USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania, 1755-1855 > Part 38
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1810.
DIFFICULTY IN MR. FRIES' CHURCH-BANK SUSPENSIONS.
HIS year is noted in our religious history for Mr. Fries' difficulty in his Mifflinburg congregation. It assumed such proportions that the Synod recommended that he should withdraw from Mifflinburg and take charge of the eight congregations at Middle creek. He came home from Synod, called a meeting of the elders of Penn's, Brush Valley, New Berlin, Dreisbach's and Mifflinburg, before whom he invited his accusers to appear. It appears they had circulated a story that, on Easter Sunday, he had conducted himself as if he were intoxicated. The elders pronounced him innocent. Their report is signed, Adam Harper, president ; Adam Neidig, secretary ; John Brown, Henry Herbst, John Zeigler, John Philip Meyer, Frederick Gutelius, John Ray, Sebastian Whitmer, Elias Youngman, and John Dreisbach, elders.
In August, the Northumberland, Union, and Columbia Bank, at Milton, stopped payment. Its notes in circulation were $55,000, and the debts due to the institution amounted to $190,000. Manu- factures having broken down in the country, bank notes necessarily flowed in large quantities to Philadelphia and Baltimore for the pur- chase of goods and the payment of debts. City banks had plenty of their own paper, and, therefore, would not take them ; or, if they did, forwarded them forthwith for redemption. The result followed,
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the country banks had to suspend. This was the case with the Read- ing Bank, Northampton Bank, &c.
Among the deaths this year were : Henry Iddings, aged ninety- two, leaving ten children. John Boal, of White Deer; his family were Elizabeth, married to Matthew Laird ; Mary, to John Reznor ; Sophia, to Samuel Woods; Margaret ; Nancy, to J. Foster Wilson, of Hartleton.
Domestic.
The use of the tomato, as an edible, is noted. Prior to this, the plant was cultivated for ornament.
The large stone house in Lewisburg, now occupied by Mark Half- penny, was built by William Hayes.
Governor Simon Snyder.
Governor Simon Snyder died at Selinsgrove, November 9, at three, A. M., aged seventy years and four days. His remains rest in the old grave-yard, at Selinsgrove, under a marble slab, without any inscription. His father was a mechanic, who had emigrated from Germany to Lancaster, where the Governor was born. In July, 1784, he removed to Northumberland county, and settled at Selins- grove, where he opened a store, and became the owner of a mill. He soon became useful as a scrivener, and as a friend of the poor and distressed. He was soon elected justice of the peace, in which capacity he officiated for twelve years. (Justices then presided in the county court.) So universally were his decisions respected, that there never was any appeal from any judgment of his to the court, and but one writ of certiorari was served upon him during that time. His political record is spread forth on the foregoing pages of these Annals. Mention will, therefore, be made here of only a few inci- dents of his public life. With him originated the arbitration prin- ciple, first incorporated, with other wholesome provisions, for the adjustment of controversies brought before justices of the peace, called the hundred-dollar act. After a few years' experience, this salutary principle was ingrafted upon our judiciary system. Gen- eral Abner Lacock was his coadjutor in these measures. His con-
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duct during the war of 1812 was patriotic, and worthy of a Gov- ernor of Pennsylvania. His son John, afterwards the Honorable John Snyder, of the thirteenth district, then a boy of nineteen, raised a company, and marched with them as captain to Baltimore. They arrived at Harrisburg before daylight, and were halted before the Governor's door. He arose from his bed, and welcomed them, and with stirring words complimented their bravery. He always said, in speaking of the circumstance, he never before had felt so proud of his son John.
During the session of 1813-14, a very large majority of both Houses passed the bill to charter forty banks. The candidate for Governor was at that time nominated by the members of the Leg- islature. When they came into caucus, it was remarked that the bank bill was then before the Governor, and that it would be prudent to make no nomination till it was seen whether he would sanction it. Within three days, Governor Snyder returned the bill, with his objections, and it did not pass that session. His independ- ence was the theme of universal praise, and he was that year re- elected by an immense majority. Having served out the consti- tutional term, he returned to Selinsgrove, and at the next general election was made State Senator, and served one session.
The crowning glory of Governor Snyder's career was his chris- tianity. In religious culture he was a Moravian, and in public station he never forgot his vows or neglected his religious duties. His heart went out at all times in deeds of kindness to the poor and unfortu- nate. He was long mourned with sincere grief by them, and the few old people still surviving, tell how tenderly it was manifested when he was buried out of their sight.
