USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > Ransom > History and directory of Newton and Ransom townships, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania; > Part 3
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > Newton > History and directory of Newton and Ransom townships, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania; > Part 3
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which was used for the art gallery of the Expo- sition, now contains a permanent industrial and art collection. Here, also, is the Horticul- tural Building filled with tropical plants, and surrounded by thirty-five acres of ground de- voted to horticulture.
In the heart of the city, at the intersection of Market and Broad streets, stands the City Hall, on a piece of ground which was formerly Penn Square. This great structure, usually called the Public Building, is said to be the largest building in the United States. The corner-stone was laid July 4, 1874, the same day that ground was broken for the Centennial Exposition buildings. It is built of white mar- ble and granite, in the renaissance style; is 4861/2 feet long by 470 wide; contains 520 rooms, and including a court yard 200 feet square in the center, covers an area of nearly four and one-half acres, having a floor space of nearly fifteen acres. The central tower rises to a height of 5471/4 feet, which is surmounted by a colossal statue of William Penn, 37 feet high and facing northeast in the direction of the famous "Treaty Elm," is the highest in the world. The total cost of the building was over $22,000,000.
The city owns a water works system which cost about $35,000,000. The reservoirs have a storage capacity of 1,417,966,400 gallons, and the water is distributed through 1,338 miles of mains. There are in all 1,494 miles of streets, of which 1,067 are paved. The sewer system covers 844 miles. The city is lighted by elec- tricity at a cost of $929,667 per annum. The annual cost of the police department is $2,951,- 242, and that of the fire department, $1,072,- 378. The annual death rate averages 19.38 per 1000. The cost of maintaining the city govern- ment in 1900 was $27,732,208. Street car lines (nearly all electric) traverse the principal streets and extend to the various suburbs.
THE LANCASTER TURNPIKE
The first turnpike in the United States was built between Philadelphia and Lancaster, which was the beginning of the chief highway to the West. The Lancaster turnpike was be- gun in 1790. It was extended until it reached Pittsburg in 1806. "It went through Chester and Lancaster counties, crossed the Susque- hanna at Wright's Ferry, passed through York, Carlisle, Shippensburg and Bedford, thence across the Alleghenies to Pittsburg-the me- tropolis of the West after the Revolution. On this historic road thousands of emigrants travel- ed in the summer months to Pittsburg."
THE FIRST DEFENDERS OF THE UNION On April 15, 1865. the day after the evacua-
14
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA
tion of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to serve for three months, Pennsylvania's quota being 14,000. Governor Curtin telegraphed the call all over the State. The news created wild excitement. The Key- stone State has the distinction of sending the first five companies to the front, which now wear the proud badge of the "First Defenders." They were the Ringgold Light Artillery, of Reading; the Logan Guards, of Lewistown ; the Washington Artillery and the National Light Infantry of Pottsville and the Allen Rifles of Allentown, making a total of 530 soldiers.
The Ringgold company was the first to reach Harrisburg, only one day after the President's call. The "First Defenders" were attacked by a mob in the streets of Baltimore, "but they never wavered under the constant fire of bricks, clubs, stones and earth. They reached Wash- ington at seven o'clock on the evening of the 18th, where they defended the National Capi- tal."
GOVERNORS OF PENNSYLVANIA
The following is a list of the governors of the colony, province and State of Pennsylvania, with the year of the appointment or election of each :
Under the Swedes
Peter Minuit 1638
Peter Hollandare 1641
John Printz 1643
John Pappegoya 1653
John Claudius Rysingh 1654
Under the Dutch
Peter Stuyvesant (Deryck Schmidt, pro tem) 1655 John Paul Jaquet 1655
Jacob Alrichs 1657
Alexander D. Hinyossa
1659
William Beekman 1662
Alexander D. Hinyossa 1663
Anthony Colve (Peter Alrichs' deputy) 1663
Under the Duke of York
Colonel Richard Nichols ( Robert Carr, deputy ) 1664 Colonel Francis Lovelace 1667
Under the English
Sir Edmund Andross 1674
Under the Proprietary Goverment
(Under the proprietary government, when there was no deputy governor the president of the coun- cil acted as such.)
