History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 29

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1340

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283

HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

Could Hamilton have foreseen the rotten boroughs, some of this unspeakable corruption that has found its way to the ballot box, that has come in time, he would have held in his hand a weapon that Jefferson would have found difficulty in warding off its blows.

The few that were in what is now Bradford county, as they were then citizens of Luzerne and Lycoming counties, had not voted for Jefferson nor his successor, Madison. When the county completed its first civil government, the country was at the door of the War of 1812-15. The majority of the people were Federalists and the decid- ing factor in men's minds in this county was the very important and nearly vital question of the disputed land titles between Pennsyl- vania and Connecticut colonists. The authorities of both States supposed that this strip of territory, including this and other counties, belonged, under the original crown grant, to them respectively ; the Penns had granted and sold manors-a species of feudal rights, exceed- ingly liberal in their terms, yet retaining the fee and demanding the perpetual acknowledgment of the Proprietaries' rights by at least a nominal tribute, while the Connecticut authorities had sold township after township of land, giving freely the fee upon the permanent loca- tion of the agreed number of settlers thereon. The conflict of title arose over the indefiniteness of the crown grant in describing and locat- ing the lines after they had proceeded west from the ocean into the unknown wilderness. Prior to, as well as at the same time, the same question was mooted on the south line of Pennsylvania, between the Pro- prietaries and Calvert of Maryland, which finally was adjusted, after years of serious contention and some bloodshed, in the establishment of the historical " Mason & Dixon's Line." On the south the conten- tion over the disputed strip was between the Quakers and the Catho- lics ; on the north it was between the Quakers and the Yankees, but in all such vexatious questions the final and permanent adjustment was always exactly on the lines claimed by the Proprietaries of Penn- sylvania.

In fixing the northern line of the State, the north line of Bradford county, resort had to be had to the arbitration of the courts, and Com- missions were appointed for that purpose. Connecticut claimed the land south even of the south line of the county, and commenced systematic- ally the work of occupying it. The grant of the Six Nations had been made to the Susquehanna Company, and much in the spirit of the " boomers " that recently gathered in such crowds on the borders of the new Territory of Oklahoma, the keen-eyed settlers came down the Susquehanna, and up the Susquehanna, and met in dispute as to the possession of the coveted land, now the confines of Bradford county. In this case, as in many others, it seems that those, the most innocent, were in the end the chief sufferers. We can not now know fully in what good faith the Company of the Susquehanna made their purchase on the river from which the company took its name, but it may be assumed that it was in implicit good faith and that their title was clear. This much is unquestionable, the people who bought of the company were in good faith, and when they were forcibly dispossessed of their homes it was a cruel wrong to them. It was the land question, arising

J. J. Haukur

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

vote stood, Butler, 106; Franklin, 112; Hollenback, 3, and Carpenter, 2. For Commissioner, Arnold Colt received 110 votes and his opponent, Pettibone, 1. In the Wyalusing district, for Assembly, Butler, 20 votes ; Franklin, 23 ; Hollenback, 18 ; Carpenter, 15. For Commissioner, Colt, 24, and Pettibone, 15 votes.

At the election, 1802, Thomas Mckean was standing for re-election as the Democratic candidate for Governor, and was opposed by James Ross, Federalist. Three election districts were then provided in the territory that is now in Bradford county, Wysox township having been added to the two former. The vote for Ross, Federal, was Tioga, 96, Wysox, 26, and Wyalusing, 36; and for McKean, Democrat, the vote stood 20, 20 and 7, respectively. In a total of 205 votes cast in what is now Bradford county, a little more than threeto one were Federalists. The vote for Governor better indicates the politics of the people than does the remainder of the ticket, where mostly they were influenced by individual preferences. There were four candidates for the State Senate, who were voted for as follows in the Tioga districts : Joseph Kinney, 58 votes; Laurence Myers, 21; Thomas McWhorter and Nicholas Kern, none. These were evidently neighbors, voting only for their neighbors, and probably the two latter did not reside in this part of the county, as Nicholas Kern did not receive a single vote in the three Bradford districts. In Wysox, Mc Whorter received 3 votes, Meyers, 17, and Kinney, 32; while in Wyalusing the vote was, Mc- Whorter, 28, Myers, 7, Kinney, 6. For Assembly, Franklin received every vote but three in the county, and his popularity is again mani- fested in the year 1803, when he received every vote in the county but ten, attesting alike the personal and political popularity of the man.

