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Bit Of History AboutEarly Settlers■y 8. 8. M. MacPHERSONTHEY FLED WYOMING . . .IfFor the past several weeks thereaders of this column have been treated to a fairly steady dtet of genealogy and for that reason, if no other, a change is in order. The historical and genealogical study of the “Upper” Low Dutch Burial Ground of the Conewago will be continued in future columns.sylvania, as a place of refuge.Again referring to family tradition, another but related branch ofthe Kennedy family had beenliving in the “English Settlement”in Huntington and Menallen Town-In the history of Pennsylvania,both as province and state, the territory now known as Adams County seems to have been, in come way or other, included in all major events. Take the tragic andterrible Wyoming Massacre forexample:“The Star and Sentinel,” May 32 1866 -“Death of the Last Survivor of the Wyoming Massacre —Last Massacre Survivor“We learn from the ’Hanover Spectator’ that Mr. Samuel Kennedy. age 33 years, died at his residence in Petersburg (York Springs, Adams County, Penn-sylvama, on Friday, May 11, 1866 The deceased was the la*: survivor of the Wyoming Massacre, which occurred during the War of the American Revolution— h8 mother having brought him away when five years old in her flight from the inhuman slaughter. She, with her son, Samuel Kennedy, settled in Menallen Towaship, then in York, but now in Adams County, Pennsylvania Hera Samuel Kennedy continued to reside until his death, surrounded by a numerous family of children, grand- and great-grandchildren, a venerable citizen respected by all who knew him. He was bom in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, on the 6th of December 1773.”The “Gettysburg Compiler, May 22, 1866 -“A correspondent of the ‘Baltimore Sun.’ in a letter, dated York Springs, May 12th, 1866, *ays:-Htd In Fieldships for many years. It isreasonable to assume that Mrs.Kennedy and her children fled to relatives and, having experienced .sufficient horror to last a lifetime, the family decided to remain in York 'now Adams) Gmnty.Is Well DocumentedBecause of its historical importance the Wyoming Massacre is fairly well documented, HLstori-aas, in the main, agree on all im-{Kirtant points icgarding the Battle of Wyoming, as the massacreis sometimes called. It was but natural that the Iroquois (Indian) Federation, or the Six Nations, was ranged in the War of the American Revolution on the same side as Sir William Johnson's son. John Johnson, and William Penn’s grandson, as well as the Quakers, all of whom had remained the firm friends of the Indian It was:ti1“Samuel Kennedy’s father, John Kennedy, with his two broth-Samuel and Thomas Ken-ers.nedy, settled in the Wyoming Settlement some time before its ctestruc: *n by the Indian*. The 1 frontier uncle, Samuel Kennedy, was killed, and hi* wife and six children taken prisoners and never heard of after the massacre. John Kennedy's wife and three children, the eldest being the boy, Samuel Kennedy, just deceased, after hiding m a wheat field, surrounded by Indians, all night, finally escaped. John Kennedy was absent a the time, having gone to Penn's Valley to assist in guarding the people there from the Indiarv*Two of John Kennedy’s wife’s brothers were killed in the massacre The other Kennedy Thomas was a single man at the time and escaped uninjured.”According to a fairly reliable family tradition Samuel Kennedy, last survivor of the Wyomingquite as natural that the Indiansshould be on a different side from the so-called Scotch-Irish, the Connecticut settlers, and the French. The British Governmcn* offered a reward for the scalps of the Americans The whole of Pennsylvania beyond the Susquehanna River thus became the scene ofraids by the Indians, who were urged on and frequently accompanied by English officers and Tories.Tiie year 1778 brought great distress and fear to the entire fiontier, but particularly to the Wyoming Valley, in what is now Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The defeat and surrender of the British General Burgore had left the British without a sufficient available force in America to carry on a regular campaign for that year. The war, however, bad to be continued and the on y re-| source left was to employ the ! Indians and Tories almost exclusively in carrying on a war of desolation and destruction on thel(IAttack On FortLate in June, 1778, the notorious Colonel John Butler with his Tory Rangers, a detachment of Colonel John Johnson* Royal Greens and, a large body of Indian.*, chiefly Seneca, descended the Susquehanna River. This force numbered approximately 400 British andTories and 700 Indians Aformidable army to throw against the almost defenseless frontier. I The initial assault was on Fort Jenkins, located uppermost in theWyoming Valley. Here wore gathered nearly all of the familiesliving m the neighborhoodThefort was attacked and forced to surrender to a superior force onJuly 2, 1778. Fort Wintermoot, located one mile below For! Jerv-Massacrt, is buried in a grave threw open its gates whenthethat i* now unmarked ingraveyard of old Christ Episcopal Church, Huntington Township. this county There are quite a good few other members of the Kennedy family buried here - both m marked and unmarked gravenmoreIn her flight from the Indian.* and Tone* at the time of the massacre, the wife of John Kennedy, with her three small children, must have had some reason for choosing Menallen Township, in what is now Adams County, Penn-the enemy appeared and surrendered without firing a shot Here, at Fort Wintermoot, the British and Tones assembled.These notes on the Wyoming Massacre will be continued in this column next weex.With the exception of minerals and metals. Florida could almostbe self-sufficient. Its farms, ranches and fishing resources supply almost ail other needs. And its tourist attractions money for everything e *euppiy
Newspaper Details
Gettysburg Times
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, US
Sat, Jun 18, 1960
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Oplin
OH, USA 28 Apr 2020
Other Publications Near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
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