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 69
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"Monday, January 29 .- Met the people of Shawanee (Plymouth) this afternoon. It was in a snow-storm which, with the shortness of the notice, occasioned a thin meeting. About twenty persons were present. * * * The meeting at Plymouth was not satisfactory; it bore some resemblance to that at Nanticoke. Tuesday, January 30 .- Received from A. Westbrook a paper signed by him, Dr. Smith and others of Jacob's Plains, professing their attachment to the Govern- ment; also a note from the Doctor, Mr. Westbrook and Captain Hoover, offering, for themselves and the electors of Jacob's Plains [in the township of Wilkes-Barre], to be a guard to Colonel Butler and me at the election, if any violence should be attempted. I advised with Colonel Butler, and we concluded it best that no person should appear in arms."
CHAPTER XXX.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY OF LUZERNE-A LIST OF THE ELECTORS- METHODS AND EVENTS OF THE FIRST ELECTION-THE CONFIRMING LAW OF 1787-HOSTILITIES AGAIN AROUSED-DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SETTLERS LEAD TO A RIOT AT FORTY FORT-OLDER SETTLERS, TIRED OF CONTESTS, DECLARE FOR COMPROMISE-THE FIRST COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - COL. PICKERING'S MANY DUTIES-FOUR ATTORNEYS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE -THE FIRST FRUITS OF SELF GOVERNMENT
"States are great engines moving slowly." Bacon
"Men are the sport of circumstances, when The circumstances seem the sport of men."
Byron
"Time's glory is to calm contending kings, To unmask falsehood and bring truth to light, To stamp the seal of time in aged things To wake the morn and sentinel the night, To wrong the wronger till he render right, To ruinate proud buildings with thy hours And smear with dust, their glittering, golden towers."
Rape of Lucrece
Thursday, February 1, 1787-the day upon which matters of great moment to the inhabitants of the new County of Luzerne were to be decided-was at last at hand.
In accordance with the requirements of an Act of the Pennsylvania As- sembly, passed March 4, 1786, it was necessary that each freeman of the Common- wealth, in order to become a qualified elector, or voter, should take-if he had not already taken-an oath or affirmation of allegiance to the Commonwealth, according to a form duly prescribed. As noted on other pages hereinbefore, a
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considerable number of the inhabitants of the Wyoming region had taken an oath of allegiance* to the Pennsylvania Government, prior to the passage of the afore- mentioned Act, and in consequence, they were not affected by the Act. How- ever, during the last few days of January, Colonels Pickering and Butler adminis- tered the required oath to sixteen freemen of Luzerne County, and issued the neces- sary certificates in attestation thereof; and on February 1st, they administered the oath and issued certificates to one hundred and thirty more freemen.
The following is a copy of the oath which was administered:f
"I do swear (or affirm) that I renounce and refuse all allegiance to George III, King of Great Britain, his heirs and successors; and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as a free and independent State; and that I will not at any time, do or canse to be done, any matter or thing that will be prejudicial or injurious to the freedom and independence thereof.
"And I do further swear (or affirm) that I never have, since the Declaration of the Indepen- dence of the United States of America, voluntarily joined, aided, assisted or abetted the King of Great Britain, his generals, fleets or armies, or their adherents (knowing them to be such) whilst employed against the United States or either of them."
The following is a copy of an original certificate (now in existence) which was issued as aforementioned:
"I do certify that ELISHA BLACKMAN, husbandman, of the township of Wilkesborough, in the County of Luzerne, hath voluntarily taken and subscribed the Oath (or Affirmation) of Al- legiance and Fidelity, as directed by an Act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, passed the 4th day of March, A. D. 1786. Witness my hand and seal the Ist day of February, A. D., 1787. [Signed] "TIMOTHY PICKERING. [L. S.]"
Each oath, or affirmation, was supposed to be duly signed, or subscribed, by the one making it; but in a number of instances the names seem to have been written by either Colonel Pickering or Colonel Butler. The following list of the one hundred and forty-six freemen who took the oath of allegiance before Colonels Pickering and Butler, in the last days of January and on February 1, 1787, at Wilkes-Barré, has been made up by the present writer from original lists preserved among the "Pickering Papers" (LVII : 97-114). The spelling of the names, as shown therein, has not been changed.
