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 77
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#The memorial of Colonel Franklin was read in Supreme Executive Council, and Frederick Watts and Nathan Denison were appointed to inquire into the facts alleged in the memorial, and report to Council. They subsequently reported that they visited Colonel Franklin "in the jail of this city, and find that his health is greatly impaired, and that unless his irons are taken off. he may greatly suffer." The favorable interposition of Governor Huntington is acknowledged, and Council directs "that the sheriff have the irons taken off Franklin, and otherwise mitigate the severity of his confinement as much as the sheriff shall think consistent with the safe keeping of the prisoner." See "Colonial Records." XL : 385.
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Colonel Pickering was convinced that if Pennsylvania became dominant at Wyoming, the influence of Colonel Franklin must be destroyed. Colonel Franklin, on the other hand, realized that, with Colonel Pickering as Commis- sioner, continually adding as he was to his influence over a great majority of settlers, and thus securing their allegiance to the Commonwealth he repre- sented, the long fight made by the Connecticut claimants could end only by trusting to the integrity of Pennsylvania. But before either could dominate, another test of the strength of the two parties was to startle the whole country.
Years afterward, 1818,* Colonel Pickering wrote the preliminary to his "Life of Pickering."
The graphic story of the abduction of Colonel Pickering, depicting the wanderings of his captors and their victim, the vain attempts to extract a promise from him to secure Colonel Franklin's release, and other incidents of a thrilling episode, is best gathered from Colonel Pick- ering's own account of the affair. Indeed from no other source could any authentic narrative be obtained. Those concerned as his captors either fled the country, after the Commission- er's release, or else held their peace, owing to a fear that any account they recorded of the es- capade might be used against them in subsequent Court pro- ceedings. The Pickering narra- tive was written from memory in a letter to his son, penned in the year, 1818. The accuracy of his memory, in even minute de- tails, in the account of his own abduction, is remarkable. He wrote:
"Franklin remained in jail at COLONEL PICKERING Philadelphia. This put a stop for a time, to the unwarrantable measures of the Susquehanna Company and dampened the zeal of their partisans. Next to his confinement, they seemed to have thought my influence in the County was more adverse to their schemes. How to get rid of me was the question. I presume it engaged their attention for some months. In the Spring of 1788, as early, I think, as April, there were indications of some plot against me, and then, or soon thereafter, it was menancingly intimated to me by Major (John) Jenkins; (I doubt not in pursuance of instructions from the Susquehanna Company) in the hope, probably, so to alarm as to induce me to voluntarily quit the country. * I felt no inclination to * *
abandon my farm and buildings *
*
* nor to relinquish the cause in which I had engaged. "By the month of June, the indications of some sort of an attack upon me became more apparent. To guard against it by shutting myself up in my house, would have been fruitless. Besides, if I abandoned my business, I might as well abandon the county. I therefore remained at my post."
In August, 1788, Garret Smith, who had been apprehended as one con- cerned in the abduction, turned State's evidence. His deposition, taken before Justice William Hooker Smith, throws considerable light on the plot which, as
*See the "Life of Pickering," II : 381.
