ederick frequently in Philadelphia, the Antes family had a
constant finger on the pulse of Pennsylvania politics. Official duties,
plus the strategic location of the Antes fort and mill, made Frederick
and Henry Antes the most influential persons in the West Branch Valley
during the operation of the Fair Play system. Eminently qualified by
numerous public responsibilities, the Antes brothers were major leaders
of the Fair Play settlers.

Robert Fleming, the third regional leader in the territory, also served
as a judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the county, although that
service began in March, 1785, after the Fair Play territory was acquired
by the State of Pennsylvania in the second Stanwix Treaty of 1784.[18]
He became a justice of the peace at the same time.[19] Prior to his
judicial obligations, Fleming had been a member of the county Committee
of Safety, a township overseer, a representative in the General
Assembly, a second lieutenant of Associators, and possibly a Fair Play
man.[20] During the Revolution, he was primarily concerned with the area
around the Great Island, serving at Reed's Fort (present Lock Haven) and
on the Fleming estate, which some referred to as Fort Fleming. Robert
had a brother, John, with whom Fithian stayed during his brief sojourn
in the territory. Their combined holdings, the largest in the vicinity,
ran to almost 3,000 acres, of which 1,250 acres were Robert's.[21]

Certain conclusions can be drawn from these data regarding the regional
leaders of the Fair Play territory. Better than average property
holdings, extensive in the case of Robert Fleming; judicial
responsibility, which was true of all three men; primary authority in
frontier forts (the Antes brothers owned and commanded Antes Fort, and
the Flemings operated their own stockade and commanded Fort Reed); and
military rank ranging from lieutenant of Associators to colonel of
militia: these characteristics signified major leadership in the West
Branch Valley among the Fair Play settlers. Coincidentally, it can be
noted that two of the three regional leaders, having served in the State
legislature, had influence which reached to the State House in
Philadelphia. Obviously, these men were known outside of the limited
environs of the Fair Play territory. In fact, both Henry and Frederick
Antes enjoyed a more than passing acquaintance with Benjamin Franklin
and John Dickinson, two of the giants of this period of Pennsylvania's