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 26
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Of the two military companies which were to be stationed at Wilkes-Barré by direction of the State Government, Captain Chrystie enlisted his men at and near Philadelphia, while Captain Shrawder enlisted his from the "Rangers" of his former command and that of Captain Robinson, who were discharged from the service of the State upon the arrival of Major Moore. at Wilkes-Barré early in November, 1783. Captain Chrystie, in command of his company, set out from Philadelphia for Wyoming, October 19, 1783. On October 22d, Easton was reached, when and where Captain Chrystie wrote to President Dickinson as follows :
"I have arrived here this morning at 9 o'Clock, the Detachment in good order, only two of the soldiers which I shall take the liberty to discharge as unfit for service. The one has fits & the other is in such a situation from his own faults that he will be on the Doctor's list during the term of his inlistment.
"Your Excellency will see the reason for the waggons being allowed for six days. The two first days owing to the badness of the weather we got no further than Flower Town about twelve miles from Phila. & he is allowed two days to return. I expect to have everything ready to march this evening & will set out to morrow morning."
Captain Chrystie and his men arrived at Wilkes-Barré (or "Londonderry", as they called it, in view of the rebaptism of the town by Alexander Patterson) on Wednesday, October 29, 1783. Owing to the lack of proper quarters at Fort Dickinson, Chrystie's men were, according to Colonel Franklin§, "turned in upon the inhabitants, ten soldiers with a family, in some small houses. Some families were dispossessed for the reception of the troops, there being at the same time convenient public buildings, which had been built [for barracks, etc.] in the time of the war, sufficient to have accommodated the whole of them without molesting a single family. Alexander Patterson was particularly active in this business of oppressing the inhabitants to accommodate the troops."
Miner says ("History of Wyoming," page 332) that Col. Zebulon Butler- who lived within a few hundred feet of the fort-"was particularly distinguished (?) by having twenty [soldiers] billeted upon him. The houses being small, hastily erected after the conflagration of the savages, the people poor, and the soldiers insolent, their sufferings were exceedingly severe too great for human nature patiently to endure. But, seeing it was the purpose to drive them to some act of desperation, the injuries and insults were borne with forbearance and fortitude." Sheldon Reynolds, Esq., in "The Frontier Forts of Pennsyl- vania," I: 465, says: "The soldiery, having no enemy to engage, either Indian, Tory or British, became rude, licentious and insolent, and were used almost exclusively for the oppression of the Connecticut settlers, in the hope of driving them to acts of violence which could be construed into resistance to the State Government."
Miner making further reference to occurrences which took place in Wyom- ing almost immediately upon the arrival of Captain Chrystie's soldiers, says
*Col. John Henry Antes, mentioned on page 1348.
+A resident of Northampton County, at or near Easton. His name is mentioned on pages 626, 653, 699, 633. 814, of volume II.
#See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, X: 135.
§"Plain Truth" article in The Luserne Federalist, October 21, 1804.
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("History of Wyoming," page 332): "His strength being now equal to any probable emergency, Justice Patterson proceeded to adopt measures of greater energy. October 31st, [1783], the settlement of Shawnee* was invaded by the military, headed by the Justice in person, and eleven respectable citizens were arrested and sent under guard to the fort. Among the prisoners was Maj. Prince Alden,t sixty-five years old, feeble from age and suffering from disease. Com- passion yielded nothing to alleviate his sufferings.
"Capt. James Bidlackt was also arrested. He was between sixty and seventy. His son of the same name had fallen at the head of his company in the Indian battle; another son, Benjamin, liad served in the army through the Revolu- tionary War. Mr. Bidlack himself had been taken by the savages, and suffered a tedious captivity in Canada. All this availed him nothing. Benjamin Harvey§, who had been a prisoner to the Indians, was also arrested. Samuel Ransom||, son of Captain Ransom, who fell in the massacre, was most rudely treated on being taken. 'Ah! ha!' cried Patterson, 'you are the jockey we want; away with him to the guard-house with old Harvey, another damned rascal!'
"Eleven in all were taken, and driven to the fort, where they were confined in a room with a mud floor, wet and comfortless, with no food and little fire. As they were sitting. around the fire Captain Chrystie came in, ordered them to lie down on the ground, and bade the guard blow out the brains of any one who should attempt to rise. Even the staff of the aged Mr. Allen was taken from him. On demanding what was their offense, and if it was intended to starve them, Patterson tauntingly replied: 'Perhaps in two or three months we shall be at leisure, and you may be set at liberty.'
