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\ Heilman Dale, 
 
 Leban 
 
 ADDRESSES 
 
 DELIVERED AT THE 
 
 FIRST STATED MEETING 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Lebanon County Historical Society 
 
 L - 
 
 HEED IN THE 
 
 COURT HOUSE, LEBANON, F»A., 
 
 Friday, February 18, 1898. 
 
 The County Historical Society, 
 
 By Rev. F. J. F. Schantz, D. 1>., 
 Myerstown, Pa. 
 
 The Hebron Diary during the Revolutionary Period, 
 
 By J. "H. Redsecker, Ph.M. 
 
 PRESS OF 
 
 REPORT PUBLISHING COMPANY, LIMITED, 
 
 LEBANON, PA. 
 
r I 5~7 
 
 5 762 
 
 l-\oi°l% *&«*< 
 
THE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 By Rev. F. J. F. Schantz, D.D. 
 
 Mr. President and Members of the Leba- 
 non County Historical Society: 
 Friday, January 14th, 1898, will be long 
 remembered by the gentlemen who assem- 
 bled on the afternoon of that day in the 
 Court House of Lebanon county. No bell 
 had rung. No judges occupied the bench. 
 No attorneys assembled within the bar. 
 No jurymen were present to be called, to 
 be challenged or accepted. No plaintiffs 
 and defendants appeared with anxious 
 faces. No witnesses feared the trying or- 
 deal of an examination and cross-examina- 
 tions. No one had come to exercise the 
 right of the American citizen to sit in 
 judgment on the court. On that after- 
 noon no case was tried and thus no tes- 
 timony was heard — there were no rulings 
 by the court — no pleas by attorneys — no 
 charge to the jury — no verdict rendered— 
 no lines imposed — no committals to jail or 
 penitentiaries — no sentence to die on the 
 gallows — no mileage and pay for jurymen 
 and witnesses — no fees for attorneys, and. 
 above all, no costs for the county. 
 
 The meeting of that afternoon differed 
 from all the meetings held in the Court 
 House from the time of its erection, many 
 years ago. Besides sessions of the court 
 in these many years, other meetings were 
 held in the past within these walls. The 
 various political parties have often met 
 here — to show the duty of the citizen in 
 municipal, county, state and national af- 
 fair's. Prominent candidates for state and 
 national offices, men distinguished for 
 their services in the commonwealth, ami 
 in the republic, — men, who by their ser 
 vices in the time of war, won the admira- 
 tion of all good citizens, — were heard here 
 in past years. For many years, the great 
 county institutes in the interest of educa- 
 tion have been held here. Within these 
 walls, great lectures, delivered by great 
 men, have been heard; and musicians of 
 highest rank have often delighted large au- 
 diences. Possibly some of the gentlemen 
 present today, may remember that at a 
 great Union meeting, held here in the time 
 of the late war, the most impressive ad- 
 dress was delivered by a Pennsylvania 
 
 German parson, who was applauded as no 
 man had been applauded before. 
 
 The meeting on January 14th will ever 
 be remembered as the meeting at which 
 the organization of the Lebanon County 
 Historical Society was effected. The com- 
 mittee appointed at the temporary orga- 
 nization presented a well-prepared consti- 
 tution, which was unanimously adopted. 
 The committee on organization reported the 
 names of gentlemen, whose ancestors re- 
 sided in Lebanon county for many years, 
 to fill the various offices., and all were 
 unanimously elected and entered at once 
 upon their respective offices. An executive 
 committee was appointed. Many mem- 
 bers paid the membership fee and first an- 
 nual fee. The gentlemen who took part 
 in the organization of the society were de- 
 lighted with the attendance, with the har- 
 monious proceedings, and the deep interest 
 shown in the organization of the society. 
 
 Since the meeting on Friday, January 
 14th, the executive committee has held sev- 
 eral meetings, at one of which it arranged 
 the order for the meeting on this day. My 
 appearance before you today reminds me 
 of an experience as a member of the board 
 of trustees of a college. Many years ago, I 
 offered, at a meeting of the board, a reso- 
 lution recommending that in future the 
 scholastic year of the institution be opened 
 with an address before the faculty, the stu- 
 dents and friends of the institution. The 
 resolution was adopted, and when the time 
 for the appointment of a speaker had 
 come, I received the invitation to deliver 
 the first address. I felt a deep interest in 
 the formation of this society, and you saw 
 tit to elect me a member of the executive 
 committee. I favored the appointment of 
 speakers for this first regular bi-monthly 
 meeting of the society. The executive 
 committee kindly spared other gentlemen, 
 who are to be given ample time for the 
 preparation of extended papers, — and kind- 
 ly requested me to deliver an address at 
 this meeting. 
 
 Gentlemen, I regard this day as one of 
 the happiest days of my residence of more 
 than thirty years in the beautiful Lebanon 
 
/./■/! ANON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
 
 Valley— not Bimply in view of the honor 
 bestowed upon me to deliver as address; 
 but in view of the great privilege of being 
 able to address you as the Lebanon Coun- 
 ty Historical Society, a privilege which no 
 one has heretofore enjoyed. 
 
 Lebanon county, as is well known, was 
 constituted within this century: Dauphin 
 county long included the; district n<>\\ em- 
 braced in Lebanon county. Lancastei 
 county formerly included Dauphin and 
 Lebanon counties. Lancaster county and 
 Dauphin county differed from Lebanon 
 county for many years in an importanl 
 matter. Lancaster and Dauphin have for 
 many years their respective count3 his- 
 torical societies. We have reason to re- 
 joice that Lebanon lias now become like 
 
 Lancaster and Dauphin counties. 
 
 What more suitable subject could have 
 been assigned to me tor this first bi-month- 
 ly meeting of our society than the one 
 announced as the subject of mj address: 
 
 THE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 No one can complain that al the close of 
 the nineteenth century, there is a dearth 
 of societies. For a long time, the three in- 
 stitutions of divine appointment -the fam- 
 ily, I he -talc, and I he church, ]i;i\ e mc! 
 the wants of men. We live in an age in 
 which it would be difficult to name all the 
 societies and associations in which people 
 
 have membership. 
 We have at this day, the gentlemen's 
 
 Club and the womoifs club, the boys' club 
 
 and the girls' elub; we might ask, \\ hail is 
 
 wrong with the ties of homo, the loving 
 
 iol.il it husband and wife, of parents 
 
 and children, that make these necessary? 
 In educational work, we find the rural 
 
 district School With its societies as well as 
 
 the great university with its many associa 
 turns. No educational institution seems to 
 be able to secure patronage of a sufficient 
 quantity, if its catalogue does not announce 
 the fad that its students will be able to 
 have their wishes gratified bj the advan- 
 tages afforded by a multitude of associa 
 t ions. 
 In the church itself, we have today such 
 i number ol societies, that the fear 
 has been expressed that the time may come 
 when men will ask, Of whal furl her Use is 
 
 ill.' i lnireli wnh its ,h\ in. appoinl menl , to 
 
 meet t he highest v. ;inl s .if men ? 
 
 In matters of the state, we have a great 
 
 number of associations, each one claiming 
 
 t hai it is absolute!] needed to secure the 
 
 civil interests of OUT vast population. 
 
 In business, we meet with main asso- 
 ciations. Think of the many unions that 
 
 have been formed by capitalists to secure 
 and advance the money interests of the 
 rich, and think of the many brotherhoods 
 to secure the rights of the laboring man. 
 These combinations show how much men 
 prize the associations of those who have 
 similar interests. Thus we have also men 
 associated in agricultural and horticultural 
 societies, in millers, in miners and manu- 
 facturers associations. We meet with med- 
 ical societies, pharmaceutical associations, 
 dental unions, editorial associations, print- 
 ers combinations, ministers union, and un- 
 dertakers union. Who can name all the 
 associations we have today for mutual aid 
 in the time of sickness, and relict when 
 death visits the home? Who has forgotten 
 the bright promises that were made by 
 agents ol ( insurance I companies of various 
 name-, and the sad and painful disappoint- 
 ments of many who have not been profited 
 by such association with others? 
 
