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 early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume I > Part 57
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103
"Efforts for a more general pacification were therefore continued, under the auspices of the Quakers. Indeed, these people, in whatever related to Indian affairs, formed almost an independent branch of the Pennsylvania Government. They enjoyed more of the confidence of the Indians than the officers of the Government did-especially of Tee- dyuscung ; and, in their great solicitude to protect the red man's interests, they not un- frequently embarrassed the designs and proceedings of the Governor." -
Under date of May 22, 1757, Edward Shippen, at Lancaster, wrote to Maj. James Burd at Fort Augusta as follows§ :
"We have had May meetings of the Indians here, to whom valuable presents have been given by the Governor and the Quakers ; but as Teedyuscung and the Indians who were expected along with him were not come, a very handsome part is reserved for them. *
* * It appears to me that unless the Militia Act be passed we of this borough shall, in
less than a month, become the frontiers. The Quakers want to have the choosing of officers. Several Quaker preachers, with all the principal men of that Society, attended the treaty. The Indians assisted this Government to send a message to the Senecas and to Teedyuscung to come down with the Shawanese and the Delawares to hold a treaty
* See page 332. + See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 597.
į From Walton's "Conrad Weiser and the Indian Policy of Colonial Pennsylvania," p. 349.
¿ See "The Shippen Papers" (Philadelphia, 1855), p. 78.
352
with their brothers the English ; hinting, at the same time, that it would be very prudent in us to give up some points respecting some late purchases, rather than not to bring about an accommodation of matters-especially considering that we either would not or could not fight-and they made no doubt but a peace might, by such means, be made between us. According to their judgments Mr. Jacob Gary, an Indian trader, is em- ployed to go to Diahoga to invite these Indians down."
On June 16, 1757, Sir William Johnson held a general conference with the Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas of the Six Nations, in the course of which he made an earnest and eloquent speech relative to the failure of these tribes to come to the support of the English in their warfare against the French-particularly, since at Onondaga, in the Summer of 1756, he had sharpened the hatchets of the Six Nations and had painted and feathered their warriors for action. "Have not the French hurt us?" said Sir William. "Is not their ax in our heads ? Are they not daily killing and taking our people away ? Have not some of your nations, both to the southward and northward, joined the French against us? Nay, some of you, by your own confession, have gone out by yourselves and struck the English. Have you not now several of our people prisoners amongst you, whom you conceal from me ?" The conduct of Teedyuscung (he being known to be under the influence of the Senecas, as previously mentioned) was then severely censured by Sir William, and the Senecas were charged by him to take the subject in hand and talk to Teedyuscung, and, should they find him in fault, "make him sensible of it."*
About the 4th or 5th of May two Indian messengers, Nathaniel and Zacharias, had been sent from Bethlehem in search of Teedyuscung. They bore a message from the Governor to him, inquiring as to the reasons for his failure to proceed to Lancaster to take part in the pro- jected conference. The messengers not finding the King at Wyoming, where he had been in March and April (see page 348), continued their journey to Tioga, and thence "to Passekawkung, t where they came to Teedyuscung's habitation-having been twenty-six days in performing their journey." Teedyuscung and the messengers immediately set out for Pennsylvania, and "at a place about one hundred miles above Tioga" they met, on June 10th, Tapescawen and Joe Peepy who had left Beth- lehem on the first of the month to convey to the King the message with which they had been entrusted at Lancaster, as previously mentioned. Tapescawen and Peepy remained with Teedyuscung, while the other two inessengers hurried forward to Bethlehem (where they arrived June 18th) with the information that the King and his retinue would set out from Tioga for Easton about the 19th of the month. They also bore this message from the King : "When I arrive at Wyomink I desire you may send four or five horse-loads of provisions there-not by white people, but by Indians."
These messengers, upon their passage through Wyoming (about June 15th), met here the large company of Six Nation and other Indi- ans who had left Fort Augusta on the 5th of June. They, learning that Teedyuscung and his company would arrive in a few days, determined to await here his coming. A day or two later there arrived in the Valley two young men who had escaped from captivity among the Indians- Abraham Miller and George Ebert. The latter, who was only sixteen
* See Schoolcraft's "History of the Indian Tribes of the United States," page 230, and Stone's "Poetry and History of Wyoming," third edition, page 118.
