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 4
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"In September, 1779. I came to Wyoming to provide provisions for our family, and after a fortnight's visit I re- turned home [to Shawangunk], and was immediately taken sick, and lay helpless until the 8th of November, on which day father had prepared all in the best manner for a journey, and set out with four oxen, two horses, four cows, fourteen hogs and six sheep, and with a large ox-cart loaded with household stuff. Father, mother, myself. Anna, Catherine, Naphtali and Lydia left Shawangunk with full intent to go to Susquehanna. Christopher being there already. With good success we arrived at our own house at Wyoming the 16th day of November, 1779. God grant we may long stay!
"On the 14th day of December. 1779, I engaged to teach school in Hanover for three months. * * * Pupils to March ye 11th. 1780. Naphtali Huribut, 71 days; Anna Hurlbut, 18 days; Catherine Hurlbut. 29 days; Lydia Hurlbut, 26 days; Joseph Corey, 521/2 days; Rebekah Corey, 48 days; Lucy Corey, 52 days; Benjamin Corey 69 days; Olive Franklin, 45 days; Roasel Franklin 65 days; Susannah Franklin, 70 days; Alexander Forsythe, 71 days; Elisha Forsythe, 71 days."
In the Spring of 1780 John Hurlhut. Jr , was a private in the company of Wyoming militia commanded by Capt. John Franklin in the service of the United States, at Wilkes-Barre; and in 1781-82 he was a Sergeant in the company of Connecticut militia commanded hy Captain Franklin (See pages 1229 and 1230, Vol. II.) During the Second Pennamite-Yankee War Mr Hurlbut was actively engaged in supporting, vi el armis, the cause of the Yankee settlers. He took part in the fight at Locust Hill, August 2, 1784, and was one of the several participants who were subsequently imprisoned in the jail at Easton, Pennsylvania, as fully narrated in Chapter XXII, post. Under the resolution adopted hy the Susquehanna Company-hereinbefore referred to at length-he was, on October 1, 1785. admitted a half- share proprietor in the Susquehanna Purchase. In 1786, in company with his brother Christopher, he became an original proprietor in the newly erected township of Athens.
In 1795 John Hurlbut, Jr., went to that part of Ontario County, New York, which in April, 1823, became Wayne County, and at Palmyra purchased a farm. In the latter part of 1796 or early in 1797 having sold to his brother Naph- tali his land in Hanover, he removed bis family thence to Palmyra. ( His name appears in the Hanover tax-list for 1796. See Pearce's "Annals of Luzerne County", page 547.)
John Hurlbut, Jr , was married in July, 1786, to Hannah (horn November 18, 1768), daughter of Jonathan and Jane Millet, and they became the parents of the following-natued children: Anna (who hecame the wife of Solomon Tice), Rboda, Jeremiah, Silas, Julius, Lydia, John, Francis, Herman and Charles. John Hurlbut, Jr . died at Palmyra in February, 1813, and his widow died there June 29, 1858.
(v) Naphtali Hurlbut, born at Groton, Connecticut, August 12, 1767, came to Hanover in Wyoming Valley. with the other members of his father's family in November, 1779 In the Spring of 1780-as shown by the pay-roll printed on page 1229, Vol. II-he was a private in the same company with his father and brothers Christopher and John. in the service of the United States at the Wyoming Post in Wilkes-Barre. He was then only twelve years and eight months of age! He made his home in Hanover Township until the Summer of 1799, having acquired in 1795 and '90 in addition to his own share in the estate of his deceased father, the interests of his brothers Christopher and John
September 17, 1799, Napbtali Hurlbut advertised in "The Wilkes-Barre Gasette" that he had removed to Wilkes- Barré and "taken the public-house lately occupied by John Van Horne." He continued to keep tavern in Wilkes- Barré until 1803, when he removed to Pitt-ton and engaged in the same business there until 1810, In 1804 the erection, of the frame building which later, for many years, was known as the "Exchange Hotel", was begun on what is now Wyoming Avenue, near "Kingston Corners". James Wheeler carried on the tavern business there from 1807 till 1809, or '10, when he was succeeded by Naphtali Hurlhut The latter conducted the hotel for several years. In August, 1807 he was elected, and duly commissioned, Lieut. Colonel of the 45th Regiment, 2d Brigade, 9th Division, of the Pennsyl-
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this town before the General Assembly [of Connecticut;, to be holden in Hartford in May next. Obadiah Gore, Esq., John Franklin, Esq., and Lieut. Roasel Frank- lin were appointed a committee to assist the Agent in drawing up a just represen- tation of our circumstances, to lay before the Honorable the General Assembly in May next."
