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 II > Part 109
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The camp of Colonel Van Cortlandt's road-builders remained at Locust Hill until the morning of June 7th, when it was moved forward about six miles-" across the Lehigh, to the side of a swamp called the ' Shades of Death '," as recorded by one of the officers in his journal. In the afternoon of the 8th the camp was again moved forward, through the " Shades," to a point within one mile of Bear Swamp,* where it was located until the 11th-the men, in the meantime, working hard on the road in front. A removal was made to " Bullock's " early in the morn- ing of the 11th, and during all that day and the two following days the men worked diligently building the road over Wyoming Mountain, along and across Laurel Run, and thence up the eastern slope of Wilkes- Barré Mountain. In the evening of the third day (Sunday, June 13th) Van Cortlandt's men formed a junction with Butler's men, who (as mentioned on page 1174) had been opening the road from Wilkes-Barré town-plot to and beyond Prospect Rock. Thus the "Sullivan Road" was at last completed-whereat there was great rejoicing on the part of its builders ; and at six o'clock in the morning of June 14th the generale was beaten, tents were struck, and the troops marched down the moun- tain to Wilkes-Barré and went into camp on the bank of the river. Three days later the regiments of Colonels Van Cortlandt, Spencer and Cilley were ordered by General Hand to go into camp four miles north- east of Fort Wyoming, on Jacob's Plains, near the bank of the river. While the "Sullivan Road" was being constructed the soldiers and citizens of Wilkes-Barré were kept busy in a variety of ways; chiefly, however, in arranging for the suitable care and accommodation of the large force of troops soon to rendezvous here. Early in May Colonel Denison and " Deacon " Hurlbut, Representatives from Westmoreland to the General Assembly of Connecticut (see page 1166), set out for Hartford to attend the May session of that body. During the session the Assembly appointed, and Governor Trumbull commissioned, for the ensuing year, the following officers in and for the county of Westmore- land : Col. Zebulon Butler, Judge of the County Court; Col. Nathan Denison and Zerah Beach, Justices of the Peace and the Quorum ; Col. Zebulon Butler, Maj. William Judd, Dr. Joseph Hamilton, Capt. John
* In October, 1898, the members of the Wilkes-Barre Branch of the Pennsylvania Society of the Colonial Dames of America erected (and dedicated with interesting ceremonies) on the banks of Ten Mile Run, near Bear Creek, a monument to mark the site of a bridge constructed by Sullivan's road- builders across the creek mentioned. The monument in question consists of a boulder, having affixed to it a bronze tablet bearing this inscription: "This stone marks the site of a bridge built by Sulli- van's Army on its march against the Six Nations, 1779. It was presented by Mr. Albert Lewis to the Wilkes-Barre Branch of the Colonial Dames, and by them inscribed, 1898."
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GEN. LORD BUTLER. Photo-reproduction of a lithograph by P. S. Duval, Philadelphia 1850.
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Franklin, Zebulon Marcy, John Hurlbut, Obadiah Gore, Uriah Chapman and Capt. Stephen Harding, Justices of the Peace.
One of the busiest men in Wilkes-Barré in the Spring of 1779 was the youthful "Acting Quartermaster at the Wyoming Garrison "-Lord Butler,* then only seventeen and a-half years old. One of his duties
* LORD BUTLER, eldest child of Col. Zebulon and Anne (Lord) Butler (see page 638), was born December 11, 1761, in the North Society, or Parish, of the town of Lyme, New London County, Con- necticut. He removed thence to Wilkes-Barre in December, 1772, with the other members of his fatber's family. Here he lived the remainder of his life, except for two or three years prior to 1778, spent at school in Connecticut. In October, 1778, he was appointed by his father Quartermaster at the Wyoming Post-as related on page 1095. The duties of this appointment he performed until the following January, wben he was appointed Acting Deputy Quartermaster in the Continental establish- ment, and Quartermaster at the Wyoming Post. He was then only a few weeks over seventeen years of age. Before June, 1779, he was promoted Acting Quartermaster in the Continental establishment, and in the following October was promoted Acting Deputy Quartermaster General, with an assign- ment to the Wyoming Post. This office he held until February, 1783, when the Continental garrison was withdrawn from Wyoming.
