A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. II, Part 21

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Wilkes-Barre [Raeder press]
Number of Pages: 683

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. II > Part 21

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 (link on the Part 1 page).

(vii) JOHN ABBOTT-born September 27, 1741, son of Philip and Abigail (Bickford) Abbott-who ex- ecuted the "settler's bond" printed on the next page, was married in the parish of Canada (later Hamp- ton), in the town of Windham, November 4, 1762, to Alice (born at Windham in 1741), daughter of Stephen Fuller, Sr., and sister of Capt. Stephen Fuller, mentioned on page 717. John Abbott was by trade a carpenter and joiner. As previously noted he came to Wyoming with his nephew Philip in March, 1772, and, having been duly admitted a proprietor in Wilkes-Barre, participated in the distribution of lots which took place in April, 1772, and was allotted Lot No. 85 in the town-plot, Lot No. 48 in the 1st Division, Lot No. 10 in the 3d Division and Lot No. 2 in the 4th Division. He lived either in the fort or the block-house at Wilkes-Barre until about 1774. when, having erected a house on one of his lots in what is now Plains Township, opposite Forty Fort, he removed to it with his family. Prior to 1778 he disposed of his town-lot (No. 85) to the Rev. Jacob Johnson.

John Abbott took part in the battle of Wyoming as a private in the Sixth, or Upper Wilkes-Barre, Company of the 24th Regiment, Connecticut Militia, commanded by Capt. Rezin Geer. Escaping from the field of battle in the general rout he waded through the shallow water of the Susquehanna to Monocanock Island. Crossing the island he, being unable to swim, was aided over the deep channel of the river be- tween the island and the Wilkes-Barre shore by his neighbor and fellow-soldier George Cooper. who was also fleeing from the scene of carnage. In the flight of the inhabitants of Wyoming from the valley after the surrender of their various forts to the enemy, Mr. Abbott took his family down the river to Sunbury, and, leaving them there, joined the detachment of militia under the command of Lieut. Col. Zebulon Butler (see muster-roll of the same in Chapter XVI) and marched to Wilkes-Barre on August 4, 1778. Stone says ("History of Wyoming," p. 270) that Mr. Abbott found "his house and his barn had been burnt, his cattle slaughtered or driven away and his fields ravaged. The gleanings only remained to require his atten- tion. These he attempted to gather [about the middle of August], but in doing so, while engaged in the field with a neighbor named Isaac Williams, a young man, or rather youth of eighteen years, of fine promise. they were shot by a party of Indians who stole upon them unawares, scalped, and left dead upon the spot.

"The widow, with her helpless charge [of nine children, the eldest of whom was a daughter fourteen years of age], being now entirely destitute, was compelled to seek her way back to Hampton-a distance of more than 300 miles-on foot, penniless, heart-broken, and dependent upon charity for subsistence. But the journey was effected without loss of life or limb. * * She remained at Hampton several years after the troubles [in Wyoming] were over, and until her sons were grown up. Returning then to the valley, and reclaiming successfully the estate of her husband, she settled thereon with her family." Sep- tember 20, 1782, Capt. Stephen Fuller was appointed administrator of the estate of John Abbott, deceased. After her return to Wilkes-Barre Mrs. Alice ( Fuller) Abbott was married, as his second wife, to Stephen

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wilksbury In sd Purchase In ye full & just sum of Thirty pounds Lawfull money of New England to be paid unto them ye sd JOHN SMITH, PEREGREEN GARDNER and AARON WILDER or to their sucksessors in sd office or to either of their Heirs, Execuors or adminors or assigns to ye which payment well & Truly to be made & Done I Bind my self my Heirs Execuors & adminors Firmly by these Presents. Signed with my Hand & sealed with my seal this 23rd Day of march A. D. 1772 & in ye 12th year of his majesties Reign George ye 3rd King &c :

