USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 4
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*Gordon, 150; Proud, I. 482.
+Martin Chartier, who had lived long among the Shawanah Indians ?- Col. Rec. II, 133.
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large pipe with tobacco, out of which every one smoked, and then the Governor acquainted the Indians that he had received a message from the Senequois Indians, of Conestogo and those of Pequehan, how that several strange Indians were amongst them, and desired his presence there; that although he' had the charge and care of many thousands of the great Queen of Eng- land's subjects, yet he was now come to this place to know their desires, and was willing to serve them in whatsoever lay in his power. To which a Nantikoke Indian replied, that they were extremely glad the Governor was with them, and that they had waited ten days to see him.
Adjunkoe, one of the Sachems of Conestogo, said he was well satisfied with the relation the Nantikoke Indians had given of their affairs; yet, notwithstanding, he was very desirous they should make it known to the Governor that he might also be satisfied with it; a Nan- tikoke Indian took into his hands a belt of wampun from him whereon there was hung nineteen others, and several strings of beads, and said that they had been given to understand the Queen had sent orders that the Indians should live in peace with one another, and that they were sent to give some of those belts in behalf of the Governor of Maryland, and themselves to the Five Nations, as our Indians also intended to do to others for Pennsylvania and themselves, if the Governor thought fit, in order to renew their league with the Five Nations.
Governor-How long have you been at peace with this nation?
Nantikoke Indians-Twenty-seven years.
Governor-What is the reason, then, of so many belts of wampum and strings of beads?
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Nantikoke Indians-We send them as a tribute.
Governor-I am very well satisfied with what has been told me, and with what the Governor of Maryland has done, and had I been acquainted with this business at Philadelphia, I would have sent a belt of wampum as a token of friendship to the Five Nations; but some of those Five Nations were with me not long since, by whom I sent a belt; and then Adjunkoe took a belt in his hands, saying, he meant to send it to the Five Nations for Penn and themselves.
Indian Harry, by order of the Conestogo Sachem, spoke in English to the Nantikoke, who all understood that language, as follows, viz: you are going to the Onandagoes; be sure keep on your way; many may tell you several things to fright you, and that they are great men, and you will be killed. Yet keep on your way and believe them not, for you will find the King of the Five Nations a very great one, and as good a king as any amongst the Indians.
Governor-I am very glad to see you altogether at this time, and it is my desire, and shall be my endeavor, that you all live in peace. Your enemies are ours, and whosoever shall pretend to injure you, I will endeavor that you shall have satisfaction made for it.
Then the conference ended, and the Governor treated the Indian chiefs at dinner, and at night returned to Pequehan.
Pequehan, 30th June.
PRESENT :- Shawanois Indians, and some of the Five Nations.
O Pessah spoke in behalf of the youth of the town, as follows, viz:
We thank the Governor for his kindness in supporting our people. We are happy to live in a country at peace,
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the sacred inviolable natural right of every man, to ex- amine and judge for himself.
Therefore, we think it evident that our notions of future rewards and punishments were either revealed from Heaven immediately to some of our forefathers, and from them descended to us, or that it was implanted in each of us at our creation by the Creator of all things, Whatever the method might have been, whereby God has been pleased to make known to us his will and give us a knowledge of our duty, it is in our sense a divine revelation. Now we desire to propose to him some questions. Does he believe that our forefathers, men, eminent for their piety, constant and warm in their pursuit of virtue; hoping thereby to merit eternal happi- ness, were all damned. Does he think, that we, who are zealous imitators ini good works, and influenced by the same motives, as we are, earnestly endeavoring with the greatest circumspection to tread the path of integrity, are in a state of damnation? If that be his sentiments, it is surely as impious as .it is bold and daring. In the next place we beg that he would explain himself more, particularly concerning the revelation, if he admits of no other, than what is contained in his written book; the contrary is evident from what has been shown before .- But if he says, God has revealed himself to us, but not sufficiently for our salvation, then we ask, to what pur- pose should he have revealed himself to us in any wise. It is clear, that a revelation insufficient to save, cannot put us in a better condition than we be without revela- tion at all. We cannot conceive that God should point out to us the end we ought to arrive at, without opening to us the way to arrive at that end. But sup- posing our understanding to be so far illuminated as to
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know it to be our duty to please God, who yet has left us under an incapacity of doing it; will this missionary therefore conclude we shall be eternally damned ? Will he take upon him to pronounce damnation against us for not doing those things which he himself acknowledgeth were impossible by us to be done. It is our opinion, that every man is possessed with sufficient knowledge for his own salvation. The Almighty, for any thing we know, may have communicated himself to different races of peo- ple in a different manner. Some say, they have the will of God in writings ; be it so, their revelation has no advan- tage above ours, since both must be equally sufficient to save, or the end of revelation would be frustrated; be- sides, if they both be true, they must be the same in sub- stance, and the difference can only lay in the mode of communication. He tells us there are many precepts in this written revelation, which we are entirely ignorant of; but those written commands could only be assigned for those who have the writings, they cannot possibly regard us. Had the Almighty thought so much knowledge necessary for our salvation, his goodness would not so long defer the communication of it to us .- And to say in a matter so necessary he could not at one and the same time reveal himself to all mankind, is nothing else than an absolute denial of his omnipotence. Without doubt he can make his will manifest without the help of any book, or the assistance of any bookish man whatever. We shall, in the next place, consider the arguments which arise from the consideration of Providence.
