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 35

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851-1922; Smith, Ernest Gray
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Wilkes-Barre : Raeder Press
Number of Pages: 680

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 35

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).

Relative to the death and funeral of Mr. Denison the following paragraphs were printed in The Record of the Times, Wilkes-Barre, July 3, 1867 : "The funeral of the Hon. Charles Denison took place on Sunday afternoon last at three o'clock. His death, which took place on Thursday morning at about nine o'clock, caused the most profound regret, not only among his immediate neighbors and friends, but throughout this whole section, as the announcement of his demise spread amongst the people. His funeral was more numerously attended than any ever known in the Valley. The concourse of mourning friends at the house was immense, and hundreds turned away from the funeral procession unable to obtain conveyance to the burial-ground at Forty Fort, where his remains were conveyed, and where repose the ashes of his ancestors and connections. There were 134 conveyances in the funeral train, in- cluding coaches, band-wagons, and almost every available conveyance. The remains were followed to the grave by the Masonic Fraternity of this place and neighboring towns, and the solemn rites of the Order were performed at the last resting place of the beloved and distinguished Brother.

" Such an universal expression of regret and mourning was never exhibited at the demise of a citizen of this Valley, and it will perhaps be many a long year before Death claims from our midst one more beloved, revered and respected than he whose death it is our painful duty to chronicle."

* See note on page 248, Vol. I, relative to the Connecticut system of towns.

+ Wallenpaupack Creek, the boundary, in part, between the present counties of Wayne and Pike, is a large branch of the Lackawaxen River. By the early settlers this creek was indiscriminately called the "Lackawack," "Lackaway" and " Lackawa." In 1778 settlers from Connecticut, under the auspices of The Delaware Company (previously mentioned), laid out two townships in what are now the counties of Wayne and Pike-one they called "Bozrah," and the other "Lackaway." The latter township lay along Wallenpaupack Creek, and within its bounds was the settlement called Parkbury (or Parksbury, as it was sometimes written); while the township of Bozrah lay farther north-the Lackawaxen River flowing through its southern half. In Egle's " History of Pennsylvania " (page 1,149) it is stated that "in 1774 [it should be 1773] the Connecticut adventurers laid out farms lying along the [Wallenpaupack] Creek for a distance of four miles and a-half, and extending back to the mountains a distance of one mile. These were allotted to the settlers, and, for the most part, are still owned by their descendants. In the following year [1775], about half of the settlers were arrested, at the instance of Governor Hamil- ton [sic], as ' Connecticut intruders.' On their way to Faston they entered into a written obligation with their captors, in consideration of being released, to resign all claims to the lands they were occupying, and in future to pay due obedience to the laws of Pennsylvania, and, if required, march for the defence of American liberty."

790

for the County of Litchfield until the first day of June," 1774, and directed that they be commissioned accordingly. The following resolu- tion was then passed :

" Resolved by this Assembly, That Zebulon Butler, Justice of the Peace for the County of Litchfield, be, and is hereby, authorized and directed to issue a Warrant as soon as may be to notify the inhabitants of the TOWN OF WESTMORELAND in said County to meet at such Time and place as he may appoint within said Town, to choose Town Officers and to do any other Business proper to be done at such meeting."

The town of Westmoreland, as erected by the Connecticut As- sembly-in the manner just described-comprised the whole of the territory which had been purchased from the Indians by The Delaware Company (see page 293, Vol. I), but only a small part of that which had been purchased by The Susquehanna Company. This extensive and unique town* was by all odds the biggest town, territorially, pos- sessed by any Province or Colony on the Continent. Its bounds are clearly shown on the map facing this page-the eastern boundary being the Delaware River, the western boundary being indicated by the line ooooooo, running north and south fifteen miles west of Wilkes-Barré, and the northern and southern boundaries being the forty- second and forty-first parallels of latitude, respectively. Within these bounds were situated the settlements of Parkbury, or Lackaway,t

to read and accustomed to hard thinking. The man was not lost in the clergyman. Intrepid, self-re- liant, with no opinion which he desired to conceal, he "dared to do all that might becomne a man ;" and, as years were added to him, this native independence of character seemed to be modified and made more gentle by the lessons of experience.

