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 5
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The Westmoreland militia company authorized by the Assembly, as afore- mentioned, was duly organized at Wilkes-Barré by Captain Franklin without delay. It took the place of the provisional militia company referred to on pages 1228 and 1229, Vol. II, and nearly every member of that organization enlisted in the new company.
On May 17, 1780, Serg't Thomas Baldwin of Captain Spalding's company marched with a squad of soldiers from Fort Wyoming on a scout to Lackawanna where they found a man who had been a prisoner among the Indians and had just escaped from them. He was brought down to the fort, where he informed the commander that he had been captured near Fort Allen* by a party composed of ten Indians and one Tory. In the evening of the 17th, William Perry came to the fort and stated that about sunrise on that day, on his journey thither from the Delaware river, he saw a party of Indians near Laurel Run, and several parties between that locality and the fort. The next morning several recon- noitering parties were sent out from the fort, but they made no discoveries except a few foot-prints of Indians in the road near the mountain.
*See page 339, Vol. 1.
1253
Captain Franklin and five soldiers from Fort Wyoming-one of whom was Elisha Harvey, the great grandfather of the writer of this-being up the Sus- quehanna about sixty miles, on a scouting expedition, captured near Wysox, June 6, 1780, three Tories-Adam and Jacob Bowman* and Henry Hover.t These men, in company with Philip Buck ;- who escaped when the others were taken-were all members of "Butler's Rangers", and had previously resided in Westmoreland. They had probably come down from Fort Niagara to the neigh- borhood of their old homes on a scout. Miner says ("History of Wyoming", page 284) that with the men was taken "a fine lot of plunder, valued at £46, 18s. 11d. Captain Franklin and Sergeant Baldwin each shared a silver watch, several pocket compasses, silver buttons and sleeve buttons. A scarlet broadcloth coat, several gold pieces, and a beautiful spy-glass attest the consequence of the pris- oners. The canoes sold for £4, 10s. Col. Z. Butler purchased the spy- glass from the victors for three guineas."
These prisoners were brought in their own canoes down the river to Wilkes- Barré, where they arrived June 10th, and were locked up in the guardhouse at Fort Wyoming. One month later they were sent under guard to the army head- quarters at Morristown, New Jersey, for trial by court-martial.§ With them was sent Sergeant Leaders, or Seiders, a Continental soldier of the Wyoming Garrison, who had been convicted by a court-martial of falsifying a provision return, breaking open the magazine of the fort, and conspiring to release the Tory prisoners and blow up the garrison. He had been whipped on his naked body with 100 lashes, in pursuance of the finding of the court-martial, and was sent to headquarters as "incorrigible."
Having been duly tried, and convicted of the charges preferred against them the two Bowinans and Hover were subsequently returned to Fort Wyoming, there to be detained as prisoners of war.
Miner, in referring to affairs in Westmoreland at this period, states (see his "History", page 284): "In the midst of this scene of general distress it is difficult to suppress a smile, when we contemplate the variety of character sustained and duties performed by Captain Franklin. We have seen him taking an active part on several committees in town-meeting. Indefatigable in the command of his little company, during all this time he was farming with an industry that showed his reliance for subsistence was on the labour of his hands. A hunter, scarce a week passed that he did not, in the proper season, bring in a buck. He was a Justice of the Peace, and the civil laws were regularly administered."
From Franklin's journal we learn that at a court-martial held at Fort Wyo- ming July 12, 1780-Capt. John Paul Schott being President, and Captain Spalding, Captain Franklin, and Lieutenants Gore, Jenkins and Kingsley being members-Martin Brechell, of Philadelphia, a private in Schott's Corps, was found guilty of intending to desert to the Indians and take with him the Tory
*ADAM and JACOB BOWMAN, whose names are mentioned several times hereinbefore, are presumed to have been the sons of Adam Bowman, Sr. As early as 1773 they settled under a grant from the Pennsylvania Proprietaries in what is now Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Susquehanna, near the mouth of a creek to which they gave their name, and which is still called Bowman's Creek. When the Revolutionary War broke out they took the side of the Loyalists, and in 1776 or 1777 were compelled by the Yankee authorities down the river to leave the coun- try. Craft, in his "History of Bradford County", page 65, says: "Jacob Bowman came from about the mouth of Bowman's Creek and settled about 1777 on the opposite side of Towanda Creek from Rudolph Fox. [See note, page 917. Vol. 11.] He was too young to take an active part in the [Revolutionary] contest, and was in the British camp only by compulsion. After the war he returned to his old bome on Towanda Creek and married a daughter of Rudolph Fox."
