History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 11

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 11
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 11
USA > Pennsylvania > Wyoming County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 11

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The agriculture of those times, if agriculture it may be termed, was such as is never seen now. Very few at the present day have witnessed the process of preparing the virgin soil for the first crop. The timber was often girdled in advance, so that when felled, as it often was,

PRIMITIVE FARMING AND TRADING.

in what were termed wind rows, much of it would burn as it lay, being partially or wholly dried, by kindling the fire at the windward end of these rows. After the first burn some of the remaining fragments were "niggered " into pieces that could be easily moved, and the whole was drawn together with oxen and "logged up " for the final burning. Many in the neighborhood usually joined in this work, and the "logging bees," or " log frolics," were at the same time occasions when work was done and social intercourse enjoyed. When the burning was com- pleted and the ashes collected the ground was sometimes made ready for the seed by harrowing with a three-cor- nered harrow, which was often hewed from a crotched tree, with either large wooden pins set at intervals, or very large and strong iron teeth. Such a harrow was drawn over the ground among the stumps to fit the soil for its first crop when the roots were not sufficiently de- cayed to permit the use of a plow. In using this primi- tive harrow in these clearings the driver found it neces- sary to keep always at a respectful distance, for it often bounded from side to side in a manner not compatible with safety at close quarters. In cases where plowing could be done the old bull plow was used. This was an uncouth implement, with wrought iron share and a wooden moldboard, such as is now scarcely ever seen, even among relics of the past. In rare cases a wooden plow, hewn out of a crotched tree, was used.

The wheat sown or corn planted in ground prepared in this rude way often gave good returns, such was the fer- tility of the soil before it was exhausted by repeated cropping. When the crop was grown and ripened, it was cut with sickles, a handful at a time. Sickles may occasionally be seen at the present day; but there are few who ever saw them used. For harvesting grain among the stumps of the first clearings the sickle was best adapted of all instruments, and no other was known; but when these stumps had decayed, and the grain cradle had been introduced, many looked upon it as a perni- cious invention, by the use of which more than sufficient grain would be wasted to pay for the labor of harvesting, and some insisted that more could be harvested in the same time with the sickle-so strongly are people attached to old customs.

The grain was first threslied with the flail on the ground, and partially separated from the chaff by pour- ing it from a height in the wind and afterwards dcx- trously manipulating it in a " corn fan," a description of which would be quite difficult. For many years after barns were erected on all farms the flail and the feet of horses were the only threshing machines, but fanning- mills superseded the old corn fan.

Hay was cut with the old fashioned scythe, which has changed but very little, and the hand rake only was used to gather it. Among the stumps and stones in early times these were the most available tools, but their use continued long after improved implements were avail- able, and after such implements had been invented.

In those days the conveyance most in use was the ox- cart. It was made available for almost everything, from

hauling manure to going to meeting or to balls and wed- dings. Its use was thus universal because it was, like the other tools spoken of, adapted to existing conditions. The rough and stumpy roads almost forbade the use of four-wheeled conveyances.

It seems hardly necessary to call attention to the wagons, plows, harrows, threshing-machines, harvest- ers, mowers, wheel-rakes, etc., etc., of the present day, and contrast them with the awkward and uncouth imple- ments of former times ; but if this is done the adapta- tion of these to their existing circumstances should be remembered, and the additional fact should be borne in mind that the improved tools of the present day would not then have been available.

During some years after the first settlement of this region trade was carried on in a manner quite different from the way in which it is now conducted. Now all produce has a cash market and a cash value; and all the necessaries or superfluities that are purchased are reckoned according to the same standard. Then there was not sufficient money in the country to be made the medium of exchange, and trade was carried on almost wholly by what was termed barter. By reason of this nearly exclusive exchange trade, mercantile establishments were quite unlike those of the present time. Then every store was a commercial microcosm. In it was kept every- thing that the inhabitants required. As one who lived in those times says: " Every merchant kept dry goods, grocer. ies, crockery, glassware, hardware, dye stuffs, iron, nails, paints, oil, window-glass, school-books, stationery, rum, brandy, gin, whiskey, drugs and medicines, ending with a string of etceteras, or every other article usually kept in a country store. Things were sometimes curiously grouped; as, for example, silks and iron, laces and fish, pins and crowbars, pork and tea, molasses and ta , cot- ton yarn and log chains, wheel heads and hoes, cards and pitchforks, scythes and fur hats." In exchange for these the pioneer merchant received almost every article of country produce. Coarse grain was converted into spirits at his distillery, or that of some one in the vicinity, for distilleries sprung up early. Pork was "packed," and other kinds of produce were received for goods and sent by teams over the turnpike to Easton, and thus to Phila- delphia, where they were exchanged for the goods that were brought back by the same route; and so the barter trade was kept up. Some heavy articles, such as iron, salt, etc., were brought by boats on the river. Expensive methods of transportation necessarily rendered the price of goods high and that of produce low, and this condi- tion of things continued till better facilities for transport- ation cheapened merchandise and enhanced the price of produce.

