USA > New York > Delaware County > History of Delaware County, and border wars of New York, containing a sketch of the early settlements in the county > Part 11
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" I will just give the reader a short account of this woman,
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as I received it from herself. She stated, that herself, her husband and two children, were captured at the massacre of Wyoming, by Butler's Indians and tories, and brought to the Genesee country, then entirely inhabited by the natives. There she had been parted from her husband, the Indians carrying him she knew not whither, but to some other and distant tribe. She had not been long in the possession of the tribe with whom she had been left, after her husband was taken from her, when the Indian who had taken her prisoner addressed her, and was desirous of making her his wife; but she repulsed him, saying very imprudently, "she had one hus- band, and it would be unlawful to have more than one.' This seemed to satisfy him, and she saw him no more for a long time ; but after awhile he came 'again and renewed his suit, alleging that now there was no objection to her marrying him, as her husband was dead ; ' for,' said the Indian, ' I found where he was, and have killed him.' ' I then told him that if he had killed my husband, he might kill me also, for I would not marry a murderer. When he saw I was resolute, he took and tied me, and brought me to this place and sold me for eight dollars. But where my husband is buried, or whether he is buried at all, or where my children are, I cannot tell ;' but whether she even returned to the States again, is beyond my knowledge.
" From this place, after being sold to the British garrison for eight dollars a head, we were sent across the lake to Carlton Island ; from this place down to the Cedars : from the Cedars we were transported from place to place, till at length we were permanently lodged in the prison at Chamblee. Here we were put in irons, and remained two years, suffering every thing but death, for want of clothes, food, fire, medicine, exer- cise, and pure air. At length, from the weight and inconve- nience of my irons, I became so weak that I could not rise
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from the floor, when my fellow sufferer, Thorp, who was not so badly off as myself, used to help me up.
"The physician appointed to have the care of the prisoners, whose name was Pendergrass, paid but very little attention to his charge, seldom visiting us, and never examining closely into our situation ; consequently a description of my horrid condition would afflict the reader, on which account I forbear it. At length, however, this physician was removed, and another put in his place, of an entirely contrary character; he was humane, inquisitive, industrious, and skilful. When he came first to that part of the prison where myself and about twenty others were confined, the captain of the fort came with him, when the doctor proceeded one by one to examine us, instead of giving us a general look only, as the other had done. The place where I sat was quite in one corner. I had chosen it because it was the darkest, and served to hide me from ob- servation more than any other part of the room. I had con- trived to get into my possession an old rug of some sort, which partly hid my naked limbs; this I kept over my lap, in the best possible manner.
" After a while it became my time to be examined; when he said, 'Well my lad, what is the matter with you?' From shame and fear, lest he should witness the loathsome predica- ment which I was in, I said, 'nothing sir !' 'Well then,' said he, 'get up.' ' I cannot, sir,' said I. He then took the end of his cane, and putting it under the blanket which was partly over me, and served to hide me from my waist downward, threw it quite from me, when a spectacle of human suffering presented itself, such as he had not expected to see. I had fixed my eyes steadily on his face to see if aught of pity moved his breast, which I knew I could trace in his countenance, if any appeared. He turned pale ; a frown gathered on his brow, the curl of his lip denoted wrath; when he turned round to the captain of the fort, whose name was Steel, and looking 11*
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sternly at him, said, in a voice of thunder, 'You infamous villain ! in the name of God, are you murdering people alive here ? send for your provost-sergeant in a moment, and knock off that poor fellow's span-shackles, or I will smash you in a moment !'
" O, this language was balm to my wounds, was oil to my bleeding heart ; was the voice of sympathy-of determined mercy and immediate relief. I had a soldier's heart, which shrunk not; a fountain of tears; I had none in the hour of battle, but now they rushed out amain, as if anxious to see the man, who by his goodness, had drawn them from their deep seclusion. An entire change of situation now took place, and our health was soon recovered, which rendered my imprison- ment quite tolerable. From this place, after a while, we were sent to Rebel's Island, or Culoctelack, or Cut-throat Island, where we remained a year, when peace was declared. We were now sent to Montreal, thence to Quebec, and there put on board a cartel ship and sent round to Boston, though before we reached that place, we were driven out to sea in a storm and nearly shipwrecked, suffering exceedingly ; but at last we arrived at the desired haven, where I once more set foot on my native land, and rejoiced that it was a land of liberty and inde- pendence.
