A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania, Part 38

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.]
Number of Pages: 726

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"Get orders from authority we will Take and deliver at Sunburey the fol- lowing persons, Ethan Allen, John Franklin, Solomon Strong, James Fin, John Jenkins, Christopher Holbert. Their designs is if possible to persuade the people on the West Branch to joyn them. Franklin & Jenkins did engage James Fin, a Baptise Minister some time Back to make a visit to the West branch to preach about amongst the people there, and feale out their minds in regard to a. New State. If Allen, Franklin & Strong were removed the others would do but Little ; * * * they have some ammunition stored, and some provision in store.

Allen and Franklin and Strong have used many arguments and strat- egeims to seduce the people and prejudice them against Pennsylvania. I have put up many advertisements urging the people to attend to their duty. Allen and Franklin and Strong made it their business to go and pul down my papers, and repeatedly threatened my life. * *

"Sirs, we the undersigners are with Esteem your most obedient humble Servts.

"May 14, 1786."

"WM. HOOKER SMITH "SAMUEL HORNER "ABRAHAM WESTBROOK."

The next letter from the Archives is from Wm. Shaw to Penn- sylvania Executive Council, dated May 18, 1786. Shaw was evi- dently one of the secret agents of Pennsylvania, who at this time became alarmed and left Wyoming. He states :

"The inhabitants (of Wyoming) in general appeared desirous of being Citizens, until unluckily on the 27 (April) Col. Ethan Allen came to Wyoming who alarmed them by telling them he despised their treating with Pennsylvania, that he had formed one new State, and with one hundred Green Mountain Boys and two hundred Riflemen he could make that a new State in defiance of Penn- sylvania. The Schemes of the Proprietors of the Susqua. Co. is discovered by the inclosed copy of a letter from Joseph Hamilton to John Franklin (the one given above) Which perhaps might be good policy to prevent by raising and sending some men there (Tioga Point), etc., etc. "WM. SHAW."

281

ARRIVAL OF COLONEL ETHAN ALLEN

The President of Court of Common Pleas of Northumberland County, Wm. Montgomery, to Council, May 20, says :

"A meeting has been held of Justices, Sheriff, etc., who decided that no time, not a moment should be lost ; that there is the greatest and most eminent danger of a dismemberment of the state; that the party under Ethan Allen, John Franklin & Solomon Strong increase daily. Their most limited pretensions ex- tend to the whole of the 42 Degree of Latitude. * * * No person in the state can hope to continue a Pensylvanian without the most speedy, effectual and vigorous exertion of Government in suppressing this dangerous insurrection."

The same day he writes to C. J. Mckean once more, sending a copy of Hamilton's intercepted letter, saying :

"We are informed of some of the active persons, the expected arrival of Col. Ethan Allen since writing which Allen has arrived, talks freely of a New State, and he in conjunction with Franklin and Strong are gone about a week to meet the Susqua. Co. to consult what measures are next to be pursued. We find they have some ammunition and stores laid up. *

* Can Pennsylvania submit to this; she cannot; Surely our yeomenry will not longer say it is a Land Jobing Quarrel. * it is now become a serious Governmental concern," etc.

May 20, 1786, Thomas Grant writes to Benjamin Franklin; re- ports making some arrests at Wyoming, especially John Paul Schott, who was evidently wholly in sympathy with half-share men. Grant also says:

"It is now known publicly that their intentions are to form a new state. Ethan Allen with a great number of new adventurers are at the head of this business & since their arrival every idea of submission to the Laws of Penna. has vanished."-Archives, Vol. XI, page 111.

The next communication is from Benjamin Franklin, then Presi- dent of Council, and insinuates non-approval of the visit of sheriff to serve writs of ejectments. At the same time he writes a very con- servative letter to Montgomery, showing plainly that he either dis- credits the incendiary letters, or thinks it still a private quarrel. It is thus seen that the great Benjamin Franklin was most actively in- terested in early Athens.

