LANCASTER COUNTY. 1S7 



'•' An incident in the life of John Harris, the eldenjias 

 excited considerable interest, and been the subject of 

 much inquiry. On one occasion, a band of Indians, who 

 had been down the river, or, as is said, to the east, on a 

 trading excursion, canxe to his house — some, or most of 

 tliem, were intoxicated — they asked for lum, meaning 

 West India rum, as the modern v/hiskey was not then 

 manufactured in Pennsylvania. Seeing they were 

 already intoxicated, he feared mischief, if he gave them. 

 more, and he refused. They became enraged, and 

 seized and tied him to the Mulberry tree to burn him. — 

 Whilst they were proceeding to execute their purpose, 

 he was released, after a struggle, by other Indians of the 

 neighborhood, who generally came across the river. — 

 How the alarm was given to them, whether by firing a 

 gun or otherwise, or by whom, is not certainly known. — 

 In remembrance of this event, he afterwards directed 

 that on his death he should be buried under the Mul-. 

 berry tree, which had been the scene of this adventure. 

 Part of the trunk of this tree, is still standing. It is ten 

 feet high, up to the lowest limbs, and the stump is eleven 

 feet six inches in circmnference.'^ 



John Harris, died about 1748— ^probably in December,* 

 and was buried where he had directed — under the shade of 

 his own memorable tree^^and there his remains still 

 repose, with those of some of his children. The title to 

 the grave yaid? to the extent, of fifteen feet square, is 

 secured by conveyance from the commissioners who 

 laid out the town. In the words, of Parson Elder,, 

 who knew John Harris^ well, '''He ivas as honest a 

 manias ever broke hread.^^ 



A settlement- was commenced in 1726, on the Susque-- 

 lianna, south of the Chiques Hill, by Robert Barber,. 



*EsQ. Geo. W. Harris' letter, dated August 10, 18-13,. 



