USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and its centennial celebration, Volume I > Part 47
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
On June 12th the first baptism was administered in this place, to the wife of the blind chief Solomon. So far as known this was the first time that the rite of Christian baptism had ever been administered in the valley of the Beaver. Six months later, Christmas Eve (December 24, 1770), Glikhickan and Gen- askund, a convert from Goschgoschünk, were baptized and remained until death faithful to their vows. The former took the name Isaac and the latter Jacob.2 Glikhickan became a "national assistant" in the work of the Gospel, and met his death at the hands of Williamson's men at Gnadenhütten in March, 1782.3
On July 14th of this year (1770) an event took place which was of great service to the missionaries.4 This was the adoption of Zeisberger into the Monsey tribe of the Delawares, the cere- mony taking place at Kuskuskee in the presence of Pakanke.
1 Loskiel, Part III., p. 57, et seq.
2 De Schweinitz, Life of Zeisberger, p. 366.
3 Heckewelder's Indian Nations, p. 341.
4 De Schweinitz, p. 364.
421
History of Beaver County
At the same time the question of paying tribute on the part of the converts was settled. It had been objected that the Chris- tian Indians were not willing to contribute their share towards the expenses of the tribal government. The missionaries now took steps to procure a formal declaration from the Brethren Indians of their willingness to bear their part of the public bur- dens in all matters except those of warfare, and, this being done, the arrangement proved satisfactory to the chiefs at Kuskuskee. Old Pakanke professed himself reconciled to the Brethren, and even sent word to the Susquehanna Moravian Indians to come and join their friends at Friedenstadt.1
In the meantime it was resolved to change the location of Friedenstadt. July 23d (1770), Zeisberger laid out a new and larger town on the west side of the Beaver.2 It was opposite the first station, but on higher ground, and its site was a short distance up the Beaver from the present location of Moravia. The settlement here was more substantially founded than it had been on the east side. The houses were built of logs, with stone foundations and chimneys, and the church was larger. Here, too, they built a blacksmith shop and stockades, working with such diligence that before winter all were safely and com- fortably housed.3 On the 28th of October the missionary, John George Jungman and his wife had arrived from Bethlehem to assist Zeisberger; and the month following the faithful assistant, Senseman, who had labored here from the beginning, returned to the home station.
The life of the missionaries at Friedenstadt proceeded with many joys and sorrows commingled. On the one hand, they were successful in winning many of the Indians to a Christian profession, and, on the other, they were subjected to much dis- agreeable treatment by those still unfavorable to them; their lives being more than once seriously imperiled by visits of hostile and drunken savages. But they continued their labors
1 Loskiel, Part III., pp. 59-60.
2 Zeisberger says:
"23 July. Began to build on the right [west] side of the river, immediately opposite our plantations. Staked off 17 houses and a meeting-house, sufficient for our present use. The bank it is here rather precipitous, but there is good water, and plenty of wood at hand. Went to work to clear and to build.
"14 August. Abandoned our huts on the left bank of the river - and occupied the right bank - so as to be able to prosecute our work."
3 Says the diary:
"5 October. Brought the houses under roof.
"31 December. At this date the population of our settlement is 73 souls - 44 adults and 29 children."
422
History of Beaver County
undaunted by trials and persecutions. May 27, 1771, the foun- dation stone of the chapel was laid, and on the 20th of June the house was dedicated with great rejoicings.1 In all prob- ability this was the first church building dedicated to the worship of God west of the Allegheny Mountains.
On October 2Ist (1771) John Heckewelder,2 who had been appointed to assist Zeisberger, arrived at Friedenstadt. Few nobler characters than his are to be found in the annals of mis- sionary enterprise. Frequent mention of him has been made in these pages, but the full record of his simple life of love and good works would require a volume. He was associated with the missions of the Moravian Church here and in Ohio for ten years, and to the end of his life found his chief employment in connection with similar undertakings. Soon after his arrival at Friedenstadt he nearly lost his life by the upsetting of his canoe in the Big Beaver when it was in flood. He was rescued by the heroic efforts of two of the Indian brethren.3
In the beginning of the year 1772 the enmity of the greater part of the inhabitants of Kuskuskee and others of their savage neighbors increased, although their old foe, Pakanke himself, was more favorable, and had gone to Friedenstadt as a hearer of the Gospel, and even exhorted his children to embrace it.4 About the same time there came from the chief and council of the Indians living on the Tuscarawas,5 in what is now Ohio, to the Brethren on the Beaver and to the two congregations on the Susquehanna, an invitation to settle on land in that country; and Zeisberger, with a few Indian brethren, set out on the 11th of March to look over the ground and see if the removal would
1 From Zeisberger's dairy:
20 June, 1771. Dedicated the meeting-house. At this date 24 dwellings in the town. 12 were baptized in this year, and 50 souls came from Friedenshütten or Wyalu- sing " [on North Branch of the Susquehanna].
