History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 26

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532

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The Indians realized before the first day's walk was over that it was the inten- tion to take from them the rich and coveted lands in the forks of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers, occupied by Nutimus and his tribe. And they protested vigorously

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but in vain. The end was Nutimus and his tribe were compelled to move to Nesco- peck and give up their cherished home and hunting grounds. The Indians in their exasperation over the loss of their land in the rich Ninnisink country from protests proceeded to outbreaks and murders of the settlers, and the flames of war soon fol- lowed. While it perhaps can not be said that the Walk Purchase was the sole cause of what followed, yet there can be little doubt that it was one of the powerful incentives thereto.

The Last Indian Massacre in this county occurred July 8, 1782. The Jamesons, Aldens and Hurlbuts, after the battle in which Robert Jameson had been killed, fled to old Hanover, in Lancaster county. John Jameson with his brothers, Alex- ander and Joseph, and mother, who carried her child Samuel in her arms all the way to Sunbury. Soon after the families were safely landed at Fort Augusta (Sunbury), John Jameson returned to look after the farm and household and effects. The families did not return until 1780.

July 8, 1782, John Jameson, with his youngest brother, Benjamin, and a neighbor, Asa Chapman, started from their homes in Hanover township to Wilkes- Barre, on horseback. Approaching open ground near the church in " Hanover Green," John Jameson noticed Indians ambushed, and exclaimed, "Indians!" and was instantly shot from his horse, three balls striking him. His horse with empty saddle fled, and Jameson was found where he fell, tomahawked and scalped. Asa Chapman and horse were both wounded; but the horse turned and carried his rider home, where he died in a few days. Benjamin's horse wheeled at first fire, and carried him safely away. John Jameson was at the time thirty-three years old. He had married Abigail Alden, a descendant of John Alden, who came with the Pilgrims in 1620 to Plymouth, Mass. This first John Alden married Priscilla Mullins or Molines, in 1623. This is the girl that Miles Standish sent his friend John Alden, to propose marriage. Capt. Standish was a widower. The father of the girl called her in, and bade Alden tell her his mission. He told her that Capt. Miles Standish wanted her for a wife. The blushing maiden listened to the story, and then very sensibly said: "Prithee, John, why do you not speak for yourself ?" The result is known to the world. Priscilla and John were duly married.

CHAPTER IX.

LUZERNE COUNTY CREATED.

WITCHCRAFT - WESTMORELAND TOWN ERECTED - INTERESTING ITEMS FROM THE RECORDS- TOWNSHIPS WITHIN THE TOWN -PRICES REGULATED BY LAW - PUNISHMENT OF EVIL DOERS -OLDEST LAND RECORDS - COUNTY CREATED -COURTS AND LAWYERS --- RESIDENT ATTORNEYS-OFFICIALS- CENTENNIAL, ETC.

THE preceding chapter tells of the first attempted settlement by the Connect- icut people in 1762, and then the first three years of the struggle for the possession of the soil of this locality that ended in 1771, leaving the Yankees in possession, and they turned their attention to opening little farms, building new forts and strengthening old ones; and the commencement of that herculean work of making this the fitting place for the wealth, comforts and civilization that we now see about us on every hand. There had passed nine years, almost every hour crowded with important events - nine years of blood and flame, of massacres,

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battles, the swarming home-seekers and the dreary exodus through the "Shades of Death " - as was called the way through the wilderness back to the Delaware river. Nine years of bloody lawlessness - no schools, churches or law - save that of common defence against formidable outside enemies. It was an era of terrible education -the shorn lambs exposed to the untempered winter winds. These people, it must not be forgotten, were the immediate descendants of the super- stitious of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries -the time of witch burners and when charms and spooks and spells were playing fantastic tricks in nearly every household. Our fathers believed in witches; that the earth was flat; a hell of fire and brimstone, and a literal seven days' creation. They were fresh from a race full of the wildest and crudest superstitions. Pennsylvania at one time recog- nized as in full force and effect the British laws against witchcraft, as well as all those cruel laws administered by the old Bailey court, where human life was so cheap, and property was the one precious thing in the world.

