USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Mount Pleasant in Wayne County > History of the township of Mount Pleasant, Wayne County, Pennsylvania : a discourse delivered on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1855 > Part 1
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4.801 6w 76536
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
m
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01205 6484
HISTORY
OF THE
Township of Mount Pleasant
.
WAYNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
DISCOURSE
DELIVERED O.X
THANKSGIVING DAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1855.
BY THE
REV. SAMUEL WHALEY.
NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY M. W. DODD,' No. 59 CHAMBERS STREET, REAR OF THE PARK. 1856. :
1676536
CORRESPONDENCE.
MOUNT PLEASANT, NOV. 26, 1855.
TO THE REV. SAMUEL WHALEY :
Dear Sir :- We had the pleasure, in common with your other hearers, in listening to the Historical Discourse delivered by you on last Thanksgiving Day. We feel that the facts therein embodied must have cost much patient labor and research, and are of interest to us, and well worthy to be transmitted to future generations. We therefore request that you would furnish a copy of it for publica- tion. Yours very truly,
WILLIAM R. STONE, URIEL WRIGHT, HENRY W. BROWN,
JOHN F. SHERWOOD,
WILLIAM WRIGHT,
ELDAD ATWATER,
EDWARD M. ATWATER.
MOUNT PLEASANT, July, 1856.
Gentlemen :- In furnishing a copy of my " Historical Discourse" for publication, it is due to state that the collection of these facts was made with no other intention than the gratification of a love of such incidents. These facts accumulated in a few years to such a number, and possessed such a degree of interest, that the thought of a historical discourse was suggested. From that time my object has been to form an accurate narrative of events in the order of time in which they occurred. This was found to be a work of much more
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CORRESPONDENCE.
labor than that of collecting isolated facts. The principal difficul- ties have arisen, (1) from a want of suitable records. A few of the first settlers were in the habit of making brief notes of events, which have been of great service. Many of the facts, however, are from eye-witnesses. Difficulties have also (2) arisen from indistinct memory-(3) conflicting accounts-and (4) from the death of some who were familiar with the carly history of the settlement.
Since receiving your note requesting its publication, much addi- tional matter has been added to it, and some corrections made which have been kindly suggested by those who heard it. In its present form it is much enlarged, and will be of much more value as a book of historical reference. It has been my great object to give a lucid, correct, and impartial narrative. That inaccuracies have crept into it, would be folly to deny. If the long delay in furnishing the man- uscript needs further apology, it will be sufficient to say, that the author has ever regarded its preparation as secondary to his profes- sional duties. Having charge of a large parish, little time could be devoted to this work. He has also had an unusual demand upon his time and efforts since its delivery.
It has been said by a distinguished historian of this State, that " concerning the early settlement of this county, little has been pre- served." Hoping that this discourse may furnish some materials for a future history of this county, encourage similar efforts in other lo- calities, and promote the interests of intelligence and truth-I here- with furnish you the manuscript.
Very truly
Your friend and fellow-citizen,
SAMUEL WHALEY.
WILLIAM R. STONE, and others.
DISCOURSE.
" HEAR this, ye old men, and give ear all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers ? Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation." -Joel i. 2, 3.
WITH these words the prophet Joel opens the narra- tive of events contained in his prophecy. These events were even then transpiring, or about to trans- pire. They were matters of great interest and im- portance to all the people. He appeals to the old men whether such events as were about to take place ever occurred in their days, or in the days of their fathers. They are such as should and would be re- membered. They affected the whole land, and were of interest to all the people. The prophet, therefore, requires that they should be related repeatedly, and handed down from one generation to another.
