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 III > Part 107
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"The Democratic citizens of this place and neighborhood celebrated the day in this Borough. They formed a procession on the Redoubt, *and marched to the Court House where the Declaration of Independence was read by Mr. George Denison, and an Oration delivered by David Scott, Esq. The company then returned to a Bower prepared for the occasion on the Redoubt, where a dinner was prepared, and a number of toasts drank under the discharge of cannon.
"At the Redoubt a very unfortunate accident occurred. Anthony Anderson, a black man, who was assisting in firing the cannon, hastily threw a cartridge into the gun without wiping, which took fire, and blew off one of his arms, and tore the other considerably. It is hoped he will recover, though fears are entertained for his life."
Wilkes-Barré had existed for a period of forty-one years before any banking facilities were established in north-eastern Pennsylvania. This is not a surprising matter when it is realized that, at the opening of the nineteenth century, there was not a bank in Pennsylvania outside the city of Philadel- phia. In 1806, when the borough of Wilkes-Barre was incorporated, there were but eighty-one banks in the whole of the United States. Three of these existed at Philadelphia, then the most populous city of the country. The Bank of the United States, established by the government, over which much contro- versy had arisen, was one of these. The two others, the Bank of Pennsylvania and the Bank of North America, were chartered under state laws. Under their charters, they could establish branches, and had done so at Lancaster, Reading and Pittsburg. The mints of the United States had coined a limited number of silver coins in the first decade of the century, but had not attempted the coin- age of gold. The chief currency in circulation was Spanish pieces of silver and Portugese gold coins. It was customary for the merchants of Wilkes-Barré, as elsewhere, when a trading trip to Philadelphia was planned, to exchange what silver they had, into notes of the Philadelphia banks for the sake of ease in carrying. By an Act approved March 3, 1809, the Philadelphia Bank, as it became known when its charter was renewed in 1807, was authorized to establish branches, not to exceed "eight in number," which branches were to have all the powers of the parent bank under such restriction as the latter might impose.
*The Redoubt was an extension of the ridge of Bowman's Hill, east of the present court house, which then reached almost to Union Street. It was an artillery outpost during the mobilization of Sullivan's army.
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Pursuant to terms of the Act, the bank announced, in the summer of 1810, that it would establish an "Office of Discount and Deposit", at Wilkes-Barré. Sixteen residents of the valley were chosen directors of the institution .* These organized September 21, 1810, by electing one of their number, E benezer Bowman, President and John Bettle, Esq., of Philadelphia, Cashier.
The bank was opened for business October 1, 1810, in a small two story frame building on River street near Northampton, a vault being installed in one of the ground floor rooms for purposes of security. Many amusing incidents are told of the early days of the institution, when farmers, in particular, came long distances, expecting to find much ready cash for the mere asking. As it was, so much paper was discounted in the first three months of banking, that the parent bank ordered any further discounts to cease for a time and, when resumed, to loan only on thirty or sixty days' time, with at least a ten per cent reduction in the loan at expiration. Depreciation of currency following the War of 1812, and the country wide hard times which ensued, made banking a precarious occupation in the ten years of existence of this branch at Wilkes- Barré. In October, 1820, financial affairs of Pennsylvania were in such con- dition, that the parent bank decided to close its local branch.
Relative to formalities connected with closing the only bank then within the limits of the Susquehanna purchase, the Wilkes-Barre Herald of October 26, 1820 has this to say :
"The president of the Philadelphia Bank, having come to this place, with a view to make arrangements for settling the debts due at this office, all persons indebted to the Institution are requested to call without delay, that an interview may at once take place between the parties concerned. The bank expects payment from all persons in whose power it may be to make it, and where payment cannot be made, that good security be given. FOR SALE, the House and Lot of Ground occupied by the Branch of the Phila. Bank. The Lot is 120 feet front on River Street, and 200 feet depth. The House is in good order, and the Banking room fitted up with suitable desks and counters, and with an excellent Fire-proof vault, well secured by double wrought-iron doors. The property is pleasantly situated, and is very desirable as a place of business or for a private residence.
