Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-10-19
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PETER CARTWRIGHT DEAD.

Tho Rev. Peter Cartwright died on Az ed
nesdav of last week, mt his home near Plea
SAINT Plains, Sangamon county Illinois,
aged eighty. seven years. Born in the Old
Dominion in the cloudy days just after the
revolution, young Cartwright went through
scenes in his infancy fully equal to the
most exciting episodes of his later career.
His father had been soldier in the revUlu-
tlonary war, and shortly after the dcclara
ton of independence he resolved to emf
CRATE with his family to Kentucky, then the
tavorite hunting ground of the Indian.
Young and hardy pioneers were pushing
forward from the old colonies into this new
and fertile country, and the Indians, 10th
to surrender the land "of canes aud tur-
keys" opposed n determined front to the
emigrants. The conflict between the races
was long and bloody, and ended in the de-
cimated tribes of the red men being driven
from the disputed territory.
Cartwright's plain narrative of his faith
cr's journey from Amherst, Va, to Lincoln
county, Ky, is thrilling in the simplicity of
its horrible details. One dark night the
company, consisting of two hundred iami-
lies and one hundred young men, halted at
II place called Camp Defeat" where
number OF emisrant families had been mur-
dered by the savagos 1t was a solemn,
gloomy time every heart quaked with fear.
The young men were placed as sentinels all
around the camp, and the heads of families
were placed around outside of the women
and children, and some were ordered to
take their stand outside still, in the edge of
the brush. Among the outside seitinels
was Cartwright's father. Shortly after he
took his staud lie heard something APP
preaching him, grunting like swine. Cart
wright fired and killed an Indian, who was
found with n rifle in one hand and a TOM
ahawk in the other, the ball having pierced
the center of his forehead.
Soon after the arrival Of the family in
Lincoln county. young Cartwright's moth
er made the acquaintance of two Metho-
dist travelling preachers, John Page, and
Benjamin Northcut, early pioneers in the
west. In the fall of l7O3, the Cartwrghts
moved to the Green river country, in the
south of Kentucky, and settled nine miles
south Of Russelville. A Methodist preach
cr named Jacob Lewton, visited the fami-
ly, and asked leave to preach in their cab
in. Cartwright's father, who was inditle-
rent in matters of religion, assented, and
Peter, then nine years of age, started on
his first missionary excursion to summon
the neIghbors to hear the preacher.
Logan county was at this time known as
"Rogues' HarboT,'' on account of the null
tude of horse tEieves and desperadoes who
locked thither from all parts of the Union.
The honest citizens formed themselves into
band of Regulators, and had q pitched
battle with the thieves at Russelvlle. The
Regulators were defeated, but afterward
rallied, and killed many of the desperadoes.
ln those days there was not newspaper
printed south of the Green river. 1t is in
in. in, al I'm do AL
that the Cartwrights raised their own cot
ton and flax, water rooted the fax, broke
it by hand, scutched it, picked the seed out
of the cotton with their fingers, and the
mothers and sisters carded, spun, and wove
it into cloth for the family. OF this all their
garments and bed clothes were made.
WILD YOUTH CONVERTED.
Wicked boys will be filed with renewed
hope when they learn that young Cart
wright, according to his own story, was u
wild careless boy, aud delighted in horse
racing, card playing, aud dancing, and
went into young company. Though not
Initiated into the tricks of vulgar gamblers,
he was very successful in winning money.
Peters evil habits will hardly be wondered
at, when it is remembered that his teacher
was a fugitive murderer from Georgia,
who had Killed the sheriff when the latter
attempted 10 arrest him for crime.
Peter was converted in 1901. The change
was very sudden. tie had been to a we'd
ding about five miles from home, and dane
ed until late hour. Soon after his return
home, while he was pacing the floor, re-
tiectiDg on the manner IN which he had
spent The day aud evening, all of a sudden
blood rushed tn his head. his heart palpi-
tated, aud in few minutes be turned
blind. He imagined himself about to die,
cried for mercy, and promised 10 serve the
Lord, Gspared, Afler recovering from the
attack, he sold his raus horse. burned his
pack of cards, and took to reading the Tes-
lament. One day, while. in anguish over
his sinful past it appeared to him that he
heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Peter,
look at me I'' His sins. however. were not
forgiven until come time after, when be re-