History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 8

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140

USA > New Jersey > Sussex County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 8
USA > New Jersey > Warren County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 8

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

One thing which stood very much in the way of the prosperity of the carly settlers was the appropria- tion by the proprietors of many portions of the best land in the county. As early as 1715, when us yet but two or three points in the whole territory had been settled, the sagacious proprietors of West Jersey, foreseeing that these lands would ultimately become very valuable, sent their surveyors, who penetrated the heart of the country, establishing "butts and bounds" of many of the most desirable tracts. Among others, William Penn located three tracts of land, containing ten thousand or twelve thousand acres, in and around the vicinity of Newton. "In this way the best locations were generally entered before any

immigrants had arrived in the central portions of the county, and they had to cultivate the soil, when they did come, as tenants or trespassers."

CHAPTER VI.

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, 1755.

I .- CAUSES OF THE DISTURBANCE.

THE border troubles begun by the Indians in 1755 were not induced in retaliation for any injustice done them by the people of New Jersey. The citizens of this province had never shed the blood of any of their race, nor had they cheated them out of any of their lands. Why, then, were they obliged to defend them- selves by a line of forts along the whole frontier of Sussex and Warren Counties, and to call out their militia to protect the settlements from the merciless tomahawk and scalping-knife ? Why was the border a scene of savage attack and massacre from 1755 to 1758, inclusive? The causes which led to this Jay entirely beyond the bounds of Sussex and Warren Counties, and even of New Jersey, and were induced by agencies over which the people of the province had no control. In the first place, it was a period when England and France were at war, and when their respective colonies in North America had se- cured the alliance of the various Indian tribes of the country, on one side or the other, in the great contest then pending, and which was decided a few years after by the downfall of Canada and the surrender of all the French possessions in North America to the English. The Iroquois, or Six Nations, of New York, -the hereditary enemies of the Delaware and Sus- quehanna Indians,-were the firm allies of the Eng- lish and the most powerful agents in turning the scale against their French adversaries. At this time the French were largely in possession of the great water-basins of the interior of the country accessible by the St. Lawrence and the great chain of Western lakes and rivers, and had forts extending from Que- bec to Mobile Bay, and their agents, traders, and mis- sionaries were widely disseminated among the Indians of all that region of country. Lake Champlain, Ni- agara, and Pittsburgh were at that time the nearest points to New Jersey fortified by the French, but her frontier was accessible by a few days' march along the great trails leading to the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers. These avenues were then peculiarly exposed, as the Iroquois were fighting for the English in other parts of the country. There can be no doubt that the Indians who raided upon these borders during the French war were French allies, and that they were incited, and even sometimes led, to their work of pillage and slaughter by French agents and military officers.

Moreover, there was a local cause which embittered 1

* Svo chapter on organization, courta, etc.

SUSSEX AND WARREN COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

the strife. The agents of William Penn had procured the lands of the Minsies in the Pennsylvania portion of the Minisink valley by what has been known as the famous "walking purchase" of 1737 .* From the time of this transaction the discontent of the Indians seemed manifest, and distrust and jealousy took the place of the confidence and friendship which had hitherto characterized their intercourse with the whites. For eighteen years, until 1755, they smoth- ered their resentment at the wrong and perfidy which had deprived them of their fairest possessions ; and at last, driven to desperation, they resolved, under Tee- dyuscung, the king of the tribe, to reclaim by force what had been taken from them by fraud and treach- ery. Had none but the guilty suffered in the storm of blood and earnage which swept over the valley dur- ing those terrible years of war, we might now derive a melancholy satisfaction from the belief that the tomahawk of avenging justice had done its work well. But scores of innocent settlers who had acquired their lands by honest purchase, and who had never wronged the Indians, were also compelled to suffer, as the in- discriminate vengeance of the savage in the height of his fury seldom pauses to judge between friend and enemy so long as the sealp to be taken belongs to the pale-face and brings him prestige and profit in war. The troubles at first were confined to the Pennsyl- vania side of the valley, but New Jersey was also des- tined to feel somewhat the shock of the confliet.

TI .- THE VAN CAMPEN AND BELCHER CORRESPOND- ENCE.

