USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 3
USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 3
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The proprietary, previous to his departure for Eng- land, had divided the lower part of Pensylvania, into three counties, viz: Philadelphia, Bucks and Chester, and cast the counties into townships, for large lots of land ;t but, as appears from the Colonial Records, did not so clearly define and precisely fix upon the boundaries of the counties, as to prevent, among peaceable quakers themselves, subsequent misunderstandings ..
The boundaries of Chester county, especially its en- largement, had been made the subject of more than a mere transient conversation. Penn, in a discourse, a few days before he left the province, did declare "upon the bank (Delaware) by John Simcock's house,; to John
* Frost's U. S. 139, 140.
¿It appears to have been part of the plan of William Penn to have laid out the province into townships of 5,000 or 10,000 acres, and to have surveys made within the respective bounda- ries of such townships; and that purchasers of large tracts might lie together; he accordingly introduced this clause into his warrani. " According to the method of townships ap- pointed by me." This plan was not long pursued-Smith's: Laws, II. 140.
#John Simock lived in Chester county. He was a man of: good education; was one of the proprietor's first commis- sioners of property, and one of his most trusty friends in the government. He was a Quaker preacher .- He died January 27,1702.
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
Blunston and others, when he was moved to decide, how the bounds of Chester county were to be run, so as to enlarge the limits or boundary thereof; being at that time but a small tract of land not above nine miles square. Owing, however, to his departure, being press- ingly urged to return for Europe, nothing definite was then done as to the enlargement of the county of Chester. In 1685, the council having seriously weighed and considered the same, ordered the bounds to be established .*
Although Chester county had been partly settled be- fore Penn arrived the first time; and notwithstanding his benevolent spirit, in looking more to moral worth and fitness in inviting emigrants of every peculiarity of creed to his province, it, nevertheless, appears that Chester county, with its limited territory, was only thinly seated, prior to 1689. The smallness of tract of land, and its sparse population, were then urged, by the inhabitants of the county, as a consideration to the Go- vernor and council for enlargement, as will appear from their humble petition, in 1689.
"The humble petition of ye Justices of Chester county, in the behalfe of themselves and inhabitants of ye said county, sheweth :
That whereas, ye said county is but a small tract of land, not nine miles square, and but thinly seated, whereby ye said county is not able to support the charge · thereoff; vpon our humble request to the Proprietor and Governor, and his serious consideration of our weak conditions, was pleased out of compassion to vs, to grant an enlargement of ye same, in manner following, viz: to runn vp ffrom Dellaware river, along Darby Mill
*Col. Rec. I. 74.
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creek, ye severall courses thereof, vntill they took in Radnor and Herford townshipps then downe to the Skoulkill; then vpwards along the several courses there -. off, without limmitt.
Therefore, wee humbly pray you will be pleased to confirme ye said bounds, wherebye the county of Chester may be in some measure able to defray their necessary charge, and wee shall, as in duty bound."*
It was signed by John Blunston, Thomas Brassie, Randell Vernon, Caleb Pusey, Thomas Usher. The prayer of the petitioners was considered at several councils, viz: March 25 and 26, 1689. Some time in 1693, the petitioners, inhabitants of Chester county, who had sufferred long for the want of the division, between the county. of New Castle, State of Delaware, and Chester county, having again prayed the council to adjust bounds, a temporary division between the two counties was ordered to be made, August 9, 1693.1 The boundaries of the county extended indefinitely west- ward, and remained unchanged till Lancaster and Berks were successively formed.
The increase of inhabitants in the colony and in Ches- ter county, between the time of adjusting the boundary between New Castle and Chester and Penn's second arrival, was considerable; gradually augmenting the population ; and the settlement extended to Brandywine creek; where, to meet the wants of the people, Corne- lius Empson, as early as 1689, erected a mill; being, as it is believed, the second mill erected in the county of Chester; Karkus's mill having been erected about 1681.
It has been stated that Penn was not successful in his
*Col. Rec. J. 221.
+Col. Rec. I. 340, 345.
