Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/56

 32 HISTORY OF and the Sclioliarie frontiers, (for a more particular account of which reference is had to a future chapter,) and who afterward removed to Ohio, where they obtained a grant of land, and where their descendants now reside. In the words of another — ^^The approach of civilization was not congenial to them; they preferred the life of a borderer, and sought it amid the boundless forests that covered that beautiful State. Another member of the Harper family, a younger sister, Abigail, married William McFarland, and who also removed to Ohio, some time subsequent to the ratification of the treaty of peace. He is said to have been an intelligent and respected citizen, as a proof of which, it may be mentioned that he was for several years Supervisor of the town of Harpersfield, while it yet formed a portion of Tryon, or as it was called, Montgomery county. By referring to the register of this family, we find that their grandsire removed from the county of Derry, in the north of Ireland, and settled at Casco Bay, in the province of Maine, as early as 1720, but subsequently, on the breaking out of a bloody war between the settlers and several tribes of Indians, he removed with his family; leaving however his eldest son, John, who enlisted in the defence of the frontiers, and remained in the service three years and eight months. On his discharge he followed the family to Boston, and from thence a year or two subsequently he removed to Hopking-J ton, where he became acquainted with and married Abigail Montgomery, mentioned above, who died at Cherry Valley the year before their removal to Harpersfield. Following the history of the family through a later period, in 1-729 they removed to Nodell's Island, near Boston, and from thence to Connecticut in 1741, from which place they finally removed to Cherry Valley. From the period at which the Harpers had taken up their abode in Cherry Valley, their fortunes became an inseparable