Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI, Part 66

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814

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Isaac Norris, Esq., addressed the Governor, acquainting him that a full number of Representatives was met and had chosen him for their Speaker, which office he would execute with the Gov- ernor's Concurrence. The Governor approved their choice, and then Mr. Norris requested the usual Privileges.

After the Speaker and the House were withdrawn, the Gov- ernor informed the Council that several persons near the Bounda- ries of Maryland had been disturbed by Maryland Surveyors, and that on their several petitions he had wrote a Letter to Governor Sharpe, which was read in these words:

A Letter to Governor Sharpe from Governor Morris.

" Sir :

" I have received a petition from several of the Inhabitants of Air TownP. situate on the Waters of the Conolloways, a Branch of the River Potomack within the County of Cumberland, setting forth that they and their neighbours have been lately disturbed by some Officers and Surveyors from your Government, tho' they have for many Years paid Taxes within this Province, and have settled their Lands under the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania. They say, likewise, that some of their possessions have been lately surveyed by the Surveyors of Frederick County, in virtue of Warrants from Lord Baltimore's Land Office, and that they are threatened with an armed force as you will see by their Petition, which is Copied and herewith sent.

"It is a little surprizing that at such a time of Publick Danger & Calamity these unneighbourly practices should be carried on, tho' I am very well persuaded they are unknown to you, and that you will discountenance them the moment you are told of them.

" It may happen that your people may have settled in some places northward of the Temporary Line and ours to the South-

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ward of it, but if that Line be continued for a few Miles it will soon be known which of them are rightly settled. I therefore propose it to you to have this forthwith done, the month of No- vember is one of the best in the Year for this service, and if begun then it may be finished before the severe Weather comes on.

" If this be agreeable to you I will issue a Commission to Mr. George Stevenson and Mr. John Armstrong, surveyors of the two Counties that border on the Temporary Line, and to join with any two you shall please to appoint for this purpose.

" I have sent orders to the Officers & Surveyors of the County of Cumberland not to disturb any persons settled under Lord Balti- more, nor to Survey the Lands on which any of your people are settled, and I must beg the favour of you to send the like orders to the Officers of Frederick County."

"I am, Sir, Your very humble Servant, "ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS.

" PHILADELPHIA, 7th October, 1755."

The Governor then laid before the Board a Letter from Sir Thomas Robinson of the 19th of June, which he received last night inclosed in a Letter from Governor Dinwiddie. Likewise he ordered several Letters to be read & entered relating to Indian affairs, observing with concern that they had begun depredations in the neighbouring Colonies, and expressing his Fears that it would not be long before we might expect the like Treatment.

A Letter to Governor Morris from Conrad Weiser.

" Honoured Sir :

" By this I inform your Honour that my Sons are returned from Shamokin, where they have been by your Honour's order to ac- quaint our Friendly Indians of the Success of Gen1. Johnson against the French on Lake George. Sammy was poorly when your Hon- our's orders arrived, therefore did not care to venture alone, so took one of his Brothers with him. The Indians were exceedingly pleased with the news, and returned thanks to your Honour for giving them such early Notice.

" On the first of this Instant Tohashwuchtonirent (the belt) with Zigarea, James Logan, and Jonathan, arrived at my House & made the following Speech :

"'Brother Onas (the Belt Speaker) : We let you know that upon certain News we received a few days ago from Oneido, one of the Six United Nations, We have agreed among ourselves to settle at Shamokin, and to summons and exort all our Indian Brethren to come and settle there and live and die with us.

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""'We, therefore, desire you to supply us with Provision, Powder, Lead, Tobacco, and Vermillion, and as it is most certain by the last Message we received a few days ago from Oncido, that Warr is pro- claimed between the Six United Nations and the French and their Allies, those of the Six Nations that have French hearts may go to their wicked Father Onontio (we hope a very few will), the Six United Nations with their Allies will certainly Chastize Onontio for his Wickedness. We pray Brother Onas & the people of Penn- sylvania not to leave us in the lurch, but to supply us with necessa- ries to enable us to fight the French. This is the earnest request of us the Warriors, the Councellors, and our Wives and Children.' Here he gave a large string of Wampum.

" As to the provision, I explained to them the Resolve of the House of General Assembly, at which resolve they were glad and returned thanks.

" As to the ammunition, I told them I would send their Speech to Onas (the Governor of Pennsylvania), for him to consider it with the wise men of Pennsylvania who would soon meet, as soon as they resolved upon any thing, they, our Brethren the Indians at Shamokin, should know. They desired me to recommend their case in the best manner I could, and I promised to do it. The Indians will go away to-morrow. I have nothing to add, but am,

" Honoured Sir, Your very obedient, " CONRAD WEISER.

