History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2, Part 48

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885, ed; Hungerford, Austin N., joint ed; Everts, Peck & Richards, Philadelphia, pub
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 912


USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 48
USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 48


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72



743


JUNIATA COUNTY.


Liberty Valley is a narrow defile between the ends of the two Tuscarora Mountains. The Lanrel Run comes ont of the west end. Jona- than Taylor, two hundred and twenty-two aeres in 1768, now called the Comp Farm. James Jacobs had a tract here, now Conrad Comp. David Beale also had a tract just above his other lands. South of these Alexander Me- cracken, in 1792, had two hundred and seventy- nine acres.


Bigham's Gap is directly opposite to Starr, and the end of the mountain is called " Bigham's Mountain." Up the stream is Mohler's tan- nery, in the direction of the old Traders' road over the mountain. Just east of Starr is Jolm Potts, on the " southeast branch of Tuscarora," three hundred and eight acres ( 1767).


Alexander Potts had two hundred and thirty- eight acres, surveyed in 1768, and taxed in Lack ntil, by some surveyor's freak, the head of Laurel Run was thrown into what became Perry County.


Returning now again to the east line of the township, along the creek aud on the road to the north side of the Limestone ridge, we notice :


John Collins, eighty acres, March 12, 1755; Brice Collins, in 1814; now Joseph Williams. Again, Jolm Collins, seventy-eight acres, June 10, 1762. John Scott, below on south side of the creek ; later John Patterson's heirs ; now with additional lands, the property of George Ubil, Anderson Martin and Rev. J. A. Magill. Y Collins was an early settler and one of those that the twelve men came over from Perry County to warn of the approach of the Indians on July 11, 1763. llis house and property were destroyed during the incursion.


John Potts, in the right of James Potts, ad- joining John Gray, on the north side of Lime- stone ridge, and west of Collins, two hundred and forty-three acres, June 15, 1767; now J. W. Milliken, William Milliken, Josiah Waters and Steward Woodward. Beside this lay Alex- ander Potts, two hundred and eight acres, same date; later William McConnell near the Twin Bridges, now John Dobbs, Joseph Dowling and Jane Hughes.


James MeLanghlin, two hundred and twen- ty-two aeres on the creek, north of Bealetown ;


now Jacob Drolesbaugh. Here are the " Twin Bridges" over Tuscarora Creek.


William Beale in the right of Dongal Camp- bell, up the Lanrel Run on the east side, one hundred and nine acres, July 21, 1767; later David Beale ; now James Allen. On the west side of the run was Daniel Campbell, two hun- dred and fourteen aeres, July 19, 1768, No. 5112, joining William Beale on the south. It passed to William Campbell, then to Nicholas Frederick, then to John Campbell, whose only son, David E., conveyed to John Milliken, father of J. 1 .. Milliken, present owner. While Fred- erick owned it an order was issued to survey, November 7, 1791, and all over two hundred acres to be added to William Campbell aud Harry Nevil ; April 28, 1796, resurveyed and found to contain only one hundred and ninety- five acres. In 1807, however, Frederick found, improved and held twenty-four acres vacant land adjoining the creek and Nevil. There is a saw-mill on this tract.


William Campbell, two Indred and twenty- one acres, January 14, 1788, called " Belle- voir," which passed to Harry Nevil, then to Manasses Ramsey, Matthew Langhlin and Wil- liam Pannebaker (a name often spelled Penny- packer), whose son, Samnel, now resides on it. Just by his house is "Pennebaker's Island," where the " Harvest Home Pienie" is yearly held. The island contains about eight acres, and it is estimated that at least five thousand people attended there this year. On this place there is an old grave-yard, in which one James Lippencott was buried in 1797. Iu later years a imber of the Pannebaker family have been interred here.


