USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania > Part 5
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"And that night, the deponents further say, they had great reason to suspect that the Indians were then thereabouts, and intended to do them some damage; for a dog these deponents had with them barked that night, which was remarkable, for the said dog had not barked all the time they
38
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
were out till that night, nor ever since, which occasioned these deponents to stand upon their guard behind the trees, with their guns cocked that night. Next morning these deponents went back to the corpses, which they found to be barbarously and inhumanly murdered by very gashed, deep cuts on their hands with a tomahawk or such like weapon, which had sunk into their skulls and brains; and in one of the corpses there appeared a hole in his skull near the cut, which was supposed to be with a tomahawk, which hole these deponents do believe to be a bullet-hole. And these deponents, after taking a particular view of the corpses, as their melancholy condition would admit, they buried them as decently as their circumstances would allow, and returned home to Paxtang, the Allegheny road to John Harris', thinking it dangerous to return the same way they went out. And further these deponents say not.
"ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG, "THOMAS MCKEE,
"FRANCIS ELLIS,
"JOHN FFORSTER,
"WILLIAM BASKINS, "JAMES BERRY,
"JOHN WATTS,
"JAMES ARMSTRONG, "DAVID DENNY."
The first signer was a brother of the murdered man, and re- sided on the river above Armstrong's creek.
The following is what Shickcalamy declared to be the truth of the story concerning the murder of John Armstrong, Woodworth Arnold, and James Smith from the beginning to the end, to wit:
"That Musemeelin owing some skins to John Armstrong, the said Armstrong seized a horse of the said Musemeelin and a rifled gun ; the gun was taken by James Smith, deceased. Some time last winter Musemeelin met Armstrong on the river Juniata, and paid all but twenty shillings, for which he offered a neck-belt in pawn to Armstrong and demanded his horse, and James Armstrong re- fused it and would not deliver up the horse but enlarged the debt, as his usual custom was, and after some quarrel the Indian went away in great anger without his horse to his hunting cabin. Some time after this, Armstrong with his two companions in their way to Ohio, passed by the said Musemeelin's hunting cabin, his wife only being at home demanded the horse of Armstrong because he was her proper goods, but did not get him. Armstrong had by this time sold or lent the horse to James Berry; after Musemeelin came from hunting his wife told him that Armstrong was gone by, and that she had demanded the horse of him but did not get him-and as is thought pressed him to pursue and take revenge of Armstrong. The third day in the morning after James Armstrong was gone by, Musemeelin said to the two young men who hunted with him come
39
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
let us travel towards the Great Hills to hunt bears; accordingly they went all three in company; after they had gone a good way Muse- meelin who was the foremost was told by the two young men that they were out of their course. Come you along said Musemeelin, and they accordingly followed him till they came to the path that leads to the Ohio. Then Musemeelin told them he had a good mind to go and fetch his horse back from Armstrong, and desired the two young men to come along; accordingly they went. It was then almost night, and they travelled till next morning. Musemee- lin said, now they are not far off. We will make ourselves black, then they will be frightened and will deliver up the horse immedi- ately, and I will tell Jack that if he don't give me the horse I will kill him, and when he said so he laughed. The young men thought he joked as he used to do. They did not blacken themselves but he did. When the sun was above the trees, or about an hour high, they all came to the fire where they found James Smith sitting, and they also sat down. Musemeelin asked where Jack was? Smith told him that he was gone to clear the road a little. Musemeelin said he wanted to speak with him, and went that way, and after he had gone a little distance from the fire he said something and looked back laughing, but he having a thick throat and his speech being very bad, and their talking with Smith hindered them from under- standing what he said and they did not mind it. They being hun- gry, Smith told them to kill some turtles, of which there were plenty, and we would make some bread, and by and by they would all eat together. While they were talking they heard a gun go off not far off, at which time Woodworth Arnold was killed as they learned afterwards.