Jonathan Belcher was then His Majesty's Governor of the province, and he was duly advised of the threat- ening aspect of affairs by Col. Abraham Van Campen, of Walpack. On Nov. 11, 1755, the Governor sent Col. Van Campen the following instructions :

" SIR,-I just now received your good letter of the 7th inst., as I hope you have before now my order of the 6th of the saone month. I will approve of what you propose, of marching with your regiment into the next Province, in order to meet and repel the enemy before they enter into the Jerseys. In this matter I desire yon to be very vigilent and dilligent in giving me notice of all your proceedings, and per express if necessary.

" I am, Sir, Your Assured Friend, " J. BELCHER.

" ELIZABETHI TOWN, Nov. 11, 1755.

" COL. VAN CAMPEN."

One day later the Governor wrote to Col. Van Campen :

"Sra,-Since Isent you my order for a speedy muster of your Regiment I have received repeated accounts of the approach of the savage French and Indians to the borders of Pennsylvania and to those of this province, committing the most barbarous outrages on His Majesty's good subjects, in slaughter, blood, and fire, wherever they come.

* See the relations of Thomas Furules and Joseph Knowles " Concern- log the walk made between the Proprietors of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Indians by James Yntes and Edward Marshall," in " An En- quiry Into the Causes of the Alienation of the Delaware and Shawnnese Indians from the British Interest." Written by Charles Thomson, tho American patriot, who in 1774 was elected secretary to Congress, and whose last literary work was a translation of the Septungint, which was published in four volumes In 1808.

" These are therefore to command you, in His Majesty's name, to have your regiment in best readiness to march to the borders of this Province, or that of Pennsylvania, upon the most sudden notice of distress by the enemy, for the wid and relief of Ilis Majesty's subjects. I shall not doubt the good courage and spirit of yourself, the officers and then of your Regiment, to proceed where it shall be necessary, and would have yon publish this order at the head of your regiment upon their muster.

" Given under my hand and Seal of Arms at the Borough of Elizabeth, this 12th day of November, in the twenty-ninth year of His Majesty's reign, Anno Domini, 1755.

" To COLL. VAN CAMPEN."

" J. BELCHER.

In reply to Col. Van Campen's report of the 17th of the same month, the Governor wrote as follows:

"SIR,-I have duly received yours of the 17th of this month, and am well pleased with your dilligence in giving me information how things are circumstanced in the county of Sussex with respect to the enemy, etc. I have given notice to the several colonels to muster their regi- ments and repel the enemy over in Pennsylvania Province, and so to prevent their passing the river Delaware, and which I think would be better than to let them enter on the frontiers of this Province. I pray Almighty God to have you and your people in his good protection, and am,

"Sir, Your Assured Friend,

" J. BELCHER.

" ELIZADETHI TOWN, Nov. 24, 1755.

" COLL. VAN CAMPEN."

III .- DEFENSIVE MEASURES ADOPTED.

On the 27th of December the Legislature passed an aet authorizing the erection of four block-houses at suitable distances from one another on the Delaware River, in the county of Sussex. The persons ap- pointed to superintend their erection were John Ste- vens and John Johnson, Esqs., who had " volunta- rily offered themselves for that service gratis." The act ordered the enlistment of two hundred and fifty men to garrison said block-houses, and provided for the issuing of bills of eredit to the amount of ten thousand pounds to pay the expenses of protecting the frontiers. Jonathan Hampton was appointed com- missioner of supplies for the troops, and John Weth- erill commissary and paymaster. These troops were to serve one month and until their places could be supplied by others. To encourage enlistments, ex- emptions from arrest upon eivil processes for debts of less than fifteen pounds, as well as the protection of property from execution, was guaranteed. The pay of the soldiers, too, was increased beyond the ordi- nary average, being for the commander-in-chief of a block-house six shillings per day ; captain, four shil- lings; lieutenant, three shillings ; sergeant, corporal, and drummer, two shillings sixpence each; private, two shillings per man.

These block-houses were created and numbered from 1 to 4, and are sometimes referred to by their numbers in the early documents. They were also gar- risoned as speedily as practicahle; yet the Indians continued to make ineursions into the settlements, often forming ambuscades so near the forts that par- ties going out hunting were surprised and killed. In view of several occurrences of this kind, it became necessary to issue an order that the officers and sol- diers should keep within their garrisons. In times of

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, 1755.

general alarm whole neighborhoods would retreat within the inclosures for safety.

