A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. I, Part 77

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851-1922; Smith, Ernest Gray
Publication date: 1909-1930
Publisher: Wilkes-Barre : Raeder Press
Number of Pages: 734

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. I > Part 77

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business in New York, but returning to Connecticut he was, in June, 1776, commissioned Captain of the 7th Company of the 1st Battalion of Connecticut Militia, sent to the relief of the army in and near New York City. In October, 1776 (see "Records of the State of Connecticut," I : 13), he was appointed by the General Assembly of Connecticut "Captain in one of the eight battalions now ordered to be raised." Re- turning with his company from New York (their term of service having expired) in November or Deceni- ber, 1776, he accepted his new appointment and was commissioned Captain of a company in the 7th Regi- ment of the Connecticut Line. With this organization he served from January to November, 1777. In 1778 he was on duty in Massachusetts as an officer of the Commissary Department. About 1794 he again removed to the State of New York, and, in the vicinity of West Point, on the Hudson, had charge of an iron-foundry. He died at the residence of one of his daughters in Greenbush (East Albany), New York, August 5, 1800. He was the father of five daughters and two sons. His daughter Mary Ann Elderkin be- came the wife of Henry Clark (born May 4, 1766), a younger brother of her father's sister's husband, Jabez Clark, previously mentioned.

There is said to have occurred in the town of Windham, nearly 150 years ago, an amusing incident which has often been celebrated in song and in story. With this "old Colony tale"-entitled "The Frogs of Windham"-the names of Colonels Jedidiah Elderkin and Eliphalet Dyer are inseparably connected. One dark and dismal night in July, 1758, the peaceful inhabitants of Windham were aroused from sleep about midnight by what seemed to be the yells and whoops of Indians in the distance. Many swore that. at intervals, they heard called out these words : "Colonel Dyer, and Elderkin, too !" "Colonel Dyer, and Elderkin, too !" But, we will let Samuel Peters tell the story, as he gives it in his "History of Connecti- cut," published in 1781. It runs, in part, as follows :

"The town of Windham * * has plenty of brooks, ponds and marshes in its neighborhood. Strangers are very much terrified at the hideous noise made on Summer evenings by the vast number of frogs in the brooks and stagnant ponds. There are about thirty different voices, commonly, some of which resemble the bellowing of a bull. The owls and whip-poor-wills complete the rough concert, which may be heard several miles. Persons accustomed to such serenades are not disturbed by them, but one night in July, 1758, the frogs of an artificial pond about five miles from Windham [Green], find- ing the waters dried up, left the place in a body and marched, or rather hopped, towards Winnomantic River. They were under the necessity of taking the road and going through the town, which they entered about midnight. The bull-frogs were the leaders, and the pipers followed without number. They filled the road forty yards wide for four miles in length, and were, for several hours in passing through the town, unusually clamorous.

"The inhabitants were equally perplexed and frightened-some expected to find an army of French and Indians ; others feared an earthquake, and dissolution of nature. The consternation was universal. Old and young, male and female, fled naked from their beds with, if possible, worse shriekings than those of the frogs. The event was fatal to several women. The men-after a flight of half a mile, in. which they met with many broken shins-finding no enemies in pursuit of them, made a halt and sum- moned resolution enough to venture back to their wives and children ; when they distinctly heard from the enemy's camp these words : 'Wight, Helderken, Dier, Tete !' This last, they thought, meant treaty; and, plucking up courage, they sent a triumvirate to capitulate with the supposed French and Indians. These three men approached in their shirts, and begged to speak with the General ; but it being dark, and no answer given, they were sorely agitated for some time betwixt hope and fear. At length, how- ever, they discovered that the dreaded inimical army was an army of thirsty frogs, going to the river for a little water."

Miss Ellen Larned, in her "History of Windham County," says: "Nor was the report of the Wind- ham panic confined to its own county. Even without the aid of newspapers and pictorial illustrations it was borne to every part of the land. It was sung in song and ballad; it was related in histories; it served as a standing joke in all circles and seasons. * * The Windham bull-frogs have achieved a world-wide reputation, and with Rome's goose, Putnam's wolf, and a few other favored animals, will ever hold a place in popular memory and favor."

The following poetical account of the Windham frog-scare was published in The Providence Gazette (Rhode Island) a good many years ago.

"When these free States were Colonies Unto the inother Nation, And in Connecticut the good Old 'Blue Laws' were in fashion,

"A circumstance which there occurred (And much the mind surprises Upon reflection) then gave rise To many strange surmises.

"You all have seen, as I presume, Or had a chance to see, Those strange amphibious quadrupeds Called bull-frogs commonly.

