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 7
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An hour or two later there arrived at the fort a young Irishman named Thomas Connollyt, who had deserted from Lieutenant Turney's band shortly after the Misses Harvey and Bullock had been released. He gave information
*It was learned afterwards that this Indian was a Seneca chief of some importance, and that, upon two or three occasions prior to the Revolutionary War, he had attended Indian conferences held with the white settlers at Wyoming . He had also taken an active part under Butler and Sayenqueraghta in the battle and massacre of Wyoming, July 3, 1778.
tAt Sunbury, Pennsylvania, December 30, 1780, Col. Matthew Smith (then Prothonotary of Northumberland County) wrote to the Hon. Joseph Reed, President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, in part as follows: "Inclosed I send the examination of Thomas Conley (taken at Wyoming and transmitted to me by Thomas Neil), who came from Niagara with a party of twenty whites and five Indians. They carried away one Har- vey's family near Wyoming, six [sic] men and boys in number. Harvey's daughter and one other girl they sent hack
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as to the route the party had traveled in approaching the valley, and stated that they expected to return nortliward the same way.
As soon as possible that morning Captain Franklin, with twenty-six of his men, set out from the fort in pursuit of the fleeing enemy, and marched up the river as far as Secord's (previously mentioned), where the pursuit was abandoned, being considered hopeless. Finding at this point the canoes left behind by the marauders, as heretofore noted, Captain Franklin and his men entered them and floated down to Wilkes-Barré, where they arrived after an absence of three days.
The two young women having been released, in the manner previously described, the marauders and their remaining captives marched away from the valley as rapidly as the snow, the darkness of the night and the tangled wilderness would permit. They traveled all that night and the next day, at the close of which they arrived at the headwaters of Mehoopany Creek, which empties into tlie Susquehanna a dozen or fifteen miles above Secord's. Apprehending annoying consequences from the desertion of Connolly, Lieutenant Turney had changed his line of march, and had forced his band and their captives to cover a good deal of ground-some of which was remarkably rough and rocky-in a comparatively short space of time. . The captives, in addition to having their arms bound, were compelled to carry upon their backs the plunder which had been seized by their captors.
Benjamin Harvey was at this time in the fifty-ninth year of his life, and al- though a man of remarkable physique (he was six feet and three inches in height, and solidly built), yet he nearly collapsed under the strain of this forced march. He was the oldest man in the party, and when they reached Mehoopany, where they purposed to encamp for the night, it seemed certain that Mr. Harvey would not be able to endure the hardships of the march on the morrow. George Palmer Ransom, one of Lieutenant Turney's captives, who lived to an old age, years ago told the present writer's grandfather, who was the grandson and namesake of Benjamin Harvey that the latter, during the march from Plymouth to Mehoopany, after frequently upbraiding Turney for his heartlessness, would berate and curse all Indians in general, and those in particular who were his captors; and then, when almost out of breath, would call down a variety of imprecations upon the "British red-coats and red devils" who had so often made his life miserable. Ran- som said that Turney was very much annoyed by these outbreaks, but managed to make a show of holding his temper in check.
Early in the morning of December 8th (which was Friday), Turney and the Indian chief held a consultation, which resulted in Mr. Harvey being placed in the custody of the Indians-evidently to be disposed of in whatsoever manner the latter should determine upon.
Colonel Wright, in his "Historical Sketches of Plymouth" (page 222), says: "After spending [at Mehoopany] the cold and chilly night of December as they best could, in the morning the Indians held a council of war as to what was to be
after having them some time and eading them off a considerable distance. They made this stroke on the night of the 6tb inst and that same night Conley deserted from them. * * Statement enclosed.
"Garrison, Wyoming, December 7, 1780. This day came to this Post Thomas Connelly, a deserter from a party of the enemy of twenty white men and five Indians, who left Niagara twenty-two days before they arrived bere. He says he is originally from Ireland, is twenty years of age, came to this country in 1772, and has been a servant to one Thomas Williams, an Indian trader, most of the time among the Indians. About a year ago he engaged in the 'Rangers' ' service with Tory Butler. That the Post at Niagara is commanded by Brig. Gen. H Watson Powell, who took the command in February last. The number of white troops is about 600, including the 'Rangers'. Sometimes there are near 2,000 Indians there-men, women and children-who all draw rations." * * *
-From "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, VIII: 691.