2 John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder was born in Bedford, England, March 12, 1743. He emigrated to America in 1754, and labored for many years among the Indians in Penn- sylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, in connection with David Zeisberger. From 1788 till 1810 he was agent of the Society of the United Brethren for Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen. From 1810 till his death (January 31, 1823) he lived quietly in Bethlehem, pre- paring his two books, An Account of the History, Manners, and Customs of the Indian Nations who Once Inhabited Pennsylvania and the Neighboring States (Phila., 1818) and A Narrative of the Mission of the United Brethren among the Delaware and Mohegan Indians (1740-1808, Phila., 1820).
3 Rondthaler's Life of Heckewelder, p. 68.
" Loskiel, Part III., p. 72; one of Pakanke's sons was baptized at Gnadenhütten, in
1775. Id., p. 107.
5 Then called the Muskingum. Now it does not bear that name until after it unites with the Walhonding at Coshocton.
423
History of Beaver County
be expedient. He was well received and decided upon begin- ning a mission there at once, but it was determined that the main body of the people from Friedenstadt and the Susque- hanna should delay for some time their final settlement on the new field. In the meantime, however, it was arranged that the eastern Brethren Indians should come to the Beaver and there await the moment for safely proceeding farther.I Accordingly, on June IIth, two hundred and four persons, under the leaders Ettwein and Roth,2 set out from the Susquehanna for the West. They were more than a month in toiling over the Alleghenies, constantly tormented by sandflies, in danger of rattlesnakes, and subjected to all manner of hardships; but at last they reached the Allegheny River and dropped down to the Beaver, arriving at Friedenstadt in August.3 The accession of these brethren did much to encourage the little congregation on the Beaver, and the day of their arrival was a gala-day in the village. The month following this event there came to Friedenstadt a Congrega- tional minister from New England, the Rev. David McClure, whose description of the Moravian town and people in his diary is so interesting that we shall quote it at length, as follows:
It was a neat Moravian village, consisting of one street & houses pretty compact, on each side, with gardens back. There was a convenient Log church, with a small bell, in which the Indians assembled for morning & evening prayer. The village was full, as their brethren, the Susquehanna Indians, had arrived with Mr. Etwine. The name of the German Moravian Missionary stationed there is Roth. David Leizburgher [read Zeisberger] is the minister of the Indians going to Muskingum. The Missionaries have their wives & families with them. They received me with great hospitality. At the sound of the bell, the Indians assembled in the church for evening prayer. It was lighted with candles around the walls, on which hung some common paintings of Jesus in the manger of Bethlehem, with Joseph & Mary; Jesus on the cross, & the Resurrection, &c. On one side set the elderly men & the boys by themselves, & on the other the women & girls. The evening exercise consisted of devout hymns in the Indian language, & in singing they all, young & old bore a part, & the devotion was solemn & impressive. After singing a number of hymns, the missionary addressed them, in a short exhortation in the indian language, & they retired with great order & stillness to their houses. Their hymns are prayers addressed
1 Loskiel, Part III., pp. 64-65.
2 This was John Ettwein, appointed a bishop of the Moravian Church in 1784. John Roth was born in Russia in 1726, and died in 1791.
3 See Penna. Mag. of History and Biography, vol. xxv., pp. 208-219 for notes by John Ettwein describing this journey. See also Loskiel, Part III., pp. 75-80.
424
History of Beaver County
to Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, who died for the sins of men, & exhorta- tions & resolutions to abstain from sin, because sin is most displeasing to him & to live in love & the practice of good works, as he has given us example.
The same exercise was observed also early in the morning, of the follow- ing day. I was agreeably surprised to find so devout & orderly a congre- gation of christian Indians in the wilderness, & pleased with the meek & friendly deportment of the Missionaries.
The moravians appear to have adopted the best mode of christianizing the Indians. They go among them without noise or parade, & by their friendly behaviour conciliate their good will. They join them in the chace, & freely distribute to the helpless & gradually instil into the minds of indi- viduals, the principles of religion. They then invite those who are disposed to hearken to them, to retire to some convenient place, at a distance from the wild Indians, & assist them to build a village, & teach them to plant & sow, & to carry on some coarse manufactures.