" Heidelberg in Berks, October 4th, 1755."

A Letter from William Trent to Colo. James Burd at Shippensburgh. " MOUTH OF CONEGOCHEGE, Oct'. Saturday 4, 1755. "Sir :

" Last night came to the Mill at Wolgomoths an Express going to the Governor of Maryland with an account of the Inhabitants being out on Patterson's Creek ; and about the Fort the Express says, there is forty killed and taken, and that one whole family was burnt to Death in an house. The Indians destroy all before them ; firing Houses, Barns, Stackyards, and every thing that will burn. Jenny McClane, the Girl that lived with Fraser, was taken just by the Fort ; the man that was with her had his Horse shot through, but carried him off ; the mischief was all done partly at one time, Wednesday, between eight and ten o'clock in the forenoon, all the Inhabitants back are flying. I expect we shall soon be the Fron- tier ; my Complements to Mrs. Burd, & I am,

"Sir, Your most humble servant,

" WILLIAM TRENT.

" Sunday Morning.

"Since I wrote the above, I see another express come down to VOL. VI .- 41.

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get the Militia to raise, he says, two and forty they buried on Pat- terson's Creek within a few Miles of the Mouth, they durst not venture higher up, but as there is no word from any of them, with- out doubt they are all killed ; and since they have killed more, and keep on killing, the woods is alive with them ; how long will those in power by their Quarrels suffer us to be massacred ? Its time for every body to provide for the safety of their Families.

" I am, Sir, Yours,

"W. T."

A Letter from George Croghan, Esqr., at Aughwick to Mr. Chas. Swaine at Shippensburg. " AUGHWICK, October 9th, 1755. " Dear Sir :

" On my return home I met with an Indian from Ohio who gives me the following accounts : That about 14 days ago he left Ohio, at that time there was about 160 Men ready to set out to harrass the English, which probably they be those doing the Mischiefs on Potomack. He says the French Fort is not very strong with men at present. He likewise says that he is of opinion the Indians will do no mischief on the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania till they can draw all the Indians out of the Province and off Sasquehanna, which they are now industriously endeavouring to do; and he de- sires me as soon as I see the Indians remove from Sasquehanna back to Ohio to shift my quarters, for he says that the French will, if possible, lay all the back frontiers in ruins this Winter.

"This man was sent by a few of my old Indian Friends to give me this caution, that I might save my scalps, which he says would be no small Prize to the French ; and he has ordered me to keep it private so that I don't intend to communicate it to any body but you. I don't know whether the Governor should be made ac- quainted with it or no; but if you judge it proper write the Gov- ernor the whole, but at the same time request him to keep it a secret from whom he had his Information, for if it should be made publick to the Interpreters or Indians it may cost me and the man I had my Information from our Lives; and, moreover, the best method to frustrate their Designs will be for the Governor not to let the In- dians know that he is acquainted with their design, but to conduct the affair privately, so as not to let the Indians know he has any suspicion of them. Indeed it is only what I thought the Indians always aimed at, and what I feared they would accomplish, for I see all our great Directors of Indian affairs are very short sighted, and glad I am that I have no hand in Indian affairs at this critical time, where no fault can be thrown on my shoulders.

"I am, Dear Sir, Your most humble Servant, "GEO. CROGHAN.

"To Mr. CHARLES SWAINE.

" P. S .- Sir, if you could possibly Lend me 6 guns with powder, .

fi 1

m T

to 10 Ba

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20 of Lead by the bearer, I will return them in about 15 days, when I can get some from the Mouth of Conegochege. I hope to have my Stockade finished by the middle of next week.

"G. C."

A Letter to Governor Morris from Mr. Charles Swaine of Ship- pensburg.

" May it please your Honour :

" This evening I received the inclosed from Mr. Croghan, & con- sidering its importance have sent the person, who is Laborer at the Stores, upon My Horse that it may be safely delivered into your Honour's Hands. Mr. Croghan was here on Monday, and as the news had arrived of the Ravages committed in Virginia, I pressed him as he was going to Aughwick that he would get me some Intel- ligence as to what Indians they were who were committing such Ravage and their Intentions, which I thought he might in some measure do, as he had informed me that there were some Indians hunting in his Neighbourhood, and in compliance with my request I received the inclosed Letter by a Servant of Mr. Croghan's whom was sent over with a horse purchased by a Gentleman in this Neigh- bourhood. As to the Indian affairs in Virginia and Maryland, we hear they were continuing their cruelties on the South branch on Tuesday last, have an Encampment at George's Creek near the Fort, and from thence make their Excursions. By a prisoner taken and escaped from the Indians, they are known to be the Shawnese & Delawares, under the command of one Shingo, who & most of his Company were at the Carlisle Treaty.

