USA > Pennsylvania > Greene County > History of Greene County, Pa. : containing an outline of the state from 1682, until the formation of Washington County in 1781. History during 15 years of union. The Virginia and new state controversy--running of Mason's and Dixon's line--whiskey insurrection--history of churches, families, judges, senators, assembly-men, etc., etc. > Part 2
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Before we leave that part of our history that is identical with Washington county, it is but proper that we notice the state of public sentiment in this region of country about the time the' mother county was formed. It must always be born in mind that this section of country west of the Monongahela was set- tled largely by persons favorable to Virginia rule ; that colony claimed the territory as her rightful domain, and the majority no , doubt thought the claim was just. They therefore brought their slaves with them as part of their property, feeling confi- dent that they would be permitted to hold them in perpetuity. Their indignation was unbounded when in 1780 the legislature 1 of Pennsylvania passed an Act for the gradual abolition of slavery. The first ebullition of contempt that manifested itself was the preparation of those that were footlose to immediately depart for Kentucky, which was now in its turn the new "El- dorado of the West." This interference with what they pleased to call their "domestic rights." was immediately visited upon the devoted heads of the Quakers in the old counties of Phila- delphia. Bucks, Chester, &c., until the curses were loud, long and bitter. Discontent and alarm also, existed almost every- where with reference to the final result of the revolutionary war. Cornwallis was not as yet overthrown. A Quaker government was much better adapted to a condition of peace than one of war. All that had ever been done for these backwoods settlers (they said) had been done by Virginia. But now since they find themselves no longer in that State. they are ready to show their dislike in every possible way. "Old England," they say, "did once protect this western section from the Indians and French both, and is willing to do so again, but now the Indi- ans murder our families with impunity, and our State authorities do nothing for our preservation." "Huzza for King George," was the disloyal expression that often fell from the lips of those who thought themselves deeply wronged. This is not a pleas- .
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
ant theme on which to dwell, and yet a sense of duty should ' prompt the historian to write the truth whether it be pleasant or otherwise. I therefore make a few quotations, to prove that I am not slandering our ancestors. On the 7th of December, 1780, General Broadhead who commanded the U. S. troops at Pittsburg, writes: "I learn more and more of the disaffection of the inhabitants on this side of the mountains. The King of Britain's health is often drank in company." He gave it as the opinion of many of his Virginia officers well acquainted in this part of the country. among them Col. John Gibson. "that should the eneray approach this frontier and offer protection, half the inhabitants would join them ! General Irvine writes from Fort Pitt in November 1781, saying. "I am confident that if this post was evacuated the bounds of Canada would be extended to the Laurel Hill in a few weeks." Still further on this unpleasant subject is a letter from General Washington himself. dated April 25. 1781, in which he says : "I have received the follow- ing intelligence: Col. Connolly (who it will be remembered made his escape to Canada) with his corps is to proceed to Quebec as soon as possible, to be joined in Canada by Sir John Johnson with a number of Tories and Indians, said to amount to three thousand. Their route is to be by Brick Is- land, Lake Ontario and Venango. His object is Fort Pitt and all the adjacent ports. Connolly takes with him a number of commissions to persons now residing at Pittsburg ; and several hundred men at that place have agreed to make prisoners of Col. Broadhead and all friends of America." As I have already intimated that the movement to abolish slavery was one of the causes of complaint on the part of those who thought they were settling on Virginia soil, but who afterwards found themselves in Pennsylvania, I deem it proper at this point to give tho reader a little insight into this subject which has in the last score of years assumed such immense proportions. in order that!