Let John Franklin tell what he did after the Hartford meeting, in a letter written from Armenia, N. Y., June 8, 1786 (see p. 3, Vol. XI, Penna. Archives) :

"Dr Doctor (Hamilton). I left Hartford last week Wednesday, and am now on my journey to Wyoming. I expect you have received my letter. * * * Congress has accepted the Cessions from Connecticut, I expect that to be a Confirmation of our title. Nothing further done in assembly thought best to rest quiet * * hold fast, etc. I have been to Windham, Esq Gray had no Blank Certificates. I send you ten full Shares, I take a receipt from Esq. Beach and expect he will take one from you, he will also send you 15 shares. Esq. Gray thinks best to issue no more Certificates at Present as 300 have already been delivered. Should it be necessary others may be Issued. It is best to take care how lands are disposed of. I find that Esq Gray has given out nearly 50 half Shares to persons to repair to Wyoming and Continue three years, that no condition is mentioned in Certificate and that not more than 7 of those Persons are in that Country. which I conceive to be an argument that it's best to be careful. The 400 half shares are not all taken up-it's thought best to fill them- let those who are disposed to become Adventurers have a recommendation to repair to Wyoming, to receive certificates from the Committee on the spot. I would wish to have every Plan put in execution to get on settlers." (Note here it is to be observed he incloses some sentences in quotation marks, which

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we must infer is blind writing again.) "I hope you will procure the Physick and Pills you talked of at Hartford, and send the same on. I can administer them if necessary, though I have not the Theory of Physick, I profess to know some- thing of Practice." * "JOHN FRANKLIN."

We suppose the medicine was further ammunition for the Wild Yankees at Athens. It would be interesting to know just where these arms and provisions were stored. The following letter from the Archives is here very illuminating :

"June 27, 1786.

"Sir, It Remains no Longer a Doubt with me that this Bandity at Wioming is determined not to Subordinat to the Laws of this State. You will observe by the enclosed paper Sign'd Franklin hes assuming authority. * * * Franklin is lately arrived at Wioming from the State of Connecticut from the meeting of the Susquehanna Company. Ethan Allen is Expected Soon. Franklin assumes more authority and more positive. Dispises the Laws of this State with more Contempt than formerly; to be particular in Regard to this Bandity, time will not admit. From many Circumstances I am now Convinced that the people will Declare a New State, or pretend the Laws and Regulations of the State of Con- necticut. *

* Nip the Bud when young. I fear it has been neglected in this case.

"JOHN VAN CAMPEN."

"To the Sec'y of Council."

July 20, a meeting was held at Abel Yarrington's, Wyoming ; evidently a secret meeting, an account of which is furnished by some spy, probably Smith again. He says :

"In the first plase Franklin read the Doings of the meeting lately held at Hartford, etc. Obediah Gore had a number of votes done ready for the people to vote to in sd. meeting, which was that the peopel had good write to their Lands, etc. * * 20 or 30 ·half shear men voted. *

* Franklin & Beach told the meeting in case they gave up their Indian Deed they would all be turned of amediately." * * (Pickering says "but 60 were present, settlers from Tioga downward.") "John Jenkins then swore in the Most Sacred Manner that in case the Peopel should appoint any other agent But what should be chosen by that meeting, he would send them to the Eternal Shades of Darkness, * * he would destroy both men women and children * and take their effects."

August 10, Wm. Hooker Smith is at it again in a most amusing letter to Vice-President Biddle. Smith claims that the above meeting was deliberately held in his absence, and that while many withdrew on hearing purport of it; that Franklin and Jenkins pushed on the business ; he also says :

"The conduct of Capt Schoots is amasing to us, he appears of late to be on the side of Allen, Franklin, Jenkins & associates. Wrights Pretty Largly & is Paddling about with Franklin and Jenkins in the Land Jobing way. They chose at that meeting Franklin and Jenkins for agents. (There unquestionably was intimidation at this meeting.) The settlers have been deprived of their arms, the half share men are well armed. Franklin brags they can have from west Branch 1000 men, from Delaware 500, from Vermont 1000, such Reports intimidate * * the people were all in a Tumult. Franklin has had of late a re- quest of powder; we had three Cannon at Wioming, which is Either secreted or sent to Tioga (Point)."

Accompanying this is a letter, saying :

"Doctor Smith is obliged to fly. Franklin and his party have knowledge of his informing the government of Hamilton's letters. Franklin and Jenkins have given out most shocking threatenings."

