USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County : to which is prefixed a brief sketch of the early history of Pennsylvania > Part 15
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About this time the colonists of Pennsylvania were much annoyed by non-resident Indians, who frequently, in small parties, roved on the borders of the settlements, and stimulated by drink and cupidity, committed out- rages upon the persons and property of the inhabitants. This was the case in the settlements on Manatay creek, which empties into the Schuylkill, thirty miles above Philadelphia.t
In the spring of 1728, the inhabitants of the upper part of Chester county, were considerably alarmed, in view of a quarrel that was likely to ensue between the Indians of these parts and the Shawanese, who had killed two of the Conestogoe Indians. Mr. Wright acquainted the Governor by letter that the Indians. seemed to prepare for war, and that therefore his presence was desired as necessary to settle these differences, which might, in the end, affect the peace of the people of the province. In the back parts of the county, whole
*Col. Rec. III. 302. +Gordon, 206.
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families had left their habitations, through fear of being attacked by the Indians.
The Governor and council paid strict attention to the. representations of Mr. Wright, and made necessary arrangements to go to the seat of disturbance to recon- cile those at enmity. The Governor, attended with some members of the council, and divers other gentle -. men, to the number of about thirty, set out from Phila- delphia, May 22, 1728, and on the evening of the 23rd, arrived at the house of Mr. Andrew Cornish, about a mile distant from Indiantown. Here they spent the 24th and 25th, in waiting for some other persons expected at the treaty and in mutual civilities; and on the 26th, the treaty began at the Indian town of Conestogoe.
Present: The Hon. Patrick Gordon, Esq., Lieut. Go -. vernor, some members of council. and divers other gen- tlemen. Present, also, viz: Ganyataronga, Tawenna, Tanniatchiaro, Taquatarensaly, alias Captain Civility, chiefs of the Conestogoe Indians; Oholykon, Peyeas- hiskon, Wikimikyona, chiefs of some of the Delaware Indians, on Brandywine; Howickyoma, Skayanannego, Onneygheat, Nanamakamen, Peyhiohinas, chiefs of the Ganawese Indians; Weysow-walow, Keyscykakalow Nichtamskakow, chiefs of the Shawanese.
Shakawtawlin, or Sam, interpreter from the Delaware into the Shawanese and Mingoe, (alias Conestogoe) .- Pomapechtoa, interpreter from the Delaware into the Ganawese language. Nicholas Scull, John Scull, and Peter Bizallion, assistant interpreters.
The Governor spoke as follows: My friends and brethren, you are sensible that the great William Penn, the father of this country, when he first brought his people with him over the broad sea, took all the Indians, the old inhabitants, by the hand, and because he found
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them to be sincere, honest people, he took them to his heart and loved them as his own. He then made a strong league and chain of friendship with them, by which it was agreed that the Indians and English, with all the christians, should be as one people. Your friend and father, William Penn, still retained a warm affection for all the Indians, and strictly commanded those whom he had sent to govern this people to treat the Indians as his children, and continued in this kind love for them until his death.
His sons have now sent me over in their stead, and they gave me strict charge to love all the Indians as their brethren, and as their father, William Penn, loved you. I would have seen you before this time, but I fell sick soon after I came over, and continued so until next spring. I then waited to receive some of the Five Nations who came to see me at Philadelphia, and last fall I heard you were all gone hunting.
I am now come to see you, and to renew the ancient friendship which has been between William Penn's people and you. I was in hopes that Sassoonan and Opekasset, with their people, would have been likewise here; they have sent me kind messages and have a warm love for the christians. I believe they will come to me at Philadelphia, for since they could not get hither I have desired them to meet me there. I am now to discourse with my brethren, the Conestogoes, Delawares, Ganawese and Shawanese Indians upon Susquehanna, and to speak in love to them.
My brethren, you have been faithful to your leagues with us, your hearts have been clean, and you have preserved the chain from spots or rust, or, if there were any, you have been careful to wipe them away. Your leagues with your father, William Penn, and with his
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Governors, are in writing on record, that our children's children may have them in everlasting remembrance .- And we know that you preserve the memory of those things amongst you by telling them to your children, and they again to the next generation, so that they remained stamped on your minds never to be forgot.
