USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > Asylum > Short history of Asylum, Pennsylvania founded in 1793 by the French exiles in America > 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
Gc 974.802 As91 2025370
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02230 1961
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofas00ingh_0
A SHORT HISTORY
OF
ASYLUM,
PENNSYLVANIA
Pa.
Founded in 1793
BY THE
French Exiles in America
J. Has mation England
The Incidents that Drove them from France.
Their History while in America.
- Their Return to France. Their Descendants who Remained.
BY
J. W. INGHAM,
1916.
025
78 8172 10
MOJYRA
Joseph Washington Ingham, the county's "grand old man'! and marvel of intellectual capacity, died very suddenly Thursday, May 24, 1917 at the home of his son, Geo, T, Ingham, Towanda ip his 94th year. Though being a cripple and getting around on crutches for more than four years, be kept busy with pen until the very last, there being no faltering of his brilliant mind and wonderful memory.
This remarkable man was the son of Thomas and Eunice ( Hortop) Ingbam aud was born October 21, 1823 at, Sugar Run, Wilmot town-
MOLY2A
Joseph Washington Ingham, the county's "grand old man'' and marvel of intellectual capacity, died very suddenly Thursday, May 24, 1917 at the home of his son, Geo, T, Ingham, Towanda. in his 94th year, Though" being a cripple and getting around on crutches for more than four years, be kept busy with peu until the very last, there being no faltering of his brilliant mind and wonderful memory.
¿ This remarkable man was the son of Thomas and Eunice ( Hortop) Ingham aud was born October 21, 1823, at Sugar Run, Wilmot town- ship on the farm settled by his grandfather, Joseph Ingham in 1795. He was of English-Quaker descent, his ancestors having settled in New Jersey about 1732, He received a good common school education and attended oue term at the Athens academy, " He taught two; terms of school. practiced land surveying, tended store, worked in the lumber woods, drew loga, Itended saw-mill, rafted and ran lumber down the Susquehanna river to Maryland. Early in life be devoted himself to farming, it being an occupation more congenial to his taste, and giving bim inore enjoyment than any other business in which be ever engaged, Upon the death of his father in 1855, he assumed the duties of bis father's estate, which included a grist mill, saw mill, farm and timber Jot. Eventually he became the owner of the farm aud labored dili- gently and successfully ! to make it richer and more productive, He was the first Worthy Master of Wyalusing Grange and represented it several times in the State Grange. For four years he was postmaster at Sugar Run, y He early took an active interest in politics and was the fast Gines original Abolitionists in the county. He was a. total ab- stainer and ya life-long champions of Temperance. In middle life he commenced literary work, writing upon agriculture, history and other topics of public interest. He was a contributor to the New York Tri- bune, Tribune Farmer, the Ohio Farmer, the Country Gentleman and other farm papers and magazines, He had a fondness for local history and many of his reminiscences and interesting articles have appeared in the local press and been given before the Bradford County Historical Society. Ille also wrote an exhaustive history of the Indian tribes of Eastern Pennsylvania, ('Asylum and the French Refugees'' and his- tory of Wyalusing, Wilmot and Terry. The last halfof his life le was afflicted with deafness, a handicap, which deprived him of many pleasures, Hle was the last of the capable links who could carry us back nid make vivid pictures of the times when our country was now. Flis work is done, but so faithfully and well, that it will ever stand as a monument to his memory
Mr. Ingham married in 1849, Miss Mary E,, daughter of Rev, Geo. Taylor; she died in 1806. 5 His son, Geo. T. and several grandchildren survive: Funeral services, largely attended, were held from the Ing. hum home. North Main street, Saturday afternoon and the remains taken to Wyalusing for interment.
1
muly&Å 189/1
5.
-
-
-
SUSQUEHANNA
S. CALVININ
-
-
-
-
-
-
...
1
..
.
I
--
·
-
-
...
..
..
-
-
ROM
-
-
-
.
7
1
HE
WIEN OF ASTLUN Made by's French Engineer about 1795.
ASRIVER.
GUSQUEHAN
0 HAVEWA THWAY
I
Si lauyum, Perna: - History
RG 974.8 Ing
PRESS OF THE TOWANDA PRINTING COMPANY, TOWANDA, PA.
GENEALOGICAL DEPARTMENT
à
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Death of Louis XV, and the Accession of his Grandson, Louis XVI.
