. Miller, of Princeton University. Being more interested in plants than fossils, Mr. Miller strayed through the ravines of the Half Falls Hills, and in a short time discovered the mass of low shrubbery with bright, shining leaves, being uniformly about ten inches high. He recognized it as the

$2 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

rare box huckleberry (Gaylussacia brachycera), and upon sending

specimens to such authorities as Dr. Edgar T. Wherry, of the U. S. Bureau of Chemistry ; Dr. N. L. Britten, director-in-chief of the New York Botanical Gardens, and Dr. J. P. Bill, a Harvard instructor, found that he was correct, and that he had discovered that which botanists had been seeking for over fifty years. The main colony occupies the northern slope of a ridge for at least a mile, and covers about two hundred feet in width. It is located on the same chain of ridges of Chemung soil as is the colonv at the old Soule property, the two being less than a dozen miles apart. Mr. Ward has since discovered three additional colonies close by. It does not grow from seed, but spreads from the roots, and does not cross streams.

Located in Spring Township are the Warm Springs, the tract of land on which they are located being warranted by Solomon I >entler on March 21, 1793. James Kennedy, who was the owner in 1830, erected bath houses there. John Hippie, who had been sheriff of the county from 1826 to 1820. leased the property in 1830 from Kennedy for a ten-year period and erected a building 40x45 feet in size, and other additional bath houses, and in 1831 opened the place as a regular health resort, entertaining those who during previous years had lodged in the surrounding farmhouses. In 1838 Peter Updegraffe, by marriage connected with the owner- ship, was in charge, employing his unoccupied time at farming and conducting a pottery which he had erected. On August 8, T849, H. H. Etter purchased the property, and in 1850 again opened the house to the public. He built a seventy-five-foot extension to the hotel. The property passed to R. M. Henderson and John Hays, of Carlisle, who leased it to various parties until April 4, 1865, when it was destroyed by fire. Then, on April tt, 1866, the Perry Warm Springs Hotel Company was incorporated by A. L. Spon- sler, Robert M. Henderson, John Greason, Jacob Rhecm, John Hays, William T. Dewalt, and John D. Crea (probably Creigh), with a capital stock of $10,000. The resort was again opened, but never attained its former popularity, as the seashore and other resorts which were reached by railroads were then being developed. As late as 1877 lists of guests appeared in the county pres^. For many years it has not been open as a resort. The property later came into the possession of Abram Bower, and in TQ19 it was pur- chased by II. B. Rhinesmith, of New Bloomfield, from the Bower estate.

Sulphur springs abound at various places in Perry Count v. notably in Wheat field, Juniata, and Toboyne Townships.

According to Prof. E. W. Claypole, an authority on geology, of the Second State Geological Survey, the earliest fish fossils and the

LOCATION, PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. 53

earliest vertebrates found in any part of the world wen- discov- ered in Perry County, aboul [883, in the Cat skill rock formation. He describes these little prehistoric (ish as not more than -dx inches in length, with thin shields protecting their vital organs. lie says: "In every link the chain of argument is complete, and Perry County now has the honor of contributing to geolog) the oldest indisputable vertebrate animals which the world has yet seen." Further on in his report, he says:

"It is a long, long" vista through which we look hack, by the help of geology's telescope, to see these tiny ancestors of our fishes sporting in the Silurian seas. The Tertiary and Secondary rocks abound with fish. Even in our coal measures we find numerous species. The Devonian seas, as I have already mentioned, swarmed with great armor-clad monsters, some of which I have found in Perry County. These lived millions of years ago, and few can realize what a million means. But earlier than all these swam the little hard-shelled Pennsylvania Palaeaspis, as I have called it, in the seas of long ago, before Tuscarora and the Blue Mountains had raised their heads above the waters. To these queer, antiquated forms we must look as the ancestors of some at least of our existing fish, devel- oped by the slow process of nature, by change of environment, by compe- tition in the struggle for existence, and by the inexorable law of the sur- vival of the fittest. The condition of life must then have varied rapidly, for these and every nearly allied form became extinct in Mid-Devouian days ; and when our coal measures were laid down they were already as much out of date and as nearly forgotten as are the armor-clad knights of the Middle Ages at the present time. But the mud of the sea bottom received their carcasses, buried them carefully, and has ever since faith- fully preserved them, if not perfect, yet in a condition capable of being recognized. And to the geologist that same sea bottom, long since dried and turned to stone, now returns these precious remains. The day of their resurrection has come, and the hammer has brought to light from the rocks of Perry County the identical bones entombed, perhaps, twenty million years ago, when its wearer turned on its back, gave up the ghost and sank to the bottom."

Prof. Gilbert Wan Ingen, of the Geological Department of Princeton University, assisted by 11. Justin Roddy, has been mak- ing geological investigations throughout Perry County in recent years, and the following extract from a personal letter from him in Kj2i is self-explanatory:

Referring to your inquiry regarding the salina beds of Perry County. There is only one item that is worthy of mention in a county history, namely, that the salina beds of Perry County contain remains of the most primitive types of fish known in North America. These were discovered by E. W. Claypole, who described them about 1880, in the vicinity of New Bloomfield, and have since been found by me at a certain horizon in the salina group at several different localities scattered throughout the county.

Perry County has practically no minerals. Coal has been found in small quantities on Cove Mountain and on Perry's Mountain in what is known as Pocono sandstone formation, but not in suffi- cient quantities to pay for mining and marketing. 3

34 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

There have been mines in years past of Clinton fossil ore at Tuscarora Mountain, Millerstown; of Marcellus iron ore in small basins of Oriskany sandstone in Limestone Ridge at a place locally known as "Ore Bank Hill," south of Newport, in Miller Township; on Iron Ridge, south and west of the old Perry Fur- nace ; on Mahanoy Ridge, north and west of New Bloomfield ; at Bell's Hill, north and west of "Little Germany"; on Pisgah Mountain, near Oak Grove Furnace; at old Juniata Furnace, west of Newport ; at Girty's Notch, on the Susquehanna, and at various points along the south side of Mahanoy, Crawley's and Dick's Hills, and back from the Susquehanna River at Marysville.

The only mineral of value ever mined to any considerable ex- tent was iron ore, and that was principally in the vicinity of Mil- lerstown. Ore was first discovered on lands of Abram Addams, by Peter Wertz, in small quantities. Later the farm descended to Mr. Adams' daughter, Mrs. McDonald, and George Maus began actual operations. They were not worked extensively until 1867, when Beaver, Marsh & Co. operated them and shipped the ore by boat to their furnace at Winfield, Union County. In 1877 James Rounsley, an experienced miner, bought the mines and shipped much ore to that firm as long as their furnace was in operation, or until 1892. They had built the furnace in 1853. The last ore shipped from these mines was in 1903, by Mr. Rounsley. There was another mine located near Millerstown, on the west side of the river. James Lannigan began operations there in 1868 and continued until 1875. James Rounsley purchased these mines also in 1879 and continued their operation until 1901, his continuous mining lasting for twenty-six years. About 1868 the Reading [nm Company operated mines on the Thomas P. Cochran farm, near Millerstown, but did not operate regularly. The Duncannoir hen Company opened the mines on the Perry Kremer farm, on the west side of the river, near Millerstown, in 1868, and operated for about three years. The Reading Company also opened mines on the Jonathan Black farm about 1868 and mined until 1877. Other marts to which this ore was shipped was Lochiel, Reading, and Harrisburg. When the Perry Furnace was in operation the mines on the Dum farm in "Little Germany," Spring Township, employed twelve men. With the blowing out of the charcoal fur- naces throughout Perry County, about the middle of the last cen- tury, these smaller operations ceased. The substitution of coal and coke for charcoal in the iron industry spelled their end, as coal was too far away and the product insufficient to pay.

An effort to mine coal in Berry Mountain, near Mt. Patrick, was made by Baltimore capitalists, the McDonald-Downing Co., around the period of the Sectional War. A drift of three hundred feet was made and at that point it was claimed a three-foot vein

LOCATION, PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. 35

of coal was discovered, said to be loo small to operate upon a paying basis. The mouth of the drift is plainly to be seen. An- other statement is that the firm offered a Mr. Matchett, a pros pector, $10,000 for a three-foot vein.

An old leg-end is that the Indians once came to a blacksmith shop on what is now the James R. Showaker place, on Shaffer Run, in Toboyne Township, and wanted a horse shod, but were in- formed by the smith that he had no coal, whereupon they left and in a short time returned with the necessary coal. As coal was not then yet in use the story must be only a legend . Coal was dis- covered on the Cove Mountain twenty-five years ago, but not in sufficient quantities. The Perry Forester of May 24, 1827, said "a wry extensive bed of stone coal has been discovered near the mouth of Sherman's Creek, on land belonging to Stephen Dun- can." In 1857 the county press reported "a large vein of coal" discovered on the land of D. Lupfer, one and a half miles west of New Bloomfield. A small vein was once discovered in "Little Germany," Spring Township, but it was only three inches thick, soft and easily crumbled.

The great length of the zigzag beds of Lower Heidelberg lime- stone, aggregating 150 miles, which underlie the surface, makes the burning and marketing of lime an industry worth while, at the same time supplying a fertilizer for the soil. Many of these lime kilns date back to the time of the pioneer.

While Perry County is practically destitute of minerals, yet there have been several cases of great excitement over their re- ported discovery. Immediately after the close of the Sectional War, in 1865. it was reported that oil had been discovered in Sa- ville Township and two companies were formed for development of the industry. The Snyder Spring Oil Company, with a capital of $50,000, the shares being one dollar each, was formed and leased the farms then owned by Godfrey Burket and William Sny- der. The Coller Oil Company leased the lands at the headwaters of Buffalo Creek. It had a capital of $100,000, the shares being of a par value of five dollars. Of course, oil was never found. During 1920 another company was organized, principally by per- sons from outside the county, to prospect for oil in IYrr\ and Cumberland Counties. They arc now sinking their first well near Landisburg.

Crossing Perry County to the smith is a remarkable geological trap-dyke formation known as [ronstone Ridge. Nine miles west of Marysville it makes a watershed across Rye Township and its outcroppings continue clear across Cumberland County .and are visible in York County, it is probably two hundred feet wide. Three others cross Rye and Penn Townships. Of these a much smaller one than the one described runs about five hundred yards

36 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

east. Two others cross the Cove slightly northeast, one of which, passing Duncannon, runs across Wheatfield and Watts Townships. They cut mountains and valleys at right angles. Local tradition would have this most prominent trap-dyke, crossing Rye Town- ship, as extending clear south to Tennessee, but Clavpole, the geolo- gist, whose position as an authority has never been questioned, has it end in York County. Samuel J. Tritt, for twenty years county surveyor of Cumberland County, who did much surveying in Perry County, also recognized it as first becoming conspicuous in Rye Township, and as extending across Cumberland to the Susque- hanna River in York County. Clavpole tells us:

"Trap-dykes are ancient cracks in the earth, filled from below by lava, which has hardened into rock. They must be of great depth, for they can be traced along the present surface of the earth for a great distance. The trap-dyke described by Dr. Frazer, in his report on Lancaster County, runs in a straight line (N. R.) forty miles. Many others exist in Adams, York, Lancaster, Dauphin. Lebanon, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks Counties, and in middle and northern New Jersey, southern New York, and New England.

"The most remarkable of them all starts in the South Moun- tains, and runs in a nearly straight line across Cumberland County (between Mechanicsburg and Carlisle), crossing the Blue Moun- tain two miles east of Sterrett's Gap." This is the "Ironstone Ridge" spoken of above.

Claypole further says: "At the earliest date to which geology can point back with tolerable certainty in the history of what is now Perry County, the interior of the North American continent was an ocean of unknown extent into which was borne the sand and mud of neighboring lands, swept down by the rivers of that distant age to make the beds of rock which to-day compose the solid land of the United States. The history of this process is written in the rocks."

At another place the noted geologist, speaking of an unusual feature, says: "The volcanic rocks of Perry County may seem strange, but it has long been known that in the southeast of the county occur some rocks of very peculiar nature, totally different from any others. They cut across the line of the bedded rocks quite regardless of their direction. They are very heavy, intensely lough, and highly charged with iron. They are in effect what the geologist calls 'trap-rocks,' what the miner calls 'elvans.' They are composed of material that has been fused, and forced in a fused condition into and between the other rocks, filling up cracks and cavities and baking and hardening by its heat and strata through which it flowed. When cooled the fluid matter became hard, and is now known as intrusive or trap-rock."

CHAPTER II. EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN INHABITANTS.

WHEN Christopher Columbus, in October, [492, discovered the Western Continent, which was the preliminary act in the development of this great nation, the lands which now comprise the county of Perry— in Pennsylvania— were, according to all traditions, inhabited by the swarthy, copper-colored race. from that day to be generally spoken of as Indians, on account of the discoverer's mistaken idea that he had crossed the world to the eastern shores of India.

When the first settlements were made in Pennsylvania by the Dutch (not to he misconstrued as referring to the Germans) in [623, when it was later occupied by the Swedes, the Dutch again, the English, and eventually in 1682 by William Penn and the Quakers, the outlying sections of which Perry was naturally a part, were evidently overrun by these wild tribes, although almost two hundred years had elapsed since the discovery of America.

Then for another period of a half century little is known, ex- cept that which comes to us through the misty veil of years and which for want of a better name is known as tradition. About that time, however, the outlying settlements had pushed west to the Susquehanna, and an occasional manuscript, a diary, a letter or a record of one kind or another has been found and preserved, so that one can get a glimpse into the lives of the Indians and the hardy pioneers on the lands which were later to become the county of Perry.

If any other nationality than the English under Penn had set- tled in Pennsylvania, Perry County would probably not have ad- vanced nearly as rapidly as it did. as the English-speaking people were then as now, the advance agents of civilization. It is signifi- cant that those old English charters gave title to die land straight

*The chapters of this book relating to the Indians have been passed upon by Dr. George P. Donehoo, of Coudersport, Pennsylvania, noted authority upon Indian History and secretary of the Pennsylvania Historical Com- mission, and later, November, 1921, appointed State Librarian of Pennsyl- vania, by Governor Sproul.

Common or popular usage adds the "s" to Indian names, thus Dela- wares, Tuscaroras, although the names Delaware, Tuscarora, etc., as ap- plied to Indian tribes, is already plural, being applied to a tribe, according to scientific writers. Not belonging to the latter class of writers it has been thought best to add the "s" in this book, as do even many noted writers.

37

38 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

across the continent from ocean to ocean. The following para- graph from George Sydney Fisher's "The Making of Pennsylva- nia," well illustrates this :

"In nothing is the difference in nationality so distinctly shown. The Dutchman builds trading posts and lies in his ship off shore to collect the furs. The gentle Swede settles on the soft, rich meadow lands, and his cattle wax fat and his barns are full of hay. The Frenchman enters the forest, sympathizes with its inhabitants, and turns half savage to please them. All alike bow before the wilderness and accept it as a fact. But the Englishman destroys it. He grasped at the continent from the beginning, and but for him the oak and the pine would have triumphed and the prairies still be in possession of the Indian and the buffalo." No lands in the world advance and prosper as do those of the English-speaking nations, and be it remembered that among the English-speaking- people the American is always in the van.

One of the earliest records of Indian affairs in Pennsylvania is the "Jesuit Relations of 1659," which tells of a tradition of a ten years' war between the Mohawks and the Pennsylvania Indians, in which the latter almost exterminated the Mohawks. This was before either could obtain firearms. To .Captain John Smith, of Virginia, posterity is indebted for the very first description, by a white man, of the Indians of the interior of Pennsylvania. Pow- hatan had told him of a mighty nation which dwelt here which "did eat men." Smith says: "Many kingdoms he described to me to the head of the bay, which seemed to be a mighty river, issuing from mighty mountains betwixt two seas." On the east of the bay Smith found an Indian who understood the language of Pow- hatan, and he was dispatched up the river to bring down some of them. In a few days sixty of these "gyant-like people" ap- peared. Smith called all the country Virginia, and from a descrip- tion by the Indians he drew a map. which is the oldest map of any inland parts of Pennsylvania. He locates five Indian towns, the second lowest down being designated "Attaock," a branch which corresponds to the Juniata. This was probably the Indian village later known as Juniata, on Duncan's Island, further de- scribed in the chapter devoted to that island. He described the river as "cometh three or four days from the head of the bay." These Indians were supposed to be of the Andaste tribes, using dialects of the throat-speaking Iroquois. Smith's description tells of their "hellish voice, sounding from them as a voice in a vault." The Iroquois used no lip sounds, but spoke from the throat with an open mouth. Along the shores of the bay Smith found the natives all fearful of the "great-water men," who principally dwelt along the Potomac and the Susquehanna and "had so many boats and so many men that they made war with all the world." Smith

KAKUKST KI'.CORDS OF INDIAN INHABITANTS

39

met seven canoeloads of these men at the head "i the bay, bu1 failed to understand a word spoken. Karly Virginia historians presumed them to be of the Mohawk tribe, the ancestors of the Five Nations, which conclusion is a matter of question and prob- ably wrong.

The first white man to enter what is now the state of Pennsyl- vania was Etienne Brule, a Frenchman associated with Champlain, who was making explorations in Canada even before the English had entered Virginia. Brule went southward through New York to obtain aid from a body of Susquehannocks in an attack against

"A mighty River, Issuing From Mighty Mountains, Betwixt Two Seas." ■ — Capt. John Smith. (See page 38.)

a stronghold of the Iroquois. Failing to find Champlain, he re- mained in northern Pennsylvania through the winter. Tart oi the time he spent in making expeditions to the south. He left a description of the Susquehanna River, which he made down to the bay. He accordingly must have crossed Pennsylvania. In that case he traveled through it at least a century before any other white man.

A paper map found at the Hague in 1841 illustrates the travels of three Dutch settlers from Albany in i6rq, who came down the Susquehanna and crossed to the Lehigh and the Delaware, being captured by the Minequas. Their map locates a tribe called "Iottecas," west of the Susquehanna, in the vicinity of the Juniata River. In 1655 a man named Visscher published a map, in Am-

4o HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

sterdam, of New Netherlands, in which he almost accurately places the Susquehanna, but without any West Branch or Juniata. Dur- ing the next fifty years about fifteen maps appeared, all having practically the same river outline. On all of them just where the Juniata belongs, there is the name of a tribe called "Onojutta Haga," the first part of the name meaning a projecting stone, and the "Haga" being the Mohawk word for people or tribe. They were a superior race and lived largely by the cultivation of the soil.

When the Dutch began selling firearms to the Iroquois, or Five Nations, about 1640, they started a military conquest which ex- tended as far west as the Mississippi. Among those destroyed or subdued and incorporated into their own tribes were the Andaste tribes in Pennsylvania, which among others included the "Standing Stone" Indians on the Juniata. By 1676 all were exterminated. The Iroquois then claimed all the lands of the Susquehanna and its branches, selling to William Penn and his heirs at different times what they had gained by conquest. While negotiating for the sale of lands as early as 16S4 the Iroquois spoke of the entire region as "the Susquehanna River, which we won with the sword." In 1736 Thomas Penn, then governor, acknowledged their right by these words: "The lands on Susquehanna, we believe, belong to the Six Nations by the conquest of the Indian tribes on that river."

The entire region, which of course included what is now Perry County, was then a vast deserted space until such time as the Tus- caroras were allowed to settle there. The Delaware's and Shaw- nees later were allowed to settle, the Delawares coming in between 1720 and 1730. During this period not even a trader or pioneer had ventured there and through this veil of obscurity comes no record whatsoever of this time. However, the tribal records of the Hurons and the Iroquois tell of vast numbers of prisoners being brought to their New York towns from the South, as many as six hundred at a time, and the inference is that the tribes in- habiting this section were among the captives.

The Tuscaroras had been defeated and driven from their former abode, and they claimed that the colonists were selling their chil- dren into slavery. About 17 13 or 1714, they came from the South, and settled, with the consent of the Five Nations, "on the Juniata, in a secluded interior, not far from the Susquehanna River." At a conference with Governor Hunter, of New York, September 20, 1714, a Chief of the Iroquois, said, "We acquaint you that the Tuscarora Indians are come to shelter themselves among the Five Nations."

The great path or trail to the southwest was known as the "Tus- carora Path," when the first traders came, and this tribe's principal settlements were likely responsible for that name, as they were

EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN 1X1 1. MUTANTS 4t

located in Tuscarora Valley, now in [uniata County; in I'atli Val- ley, now in Franklin County, and in what is now Perry County, principally in Raccoon Valley. These lands head not been occupied for from a half to three quarters of a century, or since the con- quesl by the Five Nations. According to Samuel G. Drake, an Indian antiquarian, "the Tuscaroras from Carolina joined them (the Five Nations) about 1712, but were not formally admitted into the confederacy until about ten years after that ; this gained them the name of the Six Nations." They were sometimes known as Mingoes. In all the Albany conferences dated from 1714 to 1722 in which the members of the Five Nations participated the Tuscaroras are not mentioned. After this probationary period of probably ten years on the Juniata, where most of them lived, they were formally assigned a portion of the Oneida territory and had their council-house east of Syracuse. New York. However, all the Tuscaroras did not migrate to New York, some choosing to remain on the Juniata. In 1730 there is record of "three Tus- karorows missing at Pechston" (Paxtang), now Harrisburg. Even to the time of the Albany purchase of the lands north of the Kittatinny or Blue Mountain, in 1754, some of the tribe still in- habited the district. In a letter from John O'Neal to the governor dated at Carlisle. May 2y, 1753, is the statement : "A large number of Delawares, Shawnees and Tuscaroras continue in this vicinity — the greater number having gone to the West." As early as 1725 the Conestogas and the Shawnees had begun working their way westward along the Juniata and the West Branch of the Sus- quehanna.

Among the reports and records of Fort Duquesne was found the following, dated September 15, 1756:

"Two hundred Indians and French left Fort Duquesne to set fire to four hundred houses in a part of Pennsylvania. That prov- ince has suffered but little in consequence of the intrigues of the Five Nations with Taskarosins, a tribe on the lands of that prov- ince, and in alliance with the Five Nations. But now they have declared that they will assist their brethren, the Delawares. and Chouanons (Shawnees), and consequently several have sided with them, so that the above province will be laid waste the same as Virginia and Carolina." According to that, some were still there in 1756.

About 1730 some Scoth-Irish, who had crossed the Susque- hanna, settled in what was then termed the "Kittochtinny or North Valley, near Falling Springs." This was the Cumberland Valley of the present, and the place called Falling Springs was not the settlement by that name in Perry County, but was where the pres- ent town of Chambersburg stands. This is the first settlement

42 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

west of the Susquehanna of which there is record. The woods were then full of Indians.

As George Croghan, the interpreter, who knew the languages of the Shawnees and the Delawares, located in Cumberland County in 1742, the presence of those tribes here is indicated. The Delawares were known among themselves as the Leni Lenape tribe. According to their tradition they were one of two great peoples who inhabited the entire country, the other being the Mingoes.

As the names Juniata and Oneida are derived from the same source the contention is advanced that the Oneidas may have in- habited the Juniata Valley, but according to authorities there is nowhere any evidence to bear out that fact.

An Indian trail led westward along the Susquehanna and Juni- ata Rivers, crossing the former near what is now Clark's Ferry, at Duncannon; another led over the Kittatinny or Blue Moun- tain at what was then Croghan's (now Sterrett's) Gap, and a third led over the same mountain at McClure's Gap, the two latter cross- ing the Tuscarora Mountain. That via Sterrett's Gap was known as "the Allegheny Path," the first great highway to the West. The first white men to enter Perry County territory came over these routes, and the men were known as traders, whose vocation necessitated their going westward as far as the Ohio. There are evidences that these men were traders even before there is record of it. There are some recorded statements pertaining to their operations, but traders then, as now, do not belong to the class which reduce events to writing.

One of them was George Croghan, whose name was given to Sterrett's Gap. Croghan first lived in what was later to become Cumberland County, about five miles from Harris' Ferry (now Harrisburg), and afterwards on the mountain at the Gap, near where the old tavern or road-house stood later. Still later he took up his residence at Aughwick, near Mount Union, in Huntingdon County. As early as 1747 he is mentioned as a "considerable trader." He was well acquainted with the Indian country and with the paths and trails. He continually used the one via the Kittatinny and Tuscarora Mountains, from which one would infer that it was at least preferable to the others. He served the pro- vincial government by convoying expeditions westward for them. He was associated much with Conrad Weiser, the Indian inter- preter, and of them there is more further on in this book.

The scope of this book is not wide enough to go into all the details of the often fraudulent, crafty and deceptive actions of Mime of the pioneers, traders and officials in dealing with the In- dians, which in a general way might be said to have been largely responsible for much of the heart-rending suffering of the white

EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN INHABITANTS 43

settlers and many of the sickening massacres perpetrated upon them. With every setting of the sun the aborigines saw their domain dwindling before the oncoming tide of white pioneers, their favorite hunting grounds encroached upon and the very streams from which came much of their subsistence marred by the building of mill dams. Constantly impressed with such con- ditions, but a spark was often needed to light the flame of resent- ment which left death and destruction in its wake.

Of Our Indian Inhabitants.

The reader is familiar with the life and habits of the American Indian ; and from what can be learned in reference to the tribes which dwelt on what is now Perry County soil, they were the exact counterpart of the average member of that race in industry, cruelty and all the other characteristic traits to which they were heir. They hunted and fished for a living, and the territory now em- braced in Perry County was noted as a famous hunting ground, evidences of that fact being recorded in provincial records and mentioned in various places in this volume. The only evidences of their industry were the locations of several patches of Indian corn and beans which the women raised.

Their skin was red or copper-colored, their hair coarse and black, and they had high cheek bones. The males were seldom corpulent, were swift of foot, quick with bow and arrow and later with firearms, and very skillful in the handling of canoes. Their home was the tepee or wigwam, a few in after years having log huts. These tepees were a number of poles or saplings covered with skins of animals, the only heat afforded being from fires built upon the ground.

Their only clothing was of skins, which they had a method of curing so that they were soft and pliable and which they often ornamented with paint and beads made from shells. Their moc- casins were of deer skin and were without heels. The females often bedecked themselves with mantles made of feathers, over- lapping each other similar to their appearance on fowls. Their dress was of two pieces, a shirt of leather, ornamented with fringe, and a skirt of the same material fastened about the waist by a belt. Their hair they made into a thick, heavy plait, which they let hang down the back. Their heads they usually ornamented with bands of wampum or with a small skull cap. The men went bareheaded, with their hair fantastically trimmed, each to his own fancy. The white man, with all his knowledge, has never been able to excel the Indian method of tanning, the result of which was softness and pliability.

