USA > Pennsylvania > Lycoming County > History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania > Part 22
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On the 11th of September Gen. James Potter reached Sunbury and assumed command of the volunteers. By this time it was learned that the strength of the Indians was greatly exaggerated, when the volunteers were relieved from duty.
AN ILL FATED HUNTING PARTY.
Late in the fall of 1780, William King, Simon Cool, and James Sweeny came up from Northumberland to hunt deer. They stopped at an abandoned cabin near the mouth of Dry run, a short distance west of Lycoming creek. A light snow was on the ground and they soon discovered Indian moccasin tracks. This gave them no alarm. The next day they went up Dougherty's run, intending to descend Bottle run to Lycoming creek. One traveled on each side of the stream, while the third walked down the bottom. After traveling some distance King, who was in the rear, heard Sweeny call Cool three times, and soon after he heard the report of a gun. He proceeded cautiously for some distance, but failing to find his companions he became alarmed and returned to the cabin, where he remained all night alone. As they did not return the next day he concluded that the Indians had either captured or killed them, and fearing to remain alone, he got aboard their canoe and paddled back to Northumberland and reported the strange circumstance.
Nothing was heard of the missing men for seven years. One day while King was standing in the door of a tavern at Northumberland, who should suddenly
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appear, like one risen from the dead, but Sweeny. After a warm and friendly greeting, he related his experience, beginning with the day of his disappearance seven years before. Sweeny said that after they had separated to travel down Bottle run on the lookout for game, he suddenly discovered from his position on the hillside three Indians stealthily following Cool. He called to him and warned him of what was behind, whereupon Cool ran for his life and he did the same. When they came to Bottle run Sweeny sprang clear across, but Cool, who was a large man, fell short and landed in the water. When he clambered on the bank he found, on account of his wet clothes, that he could not run, and they took to trees and prepared to defend themselves. Cool had a dog noted for hunting Indians, and scenting their pursuers he barked furiously and tried to break away. In trying to quiet the dog Cool exposed his body, when an Indian shot him through the breast. Rising up he called to Sweeny that he was badly hurt, when he fell over dead. Seeing that it was useless to resist Sweeny surrendered. The Indians stripped Cool, and taking his gun, threw an old one down in its place when they hurried away with their prisoner. After a long march, during which Sweeny suffered much from cold and wet, they reached Canada. There he remained until he obtained his release, and after much delay and suffering finally worked his way back to Northumberland. When Cool was killed they scalped him and left his body lying on the ground. Years afterwards the rusty irons of the old gun left by the Indians were plowed up by a farmer.
Sweeny was a lieutenant in Colonel Hartley's expedition and had charge of the rear guard of thirty men, and was noticed in the report as " a valuable officer." He purchased lot No. 63 on Market street, Jaysburg, of Jacob Latcha, January 12, 1796. He afterwards moved west, where he died. At first he was called "McSwiney," then "McSweeny," and finally plain "Sweeny."
Simon Cool first settled near the mouth of Larry's creek and made an improve- ' ment, very likely on the spot where the cabin of Larry Burt, the Indian trader, stood. He was an ensign in the Eighth Company of Associators, Capt. Henry Antes, January 24, 1776, and captain of the Sixth Company, Third Battalion, com- manded by Colonel Plunkett, March 13, 1776. Excepting his tragic death, nothing further is known of his personal history.
William King was born in Edinburg, Scotland, January 29, 1745. He enlisted in a British regiment recruiting for America and was sent with it to New Jersey to guard the royalists. On the breaking out of the Revolution he bought a substitute to serve out his time and left the English service. In a few months he married Elizabeth Tharp and they moved to Northumberland county and settled on the site of Jaysburg, but were driven away by the Fair Play men on the ground of being intruders. They then temporarily settled on Vincent island, in the river opposite Milton. King served in various capacities in the defence of the frontier. May 21, 1777, he was commissioned second lieutenant of a company of foot in the Fourth Battalion of county militia. His wife, who was returning to join him, was killed in the bloody massacre of June 10, 1778, in the plum tree thicket on what is now West Fourth street, Williamsport, and their two daughters, Sarah and Ruth, carried into captivity.
