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 45
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At Bishop's Tavern, under the date of Sunday, October 10, 1784, Francis Murray, Esq., Lieutenant of Bucks County, wrote to Adjutant General Arm- strong as followsţ:
"I am sorry to be under the disagreeable necessity of informing you that I have in the first instance failed in being able to furnish you with men, agreeable to my orders of the 1st inst .. received of the Supreme Executive Council. I issued orders to Col. John Keller, commanding
*See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, X: 672.
+Passed by the General Assembly September 15, 1784.
#See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, X: 679.
.
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the 1st Battalion of Bucks County militia, to have four companies of his battalion paraded at Bishop's Tavern, viz .: Captains Skinner's, Friece's, Bishop's and Kechline's (they being the com- panies of said Battalion nearest to said Bishop's), at nine o'clock this morning, with their arms and accoutrements, and ready to march from said place on a tour of duty; intending, when the men ordered here arrived, if there was more men than the exigency required, to take as many more out of the classes that stood next for duty as would answer the purpose, except there appeared to be a sufficient number willing to turn out as volunteers-which latter I had some expectation of. "But when the companies arrived I found it dangerous for any man to say he was willing to turn out, either in his own company or as a volunteer; that any man that did so was in danger of being beat by the others. I then gave orders to the different Captains before mentioned to call forth and parade as many men as I then named to them out of the fifth and sixth classes of their companies, as amounted to the number wanted. The Captains obeyed the orders so far as they were able, called for the persons by name, but was not able to parade one man!
"Finding it was impossible to get men to-day, and numbers of them complaining that the time was too short (and baving some reason to believe that some of them would turn out if allowed a little time to prepare), I gave a further order to the Captains aforesaid to have the men that were now called upon paraded on Thursday next [October 14], at nine o'clock in the morning, ready to march on a Tour of Duty from the parade. I was chiefly induced to adopt this second order as I knew I would not be able, out of the number called, to get as many men at an earlier period as would be worth a marching; and, as I found I would be under the necessity of calling on the Colonel for a supply of men from the other four companies, any further attempts to get men out of these four companies already called I looked upon as useless.
"I have now issued orders to Colonel Keller, directing him to draw forth the 6th class out of the remaining companies of his battalion, and have them paraded at the same time and place that I have directed the others before mentioned, to parade ready to march from said place on a tour of duty. You may depend, Sir, I shall use every exertion in my power to march the men on Thursday next; but at the same time I am sorry to be under the necessity of informing you that, from what I have already experienced, I have but small expectation of effecting it, chiefly owing to wrong ideas that the more leading part of the people have formed of the expedition."
Miner, referring to the efforts of Armstrong to raise troops for this proposed expedition to Wyoming, states ("History of Wyoming," page 366) that "the influences which had operated with such effect on the Council of Censors and upon President Dickinson also pervaded the people, and the militia generally declined obedience to orders."
News was received in Wyoming, on Sunday, October 10, 1784, relative to the proclamation which had been issued by the Supreme Executive Council five days previously, and later in the day a considerable number of the Yankee settlers gathered at Fort Defence to discuss the situation of affairs. It was soon resolved that Capt. John Franklin, Ebenezer Johnson and Phineas Peirce should prepare and present to the General Assembly of Connecticut (which was to convene at New Haven, on October 14th) a memorial on the subject of the unhappy situation of the Connecticut-Wyoming settlers.
Captain Franklin, owing to the wound which he had received a few days previously, was unable to make the long journey to Connecticut, and therefore he arranged to have Benjamin Harvey go in his behalf. In his diary, under the date of October 11, 1784, Captain Franklin recorded: "Wrote letter to Samuel Gray and Eliphalet Dyer*, Esquires. Sent it by Mr. Harvey and Johnson, as they set off this evening for New Haven." Phineas Peirce followed on a day or two later, and at New Haven, on October 20, 1784, Ebenezer Johnson wrote a carefully worded petition-covering four foolscap pages-and having attached to it the signature of himself and the name of Captain Franklin, and Phineas Peirce having also signed the document, presented it to the Assembly.
The original petition is now preserved in the Connecticut State Library, Hartford, being "No. 167" in the collection of manuscripts entitled "Susque- hanna Settlers, 1755-1796, Vol. I," mentioned on page 29, Vol. I, of this history. The document sets forth, first, that the signers petition in behalf of them- selves and others, inhabitants and settlers at Wyoming. Then follows a
*Active members and officers of The Susquehanna Company. See pages 292 and 393, Vol. I.