On January 1, 1821, the operations of the Branch Bank ceased, and Joseph McCoy, late Cashier, was appointed agent to collect outstanding debts. He announced that his office would continue at the late banking house, where he would "attend every day during the sittings of the Court and, at other times every Monday and Wednesday, from 9 A. M. till sunset."
It was not altogether the fault of local enterprise, that financial affairs of the community were in the hands of Philadelphia interests for a decade.
In March, 1814, the state legislature passed a bill, authorizing the in- corporation of forty-one independent banking institutions, with capital stocks aggregating more than $17,000,000. The same Act divided the state into banking districts. Luzerne County comprised one district, to which was apportioned one of these banks. The bank, under its charter was to be known as "The Sus- quehanna Bank," with Wilkes-Barré named as its headquarters and Abiel Fellows, Noah Wadhams, Cyrus .Avery, George M. Hollenback and George Dennison, all prominent in county affairs at that time, as Commissioners to receive stock subscriptions. In August, of that year, these Commissioners were bending their energies in the direction of securing the bank's required capital, *Tbe following is the list of directors: Lord Butler Rosewell Welles Charles Miner Jos. Sinton Calvin Wadhams Ebenezer Slocum Isaac Bowman Nathan Beach Frederick Crisman N. Palmer Ebenezer Bowman Jesse Fell Wm. Ross M. Hollenback Benjamin Dorrance Allen Jack
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but the condition of the country's finances held the task in abeyance. That the Philadelphia branch was then engaged in a considerable business in the community is evidenced by the following from the Gleaner, of June 28, 1815:
"During the latter part of May, the office of Discount and Deposit at this place sent upwards of $26,000 in specie to the Philadelphia Bank. This sum, added to the amount previously sent, makes the total of something more than $35,000 in specie which the mother Bank has received from this office, besides notes of other Banks, probably to a much greater amount. This sum has been collected from Luzerne and the adjoining Counties during the short time which this Branch has been established here.
"If Banks are either necessary or useful in the Country, why cannot the citizens of Luzerne have a Bank of their own? It is frequently said that we cannot establish a sufficient credit in the city to keep our bills good! Can it be probable that a country which in four years of wars, non-intercourse, &c., could send $35,000 of specie to Philadelphia, cannot establish a credit, for a Bank of her own?
"If so, let us continue sending our money abroad, and let others share the profits of our trade. But this ought not be so; money may sometimes be profitable to an individual, and it is generally an accommodation. But to borrow money from abroad cannot be profitable to a whole country, if they can have a medium of their own which will answer all their purposes-because the use of interest which they pay for it, goes out of their country. Lending money is always profitable, if the borrower faithfully pays his principal and interest. Why then should we be paying a great interest to the stock-holders of the Phila. Bank, when we might pay it to our own stockholders. It is to be feared that party feelings have prevented the success of the Susque- hanna Bank. This is wrong,-party animosity should never be permitted to prevent the pros- perity of a country."
Perhaps it was through the appeal of the local paper or more probably, that the general financial horizon was then less clouded, that the fall of 1816 found all the shares of the proposed bank actually subscribed; whereupon a charter was issued. Matthias Hollenback, Stephen Tuttle, Joseph Sinton, Henry Bucking- ham, Jacob Cist, James Barnes and Daniel Collins were named Directors and Joseph Sinton, a then prominent merchant of Wilkes-Barré, was chosen President. The bank went so far as to have plates for engraving its bank notes made, and its notes printed, but there its activities were again halted by a financial crash, which swept many weaker banks out of existence, and all but wrecked the for- tunes of many prominent men both here and elsewhere.
This crash had much to do with the decision to wind up affairs of the Philadelphia branch, from which time (January 1, 1820) to the year 1829, as will later be mentioned, northeastern Pennsylvania was to be again without any banking facilities excepting those afforded by institutions at Easton and Philadelphia.
It has been the intention of the present writer, to confine the loosely woven incidents of each later Chapter of this History, to some definite period of time. In the main, the present Chapter deals with events of the first decade of the last century. Historical incidents, however, have a way of refusing to be bound by time limits. This was true of the issues which resulted in the second war with the British crown.
