The Paxton Boys were frontiersmen of Scots-Irish origin from along the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania who formed a vigilante group to retaliate in 1763 against local American Indians in the aftermath of the French and Indian War and Pontiac's Rebellion. They are widely known for murdering 20 Susquehannock in events collectively called the Conestoga Massacre.
Following attacks on the Conestoga, in January 1764 about 250 Paxton Boys marched to Philadelphia to present their grievances to the legislature. Met by leaders in Germantown, they finally agreed to disperse on the promise by Benjamin Franklin that their issues would be considered.
Read more about Paxton Boys: Attack On Susquehannock, March On Philadelphia, In Fiction
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“Mr. Marriott: I’m afraid I don’t like your manner.
Philip Marlowe: Yeah, I’ve had complaints about it but it keeps getting worse.”
—John Paxton (1911–1985)
“Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to Facts, sir!”
—Charles Dickens (1812–1870)