USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume I > Part 17
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At the opening of the Revolutionary war the people, in common with the rest of the colonies, were divided into two parts-Whigs or Associates, and Tories or Non-Associates. The former were for freedom from alleg- iance to the mother country, the latter were in sympathy with the English government. The Virginia House of Assembly in the interest of freedom appointed a committee, which afterwards became known as the Committee of Safety, and throughout the colonies similar societies were organized. The Northampton County Committee of Safety was formed December 21, 1774. It was called the Committee of Observation and Inspection. At a public election held at Easton the following persons were elected members of the committee: Lewis Gordon, Peter Kichlein, Jacob Arndt, Michael Messinger, Melchoir Hay, George Taylor, John Okely, Anthony Lerch, Jacob Morry, John Wetzel, Andrew Engelman, John Greesemer, Henry Kooken, David Deshler, Casper Doll, Joseph Gaston, Yost Driesbach, Daniel Knause, Thomas Everett, Michael Ohl, John Hartman, Nicholas Kern, George Gil- bert, Abraham Smith, Nicholas Depui, Manuel Gonsales and Andrew West- brook, bcing nearly one from each township. The following were chosen as a Standing Committee of Correspondence for the county: George Taylor, Lewis Gordon, Petcr Kichlein, Jacob Arndt, John Okely and Henry Kooken. Lewis Gordon was chosen treasurer, and Robert Traill clerk. The general committee of the colony met at Philadelphia, January 23, 1775, Northampton county being represented by the members of the Standing Committee of Correspondence. Then came the military resistance of the people at Concord 'and Lexington, and at a meeting held in Easton, May 6, 1775, a letter from the committee of Philadelphia was discussed, and a resolution was unani-
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NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
mously adopted to form military companies in every township in the county. Every man was to supply himself with a good firelock, a pound of powder, four pounds of lead, a quantity of flints, and they were to choose their own officers. Those who refused to associate for the common cause were to be considered enemies, and business with them suspended.
The following companies were organized in the townships:
Easton-Captain Peter Kichlein, Lieutenant Abram Labar, Ensign Matthias Miller 87
men
Forks-Captain Jacob Arndt, Lieutenant George Stocker. I26
Williams-Captain Melchoir Hay, Lieutenant Philip Mixsell. 104
Bethlehem-Captain Christian Newman, Lieutenant Ulrich Sleppy 130
Allen-Captain Neigal Gray, Lieutenant John Lickpot. I20
Upper Saucon-Captain Henry Allise, Lieutenant George Kern.
105
Lower Saucon-Captain Huebner, Lieutenant Jesse Jones.
142
Macungie-Captain Peter Traxler, Lieutenant Henry Felker
I20
Upper Milford-Captain Christian Fisher, Lieutenant Philip
Walter
64
White Hall-Captain Peter Burkhalter, Lieutenant Philip Knap- penberger
100
Salisbury-Captain Nicholas Fox, Lieutenant H. Hagenbuch.
100
Plainfield-Captain Casper Doll, Lieutenant H. Engel. 88
Mount Bethel-Captain John Nielson, Lieutenant S. Rea.
224
Moore-Captain Adam Bruckhauser, Lieutenant Timothy Reed. . Lehigh-Captain Yost Driesbach, Lieutenant Enoch Beer.
70
66
Heidelberg-Captain Michael Ohl, Lieutenant Jacob Zeiger.
100
Lowhill-Captain Michael, Lieutenant Jacob Horner.
35
50
25
82
50
Delaware-Captain John Van Etten, Lieutenant David Van Aken 47 66
Upper Smithfield-Captain John Van Sickel, Lieutenant Nathaniel Washburne 53
106
Weisenburg-Captain Michael Probst, Lieutenant Benninghoff. Lynn-Captain Matthias Propst, Lieutenant John Stane.
32
70
Towamensing-Captain Nicholas Kern, Lieutenant Jacob Wagner Penn-Captain Richard Dodson, Lieutenant John Siegley .. . . Chestnut Hill-Captain Abraham Smith, Lieutenant Dewalt Kuntz Hamilton-Captain Abraham Miller, Lieutenant Michael Raup .... Lower Smithfield-Captain Jacob Stroud, Lieutenant Samuel Drake
127
This list is given to show the relative strength of the townships as well as patriotic leaders in those days of trial and trouble. This represented a volunteer force of two thousand men equipped for military service. The military forces of the county were divided into four battalions: George Taylor, Henry Geiger, Yost Driesbach and Jacob Stroud were made colonels.
