History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell
Number of Pages: 604


USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 1


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1811. HISTORY OF


SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PENN 1881


UNIVERSITY


OF PITTSBURGH


OF ! PITT


E


1787


LIBRARY


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2009 with funding from University of Pittsburgh Library System


http://www.archive.org/details/historyofschuylk00newy


HISTORY OF


SCHUYLKILL


COUNTY, PA.


WITH


Al Hustrations and


iographical


hetches


OF


SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN and PIONEERS.


NEW YORK: W. W. MUNSELL & CO., 36 VESEY STREET. 1881.


PRESS OF GEORGE MACNAMARA, 36 VESEY STREET, N. Y.


-


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


OUTLINE HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.


PAGE


CHAPTER I.


The Discovery of the Delaware-Pennsyl- vania Granted to and Organized by Wil- liam Penn .


9-11


CHAPTER II.


German Immigration -The Administra- tions of William Penn and Sir William Keith 11, 12


CHAPTER III.


The Question of Taxing the Proprietary Es- tates-Wars with the French and Indians 13-15


CHAPTER IV.


" Mason and Dixon's Line "-Causes of the Revolution-Patriotic Action of Pennsyl- vania


15, 16


CHAPTER V.


Revolution in the Provincial Government -Pennsylvania a State-Battles of 1776 and 1777-Indian Warfare ...


17, 18


CHAPTER VI.


Later Events of the Revolution-War with the Western Indians - Constitutional


Changes. 19, 20


CHAPTER VII.


The Pennamite War-Whiskey Insurrection -" Mollie Maguire " Outrages-The Riots of 1877 20-22


CHAPTER VIII.


Harrisburg made the Capital-The War of 1812-Internal Improvements-Schools ... 22-24


CHAPTER IX.


Patriotic Action in the Mexican and Civil Wars-Governors of Pennsylvania ....... 24,25


SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.


CHAPTER I.


Ancient Inhabitants-Berks County. .. 27,28


CHAPTER II.


First Settlement and Pioneer Life in Schuylkill County ... 28-31


CHAPTER III.


Topography of Schuylkill County. 32-34 and 8th Cavalry) 135-138


CHAPTER IV.


Geology of Schuylkill County ... 34-41 CHAPTER V.


Development of the Coal Production and Trade in Schuylkill County. 41-72


CHAPTER VI.


Land Titles in Schuylkill County-The First Settlers and their Achievements .... CHAPTER VII.


Organization and Growth of Schuylkill County-Officers and Representatives .... CHAPTER VIII.


Public Buildings-Removal of the Seat of Justice-The County Law Library .... ...


PAGE


CHAPTER IX.


Waterways of the County-Lumbering and Rafting - Schuylkill Navigation - The Union Canal. 79-81


CHAPTER X.


Early Wagon Roads-Construction of the Center Turnpike-Stage Lines .. 82,83


CHAPTER XI.


The Railroad System of Schuylkill County 83-93


CHAPTER XII.


Education in Schuylkill County-The Fight for Free Schools-Orwigsburg Academy CHAPTER XIII.


93-95


215, 216


Frackville Borough.


373,374


Frailey Township.


216-219


Gilberton Borough.


374-376


cieties-The- Miners' Hospital ...... 95-97


CHAPTER XIV.


Lahor Troubles-The Crimes and Suppres-


sion of the Mollie Maguires. 97-106


CHAPTER XV.


The Militia of Schuylkill County - Par-


ticipation in the Mexican War ... 106-108


CHAPTER XVI.


Mount Carbon Borough


250,251


New Castle Township. 242-244


16]


New Ringgold Borough


200


North Manheim Township. 244-246


North Union Township. 261


Norwegian Township 261-263


CHAPTER XVIII.


A Regiment of Schuylkill County Men-


The Forty-Eighth Pennsylvania Volun-


teers 118-127


CHAPTER XIX.


Records and Rolls of the Fiftieth and Fifty-


Second Regiments ... 128-13I


CHAPTER XX.


The Fifty-Third, Fifty-Fifth and Fifty-


Reilly Township 342-344


Rush Township 344-347


Ryan Township. 348


Schuylkill and Walker Townships 348, 349


Schuylkill Haven Borough 251,256


Shenandoah Borough ... 3:7-384, 388-390


Sonth Manheim Township. 349, 350


St. Clair Borongh 207-213


Tamaqua Borough. 327,341


Tremont Township


351,352


Tremont Borough 352-354


Union Township. 354-356


Upper Mahantongo Township 356,357


CHAPTER XXIV.