"At the intercession of D. Mead, Esq., three of the elder prisoners the next day were liberated; the remaining eight being kept in their loathsome prison- some a week, others ten days-and then dismissed without arraignment or trial. But the object had been accomplished; their several families had been turned out of their houses, and creatures of Patterson put in possession.
"It is scarcely possible to conceive the insolence of manner assumed by Justice Patterson. Meeting by accident with Capt. Caleb Bates", and learning his name, he demanded: 'Why have you not been to see me, Sir.' Captain Bates answered that he did not know him. 'Well, I will recommend myself to you, Sir-I am Esquire Patterson of Pennsylvania', and almost instantly ordered a Sergeant to take him [Bates] to the guard-house."
Col. John Franklin, who was in Wyoming Valley in 1783, and was thoroughly familiar with all the occurrences which took place here then, dealt with them at considerable length in his "Plain Truth" articles published in The Luzerne Fed- eralist at Wilkes-Barré, in October and November, 1804. The following para- graphs have been taken from those articles.
"Robert McDowel ** , being sworn, deposedff that in October last [1783] he was standing at the Wilkes-Barre Garrison; was taken by Elisha Courtright and taken before Esquire Seely. When deponent came there he was told that a complaint had been made against him by Ezekiel Schoonover and Lieut. [Moses] Van Campen that deponent had said that the authorities here had no authority to act. The constable took deponent to the fort by Seely's orders. Captain Shrawder told deponent that for his conduct the corporal should take care of him until he could
*Plymouth. 1See page 500, Vol. I. #See page 999, Vol. 11. §See (§) note page 1260. |See page 895, Vol. 11 " CALEB BATES, of Connecticut, was one of the grantees named in the Indian deed of 1754 (see page 271. Vol. I) to The Susquehanna Company. In August, 1757, he was living at Coventry, Kent County, Rhode Island. He came to Wyoming first in August, 1771, and in 1783 was living at Lackawanna, in Pittston Township, some ten miles from Wilkes-Barré.
** See note, page 730, Vol. 11.
ttBefore a Committee of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania at Wilkes-Barre in December, 1783, as more fully related on page 1358.
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be sent to Sunbury. Deponent was sent by a corporal to Sunbury, to be committed by a mittimus from Seely. He [McDowel] got bail at Sunbury and returned home.
"After being at home a day or two Constable Courtright came to deponent and told him that Esquire Patterson wanted to see him. Deponent went to John Hollenback's [inn], went into the room where Patterson was and sat down. Patterson told deponent to stand up, which he did. Deponent was asked who was his bail at Northumberland. Patterson said, 'the authorities at Northumberland laugh at our authority here, therefore I will have you put in irons and will send you back again.' Upon which Patterson called the Sheriff a number of times, when the Under Sheriff, Simms, came. Says Patterson, ' I command you in the name of the United States to take this man and put him in irons, and take him down to Sunbury.
"The Sheriff took deponent into custody. On their way to Yarington's (at the Garrison) they met Captain Robinson, who told deponent to stay at Yarington's until next morning, and he would try to settle the matter. He advised deponent to take a lease of his house, or of a piece of land, and said that would settle the whole-the old and new affair. Deponent declined taking a lease, and then walked to Hollenback's with Captain Rohinson; stayed there some time with him and the Sheriff. After some conversation Captain Robinson and the Sheriff said to de- ponent, 'You may go home and not meddle yourself any more with the affair; you may go and stay at home in peace.' Deponent went home.
"Afterwards he was on his way from home to attend Court at Northumberland. He called at a public house in Salem; went in where there were a number of people drinking, and among them deponent saw Esquire Patterson, who, casting his eyes upon him said: 'So! So! McDowel, you are here. Will you sit in company with a tinker.' (Patterson was a tinker by occupation). Deponent said: 'A body will do anything at times.' At that Patterson said: 'You rascal, begone out of the house this minute', and at the same instant arose, and did not give deponent time to go out before he knocked off deponents hat, and then struck him twice on the side of his head, and then shoved him out of the house. Deponent went to Sunbury court, stayed there about three days, and then was discharged without any trial.