If we be the work of God, (which we presume will not be denied) it follows from thence, that we are under the care and protection of God; for it cannot be sup- posed that the Deity should abandon his own creatures,
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and be utterly regardless of their welfare. Then to say that the Almighty has permitted us to remain in a fatal error through so many ages, is to represent him as a tyrant.
How is it consistent with his justice to force life upon a race of mortals without their consent, and then to damn them eternally without ever opening to them a door to salvation? Our conceptions of the gracious God are much more noble, and we think that those who teach otherwise, do little less than blaspheme. Again it is through the care and goodness of the Almighty, that from the beginning of time through so many generations to this day, our name has been preserved unblotted out by our enemies, and unreduced to nothing. By the same care we now enjoy our lives, and are furnished with the necessary means of preserving these lives. But all these things, compared with our salvation, are trifling .- Therefore, since God has been so careful of us in matters of little consequence, it would be absurd to affirm that he has neglected us in cases of the greatest importance; admit he has forsaken us, yet it could not be without a just cause.
Let us suppose that some heinous crimes were com- mitted by some of our ancestors, like to that we are told of another race of people, in such a case, God would certainly punish the criminal, but would never involve us that are innocent in the guilt; those who think other- wise must make the Almighty a very whimsical evil-na- tured being.
Once more: are the christians more virtuous? or rather, are they not more vicious than we are? if so, how came it to pass that they are the objects of God's beneficence, while we are neglected ? does he daily confer his favors without reason, and with so much partiality?
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In a word: we find the christians much more depraved in their morals than we are-and we judge from their doctrine by the badness of their lives.
Shortly after Governor Gookin's visit to the Indians, he sent two messengers, Col. John French and Henry Wor- ley, to them. After a friendly interview, they returned to Philadelphia, and laid before the board of council, in session, June 16, 1710, their report.
"At Conestogo, June S, 1710.
PRESENT :-- John French, Henry Worley, Iwaagenst> Terrutanaren and Teonnotein, chiefs of the Tuscaroroes, Civility, the Senegues kings, and four chiefs of the na- tions with Opessa, the Shawanois king.
The Indians were told that according to their request, we were come from the Governor and Government, to hear what prosposals they had to make anent a peace, according to the purport of their embassy from their own people.
They signified to us by a belt of wampum* which was sent them from their old women, that those implored their friendship of christians and Indians of this govern- ment, that without danger or trouble they might fetch wood and water.
*" Wampom or wampum, says Loskeil, is an Iroquois word meaning a muscle. A number of these muscles strung to- gether is called a string of wampum, which when a fathom, six feet long, is termed a fathom or belt of wampum, but the word string is commonly used, whether it be long or short. Before the Europeans came to North America, the In- dians used to make their strings of wampum chiefly of small pieces of wood of equal size, stained either black or white .- Few were made of muscles, which were esteemed very valua- ble and difficult to make; for not having proper tools, they spent much time in finishing them, and yet their work had a clumsy appearance. But the Europeans soon contrived to
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The sword belt was sent from their young men fit to hunt, that privilege to leave their towns, and seek provi- sion for their aged, might be granted to them without fear of death or slavery.