Histories of the 93d and 96th Regiments .... 138-144


CHAPTER XXV.


Records of the 99th, 104th, 107th, 108th, 116th, 117th and 127th Regiments .... 144-146


CHAPTER XXVI.


History of the 129th Regiment-The 137th


and 15Ist Regiments ... 146-149


CHAPTER XXVII.


Later Regiments-16th and 17th Cavalry-


173d, 184th, 194th, 210th and 214th Infantry 149-151 CHAPTER XXVIII.


Schuylkill Men in other than Schuylkill Regiments-Casualties among the same 152-155


TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH HISTORIES.


PAGE


Ashland Borough 181-189


Auburn Borough 350,35]


Barry Township. 156-158


Blythe Township.


158-160


Branch Township.


162-164


Butler Township


177-180


Cass Township


194-197


Cressona Borongh


246-250


East Brunswick Township.


198,199


East Norwegian Township


201


East Union Township.


Eldred Township.


214,215


Foster Township.


Girardville Borough 190-193


Hegins Township. 219-221


Hubley Township.


221,222


Klein Township.


222-224


Mahanoy Township.


225-228


Mahanoy City Borough


229-241


Middleport Borough.


160,161


Minersville Borough.


165-176


Origin and Early Incidents of the Civil War -Patriotic Spirit in Schuylkill County ... 108-112 CHAPTER XVII.


Companies from Schuylkill County that saw comparatively little service ... 112-117


Orwigsburg Borough 364-366


Palo Alto Borough ... 201,202


Pine Grove Township 313-315


Pine Grove Borough


315-323


Port Carbon Borough


202-207


Port Clinton Borough 366,367


Porter Township. 324-326


Pottsville Borough 263-312


Rahn Township. 326,327


Sixth Regiments. 131-132


CHAPTER XXI.


The Sixtieth and Sixty-Fifth Regiments- Third and Fifth Cavalry. 132-134


CHAPTER XXII.


Representatives from Schuylkill in the


67th, 70th, 75th and 76th Regiments. .... . . 134, 135 CHAPTER XXIII.


The 81st Regiment-The 80th and 89th (7th


Washington Township. 357,358


Wayne Township 358, 361


West Brunswick Township. 361-364


West Mahanoy Township 367-372


West Penn Township. 384-387


Yorkville Borough 313


VILLAGES.


Barnesville


344


Big Mine Run 179


Branch Dale .. 342


Brandonville 213


Coal Dale.


326


Delano. 345


72,73


74-76


76-79


New Philadelphia Borough


213,214


Medical, Religious and Agricultural So-


6


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


PAGE


DeTurkville ..


357


Grant, William


383


Foster, Solomon, Pottsville .


306a


Donaldson.


218


Green, D. B ..


301


Garner, Joseph W., Ashland ..


184


Drehersville


199 Griffiths, Ryce J. 230 Green, D. B., Pottsville .. 301


Elwood


274 Griscom, Samuel E.


295 Griscom, Samuel E.,


295


Forestville


197


Haeseler, C. H


299


Haeseler, C. H., Pottsville 299


Fountain Springs


179 Haywood. B


308


Haywood, Benjamin. "


308


Friedensburg


359


Heilner, B.


337


Heilner, Benjamin, Tamaqua 337


Hughes, F. W., Pottsville.


31I 175


Gordon ..


177 Hughes, F. W


311


Kendrick, William, Shamokin


389


Heekseherville


197 Jones, William F


229


Kopitzsch, C. F., Fottsville.


309


199 Kear, Frank G ..


175


Kline, Jacob, Pottsville


300


Heginsville


220 Kendrick, William


389


Kline, Mrs. Jacob "


300


Helfenstein


214 Kitzmiller, John.


322


Lawrence, Jacob S., Minersville.


174


Hometown


344 Kline, Jacob.


300


Losch, Samuel A., Schuylkill Haven.


Honey Brook.


221


Kline, Mrs. Jacob


300


309 MaeMillan, Ida V., 213c


Kepnersville


386 Lawrence, Jacob S.


174


MeKibbin, D. J., Ashland.