IV .- INDIAN INCURSIONS AND MURDERS.

The Indians would sometimes elude the vigilance of these garrisons, get into the interior, and there per- petrate their bloody work. Such was the case when they penetrated into Hardwick, the very heart of the county, and captured the llunts and Swartwout. From the different accounts given of this tragical af- fair we condense the following statement : A party of five Indians who had formerly resided in the neigh- borhood, but had removed to Pennsylvania, deter- mined to capture three men,-Richard Hunt, Harker, and Swartwout,-having become disaffected towards them because of the part they had taken in the colo- nial service. They accordingly crossed the Delaware near where Dingman's bridge now is, and in the even- ing reached the log house of Richard Hunt, having traveled about fifteen miles on the Jersey side of the river. Richard Hunt was absent from home, and the only occupants of the house at the time were Thomas Ilunt, a younger brother, and a negro servant. The latter was engaged in amusing himself and his com- panion by playing on a violin, when their entertain- ment was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of the Indians. Quick as thought the boys sprang to the door and closed and bolted it. Their fun was at an end, and the negro, in his terror, "threw his fiddle into the fire and awaited in trembling suspense the result of the unwelcome visit." The Indians disap- peared and were gone about an hour, when they re- turned. It was discovered, by their footprints in at newly-plowed piece of ground, that during their absence they had reconnoitred the house of Mr. Dil- dine, where Richard Hunt happened to be at the time, but they evidently dared not make an attack at that place. Returning to Hunt's house, they made a movement to set it on fire, threatening to burn the inmates alive if they did not surrender. The boys yielded, and were forced to accompany the savages, who proceeded towards the Delaware by the way of the southerly end of Great Pond, and soon came to the house of Swartwout, who lived on the tract now occupied by the village of New Paterson. Mrs. Swartwout, soon after their approach to the house, without a thought of danger, went out to the milk- house, and was instantly shot down. They then at- tempted to enter the house, but Swartwout seized his rifle and held them in check. Finally he agreed to surrender if they would spare his life and the lives of his son and daughter. They consented to this propo- sition, but they either themselves violated their pledge or, what was worse, procured n white man to do it, for Swartwout was murdered, and a man named Springer was arrested, convicted, and hung for the murder. We shall give the details of the trial and execution farther on ; meantime, we proceed with our narrative.

Swartwout's two children were taken to an Indian town on the Susquehanna, while Hunt and the negro were conveyed to Canada. " Hunt was sold by his captors to a Freach military officer, and accompanied him as his servant. His mother, anxious for his de- liverance if alive, attended the general conference at Easton, in October, 1758, where a treaty was made with the Six Nations, and, finding a savage there who knew her son, she gave him sixty pounds to procure his freedom and return him to his friends. This proved money wasted. Hunt was soon after liberated under that provision of the treaty of Easton which made a restoration of prisoners obligatory upon the Indians, and reached home in 1759, after a servi- tude of three years and nine months. Swartwout's children must have been freed about a year after their capture, for we find his son in New Jersey in 1757, active in causing the arrest of a white man named Benjamin Springer, whom he charged with being the murderer of his father.

Springer was arrested and confined in the jail of Essex County. An act was passed by the Assembly of New Jersey on Oct. 22, 1757, authorizing his trial to take place in the county of Morris, "because the Indian disturbances in Sussex rendered it difficult, if not dangerous, to hold a Court of Oyer and Terminer there." The act also ordered that the expenses of the prosecution should be borne by the province. "Pur- suant to this act," says Allison, "Springer, on the positive testimony of Swartwout's son and the contra- dictions in the prisoner's own story, after a full and fair hearing, at which an eminent councilor attended in his behalf, was convicted, to the satisfaction of most all present, and was executed in Morris. He declared himself innocent of the crime, and on the return of Thomas Hunt and a negro who had been taken a few miles distant by the same party that enp- tivated Swartwout's family (with which party it was proved at the trial Springer was, and that he killed Swartwout), it appearing by their declarations that they did not see Springer until they got to the Indian town, some inclined to believe that he might not have been guilty. Thus the question seemed obscured. It is, however, agreed that his trial was deliberate and impartial, and many still think that his life was for- feited to the laws of his country."*

Springer declared on the scaffold that Thomas Hunt knew him to be innocent, and his parents, after Hunt's return, came on from Virginia to learn if their son was really guilty. "Hunt assured them, as he did every one else to the end of his days, that he con- sidered him innocent. Ile did not see Springer until he arrived at the Susquehanna flats, where he found him, like himself, as he believed, a prisoner. Neither did he see Swartwont murdered, but he was confident that the deed was done about one mile northwest from his own house; he and the negro nt the time

* Allison, " Laws," p. 213.

