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 64
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On the 8th of May John Hays was joined at his father's house by Post, who had come from Bethlehem, and the next day the two set out for Fort Allen. Hays kept a diary of the journey, and from itt we learn that the travelers left Fort Allen in the morning of Saturday, May 10th, and, traveling all day till late, "through a vast desert," lodged at night in the woods. In the evening of Sunday the 11th they reached the village of Wyoming, where they were informed that Teedyuscung had that morning started on his journey; but a runner was immediately sent after him to inform him of the coming of Post and Hays. On Monday the King returned to Wyoming, and, wrote Hays, "we had several conferences." According to the diarist-"Tuesday the 13th we [they] wrought at making belts and strings of our wampum. Were used very kindly. 14th .- Very rainy weather, so that we could not set out; so we followed our old business of belt making. 15th .- Weather the same, so that we were obliged to lie by as before, and make belts. 16th .- Designed going, but Teedyuscung would not go until he had a field of corn planted first, and we all assisted him and planted it this day." Early in the morning of Saturday, May 17th, the company set off from Wyoming on horseback. In the cavalcade were fourteen persons, as follows : Teedyuscung, his sons "Captain Amos" and "Captain Bull," Christian Frederick Post, John Hays, Moses Tatemy, Isaac Still, "Anondounoakom, son of the Chief of the Minisinks," and six Minisink, or Monsey, Indians. Three pack-horses-furnished by the Government -carried the supplies that would be needed by the travelers en route.
* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, III : 717.
+ See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, III : 735.
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They traveled smartly, and about one o'clock crossed the Lacka- wanna. Continuing their course along the east, or left, bank of the Susquehanna, they set up their "tents at night in an old Indian town called Quelootama." On the 19th they arrived at Quihaloosing, or Machhachloosing, later known as Wyalusing .* This was a Monsey town, of "about twenty houses full of people," which had been estab- lished about 1752 on the east bank of the river nearly a mile below the mouth of Wyalusing Creek. The Chief of the town was Papoonhank, who, according to John Hays, was "a very religious, civilized man-in his own way." Post preached to the people of the town, at the request of their Chief, in the evening of the 19th and again the next evening. At this town there were three white captives-two girls and a boy- and several horses stolen from the inhabitants on the frontiers, and at the request of Teedyuscung Papoonhank agreed to deliver up all of them to the Government-which he did, at Philadelphia, on the 11th of July. On May 23d the travelers arrived at Assinnissinkt (mentioned on page 327), and the next day, writes Hays, "the Indians began to sacrifice to their god, and spent the day in a very odd manner, howling, dancing, raveling like wolves, and painted frightfull as Divels. 26th .- The Indians having got rum, got drunk, all in general, except some old men. Teedyuscung behaved well on this occasion, for when his son brought in the keg with rum he would not taste it. 27th .- A messen- ger from the Mingo town told us they bid us welcome to this town, but if we came any farther they would roast us in the fire. They bid us go' home the way we came, and come no farther. They desired that none of the nations on the Susquehanna should give up their prisoners. June 1st .- Still at Assinnissink. We sent a message by Moses Tatemy and 'Captain Bull,' 'Teedyuscung's son, to the Mingoes again. June 6th. -Set off for Passeckachkunk, and came to James Davis' about noon. Dined with him. Proceeded on; lodged on the bank of the West Branch. June 7th .- Sent Bull before us early ; we all followed ; passed several little towns and arrived at Passeckachkunkt about four o'clock, after crossing the river five times. This town stands on the south side of the river and is in two parts, at the space of a mile distance, where there are two sorts of people. The nearest part is peopled with Wana- mies (Quitigon is their Chief), and the upper part is Mingoes. We halted at the lower town."
Here the party remained until June 16th, when Post and Hays received final orders from the Mingoes to go home. On the 19th, there- fore, they retraced their way as far as James Davis', being accompanied by Moses Tatemy and four Mohawks as guides and protectors. Then Tateniy left them and rejoined Teedyuscung. Remaining at Davis' a couple of days Post and Hays proceeded to Assinnissink, where they had a conference with Egohohowni the "Governor" of the town. On the 23d they breakfasted at "French Margaret's" (see page 206), and in the evening reached Tioga. On the 27th they arrived at Wyoming, and on the 29th at Fort Allen.