Henry M. Denison was married in Charles City County, Virginia, July 16, 1850, to Alice, daughter of the Hon. John Tyler, tenth President of the United States, and his first wife, Letitia Christian. Mrs. Denison died at Louisville, Kentucky, June 8, 1854, and Mr. Denison-" not deserting, in a time of fearful pestilence, the flock entrusted to his charge"-died of yellow fever at Charleston September 28, 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Denison were the parents of one daughter, who, at the time of her father's death, was some four or five years of age.

(8) Charles Denison, youngest child of Col. Lazarus and Elizabeth (Carpenter) Denison, was born in Kingston Township January 23, 1818. He was graduated A. B. at Dickinson College, Carlisle. Pennsyl- vania, in 1839, and then entered upon the study of law at Wilkes-Barre, where he was admitted to the Bar of Luzerne County August 13, 1840. In October, 1862, he was elected, as a Democrat, to represent in the XXXVIIIth Congress the district comprising the counties of Luzerne and Susquehanna. He was re-elected in 1864 and again in 1866. He became a member of Lodge No. 61, F. and A. M., January 30, 1855, and a member of Shekinah Royal Arch Chapter, No. 182, April 19, 1856. He was married May 7, 1845, to Ellen Elizabeth Huling of Lewistown, Pennsylvania Mr. Denison died at his home on West Union Street, Wilkes-Barre, June 27, 1867, and his wife died in Wilkes-Barre June 20, 1882. They were the parents of one son and three daughters who grew to maturity. Upon the formal announcement in the Halls of Congress, July 10, 1867, of the death of Mr. Denison, eulogies on the deceased were delivered in the House by Representatives Randall, Miller, Getz and Van Trump, and in the Senate by Senators Charles R. Buckalew and Simon Cameron.

"Such an universal expression of regret and mourning was never exhibited at the demise of a citizen of this Valley, and it will perhaps be many a long year before Death claims from our midst one more beloved, revered and respected than he whose death it is our painful duty to chronicle."

* See note on page 248, Vol. I, relative to the Connecticut system of towns.

+ Wallenpaupack Creek, the boundary, in part, between the present counties of Wayne and Pike, is a large branch of the Lackawaxen River. By the early settlers this creek was indiscriminately called the "Lackawack," "Lackaway" and " Lackawa." In 1778 settlers from Connecticut, under the auspices of The Delaware Company (previously mentioned), laid out two townships in what are now the counties of Wayne and Pike-one they called "Bozrah," and the other "Lackaway." The latter township lay along Wallenpaupack Creek, and within its bounds was the settlement called Parkbury (or Parksbury, as it was sometimes written); while the township of Bozrah lay farther north-the Lackawaxen River flowing through its southern half. In Egle's "History of Pennsylvania " (page 1,149) it is stated that "in 1774 [it should be 1773] the Connecticut adventurers laid out farms lying along the [Wallenpaupack] Creek for a distance of four miles and a-half, and extending back to the mountains a distance of one mile. These were allotted to the settlers, and, for the most part, are still owned by their descendants. In the following year [1775], about half of the settlers were arrested, at the instance of Governor Hamil- ton [sic], as ' Connecticut intruders.' On their way to Faston they entered into a written obligation with their captors, in consideration of being released, to resign all claims to the lands they were occupying, and in future to pay due obedience to the laws of Pennsylvania, and, if required, march for the defence of American liberty."

2.4

HANN

. .

...

C AM DR.

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MAP OF A PART OF PENNSYLVANIA AS IT IS TO-DAY.

Showing (1) The bounds of The Susquehanna Company's Purchase-+-+-+-+-+-+.

(2) The bounds of The Delaware Company's Purchase - D- D- D- D-D-D.

(3) The original western boundary of the town of Westmoreland - 00000000000000000.

(4) The western boundary of the town of Westmoreland, as extended in May, 1775 -

(5) The western boundary of the town of Westmoreland as established in December, 1775 (see page 864) - w - W -W -W-W. (In October, 1776, this became the western boundary of the County of Westmoreland, then erected, as described on page 907.)

(6) The Fort Stanwix Treaty Line (in part) - S- S- S- S-S-S.

