USA > Pennsylvania > Historical register : notes and queries historical and genealogical, chiefly relating to interior Pennsylvania. Volume II > Part 18
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" PHILADELPHIA, June 14, 1738.
"SIR : By order of the Hon'ble, the Proprietor, I have en- closed you the copy of a petition preferred on the 12th inst. by Christian Bumgarner, Peter Shallyberger and Valentine Pickill, and am likewise to acquaint you that this day Thomas Ewing brought to the office a draught of the land late of James Pat- terson, mentioned in the petition, according to a re-survey thereof made by Mr. Blunston, on the 7th of this instant, whereby it appears that the lines run by you and returned to
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The Ewing Family of Lancaster and York.
contain 500 acres, and which quantity has since been confirmed by patent in pursuance of your survey, if Mr. Blunston be right, do but contam 302 as.
"The charge of so gross a deficiency can't but be matter of great astonishment to the Prop'r, nor can he bring himself to believe that his surveyor can be guilty of such a breach of duty, but that there is a mistake somehow. *
"RICHARD PETERS."
Mr. Taylor was ordered to go immediately and make another survey. However, Mr. Blunston's survey was found to be cor- rect. The following additional memorandum relating to this subject was found among the Surveyor General's papers, but it has no signature:
"John Taylor surveyed a tract of land next the Manor of Conestoga, which was patented to James Patterson, but by re- survey was found to be deficient 200 acres, upon which John Taylor agreed to pay Thomas Ewing (who had married Pat- terson's widow) 100.£ in compensation for the deficiency. Ewing was to have a new patent, and John Taylor was allowed by the Proprieter to take up 200 a. in some other place for him- self. Richard Peters ordered Nicholas Seull to have it laid out to John Taylor, March 16th, 1748, and N. Scull, Surveyor General, orders Samuel Lightfoot, Deputy Surveyor, to lay it out, and John Taylor orders Lightfoot to lay it out to John Roberts, April 12, 1749."
Mr. Ewing was probably a surveyor himself, and discovered the deficiency in the land. He died in the year 1741, in the prime of life, leaving the following issue by Susanna Patterson : James, John, William, and Samuel, the last two having died in their minority.
JOHN EWING settled in Lancaster borough. He was Captain of the Sixth company of First battalion of militia, commanded by Colonel Michael Swope of York, who was attached to the Flying Camp, commanded by General James Ewing, his bro- ther. This command participated in the victory at Trenton and the battles which followed in the Jerseys. Colonel Swope and another company from York county were captured at Fort
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Washington. November 16th, 1776. Captain Herbert's and Caldwell's companies from Lancaster county were also captured at that time. All trace of John Ewing is lost after the close of the Revolutionary war, and it is presumed he fell in the patriot cause.
JAMES EWING was born upon his father and mother's farm, which was located along the northern boundary of Conestoga Manor, and about one mile and a half from the Susquehanna, in the year 1736. The land is now owned in part by Jacob B. Shuman and John S. Mann. After his father's death, James Wright of Wright's Ferry was appointed guardian of James Ewing. He received a good education, but where or with whom is not known. He made his home with James Wright until he was well advanced towards his majority. He early displayed a talent for a military life, and inherited great bravery from his Scotch-Irish ancestry. When but nineteen years of age, he marched with the Provincial scouts of Brad- dock's army and participated in that disastrous battle near Fort Duquesne. He was not discouraged by that reverse, but it seemed only to stimulate his military ardor. When another army was being raised under the command of General Forbes in 1758, to march to the forks of the Ohio, he accepted a lieu- tenant's commission in Captain Robert McPherson's company. Lieutenant Ewing was detailed to recruit for the company and procure clothing, &c. He went to Donegal among his friends, and soon had all the men and clothing he wanted. He marched with his company to Fort Pitt. In the year 1764, he again raised a company, but did not march beyond Fort Bedford, re- maining there to protect the stores at that post.