Teedyuscung and the other members of the party continued their journey unmolested, and on the 12th of August were present at the great council held in the English camp before Pittsburg. Among
* See pages 171 and 220. + Near the confluence of the rivers Canisteo and Tioga.
¿ Without much doubt this was "Passekawkung," mentioned on page 352.
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those who took part in this council were Brigadier General Monckton, commanding the King's forces in the Southern District; Col. Sir John St. Clair, Col. James Burd, George Croghan, Capt. Andrew Montour (interpreter), and large numbers of the Six Nations, Twightwees, Ottawas, Shawanese, Wyandottes, Pottawatomies and Delawares. Of the latter, 202 warriors, 168 women and 191 children were present, representing all the clans, or sub-tribes, of the nation. At the close of the council Teedyuscung and his retinue returned to the East without delay, and on September 15th the King reported to Governor Hamilton at Philadelphia :
"I have been a long way back-a great way, indeed-beyond the Allegheny, among my friends there. When I got as far as the Salt Lick Town, towards the head of Beaver Creek,* I stopped there and sent messengers to the chiefs of all the Indians in those parts, desiring them to come and hold council .; It took three weeks to collect them together ; and then, having a large number gathered together, I communicated to them all that had passed between me and this Government for four years past-at which they were glad, and declared that this was the first time they had had a right understanding of these transactions."
Three days after making this report Teedyuscung appeared before the Governor again and announced that he had got ready to set out for Wyoming, when he heard some bad news. Continuing he said#:
."Yesterday I was told that some of the New England people are gone on the west side of the Susquehanna? with intent to settle the lands at Wyomink. If this should be the case then all the pains that have been taken by this Government and me will be to no purpose. It is the Indians' land, and they will not suffer it to be settled. I therefore desire the Governor will send a smart letter to the Government where those intruding , people came from, to forbid this proceeding, and tell their Governor plainly that if they do not go away the Indians will turn them off. These people cannot pretend ignorance, and if they shall then continue on the lands it will be their own fault if anything happens. If the Governor can't, the Indians will put a stop to it."
The Governor said he had received the same information a few days before, and had ordered the Sheriff and some of the magistrates at Easton to go to the place where it was said the New Englanders were settling, "inquire into their pretensions and proceedings and warn them off." The "place" referred to was at and near Cushetunk (later Cochec- ton), and the "New Englanders" were the proprietors of The Delaware Company, or their authorized representatives, who were taking posses- sion of their "rights" in the territory purchased from the Indians. (See pages 293 and 294, and "Map of a Part of Pennsylvania" in Chapter XI.) On October 8, 1760, Aaron DePui, Lewis Klotz, John Moore and Lewis Gordon, by direction of Governor Hamilton, journeyed to Cushetunk to gather information as to the situation there. A week later they made their report to the Governor, || setting forth that they had ascer- tained that "the Government of Connecticut, about six or seven years previously, granted unto about 800 or 900 persons power to purchase a tract of land from the Indians. In consequence, those proprietors em- powered two of their number, - Elderkin and - - Whitney, to pur- chase from the Delaware Indians. The purchase was made about six years ago." The report then continued as follows :
"Some of the proprietors are - Fitch (son of the Governor of Connecticut), Isaac Tracey, Jabez Fitch, Elisha Tracey, Benajah Parks, Hezekiah Huntington, Daniel Skinner, Timothy Skinner, Benjamin Ashley, John Smith and Nathan Chapman, who * See map facing page 320.
+ This was in July, prior to the council held in the camp before Pittsburg. Teedyuscung claimed that ten nations-among them the Twightwees, Owendats, Shawanese, Chippeways and all the clans of the Delawares-were present at this council on Beaver Creek. (See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 497.)
Į See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 500.
¿ It was the Delaware, and not the Susquehanna, River to which Teedyuscung referred.
| See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 564.