Gradually since that time has trade changed till it has reached a cash basis, and along with this change has come another important one-the "division of business." Now dry goods, groceries, hardware, books, drugs, liquors, etc., etc., are separate branches of business; and produce dealing is separated from all of them.

A no less marked contrast is to be seen in the manu-

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

factures of those times and the present. Then almost every article and utensil that was used was either " home- made " or manufactured at the shops which sprung up to supply the wants of the early settlers. Then, as has been stated, the cloth in which every one was clad was of domestic manufacture. The spinning-wheel and the loom were portions of the furniture of almost every house, and clothieries, or wool-carding and cloth-dressing estab. lishments, were as common as grist-mills. Almost every hamlet had its tailor's shop, where the knight of the shears cut the clothing for the people of the vicinity, and, to avoid the responsibility of misfits, warranted "to fit if properly made up." This clothing was made up by tailoresses, or, as the tailors sometimes termed them, "she tailors." The trade of a tailoress was reckoned a very good one ; for she received for her skilled labor two shillings (as currency was then talked) per day ; while the price of housework help was four shillings per week.

Shoemakers' shops were abundant also, though there were itinerant shoemakers who "whipped the cat," as going from house to house with their "kits " was termed. After the establishment of tanneries the people were in the habit of having the hides of their slaughtered animals tanned on shares, and the leather thus obtained was worked up by these circulating disciples of St. Crispin.

The ubiquitous tailor shop has entirely disappeared, and only here and there is to be seen a solitary cobbler's sign. Every village has its shoe stores, and the de- scendants of Abraham vie with each other in supplying the gentiles with clothing " ferry sheap."

Very early it was a portion of the blacksmith business to make the nails that were required where wooden pins could not be used. Now an old fashioned wrought nail is a curious relic of the past; and even the rivets, bolts, and horse-shoe nails that were formerly made upon every anvil are now made by machinery, and furnished more cheaply than they can be hammered out by the vulcans or their apprentices.

So of almost everything. Where joiners formerly took lumber "in the rough " and did all the work of building a house, now houses are almost, like Byron's critics, "ready made;" for little is required but to put together the parts that are made by machinery.

The wheelbarrows, carts and wagons, and even the cra- dles and coffins, that were formerly made in the shops that sprang up when the country was first settled are now made by machinery, and sold at rates far lower than those at which handmade work can be afforded; and the old hand manufactories have gone to decay or degenerated into simple repair shops.

In early times wild animals, especially bears and wolves, and to some extent panthers, were sources of great an- noyance. It is not known that any person ever became a victim to the rapacity of these animals, but instances are recorded of terrible frights. Many swine that were permitted to roam and feed in the woods were destroyed by bears, and great care was necessary to protect sheep against wolves. For years the slumbers of people were

interrupted and night was made hideous by the howling of the latter.

It is recorded that during twelve years following 1808 the aggregate bounty paid for the scalps of panthers in Luzerne county was $1,822, and during the same time $2,872 for those of wolves. Of course during the years that preceded that time these animals were more abund- ant. The howl of the wolf and the screech of the pan- ther are not now heard in this region. Occasionally a bear is captured in the mountains, but the time is not far distant when bruin will no more be seen here.

CHAPTER VI.

OLD LUZERNE COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.

