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 IV > Part 8
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"He also became a Jeffersonian politician, and attacking Adams in a newspaper communication, which he pub- lished in the Reading, Pennsylvania, Weekly Advertiser of Oct. 26, 1799, was tried for a libel under the sedition law in 1800. and sentenced to six months imprisonment and a fine of $400.
"The Democratic party coming into power, Gov. Mckean, in 1806, appointed Cooper President Judge of the Common Pleas district, composed of the counties of Northumberland, Luzerne and Lycoming.
Judge Cooper held his first Court at Sunbury, in April, 1806, and at once began to introduce changes which he supposed necessary to maintain proper silence in and add dignity to the Court, as the courts previously held there by Judge Rush, had, through his easy and gentle nature, been too noisy and disorderly. The lawyers, suitors and specta- tors, however, did not like this new move, and it gradually, both there and at Wilkes-Barre, laid the foundation for the complaints, that, in 1811, led to his impeachment before the State Legislature, for official misconduct. And in March. 1811, he was brought before a Special Committee of the State Senate, then sitting at Lancaster, to answer certain charges of complaint, ten in number, with a view to his removal from office. E. Greenough, Esq., of Sunbury, appeared as the attorney of the complainants, and Thomas Duncan, Esq., of Carlisle, appeared as counsel for Judge Cooper. The charges against him were as follows:
"1. Fining and imprisoning Constable Hollister in 1807, at Wilkes-Barré, for whispering in court, the fine being $2 and imprisonment for one hour.
"2, Fining and imprisoning John Hannah, an Irishman, of Northumberland, at his first court in Sunbury, in 1806, for wearing his hat in open court.
"Cooper admitted the truth of these complaints, but maintained that said fines and imprisonments were necessary to secure proper silence and decorum in the court house. He further said that a court house deserved as much respect as a church or a school house did, and that if Hannah had claimed himself to be a Quaker, or to have any conscientious scruples about pulling off his hat in a court house he would not have fined or imprisoned him, but that he had made no stich claims and so deserved no extra favors.
"3. Passing sentence of one year' s imprisonment, at Wilkes-Barre, on one Gough, a young horse thief who had confessed his guilt, and on the next day, on hearing of his being an old offender, calling him up before the court and passing a second sentence on him, increasing his imprisonment from one to three years.
"Cooper admitted this to be true, but maintained that during the session of the court he had the right and power to alter sentences or judgment so as to correct his own mistakes and do what justice required; as, otherwise, lawyers and parties would at times be put to unnecessary trouble, expense and delay to have such errors corrected by means of a writ of error or the like.
"4, Deciding important points in a case in which he had a pecuniary interest.
"Cooper denied this in a long statement of facts.
"5, Setting aside the verdict of the Jury in an intemperate and passionate manner in the case of Albright vs. Cowden.
"Cooper denied his having done this in the manner alleged.
"6. Brow beating counsel and witnesses.
"Cooper denied this charge also, and said that he had done nothing more in reprimanding counsel than was neces
-ary for making statements that were unsupported by evidence, and for persisting in objections to matters after the court had decided them and allowed the right of filing exceptions to his opinion ;; which were necessary to make the counsel and witnesses preserve silence, order and decorum in the court house.
"7, Appearing armed with deadly weapons at the court house in Williamsport.
"Cooper said that he had done it but once, and then only because some man had threatened him with personal violence.
"8. Refusing to hear parties speak in their own defense.
"Cooper denied this in toto, and there was not the slightest evidence of any such refusa' by him.
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A glance at the list of officers and managers of the Wilkes-Barré Bridge Company, through the years of its early trials and struggles, will disclose the fact that a new generation of public spirited men, like newer figures of the bench and bar, were forging to the front. Fortunately for the community, there was not the same degree of speculation indulged by them in private business affairs as appears to have swept other portions of the State at this time. Among the wildest and most fraudulently conceived speculations of these early years one, notably, had its body in Luzerne County but its head and directing genius at Phila- delphia. A brief reference to the "City of Rome" bubble will serve to indicate that get-rich-quick promoters, blue-sky swindlers and those who prey upon the credulity of a none too wise public, were present then as now. To the Gleaner must be given credit for fearlessly exposing this pitiless fraud. Noticing adver- tisements of sudden wealth to be acquired by the purchase of lots in this city of promise, the editor made investigation to discover that the promoters had selected for their purpose a large acreage of valueless lands, a considerable portion of which was known as the "Great Swamp." The recently completed Easton and Wilkes-Barré turnpike, passing nearby, was its only asset.
