USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > Commemorative biographical encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania : containing sketches of prominent and representative citizens and many of the early Scotch-Irish and German settlers. Pt. 1 > Part 9
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"Ist. That the recent action of the Par- liament of Great Britain is iniquitous and oppressive.
"2d. That it is the bounden duty of the inhabitants of America to oppose every measure which tends to deprive them of their just prerogatives.
"3d. That in a eloser union of the Colonies lies the safeguard of the people.
"4th. That in the event of Great Britain attempting to force unjust laws upon us by the strength of arins, our cause we leave to Heaven and our rifles.
"5th. That a committee of nine be ap- pointed who shall act for us and in our be- half as emergency may require.
"The committee consisted of Colonel Tim- othy Green, James Caruthers, Josiah Espy, Robert Dixon, Thomas Copenheffer, William Clark, James Stewart, Joseph Barnett and Jolın Rogers."
So much for patriotie Hanover. Follow- ing in the footsteps of these brave men, on Friday following, June 10, 1774, a similar meeting was held at Middletown, Colonel James Burd, chairman, at which these stir- ring resolves were eoncurred in, and which served as the text of those passed at the meeting at Laneaster subsequently :
"Ist. That the acts of the Parliament of Great Britain in divesting us of the right
to give and grant our money, and assuming snch power to themselves, are uneonstitu- tional, unjust and oppressive.
"2d. That it is an indispensable duty we owe to ourselves and posterity to oppose with deceney and firmness every measure tending to deprive us of our just rights and privi- leges.
" 3d. That a elose union of the Colonies and their faithful adhering to sueh measures as a general congress shall judge proper are the most likely means to procure redress of American grievances and settle the rights of the Colonies on a permanent basis.
" 4th. That we will sincerely and heartily agree to and abide by the measures which shall be adopted by the members of the gen - eral congress of the Colonies.
" 5th. That a committee be appointed to confer with similar committees relative to the present exigency of affairs."
Not to be behind their Scotch-Irish neighbors, the German inhabitants located in the east of the county met at Fredericks- town (now Hummelstown), on Saturday, the 11th of June, at which Capt. Frederick Hnm- mel was chairman, resolving to stand by the other townships in all their action.
We say they were ripe for revolution, and when the stirring battle-drum aroused the new-born nation, the inhabitants of Dauphin valiantly armed for the strife. One of the first companies raised in the Colonies was that of Capt. Matthew Smith, of Paxtang. Within ten days after the receipt of the news of the battle of Lexington, this eom- pany was armed and equipped, ready for service. Composing this pioneer body of patriots was the best blood of the county- the Dixons, the Elders, the Simpsons, the Boyds, the Harrises, the Reeds, the Tods and others. Archibald Steele and Michael Simp- son were the lieutenants. It was the second company to arrive at Boston, coming south of the Hudson river. It was subsequently ordered to join General Arnold in his unfor- tunate eampaign against Quebec, and the most reliable account of that expedition was written by a member of this very Paxtang company, John Joseph Henry, afterwards president judge of Laneaster and Dauphin counties. They were enlisted for one year. The majority, however, were taken prisoners at Quebec, while a large percentage died of wounds and exposure.
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DAUPHIN COUNTY.
CHAPTER IV.
Historical Resume' from 1785 to 1896.
For the part taken by Dauphin county (which was then a part of Lancaster county) in the struggle for Independence, our readers must refer to those volumes of the Second Series of Pennsylvania Archives, which comprise a history of the Pennsylvania Line, the Associators and the militia, in the war of the Revolution, from 1775 to 1783. The rolls of many of the companies which. went out from this section and participated in the sanguinary conflicts and which achieved the independence of their country, are, we are glad to say, nearly complete. At that period the entire country was so bare of men that the old men, women and the lads of ten and twelve years, not only did the planting and harvesting, but took up arms to defend their homes in the threatened invasion by Indians and Tories after the massacre of Wyoming. A great majority of those who served from Paxtang, Derry, Hanover, Upper Paxtang and Lon- derry were styled Associators, officered by those of their own choosing, and serving short terms of duty, as called upon by the Supreme Executive Council. At Trenton, at Princeton, at Brandywine, at German- town, at the Crooked Billet and the Paoli, the militia of Dauphin county fought and bled and died. A glance at their names even shows a long line of heroes, whose brilliant achievements shed an undying glory on the patriotism of this section . of Lancaster county in the war of the Revolu- tion.
