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 92
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According to a narrative written by Luke Swetland, and subsequently published, he and his fel- low-prisoner, Blanchard, were taken by their captors up the river to Mehoopany, where they inet some of Swetland's foriner Tory neighbors. In the course of a few days the two prisoners were sep- arated-Blanchard being taken off in one direction, and Swetland in another. Finally, after several more days of travel and hardships, the party having the custody of Swetland arrived at Catharine's Town, the home of Catharine Montour, or "Queen Catharine," as mentioned on page 207, Vol. I. There Swetland was compelled to run the gantlet. He states that Catharine, who "could speak good English," then sent him on horseback, with a small party of Indians, to Kendaia, or "Appletown." This town, or village, was an old Indian settlement, and in 1778 consisted of about forty houses. There was a large apple-orchard near by, some of the trees of which were very old. There was also a peach-orchard of considerable size. The town was remarkable, also, for the peculiar wooden tombs, elaborately and gaudily painted, in which were deposited the remains of dead warriors of note.
At Kendaia an old squaw adopted Swetland as her grandson, and by her and her family he was shown considerable regard. A few days after his arrival at Kendaia Indian scouts brought in two captives from the Susquehanna region, but Swetland did not know them, and was not permitted to converse with them. At this town Swetland made his home for twelve months and two days, and he states that the Indians "were remarkably kind" to him, and made him many fine presents. Often he was sent twenty miles away to the salt springs to make salt for the Indians. For a time he suffered considerably from fever and ague, and in the Spring of 1779 he, in cominon with the other inhabit- ants of the village, was very much straitened for food. Upon the approach of Sullivan's army in Sep- tember, 1779, the Indians fled from Kendaia towards Fort Niagara. They were very much depressed on account of the defeat of the British and Indians under Maj. Jolin Butler and Joseph Brant at Newtown (now Elmira), New York, on August 29, 1779. Butler, with the whole of his force (about 300 Tories and 500 Indians), was at Kendaia on September 1st, and left there the next day. Swet- land managed to evade the watchfulness of the Indians, and hid himself in an out-house about a mile from the town. There he remained until the afternoon of Sunday, September 5th, when the advance- guard of Sullivan's army came up. Hc hastened towards them, but being mistaken for a Tory was rather roughly handled by the soldiers until George Palmer Ransom (see page 896), one of the de- tachment, recognized him; whereupon he was taken before General Sullivan, who obtained valuable information from him as to the strength and supposed plans of the Indians and Tories. Swetland was overjoyed at being restored to his friends and to liberty. He remained with the army and accom- panied it back to Wilkes-Barre, where he obtained a horse and set off for Kent, Connecticut, to rejoin his family, after a separation of about fifteen months.
Luke Swetland and his family remained in Litchfield County, Connecticut, until 1794, when they returned to the Wyoming region and settled on their lands at Mehoopany (then in Luzerne, and now in Wyoming, County), where they resided until 1800, when they removed to the Swetland lands . within the present limits of the borough of Wyoming, in the township of Kingston. There Mrs. Han- nah (Tiffany) Swetland died January 8, 1809, and Luke Swetland died January 30, 1823, in the ninety-fourth year of his age. Their remains lie in Forty Fort Cemetery. Of Luke Swetland Charles Miner wrote in 1844: "In later days I knew and could not but esteem the good old man. His taste and pride took a right direction, and were of much value to the settlement. I refer to his establish- ment of a nursery for fruit-trees, and his introduction from New England of various kinds of apples selected with care."
Luke and Hannah (Tiffany) Swetland were the parents of several children, some of whom were: (i) Belding, born January 14, 1763. (See next page.) (ii) William, who was living in Wyoming as late,
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the river by canoe from Wilkes-Barre to Commer's grist-mill* in New- port Township, near Nanticoke Falls. There they were surprised and seized by six Seneca Indians, by whom they were taken as prisoners up the river into New York State to Kendaia, or "Appletown," a sizable Seneca village about one-half mile from the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, in what is now Seneca County.
At Wilkes-Barre, under the date of August 26, 1778, Judge John Jenkins, Sr., sent a communication to Governor Trumbull of Connecti- cut relative to the situation in Wyoming. The original document is now preserved among the " Trumbull Papers " mentioned on page 29, Vol. I, and the following is an extract from it.
