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 51

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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 51
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 51

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This incident gave rise to an important case, in which the question was whether they had a right to invade the free soil of Pennsylvania for such a pur- pose. Judge Watts and A. Brady Sharpe were concerned with the district attor- ney for the commonwealth, while able counsel, among whom were Bradley Johnston and Johnston Meredith, represented the rights of the State of Mary- land. Myers was convicted, but the sentence was suspended and the colored people returned, when they went back to Dickinson Township, where they have since lived. In a previous case, where the slaves of one Oliver passed through the township, one of its citizens was made to pay dearly for his hav- ing given them shelter during the night.

There are no villages in the township, and very little manufacturing, as its interests are almost purely of an agricultural character. There are stores at several points, and grist-mills and saw-mills sufficient to supply local de- mands.

The hotel known as the Stone Tavern was built by James Moore about 1788, and was at one time known, we are told, as the "Cumberland Hall Tavern."

CHURCHES.

There are but two churches in the township; one near Barnitz's Hills, which belongs to the Methodist Protestant congregation, and which was erected originally about 1844, but has since been rebuilt and improved; and another church located on Spruce Run. Most of the people of Dickinson at- tend services in the churches at Carlisle or in Penn Township.

After the Seceder Church was built in Carlisle in 1802, in which Rev. Francis Pringle, from Ireland, was pastor, the Woodburns, the Rosses, the Moores, and a number more of the most substantial and leading families of the congregation, lived at a considerable distance in the country, and for their convenience it was deemed expedient to provide a preaching place in the coun- try, where public services could be occasionally held. Mr. Moore, of Dickin- son Township, donated an acre from the corner of his farm, about six or seven miles from Carlisle, as a site for a meeting-house and grave-yard, and here, in

2. Kofman,

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EAST PENNSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP.

1809 or 1810, a stone church was built. We aro informed it was nearly op- posite the Stone Tavern. The building, which was but a preaching station does not now exist.

SCHOOLS, ETC.

The common schools, twelve in number, are well sustained and attended, and are taught by efficient teachers. Besides the regular terms of six months, private schools are also maintained in some of the districts during the summer months.

The postoffices in Dickinson Township are Mooredale, Barnitz and Uriah. There is one station on the Gettysburg & Harrisburg main line named Starners, and a station on the South Mountain Branch, called Henry Clay.

CHAPTER XXII.

EAST PENNSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH OF CAMP HILL.

E AST PENNSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP was originally a portion of Penns- borough Township, which, at that time, embraced nearly all of the terri- tory which is now Cumberland County. As early as 1737 it began to be called east and west, and shortly afterward north and south parts of l'ennsborough, but it was not until 1845. when the latter were dropped, that the division of the township into East and West Pennsborough seems to have been definitely rec- ognized. The little fragment of it which now remains as the extreme north- eastern portion of the county, and which still retains its maiden name, is bonnded by the Bhie or Kittatinny Mountains on the north, the Susquehanna River on the East, Lower Allen on the south, and on the west by Hampden Township.

EARLY HISTORY.

At a very early period the Shawanese Indians settled, with the consent of William Penn and the Susquehanna Indians. upon this west side of the Sus- quehanna River. They became disaffected, and under two chiefs, Shingas and C'apt. Jacobs (killed afterward at Kittanning). they took up the hatchet against the whites, assigning as their reason for so doing that satisfaction had not been made to them for lands surveyed into the Proprietary's manor on the Conodo- guinet Creek. About 1728 they removed to the Ohio River, and placed themselves under the protection of the French. The whites began to settle in this (Paxton) manor, which embraced all the portion of the township south of the Conodoguinet Creek, about 1730. Most, if not all of them, were Scotch- Irish, and after 1736, when this land was finally purchased from the Indians, the intlux of immigrants was rapid. One year later (1736) the first road was begun westward.

On the west shore of the Susquehanna River one Kelso lived, and, in con- nection with John Harris, managed the ferry. The lots of the Paxton manor which lay within the township were:

No. 1, containing 530 acres. It first belonged to Capt. John Stewart; since to John Rupley. Jacob Rupley and Jacob Moltz; later to Halderman's, George Rupley's heirs and others.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

No. 2, 2673 acres belonged to John Boggs; later to Christian Erb, Eichel- berger and McCormick; 300 acres belonged first to Caspar Weaver, now owned by Eichelberger heirs, Eichelberger & Musser; 256 acres originally belonged to Col. John Armstrong, now to Hummel's estate and E. Wormley (they formed the present site of Wormleysburg); 227 acres belonged originally to James Wilson, and 227 acres to Robert Whitehill.

