In 1781 we find the congregation at Paxton
sending provisions to the refugees from South
Carolina and Georgia who had fled into Penn-
sylvania from the cruelties of Tarleton. Parson
Elder writes to Jasper Yeats of Lancaster : "As
the inhabitants are not possessed of hard money,
we concluded that an attempt to raise a contri-
bution in that way would be to no purpose.
We agreed to consult some friends in Philadel-
phia whether a quantity of wheat and flour
would answer the end.'' It evidently did "an-
swer," for several loads of flour and other pro-
visions were hauled to Philadelphia that same
year from Frey's and Elder's mills.
The memorial gateway to the old graveyard is
in honor of the heroes who have gone forth from
old Paxton. Their tablet bears revered names;
but they are not all the heroes this church has
mothered. Though nameless the rest, the men
who spent their lives in the fear of God and the
lurking savage, we are proud of them every one ;
and of the women heroes, too — it took a brave
woman to be a churchgoer in those days.
And it took brave women to stay behind in the
other wars of our Nation, when in 1812, 1846-
1848, and in those bitter years from 1861-1865,
the husbands, sons and brothers of old Paxton
again eagerly "bade them forth to the sound of
the trumpet of the Law"; many of them to lay
down their lives for their country on the field of
battle.
From the Mexican war the men under forty-
five years old, living in the southern half of Pax-
64
ton Township, formed Company Ten, Second
Battalion, of the Ninety-eighth regiment of Penn-
sylvania militia, and were chiefly officered by the
men of Paxton Church. The commanding officers
were chosen every seven years and at different
times John P. Rutherford, William Rutherford
and Abner Rutherford were captains. The Big
Muster held at Linglestown in the fall was the
gala occasion of the countryside. This company
was generally known as "The Paxton Banditti."
A few days after General Lee crossed the
Potomac in the fall of 1862, messengers were
sent on horseback all through the hills and valley
of Swatara, and a meeting was held at Church-
ville on September sixth. That night a company
was organized with James Elder, captain; John
F. Peck, first lieutenant; John Whitmoyer, sec-
ond lieutenant, and W. F. Rutherford, John
Elder and J. E. Rutherford among the non-com-
missioned officers.
When five days later Governor Curtin called
for troops this company met at the almshouse,
on September 13th, and marched to Harrisburg
to the music of a single drum. They were en-
rolled in Company K, Sixth Regiment, and the
following day were taken up the Cumberland
Valley in freight cars — as W. Franklin Ruther-
ford puts it, "beating holes in the car for air by
the time the Susquehanna was reached."
Mr. Rutherford has written a graphic account
of this service in Notes and Queries. Suffice to
say, it lasted but eleven days and the "ammuni-
tion was exhausted shooting at mark in Camp
65
McClure." But who can gauge the moral effect
of this swift response to their country's needs.
Many of the members of that Paxton Company
later enlisted, some of them to die in battle.
Page 22
Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
In 1781 we find the congregation at Paxton sending provisions to the refugees from South Carolina and Georgia who had fled into Pennsylvania from the cruelties of Tarleton. Parson Elder writes to Jasper Yeats of Lancaster : "As the inhabitants are not possessed of hard money, we concluded that an attempt to raise a contribution in that way would be to no purpose. We agreed to consult some friends in Philadelphia whether a quantity of wheat and flour would answer the end.'' It evidently did "answer," for several loads of flour and other provisions were hauled to Philadelphia that same year from Frey's and Elder's mills.
The memorial gateway to the old graveyard is in honor of the heroes who have gone forth from old Paxton. Their tablet bears revered names; but they are not all the heroes this church has mothered. Though nameless the rest, the men who spent their lives in the fear of God and the lurking savage, we are proud of them every one ; and of the women heroes, too — it took a brave woman to be a churchgoer in those days.
And it took brave women to stay behind in the other wars of our Nation, when in 1812, 1846- 1848, and in those bitter years from 1861-1865, the husbands, sons and brothers of old Paxton again eagerly "bade them forth to the sound of the trumpet of the Law"; many of them to lay down their lives for their country on the field of battle.
From the Mexican war the men under fortyfive years old, living in the southern half of Pax-
ton Township, formed Company Ten, Second Battalion, of the Ninety-eighth regiment of Pennsylvania militia, and were chiefly officered by the men of Paxton Church. The commanding officers were chosen every seven years and at different times John P. Rutherford, William Rutherford and Abner Rutherford were captains. The Big Muster held at Linglestown in the fall was the gala occasion of the countryside. This company was generally known as "The Paxton Banditti."
A few days after General Lee crossed the Potomac in the fall of 1862, messengers were sent on horseback all through the hills and valley of Swatara, and a meeting was held at Churchville on September sixth. That night a company was organized with James Elder, captain; John F. Peck, first lieutenant; John Whitmoyer, second lieutenant, and W. F. Rutherford, John Elder and J. E. Rutherford among the non-commissioned officers.
When five days later Governor Curtin called for troops this company met at the almshouse, on September 13th, and marched to Harrisburg to the music of a single drum. They were enrolled in Company K, Sixth Regiment, and the following day were taken up the Cumberland Valley in freight cars — as W. Franklin Rutherford puts it, "beating holes in the car for air by the time the Susquehanna was reached."
Mr. Rutherford has written a graphic account of this service in Notes and Queries. Suffice to say, it lasted but eleven days and the "ammunition was exhausted shooting at mark in Camp
McClure." But who can gauge the moral effect of this swift response to their country's needs. Many of the members of that Paxton Company later enlisted, some of them to die in battle.