USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > History of Huntingdon County, in the state of Pennsylvania : from the earliest times to the centennial anniversary of American independence, July 4, 1876 > Part 4
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
The Delawares sought a bloody and fatal revenge. They joined the French, laid waste the settlements on the frontiers, and marked their path with fire and desolation.
· CHAPTER VI.
AUGIIWICK-CROGHAN-IIIS REASONS FOR SETTLING THERE-SURRENDER OF FORT NECESSITY-INDIANS COME TO AUGHWICK-ARE FURNISHED WITH SUPPLIES BY CROGIAN-DRUNKENNESS-TEMPERANCE MEASURES-WEIS- ER'S CONFERENCE WITH THE INDIANS-CHARGES AGAINST CROGHAN AND THE ANSWERS TO THEM - BRADDOCK'S COMPLAINTS-DEATH OF THE IIALF KING-CONSOLATION FROM CROGIIAN -- INDIAN DESIRE FOR PRES- ENTS-MONACATOOTHIA.
During the French and Indian war which followed, the centre of events in connection therewith, so far as they transpired in Huntingdon county, was at Aughwick. We have found it one of the principal points in the previous history of the county. It was on the path to Ohio, and was visited by the first white man who traveled to that remote region, and was the place from which the settlers were driven in 1750.
George Croghan had been there at a very early day, probably in 1747, certainly in 1748, with Conrad Weiser, and again, in 1750, with Richard Peters. To him it had become familiar, and, for reasons which will soon appear, he established himself there and became its master spirit. The history of Aughwick and of Croghan are identical during the years 1754, '55, and part of '56.
Aughwick was not originally an Indian town, as is gen- erally supposed, but was a settlement of whites to which the Indians came after Croghan had made it his residence, the time of their coming being clearly shown by official records. It is, therefore, difficult, if not impossible, to give any reli- able information concerning the origin of the name. There is no certainty that it belongs to any of the Indian lan- guages ; the probability is just as great that it is derived from one of the European tongues. The first settlers there, as in nearly all other parts of Huntingdon county, were Scotch-I '', and many of the traders, among whom was Croghan > e of Irish birth. They could furnish a name or the town which they may have proposed founding, with-
46
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
out resort to any other vocabulary than their own. Augh- wick is said to resemble in sound two Irish words, which mean literally "swift-running steed." But whoever gave it the name, has not handed down to us his reasons for doing so, and we will not enter further into the field of conjecture, which is so fertile and yet so fruitless.
In early times the orthography of the name was almost as various as were the hands by which it was written. The earliest mention of it is in Richard Peters' report, where it is spelled "Aucquick." Croghan at first wrote it "Au- ghick ;" afterwards, " Aughick Old Town," and finally " Aucquick Old Town." There seems to have been no uni- formity about it until more modern times. Custom has set- tled the spelling and pronunciation.
It is doubtful whether all the cabins were burned at Augh- wick by the sheriff and magistrates of Cumberland county. From Peters' report we learn that four families were requir- ed to remove from there, yet only two cabins were destroy- ed, and one of these was not completed. It may be that Croghan came back to occupy one of the houses that had been allowed to remain. However that may be, he was re- siding there in January, 1754.
He had not been successful in his business as a trader. The risks incident to it had gone against him. IIis goods had been seized by the French. He had sold to the In- dians, and had failed to collect the debts due from them. The same spirit of liberality which led him to trust them, also made him profuse in his gifts, so that he gained great influence with them and brought himself to bankruptcy. He preferred Aughwick to a debtor's prison.
Soon after his settlement there, he put himself into com- munication with the provincial authorities, giving them infor- mation of the movements and operations of the French and the disposition and inclination of the Indians, continuing his visits to the Ohio in the interests of the province. While making the best of his opportunities, he lamented the disad- vantages he labored under from being an absconding debtor. The following is one of his many expressions of regret :
47
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
"From ye Misfortunes I have had in Tread, which obliges me to keep at a Greatt distance, I have itt nott in my power to forward Intelegance so soon as I could wish, however, if itt be thought worth Notice, I will acquaint the Govern- ment with anything I can find outt that will tend to ye hurt of my King & Country, for certainly ye Indians are only amussing ye Government, while they are privey, if not as- sisting to ye Murders done."