" As fast as possible we made the best of our way to old Schoharie, which was our home, after an absence of three years, during which I suffered much, as well as my companions, for the love of my country; which, under the blessing of Heaven, I have enjoyed these many years.
" The reader will recollect Beacraft, the tory, who stood sentry over us during the first night of our captivity, in the sap-bush, who boasted he had cut the throat of a boy of the Vrooman family; this man had the audacity to return after the war to old Schoharie, the scene of his villanies. As soon as it was known, a number of persons, properly qualified to
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judge his case,-having, during their captivity, tasted a little of his ability to distress and tantalize unnecessarily, and remem- bering his deeds, which he had confessed boastingly on the the mountains of Genesee-hastened there, and surrounded the house where he was. Two or three of the number, who. were as greatly indebted to his philanthrophy as need be, knocked at the door and were bidden to come in, when the redoubtable gentleman arose, respectfully inquiring after their health, and extending his hand : the compliment was returned by a hearty and determined clench of his shoulders, by which he had the opportunity of making progress, without the aid of hydraulic or locomotive power, as far as to a very ominous staddle, which stood not far off, in a beautiful grove of hickory. There were ten persons in number, who composed this jury, and although it lacked two of the legal-quantum, they under- stood the case equally well, nevertheless; and as five of them happened to be left-handed, and five who could swing the right honorable arm full as adroitly, were an assortment of kind and character.
" Beacraft was stripped of the habiliments that covered a skin which shrouded a heart in which dwelt a spirit as bad as the devil's worst, and tied to this smooth staddle-as fair a one as grew in the forest. Ten fine excoriators (gads) were taken from the generous redundancy of the axe-handle tree (hickory,) and given to each of those right and left-handed gentlemen, who after binding the culprit to save him the trouble of running away from said staddle, began, after divid- ing themselves in due form, so that a circle was formed quite around him, to do as the spirit of the occasion might lead their minds.
" Fifty lashes were declared by them a suitable expiation, to be placed upon the bare back, and in such a manner as strength and the exigency of the case most rigorously demanded. Now, in the hour of judgment, a ten-fold appa-
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ratus, that had the pliancy of examining subjects quite around, endeavoured to awake into life a' conscience that had died an unnatural death some years before.
" A very commendable care in resuscitating this valuable principle, was taken at the dawn of its opening life, to incul- cate what particular crime it was that had operated with such deleterious influence ; and now, through the smarting medium of what is esteemed a corrective, as well as a coercive-an attempt was making not only to enliven the conscience, but to fix the affrighted memory on the horrible points most promi- nent in his life of depravity.
"Now commenced the work of retribution. The first ten lashes played around him like the fiery serpents of the Great Sahara, hissing horror, when they said : 'Beacraft, it is for being a tory ; when your country claimed the services of those it had nurtured on its bosom, you, like a traitor, stabbed it to the heart, as far as your arm had the power.' The second ten lashes came with augmented violence, as if the arrows of ven- geance were drinking deep of life's keenest sensations-‘ Bea- craft, it is for aiding in the massacre of those who were your neighbors, the Vrooman family.' A third series of ten lashes at a time, played around him, as the lightnings of some frowning cloud, streaming its direful fury at one selected vic- tim, tearing anew, and entering deep into the quivering flesh- ' Beacraft, it is for the murder of that helpless boy, the son of Vrooman, whom you scalped and hung on the fence.'
" A fourth quantum of ten lashes at a time, lapped their doleful history around his infamous body-‘ Beacraft, it is for taunts, and jeers, and insults, when certain persons, well known to you, were captives among a savage enemy, which marked you as a dastardly wretch, fit only for contempt and torture, such as is now bestowed upon your infamous body.' The fifth and last series of lashes, fell as if the keen sword, hot from the armory of an independent and indignant people, had
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sundered the wretched body, one part to the zenith, the other to the nadir -- ' Beacraft, it is for coming again to the bosom of that country, upon which you have spit the venom of hate, and thus added insult to injury, never to be forgotten.' "
Here they untied him, with this injunction-to flee the country, and never more return to blast with his presence so pure an atmosphere as that where liberty and independence breathe and triumph-with which it was supposed he com- plied, as he has never been known in these parts since. He expressed his gratitude that he had been so gently dealt with ; acknowledging his conduct to have been worthy of capital punishment.
