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
Toward the end of a long and active life, Colonel Kelly became by
disease incapable of much motion; and seldom left his home. He died
February 18, 1832, aged eighty-eight years. He was greatly respected by
his neighbors and friends, and it is little wonder that a monument was
unveiled to his memory three years later.
The spring of 1856 the monument, together with his remains, were removed
to the new and beautiful cemetery on the western border of the Union
County seat.
The old colonel was survived by his wife, seven sons and two daughters.
One son, James, was the father of United States Senator James K. Kelly,
of Oregon.
----------
Captain John Armstrong Murdered in Jack’s
Narrows April 9, 1744
John Armstrong, a trader among the Indians, residing on the Susquehanna
above Peter’s Mountain, on the east bank of the river, and two of his
servants, James Smith and Woodward Arnold, were barbarously murdered
April 9, 1744, by an Indian of the Delaware tribe named Musemeelin in
Jack’s Narrows, now Huntingdon County.
The murderer was apprehended and delivered up by his own nation and
imprisoned at Lancaster, whence he was removed to Philadelphia lest he
should escape or his trial and execution, if found guilty, produce an
unfavorable impression on the Indians. This was particularly important,
as a large council was about to convene at Lancaster.
Governor George Thomas directed that the property of Armstrong be
returned to his family. He also invited a deputation of the Delaware
tribe to attend the trial of Musemeelin and to be present at his
execution, if such was to take place.
Nine of Armstrong’s relatives and neighbors went in search of the
remains of the murdered men and to gather such evidence as they could
about the details of the crime. They signed a deposition before James
Armstrong, one of His Majesty’s justices of the peace for Lancaster
County, dated “Paxtang, 19th day of April, 1744.”
These deponents testified that when they learned of the murder they met
at the house of Joseph Chambers, in Paxtang, and determined to go to
Shamokin and consult with Shilkellamy, the vicegerent of the Six
Nations, what they should do concerning the affair.
Shikellamy sent eight Indians to accompany the deponents. The entire
party then went to the house of James Berry, on Mahantango Creek, which
empties into the Susquehanna above the mouth of the Juniata.
On the way to Berry’s three of the Indians ran away, but on the morning
after their arrival there, the deponents, with the five Indians, set out
in quest of the bodies.
They proceeded to the last known sleeping place of John Armstrong and
his men, and a short distance from this place James Berry picked up the
shoulder bone of a human being. He showed his find to his companions,
and the action of the Indians at this time proved to the whites that
they knew more about the crime than they had made known.
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