Johannes (John) Learner (Learn)

The German spelling for John Learn is Johan Georg Lohnert/Loehnert/Lehnert.

THE BIRTHDATE OF JOHN LEARN IS CALCULATED TO BE ABOUT 1710 BECAUSE HE CAME TO PHILADELPHIA ON THE SHIP HARLE ON 1 SEP 1736 FROM ROTTERDAM BUT LAST FROM COWES.ACTUALLY ,HE SUSCRIBED TO THE OATH OF GOVERNMENT AT THE COURTHOUSE IN PHILADELPHIA ON 1 SEP 1736--SO HE MUST HAVE ARRIVED SHORTLY BEFORE THAT. ON THE SHIP HE IS LISTED AS JOHAN GEORG LOHNERT WITH AN UMLAUT OVER THE O IN LOHNERT. THE SHIPS STARTED DOWN THE RHINE AT HEILBRONN. THE PASSENGERS (SOME) CAME FROM MAYENCE(MAINZ) AND BELONGED TO THE PARISH AT ESSENHEIM. THEY CAME FROM THE PALATINATE UPON THE RHINE AND PLACES ADJACENT. MAINZ IS THE CAPITAL OF RHINELAND PALATINATE. BY 1751 HIS OLDEST SON GEORGE WAS BORN AT TANNERSVILLE, NORTHAMPTON CO.,PA. In Tannersville, Pa., the tavern that John Learn operated no longer stands . In the 1930's a stable was built over the old site ,then a restaurant . General Sullivan and his troops stayed there by orders of George Washington in 1777. Across the road is marker about General Sullivan. John, his wife, his eldest son and his wife and child were killed by seven Indians from Erie country. His son Jacob Learn is buried across the street United Grace Christ Church at Union Cem. The Learn Family was Lutheran

Miner, in the History of Wyoming records, the Larned (Learn) family tragedy, in part as follows: "On the 3rd of July 1781, a bloody and most melancholy tragedy was enacted on the road leading from Wyoming to the Delaware at Stroudsburg. Mr. Larned, an aged man and his son George, were shot and scalped near their house. Another son, John, shot an Indian, who was left dead on the spot where he fell. The savages carried off George Larned's wife [Anna] and an infant [baby daughter, Susanna], four months old."

The book Genealogy of Western Pennsylvania - Volume II by J. W. Jordan (1915) adds that "At the time of the massacre [George Learn's little son, John, was taken by an aunt, who escaped (family tradition says) out a window with him, to the shelter of some bushes, where they remained concealed. A little dog followed them from the house, and in order not to be betrayed by him, the aunt muffled his head in an apron she wore."

One family account says that the massacre was committed by seven Indians from the Lake Erie country. Dr. Egles' History of Pennsylvania says that this was the last killing done by Indians in the state.

The Summer 1983 issue of Sandpumpings, published by Salamanca Penny Saver, Olean, NY suggests a reason behind the Indian attack. The article says that "at the time of this incident, in 1781, the Indians and settlers were apparently on friendly terms around the area of the John Learn house. In fact, the Learn brothers often challenged, or were challenged by, the Indians to a friendly bout of wrestling, an accepted, competitive sport enjoyed by all, until the day things took an ominous turn.

"The wrestling bout was taking place and, in his overexuberance, George Learn threw his Indian combatant a little too hard, inflicting bodily injury as well as shaming him in front of his friends. The Indians, who had been watching the bout, angrily gathered up their friend and left the scene. Unhappily, as time went on, their wrath increased and they were soon plotting vengeance to soothe their wounded pride."

Jordan (Genealogy of Western Pennsylvania) provides a description of how the resulting attack happened: "Before and during the period of the Revolution there was a boat path from Stroudsburg to Tannersville along the banks of the Pocono Creek. Sometime after the settlement of the Larner family at the latter point, a settler, following the path, discovered the tracks of Indians about two miles away and on reaching Tannersville, at once informed the family of John Larner to enable them to guard against the sudden attack of the red men. The following day, George Larner repaired to a field adjoining his home, where he was engaged in mowing, when a band of Indians approached, placing themselves between their victim and the house, fired and wounded him. Securing a fence rail, he defended himself with great bravery, but was finally overpowered and killed while attempting to reach the house of his father John. After scalping him, the Indians started for the house and securing his wife and child, carried them to the Pocono mountains. The settlers, on ascertaining the facts, at once started in pursuit, and on reaching the mountain, to their horror discovered the body of the child, who had been scalped, lying not far from the mother, whom they butchered in the most inhuman fashion, portions of her body being suspended from nearby trees.

 John Larner, the father, on hearing the firing, approached to ascertain its cause, and, seeing an Indian, fired at him. This proved to be a fatal shot, as it revealed to the foe his presence and insured his speedy death at their hands. It was supposed he succeeded in killing the Indian he fired at, as a cap with a buckshot hole through it was found on the spot, but the body had been carried away by his comrades."

The Poconos, by Carroll B. Tyson (1929), adds to the story, saying that "John Larner, Jr., on the following day discovered an Indian stalking about and wreaked his vengeance on him by killing him and having his body dragged by a yoke of oxen and left unburied some distance away."

A different, no less colorful account, comes from the History of Monroe County: "Some time in the month of June, 1780 (?) the Larners were surprised by several Indians, who shot the father and mother of the family; the sons made their escape - one of them was hotly pursued by an Indian; he, however, succeeded to get into a standing ryefield, concealed himself behind a large stump, watching the movements of the savage, whom he soon discovered, and, as he thought, unknown to the young Larner, also concealed himself, some forty or fifty yards off, behind a stump, waiting till his marked victim should move, when he would speed a bullet through him. Young Larner took off his hat, placed it on a loose root, with which he lifted the hat a few inches to one side of the stump, the Indian perceiving the hat, thought he was looking from behind the stump to see where his pursuer was - at this instant the Indian fired; no sooner had he discharged his rifle, than Larner rose up and shot the Indian dead on the spot."

WILL OF JOHN LEARN

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA WILL BOOK 1(p.281); 1781

From The Descendants of John Learn (p.4)

In the name of God Amen

I John Learn being wery Sik in body and/but of perfect Since And memury forst I do Recommend my Soul in the hands of all All myty God from wence it Came and my body is to be pearied in a Kristian manner and form, forst I order that my just And Lawful Dapts shal be paid, seacond I geave to my Dearly beloved wif Cadarina hear bead And one cou the Choice and of my stock and that shee shal live on my dwilling place as Long A shee is Indermearry but if soobe that shee shut marry Again than it is my will that she shal have the thierts and of my Asteat Real and perfsenneal and I do Geave do my Eldist son George the Sum of Twenty pounds Lawful money and my Daughter Mary the Sum of Seven Shillings and Six bense and that Shall be bee here full Leaguisy and the Reast of my Children George Rachel John Jacob Cadarina Rebeca Andreas Peter Sarrah Adam the Shal have Shear and Shear Ellik and Tenn it is my will that my wife Cadarina and my Son George Shal bee Executors of thes my Least will and testament witnes my hand and Seal this Seventeenth Day of may in the yeare of our Lord one one Tousend Seven hundred and Seventy Seven

Probated October 27, 1781

also found in Tompkins County N.Y.:

1:410 Northampton County, Pa.

LEARN, John of Lower Smithfield

dated: 17 May 1777 - proved: 27 October 1781

wife: Catharine

sons: George, John, Jacob, Andreas (Andrew), Peter and Adam

daus: Mary, Rachel, Catharine, Rebecca and Sarah

wit: George PHILLIPS

ex: wife and son George