USA > Pennsylvania > Greene County > History of Greene County, Pennsylvania > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
It will be understood that this " visto" or vista properly, was a straight east and west belt of eight yards in width, cleared by the axmen through the dense forest for the purpose of the survey. The view from these eminences to which they refer, must have been grand, the forest for the most part resting undisturbed, as it had been for ages, the two sides of the clearing seeming in the distance to approacheach other and join, the silver current of the river show- ing here and there, and the noisy brook tumbling down the moun- tain side. In the spring-time, the surveyors were often awakened in the morning by the gobbling of the wild turkeys, and the rattle of
99
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
their chain chimed melodiously with the distant drumming of the partridge.
On the 14th to 18th of July, 1767, they make the following entries: " At 168 miles, 78 chains is the top of the great dividing Ridge of the Alleghany Mountains. At 169 m. 60 chi., crossed a small branch of the Little Yochio Geni. The head of Savage River south, distant about a mile. This day (16th) we were joined by 14 Indians deputied by the chiefs of the Six Nations to go with us on the line. With them came Mr. IIngh Crawford, Interpreter. At 171 m. 5 eh., crossed a branch of ye Little Yochio Ceni, 171 m. 63 ch., crossed do. the last time (in the whole 6 or 7 times)." Angust 17, " At this station, Mr. John Green, one of the Chief's of the Mo- hoek Nation, and his Nephew, left us, in order to return to their own country." & August 31, " At 204 m. 11 chi., crossed a small run run- ning southward. Here, by information, the Big Meadows are north, distant about 5 miles." " At 217 m. 13 ch. is the foot of the Laurel Hill, on the west side." "At 219 m. 22 ch. 25 1ks. crossed the Cheat river obliquely." "At 222 m. 24 ch. 12 1ks. is the top of a very high Bank, at the foot of which is the River Manaungahela," September 27th are the following notes: " About a mile and a half north of where the Sector stands, the Rivers Cheat and Mananngahela joyn. The mouth of Redstone creek, by information, bears dne north from this station, distant 25 miles. Fort Pit is supposed to be dne north distant about 50 miles." September 30, " At 222 m. 34 chains, 50 Links, the east bank of ye River Manaungahela at 222 m. 40 ch. 25 links the west bank, breadth about 5 chaines."
In all the work of the surveyors, the Indians had preserved an attitude of awe and superstitious dread. They could not understand what all this peering into the heavens, and always in the dead of the night (as all astronomical observations must be made at that time of night when the particular star desired came into view) portended. They looked with special distrust on those curious little tubes cov- ered with glass, through which the surveyors stood patiently watch- ing somebody in the far off heavens. The Six Nations, who were supreme in these parts, had given permission by treaty to run this line; but when they heard of the methods adopted, we may well imagine their speculations in the native council chambers, in the deep shadows of the wood, touching the purpose of these nightly vigils. They entertained a suspicion that the surveyors were hold- ing communication with spirits in the skies, who were pointing out the track of their line. So much had their fears become wronght upon, that when Mason and Dixon had reached the summit of the Little Alleghany, the Six Nations gave notice upon the departure of their agents, that the survey innst cease at that point. But. by the adroit representations of Sir William Johnson, the Six Nations were
100
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
induced to allow the survey to proceed. No further interruption was experienced until they reached the bottom of a deep, dark val- ley on the border of a stream, marked Dunkard Creek, on their map, where they came upon an ancient Indian war-path winding through the dense forest; and here the representatives of the Six Nations de- clared that this was the limit of the ground which their commission covered, and refused to proceed further. In the language of the field notes, " This day the Chief of the Indians which joined us on the 16th of July, informed us that the above mentioned War Path was the extent of liis commission from the Chief's of the Six Na- tions, that he should go with us to the line, and that he would not proceed one step further."
For some days previous, the Indians had been giving intimations of trouble, and when arrived at the banks of the Mananngahela, " twenty-six of our Men left us," say the notes. "They would not pass the River for fear of the Shawnees and Delaware Indians. But we prevailed upon 15 ax men to proceed with ns; and with them we continued the Line Westward." There would be no safety to the surveyors without the Indian escort, as they would be at the mercy of wandering bands of savages, who knew not the meaning of the word compassion or mercy; but who could dash the brains out of a helpless infant, and tear the scalp from the head of a trembling and defenceless female with as keen a relish as they ever sat down to a breakfast of hot turtle soup. Therefore, there was no alternative; and although they were now within 36 miles of the end of the line, and in a few days more would have reached the limit, they were forced to desist: and here, on the margin of Dunkard Creek, on the line of this famous war-path, in Greene County, Mason and Dixon set up their last monumental stone, 233 m, 13 ch. 68 links from the initial point of this now famous line which bears their name, and ended the survey. Returning to Philadelphia they made their final report to the commissioners, and received an honorable discharge on the 26th of December, 1767.
