USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 24
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FINCHER MURDER .- For several years after
the terrible excitement which prevailed in the county during the years 1755, 1756, 1757 and 1758, there would seem to have been no invas- ions or losses in life and property worthy of mention. No letters have as yet come to light indicating that the Indians had been on this side of the Blue Mountain. But, whilst all was quiet. with the settlers along the frontier, and they were busily and hopefully carrying on their daily labor on their farms and in their shops, how they must have been shocked by a sudden invasion over the mountain and into Albany township during the month of September, 1763, when a party of Indians fell upon and murdered John Fincher and his family, and this, too, within a mile from the place where a small body of soldiers were stationed under the com- mand of Ensign Shaffer ! The following letter from Jonas Seely (one of the justices of the county), at Sinking Spring, dated 10th of Sep- tember, 1763, communicated the sad intelligence to the Governor, John Penn :
"HONORED SIR: I am sorry I have to acquaint your honor of the following melancholy account which I received from Captain Kern .last night : On the eighth instant a party of Indians came to the house of one John Fincher, about three-quarters of a mile distant from Captain Kern's men, commanded by Ensign Shaffer ; they killed Fincher, his wife and two of his sons, his daughter is missing ; one little boy made his escape from the savages and came to the ensign, who immediately went to the place with his party. But the Indians were gone, and finding by their tracks which way they went, pursued them to the house of one Nicholas Miller, where he found four children murdered ; our party still pursued, and soon came up with the enemy and fired on them. They returned the fire, but the soldiers rushed on them so furiously that they soon ran off and left behind them two prisoners, two tomahawks, one hanger and a saddle; the Indians were eight in number, and our party seven ; three of the enemy were much wound- ed. The two prisoners that our party recovered were two of said Miller's children that they had tied to- gether and so drove them along. Miller's wife is missing ; in all there are eight killed and two missing in that neighborhood."
And on the following day he addressed another letter (then at Reading) to the Governor, relating to an attack upon Frantz Hubler's house, in Bern township-the premises being now in Upper Bern. It was as follows :
1 Letter to Penna. Guzette, Oct. 1758.
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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
"HONORED SIR : This moment, at Reading, as I was sending off the express, certain intelligence came that the house of Frantz Hubler, in Bern township about 18 miles from here, was attacked Friday even- ing last by the Indians; himself is wounded, his wife and three children carried off, and three other of his children scalped alive, two of whom are since dead."
SMALL-Pox .- During November, 1763, the small-pox prevailed at Fort Augusta. James Burd, stationed there, informed the Governor that volunteer parties had brought the disease there, and that sundry of the soldiers were down with it; that a great number of the men never had it, and he expected all would be infected ; and having no medicine, Nature would have to effect a cure.
THREE MEN KILLED .- On the 25th of No- vember, 1763, Jonas Seely addressed a third letter to the Governor, in which he stated that three men were murdered by the Indians on the north side of the mountain, in the forks of the Schuylkill, about twenty-two miles from Read- ing. These men were on their way returning to a plantation, which they had deserted. Cap- tain Kern, immediately after hearing of the murder, marched in pursuit of the enemy for two days, bnt, a very heavy snow having fallen and the Indians having fled a considerable distance, he desisted from further pursuit upon reaching the place where the murder had been committed. This is supposed to have been the last murder committed in the county.
PEACE DECLARED .- After the French had receded into Canada before the advancing army of English soldiers, the Indians naturally fol- lowed their allies. Hence the cruelties here ceased after 1758. And when Canada was sur- rendered in 1760, the peace and safety of our community were assured. The declaration of peace was delayed for three years. When it was published in 1763, only a few Indians remained in the eastern section of Pennsylvania. A small settlement of them, who were friendly to the government and the inhabitants, remained at Shamokin ; and some families were scattered in different parts of the county, where they remained for many years afterward.
Before the war considerable trade had been carried on successfully between the settlers and the Indians, continuing indeed without inter-
ruption from the time of the first settlement till 1744, and even a decade afterward. The relations had become so pleasant and firm that certain Indians remained in the county unmo- lested during the war, and carried on their peaceful vocations, such as basket-making, bead- work, etc .; and after the war traveling parties of them frequently visited the county and sold articles of their liandiwork.
