USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County : to which is prefixed a brief sketch of the early history of Pennsylvania > Part 10
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Faithful, Lydia, Sarah and Sophia. Daniel married Gilsey Young, and had Daniel, William and Mathias, and two daugh- ters. Margaret married Michael Fickle, and had a large family. Barbara married Hironimeus Eckman.
Henry, the father of Amos, assisted in clearing the ground on which part of the city of Lancaster is now founded.
The "London Land," alluded to, descended to the four sons, John, Henry, Mathias and Daniel, all of whom had children, and left their estates to their respective descendants- a large portion of which is still held in the name.
Active measures were taken by the emissaries of the British, to prevail on the inhabitants to take protections from the Crown, and Henry Slaymaker was called upon to take one, but refused, having taken part with the Republic, and was a. magistrate at that time, and received the oath of allegiance . from all who were friendly to the Republic. He was the oldest" Justice, and after M. Hubley became incapable of trying a. cause, he was appointed principal Judge, and presided for at year.
In the time of the Revolution there was a company. of young : men who entered into articles of agreement for the purpose of suppressing all who were then called tories-at the head of this, was Col. James Mercer, an active whig-Amos Slay- maker, (son of Henry), was one of this association, and his Father (Henry) also an active whig, had, at all times, informa -. tion of what was going on so as to suppress any attempts at rising against the Republic, or stealing or carrying off " property. It was very effective in suppressing the incursions of the tories, who were very annoying to the eastern section of Lancaster county, by stealing and carrying off horses and. other property to the British army-but was attended with great hazard to the members. They were ordered out by Henry Slaymaker, (father of Amos) when information was given of their presence in the neighborhood : and I have often heard my father (Amos) relate adventures he had in pursuit of them at night, which was their time for committing depreda --
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The same year the Conestoga Manor was surveyed for the use of the proprietary, by order of the Commis-
tions, and he has often been out whole nights after them-one in particular, when they were informed that the Doanes, who were celebrated tories, were encamped in a swamp near the Gap, about where the Pennsylvania Railroad passes the Gap, and the associations went in pursuit of them through a tremen- dous storm of rain, sleet, thunder and lightning, but after great difficulty from underwood, briars, and in gaining their retreat, they found some of the disaffected in the neighborhood, had in the mean time apprised them of their approach, and they had escaped. The members of this company were in constant danger of losing their lives, as many in the eastern part of the county were disaffected-and they were in danger of being shot even at their ordinary occupations. Amos served two terms in the Revolutionary war as an Ensign of a company, commanded by his uncle Capt. John S. (father of the present Captain) who was also an officer in Braddock's war. Amos was magistrate for many years-a member of the Legislature and of the Pennsylvania Senate, and also a member of Congress."
[Extract of a Letter from John Slaymaker, Esq.]
"My father John, was in Braddock's campaign, as a wagoner. He was put to draw a cannon at the place of ren- dezvous, and took it into battle on the day of Braddock's defeat-he had eleven horses to it on that day, which were all shot before the retreat. I have often heard him say if it had not been for Washington's brave conduct in covering the retreat, there would hardly a man have escaped. In this conflict the most of the American troops were killed-my father came off safe. In 1776, he marched at the head of a company to Bergen, in Jersey-was in the skirmish on Chesnut Hill, under General Bull, where Bull was taken prisoner. After his return home, he was chosen County Commissioner, which ended his public services. He died in I798, aged 65 years.
The sale of the "London Land" was in the year 1761, in Philadelphia. Father paid £800 for 346 acres of said tract.
NOTE-LONDON LANDS, in Lancaster county .- It appears that a land company was organized at an early date. In
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sioners of Property,* to Jacob Taylor, Surveyor Gen- eral-he had been Surveyor General for many years-
1696, this company, called the London Company, owned 65,000 acres of land in Pennsylvania, usually known by the name of London Lands; of this, there were 47,800, in Lancas -- ter and Berks. Part of these lands were rented at the rate of £2 per 100 acres, with exception of some thousands of acres sold from 1718-1720, by the company to different persons. The rest remained in possession of the company until 1762 .- At this time the heirs of those who originally constituted the company had been considerably scattered, and many entirely unknown. An Act of Parliament was therefore procured authorizing the sale of the land, and Dr. Fothergill, Daniel Zachary, Thomas How, Deboreaux Bowly, Luke Hinde, Richard How, Jacob Hagen, Sylvanus Grove and William Heron, were the agents appointed to superintend the business. Their attorneys in this country were Samuel Shoemaker, Jacob Cooper and Joshua Howell. In 1762, sales were ac- cordingly effected to the great satisfaction of the occupants of the land, who had generally made considerable improvements, cleared away the wood, and erected comfortable farm-houses, and out-buildings, many of them not being altogether aware of titles ; but supposing that they were possessed of a fee simple estate in soil-the prices however at which they were held, were not unreasonable; each settler, it is believed, with few exceptions, purchased the tract upon which he was seated .-. There were a few squatters who were not willing to comply.
