DOCSLIB.ORG

Hoosier Patriot

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Hoosier Patriot INDIANA SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HOOSIER PATRIOT Volume XLV No. II December 2013 Indianapolis, Indiana The Hoosier Patriot is a quarterly publication of the Indiana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. While the editors and contributors strive to provide accurate and timely information, please consult local chapters and the Indiana Society web site for updated and additional information concerning specific meetings and events. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Greetings Compatriots: Traveling Around the State Since I was installed as President of the INSSAR I have had the opportunity to visit seven Chapters in different parts of the state. Each had a well planned agenda as well as very interesting pro- grams. I was privileged to induct new Compatriots into the Society, award service medals and install new Chapter Officers. The reports on the Chapter activities reflected each being about the business of the SAR and its goals and objectives. Keys to Success In the past couple of issues I have outlined my goals as your Indiana Society President as well as given some suggestions for effective chapter functioning and growth. Below I review some of these and add new ones along with comment Color Guard – The Color Guard is our best Public Relations weapon. A large Color Guard allows us to cover a number of events without overworking any one Chapter or Compatriot. While most chapters have Compatriots who participate in the Color Guard, there is no entity called a chapter Color Guard; there is only the Indiana Society Color Guard which is a unit of the Nation- al NSSAR Color Guard. It should always be remembered that when participating as a Color Guard you represent the SAR and reflect upon it! School Programs – What could be more important than communicating the SAR message at every opportunity in the public, private and home school sectors? Find a way to do this thru personal contact. Our school programs also include our Youth Contests. Website – Steve Oberlin is the INSSAR Webmaster and has recently remodeled our website for ease of finding information as well as to reflect our ongoing activities. It is also a great source of information and recruitment tool. (See page 2 - President’s Greetings) 1 (President’s Greetings, continued) Flag Collection– Each Chapter should have the basic American, Indiana and SAR flags. Flag collections can be used in school programs and to draw greater attention to your Color Guard and community activities. Ladies Auxiliaries – The INSSAR has a well functioning group. The Ladies use their skills in the Color Guard, research, school programs, DAR connections, and fund raising to support our Youth Contests. The Lady of every compatriot should be a member. It is only $5 per year. I know that the ladies enjoy their fellowship together! Awards – We must continue to recognize the time and effort of our INSSAR Compatriots at every level, particularly the Chapter. Those medals which are available for chapters to award are; the INSSAR Bronze Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Color Guard Medal, Bronze Roger Sherman Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal. The Bronze Good Citizen Medal may be awarded for outstanding community service. Requirements for each of these can be found on the INSSAR web site (www.inssar.org) Public Relations– At every event and at every opportunity we must work to find contacts with the media (radio, TV, newspapers, magazines). This is particularly import for our Grave and Battle dedications and commemorations. Communication- The use of E-Mails, newsletters, and phone calls are essential to assist Compat- riots with planning and updating on their busy calendars. I challenge each chapter to have a newsletter at least annually or better yet quarterly. The goals of the SAR are worthy and promoting them is an important task for every Compatriot. Our knowledge and passion for history and genealogy places us all on common ground. What could be more important in our society today than promoting these educational, historic, and patriotic objectives? Given what I see and hear in the media about the general ignorance of our country con- cerning our nation’s history, I ask each Compatriot to find additional time to support our SAR objec- tives in any way you find possible. William Sharp, INSSAR President 2 The Indiana Society UPCOMING EVENTS of the Sons of the American Naturalization Proceeding Date: Revolution Jan 16, 2014 INSSAR Time: Winter House of Delegates 9:15-11:15 a.m. Where: Meeting Federal Courthouse, Indianapolis _____________________________________________________________ Pre-registration Form INSSAR WINTER HOUSE OF 18 January 2014, 