The capture of the scout under Colonel Harper, was the last incident of note that occurred in Harpersfield during the war; it was at that time completely destroyed by Brant, and at the close of the war hardly a vestige of the former settle- ment remained.
Isaac Bennet, of Stamford, says his father was in Stamford before the war, and helped survey the township of New Stam- ford ; that he bought a farm in the township, and afterwards finding a piece of land near the Cook-house that suited him „ better, he exchanged farms. At the latter place there were a few families just commencing a settlement. Daniel Bennet and Abijah, his son, (the residue of the family being in Con- necticut,) joined them some time previous to 1780, and were taken prisoners with others, the same spring that the Harpers were, but not by the same party ; were taken to Oneida, and there remained for three months. From thence they were taken to Canada, and 'were absent four years and five months before they returned to Connecticut, their native place. The elder Bennet was a tailor by trade, and he was employed in making clothes for the king's troops ; the younger Bennet was a drummer.
In the winter of 1786, this family of Bennets settled in
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the township, on the lands now owned by widow Blish, on which farm Mr. John More built a saw-mill before the war. This is said to have been the first saw-mill in this section of country ; some remains of the mill were in existence in 1780. The first mill built after the war, in this county, was built by a man named Potter, near where the Hobart furnace now stands, some time between 1782 and 1786. Potter sold this mill to a Mr. Warn, and he sold it to Bears & Foote. Potter then built a grist-mill on Betty's Brook, and in conse- quence of some difficulty with one Mills, an agent of the Kortright patent, Potter moved his mill in the night, down on the west side of the river, (about two miles,) on land now owned by James Wetmore.
During the same season, and shortly after the capture of the Bennets, a party of Indians made an incursion into Colchester, then known by its Indian name of Papagonck. The families composing this settlement had for the most part sought safety along the Hudson-a man named Rose, had, however, remained with his family unmolested in this exposed situation, during the whole war. The father of the family, at the time of this incursion was absent on a scouting excursion, which fact doubtless, had it been known to the Indians, would have proved a source of mischief to his family, but as it was, they did no injury, except appropriating whatever they chose, to themselves, without asking leave.
At the time the Indians approached the residence of Mr. Rose, his son William was engaged in constructing a canoe on the bank of the river, a short distance from the house. He was shortly afterwards surprised and taken prisoner, and was informed that he must accompany them to the home of the Red men in the west. He protested stoutly against accom- panying them, but all in vain. The Indians also took three cows belonging to his father, which they drove before them, together with whatever the house contained which seemed to
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them valuable. The. first night, the Indians with their pri- soner, encamped but a short distance from the residence of Mr. Rose, and in the morning one of the cows was found to have strayed for home. Young Rose was sent back after the missing cow alone, but with the injunction, "That if he did not return immediately with the cow, they would return and murder them all, and burn their buildings." The boy related to his mother all that had happened, and showed very little inclination to return to his captors ; but knowing how well the Indians were apt to execute their threats, she insisted with heroic fortitude, upon his immediate return into captivity with the missing cow. He accompanied the Indians to Niagara, and after a prolonged captivity of three years, was once more permitted to return to his friends at Colchester, where he spent the remainder of his days : he died many years since. We have been favored with the following correspondence, which, although unconnected with the history of the county, except in a general sense, is, nevertheless, worthy of preservation.
The following are copies of the letters :
" Middle Fort, Schoharie, July 19th, 1780.
" DEAR COLONEL :- By express just now received, yours of the 17th inst. came-am sorry to understand that the enemy have burnt Germantown, but at the same time am glad to hear that the serjeant's party of your regiment behaved so well as to oppose those infernal wretches against that fortification. Last night received information from Colonel Wimple, of Schenectady, that a party of tories were gathering at one Captain Pall's, Beaver-dam, in order to go off and join Butler and Brant at Niagara ; accordingly we have dispatched this morning a party in pursuit of them-just now received infor- mation that three of the tory party are taken by a detachment of Colonel Wimple's regiment, this morning at three o'clock. " If anything extraordinary should offer, you may be assured
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I will communicate it by the first. Scouts are continually kept out in order to guard against surprise. Old Mr. Harper, to- gether with your other good friends, desire to be remembered.
