History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 19

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650

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Colonel Hartley reported that the detachment of his regiment which had been serving in Northampton county had reached him, but their "clothes were all torn by the woods, and they were in the utmost want of hunting shirts and woolen over- alls or leggins." He hoped therefore that "200 of each " would be sent to him at once. No medicine had yet arrived and the militia were very sickly. The inhab- itants are recovering fast from their fright, but if the State did not replace some of the militia whose time was out, " hundreds of families will have to be maintained as paupers."

This report was forwarded by Capt. John Brady, father of the uufortunate James Brady, who had just been buried. He was on his way to rejoin the Continental army, his leave of absence having expired.

GRASS CUTTERS KILLED.

Some time in September, or about three months after the bloody occurrence of

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

June 10th at Lycoming creek, William Winter, who had settled near the residence of Amariah Sutton and made an improvement, returned from Berks county with some ten or twelve men to cut hay in a meadow a short distance above the mouth of Lycoming creek, for the purpose of feeding the cattle he proposed bringing up late in the fall. The meadow was in what was known at that time as "Locust bottom." It was covered with a luxuriant growth of coarse grass or wild timothy, which grew so high that when a man was sitting on horseback it was level with his head. Through this bottom the Philadelphia and Erie railroad now runs. Six men went to work at cutting grass. William King was among the number. They had placed their guns against a tree and had cut but two and a half swaths, when a party of Indians fired on them, killing four. King being untouched dropped his scythe and ran to the river, into which he dashed, and swimming to the other shore escaped, although fired at several times. One of the mowers dropped in the grass and managed to conceal himself until night, when he made his way to the river and raising a sunken canoe started on his way to Northumberland. He reached that place in safety the next day, and while relating that all had been killed but himself, and how he had escaped, King suddenly appeared in their midst. His clothes were torn into tatters by the briers and thorns as he made his rapid flight over the mountains.

Winter and the balance of his party were at the cabin near what is now the corner of Third and Rose streets, Williamsport, and he was engaged preparing their dinner. Hearing the firing they quickly discerned the cause, when they concealed them- selves until the Indians departed. When it was safe they went to the meadow and found four of their comrades killed and scalped. Fearing to remain long enough to pre- pare graves and bury them, they gathered the bodies together and hastily covering them with a thick layer of new mown hay, hurried away in the direction of Fort Muncy, and thence to their homes in Berks county.

Early the following spring (1779) Winter and a party of men returned, and on going to the spot where they had placed the bodies, removed the hay. Much to their surprise they found that the hay had preserved them from decomposition. They were then removed to the place where the slain of June 10, 1778, were laid, and buried. This was in what is now known as the old Lycoming burial ground on West Fourth street, and these four bodies were probably the second lot of unfortu- nates buried in that ground.

HARTLEY'S EXPEDITION.

Congress having directed Colonel Hartley to make an incursion into the enemy's country for the purpose of destroying some of their villages, he was busily engaged for several weeks in making preparations. He had hoped to be able to get together a force of 400 men, besides seventeen horse, which he had mounted from his own regiment and placed "under the command of Mr. Carbery." From his report to Congress of the expedition, we are enabled to condense the facts. The place of rendezvous was Fort Muncy. The troops began to concentrate on the 18th of September, but when he came to enumerate the strength of the force, he found that it only consisted of " about 200 rank and file." This was a disappointment, as he thought the number rather small to accomplish much, but he consoled himself with the reflection that as the enemy had no knowledge of his design, he would be able to make a " diversion, if no more, while the inhabitants were saving their grain."

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ARRIVAL OF COLONEL BRODHEAD.

On the morning of September 21, 1778, at 4 o'clock, the force moved from the fort, "carrying two boxes of spare ammunition and twelve days' provisions." Every available man that could be spared from the fort was taken along. They crossed Loyalsock at the fording and passed up the road to the point where it was intercepted by the Sheshequin trail. The weather was rainy and he encountered much trouble in the "prodigious swamps, mountains, defiles, and rocks" which impeded his course. They had to open and clear the way as they proceeded. The Sheshequin path, which he took, ran up Bouser's run, east of Williamsport, and crossed over the hills to Lycoming creek, which it ascended. The great swamp to which he alludes, was located west of the limestone ridge below Williamsport, and embraced the level scope of country as far west as Miller's run. It was caused by a great watershed, and a portion of it is there to this day. Its only outlet was the sluggish rivulet known as Bull run. The territory originally covered by the swamp embraced more than a square mile, and it extended back to the foot hills. Accord- ing to tradition it was "prodigious," and in continued rainy weather was almost impassable.

