History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 5

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

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Loudon in his Narratives (Vol. II, page 172) says that he had the account from "one of the men who was at the battle of Muncy," and that he could depend on his veracity. A verbatim transcript of the material portion of this account is as fol- lows:

In September 1763, about one hundred of us went up to take the Indian town at the Great Island, and went up to Fort Augusta where we sent a man forward to see whether Andrew Monture was there, but he was not; he asked where he was and was told he had goue to the plantation. We had apprehended that Monture knew of our coming and had gone to informn the Indians at the town called Great Island, or Monsey town, and when we got to the fort the officers that lay there wanted to persuade us not to go over, as the Monsey Indians were friendly to the white people. But as this was contradicted by some, we concluded to go. When we had crossed the river we saw Monture coming down in a canoe with a hog and some corn which he had brought from his plantation. When he camne near we called to him, upon which he landed and enquired our business, which we told him, and asked his advice whether it was proper to proceed or not. He said they were bad Indians and that we might use them as we pleased. We went that night to Mouture's plantation, and next morning crossed the Monsey hill, and discovered fires, where the Indians lay the night before. Here we consulted whether to proceed or not; at length William Patterson turned back, and we followed. When arrived at the top of the Monsey hill, we met with a party of Indians which we engaged; had two men killed, and four wounded, two of which died that night. We then went and secreted the dead bodies in a small stream to prevent their being discovered by the enemy. By that time it was night, and we went on about twenty perches, where the Indians fired on us from behind the point of a hill. About twelve of us ran up the hill when we heard them ruuning, but could not see them. We then came back to where they had fired on us at first, and found that the rest of our party were gone. We heard somebody coming after, stopped to see who it was; George Allen and two or three more of our men came up to us. We chose Allen to pilot us into the path, which he uudertook to do; but after traveling along the side of Monsey hill with much difficulty, until midnight, I told him we were going the wrong road; he told me if I knew the road better to go before. We then directed our course southward until near day- break, when we came to a path, which Allen informed us led to the Great Island and crossed the North branch to Iskepeck falls; in this path we traveled until daylight, when we saw a smoke, and proceeding ten or twelve perches we saw some Indians sitting around a fire. I then turned to the right into the woods, and some of our men followed me and some went on in the path till the Indians saw them, and seized their guns; we then raised our guns to fire, but the Indians cried don't shoot brothers, don't shoot! we answered we will not if you do not; we then went up to them and asked where they had been; they said they had been at the Moravian town buying goods; we told them we had an engagement the evening before with some of their people; they said it was impossible, as there were no Indians at the Great Island but a few old men and boys, the rest having all gone out a huuting; 1 told them I knew better; that they were gone to Tuscarora and Shearman's Valley, to kill the white people; that we had been waylaid at Buffalo creek by them and had five men killed and oue wounded; that James Patterson's shot pouch and powder horn had been found near the place, and he was a Great Island Indian, and they must come with us. The three Indians began to tremble, and leaving the victuals they were preparing proceeded with us.

HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

They afterwards coolly murdered two of these Indians on the hill just back of the town of Northumberland, by shooting them down as they were made to walk in front. The third was shot and supposed to be dead, until one of the party went to strip him of his fine leggins, when he suddenly jumped up, ran, and escaped. He had been shot through the arm, but lying still and feigning death, suffered himself to be scalped. When he jumped up and started to run he presented a horrible appearance; and as he apparently rose from the dead, his assailant was so stupefied with fear that he allowed him to escape. The Indian finally made his way to a spring, where he bathed his head in cold water, placed moss on his wound, and tying it up with one of his leggins, started for Great Island. He reached his desti- nation, and accounts inform up that he recovered and was able to go upon the war path again!

The "Monture" referred to in the account was the celebrated Andrew, son of Madame Montonr, whom Count Zinzendorf spoke of meeting at Otstonwakin in 1742. At this time he was living on a "plantation" near the mouth of Chillis- quaque creek.

