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 61
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of the resolution of Congress, and the assurances of protection from the Government.
You also recommend that we demean ourselves as good citizens, and not be drawn from our al- legiance by the wild schemes of men who live by fishing in troubled waters; that these men, when distress ariseth, will leave us to shift for ourselves, and hunt out a new scene in which to exercise their unhappy talent. To which I answer: It ever has been, and still is, our desire to demean ourselves as good Citizens; and we would wish to be protected as such, though we are sorry to say we have never yet enjoyed the benefits of your Constitution, though solemnly plighted to us. "You pretend to be afraid that the people here will be drawn from their allegiance by the wild schemes of men who live by fishing in troubled waters. Had you been honest you would have said you was afraid that the exhortations of the wise, righteous and just will have such a deep impression on the minds of the good people at Wyoming as will induce them to stand forth in their defence in a just and righteous cause, and overthrow the hellish schemes of the Land monopolizers, who wish to destroy the Yankees from the face of the Earth, that they may enjoy the Lands our hands have cultivated and our blood enriched.
"You further pretend to be afraid that the wild schemers (as you term them) will leave the people at Wyoming when danger ariseth. I believe, Sir, it's your sincere wish that the wise and
*See page 1496.
tSee, "Pennsylvania Archives", Second Series, XVIII : 656.
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virtuous should withdraw, that you might thereby have a hetter opportunity of drawing the more ignorant and innocent people into a snare, and persuade them to give up their all for a Rattle Box. I then query whether you would not cheat that from them-provided the honor of land schemers only could be pledged for the delivery thereof. But be assured, Sir, the wise and vir- tuous will not withdraw. We have heen inured to dangers, hardships and devastations; we have been too often deceived by your people, the land schemers, as well as by some of the officers of the Government, who made great pretension of Honesty, Justice and Friendship, and whose fair words and flattering speeches are not to be believed; for thus saith the Lord-'Their hearts are full of all manner of ahominations.' * * *
"Let me tell you, Sir, that we esteem ourselves capable of transacting our own business, and I would advise you to avail yourself of the late votes of The Susquehanna Company, and therehy secure your land. I wish for Peace on just and honorable terms.
"N. B .- The benevolent intention of the Company to your settlers, and particularly to yourself, is to the disadvantage of my honored Father, who is the sole owner of those lands you claim at Mahoning [Creek]."
At Smithfield, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, on June 27, 1786, the Hon. John Van Campen (previously mentioned hereinbefore) wrote to General Armstrong, Secretary of the Supreme Executive Council, in part as follows :*
"It Remains no Longer a Doubt with me that this Bandity at Wioming is determined not to Subordinate to the Laws of this State. You will observe hy the inclosed paper, Sign'd Franklin, bis assuming authority at that place. The woman he mentioned was Legally Removed to that place agreeable to the Law provided for that purpose.
"Franklin is Lately arriv'd at Wioming from the State of Connecticut, from the meeting of the Susquehanna Company. Ethan Allen is Expected Soon. Franklin assumes more authority and more positively Dispises the Laws of this State, with more Contempt than formerly. To be particular in Regard to this Bandity, time will not admit. From many Circumstances, I am now Convinced that the people will Declare a New State, or pretend the Laws and Regulations of the State of Connecticut. The old proverb is worthy of observing in this Case-nip the Bud when young. I fear it has been Neglected in this Case."