189


Klingerstown


259


Meck, Charles A., Schuylkill Haven 260


Leibysville.


386 Major, George.


230


Merkel, M., Minersville. 176


Lewistown.


349 May, Alexander


230


Nutting, J. L., Pine Grove.


319 298


Llewellyn.


163 MeCarthy, Patrick


230


Palmer, Robert M., Pottsville.


Loeust Dale


178 MeKibbin, D. J


Parry, Edwin O.,


307


Lorberry Junetion ..


352 Meck, Charles A


260


Pershing, Cyrus L.,


301


MeKeansburg


199 Merkel, M


176


Piper, O. P., Schuylkill Haven.


Mahanoy Plane.


374 Nutting, J. L.


319


Potts, George H., N. Y. City


Maizeville.


375 Palmer, Robert M


298


Reilly, B., Philadelphia.


311a


Mantzville


386 Parry, Edwin O.


307 Ryon, J. W., Pottsville.


297


Mifflin.


314 Pershing, C. L


30]


Schlicher, Edwin, Tamaqua


337


Mt. Laffee.


243 Piper, O. P ..


258


Seltzer, Conrad, Pottsville ..


312


New Castle


243 Potts, George H


305


Severn, E. L., Mahanoy City


232


Newkirk


349 Quinn, John T.


229


Shannon, Benjamin F., Schuylkill Haven 257


New Town


343 Reilly, B.


3lla


Shepp, Daniel, Tamaqua. 339


North Penn


386 Richardson, William F.


232


Sigfried, J. K., Pottsville.


304


Patterson


348


Ryon. J. W .


297


Titman. Charles E., Shenandoah 2130


Pitman


215 Schlicher, Edwin


337


Titman, Lizzie F. 213d


Quakake Junetion.


345 Seltzer, Conrad.


312 Torbert, A. Carrie, Torbert


213d


Reevesdale


349 Shannon, B. F.


257


Torbert, Hester, 213€


Ringtown


355 Shannon, Samuel H.


257


Torbert. James,


213b


Rock


357 Shepp, Daniel.


339 Torbert, James F.,


213c


St. Nicholas.


225 Shoener, John A


932 Torbert, Margaret A., '


213b


Silver Brook.


Short, William.


233 Torbert, Mary C.,


213e


Summit


300 Sigfried, J. K.


304


Torbert, Sallie R.,


213€


223 Spayd, Benjamin


298


Torbert, Susie L.,


213d


Stauffer, H. H ..


230


Torbert, William Stephen, Torbert. 2130


213a


156 Torbert Family.


213a Torbert, Victoria H., 213d


213 Ulmer, Jacob.


309a


Ulmer, Jacob, Pottsville 309a


301 Walker, Thomas H., Pottsville.


301


348 Weber, Augustns


242


Weber, John.


230


Weiss, G. W., Schuylkill Haven.


260


Weber, William Y.


232


Weissinger, L. W., Sporting Hill.


310a


Weiss, G. W


260


Weldy, H. A., Tamaqua. 336


312


Weldy, H. A


336 Wetherill, J. M., 30


230 Wiggan, George, Tamaqua. 340


312


Wiggan, Mrs. George, Tamaqua. 341


Wetherill, J. M.


307 340


Wrenn, George H., Mahanoy City 189


Wrenn, Thomas, Pottsville .. 309a


ILLUSTRATIONS.


Bast, Mrs. Gideon, Schuylkill Haven, Res ..... 258a Buck, Peter E., Ashland, Res., Store & Ware- house 188


Coal Chart. 40a


Colliery, Big Mine Run, Butler. 179


Colliery, William Penn, West Mahanoy. 369


Diamond Drill Company, Pottsville, Works ... 273


Fenstermacher. John, Ringtown Hotel. 180 Garner, Joseph W., Ashland, Iron Works. 184


Grant Iron Works, Mahanoy City, Works. 233


Geological Chart. 38


Map, Schuylkill county.


Donaldson, William, Tamaqua.


338


Blass, Louis, Girardville


232


Metz, C., Mahanoy City, Hotel .. 180 Safe Deposit Bank, Pottsville. Building. 275


Seltzer, William and Conrad, Pottsville, Res., Hotel 312


Thompson, L. C., Pottsville, Store. 273


Filbert, Peter.


323 Campbell, John, Rush Township. 347


Foster, Solomon.