When the "Second Pennamite-Yankee War" was begun in the Autumn of 1783, Lord Butler was one of the foremost of the younger men identified with the Connecticut party in Wyoming to come to the front to oppose the schemes and impositions of the Pennamites-as is more fully shown in the following pages. He was one of the thirty-seven "effective men" who, in August, 1784, under the command of Capt. John Swift, inarched over the mountains to Locust Hill and attacked a band of invading Pennamites. A few weeks later he was one of thirty Wyoming settlers who were taken prisoners by the Pennamites, bound, and marched under guard to Easton, where they were lodged in the jail of Northampton County. (See Chapter XXI.) In April, 1787, the new county of Luzerne having been organized, Lord Butler was appointed and commissioned by the Supreme Executive Coun- cil of the State Sheriff of the county, to serve until the election of his successor. In the following October he was elected to serve a full term as Sheriff, and in November was duly commissioned by the Supreme Executive Council. He served until the last of October, 1789, when he was succeeded by Jesse Fell of Wilkes-Barré.
In May, 1788, Lord Butler was elected First Lieutenant of the Troop of Light Dragoons of the Luzerne County militia. Prior to 1798 he became Captain of this Troop, and in April, 1799, he was commissioned a Brigadier General of the Pennsylvania militia. He was a member of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania from October 30, 1789, till December 20, 1790, when the Council went out of existence. He was appointed and commissioned, August 17, 1791, as the successor of Col. Timothy Pickering, Prothonotary, Clerk of the Orphans' Court and of the Court of Quarter Ses- sions, Register of Wills, and Recorder of Deeds in and for Luzerne County. These various offices he held until January, 1800, when he was removed from them by Governor Mckean for political reasons only. Following this action of the Governor, General Butler prepared an address to the public, which was printed in the Wilkes-Barre Gazette of February 18, 1800. It read, in part, as follows:
"Other principles seemed to govern him [Governor Mifflin], than those of our present chief mag- istrate; but which of them was the most pure is not for ine, at present, to say. Suffice it to mention, that he [Mifflin] removed no good officer who only exercised his right as a freeman. The herd of office-hunters approached him not (with their pockets filled with affidavits) the moment his election was sure, to show that this and the other office-holder voted for his competitor, and therefore ought to be removed. Either the times were more honest then, or the loaves and fishes were not purchase- able through such means. Having done well in office, differing from him in politics was not a subject of enquiry. But times have changed! Dare but to adhere to a system of politics contrary to that of the Governor, and you at once draw to a close your public offices that are at his disposal. Dare to vote for another, and your name is as soon with the proscribed. Political opinion, rather than a faithful discharge of trust, seems to be studied.
"Although my offices have been taken from me in this manner, yet, fellow-citizens, I trust your affection for me remains. For these eight years past I have endeavoured a faithful discharge of the several duties incident to my offices; and how far I have succeeded you can best attest. Error may have escaped me, but in no one instance have I intentionally done wrong. A discharge of duty has, I trust, never been delayed because the office fees were not promptly tendered. For the truth of this J appeal to the orphan, the widow, and all others who have claimed my official services, under a con- viction that I have never oppressed, and with an approving conscience of having spared no pains in acquitting myself worthily as an officer and public servant for the best part of iny days. I take my official adieu of you, trusting that in private life I shall never lose sight of those principles of integ- rity and virtue which, as they should guide in public, are not less essential in retirement."
Lord Butler was the first postmaster of Wilkes. Barre, being appointed in 1794, and holding the office till 1802, when he took bis seat for one term in the Pennsylvania Legislature as one of the two Representatives from Luzerne County. Upon the organization of the first Town Council of the bor- ough of Wilkes-Barre, in May, 1806, General Butler was elected President of that body, and this office he held until May, 1808. He was Burgess of the borough from May, 1811, till May, 1814. In 1801, and for several years thereafter, he held the office of County Treasurer, and from 1815 till 1818 he was one of the Commissioners of Luzerne County. He was one of the incorporators of the Wilkes- Barré Academy, and was a member of its Board of Trustees from 1807 until his death in 1824-for seven years of which time he was President of the Board.
General Butler was for many years one of the most prominent and influential men in public life in Luzerne County. Charles Miner, who knew him well, says of him ("History of Wyoming," Ap- pendix, page 7): "In all his various offices General Butler sustained the highest character for faith- fulness and ability. No public servant ever deserved better of the public. If he would not conde- scend to flatter their prejudices, he yet delighted all with his intelligence and zeal to promote their best interests. Decided in his political opinions, and free in expressing them, his opponents said he was proud. If an unworthy pride was meant, the charge was unjust. He was a man of stern integ- rity, and lived and died highly respected and esteemed, while in the family and social circle he was justly and tenderly loved. He was always and everywhere the gentleman." He died at his home on River Street, Wilkes-Barre, March 3, 1824.