The case of Horrabine is still remembered by some of the . descendants of the first settlers on the London Lands. One Richard Brazier had squatted, in the vicinity of the Slay- makers. Brazier died, left a widow and some money-Horra- bine made suit to, and married the widow. He forged a deed for a London tract-the misdating of three days exposed the forgery-and he was tried, convicted, cropped and sent to Honduras Bay to chop Logwood. His family was left penny- less.
*These are to authorize and require thee without any delay to survey or cause to be surveyed all that tract of land lying between Sasquahannah river and Conestogo creek, from the
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from 1706 to 1733, when Benjamin Eastburn was appointed.
mouth of said creek as far up the river as the land already granted to Peter Chartier, and then by a line running from the said river to Conestogo creek, all which tract of land for the proper use and behoof of William Penn, Esq., proprietary and Governor in Chief the said Province, his heirs and assigns forever. Given under our hands, March 1, 1717-18. The Manor was afterwards divided and sold to purchasers.
CONESTOGA MANOR.
NOTE .- This survey included rising of 16,000. It was after- wards sold in small tracts and patented. The following were the principal patentees: Israel Pemberton held 300 acres, date of his patent, October 1st, 1723. The Messrs. Wrights own 1500 acres-date of patent, December 13, 1735-sold after- wards in smaller parcels to John Herr, Andrew Stineman, Daniel Lintner, Jacob Killhaver, Rudy Herr, Jacob Frantz, Godfrey Klugh, Mathew Oberholtzer, Rudy Herr, Jr., John Killhaver, Christian Hershy, Andrew Kauffman-James Patti- son, 107 acres, Nov. 21, 1734, James Logan, 700 acres, patent dated July 15, 1737, afterwards held by George Brenner, Philip Brenner, Christian Stouffer, Casper Souter, Adam Fisher, Valentine Rummel, Lawrence Cliffer, Christian Stake -Michael Baughman, 489, Michael Mayer, 131 acres, both same date, Feb. 20, 1738, Michael Mayer, sen., 217 acres, patent dated October 16, 1737, Abraham Steiner, 63 acres, May 3, 1740, John Wistler, 167 acres, July 3, 1741, Jacob Kuntz, 166, Anna Ottila Betty Koffer, 166, Jacob Hostetter, 475, John Shank, 197 acres, patent dated July 30, 1741, Edward Smout, 113 acres, June 21, 1743, Michael Baughman, 339, May 28, 1752, Abraham Hare, 424, April 22, 1751, Jacob Wistler, 125, Valentine Miller, 140, both May 25, 1756, Martin Funk, 237, Dec. 18, 1758, Jacob Wistler, 202, Jacob Shuck, 185, Aug. 18, 1759, Abraham and John Miller, 89, Valentine Haith, 29, Robert Beatty, 226, Feb. 1760, Samuel Herr, 247, John Keagy, 188, Henry Funk, 150, Jacob Wistler, 173, Ludwich and Frederick Ziegler, 209 June, 1760, John Witmer, 77, Abraham Miller, 204, Rudolph Herr, 176, Jacob Witmer, 77, Nov. 1761,
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Passing, we would add the remark, that "technically speaking, there were no Manors, (that is, lands belong- ing to a Lord or Nobleman, or so much land as a Lord formerly kept in his own hands for the use and sub- sistence of his family) in Pennsylvania, although the proprietary's tithes, and other large surveys for them, were so called."
The settlement of the Ferrees and Lefevres, received a considerable augmentation about this time. The promising fruitfulness of the country, beside other advantages, attracted settlers, among them were the Slaymakers, Witmers, Lightners, Eschelman, Herr, Hershey, Espenshade, Baer, Groff, Graaf, Zimmerman, Koenig, Keneagy, Denlinger, Beck, Soudor, Becker, Ream, and many others.
