USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 23
USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 23
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this parcel of ground as a resting place for the remains of the departed. On the arrival of the funeral procession, an appro- priate address was delivered by the Rev. Mathew Hehl, then, the usual funeral service while the corpse was let in the grave, was read ; after which, the assembled congregation knelt down, and with solemn prayer consecrated the spot, for all who in future would be enterred here, to rest in hope till that import- ant moment when Christ shall call those who died in the Lord, from their graves to a glorious resurrection. B.
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an oblong shape, and flats on the top, to which shape " they are brought by two moulds, expressly kept for that purpose, one for adults and the other for children. The sides are planted with sod, and the tops are overrun with the Virginia mountain pink, which in the month of May is in full bloom, and renders the appearance of the graves one of the most beautiful imaginable. On each grave there is a marble tombstone which, without distinction, lays flat on the grave, verifying the old adage "Death levels all, both great and small."
The epitaphs contain the name, birth and departure ; to some, a few more lines have been added, a number of which are truly edifying, and very striking. Each tomb- stone is numbered and the highest number in May, 1843, is 527. The first person was buried there in 1758.
It is truly remarkable, that out of the several thousand children, who have been sent to the Litiz Schools, only one died while at school. This was Miss Sarah Ann Cazy, from Kent county, Maryland, and who we are informed, was in a delicate state of health when brought to the school; her grave is No. 379, and is found in one of the rows containing young girls between the ages of twelve and eighteen. This only death, certainly speaks volumes in favor of the healthy location of the village, as well as of the care and attention which is paid to the children entrusted to these schools.
Having given the reader an account of the graveyard, it may also be agreeable to him to know how funerals are conducted among these Moravians, who live in a community together. When a member dies or "GOES HOME," as it is generally termed among them, the depar- ture is immediately announced with solemn music from the steeple of the church. It is customary not to bury any person after his departure, until three days have
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relapsed, and in order to accomplish this, particularly in the summer season, when bodies are more subject to corruption, there is a small building or vault behind the church for the purpose of keeping the departed in a better state of preservation. To this place the remains are removed, which however, is optional with the relatives of the departed; another reason why they have this arrangement, is, in case a person dies of a contagious disease, that it may be prevented from spreading further, by removing the body from his residence. On all funeral occasions, there is first an address to the congregation in the church, which is closed by the choir singing an ap- propriate anthem. The congregation then assembles in the large yard behind the church, in the middle of which is placed the bier with the coffin, which is covered with a white pall, instead of black, as is the general custom ; on the pall the words "Jesus my Redeemer liveth," are wrought in blue silk. After the singing of a hymn the procession moves in the following order : First the chil- dren, two by two, attended by their teachers, next the . music and clergy, and then the corpse and relatives ; if it be a funeral of a brother, the brethren follow next to the relations, and if a sister, the sisters ; as the procession moves, the solemn music of the band is heard playing tunes of well known hymns, expressing the hopes of eternal life, and a glorious resurrection. After the con- gregation is arranged on the graveyard, the corpse is lowered into the grave during the singing of an appro- priate hymn; after which the funeral service customary at burials is read, and the singing of another hymn closes the ceremony ; the procession then returns in the same order as before described. We have been thus explicit . on this subject because the grave yard and funerals, in nearly every respect are different from those elsewhere
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and that an accurate description might prove interesting to the reader.