"James Logan *. the Northampton mulatto and associate of Patterson, informed deponent that he had interceded with Esquires Patterson and Seely and the States' Attorney, who had discharged the deponent.
"Maj. Prince Alden, Sr., being sworn, deposed that on the 31st day of October, 1783, he went from his own house in Shawnee to the house of Preserved Cooley in company with James Logan, having some business with him, and had invited Logan to dine with him. When they came to Cooley's house they found Esquire Patterson, Esquire Seely, Lieutenant Ball, Lieutenant Erb, Ensign Chambers, and about twenty-five soldiers. Esquire Patterson came to the door and asked the deponent if he had any business there, and deponent replied that he had business with James Logan.
"They went into the house and drank some liquor, and as deponent and Logan stepped out of the door to go to their dinner Esquire Patterson ordered a Sergeant to take deponent under guard. Deponent asked what he had been guilty of, and said that he knew of no crime. Esquire Patterson said: 'Damn him, take him along!' Deponent begged the liberty of going home to dinner, as he had invited Logan to dine with him. By the mediation of Logan deponent got permission to go, and after dinner he returned. Esquire Patterson ordered him into the guard- house [in Plymouth], where he went and continued with ahout ten of the inhabitants; was kept there about an hour, when they were ordered out of the guard-house to the guard at the fort [Dickinson], about five miles. Deponent objected, said he had been in poor health for about two months, and was not able to walk so far, and desired that he might provide a horse for himself. Esquire Patterson answered, 'Damn him, let him go along!'
"After they marched off deponent's son overtook them with a horse and greatcoat. Deponent took the other sick man behind him on the horse, and then marched on to the guard-house. There they had but little fire and no fuel. The guard helped them to some fuel. They tarried there some time. The prisoners were talking civilly among themselves, when Captain Chrystie and I,jeutenant Ball came in and told them not to say a word, and ordered them to lie down on the ground, which was a very unwholesome place. They immediately obeyed, and there they tarried until the next morning, at which time Esquire Patterson came to the guard-house. Deponent told Patterson he should be glad to know what their crimes were, and asked when they would come to their trial. Esquire Patterson answered: 'You may find that out by your learning.'
"Deponent was denied provisions and drink the night he was confined. He never suffered more in his life. The guard-house was so open that a man might have crept through between the logs. Deponent sent his son to Esquire Mead, and got permission to go to a private house, where he tarried three or four nights, and then went home without leave or license, and no crime alleged against him.
"Capt. James Bidlack, being sworn, deposed that he was taken at Shawnee hy some of the soldiers by Esquire Patterson's orders; that he was drove in haste to the Garrison with other
*Mentioned in the note on page 647, Vol. II. Colonel Franklin, in one of his "Plain Truth" articles, printed in The Lucerne Federalist. December 29. 1804, describes Logan as "a mulatto of African blood " As indicated in earlier pages he was active in behalf of the Pennamites in Wyoming affairs during the First Pennamite-Yankee War. In 1783-'84 he seems to have been acting at Wyoming as a sub-or deputy-sheriff under Pennsylvania authority. The writer of this has in his possession an original petition made to the Hon, John Penn, "Proprietary and Governor of Pennsylvania", dated at Philadelphia. November 26, 1773, and signed by James Logan, "of Lower Smithfield Town- ship, Northampton County, Pennsylvania." It reads in part as follows:
Your petitioner, since the year 1769 till in the Summer of 1772. has been employed in the Proprietaries' service against the Connecticut People at Wajomick, and has, at the end of this expedition, rendered his account of particular services and disbursements to Mr. Secretary Tilghman, who paid him £19 in part thereof; but there is still upwards of £100 due thereon, for the receiving of which balance your petitioner is now the sixth time come to Philadelphia. * * That he has on all occasions shown his zeal for the Proprietaries's service, and readily ventured his life in the same whenever it was required of him." * * *
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prisoners; that they were confined in the guard-house, where he continued four nights and three days; that the first night was much as represented by Major Alden. The next day after their confinement Esquire Patterson came, and was asked by one of the prisoners how long they were to stay there and when they should have their trial. Esquire Patterson replied (as deponent thinks), 'in two or three months'. He (deponent) then asked what they should do for provisions. Esquire Patterson answered that he could find them only bread and water, and they must pay for it.
