USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > Bethlehem > A history of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1741-1892, with some account of its founders and their early activity in America > Part 39
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Perhaps, as some suspected, Teedyuscung had really instigated these simultaneous, cowardly assaults upon defenceless settlers at various points, in order to make the people he assumed to represent seem more dangerous just at that time. In any case, the reports of these outrages made the presence of so many Indians in the neigh- borhood a menace to the peace. Large numbers of men on both sides of the Delaware were stirred up to a pitch that might at any moment lead them to forget all prudence and precipitate an encoun- ter with them. It might be supposed that the anxiety at Bethlehem would have been sufficient, at such a time, to divert attention from all but the most necessary things. Right in the midst of the Council, however, with that Moravian spirit of the time which was so inscru- table to many, a number of the Bethlehem people went to Nazareth and engaged in the dedication of Nazareth Hall, on November 13, the day selected on account of its historic significance with which it was desired to have this structure-originally intended for a "Juen- gerhaus"1-associated. To add to the incongruity of the situation, the Rev. Melchior Schmidt, minister at Allemaengel, with his wife and forty people, arrived at Bethlehem as refugees from that afflicted neighborhood, that very day.
Governor Denny and his suite came to Bethlehem after the Council at Easton closed, on the evening of November 17, and enjoyed the hospitality of the place over night. They were entertained with the best viands and the best music that could be produced, and the new Governor was given an insight into the principles and purposes, as well as the peculiar arrangements of the Economy. The next morning, when he left for Philadelphia, he was speeded on his way
I On this term and its application to Nazareth Hall see Chapter VIII, and particularly note 19.
349
1756-1762.
with benisons sung by the children, who had been summoned to pay their respects to the Chief Magistrate of the Province. On Novem- ber 19, various features of that Council with the Indians were com- municated at a general meeting in Bethlehem, together with the information-and this was the gist of the outcome-that they had been invited to come to another Council in the spring, in the presence of Sir William Johnson, the Royal Commissioner of Indian Affairs, then so influential and popular with the chiefs of the Six Nations. Now and again, during the next months, reports of incendiary and murderous assaults by the savages at different points, kept people in a state of uneasiness. In December, Bishop Spangenberg wrote that a careful watch was kept up, and remarked: "The savages are just like a nest of hornets: when it is torn open, they swarm and buzz and sting every one who comes in their way, regardless of whether he has done them an injury or not."
On December 16, a familiar and welcome face, absent for more than a year, re-appeared in Bethlehem. Bishop Peter Boehler, who had gone to Europe the previous autumn on official business, leav- ing his wife in Bethlehem, now returned to assist Bishop Spangen- berg as coadjutor.2 The latter was beginning to feel the burden and strain of his manifold duties in such trying times, and Bishop Hehl was to locate at the new settlement, Lititz, the site of which had been selected and plotted the previous June.
2 Spangenberg, as General Superintendent, bore the official title : Ordinarii Unitatis Frat- rum Vicarius Generalis in America. Zinzendorf, as General Superintendent of the whole, was simply Ordinarius. Spangenberg, as General Superintendent in America, was thus Vicar-General of the Ordinarius. Boehler, as his coadjutor, taking Hehl's place, now bore the title, Vice- Ordinarius over against Spangenberg. Hehl's superintendence was to lie at a separate new centre and to extend over an associated district of country charges. A com- parison of this to Antioch, the second separate centre of the primitive Church with Ignatius as its first distinct Bishop, is commonly taken to be the meaning of the peculiar term Sedes Episcopalis Ignatiana, applied by Zinzendorf to Lititz and used on the document deposited in the corner-stone of the original official building-Gemeinhaus-of that place.