" That upwards of 3,000 Inhabitants belonging to the State in the Town of West- moreland on the Susquehannah River were on or about the 3d of July last past attact by a party of tories and Indians and after in a most inhuman manner killing upwards of 300 men plundered took destroyd & Carried off all their Stock of all kind, also took destroyed & Carried off all their household furniture clothing &c. Even a great deal they had on their bodies together with all their farming tools &c .: in a word the whole of the Inhabitance were in the space of four or five days striped of all they had, Reduced to a state of Begery & want, their housen, Mills, barns & all kinds of buildings were Consumed by fire & they by Nesity [necessity] drove out of the country & are now Dispersing themselves amongst their friends & must at present be dependant on God & the Charity of their friends for their subsistance, being stript of money Cloath- ing or anything to subsist on; or even tools to do any kind of Labour withall.
"and as they have Nothing to Depend on under heaven but the pure mercies of God & the Charrity of the people except their lands in Westmoreland & their cropps growing on the same (which is Large) if they could be saved, and therefore desire that the state of their unhappy and distrest sirconstance might be laid before the Hond Continental Congress, & General Washington, & in the utmost humiliation hope they will take there distrest Circonstances under their wise & Serious Consideration, & in their great wisdom
at least, as 1800. (iii) Eli, born March 6, 1771; died September 6, 1777. (iv) Seth, born March 1, 1775; died September 1, 1777. (v) John, born March 3, 1777; died September 7, 1777.
(i) Belding Swetland was born in Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, January 14, 1763. He accompanied his parents to Wyoming in 1772, and was in Forty Fort at the time of the battle of Wyo- ming. "Though but a lad, yet the eldest of the children" of Luke Swetland, he piloted his mother and the other children in their flight to their old home in Connecticut. There he remained until 1794, when he returned to Wyoming with his parents. In the meantime, in 1787, he had been married at Sharon to Sally Gay (born in 1763), who, with their three children, accompanied him to Wyoming in 1794. Mrs. Sally (Gay) Swetland died at Wyoming December 18, 1815, and Belding Swetland died there July 22, 1816. They were survived by twelve children, some of whom were: (1) William, born June 26, 1789. (See below.) (2) Eli, born October 10, 1791; died September 27, 1850; married
to Margaret (born July 26, 1795; died February 26, 1873), and had David B., Belding, Charles, and other children. (3) Ebenezer, born May 15, 1793; died December 13, 1838. (4) Eleazar, born December 30, 1796; died February 6, 1878. (5) Margaret, born June 27, 1807; married to Spence; died July 18, 1896. (6) Harriet, born August 13, 1809; married Edward D. Whiston (born October 14, 1794; died August 23, 1859); she died August 11, 1894.
(1) William Swetland, eldest child of Belding and Sally (Gay) Swetland, was born in Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, June 26, 1789, and came to Wyoming in 1794 with the other members of the family, as previously narrated. About 1812 he left his father's farm and became a clerk in the store of Ezra Hoyt, in Kingston. In 1815 he built a store-house on his father's farm at Wyoming and engaged in mercantile business on his own account. This business was continued for many years, being extended and enlarged from time to time. From 1830 to 1832 he had as a partner in the bus- iness David Baldwin, and from 1834 till his death, Payne Pettebone. For many years William Swet- land, alone, and in partnership with others, was interested in many business enterprises in Wyoming Valley, and acquired a large amount of property. He was one of the organizers, and for a number of years President of the Board of Managers, of the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad Company -q. v. In April, 1854, in partnership with his son, and his son-in-law Payne Pettebone-under the firm name of Swetland, Pettebone & Co .- he opened a banking and exchange office at Wyoming, which was operated for five or six years. Mr. Swetland was President of the first bank established at Pitts- ton (in November, 1859), which in September, 1865, was merged in the First National Bank of Pitts- ton. He was one of the Commissioners of Luzerne County from 1828 to 1831, and in 1836, in con- junction with George W. Woodward, Esq., and Dr. Andrew Bedford, he was a member of the Penn- sylvania Constitutional Convention, which met at Philadelphia. For a number of years he was a Trustee of Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, and erected at his own expense the building known as "Swetland Hall." He also made other important gifts to that institution.
