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 27
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Seth Marvin,
Joseph Slocum,
John Franklin,
David Marvin,
Jonathan Steele,
Stephen Fuller, Jr.,
Ebenezer Marcy,
Samuel Storey,
Jacob Feezler,
Nicholas Manvil,
Daniel Scott,
Benjamin Follett,
John Murphy,
Asa Stevens,
Peregreen Gardner,
Henry MacIntyre,
Parshall Terry, Jr.,
Joseph Gallup,
Thomas McClure,
Solomon Tracy,
Philip Goss,
Ephraim McCoy,
Isaac Tripp,
Solomon Goss,
James Nisbitt,
Jonathan Terry,
James Green,
Samuel Nisbitt,
Parshall Terry,
Ambrose Gaylord,
Phineas Nash,
Joshua Tuttle,
Stephen Gardner,
Henry Pensil,
David Smith Tammage,
Joseph Gaylord,
John Pensil,
Elias Thomas,
Nathaniel Goss,
John Perkins,
Moses Utter,
Obadiah Gore,
John Perkins, Jr.,
Asa Upson,
George Gore,
Francis Phillips,
Isaac Underwood,
Silas Gore,
Isaiah Pasky,
Aaron Wilder,
Giles Gaylord,
Timothy Peirce,
Elisha Wilcox,
Daniel Gore,
Phineas Peirce,
Thomas Walworth,
Asa Gore,
Abel Peirce,
Jesse Weeks,
Justus Gaylord,
Timothy Pearce, Jr.,
Thomas Weeks,
James Hedsall,
Thomas Porter,
Bartholomew Weeks,
Cyprian Hibbard,
Noah Pettibone, Jr.,
Philip Weeks,
William Hibbard,
Stephen Pettibone,
William White,
Lemuel Harding,
Justice Porter,
Reuben Webb,
Peter Harris,
William Parke, Jr.,
Caleb Worden,
Thomas Heath,
Nicholas Phillips,
John Williams,
William Hopkins,
Jonathan Parker,
Richard West,
James Hopkins,
David Pixley,
William Warner,
Robert Hopkins,
William Parke,
Zopher Williams,
Timothy Hopkins, Jr.,
Eli Pixley,
Henry Windecker,
Timothy Hopkins,
Ashbel Roberson,
Philip Wintermute,
Francis Hopkins,
William Reynolds,
John White,
Peter Harrington,
Stephen Root,
Eason Wilcox,
Samuel Hotchkiss,
Elias Roberts,
Asaph Whittlesey,
Benjamin Harvey,
Thomas Roberson,
Robert Young,
Benjamin Harvey, Jr.,
Christopher Reynolds,
William Young, .
Elisha Harvey,
Daniel Ross,
John Young, Jr.,
Abraham Harding,
Michael Rude,
Abel Yarington." ['Total, 241.]
James Hedsall, Jr.,
On page 1,048 of "The Town Book of Wilkes Barre" we find the following minutes of a town-meeting held at Fort Wyoming October 5, 1772.
"Voted, That Esq! Tripp, John Jenkins, Philip Goss, John Perkins, Capt. Bates, Daniel Gore, William Stewart are apptd comtee men to mark out ye rode from Dillaware River to Pittstown. Capt. Butler is apptd to receive in ye money & grain that each man
Timothy Rose, Thomas Stoddard, Abel Smith,
Zerrubabel Jearom,
Oliver Smith, Jr.,
John Jameson,
Benjamin Stevens,
753
has signed to ye subscriptions for ye makeing ye rode from Dilleware River to Pittstown, & pay out ye same by orders from ye Comtee appointed to do said work.
"Voted, That ye Comtee appointed to mark out ye rode from Dilleware River to Pittstown are appointed as a Comtee to see sd rode made and completed.
"Voted, That if any proprietor or settler now on sd land, or shall be received in as a settler, that shall refuse or neglect to do his duty in guarding & scouting when warned thereto, shall be punished according to ye laws of ye Colony of Connecticutt.
"Voted, That Mr. Jabez Sills is appointed to be sealer of weights & measures for ye time being for this company, &c."
