The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania], Part 4

Author: Rupp, Israel Daniel, 1803-1878. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1846
Publisher: Lancaster city, Pa., G. Hills
Number of Pages: 614


USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 4


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


The number of Catholics in 1757, beginning from twelve years of age, including German, English and Irish, about fourteen hundred, according to a statement by Mr. Warden, April 29, 1757. There were then in and about Philadelphia and in Chester county, under the care of the Rev. Robert Harding, 90 males and 100 females, all Irish and English. In Philadelphia city and county, Berks and Northampton, under the care of Theodore Schneider, 252 males and 248 females, a !! Germans; in Berks and Chester, 92, whereof 15 were Irish. In Lan- caster, Berks, Chester and Cumberland, under the care of Ferdinand Farmer, 394, whereof 97 were Irish. In York county, under the care of Mathias Manners, 54 German males, 62 females ; 35 Irish males, and 38 females .- Prov. Rec.


About nine-tenths of the first settlers of York, then includ- ing Adams county, were Germans, and some small proportion of Cumberland now within the limits of Franklin, was origi- nally settled by them, and some part of Dauphin (then Lan- caster.) Cumberland was exclusively settled by Scotch, and Scotch Irish, with the exception of a few English." The Germans did not begin to immigrate into the lower part of Cumberland till abount 1760 or 62. The great influx into Cumberland commenced about 1770. In the lower part of the county, were among the early German settlers, John Ger- man, Henry Longsdorff, John Leininger, Michael Bore. Michael Kunkle, Andrew Capp, Michael Dill, Michael Hack, Conrad Manasmith, Baltzer Schneider, Mathias Saylor, Chris- topher Wittmayer, Casper Weber, Simion Krauss, Elias Er- minger, Leonard Fischer, Martin Herrman, Philip Jacobs, Christopher Mayer, Jonas Rupp, George Rupley, Casper Reider, John Scherer, John Wormley, Christopher Eichel- berger, W. Buchhalter, Christian Fuchs, Jacob Herschberger, Simon Pretz, Henry Umberger, Adam Arris, Adam Kreutzer. Daniel Franks, Jacob Othenwalt, Joseph Baumann, Dewalt Erfurth, Jacob Forney, Henry Herschberger, Henry Hum- barger, Philip Lang, Jacob Lebenstein, and some others who had all settled before 1775, in East Penn township.


The following are among Germans who had settled in Al- len township before 1775, viz: Adam Kuhn, Christian


* See Article, " The Irish."


5


50


INTRODUCTION.


Schwartz, Carolus Emhoff, Peter Albert, John Knauer, Chris- tian Bollinger, Joseph Strack, Heinrich Tustus Weber, Mi- chael Weiss, Jacob Weiss, George Wingler, Henry Yordee, John Schaever, Henry Tom, Jacob Yordee, Ludwig Braun, John Gerber, John Grieger, Abraham Heid, Jacob Knob, Jacob Miller, Samuel Neisly, Adam Barnhart, Ludwig Brandt, John Bielman, John Cocklin, Jacob Cocklin, Leonard Wolf, Samuel Baer, John Brindel, Martin Brandt, Jacob Bricker, Jacob Kreiser, Gideon Kober, Jacob Frey, Peter Herr, John Riehm .*


In the Conogocheague settlements, there were several Ger- man settlers at a very early period, about 1736-'45, among these were the Snivelys, Schneiders, Piscackers, Liepers, Ledermans, Haricks, Laws, Kolps, Gabriels, Ringers, Stei- ners, Senseny, Radebach, Reischer, Wolffs, Schniedt.


Within, or on the borders of the present limits of Dauphin county, were some German families settled prior to 1745 ; these were, Gabriel, Schultz, Musser or Moser, Rosebaum, Ricker, Boor, Schwar, Lichty, Roth, Schitz, Hailman, Brecht- bill, Sies, and others.


