USA > Pennsylvania > Greene County > History of Greene County, Pennsylvania > Part 18
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The commissioners appended the names of the men whom they met, and as this gives a elne to the earliest settlers in the country of the Monongahela they are given as one of the very early records of 1768: "John Wiseman. Henry Prisser, William Linn, William Colvin, John Vervalson, Abraham Tygard (Teagarden), Thomas Brown, Richard Rogers, John Delong, Peter Young, George Martin, Henry Swartz, Joseph McLeon, Jesse Martin, Adam Hatton, John Vervul, Jr., James Waller, Thomas Donter, Captain Coburn, Michael Hooter, Andrew Linn, Gabriel Conn, Thomas Down, Andrew Gudgeon (Gudgel), Phil Sute (Shute), James Crawford, John Peters, John Martin, Ilans Cock. Daniel McCay; Josias Crawford, Province." At Gist's place were: "James Lyne, - Blounfield (Brownfield), Eze Johnson, Thomas Gnesse (Gist), Charles Linsey, James Wallace, Richard Harrison, Jet. Johnson, Henry Burken (Burkham), Lawrence Harrison, Ralph Hickenbottom, and at Tur- keyfoot, Henry Abrahams, Eze Dewit, JJames Spence, Benjamin Jennings, John Cooper, John Enslow, Henry Enslow, Benjamin Pursley." It is probable that many of these names have a different
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form from the names borne by descendants of the same families; but there is no doubt that many of the inhabitants of the Monongahela country at the present day are the descendants of these people who had planted themselves here in the wilderness nearly a century and a quarter ago.
Preparations had been for some time in progress for holding a conference with the Indians at Fort Pitt. George Croghan, who was the deputy under Sir William Johnson, had the matter in charge. and had informed Governor John Penn that if he wished to be rep- resented he should send delegates. The council convened on the 26th of April and lasted till the 9th of May, John Allen and Joseph Shippen, Jr., representing Pennsylvania. The records show that the Indians were very fully represented, twelve Sachems, six war chiefs, and two hundred and ninety braves, besides women and children (which accompanied all the tribes) of the Six Nations; thirteen Sachems, nine war chiefs, and three hundred and eleven braves of the Delawares; ten Sachems, eight war chiefs, and one hundred and forty braves of the Shawneese; five Sachems and one hundred and ninety-six braves of the Munsies; three Sachems and ninety warriors of the Mohickions; seven of the Wyandots: in all, eleven hundred, besides women and children.
The first business considered was the atonement for the murder of Indians which had recently been perpetrated by the enraged settlers, who had taken it upon themselves to avenge the outrages which had been perpetrated by the red men in the way of murders, scalpings and burnings in the progress of the late wars-the victims in most cases being wholly innocent, whose only crime was that of having a red skin and being clothed in feathers and paint. Much palaver was had over this subject, the great chiefs airing their wild rhetoric of the woods very freely. The representative of the white men, Croghan, shrewdly admitted everything charged, bewailing their losses, and grieving over their wounded feelings. But he had come prepared to amend all, and when he brought out the " piled up" presents to the amount of over fourteen hundred pounds, the warrior braves regarded them with grunts of satisfaction, and freely forgave all.
The council was a long time in reaching the second subject of consideration, what should be the decision in regard to settlers on the lands not purchased of the rightful owners. There appear to have been no friends of the settlers admitted to the council, the agents of the Pennsylvania government. Allen and Shippen, being only intent on securing the execution of that barbarous statute which preseribed hanging if they did not summarily give up their homes. Tohonissawgorrawa, the sound of whose name was enough to inspire terror, at length was induced to enter a complaint addressed to
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Brother Ouas (Penn) against the English for entering upon lands not yet bought, and demanding that they be removed. The answer made by the Pennsylvania commissioners disclosed the sole purpose which they had. They explained the provisions of the law recently passed, relating to this subject of removal, showed the result of the labors of the agents sent to deliver printed copies of the law and Governor's proclamation; but bewail the fact, that after the settlers had been persuaded to leave, there came certain Mingo Indians, who exhorted them to stay until the result of this treaty should be made known. Allen and Shippen now demanded that discreet chieftains should be sent to the settlers to order their immediate departure. After this is done say they: "If they shall refuse to remove by the time limited them, you may depend upon it the gov- ernment will not fail to put the law into execution against them." The proposition of the Pennsylvania agents that the Indians should send some of their wise men to warn the settlers off, and undo the mischief done by the Mingo messengers was agreed to, and a delega- tion was named on the part of the Six Nations, who received formal written instructions, and John Frazer and John Thompson were designated to accompany them on their errand. It was understood that they were to proceed on this mission at once. But after wait- ing several days and vainly importuning them to set off, they finally came to the commissioners and said that " they had been seriously considering the business they were going to be sent on, and it now appeared to them so disagreeable that they could by no means con- sent to undertake it, and immediately returned the wampum which had been given them. The driving of white people away from their settlements was a matter which no Indians could with any satisfaction be concerned in, and they thought it most proper for the English themselves to compel their own people to remove from the Indians' lands."