"Well, in Connecticut, 'tis said, By those who make pretensions To truth, those creatures often grow To marvellous dimensions.

"One night, in July, '58, They left their home behind 'em- Which was an oak and chestnut swamp About five miles from Windham.

"The cause was this : The Summer's sun Had dried their pond away there So shallow, that, to save their souls, The bull-frogs could not stay there.

"All in a regiment they hopped, With inany a curious antic, Along the road which led unto The River Winnomantic.

"When they in sight of Windham came, All in high perspiration,

They held their course straight tow'rds the same With loud vociferation.

"You know such kind of creatures are By nature quite voracious.

Thus they, impelled by hunger, were Remarkably loquacious.

"Up flew the windows, one and all, And then, with ears erected, From ev'ry casement gaping rows Of night-capped heads projected.

"The children cried, the women screamned : 'Oh ! Lord have mercy on us ;

The French have come to burn us out, And now are close upon us !'

"A few, upon the first alarm, Had armed themselves-to go forth Against the foe-with guns and belts, Shot, powder-horns and so forth.

"Away they went, across the lots- Hats, caps and wigs were scattered, And heads were broke and shoes were lost, Shins bruised and noses battered.

"Thus, having gained a mile or two- Those men of 'steady habits'- All snug behind au old stone-wall Lay like a nest of rabbits.

"They thought upon their hapless wives, Their meeting-house and cattle, And then resolved to sally forth And give the Frenchmen battle.

"Among the property which they Had brought with them to save it, Were found two trumpets and a drum, Just as good luck would have it.

"Such as were armed, in order ranged, The music in the center ; Declared they would not run away, But on the French would venture.

"There might have been among them all Say twenty guns, or over.

How many pitchforks, scythes and flails, I never could discover.

COL. JEDIDIAH EL,DERKIN. From a portrait in the possession of one of his descendants.

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In the same issue of The New London Gazette with the foregoing was printed a "Public Notice" addressed to the "First and Second Com- panies of the Delaware Purchasers,"* calling upon them to meet at the Court House in Norwich, New London County, on December 21, 1768, "to consider of certain matters of utmost importance." To this notice were attached the names of Isaac Tracy, Jabez Fitch, Capt. Robert Dix- son, Elisha Tracy, Samuel Huntington and John Curtiss, t "Committee."

O11 December 28th, agreeably to notice, a large number of the pro- prietors of The Susquehanna Company assembled at Hartford-John Smith, Esq., a member of the Executive Committee and one whose name has been frequently mentioned hereinbefore, presiding over the meeting as "Moderator." There was much earnestness and enthusiasm manifested by all who were present, and a number of important meas- ures for effecting settlements on the Susquehanna lands were adopted. The Company, first of all, unanimously voted "to proceed and settle" the lands, inasmuch as, since the month of May, 1763-when they had been informed that it was the King's will that "the prosecution of the settle- ment" of the lands in question should be stopped (see page 414)-"the state of their cause respecting those lands had been laid before His Majesty in Council ; and, in pursuance of His Majesty's orders, such precautions had been taken in settling the line with the Indians and in paying and satisfying them for all the lands, as fully to obviate any fresh troubles with the Indians." It was then resolved that "forty per- sons-upwards of the age of twenty-one years, proprietors in said Pur- chase and approved by the committee to be nominated-proceed to enter upon and take possession of said land, for and in behalf of said Com- pany, by the first day of February, 1769; and that 200 more of said Company, of the age aforesaid, proceed and join said forty as early in the Spring as may be-not later than the 1st day of May."

For the encouragement of the "First Forty" settlers, as also of the 200 who should join them in the Spring, the Company voted to lay out five "gratuity" towns, or townships, of land within the Purchase. Each town was to be five miles square, and three of the towns were to be located on one side of the river and two on the other side-"adjoining and opposite to each other, only the river parting ; at such place on said river as they [the settlers] may think proper. Each of said towns to be five miles on the river, and extend an equal width back five miles,

"The rest agreed to close the rear- After some intercession- And altogether made a queer And curious procession.

"Some were persuaded that they saw The band of French marauders ; And not a few declared they heard The officers give orders.

"These words could be distinguished then- 'Dyer,' 'Elderkin' and 'Tête.'

And when they heard the last, they thought The French desired a treaty.

"So. three good, sober-minded men Were chosen straight to carry Terms to the French, as Ministers Plenipotentiary.

"These moving on with conscious fear. Did for a hearing call. And begged a moment's leave to speak With the French General.

"Th' advancing foe an answer made, But-it was quite provoking- Not one of them could understand The language it was spoke in.