· Bee History of Cumberland county, chapter XXIV.


CHAPTER III.


THE IRISH OR SCOTCH IRISH.


Time of their first immigration --- Settle first near the boundary line be- tween Maryland and Pennsylvania --- James Logan's statement con. cerning them --- First settlers in Donegal --- In Peshtank --- Richard Pe- ters' complains of them --- They oppose a survey in Adams county --- Settle west of the Susquehanna, in Cumberland county --- Disagree- ment between the Irish and Germans, at Lancaster and York --- Im- migration of, to Cumberland county encouraged --- Lord's prayer in Irish.


According to Mr. Watson's statement, Irish immigrants did not begin to come to Pennsylvania as soon as the Germans. It appears few, if any, arrived in the Province, prior to 1719. Those that did then arrive, came principally from the north of Ireland.


· Irish or Scotch Irish. This term is used to designate a numerous and honorable people, who immigrated to the Province of Pennsylvania at an early date. Whence this term is derived, the following historical notice, will serve to explain. During the reign of Charles I., in the year 1641, October 27, the massacre of the Irish Protestants occurred, in Ireland, where, in a few days, fifty thousand were inhumanly, with- out regard to sex, age or quality, butchered ; and many fled to the North of Scotland, from which country the North of Ireland had been colo- nized by Protestants.


An act was passed by Parliament, (the act of uniformity) 1662, re- quiring all ministers and churches rigidly to conform to the rites of the established church, which occasion two thousand ministers (called Non-conformists) to dissent and abandon their pulpits. This act affected Scotland with equal severity. In 1691, the Toleration act was passed, under which the dissenters enjoyed greater privileges ; but, in the reign of Queen Ann, (1704-1714) the Schism Bill, which had actually obtained the royal assent, alarmed the dissenters much-the provisions of that bill were, that dissenters were not to be suffered to educate their own children, but required them to be put into the hands of Conformists, and which forbade all tutors and school masters being present at any conventicle or disserting plan of worship.


These difficulties and the unsettled state of affairs in Europe drove many of the more quiet citizens from their native home, and of this number were those, and descendants of those who had fled from the worth of Ireland to Scotland, as well as genuine Scotch.


.


52


INTRODUCTION.


Such as came first, generally settled near or about the dis- puted line between Maryland and Pennsylvania, if we ex- cept those who settled in Donegal township, Lancaster county, and those of Craig's, and Martin's settlements in North- ampton county.


James Logan, writing of them to the Proprietaries, in 1724, says, they have generally taken up the southern lands, (meaning in Lancaster, towards the Maryland line,) and as they rarely approached him to propose to purchase, he calls them bold and indigent strangers, saying as their excuse, when challenged tor titles, that we had solicited for colonists, and they had come accordingly. They were, however, un- derstood to be a tolerated class, exempt from rents by an or- dinance of 1720, in consideration of their being a frontier people, forming a kind of cordon of defence, if needful .- They were soon called bad neighbors by the Indians, treat- ing them disdainfully, and finally were the same race who committed the outrages called Paxtang Massacre. The gen- eral ideas are found in the Logan MSS. collection. Some of the data are as follows :


"In 1725, James Logan states, that there are so many as one hundred thousand acres of land, possessed by persons, (including Germans,) who resolutely set down and improved it without any right to it, and he is much at a loss to deter- mine how to dispossess them.


In New Castle government there arrived last year (172S) says the Gazette (of 1729) forty-five hundred persons, chie- tly from Ireland.


" In 1729, Logan expresses himself glad to find that the Parliament is about to take measures to prevent the too free emigration to this country. In the meantime the Assembly had laid a restraining.tax of twenty shillings a head for eve- ry servant arriving ; but even this was evaded in the case of the arrival of a ship from Dublin, with one hundred catholics and convicts, by landing them at Burlington. It looks, says he, as if Ireland is to send all her inhabitants hither, for last week, not less than six ships arrived, and every day two or three arrive also. The common fear is, that if they continue to come, they will make themselves proprietors of the pro- vince. It is strange, says he, that they thus crowd where they are not wanted. But besides these, convicts are impor-


INTRODUCTION. 53


ted hither .* The Indians themselves are alarmed at the swarms of strangers, and we are afraid of a breach between them-for the Irish are very rough to them."


