USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > Ransom > History and directory of Newton and Ransom townships, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania; > Part 2
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > Newton > History and directory of Newton and Ransom townships, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania; > Part 2
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148
Ward, Jolm Edward 160
Ward, John J. 160
Ware, Jesse 160
Weisenfluh, John 187
Wilson, Mrs. Catherine 224
Winter, Merritt 162
225
Rifenbary, George H.
.216 Snover, George S.
152
Winters, Manley
Roloson, Mrs. Elizabethi 140, 142 Stewart, Willard L.
140 Stewart, Hiley Wenzel
221
221
Witzal, John
225
Rosenkrans, Amos
Schmidt, Stephen 219
Schultheis, Anthony .218
Schultheis, Conrad .219
Ruger, Robert E. 147
*** Ruger, Washington 147
Stine, Frederick 222
127
Munson, Joseph B. 210
Musselman, Charles 210
HISTORY OF THE WYOMING VALLEY
North Moreland.
Gardnery Creek.
Providence 5300
RAN SPOUSE
Meadows Nay. Aug Creed R
T
Harveys Lake
Suttons Creek
Exeter.
Roaring
Brook.
Harvey's
Spring Brook.
Bedford.
Kings-town
8
Road
Pitts-town.
Plymouth
Mill Creek.
AA C AAA
4 Wilkes- Barre.
A
-
" Shame
re
AAAB"
ROB
Hanover.
179
O
1 2 3 4
5
Newport
Warrior Run.
Scale, in Miles.
MAP OF WYOMING VALLEY IN THE EARLY DAYS
The above map shows the location of the first five original townships laid out in the Wyoming Valley in 1768 by the Susquehanna Company ( Wilkes-Barre of Wyoming, Hanover, Plymouth, Kings-town and Pittstown) and the position of the Forts, Indian villages, and other historical places of the early days and settlement of Wyoming. The Forts are indicated on the Map with figures, and the Indian villages, battle fields, islands, etc., are marked with letters as follows:
(1), marks the site of Shawnee Fort, where a garrison composed of old men, with the women and children of the neighborhood were stationed before and during the Wyoming Massacre; (2), Stewart's Block-house; (3), Fort Durkee; (4), Fort Wyoming: (5), Wilkes-Barre Fort; (6), Og- den's Fort, and later the sile of Mill Creek Fort. The first selllement in Wyoming Valley was made here; (7), Forty Fort; (8), Wintermoot's Fort. l'he Wyoming Massacre was near this spot; (9) Jenkins' Fort; (10), Pittston Fort; (11), Fort Defense. '(A), Plunkett's Battle, Dec. 24, 1775;
(B), Nanticoke Indian village; (C), Shawanese In- dian village; (D)), Indian village of Maughwau- wame (Wyoming) ; (E), Mohican Indian village; (F), Wanamese Indian village (Jacob's Plains) ; (H), Delaware Indian village, Assernghney; (I), Fish Island; (K), Kingston; (L), Monocacy Island; (M), Wyoming Monument; (N), Queen Esther's Rock; (O), Fuller's Island, the largest island in the Susquehanna in the Wyoming Valley. As early as 1787 it contained about fifty acres. Later it was known as Richards' Island. (P), Monsey In- dian village; (R), Indian burying ground; (S), where John Gardner settled in 1769 in what is now Ransom township; (T), place where John Gardner was captured by Indians, July 1, 1778.
The townships contained 16,000 acres each. The name Wilkes-Barre, in the early days was written with but one capital and without a hyphen.
See "Indian History of Wyoming Valley," page 17-18; "Frontier Forts," page 37-46. and "Wyom- ing Massacre," page 46-55.
Newport Cr.
Nanticok
AA
.
AA
Abraham's Creek
Creek S
Leehawhanna
from Connecticut.
9
2
Run.
River.
0%
CHAPTER ONE
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA
THE FIRST SETTLERS AND EARLY HISTORY
The first European settlement in Pennsylva- nia of which there is positive knowledge, was made by the Swedes in 1643, when Governor Printz, the third governor of New Sweden, set- tled on the Island of Tinicum, now Tinicum township, Delaware county, a few miles below Philadelphia, for a place of residence and de- fense. He called it New Gottenberg. Here the governor erected a handsome brick mansion, bringing the brick from Sweden. This build- ing stood for more than one hundred and fifty years, when it was destroyed by fire.
The first marriage between Europeans in Pennsylvania was in 1644, when Governor Printz's daughter was married.
