USA > Pennsylvania > Greene County > History of Greene County, Pa. : containing an outline of the state from 1682, until the formation of Washington County in 1781. History during 15 years of union. The Virginia and new state controversy--running of Mason's and Dixon's line--whiskey insurrection--history of churches, families, judges, senators, assembly-men, etc., etc. > Part 1
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West Virginia University Libraries F 157.G8H2
wise History of Greene County, Pa.
3 0802 000952147 9
History of Greene County, PA
ELEVENTH
E
F157 .G8H2
DATE DUE
Aug 207 2002
MAY 3 1 2009
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DEMCO, INC. 38-2931
HISTORY
- OF- -
GREENE COUNTY, PA.
---- CONTAINING
AN OUTLINE OF THE STATE FROM 1682,
-UNTIL THE-
(
Formation of Washington County in 1781.
-
--- 0 -: 0 :- 0-
HISTORY DURING 15 YEARS Of UNION.
THE VIRGINIA AND NEW STATE CONTROVERSY-RUNNING OF MASON'S AND DIXON'S LINE-WHISKEY INSURRECTION, -HISTORY OF CHURCHES, FAMILIES, JUDGES, SENATORS, ASSEMBLYMEN, ETC., ETC.
BY REV. WILLIAM ILANNA. 1882.
F-157
Library West Virginia Univerzity
Entered according to Act of Congress, BY REV. WM. HANNA, In the Copy-Right Office, Washington, D. C., On the Ist day of December, 1882.
.
PREFACE.
IT was a crushing blow to the nobles and ignobles of the old world when an obscure man like Christopher Columbus was daily receiving the thanks of Monarchs and the continuous ap- plause from the masses. The envious were heard to say, "Oh, who could not do that ? Nothing easier in the world." To si- lence these gainsayings he proposed at the dinner party that each guest should try to make an egg stand on its end on the marble table. When all had failed, he struck his egg a slight . blow on its larger end, crushing the shell slightly, and at once it stood up. The sore-headed growlers at once said, "How easy any one can do that," to which the great discoverer modestly replied, "Yes, after I have showed you how." The historian often meets the same class of envious people who are continu- ally saying, "what an easy thing to write history ; any one can do that." So they can after some one has shown them how. And this is the great difficulty in writing a history of Greene County : no one has gone over the whole county before me to + show me how. Another difficulty is that I have presumed " to bring the history down to the present day ; had I dropped the thread eighty years ago there would have been but few if any now living that could rise up and contradict me. But there are hundreds of men and women of my own age who ; , have witnessed the scenes that I describe and whose recollec- tion of the particulars will very likely differ from mine. Let the candid reader ask himself, how is it that eight or ten men, , good citizens of Greene County, wili come into Court and un-
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PREFACE.
der oath give such different statements with reference to a transaction that occurred within the last six months. He (the reader) will then be prepared to make a great amount of allow- ance for the different statements of persons who have witnessed the same transactions forty or fifty years ago. Some of these difficulties I do not pretend to solve, but give the different views of intelligent men and then leave the reader to form his own opinion. In writing this history I have imitated no model, ; purposely intending that it shall differ in style and arrange- ment from any other history that ever was written. Hoping all persons will extend to me that charity that hopeth all things I submit these pages, trusting that no wrong motive will be im- · puted to me, although some of my statements may differ from their opinions. WILLIAM HANNA.
INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTER I.