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
be may draw his own conclusions and intelligently contrast the ,present with the past. I find my authority for these statements ! in Creigh's History, Page 362. April 30, 1781, the estate of Alexander McCandless sold a negro girl for sixty pounds. May 16, 1781, Jacob Johnson bequeathes to his wife Mary a negro woman slave named "Suke;" to his daughter Elizabetb. Pierce, a negro girl named "Zelph," and her future increase to his daughter Eleanor Decker; the first child, male or female, of Suke, to his daughter Esther Johnson, at the death of her moth- er, the above named Suke. Should the said Suke have no children, one hundred pounds in the hands of John Buchanan is to be divided equally between his daughters ; but if children are born to the slave Suke, the money is to be divided equally among his five children. On the 3d of June, 1795, Reason Pumphrey sells his slaves at the following prices : Lot, aged 18 years, for seventy pounds. Ben, aged 14 years, for one hundred pounds. Dinah, aged 10 years, for seventy-five pounds. March 20, 1795, John Moor manumitted two slaves, Abraham and Jonas. In the Reporter of March 8, 1818, is the following advertisement : For sale a negro boy who has thirteen years to serve ; he is stout and healthy. Apply at the office of the Reporter. On the 29th of December. 1823, the first meeting of citizens of Washington County was held to form a society for the abolition of slavery. October 2. 1835, the citizens of this county met to express their disapprobation of the cause of the abolitionists. This meeting was presided over by Hon. Thos. H. Baird. Rev. Thomas Hoge, R. H. Lee, Alexander Reed, W. K. McDonald and Dr. John Wishart, were appointed a com- mittee to report resolutions, one of which was, that any com- bination of citizens of one State organized for the purpose of ,disturbing the civil institutions of another State, is a violation of the spirit of the Union and of the enactments of the Federal ,Constitution and must tend to dissolve the Union. This with
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
other resolutions of the same spirit was unanimously adopted. But it is difficult to get the descendents of the men and women who lived in "the times that tried men's souls" to understand the numerous difficulties by which their ancestors were sur. rounded. Two parties, known at that time as the Virginia and Pennsylvania parties were uncompromisingly hostile. The headquarters of the Virginia party was alternately at the Court House of Youghiogheny Co. near West Elizabeth, and at Fort Dumore (Pittsburg). The headquarters of the Pen !. sylvania party was at Hannatown,* about three miles north of Greensburg, Westmoreland county. Here the first Court for the counties west of the mountains was held. In the jail here Connolly himself was incarcerated until released on bail for his appearance at Court. When the day of trial arrived Connolly put in his appearance (backedby a numerous band of Tory mi- litia), defied the Court, and finally ejected them from the house and locked the door before their faces. As a reprisal the Pennsylvania party from Hannatown swooped down on Fort Dunmore, broke the jail and rescued the Justices and tax col- lectors there imprisoned, when in turn the Virginia party led on by Simon Girty, with a band of Tories and Indians, came sud- denly upon Hannatown, while nearly all the men were ab- sent in the harvest fields, and soon the Court house, jail and all the dwellings were in flames. This was in July, 1782. By this time our readers will be willing to admit that the wound was incurable and that the original parties to the quarrel could never become reconciled unless by some compromise measure. This compromise came in the way of a proposition to form a "New State," to be called "Vandalia." Exactly what bounda- ries were demanded for this new Commonwealth has never been revealed. It was evidently a pet theory of the Virginia parti- sans by means of which they could at least play the "dog in
ยท Robert Hanna was a lineal ancestor of mine. the founder of Hannatown.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
the manger." If we cannot have the territory in dispute, Penn- sylvania shall not have it. But the New State project had other advocates beside the Virginia partisans. Some good hou- est Pennsylvanians saw in it an end to their troubles, for the Virginia element was far in the majority. So much so that if a man wanted to have his "election made sure" in the bounds of Washington, and what afterwards become Greene, county, his safest plan was to declare himself either in favor of Vir- ginia or New State rule. Among the aspirants who were will- ing to climb either of these political ladders, none were more prominent than John Cannon and Dorsey Pentecost, men whore the people of this territory in a special manner delighted to honor. Hence Judge Veech, himself a son of Greene county, says with reference to the New State project: "In 1732 the most active if not the most open promoters of the scheme were Colonels Cannon and Pentecost,'each of whom had taken the iron-clad oath, the former as Assemblyman, the latter as Cou !:- cilor." "Pentecost attempted a noisy disclaimer of this, but thereby afforded only more convincing proof of its verity." In order to establish this contradicted assertion, "Hugh Henry Brackenridge testified on oath that he heard Pentecost on his return from the Council in July, 1782 say that the line never would be run, and that this country never would be Pennsyl- vania nor Virginia, but a New State." [See Pennsylvania Ar- chives, LX, 572.]
