X80 AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



in the intelligence tliat they had been traced to Conestogo, the settlement 

 of the professed friendly Indians, who harbored and, it was believed, en- 

 couraged and aided the hostile Indians. Thus was kindled the implacable 

 hatred of the Paxton men against all Indian blood and against the Mo- 

 ravians and Quakers, who were disposed to conciliate and protect the 

 Indians, and as the Paxton men thought, frequently at the expense of the 

 lives of the settlers. 



The Conestoga Indians lived at Conestogo, in Manor township ; their 

 extirpation was the savage design of the Paxton men, more particularly 

 of the younger and more hot-blooded men of the Eev. Colonel Elder's 

 corps of Eangers, led by Lazarus Stewart, a daring partisan and a man 

 of considerable influence in the Paxton settlement. 



On the morning of Wednesday, December 14th, a number of armed 

 men attacked the village of Conestogo, massacred some women and 

 children and a few old men, among them the chief Sheehays. The ma- 

 jority of the Indians were abroad at the time of the attack. The magis- 

 trates of Lancaster sent for the survivors and placed them for safe keeping 

 in the newly erected workhouse. 



Below is the official account of the affair communicated to the Gov- 

 ernor in a letter from Edward Shippen, Esq. : 



"Lancaster, 14th December, 1763, Evening. 



"Honoured Sir: One Robert Edgar, a hired man to Captain Thomas 

 M'Kee, living near the Borough, acquainted me to-day that a Company 

 of People from the Frontiers had killed and scalped most of the Indians 

 at the Conestogoe Town early this morning; he said he had his informa- 

 tion from an Indian boy who made his escape ; Mr. Slough has been to 

 the place and held a Coroner's Inquest on the Corpses, being six in 

 number ; Bill Sawk and some other Indians were gone towards Smith's 

 Iron "Works to sell brooms; but where they are now we can't under- 

 stand ; and the Indians, John Smith, and Peggy, his wife, and their child, 

 and young Joe Hays, were abroad last night too, and lodged at one 

 Peter Swar's, about two miles from hence; these last came here this 

 afternoon, whom we acquainted with what had happened to their Friends 

 and Relations, and advised them to put themselves under our protection, 

 which they readily agreed to ; And they are now in our Work House by 

 themselves, where they are well provided for with every necessary. 

 Warrants are issued for the apprehending of the murderers, said to be 

 upwards of fifty men, well armed and mounted. I beg my kind Com- 

 plements to Mr. Richard Penn, and I am with with all due regards, 

 " Sir, Your Honour's Obliged 



" Friend, and most humble Servant, 



" Edw'd Shippen." 



" The Honorable John Penn, Esqr., Governor." 