Boehler arrived at New York on the Irene, December 12. She had sailed from New York, July 1, for Europe with no Moravians on board but the captain, Jacobsen, and one of the sailors, Lambert Garrison. With Boehler came William Boehler who was connected some time with the Indian mission in some secular capacity and became proficient in the Delaware language, Christian Bohle, Adolph Eckesparre, a collegian in Deacon's orders, and Christian Gottlieb Reuter, the surveyor and architect who eventually settled at Salem, N. C. They had sailed from London September 23, with a fleet of 60 merchant vessels under convoy of several men-of-war. Contrary winds detaining the fleet at the Isle of Wight, the Irene put out on the hazardous voyage alone.
350
A HISTORY OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.
Another glimpse at the situation towards the close of the year 1756, in the matter of annoyance and worry about the straggling Indians harbored at Bethlehem at the desire of the Government- the expense of which, incurred by Government order, the honorable Assembly later objected to paying-is furnished by a letter written to Governor Denny by Spangenberg, November 29. On this sub- ject he writes : "We are at a loss how to act with those Indians that come out of the woods and want to stay at Bethlehem. They are
very troublesome guests, and we should be glad to have your Honour's orders about them (i. e., new orders since the treaty). Our houses are full already, and we must be at the expense of building winter-houses for them, if more should come, which very likely will be the case, according to the account we have from them who are come. And then another difficulty arises, viz .: We hear that some of our neighbors are very uneasy at our receiving such murdering Indians, for so they style them. We, therefore, I fear, shall be obliged to set watches to keep off such of the neighbors who might begin quarrels with, or attempt to hurt, any of the Indians. Now we are willing to do anything that lays in our power for the service of the Province where we have enjoyed sweet peace for several years past. But we want your Honour's orders for every step we take, and we must beg not to be left without them; the more so because we have reason to fear that somehow an Indian may be hurt or killed, which certainly would breed new trouble of war. We had, at least, a case last week that some one fired at an Indian of Bethle- hem, but a little way from Bethlehem in the woods. I hope Mr. Horsfield will give your Honour a particular account thereof." With that letter Spangenberg sent the Governor, in accordance with the latter's request to Horsfield on November 17, a complete catalogue of the persons who belonged to the Economy, both resident and non-resident, accompanied with sundry memoranda deemed desir- able to give the Governor full information.3
3 The principal items of this paper, presenting the situation at the close of 1756, are the following: 510 persons at Bethlehem besides 96 children, some orphans and others belong- ing to Brethren and friends not of the Bethlehem Economy. 48 men and women employed in missionary work among the heathen-North American Indians, Berbice and Surinam, South America, and the West Indies. 54 preaching and teaching among white people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, New England and North Carolina, 62 instructors and attendants of children at Bethlehem and Nazareth. 45 single men and 8 married couples in North Carolina, "and 50 more here for that purpose to go there soon." 72 of the above " in holy orders," 4 Bishops, 12 Presbyters (Ordinarii), 56 Deacons ; and "as many
35I
1756-1762.
During the first part of the year 1757, until the next great Council with the Indians at Easton, official attention at Bethlehem was divided between Indian affairs and other important matters of a gen- eral character. Before Boehler left Europe, General Synods of the Church had been held, at which the foundations were laid for a better permanent organization of central direction, and particularly of financial administration, which was developed in subsequent years- rendered necessary by the financial crisis referred to in a previous chapter, the results of which now required a different system of man- agement from that followed before. In various ways, the steps taken by those Synods had a very important bearing on the situation at Bethlehem and on all the interests here centered. A Synod was held at the place in January, at which fundamental matters were dealt with, and on February 27, the Rev. Nathanael Seidel left Bethlehem for New York, whence, on March 4, he sailed for Europeª to trans- act business of the utmost consequence in connection with the prop- erty and finances of the Brethren in Pennsylvania.