We have a strong indication as to who were among the active lead- ing Republicans (Democrats), at that early time, in a letter dated October 1, 1805, by the signers thereto: John Hollenback, Guy Wells, Elisha Keeler, Daniel Ross, M. Miner York, Jabez Hyde and Benjamin Stalford, who addressed William Ross, Esq., and others, informing them that the Republicans of Wysox District have nominated Moses Coolbaugh "and have talked of Reed Brockway," but are willing to consult with the lower part of the county, and select the person who would be most agreeable to all the freemen of the county." [That word "freemen," in the communication, may sound a little strange to readers now-a-days. It is explained by the statement that at that time Pennsylvania was a slave State.]

September 25, 1805, the prominent people of Wysox and Orwell met in convention or consultation at the house of Jacob Myer. They described themselves as "reputable and respectable citizens of the township." They placed in nomination Moses Coolbaugh and Job Irish. They made a good race, but the Federals could outvote them, and it is said that the street gamins of that day jibed at them and called them " Denis." A meeting at Wyalusing recommended, for the Legislature, Justus Gay- lord, Jr., and Roswell Welles for the Assembly, and John Jenkins for commissioner.

Back in the year 1800, October 3, a letter was written by Clement Paine to Col. John Jenkins, in which he said: "The undernamed

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

persons in this township (Athens), may be depended upon to give their votes in your favor : Wright Loomis, George Welles, Jonathan Harris, Elias Satterlee, Daniel Satterlee, Capt. Stevens, Pitkin Pratt, John Miller, David Alexander, Capt. Tozer, Maj. Mathewson, and Capt. Joseph Spalding." He then adds: "We may, I think with safety, calculate on at least double the number I have named above in your favor."

The district of Wysox, Wyalusing and Braintrim sent a meeting of delegates to the house of Bartholomew Laporte, in Asylum, Sep- tember 17, 1806, when Moses Coolbaugh and Justus Gaylord, Jr., were again put in nomination for the Assembly. This election was con- firmed by the other delegates of the county. At the election the vote stood, Justus Gaylord, Jr., 333 votes, and for Justus Gaylord (with the junior left off), 38 votes-total 371; Moses Coolbaugh received 364 votes. Justus Gaylord, Jr., was defeated because it was held by the judges that the votes omitting the "Jr." were intended for his father, who was quite an old man, and was not a candidate at all. Mr. Coolbaugh was a Democrat, while Maj. Gaylord was a Federal.

The first election in the new county of Bradford was in October, 1812, when a full corps of county officers were chosen, every one being a Federalist. One Democrat was elected until 1816, in the person of Eliphalet Mason, county commissioner. All the appointed officers in the county were Democrats, because Gov. Snyder was of that party.

This year, 1816, Bradford county swung into the Democratic line, and thus continued, without variation, for twenty years. The county was in touch with the country that was drifting away from the old Federal party, which was finally completely overthrown in 1828, and was succeeded by the now long since defunct Whig party. In 1836 the county, on President, gave 58 majority for Harrison, but at the next general election it swung back and gave Van Buren 213 majority over Harrison.

In 1828 the old Federal party was finally and completely over- thrown, and its immediate successor was the Whig party. Bradford county, with but few exceptions, remained true to the Democracy. Up to 1840, the Abolition party had no strength or standing among our voters, and even then its strength was small. The Democratic party, however, had its trouble, dissensions sprung up, and in time it became a house divided against itself. . The State had rid itself of slavery without having made the question a political one ; it had black slaves, and it had indentured servants, and a class of immigrants who had bonded their labor in the old country, for a certain number of years, to companies that brought them over the sea. These contracts were enforced by the law and the courts. In their easy-going mode of life, with the very small "clearins," that were then the farms, the great abundance of fish and game, made servants of small profit. But few tradesmen wanted more than a good, stout apprentice, who was one of the family. There appears no record of any negro slaves having been brought and permanently held here. The institution never flourished in this State, and the heaviest ownership was along the south line of the State, adjoining Maryland. The immigrants to this