William Markham, Deputy 1681
William Penn, Proprietor and Governor 1682
Thomas Lloyd, President 1684
John Blackwell, Deputy Governor 1688
Benjamin Fletcher, Governor 1693
William Markham, Governor 1695
William Penn, Governor 1699
Andrew Hamilton, Deputy Governor 1701
Edward Shippen, President 1703
John Evans, Deputy Governor 1704
Charles Gookin, Deputy Governor
1709
Sir William Keith, Deputy Governor 1717
Patrick Gordon, Deputy Governor 1726
James Logan, President 1736
George Thomas, Deputy Governor . 1738
Anthony Palmer, President. . 1747
James Hamilton, Deputy Governor 1748
Robert H. Morris, Deputy Governor 1754
William Denny, Deputy Governor 1756
James Hamilton, Deputy Governor. 1759
John Penn, Governor 1763
James Hamilton, President 1771
Richard Penn, Governor 1771
John Penn, Governor 1773
The proprietory government ended by the Con- stitution of 1776. The representatives of the Penn family were paid for the surrender of their rights, and a government by the people established.
STATE GOVERNORS Under the Constitution of 1776
Thomas Wharton, President (died in office
1778) 1777
George Bryan, Acting
Joseph Reed, President 1778
William Moore, President 1781
John Dickinson, President 1782
Benjamin Franklin, President 1785
Thomas Mifflin, President 1788
From 1790, under the new State constitution, the executive officer has been termed governor in- stead of president. General Mifflin was the last president of the State under the old, and the first governor elected nnder the new constitution.
Under the Constitution of 1790
Thomas Mifflin . Dec. 21, 1790-Dec. 17, 1799
Thomas Mckean
. Dec. 17, 1799-Dec. 20, 1808
Simon Snyder
. Dec. 20, 1808-Dec. 16, 1817
William Findlay
. Dec. 16, 1817-Dec. 19, 1820
Joseph Heister
. Dec. 19, 1820-Dec. 16, 1823
J. A. Shulse
. Dec. 16, 1823- Dec. 15, 1829
George Wolfe
. Dec. 15, 1829-Dec. 15, 1835
Joseph Ritner . Dec. 15, 1835-Dec. 15, 1839
Under the Constitution of 1838
D. R. Porter . Jan. 15, 1839-Jan. 21, 1845
Francis R. Shunk Jan. 21, 1845-July 9, 1848 ( Resigned July 9, 1848)
Wm. F. Johnson, Acting July, 1848-Jan. 20, 1852
William Bigler Jan. 20, 1852-Jan. 16, 1855
James Pollock Jan. 16, 1855-Jan. 19, 1858
William F. Packer Jan. 19, 1858-Jan 15, 1861
Andrew G. Curtin ..
. Jan. 15, 1861-Jan. 15, 1867
John W. Geary. .Jan. 15, 1867-Jan. 21, 1873
Under the Constitution of 1873
John F. Hartranft .... Jan. 21, 1873-Jan. 18, 1879
Henry M. Hoyt ...... Jan. 18, 1879-Jan. 16, 1883
Robert E. Pattison ... Jan. 16, 1883-Jan. 18, 1887
James A. Beaver ..... Jan. 18, 1887-Jan. 20, 1891 Robert E. Pattison ... Jan. 20, 1891-Jan. 15, 1895
Daniel H. Hastings ... Jan. 15, 1895 -- Jan. 14, 1899 William A. Stone .Jan. 17, 1899-Jan. 20, 1903
Sam'l W. Pennypacker Jan. 20, 1903-Jan. 21, 1907 Edwin S. Stuart. .Jan. 21, 1907- Jan. 16, 1911
John K. Tener Jan. 16, 1911-
POPULATION PENNSYLVANIA SINCE THE
FIRST CENSUS IN 1790
1790.
434,373
1860. 2,906,215
1800.
602,265
1870 . 3,521,951
1810. 810,091
1880. . 4,282,891
1820. 1,049,458
1890. .5,258,014
1830. 1,348,233
1900. . 6,302,115
1840 1,724,033
1850. 2,311,786
1910. . 7,665,111
15
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
Postal Service is the regulation of Communi- cation between different parts of a country, or different countries, including especially the for- warding and delivering of letters, newspapers and small packages, and the establishment of a registry system for the transfer of money and the transaction of other financial business. In some countries the use of the telephone and the telegraph forms a part of the postal service.
The word "post" has its particular applica- tion from the posts, or stages, at which on the roads of the Roman empire, couriers were maintained for the purpose of conveying news and dispatches.
The beginning of a postal service in the United States dates from 1639, when the house of Richard Fairbanks in Boston was employed for the receipt and delivery of letters for or from beyond the seas. He was allowed for every letter a penny, and was obliged to answer all miscarriages through his own neglect. In 1672 the government of New York colony es- tablished a "post to go monthly from New York to Boston ;" in 1702 it was changed to once in every two weeks. A general post-office was es- tablished and erected in Virginia in 1692, and in Philadelphia in 1693. A deputy postmaster- general for America was appointed in 1692; and by Act of Parliament in 1710 he was di- rected to keep his principal office in New York. "and other chief offices in some convenient place or places in other of Her Majesty's pro- vinces or colonies in America." A monopoly was established which included also the trans- port of travelers, and a tariff was fixed. The system, however, proved a failure. till 1753, when Benjamin Franklin became post-master- general. When he was removed from office in 1774, the net revenue exceeded $15,000. In 1757, Franklin received $1,000 salary as postmaster-general.