With the dawn of peace, the people of the county returned to their usual avocations. Civil affairs were taken cognizance of, and movements were at once made to secure the formation of a new county, with Harrisburg as the seat of justice. By the aet of Assem- bly of March 4, 1785, the county of Dauphin was separated from Lancaster, its name de- rived from the eldest son of the then king of the French-France at that period, in conse- quence of its efficient aid to the Colonies, being uppermost in the affection of the peo- ple. The enthusiasm was unbounded, and, as we shall refer to hereafter, carried to ex- treme lengths. The name was suggested by the prime movers for the formation of the new county. The seat of justice was fixed at Harris' Ferry, then a village of about one hundred houses, although the town was not
actually laid out or surveyed until after the passage of the ordinance referred to. In the commissions of the officers of the new county, the town was named Louisburgh, in honor of Louis XVI., suggested by Chief Justice Thomas M'Kean, not only on account of his French leanings, but to show his petty spite against Mr. Harris, to whom, somehow or other, he held political opposition.
This act of injustice was subsequently remedied, when, on the 13th of April, 1791, the town was created a borough, by the name of Harrisburg. It was undecided for awhile whether to call the place Harris' Ferry or Harrisburg. The latter, fortunately, was adopied.
On the organization of the county, Mid- .dletown was the largest village in the county, and strenuous efforts were made by its citizens and the inhabitants of the town- ships subsequently forming Lebanon county, to make it the seat of justice; while similar claims were made for the town of Lebanon, on account of its central location.
The machinery of the new county was soon put into motion, the earliest record of whose courts reads thus :
" At a court of quarter sessions, holden near Harris' Ferry, in and for the county of Dauphin," &e., on the "third Tuesday of May, in the year of our Lord 1785, before "Timothy Green, Samuel Jones and Jona- than M'Clure, Esqrs., justices of the same court."
We may imagine the scene, in a small room in a log house near the "lower ferry," at Front and Vine streets, with a jury par- ticularly intelligent-an excellent set of county officers, and such a bar as Ross, Kit- tera, Chambers, Hubley, James Biddle, Hanna, Andrew Dunlop, Reily, Collinson Reed, Jasper Yeates, John Joseph Henry, Thomas Dunean and Thomas Smith, most of whom rose to occupy the highest positions at the bar or in the Senate-quite a show of famous men to start the judicial engine of the new county, with the net result of con- victing William Courtenay, a descendant of one of the proudest houses of England, and sentencing him to eighteen lashes, fifteen shillings fine, and " to stand in the pillory." This instrument of judicial vengeance stood about sixty yards below the grave of John Harris, the elder, or just above the ferry house, at the junction of Front and Paxtang streets. This, doubtless, was the exact posi- tion, as two or three of the first courts were
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HISTORICAL REVIEW
held in a building on what is now the south- ern corner of Front street and Washington avenue. There was no citizen of Harrisburg on the first jury, except, perhaps, Alexander Berryhill, but that is not certain. Col. James Cowden, of Lower Paxtang township, was the foreman of this grand jury.
The sheriff' of Lancaster county exercised the same office in Dauphin county. The names of the jurymen were James Cowden (foreman), Robert Montgomery, John Gil- christ, Barefoot Brunson, John Clarke, Roan McClure, John Carson, John Wilson, William Crain, Archibald MeAllister, Richard Dixon, Jolin Parthemore, James Crouch, Jacob Awl, William Brown, Andrew Stewart, James Rogers, Samuel Stewart, John Cooper, Alex- ander Berryhill. Alexander Graydon was the first prothonotary and Anthony Kelker the first sheriff.
The minutes of the second court held in the town are dated at " Harrisburgh," and on the 3d of August, 1786, the following en- dorsement appears on the docket: "The name of the county town, or seat of the courts, is altered from 'Harrisburgh' to ' Louisburgli,' in consequence of the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth so styling it in the commissions of the justices of said town."