"I am, with great respect, dear sir, " Your humble servant,
"ISAAC BOGERT. "To COL. HARPER,
(Superscribed) " On public service, " To COL. JOHN HARPER, " Fort Harris."
"Poughkeepsie, 25th August, 1780.
" DEAR COUSIN :- I embrace this opportunity to inform you I am still in high spirits. We shall see New York this fall.
"The second division of the French forces has not arrived, but expected soon. The weather has been so uncommonly hot, that it would have been imprudent to fatigue men in the business of besieging, even were we ready in other respects. The French and Spaniards are masters of the West India seas-have had three engagements with the English this sum- mer in that quarter, in all of which the latter have come off second best ; and we hourly expect to hear of Jamaica being attacked by our allies.
" In North Carolina, no less a body than one thousand tories had the other day formed themselves and set off to reinforce their friends in Charleston, when a Colonel Rutherford dis- patched four hundred militia to watch their movements; they drawing near them, and perceiving them employed in feeding their horses, fell upon them, killed seventy, took four hundred prisoners and all their baggage, with seven hundred horses; the remainder of the thieves dispersed through the woods. Our cause gains ground amazingly among the nations of Eu- rope-Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and the States of Holland,
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have all agreed to afford England no succor, though pressingly demanded; but on the contrary, have entered into a league of armed neutrality. They have invited England to join, but have yet received no answer. The ostensible object of this league is a free unlimited trade to all the world, even to towns besieged; but the real object is to embarrass Great Britain, and make her sick of the war.
"The aforesaid powers have agreed to fit out immediately, for their mutual defence, fifty-two ships of war, which are to defend their ships from being searched, and support their claim to an equal right to the sea. On the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of June last, there were the greatest disturbances in London known for one hundred years past. Lord George Gordon, at the head of fifty thousand men, marched through Westmin- ster six men deep, crossed over London bridge, and went to the Parliament house, about 12 o'clock on the 2nd of June, and handled all the members they could get at, who were our ene- mies, in the roughest manner, tearing off their bags, breaking their coaches, &c. They then went to burning their houses up and down throughout the city; they seized the Archbishop of York and several of the Lords, tore their gowns from their backs, and squeezed them almost to death. The King's Council have offered a reward of £500 for the discovery of the ringleader, but I believe they are afraid to find him out, for Lord George Gordon publicly avowed what he had done, and we hear of no notice having been taken of him; it seems that the mob also demolished several ambassador's houses, who belonged to some of the petty princes who are not our friends. This is a good beginning-may they go on and prosper.
"In Dublin, they have also been at the same work; and in Drogheda, twenty-two miles from Dublin, the English soldiers have killed ten of the inhabitants in the street, upon which the volunteer companies there have put the soldiers in jail,
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and mount guard at the prison, determined to have them brought to trial and execution.
" All this you may depend on for truth, as it has been in- tercepted in a ship taken a few days ago, bound from England for New York.
"I have no more to add but my sympathy for the distresses of your suffering county, and hope that you will be able to give us a good account of some of those villains. My best respects to the old gentleman and your brothers.
"I am, dear sir, your friend and servant,
" ROBERT HARPER.
(Superscribed) "To COL. JOHN HARPER, of Tryon county. " Per favor of Mr. Boone."
For the following particulars, the author is indebted to the History of Schoharie, and the narratives of John L. More and others.
In the latter part of July, Seth Henry, of whom we have spoken in the narrative of the capture of Cowley and Sawyer, succeeded in capturing William Bouck, together with a female slave belonging to him, and her three children, two sons and one daughter. Mr. Bouck was captured about two miles from the upper fort, where he had gone, to do some work on his farm. The prisoners were all bound, and started with their captors for Niagara. The first night they encamped on the Delaware river, and were entertained by one Hugh Rose, a Scotchman, who was favorable to the king, and who furnished them with several days' provisions for their journey to Canada.