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done with old Mr. Harvey. The value of his scalp in the British market pre- ponderated the scale against his life. The Savages bound him to a tree with thongs, and fastened his head in a position that he could move neither to the right nor to the left. The old chief then measured off the ground some three rods, called the three young braves, and, placing a tomahawk in the hand of each and stepping aside, pointed his finger to the head of the old man. All this was done in silence and without the least emotion depicted upon their stoic countenances.
"The first one hurled his tomahawk-after giving two or three flourishes in the air-with a piercing whoop. It fastened itself in the tree, five or six inches above the old man's head. The second and third made the same effort, but with like effect. The whole Indian party now became furious; the young warriors, for their want of skill in this, probably, their first effort, and the older ones from some other impulse. An angry scene ensued, and they came nearly to blows. * X- The old chief approached the victim and unloosened his bonds.
"The old gentleman, in giving an account of this [episode] said, that as each tomahawk came whizzing through the air it seemed as though it could not but split his head in two. That so far as he could understand from the Indian dis- pute having some knowledge of their language, though imperfect-the old chief took the ground that the Great Spirit had interfered and prevented his death; while the others imputed it wholly to the unpractised hands of the young braves, and that 'the Great Spirit had no hand in the matter.' The stubborn will of the old sachem prevailed, however, and though in the minority, his counsel in the affair decided the issue."
Very soon after this occurrence the party moved down the Mehoopany to the Susquehanna, then up the river into New York, and on to Fort Niagara by the most expeditious route. Miner ("History of Wyoming", pages 25 and 51 of the Appendix) says: "On their way they suffered much from cold and hunger, but at Tioga Point they killed a horse, and then fared sumptuously. * * * It is wonderful that cold, toil, hunger, and anguish of mind had not arrested the current of life, and left them a prey to the wolves. * * * Their suffer- ings in that inclement season, bound, loaded, and driven several hundred miles through the wilderness to Canada, no pen can describe."
While Lieutenant Turney and his command and their captives were in "Camp forty miles from Genesée, December 14, 1780", Turney wrote to Brig. Gen. H. Watson Powell at Fort Niagara, and sent to him by an express, the following letter* (now printed for the first time) :
"I have the honor to inform you that on the 6th inst. I arrived near Wilksbury Fort, situated at ye upper end of the Shawnese Flats, where I found some habitations under the protection of the Fort. On the first night after my arrival I ordered my men to surround three of ye houses; who, forcing their way into them, brought off seven prisoners, and I was lucky enough to prevail upon the Indians to leave the women and children behind unhurt. I then determined upon securing my retreat as fast as possible, for ye ground being covered with snow, and the garrison consisting of 300 men, exclusive of 30 more in another Fort on the opposite side of ye River, I was apprehensive of being pursued and, perhaps, obliged to leave my prisoners behind. Should my proceedings meet with your approbation I shall think myself amply rewarded for any little trouble or fatigue I may have had in ye execution.
"I am thus far on my return to Niagara, and as I have now no resource left for Provisions --- having killed my Horses-I beg you will be so kind as to send a fresh supply to meet me on the road. My Party, in other respects-notwithstanding their fatigue-are in good spirits, and I have ye pleasure of observing to you that they have shown ye greatest zeal for His Majesty's service; and indeed, from ye whole of their conduct, have prov'd themselves worthy of any assistance you may think proper to send them."
*See the Canadian Archives, Series B. Vol. 100, page 501.
A VIEW OF HARVEY'S LAKE, 1922
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At Fort Niagara, under the date of December 27, 1780, Col. (formerly Maj.) John Butler wrote to Captain Mathews as follows *:
"Lieutenants Turney and Wimple returned from the Frontiers of Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna a few days ago, where they had been on a scout with twenty Rangers. They sur- prised a Fortified House in the night and took in it seven men. By one of the prisoners having an order from Colonel Butler of the Rebels (which was found on him), directing that he should be furnished with Horses, &c., and be forwarded with all dispatch, I am led to believe he was intrusted with letters, which he must have destroyed. The prisoners inform [us] the crops were very fine the last season in that part of the country. An express from New York for his Excellency, General Haldimand, joined them. His dispatches, I am told, go with this opportunity."
