Mercersburg Historical Society Presents Hugh Mercer Symposium June 13 at Mercersburg Academy

Mercersburg Historical Society Presents Hugh Mercer Symposium June 13 at Mercersburg Academy

The Mercersburg Historical Society’ invites history lovers to The Hugh Mercer Symposium on Thursday June 13, 2019, in Kiel Hall of Mercersburg Academy.  Hugh Mercer, namesake of Mercersburg, is an early Scots-Irish settler of the Pennsylvania frontier, selecting land west of the Susquehanna River in the Conococheague Settlement as his home. Mercer, a member of the defeated Jacobite forces of Scotland, fled his home in 1747 for the safety of America. He became the first trained physician in the Conococheague Settlement. Mercer was a close friend and associate to George Washington, ultimately joining in the conflict during the Revolutionary War, where he died in at the Battle of Princeton. Mercer’s death in the battle is the subject of Revolutionary artist John Trumbull’s painting titled The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777.

Presentations planned for the synposium include:

  • Hugh Mercer and The Jacobite Rebellion in Scotland by Mr. Jeff Dacus
  • General Hugh Mercer in the Revolution by Mr. Michael Cecere
  • Hugh Mercer and Freemasonry by Brother Chandler, Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4

All speakers will participate in a panel discussion at the conclusion. The fee for the day-long conference is $40 per person and includes a luncheon. Register on Eventbrite. Contact the Frankin County Visitors Bureau for an invitation or mail payment and attendees to:

Mercersburg Historical Society
Attn: General Hugh Mercer Symposium
P.O. Box 115
Mercersburg, PA 17236

 

Spring Into History Conococheague Settlement Frontier & Colonial Tour

Spring Into History Conococheague Settlement Frontier & Colonial Tour

Step back 300 years and explore the earliest settlements of Franklin with the Franklin County Visitors Bureau Spring Into History Frontier & Colonial Tour on April 6, 9 AM to 4 PM. Participants will meet at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center to begin the tour with a brief overview of early Franklin County and early America. The tour takes in sites of frontier settlement and raids by the native tribes. Living history portrayers at Conococheague Institute and Fort Loudoun. Learn about these early residents of the Cumberland Valley. Glimpse their lifestyle, culture, customs, and challenges.

Single tickets are $50/ person or two tickets for $75. Bring a friend and save! Lunch is included along with several historical items and information pieces. Payments can be mailed to Franklin County Visitors Bureau (FCVB), 15 South Main Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201 or dropped at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center. For those preferring to register online, the event is live on Eventbrite and can be accessed here. (Eventbrite includes a processing fee.)

Experience a new awareness of American history and gain respect for the frontier settlers in the Spring into History Conococheague Settlement Frontier & Colonial Tour.