USA > Pennsylvania > Historical register : notes and queries historical and genealogical, chiefly relating to interior Pennsylvania. Volume I > Part 13
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then ordered me to follow him in broken English, through a long entry, seemingly strongly smelling of Sulphur, and yellow fat liquid running along the Walls and under foot which they have laid with planks to make it more easy to wheel the Cole out. They then led me along gangways that intersected or run across the first. I was soon lost within it and suppose I could have with difficulty found the way out again. To give a more plain description of the Cave will be by illustrating it as below .* They were all French men that worked in it; they appeared as so many beings from the bottomless pit; they looked con- sumpted and emaciated.
18th. This morning about 9 o'clock the Governor left Pitt escorted by the companies of horse from the Counties of Lan- caster, Berks, and Dauphin. Mr. Moderwel and I left it about 12; a hard frosty morning, but about noon became much thawed and slippery and muddy travelling. We got as far as 13 miles this afternoon, to a small hut, and remained there all night. Though at another time we should have been sorry to accept of the like place, now seemed comfortable. The family
* Wherever the crosses are, there are pillars left for to support the Canopy, & the Gang Ways are cut or worked out strait and regular ; the whole something extraordinary & well worth the seeing. Each of the Gang Ways extend near 100 feet under ground.
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were Irish, the name of Calhoon, entertained us kindly with what they had. As the country seemed over-run with soldiers pushing home as fast and in every direction as they could, we thought ourselves happy in the situation.
19th. This morning about day break we got on our way again : we felt a little stiff and fatigued; however after march- ing up Turtle Creek # a few miles, and getting a little warm, we became more suple, and walking at a surprising rate athink- ing we should march to Lancaster in a few days, our joints moved freely and we little thought of fatigue. There was no way of getting over Turtle Creek; it was very cold, though not so very deep. We accordingly began the work; by the time we got across we made many wry faces; however, we laughed it over, and after making about 7 miles of a lonesome and desolate country, we stopped at a small hut, the landlord of which was an Irish man not long come over, and they pro- cured us a good mess of mush and milk, and venison just killed the evening before, and which relished very much with us then ; they would receive nothing in Compensation. From that we traveled to a place called Hannahstown. The roads began to be much better, and there eat a good dinner. Hannahstown at present consists of but 4 or 5 families; some years ago were several houses more in it, and tolerable good frame buildings but was reduced to ashes by the Savages, and now remains ne- glected. We then took a road from there used by the packers and unfit for any wheel carriages, in order to procure enter- tainment, as along the public roads were over-run with the Horse; every one striving to get foremost, therefore we kept as long as possible from the main way and proceeded onward. About dusk we came to a creek called the Loyalhannaht (signifying the strong water.) This frightened us; we found there was no method of crossing but to wade it. I suppose it is 60 yards wide, where we crossed it; very muddy and sur- prisingly rappid; we began to strip and to dread; we knew
* An eastern tributary of the Monongahela river and part of the original boundary line of Allegheny county.
i Loyalhanna river rises on W. side of Laurel hill, Westmoreland county, flows N. W. ; length 30 miles ; unites with the Conemaugh river near Saltsburg, and with that river forms the Kiskiminetas.
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not how deep it was. I took my staff, put it before me, still to try the depth; the rappidity of the stream nearly washed us down the stream, and the cold so intense that before we had got half over, we thought we should not be able to survive it. It seemed every step we took to tramp upon hackels, and still we advanced to get across as fast as possible, never was I more dissatisfied with a Journey in my life, than at this present time. I was ready to curse them. that was the cause of bringing or taking me there, to perdition. We took lodging at one Coch- ran's about 40 miles from Pitt and travelled about 27 miles this day. They gave us bread and butter, Tea and sugar we brought with us, and thereon made our supper. I thought we were unwelcome guests, for what reason I know not; but let us have an Bed, which we did not expect. This night it began to rain hard & continued until morning.