 Whilst all of these societies or associa- 
 tions have to do with the present and fu- 
 ture interests of men, the historical society 
 di tiers from all of these by having to do 
 principally with the past, of men. 
 
 Historical societies are not new in 
 America. New England is proud of its 
 Puritan Society. New York and New Jer- 
 sey lake pride in the Holland Society. The 
 Hibernian Societj preserves the history of 
 those who came from the Emerald Isle. 
 The Scotch-Irish Society preserves the 
 memory of illustrious ancestors. The Ger- 
 man Society of New York and the German 
 Society of Philadelphia have already cel- 
 ebrated their centennials. The Pennsylva- 
 nia Historical Society has rendered most 
 important service in preserving the his- 
 torj of Pennsylvania and the Union. The 
 Pennsylvania German Society, organized 
 only seven years ago, has awakened among 
 Pennsylvania Germans a wonderful inter- 
 est in the history of their ancestors. New 
 England has learned more of Pennsylvania 
 Germans in these seven years than ever 
 before, and it is to be commended for ac- 
 knowledging its former ignorance of a peo- 
 ple who had also a prominent pari in 
 making the United Stales what they are. 
 Not long ago, students of an eastern col- 
 lege were requested to prepare papers in 
 which the young men were to give what 
 
 t hex knew of their homes and the people 
 of their respective homes. One young 
 man made good use of Benjamin Trex 
 ler's "Sketches of the Lehigh Valley." 
 
 The professor before whom the young stu- 
 dent read his paper, was astonished, and 
 promptly asked the young man where he 
 
LEBANON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
 
 had secured the matter given in his paper. 
 The student acknowledged his use of the 
 contents of the "Sketches of the Lehigh 
 Valley," a German volume, which contains 
 much valuable historical information con- 
 cerning the Pennsylvania Germans and 
 other white settlers. What will New Eng- 
 land professors say when they once have 
 read all the annuals of the Pennsylvania 
 German Society ? 
 
 On Friday, February 4th, whilst on my 
 way to Macungie, to go thence to Upper 
 Milford township in my native county (Le- 
 high), to deliver a lecture in the Penn'a 
 German dialect, I had the pleasure of meet 
 ing Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Porter, of Lafa- 
 yette College, who informed me that on the 
 previous evening (February 3d) he had the 
 pleasure of witnessing at a private resi- 
 dence in Chambersburg, the organization 
 of the Kittatinny Scotch-Irish Eistorical 
 Society, by about 20 gentlemen who had 
 assembled for the purpose. This shows 
 that others also are appreciating the im- 
 portance of district historical societies. 
 And I have no doubt that in the future the 
 Historical Society of Lebanon County will 
 take pleasure in greeting the Kittatinny 
 Scotch-Irish Society and bid it God-speed 
 in a good work. 
 
 Our glorious republic is a grand union of 
 states. It consists of many parts. We 
 speak of commonwealths, of counties, of 
 townships, and of districts. The character 
 of the union is determined by the charac- 
 ter of the divisions and sub-divisions. 
 Hence the propriety of the organization of 
 other than national and state, yea, even of 
 county societies, to preserve the history 
 of the minor parts of the great republic. 
 
 And what is the great purpose of the so- 
 ciety recently organized by us? It is to 
 preserve the history of Lebanon county, a 
 part of the great commonwealth of Penn- 
 sylvania — the Keystone state of the great 
 republic. The territory covered by this 
 county is not large compared with that of 
 Perks and Lancaster or even Schuylkill 
 county. Let us not forget that as some of 
 the smaller states of the great republic 
 have a more interesting and important his- 
 tory than some of vast domain, so some of 
 the smaller counties of the commonwealth 
 have a history of w r hich counties of much 
 larger extent of territor-y might be proud. 
 
 And what mil be the work of the Leba- 
 non County Historical Society? 
 
 1. We trust that some one will soon be 
 charged with the preparation of a paper, 
 in which there will be an interesting de- 
 scription of the territory covered by this 
 
 county, to show what it was before white 
 men settled here. It. had then the same 
 parts of mother earth as at present, with 
 mountains and valleys, with extensive for- 
 ests and vast uncultivated plains, its many 
 streams t>f water, the beast of the forest, 
 the winged fowl, and the abundance of fish 
 in the streams. It was then the region in 
 which the Indian loved to roam, and also 
 to abide for seasons of varied length. 
 
 2. We doubt not that we will also be 
 favored with a paper on the settlements of 
 white people. The earliest settlements 
 were made near the beginning of the last 
 century. We will hear of the immigrants 
 who came from Schoharie in New York, 
 by the way of the north branch of the 
 Susquehanna, and the Susquehanna to the 
 mouth of the Swatara, thence along the 
 Swatara, and eastward into the Tulpe- 
 hocken region. We will also hear of the 
 many who came subsequently by the way 
 of the port in Philadelphia. 
 
 3. Then, again, we will learn from an- 
 other, of the first habitations of the early 
 settlers, — their erection of humble houses 
 and plain barns, of the preparation of the 
 soil and the first sowing of seed in the 
 hope of a future harvest, — and the erection 
 of the first mills will not be forgotten. 
 
 4. Still another will tell us of the erec- 
 tion of school-houses and churches, and 
 the organization of Christian congregations 
 by those who could not forget the lilcss- 
 ings of the church and school in the Fath- 
 erland. 
 
 5. We will further learn of the opening 
 of public roads by the government, and 
 the opening of private roads by the set- 
 tlers,— to be followed in turn by the turn- 
 pike, the canal and the railroad. 
 
 6. Some one will tell us of the early ar- 
 tisan, and the results of his labors. The 
 services rendered by the tailor, the shoe- 
 maker, the carpenter, the tinker, the 
 blacksmith, the clockmaker, the wagon- 
 maker, the millwright, and also by the 
 gunsmith, will be fully presented. 
 
 7. An important paper will present the 
 civil affairs in the days of the colony, and 
 subsequently in the time of the com- 
 monwealth. 
 
 8. Some one will tell us of the discovery 
 and subsequent mining of iron ore, — the 
 erection of the first furnaces and the won- 
 derful development of the iron interests. 
 We shall also hear of prospecting for gold 
 and silver in various parts of the county. 
 
 9. In due time we will have extended 
 papers on the school house and school of 
 the fathers, the adoption of the common 
 
L Eli AXON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 school system, the establishment of acad- 
 emics, the opening ol high schools and eol 
 leges, and the Pennsylvania Chautauqua, 
 within the limits of bhe county. 
 
 10. Many papers will be requit-ed to 
 present properly the historj atch Chris- 
 
 iongregation, with an account of its 
 
 buildings, its records, its pastors and i 
 
 pie. 
 
 11. Many papers will be required t" 
 present the history of the services rend- 
 ered by the early and later inhabitants of 
 the county in the French and Indian 
 War, in the years of the greal Revolution, 
 m the War ..i L812-15, m the war with 
 Mexico, and in 1 he late Civil War. 
 
 12. Valuable contributions will he made 
 to the societ.N bj the preparation and pre- 
 sentation of the history of each town and 
 village. 
 
 13. Will not the formation of Lebanon 
 County, whose inhabitants had for many 
 years to go to Harrisburg and still earlier 
 
 for a long tune to Lancaster to se 
 
 justice as well as to he tried for offences, 
 he an mt en -I ing art icle'.' 
 
 14. 'Idie history of families cannot fail 
 to prove oi interest to many who know 
 now hut little of their ancestors. 
 
 15. We I rust that some will he charged 
 with the preparation of a paper on Music 
 in Lebanon County, lie will not forget to 
 tell us of t he cantor of t he oi I eon 
 tions. the singing-school of former days, 
 the use of the violin and otner instruments 
 at, church ser\ ices, before pipe-organs and 
 later ned organs were used. What a dif- 
 ference between the renderings of the 
 primitive choir and the choral societj of 
 the present daj . 
 
