On the farm now owned by Jacob Seebold, the right of the road going to New Berlin, after passing the road through Chappel's Hollow, lived David Emerick, with his wife and four children, his other daughter being down the country at that time. Emerick has first settled upon the tract where the Widow Brown's Tavern is, or near it, before the Revolutionary War, in 1773, where he built a house, cleared ten acres of land, planted apple trees, etc. He sold this place, by deed dated 21 Jun 1780, to Daniel Rees. On the 15 Nov 1779, he purchased of Andrew Glen and wife the tract of two hundred and eighty acres, (on which he subsequently removed, and was captured.) for 2,925 pounds. Here he cleared a piece and built a cabin, and was residing in April,1781.

Here Henry Bickle, (who lived where Henry Mertz now does,) was shot. He had come there to help roll logs. His family was not disturbed. They plundered Emerick's house of everything, and loaded him down with baggage. After proceeding a little way, they pulled down a sapling, sharpened the end of it, impaled the babe, and let it fly in the air. Emerick became so exhausted with his load that he sat down upon a log, and refused to go any further. One of the Indians sank his tomahawk into his head and killed him. One of the daughters died from excessive bleeding at the nose, on the journey through the wilderness. They were taken to Niagara, and the wife and daughters married Indians, their captors; and many years ago Mrs. Emerick and her Indian husband came to Henry Myer's near Harrisburg, in order to draw some money coming to her from her grandfather's estate. Thus far I had the story from Benjamin Shell, (court crier,) of New Berlin. Emerick was an uncle of Mr. Shell's mother, and the Emericks came from what is now Dauphin county, and settled, as he heard the story, in the "Shamokin Country."

My own researches among the records developed the dates and the rest of the narrative. There is on record, in Sunbury, a letter of attorney, dated 12 Jan 1808, recorded in deed book M, page 516, the parties to which are Archibald Thompson, of Stamford, in the district of Niagara, province of Upper Canada, and Catherine, his wife, formerly the widow of David Emerick, to James Thompson, of the same place, authorizing him to collect their interest in the rents, issues, and profits of lands, and all the goods and chattels, late of David Emerick; and also from the heirs and executors of Conrad Sharp, of Berks county, their interest in his estate. It is dated at Willoughby, and acknowledged before Archibald Stewart. It is recorded on 4 Mar 1805. It is followed by a letter of attorney from James Thompson to George Schoch, to sell and convey their interest in a tract of land, in Buffalo township, adjoining lands of Hessler, Hugh Beatty, George Olds, and James Jenkens, containing one hundred and seventy-one acres, "which they hold as tenants, in common with John Bickle," recited to be conveyed to Andrew Glen and wife. On referring to deed book C, page 378, it will appear that Andrew Glen�j warrant of 15 Dec 1772, for two hundred and eighty acres, consideration, ��2,925. It describes the land as adjoining Thomas Sutherland, James Hunter, and George Olds, 9 Aug 1786, John Aurand appointed guardian of Margaret and Catherine Emerick, children of David Emerick, deceased. Finally there is a release recorded at Lewisburg, dated 26 Sep 1816, from James Thompson to George Schoch, which recites that David Emerick left a widow, named Catherine, and two daughters, Margaret, intermarried with James Thompson, and the other intermarried with George Bauder, and he, Thompson, releases his wife's share of David Emerick's estate, amounting to $51,675.

So it seems that the wife, and at least one of the daughters, married their captors, who, after many years, came back and received their shares of the estate of the man they murdered. Mr. Shell said Mrs. Emerick was infatuated with the Indian style of life, and endeavored to persuade some the her female relatives to go off with them when here. The recollection of one of the old inhabitants of the Valley was, that they came here in grand style, on horseback, Mrs. Emerick decorated with all the tinsel of Indian dress.

In 1825, Bonham's heirs brought an ejectment against William Gibbons, for a tract of land, in the warrantee name of David Emerick, and, to sustain their title, gave evidence a deed, dated 21 Jun 1780, from David Emerick to Daniel Rees, under whom Bonham claimed. The evidence on the trial is all lost, but from some manuscript notes taken by the late James F. Linn, it appears that the defense, who had no real defense, subpoenaed all the old settlers in the country to prove that David Emerick was killed in 1778 or 1779, from which the lawyers argued the deed a forgery, though it purported to be acknowledged before Christopher Gettig, Esquire. We are unable to say exactly, but think this was a dodge of the lawyers, taken upon the second trial, the other side, Mr. Bellas and Hapburn never dreaming of parol testimony thus affecting their title. Among others called to prove that Emerick was killed prior to the date of the deed, was Michael Smith, grandfather of A.W. Smith, Esquire. He said "I was living in the place where I am now living (1830) during the Revolutionary War. There was a massacre by the Indians in Dry Valley. Henry Bickle was killed; the only one, as far as we know. David Emerick and his family were taken prisoners on the same day. His woman came in afterward, and said Emerick was killed on the road. David Emerick never appeared again. It was three years afterward when his wife returned. She was afterward married to Thompson, in York State. I was eight or nine years of age at the time of the massacre. Bickle's wife had a son, about four months after his murder. He's now in court, and his name is Henry Bickle. I was born in 1769. I saw Henry Bickle after he was murdered. My father lived about two miles from Bickle at that time. My wife's mother and Emerick's wife's mother were sisters. I saw Thompson after he was married to Mrs. Emerick. They were married about the last of the war, or in it.

