When Jerky Saved the Day

Unusual Tale of Lancaster County’s Past

According to a March 1956 article in Lancaster magazine, one of Lancaster County’s earliest settlers arrived in America under truly unbelievable circumstances.

The story goes like this:

During a violent storm, the ship Maria Regina Bratt was thrown against a coral reef, tearing a jagged hole in her hull. As the crew fought to keep her afloat, a passenger named Joseph Dickson rushed into action. He grabbed dried beef from the ship’s stores, dove overboard, and used the meat—yes, meat—to plug the gash in the planking.

Miraculously, the improvised repair held. The vessel survived the crossing, eventually reaching America in 1725, where Dickson later settled in what is now Pequea Township in Lancaster County.

Is the tale true? A heroic embellishment? Or simply one of those unforgettable frontier yarns passed down through the decades? Either way, it’s a story worth savoring and investigating.

Have you ever heard of Joseph Dickson or the Maria Regina Bratt? Let me know!

This unusual tale from Lancaster County’s past comes from the March 1956 issue of Lancaster magazine and Brett Snyder‘s archives at PastPaper.com.

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Resources

• Lancaster Magazine – March 1956

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