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Colonel Pickering surmised, was hatching against him early in June. The depo- sition is recorded in the "Pennsylvania Archives," XI: 371, and is as follows:
"I, Garret Smith, of the township of Braintram, in the county of Luzerne, and of lawful age, testify and declare That on Sunday evening on the twenty second day of June last, I was at Meshoppen, and between the houses of Thomas Wigton and Martin Dudley, met Gideon Dudley, said Martin's son, when Gideon said he had a great secret to reveal to me, at the request of Major Jenkins, Colonel Mckinstry, and John Hyde, (the son of John Hyde of Wilkesbarre, as I took it) and asked me if I would keep the secret. I answered That I would, if it was not to injure myself or my neighbors. He then said it was to take Colonel Pickering, and carry him into the woods, and there keep him, untill Colonel Franklin was returned to the county or released (or such like expression he made use of). I told him I would think of it till morning. The next morning I called at Captain Dudley's (having lodged at said Wigton's) and told Gideon I would go home and talk with my wife, but rather thought I should go with them. I then went down into the mill, to Captain Dudley and asked him if he knew anything about the affair of taking Colonel Pickering. He answered yes-but that he was unwilling that both of his sons should go. I asked, why? He answered for fear they should be found out-for if one was at home, people would think the other was some where at work. I then asked him which was going. He answered, Gideon, and that he (Captain Dudley) was willing he should go, and support the cause, but wished his son Joseph might not go, lest it should be found out that his sons were in the scrape. I then said Captain Dudley, I am a poor man, if I go who is to support my family, while I am gone? He answered, I will-I have enough-After this I left Meshoppen to go home in a canoe. When I had pushed up as far as Ephraim Tylers, I landed, and went to his house, where I found Joseph Dudley above mentioned, who immediately said to me-you are my prisoner for a while- (he had a tomahawk in his hand). Then Ephraim Tyler asked me if I was willing to go and take Colonel Pickering? Then Joseph Dudley added (speaking to me) you have promised to go, and must either do that, or go down to Lieutenant Kilborn's (that is Joseph Kilborn's), and there lay confined 'till I return (meaning as I understood 'till he and the party returned from the taking of Colonel Pickering). I then said I had not promised, but only that I would go home and talk with my wife and if she is against it, I will not go. I then set off to go to my canoe, but was followed by said Tyler and Joseph Dudley, who took hold of me and by force, brought me back to Tyler's house. I then said to Tyler if I go what shall I do for provisions in going, and to support my family while I am gone? Tyler answered-I have sent the flour of two bushels of wheat, and fifty weight of pork, to lieutenant Kilborn's out of which you can be supplied; and I will see that your family has provisions in your absence, and I will get a man or go myself to work on your land, and we will also allow you a dollar a day for every day you are gone .- To whom (said I) shall I look for this pay? He answered, you may look to me for it. I then turned about, and said to him-I cannot go. Then Tyler's wife said she had dreamed last night, that the boys went to take an Elk, and that a person had been there and told the Elk, and that he was gone. Then her husband Ephraim Tyler said, If Garret Smith will give me his word and honour that he will go, or that he will not reveal the secret in three weeks, then he may go home. He brought a bible and asked me to lay my hand on it and swear, but I told him it was against my principle. He then asked me to hold up my hand, which I did, when he spoke to this effect-you declare that you will keep this secret for three weeks, I answered I will, after Tyler said if I would give my promise, I might go home. Elijah Reynolds who was by, said Garret Smith has lived with Colonel Hay, and knows what he is about .- I rather guess it is best to have him sworn, and then Tyler offered me the bible, as above mentioned .- I then left them, and went home. The same day I thought of my neighbour Thomas Kinney, and as he was a half share man, I suspected he might be concerned in the affair. In the evening, he came to my house, and we set out together and went up little Tuscorora creek to hunt. On our way I said to him, Mr. Kinney, do you know anything of this affair of the boys going to Wyoming? He answered yes-and added-The Pennanites have drove the Connecticut (or New England) People, and plundered them, and now we mean to have revenge and plunder, and if you will go along, you shall have part .- I forgot to mention, That while at Tyler's as above said, Tyler told me, that if I would go along with the boys, I should have, besides what he had hefore promised, the place I lived on (part of which I supposed belonged to Doctor Smith) and the half of ten acres of good wheat which James Smith then had on the ground,-for the other half must go to support the boys in the woods .- When Gideon Dudley proposed the matter to me. I asked him where we were to get support from? He answered-out of the settlement. I then asked him, who was going to vindicate this cause. He answered-That Colonel Mckinstry was coming with five hundred men, in order to subdue the settlement-That he (Mckinstry) was to take possession of John Hollenback's mill and place and John Hyde of Doctor Smith's place. I asked-What are you going to do with John Hollenback? He answered-Damn him, tomehawk him as soon as we can see him .- I also asked him (before this) if Doctor Smith was concerned in the affair. He answered no-and that he (the Doctor) was a damned rascal. I also asked if Colonel Butler was concerned. He answered-no, not that I know of.
"The mark of "GARRET SMITH."
"Luzerne ss. August 7, 178S. Then Garret Smith, who has subscribed the aforewritten deposition, being duly sworn, did declare, That the same deposition contains the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, to the best of his present recollection.
before,
WM. HOOKER SMITH,
Justice of the Peace."