He married, second, Martha Reeder, March 25, 1779, and in March, 1787, returned with his family to the cabin on Dry run. In a short time he re-located on
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his claim on the site of Jaysburg, whence he had been expelled, occupied it, and lived there till his death, which occurred October 2, 1802. By the second marriage he had four sons and two daughters. Several of their descendants now live in and about Williamsport. He was evidently engaged in dangerous military service soon after the massacre, for this item appears in the accounts of Colonel Hunter: " Paid William King for reconnoitering between Muncy Hills and Lycoming, September 6, 1779, £30."
FATE OF CAPTAIN KEMPLEN.
Soon after the capture of Fort Freeland Colonel Hunter "appointed Capt. Thomas Kemplen to recruit " a company for service on the frontier. He entered the field, May 7, 1780, and was of great service that year. Later Colonel Hunter says, "Kempling and his eldest son were killed by the Indians at the mouth of Muncy creek in March, 1781." In the petition of his widow, who writes her name Mary Campleton, presented to the Assembly September 23, 1784, she says: "My husband and son, with others, went on a tour of duty up the West Branch early in the spring of 1781, and lying one night at the mouth of Muncy creek, in the morn- ing the savages came on them, and my unfortunate husband and son, with one William Campble, fell a sacrifice to all the cruelties that savages could inflict, leaving your petitioner and six children. We were driven from house and home, and so reduced that I am unable to return to the place we had improved upon."
Thomas Kemplen is first noticed as living on the Indian land a short distance west of Newberry, and was at that time interested with the Fair Play men in dis- possessing William King, who had located on a tract which it was alleged he had no right to claim. Kemplen was afterwards the owner of a claim near where this diffi- culty occurred, but sold it. That he was a squatter on the Indian land there seems to be no doubt. He fled with the other settlers, and when he returned in the capacity of a soldier, both he and his son fell by the hands of those who had despoiled his home, and left his family destitute.
Colonel Hunter's accounts show that he was paid the following sums for military services:
Paid Thomas Kemplen for recruiting a camp of rangers, May 7, 1779, £75; May 12th, £450; June 15th, £339 7s 6d. Total, £864 7s 6d. Paid him for the pay of his company, August 13, 1779, £82 10s. Paid him for John Carmady, sergeant, to pay for making shirts for Captain Kemplen's company, September 22, 1779, £13 10s. Paid himself, October 8, 1779, £82 10. Paid him for Thomas Moore for his company, November 19, 1779, £225; May 3, 1780, £112 10s. Total, £337 10s.
Aside from the foregoing incident, the winter passed without anything of an exciting character occurring. The people had largely returned to their homes along the river and were gradually recovering their equanimity. The outlook was more encouraging for peace than it had been for several years. Such was the condition at the opening of the spring of 1781. Yet it was not considered safe to neglect the defence of the valley entirely, as the Indians could not be trusted. They were liable * at any moment to invade the settlements and murder the people for their scalps and then destroy their homes.
As the spring of 1781 advanced hostilities, as it was feared, were again reported. General Potter wrote on the 12th of March that five distinct attacks had been made since the 22d of that month, and the people were again becoming alarmed.
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CAPTAIN ROBINSON.
About this time a new man appeared on the scene, who was to take part in the closing military operations in this valley. On the 15th of June, 1781, Captain Thomas Robinson wrote President Reed from Sunbury, stating that he was making every possible effort to recruit a company, and had already secured fifty-two men to serve "during the war." The want of necessary money and clothing, he remarked, put it out of his power "to render that service to this distressed part of the county he could otherwise do." Times were indeed hard, the greatest trouble now being with the currency. Most of his men were naked. "They have not," he wrote, "a sufficiency of clothing to cover themselves. Blankets they had none!" He hoped Council would soon be able to furnish him with "clothing and what money was due his men to the 1st of June. This would enable him to fill up the company very soon." He reported further: "Lieutenant Grove has raised seventeen men for seven months. Mr. Samuel McGredy has raised twenty men for the same time, and has been extremely active with them." He had, on the advice of General Potter, nominated him as a lieutenant to command the detachment. Robinson had raised fourteen men for seven months, but as his entire force was mostly divided into small detachments it was impossible for Van Campen and himself to do the necessary duty. He had therefore with the advice of General Potter "nominated Samuel Quinn as an ensign." He had been "doing the duty of an officer since the 1st of May." "It would be more agreeable," he added, " to me to confer the rank of lieutenant on him." As the county was without a paymaster Captain Robinson also recommended that Quinn be appointed to perform that duty, as he knew he could "execute it without preventing him from doing duty as an officer," at least so far as paying his men was concerned. He might be allowed a small sum for this extra duty. By this arrangement the Captain thought it would be cheaper for the county than to appoint a man specially to perform this duty. He also begged Council to appoint a surgeon, as there was "not one in the county-not within forty miles," so far as he knew. Neither did he know of any one "that would be willing to come here but Michael Jenneys or Dr. Smith of Lancaster county.