" In 1730, he writes and complains of the Scotch Irish, in an audacious and disorderly manner, possessing themselves of the whole of Conestoga manor, of fifteen thousand acres, be- ing the best land in the country. In doing this by force, they alleged that it was against the laws of God and nature, that so much land should be idle, while so many Christians want- ed it to labor on, and to raise their bread, &c. The Paxtang boys were great sticklers for religion and scripture quotations against "the heathen." They were, however, dispossessed by the Sheriff and his posse, and their cabins, to the number of thirty, were burnt. This necessary violence was, perhaps, remembered with indignation; for only twenty-five years af- terwards, the Paxtang massacre began by killing the Chris- tian unoffending Indians found in Conestoga. The Irish were generally settled at Donegal."


Among the first settlers in Donegal were the Semples, Pattersons, Scotts, Mitchells, Hendricks, Speers, Galbreaths, Andersons, Lowreys, Pedans, Porters, Sterrits, Kerrs, Works, Litles, Whitehills, Campbells, Moors, Smiths, M'Ewens, Ramsays, Gilstons, Cotters, M'Intyres, Cooks, Howards, Clarks, M'Clellans, Clennings, Brackans, Wilsons, Allisons, Halls, Stuarts, Trintons, Hughs, Lynns, Browns, Collins, Andrews, Fos- ters, Banes, M'Coskeys, Carithers, Ramages, Marchets, Pattons, Ports, Reas, Fultons, M'Collocks, Brus, Kellys, Walkers, many of whom had settled here prior to, or soon after the organization of Donegal town- ship, which was in 1722.


From Donegal, the settlements by the Irish and Scotch were extended into Paxton, Derry, Londonderry and Hanover townships, Lancaster county, (now Dauphin, and part of Lebanon) Paxton (Peshtank) and Derry townships were organized prior to 1730. See Dauphin county.


Mr. Logan, says Watson, writes in another letter, "I must own, from my own experience in the Land Office, that the settlement of five families from Ireland gives me more trouble than fifty of any other people. Before we were broke in upon, ancient Friends and first settlers lived happily, but now the case is quite altered, by strangers and debauched morals, &c. All this seems like hard measure dealt upon those spe- cimens of " the land of generous natures," but we may be


* Augustus Gun, of Cork, advertised in the Philadelphia papers, that he had power from the mayor of Cork, for many years, to procure ser- rants for America-1741.


5*


54


INTRODUCTION.


excused for letting him speak out, who was himself from the " Emerald Isle," where he had of course seen a better race .*


" Logan's successor, Richard Peters, Esq., as Secretary to the Proprietaries, falls into a similar dissatisfaction with them; for in his letter to the proprietaries, of 1743, he says, he went to Marsh creek (Adams county,-then Lancaster) to warn off and dispossess the squatters, and to measure the Manor land.


" On that occasion, the people there, to about the number of seventy, assembled and forbade them to proceed, and on their persisting, broke the chain and compelled them to retire. He had with him a sheriff and a magistrate. They were af- terwards indicted-became subdued, and made their engage- ment for leases. In most cases the leases were so easy, that they were enabled to buy the lands ere they expired."


The breaking of the surveyor's chain happened on the 17th of June, 1743. The principal settlers on Marsh creek at that time, were William McLelan, Jos. Farris, Hugh McCain, Matthew Black, James McMichell, Robert McFarson, Wil- liam Black, James Agnew, (cooper) Henry McDonath, John Alexander, Moses Jenkins, Richard Hall, Richard Fossett, Adam Hall, John Eddy, John Eddy, jr., Edward Hall, Wil- liam Eddy, James Wilson, James Agnew, John Steene, John Johnson, John Hamilton, Hugh Vogan, Ilugh Swainey, John Mc Wharter, Titus Darley, Thomas Hosswick.


