USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Annals of Luzerne County; a record of interesting events, traditions, and anecdotes > Part 22
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Until 1845, the pastors of St. Stephen's, and occasion- ally visiting clergymen, and also missionaries, preached at Carbondale, but in that year Trinity Church was organized in that place. St. James was organized in Pittston, in 1852; St. Luke, in Scranton, in 1853; St. James, in Eckley, in 1858; since which periods these several churches have called and sustained their own pastors.
From St. Stephen's, the following named persons have entered the ministry : Samuel Bowman, D. D., late bishop of Pennsylvania, George C. Drake, Alexander Shiras, H. M. Denison, D. C. Loup, and J. L. Maxwell.
The following statistical table shows the condition of this church in Luzerne county for the year 1859 :
311
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
Churches.
Location.
Clergymen.
No. of Commu-
No. of Sunday School nicants. Scholars.
Collec- tions.
Salary.
St. Stephen's .
Wilkesbarre
Geo. D. Miles
-
125
360
$1270 $1000
St. Peter's .
Plymouth
Geo. D. Miles
St. Luke's .
Scranton
W.C. Robinson
71
80
183
600
Trinity .
Carbondale .
Thomas Drum
43
95
198
450
St. James'
Pittston
J. A. Jerome P. Russell
35
150
1817
including
St. James'
Eckley
24
23
600
298
685
3491
2650
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The Roman Catholics first came to the British Colonies. and made a permanent settlement in Maryland, under Lord Baltimore, in 1634, but it was not until 1789 that the arch-diocese of Baltimore was formed into a bishopric. under authority of a bull from Pope Pius VI. In 1808. it was erected into a Metropolitan See by a brief from Pius VII., and since that date, and indeed for years be- fore, Baltimore has been considered the head-quarters of Romanism in this country.
It is difficult to ascertain the number of communicants in the church in the United States, from the fact that they number by families, each member of which above the age of twelve years may receive the sacrament. In 1854, they had 1245 churches, 1203 clergymen, 28 insti- tutions of ecclesiastical education, 223 educational insti- tutions, 108 charitable institutions, and 1,334,500 Catholic population.
Luzerne county is embraced in the Catholic diocese of Philadelphia, which comprehends within its bounds Philadelphia city, all of North Eastern Pennsylvania, and a portion of Delaware. It was under the superintend-
Salary.
312
ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
ence of Bishop John N. Neumann, lately deceased, assisted by Bishop Wood. The diocese contains 147 churches, 155 clergymen, and a Catholic population of 175,000.
About the year 1828, the Rev. John O'Flynn came to Luzerne, and, traveling from place to place, visited and served the scattered members of the church. He was succeeded in 1831 by the Rev. William Glancy, who re- sided in Carbondale. Here, during his administration, the first Roman church was erected, in 1832, which has since been replaced by a new building. Mr. Glancy was followed in 1836 by the Rev. Henry Fitzsimons, who itine- rated throughout the county until 1847, when churches began generally to be built, and ministers to be settled. The churches in the county, at present, are the church at Dunmore, erected in 1835, Rev. E. Fitzmaurice, minis- ter; the new church at Carbondale, erected in 1840, Rev. F. Carew, minister ; first church at Scranton, erected in 1846, and second church, erected in 1853, Rev. Moses Whetty, minister; first church at Pittston, 1849, Rev. John Finnan, second. church, 1855, Rev. J. O. Shaugh- nessy ; at Archibald, erected in 1850, Rev. P. McSwiggen; at Hazelton, erected in 1855, Rev. M. L. Scanlan, minis- ter; at Jeansville, erected in 1855, Rev. M. L. Scanlan, minister ; at Wilkesbarre, erected in 1856, Rev. Henry Fitzsimons, minister, and also a German church, erected there in 1857.
Religious services are held also at White Haven, Nan- ticoke, Plymouth, and at other places in the county, but no churches have yet been built at these points. Con- nected with each church is a Sunday-school, whose scholars amount to about 900. The number of commu- nicants is reckoned at 2500, and the Rev. Mr. Fitzsimons estimates the Catholic population of the county at 6600.
313
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
MINOR CHURCHES.
In addition to the denominations of Christians already treated of, there are minor sects in our county whose church edifices number 14. The Christians have 4 churches ; one in Plymouth, one in Madison, one in Jack- son, and one in Providence township, and the total mem- bership of these is about 150. The first church of this denomination in the United States was erected in 1800, and its first society, in Luzerne, was organized about 30 years ago.