"THE CONDITION of ye above written obligation is such that whereas ye company of setlers on ye Susquehannah Purchase Did at their meeting Legally warned and Held in wilksbury February 27th 1772 voted that ye Propriators in each setling town that is Not filled up shall have ye Liberty to admitt in setlers into their Respective towns untill ye vacant Rights are all filled up in each town. And whereas JOHN SMITH, PEREGREEN GARDNER, & AARON WILDER are a Comtee appointed by ye town of Wilksbury to trans- act ye affairs of sd town and to admitt setlers &c .: and whereas ye above Bounded JOHN ABBOTT made application to sd Comtee for ye town of Wilksbury for to Purchase a setling Right in sd town of wilksbury and sd Comtee Granted sd setling right and it was voted by sd companey &c :

"Now ye true Intent and meaning of ye condition of ye above obligation is that if ye above Bounden JOHN ABBOTT his Heirs Execuors or adminors or either of them shall well & truly pay or cause to be paid unto JOHN SMITH, PEREGREEN GARDNER or AARON WILDER or to their sucksessors in sd office ye full & Just sum of Fifteen pounds Lawfull

Gardner of Wilkes-Barre, mentioned in the note on page 264, Vol. I. Mrs. Gardner died at her home, in what is now Plains Township, in June, 1816, and her remains are interred in the little grave-yard between Port Bowkley and Plainsville which is almost hidden from view and shut off from access by immense piles of cuim and rock, deposited there in the course of recent coal-mining operations carried on near by. (See the photo-illustration facing this page.)

The children of John and Alice (Fuller) Abbott were as follows: (i) Alice, born April 17, 1764. (ii) Abigail, born December 15, 1766 ; died young. (iii) Stephen, born December 6, 1767 ; died June 19, 170. (iv) Charles, born June 8, 1769 ; died after 1858. (v) Stephen, born April 19, 171 ; died July 2, 1858. (vi) Abigail, born about 178; died unmarried. (vii) Reuben. (viii) Lydia, became the wife of- - Swet- land, and was living in Knox County, Ohio, in 1858. (ix) Celinda, became the wife of Reuben Taylor, and in 1858 was living in Scott, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, having survived her husband. (x) and (xi) Mary and Hannak (twins). (xii) Sarah, born February 28, 1778; became the wife of - Kennedy, and in 1858 was living in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania.

(iv) Charles Abbott returned to Wyoming from Windham County with his mother, brother and sisters, and settled in that part of Wilkes-Barre Township which later became Plains Township. Prior to 1800 he was married. His name appears in the tax-lists of Wilkes-Barre for 1796, 1802, 1807 and other years. Some years later he removed to Delaware County, Ohio, where he was still living in 1858.

(v) Stephen Abbott, born April 19, 1771, third son of John and Alice ( Fuller) Abbott, returned to Wyo- ming with the other members of his mother's family and settled on the fine farm on Jacob's Plains which had been owned by his father. There he resided until his death. Stephen Abbott was married at Wilkes- Barre in 1790 to Abigail (born at Stonington, Conn., June 25, 1779), daughter of William and Philomena ( Frink) Searle and granddaughter of Constant Searle, who was killed at the battle of Wyoming. Mrs. Abigail (Searle) Abbott died June 2, 1842, and Stephen Abbott was married (2d), a few years later, to Mrs. Sarah ( Denison) Ferrier (born in 1794; died in 1888), youngest child of Col. Nathan and Elizabeth (Sill) Denison, and widow of Thomas Ferrier.

The children of Stephen and Abigail (Searle) Abbott were as follows: (1) Joks, born in Wilkes- Barre Township April 8, 1800; died November 27, 1861. (2) William, born about 1806; married to Ellen, daughter of Cornelius and Catharine (Kennedy) Courtright of Plains (Wilkes-Barre Township), and sub- sequently to 1848 removed to Ohio. (8) Eliza, born October 21, 1806; married January 8, 1828, to Robert (born August 17, 1805; died December 9, 1842), son of Asher and Mary ( Wright) Miner of Wilkes-Barre. (See a sketch of the Miner family in a subsequent chapter.) Mrs. Eliza (Abbott) Miner died August 18, 1846, in Wilkes-Barre Township. (4) Stephen Fuller, b. July 14, 1800 ; died February 11, 1856.