"Soon after Musemeelin came back and said, why did you not kill that white man according as I bid you, I have laid the other two down? At this they were surprised, and one of the young men, commonly called Jimmy, run away to the river side. Musemeelin said to the other how will you do to kill Catawbas, if you cannot kill white men ? You cowards, I'll show you how you must do! and then taking up the English axe that lay there, he struck it three times into Smith's head before he died. Smith never stirred. Then he told the young Indian to call the other; but he was so terrified he could not call. Musemeelin then went and fetched him, and said to him that two of the white men were killed, he must go now and kill the third, then each of them would have killed one. But neither of them dare venture to talk anything about it. Then he pressed them to go along with him-he went foremost; then one of the young men told the other as they went along, my friend, don't you kill any of the white people, let him do what he will; I have not killed Smith, he has done it himself: We have no need to do such a barbarous thing. Musemeelin being then a good way be- fore them in a hurry, they soon saw John Armstrong sitting upon
40
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
an old log. Musemeelin spoke to him and said, Where is my horse ? Armstrong made answer and said, He will come by and by; you shall have him. I want him now, said Musemeelin. Arm- strong answered him, you shall have him. Come, let us go to that fire,-which was at some distance from the place where Arm- strong sat,-and let us talk and smoke together. Go along, then, said Musemeelin. I am coming, said Armstrong, do you go before; Musemeelin, do you go foremost. Armstrong looked then like a dead man, and went towards the fire and was immediately shot in his back by Musemeelin and fell. Musemeelin then took his hatchet and struck it into Armstrong's head, and said, Give me my horse, I tell you. By this time one of the young men had fled again that had gone away before, but he returned in a short time. Musemeelin then told the young men that they must not offer to discover or tell a word about what had been done for their lives, but they must help him to bury Jack, and the other two were to be thrown into the river."
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EXPLANATION.
.^^ Indian Towns.
Churches, Meeting Houses, Inns Gent" Sorts, 69.
A. A. County Towns, & other Places of fome Note; thefe whave Names are in Small Roman Print are more confe
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The Names of the several Townships are out, naar.
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The diable Lines are Roads
The Line compared of short Breaks are County Division The printed Lines are Indian Paths.
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CHAPTER III.
FORMATION OF THE COUNTY-THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME "DAU- PHIN" - FIRST COUNTY OFFICIALS - COURTS - ORIGINAL TOWNSHIPS-LEBANON COUNTY TAKEN FROM DAUPHIN- PRESENT TOWNSHIPS-RECORDED PLOTS.
The beginning of county organization of the territory now embraced within Dauphin county, was in May, 1729.
"An act for the erection of the upper part of the Province of Pennsylvania lying towards Susquehanna, Conestoga, Donegal, etc., into a county," became a law, May 10, 1729, and recites as follows :
WHEREAS, A great number of inhabitants of the upper Parts of Chester county, have by their Petition humbly represented to the Governor and Assembly of the Province, the great Hardships they lie under by being at so great a Distance from the Town of Chester, where the Courts of Justice are held, and the Publick offices Kept, and how hard and difficult it is for the Sober and Quiet Inhabitants of that part of the County to secure themselves against the Thefts and Abuses almost daily committed upon them by Idle and dissolute persons, who resort to the remote parts of the Province, and by rea- son of the great Distance from a Court or Prison, do frequently find means of making their escape; for the removing of which in- conveniency, and Relief of the said Inhabitants,
"Be it enacted by the Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esq., Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, etc., with the advise of the Freemen of the said Province, in General Assembly met, and by the authority of the Same, That all and Singular the Lands with- in the Province, lying to the Northward of Octoraro Creek, and to the Westward of a Line marked Trees, running from the North Branch of the said Octoraro Creek, North-easterly to the river Schuylkill, Be erected into a County, and the Same is hereby erected into a County named, etc., from henceforth to be called LANCASTER COUNTY; and the Said Octoraro Creek, the Line of marked Trees and the River Schuylkill, aforesaid, shall be the boundary Line of Division between the Said County and the Countys of Chester and Philadelphia
"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Said County of Lancaster, Shall have and enjoy all and singular the jurisdiction, Powers, Rights, Liberties, Privileges & Immunities whatsoever, which any other County within the Province of Penn-
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45
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
sylvania doth, may or ought to enjoy, by any Charter of Privileges, or the Laws of the Province, or by any other ways or means what- soever, excepting only in the number of Representatives to Serve in the General Assembly of this Province, in which case, it is hereby provided and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that, until it shall be otherwise ordered by the Governor and Assembly of the Pro- vince, the Freemen and Inhabitants of the Said county, qualified by the Laws of this Province to Elect, Shall annually meet at, or near the Court House of the Said County, at the Same time the other Counties of the Province meet for Such like purposes, or at such place where the Court Shall be held, until Such Court House Shall be erected, and there proceed to choose Inspectors, and to elect four Representatives or Delegates to serve them in Assembly, in the same manner, as by the said Charter and Laws of this Province is directed : which said four Representatives, when so chosen, shall be Members of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, and sit and act as such, as fully and freely, as any of the Representatives for the other Counties within this Province do, may, can, or ought to do. "And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all Taxes already laid within the bounds of the said County of Lan- caster, by an Act of General Assembly of this Province, which are not already paid, shall be collected by the respective collectors with- in the bounds aforesaid, and paid into the hands of the Treasurer of Chester County; and that all persons concerned in the Levying, receiving and paying the said Taxes shall have the same Power and Authority, and be under the same penalties and Restrictions, for the Collecting and paying the same, as by the said acts, by which the said Taxes were assessed, are expressed and directed, until the whole be collected and paid as aforesaid.