Samuel Ayers,
Carpenter,
Plymouth,
Abram Addoms,
Husbandman,
Robert Alexander,
Weaver,
Hanover, Kingston,
Nicholas Brink,
Husbandman,
3 miles below Shawnee,
Henry Buck,
Physician,
Wilkes-Barré,
Increase Billings,
Yeoman,
Pittston,
Benjamin Brink,
Hunter,
Wilkes-Barré,
James Brown,
Yeoman,
Pittston,
James Brown, Jr.,
Husbandman,
Pittston,
John Budd,
Yeoman,
Pittston,
Jeremiah Blanchard,
Yeoman,
Pittston,
Chester Bingham, Henry Birney,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
Eleazar Blackman,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Elisha Blackman, Jr.,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Elisha Blackman,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Stephen Burritt,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
Jeremiah Baker,
Cordwainer,
Plymouth,
Oliver Bennet,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
William Baker, Isaac Bennet,
Husbandman,
Newport,
George Charles,
Husbandman,
Wapwallopen,
Elisha Cortwright,
Yeoman,
Wapwallopen,
Robert Coeley,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
Nehemiah Crofoot,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
George Croom,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Gilbert Carpenter,
Carpenter,
Kingston,
Gideon Church,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
Benjamin Carpenter,
Joiner,
Kingston,
*See their letter on page 1539.
tSee the "Pickering Papers," LVII : 97
Husbandman,
Plymouth,
Husbandman,
Ulster,
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Husbandman,
Cooper,
Cordwainer,
Husbandman,
Husbandman,
Tioga, Wilkes-Barré,
Yeoman,
Pittston,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
Andrew Decker,
Husbandman,
Hanover, Hanover,
Martin Dudley,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Henry Decker, John Davison, Thomas Drake,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
Samuel Daly,
Husbandman,
Exeter,
Adam Dilley,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Joseph Dewey,
Husbandman,
Wapwallopen,
David Dale,
Husbandman,
Exeter, Pittston,
John Dickson,
Husbandman,
Moses Depui,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
John Durkee,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Nicholas Depue,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
Casper Elster,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
James Esland,
Husbandman, Husbandman, Laborer,
Wilkes-Barré,
Ebenezer Ellis,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Ebenezer Ellis, Sr.,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
Jonathan Frisbee,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
Thomas Gibson,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Thomas Gardner,
Husbandman,
Exeter,
Ambrose Gaylord,
Yeoman,
Kingston,
Justus Gaylord, Jr.,
Blacksmith,
Kingston,
Daniel Gridley,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré, Pittston,
Stephen Gardner,
Husbandman,
John Hollenback,
Yeoman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Daniel Holly,
Brewer,
Wilkes-Barré,
Mathias Hollenback,
Gentleman,
Wilkes-Barré,
John Hagemen,
Shopkeeper,
Wilkes-Barré,
Joseph Hageman,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
William Hyde, Isaiah Howell,
Joiner,
Kingston,
Stephen Harding,
Husbandman,
Exeter,
Lebbens Hammond,
Husbandman,
Exeter,
Richard Hallsted,
Husbandman,
Pittston,
John Inman,
Blacksmith,
Hanover,'
Edward Inman,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
William Jackson, John Johnson,
Husbandman,
Hanover, Exeter,
Jehoiada Johnston,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Stephen Jenkins,
Husbandman,