306a


Donaldson, William, Pottsville ... 303


Fridiriei, Alfred.


387


Garner, Joseph W. 185 Filbert, Peter, Pine Grove ...


323


Weissinger, L. W .; Sporting Hill, Res. .310a


BIOGRAPHIES.


Allison, Robert. 213 306


Audenried, Lewis


Audenried, William 305a


Bannan, Benjamin 293


Bartholomew, Lin 96


Bast, Gideon. 258


Beach, W. T


174 302


Wythe, George W 230


PORTRAITS.


Brumm. Charles N


Allison, Robert, Port Carbon .. 213


Audenried, Lewis, Philadelphia 306


Audenried, William, 305a


Bannan, Benjamin, Pottsville .. 293


321 Bartholomew, Lin


296


Conrad, H. W.


321


Bast, Gideon, Schuylkill Haven.


258


Conrad, Victor L.


321 Beach, W. T., Minersville. 174


303 Bechtel, O. P., Pottsville 301


Dieffenderfer, R. E. 302


Eichman, John


Brown, D. P., Lost Creek.


213b 371 173


Eneke, William.


230 Brumm, Charles N., Minersville.


Fermier, H.


232 Buek, Peter E., Ashland.


188


Torbert, W. L., Torbert, Res. and Grounds 213e, f, g Trontman, H., Ashland, Hotel. 180


Watson, M. C., Shenandoah, Store. 390


Donaldson, William, Tamaqna. 338


309a


Watson, M. C. 390


Bechtel, O. P.


Boyer, Emanuel.


Brown, D. P


371 173 189


Buek, Peter E.


Campbell, John


317 230


Comrey, Andrew


Conrad, F. W ..


368


Valley View


220)


Weissinger, L. W


310


Werner, J. F., Pottsville.


Wenrich, Frank.


Werner, J. Frank


Wiggan, George ..


Wiggan, Mrs. George.


341 310


Williams, John H.


232


Torbert, Hon. William L.,


Tamanend.


344


Steach, George N


Taylorsville


Torbert


Tower City.


326 Walker, Thomas H.


230 Watson, M. C., Shenandoah. 390


Tuscarora


Wadesville.


William Penn


PAGE


PAGE


Gearytown


327 Hein, Jonas 229


Gilberton


375


Hoppes, Solomon S.


932


Kear, Frank G., Minersville.


259 MacMillan, M. M., Ann Arbor, Mich. 213℮


Jalapa ...


274 Kopitzsch, Charles F


356 Loseh, S. A


Heela ..


314 Griseom, Samuel. 294 Griseom, Samuel, Philadelphia 294


Fishback


Donaldson, William, Pottsville.


Blatehford, Mary J., Torbert.


Williams, John H., Pottsville . 310


Summit Station.


Swatara.


343


189


258


305


Wren, Thomas


INTRODUCTION.


In preparing the following work for publication infor- mation has been sought from every available source, and it is believed that many of the facts recorded have been preserved from oblivion by being thus rescued from the failing memories of those who will soon pass away.


It is hardly possible that in a work like this no errors will be found; but it is confidently hoped that if inaccur- acies are discovered the great difficulty of preventing their occurrence will be considered, and that they will be regarded in a charitable rather than a censorious spirit.


The publishers desire to acknowledge the kindness and courtesy with which their efforts to obtain the facts recorded here have been almost uniformly met. To the press, and especially to the editors of the Miners' Jour- nal, of Pottsville, and the Shenandoah Herald, for free access to the files of their journals; to Colonel Hyde, the gentlemanly librarian of the Pottsville Athenaeum, for the privileges of the library; to county and borough officers, for assistance in examining their records; to the pastors of nearly all the churches in the county, for assistance in preparing the religious history; and to secretaries of numerous societies and lodges, for data furnished, their grateful acknowledgements are due.


4-30-45 Gen. Peresse


The following books have been freely consulted: Sherman Day's and Dr. Egle's histories of Pennsylvania,


Pennsylvania Archives, Rupp's history of Schuylkill county, Dewees's and Martin's histories of the Mollie Maguires, the history of the Pennsylvania volunteers, prepared under the authority of the State by Samuel P. Bates, LL. D .; and the Memorial of the Patriotism of Schuylkill County, by the late Francis B. Wallace, from which last the lists of the soldiers of the Union from Schuylkill county were taken.


