USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > Annual of the Bradford County Historical Society, 1906 > Part 1
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.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30
Gc 974.801 B72br no.1-5 1436146
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01144 9425
ANNUAL
BRADFORD COUNTY -
Historical Society
CONTAINING
NO.1-5
Outline of Work Accomplished, Papers on: Local History, Questions and Answers, Condensed County History and Early Marriages.
Gc 974.801 B72br no. 1-5
- -0-
TOWANDA, PA .: BRADFORD STAR PRINT, 1906.
1
1436146
PREFACE.
THE issuance of a volume annually containing the papers and historical subjects considered by the BRAD- FORD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, has long been con- templated, but the condition of the treasury, owing to other pressing demands, has prevented an earlier carry- ing out of the design. After four years of faithful work on the part of the Society much material has been gath- ered ; only a portion of it can be used in this volume. Selection has been made with a view of presenting in chronological order and having a variety of subjects. Thus, it is hoped, the volume will be found both valuable and interesting. The Appendix contains a fund of his- torical information, which we believe will not only be appreciated by members of the Society, but by others as well.
Towanda, Pa., September, 1906.
2ยบ C $ 25,00 11-2-67 P.C. 4564 (10 teater)
Bradford County Historical Society.
MEETINGS.
MEETINGS are held the Fourth Saturday of each month. Since the re-organization of the Society in July, 1902, there have been 50 regular and special meet- ings. Special subjects are considered at the regular meetings, which are designated accordingly, as " Wysox Day," " Educational Day," " Women's Day," etc. The June meeting of each year has been set apart to the old people of the county who take part in a program specially arranged. There is a marked and growing public in- terest. During the past year eleven meetings were held with an aggregate attendance of 1,000 persons. Several hundred additional visited the rooms of the Society and the Museum.
PAPERS AND ADDRESSES.
PAPERS have been read and addresses made on the following subjects :
Early History of Wilmot-J. W. Ingham.
Early Times in Pike-Col. Jno. A. Codding.
Original Settlers of Towanda Village and Their Homes -J. V. Geiger.
Friedenshutten-J. W. Ingham.
Sullivan and His Army in Bradford County-C. F. Heverly.
Territory in which Bradford County has Been Em- braced and Divisions-Jno. A. Biles.
.
6
Papers and Addresses.
Life and Customs of the Pioneers-C. F. Heverly.
Reminiscences and Pioneer Families of Warren-H.
B. Iveson.
History of LeRoy-A. T. Lilley.
The Mckean Family-C. F. Heverly.
Old Training Days-Col. Jno. A. Codding.
Life, Character and Achievements of David Wilmot- Hon. E. R. Myer.
Aims and Object of the Bradford County Historical Society-Hon. A. C. Fanning.
Battle of Mobile Bay-Dr. E. D. Payne.
Anti-Slavery Movement in Bradford County-J. W. Ingham.
Formation of the Townships and their Changes-Jno. A. Biles.
Col. John Franklin-C. F. Heverly.
Hartley's Expedition-Rev. David Craft.
Early and Celebrated Preachers and Matters of Church History-Rev. J. S. Stewart, D.D.
Some Schools in the Olden Times-J. W. Ingham.
Early Schools and Educational Matters-Col. Jno. A. Codding.
School Teaching Seventy Years Ago-Lyman S. Chub- buck.
Superintendent Emanuel Guyer-Hon. Geo. Moscrip. Superintendent Chas. R. Coburn-C. F. Heverly.
Superintendent Otis J. Chubbuck-Wm. Foyle, Esq.
Superintendent Austin A. Keeney-Capt. J. Andrew Wilt.
Susquehanna Collegiate Institute-Chas. M. Hall, Esq. Old Towanda Academy-A. H. Kingsbury.
Old Athens Academy and Stephen C. Foster-R. M. Welles.
2~
Papers and Addresses.
LeRaysville Academy-I. McPherson, Esq.
Wyalusing Academy-Geo. T. Ingliam.
Indian History of Wyalusing-Jno. A. Biles.
Joseph Elliott, " The Indian Fighter."-Mrs. H. J. Hallock.
The Wells Family-Maj. Levi Wells.
The Vaughans-Richard R. Vaughan.
Julia Kinney Scott-Ida K. Layton.
Margaret St. Leon Loud-Mrs. Wm. Rice.