The first church was built on Tinicum is- land, and was dedicated in 1646.
The Swedes established the first court in the State at Upland, Delaware county, which furn- ished the first case of marriage disagreement in Pennsylvania in 1661; the first criminal was convicted and whipped in 1669; the first high- way laid out in 1677; the first guardian ap- pointed; the first lunatic committed and the first jury impaneled in 1678.
The Swedes were a religious people. They are proudly remembered in Delaware, Philadel- phia, Bucks and Montgomery counties, as the first white men to cultivate the virgin soil.
The first permanent English settlement in Pennsylvania was made in Bucks county by Quakers in 1674, when Governor Andros, the Duke of York's deputy in America, made num- erous grants of land in the territory soon to be- come "Penn's Woods."
PENN'S CHARTER
In 1680, William Penn petitioned King Charles II. for a grant of land in America. The king was willing at once to grant the request, because he could in this way pay the debt he owed Penn, which was 16,000 pounds due Penn's father as an officer in the British navy. Some of the king's counsellors objected, claim- ing that it would be ridiculous to send people to promote the interests of the British nation in a new colony, who would neither fight nor would have nothing to do with gin and gunpow-
acr in dealing with the Indians.
Nevertheless on the 4th day of March, 1681, William Penn was granted a charter, making him proprietor and governor of the province of Pennsylvania. The following year he secured a grant from the Duke of York for the region forming the present State of Delaware. The two colonies were so joined till the Revolution of 1776.
Penn's charter hangs in a frame in the State Library at Harrisburg. It consists of three sheets of parchment (sheep's skin prepared for writing upon). At the top of the first page is a picture of the king. The writing is all under- scored in red ink.
Penn desired to have the new province named New Wales, but the king insisted on calling it Pennsylvania, in honor to Penn's father. Penn did not approve of the name, thinking the pre- fix Penn would appear like vanity on his part, instead of showing respect for his father. He next proposed the name Sylvania, but the king would not compromise.
Penn drew up a form of government and a code of laws, and sent his cousin, William Mark- ham, to take possession of the colony and act as deputy governor. The code of laws pre- pared by Penn was exalted in aim and compre- hensive in scope; yet with few exceptions, its details were marvelously practical, and if Penn had not the genius of the ruler, he had, as few have had, the genius of the legislator.
Markham arrived in Delaware Bay about July 1, 1681. Later in the year, three ships sailed for Pennsylvania, two from London and one from Bristol. Several sessions of court were held at Upland while Markham had charge of the colony. The first entry was a case of as- sault and battery, and was dated September 13, 1681.
Markham was joined by three commissioners soon after his arrival, to form an alliance of peace with the Indians, and to consult with them about the sale of land. The first purchase was made July 15, 1682. This tract extended along the Delaware river as far north as the mouth of the Neshaminy (near Bristol, in Bucks county), and eastward to the Blue moun- tains. For this vast tract the Indians received the following:
10
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA
"350 ffathoms of Wampum, 20 white Blankits, 20 ffathoms of Strawed waters, 60 ffathoms of Duf- fields, 20 Kettles, 4 whereof large, 20 gunns, 20 Coates, 40 shirts, 40 payre of Stockings, 40 Howes, 40 Axes, 2 Barrels of Powder, 200 Barres of Lead, 200 Knives, 200 small Glasses, 12 Payres of Shoes, 40 Copper Boxes, 40 Tobacco Tonngs, 2 small Bar- rels of Pipes, 40 payre of Scissors, 40 Combs, 24 pounds Red Lead, 100 Aules, 2 handfulls of ffish- hooks, 2 handfuls of Needles, 40 pounds of Shott, 10 Bundles of Beads, 10 small Saws, 12 Drawing Knives, 4 anchers of Tobacco, 2 anchers of Rumme, 2 anchers of Syder, 2 anchers of Beere and 300 Gilders."
Markham received a letter from Penn, for the Indians, which he read to them, as follows:
"I have great love and regard for you, and de- sire to win and gain your love and friendship by a kind, just and peaceable life; and the people I send are of the same mind, and shall in all things behave themselves accordingly."
PENN'S ARRIVAL
Penn, after making every arrangement for his departure, bade his wife and children an affectionate good-bye. With about one hundred other passengers, mostly Quakers who had been his friends and neighbors in Sussex, England, he sailed September 1, 1682, on the ship WVel- come. About thirty died of small-pox, and were buried in the sea. Otherwise the voyage was uneventful. After six weeks they came in sight of land on the coast of New Jersey, near Egg Harbor. They landed at New Castle, Dela- ware, October 27.
