Lansdale Historical Society event explores Revolutionary War intrigue in Hatfield
Local residents will have the chance to step back into the turbulent days of the American Revolution Tuesday evening when the Lansdale Historical Society hosts a presentation on a little-known local plot involving divided loyalties in the North Penn region.
The program, titled “The Wright Conspiracy,” will be presented by local historian Donald Lewis at 7 p.m. Tuesday, at Lansdale Borough Hall, 1 Vine St. Admission is free, though donations are appreciated.
According to Lansdale Historical Society President Pat Rieker, the presentation will examine the story of the Wright family of Hatfield, who remained loyal to the British crown during the Revolution and were allegedly involved in a plan to abduct patriot leader Lt. Col. Jacob Reed, a Hatfield farmer and militia officer who supported the American cause.
The program will also highlight other events from the Revolutionary War era that unfolded in the North Penn area as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Reed played a key role locally during the war, serving as lieutenant colonel of the 1st Battalion of the Pennsylvania County militia and assisting Gen. George Washington with his knowledge of the region and its residents. Historical accounts place Reed at major engagements including the Battle of Brandywine, the Battle of Germantown and the surrender of British Gen. John Burgoyne.
Reed’s historic homestead still stands today along Penn Avenue in Hatfield Township, where the original log portion of the house dates back to the mid-1700s. The property, now about 32 acres with barns and other outbuildings, was preserved in the late 1990s when Hatfield resident William Forst purchased the land and restored the historic structure to prevent its demolition.
The program will bring those Revolutionary War stories closer to home, exploring how national events played out in the local countryside and how neighbors sometimes found themselves on opposite sides of the fight for independence.