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"I, the said Garret Smith farther recollect and declare, That about a week before Colonel Pickering was taken, I saw Nathan Abbot, the elder, at his own house (which is in the township of Braintram) and He then swore, That he would support his place where he then lived, and that he would kill any damned Pennamite that should ever set his foot on it. Said Abbot holds his place, as I have always understood, hy a half-share right.
"The mark of "GARRET M SMITH."
The event can now be further verified by letters written at the time and by a painstaking diary, kept during Colonel Pickering's enforced pilgrimage, copies of which were uncovered after his death, in trunks and boxes filled with miscel- laneous manuscript, which were not available for use when he wrote the account in question.
Only such of this manuscript as concerns itself directly with the abduction is here reproduced. The first is the account written in 1818. The second is a letter-and the only one, written during his sojourn in the wilderness. From some source, he secured of his captors the writing materials required, and addressed a reassuring letter to his wife. The third, is a copy of his diary, a curious and characteristic document, written on a quarter of a sheet of post paper, in so small a hand as to make deciphering necessary.
The main account (that of 1818, written for his son) is quoted at length :*
"On the 26th of June, at about 11 at night, when your mother and I were asleep, and your brother Edward, nine months old, was lying on my arm, I was awakened by a violent opening of the door of the room. "Who's there?" I asked: "Get up," was the answer. "Don't strike," said 1, "I have an infant on my arm."-I had no doubt that the intruders were ruffians come to execute the long menaced attack.
"I rolled Edward from my arm, rose, and put on my clothes. Your mother slipped out of the other side of the bed; and putting on some clothes, went to the kitchen, and soon' returned with a lighted candle. Then we saw the room filled with men, armed with guns and hatchets, having their faces blacked, and handkerchiefs tied round their heads. Their first act was to pinion me; tying my arms together with a cord, above my elbows, and crossed over my back. To the middle of this cord they tied another, long enough for one of them to take hold of, to prevent my escaping from them. They told me it would be well to take a blanket or outer garment, for I should be a long time in a situation where I should want it. I desired your mother to get me an old surtout, which was in the chamber. She quickly returned, and I received it on one of my arms. They then led me off, and hastened through the village of Wilkesbarre, in perfect silence. Having traveled a couple of miles, they halted a few minutes. Then resuming their march, proceeded to Pittstown, ten or eleven miles up the river from Wilkesbarre. Here they stopped at a tavern and called for whiskey-offering some to me, which I did not accept; I drank some water.
"In twenty minutes, they left this house, and pursued their march .- There were about fifteen of them- arranged in my front, my rear, and on both flanks. We were in the darkness and stillness of night. As we proceeded, one of the ruffians at my side thus accosted me-"Now if you will only write two or three lines to the Executive Council, they will discharge Colonel Frank- lin and then we will release you." Instantly I answered-"The Executive Council better under- stand their duty than to discharge a traitor to procure the release of an innocent man." "Damn him, (exclaimed a voice before me) why don't you tomahawk him?" This wrath of the ruffian was excited by the word "traitor," applied to their old leader, Franklin. No more words were uttered on this subject.
"We soon reached the river Lachawannack, about two miles from the tavern. After search- ing a little while, they found a canoe, in which some of them passed over. On its return I stepped in, with the others of the gang. The water was low, and the canoe touched the bottom before we reached the shore. I was going to step out and wade to the shore. "Stop"-said one of them, who had a pack on his back. He waded to the shore-laid down his pack-returned to the side of the canoe, and carried me on his back to the shore.
"Proceeding upwards, we in a little while came to a ferry. The day had dawned. They crossed over in a scow (a large flat-bottomed boat) to the western side of the Susquehanna; and we continued our march, on the shore of the river, for an hour or two; then struck into the woods, and pursued the course upwards, out of sight of the river. About four in the afternoon, they ar- rived at a log house near the bank of the river about thirty miles above Wilkesbarre. Here they had victuals cooked, and I ate with a good appetite; having fasted since 1 was taken the preceding night.
"Seeing a hed in the room, I laid myself down upon it. I do not recollect when they un- pinioned me. I had laid but a little while when a man arrived in a boat from Jacob's Plains, a small settlement about two miles and a half above Wilkesbarre. I knew the man. The ruffians (supposing that I was asleep) inquired with eagerness, what was the news below; and whether th. militia had turned out to pursue them. He answered in the affirmative. I immediately saw
*See the "Life of Pickering," ]] 381.