The Indian path being very narrow, had to be widened to admit of the passage of the troops and horses; and this was the first work of the kind done on it. The "mountains, defiles, and rocks," were found on Lycoming creek. It will be remem- bered that the Moravians described the route up that stream as terribly gloomy and dangerous. Although the Indians laid out paths, they were not road builders. If a tree, thicket, or rock obstructed their passage, they went around it; they never re- moved anything.

Colonel Hartley says they "waded or swam the River Lycoming upwards of twenty times." The commander thought the "difficulties in crossing the Alps, or passing up Kennipeck, could not have been greater than those his men experienced for the time," but, he was pleased to say, "they surmounted them with great reso- lution and fortitude."

As they progressed in their march they found "in lonely woods and groves," the "haunts and lurking places of the savage murderers" who had desolated the frou- tier, and "saw the huts where they had dressed and dried the scalps of the helpless women and children who had fallen in their hands."

At the head of Lycoming the expedition took the trail leading to the North Branch, the objective point being Tioga, a concentrating point of the Indians. On the morning of the 26th Colonel Hartley's advance guard of nineteen met an equal number of Indians on the path, approaching them. The guard had the first fire and killed a chief, whom they scalped, when the rest fled. A few miles further they discovered where upwards of seventy warriors had lain the night before. They were coming down to attack the settlers, but learning of the approach of Hartley's force became panic-stricken and fled to give the alarm. No time was to be lost and . the force advanced rapidly towards "Sheshecunnunck," (Sheshequin) in the neigh- borhood of which they took fifteen prisoners. Here Colonel Hartley learned that a deserter from Captain Spalding's company at Wyoming had given the Indians notice of his approach. This caused him to move "with the greatest dispatch towards Tioga," advancing his horse and some foot in front. Several of the enemy were seen but they fled rapidly. It was nearly dark when Tioga was reached, and

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

as the troops were much fatigued, it was impossible to proceed further that night.

Another prisoner was taken, from whom it was learned that the Indians had been advised of the invasion. Their forces had been on a raid to the German Flats, where they had taken eight scalps and brought away seventy oxen intended for the garrison at Fort Stanwix. On their return they were to have attacked Wyoming and the settlements on the West Branch again. A strong force of Indians was col- lecting at Chemung-probably 500-and they were building a fort there. Colonel Hartley was also informed that "Young Butler had been at Tioga a few hours before" he arrived-"that he had 300 men with him, the most of them Tories, dressed in green," and they had fled in the direction of Chemung. It was their intention to give him battle in some of the defiles if he proceeded in that direction.

Ou gaining this knowledge Colonel Hartley decided to advance no further, but to proceed down the river in the direction of Wyoming. The village of Tioga was burned, together with Queen Esther's palace. Robert Covenhoven, who accompanied the expedition, was the first man to apply the torch. All the huts within reach, together with a number of canoes, were destroyed. The horse pursued the enemy for some distance, but as the main body did not advance they returned. The con- sternation of the enemy was great, and had his force been sufficient to cope with him, Colonel Hartley was of the opinion that he could have inflicted great damage.

On the morning of the 28th the little army crossed the river and marched towards Wyalusing, where it arrived that night much exhausted. The march was continued next day under great difficulties, as the enemy had recovered and was assailing their rear and flanks. After considerable fighting, the loss of four killed and ten wounded, and much delay, Colonel Hartley reached Sunbury on the 5th of October.

After the Indians were defeated in their attack, with considerable loss, they did not pursue any further. Colonel Hartley thought their force was fully 200. In his 'march he had made "a circuit of nearly 300 miles in about two weeks, brought off nearly fifty head of cattle, twenty-eight canoes, besides many other articles."

Capt. John Brady, who had been sent home from the Continental Army to accompany Colonel Hartley, Captain Boone, Lieut. Robert King, and other officers, did great service, and Colonel Hartley mentioned their names in his report. He left half of his detachment at Wyoming, with five officers, to assist in watching the savages. In closing his long and interesting report Colonel Hartley says: "My little regiment with two classes of Lancaster and Berks county militia, will be scarcely sufficient to preserve the posts from Nescopeck falls to Muncy, and from thence to the head of Penn's valley."

