USA > Pennsylvania > Historical register : notes and queries historical and genealogical, chiefly relating to interior Pennsylvania. Volume I > Part 12
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Those persons who sent their produce down the river found that they did not get remunerative prices, and they who resided in the eastern part of the State, and purchased the same, found that it cost so much for transportation from Middletown and Falmouth that they could not sell at a profit .. Both com- plained at this hardship, and the leading men in the State be- gan to discuss the subject and devise some means whereby the obstacles at Conewago falls and other places could be overcome, and navigation be made safe and free to all. Bertram Gal- braith, a prominent land surveyor, who lived at Bainbridge, and the most prominent citizens along the river, were appointed at various times, to explore the river and report some feasible plan to get rid of these obstructions.
After the close of the Revolutionary war, the subject was again taken up. In 1789. Samuel Boyd, Bertram Galbraith, and Thomas Hulings were appointed commissioners to explore the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers. On the 30th day of Jan- uary, 1790, they reported that: "Conewago falls, about four- teen miles above Wright's Ferry, was the great obstruction and barr to the wealth and population of our western coun- try," and that a canal was the only safe and sure way of getting beyond the falls.
Some of the commissioners thought the hills along the York county shore were too close to the river, and would render it very expensive to build a canal there. They recommended the construction of a canal about a mile long, thirty-three feet
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wide, and nine feet deep at its entrance. with a fall in that dis- tance of nineteen feet. Their estimated cost of the canal was five thousand pounds. They did not, in their report, recom- mend the construction of locks to lift boats to a level with the head of the falls. They stated that boats carrying thirty-five tons to the head of the falls drew twenty (20) inches.
Discussion, and a free interchange of sentiment among the Legislators. the Governor, and the best engineers, convinced all that a canal with nineteen feet fall in one mile would make it impossible for a keel-boat to ascend it against the rapid water. and it was very doubtful whether there would be sufficient water in the canal to allow the descent of boats.
The Legislature made an appropriation of five thousand two hundred and fifty pounds to improve the river from Wright's Ferry to the Swatara, April 13, 1791. Of this sum one hun- dred and fifty pounds were expended at Chickies falls and one hundred pounds at Haldeman's riffles.
On the 3d day of July, 1792, a contract was entered into between Governor Thomas Mifflin, in behalf of the State on one part, and Robert Morris, William Smith, Walter Stewart, Samnel Meredith, John Steinmetz. Tench Francis, John Nich- olson. Samuel Miles, Timothy Matlack. David Rittenhouse, Samuel Powell, Alexander James Dallas, William Bingham, Henry Miller, Abraham Witmer, and Robert Harris, as a com- pany to construct a canal around Conewago falls, forty feet wide and four feet deep. Their engineer was James Brindiy, who had no practical experience, probably. in work of this kind. The company thought that the entire expense would be about twenty thousand dollars, of which the State had appro- priated one half. When they completed their work they found that they had expended $102,000.
On the 22d day of November, 1797, amid sleet and snow, Governor Mifflin and a number of attendants arrived upon horseback at the foot of the falls, on the Lancaster county shore, to witness the opening of the canal. The commissioners and the Rev. Dr. Sinith had crossed the river some hours be- fore and examined the work. A number of persons from the neighborhood were attracted by the novel scene, and collected
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The Conewago Cunal.
along the shore. There was no artillery to salute the Governor upon his arrival. When the commissioners and Dr. Smith first arrived. a number of men went to work and commenced to drill holes in the granite bowlders, which they filled with powder, and when the Governor arrived upon the ground and passed up and down the canal, they fired salutes from these crude cannon. The canal was forty feet wide and four feet deep, with two locks at the lower end eighty feet long and twelve feet wide. When the distinguished party arrived they were placed upon flat-boats, and when they entered the cham- ber of the first lock, and the lower gate closed behind them, they were astonished to find their boat in a few minutes raised nine feet. Ice was formed in the canal and had to be broken with poles to enable the boat to proceed.
At the head of the canal they found several small keel boats, which came down from Middletown. The salutes fired from the primitive rocks aroused the whole neighborhood, and when the Governor arrived at the foot of the canal, upon his return, five hundred people had collected to welcome him. Governor Mifflin, who was one of the most gifted public speakers in the State or country, greeted them in his happiest vein. His ar- rival at the Lancaster shore seemed to be entirely unexpected to the commissioners. When they saw him standing along the shore, in sleet and snow, without any means to reach the York county side, a number of persons volunteered to go over and bring him and his attendants. Some started in a keel- boat, others in canoes and row-boats. Amongst all, there was great rivalry to reach the eastern shore first, and secure the honor of bringing the Governor back with them.
