USA > Pennsylvania > Columbia County > History of Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by the Columbia County Historical Society and Commissioners of Columbia County. [2d ed.] > 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
E F157.C7B2 *0014141*
Andruss Library Bloomsburg University Bloomsburg, PA. 17815
F157.C7B2 *0014141*
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY
PENNSYLVANIA
Sponsored by the Columbia County Historical Society and Commissioners of Columbia County
Prepared by Edwin M. Barton,
Historian of the Columbia County Historical Society, 1958
Copyright 1958, by Edwin M. Barton
Tentative Edition for use in the Columbia County High Schools Second Issue, 1964
All rights reserved.
MAR. O 4 1987
F 157 .07 B275 19:4
CONTENTS
Page
Preface
Relief Map, Columbia County MUSS LIBRARY and Region [ v
Political Map, Columbia County
with Neighboring Districts V
Suggestions to Teachers and Students; Acknowledgements vi
Chapter 1, THE COLUMBIA COUNTY REGION WHEN IT WAS INDIAN COUNTRY 1
Chapter 11, PIONEERS, PATRIOTS, AND
TORIES IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS 10
Chapter 111, PIONEER SETTLEMENTS IN THE "NEW PURCHASE" 29
Chapter IV, TRANSFORMING THE FRONTIER INTO CIVILIZED COMMUNITIES 38
Chapter V, CANALS, RAILROADS, AND INDUSTRIES 55
Chapter VI, SOME MID-CENTURY CONFLICTS 69
Outline Map of Columbia County 78
Bibliography of useful reference books following p. 67 vlt
=
PREFACE TO SECOND PRINTING
Herewith is submitted to the general public of Columbia County, a printing of the first six chapters of a history of this county, designed also for school use and prepared under the aegis of the Columbia County Historical Society. It is still in tentative form. A number of our county's high schools have found the first printing useful and expressed the desire that it continue to be available for school use.
Rather than being an excursion into narrow provincialism and pettiness the history of one's locality and region touches the broader history of one's commonwealth and country in many places and in many ways.
In some occasional instances these contacts are at critical and decisive points. At others such contacts are representative manifestations of our larger history, clarifying and sharpening it by instances in the reader's own home land. In addition the heritage of the advantages and achievements of the leaders and others and, - yes, let us face them - also the heritage of tensions and scars, - make up our region. We live here. Knowing our own community the better, we can become better community builders and more loyally attached to it.
These objectives and points of view have guided the author.
The standard sources have been combed, and diligent effort has been exerted to uncover new sources. Are there persons who have reliable traditions, letters, diaries, manuscripts, which would be helpful? Pictures, newspapers, clippings, catalogues, anything that will contribute to a more effective account of our cherished region, are requested. It is hoped that such sources may be made known for a more nearly definitive work to be attempted in the future. These are requested both for the period prior to 1870, and also for the period 1870 to the present. To be more specific; items dealing with mining, lumberling, quarrying, farming, industry, religion, education, any significant aspect or detail.
Careful efforts have been made to avoid errors, errors of omissions, of misstatements, or of any other type. Friendly criticism is welcomed. Responses to this request will be utilized fully to improve a final edition planned for issue in standard book form.
May we have your help?
Send responses to the author,
Edwin M. Barton Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
5
Berwick
RELIEF MAP OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA SURROUNDING AREAS ARE ALSO INCLUDED. REPRODUCED FROM ARMY MAP SERVICE YAPS. USED WITH PERMISSION. BOUNDARIES OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, OTHER THAN STREAMS, HAVE BEEN EMPHASIZED BY ADDITIONAL INK LINES SUPERIMPOSED.
Reported from consiglied publication & columbia ( ount, Guide by permission of
iv
Scale İv
Miles 10
Davidson Tap
LIVA 1
5
1
SUGARLOAF
Fairmount Twp
Jordan Tuý
N
1
2
JACKJON
BENTON
Franklin Twp
PINC
Huntington Twp
GREENWOOD
FISHING CREEK
L ILLE DONC
7
ORANGE
-
BRIAR CACER
ALL- Salem Tup
NORTH
1
CENTRE
Nescopeck Boro Nescoteck Tut
W. Hemlock
SCOTT
S. CENTRE
MIFFLIN
HEMLOCK
or
1
1
1
MAIN
MANTOUR
l'wp
ECAVER
Two
on
FRANK
2
1
RSARING CALEK
-
1
CLPVCLAND
LOCUST
.