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have accordingly laid out and surveyed the said large tract of land in the Province of Pennsylvania, and at Cushetunk have erected three townships, each of which is to extend in length on the Delaware ten miles, and in breadth, eight miles. In the middle town- ship a large town is laid out, consisting of eighty and odd lots-200 acres in each lot- to each of which a water lot of ten acres appertains. On the lowlands are built three log houses, one saw-mill, one grist-mill almost finished, and about thirty cabins for working people. Their number at present is about twenty men, besides women and children. About twenty more are gone home for want of provisions-but they are in full expecta- tion to be joined by one hundred families, at least, in the Spring. It is strongly affirmed that every individual member of the Upper House, and the chief part of the Lower House, of the Assembly of Connecticut are interested and concerned in the said purchase. The Governor has not yet thought proper to suffer his name to be made use of, but his son is one of the proprietaries. The lands are sold for eight or ten dollars in hand for 200 acres -twelve whereof to be cleared and improved and a house built in three years ; otherwise, to be forfeited."
February 10, 1761, Governor Hamilton wrote to Governor Thomas Fitch, of Connecticut, and to Sir William Johnson, relative to the situation of affairs at Cushetunk. His letter to Sir William was, in part, as follows* :
"I am further to acquaint you that we are like to have a fresh trouble, and I am afraid a renewal of the Indian war, from a most wicked revival of the Connecticut claims. Those restless spirits have actually come at the close of the last Summer [1760] and laid out townships on the west side of the Delaware River, on lands not purchased of the Indians, and left some of their people to retain possession during the Winter, intending to join them with vast numbers in the Spring and to carry all before them by force. * Accordingly I have wrote Governor Fitcht to use his influence to recall the people already settled, and to prevent others from coming. *
* As I expect nothing Governor Fitch can say or do, or that my letter, will avail anything, I was thinking to write an account of this unhappy proceeding to General Amherst,¿ and desire his interposition with the Colony of Connecticut."
Ten days later Governor Hamilton issued a proclamation requiring the settlers at Cushetunk to remove from the lands. He drew particu- lar attention, in the document, to the fact that "Teedyuscung, the Dela- ware Chief, hath [had] made a very earnest and formal complaint and remonstrance" against the intruders, insisting that they be immediately removed by the Government, and declaring that if it were not done "the Indians would come and remove them by force."
It must be admitted that the Pennsylvania authorities-both the executive and the legislative-were very anxious to avoid doing or permitting to be done anything that would cause trouble with, or even uneasiness on the part of, the Indians. They went so far in this matter as to pass an Act in April, 1760, inflicting a penalty of £50 and twelve months' imprisonment on any inhabitant of the Province who should hunt, or follow, wild beasts, etc., beyond the limits of the territory purchased from the Indians by the Proprietaries. On the other hand, however, both Governor Morris and Governor Hamilton, in opposing the "pretensions and proceedings" of The Susquehanna Company and The Delaware Company with reference to their purchases within the Charter limits of Pennsylvania, did not have in mind so much the fact that these purchases gave offense to certain blustering and fault-finding Indians, as that the purchasers had violated the law of the Province, which, under the royal Charter, provided that "no person whatsoever had any right to purchase lands of the Indians within the limits of that Charter without a license first obtained from the Proprietaries."
April 6, 1761, Teedyuscung, several Delawares and two "Wapings"§ from Wyoming were received by the Governor and Council at Philadel-
* See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 571.
+ See "Pennsylvania Archives," Fourth Series, III : 51.
# See the last two paragraphs, page 297.
§ See page 385.
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phia. Isaac Still acted as interpreter at the interview, and Teedyus- cung spoke, in part, as follows* :
"You may remember that when I was here in the Fall I informed you that some
New England people were settling the Indian lands near Cushetunk. *
* I have not heard anything from you since that time, and our people are become so uneasy at this new settlement that several of them are moved away to other places. Some of the Wapings were coming to settle at Wyoming, but being disturbed at what they hear, they have sent their King that they may hear what you have to say. So many stories were brought to Wyoming that I myself was almost ready to leave my house ; but I thought I would come and see you first and consult with you about it. About three weeks ago Robert White [Chief of the Nanticokes] came to our town, along with Thomas King [Chief of the Oneidas], and told us that they had been at Cushetunk among those people, and that Sir William Johnson had sent to warn them off, if they intended to settle there. They said they had bought the land from some Indians who were at the last treaty at Easton, and they would settle there. They said likewise, that in the Spring, when there would be plenty of grass, they would come and settle the lands at Wyoming, and that Thomas King had given them leavet to settle the Wyoming lands ; and if the Indians who lived there should hinder their settlement they would fight it out with them, and the strongest should hold the land. Robert White added that they told him they should be 4,000 strong in the Spring, and would all come to Wyoming."