20th. At break of day we left them; travelled a lonesome road, about 4 or 5 miles, through a heavy rain, to the foot of the Chestnut Ridge; We stopped at a new house built on a larger scale than Common in this Country. The good Woman of the house was obliging; she had no bread baked and had no other meal in the house but Buckwheat; but we being very much fatigued and hungry made us request her to make us bread of that, which she soon put some of into an indifferent Bucket, mixed it up with water and without any kind of ris- ing baked in the frying pan a Cake; we eat heartily upon ; necessity is the mother of invention, and tasted I thought as them with rising and well buttered. We then proceeded about 8 or 10 miles further to one Clifford's, through an heavy rain and wet to the skin, here we were entertained well. Clifford's farm and improvements bespoke them people of Decency; the good Woman pressed us, as well as the Husband to stay that night with them. To dry our Clothes, &c., they put on a good fire and set the table with decency, that more looked like the productions of an able farmer in Lancaster County, than that of a Rugged Country ; & of which we eat very heartily. We had many inducements for us to stay here, but well knew that an hour's delay would be the means of disadvantages; the Soldiery were proceeding with rapidity, and those most advanced
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would procure the best fare, & that those that had already passed us plainly demonstrated the truth of it. Notwithstand- ing their solicitations, the heaviness of the rain and the bad- ness of the roads, we again got on the way and marched to the foot of the Laurel Hill, at one Truman's a private house. In the evening it began to snow and to Blow, that one would al- most believe that the Elements were at War with other. It grew exceeding cold and froze some. We slept on the floor, the hardness of which I experienced the effects of severely.
21st. Not being able to sleep any during the night, the time seemed long to us and about 2 o'clock in the morning we left Truman's and mounted the Laurel Hill. The rain the day be- fore filled every hollow, then the change to that of snow and very cold sufficient for to freeze, rendered the roads most shock- ing. The snow covered the road and there was an impossibility of picking one's way, especially before day; one step at times would be rested on a pyramid of Ice & snow secure, and the next be sunk down in a slush of rain and snow to one's knees, -every step was insecure, though wading every way, while the Crash of the limbs and trees together overhead, the falling of the huge limbs which made the mountains tremble again, rendered the ascent dreadful and was uncertain what moment either a limb or a tree would fall and Crush us to atoms. We travelled across the mountain and stopped at a small house at the foot of it, expecting to get some nourishment; but the house was so full of. one kind or other, that we could get in, but not near the fire. We were nearly perished with cold & were obliged to stay in that situation, about one hour, until the dawn of day. Laurel Hill is 53 miles across. We were very hungry, but could procure nothing here. At break of day we again got under way and marched 9 miles further, before we could procure a bite of Bread, Potatoes or like. We now . began to feel the effects of coming into the main road, and now began to feel the pangs of hunger. The good Woman , was nearly tormented out of her Wits for Victuals; as fast as - she could bake it the soldiers eat it, that even her own children were Weeping for want of it; I procured flour from her, made it up into a Cake and baked it, in the ashes, while she dressed
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us a dish of Coffee & Venison. We made a hearty meal here. Here we were so fortunate as to meet with an empty Waggon going to Bedford; we Bargained with him for a Passage hither, and so, by kind fortune. we escaped from marching many miles of bad roads. The Waggoner driving much slower than we expected, Induced us to buy some Whiskey for him; we got him in a good humor and mended his pace. We took lodging this night at one Reigert's, part way on the Allegheny; a most miserable place. We slept as bad as cou'd be. cold, plagued with Dogs and Cats, that I never saw the like before; exceed- ing bad entertainment and charged double. We paid him his price and resolved never more to stop at his house, unless we could not help it.
22nd. Snowed the greatest part of the night preceding. We left our uncomfortable, inhospitable landlord this morn- ing about 7 o'clock, without regret. Finding myself somewhat indisposed this morning, I left the Waggon and walked about 7 miles through an rough and disagreeable lonesome road up the Allegheny mountain to one Statler's. I received a good warm Breakfast, which recruited my much exhausted limbs, for which I paid } of a Dollar. A crossing this mountain to Statler's and Comparing the way, I really think for badness of roads it exceeded every part of the road except the Laurel Hill. The Shadow of Death. a place so called by the dismal swampy dark aspect, about 2 miles from Statler's, is truly fright- ful, together with the season-" Winter spreading wide his dreary Gloom and Horror. wide extending his desolate do- main." After having recruited myself again we traveled on again & having now gained the summit, as we thought. of this mountain, nothing I ever before beheld appeared more surpris- ing, mountains branching out stupenduous, into distant lands, desolate and dreary as the grave. Every small ascent we come to we thought would be the last, but found however an unex- pected hill rise before us, & that being scaled found the high- est summit almost at as great a distance as before, & still as we ascended, the earth appeared more Barren & more cold. The air generally cold & refrigerated with frosts, or disturbed with Tempests. At a distance, the tops looked in wavy ridges of
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the very colour of the clouds & much resembling the billows of the Sea. But as we approached them nearer, they assumed a deeper hue, & what at first appeared to be a single hill is found to be a chain of continuous Mountains, whose tops run- ning in ridges are embosomed in each other. We traveled on as far as to Mean's tavern, near the foot of the Allegheny moun- tain, where was provided for supper a good Potpie & of which we partook plentifully ; it is allowed 19 miles across the mountain.