Though the settlers had no representative admitted to the great conclave to speak for them, yet it is very evident that they had some shrewd member present with the Indians counseling with them and inspiring their replies. For while these answers are in entire har- mony with the native dignity of these men of the forest; yet we call- not but believe that the timely appearance of the Mingo braves at Redstone, and their plea for the sitting of the settlers for the present, and now the refusal to undertake the embassage which they had for- mally agreed to in council and their very cogent and dignified reasons therefor, were inspired by an agent of the settlers. And this view is greatly strengthened when we consider the following written statement, which Guyasutha delivered to the Pennsylvania com- missioners: "I now find that not only the Indians appointed by us, bnt all our other young men, are very unwilling to, carry a message
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from us to the white people, ordering them to remove from our lands. They say they would not choose to incur the ill-will of those people; for if they should be now removed they will hereafter return to their settlements when the English have purchased the country from us. And we shall be very unhappy if, by our conduct towards them at this time, we shall give them reason to dislike ns, and treat us in an unkind manner when they again become our neighbors. We there- fore hope, brethren, you will not be displeased at us, for not performing our agreement with you, for you may be assured we have good hearts towards all our brethren, the English."
The true secret of this whole attempt to remove the settlers west of Alleghanies was this: Since the surveys made by Mason and Dixon which had been stopped by the Indians at the great war path on Dunkard Creek, Greene County, and within some thirty-six miles of the western boundary of the State, the State authorities and the magnates of Philadelphia being now definitely apprised of the southern limits of the colony, beheld a large number of settlers. mostly Virginians, whom the Ohio Company had been instrumental in bringing there, seated upon some of the finest lands in this whole Monongahela Valley, and they desired them dispossessed by the In- dians, so that when all this stretch of country west of the Alleghanies should be acquired by purchase, it would be open for occupancy by Pennsylvanians. But in this business the Indians showed themselves unwilling to draw the chestnuts from the embers to accommodate the prospective purchasers. The settlers themselves were entirely innocent of any evil designs, having come upon these lands in the belief that the Ohio Company, which had the anthority and en- couragement of the British government, had acquired a just title to them, and that they owed allegiance to the State of Virginia which assnmed a rightful authority over them. Having selected their lands, and with great toil and hardship made clearings and cultiva- tions, they felt a deep reluctance to give them up, and believed that they could not be rightfully dispossessed. Hence, these early Vir- ginia settlers were anxious to cultivate a good understanding with the Indians, which tended to promote further settlements, and came to look with an evil eye on the government of Pennsylvania, which had authorized their hanging if they did not remove.
In all these negotiations the Indians intimated that they expected to sell these lands west of the Alleghanies to the English. For in their excuses for not ordering off the white people, as they had agreed to do, they used this expression, " when the English shall have pur- chased the country from us." Virginia was the only colony which laid claim to the country drained by the Ohio River. The New Eng- land States. except Connecticut, were entirely cut off; New York could only extend westward to the lakes, Pennsylvania had exaet
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limits prescribed by charter on the west, even if that limit was allowed, although Virginia was elaiming the portion west of the Alleghany Mountains. But Virginia laid claim to the entire Ohio Valley north as well as south. This claim Hillsborough, the English Sec- retary, determined to curtail, by confirming the Indians in their claims to all these lands, at least until the elaim of Virginia was broken, and accordingly ordered his agent, Stuart, to continue the line which he had traced along the western limits of the Carolinas, from Chiswell's mine to the mouth of the Kanawha. This line was confirmed by treaty with the Cherokees at Hard Labor on the 14th of October, 1768. By this procedure all of Kentucky, as well as the entire territory northwest of the Ohio, would be relieved of the claim of Virginia, and the Indians be confirmed in absolute owner- ship.
