History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 74

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812

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The news of this singular occurrence spread far and wide, and a Methodist minister being on the very same evening at the house of Mr. Campbell, on his way to hold a meeting in the settlement somewhere, he held it the next day at the house of Mr. Mckean, preaching from the words, " This day is salvation come to this house."

Soon after, through the assistance of a Mr. Scott, who was on a visit to his sister, Mrs. McKean, a preacher named Newman came to the settlement as a missionary from the Baltimore conference, and spent a year in the county, dividing his time between Sheshequin, Sugar Creek, and Muncy.

In 1798 an organization was formed called the Loyal- Sock circuit, Northumberland district of Baltimore confer- ence, and Jacob Gruber was sent as an associate of Mr. Newman.

Among the early Baptists were the Swains, Calkins, Allens, Stevens, and Elders Smiley, Jaynes, and Rich,-all of whom helped to clear the forests of moral darkness, and lead the young forward to better things.

A Mr. Ellis came in the early days, and preached what some looked upon as "another gospel," it being the doctrine of universal salvation by the blood of Christ. His doctrines remained longer with the people than his person.

A QUEER SPECIMEN

came to the settlement in June, 1806, dressed in Quaker drab and broad-brimmed hat, and took up his abode at Mrs. Jane Mckean's. He announced preaching in the church that evening, and a general notice was sent through the settlement, accompanied with a faithful if not an exagger- ated description of the preacher. A large congregation, for those days, assembled to hear and see the unknown oddity. He had not given his name, nor the locality from whence lie came, and until he ascended the pulpit every one was igno- rant of all things concerning him. He then announced, " My name is Lorenzo Dow; my business here is to save

souls from hell; and for this purpose I have brought my credentials, which are these: 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.'" A strong and lasting impression was made by his sermon, and the eccentric went from house to house exhorting the people, and in the evening preached from the text, " Beware of wolves in sheeps' clothing," in- tiniating rather strongly that they had better inquire into his antecedents, and ascertain if it was not a wolf, who had robbed a Quaker sheep of his garb, who was warning them from the wrath to come.

The visits of the circuit preachers were infrequent, it being a six-weeks' circuit, with but two men to fill it; but this lack was ably supplemented by local preachers, viz., Phillips Packard, Daniel Wilcox; Elisha Cole, and others from Towanda creek, and Lewis, from Sullivan. The main burden of the Methodist Episcopal church, however, fell on John McKean, who for forty years bore it bravely and unweariedly. Aside from him, Elisha Cole was the main help of the Bur- lington Methodist Episcopal church.

The later history of the church will be found elsewhere in the general history of the county.

ROADS.

The first highway cut through the forest to the Sugar Creek settlement from the outside world was the one already named, which was cut through from the Susquehanna in the winter of 1790-1.

In the winter of 1800-1, Jeremiah Taylor, Mr. Maffitt, and Benj. Saxton, with a few of the settlers from Sugar Creek, cut a road from that point to the North Branch, as it was then called,-as it is in fact the north branch of the Towanda creek at its junction with the main creek. This road was for a long time called the " Maffitt and Taylor" road, to distinguish it from one cut a little below, from Be- riah Pratt's (then) to Bailey's. This last road was cut out by Oliver Nelson and Lawson Hemenway. These men were squatters, but their title was as good as those who held under the title of Connecticut, who came near being forced to resort to the "rifle title" before their just rights were secured to them.

In 1811, there was a mail-route established from Towanda (then called Meansville) through Burlington to some point farther west. Samuel Mckean was appointed postmaster at Burlington, and a man named Needham carried the wiail on horseback, with two bags, one for letters and one for newspapers, distributing the latter to subscribers along the route, giving notice of bis advance by blasts upon a tin horn he carried by his side.

THE FIRST ORCHARD

was planted out before 1800, by a man from Connecticut, named Kendall, who came on foot and alone from that " land of steady habits," with his worldly possessions all in his knap- sack. Among the contents of his precious, though not in- valuable burden, were some apple-seeds and scions, some of the latter being of the celebrated Westfield " seek-no- further," which he engrafted, and which are still growing fruit on the farm of Thomas Black well.

واحد.

BARKER BROWN.

MRS. ELIZABETH BROWN.

PHOTOS BY G. H. WOOD.

