Abraham LaBarre

Among the names of the first settler, in Mount Bethel we find that of Labar; three brothers, by the name of Peter, Charles, and Abraham, who immigrated from France to this country, before 1730.

Landing at Philadelphia, they at once started out in pursuit of a home.   Making their way up the Delaware, much of the way through dense forests,they finally reached the southern base of the Blue Mountains, where, believing they had penetrated beyond the bounds of civilized man, they 

located a tract of land, reared a log cabin, and settled about half a mile southwest of the present village of Slateford.

 Here the three brothers commenced the hardships of a pioneer life, They were the first who cleared land on the Delaware, above the mouth of the Lehigh. They had been in their new home but a short time, when their tawny neighbors began to manifest a friendly feeling, and evinced an inclination to become acquainted. This feeling being reciprocated by the new pioneers, it was not long before amicable relations had been established between the 

brothers and the curious red men, then numerous at this point, near the Water Gap.

 This friendship greatly promoted the safety of the brothers, and enabled them to procure from the Indians a supply of corn, which, in those days, must be pounded in a mortar, by hand for there was no grist-mill. At this time, the young pioneers were progressing favorably, and they began to look 

about them. They soon found that they were not the only whites, in this region, for just north of the Blue Mountain they found Nicholas Depui, who was then quite an old man, and settled at a place called Shawnee, on the Minisink lands, one of the first settlements made in the State.

  Not long after, they found another small settlement; probably that part of the Hunter Settlement planted at Williamsburg. During this brief period, the three pioneers had obtained considerable knowledge of the Forks region; and the friendly intercourse they had established with the Indians, had enabled them to learn a considerable amount of the Indian's language.

  While at this place, Peter LaBar , married; and

soon afterwards removed north of the Blue Mountain, into what is now Monroe county, where they permanently settled.

 A few year, subsequently, a son of Peter, by the name of George, moved south of the mountain, and settled near the original LaBar cabin, where he raised a large family. He lived to the age of one hundred and six years, and his son-also named George-died in 1874, at the age of one hundred and eleven, years and nine months.

 There are now many of the LaBar descendents living in Mount Bethel township, and in the lower part of Monroe county. It may truly be said, they have fully obeyed the Divine injunction, to increase and multiply.