On July 15, 1786, Dr. Win. Hooker Smith, one of the five "Directors" chosen by the people of Wyoming in November, 1785, to regulate the affairs of the settlement, set out from Wilkes-Barré for New Jersey, expecting to be gone about eight days. According to a statement in writing subsequently made by him, he had a talk with Col. John Franklin-one of his Co-Directors-on the morning of his departure, and was told by Franklin that he had prepared "a number of advertisements to call the people together some day on the last of the month." Dr. Smith further declared that as soon as he had left the Valley "Franklin altered the advertisements, calling on the people to meet on the 20th" of July; that the meeting was held on that day at the house of Abel Yarington in Wilkes-Barré, but that, owing to the short notice given, only a few of the inhabitants attended. The Rev. James Finn (see [*] note page 1505) presided as Moderator. The following account of the proceedings of this meeting was written at the time by a friend of Dr. Smith, and subsequently reached the Supreme Executive Council .;
"In the first place Franklin read the doings of the meeting lately held at Hartford by The Susquehanna Company, at which said Company voted that all that was settled on the West Branch under Pennsylvania should hold their lands, *
* and said Company would sup- * port said settlers to hold said lands for the Connecticut claimants. Franklin and [Zerah] Beach then did solemnly declare that Congress had not settled anything in regard to the right of soil, as some had reported, but quite the reverse; for Connecticut was determined to have another trial for jurisdiction. * * *
"Obadiah Gore had a number of votes done, ready for the people to vote to in said meeting, which were [to the effect] that the people had good right to their lands, and that the Connecticut (sic) Purchase was good ar dauthentic. Franklin said *
* * that the agents that should be chosen at said meeting should have their instructions not to take up with anything short of the whole Purchase. This was voted in the meeting by about twenty or thirty [persons], and they mostly half-share men, and perhaps hut few of them who had ever taken the oath of fidelity [to Pennsylvania]. Gore, Franklin and Beach told the meeting that in case they gave up their Indian Deed they would all he turned off [the land] immediately.
"John Jenkins then swore, in the most sacred manner, that in case that the people should constitute or appoint any other agent but those that should be chosen by that meeting that day,
*See, "Pennsylvania Archives", First Series, XI : 26,
tSee, "Pennsylvania Archives", First Series, XI : 47.
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he would send them to the Eternal Shades of Darkness; and that he knew he could raise a party to assist him at any time he wanted; and that he would destroy both man, woman and children of all such persons-he would not spare the life of one, either small or great, and would take their effects to himself!
"The Agents chosen at said meeting to represent this settlement at the August Session [of the Pennsylvania Assembly] were John Franklin and John Jenkins; and Giles Slocum was chosen a 'Director?' "
At Wilkes-Barré, on the day following the above-described meeting, Col. Zebulon Butler and Col. John Franklin, members of The Susquehanna Company's Committee for ordering and directing the laying out of towns, "accepted and approved" a township called "Ulster", which had been located and surveyed a short time previously by Obadiah Gore, agent for the following-named proprie- tors: Capt. Simon Spalding, William Buck, Maj. William Judd, Timothy Hosmer, Obadiah Gore, Elijah Buck, Thomas Baldwin, Henry Baldwin, Joseph Kinney, Joseph Kinney, Jr., Joseph Spalding, John Spalding, Reuben Fuller, Widow Hannah Gore, Samuel Gore, Abraham Brokaw, Avery Gore, Joseph Eaton, Joshua Dunlap, Lockwood Smith, Aholiab Buck's heirs, John Shephard, Stephen Shephard, Col. Nathan Denison, Joshua Jewel's heirs, Hugh Forseman, Isaac Baldwin, Chester Bingham, Adviel Simons, Zerah Beach, Lebbens Hammond, Benjamin Bailey, Lawrence and Sarah Myers, Nehemiah Defries, Abner Kelley and Benjamin Clark.
The bounds of this new township, as set forth in the "return" of Obadiah Gore, were as follows :* "Beginning at a point on the west side of the river, opposite to the head of an island, about three-fourths of a mile below the mouth .of the Tioga River; thence west, two miles; thence south, five miles; thence east, five miles-crossing the Susquehanna to a bound; thence north, five miles, to a bound; thence west, three miles to the first-mentioned bound." This newest township adjoined, on the south, the township of Athens, which had been "granted and confirmed" in May, 1786. There had been an earlier township of Ulster, located on the eastern side of the Susquehanna, as shown on the map facing page 468, Vol. I. This earlier township had undoubtedly been located and granted in the year 1775, but, on account of the war, and the dispersal of the settlers along the Susquehanna above Wyoming Valley, had not been sur- veyed or allotted. The new Ulster was intended, therefore, to take the place of old Ulster.
At his home near Northumberland, on July 21, 1786, Judge William Mont- gomery forwarded to President Benjamin Franklin, at Philadelphia, the letter of Col. John Franklin (printed on page 1515) accompanying it with a letter read- ing in part as follows:+
"I lately received a letter from Wioming, signed 'John Franklin', which I beg leave to inclose for the perusal of the Council; and also an inclosed bit of a newspaper printed (I suppose) in Connecticut-the contents of both of which I think a little extraordinary.
