The Fair Play Settlers of the West Branch Valley, 1769-1784 A Study of Frontier Ethnography

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                    _The Fair Play Settlers
                   of the West Branch Valley,
                           1769-1784:
                A Study of Frontier Ethnography_



                               BY
                         GEORGE D. WOLF



                  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
                  THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL
                     AND MUSEUM COMMISSION

                        Harrisburg, 1969




                  THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL
                     AND MUSEUM COMMISSION


                 JAMES B. STEVENSON, _Chairman_

                CHARLES G. WEBB, _Vice Chairman_

 HERMAN BLUM                   MRS. FERNE SMITH HETRICK

 MARK S. GLEESON               MRS. HENRY P. HOFFSTOT, JR.

 RALPH HAZELTINE               MAURICE A. MOOK

                      THOMAS ELLIOTT WYNNE

                 DAVID H. KURTZMAN, _ex officio
             Superintendent of Public Instruction_


               MEMBERS FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

             MRS. SARAH ANDERSON, _Representative_

 PAUL W. MAHADY, _Senator_     ORVILLE E. SNARE, _Representative_

                  JOHN H. WARE, III, _Senator_


                      TRUSTEES EX OFFICIO

       RAYMOND P. SHAFER, _Governor of the Commonwealth_

               ROBERT P. CASEY, _Auditor General_

               GRACE M. SLOAN, _State Treasurer_


                      ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

          SYLVESTER K. STEVENS, _Executive Director_

         WILLIAM J. WEWER, _Deputy Executive Director_

                   DONALD H. KENT, _Director
                Bureau of Archives and History_

                  FRANK J. SCHMIDT, _Director
            Bureau of Historic Sites and Properties_

                 WILLIAM N. RICHARDS, _Director
                       Bureau of Museums_




_Preface_


In an Age when man's horizons are constantly being widened to include
hitherto little-known or non-existent countries, and even other planets
and outer space, there is still much to be said for the oft-neglected
study of man in his more immediate environs. Intrigued with the
historical tale of the "Fair Play settlers" of the West Branch Valley of
the Susquehanna River and practically a life-long resident of the West
Branch Valley, this writer felt that their story was worth telling and
that it might offer some insight into the development of democracy on
the frontier. The result is an ethnography of the Fair Play settlers.
This account, however, is not meant to typify the frontier experience;
it is simply an illustration, and, the author hopes, a useful one.

No intensive research can be conducted without the help and
encouragement of many fine and wonderful people. This author is deeply
indebted to librarians, archivists and historians, local historians and
genealogists, local and county historical societies, and collectors of
manuscripts, diaries, and journals pertinent to the history of the West
Branch Valley. A comprehensive listing of all who have assisted in this
effort would be too extensive, but certain persons cannot be ignored. My
grateful appreciation is here expressed to a few of these; but my
gratitude is no less sincere to the many persons who are not here
mentioned.

Librarians who have been most helpful in providing bibliographies,
checking files, and obtaining volumes from other libraries include Miss
Isabel Welch, of the Ross Library in Lock Haven; Mrs. Kathleen Chandler,
formerly of the Lock Haven State College library; and Miss Barbara Ault,
of the Library of Congress.

Archivists and historians who have been most generous in their aid are
the late Dr. Paul A. W. Wallace, of the Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission; Mrs. Phyllis V. Parsons, of Collegeville; Dr. Alfred
P. James, of the University of Pittsburgh; and Mrs. Solon J. Buck, of
Washington, D. C.

Perhaps the most significant research support for this investigation was
provided by a local historian and genealogist, Mrs. Helen Herritt
Russell, of Jersey Shore.

Dr. Samuel P. Bayard, of the Pennsylvania State University, analyzed the
Fair Play settlers using linguistic techniques to determine their
national origins. This help was basic to the demographic portion of this
study.

Dr. Charles F. Berkheimer and Mrs. Marshall Anspach, both of
Williamsport, magnanimously consented to loan this author their copies,
respectively, of William Colbert's _Journal_ and the Wagner Collection
of Revolutionary War Pension Claims.

County and local historical societies which opened their collections for
study were the Clinton County Historical Society, the Lycoming
Historical Society, the Northumberland County Historical Society, the
Centre County Historical Society, the Greene County Historical Society,
and the Muncy Historical Society and Museum of History.

For his refreshing criticisms and constant encouragement, Dr.