The courts were held for several successive years in the same locality, but subsequently in the log house recently demolished on the southeast corner of Market street and Dew- berry alley. From here it was removed to its present location, except during the ses- sions of the Legislature from 1812 to 1822, when the court occupied the brick building built by the county commissioners on the corner of Walnut street and Raspberry alley. The present edifice was erected in 1860.
The act of Assembly erecting Harrisburg into a borough defined its limits as follows : " Beginning at low-water mark on the eastern shore of the Susquehanna river; thence by the pine-apple tree north 60} de- grees, east 79 perches, to an ash tree on the west bank of Paxton creek; thence by the several corners thereof 323 perches to a white hickory on William Maclay's line ; thence by the same south 673 degrees, west 212 perches, to a marked chestnut-oak on the eastern bank of the Susquehanna ; thence by the same course to low-water mark to the place of beginning."
The borough limits were extended by the act of the 16th of April, 1838, as follows:
"The northwestern boundary line of the borough of Harrisburg shall be and the same is hereby extended and enlarged as follows :. Extending it along the river line to the upper line of the land of the late Will- iam Maclay, on said river; thence to Pax- ton creek, and thence along said creek to the northwestern corner to the present bound- ary." Thus annexing Maclaysburg, or all the territory included in the borough then lying northwest of South street.
During the so-called Whiskey Insurrec- tion, 1794, Harrisburg became quite promi- nent, it being on the great thoroughfare to the western counties. The court house was then building, and some of the sympathizers with the anti-excise men beyond the moun- tains hoisted a French fiag on that structure. Of course this gave offense and it was quietly removed. Several arrests were made of in- dividuals who expressed sympathy for the western insurgents-one of whom, Major Swiney, was confined in prison for nearly a year, when he was released without trial. Governor Mifflin, who was an excellent stump speaker, made one of his character- istic addresses here, and in two days time no less than three companies from the town were on their march to Carlisle. When Governor Howell, of New Jersey, and his brilliant staff remained over night, they were so hospitably entertained by the citi- zens that he returned his thanks in special orders. On Friday, the 3d of October, when the President, the great and good Washing- ton, approached the town, he was met by a large concourse of the people and the enthu- sias was unbounded. The worthy bur- gesses, Conrad Bombaugh and Alexander Berryhill, presented the address of the town, to which the chief magistrate briefly replied, bearing " testimony to the zealous and of- ficient exertions " they had made. That evening he held a reception at his head- quarters, where the principal citizens en- braced the opportunity of paying their re- spects to the venerated chieftain. On the morning of the 4th he crossed the river at the upper ferry, which was fifty yards above the present Harrisburg bridge.
About this period came the fever of 1793-5 and the mill-dam troubles. For two years previous a disease of a malignant type pre- vailed during the summer season in the bor- ough. Its origin was proved beyond doubt to be due to a mill-dam located in what is now the first ward of the city, on Paxtang
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GEN. JOSEPH F. KNIPE.
GEN. E. C. WILLIAMS.
1921314
MAJ. C. C. DAVIS.
GEN. T. J. JORDAN.
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DAUPHIN COUNTY.
creek. In 1793, during the prevalence of the yellow fever in Philadelphia, it was thought and even pronounced snch. Quite a number of Irish emigrants died, and al- though many of the inhabitants were at- tacked there were no fatal eases among them. This was proof positive that the endemic was due to the damming up of the Paxtang creek, which was always " dead water " (its Indian significance), producing malarial poisoning. The ancestors, reason- ing rightly, their next move was to get rid of the nuisance. Meetings were held, eom- mittees were appointed, funds raised and tendered to the owners of the mill, Peter and Abraham Landis, the amount demanded by them the previous year for their property. The impeeunious millers now required a greater sum, but the citizens positively refused, and at a public meeting they resolved that a further tender be made the Landises and in case of refusal to "prostrate the dam and pay, if necessary, the "porportionable parts of all legal expenses and damages that might accrue on any suits or indictments which might be brought or prosecuted in consequence of such acts." The forefathers were not to be trifled with, and suiting the action to the word, mnet at a given hour and opened the dam. Eventually the parties compromised-the Landises accepted a cer- tain sum and the town secured the mill right. The valuable papers relating to this interesting epoch in the history of Harris- burg are in the possession of the Dauphin County Historical Society. The entire trans- action was creditable to the ancient Harris- burger, and the decendants of the men who then stood up for the rights of the people are among the most prominent of our citi- zens to-day.