" Your Honour's most Dutiful and Obedient Servant,

" CHARLES SWAINE.

" Shippensburg, October 10th, at Night, 1755.

" To the Governor of Pennsylvania."

A Letter to Governor Morris from Governor Sharpe of Annapolis. " ANNAPOLIS, October 11th, 1755.

" Sir :

" Within a few days I have received several Letters by Express from Captain Dagworthy, who commands the Garrison consisting of 137 men at Fort Cumberland, and from some other people advising me that the Indians have since the first instant cut off a great many Families who lived near Fort Cumberland and on both sides of Pow- towmack some miles eastward of the Fort. It is supposed that near 100 persons have been murthered or carried away Prisoners by these Barbarians, who have burnt the Houses and ravaged all the Planta-

5 I 1, al

er,

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tions in that part of the Country. Parties of the Enemy appear within sight of Fort Cumberland every day, and frequently in greater numbers than the Garrison consists of. As I presume 'twill not be long before these people pay a visit to your Borders, I take this opportunity of intimating what I think may be expected, and am,

" Sir, Your most humble & Obedient Servant,

" HORº· SHARPE. " GOVERNOR MORRIS."

The Governor called for Sir Thomas Robinson's Letter, which was particularly considered, ordered to be entered, & follows in these words :

A Letter to the Governor from Sir Thos. Robinson, Secretary of State. "WHITEHALL, June 19th, 1755. " Sir :

"I have received your Letter of the 9th April last, and am to acquaint you that it is the Express command of the Lords Justices that you should not draw Bills upon the pay Master General or his Deputy, or upon any other person, and that you should not issue any Warrants for Money for the discharge of such Expences as have been or may be incurred on account of the Services or Operations to be performed by you, or in any respect under your Direction in North America. But the Lords Justices are pleased to Direct that upon all such occasions you shall apply for such sums of Money as shall so become necessary, and are not properly chargeable to the account of your Government, to Major General Braddock, or to the Commander-in-Chief of his Majestie's Forces for the time being in North America.

"I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant,

"Governor of Pennsylvania."

"T. ROBINSON.

The 18th October, 1755.

A Message was delivered to the Governor by two Members that the House had finished their usual Business, and unless the Gover- nor had any thing to lay before them, particularly any matter relat- ing to Indian affairs, they proposed to adjourn to the first of Decem- ber if he had no objection to it. The Governor answered that if he had any thing to have communicated to them he would have done it before now, as he must go to his other Government, nor had he any objection to their Adjournment to the first of December.

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At a Council held at Newcastle, on Tuesday the 28th of October, 1755.

PRESENT :

The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor, &ca.

William Till,

Richard Peters, Esqrs.

The Governor having this day received Intelligence from different parts of the Country that some Indians had actually begun Hostilities on the West side of Sasquehannah, and had either killed or drove away all the Inhabitants settled in the Upper part of Cumberland County at a place called John Penn's Creek, about 4 miles South from Shamokin, The several Papers and Letters were read and ordered to be entered.

The Intelligence communicated to the Assembly now sitting by `Message, & it was considered whether it would not be proper to summon the Upper Assembly to meet forthwith, and the Council being of Opinion that it was absolutely necessary, the Writs were prepared, Sealed, and dispatched by Express to the Sheriffs of the several Counties of the Province to summon the Assembly to meet on the 3rd of November next.

A Letter to the Governor from Mr. John Harris at Paxton. "PAXTON, October 20th, 1755.

" May it please your Honour :

"I was informed last night by a Person that came down our River that there was a Dutch Woman who has made her escape to George Gabriel's, and informs that last Friday Evening on her way home from this Settlement to Mahanoy (or Penn's Creek), where her family lived, she called at a Neighbour's House and saw two persons laying by the Door of said House murdered and scalped, and there was some Dutch Familys that lived near left their places immediately, not thinking it safe to stay any longer. Its the opinion of the people up the River that the Families on Penn's Creek being but scattered, that few in number are killed or carried off except the above said Woman, the certainty of which will soon be known as there is some men gone out to bury the Dead. By report this Evening I was likewise informed by the Belt of Wani- pum and these Indians here that there was seen near Shamokin about Six days ago two French Indians of the Conawago Tribe. I a little Doubted the truth of the Report at first, but the Indians here seemed so afraid that they dispatched Messengers immediately to the Mountain above my House to bring in some of their Women that were gathering Chesnuts for fear of their being killed.