The importance of historical narratives was under- stood at a very early day. Events of a public and important nature, were in various ways carefully preserved : these formed a ground of admonition and instruction. Itis, therefore, a duty incumbent upon us, who have so much greater facilities to record the events of the past, for the benefit of those yet to come upon the stage of action. Let me then invite your attention to the history of this Township, which is
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
the object of this discourse. I shall introduce it by directing your attention to its
I. NATURAL FEATURES.
The township of Mount Pleasant lies in a territory broken into hills and valleys, by the extreme northern branches of the Alleghany range of mountains. This range is here lost in the irregularities of the surface. The only mountain in this town worthy a name, is the Moosic range, which here runs North and South, and receives upon its summit our Western boundary. In its natural state it is covered with a heavy growth of beech, maple, and hemlock, with a limited quan- tity of ash and elm interspersed. The soil is chiefly a sandy loam, and rests on a strata of sand rock, call- ed " Millstone Grit." At various places the old red. sandstone appears, giving character to the soil .* The most prominent streams of this town are the Dyberry t and the Lackawaxen. The former runs through the Eastern, and the latter through the Western part of the town, furnishing upon their banks many valuable mill-seats.
There are in this town four of those beautiful lakes so often found in this part of the State. They are formed by springs, and are clear as crystal. They usually constitute the head of some stream. The names of these lakes are as follows: Duck Lake, Rock Lake, Howe's Pond, and Bigelow Lake. The first two mentioned are in the northeast part of
· See Appendix, No. 4.
t See Appendix, No. 5.
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
the town, and divided by the town line. Howe's Pond has two outlets. One is at the Eastern ex- tremity, and empties into the Dyberry. The other . is at the Western extremity, and empties into the Lackawaxen. Bigelow Lake forms the head of Thomp- son's Creek, which also flows into the Lackawaxen. This stream, a few rods below the lake, plunges over a fall of about one hundred feet, in two per- pendicular cataracts, which are but a few feet apart. We know of no waterfall in this region equal to it in beauty. The view from below is enchanting. The shrubbery and trees which overhang the crystal wa- ter as it dashes over the rocks, greatly add to its effect. We hope the enterprising individual who has erected his mills by the side of this waterfall, will suffer them long to remain.
II. ABORIGINES.
There are no evidences within the limits of this town of any Indian battle-ground, or any important event connected with their history. Still there are abundant indications that it was once occupied by them as a hunting-ground.
The large number of Indian arrow-heads found here, leaves no room to doubt it .* These arrow-heads are invariably made of flint. This region afforded for them a rich field. On the head waters of the Dy-
" There have also been found in this vicinity, pieces of ancient English coin. One now in possession of the writer bears date 1757, coined under George II., King of Great Britain.
£
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
berry there was undoubtedly an Indian encampment. There are still to be seen scars on the sugar-maple there, which, at the time the first settlers came, indi- cated great age. These, from their appearance, are supposed to have been made by the aborigines, for the sap. There is also in the same vicinity, a natu- ral opening on the rich alluvial soil of this stream, where it is supposed they cultivated a little Indian corn.
There were also a large quantity of Beaver, as well as other kinds of deer, which furnished an extensive field for trapping. Some of the dams built by the beaver still remain in some parts of this town. There was also an Indian path through this place, which connected the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. It had the appearance of having been much travelled, and traces of it were distinctly seen and followed by some of the first settlers in this region.
Here these children of the forest tarried, and found their rich furs in trapping the beaver and the otter. Around these beautiful Jakes, or natural ponds, whose waters are clear as crystal, and over these hills, the Indian boy found his sport in the chase for the deer and the elk. Here he drank and refreshed himself at these cool springs of water, and bathed in the limpid streams of his forest home. No white man molested him, or tempted him with the vices of civilization. As he pursued the plentiful game, or reposed in safety by these murmuring streams, and majestic rivers- he could say with a conscious independence. "This is my own" as well as " my native land."
x
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
III. SETTLEMENT.
But now another race of men has taken their places-a race more capable of developing the re- sources which the Creative Hand has here lodged. The entrance and work of the white man more parti- cularly claim our attention.