 In". Some of us will lie surprised in 
 lea in of t he » Iherrj Fairs held in t he 
 county many years ago, which occasioned 
 severe reproof from Faithful ministers at 
 the next church service; of the drill days 
 and great battalions, when the State mili- 
 tia and volunteer companies were not the 
 only attraction, when hucksters erected 
 their hoot lis along the public road, and 
 had g] eat Sail -. when landlords had am 
 
 pie preparations for those who were hun 
 
 -i j .ind t hirstj . w hen t he tidier was busj 
 from una inn- till late at night in serving 
 those who wished to dance, ami when men 
 
 \\ ho had mis to set tie with others en- 
 
 gaged m bloody contests. We ma\ also 
 
 in due time learn of the old kind of politi- 
 cal meetings held in various parts of the 
 county, and learn how nan in former days 
 obsei ved t be Fourth of duly. 
 17. Tn due time we may also have bio- 
 
 graphical sketches of ministers, from the 
 days of John Caspar Stqever, Conrad Tem- 
 pleman and the tirst ministers of the Mo 
 ravian and other churches, down to the 
 present day; of teachers in charge of the 
 
 old I H-ineinde Schule and of those who 
 subsequent^ had charge oi the schools 
 that, were successively established; of phy- 
 sicians distinguished for their ability and 
 success in ministering to the wants of suf- 
 fering fellow men; of judges and other legal 
 gentlemen of high rank and eminent ser- 
 vices in the court of justice; of men who 
 faithfully served their generation in the 
 State and National government; of men 
 who served their country faithfully in the 
 time of war: of men and women, known 
 for industry and honesty and fair dealing, 
 in the different vocations of life; of men 
 who by the establishment of great indus- 
 tries became benefactors to many who 
 found an opportunity to earn their daily 
 bread, and of men and women too, noti I 
 lor t heir works of mercy. 
 
 IS. An interest in- paper would lie one 
 on the languages spoken by the early set- 
 blers. The English landlord no doubl 
 found it difficult to converse with the Ger 
 man who spoke high German and the im- 
 migrant who continued to use the di 
 of the province from which he came. No 
 doubt tlu' Scotch Irish ami the German 
 and Swiss settlers had their difficulties m 
 conversing with each other. The intro- 
 duction of schools in which English was 
 and is still taught has been the means of 
 bringing the citizens of the county to a 
 closer union. Much remains, however, to 
 he done on this line. 
 
 L9. leal the work of the Count \ Histori- 
 cal Societj will not end with securing the 
 preparation and presentation of histo 
 papers on topics such as have been indi- 
 cated and such as may he thought of by 
 others. 
 
 An opportunity will he given from time 
 to time for the display and we trust also 
 for presentation to the Society of old pa- 
 pers, such as patents, warrants and deeds, 
 of an earlier day, passport- of ancestors, 
 contracts with redemptioners, old hooks 
 lirought from the Fatherland, old furni- 
 ture, old (diesis, old chairs and benches, 
 old bedsteads, old tallies, ten plate stoves, 
 old queenSTvare, old knives, forks and 
 . old clocks, t he old spinning wheel, 
 
 the Hint punk and steid, a sun glass, tin- 
 old lard lamps, implements used on the 
 farm, fools used in the workshop, old lire 
 arms and swords; also Indian relics of va- 
 rious kinds, garments worn by ancestors, 
 
LEBANON COUNTY HIS10RICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 when there were no fashion-plates. What 
 an interesting presentation would the old 
 clerical robe, worn in Bindnagle's church, 
 but not within the memory of a living 
 man, be. To these might be added all the 
 books and pamphlets published in this 
 county. Files of newspapers would also be 
 very acceptable and profitable. Another 
 valuable addition would be the list of pat- 
 ents secured by inventors residing in Leb- 
 anon County, and if possible specimens of 
 tlic articles patented. 
 
 But why should I continue to speak 
 longer of the future work of the County 
 Historical Society? We ought to enter 
 upon the work with proper zeal. The work 
 cannot be completed in a year or many 
 years — it is a work that is to be continued 
 by future generations. Every opportunity 
 should, however, be embraced to secure 
 valuable information and interesting con- 
 tributions from those who link us with 
 past generations. If we procrastinate, we 
 may wait until those who can now render 
 valuable services will have departed this 
 life and then we will have occasion to re- 
 gret our unfortunate delays. 
 
 The present members of the Society and 
 all who may shortly become members of 
 the same — and we trust that many ladies 
 as well as gentlemen will become members 
 of the organization — will have to do with 
 the history of past generations, and what 
 will be the profit of such work? We trust 
 that all will be led to thank God for the 
 blessings which we now enjoy and that 
 all of us may be impressed by the thought 
 that what we now enjoy, by the favor of 
 God, is the result of the heroic labors of a 
 noble ancestry, of whom no one has rea- 
 son to be ashamed. 
 
 I shall never forget my visit, in the 
 spring of 1866, to the old Trappe church 
 in Montgomery County, erected in 1743. 
 Snow still covered the ground. I first vis- 
 ited the grave of the patriarch Muhlen- 
 berg and wiped the snow from his tomb- 
 stone; there lie also the remains of other 
 members of his family, and also those of 
 Francis R. Shunk, a former Governor <>t 
 Pennsylvania. After leaving the burial 
 ground I later entered the church twice. 
 I was alone the second time and 
 yet I did not regret that I was alone 
 in the old church building. I looked at the 
 walls of the building, the quaint doors 
 and windows in the same, I looked at the 
 high pulpit, and plain altar, at the plain 
 seats on floor and in galleries. I noticed 
 
 the organ in the organ loft, with some of 
 the pipes Avanting. Whilst I looked at 
 what was to be seen in the old sanctuary 
 I thought of the services conducted in that 
 building, by Muhlenberg, Brunnholtz, and 
 their successors. I thought of people wor- 
 shipping in that house of God, in a former 
 century. I thought of the meetings of 
 Synod held there at a very early day. I 
 thought of the blessings extended to an- 
 cestors, including some of my own rela- 
 tives I thought of the labors, services and 
 influence that belonged to the history of 
 that old church, and I could not refrain 
 from kneeling before that ancient altar 
 and to thank God for His favors to noble 
 fathers, for their work and blessed in- 
 fluences upon others, and to pray that 
 God's blessing might rest upon all of the 
 day on which I prayed and on future gen- 
 erations. You may wonder how I hap- 
 pened to be at the Trappe at that time, 
 on such unpleasant days. I was at that 
 time an agent of a Theological Seminary 
 of the Lutheran Church, which regards 
 Muhlenberg as its patriarch. 
 
 Let no honest man tell me that he can 
 examine the records and results of the la- 
 bors of godly men of former days, who 
 had so much to do with the making of 
 Pennsylvania, and yet remain unmoved 
 and receive no inspiration for a better life 
 and more faithful service. 
 
 Before closing, I would ask you to think 
 of the Lebanon County Historical Society 
 celebrating its semi-centennial in the year 
 1&J8, and still later the centennial. Will 
 not our lives, our labors, our good deeds 
 or evil deeds, be then a part of the his- 
 tory of Lebanon county. Let every mem- 
 ber of the Society consider it the heighth 
 of his ambition, duty and privilege so to 
 live and act by the help of the grace of 
 <o>d, that his descendants will have no 
 cause to blush when his history shall be 
 written or read by them. 
 
 Hoav important for all of us to remem- 
 ber the exhortation of the great apostle: 
 
 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things 
 are true, whatsoever things are honest, 
 whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever 
 things are lovely, whatsoever things are of 
 good report, if there be any virtue and if 
 there be any praise, think on these things. 
 
 "Those things, which ye both learned, 
 and received, and heard and seen in me, 
 do: and the God of peace shall be with 
 you." 
 
THE HEBRON DIARY DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY 
 
 PERIOD. 
 