The Gleaner, in its issue of February 8, 1811, thus portrays the situation:
"A bolder speculation has not been lately attempted than that of selling the 'City of Rome.' A town plot has been laid out in the 'Great Swamp' about seventeen miles from Wilkes-Barré and about five east of the Lehigh bridge (Stoddartsville).
"The proprietors ad captandum have given the spot the title of the 'City of Rome' and are selling out the lots, principally in Philadelphia. The spot is a wilderness and nature hath stamped upon it her irrevocable signet that a wilderness it shall remain. It has not a single re- quisite for a village. In the city papers we saw with surprise that at an election held by the pro- prietors of the 'City of Rome,' a president, secretary and eighteen directors were elected to superin- tend its concern.
"Let us consider the honorable council assembled on the spot, in solemn session-the president seated beneath the cragged boughs of an old hemlock; the honorable council squat around him cross-legged like so many Chickasaw chiefs, or sitting on the rotten logs or remains of some old 'windfall,' the worship's breeches 'all tattered and torn' by the struggle in getting through the brush at the capitol. No need of closed doors.
"Congress might remove to 'Rome' and debate their most important inatters without the least possible hazard of any mortal hearing a syllable of their proceedings.
"There being nobody but the honorable council to legislate for but themselves, the first bill would be passed nem. con. to send out of the swamp to replenish their knapsacks and their noggins. The second would probably be entitled 'an ordinance to keep up fires through the night to secure the council from the wolves.' "
"It must, however, be confessed that that place being infested by wolves is no good reason why it will not hereafter become a populous and potent city, particularly when we recollect the support afforded by those animals to the founders of its namesakes, the mistress of the world. From the situation of the city we are rather of the opinion that 'Tadmor' would be a more ap- propriate name.'
"9, Allowing horse racing to go on at Sunbury after he had issued a proclamation against it.
"Cooper said that racing was allowed to prevent the various losses that would otherwise have befallen the tavern keepers, who had made much preparation for entertaining the horse racing visitors, and it was only allowed on the con- dition that there should be no gambling or rioting at said races, and no such horse racing in the county thereafter.
"10, Fining and imprisoning Constable Conner for neglecting to execute a warrant put into his hands for the arrest of Jacob Langs, a counterfeiter, of (now) Union County, until Langs made his escape, said warrant being unconstitutional and contrary to the laws of Pennsylvania.
"Cooper replied that when said warrant was issued he considered it constitutional and lawful, and also right to have it promptly executed.
"A large number of witnesses, both against him and for him, were examined before the committee, and then, as we learn from John Binns' Republican Argus, a paper published at Northumberland, Judge Cooper spoke four and a half hours, in a very eloquent and impressive manner, in his own defense. And, after hearing the speeches of Messrs. Greenough and Duncan, the Committee of Senate entered upon the consideration of the whole matter and made the following report to the Legislature:
" 'Your committee for the premises are of the opinion that the official conduct of President Judge Cooper has been arbitrary, unjust and precepitate, contrary to sound policy and dangerous to the pure administration of justice. They, therefore, submit the following resolution:
" 'Resolved, That a committee be appointed to draft an address to the Governor for the removal of Thomas Cooper, Esq., from the office of President Judge of the Courts in the Eleventh Judicial District of Pennsylvania.
"He was therefore removed by Gov. Snyder, in 1811, and Seth Chapman appointed in his place. There was great rejoicing at Northumberland over the action of the Legislature and a cannon was fired by the people.
"Judge Cooper again returned to his practice at the bar, but he was soon afterwards appointed professor of chemistry in Dickinson College, Carlisle, subsequently, in 1816, held a professorship of mineralogy and chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania; and shortly after, in 1819, became, at first, Professor of Chemistry, then, in 1820, President of the South Carolina College. He also discharged the duties of Professor of Chemistry and Political Economy. Retiring from this post on account of age, in 1834, he was employed by the Legislature of South Carolina in revising the statutes of the State. He died, May 11, 1840, at the age of 81."
1845
That Philadelphia papers gave space to this exposure and thus helped put an end to the nefarious project can be inferred from a subsequent reference to the same subject in its issue of April 26th of the same year:
"This speculation is completely blown. We understand that the proprietor curses the Gleaner for its interference, for it ruined his fortune. We are heartily glad of it, for while we would with heart and hand encourage every proper enterprise, we shall always be ready to expose the tricks of the swindler and save the industrious and honest laborer from the imposter. We are told that a great number of poor deluded but industrious men, some with and some without fam- ilies, have come up from Philadelphia to get employment in the famous city, having in the first place laid out their pittance in town lots, and a ship-builder arrived on the confines of the forest having been persuaded to buy and remove there to set up business."