At a largely attended town-meeting held at Wilkes-Barré, April 20, 1780, resolves were adopted as follows :*
"Voted, That John Franklin, Esq., Lieut. Roasel Franklin and John Comstock, Esq., be appointed a committee to advise with the inhabitants of this town about contracting their improve- ments to a smaller compass and more defensible situation against the savages, and to adopt meas- ures for the security of their stock, and make their report to the commanding offieer of the garrison as soon as possible.
"Voted, That, whereas the parish of Drysdalet, in the State of Virginia, have contributed and sent one hundred and eighty dollars for the support of the distressed inhabitants of this town, the Selectmen be directed to distribute said money to those they shall judge the most necessitated, and report to the town at some future meeting.
"Voted, That Col. Nathan Denison return the thanks of this town to the parish of Drysdale, in the State of Virginia, for their charitable disposition in presenting the distressed inhabitants of this town with one hundred and eighty dollars."
vania Militia. He held this office until August, 1811, when he was succeeded by David B. Wheeler of Tunkbannock
In 1812 Colonel Hurlbut was elected one of the County Commissioners of Luzerne County for the term of one year. In August, 1816, Colonel Hurlbut, then living in Kingston, offered himself as a candidate for the office of Sheriff of Luzerne County. In his announcement to the voters he declared that he had served as a commissioned officer in the militia for many years, and had then "served as County Commissioner for one year, and received ten shillings per day for services", Capt. Stephen Van Loon of Plymouth and Arnold Colt of Wilkes-Barre were also candidates for the office of Sheriff at this time, and at the election held in October Van Loon was elected In 1825, however. Colonel Hurlhut was elected Sheriff for the term of three years-being succeeded in the office in the Autumn of 1828 by Oliver Helme of King-ton. Colonel Hurlbut then opened a general store "in the brick storehouse lately occupied by Barnum and Carey" in Wilkes- Barre; but in 1830, and for some years thereafter, be was again keeping tavern in Kingston Township.
Naphtali Hurlbut was married July 25, 1793, to Olive (born in 1775 or '76), daughter of William and Margery . (Kellogg) Smith and step-daughter of Dr. William Hooker Smith. Colonel Hurlhut died March 30, 1844, at the residence of his son-in-law, L. P. Kennedy, in Burns, Allegany County, New York, and his wife died at Arkport. New York March 1, 1846.
The children of Naphtali and Olive (Smith) Hurlbut were as follows: (a) Asenath (married at Wilkes-Barre, October 30. 1813, to Annas Newcomh, formerly of Hardwick, Massachusetts, and later of Dansville, New York): tb) Lyman (who married Caroline Schofield, and had the following-named, and probably other children. Maria, Caroline S., Esther, John, William N and Charles S.); (c) Esther Eliza (married September 14, 1820, to "Deacon" Abel Hoyt, boro July 17. 1798. son of Daniel and Ann (Gunn) Hoyt of Kingston, Pennsylvania); (d) Mary Ann (horn, 1803; married at Wilkes-Barre February 27, 1822, to Luen P. Kennedy; died, 1849); (e) Amos Avery (born in 1805; married to Susan Quick; had children, Ellen, Mary and George); (f) William Hooker (married to Mary Ann Carey); (g) John Randolph.
(2) John Hurlbut ( son of Christopher), born at Hanover October 21. 1784, removed to Arkport in 1797 with the other members of his father's family. He was married at Dansville, New York, Sept. 13, 1814, to Priscilla Sharp and they became the parents of four sons and four daughters. John Hurlbut died at Arkport June 19, 1831.
(3) James Hurlbut, horn at Hanover April 12, 1787, was married at Kingston, Pennsylvania, September 2, 1824, to Susan Dorrance of Sterling, Connecticut, daughter of Archibald and Deborah Dorrance. Jame; Hurlbut lived at Arkport from 1797 tdl 1857, when he removed to Rose Hill, New York, where he died June 13, 1863. He had one son and three daughters.
(4) Sarah Hurlhut, born March 4, 1789, was married at Arkport August 10, 1810, to James Taggart, a native of Northumberland, Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of three children Mrs. Taggart died September 3. 1837
(5) Elizabeth Hurlbut. horn April 29, 1791, was married at Arkport in 1817 to Joshua Shepard. (born in 1780) a merchant at Dansville, New York. He died in September, 1829, and she died at Dansville April 24, 1870. They had one-son and four daughters.