N the 4th of March, 1681, Charles II. granted to Win. Penn a charter for the Province of Pennsylvania, the King having regard to the memory of his (Penn's) father, who had served his Majesty in numerous ways, especially in the late victory over the Dutch fleet, commanded by Heer Von Opdam in the year 1655. The English forces in the . battle were commanded by James, Duke of York. In consid- cration of these services, King Charles II granted to William Penn all that tract of land in North America, bounded on the east by the Delaware river, commencing at a point twelve miles northward from New Castle town unto the forty-third degree of north latitude if the river doth extend so far; but if the river does not extend so far northward, then by the river so far as it does extend, and thence by a meridian line to be drawn from the head of the river extending northward as far as the forty-third degree. The said tract of land to extend westward five degrees of longitude to be computed from the ! Delaware river, and the said land to be bounded on the north by the beginning of the three and fortieth degree of northern latitude, and on the south by a circle drawn at twelve miles- distant from New Castle northward and westward unto the be- ginding of the fortieth degree of northern latitude and then by a straight line westward to the limits of longitude mentioned above. This Charter is in the office of the Secretary of the State of Pennsylvania until this day, and consequently is up- ! wards of two hundred years old. It is written on parchment
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
in the old English hand-writing ; cach line underscored with , red ink. The borders are emblazened with heraldic designs, . and on top is a poortrait of King Charles the Second. Under the provisions of this Charter William Penn, by and with the advice, assent and approbation of the freemen of the country above described had authority to make, ordain and enact laws. Accordingly on the 25th of April, 1682, William Penn framed a form of government for the Province of Pennsylvania. It consisted of a preface and twenty-four articles, confirming onto the freemen thereof their liberties, franchises and proper. ty. (Creigh History, page 28, William Markman was immedi- , ately dispatched as Penn's deputy, who entered into negotia- tion with the Indians on the 15th of July, 1682, leaving their contracts open for the opproval or rejection of the proprieter himself when he should arrive, which event took place on the 24th'of October. 1682. The landing of Penn and a large num- ber of colonists at New Castle formed a kind of epoch in the history of those early times. Indeed the 24th of October, 1682 ought to be celebrated on the 24th of October, 1882 as a kind of "Red Letter Day." The consequences were so important to all parties. Had his rapacity and love of gold been equal to that of a Cortes or Pizarro, how different doubtless would ' have been the results of his landing. Indeed it requires all the ingenious landations of the descendents of some of those prima- tive settlers of some of these northern colonies to preserve the names of their ancestors from justly merited odium. Not so with William Penn. His career needs no sophisticated apolo- gist ; his conduct was endorsed by the savages themselves ; the ·very kind of hat he wore became in after times a pastport of safety to all who conscientiously wore it, as the following and ; , numerous other instances will abundantly illustrate : Soon after § Christopher Gist had built his log cabin at the foot of Laurel , Hill on the location long known as Mount Braddock, Jacob
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INTRODUCTION.
Beeson built his cabin at the edge of an extensive plumb thicket that then covered the entire site of the present Uniontown One night the inmates of this humble "home in the woods" were awakened by the animated discussion going on outside with ' reference to the propriety of at once ambilating those primitive A dwellers. While the family listened with throbbing hearts to the half Indian, half English discussion. they could distinct- ly hear the expression "na na na : Broad Brim." The argument was conclusive ; the savages withdrew without doing the least harm. for Mr. Beeson did conscienciously wear the "Broad Brim." and no Indian could be found so low-fallen as to do vi- olence to a family protected by this well recognised "talisman." No wonder then that all parties rejoicel on the arrival of the man whose good name had gone before him, and who after long years of contact and trial was found to be in all respects worthy of it. His attention was immediately called to the condition- al contract made by his deputy on the 15th of July. 1682. This contract Penn confirmed with the Sachems and their tribes under the "Elm Tree" at Shackamaxon." now Kensing- ton. This treaty was the first made by Penn with the Indians and was for the purchase of the lands lying between the falls of the Delaware and the Neshaming Creek : the deed was dated October 24, 1682. The next purchase was made on the 23d of June, 1683. and was for a tract of land between Nesh- aming Creek and Pennepack. and was to extend as far back into the country as a man couldl travel in two days on horseback. Two days afterwards, June 25, 1683. Pen purchased from the Chief Winebone, what is styled his (Winebone) "release." for lands on the west side of Schuylkill, beginning at the falls and extending back on the same as far as his right is undisputed. Ou the 14th of July of the same year, another deed was made to Penn by the Chiefs conveying the lands between Schuylkill river and Chester creek. On the same day another deed was
IIISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
made conveying the lands between Schuylkill and Penn- epack. On the 10th of September, 1683 "Kake Tap- pan" makes a deed for his half of all his lands between Susque- hanna and Delaware rivers on the Susquehanna side. October 18, 1683, the Chief Machaloha, executes a deed for lands be- tween the Delaware river and Chesepeak bay, as far up as the falls of the Susquehanna. June 3, 1684, Manyhenghsin signs a release for his land on Peckioming. June 7, 1684, Mettam- micont releases his lands on both sides of Pennepach on Dela- ware river. July 80, 1685, the Chiefs execute a deed for lands between Pennepack on Chester Creek as far back as a man can ·go in two days from a point on Conshocken hill. October 20. ¡1685, Penn received his eleventh deed for lands between Duck : and Chester creeks as far back as a man could ride in two days - with a horse. On the 15th of June, 1692, the Indians acknow". edge full satisfaction for lands between Neshaming and Po- guessing creeks as far back as the boundaries of the Province. June 13. 1696, the Chief, Dongan, made Penn a deed for lands on both sides of the Susquehanna from the lakes to the Chest- peak bay. January 5, 1697, Penn was put in possession of al .- other deed made by Taming, for the land between Pennepacl: ! and Neshaming, as far back as a horse can travel in two sun !- mer days. September 13, 1700, a deed was made by the Sus- quehanna Indians for the lands on both sides of the Susquehan- % na river, comprising Dongan's deed of January 13, 1696. It would seem from the record that this Dongan was an enter- .prising fellow and was, like many white men, ready to ""recon without his host," and consequently seems to have sold as his own property, lands in which he only had a small inter- , est ; and here we see the generosity of Penn-instead of insist- ing on his precious purchase, he seems to have bought this same land at least twice, perhaps three times, for on the 23d of April, 1701, there seems to have been a general gathering of
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INTRODUCTION.