THENRY HOVER (mentioned on pages 944, 945, 946, and 950) was the son of Casper Hover, mention in the note on page 1050, Vol. 11
+See pages 945, 946, 950 and 1049 (note), Vol. 11.
§See Stone's "Poetry and History of Wyoming", page 259.
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prisoners hereinbefore mentioned, and of threatening to sealp one Adam Sypert, a fellow soldier. The judgment of the court was that Brechell should "run the gauntlet four times through the troops of the garrison." The commanding officer (Colonel Butler) approved the sentence, and it was executed the next afternoon. That evening, records Captain Franklin, a singing meeting was held at Mr. Forseman's.
One of the chief difficulties with which the commander of the Wyoming post had to contend at this time was the procuring of a proper supply of certain provisions for the use of the garrison. Nearly all supplies had to be brought up the Susquehanna in small boats, from points below Sunbury, and the work of gathering such supplies and then boating them up to Wilkes-Barré was slow and tedious. The following letter,* now published for the first time, relates to this bus ness.
"WYOMING 16 July, 1780"
"Sir-the Bearer Sergt. Evelandt is Directed to find you and Return to me as soon as Possabel Excepting he meets the Boat. I need not mention the necessity of stores being for- warded as you must know the Flower you Left on hand must be gone eight days ago I desired Mr. Forsman to muster what wheat he could belonging to you and send it to mill and He did about twenty Bushels and the Flower is Returned and spent we are now Intierly Destitute. Desire you to Forward Flower with all Possabel Dispatch. You'll Please to Dismiss the Barrer and let him return to me as soon as Possabel and let me know what is doing and what stores there is coming on.
"Relying on your faithful Performance of your Duty I am Sin. your Humble Serv't [Signed] "ZEBN. BUTLER, Col. Comd. "To MR. [WM.] STEWART?"
We learn from the journal of Captain Franklin that on July 20, 1780, "a boat arrived from down the river with the welcome cargo of twenty-three barrels of flour" and that on August 6th "Benjamin Clark, with others, went down the river to mill, while on the same day Lieut. Daniel Gore and others set out for Colonel Stroud's mill." The only grist mill in a useable condition then in Wyoming Valley was the small one at Nanticoke, mentioned in the note on page 1085, Vol. II (which was guarded by a detachment from Captain Franklin's Company), all the other mills have been destroyed, wholly or in part, by the invading enemy. Colonel Stroud's mill was at what is now Stroudsburg, some fifty miles distant from Wilkes-Barré by the Sullivan Road.
The number of inhabitants, or, more particularly, property holders, in Westmoreland at this time was very small, as is shown by the following document -the original of which, in the handwriting of Obadiah Gore, Jr., is now in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
"A true List of the Polls and Estate of the Town of Westmoreland ratable by law on the 20th of Augt. A. D. 1780."
£
S.
S.
Ayres, Saml.
35
0
Hagerman, Jos .. 24
0
Atherton, James.
14
14
Hopkins, Timothy
6
0
Atherton, James, Jr
39
0
Inman, Elijah
36
10
Butler, Col. Zebn ..
72 +
Inman, Richard 31
0
Bidlack, Mehitable.
10 0
Ingersol, Daniel. 30
0
Bailey, Benjn.
24
0
Jackson, Wm. 35
0
Brockway, Richard
33
0
Jemison, John
53
10
Bullock, Nathan.
28 0
Joslin, Thos.
21
0
Burnham, Asahel
9
0
Jenkins, Jno ..
3
0
Bennet, Asa
51 0
Jones, Crocker 29
0
Bennet, Isaac
39
0
McCluer, Thos.
4
0
Buck, Wm.