The Welsh Presbyterians have 3 churches, one in Hyde Park, one in Carbondale, and one in Pittston, whose united membership is probably 100. The Albright or German Methodists have 2 churches; one in Woodville, and one in Hollenback township.
The Wesleyan Methodists have 1 church, which is in Carbondale. The Welsh Wesleyan Methodists have 1 church, which was erected, in Springbrook township, in 1839.
The Welsh Methodists have 1 church, which is located in Providence.
The Protestant Methodists have erected 1 church in Huntington township. This body separated from the Methodist Episcopal Church, about the year 1826, on account of a disagreement about church government.
Prior to the year 1840, a number of Jews, the principal of whom was Martin Long, settled in Wilkesbarre, and in 1848 erected and dedicated a commodious brick syna- gogue. Moses Straser was their first minister. They have 35 contributing families, and 50 Sunday-school scholars. The salary of their minister is $600 per annum. At Scranton the Jews have 12 contributing
314
ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
families, and hold service in a rented room, but contem- plate the erection of a synagogue.
In 1842, the Rev. Thomas Jackson came to Wilkes- barre, and collected the scattered remains of a colored congregation, which, on his departure, relapsed into its former condition. It was revived in 1845, through the ministerial labors of the Rev. Philip Lumb, and the Rev. Peter Fulmer. At this time the congregation was attached to the Reading Conference, and the church which they had built, on the hill, was named the Zion Church of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Connection. In 1856, they enlarged the old church, now numbering 62 members, who are under the pastoral charge of the Rev. John Anderson.
The Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Congregation in Wilkesbarre, was organized in 1848, by the Rev. Thomas Ward, since which they have erected a comfort- able frame building for worship. They have 27 mem- bers, for whom the Rev. Theodore Gould officiates as pastor.
At Waverly, also, there is a colored church with about 35 members.
THE MORMONS.
Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, lived, at one time, within the bounds of Luzerne county, on the Tunkhannock Creek, now in Wyoming county. In 1837, thirteen families in that neighborhood departed for the promised land, then in the state of Missouri. A boat, similar in construction to a section boat, was built by them and freighted with men, women, children, and household goods. During a freshet it was floated down the Tunkhannock Creek, near to the village of that name, and thence it was borne on the Susquehanna to
315
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
the Nanticoke dam, where it entered the canal. It pro- ceeded to Pittsburgh, where it passed into the Ohio, and was towed by a steamer to St. Louis. Thus, Luzerne has contributed her mite to swell the growing church of the Latter Day Saints.
RECAPITULATION.
A table showing the number of ministers, churches, members, Sunday-school scholars, and the value of church property of the religious denominations in the county, for the year 1859.
Denominations.
No. of Minis- ters.
Church- es.
Sunday School Scholars.
Members
Value of Church Property.
Methodist Episcopal Church .
28
36
3443
2732
$117,200
Presbyterian
13
15
1675
1295
61,500
Baptists
10
18
1100
1223
30,000
Protestant Episcopal
5
5
685
298
40,000
Lutheran and German Reformed
5
17
400
1300
30,000
Roman Catholic
8
11
900
2500
30,000
Other Churches
14
18
700
700
28,000
83
120
8903
10048
$336,700
.
CHAPTER X.
THE MILITARY.
" Me glory summons to the martial scene, The field of combat is the sphere for men, Where heroes war the foremost place I claim, The first in danger and the first in fame.
POPE'S HOMER.
THE echoes of the last guns of the Revolutionary and of the Pennamite and Yankee wars had scarcely died away, when the people of Luzerne were called upon to serve the country in the suppression of what is known as the Whiskey Insurrection.
A pack-horse could carry only four bushels of grain to market, and it was soon discovered by the early settlers of the country to be more remunerative to manufacture the rye, corn, or other material, into whiskey, in which form the horse could carry the value of twenty-five bushels. In that day, to manufacture and drink whiskey was not considered disreputable, but on the contrary it was a shame to have the bottle empty in the house, espe- cially if the parson happened to call. Distilleries, there- fore, were among the first manufactories, not only in Luzerne, but in all the frontier counties. Whiskey was considered as essential in most families as milk, and the surplus was exchanged in market for tea, sugar, salt, coffee, nails, and other necessaries.