The Governor then told Teedyuscung what he had done in the matter, and the King expressed great satisfaction thereat. Then he asked the Governor what should be done if the New Englanders came to Wyoming. "Do not suffer them to settle," answered the Governor. "That is, collect the ancient and discreet men of your nation and go to the settlers in a peaceable manner, and endeavor to persuade them to for- bear settling those lands."
Capt. James Hyndshaw,¿ of Northampton County, who had been requested by Governor Hamilton to make a tour of investigation to and through the country roundabout Cushetunk, reported to the Governor on the 29th of April that he had found Moses Thomas to be the chief man of the settlement. He was erecting a mill for grinding corn, and when Hyndshaw was there Thomas had just issued a call for a meeting of the inhabitants to elect a magistrate and other officers. The people claimed to be settlers "under a Connecticut Right." A number of houses were already erected, and a block-house was being built. Hynd- shaw was informed by some Indians whom he inet at Cushetunk "that the Connecticut people had been marking trees for twenty miles from the Delaware in the way towards the Susquehanna" ; and he was told by "Nathan Parkes, one of the new settlers at Cushetunk, that they had also laid out lots for a town at a place called Lackawaxen§ [within the bounds of a tract of land purchased from the Indians by the Proprie- taries of Pennsylvania], and they intended to settle it in like manner under the Connecticut Right."
At Norwalk, Connecticut, under date of May 7, 1761, Governor Fitch of Connecticut replied to the communication which he had received some time previously from Governor Hamilton. After devoting con- siderable space to references to The Susquehanna Company he wrotell .:
"Thus, Sir, you see that the Assembly have been so far from making a grant of those lands that they rather disclaim them, and leave those who have any challenges by pur- chase, or former grants, to conduct and manage as they think proper. This Government, as such, has no concern in those affairs, nor has it any inclination or disposition to interest itself in any dispute about those lands ; and, although the purchasers may, most of them, live in Connecticut, yet, as they act in a private capacity, and even out of the Govern- ment, we can do nothing only by advice relative to their conduct under another jurisdic-
* See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 595. + See page 396. Į See pages 254 and 280.
§ On the Delaware River, within the limits of the present Pike County, Pennsylvania. See "Map of
a Part of Pennsylvania," in Chapter XI.
| See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 626.
most Sincerely
COL. ELIPHALET DYER. Photo-reproduction of a portrait in the possession of The Connecticut Historical Society.
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tion. * I have lately heard that there is another set of purchasers, called The Delaware Company, but I know but little about them, *
* but am ready to think that the families you mention are under that Company."
Immediately upon receipt of this letter Governor Hamilton wrote to General Amherst, in very much the same strain that he had written to Sir William Johnson three months previously .*
At Windham, Connecticut, February 25, 1761, The Susquehanna Company met for the first time in almost six years-if we may judge by the records of the Company.t In the interim there had been many shares disposed of and new "proprietors" admitted to the Company by its Executive Committee. At the meeting just referred to Col. Jonathan Trumbull, Col. Samuel Talcott, Col. Eliphalet Dyer, John Smith, Esq., Capt. Uriah Stevens and others were appointed a committee to inquire into the expediency of joining with The Delaware Company in making an application to the King for either a grant of, or a confirmation of the title to, the lands purchased by the respective Companies from the Indians. It was also voted to send an agent to the Court of Great Britain to repre- sent the Company in its business with the Crown ; and, at a meeting held on the 9th of the next April, Col. Eliphalet Dyert was appointed such agent, with a salary at the rate of £150 per annum.
* See "Pennsylvania Archives," Fourth Series, III : 80. + See page 317, ante.