Tobias Hendricks had charge of Louther manor, and lived on it, in what is now East Pennsborough. He was the son of Tobias Hendricks, of Donegal, and hence their names have been confounded. He came into the valley at a very early period, possibly prior to 1725. In a letter to John Harris, bearing date May 13, 1727, he speaks of his father as "at Donegal," requesting Mr. Harris to forward a letter to him. He also alludes to "a trader " at the Potomac, of whom he bought skins, and of "the grate numbers coming this side of ye Sasquahannah." The valley was then being rapidly settled, for at this period the Scotch-Irish immigration had begun.

From another source we learn of the Hendricks family, as follows: "Scarcely," says the writer, "had the echoes of the thundering at Lexing- ton, on the 19th of April, 1775, ceased reverberating, ere the brave sons of the valley, under the gallant Hendricks, were on the march to the relief of the be- leagured city of Boston. Capt. William Hendricks was the grandson of Tobias Hendricks, an Indian trader, and possibly the first actual white settler in the valley, who located at what is now known as Oyster's Point, two miles west of Harrisburg. Here Tobias Hendricks died in November, 1739, leaving a wife, Catherine, and children, Henry, Rebecca, Tobias, David, Peter, Abraham and Isaac. William Hendricks was probably the son of Henry, who retained the "old place" where our hero was born. The company of Capt. Hendricks was raised in about ten days, and as soon as orders were received was on the march, reaching camp the first week in August, 1776. When the expedition against Quebec was decided upon, the company of Capt. Hendricks, of Pennsborough, was one which was detached from Col. Thompson's battalion of riflemen, and ordered to "go upon the command with Col. Arnold," better remembered now as Gen. Benedict Arnold. Capt. Hendricks fell in front of Quebec, and his. remains were interred in the same inclosure with those of the lamented Gen. Montgomery. Many of those who went never returned. Some were killed and others were disabled by the severe exposure of that winter's march through the wilderness of Maine.

No. 17, 213 acres. First belonged to Robert Whitehill; afterward to Dr. Joseph Craine and Joseph Sadler.

No. 18, 311 acres. Belonged first to Philip Kimmel; now by numerous parties, and is the present site of the north part of Camp Hill.

No. 19, 267 acres.

First owner, Andrew Kreutzer.

No. 20, 281 acres.

First owner, David Moore.

Nos. 21 and 22, 536 acres. First owner, Edmund Physick.

No. 23, 282 acres. First owner, also Edmund Physick.

The following is a list of names of the original settlers on Paxton, or Lou- ther, manor: Capt. John Stewart, John Boggs, Moses Wallace, John Wilson, John Mish, Richard Rodgers, Conrad Renninger, Caspar Weaver, William Brooks, Samuel Wallace, Christopher Gramlich, James McCurdy, Isaac Hen- drix, Robert Whitehill, Philip Kimmel, Andrew Kreutzer, David Moore, Ed- mund Physick, Rev. William Thompson, Alexander Young, Jonas Seely, Jacob Miller.

Lands lying west of this had been settled still earlier than this manor, which had been reserved by the Proprietary Government as a special reserva-

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EAST PENNSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP.

tion for the Indians. John Harris had bought from the Penns, at an early date, seven or eight hundred acres of land on the west side of the Susquehan- nn River, and just north of the Conodoguinet Creek, which included the present site of West Fairview. In 1746 Michael Crouse also had purchased 135 acres from the Penns, lying north, in the great bend of the creek. North of this truet are the Rifo farms, at the western boundary of which is Holtze's Run, a small stream which rises at the base of the Blue Mountains, and falls into the Conodoguinet Creek a short distance below, where Holtze's mill once stood.