Two days later Penn went to Upland to call the first general assembly. Upland was the home of most of the immigrants from England who had preceded the Welcome. The Dutch and Swedes received him with great joy. Penn changed the name of Upland to Chester, in honor of his friend Pearson, a companion on the Welcome, who had lived in Chester, Eng- land.
PENN'S TREATY
Early in November, Penn, with a few others, traveled from Chester, up the Delaware in an open boat. His motive was to publicly meet the Indians and confirm the Treaty, which Mark- ham and his associates had previously made. When he arrived at Shackamaxon, the Indians had already filled the woods as far as the eye could see. The chiefs arranged themselves in the form of a half-moon, and Penn addressed them with the following words :
"We meet on the broad pathway of good faith and good will; no advantage shall be taken on either side, but all shall be openness and love. I will not call you children, for parents chide their children too severely; nor brother only, for broth- ers differ. The friendship between me and you I will not compare to a chain; for that the rains might rust or the falling tree might break. We
are the same as if one man's body were to be di- vided into two parts; we are all one flesh and blood."
"After receiving some presents from Penn, the Indians gave the belt of Wampum and solemnly pledged themselves to live in love with him and his children as long as the sun and moon should endure." As Voltaire said, "This was the only treaty between these people and the Christians that was made without an oath, and that was never broken."
THE FAMOUS ELM
The Elm Tree under which the treaty was made became celebrated in after years. It stood until 1810, when a storm blew it down. It was found to have been two hundred and eighty- three years old. In 1827, a large monument was erected upon its site, which is now sur- rounded by a beautiful park in Kensington. At one time during the Revolutionary War, the British were camping near this Elm Tree, which was much respected by General Simcoe. While his soldiers were cutting down trees for fire- wood, he placed a guard beneath its spreading branches to protect it from their blows.
Penn had several conferences with the In. dians, and for many years afterward he was kindly remembered by them. Not a drop of Quaker blood was shed by them while he lived.
Penn, by the industry and high character of the Society of Friends, by cultivating peace with the Indians, and encouraging immigration, founded a flourishing State. which long before the Revolution became the seat of learning, wealth and refinement.
THE CONSTITUTION
The first constitution of Pennsylvania was framed in 1776. Eight representatives were ap- pointed from each county, who met for the first time July 15, and chose Benjamin Franklin president, and George Ross vice-president. Af- ter a session of over two months, a constitution was completed September 28. It went into effect at once, without being submitted to the people for ratification.
Under the first constitution the members of the General Assembly were elected annually, and consisted of only one house. The laws en- acted were called the Acts of Assembly, the same as our present laws. The population of Pennsylvania was about 300,000 at that time.
The first constitution of Pennsylvania was not changed till 1790, when an upper house was created, and the Assembly deprived of the sole right to make laws. The veto power was given to the Governor.
The constitution was again changed in 1838. Under the constitution of 1790 the colored man
11
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA
could vote, but the constitution as amended in 1838 deprived him of this privilege. Ouly white freemen having paid a state or county tax were entitled to the right of suffrage. Governors were allowed but two terms of three years each in any nine years.
The constitution of Pennsylvania was revised the third time in 1873, when the number of senators and representatives were increased. The judges and certain other officers were to be eleeted by the people instead of being appointed by the Governor. The office of Lieutenant- Governor was created, and biennial sessions of the Legislature. The right of suffrage was re- stored to the colored man.
THE STATE CAPITOL
The State Capitol was first located in Phila- delphia. It was moved to Lancaster the first Monday of November, 1799. It was moved to Harrisburg (Harris' Ferry) in 1812. John Har- ris gave four aeres and William McClay appro- priated ten acres, in addition, for the govern- ment buildings. The corner-stone of the capitol was laid May 31, 1819. The building was com- pleted in 1821, and first occupied January 3, 1822. Before the new building was completed the sessions of the Legislature were held in the old Dauphin county court house. The capitol was destroyed by fire on Tuesday afternoon, February 2, 1897. Many valuable books and records were destroyed.
A new Capitol building was authorized to be erected at a cost not to exceed $550,000. The corner-stone was laid on the 10th of August. 1898. The building was occupied by the Legis- lature January 3, 1899.
After the fire, the Legislature held its sessions in the Grace M. E. Church, of Harrisburg.