Jane Swan, sixty-eight acres, March 25, 1763; William Kerr in 1810; now Widow G. M. Smelker. This is the " Deep Spring Plantation." This spring, near the creek, above the house one hundred yards, was formerly very deep. A man informs us he ran a pole down fourteen feet and there were no evidences of a bottom. It is re- lated that at an early day a peddler came riding along the road which then passed close by the spring, and rode into it to water his horse, when suddenly both he and the horse disap- peared in the depths, leaving no trace behind ex-


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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.


cept his hat. We camot vouch for the truth of this story. Abont forty years ago William Paunebaker had his boys hanl a great many loads of stone into it in order to prevent future accidents. Across the creek Widow Swan had another survey of fifty-four acres, Jime 6, 1767; with Thomas Kerr down the creek and Alex- ander Blaine above: Near by William Me- Claire had two hundred and twenty-seven acres, February 22, 1787, adjoining James Sanderson, Alexander Blaine, William Beale and the creek.


Captain Samuel Finley, one hundred and sixty-seven acres, called " Hard Purchase," on the creek above the Deep Spring. Just above this tract, on the William Morris land, the Tra- ders' road crosses the ereck, as given on an old draft. This road came over the mountain at Bigham's Gap ; one branch led to Shade Gap, another crossed by Reed's Gap to the Juniata at MeVeytown, another path led on up the south side of the creek. Finley was John Armstrong's assistant in surveying. He was captain in the Second Battalion in 1763-61. His descendants still live in Dublin township. William Morris WATERFORD was laid out by Dr. Thomas Langhlin about 1796. The sale of lots did not progress very rapidly, so he disposed of them by lottery. Each subscriber paid a certain sum, and the successful drawers were to pay addi- tional sinns and be subject to ground-rent. The subscription papers show at least forty-four names of men who ventured their chances in the lottery. In the heading to this paper is the following rhapsody worth of preservation : appears on the tax-list of 1763 for two hundred acres. In 1770 he had a saw-mill, and from 1771 to 1774 grist and saw-mills. He, there- fore, had the oldest mill within the present townships of Lack and Tuscarora. Where was it? In the Finley survey Morris is given next above. In the Harvey survey he is given as next below. He seems to have owned or claimed a large tract on both sides of the Mill Rum at Waterford. From 1775 to 1778 the mills and lands are taxed to Robert Walker, and from 1779 to 1782 they are taxed to Andrew For- rier. On October 25, 1783, Robert Magaw, of Carlisle, bought at sheriff's sale five hundred acres, which included the mills, for he is taxed for them from 1783 to 1790. Robert Magaw's excentors sold, April 15, 1790, five hundred aeres to Peter Shaver. This clearly took in all the lands about the town. Peter Shaver, find- ing he could not hold all the land under the Morris title, took ont a warrant May 12, 1795, and on October 14, 1796, he surveyed under it three hundred and is aeres. This act he had patentel January 26. 1797. and -obl to Matthew 'The village nos contains a store, hotel and Laughlin, February 20, 1797. The draft shows , twenty-seven dwelling houses. Several of it-


that at the time of the survey Shaver had a saw-mill at a point not far from the present grist-mill. On the flat by this creek Peter Sha- ver had his " Tobacco Patches." This tract, three hundred and two acres, Shaver sold, May 13, 1796, to Matthew Laughlin. This tract was sold to Paul Langhlin, April 26, 1810, who had it patented under the nameof " Tobacco Patches." It is now owned by John Showers and Mrs. M. Laughlin, and the "Tobacco Patches" by Widow S. Goshorn. The belief is that Thomas Laughlin built a stone mill in 1796. Its loca- tion is fixed as above the present mill. About 1802 this mill passed to Enoch Anderson, and in 1808 to Samuel Wallick, and in 1829 to John Fahnestock, and later to Jacob Shirk, Samuel Me Williams, William J. Kirk, who dng a new race and built the present mill in 1851 ; since then it has passed to Dr. J. M. Morrison and to James J. MeMullin, the present owner. Just above the town, on the run, Matthew Laughlin had his taunery, 1821-31 and later, and also his saw-mill.