(1) John Abbott remained on his father's farm, in what is now Plains Township, until he became of age, when he went to Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, and entered the employ of The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. In 1829 he returned to his ancestral home, and there remained successfully engaged in farming until his death. He was married March 11, 1880, to Hannah (born in Wilkes-Barre Township February 7. 1788), daughter of Cornelius and Catharine (Kennedy) Courtright of Plains. Cornelius Courtright (or "Cortright" as he, himself, wrote his surname), son of Benjamin, was born March 19, 1764, in the Minisink region, New Jersey (see note, page 189, Vol: I), not far from the Delaware Water Gap. In 1784 or '85 he removed to Wilkes-Barre Township, where he was married October 1, 1786, to Catharine, daughter of John Kennedy, a native of Dublin, Ireland. In November, 1787, Mr. Courtright was elected Ensign of the militia company of the "Upper District of Wilkes-Barre" (Daniel Gore, Captain), in the Battalion commanded by Lieut. Col. Matthias Hollenback. Mr. Courtright settled in that part of Wilkes- Barre which later was erected into Plains Township, and there he lived the remainder of his life-becom- ing a large landholder. January 1, 1808, he was commissioned a Justice of the Peace, and in that office he was continued until 1840. He was one of the Commissioners of Luzerne County in 1818, '14. '15. '80, '81 and 32; in 1816 he was a candidate for State Senator in the district composed of the counties of Northumber- land, Columbia, Union, Luzerne and Susquehanna, but was defeated at the polls by Charles Frazer. In 1820, '21 and '23 he was elected one of the Representatives from Luzerne County to the State Legislature. "For a long series of years he was one of the most public-spirited, active men of our county." Benjamin (born March 17, 1789: died January 22, 1867), John (born October 21, 1790; died May 16, 1880), Mrs. Horace G. Phelps, Mrs. William Abbott and Mrs. John Abbott were the children of Cornelius and Catharine (Kennedy) Courtright. Mrs. Catharine (Kennedy) Courtright died at her home in Plains May 12, 1846, and Cornelius Courtright died at the residence of his son-in-law in Plains May 25, 1848.

(1) John Abbott died at his home in Plains November 27, 1861, and his widow, Mrs. Hannah (Court- right) Abbott, died at her residence on North Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, May 3. 1892. John and Hannah (Courtright) Abbott were the parents of the following-named children : (i) Robert Miner, born ; resides at Davenport, Iowa. (ii) Catharine C., born December 16, 1888 ; died April 8, 1804. (iv) Lucy W .- who resides in Wilkes-Barre.

(4) Stephen Fuller Abbott, born July 14, 1800, in what is now Plains Township, spent his life there as a farmer. March 1. 1847, he became a member of Lodge No 61, F. and A M., Wilkes-Barre. In 1837 he was married to Charlotte (born June 80, 1810), daughter of Charles and Letitia ( Wright) Miner of Plains. (See a sketch of the Miner family in a subsequent chapter.) Stephen Fuller Abbott died February 11. 1856, and his wife died July 28, 1850. Their children were: The Rev. William P. Abbott, D. D. (born December 31, 1888 ; died December 22, 1878), a prominent minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Stephen H. Abbott (born October 24, 1844 ; died September 12, 1887).

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money as above sd on or Before ye first Day of July which will be in ye year of our Lord 1773 with ye Lawfull Interest from and after ye first Day of July Next after ye Date of gd Bond and Do all Duties on sd Right agreeable to ye Rest of sd Propriators then ye above obligation is to be void. But on ye sd Abbotts Non performance thereof then to stand and remain in full force and virtue in ye Law.