William Swetland was married September 28, 1819, to Catharine (born May 18, 1799), daughter of Dr. Peter and Margaret Seiler of Northampton County, Pennsylvania. William Swetland died at his home in Wyoming September 27, 1864, and his wife died there October 6, 1893. They were the parents of the following-named children: (i) Caroline M., born October 17, 1820; marricd October 3, 1837, to Payne Pettebone (born December 23, 1813; died March 20, 1888); she died July 7, 1900. (See a sketch of the Pettebone Family in a subsequent chapter.) (ii) Mary, born August 19, 1824; died August 7, 1829. (iii) George W., born May 9, 1829; married to Mary Polen of Wyoming; died August 23, 1860, survived by his wife and one daughter. (iv) Margaret A., born May 16, 1836; mar- ried to William H. Brown, a merchant of Philadelphia; died March 27, 1860.
* This mill, which was a small affair, stood near the Hanover-Newport line, and was the only mill in the Valley which had escaped destruction by the Indians. It had been known as Coffrin's Mill, but in 1778 was the property of John Commer.
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Divise some spedy measures for the Recovery & Restoration of their lands crops &c. as well as to releave them in their other present Distresses."
At Easton, Pennsylvania, under the date of August 25, 1778, Robert Levers, Esq., of that town wrote to Vice President Bryan of the Supreme Executive Council, at Philadelphia, as follows* : * **
* "The country of Wyoming, when settled, formed a good barrier for a con- siderable part of the interior settlements of Northampton County, and for some part of Northumberland. * * Col. Zebulon Butler, in the Continental service, I hear is now at Wyoming with two companies and some of the remainsof the Susquehanna settlers, amount- ing, perhaps, in the whole to 150 men-certainly much too weak a body. They have, however, this for their future consolation, after their past distress, that Wyoming is not now an object for the enemy. They can expect nothing there but hard blows, unless they [the Indians] should come again there formidably, and repossess that country, as having been an ancient place of rendezvous, and to be again considered in that light for the more easy penetrating into and among our settlements.
"If I may presume to deliver my sentiments with freedom and without offense, there seems to be a necessity for supporting the post at Wyoming for the preservation of the interior of the country; for if Wyoming should become a rendezvous for the enemy, the country within will be everlastingly in danger, and the least alarm throw all in con- fusion. But as the late great settlement at Wyoming is now destroyed by the devasta- tions and depredations of the Tories and Indians, an important question will arise, wherein the interest and peace of the several States may be involved."
Gradually the exiles from Wyoming (that is, the men) were return- ing to their ruined homes and devastated fields, and were attempting, as best they could, to re-establish themselves in the Valley they loved so well. Owing to their unsafe situation all the men on the ground- whether serving as militia or as Continental soldiers, or engaged in other duties for the general good-were quartered at Camp Westmore- land. From various orders issued by Colonel Butler in August and September, 1778, and from other sources, we learn that here and there in the Valley at that time were fields of growing grain and other cropst which had not been destroyed by the enemy, while through the woods and fields ranged a few stray cattle and a considerable number of other domestic animals which had escaped seizure at the hands of the invad- ers. Many of the Westmorelanders-not Continental soldiers-who had returned to the Valley, occupied themselves in looking after the crops, in rounding up the estrays, and in erecting temporary housest for the accommodation of the soldiers and their stores. Others of the inhabitants were doing duty as militia. From an original "Return of the Detachment under the command of Lieut. Col. Zebn Butler at West- moreland, September 1, 1778," now in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, § we learn that on the date mentioned the military force at Camp Westmoreland numbered 193, including Colonel Butler, and was made 11p as follows: Captain Spalding and
* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, VI : 719.
¡ The following is a copy of an original document now in the collections of The Wyoming His- torical and Geological Society. "We the subscribers, being appointed by Col. Zebulon Butler, com- manding the Garrison at Westmoreland, to apprise the forage and pasture on 2 meadow lotts for the use of the Continental cattle and horses, have viewed said lotts, together with the corn, English grain and grass yet standing thereon, & do apprise the use of the lot belonging to Ensign Elisha Blackman to be worth 40 dollars, and the use of the lot belonging to Widow Stevens to be worth 40 dollars. "September 7, 1778. [ Signed] "SIMON SPALDING, Capt.
"JABEZ SILL."
# The following is a copy of an account, in the handwriting of Col. Zebulon Butler, now in tbe collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
"United States to Zebulon Butler, Dr.
"WESTMORELAND, September, 1778.
"To building a house-tbe frame.
€ S. d. paying masons
20 0-0
17-2-0 66 1,288 joyners tenders to masons, 12 days. 7-4-0
10-13-0
1,288 feet quarter stuff for clapboards; 2,580 feet sawed shingles; 2,500 feet boards; 60 1bs. nails; hinges for doors & windows."
