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 23
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¡See "Pennsylvania Archives", Second Series, XVIII: 104.
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The information brought to Wyoming by Mr. Harvey greatly encouraged the Connecticut settlers here in the belief that ere long something would be accomplished in their behalf by the State of Connecticut and by The Susque- hanna Company.
In order that the reader may have a clearer and more complete understand- ing with respect to some of the conditions which existed at and near Wilkes- Barré in 1783, we will at this point introduce some interesting extracts from the journal of Dr. Johann David Schöpf, a German traveler who spent a few days in Wyoming, in August, 1783.
Dr. Schöpf* came to America in the Summer of 1777, as Surgeon-in-chief of the Ansbach troops, who, with the troops from Brunswick, Hesse-Cassel, and other petty German States and Principalities, composed the mercenaries -commonly spoken of as "Hessians"-in the employ of the British Govern- ment in its warfare against the American States. The Doctor was with the Ansbach troops at Yorktown, in October, 1781, and was among those who capitu- lated to the Americans at that time. He was released on parole, and subse- quently set out on a tour of observation of certain parts of the country. On his journey to Wilkes-Barré he was accompanied by an Englishman, a Mr. Hairs. They traveled on horseback. Here follow the extracts from the Doctor's journal -which is referred to more fully in the note below.
"Left Philadelphia August 6, 1783, intending to visit Bethlehem and thence proceed to the mountains. From Bethlehem we went to Heller'st, a lonesome tavern at the foot of the Blue, or Kittatinny, Mountains. Already a good many settlers, especially Germans, have come to live here, in a narrow but pleasant valley. *
* * It was Sunday, and we found assembled at the tavern (according to the traditional German custom) a numerous company of German farmers of the neighborhood, who were making good cheer with their cider and cider-oil. Cider-oil is a pretty strong drink. It consists of the combustible spirits of cider mixed again, in various proportions, with cider of the best grade. * * * Beyond Heller's a mile to the north, is a natural mountain- pass, from three-quarters of a mile to a mile wide-the so-called Wind Gap. * *
* Through the Wind Gap to Eckardt's house, some three or four miles from Heller's. Then to Brinker's Mill, three and a-half miles from Eckardt's. *
* Three more miles to Dieter's, who settled here in 1773. He was at that time quite alone, and had around him many Indians, who at first caused him great uneasiness. *
"We staid this night at Sebitz'st, whose house is the last, absolutely, on the road to Wyoming, a distance reconed at 37 12 miles from here. Sebitz, therefore, regards the 'Great Swamp' as his best friend, because all travelers, coming or going, are compelled to stop with him. The enter- tainment in taverns of this stamp, in lonesome and remote spots throughout America, consists generally of bacon, ham and eggs, fresh or dried venison, coffee, tea, butter, milk, cheese, rum, corn whisky or brandy, and cider-and everything clean. Sebitz, a German Anabaptist, settled here some nine years ago, and two or three neighbors about the same time. For fear of the Indians all his neighbors left him during the war. He alone had the courage to stay, notwithstanding a whole family was murdered a mile from the house. Often he was surrounded by Indians, who simply lurked around waiting for somebody to open the door of the house and come outside (for it is not their way to enter a house forcibly), and they shot down his horses and cattle. To be sure he had with him a militia guard, because this place was looked upon as an outpost; but they lived all together behind closed and barricaded doors, in continued fear of death. * * *
"We met a troop of carpenters here who were likewise on the way to Wyoming, to rebuild a mill that had been burned down by the Indians. We were very glad of their company, because we had 37 12 miles to go, through a wilderness, the road bad and several streams to cross, and must ride that distance if we were to avoid spending the night in the woods. We got early upon the road (on August 12), but did not reach our destination until after sunset.