The aborigines had a peculiar idea of government. They were absolutely free, acknowledged no master, and yielded obedience to

a

44 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

law only in so far as they chose, and yet there existed a primitive system of government which was a faint type of that of our pres- ent great republic. They worshiped no graven image, but spoke of "the great spirit" and the "happy hunting grounds." While their ideas of a future were indistinct, yet they possessed a belief in a hereafter. They had much reverence for the forces of nature and measured time by the sun and the moon.

They had rude villages, one of which lay opposite the west end of Duncannon, on Duncan's Island, known as "Choiniata," or "Juneauta," which is known to have existed as late as 1745, the story of. which appears in the chapter devoted to Duncan's and llaldeman's Islands. In searching Indian historical data and tra- dition the knowledge that there was an Indian village in western Terr}- territory, probably near Cisna's Run, appeared somewhat vaguely. While it is impossbile at this late day to locate it ex- actly, it is practically certain that it was located on lands owned by the late George Bryner and W. II. hoy, at Cisna's Run, as it was on the north side of Sherman's Creek, on a branch of that creek, surrounding or near a deep spring. On Mr. Loy's lands, 'most against the Bryner line. Cedar Spring, five feet deep, is located. Mrs. Jacob hoy, -of Blain, well up in years, had as an actual fact from her people, the location of this village. When the writer visited the location, in midsummer of 1919, Mr. Bryner was yet living and pointed out a mound, near the Sherman's Val- ley Railroad, which resembled a small knoll. From William Adair, an aged man who died many years ago, Mr. Bryner learned that it was once the site of an Indian log hut which he had seen in his youth, probably a lone reminder of the old Indian village.

A neighborhood story connected with an Indian woman that lived in this hut, the last of her clan in the district, follows:

She called on a neighbor, a Mrs. Cisna. grandmother of the late Dr. William R. Cisna, who resided near by. Mrs. Cisna. alter washing her hands, mixed the ingredients, and kneading the meal proceeded to bake corn bread, inviting her copper-colored caller to remain for tea, which she did. Shortly afterwards Mrs. CiMia returned the call and was invited to dine. She accepted, and the Indian lady also washed her hands and proceeded to mix the ingredients for corn bread, but mixed them in the water in which she had washed her hands. Not wishing to offend one of the race, Mrs. Cisna ate of this 'Sanitary" production and, not- withstanding, lived to a ripe old age.

Between the Bryner and Loy homes and Sherman's Creek, oppo- site the point where the Moose mill is located, was an Indian corn- field. It is a bottom field, lying by the creek, and is as level as a floor. The evidence that this location was thickly populated at one time by the Indians is not only passed down by spoken word and

EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN [NHABITANTS 45

records, but even in the year this is written — [919 Ex-County Commissioner A. K. Bryner (since deceased), while plowing a truck patch for his brother, containing less than two acres, found a half dozen of line specimens of Endain arrowheads, which arc in the possession of the writer. In the past few years he has also found an Indian tomahawk. Indian tannin- stones, skinning stone-. many arrowheads, etc. Some years ago, in the same vicinity, William Adair, the father of Ex-County Commissioner James EC. Adair, plowed up an Indian soapstone pot, a very rare specimen. The latter curiosity was unearthed on the farm now owned by A. N. Lyons.

The Lyons or old Adair farm, the Bryner and Loy farms, and the dee]) spring are all on the location of the old Indian trail, known to later generations as the "bridle path," still descernible on Bowers' Mountain, opposite Cisna's Run, from whence it crossed westward to Kistler and around the foot of Conococheague Mountain to Juniata County and the West.

They were, generally speaking, a lazy, listless people, addicted to the use of rum, which they knew as "walking stick," and lived on game, fish and mussels, the Susquehanna River at that time being prolific of the two last named products. Indian cornmeal was their only grain product, their method of grinding it being with a bowl and stones. With the coming of the early trader a market was created at their door for the skins from their game, for furs for the fair sex. The pay was often in trinkets and gaudy fabrics for which the red man had a fancy, sometimes in rum. and even in money, hut often the latter went for rum in the end. In the chapter on Duncan's and Haldeman's Islands there is a lengthy description of their mode of life by Rev. Brainerd, a missionary who spent much time among them. In the chapter dealing with Simon Girty much more of Indian life is to be learned.

When the pioneers settled the county a few Indians refused to follow their tribes in leaving their homes — just as many older people of the present day object to locating in new sections in the latter years of their lives — and remained. The Indian woman mentioned above as being located at Cisna's Run, was one of these, and an old Indian, known as "Indian John," who lived near the Warm Springs, in Carroll Township, was another. lie used to trade at the store of Thomas Lebo, at the point which later became Lebo post office, and is said to have been a very old man.

At various places in this hook are recorded the taking oi cap- trade at the store of Thomas Lebo, at the point which later became now owned by Mrs. Charles McKeehan, located between Blain and , New Germantown, which was warranted and settled by John Rhea, who sold it to a family named 1 lunter, from whom the early

46 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Briners purchased it in 1809. During an Indian invasion of the valley two of the Hunter children, a boy and a girl, were cap- tured by red men. The girl escaped during the following night and returned, but the boy never came back. Long years after- wards he wrote to George Black, a neighbor, from the far West, making inquiry as to the disposition of his father's estate. George Conner, a black-haired child who was favored by the Indians dur- ing his captivity, was captured near Landisburg, but later escaped. He was the ancestor of Mrs. Garland, of Landisburg.

The Indian was the earliest road builder, but his building con- sisted of making a mere path through the brush either in the most direct line or by the line of least resistance. Evidences of the old Indian trails yet remain, as described under the chapter devoted to trails and roads. Located along one of these old trails over Tuscarora Mountain is a large boulder, weighing many tons and of a size that would fill a large room of an ordinary house, known as "Warrior Rock," famous in legend and story. They also had a line of trails following the mountain tops, so that their per- spective was greater. These they used in troublesome periods.

At various places in the county there are old Indian burial places which would substantiate the fact that Indian villages were once located in those vicinities. There is one at Saville post office, in Saville Township. This place was formerly known as Lane's Mill and was a great hunting and fishing ground for the aborigines. Those located here are supposed to have been the ones which came back to the county and did the attacking on the McMillen place, near Kistler. An old legend tells of their getting lead near by for the points of their arrows when they needed it, but if so, their fol- lowers— the pale face — has failed to locate it. Several men well up in years by the name of Elliott, who were Indian traders, re- sided in the locality, from whom descended David Elliott, D.D., LL.D., the noted divine.

There is also legendary evidence of an Indian burial ground at Blain, at the old Presbyterian cemetery. Many arrowheads are found in the vicinity and a few years ago, in excavating- for a grave, two skulls were found placed against each other, the skele- tons extending in opposite directions. Tradition has it that that was the Indian custom of interment, thus affording ^ome evidence of the location of the Indian burial place at this point. Arrow- heads are found even to this day along Sherman's Creek, at New Germantown, Blain, Landisburg, Shermansdale and at many other points. Also at Millerstown and Duncan's Island, in the Juniata River territory.

On Quaker Ridge, near the Warm Springs, in Spring Township, there is an Indian grave surrounded by pine trees. The aged resi- dents of the vicinity also recall the legend of the three Indian

EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN INHABITANTS 47

graves on the old Burrell farm, in Carroll Township, now owned l»\ Willis Duncan. Near the celebrated Gibson Rock, along Sher- man's Creek, is a spring', known to this day as Indian Spring. According to a legend six soldiers sent from the garrison at Car- lisle during the Indian uprisings, were waylaid there and murdered. John Clendenin, a settler in what is now Toboyne Township, was killed and scalped by the Indians near the site of the old Monterey tannery. One of the saddest of all the abductions from Perry County territory was the case of two children from the George Kern farm, bordering New Germantown, in Toboyne Township. Simon Kern, the ancestor, had come from his home in Holland and had located on the farm mentioned. Two small Kern girls were helping work in the fields when lurking Indians car- ried them away. They traveled a considerable distance when they were overtaken by night. During the night one of the little girls managed to escape while her captors slept and returned to her people. The other remained an Indian captive. Tradition tells of a woman from the stockade at Fort Robinson returning to the farm opposite — the McClure farm — and of her being killed and scalped by lurking redskins.

* According to James B. Hackett, long a resident of New Bloom- field, whose father was once a resident of Madison Township, there was an interesting tradition connected with his father's tract of land there which was later owned by Noble Meredith. A man named James Dixon had first located it, but had been driven out by the Indians, and then took up a tract in Centre Township. John Mitchell then warranted it January 28, 1763. Three Indians are supposed to be buried there, and men of the present generation had the graves, then already overgrown mounds, pointed out to them in their early years. On this tract, according to this tradi- tion, was buried a pot or kettle of gold by a squaw, received in return for English scalps turned over to the French. It is sup- posed to have been left by the Indians when they were hastily driven out. Evidently this story is a mere legend, as the red men were too crafty to tell their white brethren their personal and tribal affairs.

Wright's History names Millerstown as the scene of "either a long residence or probably a fierce battle between the Delaware's and the immigrating Shawnees," adding "the location of the con- flict was no doubt near the canal bridge, for they were interred in a wide and deep mound, west of the house now the residence of Mrs. Oliver, and found by the workmen who dug the canal." Mentioning an Indian village at or near Newport and one at Mil- lerstown, it says: "These were the only Indian villages in Perry County." As the soil which is now comprised in Perry County was inhabited at different times by different tribes, and as Indian

4<S HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

villages were formed by wigwams, which were easily movable, the statement above is hardly borne out by facts.

( )n Clemson's Island, opposite the town of New Buffalo, located on the Susquehanna River (not Perry County soil, however), was an Indian mound which is remembered by those in very mature years as being quite prominent, but now indiscernible. There are vague accounts of the torturing of whites in Pfoutz Valley, while the relentless savages danced about the fires which tortured and consumed the unfortunates.

The Five; Nations.

The great western confederacy of Indian nations was styled by the French, the "Iroquois," generally at first being known as "The Five Nations," and later as "The Six Nations." The Mohawks are said to be the oldest of the confederacy, the Oneidas joining them next, the Onondagas third, the Senecas fourth, and the Cayugas fifth. About 1713 the Tuscaroras from the Carolinas placed themselves under the protection of this "League of Na- tions, but was not formally admitted to membership until about 1722. The Six Nations called themselves "Aquanuschioni," which the interpreter tells us means "United People." The Shawnees. who lived on the west branch of the Susquehanna and in Cumberland County (which then included Perry), were not in this confederacy.

Just when the Five Nations was formed is uncertain. There is a tradition, according to the Jesuit Relations, that before the Eng- lish settlements were made in America the Susquehannas had al- most exterminated the Mohawks in a ten-years' war. Some his- torians incline to the belief that at that time the Mohawks ap- pealed to kindred tribes along the shores of Lake Ontario for aid and that that was the beginning of the Five Nations. It is prob- able that the Indian battles fought at Duncan's Island and likely at Millerstown were during this war between the Susquehannas and the Mohawks. Captain John Smith, who explored Chesapeake Bay in 160S. says the inhabitants of the Susquehanna country "made war with all the world," which implies that they were then already at war with the Mohawks.

Kelker's History of Dauphin County says: "In 1633 they were at war with the Alonquin tribes on the Delaware, maintaining their supremacy by butchery." Later they warred with tribes from Maryland and Virginia, and Governor Calvert, in 1642, issued a proclamation declaring them public enemies. The end of the Sus- quehannas came in 1675, according to the fesuit Relations, when they were completely defeated and became the prisoners and sub- jects of their captors, evidently the Mohawks, as Thomas Penn, the provincial governor, later credited the Mohawks with owner-

EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN INHABITANTS 49

ship of the lands "by the conquest of the [ndian tribes on that

river."

The Shawnees were a tribe of Southern Indians, having resided near the Spanish possessions in that territory and being almost constantly at war with their neighbors. As extermination threat- ened them they appealed to the Five Nations and the English for protection, which was granted them by the treaty of 1701. They settled on the Susquehanna and its tributaries and were later as- signed to the lands along the Ohio. However, many of them re- fused to go, and the others kept traveling back and forth from the Ohio. The Six Nations resided principally in New York State and it was only by permission that the Shawnees were allowed to occupy these lands. As an illustration of the contempt in which they were held listen to this extract from a speech by Cannassetego, diplomat of the Iroquois :

"We conquered you ; we made women of you ; you know you are women, and can no more sell lands than women ; nor is it lit you should have the power of selling lands, since you would abuse it. The land that you claim is gone through your guts ; you have been furnished with clothes, meat and drink, by the goods paid you for it, and now you want it again, children as you are. But we find you none of our blood ; you act a dishonest part, not only in this, but in other matters ; your ears are ever open to slanderous reports about your brethren. For all these reasons we charge you to remove instantly ; we don't give you liberty to think about it. Don't deliberate, but move away, and take this belt of wampum."

The Delawares, who jointly with the Shawnees occupied these lands, were very much chagrined at being called women and usu- ally offered other explanations than the real one.

Murder of an Early Trader.*

Many of the early traders, because of their cupidity, took ad- vantage of the Indians by trickery and thus were at times the cause of much trouble to the provincial authorities. Others he- came the victims of their own greed. An instance of this kind is reproduced here in its original form for various reasons. At that time Duncan's Island, then known as Juniata Island, was a centre for traders and "McKee's Place," which was just around the lower end of Peters' Mountain, was also already inhabited by a number of these people.

In this vicinity resided John Armstrong, or at least that is the impression formed from the fact that among the names on the affidavit are those of Thomas McKce, Francis Ellis, and William Baskins, who were among the searching party, who are known

*From Conrad Weiser's journal.

Note. — Shikellamy was sometimes spelled Shickcalamy. 4

50 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

tn have been inhabitants here, and it is also probable that actions of those clays were largely as they exist to this day, in which a man's neighbors are those whose aid is first sought whose names are usually used in evidence. There is record of the three pioneers above named being located here in 1752, or eight years thereafter, and they probably were already here in 1744.

Mnsemeelin was of the Indian tribe that inhabited the Susque- hanna Valley. In order to let the rising generation get a glimpse of the methods used to adjust difficulties between the province and the Indians the documentary evidence and communications are printed in full. It follows:

Before Cumberland County was created, when the soil of Perry was yet an Indian domain, in 1744, one John Armstrong, a trader witli the Indians west of the Susquehanna, and two of his em- ployes, James Smith and Woodward Arnold, were murdered by an Indian of the Delawares on the Juniata River. Seven settlers, accompanied by five Indians, made a search and found the bodies. The murderer was apprehended and turned over to the authorities, being first imprisoned at the county seat at Lancaster, and later removed to Philadelphia, as his countrymen were about to assemble in conference with the whites at Lancaster, and it was deemed that his presence there might cause friction. The Colonial governor ordered Armstrong's property returned to his people and asked that a delegation attend the trial of the culprit and his execution, if found guilty. A brother of the murdered man, named Alex- ander Armstrong, of Lancaster County, wrote a letter to the king of the 1 )elawares — Allumoppies — at Shamokin, bearing on his brother's death and also threats made against himself:

April 25, 1744.

To Allumoppies, King of the Delawares: Great Sir, as a parcel of your men have murdered my brother, and two of his men, I wrote you, know- ing you to be a king of justice, that you will send us in all the murderers and the men that were with them. As I looked for the corpse of my murdered brother; for that reason your men threaten my life, and I can- not live in my house. Now as we have no inclination or mind to go to war with you, our friends, as a friend I desire that you will keep your men from doing me harm, and also to send the murderers and their com- panions. I expect an answer; and am your much hurt friend and brother.

Alexander Armstrong.

According to the following deposition the bodies of the mur- dered men were found after a search was made:

Paxton, April 19, 1744. The deposition of the subscribers testifieth and saith, that the subscribers having a suspicion that John Armstrong, trader, together with his men, Tames Smith and Woodward Arnold, were murdered by the Indians. They met at the house of Joseph Chambers, in Paxton,* and there con- sulted to go to Shamokin, to consult with the Delaware King and Shikel-

*Now Fort Hunter.

EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN INHABITANTS 51

lamy, and there council what they should do concerning the affair, where- upon the king and council ordered eight of their men to go with the deponents to the house of James Berry in order to go in quest of the murdered persons, but that night they came to the said Berry's house, three of the eight Indians ran away, and the next morning these deponents, with the five Indians that remained, set out on their journey peaceably to the last supposed sleeping place of the deceased, and upon their arrival these deponents dispersed themselves in order to find out the corpse of the deceased, and one of the deponents, named James Berry, a small dis- tance from the aforesaid sleeping place, came to a white oak tree which had three notches on it, and close by said tree he found a shoulder bone, which the deponent does suppose to be John Armstrong's, and that he himself showed it to his companions, one of whom handed it to the said five Indians to know what bone it was, and they after passing different sentiments upon it, handed it to a Delaware Indian, who was suspected by the deponents, and they testify and say, that as soon as the Indian took the bone in his hand, his nose gushed out with blood, and directly handed it to another. From whence these deponents steered along a path about three or four miles to the Narrows of Juniata, where they sus- pected the murder to have been committed, and where the Allegheny road crosses the creek, these deponents sat down in order to consult on what measures to take in order to proceed on a discovery. Whereupon most of the white men, these deponents, crossed the creek again, and went down the creek, and crossed into an island, where these deponents had intelli- gence the corpse had been thrown; and there they met the rest of the white men and Indians, who were in company, and there consulted to go further down the creek in quest of the corpse, and these deponents further say, they ordered the Indians to go down the creek on the other side ; but they all followed these deponents, at a small distance, except one Indian, who crossed the creek again; and soon after, these deponents seeing some Bald eagles and other fowls, suspected the corpse to be thereabouts ; and then lost sight of the Indians, and immediately found one of the corpse, which these deponents say, was the corpse of James Smith, one of said Armstrong's men; and directly upon finding the corpse these de- ponents heard three shots of guns, which they had great reason to think were the Indians, their companions, who had deserted from them ; and in order to let them know that they had found the corpse, these deponents fired three guns, but to no purpose, for they never saw the Indians any more. And about a quarter of a mile further down the creek, they saw more Bald eagles, whereupon they made down towards the place, where they found another corpse (being the corpse of Woodward Arnold, the other servant of said Armstrong) lying on a rock, and then went to the former sleeping place, where they had appointed to meet the Indians; hut saw no Indians, only that the Indians had been there and cooked some victuals for themselves, and had gone off.

All that night, the deponents further say, they had great reason to sus- pect that the Indians were then thereabouts, and intended to do them some damage; for a dog these deponents had with them, barked that night, which was remarkable, for the said dog had not barked all the time they were out, till that night, nor ever since, which occasioned these de- ponents to stand upon their guard behind trees, with their guns cocked that night. Next morning these deponents went back to the corpses which they found to be barbarously and inhumanly murdered, by very gashed, deep cuts on their heads with a tomahawk or such like weapon, which had sunk into their skulls and brains; and in one of the corpses there ap- peared a hole in his skull near the cut, which was supposed to be made

52 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

with a tomahawk, which hole these deponents do believe to be a bullet hole. And these deponents, after taking a particular view of the corpses, as their melancholy condition would admit, they buried them as decently as their circumstances would allow, and returned home to Paxton, the Allegheny road to John Harris'; thinking it dangerous to return the same way they went out. And further these deponents say not.

These same deponents being legally qualified, before me, James Arm- strong, one of his majesty's justices of the peace for the county of Lan- caster, have hereunto set their hands in testimony thereof.

James Armstrong. Alexander Armstrong, Thomas McKee, Francis Ellis, John Florster, William Baskins, James Berry, John Watt, James Armstrong, David Denny.

The reader will note that the circumstances stated and those following relate to what was probably the first Indian massacre in the vicinity, that our country was yet in "His Majesty's" domain, and that the nearest county seat was then Lancaster. The mas- sacre was so shocking to the pioneers that a Provincial Council was assembled, the result of which was that the provincial inter- preter and Indian agent, Conrad Weiser, was dispatched in the name of the governor to Shamokin, to make demands for several others concerned in the murder.

As this document, the proceedings of the council, has been pre- served for posterity, it is reproduced here, spelling, language, etc., just as recorded, probably being the first case for that territory where an Indian Council became necessary to the settlement of a matter which was vital between the Indians and the provincial government.

At a council, April 25, 1744. — "The governor, George Thomas, laid be- fore the Board a letter dated April 22, 1744, from Mr. Cookson, at Lan- caster, purporting that John Armstrong, an Indian trader, with his two servants, Woodward Arnold and James Smith, had been murdered at Juniata by three Delaware Indians, and that John Musemeelin and John- sun of Neshalleeny, two of the Indians concerned in the murder had been seized by the order of Shikellamy, and the other Indian chiefs at Sha- mokin, and sent under a guard of Indians to be delivered up to justice; that one was actually delivered up in jail at Lancaster; but the other had made his escape from the persons to whose care he was committed.

"His honor then sent to the chief justice to consult him about the steps proper to be taken to bring the Indian to his trial, but as he was absent at a Court of Oyer and Terminer in Bucks County, it was the opinion of the Board that the Indian, Musemeelin, should be immediately removed to Philadelphia jail, and that Conrad Weiser should be immediately dis- patched to the chiefs of the Delaware Indians at Shamokin to make a peremptory demand in his honor's name of the other murderers concerned, and that Shikellamy and the other Indians there do order immediate search to be made for the goods of which the deceased was robbed, in order to their being put into the hands of his brother for the satisfaction of his creditors, or the support of his family. And at the same time to inform them that the chiefs of the Indians which shall meet at Lancaster on the treaty with our neighboring governments, will be desired to depute some

EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN INHABITANTS 53

of their number to be present at the trial and at the execution of such as shall be found .guilty.

"Conrad Weiser was accordingly sent to Shamokin. He writes in his journal, Shamokin, May 2d, 1744: This day I delivered the governor's message to Allumoppies, the Delaware chief, and the rest of the Dela- ware Indians in the presence of Shikellamy and a few more of the Six Nations. The purport of which was that 1 was sent express by the gover nor and council to demand those that had been concerned with Musemeelin in murdering John Armstrong, Woodward Arnold and James Smith; that their bodies might be searched for, and decently buried ; that the goods be likewise found and restored without fraud. It was delivered them by me in the Mohawk language, and interpreted into Delaware by Andrew, Madame Montour's son.

"In the afternoon Allumoppies, in the presence of the aforesaid Indians, made the following answers :

"Brother, the Governor : It is true that we, the Delaware Indians, by the. investigation of the evil spirit, have murdered James Armstrong and his men ; we have transgressed and we are ashamed to look up. We have taken the murderer and delivered him to the relations of the de- ceased, to be dealt with according to his works.

"Brother, the Governor: Your demand for the guard is very just; we have gathered some of them; we will do the utmost of what we can to find them all. We do not doubt but that we can find out the most part, and whatever is wanting, we will make up with skins, which is what the guard are sent for to the woods.

"Brother, the Governor: The dead bodis are buried. It is certain that John Armstrong was buried by the murderer, and the other two by those that searched for them. Our hearts are in mourning, and we are in a dismal condition, and cannot say anything at present.

"Then Shikellamy with the rest of the Indians of the Six Nations there present said :

"Brother, the Governor: We have been all misinformed on both sides about the unhappy accident. Musemeelin has certainly murdered the three white men himself, and upon his bare accusation of Neshaleeny's son, which was nothing but spite, the said Neshaleeny's son was seized, and made a prisoner. Our cousins, the Delaware Indians, being then drunk, in particular Allumoppies, never examined things, but made an innocent person prisoner, which gave a great deal of disturbance amongst us. However the two prisoners were sent, and by the way in going down the river they stopped at the house of James Berry; James told the young man, 'I am sorry to see you in such a condition, I have known you from a boy, and always loved you.' Then the young man seemed to be very much struck to the heart, and said, 'I have said nothing yet, but I will tell all, let all the Indians come up, and the white people also, they shall hear it.' And then told Musemeelin in the presence of all the peo- ple: 'Now I am going to die for your wickedness; you have killed all the three white men. I never did intend to kill any of them.' Then Musemeelin in anger said: 'It is true, I have killed them; I am a man, you are a coward; it is a great satisfaction to me to have killed them; I will die with joy for having killed a great rogue and his companions.' Upon which the young man was set at liberty by the Indians.

"We desire therefore our brother, the governor, will not insist to have either of the two young men in prison or condemned to die; it is not with Indians as with white people, to put people in prison on suspicion or -trifles. Indians must first be found guilty of a crime, then judgment is given and immediately executed. We will give you faithfully all the

54 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

particulars; and at the ensuing treaty entirely satisfy you; in the mean- time we desire that good friendship and harmony continue; and that we may live long together, is the hearty desire of your brethren, the Indians of the United Six Nations present at Shamokin.

