A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. II, Part 96

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 96

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).

"After which horrid transactions, viz! on the 4th of Aug! last, the surviving able bodyed and effective men to the Number of about one hundred and ten, including some Continental troops, assembled in Northampton County in the State of Pensilvania; there form'd themselves into proper companys &c. and marched to sd Westmoreland, where to this time they have remained in possession of sd lands, tho frequently disturbed & fired upon by Partys of the enemy, who are still distressing the Inhabitants of sd county, and threatening total Destruction.

" We further beg leave to Represent that there are already collected and Dwelling in sd county, viz! on that Part thereof commonly known by the Name of Wyoming,

* The original document is now in the collection of MSS. entitled "Susquehannah Settlers"- described on page 29, Vol. I.

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about fifty familys, and many more desirous to return in safety, and some returning. That very considerable quantitys of grain have been and are preserved, and a valuable stock of cattle, and that the military Force of said settlement including Continental Troops, at the present time, doth not exceed two hundred. Whereupon we humbly pray your Honts to still extend your compassions to the needy and distressed familys, widows and orphans now wandring in many Parts of this state, and grant them such Comfort as is reasonable-and also your further Protection to the above mentioned settlements, and grant them such further Force for their defence as may be judged needfull for their safety, and as in duty bound we shall ever pray. [Signed] "NATHAN DENISON, "JOHN JENKINS."

"Dated Hartford, 27th October, 1778.

A joint-committee to consider, and report upon, this memorial was immediately appointed, composed of General Wolcott, General Ward, Captain Perkins, Colonel Porter, Mr. Burr and Mr. Wales of the Lower House, and Jabez Huntington of the Upper House. This committee subsequently reported, recommending that the Governor be desired to write to Congress, representing the distressed situation at Westmore- land, and requesting Congress to afford the inhabitants thereof such fur- ther aid and protection as should appear proper to prevent any further ravages of the enemy upon them. This report was promptly and unani- mously adopted by both Houses.

At this same session the General Assembly " granted " a rate, or tax, of two shillings on the pound, to be levied and collected on all the polls and rateable estates of the State, according to the various lists reported to the Assembly in October, 1777, and in January, 1778. The Westmoreland list of 1777 aggregated £20,322 17s., and two shillings on the pound would produce a tax of £2,032, 5s. 8d .- a sum which it would be quite impossible for the Westmorelanders to pay, because of the disas- ters which had befallen them. Nevertheless, early in November, in pursuance of the foregoing action of the Assembly, the Treasurer of the State issued a warrant to John Dorrance, Constable of Westmoreland, and Collector of the State Tax for the town, authorizing and requiring him to collect the above stated tax and make return thereof before Feb- ruary, 1779.

Under the date of October 29, 1778, at Wallingford, Connecticut, the Rev. Jacob Johnson, who was living there with his family (he and they being among the refugees from Wyoming), addressed to Governor Trum- bull the following communication *- which was received by the Gover- nor at Hartford on October 31st.

"Sr .- When I was In Hartford Tuesday last I purposed to have waited on your Excellency, before I went out of Town, but being suddenly call'd away, I had no con- venient oppertunity, without transgressing order-I therefore use this way of writing, to communicate my mind to you, Sir, with respect to the Present Distressing state of the People, at Westmoreland, on the Susquehanna; both as to the Defence of the Present Inhabitants there; and the sufferers (of whom I am one of the chief ) driven from thence -I have had some talk with Colonel [Eliphalet] Dyer, and some other Gente on the sub- ject. Colonel Denison, Representative and, I suppose, Agent for the Town and County of Westmoreland, not being then in the Assembly, or Town, I do, therefore, as a sufferer and one Interested, and concerned both in the common cause of the State of Connecticut and more especially so to the former Inhabitants (so many of whom are drove off, and have no certain dwelling-place), and those in Particular that are on the Ground, with but one single Company for their defence-besides a number of the Inhabitants-all of whom amount to but about 150. And that Company, which is there, were raised out of the Inhab- itants there, with two more [companies] that have been in the Continental service until and after our suffering.

"The amount of one of those Companys raised on the Susquehanna are extinguished by sword & sickness; the other what remains are in the Continental service. Wherefore we think it but Reesonable & Equitable that at least Two Companys more should be orderd to Westmoreland-That a good & sufficient Fort & Garison be Placed there and the

" The original is among the "Trumbull Papers," mentioned on page 30, Vol. I.