"So there they stood in piteous plight ('Twas ludicrous to see) Until the BULL-FROGS came in sight- Which shamed them mightily.

"Then all went home, right glad to save Their property from pillage :

And all agreed to shame the mien Who first alarmed the village.

"Some were well pleased, and some were inad, Some turned it off in laughter ; And some would never speak a word About the thing thereafter.

"Some vowed if Satan came at last. They did not mean to flee him ; But if a frog they ever passed. Would pretend not to see him."

* The Delaware Company, mentioned on page 293.

+ A resident of Canterbury, Windham County, and in 1764 and other years a Representative in the General Assembly and a Justice of the Peace.

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and to be and belong to the said 'Forty' and the said 200 persons, over and above their respective shares and proportions in the remainder of the general Purchase." The "Forty" were, first, to have their choice of one of these towns, and then the remaining four towns were to belong to the 200 other settlers-"to be divided out to them by fifties in a town as they shall think proper ; reserving and appropriating three whole rights, or shares, in each town for (1) the public use of a gospel ministry, (2) the first settling minister of the gospel and (3) the support of schools. Reserving, however, to the Company, all beds of minerals, iron-ore and coal that may be within said towns." It was expressly stipulated that these five towns-which subsequently became known as "settling" towns -were to be owned and possessed by the "Forty" and the 200 proprie- tors only upon the following conditions, viz .: That the said proprietors should enter upon the lands within the time inentioned, and that they should continue thereon, "holding and improving the same by them- selves, heirs or assigns, under said Company, for the space of five years after their entry as aforesaid." The Company also declared and deter- mined, by a formal vote :

"That they [the settlers] shall not so disorderly conduct and behave themselves as shall by the Committee be judged inconsistent with the good and interest of said Com- pany ; and that they hold not the same or any part of said Purchase under pretence of any other claim but of said Company. And if the first number approved by said com- mittee shall fall short of forty, and if those approved to join them in the Spring fall short of 200, nevertheless those that so proceed, according to the above vote, to be entitled to their respective parts or shares in the said five towns in full, as though the whole num- ber were complete.

"And in order that proper persons, and such as may appear to be most subservient to the benefit of said Company, may be orderly introduced as first settlers on said lands, it is voted that the following committee be appointed * * to approve of and admit such persons as may offer themselves as first settlers, viz .: Col. Samuel Talcott, Maj. Elizur Talcott, Jonathan Pettebone and Jonathan Root, Esquires, for the county of Hart- ford ; Daniel Lyman, Esq., Mr. Michael Baldwin and Captain Maroch Ward for the county of New Haven ; Samuel Ely, Esq., Mr. Gershom Breed and Capt. Obadiah Gore for New London County ; Mr. Cornelius Hull, Mr. Nathan Birdsey and Mr. Benjamin Seally for the county of Fairfield ; John Smith and Samuel Gray, Esquires, and Mr. John Jenkins for the county of Windham ; Increase Moseley and Samuel Canfield, Esquires, and Benjamin Stevens for Litchfield County ; Mr. William Buck and John Walsworth for the Province of New York ; Timothy Woodbridge, Esq., for the Province of Massa- chusetts ; Isaac Tripp and Job Randall, Esquires, and Mr. Ezra Dean for the Colony of Rhode Island."

. Although there was no formal expression by the members of the Company as to whether or not it was their intention that the resolutions then adopted, relative to the laying out of the five "gratuity," or "set- tling," towns, were to supersede and nullify the votes passed by the Company in 1762 and 1763 concerning the laying out of towns (see pages 401, 402 and 412), yet it seems to have been considered that such was the intention ; and in all the subsequent proceedings of the Company no reference was ever made to either the towns or the lots which had been laid out, settled and partly improved under the Company's auspices in 1762 and '63.

It was further voted by the Company at this December meeting that "the sum of £200 be laid out in providing proper materials, sus- tenance and provision for said 'Forty,' at the discretion of a committee to be appointed." Isaac Tripp,* Benjamin Follett, t John Jenkins,} William Buck§ and Benjamin Shoemaker|| were then appointed a com-

* ISAAC TRIPP, born about 1700, in Rhode Island, was fourth in descent from John Tripp (born 1610 ; died 1678) and his wife Mary Paine. John Tripp, who was a carpenter by trade, came from England and settled in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Isaac Tripp belonged to the Society of Friends, or Quakers, and resided for some time at Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut. He was not an original member of The

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Susquehanna Company, but, with his eldest son, Job, was admitted as a proprietor in the Purchase in 1761 or early in 1762. Job Tripp was in Wyoming in 1762, as we have previously shown, and it is possible that Isaac Tripp also was here. It is quite probable that both father and son were here in 1763. Between that year and 1769 Isaac Tripp-as is shown by the original records of The Susquehanna Company-resided for a time in Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island-adjoining Windham County, Connecticut.

