History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 9

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1658

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania > Part 9

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"After the revolt in the Pennsylvania Line, the Ninth regiment generally re- enlisted under their old colonel and his captains in the Fifth Pennsylvania, who commanded it during the campaign under General Wayne in the south. Of his career in that department we have extant a characteristic letter to Gen Willam Irvine, published in the first volume of . Pennsylvania in the War of the Revo- lution.' Gen. Henry Lee, in his . Memoirs of the War in the Southern Depart- ment of the United States,' alludes to the incidents refered to in that letter as follows :

While in his camp before Williamsburg the British general learned that we had some boats and stores on the Chickahominy river. Hither he detached Lieutenant-colonel Simcoe. with his corps and the Yagers, to destroy them. This service was promptly per- formed: but the American general, having discovered from his exploring parties the march of Simcoe, detached on the 26th, Lieutenant-colonel Butler, of the Pennsylvania Line, the renowned second and rival of Morgan at Saratoga. The rifle corps, under Majors Call and Willis, and the cavalry, which did not in the whole exceed one hundred and twenty effectives, composed Butler's van. Major MacPherson of Pennsylvania led this corps, and having mounted some infantry behind the remnant of Armand's Dra- goons, overtook Simcoe on his return near Spencer's plantation, six or seven miles above Williamsburg. The suddenness of MacPherson's attack threw the Yagers into confusion; but the Queen's Rangers quickly deployed, and advanced to the support of the Yagers.

Calland Willis had now got up to MacPherson's support with their riflemen, and the action became fierce. Lieutenant Lollar, at the head of a squadron of Simcoe's Hussars, fell on Armand's remnant and drove it out of line, making Lieutenant Breso and several privates prisoners. Following his blow, Lollar turned upon our riflemen, then pressing

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

upon the Queen's Rangers: and at the same moment, Captain Ogilvie. of the Legion Cav- alry, who had been sent that morning from camp with his troop for the collection of forage, accidently appeared on our left flank. The rifle corps fell back in confusion upon Butler, drawn up in the rear with his Continentals. Satisfied with the repulse of the assailing troops, Lieutenant-colonel Simcoe began to retire; nor was he further pressed by Butler, as Cornwallis had moved with the main body, on hearing the first fire, to shield Simcoe.

"In October following, in view of Colonel Butler's valuable services prior to and at the capture of Yorktown, he was honorably designated to plant our flag upon the British works after the surrender of Cornwallis; and though Colonel Butler detailed for this purpose his ensign, Maj. Ebenezer Denny, being propably par- tial to him as coming from his own town, Carlisle, where the families were near neighbors, yet Baron Steuben, unexpectedly and offensively, appropriated this honor to himself, and Colonel Butler that night . sent the arrogant foreigner a message, as every one expected. and it took all the influence of Rochambeau and Washington to prevent a hostile meeting.' In this business, however, we have the following statement, according to which the Baron's conduct was approved : When the Commissioners were discussing and arranging the terms of surrender, Lafayette, whose turn it was next to command the trenches. marched with his division to relieve the Baron. The latter refused to be relieved, urging that hav- ing received the flag, the rules of European warfare secured him the right to retain the command until the surrender of the place. Lafayette appealed to Washington. who, after consulting Count Rochambeau, and other foreign officeis, informed him that the Baron was entitled to the command, and must retain it until the matter under discussion should be decided.

"On a plan of Carlisle, made in 1764, the Butler home is then and there indi- cated as being on lot 61, West Main street. We have some letters written by him, and afterwards by his widow, as well as letters which we carefully copied from the originals now among the archives of the Historical Society of Pennsyl- vania, written by him to a friend, Gen. William Irvine. then commissioner of public accounts in New York, and they indicate Carlisle as his home. These letters, which are dated at Carlisle, besides some written by him thither when absent in the field of military service. extend from September, 1752, to July. 1789. In September, 1789, his letters begin to be dated at Pittsburg, and the last one we have, posted from Pittsburg, is in August, 1790. It was the next year that he was killed in battle. We are thus particular, as these facts are not generally known, and in order to establish the claims of Carlisle to him as being a resident and citizen of the place the greater part of his life.