At Fort Niagara, under the date of December 28, 1780, Brig. General Powell wrote to General Haldimand the following lettert (now printed for the first time) :
"I take the opportunity of transmitting by Mr. Lando, who is charged with Dispatches to Your Excellency, the report of Lieutenant Turney's scout. As Mr. Turney's Family is in Canada, I have given him leave to pay them a visit, and if you should have occasion to send an express to these Posts, I can recommend him as a very proper [person] to be entrusted with it. He will wait at Montreal for your orders. I have given Mr. Lando Ten Pounds Halifax to defray his own and his companion's, Mr. Drake, expenses here, and to carry him to Montreal."
The seven Plymouth captives were detained at Niagara during the remainder of the Winter and through the Spring of 1781, being lodged with many other American prisoners, from different parts of the United States, in barracks just outside the walls of the fort. About that time the British authorities in Canada had begun operations to reclaim the crown lands which lay on the south-west bank of Niagara River, opposite Fort Niagara. Arrangements had been made to found a settlementį there, and the lands were to be cultivated in order to raise supplies of food for the support of the numerous British Loyalists who, driven from their homes throughout the United States, had taken refuge at Niagara (as described on pages 933 and 935, Vol. II). In the Spring of 1781 a number of the prisoners at Fort Niagara, including Benjamin Harvey and his companions, were taken across the river and made to work on these new lands.
In the latter part of May, 1781, Benjamin Harvey was released on parole by the military authorities at Fort Niagara, who, evidently, were of the opinion that he was too aged either to be made much use of as a prisoner in their hands, or, being back within the American lines, to aid the cause of the rebels. After a long and tedious journey, occupying more than five weeks, during much of which time he suffered from hunger and exposure to the elements, Mr. Harvey reached Wilkes-Barré on July 4, 1781.
It was in the course of this journey homeward that he discovered (as fully related in "The Harvey Book", published in 1899) the large lake the largest within the limits of Pennsylvania-which has continued, from at least the year 1795 to the present time, to be popularly and officially known as Harvey's Lake§,
*This letter, now printed for the first time, is in the Canadian Archives, Series B. Vol. 105, p. 251,
+See the Canadian Archives, Series B. Vol. 100, page 509.
#This settlement was the beginning of the present town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, at the mouth of the Niagara River in the Province of Ontario.
§HARVEY'S LAKE lies in the township of Lake, Luzerne County, north-west of Wilkes-Barre, from which it is distant twelve miles in a bee-line, fourteen by highway, and seventeen hy railway. It is a long, narrow, irregularly- shaped body of water, very much resembling a crutched cross, or the letter T. The main, or south-eastern, arm of the lake measures one mile and three-quarters from north-west to south-east, and in width ranges from 1600 feet to three- quarters of a mile-the greatest width being at the lower end, where there is an abrupt broadening to the west. The north-eastern arm is one and one-quarter miles in length, and from 1400 to 1800 feet in width, while the south-western arm is three-quarters of a mile in length and averages about 1600 feet in width. The shore line measures nine miles, and the surface of the lake lies 720 feet above the low-water level of the Susquehanna River at Wilkes-Barre, and 1226 feet above mean sea-level. The area of the lake is in the neighborhood of 651 acres.
The pure, clear, always cold water of the lake comes almost entirely from springs below its surface, there being no marked inlet. The outlet is at the west corner of the main, or south-eastern arm of the lake, and the outflow forms Harvey's Creek, described on page 54, Vol. I.
No evidences of remote or recent human habitation were found near the lake at the time of its discovery by Ben- jamin Harvey, or a few years later when the territory in its vicinity was thoroughly explored. It is very certain that. until Mr. Harvey's discovery was made, the existence of the lake was quite unknown, not only to the inhabitants of Wyoming in general, but to the official explorers and surveyors of the Pennsylvania Proprietaries and of The Susque-
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and to be so designated- particularly on maps and in public documents pub- lished by, or under the auspices of Luzerne County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is a fact, however, that from the time of its discovery up to the year 1795 (the year of the discoverer's death), the people generally through- out Wyoming were accustomed to call the lake "Harvey's."
Shortly after Benjamin Harvey was released on parole at Fort Niagara, Elisha Harvey, George P. Ransom and young Frisbie of the Plymouth party of ` prisoners were removed to Montreal, Canada. From there Ransom, known to be a Continental soldier, was sent to Prisoners' Island, forty-five miles up the St. Lawrence River, where there were 167 American captives, guarded by Loyal- ist refugees who belonged to Sir John Johnson's regiment.
