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N one of the oldest settlements of Pennsylvania, where nature has developed many curious phenomena, and where beautiful mountains, hills, groves and valleys abound, was born, in an humble Christian family, a son whose goodness, greatness and peculiar power amongst men were herculean. This humble but heroic son of toil was an out-growth, as will be seen from the indomitable passions, love and barbarous cruelty which he possessed.

His parents were uneducated, though sincerely pious, orthodox, religious people, who did not believe in education; therefore, opposed schooling, deeming hard physical labor and devotion to gaining an honest living the extent of their zeal and ambition; however, the hero of our plot could not and would not see things in this light; but, he saw a mirror in nature which overshadowed the valley of life and death, and he concluded to go through life in a 