Those Indians, thus separated, reverence & love their instructors, as their fathers, & withdraw a connection with the wild or drinking Indians. Among other instances of the attachment & respect which the Indians shew them, I noticed the following circumstance, which my Interpreter explained.
In the morning an Indian with his gun & small pack, & his wife, came into the house of the missionary. After conversing in a very friendly manner, the missionary affectionately saluted the Indian man on the cheek, shook the hand of his wife; & the Wife of the missionary saluted the cheek of the squaw, & they departed well pleased. The substance of the conversa- tion was as follows-
Indian .- Father, I am going a hunting.
Missionary .- How long, my friend, do you expect to be gone? And where will you go?
Indian .- About six weeks (mentioning the place or point of compass he was going).
Missionary .- Well, dear friends, be always mindful of your blessed Saviour, & do nothing to displease him, who loved you & died for you. Go not in the way of the wild Indians; but if you meet them shew them much love & kindness. Be careful to pray your hymns to Jesus, every night & every morning. May God bless & prosper you, & bring you back in peace & safety.
Each family has a small, well cultivated garden, & a part in a large corn field adjoining the town. The missionaries are remarkably attentive to the cleanliness of the Indians, & have caused necessary houses to be built for the conveniency of the town.
Two soft feather beds were carried to the church, where Mr. Etwine & I lodged. His conversation was pleasant. He observed that the principal object of the Brethren was to carry the knowledge of J. X. among pagans, & not to build on other's foundations, or enter on other men's labours.I
1 Diary of David McClure, pp. 50-52.
425
History of Beaver County
REMOVAL FROM FRIEDENSTADT TO THE TUSCARAWAS I
In 1773 the state of the frontier had become so alarming, and the opposition and jealousy of many of Pakanke's tribe so great, that it was not thought safe for the Brethren to remain longer at Friedenstadt. Kuskuskee was not far off, and the whisky trader was already there. Drunken mobs coming down from that place overran the town, and the "City of Peace " was often converted into a Bedlam. The resolution of the mission- aries was taken, and accordingly, on the 13th of April, 1773, the Moravians deserted Friedenstadt. They destroyed their chapel with their own hands, that it might not be desecrated by the wild Indians who had intimated their intention to convert it into a house for dancing and sacrifice. Thus they bade fare- well forever to the scene of three years of toils and triumphs,
1 About thirty-three years ago a movement was started by the Moravian Historical Society to erect a memorial stone upon the site of Friedenstadt. The project was delayed on account of the expense; and the death of Mr. William M. Darlington, of Pittsburg, one of its promoters, occurring soon after, nothing was done. It is thought that this worthy design will yet be carried out.
Mr. Darlington had visited the site of Friedenstadt in behalf of the Moravian Society to study the situation, and a very interesting letter was written by him to Mr. John J. Jordan, Jr., of Philadelphia, enclosing a draft of the town as he supposed it to have been built and located. Both of these have been put into our hands by Mr. John W. Jordan, a son of the above. A reproduction of Mr. Darlington's draft is on page 427; and the letter, valuable for its statements of fact made by persons now all deceased, reads as follows:
PITTSBURG, Dec. 2, 1871.
MY DEAR SIR,-
I left Pittsb'g early on the morning of Nov. 22 and in two hours time left the train at Moravia station. Enquiring for the oldest inhabitant I found him in a country store near by -Sam'l Copper, a man now 71 years of age, active and vigorous, and a resident of this section for 60 years. I have known him for 30 years; he for a long time kept a Tavern near the Canal in "Old Moravia," where we occasionally stopped on shooting & fishing excursions.
I enquired of Mr. Copper respecting the site of Friedenstadt, as he calls it, a Moravian Town. He went with me to a small field of about 3 acres on a high bluff overlooking the Beaver and the flat opposite. "Here," said he, "stood the remains of the town of the Moravians." For many years after he first saw it, the chimneys of stone were standing in regular order - or on "streets." Respecting the church, he said he knew nothing - but that one building had been much larger than the rest was evident from the greater amount of foundation stone.
I asked him, whether he could shew me its locality. Without hesitation he took me to a spot in the field about the middle of it - saying "here, where the rear row of chimneys stood." I did not shew him the draft you sent me, but his description tallies with it closely.
He also pointed out the locality of what was supposed to have been the smithshop - from the unusual quantity of ashes, cinders and scraps of iron, he & others found there. (The locality of the large building Mr. Copper calls the church and of the smithshop I have marked on the plot annexed.)