James M'Master, 247, April, 1761, John Keagy, 159, Henry Funk, 177, David Hare, 195, John Miller, 150, George Adam Dustler, 112, John Correll, 209, Christian Stoner, 244, all dated 1761, Michael Kauffman, 116, John Kauffman, 118, Jacob Kauffman, 167, Christian Kauffman, 163, Michael Kauffman, 118, Abraham Steiner, 200, John Wormely, 115,Jacob Whistler, 19, John Kreemer, 184, Bartholomew Butt, 40, John Graff, 136, all dated 1762, Philip Ulweiler, 39, Benjamin Miller, 220, David Hare, Jr. 94, Peter Snyder, 86, Henry Atkinson and Adam Bigging, 49, Peter Witmer, 132, dated 1763, John Miller, 60, Jan. 19, 1764, John Newcomer, 109, Joseph Nelson, 109, Jacob Wisler, 178, Mary Wright, 119, dated 1767, John Kendrick, 558, James Pratt, 232, 1768, Henry Buckley, 150, 1769, William Wright, 257, 1770,; Ulrich Rebur, 232, John Manning, 165, 1772, Jacob Ashleman, 340, 1774, Indian Town, 414, Blue Rock, 800 acres. We omitted fractions of acres.
NOTE .- Thomas Penn estimated the value of Conestoga Manor, being 65 miles from the city of Philadelphia, 13,400, at £40 per hundred acres, £5,360, Pennsylvania currency .- There is no date to the paper from which we made the extract. Sparks' Franklin, III. 553.
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A settlement was also commenced in the interior of the county ; Hans Graaf located at the head of a small stream, known by the name of Grove's run, in West Earl township." He was joined next year by Mr. Wenger,
*Hans Graaf fled from Switzerland to Alsace, with one of his brothers, about the year 1695 or 96, he came to Germantown, where he remained a short time; afterwards settled on Grove's Run, in Earl township, both of which were named in honor of him. The following circumstance, as related to us by one of his lineal descendants, will show the reader how Graaf wasled to settle in Graaf's Thaal; for this is the name by which the settlement is known to this day :
His horses having strayed from Pequea; while in pursuit of them in a northern direction from the inhabited parts, he dis- covered a fine spring in a heavily timbered spot; the head of Grove's Run. In this elysian dale, said he, will I fix my per- manent abode. He nevertheless pursued his horses till he found them, and returned to Pequea. A short time afterwards he made a disposition of his effects. Now he returned to the spring, and about one-half mile down, on the north side, he erected a cabin under a large White Oak tree, in which he, his wife and an only child, stayed all winter. In the spring of the year, having secured by a warrant, dated November 22, 1717, a large tract of land, he erected a house near the cabin. The spot where he erected the house in the spring of 1718, is still pointed out by his progenitors. At this time, as was common with the aborigines in all the new settlements, the Indians called frequently at his house to sell baskets and Hickory brooms .- Mr. Graaf had six sons; as soon as some of them were grown up, he turned his attention to dealing in blankets, and other articles of merchandize, which he procured at Philadelphia, and took them to Harris's Ferry, on the Susquehanna, and exchanged them for skins, furs and the like.
He spoke, it is said, the Indian language fluently. When one of the sons drove, the old gentleman accompanied him, riding a fine steed, for he kept none but fine horses. On one occsaion, as his team was returning to Philadelphia, Peter, the oldest, was driving, in crossing the Brandywine, which was very flush at the time, he was in danger of a watery grave ;
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1 one of whose grand-sons, Joseph Wenger, occupies the Homestead.
From and after 1718, settlements, in their incipient stages, had been pretty general throughout the greater part of the county. . The Mill Creek Settlement, and others, were commenced about the year 1719, or 20.
About the year 1708,' Alexander Mack, of Shriesheim, and seven others in Schwarzenau, Germany, met in a religious capacity; from which society, arose, what is well known, the Tunkers, or First Day German Bap- tists; and who, though apparently inoffensive, were made subjects of persecution, and were driven by force of oppression into Holland, some to Creyfels, and the mother church voluntarily removed to Serustervin, in Friesland, and thence emigrated to America, in 1719, and dispersed to different parts in Pennsylvania, some to Conestoga, some to Mill Creek, some to Oley, some to Skippack, some remained at Germantown, where they
the father on a lofty steed, rode in, took the young fellow on his own horse behind him, and seizing the lines, drove safely through the rushing stream.
He raised six sons, Peter, David, the grandfather of John Graaf our informant, John, Daniel, Marcus and Samuel, who was known as Graaf, der Jaeger, the huntsman.