"P. S .- By a person just arrived down our River we have a

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Confirmation of two Men being murdered within five Miles of George Gabriel's, four women carried off, & there is one man wounded in three places escaped to Gabriel's, and its imagined that all the In- habitants on Mr. Penn's Creek & little Mahanoy are killed or carried off, as most of them lives much higher up than where the first Mur- der was discover'd. The Indian Warriors here sends you these two Strings of White Wampum and the Women the Black one, both requesting that you'l lay by all your Council Pipes immediately and open all your Eyes and Ears and view your Slain People in this Land, and to put a stop to it immediately and come to this place to our assistance without any delay, and the Belt of Wampum particu- larly mentions that the Proprietors and your Honour would imme- diately act in Defence of their Country, as the old chain of Friend- ship now is broke by several Nations of Indians, and it seems to be such times as they never expected to see or hear off. Any Delay of our acting Vigorously now at this time will be the loss of all Indian Interest, & perhaps our ruin in these parts. I am

" Your honour's most Obedient Servant,

" JOHN HARRIS.

" (Excuse Blunders)."

[Contind.]

" I shall use my Endeavour to get a number of my Neighbours to go out as far as the Murder has been committed, and perhaps to Shamokin, to know the minds of the Indians and their opinion of these times, and to get what Intelligence I can from them, and to encourage some of their Young men to Scout about back of our Frontiers to give us notice of the enemy's approach if possible at any time hereafter. I heartily wish your Honour and the Assembly would please to agree on some method at this time towards protect- ing this Province, as this part of it seems actually in Danger now, for should but a company of Indians come & Murder but a few Families hereabouts, which is daily expected, the situation we are in would oblige numbers to abandon their places, and our Cattle and Provisions, which we have plenty of, must then fall a prey to the Enemy. Our Indians here seems much Discouraged at the large numbers of Families passing by here every day on account of the late Murders done on Potomack, & will be much more so if it should happen to be our case. There was two Indian Women set out from here. two days ago for the Ohio for to bring some of their Relations (as they say) down here, and should the French or their Indians hear by them, as they will be enquiring for News, the effect that their late murder has had among our Inhabitants, it will be matter of Encouragement to them.

" I conclude Your Honour's most Obedient and most humble Servant.

" JOHN HARRIS."

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A Letter to Governor Morris from Conrad Weiser, Esquire, of Reading.

" Honoured Sir:

"I take this opportunity to inform you I received news from Shamokin That Six families have been murdered on John Penn's Creek on the West side of Sasquehannah, about four miles from that river, several people have been found scalped and twenty-eight are missing; the people are in a great consternation and are coming down, leaving their Plantations and Corn behind them. Two of my Sons are gone up to help one of their Cousins with his Family Down. I hear of none that will defend themselves but George Gabriel and -. The people down here seem to be senseless and say the Indians will never come this side of Sasquehannah River, but I fear they will since they meet with no opposition no where: I don't doubt your Honour heard of this melancholy affair before now by the way of Lancaster, perhaps more particular, yet I thought it my duty to inform you of it, and when my Sons come back I will write again if they bring any thing particular. I have heard no- thing of the Indians that are gone out to fight against the French on Ohio. Their going I fear has been the occasion of this Murder. I have nothing to add, but am,

" Honoured Sir, Your very humble Servant, " CONRAD WEISER.

" Reading, October 22nd, 1755."

A petition to Governor Morris from the Inhabitants living on the West side of Sasquehannah :

" To the Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, dca.

