History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc, Part 46

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Publisher: W. Taylor
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USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 46
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 46

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The two original townships, we have seen, were Pennsborough and Hope- well. Pennsborough, which lay on the east, at its formation included the whole of the territory which is now embraced in Cumberland County. Hope- well, which lay on the west, included most of the land which is now embraced in Franklin. Six years later (1741) the township of Hopewell was divided, and the western division was called Antrim, after the county in Ireland. This ter- ritory afterward became a portion or nearly the whole of what is now included in Franklin County.

Soon after the formation of Pennsborough Township, portions of it began to be called North and South, East and West Pennsborough, and in 1745, ten

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BOROUGH OF CARLISLE.

years after its formation, and five years before the formation of the county, it seems to have been definitely divided into East and West Pennsborough. In the years which have elapsed many townships have been formed, so that now one portion of this original township lies west of the center, und the other at the northeastern extremity of the county, separated by the many intervening townships which have been formed from them.

One other township, Middleton, also originally part of Pennsborough, was just before or coincident in its birth with the formation of Cumberland County, so that when the county was formed, its map, including only that portion of it which was known by the name of " North Valley," would have embraced East and West Pennsborough. Hopewell, Antrim and Middleton Townships. That is the map of this portion of Cumberland County at its formation in 1750.

The date of the formation of the succeeding townships is as follows: Allen, 1766: Newton, 1767; Southampton, 1783; Shippensburg, 17844; Dickinson, 1785; Silvers' Spring, 1757; Frankford, 1795; Mithin, 1797; North and South Middleton, 1810; Monroe, 1825: Newville, 1828; Hampden, 1845; Upper and Lower Allen, 18-49; Middlesex, 1559; Penn, 1859; Cook, 1872.

The organization of boroughs was as follows: Carlisle, 1782; Newville, 1817; Shippensburg, 1819; Mechanicsburg, 1828; New Cumberland, 1831; Newburg, 1561; Mount Holly Springs, 1873; Shiremanstown, 1874; Camp Hill, ISS5.

CHAPTER XVI.

BOROUGH OF CARLISLE.

ITS INCEPTION-SURVEY-FIRST THINGS-MEETING OF CAPTIVES-REVOLUTION- ARY PERIOD-WAR OF 1812-GROWTH OF THE TOWN, ETC. THE BOROUGHI IN 1816-MCCLINTOCK RIOT-WAR OF THE REBELLION-SITUATION, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, ETC .- CHURCHES-CEMETERIES-SCHOOLS, INSTITUTES AND COL- LEGE -NEWSPAPERS - MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS, ETC .- GAS AND WATER COMPANY-SOCIETIES-CONCLUSION.

"THE town of Carlisle was laid out in pursuance of a letter of instruction issned by the proprietary government to Nicholas Scull in 1751. With the exception of Shippensburg and York, it is the oldest town in Pennsylvania west of the Susquehanna River. It derives its name from Carlisle, in the county of Cumberland, in England. That Carlisle, near the border of Scot- land, is the prototype of this. Like it, it is built with rectangular streets, from a center square, and is situated between two parallel ranges of lofty hills, which inclose the valley, watered by the Eden and the Calder, where it lies. " But, although the town of Carlisle was laid out according to the in- struetions of the commissioners as early as 1751, there were, of course, earlier settlers. One of these was James Le Tort, a French-Swiss, who was an In- dian interpreter, and who erected and lived in a log cabin, probably as early as 1720, at the head of the stream which bears his name, and which flows through the eastern portion of the town. At some unknown period, also, be-

*Carlisle, in England, was originally a Roman station, and its name is often used In the early border bal- lads.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

fore the founding of Carlisle, the Colonial Government had erected a stockade fort, occupying "two acres of ground square, with a block-house in each cor- ner," which, two years after the town of Carlisle was laid out, had become a ruin, and given place to another of curious construction within the precincts of the town, which was known as Fort Louther. It had loop-holes and swivel guns, and two years after (1755) a force of fifty men. It rendered important aid in defense of the earlier settlers against the Indians, whose savage cruel- ties and bloody massacres form such a striking feature in the early history of the Kittatinny Valley.

The first letter of instructions for a survey of the town was issued by Gov. Hamilton April 1, 1751. It was again surveyed by Col., afterward Gen. John Armstrong in 1762. When the town was first located it extended no further than the present North, South. East and West Streets, all the other part now within the borough being known as commons. The courts of justice were first held, for one year, at Shippensburg, but in the succeeding year, after the formation of the county, they were removed to Carlisle. Thus, just twenty-five years before the Declaration of Independence, before the imbecile King, George III, whose stubborn policy provoked the colonies to assert their rights, had yet ascended the throne of England, Carlisle was founded, in the reign of George II, as the county seat.