Captain Robinson also strongly favored the establishing of military posts in this county. "I have had it in contemplation for some time to rebuild Fort Muncy. This General Potter is extremely fond of and looks upon it as the most advantageous post in the county for many reasons." If this plan met the approba- tion of Council he requested instructions at once, as it was important that the work of rebuilding the fort should be commenced without delay.
FORT MUNCY REBUILT.
That the fort was rebuilt there is little doubt, but the question was discussed for some time. Colonel Hunter wrote Vice-President Potter, February 28, 1782: "It has been in contemplation for Captain Robinson's company to be all ordered to Fort Muncy and repair the garrison. In my humble opinion it would be the only way to have the most service done by that company. If Council is determined to order .
Captain Robinson's company to Fort Muncy, it would require at least 100 men to keep proper out-scouts and repair the garrison."
' As Council, however, had it in contemplation to remove Captain Robinson's
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company to Lancaster, for the purpose of guarding prisoners, the inhabitants were greatly alarmed when they heard of it. They felt that such a movement would be an invitation to the Indians to return and overrun the country. A petition remon- strating against the removal of the company was at once drawn and signed by thirty-six of the leading inhabitants. Among other reasons they gave for the retention of the company was, that they understood it was raised for their defence and it was not meant to be taken away entirely from the county. If it was removed they could not remain; they thought it would be cruel for Council to leave them without any adequate protection. The petition was dated December 18, 1781, and among the signers we find the following who were residents of this portion of the county: Robert Martin, John Caldwell, Frederick Antes, Andrew Culbertson, Peter Hosterman, William Hepburn, David Mckinney, and Henry Starrett. The appeal of the petitioners was heeded by Council, which greatly encouraged them.
Strenuous efforts were continued by leading men to have the old fort repaired, and all the influence that could be secured was brought to bear on the Supreme Executive Council to issue an order to that effect. Colonel Hunter wrote that as the heavy snow was disappearing the settlers were anxious that something of the kind should be done for their protection. If it was not done they would not remain to cultivate their farms and run the risk of being scalped. All that kept them here during the winter was to take care of their cattle. If unprotected during the dangerous season, they would drive their cattle away and quit the country.
On the 6th of March Council ordered Captain Robinson to establish his head- quarters at Fort Muncy, and directed the county lieutenant (Hunter) to order the necessary detachments "from said county, and that the Vice-President write to Colonel Hunter to have the necessary repairs made, having due regard to frugality." Owing to the poverty of the county scarcely anything was done for some time to carry out the order. The people wanted the State authorities to do the work, as they thought they had suffered enough without being required to put this defensive work in good condition again.