§ See Vol. VII, page 128, of the Society's published Collections.
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his Continental company of two Lieutenants, one Ensign, seven Ser- geants and sixty rank and file; Captain Bush and the detachment of Colonel Hartley's regiment under his command, numbering ninety- one officers and men ; Lieut. Daniel Gore in command of three Ser- geants and five rank and file of the Westmoreland militia; Capt. William Hooker Smith in command of two Lieutenants, two Sergeants and eleven rank and file of the Westmoreland militia.
At Sunbury, Pennsylvania, under the date of September 1, 1778, Colonel Hartley wrote to the Supreme Executive Council as follows* : * * "Several Indians and Tories have appeared about Wyoming. One family has been killed fifteen miles on this side of it, and twot near the [Wyoming] Garrison. My detacliment from Northampton County is arrived there by this time, but I am told their clothes are all torn by the woods. They are in the utmost want of hunting-shirts and woollen overalls or leggins. I hope 200 of each will be sent up immediately."
At Camp Westmoreland, September 3, 1778, Colonel Butler issued the following# :
"Orders. That there be a return of all the troops at this post-both Continental and militia that does duty-to be made as soon as may be. That there be a court of enquiry set this day at 10 o'clock at Mr. Yarington's house, to enquire into such matters as shall be brought before them; Lieut. Obadiah Gore, President, Lieutenant Peirce and Lieut. Daniel Gore, members. Whereas there is yet frequent complaints of the troops killing and destroying sheep, hogs and poultry, &c., to the damage of the distressed inhabitants-notwithstanding the peremptory order of the 7th of August against such practices-the Colonel once more strictly forbids them the killing of sheep, swine or poultry on any pretence whatever (not even the excuse of their being their own property shall be admitted), on penalty of severe punishment. As there is a sufficiency of fire- wood nigh and convenient for this encampment, the troops are to be careful and not burn fencing-stuff nor other timber."
On September 4th orders were issued by Colonel Butler as follows :
" Orders. That the guard consist of one subaltern, two Sergeants, two Corporals and twenty-seven privates-out of which one Sergeant, one Corporal and six privates are to be taken for the picket guard-the guard to parade at troop-beating. The officer com- manding the guard is to be particularly careful that the mien be kept together-not more than two to be absent at a time on any pretence whatever; the picket to remain in the fort until near dusk at evening, then to march to Mill Creek and guard the two bridges until daylight [the next morning], and then to return to the fort and remain until relieved. A drum and fife to attend the parade at guard-mounting.
" Details: Captain Spalding's company, one subaltern, one Sergeant, one Corporal, twelve privates; Captain Bush's company, one Sergeant, one Corporal, fourteen privates; Lieutenant Gore's, one private. Total, thirty-two."
On September 5th orders were issued by Colonel Butler as follows :
"Orders. That a court-martial sit this day at Mr. Yarington's house. at 9 o'clock, to try such prisoners as shall be brought before them. Capt. Bush, President; Lieutenant McCurdy, Lieutenant Lemon, Lieutenant Jenkins and Ensign Hageman, members.
"At a garrison court-martial, whereof Capt. George Bush was President, was tried Thomas Niell, a Sergeant in Captain Spalding's independent company, for absenting himself from his guard contrary to orders. The Court are of opinion from the evidence that the prisoner is guilty of the charge, and sentence him to be reduced to the ranks. The judgment of the court-martial is approved of, and ordered that the prisoner be brought before guard at retreat-beating this evening, and there hear the doings of the Court read, and there be dismissed to go to his duty as a private."?
Early in September Isaac Tripp, Sr. (see page 467, Vol. I), his grandson, Isaac Tripp, Timothy Keyes (see page 998) and James Hock- sey went from Wilkes-Barre to Providence Township, where they had resided prior to the battle of Wyoming. Keyes and young Tripp were
* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, VI : 730.
LUKE SWETLAND and JOSEPH BLANCHARD are here referred to; the belief being that they had been killed at or near Nanticoke Falls on August 25th.
# See "Orderly Book" previously mentioned, published in "Proceedings and Collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," VII : 113.
§ September 24, 1778, Colonel Butler ordered that Thomas Niell "be restored again to a Sergeant in said Company, and to be obeyed as such."
