USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > Reports and papers. Fairfield County Historical Society, Bridgeport, Conn. 1882-1896-97 > Part 44
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bors and friends, children, husbands and fathers, has been spilt in the general cause of their country and we have suffer- ed every danger this side of death. We supplied the Continent- al army with many valuable officers and soldiers and left our- selves weak and unguarded against the attacks of the savages and others of a more savage nature. Our houses are desolate many mothers childless, widows and orphans multiplied, our habitations destroyed and many families reduced to beg- gary, which exhibits a seene most pitiful and deserving of mercy. If the greatest misfortunes can demand pity and mercy we greatly deserve them." "We are yet entitled to another trial for our particular possessions according to the Ninth Artiele of the Confederation, but reduced in every res- pect we are unable to maintain a trial against an opulent State. We therefore present a request which the laws of justice and policy suggest and which the dictates of humanity demand." "That your Honors of your abundant goodness and clemency would be pleased to grant and confirm to your Memorialists and those whom they represent, the inconsiderable part of the claim contested." [which we actually occupy ] "to be apart- ed as they were before the decision. Thus will you increase the inhabitants of this flourishing State, will add to its wealth and strength, will give joy to the widows and fatherless .- Sure, these must be irresistible motives to a just. generous and merciful Assembly. Our only resouree is in your decis- ion. If that is unfavorable we are reduced to desperation ; unable to purchase the soil we must leave onr cultivations and possessions and be thrown into the wide world, our chil- dren crying for bread which we shall be unable to give them. It is impossible that the magnamity of a powerful and opulent State will ever condescend to distress an innocent and brave people that have unsuccessfully struggled against the ills of fortune. We care not under what State we live if we can be protected and happy. We will serve you. we will promote your interests, will fight your battles : but in merey, good- ness, wisdom, justice and every great and generous principle do leave us our possessions, the dearest pledge of our broth- ers, children and fathers, which their hands have cultivated,
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and their blood, spilt in the cause of their country, have en- riched. We further pray that a general act of oblivion and indemnity may be passed. and that Courts of Jurisdiction be established according to the usages and customs of this State: that we be not only a happy but a well organized and regulated people ; and that all judicial proceedings of the pre- rogative Courts and the Common law Courts held by and un- der the authority of the State of Connecticut be ratified and fully confirmed." An appeal to the same effect had already been sent to the Executive Council of Pennsylvania by the members of the Trenton Court in the form of a private letter urging that the Connecticut settlers be confirmed in their possessions, or at least that their respective titles be fairly tried as they had not been and could not be in the proceed- ings just had.
In response to these applications the Assembly of Pennsyl- vania passed an Act-non committal in its terms as to con- firming the settlers titles, but staying ejectment suits against them and appointing Commissioners to proceed to Wyoming, to make full inquiry into the situation. They were also in- structed to "confer with the Pennsylvania claimants as well as the Connecticut settlers; to endeavor to bring about reason- able and friendly compromises between such rival claimants and where they could not be done to consider of and report such plans of accommodation as may be most advisable." By an ominous addition to the Act two companies of Pennsylva- nia troops were ordered to Wyoming to garrison the fort, os- tensibly as a protection against the savages-a circumstance which as the Indian annoyances had completely ended, awak- ened uneasy suspicion among the settlers.
The Commissioners arrived at Wyoming on the 15th of April 1783, accompanied by a Committee of the Pennsylvania claimants among whom the Connecticut men recognized some of their oldest and bitterest antagonists. They were cordial- ly received however by the people and a communication was handed the Commissioners signed by the leading inhabitants as a committee of all welcoming their inquiries and offering "straitly, strictly and truly" to give every information. To
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these overtures the Commissioners returned a cold and haughty response as if to a conquered foe. Almost its first sentence contained an intimation that no consideration would be shown them as respected their title to the land. "AI- though " said the Commissioners "it cannot be supposed that Pennsylvania will, nor can she consistent with her Constitu- tion deprive her citizens of any part of their property legally obtained, yet willing to do everything in her power to pro- mote the peace and happiness of her citizens, she wishes to be fully informed of your case: that if your peaceable de- meanor and ready submission to Government render you the proper subjects of clemency and generosity she may be pre- pared to extend it to you." They then demanded a list of all the original settlers, alive and dead, also of the existing in- habitants with a description of their holdings.
