The Fair Play Settlers of the West Branch Valley, 1769-1784: A Study of Frontier EthnographyWolf, George D.
History
The Fair Play Settlers of the West Branch Valley, 1769-1784: A Study of Frontier Ethnography
Wolf, George D.
Frontier and pioneer life -- Pennsylvania; Lycoming County (Pa.) -- History
Robert Fleming, the third regional leader in the territory, also served
as a judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the county, although that
service began in March, 1785, after the Fair Play territory was acquired
by the State of Pennsylvania in the second Stanwix Treaty of 1784.[18]
He became a justice of the peace at the same time.[19] Prior to his
judicial obligations, Fleming had been a member of the county Committee
of Safety, a township overseer, a representative in the General
Assembly, a second lieutenant of Associators, and possibly a Fair Play
man.[20] During the Revolution, he was primarily concerned with the area
around the Great Island, serving at Reed's Fort (present Lock Haven) and
on the Fleming estate, which some referred to as Fort Fleming. Robert
had a brother, John, with whom Fithian stayed during his brief sojourn
in the territory. Their combined holdings, the largest in the vicinity,
ran to almost 3,000 acres, of which 1,250 acres were Robert's.[21]
Certain conclusions can be drawn from these data regarding the regional
leaders of the Fair Play territory. Better than average property
holdings, extensive in the case of Robert Fleming; judicial
responsibility, which was true of all three men; primary authority in
frontier forts (the Antes brothers owned and commanded Antes Fort, and
the Flemings operated their own stockade and commanded Fort Reed); and
military rank ranging from lieutenant of Associators to colonel of
militia: these characteristics signified major leadership in the West
Branch Valley among the Fair Play settlers. Coincidentally, it can be
noted that two of the three regional leaders, having served in the State
legislature, had influence which reached to the State House in
Philadelphia. Obviously, these men were known outside of the limited
environs of the Fair Play territory. In fact, both Henry and Frederick
Antes enjoyed a more than passing acquaintance with Benjamin Franklin
and John Dickinson, two of the giants of this period of Pennsylvania's
history.[22]
A further observation which can be made concerning leadership relates to
the question of national origin. Although the Fair Play territory has
often been referred to as "Scotch-Irish country," the German Antes
brothers performed the outstanding leadership roles on this frontier.
Also, the specific geographic location of our regional leaders provides
a final note of interest. All three of them, Henry and Frederick Antes,
and Robert Fleming, actually resided outside the limits of the Fair Play
territory. They were on the geographic fringe but at the leadership
core. Their close proximity to the Fair Play territory, separated from
it only by the Susquehanna River, in addition to their contacts with and
positions in established government, gave these men an obvious political
eminence. The forts located in both places and the Anteses' gristmill
gave both the Flemings and the Anteses opportunity for leadership.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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