extended to the places to which the mutual claims were not settled, either by survey or charter. The more unruly availed themselves of these harbors, and their conduct was ground for complaint, as is fully set forth in the following petition:

A petition from the Justices, Grand Jury, Commissioners and Assessors of the County of York, was presented to the House Feb. 18 1757, and read, setting forth, that near two townships, and many other small tracts of the best land in said county, are held under the Proprietary of the Province of Maryland, and therefore the inhabitants of these lands are not liable to pay taxes, or other public dues for the support of this government, neither do they (as they inform the petitioners) pay to the Province of Maryland, under whose jurisdiction they are, or ought to be, by the Royal order; that the situation of these lands being chiefly from five to fifteen or twenty miles and upwards north of the Temporary line, and consequently separated from Maryland by laws held under our Proprietaries, the petitioners apprehend to be the reason why the inhabitants of said lands are not called upon for public dues by the officers of Maryland; that as many of the inhabitants of the said lands as have convenient situations, and are in suitable circumstances, do distil great quantities of spirits, and keep public houses, and neither have license from, nor pay excise to, either of the Provinces; that some of them entertain the servants and hirelings of their neighbors on Sabbath days, and harbor and conceal many of such of the inhabitants of this Province as get in debt or commit any crimes cognizable before the court in said county, to the manifest injury of the public, and of numbers of the inhabitants of this Province; that nevertheless the persons residing on this land, sue for, and recover, their debts amongst the petitioners, and enjoy all the other privileges of Government with those who contribute towards the support thereof; the peti tioners, therefore pray, that this House will consider the premises, and grant such remedy as shall seem expedient.-Votes of Assembly, iv. 694. Feb. 18, 1757.

CHAPTER XLII.

FIRST SETTLERS, &c.

First settlers in various parts of the county-Disputes and affrays between the Irish and Germans-At York 1750-1751-Sufferings of early settlers-Indian incursions-Abduction of Richard Bard-Education-Poor-house.

The first settlers of this county were principally Scotch-Irish, who settled in the southwest part of the county, on and along Marsh creek; some English descendants who settled in the borders of Maryland, in

and about Diggis' Choice, with some Germans, Low Dutch, and emigrants from the lower counties.

Among the first settlers on Marsh creek, about 1738-'40, were William McLelan, Joseph Farns, Hugh McClain, Matthew Black, James McMichell, Robt. McFarson, William Black, James Agnew (the cooper) Henry McDonath, John Alexander, Moses Jenkins, Richard Hall, Richard Fosset, Adam Hall, John Eddy, Edward Hall, James Wilson, John Eddy, jr. James Agnew, William Eddy, John Steen, John Johnson, John Hamilton, Hugh Vogan, John Mc Wharter, Hugh Swainey, Titus Darley, Thomas Hoswick and some of the Campbells, Allisons, Morrisons, &c.

At that time, the limestone lands, in the lower part of the county, now so valuable in the hands of the German farmers, were not held in high estimation, on account of the scarcity of water, and the ScotchIrish passed them by to select the slate lands, with the pure springs and mountain air to which they had been accustomed to at home. These settlers were of the better order of peasantry, and brought with them the characteristics of their native land. They were moral, industrious, and intelligent; and for the most part were rigid Presbyterians, or "Seceders." They were frugal, as the Scotch always areplain in their mode of living, but cordial and hospitable. They were universally men of undaunted courage and high patriotic feeling; and when the alarm of the revolution first rung through the land, it called no truer or more willing hearts than those of the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The manners and character of the early settlers have been very generally inherited by their descendants-many of whom still cultivate the same farms, worship in the same old churches, and hold fast to the rigid and venerated "form of sound words" of the Presbyrian church.

The region around Gettysburg, including all of Cumberland and part of Strabane townships, was originally known as "the Manor of Mask," established by warrant from the Penns in 1740, previous to which time many settlements had been made. Some dispute arose concerning the title; but a compromise was effected by the original settlers through the agency of Mr. McLellan in 1765, when the boundaries of the manor were marked, and a list of the names of the first settlers, with the date of their settlement, was returned to the land-office, to prove the incipiency of their title.

The section of country around Fairfield or Millerstown, is known as the tracts, or Carroll tracts, upper and lower. These were large tracts, surveyed and held by the Carroll family, under Lord Baltimore's title, before the southern boundary line had been definitely settled, of which some account is given below.' Charles Carrol had been agent for Lord Baltimore.-Smith's Laws, ii. 136.

The Germans settled between Hanover and Littlestown, in the limestone region. The names of some of the early settlers in this region are Martin Kidmiller, Adam Farney, Peter Weltie, Peter Reischert, Andrew Foreman, Stephen Ulrich, Abraham Haul, Derrick Jungblut, Frederick Schitz, Casper Bergheimer, Hans Martin Ungefehr, George Kuntz, Hans Morgenstern, George Marschtaler, Ludwig Schreiber, Andreas Herger, Dewalt Jung, Peter Ober, Andreas Schreiber, Herr Jus engling, Peter Jungblut, Adam Sell, Peter Hertz, Herr Mosser, all of

whom took up lands, or settled under Maryland Rights. Shiely, Worley and others, settled in Conewago township.

Within the last 45 years, those from Ireland and Scotland, and their descendants, have been supplanted by Germans. The German language is now commonly spoken in many parts of the county.