-
-
"THE PICKERING HOUSE"
Built in 1786 by Co: Timothy Pickering, and occupied by him from January 1787, to August 1791 at which latter date, he left Wilkes-Barré to accept the portfolio of Postmaster General of the United States, offered by President Washington. From the first floor to right of entrance, Col. Pickering was abducted by the adherents of the "Franklin Party" June 26, 1788. The house is now owned by the Miner Estate, and in 1922, when this photograph was taken, was splendidly preserved.
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that I should not be suffered to keep my place on the bed. In a few minutes, one of them came to the bed side and said "get up." I rose, and they took me directly back from the river, a quarter of a mile; and behind a rising ground they rested for the night. It thundered; and a heavy rain soon wet us to the skin. At day-light one of the crew went to the house; and finding all quiet, he returned, and we all went thither. The drying of our clothes, and eating breakfast, employed us till about ten o'clock. Standing with them on the bank of the river, I observed a man on the other side, leading a horse. It was on the shore of the river. Being near sighted, I did not know him. But one of them exclaimed-"There goes Major Jenkins, now,-a damned stinking - -! " By this courteous observation on the second man of the party, and the first in Franklin's absence, it was apparent, that after encouraging and engaging them in the diabolical outrage upon me, he had deserted them. He, in fact, kept on his route, went into the State of New York, and there, being a land surveyor, found employment, during the residue of the season and until tranquillity was finally restored to the county.
"By this time, the blacking had disappeared from the faces of the ruffians; when I found two of them to be sons of one Dudley, a carpenter and a near neighbour at Wilkesbarre. The others were all before unknown to me.
"They now prepared to cross over to the eastern side of the Susquehanna. Gideon Dudley came up to me with a pair of handcuffs, with which to manacle me. To this, I objected, as they were going to cross the river in a small canoe, and I desired to have a chance of saving my life by swimming, if it should overset. At this moment, Mr. Earl (whom I had not known, but who was father to two of the party) interposed-telling Dudley that there was no danger of an escape, and advising him not to put the irons upon me. He accordingly, forbore .- We crossed the river; and they pursued their march. In an hour they halted; the leader of the band selected four. and bid the rest go on. With these four and me, he darted directly into the woods. This excited some apprehension in me, of personal mischief; especially as one of them, by the name of Cady, sustained, as I understood,' a very bad character. The leader of this band was a hunter, and had his rifle gun with him. As we proceeded, a fawn was started, and as he bounded along, the hunter shot him, and in five minutes, had his skin off, and the carcass slung on his back. At the distance of three or four miles from the river, they halted, close by a very small run of water. A fire being quickly kindled, they began to cook some of the venison. The hunter took his first ent. They sharpened small sticks at both ends, running one into a slice of the fawn and setting the other end into the ground, the top of the stick bearing so near the fire as to broil the flesh. Being hungry, I borrowed one of their knives, and followed their example. I observed the hunter tending his steak with great nicety; and sprinkling it with a little salt, as soon as it was done, he with a very good grace, presented it to me.
"Before night, they cut down some limbs of trees, and formed a slight booth, to shelter us from the dew. One of them taking post as a sentinel, we lay down on the ground: my pillow was a stone. In this situation, we remained about a week. At first, they had some good salt pork, and wheaten bread that lasted two or three days; after which they got Indian meal which they made into cakes, or fried, as pancakes, in the fat of the pork. Of the pork, they were very sparing; frying only two or three small slices at a time, and cutting them up in the pan. Such was our breakfast, dinner and supper; my share did not exceed five mouthfuls of pork at each meal. They fared better-sopping up, with their bread or cakes, all the fat in the pan, of which I felt no inclination to participate. It was here I told them they would repent of their doings; and instead of being supported by four hundred men in the county, as they had professed to believe, that they would be abandoned to their fate.