/
NOA
Ralpho Tus C
3.
CONINGHAM
KEY TO
Coal
COLUMBIA Co
Mt. Carmel
ADJOINING COUNTIES TOWNSHIPS
MBERALBOTO l'wp. Mt. Carmel Two 1
0
BOROUGHS
Butler Tu?
Ashland Boro
1
1
1
1
1
LYCOM
Anthony Twp +~1
MADISON
MOUNT
PLEASANT
BOA.
1
Derry Twp
Twpo
1
Black Creek
Cooper Tup
Mayberry
Tup
U
V
0
Arthur S. Clay Map, 1910, Revised and published 1960 by Columbia County His-
terical Society. For additional coties! address the Society
G
SUGGESTIONS TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
The attempt has been made, in preparing this HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNT' to keep in mind the relation of our local conditions and developmentsto tho! of the United States as a whole. For this reason, marginal dates and notes have been inserted. Time diagrams have also been made in form so that the folded-in bottom sections of certain extra long pages may be turned down thus revealing the background of general events which thus can always be kept in view while our local developments are being read about. In some cas these special sheets are on colored paper in order to make it easier to loca them.
Students, especially should make use of these aids.
The class teacher of Pennsylvania history will find at the end of each chapter, teaching aids and learning suggestions to aid him in his guidance o his pupils, so that in studying this modest work, his students also will be led to a more thorough understanding of the history of their Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and of the United States as a whole.
********
The author, gratefully acknowledges the helpful criticisms and suggestions from many persons in the preparation of this Second Issue of 1964. Special appreciation is recorded for the critical reading of the revised manuscript by his wife, Anna Paddock Barton. Donna D. Zeisloft, as secretary, gave skillful attention to the typing and aid in general. The author accepts responsibility for any errors.
MIMEOGRAPHING BY THE EDWIN M. BARTON DUPLICATING SERVICE
:
Chapter I
Copy no.
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY
Sponsored by the Columbia County Historical Society and Commissioners of Columbia County
Prepared by Edwin M. Barton, Historian of the Columbia County Historical Society, 1958
Tentative Edition for use in the Columbia County High Schools for year 1958-1959
All rights reserved.
Schools agree to make reasonable efforts to return all copies to the Columbia County Historical Society on or about June 30, 1959.
٠
3
1
THE COLUMBIA COUNTY REGION WHEN IT WAS INDIAN COUNTRY*
Evidences of Indians
Dwellers in Columbia County are reminded in many ways that our beautiful region was at one time the home of people different from Europeans. The main river flowing through our county is called the Susquehanna. Both the name and the river are considered, respectively, among the most beautiful in the United States. The name is Indian. We are not sure whether it meant river where-the-water-makes-the-rocks- grind-on-the-banks, or the long and crooked river, or even the muddy river. Fishing Creek is a translation of the Indian name, Namescesepong, meaning stream-of-fish, or merely that its water smells fishy. Catawissa may have meant growing-fat-from-food or the place of pure water. Roaring Creek is probably a translation of the Indian, Popemetunk. Briar Creek was known to the Indians Kawanishoning.
Not only names but stone implements and crockery, usually fragments, have been found in our region in large numbers. These are evidences that people were living here before the coming of the Europeans. Such things are still being found. Many persons have large collections of such things, we call them artifacts .**
Such articles were found at or near sites of Indian villages. These were at places where hills with a southern exposure would give protection from the cold north winds of winter; or on high ground overlooking streams, high enough to be beyond flooding but close to the stream for fishing and canoe travel; or on level meadows where crops could be planted and cultivated with the crude wooden and stone tools. Such places have yielded many evidences of Indian life of long ago. These evidences may be human bones associated with animal bones, stone tools, spear points, arrow points, grinding stones, scrapers, boring stones, and pieces of crockery. They may be jumbled together, but are often in layers with charred embers of fires, long, long since gone out and grown cold. Some places may have a number of layers, others only a few. The oldest layers, it can be argued, were on the bottom, the least old on top. The record that one deposit may show may be carried further by another deposit at another place. Some of the oldest deposits yield bones of animals that have not existed here for many centuries, although they were plentiful at one time.