 Hv 
 
 . J. II. Redseckek, Ph.m. 
 
 About 12 or 15 years before George Suit/ 
 laid out the town of Lebanon, the Mora- 
 vian brethren, moving westward from Naz- 
 areth and Bethlehem, had settled in He- 
 bron, a mile east of what subsequently be- 
 came the town of Lebanon. Here they 
 had organized a church, and about the year 
 1750 erected a substantial stone house of 
 worship, which is still standing, but alas! 
 is now used as a stable. 'The ministers of 
 the church as was, and stdl is, their cus- 
 tom, kept a complete diary of daily events, 
 particularly those relating to their church. 
 This diary is now in the possession of the 
 Moravian congregation in Lebanon, ami a 
 transcript oi it during the Revolutionarj 
 period being in my possession, 1 have the 
 pleasure of presenting some data gathered 
 from it, which I hope will be of interest 
 to the members of our Historical Society. 
 It is a matter of regret that 1 am unable, 
 in a paper of such length as this must nec- 
 essarily be, to give you a complete Iran 
 script of the diary, as it is replete with 
 interesting data dining the memorable 
 struggle of the Colonies in the War oi 
 Independence. It gives us not only an in 
 
 sight into the loyalty a, id patriotism of the 
 people of our town and county, bui of their 
 Imprs and fears, their struggles and tri- 
 umphs, and brief pen pid m es of t hose w h i 
 played t heir pari in the great drama then 
 enacted. We have also a view of the op 
 timisni and pessimism of the pastor, to 
 whom we are indebted for this interesting 
 hit ..I history. 
 
 We must remember that al I lie I one our 
 record begins, Lebanon was a town not 
 
 e i hm probablj 15 years old, w ith nol 
 
 over 200 bouses, ami extending eastward 
 
 hardlj as tar as Seventh street, and a pop 
 
 nlation scarcelj one I bousand, 
 
 \h bough In ing hm miles inland from Phil 
 
 adelphia, with no means of communication 
 
 ether than the occasional meSSengei 01 
 
 traveler. the citizens were not unmindful 
 
 I'M nts which were transpiring in the 
 
 Colonies and which ultimately led up to 
 the War "f the Revolution. As earlj as 
 fune 25, 1771, a meeting of the inhabitants 
 
 of Lebanon and the adjoining townships 
 was held at the house of Captain Oireena- 
 walt, in Lebanon, "to take into serious 
 consideration the state of public affairs." 
 Major John Philip Did bias, afterward a 
 General, presided, and John Light acted 
 as secretary. It was resolved: 
 
 1st. That the late act of the British Par- 
 liament, by which the port of Boston is 
 shut up, is an act oppressive to the people 
 of that city, and subversive of the rights 
 of the inhabitants of America. 
 
 2d. That while we profess to be loyal 
 subjects of Great Britain, we shall not 
 submit to unjust and iniquitous laws, as 
 u e are not slaves, but freemen. 
 
 .".d. That we are in favor of a Congress 
 of Deputies, who will act in behalf oi the 
 people lor obtaining a redress of their 
 grievances. 
 
 Ith. That we will act with the inhabit- 
 ants of other portions of our country in 
 such measures as will preserve to us our 
 rights and our liberties. 
 
 5th. Thai our countrymen of the city of 
 Boston bave our sinceresi sympathy, that 
 their cause is the common cause of Amer- 
 ica. 
 
 (ith. That Messrs. Philip < I reena w alt , 
 Thomas Clark, Michael Ley, Lillian Lone, 
 and Curtis Grubb be a committee to collect 
 contributions lor our suffering brethren. 
 
 It will thus be seen that at the time our 
 diary opens, the people were watching and 
 preparing for the expected event. 
 
 Living, as we do. ill the closing years of 
 the nineteenth century, when wo have gir- 
 dled the earth with electric wires, and 
 speak face to lace, as it were, though hun- 
 dreds of miles distant, with ocean grey- 
 hounds and fast-moving railroad trains, 
 and when we expect the world's .lows of 
 
 todaj laid before us in tomorrow's papers, 
 
 • when, I saw we have all these invent ions 
 ■ ■I modern civilization all'ording means of 
 intercommunication between the peoples of 
 the earth, it is still a matter of astonish 
 incut to learn how quickly the news was 
 transmitted one hundred ami twenty-live 
 years ago, without all these modern means. 
 
LEBANON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 The smoke of the battle of Lexington and 
 Concord had scarcely cleared away, before 
 its echoes were heard throughout the Colo- 
 nies. It was not long in reaching the little 
 town of Lebanon, one hundred miles inland 
 from Philadelphia. Twenty-one days after 
 this initial battle of the war, we find the 
 news had not only reached Lebanon, but 
 that two companies had been organized 
 and were ready to march. Let us quote 
 from the diary in proof of this: "Wednes- 
 day, May 10th, 1775. Great alarm in town. 
 All men from 15 to 50 years, are expected 
 to register themselves. Two companies are 
 ready. The brethren ask for advice, and 
 that is hard to give." They were worthy 
 sires of as worthy sons, who in 1861 as 
 promptly responded to the call of their 
 country. 
 
 Four days later, Sunday, May 14, we find 
 this entry: "From Wednesday of last week 
 up to the end of the week, our whole 
 neighborhood has presented a warlike ap- 
 pearance; especially was there great ex- 
 citement in town, so that there is no other 
 course left for our brethren, they were 
 obliged to register themselves. However, 
 they all went to DeHaas, who has no com- 
 mission, but has by himself organized a 
 company. Thus finally they obtain quiet." 
 
 When we remember the meeting of -Tune 
 25, 1774, it is not so much a matter of 
 surprise to find the people of Lebanon with 
 two organized companies ready to march, 
 three weeks after the first engagement of 
 the war. John Philip DeHaas was not a 
 novice in soldiering. He had seen service 
 in (he numerous campaigns against the In- 
 dians, and had commanded a company in 
 >ne of the frontier forts along the Blue 
 Mountains. He had attained the rank of 
 Major and was with Colonel Boquet in 
 his campaign against the Indians in 1764, 
 when he compelled them to sue for peace, 
 and which resulted in the delivering up of 
 many captives taken during their numer- 
 ous raids upon the settlements. 
 
 But to return to the diary. Little else 
 is recorded for 1775, except that "through 
 the continual favor of our worthy magis 
 trates we have remained, not only undis- 
 turbed as it appeared would not be the 
 case, in these hazardous and unsettled 
 times; but many times in the open malice 
 of our enemies, they granted us their gra- 
 cious protection, so that our quiet haven 
 has been guarded for us." The year 1776 
 was one of unusual mental agitation for 
 the peaceful and peace-loving pastor of the 
 Hebron congregation. Though not dis- 
 loyal, for he records with evident satisfac- 
 
 tion the victories of the Continental arms, 
 he was perhaps not as enthusiastically pa- 
 triotic as we may think he should have 
 been. This may have been due to the 
 fact that he was probably a non-combat- 
 ant. However, he records with some de- 
 gree of satisfaction, that on Sunday, March 
 3d, "Mr. DeHaas came before preaching 
 service and bade Brother Bader an affec- 
 tionate farewell. In pursuance of his call, 
 he will leave next Wednesday for Philadel- 
 phia, and from there, as Colonel of the 
 First Battalion, he will travel to Quebec." 
 On the following Thursday, March 7th, we 
 are informed, "early this morning Mr. De- 
 Haas, with a strong escort, passed here on 
 his journey. He gave another look at the 
 house, saw Brother and Sister Bailer, and 
 once more they sent each other a cordial 
 greeting." 
 
