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SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2018
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Historic Cemetery
Grave of Gen. Robert Brown.
By ED PANY I recently made my semi-annual visit to the historic Horner Cemetery in East Allen Township. The cemetery was part of the Scottish Irish Craig Settlement founded in 1728. The cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Northampton County. The first burial there was in 1747. Ten years ago my friend Peggy Moser organized a group of dedicated volunteers who cleaned and restored the cemetery. A 10th Anniversary program will be held there on Sept. 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. on the cemetery grounds. Their mission is to raise funds to place nameplates on unreadable tombstones. In this serene atmosphere rests men who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Walking through the cemetery one remembers the men and women who helped forge a new nation. Nineteen veterans of that war and two generals, Robert Brown and William Lattimer, are buried there, along with the early settlers of the Scottish Irish Settlement. The most prominent citizen buried there is General Robert Brown, the son of Samuel Brown, one of the first 13 people to settle there in 1728. Robert Brown was born on Christmas, Dec. 25,
1744. With the approach of war, Robert Brown and his neighbors joined the Northampton militia. The chaplain of the unit was Rev. John Rosbrugh, a Presbyterian minister. Their training was basic but with courage and determination they would engage the British Army on many Revolutionary battlefields. Brown would be promoted to Lieutenant and with his comrades fought bravely only to be captured in New York by the British at Fort Washington. They were imprisoned in an old church. Conditions were horrible, for the first few days they were given wormy crackers to eat. While in prison, Brown used his blacksmith skills and actually used what funds he had to buy food for the prisoners. Hundreds perished. Brown was later transferred and held on the British ship Judith. Eventually he was paroled pledging not to rejoin the militia. Brown returned to the militia and was promoted to General. During his service he met General George Washington and they became friends. The war was costly and many men were lost including Rev. Rosbrugh who was captured at the Battle of Trenton and executed. General Brown would be invited to Mt. Vernon where General Washington presented a gift of two chestnut trees; one was named “The Friendship Tree.” The majestic tree was damaged by lightning in 1921. Today it is a symbol on the East Allen Township flag. When General Brown returned home, he married and built a home in Allen Township. In 1842 a section of Allen Township was organized as East Allen Township. General Brown continued to serve our nation when Continued on page 2
Bath motto Revealed Page 4
Township manager Brent Green and members of the East Allen Youth Summer Camp present donations to the Lehigh Valley Zoo.
East Allen Township Youth Summer Camp raises Donations for zoo’s Otter exhibit by KERI LINDENMUTH A year after raising money to help the Lehigh Valley Zoo open its endangered giraffe and African exhibit, the children in the East Allen Township Youth Summer Camp once again raised money to help the local zoo build a home for two very playful North American otters. Thanks to the donations raised by the more than 150 children in the program, otters Naya and Luani will have a brand new home that closely resembles their natural river habitat. The new exhibit will have trees, logs, and water for the otters to play in. North American otters are becoming scarce due to hunting and pollution. They have nearly disappeared from the world’s
freshwater habitats. Exhibits like the one the children are helping fund are instrumental to ensuring the otter population does not go extinct. Nancy McCuller, Development Assistant for the zoo, could not thank the children enough. “We are so delighted,” she said. “[The] kids were instrumental in helping us put the exhibit in.” The two top donors were presented tickets to the zoo and stuffed otter toys. They made the lives of Naya and Luani better, McCuller said. This is the second year the summer camp, under program director Chuck Frantz, has raised money for the zoo. Overall, the Continued on page 5
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