Fort Robinson (Perry County, Pennsylvania Frontier Series)
Page 39
Although searched for many times, Shcenk's hoard was never found.
The End
On this farm and in this clearing, Thomas Robinson was killed and Robert severely wounded. This was Nicholson's farm, and here William was hit and died nearby. To reach this spot take route 50049 north out of Ickesburg, PA. Turn left on Dobyns Road, and this field is on your immediate right.
Under the low bluff runs Buffalo Creek. This is the exact spot where Charles Elliot and Edward McConnel were killed by pursuing hostiles.
This land at Sandy Hill was once owned by Alex Logan, killed in the 2nd War. George McCord lived just beyond. McCord's barn was the scene of Logan's death.
On the elevation 130 feet east of this marker the pioneer settlers erected a stockade known as Fort Robinson in 1755, the very year of the opening of these lands to settlement.
In an attack on the fort during harvest time in 1756 the Indians killed a daughter of Robert Miller, Mrs. James Wilson, and the widow Gibson, and took Hugh Gibson and Betty Henry prisoners.
Erected by the
Perry County Historical Society
-1922-
Norman A. Chandler at the Fort Robinson monument.
The site is clearly marked on all current Perry County road maps. All one need do is travel west on Route 274 from New Bloomfield and turn right onto Route 850. The marker shown above is placed about a mile along that road. Facing the marker, one can find the settler's spring about a hundred feet to the left where it still. trickles from beneath the bluff edge.
This is the Fort Robinson site with the fort sketched in as it would have appeared in 1754-1764. The spring (Deer Spring) lay directly below the fort almost along the creek. The original blockhouse can be seen at the fort's upper left-hand corner. The letter "G" denotes the placement of George Robinson's cabin, and "R" marks the position of Robert's cabin. The dashed line marks the route of the Indian trail along which the Robinsons farmed. It can be noted that the "old" road, now only a farm lane, sort of follows that trail. The new road, detectable through the tree cover, parallels the stream.
Author's note
If I never write another book, or if I die tomorrow, I'll not depart this vale entirely dissatisfied.
Completion of Fort Robinson has been a dream for so long that I experience a particular contentment, as though I had accomplished something I was specially chosen to do.
I consider this volume my personal gift to the people of Perry County for, despite its importance to our heritage, I doubt another author would have tackled it.
A Fort Robinson author must appreciate Perry County. Otherwise he would not invest the time and effort necessary.
I write the above with some humility, yet with awareness of the unusual combination of circumstances necessary for creation of this book.
The Fort Robinson author must not only be inspired to write about Perry County, he must have assembled an oddly mixed bag of knowledge. For instance, he must know something of colonial history, military tactics, woodsmanship, hunting, Indian lore, and weaponry. Perry geography beyond the lay of hill and run, and including seasons, growths, and weather extremes must be understood, and surely more than a little appreciation of Perry County people and their heritages is essential.
Yet, there is another ability required of an author producing Fort Robinson. That is a romantic imagination. Correctly reporting facts would have resulted in a sterile article of interest to few. A believable plot, right for the era, and of interest to Perry County had to be created.
The readership will judge whether I have succeeded but I feel comfortable with what I have written. I am content with its depth, scope, and readability.
I like the book.
"Rocky" Chandler, author of more than sixty published books, is now 86 years of age. He remains active and still rides his Harley-Davidson across the continental United States
He divides his time among Nokomis, FL, St Mary's City, MD, and Perry County, PA.
