Frederick Garst was born in Bethel, Lancaster County, PA in 1752. Frederick apparently went by the name “Indian” for most of his life. It isn’t clear whether it was a nickname or part of his “given” name. His parents, of German heritage, had immigrated to America from Alsace Lorraine.

Frederick served as a private in the Lancaster County Militia, 2nd Battalion, 8th Class, under Captain Casper Stoever. The Pennsylvania Militiamen were called “Associators” and the organization of the PA Militia was different from the organization of the militia in other colonies. For one thing, it was organized later than militias in other colonies because of the pervasive influence of the pacifist Quakers in the Philadelphia area.

The Lancaster County Militia probably served as a supplement to the Continental Line under Washington during the crossing of the Delaware. They are known NOT to have been at Valley Forge. The Militia’s major assignments were to defend the frontier against possible Indian incursions and to protect supply depots from the British.

In 1778 Frederick married Magdalena “Molly” Rauch. They had 7 surviving children. Sometime after 1781 they moved to Botetourt County, VA where Frederick died at age 90 and Molly at age 92. They are buried in the Garst family cemetery in Salem, VA.