The Old Parliaments Revived.
Act Passed Abolishing the Privileges of the Nobles and the Clergy.
The Revolution that Followed.
The Reign of Terror.
Robespierre at the Head of Affairs.
The King Put to Death.
The Revolution in San Domingo.
A Great Number of Refugees Fled to America.
CHAPTER II.
M. Charles Felix Bue Boulogne and Adam Hoops Sent to Se- lect the Site for a Town.
They Arrived August 27, 1793.
Judge Matthias Hollenback of Wilkes-Barre, Accepts Their Letter of Credit.
The Schufeldt Farm . (Asylum) Selected.
October, 1793, M. Boulogne Makes the First Purchase and Is the First Settler.
Robert Morris Purchases the Desired Lots For the Settlers.
CHAPTER III.
M. Talon Arrives at Asylum.
He Becomes General Manager of the Contemplated Improve- ments. The First Grist Mill Built.
Two Stores Are Started.
An Inn, or Hotel, is Established.
Catholic Church Services Are Conducted ..
CHAPTER IV.
. The D'Autremonts Move to Asylum From "The Butternuts," New York.
A Settlement Begun at New Era (Terry Township.)
21688
١٢
4
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
Houses and Gardens Described.
CHAPTER VI.
Dupetithouar, the Founder of Dushore.
CHAPTER VII.
John Keating Comes to Asylum.
Habits, Dress and Amusements of the French Exiles.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Town Described By an English Traveller.
Charles Felix Bue Boulogne Drowned in the Loyal Sock Creek, Sullivan County.
CHAPTER IX.
Talleyrand Visits Asylum.
Louis Philippe, Duke of Orleans, Afterward King of France,. Visits Asylum.
Duke de Rochefoucauld de Laincourt Visits the Colony and Writes About It.
The Price of Lands, Etc.
CHAPTER X.
The First Wedding. A Theatre is Built.
CHAPTER XI.
Land Titles Poor. Discouraging Obstacles to Be Overcome ..
The Clearing of an Acre Costs Thirty Dollars.
The D'Autremont Family and the Lefevres.
CHAPTER XII.
M. Bue Boulogne, and Incidents of the Lefevre Family. Charles Homet, Senior, B. Laporte and Others. The Postman Brings Joyous News to the Colonists. Most of Them Return to France.
CHAPTER XIII.
Appendix. The Laportes, Homets, Lefevres, d'Autremonts, and Their De- scendants in America.
-
1
AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
The writer began this history about twenty years ago, at which time he gathered the material and prepared the manu- script for "A History of the Susquehanna Valley." This work contemplated covering the whole North Branch valley from Wilkes-Barre to Tioga Point. Such a history, to be correct, must naturally contain the matter pertaining to Asylum and the French Refugees. I, therefore, prepared at that time much of the matter contained in this booklet.
The Reverend David Craft, long a resident of Terrytown and Wyalusing, Pa., and well known as an historian, had written a History of Bradford County in 1878, which contained a brief history of Asylum. Mr. Craft later moved to Angelica, N. Y., at which place resided some descendants of the French Refugees, formerly of Asylum. After writing his history of Bradford County, Mr. Craft published a pamphlet entitled "A Day at Asylum." He came into possession of additional his- torical matter after moving from this county, which he very generously sent me. I am therefore greatly indebted to him.
Mr. Miner, in his history of Wyoming, had also written something about the French Refugees, and to him I wish to give due credit.
My grandfather, Joseph Ingham, came to what is now Brad. . ford County in 1793, at about the time the French Refugees came to Asylum. He settled on the Susquehanna River, about eight mlies south of Asylum. His house was in plain sight of the river which was then the principal highway by which set- tlers came into this territory, and it was also the means by which goods and merchandise were transported in Durham boats which plied up and down the river. Naturally, he learned much about the new settlement at Asylum and its people. Some years later, being a practical millwright, he assisted Charles Homet, Jr., in building a grist mill at Asylum. From him and other members of our family there was handed down, by tradi- tion, considerable information about the French settlers.
OK-8
AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
About twelve years ago, (1904) my brother, the late Thomas J. Ingham, of Laporte, Sullivan County, wrote a history of that county, which was later published. He invited me to assist him in the work, and it was necessary to incorporate in that work all that was known about the French settlers at Dushore and Hillsgrove (in that county) who were a part of the Asylum colony. Some data was obtained at that time, which has been presented in this history of Asylum.