"The following is what Shikellamy declared to he the truth of the story concerning the murder of John Armstrong, Woodward Arnold and James Smith from the beginning to the end, to wit:

"That Musemeelin owing some skins to John Armstrong, the said Arm- strung seized a horse of the said Musemeelin and a rifle gun; the gun was taken by James Smith, deceased. Some time last winter Musemeelin met Armstrong on the river Juniata, and paid all but twenty shillings, for which he offered a neck-belt in pawn to Armstrong and demanded his horse, and James Armstrong refused it, and would not deliver up the horse, but enlarged the debt, as his usual custom was, and after some quarrel the Indian went away in great anger without his horse to his hunting cabin. Some time after this, Armstrong, with his two companions on their way to Ohio, passed by the said Musemeelin's hunting cabin, his wife, only being at home, demanded the horse of Armstrong, because he was her proper goods, but didn't get him. Armstrong had by this time sold or lent the horse to James Berry; after Musemeelin came from hunting, his wife told him that Armstrong was gone by, and that she demanded the horse of him, but did not get him — and as is thought pressed him to pursue and take revenge of Armstrong. The third day in the morning after James Armstrong was gone by, Musemeelin said to the two young men that hunted with him, come let us go toward the Great Hills to hunt bears; accordingly they went all three in company; after they had gone a good way Musemeelin, who was foremost, was told by the two young men that they were out of their course. Come you along, said Musemeelin, and they accordingly followed him till they came to the path that leads to the Ohio. Then Musemeelin told them he had a good mind to go and fetch his horse back from Armstrong, and desired the two young men to come along; accordingly they went. It was then al- most night and they traveled till next morning. Musemeelin said, now they are not far off. We will make ourselves black, then they will be frightened and will deliver up the horse immediately, and I will tell Jack that if he does not give me the horse I will kill him, and when he said so he laughed. The young men thought he joked, as he used to do. They did not blacken themselves, but he did. When the sun was above the trees, or about an hour high, they all came to the fire, where they found James Smith sitting, and they also sat down. Musemeelin asked where Jack was ; Smith told him that he was gone to clear the road a little. Muse- meelin said he wanted to speak to him, and went that way, and after he had gone a little distance from the fire, he said something, and looked back laughing, but he having a thick throat, and his speech being very had, and their talking with Smith, hindered them from understanding what he said; they did not mind it. They being hungry, Smith told them to kill some turtles, of which they were plenty, and we would make some bread, and by and by, they would all eat together. While they were talking, they heard a gun go off not far off, at which time Woodward Arnold was killed, as they learned afterwards. Soon after Musemeelin came back and said, why did you not kill that white man according as I bid you? At this they were surprised, and one of the young men com- monly called Jimmy, run away to the riverside. Musemeelin said to the other, how will you do to kill Catabaws, if you cannot kill white men? You cowards, I'll show you how you must do; and then taking up the English axe that lay there, he struck it three times into Smith's head, be-

EARLIEST RECORDS OF INDIAN INHABITANTS 55

fore he died. Smith never stirred. Then he told the young Indian to call the other; but he was so terrified he could not call. Musemeelin then went and fetched him and said to him that two of the white men were killed, he must now go and kill the third; then each of them would have killed one. But neither of them dare venture to talk anything about it. Then he pressed them to go along with him— he went foremQSl ; then one of the young men told the other as they went along, my friend, don't you kill any of the white people, let him do what he will ; I have not killed Smith, he has done it himself, we have no need to do such a bar- barous thing. Musemeelin being then a good way before them in a hurry, they soon saw John Armstrong sitting upon an old log. Musemeelin spoke to him and said, where is my horse? Armstrong made answer and said, he will come by and by, you shall have him. I want him now, said Musemeelin. Armstrong answered, you shall have him. Come let us go to that fire — which was at some distance from the place where Armstrong sat— and let us talk and smoke together. Go along then, said Muse- meelin. I am coming, said Armstrong, do you go before; Musemeelin, do you go foremost. Armstrong looked then like a dead man, and went toward the fire and was immediately shot in his back by Musemeelin and fell. Musemeelin then took his hatchet and struck it into Armstrong's head, and said, give me my horse, I tell you. By this time one of the young men had fled again that had gone away before, but he returned in a short time. Musemeelin then told the young men, they must not offer to discover or tell a word about what had been done for their lives, but they must help to bury Jack, and the other two were to be thrown into the river. After that was done Musemeelin ordered them to load the horses and follow towards the hill, where they intended to hide the goods ; accordingly they did and as they were going, Musemeelin told them that as there were a great many Indians hunting about that place, if they should happen to meet with any, they must be killed to prevent betraying them. As they went along, Musemeelin going before, the two young men agreed to run away as soon as they could meet with any Indians, and not to hurt anybody. They came to the desired place, the horses were unloaded, and Musemeelin opened the bundles and offered the two young men each a parcel of goods. They told him that they had already sold their skins, and everybody knew they had nothing, they would cer- tainly be charged with a black action, were they to bring any goods to the town, and therefore they would not accept of any; but promised never- theless not to betray him. Now, says Musemeelin, [ know what you were talking about when you stayed so far behind.

"The two young men being in great danger of losing their lives— of which they had been much afraid all that day— accepted of what he of- fered to them, and the rest of the goods they put in a heap and covered them from the rain, and then went to their hunting cabin. Musemeelin unexpectedly finding two or three more Indians there, laid down his goods, and said he had killed Jack Armstrong and taken pay for his horse, and should any of them discover it, that person he would likewise kill; but otherwise they might all take a part of the goods. The young man, called Jitumy, went away to Shamokin, after Musemeelin was gone to bury the goods with three more Indians, with whom he had prevailed; one of them was Neshaleeny's son, whom he had ordered to kill James Smith, but these Indians would not have any of the goods. Some time after the young Indian had been in Shamokin, it was whispered about that some of the Delaware Indians had killed Armstrong and his men. A drunken Indian came to one of the Tudolous houses at night and told the man of the house that he could tell him a piece of bad news. What

56 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

is that? said the other. The drunken man said, some of our Deleware Indians have killed Armstrong and his men, which, if our chiefs should not resent, and take them up, I will kill them myself to prevent a dis- turbance between us and the white people, our brother. Next morning Shikellamy and some other Indians of the Delawares were called to assist Allomoppies in council.

"When Shikellamy and Allumoppies got one of the Tudolous Indians to write a letter to me to desire me to come to Shamokin in all haste ; that the Indians were much dissatisfied in mind. This letter was brought to my house by four Delaware Indians sent express ; but I was then in Philadelphia, and when I came home and found all particulars mentioned in this letter, and that none of the Indians of the Six Nations had been down, I did not care to meddle with Delaware Indian affairs, and staid at home till I received the governor's orders to go, which was about two weeks after. Allumoppies was advised by his council to employ a con- jurer, as they call it to find out the murderer; accordingly he did and the Indians met ; the seer being busy all night, told them in the morning to examine such and such an one, they were present when Armstrong was killed, naming the two young men ; Musemeelin was present. Accordingly Allumoppies, Quietheyyquent and Thomas Green, an Indian, went to him that had fled first and examined him; he told the whole story very freely; then they went to the other, but he would not say a word, but went away and left them. The three Indians returned to Shikellamy and informed of what discovery they had made. When it was agreed to secure the murderers, and deliver them up to the white people, a great noise arose among the Delaware Indians, and some were afraid of their lives and went into the woods ; not one cared to meddle with Musemeelin, and the other that could not be prevailed on to discover anything, because of the resentment of their families; but they being pressed by Shikellamy's son to secure the murderers, otherwise they would be cut off from the chain of friendship; four or five of the Delawares made Musemeelin and the other young man prisoners and tied them both. They lay twenty- four hours and none would venture to conduct them down ; because of the great division among the Delaware Indians, and Allumoppies in danger of being killed, fled to Shikellamy and begged for protection. At last Shikellamy's son Jack went to the Delawares, most of them being drunk, as they had been for several days, and told them to deliver the prisoners to Alexander Armstrong, and they were afraid to do it ; they might sepa- rate their heads from their bodies, and lay them in the canoe, and carry them to Alexander to roast and eat them, that would satisfy his revenge, as he wants to eat Indians. They prevailed with the said Jack to assist them, and accordingly he and his brother and some of the Delawares went with two canoes and carried them off."

No available records remain to show the final disposition of ' Musemeelin.

According to a record left by John Harris, of Harris' Ferry (now Harrisburg), Jack's Narrows, near Mapleton on the Juniata, came to be named this way. Harris referred to them thus: "Jack Armstrong's narrows, so called from his being there murdered." Other writers claim they were called after Captain Jack, a reso- lute Indian hater, described elsewhere in this book. While either may be the truth, yet the fact that the murder happened at this point inclines one to believe that the mountain was named after the trader, Armstrong, who was murdered there.

CHAPTER 111. INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED.

THE lands now comprising Perry County probably caused the provincial government a greater amount of anxiety dur- ing a number of years than any other in Pennsylvania. In a treaty made with the Indians for certain lands west of the Sus- quehanna River no lands north of the Kittatinny or Blue Moun- tains were included, yet notwithstanding this fact pioneers, im- patient over the delays of the land office, began entering the val- leys between the Kittatinny and Tuscarora ranges, as well as north of the latter, erected cabins and started to clear the lands, without the sanction of the provincial authorities, as the following pages show.

A large delegation of Iroquois journeyed to Philadelphia in July, 1742, to receive the second and last payment for the lands which were sold to the proprietary in 1736. Canassatego, a chief, made a speech in which he refers to the Juniata lands, which in- clude the soil of Perry County and which was a matter of con- tention for years, finally leading to the burning of the cabins of "squatters," as portrayed further on in this chapter. He said: "We know our lands are now become more valuable ; the white people think we do not know their value, but we are sensible that the land is everlasting, and the few goods we receive for it are soon worn out and gone. For the future we will sell no lands, but when our brother Onas (William Penn) is in the country, and we will know before hand the quantity of goods we are to receive. Besides, we are not well used with respect to the lands still unsold by us. Your people daily settle on these lands and spoil our hunting. We must insist on your removing them, as you know they have no right to the northward of Kittochtinny Hills. In particular, we renew our complaints against some people who are settled at Juniata, a branch of the Susquehanna, and all along the banks of that river, as far as Mahaniay, and desire that they may be made forthwith to go off the land, for they do great damage to our cousins, the Delawares."

This was not their first protest, as the governor's reply would indicate. He replied that "on your former complaints against peo- ple settling the land on Juniata, and from thence all along the river Susquehanna as far as Mahaniay, some magistrates were sent ex- pressly to remove them, and we thought no person would stay after that." To which the Indians rejoined, "These persons who were sent did not do their duty ; so far from removing the people, they made surveys for themselves and they are in league with the trespassers. We desire more effectual methods to be used, and honester persons employed."

57

58 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The governor promised them this would be done and after let- ting the period between July 7 and October 5 elapse he issued a proclamation from the contents of which one would infer that the sections most in contention were at the mouth of the Juniata and probably as far as the Juniata County line and in Fulton County and up the Susquehanna as far as Wyoming.

These lands were among the choicest of the Indians, who made their living by hunting and fishing, being especially noted as a great hunting ground for deer, probably excelling all others, as the fol- lowing extract from a letter by Conrad Weiser, the interpreter, dated April 22, 1749, will show: He was on his way to Shamokin with a messenger from the provincial government to the Indians and met the sons of Shikellamy, at the trading house of Thomas McKee, and delivered to them the message, as he had been in- formed that all the Indians were absent from Shamokin. In the letter referred to, addressd to Richard Peters, secretary of the province, having just returned from this trip, he writes:

"The Indians are very uneasy about the white people settling beyond the Endless Mountains, on Joniady (Juniata), on Sherman's Creek and elsewhere. They tell me that about thirty families are settled upon the Indian lands this spring, and daily more go to settle thereon. Some have settled almost to the head of Joniady River along the path that leads to Ohio. The Indians say (and that with truth) that that country is their only hunting ground for deer, because farther to the north, there was nothing but spruce woods and the ground covered with calmia (laurel) bushes, not a single deer could be found or killed there. They asked very seriously whether their brother Onas (William Penn) had given the people leave to settle there. I informed them of the contrary, and told them that I believed some of the Indians from Ohio, that were down last sum- mer, had given liberty (with what right I could not tell) to settle. I told them of what passed on the Tuscarora Path last summer, when the sheriff and three magistrates were sent to turn off the people there settled; and that 1 then perceived that the people were favored by some of the In- dians above mentioned ; by which means the orders of the governor came to no effect. So far they were content and said the thing must be as it is, till the Six Nation chiefs would be down and converse with the Gov- ernor of Pennsylvania about the affair."

The Six Nations having consulted in council on the subject sent a delegation to Philadelphia with remonstrances, but the Senecas had already been there and had been dismissed with £100 and little satisfaction. The Six Nations were given £50. Return- ing disgusted they killed the cattle and ruined the orchards along the way.

In May, 1750, a conference was held at George Croghan's, in Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, between the whites and the Indians, to give the Indians the assurance that those who had intruded on their lands on the Juniata should be removed with- out further delay. Present at the meeting were Richard Peters, secretary of the province ; Conrad Weiser, James Galbreath,

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 59

George Croghan, George Stevenson, William Wilson, Hermanns Alricks, Andrew Montour, Jac-nec-doaris, Sai-nch-to-wano, Cata- ra-dir-ha, Tohonady Huntho, a Mohawk from Ohio.

Some of these men went away peaceably, upon the promise that when the lands were purchased from the Indians they might re- turn to their claims, but others were morose and went to other sections. Among those to return were Richard Kirkpatrick and John McClure.

Secretary Peters, in an official communication, dated July 2, 1750, recounting the previous troubles along this line, takes credit for having caused the intruders to be driven out in June, 1743. He further says that to the best of his remembrance there were no further encroachments until about 1747, when, among others, "some persons had the presumption to go into a place called Shearman's Creek, lying along the waters of Juniata, and is situ- ate east of the Path Valley, through which the present road runs from Harris' Ferry (now Harrisburg) to Allegheny; and lastly they extending their settlements to big Juniata; the Indians all this while repeatedly complaining that their hunting ground was every day more and more taken from them ; and that there must infallably arise quarrels between their Warriors and these settlers, which would in the end break the chain of friendship."

The Indians then threatened to do themselves what the gov- ernment failed to do, with the result that Richard Peters, secre- tary of the province, with Conrad Weiser, the interpreter, were despatched to the territory in which the new settlements were located to expel the intruders. They were joined by the magis- trates of the county, the delegates of the Six Nations, a chief of the Mohawks, and Andrew Montour, an interpreter. The party met with some resistance, but Mr. Peters, the secretary, was some- what of a diplomat and gave money to the needy and offered a place of refuge on farms of his own elsewhere. He also gave all of them permission to locate on parts of the two million acres east of the Susquehanna, purchased of the Indians the previous year. Some accepted, and Andrew Lycon was one of them, the town of Lykens, in upper Dauphin Comity, where he later settled, being named after him.

In the letter from Richard Peters, the provincial secretary, to lames Hamilton, the Colonial governor, dated July 2, 1750, among other matters is the following report of this expedition :

"Mr. Weiser and I have received your honor's orders to give informa- tion to the proper magistrates against all such as had presumed to settle and remain on the lands beyond the Kittochtinny Mountains, not purchased of the Indians, in contempt of the laws repeatedly signified by proclama- tions, and particularly by your honor's last one, and to bring them to a legal conviction, lest for want of their removal a breach should ensue be- tween the Six Nations of Indians and this province. We set out on

60 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Tuesday, the 15th day of May, 1750, for the new county of Cumberland, where the places on which the trespassers had settled, lay.

"At Mr. Croghan's we met with five Indians, three from Shamokin, two of which were sons of the late Shikellamy, who transact the business of the Six Nations with this government; two were just arrived from Alle- gheny, viz: one of the Mohock's (Mohawk) nation, called Aaron, and Andrew Montour, the interpreter at Ohio. Mr. Montour telling us he had a message from the Ohio Indians and Twightwees to this govern- ment, and desiring a conference, one was held on the 18th of May last, in the presence of James Galbreth (Galbraith), George Croghan, William

"THE LINCOLN PROFILE" or "THE SENTINEL OF THE SUSQUEHANNA"

The lower part bears a resemblance to President Lincoln.

These rocks were blown away when the new Pennsylvania

Railroad Line was built around the Cove Mountain at

Duncannon.

Wilson, and Hermanns Alricks, Ksqs., justices of the county of Cumber- land ; and when Mr. Montour's business was done, we, with the advice of the other justices, imparted to the Indians the design we were assem- bled upon, at which they expressed great satisfaction.

"Another conference was held at the instance of the Indians, in the presence of Mr. Galbreth and Mr. Croghan, before mentioned, wherein they expressed themselves as follows:

" 'Brethren, we have thought a great deal of what you imparted to us, that ye were come to turn the people off, who are settled over the hills;

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 61

we are pleased to see on this occasion, and as the council of Onondago has this affair exceedingly at heart, and it was particularly recommended to us by the deputies of the Six Nations, when they parted from us last summer, we desire to accompany you, but we are afraid, notwithstanding the care of the governor, that this may prove like many former attempts ; the people will be put off now, and next year come again; and if so the Six Nations will no longer bear it, but do themselves justice. To pre- vent this, therefore, when you have turned the people off, we recommend it to the governor, to place two or three faithful persons over the moun- tains, who may be agreeable to him and us, with commissions, empower- ing them immediately to remove every one who may presume after this to settle themselves, until the Six Nations shall agree to make sale of their land.'

"To enforce this they gave a string of wampum, and received one in return from the magistrates, with the strongest assurances that they would do their duty.

"On Tuesday, the 226. of May, Matthew Dill, George Croghan, Benja- min Chambers, Thomas Wilson, John Finley and James Galbreth, Esqs., justices of the said county of Cumberland, attended by the undersheriff, came to Big Juniata, situate at the distance of twenty miles from the mouth thereof, and about ten miles north from the Blue Hills, a place much esteemed by the Indians for some of their best hunting ground, and there they found five cabins, or log houses, one possessed by William White,* another by George Cahoon, another not quite yet finished in pos- session of David Hiddleston, another by George and William^ Galloway, and another by Andrew Lycon ; of these persons William White, George and William Galloway, David Hiddleston and George Cahoon appeared before the magistrates, and being asked by what right or authority they had possessed themselves of those lands and erected cabins thereon, re- plied: 'By no right or authority but that the land belonged to the pro- prietaries of Pennsylvania.' They were then asked whether they did not know they were acting against the law and in contempt of frequent no- tices given them and in contempt of the governor's proclamation. They said they had seen one such proclamation and had nothing to say for themselves, but craved mercy. Hereupon the said five men being con- victed by said justices on their view, the undersheriff was charged with them and he took William White, David Hiddleston and George Cahoon

*This is the place where Frederick Starr, a German, with several of his countrymen, are spoken of in provincial annals as having "made set- tlements on Big Juniata, about twenty-five miles from the mouth thereof (recorded at other places as twenty miles), and about ten miles north from the Blue Hills." That location is impossible, as twenty-five miles (or twenty miles) from the mouth of the Juniata would be in Juniata County, while ten miles north from the Blue Hills would be in the vicinity of Wh'eatfield or Miller Township, in Perry County. Wright's History places Starr's settlement "probably near the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge over Buffalo Creek," above Newport, and those of Lycon and others "probably in Pfoutz's Valley," while the records of the land office show them to have been in Walker Township, Juniata County. In the letter to Tames Hamilton, dated July 2, 1750, is this clause, which locates the place in the vicinity of Thompsontown : "About the year 1740 or 1741, one Frederick Starr, a German, with two or three more of his countrymen, made some settlements at the above place, where we found William White, the Gallowavs, and Andrew Lycon, on Big Juniata, situate at the distance -of twenty-five miles from the mouth thereof," etc. As William White and Tohn Lvcon returned to their places, after the opening of the land office, February 3, 1754, and took up the lands legally, the location is determined.

62 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

into custody, but George and William Galloway resisted, and having got at some distance from the undersheriff, they called to us : 'You may take our lands and houses and do what you please with them ; we deliver them to you with all our hearts, but we will not be carried to jail.'

"The next morning being Wednesday, the 23d of May, the said justices went to the log house or cabin of Andrew Lycon, and finding none there but children, and hearing that the father and mother were expected soon, and William White and others offering to become security, jointly and severally, and to enter into recognizance as well for Andrew's appearance at court, and immediate removal as for their own, this proposal was ac- cepted and William White, David Hiddleston and George Cahoon en- tered into a recognizance of 100 pounds, and executed bonds to the pro- prietaries in the sum of 500 pounds, reciting that they were trespassers and had no manner of right and had delivered possession to me for the proprietaries. When the magistrate went to the cabin of George and William Galloway (which they had delivered up the day before, as afore- said, after being convicted and were flying from the sheriff) all the goods belonging to the said George and William were taken out, and the cabin being quite empty, I took possession thereof for the proprietaries ; then a conference was held what should be done with the empty cabin; after great deliberation, all agreed that if some cabins were not destroyed they would tempt the trespassers to return again, or encourage others to come there should these go away. So what was doing would signify nothing, since the possession of them was at such a distance from the inhabitants and could not be kept for the proprietaries, and Mr. Weiser also giving it as his opinion that if all the cabins were left standing the Indians would conceive such a contemptible opinion of the government that they would come themselves in the winter, murder the people and set their houses on fire. On these considerations the cabin by my order, was burnt by the undersheriff and company.

"Then the company went to the house possessed by David Hiddleston, who had entered into bond as aforesaid, and he having voluntarily taken out all the things which were in the cabin, and left me in possession, that empty and unfurnished cabin was likewise set on fire, by the undersheriff, by my order.

"The next day, being the 24th of May, Mr. Weiser and Mr. Galbreth, with the undersheriff and myself, on our way to the mouth of the Juniata, called at Andrew Lycon's, with intent only to inform him that his neigh- bors were bound for his appearance and immediate removal, and to cau- tion him not to bring himself or them into trouble by a refusal. But he presented a loaded gun to the magistrates and sheriff and said he would shoot the first man that dared to come nigher. On this he was disarmed, convicted and committed to the custody of the sheriff. This whole trans- action happened in the sight of the tribe of Indians, who by accident had in the nighttime fixed their tent on that plantation ; and Lyken's behavior giving them great offence the Shikellamies insisted on our burning the cabin or they would burn it themselves. Whereupon, when everything was taken out of it, Andrew Lycon all the while assisting, and possession being delivered to me, the empty cabin was set on fire by the undersheriff and Lycon was carried to jail.

"Mr. Benjamin Chambers and Mr. George Croghan had about an hour before separated from us; and on my meeting them again in Cumberland County, they reported to me they had been at Sheerman's Creek, or Little Juniata, situate about six miles over the Blue Mountain, and found there James Parker, Thomas Parker, Owen M'Keib, John M'Clure, Richard Kirkpatrick, James Murray, John Scott, Henry Gass, John Cowan, Simon

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 63

Girtee and John Kilough, who had settled lands and erected cabins thereon; and having convicted them of the trespass on their view, they had bound them in recognizances of one hundred pounds to appear and answer for their trespasses on the first day of the next Cumberland County Court, to be held at Shippensburg, and that the said trespassers had likewise entered into bonds to the proprietaries in 500 pounds pen- alty, to remove off immediately with all their servants, cattle and effects and had delivered possession of their houses to Mr. George Stevenson for the proprietaries' use; and that Mr. Stevenson had ordered some of the meanest of those cabins to be set on fire, where the families were not large or the improvements considerable."

But even this did not deter aggression and at a council held at Carlisle in 1753 the Indians again protested the occupation of their hunting grounds and notified the authorities that "they wished the people called back from the Juniata lands until matters were set- tled between them and the French, lest damage should be done, and then the English would think ill of them." That they had a right to protest is substantiated by the fact that Alexander Roddy, Thomas Wilson, William Patterson, James Kennedy, John and Joseph Scott, and probably others, had located in 1753, in what later became Tyrone Township, then generally known as Sher- man's Valley.

As early as 1751 the number of taxables in Cumberland County north of the Kittatinny Mountain was 1,134. Rupp's History says : "These were chiefly Irish and some few Germans, who seated themselves on Juniata River, Sherman's Creek, Tuscarora Path, etc." The first settlements of these intruders on the un- purchased lands began about the year 1740, and increased despite the complaints of the Indians, the laws of the province and the proclamations of the governor.

While the treaty of 1736 gave to the Penns all the lands lying east and south of the Kittatinny or Blue Mountains, yet settle- ments had been made west of the Susquehanna River prior to that time, special grants having been issued for settlements. When the Penns came the first purchase by them from the Indians in- cluded a small domain around Philadelphia. This was at the fa- mous council meeting of 1682. On September 17, 1718, another treaty confirmed that sale and extended the lands as far west as the Susquehanna River. The treaty of 1836 again confirmed the previous ones, when on October 11, twenty-three Six Nation chiefs sold to John, Thomas and Richard Perm all the lands on both sides of the Susquehanna, "eastward, to the heads of the branches or springs flowing into the river ; northward to the Kittochtinny Hills, and westward to the setting sun." "Westward to the setting sun" merely meant that south and east of the Kitta- tinny Mountains all the lands, including those that drained into the Potomac, were conveyed — nothing more — and yet many of the

64 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

white settlers construed that "westward to the setting sun" to mean anything.

The: Albany Treaty.

Perry County is a part of the lands transferred by the Treaty of Albany, on July 6, 1754. The deed bears the names or marks of all the Chiefs and Sachems of the Six Nations and John and Richard Penn and their agents. It conveys to the latter "all the lands lying within the said province of Pennsylvania, bounded and limited as follows : Beginning at the Kittochtinny, or Blue Hills, on the Susquehanna River, thence along the said river a mile above the mouth of a certain creek called Kayarondinhagh ; thence 'northwest by west as far as the said province extends, to its west- ern lines and boundaries ; thence along the said western line or boundary to the south line or boundary ; thence along said south line or boundary to the south side of said Kittochtinny Hills ; thence by south side of said hills to the place of beginning." The price was "400 pounds, lawful money of New York."

Should these boundaries have stood practically the greater part of western Pennsylvania to the Ohio line would have been in- cluded, but disaffection appearing among the Indians a conference was held at Aughwick (near Mount Union) in September, 1754, at which the representatives of the various tribes declared that it was not their intention to sell the lands drained by the west branch of the Susquehanna and that they would never agree to any boundary that extended to Lake Erie. The "certain creek" named Kayarondinhagh, is Penn's Creek, which flows into the Susque- hanna at Selinsgrove and a line northwest by west would strike Lake Erie about where the city of Erie is now located. The result of this conference was that another treaty was concluded at Eas- ton, Pennsylvania, October 22, 1754, when the boundary lines to the north and west were changed. The line starting above Penn's Creek was made to run "northwest and by west to a creek called Buffalo Creek ; thence west to the east side of the Allegheny or Appalachian Hills ; thence along the east side of the said hills, binding therewith to the south line or boundary of the said prov- ince ; thence by the said south line or boundary to the south side of the Kittochtinny Hills; thence by the south side of said hills to the place of beginning."

The territory, as thus defined by the revised boundaries, included all of the present counties of Perry, Juniata, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Bedford, Blair and Fulton, almost all of Snyder, about one-half of Centre and portions of Union. Franklin, and Somerset. The Perry County territory is the extreme southern part of this pur- chase.

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 65

During the preceding years pioneers had become familiar with the lands of the new grant and when the land office opened on February 3, 1755, on the very first day, a number of warrants were granted to those who had located their claims. While it has been impossible to give a full list of the warrantees during the early settlement of the county, yet a large number are covered in the early history of the various townships in .-mother pari of this volume.