The chief heads or strongest links of this chain, I find are these nine, viz:
1. That all William Penn's people or christians, and all the Indians should be brethren, the children of one father, joined together as with one heart, one head, and one body.
2. That all paths should be open and free to both christians and Indians.
3. That the doors of the christian's house should be open: to the Indians, and the houses of the Indians to the christians, and that they should make each other welcome as friends.
4. That the christians should not believe any false rumors or reports of the Indians, nor the Indians believe any such rumors or reports of the christians, but should first come as brethren to inquire of each other; and that both christians and Indians when they hear such false reports of their brethren, should bury them as in a bot- tomless pit.
5. That if the christians heard any ill news that may be to the hurt of the Indians, or the Indians hear any such ill news that may be to the injury of the christians, they should acquaint each other with it speedily, as true friends and brethren.
6. That the Indians should do no more any manner of harm to the christians, nor their creatures, nor the chris- tians do any hurt to any Indians, but each trust the other as their brethren.
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7. But as there are wicked people in all nations, if either Indians or christians should do any harm to each other, complaint should be made of it by the persons suffering that right may be done, and when satisfaction is made, the injury or wrong should be forgotten, and be buried as in a bottomless pit.
8. That the Indians should in all things assist the christians, and the christians assist the Indians against all wicked people that would disturb them.
9. And lastly, that both christians and Indians should acquaint their children with this league and firm chain of friendship made between them, and that it should always be made stronger and stronger, and be kept bright and clean, without rust or spot between our children, while the creeks and rivers run, and while the sun and moon and stars endure.
And for a confirmation on our parts all these several parcels of goods, viz: twenty strowd match coats, twenty duffels, twenty blankets, twenty shirts, one hundred pounds of gunpowder, two hundred pounds of lead, five hundred flints and fifty knives.
After which the Governor proceeded and said: My brethren, I have now spoke to the league and chain of friendship, first made by your father, William Penn, with your fathers, which is confirmed. I am now to acquaint you with an unhappy accident that has afflicted me and all good people amongst us, and we lament and mourn with you on the heavy misfortune.
About forty days ago we heard that the Twechtweys* were coming as enemies against this country. I believe
*This intelligence was communicated to the Governor by James Le Tort, Indian trader, then at Philadelphia, who had just come from Chenasy, in the upper parts of the river Sus- quehannah .- Col. Rec. III. 312.
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it is false, for we never hurt the Twechtweys; and about eighteen days since, I received an express from the Iron Works at Mahanatawny,* acquainted me that eleven foreign Indians, painted for war, and armed with guns, pistols and swords, were come amongst our inhabitants, plundering them and taking away their provisions by force, whereupon some of our people, to the number of twenty men, with arms, went to speak to them civilly, but the Indians fired upon them and wounded some of them; our men likewise fired on the Indians and wounded some of them also, but the Indians fired first.t It was very ill done to fire.
As soon as I heard this account, I took my horse and went to Mahanatawny, with several gentlemen of Philadelphia; but the Indians were gone off. I found our people believed there were more coming, and there- fore some hundreds met together with their arms to defend themselves in case the Indians should attack them. As I was returning home, I heard news that grieved me exceedingly. I was told that two or three furious men amongst us had killed three of our Indian friends and hurt two girls. I went back mourning, and sent out men to take the murderers, who were accordingly taken, and they are now in irons in a dungeon to be tried by the laws of the Great King of all the English, as if they had killed so many of his own subjects. I have likewise caused search to be made for the dead bodies, and two women were found murdered, who, by my order, were laid in a grave and covered with shirts and strowds. I hear likewise that the dead body of an Indian man has been found and was buried.
*About 30 miles above Philadelphia, in Berks county.
+They were non-resident Indians, headed by a Spanish Indian .- Col. Rec. III. 321.
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You know there are wicked people amongst all nations; there are ill people amongst you, and you are sometimes forced to put them to death. The English are a great people, and there are likewise wicked men amongst them. I mourn for this misfortune, and will do all I can to comfort the relations of the dead when I see them, which I hope will be at Philadelphia with Sassoonan, and Opekasset.
About eight months ago, I received an account that an Englishman was killed by some Indians, at the house of John Burt, in Snaketown. I heard John Burt was very abusive to the Indians, and I sent to apprehend him, but he fled; if he can be taken he will be punished. But. since there was a man killed, we expect the Indians will do us justice, for we must be just and faithful to each other, that this spot may be wiped away and the chain be kept bright and clean.