WILLIAM PENN,
founder of the State of Pennsylvania, born in London, October 13, 1644. He received a good education, which was completed at Christ Church, Oxford. He disappointed his father's (Sir William Penn) expectations by turning Quaker, and was disearded by him. Sir William afterward relented, and sent his son abroad. Young Penn visited France and Italy, returning to his native country in 1664.
He spent two years in the study of law at Lineoln's Inn, and was then sent to Ireland to manage his father's estate; but, happening to hear a diseourse at Cork, by Thomas Loe, a leading Quaker, he reverted to his former opin- ions, and traveled to propagate his new faith. He was arrested for preaching, and sent to prison ; but was released through the interest of his father. After his return to England, he was sent to the Tower, on account of a book
which he had written ; and while there he com- posed his principal work entitled "No Cross, No Crown," intended to show the benefit of suffer- ing. On his release. he resumed his former labors, and was apprehended, with some others, and tried for preaching at a conventicle in Graeechurch Street. Penn himself, had been tried for preaching to "an unlawful, seditious and riotous assembly." The first verdict was, "Guilty of speaking in Gracechurch Street." This verdiet was brought in repeatedly, in spite of threats from the judge that he would starve the jury if they did not say "Guilty," or "Not Guilty." Finally the verdict of "Not Guilty" was rendered, whereupon the judge fined each of the jurors forty marks (about $129.60) and imprisonment till paid, because they had fol- lowed their own judgment rather than the good advice given them by him. Penn also was fined for having his hat on in the presence of the court.
Admiral Penn was reconciled to his son be- fore his death, and left him all his property. Penn continued firm in his attachment to the Society of Friends, and, in 1677, went on a mission to Holland and Germany, with Fox and Barclay.
Penn had three motives for planting a colony in the New World, namely: "First, he would get payment for the debt of 16,000 pounds (nearly $80,000) due his father as an officer of the British navy; secondly, he would find a place for his brethren, the Quakers, or Friends, where they would not be openly insulted in the streets, dragged from their meeting-houses to loathsome jails, and robbed of the last bed or eow to pay the fines for not attending the established church ; and thirdly, he would satis- fy the desire which the glowing account of the brethren in West Jersey had created in him. The second of these motives was by far the strongest."
Penn and his people enjoyed neither reli- gious nor civil liberty in England. "In Europe, church and state, as a rule, are not separate. In most countries, a certain church, called the established church, or state church, is a part of the government."
During the reign of James II. Penn was fre- quently at the king's palace, yet for no selfish reasons. James II. had always been his fa- ther's friend, and he had always been glad and prompt to help Penn himself. Penn, therefore, entered the palace that he might aid the king and give him wise counsels.
The overthrow of James was in more than one respect a misfortune for Penn. In the spring of 1690 he was arrested on the charge of holding treasonable correspondence with the de- throned monarch. The absurdity of the charge
12
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA
being absolutely evident, Penn was set at li- berty. Yet, though his conduct continued to be blameless, he was, by an order in council, stripped, March 14, 1692, of his title to the Pennsylvania government, which was restored two years later.
In 1701 he returned to England, and being encumbered with debts, endeavored to negotiate the sale of Pennsylvania to the crown for $60,- 000. This negotiation was interrupted in 1712, through his being attacked by an apopletic fit, which, happening twice afterward within a year, greatly impaired his mental faculties. He lived six years longer, but with a constitution much shattered and quite unfitted for any ser- ious employment. Penn died July 29, 1718. He was buried in the village of Jordan, Buck- inghamshire, near London.
Of Penn's mother very little is known, ex- cept that she was a Dutch woman, the daughter of John Jasper, a merchant of Rotterdam. Her son has left no description of her. There is no portrait, no anecdotes or sayings, nothing that would reveal her character. Very likely she was a plain, ordinary person. Penn showed few if any Dutch traits.
Penn's father, Sir William Penn, was an English admiral who greatly distinguished him- self against the Dutch in the 17th century. Born in Bristol in 1621, a son of John ; entered the navy at an early age, and was captain at the age of twenty-three. After the accession of King Charles II. to the throne in 1660, he was elevated to the rank of knight, and died in Essex in 1670.
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
The organization, commonly called Quakers, was founded in the middle of the 17th century by George Fox. They are distinguished from other Christian bodies by the special stress they lay on the immediate teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and their belief that no one should be paid or appointed by human author- ity for the exercise of the gift of the ministry. In obedience to this belief they hold their meet- ings without any prearranged service or sermon, and sometimes in total silence. The Friends be- lieve that the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are to be taken spiritually, and not in an outward form.