*Turn down folded part of page 9 so that you can refer to diagram as you read. - - -
** An especially fine collection is at the museum of the Columbia County Historical Society where school students and others may view them. If any one should find Indian relics, he should note carefully where the find took place and then report it to the Secretary of the County Society in Bloomsburg. Much that is known has been learned by giving careful study to the location of Indian finds and how they lie. The authorities at the Pennsylvania State Historical and Museum Commission will almost surely wish to know more about any important discoveries of Indian artifacts.
Indian Times
- 2 -
The stone implements in the layers that are not so deep are of definitely better workmanship. They have finer points and keener edges. The earlier, or older deposits and burials indicate that those Indians had not yet invented bows and arrows. The Indians had been in America for many Centuries.
Just recently the scientific principle of radio activity has been discovered. Your science teacher will explain this more fully if you ask him. By this means, scientists are able to take arti- cles containing carbon, examine them with a geiger counter, and then tell fairly accurately how old they are. Very old things that were once alive, contain some carbon. This is true of the bones of animals or human beings, and also of the charred remains of partly burned wood or roasted grain. Using this discovery, scientists are able to tell us that human beings have been in North America, and possibly in the Susquehanna valley, thousands of years, possibly eighteen thousand years.
This conclusion confirms the knowledge gained from the examina- tion of Indian village sites and deposits in certain overhanging rock shelters.
Where did the Indians come from?
The chain of islands, the Aleutian Islands, extending from Alaska westward to a point close to Asia, suggests that primitive people made their way by stages from one island to another, until they reached the mainland of North America in modern Alaska. From here, they spread throughout North and South America. Different groups with different languages almost surely came at times centuries apart. The skin color of the Indians resembles that of the mongolians and suggests that the Indians originally came from regions close to China. There are, and have been, many different kinds of Indians. These Red Men differed from each other much as Europeans from England, Italy, Greece, and Poland, as examples, differ from each other, and from other Europeans. Different groups of Indians could not under- stand each other's language any more than a Frenchman can understand a Dane, unless he has studied the Danish language. More than this we know that the Indian groups have been here for an enormously long time, some groups much longer than others. Such groups naturally must have differed in languages and customs.
Why study Indians ?
It is interesting to know about the people who lived here before the Europeans. Furthermore, the history of our country, and county, too, would undoubtedly have been far different if it had not been for the Indians. The whites, too, had a very great effect on the life of the Indians. With the exception of a small number, the Indians no longer live in Pennsylvania at all.
1492 In the century or so following the discovery of America by Columbus in 1492, Europeans sent expeditions to the New World for exploration, for conquest, and finally for settlement.
.
L
٠
٢
- 3 -
Smith 1608
The first explorer who has left a written account of the Indians in the valley of the Susquehanna was John Smith. There are evidences, however, that the Indians had already been receiving the white man's goods before this time. Smith wrote: "Such great and well propor- tioned men are seldom seen for they seemed like giants to the English, yea, and to the neighbors, yet seemed of an honest and simple disposition ... " He also said that when speaking they sounded "as a voyce in the vault ... " Others also recorded what fine people these Susquehannocks were.
We need to learn about this "mighty people" once in our valley, their neighbor tribes, and what became of them all. We will find that they had an important influence on our early history.
Brule 1617 1618
The earliest white man of whom we have any knowledge to visit the North Branch valley of the Susquehanna was a Frenchman, Etienne Brulé (Broo-lay), in 1617 and 1618. Brule , a young and powerful man, had already lived with the Indians north of Lake Erie. He had learned their language and had become skilled in woodcraft. We can piece together from several very brief account of Indians at that time, and our knowledge of the river, what Brule must have seen and experienced.
The Susquehanna Valley
He had the Susquehannock Indians as companions and guides. They travelled either in elm bark canoes or dugouts. They started from Carantouan, a strong stockaded fort of these Indians near the modern town of Athens, Pa. Paddling and floating down the river, they passed through deep gorges which were forest covered at all places except the steepest ones. Here the bare rock was visible. Below one of such precipices, Council Bluff, just before reaching Wapwallopen, the valley widens. On the north, over the tree tops they would be able to catch a glimpse of the mountain we call Lee, ending at Knob Mountain. To the south through the openings in the forested river bluffs another mountain could be seen, Nescopeck Mountain. Following the river as it cut south through what we call the Catawissa Narrows, the western end of Catawissa Mountain would have loomed impressively on their left. The stream would have then borne them past alternating bluffs and more open country, mostly forested to the site of modern Danville. Then farther down they would reach the great forks of the Susquehanna where the West Branch, only slightly smaller than the North, would have been seen joining its flow to make a great river. The Indians called this place of joining of the two branches, Shamokin, where both modern Sunbury and Northumberland are located. From there the trip of many days took the travelers to the Cheasapeake. Following they would then have had the return trip, this time paddling or poling against the current.