Captain Patterson's party followed the Indian path over Muncy Hills, and the point where they "discovered fires, where the Indians lay the night before," is sup- posed to have been the "Warrior Spring," near what is now the village of Port Penn. In early times it was a conspicuous landmark and a favorite place of resort by the Indians. It was here that the old Monsey Chief Egohowen and his friends received and entertained Chief Newhaleeka, of the Great Island, under the wide- spreading branches of a mighty elm; and they conferred with each other regarding the condition of their tribes and the future outlook. The meeting, tradition informs us, was a memorable one.

Another brief account of the battle of Muncy Hills, found in London's Indian Narratives (Vol. II, page 191,) is worth being reproduced in this connection. It is as follows:

It was generally believed if there could be an expedition sent out to destroy some of the Indian towns, and to annoy them in their own country, it would be the most effectual method to keep them from murdering and massacreing the inhabitants; accordingly a company of volunteers turned out to the amount of about 100 men, and marched up the Susquehanna as far as Monsey, and at the foot of a hill of that name they spied some Indians. They held a council what was best to be done; one of the men who had been a captive with them for nine years, advised them to return on the path they came, for the Indians would take round them and come upon their rear, and take them upon disadvantageous ground; they had not retreated far till they met the Indians, and a smart battle ensued, which lasted till dark. The Indians were in two companies aud one of their captains called Snake was killed; and when his party found their leader was killed they moved off. When night came on the white men retired a small distance and lay down to take a little rest. The Indians came round and posted themselves in e thicket a few perches from the white meu: they were so near that they heard them cocking their guns, and directly they fired on the white men, who were about to return the fire. when the captive above mentioned called not to fire, for if they should empty their guns the Indians would rush up with their tomahawks. The white men and Indians lay that near that they could speak to each other: the Indians hearing some of our wounded making some moaning, called to them that some of them was very sick; our men replied that they would serve some of them as they had done the Snake. However, the Indiaus did not choose to risk auother hattle, but moved off, and ours came home and brought the wounded. How many were killed we can- not tell.

APPEARANCE OF THE PAINTED SAVAGE.

It was the opinion of the inhabitants at that time in Lancaster and Cumberland counties, that the influence of this battle was greatly to their advantage, as it had the effect of putting a check for a time on the movements of the Indians. This expedi- tion, it appears, was undertaken without any direct authority from the officers of the Province, but no doubt with their tacit approbation; and had it not been for the sequel they would have been proud to give it publicity. The place where it occurred was on the rear part of the farm of Joel Bieber, not far from where the Baughart school house now stands. Indian relics have been picked up on this ground. Sev- eral specimens may be found in the antiquarian collection of J. M. M. Gernerd, of Muncy, which are treasured as memorials of a sanguinary conflict which took place near by nearly 130 years ago.

INDIAN PATHS.

The aborigines exhibited a remarkable knowledge of locality and the geography of the country. Without roads, and destitute of means for accurate measurement, they seemed to possess an intuitive knowledge of places, however remote they might be, and how to reach them. Their mode of life frequently led them hun- dreds of miles into a strange country, either in pursuit of game or of an enemy, yet it was of the least importance how they should be able to find their way back. This knowledge resulted from experience and keenness of observation. To acquire it they were compelled to observe closely and quickly, and remember accurately every minute detail, either in the configuration of the country, or the trees, rocks, and streams. Their paths, therefore, were always laid out by the most available routes and by springs of water. They were only of sufficient width for one person. . They knew the best fording places on rivers and creeks, and thither their main paths were directed. In exercising their engineering abilities they seemed to be guided by the stars as to the points of the compass, whilst their intuitive knowl- edge of location enabled them to penetrate the thickest and gloomiest of forests and reach their destination with safety. Nature furnished them unerring signs as guides which they never mistook in their movements; consequently it was rare for an Indian to lose his bearings in the depths of the forest.

They had important paths and thoroughfares along the West Branch, over the mountains, and up certain streams. Several of them ran through Lycoming county. One in particular led to the headquarters of the Six Nations and was fre- quently traveled by the Moravian missionaries, bearers of important news, and war parties.