"Benjamin Harvey deposed that he was taken at his own house, at the lower end of Shawnee, by Lieutenant Ball, Lieutenant Erb, Ensign Chambers and Ezekiel Schoonover. (Here deponent described the rough treatment he met with.) When deponent came to Cooley's house (this being the place of rendezvous), there stood Esquire Patterson, who ordered deponent into the house, where he tarried a little while. Then Esquire Patterson ordered hint into the guard house with a file of men, where he tarried two hours. Then deponent and the other prisoners were ordered to march in a body to the Garrison at Wilkes-Barré, where they were. put into a guard-house in the Garrison. Deponent was kept there eight days. He applied to Esquire Mead to know his crime. Mead sent for deponent and took him from the guard-house; said he did not know, but there might be a crime alleged against him. Then deponent entered into a recognizanee in the sum of £30, for his appearance at Court.
"When Esquire Mead was going to Court, deponent saw him at Shawnee, at Cooley's. Deponent was dismissed, Mead telling him that he had not found anything against him. After deponent was taken prisoner a family was put into his house by Esquire Patterson's orders. The three officers who took deponent told him that Patterson ordered the family into the house. "Samuel Ransom deposed that he was taken at Shawnee the last of October 1783, by Lieu- tenant Ball and Ezekiel Schoonover, and was roughly treated. When deponent came to Cooley's Esquire Patterson was there and asked deponent his name. Then says Patterson: 'Ah! ha! you are the jockey we want; away with him to the guard-house with old Harvey, another damned rascal.' Deponent was there two hours; was then taken to the Garrison with the other prisoners. Deponent was then sick, and had been siek three months. After marching a little way deponent and Major Alden had liberty to ride on a horse. They were roughly treated on the way, were often called damned rascals, and were threatened by the officers to be horsewhipped, etc.
"When they came to the Fort [Dickinson] they were conveyed into a guard-house which was open and cold, without any floor, and the ground very wet. They were kept there that night without any wood allowed them, or anything to eat or drink. The next day, about ten or eleven o'clock, Esquire Patterson came along. One of the prisoners says to him: 'Are you going to keep us here to starve, choke and freeze?' Esquire Patterson replied: 'Perhaps we shall be at leisure in about three months, and perhaps you may then be set at liberty.' Further, Patterson said they would be allowed bread and water.
"That about 11 or 12 o'clock the next day after they were confined, they received some flour for their support; and some time the next day after this they received the bread they gave the flour for. While they were in the guard-house Captain Chrystie came and ordered every man to lie flat on the ground, and ordered the sentinel, that if any man should raise his head, to blow out his brains. Deponent was confined five days and nights, and had no crime alleged nor any authority shown him as to why he was taken. When deponent was taken his family was turned out of his house by force, and kept out to the time of taking this testimony.
"It was proved by the testimony of James Mitchell, Abram Nesbitt and others that Samuel Ransom's family were turned out of their house while Patterson and his gang were present. Abram Nesbitt [twenty years of age], for speaking in favor of Mrs. Ransom, who was his sister, and endeavoring to assist her, was taken prisoner, bound with cords, and drove to the Garrison at Wilkes-Barre with the other prisoners, and confined in the guard-house twenty-four hours, and then turned out without any examination. He heard the order given to the prisoners to lie down, with orders to the sentinels to blow any prisoner through that should speak or make any rout.
"In the month of October, 1783, a man of the name of Woodcock-as ordinary a fellow as any to be found-called on Solomon Cole, a respectable inhabitant of Wilkes-Barré, and took him a prisoner, saying he had a writ from Esquire Patterson. Mr. Cole refused to go with him, and disputed his being a proper officer. Woodcock returned, but shortly came a second time and informed Mr. Cole that Esquire Patterson wanted to see him.
"He went to see Patterson; was going into the room where he was. 'Stop!' says the haughty magistrate, 'until I call for you.' He was soon after called in, when Patterson charged him of speaking slightingly of his authority. Cole denied it. The wife of Woodcock (more ordinary, if possible, than her husband) was called and sworn by Patterson to give testimony. She swore that she had heard Cole tell a man that Patterson was no more fit for an Esquire than the Devil. The witness could not tell who the man was, nor the time she heard the expression; however, the evidence was sufficient, for the lordly judge pronounced sentence against Mr. Cole, saying to Woodcock (his Constable), 'take this fellow and put him in the stocks for two hours!' Cole was ordered to go to the stocks with Woodcock, but after leaving Patterson he refused to go into the stocks, and went home.