The Crofut Family-A. T. Lilley.
Pioneer Families of Herrick-Mrs. Eugene G. Putnam.
Bradford's Distinguished Sons in Other Lands-Hon. A. C. Fanning.
Geology of Bradford County-A. T. Lilley.
Thaddeus Stevens-Supt. H. S. Putnam.
Stone Age, or Indian Implements and Pottery-Chris- topher Wren.
Indian Tribes and Villages of the Upper Susquehanna Valley -- J. W. Ingham.
Indian Burying Grounds-C. F. Heverly.
Indian Paths-Capt. J. Andrew Wilt.
In addition to the foregoing, interest has been created and a vast amount of information gained through the Historical Question Box at the meetings.
THE MUSEUM.
A MUSEUM has been established, in which all the people of the county are interested. In addition to the general collection of relics, curios and mineralogical specimens, a log house, an exact representation of the homes in which our forefathers lived, has been constructed
Museum and Library.
in the building. This house is composed of a piece of timber (all different wood) from every township in Brad- ford county, the logs being laid up in the order in which the townships were formed. In the structure are em- braced all the native woods of the county, over 80 in number. Within is the old-fashioned fire-place, supplied with andirons, crane and kettle. The usual furnishings of the old-time home have their place. Every person who visits the log house writes his name in a register, and since its completion, July, 1905, it has been visited by people from half of the States in the Union
The Soldiers' Corner, containing the General Henry J. Madill memorial and Civil War relics, is a valuable acquisition and attracts many people.
Nature Study is made a feature, and already a fine geological collection of the county has been made and arranged by A. T. Lilley. Natural History is being worked out by a committee appointed for that purpose.
THE LIBRARY
THIS branch of the Society has received the least atten- tion and is not what it should be. However, a fair start has been made, nearly all voluntary contributions, to the number of 260 volumes. These consist mostly of historical works and rare old books on various subjects. A number of volumes of the early newspapers of the county has been secured and it is hoped to make the chain complete. A collection of original maps and man- uscripts, of much value, has also been obtained. In paintings, portraits and other pictures the Society already has a fine collection.
FRIEDENSHUTTEN.
PAPER BY J. W. INGHAM.
INTRODUCTION.
NOT far from the present village of Wyalusing, on the north bank of the creek near its junction with the Susquehanna, at the point of the ridge which was cut through by the railroad, stood Go-hon-to-to, one of the fortified villages of the Te-hot-ach-see tribe of Indians, which was one of the ten confederated tribes called the Andastes, or Susquehannocks. In a desperate war with the Six Nations (or Iroquois), who had the advantage of fire-arms which they had obtained from the Dutch at New York, the Susquehannocks were defeated and nearly ex- terminated. Only a remnant fled down the river and settled at Conestoga in Lancaster county, Pa. The greatest battle of the war took place at Go-hon-to-to, most of its inhabitants were slain and their palisaded town utterly destroyed. For nearly a century this " blood stained field," as the Six Nations called it, seems to have been abandoned as a permanent habitation.
It was owing to their conquest of the Susquehannocks that the Six Nations claimed the land in Pennsylvania, Maryland and part of Virginia, and both the provinces of Pennsylvania and Maryland bought large tracts of land of them for settlement to prevent war.
THE INDIAN TOWN AT WYALUSING.
On the east side of the Susquehanna river, about a mile and a half below the mouth of the Wyalusing creek, and directly opposite the present village of Sugar Run, was situated an Indian town called by themselves
9
10
Friedenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
M'chwihilusing, which the whites shortened to Wyalus- ing. When the town was rebuilt on higher ground un- der the supervision of the Moravian missionaries, the name was changed to " Friedenshutten," signifying " huts of peace."
The town was founded in 1752 by John Paupunhank, a Monsey chief of the Delaware tribe, who had been living on the headwaters of the Delaware river and who had with a number of other Indian families crossed over to the Susquehanna and came down the river in canoes to Wyalusing,
In his intercourse with the Quakers about Philadel- phia, which place he had frequently visited, Papunhank had learned something about the Christian religion, and endeavored to the best of his ability, by precept and example, to instruct the people in the duties of morality.