The first tax upon the citizens of Carlisle, of which we have any record, was laid in December, 1752, and amounted to £25 9s 6d.

A very pretty pen picture of the infant town of Carlisle in the summer of 1753 is as follows. It was written to Gov. Hamilton by John O'Neal, who had been sent to repair the fortifications, and is dated the 27th of May, 1753.

" The Garrison here consists only of twelve men. The stockade originally occupied two acres of ground square, with a block house in each corner. These buildings are now in ruin. Carlisle has been recently laid out and is the established seat of justice. It is the general opinion that a number of log cabins will be erected during the ensuing summer. The nmber of dwelling houses is five. The court is at present held in a temporary log building, on the northeast corner of the centre square. If the lots were clear of brush wood it would give a different aspect to the town. The situation, however, is handsome, in the centre of a valley with a mountain bounding it on the North and South at a distance of seven miles. The wood consists principally of oaks and hickory. The limestone will be of great advantage to the future set- lers, being in abundance. A lime kiln stands on the centre square, near what is called the deep quarry, from which is obtained good building stone. A large stream of water runs above two miles from the village, which may at a future period be rendered navigable. A fine spring runs to the east, called Le Tort, after the Indian interpreter who settled on its head about the year 1720. The Indian wigwams in the vicinity of Great Beaver Pond are to me an object of particular curiosity. A large number of the Delawares, Shaw- anese and Tuscaroras continue in this vicinity; the greater number have gone to the west." In October of this year, 1753, a treaty was held at Carlisle be- tween Benjamin Franklin and the other commissioners, and the chiefs of the Six Nations and their allies of other Western tribes. The party of chiefs sat upon the floor of the court house, smoking, as was the custom, during the entire treaty. Conrad Weiser and Andrew Montour were interpreters. One complaint was that in exchange for their lands the white man had given them nothing but rum, and indictments at about this period are to be found in the old records of the court "for illegal sale of liquor to the Indians who live

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BOROUGH OF CARLISLE.

outside of the inhabited portion of this provineo." * In passing, wo may mention that the whipping post and the pillory creeted in 1754 were then and afterward the usual methods of punishment, and that they stood upon that portion of the Public Square upon which the Episcopal Church now stands.

Besides the stockade forts which we have mentioned, there were also, somo. what later (about 1757), breastworks or intrenehments erected northeast of the town by Col. Stanwix, and in this year also the first weekly post was estab lished between Philadelphia, then the largest city in the country, and Carlisle, the better to enable his honor the Governor and the Assembly to communicate with his majesty's subjeets on the frontier. In the history of the Indian wars at this period Carlisle holds a conspienous place. In the autumn of 1755, particularly, the citizens were much alarmed in consequence of numerous mas- sacres by the Indians. The defeat of Gen. Braddock at Fort DuQuesne in this year left the whole western frontier defenseless. In July of this year Gov. Morris, who had succeeded Gov. Hamilton (under whose instructions the town was laid out) came to Carlisle for the purpose of sending supplies to Gen. . Braddock, and to encourage the people in the midst of their panic, and it was while he was there that he received the first tidings of the disastrous battle. It was then that Col. John Armstrong, of Carlisle (afterward a general in the Revolutionary Army and a friend of Gen. Washington) decided to take the aggressive and to attack the enemy in their own stronghold. It fell to the lot of the infant town of Carlisle then only five years old-to turn the tide and to stay the current which threatened to sweep everything away. Col. Arm- strong, with a party of 280 resolute men, started from that place, and by a rapid march of some 200 miles, over lofty and rugged mountains, discovered and destroyed the savages in their nest at Kittanning. For this gallant service medals and presents were voted to Col. Armstrong and his officers by the cor- poration of Philadelphia. The destruction of Kittanning by Col. Armstrong was in September, 1756.