"In about half an hour Woodcock came again, with a Corporal and three soldiers. Mr. Cole was taken again before Patterson, and the guards were ordered to put him in the stocks for two hours. He was taken to the stocks, but the guards having more humanity than the Justice, refused to do the duty they were directed to do, saying that they were not Constables. Others were ordered to assist, but refused. Cole was then taken back to the guard-house, confined an hour and a-half, when Patterson came to the guard-house and, after some conversation on the subject of the accusation, Cole was told by Patterson that if he would behave as a good in-
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habitant, he (Patterson) would use him as such, upon his paying three shillings. Cole accordingly paid the amount to Esquire Seely, by orders from Patterson, and was dismissed and returned home."
Colonel Franklin, in his "Brief," referred to in the note on page 1325, de- scribes at some length the condition of affairs in Wyoming during the Autumn of 1783. He states, among other things:
"After the return of Colonel Butler [from Sunbury, where he had been under arrest, as hereinbefore related] the soldiers were removed from his house on the condition of his giving up the house -- except a small room-to David Mead, Esq., for the reception of Mead's family- which Butler submitted to. Of two evils he chose the least. *
* * Landlords warrants were often issued by the Pennsylvania claimants; the property of the settlers taken and sold on pretense of rents due; warrants issued by the Justices in favor of the Pennsylvania claimants against the settlers on pretense of debt; the settlers dragged before the Justices and not allowed to make any defense or even to exhibit a just account; judgments rendered against them, and their property taken and sold by executions.
"Patterson and Seely were the most active in granting writs and judging causes of this kind. The Connecticut settlers were not allowed to convene together on any occasion. Any three found in company were immediately arrested as rioters! In a word-to enumerate the sufferings of the settlers under the administration of the Justices and the officers of the Garrison would fill a volume.
"The settlers, about November 1, 1783, stated their grievances in a letter directed to the Representatives to the General Assembly of Pennsylvania from Northumberland County, request- ing that the same should be laid before the Assembly. But the Wyoming votes having been rejected*, those to whom the letter was directed were excluded from their seats [in the Assembly] which were filled by others, the next highest on the election returns. The agent for the settlers (Mr. Hugh Forseman); endeavored to have the letter stating the grievances taken up by the Assembly, but the same was rejected as not being brought forward in the proper mode. Mr. Forseman returned to Wyoming without any relief for the settlers. On his return a 'petition, address and remonstrance' was prepared and signed by upwards of sixty of the settlers (which they were obliged to do privately), dated November 18, 1783, and sent to the Assembly by their agent, Mr. [John] Franklin."
The above-mentioned petition, which appears to have been written by John Jenkins, Sr., and was signed by him, Col. Zebulon Butler and a number of others, "in behalf of themselves and the rest of the inhabitants of Wyoming," read in part as follows:
"Since the Decree of Trenton we have considered ourselves as citizens of Pennsylvania, and have at all times, by o ir peaceable demeanor and ready submission to Government, duly submitted ourselves to the laws of the State of Pennsylvania; and not only so, but as we were not made duly acquainted with the laws of the State, we have tamely submitted to every requisition of the executive and military authorities, although the same appeared to us in many instances to be unconstitutional and unlawful.
"We beg leave to observe that nothing special happened until the Resolve of the Assembly appointing Commissioners, in which we observed that, after the report of those Commissioners so appointed, we were to have a time and place appointed for the choosing of authority, holding elections, etc. But to our great surprise and grief it seems that there was a choice made (by those that call themselves landholders-some from one part of the State and some from other parts; some from New Jersey and elsewhere, and principally not inhabitants of this County) of a number of persons to be commissioned in authority, all without our knowledge, and before the report of the Commissioners or the appointment of a time and place for that purpose; and a return of those persons was, by some way or means to us unknown, made to the Honorable the General Assembly of the State, and the same have since been commissioned, which has produced the following facts, viz .:
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