As will be seen in the following chapters many of these pio- neers abandoned their homes and fled to more thickly populated sections during the French and Indian War, many more were killed and scalped and still others were taken prisoner by the wily redskins.

The Six Nations were not the occupants of the territory, al- though in authority. Many of the Delawares and the Shawnees, who were inhabiting it did not take the treaty literally, claiming a sort of ownership by right of occupation. This, in connection with the settlers having come in before the purchase and the trou- bles between the English and the French and Indians, soon made the land a veritable "dark and bloody ground."

That Andrew Montour, the first authorized citizen of the lands which now comprise Perry County, was sent for by Col. George Washington in 1754, the very year of the purchase of these lands, is attested by Montour's autograph letter, on file in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, at Harrisburg, addressed to Governor R. H. Morris. It follows :

Sherman's Creek, 16th May, 1754. Sir: I once more take upon me the liberty of informing you that our Indians at Ohio are expecting every day the armed forces of this province against the French, who, by their late encroachments, is likely to prevent their planting, and thereby render them impossible of supporting their families. And you may depend upon it, as a certainty, that our Indians will not strike the French unless this province (or New York) engage with them; and that, by. sending some number of men to their immediate as- sistance. The reasons are plain, to wit : that they don't look upon their late friendship with Virginia, sufficient to engage them in a war with the French; I therefore think, with submission, that to preserve our Indian allies, this province ought instantly to send out some men, either less or more, which I have good reason to hope, would have the desired effect ; otherwise I doubt there will, in a little time, be an entire separation ; the consequences of which, you are best able to judge, &c. I am informed, by my brother, who has lately come from the Lakes, that there is at that place a great number of French Indians, preparing to come down to the assistance of the French, at Ohio. I am likewise informed, by a young Indian man (who, by my brother's directions, spent some days with the French at Monongahela), that they expect a great number of French down the river, very soon. I have delayed my journey to Ohio, and waited with great impatience for advice from Philadelphia, but have not yet received any. I am now obliged to go to Col. Washington, who has sent for me many days ago, to go with him to meet the half-king, Mona- 5

66 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

catootha, and others, that are coming to meet the Virginia companies; and, as they think, some from Pennsylvania — and would have been glad to have known the design of this province, in these matters, before I had gone. I am sir, your humble servant,

Andrew Montour.

The French and Indian War.

Prior to 1753-54 for a period of probably seventy years tbe white settlers of the province and the Indians had gotten along peacefully in a general way, but about this time things changed. The Indians joined with the French against the English and bloody massacres followed. Already Virginia was being deso- lated and consternation seized the pioneers on every hand. The inhabitants of the new county of Cumberland, including what is now Perry County, petitioned Colonial Governor Hamilton for aid. The petition :

The address of the subscribers of the county of Cumberland, sheweth that we are now in most imminent danger by a powerful army of cruel, merciless and inhumane enemies, by which our lives, liberties, estates, and all that tends to promote our welfare, are in utmost danger of dreadful destruction, and this lamentable truth is most evident from the late defeat of the Virginia forces, and now as we are under your honor's protection, we would beg your immediate notice, we living upon the frontiers of the province and our enemies so close upon us, nothing doubting but these considerations will affect your honor, and as you have our welfare at heart, that you will defer nothing that may tend to hasten our relief. And we have hereby appointed our most trusty friends, James Burd and Philip Davies, our commissioners, to deliver this our petition to your honor, and in hopes of your due attention and regard thereto, we are your honor's devoted servants, and as in duty bound shall ever pray :

Cumberland, 15th July 1754. To which was attached the following signatures: Benjamin Chambers, Robert Chambers, James Carnahan, James McTeer, Charles Morrow, John Mitchell, Joseph Armstrong, John Miller, Alexander Culbertson, James Holiday, Nathaniel Wilson, Wm. McCord, James Jack, John Smith, Fran- cis West, James Sharp, John Ervin, Matthew Arthur, James McCormick, Charles Magill, George Finly, John Dotter, John Cesna, Joseph Culbert- son, Samuel Culbertson, John Thompson, John Reynolds, George Hamil- ton, David Magaw, James Chambers, Hermanus Alricks, Robert Meek, Archibald Machan, Benjamin Blyth, Joseph McKinney, John Thompson, Francis Campbell, John Finly, Isaac Miller, John Machan, John Miller, John Blair, James Blair, James Moore, John Finly, William White, Wil- liam Buchanan, John Montgomery, Andrew McFarlane, James Brandon, John Pattison, John Craighead, Wm. McClure, Samuel Stevens, William Brown, Pat McFarlan, Stephen Foulk, John Armstrong, Stephen Foulk, Jr., William McCoskry, Charles Pattison, William Miller, John Prentice, Arthur Forster, William Blyth, Gideon Griffith, Thomas Henderson, An- drew Mclntyre, John McCuer, Reuben Guthrie, George Davidson, Robert Miller, Thomas Willson, Thomas Lockert, Tobias Hendricks. It was read in Council, August 6, 1754.

The governor, after giving proper consideration to the urgent demands of these settlers, in the same month — August, 1754 — sent a message to the Assembly, then in session, urging that immediate

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 67

attention be given to the matter and assistance be sent to them. From "Votes of Assembly," 4-319, August, 1754. the document is here reproduced :

"The people of Cumberland and the upper parts of Lancaster County, are so apprehensive of danger, at this critical juncture, from the nearness of French and savages under their influence, that the principal inhabitants have, in the most earnest manner, petitioned me to provide for their pro- tection ; representing withal, that a great number would be warm and active in defence of themselves and their country, were they enabled so to be, by being supplied with arms and ammunition, which many of them are unable to purchase at their own private expense. The substance of these several petitions, which I shall likewise order to be laid before you, appears to me, gentlemen, to be of the greatest importance, and well worthy of your most serious attention. You may be assured that nothing which depends on me shall be wanting towards affording them the pro- tection they desire; but you cannot at the same time but be sensible how little it is in my power to answer the expectations without the aid of your house. It becomes then my indispensable duty, and I cannot on any ac- count whatever, excuse myself from pressing you to turn your thoughts on the defenceless state of the province in general, as well as of our back inhabitants in particular; and to provide such means for the security of the whole, as shall be thought at once both reasonable and effectual to the ends proposed; in which, as in every other matter, consistent with my honor, and the trust reposed in me, I promise you my hearty concur- rence."

Legislative bodies in those days seem to have been the pro- genitors of the present-day product; and while the citizens ap- pealed continually, and the Indians wielded the tomahawk assidu- ously, the members of the Provincial Assembly talked continu- ously. According to old records all they did was "talk, and talk, and talk."

In 1755, actual hostilities had begun, between the English and the French, in the struggle for the control of America and the settlement of the question as to whether it would be for all time an English-speaking or a French-speaking nation. The frontier settlers were panic-stricken, which is not to be wondered at, for were they not at the the verge of civilization ?

The reader will remember that February 3, i/55 — tliat ver>' vear — is the date upon which the land office opened at Lancaster "for the settlement of the lands which now form the county oi Perry.

The Indian nations were divided. Sir William Johnston had induced the Mohawks, the Tuscaroras and the Oneidas to take sides with the British, and the Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas, to remain neutral — a difficult job. Many of the Canadian Iro- quois, however, went over to the French. Of the Susquehannas, Delawares and Shawnees, a part, influenced by Logan, John Thachnechtoris, Scarrooyady, Paxnons, The Belt, Zigarea and Andrew Montour, remained true to the Colonies, offering to estab-

68 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

lish a post at Shamokin against the French; but part of them took up the hatchet.

In the latter part of 1754 the disposition of the French toward the frontiers was very threatening, and it was proposed to remove the Indians from Aughwick, in what is now Huntingdon County, to the month of the Juniata. The opinion of George Croghan, the Indian agent then located at Aughwick, was sought, and his reply is reproduced here as showing that the settlers at the mouth of the Juniata River were principally traders. It follows:

"As to moving the Indians to the month of the Juniata, I think it a very improper place, for this reason : it is settled with a set of white men that make their living by trading with the Indians that is settled on the river Susquehanna and sells them little else but spirits, so that it would be impossible to keep these Indians from spending all their clothing and then they would be forever teasing your honor for goods. Indeed it is my opinion that were they to live in any part of the inhabitance, it would be attended with bad consequences, as there is no keeping them from being in- flamed with liquor if they can get at it, cost what it will ; besides it is dangerous for fear of their getting sickness ; then they would say the white people killed them, and while they stay here they are a defense to the back inhabitants, which I think lays very open to the enemy, and I think if the government intends to build any fortifications for the security of the back inhabitants that this place or some place hereabouts is the properest place."

As this was the year of the Albany purchase of these lands, and as the land office was not yet opened for settlement, the location of these traders was evidently on Duncan's Island, then known as Juniata Island, which was included in an earlier purchase by Penn.

Late in October, 1755, the Indians appeared in the neighborhood of Shamokin, and early in November committed several murders of whites under peculiarly cruel and barbarous circumstances. Not only those on the immediate frontier, but also those farther to the heart of the settled part of the province were in constant dread of the savages. A proclamation signed by nine prominent citizens advised all to repair to the frontiers and be prepared for the "worst event." The George Gabriel's mentioned in their proc- lamation was located "below the forks of the Susquehanna, about thirty miles of Harris' Ferry, on the west side of the river," ac- cording to Rupp. The proclamation:

Paxton, Oct. 31, 1755- From John Harris' at 12 p.m.

To all his majesty's subjects in the Province of Pennsylvania, or else- where: Whereas, Andrew Montour, Belt of Wampum, two Mohawks, and other Indians came down this day from Shamokin (where Sunbury is now located), who say the whole body of Indians or the greatest part of them in the French interest, is actually encamped on this side George Gabriel's, near Susquehanna; and that we may expect an attack in three

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 69

days at farthest; and a French fort to be begun at Sbamokin in ten days hence. Tho' this be the Indian report; we the subscribers, do give it as our advice to repair immediately to the frontiers with all our forces to intercept their passage into our country, and be prepared in the best manner possible for the worst event.

Witness our hands.

James Galbreath, John Allison, Barney Hughes, Robert Wallace, John Harris, James Pollock, James Anderson, William Work, Patrick Henry.

P. s'. They positively affirm that the above named Indians discovered a party of the enemy at Thomas McKee's upper place on the 30th of October last.

Mona-ca-too-tha, the Belt, and other Indians here, insist upon Mr. Weiser's coming immediately to John Harris' with his men, and to council with the Indians.

Before me, James Galbreath.

That the matter of calling forth the above proclamation was urgent is attested by the fact that the latter part of the date line shows it to have been despatched at an unusual hour, "From John Harris' at 12 p. m.," is the inscription, and it was likely sent by courier, or as the provincial authorities termed it, "by express."

The above is from the provincial records and also establishes the fact that Thomas McKee had two places, a fact which has confused many writers. McKee was an Indian trader and is men- tioned in many records, one being in an earlier chapter of this book, where he was one of a party to help hunt for the murderers of John Armstrong. That he was one of these men would imply that he probably made his headquarters at the lower place, which was at Peters' Mountain, opposite Duncannon ; in fact his name frequently appears in matters pertaining to the lower location. The upper location was where McKee's Half Falls is, that place taking its name from him. The "places" were likely trading posts for the exchange of goods and possibly also stopping places for travelers, but the latter is hardly likely, as the country was too little settled to require such accommodation. People yet living remember when Harry McKee, a descendant, owned the farm at the end of Peters' Mountain. He later kept a hotel at the east end of Clark's Ferry bridge.

McKee's store, mentioned in many provincial documents, was near Peters' Mountain, and further proof of the fact is contained in Rupp's History, page 314, where it is stated that William Clap- ham, commandant at Fort Halifax, wrote Governor Morris, July 1, 1756, saying he would leave a sergeant and twelve men at Harris', twenty-four at Hunter's Fort, twenty-four at McKee's store, each in command of an ensign, and Captain Miles and thirty-seven men at Fort Halifax, naming the points in order coming up the river.

CamerhorT, the Moravian bishop, on January 13, 1748, after •being at one of McKee's places, described him thus: "McKee

■jo HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

holds a captain's commission under the government; is an exten- sive Indian trader; bears a good name among them, and drives a brisk trade with the Allegheny country." McKee's wife was either a white woman who had been reared among the Indians or was herself an Indian, probably the former. There is record that she conld speak little English. Various stories appear in historical works as to her origin. Certain it is that, if she were even reared among the Indians to her must be credited the half -savage nature of Alexander McKee — son of Captain Thomas — who was the fel- low renegade of Simon Girty. His rearing among the Indians, where his father traded, probably also contributed to it. He was George Croghan's assitant at Pittsburgh as Deupty Indian Agent to the British. When a lad at the store below Peters' Mountain he probably became acquainted with young Simon Girty, who lived a tew miles below. The reader is referred to the chapter on Simon Girty for further description of the younger McKee.

In a letter* addressed to "Mr. Peters, Secretary of the Prov- ince, dated Conococheague, Nov. 2, 1755, John Potter, sheriff of Cumberland County, after telling of the great Indian massacres in Great Cove (now Bedford County), says: 'I am much afraid that Juniata, Tuscarora and Sheerman's Valley hath suffered ; there are two-thirds of the inhabitants of this valley who have already fled, leaving their plantations ; and without speedy suc- cour be granted I am of the opinion this county will be laid deso- late and be without inhabitants. Last night I had a family of up- wards of an hundred women and children, who fled for succour. You can form no just idea of the distress and distracted condition of our inhabitants, unless you saw and heard their cries.' "

In a letter also dated November 2, 1755, to Governor Morris, signed by John Armstrong, f is this: "We have sent our ex- presses everywhere and intend to collect the forces of this lower part ; expecting the enemy at Sheerman's Valley, if not nearer at hand. I am of the opinion that no other means than a chain of block houses along or near the south side of the Kittatinny Moun- tain, from Susquehanna to the temporary line, can secure the lives and properties even of the old inhabitants of this county, the new settlements being all fled, except those of Sheerman's Valley whom, it God do not preserve, we fear, will suffer very soon. I am your honor's disconsolate, humble servant," etc.

The only man, as far as official records show, who inhabited the territory which is now Perry County, to fight in the French and Indain Wrar with the army was Andrew Montour, the Indian agent and trader, who resided on Sherman's Creek, near where

*Rupp's History. fProvincial Records.

INTRUDING SF.TTLERS EVICTED

71

Montour's run empties into it. In one of his official communi- cations to Governor Morris, Braddock says he has forty or fifty Indians with him and has taken into the service Andrew Montour and George Croghan. Coming from such a source it is evidently not only official hut authentic. Another man, Alexander Stephens, who later resided in Perry County territory, and became a captain in the Revolution, was a soldier in this war and was present at Braddock's defeat. He was a private in Capt. Joseph Shippen's company of Col. William Clapham's regiment.

Most of the Indians deserted the Braddock expedition, and with some reason. Braddock advanced with great pomp and his method of fighting was had, in so far as Indian warfare was con- cerned. Scarroyady, a chief, in an address to the Provincial Council, said :

"It is now well known to you how unhappily we have been defeated by the French near Minongelo (Monongahela). We must let you know that it was the pride and ignorance of that great general that came from England. He is now dead ; but he was a bad man when he was alive ; he looked upon us as dogs, and would never hear anything that was said to him. We often endeavored to advise him and to tell him the danger he was in with his soldiers ; but he never appeared pleased with us, and that was the reason that a great many of our warriors would not be under his command."

The following letter shows that Montour was mistrusted, and also illustrates the distressed condition of the territory at that period :

"Carlisle, Sunday Night, November 2, 1755.

"Dear Sir: Inclosed to Mr. Allen, by the last post, I sent you a letter from Harris', but I believe forgot, through that day's confusion, to di- rect it.

"You will see our melancboly circumstances by the governor's letter and my opinion of the method of keeping the inhabitants in this county, which will require all possible despatch. If we had immediate assurance of relief a great number would stay ; and the inhabitants should be advertised not to drive off, nor waste their beef cattle, &c. I have not so much as sent off my wife, fearing an ill precedent, but must do it now, I believe, together with the public papers and your own.

"There are no inhabiants on Juniata, nor on Tuscarora by this time, my brother William being just come in. Montour and Monaghatootha are going to the governor. The former is greatly suspected of being an enemy in his heart — 'tis hard to tell — you can compare what they say to the governor to what I have wrote. I have no notion of a large army, but of great danger from scouting parties. John Armstrong."

Indian Massacres on County Soil.

With the defeat of General Braddock in western Pennsylvania by the French and Indians on July 9, 1755, the Indians took the

■ji HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

warpath and laid waste all outlying' settlements. The land office tor the settlement of these lands had only opened the third day of the preceding February and the new settlers were unable to locate in the territory until the coming of spring. They had cleared a few acres of land on which was growing their first crop when the Braddock defeat occurred.

Evidently learning of the outrages of Indians elsewhere a brave family named Robinson,* the father's name being George Robin- son, and their neighbors erected a log fort and stockade on a tableland of the Robinson farm for the protection of the citi- zens in case of attack by the Indians. That it was built during this first year of the settlement of Perry County soil is attested by Robert Robinson in his narrative telling of the Woolcomber tragedy along Sherman's Creek. According to Rupp, the histo- rian, that and other murders occurred in Sherman's Valley towards the close of December, 1755 — the first year of the settlement of these lands.

The story of Robert Robinson is recorded in tLoudon's Nar- ratives, the first part of it relating to the first battle fought with the Indians after Rraddock's defeat, in which his brother lost his life. It follows:

"Sideling Hill was the first fought battle after Braddock's de- feat. In the year 1756 a party of Indians came out of Conoco- cheague to a garrison named McCord's Fort, and killed some and took a number of prisoners. They then took their course near to Fort Littleton. Captain Hamilton, being stationed there with a company, hearing of their route at McCord's Fort, marched with his company of men, having an Indian with them who was under pay. This Indian led the company, and came on the tracks of the Indians and soon tracked them to Sideling Hill, where they found them with their prisoners, and having the first fire, but without doing much damage, the Indians returned the fire, defeated our men and killed a number of them. My brother, James Robinson, was among the slain. The Indians had McCord's wife with them ; they cut off Mr. James Blair's head and threw it in Mrs. McCord's lap, saving that was her husband's head, but she knew it to be Blair's.'"

*The name is variously spelled Robison, Robeson, and Robinson. It is believed that the first method was the original, but as official publications of the state use the latter and as the descendants also do, that method is used in our pages.

fFor much of the information contained in this chapter posterity is in- debted to Archibald Loudon, author of Loudon's Narratives. His father, James Loudon, was a pioneer in what is now Tuscarora Township, Perry County, and in Bull's Hill graveyard there the oldest stone marks his grave. Archibald Loudon thus got his information at first hand, there being no tradition about it.

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 73

Robinson further says: "In 1756, I remember of Woolcomber's family on Shearman's Creek; the whole of the inhabitants of the valley was gathered at Robinson's, but Woolcomber Would not leave home; he said it was the Irish who were killing one an- other; these peaceable people, the Indians, would not hurt any person. Being at home and at dinner, the Indians came in, and the Quaker asked them to come and eat dinner ; an Indian an- nounced that he did not come to eat, but for scalps ; the son, a boy of fourteen or fifteen years of age, when he heard the Indian say so. repaired to a back door, and as he went out he looked back, and saw the Indian strike the tomahawk into his father's head. The boy then ran over the creek, which was near to the house, and heard the screams of his mother, sisters and brother. The boy came to our fort and gave us the alarm; about forty went to where the murder was done and buried the dead." The scene of this tragedy was the Burchfield farm, near Cisna's Run.

Loudon's Narratives also states that in the year 1755 Peter Shaver, John Savage and two other men were killed at the mouth of Shaver's Creek, or Juniata, by the Indians.

In February, 1756, Captain Patterson, with a party of scouts, went up the Susquehanna and reported the woods, from the Juni- ata to Shamokin, to be filled with Indians. Encountering a party of Indians they scalped one, which later proved to be the son of Shikellamy's sister.

In Loudon's Narratives are the following details of another scalping: "February, 1756, a party of Indians from Shamokin came to Juniata. They first came to Hugh Micheltrees, being on the river, who had gone to Carlisle, and had got a young man, named Edward Nicholas, to stay with his wife until he would return — the Indians killed them both. The same party of In- dians went up the river where the Lukens now live — William Wilcox lived on the opposite side of the river, whose wife and eldest son had come over the river on some business — the Indians came while they were there and killed old Edward Nicholas (in some books the name is given as Nicholson) and his wife, and took Joseph, Thomas and Catharine Nicholas, John Wilcox, James Arm- strong's wife and two children prisoners. An Indian named Cot- ties (Cotter), who wished to be captain of this party, when they did not choose him, did not go with them. He and a boy went to Shearman's Creek and killed *William Sheridan and family, thirteen in number. They then went down the creek to where three old persons lived, two men and a woman, called French, whom they killed ; of which he often boasted afterwards, that he

*Those killed at this time were William Sheridan, a Quaker, his wife, three children and a servant; William Hamilton, his wife and daughter and a man and two women whose last name was French.

74 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

and the boy took more scalps than the whole party." Some his- torians locate the scene of this tragedy as "being within ten miles of Carlisle, a little beyond Stephen's Gap," evidently meaning Sterrett's Gap. The location of the French home is uncertain at this distant day, but was probably in the vicinity of Dellville, as the description says they went down the creek from the Sheridan home. There is little doubt that the Sheridan family lived along the creek on the farm long known as the Levi Adams farm, above Dellville. According to the statement of Rev. L. C. Smiley, Mrs. Ludwig Cornman, when near ninety years of age, pointed out to his mother the location of the graves, which her father, Philip Foulk, had shown her, telling her the story, exactly as printed above and in Provincial Annals. It is in the meadow, adjoining the W. A. Smiley farm, and the Sheridan house stood between the sites of the present Adams house and barn. For years a long stone, deeply set in the ground and projecting, marked the graves, but Mr. Adams found it inconvenient to farm around it and broke it off with a sledge hammer on a level with the bottom of the fur- row. Mr. Smiley, at a later period while working in the same meadow with Mr. Adams, was informed by him that at the time he was unaware of the stone being a marker of so historic an inci- dent or he would not have removed it.

Of the murder on Sherman's Creek of ten persons there remains an affidavit made almost a decade later, being dated February 28, 1764, and signed by Alexander Stephens, then of the county of Lancaster. He says Cotties, or Cotter, came back for a canoe which the murderers had left and admitted that he was of the party that killed these settlers.

On October 1, 1757, near Fort Hunter — opposite Marysville — this Indian named Cotties saw a young fellow named William Martin,* gathering chestnuts, and killed him. In later years he got his just deserts. After the Indian war was over he appeared at Fort Hunter and boasted of the friendship he had had for the settlers. An Indian named Hambus, who had been friendly all the while, called him a liar and told of him causing all the trouble possible and of seeing him kill Martin. An altercation ensued, but the white settlers stopped it. Later in the day Cotties became drunk and while asleep the other Indian sunk his tomahawk into his skull.

Robert Robinson, mentioned a number of times in these pages, was a hero and well known to Archibald Loudon, both being from Perry County territory. In introducing his narratives Mr. Lou-

*This William Martin was the second son of Samuel Martin, of Pax- tang, whose uncle James had warranted the Fort Hunter property. He was a brother of Captain Joseph Martin, who became owner of the Mar- tin mills, in what is now Howe Township, upon the death of his father.

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 75

don thus refers to him: "Robert Robinson, who was an eye wit- ness of many of the transactions related by him, was wounded at Kittanning, when it was taken by Colonel, later General John Armstrong, and a second time at Buffalo Creek, when two ot his brothers fell victims to savage fury. From our long acquaintance with this man, who is now no more, we can have no hesitation in believing the narratives correct, to the best of his remembrance." The French left unturned no stone in their efforts to enlist the Delaware's and often they were successful by preying upon the savage disposition through intrigue and deception. The following letter from Captain McKee to Edward Shippen, headed "Foart at Hunter's Mill, Ap'l 5th, 1756," is an example of their schemes: "Sir: I desire to let you No that John Secalemy, Indian, is Come here ye Day before yesterday, about 4 o'clock in ye afternoon, & Gives me an account that there is a Great Confusion amongst ye Indians up ye North branch of Susquehanna; the Delawares are a moving all from thence to Ohio, and wants to Persuade ye Shanowes along with them, but they Decline Goeing with them that course, and as they still incline to join with us, the Shanowes are Goeing up to a Town Called Teoga, where there is a body of ye Six Nations, and there they Intend to Remain. He has brought two more men, som women & som children along with him, and Sayeth that he Intends to live & Die with us, and Insists upon my Con- ducting him down to where his Sister and children is, at Canistogo, and I'm Loath to leave my Post, as his Honor was offended at ye last time I did, but can't help it, he Desires to acquaint you that his sister's son was killed at Perm's Creek, in ye scrimege w'th Cap't. Patterson. This with Due Respect from Sir, your Hum'l Ser't,

"Thomas McKee." There were many encounters between the English and the In- dians. Loudon, in his narratives, says that few of the achieve- ments equal that of Samuel Bell, a wealthy farmer of Cumberland It follows :

"Samuel Bell and his brother, George Bell, after Braddock's defeat, agreed to go into Shearman's Valley to hunt for deer, and were to meet at Croghan's (now Sterrett's) Gap, on the Blue Mountain; by some means or other they did not meet, and Samuel slept all night in a cabin belonging to Mr. Patton, on Shearman's Creek. In the morning he had not traveled far before he spied three Indians, who at the same time saw him; they all fired at each other; he wounded one of the Indians, but received no damage, except through his clothes by the shots; several shots were fired on both sides, as each took a tree; he took out his tomahawk and stuck it into the tree behind which he stood, so that should they approach he might be prepared. The tree was grazed by bullets and he had thoughts of making his escape by flight, but on reflec- tion had doubts of his being able to outrun them. After some time the two Indians took the wounded one and put him over a fence and one took one course and the other another, taking a compass so that Bell could no longer secure himself by the tree, but by trying to ensnare him they had to expose themselves, by which means he had the good fortune to shoot one of them dead. The other ran, took the dead Indian on his back, one leg over each shoulder; by this time Bell's gun was again loaded and he ran after the Indian until he came within about four yards,

76 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

fired and shot through the dead Indian and lodged his ball in the other, who dropped the dead man and ran off. On his return, coining past the fence where the wounded Indian was, he despatched him but did not know he had killed the third Indian until his bones were found afterwards."