The English Secretary was moreover jealous of the encroach- ments of the Spanish at St. Louis and New Orleans, who were bidding for the fur trade of the lakes, and the Western settlers. By establish- ing the native tribes in their rights he thought to cut off this trade through their country, and not only stop emigration to these Western lands, but clear off the few who had already made improvements. Hence this savage law of the Pennsylvania Legislature, imposing death on these settlers if they did not leave, was well pleasing to him.
There was much contention at this time both in the colonies and at the English court to obtain grants of these Western lands. The Ohio Company, Mississippi Company and Walpole's grants, which will be referred to further on, were specimens of this grasping spirit. Franklin was in England urging these grants and was in correspondence with his compeers in this country. Sir William Johnson was not without ambitious designs, and he had accordingly made arrange- ments for a grand conclave of Indians from far and near to be held at Fort Stanwix, now Rome, New York, in the mild October days of 1768. The conference held at Fort Pitt, detailed above, earlier in the season, was but the forerunner of this grander meeting, and the munificent gifts there distributed were baits to lure the savages on.
Thomas Walker represented Virginia; Governor William Frank- lin, New Jersey; Governor Penn was present from Pennsylvania, but was obliged to leave before the business was completed. Sir Will- iam Johnson represented New York and the English government, orders having been transmitted to him early in the spring to make the proposed purchase of lands and settle all difficulties with the In- dians. The number of Indians present was extraordinary, being ac- cording to Bancroft a little short of three thousand. "Every art," he says, " was used to conciliate the chiefs of the Six Nations, and gifts were lavished on them with unusual generosity. They in turn complied with the solicitations of the several agents. The line that
Jacob Rolins den
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was established began at the north, where Canada Creek joins Wood Creek; on leaving New York, it passed from the nearest fork of the West Branch of the Susquehanna to Kittanning on the Allegheny, whence it followed that river and the Ohio. At the month of the Kanawha it met the line of Stewart's treaty. Had it stopped here the Indian frontier would have been marked all the way from north- ern New York to Florida. But instead of following his instructions, Sir William Johnson pretended to recognize a right of the Six Nations to the largest part of Kentucky, and continued the line down the Ohio to the Tennessee River which was thus constituted the western bonndary of Virginia." This was in contravention to the policy of Secretary Hillsborough, and again opened the extravagant claims of Virginia.
Thus was acquired, by the transactions of one day, the 5th of November, 1768, a day ever memorable in the annals of Western Pennsylvania, this hilarious carnival day of the Indians, a vast tract stretching away a thousand miles or more, enough for an em- pire of the largest proportions. It embraced in Pennsylvania the very farthest stretch from the Delaware River in the northeast to Greene County in the southwest, comprising the counties of Wayne. Susquehanna, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wyoming, Sullivan, a part of Bradford, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Lycoming, Union, parts of Centre, Clinton, Clearfield, Indiana, Armstrong and Alle- gheny, and the counties entire of Cambria, Somerset, Westmoreland, Washington, Fayette and Greene. Thus was ended by one sweeping purchase a controversy with the Indians for possession of the soil along the waters of the Monongahela, which was beginning to threaten deadly feuds. We say ended; but not ended. The treaty was signed by the chiefs of the Six Nations, for themselves, their allies and defendants, the Shawnees, Delawares, Mingoes and others; but the Shawnees and Delaware deputies did not sign, and hence there was left open a plea for individual hostility, which for many years proved very greivous to the early settlers of Greene County, though the Six Nations claimed the right to themselves to make sale of all these lands by right of conquest of the natives which in- habited them, a right which the Delawares and Shawnees never dared to dispute.
The title of the government to all the lands along the Mononga- hela and upper Ohio being now thought to be complete, having a title deed for it from the Six Nations duly recorded, there was no reason why these lands should not be taken up nnder colonial author- ity. Virginia was laying claim to all this section of country, on what grounds we shall detail further on; but Pennsylvania haring already extended its southern boundary as claimed by chartered right, very nearly to its western extremity, felt secure in extending
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the agis of its power over these regions, though for the most part settled to this time by Virginians. Accordingly, early in the year 1769, publie notice was given that the land office of the colony would be opened on the 3d of April for the sale of lands within the limits of the new purchase, at a price of five pounds sterling per one hundred acres, and a quit-rent of a penny per acre, the Proprietaries holding that as they had the land on condition of making of an annual payment of two beaver skins, they were obliged to impose an annual quit-rent to make a sale binding. A penny an acre, though seeming a mere nominal sim, if exacted on the whole territory of the State would bring a sung little income. By the rules of the office no one person was allowed to purchase more than three hun- dred acres.