"In order to inform your Excellency & Council of the occasion of this letter, I beg leave to trouble you with a very short sketch of a letter I had written to a certain [Lawrence] Myers living at that place. The letter was entirely of a public nature, and was sent there to inform them of what I had been informed by Gen. John Bull had been lately done in Congress respecting the Susquehanna claimants-suspecting that art is often used to keep the true state of things from the common people. I also, therein (agreeable to the request of the Honorable Council, in the letter I had the Honor to receive in answer to the dispatches sent by General Bull), expressed the assurances of Council that the virtuous and peaceable should have protection; and I earnestly pressed them not to follow the wild schemes of Men not satisfied or easy under the established forms of Government.
"I hinted how much better i. was to enjoy the benefits of our Constitution and Laws than to subject themselves to all the distress which must follow a contention with us and a Rebel-
*See the original records of The Susquehanna Company, Book "1", page 25.
1See "Pennsylvania Archives", First Series, XI : 35.
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lion against Government; and-what probably irritated Franklin most-I gave it clearly as my opinion that, when distress arose, those men-now the most active and uneasy-would leave them to shift for themselves. There is much of my letter either wilfully misunderstood or greatly misrepresented.
"I have had nothing further from that Quarter lately other than the inclosed. This John Franklin is the Colonel of their Militia, and a principal Man among them. I make no doubt but that his letter is fully expressive of the intentions of a great number at Wioming; and for my part I confess I should be glad to see that part of the country erected into a County, so that, if they have the least desire of becoming orderly citizens of this State, they might have an oppor- tunity so to do-although I very much doubt whether they would accept the favor."
At Wilkes-Barre, on August 10, 1786, Dr. William Hooker Smith wrote to Vice President Charles Biddle at Philadelphia, in part as follows :*
"We hear that Captain Schott is this day set out for Philadelphia, we expect in order to ask for Protection for Col. John Franklin and Maj. John Jenkins to attend the Assembly as Agents. We are at this time in Great Confusion. The conduct of Captain Schott is amazing to us. He appears of late to be on the side of Allen, Franklin, Jenkins and associates. He has inlisted him- self in proprietors' rights pretty largely, and is paddling about with Franklin and Jenkins in the land jobbing way under the Susquehanna proprietors. [Dr. Smith next referred to the town meeting of the inhabitants held on July 20, and Franklin's procedure in connection with the same -and then continued as follows :]
"I am credibly informed that there was not more than 25 which voted [at the meeting of July 20], and most of them stragglers. Jenkins gave out such threatening words that no man present dared to oppose. Jenkins declared that if any man in the settlement did oppose the doings of that meeting he would destroy him. John Jenkins swore in the most solemn manner that in case the people should constitute or appoint any other agent than what should be chosen by that meeting that day, he would send them to the Eternal Shades of Darkness, and that he knew he could raise a party to assist him, and that he would destroy both men, women and children, &c. They chose at that meeting Franklin and Jenkins for Agents. They have the sword in their hands. Franklin is a Colonel and Jenkins Major; the settlers cannot make any Defence-they have been deprived of their arms; the half-share men are well armed-thirty of them can destroy the whole settlement.
"The former part of this letter I wrote at Wioming. I am on the track of Captain Schott, . & this day (August 11) am at Hellers', at Wind Gap. When I began this letter I expected to have sent it by a young man of my neighborhood. If these men [Franklin and Jenkins] should get protection from Council it will dishearten the settlers. They are not chosen by the settlers, and if they come under your Protection it will be their design to affront you & bring on a rupture. The Susquehanna Company have voted to give the West Branch people their lands. By this they expect 1,000 men from there to assist them. One Hugh Forsemant, who lives now at the Delaware (sic), has been of late at Wioming. He has formerly been a Justice at Wyoming under Connecticut. He saith that whenever Franklin calls he can have from that neighborhood 500 or 600 men. Franklin and his associates brag that they can have from the West Branch 1,000; from the Delaware, 500; from Varmount, 1000. Such Reports intimidate the people. Notwith- standing these [things] there is yet virtue in most of the settlers.
"I have copied Hamilton's letters and spread them in the settlement, which is not only economising, but stimulates. When I left, the People were all in a Tumult. I have drawn up a petition to offer to the Assembly, which was signing briskly when I left. The settlers in general fix on me as their Agent. I expect to receive from them in a few days the Petition and a Power of Agency, and Instructions to the Assembly. Franklin has had of late a request for powder. We had three cannon at Wioming, which are either secreted or sent to Tioga. The principal agents against Government are John Franklin, John Jenkins, James Finn and Christopher Hurlbut. They have voted against taking the laws; they have persuaded the people against the Government.