(6) Nancy Hurlbut, born April 8, 1793, was married at Arkport January 23, 1815, to Maj. Ziba (born at Danbury, Connecticut. September 8, 1788),sixth child of "Deacon" Daniel and Anne (Gunn) Hoyt. then of Danbury but later of Kingston, Pennsylvania. They made their home in Kingston, where Ziha Hoyt died December 23, 1853, and Mrs. Nancy Hoyt died February 26, 1872. Their children were as follows: (i) Anna Hoyt (married September 1, 1836, to the Rev. Charles Chaplin Corss); (ii) John Dorrance Hoyt; (iii) Edward P Hoyt; (iv) James Hoyt; (v) Henry Martyn Hoyt (sometime Governor of Pennsylvania); (vi) Elizabeth Shepard Hoyt. (For a fuller sketch of the Hoyt family see a subsequent chapter.)
(7) Christopher Hurlbut, horn December 14, 1794, was married at Arkport June 4. 1823, to his cousin, Ellen Tiffany (born December 17, 1800). Their children were: Myron, Edmund, Lydia (married to William Loveland . Nancy (married to Henry B. Loveland) and Elizabeth (married, first to C. C. Horton, and, 2d. to the Rev. George N. Todd). Christopher Hurlbut died at Arkport in 1875.
*See Miner's "History of Wyoming", p. 282, and the Republican Farmer and Democratic Journal ( Wilkes-Barre). March 13, 1839.
+DRYSDALE PARISH, which is still in existence, is in King and Queen County, in the eastern part of Virginia. In 1780, and for a number of years before and after that time, the Rector of this parish was the Rev. Samuel Shield At Louisville, Kentucky, under the date of April 29, 1856, the Rev. Henry M. Denison (mentioned on page 789, Vol. II) wrote to Bishop Mead (by whom he had heen ordained to the ministry) relative to the Rev. Samuel Shield and Dry -dale Parish. This letter was subsequently published by Bishop Mead in his book on the old Virginia parishes. It read , in part as follows: "It seems to me you have not given all the credit deserved to the character of the Rev. Samuel Shield. He was a clergyman of high character, and was a competitor with Bishop Madison for the episcopate. He at one time had charge of Drysdale Parish .* * * * But I take up my pen to mention to you the following incident, which will not be uninteresting to you, even if it be without the scope of your published reminiscence :.
"After the massacre by British and Indians of a large portion of the inhabitants of the lovely valley of Wyoming in Pennsylvania, the parishioners of Drysdale through their Rector, Mr. Shield, as almonier, sent to the destitute and helpless women and children of the valley the handsome sum-for those days-of $18) .. to relieve their necessiti ?: "Some four or five years ago, when I was at Dr. Samuel Shield's in Hampton, the Doctor told me he had discovered my [family] name among his grandfather's papers; and upon examination d found the original letter of thank ; written hy my grandfather, Colonel Denison, to his grandfather. Rev. Mr. Shield It was three score and ten years of age. but had evidently heen preserved with much care, and I sent it at once to Mr [Charles] Miner, the historian."
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The committee appointed at the town-meeting of April 10th, to draw up a me- morial to the General Assembly of Connecticut, duly performed the duty assigned them.
The original document prepared by them is "No. 114" in the collection of documents now in the State Library at Hartford, as described in paragraph "(3)," page 29, Vol. I. It is in the handwriting of Obadiah Gore, Jr., is dated "West- moreland, April 20, 1780", and is signed by Nathan Denison, John Franklin and John Hurlbut, 'Civil Authority," and by John Franklin, Nathan Denison, James Nisbitt and Jabez Sill, "Selectmen, in behalf of themselves and the in- habitants". Reference is made in the memorial to the disasters which took place at Wyoming in July, 1778, and to the fact that the inhabitants had been driven out of the Valley at that time, and had been compelled, by necessity, to depend for their maintenance upon the charity of the people at large. The concluding paragraphs of the memorial read as follows:
"Mere necessity obliged many of us to repair to our improvements [at Wyoming], to reap some advantage for our support from the broken crops which had escaped destruction; where we have lived to this time, and thereby have been a protection and safeguard to the other frontier for 100 miles and upward. Nevertheless [we] have suffered by frequent alarms-scarcely one month has passed (unless in the dead of Winter) without murders being committed, horses and cattle stolen, and the inhabitants drove from their labors, &c., by the savages, until the arrival of the army under General Sullivan.