This was the first navigable canal built in the State, and, perhaps, in the United States. The act of Assembly charter- ing the company required the navigation of the canal to be free to every one. The company found themselves out of pocket many thousand dollars, and they applied to the Legis- lature for relief. They proposed to appoint a person to attend to the locks and canal, who was to charge each keel-boat a cer- tain sum for passing it through. The amount asked for seems to have been very inadequate, and would hardly reimburse them for their outlay.
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There was much opposition in the Legislature. The num- ber of keel-boats which passed through the canal during the following summer was much greater than they anticipated; and it was urged, in objection to high tolls. that the capitol of the State was likely to be located at Columbia. and, if it did go there, the traffic through the canal would be largely increased thereby. We have not examined the acts of Assembly to see whether any were passed to relieve this company. The canal, however, must have been a great success, for it was but a few years after this when James Hopkins, Esq., who was a mem- ber of the Falmouth company, undertook to erect a canal upon the Lancaster county side, at his own expense. He sank a large fortune in the enterprise. which proved a total failure. The canal was a mile long, and but seventeen to twenty min- utes were required to get a boat from the head to the foot of the falls. It required only four minutes for an object to pass the same distance over the falls. Thus was the initiatory step - taken, which started an era of artificial navigation in the State. .Robert Fulton, the great inventor, advocated the erection of a canal from Philadelphia to Columbia, for which he predicted great success, based upon the tolls received by the Philadel- phia and Lancaster turnpike company, and the amount of merchandise transported over the road.
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The Churches of Roun and Lind.
1
THE CHURCHES OF ROAN AND LIND.
In an appended note to the "History of Big Spring Presby- tery, by the Rev. J. B. Scouller, D. D.," the author locates the church of Rev. Matthew Lind in Paxtang, as "six miles east of Harrisburg, on the Union Deposit road, on land now owned by the heirs of Jacob Grove," giving as his authority "a late publication of the Dauphin County Historical Society." The pamphlet alluded to by Dr. Scouller seems to have based its conclusions mainly upon the following facts : First, An item in the Oracle of Dauphin, which states that "on the 11th of September, 1795, James Byers and James Wilson, executors of William Brown, Esq., of Paxtang, offered for sale a log house, near the residence of Mr. Brown, formerly occupied as a house of worship by the Rev. Matthew Lind." Second. In Paxtang, "on the Union Deposit road six miles east of Harris- burg," there is an old Scotch-Irish grave-yard, long disused, and until lately in a sad state of neglect.
The farm and residence of William Brown, it may here be stated, was situated on the Jonestown road. three or four miles north-east of the grave-yard. Mr. Brown died there in October, 1787, when the property descended to his nephew, Thomas Brown, in whose hands it remained until 1851, when he died, after which it was sold to the present owner, Peter K. Levan. The site of the meeting-house was on the roadside near the present brick school-house, and until within a few years the foundations were distinctly visible. . There never was a grave- yard attached to this church, Mr. Brown, and others of his fam- ily, having been buried in Old Paxtang grave-yard.
Of the church which stood near the grave-yard, on the Grove property, we shall not attempt to give the ecclesiastical history. Suffice it to say that tlie congregation was organized about 1745, was New Side Presbyterian, that their building was called "Paxtang Church," that from 1745 until 1775 their pastor was
4
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Rev. John Roan, and that after his death it is probable that no other pastor was ever installed, but that during the few re- maining years of their existence they were ministered unto by supplies. From the account book we learn that the Rev. Messrs. McMillan. Joseph Montgomery, Magill, Foster, White, Linn, and Waugh. held service there. The congregation owned about two and one quarter acres of land, the "free and volun- tary gift " of Joseph Sherer. The grave-yard was laid out on one corner of this lot. probably not much earlier than 1750, as the oldest stone bears that date. The organization was kept up until 1787, when the building was taken down and the ma- terials and furniture sold for the sum £10 18s. 3d. This amount, in addition to £12 2s. 6d. raised by assessment upon the congregation, was applied to the building of a new paling fence around the grave-yard. and the following named con- tributed thereto: Joseph Wilson, Jeremiah Sturgeon, Josiah White, Widow Barnet, Joseph Shaw. Joseph Montgomery. Esq., Jonathan MeClure, Esq., James Duncan, Robert McClure, James Caldwell. Alexander Wilson, William McClanaghan. Samuel Sherer, Samuel Cochran, Patrick Lusk, Hugh Stewart, Robert Templeton, Michael Limes, David Boyd and James Stewart.
