USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended > Part 2
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Township Schools 663
United Brethren Church 663 TOWNSHIP OF WEST MANHEIM. 696
TOWNSHIP OF WARRINGTON 664
Alpine 669
Blue Ridge Bethel. 669
Boundary Line .. 664
Churches, Rossville 667
Church of God .. 670
Historical Facts and Incidents. 670
Pottery, A
626
Prize Fight. A Notorious 629
Public Well 626
Quaker Schoolhouse. 637 River Meeting-House 629 627
St. Paul's Church Schools of Goldsboro. 629
Schools of Lewisberry. 636
Society of Social Friends. 637
Stores of Lewisberry. 632
Stores of Newberrytown 626 636
Sunday-schools
Terrible Tragedy. 639
Township Formed 624
Union Meeting-House 626
Visit of Lorenzo Dow.
636
Yocumtown ..
York County Rangers.
York Haven
York Haven Laid Out.
York Haven Paper Mills.
York Haven Quarries 640
TOWNSHIP OF FAIRVIEW 640
Boundary Difficulties
641
Churches ... 642
Emanuel's Church of the Evangel-
PAGE.
Fairview Mutual Insurance Com- pany. 644 Friends' Meeting-House ... 644
Historical Facts and Incidents 644 Topography ..
Indians, The 645
Insurance 644
Mount Olivet Church 643
Mount Zion Lutheran Church ..
641
New Market Village. Pause, A.
Pinetown. 645
Public Schools
645
Salem Church ..
642
Simpson, Gen. Michael 642
Topography
640
Township Formed. 641
Visit of George Washington
642
TOWNSHIP OP MONAGHAN
646
Andersontown 647
Mennonite Meeting-House. 617 Mount Wolf Village. 618 619 Manufacturers .. 648 Indian Relics.
Mount Pleasant Bethel. 647
Public Schools 648
Siddonsburg ... 647
Sunday-schools .. 648
TOWNSHIP OF CARROLL 649
Beavertown
661
Business Interests of Dillsburg. 653
Churches
655
Church of the United Brethren in Christ. 661
660 652
TOWNSHIP OF WEST MANCHESTER .. 621
Assessment of 1800 .. 622
Iron Ore Mines .. 650
TOWNSHIP OF JACKSON ... 687 691
Brickyard.
Churches of Spring Grove 690
TOWNSHIP OF MANHEIM ... 691 692
Lutheran and Reformed Church Public Schools Taxables in 1783
692
Indian Relics 634
Justices of the Peace 635
Large Mill Burned 639
Lutheran and Reformed Church 636 Manufactures of Lewisberry. 632
Methodist Church. 629-635 Middletown Ferry 630
Military Organization 634 624
Newberry in 1783
Newberrytown 625 Patriotic Dead 631
Physicians ... 635 630
Plainfield Bethel.
Postoffice .. 626-634
Houses of Worship. 669
Lutheran Church 667
Maytown
669
Methodist Episcopal Church 668
Mount Airy Church 670
Hanover Junction 703
Historical Notes. 703 Incorporation of Jefferson .. 702
Iron Ore Interests .. 703 701
Jefferson Station 703
New Salem.
703
New Salem Church ..
700
Old Roads
698
702
Warrington in 1783. 664
Wellsville 668
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON 672
Emanuel's Church of the Evangeli- cal Association 674
658
686
Holz-Schwamm Church ..
681
Postmasters.
Taxables of 1783. 612 614 Confederate Invasion Dills, The
619 614
647 647 TOWNSHIP OF CONEWAGO 680
678
ical Association. 643 Mulberry Postoffice. 673 Ziegler's Church 700
Hay Run ... 650 Harmony Bethel. 663
Incorporation. 662
Mennonite Meeting House .. Schools 695 696
Topography. 662 Public Schools 696
Jefferson Borough
631 626 637 638 639
VII
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
PAGE.
PAGE.