In May 1760, eight years after the founding of the town, Christian 'Frederick Post, one of the most advent- urous of the Moravian Missionaries, on his way to attend a council of the Western Indians, spent a night in Papunhank's town and preached to the Indians at their request, and preached to them in their own language without an interpreter. This was the first gospel sermon ever heard in the Susquehanna valley above Wyoming, Count Zinzidorf having preached to the Shawanese in 1742. Post journeyed several times to the Ohio country in the service of the government of Pennsylvania, to en- deavor to make peace with the Delaware and Shawanese Indians residing there, and who, instigated by the French governor of Canada, had drenched the frontiers of Penn- sylvania in blood. This patriotic and christian service he undertook in the interest of humanity, and at the persuasion of the Quakers, knowing that there was a large reward offered for his scalp, and that his every
11
1
Friendenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
footstep was surrounded with danger. His first journey prepared the Delaware and Shawnese for peace, and his second robbed the French of their entire Indian alliance in Ohio and enabled General Forbes to occupy Fort Du- quesne without opposition.
After the preaching of Christian Frederick Post the Indians at Wyalusing were desirous of obtaining the labors of a Christian minister, but were unable to agree upon what denomination to apply for the desired mis- sionary. Papunhank wanted a Quaker, but Job Chillo- way, another influential Indian, wanted a Moravian. Hearing of this desire, the Moravian brethren at Bethle- bem sent Zeisberger, a very successful missionary, to the town. Accompanied by Anthony, an Indian convert of the Moravians, they reached the place on the evening of . May 23, 1763. Papunhank received them into his house, and thither the Indians came from every part of the village to hear the gospel, and although wearv from his journey Zeisberger preached to them that night and several times afterwards. He and Anthony remained four days and then returned to Bethlehem. On the 17th of June following Zeisberger and Nathaniel (a brother of Anthony), returned to Wyalusing and were welcomed by Papunhank and his people. On their way they had overtaken and passed John Woolman, a Quaker preacher from New Jersey, who arrived in town the next day. Woolman was well received, and for three days the two missionaries labored together harmoniously, both having to preach through an interpreter. Perceiving that the Indians preferred the preaching of Zeisberger, Woolman decided to return to his home. He says : " That though Papunhank had before agreed to receive the Moravian, and join with them, he still appeared kind and loving to
12
Friedenshutten and Wialusing Indians.
us." There is no certainty that the Moravian was a better preacher than the Quaker, because Zeisberger had preached to them on his former visit, about a month previous, and they had agreed to receive him as their missionary. He had already been installed, as it were.
When Woolman was ready to depart, those who had attended his meetings came and shook hands with him, and he says : "I went among some who did not use to go to meeting, and took my leave of them also; and the Moravian (Zeisberger) and his Indian, appeared respect- ful to us at parting. We expected only two Indians to be our company, but when we were ready to go we found many of them were going to Bethlehem with skins and furs, who chose to go in company with us. So they loaded two canoes which they desired us to go in, telling us that the waters were so raised with the rains that the horses should be taken by such who were better acquaint- ed with the fording places. So we, with several Indians, went in the canoes, and others went on horses, there be- ing seven (horses) besides ours. When near night, a little below a branch called Taukhanna (Tunkhannock), we lodged there, and some of the young men going out a little before dusk with their guns brought in a deer. On the 22d of June, through diligence, we reached Wy- oming before night, and mostly understood the Indians were gone from the place. Here we went up a small creek into the woods, carried our baggage, and before dark our horses came to us. On the 23d, in the morn- ing, their horses were loaded, and we prepared our bag- gage and so set forward, being in all fourteen, and with diligent traveling, were favored to get near half way to Fort Allen (Stroudsburg); the land on this road from Wyoming to our frontier being mostly poor, and good
13
Friedenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
grass scarce. On the 24th we passed Fort Allen, and lodged near it in the woods. Having forded the western branch of the Delaware (the Lehigh) three times, and thereby had a shorter way, and missed going over the top of the Blue Mountains, called the Second Ridge. The troubles westward, and the difficulties for the Indians to pass our frontier, I apprehend, was one reason why so many came, as expecting our being in company would prevent the outside inhabitants from being surprised.
" On the 25thi we reached Bethlehem, taking care on the way to keep foremost, and to acquaint the people on and near the road who these Indians were. This we found very needful, for the frontier inhabitants were often alarmed at the report of English being killed by Indians westward. On the 26th and the first of the week, having carefully endeavored to settle all affairs with the Indians relative to our journey, we took leave of them, and I thought they generally parted with us affectionately, so we getting to Richland, N. J., had a very comfortable meeting amongst our friends. Here I parted from my kind friend and companion, Benjamin Parvin. I reached home the next day where I found my family middling well."
