USA > Pennsylvania > Columbia County > History of Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by the Columbia County Historical Society and Commissioners of Columbia County. Volume One > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10
Although some Germans seem to have been among the earliest settlers, the larger number came after the Quakers. In some cases the Quaker holdings were bought, in others, the Germans came as pioneers. The Germans, at first came across the mountainous country to Sunbury. The Indians had a well developed path, the Tulpehocken trail, which avoided some of the mountains by making use of gaps. Later, a way was developed to Bear Gap. The Germans spread through the Roaring Creek valley so that it became predominantly a region of Pennsylvania German people.
٠
1 %
١
بـ
T
٠٠
٠
٢
٠
بـ٢٠
١٤٠
٠٠٠٠
٦٠
٤ ٢
٤
٠
j
٠٦
١٠٠-4
٢٠
٢.
- 4 -
Ch. III
Settlements Opposite the Nescopeck Creek - Overland Route from the East Evan Owen, after giving up his first plans of a settlement near the mouth of Fishing Creek, turned his interests to the high land opposite the Nescopeck Creek. He explored the region about 1780. He finally returned about 1783 and laid out a town which he first named Owensburg. Later it was named Berwick for Berwick-Upon-Tweed. He gave land for a Quaker meeting house. He actively worked to bring about the sale of his land. Many of the Berwick settlers came from the region of Easton along the Delaware River. These journeyed up the Lehigh River valley, continued through Beaver Meadows and on to the valley of the Nescopeck Creck. Berwick was the first of the towns of Columbia County to be laid out, although not, apparently, the first town site to be settled for a number of others, it seems, had settlers at an earlier time.
While certain routes seem to be favored by the earlier immigrants, different groups used different routes at different times. In later years certain routes were no longer to be associated with certain groups of settlers.
Thus by 1790 or 1800, the region's settled sections had recovered from the disasters and losses of the frontier wars. Furthermore, new areas were constantly being settled and opened up. They extended farther up the valleys and into the uplands of hilltop regions. This is a process that was largely completed by 1850. However, it is true, that there are woodlots and mountain sections that have been lumbered but never been converted to farm Jands. In fact, in 1958 there were two, possibly more, small plots, that have never been lumbered.
Earliest Pioneer Hardships
The later pioneers had the experience of the first ones to aid
them. The first pioneers in loneliness and danger, carved out of the wild frontier their homestead and laid the first foundations of the communities which were to develop later. Let us learn about their hardships and dangers. We have no complete account of any pioneer. From various incidents and accounts we can put together what the life must have been like during the first critical year. We shall picture a comparatively young man and wife, he already an experienced farmer, she well trained in the duties of a farm wife. Both were strong and hardy, the frontier was no place for weaklings. The Pioneers Journey to the Frontier
The pioneer whom we shall try to picture had saved enough money to secure three pack horses. They have carefully reduced their baggage to the very smallest amount possible. On one horse rode the wife carrying a small infant in her arms. A bag containing cooking utensils and table ware was attached to the saddle. The second horse carried a store of provisions and the essentials of farm implements, plough irons and other things that could not well be fashioned out of wood later. Balanced on a third, on either side, was a hamper type of crate, made of hickory withes. These nampers contained bedding, with a small child tucked safe and secure in each, with only its head showing. Two cows were led or driven along for milk. The father strode ahead carrying gun and ax. The wife could advise him if the pack train, the second and third horse, each tethered to the one in front, was advancing properly. When the trails had been widened to rough roads, carts, or even wagons, drawn by oxen, would have been used.
32
-
٠٫٠
٫٠٠
ذ
١
- 5 -
Ch. III
On the frontier, the slow but powerful ox was superior to the horse for much work. In the settled sections the advance would be rapid. Soon the region of no roads was reached. Narrow trails of the Indian and fur trader would be encountered. The pioneer's ax had to be ready to chop the trail clear of fallen trees or branches.1 One or more mountains had to be crossed. The trail at places was steep and narrow. It was dangerous where steep drops were to be passed. There were no bridges, the streams had to be forded; swampy places might make other difficulties. Five or ten miles might be a day's journey. If conditions were favorable, possibly more might be accomplished.
