USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania, 1755-1855 > Part 34
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Additional Residents in East Buffalo-Albertson, John, Jenkins' place ; Betz, John ; Beaver, Peter ; Brown, Abraham ; Dieffenbach, John ; Hafer, Michael, at Hugh Wilson's; Hamilton, Francis ; Hentzleman, George; Highlands, William; Howard, George ; Kreechbaum, Peter, junior ; Kremer, Charles ; Leiby, Jacob ; Lytle, Samuel ; McCrea, Robert, shoe-maker ; McDonnel, John, weaver at Jenkins' ; McFadden, John, tailor ; Newman, Michael ; Newman, John ; Phillips, George ; Shannon, Joseph ; Shirtz, William, weaver ; Smalley, Abraham.
Lewisburg-Collins, Joseph, tailor ; Donaldson, Robert ; Evans & Kremer, store; Kemerer, Charles, tailor ; Langs, Widow ; Mc- Quhae, William ; Miller, Andrew ; Wilson, William, store-keeper.
New Berlin-Charleton, James; Dennis, Jacob, blacksmith ; Dennis, John, junior, cordwainer ; Hubler, Abraham, weaver ; Yost, Casper.
Improvements-Daniel Clarke, tan-yard in White Deer.
Domestic Incidents.
Uriah Silsby commenced singing schools in the Valley.
January 16. An article appears in the Argus in favor of the division of the county. The distance the people have to travel, the expense of ferriage over the river, then an appeal to the pocket on account of the expense of ornamenting the town of Sunbury. Ap- propriation for a fire engine there. An appropriation that was
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urged for the building of fire-proof buildings for the records. This was the entering wedge of the erection of Union county. In the succeeding paper was a strong argument, founded on increase of the value of property in the new county. Nearer market for purchase. Facility of reaching the county seat. Saving of expense of court trials.
From Diary of James McClellan, Esquire.
April 9. Had my house and barn consumed by fire. Lost grain, meat, and everything but a little flour. Happened between ten and eleven, A. M. Received the same evening, of John Rangler, two loaves of bread, a shoulder, potatoes, cabbage, &c. James Thomp- son, a bag of corn and hay; Joshua Ewing, bag of corn, &c. Next day, of William Irwin, Esquire, bag corn, two bushels wheat, load of hay. Matthew Irwin, dry peaches, wheat, &c. William Clin- gan, wheat and rye, and other articles from John Frantz, Jacob Reedy, Jacob Dunkle, Martin Dreisbach, Jacob Hinely, John Stahl, John Kelly, William Dunkle, Samuel Templeton, Mrs. Linn, Samuel Sterret, John Baker, Jacob Baber, David Watson, Peter Dunkle, John Kaufman, Thomas Howard, Hugh Wilson, William Hayes, James Magee. Reverend Isaac Grier, Academy at North- umberland, the educational point. Latin and Greek languages taught for $24 per annum.
The Impeachment of Judge Cooper.
The first charge against him was fining persons and immuring then in prison for whispering in court. Cooper's reply was, one Hollister, a constable, was merely given in custody of the sheriff one hour, until the disposal of a case, and then fined $2. This was at Wilkesbarre, in 1807.
Second charge. Imprisoning a respectable citizen for wearing a hat, in conformity with a religious habit. Cooper replies that he did not recollect the circumstances exactly, and presented the affi- davit of Doctor James Dougal, who says he was present in court, and on account of the confusion and deafening noise there was for- merly in court, he recollected the circumstances vividly. John Hanna was standing close to the bar, with his hat on. A young
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looking man stood behind him, with his hat on also. Judge Cooper arose and said : I will thank you, Mr. Hanna, to tell that young man to take his hat off. The young man walked away. Judge Cooper waited a little while, and then said to Mr. Hanna : I will thank you to pull off your own. Hanna made no reply. The judge repeated the request. Hanna replied in a coarse, low voice, which I could not hear distinctly, but I thought he said, if you want it off, take it off yourself. The judge then said, this is not a wor- shiping assembly, nor a play-house, nor a dance-house. Is a court of justice entitled to less respect than any of these places ? And then requested him again. On Hanna making the same reply, I believe, as above, the judge said: Sheriff, take this man to jail. The sheriff took Mr. Hanna by the hand and they both walked off. Judge Cooper then states that Hanna lived at Northumberland, and was an old neighbor. He had never heard or suspected that he had any scruples on the point; that he asked him when he came to fine him, whether he was a Quaker, and he said not; then whether he had any religious scruples on the subject, he said yes. I then said, if he had said so, that would have been sufficient to entitle him to keep his hat on.1
Third charge. After sentencing a felon, calling him from prison, and pronouncing a second sentence, increasing the penalty. This referred to the case of young Gough, a horse-thief, convicted at Wilkesbarre. The court sentenced him to twelve months, he having plead guilty. The next morning, Judges Hollenbach and Fell in- formed Judge Cooper they had understood he was an old offender. I gave it as my opinion, says Judge Cooper, that during the ses- sions, the judgments were in the power of the court, and subject to revisal. He was re-sentenced to three years.