Another Indian council was held at Carlisle on the 13th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 19th of January, 1756. preceding the Indian catastrophe at Kittanning, at which were present Hon. R. H. Morris, lieutenant-governor, Gov. James Hamilton and several other commissioners. It was held to arrive at an under- standing as to the action of the Shawanese and Delawares, who had been under the control of the Six Nations, but who had joined the French. At this meet- ing, where many belts of wampum, etc., as was the custom, were exchanged, Conrad Weiser and George Croghan were interpreters. In May of the suc- ceeding year (1757) a number of Cherokee warriors, who had come from the South, came to Carlisle to aid the English against the French and their savage allies. At this time it was often necessary that the farmers should be protected during the harvest, in order that they might gather their grain. August 20, 1756, Col. Armstrong writes: "Lyttleton, Shippensburg and Car- lisle (the last two not finished) are the only forts, now built, that will, in my opinion be serviceable to the publie. The duties of the harvest have not per- mitted me to finish Carlisle Fort with the soldiers; it should be done, other- wise the soldiers can not be so well governed, and may be absent, or without the gates, at a time of the greatest necessity."

At this time (June 30, 1757) Col. Stanwix had begun and was continuing to build his entrenchments on the " northeast part of this town and just adjoin- ing it." In a letter headed "Camp. near Carlisle. July 25, 1757." he writes "I am at work at my entrenehments, but as I send out such large and frequent parties, with other necessary duties, I can only spare about seventy working

· The expenses of this treaty, including presents to the Indians, amounted to £1.400.

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men a day, and these have been very often interrupted by frequent violent gusts, so that we make but a small figure yet, and the first month was entirely taken up in clearing the ground, which was all full of monstrous stumps, etc."

From these brief pictures, thus painted by contemporaries, we may form some idea of Carlisle at this early date. Le Tort's lonely cabin on the stream, if it still remained; the stockade fort which had given place to the one which. was in ruins; the grass-grown streets; the number of dwelling houses (four years before) only five; the temporary log court house on the northeast corner of the center square; the entrenchments near the town; the Indian wigwams which were an object of particular curiosity; the "monstrous stumps" which told of the primeval forest which was for the first time felled by the hand of man-all point to a period recent in history, but fabulous, seemingly, already, and as strange as can be found.

In 1760 considerable excitement was caused by the murder of a friendly Delaware Indian, Dr. John and family, who had moved to Cumberland County in the winter of that year and lived in a log cabin on the Conodoguinet Creek, near Carlisle. News was immediately sent to Gov. Hamilton, and a reward of £100 was offered for the apprehension of the parties concerned. The excite- ment was intense, for it was feared that the Indians might seek to revenge the murder upon the settlers.

Another panic occurred about two years afterward. At noon, on the 4th of July, 1763, one of a party of horsemen rode rapidly into the town, and told of the capture of Presque Isle, Le Bœuf, and Venango by the French and In- dians. The greatest alarm spread among the citizens of the town and neigh- boring country. The roads were crowded in a little while with women and children hastening to Lancaster for safety. The pastor of the Episcopal Church headed his congregation, encouraging them on the way. Some retired to the breastworks. Col. Bouquet writes, asking aid from the people of York in building a post here, on the plea that they were protected by Cumberland. Truly these were stirring times. The seed was sown and the harvest reaped under the fear of the tomahawk and rifle. The early history of Cumberland County is fraught with items of the deepest interest to all who hold in grate- ful remembrance the trials and dangers of the first settlers of this beautiful portion of our State.

We are now at about the close of the Indian war, but from the formation of Carlisle down until this period (1764), there was continued danger and depre- dations throughout the valley.

THE MEETING OF CAPTIVES.

In August of this year, Col. Bouquet, two regiments of royal troops, and one thousand provincials assembled at Carlisle. The Indians, who by this time had been thoroughily conquered, were compelled to bring back all pris- oners whom they had captured. The incidents of the meeting of relatives who had been separated for year, which occurred upon the Public Square, has been graphically told. Some had forgotten their native tongue. Some had married with their captors, had grown to love their bondage, and refused to leave their lords. One German mother recognized her long lost child by sing- ing to her the familiar hymn "Alone, yet not alone am 1, Though in this soli- tude so drear," which she had sung to it in childhood. This incident happened December 31, 1764. (Hallische Nacht, 1033.)*

One of the most vivid panoramic pictures might be drawn of a scene

*('ol. Bouquet had advertised for those who had lost children to come to Carlisle, "and look for them." Sup. Rupp's Ilist. 402; which accounts, we suppose, for seeming discrepancy of dates.

James Coyle.

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BOROUGH OF CARLISLE.

which happened before the old jail in Carlisle, at about 10 o'clock on Friday morning, the 29th of January, 1768, when a large body of men, some of whom were armed with ritles and others with tomahawks, endeavored, against the earnest protests of Col. John Armstrong. Rev. John Steel, Robt. Miller, Will- iam Lyon and John Holmes, the sheriff, to rescue two prisoners, Frederick Stump and Hans Eisenbaner (known as " Ironcutter"), who were confessedly guilty of the brutal murder of several Indian families, from the jail, in order that the prisoners might not be sent for trial to Philadelphia; in which attempt at rescue the mob succeeded, much to the regret and alarm of the government, which was afraid it would awaken an outbreak of Indian retaliation.