The records show that two Swedish women, Margaret Mattson and Yethro Hendrickson, were accused before Gov. Penn as being witches. Several witnesses testified respecting the strange conduct of certain cows, geese, hogs, etc., but, luckily, the court thought this was not enough direct evidence to convict the women. The jury returned a verdict: "They have the common fame of witches, but not guilty in the manner and form of the indictment." The governor, how- ever, required security of them for their good behavior the next six months. This was once Northampton or a part of that county. A number of persons were arrested and imprisoned as witches. Luckily, none were executed, as was common in New England.

In what is now Luzerne county, the people hardly had time, from other and more serious foes, to war much on witch women. But many poor old women here " had the fame of witchcraft." Stewart Pearce, in his Annals, says: "Mrs. J-, at W-, bewitched the cattle of Mr. - , and several died, in spite of the efforts of Titus, an old negro witch doctor. For several days Titus labored, using the ordinary remedies, one of which was a gun-barrel filled with a particular kind of liquid. But no effect was produced upon the witch, who continued, contrary to expectation, to exercise all her bodily functions. At length, a fine ox was taken sick, when a new remedy was applied to break the spell. Miller, the sexton of the old church on the public square. taking the church key, approached the ox, and, putting it in the animal's mouth, turned it about three times, repeating certain spell-breaking words known only to himself. The power of the witch was destroyed, and the ox recovered.

Mrs. H- -, near Tunkhannock, frequently bewitched the hunters' guns, to remedy which a bullet was fired, from a gun not affected by any spell, into the body of a tree. So soon as the bullet became covered by the growth of the wood, the witch would be seized by severe pain in certain parts of her body, from which she would find no relief until she removed the spell from the gun.

Mrs. - , in the village of P-, bewitched the cows and hogs of Mr. - The cows twisted their tails upon their backs, threw up the earth with their feet, bellowed, and ran their hind legs up the trunks of trees. The pigs squealed night and day, frothed at the month, rolled over, and turned summersaults. Mr. - and his wife were in a state of consternation, expecting they themselves would be seized with similar impulses for ground and lofty tumbling. Fortunately, a cele- brated German witch doctor arrived. Taking a gun barrel, he filled it with a cer- tain saline fluid, plugged up the muzzle and tonch-hole, and placed it in the chimney corner. In a short time the husband of the witch came to the house, saying his wife was taken suddenly ill, and requesting Mrs. - to come and see her; but the request was not complied with, at the instance of the doctor, who represented that the effect of his remedy would be counteracted if the desire of the witch were

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granted. The next day the witch sent again, urging the attendance of Mrs. , who again refused to visit her. The husband then placed his wife, the witch, in a wagon and conveyed her to the house of Mr. -. where she confessed she had bewitched his cattle, and implored the doctor to unstop the gun-barrel. This he did, and, as soon as the saline fluid began to flow from the muzzle, the witch was relieved, and the cows and hogs were cured.

In 1772 the people were emerging from their severe conditions slowly, but mostly living in stockades. Charles Miner says the huts of Capt. Butler and Nathan Denison were adjoining each other, then came Mathias Hollenback's, the first man who brought merchandise to sell. Dr. Joseph Sprague opened the first boarding house. A samp mortar was used to pound grain for bread. Venison and shad were plenty, but salt was scarce. Dr. Sprague would load a horse and go two miles on the Delaware, at Coshutunk. Neither a chair, table nor bedstead was in the settle- ment except such as were made by the auger and axe. John Carey, who gave his name to Careytown, died in 1841, the last survivor of these people.

The Indians had left the valley after the massacre of 1763, and were seen here- after only as marauding parties and small remnants of scattered tribes. A few friendly ones lived a mile above Mill creek.

From the stockade the people, breakfasting early, taking with them a luncheon, went forth armed to their daily labor. The view here presented, with slight varia- tions, was exhibited in four or five different places in the valley. Stockades or block- houses were built in Hanover and Plymouth. The celebrated Forty fort in Kingston was occupied. Many returned to the east for their families, and new settlers came in. It was a season rather of activity than labor-moving and removing; surveying; drawing lots for land rights; preparing for building; hastily clearing up patches to sow with winter grain, the sad consequence of which was the harvests of autumn were not sufficient for the considerably augmented number of inhabitants. Until the conclusion of 1772 very little of the forms of law or the regulations of civil government had been introduced or required. Town committees exercised the power of .deciding on contested land rights.

Thus: "Doings of the committee, May 22, 1772.

"That Roswell Franklin have that right in Wilkes-Barre drawn by Thomas Stevens.