The well-taught school-boys of to-day may be amused at Croghan's orthography, but we can find many similar spe- cimens among the writings of governors and others high in authority at that time.
It was not long until Aughwick acquired other impor- tance than that attached to it as the residence of Croghan. On the 3d of July, 1754, Washington, who was then a col- onel in command of Virginia troops, surrendered Fort Ne- cessity to the French. There had been with him a number of Indians who were not satisfied with his manner of con- ducting the campaign. They removed their families to a place of safety before the engagement began, because Wash- ington would not listen to their counsel, but compelled them to fight according to his plan, and after his defeat they went with their wives and families to Aughwick. Among them was Tanacharrisson, or the Half King, a Seneca chief, Scar- royady, an Oneida chief, and others belonging to the Six Nations. In the beginning of August some Delaware and Shawnese Indians also came, and there were soon after- wards other arrivals, swelling the number to more than two hundred men, women and children.
Croghan furnished them with subsistence, purchasing meat and flour for that purpose, and applied to the government for reimbursement. As there seemed to have been some suspicions in regard to his integrity, and a reluctance about placing public money in his hands, Conrad Weiser was sent there, under instructions from Governor Hamilton, to confer with him and the Indians, and to disburse three hundred pounds for their support. He repaid the expenses that Cro- ghan had incurred, left a sufficient sum with him to pur-
48
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
chase five hundred bushels of wheat, and laid up supplies for future use. The country at that time must have been considerably developed, as there was no difficulty in obtain- ing the necessaries for the maintenance of this large number of people. There were about twenty cabins in the vicinity of Croghan's house, in which the Indians lived, and more further off, some at a distance of three miles. Croghan had land under cultivation producing good crops. He had between twenty-five and thirty acres of corn, from which his servants brought every day, while Weiser was there, four or five bags of roasting ears. The Indians had not much regard for the rights of their benefactor, for there was "not an hour in the day" but that some of them stole and destroyed not only his corn, but his butter, milk, squashes and pumpkins. Weiser advised Croghan to make reasonable charges for the pro- duce taken, to have its value certified by three credible men, that he might be paid for it. He also recommended that Cro- ghan be trusted to buy and distribute provisions, or that some other person be kept there to make the distribution. But no change was made in the administration of affairs, Croghan remaining there and proving himself worthy of confidence.
'T'he traders were in the habit of furnishing liquor to the Indians, and those at Aughwick were supplied with it soon after the arrival, by Lewis Montour, a brother of Andrew's He sold it to them at very high prices, and pretended that his wife, "an ugly squaw," did it. The liquor was kept in the woods, about a mile from Croghan's house, where the In- dians would exchange any articles they had, even their cloth- ing, for it, and come back drunk and naked. An effort was made to prevent this traffic, but that was very difficult, as they would buy and drink whenever they could obtain it. The Half King and Scarroyady were as much addicted to the vice as the members of the tribes over which they ruled, both of them being intoxicated while Weiser was there. Governor Hamilton had directed that persons taking liquor to Aughwick should be punished, and that the casks should be staved in. Croghan became a temperance reformer, ban-
1
49
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
ished it entirely from his house, and endeavored to restrain the excesses of the Indians. The means he adopted to ac- complish the latter purpose may afford a suggestion to mod- ern "crusaders." His method is expressed in the following letter:
Dec'r ye 23d, 1754. May itt Plese your Honour.
I am Oblig'd to advertise the Inhabitance of Cumberland County in yr honour's Name, nott to barter or Sell Spiretus Liquors to the Indians or to any person to bring amongst them, to prevent ye Indians from Spending thire Cloase, tho' I am oblig'd to give them a Cag Now & then my self for a frolick, but that is Atended with no Expence to ye Government nor no bad Consequences to ye Indians as I Do itt butt onst a month, I hope your honour will approve this Proceeding, as I have Don it to prevent ill consequences atending ye Indians if they should be kept always infleam'd with Liquors.
I am yr honour's most Humble and Obedient Servant,
GEO. CROGHAN.