His letters to his children are very affectionate, and full of good advice. I quote from one to his daughter, Amelia, afterwards Mrs. Jenks, dated the 30th of January, 1813 :
" I hope the practice I recommended, of reading by the boys in the evening, has been adopted, and the reading of a chapter in the New Testament or one of Blair's sermons on a Sunday, when there is no worship in our church. When there is, and the weather is tolerable, I trust you and all the boys attend. Your ensample may influence them. I would advise you to set apart, say two hours each day, for reading, and endeavor to store in your mind all that
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is worth recollecting. Write to me when you have an opportunity, or rather write when anything occurs to your mind worth com- municating, and then you will be ready, and not hurried, when an opportunity offers. This is my method, or I never could get through half my business."
His parental tenderness and his earnest desire for the conversion of his children is the burden of many of his letters. From one, dated Harrisburg, 19th January, 1813, I make the following ex- tracts :
" DEAR CHILD : I have but a few moments time, before the mail starts, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th. I feel much distressed by your relation of John's state of health. I hope that no pains or expense will be spared to restore him. God grant that he may recover, and become sensible of the necessity to alter his mind, and prove thankful and grateful to God for his mercies. His God, from whose hand the thread of his life is sus- pended, will hear him, if, with a contrite heart he calls for mercy and forgiveness. I write under strong emotions of pain. God have him and you all in His holy keeping, is the prayer of your father, S. S."
The Governor's long residence at the seat of government, during which he had not the leisure necessary for managing his extensive estates, and his liberality to his relatives and friends, had greatly embarrassed his affairs. The death of his son Frederick taking place at this time, broke his spirit. The powers of the other world soon claimed him for its silent fellowship. He is now united with the apostles and martyrs, the great and good of all ages, with those he so tenderly loved in life, and more than all, with his Saviour.
Governor Snyder's first wife was Elizabeth Michael, of Lancaster, by whom he had two children : Amelia, born 21st June, 1791. She was married March 28, 1820, by Doctor Dewitt to Doctor Phineas Jenks, member of the House from Bucks county, at Harrisburg. Mrs. Elsegood, wife of Reverend J. I. Elsegood, of East New York, is the only daughter of Amelia. The Honorable John Snyder, who married June 11, 1818, Mary Louisa Kittera, daughter of Honor- able John Wilkes Kittera, of Lancaster, Congressman during the administration of General Washington, and until the election of
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Thomas Jefferson, in 1801, when he died. John Snyder's children by his first wife are Miss Mary K. Snyder, postmistress at Selins- grove, Mrs. Vandyke, who now lives in Lewisburg, widow of James C. Vandyke, Esquire, late United States district attorney for the east- ern district of Pennsylvania. Among his children by subsequent mar- riage, is Mrs. G. W. Walls, of Lewisburg. Honorable John Snyder died at Selinsgrove, August 15, 1850. The children by his second marriage were Henry W. Snyder, born 20th July, 1797. He was a paymaster in the late war, and died at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Of his children, are Mrs. Joseph Musser, of Lewisburg, who has a portrait of her grandmother, which is certainly complimentary to the Governor's appreciation of beauty. George A. Snyder, a man of unmistakable genius, was the second son. His artist aspirations were early developed, and he desired his father to send him to Italy ; but he insisted upon making a lawyer of him. He never practiced, I believe. Taught school for the most part, and died in Williams- port on the 6th of July, 1865. During the war, being old and feeble, he still insisted upon doing something, and gathered all the news- papers that came in his way, cut out the interesting articles, and pasting them into small scrap-books, sent them to the hospitals to help the sick soldiers while away the tedious hours of sickness. His children are Mrs. Mathias App, now of Michigan ; Mrs. Kate Crane ; Henry and George S., foundrymen of Williamsport, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Riley, Antes and Jesse D., of the same place.
Antes Snyder,1 who died at Pottstown in December, 1861, where his widow, Mrs. Mary B., still resides, (1871,) was the child Mrs. Carson wished to kidnap, in order to obtain from the Governor the pardon of Smith. He well remembered how carefully he was guarded in door until after the execution of Smith. Antes was educated at West Point, graduated with high honors, and was soon afterwards sent by the Government to England on business con- nected with the railway system, then in its infancy here.
The Governor said, should Mrs. Carson succeed in the abduction of his child, the law should, nevertheless, have its course. He was spared the trial, but all who knew his stern integrity, felt assured
' Antes Snyder was the engineer who designed and built the large stone bridges over the Schuylkill, at the falls and Peacock's lock, above Reading, and one at Schuylkill Haven, and a number of small ones along the line of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad.
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that the law would have been honored, even had he been put to so severe a test.