General Ewing married Patience, daughter of John Wright, junior, who owned the ferry and several hundred acres of land on the west side of the Susquehanna, where the town of Wrightsville now is. In his own right he had abundant means, and he added several hundred to his wife's paternal acres. He sold his farms at Chickies Creek to Christian and Andrew Hershey, and in 1769 his land at Lebanon to Andrew Hershey. He was elected to the Legislature from York county for the years 1771, 1772. 1773, 1774, and 1775. He was one
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The Ewing Family of Lancaster and York.
of the first of the prominent citizens of York county who took an active part against the King and his corrupt Parliament. At a military convention representing fifty-three battalions of the associators which met at Lancaster on the 4th day of July, 1776, to choose two brigadier generals to command the battal- ions and forces of Pennsylvania, General Ewing was elected Second Brigadier. He took command of the First Brigade, commanded by Col. Michael Swope, of York ; the Second, by Col. Thomas Bull, of Chester county ; and the Third by Col. Frederick Watts, of Cumberland county. These three bri- gades were embodied in what was called the "Flying Camp," of which General Ewing was in command. This body marched to Trenton, in December, 1776, and crossed at the lower ferry, part of the troops being left to guard the ferry, while the others participated in the victorious action. In a letter dated at Trenton Falls, December 30, 1776, the General writes to the Supreme Executive Council, then in session in Philadelphia, that he "sent down the Hessian prisoners."
In addition to his military positions, General Ewing served in other public offices. On the 27th of September, 1774, he was appointed one of the judges of the court of common pleas in and for York county ; and in October, 1778, was elected to represent York county in the Supreme Executive Council. In October, 1779, he was again a candidate, but his election was warmly contested by Colonel James Thompson. There was a great deal of rioting at the election in York. Colonel Thomp- son's friends, headed by Captain George Eichelberger, took pos- session of the polls and prevented many of General Ewing's friends from voting. When the return was sent in to Council, General Ewing contested the election, and a number of wit- nesses were sent down to Philadelphia from York. The Council finally decided to admit Colonel Thompson to his seat. Never- theless, General Ewing was elected and returned to the Council for the year 1781. He took a very commanding position as councillor, and on the 7th day of November, 1782, he was elected Vice President of Pennsylvania. Under the Constitu- tion of 1790, he was elected a Senator from York county, serv- ing from 1795 to 1800, when he retired to his plantation back.
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of Wrightsville, full of honors, to enjoy the quietude of old
In this connection it may be stated that his mother, Susan- nah Ewing, married a third time to John Connolly, an Irish officer, who had been in the British service. He owned a farm at Conewago, in York county, but at the time of her marriage he probably resided in the town of Lancaster. He removed to his wife's farm in the Manor, and lived about two years after his marriage. They had one son, who entered the medical pro- fession and moved west of the mountains and took up his abode with his uncle, George Croghan. From 1768 to 1771, he was at Kaskaskia and Fort Chartiers in Illinois, where he seems to have married. The English had just obtained possession of the Illinois country, and Colonel Wilkins was made Governor and placed in command of the British troops. Connolly's adven- turous and ambitious spirit led him to embark in the Indian trade. He obtained credit for large amounts of goods at the Kaskaskia store, and. in connection with Joseph Hollingshead of New Jersey, made a number of ventures up and down the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. His reckless and impulsive spirit was not calculated to make enduring friends of the In- dians, and the consequence was that his adventures and specu- lations as an Indian trader were entire failures. He left the Illinois country suddenly in the year 1771, and returned to Fort Pitt, which was then under the jurisdiction of Virginia. He conceived the idea of getting control of all that part of Virginia, and embarking in vast schemes of land speculation. He received a commission as justice of the peace for Augusta county, Virginia, which then extended to the Ohio, and was, also, appointed commandant of the fort and country around about. He undertook, by violent means, to subvert all juris- diction of the Penns, and imprisoned the magistrates and broke up the courts. He fomented trouble between the Pennsylvania Indian traders and the Indians, until finally he was not able to control the latter. Lord Dunmore, who was then Governor of Virginia, came on from Williamsburg at the head of a small army. Dr. Connolly's experience and knowledge of the Indians and their country led Dunmore to believe that he would be of
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The Ewing Family of Lancaster and York.
great service to him. The former. as a condition-precedent. however. insisted upon Dunmore's giving him very large tracts of land at the falls of the Ohio. "Dunmore's war," the result of Connolly's brutality, was a failure. The settlers at the Ohio were divided in sentiment, some adhering to the jurisdiction of Virginia. while others, who were fast increasing in numbers. ad- hered to Pennsylvania The conflict was becoming very bitter between the parties, when their personal quarrels suddenly ceased, in the greater impending danger then threatening the welfare of the entire country.