Lord Butler was married May 30, 1786, to Mary (born in October, 1763; died October 28, 1834), third child of Abel and Ruth (Sheppard) Peirce, mentioned on page 711. Their children were as fol- lows, all born in Wilkes-Barre: (i) Louisa, born February 23, 1787; died December 17, 1787. (ii) Peirce, born January 27, 1789; died March 30, 1848. (See next page.) (iii) Houghton, born November 8, 1791; died October 3, 1807. (iv) Sylvina Peirce, born March 5, 1794; married in June, 1811, to Garrick Mallery; died March 28, 1824. (See sketch and portrait of Garrick Mallery in a subsequent chapter.) (v) John Lord, born February 9, 1796; died August 4, 1858. (See a sketch of his life in a subsequent chapter.) (vi) Chester Peirce, born March 21, 1798; died October 5, 1850. (See a sketch ·of his life in a subsequent chapter.) (vii) Ruth Ann, born January 11, 1801; married December 17,
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was to receive from the various "conductors " the numerous Continen- tal pack-horses which were brought here for the use of the Sullivan Expedition ; and also to provide for their proper care and sustenance. It is shown by original records in the collections of The Wyoming His- torical and Geological Society that, during the month of June, 1779, Lord Butler received here and took charge of 608 pack-horses, together with a large number of pack-saddles .*
At Estherton, Pennsylvania (on the Susquehanna, some fifty miles below Sunbury), under the date of June 8, 1779, Cornelius Cox, Deputy Quartermaster General, wrote to General Hand at Wilkes-Barré as follows:
"You will have the pleasure, by the arrival of this letter, of seeing the largest num- ber of boats that ever was together at one time on this river-and all loaded."
At Sunbury, Pennsylvania, under the date of June 22, 1779, Lieut. Col. Adam Hubleyt wrote to General Hand as follows :
" Dear General. - Your favour of the 19th came safe to hand last evening. I'm extremely happy to find I shall be under your command this campaign. I have com- municated this agreeable piece of news to a number of my officers, who equally express their happiness on the occasion ; and what adds to the happiness is, that your corps is to be a select one, to act as Light Infantry. Agreeably to your orders I have given directions for the [11th] regiment to be in readiness at a moment's warning. General Sullivan, it seems, is to determine on the continuance of the Dragoons in my regiment. I must beg you will use your influence with him to have them dismounted, unless they can be an- nexed and do duty with us. * * * We shall be able to load the greatest part of the boats at this place. I expect they will be at Fort Jenkins about the 25th, at which place the officer commanding them will await your further orders. The remainder are on their way to Cox's town. Those, with what new ones may be finished, will be sufficient to. bring up what stores are at present there. Every step is taken to expedite the forward- ing of the stores, &c. I anxiously look forward for the moment when I shall have the pleasure of seeing you."
1823, to John N. Conyngham; died July 31, 1879. (See in a subsequent chapter a sketch and portrait of the Hon. John N. Conyngham.) (viii) Zebulon, born September 27, 1803; married November 12, 1829, to Mary Ann Murdock; was a Presbyterian clergyman for thirty-three years at Port Gibson, Mississippi, where he died December 23, 1860. (ix) Lord, born October 18, 1805; died November 27, 1861. (See a sketch of his life in a subsequent chapter.) (x) Phebe Haight, born January 16, 1811; married in 1835 to Dr. Alexander C. Donaldson, of Folsom, California; died in July, 1849.