"You will observe the inclosed letters. I fear my family will be destroyed-I dare not go to Wioming at present. [The testimony of] people can be had a-plenty against the above persons. If they could be brought to justice, or removed, the people would soon be quiet.
"If your Honors should want any Intelligence from me before I come to the Assembly, I may be found either at Heller's at Wind Gap or at Colonel Stroud's. If the Wioming Disturbance should come to an open rupture-if troops should be sent to enforce the laws-Doctor Smith begs that the friends to Government may not suffer with the disobedient. I should wish to go with them [the troops], or at least be perinitted to give in a list of Names of such as are friends, & beg for Protection. As to my own part, I am Devoted, & at your Honors' service. I wish for Regularity, order, & an Introduction of the Laws."
It seems that Franklin, Jenkins and their associates had ascertained about August 10th that it was Dr. Smith who had intercepted and sent to the Pennsyl- vania authorities the inflammatory letters of Dr. Joseph Hamilton to Colonel Franklin. Dr. Smith, being informed of this fact, stood not upon the order of his going, but went posthaste out over the Sullivan Road to Heller's, at the
*See "Pennsylvania Archives", First Series, XI : 45.
+See note, page 1114, Vol. II.
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Wind Gap. He took with him a hastily written note from his friends and neigh- bors Abraham Westbrook and Samuel Hover, addressed to Vice President Charles Biddle, and reading in part as follows :*
"This comes by Dr. Smith, who is obliged to fly. Franklin & his party have knowledge of his [Smith] informing Government of Hamilton's letters. Franklin & Jenkins have given out most shocking threatenings. As to the meeting which Franklin warned of late, and the proceedings, and as to every particular transacted here, we refer you to the Doctor. We feel ourselves sensibly bound by our oath of fidelity to the State, and in conscience as honest men, to declare against the proceedings of Franklin & Jenkins; and as we expect soon to come to an open Rupture, the Doctor has drawn up a Petition which is now signing, & the letters from Hamilton are public. We are determined to act on the honest side. If the opposite party should prove too hard for us, we hope we shall receive assistance from Government."
This letter, together with his own letter-begun at Wyoming and finished at Hellers'-and the account of the meeting at Wilkes-Barre on July 20th, Dr. Smith forwarded from Hellers', to Judge Montgomery, at Northumberland, by whom they were duly transmitted to the Supreme Executive Council.
As noted, Capt. John Paul Schott set out from Wilkes-Barré for Philadelphia on August 10, 1786, bearing a letter to President Benjamin Franklin from Col. John Franklin and Maj. John Jenkins-the "two Johns"-relative to their elec- tion as agents for the settlers at Wyoming, and as to their being furnished with a passport as suggested by President Franklin in his communication of June 11, 1786. The writers expressed their thanks for the attention of the President and the Council to the case of the Wyoming settlers, and declared their appre- ciation, especially, of that paragraph in the President's letter of June 11th "that so fully expresseth the wishes of the whole Council, and His Excellency in par- ticular, to be instrumental by just and reasonable measures in promoting their happiness." The lettert prayed for the protection of the Supreme Executive Council to the persons of Franklin and Jenkins "while coming to and remaining in Philadelphia, in waiting upon the Legislature as agents for the settlers at Wyoming", and concluded with the following paragraph:
"Our most sincere and best wishes attend your Excellency and the honourable Council in all your important concerns. May you have wisdom from on high, to direct you in Council, that you may be used as happy instruments, under the Great Jehovah, in consulting such measures and carrying them into execution, as will reflect immortal honour on your memories, and ter- minate in the advancement of the Messiah's kingdom, and consequently in the weal and pros- perity of this State, that your names may be sacred in the annals of history, that generations yet unborn-when they shall rise on the stage of action-may call you blessed!"
This letter was duly received by President Franklin and transmitted to the Supreme Executive Council, whereupon, on August 21, 1786, the Council ordered : "That a passport under the seal of the State be made out for the said John Franklin and John Jenkins, or others, as agents as aforesaid, granting to them the desired protection, as far as the authority of the Executive will extend; but that they be apprized that this will not reach beyond prosecution of a crim- inal nature."