+ Presumably a village in the country of the Senecas, in what is now western New York.
353
years of age, had been an inhabitant of Lower Smithfield Township, in Northampton County, where, with several other persons, he was taken prisoner some six weeks previously by "French" Indians. The prisoners were marched "to a place a day's journey beyond Tioga," from which place Ebert and Miller escaped in the night of May 13th and "the next afternoon came to 'French Margaret's'* at Tioga. They stayed with her four weeks-she concealing and supporting them. She then advised them to start home. In three days they arrived at Wyoming by water, and there the Indians directed them the way to Fort Allen ; but they missed their way and came to Fort Hamilton."t
In due time Teedyuscung and his retinue reached Wyoming. Tarrying here a few days they set out for Fort Allen on June 29th, accompanied by the majority of the Indians who had come up from Fort Augusta-the remainder of that company continuing their journey up the river to New York. On July 4th Captain Arndt at Fort Allen wrote to Justice Horsfield at Bethlehem :
"These are to inform you that Detiuscung is arrived here yesterday evening, and there be at present about 200 Indians with him, with young and old. Detiuscung is in- tended to stay here about five or six days, and in this time he expects 100 Senecas here, and then is intended to go to Easton."
Teedyuscung and his company remained at Fort Allen for some days and then went forward to Easton-numbering in all 54 Indian men, 37 women and 64 children. A few days later there arrived at Easton-via Wyoming and Fort Allen-45 men, 35 women and 39 children of the Seneca (chiefly) and other tribes of the Six Nations. Two of this company were chiefs and principal men formally deputed by the Seneca tribe to attend on this occasion; and among the other Indians were old King Nutimus and "French Margaret," previously mentioned.
Governor Denny, accompanied by members of the Council, by certain of the Board of Indian Commissioners and by a large number of gentlemen from Philadelphia-among whom the Quakers predominated -arrived in Easton on the 20th of July, and the next day the confer- ence with the Indians was. formally begun. Colonel Weiser and Colonel Croghan were in attendance, and there were about 300 Indians present -including the representatives of the "ten nations" in whose behalf Teedyuscung claimed authority. John Pompshire interpreted for Tee- dyuscung. The latter, instigated it is said by some of the Quakers, asked for a clerk, or secretary, considering it to be proper that he should have a copy of the proceedings, to be kept with the council wampum of the Delawares. The Governor declared to Teedyuscung in open con- ference : "No Indian chief before you ever demanded to have a clerk, and none has ever been appointed for Indians in former treaties. Nay, I have not even nominated one on the part of the Province; therefore I cannot help declaring it against my judgment." However, Joseph Gal- loway and others, of the Board of Commissioners, stated to the Governor : "Teedyuscung appears to us to have an undoubted right as a King and Chief of a nation to have a clerk or secretary to take down minutes of the transactions of this important affair." The Governor then grew angry with the Commissioners, and charged them with bringing all this trouble upon him, saying : "Your presumption on this occasion, either
* See note, paragraph "(I)," page 206.
¡ See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 621.
354
as Commissioners or private subjects, to receive any complaint or appli- cation from the Indians, and taking upon you to remonstrate in their behalf to me, is illegal, unconstitutional, introductive of the greatest confusion and mischiefs, and the highest invasion of the just rights of the Crown."
Teedyuscung continued his demands for a clerk-declaring that if he could not have one he would leave town. The Governor's defense of the Proprietary privilege to keep all the records was finally overruled, and he said to Teedyuscung : "I am afraid by your showing so little confidence in me and the King's Deputy Agent [Col. George Croghan], that you have hearkened to idle stories or the singing of birds, though you advised me against it. However, to give you fresh proof of my friendship and regard, if you insist upon having a clerk, I shall no longer oppose it." Teedyuscung thanked the Governor and apologized for any rudeness he had shown, desiring that the past might be forgot- ten ; and with cheerfulness he said, "Let us proceed with all our power in the great work of peace." The King thereupon chose as his clerk Charles Thomson* (then about twenty-eight years of age and Master of
* CHARLES THOMSON, previously referred to on page 104, was born at Maghera, county Derry, Ireland, November 29, 1729, and consequently was in the twenty-eighth year of his life when he became Teedyus- cung's secretary and adviser.
