Images of patriots toppling New York's equestrian statue of King George III and molding the material into musket balls, or of Philadelphia ladies sacrificing their table service to provide lead for suppling the Continental Army with ammunition capture the popular imagination. Indeed, among the many shortages that plagued American forces during the Revolution was the shortage of lead for the manufacture of small arms ammunition. Diverting lead from domestic uses served a purpose, and certainly made good propaganda but was at best a stopgap measure and could not begin to answer the needs of the Army.
“Every man in Cumberland County is a rioter at heart,” lamented Governor John Penn the year he ordered his family’s land in Lower Manor subdivided and sold. The concurrence of his remark and his order to sell may have been mere chance, but young Penn in this instance established himself as seer and prophet. When he used the word “rioter” he spoke of the seething Scotch-Irish, who were virtually the only group then living in the County.
When Post Masters received letters, they listed the names in the newspapers of those to whom the letters were addressed. If the letters were not picked up by a specified date, they went to the Dead Letter Office.