"But now, the Continental troops being almost all called from this Post, the Indians renew their attacks upon us, and have killed four men and taken eight prisoners. This is the unhappy situation your petitioners are in and have been iu since June 6, 1778!
"We would beg that your Honours graut [that] a committee be appointed to make an · estimation of our losses, as in cases of other towns that have been sacked and burut by the enemy, that we may have such compensation for our losses as your Honours shall think just and reasonable. Also, as there are Warrants issued from the State Treasury against this town [of Westmoreland] for taxes-which rate-bills were taken and destroyed by the enemy, and the inhabitants are for the greater part killed or dispersed in the country, and their goods and chattels taken from them as above described. We would, therefore, request that those taxes may be abated in part of the compensation for the above losses; or in such way to grant relief as you shall see proper."
Another memorial, or petition, to the General Assembly of Connecticut was prepared at Westmoreland on the same date as the foregoing document. It* is signed by John Hurlbut, Nathan Denison, John Franklin, James Nisbitt and Jabez Sill, "Selectmen, in behalf of themselves and the inhabitants", and reads in part as follows:
"About 150 families have, through mere necessity for want of support, returned to their improvements in this town, and have made very considerable proficiency in husbandry; where- fore, by the blessing of Providence on our industry, we shall have a plenty and to spare.
"Many others who were driven from the settlement have become burthensome to the towns and parishes they were dispersed to, who might easily provide for themselves and families could they with safety return to their farms. But the Continental troops being almost all called from this Post, the Indians have renewed their attacks upon us; whereby it becomes dangerous to labour in our improvements.
"Therefore we beg your Honours to grant that about 200 State troops may be sent for the defense of this frontier; which force, together with that of the inhabitants, in case of an attack will, we conceive, be sufficient to repel that of the enemy, and thereby not only secure to us those promising crops of grain, but also be productive of public good for the defense and safety of this State and the frontier in general."
The General Assembly of Connecticut convened at Hartford, May 11, 1780, and continued in session until the 23d of the next month. John Hurlbut and Jonathan Fitch, Esqs., were in attendance as the Representatives from the town of Westmoreland, and they formally presented to the Assembly the two foregoing memorials. At the same time there was presented a petitiont in the handwriting of Judge John Jenkins (see page 805, Vol.II), entitled: "Petition of John Jenkins, Esq., and the other subscribers, in the name and behalf of themselves and the rest
*The original, which is in the handwriting of Obadiah Gore, Jr., is "No. 119" in the collection of documents in the State Library at Hartford, Connecticut, described in paragraph (3)". page 29, Vol. 1
"The original is "No. 118" in the collection of documents in the State Library at Hartford, Connecticut, described in paragraph "(3)", page 29, Vol. I
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of the people that are driven from their settlement at Westmoreland by the Savages."
This document is dated April 25, 1780, and is signed by John Jenkins, Silas Park, Richardson Avery, Elisha Blackman, Jabez Fish, William Gallup, Solomon Avery, John Hutchins, William Hibbard, Samuel Howard and Hallet Gallup, landholders in Westmoreland, and, prior to July, 1778, residents there, but, at the time of signing the petition, dwelling in New London County, Connecticut, whence they had originally emigrated to Wyoming. After giving a brief history of the origin and growth of The Susquehanna Company's settlements at Wyoming; the Pennamite-Yankee troubles; the erection of the Wyoming territory into the county of Westmoreland by the Connecticut Assembly; and the battle and massacre of July 3, 1778, this petition continues as follows:
"And the women and children-some fled and some they [the Indians] stripped and turned out naked; and the whole settlement was utterly broken up, burned and destroyed, and your petitioners with their fellow sufferers in general are in a great measure dependent on the charity of strangers among whom they are dispersed, widows and fatherless; and but very few have been, or yet are, able to return to their settlements. * * *
"On his [General Sullivan's] return he left only a small garrison of about fifty [Sic?] men to guard the settlement; which settlement and garrison have now become very unsafe by some late movements of the enemy. Yet on application to the Board of War they have received for answer that they can have no relief from that quarter; and the savages are continually murdering and destroying the settlers that are there, whenever they find them out from the garrison.