"Signed Sealed and Delivered [Signed]

In Presence of

"JOHN ABBOTT, [L. S. ]"

"JOSEPH SPRAGUE,

"EZEKIEL PEIRCE,

The following is a verbatim copy of the original minutes of a town- meeting held at Fort Wyoming, as recorded on page 1,061 of "The Town Book of Wilkes Barre."

"At a meeting of ye Proprietors now at Wyoming Legally warned & held in Wilks- bury fort March 12, 1772-It was then put to vote by this Company that those people called ye Dutch People to whom ye township down at ye Fishing Creek* so called was laid out for, have forfited their Rights to this company by their unfaithfullness, &c .; and it was then voted in ye affirmative by this Company.

"Voted, That ye Six-mile township that was voted to ye Paxton Boys, so called, shall now be laid out in lieu of Nantecook (which ye Paxton [Boys] took in lieu of ye six-mile township)t at or near ye Fishing Creek so called, for ye benefitt of ye 240 first settlers.

"Voted, That Esquire [John] Smith, Lieutenant [William] Buck, Mr. [Peregrine] Gardner, Daniel Gore and Oliver Smith are appointed by this company a Comtee to go down to ye Fishing Creek to view and look out a township of Six-miles square for ye Benefitt of ye 240 settlers.#

"Voted, That Esquire Smith, Captain [Lazarus] Stewart and Mr. Gardner be and they are hereby appointed a Comtee to regulate ye scouting and guarding, and station ye People at each Block-house &c., & make their report to ye adjourned meeting."

At a town-meeting held at "Wilksbury fort" March 31, 1772, with "Esquire Smith Moderator for the day," it was "Voted, That there shall be twelve men to stand on ye guard twenty-four hours, and a scout to be taken out of ye twelve men to scout ye next day."

By an Act of the Pennsylvania Legislature passed March 21, 1772, the county of Northumberland was erected out of parts of the counties of Lancaster, Cumberland, Berks, Bedford and Northampton. The bounds of the new county stretched to the New York-Pennsylvania boundary-line, and included not only Wyoming Valley, but the entire territory, and more, claimed by The Susquehanna Company under its deed from the' Six Nation Indians. In other words, the Northumber- land County of that day comprehended the territory included within the limits of the present-day counties of Potter, Tioga, Bradford, Susque- hanna, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Sullivan, Lycoming, Clinton, Luzerne, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union, and parts of Schuylkill, Mifflin, Juniata, Center, Clearfield, Cameron, Elk and Mc- Kean. March 24th the Provincial Council commissioned Dr. William Plunket Chief, or President, Judge of the Northumberland County Courts, and William Maclay, Samuel Hunter, Turbutt Francis (see page 664) and others Assistant, or Associate, Judges. The first Court in and for the new county was held at Fort Augusta§ April 9, 1772; and the first Court of Common Pleas was held there May 26, 1772, at which

* The East Branch of Fishing Creek, now known as Huntington Creek. t See page 652. # The township laid out in accordance with this vote was subsequently named "Huntington."

¿ By order of Governor Penn in Council, June 16, 1772, Surveyor General John Lukens was directed to lay out a town for the county-seat of Northumberland County between Fort Augusta and the mouth of Shamokin Creek, to be called "SUNBURY." The order was executed between June 28 and July 8, 1772, and return was made July 4th. The first house erected in Sunbury seems to have been a frame one, built by Surveyor General Lukens for his own use. The second house built in Sunbury, and now the most historic house in the town, was a stone dwelling-house erected for William Maclay in 1778 on the lot fronting the river, at the foot of the present Arch Street. It is now owned and occupied by the Hon. S. P. Wolverton. The Rev. P. V. Fithian, a Presbyterian minister and a graduate of Princeton College in 1772, made a journey through a part of Northumberland County in the Summer of 1775, and in his journal he wrote : "The town of Sunbury lies near a half mile below the fort [Augusta], on the north side of the Main Branch [of the Susquehanna]. It may contain 100 houses. All the buildings are of logs but Mr. Maclay's, which is of stone."