THE LITIZ SPRING .- This spring, which is visited by so many persons, is situated on the land of the Society, about one-half mile westwardly from the village, and is probably one of the largest springs in Pennsylvania .- There is only one fountain from which all the water, which forms a considerable stream, is discharged, and has water sufficient for some of the largest merchant mills in the county. From its head to the Conestoga, into which the stream, denominated on the map of Lan- caster county, " Carter's Creek," empties, it is six miles, and in that distance, there are seven mills. The water is the pure limestone, and very fresh. In former times, it førmed a large pond, around which Indians resided, of which the number of Indian arrorw heads, hatchets, and stones used for throwing in their slings, give ample proof. Could these Indians return and see the great change which has taken place at their spring, they would probably not believe it to be the same, from which they had formerly drunk. About the year 1780, some of the inhabitants of Litiz began to improve it by enclosing it with a circular wall and filling up part of the pond, and in later years the remaining part was filled up, and there, where there was formerly a considerable body of water, there is at this time a beautiful park of trees .- Various improvements were undertaken from time to time; but at no period was it found in such an im- proved state as at this time. Around it are a number of seats, and on the hill, from under which it has its source, there are handsomely laid out gardens, arbors and orna- mental shrubbery. From the spring to the village is an avenue of Linden and Maple trees, winding along the stream, the path of which is partly covered with gravel,
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and partly with tan, which renders access to it easy in wet, asZ,rell as dry weather. Along this avenue there are vartVus seats under shade trees for the accommoda- tion of Visitors, and also several neat bridges, in case they wish to cross the stream. Among other attractions, there is a water work on a small scale; this consists of a forcing pump, the wheel of which is set in motion by the stream, and forces the water into a circular basin, located under a number of oaks, which have grown there in a circular form, as if nature had predestined the spot for a retreat of pleasure. In the centre of the basin there is a jet, through which the water is forced by the pump to the height of fifteen feet, forming thereby a beautiful fountain, and rendering the spot still more delightful.
FIRE ENGINES .- The village is provided with two excellent Fire Engines, one of which called the " Friend- ship," was built in Philadelphia, by Messrs. Agnew & Merrick, and the other, called the " Assistance," by Mr. Martin Shreiner of Lancaster. The Friendship is kept in the upper part of the town, and the Assistance in the lower, in buildings expressly put up for that purpose .- There are two well organized companies, and their apparatus, consisting of hose, ladders, axes, hooks, &c., is very extensive. Only one fire occurred in Litiz since its establishment ; this was on the 16th of July, 1837, when five buildings were consumed, and among them was the house to which we have referred, which formerly was the so called Warwick church.
POPULATION, MECHANICS, &c .- The population of of Litiz is at present 366 ; it contains fifty-five dwelling houses, and the following number of mechanics : two shoemakers, three tailors, one confectioner, one weaver, one tanner, one brewer, two clock and watch-makers,
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one silver-smith, one potter, one smoke-pipe, manufac- turer, two stores, one tavern, two coopers: w > chair- maker, two cabinet makers, two tin-smith io lie lock- smith, one copper-smith, two saddlers, one Lue dyer, one glue-boiler, one blacksmith, one wheel-wright, one hatter, three tobacconists, one malt manufacturer, one post office, four schools, one justice of the peace, and one conveyancer.
One of the stores and the tavern belong to the com- munity, to which also. belongs the land, which is partly divided into farms, and partly into lots, which are rented by the inhabitants, and the profits arising from the rents, are applied for various purposes.
Formerly there was an extensive chip hat and bonnet manufactory carried on by Mr. Mathias Tschudy, which gave employment to many. He was the only person in the United States that understood the art of manufacturing them, and supplied nearly all the cities and country with his hats. The palm leaf and straw hats, coming into fashion, they were preferred, and con- sequently the factory was discontinued.
Organs were also built in Litiz in former times, which for tone and excellent workmanship, are very celebrated. A number of the best organs in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Lancaster, are specimens thereof; and among others, the large and beautiful organ in the Lutheran church, at Lancaster, is one of them.
In former times, the augers which were sent from England had no screw, serving as a point, as we have them in our day. The invention of this screw was first made at Litiz, by Mr. John H. Rauch, Senior, during the last century; the pattern was then sent to England by Judge Heury, after which the screw point was. generally introduced.
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The first plan of the ten-plate stoves was also invented at Litiz, by Mr. Godfrey Albright, who made a pattern and gave it to Robert Coleman, Esq., and who then introduced them.
NOTE .- Members of the Assembly for Lancaster county .- 1749, James Wright, Arthur Patterson, Calvin Cooper, Peter Worrall ; 1750, Arthur Patterson, Calvin Cooper, James Wright, James Webb; 1751, Peter Worrall, James Wright, Calvin Cooper, Arthur Patterson ; those of 1751, were all re-elected for 1752, 1753 and 1754; 1755, no return made, but James Wright and James Webb, appeared; 1756, Emanuel Carpenter, James Wright, James Webb, John Douglass; 1757, Isaac Saunders, Emanuel Carpenter, James Webb, James Wright; those of 1757, were re-elected for 1758, 1759 and 1760.
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CHAPTER VI.