The prominent Bell families of the past and the present gen- erations located in Rye Township are, however, not descendants of this same family.

In a letter by James Young dated July 18, 1756, at Carlisle, to "the Hon. Gov. Morris," among other things is another reference to Sherman's Valley, as follows :

I left Shamokin early on Friday morning in a battoe ; we rowed her down to Harris' Ferry before night, with four oars. There is but one fall above those you saw, not so bad as those at Hunter's ; it is about four miles from Fort Halifax. 1 came here yesterday noon hoping to find money sent by the commissioners to pay the forces on this side of the river as they promised, but as yet none is come. Neither is Colonel Armstrong come, and I find but sixteen of his men here, the rest having gone to Shearman's Valley to protect the farmers at the harvest, so when the money comes I shall be at a loss for an escort. I am informed that a number of men at the forts whose three months is expired agreeable to their enlistments have left their posts and expect their pay when I go there. This may be of bad consequence and I heartily wish there were none enlisted for less than twelve months. I am persuaded the officers would find men enough for that time.

The distress of the frontier settlements at this time had became a tragedy and any attempt to portray their sufferings and fears would prove a failure. In the fall of 1755 the country west of the Susquehanna and north of the Blue or Kittatinny Mountain had three thousand men fit to bear arms, and in August, 1756, exclu- sive of the provincial forces, there were not one hundred, fear having driven the greater part from their homes into the more settled part of the province. Governor Morris, in his message to the Assembly, August 16, 1756, said: "The people to the west of the Susquehanna, distressed by the frequent incursions of the enemy and weakened by their great losses, are moving into the interior parts of the province, and I am fearful that the whole county will be evacuated, if timely and vigorous measures are not taken to prevent it."

The Assembly were inclined to disregard the appeals, but the frequent reports of additional outrages impelled them to pass a measure providing for the appropriation of forty thousand pounds which was to be raised by taxing the proprietary estates. The governor, being indebted to the proprietaries for his position, vetoed the bill. The proprietary, however, made a contribution of five thousand pounds, which was applied to the defence of the frontier. Governor Morris and the Assembly not being able to agree on the matter of protecting the frontier from the ravages of the Indians the entire matter, including the petitions from citi-

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED yy

zens, was laid before the King of Great Britain, who ordered a hearing before a committee of the Privy Council. At this hearing Cumberland County (which included Perry) and the Assembly were represented by counsel and the Assembly was criticized for

its conduct in relation to the public defense dating as far back as

Upon consideration of the report of the committee the Privy Council went upon record that the Legislature of Pennsylvania, as of every other county, was bound to support its government and its subjects; that the measures heretofore adopted by the Assembly for that purpose were improper, inadequate and inef- fectual ; and that there was no cause to hope for other measures while the majority of the Assembly consisted of persons whose avowed principles were against military service; who, though not a sixth part of the inhabitants of the province, were admitted to hold offices of trust and profit, and to sit in the Assembly without their allegiance being secured by the sanction of an oath.

The massacres which followed Braddock's defeat were princi- pally laid to King Shingas (Shingask), the greatest Delaware warrior of his period. Among the settlements that fell prey to him was Sherman's Valley, says Rupp, the historian. He was a small personage but his savagery is said to have been unrelenting.

Those who had not fled or whose interests lay in the desolated territory petitioned the governor, council, and assembly for pro- tection against the relentless foe, the same being read in Council, August 21, 1756. Among the signatures are the ancestors of many Perry Countians. The petition :

To the Honorable Robert Hunter Morris, Esq., Lieut. Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania: The address of part of the remaining inhabitants of Cumberland County, most humbly showeth, that the French and their savage allies, have from time to time made several incursions into this county, have in the most inhuman and barbarous manner murdered great numbers of our people and carried others into captivity, and being greatly emboldened by a series of success, not only attempted but also took Fort Granville on the 30th of July last, then commanded by the late Lieutenant Edward Arm- strong, and carried off the greater part of the garrison, prisoners, from whom' doubtless the enemy will be informed of the weakness of this frontier, and how incapable we are of defending ourselves against their incursions, which will be a great inducement for them to redouble their attacks, and in all probability force the remaining inhabitants of this county to evacuate it. Great numbers of the inhabitants are already fled, and others preparing to go off; finding that it is not in the power of the troops in the pay of the government (were we certain of their being con- tinued) to prevent the ravages of our restless, barbarous and merciless enemy. It is therefore greatly to be doubted that (without a further pro- tection) the inhabitants of this comity will shortly endeavor to save them- selves and their effects by flight, which must consequently be productive of considerable inconveniences to his majesty's interest in general, and to the welfare of the people of this province in particular.

;8 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Your petitioners being fully convinced of your honor's concern for a strict attention to his majesty's interest, have presumed to request that your honor would be pleased to take our case into consideration, and, if agreeable to your honor's judgment, to make application to his excellency, General Loudon, that part of the troops now raising for his excellency's regiment may be sent to, and for some time, continued in some of the most important and advantageous posts in this county, by whose assistance we may be able to continue a frontier if possible, and thereby induce the remaining inhabitants to secure, at least, a part of the immense quantity of grain which now lies exposed to the enemy and subject to be destroyed or taken away by them ; and also enable the provincial troops to make incursions into the enemy's country, which* would contribute greatly to the safety and satisfaction of your honor's petitioners — and your petitioners, as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c.

The signatures : Francis West, John Welch, James Dickson, Robert Erwin, Samuel Smith, Wm. Buchanan, Daniel Williams, John Montgomery, Thomas Barker, John Lindsay, Thomas Urie, James Buchanan, Wm. Spear, James Pollock, Andrew Mclntyre, Robert Gibson, Garret McDaniel, Arthur Foster, James Brandon, John Houston, Patrick McCollom, James Reed, Thomas Lockertt, Andrew Dalton, John Irwin, Wm. BIyth, Robert Miller, Wm. Miller, James Young, John Davis, John Mitchell, John Pat- tison, Samuel Stevens, John Fox, Charles Pattison, John Foster, Wm. McCaskey, Andrew Calhoun, Jas. Stackpole, Wm. Sebbe, Jas. Robb, Samuel Anderson, Robert Robb, Samuel Hunter, A. Forster, N'ath. Smyth.

Attack of Fort Robinson.

Of the attack on Fort Robinson during harvest time in 1756 there is record, as the narrative of Robert Robinson, of that hardy pioneer family of Robinsons, was preserved for posterity by Loudon, the historian, in his work known as Loudon's Narratives The Indians had murdered some persons in Sherman's Valley in July and waylaid the fort in harvest time. They kept quiet until the reapers had gone into the clearings to harvest, when a chance shot at a mark by Robert Robinson caused them to imagine they were discovered. But let us listen to his story, just as related :

"The Indians murdered some persons in the Shearman's Valley in July and waylaid the fort in harvest time, and kept quiet until the reapers were gone; James Wilson remaining some time behind the rest and I not being gone to my business, which was hunting deer, for the use of the company. Wilson standing at the Fort gate I desired liberty to shoot his gun at a mark, upon which he gave me the gun and I shot. The Indians on the upper side of the fort, thinking they were discovered, rushed on a daughter of Robert Miller and instantly killed her and shot at John Simmeson. They then made the best of it that they could and killed the wife of James Wilson, and the widow Gibson and took Hugh Gibson and Betsy Henry prisoners. The reapers being forty in number, returned to the fort and the Indians dispersed."

While the Indian was scalping Mrs. Wilson, Robert Robinson took a shot at him, wounding him, but he escaped.

The story of Hugh Gibson, who was carried away by the In- dians at that time, reads like romance. It is recorded by Archibald Loudon, that first historian from Perry County territory, in his book, Loudon's Narratives, as follows :

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 79

"I was," says Gibson, "taken captive by the Indians, from Robinson's fort, in Shearman's Valley, in July, 1756, at which time my mother was killed; I was taken back to their towns, where I suffered much from hunger and abuse ; many times they beat me most severely, and once they sent me to gather wood to burn myself, but I cannot tell whether they intended to do it or to frighten me; however, T did not remain long before I was adopted into an Indian family, and then I lived as they did, though the living was very poor. I was then about fourteen years of age; my Indian father's name was Busqueetam ; he was lame in consequence of a wound received by his knife in skinning a deer, and being unable to walk, he ordered me to drive forks in the ground and cover it with bark to make a lodge for him to lie in, but the forks not being secure they gave way and the bark fell down upon him and hurt him very much, which put him into a great rage and calling his wife, ordered us to carry him on a blanket into the hut and I must be one that helps to carry him in ; while we were carrying him I saw him hunting for the knife, but my Indian mother had taken care to convey it away, and when we had got him again fixed in his bed, my mother ordered me to conceal myself, which I did; I afterward heard him reproving her for putting away the knife, for by this time I had learned to understand a little of their language. However, his passion wore off and we did very well for the future.

"Some time after this all the prisoners in the neighborhood were col- lected to be spectators of the cruel death of a poor, unhappy woman, a prisoner, amongst which number I was. When Colonel Armstrong de- stroyed the Kittanning fort this woman fled to the white men, but by some means lost them and fell into the hands of the Indians, who stripped her naked, bound her to a post, and applying hot irons to her whilst the skin stuck to the iron at every touch, she screaming in the most pitiful manner, and crying for mercy, but these ruthless barbarians were deaf to her agonizing shrieks and prayers, and continued their cruelty till death re- leased her from the torture of those hellish fiends. Of this shocking scene at which human nature shudders, the prisoners were all brought to be spectators.

"I shall omit giving any account of our encamping or decamping, or our moving from place to place, as every one knows this is the most constant employment of Indians. I had now become pretty well acquainted with their manners and customs, had learned their language and was become a tolerable good hunter — was admitted to their dances, to their sacrifices and religious ceremonies. Some of them have a tolerable good idea of the Supreme Being; and I have heard some of them very devoutly thank- ing their Maker, that they had seen another spring and had seen the flowers upon the earth. I observed that their prayers and praises were for temporal things. They had one bad custom amongst them; that if one man kill another, the friends of the deceased, if they cannot get the murderer, they will kill the nearest akin. I once saw an instance of this: two of them quarreled and the one killed the other, upon which the friends of the deceased rose in pursuit of the murderer, but he having made his escape, his friends were all hiding themselves ; but the pursuers hap- pened to find a brother of the murderer, a boy concealed under a log; they immediately pulled him out from his concealment ; he plead strongly that it was not him that killed the man ; this had no weight with the avengers of blood; they instantly sunk their tomahawks into his body and despatched him. But they have some rules and regulations among them that are good; their ordinary way of living is miserable and poor, often without food. They were amazingly dirty in their cookery; some- times they catch a number of frogs, and hang them up to dry ; when a

So HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

deer is killed they will split up the guts and give them a plunge or two in the water and then dry them and when they run out of provisions they will take some of the dried frogs and some of the deer guts and boil them till the flesh of the frogs is dissolved, then they sup the broth.

"Having now been with them a considerable time, a favorable oppor- tunity offered for me to regain my liberty; my old father, Busqueetam, lost a horse, and he sent me to look for him ; after searching some time I came home and told him that I had discovered his tracks at some con- siderable distance and that I thought I could find him ; that I would take my gun and provisions and would hunt for three or four days and if I could kill a bear or deer I would pack home the meat on my horse; ac- cordingly I packed up some provisions and started towards the white set- tlements, not fearing pursuit for some days, and by that time I would be out of the reach of the pursuers. But before I was aware I was almost at a large camp of Indians, by a creek side; this was in the evening and I had to conceal myself in a thicket till it was dark and then passed the camp, and crossed the creek in one of their canoes. I was much afraid that their dogs would give the alarm, but happily got safe past. I trav- eled on for several days, and on my way I spied a bear, shot at and wounded him, so that he could not run, but being too hasty ran up to him with my tomahawk; but before I could give a blow he gave me a severe stroke on the leg, which pained me very much, and retarded my journey much longer than it otherwise would have been. However I traveled on as well as I could till I got to the Allegheny River, where I collected some poles, with which I made a raft and bound it together with elm bark and grape vines, by which means I got over the river, but in crossing which I lost my gun. I arrived at Fort Pitt in fourteen days from the time of my start, after a captivity of five years and four months."

Hugh Gibson, mentioned as being taken captive, was the son of David Gibson, who came from County Tyrone, Ireland, about 1740 and settled in Lancaster County, where Hugh was born in 1 741. His mother's maiden name was Mary McClelland. The father died while Hugh was quite young and the widowed mother, with her three children, Hugh, Israel, and Mary, removed to the vicinity of Fort Robinson, then Tyrone Township, to be near her brother, William McClelland, who resided near Centre church. During that summer season of 1756, when Indian uprisings were common and the war whoop resounded through the forests, the widow and her children had taken refuge in the stockade at Fort Robinson. With her eldest son Hugh, Mrs. Gibson was out in the woods looking for their cattle, when she was shot down and scalped and her son chased and captured. He was carried away ti» the Indian town of Kittanning and adopted into an Indian family to take the place of a son killed in battle with the Cherokees. llis initiation into the tribe is said to have been by washing him thoroughly in the river which he was told washed away his white blood. From then on he was called brother by the Indians.

He had been compelled to witness the cruel death of a. captive and when the Indians thought that he entertained thoughts of es- cape he was told that he would be served the same death and wag

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED 81

treated with extreme cruelty. In one instance he was set to carry- ing wood to be used in his own death by burning at the stake. Happily this threat was never carried out. When Armstrong took the Indian town of Kittanning with his company from Car- lisle, Gibson was kept in the rear in the woods with the old men, squaws and children but he was near enough to hear the sound of the guns as they battled. After the fall of their stronghold they retreated to the region of the Muskingum River in Ohio, where, at the point where its two branches joined, was located a large Delaware town. In fact, that was the extreme western point to which traveled those early missionaries. Rev. Dnffield and Rev. Beatty, who were the first advance agents of Christianity in Perry County territory.

After his return to the settled portion of the province he resided with his maternal uncle, William McClelland, near the scene of his capture, later marrying a Miss Mary White, of Lancaster, and rearing a large family. After the Revolutionary War he removed to Crawford County, Pennsylvania, where he died at an advanced age, Tuly 30, 1826. Rev. Dr. George Norcross, the prominent divine so long pastor of the Second Presbyterian church of Car- lisle, was a descendant, being his great-grandson. «

Baskins Family Abducted.

Some time after Braddock's defeat Fort Granville was erected at a place called Old Town, on the bank of the Juniata, some dis- tance from the present site of Lewistown, then Cumberland, now Mifflin County, where a company of enlisted soldiers were kept, under the command of Lieutenant Armstrong. The position of the fort was not favorable. The Indians had been lurking about there for some time and knew that Armstrong's men were few in number, sixty of them appeared July 22, 1756, before the fort, and challenged the garrison to combat ; but this was declined by the commander, in consequence of the weakness of his force. The Indians fired at and wounded one man belonging to the fort, who had been a short way from it, yet he got in safe ; after which they divided themselves in small parties, one of which attacked the plantation of one Baskins, near Juniata, whom they murdered, burnt his house and carried off his wife and children ; and an- other made Hugh Carroll and family prisoners.

The Indians on one occasion murdered a family of seven per- sons on Sherman's Creek ; from there they passed over the moun- tain at Croghan's (Sterrett's) Gap, wounded a man, killed a horse and captured a Mrs. Boyde, her two sons and a daughter upon the Conodoguinet Creek.

The Shawnees and Delaware Indians, aided and abetted by the French, continued their hellishness until 1757, when negotiations 6

82

HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

for peace were begun by the chiefs of these tribes ; but the French and the western Indians still kept up a desultory and sanguinary warfare.

Battle With Indians at Peters' Mountain.

At Peters' Mountain, opposite the location of Duncannon, ac- cording to the Pennsylvania Gazette of October 27, 1757, an en- gagement took place. It says: "We have advices from Paxton, that on the 17th inst., as four of our inhabitants, near Hunter's Fort were pulling their Indian corn, when two of them, Alexander Watt and John McKennet, were killed and scalped, their heads

THE CLARK'S FERRY DAM. In the foreground, waters of the Juniata, the small boats being moored at the eastern landing of the old Baskins Ferry, on Duncan's Island. To the right Clark's Ferry Dam in the Susquehanna, with Peter's Mountain as a Background.

being cut off; the other two scalped. That Captain Work, of the Augusta regiment, coming down from Fort Halifax, met the sav- ages at Peters' Mountain, about twenty of them ; when they fired upon him, at about forty yards' distance, upon which his party returned the fire and put the enemy to flight, leaving behind them five horses, with what plunder they had got ; and that one of the Indians was supposed to be wounded, by the blood that was seen in their tracks. None of Captain Work's men were hurt."

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVJCTED 83

Indians were used as guides and interpreters by the provincial troops and the troops were constantly aided by the pioneers. From a report from Col. John Armstrong dated Carlisle, July II, 1757, the following extract relating to Sherman's Valley is made : "On Wednesday last Lieutenant Armstrong marched with forty sol- diers, accompanied by Mr. Smith, the Indian interpreter, and ten Indians, into Sherman's Valley, where some of the enemy had been discovered. They were joined by thirty of the country people who wanted to bring over their cattle from that place. On Thurs- day they found the tracks of the enemy and followed them with spirit enough until evening, when the tracks made toward this valley ; next morning the Cherokees discovered some tracks bear- ing off to the westward, upon which they said they were discov- ered and that those bearing towards the westward were going to inform a body of the enemy, which they said was not far off ; upon which the lieutenant told the interpreter that his orders particu- larly led him to make discovery of the enemy's encampment (if any such there was) and to know whether any were drove off for their support. But two or three of the bravest of the Indians freely told the interpreter that their young men were afraid that the enemy discovered them and therefore no advantage could at that time be got ; nor could the interpreter prevail on them to stay any longer out. The lieutenant reconnoitered the country towards Juniata, and returned last night without any discovery of a lurking party of the enemy behind us."

Even if a few had remained north of the Kittatinny or Blue Mountain to attend to the stock, or if trips were made across the mountain for that purpose, yet Sherman's Valley was practically abandoned in 1756, in so far as actual residence was concerned. The settlers had gradually gone back, however, until in 1763, as the next chapter will show, they were again driven from their homes by a devastating and relentless Indian warfare.

CHAPTER IV.

TREATY OF PEACE, BUT A DEVASTATING INDIAN

WARFARE.

IN 1758 the provincial authorities and the Indians made a treaty of peace and friendship at Easton, and, generally speak- ing, the Indian massacres were over; yet unattached bands of marauding savages appeared at times and committed murders. In fact the war between the English and the French still continued until 1762. A secret confederacy had also been formed by the Shawnees and the various tribes along the Ohio and about De- troit for the purpose of attacking simultaneously the English posts and settlements on the frontiers, and the territory which is now Perry County was certainly not only the frontier, but the "front line."

This was termed by the frontier inhabitants, the Pontiac War, by reason of Pontiac, a chief of the Ottawas, being the evil genius who was one of the principals in the inception. The province had dealt leniently — too leniently — with the Indians and a treaty of peace was usually accompanied by expensive and numerous pres- ents, which in reality put a premium on war, as there could be no treaties of peace without the necessary preceding war. A cer- tain day was set apart and the frontiers everywhere were to be attacked at the same time. A bundle of small rods had been given to every tribe and one was to be withdrawn on the morning of each day, and on the date of the withdrawal of the final rod the general attack was to have been made. From the bundle going to those who were to attack Fort Pitt, at the present site of Pittsburgh, a squaw, not in sympathy with the movement, drew a few rods. This accounts for the actions of the Indians in attacking that place ahead of the designated day, which news was hurried abroad and which put some settlements on their guard.

Their plan was deliberate and skillful. The border settlements were to be invaded during harvest, the people, corn and cattle de- stroyed and the land thus laid waste. Traders had been invited among them and these were first put out of the way, their goods being plundered. The country was then put at the mercy of scalp- ing parties and desolation followed in their wake. It is said the roads were literally covered with women and children seeking refuge at Lancaster and Philadelphia. The forts at Presque Isle, Lebeuf and Venango had been captured and the garrisons mas- sacred. For Ljgonier was barely saved. The soil of Perry was

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE 85

overrun by these western Indians and fortunately records exist which show some of the horrors, but many of them were in such exposed places that no one was left to tell the tale.

In correspondence to the Pennsylvania Gazelle, dated Carlisle, July 12, 1763, is the following, which covers the horrible situa- tion, not only of what is now Perry, but of Juniata and of Cum- berland :

"I embrace this first leisure since yesterday morning to transmit you a brief account of our present state of affairs here, which indeed is very distressing; every day almost affording some fresh object to awaken the compassion, alarm the fears or kindle into resentment and vengeance every sensible breast, while flying families obliged to abandon house and pos- session, to save their lives by a hasty escape; mourning widows, bewail- ing their husbands surprised and massacred by savage rage ; tender par- ents lamenting the fruit of their own bodies, cropt in the very bloom of life by a barbarous hand; with relations and acquaintances pouring out sorrow for murdered neighbors and friends, present a varied scene of mingled distress.

"When, for some time, after striking at Bedford, the Indians appeared quiet, nor struck any other part of our frontiers, it became the prevailing opinion, that our forts and communication, were so peculiarly the object of their attention, that, till at least after harvest, there was little prospect of danger over the hills, and to dissent from the generally received senti- ment was political heresy, and attributed to timidity rather than judg- ment, till too early conviction has decided the point in the following manner.

"On Sunday morning, the loth inst., about nine or ten o'clock, at the house of one William White, on Juniata, between thirty and forty miles hence, there being in said house four men and a lad, the Indians came rushing upon them, and shot White at the door, just stepping out to see what the noise meant. Our people then pulled in White and shut the door; but observing through a window the Indians setting fire to the house, they attempted to force their way out at the door; but the first that stept out being shot down, they drew him in and again shut the door ; after which one attempting an escape out of the window on the loft, was shot through the head and the lad wounded in the arm. The only one now remaining, William Riddle, broke a hole through the roof of the house, and an Indian who saw him looking out, alleged he was about to fire on him, withdrew, which afforded Riddle an opportunity to make his escape. The house, with the other four in it, was burned down, as one McMachen informs, who was coming to it, not suspecting Indians, and was then fired at and shot through the shoulder, but made his escape.

"The same day, about dinner time, at about a mile and a half from said White's, at the house of Robert Campbell, six men being in the house, as they were dining, three Indians rushed in at the door, and after firing among them and wounding some, they tomahawked in an instant one of the men ; whereupon one George Dodds, one of the company, sprang back into the room, took down a rifle, shot an Indian through the body, who was just presenting his piece to shoot him. The Indian being mortally wounded, staggered, and letting his gun fall, was carried off by three more. Dodds, with one or two more, getting upon the loft, broke the 'roof in order to escape, and looking out saw one of the company, Stephen Jeffries, running, but very slowly, by reason of a wound in the breast, and an Indian pursuing; and it is thought he could not escape, nor have

86 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

we heard of him since, so that it is past dispute, he also is murdered. The lust that attempted getting out of the loft was fired at and drew back; another attempting was shot dead; and of the six, Dodds, the only one, made his escape. The same day about dusk, about six or seven miles up Tuscarora, and about twenty-eight or thirty miles hence, they murdered one William Anderson,* together with a boy and girl all in one house. At White's were seen at least five, some say eight or ten, Indians, and at Campbell's about the same number. On Monday, the nth, a party of about twenty-four went over from the upper part of Shearman's Valley, to see how matters were. Another party of twelve or thirteen went over from the upper part of said valley ; and Col. John Armstrong, with Thomas Wilson, Esq., and a party of between thirty and forty from this town, to reconnoitre and assist in bringing in the dead.

"Of the first and third parties we have heard nothing yet; but of the party of twelve, six are come in, and inform that they passed through the several places in Tuscarora, and saw the houses in flames, or burnt en- tirely down. That the grain that had been reaped the Indians burnt in shocks and had set the fences on fire where the grain was unreaped ; that the hogs had fallen upon and mangled several of the dead bodies ; that the said company of twelve, suspecting danger, durst not stay to bury the dead ; that after they had returned over the Tuscarora Mountain, about one or two miles on this side of it, and about eighteen or twenty from hence, they were fired on by a large party of Indians, supposed about thirty, and were obliged to fly; that two, viz: William Robinson and John Graham, are certainly killed, and four more are missing, who it is thought, have fallen into the hands of the enemy, as they appeared slow in flight, most probably wounded, and the savages pursued with violence. What farther mischief has been done we have not heard, but expect every day and hour, some more messages of melancholy news.

"In hearing of the above defeat, we sent out another party of thirty or upwards, commanded by our high sheriff, Mr. Dunning, and Mr. William Lyon, to go in quest of the enemy, or fall in with and reinforce our other parties. There are also a number gone out from about three miles below this, so that we now have over the hills upwards of eighty or ninety volunteers scouring the woods. The inhabitants of Shearman's Valley, Tuscarora, &c, are all come over, and the people of this valley, near the mountain, are beginning to move in, so that in a few days there will be scarcely a house inhabited north of Carlisle. Many of our people are greatly dis- tressed, through want of arms and ammunition; and numbers of those beat off their places have hardly money enough to purchase a pound of powder.

"Our women and children, I suppose must move downwards, if the enemy proceed. To-day a British vengeance begins to rise in the breasts of our men. One of them that fell from among the twelve, as he was just expiring, said to one of his fellows: 'Here, take my gun and kill the first Indian you see, and all shall be well.' "

The following is an extract from a letter dated the next day, July 13, 1763, to the same paper, and continuing the report of the relief forces sent north of the Kittatinnies :

"Last night Colonel Armstrong returned. He left the party, who pur- sued further and found several dead, whom they buried in the best man- ner they could, and are now all returned in. From what appears the In- dians are traveling from one place to another, along the valley, burning

*William Anderson was killed without warning, while reading the Bible.