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time the commission of William Maclay (abovementioned) as Prothono -. tary, Clerk of the Courts and Register of Wills was read, and several at- torneys were admitted to practise before the Court-among them being James Wilson, of York, mentioned in the note on page 653.

According to the records of the Court held April 9th it was ordered by the Court that the County should be divided into seven townships, one of which was to be called "Wyoming." Mahoning Township em- braced the territory between Mahoning Creek and the West, or Main, Branch of Fishing Creek (emptying into the Susquehanna about a mile below the present borough of Bloomsburg), and immediately above the mouth of Fishing Creek the township of Wyoming began, and extended northward along the Susquehanna, and westward, far beyond the limits of Wyoming Valley. Some time later, by order of the Northumberland County Court, the townships of "Stoke" and "Shawanese" were erected out of the township of Wyoming-Stoke including the Manor of Stoke and, of course, Wilkes-Barre, and Shawanese including the Manor of Sunbury (as laid out for the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania) and, of course, The Susquehanna Company's townships of Plymouth and Kingston. From 1778 to 1787, inclusive-and perhaps for a longer period-North- umberland County comprehended ten townships, of which Wyoming was one. During that period none of the New England settlers in and near Wyoming Valley were assessed for taxes, nor did any of them pay taxes to the county of Northumberland or to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 1781 and 1786, as well as in other years at that period, the following-named "non-residents" . were assessed by the Northumberland County authorities for lands in Wyoming Township. Benjamin Chew, 5,000 acres, the Estate of Turbutt Francis, 900 acres, John M. Nesbitt, 300 acres, Dr. William Plunket, 580 acres, and Joseph Shippen, 1,800 acres. In August, 1786, a return was made to the General Assembly of Pennsylvania of the number of taxable inhabitants in the State. The report for Northumberland County was as follows : "2,102 men and 44 women-the townships of Stoke and Shawanese not included."

A lawfully-warned meeting of The Susquehanna Company was held at Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, April 1, 1772, and the following preamble and resolutions were adopted.

"WHEREAS, This Company are fully sensible of the equity and justice of their claims to the Susquehanna country, and of the rectitude of their intention in prosecuting their claims ( which has been to gain possession of those lands in order to lay a foundation for a legal trial and decision of their cause); yet, instead of the Proprietors of Pennsylvania bringing forward or prosecuting any proper civil action in which the title to those lands might be set up and brought into question for a legal decision and determination, instead thereof have made divers attempts to drive us off by force (though under pretext of law process for riots and actions of a criminal nature), by which means great violence and some bloodshed has happened, contrary to our intentions and inclinations. But as we are determined to prosecute our claims by every legal way and means, and to prevent future violence and bloodshed- Voted, That some proper person or persons be appointed to proceed to Philadelphia as soon as may be and address his Honor Governor Penn, and with him confer upon what method may be taken to bring the contending claims of the Proprietors of Pennsylvania and The Susquehanna Company to a legal and equitable decision, that all tumults and violences for the future may be prevented.

"Voted, That Capt. Joseph Trumbull* be, and he is hereby, appointed agent for this Company, as soon as may be to repair to Philadelphia and wait on his Honor Governor Penn, agreeable to the above vote.

"Voted, That application be made to the General Assembly of this Colony in May next for the establishment of civil government among the settlers in the Susquehanna country, within the limits of the Charter of this Colony.

* See page 470, Vol. I.

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"Voted, That Col. Elizur Talcott be appointed to forward and prosecute the petition as abovementioned.