Hostilities between the English and the French in America-Delaware and Shawanese Indians commit murders-General Braddock's arrival, &c .- Braddock's defeat-Dismay caused among the frontier settlers- Paxton and Tulpehoeken refugecs at Ephrata-Murders committed by the Indians-Block House ereeted at Lancaster-Inhabitants of Lan- caster county petition the Assembly for a Militia law-Scalping partics- War suspended against the Indians-Preparations made to repel Indian incursions-Conrad Weiser commands nine companies-French hos- tilities continued-Murders committed by the Indians in 1757-Indian treaties, at Lancaster and at Easton-Minutes, extract from, of Indian treaty, at Lancaster-King Beaver's speech-Treaty held at Easton; fifteen tribes of Indians represented-Murders by Indians in Tulpc- hocken-Murders committed by the Indians in 1758-Cumberland over- run by savages-Inhabitants flee to Lancaster, &c .- Barracks erected at Lancaster-Work-House erected at Lancaster-The Irish sell to the Germans, and seat themselves at Chestnut Glade-Baron Stiegel lays out Manheim-Notice of the Baron-Notes of variety ; Emanuel Carpenter ..
ARDENT hostilities between the English and French commenced in America, in 1754. The events of that year in America, had determined both England and France to send re-inforcements to their colonies. The French courted, and won the assistance of many of the Indians, who had felt themselves aggrieved by the English; especially the Delawares and Shawanese,*
*The Indians felt themselves aggrieved. At a treaty held with the Indians, at Easton, Pennsylvania, in November, 1756; upon the Governor requesting of the Indians to know the cause of their uneasiness, and hostile conduct. Teedyuscung, chief of the Delawares, and who then represented several nations, mentioned several; among which were the instiga- tions of the French, and the ill usage or grievance they had suffered both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. When the Governor desired to be informed what these grievances were, Teedyuscung replied, "I have not far to go for an instance :
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whose cruelty was stimulated by the French promising "to restore their lands." They committed gross atroci- ties upon the provincialists-perpetrated cruel and cold- blooded murders. At this time the Six Nations, a numerous people, were seated on the western waters- they were cold towards the English cause-"divided among themselves, and barely maintained their neutrality. Some of them had moved to Canada-those who re- mained were only kept pacific by the liberality of the province. The' French were making preparations to subdue the country, and while thus preparing, England determined to oppose " their growing power." General Braddock, Adjutant General St. Clair, and the regiments of Dunbar and Halkett, arrived from Europe, in March, 1755, at Alexandria, Virginia.
To oppose a formidable obstacle to the invasion of the French, Franklin was commissioned on " liberal terms to procure one hundred fifty wagons, and fifteen hundred pack-horses. In a few weeks all the wagons, and two hundred and fifty pack-horses were obtained in Lan- caster, York, and Cumberland county. The wagons and pack-horses, with the necessary provisions, met General Braddock on Will's creek, Fort Cumberland. Braddock being amply furnished with all the necessaries, and re-in- forced by a numerous body of Americans and Indians,
this very ground, that is under me;" striking it with his foot; "was my land and inheritance; and is taken from me by fraud : when I say this ground, I mean all the land lying be- tween Tohiccon creek and Wyoming, on the river Susque- hanna. * I have been served so in this province."- Minutes of Conference at Easton.
The Delawares and Shawanese, who had emigrated from the southi, and by mere permission to settle in 1698, had no title to land, yet they claimed some by the permission from the proper owners.
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broke up his encampment, June 12th, and marched his army to the fatal field, where, on the 9th of July, 1755, he met with an unparalleled discomfiture. He had five horses shot under him, and received a ball through the arms and lungs-he expired the 18th of July. Sixty- four, out of eighty-four of his officers and one-half of his privates, were killed or wounded. The issne of this battle inspirited the enemy, and dispirited the provincialists. Dismay and consternation brooded upon the frontier settlers. "The enemy now roamed unmo- lestedly and fearlessly along the western lines of Vir- ginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, committing the most appalling outrages, and wanton cruelties, that the cu- pidity, and the ferocity of the savage could dictate .--- The first invasions were in Cumberland county, whence they soon extended to the Susquehanna. The inhabi- tants, dwelling at the distance of from one to three miles apart, fell unresistingly, were captured, or fled in terror to the interior settlement. The main body of the enemy encamped on the Susquehanna, thirty miles above Harris' Ferry, whence they extended themselves on both sides the river. The settlements at the great Cove in Cum- berland county, were destroyed, and many of the inhabi- tants slaughtered or made captives," and the same fate fell upon them at Tulpehocken."t
*One Johnson, had been captured in Lancaster county- Washington while being on a scouting party-1758, took three prisoners of the Indians among whom was Johnson .- Gor- don's Pa. 367.