" The petition of we the Subscribers, living near the Mouth of Penn's Creek on the West side of Sasquehannah, Humbly sheweth :

" That on or about the Sixteen of this Instant, October, the Enemy came down upon said Creek and killed, scalped & carried away * -X

* * all the Men, Women & Children, amounting to 25 Persons in number, and wounded one man who fortunately made his Escape and brought us in the News ; whereupon we, the Subscribers, went out and buried the Dead, whom we found most barbarously murdered and scalped. We found but 13 which were men and elderly women, & one Child of two weeks old, the rest being young Women & Children we suppose to be carried away Prisoners; the House (where we suppose they finished their Murder), we found burnt up, and the man of it named Jacob King, a Swissar, lying just by it; he lay on his back barbarously burnt and two Tomhawks sticking in his forehead ; one of the Tomhawks marked newly with W. D. we have sent to your

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Honour. The Terror of which has drove away almost all these back Inhabitants except us, the Subscribers, with a few more who are willing to stay and endeavour to defend the Land; but as we are not able of ourselves to defend it for want of Guns and Ammu- nition, and but few in number, so that without assistance we must fly and leave the Country to the mercy of the Enemy. We, there- fore, humbly desire yt your Honour would take the same into your great Consideration, and order some speedy relief for the Safety of these back Settlements, and be pleased to give us speedy orders what to do, and as in duty bound we will for ever pray, &ca.

" GEORGE GLEWELL,

" AR. GATES AUCHMUTY,

" JOHN MCCAHON,

" ABRAHAM SOVERHILL,

" EDMUND MATHEWS,

" MARK CURRY,

" WILLIAM DORAN,

"DENNIS MUCKLEHENNY,

"JOHN YOUNG,

"JACOB SIMMONS,

" CONRAD CRAYMER,

" GEORGE FRY,

" GEORGE SNOBBLE,

" GEORGE ABERHEART,

" DANL BRAUGH,

" GEORGE LYNE,

" CUTFRITH FRYAR.

"October 20th, 1755.

"I and Thomas Forster, Esq", Mr. Harris, Mr. McKee, with upwards of forty men, went up the 23d instant to Captain McKee at New Providence, in order to bury the Dead lately murdered on Mahonia Creek, but understanding that the Corps were buried we determined then to return immediately home. But being urged by John Sckalamy & the old Belt to go up to see the Indians at Sha- mokin & know their minds, we went on the 24 and stayed there all night, and in the night I heard some Delawares talking, about twelve in number, to this purpose : ' What are the English come here for ?' Says another, ' to kill us I suppose ;' says another, ' can't we then send off some of our nimble Young Men to give our friends notice that can soon be here ?' Then soon after they sung the War Song, and four Indians went off in two Canoes well armed ; the one Canoe went down the River and the other across ; on the morning of the 25th we took our leave of the Indians and set off homewards, and were advised to go down the East side of the River ; but fearing a snare might be laid on that side, we marched off peaccably down the west side, having behaved in the most civil and friendly manner towards them while with them ;

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and when we came to the Mouth of Mohanai Creek, we were fired on by a good number of Indians that lay among the Bushes, on which we were obliged to retreat with the loss of several men ; the particular number I cannot exactly mention, but I'm Positive I saw four fall, and one man struck on the head with a Tomahawk in his flight across the River. As I understood the Delaware tongue, I heard several of the Indians that were engaged ag" us speak a good many words in that tongue during the action.

"ADM. TERRENCE.

"The above Declaration was attested by the Author's voluntary Qualification, no Magistrate being present, at Paxton this 26th Octr., 1755, before us.

"JOHN ELDER, " THOS. MCARTHUR, " MICHL GRAHAMS, " ALEX. MCCLURE, " MICHAEL TEAFF, " WILLIAM HARRIS, " THOMAS BLACK, "SAML LENES,

" SAMUEL PEARSON,

" WILLIAM McCLURE."

"N B .- Of all our people that were in the action there are but nine that are yet returned.

A Letter to Governor Morris from Conrad Weiser, Esqr., dated at Heidleburg.

HEIDLEBURG, IN THE COUNTY OF BERKS, ? Oct. 26, 1755, at 5 o'clock in the Evening.

" Sir :

"Just now two of my sons, to wit Frederick and Peter, arrived from Shamokin, where they have been to help down their Cousin with his Family. I gave them orders before they went to bring me down a trusty Indian or two to inform myself of the present Cir- cumstances of Indian affairs, but they brought none down; they saw Jonathan but he could not leave his Family in this dangerous times. Whilst they were at Geo. Gabriel's a Messenger came from Shamokin, sent by James Logan, one of Shickelamy's Sons, and Capachpiton, a noted Delaware, always true to the English, to let George Gabriel know that they had certain Intelligence that a great body of French and Indians had been seen on their March towards Pennsylvania at a place where Zinaghton River or Rivers comes out of the Allegheny Hills, and that if the white people will come up to Shamokin and assist they will stand the French and fight them. They said that now they want to see their Brethren's faces, and

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Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI, Part 66

Author: Publication date: 1838 Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State Number of Pages: 814

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814