The following is a verbatim copy of the original draft of the minutes of a town-meeting now in the collections of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
"Att a propriators meeting Legally warned and Held in Wilksbarre october 19th 1772-
"voted that Capt. Butler was chosen moderator for ye work of ye day &c.
"voted-that Esq! Tripp is appointed to oversee those persons that shall from time to time be sent out from ye severall towns to work on ye Rode front Dillaware River to this place and see that ye work be Done according to the Directions of ye Comtee that was sent out to mark out sd Rode, &c.
"voted-that Mr. Blackman is appointed for ye town of wilksbarre to git out ye men out to work on ye Rode to Dillaware, &c.
"voted-that mt Dixson is appointed for ye town of Kingstown to git ye men out to work on ye Rode to Dillaware, &c.
"voted by this Company that Capt. Lazarus Stewart & mt willm Stewart and their associates are Deserving of the town of Hannover Agreable to ye votes passed at their General meeting of ye Propriators of ye Susquehannah company Held at windham January 9th 1771.
"voted-that every man of the setlers Belonging to the setling towns in ye Susque- hannah Purchase shall do their Duty Both guarding & scouting according to ye votes of sd setlers, and if any man Refuse or Neglect to do sd Duty they shall be subject to lose their Rights according to ye votes of ye Propriators at their meeting at windham January 1769, except they give satisfaction to the Comtee of setlers within twenty-four Hours after sd Neglect, &c.
"whereas it was voted at a General meeting of ye Propriators Held at wilksbarre June 29th 1772 that ye Propriators Belonging to ye township of Plymouth shall by them- selves within 40 Days provide a sufficient Block House to keep their guard by themselves and remove themselves into ye same for their Defence and ye Rest ye setlers on sd Land or forfitt there setling rights &c .; and whereas the time is Now expired and ye House is not yet Built &c. it is Now voted that they shall Have forty Days from this time to Build their House to guard &c. according to the former vote &c .- except their removeing in to ye same to live, But Do their Duty there."
In the Spring of 1772 a tolerable road had been constructed from Wilkes- Barré to Pittstown. It started at the head of what was later called Main Street in the town-plot of Wilkes-Barré, and ran in a north-easterly direction nearly a straight course to the settlement below the mouth of the Lackawanna River. In the Fall of 1772 the Wyoming set- tlers, pursuant to the several resolutions adopted at the town-meetings, very generally turned out to build the projected road from Pittstown to the Delaware. It was laid out nearly, if not exactly, along the line of the old path, or trail, known as the "Upper Road to the Delaware" (see page 646) and running up along the Lackawanna to Capouse Meadows, thence due east to Sho- hola, and thence south-east to what is now known as Dingman's Ferry.
754
The course of the road from Wilkes-Barré to the Delaware is plainly in- dicated on the "Map of North-eastern Pennsylvania" in Chapter XXIII. By hard work this road was made passable for carts, wagons and sledges by the end of the year 1772-but it was a pretty rough road .*
At New Haven, Connecticut, under date of October 20, 1772, Nathaniel Wales, Jr. (see note on page 639), wrote to Capt. Zebulon Butler at Wilkes-Barré as follows : * * "Mr. Gore has been very faithful, but we think our Assembly don't look with so good a complextion as we could wish, and can have no hopes of favor at this time, as we are waiting for advice from home.t Have also been corresponding with Gov! Penn by way of Capt. Trumbull. We think it not best at this time to stir the hornets' nest, but keep as still as possible and creep into possession as fast as we can. * * * I doubt not but you will personally endeavor to promote harniony, and it seems to me there might be so many persons of consideration among you that you can curb the few unruly ones, if any there be. * * In the meantime let us try to keep all things still here, and at Pennsylvania and among yourselves, and crowd in settlers with all our might, so as to get good foot-hold.
"I hope if Mr. [Jacob] Johnson comes among you he will be a great peacemaker. He is a good man. *
* Should love to God and to one another prevail among you, I should not be afraid of what man could do. I wish that every one had a just sense of the importance of having God for our friend, our Guide & Protector, and with one heart seek His favor. In such a case how would that wilderness rejoice ! It would doubtless soon blossom like a rose.
