The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-07-22
THE PITTSBURG TORIES
All Were Not Patriots in Eary History
of Western Pennsylvania.
NUMBER STILL LOYAL TO KING
Secret Meeting Place at House OF
Captain Mckee, Where Mckees
Rocks Now Stand-Three Notorious
Tories Called Pittsburg Home.

Western PENNSYLVANIA gave men
freely to the cause of liberty in Revo-
lutionary days, especially in the ranks
of the Eighth Pennsylvania infantry
In later times of public danger free
men from the forks of the Ohio were
never wanting when called for, so that
ity has become proverbial in the ma
ton. This being true, it is all the
more startling to know that Pittsburg
furnished in ITS three of the most
noted Tories and renegades ever
known, and that these were the lead
ers of others less famous, but not less
infamous, who under cover of night
fled to the western frontier and be.
came even more desperately cruel
against their own flesh and blood than
were their naturally savage allies.
The winter of 1777-S was a dark
time for the American cause Re-
verses were many and encourage
ments few Numbers of men who had
nc heart in the revolutionary struggle
began to feel that there was small
hope of patriot victory and to look
with more and more of open favor on
the kings cause. On the frontier at
Pittsburg there were numbers of such
town. In the early spring of 177S 3
British spy from Detroit ventured
into the town and worked success.
fully for some time fomenting treason
and scattering offers of reward for
detection. There was in Pittsburg at
that time park known as the Kings
Orchard or the Kings Artillery Gar.
dens. It's name was more pretentious
than the park itself, but it was used
by the forces as a place for flying for
little while British flag, their bold
est act. These gardens lay along the
Allegheny river front for some dis
tance above Fort Pitt, where now is
Duquesne Way. The work of propa-
eating Toryism was also carried on
at Redstone Old Fort, now Browns.
vile, the royal flag flying there un-
molested all through the winter of
which we now write.
AS there were a goodly number Of
Tories about Pittsburg they selected
the house Of Captain Alexander Nc
Kee, deputy Indian agent a man Of
ability and prominence, as their secret
meeting place. This was situated on
the farm of fourteen hundred acres
which Colonel Bouquet had given him
in 1854 at the mouth of Charters
creek, the place now known as Nc.
Kees Rocks. 1t has stood until tho
present day Here by twos and threes,
or in full company at night, the men
who thought to trim their course to
the more favoring wind met and plot
ted. The three leaders in this move
ment were Alexander Mckee, Mat
thew Elliott and Simon Girty, names
which soon became the synonyms for
cruelty, strife, trouble and worse than
the bitterness Of death to the suffer
ing frontier which they ravaged till in
1894 Wayne's victory at Fallen Tim
hers ended their long and bloody reign
as scourges of the back settlements.
At this time Mckee was on parole
not to hinder the patriot cause Gen.
eral Hand, at Fort Pitt, finally became
exasperated and ordered him to report
to the American authorities at York
This he avoided doing for some time,
| Pleading sickness. At length the gen.
eral sent soldiers to his house to ar.
rest him on Sunday morning, March
20, but they could not find him. The
| previous night, he, Elliott, Girty and
| four others mad fed. Thus from Pitts
| burg went out the men whose Kery
names became kissing in the mouths
of their own people. They made theii
way to the Delaware Indian towns
and finally under escort reached the
British post at Detroit, where Gov
eInor Hamilton gave the three lead
ers commissions in the British ser
vice. Girty's brother, James, joinet
the party IN the Shawanese country
and took full share in the deviltrie'
Of the awful years which followed.
When this party went away thu
trouble was not yet all over. Mckee
and his conspirators had found a nun
Der Of sympathizers among the sol
diers Of the Thirteenth Virginia regi
ment, in garrison at Fort Pitt. Or
the night of April 20 party of abou
20 of them deserted the fort and 1e'
In boat down the Ohio after fndini
themselves unable to execute thei
plan for blowing up the works. The.
were pursued and overtaken near tn
present city of Marietta. Eight got t
shore and plunged into the forest an
were never heard of again. Severa
! we're killed. The others were brough