During the French and Indian War the In- dians killed about one hundred and fifty, and captured thirty inhabitants of the county. Sev- eral of those who were taken captive returned after the war. But, strange to say, during these eight years, only four of the Indians were killed in the county. We may well ask what enabled the Indians to be so successful in their warfare against the colonial government. The protection afforded by the government was wholly inadequate. The forts were too few in number for the one hundred and forty miles of frontier which they were designed to protect ; they were too far apart to render assistance to fleeing, terror-stricken people when danger was upon them. But the Indians were cunning, fleet and enduring. They approached settle- ments stealthily, committed outrages, arson and murder, and then departed speedily. They were always in small parties of three, four or six. Being thoroughly acquainted with the mountains, they were enabled to escape pursuit by various routes.
PERSONS MURDERED, TAKEN PRISONERS AND MISSING .- The following persons were murdered by the Indians in the county during the " French and Indian War," the number being about one hundred and fifty. The exact number cannot be stated, because in four in- stances a man and his family were killed-but the number was not mentioned in the report. Twenty-seven persons were taken prisoners and eight were reported as missing. Many persons were wounded, some of whom doubtless died from their wounds :
MURDERED.
June, 1754 .- Peter Geisinger, Tulpehocken.
June, 1754 .- Fred. Myers and wife, Tulpehocken. June, 1754 .- Young girl, Tulpchocken,
June, 1754 .- Hostetter family, Bern.
June, 1754 .- Sebastian Brosius, Bethel.
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FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
October, 1755 .- Henry Hartman, Bethel.
October, 1755 .- Two men (unknown), Bethel.
October, 1755 .- Odwaller and another unknown,' Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Thirteen persons unknown, Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Child, eight years old, daughter of a man named Cola, Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Cola's wife and two children older, Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Philip - a shoemaker, Bethel. November, 1755 .- Casper Spring, Bethel.
November, 1775 .-- Beslinger,2 Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Child of Jacob Wolf, Bethel. November, 1755 .- John Leinberger, Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Rudolph Candel, Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Sebastian Brosius, Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Six men killed,8 Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Unknown man, a shoemaker at Brown's house, Bethel.
November, 1755 .- A child scalped and died,+ Bethel.
November, 1755 .- A woman" and male child, Bethel.
November, 1755 .- Fifteen persons (excluding five preceding), Bethel.
November, 1755 -Christopher Ury, Bethel.
November, 1755 .-- Youngman, Bethel.
November, 1755 .-- Wife of - Kobel,6 Bethel.
February, 1756 .- Two children of Frederick Rei- chelderfer, Albany.
February, 1756 .- One man, two women and six children,7 Albany.
February, 1756 .- George Zeisloff and wife, two boys and a girl, Albany.
February, 1756 .- Wife of Balser Neyfong, Albany. March, 1756 .- Peter Kluck and family, Albany.
March, 1756 .- A woman at Linderman's house, Albany.
March, 1756 .- William Yeth, Hereford.
March, 1756 .- Wife of John Krausher, Hereford.
October, 1756 .- Two married women and two boys,8 Bethel.
Possibly these two and the two immediately before are the same.
2 Near by an Indian was found dead and scalped-of Delaware tribe-scalped hy Frederick Weiser. Another was shot and scalped several weeks afterward.
3 Supposed to have been soldiers.
+ Two others also scalped, who doubtless recovered.
5 Under this woman her babe only fourteen days old was found. It was alive, wrapped up in a little cushion.
6 Four of their children were, scalped at the same time. They had eight children with them. Two probably died. The father was wounded.
7 All killed at bouse of Jacob Gerhart, situate in the upper section of the township, commonly known as the "Eck " (corner). Eight of them were burned.
8 One of them reported as likely to die from scalping.
November, 1756 .- Wife, daughter and son-in-law of Philip Culmore, Albany.
November, 1756 .- Martin Fell, Albany.
November, 1756 .- Two old men,9 Bethel.
November, 1756 .--- Stonebrook, Albany.
June, 1757 .- Man unknown, near Fort Henry, Bethel.
June, 1757 .- Two persons near Fort Northkill, Tulpehocken.
June, 1757 .- Adam Trump,10 Albany.
June, 1757 .- Peter Gersinger, Bethel.
July, 1757 .- Three men and four children,11 Bethel.
July, 1757 .- Two children near Bickel's.
July, 1757 .- Martin Jaeger and wife,12 Greenwich.
July, 1757 .- Two children of John Krausher, Greenwich.
July, 1757 .- One child of A. Sechler, Greenwich.