Shelter at Night
At the end of the day, animals had to be tethered so that they could feed, the cows milked, and an evening meal prepared from food supplies carried. Firewood must be gathered for cooking, for warmth, and for protection against wild animals. Boughs must be gathered to make a crude bed under the stars. This was for fair weather. If it rained, a crude shelter might be found left by some previous traveler or one might be fashioned from bark and saplings. Shelter at times was available in an owner's cabin along the way. If so, the accommodations probably included sleeping on a dirt floor, so crowded with the owner's family and the guests, that there was a minimum of privacy and barely room on the floor for all to stretch out. The fatigues of the day probably brought sleep to all despite the almost universal presence of fleas and bugs.
Need for Haste
After five or ten days of such travel, the destination would be reached, barring accidents or disasters on the way. There could be no tarrying. The family must reach their new homesite as early in the spring as possible, after the end of severe weather. Before the coming of autumn, there were urgent tasks to be completed. Land must be cleared and crops planted to carry the family over the winter. After a temporary shelter had been provided for the mild weather, a house must be constructed that would shelter the family through the bitter winter that was to be expected in our region.
Some pioneer families had sons and daughters old enough to assist their parents. They may have been able to drive oyon to help in the work. Chickens and pigs may also have been brought. At the other extreme we have records of man and wife alone, advancing barefoot along the trails, carrying all their possess ons on their backs! Choosing Land: Signs of Good Soil
If our pioneer had been careful2 he had already inspected the lie of the land and the soil. He would choose a homesite near a spring in order to have a secure source of water. There were signs of soil fertility which he would note. Black walnut trees were taken as signs of limestone soils, the most desirable.3
lHe had to be ready with gun to protect from wild animals or replenish food supply.
2Compare John Eves, ch. , p.
3We in Columbia County have only narrow bands of limestone soils, and those mostly on two rather steep ridges, one on either side of Montour Ridge. See ch. p.
33
- 6 -
Ch. III
White oaks were signs of deep, rich soils. Big, well grown trees generally meant deep and fertile soil. This was especially true of hardwood trees. Hardwood trees were more difficult to cut down and to fashion into useful articles. Some pioneers preferred the areas supporting the soft woods, such as the pine and hemlock, but especially the pine. The pines were straight and tall. Their logs were most easily transformed into log cabins. Their logs were most easily split to make the first boards and planks. In pine and hemlock forests there was less underbrush to get rid of in opening up plots for crops.
However, the Mifflin flats, over grown with pines, were at first considered pine barrens. Later, they were proved to be among the most fertile of lands.
It was also important to find a location that promised a plentiful supply of wild game. This was especially true for the first few years. The rich game resources of the Sugarloaf township region probably accounts for settlement there at an early date. These early settlers, about 1792, passed by unsettled richer sections in order to take up land in one of the less promising sections. They also found trees of splendid size.
The First Shelter
Having come in the spring, berk was easily pea led in order to make a crude imitation of the Indian hut for the first shelter. Saplings stuck into the ground and bent together at the top would support the bark roofing. The work might be reduced by building under an over- hanging cliff or into a steep bank. The front might be left open, to be heated by the camp fire.
Planting
Quickly, a clearing must be provided so that grain and garden seeds could be planted. The quickest way was to girdle the trees by removing the bark for a considerable height clear around the trunk. The trees died, then the sun light could get to the ground beneath. Other trees were felled to provide logs for the cabin. Small roots and underbrush would be grubed out. Seeds would have to be planted and cultivated in spaces between the dead trees and stumps. The untilled soil was so rich, that usually a good crop could be expected, in spite of the limited cultivation that was possible the first year. Much underbrush and branches would be burned. The ashes helped further to enrich the soil.
Fish and Game for Food
While crops were maturing, additional food had to be provided. Usually there was much wild game, and the streams were teeming with fish. The father, and any older boys, were under the necessity of eking out the food supplies by these sources from the wilds. The wife, besides her other housewifely duties, cultivated the garden and gathered its produce as it matured.