27 0
Mateson, Elisha 6
4
Brown, David.
6
0
Nelson, Wm
15
0
*The original is in the F. J. Dreer Collection of MSS. in the possession of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. +FREDERICK EVELAND, then, or later, of Plymouth, and a member of Captain Spalding's company. #See note "§" on page 871, and the last paragraph on page 1114 and the first paragraph on page 1115, Vol. II.
1255
Bennet, Solomon,.
12
0
Nisbitt, James.
3.3
0
Bennet, Ishmael
24
0
Neill, Thos .. . .
34
0
Blanehard, Andw. .
21
0
O'Neal, Jno. .
18
0
Cady, Manasseh.
58
0
Park, Thos.
18
Corah, Jonathan. .
46
1
Pieree. Phinehas
5
0
Comstock, John .
26
0
Pell, Josiah
29
5
Comstock, Peleg
21
0
Pensyl, Widw Mary
+
0
Cary, Nathan.
35
0
Pierce, Widw Hannah
+
10
Cook, Nathl.
18
0
Ransom, Widw Esther
19
0
Chureh, Gideon.
6
0
Reed, Thos.
IS
0
Chapman, Asa .
18
0
Rogers, Jonah.
61
0
Denison, Col. Nathan.
31
0
Ross, Wm ..
54
7
Durkee, Sarah.
9
0
Ross, Widw Marsey
1
Denton, Daniel.
5
0
Ryon, John . .
5
10
Elliot, Joseph .
40
0
Spalding, Capt. Simon.
15
4
Fuller, Capt. Stephen
85
0
Slocum, Giles.
30
0
Fitch, Jonathan.
41
10
Speneer, Caleb
54
4
Franklin, John, Esq ..
25
Sanford, David.
31
0
Fitzgerald, Derriek. .
18
(
Sutton, James.
18
0
Fish, Joannah.
S
0
Saterly, Elisha
7
1
Frisbie, James.
33
0
Smith, John
10
0
Gore, Lieut, Obadh.
18
10
Smith, Wm.
3
0
Gore, Daniel
45
0
Tilbury, John.
47
0
Gale, Cornelius.
24
0
Thomas, Joseph.
27
0
Gore, Widw Elizabeth
7
10
Trucks, Wm ..
39
(
Holenback, Matthew
21
0
Upson, Widw Sarah.
27
0
Hagerman, John.
21
0
Underwood, Isaae.
21
0
Hurlbutt, John, Esq.
62
0
Williams, Win ..
21
10
Hurlbutt, Christr
26
0
Warner, Wm
28
0
Hide, John.
24
15
Williams, Nathl.
S
0
Harris, Elisha.
21
0
Yerington, Abel
21
0
HIarding, Henry
9
0
£2,353;
0
There are only ninety-one names in this list. For some unexplainable reason we find missing the names of many men who were members of the military companies of Captains Simon Spalding, William Hooker Smith and Jolin Frank- lin, and who are well known to have been in Wyoming in the Summer of 1780. Some of these men were early settlers in the valley under The Susquehanna Company, were land-owners, and were active participants in the life of the community. Among them were: Roasel Franklin, Henry Burney, Prince Alden, Asa Budd, Frederick Budd, Thomas Bennet, Jonathan Corey, Joseplı Corey, Henry Elliott, Jonathan Frisbie, John Fuller, Stephen Gardner, John Gore, Benjamin Harvey, Naphtali Hurlbut, Robert Hopkins, Abraham Nisbitt, Noah Pettebone, Josiah Rogers, Walter Spencer, Abraham Tillbury, Jacob Till- bury.
It will be noted, as an indication of the poverty of the people following the destruction of their homes and crops by the enemy in 1778, that in the foregoing tax-list only three persons are "listed", or assessed, above £60, while fifty-eight persons are assessed under £30.
A large body of Indians and "Rangers" from Fort Niagara attacked Fort Rice, in what is now Lewis Township, Northumberland County, Pa., September 6, 1780. At that time Fort Jenkins (which stood on the north bank of the Sus- quehanna, about midway between the present towns of Berwick and Blooms- burg) was garrisoned by a detachment, or company, of the "German Regiment" mentioned on page 1162, Vol. II. When the attack on Fort Rice was made the garrison was withdrawn from Fort Jenkins and marched to the support of Fort Rice, and of Fort Augusta at Sunbury.