 In the meantime, the war spirit stirred 
 the hearts of the people, and soldiers gath- 
 ered in and about Lebanon, and continued 
 drilling, preparatory to going to the front. 
 Friday, June 25th, Dr. Oldenbrug, who af- 
 terwards figures quite extensively as Cap- 
 tain Oldenbrug in connection with the 
 Hessian prisoners, "came and asked for 
 several benches for the officers, in order 
 that they could sit in Brother Baltho 
 Orth's spring house, lie was allowed to 
 take four from the school room. A whole 
 battalion will come together tomorrow 
 across the water in Brother Baltho's field 
 (just opposite the Gemein-haus) and drill.*' 
 
 On Sunday, July 7th, we are told "there 
 is again great alarm in town concerning 
 the war," and the next day it is recorded 
 that "Brother Sturges came in great per- 
 plexity with the news that every one must 
 leave at once, according to (he command 
 of Congress, through an express messen- 
 ger." And here we get an idea of how the 
 news was communicated. By couriers, af- 
 ter the manner of Paul Revere. 
 
 The battalion's drilling on Sunday, so 
 near the church, evidently disturbed the 
 worship of the Hebron congregation, for 
 we find this entry on Sunday, duly 14, 
 "The battalion received positive orders not 
 to march out until after the public divine 
 worship of the brethren, who were not to 
 be disturbed, was ended." 
 
 That troops were being sent to the front 
 from other places, or were ordered to ren- 
 dezvous in Lebanon, is quite evident from 
 an entry in the diary of Sunday, duly 21, 
 which says, "Again a battalion marched 
 by." In the evening, two soldiers came 
 ■<nd asked for something to eat. When 
 they learned it was a meeting house, they 
 
LEBANON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 started. bu1 "Sister Bader made up some- 
 thing for them, and they .were friendly 
 and thankful." Toward the end of this 
 month, a number of companies were gath- 
 ered in Lebanon, for on the 28th, he Bays, 
 "towards evening again a company bdlong 
 ing to another battalion marched upon the 
 field, being opposite us," and a few days 
 later, "two companies from the Swatara 
 marched here.'" 
 
 The time came when the men, who had 
 been drilling in "Brother Baltho Orth's 
 field," were to leave for the seat of war. 
 Among them, were members of the Mora- 
 vian eongreKafi.ii). We have numerous 
 records of calls by the brethren to bid 
 their pastor an affectionate farewell, for 
 who could know whether they should ever 
 return. 
 
 With the stalwart men at the front, and 
 the Indians and Tories in the rear, there 
 is reason for the record on August 4, when 
 Pastor Bader says, "Greai alarm and un- 
 easiness because of the Tories and Indians, 
 who are threatening an invasion upon the 
 land from the mountains. "' The alarm, 
 however, proved to be groundless, for a 
 few days later all the soldiers left. He 
 says, under date of August 8th, "toward 
 evening the companies, which are (as it is 
 believed) the last from this place, also 
 marched by." 
 
 On Thursday, August 15th, we come 
 upon a record which, though not entered 
 in a spirit of complaint, has nevertheless a 
 pathos, which even at this distance of 
 time, is affecting, "The song service is held 
 in the house, because so many of the 
 brel hren arc in t he army." 
 
 The troops marched by way of Reading, 
 Bethlehem and Easton to New York, for 
 on the 28th of August, eighteen days after 
 leaving home, the ^ood pastor received a 
 letter i how long if was on the way we can- 
 not tell) from Brother Sturges to read to 
 his wife, in which he conveyed the intelli- 
 gence that "he and Brother Guenther re- 
 ceived the favor of being permitted to go 
 to the Lord's Supper in Bethlehem, and 
 thai his battalion conducted itself there 
 in a creditable manner." 
 
 The stein realities of war were now felt 
 in our Lebanon community, for battles 
 were being fought and many of her sons 
 were at the front. With what anxiety 
 news must have been awaited, and every 
 arriving stranger closely questioned. No 
 wonder, then, that Ave are told by the 
 faithful •hronicler, on Sunday, September 
 1, "again there is great commotion in town 
 
 because of a battle which is said to have 
 taken place near Trent own (Trenton)." 
 
 This was a false rumor, for which the 
 pastor was not to blame. The battle of 
 Trenton did not take place until the 26tb 
 of December, when General Washington 
 captured 1,000 Hessian prisoners, who af- 
 terward played such an important part in 
 Brother Bader's records. 
 
 On the 2d of September, the day follow- 
 ing that on which it was rumored there 
 had been a battle at Trenton, he tells us 
 "the dreadful news came that a battle 
 should have occurred near New York, and 
 thai our people were present," and then, 
 as if hoping against hope, and with an op- 
 timism nut common to Brother Bader, he 
 concludes the entry, "While, however, so 
 many untruths have been spread for a long 
 time, we remain quiet." The next day, 
 several sisters came with letters, which 
 they had received from their husbands, 
 and "thej report being quite well and 
 hope to return soon; there was, however, 
 continual tiring and fighting on Long Is- 
 land, about three miles from New York." 
 The battle of Long Island which took place 
 a week previous. 
 
 from September 6th to the 18th, we find 
 many of the men home again, by reason 
 of discharge and sickness, and the people 
 busy sending horses and wagons to meet 
 the sick and bring them home. But scarce- 
 ly were they home, before we have another 
 alarm, "that all who had been in the army 
 should go again." 
 
 On Sunday, December' 1st, the villagers 
 had their first sight of prisoners of war. 
 Whence they came, we are not told, the 
 record simply saying, "One thousand pris- 
 oners, under a strong escort of troops, 
 marched by the ( .'emein-haus, on to bead- 
 ing, at 10 o'clock. They are to be taken 
 to Philadelphia. There were also many 
 Tones present with their wives and chil- 
 dren, and many wagons." Thus (loses the 
 record for 1776. 
 
 The year 1777 opened auspiciously for the 
 Americans. Brother Bader, who was ac 
 customed to sin<j in a minor key, for the 
 
 ie seems to have struck a higher note. 
 
 On January 1, 1777. he jubilantly records 
 a victory. Bui we will let him tell it in 
 his own way. "Every one in town is re- 
 joicing over a victory which the Provin 
 cials are said to have gained." How his- 
 tory repeated itself almost a century later, 
 is well known to those who lived through 
 the exciting and perilous days from 1861 to 
 1865. The victory which Brotlw Bader 
 
LEBANON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 records, is evidently Washington's at Tren- 
 ton, <ni December 26. 1776. 
 
 On the 9th of February, we have the 
 simple announcement, "DeHaas returns." 
 
 That the Germans and the Irish could 
 not fraternize as well a century ago as 
 they do now, is evidenced by an entry of 
 March the 19th, for we find this, to us, 
 amusing record: "In the town (Lebanon) 
 itself there were miserable and dangerous 
 quarrels between the town people and the 
 soldiers, because of the Irish patron, Pat- 
 rick, whose memory the latter were cele- 
 brating." There must have been a regu- 
 lar Donnybrook Fair time of it. 
 
 During the months of April, May mid 
 June, we have records of the registry of 
 the men for service, the requirement of all 
 to take the oath of allegiance, and the 
 (halting of men for service. On Sunday, 
 ■ lime 29, Brother Bader (as he always calls 
 himself in the diary) "preached on the sub- 
 ject, and said that no true brother could 
 lake the oath." The people, we are told, 
 were opposed to it, and two persons lost 
 their lives in Donegal because they refuse. 1 
 to be sworn. We are further told that 
 19 "who had taken the oath attempted to 
 plunder the family of an unsworn person 
 m Swatara. While doing so, they were 
 set upon by sixty who had not taken the 
 oath, and beaten almost to death. The 
 property was saved, and one person who, 
 the previous week had shot a man, was in 
 turn shot with his own rifle." 
 
 Rumors of Indian raids were again re- 
 ported, together with another that "Howe 
 was in Maryland, not far from Yorktovvn 
 i York) on the Susquehanna;" and that 
 I he prisoners from Lancaster and Reading 
 were to be brought to Lebanon, houses al- 
 ready having been ordered and prepared 
 for them. 
 