The Cabin
A more durable shelter had to be built. The logs would be cut into proper lengths, notched at the ends. If only the man and his wife were available, they could use only the shortest and lightest logs to provide a cabin of minimum size. This type of log cabin was learned from the Swedes who introduced it into Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The logs would be piled on each other with the notches making them stable.
34
- 7 -
Ch. III
The first roof was probably merely long strips of bark, held in place from a ridge pole by stones or heavier timbers. Chinks in the log sides, and possibly in the roof were filled with mud, possibly mud mixed with moss. A hole might be left in the roof for smoke, or the chimney of logs chinked with clay, with also a clay facing on the inside, would be provided for the open fire. The first door was a deer or bear skin hung in the door opening. An opening for a window might be provided. If so, it was covered with greased paper which let in some light. At best this cabin was dark. The first floor was the dirt, trampled hard. Hooks were pegs driven in the chinks of the logs. After there had been time to split logs for crude boards, some slight advance toward comfort could be made. A door, on wooden hinges could be provided. It would have a latch with the catch on the inside. To enable it to be opened from the outside, a string was provided, extending through a hole to the out- side. Pull the string, the latch would be raised, and the person could enter. When visitors were not desired, the latch string was pulled inside.4
. . · . Tradition has handed down many of the hardships which the pioneers . . in our own region experienced.
In 1772 Isaac John and wife built their log cabin along the Catawissa Creek in what is now Main Township. Its entrance was through the roof which was reached by a ladder. They apparently never built another. According to tradition they raised their large family in this cabin.
About 1780 or shortly after, Henry Long with wife and children descended the river from New York by canoe, having stopped over at Wilkes-Barre for a time awaiting the end of the Indian dangers. They occupied a deserted log cabin within the limits of modern Light Street. They planted a cleared acre of ground to potatoes but were compelled to dig out the seed for food. According to this story, they kept alive searching out wild potatoes in the swamps. These finds were roasted for welcome food.
Nearby, Levi Aikman about this time, gathered a bag of grain, his first harvest. He sent his son in a canoe to Sunbury to have it ground there at the mill. On the return trip, young Aikman consumed his last crust of bread. His journey was ended at the Webb River- landing at nightfall. Mrs. Webb would gladly have given frontier hospitality to the young man, but there was no food in their house. As a result, young Aikman dipped into his bag of ground grain to help out the Webbs, and also certain others, according to this tradition. In 1782, Zarbeth Brittain, on a trip to examine Susquehanna lands, perished from small pox. The same misfortune happened to the son of John Bright, journeying from Northampton county in search of land here.
The Berwick region affords another frontier experience. John and Robert Brown, with their families, were pursuaded by Evan Owen to purchase land from his holdings. Coming overland to Catawissa, the Browns there transferred their belongings to canoes for the journey to the falls of the Nescopeck. Here they landed, toilsomely carried their goods to the top of the bluff when rain started in before they could make any shelter. This hardship added to the others was more than the mothers could endure; they broke down and wept.
We have the expression still, when we wish to indicate welcome, to tell our friend, the latch string hongs out for you.
35
٢
- 8 -
Down the river at Mifflin flats Peter Yohe settled at an early date. Before his first crop matured he had to journey by canoe to Wilkes- Barre for a bushel of corn to escape starvation.
Abram Kline, about 1785 led a party from New Jersey across Broad Mountain to the mouth of the Nescopeck, thence to Fishing Creek. Finally journeying up this stream, cutting their way through the unbroken forest, they reached the foot of Knob Mountain. The party consisted of Kline, his wife, and children, some of whom were grown and accompanied with their own families. The first summer, they lived in their wagons and a tent. They subsisted on milk from the cows they had brought as well as the usual game and fish from the wilds. By the second and third summers a considerable amount of land had been cleared by their united efforts and a sizeable crop of grain was raised. This was transported to the river by pack train, where it was loaded on flat boats to be floated to a grist mill at Sunbury, thirty five miles distant from their home.
Elisha Barton, came to Hemlock about 1781. He lived with his family in their wagon until their cabin was constructed.
About 1898, near Bear Gap, some silver buttons and Spanish dollars were found. These were connected with Alexander McCauley who had disappeared in 1783 after having journeyed from Beaver Valley in search of strayed horses. McCauley was known to have had both silver buttons and to have used Spanish dollars. Was he the victim of Indians or wild beasts?