On their failure to capture Fort Rice the enemy dispersed in small parties. overran the neighboring country, and did considerable damage. One party,
0
Gore, Widw Hannah .
23
Sill, Jabez.
52
S.
s.
1256
composed of some forty "Rangers" and Seneca Indians, under the command of Lieut. William Johnston and Roland Montour*, marched against Fort Jenkins. Finding it abandoned they burned and destroyed it, as well as the buildings in its neighborhood. They also rounded up a few head of cattle, and captured two or three men; whereupon ten members of the marauding party were detached to conduct these prisoners and cattle to Niagara. This occurrence took place on the 9th of September.
On the preceding day a company of Northampton County militia, forty-one in number commanded by Capt. Daniel Klader, with Lieut. John Meyer second in command, had set out from Fort Allen, on the Lehigh (see page 339, Vol. I), for Scotch Valley, near Nescopeck, on the Susquehanna. Complaints had been lodged with the civil authorities of Pennsylvania to the effect that the inhabitants of Scotch Valley "have lived peaceably in the most dangerous times; negroes and other suspected strangers being frequently seen amongst them. During every incursion the enemy have made into this country all the disaffected families ['Tories] fly there for protection, whilst the well-affected are obliged to evacuate the country or shut themselves up in garrison."
In the circumstances it was deemed necessary by the civil and military authorities of the counties of Northampton and Northumberland to either dis- perse or arrest these undesirable citizens-these Tories-of Scotch Valley. Thence the excursion of Captain Klader and his men.
Unfortunately, however, news of Klader's coming reached the inhabitants of the doomed settlement, and they withdrew in haste from their homes to the north side of the Susquehanna, where they fell in with the band of Indians headed by Johnston and Montour. The latter, being informed of the state of affairs, proceeded up to the site of the present town of Berwick, where they crossed over the river and followed the path leading from the Susquehanna to the Lehigh-as described on page 237, Vol. I. Proceeding about eight or nine miles they dis- posed themselves in ambush to await the coming of the Northampton County militiamen.
Near noon on Sunday, September 10th, Captain Klader and his men arrived at a point in Sugarloaf Valleyt about one-half mile east of the present borough of Conyngham on land now occupied by the Hazleton Country Club, in Sugar- loaf Township, Luzerne County. "To their great delight they saw before them open and cleared fields, covered with a luxuriant growth of grass. Weary as they were with the fatigue and hardships of their long march, their knapsacks were immediately unslung, and they entered upon the enjoyment of the hour.
"The very beauty of their surroundings lulled to rest all thoughts of danger, and no one seemed to realize the necessity of watchful care. Each man roamed about as best suited his fancy. Their guns were scattered here and there-some stacked, some leaning against stumps and logs, others lying flat on the ground. Suddenly a volley of musketry was poured in upon them from an unseen foe, and with it rang out the terrible war-whoop of the Savages, who, in a moment more, were in their midst."#
Captain Klader and thirteen of his men were killed, and subsequently stripped naked and scalped; Lieutenant Meyer, Ensign James Scoby and Peter Tubal Coons, a private soldier, were taken prisoners, while the remaining members
*See note on page 1028, Vol. 11.
+See the illustration facing page 236, Vol I.
1H. M. M. Richards, in Johnson's "Historical Record", VI. 131.
N.KEMBLE
258
AROTE N.E.BIRO. J. HOUSKNECHT
J. S.BALLIETT
106
SEY BERTSVILLE P. O. J. CAUCHMAN
C.TRESHOLD. N.S
J. CARRLEY
W' SHERRY 1. HOUSEKNECHT
SCHOOL
P. SHAFER
CEM CHRIST CH. ODD FELLOWS HALL
W. DISTEL HURST PAINT SHOP .
$ 705
N.SNYDER PREARICK MRS. OWENS
T. CAWLEY J. M.SENN EST
247
MRS. TROY
D. REARICK
J.HINES
131 KLADER'S GRAVEX 225
J. GETTING
A. MCMURTRIE
234
240
D.SANTEE
J.KAMELLY
J. KNELLY
N. WAGNER
S. WAGNER
J. FINK.
TOLL HOUSE
TO MILNESVILLE
OLD TOLL HOUSE 274
93
111
wuttu P. WEAVER
HOTEL
BUCK MOUNTAIN
CONYNGHAM STATION
TO HAZLETON.