Respecting the stockade on the east bank of the Beaver,- he and others I spoke to called it the "old Fort." They pointed out its locality, as I have it marked on the plot. You will observe it is the same as marked on the draft you sent me. A moderately elevated ridge of earth yet remains.
I left Mr. Copper, who was going into the woods with a neighbor to cut wood. I was fortunate in finding him when I did. He resides in "Old Moravia." I had supposed he was dead some years.
I next called on Mrs. Esther Jackson, a middle-aged widow lady - the owner of the land. I explained the object of my visit - stating it to be the desire of the Moravian Historical Society to erect a memorial stone on the site of Friedenstadt, with her consent and promise of protection. She seemed much puzzled for a while, spoke pleasantly about the matter but cautiously - desired me to write on a sheet of paper which she produced
426
History of Beaver County
of joys and sorrows, and, at the call of Zeisberger, set out for the valley of the Tuscarawas. Part of them in twenty-two large canoes proceeded down the Beaver and the Ohio to the mouth of the Muskingum, and thence up that stream to Gnaden- hütten and Schönbrun. These were in charge of Heckewelder, and many others went straight across the country with John Roth.I
The place chosen for the new settlement was about seventy- five miles southwest from Friedenstadt, and about an equal dis- tance from Lake Erie.2 Here they built first, on the land set apart for them by the Delawares, on the west bank of the Tus- carawas, the town called Schönbrun ("beautiful spring"). It was about three miles south of what is now New Philadelphia, Ohio. Shortly afterward they made the settlements known as Gnadenhütten ("tents of grace"), situated on the east bank of the river, and Salem, on the west side, a little lower down. All of these towns were within the limits of the present county of Tuscarawas, in Ohio.3 They were prosperous and beautiful vil- lages, with churches, schools, comfortable log houses, good plan-
a statement of the object and purport of erecting a monument. I did as she desired briefly. She said she wished to shew it to a friend (probably her minister or lawyer), "in order to know that it was all right."
I was fortunate too to find with Mrs. Jackson her mother, Mrs. Lucretia Chapman, a sprightly old lady of 71 years. She resides in the village of Newport, 2 miles South from Moravia. Mrs. C. confirmed the statement of Mr. Copper. Her father, she went on to say, owned the land years ago - her brother plowed up on the site of the town two china cups & saucers - very handsome, but unfortunately the plowshare broke them. He also plowed up a jack-knife with a broken blade, and a saddle tree, from the iron of which he had a pair of pot-hooks made. The knife and hooks are now at her home in Newport. Her father, she added, once found about half a bushel of buttons, by the root of a tree on the river bank on the east side - where they had been buried.
The site of Friedenstadt is very peculiar - smooth table land of about three acres in the form of an oblong - with deep ravines bounding it on the north and south extremities. On the east from the edge of the table land, there is a sharp slope to the river. a hundred feet below at the extreme point of the land, around [opposite to?] the large plot or bottom, on which the first settlement was made. Immediately in the rear, or west of Friedenstadt, passed the old Indian path from Sakunk, at the mouth of the Beaver - to Kuskusky on the Mahoning (now Edenburgh); and west of this the path rises gradually to the summit of a high wooded hill. The whole scene forms a most beautiful picture, even in winter. I am sorry I cannot better describe it.
On the site of the old town there is not a tree or stone, excepting a boulder of sandstone - the owners of the land having carefully cultivated it. Stone abounds on the heights, but of its fitness for a monument I am no judge To place the memorial on the site of the church would no doubt be the choice of the Hist'l Society. True, it would somewhat in- terfere with the culture of the lot, but it could probably be bo't for a small sum - i. e. the plot, necessary for the purpose. If that should not be deemed expedient, then I would suggest, either the spot marked S. on the draft, east of the field on the top of the bank above the R. R.d - or on the west (marked S) near the site of the church and close to the high-road. Either of these two would be outside of the fencing of the 3 acre lot.
There being no train for home for some hours, I left Moravia station about I P.M. walked 4 miles in a snow storm up to Mahoningtown near the Forks of Beaver where I stopped some 2 hours. The land here belonged to my father. Thirty-five years ago, he and Mr. Hays laid out the town. I frequently visit here.
Left Mahoningtown at 4.30 P.M., reached New Castle, 2 miles in a few minutes. Staid 2 hours - then took the train south repassed Mahoningtown, and proceeded up along the Mahoning thro' Edenburgh, the site of New Kuskusky.