"After the close of the Revolutionary War, and when residing in Carlisle, the public service repeatedly called his attention and presence elsewhere, especially to Fort Pitt, on business relating to the Indians, with whom he was well acquainted, and a very trusted commissioner of the Government among them, and hence he was generally and favorably known in that place. As an evidence of this statement, we will here mention what might now be regarded as a small matter, but, in the olden time, it was intended as a marked compliment and trib- ute to a great and popular man. Brackenridge, in his Recollections, speaking of taverns and tavern-keepers of Pittsburg, says : . When I can first remember, the

COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

sign of General Butler, kept by Patrick Murphy, was the head tavern, and the first hotel in the town, just as the painted portrait of Washington or Lafayette or Jackson, or Perry, was often hoisted at the front of a public house to dignify and distinguish it, and to attract patronage. Throughout these many years a street in Pittsburg bears his name. Many a partial parent called a son after him. Gen- eral O'Hara, of Pittsburg, gave the name of Richard Butler to one of his sons, with whom we were intimately acquainted, whose family we often visited at Guyasutha Place, and where still resides his only living daughter. Mrs. William M. Darlington. Butler county, as well as the town of Butler, was named in honor of the general, and the same honorable name has been conferred on coun- ties, and towns, and townships in other sections of the Union.'

" But what had been his character and public services? We answer briefly : He was a brave and intrepid soldier, quick to perceive duty and as quick to per- form it, and he possessed in a high degree the attachment of his men and the confidence of Washington.

"Colonel Butler was at Fort McIntosh, now Beaver, on the 20th of Septem- ber, 1785, as his will, to which we shall presently refer, was dated at that place. ' The will,' writes Judge M. C. Herman, of Carlisle, to whom we are indebted for some of the facts here given, 'appears to have been written hurriedly, and on the eve of some dangerous expedition, for he says :'

Being in perfect health and senses think it my duty (as I am going far from my family, and into some degree of danger more than generally attend at my happy and peaceful home), to make such arrangement of my worldly affairs as I wish and desire may take place in case of my death, which I hope for the sake of my family, the Great and Almighty God will avert.

"Upon the return from this expedition, Colonel Butler remained at Pittsburg, and owning considerable property in that neighborhood, he was quite prominent in securing the formation of the new county of Allegheny. The Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, appointed him, September 30, 1788, lieuten- ant for that county, and on the 2nd of October following, the General Assembly appointed him commissioner, with Col. John Gibson, to purchase from the Indians their claim to the triangle on Lake Erie. In November, 1788, in connec- tion with his brother, William Butler, James Robinson and Daniel Elliott, made purchase of the reserved lots opposite the town of Pittsburg. Ile was com- missioned one of the judges of the court of common pleas of Allegheny county, November 21, 1788, which he resigned in December, 1790, having been elected to the Assembly from the district composed of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.

"L'pon the expiration of his term of service in the Assembly, Colonel Butler returned to Pittsburg. The failure of Gen. Josiah Harmer's expedition against the western Indians occurred in the autumn of 1790. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was then appointed commander-in-chief of the United States army. Colonel Butler was appointed major-general, and second in command, and fell, when that army was defeated on the Miami, in the bloody battle fought against the allied Indians under Brant, on the 4th of November, 1791. The expedition had originally numbered about 2,000 men ; on the day of action it had been reduced to about