The tract of land lying in the north part of this county, was bought of the aborigines, by Thomas and Richard Penn, heirs of William Penn, on the 5th of November, 1768. In this purchase was included a large portion of the State, extending diagonally from the northeast to the southwest corner. It was bought of the confederate tribes called the " Six Na- tions," in their general council, at Fort Stanvix- now the village of Rome, New York-for the sum of ten thousand dollars. Just six years after this event, that is to say in November 1774, a lot of land, upon which a part of this village stands, was bought of the proprietaries by one Christopher Hagar. This lot extended westward across the valley of the Lacka- waxen to Belmont. It passed through several hands- purchasers who never intended to occupy it-when in June, 1789, it was purchased by Mr. Samuel Stanton, the first actual settler in this township. He was from Preston, New London County, Connec- ticut. Taking the route of New England emigration at that time, he proceeded up the Mohawk river. To gain the information he needed, with reference to wild lands, he came to Cooperstown, and had an in-
1*
.
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
terview with Mr. William Cooper, who was an agent for the sale of an extensive tract of wild land in this region. He soon engaged to accompany Mr. Cooper into this part of the State, and survey some land for him ; having previously had some knowledge of this art. They proceeded down the Susquehanna, and leaving his family at Mr. Lane's, near Windsor, they entered this region. Here they were engaged some weeks in running out some lots of land upon the new road which had been constructed from the south part of the State. It was thought that this road would soon call in a large number of settlers. While thus engaged, he surveyed and purchased the lot of land as above mentioned. Having finished the in- tended surveys, they started homewards on the new road. They soon came to the camp of Mr. Samuel Preston, who, with Mr. John Hilborn, were then en- gaged in constructing this road. They had then encamped on or near the head waters of the Starucca Creek, about twelve miles from this village, and in the present township of Scott. Mr. Preston writes in his journal under date June 28, 1789, concerning his . first interview with Mr. Stanton, thus : " While I was directing letters to send by John Hilborn, William Cooper came to my camp on his way to Otsego, as also his surveyor, Samuel Stanton. We moved to the camp by the spring, where I filled up for William Cooper several blank deeds, mortgages, &c." On the following day, Mr. Stanton signed, in this place, the deed for the above lot of land, containing 322 acres. For this he was to pay the sum of £322 to Thomas
£
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
Rogers, of Philadelphia, for whom, as proprietor, Mr. Cooper acted as agent.
It seems from a note in the first volume of the Town Records, in Mr. Stanton's handwriting, that on the next day he bought a large quantity of land in addition to the above lot. The note is as follows : "Samuel Stanton bought of William Cooper, agent for Thomas Franklin, William, and Andrew Craig, and others, nearly 3,000 acres on the 30th of June, 1789, and began to work on the land in June, 1790. Built a house and cleared some land."
After the business pertaining to this purchase was completed, Mr. Cooper left on the same day for Otsego, and Mr. Stanton remained in the employ of Mr. Preston. They soon finished this road to the State line-its proper terminus, according to the re- quisition of the "Act" which provided for its con- struction. He also aided Mr. Preston in constructing his own road down to the mouth of the Cascade Creek, on the Susquehanna river. Here Mr. Preston began a settlement which he supposed would eventu- ally be a place of much business. During the sum- mer he cleared several acres of land in this fertile valley ; erected several dwelling houses ; built a store, a blacksmith's shop, and a saw-mill. He named the
place Harmony. Mr. Henry Drinker was associated with him in this enterprise ; also Mr. John Hilborn, who afterwards made it the place of his future resi- dence. Mr. Preston, however, superintended these improvements, and afterwards constructed a road connecting this place with the Delaware river, at
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
.
Stockport, where he subsequently settled and spent the remnant of his life. He supposed this road would be a great thoroughfare between the two riv- ers, while the north and south road would bring travel from the south, and both concentrate at Har- mony .*
The next spring we find Mr. Stanton upon the lot of land he first purchased in this town, making im- provements. He cleared a little land and built a small cabin.
A brief description of this cabin, in which the hardy pioneer of this town spent his first winter with his family, will not be out of place. Poor as it was, it was the best their circumstances would allow. It will also keep us reminded how many privations are endured by those enterprising men who have left the comforts of good society, to provide a home for their children, as well as to lay for them the foundations of good moral and religious institu- tions.
This cabin was situated a few rods southeast of Mr. Minor Mumford's residence. It was about ten rods east of the present Belmont and Easton Turn- pike.