" That James Bidlack have that right in Plymouth drawn by Nathaniel Drake.

"That Mr. McDowell be voted into the Forty town (Kingston).

"That for the special services done this company by Col. Dyer, agreed that his son, Thomas Dyer, shall have a right in the Forty, if he has a man on it by the first day of August next.

"That the rights that are sold in the six mile township, or Capouse, shall be sold at $60 each, and bonds taken," etc.

It may be regarded as a transition year, full of undefined pleasure, flowing from the newness and freshness of the scene-a comparative sense of peace and security. The year happily passed without " justice or lawyers."

The year 1773 was remarked as one when, from the influx of new settlers, pro- visions ran short and hunger threatened. Five persons were selected to go to the Delaware for provisions, a distance of fifty miles, and had to cross the Lehigh river. Ice was floating in the river; they stripped and swam across. These men on their shoulders carried back each 100 pounds of supplies. The opening of the shad season was looked forward to with great hopes, and they were not disappointed.

The spring, too, was attended with sickness. Several deaths took place. Capt. Butler buried a son named Zebulon; and soon after his wife followed her boy to the grave. Both were interred on the hill, near where the upper street of the borough is cut through the rocks, as it passes from the main street to the canal basin. This picture of the early settlement, simple in its details, we could not

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doubt, would be agreeable to numbers now living, and not less so to readers in future years, when the valley shall become, as it is destined to be, rich and populous, not surpassed, if equaled in the Union.

Among the first objects of general interest was the erection of a gristmill. This was undertaken by Nathan Chapman, to whom a grant was made of the site where Hollenback's old mill now stands, near the stone bridge on the road from Wilkes- Barre to Pittston. Forty acres of land were part of the donation. Mr. Hollenback brought the mill-irons in his boat from Wright's ferry, and the voyage was rendered memorable by the loss of Lazarus Young, a valuable young man, who was drowned on the way up.

Immediately afterward the town voted: "To give unto Capt. Stephen Fuller, Obadiah Gore, Jr., and Mr. Seth Marvin all the privileges of the stream called Mill creek, below Mr. Chapman's mill, to be their own property, with full liberty of building mills and flowing a pond, but so as not to obstruct or hinder Chapman's mills: Provided they will have a sawmill ready to go by the 1st day of November, 1773, which gift shall be to them, their heirs and assigns, forever." And this was the first sawmill erected on the upper waters of the Susquehanna.

The township of Wilkes-Barre had been surveyed in 1770 by David Meade, and received its name from John Wilkes and Col. Barre, members of parliament, and distinguished advocates for liberty and the rights of the colonies. "Wilkes and Liberty-North Britain-45," was then heard from every tongue. A final division was now made of the back lots among the proprietors. The town plot, now the borough, was laid out by a liberal forecast on a very handsome scale. On a high flat, on the east bank of the Susquehanna, above all fear of inundation, the position was chosen. Two hundred acres were divided into eight squares of twenty-five acres, and these into six lots each, containing, after the streets were taken off, about three and three-quarters of an-acre. A spacious square was allotted for public buildings.

Main street was laid off to run in the general course of the river, northerly and southerly, two miles long, and was crossed by five streets at right angles. Two ferries were kept up, at Mill creek and at the foot of Northampton street. This point on Mill creek is now just beyond the northern limits of the city.

Prior to the coming of the first settlers here distilleries had been erected on the lower Susquehanna. This circumstance had an important bearing on the move- ments of the people of what is now Luzerne county. The rich valley produced with slight labor an abundance of corn. One man who came to northern Pennsylvania on horseback alone had traveled in the wilderness until finally he came to a " wind- fall." The storm had blown down the forest over several acres, and here he alighted, built a pen large enough to sleep in, one end opened probably to allow his feet extended to his full length. He had seed corn in his saddle-bags, and the only agricultural implement he had was a shoe hammer. With this he planted his corn, and in the fall gathered forty bushels.