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

1, 400, and of this force 913 were killed, wounded and missing. A battalion of artil- lery was almost entirely destroyed. St. Clair was a great civilian and brave soldier, but, like the unfortunate Braddock, probably did not sufficiently under- stand and appreciate Indian warfare, or his army may not have been properly trained and diciplined to meet such a foe ; and many believed that if Butler had had the command, the result would have been different. Two of his brothers, Cols. Thomas and Edward Butler, were also in the disastrous battle in which the General had fallen, and the first was severely wounded. Maj, Ebenezer Denny, the aid-de-camp of General St. Clair (he had previously been the aid-de-camp to General Ilarmer, after whom he named his eldest son, and he named his youngest son after St. Clair), gives a detailed account of that battle in his military jour- nal; and his son, Dr. William H. Denny, in his admirable memoir of his father, thus speaks of it :

After General Butler had received his first wound, he continued to walk in front, elose along the line, with his coat off and his arm in a sling, encouraging the men, and retired only after receiving a second wound in the side. The commander-in-chief sent Major Denny, with his compliments, to inquire how he was. He found him in the middle of the camp, in a sitting posture, supported by knap-sacks; the rifle balls of the Indians, who now surrounded closely the whole camp, concentrated upon that point. One of the wounded general's servants and two horses were shot here. He seemed, however, to have no anxiety, and to the inquiry of the aid-de-camp, he answered that he felt well. Whilst making this reply, a young cadet from Virginia, who stood by his side, was hit on the cap of the knee by a spent ball, and eried so loudly with the pain and the aların, that General Butler actually shook his wounded side with laughter. This satisfied Major Denny that the second wound was not mortal, that the General being very fleshy, the ball might not have penetrated a vital part. He always believed that he might have been brought away and his life saved. Probably his own aid-de-camp, Maj. John Mor- gan, may have offered to bring him off, as was his duty, and the wounded General declined, conscious that his weight and helplessness would only enember his brave young friend for no use, and hinder him from saving himself.

"About the time to which reference is here made, it is reliably stated that the youngest brother, Capt. Edward Butler, removed the General from the field and placed him near the road by which he knew the army must retreat, and on returning to the field found his other brother, Maj. Thomas Butler, shot through both legs. He then removed him to the side of the General, who, learning that the army was in retreat, insisted on being left alone, as he was mortally wounded, and that he should endeavor to save their wounded brother. He consequently placed Thomas on an artillery horse captured from a retreating soldier, and taking a sad leave of their gallant and noble brother, 'they left him in his glory.' A letter from Edward Butler to his brother Pierce, of Kentucky, dated Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, November 11, 1791, says :

Yesterday I arrived here with our worthy brother, Major Thomas Butler, who is illy wounded, he having one leg broken and shot through the other. I hope, however, he will do well. He has borne the hard fortune of that day with the soldiery fortitude you might have expected from so brave a man. We left the worthiest of brothers, Gen. Richard Butler. in the hands of the savages, but so nearly dead that, I hope, he was not sensible of any cruelty they might willingly wreak upon him.

" We do not know just when he died or how he died. All we know of his end is, that, out of regard for the welfare of others, and with a heroic and self-sacri-

COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

ficing spirit, he desired to be left behind. His desire was granted, sadly and reluctantly, and we, too, can only hope that he was not conscious of any savage indignity. In the autumn of 1793, General Wayne, who had succeeded General St. Clair, in his expedition against the allied Indians, obtained possession of the ground on which the Americans had been defeated in 1791, which he fortified and named Fort Recovery. Here he carefully collected, and with the honors of war, interred the bones of the slain of the 4th of November, 1791.

" Sixty years after the death of General Butler, his nephew, Col. E. G. W. Butler, son of Col. Edward Butler, received his Uncle Richard's sword, a 'Toledo,' from Gen. W. L. Gaither, of Maryland, who said it had been pre- sented to his ancestor, Major Gaither, by General Butler, after his brothers had left him, and handed down through two generations with the injunction of the former, 'never to wipe from the blade the blood of Butler.' It was given to Colonel Butler because of the efforts of his father to save the life of its gallant owner, and by its side rests the sword of his wounded brother, Thomas, given to Colonel Butler by his eldest son, because the father of the former saved his father's life. Both bear the motto : Vo Me Sacque Sin Razon, and on the other side, No Me Embaines Sin Honor :- ' Draw me not without just cause ; Sheath me not without honor.'