"Your safety depends on your virtue, and I hope every one will, to his utmost, in- culcate principles of virtue & goodness, love & harmony. It appears to me there is a fine opportunity for all to preach among you ; and believe me, Sir, there is much seems to devolve on you, and that you have a fine opportunity of doing good, and I sincerely wish you a heart to improve it. The cause is glorious, the work is pleasing and delightful, and the reward is certain !"
The following is a verbatim copy of the minutes of a town-meeting recorded in the handwriting of Maj. Ezekiel Peirce on page 1,069 (see photo-reproduction on the opposite page) of "The Town Book of Wilkes Barre," mentioned on page 27, Volume I.
"Att a meeting of ye Propriators & setlers Belonging to ye Susquehannah Purchase Legally warned and Held In wilksbarre Novbr 18th 1772-
"Capt Butler was chosen moderator for ye work of ye Day.
"Voted-that those Persons that Lives In Pittstown shall Do the Duty there ; and those that Lives Below Frederick Eveland's in Plymoth is to Do their Duty their ; and those that Belongs to Hanover to Do their Duty in ye Block house where Capt Stewart Now Livest; and those that Belongs to & Lives in ye town of Kingstown to come and Do their Duty in ye fort at wilksbarre untill they Fortifie and Gaurd by themselves at Kings- town ; But those that Belongs to Kingstown shall be Brought over ye River upon free cost if they come at ye time appointed ; if Not, then to pay their Ferige [ferriage]. And for ye gaurd that comes to gaurd at ye fort at Wilksbarre to bring over ye gaurd that comes to gaurd that Day on free cost ; and for ye twelve nien to come from Kingstown and above Evelands when their turns comes all in one Day to gaurd, &c.
"Voted-that each town to keep gaurd according to ye List now made out untill further orders for ye future.
"Voted-that those persons that have neglected to do their duty in gaurding for ye timie past shall make it up by working on ye gaurd liouse one day each for one day's neglect, and that within ten days from this time, and to be notified by Mr. Stowel what day to work, &c.
"Voted-that Mr. Christopher Avery is appointed to collect in those species that ye proprs & setlers have signed to ye support of ye Revd Mr. Jacob Johnson ye year ensuing. "Voted-that Mr. Swift of Kingstown, Mr. Asa Stevens for Wilksbarre, Mr. Parker for Pittstown, Mr. Marvin for Plymoth is apptd Comtee men to git men to work on ye rode from Dillaware River to this place, and to set out next Wednesday to work on ye rode, &c. "Voted-that every inan that holds a setling right in either of these setling towns shall provide himself a good firelock & ammunition sufficient according to ye laws of ye Colony of Connecticutt : that shall be excepted [accepted] of by ye Comtee of setlers, & that by ye first Monday of December next, and then to appear compleat in their arms at ye fort in Wilksbarre at 12 of ye clock on sd Day, fitt for viewing, as ye Law Directs, &c.
"Voted-that Thomas Bennet's setling right is forfited to this Company by his neglect in not doing his Duty in gaurding, &c.§
* See page 636, sixth paragraph. + England. Į See page 644.
§ His right was restored to him by a vote passed at a town-meeting held December 7, 1772.
755
"Voted-that Silas Gore is not intitled to a setling Right of Land in ye town of Wilksbarre & Nantecook, but in wilksbarre.
"Voted-that Mr. Jesse Weeks is intitled to ye Right of Land in ye township Nantecook that was reserved for Silas Gore in sd Nantecook-sd Gore chose his right in Wilks Barre, &c.
"Voted-that ye Revd Mr. Jacob Johnson shall be intitled to a setling right in some one of ye setling towns, &c."
106g
vote
Alt a meeting of y Propinatons of Sothers Belonging to y Susquehan har Purchase Legally warme and. HO go withstone Now on 18th 1772 Capt-Butter was Chapon moderator for of work of y Day that thou Devions that Lives on Dittstown - hall Do the Duty there on those that Lives -. Blow Frederick Sueloneds in Plymouth is to Do their Duty their: and those that Belongs to Hanover to Do their quy in a Block house where Can Stewart Now Lives: on thou. that Belongs to & Lives in of town of Kingstown to Come on Do their futy in I fort at withshore untill they Fortifie and Govin by themSolves at Kingstown. But those that Belongs to Kingstowne shall be Brought 2 overy diver upon frecost of they Come at of time appointed: if Not than to pay their Firings.