For the want of help to raise this cabin, it was built of poles. It was about twelve by fourteen feet on the ground, and had but one room. After he had raised it to such a height that he could stand upright in it, the poles were gradually drawn in on each side
" See Appendix, No. 6.
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
till they met at the ridge. Upon these were laid hemlock bark for a roof. A few stones were laid for a hearth, and built up a few feet in the rear, to form a protection against the fire. Upon this platform were piled huge logs, from which the smoke ascended and found its way out through an opening left in the roof for this purpose. The cabin stood with its ends east and west. The fire was at the east end. The door was in the south side. Windows it had none. He was able to bring but little household furniture into this wilderness. He, therefore, made use of such as he could hastily make with a few tools, from the na- tive forest. There were no cabinet-makers-no saw- mills.
Mrs. Lillibridge, his daughter, in speaking of her parent's furniture when they first moved into this cabin, says : " It was not much. A white pine ta- ble, a chest of drawers with legs, two bedsteads which would now be worth about two dollars a-piece, four splint-bottom chairs, a trammel for the fire-place, a looking-glass, a few dishes set upon a shelf, pewter platters, pewter plates, and basins of the same mate- rials ; also some trenchers. Two children, a dog and a cat, made up the family circle when first they ar- rived in town." Mr. Stanton took slabs which he split from the logs, and constructed a door. Boards made in the same manner were used for the floor. Into this humble dwelling he moved his family on the tenth day of April, 1791. During this season ho had the society of a few settlers, to be noticed here- after, who had come without their families to begin
-
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
improvements. They all left, however, in the au- tumn. He, with his family, remained alone in this vast wilderness to spend the winter. It proved to be a severe one. He had raised a scanty supply, which he hoped by proper care would be sufficient. The
winter closed in with unusual rigor. His nearest neighbor lived about fourteen miles from him. The depth of the snow cut off all communications. A dense forest surrounded him. No friendly neighbor greeted him or inquired for his welfare. Not the sound of a human voice was heard, except those of his own family. With them he found his compan- ions; with them he shared the wants and trials of the winter ; with them the dreary nights and linger- ing months passed away. The storm rushed around his rude cabin, searching out its crevices, or rearing mimic Alps about his door.
But our solitary pioneer had other and more for- midable difficulties to encounter. He was obliged to bring his hay, for two cows and a yoke of oxen, from a beaver meadow-a distance of nearly two miles. His wife in his absence, while attending on the du- ties of her household, had stepped upon the ice, slipped, and fractured a bone in her ancle. Priva- tions and exposure brought on a severe cold : this was soon accompanied with a high fever. Soon her mind wandered, unconscious of her condition. The storm rushed around the poorly-covered cabin and sifted the snow upon her bed. Her youngest child, an infant of about five months old, also sickened. The father laid it at her side, but, alas ! the delirious mother
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.. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
knew not her child. A raging fever had destroyed its natural aliment. His cows afforded no substitute for it. It rapidly declined under sickness and hun- ger. His stock of provisions were nearly exhausted. His potatoes had frozen by the unexpected severity of the winter. But even without this loss he would have had a scanty supply. He saw with regret that his provisions were not sufficient to supply even the lim- ited wants of his family. Still, as they disappeared, he lived in hope that deliverance would come from some source ; yet no relief came. His wife still de- clined. That kind voice that had encouraged and cheered him in his toils in the wilderness, now ut- tered only incoherent sounds. Those active limbs, ¡that had never tired in promoting the comfort of her loved companion and little ones, were now helpless. Those eyes, that had so long beamed with affection, now roamed about this scene of sorrow with a vacant stare. There were no kind neighbors near to call with some cooling draught for her fevered lips, and speak kind words of sympathy. He suffered alone in this vast wilderness. There were none to assist him or relieve him one moment in the care of his children and now more than helpless wife. No kind voice greeted him during these lonely and trying months-no hand brought relief. Obliged by these circumstances to remain at home, he saw hunger, famine, and perhaps death, coming upon himself and family with steady and relentless step. The snow had fallen to a great depth. Every path through these extensive forests was blocked up. Not a soli-
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
tary wanderer attempted to penetrate it. True, in- deed, the deer, the elk, the bear, and the panther roamed in these unbroken wilds ; but our pioneer was no hunter. He had no means of taking the animals that prowled around his dwelling. At length his food for his family was nearly exhausted. He had for several days kept his children on a small allowance, taking scarcely nothing himself. He still hoped that God would send relief. He divided his last provisions until they were reduced to a single meal. Before he distributed this, he hesitated. He looked over his beloved family, and his heart was moved. There, in the corner of the room, lay his sick wife, so wasted under disease and want that the light of reason had become extinguished. By her side lay an infant child, pining away for the want of the aliment suited to its years. On either side of him were his two lit- tle children, looking up to him with tearful eyes for bread. He arose and took the last morsel and di- vided it between them. It was a trying hour. With- out speedy relief those helpless children must cry in vain for bread. A lingering, dreadful death awaited Painful thought! Must I see these loved them.