In describing his journey to Wyalusing he says : " Between the English inhabitants (settlers on the fron- tier) and Wehalossing (Wyalusing) we had only a nar- row path which in many places is much grown up with bushes, and interrupted by abundance of trees lying across it. These, together with the mountains, swamps and rough stones, make it a difficult road to travel ; and the more so for the rattlesnakes abound there, of which we killed four." In describing the Indian village, Wool- man says : " This town (Wyalusing) stands on the bank
14
Friedenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
of the Susquehanna, and consists of about forty houses, mostly compact together ; some about 30 feet long and 18 wide, and some bigger, and some less, mostly built of split planks one end set in the ground and the other pinned to a plate, on which lay rafters and covered with bark. I understood a great flood last winter overflowed the chief part of the ground where the town stands, and some were now about moving their houses to higher ground."
Woolman, like the Moravians, was largely endowed with the missionary spirit and had made this difficult journey on horseback with a single attendant, solely for the purpose of preaching the gospel to these Wyalusing Indians. He says : " I came to this place through much trouble, and though through the mercies of God I believed that if I died in the journey it would be well for me; yet the thought of falling into the hands of Indian warriors were, in times of weakness, afflicting to me ; but the Lord alone was my keeper, and I believed that if I went into captivity, it would be for some good end."
I have given more of Woolman's journal than neces- sary to the history of Wyalusing in order to show the situation of the country between that place and Bethle- hem, where the Moravian Indians went to exchange their skins and furs for goods and the road over which their missionaries frequently had to travel.
On the 26th of June, five days after the departure of Woolman, Papunhank ; and another Indian convert named Peter, were baptized at Wyalusing. Papunhank became an excellent helper to the missionary and was soon after appointed a native assistant in the work of Christian evangelization among his countrymen. His labors were efficient and he led a consistent Christian
15
Friedenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
life until his death in 1775 at the age of 70 years. Ac- cording to the Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, Papun- hank and his Indians from " Wighalousing," were at a council in Philadelphia, July 11, 1760, and again at a council in the same place, where he made a speech, Aug. 5, 1761. He afterward sent a message to the governor, informing him that they had dissuaded some relatives of the murdered man from revenge, and was thanked by the governor for their services.
These children of the forest were now more comfortable and happy than they had ever been before in their lives. They had cleared land, set out fruit trees, raised corn and vegetables in abundance ; game was plenty and they were learning the arts of civilization, but their happi- ness was soon to be interrupted.
The Pontiac War had broken out and emissaries from the hostiles in the West were now traversing the East to stir up the Indians here to engage in a great war to ex- terminate the hated pale faces. Powerful tribes in Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and Western New York, with the Delawares and Shawanese, had already joined the con- spiraey, and those along the Susquehanna were being earnestly solicited to unite with their countrymen and take part in the conflict. On the 30th of June, only a little more than a month from the first preaching of Zeisberger, a runner arrived at the village with a letter recalling Zeisberger to Bethlehem and suggesting that the Indian converts should come with him for protection against the hostile Indians, and also against the enraged frontier settlers who, having suffered much from Indian raids, regarded the whole race with hatred and made but little distinction between those who desired to be friendly and those on the war path.
16
Friedenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
The converts and their friends who were ready to go were taken first to Nazareth and Bethlehem, where they remained for a short time. Here they were not consid- ered safe from the attacks of the whites whose kindred had been killed or carried into captivity and their prop- erty destroyed. By order of the governor of Pennsylva- nia the Christian Indians were disarmed and taken to Philadelphia and from thenee to Province Island, where they were sheltered in barracks and supported at the ex- pense of the government.
Papunhank and twenty-one other converts, who had remained behind to gather the crops, followed in De- cember. Job Chilloway and other Indians who had not embraced Christianity determined not to take any part in the war on either side, went to Philadelphia and joined their friends on Province Island.
Being subject to restraint, like prisoners, and not liv- ing the active lives to which they had been accustomed and supplied with food different from their former diet, they became despondent, suffered from sickness, and in the space of fifteen months (the length of time they were kept there) buried nearly half their number. They bore their afflictions with heroic fortitude and remained stead- fast in their Christian faith.