Dr. Connolly's intimate association with Lord Dunmore, who was a Loyalist, no doubt led him to embrace the British cause. He left Fort Pitt clandestinely for Williamsburg. Virginia, and from thence he went by sea to Boston. where he received a colonel's commission from General Gage, the British com- mander, and a number of officers' commissions in blank. He returned to Baltimore and started for the Ohio, where he in- tended raising a regiment of Indians and Tories, with which he expected to conquer the western country and hold it. He was fortunately arrested when passing through Frederick, Mary- land. sent to Philadelphia by the vigilance committee. and thrown into prison. where he remained for several years. His health became so much impaired that he induced the Supreme Executive Council to release him, upon giving bail for his good behavior, and was accordingly released upon his half-brother, General Ewing, going his bail. His parole required him to go to General Ewing's farm, in York county, and not permitted to go beyond six miles from the General's mansion-house. After remaining there until he regained his health, he was sus- pected of again intriguing against the patriot cause. and in con- sequence he was arrested and taken to Philadelphia. He was released in a short time, when he went to Canada, where he was placed on half pay in the "British Establishment."
General Ewing, notwithstanding his brother's Tory proclivi- ties, was greatly attached to him. The latter made a number of visits to the former's residence after the Colonies established their independence. He never relented or seemed to regret that he had taken sides. with the enemies of his country.
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.In a conversation with General Ewing's body-servant, some years ago, he stated that while seated at his banquet table, Doctor Connolly, in a bantering way, declared that they (mean- ing the British) would come down and conquer the country yet : he may have added some expletives to this remark, which was hardly uttered, when General Ewing sprang from the table in a rage and caught his brother by the throat, and used rather violent language. Mrs. Ewing, who was seated at the head of the table, sprang between the brothers and separated them. When the excitement was over, both were ashamed, and heartily sorry that anything had occurred to estrange them. When at the ferry at Wrightsville, and about to cross over to the eastern side of the river, General Ewing was taken sud- denly with something like rheumatism, and died before he reached his home, which was about a mile distant. In the year 1806, he was a pew-holder at Donegal church, and it is pre- sumed he was always a member of that historical congregation. He had but one child, a daughter, who married Dr. John Mifflin (a near relative of Governor Thomas Mifflin) who kept a wholesale drug store at the " Head of Elk," in Cecil county, Maryland. Doctor Mifflin had but one son, the late James Ewing Mifflin, who inherited his grandfather's large landed estate in York county. He was a very prominent and active citizen. He married Susan E., daughter of James Houston, who was the son of Dr. John Houston, who married Susanna Wright, the sister of Mrs. General Ewing, and had issue, one son, James Ewing, and one daughter, who is deceased. James E. married Miss Wright, (daughter of the late John Loudon Wright, who was the great-grandson of John Wright, who settled at the Susquehanna in 1726.) They had several children. The mansion-farm of General Ewing remains in possession of the family.
Susannah Connolly died in Lancaster borough in the year 1753, leaving a very large estate. Among her bequests was a certain sum of money to be expended in building a wall around the grave-yard at Donegal church, and one around the Episcopal church grave-yard in Lancaster borough. After her death, James Wright was appointed guardian over her
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The Ewing Family of Lancaster and York.
son, John Connolly. He was sent to Philadelphia, where he studied medicine with Doctor Cadwalader Evans. After he graduated it is presumed he left Lancaster county and took up his abode with Colonel Croghan, who then lived about five or six miles from the mouth of Conedoguinet creek in Cumberland county, afterwards removed to the " Burnt Cabins," thence to the Forks of the Ohio. Doctor Connolly's father was a Roman Catholic. and at the time of his marriage there was a very bitter feeling between the Romanists and the fol- lowers of John Calvin. It is certainly a remarkable circum- stance that a lady of the intelligence and age (for she was then a grandmother) and her long association with Presbyterians, and perhaps of Scotch-Irish descent herself, should marry a Roman Catholic. In this age of progress, liberality, and tolera- tion among the various Christian denominations, a marriage of this kind would not be thought incompatible. Mrs. Connolly was a very spirited woman, and no doubt able, under all cir- cumstances, to " hold her own" when a question of religious belief arose between herself and her husband. Her grandson, James Chambers, and her son, James Patterson, became distin- guished officers, the first in the Revolutionary war, and the second in the Indian wars. James Patterson, junior, settled along the Conedoguinet, from there he probably went up the Juniata and settled at what is now known as Patterson's Mills or Mexico. His son, Colonel William Patterson, was called "Long Gun " by the Indians. He was a brave and dashing officer, and followed the Indians into their fastnesses, and struck them deadly blows.