" The town of Waterford is situated on the leading road from McClelland's Ferry, Mouth of Tuscaroru ercek, and Carlisle, which leads to Path Valley, Angh- wick and Burnt Cabins. Tuscarora Valley, which is remarkable for its fertility ; the Tuscarora Creek, on which the town stands, is navigable in time of flood for a considerable burthen down to the Juniata River, which affords an easy conveyance for all kinds of produce down to market. Nothing more need be said in its recommendation, as adventurers, on view- ing its situation and advantages, may judge for them- selves."


The Carlisle Gacette of February 8, 1811, contains a notice to purchasers of lots to pay up or be subject to ground-reut.


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£


745


JUNIATA COUNTY.


industries, past and present, are up the Mill Run within the limits of Lack township.


The East Waterford Benjamin F. Walls Post was organized January 15, 1884. James Milliken was the first commander ; Robert A. Work is the present ; Sammel Bartley, adjutant. The post has about sixty members. Enoch An- derson had his tannery in the rear of Ferguson's store.


The Methodist Episcopal Church in Water- ford was built in 1818. The first Presbyterian Church at this place was built about 1838 ; the present one was built in 1868. This congrega- tion and that at McCulloch's Mills constitute a pastoral charge.


Now starting on the lower line of Tuscarora, on the north side of the creek, we have:


Joseph Scott, two hundred and four acres, June 17, 1767 ; later Charles Tower ; now Rev. J. J. Ilamilton.


John Morrison, two hundred and thirteen aeres, August 25, 1767, west of Scott ; part to Charles Tower; now Abraham Noss, Sr., John Noss and others.


John Scott, one hundred and fifty-five acres, April 16, 1767, on the ereck, adjoining Morri- son ; now Ralph Dobbs, Abraham Noss, JJr., and Levi Trego's heirs. West of this James Imis took up eighty-five aeres; now Robert Gray.


Robert Porter, three hundred and fourteen acres, November 8, 1766 ; this and the above tracts have been much subdivided by new lines ; now partly heirs of Michael Kunkle. In 1802, Thomas Dobbs got parts of the Robert and Stephen Porter surveys.


William Arbuckle, two hundred and thirty- eight acres ; now James Junk and Thomas Ar- buckle. This is one of the few tracts that remain in the name of the original owner and in the line of his family. Arbuckle's first war- rant was February 4, 1755. He was an early settler. On June 14, 1761, John Hlamilton sold him his improvement, "including a Deer Lick on Little Tuscarora," which is located about twenty rods below the iron bridge on Willow or Poru Run. This land he had war- ranted June 17, 1767. He also purchased fifty- eight acres warranted to Thomas Martin, Sep-


tember 6, 1762. These tracts made two hun- dred and seventy-two acres, and as such were patented.


Stephen Porter, Esq., of Cceil County, Md., three hundred and two acres, November 8, 1766, north of Arbuckle. Most of this tract was held by his family 'until a few years ago, when a descendant, Stephen Porter Harlan, moved up and now resides upon it.


Thomas Dobbs, one hundred and fifty-one aeres, December 28, 1785, on both sides of the creek. This survey included nearly all of the survey made to Samuel Martin, September 6, 1762, forty-two acres of which were on the north side of the creek ; now Widow Thomas Dobbs.


The surveys of Samuel, Jolm and Thomas Martin referred to above, and one of June 17, 1762, for one hundred and nine acres, are now owned partly by Joseph and James Dobbs. On the western corner of William Martin, in right of John Martin, there was laid off, "at the re- qnest of William Arbuckle, for the use of a Presbyterian Congregation," two acres, Septem- ber 23, 1802. The store, as well as the church and grave-yard, are on this corner of this survey.


Jane Campbell, one hundred and ninety-three acres, April 5, 1769. This is the traet on which most of the village of MeCulloch's Mills is located. William Campbell and his wife, Jean, conveyed it, October 6, 1785, to John Anderson ; June 12, 1793, to James Anderson, who built the first grist-mill upon it in 1786; sold to Samuel McCulloch March 26, 1804, who rebuilt the mill in 1813; David Nugent, millwright.