In 1789, when the post-office was transferred to the new federal government. the number of offices in the thirteen States was only about seventy-five. In 1846, was the negotiation of a postal treaty with England. Postage stamps were introduced in 1847, stamped envelopes in 1852, and the system of registering letters in 1855. The free-delivery and the traveling post-office systems were established in 1863. The money order system was introduced in 1864 and postal cards in 1873, and, between the last two dates stamped newspaper wrappers and envelopes bearing request for the return of the enclosed letter to the writer in case of non- delivery. The Universal Postal Service was formed in 1873, and ten years later the issue of "postal notes" payable to bearer. The spo- cial-delivery system was established in 1885,
after which letters bearing an extra 10-cent stamp are delivered by special messenger im- mediately on arrival.
At the present time the postal establishment of the United States is the greatest business con- cern in the world. It handles more pieces, em- ploys more men, spends more money, brings more revenue, uses more agencies, reaches more homes, involves more details and touches more interests than any other human organization, public or private, governmental or corporate. Though the postal service of England, France and Germany, includes the telegraph, the pos- tal business of the United States surpasses the service of any of these countries.
The free delivery system in cities serves about 33,000,000 patrons at a cost of 50 cents a year each.
The receipts of the Post-office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909, were $203,562,383, as compared with the fiscal year previous, of receipts of $191,478,663.
THE RURAL FREE DELIVERY SERVICE is a late adjunct to the postal service, but notwithstand- ing its youth, it promises to out grow some of the older branches of the department. It was established under President Mckinley in 1897. That year forty-four routes were put in opera- tion. The service has grown to such an extent that for the fiscal year ending June 30. 1909, 40.628 rural routes were in operation, and the expenditures for the year on account of the rural service were $35,661,034. Compared with the previous year there was an increase of 1351 routes and $1,289,095 in expenses. The rural carriers handled in 1909 approximately 2.723,- 262,000 pieces of mail and the average monthly number of pieces handled per route was 5608. The rapid growth of the rural service has no precedent in the history of the postal establish- ment. It has grown from 82 routes in 1897 to 40,628 in 1909, a period of twelve years, with an increase in annual expenditures from $1480 to $35.661,034. The loss to the Post-office De- partment from rural delivery reaches nearly $28,000,000 a year.
HISTORICAL FACTS .
The first mill in Pennsylvania was erected on Chester creek, near Philadelphia, about 1682, by Richard Townsend. He brought it ready framed from London. It served for the grind- ing of corn and the sawing of boards.
In 1685, three years after Penn's landing, a printing press was running in Philadelphia. One of the earliest publications was an almanac. printed in the year 1685.
William Bradford brought from England a
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA
printing outfit, including paper and ink, which was used for printing Friends' books.
· The first newspaper in Pennsylvania was started in Philadelphia, December 22, 1719. It was named The American Weekly Murcury, which was the third paper in the colonies. The other two were published in Boston, namely, Publick Occurrences both Foreign and Domes- tick, first published September 25, 1690, by Benjamin Harris: and The Boston Newsletter, appearing in 1702. The second newspaper in Pennsylvania was the Pennsylvania Gazette, published in 1729 by Benjamin Franklin.
Christoph Saur, published a German paper in Germantown prior to 1740 and later, which circulated among the Germans from New York to Georgia. He published the first magazine in America. About 1743 he printed the German Bible, and about forty years later an English Bible was printed. Saur made his own type, paper and ink and bound his own books.
The first daily newspaper was the Pennsylva- nia Packet, published by John Dunlap in 1784, and afterwards called the Daily Advertiser.
In 1775 there were only thirty-four newspa- pers in the United States, with a total weekly circulation of 5,000 copies.
The first bank in America was established in Philadelphia in 1780.
In 1803, there were twenty-five banks in the United States, with an aggregate capital of $26,- 707,000.
The first post office in Pennsylvania was established by Penn, at Philadelphia, in 1683: but the first general post office was established ten years later. In 1717, there was a settled post route from Virginia and Maryland to Phil- adelphia and to all northern colonies.