+On the 14th of December 1755, the savages attacked the house of F. Reichelsderfer, in Albany township, Berks county. R. was in the field, and escaped. The Indians murdered his two children, set his buildings on fire, destroyed his grain, and killed his cattle. At Jacob Gerhart's, neighbor of Mr. Reich-
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. During the time of these hostilities, the doors of the Sieben Taeger at Ephrata were open for the reception of the inhabitants of Tulpehocken and Paxton settle- ments. They did not even consider their cloisters, chapels and meeting rooms too sacred ; these they gave for the accommodation of those who were driven from their homes by the incursions of the hostile Indians. To give both the inhabitants and those who fled thither, protection against the infuriated savage, a company of infantry was despatched by the Government from Phila- delphia to Ephrata,* and on representation of the character of the society, by the commissioners who were sent to visit the place, the Government made them offers of large presents, which they respectfully declined to receive, except two large communion goblets, which was the only recompence they would receive.t
elsderfer, they killed one man, two women. Six children. slipped under the bed, one of whom was burned, the other escaped.
In March, 1756, they burned the house and barn of Barnabas Seitle, and the mill of Peter Conrad, in Berks county, and killed the wife of Balser Neytong, and made captive his son, a lad of eight years of age: they fired upon David Howel, five times, and the last time shot him through the arm .- Gordon.
PETER MILLER, in his Chronicon Ephratense, p. 203, speak- ing of this period, says :- Unterdessen kam der Fiend alle Tage dem Lager der Einsamen naeher, und war nur noch 13 Meilen davon ab, die Fluectlinge liefen Ephrata zu und suchten shutz by denen, die des shultzes selbst bedurften. Alle Tage brachten die Boten neue Nachtrichten von Mordthaten, welches sie ins gemien einem neuen Zusatz vermehrten.
*Manche zeiten war Ephrata voller Roth-roecke .- Chron. Ephra. 202.
+W. M. Fahnestock, M. D.
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386
In the town of Lancaster, preparations were made in the latter part of November, and the early part of December, to erect a block-house. From the following letter, dated Lancaster, December 1st, 1755, addressed to James Hamilton, Esq., we may learn that the inhabitants of the county feared the incursions of the Indians :
HONORED SIR :- I received the favor of yours of the 24th, November, and we are all much pleased by your willingness to contribute to the building of a block-house. The savages who committed the murders in Paxton are now believed to be very numerous, perhaps, one hundred. A number of families, but thirty-five miles from 'us, are entirely cut off. Farmers are flying from their plantations to Reading. An alarm, last night, about twelve o'clock; we assembled in the square, say, three hundred, but with fifty guns; it was shocking to hear at such a moment, when in expectation of the savages, that we had neither a sufficiency of guns, nor ammunition. Thanks be to God, the alarm was false .- The block-house will be built on the north side of the north end of Queen street. There will be a wide ditch around it, a small draw bridge; one important use is to
NOTE .- A petition was presented, November 7, 1755, to the Assembly, from divers inhabitants of Paxton Narrows, Lancas- ter county, praying for the enactment of a militia law, or to gran a sufficient sum of money to maintain such a number of regular troops as may be thought necessary to defend their frontiers, and build fortifications in proper places; also, that Conrad Weiser might be sent to the Indians, at or about Shamokin, in order to sound their dispositions, and engage them to come down among the inhabitants with their wives and children, where they might be plentifully supplied with every necessary, and be out of the reach of the intrigues of enemies .- Votes of Assembly.
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place our wives, girls and and children within, that they may be in safety. *
* These are fearful times. God only knows how they will end.
I am yours,
EDWARD SHIPPEN.
Another, dated Lancaster, December 5, 1755.
HONORED SIR :- The fort we have agreed to build, is as follows: For the stockage, the logs split in the mid- dle, and set on end, three feet in the ground, placed on the north side of the town, between Queen and Duke street ; with curtains 100 feet. The planks of the bastions, 16 feet; and the saws of said bastions, 30 feet each.