To the student of history the immortal names which established and proclaimed the nationality of the United States are always viewed with reverence and awe. The memory of those brave men whose signatures are attached to the Declaration of Independence will always be preserved in grateful remembrance. The name of George Taylor, one of Northampton's citizens, is attached to that important document.
George Taylor was a native of Ireland, a son of a clergyman. He was born in 1716, and though his father gave him a good education he left him nothing but his industry and perseverance to fight the battle of life. Young Taylor, deciding to leave his native country, sailed for America, arriving at
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THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD
Philadelphia, and for a term of years was employed by Mr. Savage, an iron- manufacturer at Durham, Pennsylvania. Here he was employed in menial work as a coal heaver. His employer, noticing his youthful years and his unfamiliarity with heavy work, installed him as clerk, and he soon made himself an important member of the establishment. After the death of Mr. Savage he married the widow. By industry, economy and prudence he amassed a considerable fortune. Mr. Taylor, in 1764, became a member of the Provincial Assembly, serving several terms, and was a member of many important committees. He was, for a time, not a member of this body, being busy with his private affairs. This caused his return to Durham, where he again engaged in the manufacture of iron. He was again, in October, 1775, elected delegate to the Provincial Assembly. At the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Congress there were five recalcitrant delegates from Pennsylvania, who had a fear of precipitating the colonies into a war with England. They still retained their sentiments in opposition to the majority and the approbation of the colony. Under these circum- stances a new choice of representatives became necessary, and Mr. Taylor became one of the substituted members. He took his seat in the Continental Congress July 20, 1776, and on the second of August following signed the Declaration of Independence. Though this instrument was passed on the fourth of July, the signatures on the engrossed parchment copy were not affixed until the second of August following. Therefore it can readily be seen that Mr. Taylor, though not a member of the original convention, his signature appears on the parchment as a delegate from Pennsylvania.
He retired from Congress in March, 1777, and passed the remainder of his life at Easton, he having lost the bulk of his property. At his death, February 25, 1781, there was not enough property left to pay his debts. By his marriage George Taylor had one son, James Taylor, who was admitted to the bar in 1765, and died seven years later, leaving five children by his marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of Lewis Gordon. The children were tenderly cared for by their grandfather, all of whom remained with him until his death except Ann, who married and went to Virginia to reside. After the death of their grandfather, George and James joined their sister in Virginia ; Thomas was drowned in the Lehigh river, and Mary died young.
James Taylor, the grandson of George Taylor, lived in Richmond, Vir- ginia, and was for many years a man of wealth, but late in life he had reverses, which he bore with noble serenity. He and his wife are buried in the ceme- tery of St. John's Church, Richmond, Virginia. Of their four children who died before reaching maturity, Sophia Gordon Taylor married twice, and James Lewis Gordon Taylor died without issue. The latter was the last male representative of that noble patriot, the friend of Washington, whose honor never was tarnished, whose love and devotion to his adopted country never wavered. The people of Easton, to express their gratitude and honor to the virtues of George Taylor, erected in 1855 a beautiful and costly monument in their cemetery.
General Washington having decided to invade Long Island, the Conti- nental Congress on June 3, 1776, resolved to establish a flying camp in the middle colonies to consist of ten thousand militia, of which Pennsylvania was
I34
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
to furnish six thousand to reinforce the commander-in-chief. To arrange the matter of quotas for the different counties a conference of the committees of the colony was held at Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, from June 18th to 25th, 1776. The Northampton county delegates were: Robert Levers, Colonel Niegel Gray, John Weitzel, Nicholas Depue, Daniel Deshler and Benjamin Depue. It was voted at this convention to raise 4,500 men, which, with the 1,500 then organized in the province, would be the required number of men asked by Congress. Northampton's quota was fixed at 346. The convention also resolved that the present government of the province was inadequate and not competent for the exigencies of the times. It was resolved that a provincial convention be held and delegates chosen for the purpose of forming a new government, based on the authority of the people only. To facilitate the election of these delegates, Northampton county was divided into four districts. The first district consisted of Easton, Williams, Lower Saucon, Bethlehem, Forks, Mount Bethel, Plainfield, the election to be held at Easton. The second district-Northampton, Sallsberg, Upper Saucon, Upper Milford, Macungie, Wiesenberg, Lynn, Whitehall, Heidelberg-elec- tion to be held at Allen's town. The third district-Allen, Moore, Chestnut- hill, Towamensing, Penn, Lehigh-election to be held at Peter Anthony's. The fourth district -- Hamilton, Lower Smithfield, Delaware, Upper Smithfield -election to be held at Nicholas Depue's.
