The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-09
The Pisaeess Of seventy Years Ago.

The PteneeSs Of Seventy Years Ago.
"MoNuMsrr TO PIoNEAa.- The citissns Of
Harrisburg, Ponnsylvania, ~ taltSn sglsasures
for erecting monument ovNF the gfSve Of John
Harris, the first settler ca TIL banks Of ne ANs-
quehanna river and aA4f wl0sn has ~ chfffttL
tened that town." <A
To the Editor Of tie Republic: A #
Sir: The preceding epigraPh ! cut hom vi; ~
paper of the 9th instant. hope you win a. me
the favor to reinsert it in the Republic, with some
remarks, which will explain why give you the
trouble. One is personal to myself ! was born
in that part of old Lancaster county, Pennsyl-
vania, now Dauphn; and in the autumn Of 1881,
with my parents, crossed the Susquehanna at
Harris's Ferry. Though only between the ages
Of six and seven, remember distinctly coming to
and crossing the river There was then Harris 3
Ferry house on the east hank, and kelso's Ferry
house on the west When either Danphin on
Lebanon counties, then included in Lancaster,
were made separate counties, have no date. The
village of Lebanon, then of some extent preced-
ed Harrisburg
\ The notice of an intention to erect monument
to the founder Of Harrisburg excited in my mind
many recollections which / cannot embody in
words. One was that Mr.. Harris very narrowly
escaped being murdered by savages on the very
spot where Harrisburg stands. No one having q
heart will ascribe it to vanity when state that
was born, TITS, twelve miles from Harrisburg,
then really frontier. The notice enclosed u.s.
however, in one part an error There were white
settlers no doubt at both Sunbury and Wilkesbarre
and also other places ON east Susquehanna, many
years before at Harrisburg. My own personal
knowledge Of the place and its leading names goes
back beyond the foundation of Harrisburg as
town. There are some descendants of that family
on the Susquehanna, am inclined to think.
There was, during more than century previ-
GUS to the treaty of Grenvile, on the frontier set
Elements of that part of the United States, most
admirable body of men, whose names have alrea
dy in great part been sunk to oblivion. These
men, under the title of SPIES or RANGERS, were
the terror of the savages With all the willy
watchfulness of the Indian, the spy had the re.
sources of civilization. Such men were John
Harris, and, within my own remembrance and
personal acquaintance, Lewis Wetzel, Martin
Wetzel, Henry Jolly, and might name more,
who were the true and brave champions Of the
early progress of an immense region on which
have trod when in great part wilderness; and
what is its aspect now' A region of imperial ex-
tent, glowing with life. Could any or all of the
men have named rise from the grave and hover
over the scenes of their invaluable services, how
ecstatic would be their feelings!
Henry. jolly was a man Of education and ex-
tensive reading; in manners dignifed, and, in the
discharge Of his duty "SPY,'' a true model
of cool and collected self-command
He was one, and a most efficient one, of body
of men whose names and even existence as
corps are now lost, in great part, to human mem
ory, and the extent and value of whose services
could not, were they even known, be estimated
cannot, ought not to omit one curious trait OBJ
served in the manners of the frontier spy-taci-
turnity. This fact was in my hearing noticed
and accounted for by Henry Jolly in words to the
following import: "Habitual ,catchtlness, aohen on
their duty, in the then interminable forests. +"
Peace and honor to their names!
WILLIAM DARBY. +