Previous to 1872, this New State project had been looked upon as mere effervescence of maddened and disappointed Virginia partisans, and it was hoped that the whole matter would expire by its own convulsions. At this stage of affairs, however, the disease assumed a new form. Virginia now offers to cede to the United States the Northwest Territory, on the condition that all her claimed territory east of the Ohio, should be granted to her. This, as will be seen, was a virtual
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
reopening of the boundary controversy, that it was hoped had been settled by the Conference at Baltimore. Congress very wisely refused to make the guarantee demanded, and left Virginia to establish her claims as best she could. As the Northwest Territory has not been accepted on the terms on which it was offered, it is now proposed that a large portion of this Northwest Territory shall be taken into the New State, and that instead of making the Allegheny Mountains the castern boundary with Pittsburgh for. its capital, that the Monongahela river shall be the eastern line, and that its capital shall be a new city to be erected somewhere on the Tuscaraw"! branch of the Muskingum river, perhaps on the site of the Moravian towns that had been recently depopulated by the disgraceful slaughter of the peaceful Indians in the Wil- liamson expedition. In April, 1782, General Irvine wrote to Governor Harrison, of Virginia, and also to the Supren e Executive Council, in May, saying, "An expedition much talked of, is to emigrate and set up a new State. A day' is appointed to meet for the purpose. A certain Mr. John- son, who 'has been in England since the commencement of the present war, is at the head of the emigrating party. and has a form of Constitution ready for the new gov- ernment. I am well informed that he is now in the East trying to procure artillery and stores. Some think he is too trifling a being to be worthy of notice. Be this as it may ; he has many followers. And it is highly prob- able that men of more influence than he are privately at work. Should they be so mad as to attempt it, I think they will either be cut to pieces or be compelled to take protection from and join the British. Perhaps some have this in view, though the majority, I think, are well meaning people, who have at present no other views than to acquire large tracts of land." [See Craig's Olden Times, II., 337.]
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
As all manias, no matter how wild and extravagant, have some extenuating thing that can be said in their favor, so had' this. Previous to the adoption of the Federal Constitution in 1788, there was no positive prohibition by statute or otherwise, to prevent the erection of a new State anywhere on the public domain, provided it did not assail the integrity of the chartered limits of an already recognized State. Hence this project could not have been regarded as objectionable if confined en- tirely to the Territories that were not within their chartered limits. But it was the unconquerable determination that this New State must have all the land between the Monongahela and Ohio rivers attached to it, that made the thing so exceedingly heinous. Although this territory which is now so valuable as the counties of Washington and Greene, it could not at that early day be regarded in that light, and hence the animus of the conspirators became so self-evident, that it only failed to be discovered by those who are "blind because they won't sce." Opportunely, a Court of Congress under one of the Articles of Confederation, which was sitting at Trenton, had unanimously decided against Connecticut in her dispute with Pennsylvania -in which the Yankees had gone so far as to set up and people a town called "Westmoreland," on the east branch of the Sus- quehanna.) The plea of Connecticut was that she had no western boundary described in her charter, and consequently' she claimed all due west of her to the Pacific Ocean, and as part of Pennsylvania lay west of her, of course it belonged to. her, as her charter was antecedent to that of Pennsylvania. . This Court maintained the integrity of Penn's Charter, and in order to conciliate Connecticut in view of her supposed losses, they granted her that portion of the Northwest Territory lying north of the forty-first degree north latitude, extending about. one hundred and twenty miles west from the Pennsylvania line, usually called the "Western Reserve," which has since been
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
divided into the counties of Trumbull, Ashtabula and Portage. As it was known that there were other Colonies that had no well defined western boundary, and in view of the fact that this might eventually give trouble and perplexity, this Court for the purpose of crushing out all schemes for dismemberment or intrusion, present or future, an Act was passed on the 2d of December, 1782, declaring that any attempt to set up a new State in whole or in part on her (Pennsylvania's) territory shouk! be "treason," and punishable accordingly. The Pennsylvania authorities anxious to avoid difficulty sent out Rev. James Fin- ley (the ancestor of the family of that name, still in Fayette county) into Fayette, Washington, and what afterwards became Greene counties. He arrived in March, 1783 armed with a hundred copies of the Act of December, 1782. In his repors he says, "I was six weeks in the disaffected country, that por- tion east of the Yough in the Fayette part ; being mostly op- posed to the New State, I passed them by. A considerable number of those, between said river and the Monongahela, as well as a greater part of Washington county, I found to be favorable to it, being misled by a few aspiring, and I suspect, ill-designing men, or by men who had not thoroughly consid- ered the whole matter, which latter was the case with some of the clergy." Mr. Finley's mode of operating was to caution the people after sermons ; talk to the ministers and other get- tlemen, and write argumentively, and pursnasively to others, but never disclosing his agency. "The New State men alleged I was too officious. The law intimidated and discouraged the populace. Even the ringleaders were for eating their own words." He hoped he had done some good, "yet the people seemed rather hushed than convinced." Ile feared that being disappointed as to a New State, they would try to avoid the payment of taxes, unless in flour to be run by a State Agent to Orleans. "For." says he. "those settlements are almost desti-
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
tute of cash."* "This suggestion," says Judge Veech, "was advising the same measure of relief which Robert Morris had proposed in 1782, but which Pentecost, (a strong Virginia par- tizan and a New State man) had openly resisted."
