Person:David Crawford (27)

Leacock Presbyterian Church - 1740-1940, page 35.

He was an Associator in the Company of Captain Rowland in Colonel John Ferree's Battalion 5 July 1775.

From http://www.mangue.info/military_service.html

The Assembly of the Province showed itself not unwilling to join the American cause. In 1775 the Governor was quietly pushed aside and disregarded. The Assembly, guided by Dickenson and other moderate Whigs, approved the proceedings of the Continental Congress and chose delegates to represent them there. They recognized the "Associators," as the volunteer militia called themselves, and voted to supply them with arms and ammunition. In fact Pennsylvania, if moving more slowly than Massachusetts or Virginia was in the same stream, and it seemed at this time as if the whole population of the State might be swung into the full tide of the movement, without rendering necessary any vital change of government.

The Governor being put aside because he disapproved of the attitude of the Assembly, that body appointed a Committee of Safety to take his place. The suggestion came from the Committee of Inspection and Observation of the city of Philadelphia, which represented the more radical elements in the colony. In a petition to the Assembly it recommended the appointment of a Committee of Safety, with discretionary powers, to act for the defense of the State "in the present time of danger and uncertainty." The Assembly accepted the recommendation, which committed it still further to the revolutionary movement, and appointed the Committee June 30, 1775. It consisted of twenty-five members, of whom seven were a quorum. It was empowered to call out the militia if necessary, to pay them and to furnish them with arms and other equipments. It was to provide for the defense of the Province against insurrection and invasion and encourage and promote the manufacture of saltpeter. To accomplish these ends it was authorized to draw orders on the Treasurer for such sums of money as it should need

The Council took over all money in the hands of the Committee of Safety and with this and loans from the Continental Congress paid the military expenses of the government. The Council took every means to urge the reluctant militia into the field. Bounties were offered and the Council proposed to provide generously for the families of those who would march to join Washington in New Jersey. Harsh measures were also tried. Any Associator of Philadelphia who bad not marched with the militia to New Jersey or who did not enroll himself as one of the city guards was to be subject to all the fines and penalties of a Non-Associator. The militia were quartered upon those who refused to serve and troops were sent into the counties to disarm all who would not enter the army, and to seize and treat as an enemy any one who opposed the execution of this measure.

1. ↑ Jessie A. Landis nee Witmer. Ferree - du Bois Family Tree. (1913).
2. ↑ kamp3genealogy@@netscape.net. Heisterkamp, Charles, III, M.D..

   1949 Pine Drive, Lancaster, PA, 17601, ckamp3@@netscape,net, 717-392-0562

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Charles Heisterkamp, III, M.D. Annotated Landis Ferree Tree. (30 April 2004).

   Date of Import: Jul 14, 2004

4. ↑ Estimated date.
5.   Charles Heisterkamp, III, M.D..

   1949 Pine Drive, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, 17601-5529, [email protected]