The work of those surveyors was tedious and toilsome, being conducted in the primeval forest through which a continuous vista, twenty-five feet wide, had to be cleared as they went, and in which they were obliged to camp out in all weathers of a changeable cli- mate. To keep on a due east and west line they were exclusively guided by the stars, and their rest at night must constantly be broken by these necessary vigils.
By the terms of the agreement of 1732, and the order of the Lord High Chancellor Hardwick, every fifth mile of this line was to be marked by a stone monument engraved with the arms of the Proprietaries, and the intermediate miles by smaller stones marked by a P on the side facing Pennsylvania, and an M on the side facing
-
101
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Maryland. These stones were some twelve inches square, and four feet long, and were cut and engraved in England, and sent over ready for setting. The fixing the exact location of these stones gave no little vexation to the surveyors. This formal marking, as directed, was observed till the line reached Sidelong Hill; but here. all wheel transportation ceasing for lack of roads, the further mark- ing was by the "visto " " eight or nine yards wide," "and marks were set up on the tops of all the High Ridges and Mountains." Their entry on the 19th of November, 1767, was " Snow twelve or four- teen inches deep; made a pile of stones on the top of Savage Moun- tain, or the great dividing ridge of the Alleghany Mountains. West of this mountain to ye end of ye line, the Mile Posts are five feet in length, twelve inches square and set two feet in the ground, and round thein are heaped Earth and Stone eight feet Diameter at bottom and two and one half feet high." At the end of their line in Greene County, at Dunkard Creek, they say, "we set up a Post marked W on the West side, and heaped round it earth, etc., three yards and a half in Diameter at Bottom, and five feet High-the heap nearly conical," making an extra large mound here, as if to emphasize it, and make a period to their work, until it should be re- snmed again, but which proved to be the final termination of their labors. Mason and Dixon were paid twenty one shillings per day for their labor, the entire expense to Pennsylvania being £34,200, or $171,000.
Nothing further was done towards completing the survey of this line until 1779, in the very midst of the Revolutionary war. So far as Maryland was concerned the controversy was at an end, as its western boundary terminates with the meridian marking the source of the Potomae River. But on the above mentioned date, Patrick Henry, then Governor of Virginia, addressed a letter to the Governor of Pennsylvania, and enclosed a resolution of the House of Del- egates of that State respecting commissioners to be appointed for fixing the boundary between Virginia and Pennsylvania. But, as this opens an entirely new subject of controversy, involving the inter- pretation of the Virginia Charter, and the rights of the Ohio Land Company, the consideration of this topie will be reserved to the proper place in the narrative.
102
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
CHAPTER VII.
FRENCH CLAIM THE ENTIRE VALLEY OF THE MISSISSIPPI -- THE PEACE OF RYSWICK-THE PEACE OF UTRECHT-THE FIVE NATIONS SUB- JECT TO THE ENGLISH -- FRANCE STILL CONFIRMED IN POSSESSION OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY -- CLAIM OF THE ENGLISH -- THE PEACE OF AIX-LA-CHAPELLE-UNPRINCIPLED TRADERS - OHIO COM- PANY FORMED-THE BOY WASHINGTON-OHIO COMPANY TO LOCATE 200,000 ACRES-FRENCH JEALOUS-SEND CELERON TO BURY PLATES-PASS OVER CHATAUNQUA LAKE-THE ROUTE BY PRESQUE ISLE AND LE BOEUF SUBSEQUENTLY ADOPTED-INDIANS ON THE WATCH-PLATE BURIED AT WARREN -- INSCRIPTION UPON PLATE-PLATE DIG UP AND CARRIED TO SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON -- GOVERNOR CLINTON COMMUNICATES CONTENTS TO LORDS OF TRADE, AND TO GOVERNOR HAMILTON -- SPEECH OF INDIAN CHIEF- TAIN AND INTERPRETION OF INSCRIPTION-REPLY OF CHIEFTAIN -CELERON PLANTS ANOTHER PLATE AT INDIAN GOD-ANOTHER AT LOGSTOWN-EXPELS ENGLISH TRADERS -- SENDS LETTER TO GoV- ERNOR HAMILTON WARNING HIM-OTHER PLATES AT MOUTH OF MUSKINGUM, GREAT KANAWHA, AND GREAT MIAMI-ASCENDS THE MIAMI AND DOWN THE MAUMEE-PLATES FOUND-PROPRIETARY DISTURBED-NOTES OF CROGHAN -- BUILDING A FORT CONTEM- PLATED.
