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 12
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The children of Alexander and Elizabeth (Stewart) Jameson were: (1) William, born in 1797; married to Mar- garet Henry of Salem, aod had children Mary, John W. and Alexander; died September 21, 1853. (2) Martha, born in 1799; died March 8, 1881, unmarried. (3) Robert, born in 1801; graduated at Yale College in 1823; died July 25 1838, unmarried. (4) Minerva, born in 1803; married in 1823 to Dr. Ashbel B. Wilson (born June 11, 1797, in Madison, County, Virginia; died in Berwick, Pa., January 7, 1856); had children Caroline, Mary Camilla, Edward and Minerva; died in 1831. (5) Elisabeth, horn in 1805; married May 2, 1827, to the Rev. Francis McCartney, a native of Ireland. but at that time a minister in Virginia; had children Mary, Elizabeth and Francis A. The last named became, in 1859, Editor of The Scranton Republican, Scranton, Pa. Later, for many years, he was a lawyer and journalist in Washington, D. C.
(x) Joseph Jameson fled from Wyoming after the battle of July 3, 1778, but returned io the Summer of 1779 with his brother John In March, 1780 (two months before his seventeenth birthday), he enlisted as a private in Capt John Franklin's company (see page 1229, Vol. II), and did duty with it for about a year. During this period he, like the other members of the company, engaged in farming and other necessary work whenever the condition of affairs in the settlement permitted attention to such matters.
Charles Miner, in the Appendix (page 42) to his "History of Wyoming", says, speaking of Joseph and Alexander Jameson: "They have resided on their beautiful plantation in Salem, having at their command and hospitahly enjoying all the good things that could make life pass agreeably. Joseph, one of the pleasantest and most intelligent men of our early acquaintance, chose to live a bachelor; the more unaccountable, as his pleasing manners, cheerful di position, and inexhaustihle fund of anecdote, rendered him everywhere ao agreeable companion. * * * Both these brothers, besides the deep, deep sufferings, of their family, were themselves participator; in the active scenes of the war, and endured hardships that the present inhabitants can form no true conception of." Joseph Jameson died cf palsy at Salem April 7. 1854. in the ninety-first year of his age, and his remains lie near those of his mother and I rothers in the Beach Grove Cemetery, on the hill back of their old home.
(v) Robert Jameson, born at Voluntown June 10, 1755, lived at home, attending school and working on his father's farm, until July, 1775. At the session of the General Assembly of Coopecticut held in July, 1775 it was ordered that there should be raised a regiment of infantry to be called the "Eight", to be commanded by Col. Jedidiah Huntington . and to remain in service until December, 1775. The regiment was recruited maioly in the counties of New London. Hartford and Windham. The Second Company was commanded by Capt. Joho Douglas of Plainfield, and Moses Campbell of Voluntown was Lieutenant of the Company. Robert Jameson enlisted as a private in this company, July 10, and was honorably discharged December 16, 1775. The regiment was stationed on Long Island Sound until September 14, when, on requisition from General Washington, it was ordered to the Boston camps, and took post at Roxbury in General Spencer's brigade. There it remained until the expiration of its term of service.
In 1776 Robert Jameson accompanied the other members of his father's family to Wyoming Valley. As a private in the Fifth Company, 24th Regiment, Connecticut Militia, he took part in the battle of Wyoming. He fell early in the action
(i) John Jameson, born June 17, 1749, in Voluntown, Connecticut, lived there until March, 1770, when, having become a member of The Susquehanna Company, he repaired to Wyoming Valley with a small body of New Englanders under the leadership of Maj. John Durkee -- as related on page 646, Vol. II. In October, 1772, be purchased for £42. from William Young-who was the original owner-"Lot No. 22 in the First Division of Hanover Towaship " , This lot comprised 305 acres in the southern end of the township, near the present borough of Nanticoke. In the following November John Jameson went to Voluntown, where he spent the Winter with his father's family- returning to Hanover early in the Spring of 1773.
According to Stewart Pearce, in his "Jameson Memoir", John Jameson "cleared several acres, and erected, a comfortable log house containing two rooms and a half-story loft accessible by means of a ladder. The fire-plate ,Was constructed without jambs. The windows were of small size, and the sash had six openings, which, instead of being fi led with panes of glass, were covered with oiled paper. This structure compared favorably with the dwelling-places of neighboring settlers, and, indeed, as the logs of which it was built were hewn, the edifice was considered superior to any other in the neighborhood. Here John Jameson lived and farmed a few of his most fertile acres, but spent, the greater part of his time working at his trade-that of a wheelwright-chiefly in making spinning-wheels for the women of the settlement. It was to this home that he welcomed his father's family in the Autumn of 1776." ..