You know, my brethren, that one link of the chain is, that when the Indians are uneasy, they should tell it to us, and when we are uneasy, we will tell it to them. I therefore desire your hearts may be open, that I may know if you have any cause of grief, which I will endeavor to remove, for I am your brother.
I have issued a proclamation requiring all people to use you well, which shall be read unto you before I go away. I will prevent any hurt being done to our friends, the Indians, because those who do not behave themselves agreeable to what is therein commanded, will be severely punished. The Governor, council, Indians, and others, as the day before, met at the same place, May 27th.
Tawenna, in the name, and on the behalf of all the Indians spoke to the Governor, which was rendered into English, by John Scull, interpreter.
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Give ear, said Tawenna, my brethren, of Philadel- phia, the Conestogoe Indians, the Shawanese, the Ganawese, and Delawares, have somewhat to say, which they will speak presently.
They say, they look upon the Governor as if William Penn himself were present. They are four nations and among them are several foolish people, as if they were just sprung from the earth; but that since their first friendship with William Penn, they never have received any wrong or injury from him or any of his people .- That several foolish people among them committed follies and indiscretions, but they hope these will never inter- rupt the friendship which is between their people and us, for that they and all William Penn's people are as one people, that eat as it were, with one mouth, and are one body, and one heart.
Then presenting a belt of wampum of eight rows, they say : They would not have the Governor grieve too much for the rash inconsiderations that of late have been committed; they must be buried and forgot, for that what has happened was done by their friends; if it had been done by their enemies, they would have resented it, but that we and they are one; that they have always met with justice and kindness from William Penn, and from all the Governors whom he had sent here, and thus do all the Indians of Conestogoe, Delaware, the Shawanese and Ganawese, say. That they are extremely glad and satisfied with what the Governor said to those yesterday, it greatly rejoiced their hearts that they had no such speech made to them since the time that the great William Penn was amongst them, all was good, and nothing was amiss.
Then presenting four strings of wampum, they say : "They will visit the Governor at Philadelphia, after the
18
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harvest is over, and then they will speak fully to him, as their brother and friend, for the Conestogoes, Delawares, Shawanese, and Ganawese will then come to him, and he may look up the Conestogoe road and expect them. That what had happened at John Burt's House, was not done by them, it was done by one of the Menysinicks, who are of another nation, and therefore, they can say nothing to it."
After this answer of the Indians, some of the gentle- man present, moved the Governor that seeing there was now a numerous company of our inhabitants met together, he would be pleased to press the Indians to declare to him if they suffered any grievance or hard- ship from this Government, because several reports had been industriously spread abroad, as if they had some just cause of complaint. And the Governor having ordered the interpreters to acquaint them therewith; they all answered that they had no cause of complaint, that William Penn and his people had still them treated well, and they had no uneasiness.
The Governor then told them, that he was well pleased with what they had said unto him, and that since the Indian, who killed the Englishman at Burt's house, is not of their nation, he would demand justice from that nation to which he belonged.
After giving the Indians a few presents, the Governor took all the Indian chiefs by the hand, and desired them that when they returned home they should acquaint all their people with what had now passed between them and us, that the remembrance thereof might endure forever.
NOTE .- Iron Works-" Kurtz, it is supposed, established the first Iron Works in 1726, within the present bounds of Lancaster county. The Grubbs were distinguished for their industry and enterprize : they commenced operations in 1728."-Haz. Reg.
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To close this chapter, we have introduced a brief sketch of the public services of our old father, David Dieffenderffer, residing at Hew Holland.
DAVID DIEFFENDERFFER, was born, February 9th, 1752, near New Holland; before he had reached his tenth year, his father, Michael Dieffenderffer, moved to Lancaster. David, when in his eleventh, saw a sight in Lancaster, "too horrible to relate," to use his own language, the massacred Indians in their gore, and one in the agonies of death, menacing revenge by the motion of "his dying hands."
At the age of twenty-five, he sternly advocated the suffering cause of his bleeding country, by actual and personal services; first in the character of a militia man, after the expiration of his tour, he served as an enlisted volunteer of Colonel Houssacker's* regiment, under Captain David Wilbert, of Philadelphia, and Lieut. Col. George Stricker, father of General Stricker, late of Baltimore.