"That part of the mountains beyond the Kittatinny and between the Delaware River and the North, or East, Branch of the Susquehanna, is noted on several maps as 'St. Anthony's Wilder- ness.'§ The region is better known by the name of the Great Swamp, which designation applies
*JOHANN DAVIO SCHOPF was born March 8, 1752, in the principality of Bayreuth. He pursued a course in medicine and natural sciences at the University of Erlangen, Bavaria-receiving his degree in 1776. He returned to Europe from America in 1784, and later became President of the United Medical Colleges of Ansbach and Bayreuth. This office he held until his death, which occurred September 10, 1800. The journal of his travels in this country -which he had kept with great care-was published at Erlangen in 1788, under the title: "Reise Durch Einige der
Mittlern und Sudlichen Vereinigten Nord Amerikanischen Staaten, * * * in den Jahren 1783 und 1784." This was edited and translated into English, a few years ago by A. J. Morrison, and was published at Philadelphia in 1911, by William Campbell. tSee page 1172. Vol. II.
İThis was undoubtedly the locality generally known as "Learn's", and fully described on pages 1167 and 1172, Vol. II. Captain Shrawder (see note page 1322) refer's to this place in 1782 as "Zawitz' " In October, 1787, Col. Timothy Pickering writing to his wife from there refers to it as "Zawits (that is, Savage's)."
§See maps on pages 188 and 191, Vol. I.
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in strictness only to a part. The entrance to this unpeopled waste is, at one point, through a gap in the Pocono Mountain, pretty high but not steep. Then Pocono Creek is passed, and the road lies up that stream six miles to White Oak Run-a frightful and narrow path over stumps and stones. Then follow uplands, with a few smaller hills. The whole way the road is grown up on both sides in bushes, notwithstanding that fire has often passed over and left standing great numbers of fine tree-trunks, half burnt. These fires in the woods spread at times accidentally from the camp-fires of travelers; and again the woods are purposely burned by hunters who post themselves behind the wind and wait for the game frightened out by the fire and smoke.
"Further on we got into the veritable Great Swamp, so called, which extends only fifteen miles across, but no one knows how far it lies to the north and to the south. Really, the whole of this region is not what is commonly called swamp, several mountains and valleys being includeel under the name. The road* cut through is nowhere more than six feet wide, and is full of every- thing which can make trouble for the traveler. On both sides the forest is so thick that the trees almost touch, and by their height and their matted branches making a deep shade which is cold and fearful even at noon of the clearest day. All beneath is grown up in green and impenetrable bush. Everywhere lie fallen trees, or those half-fallen-despite their weight, not reaching the ground. Thousands of rotten and rotting trunks cover the ground and make every step un- certain, while between lies a fat bed of the richest mould, that sucks up, like a sponge, all the moisture, and so becomes swampy almost everywhere.
"One can with difficulty, penetrate this growth, even a little way, and not be in danger of coming too near this or that sort of snake, lying hidden from the sharpest eye in the waste of
* stones, leaves and roots. *
* A particularly deep and narrow valley in this great swamp
is the 'Shades of Death.' Its steep mountain sides are distinguished by a great number of the . tallest and slimmest pines, with white spruce and hemlock; and these are mixed below with a profuse and beautiful growth of rhododendrons and kalmias.t * * Our fellow-travelers were of the opinion that all these hills and valleys would never be used for anything, because they thought cultivation would be impossible or certainly too troublesome. * * *
"The numerous streams which traverse the region, and in the Spring and Fall become greatly swollen, will later offer a profitable trade in timber and masts, for these trees would make ship and other timber. But the people here, already are all the time dreaming of mines and sudden wealth; and many of our German countrymen still help to keep strange hopes alive. The farmers about Heller's mostly Germans have brought with them their stories of kobolds and mountain- sprites; they still hear the hill homunculus working and knocking, see the tell-tale flames but, unluckily, can never find the spot.
"Without wasting time on the road now near being swamped and again almost breaking our necks we hastened forward as fast as our horses could go and all the more because we were threatened by storm clouds. We stayed half an hour at Locust Hill and in the evening half an hour at Bullock's place-our friends sharing with us their store of provisions, without which we and our horses should have had a hungry day's journey, for besides grass and water there was nothing to eat. We were pretty thoroughly wetted in the swamp, and coming over the last hill were obliged to stop in black darkness on account of a thunder-storm-reaching Wyoming [Wilkes- Barré] after eight o'clock, tired, wet and hungry.