HE Revolutionary history of this region limits itself to that of the Wyoming valley. Be- yond this valley there were at the com- mencement of the Revolution hardly any settlements nearer than those on the Dela- ware, which were sixty miles distant, through a wilderness of swamps and mountain ranges; or Sunbury, which lay an equal distance down the Susque- hanna river; a few isolated settlers, nearly all of whom were tories, had just located at Tunkhannock and at points further up the river. Wyoming was not on the outskirts of civilization; it was an isolated settlement in the midst of a country inhabited by savages that after- ward became hostile. The country of the warlike Iro- quois included the head waters and upper branches of the Susquehanna, down which a war party of these sava- ges could at any time sail in their light canoes when tempted to do so by the hope of obtaining scalps or plunder. In this isolated condition, away from the theater of active hostilities and distant from any thoroughfare over which hostile parties could pass on expeditions against region's on either side of them, it was but reasonable to suppose that they stood in very little peril except from the incursions of marauding savages.

In order to form a just idea of the condition of the people here at that time, it must be remembered that the population of the valley consisted almost entirely of set_ tlers from Connecticut, who had acquired their land titles from the Susquehanna Company and who had been en- gaged in actual hostilities with the Pennamites (as they termned those who claimed these lands under titles which they acquired from the proprietaries) and those who aided them in their attempts to enforce their claims. It must be remembered, too, that tolerance of those who differed with them in opinion was never a distinguishing characteristic of the Puritans who peopled the province of Connecticut, or of their descendants, from among whom these settlers came; and that the repeated attempts of these Pennamites to unjustly deprive them of their

LUZERNE AT THE OPENING OF THE REVOLUTION.

lands and expel them from the valley aroused to its fullest activity their intolerance.

On the other hand, a hatred of the Yankees equally intense existed among the Pennamites, many of whom doubtless considered themselves unjustly dispossessed of lands to which they had acquired a legitimate title. This rancorous feeling in the members of the opposing parties naturally engendered in each a hatred of everything upon which the other looked with favor; and that doubtless was the reason why fifty-eight of the sixty-one tories in the valley, as stated by one historian, were of the Pen- namites who remained, and it will also account for the remarkable unanimity among the Yankees.

The population of the valley at that time has been va- riously estimated. By some historians it has been set down at 2,500, and by others at 5,000. Had there ex- isted among these people no peculiar local influences, there is reason for the supposition that at least as large a proportion of theni would have been loyalists as in other localities. They were located in a valley of surpassing beauty and fertility. The soil gave ample returns for the labor which they bestowed on it, the surrounding forests abounded with game, and the river was plentifully stocked with fish. They were subject only to such laws as they enacted for their own government, and the oppressive acts of the mother country were scarcely felt by them. They were contented and happy, and but for the frequent invasions of the valley by those who sought to dispossess them it would have been almost the terrestrial paradise which romancers and poets have represented. Under such circumstances they could see but little for them to gain by a separation of the colonies from Great Britain, and that little more ideal than real. On the other hand, they could see that by actively espousing the cause of the patriots they would subject themselves to the predatory and cruel warfare of the savages, by whom they were sur- rounded and whose alliance would be sought by the mother country; and that possibly other forces might be sent against them for strategic purposes. That under such circumstances even a larger proportion of the peo- ple here than in other regions should adhere to their loy- alty would be no matter of surprise.

At nearly the same time when the colonies severed their allegiance to Great Britain the people of Pennsyl- vania threw off the proprietary government, under which the Yankees had several times been driven from the val- ley, and adopted a State constitution. With the failure of the rebellion, and the re-establishment of the regal authority in the colonies, would come the restoration of the proprietary government and a renewal of hostilities against the Connecticut settlers; while the success of the revolution and maintenance of the State government gave them reason to hope (although vainly, as subsequent events proved) for a cessation of their persecutions. In view of these circumstances, it would be reasonable to expect that the line between Yankees and Pennamites should almost exactly coincide with that between Whigs and tories.

The spirit of intolerance to which allusion has been made

manifested itself with increased intensity when the objects of that intolerance came to occupy the position of foes to their country as well as local enemies. On the other hand, the feeling of enmity which the Pennamites had enter- tained toward the Yankees, who had resisted their claims to the land in the valley, became greatly intensified when they came to regard those Yankees as rebels against the government to which they were loyal. Such were the relations of parties, and such was the animus of those parties, at the commencement of the Revolution.