Governor Snyder was married the third time to Mary Slough Scott, a widow lady of Harrisburg, 16th October, 1814. She sur- vived him, and died at Harrisburg October 8, 1823. She was a member of the Episcopal church, and was the first person who com- menced a Sabbath-school in Selinsgrove. She is spoken of as a bril- liant woman in society.
I quote from her letter to Amelia, dated Philadelphia, June II, 1818, anticipating Honorable John Snyder's wedding. The gar- lands have faded this many a day ; their perfume may still linger in some households :
" MY DEAR AMELIA : At length I have a moment to devote to you, on the morning of the important day which is to connect us with Mary. At nine o'clock this evening Doctor Wilson will tie the knot. Mr. Peacock has stayed for the wedding. The fair brides- maids are Mary Smith, Miss Houston, Hannah L. Orme. The groomsmen, Shunk, T. Conrad, Thomas and John Kittera. All the relatives will be here. The company will consist of about thirty per- sons. To-morrow, early, we set out, and will rest at Lancaster on Sunday, go to Harrisburg on Monday, and leave that on Thursday or Friday for Selinsgrove. I am very anxious about your father. Henry writes Mr. Peacock that he was unwell after I left him. I hope in God he is now well. Mr. Hemphill gave a dinner for me Tuesday. I had twelve of my particular friends to meet me last evening. I took tea with Mrs. Watson. She sends much love. It is so warm, I am obliged to ride everywhere, and Anthony is very accommodating. I long to get home again, and shall enjoy our old house more than ever, for this place is intolerably hot. Shunk [afterwards Governor Shunk] goes by his father's house, so we shall have no beaux. John Kittera cannot go home with us, but will be up in a few weeks. Mrs. Hall is still here, but goes home with Mrs. Humphrey and her daughter next week. Their new carriage is not yet done, and she is almost homesick. Shunk has just come in, and desires me to tell you he has tried to behave pretty, and is as polite as possible."
1820.
HILIP MILLER was appointed court crier. He held this office thirty-three years, and was succeeded by Ben- jamin Shell, in 1853.
16th March, the division line of Mifflin and Union directed by act of Assembly, to be run by a surveyor appointed by the commissioners of each county ; otherwise the line run by Peter Hackenberg made the line .- P. L. 1820, page 82.
28th March, James Dale, of Union, Jacob Cryder, of Centre, and John Hanna, of Lycoming, appointed to run the division line be- tween Union and Centre counties.
In 1819 or 1820, Doctor Grier says, the Associate Reformed church, of Mifflinburg, was organized of Buffalo Cross-Roads mem- bers, a dissatisfaction having arisen on account of giving up Rouse's version, and adopting Watt's version, of the Psalms. James McClel- lan, Esquire, and Samuel Templeton were of the elders. James McClellan gave up his pew in Buffalo in April, 1820. So it was pro- bably in this year. This church was served by the late Doctors George Junkin and David Kirkpatrick. In October, 1827, on ap- plication of Mr. Kirkpatrick and his congregation, they were received into and taken under the care of the Northumberland Presbytery. (This congregation is still served by Doctor Grier, although there is another Presbyterian church organized at Mifflinburg.)
Political.
At the October election for Governor, General Joseph Hiester received 1,621 votes, and William Findlay, 1,040 in Union county.
.1.18
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For Congress, Thomas Murray ran against William Cox Ellis. 4,341 tickets had the name of Thomas Murray on; 3,074 had Thomas Murray, junior. Mr. Ellis' vote in the district was 6,526, and he received the certificate, but not considering it fair, Mr. Ellis resigned in June, 1821, and another election was held that fall. At the November election James Monroe carried every State, John Quincy Adams receiving only one electoral vote, (in New Hamp- shire.)
Census 1820.
Penn's, .
2,099
Hartley,
1,239
Centre, .
2,094
New Berlin,
515
Beaver, .
2,036
Union, .
1,369
Perry,
1,330
White Deer,
1,677
Washington,
1,427
Lewisburg,
579
Mifflinburg,
620
Buffalo, .
2,376
West Buffalo,
1,183
Hartleton, .
75
Total,
13,619
Value of leather manufactures, $19,200 ; linseed oil, $2,790; pottery, $1,050 ; whisky ; corn and rye, used for, 16,000 bushels, value, twenty-five to thirty-one cents per gallon. Twenty-two still- houses. Wheat manufactured into flour, 23,300 bushels. Fourteen mills in operation. For cotton yarn, one hundred and twenty spin- dles, one carding machine, one spinning machine. " The whole establishment gone to ruin for want of a market. It formerly em- ployed four men and three boys."