The external work at Bethlehem was pressed with energy in spite of many perplexities and disadvantages. With new building opera- tions in view, the re-established saw-mill was kept running very regularly, notwithstanding the difficulty of cutting logs and getting them to the place in such times. Preparations were being made to build the large and substantial barn which was so constructed that, in later years, it was converted into dwellings and finally became one of the old business quarters fronting on the east side of Main Street and standing entire until 1871. When the first foundation stone was laid on June 1, 1757, it was described as being situated "over from the mill-dam and directly down from the store, fronting on the line which passed the house occupied by the boys' school." Its length along the front was 114 feet, and it was planned to con-
Acoluthi who are preparing for the ministry and now and then are made use of like Dea- cons." 90 (about) of the children at Bethlehem and Nazareth "have their parents abroad, mostly on the Gospel's account." 425 of the foregoing, under age.
82 Indians, besides several young Indian women in the Sisters' House "besides the sava- ges who are going and coming and staying longer or shorter with us."
4 He sailed on the Irene, commanded by Captain Jacobsen. He was accompanied by the sailors Jost Jensen and Andrew Schoute as passengers : also George Ernest Menzinger who had come over in 1755 and now returned, and several other passengers not from Beth- lehem. This Moravian church-ship was the only vessel permitted to leave port after the embargo had been declared. She reached Dover in safety, April I, and, September 15, was back again at New York without passengers for Bethlehem.
352
A HISTORY OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.
tain dwelling apartments in the center for hostlers and teamsters, with barn space for grain and stabling below, on either side.
Another enterprise that began to engage attention early in 1757, again concerned the Christian Indians living at Bethlehem. Soon after Boehler returned to Pennsylvania, bringing suggestions and plans from Europe about various matters, the question of perma- nently locating this residue of the Indian congregation began to be discussed, for their residence at Bethlehem was regarded as a mere temporary arrangement. It had been proposed to carry out Zin- zendorf's plan to establish an Indian village somewhere in the
vicinity of Bethlehem. There were misgivings in the minds of some about the practicability of doing this. The uncertainty of the yet pending terms between the Government and the Indian tribes, the lack of hunting facilities for the Indians if settled down in the neigh- borhood-this being unfavorable for their contentment-and par- ticularly the aversion of the people in the near-by settlements to having Indians living in such close proximity, were all objections in the minds of some, like Mack, whose opinions were of value. Nev- ertheless, the disposition to venture the experiment of thus coloniz- ing Christian Indians in the midst of civilization, even at such an unfavorable time, prevailed. The matter was broached to the Indians in a conference with them on March 10, and found favor. There- upon an address to the Governor was framed to be adopted, signed and sent by them, asking permission to so locate, and setting forth the reasons. It was forwarded, March 14, and on the 31st the Gov- ernor sent a favorable reply, after consultation with the Provincial Council. Reference was made, in his reply, to the lands in Wyo- ming and farther up on the Susquehanna, which, on the basis of the partial agreement at the last great Council in Easton, it was pro- posed to assign to the Indians remaining in the Province ; likewise to the offers that had been made them by the Six Nations, the accept- ance of either of which on their part would have been "very accept- able" to him. But such being not their wish, he says: "I shall with all my heart consent to your living with the Brethren, at the place proposed, provided that you do not thereby disoblige the Six Nations, nor the particular tribes you belong to." After admonish- ing them to live peaceably and give no offence to the neighborhood, the property in which was owned by individual people and not to be trespassed upon, he further says: "I would advise you to com- municate your intention and desire of residing at Bethlehem to the
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Explication
352
A HISTORY OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.
tain dwelling apartments in the center for hostlers and teamsters, with barn space for grain and stabling below, on either side.