the Indians, when after various speeches and payments of ad- , Jitional sums, the Chiefs of the Shawnees, Potomacks and Conestoges all ratify the transaction and relinquish all claim to the lands in dispute. These dissentions seem to have rendered the proprietors more slow in purchasing Indian claims, hence no further purchase was made for upwards of seventeen years, when on the 13th of September, 1718, a deed of release is made by the Delaware Indians for the lands between the Delaware and Susquehanna from Duck creek to the Lehigh hills. A controversy arose at this time about the distance that a man on horseback ought to travel m one day, which as will be seen above was the way in which several of the previous bounda- ries were to be decided. The presumption is that the horse had traveled much further than the Indians expected. These dis- putes were satisfactorily adjusted by a deed executed on the 16th of December, 1529. May $1, 1726. the Indians execute a deed for lands on both siles ot Brandywine creek. September 7, 1782. the proprietors are put in possession of their twentieth deed tor lands between Lehigh hills and Kittatinny mountains. ' between Schuylkill and its branches and the branches of the Delawue. October 11, 736, a deed was made by the Indians for the Susquehanna river and the lands on both sides thereof eastward to the head of the branches, and westward to the setting sun, and from its month to the Kittatumy hills. On the 25th of Detober following the Indians in Council admitted . that the deed of the 11th was intended to inchide the lands vu the Delaware, and westward to the Kittatinny hills. August 28, 1737 the purchase known as the "walking purchase" took place, which extended from the westerly branch of the Nesh- aming up the Delaware as far as a mim: could walk in a day and a half. August 22, 1749, the twenty-fourth Indian deed was made for lands from the Kittatinny mountains to Mahanoy mountain and between Susquehanna and Delaware rivers on
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
the north side of Lackawaxen creek. July 6, 1754, a deed was made at Albany for the lands on the west side of the Susque- hanna from Kittatinny mountains to a mile above Penn's creek, thence northwest as far as the Province extends to its western boundaries. October 23. 1758, deed for lands from Penn's creek northwest and by west to Buffalo creek, thence west to Allegheny mountains and along the east side thereof to the western boundary of the Province. . November 5, 1768, at a great treaty held at Fort Stanwix on the present site of Rome in the State of New York, a deed was made by the Iroquoise Indians for the lands west of the Monongahela river. commonly called the new purchase. Under this purchase the Penn's opened their land office in Philadelphia on the 3d of April. 1769 for the sale of lands in the new purchase. During the first month numerous applications were made for patents for land by parties who were already on the ground, having begun to make their tomahawk marks as early as 1769, while as yet the Indian title to this domain had not been extinguished. This last mentioned purchase at Fort Stanwix, it will readily be seen, was the all-important one for Greene County. On the 21st of January, 1785, a deed was made for all the Indian lands in the bounds of this Commonwealth, including those purchased at Fort McIntosh on the 23d of October, 1784.
After following up the purchases until we arrive at the time when our own county was purchased from the Indians, we find ourselves under the necessity of going back in order to ascer- tain what were the other personal transactions of the worthy old Quaker who so conscientiously purchased, at different times, so much of the territory for which he already held the title from the King of Great Briton. One of his first acts towards white men was to assemble all the freemen of this province at Chester, as well as those of the three teritorries, as they were then called, of New Castle, Kent and Sussex. At this meeting
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INTRODUCTION.
