Simon Girty (1741-1818)

Born near Harrisburg, Girty crossed cultural boundaries between native and white societies. He was captured and adopted by Seneca Indians in 1756. Upon his release, he settled here with his family. He worked as an interpreter for the British and Americans at Fort Pitt. In 1778, he defected to the British; serving as an advisor, he accompanied Indians in raids on frontier settlements. He remains controversial and is buried in Canada. (Dedicated: Saturday, September 30, 2017)