283

ECHOES OF THE NEW STATE PROJECT

Franklin and Jenkins attended assembly about this time and made a claim for the whole Indian purchase, as is recorded in fol- lowing exultant letter from Franklin (October 2, 1786) to Dr. J. Hamilton :

"Sir. As you are fond of news I send enclosed a few lines for your perusal. the following Copies viz 1st Copy of Dr Smith's Dismission. *

* I had the pleasure of stating our whole suffering to the Council. *

* I left no Stone

* waited also on Benjamin Franklin and told the whole story." unturned *

Curiously enough, in this letter Franklin appears to repudiate the new state cabal. But unquestionably he was now playing a clever game. He says the assembly did not confirm the Connecticut title, however, although they ignored the complaints of Smith and asso- ciates, informing Franklin they were not worthy of notice. At this time (September 25, 1786) the county of Luzerne had been erected, and Col, Timothy Pickering, the eminent Pennsylvanian, was ap- pointed to organize it, and at once removed to Wyoming, as already told. This act caused heated discussion; Pennsylvania was still dis- trusted, Franklin and Jenkins still active, Athens and vicinity filling up with half-share settlers.

November 7, 1786, Franklin writes again to Hamilton, telling of a meeting held by the settlers the previous day, saying, "That old Traitor Smith made his appearance."

December 13, Gov. Clinton, of New York, writes to Benjamin Franklin that he was informed in summer previous that Ethan Allen had left the Susquehanna without being able to effect the object for which he went thither. Pickering writes that he has met Franklin, outwardly very amicably. Says half-share men were not all new- comers, but that many dissatisfied Wyoming settlers enlisted as half- share men, of course getting land free. This was the case with a number of the first settlers at Athens.

Now occurred what Miner calls "The last grand movement of the Susquehanna Company," having in view defiance of Pennsylvania and the erection of the new state. Pennsylvania had a right to regard this as treasonable. Franklin and his associates, by reason of the unendurable oppression of Wyoming settlers, believed their act justi- fiable. Once more a meeting was called of the Susquehanna Proprie- tors, who had been greatly "reinforced by men of genius, literature and politics." Pickering says the New York men, mostly from Hud- son, were usually called the "York lessees" (Mckinstry, Hamilton, Benton and others). The proprietors convened in the court house at Hartford, Conn., December 27, 1786. The full proceedings are to be found in Vol. XVIII, 3d Series, Archives. A large commission was appointed from Connecticut, Vermont, New York and Pennsyl- vania to adjust all claims in the purchase, grant new townships, etc. Joel Barlow, afterward minister plenipotentiary to the Court of France, acted as secretary.

On the very same day, in the Assembly of Pennsylvania, a supple- ment was passed to the act establishing Luzerne County ; and appoint- ing Timothy Pickering, John Franklin and Zebulon Butler to arrange

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for an election of Counsellor, etc., to be held February first, 1787. Naturally, Franklin was not in sympathy with this, and used his in- fluence in every way to prevent the election. However, it took place. Franklin absented himself; yet there was great excitement. Who would not have liked to have seen Zebulon Butler on his war steed, riding up and down in the crowd, crying, "I draw my sword in the defense of the law, let every lover of peace and good order support me!" Those were indeed stirring times.35 Franklin was chosen mem- ber of assembly. It was at this time Mrs Perkins says "Franklin spurned the nomination, and set about founding an Independent State Government."

In March, 1787, the Confirming Law was passed, adding fuel to the flame.

The following letter, probably hitherto unpublished, is from the autograph collection of Gilbert S. McClintock, of Wilkes-Barré, by

36 The following address was evidently made soon after the election, on learning of the proposed Confirming Law, and well defines the Connecticut point of view:

"Address of Captain John Jenkins at Forty Fort, in February, 1787.

"We will gladly accept any proposition that will bring peace, quiet us in our possessions and protect us in our titles. This is all we ask now; it is all we have asked from the begin- ning. Suppose we accept of the terms proposed, what guaranty have we that Pennsylvania will keep her plighted faith? She has forfeited her honor to us time and again. If we ac- cept the provisions of the proposed law, when she finds we are tied hand and foot, she will repeal it and leave us again without remedy or hope, except in ourselves. We have repeat- edly had assurance of the desire of Pennsylvania to have this controversy settled, but the measures proposed and the men sent here to effect such settlement have shown us that they will never be satisfied except with our expulsion from our lands, and our total ruin, which we will never agree or submit to. Our fathers have been imprisoned, robbed and whipped by the Pennsylvanians; our public papers have been taken wickedly from us; they have plun- dered our settlements, burnt our towns, taken the lives of our friends and brethren; driven our old men, women and children into the wilderness at the point of the bayonet, with cir- cumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the lead of a civilized State or nation. We have petitioned in our most humble terms for a redress of our grievances, to be secured in our property, our lives, and our pos- sessions, and our petitions have been treated with insult and contempt, and been rejected. They still continue in their endless persecution with obstinate fury and uncontrollable op- pression.

