Upper Milford Historical Society explores historic local rebellion

LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. — The Local Upper Milford Historical Society held a free public lecture at Upper Milford Township on John Fries’ Rebellion on Thursday, June 26, from 7 to 8 p.m.

Goschenhoppen Historian and President Ed Johnson detailed the Rebellion’s origins and present-day impact through a PowerPoint presentation.

Fries was an auctioneer and American Revolution veteran who led a rebellion of eastern Pennsylvanian farmers in Bucks, Montgomery, and Northampton Counties between 1798 and 1800 to peacefully protest a federal property tax.

The tax was created to raise funds for a potential war with France.

Fries and other protestors marched to Bethlehem and released those arrested for resisting the new tax.

Fries and other resisters were later arrested and sentenced to death. President John Adams pardoned them despite criticism from Alexander Hamilton and other Federalist party members who saw Fries’ Rebellion as an attack against the country.

Fries’s memory was later honored by naming Pennsylvania Route 663 John Fries Highway and preserving the multiple taverns he and other farmers went to during the Rebellion.

Upper Milford Historical Society Vice President Gary Heller discussed the lecture and its present-day relevance.

“This was a very interesting…part of American history, and I think that our speaker did a very good job of framing what the world was like at the time,” Heller said. “It totally is relevant today. There’s always…a tug of war…regarding what free speech actually means.”

Heller explained that one of the taverns not mentioned in the presentation became Hendrixson’s Furniture at 5386 Chestnut St, Emmaus, PA 18049.

“In fact, it’s the only one of the locations where John Fries had his meetings that today is not still a restaurant or eatery,” Heller said.

According to its Facebook page, Upper Milford Historical Society will host open house hours from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, along with other events.

Visit its page and Goschenhoppen’s website for more information.