"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the several Courts of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace and Gaol Delivery, and the Courts of Common Pleas for the said Coun- ty of Lancaster, shall be holden and kept on the first Tuesday in the months of February, May, August and November, in every year, at some proper place within the said County, until a convenient Court House shall be built; and when the same is built and erected in the county aforesaid, the said several Courts shall then be holden and kept at the said Court House on the Days beforementioned : And the Election of Representatives to serve in General Assembly, Assessors and all other officers of the said County, who are or shall be appointed to be annually elected, shall be made and elected at or near the said Court House, at the same time and in the same man- ner, as by the Charter of Privileges and Laws of the Province of Pennsylvania, is directed to be done in the other Counties of this Province. And it shall be lawful for the Freemen of the said County for the first year, to choose three persons for Commission- ers for raising County Rates and Levies for the said County.
46
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for Caleb Pierce, John Wright, Thomas Edwards, and James Mitchell, or any three of them, to purchase and take assurance to them and their Heirs, of a Piece of land, situate in some convenient place in the said County, to be ap- proved by the Govern'r in Trust and for the use of the said County, and thereon to erect and build, or cause to be erected and built, a Court House and Prison, sufficient to accommodate the Publick Service of the s'd County, for the Ease and conveniency of the In- habitants.
"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That for the Defraying the Charges of purchasing the Land, Building and Erecting the Court House and Prison aforesaid, it shall and may be Lawful to and for the Commissioners and Assessors of the said County, or a Majority of them, who are hereby required to Assess and Levy so much money as the Trustees, or any three of them, shall judge necessary for purchasing the Land and finishing the said Court House and Prison. Provided always, The sum of money so raised do not exceed Three Hundred Pounds, Current Money of the Province.
"Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no action or suit now commenced and depending in the county of Chester, against any Person living within the Bounds of the said County of Lancaster, shall be stayed or discontinued by this Act, or by anything herein contained, but the same actions al- ready commenced or depending, may be prosecuted, and Judgment thereupon rendered, as if this act had not been made, and that it shall and may be lawful for the Justices of Chester County to issue any Judicial Process, to be directed to the Sheriff of Lancaster County, for carrying on and obtaining the Effect of their Suits; which Sheriff shall be obliged to yield obedience in Executing of the said writs, and make due return before the Justices of the Court of the said County of Chester, as if the Parties had been living and residing within the same."
The machinery of the new county was soon in operation, but, as had previously been the case in the old county of Chester, politi- cal matters were warm, the contest being between the Scotch-Irish and the Quakers, the latter determined to preserve their supremacy, and having in a great measure the aid of the Germans, especially that portion who were of the Mennonite persuasion. In 1731 the political canvass was violent, the candidates being Andrew Gal- braith and John Wright, the former a Scotch-Irishman, the latter an English Quaker. Galbraith was elected, and for several years continued to be returned to the Assembly.
. Notwithstanding the previous sales and transfers of land in
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1770
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MIDDLE
48
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
Pennsylvania, the Five Nations continued to lay claim to the greater portion of the Province east of the Susquehanna and all lands ad- joining.
In the summer of 1736 the sachems or chiefs of these nations held a great council at Onondaga, in the Province of New York, and as the old claims had not as yet been adjusted, they resolved that an end should be put to all disputes connected with it. They ac- cordingly appointed their sachems or chiefs with plenary powers to repair to Philadelphia, and there, among other things, settle and adjust all demands and claims connected with the Susquehanna and the adjoining lands. On their arrival at Philadelphia they renewed old treaties of friendship, and on the 11th of October, 1736, made a deed to John Penn, Thomas Penn, and Richard Penn, their heirs, successors, and assigns. The deed was signed by twenty-three In- dian chiefs of the Onondaga, Seneca, Oneida, and Tuscarora na- tions, granted the Penns "all the said river Susquehanna, with the lands lying on both sides thereof, to extend eastward as far as the heads of the branches or springs which run into the said Susque- hanna, and all the lands lying on the west side of the said river to the setting of the sun, and to extend from the mouth of the said river northward, up the same to the hills or mountains, called in the language of said nations Tayamentasachta, and by the Delaware Indians the Kekachtannin hills." Thus were the claims of the Indians upon the lands of this part of Pennsylvania relinquished to the Proprietaries, nevertheless surveys had been authorized to be made, and had actually been made west of the Susquehanna prior to 1730 by both the Governor of Maryland and the Governor of Pennsylvania. The last-recited deed comprised all that lay within the limits of the Cumberland Valley and the counties of Adams' and York, except that portion north of the Kittochtinny, or Blue Mountain, constituting the northern part of Dauphin and the whole of Perry and Bedford. That portion in Dauphin, north of the Kittochtinny Mountain, was purchased, including a larger tract of country, in 1749.