SUSSEX AND WARREN COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

were guarded by two Indians, the others being busy not a great way off dispatching Swartwout. He heard his cries,-heard him beg for his life and promise to go with them peaceably if they would spare him. He was an athletic, resolute man and the In- dians were afraid of him, and therefore, as Hunt always declared, murdered him. They tied him to a tree, tomahawked him, and left his body to the wolves and birds of prey." The Indians doubtless murdered him to gratify an old grudge: putting him out of the way was the surest revenge, as well as an indemnity against any personal violence which they might have apprehended from him, and the danger of the arrest of the party by the scouts from some one of the block- houses.

During these troubles with the Indians the courts of Sussex County were held at Wolverton's, in Hard- wick. In February, 1756, the grand jury appeared, but were not sworn, "by reason," as the record says, "of troublesome times with the Indians." The term of May, 1756, found the condition of affairs in the connty equally alarming, and the "Grand Inquest" was again dispensed with.

V .- PRECAUTIONS AND ADVENTURES OF FRONTIER SETTLERS.

Upon the first breaking out of hostilities, in 1755, most of the settlers upon the southeastern and north- western slopes of the Blue Mountains fortified their houses by building stockades around them; Casper Shafer, in Stillwater valley, was one who took this pre- caution. There were at that time a few Indians living in the neighborhood, and, though not previously hos- tile, it was not known that their conduct would con- tinue to be pacific. At Mr. Shafer's house it was common for the neighbors to assemble npon each recurring alarm. One night, however, when Mr. Shafer was alone, the Indians showed signs of hos- tility by yelling around his house and threatening violence. He thereupon fastened up the house and started across the fields to procure assistance from his neighbors. "Soon he found himself hotly pursued by one of the enemy, and likely to be overtaken; wherenpon he turned upon his pursuer, and, being an athletic man, he seized, threw, and with his garters bound him hand and foot, leaving him prostrate, while he went on his way and procured the desired assistance. Mr. Depue, in Walpack, had also a narrow escape from the tomahawk and scalping-knife. A party of Indians broke into his house at midnight with mur- derous intent, and he, being aroused from slumber, seized his loaded gun and leveled it at the foremost aggressor, who, realizing his danger, uttered the pecu- liar Indian 'Ugh !' dodged away, and fled. So acted the next, and another, and another; and thus, with- out firing his gun, he succeeded in driving the whole gang from his dwelling."

VI .- MILITARY ORGANIZATION-FIGHTING THE IN- DIANS.

On June 3, 1757, the General Assembly of New Jersey, after reciting that "the savage Indian enemy have lately perpetrated cruel murders on the frontiers of this colony, and the inhabitants there have, by their petitions, set forth their distresses and suplicated a number of troops for their assistance and protec- tion," enacted that one hundred and twenty men be immediately raised, with the proper number of offi- cers ; that Jonathan Hampton be appointed paymas- ter and vietualer for the company, and that he pro- vide and allow each officer and soldier the following provisions every week,-viz., "seven pounds of Bread, seven pounds of Beef, or, in lieu thereof, four pounds of Pork, six ounces of Butter, three pints of Peas, and half a pound of Rice." As tea, coffee, and sugar were luxuries in those days, they were not provided in the rations. All prisoners for debt were to be released, because they might "in this time of common danger suffer for want of persons to look after them." The act, however, allowed the sheriff to reincarcerate them after six months of liberty.