The attempted invasion of the valley by Plunkett in December, 1775, was the last hostile demonstration against the Connecticut settlers by the Pennamites previous to the Revolution. In August of that year the Yankees had at a town meeting for the town of Westmoreland (as the whole region was then called) expressed by resolution their willingness "to make any accommodations with ye Pennsylvania party that shall conduce to ye best good of ye whole, not infringing on the property of any person, and come in common cause of liberty in ye defense of America; and that we will amicably give them ye offer of joining in ye proposals as soon as may be." At a meeting held a week later, pursuant to adjournment of this, it was resolved that "we do now appoint a committee to atten- tively observe the conduct of all persons within this town touching the rules and regulations prescribed by the Hon- orable Continental Congress, and will unanimously join our brethren in America in the common cause of defend- ing our liberty.'

Notwithstanding the overtures thus made, and the patri- otic resolution adopted, the attempt of Plunkett to expel the Yankees was made; and though hostilities were then suspended till after the Revolution the latent bitter feeling was without doubt more intense by reason of this attempt. As the difficulties with the mother country thickened, and hope of reconciliation diminished, the patriotic ardor of the settlers increased. Measures were adopted to provide means of defense, and as early as March, 1776, by resolu- tion at a town meeting, the selectmen were directed to dispose of the grain in the hands of the collector or treas- urer, and purchase powder and lead to the amount of forty pounds. By another resolution a bounty of fio was of- fered to the man who should first manufacture fifty pounds of good saltpetre. Mr. Miner states, on the authority of Mrs. John Jenkins, that the women took up the floors of their houses, leached the earth which they dug from under them, and made saltpetre by boiling the lye; then mixed it with charcoal and sulphur, and thus produced powder for public use.

On the breaking out of the war many young men from the Wyoming valley hastened to the scene of hostilities, and in the winter of 1775-6 some removed their families to Connecticut that they might join the army. Lieuten- ant Obadiah Gore, with twenty or thirty others, went to the field direct from the valley. After the declaration of inde- pendence it became evident that forts for the defense of the valley and for places of refuge in times of danger should be erected; and at a town meeting held August 24th, 1776, it was voted " that this meeting do recommend

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

it to the people to proceed forthwith in building said forts without either fee or reward from ye town." Pur- suant to this recommendation was built Fort Jenkins, a stockkade around the house of John Jenkins at what is now West Pittston, just above the northwest end of the Pittston ferry bridge. Fort Wintermoot, about a mile farther down the river, near a fine spring, was built by some settlers from New Jersey, who were after- ward more than suspected of being tories; and Forty Fort, so named from the forty original proprietors of the town- ship of Kingston, was built near the center of the town- ship and included about an acre of ground. Wilkes-Barre Fort was situated just above the mouth of Mill creek, to guard the mills on the stream. Wyoming Fort was on the east bank of the river, not far from the foot of South street in Wilkes-Barre; and Stewart's block house was also on the east bank of the river, about three miles below, in Hanover. There was also a stockade at Pittston, nearly opposite Fort Jenkins.

By reason of representations that had been made to Congress of the exposed condition of the valley to incur- sions by the Indians, who were becoming insolent and were suspected of favoring the British, Congress by reso- lution August 23d, 1776, authorized the raising in the town of Westmoreland of two full companies to be "stationed in proper places for the defense of the inhab- itants of said town and parts adjacent till further order of Congress." These companies were by the terms of the resolution "liable to serve in any part of the United States when ordered by Congress." On the 26th of the same month Congress appointed as officers of these com- panies Robert Durkee and Samuel Ransom, captains; James Wells and Perrin Ross, first lieutenants; Asahel Buck and Simon Spalding, second lieutenants; and Her- man Smith and Matthias Hollenback, ensigns. Lieuten- ant Buck resigned and John Jenkins, jr., was appointed to fill the vacancy. These companies were already in existence, under the captains named, as volunteer organ- izations, but they had not their full quotas of men till the 17th of September, when they were mustered into the United States service as the two independent companies of Westmoreland. The following is a copy of the muster . roll of the first independent company from Wyoming in the Revolutionary army. Except Waterman Baldwin who enlisted January 7th, 1777, the members of this company enlisted September 17th, 1776.

