A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. II, Part 92

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 92

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).

"The bearer, Mr. [John] Hegeman, waits on the Board with this and with Capt. Spalding's Pay Abstracts. [I] Desire the Board will direct Mr. Hegeman how to get the money, who I desire may receive it for the use of said Company, and his receit will be sufficient.

"Can only say I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most Obedient Humble Serv!, [Signed] "ZEBN BUTLER, Lt. Col."

At Camp Westmoreland, August 17, 1778, Colonel Butler issued the following orders* :

"Orders that there be a court-martial held this day at the President's marquee at 9 o'clock this morning, for the trial of such prisoners as shall be brought before it. Cap- tain Spalding, President; Lieutenants Gore, Peirce and Jenkins, members.

" It is once more ordered that the Sergeants or Corporals commanding guards, pick- ets, or scouts, immediately on their relief or return report to the commanding officer, and their neglect will be deemed disobedience of orders, and they will be treated accordingly. And it is ordered that the Commissary issue one pound and one-quarter of flour to each station, and meat as usual-the quarter of a pound of flour being in lieu of money. And as there is a number of hogs now on the ground fit for pork, and their proper owners not present, and it being best to have them killed for the use of the soldiers-ordered that all such as are and may be brought to the Commissary have their description and weight taken, and the Commissary to pay the money, at the usual price, into the hands of Lieut. ASAHEL BUCK, for the use of the owners when called for by the proper owner or owners; and Lieutenant BUCK to be accountable for the same till paid out as abovementioned.

"Orders that for the fatigue the quarter guard, picket guard, and scout parade together at six of the clock in the morning; the quarter guard to relieve the picket, to keep in the fort for fatigue, &c., till evening, and then take orders from the commanding officer how to conduct for the night following."

Under the date of August 22, 1778, Colonel Hartley wrote from Sunbury to Colonel Butler, at Wilkes-Barré, as followst :

"My firm intention is to act offensively against the enemy adjoining these frontiers. I go to Muncy to-morrow, and am collecting a clever body of men there. The detach- ment of my regiment which was in Northampton County is now ordered to Wyoming. This will strengthen us with upwards of 100 good men. I order Capt. [George] Bush of my regiment to join them. I expect also a number of militia from Cumberland and York Counties.

"My plan is this: That on the 31st of August [1778] I march with all the force I can collect to Wyalusing, where we will arrive on the 2d or 3d of September. (Wyoming is about the same distance from Wyalusing that Wallace'st is. ) That to provide against any misfortune, you remain at Wyoming in garrison, with between 80 and 100 men of those who are worst prepared for an expedition to the woods; and that Captain Bush should take command of all the remainder of the forces at Wyoming-regulars and others -and march on the same 3Ist of August towards Wyalusing, to effect a junction with me on the 2d or 3d of September-taking care to send on spies to inform me of their approach and situation. The troops that move from Wyoming must draw forty rounds of cartridges per man, carry four days' provisions on their backs, and twelve days' more of flour with them on pack-horses-which Mr. [William] Stewart must provide. If a few beeves could be drove with them with convenience, it might be done; otherwise they must trust to Providence, who, I make no doubt, will favour us.

"I should be happy of your company on this expedition, but as it is of the last consequence to support the post of Wyoming, where you are so well acquainted, I must deprive myself of your assistance on this service. Mr. Stewart has promised to forward on expresses for my men at Fort Penn, and I hope they will soon be with you. An ex- press went from Philadelphia also. The expedition from the north and the expedition to the westward into the Indian country will appear about the beginning of September, [and] our movement may have a happy effect. I trust these frontiers will soon be cleared of the savages.

* See "Collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," VII : 112.

t See "Collections and Proceedings of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," VII:186.

# Undoubtedly the plantation of Samuel Wallis, mentioned on page 653, unte.

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" My orders for the present are that you may have everything in readiness for the proposed expedition by the 31st of August, inst. The troops are not to march till they receive my further instructions, which I will give by express. If anything should hap- pen in your quarter which would make the proposed expedition improper, you are to send an express to Wallace's, at Muncy, giving me information, by the 30th of August. You will at any rate give me notice of the arrival of the detachment of my regiment with you, and of anything remarkable in your department. Mr. Stewart will inform you of other particulars. These matters require the utmost secrecy. From your character, I dare say you will consider them accordingly."