The Wyoming Committee replied the next day in a concil- iatory strain enclosing a list of the first settlers so far as they could be recollected, all records having been lost in the Ind_ ian ravages, and the names of the widows and orphans of those who had been slain. Two days later the Commissioners without making any farther inquiry or proposing to investi- gate the settlers titles, transmitted a letter "which" they say "has been handed to us by the Pennsylvania land owners' committee this morning," and required a clear and explicit answer thereto." The letter which was most bitter and in- sulting towards the Connecticut settlers set forth the terms which alone would satisfy the Pennsylvania claimants. These were in brief, that the settlers should at once relinquish in writing all claim of title to the lands they occupied. That in return for such relinquishment they should have liberty to occupy one half their farms for eleven months, giving up possession at once of the other half to the Pennsylvania claimants, and at the end of the eleven months abandoning the whole to their adversaries. Six months longer indulgence to be given to the widows of those who had been slain by the savages, and to the Rev. Mr. Johnson a full year. "If these terms shall be agreed to" wrote the Commissioners "and rat- ified by the contending parties we shall think it our duty to
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recommend your distressed situation to the Legislature of this State." Such was the only olive branch tendered by this Commission of peace: confessedly at the dictation of the op- posite party ; and the cruelty of the terms was heightened by the insulting language of the letter in which they were con- veyed. In a temperate reply the settlers protest against both the cruelty and insults and in conclusion say "As we conceive that the proposals of the Committee which they offer as a compromise will not tend to peace: as they are so far from what we deem reasonable, we cannot comply with them with- out doing the greatest injustice to ourselves and our associ- ates, to widows and fatherless children. And although we mean to pay due obedience to the constitutional laws of Pennsylvania we do not mean to become abject slaves. as the Committee of Landholders suggest in their address to your Honors." To this response the Commissioners curtly replied announcing that their efforts at conciliation were euded. They then immediately and without notice to the settlers di- vided the valley into three townships; established Justices of the Peace over them, selected from the most active and im- placable of the Pennsylvania claimants, and adjourned having spent just nine days in their arduous efforts to bring about peace and good will in Wyoming. Four months later the Pennsylvania Assembly approved and confirmed their doings. The provisional law to stay ejectment suits against the Wyo- ming settlers was repealed. The terms offered by the Com- missioners were styled "generous offers" and the Commission- ers were complimented "for the laudable zeal and industry displayed by them in the execution of their mission." Two more companies of troops were ordered to be enlisted and these were at once sent to Wyoming where they were quart- ered upon the impoverished inhabitants, eight or ten men in some cases upon a single family, to be lodged in their already crowded little cabins, and fed from their scanty stores of food The soldiers, crowded and hungry, became abusive and violent, took by force what they wanted and spread terror and dis- tress through the community.
Among the Justices of the Peace who had been appointed
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by the Peace Commissioners and confirmed by the Assembly was one Alexander Patterson. He was the Chairman of the Land-holder's Committee (the band of speculators who were endeavoring to get possession of the Wyoming lands), and had been a bitter and unrelenting foe of the Connecticut set- tlers from their first occupation of the valley. This man was now practically the supreme authority in Wyoming, and be- ing free to employ his own methods of ousting the inhabit- ants from their homes he proceeded to exercise his powers legal and illegal, as if in a conquered territory. He first changed the name of Wilkesbarre to Londonderry. He then caused Col. Zebulon Butler for expressing indignation at the - soldiers' brutalities to be arrested for high treason and sent 60 miles to Sunbury Jail. After some days detention Butler was released on bail. whereupon Patterson billeted twenty soldiers on his family although his house was very small and his wife critically ill. In October Patterson with a band of soldiers arrested eleven citizens of Shawney, some of whom were aged and others ill, and confined them in a wretched guard house having only a wet muddy floor to lie down upon. No charges were made and no explanation given, but during the eight or ten days that they were kept in confinement with little food and no fire, their families were all evicted from their houses, and creatures of Patterson placed in possession.