In 1740, his mother being dead, he, one brother and three sisters set sail for America with their father, who died on the voyage. The children were put on shore at New Castle on the Delaware by the Captain of the vessel, with but very slender means of providing for themselves in a strange country. Charles being exceedingly anxious to secure the advantages of an education, his brother, some years later, furnished him, from one school-term to another, with money to pay for his tuition and board. It was his good fortune to enter the school of the Rev. Dr. Alison, a man of high character and much classical learn- ing, who at that time was located at Thunder Hill, Maryland. In the same school, at that period, Thomas Mckean (afterwards Governor of Pennsylvania), George Read, of Delaware, and several others who in later life became distinguished personages, also were educated.
In those times of simplicity books were very scarce, so that a single Greek lexicon served the whole school. One of the boys who had been in Philadelphia brought back to the school a volume of The Spec- tator, which young Thomson read with great delight; and on being told by the owner of the book that a whole set of The Spectator could be bought in the city at a price which his little store of cash would permit, he set off the next day, without asking leave, walked to Philadelphia, and, having possessed himself of the treasure, returned to the school without delay. At this school he obtained a knowledge of Greek, Latin, mathematics and such other acquirements as enabled him, while still a very young man, to occupy with credit the position of Principal of the Friends' Academy at New Castle, previously mentioned. There he remained for some time, when he was selected to fill the more important position of Principal of the Friends' Public School, located on Fourth Street, below Chestnut, Philadelphia.
Owing to his relations with Teedyuscung he became very much interested in Indian affairs. He gained the confidence of the Indians, was admitted to their councils and "obliged to enter deep into their politics and investigate their claims." He was, in fact, adopted into the Delaware nation about the year 1758 and given the name of Wegh-wu-law-mo-end ("The Man of Truth"). He took minutes in short- hand of various conference proceedings, and these were so accurate as to be preferred by the Board of Indian Commissioners to the official records, and so just to the Indians as to win their profound gratitude.
After teaching school for a number of years Charles Thomson was married to a daughter of James Mather, of Chester, Pennsylvania, and went into business in Philadelphia. His wife dying a few years later, he was married a second time September 1, 1774, to Hannalı, daughter of Richard Harrison of Merion (in what is now Montgomery County, Pennsylvania), and granddaughter of Isaac Norris, Sr., mentioned on page 262.
Charles Thomson's political principles were early of a most republican cast, and it is said that he began the opposition to the Stamp Act in Pennsylvania. On September 5, 1774, the First Continental Congress met in Carpenters' Hall, Philadelphia, and was organized by the choice of Peyton Randolph of Virginia for President, and Charles Thomson, not a member, for Secretary. Many years later Mr. Thom- son gave the following account of his induction into this office. (See Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania, XI : 408.) "I was married to my second wife on a Thursday. On the next Monday I came to town to pay my . respects to my wife's aunt, and the family. As I alighted in Chestnut Street the door-keeper of Congress (then just met) accosted me with a message from them requesting my presence. Surprised at this, and not able to divine why I was wanted, I, however, bade my servant put up the horses, and followed the messenger to the Carpenters' Hall and entered Congress. Here was indeed an august assembly ! Deep thought and solemn anxiety were observable in their countenances ! I walked up the aisle, and standing opposite to the President I bowed and told him I awaited his pleasure. He replied : 'Congress desires the favor of you, sir, to take their minutes.' I bowed in acquiescence, and took my seat at the desk. After a short silence Patrick Henry arose to speak. I did not then know him. He was dressed in a suit of parson's grey, and from his appearance I took him for a Presbyterian clergyman, used to haranguing the people. He observed that we were here met at a time and on an occasion of great difficulty and dis- tress ; that our circumstances were like those of a man in deep embarrassment and trouble, who had called his friends together to devise what was best to be done for his relief-one would propose one thing and another a different one, while perhaps a third would think of something better suited to his unhappy circumstances, which he would einbrace and think no more of the rejected schemes, with which he would have nothing to do. I thoughit that this was very good instruction to me with respect to taking the minutes. What Congress adopted, I committed to writing ; with what they rejected I had nothing further to do. But even this method led to some squabbles with the members, who were desirous of hav- ing their speeches and resolutions-however put to rest by the majority-still preserved upon the minutes."
