LANCASTER COUNTY. 71 



fort not far from Connejaghera, many miles above 

 Conestogo." 



Before those of Bern had fully executed their project, 

 they were induced to fly for safety, to London, in the 

 vicinity of which, they pitched their tents, and were 

 supported at the public expense until they could be 

 shipped off for America — some sailed for New York,* 

 Pennsylvania, and others for North Carolina, where 

 they arrived in December, 1709, at the confluence of the 

 Neuse and Trent. This year a respectable number of 

 Meimonites left Strasburg, in German}'-, whither they 

 had fled from their Vaterland, and sailed for America to 

 seek a refuge free from persecution. At home they 

 were persecuted by arrogant man, "glorying in the mag- 

 nitude of his power, who was every where impiously inter- 

 posing between the homage of his fellow and his Creator, 

 and striving, by coercion, to apostatize mankind from the 

 line of duty which conscience pointed out to tread;" 

 aiid the Mennonites, unwilling to sacrifice their principles 

 of religion upon the altar of expediency, were not 

 tolerated to enjoy mimolestedly the privilege of worship- 

 ing God according to the dictates of conscience. Many 

 of the ancestors of those who first settled in this county, 

 wliose lineal descendants still possess the lands pur- 

 chased and improved by them, were beheaded, some 

 beaten with many stripes, others mcarcerated, and some 



*Colonel Robert Hunter, appointed Governor of New York, 

 arrived at that province, June 14, 1710, brought with him 3,000 

 Palatines, who, in the previous year, had fled to England from 

 tlie rage of persecution in Germany. Many of whom settled 

 in the city of New York; others in Germantown, Livingston 

 Manor, Columbia county, and others in Pennsylvania. — 

 &mit)Cs New York, I. 123. 



Smith says "the Queen's liberality to these people was no 

 mOie beneficial to them, than serviceable to the couQtry." 