Shamokin was the central point in this part of the Province and from it the main paths diverged to all points of the compass. The main path north, after cross- ing the river in shallow water on a ledge of rocks-since destroyed by the erection of the dam at Sunbury-passed up the ravine in Blue Hill and followed the present road for a few miles; then turning towards the river passed over the hill and fol- lowed the river through Winfield and Lewisburg; thence to Buffalo creek, which it crossed where the iron bridge now spans it. Then it curved to the river and passed through Shikellimy's town, which stood at the mouth of Sinking run, one mile be- low West Milton on the Union county side. The Reading railroad now runs through the ground on which this ancient village stood. It then followed the river

HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

along the base of the hills into White Deer valley; thence along the south branch of the creek, near where the village of Elimsport is located, and over the mountain into Nippenose valley, through which it passed to the head thereof, then over the hills and through a ravine in Bald Eagle mountain to the river, where there was a fording to Great Island. It then ascended Bald Eagle creek to Milesburg, passed over the mountains to Chinklecamoose (Clearfield) and westward to Kittanning.

From the confluence of Spring creek and White Deer Hole creek, another trail bore away from the main path described above, to the northwest, following Spring creek to its source, then over Bald Eagle mountain into Mosquito valley; thence through the narrows via DuBoistown to the river, which was crossed by a fording just west of the mouth of Mosquito run to the western shore of Lycoming creek. At this point an Indian village, known to the early explorers as "French Margaret's Town," was located. From here it continued up Lycoming creek on the west side, because there were such impenetrable thickets on the east side that it was impossi- ble to penetrate them. Keeping along the benches and on the side of the mountain the point where Ralston now stands was reached. At Roaring Branch the creek was followed to its source to the Beaver Dam at the southwestern angle of Brad- ford county; thence down the meadows, crossing to the north side of Towanda creek, near East Canton, and on down that stream. Here a branch followed up Pine creek and passed near Mainsburg, through Troy, down Sugar creek and over the Ulster mountain, called the "narrow way," and reached the Warrior path near Sheshequin. A connecting path led from near Le Roy to Burlington. Weiser traveled the Le Roy and Burlington route in 1737, and Zeisberger took the Pine and Sugar creek route in 1750, in order to reach Onondaga through the prescribed door at Tioga.

This path was one of the most important in the Indian network of trails through this section of the country. Portions of it are distinctly traceable to this day on the south side of Bald Eagle mountain, and in Mosquito valley. It is worn deep in many places and can be followed with ease for a long distance. That it was much traveled is evident. It passed a number of springs where the weary travelers stopped to quench their thirst. And over this path many prisoners, in- cluding women and children, were dragged to captivity. So important was it regarded as a "short cut" over the mountains, that the early white settlers used it in traveling to and from Northumberland. In later times it was widened, by cut- ting away the underbrush, so that pack horses could pass over it and carry bags of grain to the mill which Culbertson built near the mouth of Mosquito run. And in time it came to be known as "Culbertson's Path,"' on account of its convenience in going to and returning from his mill.

Long before the introduction of stage coaches and packet boats, river men in returning from voyages below on foot followed the path through Nippenose valley to their homes up the river. About the close of the last century, when the nearest postoffice to the West Branch valley was located at Northumberland, parties living along the river from this point up as far as the settlements extended. traveled over these paths when going for their mails.

The next great trail passed up the river on the east side from Northumberland, by the mouth of Warrior run and through the gap in the Muncy Hills-now followed

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APPEARANCE OF THE PAINTED SAVAGE.

by the public road-to the "Warrior Spring," near Port Penn. The importance of this great spring has already been referred to. It was a favorite camping place; many chiefs and warriors met there to counsel with each other when the times grew gloomy and the stern finger of destiny began to beckon their tribes westward. The associations which cluster around that spring, still as pure and clear as it was a hun- dred years ago, would fill a volume if they could be obtained and written out. The great elm under which these councils were held has long since fallen, but the crys- talline waters of the spring flow on forever.