The sale above mentioned took place on the 27th of May, 1787, and was conducted by John Wilson and Robert Mont- gomery, for the congregation. The assessment was laid on the 28th of August of the same year, and seems to have been promptly paid up. All this took place in the life-time of Mr. Brown, whose name does not appear in any of these transac- tions, and who would. undoubtedly, have taken an active part had they related to Mr. Lind's church. And there could have been no necessity for offering the same building for sale eight years afterwards. The fence was built and the affairs of the congregation wound up, as has been stated, in the summer of 1787, and we hear no more about it until 1807, when a new fence was needed for the grave-yard. On the first day of May. 1807, for the purpose of creating a fund to defray the expense of rebuilding the fence, Samuel Sherer, Joseph Wilson, and Robert McClure, who represented themselves as " the surviving
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The Churches of Roan and Lind.
members of the Presbyterian congregation of Lower Paxtang township, then Lancaster. now Dauphin, county, in the State of Pennsylvania, formerly under the pastorate of Rev. John Roan, since deceased," sold and conveyed to John Albert (the owner of the adjoining property, now Grove's,) the two and one quarter acres of land for the sum of one hundred dollars, " reserving. however, the free use of the burying-ground on said tract, and the space of four feet on the north, east. and west, outside the fence. and the whole space between the front and the road leading thereby." Thus it will be seen that the congregation of Lower Paxtang themselves sold their building in 1787, and not the executors of William Brown, who did not offer their house until 1795, and that the lot of ground, in the one case, is spoken of as belonging to the congregation formerly under the pastorate of Rev. John Roan, and the other as a building formerly used as a house of worship by Rev. Matthew Lind; that, although both. were located in Paxtang, they were several miles apart and therefore separate and dis- tinct institutions. Again, it should be borne in mind that the Rev. John Roan died in 1775, only two years after Mr. Lind came to Paxtang. Lind arrived in 1773 and preached there almost ten years, and being a man of mark and considerable force of character and great piety, the surviving members of the congregation in 1807 would naturally have held him more distinctly in remembrance than Mr. Roan, and would have represented themselves as the survivors of Mr. Lind's congre- gation.
There were, it seems, only a few covenanters in Paxtang, but no church building. William Brown, who was a man of means and intelligence, and withal a zealous covenanter, deemed it worth while to erect a house and secure a minister, hoping with these appliances to build up a congregation. Through his in- fluence, therefore, Mr. Lind came and labored faithfully and perseveringly for almost ten years, but with no satisfactory re- sults. the people of Paxtang being too strongly attached to that shade of Presbyterianism of which the Rev. John Elder was the most prominent representative.
W. F. R.
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A JOURNAL OF THE "WHISKEY INSURRECTION."
EDITED BY BENJAMIN M. NEAD.
14
IL.
The recital of the above story affected me very much-Her natural goodness, the ill-treatment during our long march from the people, paying 2 & 3 prices for what we received & ill-lan- guage beside. Here we were received different, we lived as well as they could give it, slept dry & comfortable. This happy Family lives about one mile from Budd's ferry on the River Yough, 25 miles from Ft. Pitte a southerly direction; a good tract of land, but hilly; a quantity of sugar maple & good tim- ber grows here; their names are Morton.
Nov. 9th. This day we had more rest than for many days past. Mr. Sterret, Lieut. in the federal army and engaged in the same business with me. left us this morning to Bedford. The day was pleasant. About 3 o'clock this afternoon Gov". Lee # commander of the Patriotick Army arrived from the Vir- ginia and Maryland Lines, to that of ours, namely Jersey and Pennsylvania Lines; was announced with the discharge of 15 Cannon I now began to think, or at least to wish to return home. The weather beginning to grow severe, a great many of men sick & we began to prepare for a march toward Pitt.
10th. This morning the army about 8 o'clock marched on towards Pitt in three directions. We had orders to direct the stores to Pitt. The Roads were tolerable good, the land fer- tile but hilly. We moved about 7 miles and left our Worthy Morton family about 12 o'clock with regret. Travelling about
*Gen. Henry Lee, b. Jan. 29, 1756; d. March 25, 1818. Son of Henry, cousin of Richard Henry, Francis Lightfoot, and Arthur Lee. Familiarly known as " Legion Harry, " or " Lighthorse Harry." Father of Gen. Robt. E. Lee, commander-in-chief of the Confeder- ate Army.