Fourth charge. That he has decided important causes in which
I It is not many years since the courts in Clearfield county were also hard to keep in hand. The folks stood around, as Judge G. W. Woodward said, like people in an auction-room. When the Honorable James Burnside held his first court there, the people crowded In among the lawyers, and In front of the bench. An indictment was brought against one Pennington. The judge called out : " Is Pennington in court ?" A stalwart man standing in front of the crowd, said : " Jedge, you better call out the whole damn grist of the Penningtons." The judge put on a severe look, and eommeneed a lecture to the man for disturbing the court. After he pro. ceeded awhile, the man said : "Ilush up, jedge, you are making a damned sight more disturbance than I did."
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he was interested. Judge Cooper's contradiction is too long for in- sertion.
Fifth. Setting aside the verdict of the jury in an intemperate and passionate manner. In the case of Albright and Cowden, Judge Cooper and his associates, Wilson and Macpherson, agreed in opin- oin. Judge General Montgomery differed. Judge Cooper charged the jury, and General Montgomery also, and the jury went with the latter. The verdict was set aside by Judge Cooper. The latter denied intemperance of language.
Sixth. Browbeating counsel and witnesses. Judge Cooper admits reprimanding members of the bar, for unprofessional conduct, in managing a cause; for making statements not supported ; for per- severing in objections, after the court had decided ; for want of silence, and keeping order ; but denied anything further contained in the charge.
Seventh. That he appeared armed. Judge Cooper says he never carried arms but once, and then on the road from Northumberland to Williamsport, as he had been warned that he would be attacked. After calling the jury at Williamsport, Judge Cooper went off the bench, and made information against the party who had threatened him. The party, a professional gentleman in the neighborhood, of good character, came forward, and, finding himself mistaken, the complaint was dropped.
Eighth charge. That he refused to hear persons in their own de- fense. This denied in toto.
Ninth. That he had issued a proclamation against horse-racing, and then ordered a suppression of the proclamation. Judge Cooper says : This is true. Some of my friends, engaged in the said horse- race, applied to me, and stated that horses were expected from Phil- adelphia ; that the county was generally notified, and that there would be a great assemblage of people ; that the tavern-keepers had made expensive preparations. and that it was too late to put a stop to the meeting. They said if I insisted in my opposition to the race, they would submit to the law ; but this should be the last race, and they would be individually responsible for keeping order, suppress- ing gambling, riot, &c. This was acceded to, and there has been no horse-racing since in Sunbury or in the county, that I know of.
Tenth charge. Fining and imprisoning a constable for neglecting
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to execute a process issued contrary to the Constitution and laws. This referred to the case of Conner, who so misused the warrant Judge Cooper had issued for arresting Jacob Langs, a counterfeiter, that the latter escaped. Judge William Montgomery, of Danville, although he frequently differed with Judge Cooper, came out in a strong affidavit, in which he said Judge Cooper was a good lawyer, earnest in preparing public business, prompt in his decisions, and clear of partialities, and that he had, with manly firmness, opposed further and unnecessary litigation, and disposed of the charges as far as they referred to Judge Cooper's practice in Northumberland county.
The committee to investigate the charges met on the 7th of March, (at Lancaster.) John B. Gibson, Samuel Dale, and Jared Irwin were of the committee. Mr. Duncan, of Carlisle, appeared for Judge Cooper; Mr. Greenough, for the petitioners. Jared Irwin com- plained to the committee that Daniel Levy, Esquire, was interfering outside in favor of Judge Cooper ; whereupon, Mr. Duncan dis- claimed having any connection with Mr. Levy, and added, that it was this young man's folly that caused Judge Cooper to be here. After an examination of Charles Hall, Esquire, Frederick Evans, and many other witnesses, the committee reported that the Judge's conduct had been arbitrary, unjust, and precipitate, and in favor of an address to the Governor for his removal. "More than two thirds of the Legislature voted for his removal," says the Argus, of April 3. The witnesses called on his side were Doctor Dougal, Joseph Priestly, George Kremer, Colonel D. Montgomery, Charles Hegins, John Cowden, E. G. Bradford, &c. " Judge Cooper spoke four and a half hours, in a very eloquent and impressive manner."-Ibid. In the Argus of the 17th, the testimony of the witnesses is printed in full. Judge William Wilson (of Chillisquaque) says: "The court was very disorderly before Judge Cooper's time. I have seen Judge Rush leave the bench. It is now very orderly. Judge Cooper can- not see very well. John Dreisbach, of Mifflinburg, was one of the parties Judge Cooper fined for talking to a witness. Dreisbach said he was merely telling the witness that court had adjourned, as the man was hard of hearing. Esquire Youngman came forward to speak in my favor, and the judge told him he would fine him a dollar if he did not keep still." The courts in May were held by
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Judges Wilson, Montgomery, and Macpherson. A queer rule was adopted : " No bills on the return of a constable, unless at the re- quest of the mother of the child, or the overseers of the poor, or by special direction of the court, should be returned."