George, the youngest son of the second James Patterson, married Jane Burd, a daughter of General James Burd of "Tinian," Dauphin county. The youngest son of George Patterson was named George, whose son, Theo. F. Patterson, was a year ago superintendent of the Safe Harbor Iron Works, which are located only a few miles south of the place where James Patterson located in 1717. With this single ex- ception, (and he has removed lately to Phoenixville,) there is not a single descendant of James Patterson's children now living within the borders of Lancaster county. .
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COL. JAMES BURD, OF TINIAN.
BY A. BOYD HAMILTON.
JAMES BURD, the son of Edward Burd, was born at the hamlet of Ormiston, ten miles from Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1726. He was the youngest of a family of four sons, heirs to a small patrimony, and, upon receiving his education, was forced to seek his fortune. He came to America, arriving in Phila- delphia about 1747 or 1748. The earliest information of him, after his marriage, is in a letter from Edward Shippen. his father-in-law, then prothonotary of Lancaster county, dated at Lancaster, to Burd at "Shippen's farm," now Shippensburg, in Cumberland county, November 8, 1752, informing Mrs. Burd, his daughter, of the death of her Aunt Sally Robinson, whom, he quaintly writes. "went off like a lamb."
In September, 1753, he says to Burd, that "he [Shippen] may live at Shippensburg, and may build a mill there," but, having the erection of the mill in contemplation, does not wish to pay Findley for joists and boards " thro' the nose." "Perhaps Ben. Chambers can build saw mills as well as any man, but I intend, please God, to consult Moses Dickey,* who lives near John Harris." In the same letter, he sends his "love to your- self and ducky children." There were two of them. What- ever discord existed about Burd's marriage when it took place- for cautious parents have flinty hearts, and it was a runaway match-appears from the letter to have "fumed itself away;" the parties thereafter being in happy accord, aiding one another heartily. The young lady who became Mrs. Burd was Sarah Shippen, of the family of Edward Shippen, of Lancaster county, sister of Chief Justice Shippen, consequently aunt to the judge's daughter Margaret, who became so conspicuous a few years afterwards as the wife of Benedict Arnold.
* Moses Dickey erected a mill where Walker's mill now is, near the Paxtang church, in Dauphin county. Mr. D. lived and died there.
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Col. James Burd, of Tinian.
In April, 1755, Burd was a commissioner with George Croghan. William Buchanan, and Adam Hoopes. to lay out a road from Harris' Ferry to the Ohio. In the performance of this labor it was their misfortune to encounter the hot temper and high manner of Sir John St. Clair, second in command of the British army under Braddock. They complained of him to the Governor and Assembly. The correspondence does not inform us how the dispute was settled. but, in May, Burd had accomplished his work as far as Will's creek to " Braddock's satisfaction ;" whereupon, Rev. Richard Peters, Secretary of the Province, writes to him that "this work will redown to your glory and the advantage of Shippensburg"-Peters owned land there. On the 17th of June, Burd, who was alone with the working party, had his road five miles beyond Raystown, ninety miles west of Shippensburg. Allison and Maxwell, two active citizens of "Conegochege," passedl over it, and wrote soon after to Peters that "Sidelong hill is cut very artificially, nay more so than we ever saw any. The first wagon took up 15 cwt. without ever stopping." It has not been unusual to take 60 cwt. over the same road by wagon. The work reached the Allegheny mountain on the 5th of July, where the party was "imperilled " by an Indian raid and "scarcity of provision." On the 17th of July, eight days after Braddock's defeat, the expedition was at the "three forks of Yough or Turkey Foot," where they had lived "6 days on bread and water," and it is fair to say in great danger. He had 100 men to feed and pay, far from the settlements, in a hostile neighborhood; and com- plains, very earnestly, to the provincial authorities for relief. In November, he is at work on "Fort Morris, at Shippenstown," and in the "midst of great confusion" he found time to send " his duty " to several persons, and "love to the dear wife and babys," who were, in these perilous days, at Lancaster, with grandfather Shippen.