TOWNSHIP OF PEACH BOTTOM. 761
Bryansville .. 766
Calvinistic Methodist Church. 768
Churches 766 Cold Cabins 770
Coulsontown ... 770
Delta Borough ... 765
Delta Methodist Protestant Church . 766 Historical Notes. 769
Kersey, Jesse. 770 Peach Bottom Baptist Church .. 766 Peach Bottom Village and Ferry. 764 Public Schools .. 767
Slate Ridge Presbyterian Church, 762
Slateville Postoffice. 770 Slatevlile Presbyterian Church. 764
734 Slate Quarries. 767
736 Temporary Line. 767
First Buildings 734 Welsh, The 768
Guinston United Fresbyterian
Military 709, 713 Church 736
708, 713 New Freedom. 714
Public School System .. 709
Railroad Borough 713
Reformed Church .. 710, 713 St. John's Catholic Church. 714
Schools of Glen Rock
712
Shrewsbury Savings Institution .....
707
TOWNSHIP OF SPRINGFIELD ..
Churches 717 717
Friedensaals Kirche ..
German Baptist Meeting-house. 718 Trout, Hon. Valentine. 738 Deininger, C. J. 410
Loganville .. 715
Loganville Church. 718
Mining Interest. 719
Mount Zion's Church 718
New Paradise .. 716 Paradise Church 718
Public Schools. 719
Salem Lutheran and Ref'd Church .. 718 716 Seven Valley
St. Peter's Reformed Church ... 717 Topography. 715
TOWNSHIP OF YORK. 719 Bethany Church . 722 Business Places in Dallastown 721
Churches 721
Church of the United Brethren in Christ ... 721 Cornet Band 722 Dallastown. 720 Foundation of Dallastown 720 Incorporation of Dallastown 721
Incorporation of Red Lion 722
Industries of Red Lion. 722
Innersville Chapel 723 723
Longstown.
Manufacturers 723
Origin of Name of Dallastown. 721 Origin of Name of Red Lion ... 722
Pine Grove Church 723
Red Lion Borough 722
Red Lion School Building 723
Residents in 1783. 719
Schools 722
St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church
720
St. John's Reformed Church. 722
St. Joseph's Catholic Church. 721 St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church
TOWNSHIP OF WINDSOR 724
Churches. 726
Emanuel's Lutheran and Reformed Church
726
Frysville ... 725 Historical and Industrial Notes. 728
Iron Ore Interests. 727 Locust Grove Church. 727 Prison for British and Hessian Soldiers .. 728
Public Schools. 727 Taxables for 1783. 724
Fawn Grove Academy .. 760
Fawn Grove Borough. 759
Union Church. Fawn Township in 1783 757 727 Windsorville 725 Windsor Bethel. 727 Zion United Brethren Church. 726 TOWNSHIP OF LOWER WINDSOR 729 Gatcheltville 760 Friends' Meeting-house. 760 New Parke .... 761
Beard's Tannery 731
Cemetery 732
Public Schools
761
Churches ..
732
East Prospect Borough 731 Whiteside Chapel. 760 Township Map. 299
772
ILLUSTRATIONS-PORTRAITS.
Bailey, W. D .. 654
Beidler, Baltzer, 602
Campbell, John G .. 451 411 Cocklin, Jacob.
646
Crider, David W 544
738 Detwiler, D. W. 732
745 Durkee, Daniel. 439
Ebaugh, Adam. 748 Airville Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church .. 743 Ebert, Geo D. 595
Anecdotes of Rev. Cuthbertson 742 Ebert, Elias 610
Centreville 745 Eichelberger, A. W. 339
Historical Personages. 747 Fisher, R. J 441
628
Gibson, John.
Hays, M. M. 626
Klugh, John
662
Lanius W. H.
520
Lederman, Conrad.
238
Pine Grove Presbyterian Church ... 743 Lochman, A. H
Pleasant Hill Church 744 Logan, Henry 650
Presbyterian Church 741 Loucks, Z. K ... 557
Public Schools .. 747 McConkey, James 761
Religious History 741
Remarkable Missionary 742
Salem Methodist Episcopal Church .. 744 Taxable List of 1783 739
Things of the Past. 746
Union Chapel 744 Sherwood, Geo. E 502
United Presbyterian Church. 742 Small, Philip A 514
Woodbine .. 746 Small, Samuel .. 516
York Furnace Bridge 744 Spangler, E. W. 381
TOWNSHIP OF HOPEWELL .... 748 Stuck, Oliver. 377
Weiser, Chas .. 559
Wiest, John, M. D 455
Young, Hiram
382
Frey, Enos 566
ILLUSTRATIONS-VIEWS.