Exeter,
Thomas Joslin,
Carpenter,
Exeter,
Nathan Jones, John King,
Kingston,
Josiah Kellogg,
Husbandman, Husbandman, Carpenter, Tailor,
Wilkes-Barré, Hanover,
Joseph Leonard,
Husbandman,
Pittston,
John Lutsee,
Husbandman, Husbandman,
Hanover,
Lawrence Myers,
Inn-holder,
Kingston,
Henry McCormick,
Husbandman,
David McCormick,
Husbandman, Saddler,
Kingston, Kingston, Kingston,
Ira Manvill, James Millage,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré, Putnam,
Zebulon Marcy,
Husbandman, Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Samuel Meddagh,
Husbandman,
Pittston,
John Montanye, Eleazar Miller, Caleb Newman,
Husbandmnan, Husbandman,
Kingston, Wilkes-Barré, Tunkhannock
Yeoman,
Wilkes-Barré, Kingston, Kingston, Pittston,
Sailmaker,
Elias Decker,
Husbandman,
Shoemaker,
Kingston,
Husbandman,
Pittston,
Ebenezer Enos,
Plymouth, Kingston,
Joab Enos,
Edward Edgerton,
Cooper,
Wilkes-Barré,
William Jacoays [Jakeways],
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Plymouth,
Joseph Kilborn,
Wilkes-Barré,
John Kennedy, Abraham Lain,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
James Lassley,
Samuel Miller,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Benjamin Carey, Benjamin Crawford, Elnathan Cory, Barnabas Cary, Thadey Coner, William Dorton, Jonathan Davis, Elisha Decker,
-
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Jonathan Newman, Nathan Northrup, Nehemiah Northrup, Jacob Ossencup, Gideon Osterhout, Elijah Oakley, John Platner, Abraham Pyke, Timothy Peirce,
Blacksmith, Carpenter, Millwright, Husbandman, Yeoman, Husbandman,
Pittston, Hanover, Hanover, Wilkes-Barré, Tunkhannock Putnam,
Husbandman,
Pittston, Wapwallopen,
Dennis Roberts,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Peter Roberts,
Husbandman,
Exeter,
Josiah Rogers,
Plymouth,
John Staples,
Husbandman, Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
William Schaff, John Squire,
Husbandman,
Exeter, Sheshequin,
Simon Spalding,
Gentleman,
William Stark, Jr.,
Husbandman,
Pittston,
Jonathan Smith,
Cooper,
Wilkes-Barré,
William Smith,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Leonard Scott,
Husbandman,
Tunkhannock,
Daniel Sherrard,
Husbandman,
Wapwallopen,
Jedidiah Stephens, Jr.,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
Abraham Smith,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Walter Spencer,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
Daniel Sullivan,
Laborer,
Kingston,
Stephen Strickland,
Cordwainer,
Wilkes-Barré.
Rogers Searles,
Cordwainer,
Pittston,
Edward Spencer,
Husbandman,
Hanover,
Elijah Silsbee,
Husbandman,
Pittston,
William Simrell,
Husbandman,
Providence,
Jeremiah Shaw,
Husbandman,
Ulster,
Enos Tubbs,
Husbandman,
Tunkhannock
Lebbens Tubbs,
Husbandman,
Exeter,
Thomas Thorp,
Cordwainer,
Plymouth,
Gilbert Van Gorden,
Husbandman,
3 miles below Shawnee,
Joshua Van Fleet,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
Abraham Van Tillbury,
Husbandman,
Plymouth,
Leonard Westbrook,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
James Westbrook,
Husbandman,
Wilkes-Barré,
John Woolley,
Husbandman,
Kingston,
James Whitney, Abel Yarington,
Laborer,
Wilkes-Barré, Wilkes-Barré.
Ferryman,
The four men whose names are printed in italics in the foregoing list were British deserters (as noted on the original lists), and they were not required to take that part of the oath of allegiance which is printed in italics.
It may be noted here that a very considerable number of the men whose names appear in this list had located in the Wyoming region in the years 1785 and '86; in other words, were new-comers.