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time) DELEGATES MEETING Date: Jan 18, 2014 Compatriot Name: Time: _____________________________________________________________ 10:30 a.m. Mailing Address: Where: _____________________________________________________________ Franklin College 101 Branigin Boulevard _____________________________________________________________ Franklin, IN 46131 Email Address: ________________________________________________ Johnson Center for Fine Arts Henderson Conference Room Chapter : _____________________________________________________ Program: Guests Names: ________________________________________________ Bryan’s Station Siege _____________________________________________________________ Lodging: Quality Inn Franklin 317-346-6444 Awards Member # of Guests Total Price Total Group rate: $69.99+tax Reservations by Jan 10 Luncheon Attending $25/person Request Sons of the American Revolution rate Total Due _____________________________________________________________ Advance Registration is $25 per person. Registration at the door Mary Bryan DAR Awards is $30. Please complete and mail this form, along with payment. Date: Checks made to: Benjamin Franklin Chapter, INSSAR Mar 10, 2014 Time: Mail to: 6:30-7:45 p.m. Brad Manzenberger Where: 1461 Roberts Road Bethel Community Church 2810 East Southport Road Franklin, IN 46131 Indianapolis, IN 46227 Contact: Stuart Hart 3 The Indiana Sons of the American Revo- lution Color Guard participated in the Caroline Scott Harri- son Chapter, NSDAR Marker Dedication for John Mitchell-PA on Sep- tember 22, 2013 in Indianapolis, IN Above: Carson Smith, Stuart Hart, Steve Oberlin, Ron Darrah, Dave Betzner, Rodney Sherard. 4 John Mitchell, Revolutionary War Patriot, was born July 29, 1758 in Middleton, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He married twice and little is known of his first wife. He married his second wife, Judith Hollinger about 1795 and fathered daughters Sarah Ann, Susa Catherine, Barbary and a son Michael. He served in the Revolutionary War from the state of Pennsylvania as a Private with the Artillery Artificers in Carlisle, PA. Artillery Artificers were formed at the request of General Washington and consisted of civilians as well as military men who had skills needed to manufacture and repair the items used by the military. This freed the regular trained militia to fight. John Mitchell’s group was responsible for the making and repairing of cannons and ammunition. When Mitchell’s service ended, he migrated to Ohio where he was a farmer. In 1820 he applied for a pension. In 1847, he again applied to the pension board to have his pension sent to Indiana, where he moved to be with his daughter Sarah Mitchell Apple, (wife of John Apple, Jr.) after his wife’s death. He died January 11, 1851 in Indianapolis at the age of 92, and is buried in the McVey/Old Trails Cemetery, 299 Old Trails, Indianapolis. 5 Lochry's Defeat was a battle fought near present-day Aurora, Indiana. Col. Archibald Lochry and his men, about 100 Pennsylvania militiamen, were trying to catch up with Col. George Rogers Clark for an assault on Fort Detroit. During a rest stop along the Ohio River the battle began and was short and decisive: about one hundred Indians under Joseph Brant, a Mohawk war leader who was temporarily in the west, ambushed Col. Lochry and his troops. Brant and his men killed or captured all of the Pennsylvanians without suffering any casualties. Below: Central District VPG Lance Carter bringing greetings Above: State Representative Randy Frye, INSSAR State President William Sharp and T. Rex Legler. Rep. Frye brought greetings. Below: Compatriot Mark Kreps reads a history of the Battle Above: Greetings from DAR State Regent Jeanie Hornung 6 Continued Above: Musket Salute by joint INSSAR and KYSSAR Color Guard Right: DAR state regent Jeanie Hornung is escorted to wreath placing by SAR state president William Sharp Above: The wreaths provided by the SAR and DAR 7 November 5, 1780 Here along the Eel River in what is today called Whitley County, Col. Augustin de laBalme was roundly defeated by the Miami Indians led by Chief Little Turtle. Col. De laBalme had been on his way to capture Fort Detroit with a troop of approximately 100 men. 8 9 The INSSAR was well represented at the 2013 Indianapolis Veteran’s Day Parade. Participants above: Taylor Hicks, Earl Salisbury, Stuart Hart, Dennis Boone, Mark Kreps, Rodney Sherard and Janet Kreps(DAR). 10 Both young in years and young at heart participated. Pictured above: Taylor Hicks and his grandfather Stuart Hart. 11 12 On November 16 members of the Indiana Society Color Guard and members of the Per- cussive Arts Society conducted
Load more

Recommended publications
  • David Library of the American Revolution Guide to Microform Holdings