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attempts to obtain legislative restrictions upon the inter- course with the Indians to prevent shameful practices upon these poor creatures, by unprincipled whites, whose conduct was occasionally beastly; not satisfied with selling them all manner of spirituous liquors for the sake of gain, but would frequently disgrace themselves and their wretched victims .* His not succeeding in having legislative co-operation, to prevent their temporal ruin, he was determined to improve their condition ; he paid the sons of the forest a visit, participating in all their innocent amusements, and in turn received their visits at his own house at Pennsbury.t He co-operated with his friends, who, as early as 1685, signalized by an attempt with the annual meeting of their society at Burlington, in New Jersey, to communicate the knowledge of christian truth to the Indians. With what success, may be learned from Proud's statement : "that the Indians in general acknowledged at that time, what they heard was very wise, weighty and true; and never . afterwards thought about it." So far as is known to us, the Quaker Missionaries have kept no particular accounts of the the number of Indian converts to Quakerism. There is no doubt that the savages acceded readily to the con- ferences that were proposed to them, and listened with their usual gravity and decorum to the sedate Quaker ; who, in professing to obey the command of the Saviour, "to teach and baptize all nations," ever ventured to teach them that baptism was not an ordinance of divine
*See a case, Col. Rec. I. 96.
+Penn, at a former treaty, had promised the Shawanese Chief, protection. "To enable him to fulfil this promise, he visited them in person at Conestogo, attended by many gen- tlemen of distinction."-Col. Rec. II. 253.
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or christian appointment! Indian converts to christi- anity, if history be true, have been gained in America by Catholics, Puritans, Moravians, Baptists, &c .;* but no records are extant, showing the probable number of conversions of Indians to christianity, by Quakers, though it is admitted, some of the Friends preached with much freedom to them.
Penn, in 1700, formed a new treaty with the Susque- hanna, the Shawanese, the Ganawese,t and tribes of the Five Nations. This treaty provided for perpetual peace and good officers between the parties, confirmed to the Indians the benefits, and subjected them to the penalties of the English law, in their intercourse with the whites : it stipulated that both parties should refuse credence to unauthorized reports of hostility intended by either : that the Indians should never suffer strange tribes to settle in any part of the province without permission from the Governor : that no European should engage in the Indian trade without the license of the government; and lastly, in the neighborhood of the Conestogo, should be con-
*According to Stiles' Literary Diary, there were in 1696, thirty Indian churches in New England .- Holmes, I. 459.
tThe Piscatawise, or Ganawese, having removed nearer the Susquehanna Indians, in 1698, met William Penn in council in May, 1701, and entered into new articles of agreement; the Susquehanna Indians became sureties for their peaceable behavior .- Proud I. 428 .- Col. Rec. II. 9-12.
" William Penn permitted the Piscatawese or Ganawese, to remove higher up the Potomoc, within his claim; and tradi- tion says, he purchased their right of soil on the Potomoc, to strengthen his demand on Lord Baltimore."-Lan. Intell. & Jour.
#Gordon.
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firmed. * In the spirit of this treaty, the Provincial Council formed a company of traders exclusively au- thorized to repress the inebriety of the nations, and to impress upon them a sense of the christian religion by examples of probity and candor.
While busily employed in promoting the temporal welfare of the Indians, and improving the condition of the colonists, he received intelligence from England that measures were agitated to reduce all the proprietary governments in America to royal ones, which induced him to change his mind, and he at once determined to return to Europe, as soon as he had some frame of government firmly established. The assembly met September 15, 1701. A form of government was estab- lished, that gave the representatives of the people the right of originating laws, which was before solely vested in the Governor: it allowed the Governor the veto power on bills passed by the assembly: also the right of appointing his council, and of exercising the whole ex- ecutive power. Soon after the formation of this frame of government, Penn returned to England. He sailed from Philadelphia, November 1st, 1701; before his de- parture, he appointed Andrew Hamilton, Esq., Deputy Governor, and James Logan, Secretary of the province and clerk of the council.
*Proud.
4
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CHAPTER IV.
Prince William dies-Anne ascends the throne-Penn in favor with her- State of affairs in the province-Disquiet among the Indians-Messenger sent to the Conestogo Indians-Secretary of Council and Sheriff of Chester and New Castle are sent to them-Thomas Chalkley preaches at Conestogo-Governor visits the Conestogo Indians-Indian Eloquence -Gov. Evans' strange character, and second journey to the Susquehanna -Governor's journal of his interview with the Indians-Nicole appre- hended at Pixtan, conveyed to Philadelphia and imprisoned.