Children's Home, York 374
Conestoga Team 239
Court House, etc. 303 Exterior of an Old-time Church 269
Historic Old House. 605
Interior of an Old-time Church. 271
Market House, etc ... 136
Sadler's Church .. 752 Market Scene ... 522
Stewartstown Borough 752 Masonic Hall, York Borough 501
The "King of the Barrens" 755 Old Court House, etc .. 136
United Presbyterian Church. 751
Winterstown Borough 754
Zion Methodist Episcopal Church, Stewartstown 753
TOWNSHIP OF FAWN.
Centre Presbyterian Church ... 758
757
To Church on Horseback. 267 Warrington Meeting House. 283
York Collegiate Institute ... 372
York County Academy. 368
MAPS.
Geological Map. 463
Springetshury Manor 88
Temporary Boundary Line ... 75
Fissel's Church. 712 Schools .. 733
German Reformed Church .. 706
Gerry, M. D., Hon. James.
708 711
Glen Rock Borough.
Incorporation of Glen Rock 712
Industries ... 707 Industries of Glen Rock 711 Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church.
Agriculture
735
Journalism .. 708 Boundaries. 737
Journalism of Glen Rock. 712
Lutheran Churches .706, 710, 713 Methodist Episcopal Churches ... 707,
Industries 735
Lockport 736
Lutheran and Reformed Church, 737 Mount Pleasant Church .. 737
New Bridgeville. 736
New Harmony Presbyterian Church Public Schools. 738
Settlement 734
St. James Church .. 737 Black, Jere S. 452
735
The Chapel. 737
Topography 734 Cathcart, Robert.
Trinity Church of the Evangelical Association ...
737
TOWNSHIP OF LOWER CHANCEFORD .. Airville.
McKendree Methodist Episcopal 744
Church.
Military 746
Muddy Creek Forks Postoffice. 746
Organization 739
Origin of Name. 738
529
Mayer, John L 450
Miller, Lewis 234
Pedan, S. M 740
Porter, B. F., M. D. 734 Ramsay, Wm. F. 764
Mount Union Chapel 723 York Furnace: 744 Smyser, E. G .. 565
Cross Roads Postoffice. 754
Historical Notes and Incidents 756
Hopewell Centre ... 755
Hopewell in 1783 ... 748
Hopewell Presbyterian Church. 750
Introduction of Lime. 749
Lebanon Lutheran and Reformed Church. 752 721 Methodist Episcopal Church, Stew- artstown .. 753 Bethlehem Church. 726
Agriculture ... 749 Public Schools. 724
Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Winterstown ... 754
Mount Olivet Church, Winterstown 754 Presbyterian Church, Stewartstown 753
Prospect Methodist Episcopal
Church 760
Zion Church .. 700 Ebenezer Church .. 732 OWNSHIP OF SHREWSBURY. 704 Evangelical Church .. Fire Insurance Company 732 731 Assessment Roll of 1783. 704 Church History 709 Historical Notes .. 733
Disasters .. 709 Iron Ore Interests 733
Eminent Citizens .. 708
Erection of Shrewsbury.
707
Lutheran and Reformed Church. 730
Margaretta Church ... 732
Evangelical Association 706 New Salem Church .. 732
First National Bank of Glen Rock .. 713 North Trinity Church. 732
Yorkana. 731
Zion's Church of the Evangelical Association .. 732
TOWNSHIP OF CHANCEFORD 734
Churches
Welsh Congregationalist Church 768
West Bangor.
768
CONCLUSION 771
ADDENDA ...
737
Secret Societies. 710, 713 Shrewsbury Borough. 707 710 Successful Men
Soldiers of Shrewsbury 715
459 McCall's Ferry Gable, I. C .. 744 Frazer, Isaac Frontispiece )
Old Friends' Meeting House near Lew- isberry. 633 Spring Grove Paper Mills. 689
VIII
CONTENTS.
PART II.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
PAGE.
Carroll Township. 83 Chanceford Township. 89
Codorus Township. 93
Conewago Township.
Dover Township ..
Fairview Township
94 95 96
Fawn Township. 100
Franklin Township. 101
Hanover Borough
59
Heidelberg Towoship 108
73
Hopewell Township 111
Jackson Township. 117
Lower Chanceford Township. 121
Lower Windsor Township .. 127
PAGE. 131
Manchester Township ..