The success of the expedition gave great satisfaction to the authorities, and the Supreme Executive Council unanimously passed a vote of thanks to him for his " brave and prudent conduct in covering the northwestern frontiers of this State, and . repelling the savages and other enemies."

At the time of sending his report Colonel Hartley made a requisition for "300 round bullets for three-pounders, 300 cartridges of grape shot for the same bore, 1,000 flints, six barrels of powder, a quantity of twiue and port fire, a ream of cannon cartridge paper," and other small articles. He said, furthermore, that they

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ARRIVAL OF COLONEL BRODHEAD.

had " eight three-pounders on the frontiers," from which it is inferred that they were mounted at Forts Muncy and Antes. There is nothing on record to show that small cannon were taken any further up the river; indeed, it is doubtful if Antes Fort mounted any guns, although there is a tradition that the latter work had a small cannon or two, and the tradition was afterwards strengthened by the finding of a few small cannon balls near where the fort stood.

The Indians did not relax in their efforts to secure scalps. The day before Colonel Hartley wrote his report (October 7th), two sergeants belonging to his regiment at Fort Muncy imprudently ventured a short distance outside of the enclosure. They were immediately attacked by lurking Indians and one of them killed and scalped; and as the other could not be found it was supposed he was taken prisoner. Smarting under their defeat at the hands of Colonel Hartley, the Indians were still murderously inclined and sought every opportunity to molest the settlers.

MUNCY TOWNSHIP ASSESSMENT LIST FOR 1778.

The stirring events of the year now drawing to a close were a terrible set-back to the people of this valley, both in the development of wealth and increase of popula- tion. The assessment list of Muncy township for 1778, which has been preserved, shows the following taxables, as compared with the list for 1774: David Austin, Nathaniel Barber, Michael Baker, John Brady, Charles Brignal, Peter Burns, Benja- min Bizart, David Berry, Mathew Blaney, Elwood Biddle, Jonathan Benjamin, David Benjamin, George Bartley, Daniel Brown, John Buckalow, Elizabeth Bonser, William Bonham, James Chambers, Michael Coon, Peter Cool, Henry Cooper, Henry Carmer, Joseph Craft, Peter Courter, Albert Covenhoven, James Clark, John Car- penter, James Carpenter, George Cottner, Cornelius Cox, John Carr, Andrew Cul- bertson, Margaret Duncan, William Ellis, Andrew Flaht, William Gannon, Zach- ariah George, Samuel Gordon, Robert Guy, James Giles, Charles Gillespie, John Hampton, Thomas Hunt, James Hinds, William Hammond, Jacob Huck, John Hall, John Coats, Silas Cook, John Covenhoven, Daniel Hill, Amos Hyland, Joseph Hay- land, William Hull, Joseph Hamilton, James Hampton, Mary Hoagland, John Hinds, (grist and saw mill,) James Hall, Samuel Harris, (one slave,) David Ireland, Peter Jones, Daniel John, Benjamin Jacobs, Caleb Knapp, Abraham Lafever, Frederick Leuf, (one slave,) Cornelius Low, Gaines Lukens, Enos Lundy, Jacob Larason, Patrick Murdock, John Morris, Mordecai Mckinney, (two slaves, ) Hannah Newman, Joseph Newman, Thomas Newman, Jr., Thomas Oliver, Daniel Prine, James Patton, Nimrod Pennington, (one slave, ) Israel Pancull, William Patterson, Alexander Power, Albert Polhemus, Statia Potts, James Parr, William Roddman, James Robb, (first constable in Muncy,) David Robb, Henry Richard, John Robb, Edward Reardon, Robert Robb, William Snodgrass, Peter Smith, Amariah Sutton, Richard Sutton, John Shoefelt, John Scudder, Paulus Sheep, John Stryker, Joseph Sutton, Barnet Stryker, James Sutton, Henry Scott, George Silverthorn, Oliver Silverthorn, Michael Smith, Cornelius Sharp, Henry Thomas, John Thompson, Solomon Tidd, Jerome Van Nest, Mirrah Voorhouse, Cornelius Venanda, Samuel Wallis, (four servants, one negro, one mill,) Joseph Jacob Wallis, (one negro,) Joseph Webster, Daniel Will- iams, Peter Wychoff, David Westman, Andrew Westman, Joshua White, William

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

Watson, Fleming Wilson, Francis Turbutt. Twenty-four single freeman are men- tioned, but their names are not given.