These and other outrages perpetrated by Patterson or with his sanction impelled the people at last to address a petition to the Legislature of Pennsylvania setting forth his lawless- ness and brutalities and praying for protection. A commit- tee was appointed to inquire into the matter which proceeded to Wyoming, took depositions and made a report fully sub- stantiating the truth of the charges. Upon this report the Assembly took no action except to pass a resolution to the ef- fect that the wrongs complained of were such as could be fully redressed by actions at law against the perpetrators and that the application to the Legislature for relief was there- fore unnecessary and improper. The petition was according- ly dismissed and Patterson was continued in power, and with
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this cold Christmas comfort the Wyoming people came to the close of the year 1783.
In January 1784 the despairing settlers turned to Congress for relief. They sent a petition to that body setting forth their unhappy situation and praying that a Court be instituted un- der the 9th Article of the Confederation to try the question of their private rights in the soil. The petition asked only for an undoubted legal right. It was supported by an ap- peal in its favor from the Legislature and Governor of Con- nectient, but it was opposed by Pennsylvania, and after vari- ous delays and vacillations by Congress was dismissed late in the year. Meantime, in March as if Nature itself were in leagne to increase the sufferings of the unfortunate people, a great freshet carried away all the dams in the river and houses, barns, fences and cattle were swept away, farms were ruined and provisions, clothes and implements destroyed. As soon as spring opened Patterson and his cohorts began to re- move the landmarks of private enclosures and to fence up highways. Many of the inhabitants were thus practically cut off from their wells; families who had been made homeless and starving by the freshet were forbidden to cut a stick of timber or to construct any shelter, and (unkindest cut of all) the people were prevented from spreading their shad nets in the abounding stream.
In May, while the application for a trial of right in the soil was still pending before Congress, l'atterson and his troops at the point of the bayonet dispossessed 150 families at once, set fire in some cases to their dwellings aud commanded them to leave the country forthwith. Says the historian Miner of this occurrence: "Unable to make any effectual resistance the people implored for leave to remove either up or down the river iu boats; as with their wives and children in the then state of the roads it would be impossible to travel. A stern refusal met this seemingly reasonable request and they were directed to take the Laxawaxen road as the one leading most directly to Connecticut. But this way consisted of 60 miles of wilderness with searce a house and the roads had been wholly neglected during the war. They then begged leave to
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take the Easton or Stroudsburg road where bridges spanned the larger streams still swollen by the recent rains. All im- portunities were vain; and the people fled towards the Dela- ware, objects of destitution and pity that would have moved a heart of marble. About 500 men women and children with scarce provisions to sustain life plodded their weary way mostly on foot, the roads being impassable for wagons. Mothers carrying infants and women who were sick literally waded streams the water reaching to their armpits, and at night slept on the naked earth, the heavens their canopy with scarce clothes to cover them. Several of the unhappy suffer- ers died in the wilderness; others were taken sick from ex- cessive fatigue and expired after reaching the settlement."
The news of this flagrant transaction sped apace and pub- lic indignation too long suppressed began to make itself felt even by the Government of Pennsylvania. A month later the troops in the Valley were summarily dismissed. Patterson immediately got together a band of land claimants to take their place, and set both the settlers and the State at defi- ance. The Sheriff of the County hastened to Wilkesbarre and despatched messengers to recall the scattered fugitives as far as possible, promising them protection. Gladly was the sun- mons received, and such as had the strength, aided by charit- able donations, crawled feebly back to their former homes. Here however they found that the Sheriff was powerless against the illegal and desperate forces of Patterson. Their houses were occupied by his bandits and the doors were shut against them. Thus situated they encamped on the mount- ain side. Patterson enticed some of the leaders back to their houses under pretence of a conference and then had them tied up and cruelly beaten with ramrods. The Sheriff left for assistance and the forlorn fugitives after remaining in their comfortless camp for a month removed to Kingston on the 3rd of July, 1784.