"And yet in the face of all these facts, all this perfidy, all these crimes, we are again called upon by their perpetrators to give up our titles, and all claims and rights under them, and rely upon the clemency of Pennsylvania for any future titles or rights to our lands. God forbid that we should be foolish enough to do anything of this kind. The blood of the martyrs who have fallen in defence of our rights would cry to us from the ground should we permit their widows and orphan children to be driven from their home and possessions out into the wide world to perish or become a public burden.

"What new plan do they propose to us now? Nothing but to quiet us in our pos- sessions for a short period until we give up our titles and they can devise and put into execu- tion some new plan for our expulsion. We have too often experienced the bad faith of Penn- sylvania to place confidence in any new measure of her Legislature, and if they shall enact a quieting law they will repeal it as soon as the Connecticut settlers submit and are completely saddled with the laws of the State. What security have we if we comply with their proposals and put ourselves in their power, that the State will not repeal the law and deal as treacher- cusly with us as in the case of Armstrong?

"The only safe course for the settlers to pursue is to stand by their titles and pos- sessions until Pennsylvania shall find it to be her interest to do them justice by acknowledging their rights and establishing them thro' proper legislation. Whenever she shall do this, there will be an end of the controversy. If it be the disposition of the General Assembly of Penn- sylvania to do us justice, as stated by Colonel Pickering, she can do it in that way, and thus end all further trouble and annoyance to either party. But the proposal is to bind us and leave Pennsylvania free, to have us surrender our titles and trust to Pennsylvania for another, and as the gentleman says, a better title. This we will never submit to. We have fought too long, and shed too much blood of our best inhabitants, and sacrificed too much in defence of our titles and possessions to tamely yield them up to the threats or entreaties of Pennsylvania, and we will never do it. All we ask is justice, and that is in her hands to grant at any moment. If she will not grant us this she will have to put up with the consequences."- Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Vol. XVIII, p. 666.

285

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TO LORD BUTLER

whose courtesy it is reproduced. It shows that the great statesman was very confident that this law would adjust all difficulties :

"In Council, Phila. April 4, 1787.

"Sir, With this you will receive a Number of printed Copies of an Act of Assembly lately passed, respecting the Settlers from Connecticut in your County. The Spirit of Condescension and Good-Will of the Legislature towards those Settlers manifested by this Act, in attending so readily to their Petitions, and in giving them so fair an Opportunity of establishing their Claims and quieting their Possessions for themselves and their Posterity, will we are persuaded have its proper Effect on the prudent and reasonable Majority, who can set a just Value on the Blessings of Peace and Good Government, and we hope therefore that the Endeavours of a few restless Individuals, if such should remain, who may expect to find their own private and separate Advantage in public Troubles, will not have any Effect in disturbing this Commencement of Harmony, which in its Completion will secure to the Inhabitants not only the Lands that have been in question, but the additional Advantage of our excellent Constitution, and the Protection of one of the principal States in the Union. You will observe the Directions of the Act in making it publick; and you may assure the People that the good Disposition of Council towards them is not inferior to that which has been manifested by the General Assembly. I am, Sir,

Your humble Servant, "B. FRANKLIN, Presdt."

"To Lord Butler, Esquire, High Sheriff of the County of Luzerne."

John Franklin advised non-conformity to this law, rather than open resistance. Now he had deserted his Wyoming home, and was building a house at Athens, near the river, on the lot next south of the Academy, rented or sold by Hollenback or Lockhart two years before. This choice of location seems a special defiance of Penn- sylvania.

The land jobbers about this time tried to bribe Franklin, "offering a sum of money sufficient to make him and family independent for life if he would quit the country and not return." After two attempts he cautioned them never to repeat them. His journal for this period shows that he was busy, every day, persuading the settlers to avoid the commissioners and ignore the law. He traveled up and down the valley between Wyoming and Tioga Point, stopping at the house of every Connecticut settler. When his tall form was seen, the cry went forth in house and field, "Franklin is coming ;" all work was laid aside, indoors and out, while once more he rehearsed their wrongs, persuaded them to resist the law, and fanned their fury into flame.