At an early period, 1749, '50, '51, the Scotch-Irish and Germans had several affrays. In 1749 there were two prominent candidates, Hans Hamilton and Richard McAllister, for the sheriff's office, before the public. The election was held at York, in 1749, and for years afterwards, at the house of Baltzer Spengler. It was an unfinished building of logs, through an opening of which, tickets were received. In the cool of the morning all was quiet. The Germans were in favor of McAllister; the Irish for Hamilton; the former were very active for their candidate, and evidently gaining on their competitors; which vexed the ireful friends of Hamilton. Several of the Irish took possession of the polls-determined that none but their friends should vote. The Germans, determined upon their rights, without yielding an inch; when an affray ensued-promiscuous blows were severely dealt out-the Irish were routed.

A similar affray occurred in October 1750, at the election for representatives to the Assembly, when a large party of Germans drove the Irish off-knocked down the sheriff. The whole affair was investigated in the Assembly. Two versions are given of the proceedings.-The Germans did set forth by way of extenuation of their conduct, "that Hans Hamilton did not open the election till two o'clock in the afternoon, which caused no little uneasiness among the people. That Hamilton's party—the Marsh creek people gathered about the election house to give in their tickets, and would not suffer the Dutch people and other friends to come near the house, but did what they could to keep them off with clubs, so that the Dutch were obliged to do the best they could, or else go home without voting, and being then the most in number, they drove the people from the house, and when they had done so, they came in a peaceable 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 election-which having done carefully and justly and, afterwards, 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 before the Assembly, publicly admonished by the speaker, and advised to preserve better order in future."

The Germans and Low Dutch were either Lutherans, German Reformed, or Catholics: the latter principally in Conewago township; and though few prior to 1760, are now very numerous, and constitute a highly respectable portion of the community of this county, and many of them influential and intelligent. In 1757, there were under the care of the Revd. Mathias Manner, officiating priest, in York county (comprising Adams) 116 German and 78 Irish Catholice.

The prevailing religious denominations are Catholic, Lutheran, Ger

man Reformed, Methodist, Presbyterian, Dunkard or German Baptists, Mennonites, United Brethren, Church of God, Quakers or Friends, Bpiscopalian, all of whom have their regular places of worship.

During the French and Indian war, the Indians made occasionally hostile incursions into Adams, (then York) though greatly protected by the frontier settlements and the barrier of the South mountain, which shielded them to some extent against the savages: nevertheless, the more adventurous of the savages penetrated into the very heart of the settlements, perpetrated murders and abducted some, as will appear from the subjoined deposition :

York county, ss.

The affirmation of Richard Baird, of Hamilton's Ban twp., aged 22 years, who saith that his habitation being at the foot of the South mountain, on the southeast side thereof, on the 13th of April last, at 7 o'clock in the morning, he, this deponent, was in his house, with Katharine his wife, John his child about 7 months old, Thomas Potter, son of the late Capt. John Potter, Esq., Frederick Ferrick his servant, 14 years of age, Hannah McBride aged 11 years, William White 9 years old; in his field were Samuel Hunter and Daniel McMenomy laborers, when a party consisting of 19 Indians came and captured Samuel Hunter and Daniel McMenomy in the field, and afterwards came to the dwelling house of this deponent, and 6 of them suddenly rushed into into the house, and were immediately driven out by this deponent and Thomas Potter; the door of the house was thrown down by our pressing to keep the Indians out and their pressing to come in: they shot in the house at us, and shot away Thomas Potter's little finger. We then had time to know their numbers, and in a little time surrendered, on the promise of the Indians not to kill any of us; and took us about 60 rods up the mountain, where their match coats lay; for they were naked except the britch clouts, leggings, moccasins and caps; there they brought the two men that had been at work in the field, and in about half an hour ordered us to march, setting me foremost of the prisoners. We marched one after another at some distance; at about seven miles they killed my child, which I discovered by seeing its scalp; about 12 o'elock I saw another scalp, which I knew to be Thomas Potter's. I have since been informed they killed him at the place where their match coats lay. Friday the 14th, about 12 o'clock, they murdered Samuel Hunter, on the North mountain. They drove us over the Allegheny mountains in a day and a half, and on Monday night about 10 o'clock I escaped-they having sent me several times about three rods from the fire to bring them water. In 9 nights and days I got to Fort Lyttleton, having had no food other than 4 snakes which I had killed and eat, and some buds and roots and the like; 3 Cherokee Indians found me about two miles from Fort Lyttleton, cut me a staff and piloted me to the Fort.

In conversation with the Indians during my captivity, they informed me that they were all Delawares; for they mostly all speak English. One spoke as good English as I can. The Captain said he had been at Philadelphia about a year ago. I asked them if they were not going to make peace with the English? The captain answered and said, they

were talking about it when he was in Philadelphia last winter; but he went away and left them.

Affirmed and subscribed the 12th ́

of May, 1758-Coramme Geo.
Stevenson.

RICHARD BAIRD.

Education.—The state of education is on the advance. In several of the towns there are schools of advanced standing, and the schools conducted by well qualified teachers. Every township in the county except Germany, Latimore, Reading, Tyrone and Union, has adopted the Common School System. Thirteen districts have reported seventy-six schools; employing 73 male and 27 female teachers; the former receiving an average salary of $17,94, and the latter $9,59 per month. In these schools 2,064 males and 1,594 females are taught. A district tax of $6,188.28 was raised. The State appropriation amounted to $3,844.00. Cost of instruction $5,517.34; fuel and contingencies $667.94. Besides the common schools, and subscriptions there are several academies in the county.

Support of the Poor.-In this, as well as other counties, ample provision is made for the more unfortunate of mankind-the paupers.About a mile east of Gettysburg is a poor house, a hospital, with a farm of 150 acres attached to it, well stocked and pretty well improved. There is also a sohool in the poor house for the children; and preaching every Sabbath. The inmates, chiefly foreigners, number from 90

to 100.