Monaghan Township. 146
Newherry Township 150
North Codorus 159 Boyd, Stephen G . 10 Paradise Township. 160 Peach Bottom Township 161 152 Hammond, Hervey Penn Township .. 59 Hammond, W. S. 153 "Shrewsbury Township .. 169 23 Heffener, H. W. Kinard, J. W. Kocher, S. R. 129 79 30
Springfield Township. 185
Spring Garden Township 187
Warrington Township .. 191
Washington Township 197
West Manchester Township. 199 West Manheim Township. 200 Scott. F. T.
Windsor Township .. 201
York Borough. 3
York Township 203
ILLUSTRATIONS-PORTRAITS.
Bittenger, John W.
PAGE. 6 7 8
Black, Chauncey F ..
Bollinger, O. J ...
Lewis, C. E.
Myers, E. B. 142 38 Noss, Herman 42 23
Seacrist, H.
Wrightsville Borough 73 Seitz, N. Z .. 181
Spangler, Hamilton 48
Williams, D. G. 57
Hellam Township ..
IX
ERRATA.
ERRATA.
Springetsbury Manor, page 88, for line 35, and also European Title, page 43, for lines 7 and 8, second column, read "The father of Springet Penn was not the eldest son of the founder. His eldest son was Springet, who died unmarried. His second son, William, was the father of Springet, after whom the manor was named, and he was the youngest child of the founder by his first wife."- F. D. Stone, librarian, Historical Society of Penn- sylvania.
On page 78, first column, line 24, read "1874,"" instead of "1774." The survey by Thomas G. Cross, Esq., was made for contestants of land within fifteen years past.
Springetsbury Manor, page 93, read "Blunstone's Licenses" instead "Blumstone's Licenses."
On page 106, line 20, first column read "dictator."
On page 113, second column, line 33, for "say- ing," read "saving."
The Revolution, page 117, second column, first line, read "at the Court House, York."
The Revolution, page 120, first line, second column, after the word "colonies" read "And whereas it appears absolutely irreconcilable to rea- son and good conscience for the people of these colonies, now," etc.
On page 128: "Aid to Baltimore;" on line 21 read "Harford County" instead of "Harvard County."
On page 128, the note citing "Purviance's Nar- rative" should be placed at the foot of the second column after the letters which are taken from that book.
On page 147, second column, line 15, read "First, Second and Third Pennsylvania Regiments."
On page 147, second column, line 47, strike out the letter "d" in Capt. McClellan's name; also strike out lines 49 and 50, they refer to company of Capt. Joseph Mcclellan.
On page 152, line 26, second column, read "York County" instead of "Yale County."
On page 155, "Major Denny's Journal," line 41, read "it was designed with that view."
On page 156, in line 45, strike out the word "of" and read "convention prisoners."
In "Pennsylvania Germans," on page 231, sec- ond column, next to last line, read "its" for "is."
Page 234, first column, sixth line, read "Katzen- ellenbogen" for "Katzenellenbegen."
Page 238, second column, eighth line, read "above" for "below."
Page 240, second column, seventh line from bottom, read "Farmers'" for "farmers."
Page 245, second column, read "R. F." for "B." F. Strayer.
Page 256, first column, read "Schindel" for "Schinidel."
Page 267, second column, sixth line from bottom, read "assertions" for "aspirations."
Page 273, second column, lines 36 and 37 from top, read "as" for "an" and "in"' for "is."
On page 377 the last word in line 28 should be "now."
On page 382 the word "topography" occurs in- stead of "typography," in thirteenth line from top, first column.
In "Biographies-Bench and Bar," page 448, add "Thomas C. Hambly died on Saturday, September 5, 1885."
On page 463, in foot note, read "Docteur es-Sci- ences," instead of "Docteures-Sciences."
On page 465, first line of second paragraph, read "Quaternary," instead of "Quatenary."
On page 467, eighth and ninth lines, from top, first column, read "they are frequently in close proximity to," instead of "they are very generally in close proximity with."
On page 467, thirty-fourth line from top, first column, read "abound on the slope" instead of "abounds," etc.
On page 469, first and second lines of last para- graph, first column, read "We are forced to look to other counties," instead of "We are forced to look to other parts of the county."