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

county, much like all northern frontiersmen, were poor in this world's goods, bringing little wealth except stout hearts and honest industry. The old "Hunker " and "Free Soil" factions sprung up in the Democratic county in the " forties," the first serious dissension in that party's ranks. This, in fact, was nothing more than a quarrel over the distribution of the offices, and was brought about mostly by Van Buren, who had failed in securing the nomination at his party's hands, and ran to punish and defeat his successful rival. The names given the factions were mutual terms of derision and con- tempt-" Old Hunkers " and "Free Soilers." Neither one of them was at all influenced in this section by any sentiment on the subject of African slavery, whatever may have been the feelings of the people in other sections. An attempt was made, about this time, to organize an Abolition party in Bradford county-John McKinney and Justus Lewis being at the head thereof. In 1839 a general meeting was called in Towanda, and an Abolition Speaker from Philadelphia was secured to address it-a riot followed, and the speaker was abused and a hearing denied him. The sober-minded people called on Hon. David Wilmot to pacify the mob; he addressed the excited crowd and took occasion to denounce all Abolitionists, and counseled the people to quietly disperse. The next year a county meeting of Abolitionists was convened at Wysox, which was attended by about 200 people of the county; the meeting was held there for the reason that the people of Towanda, it was understood, would not tolerate its presence. This organization then took the name of "Liberty party," and in 1840 organized and put up its ticket, and for the head of their National ticket in Bradford county there were 26 votes given ; there were 56 votes given for some of the ticket. In other respects the history of this party in this county is but the same as that of it in nearly all the northern counties of the Union, where at least the early prophets were not without honor save in their own county.

In 1842 there was the first, though not the last, Laborer's party in this county. It was organized, and a ticket put in the field : Repre- sentative, Chauncey Frisbie, of Orwell ; Sheriff, John Van Dyke, of Canton ; Prothonotary, Theodore Wilder, of Springfield ; Register and Recorder, E. W. Hale, of Monroe ; Commissioner, N. B. Wetmore, of Herrick ; Coroner, Gordon Wilcox, of Smithfield ; Auditor, Benj. Thomas, of Towanda. These people were evidently encouraged at that early day to put up a ticket of their own by the nearly patent fact that the Whig party was in the throes of dissolution ; President Harrison died almost as soon as inducted into office, and his vice-president had Tylerized almost as soon as he was firmly in his seat, and the Whigs of Bradford county were aimlessly floundering without a head, and very naturally they made up a headless county ticket; the most of them supported the Laborer's party, possibly not so much because of their love for them as for their desire to down the Democracy and to express their hate of Tyler. The Whig organ in the county-The Scribe- advocated the Laborer's ticket out and out, but the Democrats carried the day by over 300 majority.

The Labor party, nothing daunted, kept their adherents together, also

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

the next year, 1843, and now established their weekly paper, and, if, at this late day, we may judge that party by the motto that adorned the head of their paper, it certainly deserved success whether it gained it or not. The motto was a strong platform. Here it is, and, pray, who may throw the first stone at it ?

" The Laborer's party will endeavor to fill all State and county offi- ces with the best workingmen that can be found in both old parties. [This is buncomb, but read the next sentence.] We are for low salaries, little legislation, few offices, no sinecures, reduced taxes and strict ac- countability of office-holders."

The lines italicised are a model party platform. There have been many much longer ones written, but it is exceedingly doubtful if there has ever been a better one. "Low salaries, little legislation, few offi- ces, no sinecures and reduced taxes." What more can be said in be- half of good government ? It is like the Golden Rule in good morals -the great omnium, where all elaboration merely weakens and con- fuses. Its supremacy is in its short simplicity. Nearly fifty years- half the life of our nation -- have come and gone since these men struck out in this bold line of economics, and now there has arisen a young and powerful party, composed nearly exclusively of the farmers, who are very nearly on the line of the "Laborers" of fifty years ago. When the next hundred years are ruled off and have been added to the life of our great Democracy, who can forecast what will be the dividing political and social questions then deeply interesting all men ? Indeed, though we may wander far from present moorings of parties and factions, there is no certainty that we may not circle back by that time to the identical place now occupied. Since the hour of our American victory against the oppressor, man has been in the eager pursuit of a better government-in the Eastern as well as in the West- ern hemisphere. These ideas now flow in the two lines : First, the old idea of a strong government-absolute power vested in the head, and the military ability, not only to beat back the invader, but to invade and conquer and possess such of your neighbors' domain as you may covet ; where there is the one supreme law of might. Second, the other or paral- lel idea, is the acquirement of a better government than have been the old ones-in short, a good government. In many respects these two the- oriesare directly opposite, and yet it can readily be seen that good men, equally earnest, honest and patriotic may here divide. A man may pride himself upon his country's invincible army and navy ; or its great insti- tutions, public buildings, palaces, castles, public libraries, State schools, and colleges, a rich church, and a powerful aristocracy, and the extrava- gance of the expenditures upon its great ruler or rulers, or even feel a glow of patriotic pride that his nation has the largest list, and pays the greatest annual sum to its pensioners of any nation in all history; while his next-door neighbor, viewing things from a radically different standpoint, may equally pride himself upon what his neighbor might call the poverty of the government ; that is, but few and cheap public institutions or buildings, the lowest possible salaries to officials of all grades, little or no standing army, and the very minimum of taxes. While verging that way, it can not be said that such issues have