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sufferers in some way be provided for-That the Inhabitants there may not fall a prey to the sword, nor be Dispersed Sufferers to Famine & Nakedness, and final death.

"From your Excellency's most Obed't Humb Servt.,

[Signed] "JACOB JOHNSON, Late Minister of Christ at Wilkesbarre on Susgha On behalfe of his Fellow Sufferers.

"To his Excellency the Governor, and Company of the State of Connecticut-To be deliberated upon and something done (if it may be) according as the Nature & Neces- sity of the Cause requires and Calls for-and the Calamity of the Present distressing war with Great Britain will admit of.

"N. B. I presume Col. N. Denison (as agent) will present a Memorial to the Gen !! Assembly of the State of Connecticut, now sitting, relative to the distressing State of the Inhabitants of Westmoreland. But in case of failure, I hope your Excellency and the Gen !! Assembly of this State of Connecticut will not forget, or neglect, the suffering, bleeding cause of so many Widdows, Fatherless children and mourners-and especially that cry of the Blood! of so many slain! that calls for Justice to be done on the murtherers."

Some days later Mr. Johnson wrote from Wallingford to Col. Zeb- ulon Butler (who, it will be remembered, was the former's son-in-law) at Wilkes-Barre, relative to the condition of affairs in Wyoming. An extract from this letter is printed on page 746, ante.

During the presence of " Butler's Rangers " and their Indian allies at Chemung and Tioga Point subsequently to the Hartley Expedition- while making preparations for the projected incursion into Cherry Val- ley, New York-various small bands of Indians came down the river to Wyoming and committed depredations and murders; and after the expedition against Cherry Valley had set out from Tioga Point, the Indians who remained behind were emboldened to sneak down to Wilkes- Barré, and beyond, and prey on the scattered inhabitants. Particular men- tion has been made of some of these irruptions, which occurred in the month of October, 1778. On November 2d, at the village of Wilkes-Barre, Nathan Kingsley was killed, and Frances Slocum and a brother of young Kingsley were carried into captivity. (A detailed account of this event is given in the ensuing chapter.) On November 5th, at the grist-mill (referred to on page 1085) near Nanticoke Falls, William Jackson, an old gentleman named Hageman, his wife, and daughter Leonora, Edward Lester, and his wife and four children, were captured and marched about three miles up the river in the direction of Wilkes-Barré. There the company halted, and Jackson and Lester and the latter's eldest son were killed and scalped by the Indians. Miner states that Hage- man "escaped with six wounds, and survived, although the food he took oozed from a spear wound in his side." Mrs. Hageman,* Leonora Hageman, and Mrs. Lestert and her three surviving children, were carried

* The two Hageman women were detained as prisoners among the Indians until the close of the war. Their names together with those of Capt. Zebulon Parrish, Stephen Parrish, Jasper Parrish and Stephen Kimball, of Lackaway District, Westmoreland, who were captured July 5, 1778 (see page 1020), and Capt. James Bidlack, Sr. (see page 999)-appear in a report made by Colonels Fisher and Harper, at Johnstown, New York, under the date of March 8, 1780, relative to certain American pris- oners who were to be sent to Canada. (See Meginness' "Biography of Frances Slocum," page 23.)

t At Wilkes-Barre, December 89, 1778, Dr. William Hooker Smith was granted by Nathan Den- ison, Judge of Probate, letters of administration on the estate of Edward Lester, deceased. Mrs. Les- ter and her children were conveyed by their captors to the Seneca country, where two of the chil- dren, girls, were separated from the mother and each other and sent to Indian villages widely re- moved from the village where Mrs. Lester and her youngest child-a boy less than two years of age -were detained. When, on September 15, 1779. the Sullivan Expedition reached Genesee Castle (mentioned in note "t" on page 1042) Mrs. Lester, who, with her child, had managed to elude the Indians when they and "Butler's Rangers" left the town two or three days before, came to the camp of the army. She and her child were in a half-starved condition, having been wandering in the woods without food since their escape from captivity. They were taken to General Sullivan's quarters and well provided for. Mrs. Lester informed the General that "Butler and Brant, with the Indians and Tories," had left Genesee Castle on September 13th and gone to Fort Niagara, distant eighty miles. She said that the Indians were "very uneasy with Butler and their other leaders," and were in great distress. In the journal of Lieut. Col. Adam Hubley, under the date of September 15, 1779 (see Miner's "Wyoming," Appendix, page 100), we find the following relative to Mrs. Lester: "She, with her bantling, was almost starved for want of food. She informs us that the Indians have been in great want all last Spring; that they subsisted entirely on green corn this Summer; that their squaws were fretting prodigiously, and continually teasing their warriors to make peace."