This assessment was made in the early part of the year, for the reader will observe that a number whose names appear on the list, were killed by the Indians during the summer and autumn. Notably may be mentioned David Berry, the Ben- jamins, George Cottner, William Snodgrass, John Shoefelt, John Thompson, and William Hammond. There were others no doubt who perished from the same cause. The name of Robert Covenhoven does not appear in the list, but it probably was among the single freemen, as it is known that he was here at that time and was con- spicuous as a guide and Indian fighter.

It will also be noticed that there were seven slaves held in the township at that time. But one " negro" is credited to Samuel Wallis, but it is surmised that his " four servants" were slaves also, which would increase the number to eleven.

Many of the foregoing settlers suffered greatly during the flight from the valley, and several never returned. One of the saddest cases, perhaps, was that of Albert Polhemus and his wife Catharine. They fled to Northumberland with their seven children, where, in a few months, both died, leaving their family to be cared for at public expense.

DEPARTURE OF COLONEL HARTLEY.

' As autumn waned and winter came on apace, the savage gradually ceased his inroads on the settlements and the inhabitants were, for a time, in a measure free from molestation. Worn out and wearied by his harassing service against the Indians, which required sleepless vigilance, Colonel Hartley yearned to be relieved. He was at Sunbury on the 20th of November, but soon afterwards took his depart- ure, leaving a portion of his regiment in garrison at Fort Muncy, with other detach- ments at the different posts requiring protection. His departure from the valley was greatly regretted by the people, as his services had been eminently successful.

Col. Thomas Hartley was born in Berks county, September 7, 1748. His father gave him a good education, and at the age of eighteen he commenced the study of law at York with Samuel Johnston, a relative and distinguished member of the legal profession. He was admitted at York, July 25, 1769, and in Philadelphia on the 10th of August following. He rose rapidly in legal distinction and had built up a lucrative practice when the Revolution opened. In 1774 he was made vice- president of the committee of observation for York county, and again in 1775. July 15, 1774, he was chosen a deputy to the Provincial Conference held at Phila- delphia, and a delegate to the Provincial Convention of January 23, 1775; Decem- ber, 1774, he was made first lieutenant of a company of associators, and in the December following he was made lieutenant colonel of the First Battalion of York county. Congress, on the 10th of January, 1776, appointed him lieutenant colonel

. of the Sixth Battalion of the Pennsylvania Line, and he served in the Canada cam- paign of that year. On the 27th of December, 1776, General Washington, by authority of Congress, issued commissions to raise two additional regiments in Penn- sylvania, and the command of one was given to Colonel Hartley. He commanded the First Pennsylvania Brigade, Wayne's Division, in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. In 1778 he was sent to the West Branch valley with his veteran regiment to punish the Indians. He wasthe recipient of many honors; was a trustee of Dickinson College; served twelve years in Congress, and died at York, Pennsyl- vania, December 21, 1800.

Vin.

Eng by J.R.Rice & Sons, Phila

IN Hall

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DEATH OF CAPT. JOHN BRADY.

CHAPTER X.

DEATH OF CAPT. JOHN BRADY.

THE WINTER OF 1778-19 A PERIOD OF COMPARATIVE QUIET-TIME, PLACE, AND CIRCUM- STANCES OF CAPTAIN BRADY'S TRAGIC DEATH-THE BURIAL SCENE-HISTORY OF THE BRADY FAMILY-THE BRADY CENOTAPH-THE INDIANS AT WORK AGAIN-MEDICINE BADLY NEEDED-THE SECOND INDIAN INVASION-THE SECOND FLIGHT-COLONEL HUBLEY'S OPINION. 4

H NEW settlers were murdered by the Indians during the winter of 1778-79. The inclement weather prevented them from making incursions. Andrew Fleming settled on Pine creek near where the house of Matthew McKinney now stands. On Christmas day, 1778, he took down his rifle, telling his wife that he would go out and kill a deer. He started up a ravine near his cabin, and had not been gone long when the report of a gun was heard. The day wore away and he did not return. His wife became alarmed at his absence and proceeded to look for him. Going up the ravine she was startled on perceiving three savages skulking in the underbrush, and her worst suspicions were aroused. Hastily returning she gave the alarm, when several neighbors collected and went out to search for the missing man. They had gone but a short distance when they found his dead body. Three bullets had been fired into him, one of which entered his eye. His scalp was removed. The Indians could not be found, having fled when they found they were pursued.