TREATY OF PEACH— INDIAN WARFARE 87

the farms, and destroying all the people they meet with. This day gives an account of six more being killed in the valley, so that since last Sunday morning, to this day, twelve o'clock, we have a pretty authentic account of the number slain, being twenty-five, and four or five wounded. The Colonel, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Alricks are now on the parade, endeavoring to raise another party, to go out and succor the sheriff and his party con- sisting of fifty men, which marched yesterday, and I hope they will be able to send off immediately twenty good men. The people here, I assure you, want nothing but a good leader and a little encouragement, to make a very good defense."

The result of these marauding expeditions is best summed up by the Pennsylvania Gazette of July 28, 1763, in which is the fol- lowing statement :

"Our advices from Carlisle are that the party under the sheriff, Mr. Dunning, mentioned in our last, fell in with the enemy, at the house of one Alexander Logan, in Shearman's Valley, supposed to be about fifteen, or upwards, who had murdered the said Logan, his son, and another man about two miles from said house, and mortally wounded a fourth, who is since dead; and that at the time of their being discovered they were rifling the house and shooting down the cattle, and it is thought, about to return home with the spoil they had got. That our men, on seeing them, immediately spread themselves from right to left, with a design to sur- round them, and engaged the savages with great courage, but from their eagerness rather too soon, as some of the party had not got up when the skirmish began; that the enemy returned our first fire very briskly; but our people, regardless of that, rushed upon them, when they fled, and were pursued a considerable way, till thickets secured their escape, four or five of them it was thought being mortally wounded ; that our parties had brought in with them what cattle they could collect, but that great numbers were killed by the Indians, and many of the horses that were in the val- leys carried off; that since the 10th inst. there was an account of fifty- four persons being killed by the enemy.

"That the Indians had set fire to houses, barns, corn, wheat and rye, hay ; in short, to everything combustible ; so that the whole country seemed to be in one general blaze ; that the miseries and distresses of the poor people were really shocking to humanity, and beyond the power of language to describe; that Carlisle was become the barrier, not a single inhabitant being beyond it ; that every stable and hovel in the town was crowded with miserable refugees, who were reduced to a state of beggary and despair; their houses, cattle and harvest destroyed; and from a plentiful, independent people, they were become real objects of charity and comiseration ; that it was most dismal to see the streets filled with people, in whose countenances must be discovered a mixture of grief, madness and despair; and to hear, now and then, the sighs and groans of men; the disconsolate lamentations of women, and the screams of children, who had lost their nearest and dearest relatives ; and that on both sides of the Susquehanna, for some miles, the woods were filled with poor families, and their cattle, who made fires, and lived like sav- ages, exposed to the inclemencies of the weather."

From a letter dated July 30, 1763, at Carlisle, the following account is taken. It relates of the efforts made to save a part of the harvests :

"On the 25th, a considerable number of the inhabitants of Shearman's Valley went over, with a party of soldiers to guard them, to attempt

88 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

saving as much of their grain as might be standing, and it is hoped a considerable quantity will yet be preserved. A party of volunteers, be- tween twenty and thirty, went to the farther side of the valley, next to the Tuscarora Mountain, to see what appearance there might be of the Indians, as it was thought they would most probably be there, if any- where in the settlement ; to search for, and bury the dead at Buffalo Creek, and to assist the inhabitants that lived along, or near the foot of the mountain, in bringing off what they could, which services they accord- ingly performed, burying the remains of three persons; but saw no marks of Indians having lately been there, excepting one track, supposed about two or three days old, near the narrows of Buffalo Creek hill; and heard some hallooing and firing of a gun at another place."

The murders at the home of William White, previously men- tioned in this chapter, were in harvest time and the reapers, as the harvest hands were then termed, were all in the house, it being the Sabbath day, when the redskins surprised them. Robert Rob- inson's account of many of these murders is almost parallel with that of the accounts printed on the foregoing pages, but he goes farther. He tells of receiving the news at Edward Elliott's, where he and others were harvesting; how John Graham, John Christy and James Christy heard the firing of guns at the William Ander- son home early in the evening, and of their investigation and carry- ing the news to Elliott's. His account further says :

"Graham and the Christys came about midnight. We, hearing the In- dians had got so far up the Tuscarora Valley, and knowing Collins' famliy and James Scott's were there about harvest, twelve of us concluded to go over Bigham's Gap (the entrance to Liberty Valley) and give those word that were there ; when we came to Collins' we saw that the Indians had been there, had broke a wheel, emptied a bed and taken flour, of which they made some water gruel ; we counted thirteen spoons made of bark ; we followed the tracks made down to James Scott's, where we found the Indians had killed some fowls; we pursued on to Graham's; there the house was on fire and burned down to the joists. We divided our men into two parties, six in each; my brother with his party came in behind the barn, and myself with the other party came down through an oats field ; I was to shoot first ; the Indians had hung a coat upon a post on the other side of the fire from us ; I looked at it and saw it immovable, and therefore walked down to it and found that the Indians had just left it ; they had killed four hogs and had eaten at pleasure. Our company took their track, and found that two companies had met at Graham's and had gone over the Tuscarora Mountain. We took the run gap, the two roads meeting at Nicholsons; they were there first, heard us coming and lay in ambush for us; they had first fire; being twenty-five in number and only twelve of us — they killed five and wounded myself. They then went to Alexander Logan's, where they emptied some beds and passed on to George McCord's.

"The names of the twelve were William Robison, who acted as cap- tain; Robert Robison, the relator of this narrative; Thomas Robison, being three brothers ; John Graham, Charles Elliott, William Christy, James Christy, David Miller, John Elliott, Edward McConnel, William McAlister, and John Nicholas. The persons killed were William Robi- son, who was shot in the belly with buckshot and got about half a mile from the ground; John Elliott, then a boy about seventeen years of age,

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE 89

having emptied his gun, was pursued by an Indian with his tomahawk, who was within a few perches of him when Elliott had poured some powder into his gun by random, out of his powder horn, and having a bullet in his mouth, put it in the muzzle, but had no time to ram it down; he turned and fired at his pursuer, who clapped his hand on his stomach and cried 'och,' then turned and fled. Elliott had run a few perches fur- ther, when he overtook William Robison, weltering in his blood, in his last agonies; he requested Elliott to carry him off, who excused himself by telling of his inability to do so, and also of the danger they were in ; he said he knew it, but desired him to take his gun with him, and, peace or war, if ever he had an opportunity of killing an Indian, to shoot him for his sake. Elliott brought away the gun and Robison was not found by the Indians.

"Thomas Robison stood on the ground until the whole of his people were fled, nor did the Indians offer to pursue, until the last man left the field; Thomas having fired and charged a second time, the Indians were prepared for him, and when he took aim past the tree, a number fired at him at the same time ; one of his arms was broken ; he took his gun in the other and fled; going up a hill he came to a high log, and clapped his hand, in which was his gun, on the log to assist in leaping over it; while in the attitude of stooping a bullet entered his side, going in a tri- angular course through his body; he sunk down across the log; the In- dians sunk the cock of his gun into his brains and mangled him very much. John Graham was seen by David Miller sitting on a log, not far from the place of attack, with his hands on his face, and blood running through his fingers. Charles Elliott and Edward McConnel took a circle round where the Indians were laying, and made the best of their way to Buffalo Creek; but they were pursued by the Indians; and where they crossed the creek there was a high bank, and as they were endeavoring to ascend the bank, they were both shot and fell back into the water.

"Thus ended the unfortunate affair ; but at the same time it appears as if the hand of Providence had been in the whole transaction, for there is every reason to believe that spies had been viewing the place the night before, and the Indians were within three quarters of a mile from the place from which the men had started, when there would have been from twenty to thirty men perhaps in the field reaping, and all the guns that could be depended upon were in this small company, except one, so that they might have become an easy prey, and instead of those five brave men who lost their lives three times that number might have done so.

"A party of forty men came from Carlisle to bury the dead at Juniata ; when they saw the dead at Buffalo Creek they returned home. Then a party of men came with Captain Dunning; but before they came to Alex- ander Logan's his son John, Charles Coyle, William Hamilton, with Bartholomew Davis, followed the Indians to George McCord's, where they were in the barn ; Logan and those with him were all killed, except Davis, who made his escape and joined Captain Dunning. The Indians then re- turned to Logan's house again, when Captain Dunning and his party came on them, and they fired some time at each other; Dunning had one man wounded.

"The relief parties took back with them what cattle they could secure, but the Indians had killed a large number and had taken all the horses upon which they could lay hands."

By the latter part of July, 1763, there were 1,384 refugees from ' north of the Kittatinny Mountain domiciled in barns, sheds or other temporary place of refuge at Shippenshurg, having fled from their homes.

90 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The victory of Colonel Henry Bouquet over the Indians in west- ern Pennsylavnia, in 1764, gave the settlers new courage and they gradually returned to Sherman's Valley and the territory east of the Juniata River, and by 1767 many of the best locations in the county had been warranted.

*There is record of the heirs of Robert Campbell, mentioned in this chapter as being cruelly murdered by the Indians, warranting lands in Tuscarora Township in 1767, four years after his death.

f The Alexander Logan, whose death at the hands of the Indians is here described, was the owner of lands near Kistler, later long owned by the McMillens.

County Citizens Recipients of Charity.

When Perry Countains have been contributing to charity — to flood and famine sufferers everywhere, to India, France, Belgium, Armenia, the Harrisburg and other hospitals — little did many think- that in its provincial days, before it arose to the dignity of a "little commonwealth," its people were the objects of charity, owing to their being driven out by the Indians from their homes. Such, however, was the case. The refugees, who were in Carlisle, were relieved to some extent in their great distress by the generosity of the Episcopal churches of Philadelphia. On July 26, 1763, Rich- ard Peters, the rector of Christ church and St. Peters, in Phila- delphia (the same man who was secretary of the province), rep- resented to the vestry "that the back inhabitants of this province are reduced to great distress and necessity, by the present inva- sion" and proposed that some method be formed for collecting charily for their relief. A preamble was drawn up and a sub- scription paper started. At the next meeting the wardens reported that they had collected £662, 3s. Of course that amount of money needed systematic distribution and the Philadelphia congregations corresponded with persons in Cumberland to ascertain the extent (jf the distress. William Thomson, an itinerant missionary for the counties of York and Cumberland, and Francis West and Thomas Donellon, wardens of the Episcopal church at Carlisle, sent a reply in which, among other statements, is this : "We have taken pains to get the number of the distressed, and upon strict inquiry, we find seven hundred and fifty families have abandoned their plantations, the greatest number of which have lost their crops, some their stock and furniture, and besides, we are informed that there are about two hundred women and children coming down from Fort Pitt. We also find that sums of money lately sent up are almost expended, and that each family has not received twenty

*See chapter on Tuscarora Township.

fSee chapter on Madison Township and 011 "Frontier Forts.'

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE 91

shillings upon an average." The letter also tells of the great dis- tress and says that smallpox and flux are raging among the home- less. Upwards of two hundred of these families were in Carlisle and the remainder in Shippenshurg, Littlestown, York and other places. However, it must be remembered that they were not all from Perry County territory, but from what is now Fulton, Franklin, Bedford and farther west, as well as from the outlying districts of Cumberland County itself.

In recounting the result of this report and appeal Rev. Dorr, in his Historical Account of Christ and St. Peters' Church, says:

"In consequence of this information, a large supply of flour, rice, medi- cine, and other necessaries, were immediately forwarded for the relief of the sufferers. And to enable those, who chose to return to their planta- tions, to defend themselves against future attacks of the Indians, the vestry of Christ church and St. Peters were of opinion that the refugees should be furnished with two chests of arms, and half a barrel of powder, four hundred pounds of lead, two hundred of swan shot, and one thou- sand flints. These were accordingly sent with instructions to sell them to prudent and good people as are in want of them, and will use them for their defense, for the prices charged in the invoice."

Pioneer Runners.

During these trying periods the pioneers employed men who were dispatched as runners to give settlers notice of impending danger. They were accustomed to hunting, immune to hardships and with a thorough knowledge of the country. There were thirty in the territory west of the Susquehanna and south of the Juniata to the Allegheny Mountains. They were a lot of intrepid, resolute fellows, on the order of our present admirable troops of State Constabulary, and were in the command of a man who had been a captive of the Indians for several years and knew their traits, but whose name unfortunately fails to be recorded. According to Votes of the Assembly, Sept. 17, 1763, the Colonial legislators were appealed to for assistance in retaining this body of scouts in existence.

The terror of the citizens subsided but little until Colonel Bou- quet conquered the Indians in 1764 and compelled them to solicit peace. A condition of the peace terms was that the Indians were to give up all the women and children which they held in captivity. Among them were many who had been seized as mere children and had grown up among the savages, learning their language and for- getting their own. Their affections were even with the savages. Some mothers found lost children but others were unable to iden- tify theirs. The separation between the Indians and the captives was heart-rending, the red men shedding many tears and the cap- tives leaving reluctantly. Many of these captives later voluntarily rejoined the Indians. Some had married Indians, but from choice,

92 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

records tell us. A girl who had been captured at the age of four- teen and had married an Indian and was the mother of several children, said: "Can I enter my parents' dwelling? Will they be kind to my children ? Will my old companions associate with the wife of an Indian chief? Will I desert my husband, who has been kind?" During the night she fled to her husband and children.

A great many of these prisoners were brought to Carlisle, among them the captives from Perry County. Colonel Bouquet advertised for those who had lost children to come and look for them. Among those who came was an old lady who had lost a child many years before, but she was unable to identify her. With a break- ing heart the old lady told Colonel Bouquet her sad story, relating how she used to sing to the little one a hymn of which the child was so fond. The colonel requested her to sing it then, in the presence of the captives, and she did, the words being:

'Alone, yet not alone am I,

Though in this solitude so drear ; I feel my Saviour always nigh,

He comes my every hour to cheer."

As the sweet voice of the mother so beautifully sang the words, from among the captives sprang a young girl and rushed into her mother's arms.

During the time of the French and Indian War, 1756-61, the world was largely at war. The ships of France and England even carried it to the great high seas.

Capture; and Release of Frederick Stump.

In January. 1768, a party of Indians visited a pioneer, Frederick Stump, later known as the "Indian killer," at his cabin on Middle Creek (now in Snyder County), and differences arising, he and his employe, named Ironcutter, killed the Indians and also those at a cabin four miles distant, so that the news would not reach the Indian settlements. The bodies were thrown into the creek and floated down it to the Susquehanna; one was found along the shore near what is now New Cumberland, Pa., then below Harris' Ferry. It was interred by James Galbraith and Jonathon Hoge, who reported it to John Penn, then provincial governor. One William Blythe traveled to Philadelphia and under oath stated that he had seen Stump at the home of George Gabriel and heard his story, in which he admitted the murders.

Penn issued a proclamation offering a reward for Stump and Ironcutter, promising to punish them with death and notifying the Indians of what he had done. Sir William Johnson sent an ur- gent message to the Indians, saying, "If they know any of the relatives of these persons murdered at Middle Creek, to send them

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE 93

to him, that he might wipe the tears from their eyes, comfort their afflicted hearts and satisfy them on account of their grievances." As soon as Capt. William Patterson, formerly of Lancaster County, but then residing on the Juniata, heard of the murders he- went, without waiting orders of the authorities, with a party of nineteen men, and arrested Stump and Ironcutter, and delivered them to John Holmes, the sheriff, at Carlisle. Aware that the Indians would be exasperated at hearing of the murders he sent a messenger to the west branch country to them, telling of the arrest. As the messages and replies are of much historical interest they are reproduced in full. First, his official report:

Carlisle, January 23, 1768.

Sir: The 21st instant, I marched a party of nineteen men to George Gabriel's house, at Penn's Creek mouth, and made prisoners of Frederick Stump and John Ironcutter, who were suspected to having murdered ten of our friend Indians near Augusta; and I have this day delivered them to Mr. Holmes at Carlisle jail.

Yesterday I sent a person to the Great Island, that understood the In- dian language, with a talk; a copy of which is enclosed.

Myself and party were exposed to great danger, by the desperate re- sistance made by Stump and his friends, who sided with him. The steps I have taken, I flatter myself, will not be disapproved of by the gentle- men in the government; my sole view being directed to the service of the frontiers, before I heard his honor the governor's orders. The mes- sage I sent to the Indians I hope will not be deemed assuming an author- ity of my own, as you are very sensible I am no stranger to the Indians, or their customs. I am, with respect,

Your most obedient humble servant,

W. Patterson.

The message to the Six Nations, in the west branch country :

Juniata, January 22, 1768.

Brothers of the Six Nations, Delawares, and other inhabitants of the West Branch of Susquehanna, hear what I have to say to you :

With a heart swelled with grief, I have to inform you that Frederick Stump and John Ironcutter hath, unadvisedly, murdered ten of our friend Indians near Fort Augusta. The inhabitants of the province of Pennsyl- vania do disapprove of the said Stump and Ironcutter's conduct; and as proof thereof, I have taken them prisoners, and will deliver them into the custody of officers, that will keep them ironed in prison for trial ; and I make no doubt, as many of them as are guilty, will be condemned, and die for the offence.

Brothers, I being truly sensible of the injury done you, I only add these few words, with my heart's wish, that you may not rashly let go the fast hold of our chain of friendship, for the ill-conduct of one of our bad men. Believe me, brothers, we Englishmen, continue the same love for you that hath usually subsisted between our grandfathers, and I desire you to call at Fort Augusta, to trade with our people, for the necessaries you stand in need of. I pledge you my word, that no white man there shall molest any of you, while you behave as friends. I shall not rest by night nor day until I receive your answer.

Your friend and brother,

W. Patterson.

<j4 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The following answer to the above was received from the In- dians :

February nth, 1768.

Loving Brother: I received your speech by Gertham Hicks, and have sent one of my relatives with a string of wampum, and the following answer :

Loving Brother: I am glad to hear from you. I understand that you are very much grieved, and that the tears run from your eyes. With both my hands I now wipe away those tears ; and as I don't doubt but your heart is disturbed, I remove all the sorrow from it, and make it easy, as it was before. I will now sit down and smoke my pipe. I have taken fast hold of the chain of friendship; and when I give it a pull, if I find my brothers, the English, have let it go, it will then be time for me to let go too, and take care of my family. There are four of my relatives murdered by Stump ; and all I desire is, that he may suffer for his wicked action ; I shall then think that people have the same goodness in their hearts as formerly, and intend to keep it there. As it was the evil spirit that caused Stump to commit this bad action, I blame none of my brothers, the English, but him.

I desire that the people of Juniata may sit still in their places, and not put themselves to any hardships, by leaving their habitations; whenever danger is coming, they shall know it before it comes to them.

I am, your loving brother,

Shawana Ben.

To Capt. William Patterson.*

The governor's proclamation offered £200 for Stump's appre- hension, but not knowing of his arrest, delayed the publication for a short period, lest news of it should reach him, and in order to accomplish his arrest in a more secretive manner.

The council of the province advised Governor Penn to write to General Gage and Sir William Johnson, informing them of the murder and of the steps he was taking, and to ask Sir William to communicate the same to the Six Nations, as soon as possible, "in the best and most favorable manner in his power, so as to prevent their taking immediate resentment for this unavoidable injury, committed on their people, and to assure them of the firm and sincere purposes of this government to give them full satis- faction at all times for all wrongs done to the Indians, and to pre- serve the friendship subsisting between us and them inviolable."

But before these letters and the proclamation of Chief Justice Allen reached the magistrates and sheriffs, Stump and Ironcutter as previously stated, had been lodged in jail ; however, before they were brought to trial they were rescued from prison.

As white settlers had from time to time been scalped in Perry County territory there was a certain sympathy went out to Stump and Ironcutter with the result that on January 29, 1768, a party of seventy or eighty armed men, supposed to be mostly from Sherman's Valley, appeared at the Carlisle jail and overpowered

*Provincial Records.

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE

95

the sheriff, John Holmes, and the jailer and released the two pris- oners, who until that time had been kept in the dungeon. A half dozen prominent citizens who hastily appeared to aid the sheriff included Ephraim Blaine, who was formerly a Toboyne Township citizen and of whose later prominence this book elsewhere goes into detail.

While this murder and the subsequent rescue did not happen on Perry County soil, yet they are dwelt on at some length here owing to the fact that the greater part of the rescuers were supposed to be from Sherman's Valley. Owing to possible complications with the Indians the murders by Stump and Ironcutter and their sub- sequent delivery from jail produced a great wave of excitement in the entire colony. Governor John Penn cited the officers and magistrates to appear before him, reprimanding the latter for their conduct in advising the retention of the prisoners at Carlisle in- stead of delivering them to Philadelphia, as required by the war- rant. Tradition implies that the sheriff and jailer were passive actors in this jail delivery.

Exploits of Captain Jack.

There are traditionary tales connected with "Captain Jack" and his operations in Perry County, but as county lines in those days were not in existence, his exploits may properly belong to the whole Juniata and Cumberland Valleys. He was a white man. but was variously termed the "black hunter," the "black rifle." the "wild hunter of the Juniata." the "black hunter of the forest," but prin- cipally "Captain Jack." His real name was Patrick Jack, in all probability. He entered the forest section of Pennsylvania, some- where in the Juniata Valley, with a few companions, built a cabin, cleared a little land and made his living by hunting and fishing, not having a care. He was a free and easy, happy-go-lucky type of man until one evening in 1752, when he returned from a day in the woods to find his cabin burned, his wife and children mur- dered. From that moment for over a year he forsook civilization, lived in caves, protected the frontier settlers from the Indians and seized every opportunity for revenge that presented itself. He was the terror of the Indians and the guardian angel of the pio- neers. On an occasion, near Juniata — the name of the Indian town on Duncan's Island, opposite the west end of Duncannon — ■ about midnight on a dark night, a family was suddenly awakened by the report of a gun. Jumping from their cots they saw an Indian fall to rise no more. The open door exposed to view the "wild hunter," who called, "I saved yonr lives," and vanished into darkness. He never shot foolishly and his keenness of vision was as unerring as his aim. He formed an association to defend the settlers against savage aggressions. On a given signal they would

ij6 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

unite. During 1756 his exploits were often heard of from the Conococheague in Franklin County, to the Juniata River. To some he was known as the "Half-Indian," and Colonel Armstrong, in a letter to the governor, said : "The company under the com- mand of the Half-Indian, having left the Great Cove, the Indians took advantage and murdered many." Through Colonel Croghan — for George Croghan had been made a colonel — he also proffered his aid to Braddock. "He will march with his hunters," says the colonel, adding, as a further description, "they are dressed in hunt- ing shirts, moccasins, &c, are well armed and are equally regard- less of heat and cold. They require no shelter for the night — they ask no pay." As Captain Jack wanted to go free of the restraint of camp life and army regulations General Braddock refused his services. Braddock was a strict disciplinarian and despised the Indian method of fighting. He wanted to attain a signal victory over the French without using those methods or the help of others who used them. However, he had already accepted a company of Indians under Captain George Croghan. He never lived to dis- cover his error in refusing Captain Jack's services or the fact that the Indian method of fighting excelled that of marching in the open, clad in gaudy uniforms, with drums beating and banners flying. There is no doubt that among Captain Jack's daring men were some whose homes were within the confines of what is now Perry County.

While some historians give his name to Jack's Mountain, in the Juniata Valley, John Harris says the mountain was named after Jack Armstrong, who was murdered at its base by the Indians. The latter is probably the truth, as Captain Jack's activities were principally1 in the territory now known as Perry and Franklin Counties.

There is evidence of Captain Jack once owning property, the location being described as "on back Crike, Joning Matthew Arthor's pleas, operward of ye sad Creek," in Antrim Township, later Franklin County. In 1748 this property passed from John Ward to Matthew Arther, who owned the adjoining place. In November, 1767, Arther sold it to Patrick Jack, same being re- corded in Book C, Volume 1, at the Cumberland County court- house.

An early writer, in referring to Doubling Gap, located on the Blue or Kittatinny Mountain, further clinches the fact that the Sherman's Valley was one of the principal scenes of the activities of Captain Jack. It follows: "The place for many miles around is invested with many historical facts and legends connected with the early settlements of the country. It was in the adjoining valley (Sherman's) and on these mountains that Big Beaver, a chief of the Shoshones, with his tribe, in 1752 and for years before had

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE 97

their hunting grounds, having been driven in 1677 from Caro- lina and Georgia. This valley (Sherman's) was the grave of many of his children and the scene of many a massacre. It was where the far-famed and many-named Captain Jack — the Black Rifle, the Wild Hunter, etc. — entered the woods, built his cabin and cleared a little patch of land within sight of a spring and amused himself with hunting and fishing."

Some authorities credit Captain Jack's real name as being Joseph Ager, or Aiger, who settled in Cumberland County in 1851, but the writer is inclined, after careful research, to believe that he was no other than Patrick Jack. However, the actual establish- ment of his real name and his early history must forever remain an un fathomed mystery. Of Herculean proportions and of swarthy complexion he was supposed by some to have been a half-breed. Colonel Armstrong, in a letter to the governor, terms him "the Half-Indian." Others term him a white man with a past. The following, from Hanna's "The Wilderness Trail," is self explanatory: "Captain William Patterson, who lived on Tus- carora Creek, was a bold, resourceful, frontiersman and Indian fighter, whose exploits, with those of his father, furnished much of the material for the legendary history of the fictitious 'Captain Jack,' the Wild Hunter of the Juniata." That much of the his- tory of Captain Jack is lengendary is true, but that he was a fictitious character only is disproved by the previous pages, the ex- tracts being from provincial history and records.

In the possession of Miss Margaret D. McClure, of Bradford, a daughter of William McClure, one of Perry County's noted sons, are two old documents left by her father, which also show that Captain Jack was very real. They follow :

The 2nd Battalion, Penna. Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Clayton, Camp Fort Loudon, August 16, 1764. John Morrison, Soldier in Colonel Clayton's Company, discharged by Dr. Plunkett's orders from any furtber service in the above Regiment. Given under my hand this Patrick Jack,

day, 16th August, 1764. Capt. Lieut.

These are to certify:

That the three Marching Companies from the Second Battalion met at Studler's Mill upon the 15th of this m. and proceeded to elect a Major, when it appeared upon summing of the Poll that Capt. Patrick Jack and Elias Davison, 1st Lieut., had each of them eighty-two votes. August 22, 1776, By Theo. McPherrin,

Fort Conococheague. One of the judges of the election.

They throw further light on the length of his services, as the first shows service as early as 1764 and the last as late as 1776.

98 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Forts in and Near the County.