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.

We approach the period of the Revolution. The encroachments of the Crown upon the rights of the colonists found ready resentment from the hardy settlers of this frontier. In July, 1774, at a public meeting in Carlisle, resoln- tions were adopted severely condemning the act of the English Parliament in closing the port of Boston, and urging vigorous remedies to correct the wrong. They also advocated a general congress of the colonies; non-importation of British goods: pledged contributions for the relief of Boston; and urged that "a committee be immediately appointed for this county, to correspond with the committee of this province upon the great objects of the public attention; and to co-operate in every measure conducing to the general welfare of British America." James Wilson, Robert Magaw, and William Irvine were appointed deputies to meet those from other counties of the province. The first was af- terward a signer of the Declaration, the second a colonel, and the third a gen- eral in the Revolutionary Army.

After the battle of Lexington prompt and energetic action was taken; men were pledged, and in July following Col. Thompson's " battalion of riflemen " embraced the first companies south of the Hudson to arrive in Boston, and in January, 1776, this command became the " First Regiment " of the United Colonies, commanded by Gen. George Washington. John Stoel, the elder, and his son John Steel, Jr., both led companies from Carlisle, the former acting as chaplain and the latter joining the army of Gen. Washington after he had crossed the Delaware. In short, from the beginning to the end of the Revo- lution, Carlisle was a central point of patriotic devotion and influence.

We may mention that the two most important facts connected with Carlisle at about this period was the building of the old barracks by the Hessians cap- tured at Trenton, in 1777, and the founding of Dickinson College in 1753.

One year previous to this latter event (April 13, 1782) Carlisle had been incorporated by an act of the Assembly. *

Maj. Andre's Imprisonment. - The town, in consequence of its being seated on what was then the frontier and away from the theater of war, was used as a place of detention for military prisoners. Maj. Andre and Lieut. Despardt were confined here a portion of their time on parole of the town. While here, in 1776. they occupied a stone house on Lot No. 161. at the corner of South Hanover Street and Chapel Alley. They were on parole of honor of six miles, but were prohibited from going out of the town except in military dress.

The Whiskey Insurrection .- In 1794 Gen. Washington, accompanied by Sec retary Hamilton, rendezvoused at Carlisle with his army of 4,000 men and six-

·A new charter was granted March 4, 1814

+Lieut. Despard was an irish officer, afterward a colonel He served under Nelson, and had a high reputa- tlop for rash bravery lle carried back from America Democratic sentiments, and was executed for treason In 143. Sir Walter Scott says: " Three distinguished heroes of this class have arisen in my time: Lord Ed- ward Fitzgerald, fol Despard and . apt. Thistleword, and, with the contempl and aldorrence of all meu, they died the death of infamy and gutit." "See Dr. Wing's History of Cumberland County, p. 93, nute.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

teen pieces of artillery, on his way to quell the whiskey insurrection. He was enthusiastically received. The old court house was illuminated with trans- parencies, speeches were made, and troop of light-horse and a company of in- fantry promptly offered their services, and marched to Fort Pitt.

A Royal Exile .- In December, 1797, Louis Philippe, then twenty-four years of age, accompanied by his two brothers, the Duke of Montpensier and Count Beaujolais, passed through Carlisle on their way to New Orleans. An incident of their brief stay in that place is related in "Chambers' Miscellany." They arrived at Carlisle on Saturday, when the inhabitants of the neighboring country appeared to have entered the town for some purpose of business or pleasure, and drove up to a public house, near which was a trough for the re- ception of oats. The Duke of Montpensier sat in the wagon, when the horses became frightened and ran away, upsetting it and his highness. who was somewhat injured. Getting back to the tavern he there acted as his own sur- geon, and performed the operation of letting out some of his royal blood in the presence of a number of bucolic admirers, who, believing him to be a physician, proposed that he should remain at Carlisle and begin there his pro- fessional career. At this time (1795), by the Universal Gazetteer, published in London, we find that Carlisle contained "about 1,500 inhabitants and 300 stone houses, a college and a court house."

WAR OF 1812.

In the war of 1812 four companies were raised in Carlisle; two of which, the "Carlisle Infantry," under Capt. William Alexander, and a " Rifle Com- pany," under Capt. George Hendel, served for a term of six months on the northern frontier. Another, the "Carlisle Guards," under Capt. Joseph Halbert, marched to Philadelphia, and the fourth, the "Patriotic Blues," under Capt. Jacob Squier, served for a time in the entrenchments at Balti- more.