On the 20th of January, 1765, danger of molestation being over, they were allowed to leave the place of their detention (81 in number) and started on the journey to their former homes on the Susquehanna. They tarried a short time for rest with their white friends at Nazareth and Bethlehem and resuming their journey on the 3d of April, after a long and tedious travel through the wilder- ness on foot, arrived at their destination on the Sth of May. They were accompanied by Zeisberger and
1
17
Friedenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
Schmick (another missionary) and Schmick's wife, whu were to remain with them and be their resident religious instructors.
Soon after the Christian Indians returned from Phila- delphia to Wyalusing (January 1765), after an absence of nearly sixteen months, they sent a message to Toga- haju, a chief of the Six Nations, who resided near the head of Cayuga Lake and to whom had been consigned the supervision over the Susquehanna Valley, to inform him of their return to their former residence and their desire to settle there.
He did not make any definite answer and the mes- senger returned, but not long after he summoned them to a council, and to the deputies who went to him he said the place where they were " was stained with blood, was unlucky, and was not a fit place for settlement." He alluded to a battle that had taken place there between the Six Nations and the Susquehannocks and the des- truction of the village of Gohonto. He said : "I will appoint you a place near us."
The deputies promised to lay the matter before their people and give him an answer when their corn was ripe. The Wyalusing Indians decided to remain where they were as long as they could but neglected to inform To- gahaju of their determination. At the close of the year 1765 there were connected with the mission 146 souls of whom 33 were communicants. 3 In the month of April, 1766, Togahaju sent them the following message :
" Cousins : What kind of corn have you at Wyalus- ing ? You promised an answer to my proposition when your corn would be ripe. My corn was ripe long ago. It is nearly consumed. I think of planting again. Why don't you fulfill your promise ?"
18
Friedenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
Zeisberger, Papunhank and three other Indians were sent to negotiate with Togahaju. On the 30th of April, 1766, they had a conference with the chief and the next day were presented to the council. Zeisberger plead the cause of the Wyalusing Indians with such success that the chief replied :
" Up to this time you have only sojourned at Wya- lusing ; now I set you down firmly and we give you all the land from Wyalusing up to a short distance above Tioga. There you can build, plant, fish and use as you like. It is yours."
Six months afterwards a report came that the Great Council at Onondaga had repudiated the grant made by Togahaju. Zeisberger and Gottlob Senseman, the two missionaries, were sent to Onondaga to ascertain the truth. Zeisberger addressed the council with his usual eloquence and the council returned the following answer : " The land grant made that Spring by Togahaju is approved by the council."
Finding that their town was subject to overflow from high floods in the river, in 1767 it was rebuilt on higher ground and consisted of 29 log houses, several of them being roofed with shingles, 13 huts and 7 stables for horses. In 1767 a new church was built, 22x34 feet, built of hewn pine logs, roofed with pine shingles, well lighted and with glass windows and surmounted by a tall cupola having a church bell. Altogether they had several hundred acres cleared on which they raised corn, oats, several other grains, hay and vegetables. They had apple orchards and a peach orchard. They had horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and fowls. They were industrious, rich for Indians, contented and happy, except for the fear they might be obliged to leave their homes at the
19
Friedenshutten and Wyalusing Indians.
command of the Six Nations, the Connecticut people or the Governor of Pennsylvania.
The Six Nations had sold all the land along the river from Wyoming to Tioga- in 1754 to the Connecticut- Susquehanna company, but the fact was not known to the Christian Indians at Wyalusing. In 1766, twelve years afterwards, with what appeared to be a noble gen- erosity, the Six Nations gave the Christian Indians all that part of the said grant from Wyalusing to above Tioga, and in 1768 sold the same lands to the proprie- taries of Pennsylvania.
This latter sale became known to the Wyalusing In- dians in December, 1768, when it was sold to them by a trader. A messenger was immediately sent to Togahaju to learn the truth of the report. He said : "I heard that an Allegheny Indian had been with you telling lies. Don't believe all you hear. Stay where you are, and if white men come, and you have to leave, I will give you good lands elsewhere."
In February, 1769, in a petition to John Penn, then acting governor of Pennsylvania, the Wyalusing Indians gave a history of their settlement, stated that their occu- pation was chiefly agricultural, told the number of acres they had cleared and improved, and praying that their lands might be secured to them for a permanent residence.
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.