Photo-reproduction of a portion of page 1,069 of "The Town Book of Wilkes Barre."
At a town-meeting held December 7, 1772, the following resolu- tions, among other matters, were adopted.
"That there shall be a tax granted upon each settling-right on the East Branch of the Susquehanna Purchase in order to make and finish a road fromn Delaware River to this place. That those persons that shall go out to work on ye road from Delaware River to ye westernmost part of ye Great Swamp* shall have three shillings per day, lawful money, for ye time they work to ye acceptance of ye overseers ; and from ye Great Swamp this way, shall have one shilling and six pence per day, and no more.
"Voted, To allow Esquire Tripp five shillings, lawful money, per day to go out to work on ye road from Delaware River to ye westernniost part of ye Great Swamp, & to oversee those that go out to work-to see that ye work be well done. Mr. Nathan Den- ison is appointed overseer from ye westernmost part of ye Great Swamp this way, to this place, & is to have three shillings per day. The following collectors of taxes, to be raised on each right, were appointed : Asa Stevens for Wilksbarre, Capt. Follett for Kingstown, 'Deacon' Hopkins for Plymouth, William Stewart for Hanover, Lemuel Harding for Pittstown, Solomon Jolinson for Providence.
"Voted, That Lieut. Buck, Christopher Avery, William Warner, Peregreen Gardner and Asa Stevens be appointed a Comtee to say how old a person shall be to hold a settling right-and make report at the next meeting.
* See page 329, Vol. I.
756
"Voted, That Asa Stevens, Daniel Gore and Abel Peirce are appointed to Inspect into all ye Houses that sell or retail strong drink, that no person or Persons shall at any time Hereafter sell or Lett any Indian or Indians have any strong Drink on forfiture of his or their setling Right or Rights, & also forfitt ye whole of ye Remainder of their Liquor to this Company ; and that ye Comtee above [is] appointed to take care of sd liquor Immediately.
"Voted, That their shall be a Comtee of five men to appoint Houses of Publick entertainment, but not to appoint more than two persons within this Fort. Capt Follet, Asa Stevens, Mr. Avery, Esq! Tripp and Mr. Dana is appointed a Comtee for ye abovesd work.
"Voted, That ye Comtee in each of ye respective towns shall view ye arms and am- munition belonging to each town, and for ye Comtee in each town to make their returns to ye Comtee of setlers when called upon by ye Comtee [of Settlers]."
At a town-meeting of the proprietors of Wilkes-Barré held Decem- ber 11, 1772, at which Capt. Stephen Fuller served as Moderator, it was "Voted to give and grant unto ye Revd Mr. Jacob Johnson, and his heirs and assigns forever, in case he settle in this town as a gospel minister, fifty acres of land." In pursuance of this vote the town conveyed to Mr. Johnson, May 31, 1773, the "50-acre Lot" mentioned on page 656, ante -reserving, however, out of the same, four acres at the south-easterly corner for a public burial-ground. (See Chapter XLIX.) In lieu of this reservation the town voted to Mr. Johnson (about that time, and not in 1776 or '77 as has been heretofore stated) "the island known by the name of Wilkesbarre Island" and described on page 51, Volume I. The "50-acre Lot" was in the 3d Division of the Wilkes-Barre lands, and adjoined the town-plot on the north-east-being bounded on one side by the river, on another side by North Street, and on a third side by the extension of Main Street north, or the Wilkes-Barre-Pittston road. (See, in Chapter XXVI, a photo-reproduction of a certified draft of a part of this lot.) Within the original bounds of the "50-acre Lot" are now located the Memorial Presbyterian Church, the Irish Catholic and the Gerinan Catholic cemeteries, the works of the Wilkes-Barré Gas Company, the Luzerne County Prison, Reichard & Weaver's Brewery, and numerous private residences.
At a general meeting of the Wyoming settlers held at Fort Wyo- ming December 18, 1772, with Capt. Stephen Fuller as Moderator, the following business was transacted* :
* * "It was then put to a vote wheather or no this Company will except of ye Report of ye Comtee that was apptd to say how old a Person should be to hold a setling right in ye Susquehannah Purchase. Voted in ye negative.