Still later, or about ten years ago, Mrs. Louise Murray, of Athens, a descendant of Bartholomew LaPorte, one of the French settlers at Asylum wrote a brief history of "Azylum," and to her I am also indebted. This booklet is not. designed, or expected to supersede Mrs. Murray's excellent work. It could not do that, for she has specialized and after much painstaking search, pro- cured documentary matter of great value, which is contained in her book. Her history will continue to be read and valued as highly in the future as in the past.
Mr. John A. Biles, a well known surveyor, whose home is in the near vicinity of Asylum, after a long search found the original map of the town of Asylum, prepared by a French en- gineer. From studying this map, and after careful examination of the ground, he has been enabled to locate the position of the most important buildings which were erected there, of which there are no traces remaining at the present time. Mr. Biles has also contributed much to the history of Asylum.
John W. Mix, Esq., of Towanda, a descendant of Anthony Lefevre, one of these pioneers, had also acquired some valuable data, and to him I am also greatly indebted.
Within the past year, a movement has been started, fostered by the Bradford County Historical Society, and the George Clymer Chapter of the D. A. R., of Towanda, to place a per- manent stone marker at, or near, the site of one of the more , conspicuous buildings of Asylum. It is proposed to have an anniversary gathering upon the ground in June, 1916, at which time there will be the unveiling of this stone or marker, and suitable addresses to commemorate the event. In anticipation of this event, much important data was placed in the hands of Mr. D. M. Turner, editor of the Towanda Daily Review, from
-
9
AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
which he was requested to prepare an article on Asylum, to be printed for that occasion. Mr. Turner, knowing that I had written several articles on this subject, and that I was in pos- session of additional matter, placed this data in my hands with the request that I write the article. In accordance with this request I undertook the task with some diffidence, fearing that Mr. Turner had over-rated my ability along this line.
After undertaking the work, I soon learned that the sub- ject could not be suitably treated in a short article. It has been thought proper, therefore, to have the matter contained herein printed in book form. This booklet is a mere fragment of the manuscript as at first prepared for the History of the Susque- hanna Valley. The portion selected for publication embraces the territory of Asylum, Wyalusing, Terry, and Wilmot Town- ships. In this section I was born and here I have lived all my life. Many of the pioneers whose names appear in these pages, of the second generation, were personally known to me. Their sons and. daughters of the third generation were my acquaint- ances and friends. The descendants of the French Refugees made their homes in all of the four townships mentioned here- in. They are intermarried with the descendants of the pioneer families of the whole section covered by this history. Hence it is, that I discovered that the History of Asylum could not be easily separated from that of the adjoining townships. Of necessity, there are some repetitions; neither township would be complete in itself, without this repetition to some extent. In cases where the different accounts of the same incident are con- flicting, and wherein dates differ, I have endeavored to arrive at the truth through the preponderance of evidence. I do not claim, however, to be infallible, and, no doubt, errors may be discovered.
Towanda, Penn'a., May 20, 1916.
J. W. INGHAM.
-----
1.2
7
ASYLUM
4
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE FRENCH EXILES AND THEIR SETTLEMENT . IN AMERICA AT ASYLUM,
BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNA.
(The writer of this sketch has deemed it proper to give here, as preliminary thereto, the following brief review of the events which led up to the French Revolution, and drove these exiles to the wilds of Northern Pennsylvania.)
1
CHAPTER I.
FRENCH REVOLUTION. NOBILITY FLEES TO AMERICA ..
N the year 1754 the King of France, Louis XV, died after a long reign of 58 years. The latter part of his private life was disgraceful; his ad- ministration of public affairs was feeble, and his death was not regretted. He was succeeded by his grandson, Louis XVI. In the four years previous to his succession to the throne, he had lost by death his father and elder brother, both of whom had stood between him and the Kingship. His mother had died about the same time. This unusual mortality in a healthy family was, by some suspicious people, unjustly attributed to poison.