To the north of the township, where the chain of the mountains is broken by the broad river, whose bright waters are studded with green islands, the scene is of surpassing beauty, and were it not for the many furnaces and forges along the river, which are marked by " a pillar of clond by day, and of fire by night," we might almost expect to see some painted savage emerge upon its waters in his bark canoe. For there were Indian villages here in these lower parts of the county, which are still traditionally remembered; "on the banks of the Susquehanna, Yellow Beeches, Conodogninet and other places." " There was an Indian town." says Rupp, "opposite Harris's, * another at the mouth of the Conodoguinet Creek, two miles above."*

There are few families of the original Scotch-Irish settlers left. Four-fifths of the inhabitants of the township to-day are of German descent. Among them we find. as early as 1761. such names as Renninger, Kunckle, Bucher, Kast, Herman, Kimmel, Brandt, Kroutzer, Shoff, Coover, Ruff, Schneblo and Kis- ecker, all of which are familiar names at the present day.

Among the prominent citizens of East Pennsborough Township may be mentioned ex-Gov. Bigler, of Pennsylvania, and his brother, John Bigler, once Governor of California. Both of them spent their boyhood in this town- ship, and their father kept for many years what was known as the " Yellow Tavern," which has since been converted into a private dwelling.

VILLAGES.

The villages in the township are West Fairview, Wormleysburg, White- hill and Bridgeport.

Fairview, now called "West Fairview," was laid out by Abraham Neidig. Esq., in 1515. It is pleasantly situated at the spot where the Conodoguinet Creek flows into the Susquehanna River. It has more than 300 houses, four schools, three churches, one hotel, and an extensive rolling-mill and nail fac- tory, now owned by the heirs of James McCormick (deceased), which gives employment to many of the inhabitants of the town. In 1700 to 1720 the In- dians had a village here. West Fairview Lodge, No. 612, I. O. O. F., at this place has a membership of about fourteen.

Wormleysburg was laid out by John Wormley. Esq., after whom it is named, in the fall of 1815. It contains about forty dwellings, two schools and two churches. For years it was the center of a large lumber trade. The principal dwellings were erected by the proprietor and his sons. Mr. Worm- ley was for many years the proprietor of the ferry which bears his name, and which still stands.

Whitchill is a post village on the Cumberland Valley Railroad, one mile west of the Susquehanna River, and is called after Hon. Robert Whitehill, the original owner of the land upon which the town is built. After purchasing these lands from the Proprietaries, he erected, in 1771, the first stone house

*See Rupp's History, p. 352.

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

built in the manor of Louther. At this time there were but few houses in it. He was elected a member to the convention in Philadelphia in 1776, in which the Declaration of Independence was approved by Congress, and was a mem- ber of the convention which adopted the old constitution of Pennsylvania. For years he served as a representative of the people of Cumberland County, both in the State and in the National halls of legislation.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The postoffices in East Pennsborough Township are West Fairview, Wormsleysburg and Camp Hill. The Cumberland Valley Railroad crosses the southern portion of the township from east to west.

BOROUGH OF CAMP HILL.

Camp Hill is beautifully situated on the higher grounds just north of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, two miles west of the Susquehanna River. It is noted as the place where Tobias Hendricks had an Indian reservation as early as 1750. Four people were killed by the Indians near this place in July, 1757. From 1851 to 1867 the town was known as White Hall, from an academy of that name; but since 1867, when a postoffice was established at this place, it has been known by its present name. The "Soldier's Orphan School " is at this place. The town was organized as a borough in September, 1885.

CHURCH AND CEMETERY.

The first church erected in this lower portion of the county, about one mile north of Camp Hill, was a log one, erected in about 1765. It was two stories high, the lower portion being used as a school and residence of the teacher, and the upper story for religious worship. The old church was re- moved, and the present one, known as the Poplar Church, erected. There is an old grave-yard connected with the church, with partly obliterated inscrip- tions dating back to 1789.

CHAPTER XXIII.

FRANKFORD TOWNSHIP.