In the Spring of 1771, it is said, Isaac Tripp built his cabin on the "Capouse Meadows" (on the Lacka- wanna River near the site of a foriner village of Monsey Indians-whose chief was named Capouse-and within the present limits of the city of Scranton), "and, without clearing a foot of land, planted and raised a crop of corn the first season, on the plantation deserted but a short [?] time before." At a meeting of The Susquehanna Company held at Norwich, Connecticut, April 1, 1772, a "six-mile township at Capouse Meadows" was grauted to a number of shareholders in the Company "and ordered to be laid out." This township was of unusual size, and was laid out in pursuance of a special vote passed by the Company. It was known to the Company as a "Suffering" township-"wherein rights lost or improperly forfeited were relaid and commuted."" Isaac Tripp was one of the original proprietors in this township-which was indis- criminately called "Six-mile," "Capouse Meadows" and "Capouse" Township. Within two or three years, however, the name of the township was changed to "New Providence", and ultimately to "Providence." The following is a copy, in part, of a report to be found on page 296 of Book "B" of the original records of The Susquehanna Company (mentioned on page 28, ante): "WHEREAS we the subscribers were appointed by The Susquehanna Company at their meeting at Norwich April 1, 1772, a committee to lay out townships to proprietors of the Company, upon the application of twenty; * * * therefore, upon the application of ISAAC TRIPP, Esq., JOHN JENKINS and Mr. JON. DEAN, in behalf of themselves and associates, have laid out to them a township northerly of and adjoining the townships of Kingstown and Pittstown1-five miles square.

"Dated at Wilkesbarre November 25, 1772. "ZEBN BUTLER, "STEPHEN FULLER,

[Signed]

{ Committee,

"OBADIAH GORE, Jr., ) &c."

To this new township the proprietors gave the name "Exeter."

Under authority of a resolution adopted by The Susquehanna Company April 1, 1772, a new township in the Company's Purchase was "surveyed, laid out, approved and granted" in October, 1775, to Isaac Tripp, agent, for himself and nineteen other "proprietors in said Susquehanna Purchase." This township was located on both sides of the Susquehanna, "at a place called Tunkhannock," and contained twenty-five square miles "exclusive of the river." Subsequently the township received the name of "Putnam," in honor of Col. Israel Putnam, a resident of Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, the former home of Isaac Tripp. In addition to the latter Job Randall, Esq., Jonathan Randall, Dr. Ephraim Bowen, Benjamin Bowen, Jonathan Slocum, Job Tripp, Philip Buck, Elisha Wilcox, Zebulon Marcy, Elijah Shoemaker and Increase Billings (several of whom were Rhode Islanders) were among the original proprietors of Put- nam Township. (For the location of the townships of Providence, Exeter and Putnam, aforementioned, as originally laid out, see the "Map of The Susquehanna Company's Survey," facing page 468.)

Isaac Tripp, as one of the duly elected Representatives from the town of Westmoreland (Wyoming), attended the sessions of the General Assembly of Connecticut held in May and October, 1777, and January, 1778. He was killed by a band of marauding Indians December 16, 1778, within the limits of the Town- plot of Wilkes-Barré. Just two days previously he had been appointed administrator of the estate of Capt. Asaph Whittlesey, who had been killed in the battle of Wyoming in the previous July. April 21, 1779, Job Tripp was appointed administrator of the estate of Isaac Tripp, deceased-John Jenkins, Jr., being his surety in the sum of £1,000. April 8, 1782, the administrator filed an inventory of the decedent's estate, amounting to £1,049, 13s. 4d. The principal items in the inventory were: "957 acres of land in Providence Township, £957; 1,209% Continental dollars, £60."

Isaac Tripp was thrice married. By his second wife, who was Susannah (probably Spencer), he had Job Tripp (born about 1734) and Ruth Tripp (born March 21, 1736) ; and by his third wife, Sarah Dow, he had Isaac Tripp (born at East Greenwich, Rhode Island, July 27, 1743 ; died at Capouse, or Providence, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, May 28, 1807) and Henry Dow Tripp, who left Wyoming at an early date, and in 1794 was living in New York City. Job Tripp, abovementioned, had three sons and four daughters, his second child being Isaac (born November 27, 1760; died April 15, 1820), who was captured by the Indi- ans in the latter part of 1778-as will be more fully related hereinafter. Ruth Tripp was married Febru- ary 23, 1757, to Jonathan Slocum (born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, May 1, 1733), and until their removal to Wyoming they resided at Warwick, Rhode Island. (See Chapter XVII for a further account of the Slocum family.)