    DAVID LIBRARY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION GUIDE TO MICROFORM HOLDINGS Adams, Samuel (1722-1803). Papers, 1635-1826. 5 reels. Includes papers and correspondence of the Massachusetts patriot, organizer of resistance to British rule, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Revolutionary statesman. Includes calendar on final reel. Originals are in the New York Public Library. [FILM 674] Adams, Dr. Samuel. Diaries, 1758-1819. 2 reels. Diaries, letters, and anatomy commonplace book of the Massachusetts physician who served in the Continental Artillery during the Revolution. Originals are in the New York Public Library. [FILM 380] Alexander, William (1726-1783). Selected papers, 1767-1782. 1 reel. William Alexander, also known as “Lord Sterling,” first served as colonel of the 1st NJ Regiment. In 1776 he was appointed brigadier general and took command of the defense of New York City as well as serving as an advisor to General Washington. He was promoted to major- general in 1777. Papers consist of correspondence, military orders and reports, and bulletins to the Continental Congress. Originals are in the New York Historical Society. [FILM 404] American Army (Continental, militia, volunteer). See: United States. National Archives. Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War. United States. National Archives. General Index to the Compiled Military Service Records of Revolutionary War Soldiers. United States. National Archives. Records of the Adjutant General’s Office. United States. National Archives. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty and Warrant Application Files. United States. National Archives. Revolutionary War Rolls. 1775-1783. American Periodicals Series I. 33 reels. Accompanied by a guide.
    [Show full text]
  • S22452 Cary Quigly
    Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters Pension application of Cary Quigly S22452 fn24PA Transcribed by Will Graves 9/3/11 [Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Where the meaning is not compromised by adhering to the spelling, punctuation or grammar, no change has been made. Corrections or additional notes have been inserted within brackets or footnotes. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. A bracketed question mark indicates that the word or words preceding it represent(s) a guess by me. Only materials pertinent to the military service of the veteran and to contemporary events have been transcribed. Affidavits that provide additional information on these events are included and genealogical information is abstracted, while standard, 'boilerplate' affidavits and attestations related solely to the application, and later nineteenth and twentieth century research requests for information have been omitted. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. Also, dates or numbers which the software treats as numerals rather than words are not corrected: for example, the software transcribes "the eighth of June one thousand eighty six" as "the 8th of June 1786." Please call errors or omissions to my attention.] State of Pennsylvania Westmoreland County SS On the 22nd day of May 1833 Personally appeared before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County in open court Cary Quigley [sic] aged eighty-seven years who being duly sworn according to law makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed the 7th day of June 1832.
    [Show full text]
  • S5743 Robert Mcintire
    Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters Pension Application of Robert McIntire S5743 Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris State of Virginia } SS. County of Brooke } On this thirtieth day of July 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Justice of the Court of Brooke County, now sitting, Robert McIntire, resident in the said County and State, aged Seventy one years past, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress, passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. That he was enrolled in the Militia at the age of sixteen years, by Captain Josiah Springer [probably Uriah Springer], in what was then called Youghaganey [sic: Yohogania] County, Virginia, and now Fayette County and State of Pennsylvania. That in the month of June (day of the month not recollected) in the year 1778 he was drafted, and served on month militia duty under the command of Lieutenant Martin, at what was then called “Redstone old fort” (now Brownsville) on the Mongahala [sic: Monongahela] river, to guard the public stores deposited there; these stores consisted of Powder, Lead, flour, salt, &c. that were brought over the mountains on Pack horses, for the use of the troops then at Fort Pitt, under the command of Col. John Gibson. They were brought to Redstone by Braddocks trail, because the road from Bedford to Fort Pitt was considered unsafe on account of Indians.