A S has been previously observed, it was held as a principle of the law of nations that the discovery of and occupancy of the mouth of a river, entitles the discoverer to all the land drained by that river and its tributaries, even to their remotest sources. By reason of the discoveries of Marquette and La Salle, and the formal posses- sion taken of the Mississippi River by them under the French flag, France laid claim to all the territory drained by this river. Had . this claim been allowed all that portion of New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia lying west of the water-shed formed by the Alleghany Mountains, would have been given up to the French, and Greene County would have been settled by a French speaking people, the subjects of the French King.
In the early settlement of the North American continent by Europeans, the French showed by far the greater spirit and enter- prise, and in numbers were superior. In 1688, France commenced
. 103
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
a wasting war against England and her allies, which was finally eon- eluded by the treaty of Ryswick, by which France was confirmed in the possession of Hudson Bay, Canada and the valley of the Mis- sissippi; but it was provided that neither party should interfere with the Indian allies of the other. Both parties laid claim to the Six Nations as allies. Jesuit priests were active in endeavoring to win these Indians over to the French, which induced the New York legis- lature, in 1700, to pass an act "to hang every popish priest that should come voluntarily into the province." In 1698, through the offices of Count Ponchartrain, D'Iberville was appointed governor, and his brother, De Bienville, intendant of Louisiana, and were sent with a colony direct to the mouth of the Mississippi, to make a settle- ment there.
Peace between France and England was of short duration, and in 1701 war broke out between them, which was waged along the border in America with. sanguinary ferocity and cruelty. It was concluded by the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, by which England obtained control of the fisheries, Hudson Bay and its borders, New- foundland and Nova Scotia, or Acadia, and it was expressly stipulated that " France should not molest the Five Nations, subject to the dominion of Great Britain, whose possessions embraced the whole of New York and Pennsylvania, though the French did not allow them that much territory. But the valley of the Mississippi still re- mained to the French, the English embassadors not being alive to the importance of this magnificent stretch of country. William Penn had advised that the St. Lawrence should be made the boundary line to the north and that the English elaim should include the great valley of the continent. It " will make a glorious country " said Penn. The failure to fix definitely the bounds, caused another half century of bitter contention and bloody strife, in which the ignorant savages were used as agents by either party. In 1748, a four years' war was concluded between the old enemies, French and English, by the peace of Aix. La-Chapelle, by which England was confirmed in her possessions in North America. But the boundaries were still indefinite.
France claimed the Mississippi valley in its entirety; that is, all the land drained by the tributaries of the great river. The British crown claimed the territory on the upper Ohio on the ground of a treaty executed at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1744, at which the share paid by Virginia was £220 in goods, and that paid by Mary- land £200 in gold. On this purchase the claim of the Iroquois as allies, and the claim of the settlements on the Atlantic coast of ter- ritory westward from ocean to ocean, rested the right of the English to this imperial valley. The fact is, however, that the party which could show most strength in men and money was destined to hold
104
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
it. By the middle of the eighteenth century the English, in respect to foree, had greatly the advantage. As early as 1688 a census of French North America showed a population of 11,249, while the English population at this time was estimated at a quarter of a million. During the next half century both nationalities increased rapidly, but the English much the faster.