With this passport Captain Schott returned to Wilkes-Barré, where he ar- rived about August 25th. Meanwhile a meeting of the Wyoming settlers had been held at Wilkes-Barré on Saturday, August 19th. So far as the present writer can ascertain, the only account of this meeting is preserved in the jour- nal of Col. Timothy Pickering (who was in Wilkes-Barré at the time), and is as follows, (under the date of August 20, 1786):±
"At this meeting were present such settlers as chose to attend from Tioga downwards; yet I have since learned that the whole number present amounted to but sixty. I found that
*See "Pennsylvania Archives", First Series, X1 : 47.
+See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records". XV : 67, and "Pickering Papers", LVI1 : 30.
#See Upham's "Life of Timothy Pickering", 11 : 258.
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Colonel [Zebulon] Butler had prudently resolved to accept no office whatever among these people, except that of Moderator of their meetings, when they should choose him. He was Moderator of the meeting yesterday. Their principal business was to consider and determine for what ex- tent of country they should make their claim to the Assembly of Pennsylvania. They concluded to ask for the whole Indian Purchase, beginning ten miles east of the north-east branch of the Susquehanna, as it runs, and extending westward two degrees of longitude. Its breadth north and south I did not ascertain; but suppose it corresponds with the breadth of the State of Con- necticut. * *
* Messrs. Franklin and Jenkins are chosen agents to present their claim, or petition, to the Assembly; and a messenger is gone to the President and Council to ask a pass- port for them.
"It would seem that they make this large claim, not with a confidence of its being acceded to, but from an expectation of obtaining more than if they asked but little. Such of the old settlers as I have conversed with would be satisfied if quieted in their possessions prior to the decision of the Continental Court at Trenton. These possessions mean the lots of 150 to 300 acres, on which they had seated themselves and made some improvements before that day, These settlers, and the heirs of such of them as have died, are supposed to amount to about 250 families. The new- comers may amount to as many more; and these, having obtained grants of half-shares (whence they are called half-share men) from The Susquehanna Company, on condition of their residing in the settlement and defending the land, contend warmly for the whole Indian purchase. Some of the old settlers also being partners in the Company, still persist in this extensive claim."
The foregoing mention of the name of Timothy Pickering records the first appearance upon the Wyo- ming stage, of a new actor-one who, during the ensuing three or four years, filled many parts in the drama enacted here, and was a use- ful and dominant member of the community.
According to Upham-in his "Life of Timothy Pickering", II: 248-Colonel Pickering, who was living in Philadelphia in 1786, came to the conclusion early in that year "to remove, with his family, to some new settlement ,on the front- iers, or to open one himself in the remoter wilderness. With this in view he had purchased several large tracts of unoccupied lands in the ex- treme western counties of Virginia STEWART PEARCE and beyond, in the territory then belonging to that State, but consti- tuting now the State of Kentucky, and on the borders of the Ohio.
Author of "Annals of Luzerne County," frequently quoted by way of reference in this History.
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"He had also, in company with others,* bought a large tract of land in Pennsylvania, which had, on many accounts, greater attractions as a future permanent home than more distant localities. But his Pennsylvania purchase was in immediate contact with the Wyoming lands, and, in fact, to some extent, overlay them. *
* * Before absolutely and finally committing himself to the Wyoming enterprise, he thought it proper to visit the country. * * * Two gentlemen accompanied Colonel Pickering at the start. Others overtook them on the way." Colonel Pickering kept a diary of their journey,-"a curious
* According to a document on file in the Land Office, Department of Internal Affairs, at Harrishurg, Pennsylvania, it is shown that, as "the Land Office of Pennsylvania" was "to he opened on May 1, 1785, for the sale of the lands within the State lately purchased from the Indians"; and as "Timothy Pickering, Samuel Hodgdon, Tench Coxe, Duncan Ingham, Jr., all of Philadelphia, Andrew Craigie, of the City of New York, and Miers Fisher", were "desirous to form a company for the purchase of a considerable quantity of said lands for their joint account," they entered into a written agreement, hearing date April 6, 1785, to purchase 63,000 acres of said lands.
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and most valuable document"-which he entitled "A Journal of a Tour into the Woods of Pennsylvania, about the Great Bend, August and September, 1786."
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