FORMATION OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.
About the time of the beginning of the Revolutionary War was being discussed a proposition to divide Lancaster county, but that trying ordeal of arms for several years stopped the agitation concerning the proposed formation of a new county. Towards the end of that great struggle for independence, the courts were crowded with business; military fines were being sued out against non-as-
49
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
sociators, compelling many of the citizens from remote sections of the county to appear for trial. The question of formation of a new county embracing that portion of Lancaster county, north of the Conewago, with a portion of the county of Berks, seriously dis- turbed the people of both counties, and petitions, pro and con, . were frequently presented to the Assembly.
Berks county was early in the fight ; its people were not in favor of losing any of their territory, and at the session of 1782 several remonstrances along this line had the effect of narrowing the ques- . tion down to Lancaster county alone. At the ensuing session of the Assembly the subject of a division was again agitated, when the following petition, prepared by Judge Jasper Yeates, of Lancaster, was presented. The remonstrance, however, is only worth pre- serving as a part of the history of those times :
"To the Honorable the Representatives of the Freemen of the Com- monwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met:
"The Remonstrance and Petition of Divers Freeholders and Oth- ers, Inhabitants of the County of Lancaster, Most Humbly Sheweth :
"That your petitioners conceive themselves bound to remon- strate against the prayers of two petitions proposed to the Legisla- ture at the last session respecting a division of the said county of Lancaster, and beg leave to suggest to your Honorable Body the following remarks :
"That a frequent division of counties must naturally occasion a distrust in the faith of government-persons who, confiding in the acts of the Legislature, having purchased landed property near a county town long established by law, suffering considerable losses from such division.
"That the creating new counties necessarily tends to increase the public expenses, and to derange in some sort the policy of a gov- ernment.
"That nothing but the most manifest public expedience arising from the welfare of the community at large, independent of indi- vidual interests, can justify such measures in an old established county ; and that though the bringing the courts of justice near to the doors of every man may in some wise conduce to his private interests, yet in other instances a remoteness of the station may be in some degree advantageous, as it tends to repress a litigious spirit in many who might be desirous of vexing their neighbors at law at a much less expense.
"Your petitioners beg leave further to observe, that as to the petition which points out the precise limits of a new county attach- ing thereto a part of Berks county, your petitioners concur fully in
4
50
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
the state of facts submitted to your honorable House by the inhabi- tants in general of the said county of Berks in their late petition and remonstrance, to which we humbly refer you.
"As to the erecting of a county town at Harris' Ferry, we submit to the wisdom of the Legislature the propriety, expedience or justice of the measure. If a central situation has been ever deemed most eligible and convenient to the public at large for the site of a county town, the spot proposed is deficient in this particular, the western boundary not exceeding one mile. If the trade of the back country on the Susquehanna is the real object of the petition- ers, the streams of traffic will equally find their way to the capital of the State, whether there be a new county town. erected pursuant to their wishes or not; and if the inhabitants who live beyond Peter's Mountain find themselves aggrieved by their remote situa- tion, it is submitted to the Legislature whether it would not be more natural and easy to attach that settlement to Northumberland coun- ty. It is apprehended with due deference to the sense of your Hon- orable House, that measuring the petition for a county town at Har- ris' Ferry by the large scale of national good, and detracting there- from a few individual interests, the prayer of that petition will be thought utterly inadmissible.
"Your petitioners take the liberty of adding that the present bounds of the county of Lancaster are not found to be inconvenient or unreasonable.
"That it will be utterly impracticable by the House to gratify the wishes of individuals in every instance when they complain of being aggrieved.
"And that when the division of counties is forced as a measure, of course your Honorable House will have much of their time en- grossed by petitions for such divisions from the interested views of private people, which the claims of the public demand for objects of much greater magnitude.
"That in the present exhausted state of the country at large, when the public demands occasion the levying of heavy taxes, it would be highly grievous to many that new assessments should be laid for the purpose of building court-house and jail, and other ex- penses incident to a new county; for though many have signed the petition, it may fairly be presumed there are many others within the several districts averse to such additional impositions.
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