+ BENJAMIN FOLLETT (Jr.) was born March 28, 1715, at Windham, Connecticut, fifth child and eldest son of Benjamin and Patience (Doulee) Follett, and grandson of Robert Follett of Salein, Massachusetts. Benjamin Follett, Jr., was an original member of The Susquehanna Company, and his name appears in the Indian deed of 1754 among the "half-right" grantees. In October, 1756, he was commissioned by the General Assembly of Connecticut Second Lieutenant in the 10th Company of the Ist Regiment of the Colony, sent to reinforce the English army at Lake George. (See note, page 264.) In 1762 he was with the first settlers at Wyoming, as previously noted, and was probably here in 1763. He was married (1st) November 10, 1736, to Hannah Woodward, and they settled at Windham. They became the parents of eight children, of whom the following grew to maturity : Eliphalet Follett (born January 16, 1741 ; married March 8, 1764, to Elizabeth Dewey, and had seven children ; killed at the battle of Wyoming, July 3, 1778); Benjamin Follell (born November 10, 1742 ; married March 8, 1769, to Thankful Bibbin of Windham). Mrs. Hannah ( Woodward) Follett died May 2, 1757, and Lieutenant Follett was married (2d) February 2, 1758, to Esther Robinson. They became the parents of two daughters and three sous-the eldest son being Frederick Follett, who was born March 10, 1761, and died in May, 1804. Lient. Benjamin Follett died (pre- sumably in Wyoming Valley) prior to April, 1783-as indicated in the report of the committee mentioned on page 403.

# JOHN JENKINS was born at East Greenwich, Rhode Island, February 6, 1728, second son of John Jenkins (born April 5, 1697 ; died in 1742) who was the son of Zechariah and grandson of John Jenkins- the first of the name in this particular branch of the American family. The wife of the last-named was Susanna - They were Quakers, and resided as early as 1655, at least, at Sandwich, Massachusetts. John Jenkins, the first mentioned above and the third of that name, settled about 1750 in Colchester, New London County, Connecticut. Later-say in 1753 and 1768-he appears to have been a resident of Wind- ham Connty. He is said to have been a soldier in one of the Connecticut military organizations that took part in the campaign against Louisbourg in 1758, during which service he was wounded in the knee. According to the records of The Susquehanna Company John Jenkins was admitted into the Company as a proprietor October 8, 1753, and from that time until his death he was active and prominent both in the affairs of The Susquehanna Company and the settlements at Wyoming. His name appears many times in the succeeding pages.

When, in the Spring of 1772, the lands of the "Forty Township," later Kingstown and now Kingston, were allotted to the proprietors thereof, John Jenkins drew "House Lot No. 14" (which contained some four acres, and lay about where the present Forty Fort Cemetery is located), as well as his share of lots in the other divisions of the township. He was also, as previously noted (on this page), one of the orig- inal proprietors of the township of Exeter, and thither, shortly after it was laid out and "accepted," he removed with his family. He erected his dwelling-house within the present limits of the borough of West Pittston, upon the top of the high bank overlooking the river, about ten or twelve rods north-east of where the Pittston Ferry bridge now stands.

John Jenkins was married August 1, 1750, to Lydia Gardner, daughter of Stephen Gardner (see note, page 254) who, at that time, kept an inn on the eastern shore of Gardner's Lake, New London County,

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Connecticut. They became the parents of six sons and one daughter, as follows : i. John Jenkins, born November 27, 1751 ; married to Bethiah Harris of Colchester June 23, 1778; died March 19, 1827. ii. Stephen Jenkins, born February 22, 1753; died September 20, 1808. iii. . Benjamin Jenkins, born July 18, 1754; died in March, 1787. iv. Amy Jenkins, born January 12, 1757; married to Asahel Atherton ; died March 24, 1834. v. Thomas Jenkins, born January 19, 1761 ; married to Eleanor Shontz ; died April 22, 1812. vi. William Jenkins, born October 30, 1764 ; died November 1, 1846. vii. Wilkes Jenkins, born July 18, 1767 ; died April 1, 1838.

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A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. I, Part 77

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851-1922; Smith, Ernest Gray Publication date: 1909-1930 Publisher: Wilkes-Barre : Raeder Press Number of Pages: 734

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851-1922; Smith, Ernest Gray
Publication date: 1909-1930
Publisher: Wilkes-Barre : Raeder Press
Number of Pages: 734