L. V. R. R.
TIMES ENG. DEPT.
J.ENGLE
W. HABE
357
S.BENNER
LAGULP
P.O.
S.HOUSEKNECHT ... E.ROTE
CONYNGHAM
466
MRS. SENN
J.J.SHAFER
296
NEW
J. MYERS
SCENE OF THE SUGARLOAF MASSACRE, 1780
1257
of the company fled and escaped, although several of them were badly wounded before and during their flight. According to Crinkshank's "Story of Butler's Rangers" (page 82) only one Indian of the marauding party was killed at this time, "but Roland Montour, long known as a brave and active chief, received a wound in his arm from which he died a week later."
The enemy, with their three prisoners and such booty as they had secured from the slain militiamen, returned to the Susquehanna, which they followed to Harvey's Creek. There they burnt the saw-mill of Benjamin Harvey on Sep- tember 13th, and that night Lieutenant Meyer escaped from his captors and made his way the next day to Fort Wyoming at Wilkes-Barré. The remainder of the party crossed the Shawanese Mountain, took a north-east course, and struck the Susquehanna again some distance above Wyoming.
Miner, in giving an account of this incursion, says ("History of Wyoming", page 287): "The Indians hastened their retreat, doing what mischief they could by burning the Shickshinny mills, and all the grain stacks on their route." This reference to mills at Shickshinny was undoubtedly made inadvertently, for there were no mills at that point then or for years afterwards. Lieut. John Jenkins, Jr., who was at Fort Wyoming in September, 1780, made mention in his diary of the burning of the Harvey mill. He wrote: "Thursday, Sept. 14th-This day we heard that Fort Jenkins and Harvey's mills were burnt."*
At Fort Wyoming, under the date of September 4, 1780, Col. Zebulon Butler wrote to Col. Ephraim Blaine, Commissary General of Purchases of the Continental army, at Philadelphia, as follows:t
"The intent of this is to apply to you to give orders to Mr. [William] Stewart, Commissary of Issues at this Post, or some Purchasing Commissary that will furnish him beef cattle or salt provision for the use of this garrison. He left this [place] by my order the 29th of last June to procure provisions for this garrison. We have been out of provisions near half the time since, and he has not returned. He has sent some flour, but no meat. He writes me some flour is coming, but no meat, and that I must send express to Colonel Blaine to furnish him with orders or money, as he cannot procure it.
"This express waits on you on purpose to have some relief for this garrison, which is a frontier, and ought to have at least three months' provisions on hand. With respect to flour, I think a supply may soon be had here, as there is a quantity of wheat to be sold here, and a mill will be ready to go in four or five weeks; but at present no person is authorized to purchase.
"My making this application to you is by request of Mr. Stewart, Issuing Commissary at This post. If it should be out of the rule you'll please to excuse me; but so much is fact-we are out of provisions, and no prospect of getting meat. An answer by the bearer [Hugh Forseman] who waits on you will much oblige your humble servant", &c.
At Philadelphia, under the date of September 18, 1780, Colonel Blaine wrote to Colonel Butler, in part as follows:
"I delayed your Express several days, expecting to obtain money or some other means to procure supplies of provisions. Under the present system the States are to furnish the supplies of our army. They have been so exceedingly dilatory that the army have been for several days, at different periods, without one morsel of meat of any kind, and are now in the most disagreeable situation for want of that article. I haven't it in my power, for the present, to give you any assistance but that of flour." * * *
We have further testimony as to the unhappy conditions respecting food supplies at Fort Wyoming, at this period, in a petition§ which was presented to the Connecticut Assembly by Hugh Forseman (previously mentioned) in October, 1781. He stated therein:
"The Garrison at Wyoming was in August and September, 1780, much straitened and distressed for the want of provisions, by reason that Governor Reed,| prohibited its being bought
*For fuller information concerning the Sugarloaf massacre see: "Frontier Forts of Peonsylvania". I: 368; Miner's "History of Wyoming", p. 287; Johnson's "Historical Record", 11: 125, 167, and V1. 131; Stone's "Poetry and History of Wyoming", p. 259.
tSee Magazine of American History, XXIV: 146.