As we have already seen numbers of hardy pioneers, previous to tliis date, had chosen lands, and made for themselves homes on the favorite spots throughout all this picturesque country southward from Fort Pitt, between the Ohio and Monongahela rivers, though they had acquired no recognized right to do so previous to the date named above. When the land office was opened on the morning of that day there was a great rush of applicants desiring to perfect a title to their lands. Among others who had settled on lands near the month of Ten Mile Creek. previous to 1768, was AAbraham Tea- garden, and among names of those who were granted patents for lands west of the Monongahela on this first day were those of Pres- ton, Harrison, Fooks and Evans, and subsequently those of Hunter, MeDowell, Drummond, Allman, Marshall. Indian Peter, Parkinson, Cox, Grimes and Taylor.
To illustrate the manner in which titles were acquired and con- flieting claims were settled in those early times, the following ex- traets from the testimony in a suit for ejectment which was brought by the last named person, Henry Taylor, are here given, the case turning upon the question of priority of occupancy. Isaac Will- iams testified: "That in the year 1770 he saw Henry Taylor living in the forks of Chartiers Creek, he was improving that land that is now in dispute, and to make a settlement thereon; that he hired his brother, John Williams, to strengthen the improvements then claimed by said Taylor; that he knew the work to be done, as lie hunted to get provision for the men while they were doing the work ; that he also knew Taylor to pay his brother a rifle gun and some cash when he went away, and on his return paid the sum of eight pounds; that when they were doing the work he found a new cabin on the White Oak Ridge, appearing to have been built that winter; that on Taylor's finding that some person had been at work on his. land he employed me to enquire, and if possible find out who it was, and to purchase their claim, which I found it to be Hugh Sidwell.
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and purchased the said White Oak cabin and all his claim for the sum of twenty shillings."
In answer to the question whether Bolzer Shilling did not make a practice of running about through the woods, marking and hazing trees and calling that his improvements, and that in great number," Williams answered, " He knew it well to be his con- stant practice." John Williams also testified " that he deadened some timber and ent and split five hundred rails on the Rich Hill tract, five hundred rails on the White Oak Ridge tract, that he built a good cabin and split five hundred rails on another tract, for which the said Taylor paid him before he left the settlement a rifle gun and four dollars cash, and the next spring when the said Taylor re- turned from Cecil County, Maryland, he paid me the remainder honorably, being eight pounds Pennsylvania money."
Frederick Lamb also testified, "That some time in the month of April, 1772, he came to Bolzer Shilling where he was doing some work on a certain tract of land where Richard Yates now dwells on; he had seen on a tree a small distance from them. with H. T. on it. which at the time he thought it had been Henry Taylor's claim, and he asked the said Bolzer. . Was not this Henry Taylor's claim?' Bolzer answered . Yes,' it is his claim, and that he was working there on purpose to affront said Taylor: and he wanted Taylor to come there on purpose to quarrel with him, and give Taylor a thrashing, and would black his eyes well.' He then told Bolzer that Henry Taylor was a civil man, and would not fight with him, and 'twas better to let alone. Then Bolzer said he would go up and let Van Sweringen have it, for Van was not ashamed of any mean action, and he knew Van to be rogue enough to cheat Taylor ont of the land."
Better than pages of description this testimony of the early pioneers, informs us of the trials and hardships which the settlers had to endure in getting a foothold upon lands in this goodly country, in the face of disputed authority of the State, the jealousy of the na- tives, the quarrels of conflicting claimants, and the lying and cheating of dishonest bullies.
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CHAPTER XIII.
