The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-07-21
THE BURNING OF HANNASTOwN.

Greensburg Argus in 1886. The burning o1
! Haunastown and the massacre that followed
| took place July 13, 1782-one hundred wear,
ago last Thursday The centenary was OBJ
served with appropriate ceremonies at the
scene Of the tragic occurrence, and this ac.
count of that terrible day will be read with
! interest About three miles from Green's
burg, on the road to New Alexandria. there
stands two modern built log tenements, to
| one of which is a sign-pOst and a sign ap-
pended, giving due notice that at the "Seven
| Yellow Stars the wayfarer may partake of
! the good things of this world. Between the
! tavern and the Indian eaIlows hill on the
west once stood Hannastown, the first place
| west Of the Allegheny mountains where JUS
tice was dispensed according to the legal
! forms by the white man. The county of
| Westmoreland was established by the pro.
vincial legislature on the 26th OF February
1773, and the courts directed to be held at
| Hannastown. It consisted Of about thirty
habitations some Of them cabins, but most
of them aspiring to the name OF houses. hav
ing two stories Of hewed logs. There were
a wooden court house and jail of the like
construction a fort, stockaded with logs,
completed the civil and military arrangement
of the towr. The first prothonotary and
clerk nf the courts was Arthur st. Clair.
Esq, afterwards general in the revolutiona-
~ army. Robert Hanna, Esq, was the first
presiding Justice in the courts and the first
Court of Common Pleas was held in 1773--
Thomas Smith, Esq, afterwards one Of the
judges on the Supreme bench, brought from
the east the most abstruse learning of the
profession, to puzzle the backwoods lawyers:
and it was here that Hugh Henry Breckin-
ridge, afterwards also a Judge of the Su-
pIeme bench, made his debut in the profess
sion which he afterwards illustrated and
adorned by his genius and his learning
The road first opened to Fort Pitt by Gen.
Forbes and his army passed through the
town. The periodical return Of the court
brought together hardy adventurous, frank
and open hearted set of men from the Red.
stone, the Georges creek, the Youghiogheny
the Monongahela, and the Catfish settle
ments, as we'll as from the region, now in its
clrcumscribed limits, still called "Old West
moreIand." 1t may as we'll be supposed
that or such occasions there was many an
uproariOus merry making. Such men when
they occasionally met at courts, met Joyous
ly. But the plough has since gone over the
place of merry-making; and no log or mound
of earth remains to tell where Justice had
her scales.
On the 18th of July, 1892, party of the
townsfolk went to O'ConnOr's fields, about
a mile and a half north of the village, to cut
the harvest of Michael Huffnagle.
The summer of 'S2 was sorrowful one to
the frontier inhabitants The blood of
many a family had sprinked their own
fields. The frontier northwest of the town
was almost deserted the inhabitants had
fed for safety and repose toward the Sc
wickly settlement. At this very time there
were a number of families at MilIer's station,
about two miles south Of the town. There
was, therefore, little impediment to the In
dians, either by way of resistance, or even in
giving warning of their approach. When
the reapers had cut one field one of the
number who had crossed to the side next
the woods, returned in great alarm, and re-
ported that he had seen a number of Indians
approaching. The whole paTty ran for the
town, each intent on his own safety. The
scene which then presented itself may be
more readily conceived than described -
Fathers seeking for their wives and children,
and children calling upon their parents and
friends, and all huIrying in a state Of con-
sternation to the fort Some criminals were
confined in JAIL the doors of which were
thrown open. After some time it was pro-
posed that some person should reconnoiter,
and relieve them from uncertainty. -Four
young men, David Shaw, James Brisbon,
and two others with their rifles, started on
foot through the highlands, between that
and Crabtree creek, pursuing direct course
towards O'Connor's field; whilst Capt
j, who happened to be in the town
pursued a more circuitous route on horse
back.
The captain was the first to arrive at the
fields, and his eye was not long in doubt, for
the whole force of the savages was there
mustered. He turned his horse to flv, but
was observed and pursued. When he had
proceeded short distance, he met The four
on fOot-told them to fly for their lives
that the savages were coming in great force
that he would take circuitous route and
alarm the settlements. He went to Loves.
where Frederick Beaver now lives, about a
mile and quarter east of the town, and as
sisted the family to fly, taking Mrs. Love on
the horse behind him. The four made all
speed for the town, but the foremost Indians
obtained sight of them, and gave them hot
pursuit. By the time they had reached the
Crabtree creek, they could hear the distinct
footballs of their puTsuers, and see the sun
beams glisteH through the foliage of tie
trees upon their naked skins When, how
ever, they got into the mouth of the ravine
that led up from the creek to the town, shey
felt almost secure. The Indians, who knew
nothing of the previous alarm given to the
town, and supposing they would take it by
surprise, did not fire, lest that might give
notice of their approach this saved the
lives of David Shaw and his companions
When they got to the top of the hill, the
strong instinct of nature compelled Shaw to
go first into the town and see whether his
kindred had gone int the fort before he ell
I tered it himself. AS he reached his fathers
threshold and saw all within desolase, ne
/ turned and saw .he savages, with their tufts
. of hair flying in the wind, aud their bran
dished tomahawks, for they had emerged
into the open space around the town, and
commenced the war-whoop. He resolved to
make one of them give the death halloo, and
raising his rife to his eye. his bullet whizzed
! true, for the stout savage at whom he aimed
/ bounded into the air and fell upon his face
| Then with the speed of an arrow be fed for
/ for the fort which he entered in safety. TIE
Indians were exasperated when they found
the town d, serted, and after pillaginp the
houses, they set them on FIRE. Although a
considerable part of the town was within ri.