Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-05-06

HARRISBURG, April, 1888

IIAHRIsBUIG, April, 1888.
The inhabitants of the smiling, peaceful
vallies Of this region, can not realize with
out the aid Of imagination the perils with
which the Paxton settlements We're sur
rounded, from 1874 10 I765 The heart
shrinks from the attempt to portray each
scene of horror witnessed by that exposed
frontier. There were friendly and peacea-
able Indians, undoubtedly, at Conestoga
and other places, under the protection OF
the Quakers and of the Moravians but
there is also evidence that savage and
murderous Indians made these peaceable
communities place Of retreat The set
tiers were goaded TO desperation; murder
followed murder; and scouts brought in
the intelligence that the murderers were
distinctly traced TO Conestoga. Then it
was that some 20 or 80 of the Paxton
Rangers, (aided by some from Donegal, a
settlement further east.) planned aud exc
cuted tho massacres Of all the Indians at
Conestoga and Lancaster.
The Rangers tried guns we're loaded
their feet horses in readiness Mounted,
they called on their Colonel and Pastor
john ELDER-.o lead them. He was in
his 57th year-in the matured glory Of
manhOod-their recognized Spiritual and
Military commander. He, also, already
had mounted his favorite Lorse-not to
lead them to slaughter, but to deter them
from their design. lie implored them to
return he urged them to reflect. "Pausc,
pause, before you proceed "No.' cried
they, " the blood of the murdered cries
for vengeance; We have waited on Govern
ment long enough the murderers are WI
thin our reach, and they must not escape"
Mr. Elder reminded them that the s.guiity
and the innocent could not be distinguish
cd" Innocent. can they be called
innocent who foster murderers ?" As
last resort, Mr.. Elder rode to the front Of
the excited band, aud said "As your Pas
tor, command you to relinquish your
design "'-"Give way, them" cried Mat
thew Smith, aiming his deadly rife, 1" or
your horse dies! =. The sorrowful pastor
turned him aside, and the Rangers were
off on their fatal GRAND.
Led by Lazarus Stewart "a bold Yankee
who was afterwards slain in the defence OF
Wyoming) on the night Of the l4th Dec,
1853, the Rangers reached Conestoga; an
Indian fred at them. /" Tom said,
Mark him. and he fell by more than one
ball we ran up, and Tom cried out, 1T
is the villain who murdered my motherp
This speech reused to vengeance, ard Con-
estogue lay harmless before us."-Such is
the brief description given by an actor in
the scene Happily, most of the Indians
were absent; but the few remaining men,
women and children were killed, and their
habitations devoted to the flames.
The citizens and authorities at Lancas-
ter, shocked at this horrible outrage, col /
lected the scattered friends of the killed I
'nto their stone work-house, aud guarded
them by bolts and bars and keeper. But
the Paxton boys heard that one murdcrous
Indian was thus protected, and resolved
on greater vengeance. Concealing them
selves at night near Lancaster, they waited
until the next day, 9th Dec, when the
whole community were engaged in the
soiemnihes Of the sanctuary; then, riding
suddenly into town at gallop, they seized
and overPoEered the keeper Of the work.
Matthew Smith was an early settler in
Paxton; prominen, member Of Rev. Mr.. /
Elders congregation; and party in both the
bloody expeditions. He removed TO Milton /
on the West Branch after the Revolution, and /
his son Wilson smth) subsequently, repres- i
tnted Erie in the Stale SENATE