The new state was now very near erection. A constitution had been drawn up by Oliver Wolcott.37 (Would that a copy of it could be found !) William Judd was to be Governor, and Franklin, Lieutenant- Governor. One who saw it says38: "I well remember it commenced like the Declaration of Independence, by setting forth a series of wrongs, or a declaration of rights, justifying their deed; and then came the organization, etc." Pickering himself says : "Had Wyo- ming, with its dependencies, been situated as near to the northern

37 Oliver Wolcott was afterwards Governor of Connecticut. Miner well says, "Such men did not move without high purpose and elevated aim."

38 Miner says that in 1803 or '04 Gen. William Ross was in New Haven and was told of the new state project as an assured fact. Miner also questioned Capt. Richards. His reply was prompt and distinct as to remembrance: "Yes, perfectly familiar to me. Capt. Judd showed me the draft of the Constitution. It was drawn up by Oliver Wolcott."

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hives (New England), it would at this day have constituted another Vermont."

Here are extracts from a letter (in collections of American Philo- sophical Society) relating to Athens, and scoring Obadiah Gore, who had grown weary of the contest and proposed to conform to the laws of Pennsylvania. This was written to Dr. Hamilton by Col. Franklin :

"April 29, 1787. I fear you have put too much trust in Esq. Gore. You may depend that he will sacrifice the company's interest to secure his own. * * > I should have a greater esteem of him if he had laid aside muskrat traps, and assisted us in time of trouble. He is willing that Pennsylvania shall have the town of Athens, and cheat those of us who have been the salvation of this coun- . try out of our lands. Ingratitude blacker than Hell! Perhaps he may curse the day he was born before he will accomplish his designs in that respect."

Among these Mss. is also a petition dated February 5, 1787, to Assembly of Pennsylvania, signed by 131 inhabitants of Luzerne, residents of upper townships, of course, in connection with Confirming Law. The agitation over this law led to the proposition to assemble and talk over the matter.

Accordingly, in May, 1787, a public meeting was called at old Forty Fort (see Miner, p. 411, and Fisher, p. 309). Miner says, p. 411: "So great a gathering had not been known in the Valley for years." Col. Timothy Pickering appeared for Pennsylvania; Col. Franklin, supported by Simon Spalding and Elisha Satterlee, spoke for Connecticut. The trouble and distrust of the Connecticut people may be shown by the outburst of Stephen Gardiner in reply to a speech in which Pickering pledged his "own honor, dearer than life," that Pennsylvania was honest in her purpose. "Your lips speak fair," exclaimed Gardiner, a Connecticut man, "but O, that there was a window in that breast, that we might read your heart!" Franklin was the last speaker, so bitterly eloquent that Matthias Hollenback's suppressed passion gave way, and he aimed a blow at Franklin with the butt of his riding whip. A friendly hand intervened, but the meeting de- generated into a riot. All rushed to the woods close by, cut sticks, and turned on cach other with savage blows. In spite of this commo- tion, a disorderly vote was taken to support the law. Franklin and the wild Yankees continued nevertheless to defeat the measure in every way.

This is the time when Miner says Ethan Allen appeared in regi- mentals, etc. If so, it was his second coming, possibly to reconnoitre and concert further measures.

"Allensburg on the Wyalusing was a grant to Gen. Ethan Allen of several thousand acres for his expected aid in 'the grand scheme of treason and rebel- lion,' as it was called by Pennsylvania, and of just resistance to unendurable op- pression, as regarded by Connecticut."

May 10, 1787, Col. Franklin appeared before General Assembly at Hartford, and presented a memorial in behalf of the Susquehanna and Delaware inhabitants, with 80 signatures, setting forth that the Penns by their agents had by accident become possessed of the Indian deed, and other important evidences of the Connecticut title, and had purposely secreted them at the time of sitting of commissioners at

PICKERING'S LETTERS TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 287

Trenton. The Lower House took favorable action on this memorial, but the upper House refused to concur. Franklin's hopes were again blighted.

That affairs increased in seriousness is evinced by a letter, which seems to have been unpublished, found at Harrisburg (October, 1907). It was written by Pickering to Benjamin Franklin August 13, dated at "Wilkesburg." Extracts :

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A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania, Part 38

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.] Number of Pages: 726

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.]
Number of Pages: 726