USA > Pennsylvania > Chronicles of Pennsylvania from the English revolution to the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1688-1748, Vol. II > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
802
CHRONICLES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
sage at your last adjournment, and, without assigning any reasons for my refusal, say that I do reject the Bill."
Walpole could not restrain his King's pugnacity and the popular or Parliamentary clamor. War against Spain was declared four months after the authorization of privateering, and soon afterwards Vice Admiral Vernon swiftly captured Porto Bello. When news of this had reached England, an expedition against other Spanish possessions in America was planned, land forces under Maj. Gen. Lord Cathcart to be sent from England under convoy to join the squadron in the West Indies commanded by Vernon, and, as part of the afore- said army under Cathcart, troops to be raised in the North American colonies, to be led by Colonel Spots- wood. Arms and clothing at the Crown's expense were to be forwarded to the colonies for the men raised therein, who would be paid by the Crown, and share any booty, and, if they chose, be transported home upon finishing their service. Blank commissions were to be sent to the Governors for subordinate officers.
The King's declaration of war was proclaimed at the Town House in Philadelphia on April 14, 1740: cannon were fired on Society Hill, beer was distributed, and cries of "God save the King" resounded. At the same time, Gov. Thomas issued a proclamation calling for en- listment for the expedition, and directing those giving their names to be at the rendezvous in Philadelphia upon the arrival, to be expected any day, of Col. Blake- ney, the Adjutant-General of the expedition. In the ex- citement of the day of the proclamation, some persons offered to enlist, including several who were not con- sidered freemen, being bound to labor for terms not then expired. The enthusiastic Lieutenant-Governor took such recruits by the hand, and, it is said, told them that they were free from their masters, and that there was no difference between himself and them, except
803
QUAKER CONTROL OF THE ASSEMBLY.
that he had better clothes and money in his pocket, but the King, whom only they were now to serve, would provide them with clothes and money. Yet, when the recruiting officers began work, they hesitated to accept bound servants, as it would be depriving employers of services for which they had paid round sums. It was said that in other colonies men bound to labor were not accepted. A number of servants ran away from Penn- sylvania to neighbouring colonies, and, probably with- out mentioning their obligations, enlisted. Actually finding some on their way to New York, the officers decided to accept such servants. To avoid throwing idlers upon the public, pending the arrival of commis- sions and the swearing in and the starting of pay, Thomas by proclamation warned those who had left their masters that the tie to the latter was not yet dis- solved. The Assembly, appealed to by the masters, expressed the opinion that the latter's consent was necessary, and recommended those thus injured in their property to seek their remedy at law, but, although Gov. Thomas was willing to have the question tested, he, with the Council's approval, directed the officers to keep secret the names of the enlisted, for fear of the deten- tion of the freemen among them by creditors.
An Indian named Awannemeak having, in May, badly wounded Henry Webb, an inhabitant of the Minnesink region, the other white inhabitants there sent the injured man in a canoe to Philadelphia, for treatment, and threatened to defend themselves if the Indian were not secured for punishment. The Pennsyl- vania government wrote to the nation to which Awan- nemeak belonged, to surrender him, so that he could be hung if Webb died, and make satisfaction to Webb, and pay his doctor and nurse and boarding-house keeper, if Webb recovered, Awannemeak's friends mak- ing the payment, until by hunting he could reimburse them. Thus civilized jurisprudence was being inculcated
804
CHRONICLES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
among the red men! When, on finding that Awanne- meak was a Mohican, the Pennsylvania messenger called on the Mohican King at Esopus, the King would only say that he was sick, and that the squaws were tending the corn, and that he would answer when the work was over. This he neglected to do. In August, Sassoonan and Shikallima and a number of Delawares and Min- goes from Allegheney appeared before Thomas Penn, Lt. Gov. Thomas, and various Councillors in the Quaker Meeting House, Philadelphia, apologized for not com- ing in 1731, and declared the Indians of Allegheney, Shamokin, Conestoga, and Brandywine to be all of one mind in friendship with Pennsylvania. They made a request for the fixing of a reasonable price upon the goods which the Indians of Allegheney needed, as the Mingoes at Albany or Raritan got more than they them- selves did for skins, a big bag of powder being bought at those places for one buckskin : and it was also asked, that, as the whites had been killing off the deer, beavers, bears, and game of all sorts, such industry in future be left entirely to the Indians, whom God had made hunters, while the whites had other means of livelihood. The Lieutenant-Governor politely refused to fix prices, or to prohibit the whites from hunting, and suggested, that, by dealing only with the licensed traders, the Indians could cause the retirement of a number of unlicensed traders, who brought little stock to exchange for skins, and added by hunting to what they gained. The attention of the Six Nations was called to the neglect of the treaty obligation by their tributary, the Mohican King. Webb had not died, but he had lost his jaw bone, and Awannemeak was wanted. Awanne- meak never was surrendered, and, on being sharply re- proved by the Indians, was pardoned, at the request of the Six Nations in 1742, by the Lieutenant-Governor, abandoning hope of getting damages from an Indian.