 ( )n August 27th, three hundred and forty 
 Hessian prisoners arrived in Lebanon, in 
 chai'ge of Colonel Curtis Grubb. He sent 
 two soldiers to the pastor to inform him 
 that the Gemein-haus was to be occupied 
 by them. "To this, Brother Bader object- 
 ed, saying it was not a public house, and 
 he would allow no one in his dwelling." 
 In the evening he had the assurance of 
 Adam Orth, one of his members, and John 
 Thome, who figured quite prominently in 
 Colonial times as a justice of the peace, 
 surveyor and scrivener, that he would re- 
 main in undisturbed possession of the 
 building. Upon what authority they gave 
 him this assurance we cannot learn, for 
 Brother Bader could get no satisfactory 
 reply from Colonel Grubb, to whom he had 
 
 written. After discussing the matter with 
 the brethren, he dispatched a committee 
 to see the commander, with instructions 
 "to put forth their utmost efforts to pre- 
 vent the occupancy of the building," and 
 "to declare that if it happened, it would 
 be against all the laws, especially against 
 the laws of our land, against our wishes 
 and by force. They went, fought all day, 
 and in order to negled nothing, made two 
 propositions: That they would either yield 
 up the two houses (dwellings?) in place of 
 it, or rent a large house in town, in which 
 some could be put, and pay for it, but it 
 was all of no avail, and they came back at 
 night." 
 
 Brother Bader now concluded to retire 
 to Lititz, and lock up the house; but at a 
 later conference, and upon "more careful 
 reflection, he gave up the plan of moving 
 away entirely, and resolved to send an 
 express to Lit itz." 
 
 After the several propositions of the pas- 
 tor and his members, to procure quarters 
 elsewhere, it does seem, looking back calm- 
 ly and judicially, an abuse of authority for 
 Colonel Grubb to take the church as quar- 
 ters for the prisoners, lie was, perhaps, 
 not altogether free from prejudice, and 
 may have been influenced by not the best 
 of motives. Let us see what Brother Ba- 
 der says: "On Friday, August 29, 400 pris- 
 oners arrived. Brother Bader had the op- 
 portunity of emphatically presenting his 
 declaration to Colonel Grubb. But he has 
 been prejudiced by the head of the Re- 
 formed Church and carried out his inten- 
 tion. Brother Bader has entire possession 
 of the four lower rooms, but 200 were put 
 into the church (saal) and in the side 
 rooms (cabinetter); the others had to go to 
 town, and then," concludes the narrative 
 with evident satisfaction to the pastor, 
 "the Reformed had to give up their 
 church." 
 
 For the next year, almost, the good dom- 
 inie's soul was vexed by the Hessians quar- 
 tered in the church. They took the church 
 violins and began playing and dancing in 
 the church and out of it, destroyed prop- 
 er ty, burnt the fences, and acted, as the 
 record says, "shamefully, as they cer- 
 tainly would not dared to have done in 
 1 1 esse at the parsonage." 
 
 During the remainder of the year, there 
 is one continuous wail upon the part of 
 the pastor because of the occupancy of the 
 building. Colonel Marsteller, who suc- 
 ceeded Colonel Grubb in command, made 
 promises of relief, but nothing was done. 
 Messengers were sent to the Council of 
 
/. /•;/;. INi >N ( '( >> TV / ) ' HISTi >A'/( \ II. SO( IE IV. 
 
 Safety, in Lancaster, and Colonel Green 
 await interposed his good offices, l>ut still 
 the Hessians remained quartered in the 
 house. 
 
 On Wednesday, October •_'!), we are told, 
 "aboul W o'clock, David Krause, the bar- 
 master, came and gave them (the 
 Hessians) notice to be ready to leave in 
 half an hour, and to go to the Lutheran 
 church in town. Who was more joyful 
 than Brother and Sister Bader, but who 
 was more dismayed than the Hessians, 
 and particularlj the officers, who had set- 
 tled to rest, were comfortable, and cer- 
 tainly expected t<> pass the winter here." 
 Thej attributed their removal to Brother 
 Bader, but were assured to the contrary. 
 "Captain Oldenbrug came with the militia 
 and took them away. Several wept much. 
 In short, il was not all right with them. 
 We now see the shocking destruction that 
 they produced within and without the 
 house, so that it looks exactly like a stable, 
 and smells horribly, insomuch that it. is a 
 grief." No sooner were the Hessians gone, 
 than t he\ were confronted with a new 
 trouble, for we find this entry in the diarj 
 under date of Thursday. October 30, "A 
 visit from Dav. Buehler and Sturgis. They 
 brought us a piece of news which would 
 
 embitter our joy; that it was generally re- 
 ported that the house was to be occupied 
 by the sick and wounded. <> Ood, look 
 upon it from heaven and have mercy upon 
 us," and he continues. "Tomorrow it is 
 nine weeks that neither the congregation 
 nor their children have had a service by 
 themselves, so hum were the Hessians here, 
 and if the wounded come, the congregation 
 would he scattered and every one go to his 
 own, since in such a slate Brother and Sis 
 ter Bader could not stay on account of the 
 [ice and other nncleannesses, as everj one 
 knows." A conference of the brethren was 
 called and action was taken to prevent the 
 
 tin t her occupancj of t he house. But the 
 
 wounded were not t ;cupy it. for on 
 
 Monday, November 17, •"early, at o'clock, 
 two Hessian women, with their baggage 
 
 on their backs, came with the news that 
 the Hessians were to return again to our 
 house. We were greatlj terrified, and 
 Brother Bader was unwilling to let them 
 
 in; but a- it was verj cold, he allowed 
 
 them to warm themselves. Within an 
 hour after, the house was again taken pos- 
 session of." The reason for their removal 
 
 from the Lutheran church is douhtloss due 
 
 to t he tact , w hich we gather from a note 
 
 m the diary, that the "Kill hcran church in 
 town is to lie used as a powder magazine." 
 
 Again messengers were sent to Lancas 
 
 ter, hut word came that the Hessians were 
 to remain through the winter, and Brother 
 Bader then learned that Ad. Orth ("whom 
 Brother Bader did not entirely trust") "is 
 the chief cause of all our anil the congrega- 
 tion's troubles." We are told that "a Hes- 
 sian gunsmith has taught Brother and Sis- 
 ter Bader's Justine to knit in a peculiar 
 and unfamiliar way. The Hessians are 
 drinking today (December li and make a 
 fearful noise. Several, however, are deep- 
 ly impressed; among them one especially 
 who is already called a Herrnhuter by his 
 comrades." 
 
 The anxiety, the conduct of the Hes- 
 sians, the waiting for reports from Lancas- 
 ter, ami the worry, made Brother Bader 
 sick. Colonel Grubb, upon whom he look- 
 ed as an enemy, decided to remove the 
 lb--. ins and use the house for casting bul- 
 lets, "or, as they say, to put in the powder 
 that is stored in the Lutheran church, be- 
 cause the people in town don't want it." 
 
 From the diary, we infer that many of 
 the Hessians were put to work among the 
 people, for on December 8 we are told 
 "early this morning twenty men were sent 
 out to call here all the Hessians who were 
 at work, and then to hold themselves in 
 readiness to march away. The house 
 should be used for something else. The 
 Hessians were quite distracted," at which 
 we do not wonder, since they were having 
 quite a good time at I [ebron. 
 
 Colonel Marsteller, it seems, was playing 
 fast and loose with Lint her Bader. He 
 had promised his influence for the re- 
 moval of the prisoners, promised to visit 
 Brother Bader and discuss the question, 
 and yet excused himself; so that on De- 
 cember K) we find this entry: "Marsteller 
 did not come. Hut from his reply, Brother 
 Bader could conclude that he had done, or 
 would do nothing in the matter, and was 
 treating us in a polite but hypocritical 
 manner." 
 