GROWTH OF THE TOWN, ETC.

The town continued steadily to increase. Its population in 1830 was 3,708. Ten years later it was 4,350, of which 2,046 were white males, 1,989 white females, 138 colored males, and 177 colored females.

The common schools first went into operation in Carlisle August 15, 1836. In 1837 the Cumberland Valley Railroad was built through High Street, at the request of some, though not without vigorous protest of other citizens of the town; and in the same year the old market-house, a low wooden structure in the form of the letter L, laid out upon the southeast section of the Public Square, was also erected. It was the third building of the kind, and occu- pied the site of the original " deep quarry" of 1753, where the present com- modius brick structure now stands.

Dr. Crooks, in his "Life of Rev. John McClintock," writing long after- ward, but thinking of these early days, gives the following, somewhat imagin- ative, picture of Carlisle in 1839:

"The valley in the midst of which Carlisle stands has often been com- pared by the imaginative mind to the happy vale of Rasselas. Encircled lovingly on either side by the Blue Mountain ridge, and enveloped in an at- mosphere of crystal clearness, on which the play of light and shade produce every hour some new and stirring effect, it was in a measure withdrawn from the tumult of the world. The tumult might be heard in the distance, but did not come near enough to disturb the calm of studious pursuits."

"The town preserved the traditions of learned culture which has dis- tinguished it from the beginning of the present century. Its population was

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not enterprising: manufacturing was but little, if at all, known to it. The rich soil of the valley poured ont every year abun:lant harvests, and the bor- ough was no more than the center of exchange and the market for supplies.

" The steady pace and even pulse of agricultural life seemed here to tone down the feverish excitement which is the usual condition under which Amer ican society exists."

Eurly on the morning of Monday, March 24, 1845, the court house which had been erected originally upon that square in 1765-66, and afterward ex- tended in 1802, was destroyed by fire. The old bell, which had been a much valued gift from the Penn family, gave forth its last sounds as it struck the hour of one, ere it sank to silence in the flames below. This bell, it is said, was originally sent from England as a present to the Episcopal Church or Chapel, but was used, by general consent, for the court house, on condition that it should be returned to the church at some future time.

THE BOROUGH IN 1846.

The local statisties of the borough, January 1, 1846, are as follows: There are 3 printing offices and papers-the Herald and Expositor (weekly), edited by Mr. Beatty, and devoted to the cause of the Whigs: the American Volun- teer, edited by Messrs. Boyers and Bratton, Democratie; the Pennsylvania Statesman, by J. S. Gitt, a Democratic semi-weekly paper. The first paper established in this county was edited and published by Mr. Kline in 1782, and was called Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette. There are 10 churches, 48 stores, a number of shops, 4 warehouses, 12 physicians, 3 foundries, common schools sufficient, Dickinson College, under the superintendence of the Methodist Epis- copal Church; a new court house, 25 shoe establishments, 4 hatters, 18 tailors, 2 chandleries. 2 auetion stores, 7 cabinet-makers, 16 carpenters, 2 coach- makers, 3 brick-makers, 20 brieklayers and masons. 2 bakeries, 5 cake bakers, 1 ropewalk, 1 grist-mill. 12 taverns. 3 distilleries, 5 tinners and coppersmiths, 5 tanners, 6 saddlers, 5 coopers. 2 breweries, 9 butchers, 6 painters, 3 chair- makers, 11 plasterers, 3 dyers, 5 weavers, 2 silver-platers, 1 locksmith, 2 gun- smiths, 1 lime burner. 3 wagon makers, 3 stone-cutters, 14 blacksmiths, 5 watch-makers, 2 barbers, 3 dentists, 1 clock-maker, 3 jewelry shops, I mattrass- maker, 2 threshing-machine manufactories, 3 board yards, 3 livery-stables, 2 bookbinderies, 2 spinning wheel manufactories, 1 brush-maker, 2 pump- makers, 5 gardeners, 1 dairy, 1 stocking weaver, 2 cigar-makers, 9 mantna- makers, 6 milliners, 1 bird-stuffing establishment. 5.music-teachers, 4 justices of the peace, 12 male school-teachers. 5 female school-teachers, a large market- house, 15 lawyers, with a sufficient number of physicians, professors, and min- isters of the gospel.

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Author: Publication date: Publisher: W. Taylor Number of Pages: 1280

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher: W. Taylor
Number of Pages: 1280