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

ever yet exclusively divided our people in political lines. This may come to be the case in time. One thing is patent, while one hundred years ago men took issues, mostly upon the sole question of the limit of the right of people to vote, in the form of the constitutional powers of the rulers, and the reserved rights of the people, this condition is slowly changing, especially since the experiment of the right of suf- frage, almost universal among the males of the nation, as it has existed the past few years. Practical experience thus slowly but surely is educating mankind toward a general betterment. The story of Rome in her day of greatest splendors is told in the boast that was on the lips of every citizen : "Iam a Roman citizen." This was not only a subject of pride, but it was held that anywhere in the world it was the only needed shield and protection from imposition from out- side peoples. The law of might was clearly then the supreme law of mankind-physical force the great captain of the world.

The coming statesman may in time abandon the idea that the peo- ple bring and offer up on their country's altar their lives, their honor and their property in the first step in forming a body politic, and then the good government protects and cares for all as the most wise and loving parent ; the government being the loving father -- the people the obedient and trusting children. This enchanting theory is liable to be worn threadbare in time, and it is possible it may come to be so thoroughly questioned that economists will declare that rulers are mere machines, mere nothings, incapable of much good at best, and that the people are everything-supreme in every natural right to justice, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; the real lords of creation, literally owning the earth, and that they may condescend to appoint this or that servant, called Presidents, Senators, Governors or dog-catchers, and elect to dole out to these menials the pittance of their daily wage. "I am a freeman" may some day be the boast incomparably above that of the old-time Roman citizen. Men will cease to plume themselves and strut in their gay coachman's or police- man's uniforms, or any of the badges of servitude, from the wigs and gowns to the inaid's caps. The world will still turn round, the sun will shine and the fructifying rains descend, and population increase, even after that terror to nearly all rulers, universal liberty and justice, has come to all men. Man in the untrammeled pursuit of happiness is the godliest being possible for this world to possess. To have striven for this, though never so little, is to wear the crown of crowns, is to be one of the most exalted that has come in the tide of time-is to deserve the fullest and brightest immortality.

First Election was of course an important affair to the people, and fortunately the old poll book has been recovered wherein there is very nearly a complete list of the voters given in the county. If this country has any such thing as "the first families," then this list is our royal " 400." Look over the list, and see if you can trace your lineage to this list of F. F's.

After the formation of the county the " Red Tavern" was the elec- tion place for many years. The first election was held on the second Tuesday (13th) of October, 1812, for the purpose of electing county

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

officers. The board appointed to conduct the election in Towanda were Eliphalet Mason, inspector ; John Felton, Jacob Bowman, Charles Brown, judges ; Ethan Baldwin and E. B. Gregory, clerks. Those that voted at that election were - Henry Salisbury, William Finch, Henry Spalding, Benjamin Coolbaugh, James Dougherty, Wm. Cool- baugh, Ananias Whitman, Solomon Allen, John Pierce, Peter Edsall, Reese Stephens, Usual Carter, Isaac Foster, Nathaniel Edsall, Russell Fowler, Elias Thompson, Samuel Seely, Jacob Wagner, David Blanch- ard, Ezekiel Griffis, Moses Gladden, Jacob Ringer, Nathan Coon, Aaron Carter, William Coolbaugh, Jr., Amos Ackler, Stephen Wilcox, John Goodwin, Wm. Peppers, Wm. McGill, John Head, Andrew Gregg, Ezra Rutty, Thomas Cox, Abial Foster, John Northrup, Benjamin Ackles, Edsall Carr, Absalom Carr, Wm. French, Jr., Wm. B. Spalding, George Bowman, Noah Spalding, John Mintz, Wm. Means, Moses Warford, Amos Bennett, Jr., Amos V. Mathews, Buckley Chappel, Ezra Rutty, Jr., Stephen Horton, Elisha Carpenter, Lemuel Payson, Abner C. Rockwell, Ebenezer P. Clark, Adonijah Alden, Abijah Northrop, Martin Stratton, Timothy Stratton, Sam'l Needham, Eleazer Sweet, Tim- othy Alden, Job Irish, Oliver Newell, Moses Rowley, Richard Goff, Solomon Talady, Jr., Ozias Bingham, John Fox, Jonathan Fowler, Abra- ham Foster, Austin Fowler, Wm. Thompson, Isaac Ellsworth, Elisha Cole, Richard Benjamin, Jas. Lewis, Samuel Cranmer, Parly White, John Schrader. Josiah Cranmer, Wm. Goff, John D. Saunders, Ethan Bald- win, John Franklin, Jabez Squires, Jacob Bowman, Zabin Williams, John Wythe, Samuel Gilson, James Roales, John Schrader, Jr., Calvin Cranmer, James Northrup, Eliphalet Mason, John Felton, Charles Brown, Jonathan Frisbie, Josiah Stockings, E. B. Gregory, Rufus Foster, Smith Horton, Reuben Hale, Ephraim Ladd, Warner Ladd, Rowland Wilcox, Sheffield Wilcox, Daniel Miller. Total number of voters, 108. These electors resided in what are now the towns of Asylum, Albany, Monroe, Franklin, and the Towandas.