 On Tuesday. December l(i. Brother Bader 
 had a visit from two distinguished officers 
 of the army, General DeHaas and Dr. Ken- 
 nedy, "Hospital Doctor of the Army," who 
 informed him that the Hessians would be 
 removed, but the buildings would be used 
 as a hospital for the sick and wounded, 
 and that the pastor and his wife should 
 leave. He protested against it, but his 
 protestation was unavailing. They exam- 
 ined the house and found it badly dam- 
 aged. "The doctor," continues the narra- 
 tive, "read the names of the plaees where 
 the sick from Easton, Bethlehem, etc., 
 
LEBANON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 13 
 
 were to be placed. As he did not read 
 Hebron, Brother Bader immediately said 
 to him that our little town did not occur 
 on the list. He maintained that it did, but 
 could not rind it. Brother Bader spoke 
 particularly and forcibly with DeHaas, 
 who promised to do what he could. It 
 seemed to vex the doctor that Brother 
 Bader acted in such a manner. Brother 
 Bader had Koehler, who heard every thing, 
 present the matter to the brethren in town 
 for consideration and to offer suggestions. 
 That was a new fright." 
 
 Brother Bader seems to have lost confi- 
 dence in the officers of the army, and to 
 believe every idle rumor concerning them. 
 On Friday, December 19, three days after 
 the visit of General DeHaas and Dr. Ken- 
 nedy, he says: "As we heard today, De- 
 Haas is behind the whole matter, and 
 wants to force us to leave the house. . . . 
 Phil. Stoehr visited us and also stated that 
 the matter was decided. Brother Bader 
 commissioned him to gather together all the 
 brethren in town and take measures to- 
 morrow to send two of their number to 
 Lancaster, and present a complaint to the 
 Assembly, and beg for redress, since it now 
 comes from DeHaas; otherwise it woidd 
 have been done before this for the sake of 
 the Gemein-haus, the woods, garden, fence, 
 cemetery, and for the sake of the congrega- 
 tion. He wants to occupy the other houses 
 also. Sister Bader afterward went to Sis- 
 ter Kucher, who embraced her warmly, 
 with tears, and related that she had given 
 DeHaas a terrible lecture." Messengers 
 went to DeHaas from the congregation, 
 and Baltho Orth, Jr., related "how he and 
 Adam had been to see DeHaas and were 
 received with all friendliness, he telling 
 them that the occupancy of the house had 
 not yet been decided upon, and expressing 
 astonishment that the pastor had spoken 
 so forcibly to him." Probably he was still 
 more astonished at Sister Kucher's "ter- 
 rible lecture." Whether it was the oppo- 
 sition of Brother Bader and the brethren, 
 the visit of the committee to Lancaster, 
 the "terrible lecture" by Sister Kucher, or 
 the goodness of heart of General DeHaas, 
 we know not, but, for the present at least, 
 the house was not to be used, as we learn 
 from an entry on December 27, which says, 
 "Captain Oldenbrug visited Brother Bader 
 and joyfully informed him that he had 
 found" places for all the sick (upwards of 
 420) in Schaefferstown, and so our house 
 should be free. But oh! if only the Hes- 
 sians were gone again." It would be in- 
 
 teresting to know where they were quar- 
 tered in Schaefferstown. 
 
 Colonel Grubb comes in for considerable 
 pious denunciation from the pastor. He 
 tells us that "Grubb is, as we hear, like a 
 madman against the poor brethren and us. 
 He acts as absolute sovereign." On Sun- 
 day, December 28, he makes this entry, 
 taking a pious Hiug at Colonel Grubb, "All 
 the Hessians and many others in town are 
 extremely angry with Grubb because he 
 has seized and imprisoned an otherwise 
 well-liked sergeant out of our house, who 
 the day before yesterday went to church 
 in town, and was afterward seen by him. 
 He is still in prison." 
 
 "We earned all our small wood," he 
 tells us, "old weather-boards, padings from 
 the cemetery and garden, and hop-poles, up 
 to the store-room, because the Hessians 
 steal and burn all that they can get, since 
 they have no wood." 
 
 He closes the year's diary with the fol- 
 lowing: 
 
 Memorabilia, 1777. "The 29th day of Au- 
 gust was the day on which the Miserere 
 burst forth loudly, and up to the 29th day 
 of October was often repeated, with many 
 tears, for on the first day there came here 
 u]i wards of 270 Hessian prisoners and took 
 possession of the Geinein-haus, whereby 
 poor Hebron was disturbed in her course." 
 
 The year 1778 opened with the same old 
 tie ml ties for Brother Bader, the Hessians, 
 who were very much in evidence in the 
 Gemein-haus. The sergeant, whom we are 
 told in a previous note, Golonel Grubb had 
 arrested and imprisoned for attending wor- 
 ship in town, was released and returned to 
 his old quarters. Thereupon the guard 
 gave expression to their joy by firing a 
 volley and drinking deeply. It seems this 
 was the only way in which they could ex- 
 press their gratification. But it was a 
 sorrowful day for the good dominie. As 
 he says, "the remainder of the day was 
 spent, as the present circumstances would 
 permit, in sorrowful solitude." 
 
 As a result of the imbibing, they had a 
 big quarrel in the evening, or as Brother 
 Bader expresses it, they "quarreled tear- 
 fully up to 9 o'clock in the brethren's 
 hall. Sister Bader went out and informed 
 them that we intend to complain about 
 their shameful behavior. They quieted 
 down, but afterward they began to roar so 
 frightfully in the church that we thought 
 it filled with senseless raving beasts, and 
 that the house woidd be overturned, since 
 Sister Bader's room began to crack all 
 
14 
 
 LEBANON COl'NTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 over. Several officers called the guard, 
 who should put them under arrest. Finally 
 
 the under officers plucked up courage and 
 gave a couple of the ring-leaders a sound 
 beating; then we had quiet." It seems the 
 Hessian women were largely responsible 
 for the fight and uproar. According to the 
 diary, there were 17 of them, and 14 of the 
 number sold liquor to the prisoners, "and 
 consequently the house had 14 saloons, 
 and out of them 1.". in the church. Is this 
 to continue? He (Brother Bader) offered 
 a plan, and if that did not succeed, he 
 would soon have it stopped through Cap- 
 lam Oldenbrug." 
 
 On Sunday, January 4, Brother Bader re- 
 ceived word that Captain Oldenbrug in- 
 tended removing the Hessians and putting 
 120 cartridge makers in the building; but 
 this was no more agreeable to the pastor, 
 who did not want to give up his house, 
 fearful that his congregation would be 
 scattered. So on the following Monday, 
 through Brother Koehler, he received word 
 that, the Captain hail seized three houses 
 in town, and would do his utmost to keep 
 the house free. But no sooner had he re- 
 ceived this cheering information, than he 
 was compelled to record, as he does on 
 Tuesday, January (i, that the "Hessians 
 are returning in large numbers from their 
 employers. He does not know where they 
 are to he placed, for the house was then 
 full." He says he will give up the garret, 
 hut not one room more. When we con 
 sider the size of the building, and remem- 
 ber that besides the pastor and his family, 
 and some of the sister- of t lie congregation, 
 there were 150 prisoners in the building, 
 we may well wonder where thej were to 
 stay. They must ha I e been packed like 
 sardines. On the return of those who had 
 been out at work, they began their usual 
 and Sifter Bader, who was sick 
 with pneumonia, grew worse. Brothei 
 
 Bader informed them that il thej did not 
 -top the noise, "he would take hack the 
 side room he had given them, as he had 
 not given it for such purpose. Thereupon 
 they quieted down and began to 9cold each 
 ot her violently because of it ." 
 
 'I'hc daj Eollowing t Mr ret urn oi I he I [es 
 <ian>, on Wednesday, January 7, Colonel 
 Grubb and Captain Oldenbrug came early 
 and when the lle-sians saw them, they 
 were alarmed, thinking that Pastor Bader 
 had gone in the night and lodged com 
 plainl . They w en- confined more closelj . 
 ami drinking was forbidden. 
 
 "Still Brother Bader related the occur- 
 rence to ( aptain Uldenbrug and asked him 
 
 to help maintain order in the house. He 
 said he would come out plainly about the 
 matter. There are now 150 men here, and 
 
 they do not know how thej shall lie down. 
 