The Susquehannocks
Here and there where the tanks were slightly higher than ordinary, usually near a branch stream, would have been a clearing, the site of an Indian village. Such were to be found at or near the present locations of Wapwallopen, Nescopeck, Berwick, Mifflinville, Bloomsburg,
٠
٠٠
۔
٤
م
م
٠
- 4 -
Catawissa, and probably other places, too. Curious and watchful Indians must have paddled out to learn about the strange boatmen. They would have been assured that the travelers were friends, in fact, "brothers" of the same tribe, with Brule as their guest.
Indian hospitality would have been offered and accepted. Not to accept would have been an affront, leading to unfriendliness and even actual attack. Shelter would have been provided for the night. It is probably true that the travelers had counted on securing such shelter along the way.
Their huts were probably oblong, made by forcing saplings in the ground, bending them to come together at the top in the center and lashed into position. These were covered with large mats of bark, lashed to the upright sapplings, sides and overhead. Smoke from their fires escaped through a hole in the roof. The Indians themselves were not very clean, and their dogs were less so. These habitations, it can be guessed, could be smelled by an approaching traveller before they could be seen.
Crowded, eyes often smarting from smoke, skin red from bites of fleas and lice, and also mosquitoes in summer, the discomforts must have been great. We can understand why, when the Indians were exposed to new diseases of the White Men, they died off in large numbers. But the Indians of this time knew no better and Brule seems to have become hardened. In fact, most of his later life was spent with the Indians.
From John Smith and others we learn further about the Susquehannocks. They were gracious and friendly to those who were friendly to them, but fierce and corageous against their enemies. They were respected and feared by all their neighbors. They once controlled the whole valley of the Susquehanna and its tributaries, extending north to its headwaters. The Susquehannocks belonged to a large group of tribes called Iroquois. The Susquehannocks were at this time one of the strongest of these tribes. The Iroquois Confederation of Five (Six) Nations
The northern headwaters of the Susquehanna, in modern New York, were close to the tributaries of the Mohawk river. A canoe traveler could carry a canoe from one river system to the other. The Mohawk river flows from west central New York into the Hudson river at the east. Five nations of the Iroquois, united in a loose, but strong confederacy occupied this Mohawk valley. At the time our history of Pennsylvania is opening up, this confederacy was making itself the strongest Indian power in North America. It called itself the Long House. This diagram shows the members and their arrangement.
THE IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY OF FIVE NATIONS (After 1711, Six Nations) West LONG HOUSE East
: Senecas: Cayungas : Onandagas : Oneidas : Mohawks : Mohawk Riv:Keepers : Younger : Tenders of : Younger : Keepers of : Hudson Headwaters:of the : Brother : the Central: Brother : the Eastern:river :Western : : Council : Gate : : Gate : ..
: Fire : ·
After 1711, at the south, The Tuscaroras, on the Cradle Board
I ..
.
.
٠
- 5 -
White Men and Indians carry on trade
Trade between the Indians and European started very early, in many cases, the earliest explorers found that these traders had been here before them. In 1608, for instance, John Smith stated that the Susquehannocks had hatchets, knives, pieces of iron and brass. Certainly European traders were actively trading with the Indians before the first settlements were made. This trade continued to be of great importance throughout our colonial period, and for many years after.
As soon as the Indians saw the white man's materials and goods for trade, he realized how much superior they were to his own. Steel axes, hatchets, and knives were better than those of stone. Brass and iron pots and kettles were better than fragile earthenware pots, better shaped, with better handles. Sewing with steel needles and awls was far easier than using crude flint, bone, or horn awls. Woven blankets were much desired by the Indians even though the Indians prepared soft and comfortable deer skins. Brightly colored cloth was much in demand. The white traders also brought porcelain and glass beads to take the place of the shell beads, wampum, of the Indians. The white man's fire arms were eagerly sought, also. The Indians, or at least many of them, quickly developed an uncontrollable appetite for intoxicating drinks, which they called fire water. Usually this was in the form of rum or whiskey.