The horrible atrocities which occurred during the summer and fall of 1755 almost depopulated the lands which now comprise Perry County, as well as others, and the provincial authorities took steps to allay fear and safeguard the pioneers by a line of forts extending from the Delaware River across the province to the Maryland line and at other outlying places. George Croghan was commissioned to select the site of three, in Cumberland County, which were located as follows: Fort Granville, in present Mifflin County; Patterson's, in present Juniata County, and at Sideling Hill, now in Bedford County.

Among the forts mentioned in provincial history is Fort Au- gusta, built by Colonel Clapham's regiment, which was located where the present town of Sunbury stands. Joseph Greenwood — after whom Greenwood Township was named later — and George Gabriel acted as guides for the regiment of soldiers which Colonel Clapham was conducting to Fort Augusta, as their signatures to an affidavit dated June 2, 1756, verifies. On account of the better trail the movement of troops was conducted up the Perry County side. A member of this regiment was Ensign Samuel Miles, who twenty years later was a colonel commanding a Continental regi- ment in the army under Washington. In a journal kept by him he tells of this early trip up the west side of the Susquehanna to the site of Sunbury.

Fort Robinson was built by the members of that brave and in- trepid family by the name of Robinson, resolute woodsmen inured to hardship, toil and danger, and their neighbors who inhabited Sherman's Valley, as a place of refuge from Indian attack. It was a log fort, surrounded by a stockade. It occupied a site on the present Edward R. Loy farm, near Centre Church, being located on a tableland with a good view of the surrounding coun- try. At its edge was a bluff, the shelter of which was sought in escaping to the fort. The lowlands below were heavily wooded with large oak and maple, which also afforded protection in going to the fort. A spring was located at the foot of the bluff where water was secured with the least exposure, the distance from the stockade being only the steep bank — probably twenty feet. It was not under provincial control, at least there are no records to prove such fact. The Robinsons figured prominently in pioneer life. A brother of George Robinson, who located the fort and stockade was a member of Colonel Armstrong's expedition to Kittanning. George Robinson warranted the tract on which the fort was lo- cated, the fort being built in 1755. The fort was evidently in the nature of a block house, surrounded by a stockade built of heavy planks or poles. It was located along the famous Allegheny or

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE 99

Traders' Path and was the only source of protection for the trav- eler along the Allegheny Path between the Kittatinny or Blue Mountain and the Tuscarora. There are no traces of the pioneer battlements, nothing to indicate the part played by these hardy pioneers in the struggle for settlement and civilization.

While called a fort it would probably have come under the term of stockade. The stockades of that period were practically all of one style. They consisted of oak logs, about seventeen feet long, set in a ditch four feet deep, the logs being usually about a foot in diameter. Around the inside was erected a platform of logs about four or five feet from the ground, upon which the pio- neers stood and aimed their guns trough port holes made in the logs. This additional elevation gave them a considerable advan- tage in reconnoitering the surrounding country.

Speaking of the Fort Robinson site "Frontier Forts of Penn- sylvania" queries, "Could there be a place in our commonwealth more worthy of the fostering care of her people?" Working along that line during 1920, the centenary of Perry County's organiza- tion, the author of this volume took up with the State Historical Commission the advisability of marking the site with a proper stone and inscription, with the result that that Commission will agree to have the bronze inscriptions placed upon a native boulder (as being appropriate to pioneer life) if some local organization will agree to arrange for its future care. Plans are now under way for its consummation and within another year this historic site will probably be marked for all time.

In a list of provincial forts prepared by Jay Gilfillen Weiser, of Middleburg, in 1894, and published in "Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania," the only fort credited to Perry County is Hen- drick's, built in 1770. This is an error, as Hendrick's fort was located in what is now Snyder County.

On a map which appears in "Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania," showing the disposition of the provincial troops in the Western District for the winter season of 1764, in the territory which now comprises Perry County, are located two detachments, one marked "A. Grove's, an officer and 20 men," and the other, "Fisher's an officer and 20 men." The location marked drove's is near the centre of western Perry, vicinity of Fort Robinson, and Fisher's, approximately where the county seat is located.

While Fort Halifax is in Dauphin County, it is to be noted here that it was. with the exception of Fort Hunter, the only fort really built by the province along any border of the present county of Perry, Fort Robinson being built by the pioneers themselves, according to the only records available. Fort Halifax stood a half mile above where the present town of Halifax now stands, and was garrisoned with provincial troops. Commissary General Young,

ioo HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

in a report to the governor and council, said that "Fort Halifax was in a very bad location, being built beyond two ranges of hills and nobody living near it, none could be protected by it ; that it is no station for batteaux parties, having no command of the chan- nel, which runs close to the western shore, and is besides, covered with a large island (Clemson's) between the channel and the fort, so that numbers of the enemy may, even in daytime, run the river, without being seen by that garrison, and that though the fort, or blockhouse at Hunter's was not tenable, being hastily erected and not finished, yet the situation was the best upon the river for every service, as well as for the protection of the frontiers."

The purpose of the construction of Fort Halifax at that location is uncertain, as records show that but two families resided any- where in the vicinity, and the river channel was on the opposite side, with the Clemson Island between. In all probability it was erected as a convenient and safe place to lodge during the two- day trip from Fort Hunter to Fort Augusta, which was located where Sunbury now stands. It was dismantled and abandoned in 1763. Clemson's Island, lying in the river opposite the fort, was the home of a considerable number of Indians, who could easily have annihilated a large party.

Fort Hunter was a provincial fort located opposite the site of the present town of Marysville, on a small promontory, where Fishing Creek enters the Susquehanna River, on the eastern side. It is in Dauphin County and one of the two provincial forts erected along the county's border. The property is now, or was lately, in the possession of John Reilly. Its location, described in provincial records as being "where the Blue Hills cross the Sus- quehanna," gave it command of the passage through this water gap and of the river itself, affording a place of rendezvous for the batteaux which carried supplies to Fort Halifax and Fort Augusta at Shamokin (now Sunbury). It was a blockhouse, surrounded by a stockade, and occupied the site of the present Reilly mansion. It was erected about 1755, as it is spoken of in official records as early as January 10, 1756, as "the fort at Hunter's mill." Its location was at a very romantic spot, noted for its picturesque outlook. In 1 8 14 Archibald McAllister erected a large storage house upon its ancient foundations. Not far above the site are the famous "Hunter's Falls," where the river narrows to pass through a gap and where its waters are deep and swift, as they rush over immense ledges of rock which the waters of the cen- turies have failed to yet wear away.

Fort Bigham, a strong blockhouse, surrounded by a small stock- ade, commanded Bighanrs Gap on the Juniata County side, through which lay the famous Allegheny Path to the West. It was on the "plantation" of Samuel Bigham, a Scotch-Irish settler who had

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE 101

located in the Tuscarora Valley in 1754. With Bigham came fohn and James Gray and Robert Hoag, who joined in the erection of

the fort as' a place of refuge. Other settlers used it also until June, 1756, when it was attacked and burned by the Indians, who killed or took prisoner all who had sought refuge therein, the total being twenty-three persons. It was rebuilt in 1760 by Ralph Ster- rett, described by Jones, in his History of the Juniata Valley, as "an old Indian trader." In this fort his first child, William Ster- rett, was born. It is related of Sterrett that upon an occasion an Indian tired and hungry, passing his way, was invited in and given a meal and tobacco. He had even forgotten the occurrence when, in 1763, the Indians again being on the warpath, he heard a noise and looking out saw an Indian in the moonlight. He coolly demanded his business, when the Indian recalled the hos- pitality and stated that the Indians were as plenty as the pigeons in the woods and before another night they would be at Fort Bigham to scalp and kill. Nearly all the settlers of the valley were in the fort and were awe-stricken. They immediately began preparations and long before daybreak a train of pack horses, carrying them and their belongings was crossing Perry County soil, via the Allegheny Path, to Carlisle.

Until recent years there stood on the Preston A. McMillen farm, about a mile northeast of Kistler, in northeast Madison Township, a log building which had been used both as a residence and as a fort. Families by the name of Logan had taken up these lands, which included the farms now owned by Lucian McMillen, Linn J. McMillen, and Preston A. McMillen. On this latter property this building was erected for both a residence and the protection of the surrounding families. Some logs from the build- ing were used for the construction of the McMillen barn and are pointed out to the inquirer. It was on the nature of a blockhouse. The property on which the fort was erected is now in the hands of the fifth generation of McMillens, one of Perry County's sub- stantial families. As fast as possible the Indians replaced their bows and arrows with firearms and the residents of these farms frequently had to seek shelter from the redskins. On one occa- sion a hog had been killed and was being prepared for use in the cellar when an attack was made and a bullet struck above the cellar door, imbedding itself five and one-half inches in a walnut log. -Many people yet living saw this log when a part of the old build- ing. The marks of other bullets could be plainly seen. When things got too serious the settlers would flee to the mountains, all wooded, and escape to Carlisle. The logs were hewed on both sides, some of them being almost two feet in width. In an In- dian account of Robert Robinson, elsewhere, he tells of a Captain Dunning seeking Indians and coming to a certain house (Alex-

102 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ander Logan's) after the fight on Buffalo Creek. This old block- house was Logan's home. A favorite pastime of the McMillens of a century ago was "digging" bullets from these old logs.

Where the Tressler Memorial Lutheran church at Loysville now stands once stood a log cabin equipped like a blockhouse, the rear room being without windows and having portholes. This prop- erty was later owned by John Kistler, father of Rev. Kistler, who was a missionary to India about i860.

While there is no official record of there having been a fort at New Buffalo during the early settlements, yet, according to old records Henry Meiser, of what is now Snyder County, put his children in chaff bags and escaped to New Buffalo, where there was a temporary fort for refuge. Evidently Fort Halifax — oppo- site New Buffalo — was referred to.

Some of the earlier homes were equipped with portholes, for use in case of an Indian attack. One of these was the house on the Thomas Adams farm, near New Germantown, in Toboyne Township, now owned by Milo N. W'illhide, its location being just south of Sherman's Creek.

That those daring provincials located at these forts were kept busy is attested by their many reports which are a part of the Pennsylvania Archives. A letter from Capt. James Patterson, commandant at Fort Hunter, dated January 10, 1758, and ad- dressed to "the Honorable William Deney, Esq'r, Governour and Commander in Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania," follows:

"Fort Hunter, Jan'ry ye 10th, 1758.

"I took with me 19 men & ranged from this Fort as far as Robinson's Fort, where I lodged, keeping a guard of six men & one Corporal on Gentry that night. The sixth day I marched towards Hunter's Fort, ranging along the mountain foot very diligently till I came to the Fort that evening, my men being so afflicted with sickness ; I could not send out till the eighth day, Lieu't Allen, with 14 men, went to Range for three days. On the 12th day Lieu't Allen, with Eighteen men & one Serjeant ranged along the mountain about 14 miles from this Fort, where he met Cap't Lieu't Weiser with his party & returned back towards this Fort the next day & came to it that night. The fifteenth, Lieu't Allen, with 18 men, kept along the Frontier till the 25th & came to this Fort that night.

"Hearing of Indians harbouring about Juniatta, on the 28th of De- cember, I took 15 men with me up the Creek, and about 14 miles from the mouth of it I found fresh tracks of Indians on both sides of the Creek & followed the tracks about four miles up the said Creek, where I lost the tracks, but I still kept up the Creek 'till I gott up about 25 miles from the mouth of said Creek, where I encamped that night. The In- dians I found were round me all night, for my Dogg made several attacks towards the Woods as if he saw the Enemy and still run back to the Centry. On the 3d of January I returned down the Creek in some Canoes that I found on said Creek, and when I came about nine miles down I espied about 20 Indians on the opposite side of the Creek to where I was. They seemed to gett themselves in order to fire upon the men that were in Canoes. I immediately ordered them all out but two men that

TREATY OF PEACE— INDIAN WARFARE 103

let the Canoes float close under the shore, and kept the Land in readiness to fire upon the Enemy, as soon as they moved out of the place where they lay in Ambush, but I could see no more of them. On the 5th day of January I came to this Fort."

It will be noted that Captain Patterson terms the Juniata, "the Creek." Fourteen miles from the month of it, where he foimd the Indian tracks, would have been at the vicinity where Buffalo Creek empties into the Juniata, above Newport. Having gone up twenty-five miles from its mouth and returned nine he saw twenty Indians. That point was probably in the vicinity of Old Ferry, midway between Newport and Millerstown, but of course there is no way of telling the exact locations, they probably varying a mile or two either way.

These provincials were kept very busy by the duties of their position ; but, with the success of the British arms, the scene of action shifted, during 1758, and until Pontiac's war in 1763, this pioneer garrison had little to do.

CHAPTER V. SIMON GIRTY, THE RENEGADE.

IN that section of Perry County lying between the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers and along the banks of the latter there is a mountain promontory below Montgomery's Ferry, almost jutting to the river's edge, which bears to this day the name of "Girty's Notch," said to have been named after Simon Girty, the renegade, who betrayed his own race to join the redskins and later the British. It is in Watts Township, almost on the Buffalo Township line and along the Susquehanna Trail — the state high- way to the north. On approaching this promontory from the northeast there can be seen, half-way up the craggy rocks, the face of a man — albeit an Indian — the outline of which no sculptor could improve, put there by the Great Creator of the universe and which tradition would have us believe is the counterpart of the Girty profile.

There is record of the elder Simon Girty's once being a prop- erty owner, but not here. In 1743 he cleared a tract of thirty acres in Dauphin County, near the Susquehanna River, and made some improvements. He resided on this place several years. Be- coming indebted to Thomas McKee, the storekeeper, in a sum upwards of f300 the land subsequently came into the possession of McKee.

The Alexander McKee, referred to in connection with Girty, the renegade, in the following pages, was a son of this Thomas McKee, the trader, who kept a store immediately below Peters' Mountain, in Dauphin County, opposite Allen's Cove. He was an Indian agent for the British government and became a pro- nounced tory.

The activities of Simon Girty, the renegade, in the provincial affairs were of such magnitude that a brief account is not out of place here, especially as his father — also named Simon Girty — was one of the men ejected from Perry County soil prior to the lands being opened for settlement, mentioned at several places in this l)i 10k.

Almost opposite Marysville, Perry County, there empties into the Susquehanna River a small stream known as Fishing Creek. A few hundred yards from its mouth, prior to 1730, several broth- ers by the name of Chambers erected a grist mill and the place came to be known as Chambers' Mill. It was the same family of Chambers which settled at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1736,

104

SIMON GIRTY, THE RENEGADE

105

and gave their name to that town. During the French and Indian War a frontier fort was built at Chambers' Mill and was named Fort Hunter, a near-by village still bearing that name. It was also subsequently called McAllister's. Chambers' Mill was a set-

THE INDIAN PROFILE AT GIRTY'S NOTCH.

During the Pioneer Period the name of Simon Girty, the Renegade, lie- came attached to this cliff, although nothing in Provincial Annals bears it out. Facing south on the Susquehanna Trail the face can be plainly seen upon the rocks, not far below Montgomery's Ferry.

tlement of unsavory reputation and is spoken of as having had few, if any, rivals for wickedness in the province. Here Simon Girty, the elder, who was a middle aged man, had emigrated from the Emerald Isle, located and assumed the duties of a pack horse driver. After saving of his earnings to go into business on a small

106 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

scale as a trader with the Indians, he married Mary Newton, an English girl. They became the parents of four boys, Thomas, born in 1739; Simon, with whom this story deals, born in 1741 ; James, born in 1743, and George, born in 1745. The name is vari- ously spelled, "Girty," "Girte," "Gerty," and sometimes "Girtee." In a list of traders licensed in 1747 Simon Girty, the elder, does not appear; in a list of traders unlicensed of the same date, it does appear. However, the list of 1748 contains his name among those licensed.

The lands lying west of the Susquehanna River and north of the Kittatinny or Blue Mountain, which includes the present county of Perry, had not been opened to settlement yet, but nevertheless, by the spring of 1749 there were more than thirty families already located there. The sheriff of Lancaster County having authority over all the lands west of the Susquehanna except York County, three magistrates and a provincial agent were sent to what is now Perry County soil to warn the people to leave immediately. Little heed was given to their words and others also went in and located. Among these was Simon Girty, in 1749, with his wife and little brood, settling on Sherman's Creek, but their career there was suddenly terminated, as eight provincials appointed by the consti- tuted authorities, accompanied by a deputy sheriff of the new- county of Cumberland, proceeded to carry out by force the desires of the Indians and the commands of the authorities. After burn- ing five cabins of settlers near the Juniata they proceeded to Sher- man's Creek, where Girty and nine other trespassers were found. Each had settled on a separate tract and had erected a cabin. These were also burned and the owners bound over to appear at Shippensburg, then the seat of justice of the new county, in the sum of one hundred pounds each. In view of the others having remained when notified to leave during the previous year this oc- currence can hardly be viewed with great discredit to Girty. From here he went back to Chambers' Mill.

Girty, the elder, was a drinking man of the "spree" type, and met his death at Chambers' Mill on one of these occasions. One story tells of a neighbor knocking him in the head and bearing off Mrs. Girty as a trophy of his prowess; another tells of a neighbor- hood difficulty in which Girty was the challenger to a duel and in which Iris antagonist put the sword through him, but both are only traditionary tales. Even Theodore Roosevelt, in his "Winning of the West," erroneously has him "tortured at the stake, toma- hawked finally by a papoose held up by its father for that pur- pose," doubtless confounding that circumstance with the one hap- pening at the death of Turner, the man who married Girty's widow and who was tortured at the stake at Kittanning, as de- scribed further on in this chapter.

SIMON GIRTY, THE RENEGADE 107

The facts, according to the Magazine of American History, are these: He was killed in a drunken revelry by an Indian known as "the fish," at his home in the latter part of 1751. His death must needs be avenged and the avenger in this case was John Turner, who made his home with Girty, who killed "the fish" and thereby fulfilled the theory of "an eye for an eye," etc. Turner's reward came later, when, early in 1753, at Paxtang he was united in mar- riage to Mrs. Girty, described as a woman of unblemished char- acter.

In 1756, Turner, his wife and the four Girty boys, for their better protection, were in the fort known as Fort Granville, lo- cated near the present town of Lewistown, Pennsylvania, where Turner was a second lieutenant. On July 22 a band of over a hundred Indians and twenty-three Frenchmen from Fort Duquesne arrived at the fort and challenged its occupants to combat, which was declined by the commander, Captain Edward Ward. All of Ward's men were provincials in the pay of Pennsylvania. Not far away Sherman's Valley, comprising practically all of western Perry County, was depopulated by reason of the Indian massacres and expeditions, yet much grain had been sown and was now ripe with no reapers to venture forth without protection. Captain Ward determined to guard the harvesters and took all his men save twenty-three to Sherman's Valley, thinking the French and the Indians had gone.

In this he was mistaken, as they were only abiding their time. On the very day in which he marched, they began a furious at- tack and by a feint, entrance was gained through a ravine to within thirty or forty feet of the fort. The lieutenant in charge, Edward Armstrong, and a private were killed, three wounded and the fort set on fire. The enemy then offered quarter if they would surrender and Turner, then in charge, opened the gates. The fort was consumed in the flames and all were taken prisoners, including Turner, his wife and the four Girty boys. Simon Girty was then fifteen years old. The fort was sacked before its fall and the prisoners were compelled to lug the loot to the limit of their en- durance. Tradition says Turner's share was a hundred pounds of salt. The trip was over the Allegheny Mountains to Kittanning, where there was an Indian village from which this band of In- dians were largely recruited.

Turner, tradition says, — and it is only tradition, — was recog- nized as the man who had slain "the fish" (who was the murderer of the elder Girty) at Chambers' Mill and his doom was sealed. Be that as it may, the evidence and records of his execution are -more than tradition. "They tied him to a black post, danced around him, made a great fire and, having heated them red-hot, ran gun barrels through his body. Having tormented him for

ioS HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

three hours, they scalped him alive, and at last held up a boy with a hatchet in his hand to give the finishing stroke," says Gordon in his History of Pennsylvania. His wife sat on a log near by with their young son and with the four Girty boys, compulsory be- holders of the horrible affair.

The family was shortly broken up, never to be reunited. Simon was turned over to the Senecas, one of the Six Nations, and speedily learned their language. James was given to the Shawnees and George to the Delawares, all being adopted. The other brother, Thomas, had been recaptured by the whites in an attack upon Kittanning, within forty days of his first captivity. The Dalawares and the Shawnees, notwithstanding the fact that the Indians had made a treaty of peace with the English at Easton in 1757, remained hostile along the Ohio. During the autumn of 1858, however, they sent their representatives to Easton, Penn- sylvania, and too formed a treaty of peace. As a result all white prisoners were delivered up at Pittsburgh, and among them were the three Girty boys, their mother ( Mrs. Turner) and her young son, John Turner.

Having lived the wild life of the red men for some time the boys were rough and crude and now almost grown into young manhood. Their location at Pittsburgh placed them among a rough and uncouth element, as it was a mere trading post and frontier fort with the attending influences. The principal business was trading with the Indians and the linguistic ability of these boys, Simon being but eighteen and his brothers younger, made their services invaluable, for collectively they could speak the lan- guages of three different Indian nations. Simon, who had been with the Senecas, now became popular with the Delawares, took up their language, and in a short time could speak it fluently. One of the principal Delaware warriors — Katepakomen — liked him so well that he assumed his name. The capture of this Indian pre- tender, "Simon Girty," by Colonel Henry Bouquet in 1764, when he marched with his men west of the Ohio, is responsible for con- flicting historical accounts, many of which assume that it was the real Simon Girty.

Simon, and perchance his brothers also, became popular among a certain class of the white population surrounding the post and an incident of historical preservation is that he voted at the first election ( i//i ) when Bedford was made a county, including practically all the territory of western Pennsylvania. Two years later (1773-) Westmoreland County was created, with the capital at Hannastown, about thirty-five miles east of Pittsburgh, and it then comprised all of these western Pennsylvania lands. The stu- dent of history will recollect how Pennsylvania and Virginia clashed for that territory, Pennsylvania contending that much of

SIMON GIRTY, THE RENEGADE 109

the land even along the Ohio belonged to the province, while Vir- ginia's contention was that that state owned even the location where Pittsburgh now stands and where the post was then located. In the same year Lord Dnnmore, governor of Virginia, visited the section and took measures for its being made a part of his .state. Simon Girty took sides with Virginia. At the October ses- sions of court of that year a warrant was issued for his arrest for a misdemeanor, the grand jury having found a true bill, but he escaped. Dr. John Conolly, of Pittsburgh, was the leader of the Virginians, who, with an armed force, assailed the court at Han- nastown and sent three of the justices to jail in Virginia. Penn- sylvania's champion was Arthur St. Clair, also of Pittsburgh, who caused Conolly's arrest and had him imprisoned at Hannastown.

Not only the boundary troubles, but others threatened the new country. As the tide of emigration broke through the Alleghenies and rolled westward in a continuous stream towards the Ohio Valley the continuous conflict of the red and white races was again uppermost. Southwest of Pittsburgh the Shawnees and the Min- goes were on one side and the Virginians on the other. In this war Simon Girty was an active participant. Taking sides with Virginia in the boundary dispute when his own state was con- cerned, naturally he could easily do so then. When Lord Dun- more reached Pittsburgh with the northern branch of the Vir- ginia army Girty became his interpreter as well as a scottt. Dun- more had also with him several scouts whose frontier deeds made them famous, but of a type the opposite of Girty. The criticism of Roosevelt covering this phase in his "Winning of the West" is "At the moment he was serving Lord Dnnmore and the whites ; but he was by taste, habits and education a red man, who felt ill at ease among those of his own color."

Lord Dunmore's war did not lessen the severity of the boundary dispute around Pittsburgh and Girty was made a second lieutenant on his retnrn from the expeditions against the Indians. The im- mediate effect of this was to give Virginia immunity from Indian troubles at the west and to give Pennsylvania resumption of its trade with the Indians. But the Revolutionary War was at hand and after the battle of Lexington patriotism west of the moun- tains put all else to rout and at conventions held at Pittsburgh and Hannastown practically everybody gave expressions to their senti- ments, among them being the supporters of Lord Dnnmore. who rallied to the Whigs, with a single exception or two, which did not include Girty.

■ On May 1, 1776, he was appointed an interpreter by the Co- lonial government to interpret for the Six Nations at Pittsburgh, which practically meant for the Senecas. His wage was to be

i 10 HISTORY OF TERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

four-eights of a dollar per day. On August i it was found nec- essary to discharge him for ill behavior.

He then exerted himself in getting recruits for the patriot army for which he expected a captain's commission. In this he failed, but was made a second lieutenant in Captain John Stephanson's company of one-year men. The company was sent to Charleston, hut for some reason he was not with them, hut on detached duty. Early in August (1776) he resigned his commission. He was then already plotting with the Indians. General Hand, on assuming charge of the military affairs at Pittsburgh, discovered that there was doubtful loyalty among some of the inhabitants. Alexander McKee, an influential trader who had come from that part of the province lying east of the mountains, being especially suspicioned. He and Girty were friends. He was paroled to the immediate vicinity. There was a movement on foot to murder all the Whigs and turn the government over to Hamilton, the lieutenant gover- nor, located at Detroit, and Girty was suspected of being in the plot and was arrested and confined in the guardhouse. He soon broke out, just to show that he could, but returned of his own accord and was imprisoned. Later he was examined by a magis- trate and acquitted. Being restored to confidence, during the fall he was sent to meet the Senecas, living on the upper waters of the Allegheny, who were supposed to be hostile to the United States. He would have been held by them as a spy but managed to escape.

Finally from authentic reports it became known to General I land that Alexander McKee was making preparations to leave Pittsburgh to join the enemy. On December 29, 1777, he was ordered to York, Pennsylvania, there to answer orders of the Con- tinental Board of War, but the tory made excuses and was allowed to remain. On February 7, 177S, he was again officially ordered to York, but feigned illness and was permitted to remain. Mean- while he was secretly preparing to take as much of his property as was portable with him and at the earliest possible moment start for the Indian country on his way to Detroit. He had influenced Girty to join in the flight and on the night of March 28, 1778, McKee and his cousin, Robert Surphlit, together with Matthew Elliott, Simon Girty, a man named Higgins and two negroes be- longing to McKee departed for the Indian country and Detroit, traitors to the land of their birth.

