Paxton
NOTE: When this article first appeared in the Columbia Spy the author was identified as "A Lady" the author is Rhoda Barber, daughter of Robert Barber Jr. The original is at the Historical Society of Pa. and was called Journal of the Settlement of Wright‘s Ferry on Susquehanna River. What appears below is just a portion of the material printed in the Columbia Spy on the date given. The Paxton Boys were 57 men from Paxton, now in Dauphin County, they were led by the Rev. John Elder, minister at the Paxton Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Elder used Scripture to justify the murder of these Indians..
The Columbia Spy
February 21, 1880
One of the first things in my recollection is the hearing an account of the massacre of the poor Conestoga Indians, which took place in the 12th month,1763, three years before my birth. The great interest which everyone who I heard speak of it took in it seemed to fix it in my memory at a very early age. I thought to have heard some particulars from my brother who well remembers it, but the recollection was so affecting to him tho’ it is nearly 79 years since, that I forgot to ask him all I intended. But I think the principal facts are too strongly fixed in my memory to admit of mistake. They were called the Conestoga Indians, but I think there were some among them of the Shawnee tribe. There was one called Shawnee John, and the little run where they had their huts is still called Shawnee Run. They were here when the first white settlers came, were entirely peaceable, and seemed as much afraid of other Indians as the whites were. They often had fine cabins here by the little mill, my older brothers and sisters used to be whole days with them. They were great beggars, and the children were so attached to them they could not bear to hear them refused anything they asked for. Their principal residence was the place below Indian Town, about nine miles below here, a little distance from Turkey Hill. The land was given to them by the proprietors. They made brooms and baskets and exchanged them for food, and often passed the night at the kitchen fires of the farmers round about. They appeared much attached to the white people, and called their children after their favorite neighbors.
The government of Pennsylvania, now got into other hands, and the peaceable natives of Penn’s administration was changed to one of more hostile nature toward the poor natives. The friends did their best to keep peace in every way, but there were too many against them, and it was thought by many that they would all be destroyed, accordingly a company from Paxton township, under the name of the Paxton Boys agreed to come by night and destroy the poor Indians at their town. Previous to this, the Indians complained that they were suffering, that they were afraid to go a distance to sell their wares, as people began to threaten them with what was likely to be their fate. In consequence of this, James Wright, and a person of the name of Herr, a German who lived near Indian Town, were appointed by Government to supply them with flour and other necessaries for their substance. They were advised to keep in their own town, and their christian neighbors sympathized with their situation, the most of them were Germans of the Menonist Society and hence the friends opposed to war or violence of any kind: and such was the situation of things when, a very cold morning in the 12th month, 1763, a German neighbor came to my father’s house, requesting him to go with him in pursuit of some who had been at his house the preceding night, and whom he termed robbers, having behaved in a very disorderly manner, such as melting the pewter vessels on the stove, and other things of the same kind. My father supposing it had been some persons in a foolish frolic advised him to take no notice of it. He was scarcely gone when five or six men came in, having guns, which they left outside. They were very cold, their coats covered with snow and sleet. I do not think my father was personally acquainted with any of them, though he knew from what part of the country they came. He made up the fire to warm them, and accordingly to the hospitalities of the times, treated them with the customary morning refreshments. While they warmed themselves they inquired why the Indians were suffered to live peaceable ? My father replied, that they were quite inoffensive, living on their own lands and injuring no one. They asked what would be the consequence to those who would kill them. My father told them they would be as liable to punishment as if they killed so many whites; they thought differently. At length they went away without telling what they had been about. In the meantime my two brothers ten and twelve years old had been out, looking a the strangers horses, (as such boys ware wont to do), which were hitched in a shed near the door. After they were gone my brothers said they had tomahawks tied to their saddles, and they were bloody, that they also had Christy’s gun, (Christy was a little Indian boy about their age, and they were much attached to him, he was their playmate, made their bows and arrows, and was indeed a brother) while they wondered what it could mean, a massager came from Herr giving information of the dreadful deed. My father and others went down to see them buried; shocking indeed was the sight, the dead bodies lay among the rubbish of their burnt cabins like half consumed logs. I think there were fourteen. It was said at the beginning of the slaughter, a mother had placed a child, almost an infant, under a barrel, charging it to make no noise. S hot was fired into the barrel which broke the child’s arm; and it still kept silent. I do not vouch for the truth of this, but have often heard it told with the other parts of this shocking story.
One, of whom different things ought to be expected, wrote to vindicate the deed, bringing scripture to prove that it was right to destroy the heathen, and may were of the same opinion. The Paxton boys after the dreadful massacre, at Lancaster, made boast, now they had gotten so many scalps, they would go to Philadelphia and the Quakers should share the same fate. They did go and the result is well known. It always appeared very strange that they were suffered to go unpunished, but I suppose it can be accounted for by those who understand the state of the country at that time. It was believed that all, or most of them came to untimely ends. There was one among the Indians named Bell Sock, whom it was reported had been up the river with a party of enemy Indians that had committed ravages on the whites the preceding summer which proved to be false. At that time hw as hoeing crop in my father’s field. My brother told me he well remembered a little parcel of corn they had gleaned in our field, a short time before they suffered; it laid in the barn till spring, the children seeming to think it would be wrong to disturb the poor Indian’s corn.
Such are the facts I have heard related over and over ever since my childhood. - An account if it will be found in Proud’s history.