The West Pittston First to Fall program, as seen in this 2022 photo, will take place on Sunday, June 30 at 2:00 p.m. Guest speaker is West Pittston native Sherry Emershaw.
Members of the 24th Connecticut Militia Regiment Revolutionary War Reenactors stage a solemn ceremony at the foot of graves of Benjamin and Stuckley Harding, who died on June 30, 1778 at the hands of the Indians from this 2022 file photo.
This placque, erected in 1976, stands just a few short feet from Benjamin and Stuckley Harding gravesite marked with American flags. Both men were killed by the Indians on June 30, 1778. The men were the first to be buried at West Pittston Jenkins Harding Cemetery on Wyoming Avenue.
WEST PITTSTON – The third annual First to Fall program, honoring Revolutionary War history of the area prior to West Pittston becoming a municipality, will take place on Sunday, June 30 at 2 p.m. at the Jenkins Harding Cemetery, located on Wyoming Avenue.
Featured speaker will be West Pittston native Sherry Emershaw.
Emershaw, who grew up a block away from the Jenkins Harding Cemetery, will present “The History of the Connecticut Militia Regiment.”
According to Mary Portelli, West Pittston Historical Society president, the family friendly event will enlighten locals on what transpired leading up the inception of the Jenkins-Harding Cemetery in 1778 with the brutal and savage massacre of brothers Benjamin and Stuckley Harding at the hands of the Indians.
Emershaw, who is a member of the 24th Connecticut Militia Regiment Inc., a recreated unit of the American Revolution re-enactors, will be on hand providing tours of the cemetery.
West Pittston Historical Society will offer items for sale.
Linden Street will be closed during the event.
For further information on First to Fall or other West Pittston Historical Society news and events, point your online browser to westpittstonhistory.org or the society’s Facebook page.