When, on September 16th, the army set out from Genesee Castle on its homeward march, Mrs. Lester and her child were furnished with a horse. On the third day of the march the child was taken

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off by the Indians to New York State. On November 7th John Perkins* of Kingston District was killed by Indians in Plymouth. On Novem- ber 9th Capt. Robert Carr and Philip Goss were surprised by Indians near Wapwallopen. While attempting to escape in their canoe, both men were killed. About the same time Robert Alexander and Amos Parker were found murdered in the lower part of Wyoming Valley.

At Sunbury, Pennsylvania, under the date of November 9, 1778, Colonel Hartley wrotet to the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylva- nia informing them that within ten days the enemy had been "down in force and invested Wyoming." "Had one or two regiments been sent to Wyoming as I requested," Colonel Hartley declared, " these calam- ities would now not have happened." Continuing, he wrote :

" Wyoming, I make no doubt, will make a good defense, but the garrison is rather small. Should the enemy take that post, New York, Pennsylvania and Jersey will then too late think of its importance. * * * About seventy Indians were seen twenty-two miles from here yesterday, advancing towards the forks of the Chillisquaque; they took some pris- oners. With the small force we have we are endeavoring to make a stand. I am drawing some little force together, and to-morrow will endeavor to attack the Indians on the Chillisqua- que, and make a movement towards Fishing Creek, which will probably be of use to the peo- ple of Wyoming."

At "Fort Jenkins, near Nescopeck, November 14, 1778," Colonel Hartley wrote to the Supreme Executive Coun- cil in part as follows : "The enemy are in force between here and Wyoming. * * They expected the frontiers to give way. I am now advancing towards Wyoming. I am weak, but hope for success." On the same day, and from the same place, Colonel Hartley wrote to Colonel Butler§ at Wilkes-Barré as follows|| :

" I understand our friends from Chemung have paid you a visit. The West Branch is strong Col. Thomas Hartley and safe. The troops from the main army are certainly on their march. I presume you have heard of their approach. I am advancing with (After an old portrait.) } horse, foot, provisions and artillery. I shall move early to-morrow, and if there are any of the gentry on the way, we shall make them know us. My men are in the highest spririts. Let me know of your situation by

sick, and shortly after died. The dead body was wrapped in an old blanket and hastily buried. Mrs. Lester returned with the army to Wilkes-Barre, where, June 12, 1788, she was married, as his second wife, to Lieut. Roasel Franklin of Hanover-a sketch of whose life will be found in a subsequent chapter. At the close of the War of the Revolution one of the daughters of Edward Lester, who had been separated from her mother, as previously narrated, was released from captivity, and made her way to Wyoming. The other daughter was supposed to be at Fort Niagara, and thither Roasel Frank- lin and his wife journeyed; but the girl was not there. After considerable inquiry it was learned that she was with a band or tribe of Indians on the Grand River, in what is now Michigan. "An Indian was sent to pilot Franklin to the tribe she was with," states Mrs. Hannah (Gore) Durkee, in a story of "thrilling incidents" recounted by her many years ago, and later printed in Heverly's "History of Sheshequin." "They found her" (the daughter), states Mrs. Durkee, "and as soon as they made their business known the squaws began to make great lamentations, tore their hair, and she utterly refused to leave the Indians. When they compelled her to come, the squaws tore her clothing all off and left her naked. Franklin wrapped his horse blanket around her, and then mounted his horse, and an Indian handed her up to him, and he carried her off by force. They joined her mother at Niagara, then returned home. They stopped at father's for dinner. She [the daughter] was then fourteen years old, and a squaw in every respect except color. She married Mr. Cole, who was one of the first settlers of Scipio, Cayuga County, New York."

. JOHN PERKINS came to Wyoming-from Plainfield, Windham County, Connecticut, it is said -- in the Spring of 1769, with the company of settlers led by Maj. John Durkee, as previously related. He ultimately located in Kingston, where he acquired two "rights" of land. He was joined by his family in 1772. He had three sons who grew to maturity-John (born about 1754), Aaron (born

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to-morrow night ; we shall probably be about Wapwallopen. I move slow, and if any of the lads show their noses, they will be hurted. I have the best marksmen and the best powder I ever saw."