Books by Roy Chandler
By Publication Date
All About a Foot Soldier, 1965
History of Early Perry County Guns and Gunsmiths (With Donald L. Mitchell), 1969
A History of Perry County Railroads, 1970
Alaskan Hunter: a book about big game hunting, 1972
Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes and Barrel Marks, 1972
Tales of Perry County, 1973
Arrowmaker, 1974
Hunting in Perry County, 1974
Antiques of Perry County, 1976
The Black Rifle, 1976
Homes, Barns and Outbuildings of Perry County, 1978
Shatto, 1979
The Perry County Flavor, 1980
Arms Makers of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1981
The Didactor, 1981
Fort Robinson: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1750-63, 1981
Friend Seeker: A novel of Perry County PA, 1982
Gunsmiths of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1982
Perry County in Pen & Ink, 1983
Shatto's Way: A novel of Perry County, Pa, 1984
Chip Shatto: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1863-6, 1984
Pennsylvania Gunmakers (a collection), 1984
Firefighters of Perry County, 1985
The Warrior, A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania 1721-1764, 1985
Perry County Sketchbook (And Katherine R. Chandler), 1986
A 30-foot, $6,000 Cruising Catamaran, 1987
The Gun of Joseph Smith (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1987
The Perry Countian, 1987
Hawk's Feather - An Adventure Story, 1988
Ted's Story, 1988
Alcatraz: The Hardest Years 1934-1938 (With Erville F. Chandler), 1989
Cronies, 1989
Song of Blue Moccasin, 1989
Chugger's Hunt, 1990
The Sweet Taste, 1990
Tiff's Game: A work of fiction, 1991
Tuck Morgan, Plainsman (Vol. 2) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1991
Death From Afar I (And Norman A. Chandler), 1992
Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes All New Volume 2, 1992
Behold the Long Rifle, 1993
Death From Afar II: Marine Corps Sniping (And Norman A. Chandler), 1993
Old Dog, 1993
Tim Murphy, Rifleman: A novel of Perry County, Pa. 1754-1840, 1993
Choose the Right Gun, 1994
Death From Afar Vol. III: The Black Book (And Norman A. Chandler), 1994
The Kentucky Pistol, 1994
Ramsey: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, 1994
Gray's Talent, 1995
Hunting Alaska, 1995
Last Black Book, 1995
Dark Shadow, 1996
Death From Afar IV (And Norman A. Chandler, 1996
Morgan's Park (Vol. 3) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1997
White Feather: Carlos Hathcock USMC scout sniper (And Norman A. Chandler), 1997
Death From Afar V (And Norman A. Chandler), 1998
Ironhawk: A frontier novel of Perry County Pennsylvania 1759-1765, 1999
Sniper One, 2000
One Shot Brotherhood (And Norman A. Chandler), 2001
Shooter Galloway, 2004
The Hunter's Alaska, 2005
The Boss's Boy, 2007
Pardners, 2009
Hawk's Revenge, 2010
Perry County, Pennsylvania series
History of Early Perry County Guns and Gunsmiths, 1969
A History of Perry County Railroads, 1970
Tales of Perry County, 1973
A History of Hunting in Perry County, 1974
Arrowmaker, 1974
Antiques of Perry County, 1976
The Black Rifle, 1976
Homes, Barns and Outbuildings of Perry County,1978
Shatto, 1979
The Perry County Flavor, 1980
The Didactor, 1981
Fort Robinson: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1750-63, 1981
Friend Seeker: A novel of Perry County PA, 1982
Perry County in Pen & Ink, 1983
Shatto's Way: A novel of Perry County, Pa, 1984
Chip Shatto: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1863-65, 1984
Firefighters of Perry County, 1982
Perry County Sketchbook, 1986
The Warrior, A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, 1995
The Perry Countian, 1987
Hawk's Feather - An Adventure Story, 1988
Ted's Story, 1988
Cronies, 1989
Song of Blue Moccasin, 1989
The Sweet Taste, 1990
Tiff's Game: A work of fiction, 1991
Old Dog, 1993
Tim Murphy, Rifleman: A novel of Perry County, Pa, 1754-1840, 1993
Ramsey: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, 1994
Last Black Book, 1995
Gun of Joseph Smith series (Juvenile)
Gun of Joseph Smith, The (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1987
Tuck Morgan, Plainsman (Vol. 2) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1991
Morgan's Park (Vol. 3) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1997
Antique Guns
History of Early Perry County Guns and Gunsmiths (With Donald L. Mitchell), 1969
Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes and Barrel Marks, 1972
Arms Makers of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1981
Gunsmiths of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1982
Pennsylvania Gunmakers (a collection), 1984
Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes All New Volume 2, 1992
Behold the Long Rifle, 1993
The Kentucky Pistol, 1994
Hunting
Alaskan Hunter: a book about big game hunting, 1972
Choose the Right Gun, 1994
Hunting Alaska, 1995
The Hunter's Alaska, 2005
Sniper Series
Death From Afar I (And Norman A. Chandler), 1992
Death From Afar II: Marine Corps Sniping (And Norman A. Chandler), 1993
Death From Afar Vol. III: The Black Book (And Norman A. Chandler), 1994
Death From Afar IV (And Norman A. Chandler), 1996
White Feather: Carlos Hathcock USMC scout sniper (And Norman A. Chandler), 1997
Death From Afar V (And Norman A. Chandler), 1998
Sniper One (Iron Brigade series), 2000
One Shot Brotherhood (And Norman A. Chandler)
Children's Books
All About a Foot Soldier, 1965