The recruiting for the flying camp proceeded with alacrity; the citizens had no hesitation in enlisting, as the patriotic spirit had been enhanced four- fold since the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence. The pay of the militia commenced from the day of their marching from home. They were allowed one penny a mile, lawful money, in lieu of rations for traveling expenses, and one day's pay for every twenty miles between home and the general rendezvous going and returning.
At the battle of Long Island the Northampton contingent suffered a heavy loss. Colonel Daniel Brodhead's regiment, of which Captain Kichlein's company was a part, was engaged in this battle, and its losses amounted to one hundred officers and men, chiefly prisoners. The regiment was engaged in a severe battle, and was at one time nearly surrounded by the enemy, and though requested for reinforcements, General Putnam could not cover their retreat. After the ill-starred fight at Harlem Heights, Washington withdrew across the North river, retreating through Jersey, and placed the Delaware river between his army and the British. This retreat made it necessary for the American army to remove its hospitals from Morristown, New Jersey, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was decided upon as the most advantageous point. After crossing the Delaware river in the retreat from Fort Washing- ton, a portion of the American army under General John Sullivan, on December 17, 1776, encamped for the night on the right bank of the Lehigh river, opposite Bethlehem. The American people, overawed and disconsolate, were asked by General Washington to furnish reinforcements for his pro- posed invasion of New Jersey. Northampton county made a hearty response to this request for reinforcements, and some of her militia participated in the battle of Trenton three days after the date of General Washington's letter to Colonel John Siegfried, empowering him to call out the militia. Most of
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THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD
the Northampton troops took part in the battles of Trenton and Princeton. Captain Hays' company, which was from the Irish settlement, was accom- panied by John Rosbrough, a Presbyterian clergyman, intensely patriotic and brave as the bravest. He enlisted in Captain Hays' company at the outbreak of the Revolution as their chaplain. The morning after the capture of the Hessians at Trenton, where the company was engaged, he was sur- prised by the British while in a farmhouse near the village of Pennington, and cruelly put to death. He lies buried in the graveyard of old Trenton First Church. Captain Hays' company did not enter winter quarters with the army at Morristown, New Jersey, but returned to their homes.
The usual route between New York and Philadelphia being barred by the British army, many travelers were obliged to pass through Northampton county. John Adams of Massachusetts, accompanied by his colleagues Lyman Hall and James Lovell, on their journey to the capital, January 25, 1777, passed through Bethlehem, and were greatly pleased at the unique features of that old town.
There was a conference held with the Indians at Easton on January 27, 1777. It was convened at the request of the Six Nations; George Walton and George Taylor were appointed by the Continental Congress as their representatives. The Council of Safety of Pennsylvania authorized Colonel Joseph Dean and Colonel John Bull to represent them and Thomas Payne to act as secretary. At his arrival at Easton, Colonel Bull reported there were as many Indians present as he had expected ; presents were ordered for seventy Indians, exclusive of women and children. The conference was opened January 29, 1777. The Indians professed their neutrality to the Thirteen Colonies in their war with England, delivered speeches, belts and strings. A treaty was entered into between George Walton and George Taylor on the part of the colonies and certain Indians of the Six Nations. The Committee on Indian Affairs of the Continental Congress reported February 27, 1777, disapproving of the treaty, as there existed no powers in either of the parties to engage in such a treaty.