In 1758, when the frontier was supposed to be well protected, the family of Nicholas Cole, of Walpack, was attacked by Indians, most of them murdered, and the rest carried into captivity. Several other murders were committed, and the people again petitioned the Legislature for further protection and defense against the hostile attacks of the Indians. On the 12th of August of that year the Legislature ordered an addi- tional levy of one hundred and fifty men, none of whom, with the exception of the officers, should be recruited from the militia of the county of Sussex, as " the whole of that militia might be wanted in case of any formidable attack." A new block-house was ordered to be erected " below Pehoqualin Mountain, near the mouth of the Paulinskill, or between that and the said Mountain." Twenty guides well ac- quainted with the country were to be hired by the commanding officer to conduct the troops through the wilds and fastnesses of Sussex; and it was further provided "that inasmuch as the Indians are a very private and secret enemy, and as it has been thought Dogs would be of very great service not only in dis- covering them in their secret retreats among the swamps, rocks, and mountains, frequent in those parts ; therefore be it enacted, etc., that it shall and may be lawful for the Paymaster aforesaid to procure upon the best terms they can Fifty good, large, strong, and fierce Dogs; and the same so procured to supply with food necessary to their subsistence, equal to ten men's allowance in quantity ; which said Dogs shall be disciplined for and employed in the service in such manner as the said Major, in conjunction with the Commission officers, or the major part of them, shall think proper."

We quote the following from Neville's "Laws," vol. ii. page 202, which is said to have been the first re-

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, 1755.

cognition of personal bravery by the Provincial Legislature of New Jersey, and is peculiarly appro- priate inasmuch as it refers to residents of Sussex County. It is part of the act of Aug. 12, 1758:

" Whereus, it is not only strictly just, but highly prudent, to reward and encourage such acts of martial Bravery as linve n tendency to dis- trees the Enemy and defend Ourselves: Aad whorens It's credibly re- ported that John Fantile, a Sergeant in the pay of this Colony, with a jurty of nine more under his Command, have lately exerted themselves against the Common Enemy upon the frontiera of this Colony In a signal Mnuner; and that a Lad, aged about seventeen years, sirnamed Ti'sort, when pursned by the Enemy, shut one of them and secured his retreat from the Imminent danger with which he was threatened, losing his gun; Therefore, na n just Reward to those Persons, and to excite others to Imitate their heroic Example, Be it further enacted, by the Authority ufore. anid, That it shall and may be lawful for the Paymmaster aforesaid, and he is hereby directed to pay unto the suld John Vantile the sum of twenty Spanish Dollars, and to each of the party under his command the sum of Ten Dollars a plece; and to the said Lad, sirnamed Titsort, us aforesuid, the sum of Thirty Dollars; And shall niso procure for, and present to the suid John Vantile, and the said land, wirnamed Titsort, with a Silver Medal euch, of the size of a Dollar, whereon shall be inscribed the Buat or Figure of an Indian, prostrate ut the feet of the said Vantile and Ind aforestld, importing their victory over them, and to commemorate their Bravery nud the Country's Gratitude upon the occasion. Which Medals the said Vant le und Lad aforesaid, shall or tuay wear In view nt all auch public occasions ns they may happen to attend, to excite an Emulation and kindle a martial fire in the Breusts of the Spectators, so truly esseu- tinl in this Time of General War."

VII .- EXTRACTS FROM THE "NEW AMERICAN MAGAZINE.">

Respecting affairs at this period in Sussex County, the "New American Magazine," published at Wood- bridge, N. J., under date of May 31, 1758, gives the following :

" PERTH AMBOY, May 31 .- On Monday, the fif- teenth instant, about two o'clock in the afternoon, thirteen Indians rushed into the house of Nicholas Cole, in the county of Sussex, near Nominaek fort, in the township of Walpack, in this province, adjacent to the river Delaware, and, Cole being from home, they immediately killed his son, about eighteen years old, who was asleep upon the bed; they then finished Cole's wife, and, dragging her out of doors, she there saw her eldest daughter, aged thirteen, her son, aged eight, and her youngest daughter, about four years old, all murdered and scalped. The savage villains then plundered the house, after which they carried off' the mother and her son Jacob, about ten years of age. They were soon after joined by two other In- dians, who had with them two Germans, whom they had taken that day, and had killed and scalped n third in Anthony Westbrook's field, near Minisink, in said county of Sussex. The soldiers who were guarding the frontiers proposed to join some of the neighbors and to eross the Delaware the next morn- ing by daybreak to watch the road to Wyoming. And as four of them were going to the place of ren- devous, about two o'clock in the night, they heard the Indians coming down the hill in the main road

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 8

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1140

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140