Samuel, William, James, John and probably Joseph McCulloch were brothers who came to America. William was a soldier five years prior to June 29, 1813, when he re-enlisted in Captain Walsh's First Regiment Artillerists; wounded in battle at New Orleans ; discharged in 1815. Samuel's sons were John, James, Thomas, George, Samuel and Stewart. Joseph was the father of General George and Samuel, the latter being the father of Dr. John McCul- loch, of Huntingdon, once a member of Con- gress.


PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- The church here


باست مد الكي ٦ جديد


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·


746


JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.


is called Middle Tuscarora, and under Rev. Coulter formed a charge with that of Lower Tuscarora at Academia ; afterwards it consti- tuted a charge with the new organization at East Waterford. As near as can be ascertained, the following were its pastors: Rov. John Coulter, 1801-31; Rev. James M. Olmstead, 1834-37 ; Rev. John Fleming, 1841-12; Rev. Andrew Jardine, 1843-60; Rev. James J. Hamilton, 1860-64; Rev. David J. Beale, 1864-68; Rev. S. S. Wallen, 1870-78 ; Rev. S. A. Davenport, 1880-83. Rev. Jardine died in 1868, aged eighty-two years.


Now beginning again on the lower line of the township, we notice that the tract of Fran- eis Innis, of Beale, extended up into Tuscarora township, and that on this part lived his son Nathaniel ; now the farm of Richard Henry.


Jonathan Robison, one hundred and forty- eight acres, May 8, 1775 ; now Mrs. Dr. S. B. Crawford. On this tract there is a small burial- ground. Neal McCoy, two hundred and thirty- four acres, May 4, 1786. On the southern point of this tract stands the village of Me- Coysville. The post-office here was established about 1837. Joseph S. Laird was postmaster till 1875 ; since then Theodore Meninger and W. C. Laird. The town has a store and hotel. The grist-mill was built by Neal McCoy in 1829 ; rebuilt by David Coulter in 1845 ; since then it has passed to Samnel McCulloch, Fred- erick Schwalm, Jacob Stine, William Hacket, S. B. Crawford, George M. Stewart and Henry Okeson.


John McKnight, three Imunared and twenty- eight acres, June 1, 1762, above MeCoysville, " on the head springs of Hamilton's Run." This tract was once owned by Rev. John Coul- ter ; later by Nicholas Okeson and others ; now by Jesse Rice, Joshua Beale, James Kidd and John Randolph.


William Gray, three hundred and thirty aeres, April 18, 1787 ; now George Wood- ward's heirs and John Woodward. Alexander Miller, three hundred and thirty-six acres, July 20, 1787 ; now Charles McCulloch. Robert about five hundred miles he saw a variety of


Reed, two hundred and sixty-five agree, sip- tember 9, 1767 ; in 1817 Robert Crone. In | 1862 James Crawford held parts of the Reed |


and Me Knight surveys and Ephraim Sicher the other part. Reed's tract, now owned by J. C. Crawford, John Linn and James Gray. There is a gap here leading into the head of Black Log Valley, and from the warrantee and this defile the village and post-office name, " Rood'- (ap," is derived. There are two stores here and a few houses. The post-office here was es- tablished January 1, 1869 ; James Irwin first postmaster ; since then H. S. Thompson and J. C. Crawford. Wesley Methodist Episcopal Chapel was commenced in 1867 and dedicated in the fall of 1868. The society was organized and worshipped in a school house abont four years before the church was built. The build- ing is of white sand-stone, has just been re- modeled, and presents a neat appearance. The stores and church stand on the Alexander Mil- ler survey. Up in the gap, on the Blair sur- vey, the Reeds had their fulling-mill and card- ing-machine, 1824-31, and followed by Elias Cook in 1831, from whom the gap was often called Cook's Gap. In 1850 there was a tan- nery built on the old fulling-mill site by Joseph Stewart ; greatly enlarged by Joseph and James Slaymaker abont 1854, and afterwards rebuilt by John A. Bechtel and his son, Harry H., now of Newport, who carried on a large business at this place until 1872, when they sold to George McCulloch, and it is now owned by his son-in- law, Joseph Landis, but as a tammery, Mount Hope has ceased operations for several years.