23rd. This morning. when I attempted to walk, my legs seemed as if they were like sticks of wood. I could scarce move one before the other, but after getting warm I soon found my- self getting more pliable : we walked 9 miles & eat a good Break- fast in Bedford, after which we proceeded on & reached the foot of Sideling Hill : nothing occurred on the way worth inserting ; Sideling Hill. the foot of which is about 2 miles from the Cross- ings of the Juniata.
24th. About 4 o'clock this morning we began to march by starlight ; clear & cold, but the roads tolerable good & ascended the Mountain : by 9 o'clock we had crossed it, & which is 83 miles across. We marched 5 miles further & Breakfasted at Jordan's, Genteel & kind People. We then pushed forward, expecting to go about 20 miles this day, however by rising so early. roads good, that by noon we found ourselves disposed to go farther. We crossed the Tuscorora Mountains & got to Strasburgh by a little after night. That is near 40 miles this day over an rugged Mountainous Country. We had but little time to spare to make observations, however when we come to town we could find no lodgings, as we wore Bear skins on our hats. A certain Mrs. Dever, a person of good property gave us very ill language & intimated a Stable or the like was good enough for a soldier. My blood took possession of my face & with utmost difficulty I avoided resenting it as she deserved, however I hope I shall have one day or other have the extreme pleasure of confounding her satisfactorily ; her Husband was more mild than she & said little, while she with that unbraided. impertinent tongue was unceasingly in agitation. But Provi- dence, "that ever waking eye, looks down with pity on the feeble toil of mortals lost to hope, & lights them safe through all his
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dreary Labyrinth of fate." Mr. A. Henry entertained us at his home with a good supper & Bed, & Mr. F. Stone another of our acquaintances invited us to Breakfast in the morning with him.
25th. This morning being a little lazy to rise, owing to the Comfortableness of the Bed. about 7 o'clock we ate Breakfast at my friend Stone's. after which we bid him adieu with a thou- sand blessings for his kindness, & which I shall endeavor to remember. I found myself very unfit to travel this day. how- ever Mr. Moderwel urged me on as far as he could. But he soon after left me to travel alone, to urge myself on (a poor fatigued traveller who was nearly dead with fatigue), I consid- ered it ungenerous & and which the world could not persuade me to the Contrary. We travelled together from Lancaster to Pitt, & so far back again, & now to forsake me, in my then pres- ent situation & take to that of a Stranger, for the sake of riding on an very Indifferent Horse & the owner far more so, to carry him to Lancaster. Indeed I could not have thought it possible he could have a thought of obligating himself to any such an ill looking Person, to ride upon so scrawny a Beast without a saddle. I reconciled myself to the change ; he rode off & I solitarily jogged on ; he told me he should not go farther than Mount Rock that night and perhaps I could reach it. I knew not how far I could get as much fatigued as I was. I managed to reach Mount Rock 7 miles from Carlisle. But when I ar- rived there I received the unfortunate news, he had proceeded on to Carlisle. I felt myself deceived & disappointed. I reconciled myself as well as I could & concluded to have to walk home at my ease. I spoke for my Bed & Supper de- termining to enjoy myself as well as possible. I had not been in the House & Hour, when there was a Waggon just going to Carlisle that night with sundry Kind of Marketing & therein was two young Women & two Men ; it was about 7 o'clock. I prevailed upon them to carry me to Carlisle & with difficulty they assented ; they were a merry company indeed, though so much fatigued I here in this Society found myself at ease & agreeable entertained ; the roads were excessive bad & the Waggoner stalled in a slush beyond description ; we were
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necessitated to unload the Waggon in the dark & lift it out of the mud. We were entertained and employed about 2 hours. About 11 o'clock we got into Carlisle & the Public Houses were all shut & the People went to bed. I could not get into any genteel house, I was therefore obliged to take up with the first one I should find would entertain me & which I found, God knows, bad enough.
