INDIAN MASSACRES AT MAHANOY CREEK. On the 15th of October, 1755, a party of hostile Indians fell upon the inhabitants at Mahanoy, or Penn's creek, Union county, and killed and carried off about twenty-five persons, besides burning their buildings and improvements. LETTERS FROM JOHN HARRIS IN REFERENCE TO THE MASSACRE. "May it please your honor: "PAXTON Oct. 20, 1755. I was informed last night by a person that came down our river that there was a dutch (German) woman who made her escape to George Gabriels, and informs us that last Friday evening, on her way home from this settlement, on Mahahony, or Penn's creek, where her family lived, she called at a neighbor's house, and saw two persons lying at the door of said house murdered and scalped; and there were some Dutch (German) families that lived near their places, imediately left not thinking it safe to stay any longer. It is the opinion of the people up the river that the families on Penn's creek being scattered, that but few in number are killed or carried off, except the above said women, the certainty of which will soon be known, as there are some men gone out to bury the dead. By report this evening I was likewise informed by the belt of wampum, and these Indians here, there were seen near Shamokin about six days ago, two French Indians of the Canawago tribe. I a little doubted the truth of the report at first; but the Indians have seemed so afraid that they dispatched messengers imediately to the mountains above my house to bring in some of their women that were gathering chestnuts for fear of their being killed. By a person just arrived down our river, brought information of two men being murdered within five miles of George Grabriels, and it is imagined that all the inhabitants on Penn's creek and Little Mahanoy are killed or carried off, as most of them live much higher up, where the first murder was discovered. The Indian warriors here send you these two strings of white wampum and the women the black one, both requesting that you will lay by all your council pipes, immediately, and open all your eyes and ears, and view your slain people in this land, and to put a stop to it imediately, and come to this place to our assistance without any delay; and the belt of wampum particularly mentions that the proprietors and your honor would imediately act in defence of their country, as the old chain of friendship now is broken by several nations of Indians, and it seems to be such as they never expected to see or hear of. Any delay on our acting vigorously now at this time would be the loss of all Indian interest, and perhaps our ruin in these parts. I am your Honor's Most obed't ser't JOHN HARRIS. P. S. I shall endeavor to get a number of my neighbors to go out as far as the murder has been committed; and perhaps to Shamokin to know the minds of the Indians, and their opinions of these times; and to get what intelligence I can from them, and to encourage some of their young men to scout about, back of the frontiers, to give us notice of the enemy's approach, if possible, at any time hereafter. I heartilly wish your honor and the Assembly would please to agree on some method at this time towards protecting this province, as this part of it seems actually in danger now; for should but a company of Indians come and murder but a few families hereabouts, which is daily expected, the situation we are in would oblige numbers to abandon their plantations, and our cattle and provisions, which we have a plenty of, must then fall a prey to the enemy. Our Indians here seem much discouraged at the large num Ibers of families passing here every day on account of the late murders on the Potomack, and will be much more so if it should happen to be our case. There were two Indian women set out from here two days ago for the Ohio, to bring some of their relations (as they say) down here; and should the French, or their Indians hear by them, as they will be enquiring for news, the effect that their late murders has had among our inhabitants, it will be a matter of encouragement to them. SIR: I received your letter, and shall observe the contents. There is melancholy news, concerning which I have written to his Honor, the Governor. If there were encouragement for 1000 or 1500 men to meet the enemy and build a fort some place up the Susquehanna, I imagine a number of men will go at their own expense to assist. I am sir your humble serv't JOHN HARRIS. P. S. I shall endeavor to keep out a number of Mohawks, that are here, as spies. The "Belt" promised to send out some; but it was our river Indians, and some scouts from the French army, attacked us at Mr. Penn's creek. Yours, J. H. EXPEDITION OF THE PAXTONIANS TO MAHANOY CREEK. On the 23d of October following this massacre, upwards of forty of the inhabitants of Paxton went to Mahanoy, or Penn's creek, for the purpose of inquiry and burying the dead. The following declaration, from one of the party, gives the result of the expedition: "I and Thomas Forster, Esq., Mr. Harris, and Mr. McKee, with upwards of forty men, went to Capt. McKee at New Providence, in order to bury the dead, lately murdered on Mahahony creek; but understanding the corpses were buried, we then determined to return imediately home. But being urged by John Sekalamy and the "Old Belt" to go up to see the In dians at Shamokin and know their minds, we went on the 24th, and staid there all night—and in the night I heard some Delawares talking about twelve in number-to this purpose: "What are the English came here for?" Says another, "To kill us, I suppose." "Can we not then send off some of our nimble young men to give our friends notice that can soon be here?" They soon after sang the war song, and four Indians went off, in two canoes, well armed-the one canoe went down the river, and the other across. On the morning of the 25th, we took our leave of the Indians, and set off homewards, and were advised to go down the East side of the river, but fearing that a snare might be laid on that side, we marched off peaceably on the west side, having behaved in the most civil and friendly manner towards them while with them; and when we came to the mouth of Mahanoy creek, we were fired on by a good number of Indians that lay among the bushes; on which we were obliged to retreat, with the loss of several men; the particular number I cannot exactly mention; but I am positive that I saw four fall, and one man struck with a tomyhawk on the head in his flight across the river. As I understand the Delaware tongue, I heard several of the Indians that were engaged against us speak a good many words in that tongue during the action. ADAM TERRANCE." "The above declaration was attested by the author's voluntary qualification, no magistrate being present, at Paxton, this 26th day of October, 1755, before us. Jno. Elder, Thos. McArthur, Michael Graham, Alex. Mc- N. B. Of all our people that were in the action, there are but nine that are yet returned." THE INDIANS ADVANCING. HEIDELBURG Oct. 26, at 11 o'clock night 1755. Mr. Jas. Reed-Loving Friend: About one hour ago I recived the news of the enemy having crossed the Susquehanna, and killed a great many people from Thos. M'Kee's down to Hunter's Mills. Mr. ELDER, the minister at Paxton, wrote to another Presbyterian minister, in the neighborhood of Adam Reed, Esq The people were then in a meeting, and imediately designed to get themselves in readiness to oppose the enemy, and lend assistance to their neighbors. * Yours, * * CONRAD WEISER." JOHN HARRIS TAKES THE FIELD. On the 28th of October, 1755, John Harris wrote the following letter to Governor Morris : "May it please your Honor: "PAXTON Oct. 28, 1755. This is to acquaint you that on the 24th of October, I arrived at Shamokin, in order to protect our frontiers (people?) up that way till they might make their escape from their cruel enemies; and learn the best intelligence I could. The Indians on the West branch of the Susquehannah cer |