September 17, convention met at Derrstown, and made the fol- lowing nominations : Simon Snyder for Governor ; Jared Irwin, Frederick Evans, Samuel Bond, and Andrew McClenachan for mem- bers ; Commissioner, Henry Vanderslice ; Auditors, Hugh Wilson, (ridge,) Charles Gale, and Andrew Albright.
The election returns gave Simon Snyder all the votes, except twelve, polled in Buffalo for Jacob Bumberger. Bond, Irwin, Mc- Clenachan, and F. Evans were elected to the Assembly, with Henry Vanderslice for county commissioner. Auditors as above.
Argus, of November 13, says : " William Hayes, of Derrstown, raised five pumpkins on one vine, largest weighing one hundred and sixty pounds ; least, fifty-four pounds."
Roan's Journal.
February 1. Judge Cooper a good deal annoyed about the peti- tions to remove him. 2d. Stopped at Irely's, (Winfield.) 4th. Scurrilous poetry circulating among the neighbors about last hallow- een night. [The family feuds in the Valley may be traced to this practice. It will be all understood by the old residents.] Entry of the 7th. James Dale and James McClure had a bout at Derrstown about hallow-een night stories. 14th. Mr. Barber married to Polly Vanvalzah. 19th. Thomas Proctor and Polly Musser married.
March 5. At Jimmy Wilson's: three Moores, of Lycoming, two Vanvalzahs, Bob Fruit and Nancy, two of the Nevius girls, and Polly Darragh, at the spinning. March 8. Tailor McFadden work- ing at Clingan's. James McClellan had his house and barn burned. 13th. R. Mc- and Aaron C- would have fought at Rees' to- night, but Long John Maclay prevented them. All about hallow- een night. 20th. Concert of the singing-school at Derrstown. Eat cakes and drank cider with a number of young ladies and gentle- men at Granny Phillips'. 29th. Firing of cannon and rejoicing at Northumberland, on account of the removal of Judge Cooper.
April 5. Citizen Kremer has lost popularity by taking Judge Cooper's part.
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May 18. Great horse-race at Derrstown.
August 19. The new Judge, Chapman, took his seat.
September 8. A blazing star, like a comet, appeared in the north for some time. 17th. Nominating convention met at Derrstown. McLanachan put on the legislative ticket, with Evans. 18th. Comet still visible, going around the north star like the pointers in the bear. 19th. Quilting at Mr. Laird's. Thirty ladies there. Hayes says Fred Evans is a Burrite. 29th. Graham had a child baptized Caroline.
October 8. Election at Derrstown. Two hundred and forty-six votes polled. People pretty quiet. 15th. William McQuhae mar- ried to John Cowden's daughter. 22d. Review at Derrstown. Fid- dles going all day at the tavern. 26th. John Musser, with Thomas, at Philadelphia. He had a horse stolen there. It takes two weeks to make the trip.
November 9. Called at Giddy Smith's, to get signers to the peti- tion for a new county. Giddy says there are too many Federalists on the petition. 11th. Esquire Vincent, Esquire Brown, and Mr. Iredell here on a road view. They are very jocose, sociable, and funny men.
December 11. James Clark took Flavel home with him to a kick- ing frolic. 17. T. Woodside here, surveying Mr. Lyons' land, sold to Frantz.
Governor Snyder's message, of December 3, is worthy of remark, as containing an emphatic protest against slavery, and also a strong recommendation of the canal system.