Just what particular brand of reformation was in the air, in 1813, is not disclosed by minutes of the Kingston Moral Society, which met at the Myers tavern upon frequent occasions. The plan of operation, however, as well as other matters of interest in affairs of the organization are to be noted in minutes of November 13, 1813, as follows:
"The Reverend Benjamin Bidlack was cal'd to the Chair, the Reverend Charles Chapinan appointed Secretary Pro tem.
"The following Gentlemen Members of said Society were then Chosen as a Committee of Vigilance agreeable to the provisions of the Constitution of the same: Abel Wheller, Edward Foster, Samuel Carver, Charles Harris, Solomon Chapin, David Perkins, Esq., Fisher Gay, Capt. Joseph Tuttle, Capt. Benjamin Smith, Elisha Atherton Second, James Hughes, Horace Parker, Joseph Sweetland, John Goss, George Nase, Elisha Atherton, Capt. Daniel Hoyt, Capt. Henry Buckingham, Darius Williams, Chatham Wilson, William Barker and Aaron Dean, whose Duty it shall be from and after the date of their receiving Notice of their appointment to dili- gently enquire after and due presentment make of all of Breaches of the good and wholesome Laws of this Commonwealth which shall come to their Knowledge and as far as in them lies endeavor to bring to condign Punishment every and all such offenders.
"Colonel Benjamin Dorrance was appointed Treasurer of said Society for the year ensuing, Charles Chapman, Recording Secretary and Voted that the Proceedings of these Meetings be signed by the Chairman and Secretary and published in the three Newspapers printed in Wilkes- barre, which advertisements shall be considered sufficient Notice to all the Officers chosen by said Society of their appointment. BENJAMIN BIDLACK Chairman.
"(attest) Charles Chapman, Recording Secretary."
While the press of the community chronicled sinister affairs of the world, it likewise took account of local recreations and pastimes which served to keep readers in good humor. Mention is frequently made of grand balls held in the upper rooms of the Fell tavern. Dancing masters evidently found lucrative employment for their services if one is to judge from the number of advertise- ments appearing.
Pearce (page 416) is authority for the statement that before the year 1811, the young men of Wilkes-Barré, Hanover, Kingston, Plymouth, and sur- rounding townships, formed a society which they called "The Harvey's Lake Association." The object of the society was to celebrate the 4th of July in each year, in a becoming manner, at the lake. A table was spread beneath the branches of the forest, and it was laden with wild game from the surrounding highlands and fish from the clear waters of the lake.
"We extract" continues the narrative, "the following from a poem dedicated to 'The Patriots of Harvey's Lake,' in 1811. It was written by a rude mountain native of Luzerne, a few days before he joined his patriotic brethren to celebrate the national birthday:"
" 'To Harvey's Lake let us repair, 'July the fourth here we'll record,
'Convival scenes exhibit there,
'While trout and venison crown the board,
'Our independence there revive,
'With rural viands of the best,
'And keep our freedom still alive,
'And juleps too to give them zest.
'And celebrate in social glee
'Our Independence there we'll boast,
'The day that set our country free.
'Its heroes not forget to toast-
'The landscape there, the dale and hill,
'Join in their deeds, their virtues name,
'Is in a state of nature still.
'And nobly kindle with their flame,
'Beneath a wide-spread oaken shade
'Gainst cursed ambition all forwarn,
'Shall we our sylvan table spread;
'And give to Freedom ages yet unborn.'"
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The Wilkes-Barre Academy did not hide its light under the proverbial bushel, as frequent printed notices as to its courses and faculty will attest. It was rivaled, to some extent by the establishment of the Kingston Academy in 1812, and the Plymouth Academy in 1815.
That some forms of the manly art of self defence as well as a study of military subjects were included in the education of young men of the time is indicated by an announcement of D. Cheeseborough, on June 12, 1816, who informed "the gentlemen of this vicinity that he had opened a Military school in the villages of Kingston and Wilkesbarre, where he will teach the following branches if required of him. All the var- ious branches of the evolutions suitable for cavalry, artillery, and infantry; together with the art of fencing with the broad-sword, small sword, and cut and thrust."
It should not escape mention that a predecessor of the late P. T. Barnum brought what was probably the first circus to the community in 1813. We may imagine with what expectancy and possible financial introspection the following announcement in the Gleaner of July 2, 1813 was read:
"NOW OR NEVER!"