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at this time members of the detachment of militia in service at Wilkes- Barré. (See page 1096.) All of the party, except young Tripp, owned lands and houses in Providence, and they made this journey for the pur- pose of ascertaining whether or not their houses and crops had been destroyed by the Indians. When they had arrived at a point near where Leggett's Creek empties into the Lackawanna-some eighteen miles from Wilkes-Barré, and within the present limits of the city of Scranton -they were surprised and captured by a band of Indians. Isaac Tripp, Sr .- who was about seventy-eight years of age-had his face painted by the Indians, who then dismissed him ; whereupon he made his way back to Wilkes-Barré, which he reached the next day.
The other captives were pinioned and taken by the Indians through Leggett's Gap into what is now the township of South Abington, Lacka- wanna County, where, after traveling a short distance along the old Indian trail which ran from Capouse Meadows northward to Oghwaga (frequently mentioned hereinbefore), the party halted and bivouacked for the night. Early the next morning they traveled about two miles along the trail till they reached a brook. Here they again halted, and then Keyes and Hocksey were led aside into the depths of the forest by two young Indians. Presently those who had remained behind heard the death-whoop shouted, and shortly afterwards the . two Indians returned, brandishing bloody tomahawks and exhibiting the scalps of their victims. The hat of young Isaac Tripp was then taken from his head, and his scalp was examined twice, the savages meanwhile talking earnestly ; but he was finally assured that he would not be hurt. His face was then painted in Indian fashion, and the party proceeded north- ward. They ultimately arrived at Fort Niagara, after journeying many days, in the course of which young Tripp (who was not quite eighteen years of age) endured numerous sufferings .*
Aroused and stimulated by the reports which he received concern- ing Wyoming affairs, Governor Trumbull of Connecticut urged upon General Washington that proper military protection should be given to the people of Wyoming and their property. At the same time appeals were being made to Washington for the protection of the western fron- tiers of New York and the western frontiers of Pennsylvania. At his headquarters at White Plains, New York, under the date of September 6, 1778, General Washington wrote to Governor Trumbull as follows :
"I feel with you for the unfortunate frontiers exposed to all the inroads of an enemy, whose natural barbarity in war has been increased by the arts and influence of a civilized nation. I had early ordered for the defence of the inhabitants Colonel Hartley's reginient, Col. [William] Butler's, Colonel Alden's, with the remains of Morgan's rifle corps. These, I believe, have been of considerable service, but I am unhappy in not hav- ing it in my power to afford them at present a more complete and sufficient security from this army for the purpose you mention, of carrying the war into the enemy's country."
At Sunbury Colonel Hartley continued to augment and dispose his forces so as to protect the West Branch region, and at the sanie time enable him to make his projected incursion into the Indian country at
* Isaac Tripp was detained at Fort Niagara for some time-being there when his cousin, Frances Slocum, was brought thither as an Indian captive, as related in the ensuing chapter. He saw her and talked with her there several times. Some time later he and other prisoners were conveyed to Can- ada, where they were kept, employed by the British in various capacities, until the close of the war. Upon his release Isaac Tripp returned to Providence Township, where he subsequently married El- eanor and lived until at least the year 1800. (His name is in the Providence tax-list for 1796, printed in Pearce's "Annals of Luzerne County.") About the beginning of the nineteenth cen- tury Isaac and Eleanor Tripp removed to what was known as the "Elkwoods Settlement," in Luzerne County (now Clifford Township, Susquehanna County), Pennsylvania. Mrs. Eleanor Tripp died there May 10, 1816, aged 67 years, and Isaac Tripp died there April 15, 1820.
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and above Tioga Point. Under the date of September 10, 1778, he wrote to Colonel Butler, at Wilkes-Barré, as follows* :
" I received yours of yesterday by the two men I wrote for. They will be very use- ful in the Indian country. Upon a full consideration concerning the Indian country, and a view of the circumstances of our affairs, I have come to these determinations: That it is absolutely necessary that the troops at Wyoming, those on the West Branch, and in this department, should effect a junction before they proceed against Chemung, t where, I un- derstand, a great part of the plunder taken from our unhappy brethren at Wyoming, and a body of Indians and Tories, are collected. I mean that this town should be approached by the Lycoming path to the mouth of Towanda [Creek], and that the town should be attacked and, if possible, destroyed, and that the troops should sweep the country down the river to Wyoming. This will give relief to our frontiers, and intimidate our enemies. I have mentioned some of the particulars to Lieut. [William] Lemon, which he can in- form you.
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