IN the preceding chapter the reason of Penn's hasten- ing to England is stated. He arrived there about the middle of December, 1701. At home he had sufficient influence to arrest the bill in its progress, for changing the proprietary governments, in America, into royal ones.
The reigning Prince, William III. died January 18, 1702; and was succeeded by the Princess Anne of Den- mark, during whose reign Pennsylvania received aug- mented accessions. Penn became her favorite. She greatly promoted his interest. Though he basked in her favor, he was not protected against the storms of political life. He was harrassed by complaints on the part of the provincialists, on account of the appointment of his Deputy Governor, Evans, whom he had, on the death of Mr. Hamilton, constituted as his successor .*
*Mr. H. died at Amboy, whilst on a visit to his family, who resided at that place, April 20, 1703. It was this year that the representatives of the territory of Pennsylvania persisting in an absolute refusal to join with those of the province in legis- lation, it was now agreed and settled between them, that they should compose distinct assemblies, entirely independent of each other, pursuant to the liberty allowed by a clause in the charter .- Holmes, I. 485.
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
'The state of things in the province was such as to em- bitter Hamilton's brief administration, by the disputes of the assembly. Evans, whose life and conduct were objectionable, was re-called, and superseded by the appointment of Charles Gookin, as Governor, who arrived in March, 1709. He continued in office till 1717. During his administration, the first permanent settlements were made within the present limits of Lancaster, then Chester county .*
Though no actual settlements had been made, prior to 1708, or 1709, in Lancaster county, a few whites had their abodes among the Indians on the Susquehanna .- These were Indian traders, viz: Joseph Jessop, James Le Tort, [+] Peter Bezalion, Martin Chartier, all Frenchmer., the latter had lived, prior to 1704, long among the Shawanah Indians, and upon the Susquehanna;"§ and one Mitchel, a Swiss .¿ Nicole Godin, an active young fellow, but rather a sneak, and one Francois. These, however, had no license to trade among and with the Indians.
It appears from a French letter, from Madame Letort, the French woman at Conestogo, directed to Edmund Ffarmer, bearing date 15th March, 1703-4, that the Towittois Indians had come down and cut off the two families of neighbor Indians at Conestogo, and that they were all there under great apprehensions of further mis- chief from them, and were preparing to demand succor
.
*Lancaster county originally formed part of Chester, from which it was separated in 1729.
[+] See Appendix B.
įSee Col. Rec. II. 133.
#He had been sent out by the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, to search for vacant land.
1
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of the government in case the disorders should be continued .* ·
"The subject, mentioned in the letter, was considered in council, March 22d; and it was resolved that mes- sengers be forthwith despatched to Conestogoe, by way of New Castle, to know the truth of the information, the relation, as it appeared, being somewhat suspicious."
So repeatedly were vague reports of Indian disturb- ances from this quarter, and Indian conferences, held at Philadelphia, that the Governor was induced to send the Secretary of the council, in October, 1705, to Conestogo. The Secretary, in company with the Sheriff, and Clerk of Chester county, and the Sheriff of New Castle, and Hercules Coutts, Hermanus Alricks, Edmund Shippen, Jr., and others, being ten in number, went to Conestogo, as the chief place, telling the Indians that he was come from the Governor of Pennsylvania, who had always been a friend of all the Indians within the bounds of it .- Among others, he would mention things of great im- portance at the present time, and which he must lay before them:
"First, That they should take great care of giving ear to malicious reports, spread and carried by ill men, for that we heard they had been alarmed at the christians putting themselves in arms in all these parts and muster- ing; the reason of this, was the war with the French, and was designed rather to help than hurt them; but, as they and their brethren each must be assistant to the other, and therefore the English took up arms to defend themselves, and the Indians, also, against both their ene- mies. That notwithstanding they ought all, as far as
*Col. Record II. 123 .- 0+ This winter was remarkable, in Pennsylvania, for a great snow, in general about one yard deep .- Proud.
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possible, to avoid war, for peace was most desirable, and war must be only for defence."