About the time of the arrival of Elisha Harvey and his comrades at Montreal, the British authorities there settled, according to custom, for the services of the Indians who had aided to capture the Plymouth people and convey them prisoners to Fort Niagara. The old Seneca chief, who had been a member of the marauding party, determined, however, that, instead of accepting a money consideration for his services, he would take possession of Elisha Harvey. This was in accordance with a custom which, at this period, was much in vogue among the Indian allies of the British, and was unquestionably recognized and countenanced by the latter .*
In the latter years of the Revolutionary War many of the Six Nation Indians who, as allies of the British, went out on the war-path in the Winter and Spring months, spent the Summer and Autumn in the western and north- western regions of British American territory shooting and trapping fur-bearing
hanna Company, who had laid out manors and townships in the Wyoming region during the period from 1768 to 1775, as hereinbefore related
Harvey's Lake was probably known to the Indians who at one time dwelt along the Susquehanna River, but that "it was a famous resort of the Indians when they inhabited Wyoming Valley"-as has been stated by a writer-is very doubtful. At the period when Indians lived in the Valley the Susquehanna contained an abundance of various kinds of fish, and it is hardly to be believed that any Indian would travel uphill twelve miles, through dense and un- broken forests, for the purpose of fishing in a lake, when within an arrow's flight of his wigwam he might easily catch in the river all the fish he needed.
In the year 1893 an attempt was made to change the name of Harvey's Lake the well-known Indian name "Shawanese" heing selected for christening purposes. This attempted change was based on the following grounds: A rare map of the Province of Pennsylvania was hronght to light in the Spring of 1893. Published at London, England, in June, 1775, this map purported that it had been "laid down from actual surveys and chiefly from the late map of W. Scull, published in 1770." (The "W. Senll" mentioned was William Scull, some time Deputy Surveyor of the Province of Pennsylvania, and in 1775 and 1776 Sheriff of the County of Northumber- land.) Upon this map, approximately near the spot where Harvey's Lake would naturally be looked for, is depicted a large, oval-shaped body of water, which is named "Shawanese Lake." It lies north-east and south-west, and is rep- resented as the source of "Fishing.Creek", which stream, thu : marked and plainly defined, is indicated as issuing from the south-west end of the lake and running a zigzag south-westerly course to the Susquehanna River. Issuing from "Shawanese Lake" at a point near its north-east end a second stream (to which no namne is attached) is shown. Its course is nearly south and it flows into the Susquehanna at "Wyoming Falls" (Nanticoke Falls).
As was to be expected this map attracted considerable attention, and the interest manifested in it by those who desire to possess whatever may be published relating to the history and geography of Pennsylvania and of the Wyom- ing region was so tharked that, through the enterprise of Charles Bowman Dougherty and C. E. Butler of WilkesBarre, the map was reproduced and republished. (Through the kindness of General Dougherty we are enabled to present herewith a reduced photo-engraving of the map).
A few writers for the press, and some talkers, decided without hesitation in 1893 upon a casual inspection of this old-time map, that the lake thereon noted as "Shawanese Lake" was undoubtedly the one then and now known as "Harvey's" and that the unnamed stream noted as flowing from it was, as a matter of course, Harvey's creek- described more fully on page 54, Vol. I of this present work. However, the present writer has conclusively, and at some length, proved in "The Harvey Book" (published at Wilkes-Barre in 1899) that the lake in question is no other than the beautiful, oval-shaped sheet of water now koown as Lake Ganoga, and referred to on page 46, Vol. I, of this work. It may he stated here that Scull's map of 1770, hereinbefore referred to, was "laid down" from data obtained by him in 1768, 1769 and prior years. To any one who may carefully exatnine a copy of that map, and the map of 1775 (herewith reproduced), it will be very evident that the latter is largely a detailed reproduction of the former, with the addition of some new matter relating to the south-eastern part of the Province. Also, it will be apparent that both maps were constructed, not wholly upon actual surveys carefully carried out, but largely upon superficial explorations, which had been made by various persons, the majority of whom, without doubt, were unskilled in topographical and cartographical arts.
