The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-02-18
For TnE TIMES
Historical sketch Of TuscarOra Twp.

township with its oorrelatlve Incidents MS
Gar as we have been able to gather infor-
nation either from history or tradition.
VIM. Penn received in March 1851,
from King George second OF England, the
charts for grant of land now called Penn
sylvania, which In the year 1859 was made
into three counties, viz; Philadelphia,
Berks and Chester Lancaster In 1879,
York In 1740, Cumberland In 1860, and
Perry In 1890 This district first belonged
TO Chester then Lancaster then to Cumber-
land and now TO Perry county. Cumber-
land county when first made included all
the territory west of the Susquehanna
river except York, which is now York and
Adams counties. One hundred years ago
this was Rye township Cumberland coun-
ty, since that time there has been different
changes, in i704 this was Tyrone town
ship. The first settlers of this county
we're principally Scotch Irish, with some
few German, and English.
Prior to 1888, John Harris cleared some
land aud erected house near Juniata of
which the Indians complained to tho
provincial council and about i7lO-4i
Frederick Starr, German with several of
his couutrymen made some small settle
ments on the Big Juniata twenty Ave
miles from its mouth In 174s the Indians
urged their removal, Others settled here
still, and nl748 the government sent the
sheriff OF Lancaster county aud three mag
al s,it Ua.e -. Az,
60 warn the people to leave Immediately
they did not leave; in 1850 more decisive
measures were adopted and tho sheriff of
Cumberland county arrested some of these
settlers also some at Sherman's creek and
burned their cabins, these persons were
bound in iecognisance of e100 each
to appear at the next county court to be
held at Shippensburg.
Who settled IN this township first tho
writer Is unable to state, but among the
earliest settlers were the Bulls, Kerr's,
Lowdens, Donnally's, Linn's, Pickard's,
ltobnson's, Henches, Blacks, and Leon
ards.
At times these early settlers were greatly
harassed by the Indians, which troubles
began in 1866, when the people would
pack their horses and go to Shermans
Valley TO Port Robin (named after Robert
Robinson) or to Carlisle where they had
forts these forts were mostly built of logs
shout one foot in diameter set in tho
ground Eve or six feet on end and close
together the men fired through loop holes,
small aperture made between the logs.
These were trying times when families
left their houses at night and slept in the
grain field to avoid surprise by the Indians.
1t is said that children took in tho situa-
tion as by instinct and would keep quiet
rs do the young pheasants. William
Bull who lived where Geo. Rice now lives,
on arising one morning looked out of the
window as usual to see if the coast was
clear spied an Indian lying near the house
and knowing his intentions were bad took
his gun and shot him. The first settlers
did not use wagons as there was no roads
but carried all on horse back by bent iron
bars hung on tho horse with perhaps
straw saddle and in this way they would
carry barrels and kegs. John Harris
packed the first plow to Harris Ferry now
Harrisburg, from Philadelphia on horse
back. AT first onr people had to go to
Carlisle aud Harrisburg to mill distance
Of twenty five and thirty miles or more,
and later TO other mills erected in this
county. Henry Bnll owned the property
now owned by VIM. Donnally and thereon
built the first mill in this township. 1t
stood close by whore the present mill now
stands, the water wheel was outside and
would freeze up for six or seven weeks at
time, when sometimes the people would
have TO live on hominy. The first school
house in the township is said to have been
built in the narrows and stood where the
water of the sawmill now is. There had
been three school houses in the narrows
and all burnt down, they were erected here
no doubt for the purpose of accommoda-
ting the people for great distance on all
sides. Some of the first settlers went to
Buffalo creek to school, at that time it was
customary to have to send children from
three to six miles to school and some per-
haps further they had chimneys made to
their school houses which were built of
wood notched up and daubed with mud on
the inside, this mud would fall off and
finally the house would burn down, and in
those times it was customary among the
scholars to lock out the teacher as