Most of the people in this group were small and medium sized farmers determined to create a place safe for their families. They were also determined make colonial leaders put courts and schools in the backcountry.

At first, most of the backcountry settlers and the government were sympathetic to the Regulators. Both groups knew that something had to be done to control the lawlessness in the interior of the colony. But, the Regulators soon branched out from controlling outlaws to trying to control the lives of other people as well. They flogged men who would not work to support their families, they burned houses, and they even tried to force some hunters to plant crops. After the Regulators refused to allow government officials into the area, another group rose up to stop them.

This group, called the Moderators, also began with public and government support. But it was not long before the group became a band of hunters and former outlaws that were just as bad as the Regulators.

When the Moderators and the Regulators met, the backcountry came close to erupting into a civil war. Luckily, the government and influential backcountrymen got together and compromised. Government officials agreed to set up courts in the backcountry, they disbanded the Moderators, and they issued pardons for all known Regulators. Having won, the Regulators also disbanded. Now, Matthew and the other men could go back to building their homes in a land that was no longer a wilderness.

Continuing to Build A Home