July, 1757 .- One child of Philip Eshton, Greenwich.
July, 1757 .- Ten people.13
September, 1757 .- A man shot in bed whilst sick.
September, 1757 .- Two families.14
April, 1758 .- Jacob Lebenguth and Margaret his wife, Tulpehocken.
April, 1758 .- Wife and two children of Nicholas Geiger, Tulpehocken.
April, 1758 .- Wife of Michael Ditzeler, Tulpe- hocken.
June, 1758 .- Wife of John Frantz, Tulpehocken.
June, 1758 .- Son of John Snabele, Tulpehocken. October, 1758 .- A man, Bethel.
September, 1763 .- John Fincher, wife and two sons, Albany.
September, 1763 .- Four children at house of Nicholas Miller,15 Albany.
September, 1763 .- Two children of Frantz Hubler, Bern.
November, 1763 .- Three men near forks of Schuyl- kill.16
9 T'en women and children were rescued at this place from the cellar of a burning building.
10 Found with a knife and a spcar (fixed to a pole four feet long) in his body.
11 All murdered and scalped in one house.
12 John Kraushaar's wife and child, Abraham Sechler's wife, and a child of Adam Clauss were scalped at the same time and badly wounded.
13 Alluded to in Weiser's letter. Probably he referred to party killed in Greenwich.
14 No number mentioned.
15 Two of Miller's children were prisouers, but were rescued. When rescued they were tied together, in which manner they had been driven along.
16 These are supposed to have been the last persons killed by the Indians at this time. But during the Revolutionary War, in August, 1780, John Negman and his two young children were cruelly murdered by the Indians thirty- three miles from Reading on road to Shamokin; and at the same time a little girl was carried off. (8 Pa. Arch., 529:)
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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
TAKEN PRISONERS.
June, 1754 .- Daughter of Balser Schmidt (fifteen years old), Tulpehocken.
June, 1754 .- Three children of Frederick Myers (two boys, ten and six years old, and a girl eight years old), Tulpehocken.
June, 1754 .- Son of -Reichard (eight years old), Tulpehocken.
February, 1756 -Son of Balser Neyfong, Albany. March, 1756 .- Son of 'William Yeth, Hereford.
November, 1756 .- Girl named Stonebrook, Albany. June, 1757 .- Son of Adam Trump, Albany.
June, 1757 .- Young woman from near Fort Henry, Betliel.
July, 1757 .- Three children from near Bickel's. July, 1757 .-- Two children at same time.
September, 1757 .- Five children.
June, 1758 .- Three children of John Frantz, Tul- pehocken.
, September, 1763 .- Wife and three children of Frantz Hubler, Bern.
MISSING.
November, 1756 .- Wife and child of Martin Fell, Albany.
November, 1756 .- A boy seven years old, Albany. October, 1758 .- Three men missing, Bethel.
September, 1763 .- Daughter of John Fincher, Albany.
September, 1763 .- Wife of Nicholas Miller, Albany.
CHAPTER IX.
REVOLUTION AND INDEPENDENCE.
Revolution -- Stamp Duty -- Patriotic Spirit at Reading- Various Committees Chosen - Battle at Lexington awakens County -- Companies from Berks County -- Con- scientious Scruples against War-Tory Feeling in County-English Prisoners at Reading -- Associators- Brigadier-General Elected -Quota of County Exceeded- Patriotism of Joseph Hiester-Battle of Long Island- Deserters .- Hessian Prisoners -- Hessian Camp Sur- prised -- Hessian Officer Drowned-Militia Refuse to March-Militia Returns of County-Army Supplies- Affairs at Reading in 1777-Conway Cabal-Duel at Reading-Independence Won and Peace Declared -- Revolutionary Survivors-Continental Paper Money.
THE consternation incident to the invasion of the county by the Indians had not fully sub- sided before the inhabitants of the town came to be agitated about a proposed change of provincial government. Their opposition was active and the preservation of the prevailing form was doubtless gratifying to them. Numerous things
were being conducted in their midst to keep them interested in public progress. But fol- lowing the "Indian Invasion," the establish- ment of the " District of Reading," the proposed change of government, the erection of the court- house and the opening of the public offices, etc., public matters one succeeding the other in quick succession, together with many private enterprises, there came a subject which developed a general excitement surpassing all the previous subjects combined. The way was unconsciously prepared for them by foreign legislation, and, though it resulted in no increased burdens, it stimulated the discussion and appreciation of personal rights to such a degree during the next decade as to develop in them a wonderful energy and combined resistance which carried them through suffering warfare for seven years, and eventually realized the establishment of an independent, representative government.