" Col. William D. Wilkins, son of the late venerable Judge Ross Wilkins, of Michigan, has the military journal of Gen. Richard Butler during the campaign of 1791, at the back of which are recorded the roster of officers for duty, and also General Butler's mess account and memoranda of expenditures. The order of battle and march was being entered at the very moment of the attack by the enemy, and the change in the handwriting, from a very fair calligraphy to the nervous, blotted writing of an agitated and excited man, is quite significant.

"Then follows a hiatus of several days and the series of orders recommences at Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, to which the army fell back after its defeat, with a melancholy list of the killed and wounded, in which Butler's command (embracing the first and second Pennsylvania levies and battalion of Kentucky militia) suffered fearfully. The book is a very curious picture and record of the ancient military life, discipline and manners of the DeKalb and Steuben period, and shows General Butler to have been a skillful, judicious and accomplished officer, well versed in his profession, thoughtful of the welfare of his men, and solicitous for the honor of his country.

"Gen. Richard Butler's will, as stated, was dated September 29, 1785, and is recorded at Carlisle. In it he mentions his wife Mary, and children, William and Mary, the rearing and educating of whom is entrusted to his wife. llis estate consisted of a 'house and lot in Carlisle,' 'furniture, plate, etc,' tract of land ' warranted in the name of John Beard, situate on Plumb creek, Westmoreland county, adjoining land of the late Col. George Croghan ;' tract of land in AAlle- gheny county ; lots in Pittsburg, adjoining lots of William Butler : one thousand acres of land, being a donation of the State of Pennsylvania, and six hundred acres of land, a donation of the United States in Congress -. these donations are for my services as colonel in the Army of the United States,' and other property, including ' horses, cows and farming utensils at and near Carlisle.' The execu-

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

tors named in his will are his wife Mary, his brother William, his ' respected friend Thomas Smith, Esq. , attorney-at-law, Carlisle, and my friend John Mont- gomery, Esq.'"

The transcript of accounts between Allegheny and Butler counties, from May 7, 1800, to December 3, 1803,-the period that the latter was attached to the former county-shows that the sum of $5,528.90} was collected in the town- ships of Butler county, all of which was expended by the commissioners of Alle- gheny county, in the manner set forth in the following itemized statement copied from the records now in the possession of the commissioners of Butler county :

TO COSTS OF CONNOQUENESSING TOWNSHIP' 1800

To clerks hire and station ery .. 4 50

May 7. Paid Robert Hayes, as- sessor of Connoquenessing. 20 00 Sept. 9. Paid ditto for taking the enumeration of taxable in- habitants . 10 00

To commissioners' time as- sessing the tax and holding the appeals. 9 50

TO COSTS OF MIDDLESEX TOWNSHIP.

To clerk lire and station- ery, making out duplicates, etc. 4 50

May 28. Paid David Kerr. asses- sor of Middlesex. 26 00

July 25. Paid ditto for taking the entimeration of taxable in- habitants. 15 00

To commissioners' time ... 9 50

TO COSTS OF SLIPPERY ROCK.

To clerk hire and station- ery. S 5 00

To express sent to assess- ors. 2 60

July 3. Paid Samuel Jolly, asses- sor. 30 00

Aug. 22. Paid ditto for enumer- ation. 15 00

To commissioners' time ... 9 50

Aug. 11. To surveyors for run- ning and ascertaining the boundary lines of county .. 132 23 Aug. 15. To prothonotary's fees on sundry indicts 15 82

Aug. 20. To Andrew Wilkins for the enumeration of part of Buffalo township 12 00

Oct. 18. Paid David Armstrong, judge; William Elliott and Robert Reed, agents of gen- eral election at James Bu- chanan's .. $ 15 60