I have thus far dragged out the weary length of this boundary controversy and New State agitation in order to show theinhal- itants of Greene county how near they came at one time to being located as denizens of Virginia. And at another time. how great were the probabilities that the smiling fields and sunny vales they now fondly call their own, were destined to become component parts of some undefined, ill-begotten State. to be designated by the name of either "Walpole," or "Van- dalia," with its capital on the Muskingum, in Ohio.
The ten years that immediately followed the dying out of the New State mania, were years of comparative quiet and good order in all parts of Pennsylvania, both east and west, a de- cided improve on the decade that immediately preceded then . Many of the late disturbers of the quiet and good order of these western counties, gradually went off to other localities, giv- ing place to a better class, who came principally from the interior counties of the State, some from the "Jersies," from Scotland. and still others from the Emerald Isle. Even Pentecost, who had been appointed in 1783, President Judge of the Courts of Wash- ington county, after two or three years of brooding over his fallen schemes, as well as the departure of his magnificent "estate, re- tired in disgust to a neighboring State, without the courtesy to his late colleagnes in council, of sending them his resignation. 4 [Cent page 357.] These factionists, although many of them personally departed, left the seeds of dissension which they had so long been sowing, to still cumber the ground with their per- nicious crop, which manifested itself in various ways, particu- larly in an incradicable aversion to the burdens of govern- * Pennsylvania Archives, X 40-44.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
ment no matter what source they emanated from. Even the best of those primitive settlers were constantly ready to chal- lenge whatever came by way of questionable taxation, espe- cially if it was formulated after any English model, from which many of them had fled in the old country, and when the same burdens were attempted to be fastened on them in the place of their retreat, they had resisted unto blood and had obtained the victory. The war for Independence was over. but not its consequences which lingered long in the demorali- zation it had brought, and the load of debt that had been in- curred. The west had its full share of these calamities, and it had not equal facilities for shaking off its crushing load. that were possessed by the East. where they had a home mar- ket at their door, and a foreign one across the ocean. All taxes, therefore, in order to really make them equal. ought to take into account the long weary miles of pack-horse trans- portation that existed between the value of the products of the West and the East, and because this discrimination was not made, and an excise law was passed, all the horrors of the Whisky Insurrection was visited upon these western counties.
In view of the fact that this history will be read by the youth of this county, now so justly styled the "Young Amer- iens," it will be a curiosity to them to know that their ances- lors were once the willing subjects of King George, and did in solemn manner lift up their hands and swear to be true and loyal to his person and goverment, I cannot illustrate this matter in a clearer light, than to transcribe the substance of the Act constituting what the Virginia authorities were pleased to call the District of West Augusta. It will be borne in mind that Augusta was one of the old counties of Virginia, and when that Commonwealth determined to spread her mantle of government over the territory of which Greene county forms a part, her Legislature adopted the following pream-
7
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
ble and made a description of her boundaries as follows:
WHEREAS, It is expedient to ascertain the boundaries be- tween the county of Augusta, and the District of West Au- gusta, be it enacted by the Assembly of Virginia that the boundary line between the two shall be as follows: Beginning on the Allegheny mountains, between the heads of the Poto- mac and Cheat and Green Briar rivers, (Haystack Knob or north end of Pocahontas county); thence along the ridge of mountains that divides the waters of Cheat river from those of Green Briar, and that branch of the Monongahela river, called Tigart's Valley river, to the Monongahela; thence up the said river and the west fork thereof, to Bingerman's creek, on the northwest side of the west fork ; thence up the said creek to the head thereof ; thence in a direct course to the head of Middle Island creek, and thence to the Ohio, to be called the District of West Augusta.