That noted divine, Yost Henry Fries, now enters the Valley, and his wide-spread influence takes its start. The Reformed congrega- tions had become vacant, by the resignation of the Reverend Jacob Dieffenbach, in 1810, and Mr. Fries was induced to make a visit to Buffalo Valley from his congregation in York county. He was born in Westphalia, town of Gusterhain, 24th April, 1777. He landed in Baltimore, 20th August, 1803. From early childhood he had a strong inclination to the ministry, and, being poor, saw little hope of entering the ministry at home, where so many strict formalities were observed. He could not pay his passage, and was forced to become a " redemptioner ;" that is, he was bound to serve out a cer- tain length of time, generally three years, for the benefit of the man
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who paid his passage. When a ship arrived, farmers and others, needing laborers, would go to the port, and buy the time for which they were to serve from the captain. Mr. Fries had his certificate of church membership, and also a recommendation to a wealthy man named Hinckel, at Philadelphia. It seems he never presented the latter, as Doctor Harbaugh found it among his papers, long preserved after his death by a daughter, near Mifflinburg. Mr. Fries fell into the hands of a kind German farmer, in York county. He was honest, industrious, and trusty, and soon won the full confidence of his em- ployer. He was fond of improving his mind in spare hours, and his desire to be a minister stirred him strongly. He spoke in small assem- blies, when he got the opportunity. There was, however, nothing fanatical about him, yet he went so far once as to preach a sermon, in a school-house, on the words, " Much study is a weariness to the flesh," Ecclesiastes, xii : 1. A singular text certainly to begin with. He commenced his preparatory studies with Reverend Daniel Wag- ner, in Frederick, Maryland, April 3, 1809, and, after being with him a year, was licensed at Harrisburg, and on the 20th of June, 1810, took charge of eight congregations in York county.
In June, 1811, he came up on a visit to Buffalo Valley, and on the 22d preached in the Dreisbach church, on Acts, v : 31 ; on the 23d in Mifflinburg, Acts, xxvi : 28 ; in the afternoon of the same day, at New Berlin, on II Peter, i : 19, and in the evening again at Mifflin- burg, on 1 Corinthians, xvi : 13. In October, 1811, he made a second visit to Buffalo Valley, from 17th to the 24th. He preached at Ans- pach's school-house, Dieffenbach's, White Deer school-house, Dreis- bach church, Mifflinburg, New Berlin, Aaronsburg, and in Brush valley, and on the 28th was home again in his charge. A strong effort was now made by the churches in Buffalo Valley and neigh- borhood to secure his services .- Harbaugh.
The first meeting of the Northumberland Presbytery was held in the Presbyterian church of Northumberland, on the first Tuesday of October. Reverend Asa Dunning opened it with a sermon from Ephesians, ii : 14. The members composing it were Reverends Dun- ham, Bryson, Grier, Patterson, and Hood, with Elders James Shed- dan, James Hepburn, William Montgomery, and Thomas Howard.
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Marriages.
Evan Rice Evans was married, last Thursday evening, to Mrs. Forrest. She was a widow of five months. (Roan's Diary, 12th January.) September 8, Elijah Updike to Elizabeth Snook, daugh- ter of Martin. Witnesses: John Brown, (miller,) Peter Snook, Sarah Smith. October 7, William Davis to Catherine Derr, daughter of George Derr. December 25, by Reverend Slater Clay, Samuel Hepburn, Esquire, to Miss Ann Clay, of Montgomery county. December 26, John Cochran, junior, with Anna M., daughter of Adam Grove. James Kelly, George Kremer, John and Sarah Montgomery, and Catharine Gordon.
Deaths.
George Holstein, of Penn's, father of George, of Lewisburg. Joseph Evans, Lewisburg.
Evan Rice Evans, Esquire, in December.
Henry Myer, of West Buffalo, left wife, Elizabeth. Children : Henry, Daniel, Valentine, William, John, Elizabeth, Margaret, Eve, and Maria. Daniel took his land at the appraisement, and in 1813 sold it to William Forster.
William Douglass, West Buffalo. John, James, Elizabeth.
George Cramer, (of now Union.) Children : Matthew, Howard, Chatam.
Jacob Albright, Beaver. Children : Rachel, married to James Moore ; Stephen, Peter, Jacob, Juliana, Catherine.
February 23, Mrs. Mary Bull, wife of General John Bull, of Northumberland, in her eightieth year. She was buried in the Quaker grave-yard. Previous to the grave being closed, General Bull, although much reduced by sickness and old age, addressed the audience as follows: "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. May we, who are soon to follow her, be as well prepared as she was."
At Sunbury, on Sunday, March 11, John Frick, Esquire, Regis- ter and Recorder, aged fifty-one. Left widow and eleven children.