In the stormy Napoleonic period, France and Great Britain hung on grimly at each other's throats, giving little heed to the rights of neutral nations. Com- merce, carried in American bottoms, was challenging the boasted trade of Eng- land. By the Berlin and Milan decrees of 1806, Napoleon established his famous "paper blockade" and sought to seize all vessels trading with England or her colonies. Great Britain, retaliating in the same year by Orders in Council, for- bade all commerce at French ports or the ports of her allies. If an American vessel touched at almost any port of continental Europe, she was liable to seizure by any British cruiser. On the contrary, if she touched at a British port, she might become the prey of any French craft. Jefferson had abandoned the
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policy of Adams, in maintaining a strong navy. He theorized that our harbors could be protected by a single gunboat in each, carrying one gun, and that our shipping was able to take care of itself. While the offensive measures of England and France made the American merchantman a prey to both, England claimed a peculiar power of annoying the United States by searching her vessels for sub- jects of Great Britain, whether or not they had been naturalized in America. In June, 1807, the insolence of this claim was carried so far that the British-man- of-war, Leopard, stopped the United States frigate, Chesapeake, off the entrance of Chesapeake bay, fired into her, killing or wounding twenty-one of the crew and carrying off four alleged subjects of the crown. Unprepared for war, Con- gress passed a stupid and dangerous measure, preventing American vessels from leaving American ports or foreign vessels taking cargoes in our harbors. Thus, by its own embargo Act, the United States did more to injure its own com- merce than the combined French and British navies had accomplished. These events were not lost upon residents of the Wyoming Valley.
On August 7, 1807, a general meeting of citizens was called in the Court House, Judge Fell acting as Chairman and Nathan Palmer, Secretary.
A committee consisting of Ebenezer Bowman, Nathan Palmer, Nathan Beach, Benjamin Dorrance and Charles Miner submitted the following resolu- tions, which were unanimously adopted:
"Resolved-That we view the late wanton attack of the British ship of War, Leopard, upon the American frigate Chesapeake, as a gross infringement of our nation. * * *
"Resolved-That we sincerely approve of the spirited and patriotic conduct of our fellow citizens at Norfolk and Hampton,
"And on motion of Peleg Tracy,
"Resolved-That the resolutions and proceedings of this meeting be signed by the Chairman and Secretary, and published in the Luzerne Federalist."
The Wyoming Blues were quick to catch the inspiration of the public meeting. On September 4th, this organization forwarded the following letter to the president:
"To THOMAS JEFFERSON, Esq.,
"President of the United States.
"Sir: As it has been the unanimous voice of our fellow-soldiers, of different volunteer corps of the United States, to offer their services in defence of their country in this momentous crisis, 'when every nation is looking with an envious eye at the peace and prosperity of the United States,' and more especially Great Britain, who ought to be the last to enter the list; but, proud of her navy, she bids her armed vessels enter into our harbors and rivers, and impress our fellow- citizens while peaceably employed in the commerce of their country. Not content with this, she orders the commanders of her frigates to fire on the armed vessels of the United States, within the jurisdiction of the same, while peaceably pursuing her course to the place of her destination, murdering our fellow-citizens, while she is holding out the olive branch of peace, which brings to our recollection the plains of Wyoming, strewed with human gore by the savages, hirelings of her perfidious government.
"Therefore we, the undersigned, being appointed a committee by the light infantry com- pany called the Wyoming Blues, and through us the said company offer their services, in defence of their country, whenever the government of the United States deem it expedient to call us in defence of the country.
"We are, Sir, "With profound respect, "Your obedient servants, "JOSEPH SLOCUM, "ISAAC BOWMAN, "BENJ. PERRY.
The president seems to have given the patriotic expression prompt attention as is evidenced by his reply in his own handwriting:
"To Messrs. Joseph Slocum, Isaac Bowman, and Benjamin Perry, a Committee of the Light Infantry Company called the Wyoming Blues.
"The offer of your service in support of the rights of your country, merits and meets the highest praise, and whenever the moment arrives in which these rights must appeal to the public
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arm for support, the spirit from which your offer flows, that which animates our nation, will be their sufficient safeguard.
"Having required, from the governors of the several states, their certain quotas of militia to be ready for service, and recommended at the same time the preferance of volunteers under the Acts of Congress, and particularly that of the 24th of February, 1807, the acceptance and organ- ization of such volunteers has been delegated to them.