John Jameson remained in Wyoming from the Spring of 1773 until the Summer of 1774, when be made another brief visit to his parents home in Voluntown, and, under date of July 12, 1774, purchased of Amos Spaulding of Plaio- field. Connecticut, one-quarter of a "right" in The Susquehanna Purchase. The same day he bought of, James McGonegal of Voluntown another quarter of a "right". Shortly afterwards, when the lands of Newport were allotted to the proprietors of that Township John Jameson drew one "right" in each of the three divisions of the township.
In December, 1775, John Jameson was a private in the 24th Regiment, Connecticut Militia, and took part in the battle of "Rampart Rocks", hereinbefore described. In 1776 he was one of the Selectmen of Westmoreland. The Gen- eral Assembly of Connecticut, at its session in October, 1776 (see page 907, Vol. II), passed various laws relating to the military establishment of the State, and among other things voted that John Jameson be appointed "Ensias in one of the eight battalions to be raised" in the State. January 1, 1777, be was commissioned Ensign in the 5th Regiment. Connecticut Line (Philip B. Bradley, Colonel), which was then being organized, and was assigned to the company to. be commanded by Capt. Solomon Strong, theo a resident of Wyoming Valley. This regimeot was recruited Jargely in the counties of Fairfield and Litchfield. (See page 915, Vol. II.) ,
Ensign Jameson resigned his commission July 22, 1777, and returned to his home in Wyoming. In 1778 he was a - rrember of the 5th Company, 24th Regiment, Connecticut Militia, aod with his company took part in the battle of . July 3, 1778. His name is in the list (incomplete) of survivors of the battle inscribed on the monument efected at Wyoming to commemorate the battle and massacre. Escaping from the bloody field Johu Jameson joined his wife and infant son, his parents, and others at Shawnee Fort, and fled with them down the Susquehanna. After "helping to get his people settled in Lancaster County, be returned to Wyoming, where he arrived August 16, 1778, and joined Lient Colonel Butler's detachment of militia. In the early Summer of 1779 he paid his exiled family and relatives a visit, and upon his return to Wyoming was accompanied by his brother Joseph.
John Jameson was married in Newport Township, in what is now Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the Autumn of 1776 to Ahigail (horn August 11, 1753), third child of Capt. Prince and Mary (Fitch) Alden, mentioned on page 500. Vol. I Letters of administration upon the estate of John Jameson, deceased, were granted by the Probate Court of Westmoreland to Robert Jameson, the father, and Abigail Jamesou, the widow, of the decedent, July 27, 1782:"Capt. Prince Alden being surety on their bond for £500.
The following is a copy of the inventory of the decendent's estate (the original document being now in the present writer's possession), which was made December 31, 1782, by Capt. James Bidlack and James Nisbitt.
"To The Honhle. the Court of prohate for the Distrect of Westmoreland in the State of Connecticut, &c. We The Subscribers Being appointed and Chosen apprisers To apprise The Estate of Mr. John Jameson Late of sd
... .... ...
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the Hanover meeting-house, about three miles below the village of Wilkes-Barré, John Jameson exclaimed, "There are Indians!" Before he could turn his horse he was shot by three rifle-balls, and fell to the ground dead. Chapman was wounded, but clinging to his horse escaped to Wilkes-Barré, where he died the next day. Benjamin Jameson's horse, wheeling suddenly about, carried him back in safety to his home. The scalp of John Jameson was taken by the Indians, who hastily retreated from the valley, leaving his dead body in the road.
Thus was the last blood shed and the last scalp taken by Indians within the present limits of Luzerne County. Some years ago this tragedy was made the subject of an historical painting entitled "The Last Scalp", which now hangs in the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society's building. In 1879 the Hon. Stewart Pearce, a grandson of John Jameson, erected alongside the main high-
Westmoreland Decd and being Engaged as the law Directs have apprised said Estate as Shewen to us in the follow- ing manner vis .:
"To two cows.
To Blue Coat and jacket 40s., old Coat & jacket 8s ...
2
9
- 0
To one Lining (linen] Coat & jacket 12s., one Corded jacket and hritches 10s.
2
0
To one Holland shirt 18s., one pair leather Britches 24s.
1
2
0
To old Stockings 4s., 334 yds. all wool Cloath 12s. pr yd.
2
4
To one pair Shoebuckles and one pair Knee ditto . .
0
5
0
To one Silver stock buckel.
0
6
8
To old Turning Tools 6s., to one vise 24s.