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brief history of the purchase and settlement of the Wyoming region, the erection of the town and county of Westmoreland, and the disasters incident to the Revolutionary War. The petition then continues in part as follows:
"That for nearly four years after [August, 1778] your memorialists were compelled to confine themselves within narrow limits, and were constantly under arms for their safety and defense- during which time little more could be done in cultivating the lands than sufficient to sustain themselves. * * * That nearly two-thirds of the male Inhabitants capable of bearing arms at the Commencement of the war have fallen by the hands of the Enemy, and their widows and fatherless children were left in the country.
"That after the Decree of Trenton your Memorialists were made to believe that the Juris- diction of their country was in the State of Pennsylvania, and applied to the Legislature of said State for the benefits of Civil Government under that Jurisdiction, and for the obliteration of all former supposed offences, together with a Confirmation of the Title to their Lands.
"That the Memorialists have from Time to Time been flattered with assurances from the Legislature and Executive authority of Pennsylvania, that their Persons and properties should be secured to them, yet officers Civil and military have been sent among them of the most desperate Characters. That they have been oppressed with vexatious suits commenced against them by the opposing Claimers and their Creatures, and no legal Justice ever has been, or could be, obtained against any of their oppressors.
"That an armed Force has been kept up in the Country, and Garrisoned in the midst of their Settlements, who have from Time to Time, in the most wantou and unjustifiable manner, abused, imprisoned, beat, wounded and Insulted the memorialists; at other Times have robbed the Inhabitants of their property, and on the 14th day of May last past one Alexander Patterson, a Justice of the Peace, and one Major Moore, commanding the Troops stationed at Wyoming by order of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, by artifice disarmed the Inhabitants, and then Collected them together, men, Women and Children, without distinction, and drove them out of the Country three days Journey into the Wilderness, destitute of Provisions; having previously denied them the privilege of collecting and carrying with them any considerable part of their personal property. That representations were immediately made to the Executive authority of the State of Pennsylvania, and soon after to the Legislature thereof, and no Relief hath been given to them.
"That soon after, your memorialists having made the best provision in their power for the support of their Families, returned to Wyoming with design to secure their Grain then nearly ripened. That the said Moore and Patterson gave orders to their Party to Fire upon, kill and destroy your memorialists when ever they could be found. That five of their youth have been Cruelly slain by them, others taken and imprisoned, loaded with Shackels of Iron-Eleven of which are still in the Common Gaol at Easton, in the County of Northampton, and are to be tryed this Week for their Lives; for no other Reason than defending themselves against the barbarous Conduct of their avowed and implacable Enemies.
"That your memorialists have been seduced, betrayed and ruined by the spurious pretences held out to them as from Government, which they are now fully ascertained of. That no Faith- fullness, Honor, Justice or ordinary Civility is expectable by them-those that are disposed to assist us being overawed by the apparent Influence of our adversaries with Government, are afraid to grant us any Relief.
"And your memorialists beg leave farther to observe that they humbly conceive the Decree at Trenton was unduly obtained by Imposition, and ought to be reviewed and reconsidered by the Honorable Congress as unfounded and wrong.
"That your memorialists are now reduced to about 2,000 souls (notwithstanding the usual Increase expectable in a new Country), the principal part of which are Women and Children, now scattered in the Woods, with only Hutts of Bark and Thatch to cover them from the Inclemency of the approaching Winter, and their Enemys in full possession of their Houses, Farms, Crops and other property and they starving with Hunger and Cold and have no where to look for protection [but] to their parent State. And may they not be permitted to say the State of Connecticut has been deprived of the Jurisdiction of the aforesaid Country in so injurious a manner, and your memorialists so maltreated, that their Honor, Interest and future respectability as a sovereign State are highly concerned, and demands speedy and ample satis- faction.
"Wherefore, we humbly pray your Honours to take our distressed Case into your wise and benign Consideration, and extend to us your aid, Countenance and patronage in seeking restitution and establishment of our Just Rights and properties against our adversaries, who have exercised towards us every species of Fraud, Seduction and Cruelty, and the memorialists as in duty bound will ever pray."
Having been read to the Assembly, the foregoing petition, or memorial, was referred to a committee of which the Hon. Roger Sherman was chairman. Later in the session the committee made a full report, to which was appended the following resolution, which was forthwith adopted by the Assembly.