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BRITISH STAMP.
STAMP DUTY .- The Parliament of Great Britain passed an act on March 22, 1765, which required all instruments of writing, such as deeds, bonds and promissory notes, to be written on parchment or paper and stamped with a specific duty, otherwise they were to have no legal effect; but this measure met with such general opposition in Great Britain and through- out the American colonies, and was found to be so unpopular, that the act was repealed in the following year, February 17, 1766.1 This oppo- s'tion, however, led the Parliament to pass a declaratory act -- which accompanied the repealing act-asserting the power over the colonies "in
] The cheapest stamp was of the value of one shilling. The stamps on documents increased in value according to their importance. All the colonists manifested unbounded joy over the repeal of this odious law.
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REVOLUTION AND INDEPENDENCE.
all cases whatsoever." And then an act was passed which imposed a tax on tea, glass, paper and painters' colors imported into the colonies. " Legislation without representation," as this was, awakened in the colonies a great spirit of resistance; and this grew year after year till it finally culminated in a violent demonstration at Boston in December, 1773, when certain men in the disguise of Indians went upou three vessels loaded with tea at the wharf in the night time and threw the tea overboard. This act led to the passage of the " Boston Port Bill " on the 14th of March following, which provided that after the 18th of June, 1774, no person should load or unload any ship in that harbor. In this manner it was thought that the customs and commerce would be transferred from Boston to Salem. And other acts were passed in reference to the government of Massachusetts, the trial of the offenders, etc. Through these acts the people of Boston were visited with suffering and loss. But their situation won the sympathy of all the colonies. The colonists expressed themselves with disgust and rage at this treatment, and formed associations for their relief.
PATRIOTIC SPIRIT AT READING .- When the news reached Reading, in Berks County, the citizens manifested great excitement and sym- pathy. Meetings were held at which the action of the British government was condemned. These meetings were called by notices headed " Boston Port Bill " and posted throughout the town. The following report of one of these meetings at Reading has been preserved, and is presented in this connection to show what action the people of the town were inspired to take, and what expressions they were led to make in the matter :
"At a meeting of a very respectable body of free- holders and others, inhabitants of the county of Berks, at Reading, the 2d of July, 1774, Edward Biddle, Esq.,1 in the chair.
1 Edward Biddle was born in 1732. He entered the provincial army in 1764 and became an ensign. In 1759 he was promoted to lieutenant, and in 1760 he was com- missioned captain. Resigning from the army, he studied law, and, after the usual course of study, established him- self as a lawyer at Reading. He represented Berks County in the Assembly of Pennsylvania from 1767 to 1781- having been Speaker in 1774. During his service he was 17
"This assembly, taking into their very serious con- sideration, the present critical situation of American affairs, do unanimously resolve as follows, viz .:
"1. That the inhabitants of this county do owe, and will pay due allegiance to our rightful Sovereign, King George the Third.
" 2. That the powers claimed, and now attempted to be put into execution, by the British Parliament are fundamentally wrong, and cannot be admitted without the utter destruction of the liberties of America.
"3. That the Boston Port Bill is unjust and tyrannical in the extreme. And that the measures pursued against Boston are intended to operate equally against the rights and liberties of the other colonies.
"4. That this assembly doth concur in opinion with their respective brethren of Philadelphia, that there is an absolute necessity for an immediate congress of the deputies of the several advices, in order to deliberate upon and pursue such measures as may radically heal our present unhappy disturbances, and settle with precision the rights and liberties of America.
"5. That the inhabitants of this county, confiding in the prudence and ability of the deputies intended to be chosen for the general congress, will cheer- fully submit to any measures which may be found by the said congress best adapted for the restoration of harmony between the mother-country and the colonies, and for the security and firm establishment of the rights of America.
"6. That as the people of Boston are now suffering in the grand and common cause of American liberty ; Resolved,
"That it is the duty of all the inhabitants to con- tribute to the support of the said sufferers, and that the committee hereafter named do open subscriptions for their relief. And further, that the said committee do lay out the amount of such subscriptions in pur- chasing flour and other provisions, to be sent by them to our said suffering brethren.