Another enterprise that began to engage attention early in 1757, again concerned the Christian Indians living at Bethlehem. Soon after Boehler returned to Pennsylvania, bringing suggestions and plans from Europe about various matters, the question of perma- nently locating this residue of the Indian congregation began to be discussed, for their residence at Bethlehem was regarded as a mere temporary arrangement. It had been proposed to carry out Zin- zendorf's plan to establish an Indian village somewhere in the vicinity of Bethlehem. There were misgivings in the minds of some about the practicability of doing this. The uncertainty of the yet pending terms between the Government and the Indian tribes, the lack of hunting facilities for the Indians if settled down in the neigh- borhood-this being unfavorable for their contentment-and par- ticularly the aversion of the people in the near-by settlements to having Indians living in such close proximity, were all objections in the minds of some, like Mack, whose opinions were of value. Nev- ertheless, the disposition to venture the experiment of thus coloniz- ing Christian Indians in the midst of civilization, even at such an unfavorable time, prevailed. The matter was broached to the Indians in a conference with them on March 10, and found favor. There- upon an address to the Governor was framed to be adopted, signed and sent by them, asking permission to so locate, and setting forth the reasons. It was forwarded, March 14, and on the 3Ist the Gov- ernor sent a favorable reply, after consultation with the Provincial Council. Reference was made, in his reply, to the lands in Wyo- ming and farther up on the Susquehanna, which, on the basis of the partial agreement at the last great Council in Easton, it was pro- posed to assign to the Indians remaining in the Province ; likewise to the offers that had been made them by the Six Nations, the accept- ance of either of which on their part would have been "very accept- able" to him. But such being not their wish, he says: "I shall with all my heart consent to your living with the Brethren, at the place proposed, provided that you do not thereby disoblige the Six Nations, nor the particular tribes you belong to." After admonish- ing them to live peaceably and give no offence to the neighborhood, the property in which was owned by individual people and not to be trespassed upon, he further says: "I would advise you to com- municate your intention and desire of residing at Bethlehem to the
W. Allen BETHLEHEMLANDS
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1756-1762. 353
Six Nations, and any other Indians you may be connected with, that all may know and agree to it." He finally assures them of Govern- ment protection and of his disposition to do them "any good offices." This cautious proviso that the Six Nations and "any other Indians" should concur was a safeguard against any possible new offence to the assuming Teedyuscung, in anticipation of the next Council. As it later clearly appeared, this wily schemer, in whose vindictive heart the failure of his attempts to draw these Indians away from the influence of the Moravian missionaries rankled, attempted to con- strain the Government, as one of his conditions, to become his agent to force them away, and thus enable him to accomplish his purpose at last. He even represented these Indians as being held prisoners against their wishes by the Brethren, and intimated that the Gov- ernment would do a good service by aiding him in liberating his people. Thus, in keeping Teedyuscung in mind and preparing to meet any arraignment on his part, the proverbial "back door" of escape, so commonly characteristic of official communications and acts of this kind, was left open. If Teedyuscung or the heads of the Six Nations should, in subsequent negotiations, make this permis- sion given the Bethlehem Indians a new grievance, to delay the clos- ing of terms, the proviso on which it rested would then clearly leave the Government at liberty to recede from it and resort to the next best thing that might present itself as an expedient. In this, even more than in the implacable hostility of people to the location of the village, is to be sought the reason why the experiment of this Indian colony near Bethlehem could not result in permanent success.
These dubious conditions of the Governor's answer did not deter the authorities at Bethlehem from proceeding with the undertaking. To the west of Bethlehem lay two tracts of land yet belonging to the Benezet estate, and steps were taken to purchase them. One, run- ning down to the river towards Solomon Jennings's place,5 and embracing several hundred acres of the finest land in the region, was had in mind as the site of the village which, in pursuance of Zin- zendorf's suggestion, was in advance given the name Nain. The pur- chase of the land was made in May. More than a year elapsed, however, before the project was consummated and the Indian con- gregation finally settled there. On June 14, following the purchase
5 The locality referred to is that known for many years as the George Geissinger farm on the Lehigh, later occupied by Owen Mack.
24
354
A HISTORY OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.
of the land, a site for the village was selected and staked off. The clearing of the spot furnished a large part of the winter fuel for Bethlehem, for on December 10, eighty men cut fifty cords of fire- wood there. On January 9, 1758, another site was selected, because it was discovered that the new highway from Easton to Reading, to the partial laying out of which, in 1755, reference has been made, would pass quite near, and this was deemed undesirable. Operations at the new site were retarded by further doubts and fears caused by the machinations of the unspeakable Teedyuscung, and by the strong dissatisfaction of people in the upper part of the township.