RESIDENCE of BARKER BROWN, BURLINGTON, BRADFORD CO., PA.

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLIMATIC.

The summer of 1816 was noted as the cold and wet sum- mer, there being a frost in every month of the year. Wheat was mostly killed by the first frost in June, and the corn in August, and consequently great suffering was experienced for breadstuffs. Game was plenty in the woods, and the snow being deep the following winter the deer were easily taken ; but having browsed on laurel for a long time the venison was unwholesome, and caused a distressing bloody flux. None of the settlers, however, died, and in the spring getting access to the ground-nuts, leeks, and artichokes, with the wild beef (bear's meat), corned, they managed to exist till the harvest of 1817 brought a greater abundance.

The great destruction caused among the deer that winter by man and the carnivora nearly extinguished that variety of wild game, and they never recovered from the disastrous effects in this region, and have long since entirely disap- peared from the waters of Sugar creek.

The summer of 1822 was a remarkably dry and warm one. No rain of moment fell from the middle of May until the first of October. But little of any kind of crops was raised, and cattle were greatly reduced in condition. How- ever, the disastrous effects did not extend far beyond the limits of the valley of the Sugar, and no particular hard- ship was experienced except by a few.

The rains of October were fortunately warm ones, and the grass grew, cattle recovered their condition, and no feeding was required until Jan. 15 following.

PATHOLOGICAL.

In the fall of 1807 a family named Durand came to Mr. Braffit's house with a siek child. Dr. Alexander being consulted, at once pronounced the case one of smallpox, and great alarm spread through the community. Little or nothing being known about vaccination, resort was had directly to inoculation, and Drs. Alexander, Rowle, and Westcott were fully engaged for six weeks, when the alarm subsided. None died except the child.

In 1813, Dr. Ira Lee, an Englishman, came into the county to introduce vaccination as a preventive of the smallpox, but so much ignorance existed on the subject then, and the war feeling ran so high against the mother country, with whom we were again at war, that Dr. Lee was looked upon more as an emissary of Great Britain commissioned to spread some dreadful disease among the people, in order that they might be subdued the more easily, than as an angel of mercy bearing an exemption from a loathesome plague, and, per consequence, Dr. Lee barely es- caped lynching at the hands of the patriotic Burlingtonians. He settled, however, in Ulster, and subsequently proved his faith by his works, and convinced his mistaken neighbors of their error, and did them much good by vaccinating them and their children. His foremost opposer was a doctor, who was soon afterwards compelled to leave for " his country's good."

In the fall of 1814 a disease called the " cold plague" made its appearance among the people, the premonitory symptoms being an intense ague, the shaking continuing ten or twelve hours. This was succeeded by an exudence of a yellowish slime from the loins and the abdomen, and the

patient would fall into a collapse, become unconscious, and generally die in about forty hours from the first attack. Scarcely one-twentieth of those attacked recovered, meu seeming to be more liable to the attack than women, and all persons under fifteen years of age being wholly exempt. The disease subsided and disappeared as the weather grew colder in December and January.

Dr. Stephen Ballard was a skillful surgeon and physician in those days, especially in the treatment of scrofulous affections.

CASUALTIES.

In 1806, as Ezra Goddard, Jr., was burning over a fallow, and watching his mill to prevent its taking fire, a tree in the rear of his position fell unawares, and crushed him so severely that he died the same day.

In 1808, as Ephraim Blakesley was engaged in getting the first log on the carriage of his new saw-mill, he slipped and fell; his head was caught between the log and the timber below, and he was killed instantly.

In 1813, Ezra Goddard, Sr., attempted to ascend a ladder from the basement of his grist-mill to the room ahove, when his feet slipped, and he fell to the floor of the base- ment, and was so severely injured that he died in a few days thereafter.

In 1814, Luther Goddard, brother and joint owner with Ezra Goddard, Jr., was crushed to death by the falling of the chimney to the grist-mill, the bank on which it stood giving way. Thus these three pioneers-father and two sons-met violent deaths almost on the same spot, and within a comparatively short period of each other's death.

John Ballard, Sr., was bitten by a small dog, sup- posed to be rabid, the wound being inflicted on his under lip, and from which it was supposed the virus had been re- moved ; but in his old age this old wound assumed the ap- pearance of a rose cancer, from which he died.