Of those who have aided in the preparation of the work, or furnished valuable information, it is a pleasure to the publishers to naine the following, besides the authors of sections of the work who are named in con- nection with their contributions : The intelligent octo- genarians, Abraham Pott, who came here at the age of ten, and Jeremiah Reed, who was born here; Judge David B. Green, Judge E. O. Parry, F. A. Mortimer, O. J. Airgood, clerk of the courts, J. B. Kaercher, C. D. Arters, D. E. Miller, Christopher Little, John P. Ber- tram, William L. Whitney, John A. M. Passmore, George R. Kaercher, Jesse Hawley, Rev. Drs. Bellville and George W. Smiley, Revs. G. A. Hinterleitner, Edward J. Koons, J. B. Stein and B. F. Patterson, J. Wallace McCool, Charles Tanner, W. B. Staller, Jacob S. Long- acre, H. H. Brownmiller, F. G. Faust, H. S. Strong, A. L. Boughner, W. H. Zeller, John Anthony, Edward T. Filbert, Rev. E. S. Henry, John Jacob Schnoke, J. O. Roads and Richard Harington.


9


COUNTY


NORTH UNION Erreted 1867, from Union Zion S Grove P.O.


COUNTY


NORTHUMBERLAND


Rough & Ready P.O.


Klingerstown P.O.


O UPPER MAHANTONGO


Erected 1811,from Berks Co.


ELDRED Erected 1819. from Upper Mahantonyo


CREEK


GIRARD MI SE


FRO.


MAHANOY


Mahanor


SHEHANDDAH


MAHANOY Frected 1849,from Rush Nicholas P.O.


- SilverBrook. KLEIN Erected 1872, from Rush


Delano P.o.


Sacramento P.O


Weishample P.O.


MAHANOY CITY


HEGINS Erector 1853from Lower MahantongooFountain


Erected 1855,from fuss. Butter & Barry Hughes P.O.


GlenCarbon PogickschervilleP.O.


NEW CASTLE


Norwegian


TamanendP.O. RUSH Ereried 1811, from Northampton Co


Barnesville(P.O.


TowerCity Pn. PORTER JoliettPOJFRAELET Erected 18417,from


Porter


Branchdale P.O


Orwin P.O. Erected 1840.from Lower suluantonyo


VIVE Berkes to


Erected 1811, fivm


Brected 6.91847


POTTS ONO.PORT CARBON


NEW OPO.


MIDDLE PORT


P.O.


MOUNT CARBON


NorthPenn P.O.


NORTH MANHEIM


ReynoldsP.O.


Erected 1845,from Manheim


DeTurksville P.O.


FriedensburgP.o.


CRES


MifflinP.O.


PINE


SONA


SCHUYLKILL HAVEN P.O.


OP.O.


Erected 1811, from Northampton Co.


NEW


RINGOLD BORO.


LaHnmoville P.O.


· EAST


West PennP.O.


Pinedale P.o.


SummitPO:


Erected 1845,from Manheim


OP.O.


Erected 1834 7 from Brunswick


B


LEHIGH


.


R


K


S


T


A


PORT CLINTON


INCORP'D


Butler ...


South Manheim ..


NAME.


1857


1857


West Mahanoy.


Mahanoy ...


1876


Auburn ..


1872


Cressona ..


1872


Frackville


1831


Gilberton ..


1864


Blythe. ..


Mahanoy. ... East Brunswick.


1863


1877


1867


1813


1828


1832


1850


1852


1854


1850


1840


1866


Tremont ..


1833


1866


Norwegian .


1866


Scale, 1350 rods to an inch.


OF


OUTLINE MAPU


SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.


Girardville . Mioersville .. Mount Carbon. Middleport .... Mahanoy City ... New Ringold ... New Philadelphia Orwigsburg ... Pottsville. . Pine Grove .. Port Clinton. Port Carbon .. Palo Alto ... St. Clair .. Schuylkill Haven · Shenandoah .. Tamaqua .. Tremont . Yorkville.


1859


Blythe . . Brunswick. Norwegian


WAYNE Erected 18?), from Manheim &PineGrove


BURG


Erected 1811, from Berks Co.


GROVE


WASHINGTON Erected 1856,from 'Wayne & Pine Grove


RorkPO


BRUNSWICK Erected 1834,from Brunswich


SOUTH MANHEIM


Drehersville P.O.