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A Journal of the " Whiskey Insurrection."
two Miles we came to a Creek, called the Sewickley. On the West side of it, it is remarkable for the Construction of the Road, which is extended I imagine 20 or 30 yards above the water, seemingly as if it was done by art. The Bank is seem- ingly as one solid rock unto the top, or to speak more Compre- hensively like a Wall: the road is about 10 or 12 feet wide on the top and on the other side of the road is an Valley equally as far down as to the Water on this side and requires great at- tention in the Waggoner. or perhaps throw his team into an abyss that is irretrievable. We lay about 13 miles from the army at a Mill, the name of Hazel's, on the little Sewickley Creek. This evening it began to rain hard; the road near the Creek was very hilly. This evening we give orders to the Waggoners to be on the start by the break of Day to get the Advance of the army.
11th. We started this morning about day break, the roads a good deal wet and still raining a little. We travelled about 3 miles through a fertile piece of Country and then entered into Braddock's old Road. About 6 miles from where we started, I found unexpectedly a Relation of my Wife's. I was treated kindly by them, and partook of nourishment rarely to be met with. We took up our Quarters about } mile from Thompson's tavern, or as some call it Moyer's, at one Powell's at Turtle Creek. We dined this day at Thompson's, and an excellent dinner in Company with Col. Biddle* and several other officers. We had a good supper here, the family were kind. Had a long discourse on the campaign; gave us an acct of the Marshal appearance of the insurgents about 4 months ago. This house lays about 2 miles from Braddock's field on the old Pennsya Road. The March of the latter part
*Col. Clement Biddle, b. May 10, 1740; d. July 14, 1814. In 1765 signed the "non-importation " resolutions; 1775 officer in Quaker Volunteer Company, Philadelphia ; 1776 Quartermaster-General Fly- ing Camp ; engaged in the campaigns of 1777-78 ; shared the priva- tions of the Continental Army at Valley Forge; retired from the army 1780; appointed Quartermaster-General of Pennsylvania, 1781 ; U. S. Marshal for Pennsylvania, 1787; Quartermaster-General of Pennsylvania in the Western Expedition of 1794.
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of the day was very bad, the roads good deal hilly and deep. We were presented some of the largest shell barks that I ever saw, they were nearly as large as Walnuts, but not so good in quality as size.
12th. This morning we started carly. Before breakfasting, it began to snow. We traveled about 33 miles and stopt at a little Cabbin wherein lived 4 fresh lively Irish Girls. We Breakfasted here, beside a good Comfortable fire. The Cabbin was very small, not above 12 feet square, wherein dwelt content & Hospitality, with all the perfections of Rosey Health. They had a pumpkin, the largest ever I saw ; in Circumference 73 feet. They informed me it was good deal larger when green. I waited here until our stores came up with us; gave the wag- goners direction to come on as fast as they could, and then pro- ceeded on for the long wished for Port, Fort Pitt. I arrived in town about 2 o'clock. The first Beauty that I observed in the situation was that of the Rivers, which I viewed with the greatest delight. I then began to find out Capt. Gamble, the Superintendent of the Stores, but sought him long in vain. I went to the Garrison to find him, he had just left it. I there met with Mr. Vandyke an acquaintance and Physician in the federal Army. He conducted me through and several more, the whole of and every part of the Garrison. I soon after inet with Capt. Gamble, and conducted us to our Quarters-Elegant house ? mile from the town. People of the best of Characters Boarded with us; a Mr. Sample, attorney at Law, with his Lady. I was exceedingly disappointed with regard to Society. I vainly anticipated a Country awkward Society. Mr. Sample I found an agreeable informed character, that of his lady hand- some, was softness itself, conversant and Informed, (Daughter of Mr. Fowler.) Indeed, I never expected so amiable a figure in so rugged an Country; together with 6 or 8 more, in all making agreeable Society. This evening proved by far the coldest than any this season. I now considered myself as safely landed in Port; had all the necessaries to make me com- fortable.
13th. A most beautiful morn, but cold and calm. The rivers looked this morning like glass. Mr. Moderwel and I,
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A Journal of the " Whiskey Insurrection."
after eating a good, hearty breakfast, walked down town to view the rivers, the sight of which was truly pleasing. Along the Monongahela shore were laving boats in numbers, both loadened and unloadened. ready to be wafted to the new world down the grand Ohio, a sight majestic, demonstration of its in- creasing. From that we walked down the banks to the june- tion of the Allegheny : the latter is something larger than the former, and much clearer and more beautiful; just on the point is the spot whereon was the old French fort .* but has been erased long ago. and there remains nothing but here and there some part of the foundation. Near to that, within fifty yards, is part of the old English fort.+ The labor of the arti- ficers must have been indefatigable; the stockades nearly all extirpated, the ditches that had been digged to form a channel from the Monongahela and the Allegheny is still clear to be seen. The magazine is still a good and strong building. Braddock's fort is not quite in so commanding a situation as the old French fort; but the present garrison now held is in the most inconvenient situation of all them. -
.