    [Show full text]
  • Indianwar on the Upper Ohio
    INDIAN WAR ON THE UPPER OHIO 1779-1782 RANDOLPH C. DOWNES 1 controversy over the question of the "conquest" of the "Old TheNorthwest" has never been settled. Nor is this paper written to settle it. The purpose is rather to make itplain that in the closing years of the Revolutionary War the Northwest was not conquered from the Indians. The effort is made to—demonstrate that the tribes most directly in contact with the Americans the Delawares, the Shawnee, and the Wyandot —had, by the end of 1782, successfully defended their hunting grounds from the invasions of the armies of the United States. Tospeak of a "conquest" of the Northwest from the Indians during the Revolu- tion by American armies is to speak idly. The Indians never considered any of this territory as conquered, annexed, or legally occupied until the Treaty of Greenville of 1795. The years from 1779 to 1782 represent one of the lowest stages of effectiveness to which American Indian policy ever sank.* The policy, if itcould be called a policy, consisted mainly of attempts at retaliation for Indian attacks that could not be stopped by the poorly organized defense. From one failure to another American prestige among the Indians de- clined until,in the famous torture of Colonel William Crawford in 1782, American cruelty at the Moravian massacre was avenged and American impotence flaunted inthe face of the leader of a beaten army. Inthe summer of 1779 the Indian situation on the upper Ohio seemed tobe anything but discouraging to the United States. The reverberations 1 Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • A Note on Scalp Bounties in Pennsylvania
    A NOTE ON SCALP BOUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA By HENRY J. YOUNG* N THE early historic period of North America, scalping, ac- I cording to Mooney's account, was confined to the vicinity of the Iroquoian and Muskhogean tribes. Had it not been for the harndsomne rewards offered for scalps by the white men's govern- ments. the vindictive and gruesome practice might never have spread. It did spread, however, over most of the United States,' and for this phenomenon the government of Pennsylvania bears a degree of historical responsibility. Just where or when a bounty for scalps was first offered, is not clear. but certainly such bounties were being offered in New Eng- land during the first half of the eighteenth century.2 It is abundantly clear that Pennsylvania's government proclaimed general bounties for Indian scalps on three occasions, in 1756, in 1764, and finally in 1780. Moreover, under at least two of these proclamations, claims were presented and such claims were duly paid from the public treasury. V\hoever started it, by the 1750's nmost Americans grimly ac- cepted the ethics of scalp buying. We find that in 1753 Father LeLoutre, missionary to the Micmac Indians, advanced 1800 livres silver of Acadia to tribesmen who delivered to him eighteen scalps from the English settlements.3 Three years later, on the opposite side of the long border, we find young George Washington urging "Upon Governor Dinwiddie the payment to certain Virginia troops of a bonus for having brought in the scalp of one Ensign Douville. "*Dr. Henry J.
    [Show full text]
  • A Narrative of the Conquest, Division, Settlement, and Transformation of Kentucky
    University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 5-2013 Pioneers, proclamations, and patents : a narrative of the conquest, division, settlement, and transformation of Kentucky. Brandon Michael Robison 1986- University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Recommended Citation Robison, Brandon Michael 1986-, "Pioneers, proclamations, and patents : a narrative of the conquest, division, settlement, and transformation of Kentucky." (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1222. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/1222 This Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PIONEERS, PROCLAMATIONS, AND PATENTS: A NARRATIVE OF THE CONQUEST, DIVISION, SETTLEMENT, AND TRANSFORMATION OF KENTUCKY By Brandon Michael Robison B.A., Southern Adventist University, 2009 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Louisville In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Department of History University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky May 2013 PIONEERS, PROCLAMATIONS, AND PATENTS: A NARRATIVE OF THE CONQUEST, DIVISION, SETTLEMENT, AND TRANSFORMATION OF KENTUCKY By Brandon Michael Robison B.A., Southern Adventist University, 2009 A Thesis Approved on April 26, 2013 by the following Thesis Committee: _____________________________ Dr. Glenn Crothers Thesis Director ______________________________ Dr.Garry Sparks ______________________________ Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Colonel Daniel Brodhead and the Lure of Detroit
    COLONEL DANIEL BRODHEAD AND THE LURE OF DETROIT BY JOHN C. APPEL' OR most of this three-year assignment in western Pennsyl- Fvania (1778-1781) Colonel Daniel Brodhead was the com- mandant of Fort Pitt in charge of the Continental Army's war effort in the Western section.' The top priority and ultimate objective of Brodhead's military strategy was to "reduce Detroit." The Continental Congress, its Board of War, and the commander- in-chief, General George Washington, had concurred in those instructions to the commandant at Fort Pitt. From the time he arrived on the frontier in September, 1778, until he departed in September, 1781, Colonel Brodhead focused on that British post three hundred miles away as a guiding star-a veritable lure. In the light of that objective, the commandant measured the adequacy of his resources-manpower, provisions, munitions-at Fort Pitt; he cultivated his Indian relations with a view to mak- ing the route to Detroit safe and winning Indian support for his campaign. Colonel Brodhead's major intelligence efforts were directed at obtaining an understanding of the strength and lay- out of the British position at Detroit. Historians have generally overlooked or minimized Daniel Brodhead's place in the Revolutionary War strategy. They have *The author is a Professor of History at East Stroudsburg State College. 'Daniel Brodhead, a Berks County farmer and grist miller, and Penn- sylvania deputy surveyor, had joined the early protest movement against England's Coercive Acts in 1774-1775; in 1776 the entered Pennsylvania's military service as a lieutenant colonel.