Settlements were commenced in Cumberland, (then Lan- caster) by the descendants of Irish and Scotch immigrants, and some recently from the Emerald Isle, and Highlands of Scotia, and some few English, about 1730 and '31.+ After 1736, when Pennsborough and Hopewell townships had been erected, the influx of emigrants from Europe, and from Lan- raster county, into Kittochtinny valley, west of the Susque- hanna, increased rapidly ; for in 1748, the number of taxa- bles in this valley (Cumberland and Franklin counties) was about eight hundred; of whom there were not fifty Germans -those few were in the Conocheague settlement.


Shortly after Cumberland county had been erected (1750) the proprietaries, "in consequence of the frequent disturban-


· Watson's Annals, ii. 109.


+ Benjamin, Robert and James Chambers commenced settlements west of the Susquehanna, about or before 1730. See Article, Cham- bersburg, infra.


55


INTRODUCTION.


ces between the governor and Irish settlers, gave orders to their agents to sell no lands in either York and Lancaster counties to the Irish; and also to make advantageous offers of removal to the Irish settlers (as the mingling of the two nations in Lancaster and York had produced serious riots at elections) in Paxton and Swatara, and Donegal townships, to remove to Cumberland county, which offers being liberal were accepted by many.


As early as 1732, there was a violent contest between An- drew Galbraith and John Wright, both candidates for the Assembly. Wright was an English Quaker, Galbraith an Irishman ; but in 1743, the Irish strove more effectually for ascendancy at the polls. This year an election was held to supply the vacancy occasioned by the death of Thomas Lin- sey. The Irish compelled the sheriff to receive such tickets as they approved, and make a return accordingly .*


The matter was afterwards investigated, and the following resolutions were adopted by the Assembly-


Resolved, That the sheriff having assumed upon himself the power of being sole judge at the late election, exclusive of the inspectors chosen by the farmners of the said county of Lancaster, is illegal, unwarrantable and an infringement of the liberties of the people of the Province ; that it gave just cause for discontentment to the inhabitants of said county ; that if any disturbances followed thereupon, it is justly im- puted to his own misconduct.


Resolved, That the sheriff of Lancaster county be admon- ished by the speaker. The sheriff attended, and being ad- mnonished, promised he would take care and keep the law in future. He also altered the return, as Samuel Blunston was entitled to take his seat."+


In 1749, an election was held at York. There were two prominent candidates for sheriff, Hans Hamilton, from Marsh creek, (Adams county) the Irish candidate; Richard M'A]- lister, the favorite of the Dutch. The Germans, as they are wont, without much ado, worked well for their candidate, evidently gaining on their competitors; this vexed the ireful friends of Hamilton. Two or three stout, blustering Hiber- nians-boxers, as they were called-took possession of the


* History of Lancaster county, p. 288.


¡ Votes of Assembly.


56


INTRODUCTION.


place " where to poll;" determined that none but their candi- dates' friends should vote. A stout German, equally deter- mined to enjoy what he considered his rights, without yield- ing any the least, stepped up to vote-tripped up the heels of one of the swaggering Irishmen, which eventuated in an af- fray. The standing saplings, near at hand, were soon torn down, and sticks cut which were used as defensive and offen- sive weapons. Blows were promiscuously dealt out-the Irish were routed-driven beyond Codorus creek; and at the risk of bloody heads, dared not to appear, all day, east of the Co- dorus. The Germans voted, and elected M'Allister, by an overwhelming majority. But, in this instance, Gov. James Hamilton disregarded the expressed will of the majority of voters, commissioned Hans Hamilton for one year. Illy con- sidered policy, as the sequel proved.