The Wyoming path started from this spring and ran up Glade run, so named from the glades or open spaces through which it passed before falling into the river a short distance below Muncy creek; then it continued over the hills to Fishing creek, which it crossed at the present thrifty town of Millville; thence on to Nescopeck gap and up the river to Wyoming, where it intersected another important trail leading north through Wyalusing to Tioga Point. This path was not used as much as the others; it was only used as a "cut off" by parties wishing to reach the West Branch valley quickly from Wyoming or vice versa. Count Zinzendorf traveled over it in the latter part of September, 1742, on his return from visiting Madame Montour at Otstonwakin, under the guidance of Andrew Montour, her son. War parties, too, in later years, used it when on marauding expeditions against the white settlers.

The Wyalusing path, which is frequently referred to in the records, started from the big spring and ran up Muncy creek to the head, or nearly so, when it crossed the hills to Loyalsock, half a mile from where the Berwick turnpike now crosses that stream ; thence by the borough of Dushore, Sullivan county, and on to Wyalu- sing creek, near the northeast corner of Sullivan county, to the flats, where it inter- sected the path leading north. It was frequently used, and over it the Moravians traveled when they fled from their settlement on the North Branch to this valley, and thence on to Ohio.

The great trail from Muncy, which was a continuation of the path from North- umberland, crossed Muncy creek and continued up the river on the line of the present highway to Otstonwakin, where it crossed Loyalsock. It then kept on the edge of the ridge, on account of the swampy ground, until it reached what is now East Third street, Williamsport. The course from Third and Penn streets is believed to have been a little north of the former, following an elevated piece of ground near the line of Willow street, and as far north as Edwin street, until a point was reached near Park street, when what is now West Fourth street was fol- lowed to Lycoming creek, where it crossed at a fording, and then continued down that stream to French Margaret's Town. From here it continued up the river to Linden, where another Indian village was located. The route was then over what is now the public road to Great Island. It ran over the ground where Jersey Shore stands and crossed Pine creek at or near the present bridge, near the Hays place. This route was an important one and was frequently traveled. The Moravians in their visitations to the Great Island followed it, and war parties descended this way.

What was known as the Sheshequin path left the trail up the west side of the river, near the mouth of Black Hole creek (Montgomery), followed that stream almost to its source, and then crossed Bald Eagle mountain through Loyalsock gap to the river ; thence northwesterly by a fording at the head of what is now known

HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

as Canfield's island to the north shore of the river. From this point it ascended what was called Bonsul's run in olden times, but is known at the present day as Miller's run. Where it crossed the path leading up the river was the point where Rev. David Brainerd, the Presbyterian missionary, met and preached to a large number of Indians in August, 1746. Before the Moravian records at Bethlehem were found and translated, the early writers supposed that he was the first white man to preach to the Indians west of Muncy Hills. But later research showed that Count Zinzendorf had preceded him by four years as a missionary. Brainerd speaks in his journal of preaching to the savages, and gives them credit for being very attentive.

The path then bore away in a northwesterly direction through what is called Blooming Grove, and descended through a gap to Lycoming creek, coming out near Hepburnville. There it united with the path leading np that stream. In a piece of timber not far north of Williamsport, traces of the path are still plainly visible, and it can easily be followed for some distance. It is deeply beaten into the earth at many places, showing that thousands of travelers passed over it in early times. It shortened the distance considerably between the point where it intersected the great path leading up Lycoming creek, and from Otstonwakin, on Loyalsock, by avoiding French Margaret's Town.

Conrad Weiser on making his journeys to Onondaga generally used it, and Zeisberger and other Moravians traveled that way. It was a favorite route for war parties coming in from the north, and over it many prisoners were conducted.

The foregoing were all the Indian paths of any consequence known to run through the territory of Lycoming county when it was held by the original owners; and if the reader is familiar with the geography of the country, he will readily see that they were laid out so as to enable the traveler to reach any given point by the shortest distance.