In 1798, when a war with France was im- minent and a call made by the General Government on Pennsylvania for troops, an unusnal excitement was created, and several companies tendered their services to the governor. The storm blew over, and as in 1807, when a war was threatened with Great Britain-no occasion for troops were re- quired until five years later-when the sec- ond struggle with England took place. Among the prominent military organiza- tions which armed for the conflict were the companies of Captains Thomas Walker, Rich- ard M. Crain, John Carothers, Jeremiah Rees, Thomas M'Ilhenny, Peter Snyder, John B. Moorhead, James Todd, Richard Knight,
John Elder, Isaac Smith, Philip Fedderhoff and Gawen Henry, quite a formidable array. Some of these marched as far as Baltimore at the time of the British attack on that city, while others went no farther than York. None of these companies had an op- portunity to meet the enemy on the san- gninary field-but Dauphin county men composed the major portion of two com- panies which joined the Canada expedition. The heroes of this conflict are nearly all passed from off the stage of life. Following in the footsteps of the fathers of the Revolu- tion, they emulated their heroism and de- votion to the liberties of their country.
The removal of the seat of government to Harrisburg, although suggested as early as 1787, and often moved in the Assembly, did not prove successful until by the act of Feb- ruary, 1810, when "the offices of the State government were directed to be removed to the borough of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin," "within the month of October, 1812," and "the sessions of the Legislature thereafter to be held." The first sessions of the Assembly were held in the court honse, and that body continned to occupy the build- ing until the completion of the capitol.
No historical resume of Dauphin county can be called complete without some refer- ence to the so-called "Buckshot War" of 1838. At the October election of that year David R. Porter, of Huntingdon, was chosen governor, after a hotly contested political canvass, over Governor Ritner. Thedefeated party issued an ill-timed and ill-advised ad- dress, advising their friends "to treat the election as if it had not been held." It was determined, therefore, to investigate the elec- tion, and to do this the political complexion of the Legislature would be deeisive. The majority of the Senate was Anti-Masonic, but the control of the House of Representatives hinged upon the admission of certain mem- bers from Philadelphia whose seats were con- tested. The votes of one of the districts in that city were thrown out by reason of fraud, and the Democratic delegation returned. The Anti-Masonic return judges refused to sign the certificates, "and both parties made out returns each for a different delegation, and sent them to the Secretary of the Com- monwealth." The Democratic returns were correct, and should have been promptly re- ceived "without question."
When the Legislature met, the Senate or- ganized by the choice of Anti-Masonic officers.
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HISTORICAL REVIEW
In the House a fierce struggle ensued, both delegations claiming seats. The consequence was that each party went into an election for speaker, each appointing tellers. Two speakers were elected and took their seat upon the platform-William Hopkins being the choice of the Democrats and Thomas S. Cunningham of the opposition. The Demo- crats believing that they were in the right, left out of view the rejection of the votes of the Philadelphia district. However, when the returns from the Secretary's office were opened, the certificate of the minority had been sent in, thus giving the advantage to the Anti-Masons. It was then a question which of the two Houses would be recognized by the Senate and the Governor.
At this stage of the proceedings, a num- ber of men (from Philadelphia especially) collected in the lobby and when the Senate after organization proceeded to business, in- terrupted it by their disgraceful and menac- ing conduct. The other branch of the Leg- islature was in like manner disturbed, and thus both Houses were compelled to dis- perse. The crowd having taken possession of the hails proceeded to the court house, where impassioned harangues were indulged in and a committee of safety appointed. For several days all business was suspended and the governor, alarmed for his own personal safety, ordered out the militia, and fearing this might prove insufficient, called on, the United Statesauthorities for help. The latter refused, but the militia under Major Generals Patterson and Alexander came promptly in response. For two or three days during this contest, the danger of a collision was immi- nent, but wiser counsels prevailed, and the Senate having voted to recognize the section of the House presided over by Mr. Hopkins, the so-called " Insurrection at Harrisburg " was virtually ended. This was what is com- monly known as the " Buckshot War."