F RANKFORD TOWNSHIP, originally included in West Pennsborough, was formed in 1795. It lies in the northwestern portion of the coun- ty, bounded on the north by the North Mountains, east by North Middleton, south by West Pennsborough, and on the west by Mifflin Township. The Conadoguinet Creek forms the line of its boundary on the south, and the whole land of the township is intersected with small streams. The soil is of a slate and gravely character, but under improved methods of cultivation it produces good crops of cereals and fruit in abundance. The earliest settlers were principally Scotch-Irish. Among them were Allens, Armstrongs, Bells, Benders, Butlers, Browns, Dillers, Douglases, Ernsts, Espys, Galbreaths, Goods, Gillespies, Gettyses, Hayses, Leckeys, Logans, Lutzes, Lairds, McCom-

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FRANKFORD TOWNSHIP.

mous, Mountzes. Nickeys, Powers, Sharps, Stoners, Woods, Wagners and Wards. Of these only the names of Douglas, Hays and Logan occur in the tax-list of West Pennsborough (which then included Frankford) in 1750. Butler and Brown and Woods occur in the list for 1762. When the Germans began to settle in Frankford is not known, but it was probably as early as the formation of the township.

TIIE BUTLER FAMILY.

Among the names which we have mentioned (many of which are not now represented in the township or county), there is one family of National fame, worthy of especial mention. Thomas Butler, and Eleanor, his wife, emi- grated from the North of Ireland in 1740, and settled first in York County, subsequently removing to a tract of land " adjoining ye Blue Mountains," in West Pennsborough, now Frankford Township, Cumberland County. Here Thomas Butler died in July, 1791, and little more is known of him save that he was the father of a remarkable family of sons. For our account of them, which follows, we are indebted to an article on " The Butlers of the Cumber- land Valley." by Rev. J. A. Murray, of Carlisle, published in the first num- ber of the Historical Register.

There were five sous, all of whom so favorably distinguished themselves in the American Revolution that afterward Gen. Washington recognized them as "The Five Butlers, a gallant band of patriot brothers." They were gen- erally called the " fighting Butlers." They claimed to be of noble blood, and traced their descent to the house of Ormond. *

These five sons of Thomas Butler were Richard, born April 1, 1743, foll in battle November 4, 1791: William, born in January, 1745, died May 16, 1789; Thomas, born May 28, 1748, died September 7, 1805; Pierce (sometimes Per- cival), born April 6, 1760, died September 9, 1821; Edward, born March 20, 1762, died May 6, 1503. There was also a daughter, Eleanor, born about 1754.

Richard Butler's first military experience was as an ensign of Capt. James Hendrick's company, First Pennsylvania Battalion, in Col. Bouquet's expedition of 1764. At the beginning of the Revolution he entered the Pennsylvania Line as major of the Eighth Regiment; was promoted lieutenant-colonel March 12, 1777, and was transferred to lieutenant colonel of Morgan's rifle command June 9, 1777, whom he afterward succeeded. He was esteemed by Gen. Washington and Gen. Wayne as one of the ablest partizan officers of the Rev- olution and most familar with Indian life and affairs. He was also, it is said, familiar with a number of their dialects, and was requested by the commander to compile a vocabulary. He was sent with his rifle command to protect the flank and rear of Gates from the Indians under Brandt, and after fighting suc- cessfully at the battle of Saratoga (October, 1777) was ordered back to head- quarters. He fought at Monmouth, was assigned as colonel of the Ninth Pennsylvania, with which regiment he took a prominent part in the capture of Stony Point, where, says St. Clair (in a letter to Reed, July 25, 1779) " my friend Col. Butler commanded one of the attacks and distinguished himself." After the revolt of the Pennsylvania Line, the Ninth Regiment generally re- enlisted under their old colonel in the Fifth Pennsylvania, who commanded in the campaign under Gen. Wayne in the South. In October following, in view of Col. Butler's valuable services prior to and at the capture of York- town, he was honorably designated to plant our flag upon the British works

*James Butler, Duke of Ormond, was the first of the Anglo-Irish family of Butlers on whom the ducal title was conferred. Lord Dunboyne, of the house next in remainder to the house of Ormond, said : " I consider the five American Revolutionary Butler brothers as adding lustre to the Dunboyne pedigree " See also ac- count of l'ierce Butler as a delegate to the Constitutional C'ouvention in 1787) iu MeMaster's History of the United States

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after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. He detailed for this purpose his en- sign, Maj. Ebenezer Denny, from Carlisle, bnt Baron Steuben unexpectedly appropriated this honor, for which reason Butler "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."

"On a plan of Carlisle, made in 1764, the Butler home is then and there indicated as being on Lot 61 West Main Street, north side, and third lot from Pitt Street." In 1789 Col. Butler removed to Pittsburgh, and much of his career follows. The first hotel and a street, at an early period in that city, were named after him, as were also the county and town of Butler, in Penn- sylvania.