NAMES OF THE PRINCIPAL STREAMS.

Having indicated as definitely as possible the Indian paths which ran through the section of country now forming Lycoming county, it will not be out of place to describe the principal streams, give their Indian names, and the meaning thereof, as far as it is possible. Indian names, although very poetic, are often difficult to pronounce and hard to understand. This comes of the peculiarity of the languages. Bancroft informs us that they are usually concrete and synthetic, not abstract nor analytic. They can not say father, son, master, separately. The noun must be limited by including within itself the pronoun for the person to whom it relates ; so they could not say tree or house - the word must always be accompanied by pre- fixes defining its application. They have special terms for each kind of oak, but no generic term including them all. The noun, adjective, and pronoun are all blended into one word. Hence one part of a stream or place might receive one name, and the other part a very different one.

The principal stream flowing through Lycoming county is the West Branch of the Susquehanna river. It runs through almost the center of the county, on the north side of Bald Eagle mountain, in a direction due east until it reaches the end of the mountain opposite Muncy, when it bears around it in a graceful curve and

APPEARANCE OF THE PAINTED SAVAGE.

flows south by west until it passes into Northumberland county at the Montgomery railroad bridge. It is difficult to define the word Susquehanna, as it is spelled and pronounced to-day. In early times it was written "Sasquehanna," which, accord- ing to Rev. W. C. Reichel, of Bethlehem, is a corruption from Que-ni-schach-ach- gek-han-ne,compounded of quin, long, schach-ack-ki, straight, and hanne, stream,- the name by which the Delawares originally designated the "reach" of the West Branch westward from Muncy creek, then the West Branch, and finally the main stream of the great river. What is known at this day as the " Long Reach " proper is a long stretch of water west of Williamsport. It reaches for several miles, and the ground over which it flows is so level that scarcely a current is perceptible.

By some tribes the West Branch was called the Ot-zin-ach-son, but the Indian historians have failed to define the meaning of the term. That it possessed some peculiar significance is evident, for the late Professor Guss informs us that the- Ot-zin-ach-son were people of the Demon's Dens, but he offers no explanation of the phrase. Count Zinzendorf, when he came to Shamokin in 1742, and ascended the West Branch, says in his journal: "To the left of the path, after crossing the [main] river, a large cave in a rocky hill [Blue Hill] in the wilderness was shown us. From it the surrounding country and the West Branch of the Susquehanna are called the Ot-zin-ach-son, i. e., the 'Demons Den,' for here the evil spirits, say the Indians, have their seats and hold their revels."

The word, or combination of words, is a soft, poetical, and beautiful expression, and it strikes us as singular that it should represent evil spirits. The river flows through a valley noted for the beauty and picturesque grandeur of its natural scenery, and at many points it rises to the degree of sublimity. Some writers have claimed that Otzinach was the Iroquois name for Shamokin, but no testimony in support of the theory has been advanced.

That the term Ot-zin-ach-son was current in early times, whatever may have been its meaning, is well supported. Conrad Weiser occasionally refers to it in his journal as the "Otsinackson," the " Zinahton," "Zinachton," and the "Rinacson " river. Great confusion in the pronunciation of Indian names was caused by the different ways of spelling them by persons of different nationalities. The Germans wrote them according to their ideas of expressing the sound, the French did the same, and the English ditto. The result has been a curious combination of words based on sounds, so puzzling to Indian linguists that they can not correctly define them.

Susquehanna, by some authorities, is claimed to be a corruption from a Delaware word, signifying the winding river. The Iroquois called at least the upper part, if not the whole stream, Ga-wa-no-wa-na-neh Ga-hum-da, signifying the Great Island river. But it is useless to speculate.

The West Branch, which has its source in Cambria county, is fed by several large tributaries in its passage through Lycoming county, some of which rise to the dignity of mountain rivers. On the southern boundary the first tributary worthy of mention in this connection is Black Hole creek. It flows through the borough of Montgomery and falls into the river on its west side. It drains an extensive district on the south side of Bald Eagle mountain.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 5

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