He was in many important engagements. He was engaged in the taking of the Hessians at Trenton, where Colonel Rahl, the Hessian commander, and a gallant officer, was mortally wounded, besides six other officers, and between twenty and thirty privates, of the enemy, were killed, Decembsr 26, 1776, and twenty- three officers, and rising of nine hundred privates, were taken prisoners by the Americans, who lost only four
*Houssacker, who afterwards deserted the Americans, and surrendered twenty or more of his men, at Princeton, had been originally commissioned a major of Wayne's battalion. " He had," says Graydon, "if I mistake not, been an adjutant of the Royal Americans; and was considered a capable dis- ciplinarian. He was a German, or rather a man of no country or any country ; a citizen of the world, a soldier of fortune, and a true mercenary."-Graydon's Mem. 218.
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privates, and two of these were frozen to death. He was at the' cannonading of Trenton, January 2, 1777; when the Americans were repulsed, "I ran," said the veteran to us, in his ninety-first year, "like a Hollander, while the bullets whistled about my ears, and rattled like hailstones against the fence." He was in the en- gagement where there was a fearful odds in numbers and tact against the Americans, when they had to contend against Lord Cornwallis's troops, and reinforced by regi- ments under the command of Colonel Maywood, at the battle of Princeton, January 3rd, 1777; here the British loss was more than one hundred killed, and rising of three hundred prisoners taken. "But the victory was by no means a bloodless one to the Americans; General Mercer was mortally wounded, Col. Haslet, Col. Potter, and other officers of subordinate rank, were killed."
He was with the American army at Morristown, in winter quarters. Here Washington, not trusting to the barriers nature had thrown around his position, sent out detachments to assail and harass General Howe's troops; and it was in these expeditions Dieffenderffer frequently took part.
In a skirmish at Monmouth, in the spring of '77, Dieffenderffer was taken prisoner and shamefully mal- treated by one of the British, who struck him in his face with his musket ; a scar is still visible on his upper lip ; blow upon blow would have been repeated, but for the manly and timely interposition of a small Scotch- man, he was treated as a prisoner. He, and twenty-five or thirty fellow-prisoners, were conveyed to New York, and confined in a sugar-refinery, covered in part with tile. The sufferings they endured, excited universal indignation, and will, everlastingly, reflect reproach on the British commander. Many of them sunk under
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their sufferings and died. Dieffenderffer's sufferings were mitigated by the kindness of a Mr. Miller, Hessian commissary in the English service; having been at Lancaster, he had taken lodging at the public house of Michael Dieffenderffer, and who, in a conversation, told Miller he had a son, a suffering prisoner, at New York, and if he had an opportunity, would send him some money. Miller informed him he would shortly return to New York, and would be pleased to have it in his power to befriend him or his suffering son; the opportunity was improved, and four half-johannes, placed in the hands of the commissary, who, with the characteristic fidelity of an honest Hessian, on his arrival, delivered the gold to David .* He received, he said, with gratitude, and in tears, the money, a kind father had sent him. His condi- tion was greatly ameliorated.
Notwithstanding the economy he used, his money, as his imprisonment was protracted, was reduced to a few cents; and while, as a prisoner of hope, he was meditat- ing how his future sufferings should be mitigated, Capt. Michael Smyser,t of York county, on his return from Long Island, by way of New York, to his home, handed him an English guinea. After five months' suffering, in the latter part of October, he went to Long Island where he was, on parole, laboring for his board and clothing for some time; he returned to New York ; was
*This statement we have from the old father himself; while relating to us the incidents of his eventful life, at this particu- lar, we saw steal down his cheeks, in hurried succession, tears from his sightless organs ; he added, "I had a kind father."
+Captain Michael Smyser was one of the virtuous band of the gloomy period of "76. At the unfortunate capture of Fort Washington, he was made prisoner, and could appreciate the sufferings of his fellow-citizens.
18*
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exchanged, and received a permit ; and in company with Colonel Atlee, who had been taken prisoner before, came to Trenton, where they parted. Dieffenderffer, by way of Valley Forge returned to Lancaster. He remained a short time at home; then in company with Captain Wilbert, went to Valley Forge; here he remained four weeks, sufficiently long to witness the sufferings of the American army.