In February, 1756, Capt. Burd was sent to select a site for "Pomphert Castle, Mahahoning." Soon after, Gov. Morris writes that "he is distressed to hear that the fort was not built as rapidly as he had ordered." In March, Burd was at Fort Granville, but, at this moment, it is difficult to trace his move-
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ments with entire certainty. However, we learn from a letter of Hermanus Alrieks, of Carlisle, under date of March 30th, to E. Shippen. at Lancaster. "that Patterson's fort was attacked yesterday, . . . but received no damage, and several shots were heard towards Mr. Burd's fort." He must have been at Augusta, and Patterson. his lieutenant, at Pomfret, about a dozen miles north-west of him. Patterson afterwards married one of Burd's daughters. In April, Rev. John Blair, of Shippensburg, writes him : "I have been trying to prevail on our people to form in larger bodies, but without success. I think this valley will soon be waste." It escaped the predicted calamity.
In July, following, Capt. Burd was promoted to major. He was stationed at "Shamokin," Fort Augusta. At this time a mutiny about pay was at its height. The paymaster offered commissioned officers 5s. and 6 pence. They claimed 7s. and 6 pence per day: other officers, soldiers, and "Battoo" men claimed more than the paymaster was willing to allow, result- ing in his refusing to pay at all. This squabble took about two years to pacify, and cost Burd and his officers a prodigious deal of correspondence. In September, of this year, choleric Sir John St. Clair seems to have recovered his good temper, and writes expressing his wish to serve Burd, regretting that it was not in his power to do so; "but no man could be readier to serve you."
The road commenced a year previous, upon which so much labor and anxiety had been expended, was completed, under Burd's supervision, to Fort Burd, afterwards Redstone, now Brownsville, on the Monongahela, in the county of Fayette. The route has always been considered the best that could have been chosen over the rugged country through which it passes, and is in daily use at the present time. It was a great success and gave Burd a high character as a judicious and able engineer.
In February and March, 1757, he was in command at Fort Augusta. At one time momentarily in expectation of an at- tack from 800 Indians and French, with a small garrison "un- paid and out of provisions. By June, he was able to inform the Governor that "all fear of an attack " had passed, but that
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Col. James Burd, of Tinian.
some Indians had shot " at the bullock guard and killed one of the sentinels." In July. after much pondering, the Province opened a store at this fort, but in September the concern "was out of supplies, and the Indians, finding no goods, went away dissatisfied." The Susquehanna, however, rose in September. and so. in the following month, we hear of a supply. At this time it appears Burd fitted out "John Tedyonskunk, a big In- dian."=
In May. Joseph Shippen informed him, from Lancaster, that "the Indians have lately killed a great many of the inhabi- tants about Swatara gap, four of whom were yesterday brought into town, scalped, as a spectacle for a number of Quakers in town." The Governor and General Stanwix were then there, attended by a great crowd, making a treaty, in which the "Friends " took especial interest. In a subsequent note, Ship- pen informs Burd that he must know that the frontier uniform was to be "green trimmed up with red." Burd, then a Pro- vincial Major, no doubt, at once, arraved himself in the "green and red."
Major Burd's "proposals for the better security of the Pro- vince of Pennsylvania from the Indians " was forwarded to the Council this year, favorably considered, but it was too compre- hensive for the means of government-the frontier to be pro- tected too extended, unless at great expense, particularly as the Assembly and the Proprietaries were at "sword's drawn " about taxation, with the Provincial Treasury impecunious. This difference of opinion, and the feebleness of protection, will ac- count for many a foray against Indians, by the men of the Blue Mountain valleys, just after the Province had made trea- ties with the chiefs, and both parties sworn to observe them.
In the year 1758, Major Burd made his home in Paxtang.
* The following was Tedyuscung's gorgeous parade dress : £ 8. d.
"1 regimental coat, 300
1 gold laced Hatt & Cockhaid, 1 5 0
1 ruffled shirt, . 1 15 0
1 yd. Scarlett Shallown for Coll's, 0 4 0 1 pr. Buckles, . 0 1 6" beside a great variety of miscellaneous articles suitable to the vanity .of this " big Indian."
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Lancaster county, now Lower Swatara township. Dauphin. Ilis purchase comprised more than 500 aeres, and was six miles below Harrisburg, overlooking the Susquehanna, within three miles of Middletown, then a point of much more importance than Harris' Ferry. His farm he called " Tinian." It may be a euphemism for " Merry Bells." However, he built himself a residence, and there he lived until his death, pursuing the labors of a farmer, highly respected by his neighbors and es- teemed by his friends. In January, one of his correspondents informs him of the death of "John Burd," a brother, "who died in Jamaica," and of another who died "in Surinam."
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