Captain, Robert Durkee; first lieutenant, James Wells; second lieu- tenant, Asahel Buck ; ensign, Herman Swift; first sergeant, Thomas McClure ; second sergeant, Peregrine Gardner ; third, Thomas Baldwin ; fourth, John Hutchinson ; corporals-Edward Setter, Azel Hyde, Jere- iniah Coleman, Benjamin Clark ; privates-Walter Baldwin, James Bag- ley, Eleazer Butler, Moses Brown, Charles Bennet, William Buck, jr., Asa Brown, James Brown, jr., David Brown. Waterman Baldwin, John Cary, Jesse Coleman, William Cornelius, Samuel Cole, William Davison, Douglass Davison, William Dunn, Daniel Denton, Samuel Ensign, Na- thaniel Evans, Johu Foster, Frederick Follet, Nathaniel Fry, James Frisby, jr., Elisba Garret, James Gould, Titus Garret, Mumford Gardner, Abraham Hamester, Israel Harding, Henry Harding, Thomas Harding, Stephen Harding, Oliver Harding, Richard Halsted, Thomas Hill, Jolin Ilalsted, Benjamin Harvey, Solomon Jolinson, Asahel Jerome, Jolin Kelly, Stephen Munson, Seth Marvin, Martin Nelson, Stephen Pettibone, Stephen Preston, Thomas Porter, Aaron Perkins, John Perkins, Ebene- zer Phillips, Ashabel Robinson, Fra Stevens, Elisha Sills, Ebenezer Shiner, Asa Smith, Robert Sharer, Isaac Sinitb, Luke Sweetland, Shadrach Sills. Samuel Tubbs, William Terry, John Tubbs, Ephraim Tyler, Edward

Walker, Obadiah Walker, James Wells, jr., Nathaniel Williams, Thomas Wilson.

The following is a copy of a pay roll of the 2nd inde- pendent company from Wyoming. Its term of service was three years from January Ist, 1777.

Captain, Samuel Ransom ; captain, Simon Spalding ; lieutenant, Si- mon Spalding ; lieutenant, Timothy Pierce ; lieutenant, John Jenkins; ensign, Timothy Pierce ; first sergeant, Parker Wilson ; second sergeant, Josiah Pasco ; privates-Caleb Atherton, Mason F. Alden, Samuel Bil- lings, Jesse Bezale, Jehial Billings, Isaac Benjamin, Oliver Bennet, Asa- hel Burnham, Rufus Bennet, Benjamin Clark, Gordon Church, Price Cooper, Josiah Corning, Benjamin Cole, Nathan Church, Daniel Franklin, Charles Gaylord, Ambrose Gaylord, Justin Gaylord, Benjamin Hemp- stead, Timothy Hopkins, William Kellog, Lawrence Kinney, Daniel Lawrence, Nicholas Manswell, Elisha Matthewson, Constant Matthew- son, William McClure, Thomas Neal, Asahel Nash, John O'Neal, Peter Osterhout, Amos Orinsburg, Thomas Packett, Ebenezer Roberts, Samuel Saucer, Asa Sawyer, Stephen Skiff, John Swift. Constant Searle, William Smith, jr., Elisha Satterlee, Robert Spencer, John Vangordon, Thomas Williams, Caleb Warden, Richard Woodstock, Elijah Walker, Zeber Williauts.

Of those who left this company and returned to Wyo- ming to take part in the battle on the 3d of July, 1778, the following were killed: Captain Robert Durkee, Cap- tain Samuel Ransom, Lieutenant Timothy Pierce, Lieu- tenant James Wells, and privates Samuel Cole, Daniel Denton, William Dunn, Daniel Lawrence and Constant Searle.

It will be remembered that in the autumn of 1776 the army under General Washington retired from Long Island, followed by the advancing army of General Howe, and on the 8th of December crossed the Dela- ware. On the 12th of the same month Congress, by reso- lution, directed "that the two companies raised in the town of Westmoreland be ordered to join General Wash- ington with all possible expedition;" an order which they at once obeyed, and reached the army before the close of the year. They were in the battle of Millstone on the 2nd of January, 1777, and their good conduct there elicited the commendations of their commanding officers. They were also in the battles of Bound Brook, Brandywine, Germantown and Mud Fort.

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History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 11

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York Publication date: 1880 Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co. Number of Pages: 900

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900