"Resolved by this Assembly, That it is expedient for the memorialists to persue their applica- tion to the Congress of the United States for a tryal of their Right of soil aud Possession, agreeable to the 9th of the Articles of Confederation; and that this State will Countenance and patronize
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them in such application and tryal, in order to obtain for them that Justice this State apprehends the memorialists are intitled to. And the Delegates from this State in Congress are directed to give them all necessary assistance in the premesis, and his Excellency the Governor is requested to adress the Congress of the United States on the subject of their situation and sufferings, and also address a full state of their Claims, &c., to the State of Pennsylvania, remonstrating against the Barbarities and Cruelties exercised towards the memorialists, and requesting a Redress of their Grievances and a Restoration of their Rights, Properties and possessions under the pro- tection of the Laws and Government of said State of Pennsylvania."
Messrs. Gray and Dyer were both in New Haven at this time, and to them Benjamin Harvey delivered the letters which he had brought from John Franklin. After his return to his home in Windham, Mr. Gray wrote the following letter under the date of November 8, 1784, to Col. Zebulon Butler, at Fishkill, New York, where he had been sojourning for some time.
"Dear Sir :-- I have spent a fortnight att New Haven soliciting the assistance of our assembly for their assistance in procuring protection and assistance for our poor afflicted & distress'd friends at Wyoming. We have obtained the same assistance which the Gen. Assembly granted us in October, 1783, and also a perticular address from the assembly To Congress for protection for the settlers att Wyoming and also a Remonstrance to the Genl. Assembly of Pensilvania.
"You may expect Dr. Johnson Deligate for Congress with Col. Plat Cook. Our Deligates are directed to afford all their interest and Influence with Congress for Protection for our People, and for a Tryal of the right of soil. You may depend on Dr. Johnsons utmost exertions in favior of our people, and also the other Gentn., for ought I know.
"If we obtain an order of Congress for a Court, as I expect we shall, a meeting to make the necessary preparations for the Tryal must be held. We shall exert ourselves to our utmost.
"I dont think off anything further to write now, only it is said that Judge Brearleys Brother was att the time of the Tryal att Trenton deeply interested in the Wyoming lands. If that can be properly evidenced, that together with the evidence we have of Wilson's haveing our deeds, will procure a reversion of the Judgment att Trenton.
From your friend & Humble Sert.
[Signed] "Col. ZEBULON BUTLER, Fishkill."
"SAML. GRAY."
On Sunday, October 17, 1784, Brig. General Armstrong marched into Wilkes- Barré at the head of forty of the Berks County militia, they being the only ones who had responded to the call to rendezvous on October 14th, at Bishop's Tavern. A day or two prior to this the Yankees at Fort Defence had been reenforced by a number of their compatriots who had come down the river from the neigh- borhood of Bowman's Creek. Also at Gaylord's Stockade (see page 997, Vol. II) in Plymouth, a number of Yankees were gathered in arms.
Almost immediately upon his arrival at Wilkes-Barré, Armstrong received additions to his force from the Pennamites who, under the leadership of Alexander Patterson, were occupying Fort Dickinson and near-by buildings; and Colonel Franklin states in his "Brief" that forthwith "the poor Connecticut people again felt the weight of his [Armstrong's] cruel hand. About thirty-several of whom were very aged and infirm-were made prisoners and confined in a guard-house. Others were fired upon and wounded. Families were again turned out of doors. A number of families of very aged people, who had been permitted to remain in the settlement, were ousted at this time and ordered to leave Wyoming." In the diary of Colonel Franklin we find it recorded that "on Sunday, October 17, 1784, Robert Jameson was haled from his house in Hanover Township to the fort at Wilkes-Barré, where he was confined in the guard-house, and was kept bound and closely confined a number of days; and during his imprisonment, his wife, who had been long confined to a sick bed, and not able to raise herself therefrom, was hove out of the house in her bed by a party of assassins by Colonel Armstrong's orders."
With the coming of Armstrong to Wyoming, the belligerents among the Yankees also got busy, as we learn from an affidavit sworn to by Matthew
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Terrel before Justice Seely at Wilkes-Barré, on October 28, 1784-the affiant deposing as follows *:
"That in the afternoon of Sunday, the 17th inst., being at the house of the Widow Harris, in company with Elisha Duke and John Kennedy, there came up Phineas Stephens and Gideon Church, who enquired whether he, the deponent, and those with him had heard of the arrival of the militia [the Connecticut men from up the river]; asking also whether they intended to join them, and swearing that all such as did not should be burnt out; and that they [the Yankees] would hold the country or lose their lives. That under these threatenings the deponent joined them on the morning following, where he found them collected at one Brockway's, to the number of forty. At one Gaylord's the deponent understood that there was another party of them, and that the above seemed to be their general language & temper. * * * Their leaders were John Franklin, Elisha Satterlee and Phineas Stephens."