A few days after Colonel Butler received the foregoing letter the detachment from " Hartley's Regiment" which had been ordered from Easton, or its vicinity (and which is referred to in Colonel Hartley's letter), arrived at Wilkes-Barre via the "Lower Road." It comprised two Lieutenants, six Sergeants, four musicians, and seventy-nine rank and file-a total of ninety-one effective men. Two or three days later Capt. George Bush arrived at Wilkes-Barre and took command of this detachment.

On August 25th Luke Swetland* and Joseph Blanchard went down

* LUKE SWETLAND was born July 26, 1789, at Lebanon, then in Windham, but now in New Lon- don, County, Connecticut. William and Peter Swetland of Connecticut were early members of The Susquehanna Company, and in the list of grantees set forth in the Indian deed of July, 1754, their names appear. About that period the family name was often spelled "Sweetland." Luke Swetland was married April 1, 1762, to Hannah Tiffany (born April 8, 1738), of Lebanon, and shortly after- wards they settled in Kent, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Luke Swetland came to Wyoming Valley first in July, 1772, at which time (as noted on page 757) he became the owner of one "right" in the Susquehanna Purchase. Under this "right" he was allotted lands in Kingston Township, and with his family he settled there. Shortly afterwards he moved up the river to Mehoopany, but soon returned to Kingston. His name appears in the Kingston tax-lists for 1776, '77 and '78. Upon the organiza- tion of the town of Westmoreland in 1774 Luke Swetland was elected one of the seven Tything-men of the town. He was a private in Capt. Robert Durkee's Westmoreland Independent Company in the Continental service (see page 892), and served therein from September, 1776, till January 8, 1778, when he was discharged-undoubtedly for disability. He returned to his family at Wyoming, and, being here at the time of the battle of July 8d, it is quite probable that he participated in it as a mem- ber of the 24th Regiment. Escaping from the Valley, he came back on August 4, 1778, as a member of the detachment of militia commanded by Colonel Butler, and presumably was still serving with this detachment at the time of his capture by the Indians. His wife and children (the eldest child a boy of fifteen years) had left Forty Fort a day or two after its surrender, and made their way to their former home in Kent.

According to a narrative written by Luke Swetland, and subsequently published, he and his fel- low-prisoner, Blanchard, were taken by their captors up the river to Mehoopany, where they met some of Swetland's former Tory neighbors. In the course of a few days the two prisoners were sep- arated-Blanchard being taken off in one direction, and Swetland in another. Finally, after several more days of travel and hardships, the party having the custody of Swetland arrived at Catharine's Town, the home of Catharine Montour, or "Queen Catharine," as mentioned on page 807, Vol. I. There Swetland was compelled to run the gantlet. He states that Catharine, who "could speak good English," then sent him on horseback, with a small party of Indians, to Kendaia, or "Appletown." This town, or village, was an old Indian settlement, and in 1778 consisted of about forty houses. There was a large apple-orchard near by, some of the trees of which were very old. There was also a peach-orchard of considerable size. The town was remarkable, also, for the peculiar wooden tombs, elaborately and gaudily painted, in which were deposited the remains of dead warriors of note.

At Kendaia an old squaw adopted Swetland as her grandson, and by her and her family he was shown considerable regard. A few days after his arrival at Kendaia Indian scouts brought in two captives from the Susquehanna region, but Swetland did not know them, and was not permitted to converse with them. At this town Swetland made his home for twelve months and two days, and he states that the Indians "were remarkably kind" to him, and made him many fine presents. Often he was sent twenty miles away to the salt springs to make salt for the Indians. For a time he suffered considerably from fever and ague, and in the Spring of 1779 he, in common with the other inhabit- ants of the village, was very much straitened for food. Upon the approach of Sullivan's army in Sep- tember, 1779, the Indians fled from Kendaia towards Fort Niagara. They were very much depressed on account of the defeat of the British and Indians under Maj. John Butler and Joseph Brant at Newtown (now Elmira), New York, on August 29, 1779. Butler, with the whole of his force (about 800 Tories and 500 Indians), was at Kendaia on September 1st, and left there the next day. Swet- land managed to evade the watchfulness of the Indians, and hid himself in an out-house about a mile from the town. There he remained until the afternoon of Sunday, September 5th, when the advance- guard of Sullivan's army came up. He hastened towards them, but being mistaken for a Tory was rather roughly handled by the soldiers until George Palmer Ransom (see page 896), one of the de- tachment, recognized him; whereupon he was taken before General Sullivan, who obtained valuable information from him as to the strength and supposed plans of the Indians and Tories. Swetland was overjoyed at being restored to his friends and to liberty. He remained with the army and accom- panied it back to Wilkes-Barre, where he obtained a horse and set off for Kent, Connecticut, to rejoin his family, after a separation of about fifteen months.