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Honorable Samuel Maclay
Died at his residence, in Buffalo Valley, October 5, 1811. He was born June 17, 1741, in Lurgan township, Franklin county. Of his early education I can learn nothing. His field-note books, as assistant deputy surveyor to William Maclay, in 1767 and 1768, are before me, and indicate a cultivated hand. He next appears in 1769, as assistant to his brother on the surveys of the officers' tract, in Buffalo Valley. He surveyed largely in what is now Mifflin county, and took up a good deal of land there. R. P. Maclay, his son, still living, related an anecdote which he had from the late Judge Brown, of Mifflin county, which is worth transcribing. He said : " I was wandering out in the Valley, in search of good loca- tions. I was traveling, looking about on the rising ground for a bear. I had started, when I came suddenly upon the Big spring. [This spring is four miles west from Reedsville, in the rear of a blacksmith shop. Still called Logan's spring.] Being thirsty, I set my rifle against a bush, and rushing down the bank, laid down to drink. Upon putting my head down, I saw reflected in the water, on the opposite side, the shadow of a tall Indian. I sprang to my rifle, when the Indian gave a yell-whether for peace or war, I was not, just then, sufficiently master of my faculties to tell ; but upon my seizing my rifle and facing him, he knocked up the pan of his gun, threw out the priming, and extended his open hand toward me in token of friendship. After putting down our guns, we again met at the spring and shook hands. This was Logan, the best specimen of humanity I ever met with, either white or red. He could speak a little English, and told me there was another white hunter a little way down the stream, and offered to guide me to his camp. There I first met Samuel Maclay. We remained together in the Valley for a week, looking for springs and selecting lands, and laid the founda- tion of a friendship which never has had the slightest interruption.
" We visited Logan at the camp, at Logan's spring, and he and Mr. Maclay shot at a mark for a dollar a shot. Logan lost four or five rounds, and acknowledged himself beaten. When we were about to leave him, he went into his hut and brought out as many deer skins as he had lost dollars, and handed them to Mr. Maclay, who refused to take them, alleging that we had been his guests, and did
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not come to rob him ; that the shooting had been only a trial of skill, and the bet merely nominal. Logan drew himself up with great dignity, and said: ' Me bet to make you shoot your best ; me gentleman, and me take your dollar if me beat.' So he was obliged to take the skins, or affront our friend, whose nice sense of honor would not permit him to receive a horn of powder in return, even."
Mr. Maclay was lieutenant colonel of a battalion of associators, and as such, delegate with McLanachan, Geddes, and Brady, to the convention at Lancaster, July 4, 1776, which elected two brigadiers and organized the associators, the then militia of the State.
In 1792, he was appointed one of the associate judges of the county, and resigned December 17, 1795. In October, 1794, he was a can- didate for Congress, and carried the county by eleven hundred ma- jority ; vote only two thousand eight hundred and fifty. In Buffalo, he had four hundred and sixty-four, to fourteen for his opponent, John Andre Hanna. Served for the year 1795-96.
On the 2d of December, 1861, Mr. Maclay was elected Speaker of the Senate, and re-elected December 7, 1802. On the 14th, he was elected United States Senator, and, being Speaker, had to sign his own certificate. In January, 1803, he presided at the impeach- ment trial of Judge Addison, and continued acting as Speaker (against the protest of the opposition, however, after March 3) until March 16, when he resigned that position, and, on the 2d of September, his position as State Senator.
He resigned his seat in the United States Senate on the 4th of January, 1809.
Mr. Maclay was very popular in his manners, a good scholar, and efficient writer. He had an extensive library, containing many val- uable books. He was always of the people and for the people, plain and simple in his manner, disliking ostentation. On one occa- sion he brought a handsome coach home from Lancaster, and the family took it to Buffalo church the next Sabbath. Mr. Maclay noticed the impression, and that coach never left the carriage-house afterward; it rotted down where it was left that Sunday evening. He stopped once at the late Hugh Wilson's about tea time. They had mush only, and Mrs. Wilson commenced getting something better, as she thought. "No," said he, "mush is good enough for
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a king's dinner." He was a large man, resembling Henry Clay very much, though much stouter in his latter years. Honorable Martin Dreisbach, who still recollects him well, says his return home was always indicated by the hogs being driven out of the fields, the repairing of the fences, and general activity over the whole place. He was a good mechanic also, and often amused himself working in the blacksmith shop. His servant, Titus, was a character. His hair was white as the snow ; always dressed in a ruffled shirt. He walked with a long staff, and on public days he came out in a many- colored coat, looking like the king of Africa. He lectured the boys somewhat after this style : " Massa Dave a damn fool ; he no shoot a pheasant, he no shoot a coo ; cuss a damn fool ; he go into the meadow and shoot a blackbo, (bird.)
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