Louis was a good man morally and no doubt earnest in his endeavors to reform abuses and pro- mote the happiness of his people, but unfortunately the existing state of affairs in France precluded any
MUYZA
OK- 12
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASYLUM.
gradual change of government for the better. The church, the nobility, and privileged classes, con- trolled the government and dictated its policy. At the very commencement of his reign, Lonis, though with . some sacrifice of his feelings and opinions, complied with the general wish of having the old Parliaments, which had not been assembled for a hundred years, restored. Accordingly, a measure was adopted for the restoration of this ancient leg- islative assembly. The King had taken into his ser- vice two ministers favorable to'the wishes of the people,-Count de Maurepas and M. Turgot,-both. men of ability and desirous of satisfying the people so far as the King was able to do so.
Unfortunately, they were lacking in that impor- tant gift of statesmanship called "Tact" or concilia- tion. They did not say to the priests, bishops, dukes, counts, and landed gentlemen: "The com- mon people are clamoring loudly for reforms in the government. It would be to your interest to grant some of the things they are demanding, which would satisfy them. "Otherwise they might bring on a revolution, proclaim a republic, and take away all your just rights, as well as privileges." This kind of management might have done great good and pre- vented the Revolution and could have done no harm. Instead of this, Turgot declared: "The only reme- dies to correct the ills of France were economy, and the abolition of privileges so that all people should be taxed alike." For this truthful declaration he was forced to resign.
The American Revolution had been successful. News of the Declaration of Rights (or Declaration of Independence) had crossed the ocean and been circulated in France, where it was well calculated
13
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASYLUM.
to encourage revolutionary movements. The Cath- olie Church, which was supported by the govern- mout, with taxes levied on all the people whether they belonged to it or not, created a great deal of angry discussion. Philosophers attacked the Jesuits, the monastic orders, the priests and the Pope of Rome. Tytler, in his history, says: "The errors of Catholicism, upheld by a bigoted, infatu- ated clergy at variance with the only assemblies in the nation capable of any constitutional remon- strance (against tyrany) naturally . hurried the wits and free-thinkers of that lively nation into ex- tremes, which every sober-minded man could not fail to lament. In a very short course of time, from railing at the regular clergy, they proceeded to rail at religion, and even atheism was propagated.
Both in the Parliament, when assembled, and the States General (another legislative chamber that had been called into existence) there were exciting debates, and furious contentions. At this memora- ble period an infatuation, the most surprising, seemed to hurry on the privileged orders to their ruin and destruction, and with them the monarchy. Instead of bending in any manner to the force of popular opinion, they, more strongly than ever, stood on their privileges, and appeared to treat with contempt that powerful and enlightened majority that was opposed to them.
The descendants of the ancient aristocracy did not number more than two hundred families, but the numbers of those who had bought their titles of Dukes, and Counts, amounted to several thou- sand. The Parliament, the States General, and another body called the."Commons" combined their powers and took the name of "The National As- sembly" in which the nobility and clergy. dis-
14
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASYLUM.
tinguished themselves by wearing robes of rare richness and beauty. They did not seem to know that their imprudence would injure them. In 1789 an act was passed for the abolition of the privileges of the nobles and clergy; and persons of every rank and description were declared to be eligible to all civil, military and ecclesiastical appointments.
The royal family were exposed to horrible insults and indignities at Versailles, where the royal palace was located, and almost forced to remove to Paris. Measures were adopted by the Assembly to place all church property at the disposal of the nation; dissolve all monastic establishments; feudal privi- leges and rights, and to suppress the Provincial Par- liaments, (or local rule). Every law was voted by acclamation and scarcely any debate allowed. There were several important grievances, all working to- gether, which brought on the French Revolution. The common people had no voice whatever in the government under which they lived, or in the enact- ment of the laws which they were forced to obey. The taxes were exorbitant, and those collected from the common people greater in proportion than those paid by the land owners and wealthy classes. It was "Taxation without representation" against which the American colonists rebelled.
The Bastile was a strong fortress armed with can- non, and used as a state's prison, mainly for the in- carceration of political offenders. Owing to the natural clemency of the King it was now almost empty, holding fewer convicts than ever before.
On the. 14th of July, 1789, a false rumor was cir- culated that the commander of the old prison had received orders toturn the guns on the city. A furious mob rushed to attack it, and was fired on by the guards, killing several of the assailants, and the
1
15
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASYLUM.
guards themselves were killed in the fight. Their heads were stuck on pikes and carried through the city. The building was completely demolished: When the news was taken to the King he said: "It is an insurrection!" "Sire, " said the messenger, "it is more than that,-it is a terrible revolution!"