Luke Swetland and his family remained in Litchfield County, Connecticut, until 1794, when they returned to the Wyoming region and settled on their lands at Mehoopany (then in Luzerne, and now in Wyoming, County), where they resided until 1800, when they removed to the Swetland lands within the present limits of the borough of Wyoming, in the township of Kingston. There Mrs. Han- nah (Tiffany) Swetland died January 8, 1809, and Luke Swetland died January 30, 1883, in the ninety-fourth year of his age. Their remains lie in Forty Fort Cemetery. Of Luke Swetland Charles Miner wrote in 1844: "In later days I knew and could not but esteem the good old man. His taste and pride took a right direction, and were of much value to the settlement. I refer to his establish- ment of a nursery for fruit-trees, and his introduction from New England of various kinds of apples selected with care."

Luke and Hannah (Tiffany) Swetland were the parents of several children, some of whom were: (i) Belding, born January 14, 1763. (See next page.) (ii) William, who was living in Wyoming as late,

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the river by canoe from Wilkes-Barre to Commer's grist-mill* in New- port Township, near Nanticoke Falls. There they were surprised and seized by six Seneca Indians, by whom they were taken as prisoners up the river into New York State to Kendaia, or "Appletown," a sizable Seneca village about one-half mile from the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, in what is now Seneca County.

At Wilkes-Barre, under the date of August 26, 1778, Judge John Jenkins, Sr., sent a communication to Governor Trumbull of Connecti- cut relative to the situation in Wyoming. The original document is now preserved among the "Trumbull Papers " mentioned on page 29, Vol. I, and the following is an extract from it.

"That upwards of 3,000 Inhabitants belonging to the State in the Town of West- moreland on the Susquehannah River were on or about the 3d of July last past attact by a party of tories and Indians and after in a most inhuman manner killing upwards of 300 men plundered took destroyd & Carried off all their Stock of all kind, also took destroyed & Carried off all their household furniture clothing &c. Even a great deal they had on their bodies together with all their farming tools &c .: in a word the whole of the Inhabitance were in the space of four or five days striped of all they had, Reduced to a state of Begery & want, their housen, Mills, barns & all kinds of buildings were Consumed by fire & they by Nesity [necessity] drove out of the country & are now Dispersing themselves amongst their friends & must at present be dependant on God & the Charity of their friends for their subsistance, being stript of money Cloath- ing or anything to subsist on; or even tools to do any kind of Labour withall.

"and as they have Nothing to Depend on under heaven but the pure mercies of God & the Charrity of the people except their lands in Westmoreland & their cropps growing on the same (which is Large) if they could be saved, and therefore desire that the state of their unhappy and distrest sirconstance might be laid before the Hond Continental Congress, & General Washington, & in the utmost humiliation hope they will take there distrest Circonstances under their wise & Serious Consideration, & in their great wisdom

.at least, as 1800. (iii) Eli, born March 6, 1771; died September 6, 1777. (iv) Seth, born March 1, 1775; died September 1, 1777. (v) John, born March 8, 1777; died September 7, 1777.

(i) Belding Swetland was born in Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, January 14, 1768. He accompanied his parents to Wyoming in 1772, and was in Forty Fort at the time of the battle of Wyo- ming. "Though but a lad, yet the eldest of the children" of Luke Swetland, he piloted his mother and the other children in their flight to their old home in Connecticut. There he remained until 1794, when he returned to Wyoming with his parents. In the meantime, in 1787, he had been married at Sharon to Sally Gay (born in 1763), who, with their three children, accompanied him to Wyoming in 1794. Mrs. Sally (Gay) Swetland died at Wyoming December 18, 1815, and Belding Swetland died there July 22, 1816. They were survived by twelve children, some of whom were: (1) William, born June 26, 1789. (See below.) (2) Eli, born October 10, 1791; died September 27, 1850; married to Margaret - (born July 26, 1795; died February 86, 1878), and had David B., Belding, Charles, and other children. (8) Ebeneser, born May 15, 1798; died December 18, 1838. (4) Elcasar, born December 30, 1796; died February 6, 1878. (5) Margaret, born June 87, 1807; married to - Spence; died July 18, 1896. (6) Harriet, born August 18, 1809; married Edward D. Whiston (born October 14, 1794; died August 88, 1859); she died August 11, 1894.

