Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-06-26

of the line Of forts, and other precsution
ary measures, the invasion OF the Indian,
in l163 came and swept the valleys of cen
tral Pennsylvania clean OF their inhabitants
The causes, however, were beyond the con
troll of the Governor.
Mr.. Calhoun concluded to act as ou
guide on Tuscarora mountain; and while b,
was getting ready, We drove short dis
tance to the house of J. B. Ritzman, WHIT
is nephew Of Prof. Guss, and there pu
up our horse, and took lunch, which was
kindly furnished us by Mrs. Ritzman. Ii
the meantime Calhoun came, and, all thing'
being ready, We started to the mountain
which is close by. The foothills, that ART
generally found along mountain ranges in
Pennsy lvania, are net there, but in thei
stead is gentle slope up to the mountain
The lower edge of the slope is full OF large
sink holes, some of which arc twenty feet
and more deep. Calhoun says that a striE
of land, six to eight miles long and as wild,
as that which We passed over, bears tn,
same holey characteristics. Who know.
that the whole distance, under ground, o.
six to eight miles is not vast cavern o.
cave, or series OF caves, rivaling the Nam
moth Cave in Kentucky
Once over the sink hole territory, We were
not long in reaching Jennie's orchard, high
i h. s,Ia Of th. taip Thtrtr
five years ago Calhoun had helped to gather
enough apples Off the twelve or fifteen ap
pie trees there, to make nine barrels OF
cider. The evidences Of human habitation
are numerous thereabOuts. There are ruins
of log house about twenty-eight feet
square, and cleared spots, and peach trees
But why was il called Jennie's orchard
| The explanation is found in the fact thai
about the year 1895 an Irishman named
John McAfee located there on the noun.
tain side, put up improvements, lived there,
died there, and was buried in Kilmer':
graveyard, not far from the place owned
/ by David Robson and William Robson.
was Jennie. After the death of her hus
band, the place took the name of Jennie's
place, and since her death, and burial in
Kilmer's graveyard, the place goes by the
name of JeEnie's orchard. There is gap
in the mountain south OF the orchard. The
! first, nearest, white settler toi was Hunter,
whose dwelling place has been mentioned
as at the place of Judge Koons. The gaI
was named after him till il was changed tc
the name of Jennie's gap, in memory of the
wife of John McAfee. Jennie's gap con
meets with Run gap on the Perry county
side of the mountain. 1t was a supersti
tious time that she lived in, and as she grew
/ older, and withdrew herself more from
communication and intercourse with new
comers, the superstitious people started the
story that she was a witch but the better
class of citizens knew better, and frequent
ly, to break the force of such stories, would
assemble company of young folks and 60
up and spend an evening there, usually in
merry making and dancing.
The Indian highway that we sought passes
down the mountain nearly half mile west
of the Jamie place. We hastened from the
orchard in the direction of the sold path, %
and, on the way to it, passed the ruins of q
distillery that was run by man named Lau-
yer. 1t must have been a secluded place
for spree. There is tree, at least forty
years old, standing on part of its ruins.
The ruins of Hagan's saw-mill, that was run
so recently as twenty years ago, were also
passed, and thence due west it was not fal
to the Indian highway. What strange
thoughts hurry through the mind when
traversing its zigzag course up the noun
tain side. The curves in it are numerous
/ The greatest distance from one curve tc
another in the steep places cannot be more
than two rods. In many places the path ol
road is in such state of preservation tha
a width of four to six feet is clearly trace
able, showing, beyond question, that at one
time two horses, with pack saddles on
could pass each other. Now, however, al
the most of places, because of the want Of
use, for period Of at least 140 years, as 4
general highway by the Indians, under
brush, rocks and trees, both living and
dead, have SO encroached on the route thai
it is reduced to the merest footpath. Ir
many places, where there are few rocks OF
stones, the path is worn deep into tht
ground. After the whites made settle
ments in Juniata, it became one of thei
chief highways to and from the valley. L
is used good deal now as a foot-paih fol
people to pass to and from Juniata and
Perry counties. Crossing over to the Perry
county side of the mountain it turns in ;
southwestward direction from Jennie's gap
and so continues down the mountain till i
intersects with or is lost in the wagon road
that enters the mountain from the Perry
county side through Kun gap. Indeed th'
wagon road on the Perry county side wa
built on the Indian highway long distance
What hidden history the path has. Wha
thousands of dusky warriors passed over i
in their intercourse with the great rivers o
the West and the Atlantic sea5oard. OI
revelation day, in the next world, when the
records of the past will be opened, the mys'
teries that SO enshroud the Red Nan will be
revealed, and the why and the wherefore o.
the destiny that is crushing the Indian anc
raising the white man, will be clearly mad
known. What distinguished frontier mel
and traders passed over this route. How
often did the great scout, Samuel Brady
pass along its zigzag course' For, BE-
known that members Of the Brady famil,
lived at an early day in Tuscarora valley
How often did the famous Captain Georg'