"7. That Edward Biddle, James Reed, Daniel Brodhead, Henry Christ, Esqs., Christopher Schultz,
placed upon the most important committees. In July, 1774, he, with seven others, was elected to represent Pennsylva- nia in the First Continental Congress. He was re-elected to Congress in December, 1774, in November, 1775, and in November, 1778. In January, 1775, on his way to Phila- delphia from Reading in a boat, he fell overboard. Through this accident he contracted a weakness from which he never recovered. He died at Baltimore, September, 5, 1779. "Love of country, benevolence and every manly virtue ren- dered him an object of esteem and admiration to all that knew him." He had two sons, Nicholas and Charles, the latter having represented Berks County in the General Assembly in 1788. (See "Autobiography of Charles Bid- dle," pp. 74, 127, 389-391.)
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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Thomas Dundas and Jonathan Potts, gentlemen, be, and they are hereby appointed a committee to meet and correspond with the committees from the other counties of the Province."
The thanks of the assembly were unanimously voted to the chairman, for the patriotic and spirited manner in which he pointed out the dangerous situation of all the American colonies, occasioned by the unconstitutional measures lately adopted by the British Parliament with respect to Boston ; expressing, at the same time, the greatest loyalty to our sovereign, and the most warm and tender regard for the liberties of America.
There never appeared to be greater unanimity of sentiment upon any occasion than in the resolves made by the frcemen of this county, all cordially agreeing to sacrifice every tempo- rary advantage for the purpose of securing liberty to themselves and their posterity.
From this meeting to the close of the Revo- lution, the people of the town and of the county participated actively in all the affairs of the province which were conducted towards the establishment of independence. They were rep- resented by delegates at the several conferences held ; and they contributed their quota of men, money and supplies in the successful prosecu- tion of the war.
VARIOUS COMMITTEES CHOSEN .- The depu- ties chosen to represent the county at the pro- vincial meeting, held at Philadelphia, on July 15, 1774, were Edward Biddle, James Read, Daniel Broadhead, Thomas Dundas, Jonathan Potts and Christopher Schultz.
Pursuant to advertisements scattered through- out the county, a respectable number of the inhab- tants met on the 5th of December, 1774, at the court-house, in Reading, and proceeded by bal- lot to the election of a committee, as recom- mended by Congress, when the following gen- tlemen were duly chosen : Edward Biddle, Christopher Schultz, Dr. Jonathan Potts, Wil- liam Reeser, Baltzer Gehr, Michael Bright, John Patton, Mark Bird, John Jones, Jolin Old, Sebastian Levan, George Nagel, Christopher Witman, Jacob Shoemaker and James Lewis.
The Committee of Correspondence for the county appointed in reference to the safety of the
colonies, etc., met at Reading on January 2, 1775, and unanimously agreed to the proposed Provin- cial Convention, to be held at Philadelphia on January 23, 1775, and they appointed the fol- lowing delegates to represent the county at the convention : Edward Biddle, Mark Bird, Balt- zer Gehr, Sebastian Levan, John Patton, Jona- than Potts and Christopher Schultz.
And they also then appointed a Committee of Correspondence for the county,-Edward Biddle, Mark Bird, Jonathan Potts, William Reeser and Christopher Witman.
This committee addressed a letter to the com- mittee of Lancaster County, dated January 5, 1775, in which, among other things, they said :
" When we consider that our disputes are drawing fast to a crisis, and that the most cordial unanimity is absolutely necessary for our preservation, we can- not doubt but that your respectable committee will without hesitation appoint deputies to attend the pro- vincial congress. The neglect of any one county may have the most fatal consequences. And we well know the pleasure it would give our enemies to see even the appearance of disunion at this very impor- tant time."
The following letter, in reference to sheep and wool in the county, was circulated through- out the county during January, 1775 :
"To the Farmers of Berks County :
"READING, January 16th, 1775.
"The Committtee of the County of Berks having considered the association of the butchers of this town not to kill any sheep whatsoever till the first day of May next, take the liberty earnestly to recom- mend to the inhabitants of this county not to sell any sheep whatsoever to any butcher from Philadelphia or elsewhere till the first day of May. The preserv- ing of wool being an object of the greatest conse- quence, the committee flatter themselves that the far- mers will cheerfully observe this recommendation, and as the committee will meet in Reading, on Tues- day, the 14th day of February, if any inhabitants have any objections to make to the measure hereby recommended, such inhabitants are requested to at- tend the committee, to make their objections, that the same may be maturely considered.
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