Captain Walker with his company remained at Fort Muncy during the winter. In a letter to Capt. John Hambright, a member of the Executive Council, under date of April 17, 1779, he says: "On the 2d of August, [1778] we were ordered by Colonel Hartley to build this fort ..... On the 20th of September the garri- son, which consisted of one captain, two subalterns, four sergeants, and sixty rank and tile, were drawn out-except one subaltern and eighteen men-on an expedi- tion under the command of Colonel Hartley. On the 9th of October we again marched into it; bad weather coming on, we began [building] our barracks, maga- zine, store house, etc. When this was finished we were comfortably prepared against the winter; but in the spring I found the works much impaired. I then set the garrison [at work] to repair the works, and raised them eighteen inches high; then we put two rows more of abattis round the works." The Captain and his men had no time to idle. Their duties were arduous, and at the same time the most extreme vigilance was required to guard against surprise, both in the fort and out- side. Referring to the labor of building and strengthening the fort, the Captain says: "In the course of this time one-third of our men were constantly employed as guards to the inhabitants, and I may affirm, in harvest the one-half were employed in the same way. Nor can any man in the county ever say he asked a guard, (when 10

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he had a just occasion,) and was denied. During this time the troops were not sup- plied even with ration whiskey; almost naked for want of blankets and clothes, and yet I have the satisfaction to inform you that they did their duty cheerfully. I from time to time did promise them some compensation for their trouble and indus- try. The works are now finished, and in my opinion tenable against any number our savage enemy can bring against them. As to my own part, I beg leave to observe, that I neither claim merit nor reward for what I have done. It is enough that I have done my duty. The sole cost this fort is to the State is building two rooms for the officers, making the gates, and sentry boxes."

In this letter Captain Walker speaks twice of enclosing a "plan of this fort," but the editor of the Pennsylvania Archives says in a foot note that it could not be found. His appeal in behalf of his men for some "reward" for what they had done in the hours of emergency which surrounded them is strong, not to say pathetic, but nothing is found on record to show that they ever received a penny "reward" for their arduous, dangerous, and patriotic services.

DEATH OF CAPT. JOHN BRADY.

Nothing of unusual interest occurred in the vicinity of Fort Muncy until the 11th of April, 1779, when Capt. John Brady was waylaid and shot by three Indians about one mile east of the fort. Brady had made himself particularly obnoxious to the Indians on account of his activity in opposing them. He took an active part in Colonel Hartley's expedition and attracted the attention of the Indians by his brav- ery. Having been ordered to remain at home from the Continental Army to assist in guarding the frontier, he was active as a ranger and the savages thirsted for his blood.

His family had returned from Sunbury, whither they fled when the "Big Run- away" took place, and were occupying their fortified house at Muncy. At this place Brady made his headquarters. On the fatal 11th day of April he had taken a wagon and a few men and proceeded to Fort Muncy for the purpose of drawing sup- plies. After securing the provisions he started the wagon back to his house. He was riding a fine young horse and lingered some distance in the rear of the wagon and guard. Peter Smith, "the unfortunate man" who lost his family in the bloody massacre of June 10, 1778, was walking by the side of the horse and conversing with Brady. He was the same man on whose farm the cradlers and reapers were cutting his harvest at Loyalsock the day James Brady was scalped.

When within a short distance of his home, instead of following the road taken by the wagon and guard, Brady proposed that they take another road which was shorter. They did so and traveled together until they came to a small stream now known as Wolf run. "Here," Brady observed, " would be a good place for Indians to hide," when instantly three rifles cracked and Brady fell from his horse dead! As the frightened animal was about to run past Smith he caught it by the bridle, vaulted on its back and was carried to Brady's Fort in a few minutes. The report of the guns was distinctly heard at the fort and caused alarm. Several persons rushed out, Mrs. Brady among them, and meeting Smith coming at full speed and greatly alarmed, excitedly inquired where Captain Brady was. Smith, it is said, replied: " In heaven or hell, or on his way to Tioga! " meaning that he was either killed or

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DEATH OF CAPT. JOHN BRADY.

taken prisoner by the Indians. Tioga was the point they generally made for with their prisoners.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 19

Author: edited by John F. Meginness Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1650

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650