TREATY OF 1784 -- CUMBERLAND COUNTY SEAT AT CARLISLE-BEDFORD COUNTY-PITT AND SPRINGHILL TOWNSHIPS-ASSESSMENTS NAMES OF TAX PAYERS-WESTMORELAND COUNTY FORMED- HANNATOWN -ARTHUR ST. CLAIR-ROAD LAID OUT FROM MOUTH OF FISHPOT RUN EASTWARD IMPORTANT THOROUGHFARE -CASE OF ELIZABETH SMITH-DELEGATES ASSUME ALL AU- THORITY OVER THE COLONY-CONVENTION TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT-FRANKLIN PRESIDENT -- COMMITTEE OF SAFETY- GOVERNOR JOIN PENN RELIEVED-THE FOUNDER REMEMBERED GRATEFULLY-NEW CONSTITUTION, THOMAS WHARTON, PRESI- DENT-ASSEMBLY LEGALIZED ALL ACTS OF PRECEDING COURTS AND PROVIDED FOR COMPLETING UNSATISFIED CASES -- REINSTATED CIVIL OFFICERS-THREAD OF AUTHORITY WAS TAKEN UP BY THE NEW PEOPLES' GOVERNMENT JUST AS DROPPED BY THAT A(T- ING UNDER ROYAL AUTHORITY.
LL the territory of Pennsylvania to the north and west of the line A of counties named in the last chapter, as having been acquired from the Indians by the treaty of Fort Stanwix of 1768. still re- mained in the hands of the Indians, over which the government of Pennsylvania conld exercise no jurisdiction. All this stretch of country, embracing a full third of the State, covering all the broad northwest, remained to the Indians until after the close of the Revo- lutionary war, having been finally acquired by the treaty of Fort Mc- Intosh concluded in 1784. No provision was made for the civil gov- ernment of this territory, acquired by the purchase of 1768, until 1771.
Chester was one of the three original counties formed from the territory acquired from the Indians by Penn in 1682, and by subse- quent treaties down to 1736. Lancaster was formed from a part of Chester in 1729. Cumberland was apportioned from a part of Lan- caster in 1750. Up to 1771 all county business by settlers in all the western portion of the State had to be transacted at Carlisle, the present county seat of Cumberland County. For three years, from 1768 to 1771, the inhabitants of Greene County were obliged to go to Carlisle for the transaction of any county business. On the latter date, March 9th, the county of Bedford was erected out of portions
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of Cumberland, and was made to embrace the vast tract as described in the list, as beginning on the south where the Province line crosses the Tuscarora Mountain. the present eastern limit of Fulton County, and running along the summit of that mountain to the gap near the head of Path Valley, thence north to the Juniata River; thence with the Juniata to the mouth of Shaver's Creek; thence northeast to the line of Berks County; thence along the Berks County line to the western boundaries of the Province, thence sonthward by the western boundaries of the Province, to the southwest corner, and thence eastward by the southern boundary of the Province to the place of beginning. As will be seen, this county organization embraced the territory included in the present County of Greene, and hence for a period, all county business was done at the town of Bedford, one hundred miles from Pittsburg. Though now having a legal county organization, and full protection guaranteed by the Province to all its inhabitants, yet the dream seems to have been indulged in by many of the early settlers that this territory between the Mononga- hela and Ohio rivers belonged to Virginia, and that its claim would ultimately be vindicated.
The first court held at Bedford, was opened on the 16th of April, 1771, at which George Wilson reported as justice for the south- western corner of the State, whose home was at the mouth of Georges Creek, Fayette County. William Crawford, who was the land agent of George Washington, who figured prominently afterward in the military annals of the country, after whom the county of Crawford was named, who was inhumanly burned by the Indians at Sandusky, and who had previously figured as a justice of Cumberland, was also a justice of Bedford, as was also Thomas Gist, son of Christopher Gist, the companion of Washington in his journey to Fort Le Boeuf, in 1753. Dorsey Pentecost, who afterwards was the second presi- dent Judge of Washington County, and a member of the first board of connty commissioners of Bedford County, was also a justice. In the division of the new county of Bedford into townships, the whole territory west of the Monongahela River, now embracing the counties of Greene, Washington and parts of Allegheny and Beaver, was em- braced in two townships, Pitt and Springhill, bounded as follows: " Beginning at the month of the Kiskeminitas, and running down the Allegheny River to its junction with the Monongahela, then down the Ohio to the western limits of the Province, thence with the western boundary to the line of Springhill. thence with that line to the mouth of Redstone Creek, thence down the Monongahela to the month of Youghioghieny, thence with the line of Hempfield to the month of Brush Run, thence with the line of said township to the beginning." Springhill: " Beginning at the month of Redstone Creek, and running thence a due west course, to the western boun-
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