Some of the Indians of Bethlehem went under escort to attend the treaty at Philadelphia in July, at the request of the Government- because Teedyuscung, whom the authorities were yet dreading and humoring, insisted upon it, to make it appear that these Indians were with him-and returned with new assurance of Government protec- tion, both against Indians and white men, in building their village. The first house had been erected, the Ioth of the previous June. Finally, on October 18, 1758, the chapel was dedicated and the village cere- moniously taken possession of by the Indian congregation. Thus began, under clouds of uncertainty, the brief history of Nain, near Bethlehem, in pursuance of Zinzendorf's plan of 1742.
At the time when negotiations for the purchase of this land were opened in 1757, a state of general alarm existed between Bethlehem and the Blue Mountains in consequence of fresh outrages by prowl- ing savages, just beyond the mountains "back of Nazareth," on Sun- day, May I. Friedensthal and the Rose were once more overrun by refugees. Among the victims was the widow of Abraham Mueller, formerly of Bethlehem, and, while the Friedensthal mill was being built, cook for the workmen. After her house had been burned before her eyes, she and her son were carried off by these "French Indians," who headed for the far north-west. She was killed on the way. Her son, after being taken almost to Niagara, escaped in the night with another captive lad and succeeded in getting back to Tioga, There he was helped on his further way back to Bethlehem, which place he reached on June 22. This is an example of numerous thrill- ing and harrowing incidents of those months, referred to in the records at Bethlehem. Right in the midst of this new consternation, the Brethren held a Synod in Nazareth Hall, with that quiet deter- mination, when at all possible, to go on in the even tenor of their way, which so puzzled and sometimes even exasperated people in
355
1756-1762.
the neighborhood, and served to keep the old slanders about an understanding with the French and savages alive in some quarters. May 5, 1757, Bishops Boehler and Hehl-Bishop Spangenberg had gone to Nazareth the previous day-started from Bethlehem to the Synod "with a caravan of a hundred and twelve brethren and sisters afoot, in wagons and on horseback, under a strong guard of holy angels," escorted, however, also by several of the appointed senti- nels and six Indian guards. This Synod was in session until May 9. Spangenberg took up his official residence for some months in the Hall and Boehler lived at Bethlehem, giving more attention to local details.
The anxious feeling in the neighborhood increased during June and July, as the time for the third treaty with the Indians at Easton drew near, and the gravitation of bands from various points towards the Forks of the Delaware again set in. It seemed as if the region were a great mass of tinder and only a spark was needed to set it all ablaze. Therefore, what threatened to be the dropping of such a spark caused no little anxiety among all who realized the danger and the great importance of the issues depending upon this new Council, and greatly disturbed the Governor and the authorities generally. On July 8, the day which had been appointed by the Gov- ernor as a day of fasting and prayer, when the thoughts of all were particularly turned to the existing causes of uneasiness, an unoffend- ing baptized Indian, William Tatemy, son of the old chief, Moses Tatemy, was deliberately shot, on the way to Easton, without cause or provocation, by a reckless and foolish young fellow of the neigh- borhood, who evidently merely desired the glory of killing an Indian. He was not killed outright, but was severely wounded in the thigh. He was taken to the house of John Jones, east of Bethlehem, and Dr. Matthew Otto was quickly summoned. Col. Jacob Arndt, under whose escort he and other Indians were being conducted through the Irish Settlement from Fort Allen to Easton, sent a special message on this deplorable occurrence to the Governor. Dr. Otto was anxiously urged to spare no effort to save his life. With the atten- tion of whites and Indians alike fastened upon him, he lay at the Jones farm, hovering between life and death, when the great Council opened at Easton, on July 21, 1757. The doctor sent several special bulletins on the case to the Governor, at his request. On the 26th, Teedyuscung, who did not fail to make use of the incident, formally drew the Governor's attention to it and demanded that if Tatemy died, the perpetrator of the outrage be tried by due process of law.
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