#See original letter in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
$The original is "No. 145" in the collection of documents in the State Library Hartford, Connecticut, described in paragraph "(3)", page 29, Vol. I.
Gen JOSEPH REED, President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania.
1258
from the Pennsylvania Purchasing Commissaries. While in this situation Col. Zebulon Butler, who commanded the garrison, appointed and directed me to purchase provisions for the use of the troops-which appointment I received September 20, 1780."
At Philadelphia, under the date of October 19, 1780, Hugh Forseman wrote to Colonel Butler at Wilkes-Barré as follows:
"I still remain in this City waiting on Col. Blaine for orders, and as I have not wrote you before I shall not be so particular in this, only this much I would mention: That when I first went to Col. Blaine and Delivered your letter and informed him the situation of the Post he told me there was no money, nevertheless some methods must be taken to furnish us with Provision, and he had the matter before Congress and no answer he hath recd. yet. I wate upon him once and twice every Day, but nothing done, nor will he let me go untill he gits an answer from Congress.
"I am very uneasy staying here, but Judge it will not do now to go away untill I receive some Orders. I suppose your situation by this time is very Bad on account of provisions, and it hath been out of my power to do anything more than what I have. I have no reason to believe but what Col. Blaine doth his endeavour to dispatch me. Excuse haste from your very humble sert."
At Fort Wyoming, under the date of October 8, 1780, Colonel Butler wrote to William Stewart, hereinbefore mentioned, as follows:
"Yours of the 20 September came safe to hand some time since. The boat with flour came. The meat was expended, and part of the flour. The two cattle likewise came, but we are entirely out of bread and meat. We live on eels* and corn, and the eels seem to be most done. Should have sent the boat sooner, but Mr. Jameson told me you would not have flour ready. I have sent one small boat and twelve men. Hope you will be able to load the three boats with flour and some liquor and let them return immediately.
"I would wish likewise you would send on some cattle by the same party. When I can hear of their coming I shall send a guard to meet them. When Doctor [William Hooker] Smith was at Philadelphia Colonel Blaine gave encouragement for cash. Mr. Forseman has gone to him and to see what he can do about cattle. Expect him to return in a few days. As to sending hides, it cannot be done by this boat now, the water is so shallow. But I suppose they can come by Mr. Buck's boat when that comes; but the water is too low for that yet."
Miner states (see "History of Wyoming", page 288) that on October 24, 1780, "the settlement was thrown into commotion by the arrival of an express stating that Colonel [Samuel] Hunter, f at Fort Augusta (Sunbury), had stopped the boats that were ascending the river with provisions for the [Wyoming] gar- rison. Grain the people now had, but they were obliged to go to Stroudsburg to mill. This was the first incident which had occurred for three years exhibiting the smothered, but by no means extinguished, jealousy that existed on the part of Pennsylvania towards the Connecticut garrison and settlement."
A few weeks after this occurrence Hugh Forseman arrived from Philadelphia with a hundred head of cattle for the garrison. "Thus fear of absolute famine was removed. The comforts of life were not looked for, but all were satisfied with sufficient food to sustain existence."}
At Fort Wyoming, September 19, 1780, a town-meeting of the inhabitants of Westmoreland was held, John Hurlbut, Esq., acting as Moderator, and Oba-
*"Another friend which had often cheered and sustained the people [of Wyoming] also came nobly to the rescue The Susquehanna River, after furnishing its usual supply of shad in the Spring, this year [1780] doubled its efforts and produced in the Fall extraordinary swarms of eels, upwards of fourteen thousand of these wriggling dainties were taken within three weeks- a welcome boon to the hungry people which they did not allow to slip through their fingers."
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