In 1822, as James McKean and a number of other men were engaged in chopping a slash fence, a limb sprang back and struck him on the head with such force as to dash his brains out and cause his death in a few hours. He was one of the first pioneers who came in 1790 to seek a home for his father's family.

In June, 1827, a young man named Pratt was injured by a limb falling from a tree upon his back, and died from the effects in a few days. In May, 1828, Ralph Pratt, a brother of the last-named person, in chopping in the woods, cut his foot so severely as to be carried to his home, being unable to walk. Lockjaw supervened, and he died in great agony soon after.

PREHISTORIC EVIDENCES.

In 1822, while digging a cellar on the farm of Gen. McKean, the excavators came to what was supposed to be " an impenetrable rock, but striking it with a crow, it gave forth a hollow sound." They redoubled their efforts, and at last the stone broke and fell into a vault. And now, with visions of long-buried treasure flitting through their minds, they carefully removed the earth from the arch, speculating the while as to the probable extent of tlie " treasure-trove," and the amount of salvage the general would be likely to claim. On removing the eap they found

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

" not what they sought," but a sepulchre. A careful ex- amination of the sarcophagus revealed it flagged at the bottom, the sides artistically built up, and a flat stone laid on the top. The sarcophagus measured nine feet in length, two feet six inches in width, and two feet deep. In it was found a skeleton, measuring, as it lay, eight feet two inches in length .* The teeth were sound, but the bones were soft and easily broken. There were two of these sepul- chres within the space of the cellar, one of which had a pine growing over it three fect in diameter.

In 1841, Wm. Mckean resorted to an old oak stub for fuel, which was hollow, and was known to be dead when the first settlement was made. It had been a harbor for raccoons, but on account of its great size had never been cut down to get them out, nor for fuel, it being more than four feet in diameter. On cutting it down, about four inches from the heart, a mark was found to indicate that an edge-tool had been used upon it. The body was split up with care, and examinations made to see if any other marks were thercon, and to discover, if possible, what kind of a tool they were made with. They were on one side only, and were evidently made with an axe of some kind, with a three-inch bit, and sharp, too, as the gashes were one and a fourth inches deep. Part of them were oblique upward, and part of them the reverse, and they were seven in number above the stump. The grain or- rings of the wood were eounted carefully, as far as possible, as the sap or white wood was nearly all destroyed, and partly by calculation, aided with some in- ference, it was believed that the marks must have been made more than four hundred years previously.

A SPECK OF WAR

was discovered on the horizon of the Sugar Creek settle- ment, in 1812, which continued to grow into a portentous cloud until 1815, but which fortunately did not burst at this point, and passed away in 1815, with the end, it is to be hoped, of our last war with our British cousins. Military companies were formed, and drilled monthly, sometimes oftener. The little boys caught the military ardor of the "big" brothers, and formed a company, and drilled and drummed to their hearts' content. A fencing-master, named Chesbro, was sent to Burlington, by the governor and adju- tant-general, to drill the officers and raise volunteers for the regular army. His headquarters were at Kendall's tavern. He offered to the soldier " no flowery beds of ease," or promotion for daring deeds at the cannon's mouth, or in the " imminent deadly breach," but put the case upon the high plane of patriotism, duty to fatherland, and that a volunteer was ever more respected than a conscript. A draft was made at Maj. Kendall's in 1815, but, before the detail was ordered away, peace was declared and published, and celebrated according to the several inclinations of the people,-at church, in thanksgiving by those who loved to pray ; by a dance by those who felt too joyous to neglect so happy an opportunity to trip " the light fantastic toe ;" and by others by their never-failing resort in times of joy or grief, the whisky-bottle, at which a most immoderate pull was had in honor of the American eagle.

A NOVEL CURE FOR NOSTALGIA

was developed in the Sugar Creek settlement in the years of privation and land troubles, when food was scarce, and quarrels and vexations between " Pennamites" and " Con- necticut titlers" were abundant. It is no wonder that women and children in thinking of the comforts of their " father's house," where they had " enough and to spare," while they were reduced to " husks" almost literally, should long for the old fireside, and the rosy-cheeked apples, and the smoking brown loaf from the old brick oven, and the generous boiled beef and pork, flanked by garden " sass" in profusion. And, as they longed for it, no wonder that that intense desire to return to the old scenes which every home- sick boy or girl, or strong man or tender woman has felt, that brings that indescribable " lump" into the throat, and turns the stomach against every tempting morsel that can be set before the miserable victim of nostalgia,-in plain prose, homesickness.