1
10
0
To one pair Boots 18s., To one Calf 18s.
1
16
To Earthen Ware 5s., one old side sadle 25s.
0
1.5
0
To sole lether 10s., To 3 water pails 5s ..
0
15
0
To Your old Casks 7s. 6d., one Ditto 3s.
0
10
6
To 3 old Tarces [tierces] 9s., To one Bed and Beding 70 s
3
19
0
To Stocking yarn 2s., To one book of Law 15s. .
0
1%
0
One Count book Is., one Bell 3s ...
0
4
0
To The Brown mare. .
12
0
0
To the Black mare.
13
0
0
To Live Swine ..
7
4
0
To Labour on Nashes House.
1
10
0
Land in Hanover
250
0
()
100
0 - 0
[Signed}
"JAMES BIDLACK "JAMES NISBITT"
Mrs. Abigail (Alden) Jameson continued, after the death of her husband, to reside in Hanover, and, although a widow and the mother of three very young children, was made the victim of many persecutions and hardships by the Pennamites during the years 1783 and '84
In 1787 Mrs. Abigail Jameson was married (second) to Shubal Bidlack, as mentioned on page 1000, Vol. II. She died in Hanover Township June 8, 1795.
. The children of John and Abigail (Alden) Jameson were as follows: (1) Samuel Jameson, born in Hanover Augu-t 29, 1777. He studied medicine, and began its practice in Hanover in 1799, He was admitted a member of Lodge No. 61, F. and A. M., Wilkes-Barre, August 11, 1800. In 1818 and '19 be was Assessor of Hanover Township, and from 1823 until his death was a Justice of the Peace. He was married September 30, 1800, to Hannah (born July 11, 1779). daughter of Jonathan and Margaret Hunlock, and their children were: Maria, Eliza and Anne Jameson, Samuel Jameson died at Hanover March 27, 1843, and his widow-died there March 6, 1851. (2) Mary Jameson, second child of John and Abigail (Alden) Jameson, was born in 1780 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, during the tem- porary residence there of ber mother, as previously related. She was married in Hanover Township, Wyoming Valley October 1, 1800, to Jonathan Hunlock, Jr. The Hunloke, or Hunlocke, family was early in New Jersey. The will of Johin Hunlocke of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was proved December 4, 1745, and the will of Thomas Hunloke was proved August 24, 1746. About the time (1757-'60) that the north-eastern section of Northampton County, Pennsylvania. along the Delaware River, began to be settled by emigrants Irom Connecticut, New York and New Jersey under the auspices of The Delaware Company, a branch of the Hunlock family (presumably from New Jersey) settled in the town- ship of Lower Smithfield, in that part of Northampton County which is now Monroe County.
' Joratban Hunlock was one of a number of the inhabitants of Lower Smithfield who addressed a petition to the Governor of Pennsylvania in September, 1763. About that time he was married to Lee, at or near what is now the borough of Stroudsburg, Monroe County, and they became the parents of a daughter. Abigail. The latter, some twenty or more years later was married to one David Wheeler, by whom she had several children.
" 'Tri 1773, some time after the death of his wife, Jonathan Hunlock removed from Northampton County and settled · on a tract of land lying on the right bank of the Susquehanna River, about three miles below Wyoming Valley, and near the mouth of a good-sized creek flowing from the northwest. The Indian name of this stream was "Mossacota" (see .F C. Johnson's "Historical Record", 1: 73), but after Jonathan Huplock had settled there it became known as ""Hunfock's Creek"-which name it still bears. Mr. Hunlock was well settled there by December, 1775, when the Plunket invasion took place, and he was plundered of most of his movable property by' the invaders. He was married (2d) about 1775 or '76 to Margaret -
He died in the Spring or Summer of 1779, and letters of administration upon hic estate were granted October 23, 1779, by the Probate Court of Westmoreland to his widow Margaret-John TillBury being her surety on a bond for £500. The children of Jonathan and Margaret Hunlock were: (i) Jonathan born June 23, 1777, who became the husband of Mary Jameson, as previously noted, and died in October, 1861. (ii) Hannah; born July 11, 1779, and became the wife of Dr. Samuel Jameson, as previously noted.
(3) Hannah Jameson, the third child of John and Abigail (Alden) Jameson, was born in Plymouth Towoship, Wyoming Valley, September 17. 1782, a little more than two months subsequent to the murder of her father by the Indians, She was married June 20, 1799, to James (horn in 1768), eldest child of Capt. Lazarus and Martha (Espy) Stewart mentioned on page 644, Vol. 11. James Stewart died February 15, 1808, being survived by his wife Hannah and the following-named children: Martha, Abigail Alden, Caroline, Mary, Lazarus and Francis R.