"Tendering, therefore, the thanks of our country so justly deserved for all offers of service made to me, I must add that it is necessary to renew them to the governor of the state for the purposes of acceptance and organization.
"I salute you with great respect,
"TH. JEFFERSON."
"Sept. 19th, 1807."
Diplomatic arrangements served for a time to avert an open rupture be- tween the two English speaking nations, but England would not abrogate her claim to the right of search and seizure, nor would even the meekest American administration concede it. Late in 1811, after several naval engagements had been fought with some credit to the crippled American navy, a dilatory Congress began to undertake some measures of preparedness. At last, on June 18, 1812, President Madison declared war.
Upon learning of the declaration, the Blues appear to have hesitated in keeping their high sounding promises of five years before, but a volunteer ar- tillery company, known as the "Matross" and organized by Capt. Samuel Thomas at Kingston, embracing in its ranks men of the West side settlements, Plymouth, Pittston and a few members of the Blues from Wilkes-Barré, immedi- ately offered their services. The members began training, awaiting orders. Before war was actually declared, an Act of Congress had set the War Department at work ascertaining the quotas that each state should supply in case of emergency. Under the plan, Pennsylvania was to furnish a corps composed of 700 artillery, 700 cavalry, 1,400 riflemen and 11,200 infantry, a total of 14,000 men. By laws enacted subsequently, if insufficient voluntary enlistments followed the call, men were to be drafted to fill the quotas. The prompt action of the Matross inspired action on the part of other organizations. But the raising of troops for the War of 1812 was not an easy matter, and it has been found a difficult task in all our wars with the exception of that classed as the Spanish-American.
Inland, the trouble seemed to have arisen over the question of shipping, and therefore of interest to tidewater districts only. Partisan rancor had much to do with a dearth of volunteering.
At that period, the 35th Regiment, 2d Brigade, 9th Division, Pennsylvania Militia, was leading a somewhat precarious existence in Luzerne County. There were two battalions of four companies each, Lt. Col. Elijah Shoemaker being in command of the regiment, with Captains Hallock, Fuller, Swallow, Smiley, Van Loon, Sorber, David and Ayers in command of the eight companies.
To this regiment, a troop of light horse, organized at Wilkes-Barré, by Capt. Isaac Carpenter, and the Wyoming Blues, also at Wilkes-Barré, commanded by Capt. Zebulon Butler, Jr. were attached. Captain Carpenter reported, on June 26th, that his troop had volunteered without recourse to the draft, as did Captain Sorber whose company was located at Newport.
The files of the Federalist at this time show a strange silence on the subject of the war. Charles Miner, still its editor, was opposed to the whole undertaking, but he refrained from active opposition to measures being taken to meet the enemy. His influence was to be felt, however, when the question arose as to the conduct of the Wyoming Blues, in which he held rank as lieutenant. A meeting of that organization was called for June 20, 1812. It was held at the Arndt tavern and
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was the stormiest, and, as it proved, the last meeting of that hitherto famous organization.
Messers. Miner, Arndt and Stephen King, all strong Federalists, led the op- position against volunteering. Messers Lee, Bowman, Downey, Nelson and Cap- tain Butler warmly supported the government and, at the close of the meeting, actually volunteered. The Susquehanna Democrat took special pains to brand the meeting with emphatic adjectives. It did admit, however, that Charles Miner was the only member of the organization to later appear on parade, when a draft call was issued, "fully equipped, thus showing his willingness to obey the law when he cannot avoid it."
In October, 1812, Capt. Robert Gray, of the 16th U. S. Infantry, opened a recruiting office in Wilkes-Barré for enlistments in that branch of the service. A barracks for training recruits was established on the River Common near the ferry landing, whether in a temporary structure built for the purpose, or in the old Arndt warehouse, is not indicated. About the same time Capt. Thomas A. Helme, of the U. S. Cavalry, reached Wilkes-Barré on the same mission for his branch of the service.
The cavalry rendezvous was on South Franklin street, in a vacant lot approximately where the St. Stephen's Parish House now stands.
