During the time of the construction of the (West Branch) canal (Started in 1828 and completed in 1835), quite an amusing incident occurred on the farm of Mr. Nesbit, opposite Lewisburg, denominated the "Coffin Fight." Mr. N. describes it as follows:

" One foggy morning as I was plowing and came to turn my horses on the side of the field next to the river, I espied a coffin lying in the middle of the road. I at once came to the conclusion that it had been lost by some of the Irish canal laborers on their way to the Catholic burying ground in the neighborhood of Milton. Crossing the fence, I drew it aside out of the way of wagons, concluding that they would soon discover their loss and return for it. I had not waited long before I saw them on their way back; but unluckily at the same time, another company with a corpse in a cart, going to the same cemetery, met them nearly opposite the place where the lost coffin lay in the fence corner! Without a "good morning," the losing party of disconsolate mourners accused the advancing party of having stolen their corpse—for the pleasure of acting the mourners and tasting the joy of grief and a little whiskey—and before I could make them hear my voice, the lie was given, and copious volleys of blows, kicks and curses were exchanged. It was for some time in vain that I shouted— but having at length turned the attention of one of the females to the lost coffin, order was gradually restored—they shook hands—apologized for the mistake, took a friendly drink together, and marched on very amicably to perform the last rites for their dead."

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 Meginness, John Franklin, and Joseph Meredith Toner Collection. Otzinachson: or, a history of the West Branch Valley of the Susquehanna: embracing a full account of its settlement--trials and privations endured by the first pioneers--full accounts of the Indian wars, predatory incursions, abductions, and massacres, &c., together with an account of the fair play system, and the trying scenes of the big runaway, interspersed with biographical sketches of some of the leading settlers, families, etc., together with pertinent anecdotes, statistics, much valuable matter entirely new. Philadelphia: Henry B. Ashmead, 1857. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/01010524/>. Coffin Fight Page 382