The story of Johnstown : its early settlement, rise ... - JohnstownCafe

34 THE STORY OF JOHXSroWX.
with such transfers, indicntiui; ihai the learned Ddctcir of Divinity was not
averse to specuhuions in real c-taie by which he could turn an honest pennx'.
Tracf-s of an ahori^ir.al villa-e were to be seen in the tan-li'd weeds and
underbrush at the date of Johns' ad\ent. Conrad W'eiser, of hlerks ccnnit\-,
'•Interpreter ot the I'loxince of Pennsylvania. was probably " tlu- hrst white
ma:, to set foot upon th.e ruL^'-ed spot. Dispatched b_\ the British with presents
to the savages on the Ohio Ki\er, his part\- came to the ••Sliowonese
Cabbins'' on An;.;ust J3rd. 174S. Stoppini; two tlays. they crossed what their
leader sp)elled the Kiskeniineteos Creek." now Coneiiiaui;h l\i\er. Christian
Frederick Post, a government messenger, landed at the Shawanese town of
Kicker.apawling— identical with W'eiser' s --Cabbins" of the previous decade
on Xoveniber iitli, 175S. The coirect appellation is supposed to have been
Kick-ke-kne-pa-lin, from a renowneii chief who took countless scalps and
ranked high in the councils of the Six Nations. A famous warrior during the
French Indian troubles in 1750-60. the collection of bark luits at the union of
the f.vo streams properly commemorated the doughty fighter. For some reason
his followers abandoned the place, notwithstanding excellent fishing and hunting
rendered it especially uital>le to their requirements. Probably this fact
helped determine Joseph Johns to occupy the ground once tenanted b_\; a
race fast disappearing from the earth. Certain it is that he quickly concci\ed
tlie idea of laying out a town, which he intended to become the county seat
and a bns}' hive of industr\'. What glowing visions of its grand future may
ha\e flitted through the brain of the hardy pioneer, miles froni the nearest
house, encompassed b_\' lofty hills and exposed to manifold perils \ Queen
Zer:cb:a's faith in lier owt: Palnnra was less remarkable, so little is the
world 'accustomed to seek the cot of an unpretending backwoodsman for a
conspicuous example of far-seeing enterprise.
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P.t Ol' JOShPH JOH