Daily stories of Pennsylvania : $b prepared for publication in the leading daily newspapers of the state...Godcharles, Frederic Antes
History
Daily stories of Pennsylvania : $b prepared for publication in the leading daily newspapers of the state...
Godcharles, Frederic Antes
Pennsylvania -- Biography; Pennsylvania -- History
The work was well done, Van Campen and Pike dispatched four while Pence,
with unerring aim speedily killed his group. A hand to hand fight
between the remaining Indian, John, a Mohawk sachem, and Van Campen,
resulted in the Indian making his escape.
The liberated captives scalped the Indians, picked up their plunder and
hastily constructed a raft, and, after a series of adventures, reached
Wyoming, April 4, 1780, where Pike and young Rogers left the party.
Peter Pence and the Van Campens reached Fort Jenkins on the morning of
April 6, where they found Colonel John Kelly, with 100 frontiersmen who
had hurried there from the West Branch. The following day Pence and Van
Campen reached Fort Augusta, where they were received in a regular
frontier triumph.
The next exploit in which we find Pence engaged is in the year 1781,
when one of the most atrocious murders was committed near Selinsgrove.
Three brothers by the name of Stock were at work in the field when a
party of about thirty Indians appeared. They did not attack the boys,
but passed on to the house, which they entered. On the way they found
another son plowing, whom they killed. Mrs. Stock and a daughter-in-law
were found in the house. The mother defended herself with a canoe pole,
as she retreated toward the field where her husband was working. She was
tomahawked, however, the house plundered and the young woman carried
into the woods nearby and killed and scalped. When Stock returned and
found his wife, son and daughter-in-law inhumanly butchered he gave an
alarm.
Three experienced Indian fighters, Michael Grove, John Stroh and Peter
Pence went in pursuit of the enemy. They found them encamped on the
North Branch, on the side of a hill covered with fern. Grove crept close
enough to discover that their rifles were stacked around a tree and that
all but three were asleep.
One of the Indians was narrating in high glee how Mrs. Stock defended
herself with the pole. Grove lay quiet until all the Indians fell
asleep. He then returned to his companions, Stroh and Pence. They
decided to attack, and crept up close to the camp, when they dashed
among the sleeping savages. Grove plied his deadly tomahawk, while Stroh
and Pence seized the rifles and fired among the sleepers. Several
Indians were killed; the others, believing they were attacked by a large
party fled to the woods.
A captive white boy was liberated and the three brave men brought home a
number of scalps and the best rifles.
March 10, 1810, the Legislature passed an act granting an annuity to
Peter Pence, in consideration of his services, of $40 per annum. He died
in the Nippenose Valley, in 1812. He left several sons and daughters.
Robert Hamilton, of Pine Creek Township, Clinton County, was the
executor of his estate. He left a will which is recorded in Lycoming
County.
----------
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account