an act of Union was passed, annexing the three territories to the Province of Pennsylvania for legislative purposes. William Penn. by and with the advice and consent of this first assem- bly of the freemen, divided the Province of Pennsylvania into. three counties, viz : Philadelphia, Bucks and Chester. For each of the counties and territories, Sheriff's and other necessary officers were appointed by the proprietor, but the Council and Assemblymen were elected by the people. On March 10. 1683, the Council and Assembly met in Philadelphia, cach county having returned three members for the Council and nine for the Assembly. Wilham Penn returned to England in 1684. after ppoming a President to administer his affairs in his absence. Dissatisfaction arising, the three counties that had been annexed to the Province, withdrew, and in 1691 elected a legislature el their own and were henceforth known as Delaware. Wilham Markman was now appointed Deputy Governor tinder Wilhan Penn. In August, 1599, William Penn returned : the Province and reassumed the reins of government, to the great joy of the people who seem always to have had more con- tidenco in him than any one he could place over them. On the 28th of Jetober. 1701, he presented the Council and Assembly with a new charter of privileges, and having appointed Andrew Hamilton as Lieutenant Governor, he agam departed for Eng- land. Thus charter continued the supreme law of the land until the Declaration of Independence was promulgated on the 4th July. 1776. A convention then assembled on the 8th of July for the purpose of forming a constitution for the State.
Pennsylvania has been very justly called the Keystone State in consequence of having about an equal number of the origin- al colonies on each side of it. On the southwest, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Dela- ware; on the north east. New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts. New Hampshire and Maine. As this State is
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
situated in the center of the original arch, with New Jersey at its eastern end to keep it from falling out, It deserves special notice in its different forms of government, as follows: 1681, William Penn, Proprietor ; 1684, Thomas Loyd, President of Governor's Council ; 1688, Captain John Blackwell, Lieutenant Governor ; 1690, Thomas Loyd. Deputy and Lieutenant Gov- ernor', 1693, Benjamin Fletcher, Captain General and Lieuten. ant; 1698, William Markman, Lieutenant Governor; 1700. William Penn again acting as Governor ; 1701, Andrew Ham- ilton, Deputy Governor ; 1703, Edward Shiphen, President of Council ; 1704, John Evans, Deputy Governor ; 1709, Charles Gookin, Deputy Governor; 1717, Sir William Keith, Deputy Governor, 1726, Patrick Gordan, Deputy Governor; 1738, George Thomas, Lieutenant Governor; 1747, Anthony Pal- mer, President of Council : 1748, James Hamilton, Lieut.Gov .; 1754, Robert Morris, Lieutenant Governor ; 1756, William Denny, Lieutenant Governor ; 1759, James Hamilton, Lieu- tenant Governor ; 1763, John Penn, Deputy Governor; 1771, Richard Penn, Governor ; 1773, John Penn, Governor; 1775, Benjamin Franklin. President of Council ; 1776, Thomas Whar- ton. President of Council; 1777, Joseph Reed, President of Council : 1781. William Moor, President of Council; 1782. John Dickson, President of Council: 1785, Benjamin Franklin, President of Council; 1788, Thomas Mifflin, President of Coun- cil. Under the new constitution of 1790, Thomas Mifflin was elected first Governor, over Arthur St. Clair by a majority of 24,522 votes. In 1793, Thomas Mifflin was again clected Gov- ernor over F. A. Muhlenburg by a majority of 8,890; in 1796. Thomas Mifflin was elected a third time, defeating F. A. Muhl- enburg, this time by a majority of 20,018 votes. In 1799 , Thomas Mckean was elected Governor over James Ross by a majority of 14,601 votes. In 1802, Thomas McKean was again ; clected by a majority of 30,748. Thomas McKean was elected k .
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INTRODUCTION.