"To be seen at Capt. F. Crisman's in Hanover on Monday the 5th of July; at John P. Arndt's Wilkesbarre on the 6th and 7th; at Kingston the 8th.
"The Elephant is not only the largest and most sagacious animal in the world, but from the peculiar manner in which it takes its food and drink of every kind, with its trunk, is acknow- ledged to be the greatest natural curiosity ever offered to the public. The one now offered to the view of the curious is a female. She will draw the cork from a bottle. She is 13 years old, and measures upwards of twenty feet from the end of her trunk to that of her tail; 12 feet around the body ; upwards of 8 feet high, and weighs more than 5000 pounds. Perhaps the present generation may never have an opportunity of seeing an Elephant again, as this is the only one in America, and this perhaps its last visit to this place. Admit- Now or Never tance, 25 cents. Children, half price. Also to be seen at the same times and places a collection of wax figures. Admission 121/2 cents."
AN ELEPHANT,
That this original amusement venture must have been remunerative to its owner may be judged from the fact that it came again in 1818, as may be gathered from a reproduction, appearing herewith, of a handbill used upon the latter occasion.
Peculiar in the weather annals of an early ٣ MAY be seen at Mr. Morgan's Tavern, in the borough of Wilkesbarre, on Wednesday, the last day of Sept. inst. and Thursday, the 1st of October Sept. 25, 1818: day were meteorological conditions of the year 1816. This year has been called the year with- out a Summer, for there were sharp frosts in every month. January was mild, so was February, with the exception of a few days. The greater part of March was cold and bois- terous. April opened mild, but grew colder as it advanced, ending with snow, ice and winter cold. In May ice formed one-half inch thick, buds and flowers were frozen and corn killed. Frost, ice and snow were common in June. Almost every green thing was killed and the fruit was nearly all destroyed. Snow fell to the depth of three inches in New York and Massachusetts and ten inches in Maine July
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was accompanied by frost and ice. On the fifth ice as thick as window glass was formed in New York, New England and Pennsylvania, and corn was nearly all killed in certain sections. In August ice formed one-half inch thick.
A cold northwest wind prevailed nearly all summer. Corn was so frozen that much was cut and dried for fodder. Very little ripened in New England and scarcely any even in the Middle States. Farmers were obliged to pay four or five dollars a bushel for corn of 1816, for the next Spring's planting. The first two weeks of September were mild, the rest cold with frosts and ice one-fourth inch thick. October was colder than usual, with frosts and ice; November cold and blustering, with snow enough for good sleighing. December quite mild and comfortable.
The Gleaner of June 14, 1816, mentions ice which appeared on "five mornings in succession since June Ist. Our Indian corn and potatoes are cut down and beans, melons, pumpkins and cucumbers are entirely destroyed."
In recording an unusually heavy frost on August 28thi of that year, the same publication refers to the killing of practically the entire buckwheat crop, much of it planted on the same acres which had witnessed the destruction of corn crops earlier in the season. The same issue editorially suggested that all distilleries of the county be closed for the balance of the year in order to conserve grain, and that such quantities of whiskey as were needed in the community be procured at "points down the river."
In further testimony of the effect of this peculiar year upon the Wyoming Valley is a portion of a narrative of Dilton Varington, contributed to the Wilkes- Barre Leader, March 15, 1887, as follows:
"You ask for reminiscenees of the "cold summer" of 1816. That year was a sorry time for farmers and all others that tried to raise crops of any kind as well as for consumers who were obliged to purchase provisions or any of the necessaries of life. Wages of the laboring elasses were not high in proportion to the cost of living. It was a hard time for the poor. For two months of that summer there were three black spots on the sun, plainly visible to the naked eye; the weather most of the time was so cool that woolen apparel was absolutely necessary for comfort. There were severe frosts several nights during each summer month, and the small amount of corn that got through the month of September, and was then in the milk state, was entirely frozen and killed, and the ears of corn in the husks became rotton. The steneh was so offensive that people would avoid passing a cornfield when the wind was toward them. Cattle would not cat the stalks until the rotten ears were taken off. It was said, and probably truthfully, that not a bushel of sound corn was raised in Luzerne County that season. Nor were there any fruit or garden vegetables raised that frost could kill. But during these privations of the people, they had one comfort, there was the greatest run of shad up the Susquehanna River that Spring, that was ever before or since known."
Winters of the two following years were of unusual severity. Prices, particularly of foodstuffs, were affected materially by these untoward conditions, and much complaint began to be manifested as to a comparison of living costs with wages and the returns of business enterprise.