As soon as the people here were left alone they commenced planting and sowing. The distillers from the lower district came as corn buyers and shipped in rafts and arks. This suggested the building distilleries here, which was promptly put in execution. There was probably not a settlement in all Pennsylvania but that one of the first public institutions was a distillery, and soon nearly every farm had one. Reading an ancient "for sale" of a farm, and as a special inducement to purchasers, it was mentioned that there were "two distilleries on the place." The first merchant here was Mathias Hollenback, and from his account book of 1773 is taken the following entries:

One quart of whisky, $1.50; 2 quarts of apple brandy, $3.333; 1 nip of toddy, 8 cents; 1 quart of rum, 413 cents; } sling, 8 cents; 1 egg-nog, 22 cents; 2 bowls of toddy, 50 cents; 1 bowl of sangaree, 47 cents; 1 gill of rum, 6 cents; 1 dram, 6 cents; 2 yards of tobacco, 4 cents; 1 bushel of wheat, 833 cents; 1 elk skin, $4; 1 pound

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of coffee, 25 cents; 1 spelling-book, 583 cents; 1 pound of loaf sugar, $1.14; 1 pound of sugar, 25 cents; 1 pound of tobacco, 47 cents; 1 ream of paper, $3.75; 20 bear skins, 30 cents each.

In the year 1772 the people organized their local government. It was a pure and simple democracy. Town meetings were called and here legislation was enacted. Capt. Stephen Fuller was elected moderator. A resolution was adopted that anyone selling liquor to an Indian was to forfeit his goods and be expelled from the colony. They had good evidence that the massacre of 1763 was largely due to the Indians being drunk at the time.

Disputes as to claims under the Connecticut title were beginning to arise, and a land office was established and a record made of all full and half-shares, where the title to 16,000 acres was at once put on record. John Jenkins was surveyor-general and Joseph Biles his deputy.

June 2, 1773, the inhabitants of Connecticut met at Hartford and adopted a code of rules and laws for the government of the Susquehanna colony. This is now a historical document. Its preamble refers to the disputed claims of the country between Pennsylvania and Connecticut; professes loyalty to King George III., and refers all questions to the King's law counsellors. They pledge themselves to be peaceful, loyal and upholders of the laws; agreed to choose for each settlement three able and discreet men to manage local affairs, suppress vice and preserve the peace of God and the King; provided for a general town meeting on the first of each month; the three directors to meet every three months to hear complaints and settle disputes; crimes enumerated were swearing, drunkenness, gaming, stealing, fraud, idleness "and the like." They agreed to banish all convicted of adultery, burglary, etc. An annual meeting of all males over twenty-one years of age on the first Mon- day in December, to choose directors, etc. A list of rateable estates and polls was to be made, taxes provided for, and all were required to come forward and subscribe to the articles. Under these articles the following directors were appointed: Wilkes- barre-Maj. John Durkee, Capt. Zebulon Butler and Obadiah Gore, Jr. Plymouth- Phineas Noah, Capt. David Marvin and J. Gaylord. New Providence-Isaac Tripp, Timothy Keys and Gideon Baldwin. Kingston-Capt. Obadiah Gore, Nathan Den- ison and Parshall Terry. Pittston-Caleb Bates, James Brown and Lemuel Harding. Hanover-Capt. Lazarus Stewart, William Stewart and John Franklin.

Three years of peace and quiet industry now blessed the people of the "Happy Valley." Little by little they ventured more and more from the stockades. All looked upon the questions between the settlers and Pennsylvania as permanently at rest. These men felt first loyal to Connecticut, but if the proper authorities should decide that jurisdiction really belonged to Pennsylvania they were content. They had paid for the acres they possessed, and thrice a thousand times earned them in defending them from the bloody invaders. Local civil government was estab- lished; all males over twenty-one were equally authorized to go to the town meet- ings and vote their wishes. We can imagine that the exercise of such a franchise was to these good people like the noisy toy to the child. They learned to meet very often, and all regarded it as a sacred privilege and duty to be present. Around every fireside and camp the men talked of public questions of policy; the axe rang in the forests, and in the little clearings men, women and children planted and harvested bountiful crops. Places of worship were provided and schools instituted. A subscription paper was circulated to raise a sufficient sum to induce a physician to locate in the practice among them, and this brought Dr. Anderson Dana. Wool and flax were raised, and the hum of the wheel and the steady pounding of the looms in every cabin bespoke the abundance of clothing, as well as food for all. Steady industry, peace, happiness and content sang in every heart, and already they began to look back upon the recent bloody and cruel past as a necessary prepara- tion for their present fullness of happiness.