26th. This morning I arose about 7 o'clock, discharged my Bill & proceeded toward Middletown by the Way of Symp- son's ferry.# Along the way there are no Public Houses, though the roads were tollerable & uncommonly direct & no public houses is extraordinary. I travelled about 12 miles & there from a private family got a mess of Bread & Milk. Water I found excessive scarce ; in the course of about 12 miles I saw but one stream of Water & every house I passed they all re- plyed there was none in the house, some had to bring it more than a mile & some less. After satisfying myself here I pro- ceeded solitarily along to the ferry. I there met one Huston from Franklin County, somewhat Intoxicated. We were de- tained but a few minutes at the ferry. Huston and I drank freely of Wine, grew intimate & took me behind him to Middle- town; in the evening gathered a great number of different sol- diers from the army on Horseback; spent the evening Cheer- fully and about 8 o'clock met Mr. Moderwel, whom I unknow- ingly passed the evening I got to Carlisle about 3 miles from the town of Carlisle. He came to my lodgings.
27th. This day about 10 o'clock We left Middletown & an- ticipated the pleasures of the evening of again coming among our friends & Relatives & partake of the Hospitable fireside & about 7 in the evening arrived in Lancaster.
* Simpson's Ferry was on west side of the Susquehanna river, one mile below the mouth of the Yellow Breeches creek. On the east side of the river it was called Chambers' Ferry.
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PAPERS RELATING TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
[The following letters, written by General Andrew Henderson, of Huntingdon, to James Trimble, "containing information of the quality of several Tracts of Donation Land," are not only interest- ing, but valuable in the elucidation of the early history of Western Pennsylvania.]
HUNTINGDON COUNTY, January 27, 1799.
Dear Sir : In answer to yours of the 8th instant, I transcribe my private notes, taken on the ground :
Lot No. 684. "The very best black and white oak land, with some chestnut, hickory, and maple."
"802. The upland white oak, second quality, but a large proportion of bottom on the creek."
"811. The very best quality, but water uncertain."
With respect to the fittest place for the seat of justice for Mercer county, not having the boundaries before me, I cannot form an opinion as to its locality; but, admitting the Pe- matuning Town, or great bend of Shenango, to be near the cen- ter, I know of no place so well qualified in other respects. The situation in the bend of Shenango, in No. 78, of five hundred acres, at the mouth of Lackawanick, is a dry bank of white oak and hazel; not much timber; and there is at this place no overflowing of the creek, which is a beautiful stream. It will be handy to a mill-seat, and the bend of the creek, I think, may be made a good harbor for boats. The town plot might extend west into 826.
The situation in Lot Na 712 is also good, being a bank suf- ficiently high. Tho' not so high as the former, it may be ob- served that, from the bend, all the way to Pomatuning, and some distance below, the north bank is high, and does not overflow. Any overflowing is on the south side, and that nothing but some sand-flatsand not of consequence. The creek,
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all along it, has a very moderate fall ; will be excellent naviga- tion, but few mill-seats. No part of Neashannock south-west- erly of those places I have mentioned can be nearer than 8 or nine miles. The branch of that creek which crossed my dis- trict has little or no fall, & was almost one continued Beaver Dam, which everybody knows are on streams with little fall.
If the Legislature fix the Town on any of the navigable streams, they must not expect many springs in the neighbor- hood, except at certain seasons. In that freestone land they rise very fine among the higher grounds, &, on running some distance towards the larger streams, soak into the ground. If Neashannock, at any place propos'd is not in this situation, it is an exception to all my observation in a whole summer spent in that country. In point of health, I am inclined to think the two streams must be much alike on their main Branches. On the head of Neashannock, in my district, I think it will not be so healthy.
As to the injunction you lay yourself under, to make no use of my letter but for your own information, I release you from it, as I have no lands in the county, nor intend to have any. I am totally indifferent what use may be made of my opinions in this respect, which is, in few words, if the situation is near the center, or within 4 or 5 miles of it, there can be no situa- tion equal to the bend. It embraces an extensive navigation up the stream as well as down, which Neashannock does not.