"Wyoming- the settlement of this name, the chief place of which is really Wilksbury- lies in an extraordinarly fertile valley west of the Blue Mountains and on the Eastern Branch of the Susquehanna. Some twenty years ago a few New Englanders came hither, followed shortly after by people from anywhere, so that in a brief space ninety families had come in who would or could not live elsewhere. Fear of the law drove some of them, and the goodness of the land tempted others, to settle in this remote wilderness, cut off from the inhabited parts by rugged and pathless mountains; but their numbers rapidly increasing, the country was soon changed to a region of beautiful open fields. * * *
"Thus it has happened that the first settlements at Wyoming were made by New Englanders; and these have kept their hold there in matters of government. Pennsylvania on the other hand shows by its grant that the Wyoming region with other districts in dispute lies in the midst of Pennsylvania's original territory as fixed by England. These claims and assertions on the one side and the other have been the cause of many difficulties. Pennsylvania as well as Connecticut sold and made over lands there, so that of the landowners of Wyoming, one held his land under the one State and another under the other.
"With such dispositions animosities were inevitable, and thus, even before the outbreak of the Revolution there was a continual private war between the Pennsylvania and New England parties in Wyoming. People fought over the right to the land. If a Pennsylvanian came with a deed to so much land, he must first see if it was already taken up by a New Englander. If so, he must attempt to gain possession by force; failing, he reserved his right for the time, and chose an unsettled place in the neighborhood, from which after a few years, and improvement begun, he might very probably be dispossessed by another New Englander coming with a Connecticut deed. The New Englanders were always the stronger party.
"In the early seventies bloody fights took place between the colonists, when several lives were lost. Since the Peace these dissensions have been again renewed, and both States recently laid their claims before the Congress. A committee decided for Pennsylvania. The New England party is altogether dissatisfied with this judgment, because in this case they must lose their gains -- * * Pennsylvania having long since granted to its own subjects much of the land in dispute.
*This was what was known as the "Sullivan Road " See page 1176, Vol. II.
1Kalmia Latifolia, or mountain laurel- peculiarly a Pennsylvania shrub. Its common name is spoonwood, which . no doubt, was given to it because the Indians made it into spoons. The grain of the wood is fine, and will take a very high polish.
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The orders of Congress are not regarded here if not pleasing or if unsupported by force. So far the outbreak of further hostilities has been controlled by the little garrison which the State of Pennsylvania maintains here against the Indians, until a treaty with these nations is drawn up. "Wyoming, according to the New England claim, lies in Westmoreland County; but in Pennsylvania it forms part of Northumberland County. The colony consists of Wilksbury [Wilkes-Barre], the chief place, and a few smaller villages, as Nanticoke, Hanover, Abraham's [Plains], Jacob's Plains and Shawanese, in all of which there are probably 400 families. Wilkes- bury had a court-house* once, where the laws were administered after the manner of Connecticut, whence the Justices were sent. But during the disturbances of the war they lived some years in complete anarchy, without law, magistrates, taxes or priests. 'We act on our sense of honor, and depend pretty much on that', said the miller of the place; 'nothing can be gained by law and nobody punished. Our only rule is, trust or distrust!'
"Since a garrison was placed here, however, the commanding officer has at the same time acted as a Justice, without any recourse to military law. The inhabitants hear his opinion and adjust their dealings thereby, if that seems good to them. But the people of Wyoming, with all their freedom, and living on the most productive lands; are pauper-poor. The war was something of a set-back, but their sloth is still more so. They live in miserable block-houses, are badly clothed, farm carelessly, and love easeful days. Last Winter [1782-'83] most of them sent all their corn and wheat over the mountains, turned it into cider and brandy (for they have not yet planted orchards themselves), so as to drink and dance away the tedium; and so, in the Spring, they had neither seedcorn nor bread, living meanwhile on milk and blackberries, or by hunting-and many of them on less-in expectation of the harvest, which has turned out well; and now they are preparing for fresh quickenings. With all their negligence they had before the war a fine store of cattle, hogs, hemp, flax, etc., the superfluity of which being sold brought them what they need ed. Of their mills, one was burnt hy the Indians, and there was no water for the other. They must, therefore, send their corn fifty miles over the mountains; or, whoever could not do this, was obliged to pound it in wooden troughs, after the fashion of the Indians.
