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History of Sheshequin 1777-1902; Heverly; Pub.1902, Towanda, Pa; pp.77-80. GORE FAMILY.

The GORE FAMILY. --- The Gores are of English origin. John GORE and his wife, Rhoda, came from England and settled at Roxbury, Mass., in 1635. Samuel GORE, a grandson of John GORE, was a resident of Norwich, Conn., in 1714. Obadiah GORE, son of Samuel and Hannah GORE, was born July 26, 1714. He married Hannah PARKS and died in 1779. Hannah was a sister of Captain Thomas PARKS, the first settler of Litchfield, Bradford County. Obadiah GORE moved from near Boston to Norwich, Conn., thence to Wyoming in 1770. Of his advent in the new colony, Mr. Miner says: "Among the new body of emigrants, were two of the GORE family from Norwich, Obadiah GORE, the father, and Daniel GORE, his son, blacksmiths by trade, full of ardour and replete with Yankee ingenuity. They conceived the design of adding to the ordnance a new cannon. A large pepperage log was fashioned, bored and then hooped from breach to muzzle with stout bands of iron. Painted black, with a red mouth and mounted on a wagon, its appearance at least was sufficiently formidable. The first discharge excited at once admiration and hope among its friends. Re-loaded a heavier discharge, was driven home that a corresponding execution might be produced, the cannon split, and so terrible was the explosion that one of the iron bands, thrown a thousand feet across the Susquehanna, was afterwards found in the willows on the river shore." Obadiah GORE was a magistrate under the laws of Connecticut. His commission signed in April, 1778, bears the name of Jonathan Trumbull, then governor of Connecticut. He was an aged man at the time of the massacre, and was left in Forty Fort while the army went out to meet the enemy. "The little band the marched forth on that memorable 3d of July 1778, were his sons, Samuel, Daniel, Silas, George and Asa, and his son-in-laws, John MURFEE and Timothy PEARCE. Thus there were seven in the battle, while an eight (Obadiah GORE Jr.) was in service with the regular army; and it proved a most bloody and disastrous day to the family. At susnset five of the seven were on the field mangled corpses. Asa and Silas were ensigns, and were slain; George and MURFEE were slain. Timothy PEARCE held a commission in the regular army, but he had hurried in. He, also, was killed. Lieutenant Daniel GORE was near the right wing and stood a few rods below Wintermoot's fort, close up to the old road that led up through the valley. Stepping into the road, a ball struck him in the arm; he applied a hast bandage, tearing it from his shirt. Just as that moment Captain DURKEE stepped into the road at the same place. 'Look Out'! said Mr. GORE, 'there are some savages concealed under yonder heap of logs.' At that instant a bullet struck Captain DURKEE in the tigh. When retreat became inevitable, Mr. GORE endeavored to assist Captain DURKEE from the field, but found it impossible, and DURKEE said, 'Save yourself, Mr. GORE, my fate is sealed.' Lieutenant GORE then escaped down the road, and leaping the fence about a mile below, lay concealed close under a bunch of bushes. While there an Indian got over the fence and stood near him. Mr. GORE said he could see the white of his eye and was almost sure he was discovered. A moment after a yell was raised on the flats below. The Indian drew up his rifle and fired, and instantly ran off in that direction. Though the wave of death seemed to have passed over and spent itself, yet Lieutenant GORE remained under cover until dusk. After dark he found his way to the fort and met his brother, Samuel, the only other survivor of the seven. The distress of Mrs. MURFEE was very great. She feared her husband had been tortured. When she learned he fell on the field she was less distressed, and begging her way with the rest of the fugitives, traversed the wilderness and sought a home in the State from which she had emigrated, having an infant born, a few days after her arrival among her former friends. No tongue can tell, no pencil can paint the sorrows and sufferings of poor Wyoming; and all, undoubtedly, occasioned by drawing away the men raised here for its special defense."

This book History of Sheshequin is owned by Mrs. Alice GORE Hunsinger of GA. In honor of Her Gore grandparents: Obadiah GORE & Hannah PARK ; Samuel GORE & Sarah BROKAW. Thank you for sharing this history with other descendants.

Happy Digging, . Submitted by Pat HITTLE Gore.

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