Royal instructions, dated April 2, 1740, arrived late
805
QUAKER CONTROL OF THE ASSEMBLY.
in June, to recommend to the Assembly to make for the troops to be raised in the Province until they should arrive at the rendezvous in the West Indies, pro- vision for victuals, transports, and all other necessaries except clothes, tents, arms, ammunition, and pay. The Lieutenant-Governor summoned the Assembly, and pointed out that compliance would not involve any taxation, as there would be about 5000l. or 60001. inter- est money and nearly 4000l. per annum coming from the paper money, the excise being sufficient for the ordi- nary expenses of the government. That there might be no fear of misapplication of sums voted, he declared that it would be agreeable to him to have commissioners named to assist in the expenditure, and to lay an ac- count before the Assembly. But he also suggested a bounty as the means of securing a fitting number of freemen as recruits, other colonies, by early adoption of that means, having companies ready to embark. The Assembly, on 5mo. 7, returned answer, that, to appro- priate money to the uses which he had recommended, was repugnant to the religious principles of the major- ity, although "to pay tribute to Cæsar" was recognized as a duty. However, the majority passed a resolution to give 2000l. to the Lieutenant-Governor "for the King's use," and to remunerate out of a further sum of 2000l. the masters for the loss of their servants' time; and the House adjourned from 5mo. 11 to 6mo. 18 to attend to the harvest. It was the custom to settle and audit the accounts of the Trustees of the Loan Office and the Provincial Treasurer in August, and, until this was done, only guesses could be made as to what money could be spared. The members saw that there would be no such sums on hand as Governor Thomas mentioned.
Before the next meeting, which, by special call from the Lieutenant-Governor, took place on July 28, seven full companies and part of another, including within
806
CHRONICLES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
them about three hundred servants, had been enlisted. This was so much beyond what was expected from the Province that the commissions first sent over did not suffice, being for only four companies, and four of those men who had each undertaken to raise a company, ex- pecting to be the Captain, were obliged to accept certifi- cates to get commissions from Lord Cathcart. Their respective companies appear to have been placed under the command of English officers who came with Col. Blakeney. The Pennsylvania troops were ordered to be at the capes of Virginia by the middle of September. Meanwhile they were distributed in the country villages, to save the city from the danger of so large a force unaccustomed to control: and, there being no barracks, the innkeepers rapidly absorbed the pay, which had duly arrived, by charging a soldier 12d. a day, whereas in England, where food was dearer, soldiers were billeted at 4d. under Act of Parliament. Thomas, with the approval of the Council, secured victuals and transports, and, when it became clear that no money would come from the Assembly, a number of individ- uals advanced the amount necessary, trusting that the Crown would see to its being repaid to them. The Assemblymen found that the masters of enlisted ser- vants were not satisfied to accept compensation from, the 2000l., and to do without the labor; so the House, urged to appropriate speedily for transports and tem- porary quarters, postponed doing so, and requested the Lieutenant-Governor to deliver to the masters all servants already enlisted, and to refuse all servants who offered themselves in future. Either before or after the swearing in and arrival of pay, he ordered those to be discharged who could be persuaded to return to their masters, and he secured the discharge of some who had run away to the other colonies and enlisted; but on one occasion, when Capt. Thinn had delivered some servants, other members of his company, including
807
QUAKER CONTROL OF THE ASSEMBLY.
freemen, laid down their arms, and said that they would go to other colonies; and it was with difficulty that they were pacified. So, partly from fear of mutiny, Thomas declined to hand over all remaining servants at once, and later made the point that he could not dismiss men who had been sworn in, and taken the King's pay.
