Moravian Lives

was a member of the old Congress. He enjoyed a high reputation
as an ingenious inventor, particularly in his application of steam
for motive power. In 1771 he invented the screw auger. He died
at Lancaster, Pa., Dec. 15, 1786, at the age of 57 years.
    "No man played a more conspicuous or important part in our
local history during the Revolution than William Henry. No-
where was there a more ardent or more trusted patriot," writes
Frank R. Diffenderfer, Local Historian, Lancaster, Pa.

    Hon. John Joseph Henry was born November 4, 1758, at Lan-
caster, Pa.  President Judge of the 2nd Judicial District of
Pennsylvania and Revolutionary soldier. Second son of William
and Ann Wood Henry, enlisted at 17 at Lancaster, Colonel Thomp-
son's Battahon of riflemen; they were ordered to join Benedict
Arnold's force at Cambridge, Mass., preparing to invade Canada.
They marched forward, Sept. 11, 1775, had a terrible experience,
as they went through the wilderness, many died from exposure, 
others deserted, and finally on the fourteenth of November, the
remnant of the army encamped near Quebec, where subsequently
they were joined by forces under Montgomery.
    In the attack, in early morning Dec. 31, 1775, in the midst of
a driving snow storm, they attempted to carry the city by assault,
but their gallant leader, Montgomery, was killed and "after the
displays of the greatest valor," nine hundred Americans were made
prisoners, young Henry among them. They were held under
severe conditions until August 10, 1776, when they were exchanged
and placed aboard a frigate and shipped to New York. Here,
anchored below Governor's Island, they were held from Sept. 11
until released, Oct. 1, 1776, landing at Elizabethport. Penniless,
in rags, and broken in health because of a wound in the leg and
the absolute lack of attention during the time of imprisonment, 
on reaching home he was unable to accept an appointment to a 
lieutenancy in the army-and bound himself an apprentice to the

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Prothonotary of Lancaster Co. for four years.  Thereafter he
entered the law office of Stephen Chambers, Esq., one of the promi-
ment lawyers of his County Bar and admitted to practice in 1785;
was raised to the bench in 1793 by appointment as President
Judge of the Second Judicial District of Penna., the Counties of
Chester, Lancaster, York and Dauphin. He retired in 1810, after
a service of seventeen years, and died April 15, 1811, in his 52nd
year, a beloved and honored gentleman. Previous to his decease
he wrote an account of Arnold's memorable invasion of Canada,
which was published by his widow in 1812, in the form of a little
volume, which he entitled "The campaign against Quebec."
    (A copy of this little volume is owned by Mr. Clarence A.
Wolle, in Bethlehem, Pa. )

    An incident in the early life of William Henry is of considerable
interest: Known as Major Henry he served in 1755 under Brad-
dock with the Colonial troops. In this war against aggressive
Indian tribes, he saved the life of "Gelelemend," a prominent
young chief, generally known in the vicinity of his home as
"Killbuck." He was born in 1737 near Lehigh Water Gap, among
the hills of the Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania. His grand-
father, a well known chief, "Netawatwes," of the Turkey tribe
of the Delaware Nation, had lived at said locations years prior, and
here "Killbuck" first saw the light of day.
    Killbuck was enlisted under the French flag and in the engage-
ment at the time of Braddock's defeat, he fell into the hands of a 
party of troops who were about to bayonet and kill him, when
Major Henry, at the risk of his own life, interfered and rescued
the chief from the infuriated soldiers. This act of manly and
merciful interference, so unprecedented in Indian warfare, over-
whelmed the young brave with surprise and gratitude, and as an
expression of this deep feeling he proposed to Major Henry an
exchange of names, than which, according to Indian code, no