Mrs: 'Hannah (Jameson) Stewart was married (2d) at Wilkes-Barré in November, 1819, as his second wife, to the Rev. Marmaduke Pearce (born August 18, 1776), son of Cromwell and Margaret (Boggs) Pearce of Willistown, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Pearce died at Berwick, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1852, and was survived by bis wife (who died at Wilkes-Barre, October 21, 1859) and the following-named children: Stewart, Cromwell and John Jameson.
For further mention of the Pearce family see a subsequent chapter; and for fuller details concerning the Jameson and allied families see "The Harvey Book", published at Wilkes-Barre in 1899.
1 10
0
To one old man's Ditto 6s., To curried Lether 94
1.5
0
0
To one yoke of oxen.
Ditto Newport
8 - 00
-0
-
THE LAST SCALP
1291
way, near the old Hanover Church, a marble pillar bearing this inscription: "Near this Spot, 8 July, 1782, Lieut. John Jameson, Benjamin Jameson and Asa Chapman, going to Wilkes-Barré, were attacked by a band of Six Nation Indians lying in ambush. Lieut. Jameson was killed and scalped. Chapman was mor- tally wounded, and Benjamin escaped. They were the last men killed by Indians in Wyoming Valley." Within recent years the fence bounding Hanover Green Cemetery on the side next the highway has been moved outward, so as to include within the bounds of the cemetery the above mentioned memorial pillar .*
At a Westmoreland town-meeting "legally warned and held" at Wilkes- Barré, September 10, 1782, the following business was transacted:
"Voted, That Maj. Prince Alden be Moderator of this meeting.
"Voted, That Col. Nathan Denison be desired to send scouts up the river, as often and as far as he shall think it necessary to discover the enemy; they receiving his instructions from time to time, and to make immediate returns to him as soon as they shall return back, and to be subject to be examined under oath touching their faithfulness. They to be found bread and ammunition, and to be paid six shillings per day while in actual service, by this town. The Selectmen to draw an order on the Town Treasurer for such sums, to be paid in produce at the market price, as shall by them be found due; who is likewise hereby directed to pay such orders as soon as he shall be enabled to do it. Said scouts shall be continued from this time to the 1st day of December next; and those two scouts that have been sent by Colonel Denison, to be paid as above-provided they give a satisfactory account with regard to their faithfulness."
Miner records ("History of Wyoming," page 305) that, two days after the above-mentioned meeting was held, "Daniel McDowel was taken prisoner at Shawnee [Plymouth] and carried to Niagara. He was a son of the benevolent Scotch gentlemant at Stroudsburg, who, as we have previously seen, befriended with such disinterested and untiring perseverance the Yankee settlers in their first efforts to establish themselves at Wyoming. He was the father of the wife of Gen. Samuel Mckean of Bradford County, [Pennsylvania] recently United States Senator."
Let us now take a hurried look at the general situation of affairs in this country, in the Autumn of 1782.
"The repeated defeats of the British in America had caused amazement and consternation in England." The first successes of the War for Independence had elated the British Ministry, and it was believed in the mother country that the war would be of short duration. But Cornwallis' surrender had convinced the Ministry "that the United States could not be subdued by force, and that the Americans were bound to secure independence no matter how long it required." Nevertheless, not long after the surrender of Cornwallis, Sir Henry Clinton, who was in command of all the British forces in the United States-assured the Government that "with a reinforcement of only 10,000 men he would be respon- sible for the conquest of America."
Parliament convened November 27, 1781, and in his speech from the throne the King urged that the war be prosecuted with renewed vigor. However, on February 27, 1782, General Conway moved in the House of Commons "that it is the opinion of this House that a further prosecution of offensive war against America would, under present circumstances, be the means of weakening the efforts of this country against her European enemies, and tend to increase the mutual enmity so fatal to the interests both of Great Britain and America."
*The pillar set up by Mr. Pearce to mark the spot where William Jameson was mortally wounded-as noted on. page 1100, Vol. 11-is still standing. In recent years a blacksmith shop has been erected in close proximity to the pillar and the latter has heen so hacked and mutilated by vandals that the inscription upon it is almost illegible. The in- scription was originally as follows: "Near this spot, October 14, 1778, William Jameson, who had been wounded io the battle of Wyoming, was mortally wounded and scalped by a band of Six Nation Indians, lying in ambush. He was going from Wilkes-Barre on horseback to his home near Nanticoke. His remaios are buried in Hanover Cemetery." ¡See page 730, Vol. II.