The Penns and those devoted to them, whether Quakers or not, bewailed the attitude of the Assembly. It was perilous to the Proprietaries, for the Province to fail to respond to the King's call: it might bring about a suspension of their government or in fact an absolute taking of it away. The message of the As- sembly having answered the Lieutenant-Governor's representation of an overflowing treasury by calling attention to the sum due to the Proprietaries under the vote of the preceding year, as well as the sums drawn for finishing the State House, Thomas Penn saw that the blame for the failure to provide money was likely to be laid upon him and his brothers; so he sent word on August 6 that the Proprietaries would wait for their money until the revenues were sufficient, after making provision for the King's forces. The Assembly, expressing willingness to vote to the Crown a sum in proportion to that given by other colonies, provided the servants were returned to their mas- ters, and threatening to seek from the Crown redress for the injured masters, well argued, in a long reply to the Lieutenant-Governor, that it would be hard on the Province to pay for the time of three hundred servants to make up more companies than were expected by the British Government, and to provide transports &ct. for these very servants besides the freemen numbering a fair quota. The Assembly also addressed Thomas Penn, telling of the determination to apply to the King for redress in the matter of the servants, but first ask- ing Penn to use his influence with the Lieutenant-Gov- Governor, so that there should be no necessity for
808
CHRONICLES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
such a step. Penn replied the next day, rather upbraid- ing the Assemblymen, and declining to interfere. The Assembly ordered a warrant to be drawn on the Treasurer for 3000l. to Thomas Griffitts, Edward Bradley, John Stamper, Isaac Norris, and Thomas Leech for the use of the King, to be disposed of as he should be pleased to appoint, provided assurances were given satisfactory to said five men or any three of them that all the enlisted servants had been returned, and that no more servants would be taken from their mas- ters, all money not within nine months disposed of by the King to be returned to the treasury. This vote had no more result than it was expected to have. Upon a representation of the officers that it would be im- practicable, illegal, and dangerous to return the serv- ants, with a request to be informed of the Lieutenant- Governor's intention, so as to lay the matter before their superior officers, Thomas, with the approval of the Council, sent word to the House that the conditions could not be complied with. The Assembly adopted a petition to the King, and voted to appoint Richard Partridge as Provincial Agent in London, supplanting Ferdinand John Paris, but the petition appears never to have been presented. The next Assembly paid 2588l. 5s. 11d. in compensation to the masters for their losses. The 3000l. aforesaid for the King's disposal were sub- sequently sent to Partridge, as Agent, and paid into the royal exchequer.
The troops embarked under the same officers appar- ently as those who signed the representation, some of whom were "British officers appointed by his Majesty," in which class were doubtless the Adjutant Richd. Geo. De la Vallee and Captain William Thinn. Nothing is known by the author as to the antecedents of Captains Will. McKnight and Thomas Clarke, First Lieutenants Archd. Graham, St. John Leader, and Willm. Mills, and Ensigns Edwd. Harrison, Richd. Cager, Geo. Barr,
QUAKER CONTROL OF THE ASSEMBLY. 809
Peter Grung, Vint. Marshall, and Cha. Mathew. Cap- tains Robt. Bishop, Archibald Gordon (son of the late Lieutenant-Governor?), Thomas Freame (brother-in- law of the Proprietaries), and Thomas Lawrie (who resigned the Secretaryship to go to the war) were residents of the Province, as were the Second Lieu- tenants, viz: John Clifford, Robert Spicer, Henry Hodge, James Sandilands, Anthony Palmer (son of the Councillor), Thomas Berkeley (son-in-law of Councillor Palmer), and James Foster (Forster being probably a misprint), and also Ensign Enos Dexter.
Little do we know of the part taken by the Pennsyl- vania troops in the operations, which destroyed some forts, sacrificed an enormous number of lives, and failed in the great purpose of taking Carthagena. Although it is said that nine out of ten recruits from the colonies perished, the Second Lieutenants above named nearly all returned, and Captain Mcknight lived to be promoted.
The English merchants trading with America took fright at the volume of paper money in the colonies, and complained by petition to the House of Commons in 1740. An address to the King was carried through Parliament asking that the Governors be instructed to assent to no law for increasing the amount outstand- ing, unless such law contained a proviso suspending operation until the royal approval. Accordingly, while the aforesaid Pennsylvania Act for emitting 11,110l. 5s. was allowed, instructions in accordance with said ad- dress were sent, that to the Governor of Pennsylvania being dated Aug. 21, 1740.