A4474

in.

791

Cushetunk and other points in what are now the counties of Wayne and Pike, as well as the settlements at and near Wyoming.

According to an official census of the inhabitants of Connecticut taken as of January 1, 1774,* by order of the General Assembly, we find that the Colony had a population of 191,392 whites and 6,464 blacks, or a total of 197,856 souls. Of the six counties of the Colony Litchfield was fifth in population-having 26,845 whites and 440 blacks, or a total of 27,285 souls. Including Westmoreland Litchfield com- prised eighteen towns, or townships, and in respect of population Westmoreland stood seventh, with 1,922 whites and no blacks.

It seems scarcely believable that, within but little more than two years after the New Englanders had regained possession and control of the Wyoming region, they should have increased so largely in number. However, 736 of their number were children under ten years of age --- as shown by the following table compiled from the detailed census re- port relative to Westmoreland.

UNDER 10 YEARS OF AGE. 384 352

BETWEEN 10 AND 20 YEARS.

BETWEEN 20 AND 70 YEARS.

ABOVE 70 YEARS.

TOTALS.

Males,

384

Females,

352

Males married,

313

333

Males single,

176

141

318

Females married,

262

286

Females single,

166

249

Totals,

736

370

794

1,922

January 31, 1774, Governor Trumbull wrote to Governor Penn, giv- ing him official information concerning the steps which had been taken by Connecticut with relation to " the inhabitants dwelling within the bounds of the Colony on the west side of the River Delaware," and making this further statement # :

" These Acts are made and passed by our Assembly for the protection and govern- ment of the inhabitants on the lands mentioned, to preserve Peace and good Order among them, to prevent hostilities, animosities and contentions among the people there, to promote public Justice, to discourage Vice and Iniquity, and to put a stop to Intrud- ers entering on those lands."

Under the date of February 17, 1774, the Rev. Dr. Smith wrote from Philadelphia to Dr. William Samuel Johnson, at Stratford, as follows :

" I have received your Governor's proclamation forbidding atl persons from sitting down on the controverted lands, without the leave of your Government. By this it would seem that even our people as well as yours must ask leave of Connecticut to settle on those lands. I was in hopes that your Assembly intended only to restrain the further emigrations of their own people ; and in that case those who have already emigrated might possibly have continued, without much disturbance, until a decision of the contro- versy by His Majesty-which for the sake of the peace of America will certainly not be long delayed. * * * You say the Connecticut hive must swarm. So will it be with Pennsylvania in less than thirty years. Even by natural generation we have people enough to fill all this Province in that space of time, if no stranger more should ever come among us from Europe Why then cannot you leave us to our own Laws and our own spot of country ? America is wide enough. We do not wish your people to be without room. Let them, as was their first ptan, apply to the Crown. We will wish you success, and the Crown, surely, on some reasonable terms, would give land to in- dustrious American settlers who really want more roon1.

"I am glad you think the 'Examination of the Connecticut Claim' drawn up with that temper which the discussion of such a public matter requires. * * I

* See page 777, ante.

t See "Colonial Records of Connecticut," XIV : 490, and The Connecticut Courant of June 7, 1774. # See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," X : 151.

792

have some lands pretty high on Delaware [River], which I purchased about ten years ago, and which I presume may fall where your people clain. I purpose to visit thein early in June next, and shall bring with me an excellent instrument now fitting up by Mr. Rittenhouse,* for taking latitudes ; and, as there need be no secrets in these mat- ters, our friend Colonel Dyer himself, or any of his people I may chance to meet, shall be made to understand the use of the instrument. You might run across from Delaware to Susquehanna in two days by means of it, keeping certainly within half a mile of the beginning of any particular degree or minute, all the way."