The Second Continental Congress convened at Philadelphia May 10, 1775, and Charles Thomson was duly elected Secretary. In this important and honorable station he served, by successive elections, during the ensuing fourteen years, without a break, and with great reputation to himself and advantage to the cause of the country. The value of his great integrity was apparent in the implicit credit with which the
355
the Friends' Public School in Philadelphia), conducted him to the table and seated him beside the Governor's secretary; "whereupon he sat down and began taking minutes, without asking permission of the Gov- ernor, who took no further notice of it."
Mr. Thomson, in writing to a friend about this matter some days later, stated* :
"That an affair of such weight should be transacted with soberness, all will allow. How, then, must it shock you to hear that pains seem to have been taken to make the King [Teedyuscung] drunk every night since the business began. The first two or three days were spent in deliberating whether the King should be allowed the privilege of a clerk. When he was resolute in asserting his right, and would enter into no business without having a secretary of his own, they at last gave it up and seem to have fallen on another scheme, which is to unfit him to say anything worthy of being inscribed by his secretary. On Saturday, under pretense of rejoicing for the victory gained by the King of Prussia and the arrival of the fleet, a bonfire was ordered to be made and liquor given to the Indians to induce them to dance. For fear they should get sober on Sunday and be fit next day to enter on business, under pretense that the Mohawks had requested it, another bonfire was ordered to be made and more liquor given them. On Monday night the King was made drunk by Conrad Weiser ; on Tuesday by G. Croghan ; last night he was very drunk at Vernon's, and Vernon lays the blame on Comin and G. Croghan. He did not go to sleep last night. This morning he lay down under a shed, about the break of day, and slept a few hours. He is to speak this afternoon. He is to be sure to be in a fine capacity to do business ! But thus we go on. I leave you to make reflections. I for my part wish myself at home."
Teedyuscung certainly "placed large confidence in Charles Thom- son, and doubtless accepted his guidance in many things. The Gov- ernor and his party were quick to charge Charles Thomson with all of Teedyuscung's whims and obstinate rulings, especially his attitude on
public received whatever was published with the sanction of his name. His services were also very great in the Congress in a variety of ways-such as reconciling the members, repressing extravagances and detecting errors in whatever came within the sphere of his business. He also had charge of the Secret Service maintained by the Congress. Washington called him "the soul of Congress," and John Adams styled him "the Sam Adams of Philadelphia-the life of the cause of Liberty !"
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Representatives in Congress at Philadelphia July 4, 1776. It was then ordered that the document be authenticated, printed and sent throughout the country to "be proclaimed in each of the United States and at the head of the army." In accordance with this order the Declaration was authenticated by having written under it the following : "Signed by Order and in Behalf of the Congress-JOHN HANCOCK, President. Attest : CHARLES THOMSON, Secre- tary." With this addendum it was immediately printed in the shape of a broadside, copies of which were distributed broadcast throughout the country as expeditiously as possible. The Declaration was first read in public at Philadelphia on July 8th in the State House yard, where, in the presence of a great con- course of people, John Nixon read aloud one of the printed broadsides-the people declaring their approba- tion by three huzzas. Eleven days later Congress resolved that "the Declaration, passed on the 4th, be fairly engrossed on parchment, * * and that the same, when engrossed, be signed by every member of Congress." On the 2d of August, the Journals of Congress say, "the Declaration being engrossed, and compared at the table, was signed by the members." The original manuscript, thus signed, is carefully preserved in the office of the Secretary of State at Washington. It is, with the exception, of course, of the signatures, in the handwriting of Charles Thomson ; but nearly the whole of it is now almost illegible. Charles Thomson was the confidential friend of every leader in the Colonies throughout the Revolu- tionary struggle, and on the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, assisted in organizing the new Government. Early in April, 1789, he was deputed to bear to Washington at Mount Vernon a letter from the President of Congress informing him of his election to the Presidency of the United States. Washington wished to retain Mr. Thomson in the service of the Government ; but, to use his own expres- sion, "the suitable hour for retirement had now come."
