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==OVERVIEW==
==OVERVIEW==
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From [[Dodderidge and Dodderidge, 1912]].
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From [[Dodderidge and Dodderidge, 1912|Dodderidge and Dodderidge]]. Then there was a half brother, John Turner. The
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There were four of the Girty sons—Thomas, Simon, James and George. Then there was a half brother, John Turner. The
first Girty, Simon, Sr., came from Ireland. In this country he married an English girl named Mary Newton. They made their
first Girty, Simon, Sr., came from Ireland. In this country he married an English girl named Mary Newton. They made their
home at Chambers Mills, on the east side of the Susquehanna, above Harrisburg, now Dauphin county, Pa. Here Simon Girty,
home at Chambers Mills, on the east side of the Susquehanna, above Harrisburg, now Dauphin county, Pa. Here Simon Girty,
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when Lieut. Col. John Armstrong attacked Kittanning in September, 1756. Simon, James and George had been .taken
when Lieut. Col. John Armstrong attacked Kittanning in September, 1756. Simon, James and George had been .taken
west by the routed savages, but all eventually got back with the whites. Thomas had been a captive for only 40 days. Simon
west by the routed savages, but all eventually got back with the whites. Thomas had been a captive for only 40 days. Simon
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was 15 years old when he returned. All three were brought back from the woods when the French had been expelled from the country, and English domination had become assured. Simon had been taken with the Senecas, George with the Delawares and James with the Shawnees. Mrs. Girty and her son John, when delivered up by their captors, made her home in Pittsburgh. It is not known when she died. The Girty boys proved to be a bad lot. This sketch, however, deals chiefly with Simon. He was wholly uneducated, but was a man of talent, and of great influence with the Indians. > He made his early home at Fort Pitt, as did his brothers, where he was a laborer, trader, hunter, scout, interpreter, anything, indeed, he could get to do within his capacity.
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was 15 years old when he returned. All three were brought back from the woods when the French had been expelled from the country, and English domination had become assured. Simon had been taken with the Senecas, George with the Delawares and James with the Shawnees. Mrs. Girty and her son John, when delivered up by their captors, made her home in Pittsburgh. It is not known when she died. The Girty boys proved to be a bad lot. This sketch, however, deals chiefly with Simon. He was wholly uneducated, but was a man of talent, and of great influence with the Indians. > He made his early home at Fort Pitt, as did his brothers, where he was a laborer, trader, hunter, scout, interpreter, anything, indeed, he could get to do within his capacity.
At the opening of the Revolution Girty joined the militia at Fort Pitt, says one historian. In 1778 he asked for a captain's
At the opening of the Revolution Girty joined the militia at Fort Pitt, says one historian. In 1778 he asked for a captain's
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commission in the Continental service, which was denied him. This is said to have embittered him, and to have been one of the reasons why he joined with Capt. Alexander McKee in deserting to the British. This desertion took place on the night of Saturday, March 28, 1778, from McKee's house at McKee's Rocks, because McKee and some of his Tory associates were suspected, and with good reason, of instigating the Indians to make -war on the colonists, thus aiding the British. " Until within a few weeks of this flight," says Hassler's " Old Westmoreland," " Girty had been a faithful servitor of American interests. In the absence of positive knowledge of any reason for his desertion, he is believed to have been tempted by McKee with promises of preferment in' the British service. James Girty, brother of Simon, was then with the Shawnees on the Scioto, having been sent from Fort Pitt by the American authorities on a futile peace embassy. He had been raised among the Shawnees, was a natural savage, and at once joined his brother and the other tories. For 16 years Capt. McKee, Mathew Elliott and the Girtys, were the merciless scourges of the border. They were the instigators and leaders of many Indian raids, continuing their hostility until long after the close of the revolutionary war. They were largely responsible for the general war 1790-94." In the dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia as to which had authority over the territory of the Pittsburg region Simon Girty, singularly, sided with Virginia. He was active in behalf of Lord Dunmore in this matter, and also as a scout and interpreter for him when on his way to attack the Shawnees and Mingoes. In the matter of importance of service to Dunmore, and trustworthy discharge of responsible duties, Girty seems to have ranked with those other great lieutenants of the Virginia governor, George Rogers Clarke, Simon Kenton and John Gibson. But in the end he and all his brothers identified themselves with the savages in their bloody border struggles with the white settlers. Girty's life is so fully described in the frontier literature of recent years that it is needless to reproduce an epitome of it here. (See Butterfield's "History of the Girtys.") After his flight from Pittsburgh in 1778 Girty's course was one of consistent enmity to the Americans, with occasional manifestations of personal friendship. He showed no such feeling, however, to Col. Wm. Crawford, with whom he was well acquainted, and who it is believed he could have saved from burning at the stake
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commission in the Continental service, which was denied him. This is said to have embittered him, and to have been one of the reasons why he joined with Capt. Alexander McKee in deserting to the British. This desertion took place on the night of Saturday, March 28, 1778, from McKee's house at McKee's Rocks, because McKee and some of his Tory associates were suspected, and with good reason, of instigating the Indians to make -war on the colonists, thus aiding the British. " Until within a few weeks of this flight," says Hassler's " Old Westmoreland," " Girty had been a faithful servitor of American interests. In the absence of positive knowledge of any reason for his desertion, he is believed to have been tempted by McKee with promises of preferment in' the British service. James Girty, brother of Simon, was then with the Shawnees on the Scioto, having been sent from Fort Pitt by the American authorities on a futile peace embassy. He had been raised among the Shawnees, was a natural savage, and at once joined his brother and the other tories. For 16 years he was gay!