A few weeks later Dr. Smith wrote again to Dr. Johnson, as follows :

"I propose to be at Bethlehem 22d May, and the day after to be up Delaware as far as Van Camp's and Gonzale's Mill. If any of your people, that have a tolerable mathematical skill, should be either at Bethlehem or up Delaware at that time, I shall honestly shew them and give them the use of the instrument for a limited time, as Mr. Rittenhouse cannot make another at present for my purpose ; nor can we easily, by written directions, teach the use of it-which, however, is exceedingly easy and fully to be depended on by a little practice. * *

" Tho' you claim our lands, and threaten to take part of our country from us, yet, where the advancement of science is concerned, we have no War with you. I think all these exorbitant New England claims will at last unite all the rest of America against them, and hurt the general cause. Our prayer here is-Long may the mother country continue our umpire, to prevent our dipping our hands in each other's blood ! No cool, disinter- ested man in Connecticut can ever dream that such a Charter and Constitution as yours will be suffered by the Crown to be extended beyond its old fixed limits. * * Why, * then, risque your own Constitution and disturb us? I cannot help repeating it-If you want room, why not ask for land of the Crown, west of us ? Except on the Susque- hanna, about Wyoming, the country you want from us is exceedingly broken * * a stony, broken, pine wilderness, with here and there some good intervale lands on the runs and rivulets."

In The Connecticut Courant of February 22, 1774, the following address to the public was printed :

"The transactions of the Susquehanna Company are become a matter very inter- esting in their consequences to this Colony. We have been repeatedly told the Colony should not be put to any expense on that account, and that they would by no means be meant to involve the Government in a controversy with Mr. Penn. At length it appears, notwithstanding their repeated assurances, that, by selling rights to some and giving to others, they have so increased their numbers that the General Assembly could not pro- cure a vote of the House to exclude the members of The Susquehanna Company from sitting and voting in that very case in which they were immediately interested ; by which means a vote has been obtained for the Government to take upon themselves the defence of our title to those lands, and have accordingly transmitted the state of the case, to gentlemen learned in the law in Great Britain, for the resolution of certain questions by them put; the answers to which queries, contained in less than twenty-five lines, has cost this Colony more than £100 sterling.

"Upon the receipt of said answers, commissioners have been sent to Philadelphia to treat with the Governor of that Province relative to those lands-the execution of which commission has, by the Assembly, been allowed at £171, 19s. 11d. Since which, that Honorable House, after long and mature deliberation, at the very close of the ses- sion-the greater part of the Assembly being returned to their homes (there being but sixty Members present )-formally incorporated the Susquehanna Purchase into a township by the name of WESTMORELAND. *

* * We are told the greater part of the last session was spent on those matters relative to that purchase. The cost and expense of the adjourned Assembly, which we trust may be justly charged to the account current of The Susquehanna Company, I think may not be computed at a less sum than £600.

"To appease the present murmurs of the people, who dread the expense of a liti- gation with Mr. Penn (as they have the remembrance of the Mason case, which lasted about forty or fifty years, still fresh in their minds), they now throw out sugar-plums and tell us those lands will sell for immense sums-that our Treasury will be greatly en- riched-that the Colony never need pay any more taxes; by which weak minds may be deceived. * * * Wherefore, many of the Freemen of this Colony are very desirous that the Selectmen of the respective towns in this Colony would early warn legal town-

* DAVID RITTENHOUSE (1732-1796), a native of Germantown, Pennsylvania, who, from about 1733 till 1770. resided at Norriton, Pennsylvania, and then removed to Philadelphia. In 1751 he built a workshop at Norriton and began to manufacture clocks and mathematical instruments. In 1767 he projected his famous orrery. He was appointed with the Rev. Dr. Smith and others to observe the transit of Venus in June, 1769. In 1774 he was appointed, with Samuel Holland, of New York, to determine the boundary- line between New York and Pennsylvania. He held during his life many public offices. He is credited with having introduced the use of spider lines in the focus of the transit instrument.

793

meetings, in order to elect one or two members in each town to meet at Middletown on the last Wednesday of March next, in order to consult on measures proper to be pursued

* * to evade the evils which we apprehend will attend our present measures. * *

[Signed] "MANY."

Under the date of February 24, 1774, Governor Penn wrote from Philadelphia to Governor Trumbull-in reply to the latter's commu- nication of January 31st (see page 791)-in part as follows :

"I have received your letter informing mie of the proceedings of your Government with respect to the Colony's claim of lands within the Province of Pennsylvania, and particularly of your having erected a Town within certain Boundaries, and annexed it to your County of Litchfield. In my turn, I must acquaint you that the jurisdiction of this Province hath been extended over this Town by Acts of our Assembly, and a very great Part of it hath been granted to the inhabitants of this Province, and paid for long before your Colony ever determined to set up their claim. Some of the people who purchased have settled their lands, and the others have a right to settle them; so that, however your proceedings may be intended to preserve Peace and Good Will, and to prevent Hostilities, Animosities and Contentions, I fear they will have a contrary Effect.