In the war with Mexico, consequent upon the annexation of Texas, among the troops which went out to that far-off land to vindi- cate the honor of our country and preserve its prestige, was the Cameron Guards, under command of Capt. Edward C. Williams. They made a good record, their heroic conduct at Cerro Gordo, Chapultepec and the Garreta de Belina, won for them high renown and the commendation of their venerated com- mander-in-chief. Scarce a corporal's guard remains of that gallant band.
Coming down to later times, when the
perpetuity of the Union was threatened and the great North rose up like a giant in its strength to crush secession and rebellion, the events are so fresh in the remembrance of all that we shall only refer to them in brief. The first public meeting held after the firing upon Fort Sumter in the State of Pennsylva- nia, and in fact the first in any northern city, was in the court house at Harrisburg, Gen. Simon Cameron being chairman thereof. Dauphin county, foremost in tendering men and means to the government for the bitter, deadly strife, furnished her full quota of volunteers. Twice Harrisburg was the ob- jective point of the Confederate troops, and at one time (June, 1863) the enemy's picket was within two miles of the city. Active preparations were made for its defense and fortifications erected on the bluff opposite, and named " Fort Washington." This was the only fortification deserving a name erected in any of the Northern States. Rifle pits were dug along the banks of the river, in front of Harris Park, and every prepara- tion made to give the enemy a warm recep. tion. The Union victory at Gettysburg checked the further advance of the Confed- erates and with it the last attempts to invade the North. It would take volumes to re- hearse not only the heroism of the sons of Dauphin county on the battlefield, but the deeds of mercy and charity and love of the noble-hearted women. We need not speak of the gallantry of the lamented Simmons and the six hundred brave dead-stricken down on the field of battle, in the hospital or in the loathsome prison, or yet of the heroes only a few of whom are living-Knipe and Jennings, the Awls, Porter, Williams and Jordan, Witman and Davis, Detweiler, Mc- Cormick and Alleman, Savage, Geety and Hummel, and many others-a long line of illustrious names-officers and privates of that immense force which Dauphin county sent out from her midst for the preservation of the Union. The location of the first and greatest military camp in the Northern States was within the limits of Harrisburg -- named by Generals Knipe and Williams in honor of the Chief Magistrate of Pennsyl- vania, Camp Curtin, which with being the central point of communication, especially with the oft-beleagured Federal Capital made it a prominent rendezvous. From the com- mencement of the war, the charity of the citizens was unbounded and without stint, the doors of hospitality freely opened, and to
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DAUPHIN COUNTY ..
our honor be it said, two citizens, Messrs. John B. Simon and Eby Byers, established the Soldiers' Rest, where the sick and wounded patriot, on his way homeward, found rest, and refreshment and gentle care. Thousands were kindly ministered to, and until the " boys came marching home " the good work went on unabated. In every cemetery and graveyard within the borders of Dauphin county lie the remains of her brave and true sons, while in the cemetery at Harrisburg the grass grows green over the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers from far-off States. In all the struggles for life, for liberty, for right and for the Union, Dauphin county has been in the van. But these dark days of our country have passed like "a dream that has been told." May the lesson taught be heeded by those who come after us-that the Union of States is not a rope of sand which may be broken at the will of any section.
- The subject of international improvements was one which early commanded the atten- tion of the citizens of Pennsylvania, and one hundred years ago, as now, communication with the western country was the great aim of the business men of Philadelphia. The first effort was the removal of obstructions in the various streams, and especially that of the Susquehanna river; and although a con- siderable amount of money was eventually spent in improving the navigation thereof, the result was far from satisfactory. Previ- ous to the Revolution (1774), the attention of the Provincial Assembly was called to this matter, and as a preliminary it was proposed to lay out a town or city on that stream. John Harris, the founder of our city, imme- diately gave notice of his intention of laying out a town, which seemed to quiet the move- ment of undoubted land speculators. The Revolution coming on, such enterprises, if ever seriously considered, were abandoned. No sooner, however, came peace, than the business activity of the people sought out new channels-roads were made, attempts at slackwater navigation ventured on-until finally the Pennsylvania canal, from Colum- bia to Pittsburgh, opened up an avenue to trade, and brought prosperity to all the towns on its route. On none had it better effect than Middletown and Harrisburg, and the former place at one period was destined to retain a supremacy in population, enterprise, wealth and influence. It was a great lum- ber mart; the Union canal and its admira-
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