"That we are also informed some of the Maryland Indians, then among them, had differed with . the English there, and were afraid to return, or come among the English of that government. If so, they might then continue among us, till matters were fully settled, that our Governor would treat with the Governor of Maryland in their favor; but they must not quarrel with any of the subjects of England, for we are all under one crown, and are as one people."
In the same year (1705,) Thomas Chalkley, an emi- nent preacher among the Quakers, as he was visiting some of his brethren at Nottingham, in the province of Maryland had a concern, says he, on my mind to visit the Indians living near Susquehannagh, at Conestogoe, and I laid it before the elders at Nottingham meeting, with which they expressed their amity, and promoted my visiting them. We got an interpreter, and thirteen or fourteen of us travelled through the woods about fifty miles, car- rying our provisions with us, and on the journey set down by a river, and spread our food on the grass and refreshed ourselves and horses, and then went on cheer- fully and with good will, and much love to the poor Indians, and when we came they received us kindly, treating civilly in their way. We treated about having a meeting with them in a religious way; upon which they called a council, in which they were very grave, and spoke, one after another, without any heat or jarring- - and some of the most esteemed of their women speak in their councils. I asked our interpreter, why they suf- fered or permitted the women to speak in their councils? His answer was, "that some women were wiser than some men."
4*
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"Our interpreter told me that they had not done any thing for many years without the counsels of an ancient grave woman; who, I observed, spoke much in their councils; for as I was permitted to be present at it, and I asked, what it was the woman said? He told me, she was an Empress; and they gave much heed to what she said amongst them; and that she then said to him, "she looked upon our coming among them to be more than natural, because we did not come to buy or sell, or get gain, but come in love and respect to them-and desired their well-doing both here and hereafter;" and further continued, "that our meetings among them might be very beneficial to their young people"-and related a dream which she had three days before, and interpreted it, viz: "that she was in London, and that London was the finest place that she ever saw-it was like to Phila- delphia ; but much bigger-and she went across six streets, and in the seventh she saw William Penn preaching to the people, which was a great multitude, both she and William Penn rejoiced to see each other; and after meeting she went to him, and he told her that in a little time he would come over and preach to them also, of which she was very glad. And now she said her dream was fulfilled, for one of his friends was come to preach to them."
"She advised them to hear us, and entertain us kindly; and accordingly they did. There were two na- tions of them, the Senecas and Shawanese .*
· The Shawanese had wigwams along the bank of the Octto- raro creek, near the present boundary of Chester and Lancas- ter county. When the road, in 1719, to Christiana bridge, &c. was laid, its course was defined-"to the fording place at Oct- toraro, at Old Shawana town, thence over Octtoraro, along the Indian Path, &c .- Court Records, at Chester, Aug. Term, 1719.
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"We had first a meeting with the Senecas, with which they were much affected; and they called the other nation, viz: the Shawanese, and interpreted to them what we spoke in their meeting, and the poor Indians, and particularly some of the young men and women, were under a solid exercise and concern. We had also a meeting with the other nation, and they were all very kind to us, and desired more such opportunities; the which, I hope, Divine Providence will order them, if they are worthy thereof.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was preached freely to them, and faith in Christ, who was put to death at Jeru- salem, by the unbelieving Jews; and that this same Jesus came to save people from their sins, and by his grace and light in the soul, shows to man his sins, and convinceth him thereof; delivering him out of them, and gives inward 'peace and comfort to the soul for well-do- ing; and sorrow and trouble for evil-doing; to all which as their manner is, gave public assent; and to that of the light of the soul, they gave a double assent, and seemed much affected with the doctrine of truth; also the benefit of the holy scriptures was largely opened to. them."
"After this, we returned to our respective habitations, thankful in our hearts to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Several of the friends that went with me expressed their satisfaction in this visit, and offered themselves freely to go again to the like services .*
*Thomas Chalkley, wife and family, came from England to Pennsylvania, in 1701, where he settled and resided for upwards of forty years, except when absent on business. He was, besides, a sea-faring man; also engaged as a minister of the gospel; the discharge of duty, in this double capacity, neces-
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It appears that the Indians, at Conestogo were quite an object of attention; fearful they might be alienated, Governor Evans conceived it of the utmost importance, under these existing circumstances* " to maintain, as far as possible, a perfect good understanding with the Indians, and to labor to keep them secure in the Queen's interest against the machinations used by the enemy to debauch them from" the people of the province. To effect this, he proposed, in August, 1706, the year after Chalkley's errand to them as messenger of Peace, to visit very speedily the Indians of Conestogo, and the ad- jacent settlement. He went, and had a personal inter- view with them at Conestogo; and it proved, as he hoped, of great service.