(1) William Swetland, eldest child of Belding and Sally (Gay) Swetland, was born in Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, June 26, 1789, and came to Wyoming in 1794 with the other members of the family, as previously narrated. About 1818 he left his father's farm and became a clerk in the store of Ezra Hoyt, in Kingston. In 1815 he built a store house on his father's farm at Wyoming and engaged in mercantile business on his own account. This business was continued for many years, being extended and enlarged from time to time. From 1830 to 1888 he had as a partner in the bus- iness David Baldwin, and from 1884 till his death, Payne Pettebone. For many years William Swet- land, alone, and in partnership with others, was interested in many business enterprises in Wyoming Valley, and acquired a large amount of property. He was one of the organizers, and for a number of years President of the Board of Managers, of the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad Company q. v. In April, 1864, in partnership with his son, and his son-in-law Payne Pettebone-under the firm name of Swetland, Pettebone & Co .- he opened a banking and exchange office at Wyoming, which was operated for five or six years. Mr. Swetland was President of the first bank established at Pitts- ton (in November, 1859), which in September, 1865, was merged in the First National Bank of Pitts- ton. He was one of the Commissioners of Luzerne County from 1828 to 1881, and in 1886, in con- junction with George W. Woodward, Esq., and Dr. Andrew Bedford, he was a member of the Penn- sylvania Constitutional Convention, which met at Philadelphia. For a number of years he was a Trustee of Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, and erected at his own expense the building known as "Swetland Hall." He also made other important gifts to that institution.

William Swetland was married September 28, 1819, to Catharine (born May 18, 1799), daughter of Dr. Peter and Margaret Seiler of Northampton County, Pennsylvania. William Swetland died at his home in Wyoming September 27, 1864, and his wife died there October 6, 1898. They were the parents of the following-named children: (i) Caroline M., born October 17, 1890; married October 8, 1837, to Payne Pettebone (born December 23, 1813; died March 20, 1888); she died July 7, 1900. (See a sketch of the Pettebone Family in a subsequent chapter.) (ii) Mary, born August 19, 1834; died August 7, 1899. (iii) George W., born May 9, 1829; married to Mary Polen of Wyoming; died August 28, 1860, survived by his wife and one daughter. (iv) Margaret A., born May 16, 1836; mar- ried to William H. Brown, a merchant of Philadelphia; died March 27, 1860.

. This mill, which was a small affair, stood near the Hanover-Newport line, and was the only mill in the Valley which had escaped destruction by the Indians. It had been known as Coffrin's Mill, but in 1778 was the property of John Commer.

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Divise some spedy measures for the Recovery & Restoration of their lands crops &c. as well as to releave them in their other present Distresses."

At Easton, Pennsylvania, under the date of August 25, 1778, Robert Levers, Esq., of that town wrote to Vice President Bryan of the Supreme Executive Council, at Philadelphia, as follows* :

* * * "The country of Wyoming, when settled, formed a good barrier for a con- siderable part of the interior settlements of Northampton County, and for some part of Northumberland. * * Col. Zebulon Butler, in the Continental service, I hear is now at Wyoming with two companies and some of the remainsof the Susquehanna settlers, amount- ing, perhaps, in the whole to 150 men-certainly much too weak a body. They have, however, this for their future consolation, after their past distress, that Wyoming is not now an object for the enemy. They can expect nothing there but hard blows, unless they [the Indians] should come again there formidably, and repossess that country, as having been an ancient place of rendezvous, and to be again considered in that light for the more easy penetrating into and among our settlements.

"If I may presume to deliver my sentiments with freedom and without offense, there seems to be a necessity for supporting the post at Wyoming for the preservation of the interior of the country; for if Wyoming should become a rendezvous for the enemy, the country within will be everlastingly in danger, and the least alarm throw all in con- fusion. But as the late great settlement at Wyoming is now destroyed by the devasta- tions and depredations of the Tories and Indians, an important question will arise, wherein the interest and peace of the several States may be involved."

