John Shelby

DEPOSITION OF JOHN SHELBY, 1765.

Cumberland County, ss.

Personally appeard before me, one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for said County, John Shelby, who, upon his Solemn Oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, Declares that some Time in the Beginning of May last, he want to a Tavern near Justice Smith’s, where there were about Twenty Men under Arms then, But was Informed that a number had left the afsd Tavern that Morning in Order to stop some pack Horses that were then above Fort Lowdon at pasture; That the Men mentioned to be at the Tavern & this Depont went to one Widow Barr’s, where they met the party coming back, the most of whom were Blacked, & this Depont heard them say they had killed some Horses & Whiped the Drivers; soon after a party of Highlanders came up, upon which some firing ensued upon both sides, one of the Country people being Wounded through the Thigh, the Action being Ended, the Country People all returned to Cunningham’s Tavern, & this Depont went to Fort Lowdon & on his Return Home saw the same party at said Tavern; That this Depont stopped at Justice Smith’s, who went with him to the Tavern, & having some Conference Together about These Disturbances, Mr. Smith said it was a pitty some Man would not undertake to Settle those Highlanders for they would ruin the Country; upon which this Depont Answered, he thought there was enough had undertaken it already, that then this Depont leaving Justice Smith with those people at said Tavern; That some Time after this Depont had occasion to go to Justice Smith’s House, & Calling at the afsd Tavern, he saw a number of Men Collected under Arms & Justice Smith in Company, likewise Thomas Orbison & William Duffield, &c., & further saith not.

Sworn & Subscribed Before

JAS. MAXWELL.

PENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES VOLUME IV pages 222-223