Various detachments of partially drilled recruits, largely from points up the Susquehanna river, were sent from these rendezvous to the 16th U. S. In- fantry, which later became known as the "Bloody Sixteenth." The regiment was commanded by Col. Cromwell Pearce, and saw active service at Sackett's Harbor and Stony Creek. Later, at the battle of York, in Canada, Colonel Pearce assumed command of the American expeditionary forces on the death of General Pike and received the surrender of the enemy.
No troops, other than those recruited for the regular army, left Wilkes- Barré until the "Matross" battery marched away from Kingston, April 13, 1813. The Susquehanna Democrat, published three days later, has this to say of the de- parture:
"The Luzerne Volunteer Matross commanded by Capt. Samuel Thomas, marched on Wed- nesday last for Erie. Many of the members, we understand, were absent, having went down the river with lumber before the marching orders were received, which reduced the company very considerably. The members are generally men who have families, to leave which will set par- ticularly hard; but the love of country stimulates the brave. We venture to predict that they will act worthy of the nation and themselves."
The actual membership of this organization, when it marched, was thirty- one men. They departed from Kingston to the eddy at the mouth of Shoup's Creek, in Plymouth. Here they embarked, and went down the river on a raft to Danville. From Danville, they marched over land to Lewistown, and thence to Bedford, where Captain Thomas recruited thirty-seven men. Pro- ceeding westward through Fayette County, he obtained twenty-seven other recruits, and arrived at Erie, May 5th, with ninety-five officers and privates. On their arrival, they were attached to the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment, under Col. Reese Hill.
The "Matross" was an artillery company, and in the cannonading at Presque Harbor, did good execution. They fired no less than thirty shots into the hull of the brig Hunter, and with two long nine-pounders cut away and materially damaged the rigging of the Queen Charlotte.
Preparatory to the battle of Lake Erie, for the purpose of manning Perry's fleet, volunteers were solicited from among the land forces. Among those who
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offered and were accepted for this service were William Pace, Benjamin Hall, Godfrey Bowman, and James Bird, of the "Matross." They enlisted on board the Niagara, and during the engagement fought with energy and efficiency. Their coolness and courage elicited the warm commendation of Commodore Perry, who brought the Niagara into action. To each of her volunteers, in this action, the Legislature of Pennsylvania voted a silver medal, upon one side of which was a likeness of Commodore Perry, with the inscription, "Presented by the Government of Pennsylvania-Oliver Hazard 'Perry-PRO PATRIA VICIT." Upon the reverse side was the following: "To (name engraved), in testimony of his patriotism and bravery in the naval engagement on Lake Erie, Sept. 10th, 1813. We have met the enemy, and they are ours." Pace, Hall, and Bowman, the last of whom was wounded, each received one of these tokens commemorative of their valor, but Bird, kneeling upon his coffin, received his death-shot from the hands of his own countrymen.
"Bird was from Pittston," says Pearce in his Annals, "and was descended from a most respectable family. He was a man of great bodily strength and activity, and was full of patriotic devotion to the cause of his country, but un- fortunately his proud spirit boldly rejected many of the restraints imposed by the stern rules of military discipline. He fought like a tiger, and when wounded refused to be carried below. For his bravery he was promoted to the position of orderly sergeant of the marines on the Niagara.
News of the intended attack of the enemy on New Orleans had reached the fleet on Lake Erie, and Bird, ambitious to be in the midst of the smoke and fire of battle, one night when in command of the guard, marched away with several of his men to join General Jackson. He was pursued and arrested at Pittsburgh, from which place he was about to embark with a company of volunteers for the Crescent City. Being arraigned before and tried by a court-martial, he was sentenced, in accordance with the rules of war, to be shot. Had Commodore Perry received intelligence of the proceedings in time, Bird's life would have been spared. It is said that Bird had openly expressed his condemnation of the pos- ition and management of the Niagara before she was boarded and brought into action by Perry, and that his free speech in relation to this subject, operated against him when on trial for his life."
The melancholy death of Bird excited much comment in the valley. Charles Miner dedicated a lengthy poem to the unhonored hero, and denunciations followed generally from Federalists as to the treatment of soldiers by the government. .
Perry having swept the Lakes of hostile craft, the "Matross" were permitted to return home .* In reporting the celebration attending their arrival, the Sus- quehanna Democrat of December 3, 1813 had this to say:
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