AUBURM


LITTL


RIVER


Y


LIST OF BOROUGHS.


FROM WHAT TOWNSHIP.


WHEN


-


1857


North Manheim ..


Butler. .. Norwegian . North Manheim


ORWIGS


HecklaP.O.


LEBANON CO.


TREMONT P.O.


REILLY


Liewenn BRANCH


TREMONT Erected 18418, from Pine Grove


Erectedl 1851. from |Erected 1838,from Branch & Cuss


YORKVILLE


VILLE/


Hfrom-Norwegian'S


EAST. NORWEGIAN


BLYTHE Erected 1846, from Schuylkill


SCHUYLKILLErected from BerksCoo Tuscarora Po AQUA


TAM


RAHN Coaldale P.O. Erected 1860, from West Penn


PO


CARBON


P.O.


CASS


Erected 1848 from. Branch


Broad MountainP.O.


DonaldsonP.O


MINERS


SwataraP.O


POO


Erected 1848, from


RYAN Erected 1866, from Mahanoy &. Rush


DAUPHIN CO.


Leib P.O.


MAHANOY


ASHLAND


OR.O.


LocustDalePo.


RingtownP.O. UNION Erected 1818, from Columbia &. Luzerne Counties


EAST UNION


CO UNTY


6


Raven Rim P.Op Lost CreekP.00


HUBLEY Erected 1853,from Lower Mahantongos


Barry P.O.o BARRYErected 1821. from. Vorrman &Schuylkill Mabel P.O.


GordonPO;


BUTLER Erected 18418, from Barry


- FRACKVILLE


GILBERTON


Erected


o~ Valley View HeginsVille P.O.


FOSTER


ELMahuntogo Braonch Barry &


ST. OP.O. CLAIRE


NORWEGIAN


O


Norwegian


PHILADELPHIA


PALO ALTO


WALKER Erected 1818from Schuylkill


Ellwood P.O PINE GROVE


WEST PENN


COUNTY


COUNTY-


Pine Grove ..... West Brunswick .. East Norwegian ..


E. Norwegian & Norwegian


New Castle .. Manheim .. Mahanoy.


Schuylkill and West Penn


Brandonville P.O. O Erected 1867, from I'nion Rush &. Mahaney Torbert P.O.


diepler po. Line Moimtain P.O. O.Pitman P.O.


Helfenstein P.O.


COLUMBIA


LUZERNE


By J. S. HAWLEY, Pottsville, Pa.


JyKeansburgP.O.


WEST BRUNSWICK MUYLING


Ashland.


OUTLINE HISTORY


OF


PENNSYLVANIA.


CHAPTER I.


-


THE DISCOVERY OF THE DELAWARE - PENNSYLVANIA GRANTED TO AND ORGANIZED BY WILLIAM PENN.


T HE first discovery of Delaware bay, and the river which forms a portion of the eastern boundary of the State of Pennsylvania ap- pears to have been made by Hendrick Hud- son, an Englishman in the service of the Dutch, in 1609. In August of that year he entered the bay, and after a short cruise in it left and proceeded to the mouth of the Hudson river, which stream he ascend- ed as far as Albany.


It is said that Lord Delaware visited the bay in 1610; hence the name by which it and the river are known. It was called by the Dutch South river, the Hudson being termed by them the North river.


Another Dutch navigator, Captain Mey, visited the bay in 1614; but Captain, or, as he was termed, skipper Cornelius Hendrickson first ascended the river as far as the mouth of the Schuylkill, in 1616.


A short lived settlement was made on the east bank of the Delaware under the auspices of the Dutch West In- dia Company in 1623, under the direction of Captains Mey and Tienpont. Another settlement was made on the bay, farther down, in 1630; but this was soon de- stroyed by the Indians, whose enmity the colonists had indiscreetly incurred.


Maryland was granted to Lord Baltimore in 1632, and the territory on the west side of the Delaware was claimed by him, and the disputes arising out of this claim remained unsettled durir.g many years.