He was prominent in securing the formation of Allegheny County; was appointed to various positions; was commissioned one of the justices of the court of common pleas of Allegheny County November, 1788, resigned 1790, having been elected to the Assembly. He was commissioned (October, 1788) with Col. John Gibson (father of John Bannister Gibson, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania) to purchase Indian claims to the triangle on Lake Erie. He was appointed, after the failure of Gen. Harmer's expedition, major-general, and second in command (under Gen. St. Clair), and fell, when that army was defeated on the Miami, in the very bloody battle fought against the allied In- dians under Brandt, on the 4th of November, 1791. Two of his brothers, Cols. Thomas and Edward Butler were also in this disastrous battle, and the first was severely wounded. " After Gen. Butler, " says Dr. William Denny, in his memoir of his father, Maj. Ebenezer Denny, "had received his first wound, he continued to walk in front, close 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 Maj. Denny with his compliments to inquire how he was, He found him in the middle of the camp in a sitting posture, supported by knapsacks; the rifle balls of the In- dians, 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 cried so loudly with the pain and alarm that Gen. Butler ac- tually shook his wounded side with laughter.

This satisfied Maj. 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 Probably his own aid-de. might have been brought away and his life saved. camp, Maj. John Morgan, may have offered to bring him off, as was his duty, and the wounded General declined, conscious that his weight and helplessness would only encumber his brave young friend for no use, and hinder him from saving himself." "About the time to which reference is here made," says Dr. Murray, "it is reliably stated that the youngest brother, Capt. Edward But- ler, 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, who had moved to the

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FRANKFORD TOWNSHIP.

South, dated Fort Washington, November 11, 1791, says: "Yesterday I arrived here with our worthy brother, Major Thomas Butler, who is illy wounded, he having one leg broken, & shot thro' the other.

* * He has borne the hard fortune of that day with the soldierly fortitude you might have expected from so brave a man. We left the worthiest of brothers, Gen Richard Buller in the hands of the savages, but so nearly dead that I hope ho was not sensible of any cruelty they might willingly wreak upon him." Chief Justice llugh H. Breckenridge, who spent the last years of his life in Carlisle, where he died and was buried, wrote some lines on Gen Wayne, in which the name of Butler occurs:

" The birth of some great man or death

Gives a celebrity to spots of earth; We say that Montealm fell on Abraham's plains; That Butler presses the Miami bank; And that the promontory of Sigeum Has Achilles' tomb."

Gen. Richard Butler's will, dated September 29, 1785, is recorded in Book E. page 251, at Carlisle, and as it is curious and interesting we will quote some portions of it. It was evidently written in haste and before some dan- gerons expedition. It begins :

" It being proper for all men to consider the interest of their families, and to do jus- tice to all people with whom they have had dealings, which can never be done to so much advantage to the parties concearned as when men are in health and out of bodily pain- which I thank God is my present situation. Therefore, in the name of the great God of heaven, creator of the universe, before whom I believe all men will be judged for their conduct in this life, 1, Richard Butler, 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 gen- erally attend at my happy and peaceful home) to make some 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."

The will speaks of his " much loved and honored wife Mary Butler" and children William and Mary. An inventory attached to the will shows his es- tate to have consisted of a house and lot in Carlisle, furniture, plate, etc. ; tract of land in Westmoreland county, adjoining land of late Col. George Croghan; tract on Allegheny River, below and adjoining land of Col. Croghan; tract on Plumb Creek. including the large forks of Plumb Creek, etc .; two lots in town of Pittsburgh, adjoining the lots of William Butler; two lots in the town of Appley, on the Allegheny River, near the old Kittanning: " One thou- sand acres of land, being a donation of the State of Pennsylvania, and six hun- dred acres of land, a donation of the United States in Congress-these dona- tions are for my services as a Colonel in the United States; " various notes, etc. The testator wishes his executors to construe tho will "in the most na- tural construction of tho expressions, as I well know the writing is not dono in the most methodical way, or form, not having time even to copy or correct it." The exeentors were his wife Mary, his brother William, his " respected friend Thomas Smith, Esq., attorney at law, Carlisle, and my friend John Montgom- ery"; date September 29, 1785.

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

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