"From this station they marched a few miles, and took another, in a narrow valley, a sequestered place, and about two or three miles from the Susquehanna. We had no sooner halted than they came to me with a chain, five or six feet long, having at one end, a band like the bands of horse-fetters. Colonel Franklin, they said, had been put in irons, in the Philadelphia jail, and they must put irons on me, although it was not agreeable to them to do it; 'bu their great men required it.' Satisfied that it would be in vain to remonstrate, I was silent. They fixed the band of the chain round my ankle, securing it with a flat key, which they twisted, to prevent its being cut off without a tool to untwist the key. The other end of the chain they fastened by a staple to a tree. In this situation, I remained an hour or more: and they employed thein- selves in forming a booth with the boughs of trees. This chain, besides its conformity with the orders of their 'great men,' saved my gentlemen from the burden of mounting guard every night. When we lay down, they placed me in the middle, and one of them wrapped the chain round one of his legs; so that I could not rise to attempt an escape, without waking him up. But I determined not to make the attempt, for I soon considered that my life was not in danger; and I expected them to grow weary of their enterprise; so I patiently endured present affliction. Besides, if I escaped, they could take me again, unless I quitted the county; which was the precise object of the outrage to get rid of me.
"We had been in this valley but two or three days, when, one morning, whilst all my guard were fast asleep, I heard a brisk firing of musquetry. It was skirmish, I had no doubt, between the 'Boys' (as these fellows called their party) and the militia who had come from below to dis- cover them, and rescue me. But I let them sleep on; naught did I tell them of the firing after they awoke. After breakfast, one of them went down to a house by the river, in their interest, and returned in haste, to tell his comrades that the 'Boys' and militia had met, and that in the battle Captain Ross, who commanded the militia, was mortally wounded. At the close of this, or the next day, they marched down to the river, and sought for a canoe to cross to the western side; but could find none. We were now at Black-Walnut Bottom, about forty-four miles above Wilkesbarre. Thus disappointed, they marched back into the woods, and we lay down for the
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night. The next day, towards evening, they went again to the river and crossed it. It was so dark that at the distance of thirty or forty yards we might pass unseen. They passed through a thick wood to the house of one Kilborn, father to two of the party. There we lodged. The next morning they pushed back into the woods, abont four miles from the river. This was the third and last station. This changing from place to place, was to prevent their being discovered by the militia, who came from below, at different times to find them.
"On the 15th of July, Gideon Dudley (who now appeared to have the command) with two others came ont to our station. It was late in the afternoon. After lounging about for some time, as if they did not know what to do with themselves, they approached me; and Dudley asked -'Don't you wish to be set at liberty?' -'To be sure, I do'- was my answer. After a little pause, Dudley accosted me -'What will you do for us if we will set you at liberty?'-'What do you wish me to do for you?' was my reply. 'Will you intercede for Colonel Franklin's par- don?' 'No, I will not.' This answer was evidently unexpected; they were confounded; and retiring, they for some time, laid their heads together. Then again coming near, one of them asked -'Will you intercede for our pardon?'-After a momentary pause, I answered -'While I have been in your hands, you have told me of your 'Great Men,' and that you have been acting in obedience to their orders. By them you have been misled and deceived. Give me their names, and I have no doubt of obtaining your pardon. This they could not do, they said, without going down to their Head Quarters, and consulting the main body; and turned on their heels to depart -'Stop,' said I, 'and knock off this chain.' They instantly took off the chain, that I had carried about for ten days.
"I lay down with my guard that night, not doubting of my speedy release. As soon as it was light, I rose, put the fire-brands together (in the woods, a fire is generally kept up at night even in the warmest weather;) mixed up some of their miserable coarse Indian meal for cakes, spread the dough on pieces of hemlock bark (the usual trenchers) and set them to the fire. As soon as it was light enough to see our green tea, I went to gather it. This was the winter green, bearing red berries, which went by the name of partridge berries. Infused in boiling water, the winter green makes a tolerable warm beverage.
"By this time, my guard were awake, the tea was boiled and the cakes were baked. I told them that expecting to be released, I had risen and got the breakfast ready, in order to gain time; for if released, I had asparticular desire to reach home the next day. I then proposed that we should go to their head-quarters, without delay; where, if released, it would be well; if not, I would come back with them again into the woods. They readily assented-took up their kettle and frying-pan (our kitchen furniture) and down we marched. When we arrived near to their head- quarters, they halted. One went to announce our arrival. Two or three came out, Gideon Dudley at their head when he put to me the original question, 'Will you intercede for Colonel Frank- lin's pardon?' 'I will answer no question till I am set at liberty,' was my return. They con- ducted me into Kilborn's house.
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