Fort Robinson (Perry County, Pennsylvania Frontier Series)

by Roy F. Chandler

  "Now if we had a store close by the trail, with good camping for passing wagons, plenty of wood and water, that kind of thing, people ought to stop. If they stop, they'll buy-even if it's just a sugar tit for a babe.

  "Course, we can't be sure yet that this is the place, but it feels good to Sam and me."

  George stirred the fire, taking his time to think. "Tomorrow, Sam and me will ride on and see how things look ahead. You two will scout around here. We'll meet at this fire before dark and tell what we've seen.

  "Remember now, there's got to be plenty of land, not only for Robinsons but for others that will come. Look close at springs and runs, and keep in mind that walnuts mean good ground underneath. Well, you know what to look for, just don't spend all day chasing turkeys."

  It was a cold day with an ice-gray sky brushing the ridges. Wind blew sharp, cutting through everything except Robert's buffalo robe. Overnight, ice had formed on still water, and a white rime bordered the flow of the spring.

  Sam and George were gone before the younger men mounted, but once ready, they moved swiftly. Their plan had been to ride a wide circle around the spring, heading in or out if something looked interesting, but there were too many trails and interrupting ridges to make it work out.

  Soon they took to heading wherever they wished and turning back when the distance seemed too far or things petered out.

  By middle afternoon the horses were finished, and their riders were brush-whipped and cold to the core. They had seen enough and walked their weary animals back to the spring.

  Coming close, Robert saw smoke rising from their camp and figured Sam and George were back early. Still, he checked his priming, saw that James did the same, and rode in careful. The brothers were there, and they had built up a blaze fit to burn an ox. Looked like they had also felt the cold.

  Sam's musket had brought down a turkey; cleaned and plucked, it turned slowly on a vertical spit near the fire. The smell blew across while they were unsaddling, making empty bellies rumble, and with numbed fingers, the hobbling took forever.

  Feeling near starved, they would have devoured the half-done turkey, but Sam switched them away with a twig he used to keep the bird turning and suggested they tell what they had seen. It would keep their minds off the meat until it was ready.

  Robert and James had talked it over most of the day, and their agreement was plain. Warming chilled rumps and hands before the blaze they summed their feelings.

  Robert spoke. "We rode around this place pretty good, and I'd better say right off that we like it."

  James interrupted, "Seems like Indians liked it too. Their trails run every which way, and we saw at least a hundred old fire sites."

  "If you stick to flatter ground, there are small open meadows all around. We didn't see any clearings near as large as here, but there are likely cabin sites with small open spots all through these woods.

  "We checked the ground the best we could, but it's frozen up since yesterday. Surely got its share of rocks, but it'll grow crops. We'd say it's rich soil."

  Robert said, "This must be the squirreliest place in creation. I've never seen so many gray squirrels-probably because of the nut trees. There's chestnuts everywhere and walnuts and butternuts in between. There's a lot of deer sign, and we could have taken a shot or two. Turkeys working everywhere, and it's plain the bears haven't denned yet 'cause their tracks are fresh and all around."

  "It's a rich place, George. The land isn't as flat and easy as Philip's ground at Manada, but there's more than enough of it, and the game sign is thicker than any place I ever hunted."

  Robert paused for James's nod of approval. "Unless you've come on better, we'd say this is a proper place for us Robinsons to settle."

  George was a while answering. Robert moved across the fire covering his heated backside with his robe and warming his front. Samuel prodded the fire and rotated the turkey which was browning almost to a char and sending overpowering aromas to the hungry gathering.

  George said, "Well, me and Sam followed the Injun path clear to the mountain. Once there, everything narrows down, but there's still enough land to give everybody in Philadelphia a plantation.

  "Off to the west there is a lot of cane and underbrush. Must have been a fire in there years back. Game trails everywhere, but not the kind of place most would choose to live.

  "We saw places near as good as this one, but none had as much land cleared, so it might be too wet some years.

  "Against the mountain, the sun sets too quick in winter, though it'd be cool in summer.

  "Sam and me have talked about it. Point we think important is the number of Indian lodge sites right here, and all these fields, they've used for growing. Indians have found out the best over a lot of generations and we would be wise to be guided by what they've learned.

  "Seeing you two think it's a good place, we'll all take a closer look tomorrow. We'll go out together and study everything real careful. What one misses, another will see. Then we'll talk again at supper.

  "We'll let it rest there for now. We don't want to start convincing each other till the facts are all looked at. That way we won't get disappointed or sell ourselves to a poor area."

  He turned to Sam, "How's that bird doing? If it don't get cooked soon, Robert's likely to eat that mangy robe he thinks so much of."

  The morning warmed a little making them more willing to get underway, and the sun broke weakly through the overcast. The frozen crust melted, making the riding quiet with easy footing.

  They rode out, with Robert and James showing what they thought important. George kept turning them back to the spring and the trail.

  "Robert, what's a mile or two away isn't what counts. It's what's close-in that matters. That's where we'll be living and that's where our neighbors ought to be."