As early as 1756, Pennsylvania imposed an excise duty upon all distilled spirits, but the law was repealed, and
(316)
317
THE MILITARY.
never re-enacted by the authority of this Commonwealth. In 1791, however, after the power to impose taxes, duties, imposts, and excises had been delegated by the states to the Federal Government, Congress established an excise duty or tax of four pence per gallon on all distilled spirits. This law produced open insurrection in Western Pennsylvania, where large quantities of whiskey were annually manufactured.
The people of Washington, Fayette, Alleghany, and other counties, viewed the law as an act of oppression. They stigmatized it as unjust, and as odious as those laws of England which led to the Revolutionary War, and they considered themselves justifiable in forcible opposi- tion to its enforcement. But they did not discriminate between their duty and obligations as citizens of a free government, and their allegiance as subjects of the British crown.
The excise officers of the government were arrested by armed parties, who were painted and otherwise disguised. Some were tarred and feathered. Others were conveyed into deep recesses of the woods, divested of their clothing, and firmly bound to trees. County meetings and con- ventions were assembled, inflammatory speeches were made, and denunciatory resolutions were adopted. The dwellings, barns, and distilleries of persons who spoke in favor of the law, or exhibited the least sympathy for the government which enacted it, were consumed by fire ; and even Pittsburgh, which did not take an active part with the rebels, was threatened with total destruction.
In 1792, Congress reduced the tax, but this did not satisfy the insurgents, the Monongahela whiskey manu- facturers, and the farmers who supplied them with grain. The country continued in a state of insurrection. After all mild and dissuasive measures had failed, in 1794,
318
ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
Washington being President of the United States, it was resolved to raise and equip an army for the purpose of quelling the tumult. A force of 15,000 men was as- sembled, composed of regulars, and of volunteers from the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey.
Governor Lee, of Virginia, had the chief command. The other generals were Governor Mifflin, of Pennsyl- vania, Governor Howell, of New Jersey, General Daniel Morgan, and Adjutant-General Hand. General Knox, Secretary of War, General Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, and Judge Peters, of the Supreme Court, were directed, to meet at Pittsburgh, to hear complaints and take testimony, as the malcontents should be, from time to time, arrested and brought before them.
Among the first to tender their services to the Federal Government, were the Luzerne volunteers,* commanded by Captain Samuel Bowman, and attached to a battalion of light infantry, under the command of Major George Fisher. Captain Bowman marched from Wyoming about the 1st of September, 1794, and reached the head waters of the Ohio with a company of 50 men. The captain was an experienced officer, having commanded a company during the war of the Revolution, and several of his men were old soldiers of former wars. The introduction of 15,000 troops among the insurrectionists had the desired effect. "Tom the Tinker," as the whiskey boys were called, surrendered without resistance. A few were sent to Philadelphia for trial, where they were imprisoned for many months, but not indicted. Only two or three were tried and convicted, but were afterwards pardoned. The people submitted to the law, and the volunteers returned to their homes after a campaign of three months.
* See muster roll in the Appendix, F.
319
THE MILITARY.
France having aided the United States in their war for independence, conceived that she had a just claim on them for assistance when she afterwards came to battle against the other powers of Europe.
Failing to induce this government to declare war against her enemies, and becoming jealous of the growing intimacy between us and England, the object of her inveterate hate, France adopted measures destructive of the commerce and derogatory to the honor of the United States. She dismissed the American minister, and her ships of war captured and confiscated several of our merchant vessels. The United States, after several attempts at negotiation had failed, prepared for war. Hostilities commenced in January, 1799, on the ocean, by the surprise and capture of the American sloop of war Retaliation, Lieutenant Bainbridge, by the French frigate Insurgent, of 40 guns. In February following, the United States frigate Constel- lation, of 32 guns, Captain Truxtun, fell in with and engaged the Insurgent, and in one hour and a half com- pelled her to strike her colors. In a few days after, the Constellation engaged the French frigate Vengeance, of 54 guns. The engagement lasted from eight o'clock in the evening until one in the morning following. The Ven- geance struck her flag twice, but on account of the dark- ness of the night it was unperceived by Truxtun. The Constellation lost her mainmast, and being unable to make pursuit, the Vengeance escaped, but with great loss.