I am, sir, with much respect, Your most ob't serv't, AND. HENDERSON.
HUNTINGDON, 5 March, 1799.
Sir : I recd yours of the 13th ultº, and am happy in having it in my power to give you particular and, at the same time, satisfactory information on the subject of your Lands. When surveying the lands in question, I kept two books of notes, one with the drafts, courses, & distances, & corners, &c., for the inspection of the Surveyor General, if he chose to see them; the other totally for my own use, as I then intended to
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purchase, but did not find it convenient. As to the Lots you mention, you have been fortunate in purchasing. My notes, taken on the ground. you will distinguish by quotations taken in full as they stand in my book; my own present remarks are not quoted :
"No. 39, of 300 acres, 1st & 2d quality : a large quantity of bottom on the creek. & perhaps a mill-seat." This tract lies on Askeawacung, which is large enough for water works of any kind. It rises high in floods. & the banks are not very high : I am, however, inclined to think it contains a mill-seat, which is not common in that country; not more than four, I think, are in the whole district, & you have one of them, as you will see hereafter, beside this.
"700, of 200 acres. Chiefly all upland, of the best quality I ever saw ; the timber, black and white oak, hickory, &c .; soil, rich & easily cleared."
"712. On the south side of the hill; black and white oak land of the first quality. with part of an old Indian Town in the south side, near the creek." This is Pematuning Old Town. In 1785 there were some cabbins, which would have been useful to settlers, but are long since destroyed by fire. I presume the Indian corn-fields were mostly overgrown with hazel, & by this time will be nearly as hard to clear as the woods. Perhaps 15 or 20 acres of this tract may be in that situation. The creek here, and in all parts of this district, ap- pears navigable at the times for navigation. In this country the navigation is at least as good as 30 miles further down.
"720. The first quality upland : the side of the hill; a very large quantity of bottom, containing a great part of an old Indian town-Pematuning; appears not to be improved there 8 or ten years. (Excellent.)"
"729. All level land ; a great part of it excellent bottom ; some hazel glade ; the timber, dead ; first quality." In some places in that country there are parts of the best land, on which all the timber has been killed by fire at different times, and the land overgrown with brush-wood & hazel, as hard to clear as if the timber was left.
"758. Black & white oak of the first quality." This
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tract will make a good, compact farm ; is not cut up with streams of water; has enough for use.
"760. First quality, having a good proportion of bottom on the large creek & run : the east good upland."
"761. First quality, almost all bottom on both creeks & in the forks of them, & part of an Island below them." These two last mentioned tracts contain in some places a large creek, Askeawacung, which in this place has a considerable fall, which, as I hinted before. is not common in that country. A mill-seat of the first rate lies some where here, but which of the Tracts it may be in, or whether in either. I cannot say with certainty. You have law on the subject of water courses, and you see by the draft that the line dividing these two tracts from No. 84 & 80 crosses the creek so often, as to make it, perhaps, impossible to get fall enough in either of the four tracts. The bank on the west side is the best. I am inclined to think, from the observations I made, that no bank on the east side is conveniently high to carry the water on. No. 80 belongs to Col. Tho. Campble, who is acquainted with its value, & No. 84, of 300 acres, is a good deal of it a clear glade, good for little ; the rest of the Tract between first & second quality." This glade is a piece of strong land nearly level, has had the timber, white oak, all destroyed by fire, & was in 1785 grow- ing up with young white oaks with large stool grubbs, will be hard to clear on account of grubbing. The Tract may be called all about the second quality. In my notes of distinction I have first quality between 1st and 2nd; 3d quality between 2d & third : third quality, & a few, a very few, indeed, of what I called 4th quality. This last would in many parts of the State be consid- ered of 1st or 2d quality, and is capable of being cultivated to good effect. Wherever I found indifferent land, I skipped it over; this accounts for my not making any surveys within nineteen miles of the Allegany river, where the Surveyor General's orders directed me to begin, but I construed the act of Assembly allowing land to the officers and soldiers, as a rewird for their services, intendel to be at least good arable land, and not dam'd hills & barrens which instead of a reward would to live on them bea punishment, and therefore disobeyel
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