Their protests against the use of oaths and against the exaction of tithes and church rates caused them much suffering and frequent im- prisonment during the first fifty years of their existence. The simplified dress which Friends adopted from conviction over two hundred years ago became stereotyped into a uniform. This dress has generally been given up, as have the "testimony" against music and singing in its
rigid application, and the peculiarities of speech, such as the use of "thee" and "thou" ir stead of "you" (though many of the Frien .Is retain this custom among themselves), and the a voidance of all titles of courtesy.
Of late years there has been a very decided evangelical movement among Friends, under the influence of which the quietism is dying out. As a result of this change the influence of the Society beyond its own borders, through home and foreign missions and Sunday Schools, has developed to a remarkable extent.
There is in the United States a numerous body of Friends called Hicksites (from their founder, Elias Hicks), who separated from the orthodox community. The Hicksites allowed more freedom of opinion in matters pertaining to their religious belief.
GEORGE Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends; born in Drayton, in Leicestershire, England, in July, 1624. When twenty years of age, and for some two or three years afterward, Fox describes himself as having been in a very distressed state of mind, from which the various professors and clergymen to whom he applied for counsel were unable to relieve him. From this condition he was at length delivered by that which he regarded the voice of God in his soul, directing him to Christ as alone able "to speak to his condition." Very soon after this he commenced his public ministrations at Duk- infield, Manchester, and the neighborhood. From the first his preaching made many con- verts and excited much opposition. He was first imprisoned in 1648 for opposing a preacher on a point of doctrine. In 1650 he was imprisoned at Derby under a false charge of blasphemy. One of the committing justices, Bennet, acted with great violence on this occa- sion, and it was he, who on Fox's bidding him, "tremble at the word of the Lord," first applied to Fox and his followers the name of "Quak- ers." Fox died in London, January 13, 1690.
There are nearly 120,000 members of the different branches of Friends in the United States, having about 1,100 churches and 1,500 ministers.
PHILADELPHIA
The first city in the State, was laid out and named in 1682, by William Penn. Philadel- phia signifies "brotherly love." It was built at the junction of the Delaware and the Schuyl- kill rivers, and is the best planned city in the United States, there being no other city in which a stranger can so easily find his way. With few exceptions, the streets cross each other at right angles. The first nine original streets running east and west were all named after the various kinds of trees in the forest
13
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA
around, as Vine, Spruce, Pine, Sassafras, Wil- low, Chestnut, Walnut, etc. There were also twenty-three streets running north and south.
Many of the settlers, during the first winter, lived in caves dug in the high bluff on the river-front between Vine and Walnut streets. The next year, in 1683, nearly one hundred houses were erected, which were inhabited by more than five hundred persons. Two years later six hundred houses were built upon ground which was covered with forest three years be- fore. Penn furnished the general plan for the construction of the houses, viz., size 18x30 feet, partitioned in the middle, covered and lined with clapboards and the intervening space filled with earth. The ground floor was of clay and the upper of wood. The roof was also of clap- boards.
Some of the settlers who were financially able had brought with them houses in the flat, tools, implements, furniture, food, clothing, etc., to last them for several months. The poorer clas- ses were compelled to erect small huts, made from freshly cut timber. Philadelphia con- tinued to grow, and in 1700 over two thousand homes had been erected.
Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsyl- vania and the third largest in the United States. It has an area of 132 square miles; extending north and south about twenty-two miles, and is from five to ten miles in width. Population in 1890, 1,046,964; 1900, 1,293,697; 1910, 1,549,008.
Philadelphia was incorporated in 1691, but its charter was not received till 1701. The city was active in resisting British aggression in 1763 and 1764. The first Continental Congress met here September 5, 1774, and the second May 10, 1775. George Washington was ap- pointed General and Commander-in-Chief of the American Army in the State House on June 15, 1775. Here also the Declaration of Inde- pendence was adopted July 4, and proclaimed July 8, 1776. The city was occupied by the British from September, 1777 to June, 1778. A battle was fought at Germantown on October 4, 1777. In the summer of 1787 delegates from the various States met in the State House, and framed the Constitution. The State House was commenced in 1732 and the building com- pleted in 1741.
Among the attractions of the city is Fair- mount park, one of the largest public parks in the world. It extends more than seven miles on both banks of the Schulykill river, and more than six miles on both banks of Wissahickon creek, giving it an area of over 3,000 acres, traversed by 321/2 miles of driveways. In 1876 the Centennial Exposition was held here. Me- morial Hall, erected at a cost of $1,500,000,
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