1292
At this time both France and Holland had recognized the independence of the United States.
Conway's resolution was carried, and an address to the King, in the words of the resolution, was immediately voted, and was presented by the whole House. The answer of the Crown being deemed inexplicit it was, on March 4, 1782, resolved by the Commons "that the House will consider as enemies to His Majesty and the country all those who should advise or attempt a further prosecution of offensive war on the continent of North America.
The foregoing votes were very soon followed by a change of the Ministry, as narrated on page 610, Vol. I, and by instructions to the commanding officers of His Brittanic Majesty's forces in America which conformed to the resolutions of the House of Commons. A few weeks later Sir Guy Carleton was appointed to succeed Sir Henry Clinton as commander-in-chief in America, as narrated on page 927, Vol. II.
In October, 1782, Washington wrote: "The long sufferance of the army is almost exhausted. It is high time for peace." In fact, the army demanded with importunity their arrears of pay; the Treasury was empty, and no adequate means of filling it presented itself; all the people panted for peace. At this time (the Autumn of 1782) the whole force of the British Crown in America was con- centrated at New York and in Canada.
Meanwhile the Continental Congress had made preparations for peace. First, John Adams was appointed Cominissioner on the part of the United States, and later Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens and Thomas Jefferson were appointed additional Commissioners; but upon the shoulders of Franklin and Jay rested the chief responsibility of negotiating a peace treaty. The Ameri- can and British negotiators met at Paris, and after much correspondence, long-, continued discussion and wise compromise, preliminary, or provisional, articles were agreed to and signed by the Commissioners, at Paris, November 30, 1782. Intrigue was used by British agents to prevail on the American Commissioners to accept a twenty years' truce instead of an open acknowledgment of indepen- dence, but their efforts were of no avail. The treaty, however, was not to take effect, otherwise than by the cessation of hostilities, until terms of peace should be agreed upon between England and France. This occurred in the following January .*
With the cessation of hostilities between Great Britain and the United States, following the surrender of Cornwallis, and with the disappearance of danger from Indians on the frontier, Connecticut and some other New England States began to send forward to Wyoming considerable numbers of emigrants -. men of character and experience and some of means. Unfortunately for Wyom- ing, however, its troubles did not all come to an end with the cessation of British- American hostilities.
*See W. E. H. Lecky's "History of England in the Eighteenth Century", Chapter 15; Wiley and Rines' "The United States" Vol. III, Chapter 33; Marshall's "Life of Washington", Vol. IV, Chapter 11.
CHAPTER XXI
PENNSYLVANIA PETITIONS CONGRESS FOR A HEARING OF CLAIMS LONG IN DISPUTE-CONNECTICUT CONCURS-A DISTINGUISHED COURT OF COM- MISSIONERS APPOINTED-SIDELIGHTS ON SESSIONS OF THE COURT -A SUMMARY OF THE CONFLICTING CLAIMS-THE DECREE OF TRENTON-DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DECREE IN WYOMING-PRIVATE RIGHT OF SOIL NOT AD- JUDICATED AND INDIVIDUAL DISPUTES NOT SETTLED BY THIS DECREE.
"You little know what a ticklish thing it is to go to law."-Plautus.
"The strictest law sometimes becomes the severest injustice."-Terence.
"He that will have a cake out of the wheat, must needs tarry the grinding." -Troilus and Cressida Act 1, Scene 1.
During the progress of the Revolutionary War, from the beginning of the year 1776 until the close of 1781, both parties to the Pennamite-Yankee contro- versy had refrained as well from a discussion of their difficulties as from inimical activities ; but promptly on the appearance of the Angel of Peace above the horizon, the Yankees in Wyoming began to experience gloom and darkness instead of clearing skies, and disquietude instead of tranquility.
Fifteen days after the surrender of Cornwallis, to wit, on November 3, 1781, a petition was presented to Congress "from the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, stating a matter in dispute between the said State and the State of Connecticut, respecting sundry lands lying on the East Branch of the Susquehanna, and praying a hearing in the premises, agreeable to the IXth Article of the Confederation." The State of Connecticut, through its Representatives in Congress, concurred in the application, but subsequently asked for delay "because that sundry papers of importance in the case are in the hands of counsel in England, and cannot be procured during the war."
During the ensuing Winter and Spring both parties made preparations for the proposed hearing, and at a meeting of the Representatives in Congress from Pennsylvania and Connecticut, held April 20, 1782, at the house of Attorney General Bradford in Philadelphia, a list was prepared containing the names of sixty-three gentlemen, drawn from the thirteen States of the Union, from whom, after due consideration, Judges to try the cause were selected.
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