By November, 1740, about one hundred families had settled north of Tohickon Creek, exclusive of those on lands sold by the Indians to the Durham iron company, to Weiser, or to Depue. Some of the Indians who were incensed at the affair of the Walking Purchase had a letter written, dated the 24th of that month, to Jere-
52
S10
CHRONICLES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
miah Langhorne and other magistrates, threatening to remove the intruders, if Thomas Penn would not do so : in a letter dated Jany. 3, 1740-1, complaint to like purpose was made or repeated by Nootamis and seven others, who represented the whites as very violent. Among the statements are "if we get an honest man to take our part he must be killed or flee the country" and "dare not speak but there is an uproar and danger of being cut to pieces." On March 26 following, at a meeting of the Governor's Council, Thomas Penn and five Councillors being present with the Lieutenant- Governor, these letters were read. The Proprietaries' title was shown from the deeds and map of the Walk and the letter of the Six Nations declaring that the Delawares had no land to sell: and, by order, the Lieu- tenant-Governor wrote to the Delawares requiring them to live peaceably with the English as before, and, moreover, informing them that the whole affair would be disclosed to the chiefs of the Six Nations coming to Philadelphia in May, to which meeting the Delawares might come at their own expense.
As late as 1740, a juror was set aside in Chester County, because he insisted upon being sworn : so John Penn, by letter received about April, 1741, recom- mended that there be a majority in each County Court willing to administer an oath.
To avoid supplying the enemy's fleets, an embargo had been laid in the British Isles against the exportation of victuals to foreign parts. In view also of possible need by the King's dominions and his forces in Amer- ica of all that the Penns' colony produced but did not consume, Lt .- Gov. Thomas laid a similar embargo in March, 1740-1, without waiting for orders, which, how- ever, arrived. The growing wheat having been hurt by the weather, he asked the Assembly in May to stop tem- porarily the exportation of wheat, but this was refused, as based upon unnecessary fears, hard upon individ-
811
QUAKER CONTROL OF THE ASSEMBLY.
uals, and injurious to the English colonies in the West Indies unless excepted from the Act, and likely by such exception to acquire a monopoly.
It is no wonder that the Assembly refused to fit out a vessel against privateers, and to offer a reward for every man killed or captured, but rather a wonder that the answer spoke only of the expense, and of the pro- tection expected from the King's ships.
Owing probably to John Penn's ill health interfering with his attention to business, the Chancery suit with Lord Baltimore seeming to require supervision, Thomas Penn decided to go to England, but with the intention, or making up his mind afterwards, to return when the suit were ended. Writing in 1744, he said that he thought it his duty to reside in Pennsylvania. He had built a house for himself about where the Preston Retreat now stands (near 20th and Hamilton Streets), on a plantation of about 300 acres, part of the Springettsbury Manor, adjacent to the district then called the City of Philadelphia. The house was not a large one, but he had taken much trouble with the grounds, securing trees and plants not indigenous; so that the gardens became a show place. Attended by a great number of the principal inhabitants, he set out for New York on August 20, 1741, to embark there. Some persons went to the trouble of erecting a gallows over the road on which he passed. He sailed from or by way of New England, with his sister and her chil- dren, and arrived in Plymouth harbor, England, by Nov. 22, 1741, and never returned.
As the Summer ended, Logan sent a letter to attend- ants of the Yearly Meeting, arguing that force was the fountain of all civil government, and setting forth the defenceless state of the Province and the ill conse- quences that might ensue upon men of the principles of those whom he addressed procuring themselves to be returned to the Assembly. As a letter of Richard
812
CHRONICLES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Peters tells the story (Penna. Mag., Vol. VI), the shrewd managers, anxious to ward off the influence of such an epistle,-for they had cause to fear that if once the Quakers withdrew from politics, their ascendancy could never be regained,-hit upon the expedient of having Robert Jordan, John Bringhurst, Ebenezer Large, John Dillwyn, and Robert Strettell peruse the letter, and report whether it contained matters proper to be communicated to the Meeting. They reported, that, as it contained matters of a military and geo- graphical nature, it was by no means proper to be read. Robert Strettell, who was a merchant in the city, alone remarked, that, considering the letter came from a man of abundant experience, an old member who had a sincere affection for the welfare of the Society, he was apprehensive, that, should it be refused a read- ing, such a procedure would disgust not only him, but the large body of Friends in England. This opposition was not expected, and John Bringhurst caught him by the coat, saying sharply, "Sit thee down, Robert Strettell, thee art single in that opinion." This sup- pression, which seems in the nature of force, produced unanimity, and Logan's step was in vain.