In December, 1789, Col. Timothy Pickering was paying a visit to Judge Richard Peters (mentioned on page 262) at Belmont, and to his wife he wrote as follows : "The next day Mr. Peters and I went to see Charles Thomson, who lives six or seven miles above him. We dined there. He has fitted up a small stone house very neatly, and has a fine farm of 600 acres, on which he intends to live the residue of his days. * * * Mr. Thomson has been in the public service ever since the year 1774, with a handsome salary, yet he seriously declares he has not benefited in point of wealth ; on the contrary, he says his fortune is rather impaired. On the arrangement of the new Government no office was provided for him. He retired from Congress about August last, I think somewhat chagrined. But this will wear off ; and as he and his wife have a competent fortune they will live more happily than ever in their present retire- ment. He is a man of sense and learning, and, in the intervals of attention to farming, will indulge his taste for reading. He is now revising his translation of the Bible."
Charles Thomson was in some respects one of the most interesting characters of the Revolutionary period. "His life has never been written, because he deliberately destroyed the materials for it. He knew more of the inside history of the great struggle than any other man, it is asserted, but never opened his lips about it, burning his papers before his death and calmly insisting that his secrets should die with him. He was the soul of truth and honor; frank, ingenuous, much beloved of his friends, serene, com- panionable and quiet, yet evidently capable of emotions of the very strongest sort." He gave twelve years of hard labor to the preparation of a translation of the Septuagint, which was published in four volumes in 1808 and stands as a monument to early American scholarship. He also published "An En- quiry into the Causes of the Alienation of the Delaware and Shawanese Indians from the British Interest," and was the author of several other pamphlets. He died at his home, "Harriton"-the place mentioned in Colonel Pickering's letter-in Bryn Mawr, Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsyl- vania, August 16, 1824, in the ninety-fifth year of his age. He left no children.
* See Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, XX : 422.
356
the old land dispute. Weiser and Croghan each declared that Teedyus- cung himself was ready to drop all land controversies, and would have done so had it not been for Thomson and his crowd. But in this Croghan and Weiser were either mistaken or their advice was rendered merely to please the ear of the Governor. * * One afternoon the Governor decided not to confer with the Indians. In the journals of the Conference he assigns as a reason that Teedyuscung was drunk. Charles Thomson in his report says Teedyuscung was not drunk. This action of the Governor inflamed the Indians until they put on their war-paint and loaded their guns. This revolt among the Indians Peters and Duché report as alarming the white people of Easton. 'Many of them went to the riotous Indians and endeavored to quiet and disarm them, but they would suffer nobody to do it till the Quakers came, and to them they immediately submitted, and delivered up their arms as readily and submissively as common soldiers would to their officers.'"*
The conference had been in progress some time when Teedyuscung formally said :
"This is the time to declare our mutual friendship. Now, Brother the Governor, to confirm what I have said I have given you my hand, which you were pleased to rise and take hold of. I leave it with you. When you please, Brother, if you have anything to say as a token of confirming the peace, I shall be ready to hear ; and as you rise, I will rise up and lay hold of your hand. To confirm what I have said I give you these belts."
To this the Governor replied :
"We now rise and take you into our arms, and embrace you with the greatest pleasure as our friends and brethren, and heartily desire we may ever hereafter look on one another as brethren and children of the same parents. As a confirmation of this we give you this belt."
The Governor then gave the King a large belt of white wampumn with the figures of three men worked in it, representing His Majesty, King George, taking hold of the King of the Five Nations with one hand, and Teedyuscung, the Delaware King, with the other ; and marked with the following letters and figures : "G. R.," "5 N." and "D. K."- for King George, Five Nations and Delaware King.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.