On Monday, October 18th, General Armstrong, at the head of about 130 Pennamites (including the Berks County militia), marched up to Fort Defence, surrounded it and kept up a heavy firing for two hours. The Yankees vigorously maintained their position, and after one officer of the militia had been killed and three or four privates wounded, Armstrong withdrew to Wilkes-Barré. Franklin, referring to this affair in his "Brief," states: "They [the Pennamites] being about 130 in number commenced a heavy fire upon us, which we returned with a small number of arms we had in possession; and after an attack of two hours forced them to run off, leaving one of their party dead on the place of action. Others were wounded."
Miner, describing the action at Fort Defence (in his "History of Wyoming", page 366), states: "[Armstrong] put his forces in motion, and made an attack on Brockway's, above Abraham's Creek, where William Jackson of the Yankees was severely wounded, Captain Bolin of Armstrong's men killed and left on the field of battle, and three or four of his men being wounded, who were borne off in the retreat. This action was sharply contested on both sides for an hour. The Yankees occupied four log houses placed in the form of a diamond. * *
-X- After the attacking party had retired, Captain Franklin seized the rifle of his friend William Jackson, bloody from his wound, and calling his companions in suffering around, swore thereon a solemn oath that 'he would never lay down his arms until death should arrest his hand, or Patterson and Armstrong be expelled from Wyoming and the people be restored to their rights of possession, and a legal trial guaranteed to every citizen by the Constitution, by Justice and by Law.' "
Miner further states, relative to the events of this period, that "General Armstrong the next day [October 19th] dispossessed thirty families who had been restored or returned to their farms. In a skirmish which ensued Jonathan Terry was severely wounded. The flats of Kingston opposite the fort [Dickinson had been extensively sowed with buckwheat, and General Armstrong's men were now engaged in threshing out the abundant produce. A body of Yankees under Major [Joel] Abbott approached the laborers undiscovered, and rushing forward, surrounded them before they could seize their arms, and took all the grain-wagons having been prepared to transport it to headquarters. Mean- while the alarmed garrison paraded the cannon, but the Yankees placed their prisoners as a shield, and thus prevented firing. More than a hundred bushels rewarded the enterprise."
Realizing that John Franklin was now the leader of the Wyoming Yankees and the chief director of their affairs, General Armstrong sent to Justice John Seely, on October 20, 1784, the following communicationt :
*See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, X: 688.
tSee "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series. X . 677.
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"I have no other object in wishing you to come to an interview with John Franklin but that you may have an opportunity of learning from himself why so many of the Connecticut claimants have thus wantonly run into an armed opposition to the laws of the State; why they have com- mitted so many depredations upon the peaceable and unoffending; & whether they yet continue even to profess an allegiance to this Commonwealth. If to the last question he should answer in the affirmative you will then explain what that allegiance requires, and what it forbids; the necessity there is for immediately laying down his arms and submitting himself and his followers to the operation of justice, and the penalty should he neglect or refuse to comply.
"Draw from him an acknowledgment that he has seen the proclamation*, and knows the penalty incurred by abetting, comforting and associating with the culprits mentioned therein."
Seely came to an interview with Franklin the same day, and subsequently reported the results thereof to Armstrong in writing, as follows:
"That he ye said Franklin made ye following answers to the preceding questions: To the 1st he replied, 'for his own safety.' To the 2d he made no other answer but that 'it was against his inclination yt. any outrage upon person's property should be committed.' And to ye last he answered in the affirmative.
"When Mr. Seely asked how he could reconcile to these professions his carrying arms and fitting himself in opposition to the laws, he replied yt. his own defence made it necessary. Mr. Seely then declared his conduct to be contrary to the law, & pointed out the necessity of their immediately dispersing. To yt. he made no other reply as to himself, but that if he should, he was apprehensive of abuse, adding: 'what would then become of the people mentioned in the Procla- mation, for whom rewards are offered.'
"In the course of conversation Franklin acknowledged that he had sent a state of facts to the Government of Connecticut, and the Susquehanna Company, and expected support from them."