The fourth was sent from the men of age, requesting that the wood, by a happy peace, might be as safe for them as their forts.
The fifth was sent from the whole nation, requesting peace, that thereby they might have liberty to visit their neighbors.
The sixth was sent from their kings and chiefs, desir- ing a lasting peace with the christians and Indians of this Government, that thereby they might be secured against those fearful apprehensions they have for these several years felt.
The seventh was sent in order to entreat a cessation from murdering and taking them, that by the allowance thereof, they may not be afraid of a mouse, or other thing that ruffles the leaves.
The eighth was sent to declare, that as being hitherto strangers to this place, they now came as people blind, no path nor communication being betwixt us and them; but now they hope we will take them by the
make strings of wampum, both neat and elegant, and in great abundance. Those they bartered with the Indians for other goods, and found this traffic very advantageous. The Indians immediately gave up the use of old wood as substitutes for wampum, and procured those made of muscles.
Every thing of moment transacted at solemn council, either between the Indians themselves, or with Europeans, is ratified, and made valid by strings and belt of wampum. Formerly they used to give sanction to their treaties by delivering a wing of some large bird. This custom still prevailed as late as 1775, among the more western nations, in transacting business with the Delawares"-Loskeil.
6*
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hand and lead them, and then they will lift up their heads, in the woods, without any danger or fear.
These belts, they say, are only sent as an introduction, and in order to break off hostilities till next spring; for then their kings will come and sue for the peace they so much desire.
We acquainted them that as most of this continent were the subjects of the crown of Great Britain, though divided into several governments, so it is expected their intentions are not only peaceable towards us, but also to all the subjects of the crown; and that if they intend to settle, and live amicably here, they need not doubt the protection of this Government, in such things as were honest and good; but that to confirm the sincerity of ther past carriage towards the English, and to raise in us a good opinion of them, it would be very necessary to procure a certificate from the Government, they leave to this, of their good behavior, and then they might be assured of a favorable reception.
The Senegues return their hearty thanks to the Go- vernment for their trouble in sending to them, and acquainted us that by advice of a council amongst them, it was determined to send these belts, by the Tuscaro- roes, to the Five Nations."*
*Col. Rec. II. 553-4.
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SECOND PART:
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FROM THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS MADE WITHIN 1 THE PRESENT LIMITS OF THE COUNTY TO ITS ORGANIZATION IN THE YEAR 1729.
CHAPTER I.
Preliminary remarks-Unsettled state of affairs in Europe-Consequent emigration of Swiss, Germans, French and others, into America-Into- Pennsylvania-Swiss Mennonites settle in Pequea Valley-Purchase ten- thousand acres of land-Make improvements-Others purchase lands- The Mennonites call a meeting to send a person to Europe for the residue of their families-Kendig goes and returns with a number of families- Settlements augmented-Governor Gookin's journey to Conestogo.
The unsettled state of affairs in Europe subjected many of the Germans, French, Swiss and others, to sore persecutions because they could not change their reli- - gious opinions so as to coincide invariably with those of the ruling Prince. The religious complexion of the country was frequently determined or influenced by the character of the rulers-as they changed, it was changed, either by force, or by inducements to "hold it with the populace." "To these changes it was impossible for- the Germans, the Swiss, the French, to conform.
-
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Frederick II, Elector Palatine, embraced the Lutheran faith; Frederick III. became a Catholic; Lodovic V. restored the Lutheran church; his son, and successor, was a Calvinist. These, in their turn, protected some, others they did not. The last Prince, son of Lodovic, was succeded by a Catholic family, during whose reign it was the lot of the Protestants to be unkindly op- pressed. Besides these unpropitious changes, and of being subjects of alarm and persecution, the Germans occupied the unenviable position of living between two powerful belligerent rivals. War seemed to be the very element of these ruling Princes, then, of those countries.
In the year 1622, Count Tilly, the Imperial General, took Heidelberg, and put five hundred of the inhabitants, to the sword. In 1634, Louis XIV. entered the city and destroyed many of the inhabitants.