Hans Graaf, after having served his day and generation, the public also on several occasions,t and having divided his land among his sons, died, leaving a large family connection .- Perhaps there is no family in the county, more numerous respectable and useful citizens than the Graafs. So, without doubt, the magistrates and inhabitants of Lancaster county thought, when they met to settle upon the bounds and give names to townships, June 9, 1729: they had regard to the worth of this family in calling one of the townships, after the first set- tlers of Graaf, i. e. Earl township.
+Col. Rec. III. 420-673.
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formed a church in 1723, under the charge of Peter Becker.
Among the early settlers on Mill Creek, were Conrad Beissel, a man of some notoriety in the religious history of the county, Joseph Shaeffer, Hans Meyer, Henry Hoehn, and several Landises.
The settlement near and around Lancaster, began to increase. Francis Neff, Hans Henry Neff, Doctor of Physic, who, and his descendants, are well known, Roody Mire, Michael Shank, Jacob Imble, and others, having settled here for some time. Lancaster was com- menced about the year 1721, or 1722. " The settlements about the Indian villages of Conestoga were considera- bly advanced in improvements at this time; the land thereabouts being exceedingly rich; it is now (1721) surrounded with divers fine plantations, or farms, where they raise quantities of wheat, barley, flax and hemp, without the help of any dung."*
According to tradition, where Lancaster is now built, was once an Indian wigwam; a Hickory tree stood in its centre, not far from a spring; under this, the councils met, and it was from one of these that a deputation was sent to confer with William Penn, at Shackamaxon, 1683. The Indian nation was called Hickory, and the town was called Hickory Town, before Lancaster was laid out.t "Gibson, tavern-keeper, had a Hickory tree painted upon his sign, about the year 1722. His tavern was situated near where Slaymaker's Hotel was for many years, now occupied by the Hon. Benjamin
*Proud, II. 128.
: +According to Gordon, Lancaster was originally laid out m 1728, by James Hamilton, Esq. of Philadeldhia, at the request, it is said, of the proprietaries, but certainly with a design on the part of the founder to increase his estate.
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Champneys, on East King street." Another Indian town was built on a flat land north-east of Hardwick, the seat of the late William Coleman, Esq., and a Poplar tree was the emblem of the tribe, whence their name was derived ; this wigwam was situated near Conestoga, and the tree stood upon its bank.
About the time that Lancaster was building, some persons, without any warrant for land, settled on the west side of the Susquehanna. There was one John Grist, very abusive to the Indians, so much so, that they complained to the Governor of the mal-treatment re- ceived at the hands of this squatter. He was rather a reckless character; he, and his accomplices, were auda- cious, contemned the authority of Government. John Cartledge, Esq., by a warrant under the hand and seal of the Governor, raised a Posse Comitatus with instruc- tions to burn and destroy Grist's, and his accomplices, dwellings; Cartledge did not, however, enforce with stern rigidness the letter of his instructions ; but simply warned and admonished them forthwith to relinquish the lands they had unlawfully taken possession of. Grist, notwithstanding this pointed warning, refused to remove ; whereupon the Indians did destroy some of their cattle. Grist, with the fool hardihood of an inured transgressor, repaired to Philadelphia to raise complaint against the Indians. His contumacious behavior, which was con- sidered insolent and seditious, procured him lodgings in jail. The Board, who were moved in compassion for his poor family, granted him conditional release from prison. He returned home in Aug. 1722, and removed his family after he had gathered his corn.t
Some time in the latter end of April, 1719, the Indians at Conestoga addressed a letter to Mr. Logan, +Col. Rec. III. 133-5.
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Secretary, informing, through him, the Governor, that some of their Indians, while on a hunting expedition, were attacked near the head of Potomack river, by a body of southern Indians who had come out to war against the Five Nations, and the Indian settlements on Susquehanna; that the southern Indians had killed several of their people, by which those at Conestoga were so much alarmed that, in their opinion, "The care- ful attention and vigilance of Government was never more called upon than at this juncture."
Measures were adopted by Government, "towards quieting the minds of the Indians, and also to prevent incursions upon them from southern Indians. In a letter from them, to the Governor, in the beginning of June, the Indians at Conestoga stated, "that if any of them had. done amiss, and departed from what was right and good, in not strictly keeping their promises, and observing peace with all the Indians in friendship and league with the English, they would, having admitted their errors and mistakes, offend no more, in that nature or case."