As provided in the Act of Assembly, the election of February 1, 1787, took place at the house of Col. Zebulon Butler, at the south-east corner of the present River and Northampton Streets, Wilkes-Barré. Before the polls were opened, Colonels Pickering and Butler, as Commissioners, "chose and appointed" the following election officers, who were duly sworn to conduct the election according to law. Judges: Obadiah Gore, James Sutton and Christopher Hurlbut. In- spectors: Simon Spalding, John Swift and John Hurlbut. Clerks: Elisha Sat- terlee, Lord Butler and John Hyde. Two hundred and twenty-two electors from the various settlements-from Wapwallopen on the south, to Sheshequin on the north-attended and cast their votes. Relative to the election, Colonel Picker- ing wrote in his diary, under the date of February 1st, as follows:
"The election has gone on with great quiet and regularity. A private fray happened in the forenoon between two of Abraham Westbrook's sons and some others. It seems they had got in liquor, and as soon as Mr. Westbrook discovered them, he parted the disputants and sent his sons home, telling them that if they wanted to fight, they might 'do it to-morrow, but not on
John Pottman,
Yeoman,
1556
the day of election.' There were also two men-Pennamites-up from Wapwallopen, whom some of the warm Yankees got scent of, and immediately sought for. They were found at John Hollen- back's, and got a severe beating. It was said that these two men had been active under Patterson, in driving the Connecticut people out of the settlement. Their names were George Charles and John Pottman.
"They, with one [Elisha] Cortwright, had been with me in the morning and taken the oath of allegiance. Cortwright said he had heard threatenings had been given out-that if they at- tempted to vote, they would be ill-used-and asked my advice as to what they had best do. I did not hesitate to recommend to them to avoid the election, if they found such threats had been uttered; that if they were lovers of peace, they had better retire than hazard a disturbance of the election. Cortwright answered that he would rather retire than do that. In this sentiment, I thought both Charles and Pottman acquiesced. Cortwright accordingly went off, and escaped unhurt; but the others loitered, and were beaten. It was said that Cortwright had been remark- ably cruel in his treatment of the settlers at the general driving [of the Connecticut settlers out of the Valley in 1784]. No other disturbance happened, except a private quarrel arising about the manner of paying for some liquor."
According to Colonel Pickering's diary, the polls were closed between nine and ten o'clock in the evening, and then, until half-past two o'clock the next morning, the Judges and Inspectors were engaged in examining and counting the ballots and tabulating the results of the election. They then "made a public declaration of the names of the persons elected-many electors being present, and waiting to know the issue." The following is a statement of the votes polled, and for whom:
For Representative to the General Assembly: Col. John Franklin received 145 votes; Obadiah Gore, 54; Col. Nathan Denison, 17; Col. Zebulon Butler, 3; Christopher Hurlbut, Capt. John Paul Schott and James Sutton, each 1; Total, 222. For Councillor: Col. Nathan Denison received 97 votes; Mathias Hollen- back, 47; Capt. John Paul Schott, 47; Col. Zebulon Butler, 23; Maj. John Jenkins, 2; Obadiah Gore and Col. John Franklin, each 1; Total 218. For Sheriff: Lord Butler received 170 votes; Mason F. Alden, 138; Dr. Wm. Hooker Smith, 55; while twenty-six others received from one vote to thirteen votes each. For Coroner: Nathan Cary received 107 votes; John Dorrance, 96; Abel Yarington, 63; Benjamin Bailey, 35; while eighteen others received from one vote to thirty- seven votes each. For Commissioners: Jonah Rogers received 105 votes; Christ- opher Hurlbut, 103; Nathan Kingsley, 100; Capt. Simon Spalding, 79; Abel Peirce, 64; while twenty-eight others received from one vote to twenty-six votes each.
From this it will be seen that the first elected officers of Luzerne County were: Col. John Franklin, Representative; Col. Nathan Denison, Councillor; Lord Butler and Mason F. Alden, Sheriffs *; Nathan Cary and John Dorrance, Coroners *; Jonah Rogers, Christopher Hurlbut and Nathan Kingsley, Com- missioners.
Turning again to Colonel Pickering's diary we find the following:
"Friday, February 2, 1787 .- The Judges of Election having returned to me the names of the persons elected, and delivered to me a box, sealed agreeably to law, and containing the votes, lists of electors and tally papers-there being no Justice of the Peace to receive the same-I consulted the Judges, Captain Spalding (an Inspector) and Colonel Butler on the time and places which would be most convenient for the meetings of the freeholders to elect Justices of the Peace. It is concluded, that this election be held on the same day-viz., Thursday, April 19, 1787-in all the districts; the meeting for the First District to be held at Colonel Butler's house in Wilkes- barre; for the Second District, at Forty Fort, in Kingston; for the Third District, at Capt. [Simon] Spalding's, in Ulster (Sheshequin). The three Judges consent to preside at the elections, viz: Christopher Hurlbut for the First District, James Sutton for the Second, and Obadiah Gore for the Third.
