The Colony of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's settlement was unique in several ways. In 1681, Charles II granted a land charter to William Penn to pay a debt he owed Penn's father, an admiral. The king renamed the land Pennsylvania, which embarrassed Penn, but the king refused to change it. William Penn worked to bring settlers to the colony and granted religious freedom, determined to make this a model colony. A large number of the Society of Friends or Quakers came, since Penn was also a Quaker. In fact Pennsylvania and Rhode Island granted more religious freedom to its citizens than any other colony.

William Penn immediately secured a peace treaty with the Indians, especially Tammany, a leader of the Delaware tribe (also known as Lenape). Penn believed that negotiations would avert wars. The Quakers did manage to keep their relationships with the Indians more peaceable and friendly than most other colonies. The treaty William Penn made was never violated, like so many others would later be.

When Winter Is Past, my most recent historical novel, is set in Pennsylvania in 1737. In it three Indians visit the Klein farm, but they are friendly. Beth had known one of them as a child. Here is part of that scene:

“Okwes?” she asked.

He looked at her harder. “Chemames?”

She smiled with relief. Okwes had come to her father’s farm needing food and water. She had been twelve at the time, and she had seen to his needs. Her father had been shocked to find the brave sitting under the shade tree eating part of their dinner that Beth had given him, but the Indian had become a friend to them both. He had called her “rabbit” in his language.

“Yes.” She nodded to him and smiled.

He mirrored her welcome and turned to talk to his companions in their language. They laughed at whatever he told them and looked back at her.

Okwes looked at her again, and Beth wondered if he would open his arms for her to rush into, as he had done each time he’d come after that first encounter. He didn’t, however.

“Big Chemames,” he said with a smile.

Yes, she had grown up. She guessed that meant she’d become too big to rush into his outstretched arms.

“Father?” Okwes asked.

“He died,” Beth told him with a sad face.

“Dead?”

She nodded Okwes slapped his chest, and she knew he was telling her he felt her sorrow.

“Are you hungry?” she asked as she motioned toward her mouth with her fingers.

Okwes shook his head. “Water,” he said.

She brought them some water, and they drank it all. One of the younger men became interested in the bell. He jiggled the clapper, and the bell rang. He jumped back, and Okwes laughed at him. The younger one smiled and rang the bell again and again.

(All the author's profits for the book go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.)

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