"Your petitioners beg leave to observe that they conceive that wherever there is obedience due on the one side, there is protection on the other. That is, wherever there is obedience due from the governed, there is protection expected from the governor. Your petitioners conceive they have a right to protection from this State, or that they cannot be bound to pay any obedience to the State rightfully; and therefore your petitioners, if neglected, must look on themselves as cast off, and that they cease to be a part of this State. * * *
"Your petitioners would further humbly observe that this Honorable Assembly has, in sundry instances since the commencement of this war, granted relief to people suffering by the savages of the enemy-granting them both money and protection, and, in some instances, to people out of this State, and so not under their immediate care. But they have granted nothing to these unhappy sufferers at Susquehanna, notwithstanding there is no place nor people that have been destroyed with so total and signal a destruction, nor none stripped so bare, nor so many left widows and fatherless, or that in reality stood so much in need of their charity and protection as your petitioners and their fellow sufferers, or that need the verification of the old saying that 'Charity begins at home!'
"Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will grant to your petitioners money for the relief of the necessities of your petitioners, and to enable them to return to their settlement; and also grant them four companies of 100 men each, properly officered, for a guard, to keep a garrison, and to defend and protect the settlers; and also grant them six field pieces of cannon and ten swivel-guns to be put into one general fort, or garrison, to be properly built by the said guard, with suitable ammunition for the same. Or, in some other way, grant relief to your petitioners."
These three memorials were referred to a joint-committee, for consideration and report, and later in the session the committee made its report; whereupon the Assembly voted the following:
"Resolved, That the whole of the State taxes, for which Warrants have already been issued against the inhabitants of said Westmoreland, that are not paid into the hands of the State Treasurer, be and are hereby abated, to be considered as in part compensation for their losses, whenever the United States shall order and direct the losses sustained by the citizens of said State from the depredations of the enemy to be compensated; and John Hurlbut*, Zebulon Butlert and Obadiah Goret, Esquires, be and are hereby appointed a Committee to repair to said West- moreland (first giving public notice in the several newspapers in this State of the time and place of their meeting), and there examine into the damages, injuries and losses sustained and suffered by the present or late inbabitants of said town, holding under this State, who shall by themselves or otbers in their behalf, being duly authorized, make application to said Committee during their continuance in said town; and report make, to some future session of this Assembly, of what they shall find in the matters aforesaid."
The Assembly then passed a preamble and resolution wherein, after reciting the Act of Assembly passed in December, 1775 (see page 865, Vol. II), the follow- ing paragraphs were embodied: . "And whereas, since that many of the persons that were settled on said lands, in the town and county of Westmoreland, have been killed or driven off from their possessions by the common enemies of this [State] and the United States; Resolved, That nothing in said Act contained
*See (+ note) page 1246. +See page 634, Vol. II. #See page 833, Vol. II.
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ought to be construed to hinder any persons so driven off from returning to their possessions, or to prohibit any other persons who may have derived a right to the said former possessions by purchase, descent or otherwise, from possessing and occupying the same.".
At this same session of the Assembly it was resolved "that a company to consist of one Captain, one Lieutenant, one Ensign, and ninety-seven non-com- missioned officers and privates be raised by voluntary inlistment of the late in- habitants of the town of Westmoreland, for the defense of the town; to serve until the first day of January next. And that said company be allowed half the pay of the establishment of the Continental Army; and His Excellency, the Governor, is desired to apply to Congress to grant rations to said company.
"Further, this Assembly do appoint John Franklin to be Captain, Asa Chapman to be Lieutenant, and William Hibbard to be Ensign of a company ordered by this Assembly to be raised for the defense of the town of Westmore- land, and His Excellency, the Governor, is desired to commission them accord- ingly.
"And it is resolved by this Assembly that, provided the number who shall inlist into said company by the first day of September shall not exceed fifty men, the said Captain shall be discharged from his command, and said company shall be commanded by the Lieutenant. 'And provided the number who shall inlist by the first of September shall not exceed thirty men, the said Lieutenant shall be discharged from his command and said company shall be commanded by the Ensign. And provided thirty men shall not inlist into said company by the first of September, the said Ensign shall be discharged from his command and a pay-roll shall be made up to that time and such soldiers who then are inlisted shall be discharged."
The Assembly also made the following appointments of Westmoreland County civil officers for the ensuing year, and in due time they were regularly commissioned by Governor Trumbull. Col. Zebulon Butler to be Judge of the County Court; Col. Nathan Denison, Zerah Beach and John Hurlbut to be Justices of the Peace and Quorum; Col. Zebulon Butler, Maj. William Judd, Joseph Hamilton, Capt. John Franklin, Zebulon Marcy, Obadiah Gore, Uriah Chapman and John Jenkins, Jr., to be Justices of the Peace; Christopher Hurlbut to be Surveyor of Lands.
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