CHAPTER VII.
Here beginneth the record of the Fourth Pennymite War. The patience of the settlers could endure no longer. Patter-
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son's troops being neither paid nor recognized by the State hung around the settlements living on plunder. They soon became so formidable that the inhabitants for self protection repaired and garrisoned Forty Fort as a military headquart- ers. In July a party of settlers on their way to the grain fields were fired on by a detachment from Patterson and two were killed. The fire was returned and Patterson's men fled to their fort. A general rally of the settlers able to bear arms was the consequence.
Sixty-two armed men under Capt. John Franklin who was a survivor of the massacre and whom we shall hear of again, marched up and down the river on both sides, dispossessing - every inhabitant who did not show a Connecticut title, and driving them all into Patterson's fort. The fort itself was then closely invested. The garrison made a sortie and set fire to 23 houses which were consumed. The fort mounted four pieces of cannon including the iron four pounder, fam- ous in previous Pennymite wars, and the garrison of 100 men with plenty of small arms and ammunition defied the Yankees. Franklin having in vain summoned it to surrender made a vigorous assault but was beaten off with the loss of several lives on both sides. Finally the Yankees were compelled to retire and reoccupied Forty Fort. Soon after the Sheriff of the County appeared with warrants for the arrest of forty of Patterson's party who had been concerned in the previous ex- pulsion of the inhabitants; but Patterson secure in his ram- parts refused to deliver them up. The men however were subsequently taken and tried several months later, when, to use the language of Mr. Miner "the majesty of the laws was nobly vindicated. The culprits," he explains, "were convicted and severely fined. The charge of the Judge was long re- membered for its just sentiments, its deep feeling and the im- pressive manner in which it was delivered; but the fines were never collected."
When the State authorities at Philadelphia learned that civil war had actually begun, they despatched three agents Hewitt, Martin and Mead, Justices of the Peace, with the Sheriff of the County to interpose and stop hostilities. They
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also sent at once a force of three hundred men under the command of Col. John Armstrong* and Hon. John Boyd to re- store law and order in the district. Before the arrival of these forces another battle occurred at Locust Hill between a band of 30 settlers under Capt. Swift, and a party of men who were marching, as was supposed, to reinforce Patterson, but who were in fact Armstrong's advance guard. In this battle one man was killed and several wounded, Three days later Hewitt, Martin and Mead reached Wyoming in advance of Armstrong's army and at once commanded both parties to deliver up their arms to the Sheriff in the name of the Com- monwealth. With this demand the settlers under Franklin promptly complied, stating in their reply, that they did so, "relying on your honors that we shall have the benefit of the laws of the State; and at the same time lamenting the neg- lect of the law in times past which has been the occasion of all the hostilities we are charged with." The band then dis- persed in the presence of the Commissioners. Patterson's party however met the demand for surrender with an absolute refusal. The Commissioners reported the facts to the Gover- nor and Council, adding an expression of belief "that had it not been for the cruel and irregular conduct of our own peo- ple, the peace might have been established long since and the dignity of the government supported " They also sent a sim- ilar message to Col. Armstrong advising him that the Con- necticut party had dispersed but that Patterson and his peo- ple defied them and requesting that the militia might be brought forward as soon as possible. Meanwhile in view of Patterson's hostile attitude the Commissioners allowed Frank- lin's party to resume their arms for self defence until Arm- strong's force should come up.
On the 8th of August Col. Armstrong reached Wyoming
* Col. John Armstrong had been a major in the Pennsylvania Line of the Continental army, and the year previous to this had made hinin If famous as the author of the an- onymous Newberg Letters in which he urged the officers of the army to mintiny against Congress, and by force to comupel it to settle their accounts .. Il- was a bril- hant writer after the style of Jumius, and Washington in denouncing the unknown author of the letters had said "that he de served more credit for the goodness of his pen than for the rectitnde of his heart." He became a U. S. Senator from New York in 1800, and in 1804 was sent by Jefferson as Minister to Spain, and later as Minister to France. He was Secretary of War under Madison, but being censured by Congress for neglecung to defend Washington when it was captured by the British, resigned and lived in obscurity till his death in 1843.