Į ELIPHALET DYER was born September 14, 1721, at Windham, Connecticut (mentioned on page 249). He was the second child and only son of Col. Thomas Dyer by his first wife Lydia, second daughter of John and Mary (Bingham) Backus of Windham, to whom he was married October 24, 1717. The other children of Col. Thomas and Lydia (Backus) Dyer were : (i) Mary, born January 31, 1719 ; married in 1741 to Stephen White ; died May 27, 1802. (iii) Lydia, born July 12, 1724; married to Samuel Gray (see page 292). (iv) Eunice, born June 5, 1727. Mrs. Lydia (Backus) Dyer died October 25, 1751, and Col. Thomas Dyer was married (2d) to Mehetabel Gardner, October 10, 1752. She died November 1, 1753, and Colonel Dyer was married a third time, in October, 1754, or '55. to Sarah Walden. Colonel Dyer, who was a native of Weymouth, Massachusetts, had settled in Windham about 1715. He was often elected to rep- resent Windham in the General Assembly of Connecticut. He died May 27, 1766
ELIPHALET DYER entered Yale College in 1736 at the age of fifteen, and was graduated a Bachelor of Arts in 1740, in a class numbering twenty-one. Three years later the degree of Master of Arts was con- ferred upon him by his Alma Mater, and in 1744 he was given the same degree by Harvard College. In 1787 the degree of LL. 1). was conferred upon him by Yale College. After leaving college he studied law at Windham, and was admitted to the Bar there in 1746. The same year he was appointed a Justice of the Peace by the General Assembly. He was already Town Clerk of Windham, and these two offices he held for a number of years-being succeeded as Town Clerk in 1755 by his brother-in-law Samuel Gray (see page 292). He was elected an Assistant (a member of the "Upper House" of the General Assembly of Connecticut) in 1762, and by successive re-elections was continued in that office until 1784 He was ap- pointed and commissioned a Captain in the Connecticut Militia in 1745, and was promoted Major of the Fifth Connecticut Regiment in May, 1753. In August, 1755, he was promoted "Lieutenant Colonel of the Third Connecticut Regiment, and Captain of its Second Company, to go in Sir William Johnson's expedi- tion against Crown Point." (See page 297, ante.) This regiment at once joined the forces at Lake George, and did good service during the remainder of the campaign. In March, 1758, Eliphalet Dyer was com- missioned Colonel of the Connecticut regiment sent against Canada. (See page 297, ante )
In August, 1763, Colonel Dyer went to England as agent of The Susquehanna Company. He failed in his mission-as will be shown more fully hereinafter-but while in London he received from the Com- missioners of Customs of the Crown the appointment of Comptroller of Customs at the port of New Lon- don, Connecticut. He appointed a sub-agent in London to look after the affairs of The Susquehanna Company, and, depositing the documents of the Company in his hands in the custody of that gentleman, Colonel Dyer returned home in October, 1764. In September, 1765, he was the first named of the three commissioners from Connecticut to the Stamp Act Congress. In 1774 he was Lieutenant Colonel of the 5th Regiment, Connecticut Militia. I11 December, 1775, he was appointed Brigadier General of the Militia of the Colony, but declined the appointment. As noted on page 283, ante, he was one of the original mem- bers of the Connecticut "Council of Safety," and his connection therewith continued until the close of the war. December 18, 1776. Colonel Dyer was appointed with others a committee on behalf of Connecticut to meet committees from the other States of New England at Providence, Rhode Island, on the 23d of December, to consult as to raising an army for the defense of the New England States against a threatened invasion by the British
In July, 1774, Colonel Dyer, Silas Deane and Roger Sherman were appointed by the General Assembly of Connecticut delegates to the First Continental Congress, which met at Philadelphia in September, 1774. (See page 354.) These delegates were present, and took part in the proceedings of the Congress. Colonel Dyer was chosen in November, 1774, a delegate to the Congress of 1775, and in October, 1776, was chosen to attend the Congress of 1777. This last appointment he declined, however, in the following letter ad- dressed to the General Assembly of Connecticut (see American Archives, Fifth Series, III : 475) : "Hart- ford, November, 1776. Conscious as I am of my utmost exertions for to promote the interest of the United States, as well as of this State in particular, in every department in which this Assembly has been pleased to entrust me with, yet the approbation with which my conduct in the General Congress of the United States has met with, in their reappointing me a member of that respectable body, gives me the greatest satisfaction Yet, considering my ill state of health, as well as some others of my family, the present particular situation of iny affairs-occasioned principally by my long and almost constant absence for years past from my family, on public service-obliges me, though with great reluctance, to decline a service to which I was appointed at your sessions in October last-attending the General Congress at Philadelphia ; and which I flatter myself will not be disapproved, as it is the first instance of my ever declining any trust, post of danger or trouble to which I have been appointed by this State." Colonel Dyer was elected a Representative to each of the Congresses from 1778 to 1782, but did not attend the sessions of 1778 and 1780.
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