14th. This morning we found a snow of about one inch and still continuing. The greater part of the day we employed in unloading our stores, and deposited them into a new church, but newly under the roof, the inside work of which was but just begun; but therein was erected a kind of pulpit, which I suppose they made use of occasionally, but all places, whether for worship or not, were taken for the like purposes without hesitation.
15th. Still Continuing snowing. I stood sometime this morning, and looking out of the Windows of my lodging in the 2nd story. The house is very high situated, but very pleasant; it overlooks the whole of the town, and a perfect
*Old Fort Du Quesne, a point of great importance and interest during that period when " in the whole valley of the Mississippi, to . its head springs in the Alleghenies. no standard floated but that of France." Five years it flourished, and then perished at the hands of its friends.
+Fort Pitt, constructed by the English after the destruction of Fort Du Quesne.
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view of both the Rivers, together with an extensive view down the Ohio-all looked dead and dreary:
"See Winter comes to rule the varied year, Sullen and sad with all his rising train ;
Vapours and Clouds and Storms, Now
The drowsy world lies lost in sleep,
Where now ye lying vanities of life ! Ye ever tempting, ever cheating train !
Where are ye now and what is your amount ?
The weary Clouds, slow melting, mingle into solid gloom,
Heavy they roll their fleecy world along,
And the sky saddens with the gathered storm The cherish'd fields put on their winter robe of purest white,
'Tis brightness all, save where the new snow melts
Along the mazy Current." -Thompson.
In the evening Mr. Moderwel and I went down town with some of our acquaintances: passed away the time agreeably in Company with a great number of Gentlemen of and belonging to different Volunteer Corps, in singing and drinking of Brandy, &c. Notwithstanding the long march before us to get home, and the dreary Winter already severely set in, it is surprising the tranquillity and cheerfulness of the Company ; we were all seemingly as happy as well we could be at our re- spective homes.
16th. Still continuing snowing; the weather so hard and severe that the Rumors became nearly general of returning home or tarrying all Winter. Winter setting in so fast and . Provisions and Forage in very scanty proportions to the de- mand that the Commanders thought proper to March home again and which was pricipitate in Comparison to marching out. This Evening I walked out to Camp about 5 miles up the Al- legheny road to speak to Col Mosher. It was near night when I started in company with Wm. P. Atlee; the roads were ex- cessive bad, and had we not fortunately went with two men belonging to a Volunteer Corps from Harrisburgh, on horse- back, and which seeing our disagreeable situation took us on behind them, and so jogg'd on quite conveniently. It was a considerable while after night when we arrived at Camp. I there met with my old Messmates in so kind a manner that
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notwithstanding their disagreeable situation found myself happy. I supped with them on a good cup of chocolate, slept on a bed of wet straw, which they little noticed, but which gave me a violent cold. This was the only night I slept in a tent covered with rain & snow successively during the night : but sleep I had but little, feeling myself chilly during the whole night.
17th. This morning at the firing of the signal gun I arose and began to make my way to Pitt again, the snow was several inches deep & slush at the bottom. I was a stranger to the road and which made it both difficult to find and very disa- greeable work. The snow covered the watry places, and often thinking of setting my foot safe I would plunge into slush over my shoe. Not knowing it was necessary to have procured a pass, I came off without one. I had not proceeded one mile before I was stopt by a picket Guard and demanded my pass. I then perceived my error in not procuring it, and with diffi- culty I could persuade the sergeant of the guard that I did not belong to any of the Corps, that my business was that of Is- suing Commissary of the Clothing, &c. ; but at length permitted to pass on. I had not proceeded one mile further before I was stop't the 2nd time by another Picket Guard, and had there not been one of the Company I belonged to before I rec'd the new appointment, I make not the least doubt but I should have been kept there, which him knowing me and the business I was in, ended a further inquiry and permitted to pass on. I then pro- ceeded until I came to a Stone Cole mine through a strange Woodland, the Phenomena of which I had several times heard of. I went into the mouth thereof and called into it, if they would admit me; which echoed and rolled for a minute nearly seemingly as an huge hollow vessel and was answered from within; which I could not comprehend, but thought they for- bid me entering. I waited a moment, much disappointed; at length there came one of them out of the Cave, and I then asked him to take me with him, which he seemed willingly to comply. He then hallooed to some within to bring him a candle to light a stranger in, in French, and soon came one with the candle and black as the devil, enough to frighten one. He
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