On October 20th, at Fort Dickinson, in Wilkes-Barré, General Armstrong issued an address to the inhabitants of Wyoming, to which he attached a copy of the Supreme Executive Council's proclamation of October 5th. The address read as followst :
"Il'hereas, the Supreme Executive Council of this Commonwealth have by their resolution of the 1st day of October last, directed that a body of Militia be immediately called into service and moved with the utmost expedition to the townships of Shawana and Stoke, in the County of Northumberland for the purpose of 'protecting the more peaceable inhabitants of the said townships against the violence of the Banditti now infesting those settlements, and for the better support of the civil authority there.
"And whereas, by the resolution of the same date, the direction of these troops is committed to me, this is therefore to require that all the inhabitants of the aforesaid districts, well affected to the Government of this Commonwealth, do immediately repair to this place, & by so doing give evidence of their allegiance and submission to the laws; that they also renounce all connection with the Culprits whose names are mentioned in the Proclamation annexed, and that they not only deny them all comfort and protection, but that they exert themselves in apprehending and bringing to justice all and every of the abovementioned Culprits, their associates and abettors.
"And whereas, it is and ever has been the object of Government to extend mercy as well as to render justice to all its subjects, this is also to assure such as may have been deluded into a hasty and mistaken opposition to its laws-and who, under the influence of this delusion, have left their places of usual abode and assembled themselves in arms for the very unlawful purpose of defending a description of men who have rendered themselves obnoxious to the severest punish- ment-that if they will immediately return to their allegiance and their industry, every possible representation in their favor shall be made to Government, and that no effort in my power shall be wanting to procure forgiveness.
"Such, however, as, lost to their own interest, shall, in neglect to this warning, continue to give their support to the insurgents, and oppose in arms the progress of the Laws and those who are sent hither to establish & preserve them, must look for that punishment only which it is ever in the power of the State to inflict, should it become either her duty or inclination."
Relative to the treatment which some of the Yankees in Wyoming were experiencing at the hands of the Pennamites at and about October 20, 1784, we learn something from the actions of a courageous woman.
Mrs. Abigail (Alden) Jameson, daughter of Maj. Prince Alden and widow of Lieut. John Jameson (see page 500, Vol. I,) having, with other members of the Jameson and Alden families, suffered outrages of a more than ordinary character on this date, journeyed to Easton to lodge a complaint against her persecutors. The Justices of the Supreme Court of the State were at that time
*Issued by the Supreme Executive Council October 5, 1784. See page 1442.
¡See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, X: 685.
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holding a Court of Oyer and Terminer there, and Mrs. Jameson went before the Hon. George Bryan, one of the Justices, and swore out an information, drawn up in part as follows *:
"On Friday, October 29, 1784, before me, George Bryan, one of the Justices of the Supreme Court, at Easton, in the County of Northampton, personally came Abigail Jameson of the township of Stoke, in the county of Northumberland, widow, aged thirty-one years, who, being duly sworn on the holy Gospels, deposeth & saith: That on the thirteenth day of May last past this deponent was turned out of her house in Stoke aforesaid, & driven thence to New Jersey, by divers persons armed with Guns & other Weapons; that in the month of June last this depon- ent returned again to her dwelling-house in Stoke aforesaid, & there found Agnes Jameson, mother- in-law of this deponent, inhabiting the said house; that this deponent continued at Stoke afore- said, &, together with said Agnes, lived & dwelt in said house; that in the month of August last this deponent went to New Jersey, & after some stay there with her children, returned towards Stoke, aforesaid, last Sunday week [October 17, 1784], having with her this deponent's daughter Hannah, of the age of two years or thereabouts, & passing by Bear Creek, twenty [sic] miles on this side of Stoke aforesaid, this deponent was stopped by Henry Shoemaker, Esq., who said that this deponent could not get through, and that Jacob Cline led this deponent two miles back towards Colonel Stroud's; that after night, this deponent being left alone, proceeded again towards her house aforesaid at Stoke, & arrived there safely; that this deponent, upon returning to her habitation at Stoke as aforesaid, found her Mother-in-law pos- sessed of her house there, & that this deponent took possession of said house & dwelled there in peace untill Wednesday, the twentieth day of this present month of October, when going towards the fort to carry food for Robert Jameson, then prisoner there, this deponent was stopped by Alexander Patterson, Esquire, & taken back to her own house, being five miles distant; that on the way the said Patterson & his men stopped at the Widdow Abigail Holliwood's & turned her out of possession of her dwelling.
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