"Of what religious faith they are, no man knows. An old Anabaptistt lives among them, and preaches to whomsoever has a mind to hear. We came a day too late to see the solemn baptism of a young girl twenty years old, who was baptised in the Susquehanna. * * *
"At one place in this region, near the river, there comes to the surface a vein of ore thick as a man's leg, blackish and micaceous, which from its look might be lead-ore. For a long time this was thought to be silver, until experiments were made at Philadelphia, showing that there was no ground for the belief, but not determining what the ore was. Beyond the river there are said to be ores at one or two places, which have been found on experiment really to contain silver. These localities, I am told, were once pointed out to certain persons by the Indians and are at present known to a few, who speak of them mysteriously. It appears, also, that a long time ago Europeans may have worked there; at least the first New Englanders who came hither said that they found remains there of horse-trapings and smelting tools. * * *
"Several miles down the river I had myself taken to a place where an outcrop of saltpetre is scraped from the cliffs, which, with the addition of lye, is made into good saltpetre. At the beginning of the war many hundred-weight of saltpetre was prepared here and farther up the river. *
* * Taking a turn to Nanticoke we passed by the ruins of a primitive iron-foundry. Much bog-ore is found thereabouts, which is probably what was used; besides, there is iron-stone in the neighboring mountain. The reopening of this works will mean a considerable gain to the region, since the distance and the bad roads over which the iron needed here must be fetched, vastly heightens the cost to the farmer. * * *
"After a stay of five days, delayed by the weather, we left this country Monday, August IS, 1783, in the afternoon, and made seven miles to Long Meadows [Bullock's place], where we spent the night in a half-ruined cabin and on the bare earth. We found a small boy there, whose parents were intending to settle there, but they had been several days absent looking for provisions, and had quite carelessly left the youngster by himself in the woods. He was extremely happy when we gave him some bread and meat. Very early we left our dreary quarters, hut were several hours delayed when we came to Bear Creek. Since our passing that way a family had appeared. and within the few days had made their block-house nearly ready. * Farther on, in that *
half of the road lying through this wilderness. we happened on still a third family, who likewise had just come to settle there. These people expected to make a temporary support by selling brandy to travelers, until they had gradually brought enough land under cultivation to supply their needs. *
* All these poor families chose this region because there they can at no outlay have the use of land taken up by nobody else.
"Going back we followed the road we had come, as the only passable one through this com- fortless region, and about sunset reached White Oak Run. The last eight miles we had to go a-foot, for there was now thick darkness among the high, close-standing trees, obscuring the friendly light of the moon, which shone clear, but not for us. It would have been neck-breaking work to keep on horseback. At nine o'clock we arrived at Sebitz's house, tired and wet. *
* From Sebitz's to Ileller's the road is for the most part down grade, through a multitude of sand- stones. The Pocono Creek is again crossed several times. It winds through very pleasing low grounds. Near Brinker's Mill there is a rarity-a beautiful prospect of the Delaware Water Gap to the left, and in front (over a lower ridge of hills), the range of the Blue, or Kittatinny, Mountains, running straight away. Quite at the top of a hill, between Brinker's and Eckhardt's we came upon a little lake, in which there should be fish. There is also such a clear little separate lake to be found on a higher hill near Sebitz's, and another on Locust Hill."
*Reference is here made to Fort Wilkes-Barré, mentioned on page 887, Vol. II.
tUndoubtedly the Rev. James Finn, who at that time resided in the upper end of Pittston Township.
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The severity of Dr. Schöpf's comments upon the habits of life and the characteristics of the New Englanders in Wyoming was undoubtedly prompted by groundless and unjust tales told to him by the Pennamites and their adherents, who, at the time of his visit to Wilkes-Barré, were very much in evidence in the settlement, and were probably met by him at every turn.
The following extracts from a letter* written by Capt. Philip Shrawder (previously mentioned) to the Hon. Stephen Balliet give a brief account of some of the conditions existing at Wilkes-Barré in the Summer of 1783.
"Mr. Weitzel'st Issuing Commissary left Wyoming the 29th or 30th of June [1783]. He had nothing but a little flour on hand then. He therefore spoke before his departure to one Abel Yarington, an inhabitant of Wyoming, to procure provisions until Mr. Weitzel would send him up again with a fresh supply, which would be very shortly. Yarington tried to purchase [provisions], but got none for want of money. In this dilemma he came to me.