Three days later (to wit, November 17, 1778), at Fort Jenkins, Col- onel Hartley wrote-at three o'clock in the morning-to Colonel Butler at Wilkes-Barré, as followsT :

"I just now received yours of the 16th inst. I am happy to find the savages have returned, and that the communication is once more open between us. Your accounts are pleasing concerning the strength of your garrison. Hearing of your distress I collected all the force I could, and was determined to relieve you if it was in my power. We have made much parade ; our advanced body was at Wapwallopen, our main body, with the flour and ammunition, at Nescopeck. Still firing our field-piece, swivel, etc., as we

about 1756) and David (born January 1, 1769). Upon the organization of Captain Durkee's West- moreland Independent Company, John Perkins, Jr., enlisted therein as a private, and served until his death at Morristown, New Jersey, July 6, 1777. John Perkins, Sr., and Aaron Perkins were both private soldiers in the 24th Regiment, Connecticut Militia, and were in service at Wyoming in the Autumn of 1778. (See page 1096.) Letters of administration upon the estate of John Perkins, Sr., were granted at Wilkes-Barre August 6, 1782, by the Probate Court of Westmoreland to Samuel Cummins-Capt. Stephen Fuller being his surety on a bond of £400.

Aaron and David Perkins resided in Kingston Township until their respective deaths-David holding for a number of years the office of Justice of the Peace. Aaron died subsequently to 1888, and David died January 8, 1854. The latter's wife was Sarah Ferrier, who died January 1, 1845. aged seventy-seven years and five months. She was the daughter of Thomas and Hester (Lucky) Ferrier of Orange County, New York. David and Sarah (Ferrier) Perkins were the parents of sev- eral children, among them being: (i) Zibia, born in 1790; became the first wife of Elisha Atherton (born May 7, 1786; died April 2, 1858) of Kingston. She died August 8, 1825. (ii) John, born July 11, 1792; died April 23, 1838. (See below.) (iii) Thomas, died September 24, 1810, aged eighteen years. (iv) David. (v) Mary, who was married at Kingston, February 98, 1827, by the Rev. Dr. George Peck, to James Hancock, then of Wilkes-Barre, but later of the borough of Wyoming. (See a sketch of the Hancock family in a subsequent chapter.) (vi) Elisabeth, who became the wife of John C. Grier of Peoria, Illinois, and had David Perkins Grier, born in 1887 and died April 91, 1891.

(ii) John Perkins became a Major in the United States Army. His wife, who was Eunice Miller, was born September 3, 1804, and died January 2, 1880. John and Eunice (Miller) Perkins were the parents of six children, as follows: (1) Sarah E., born October 19, 1883; married in 1841 to Thomas F. (born December 8, 1816; died April 27, 1870), son of Elisha and Zibia (Perkins) Atherton, men- tioned above. Mrs. Sarah E. (Perkins) Atherton died at Wilkes-Barre November 80, 1886. (8) David, born February 28, 1889; died December 10, 1898. (3) A daughter who became the wife of Reuben Henry of Jersey City, New Jersey. (1) A daughter who became the wife of Elisha Atherton Coray (born April 80, 1828) of Exeter Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. (5) A daughter who became the wife of Robert Black of Scranton, Pennsylvania. (6) Zibia, born July 19, 1884; died August 80, 1878.

t See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, VII : 81.

THOMAS HARTLEY was born near Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, September 7, 1748, and consequently was in the thirty-first year of his life when he planned and commanded the expedition against the Indians at Tioga Point. At the age of eighteen years he removed to York, Pennsylvania, where he studied law, and was admitted to the bar July 85, 1769. He was commissioned January 10, 1776, Lieutenant Colonel of the 6th Pennsylvania Battalion, commanded by Col. William Irvine. This battalion, in company with others, was ordered by Washington, April 26th, 1776, to embark for Canada. On June 8d the "6th" was at the mouth of the Sorel, forming a part of the forces com- manded by General Sullivan. On June 5th the "6th" was included in the detachment ordered by General Sullivan to proceed to Three Rivers, on the St. Lawrence, to attack the enemy. The attack on Three Rivers occurred on June 8th, the Americans were defeated, and Colonel Irvine was taken prisoner by the British-whereby the command of the "6th" devolved on Lieut. Colonel Hartley, and he continued in command until the expiration of the battalion's term of service, in December, 1776. However, the battalion was immediately re-enlisted in the service as the "7th Pennsylvania Regiment," with Irvine (still a prisoner in the hands of the enemy) as Colonel, and Hartley as Lieut. Colonel.