P. S. This Dos nott go by Express.
The sale was not confined to the traders. Some of the magistrates of the county, forgetting their official duty, en- gaged in the business. Mr. Smith, one of the justices, was at Aughwick during Weiser's visit, to collect money for li- quor sent by him. "He is an old hypocrite," says Weiser ; " he told me that the Governor ought not to suffer any strong liquor to come to Aughwick. I asked him if he would have the Governor to come up with his Sword and Pistol to pre- vent it. No, said he. Well, then, says I, there is no other way for the Governor than to break You all and put others in Commission that are no Whiskey Traders, and will exer- cise their authority."
Weiser was at Aughwick from the 3d until the 8th of September, holding daily conferences with the Indians. Speeches were made by Wabadikisy, alias " Little Johnny,"
D
50
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
· a Shawnese, and by Dishickamy and the Beaver, Dela- wares, to whom Weiser replied. The whites present at the several meetings, besides Weiser and his son, were Andrew Montour, George Croghan, Peter Sheffer, Hugh Crawford, Thomas Simpson and John Owen.
After many exchanges of compliments and wampum, Weiser informed the Delawares and the Shawnese of the purchase of the land at Albany. They were not well pleased at first, because of the great extent of the tract released to the Penns. But such explanations were offered them as re- stored satisfaction. These Indians, living on the gratuities of the Government, were under the influence of the whites, and remained faithful to the English interests. This was the peculiarity of their situation. They separated themselves from their own people, from the tribes and nations to which they belonged, and some of them fought against their blood and kindred.
For this course on their part, much credit is due to Cro- ghan, and it refutes some of the aspersions to which he was subjected. Charges of a serious character were made against him by Governor Sharpe, of Maryland. It was as- serted that he was a Roman Catholic, and was suspected of being in sympathy with the French; that a person by the name of Campbell, a Catholic, resided at his house, and had visited the French fort and communicated with the enemy ; that Croghan had opened a letter, of great importance, from Captain Stobo to Col. Innes, and had taken a copy of it ; and that he had kept the money sent him for the payment of the Indian who carried the letter, and gave instead a small quantity of goods of inferior value.
Governor Hamilton, in answer to these charges, did not express entire confidence in Croghan's integrity and fidelity, but said that, while it might be necessary to keep a watch- ful eye on him, he hoped the facts would not turn out to be material, and that they would not affect his faithfulness to the trust reposed in him, which at that time was very con . siderable and important. He said further that he had no one to inquire of as to the truth of the allegations of Gov-
51
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
ernor Sharpe but Mr. Peters, who gave the assurance that Croghan had never been deemed a Roman Catholic, although his education had been in Dublin and his religious profes- sion was not known to him. The letter had been opened because the Indians insisted upon it, desiring to know its contents, and Croghan consented to satisfy their curiosity. It was an indiscretion for which he afterwards blamed him- self exceedingly, but it was neither perfidious nor criminal. His subsequent conduct furnishes a complete refutation of any suspicion against his loyalty.
Croghan was likely to be held responsible for any disaf- fection that might be discovered among the residents of, or that might occur at Aughwick. This was so in the case of Campbell, who was " one of the lowest sort of Indian trad- ers," but with whom Croghan had no connection. He was not the only one there who was justly regarded with dis- trust. General Braddock, while at Winchester, Virginia, on his march to Pennsylvania, complained that an open trade was carried on with the French from Raystown and Augh- wick, by the Indians in alliance with them; that they re- ceived ammunition and other supplies by these means, and all the intelligence they desired. There was no doubt a great deal of truth in this. Much of the news received by the English from the Ohio was brought by the Indians, who, when they returned to the French, would just as readily impart all they had heard at Aughwick and further east. Yet Croghan was as powerless to prevent this as he was to prevent their drunkenness.