Yours, &c.,
EDWARD SHIPPEN.
James Hamilton, Esq., Bush Hill.
Marauding parties of French and Indians were still on the frontiers in January, 1756, attacking the settle- ments on the Juniata river, murdering and scalping such of the inhabitants as did not escape, or were not pri- soners. To guard against these devastations, a chain of forts and block-houses were built, garrisoned with from twenty to seventy-five provincials, as the situation and importance of the places required.
"The friendly Indians were gathered in from the Susquehanna to Philadelphia, lest they should be mis- taken for enemies. These did not remain long at Phila- delphia, headed by their leaders. Scarroyady and Mon- tour-they merited praise from the whites-at the risk of their lives they visited the several tribes of Indians seated along the Susquehanna, to dissuade them from taking up arms.
While preparations were in progress to wage war with certainty against the Shawanese and Delawares, in-
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formation was received by the Governor,* "that Sir William Johnson, through the mediation of the Six Nations, had succeeded in disposing the Shawanese and Delawares to an accommodation, and that these tribes had promised to refrain from hostilities. On the part of the province, the Governor suspended the war against the Indians, by proclamation." A treaty was pro- posed, and acceded to. It was held at Easton. But scarce had the Indians returned to their wigwams, when new scenes of cruel murders were perpetrated on the southward of the Blue Mountains.t The frontier set- tlers were driven into the interior. "In 1755, the country west of the Susquehanna, possessed three thousand men fit to bear arms, and in 1756, exclusive of the provincial forces, there were not one hundred; fear having driven the greater part into the interior."
Successfully to repel the insurgents, the Governor and provincial commissioners raised twenty-five companies, amounting to fourteen hundred men .; Nine of these
*Governor Morris of Pennsylvania, thought proper by pro- clamation, to declare war against all Indian nations who should persist in so doing ; offering one hundred and fifty dollars for every hostile Delaware Indian taken alive, and one hundred and thirty dollars for every scalp, inviting at the same time, all those who laid down the hatchet, to meet at a treaty of peace .- Heckewelder's Nar. 50.
+Heckewelder's Narrative.
#It appears the government was somewhat remiss in timely action. Intelligence arrived at Philadelphia, April 13, 1756, that the people of the back counties were about to meet at Lancaster to march to Philadelphia, and make some demands of the legislature in session. The 15th of the same month Mr. Chew and others were sent by the governor to persuade the people to desist. April 21, Mr. Chew and others returned from Lancaster ; and the governor summoned the Assembly for the 10th of May .- Haz. Pa. Reg. V. 287.
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companies were commanded by Lieut. Colonel Conrad Weiser; they were stationed at different points, to meet the exigencies of the time and place, one at Fort Augusta; one at Hunter's mill, seven miles above Harrisburg, on the Susquehanna; one-half company on the Swatara, at the foot of the North Mountain; one company and a half at Fort Henry, close to the gap of the mountain, called Tothea Gap; one company at Fort William, near the forks of the Schuylkill river, six miles beyond the mountain; one company at Fort Allen, at Gnadenhutten, a Moravian settlement : the other three companies were scattered between the rivers Lehigh and Delaware, at the disposition of the captains, some at farm-houses, others at mills, from three to twenty in a place. Major James Burd and Colonel Armstrong, had the command of the other companies; these were principally sta- tioned west of the Susquehanna .* "The Shawanese and Delaware Indians, stimulated and abetted by the French, kept up their hostilities, till 1757, when negotiations for peace commenced with Teedyuscung, the chief of the Delaware and Shawanese tribes, on the Susquehanna, their fury abated. But the French and Western Indians, still roamed in small parties over the country, committing murders. The counties of Cumberland, Berks, North- ampton and Lancaster, were, during the spring and summer months, of 1757, kept in continual alarm,t and
*Gordon's Pa.
+March 29, 1757, the Indians made a breach at Rocky Springs, where one man was killed and eleven taken prisoners. April 2d, 1757, William McKinnie and his son were killed near Chambers's fort. April 17th, Jeremiah Jack, near Potomac, was taken captive, and two of his sons killed, and a man and woman were drowned in the Potomac, while endeavoring to escape. April 23d, John Martin and William Blair were
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