A number of traditions relate dangerous conflicts of our frontier hunters with panthers.
When the Leonard Rupert family came to the mouth of Fishing Creek about 1788, they used the route across the mountains to Catawissa. From here their goods were taken across the river in canoes. The wagons were supported each by two canoes. The pair of wheels on either side were placed in a canoe, one pair to each canoe. The rowers were under the wagon, presumably on some kind of crude seats and bracing. A landing, two miles up river was affected, just below the mouth of Fishing Crcek.
As late as 1788, according to a tradition, Peter Brugler had an adventure with an Indian. Having followed a circuitous route in hunting, he came upon his own previous tracks in the snow, with those of an Indian stalking him. This forewarned, he was able to hide in a tree trunk and kill the Indian instead of being killed himself.
Success or Failure
With such expedients and make-shift devices, our pioneers made themselves ready for the first winter. If they were not successful in getting these first tasks completed, at bost they might merely have to journey back to civilization and in some way make a fresh start there or somewhere else. At worst, they were confronted with death from starvation or freezing. Probably many cases of one or the other were disguised by sickness and death brought on by such hardships. But thousands of such pioneers in our region and on other frontiers, did succeed in establishing themselves through the first critical year. Only persons of great physical vigo and high courage cold undergo such hardships and dangers. A fuller account of the dangers and hardships will be given in the next chapter where we shall learn how the pioneers tamed the frontier.
36
1
٦٠
٢
ـة
1
.
<
٠
1.
- 9 -
Ch. III
TO FIND OUT HOW EFFECTIVELY YOU HAVE READ
1. What were the main routes used by pioneer settlers in migrating to the North Branch regions?
2. Describe the chief areas of settlements in the fifteen or twenty years after the Revolution.
3. What were the main groups of settlers before 1800. To what extent can they be associated with definite areas?
4. What live stock were most valuable for the pioneers? Why?
5. What were the signs the pioneers looked for in choosing a place to settle?
6. Why was haste very important after the pioneers started their journeys to the frontier?
INTERESTING THINGS TO DO
1. Using a road map, try to identify modern automobile route numbers with routes used by (a) Indians, (b) pioneer settlers. What natural features (mountains, valleys, streams) aided or obstructed the modern routes as well as historic routes?
2. Are there any additional traditions of early pioneer experiences in your family? You are requested to write a report to the Columbia County Historical Society about them. Read your report first to your class.
3. Students who live on one of the original farms might tell about it and any interesting evidences of early and long continued occupations.
Requested: students report new facts to the Secretary of the Columbia County Historical Society.
4. Similarly, any students should report unlumbered areas in the county; an original log cabin still in existence, any implements of pioneers.
5. Requested by County Historical Society: Photographs and picture collections to be offered or lent to Society showing big trees in an unlumbered section.
6. Compare a modern camping trip with the pioneer journey and first lodging.
7. In Battle and Beers, investigate detailed experiences, not included in this text, that occurred in your town or township.
CHECK YOUR VOCABULARY: alluvial flood plains sediments pioneer gap
hamper (noun) wi the
distination
to eke
chink
37
TRANSFORMING THE FRONTIER INTO CIVILIZED COMMUNITIES
Chapter IV
This chapter deals with gradual developments. They all were going on at much the same time, with no exact beginning or ending. Such developments were earlier some places, later at others, but the general conditions they reflect were common to the American frontier.
For our region these conditions were from the close of the Revolution to about 1825, or about forty or fifty years.
Time Chart for Chapter IV
End of Revolution 1783
constitutional /Convention 1787
18,00
war of 1812
1815
1825
/
1
17/86
18:02
Grangeville / Laidout
Settlers continue to "flow" into our region
The pioneer life for man, woman, and child was lonely, dangerous, and hard.
Recalling Some First Steps
We have already looked at the pioneer traveling with his family and few belongings to their new wilderness home. We shall want to look further at the dangers and hardships for the many years needed to change this wilderness to a more civilized life. As neighbors came, loneliness was reduced. To secure the needed supplies and comforts, more would have to be produced - more for home consumption and more products to be sold or exchanged for the things needed. It was not enough to produce more, means
to transport the products to places where they could be sold or traded, markets were necessary. These improvements will be studied in this chapter.