  By afternoon they were working up small connecting valleys. Occasionally one or another would turn aside to explore side openings or small creeks and runs. As usual, Robert required reining in.

  George said, "Robert, we would see a lot more if you would quit riding up every ridge and through every gut we come to. There won't be much farming on a ridgeline, and guts going uphill narrow out. So if it isn't too much bother, ride downhill or stay in line."

  Unchastened, Robert cooperated for a while. Then a narrow draw proved too tempting, and he went crashing away. George groaned, and Sam chuckled a little. "Let him be, George. He'll catch up, and it's no use railing at him. He's about as steady as a cottontail. Maybe he'll find something, who knows?"

  At day's end, George decided to again sleep on what they had seen. Deciding lay heavily, and a second night's sleep would let things fall into better perspective. Enthusiasm could cool or dismay ease, and things could look different in cold morning light.

  Lying close to the dying fire, with his companions huddled to either side, George Robinson found sleep evading him. His mind was fired by countless thoughts turning him restless and overwhelming his bodily fatigue. Despite the support of his brothers, his was the final responsibility. He could wonder how the burden had fallen upon him. Had he stepped forward, volunteering, or had others without awareness simply turned to him for decisions? He stirred restlessly, unsuccessfully willing emptiness to his mind.

  At these times he sorely envied Robert's unhindered freedoms. To act without consideration, to just follow whims, hunches, or interests without restraint; surely such a life could be sweet. Yet, at Robert's age, he had already been important in family councils, and even then, his actions had been leavened by their effect on others.

  George let his thoughts dwell on the land they had looked over. By every measure the place seemed right. But what might they have overlooked? Could this land flood? Was it due for a severe burning? Did the game stay year round? Would the ground really grow their crops, and would travelers trade with them?

  Indians crossed his mind. Might they return? There were constant rumblings among the tribes and between the French and English who brought their
old world squabblings to this new land. Massacre did occur, and there was serious talk of a military campaign to the Ohio, aimed at driving the French forever north and destroying their influence on the western tribes.

  Suppose the Iroquois turned their hatchets against the English colonies? Settled along a great Indian path, the Robinson cabins would protrude like a sore tooth just waiting to be extracted.

  He sighed, shifting to his side, resigned to a night of interrupted rest while the others snored, he must think, and consider, and evaluate. He surely wished someone else could do this part.

  At first light Robert hustled James from his blanket, and George heard them ride off together. Later he heard the distant crack of Robert's rifle and expected their breakfast had been taken. Yet, it was nearly noon before the two returned with a young doe draped before James's saddle.

  George was clearly put out by their long absence, and Robert waxed repentant as Samuel sliced the deer into manageable pieces.

  James said, "We thought to ride over to the Big Buffalo Creek and be back by mid-morning, but the land looked so fair that we rode further than we planned. Then we had to swing by to bring in this doe that Robert shot a mile or so out. It all took longer than we figured."

  Mollified by their contrite attitudes and soothed by the scent of roasting venison, George let things lie. Still, he expected the time would come when Robert would have to mend his ways or suffer some harsh words. There would be enough to worry about once they began their move without forever wondering what Robert was up to. He wished Agnes would put a permanent halter on him. She'd do it sooner or later he was sure, only sooner would be a lot better for Robert and about everybody else.

  Chapter 9

  When the lodge met, Philip Robinson's house was cleared of all nonmembers. Still, the men were crowded, and the single, log-walled room lacked the majesty of the powerful words spoken there. In a land where lodging was primitive and threat to survival a daily spectre, there was no talk of a proper temple, but someday . . . someday they would have their own hall.

  Before the doors were sealed and the lodge in session, George and Samuel presented their plan to the assembly. There was no better time. Everyone healthy enough was present, and except for occasional preachings, there were no other gatherings. Robinson men were Masons; most of the Logans and some of the others were also lodge members. These were the men George hoped would join in.

  Samuel explained the need for a general Robinson exodus, and the Logans nodded understanding for their holdings were also crowded.

  George bore the brunt of explaining the overall plan. He described the land they had chosen and turned to Robert for his enthusiastic report of game conditions. He passed around a small bag of earth from the new place letting them feel and smell it. When he ran down, the questions started.

  Was there land enough? Yes, more than enough.

  How about Indians? The Penns would own the land before the move.

  Food for the first year? Cost of buying the land? Seed? Animals, wagons, sick folks, craftsmen, a preacher? George finally called a halt and laid it all out in order.

  "Those that are moving will split into two parties. One group, mostly men, will go out and get cabins up and start land clearing and plowing. We can't move until winter is safely past and we will never get a proper crop growing in that wild ground in time, so the other people will stay here and keep these crops going. That harvest will provide most supplies for the first year.

  "I've picked my place, and some will no doubt want to be close. We'll corner-stake our choices so that no strangers crowd any of us out.

  "Once we've moved in, Samuel will keep things humming back here and keep us supplied if things get tight or until we can do for ourselves.

