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McGuire in the former war, and by his son, Captain Richard McGuire, in the latter war. This sword made of the best of steel with a substantial and ornate hilt, now in the possession of the venerable Mr. Joseph Zerbe, a great grandson of Captain Michael McGuire, who lives near St. Augustine, from whom money cannot buy this precious heirloom descended from patriotic ancestors.
The McGuires were devout Catholics and were visited, probably at irregular intervals, by priests from Connewago. Captain Michael McGuire died on Nov. 17th, 1793, and his was the first corpse interred in St. Michael's cemetery, the nucleus of which was blessed by Father Stephen Badin, probably at or about the time of the funeral.
We have undoubted evidence that at least one other priest visited the McGuire colony before Father Gallitzin, in two receipts furnished by the late Squire E. R. Dunegan of St. Augustine to Raymond J. Kaylor, and by him published in the Cambria Tribune, of which he was Editor, October 29th, 1889. A copy of the receipts are here reproduced:
"I received from Mrs. Rachael McGuire a dollar for her part of the sum that ought to be spent in buying a horse for the priest serving the parishes of Huntingdon, Sinking Valley, Allegheny, Path Valley, etc.
"LEWIS SIBOURD, Priest."
"Allegheny, December 15th, 1794."
"I have received from the inhabitants over Allegheny the sum of Sixteen dollars for my maintenance for six months.
"LEWIS SIBUORD, Priest."
"Allegheny, June 6th, 1795."
It is a singular fact that in the Fort Stanwix purchase of 1768 the stipulated consideration was $10,000; the reward offered by Gov. John Penn in 1764 "for an Indian enemy taken prisoner, $150.00; for an Indian enemy killed, being scalped, $134.00; for a female Indian enemy taken prisoner, $130.00; for a female Indian enemy killed, being scalped, $100.00, and smaller sums for Indian enemies over 10 years of age, the later United States currency was expressed, even down to the year of 1812, and accounts were kept in pounds, shillings, pence and farthings and even after the currency of the country came into general use and the
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