At the request of President Adams and of Congress, General Washington assumed the command of the army. The troops were ordered to rendezvous at Newburg and Elizabethtown. A call was made for volunteers, and the citizens of Luzerne, as usual, gave a patriotic response. In May, 1799, Captain Samuel Bowman, with 75 men, constituted one of the companies of the 11th United
320
ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
States regiment of infantry, commanded by Colonel Aaron Ogden. The Luzerne volunteers* marched to the Dela- ware, and thence to Newburg, and remained in the ser- vice of their country until the latter part of the year 1800. France did not attempt to invade our soil, and the success of our gallant little navy, with the promotion of Bonaparte to the position of First Consul, led to the conclusion of a treaty of peace, and the army was dis- banded.
The advance of the eagles of France, under the guid- ance of the great Napoleon, gave constant employment to all the forces of the allied European powers, and left the seas free to the ships of America and England. American vessels transported the productions of the French colonies to France : in other words, our ships did the carrying-trade for a nation whose vessels had been swept from the ocean by the superior naval power of England. England, becoming jealous of the rapidly in- creasing commercial greatness of the United States, asserted, among other false principles, the right to search American ships for deserters, and to press them into the English service. In 1807 the British frigate Leopard, unexpectedly and without provocation, fired into the United States frigate Chesapeake. In addition to this, other insults were offered to the American flag, and they became so frequent that an immediate declaration of war was anticipated. Under these circumstances volunteers in the several states offered their services to President Jefferson. Among these was a well-uniformed and drilled company at Wilkesbarre, called the Wyoming Blues, commanded by Captain Joseph Slocum. The services of the company were tendered to the President in a patriotic
* See muster roll in the Appendix, G.
321
THE MILITARY.
communication signed by its chief officers, to which they received a flattering reply from Mr. Jefferson, in his own handwriting. We give these letters as follows :
" To THOMAS JEFFERSON, Esq.,
President of the United States.
"Sir: As it has been the unanimous voice of our fel- low-soldiers, of different volunteer corps in the United States, to offer their services in defence of their country in this momentous crisis, 'when every nation is looking with an envious eye at the peace and prosperity of the United States,' and more especially Great Britain, who ought to be the last to enter the list; but, proud of her navy, she bids her armed vessels enter into our harbors and rivers, and impress our fellow-citizens while peaceably employed in the commerce of their country. Not content with this, she orders the commanders of her frigates to fire on the armed vessels of the United States, within the jurisdiction of the same, while peaceably pursuing her course to the place of her destination, murdering our fellow-citizens, while she is holding out the olive branch of peace, which brings to our recollection the plains of Wyoming, in the revolutionary war, strewed with human gore by the savage hirelings of her perfidious government.
"Therefore we, the undersigned, being appointed by the light infantry company called the Wyoming Blues, and through us the said company offer their services, in defence of their country, whenever the government of the United States deem it expedient to call them in defence of the country.
" JOSEPH SLOCUM, Captain.
" ISAAC BOWMAN, Lieutenant.
" BENJ. PERRY, Sergeant."
21
322
ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
"To Messrs. JOSEPH SLOCUM, ISAAC BOWMAN, and BENJAMIN PERRY, a Committee of the Light Infantry Company, called the Wyoming Blues.
" The offer of your service in support of the rights of. your country, merits and meets the highest praise, and whenever the moment arrives in which these rights must appeal to the public arm for support, the spirit from which the offer flows, that which animates our nation, will be their sufficient safeguard.
" Having required, from the governors of the several states, their several quotas of militia to be ready for ser- vice, and recommended at the same time the preparation of volunteers under the Acts of Congress, and particularly that of the 24th of February, 1807, the acceptance and organization of such volunteers has been delegated to them.
" Tendering, therefore, the thanks of our country so justly deserved for all offers of service made to me, I must add that it is necessary to renew them to the gov- ernor of the state, for the purposes of acceptance and organization.
" I salute you with great respect, " TH. JEFFERSON. " Sept. 19th, 1807."
In 1812, after a series of insults from Great Britain intolerable to be borne, the United States declared war against her. " Free trade and sailors' rights" now became the motto of our people, as " Millions for defence and not one cent for tribute" had been a few years before, when the executive directory of France demanded the payment of money before negotiating for peace.