John Lukens, Esq., surveyor-general of the province, two hundred and twenty-one acres, Angnst 23, 1765, adjoining Stephen Porter and Benjamin Say, south of Reed's, in the gap of the ridge. Here James Anderson had his full- ing and saw-mills as early as 1817 ; now lands of John Anderson, Thomas Creighton and others. In 1768 Lukens made a trip through the frontiers to inspect the lands. Ile says he went " to Shamokin (Sunbury), thence to the Jimiata Settlement, Sherman's Valley," cte. While in Huntingdon he carved his name on the Standing Stone. He says : " In this journey of hill- and dades and some very good land." His own tract could not have been of the latter.


John MeKnight, two hundred and sixty-one



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747


JUNIATA COUNTY.


acres, June 1, 1762 ; formerly Magill's lands ; later Moses Irwin's; now on the east end of lands of Widow Lawson, James Wiley and others. North of the above are James Anderson, two hundred and thirteen acres, March 3, 1787, ad- joining Smiley, in the right of MeKnight, the claims of JJohn Anderson, and eighty-three aeres held by James Smiley in 1802. This and the remaining part of the MeKnight survey com- prise the two farms of Matthew Dougherty, who lives at the former mansion of Moses Irwin, who died there in 1856, aged seventy-nine years, having held this traet for fifty-two years. William Magill, son of Rev. Hugh Magill, had his tannery on the Mrs. Lawson part of the above traet.


At the extreme end of the Johnstown Valley, just in the edge of Tuscarora township, at Gruver's tannery, later Hart's, was William Scott, who was to be left in back in 1768, in the order erecting Milford ; later William Williams, and now William Hart.


North of Innis came in Samuel Eakin, two hundred and nineteen acres; west of Eakin was Richard Wallace, one hundred and nineteen aeres ; west of Wallace, Robert Gilliland, two hundred and nineteen acres, later Alexander Given ; then James Mackey, one hundred and one aeres, now JJohn MeKinley ; then William Rainey, two hundred and twenty-eight acres, from whom John Black took off his improve- ment in 1802.


Samuel Young, two hundred and fifty acres, March 30, 1787, surveyed by Samuel Lyon, who says : " The lower end of this land is nearly op- posite, or rather above, the first gap of the ridge, where the first fork of Licking Creek goes through," and he says, "situate in Lack Township and on the waters of Licking Creek." June 25, 1787, Lyon certitied to the above facts and says : " The lands in this survey are nearly all level, being pretty good arable land, capa- ble of producing good wheat, corn or any other grain, and is well timbered and watered, lying in a good settlement, nearly thirty miles from ( 'arlisle."


The Van Swearingens are descended from an early Dutch settler on the Delaware. The first of the name to come to Tuscarora was


Thomas, in 1793. Ilis son Evan was long a well-known citizen. A genealogy of the family has been printed, in which a graphie and pathetic story is told of two of the children of a brother of Thomas being carried off by Shawanese In- dians. The older one, Charles, who wore a blue jacket at the time, prevailed upon his cap- tors to let his little eight-year-old brother go home to inform his parents, agreeing himself to go and stay with them. He became finnous among the Shawanese as Blue Jacket, and his descendants are still prominent in that tribe. The writer met Chief Charles Blue Jacket in Washington a few years since.


Leaving to the right the old, much traveled road from McCulloch's Mills to the Lick School- House, we come to "the Sterrett Lands," which were warranted by Jane Campbell, two hundred and eighty-four acres, Joseph Reah, two hundred and thirty acres, William Chambers, two hun- dred and seventy-seven acres, September 9, 1767. These lands lie in a line from the residence of James Mairs to Union School-Honse. The Chambers tract was called the " Hickory Lick." For many years Ralph Sterrett is taxed for all these lands, The Hickory Lick was once a famous landmark. The old voting-place of this township was three-fourths of a mile northeast of it.