On page 471, second column, first and second lines, under head of "The Mesozoic Rocks," etc., read "None of the numerous measures of Mesozoic age," instead of "None of the numerous members of Mesozoic rocks."
In the foot note read "I have shown that, calcu- lating by the ordinary method the beds exposed in Prof. H. D. Rogers' Yarleyville section, * * * their thickness would appear to be 51,500 feet," etc.
On page 473, thirteenth line from top, second column, read "may have been suggested," instead of "seems to have been suggested," etc. On same page, read "Detweiler," instead of "Detwieler." The foot note, second column, should be on page 474.
CHICAGO: JOHN MORRIS COMPANY, PRINTERS, 118 AND 120 MONROE STREET.
PART I.
GENERAL HISTORY.
BY JOHN GIBSON.
THE EARLY SETTLERS-THE ABORIGINES-INDIAN TITLE-EUROPEAN TITLE-BORDER TROUBLES-THE BOUNDARY LINE-SPRINGETSBURY MANOR-THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR-THE REVOLUTION-CONGRESS-CONTINENTAL TROOPS-SUBSEQUENT MILITARY HISTORY-WAR FOR THE ETC., ETC.
T THERE is no portion of the " Lite"
United States in which there is centered more of historic interest than that occupied by the county of York in the State of Pennsylva- nia. The town of York, in the words of LaFay- ette, was "the seat of the American Union in our most gloomy times." In its cemeter- ies lie buried the remains of two of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. But not only during, but before and after, that great event, the American Revolution, the incidents of our history are full of in- terest. The county was organized 136 years ago. Its earliest settlements were made some twenty years before. Throughout the whole period of time since then its progress has been steady and its development com- mensurate with the growth of the American nation. It is the purpose of this history to trace that progress and to study that devel- opment. As a portion of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, York County is largely identified with its early settlement and its social and political progress.
Many of our citizens have had interest enough in the subject to search out for them- selves from available sources, such as the Colonial Records and Pennsylvania Archives, and the collections of the Historical Society, the matters that pertain to our early history. The historians of Lancaster County have furnished some material, inasmuch as the original settlement of our territory was made while it, was a part of that county. Such are
the works of I. Daniel Rupp and Rev. D. Mumbert-the former of whom also published a history of York County in connection with that of Lancaster. A complete history, how- ever, to its time, was written by Adam J. Glossbrenner, who was assisted in the com- pilation of the work by W. C. Carter, fifty years since-a work well known to the citi- zens of the borough of York, but copies of which are now scarce. The great amount of information contained in it, the accuracy of its details of facts, and the pleasing style of its composition, as well as the curious na- ture of its contents, have made it a noted literary production, and it is now, as the Italians say, rococo in its character. The editor of this book takes pleasure in saying that that history has been to a large extent embodied in this work, with its proper credit. This it well deserved. Wherever available the words of that history have been used, in- stead of taking the carefully compiled infor- mation therein afforded and molding it into other language. Every subsequent at- tempt to portray the early history of this county has been indebted largely to that book. Rupp's History and Day's Annals give it credit for material. The work, therefore, ought to be perpetuated for the benefit of our people. A history of the county was writ- ten, some years since, by M. O. Smith, editor of the Hanover Herald, and published by him in his newspaper by weekly installments. That history faithfully collates facts from all
I
12
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.
sources, and evidences a very patient investi- gation of the original records and ancient documents, while the simple style of the narrative makes the work attractive. The editor is indebted to that work for many points and data. He also takes occasion to say that he has embodied in this history, wherever available, his own historical sketch of the county, delivered on the 4th of July, 1876, and which was published at the time by O. Stuck & Son.
The first chapter of the present work shows what people came here to settle and under what auspices, and the form and character of government to which they were accus- tomed when the responsibilities of self- government fell upon them as upon the rest of the people of America. The dealings with the Indians are of interest to us as the de- scendants of those who purchased from them, or contended with them, for the possession of this domain. That remarkable race of men, their manners, their nature, their religion and polity, have so impressed the minds of our people, that societies for the perpetuation of their rites and ceremonies, accompanied with moral teachings derived from their customs, are prevalent in the land, somewhat after the order of speculative Masonry. They are indeed a part of our history.
As hunters and traders in skins, they are more particularly associated with the terri- tory of York County.