Previous to the treaty of Chapelle adventurous traders from Pennsylvania had explored the passes of the Alleghany Mountains, and pushed on to the borders of the Monongahela and the Ohio. By the good offices of the colonial governors of New York and Pennsylvania, the Six Nations had been kept in firm alliance with the English. The French had sought to win them over to their power, and had distributed many showy presents. Thinking that the simple natives would never know the difference, the French had made a large gift of bright looking hatchets, but which, instead of being made of fine steel, were only soft iron. The Indians soon dis- covered the difference, and were more incensed than ever against the French. Lest the latter, who were active and vigilant, might gain an advantage on the Ohio, Conrad Weiser was sent out to Logstown, a few miles below Pittsburg on the Ohio, in 1748, with valuable and useful presents to win the favor of the natives. It was seen, however, that the valuable trade with the Indians at this time was in the hands " of unprincipled men, half civilized, half savage, who, through the Iroquois, had from the earliest period penetrated to the lakes of Canada, and competed everywhere with the French for skins and furs." More with the purpose of controlling and legitimizing this trade than of effecting permanent settlements, it was proposed in the Virginia colony to form a great company which should hold lands on the Ohio, build forts for trading posts, import English goods, and establish regular traffic with the Indians. Accordingly, Thomas Lee, president of the council of Virginia, and twelve other Virginians, among whom was Jolin Hanbury, a wealthy London merchant, formed in 1749 what was known as the " Ohio Company," and applied to the English government for a grant of land for this purpose. The request was favorably received, and the Legislature of Virginia was authorized to grant to the petitioners a half million acres of land within the bounds of that colony, " west of the Allegh- anies, between the Monongahela and Kanawha rivers; though part of the land might be taken up north of the Ohio should it be deemed expedient."
It was at about this period, in March, 1748, that a boy of sixteen years set out from the abodes of civilization with his theodolite to survey wild lands in the mountains and valleys of the Virginia colony. In a letter to one of his young friends he says: " I have not slept above three or four nights in a bed, but after walking a good
Thorvers Jams
107
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
deal all day I have lain down before the fire upon a little straw or fodder, or a bear skin, whichever was to be had, with man, wife and children, like dogs and cats; and happy is he who gets the berth nearest the fire." This youth, thus early inured to hardship and toil, was none other than George Washington, destined to great labors for his country, and a life of patriotism and unbending devo- tion scarcely matched in the annals of mankind.
A condition of the grant of the " Ohio Company" was that two hundred thousand acres should be located at once. This was to be held for ten years free of rent, provided the company would put there one hundred families within seven years, and build a fort sufficient to protect the settlement. This the company prepared to do, and sent a ship to London for a cargo of goods suited to the Indian trade. Upon the death of Thomas Lee, the president of the Ohio Company, which soon took place, Lawrence Washington, a brother of George, was given the " chief management" of the com- pany. a man of enlightened views and generous spirit.
But the organization of this company, and the preparations to take possession of the Ohio country, did not escape the vigilant eye of the French, and if they would hold the territory claimed by them they must move at once, or the enterprising English would be there, and would have such a foothold as would render it impossible to rout them.
Accordingly, early in 1749, the Marquis de la Galisonniere, Governor General of Canada, dispatched Celeron de Bienville with a party of some two hundred French and fifty Indians to take formal possession of the Ohio country, the Alleghany being designated by the French by that name. Father Bonnecamps acted as chaplain, mathematician and historian of the party. The expedition started on the 15th of June, 1749, from La Chine on the St. Lawrence. Passing up the river through the net work of islands and along the shore of Ontario to Niagara Falls, they commenced the labor of debarking and transporting their entire outfit around the cataract. In this work they were engaged for nearly a week; but by the 13th of July they were again afloat on the waters of Lake Erie. At a point nearest to Chantauqua Lake they landed and commenced trans- porting their boats and stores overland a distance of eight miles, and over a water-shed more than eight hundred feet above the waters of Lake Erie. The party was accompanied by the two sons of Joncaire (Jean Coeur) who had lived with the Indians in this locality, and knew every path and water course. To them Celeron looked for guidance in this novel voyage over land. When surveyors had marked the track, pioneers cut and cleared a road, over which the whole was transported to the shores of Chautauqua, where they again embarked, and passing down the Conewango Creek, the outlet of the
- 108
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
lake, made their way to its confluence with the Allegheny River, near the town of Warren. Here they paused to commence the work of possessing the country.
