Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-07-21

ry, at which the name of SEBASTIAN STRoPE
was commemorated in fitting terms, he closes
thus "With this exposition, Judge JEssUP,
submit the case, renewing, with unaffected
sincerity, my personal regard, (presuming you
"h0l not inyestigatedthe matter, and adding the
" hope that the names of SEBASTIAN STROPE and
" GEORGE WASHINGTON may not be again
" brought in juxtaposition as kindred American
" Patriots, worthy of being coupled and toast
"ed together"
| humbly submit, sir, as plain question of
courtesy, whether it was at all proper for you
your father, to have presumed in any man
ner as you do in this extract The simple fact
is that the gentleman, whose name You have
so freely introduced had investigated the sub
ject He replied to the sentiment, commemo-
rative of the SrRoPE family and of the old fami-
ly Bible, which was the companion of their
trying captivity, after due investigation. lie
was conversant with his theme, while you, his
otiiclous, selfconstituted patrons, have, at one
and the same moment upon this very subject,
touched the point of profoundest ignorance and
loftlest arrogance.
In letter received from Mr. MINER SrRoPE.
respectable and intelligent gentleman of Plo-
ver Portage County, Wisconsin, he informs
me that he has been told by his father, ISAAC
STRoPE, Ca son of SEBASTIAN, and captured
with the other children, now more than eighty
years OF age, living in Summit County, Ohio,
where he has resided for a great number of
years, that his grandfather, not only volun-
teered tor the defence of Wyoming, and shared
IN the battle, but was in the hottest of the
light, receiving wound which so disabled him
that he could not reach the Fort upon the re-
treat In the language of the letter, "He
then sought the shelter Of an old stack ward.
grown up with briers, thistles &c, in which
ne secreted himself, rightly Judging, that the
halt naked sayages would not care to enter
Here with his musket ready cooked, he Law
closely secreted, until in the night he sought a
place OF greater security. His position was
such that he saw much of the bloody tragedy.
lie saw and heard the Tory Windakcr, when
he called to Lieut.. SHOEMAKER, and told him
he would give him quarters, and when SHOE
MAKER gave himself up, he saw the villain de-
liberately murder him"
lie also states, in the same letter, that soon
after the Indians and British left the Valley.
his grandfather, aided RALPH MARTIN, whose
wife was sister of the LiCuteaan., n giving a
proper and decent burial to the body of that
gallant, but unfortunate man, betrayed as he
was into the hands of the ungratefuI Tory who
had TED IN former years upon his and his faith
er's bounty. This fact is preserved as a tradi-
ton, also by the descendants of the Datrot
SrRoPE, now living at Wysox and from con-
yerSatIons with them, and letters received. |
have no doubt that all their statements are to
be relied upon, fully, as true and faithful ira
ditions
But one fact remains to be suggested, and
Is contained in the following extract from one
Of the letters of Mr. MINER SrRopE. of Wis
cOnSin :
After my grandfather died, which must
have been in the year 1904, or 5. (iivc think
newspaper published at WiIkes-Barre was
sent to his friends, in which was an obituary.
by some person unknown to the family, and of
considerable length reconnting many of the
leading incidents of his life his devotion to the
cause OF freedom and to bis country This pa
per was preserved for a long time by his fami-
ly; but, like many Of the incidents of those
days only exists in recollection There is a
bare possibility, that file of papers published
at Wilkes Barre, of that date, may be vet ex-
tant"
If am not wrongly informed, the only pa
per then published at that place was " IHe Lu-
zerne Feder0i1a," by Messrs. ASHER and CHAs.
MINER. You have, perhaps, complete file
of it preserved. We have searched elsewhere
unsuccessfully. This branch of our evidence
is in your possession, probably, certainly not
in ours. We would like to have it adduced
with the rest of the proof, and am asking too
much to desire YOU to search the files of 1905
and +, and, if such an obituary did appear, and
L feel convinced that it did, will you not, as k
earnestly, will you not republish it now for the
sake of truth and fairness ?
But without that, the memory of the worthy
patriot stands fully vindicated. The attaint
which you sought, through your columns, to
fasten upon his descendants is thoroughly wiped
off. The integrity and strict truthfuness of
the captive, JANE WHITAKER, after repeated
corroborations, must be considered firmly es-
tabhshed. My statements upon the subject, in
the series of the ST. Nicholas of l853-'54, are
literally and completely confirmed The Pio-
neer and Historical Festival of the 22d of
February last, which you sought to bring into
rldlcule and dlsrepute, stands, not only with
It's accuracy and usefulness mistaken but with
its claims to public confidence fresh and renew
ed. Undertaking all these facts and support
ing this handsome pyramid of truth, rests that
massive old SrRoPE Bible, a sublime witness of
that long captivity, time-worn, glorious proof
that the same God, who saved from harm the
captive family, has provided, in His wise provi-
dence, witnesses and testimony to save from
unmerted shame the descendants, even unto
the fourth generation, of the Christian Patriot.
With due consideration,
Yours, &c,
G. P. AVERY.