The close of the seventeenth century, was an eventful period. The celebrated Edict of Nantes, issued by Henry IV. in 1598, in favor of the Huguenots* or Protestants, was revoked, Oct. 23, 1685, by Louis. XIV. whose name was execrated over a great part of Europe. Consequent upon there vocation of this edict, there was one of the most terrible persecutions ever suffered in France. It is recorded in History, "about that time, though the frontiers were vigilantly guarded, upwards of five hundred thousand Huguenots made their escape to
*Huguenot .- This epithet has been the subject of some dis- cussion. We are inclined to the opinion, that the origin of the word is derived from the German, Eidgenossen, confederates: A party thus designated existed at Geneva ; and it is probable that the French Protestants would adopt a term so applicable. to themselves. This opinion is supported by Mezeray, Main- bourg, and Diodati, Professor of Theology at Geneva-W. S. Browning's His. Hug. 292.
See Appendix C, for a fuller account of the Huguenots.
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Switzerland, Germany, Holland, England and America. "The unfortunate were more wakeful to fly, than the ministers of tyranny to restrain."*
At this critical juncture, the Mennonites were perse- cuted in Switzerland, and driven into various countries ; some to Alsace, above Strasburg, others to Holland, &c., where they lived simple and exemplary lives; in the villages as farmers, in the towns by trades, free from the charge of any gross immoralities, and professing the most pure and simple principles, which they exemplied in a holy conversation. Some of those about Strasburg, with other High and Low Germans transported them- selves about the year 1683, by the encouragement of William Penn, to Pennsylvania, and settled principally at Germantown; the greater part of whom were natural- ized in 1709.t
In 1688, Heidelberg was taken the second time, by the French, who laid the inhabitants under oppressive contributions; after which, at the approach of the impe- rial army, they blew up the citidal, and reduced the town to ashes. It soon rose again upon its cinders, and
*The Huguenots put a new aspect on the North of Germany, where they filled entire towns, and sections of cities, introduc- ing manufactures before unknown. A suburb of London was filled with French mechanics; the Prince of Orange gained entire regiments of soldiers, as brave as those whom Crom- well led to victory; a colony of them even reached Good Hope. The American colonies, influenced by religious sym- pathy, were ever open to receive the Huguenots. They set- tled in the New England States, the Middle and Southern States. The United States, says Bancroft, are full of monu- ments of the emigrations from France.
The limits of a foot-note, will not admit of enlargement here- See Appendix C.
+Col. Rec. II. 514.
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again it was taken by a French army, who laid it, a second time, into ashes, in 1693. The inhabitants, men, women and children, about 1500, stripped of all, were forced to flee, in consternation, to the fields by night .- Once more, on the retreat of the French army, were the former inhabitants prevailed upon to rebuild the city,. unconscious, however, of the treachery of a perfidions Elector, who had sacredly promised them liberty of con- science-Heaven's choicest boon -- and exemption from taxes for thirty years. After some time, the Elector, whose creed, it appears, embraced the essential ingre- dient, " Promises made to heretics should not be re- deemed," harrassed his duped subjects, with relentless.
persecution. The French army having crossed the Rhine, the distressed Palatines persecuted by their heart- less Prince-plundered by a foreign enemy, fled to escape from death, and about six thousand of them, for protection, to England, in consequence of encourage- ment, they had received from Queen Anne, by proclama- tion, in 1708. Among these was a number to be men- tioned in the sequel of our narrative.
Many also had, prior to the issuing of Anne's procla- mation, determined to seek refuge in America. The Canton of Bern, in Switzerland, had employed Christo- pher de Graffenried and Lewis Mitchel or Michelle, as pioneers, with instructions to search for vacant lands in Pennsylvania, Virginia or. Carolina. One of these, Michelle, a Swiss miner, had been in America, prior to 1704 or 1705, traversing the country to seek out "a con- venient tract to settle a colony of their people on." He was among the Indians in and about Conestogo during 1706 and 1707, "in search of some mineral or ore;"* and, "it is believed, he and his associates built a *Col. Rec. II. 420 .- Williams, His. N. C. ..
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fort not far from Connejaghera, many miles above Conestogo."