1 Loskiel, Part III., p. 89.
2 Western Annals, P. 371.
3 Wash .- Irvine Cor., p. 91; Western Annals, p. 371.
427
For a
de
Beaver& Erun Canal
S
A
Old Irm of the
1891
Delamattinas or Mandats
how called "Old morna
abm- 100 a esas for
Big
Pirat
Timbered Bank
Beare
Stup descent to River, about 80 feet.
Pittsburg and Eric BR.
Deipeut.
'S
moravia 18 Station
an, Pour
DDD
C
2
U
D
D
3
Church
3 A. wheat field
J. Darlington 9%m.
a Newcastle Rose. Old Parte Kuskwoty
Int. Jackson
Kann
8 Spring
Sticks
Friedenestado
W. I Darling ton
while, too, they were beyond the region of the border disturb- ances, and the influence and hostility of the white people. But
History of Beaver County
tations, and farmyards filled with cattle and poultry.
S
Rever
Karine 5 run
D
Either BJackson
428
History of Beaver County
their peace was soon broken. With the breaking-out of the Revolutionary War the Moravian Indians found themselves between two fires. To the westward were the British, with headquarters at Detroit, and their partisans, the Shawnese and Wyandots and some of the Delawares; and to the eastward the Americans. The Christian Indians were non-partisans, in ac- cordance with their principles, but could not avoid the neces- sity of showing hospitality to war-parties of both sides, and were consequently brought under the suspicion of both. It is true that some renegade Moravian Indians took part in border forays, though when this was known, they were expelled from the church 1; and it is true also that the missionaries, Zeisberger and Heckewelder, though outwardly maintaining a position of strict neutrality, did often communicate secretly to the com- mandants at Fort Pitt valuable warnings of intended incursions of the hostile savages.2 Nevertheless their declaration made to a chief of the Wyandots, who, in the spring of 1781, visited them to advise them of their dangerous position, was true. They said: "Uncle, and you Shawanese, our nephews, we have not hitherto seen our situation so dangerous as not to stay here. We live in peace with all mankind and have nothing to do with the war. We desire and request no more than that we may be permitted to live in peace and quiet."3 They continued to resist the most urgent appeals from other friendly chiefs and from Brodhead to remove nearer the settlements, and the blame for this must doubtless be given to their white teachers, Zeis- berger and Heckewelder.4
In August, 1781, Zeisberger wrote to Brodhead at Fort Pitt advising him of the fact that a large body of Indians under Matthew Elliott was approaching the settlements, intending, probably, an attack upon Fort Henry (Wheeling). Brodhead immediately warned the officer commanding at Fort Henry, and also sent letters to the county lieutenants and one to the com-
1 The Germans in Colonial Times, p. 291.
2 See Penna. Arch. 1781-83, vol. ix., pp. 57, 161: 1790, vol. xii., pp. 192, 196, 203, 214, 219, 221, 231, 243.
"It was the peculiar hardship of these inoffensive religionists, that every act of benevolence or humanity on their part was sure to excite distrust and hostility in some quarter. But whatever appeared like a complication with the savage enemy was so notorious as to provoke exaggeration, while the evidence of an opposite or friendly dis- position to the Americans was diligently guarded by Morgan, McIntosh, or Brodhead as confidential communications."-Taylor's History of Ohio, p. 345.
3 Western Annals, p. 372.
4 See Brodhead's letter to Zeisberger, Penna. Arch., vol. xii. (1790), p. 203.
429
History of Beaver County
mandant at Fort McIntosh (Beaver). A part of this hostile band did make an appearance before Fort Henry, but finding the garrison prepared to receive them, they dispersed. From a boy whom they captured outside of the fort they learned, however, of the manner in which the whites had been apprised of their approach. The warriors were thereby so much exas- perated against Zeisberger that they returned to the Moravian towns, destroyed everything they could, and drove the Christian Indians and their ministers off to the Sandusky River, where, at a point near the present Upper Sandusky, they prepared to spend the winter. Here they were left in great destitution, and in order to relieve the distress of the congregation, about one hundred and fifty of them-men, women, and children, having obtained leave of the Wyandots, returned, in February, 1782, to the Tuscarawas, to gather the corn that had been left in the fields and carry it to Sandusky for their support. At Sandusky the Moravian Indians were strictly watched by the British and their savage allies, and threatened with severe punishment if they should attempt to give information to the Americans of the movements of their foes.I
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.