In 1638 a settlement was made on the west bank of the Delaware by a colony of Swedes, under the patron- age of Queen Christina. This colony was under the direction of Peter Minuit, a Hollander, who had been a director in the colony of New Amsterdam. Several Swedish governors followed Minuit in succession; pros perous settlements sprang up along the west bank of the


river, and a thriving trade was carried on by the Swedes. They were watched with jealousy by the Dutch, who set up the claim of jurisdiction by reason of former occupa- tion, and instituted intrigues and plans to dispossess the Swedes. In 1655 a force of seven vessels and six hun- dred men was sent up the Delaware for that purpose. The Swedish government had been kept in ignorance of this expedition, and it was easily successful.


On the restoration of Charles the Second to the throne of Great Britain, he granted the territory now including New York and New Jersey, and afterwards that of Del- aware, to his brother the Duke of York. The latter im- mediately sent a force to take possession of the country thus granted. New Amsterdam and Fort Orange on the Hudson were at once possessed, and rechristened re- spectively New York, in honor of the Duke of York, and Albany. A portion of the force was then dispatched to take possession of the Dutch colonies on the Delaware, which was accomplished almost without resistance. This dispossession of the Dutch by the English led to a war between Great Britain and Holland, at the conclusion of which the title of the former to these territories was ac- knowledged by treaty The Duke of York continued in possession of this region, undisturbed except by the Marylanders, who resorted to occasional. acts of violence in order to assert the claim of Lord Baltimore, until, in 1663, war again broke out betwen Great Britain and Holland, and Dutch privateers visited the coasts and plundered the inhabitants; and during that year a Dutch squadron of vessels arrived and repossessed the domin- ions which had been granted to the Duke of York. These were restored by the treaty of Westminster in 1674, and in the same year, by a new patent, the title of the Duke of York was confirmed. During eight years following these events great changes took place among the propri- etaries of the region, in the course of which William Penn, by reason of being a trustee of one of these pro- prietaries and a purchase of a portion of the territory, became quite familiar with the region, as well as with the plans for its colonization.


William Penn was the son of Sir William Penn, an ad- miral in the royal navy, who at his death left a claim of


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OUTLINE HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.


sixteen thousand pounds against the government of Great Britain. Though in early life he was a soldier of some distinction, he afterwards became a Quaker, and was several times imprisoned because of his religious faith. Having become, as before stated, familiar with the re- gion on the Delaware, and with the schemes for its colo- nization, he conceived the plan of founding a colony there on the broad principles of equality which his faith taught. Accordingly, in 1680, he petitioned King Charles the Second for a grant of a tract of land west from the Delaware river and south from Maryland, in liquidation of the claim which he had inherited from his father. Af- ter the discussion and arrangement of the preliminaries the petition was granted, and a charter signed by the king in 1681. Penn at first desired that the province might be called New Wales, and when objections were raised against this he suggested Sylvania. To this the king and his counsellors prefixed Penn, for the double reason that the name would appropriately mean high woodlands, and that it was the name of a distinguished admiral, whose memory the king desired to honor. A royal address was at once issued informing the inhabit- ants that William Penn was the sole proprietor, and that he was invested with all the necessary governmental powers. A proclamation was also issued by William Penn to the people of his province, setting forth the policy which he intended to adopt in the government of the colony. A deputy was sent in the spring of the same year, with instructions to institute measures for the management of affairs and the temporary government of the province. In autumn of the same year he sent com- missioners to make treaties with the Indians, and arrange for future settlement.


South from the province of Pennsylvania, along the Delaware bay, the Duke of York was still the proprietor of the country. Foreseeing the possibility of future an- noyance to the commerce of his province, Penn was de- sirous of acquiring this territory; and accordingly en- tered into negotiations with the Duke of York for it, and in the autumn of 1682 he became the proprietor of the land by deeds, which, however, conveyed no political rights. In the autumn of 1682 Penn visited his province in the new world, took formal possession of the territory along Delaware bay, proceeded up the Delaware and visited the settlements along that river. During this year the celebrated treaty between William Penn and the In- dians was made, it is said by some historians, under a large elm tree at Shakamaxon. By others it is insisted that no evidence exists of any such treaty at that place; but that the accounts of it that have passed into history were drawn largely from the fertile imaginatons of early writers. Whether a treaty was held there or not, it is almost certain that during that year treaties were made between Penn and the Indians, and it is a historical fact that between the Indians and Quakers perfect faith was kept. Voltaire said of the treaty which was said to have been made at Shakamaxon: "It was the only one ever made between savages and Christians that was not ratified by an oath, and the only one that was never broken."




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