(ii) Peirce Butler was married February 2, 1818, to Temperance (born December 27, 1790), eld- est child of Arnold and Lucinda (Yarington) Colt -referred to more at length in a subsequent chap- ter-and they settled in Kingston Township, Wyoming Valley, where, for the greater part of his life, Mr. Butler was occupied in farming. He became a member of Lodge No. 61, F. and A. M., Wilkes- Barré, April 11, 1814, and was Senior Warden of the Lodge in 1821 and again in 1845. "He was. possessed of an uncommon share of native good sense, a sound, discriminating judgment, a happy, benevolent disposition. Few men ever had fewer enemies, and none ever had warmer and more sin- cere friends. The virtues of humanity were so happily blended in him as to command the esteem and affection of all who knew him. He was a faithful and devoted Mason." Peirce Butler died at his home in Kingston March 30, 1848, and was buried with the ceremonies and honors of Free Masonry by Lodge No. 61. Mrs. Temperance (Colt) Butler died in Kingston May 10, 1863. The children of Peirce and Temperance (Colt) Butler were: (1) Houghton Seymour, born December 15, 1818; became- a civil engineer; married March 18, 1847, to Caroline Amanda Meyer (born in Wysox, Bradford County, Pennsylvania; died in Wilkes-Barre April 8, 1893). He died August 22, 1870, being survived by his wife and three children: Charles S., Henry Colt, and Julia. (2) Mary Lucinda, born January 13, 1822; married November 21, 1842, to Elijah Wadhams (born January 18, 1813), fifth child of Benjamin and Lydia (Fuller) Reynolds of Plymouth; he was a merchant in Wilkes-Barre for many years; was President of the Town Council in 1848 and '49; became a member of Lodge No. 61, F. and A. M., February 12, 1844, and was Treasurer of the Lodge in 1845 and '46, and Secretary in. 1851. Elijah W. Reynolds died September 25, 1869, and his widow died November 21, 1897. Chil- dren: Peirce Butler, William Champion, and John Butler. (3) James Montgomery, born February 9, 1826; married March 18, 1852, to Martha (born September 28, 1832), daughter of John and Polly (Drake) Lazarus of Hanover Township, Luzerne County; died in Kingston December 9, 1861. Chil- dren: Blanche Montgomery, Peirce, George Hollenback, John Lord, and James Montgomery. (4) Peirce, born October 13, 1832; married January 17, 1855, to Catherine A. Kelley. Resides in Carbon- dale, Pennsylvania.
* From an original record, now in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological So- ciety, we learn that the following Quartermaster's stores were "issued at the post of Wyoming by Lord Butler, A. Q. M., in July, 1779." 28714 quires of paper; 156 blank books; 1,059 quills; 69. papers of ink-powder; 19 ink-stands; 2012 boxes of wafers; 1,297 knapsacks; 1,774 haversacks; 1,184 canteens; 156 camp-kettles; 14 scythe-stones; 18 scythes; 1 grindstone; 11 coils of rope; 11 tin candle- sticks; 38 tents; 162 felling-axes; 65 spades; 46 shovels; 27 pickaxes; 46 portmanteaux; 880 horse- shoe nails; 162 lbs. of nails; 675 pack-saddles; 203 rope halters; 116 "Aa" slings; 6 horse-bells and' collars.
ADAM HUBLEY, (JR.), was a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was commissioned by Congress, October 27, 1775, First Lieutenant in the First Pennsylvania Battalion (commanded by Col. John Bull, who was succeeded in January, 1776, by John Philip De Haas), raised in pursuance of a resolution of Congress passed October 12, 1775. His term of service having expired in October, 1776, Lieutenant Hubley was, on December 6, 1776, commissioned Major in one of the "additional" regiments ordered to be raised by Congress-as mentioned in the note on page 1108. March 12, 1777, he was promoted Lieut. Colonel of the 10th Pennsylvania Regiment, Continental Line, ranking from.
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While Wilkes-Barre, during the building of the "Sullivan Road," was filled to overflowing with Continental soldiers-Frenchmen, Ger- mans, Yankees and Pennsylvanians-and nearly everybody here was kept on the mnove, in one way or another, because of the necessary and extensive preparations which were being made for the designed expedi- tion, Easton, at the other end of the road, was equally in a state of bus- tle and excitement. What with the hurrying up of supplies, the arrival of troops and their departure for Wilkes-Barre, the reviewing and inspecting of the various commands encamped at Easton, a con- tinual correspondence carried on with the Commander-in-Chief, and likewise with the President of Pennsylvania (relative to troops from his: State that had been promised for the Expedition, but had not yet materi- alized), visits to the Moravians at Bethlehem, courts-martial, executions of military malefactors, and many other duties-as well as diversions- General Sullivan led a strenuous life for about six weeks, and kept his subordinate officers in a state of almost constant activity.