MCCOYSVILLE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- At McCoysville there is a good, com- modions brick church, belonging to the United Presbyterian congregation, built in 1871. The old church, now torn down, stood a mile below the town, where there is a large grave-yard. This ground was taken from thesurvey of Francis Inis of June 3, 1762, and included "a house of Public Worship ocenpied by the Seeeder Congregation." This congregation was organ- ized at an early day. It was united with the Fermanagh Church under Rey. William Logan, who preached from 1777 to 1805; then Rev. Thomas Smith was pastor of the united con- gregations of Tuscarora and Fermanagh from 1802 to his death, February 12, 1832, aged seventy-seven years ; then by Rev. James Shields, who died August 19, 1862, aged fifty years, in the twenty-eighth year of his ministry. After this, for a time, Rev. James MeKce; then Rev.


748


JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.


J. A. Magill was pastor of this church, exchi- sive of the one east of the river, for twenty years. He has recently resigned, by reason of failing health, and removed to Dalton, Ga. These ministers were all able, well-educated men, who left their impress during the long periods they ministered to these people. Rev. Thomas Smith owned 'a farm in Spruce Hill, where he resided, and was held in the highest esteem.


BIGHAM's FORT was on the site of the resi- dence of the Reed brothers. Formerly their garden occupied this spot, and a variety of rusty iron knives, spears, as well as stone tom- ahawks and arrow-points were found there. Adjoining the present house there stood an old dwelling, in the chimney of which was found a gun-barrel, on which pots were swung, by means of a chain and hooks. On an examination of the gun-barrel it was found to be loaded with a musket ball and three buckshot. The Bighams came from East Pennsboro' township, Cumber- land County, but nothing is known of them after selling ont to Francis West, a wealthy English- man living in Carlisle.


An account of the attack by the Indians on Fort Bigham in July, 1756, will be found in the third chapter of the General History, pages 68-69, which gives names nowhere else pre- served. It reads as if Woods, Innis and the others first named had been in the fort; but it was not known just where the captives were taken. The Inmis tradition says they were taken in the fort ; and Woods, in an unsworn affidavit, says he was taken on " the 12th or 13th in the settlement of the Tuscarora." Rev. Charles Beatty narrates a capture of a fortifica- tion in his journal, in 1766, found elsewhere, which must refer to this fort, but in which he says there were nothing but women and children. It is probable that the men were killed or picked up singly, and the fort only assaulted when it was found defenseless,


The Innis tradition is that he wa- at the fort at the time of the capture, rather by chance. than habit, for an attack was not anticipated; and further, that only one other man was near it at the time. This seems to carry out the story related by Beatty. Hannah Gray will be men-


tioned under the head of Spruce Hill, and Fran- cis Imis under Beale, and George Woods under Lack, and Robert Taylor under Milford town- ship. Mrs. Giles was probably the wife of the John who sold his claims to William Anderson, in Spruce Hill. McDonald probably lived north of the Mckee tract. Little or nothing is now known of the others killed and carried off, nor have their incipient homes been identified.


John MeDonald was captured and made his escape. He was with an Indian, who had him in charge. They came to a run in a thicket of lanrels, where the Indian, being thirsty, lay down at the stream to get a drink, keeping his prisoner at a safe distance. MeDonald made a spring and dashed into the bushes ; the Indian, as quickly as possible, was in hot pursuit, guided by the sound of cracking bushes rather than by sight. After MeDonald had ron a dis- tance, he started up a deer. He lay down be- hind a log, and the Indian passed on, mi-led by the sounds of the disturbed thicket, as the deer bounded onward in front of his pursuer, who supposed that the crashing noise was made by his recent prisoner. MeDonald erouched beneath the log until the danger was over, and then returned to the settlement. His wife was probably the sister of John Gray, as he says in his will that in case neither his wife or danghter should ever return, their half of the plantation was to go to " my sister, Jane MeDonald," and he also mentions " Mary MeDonald, my niece." Ile had taken ont a warrant for one hundred aeres on September 8, 1755. He was the father of Theophilus, Joseph, John and Daniel, from whom there are numerous descendants still in Tuscarora Valley, as well as scattered over the Western States.




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