The candidates voted for at this election were, for Sheriff-A. C. Rockwell, 84 votes ; John Spalding 2d, 25; Wm. Means, 40; John Mintz, 26 ; John Taylor, 3; Jacob Boardman, 1; Jacob Bowman, 8; Job Irish, 2; Aaron Carter, 2; Josiah Stocking, 1; John Miner, 1; George Bowman, 1; Elisha Cole, 1; John Fox, 2; Peter Edsall, 1; Andrew Gregg; 1; Samuel Mckean, 4. Commissioners-John Salt- marsh, 35; Samuel Gon, 34; George Scott, 33; Joseph Kinney, 58 ; William Myer, 62; Justus Gaylord, 54; Eliphalet Mason, 14; Jesse Hancock, 3; Isaac Chaapel, 2; Clement Paine, 6; Charles Brown, 1. Coroner-John Fox, 2; John Taylor, 43; John Horton, 43 ; John Minor, 41; Harry Spalding, 48 ; Jacob Bowman. 6; Reuben Hale, 2; Job Irish, 1.

At the general election, October, 1813, are the following names not contained in the list of 1812 : Daniel Thompson, Thomas Simp- son, Chas. F. Welles, A. C. Stuart, Daniel Drake, Nathaniel Talcott, Jesse Woodruff, George Davidson, Burr Ridgway, Christopher Cowel, John Simpkins, Andrew Irwin.

In 1843 the " Laborers" were better organized, and nominated in the county a full ticket. It is said they drew their leaders and voters

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

from the old parties impartially. George Kinney and Joseph Kings- bury were Whigs who were prominent leaders in the Laborer's party, and side by side with them were the strong Democrats, Asa Pratt and John L. Webb. At that election, 1843, the ticket presented by them was for Congress, Bela Jones of Susquehanna county; Senator, George Kinney, of Sheshequin ; Representative, C. Frisbie, of Orwell and Eli Baird, of Troy ; Commissioner, John VanDyke, of Canton ; Treasurer, Wyllys Brownson, of Towanda; Auditor, Milton Bailey, of Ulster. Again the Whigs made no nominations, so it was the Laborers and Democrats. Kinney carried Bradford county, but was defeated by the vote of Tioga, and so Reed and Sherwood, Democrats, were elected to the Legislature. The vote of the three parties for the two years was as follows :

LABORERS.

DEMOCRATS.

WHIGS.

1842.

941

2,239

1,662

1843.

1,289

1,750

938

This shows that all the gain was to the Laborer's party, while both the others lost in their vote,-much the largest per cent. of loss being from the Whigs.

Away back in 1828 the politics of the State was deeply stirred by the anti-Masonic movement that quickly became a political question. The rather nebulous idea that the Masons had murdered a man named Morgan, a member of the order who gave away for gain or notoriety their lodge secrets, began to pass current among the people, and Thad. Stevens, then a young man of Gettysburg, was shrewd and bold enough to seize upon this general delusion, feed and fatten it, and make it the issue in the election then pending. This was a singular exhibition of the public mind. In the first place the Masons never had any secrets in this country, whatever may have been theirs in the Old World, where men had to secretly combine and conspire in defense of their lives and plainest rights. There can be no place for secret political or otherwise organizations in this country ; when that necessity arises then American democracy, all freedom and all justice will have gone forever from our land. The leader of this movement in Bradford county was Mr. O. P. Ballard. It had soon run its brief and brilliant course throughout the State. It never succeeded in getting a majority of the voters in the county, and it peacefully passed away.

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 29

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1340