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with his troops. Finding the settlers strongly entrenched in Forty Fort he dared not hazard an attack upon it and there- fore had recourse to stratagem. He issued a proclamation to the effect that he had come to repress violence on both sides and to maintain law and order, and commanded both parties to deliver up their arms. A conference with the Connecticut men ensued at which the latter expressed misgivings should they comply, "having" as they said, "experienced nothing but oppression and treachery." "But Col. Armstrong" says Min- er "pledged his faith as a soldier and his honor as a gentle- man that Patterson's band should also be disarmed and equal protection extended to all." On the faith of these assurances the Connecticut men paraded and grounded their arms; but what was their surprise and mortification when by order of Col. Armstrong they were immediately surrounded and made prisoners. Resistance was in vain, and escape hopeless. Not a musket was taken from Patterson's forces and these beheld the successful treachery of Col. Armstrong with unrestrained delight and taunting execrations." The thirty Connecticut men who had been in the fight at Locust Hill. were immed- iately bound with cords and thrown into the guard house charged with murder, and orders were given to shoot instant- ly any one who attemped to escape. As soon as irons could be obtained they were marched to Easton and committed to prison. Forty-six others were bound and confined with their hands tied behind them and so remained in great suffering till the next day when the cords were loosed. All were sub- sequently sent to jail. Says Miner "Thus 66 men of the Con- necticut party were in prison; the conquest was complete; the work effectually done: the pacification of the Valley ac- complished and tenants of the Pennsylvania claimants now took posesession of the empty dwellings. The only difficulty that remained was how to get rid of the wives and children of those in jail, and of the widows and orphans whose hus- bands and fathers slept beneath the sod."
"Crowned with victory if not with laurel," (I am still quot- ing from Miner) Col. Armstrong returned to Philadelphia to report formally to the Council and confidentially to his real
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though less ostensible employers the Pennsylvania Claimants the success of his mission. Scarcely had he time to receive the congratulations of friends on the promptitude and vigor with which he had brought the enterprise to a close, when the mortifying tidings reached the city that the Sunbury prison- ers were all released on bail: also that the Locust Hill band had risen on their keepers and escaped, only eleven having been retaken, and the rest having returned to the contested district .* With signal celerity Armstrong raised a force of 50 men and by rapid marches reached Wilkesbarre on Sep- tember 20th and occupied the Fort."
The sufferings of the Connecticut settlers had by this time aroused indignation and sympathy throughout the country and volunteers began to arrive for their assistance. Among others came numerous hardy Green Mountain boys who had just gone through a similar struggle with the State of New Hampshire and New York and had successfully maintained their independence against both. An attempt made by Patterson's men to gather the settlers' crops was met and repelled. For- bearance had now ceased to be a virtue, and on September 20th the Connecticut men attacked a house occupied by Arm- strong and Patterson. A battle ensued: the house was burn- ed. several on both sides being killed and wounded, but the inmates escaped to the Fort. The Fort was then invested and a siege commenced. After a loss of several lives the Yankees were obliged to abandon the siege. Col. Armstrong immediately returned to Philadelphia where events were tak- ing place to which we must now direct our attention.
The indignation which had long pervaded all classes of right minded men at the course of the Pennsylvanian Gov- ernment toward the Connecticut settlers, was now breaking out in influential quarters and when Col. Armstrong returned to the city he found himself confronted with it from a new and unexpected direction. By the first Constitution of the State of Pennsylvania which was established immediately aft- er the Declaration of Independence, a curious tribunal was
" At the next session of the Court the Grand Jury refused to find bills against any of the Conmetient nau who had been arrested and imprisoned ; but indicted a large number of Patterson's party and these were tried and convicted.
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