The Mennonites of Germantown were the first people in America to suggest the abolition of slavery. This was in 1688, when they sent a petition to the yearly meeting of the Friends, which stated, "that it was not Christian-like to buy and keep negroes."
The first paper mill in America was built in 1690, on a branch of the Wissahickon, by Wil- liam Rittenhuysen, a minister from Holland.
The first public library in the State was pro- jected in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, and was incorporated in 1742.
Large numbers of Germans came to Penn- sylvania, and by 1750 they numbered about 90,000 people, settling entire counties. They naturally had their own language and customs.
Stephen Girard was the richest man in the United States before the War of 1812, being worth $10,000,000. Among other bequests he left $2,000,000 for the erection and mainten- ance in Philadelphia, of a college for male white orphans. He was born near Bordeaux, France, May 24, 1750 and died in Philadel- phia, December 26, 1831.
By order of Congress, Peter Miller, one of the best learned men at his time, translated the Declaration of Independence into seven langu- ages.
In colonial days governors, congressmen, lawmakers, and even presidents and framers of the constitution were farmers.
The first militia law in the State was pre- pared by Benjamin Franklin, and was passed in 1775. A volunteer company of about five hundred men was soon organized. Franklin was made commander. He became so popular as a soldier that he was promoted to colonel.
The Susquehanna valley was first settled by John Harris, father of John Harris, Jr., the founder of Harrisburg. He came from Eng- land, and in 1705 got permission as a licensed trader to trade with the Indians along the Sus- quehanna river and Conois creek.
Harrisburg was founded by John Harris, Jr. in 1785; was incorporated as a borough in 1791; became the State capital in 1812; and re- ceived its charter as a city in 1860. The city is well laid out, lighted with electricity, and surrounded by magnificent scenery. The State capitol buildings are located in the midst of a beautiful park of ten acres on a gentle rise of ground. The State Library comprises 118,000 volumes.
The first penny paper was issued in New York by Benjamin H. Day. It was called the Sun, and immediately acquired a large circula- tion. It was at first less than a foot square.
In 1849, the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society was organized, and the first State Fair held in the following year at Harrisburg. Since then societies have been organized in every county in the Commonwealth.
In 1827 a railroad, nine miles in length, the longest then in existence in America, was con- structed from Mauch Chunk to some coal mines. Only two had preceeded this-one, with a wood- en track, at a stone quarry in the county of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and another, having a length of three miles, at a quarry in Quincy. Mass. Since that time the railroad system of this country has developed to its present mag- nitude.
.
CHAPTER TWO
INDIAN HISTORY OF WYOMING VALLEY
.
Wyoming is a valley brimming full of his- tory. Between its eastern and western slopes some of the most stirring scenes of frontier war- fare and struggle were enacted. For more than half a century the valley has developed and ex- panded, and with this growth the old land- marks and their histories are gradually becom- ing destroyed and forgotten.
It is our purpose here to portray a few of the many interesting scenes of the early days.
A few years over a century ago large and powerful tribes of Indians inhabited the valley.
The Iroquois is the name given to the alli- ance of the five tribes of Indians: Mohawks, Onedias, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas, which were called the Five Nations. The Tus- caroras, the sixth and last tribe to join the league, about one hundred years after its for- mation, after which they were called the Six Nations. The alliance of the five tribes was proposed by the Mohawks. It has been said that the Iroquois were the most enterprising, as well as the most warlike people in America.
"The Six Nations had great power in the ter- ritory of Pennsylvania, until they sold to the white people. The fishing and hunting grounds in these wilds were unequaled. The shad, the bass and the trout, the bear, the stately elk, and herds of deer gave them business, food and clothing, and with their variety of corn dishes, their fare was good and wholesome. Their councils were numerous, where they repeated their legends, and handed down the traditions of former ages, to be again repeated to those who should come after them. At these coun- cils their women were not only allowed to be present, but their opinions were consulted in war debates; and strange to say of heathen, their women often acted as mediators, and when they advised to lay down the hatchet, their argu- ments often prevailed."-Early Times on the Susquehanna.
The Wyoming valley, before purchased and settled by the Connecticut Susquehanna Com- pany, was claimed by the Iroquois, but was occupied by the Delaware or Lenni Lenape In- dians. Their Indian name signifies the origi- nal people. "Nearly forty tribes acknowledged them as 'great grandfathers.'" They consisted of several tribes, three of which were the most important, namely: the Turtle, Turkey and Wolf. The first two lived between the Atlan- tic ocean and the Blue mountains. The last named occupied the mountainous country west of the Blue mountains, including both branches of the Susquehanna.