As early as May 24th General Sullivan, believing that the Expe- dition would soon be in readiness to set out for the Indian country, issued, in general orders, full details (accompanied by diagrams) as to the "order of march " and "order of battle" to be observed by the troops .* At that date, besides General Sullivan and his staff, and Brig. Gen. William Maxwell of New Jersey (assigned to the command of the 1st Brigade of the Expedition) and his staff, the following organizations. were encamped at Easton : Procter's Pennsylvania Artillery Regiment, the 1st New Hampshire Regiment (Col. Joseph Cilley in command), the 1st New Jersey Regiment (Col. Matthias Ogden in command), and one or two companies of the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment. Two days: later the 2d New Hampshire Regiment (Lieut. Col. George Reid in com- mand) and the 3d New Hampshire Regiment (Lieut. Col. Henry Dear- born in command), led by Brig. Gen. Enoch Poor of New Hampshire (who was assigned to the command of the 2d Brigade of the Expedition), and the 3d New Jersey Regiment (Col. Elias Dayton in command), arrived at Easton-the first two regiments after a long march through New York and New Jersey. These troops having been supplied with tents, went into camp on the south-east side of the town, on the left bank of the Lehigh River. A few days later the 2nd New Jersey Regiment (Col. Israel Shreve in command) reached Easton ; but in the meantime the 1st New Jersey Regiment and the 1st New Hampshire Regiment had
October 4, 1776; and June 8, 1779, he was appointed Lieut. Colonel Commandant of the "New Eleventh Regiment," to rank from February 13, 1779. (See page 1108.) Colonel Hubley retired from the service January 1, 1781, and settled at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He became. a member of the Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati in December, 1783. He was a Free Mason, and was one of the seven Master Masons who were charter members of Lodge No. 43, F. and A. M., warranted April 21, 1785, and constituted September 14, 1785, at the house of Frederick Hubley in Lancaster. In later years Colonel Hubley was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and of the Senate. He was appointed one of the City Auctioneers of Philadelphia, and died there of yellow fever in 1793.
At New Windsor, New York, under the date of March 24, 1781, General Washington wrote as follows concerning Colonel Hubley: "Adam Hubley, Junr:, Esq., late Lieut. Colonel Commandant of the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, entered the service as a Lieutenant in the year 1775, from which rank he rose to that of the command of a regiment, and continued until the late reform of the army, when he was under the necessity of retiring upon half-pay. For the last three ycars Colonel Hubley acted principally under my immediate command, during which time he distinguished himself as an attentive, brave and intelligent officer; and from the testimony of the gentlemen under whom he served at other periods, his conduct has been uniformly deserving of applause."
At Trenton, New Jersey, under the date of January 19, 1781, Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne, com- manding the Pennsylvania Line, wrote as follows: "If more than five years' faithful service in the field-if the truest patriotism, bravery and assiduity-entitles the gentleman and the soldier to the esteem and confidence of his country, Lieut. Colonel Commandant Adam Hubley has the highest claim to it."
* See "Journals of the Sullivan Expedition," pages 66-68.
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been sent forward from Easton-the one to work on the "Sullivan Road," and the other to reinforce the garrison at Wilkes-Barré, as related on page 1175.
"In the meanwhile," states the Rev. Dr. Craft in his " historical address " previously referred to, "some of the Jersey troops were in a state of mutiny because the authorities of that State not only neglected to provide for the depreciation of the currency, but had failed to pay even the nominal sum-in the almost worthless Continental paper-money -due them for their services. It required all the address of the officers to quiet the minds of the soldiers, and Washington declared that nothing had occurred during the war which so filled him with alarm. Spies from the enemy were also busily at work amongst the disaffected sol- diers, urging them to desert the army and betray their country. * *
" Difficulties of another sort began to present themselves. Many people in Pennsylvania had opposed the Expedition from the first. The Quakers of Philadelphia, averse to all war on principle, were specially so to any measure which looked towards punishing the Indians, who, they alleged, were far more deserving of pity than blame for whatever ·excesses they might be guilty of; while what was known * as the Pennamite party-which included men possessing large wealth and much political influence -* * while they professed to coinmiser- ate the sufferings of the [Wyoming] people, did not hesitate to express their satisfaction at being clear of the hated 'intruders,' and their per- fect willingness that the Indians should keep them out of the disputed territory until the war was over. This opposition began to show itself early in the campaign, in the lack of hearty co-operation and the fail- ure to furnish either their quota of men or supplies for the army."
At Easton, June 3, 1779, Lawrence Miller (who had been a Lieu- tenant in the New Jersey Militia) and Michael Rosebury, inhabitants of Sussex County, New Jersey, were tried by a general court-martial on the charge of "enticing soldiers of the American ariny to desert to the enemy, and engaging their assistance for that purpose." The prisoners were found guilty by the court (of which Brig. General Maxwell was President), and were "sentenced to suffer death." General Sullivan approved the sentence, but postponed the execution of it for a few days. On the 7th of June General Sullivan wrote fromn Easton to Presi- dent Reed of Pennsylvania in part as follows* :
"I am happy to find your Excellency and the Council pursuing every measure to forward the Expedition. * * I doubt not every effort will be used on your part to have the troops sent on with expedition, as the army, if moved to Wyoming, must await their arrival, as our numbers will fall far short of what was supposed, and the army must remain there consuming the provisions intended for the Expedition, until those troops have joined."
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