Shortly after the Indians had left the house of Rose, which was about eight o'clock in the morning, and were pursuing their way down the river, a scout, consisting of Wm. Bouck, jr., son of the prisoner, John Hagidore, Bartholomew C. Vroo- man, and Bartholomew Hagidore, who had been sent out from
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the upper fort to anticipate any hostile movement of the ene- my, arrived at the residence of Rose, where they halted. They inquired of this man, "if he had seen any Indians in that vicinity ?" He replied, "Yes, the woods are full of them !" and instead of sending them from, he directed them to take the same route pursued by the Indians. The scout proceeded but a short distance when they overtook the party, who had been made aware of their approach, and had awaited them in ambush. As they approached the eminence on which the enemy were concealed, Bouck saw his father's slave, who waved her bonnet at him in such a manner as to warn him of their danger, and they turned and beat a hasty retreat ..
The Indians perceiving the backward movement of their foes, fired, when John Hagidore fell, wounded in the hip, but instantly springing up, followed his companions. The Indians did not see fit to pursue, and the scout returned to the house of Rose, where Hagidore's wound rendering him unable to proceed further, they were obliged to leave him with this tory, assuring him that if their friend was not well cared for, or if, harm befel him, his own life should be the forfeit.
But to return to the fort at Schoharie-Bouck not return- ing as was expected, Captain Hager dispatched a company of twenty men, under the command of Lieutenants Joseph Har- per and Ephraim Vrooman, to pursue their captors, and if possible, retake the prisoners. They luckily pursued the same route taken by the Indians, and when near the house of Rose they met the scout on their return to Schoharie, who immedi- ately, however, joined in the pursuit.
After arriving at the place where Hagidore was wounded, they struck the trail of the enemy, which ascended the moun- tain toward the Little Delaware, which course the Indians had evidently taken to avoid further pursuit. They proceeded cautiously but expeditiously up the mountain, near the sum- mit of which, upon an open plain, they discovered the party,
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who had halted to refresh and rest themselves. Seth Henry, who was chief, had ascended to the summit, from which point he obtained a view of the country for many miles around, and perceiving no indications of pursuit, had returned to his com- panions with perfect assurance of safety; but that instant the troops gained a fair sight, and within rifle-shot, he having overlooked them from his elevated position. The first impulse was to discharge a volley of musketry into the midst of the Indians, which was timely prevented by Lieutenant Harper, who remarked the exposed situation of the prisoners. But one of the men, having a fair shot at an Indian, raised his rifle and snapped it, but unfortunately it missed fire. The Indians hearing the click, and that instant, for the first, per- ceiving that they were pursued, seized their weapons, and leav- ing their packs and prisoners behind them, fled down the mountain and escaped. They then unbound the prisoners, who were overjoyed at so unexpected a deliverance, and pro- ceeded down the mountain to the house of Rose. At this place a litter was made, and one of the tory's best beds was unceremoniously appropriated to add to the comfort of the suffering man during his journey. On this litter Hagidore was placed, and carried on the shoulders of the men to the upper fort, where, with skilful treatment, he soon recovered .*
* John Hagidore, for many years after the war, spent much of his time in Roxbury, and John L. More, my informant, stated that he had frequently hired him to work on his farm, and had heard the above narrative from the hero's own lips. The place where he was shot, he designated as on the flat below Sackrider's.
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CHAPTER VII.
Declaration of Peace-Its joyful reception by the Colonists-Early Settlements at Sidney Plains and along the Susquehanna-Incon- veniences to which the inhabitants were obliged to submit -- Ruins of an ancient Indian Fort-Sidney Plains-First death that occur- red in Sidney-Great famine in 1787-First grist-mill on the Sus- quehanna-First raft of lumber on the Susquehanna-Geographical boundaries of Sidney-Origin of the name-Ouleout Creek-Indian signification-Original land-owners-First settlements in Franklin -Information derived principally of Joshua Pine, in relation to the early settlers in Walton-Account of a duel fought in Walton- Early settlements and settlers at Deposit, Chehocton, and in the Western part of the county-Dickinson's City-Hunting stories- Indians who remained after the war-Old Abraham-Canope, Ben Shanks and Haycou-Tragical murder of the former and latter.
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