Notices of Revolutionary Soldiers Residing in the County in 1820.
Brown, Jonathan, had served three years as a private in Captain Elijah Humphrey's company, Colonel William Douglas' regiment, and was sixty-two years old.
Britton, Joseph, enlisted at John Stetler's tavern, in Limerick township, Montgomery county, in the spring of 1776, in Captain Caleb North's company, of Colonel Anthony Wayne's regiment. Captain Frederick Evans testified in his behalf, that he had lived forty-three years before with David Evans, whose land joined his 29
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ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1820.
father's, in Montgomery county ; that he recollected of hearing Britton had enlisted, and about a year afterwards he came back very much emaciated ; that forty-four years had elapsed since he had seen Britton, and he was so much altered he had no recollection of his person ; but from conversation with him, he had no doubt he was the same Joseph that had enlisted with Captain Caleb North's company, and marched to Ticonderoga. Britton was, in 1820. seventy-one years old, a farmer, and had a wife and two daughters.
Billman, Dewalt, aged sixty-seven, enlisted at Reading, in Captain Jacob Bowers' company.
Burd, Daniel, seventy-five years old, enlisted at Amboy, Colonel James Treddle's regiment : served five years nine months, except three months, when he was at home sick. He was wounded in the left thigh at Battle Hill, with two musket balls. He had two sons and four daughters, youngest named Anne.
Bower, George, of White Deer. Pressed in the fall of 1777 as teamster; had charge of an ammunition wagon at Valley Forge. Drafted in June, 1778; arrived on the field of Monmouth as the battle was closing. He received a sword cut on the knee from a British soldier who lay in ambush by the road. Recollected of see- ing Lafayette at Monmouth.
Campbell. McDonald, served in Captain John Conway's com- pany, Colonel William Wind's New Jersey regiment, thirteen months. Re-enlisted in Colonel John Conway's regiment and served nine months, and then was detailed by General Green as his express rider, and remained such during the war. Was a fifer in Captains Conway's and Furman's companies. He married a widow Valentine, who had two children, Jesse, aged thirteen, Jane, aged ten. His children by her were, Isaac Wilson Campbell, Sally Walls, Almeda, Eleanor, and Elizabeth ; latter aged eight months.
Carney, Anthony, blacksmith, Hartley, enlisted in Orange county, North Carolina, served three years. He was sixty-seven in 1820, and had no family except his wife, Catherine.
Clemmens, Peter, private in Captain Stake's company, Colonel Butler's regiment, and served two years. He left a daughter, Eliza- beth. His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1820.
Campbell, John, (still living in West Buffalo. 1838, and then eighty-three years old,) was drafted into the militia from Derry
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township, Lancaster county, in 1776, served under Captain Robert McKee, arrived at Trenton the day after the capture of the Hessians, and went thence to Morristown. Took oath of allegiance before Jacob Cooke, Esquire, 2d August, 1777. In the latter part of 1777, he was again drafted, and went to Trenton. Saw British horses and wagons brought into camp and sold at auction. His third tour was at the close of the war, in a company commanded by Lieutenant James Laird. They lay at Chestnut Hill awhile. General Potter and Major Stewart had a quarrel there about the treatment of the militia, and were on the point of fighting it out with their swords. Camp- bell moved to Buffalo Valley in 1777, lived on Captain Gray's farm one year, then moved to another farm of the captain's near James Dale's. He lived there seven years, then moved near Buffalo mount- ain, then into West Buffalo, where he died.
Cook, John, private in Captain Herbert's company, from Wom- elsdorf, who was taken prisoner at the surrender of Fort Washington, exchanged, and appointed ensign in the twelfth, Colonel Cooke's. He was unmarried and childless in 1820, seventy-eight years old.