"Sunday, February 4 .- No meeting [i.e., preaching, or religious services] at Wilkesbarre. I prepared the petition to the General Assembly. Monday, February 5 .- Colonels Denison and Butler, Mr. Obadiah Gore and Captain Spalding considered, and approved of, the petition."
*At this period the law of Pennsylvania, governing the election of persons to fill the offices of Sheriff and Coroner, provided that the electors should choose two persons for each office; whereupon the Supreme Executive Council would select one from each of the two men and issue a commission to him. In the present instance the Council appointed and commissioned Lord Butler, Sheriff and Nathan Cary, Coroner, on April 7, 1787. Butler took the oaths of allegiance and office, April 18, 1787, and Cary took the same on April 23rd, before Colonel Pickering.
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The original petition prepared at this time by Colonel Pickcring, in response to a request made by certain of the inhabitants of Wyoming, is now preserved (as "Document No. 221") among the collections of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia. The original draft of the petition will be found among the "Pickering Papers" (LVII : 127). The document is dated "Luzerne County, February 5, 1787," and reads, in part, as follows:
"The Address and Petition of the inhabitants of the County of Luzerne to the Honourable, the General Assembly of Representatives of the Freemen of Pennsylvania :-
"May it please the Assembly to accept our grateful acknowledgments for their attention to our requests in erecting this district into a separate County, and giving us an opportunity of choosing civil officers, and being represented in the Assembly and in the Supreme Executive Council. We are happy in the prospect, now opened, of our receiving and enjoying the blessings of regular and constitutional government. Nothing will then be wanting to remove every cause of jealousy and complaint but the confirmation of our titles to our lands.
"Those lands have been the source of such disorders, such losses and sufferings, that we have reason to deplore the fatal day when we and our fathers first set foot upon this hostile ground. But here we now are, an injured and distressed people-a people whose substance, often acquired, has often been destroyed. Even what our various enemies at any time left us, or allowed us re- spite to procure, has repeatedly been overwhelmed and ruined, or swept away, by destructive floods; so that we are now more wretched, and are enduring greater hardships, than at the first moment of our migration hither.
"Pardon us that we have glanced upon our sufferings. We would not wound the ear of humanity with a detail of miseries that are past; particularly we would not describe those which were, above all others, the most insupportable-those which were inflicted by men who appeared in the light of subjects of Pennsylvania, and consequently of fellow-citizens. But the justice of the State has held those transactions up to public censure, and with this reparation we are con- tent. Those outrages we have not forgotten-we cannot yet forget them, for at this hour we are experiencing distresses which spring from that very source. But we will endeavor to forgive them. Some among ourselves have not been faultless, and it may be essential to the peace of the country that all past offenses be buried in oblivion. Some of us have large claims for injuries received, but we are willing to sacrifice them on the altar of Peace.
"We wish not to open afresh those wounds which now are healing, and therefore express our hope that, if consistent with wisdom, the Assembly pass an Act of Oblivion and Indemnity as well for private trespasses as public wrongs. It is our earnest desire to ground our petition on the basis of reason and equity; but our all is at stake, for, separate from our lands, we have no property worth naming. Under the operation of such an interest-an interest dear to us as our lives-perhaps we may ask more than reason and equity can grant. We wish not to offend, and if any part of our request 'should appear amiss, we pray for the indulgent consideration of the Honourable Assembly, that such impropriety may not prejudice those equitable rights to which we shall be thought entitled.
"In the event of things, our lands have cost us dear, indeed. Their price has been paid-too dearly paid-in the blood of our fathers, husbands, sons and brothers; and now, after the hard la- bours of seventeen years, no fruits remain! In such unhappy circumstances shall we be thought un-
reasonable if we ask a free and gratuitous confirmation of our titles to our lands? We hope not!
