Dennis Ness is a recent retiree and amateur history buff who was drawn into researching revolutionary war period stories after reading his and his wife’s family’s history. Dennis’ families and his wife Marcia’s families, paternal and maternal, have lived continuously in the central Pennsylvania area before the rebellion began. The story of the militia in York County includes many of the Ness family ancestors who served with the militia during that time period.
After the outbreak of hostilities Lexington and Concord in April 1775, Congress met at Philadelphia to address issues of the new war. Initially the decisions made were not made for independence, but to compel the British Parliament to change its policy toward America. Congress took legislative and executive authority into its hands and was an […]
Prior to the end of 1776, there was no militia or minuteman company established in Colonial Pennsylvania. The Provincial government was ruled by the Quakers under the William Penn family in Pennsylvania, since its land grant in the 1600’s. [1] The Quaker religion, being pacifist, would not allow a person to bear arms or provide […]