 A corporal came and requested that seven 
 of his men might sleep on the sister"s side, 
 before the church door. It was tlatly re- 
 fused him. as we wish to keep that side 
 entirely free. The garret was also asked 
 For, and in like manner refused. We have 
 learned to be prudent. They are, with 
 verj tew exceptions, very rude and un- 
 grateful." 
 
 (in Friday, January Hi, two gentlemen 
 who had the oversight of the cartridge- 
 makers, railed on Brother Bader. One of 
 them was "Mi-. Wat kins," who informed 
 him that the lle.-sians were to leave, and 
 the house would be occupied by the work 
 men: that 300 of them would be placed in 
 tlu' town. Brother Bader "in a polite 
 way" ren strated, and finally they in- 
 formed him th,a i! thej could get another 
 house, they would not occupy the church 
 building. 
 
 The Hessians "were almost beside them- 
 at this news, for whUe not having 
 
 the st pleasant time with Brother 
 
 Bader, they still seemed to have become 
 quite attached to the Hebron community, 
 so that the thought of leaving was not 
 pleasant for them. 
 
 On Wednesday, January 21, 1778, they 
 had a fearful time and must have made 
 "Home howl" with their conduct. Such 
 is the record. "Today it was as if the 
 abyss had opened and all the Furies and 
 Mephistophiles and Zitzliputzli ( we don't 
 
 know what this means) had come among 
 the Hessians. They made themselves out 
 rageously drunk, and then the women be- 
 gan to fight; alter them the men, who 
 look sides with the women; finally the 
 fight he. a me general." 
 
 The guard was called, but alter t hey left, 
 
 the tight was resumed ami continued into 
 the uight, and began again the next inorn- 
 ing among the Hessian women, ami con- 
 tinued at intervals tor two days. No won- 
 der I hat a peace lo\ ing and God Eeai Lng 
 
 man like Brother Bader was almost driven 
 
 lo distraction. To add to the terror, the 
 chimnej of the house took tire, during 
 
 the night, ami. as he says, "had not the 
 ind Watcher oi [srael" cared for 
 
 them, they might all have keen burned, 
 "for the house was tilled with straw." 
 
 They have still no word as to the re- 
 moval of the Hessians, or the further occu- 
 of the house for other purposes. 
 Still, there are anxious conferences be- 
 
LEBANON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 15 
 
 tween pastor and people, and after ser- 
 vice, on Sunday, January 25, "they have a 
 strong report that the entire house is to 
 be taken." He further records "that the 
 Hessians are quiet," and adds, "they have 
 no beer or brandy," leaving us to assume 
 that then, as now, these twin evils, were 
 the cause of many of the disturbances cre- 
 ated among the prisoners. 
 
 The Hebron pastor makes no record from 
 Sunday, January 25, to Sunday, February 
 1, when he briefly tells us the prisoners 
 "acted as though they were crazy," pre- 
 sumably they had secured more beer and 
 brandy. And then again he is silent for 
 three days, during which time he was, as 
 we learn, on a visit, for he tells us on 
 Wednesday, February 4, that "Brother 
 Bader returned from a visit at 3 o'clock 
 and immediately received a visit from an 
 Anspach hunter and sergeant. They re- 
 lated to him that Howe had dedicated the 
 7th chapter of Ezekiel to Washington, and 
 the latter in turn the 4th chapter of 
 Baruch to Howe. 
 
 At last, word came for the removal of 
 the Hessians, but it was some days, nay, 
 weeks, before they finally left. They pro- 
 tested; refused to leave the building, and 
 began deserting. Notwithstanding that the 
 guard was doubled, we are told, on March 
 1, that "seven ran away last night and five 
 the night before. Today the guard was 
 made stronger. It was noon before they 
 marched. Many bade us a cordial fare- 
 well and wept much. Finally they de- 
 parted, and then we saw the shocking des- 
 olation. The church was like a pig-sty." 
 They were taken to Middletown. 
 
 After the departure of the Hessians, Ma- 
 jor Watkins called to secure the house for 
 his cartridge-makers, and to ascertain the 
 damage to the buildings, which was fixed 
 at £101, 6s, lOd, — much too little, we are 
 told. 
 
 Watkins persisted in taking the build- 
 ing, and Brother Bader and the brethren 
 objected. They wanted to know his au- 
 thority, whether it was from Washington, 
 Congress, or the Board of War. Instead of 
 producing a letter from either, he pre- 
 sented one from Atlee, of Lancaster, who 
 said, "you may have the house occupied 
 by the Hessians." This was not sufficiently 
 satisfactory. After discussing the question 
 for several days, Major Watkins, on Wed- 
 nesday, April 29, came with several wagon- 
 loads of powder. Admission was refused 
 and the doors locked. He was obliged to 
 use force to enter, and breaking open the 
 door, unloaded the powder in the church 
 
 and the brethren's hall. Thereupon a com- 
 mittee is despatched to York to the Board 
 of War. Christian Kucher and Adam Orth 
 were sent, returning Tuesday, May 5th, 
 between 11 and 12 o'clock at night. Kuch- 
 er reported that "he had experienced much 
 trouble with the Board of War to obtain 
 redress of our grievances, but had persisted 
 and persevered with them in such manner, 
 that they could resist no longer, and finally 
 gave an order for Colonel Flowers, in Lan- 
 caster, that the latter should write to Wat- 
 kins and require him to take the powder 
 out of our house and to look for another 
 place where also the other things could be 
 stored. When he left (the Board of War) 
 he said if Colonel Flowers made trouble for 
 him, he would return." Colonel Flowers 
 hesitated about giving such order, but 
 when he learned that if he did not, the 
 committee "would return again to the 
 Board of War and have satisfaction, he at 
 last wrote to Watkins how Christ. Kucher 
 wanted it. and read the letter to him." 
 
 When we remember, as we are informed 
 in the diary, that the Moravian brethren 
 had procured three houses, with stables, 
 and offered them for the storage of the 
 powder and the use of the cartridge- 
 makers, agreeing to pay the rent of the 
 same, their action in wanting their church 
 vacated, and their persistent efforts to ac- 
 complish the purpose, are not subject for 
 criticism. And Major Watkins' continued 
 occupancy of the building, in direct vio- 
 lation of the action of the Board of War, 
 should have subjected him to a severe rep- 
 rimand, if nothing worse. It looks like a 
 persecution of the brethren. No wonder 
 Brother Bader and his brethren protested, 
 and that, notwithstanding the storage of 
 tons of powder in the budding, and the 
 order of Watkins to the pastor to vacate, 
 reminding him of the danger of remaining, 
 Brother Bader bravely maintained posses- 
 sion of his rooms, and the brethren regu- 
 larly assembled for worship. 
 
 But this brings us to the close of so 
 much of the diary as is now in my posses- 
 sion, and we conclude with two extracts: 
 
 "Saturday, May 23, 1778. A Hessian 
 (Corporal Stork), from Middletown, visited 
 Brother Bader. They are very closely con- 
 fined there. Yesterday and today the 
 cartridge-makers brought bullets with a 
 wheelbarrow and took back iron out of the 
 house." 
 
 "Monday, May 25. In the afternoon, a 
 battalion of militia drilled in B. Orth's field 
 opposite the Gemein-haus. Afterward, 
 Major Watkins came again. He wanted to 
 
1 6 /. KB ANON COUNTY JUS T( >A'/< \ 1 1. SOCIE T ) . 
 
 have the house, and said plainly that he to move everything out of the house, but 
 
 intended to make a powder magazine oui he does not obej and writes another in 
 
 of the whole of it, and place in electrified reply, because of the instigation and sup 
 
 iron bars. Bui Brother Bader steadfast!} porl ol the town people. So we are in 
 
 and repeatedly refused it. Be receives one extremely trying circumstances, and now 
 
 order after another from Colonel Flowers in addition ironies the taking of the oath." 
 
 
 5 70 . 
 

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