Oct. 29. to Nov. 17. Paid Abdiel MeLure, agent; Mathew White, Jonathan Baird, Henry Evans, Connell Rod- gers, clerks, andJack Eakin and Win. Dodd, judges of election at MeLure's 18 10

Nov. 26. Portion of commission- ers' and clerk's expenses and of stationery from July 3 to Nov. 26 41 00

Dee. 10. Paid David Kerr and Samuel Rippey for ascer- taining the center of Butler county by order of the trus- tees. . 66 00

Dec. 23. Paid Samuel Rippey, in- spector: John Woodcock. judge; James Amberson, agent; James Kerr, judge. and Robert Hays, inspec- tor of election at MeLure's. 7 50

Dec. 24. Paid Abdiel McLure for service as trustee. . 12 00

Paid James Amberson for service as trustee. 12 00 Paid Win. Elliott for ser- vice as trustee. 9 37}

1801.

Jan. 26. Paid Melzer Tannehill and John Tannehill, inspec- tor aud clerk of elections at Buchanan's .. 3 00

Portion of pay for assessing Buffalo township 25

Feb. 28. Paid Jolin Seull for print- ing. 11 00

COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

March 13-27. Fees in connection with courts. .$ 22 07

May 19. Paid John Shannon, as- sessor of Connoquenessing. 21 00

May 21. Daniel McConnell, as- sessor of Slippery Rock township. 19 00

May 23. Thomas Smith, assessor of Middlesex township .. 30 00

June 25. John Woodcock, a wit- ness in re Pennsylvania vs. Abdiel McLure. 3 00

July 6. James Hardy, clerk of elec- tion, and Robert Waddle, judge of Slippery Rock. .. . 3 00 Oct. 17 to Nov 14. Paid Stephen Crawford, Abner Coals, Henry Evans, John Mc- Bride, John Shannon, Will- iam Thompson, judges or inspectors of elections at McLure's house. 16 90

Oct. 17 to Nov. 17. Paid James Hardy, Frederick Peate, James Elder, David Arm- strong, James Findley, James Russell, Jolin Chris- ty and William McMichael. 22 80

Nov. 19. Commissioners' time from Nov. 26, 1800, to Oct. 31, 1801, inclusive 65 21

Nov. 19. Commissioners' and clerks' pay when holding appeals for 1801. 27 311 Your portion of clerk's hire from Nov. 26, 1800 to Oct. 31, 1801 37 86

Treasurer's salary for one year, apportioned according to tax produced .. 19 91

One-fifth of all fuel used in court house, commissioners' officeand jail for one year .. 20 00 To stationery used for said county in the above stated time .. 2 75

Dec. 16. Paid Robert Hays for serving subpoenas . . . . 9 82 Paid David Kerr, witness .. 8 50

Paid Samuel Rippey. wit- ness .. 6 00

Dec. 29. Paid M. White and Bartel Laufer, witnesses. 13 69

To one-fifth part of com- missioners' and clerks' ex- penses from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 1801 : 29 00

Paid M. Tannehill, John Welsh and M. White, in re elections. 4 50

1802.

Jan. 6. Fees to clerk Tarlton Bates, Sheriff Wusthoff, and to attorney Robert Galbreath in re Pennsyl- vania vs. Robert Hays and Samuel Smith. 12 90

Jan. 11. Jaines Scott and Joseph McFerrin, clerks of election at McLure's 3 00

Jan. 22. John Woodcock, witness in r. R. Hay 9 00

Jan. 26. Henry Baldwin, prose- cutor, fees for indictment of Samuel Smith 1 20

Feb. 20. Recorder Samuel Jones for list of late transfers of Donation lands. 1 50

March 23. John Israel for publish- ing financial statement for 1801. 10 80

March 23. James Amberson, agent of election at McLure's .. 1 50

June 1. John David. James Scott and David Sutton, assessors of Middlesex and Buffalo townships 103 00

June 2. David Armstrong, Robert Waddle and Robert Reed, assessors, of Slippery Rock township .. 55

June 3. Moses Bolton, Matthew White and Matthew Mc- Ewen, assessors, and Moses Bolton, collector of Conno- quenessing township. . .