"In my opinion, a much more probable Method of promoting those valuable Ends would have been a forbearance to exercise Acts of Government in that part of the Prov- ince of Pennsylvania until your new Claim had been heard and adjudged to have any real foundation, by His Majesty in Council, before whom you say you are preparing to lay your case. I shall do everything in my power to avoid Contentions and Disorders among His Majesty's subjects. At the same time both my Duty and Interest will prompt me to assert the Rights of this Government and support its lawful Jurisdiction; and if any disagreeable consequences shall follow the Proceedings your Colony have adopted, I shall not look upon myself to be at all chargeable with them."

Four days later Governor Penn, by and with the advice of the Provincial Council, prepared a public proclamation which was duly published in the Pennsylvania Packet (Philadelphia) of March 7, 1774, and probably in other newspapers. It was also printed in the form of a broadside*, copies of which were widely distributed throughout the counties of Northampton and Northumberland. In this proclamation the Governor called attention to the various recent "resolves " of the Pennsylvania Assembly relative to the Connecticut-Pennsylvania im- broglio, and then set forth : " Whereas, I have received information that a certain Zebulon Butler, under pretence of authority from the Government of Connecticut, hath lately presumed to issue and disperse through the counties of Northampton and Northumberland a Summons, or Advertisement," reciting the Acts erecting the town of Westmore- land and appointing him (Butler) a Justice of the Peace, and requiring the inhabitants of the town to meet in Wyoming on a day mentioned; "Now I do strictly prohibit and forbid the inhabitants of the said counties to yield any obedience, or pay the least regard whatsoever, to the aforesaid Summons. * And I do, in His Majesty's name, charge and com- mand all persons whatsoever within the said counties to yield due submission and obedience to the laws of this Government." "This proclamation," says Chapman ("History of Wyoming," page 112), "appears to have been regarded with as little attention by the inhabit- ants of Wyoming as would have been a royal edict issued by the King of Spain."

Pursuant to the directions contained in the summons, or "warrant," issued by Zebulon Butler early in February, 1774, as authorized and directed by the General Assembly of Connecticut (see page 790), those settlers under The Susquehanna Company within the bounds of the newly-erected town of Westmoreland, who possessed the elective

* An original copy of this broadside is No. 137 of the " Penn Manuscripts," previously mentioned.

794

franchise,* assembled at Wilkes-Barré on Tuesday, March 1, 1774. The original minutes of that meeting read in part as follows :

"At a town meeting legally warned and held for Westmoreland, March ye 1st, 1774, for choosing town officers, &c., Zebulon Butler, Esq., was chosen Moderator for the work of the day. Maj. Ezekiel Peirce was chosen Town Clerk.

"Voted, That this meeting is adjourned until to-morrow morning at this place, at eight of the clock in ye forenoon.

"March ye 2d, 1774, this meeting is opened and held by adjournment.

"Voted, That ye town of Westmoreland be divided in the following manner into districts-that is to say, that ye town of Wilkesbarret be one entire district, and known as Wilkesbarre District; and that ye town of Hanover, and all the land south of Wilkes- barre and [bounded] west on the Susquehanna River and east on the Lehigh, be one district, by ye name of Hanover District. And that Plymouth, with all ye land west of Susquehanna River, south and west to the [Westmoreland] town line, be one district, by ye name of Plymouth District; and that Kingston, with ye land west to ye [Westmore- land] town line, be one district, by ye name of Kingston District; and that Pittston be one district, by ye name of Pittston District; and that Exeter, Providence, and all the

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A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume II, Part 35

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851-1922; Smith, Ernest Gray Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Wilkes-Barre : Raeder Press Number of Pages: 680

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851-1922; Smith, Ernest Gray
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Wilkes-Barre : Raeder Press
Number of Pages: 680