At the second election held at York, Oct. 1750, for repre- sentatives, a large party of Germans drove the Irish from the polls. It was set forth in a petition to the Assembly touch- ing this affray that, Hans Hamilton did not open the election till two o'clock in the afternoon, which caused not a little uneasiness among the people. That the Marsh creek people, gathered about the election house to give in their tickets and would not suffer the Dutch people and others to come near the house, but did all they could to keep them off with clubs, so that the Germans were obliged to do the best they could, or else go home without voting; and being the most in number they drove the people from the house, and when they had done so, they came in a peaccable manner to give in their votes; but when the sheriff saw his party was mastered, he locked up the box, and would not suffer the inspectors to take away more tickets, which made the Dutch people angry, and they strove to break into the house-and then the sober people desired the sheriff to continue the election; but, he would not, and went away out of the back window, several of the inspectors going with him-and then the freeholders desired the coroner to carry on the elec- tion-which having done carefully and justly; and, after- wards, the sheriff was asked to come and see the votes read, and an account taken of them, but he refused, &c.


The whole matter was investigated-the sheriff was called


57


INTRODUCTION.


before the Assembly, publicly admonished by the speaker, and advised to preserve better order in future .*


Though the Germans occupy the greater portion of the farms, first settled by the Irish, in Dauphin and Cumberland counties, there are still a respectable number of the descen- dants of this generous and hospitable people, occupying the homesteads of their ancestors. Unlike the German, the des- cendants of the Irish, no longer speak the language of their valorous fathers.


The following is the Lord's prayer in Irish, copied from Gr. Daniel's edition of an Irish Bible, printed 1602:


Air nathir ataigh air nin. Nabz fat hanimti. Tighuh da riathiate. Deantur da hoilamhuoil Air nimh agis air thal- ambi. Air naran laidthnil tabhair dhuin a niomb. Agis math duin dairf hiacha ammnil. Agis mathum vid dar feu- thunuim. Agis na trilaie astoch sin anau sen. Ac sar sina ole .- Amen.


CHAPTER IV.


INDIAN MASSACRES, (1727 and 1741.)


Thomas Wright killed near Snaketown, 1727-Davenport's testimony -John Armstrong, James Smith and Woodward Arnold killed by Musemeelin in 1744-Alexander Armstrong's letter to Allumoppies- Search made for the bodies of the deceased ; found and buried them- Provincial council held-Conrad Weiser makes a demand for the murderer at Shamokin-Weiser's transactions, &c., at Shamokin- Shickcalemy's statement touching the murder of Armstrong.


The principal, of the numerous murders committed by the Indians upon the whites, within the limits then embraced by the upper part of Lancaster county, and of Cumberland, forms the subject of several chapters of this part of this compilation.


As settlements became somewhat extended, the white


* Votes of Assembly, iv. 152, 153.


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INTRODUCTION.


people, especially Indian traders came in closer contact with the Indians ; and despite of the efforts of the government serious conflicts ensued, and, in some instances, blood was shed. This was, however, owing as much to the imprudence of the whites as to the temerity of the Indians. Sometime in 1727, a person named Thomas Wright was killed by some Indians, at Snaketown, forty miles above Conestoga.


John Wright, Esq., of Chester, (now Lancaster county, Columbia) addressed a letter, carried by Jonas Davenport, to Secretary Logan, at Philadelphia, which was laid before the Council, September 27, 1727. It was set forth in the letter, that on the 11th of September, several Indians, to- gether with one John Burt, an Indian trader, and Thomas Wright, were drinking near the house of Burt, who was singing and dancing with the Indians, and the said Wright .- Burt bade Wright knock down the Indian; whereupon Wright laid hold upon the Indian, but did not beat him ;- that afterward Burt struck the Indian several blows with the fist; after which both Wright and Burt returned into the house, whither the Indians followed them, and broke open the door-that while Wright was endeavoring to pacify them Burt called out for his gun, and continued to provoke them more and more ; that thereupon Wright fled to the hen-house to hide himself, whither the Indians pursued him-and next morning he was found dead.