Immediately on the receipt of the letter, in question, Col. French was sent to Conestoga, by the advice of the Board, to treat with the Indians. French met them at Conestoga, on the 28th of June, 1719; on that day, he spoke to them, as follows:
Friends and Brothers:
"By the seal to this paper affixed, and my old ac- quaintance and friendship with you, you will believe me that I am a true man, and sent from your good friend and brother, the Governor of Pennsylvania, to let you know that he is well pleased and satisfied with the letter he received by the care of our good friend, John Cart- ledge, in the beginning of this month, signed in behalf of your nations here met, in, which letter you declare,
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severally, your intentions of keeping his words, and if any amongst you have done amiss, and departed from what was right and good in keeping your promises, to observe, strictly, peace with all the Indians in friendship and league with the English, you have therein acknowledged your errors and mistakes, and engaged to offend no more in that nature or case.
. The Governor takes these assurances of your good behavior very kindly, and now he and his council have sent me on purpose to visit you that I might further treat with you, and receive you in the same manner, and as fully as he and his council, of which I am a one, were all here and present with you, so well begun with our good friend, John Cartledge, and that I might more fully and largely give him an account of your affairs, and how matters go with you. I must, therefore, acquaint you from my Governor, that as you, in your treaty, call yourselves his children, he will always trust you as his sons, and that he has ever since your good friend, William Penn, who is now dead, sent amongst you, and endeavored by all means to keep you in peace, and given you other tokens of his friendship, that you might flourish and increase, that your old men might see their children grow up to their comfort and pleasure, and that . the young men might bury their old parents when they die, which is much better than to see your old people mourn for their young sons, who rashly, and without cause, go to war and are killed in the prime of their years; and he hopes now that you are all fully con- vinced that peace is better than war, which destroys you and will bring you to nothing ; your strong young people being first killed, the old women and children are left defenceless, who soon will become a prey: and so all the nation perishes without leaving a name to posterity.
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This is a plain mark that he and we are your true friends; for, if we were not, then we would encourage you to destroy one another: for friends save people from ruin and destruction, but enemies destroy them. And this will serve as a mark to know all people by, who are your enemies, either amongst you or elsewhere, if they want, or study to throw strife and dissention amongst you: these are a base and bad people, and ought to be rooted out from amongst you; for love and friendship make people multiply, but malice and strife ruin and destroy. Such should, therefore, be shut out, both from you and us, as disturbers of our peace and friendship which have always continued.
I am also to acquaint you, that you have in a grave and solemn manner renewed your last treaty with me, on which message I am now come, that our Governor will write to all the Governors of the English that the Indians within his Government are resolved to live peaceably and quietly, and for that reason that they should give notice to all their Indians thereof, and that all the friends to the English should be accounted as one people, and the Government desires you will let him know of what nation these Indians were who gave you the late disturbance, that they may especially be ordered to do so no more.
I am also to acquaint you that it is the Governor's pleasure that if any of the Five Nations came amongst you to trade or hunt, that you receive them as friends and brothers; but if they come amongst you, either to persuade you to go to war or to go themselves, or in their return from it, that then you have nothing to do with them nor entertain them; for he expects that none of his friends will know any people but such as are
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peaceable, lest they bring you into a snare and you suffer hurt for their faults.
The Governor expects and requires, that if any prisoners, by any means whatever, fall into any of your hands, that he be quickly acquainted with it, and that no person offer to take upon him to kill any stranger prisoner, for it will not be suffered here. He has been much displeased at what happened, and was done by some amongst you last year in these parts, but is now again a friend upon their promise and engagement to. do so no more, and will take no more notice of it, if they observe and fulfil their words. It is indeed, a shameful and base thing to treat a creature of their own shape and kind worse and more barbarously than they would a bear or wolf, or the most wicked creature upon earth. It is not man-like to see a hundred or more people sing- ing songs of joy for the taking of a prisoner, but it is . much worse to see them use all their contrivances of torture and pain, to put that unfortunate creature to death after such a manner, and was as other nations, especially the English, now heard of; for if they in a just war kill their enemies, it is like men, in the battle, and if they take them prisoners, they use them well and kindly, until their King gives orders to return them to their own country. They take no pleasure meanly to. burn, pinch or slash, a poor man who cannot defend himself, it shows mean spirits and want of true courage. to do so. For men of true courage are always full of mercy. I am commanded to tell you, and should have you remember it well, that no person whatever offer, after this time, to put any man to death by torture here, for whosoever does it must answer it to the Governor and Government at their peril. It is, inconsistent with the ways of nations ; it is a violent affront to our Govern-
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