Just about that time (to wit, on December 87, 1776) Congress passed a resolution authorizing General Washington to "raise and collect together, in the most speedy and effectual manner, from any and all of these United States, sixteen battalions of infantry, In addition to those already voted by Congress, and to appoint the officers for said battalions." Washington, on January 11, 1777, issued to Lieut. Col. Thos. Hartley a commission as Colonel, and authority to raise one of these sixteen bat- talions. In a short time thereafter the battalion was raised, became known as "Hartley's Regiment," and was attached to the 1st Pennsylvania Brigade, in the division commanded by Gen. Anthony Wayne. In the battles of the Brandywine and Germantown (see page 906) Colonel Hartley com- manded the abovementioned brigade. "Hartley's Regiment" was ordered to Sunbury, Pennsylvania, about July 14, 1778. It is stated in "Pennsylvania in the Revolution," I : 778, that, but for the let- ters of Colonel Hartley to be found in "Pennsylvania Archives," "very little would be known of the military operations on the West Branch [of the Susquehanna] in 1778-79." Congress resolved January 18, 1779, that "Hartley's Regiment" and certain other organizations should be incorporated together, "to form a complete battalion upon the new establishment, and to be added to the Pennsylvania Line as the Eleventh Regiment of that State." In pursuance of this resolution the "New 11th Regiment" was immediately organized, with Hartley as Colonel and Adam Hubley, Jr., as Lieut. Colonel; but Colonel Hartley resigned his commission February 18, 1779, and was succeeded in command by Lieut. Colonel Hubley, who, June 8, 1779, was commissioned "Lieut. Colonel Commandant" of the regiment, to rank from February 18.

Upon Colonel Hartley's retirement from the army, after a little more than three years of service, he returned to York and resumed the practise of law. Thereafter, until his death at York, December 81, 1800, his life was a busy one, and it is only necessary to refer to Carter's and Glossenbrenner's "History of York County," to the Pennsylvania Magasine of History, XXV : 808, and the records of our State and National legislatures, for "evidences of his brilliant career as a soldier, lawyer, and statesman."

& The day following the writing of this letter Zebulon Butler was promoted from Lieut. Colonel of the 3d Connecticut Regiment to Colonel of the 3d Regiment of that State.

[ See "Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania," I : 459. 1 See ibid., 460.

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moved forward, the Tories thought us numerous. I adopted this mode of advancing because my letter to you, which I sent you by [Capt. Robert] Carr* fell into the enemy's hands. In this, among other things, I informed you that Congress had directed General Washington to send on a body to break up the settlements at Chemung and protect the frontiers of Pennsylvania, New York, etc., and that I was ordered to hold myself in readiness to co-operate with those troops, and was preparing for the same ; and also gave you notice to do the like.

"You will receive fifteen axes, a number of carpenter's-tools, ammunition, etc .; forty-two barrels of flour, three barrels of whisky, two barrels of biscuit. You shall have more as soon as I can send the same. Captain Bush, with a party, conveys these stores as far as Wapwallopen-or the whole way, if necessary. Some men of Major Eichelberger's company and one of Captain Thornbury's company goes, and is to be stationed at Wyoming. * * You will send the remainder of my men by Captain Bush, unless there should be some new alarm. I have wrote pressingly to Congress and the Board of War for a regiment to be sent to garrison Wyoming, and that my regiment should be stationed here and at the West Branch, and I have no doubt but this will be complied with. You may keep the swivel which is on the big boat. You will please to let Mr. Lemon come down ; Mr. Ensign Thornbury relieves him. * If you are rein- forced with the regiment, and would make a movement toward Tanckanock with 200 men, I should imagine the enemy would be almost intimidated enough to leave Che- mung, as they believe an expedition will be carried against them."

Miner records, in the following words, an account of a most dis- tressing tragedy enacted on November 19, 1778, by a band of Indians in what is now Nescopeck Township, some twenty-two miles down the river from Wilkes-Barre. "A whole family were butchered. John Utley, Elisha Utley and Diah Utley were attacked. The two first were shot down and soon despatched. Diah, the youngest, fled to the river and swam over to the west side (near Beach Grove), but an Indian had crossed before him in a canoe, and struck him with a tomahawk as he reached the shore. He plead for his life, but there was no mercy shown. The savages then entered the house, and, having murdered and scalped the aged mother, placed her as in sport in a chair and so left her. The Utley family were from the east side of the Connecticut River, in Hart- ford County."

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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 96

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