A garden patch and the first small field would need to be enlarged to a real farm and adequate garden. Clearing the land might be by chopping, or the trees might be girdled. After they had died they might be burned down by building a fire around the base. In this the wife might help. Actually, a women could burn down more in a day than a man could chop down in several days. The resulting logs needed to be piled. Before neighbors had become plentiful, man and wife had to do the best they could to make these piles.
Flour was produced in the Indian fashion, by placing small amounts of grain in a basin-like hollow of a large stone or stump as a mortar and then using a cylindrical stone, a pestle, to pound and grind it. Often an
38
to
1872
Gwenstwa/ Paidout
Early Conditions
Bloomoliva laidout
٠
١
- 2 -
Ch. IV
especially heavy pestle stone would be tied to a bent-over sapling to lighten the labor. When a stump was used, the clump, clump, clump of the pestle on the mortar could be heard a long distance. A course, gritty flour could be produced in this way, suitable for porridge or flat bread baked on the heated hearth.
Kettles of several sizes, were stood in the fireplace. Stews and porridge might be prepared in them. The farmer's livestock included for food, chickens, cattle, and pigs. The breeds were quite scrubby. Pigs were especially valued because they would largely support themselves from acorns and other forage from the forest. If attacked and killed by bears, a trap might be attached to the mutilated carcass with the result that the family might have bear meat instead of pork for the bear usually returned for a second meal from the carcass. From cattle milk could be secured. The ox was slow, unexcitable, and very powerful. It was preferred to the horse as a work animal on the early farm. For riding and the pack train, of course, the horse was the better. Cattle also supplied meat from time to time.
Food From the Wilds
The profusion of game is referred to in all accounts of pioneer life. At times there might be more than could be eaten, and at other times settlers might be near starvation. In Berwick, Evan Owen as Justice of the Peace, required that every bear killed should be brought before him to be divided equally among the different families.
Most of the wild game animals and birds known to the pioneers are still with us, but there are some exceptions. Panthers, which were at one time a serious threat to the farmer's live stock, have been exterminated. Seldom did they attack human beings, although there are traditions of adventures and a few tragedies, usually involving children.
Besides game, settlers learned very early from the Indians to make maple syrup and maple suger.1 Maple sugar sold from six to ten cents a pound. A tree might yield five pounds, a hundred-tree grove, 500 pounds. barrels of sap had to be boiled down to yield this amount.
Bees were to be found in hollow trees and large stores of honey were often secured by chopping down such a tree. These two products were the main sources of sweetening and they might also be sold or bartered at the growing villages.
100
Nuts and berries were to be found in proper season, valued as a tasty addition to food supplies, and useful also for sale or barter.
Wild Pigeons
Wild pigeons came at certain seasons of the year, especially nesting time, in flocks so large that we of a later day can scarcely believe this to have been possible. An eye-witness from the nearby Wilkes-Barre region had this record: "The whole heavens were dark with them, the cloud on wing continuing to pass for over an hour or more and cloud succeeding cloud. There were not millions bu_ myraids ... Towns were built by them for five or six miles in length along the Meshoppen --- every branch or bough of every
Recall the Indian outrage at Jerseytown, 1780, when a settler escaped because he was at maple sugar grove.
39
٦
Ch. IV
- 3 -
tree holding a rude nest." In a Berwick newspaper item in 1840 we can read: "We have never seen such a quantity of pigeons as were flying about our place. The greater portion of our townsmen were engaged in pursuit of them, none returned without their hands full. Mr. F. Nicely succeeded in shooting 80. He fired twice into one flock and killed 37. Beat that you who can." At a later time the extermination of the passenger pigeon was completed by market hunters slaughtering them in wholesale manner and sending them to city markets by the ton. Often the masses were so thick on the branches that they could be clubbed to death. For the pioneer such plentiful and easily secured food was a welcome addition to their diet and a resource for barter in a nearby town. Shad and Other Fish
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.