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on the Tymochtee.
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Mathew Elliott and the Girtys, were the merciless scourges of the border. They were the instigators and leaders of many Indian raids, continuing their hostility until long after the close of the revolutionary war. They were largely responsible for the general war 1790-94." In the dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia as to which had authority over the territory of the Pittsburg region Simon Girty, singularly, sided with Virginia. He was active in behalf of Lord Dunmore in this matter, and also as a scout and interpreter for him when on his way to attack the Shawnees and Mingoes. In the matter of importance of service to Dunmore, and trustworthy discharge of responsible duties, Girty seems to have ranked with those other great lieutenants of the Virginia governor, George Rogers Clarke, Simon Kenton and John Gibson. But in the end he and all his brothers identified themselves with the savages in their bloody border struggles with the white settlers. Girty's life is so fully described in the frontier literature of recent years that it is needless to reproduce an epitome of it here. (See Butterfield's "History of the Girtys.") After his flight from Pittsburgh in 1778 Girty's course was one of consistent enmity to the Americans, with occasional manifestations of personal friendship. He showed no such feeling, however, to Col. Wm. Crawford, with whom he was well acquainted, and who it is believed he could have saved from burning at the stake
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on the Tymochtee.
Girty's career south of Lake Erie came to a close with.the surrender of Detroit to the Americans in 1796. On March 6,
Girty's career south of Lake Erie came to a close with.the surrender of Detroit to the Americans in 1796. On March 6,
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were black and penetrating" and another speaks of " his gray sunken eyes." Mrs. Girty died in January, 1852. Their children
were black and penetrating" and another speaks of " his gray sunken eyes." Mrs. Girty died in January, 1852. Their children
were all thoroughly respectable. John Turner, Girty's half brother, died May 20, 1840, on Squirrel Hill, in the city of
were all thoroughly respectable. John Turner, Girty's half brother, died May 20, 1840, on Squirrel Hill, in the city of
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Pittsburgh, south of the mouth of Four Mile Run, where he lived on a farm.
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Pittsburgh, south of the mouth of Four Mile Run, where he lived on a farm.
The histories relate a good many instances of kindness by Simon Girty, especially to the young. When Christian Fast was
The histories relate a good many instances of kindness by Simon Girty, especially to the young. When Christian Fast was
captured by the Indians at Lochry's defeat he was about 17 years old. He was adopted by a family of Delawares to take the place of a son who had been killed, and was initiated into the tribe. This was in 1782. Fast was taken to live with the Delawares at Pipestown, on the Tymochtee. But he was discontented and melancholy. In the woods one day, brooding over his captivity, and supposing himself to be alone, he was suddenly accosted by Girty, who inquired of what he was thinking. Fast gave him an evasive answer. " That is not it," replied Girty. " You are thinking of home. Be a good boy and you shall see your home again." And Girty made good as to this promise to Fast. He is said to have always been kind to young prisoners.
captured by the Indians at Lochry's defeat he was about 17 years old. He was adopted by a family of Delawares to take the place of a son who had been killed, and was initiated into the tribe. This was in 1782. Fast was taken to live with the Delawares at Pipestown, on the Tymochtee. But he was discontented and melancholy. In the woods one day, brooding over his captivity, and supposing himself to be alone, he was suddenly accosted by Girty, who inquired of what he was thinking. Fast gave him an evasive answer. " That is not it," replied Girty. " You are thinking of home. Be a good boy and you shall see your home again." And Girty made good as to this promise to Fast. He is said to have always been kind to young prisoners.
Says Jonathan Alder: " I knew Simon Girty to purchase at his own expense several boys who were prisoners and take them
Says Jonathan Alder: " I knew Simon Girty to purchase at his own expense several boys who were prisoners and take them
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to the British and have them educated. He was certainly a friend to many prisoners."
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to the British and have them educated. He was certainly a friend to many prisoners."
==Vita==
==Vita==