In March, 1817, a contributor of the Gleaner thus lamented:
"I wish to buy land. It is from twenty to fifty dollars an acre in the Valley of Wyoming. I wish to buy corn; there is hardly a bushel to be got even at $2 per bus.
"Beef is scarce, and he is a good fellow who has pork enough to grease his griddle. What * can the industrious poor man do? *
The Fall of 1818, brought to a successful conclusion the first strike which the records of Wyoming disclose. It concerned itself with the none too pros- perous affairs of the Bridge company.
Under date of October 30, 1818, the following notice was served upon the company :
"We the subscribers, do unanimously agree that we will not continue to work any longer at the Wilkes-Barre bridge than to-morrow evening unless we
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are paid for our former services in good chartered notes of Pennsylvania, and a fair prospect of having our pay every two weeks hereafter." This was signed by Abiel Abbott, J. Henry, Daniel White, Owen Evans, Nathan Allen, William Spicer, David Lewis, Nehemiah Ide, Asa Bacon, Asa F. Snell, Stephen Scott, Reuben Daily, James Fitzgerald and Philip Roach.
Investigation disclosed the fact that though the contractors had been over paid they had not paid their hands and had no money with which to meet their demands and avert the strike. However, the superstructure being in a critical situation from its unfinished state and the probability of a rise of water, it was directed that orders of the contractors for wages due and which may be earned be paid by the treasurer.
Occasionally through the now dim outlines of these early affairs, comes a ray of light in the form of an old record which gives us an opportunity to judge more clearly of the times themselves and the men concerned with them. A sort of cross section of the period can be imagined from a portion of a description of Wilkes-Barré in 1818, written many years afterward by Dilton Yarington. He lists the prominent men of the community, in that year, from memory, as follows: "Court-David Scott, President Judge; Matthias Hollenback, Jesse Fell, Associate Judges.
"Bar-Roswell Wells, Ebenezer Bowman, Thomas Dyer, Thomas Overton, George Evans, Garr ck Mallery, George Denison, James Bowman, Oristes Collins, Washington Lee.
"Business Men-Wm. Ross, Win. S. Ross, Lord Butler, Steuben Butler, Pierce Butler, John L. Butler, Lord Butler, Jr., Chester Butler, John W. Robinson, Jonathan Hancock, John Hancock, Wm. Hancock, Stephen Tuttle, Isaac Bowman, Horatio Bowman, Sidney Tracy, Edwin Tracy, Peleg Tracy, Charles Tracy, Joshua Miner, Joshua Greene, Thos. Davidge, James Luker, Seth Wilson, James Gridley, Eleazer Carey, Caleb Kendall George Hotchkiss, Washing- ton Ewing, Job Gibbs, Moses Beamer, Mr. Dupuy, Dominick Germain, William Cox, Peter Yarington, Luther Yarington, Samuel Bowman, A. H. Bowman, Wm. L. Bowman, Geo. M, Hollenback, Peter P. Loop, Benjamin Perry, Samuel Maffitt, Jacob Cist, Joseph Slocum, Samuel Fell, Conrad Teeter, Jacob E. Teeter, Francis Rainow, Benjamin Drake, Lloyd Alkins, Jacob J. Dennis, Barnet Ulp, Edward Fell, Dr. Crary, Dr. Covell, Dr. Miner, Rev. George Lane, Rev. Hoyt, Daniel Collings, Mr. Russell, John Bettle, Samuel Bettle, Gilbert Laird, Archippus Parrish, Daniel White, George Cahoon, George Haines, Oliver Helme, James Helme, Hiram Perrin, Andrew Beaumont, Harris Colt, Arnold Colt, Henry Colt, Harris Colt, Jr., Chester Colt, Henry Colt, Jr., Henry C. Anhaeuser, Abm. Thomas, Jonathan Bulkeley, Eliphalet A. Bulkeley, Henry F. Lamb, John Michael Kinsley, Peter Rafferty, Jacob Rafferty, Thomas Ely, George Ely, James Ely, Gilbert Barnes, Jacob Sinton, Joseph Sinton, Hugh Gorman, Carkhuff, Thomas Carkhuff, Isaac A. Chapman, Edward Chapman, Joseph H. Chapman, Josiah Lewis, John Con- nor, Peter Connor, David Connor, Cornelius Connor, Simon Monagaye, Josiah Wright, Matthias Hoffman, Dr. Lathan Jones, Job Burton, Thomas Patterson, Thomas Price, John P. Arndt, Ziba Bennett, Amasa Jones, Joel Jones, Jacob Rudolph, Keithline, George Root, Benjamin St. John, Rev. Mr. Rogers, Harry Blakeman."
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