At a Court held at Fort Dunmore, now Pittsburgh, Septem- ber 18, 1776, the Court decided as soon as this ordinance was passed, they became a separate and independent jurisdiction. and as such, they assumed control over this territory of Greene county, and much other territory contiguous to it. In this District, Justice Courts were organized by Lord Dunmore, as early as December, 1774. The regular Virginia Court that usually sat at Staunton, was now adjourned to meet at Fort Dunmore, where the following persons were created Jus- tices of the Peace, after subscribing to the following oaths, which are preserved as a curiosity :
Oath of Allegiance .- I, A. B., do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King George the Third. So help me God.
Oath of Supremacy .- I, C. D., do swear that I from my heart, abhor, detest and abjure as impious and heretical, that damnable doctrine and position that Princes, excommunicated and deprived by the Pope, or any authority of the See of
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IHISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Rome, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or any other whatsoever. And I do declare that no foreign prince, person, prelate, State or potentate, hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, preeminence, superiority or authority, ecclessiastical or spiritual, within this realm. So help me God.
The Test Oath .- I, E. F., do declare that I do believe there is not any transubstantiation in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, or in the elements of bread and wine, at or after the consecration thereof, by any person or persons, whatever. So help me God.
Oath of Abjuration .- I, G. H., do hereby truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify and declare in my conscience, be- fore God and the world, that our Sovereign Lord, King George the Third, is lawful and rightful King of this reahn, and all other of His Majesty's dominions thereunto belonging. And I do solemnly and sincerely declare that I do believe in my conscience, that the person pretended to be Prince of Wales, during the life of the late King James, and since his decease, pretending to be and takes upon himself the style and title of King of England. by the name of James the Third, or of Scotland, by the name of James the Eighth, or the style and title of king of Great Britain, hath not any right or title whatsoever to the crown of this realm or any other of the dominions thereunto belonging, and I do renounce, refuse and objure any allegience or obedience to him. And I do swear that I will bear faith and true allegiance to His Majesty King George the Third, and him will defend to the utmost of my power against all traitorous conspiracies, and attempts whatsoev- er, which shall be made against his person, crown or dignity, and I will do my utmost endeavors to disclose and make known to His Majesty and his successors, all treason and traitorous con- spiracies which I shall know to be against him or them. So help me God.
These oaths were taken by George Croghan, Edward Ward, John Stepheson, Isaac Cox, George McCormick, Joseph Becket, John Camphell, Dorsey Pentecost, John Connolly, John Gibson, George Valandingham, Thomas Smallman, William Crawford and William Goe.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
ROBBERS .- In the years 1780. 1784, the territory composing the three Counties of Fayette, Greene and Washington were infested by a band of robbers, that for cunning and daring were scarcely surpassed, by Robin Hood, himself. One of the prin- cipal families connected with this band was one by the name of Doan. Anything on which they could lay their unhallowed hands seemed to come in good play for these villians, such as horses, negroes, money, household goods, clothing, &c. Their depredations had become so numerous during the time of di- vided supremacy, when neither Virginia nor Pennsylvania could enforce her laws that the whole community lived in constant ierror, not knowing what hour these free-booters might swoo! down upon them and carry off their stock, food, &c. After the organization of the county of Washington (which also in .- cluded Greene) in 1781, more determined efforts were made to- wards bringing order out of confusion. While the different partisans might dispute about who should rule them, they seem to have been unanimous in the opinion that these desperadoes should no longer rob them. Hence under the leadership of sach energetic men as James Marshall, Thomas Scott and Var Swearingen, different bands of militiamen were gotten together in different parts of the United counties of Greene and Wash- 'ngton, who began vigorously to patrol the the woods in all di- rections, occasionally picking up a straggler, or discovering : vacated camp, until the leaders of the gang of robbers seem to have decided like the larks in the wheat field, that they must leave a region where the persuit was becoming so hot. Under this infhence they seem to have started for Detroit, where they would've within easy reach of Canada. They were however incumbered with so much stolen property that after traveling about one hundred miles they were overtaken and scattered. The old man Abraham Doan was captured ; also a man named Thomas Richardson, and two women, claiming to be wives of
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