*
*
*
The petition closed with a prayer to the Assembly to gratuitously confirm the Connecticut titles to all farm-lots in towns laid out, or in detached places between any towns, and which had been either occupied by, or assigned to, persons living in the Wyoming settlements prior to the Decree of Trenton.
The names of one hundred and thirty persons are attached to this petition, some of them being as follows: Zebulon Cady, Daniel Earl, Benjamin Jones, Benjamin Smith, Caleb Bates, Ebenezer Marcy, Richard Halstead, Jr., John Dickson, Elisha Harding, Thomas Gardner, William Jackson, Zebulon Marcy, Gideon Osterhout, Nathan Draper, Cornelius Cortright, Asahel Atherton, Isaac Tripp, Stephen Gardner, Jeremiah Blanchard, Timothy Peirce, William Smith, William Hooker Smith, Abraham Westbrook, Daniel Gore, Joseph Sprague, Jr., and John Rosecrance.
On the day before Colonel Pickering left Wilkes-Barré, he was handed by the Rev. Jacob Johnson, a communication from himself, relative to the Wyoming lands. The original letter is among the "Pickering Papers" (LVII : 131). It has been printed in full (from a verbatim copy obtained by the present writer) in Vol. XI of the "Proceedings and Collections of The Wyoming Historical
1558
and Geological Society," page 184. The following paragraphs are from this letter, (with some changes in spelling and punctuation) :
"I am fully persuaded, the Lands in controversy appertain, both in Law, Equity and Justice to the State of Connecticut and Proprietors who hold under that State. Nevertheless, for the sake of ending the unhappy controversy in Peace and Love, I am rather inclined to come to a Division of the Lands agreeable to the Precedent or Example set us by King David-very similar to the present case. The King gave all the Lands appertaining to the House of Saul to Mephi- bosheth. Afterwards the King gave away the same Lands-and even the whole-to Ziba; upon which a controversy arose betwixt Mephibosheth and Ziba-who was heir-in-law to the aforesaid lands, being a grant was equally made to both. The King ended the controversy by ordering a Division to each one, as fellow commoners in Law to said Lands.
"This medium of ending the Controversy I have proposed some time ago*, agreeable to the dividing lines drawn by Congress betwixt the East and West Branches of Susquehanna- setting off the East Branch to Connecticut proprietors, and the West [Branch] to Pennsylvania .. This medium of compromisement I would still propose and urge, agreeable not only to the Royal example above, but also a late settlement of Massachusetts and New York." * * *
According to his diary, Colonel Pickering, carrying with him the election returns, and the petition from the one hundred and thirty residents of Luzerne County to the General Assemblyt, left Wilkes-Barré for Philadelphia, Thursday, February 8th, between 9 and 10 o'clock in the morning, in company with Christo- pher Hurlbut. Colonel Butler and Mathias Hollenback went with them as far as "Bullock's." Arriving at Philadelphia a few days later, Colonel Pickering filed the returns, as well as a report of his doings, with the Supreme Executive Council. At the same time he rendered his bill against the State "for services and expences executing the duties under the Act of December 27, 1786." The total amount claimed by him was £40, 19sh., and included charges for his services-for 39 days, at 17sh. 6d. per day-for printing, stationery, etc., and the bill of John Hollenback, at Wilkes-Barré, which was made up of the follow- ing items: 30 days' board, at 3s .; 38 bowls of toddy, at Is. 6d .; 30 nights' hay for horse, at ls. 6d .; 168 qts. of oats for horse, at 2d.
On February 23, 1787, the General Assembly then being in session, President Benjamin Franklin, of the Supreme Executive Council, sent to the Assembly a communication reading as follows:#
"During your recess an election has been held for the County of Luzerne. While this event affords a proof of the wisdom of your measures, we must acknowledge that Mr. Pickering, a Commissioner for holding the election, was instrumental in its accomplishment, by exposing the many false and artful representations which had been made, by the people opposed to the authority of Government."
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