It was then, perhaps, he was so eloquently addressed by an Indian Orator, who, as the Poet says, spake:
" Hos docet ore loqui facilis natura diserto ; Lingua grande loquens est idioma suae.
( With native eloquence their speech abounds,
Untaught with figures grand, and lofty sounds."
"Father-we love quiet; we suffer the mouse to play; when the leaves are rustled by the wind we fear not; when the leaves are disturbed in ambush, we are uneasy; when a cloud obscures your brilliant sun, our eyes feel dim; but when the rays appear, they give great heat to the body, and joy to the heart. Treachery
sarily called him much away from his family. He was a successful minister-beloved and highly esteemed for his virtues. "He was a man of a meek and quiet spirit; and he possessed an engaging sweetness, both in ministry and con- versation." While on a religious visit to the Island of Tortola, he died in 1741. He left behind him some religious works, and a Journal, from which the above extract has been copied- Page, 47-51.
*There was war, between the French and English at the time.
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darkens the chain of friendship, but truth makes it brighter than ever. This is the peace we desire .*
The Governor and Council having been informed of the treacherous and murderous conduct of Nicole and Francois, in their endeavors to incense the Indians on the Susquehanna, against the English, it was deemed expe- dient that they should be visited again.
. In the summer season of 1707, Gov. Evans made another journey among the Indians. With what-mo- tives he undertook this second journey, is somewhat diffi- cult to decide, if it should be maintained they were pure- ly patriotic. If historians have not been biased, if they have been accurate, faithful and impartial, in reporting to future ages his actions, he presents to the world a strange character; not worthy of imitation. Governors do act strangely sometimes! Of him it is recorded:
"He increased the number of taverns, and ale houses for the sake of license money, which he had doubled: that in his private life he was indecorous and immoral; had practised abominations with the Indians at Conestogo; committed at his own country residence notorious excesses and debaucheries, not fit to be re- hearsed, and had beaten several of the peace officers, who, ignorant of his presence, at a house of ill-fame, had attempted to disperse the company, at ten o'clock in the morning;t and, though by his example, he weak-
*Lan. Intell. & Jour.
+" William Penn, Jr., who came with Evans from England, was one of the parties of this night brawl, and was indicted for his conduct in the city court. He professed the faith of the Church of England, but had worn, it would seem, hitherto in the province a quaker garb. Upon the institution of this prosecution he threw off all disguise, abandoned his quaker connexions, and openly proclaimed his principles."-Logan, MSS.
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ened the hands of the magistrates, he hypocritically caused his proclamations to be read in the churches and religious meetings, against the very disorders which he himself committed."
".He permitted French papists from Canada to trade with the Indians, and' seduce them from the English interest."*
Having presented the reader a historical brief of his moral and political character, an account of his last journey, as laid before the Board in council, the 22d July, 1707, is given in extenso, in these words: "The Governor, with Messrs. John French, Wm. Tonge, Mitchel Bezaillion, Gray, and four servants, set out from New Castle the 27th of June, and the next morning arrived at Octoraro, where the Governor was presented with some skins by the Indians, and the same night we arrived at Pequehan, "at the mouth of Pequae creek" being received at Martines,t by O Pessah, "the chief of the Shawanoes," and some Indian chiefs, who con- ducted us to the town, at our entrance into which place, we were saluted by the Indians with a volley of fire arms. On Monday, we went to Dekanoagah, upon the river Susquehanna, being about nine miles from Peque- han. Some time after our coming here a meeting was held of the Shawanois, Senequois and Canoise Indians, and the Nantikoke Indians from the seven following towns, viz: Matcheattochouisie, Witichquaom, Teah- quois, Matchcouchtin, Natahquois, Byengeahtein, and .Pohecommoati; an Indian presented to the Governor and his company, and all the Indians then present, a
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