"Whereas, There are many proprietors of the Susquehanna Purchase that have not paid up the taxes already granted on the Susquehanna rights, it is now Voted, That the same be paid by the first day of May, next ; and all such proprietors as shall refuse or neglect to pay the same by that time, their rights shall be forfeited and revert to the Company. "Voted, That the thanks of this Company be returned to the Hon. Wm. Samuel Johnson,* Esq .. for his special services done for this Company in Great Britain, and that the Hon. Eliphalet Dyer be desired to present the same accordingly.

"Voted, That there be a committee of five men appointed, who shall be empowered to receive in settlers who have been sufferers-by reason of their being drove off their settling-rights or by being imprisoned, or that have been hindered from repairing to or holding their said rights by act of Providence-to fill up the five townshipst that are already laid out. Provided, that no person or persons that now are admitted, and that are now on or in said townships (holding the same according to the former votes of this Company), or are now imprisoned, or absent by leave from the Committee (who return according to the license from said Committee), shall be liable to be removed, or be re- moved, from or out of any of the said five townships.

"Also Voted, That the Committee now appointed are hereby empowered to lay out to forty settlers, at Capouse Meadows, one or more townships five miles square, divided into forty-three shares- three for public use, as in the other townships-in order to supply said sufferers (respect being had to the time and nature of their sufferings); provided the said sufferers shall apply to the said committee any time before the first day of July next, and then go to the said township and hold and improve the same upon the same terms the other settlers hold the other townshipe.

"Voted, That said Committee are likewise empowered to order and direct where new townships shall be laid of five miles square, divided into fifty-three rights or shares (three of which shall be for public use), when they shall be applied to by twenty pro- prietors, by themselves or agents, for lands to settle on as a part of their proprietors' rights. Provided, always, that no person shall have any lands laid out to him, or shall be received into any township as a proprietor, until he brings a certificate from the Clerk of this Company that he is a proprietor and has paid all the taxes due on his rights, or otherwise satisfied the Committee now appointed to lay out townships that he is a pro- prietor in said Purchase, and has paid all the taxes due on his said right ; * * * and that there shall be twenty settlers settled within each of sd townships within two years from ye time of laying out ye same, in order that sd proprietors of sd township shall hold ye same.

"Also Voted, That if there shall be more of the aggrieved settlers that shall appear by the time aforesaid to settle on said lands, the said Committee are hereby empowered to lay out a township on Muncy Creek, of six miles square, to fifty proprietors-if so many shall appear by the time aforesaid -- to be laid out into fifty-three shares ; and if not filled up by such suffering settlers, the other shares to be filled up by the proprietors that come on to settle on their original rights. * *

"Voted, That Capt. Zebulon Butler, Maj. Ezekiel Peirce, Stephen Fuller, Robert Hunter and Obadiah Gore, Jr., be and they are hereby appointed a Committee to order and regulate the settlement of our lands in the Susquehanna Purchase according to the foregoing votes."

Zebulon Butler was in attendance upon the aforementioned meet- ing, and at its close spent a few days with his family at North Lyme. Thence, on the 16th of April, he set out for Wilkes-Barre. In his journal he recorded the route he traveled-which was the one then usually followed by travelers between New London County and Wilkes- Barré-and it was as follows: "North Lyme to Hartford, to Farming- ton, to Woodbury, to Roxbury, to North Fairfield, to Fishkill ; April 21st crossed the North River and went [undoubtedly by way of Goshen, Orange County, New York] to Owens'; 23d went to Minisink ; 25th to Big Lackawanna ; 26th (Sunday) to Capouse ; 27th to Wyoming."

During March, 1772, the weather in eastern Pennsylvania was very severe. From the Pennsylvania Packet (Philadelphia) of March 16, 1772, we glean the following :

"During the last week there fell so large a quantity of snow that in many places it was two feet deep. The weather has been extremely cold for some days past."

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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. II, Part 21

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Wilkes-Barre [Raeder press] Number of Pages: 683

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Wilkes-Barre [Raeder press]
Number of Pages: 683