"Voted, That for ye futer their shall be but one Gaurd kept from this time untill ye first monday in March next, and that there shall be but 8 men to gaurd ye 24 hours this Winter season ; & for those of our brethren that live over ye river & ye upper end of Plymouth as far as Evelands, to come over & gaurd in ye Block-house, & to be brought over and carried over back again on free cost, provided they come between sunset and daylight out ; and whenever Kingstown shall build a gaurd-house, to gaurd in by them- selves, somewhere in ye centre of ye Inhabitantst ; and for ye town of Wilksbarre to finish ye block-house to gaurd in on their own cost, &c.
"Voted, That no person or persons, now belonging to the Susquehannah Purchase, from this 18th day of this Instant Decembr untill ye 1st day of May next shall sell to any person or Forrinor or stranger any Indian corn, Rye or Wheat to carry down the River out of ye limits of this Purchase, on ye forfiture of ye whole of such grain, and such other fine & penalty as this Company shall see cause to inflict. Nor no setler or prop! belonging to sd Purchase shall sell or carry down ye River out of ye sd Purchase any sort of graine, on ye forfiture of ye whole of such grain and pay a fine of 10sh. per bushel for every bushel so sold or carried from this place as abovesd -which forfitures shall be & belong, the one-half to ye Inspectors hereafter apptd & the other half to this Company, &c.
* See page 1,074 of "The Town Book of Wilkes Barre."
t The proprietor-settlers of Kingstown were, at this time, chiefly located near the upper end of the township, within the bounds of the present borough of Forty Fort.
757
"Voted, That Christor Avery, Capt. Benj. Follet & Deacon Timothy Hopkins are apptd to inspect all such persons that shall sell or carry off or down sd River any sort of grayn, untill ye 1st day of May next, & make their complaint to ye Comtee of settlers."
At a general meeting of the Wyoming settlers held at Wilkes-Barré December 28, 1772, the following business was transacted* :
"Voted and determined by this Company-That the Comtee of Settlers be hereby enabled to give out warrants, signed by them as Comtee of Settlers, directed to ye several Collectors already apptd or who shall be apptd, to collect by distress all & every such rate or rates already granted or that shall hereafter be made or granted.
"Whereas, at an adjourned meeting of ye proprietors & settlers at Wilksbarre June 30th 1772, it was then voted that if any controversy arising between any two of this com- munity, that it should be determined by three judicious freeholders, &c .; and now, in addition to the above vote it is now voted that when judgment of arbitrators is passed in any matter of dispute, that then a return of sd arbitrators shall be made to ye Comtee of settlers, & they are hereby empowered to grant an execution, agreeable to ye judgment of sd arbitrators, to collect & distrain ye same ; sd execution shall be levied by a con- stable agreeable to ye laws of this Colony.
"The Constables chosen for each town are as follows : Daniel Gore for Wilksbarre, Nathan Denison for Kingstown, Thomas Heath for Plymouth, Ebenezer Marcy for Pitts- town, Timothy Keyes for Providence, John Franklin for Hanover. Nathan Denison refused to accept, & Abel Peirce was chosen in his stead.
"Voted and Determined by this Company, That if any person or persons shall at any time hereafter cut or make destruction of timber upon or near the River Susque- hanna, whereby ye Proprs of ye Purchase suffers any loss or damage, that then ye whole of sd timber or saw-mill logs shall be forfited to ye Proprs in the Susquehanna Purchase ; & the Comtee of settlers are hereby impowered to make seisure of all such timber or logs that is brought down ye River suspected of being cut on ye Proprs land ; and if those persons that shall at any time bring down ye River any such timber are not able to give a satisfying account that sd timber was not cut on the Proprs or common land, it shall be liable to be seized & sold for ye use & benefit of ye sd Proprs * * *
"Voted, That no person or persons, settlers or forriners, coming into this place shall at any time hereafter sell or give to any Indian or Indians any spirituous lickquors, on ye forfiture of all such lickors & ye whole of all their goods & chattels, rights and effects, that they shall have on this Purchase; & also be voted out of this Compy, un- less upon some extraordinary occasion, as sickness, &c .; without liberty first had & obtained of ye Comtee of settlers, or leave from ye Comtee that is apptd to inspect into their affairs, &c."