Colonel Hunter replied to Vice-President James Potter, April 17, 1782, and says: "Agreeable to your letter and the resolve of Council, Captain Robinson's headquarters is at Fort Muncy, and I am certain he does all he can in the way for the good of the county, but as for doing much towards the repairing of the fort, it is not in his power at present, as the enemy have made their appearance once more on our frontiers. The 7th instant they took off a woman and four children from Wyoming; and on the 14th instant a scout of Captain Robinson's men came on fresh tracks of Indians about a mile from Lycoming, and followed them up the creek towards Eeltown." He then remarked that he was sorry "Council was made believe that a number of the inhabitants would move up to Muncy as soon as the ranging companies would be stationed there." He did not believe they would return under such conditions. They wanted the fort repaired so that there would be a place of some strength to fly to in case of serious danger. He believed that "whatever was done must be by the soldiers themselves, in case Mr. Wallis does not come up with a party of Hessians-as we have been told by some people-to build a fort of stone and lime." "This I would like very well," he continued, "if there was a probability of defraying the expense that would accrue by erecting such
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a fort. But in the meantime I gave Captain Robinson orders to repair the fort in the best manner he could at present for his own preservation, as I had no assurance from Council of any such fort being built by Mr. Wallis."
It seems that a rumor was started about that time that Samuel Wallis was making an effort to secure the services of a lot of Hessian prisoners to rebuild the fort, but there is nothing in the records to show that the rumor had any foundation in fact. As he was anxious to have the fort reconstructed, it is probable that he made such a prop- osition, but the idea of using prisoners of war for such purposes could not be enter- tained. Out of this proposition the rumor doubtless started, and in later years there were people who believed the fort was rebuilt by Hessians. A few might have worked on it, but that there was any considerable number brought here for that purpose, there is no evidence to show.
Colonel Hunter futhermore stated in his correspondence of that date, that Cap- tain Robinson was expecting "some arms to be sent up for the use of his company, as they are very much wanted. He exchanged twenty muskets in Reading when he came from there, and he would require twenty muskets more with bayonets and fif- teen rifles." The Colonel thought it would be much better for the company to have public arms, "for every now and then they [the men] are selling and bartering off their rifles because they are their own property." When supplied with United States arms he believed this evil would be stopped, as they would have to account for them.
On the 18th of July, 1781, Captain Johnson, of Lancaster county, arrived at Sunbury with twenty-six militiamen to serve the balance of their time in this county. They were in poor condition for soldiers. Fourteen were without arms, and no ammunition or arms could be furnished them. Colonel Hunter said "they had no stores of any kind, not even provisions!" The county at that time could not have been in a much worse poverty-stricken condition.
Colonel Hunter immediately wrote to Col. Maxwell Chambers, sub-lieuten- ant of Lancaster county, expressing surprise that he would send re-enforcements here in that condition. He thought it would be "really hard " if they were forced to return because they had no arms; but he was trying to get some arms repaired for them. He had not thought militia would be ordered here without being equipped.
On the 22d of August he wrote to Colonel Hubley, of Lancaster county, saying that he would be compelled to discharge the militia before their " tour of two months was out," because he could not procure rations for them. "There is no money to purchase with, and the public has no credit at present, so our commissioner of pur- chases can do nothing."
THE HAMILTON FAMILY.
Small parties of Indians 'continued to raid the settlements. The house of a settler named Tate, a few miles above Northumberland, was visited, and a young woman named Catharine Storm knocked down and scalped. She recovered from her wounds and lived many years afterwards. This same party committed other depredations. It is supposed they were the same Indians that killed Alexander Hamilton, who fled to Northumberland at the time of the "Big Runaway," from
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Pine creek. Colonel Hunter induced him to remain, as he had three sons, young men, to assist in holding Fort Angusta. They were employed as sentinels and on scouting parties. Hamilton occupied a house in Northumberland that had been vacated. and he engaged in cultivating some ground near the town. The Indians waylaid him as he was returning from the field, shot and scalped him, and then fled. One of his sons, Robert, married Anna Jackson and became the father of a family noted for intellectual vigor and high moral standing. The venerable John Hamil- ton, of Pine creek township, Clinton county, who died April 24, 1891, at the great age of ninety years, six months, and five days, was a son. James, another son, became a Presbyterian clergyman and died in 1886. William, his brother, also studied for the ministry, and was ordained at Jersey Shore in 1837. He became a distinguished missionary among the Indians of Nebraska, and labored there for fifty- four years. He died September 17, 1891.
A HEAVY TAX PROPOSED.