One poor lad of sixteen, sorely afflicted, hit upon, not a very brilliant scheme it must be confessed, to force a return of his family to the old home. One morning, while the men of the settlement were all at the river for supplies, he took his gun into the woods, and taking off his hat shot a hole through it, and did the same thing to his coat, being careful to shoot it where, if on him, the ball would not have hit him ; but, unfortunately for his pretty little scheme, he for- got to take that precaution with his hat. Having thus unloaded his gun, he appeared in the hamlet in an appar- ently hasty condition, and proclaimed his escape from a body of Indians, who commanded him to halt, but not doing so they fired on him, exhibiting the bullet-holes in hat and coat as evidence of his statement, and his empty gun as a proof of his alleged stout defense. The alarm spread like wildfire through the settlement, messengers were dispatched to the river to hasten the return of the men, the houses were prepared for defense, bullets cast, guns cleaned, in momentary anticipation of hearing the dreaded war-whoop of the savage, and seeing the gleaming of his knife. The men returned quickly, and equipping themselves with their rifles, they took the boy who gave the alarni, and proceeded cautiously to the point where he alleged he saw the Indians. Arriving there, they examined the ground carefully, but failed to find any signs of a body of Indians, the only traeks seen being all of one size and going one way, towards the houses. Pressing the lad closely with questions, he at last confessed it was a sham, conceived and executed by himself to scare the women, and so induce them to force a removal back to Connecticut. The men laughed heartily at the ruse, and especially when an examination of the boy's hat revealed the fact that if it had been hit while on his head it would certainly have been death to him. The women were not so easily pacified, especially some who had passed through the horrors of Wyoming, but having a fellow-feeling for the homesick boy, they at last forgave him.

THE WHITE MAN'S FRIEND.

Tomjack, to whom allusion has been made in the early part of this historical sketch of Burlington, was by nation- ality a Mingo, but never gave his Indian name. He was born at Logan's Gap, near the Juniata, and when the whites

# This measurement was made by Dr. Williams, late of Troy, now deceased.

RES. OF S. M. DICKERMAN, BURLINGTON, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA .

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RESIDENCE OF C. E. CAMPBELL, BURLINGTON, BRADFORD CO., PA.

JOSEPHUS CAMPBELL.

MRS. ASENATH CAMPBELL,

PHOTOS. BY G. H. WOOD.

LATE RES. OF JOSEPHUS CAMPBELL, BURLINGTON, BRADFORD CO., PA.

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

came into the valley of that river to settle, he emigrated to the Susquehanna, just above Forty fort. There he married Betty Montour, a three-quarters blood squaw. He was emphatically a " peace-man." When it was proposed by the Indians and Tories to massacre the white settlers in the Wyoming valley, Tomjack refused to join in the war, and moved up the river to Wysaukin (now Wysox ), where was a Moravian mission, at which place he professed religion, and lived till the approach of Gen. Sullivan's expedition. Supposing himself unsafe, notwithstanding the assurance of the missionary to the contrary, he again removed, going to the wilderness of Sugar Creek, where he lived when the white settlers appeared there. He remained three years after their advent into his hunting-grounds, and then re- moved to the Allegheny river, where he died in 1809. There is no record extant of his children except of White Fawn, a girl, and Sun Down, a boy, whose tragical death is a matter of history.

White Fawn was educated, and became a teacher and mis- sionary, and was instrumental in doing much good to her race in the Allegheny region, and in bringing about a reci- procity of good feeling between the Indians of that section and the whites. She never married, giving as a reason that the Great Spirit made her a mother of a nation rather than a mother of a family. She died in 1823, much lamented, and in 1836 a monument was erected to her memory by the Moravian missionary society, of which church she was a member, as were her parents.

CIVIL HISTORY.

When the settlers first arrived at Sugar Creek, it was pro- posed to govern the colony by the principles of reciprocal fair dealing and honesty with one another, and all differ- ences to be settled by arbitration. This plan worked well for a short time only, and a petition was sent to the gov- ernor, an organization of the town was effected, and the governor commissioned Nathaniel Allen a justice of the peace for that district. He then lived on the farm now oc- cupied by Philemon Pratt.

