A History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

It is both interesting and instructive to study the history of our fathers, to fully understand through what difficulties, obstacles, toils and trials they went to plant settlements which struggled up to a position of wealth and prosperity.

These accounts of our county have been written so as to bring before every youth and citizen of our county, on account of the growth of the population, its resources, the up building of the institution that give character and stability to the unity.

It has been made as concise as possible and everything which was thought o be of any value to the youth and citizen, has been presented as best as it could be under the circumstances and hope that by perusing its pages, many facts of interest can be gathered that will be of use in future years.

Hoping that any shortcomings of the work will be kindly passed by, by a generous public.

It is now presented to the public for its careful perusal and that the youth of our country will lie benefitted thereby, and that the teachers of our public schools will find much valuable aid of which the author has tried to gather while engaged in the schoolroom, and that by perusing its pages the grand principle of patriotism and love of country will be instilled into the minds of our youth which will never be forgotten.

 

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Lehigh County embraces the beautiful Kittatinny Valley, lying between the Lehigh or South Mountains on the south and Blue Mountains on the north, which is dotted with thriving towns and villages, fertile fields, running streams of water flowing through every part of the valley, making the soil very productive, also part of the beautiful and romantic Lehigh Valley stretching along the Lehigh River, and the fertile Saucon Valley south of the Lehigh or South Mountains. The advent of the white settler and his adventures with the Indians are full of incidents and hairbreadth escapes showing at a glance thai our forefathers had to undergo the same trials and cares as his western friend had in building up the country. The Aborigines or Indians living in what is now Lehigh county were the Minsies or Delaware tribe of Indians, who were the owners of our beautiful and fertile Lehigh county. It was undoubtedly included in the second purchase of land from the Indians. It will perhaps be of interest to the reader to know the different purchases and what was acquired at each.

The first purchase of land was made in 1682 by William Markham, Deputy Governor of the colony, before the arrival of Penn, this included the country between the Neshaminy Creek and Delaware River to Wrightstown, and Upper Wakefield.

The second and third purchases were made by William Penn himself and included the land along the Pahkehoma (Perkiomen). In 1686, it is claimed another treaty was made with the Indians, but no copy of the treaty is known to exist. The treaty of 1684 was made by William Penn and Maughaughsin (Macungie), the leading chief of the Delawares, and was for a consideration of two Matcbcoats, four pairs of Stockings and four bottles of Sider. The Indian deed is as follows:

"Upon my own desire and free offer, I, Maughaughsin, in consideration of two Matchcoats, four pairs of Stockings and four bottles of Sider, do hereby grant, make over all ray land upon the Pahkehoma, to William Penn, Propr. and Govern'r of Pennsylvania and territories, bis heirs and Assignees forever, with which I own myself satisfied and promise never to molest any Christian so call d yt shall seat thereon by his orders.
Witness my hand and seal at Philadelphia ye third day of ye fourth month 1684.

The mark of Maughaughsin.