In the report of inquest, it is set forth that the said Wright came to his death by several blows on the head, neck, and temples ; which the jurors said they believed, was done by the Indians.


From the testimony of Jonas Davenport, before the Coun- cil, it appears that this quarrel, which ended in the death of Wright, arose from the too free use of rum, sold by Burt .-- Davenport said, " That he was informed, by credible people living near the place, where the murder was committed, that John Burt sent for rum for the Indians, which they drank, and that he afterwards sent for some more, that a dispute arising between Burt and the Indians, the said Burt filled his bands with his own excrement and threw it among the In- dians. This filthy act-some rumsellers are filthy dealers --- provoked the Indians to a great degree. They were of the Munsooes Indians, who then lived on an eastern branch of the Susquehanna.


59


INTRODUCTION.


Sometime in the year 1744, John Armstrong, a Trader, among the Indians, west of the Susquehanna, with two of his servants or men, namely, James Smith and Woodworth Arnold, was murdered by an Indian of the Delaware tribe, named Musemeelin, on the Juniata river. Seven white men and five Indians went in search of the bodies of those murdered ; after some search, found and buried them. The murderer was afterwards apprehended, and delivered up by his own nation, and imprisoned at Lancaster, whence he was removed to Philadelphia, lest he should escape, or his trial and execution produce an unfavorable impression on his coun- trymen about to assemble, for a conference with the whites at Lancaster. The Governor directed or required that the property of Armstrong should be returned to his family. He also invited a deputation to attend the trial of Musemeelin, and his execution, if found guilty.


Alexander Armstrong, of Lancaster county, a brother of the deceased, addressed a letter to Allumoppies, King of the Delawares, at Shamokin, touching the death of his brother, and some threats made by some Delaware Indians upon his life.


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, knowing 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 cannot 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 mur- derers and their companions.


I expect an answer ; and am your much hurt friend and brother,


ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG.


A party of men had made search for, and found the bodies of the murdered, as appears from Armstrong's letter above, and the following deposition :


PAXTON, April 19, 1744.


The deposition of the subscribers testifieth and saith, that the sub- scribers having a suspicion that John Armstrong, trader, together with his men, James Smith and Woodward Arnold, were murdered by the Indians .- They met at the house of Joseph Chambers, in Paxton,* and there consulted to go to Shamokin, to consult with the Delaware King and Shickcalimy,and there council what they should do concerning the


· Mr. McCallister's, or formerly Fort Hunter.


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INTRODUCTION.


affair, whereupon 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 morn- ing 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 them- selves in order to find out the corpse of the deceased, and one of the deponents, named James Berry, a small distance from the afore- said sleeping place, came to a white oak tree, which had three not- ches 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 him- self was eating by the Indians, which he carried to the aforesaid sleeping place and showed it to his companions, one of whom hand- ed 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 depo- nents steered along a path about three or four miles to the Narrows of Juniata, where they suspected the murder to have been commit- ted, and where the Allegheny road crosses the creek, these depon- ents sat down in order to consult on what measures to take in or- der to proceed on a discovery. Whereupon most of the white men, these deponents, crossed the creek again, aad went down the creek, and crossed into an island, where these deponents had intelligence 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 Indi- an who crossed the creek again ; and soon after, these deponents see- ing some Bald eagles and other fowls, suspected the corpse to be there- abouts ; 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 deponents 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 fur- ther down the creek, they saw more Bald eagles, whereupon they made down towards the place, where they found another corpse (being the corpse of Woodworth Arnold, the other servant of said Armstrong) ly- ing on a rock, and then went to the former sleeping place, where they had appointed to meet the Indians ; but saw no Indians, only that the Indians had been there and cooked some victuals for themselves, and had gone off.




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