The Disposable People of the Appalachians

The Appalachians - a wilderness wall 2000 miles long and 200 miles deep and running parallel to the east coast of the United States.  More difficult that the Rockies which took only 10 years to pass over, the Appalachians were covered with dense virgin forests of impenetrable undergrowth, temperate jungle zones, and natives who weren't interested in sharing. For 150 years, white men had to bribe, placate and appease the Iroquois in Pennsylvania and New York, the Cherokee in Virginia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee.

Beyond the Appalachians, the western frontier was a valuable buffer against the French as well as a source of furs obtained by trading with the Indians.  The idea was to preserve the wilderness for the wild beasts and the Indians in the hopes that they would multiply and somehow eliminate the problem themselves or become agreeable.

None of the Colonists knew how to use the wilderness nor cared to learn and risk their lives to find out.  So the idea of Disposable People was born - those that caused no political or economic invonvenience should they be lost, and they must be hardy enough to survive. 

The Pennsylvania Dutch were chosen but they wanted nothing to do with it, so they turned to the Scotch-Irish.  The Scotch-Irish was known to be stout people, strong, hardy and loyal to family...presumably the most disposable people in the United States at that time.

Next time - Joe Walker fits the heritage...