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, being 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 wanted 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 afterwards, the Paxtang massacre began by killing the Christian 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, Fosters, Banes, M'Coskeys, Carithers, Ramages, Marchets, Pattons, Potts, Reas, Fultons, M'Collocks, Brus, Kellys, Walkers, many of whom had settled here prior to, or soon after the organization of Donegal township, 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 specimens 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 servants for America-1741.

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 afterwards indicted-became subdued, and made their engagement 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, William Black, James Agnew, (cooper) Henry McDonath, John Alexander, Moses Jenkins, Richard Hall, Richard Fossett, Adam Hall, John Eddy, John Eddy, jr., Edward Hall, William Eddy, James Wilson, James Agnew, John Steene, John Johnson, John Hamilton, Hugh Vogan, Hugh Swainey, John McWharter, Titus Dailey, Thomas Hosswick.

Settlements were commenced in Cumberland, (then Lancaster) 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 Lancaster county, into Kittochtinny valley, west of the Susquehanna, increased rapidly; for in 1748, the number of taxables 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, Chambersburg, infra.

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 Andrew 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 Linsey. 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 fariners 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 imputed to his own misconduct.

Resolved, That the sheriff of Lancaster county be admonished by the speaker. The sheriff attended, and being admonished, 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'Allister, 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 Hibernians-boxers, as they were called-took possession of the • History of Lancaster county, p. 288.

Votes of Assembly.

place "where to poll;" determined that none but their candidates' friends should vote. A stout German, equally determined to enjoy what he considered his rights, without yielding any the least, stepped up to vote-tripped up the heels of one of the swaggering Irishmen, which eventuated in an affray. The standing saplings, near at hand, were soon torn down, and sticks cut which were used as defensive and offensive 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 Codorus. 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 considered policy, as the sequel proved.

At the second election held at York, Oct. 1750, for representatives, a large party of Germans drove the Irish from the polls. It was set forth in a petition to the Assembly touching 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 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.*

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 descendants of this generous and hospitable people, occupying the homesteads of their ancestors. Unlike the German, the descendants 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 thalambi. Air naran laidthnil tabhair dhuin a niomb. Agis math duin dairf hiacha ammnil. Agis mathum vid dar feuthunuim. Agis na trilaie astoch sin anau sen. Ac sar sina ole.-Amen.

CHAPTER IV.

INDIAN MASSACRES, (1727 and 1744.)

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 themProvincial council held-Conrad Weiser makes a demand for the murderer at Shamokin-Weiser's transactions, &c., at ShamokinShickcalemy'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.