"The President's orders of March, 1783,# commanded me to maintain the Wyoming post, and when I came to Philadelphia in May following I represented to Council that the soldiers were unruly and claimed their discharges, as they heard and saw those of the Continental Army return home. General Irvine and some other members [of the Council] desired me then to try to keep the men together. I therefore looked upon myself as in duty bound to exert myself in procuring provisions, and purchased them on my own account; but as my troublesome and precarious situation would not permit me to leave my post to purchase to the best advantage, I had to pay a high price for them. I had to get superfine flour, for want of other, in Northampton County, and paid £20 for the transportation of two loads.
"In August [1783] I went to Sunbury to urge Mr. [John] Weitzel to forward provisions with the greatest expedition to Wyoming, and showed him my account of purchases. He then informed me that there was at that time a boat on the way up with some flour for the Garrison, but as my purchases came high he said he would have nothing to do with the contractorship. So circumstanced I felt much perplexed, and knew not what to do; but meeting Frederick Antes, Esq., of Northumberland, he kindly advanced me a sum of money, and on my return to Wyoming I despatched Lieutenant Erb to Philadelphia, acquainting His Excellency, the President, with my situation. I then received £300 from the Council."
At an adjourned meeting of the Pennsylvania Assembly held at Philadelphia, August 19, 1783, the Commissioners, who had investigated affairs at Wyoming in the preceding April, made their report, which read in part as follows§:
"You will observe [in the accompanying papers submitted] the peaceable disposition of the settlers at Wyoming, and their readiness to submit to the Jurisdiction of this State, except only in the instance of their possessions, which they refuse to deliver up, notwithstanding. the generous offer of the citizens of this State.
"Convinced of the policy and propriety of taking the most immediate measures of intro- ducing civil government into that part of the country, we have agreed upon a plan relative thereto which we herewith submit for your concurrence and approbation; lists of the early settlers and greatest sufferers at that place we also lay before you, as also a state of their civil policy under the Government of Connecticut. A few negro and mulatto slaves" we find are in their possession.
"We offer the following resolutions: (1) That the law passed at the last session of this House, prohibiting ejectments being brought against the people from Connecticut settled at Wyoming, be repealed. (2) That all that part of the State generally known by the name of Wyoming be divided into two townships [here follows a description of their metes and bounds, as printed on page 1336], and that the Supreme Executive Council be requested to com- mission immediately four of the persons elected by the frecholders of said Districts on April 23 last to serve as magistrates-two in each District, or Township. (3) That these two Townships form one District for the purpose of voting for Assemblymon, Sheriffs, etc., and that the place of holding such elections be at the town of Pennsbury. (4) That in consideration of the great sufferings of the settlers from Connecticut at Wyoming and the noble defence they have made against the Common Enemy, a Reasonable compensation in land within the Boundary of this State and upon Easy Terms shall be made to the Families of those who have fallen fighting in Defence of the Country; and to such others as actually have a Title from the Government of Connecticut to lands at or near Wyoming, and did actually reside on the ground when the Decree was given in favour of the State of Pennsylvania by the Continental Court at Trenton-Provided they immediately Relinquish all claim to the soil where they now inhabit, and enter into contracts *See "Pennsylvania Archives", Second Series, XVIII: 655.
+JOHN WEITZEL, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania. In 1783 he was "Contractor of provisions in Northumberland County", for the State Government.
#See page 1317. §See "Pennsylvania Archives," Old Series, XII: 73.
|Slavery had been abolished by law in Pennsylvania in the year 1780.
" Without much doubt Pennsborough is here referred to. It was, in 1783, a small settlement on the West Branch of the Susquehanna in Northumberland County, about fourteen miles below the present city of Williamsport, twenty- four miles north of Sunbury, and fifty-one miles due west from Wilkes-Barre; although, by way of the river, it was distant about ninety miles from Wilkes-Barre. Ft. Muncy stood between Penusborough and the mouth of Muncy Creek, and in 1783 there was a considerable population in that section of Northumberland County. Upon the erection of Lycoming County in 1795 Penasborough was included within its bounds, and in 1827 the village was incorporated as the borough of Muncy.
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