The Europeans early discovered that trade could be highly profitable in securing the pelts of fur bearing animals, which would bring a high price in Europe. The goods the Indian wanted, were not nearly so expensive, some of them, such as the beads and some kinds of cloth, were cheap. The Indians on their part found that what the white traders wanted was, at first, very plentiful and cheap to them, the pelts of the fur bearing animals. Thus there actually was a basis for valuable trade, each had things of great value to the other. In many cases, however, the white traders were scoundrels, and cheated the Indians in many ways. There were also scoundrelly Indians. There were also upright traders who dealt fairly with the Indians, but they seem to have been in the minority.
Very quickly this trade reached enormous amounts. We have a few records to show this. In just one year, 1683, the Swedish traders located on the lower Delaware sent to the home land 50,000 pelts. These must have been secured from the Indians in the Delaware and Susquehanna valleys. The English at the south, the Dutch in the Hudson valley, the English in New England, and the French of New France, were also engaged in this trade. We can be sure that this trade year after year from all of these regions must have been enormous . Of course it was valuable to both the Indians and the whites. Largely on account of rivalry for the fur trade, the Dutch conquered the Swedish settlements in 1655. Then in 1664 the English conquered the Dutch and New Amsterdam became New York. This left the English and French as sole rivals. This rivalry between the English and French resulted in wars lasting, off and on, for over half a century. As you have probably learned, the English were finally victorious. This victory has a good deal to do with the history of our region. The Indians played an important part in these wars. Let us see how this came about.
.
٣
.
:
س ٣
- 6 -
The Susquehannocks Destroyed
The fur trade also brought rivalry to the Indians. How many thousands of hatchets, knives, hoes, needles and guns, and blankets, how much woven goods and firewater must have been exchanged for these thousands of fur pelts? Naturally, the Indian became dependent on the white man's goods. In order to secure them, he hunted and trapped the woodlands so closely that with the passage of years the eastern woodlands no longer were able to supply enough. The Indians farther west were brought into this trade. Now the Indians north of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence river became rivals of the Five Nations. When the Susquehannocks as rivals of the Five Nations, also sided with the St. Lawrence Indians, the Hurons, bitter and long continued warefare started between the Susquehannocks and the Five Nations. At first the Susquehannocks were victorious but the English turned against them. Their numbers were not as great as those of the Five Nations. They were seriously weakened when large numbers of them died from disease, probably small pox. Long continued attacks wore them down. Finally, their last stronghold was captured in 1675. The few survivors either fled south or were adopted into the Five Nations. The result was that there were few if any Indians living in our valley for many years after this conquest. Pennsylvania Founded
Just seven years later, 1682, William Penn started the Quaker settlement at Philadelphia. He found the Delaware Indians* dwelling in the Delaware valley and, trying to be especially fair, he purchased land from them. It was to be revealed later that the Delawares had been held subject to the Susquehannocks. Then after the Five Nations had conquered the Susquehannocks, the Delawares were compelled to accept the Five Nations as their rulers. This fact is important in understanding Indian troubles in our region at a later time.
As we know, settlers came to Penn's Holy Experiment, the colony of Pennsylvania, in large numbers and for many years. William Penn and, after his death, his sons and heirs purchased land again and again. Although at first the Delawares were friendly, they gradually became embittered. After each purchase the Indian was required to leave and go farther west. William Penn was always very fair, but this cannot be said of his heirs in later purchases. The Indians were often made drunk in order to make an unfair bargain. Thus they were often cheated out of a fair price. By 1750 the settlers were advancing to the mountains.
Land Frauds
An especially unfair transaction was the so-called Walking Purchase in 1737. According to previous treaty, it had been agreed that the Pennsylvania authorities would be able to purchase a section of land to be determined by the distance a man could walk in a day and a half. This was to be measured from Wrightstown. - -
*In their own language, the Delawares called themselves Lenni · Lenape (Len-ni Le-na-pry), meaning in their language, the real men.
١
١٢ ٣٫١
.en
ارقة
٢٠٦
1
٤٫٠
هـ.
1.
()
:Y
i
:٢ ٢- ٢٫٠٠
٠٢
T
-
7.٦
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.