Before those of Bern had fully executed their project, they were induced to fly for safety, to London, in the vicinity of which, they pitched their tents, and were supported at the public' expense until they could be shipped off for America-some sailed for New York,* Pennsylvania, and others for North Carolina, where they arrived in December, 1709, at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent. This year a respectable number of Mennonites left Strasburg, in Germany, whither they had fled from their Vaterland, and sailed for America to seek a refuge free from persecution. At home they were persecuted by arrogant man, "glorying in the mag nitude of his power, who was every where impiously inter- posing between the homage of his fellow and his Creator, and striving, by coercion, to apostatize mankind from the line of duty which conscience pointed out to tread;" and the Mennonites, unwilling to sacrifice their principles of religion upon the altar of expediency, were not tolerated to enjoy unmolestedly the privilege of worship- ing God according to the dictates of conscience. Many of the ancestors of those who first settled in this county, whose lineal descendants still possess the lands pur- chased and improved by them, were beheaded, some beaten with many stripes, others incarcerated, and some
*Colonel Robert Hunter, appointed Governor of New York, arrived at that province, June 14, 1710, brought with him 3,000 Palatines, who, in the previous year, had filed to England from the rage of persecution in Germany. Many of whom settled in the city of New York; others in Germantown, Livingston Manor, Columbia county, and others in Pennsylvania .- Smith's New York, I. 123.
Smith says "the Queen's liberality to these people was no more beneficial to them, than serviceable to the country."
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banished from Switzerland. Of those who suffered, and who might be mentioned, were Hans Landis, at Zurich, in Switzerland, Hans Miller, Hans Jacob Hess, Rudolph Bachman, Ulrich Miller, Oswald Landis, Fanny Landis, Barbara Neff, Hans Meylin and two of his sons-all these suffered between 1638 and 1643.
Martin Meylin, son of Hans, was an eminent minister of the gospel of the Mennonite church, in the Palatinate and Alsace. His talents were above the mediocrity .- He rendered himself conspicuous as an Ecclesiastical writer ; his manuscripts on the sufferings of the Menno- nites of 1645, and other works of his, as well as those by Jeremiah Mantgalt, his colleague, were subsequently published, and are copiously quoted, by that voluminous writer, T. Von Bracht, author of the Maertyrer Spiegel.
Those who emigrated to Pennsylvania had fled from the Cantons of Zurich, Bern, Shaffhausen, Switzerland, to Alsace, above Strasburg,* where they remained for some time, thence they came to the province of Penn- sylvania ..
The offence of which they were guilty, bringing down upon them so much suffering and persecution, was their non-conformity to what seemed to them, at least, a cor-
*Many of the Mennonites fled from the Cantons of Zurich, Berne, Schaff hausen, &c., Switzerland-several edicts were issued forbidding them the free exercise of their religious opinions. One at Schaffhausen, A. D. 1650. One was issued by the Prince of Newberg, A. D. 1653: in 1671, they were se- verely persecuted, and extensively dispersed .- Bracht's His- tory, p. 1019-1023 .- Eng. Trans.
Extract from a letter written by Jacob Everling in Obersuelt- zen, April 7, 1671: " In answer to the inquiry of your friends, touching the condition of our Swiss brethren in the department of Bern, it is an unvarnished fact, that they are in a distressed
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rupt practice, "To hear all manner of preaching." -- They then had, and even at the present day, some have conscientious scruples in attending public worship with other religious assemblies.' They also did, as they now do, openly discard the doctrine of self-defence and vio- lent resistance. They have been, and are still, opposed to war; they believe it comports illy with the christian pro- fession to fight with carnal weapons. They have always been peaceable, and domestic in their habits .- They ever cultivated the mild 'arts of peace, and trusted to their own domestic resources.
The decendants of the puritans boast that their an- cestors fled from the face of their persecutors, willing to encounter 'perils in the wilderness and perils by the heathen,' rather than be deprived, by the ruthless perse- cutor, of the free exercise of their religion. The descen- dants of the Swiss Mennonites, who, amid hardships and trials, made the first settlements among the tawney sons of the forest, in the west end of Chester county, can lay claim to more. Their ancestors did not seek for them- selves and theirs only, the unmolested exercise of faith, and the practice of worship; but they in turn did not
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