  "Now, you all understand that this settlement isn't just a Robinson place. We're going to try to get people on plantations all around us. That will help us with our trading and will make us more secure if there ever is Injun trouble. Fact is, the more people we can funnel on past us, the safer we will be. Those out front take the worst of Indian war, and we aren't going there for that.

  "That brings up another point or two. Anybody with good sense worries about Indians, and we have the problem of encouraging families to choose our valley instead of some other. We think we've got an answer for both difficulties.

  "Come spring, Sam and I and probably Robert and James will put up a strong blockhouse. We'll build it right, with tight walls and a sod roof so that it won't burn. We'll raise it right in the center of things. Then everybody will have a place to come to if the tribes cause worry, and having a fort all built will make people eager to settle close by. Once we're all in place, we can put a stockade around the blockhouse if things look poorly, or we can turn the fort into a trading building if the Indians stay quiet.

  "So, that's what we're proposing. Everybody think on it. Talk it over with Sam and me and among your people. Croghan thinks the purchase will be made before summer. Those wanting to go will move out then. It's plain enough that those arriving first will claim the best, so put that in your planning.

  "The last thing is this," and George's grin made them all conspirators, "It will be years before we have to pay for the land we'll be on. John and Richard Penn will be wriggling and squirming trying to get their records straight and collect from people squatting all over the territory. It will be many a moon before they get around to sheriffing anybody for land money. By then, paying will be easy, or we'll have failed and be trying elsewhere."

  The women learned the details from their men, and there was some excitement. For many, the abandonment of snug cabins with improvements and comforts that would take years to replace was hateful.

  Explaining exactly how they would be better off in the mountains was not easy for the men, and mostly their arguments ran that this was not their land and they had to get off. That premise was supported by how they would finally have their own place and never have to uproot again. The man's word was generally law, but for a while things were a little tight in some cabins.

  While the families decided, George began making lists of who would go and who would stay. As families opted to move, those more reluctant gave in and added their names for listing.

  In February, Robert led a party of eleven men to the new place. They used their visit to stake out farms and put marks out for their friends. Their return and subsequent enthusiasm raised the spirits of others going and added a few names from among the hesitant.

  Inspired by the interest of the men he guided and suddenly aware that he could be left out, Robert blazed trees around a spot he favored. He chose with an eye for his special needs. He wanted his land tight against George's holdings because he would be over there a lot, and that put him close to the fort as well. He wanted shelter from the north with sunny fields sloping to good water, and he wanted to be far enough off the Indian path that every other wagon wouldn't be using his spring or borrowing his ax.

  He picked a cabin site with a good spring close by-so that if he had a wife she'd have a short carry-and the site was high enough so it would be dry and she could look across to other cabins. Women like that sort of thing. Made 'em feel safe or something.

  Robert sat on a rock thinking how she would see him coming from way off, unless he slipped in from the woods behind to startle her into dropping something. Sort of made him feel good thinking about it.

  When he got home, he would tell Agnes about the spot he had marked off. She was always interested in things like that. He would have to bring her over and show her when she arrived.

  Agnes really was a pretty good friend, if you stopped to look at it. Off hand, there wasn't another girl he could tolerate half as well as he could Agnes. He reckoned he would get her thoughts on laying out the cabin, too. A woman had different ideas than a man had. In things like living quarters, he expected they should be listened to . . . at least some.

  George Robinson was chosen captain to lead the move. There were no other candidates.r />
  Chapter 10

  James fitted an ax head to a long hickory handle, spit on his hands and said, "Show me a tree."

  Robert pointed to the surrounding forest.

  "Take your pick, axeman," but they both stood laughing and waiting for George to give directions.

  "Alright now, we'll each pick a tree and bring it down. Then Sam and me will start taking off limbs while you two chop down some more.

  "Now Robert, don't try sneaking any little saplings in on us. Every log has to be a foot thick on the small end. We'll cut twenty or thirty logs in half to stand in the ditch. The rest, maybe another forty, will plank the upper walls. We'll cut sills, rafters, and flooring after we get the wall logs cut and piled.

  "And Robert, pick trees that will help clear our fields of fire, not just the ones you can reach easy."

  "George, how come you never have words for Sam or James? How come it's always me you're pickin' at?"

  "Because I know you, Robert! In about an hour you'll be making trips to the spring. In two hours you will be hollering to eat, and if I didn't mention it now, by mid-afternoon you'd be volunteering to go hunt deer or bears or even buffalo, in fact, anything to get out of swinging your ax."

  Grinning, Robert shouldered his tools, punched James in the ribs and started away. Over his shoulder he said, "You got me mixed up with someone else, George. Why all that sounds just like Samuel." He kept going, listening to Samuel sputtering.

  They chopped steadily for a week before everything was ready for putting up. George let Robert hunt the hour before dusk while the rest sharpened tools and did the needed camp work.

  Robert easily kept them in meat. He shot a deer and two turkeys. Squirrels and rabbits were always plentiful. Samuel was the better cook and preferred to do most of it. Robert gutted his animals where they fell but tried to avoid the skinning and butchering, which usually fell on George and James.