Gradually the exiles from Wyoming (that is, the men) were return- ing to their ruined homes and devastated fields, and were attempting, as best they could, to re-establish themselves in the Valley they loved so well. Owing to their unsafe situation all the men on the ground- whether serving as militia or as Continental soldiers, or engaged in other duties for the general good-were quartered at Camp Westmore- land. From various orders issued by Colonel Butler in August and September, 1778, and from other sources, we learn that here and there in the Valley at that time were fields of growing grain and other cropst which had not been destroyed by the enemy, while through the woods and fields ranged a few stray cattle and a considerable number of other domestic animals which had escaped seizure at the hands of the invad- ers. Many of the Westmorelanders-not Continental soldiers-who had returned to the Valley, occupied themselves in looking after the crops, in rounding up the estrays, and in erecting temporary housest for the accommodation of the soldiers and their stores. Others of the inhabitants were doing duty as militia. From an original "Return of the Detachment under the command of Lieut. Col. Zebn Butler at West- moreland, September 1, 1778," now in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, § we learn that on the date mentioned the military force at Camp Westmoreland numbered 193, including Colonel Butler, and was made up as follows: Captain Spalding and

* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, VI : 719.

t The following is a copy of an original document now in the collections of The Wyoming His- torical and Geological Society. "We the subscribers, being appointed by Col. Zebulon Butler, com- manding the Garrison at Westmoreland, to apprise the forage and pasture on 2 meadow lotts for the use of the Continental cattle and horses, have viewed said lotts, together with the corn, English grain and grass yet standing thereon, & do apprise the use of the lot belonging to Ensign Elisha Blackman to be worth 40 dollars, and the use of the lot belonging to Widow Stevens to be worth 40 dollars. "September 7, 1778. [Signed] "SIMON SPALDING, Capt. "JABEZ SILL."

# The following is a copy of an account, in the handwriting of Col. Zebulon Butler, now in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.

"WESTMORELAND, September, 1778.

"United States to Zebulon Butler, Dr.

S. d. paying masons ..

20 - 0-0

tenders to masons, 12 days 7-4-0

joyners ..

10 -13 -0

1,288 feet quarter stuff for clapboards; 2,580 feet sawed shingles; 2,500 feet boards; 60 lbs. nails; hinges for doors & windows."

{ See Vol. VII, page 188, of the Society's published Collections.

"To building a house-the frame.

17 - 8-0

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his Continental company of two Lieutenants, one Ensign, seven Ser- geants and sixty rank and file; Captain Bush and the detachment of Colonel Hartley's regiment under his command, numbering ninety- one officers and men ; Lieut. Daniel Gore in command of three Ser- geants and five rank and file of the Westmoreland militia; Capt. William Hooker Smith in command of two Lieutenants, two Sergeants and eleven rank and file of the Westmoreland militia.

At Sunbury, Pennsylvania, under the date of September 1, 1778, Colonel Hartley wrote to the Supreme Executive Council as follows* :

* * * "Several Indians and Tories have appeared about Wyoming. One family has been killed fifteen miles on this side of it, and twot near the [Wyoming] Garrison. My detachment from Northampton County is arrived there by this time, but I am told their clothes are all torn by the woods. They are in the utmost want of hunting-shirts and woollen overalls or leggins. I hope 200 of each will be sent up immediately."

At Camp Westmoreland, September 3, 1778, Colonel Butler issued the followingt :

"Orders. That there be a return of all the troops at this post-both Continental and militia that does duty-to be made as soon as may be. That there be a court of enquiry set this day at 10 o'clock at Mr. Yarington's house, to enquire into such matters as shall be brought before them; Lieut. Obadiah Gore, President, Lieutenant Peirce and Lieut. Daniel Gore, members. Whereas there is yet frequent complaints of the troops killing and destroying sheep, hogs and poultry, &c., to the damage of the distressed inhabitants-notwithstanding the peremptory order of the 7th of August against such practices-the Colonel once more strictly forbids them the killing of sheep, swine or poultry on any pretence whatever (not even the excuse of their being their own property shall be admitted), on penalty of severe punishment. As there is a sufficiency of fire- wood nigh and convenient for this encampment, the troops are to be careful and not burn fencing-stuff nor other timber."

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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 92

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