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The Connecticut authorities that had looked on in silence during the three years of the Yankee and Pennamite contention, now seemed to conclude that her people had proved their ability to maintain themselves, and therefore the home govern- ment would back them and assert itself in the premises. Accordingly three able and discreet men were sent to Philadelphia to confer with the authorities and adjust all disputes. They went and formerly presented their overtures. They wers kindly received, but firmly refused acceding to their offered terms of settlement. The proprietaries regarded their title as clear beyond controversy, and it was a great misfortune to the pioneers that this view was not also taken by Connecticut. This information, had it been frankly given the settlers along the Susquehanna, would have saved much cruelties and great wrongs and injustices.

The most important of the propositions made to Pennsylvania by Connecticut was, "To join in an application to his Majesty to appoint commissioners," to ascer- tain the rightful boundaries, etc.

In 1774 Connecticut boldly assumed full jurisdiction over the colony of the Susquehanna. Then the good people here were overjoyed. They regarded the sore trials that had for five years hung their skies as with blackest pall now removed to the mother colony, and in future, instead of battles, seiges and exoduses across the "Shadow of Death," it would be amicably settled by negotiations in which their rights and welfare would be fairly and fully cared for.

Connecticut passed an act in January, 1774, erecting all the territory within her border, from the Delaware river to a line fifteen miles west of the Susquehanna river, into a town, with the same rights and powers of her other towns, to be called Westmoreland, and attaching it to Litchfield. Zebulon Butler and Nathan Denison were commissioned justices, and the town of Westmoreland was legally organized. The jurisdiction of Connecticut apparently fully established. The new town was about seventy miles square, and within its limits were several townships, five miles square each, and these divided again into lots which were drawn by lot by the settlers. A town meeting at that time meant calling together the people of all the different townships. Under Connecticut every town kept a regular record of elec- tion, orders, votes, etc. Nothing can be more interesting in this age than a few excerpts from these old records, for which we are indebted to Hon. Charles Miner, as given in his valuable History of Wyoming :

"At a town meeting legally warned and held for Westmoreland, March ye 1st, 1774, for choosing town officers, etc., Zebulon Butler, Esq., was chosen moderator for the work of the day. Maj. Ezekiel Pierce was chosen town clerk.

"March ye 1st. Voted that this meeting is adjourned until tomorrow morning at this place, at eight of the clock, in ye forenoon.

"March ye 2d, 1774, this meeting is opened and held by adjournment. Voted, that ye town of Westmoreland be divided in the following manner into districts- that is to say, that ye town of Wilkesbarre, be one entire district, and known by the name of Wilkesbarre district: And that ye town of Hanover, and all the land south of Wilkesbarre, and west on Susquehanna river, and east on the Lehigh, be ons district, by ye name of Hanover district; and that Plymouth, with all ye land west of Susquehanna river, south and west to the towu line, be one district, by ye name of Plymouth district; and that Kingston, with ye land west to ye town line, be one district, by ye name of Kingston district; and that Pittston be one district, by ye name of Pittston district; and that Exeter, Providence, and all the lands west and north to ye town line, be one district, by ye name of ye North district; and that Lackaway settlement and Blooming Grove, and Sheolah, to be one district, and to be called by ye name of ye Lackaway district; and all ye settlements on Delaware be one district, and joined to ye other districts, aud known by ye name of ye East district.

Select men: "Christopher Avery, Nathaniel Landon, Samuel Ransom, Isaac

Go to Showko

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Tripp, Esq., Caleb Bates, Lazarus Stewart, Silas Parke, were chosen selectmen, for ye year ensuing. Isaac Tripp, Esq., refused to accept. John Jenkens was chosen selectman in ye room of Esq. Tripp."

Town treasurer: Zebulon Butler, Esq., was chosen town treasurer.

Constables and collectors of rates: Asa Stevens, Timothy Smith, Jonathan Haskel, Asaph Whittlesy, Noah Adams, Phineas Clark, William Smith, were chosen constables and collectors of rates.

Surveyors of highways: Anderson Dana, Daniel Gore, Elisha Swift, Thomas Stoddart, Thomas Bennett, Perrin Ross, Rufus Lawrence, Samuel Ransom, Jona- than Parker, Isaac Baldwin, Zavan Tracy, Elijah Witter, John Ainsley, William Hibbard, James Lastlet, John Dewitt, John Jenkins, Jr., Aaron Thomas, Anthony Chimer, Abraham Russ, Benjamin Vancampen, Benjamin Harvey, were chosen surveyors of high ways.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 26

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1532

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532