The Delawares were once a powerful tribe, but had been subdued by the Iroquois, by whom
they were made vassals early in the 18th cen- tury, and were compelled to vacate the country along the Delaware, east of the Blue Ridge, and move to the Wyoming valley.
The Nanticokes and the Shawanese occupied the lower end of the valley, the former on the east side of the Susquehanna and the latter on the opposite side. Later the Nanticokes moved up the river and the Shawanese to Ohio.
When the Moravian missionaries first visited Wyoming Valley in 1742, its Indian residents were Delawares, Monseys, Shawanese, Nanti- cokes, Mohicans and Wanamese, all of whom were vassals of the Iroquois by virtue of con- quest. They were practically prisoners. They could not change their abode without consent, and they were liable to be sent elsewhere when- ever their imperious masters demanded. Prob- ably the reason Wyoming was chosen as the abiding place of these vassal people, was that it lay on the great Iroquois highway between the north and the south, where they could be kept under constant supervision of their masters.
The earliest to occupy Wyoming Valley, so far as appears, were the Shawanese, whom Con- rad Weiser found there in 1737, who were foes of the English. By permission of John Penn they had first located in Wyoming in 1701. Reichel believes that "they were placed at Wy- oming by the Six Nations, who were confident that they could place no custodian more reli- able than the ferocious Shawanese in charge of that lovely valley, which they designed to keep for themselves and their children forever." In 1728. when about 500 in number, the Six Nations had ordered them to move to the Ohio, and their empty cabins at Wyoming were taken by another contingent of the Shawanese, who were transferred from near Lancaster. They had for their leader Kakowatchie (or Gacha- watschiqua), and it was these Shawanese whom Zinzendorf (the Moravian missionary) found at Wyoming in 1742. Beside their village where Plymouth stands, the Shawanese had an- other between Plymouth and Kingston, back of what is called Ross Hill, present Blindtown. There were also Shawanese villages at Fishing Creek and Brier Creek.
The Delawares called themselves Lenni Le- mape, signifying "original people." The Mon- sies (or Minsies) and the Wanamese belonged to them. The Delawares had their council fires at Minisink, near the Delaware Water Gap, fifty miles southeast of Wilkes-Barre, and their hunting grounds extended from Easton, Pa., to the sea. They had a village near Scranton as early as 1728. They were vassals of the Iroquois, by whom they were ordered away
18
ILISTORY OF THE WYOMING VALLEY
from the Forks of the Delaware (the name then given to the lands lying within the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers; at that time the Lehigh was called the west branch of the Delaware) and given the option of locating either at Shamokin or at Wyoming. Nearly all went to Wyoming, but some chose Shamo- kin. So it happened that they had become occupants of the valley of the Susquehanna in the same year that Zinzendorf and his follow- ers first visited the region in 1742.
The leader of the Delawares was Teedyus- cung, who was born about 1700 near Trenton, N. J., a locality in which his ancestors had been seated from time immemorial. £
They were gradually pushed northwardly by the settle- ments, and about 1730 located in Pennsylvania above the confluence of the Delaware and Le- high rivers, and finding no white men, they wandered wherever they found good hunting or fishing. But in a very few years the wilderness in the Forks began to be encroached upon by Scoth-Irish immigrants.
The Delaware Indians had been defrauded of their hunting grounds in the Forks by means of such unscrupulous measures as the "walking purchase of 1737," and it was only by appeal- ing to their masters, the Six Nations, to expel them, that the Penns could obtain possession. The Six Nations treated them in the most in- sulting manner, and aroused in the breasts of the Delawares an animosity that never slum- bered. Then the Delawares removed to the Susquehanna Valley. They built a town just below Wilkes-Barre.
At Nescopeck, thirty miles below Wilkes- Barre, was an important Delaware town, on the east bank of the Susquehanna.
On the same stream, a little above the mouth of the Lackawanna, was the Delaware town of Asserughney, under the chieftainship of Kind- assowa. They came here about 1728. There was also a Delaware village at Tunkhannock and another at Wyalusing.
The Wanamese, (or Wanamie tribe of the Delawares, whose chief was named Jacob), came from the Forks of the Delaware in 1842, and occupied the level, elevated land about two miles north of Wilkes-Barre, near the Borough of Parsons, in Plains township. This they named Jacob's Plains, in honor of their chief, but upon the formation of the township, Nov. 10. 1851, the old chief's name was left off.
The Monseys occupied the Lackawanna Val- ley, and their chief was Capouse, from whom "Capouse Meadows" (now Providence) was named. They had their village on the west side of the Lackawanna, where Providence is now located. They came here sometime before 1730. Hollister says in his History : "The do- mestic habits of the Monsey tribe when not en-
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