AREA HISTORY: Historical Facts, Fairview Township, York County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ _______________________________________________ History of York County, Pennsylvania. John Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886. _______________________________________________ HISTORICAL FACTS AND INCIDENTS – Page 644 There were quite a number of Revolutionary soldiers from Fairview Township, some who lived to old age; among them were Gen. Michael Simpson, Jacob Greenawalt (a farmer, a large man), who lived as late as 1827; William Sharp, J. Enfield. William Smith lived to 1820, or later. He served in the Second Regiment of the Pennsylvania Line, under Capt. Watson, from February 16, 1776, one year, and accompanied Michael Simpson on Gen. Arnold’s expedition to Canada. He afterward enlisted in the Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment. In 1818, he became a pensioner. A man known as “Red Jacket” Miller was also a soldier who lived to an old age. The following discharge of one of Fairview’s soldiers is in the possession of Josiah McDanel: This is to certify that William Hagerty, formerly a soldier of the Fifth Pennsylvania Regiment and in Capt. James Parr’s company, was discharged from the service while the army lay at Valley Forge, his term of enlistment having expired. Given under my hand, April 19, 1782. James Chambers, Col. The document is endorsed as follows: William Hagerty is not to be molested by any party, as it appears he is discharged from the service. William Butler, Lieut. Col. Fourth Penn. Regiment, Commanding at Carlisle. Carlisle, April 26, 1782. During the war of 1812 Jesse Pearson, who lived a few miles north of Lewisberry, deserted from the military service, and came home. He was followed by soldiers dressed in Quaker suits, but avoided being captured by concealing himself underneath the floor of a building. Several times a sword was passed up and down along the cracks between the boards; as he was lying along the length of a board, he escaped uninjured, and was never found by the soldiers, even though they were led to believe he was in the building. Col. John Steele, who lived in Fishing Creek Valley, was a soldier on the Niagara frontier in 1812. In old age he moved to the West. James McDanel was in Capt. White’s company that rendezvoused at Gettysburg in 1814. He was afterward a captain of militia of Fairview for fourteen years, commissioned by Gen. Shulze in 1827. His father, Josiah McDanel, settled in Fairview in 1766, coming from Scotland. He was married, April 14, 1774, to Margaret Hunter, sister of Gen. Hunter, of the Revolutionary army. Philip Fetrow was drafted in 1812. Joseph McAfee went as his substitute. James McAfee, son of Joseph, enlisted in 1812, and came home without leave, and was searched for by soldiers dressed in Quaker suits. Samuel Fisher, now over eighty years of age, remembers when the “River Mountains” were infested with wolves, and when wild turkeys and foxes were plentiful. There is still a sufficient number of foxes. “Robber” Lewis, noted in Cumberland, Perry and Juniata Counties, frequently visited the mountains of Fairview Township, and resorted at a place since known as “Lewis’ field.” He was accustomed to rob the rich and give to the poor. In 1825 he escaped from Chambersburg jail. He had a wonderful career. “In September, 1796” says the Harrisburg Oracle, published then, “several hundred squirrels per day crossed the Susquehanna from the Cumberland and York County side. Some of the inhabitants were enable to catch them as they swam the stream, and salt barrels of them for winter use.” In 1803 the yellow fever raged in the vicinity of Lisburn and Lewisberry. It was an epidemic in Philadelphia that year. The voting place of Fairview is called “The Bunches.” A tavern was once kept there by a man who was deformed. He had a “bunch” on his back – hence the origin of the name.