Many reasons are advanced for Girty's disaffection, but the per- suasion of McKee and Elliott certainly had much to do with ir. Farther than that all must be conjecture. Perchance its inception may have dated back to the burning of that cabin of his father by the provincial authorities along Sherman's Creek — now a part of Perry County — which, as a child he sat by and saw, but of which he did not comprehend the meaning.

SIMON GIRTY, THE RENEGADE in

However, desertions to the enemy did not stop with the seven. ( )thers were disaffected, including part of the garrison at Fort Pitt. On the night of April 20 a boat was stolen by some, who fled down the Ohio. They were overtaken at the Muskingum River by a party sent in pursuit and the ringleaders killed or cap- tured. Six soldiers and two civilians escaped. Of those taken two were shot, one hanged and two whipped, being given one hundred lashes each. Their leaving caused great consternation among the settlers, some! even wanting to desert their claims in fear of the Indians. John Proctor, of Westmoreland County, wrote to Thomas Wharton, president of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, on April 26, as follows : "Captain Alex- ander McKee, with seven (six) other villains, is gone to the In- dians ; and since then there are a sergeant and twenty-odd men gone from Pittsburgh, of the soldiers. What may be the fate of this country, God only knows, but at present it wears a dismal aspect."

Girty never possessed real estate, as sometimes stated, hence he left nothing behind. He could neither read nor write, so left no paper which could shed any light upon his actions. Up to the time of his desertion he was not quite so black as painted by many historians, as his connections with the provincial government will attest. True, he drank, gambled, associated with questionable people, yet he was not at that time "an inveterate drunkard," "an outlaw," "a redskin of the worst type," etc. Now, however, he became a renegade, a deserter and a traitor to his country — what a threefold record of infamy those words imply !

In all the American settlements west of the Allegheny Moun- tains watered by the Ohio and its tributaries, there were not to be found three other persons so well fitted as were McKee, Elliott and Girty to work upon the superstitions of the western Indians for evil to the patriot cause ; and General Hand feared the worst, thinking they had gone over to the Indians. He and Colonel Morgan at once prepared "addresses" and had them sent to the Delawares. Others fearing to carry the messages, John Hecke- welder and Joseph Bull, Moravian missionaries, offered to carry them to Coshocton. They were searching for the whereabouts of missionaries of their church who had gone into the Ohio valleys. They found the Delawares about to take up arms against the Americans. According to Heckewelder, the renegades had stopped at their town and told them that the patriot armies were cut to pieces, that General Washington was killed, that there was no more congress, that the English had hung some of the members and taken the remainder to England to hang them there, and that the few thousand Americans who had escaped the British soldiers were now busying themselves west of the mountains for the pur-

U2 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

pose of killing all the Indians beyond the Ohio — even the women and children.

The renegades had left Coshocton, but "White Eyes," the Dela- ware chief, sent the following figurative message out to the Shaw- nees and the Mingoes : "Grandchildren, ye Shawnees ! Some davs ago a flock of birds that came on from the east lit at Goscho- ching (Coshocton) imposing a song of theirs upon us, which song has nigh proved onr ruin ! Should these birds, which, on leaving us, took their flight toward the Scioto, endeavor to impose a song on you likewise, do not listen to them for they lie."

However, the words of "White Eyes" were of no avail to his grandchildren on the Scioto. The renegades had there met James Girty, who was easily persuaded to join them. The Shawnees were wavering and he was largely responsible for turning them from all thoughts of peace with the United States. It was about the middle of June when the original party (James Girty not be- ing along) reached the open arms of Lieutenant Governor Hamil- ton at Detroit. He immediately appointed Girty as interpreter of the Six Nations, the renegade thus becoming an employee of the British, for his services receiving two dollars per day. McKee was made a captain of the British Indian Department. On June 15, I//8, the Supreme Executive Council issued a proclamation adjudging them traitors. Hamilton sent Simon Girty to the Mingoes and James Girty to the Shawnees, each instructed to give the best possible service both in interpreting and fighting. Until this time neither had the blood of a fellow countryman upon his hands. From now on this can not be said of them. For their future attitude Hamilton was largely responsible.

Upon their reaching the Indian tribes a war party was started for Kentucky, both being along. The party brought back seven scalps, a woman named Mary Kennedy and seven children as prisoners.

Simon Kenton, the scout, had left Boone's station in Kentucky to cross the Ohio, being accompanied by Alexander Montgomery and George Clark. They ran across some horses in the rich prai- ries andj by the use of salt and halters succeeded in stampeding seven towards the Ohio. The river being wild the party was de- layed in crossing and were overtaken by the Indians. Clark es- caped, Montgomery was killed and scalped, and Kenton was tied upon the back of one of the wildest horses. After plunging, kick- ing and rearing the animal finally followed the others. At four different villages he was beaten and made to "run the gauntlet," almost losing his life each time. Later, while seated on the floor of the council house with his face blackened, a sure sign of being doomed, in walked Simon Girty, his brother James, John Ward and an Indian with the eight captives spoken of above and the

SIMON G1RTY, THE RENEGADE 113

seven scalps. Kenton was temporarily removed but was shortly brought back. He recognized the hated traitor. Girty threw down a blanket and with a scowl ordered him upon it. He hesitated and Girty impatiently jerked him upon it. Girty did not recognize him and proceeded to quiz him for information. To the inquiry as to where he lived he replied "In Kentucky." To other questions Kenton gave answers which were intended to lead his interrogator astray. Finally he was asked his name and replied, "Simon Butler," the name he was known by along the frontier. Girty embraced him on the spot and told him he was condemned to death, but that he would use every means to save his life. His pleas were ef- fective, as the Indians relented.

A short time afterwards a party of Indians returned from the vicinity of Wheeling defeated by the whites, some having been killed and others wounded. Determined to be avenged they sent to Girty to appear with Kenton, which he did. He again inter- ested himself, but by an overwhelming vote it was decided to burn him at the stake. However at Girty's request he was taken by the Indians to Upper Sandusky to suffer the torture. Through the intercession of a trader there he escaped death, being sent to De- troit. Subsequently he fled and finally arrived safely in Kentucky.

Captain John Clark had commanded a relief party with provi- sions for Colonel Gibson at Fort Laurens, and on his return Girty and seventeen redskins attacked them and killed two, wounding four and taking one prisoner. The remainder, including the cap- tain, fought a defensive fight back to the fort. Lieutenant Gover- nor Hamilton, getting restless, had previously captured Vincennes, and Clarke knew that if he didn't get Hamilton and Vincennes that Hamilton would get him. Accordingly on February 7, with a force of 126 men he started, and on February 25 captured Ham- ilton and the fort. Girty, in attacking Clark, had gained posses- sion of correspondence of Colonel Gibson, which he took to De- troit, but Hamilton had already been captured. In the corre- spondence Gibson revealed the fact that Girty, if captured, could expect little mercy from him. At first this caused a feeling of despondency which developed into resentment and vindictiveness against his countrymen far greater than before.

Girty met an American named Richard Conner at Coshocton and told him to "tell the Americans that I desire to be shown no favor, neither will I show any." George Girty. who had been a second lieutenant of the Colonial troops, also deserted and on Au- gust 8. 1779, arrived at Detroit, the third of the family to become a renegade. He was made an interpreter and assigned to the Sbawnees. Deer skins (known as "bucks" and "does") were worth about a dollar each and were in some cases used as cur- rency. Hence, a charge to George Girty reads: "To salt at

ii4 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Shawnees towns. 4 bucks; to 116 pounds Hour, 14 bucks; to bag flour. 2 bucks; to tobacco, 3 bucks."

A' party of "Virginians" from near where Brownsville, Penn- sylvania, now stands, went to New Orleans for supplies. They had returned to about three miles below where the little Miami joins the Ohio when Simon and George Girty, Matthew Elliott and a hundred Indians attacked them, killing David Rogers, the captain, and forty-one others of the party and taking five pris- oners. The Indians lost but two, with three more slightly wounded. They captured a quantity of rum, forty bales of dry goods, and a "chest of hard specie."

On one occasion Simon Girty saved the life of an eighteen- year-old boy, Henry Baker, who had been captured by a small war party near Wheeling. He was taken to Upper Sandusky, where he was placed with nine other prisoners, captured Ken- tuckians. All were compelled to "run the gauntlet." The boy, being fleet of foot, easily ran it, which so enraged a young Indian that he knocked him down with a club after reaching the council house. The nine Kentuckians were burned at the stake, one a day until all had perished. Baker was compelled to witness all this. Then it was his turn. An old chief ordered him taken out and tied to a stake. Seeing a white man approaching on horse- back, he resisted somewhat and then ran up and implored the rider to save him. It was Simon Girty, who at once interceded in his behalf. The savages relented and let him go, sending him to De- troit as a prisoner. He escaped and reached his home in safety.

On one occasion (1781) Simon Girty had a narrow escape from death. Captain Brant, while drinking intoxicants, boasted of his prowess and told how he single-handed had captured a number of the enemy. Girty's envy was awakened and he promptly told Brant that he lied. The latter immediatelv struck him in the head with his sword, making an ugly scar which he carried to his death and which he later boasted of as "having received it in battle." It was many weeks before he could even sit up.

Heckewelder, the Moravian missionary, in 1782, saw Simon Girty frequently, he being at that time the constant companion of Dunquat, the half-king of the Wyandottes. He had then become more inhuman and savage thai: ever. The winter was cold, food was scarce, the cattle were dying for want of food, there was little wood to burn and the tents were small, many were living on the carcasses of the starved cattle ; yet when the missionary's wife had prepared for themselves a little food, from their scanty lot. in walked Simon Girty and a Wyandotte Indian and helped them- selves. The half-king had lost two sons in battle the previous fall and was very resentful against the whites. Girty now called

SIMON GIRTY, THE RENEGADE 115

himself "Captain Girty" and would instigate among the Wyan- dottes all the trouble possible for the Moravians.

( )n one occasion Christian Fast, of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and of the part which later became Fayette County, a hoy of seventeen was captured. He was wounded before being made prisoner but his life was spared, lie was adopted by a I Vlaware family which had lost a son in a skirmish. Naturally young Fast became melancholy at times. Thoughts of home would steal upon him, and on one of these occasions he had proceeded into the woods and was sitting on a log musing. He was suddenly accosted by a white stranger and asked what he was thinking about. He replied that he had no company and felt lonesome. "That is not it," said the stranger. "You are thinking of home; be a good hoy and you shall see your home again." The speaker was Simon Girty, who had taken a liking to the boy, who later did escape and reached his own home in safety.

While three of the Girty boys were renegades, the fourth, Thomas Girty, lived in Pittsburgh, rather a respected citizen.

Captain Crawford, who was a fellow officer with Girty in the Virginia militia of a period before, was captured and was burned at the stake, and among the witnesses of the spectacle was the renegade. Crawford was undressed, and tied to a stake about fifteen feet high by a rope which was attached to the ligaments of his wrists. The rope was of a length to permit his walking around the post two or three times, returning the same way. The fires were six or seven yards from the post. About seventy loads of powder were shot into his body and then his ears were cut off. On every side were tormentors with burning faggots and if be turned about to escape torture he again met with it. In the midst of these tortures Crawford called to Girty and begged to be shot. In derision Girty replied that he had no gun, and laughed heartily, all his gestures showing that he was delighted with the spectacle. After almost two hours of torture Crawford fell upon his stom- ach and was then scalped. Hot coals-were applied to him, hut he again raised himself to his feet and walked around the stake, seeming more insensible to pain than before. Dr. Knight, who was also captured at the same time, was a witness up until this point when he was led away.

Girty then told Knight to prepare for death, but not there, as he was to be burned in one of the Shawnee towns. With fear- ful oaths he told him that he need not expect to escape death, hut should suffer it in all its agonies. Colonel John Gibson had threat- ened to trepan him, if captured, and he told Knight that some prisoners had informed him that if the Americans got him they would torture him. but that he didn't believe it. He asked Knight's opinion, hut he, having just witnessed the awful proceedings with

n6 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Crawford, was so unnerved that he could not reply. Knight was sent to the Shawnee town under the guard of a single Indian, whom he killed and then escaped, finally arriving at Pittsburgh half starved.

George Girty was about as blood-thirsty as his brother Simon. John Stover had been of the same war party as Crawford and Knight, and was later condemned to the stake. He was tied to the stake and George Girty cursed him and told him he was about to get what he deserved, but suddenly a storm broke and the Indians sought cover, Stover in the meantime breaking his bonds and escaping.

The news of peace between the United States and Great Britain did not reach Fort Pitt until May. 1783, and incursions into the settlements by small war parties of savages were still carried on. Simon Girty led one to Nine Mile Run, within five miles of Pitts- burgh, and took a few scalps. This was the renegade's last trip into the state of his birth. In July, 1783, after five years of almost constant life among the red men he returned to Detroit, where he made his home for a short time. In 1784 he journeyed to the Indian country for Catharine Malott, who, as a girl in her teens, was taken prisoner on the Ohio River in 1780. She was now grown to womanhood and wanted to escape savage life, which was, no doubt, her only reason for marrying the renegade, which she did late that year, settling on the Canadian side. He was still a British government agent and was often on the American side urging the Indians to harass the new government.

It appears nowhere that Girty possessed courage, yet his cow- ardice is attested by hundreds of acts of a disreputable nature. About 1798 he and his wife separated, as she could not stand his cruel treatment. Later they lived together again. When the Americans came to take possession of Detroit he got so frightened that he hurriedly swam the river on horseback. He was almost six feet tall, with black hair, a full face, a massive head, and black eyes. He was bronzed by exposure, and dressed in Indian fashion, being adorned with paint and feathers, and he looked every inch an Indian.

He died on his farm, in Canada, granted him by the Britisli government for his perfidy, in 1818, although many historians, in- cluding Roosevelt, in his "Winning of the West," mistakenly have him killed in battle at Proctor's defeat on the Thames. Of the four brothers, Thomas alone led a civilized life.

Girty became an Indian of his own free will, acquired their habits, participated in their councils, inflamed their passions, and goaded them on to the most cruel tortures of captives ; and he deserves to go down in history as one of the most desperate and degenerate characters in its annals. There ever rankled in his

SIMON GIRTY, THE RENEGADE 117

bosom a dreadful hatred against his country, and while he had all the vices of both civilized and uncivilized peoples, he had the vir- tues of neither.

Tradition would have Simon Girty, the renegade, use the cave or "notch" near the top of Half Falls Mountain, known as Girty's Notch, as a hiding place and observatory during the Indian trou- bles from 1754 to 1764, but there are official records, as stated, during these years, which connect him indisputably with the terri- tory lying west of Pittsburgh. It is no pleasure to the writer, whose birthplace was within a half dozen miles of the location and whose childhood was enlivened by tales of Girty's prowess and deviltry, to mar this tradition, but history not only fails to bear it out, but furnishes evidence of his activities having been in an entirely different region.

Consul Willshire Butterfield, in his History of the Girtys, se- verely criticizes the accounts of Simon Girty as contained in *Wright's History of Perry County, which was published many years ago and which were probably taken from newspaper articles of the period, as the facilities for research at that time were lim- ited. Many of the errors in reference to Girty are caused by con- fusing father and son, both being named Simon.

In the vicinity of Landisburg there is a tradition that Girty's perfidy was the result of his not having been given the command of the whites during a skirmish at Wagner's woods, near that town. Like the other tales which connect the renegade with Perry County territory, there is nothing to it, as he never was in the territory save as a boy of eight years, when his father was a squatter, and later in crossing the territory when twelve to fifteen years of age, with his stepfather and family on their way to Fort Granville, near Lewistown. As stated, their capture at that place was in 1756 and Girty's perfidy dates from 1776 to 1778, and its actual occurrence was at Pittsburgh.

That the renegade was a thorough Indian at heart is proven by the fact that in 1792, when a Great Council of all the north- western tribes was convened on the Maumee, he was the only white man admitted, among the others being forty chiefs of the Six Nations, who counseled peace.

*In an article in the Newport (Pa.) Ledger in later years Mr. Wright wrote: "From reliable information in the writer's possession the renegade never visited these places (Girty's Notch) and could not have given them his name."

CHAPTER VI. DUNCAN'S AND HALDEMAN'S ISLANDS.

IN announcing the intention to publish this book the statement was made that the history of Duncan's and Haldeman's Is- lands, while located in Dauphin County, would be included for the reason that the business and social activities of every nature— except legal — are with the Perry County side of the river, and for the additional reason that the history of one merges into the other. The only reason why these two islands are not a part of Perry County is that in the old Indian grant to Penn the line was made the western bank of the river. Logically they should be a part of Perry County, and in 1819 a strong effort was made to have them attached to Cumberland County (of which Perry was then a part), but it was defeated. Then, a year later, when Perry County was formed, they probably could have been attached to Perry, but no effort was made. As this chapter contains much of Indian life it is inserted here, rather than later.

( >riginally the Juniata's waters joined with those of the Sus- quehanna at two points, one being a channel at the north end of Duncan's Island, thus forming between the rivers an island, orig- inally known as Juniata Island to the natives. This channel was known to early rivermen as "the gut." Marcus ITulings connected it with the mainland by a causeway, so that pack horses could pass over. Although it retains the name "island," it is in reality no longer an island, as the channel at the upper end has long since been filled in, the same having been done when the Pennsylvania canal was building. During the great floods of 1846 and 1889 the embankment was swept away and each time was rebuilt at gnat expense, the first time by the state, then in possession of the canals, and the last time by the Pennsylvania Railroad, at an ex- pense of $60,000. Across it passed that great artery of traffic, the Pennsylvania canal, and over it now passes the William Penn highway and the Susquehanna 'frail. Much of this fill-in was dug out when the highway was put through recently, and whether this was discreet only another great flood will tell, but rivermen eon- tend that it will again break through.

Duncan's Island is almost two miles long, and almost all of it is now the property of William If. Richter. It contains approxi- mately 300 acres of land. During the first decade of the Nine- teenth Century a village sprang up at its southern point and was named I'envenue. It still exists, but is now largely summer cot-

118

DUNCAN'S AND HALDEMAN'S ISLANDS 719

tages. Here once stood the Indian village of "Choniata" or "Juneauta," of which there is record as early as 1654 and as late as 1745. From this lower point of the island a long, covered wooden bridge spans the Susquehanna to Clark's Ferry, a station 011 the Northern Central Railway, and an iron bridge spans the Juniata to a point near Juniata Bridge, a station on the main line 1 if the Pennsylvania Railroad.

When the Pennsylvania canal was in operation the mule teams which drew the boats crossed the Susquehanna bridge on a tow- path built on the outside, towing the canal boats across the river at this point, through Green's dam — now commonly referred to as the Clark's Ferry dam. The original ferry over the Juniata was conducted by the Baskins family, some of whose descendants to this day live near by.

In Watson's Annals the following statement is to be found : "This island was the favorite home of the Indians and there are still many Indian remains. At the angle of the canal, near the great bridge, I saw the mound covered with trees, from which were taken hundreds of cartloads of human bones, and which were used with the intermixed earth as filling materials for one of the shoulders or bastions of the dam. What sacrilege ! There were also among them beads, trinkets, etc."

During the latter part of the last century and the beginning of the twentieth the writer was a resident of the near by vicinity and knows of many arrowheads, Indian hatchets, skinning stones, etc., being found on the islands, and present day residents say they are still being4 found, especially when turning up the ground. As late as 1916 the Susquehanna Archaeological Expedition, of which Mr. George P. Donehoo, the noted authority upon Indian and Colonial history, was a member, found many evidences of Indian occupa- tion upon Duncan's Island. They gathered many hundred speci- mens of Indian origin, including banner stones, hatchets, arrow points, etc. The upper end of the island is even now covered with cracked stones used at fireplaces. On one of the paths at the lower end of the island, Dr. Moorehead, of the Expedition, found an unsual specimen — a half-finished banner stone. The so-called Indian mound was dug into, but no traces of Indian work found there.

Duncan's Island, even to the eye, but more so to memory, seems a spot of fascination and romance, and its uncounted his- torical data, like its silt levels, is more or less submerged. It was here that tradition would have two powerful tribes, the Delawares and Cayugas, fight for days until the eddying river inlets along shore were crimsoned. To tell the tale we have only vast quantities <>f broken spearheads and arrows, and they are but mute evidence, but to the winner (the Cayugas, already familiar with firearms)

120 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

the strategic point between the rivers and the oncoming civiliza- tion was probably worth all it cost. Luckily a few records exist which makes it possible to get a glimpse into those early days.

Marcus Huling, who came from Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, is credited by various historians as probably being the first settler of Duncan's Island, but there is no record to bear this out, but there are records relating to Hulings which disprove it. The first settler was William Baskins, referred to farther on. Hulings owned the point between the two rivers, long owned by Dr. Reut- ter's heirs. Rupp, the historian, gives the date as 1735. That he was there in 1744 is practically certain, as he was one of the searching party which hunted for the murdered man Armstrong in that year. (See "Murder of an Early Trader," chapter 2.) The locality is still the home of some of Hulings' descendants.

In a rough draft submitted to the province to protect his own claim Hulings has left to posterity the names of a few of the first settlers of these lands and the vicinity, as the following pages will show, and at no place does he claim either ownership or occu- pancy. The Hulings family was of Swedish descent and on set- tling between the rivers he built the causeway over the strip of water connecting the two rivers and started a ferry over the Juniata. Trade at that time, it will be remembered, was all done with pack horses. Later he owned a toll bridge there, which at his death passed to Rebecca Hulings Duncan.

With Braddock's defeat in 1755 came all the horrors of Indian warfare, and the scattered settlers in and around Perry County were obliged to flee. However, home, then as now, was dear to these pioneers, and some of them lingered long. Being apprised of the near approach of the redskins Marcus Hulings, grasping a few valuables, placed his wife and youngest child upon a large black horse and fled to the point of the island. His other children had previously gone to seek safety. Having forgotten something and thinking the Indians might not have arrived he ventured to return to the house. After carefully reconnoitering he entered and found an Indian upstairs "coolly picking his flint." He par- leyed with the Indian to escape death and got away. The delay caused his wife to believe him murdered and she swam the Sus- quehanna on horseback, although the water was high. When he arrived at the point he crossed in a light canoe and they finally reached Fort Hunter, having been preceded by the Baskins family and other fugitives. Here the inhabitants of Pextang (Harris- burg) had rallied for defense.

In 1756 Mr. Hulings went to the western part of Pennsylvania and became the owner, whether by purchase or patent we do not know, of the point of land located between the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, where they meet and form the Ohio, and where

DUNCAN'S AND HALDEMAN'S ISLANDS 121

Pittsburgh now stands. Becoming discontented he sold this west- ern property for £200 and returned to the one on the Juniata.

While in western Pennsylvania encroachments were made on his lands in what is now Watts Township, Perry County, and he protested, as the following letter still in existence, shows :

"Fort Pitt, May the 7th, 1762. "To William Peters, Esq., Secretary to the Propriatories in land office in Philadelphia, &c:

"The petitioner hereof humbly sheweth his grievance in a piece of un- cultivated land, laying in Cumberland County (now Perry), on the North- west side of Juneadey, laying in the very Forks and Point between the two rivers, Susquehanna and Juneadey, a place that I Improved and lived on one Year and a half on the said place till the enemeyes in the beginning of the last Warrs drove me away from it, and I have had no opertunity yet to take out a Warrant for it ; my next neighbor wass one Joseph Greenwood, who sold his improvement to Mr. Neaves, a merchant in Philadelphia, who took out a warrant for the S'd place, and gave it into the hands of Collonel John Armstrong, who is Surveyor for Cumberland county; and while I was absent from them parts last summer, Mr. Arm- strong runed out that place Joyning me, for Mr. Neaves ; and as my place layes in the verry point, have encroached too much on me and Take away part of Improvements; the line Disided between me and Joseph Greenwood was up to the first short small brook that emptyed into Sus- quehanna above the point, and if I should have a strait line run'd from the one river to the other with equal front on each River from that brook, I shall not have 300 acres in that survey ; the land above my house upon Juneadey is much broken and stoney. I have made a rough draft of the place and lines, and if Your Honor will be pleased to see me righted, the Petitioner hereof is in Duty bound ever for you to pray; from verry humble serv't. Marcus Hulings."

Accompanying the above was a note to Mr. Peters, which shows that Hulings also had a claim on the south (west) side of the Juniata. The note:

"May ye 17th, 1762. "Sir: I have left orders for Mr. Mathias Holston, living in Upper Merrion of Philadelphia county, to take out two warrants for me, one for the Point between the two Rivers, and one for the Improvements I have in the place called the Onion bottom on the south side of Juneadey right opposite to the other, where I lived six months before I moved to the other place; from your humble servant, Marcus Hulings."

"Accompanying these letters was the rough draft spoken of in the first letter, an attempted description of which follows : Three islands are marked. The one now known as Duncan's is marked "Island" and the house upon it as "Widow Baskins." The large island in the Susquehanna known as Haldeman's is marked "Is- land" and three houses located, the lower one being marked "Fran- cis Baskins," the next a third up on the east side, "George Clark," and a little above the centre, "Francis Ellis." On the east bank of the Susquehanna, almost opposite, is a house marked "James Reed," while between the centre of the island and the western shore is a small triangular island.

T22 HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

On the point between the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers is Hillings' residence. Some distance from the point is a straight line running from river to river, marked "this is the way I want my line," while above, on the west bank of the Susquehanna, nearly opposite the James Reed house, is "Mr. Neave's house." Farther up the river, opposite a small island, is another house also marked "Francis Ellis." A circuitous line shows where Neave's line crossed that of Hulings. On the south side of the Juniata, below the mouth thereof, is a house marked "William Kerl," and opposite the points of Duncan's Island is "James Baskins'." Farther up, in the plot called the "Onion bottom," is another house marked "Marcus Hulings." Beyond this, on the south side of the Juniata, is a house marked "Cornelius Acheson," who is also credited with encroaching on Hulings' "Onion bottom" property. On the east side of the Susquehanna River Peters' Mountain and "the nar- roughs" are marked. As Hulings likely came to these fertile lands with provincial sanction and probably insistence to induce settle- ment it is believed that his claims, which also appear to be founded on prior right, were adjusted to his satisfaction.

In 1788 Marcus Hidings died. During the earliest years of their life in that vicinity Mrs. Hulings on mor* than one occasion forded the Susquehanna on horseback with a oag of grain which she took to the mi

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