On the 18th of June, 1778, General Howe evacuated Philadelphia, and crossed over into New Jersey, whither they were speedily followed by Washington; pursuing the enemy; and on the 28th of June, gained a signal victory at Monmouth, over the British. Dieffenderffer was in this engagement. This, says he, was one of the hottest days that he ever experienced; several fell dead from drinking cold water. From Monmouth, they marched to the White Plains, a few miles to the north- eastward of New York Island. Thence they went to West Point, where Washington had his head quarters .- Here Dieffenderffer having received a furlough, returned to Lancaster, where he remained till March, 1779, when he returned to the regiment at Easton .- Under the command of General Sullivan, they marched into the Wyoming country, and Gennesee Flats ; thence returned to Wyoming; then the regiment, under the direction of Major Weldner, came on to Sunbury .- Owing to sickness, Dieffenderffer, as ensign, resigned his commission, and returned to Lancaster, in 1779.
His eventful life, through habits of temperance and moderation, has been lengthened four score and ten .- Though sightless for some years, he enjoys at present remarkable health; and enjoys the company of a virtuous and intelligent offspring and relatives. Here we would add that his cousin, Jacob Dieffenderffer,
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residing in the same village, New Holland, was in the service of his country, when Lord Corn- wallis was taken. We regret that we have not the particulars of his services. May they both continue to command the esteem which they so richly merit, and when their warfare on earth ends, may they rest in peace.
CHAPTER VI.
Ephrata --- Origin of German Baptists in Europe, and their emigration to America-Some settle at Muelbach-Sieben Taeger association formed at Ephrata, by Conrad Beissel-Change of life among them-They built Kedar and Zion-Singular architecture of buildings-Fractur-Schriften by the Sisters-Specimens of original poetry-Eckerlein and the bell- Its destination-Sabbath School established -- Miller succeeds Beissel- Juliana Penn's letter -- Poetry dedicated to Miller-Present state of Ephrata. List of names of the first inhabitants of Ephrata-Names of some of the early settlers in Lancaster county.
A settlement was commenced, in 1725, or 1726, on the banks of the Cocalico creek, where the Reading road, and Downingtown turnpike intersect, at present, in Ephrata township, and is well known by the name of "Kloster," or "Ephrata," or "Dunkertown," a nick- name from the word Dunker, or Tunker, a corruption of Taeufer, Baptists. To show the origin of this settle- ment, we shall introduce as preliminary, a brief histori- cal sketch of the German Baptists, from whom the founder of the society at Ephrata, seceded. Those at Ephrata, are generally known by the name of "Sieben Taeger," Seventh Day People; because they keep the seventh, instead of the first day of the week, as the Sabbath.
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In the year 1708, eight persons, five brethren and three sisters, viz: Alexander Mack, of Schreisheim, in the Palatinate, Germany, George Graby and Lucas Fetter, of Hesse Cassel, Andrew Boney, of Basle, in Switzer- land, and John Kipping, from Wirtemburg, and Johanna Bong, Anna Margaretta Mack, and Johanna Kipping, entered into a covenant with each other, to meet regu- larly, to carefully and impartially examine the doctrines of the New Testament, and by the help of God, to ascer- tain what are the obligations it imposes on professed fol- lowers of the meek ard the humble Saviour; laying aside pre-conceived opinions, and, if possible, to attain to the answer of a good conscience by rendering implicit obedience to the commands of the Lord Jesus; to follow him in evil as well as in good report. The result of their meetings and prayerful investigations was the formation of a society, that as brethren and sisters, under the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, dwelled together in unity of a living faith. This society is now called the Dunkers, from the mode of administering baptism, in water, by trine immersion.
The society having been formed, and, as they con- ceived that immersion was the only valid mode of administering baptism, and none of them thus baptized, they felt themselves in a difficulty, says one of their writers, "not soon gót over;" one of their number, who labored among them in word, visited the societies in differents parts of Germany, to collect the opinion of the awakened generally, upon the subject of baptism; the greater number acknowledged that immersion was the mode practiced by the Apostles and primitive christians, but still endeavoring to satisfy themselves, that a hand- full of water by pouring, would answer the same end, provided it was administered to proper subjects only.
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