About this time the Assembly passed a law levying a heavy tax on each county for the purpose of raising revenue to purchase supplies for the army. Matters were growing desperate, the currency was greatly depreciated, the army needed supplies, and there was but one way to obtain them, and that was by a resort to heavy taxa- tion. To the consternation of the few remaining inhabitants it was found that the quota for Northumberland was greater than could be raised by the sale of all the personal property in the county! To impress upon the authorities the impossibility of raising the amount called for, William Clark and William Antes, two of the com- missioners, united in a letter to President Reed: "We are obliged," they said, "to declare our utter inability to comply with the demands of that law ..... Those who have property sufficient to support themselves are gone. Then shall the quota of the county be levied on the miserable few that remain ? Their whole personal property, if removed to a place where hard cash could be had for it, and sold, would not pay the tax." This was a sorry prospect for revenue. They said it would be useless to lay a tax on absentees. The improvements were grown up or destroyed and the personal property removed. They wished to obey the laws, but in this case it was simply impossible. It does not appear that any attempt was made to enforce the law.
MURDER OF THE LEE FAMILY ..
The murder of Maj. John Lee and several members of his family, some time in August, 1782, was very cruel and caused much excitement among the people. He lived near what is now the little town of Winfield, a few miles above Northumberland, on the west side of the river. It was a warm evening, and Lee and his family, with one or two neighbors, were eating supper. Suddenly a band of Indians burst upon them. Lee was striken down and scalped, and an old man named Walker shared the same fate. Mrs. Boatman was killed and scalped, and a daughter was also scalped. Two or three escaped. A son of Lee named Robert was returning home, and when he came in sight of the house the Indians were leaving it. He fled to Sunbury and gave the alarm. In the meantime the Indians retreated up the river, carrying Mrs. Lee and her infant child with them as prisoners. Colonel Hunter hastily collected
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a party of twenty men and started in pursuit. When they reached the house they found Lee and Miss Boatman still living. They were sent to Sunbury on litters for treatment, but Lee soon after died. Miss Boatman recovered and lived for many years.
Colonel Hunter and his party hurried after the savages, who crossed Bald Eagle mountain by the Culbertson path, which came out opposite the mouth of Lycoming creek. When the pursuing party reached the river next day and crossed they found that the savages had gone west, and their fresh tracks showed that they were not far ahead. Hunter and his men accelerated their speed. In crossing the mountains Mrs. Lee was bitten on the ankle by a rattlesnake, and her leg soon became so much swollen that she traveled with great difficulty. She was constantly bemoaning her condition and imploring the savages to release her. They refused and fiercely urged her forward. At a point near Pine run, in what is now Piatt township, she became so much exhausted that she seated herself on a stone and refused to go any further. By this time, it is supposed, the Indians had discovered that they were pursued, and fearing that Mrs. Lee would be rescued, a savage ran behind her and placing the muzzle of his gun close to her head fired and blew off the entire upper portion! Another seized her infant by the feet and dashed it against a tree. They then fled with increased speed and crossed the river at Smith's fording and ran up Nippe- nose bottom. When Colonel Hunter came up he found Mrs. Lee's body yet warm. The sight was a horrible one. The child was found to be little injured and was cared for. They rushed forward, and crossing the river soon came in sight of the Indians, who, on discovering them, separated and disappeared iu the bushes at Antes gap.
Colonel Hunter then deemed it imprudent to follow them any further, and he re- luctantly gave up the pursuit and returned. On the way back they stopped and buried the body of Mrs. Lee; they then hurried over the mountain by the path they came, and in due time reached the scene of the first tragedy, when they stopped and buried the dead in one grave. The old man Walker was buried in a grave near where he fell.
This atrocious affair aroused the authorities to renewed action, and they straight- way resolved on some retaliatory measures. On the 14th of September, 1782, the Supreme Executive Council ordered militia from Berks, Lancaster, Cumberland, and Northumberland counties to rendezvous at Fort Muncy on the 4th of October; and on the 17th of September commissioners were appointed to make purchases of commis- sary stores and hire pack horses to carry them to the fort. The object of this move - ment was the organization of a sufficient force to make another expedition into the Indian country,and, if possible, wipe the savages out. The proposed expedition, however, was abandoned soon after the orders were issued to prepare for it, because there were indications of the war soon closing.
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