He was highly sensitive to these reflections against his character. They interfered with the proper discharge of his duties. It was an instance, of which there have been many. in human experience, of hesitation to claim all that he was entitled to, through fear that his motives would be impugned or his honesty questioned. How often have men who have been financially unfortunate, sacrificed their rights in an effort, and often a vain one, to regain a lost reputation! The money left with him by Weiser was soon exhausted, and he was relying, from what had been told him, upon the receipt
52
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
of further advances. But the winter came, and with it a disappointment of his expectations. He was not furnished with the means of providing subsistence for the people who were depending upon him. Bad as his credit was, he was obliged to buy to the amount of forty-two pounds, giving his note therefor, and trusting to the Government to lift his paper when due. These purchases were made for some Indians who were about leaving Aughwick. He was not willing that they should go away dissatisfied. He says: "I Chose Rather to venter, Supose I Shuld pay itt My Self, then send ye heads of that Nation home Displeas'd att this time. I hope his honour will Excuse my forwardness in this as I Realy Don itt for ye good of ye Government." There seems to have been no other motive for incurring this debt than the one he assigns. It was an act of disin- terested patriotism. If he had not been true to his "King and country," he could have taken all those Indians over to the French with less trouble than he was at in preventing them from going, and his recompense, pecuniarily, would have been liberal.
Even when in pressing need of supplies, he did not insist on the Government sending him money. He represented to them the wants of the Indians, but evidently for the interests of the province and not of himself. "I thought my Press. ing things," said he, " wold Lock as if I wanted to make a hand for my Self out of the publick money, which I a Sure you wold be ye Last thing I wold Do for a Livlihood, Lett me be Ever so much Distres." To avoid the great respon- sibility thrust upon him, he several times determined to leave the place, or at least to assign the care of the Indians to some other person. He proposed that, if his services should be thought of any value to the public, he would remain there all winter and assist any person that might be appointed to take his place, but he did not desire to have the handling of any of the money for fear of reflections.
It must have been gratifying to him to find that there were some who entertained a favorable opinion of him. In October, 1754, Governor Hamilton retired from office and
53
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
Robert Hunter Morris succeeded him. Soon after the acces- sion of the latter, he wrote to Croghan that he was glad the province had a man among the Indians at that critical time whom they could so much depend upon. It was from Richard Peters that Governor Morris obtained his good opinion of him. Peters had known him long and intimately, and gave him a well-merited endorsement.
About the time he was so fortunate as to be given the confidence of the chief executive officer of the province, an event occurred which made some change of affairs at Augh- wick. The Half King died on the 6th day of October, 1754. The most complete account we have of this event is contained in a letter from John Harris to Richard Peters, dated October 29, 1754, as follows :
" On the first of this Instant, Monacatootha and Several Others, the Chiefs of the Six Nations, came to my house and brought the Half King and his Family along with them, who were in general in very low Condition, particularly himself, who died in a few days, after which I asked Mona- catootha and others where they chussed to bury him and in what Manner, or if they wanted anything Necessary for his funeral; their Answer was that they looked upon him to be like one of our Selves, and as he died among us we might bury him as we thought proper; that if he was buried well it would be very good, which I did much to their satisfac- tion. Immediately after Monacatootha and the Chiefs Set of for Aughwick, leaving the Half King's family and Relations under my care, saying that in some short time there should some horses and Indians come down for them, w'ch they have not yet done. I shall continue to give his Family necessary Provisions till they remove, & I should be satis- fied how soon that might be."
The loss of the Half King was much lamented by the Indians. Croghan offered them some consolation, as appears from a reference to the event in a letter to Governor Morris:
" Yesterday I was favored with yr honour's Leter and Instructions to ye Indians hear, all of which I deliver'd this Morning in ye Presents of yr honour's Messenger, and Like-
54
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
wise Deliver'd a Small present in yr honour's name to Con- dole with them on ye death of the Half King, and to Wipe ye Tears from there Eyes to ye a mount of £20.10."
Facetious as this announcement may seem, I do not think that Croghan intended to speak lightly of the Half King's death, The Indians had acquired such an inordinate desire for presents, and had become so accustomed to receiving them upon all occasions, that they looked for them even in their griefs and bereavements; and in stating that the pres- ents had been given, Croghan but adopted the figurative language of the Indians themselves. In their speeches at treaties and conferences, and in their most serious moments, they frequently used similar expressions, and to "wipe off the tears," or to "wipe the dust out of the eyes," was not to be literally understood.
Monacatootha, who is mentioned by John Harris as hav- ing arrived at his house with the Half King, is the same chief whom I have heretofore spoken of under the name of Scarroyady. It was not unusual for an Indian to have so many names that it was difficult to preserve his identity. Scarroyady succeeded the Half King in the control of the Indians at Aughwick.