At this time, and for some time afterwards, Gen- eral Lafayette was in sympathy with the revolu- tionists and acting with them. He sent the key of the Bastile to General Washington, under whom he had served in the American Revolution.
In 1792 Prussia and Austria had intervened to as- sist the King of France. Their intervention was . harmful, instead of beneficial to the King. He was accused of calling in the enemies of France to sus- tain his power against the people. This false charge sealed his doom. The regular army was sent to the frontiers to repel the advance of a Prussian army under the command of the Duke of Brunswick. An army of militia was organized and placed under the command of General Lafayette to make it appear more respectable. It was well known to Robes- pierre and his lawless gang, that the militia would not fire on the Parisian mobs. In the month of August a furious attack was made on the King's palace, and in its defence his guards fired on the mob, killing several, and were themselve's killed. The reign of, terror was now supreme. The execra- ble and unscrupulous Robespierre was at the head of affairs. Space would not admit the description of the atrocities of his merciless career. Lafayette resigned from the army, being unwilling to serve under the monster. Many who were suspected of favoring the royalists were thrust into prison, and there assassinated without trial, unseen. The num- ber thus put to death in private was computed at
1
16
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASYLUM.
five thousand. The King, after the mockery of a pretended trial, was condemned to death and be- headed. Not long afterwards, his Queen, an amia- ble woman, and the daughter of a great queen, (Maria Theresa) suffered . the same fate. In his trial before the national assembly, the King de- fended himself with great firmness, and simplicity of language. He said: "I had no wish to injure my subjects. No intention of shedding their blood." He declared that his conscience fully acquitted him of the things laid to his charge. His declaration was true. He was in no way responsible for the suffering's of the common people from unjust laws and institutions established long before he was born. He had favored every measure for reforming abuses that had been proposed in the Assembly.
The men like Lafayette, who had at the begin- ning taken a part in the revolution, had not the faintest idea that it would be transformed into the awful thing it had become in making the finest city in the world a human slaughter house. They were few in numbers as compared with the rabble that rallied around the standard of Robespierre, and the other unprincipled demagogues who acted with him.
Refusing to join in the wholesale carnage of crimes, Lafayette and his friends were imprisoned. During this period of anarchy, seventy thousand Frenchmen fled from their homes, mainly to other countries in Europe. A few rushed to Haiti, or San Domingo, unconsciously into still greater danger. It was like "jumping out of the frying pan into the fire." The island belonged to France and Spain, the former owning about one-third of the western end, where the French had several towns, and large plantations well stocked with negro slaves. The
T
1
16a
Fris the east side of the
-
1
Wwwmalo
17
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASYLUM.
situation was dangerous in the extreme. When the sharp ears of the slaves heard of the revolution in France, and that the people had been successful in obtaining their just rights, they revolted against their masters and fought for their freedom. This bloody conflict was termed the "Horrors of San Do- mingo." Many of the exiles came to America, tak- ing up their residence in Philadelphia, at that time the largest city in the United States, and the capi- tal of the nation. All were cordially received by the citizens of that place, who entertained very trivially feelings towards the French, on account of the as- sistance given by their country to the American Colonies during the Revolutionary War.
General Lafayette, Viscount Louis de Nouilles; and other French officers, had come over and yalan. terred to serve in the army under General Washing- ton. The houses of native Americans were op med to the exiles, as were the houses of their own coll- trymmen, like Stephen Girard, the wealthy merchant, who had long been a resident of the city. However, so great was the number of the refugees it was deemed by their leaders and themselves necessary that some provision should be made for their settle- mont as a colony in the country where it was ex- pected more refugees would come and where they would not be burdensome to their entertainers, and where they could enjoy more comfort and inde- pendence.
The two most active and influential promoter's of the colony scheme were the Viscount Louis Marie de Noailles, and the Marquis Antoine Omer Talon. The former, who was generally called "The Count" by Americans, was born in Paris, April 17th, 1756. Early in life he entered the military service of his country as an officer, and had received promotions
1
. 18
A SHORT HISTORY OF ASYLUM.
for good conduct. In 1779 he resigned his commis- sion in the army and came over with. Gen. Lafayette and other French officers to assist the United States in obtaining their independence. He was several times mentioned for bravery by Washington in his general orders, and was one of the officers appointed by him to receive the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.
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.