    [Show full text]
  • Divided Frontier: the George Rogers Clark Expedition and Multi- Cultural Interaction
    DIVIDED FRONTIER: THE GEORGE ROGERS CLARK EXPEDITION AND MULTI- CULTURAL INTERACTION by KENNETH B. TITUS B.S., Kansas State University, 2006 A THESIS submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF ARTS Department of History College of Arts and Sciences KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2009 Approved by: Major Professor Louise Breen Abstract The land west of the Alleghany Mountains and along the Ohio River and Great Lakes was an area of hotly contested land and sovereignty claims during the colonial period, complete with shifting loyalties and highly factionalized alliances. Warfare and diplomacy in the western territories often hinged on the actions of just one man or a small group of people, with consequences that could cause the collapse of entire empires. The long-standing battle for land and power throughout the Ohio Valley has been called the Long War because once conflict began between the French, British, and Indians in 1754, no one power was truly able to claim the land and its people until the British were forced out of their Great Lakes forts in 1815. George Rogers Clark uniquely united these groups for a short moment in history, a feat made all the more impressive when we consider how long the region remained contested ground between empires. These factions united only once prior the era of American control. During the expedition of George Rogers Clark in 1778, backcountry settlers, French habitants, Indian chiefs, and Spanish officials all united during a small window of time to overthrow British control of the Illinois Country. Clark moved freely from the top political circles of Virginia to the remote frontier outposts of the Illinois Country.
    [Show full text]
  • And Itspopulation. the Literary Record Or Documentary Evidence
    THE ROLE OF VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS INTHE EARLY HISTORY OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA1 ALFRED P. JAMES territorial area of the Westmoreland-Fayette Historical Society has historical significance greatly out of proportion to its size Theand itspopulation. The literary record or documentary evidence of civilized human life and activity in this area barely extends beyond two hundred years; but within that time no area of comparable size in the United States, with the possible exception of the Hudson River valley north of Albany, has been the location of so many historical events, influences, and developments. No local historical society there- fore deserves greater support and a more continued future existence and activity. History is an enormous matter. James Harvey Robinson once pro- nounced it all that man ever felt, thought, said, or did. This highest concept of history is, of course, unreal, for much of man's past as a whole or even in a relatively small area is unrecorded. The fundamental bases of history are found in the extant records. For the story of man- kind as a whole the mass of such records is overwhelming. For a rela- tively small area, such as Westmoreland and Fayette counties, the records are sufficient in quantity to keep local historical scholars busy for cen- turies to come. They involve numerous documents in London, Paris, and Ottawa; our ownnational archives in Washington; state archives in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Illinois,Wisconsin, Michi- gan, and other states of the Union; provincial archives in Quebec and Ontario; and collections in large private libraries.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit History of the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment (1776–1781): Insights from the Service Record of Capt
    Unit History of the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment (1776–1781): Insights from the Service Record of Capt. Adamson Tannehill Tucker F. Hentz 2007 Article citation: Hentz, Tucker F. Unit History of the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment (1776–1781): Insights from the Service Record of Capt. Adamson Tannehill. 2007. Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, E259 .H52 2007. http://www.vahistorical.org/research/tann.pdf Unit History of the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment (1776-1781): Insights from the Service Record of Capt. Adamson Tannehill Tucker F. Hentz (2007) Details of the origins, formal organization, and service record of the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment have defied easy synthesis. Primarily because most of the unit was captured or killed at the battle of Fort Washington on 16 November 1776, the historical trail of the regiment’s “surviving” element has become complex. Modern and contemporaneous accounts of the 1776 New York City Campaign of the War of American Independence convey the impression that the battle marked the end of the regiment as a combat entity. In truth, however, a significant portion of it continued to serve actively in the Continental Army throughout most of the remainder of the war. Adamson Tannehill, a Marylander, was the regiment’s only officer with an uninterrupted service history that extended from the unit’s military roots in mid-1775 until its disbanding in early 1781. His service record thus provided a logical focal point for research that has helped resolve a clearer view of this notable regiment’s heretofore untold history. Antecedents On 14 June 1775 the Continental Congress directed the raising of ten independent companies of riflemen in the Middle Colonies1 as part of the creation of the Continental Army as a national force for opposition to the actions of the British government.