At that time the county was Lycoming, which had been taken from Luzerne. The township was named Burling- ton, because at the time of its organization a number of the settlers were originally from Burlington, Vt. Juddsburg, Sugar Creek, Penn, and Danburg were also proposed as names, but Burlington was adopted.

This was an occasion of rejoicing too: a wedding was ready to be celebrated, and good cheer was provided.

When first organized Burlington comprised the territory now included in Burlington, West Burlington, Troy, and the greater part of Granville and Canton. The election was held at the house of Ezra Goddard, where the elections for West Burlington are now held. The first election board were Noah Wilson, Nathaniel Allen, Mr. Campbell, James McKean, and Mr. Case. After the polls were closed a bar- becue and a dance closed the day.

CONNECTICUT SURVEYS.

The present township of Burlington covers the Susque- henna company's township of Juddsburg, by which name the whole Sugar Creek valley was frequently called by the old people. This township, whose lower line began at the

narrows on Sugar creek about three miles west of the west- erly bounds of Franklin, was granted July 10, 1786, to Major William Judd (in whose honor it was named), Timothy Hosmer, John Franklin, John Jenkins, and their associates to the number of twenty-two, as appears by said grant on file ; that twenty-eight one-half-share proprietors were to be admitted to fill said town, agreeably to the votes of the Susquehanna company :

"Now know ye that James Campbell, Stephen Ballard, and Samuel Wallace may, if they think proper, take in to the number of twenty- eight to fill up said town, cte., which is to contain twenty-five square miles.

(Signed) " JOHN FRANKLIN, " JONN JENKINS, " Commission.

" TIOGA, August 13, 1792."

James Campbell, of Tioga township, is certified as being entitled to one whole share in the Susquehanna purchase, which is entered in Juddsburg, June 12, 1793; survey made and approved Nov. 23, 1799.

Also a certificate that John Clark, of Juddsburg, has a right entered in said town, June 26, 1793, and conveyed to Champion Scoville, in second division, containing seven hundred acres.

Also a certificate to William Dobbins, of Tioga township, entered in the town of Juddsburg, May 26, 1793, assigns the right, reserving six hundred to John Spalding.

The Pennsylvania land-holder was Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, whose agent, Dr. Robert H. Rose, was compelled to use all of his skill of persuasion, and occasionally threaten severer measures, before the Sugar Creek settlers, who clung with great tenacity to their Connecticut rights, would aban- don them and purchase the legal title. This, however, was finally accomplished, and the Sugar Creek settlements have become among the most prosperous in the county.

POPULATION.

In 1850, Burlington had a population of 1927 ; in 1860, 1320 ; and in 1870, 1375, of whom 49 were foreign born. In 1850 West Burlington was enumerated with Burling- ton, which accounts for the apparent loss between 1850 and 1860.

BURLINGTON BOROUGH

was established as such in 1853, under the general borough act of 1851. It lies on the north bank of the Sugar creek, its western boundary being also that of the township. The Tomjack creek runs through the village from the northeast, taking its rise a short distance north of the northern boun- dary of the borough, which includes in its limits about two hundred and fifty acres.

Tomjack's cabin was situated just above the mouth of the creek named in his honor, on the south side of the Sugar ereek.

The business of the borough is chiefly confined to an edge-tool and horse-rake manufactory, carriage, wagon, and sleigh manufactory, cabinet-ware and pumps, cooper-, car- penter-, and blacksmith-shops, general stores and drug- store, one hotel, two physicians and surgeons, and a post- office.

There are one good school-house and two churches in the borough ; the detailed history of the latter will be found in chapter devoted to the churches, in the general history.

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The school was taught eight months during the year end- ing June 1, 1877, 3 female teachers being employed at an average salary of $20 per month; 17 male and 24 female pupils attended the school, the average attendance being 31 for the whole time. The cost per scholar per month was 83 cents. Seven mills on the dollar of valuation were levied on the property in the borough for the support of schools, the revenue arising therefrom being $173.99 ; $19.68 were received from the State, the total income being $216.68 ;

$162 were paid for teachers' wages, the total expenditures being $215.58. The population of the borough in 1860 was 125; in 1870, 203. It polled, in 1876, 38 votes.

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 74

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 812

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812