CHAPTER VII.
FORTIFICATION OF AUGHWICK-CROGHIAN'S VIEWS-POSTPONEMENT OF THE PROJECT-MOVEMENT AGAINST THE FRENCH-BRADDOCK'S EXPEDITION- APPEAL TO THE INDIANS-CROGHIAN IN COMMAND OF THOSE FROM AUGH- WICK-DESERTERS-THANKS OF COUNCIL-SPEECIF OF SCARROYADY- INDIANS LEAVE AUGHWICK-CHANGE IN CROGHAN'S RELATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT-NO LONGER IN CHARGE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.
In the Autumn of 1754 the attitude of the French to- wards the frontiers was threatening. It was doubtful whether the place to which the fortunes of war had brought the Indians would afford them security. They could not defend themselves against the allied French and Indians, and could only look to the government for protection. They desired that a stockade fort be built at Aughwick; while the Assembly at Philadelphia were considering the propriety of removing them to the mouth of the Juniata. At this junc- ture, Croghan was asked his opinion. Richard Peters, who seems to have anticipated what his views would be, insisted that he should express them freely, and suggested to him some arguments in favor of the fortification of Aughwick, and put to him the direct inquiry whether it was not abso- lutely necessary for the settlers in Cumberland county to have a place of security west of the Blue Hills and on this side of the Allegheny, and whether there could be a more proper place than Aughwick.
Croghan wrote to Governor Morris and to Peters on the same day, December 23d. He opposed the removal of the Indians and favored the building of a fort. He had con- sulted the Indians, and said they would be well pleased to remove, but Scarroyady, who had gone to Onondaga, had directed that not one of them should go away during his absence. "As to removing the Indians to the Mouth of Juniata," he said, "I think it a very improper place, for this reason : it is settled with a set of White Men that make their Living by trading with the Indians that is settled on
56
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
the River Susquehanna and sells them little else but Spirits, so that it would be impossible to keep these Indians from spending all their Clothing and then they would be forever teasing your Honor for Goods. Indeed it is my Opinion that were they to live in any part of the Inhabitance it would be attended with bad Consequences, as there is no keeping them from being inflamed with Liquor if they can get at it, cost what it will, besides it is dangerous for fear of their getting Sickness, then they would say the White People killed them, and while they stay here they are a Defense to the Back Inhabitants, which I think lays very open to the Enemy, and I think if the Government intends to build any Fortification for the Security of the back In- habitants, that this place or somewhere hereabouts is the properest place."
But as no conclusion could be arrived at until the return of Scarroyady, the matter seems to have been postponed, and perhaps indefinitely, for we hear nothing more of it for nearly a year.
The attention of Croghan was soon called from the de- fense of Aughwick to the aggressive movements then on foot against the French stronghold. General Braddock arrived from England in February, 1755, to take cammand of the British forces in America. A council of war was held at his camp at Alexandria, Virginia, on the 14th of April, in that year, at which Governor Morris and the Gov- ernors of Massachusetts, New York, Maryland and Virginia were present. Braddock there delivered a letter to Gover- nor Morris desiring him to inform the Indians in Pennsyl- vania of his arrival, and that he was then on his march with a body of the King's troops to remove the French from the Ohio. This letter was laid before the Provincial Council, by whom it was determined that large quantities of wam- pum made into strings and belts, should be sent to Croghan, and that he should be pressed to notify the Shawnees, Del- awares, Twightwees, Wyandottes, and all the Indians on the Lakes, of Braddock's march, and invite them to join the General, and that Scarroyady, then at Aughwick, and the
57
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
Indian called the Belt of Wampum, should be consulted in regard to the co-operation of the Indians with the army.
Governor Morris sent the wampum and a copy of Brad- dock's letter to Croghan, and directed him to convene at Aughwick as many Indians of the Six Nations, Delawares, Shawnees, 'Twightwees, and Wyandottes, as possible, and to deliver to them the belts and strings, and to entreat them immediately to join the General on his march. He was also to send belts and strings to the Indians that were more re- mote, and to request them to place themselves under Brad- dock's orders.
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.