Although the Assembly was retained, the City Cor- poration, however, on Oct. 6, passed out of the hands of Norris and his friends by the election of four new Aldermen, three being non-Quakers, and of five new Common Councilmen, three being Churchmen, and one of the two Quakers chosen being Robert Strettell. Strettell was admitted a member of the Governor's Council in December with William Till and Abraham Taylor, Churchmen, Thomas's chief dependence for transaction of business having previously been upon Lawrence, Hasell, and Griffitts, and there having been rarely the attendance of more than two of the others.
-
CHAPTER XXV.
UNITAS FRATRUM AND ATTEMPTED CHURCH UNITY.
The Schwenkfelders-The Skippack Brethren- The "Pennsylvania Religion"-Mixed result of the Whitefield movement-Unitas Fratrum, or Mo- ravians, or Herrnhuters-Zinzendorf-Reorganiza- tion of the Unitas as a company within the Lu- theran fold to promote personal religion-Renewal of the episcopate-Laborers in Pennsylvania- Zinzendorf consecrated a bishop-Failure to Christianize Indians before the arrival of the Moravians-Rauch's mission to the Mohicans- The Lehigh settlements-Zinzendorf's arrival and earliest proceedings in Pennsylvania-Bethlehem named-The Conferences-Zinzendorf's visits to Indians-Revolt of Lutherans-Kraft-Mühlen- berg-Zinzendorf leaves America-The English Moravians in Philadelphia and Moravian house of worship at Heidelberg-Mühlenberg reclaims the Lutherans-Churches built, including that at "Trappe"-Wagner and Brunnholtz-Nyberg- Unsuccessful project to unite Swedish and Ger- man Lutherans-Disorders at Lancaster-Ny- berg's commission from Sweden is withdrawn, and he joins the Moravians-Indian converts of the Moravians build Gnadenhütten-Schlatter-A Re- formed Coetus established-The Synod of 1748 of the Congregation of God in the Spirit becomes the first Synod of the Moravians-A Lutheran Ministerium and Synod organized-Zinzendorf's later career.
On referring to the chapter on the Church of Eng- land, it will be seen that the first visit of Whitefield to Pennsylvania was in the year of the breaking out
814
CHRONICLES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
of war with Spain, and that he came twice in 1740: and the chapter on the Irish and their Kirk has told of the separation of the Presbyterians into Old Side and New Side in 1741. The last months of 1741 and the nine months following cover the labors in Penn- sylvania of the great religious leader, Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf. He had been preceded hither by immigrants grateful for his kindness, and by mis- sionaries from the body which he had reorganized.
From his estate, or barony, of Berthelsdorf in Upper Lusatia came several persons in or before 1733, of whom respectively the religious denomination, whether Schwenkfelder or Moravian, is not clear. Nineteen persons, most of them from Berthelsdorf, met at Haar- lem, and proceeded to Rotterdam in June of that year, and thence sailed in the "Pennsylvania Merchant," reaching Philadelphia on Sep. 28 (N. S.), the males over sixteen making promise of allegiance on Sep. 18, 1733 (O. S.). Johann Klemm, Gotlob Klemm, Georg Scholtz, and David Scholtz (spelling as in Rupp's Col- lection of 30000 Names, instead of as in Colonial Records, Vol. III) of the passengers promising allegi- ance, may be identified as among the nineteen ; but the tradition which makes them Schwenkfelders is probably incorrect. Rev. Abraham Reincke's Register of the Members of the Moravian Church mentions John G. Klemm, organ builder, and his wife among the Moravians, who, as will be mentioned, received the sacrament on Aug. 13, 1727. Rev. William C. Reichel, in annotating the list given by Reincke, says that Klemm was born in Dresden in 1690, and, after settling in Philadelphia, spent some time in New York. An- other of the four supposed Schwenkfelders on the "Pennsylvania Merchant," viz: David Scholtz, who speaks of his father, evidently Georg Scholtz, as a fel- low voyager, and of a brother George Scholtze as al- ready in Pennsylvania, wrote a Reise Beschreibung, of
UNITAS FRATRUM AND ATTEMPTED CHURCH UNITY. 815
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.