"Lee's massacre was about a year after Emerick's. It was in Dry Valley, and about the time of the general runaway. I saw John Lee's family all lying scalped. Emerick has some children. I never saw any of them. There was one of the girls down below at the time, and was at my house about a year ago. Emerick lived near the hill, not far from Hummel's Tavern in Dry Valley. Emerick's children were all taken, except the one below. I saw Lee's killed in the house where they were killed. They had their heads all scalped, and were laid on a bundle of straw." Jacob Bower, of Union township, whose deposition was read, stated that knew David Emerick, and, three years after he became acquainted with him, he was taken by the Indians. "They killed him on the hill, and we fled to Lee's and lived there until after hay making. Lee was after the Indians when Trinkle and Faught were killed. Lee was killed by the Indians afterwards. Emerick was not taken prisoner the same summer Lee was killed, but the year we lived at Lee's."

Henry Bickle was sworn: "I am fifty-one or fifty-two years of age, and was born in 1778 or 1779, one of the two. I have been always told I was born about four months after my father was killed. I saw Emerick's wife when she was in. My mother lives twenty miles from here. Mrs. Emerick gave me a pen knife when she was in. I cannot recollect how long since. My mother is eighty-five the 7th of next September. I was born in July, and my father was killed in April, as I have always been told by my mother and others. Emerick's wife and my mother were sisters. My mother was married to old George Schoch, who is since dead. She has lost her mind, and would not do any good if she were here."

The plaintiffs then gave in evidence the records of an ejectment, No.138, May Term, 1834. James Thompson and Margaret, his wife, late Margaret Emerick, in right of said Margaret, George Bauder and Catherine, his wife, late Catherine Emerick, vs David Zeluff and Robert Hilands, and called the late James Merrill, Esquire, who said that he had brought "this suit at the instance if David Thorburn, who showed me a power of attorney, which he took away with him again. I never knew the man before. He said he lived in Canada." They also offered letters from Thorburn of Canada, post marked Lewistown, which were rejected. The ejectment was non-prossed under the rules.

Defendants called Philip Hoyens, who swore he knew David Emerick and Henry Bickle. "Emerick first lived on the Gibbons place. He made an improvement, built a house, and cleared about ten acres. Bickle and Emerick were killed by the Indians. I think they took Emerick away a piece. Emerick moved to this place of Gibbons' before the war. It was two miles from Northumberland."

Instead of contending stoutly that such evidence could not contradict a deed as to date, and could raise no presumption of death as against a written document, Mr. Hepburn, for the plaintiff, seemed to yield to the force of the old men's testimony, and said that Emerick's name might be a fictitious one, which Bonham had used; it was the practice of the day to use fictitious names to obtain a warrant of survey, and argued further, that there was no evidence that the David Emerick killed by the Indians was the one who owned the land.

The jury, in the former trial, had found for the defendants. It was taken to the Supreme Court, and the case is reported in 2 Rawle, 45, reversed on error of the judge. At this, the second trial, they came in with a sealed verdict, finding for the defendant again. On being polled, one dissented, and they were sent out, and, not being able to agree, they were discharged.

At May Term, 1830, the cause was called again, and after the jury were in the box, the parties settled by an agreement that Gibbons should hold the interference during life, after which it was to revert to Bonham's heirs. Lashells and Greenough were for the defense, as could be guessed by anyone reading the trial, and knowing their peculiar ability in ejectment cases.

An examination of the assessment books in the commissioners' office, would have shown that John Lee was assessor on the 27th of March, 1782, wherefore, according to the testimony of all the witnesses, the Bickle and Emerick massacre must have been in 1781. The deed from Glen and wife to Emerick, showed that Emerick was alive on the 15^th of November, 1779, while Smith and Bickle's testimony would make out that he was killed in 1778 or 1779. The assessment books show that Emerick and Bickle were both alive on 1st November, 1780, and in the one made by John Lee himself, in March, 1782, for the year 1781, Bickle's property is assessed to his widow, and the name and family of Emerick disappear forever from the assessment lists after 1781.