In a "List of Settlers at Wyoming in December, 1772"-prepared by the Committee of Settlers-are the following names not found in any of the lists for the preceding months of the same year-excepting the list of names appended to the memorial of October 3d, printed on page 751. Adams, Daniel Gardner, John-19th. Pensil, John-Jr.
Ayers, Wm .- 5th.
Hyde, John Permit, John
Bidlack, Shubael
Harrington, Abijah Sill, Elisha
Bancroft, John
Harrington, Peter-Jr.
Satterly, Benedict
Chase, Solomon -Went home 10th.
Hurd, John
Sweetland, Luket
Hurd, Culver
Swift, John
Cooper, George
Hurd, Joshua-Out 1st.
Simons, Elijah-Capt.
Clark, Isaac-30th.
Hurlbut, William
Sprague, Josiah
Cook, Reuben
Kelly, Dennis Tracy, Elisha
Draper, Simeon-Maj.
Lomis, Elijah-26th. Tammage, David Smith Young, John-Jr.
-Home 19th for family. Mount, Moses
Miner, in giving an account of affairs in Wyoming Valley in the Winter of 1772-'73, states in his "History of Wyoming," page 141, the following :
"The month of February, 1773, had so nearly exhausted the provisions of the Wilkesbarre settlement that five persons were selected to go to the Delaware, near Stroudsburg, for supplies. Mr. Jolin Carey, * * then a lad of sixteen, volunteered as one of the party. The distance was fifty miles through the wilderness ; numerous streams,
* See "The Town Book of Wilkes Barre," page 1,076.
t On page 1,079 of "The Town Book of Wilkes Barre" the following receipt is recorded : "Wilks Barre in Connecticutt July 16th Day 1772. Then Received of LUKE SWETLAND of Kent in sd. Colony Forty Dollars to Entitle him to one full Right or share in ye Susquehannah Purchase of Land-according to a vote of ye Susquehannah Compy. appointing me to sell ye same. also two Dollars as a tax granted by sd. Compy. on sd. Right. I say Received by me for ye use of sd. Compy. [Signed] "JOHN JENKINS, Comtee. for selling Rights." "Recd. ye above Certificate to record June ye 21st. 1773, & recorded per [Signed] "EZEKIEL PEIRCE, Clerk."
758
including the deep and rapid Lehigh, were to be crossed. Had these been frozen over so as to be passable, their toils would have been sensibly mitigated ; but the ice had formed on each side, many feet from the shore, leaving in the center a deep, rushing flood. Stripping naked, tying their clothes and sacks on their heads and shoulders, cutting a way through the ice from the shore to the stream, and from the stream to the opposite shore, they waded through, dressed themselves, and found warmth in marching rapidly. Ar- riving at the good old Scotchman's,* and sending in to make known their errand, Mr. McDowell came out, rubbing his hands in great glee, bade them welcome, but in his Scotch dialect-broad as his benevolence-told them he had a house thronged with com- pany, on the occasion of his daughter's wedding. Among the guests were magistrates and others, whose enmity was to be dreaded if they knew a party of Yankees were within reach ; but he gave directions that they should warm themselves noiselessly at an out- house, then take shelter in the barn, where comfortable blankets were spread on the mow, a most royal supper sent then, with spirits and wine ; their sacks were filled with flour, and their pockets with provisions. The four men took each an hundred pounds, young Carey seventy-five, and welcome was their return to their half-famished friends at Wilkesbarre.
"Never was an opening Spring, or the coming of the shad, looked for with more anxiety or hailed with more cordial delight. The fishing season, of course, dissipated all fears, and the dim eye was soon exchanged for the glance of joy and the sparkle of pleasure, and the dry, sunken cheek of want assumed the plump appearance of health and plenty. The Spring, too, was attended with sickness. Several deaths took place. Cap- tain Butler buried a son named Zebulon ; and soon after his wife followed her boy to the grave. Both were interred on the hill,t near where the upper street [North Street] of the borough is cut through the rocks as it passes from Main Street to the canal basin."
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