It may be proper to observe in this connection that this experi- - ence of reaching the Chautauqua Lake with all their impedimenta over the high ridge was so toilsome that in future expeditions they abandoned this route and went by the way of Presque Isle (Erie) and Waterford, where they struck French Creek or the Venango River, down which they passed to the Allegheny River at Franklin. In the deposition of one Stephen Coffin before Colonel Jolmson, of New York, he says: " From Niagara fort we set off by water, being April, and arrived at Chadakoin (Chautauqua) on Lake Erie, where they were ordered to fell timber and prepare it for building a fort there according to the Governor's instructions; but M. Morang, coming up with five hundred men and twenty Indians, put a stop to ereeting a fort at that place, by reason of his not liking the situa- tion, and the river of Chadakoins being too shallow to carry any craft with provisions to Belle Riviere. The deponent says there arose a warm debate between Messieurs Babeer and Morang there- on, the first insisting on building the fort there agreeable to his in- structions, otherwise on Morang's giving him an instrument in writing to satisfy the Governor in that point, which Morang did, and then Monsieur Mercie, who was both commissary and engineer, to go along said lake and look for a good situation, which he found in three days. They were then all ordered thither; they fell to work and built a square fort of chestnut logs, and called it Fort Le Presque Isle. * * As soon as the fort was finished they marched southward, cutting a wagon road through a fine level country twenty- one miles | 15] to the river aux Boeufs [ Waterford ]." Thus, though the distance to Chautauqua Lake was not so great as to Waterford, the road to the latter was " through a fine level country" and not over a rugged ridge as at the former.
Celeron and his party had not left the shores of Chautauqua, where he had encamped, probably in the vicinity of Lakewood, before he discovered that his movements were being watched by the natives. Parties were sent out to intercept them and cultivate their friend- ship, but were unsuccessful. Having reached the Allegheny River at or near Warren, as we have seen, Celeron with religious ceremony took possession of the river and country, and buried a leaden plate, on the south bank of the Allegheny River, opposite a little island at the mouth of the Conewango, in token of French possession. Upon this plate was the following inscription in French: "L'an 1749 dv regne de Lovis XV Roy de France novs Celoron commandant don de tachement envoie par monsieur le mis de la Galissonière com- mandant General de la nouvelle France povr retablir la tranquillite
109
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
dans quelques villages sauvages de ces cantons avous enterre cette plaque a leutru de l' riviere Chinodahichetha le 18 Aoust pres de la riviere Oyo autrement Belle riviere pour monument du renovvelle- ment de possession que nous avons pris de la ditte riviere Oyo et de tontes celles qui y tombut et de toves les terres des deux cotes jusque aux sources des dittes rivies vinsi que out Jovy ou du Jovir les pre- cedents Roys de France et quils sisont maintenus par les armes et par les trattes, specialement par ceux de Risvnick d' Utrecht et d' Aix- La-Chapelle."
In English, " In the year 1749, of the reign of Louis XIV., King of France, We Celeron, commander of a detachment sent by Monsieur the Marquis de la Galissonière, Governor General of New France, to re-establish tranquility in some Indian villages of these cantons, have buried this plate of lead at the confluence of the Ohio with the Chau- tauqua, this 29th day of July, near the river Ohio, otherwise Belle Rivière, as a monument of the renewal of the possession we have taken of the said river Ohio, and of all those which empty into it, and of all the lands on both sides as far as the sources of the said river, as enjoyed, or ought to have been enjoyed by the King of France preceding, and as they have there maintained themselves by arms and by treaties, especially those of Ryswick, Utrecht and Aix- la-Chapelle."
All the men and officers were drawn up in military order when the plate was buried, and Celeron proclaimed in a strong tone, " Vive le Roi!" and declared that possession of the country was now taken in behalf of the French. A plate with the lilies of France inscribed thereon was nailed to a tree near by. All this officious ceremony did not escape the keen eyes of the ever vigilant and superstitious natives, and scarcely were Celeron and his party well out of sight in their course down the Allegheny, before that leaden missive with the mysterious characters engraved thereon was pulled from its place of concealment, and fast runners were on their way to the home of the Iroquois chiefs, who immediately dispatched one of their number to take it to Sir William Jolinson, at Albany. Mr. O. H. Marshall, in his admirable historical address on this subject, says: "The first of the leaden plates was brought to the attention of the public by Gov. George Clinton to the Lords of Trade in London, dated New York, December 19, 1750, in which he states that he would send to their Lordships in two or three weeks a plate of lead full of writing which some of the upper nations of Indians stole from Jean Coeur, the French interpreter at Niagara, on his way to the River Ohio, which river, and all the lands thereabouts, the French claim, as will appear by said writing. He further states 'that the lead plates gave the Indians so much uneasiness that they immediately dispatched some of the Cayuga chiefs to him with it, saying that their only reliance
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.