The early settlers related that an Indian village stood in
the locality lying between what is now Centre Street and the
railroad, between East Market and East.Arch Streets. Another
stood on the site of the Charles Baber cemetery. Indian arrows
and cooking utensils were found at these points. At
Indian Run there was a large settlement and wigwams were
pitched along the Swatara creek. On Fourth Street there were
stones placed around Sharp Mountain by the Indians. They
were called Indian steps. They may still be seen. There were
not many Indians in this locality, yet the life of the early
settlers was one of constant struggle with the roving bands of
red marauders. As late as 1825 there were still a few red
men in this vicinity, but they were harmless. Of one of these
Mrs. B. W. Cumming, Sr., says her father-in-law, George H.
Cumming, a member of the Society of Friends and an early
settler, related the following:
"The Indian was known as Tecumseh and was an idle'and
dissolute fellow who lived on the hill above the Odd Fellows"
Cemetery. He was detected in stealing from a neighbor, and
with his wife was brought before a Justice of the Peace to answer
the charge of theft. The poor squaw broke down and
sobbed and cried like her white sisters might have done under
a similar circumstance. This disgusted the red man who said
to the 'Squire:
" 'Squaw no good. She cry. Me no squaw, me Injun
brave, me not cry. Ugh!'
"Tecumseh was let go, a bystander paying the costs and
fine imposed."
the locality lying between what is now Centre Street and the
railroad, between East Market and East.Arch Streets. Another
stood on the site of the Charles Baber cemetery. Indian arrows
and cooking utensils were found at these points. At
Indian Run there was a large settlement and wigwams were
pitched along the Swatara creek. On Fourth Street there were
stones placed around Sharp Mountain by the Indians. They
were called Indian steps. They may still be seen. There were
not many Indians in this locality, yet the life of the early
settlers was one of constant struggle with the roving bands of
red marauders. As late as 1825 there were still a few red
men in this vicinity, but they were harmless. Of one of these
Mrs. B. W. Cumming, Sr., says her father-in-law, George H.
Cumming, a member of the Society of Friends and an early
settler, related the following:
"The Indian was known as Tecumseh and was an idle'and
dissolute fellow who lived on the hill above the Odd Fellows"
Cemetery. He was detected in stealing from a neighbor, and
with his wife was brought before a Justice of the Peace to answer
the charge of theft. The poor squaw broke down and
sobbed and cried like her white sisters might have done under
a similar circumstance. This disgusted the red man who said
to the 'Squire:
" 'Squaw no good. She cry. Me no squaw, me Injun
brave, me not cry. Ugh!'
"Tecumseh was let go, a bystander paying the costs and
fine imposed."