*In this connection see pages 150 and 375 Vol. I. Two cases somewhat similar to the case of Elisha Harvey may be briefly referred to here. At Ballston, Saratoga Co., New York, in October, 1780, Capt. Elisha Benedict and his three sons, Caleb, Elias and Felix together with other persons, were surprised in their beds and taken prisoners by a band of British and Indians under Major Monroe. The four prisoners named above fell to the lot of "Captain John", the leader of the Indians, and were carried to Canada. They were kept prisoners two and a-half years.
At Mahoning Creek, near Fort Allen, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania in April, 1780, Benjamin Gilbert and his family, twelve persons in all, were taken prisoners by a band of Indians and dragged to Canada. Some members of the family "were given over to Indians to be adopted, others were hired out by their Indian owners to service in white families, and others were sent down the lake to Montreal." In August, 1782, all of the family who were still living were redeemed and collected at Montreal, whence they were returned to their former home. In 1790 "a narrative of the captivity and sufferings of Benjamin Gilbert and his family" was published in book form. See "Pennsylvania Archives", Second Series, III : 421.
Mass ..
Tank?
-
-
Shan anese
Late
Branch of
Sufquehannah
Mill Ci
Creek
Meadow
Wyoming
Moses
G
Fort
Shad
old &
CT.
Town
Road thro
Nescopeet Creek
Nefcopeck
1
Catawess .......
Creek
R:
1
MAP OF 1775 BASED ON SHULL'S EARLIER MAP OF 1770,
showing that "Shawanese Lake" is not Harvey's Lake, but Lake Ganoga
AA
Wyoming Falls
the Valley's
Whopehonly C.
20
Fall
Fishing
Old Y Shawanefe Town
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animals. In 1665 a Jesuit mission was founded on the shore of Green Bay, in what is now Wisconsin, and French fur-traders soon established in that locality trading-posts which continued to prosper for many years. Upon the conquest of Canada in 1763 the Wisconsin region passed under British control, which lasted practically until 1815.
Immediately upon gaining possession of Elisha Harvey, the Seneca chief set out with a large party of Indian hunters and trappers for Green Bay, distant more than 700 miles west by south from Montreal. Of course, the young American prisoner was compelled to accompany the party, and to bear more than his share of the toils and hardships incident to the expedition. Starvation and plenty alternated. Then, too, the fur trade often meant fighting with hostile Indians and out manœuvering rivals. Many natural obstacles had to be met and over- come, also.
An Indian would kill 600 beavers in a season, but owing to difficulties of carriage he could dispose of only one-sixth of them. When sold for money to Europeans beaver-skins brought 6s. 2d. per pound; wolf-skins, 15s .; bear-skins, 16s .; and deer-skins, 2s. 2d. per pound. A current account of the standard of barter shows that one and a-half pounds of gunpowder, or five pounds of shot, or twelve dozen buttons, or two red feathers, or twenty fish-hooks, or a pair of shoes, or a blue and white check shirt could be exchanged with an Indian for one beaver-skin. Blackfeet Indians would sell a woman for one gun, but for a horse ten guns were demanded.
All these things and much more Elisha Harvey learned before he got back to the habitations of civilized men, which was not until the close of the year 1781. The expedition had been a very successful one, and when the party returned to Montreal the Indians had a large quantity of furs and pelts which they soon sold ; "but", says Colonel Wright in his "Historical Sketches of Plymouth," "in the course of a month they had used up the proceeds in riot and dissipation. Our Seneca brave then began casting about for a market for his prisoner, which he found became necessary, as he had not the means of subsistence for himself, much less for poor Harvey. He finally stumbled on a Scotchman, who was a small dealer in Indian commodities, and, after a half day's bantering and talk, in which the good qualities of Harvey were highly extolled by the old chief, they at last settled upon the price to be paid for Elisha, which was a half-barrel of rum !*
"He now went behind the counter of his new master, and was duly installed in the mysteries and secrets of an Indian trader. Among the first lessons he learned the important fact that the hand weighed two pounds and the foot four! Under this system of avoirdupois there never occurred any fractions. The weight always came out in even pounds. Our prisoner became a great favorite with his new master, who was a bachelor, and promised to make him the heir of his estate if he would assume his name and become his child by adoption. Elisha openly favored the idea, but his secret thoughts were centered on old Shawnee."
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