Coryell, George, was a native of Hunterdon county, New Jersey, was born at Coryell's ferry. on the Delaware river, now Lambertville. on the 28th of April, 1761. He entered the army in Captain Craig's company of dragoons, in 1776, just after the taking of the Hessians, and before the cannonade at Trenton, on the zd of January, 1777. His company marched up the creek, and was in the battle at Prince- ton. He was a year with Captain Craig. He was afterwards drafted into a company of dragoons, under Lieutenant Reading, in which he served one year. He was afterwards drafted into the company of Captain Palmer, in which he continued until the fall of 1780. He was only sixteen years of age when he enlisted, and while in Captain Craig's company, he was sent, as an express, to Boston, leaving or- ders at Danbury and other places on the route. He said there were gray-headed men and minors in Craig's company. At one time General Washington had his headquarters at his father's house, at the ferry, while the army encamped partly in his orchard. The British and Hessians got possession of his father's premises at one time, and cut the bedding. threw the feathers into the street, and burned all the fences on the farm, which lay in common a long time, George Coryell was married, in 1790, to a sister of Richard Van
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Buskirk, of Mifflinburg, and moved, in 1793, to the premises of Samuel Maclay, in Buffalo township. He was a carpenter by trade, and built many houses in Buffalo Valley, among others, the old "Black Horse tavern," at Lewisburg ; of barns, he built the one on Maclay's place, now owned by Joseph Green. In 1799 he was captain of the Buffalo Valley Republican troop, and always rode on parade days a sorrel horse that had been wounded at St. Clair's de- feat. John Webb, a hatter, father of Colonel Webb, who, some years ago, kept hotel in Philadelphia, was first lieutenant of the com- pany. Webb lived in Mifflinburg, and moved to Ohio many years ago. Coryell was adjutant of Colonel George Weirick's regiment, at Marcus Hook, in 1814. He removed to Lycoming county once ; then back to Buffalo valley ; then to White Deer valley ; thence to Butler county, near Hamilton, where he died, 1837-38. His wife soon followed him to the grave. He had four sons, Tunison, John, Joseph R., and Abraham, of whom Tunison, the eldest, and Abra- ham, the youngest, alone survive. There were several daughters, most of whom ended their days in Ohio and Indiana. Tunison re- sides in Williamsport, and occupies the house in which he was mar- ried, in 1815, and where his golden wedding was celebrated.
Derr, Christian, West Buffalo, aged, in 1820, seventy-two. En- listed at Reading, in Captain Nagle's company, Colonel Thompson's regiment, and served one year ; re-enlisted in November, 1776, in Captain Moore's company, Colonel Humpton's regiment, and served in the battle of King's Bridge, 11 th January, 1777, Brandywine, and Germantown. In the last action he was wounded, had several ribs broken, and was, therefore, discharged. He was a carpenter, and had eleven children. He had three balls in his body, which he carried to his grave. His children were Ellis Derr, Mifflinburg ; Samuel, Uniontown; Henry, Schellsburg, Bedford county ; Susan, married to Jesse Egbert, afterwards David Kline, of Hartley ; Polly, to Jones, of Sugar valley ; Elizabeth, to William Kepner, moved to Venango ; John, Oley township, Berks ; Catherine. to Henry Bar- rich ; Christian, junior, who died in Spring township, Centre county, in 1852. His children live in and about Bellefonte : Daniel, Rachel, married to William Young; William, in Benezet; Christian and Solomon, in Bellefonte.
Ewig, Christian, aged sixty, enlisted at Sunbury, in Captain Weit-
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ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
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zel's company, Colonel Miles' regiment, in April, 1776, served one year, nine months, then re-enlisted at Sunbury, in Captain James Wilson's First Pennsylvania, Colonel James Chambers, in which he served until the close of the war. A wheelwright by trade.
Kerstetter, George, blacksmith, Washington township, aged sixty- four. Served four years in Captain Burkhart's company, Colonel Hunsecker's regiment. Children : Jacob and Dorothy. Wife's name was Elizabeth.
Linn, John, aged sixty-five, enlisted in the winter of 1778, at Lan- caster, in third troop, Captain Erasmus Gill, fourth regiment Penn- sylvania cavalry, Colonel Stephen Moylan. Discharged in Octo- ber, 1783. Had five children ; Robert Bruce, born May 21, 1806 : Altha, January 15, 1808; James Smith, October 20, 1811 ; Eliza, June 4, 1814 ; Mary Jane, November 23, 1816. Weaver by trade.
Lennox, George, private, Captain Bankson's company, Colonel Stewart's regiment.
Reger, Elias, enlisted in May, 1775, Captain George Nagle's company, Colonel Thompson, first rifle regiment. . In the siege of Boston. Discharged at Long Island, in June, 1776. Cooper by trade. Seventy-seven years old.
Rorabaugh, Philip, Buffalo township, served three months in Penn- sylvania line, Captain Slaymaker's company, Colonel Bull's regi- ment, while the army lay at Valley Forge. Served also in the cam- paign of 1794, known as the whisky insurrection, and three months in Captain John Bergstrcsser's company, at Marcus Hook, in 1814. This hero of three wars died February 3, 1837, aged eighty-six, and is buried in Lewisburg German grave-yard.
Swesey, Daniel, died in White Deer, 31st January, 1836, leaving a widow, Mary.
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