    [Show full text]
  • Adultery, Bigamy and Desertion in Ulster Presbyterian Migration to Pennsylvania, 1780-1815 by PETER GILMORE
    Journal of Backcountry Studies Editor’s note: Based on a paper delivered 26 June 2010 at the XVIII Ulster American Heritage Symposium, Cullowhee, NC. ‘Said to have left His Wife in Ireland:’ Adultery, Bigamy and Desertion in Ulster Presbyterian Migration to Pennsylvania, 1780-1815 BY PETER GILMORE In October 1794, as Pennsylvania’s southwestern backcountry contended with the unsettling outcome of the Whiskey Rebellion, the Session of the Hannastown Associate Reformed congregation wrestled with a different kind of domestic disturbance: the unsavory prospect of adultery within its midst. Uncertain as how best to proceed, the Session sought the advice of the Associate Reformed Second Pennsylvania Presbytery, then meeting at Robert Clark’s house in Hannastown. As the Hannastown elders explained, James Hunter had “married a Woman in Ireland & cohabited with her some time; afterwards left her alive; received Intelligence in America (as he says) of her Death; & was married to another Woman.” Unfortunately for James Hunter, his American bride and ultimately the Hannastown Session, this close-knit Irish Presbyterian community in Westmoreland County had received intelligence indicating that the original Irish wife was, in fact, very much alive.1 Hunter’s apparent adultery presented the Session with a myriad of difficulties. He was a man of some stature in the community.2 Hunter had survived a notorious frontier battle, capture by Britain’s native allies and imprisonment by British forces in Canada, eventually returning to his farm.3 He owned three hundred acres favorably situated along Forbes’s Road, the principal east-west thoroughfare.4 And there was substantive 1 Proceedings, Second Associate Reformed Presbytery, 13 Oct.
    [Show full text]
  • Simon Girty, the Frontier Captive Experience, Loyalty and American Memory
    Sympathy for the Devil 15 Fiske Hall Graduate Seminar Paper Award~ Sympathy for the Devil: Simon Girty, the Frontier Captive Experience, Loyalty and American Memory Mark P. Schock He was fifteen. In those fifteen years he had witnessed and experienced things which only those growing up on the fringes of a frontier society could. He had been raised at a place known as Chambers's Mill in what is now south central Pennsylvania, a settlement rough even by frontier standards. Nineteenth-century historian Consul Willshire Butterfield tells us, "Indeed, it had few, if any, rivals, for its wickedness, in the province."1 As a child he had been evicted from his home. The rude cabin burned, not by Indians, but by an under-sheriff of Cumberland County.2 His father had died violently. Traditional histories suggest that he was killed in a drunken brawl with an Indian named The Fish. His future stepfather then killed The Fish and married the widow? The modern historian Colin Calloway, however, has uncovered Pennsylvania Supreme Court records that show his father died in a duel with a man named Samuel Saunders.4 Nothing in his experience, however, could have prepared him for the events of these past few days. War had once again returned to the frontier. After Braddock's defeat in July 1755 the English settlers of western Pennsylvania erected small forts, including Fort Granville in Cumberland County. The boy's family removed there in July 1756 for protection. On 30 July a force of23 Frenchmen and about 100 Delaware, Shawnee and Seneca Indians under Neyon de Villiers attacked the small fort.
    [Show full text]