The "Wyoming Matross," a volunteer company in Kingston, commanded by Captain Samuel Thomas, with
323
THE MILITARY.
the promptitude of former companies in this valley, im- mediately offered their services to the government. They were accepted, and on the 13th of April, 1813, they marched from Kingston to the Eddy, at the mouth of Shoup's Creek, in Plymouth. Here they embarked, 31 in number, and went down the river on a raft to Dan- ville. From Danville, they marched over land to Lewis- town, and thence to Bedford, where Captain Thomas recruited 37 men. Proceeding westward through Fayette county, he obtained 27 other recruits, and arrived at Erie, May 5th, with 95 officers and privates .* On their arrival, they were attached to one of the Pennsylvania regiments, under Colonel Reese Hill.
The "Matross" was an artillery company, and in the cannonading at Presque Harbor did good execution. They fired no less than thirty shots into the hull of the brig Hun- ter, and with two long nine-pounders cut away and mate- rially damaged the rigging of the Queen Charlotte.
Preparatory to the battle of Lake Erie, for the purpose of manning Perry's fleet, volunteers were solicited from among the land forces. Among those who offered and were accepted for this service were William Pace, Benja- min Hall, Godfrey Bowman, and James Bird, of the " Matross," four as brave men as ever faced a foe. They enlisted on board the Niagara, and during the engagement fought with wonderful energy and efficiency. Their cool- ness and courage elicited the warm commendation of Commodore Perry, who, it will be remembered, brought the Niagara into action. To each of her volunteers, in this action, the Legislature of Pennsylvania voted a silver medal, upon one side of which is a likeness of Commo- dore Perry, with the inscription, " Presented by the Gov-
* See muster roll in the Appendix, H.
-
324
ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
erminent of Pennsylvania-Oliver Hazard Perry-Pro patria vicit." Upon the other side is the following :- " To - (name engraved), in testimony of his patriotism and bravery in the naval engagement on Lake Erie, Sept. 10th, 1813. We have met the enemy, and they are ours." Pace, Hall, and Bowman, the last of whom was wounded, received each one of these tokens of respect for their valor, but Bird, the bravest of the brave, kneeling upon his coffin, received his death-shot from the hands of his own countrymen.
Bird was from Pittston, and was descended from a most respectable family. He was a man of great bodily strength and activity, and was full of patriotic devotion to the cause of his country, but unfortunately his proud spirit boldly rejected many of the restraints imposed by the stern rules of military discipline. He fought like a tiger, and when wounded refused to be carried below. For his bravery he was promoted to the position of orderly ser- geant of the marines on the Niagara.
News of the intended attack of the enemy on New Orleans had reached the fleet on Lake Erie, and Bird, ambitious to be in the midst of the smoke and fire of battle, one night, when in command of the guard, marched away with several of his men to join General Jackson. He was pursued and arrested at Pittsburgh, from which place he was about to embark with a com- pany of volunteers for the Crescent City. Being arraigned before and tried by a court-martial, he was sentenced, in accordance with the rules of war, to be shot. Had Com- modore Perry received intelligence of the proceedings in time, Bird's life would have been spared. It is said that Bird had openly expressed his condemnation of the position and management of the Niagara before she was boarded and brought into action by Perry, and that his free
325
THE MILITARY.
.
speech in relation to this subject, operated against him when on trial for his life. The following popular ballad, suggested by this melancholy event, is from the pen of the Hon. Charles Miner :-
Sons of Freedom, listen to me, And ye daughters too give ear ; You, a sad and mournful story As was ever told, shall hear.
Hull, you know, his troops surrendered, And defenceless left the West ; Then our forces quick assembled, The invaders to resist.
Among the troops that marched to Erie, Were the Kingston Volunteers ; Captain Thomas, their commander, To protect our West frontiers.
Tender were the scenes of parting ; Mothers wrung their hands and cried ; Maidens wept their love in secret, Fathers strove their tears to hide.
But there's one among the number, Tall and graceful in his mien, Firm his step, his look undaunted ; Ne'er a nobler youth was seen.
One sweet kiss he stole from Mary, Craved his mother's prayers once more, Pressed his father's hand and left them, For Lake Erie's distant shore.
Mary tried to say, " Farewell, James :" Waved her hand, but nothing spoke ; " Good-bye, Bird,-may heaven protect you !" From the rest at parting broke.
326
ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
Soon they came where noble Perry Had assembled all his fleet ; There the gallant Bird enlisted, Hoping soon the foe to meet.
Where is Bird ? the battle rages ; Is he in the strife or no ? Now the cannon roar tremendous- Dare he meet the haughty foe ?
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