a third time in 1805 by a majority of 4,766. In 1808, Simon Snyder was elected Governor by a majority of 24,386. Simon Snyder was again elected Governor in 1811 by a majority of 47,035. In 1814, Simon Snyder was elected Governor a third term by a majority of 20,605. William Findley was elected Governor in 1817 by a majority of 7,048. In 1820 Joseph Hiester was elected Governor by a majority of 1,584. Andrew Shultz was elected in 1823 by a majority of 25,709, and re-elec- ted in 1826 by a majority of 70,361. In 1829, George Wolf was elected Governor by a majority of 16,433, and re-elected in 1832 by the small majority of 3,170. I remember this elec_ tion very distinctly. The parties were divided into "Masons" and "Anti-Masons." Mr. Wolf was accused of being a Mason. consequently his diminished majority. In 1835, Joseph Ritner was elected as the Anti-Mason candidate : the whole number of votes polled was 200,413. Of these, George Wolf received 65,804, Joseph Ritner, 94,023, and Henry A. Muhlenburg, 40,586. making Ritner Governor, agreeable to the provisions of the constitution, although he lacked 12,377 votes of having a majority of the whole vote. In 1838, David R. Porter was elected over Joseph Ritner by the small majority of 5,496. Al- though there were but the two candidates in the field, the con- test was a fair one, and the unprecedentedly large vote of 250,- 146 was in consequence of the intense excitement of the cam- paign. In 1841 a new party began to make its appearance, called the Liberty party. Dr. Le Moyne, of Washington, Pa., was a candidate this year on this ticket for Governor, and re- ceived 763 votes ; John Banks was also a candidate and received : 113,473; David R. Porter received 136,504 votes, making him Governor by a majority of 22.245. In 1844 Franeis R. Shunk was elected by a majority of 1,716, Dr. Le Moyne receiving this year 2,566 votes. In 1847 Francis R. Shunk was re-elected by ia majority of 4,819. In 1848 William F. Johnston was elected
+
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
by the small majority of 225. In 1851 William Bigler was elected by 6,539 majority. James Pollock was elected in 1854 by a majority of 34,604. William F. Packer was elected in 1857 by 14,527 of a majority. In 1860 Andrew J. Curtain was placed in the Governor's chair by a majority of 32,110, and re- .elected in 1863 by a majority of 15,333. John W. Geary was elected in 1866 by a majority of 17,178. He was re-elected over Asa Packer in 1869 by the small majority of 4,596, (for the size of a majority must be reconed by the number of votes polled.) On this occasion the number was 576,508, whereas for the first Governor, Thomas Mifflin, in 1790, there were but 30,528 votes all told. An idea can from this be formed of the rapid growth of the State in ninety-nine years, Having now prepared the minds of our readers by this outline history of the State, I invite their attention to our existance during fifteen years as the eastern part of Washington county, our interests being identi- cal with theirs. The preamble to the Act of the 28th of March is in these words :
"WHEREAS, The inhabitants of that part of Westmorland county which lies west of the Monongehela river, have repre- sented to the Assembly of this state the great hardships they lie under from being so far remote from the present seat of judi- cature and the public offices:" To remedy these inconveni- encies, they therefore passed the Act of Separation, which is in eighteen Sections, the preamble being numbered the first. Section second gives the boundaries of the county. Section third gives the same rights and privileges to the inhabitants as enjoined by other counties of the State. Section four anthor- izes the Trustees to take assurance of ground whercon to erect a Court house and prison, and divide the county into townships before July 1, 1781. Section five empowers the inhabitants to ¡elect Inspectors, two Representatives for the Assembly, one member of the Supreme Executive Council, two persons for
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Sheriff, two for Coroner and three for Commissioners. The clection was ordered to be held at the house of David Hoge at the place called "Catfish Camp." Section six declares that Justices of the Supreme Court shall have like power and author- :ty in Washington County. Section seven and eight, provides for the election of Justices of the Peace, to be hell on the 15th of July, 1781, for the various townships (after Judges and In- spector have been elected). Section nine provides for Justice, uf the Peace to hold Courts of General Quarter Sessions and Goal Delivery. Section ten provides that James Edgar, Hugh Scott, Van Swearingen. Daniel Leet and John Armstrong, shall be appointed Commissioners to purchase ground for a Court house, as provided in Section four. Sections eleven and twelve provides for the mode of defraying the expenses of the public buildings. Section thirteen provides for the continuance of suits commenced in the original county. Sections fourteen. fifteen and sixteen, provide for the appointment of a collector of the excise, his powers and fees. Section seventeen directs the Sheriff and Coroner of Westmorland county to officiate un- til these officers could be chosen in the new county. Section eighteen directed the amount of the security to be given by the Sheriff and Treasurer. Under the provisions of this Act, Greene as part of Washington Co. was governed up to the 9th of Fcb. 1796, when an Act was passed dividing the territory into iwo parts, leaving the townships of Morgan, Cumberland, Frank- . iin, Greene and Richhill, to constitute the new county of Greeno. Of these five townships, Morgan and Cumberland were organized on the 15th of July, 25, 1781. Greene was organized on the Sd of April, 1782. Franklin was organized on the 16th of July 1787, and Richhill was organized March 13, 1793. Theso :original townships have been sub-divided into Jefferson, Morris, sAleppo, Dunkard, Monongahela, Springhill, Jackson, Gilmore, Centre, Marion, Washington, Wayne, Whiteley, Perry.
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