79 37

1 June 18-21 to Nov. 3. Portion of pay of commissioners ap- pointed by the Governor to establish the seats of jus- tice of Armstrong, Butler and Mercer counties, being one-third of whole cost. . .. 114 00

June 28. John David, Robert Reed, agents of election .. . 3 00

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

John David, collector of Middlesex in 1800, allowed on duplicate .. .$ 2 50

July 2. Henry Monteith, Sheriff Ephriam Jones, clerk of court Bates, for services. . 18 69

Sept. 3-29. Attorney Baldwin's fees in re Hogan, $1.20, and 75 cents to Thomas Smith for carrying duplicate of Buf- falo township to collector. . 1 95

Oct. 16. David Armstrong, Daniel Levere, H. Evans, F. Peale, William Bolton and Robert Reed, agents and clerks of elections at McLure's and Buchanan's 29 00 Paid David Armstrong for meeting the judge of elec- tions of Crawford county at Funk's 2 72

Nov. 3. To clerk, T. Bates, fees on Sundry prosecutions ... . 23 61 Nov. 16. George Shannon, John David, Robert Scott, Rich- ard Miller, James Scott, James Guffey, Andrew Mc- Lure, Abdiel MeLure, Josh- ua Stoolfire, John Find- ley, Moses Bolton, agents and inspectors of elections 18 00

Nov. 16. John Shannon, John Da- vid, David Sutton, John McBride, witnesses; Henry Baldwin, attorney; William Wusthoff, sheriff; expenses in connection with criminal cases 65 41

Nov. 16. Robert Boggs, road su- pervisor in Connoqueness- ing in part for road taxes on unseated lands. 40 00

Dec. 3. Jolin Scull, printing asses- sors' notices. 3 00

Dec. 9. John MeCurdy, road view- er from Isaac Voris' to Sami- uel Findley's, the proportion payable by Butler county . . 3 67

Dee. 29. David Sutton and John Clows, supervisors in part for road tax on unseated lands in Middlesex and Buf- falo townships. 30 00

Dec. 31. One-fifth of general ex- penses of Allegheny county eliargeable to Butler county $233 77} 1803

6 06

Jan. 6. Election expenses. .... Jan. 22. Edward Queen, a witness 4 00

Feb. 1. John Clows, supervisor for road tax in Middlesex and Buffalo. 12 00

John Carnahan, viewer of road from Voris', in Deer township. to Findley's, in Middlesex township. . ....

1 75

Mar. 7. John Israel, for printing and publishing in "Tree of Liberty" statement for 1802 18 00

Mar. 29. William McMichael, Jolin Christy, Robert Graham, Walter Lindsey, for elec- tion.services. 6 00

Mar. 29. William Neyman, 4 days' laying out road from Voris' to Findley's. 4 00

Samuel Findley, on same work. 4 00

James Findley, on same work .. 4 00

David Sutton in part of road taxes on unseated lands in Middlesex and Buf- falo. 12 00

Mar. 31. Paid John McCandless allowance on his collector's duplicate of Middlesex. 7 07

April 30. John Christy, for 5 days engaged in laying out a road from county line to Cunningham's mill. . . 5 00

Paid Samuel Meals, col- lector of Slippery Rock in 1802, sundry lost taxes. .... 3 69

May 2. Paid John Clows, super- visor of Middlesex for 1802 for part of road tax on un- seated lands. 2 00

June 3. Paid William Moore for thirteen days' services as- sessing Buffalo township .. . 18 00

June 9. Paid Samuel Meals for 23 days' services assessing Slippery Rock township. . . . 23 00

June 10. Eliakim Anderson for 28 days' assessing Conno-

COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 9

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1658

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1658