The great contest between the Penns and Lord Baltimore involved intricate questions, which diplomacy on a larger scale has hardly ever grappled with. It was a controversy which concerned our people almost exclu- sively, many of whose titles to their lands de- pended upon its determination, and the bor- der troubles arising from which were un- paralleled in history anywhere. It was a coarse age, that of the period of the settle- ment of this county-it was so in England and on the continent of Europe, as contem- porary history shows, and roughness of man- ners and disregard of the claims of others are not worse in their details here than in older countries. The efforts to establish a boundary line between the provinces of Penn- sylvania and Maryland, and to fix the status of the settlements on this side of the Susque- hanna River, the peculiar jurisdiction arising from the royal attempt to quiet the disturb- ances by the running of the temporary line with its salvos to the respective proprietors, created curious complications. This is the only locality to which at the time of its impe- tration the royal order of 1738 was applicable. It concerned our people alone of the inhabit-
ants of Pennsylvania, and the establishment of the final boundary line by the agreement of the proprietaries alone determined who were to be Pennsylvanians and who were to be Marylanders. This was the celebrated Mason and Dixon's line, famous once as the line of sectional division of North and South. But for us it constitutes the entire southern boundary of the county, and fixed the domi- cile of those persons who lived upon the border.
The manor of Springetsbury, which com- prises within its limits the city of York, in- volved in its surveys and settlement many interesting questions of title, passed upon by the highest tribunals of Pennsylvania and of the United States. The origin of this manor and its bounds was at one time a matter of great importance, for after the Revolution, the right to the lands was contested by the Commonwealth itself.
The part taken by our people in the great wars of the nation was common to the people of the United States, and the narrative shows that we were not behind any in devotion to our country. The period of the Revolution as its events centered around York, is rife with incidents of the deepest interest. For the greater part of those extracts from con- temporary memoirs and chronicles, which so enliven the scenes that were enacted here, tbe editor is indebted to Martin S. Eichelberger, Esq., of York, who has evinced great zeal in the collection and preservation of historical incidents and events connected with our local history.
In the war for the maintenance of the Union, as in the war of the Revolution, the borough and county of York contributed to all branches of the service their full comple- ment, while the events that took place here have made it a center of more than ordinary historic interest. To this branch of the general history, as well as to other portions of the same which claimed special notice, complementary and entertaining papers have been contributed by competent writers-as also biographies of those worthies who are inseparable from our history.
The fashion of late has been to compose what are called popular histories, that is, of the people, to tell what that once unknown factor has done toward the development of the national prosperity. This work is in- tended to be such, and its entire scope must therefore be taken together. The agricult- ural, mechanical and mercantile progress of our people, and all the pursuits of ordinary life, are combined to present a bright page in the general history of the nation.
13
THE EARLY SETTLERS.
THE EARLY SETTLERS.
THE English, who came over to this conti- nent with William Penn, came from a spirit of adventure. Indeed, the conditions or concessions as to grants of land in the prov- ince were agreed upon between the proprie- tary and those who were styled " adventurers and purchasers." The immediate followers of William Penn came on a mission of good will to man, and to found a mighty empire, guided by that inner light, which is the foundation of all true liberty and govern- ment-a government not of forms made for the people, but by the people for themselves. The language of the proprietaries was : " We lay a foundation for after ages to understand their liberty as Christians and as men, that they may not be brought into bondage but by their own consent; for we put THE POWER IN THE PEOPLE."* \ The belief in spiritual guid- ance and the religious fervor of the society of Friends, made not simply an enthusiast, but an apostle, of the great founder of this commonwealth. He sought out those who were oppressed for conscience' sake. A few years before he obtained his charter he had visited that portion of the continent of Eu- rope which to many of our people is most dear and famous, the Palatinate upon the Rhine. He sympathized with the Swiss re- formers and others who had taken refuge there; and when that fertile country was made the scene of devastating wars, when their Elector, Frederick V, could not main- tain his principality, and the armies of Louis XIV, under Marshal Turenne, caused the people to experience the worst calamities of fire and sword, and were compelled to flee from their homes, they found an asylum by his invitation on these shores. A number of Mennonites went to England in 1707 and made an agreement with William Penn, at London, for taking up lands.f Thus com- menced that great German emigration that made the English fear that their new land would be possessed by aliens ; but which added to the stability of the province and became the means of its agricultural wealth.
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