ones pine away with hunger ? Must I hear their un-
availing cry for food ? Must I close their eyes in death, and here, alone, bury their wasted forms in the wilderness ? O, how can a father's heart bear all this ? Such thoughts, as we may well imagine, led him with unusual earnestness to Him " who pro- videth for the raven his food." He there kneeled before God, with his family, and committed them to Him.
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
- hoping and trusting in His mercy for deliverance. He arose from prayer and went to his door, when he heard a dog bark upon the opposite hill, near where this village now stands. He distinctly heard the dog as if closely chasing an animal down the hill to the Lackawaxen. Elated with the hope of deliverance, he seized an old musket which had long been useless, and ran down to the stream, where he found an elk in the water, defending himself from the dog. So intense were the emotions of that hour, that without reflection he repeatedly snapped the old musket, but of course to no effect. The hunter, whose dog had roused the elk, soon came down the hill and shot it. He, with his companion, who had come out on snow shoes for a hunt, soon learned the condition of Mr. Stanton
.. and his family. They immediately emptied their knapsacks of palatable food for them. They roasted a part of the elk, and before its flesh was yet fully cooked, Mr. Stanton, as a starving man, eagerly de- voured it. After relieving their immediate wants, they went to obtain other comforts for this afflicted family in the wilderness. Mr. Stanton was soon visited by his cousin, Mr. Asa Stanton, who had re- cently settled near Weymart. To these visits, and the frequent visits of these hunters, he was indebted for many comforts, and the restoration of his wife and infant child to health. The hunter who found Mr. Stan- ton in this distressed situation was Mr. Frederic Coates. Mr. Stanton ever after regarded this visit, and very justly too, as a remarkable interposition of Divine Providence. He preserved the horns of this elk as a
#
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
momento of God's mercy to him and his family while in a sick and starving condition. Some years after- wards he kept a public house and had them nailed upon the top of his sign-post, and often related to visitors and travellers the story of his suffering and deliverance.
It will not be out of place here to give a more ex- tended account of this man, who was first in this town to meet the difficulties of a settlement in the " wilderness. In his physical aspect he was heavy- built, tall, broad-shouldered, but not corpulent. He had a light complexion, soft blue eye, very light brown hair, with whiskers verging a little to the sandy shade. He was always sanguine in whatever enterprise he undertook. His imagination was lively, . and would picture before him the result before he had properly weighed the difficulties to be encoun- tered. In his deportment and common habits he had no refinement. His person and things around him indicated great neglect. His intellectual faculties were, however, well developed. He had a great de- sire for the acquisition of knowledge. If not occu- pied with company, or other pressing duties, he might be found with some book in his hand. Those who saw him most, usually found him, if alone, sitting in his bar-room, with his feet perched upon some object higher than his head, absorbed in reading. At such times he seemed not to care how affairs went around him. His cows might be in his garden, or his wife destitute of wood, or his bar-room unswept and in total disorder : he would sit for hours absorbed in
2.
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reading. Nor was this any dreamy mood. His mind grasped and retained with an unusual memory whatever he read. One who was intimately ac- quainted with him has informed me that he had read more than two thousand volumes, and could converse intelligently about the contents of each one of them.
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