Colonel Labar, by order of the War Department April 29, 1777, was placed in command of the troops at Easton. Guards were ordered placed on the Delaware river from the Water Gap southward. In the summer of 1777 the Continental Congress passed a "test act" requiring every male citizen to swear allegiance to the government of the United States. Those who signed the test were known as "Associates," those who refused were named "Non-Associates." In Northampton county 4,821 subscribed to the test oath ; only fifty-nine, as appear by the records of the proceedings of the committee of safety, refused to take the oath, and were arraigned before that tribunal. These persons, upon their submitting to the test oath, escaped punishment, and in no cases were proceedings instituted except the holding of some few by giving bail. There were sixty-nine Moravians and some Mennonites who professed to having religious scruples about taking an oath under any circumstances; their pleas were admitted by the government, but they were penalized by requiring them to pay double tax.
The evacuation of New York City by the British forces again changed the seat of war. Washington with. his reinforced army awaited the enemy
136
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
at Brandywine, where a general engagement took place September II, 1777. The American army was defeated, retiring to Germantown. The occupation of Philadelphia by the British caused the removal of the provincial govern- ment to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. By order of the Supreme Executive Council, September 24, 1777, the public loan office was removed to Easton. The papers and other valuable matters were enclosed in a case, barrel and iron chest. The latter contained paper money to the amount of £13,183, 18s. and 2d., besides valuable papers. The chest and contents were to be delivered to Robert Levers; the books in the library were also committed to his care and were enclosed in the case and barrel. The council of safety in 1777 authorized the committee of Northampton county to take possession of the ferry belonging to Lewis Gordon.
After the Americans' defeat at the battle of Brandywine, the government military stores, sick and wounded soldiers, were moved to Bethlehem, North- ampton and Easton. The troops of Northampton county were present at the disastrous battle of Germantown, and Captain Van Etten's company suffered severe losses. The officers of the Northampton county battalions stood high in the estimation of the commander-in-chief. Colonel Timothy Pickering, one of Washington's aides-de-camp, was for several years a citizen of Northampton county. General Brodhead and Colonel Siegfried, both of whom were at Brandywine and Germantown, shared his confidence and esteem.
Then came the dismal period of the Revolutionary struggle, when scarcely a ray of light gleamed through the gloom of Valley Forge. The year 1778 opened with the prospects of the confederated provinces looking most discouraging. Robert Levers, who had charge at Easton of obtaining supplies for the army, reported in the fall of 1777 that he had completed forty wagons, which had been sent to Springfield, Massachusetts, for transportation of firearms for the army, and that he had one hundred more in process of construction. He also reported that he was suspicious of one Major Daiken, who had been an officer in the New Jersey militia, and had become a Tory ; he was living in Easton, and his presence in that city was dangerous to the American cause, as there was a large quantity of supplies stored for the use of the army at that point. In fact, Easton in that year was one of the bases of supplies; flour mills were employed in supplying the army, large quanti- ties of salt were stored there for the purpose of salting meat; $18,000 were appropriated to purchase cattle and swine to supply the hospitals and army at Easton, Bethlehem and Northampton. There were stationed at Easton two hundred troops and one hundred at Bethlehem for the defense of the magazines of military and other stores of provisions, also to keep communica- tions secure from sudden incursions of the enemy. Enlistments for service in the American army in 1778 were slow, and patriotic spirit was at a low ebb. Captain Alexander Patterson reported to the council of war, under date of April 22, 1778, that after traveling through the county, spending money and time, he had succeeded in obtaining only eight recruits, and wished to be relieved from duty, as he had no hopes of being of any service to his country in that locality. Exemptions from military duty were given to persons employed in the manufacture of military stores and other articles for the use of the United States.
I37
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD
The council of war in 1778 began to take steps to punish those who were guilty of high treason. Samuel Rea, Jacob Miller, Stephen Balliott, and Robert Levers were appointed agents in Northampton county to discover, secure and hold all properties owned by those not conforming to the oath of allegiance to the United States. Henry Funk and George Koebel were arrested as spies; the former's excuse for not taking the oath was, "It was against his conscience because we should be at peace with everybody and forgive all men." William Thomas, James Pugh, Samuel Koster, Joshua Thomas and Joseph Sutton, husbandmen ; John Holder, miller ; Henry Oswalt, house carpenter ; Jacob Holder, George Holder, laborers; and Owen Roberts, sawmill man, all residents of Northampton, were indicted May 8, 1778, for high treason. The following were adjudged as tainted with high treason: John Shearing, shoemaker of Easton ; John Stackhouse, Moses Morgan, Moses Wood, Abraham Long, Robert Stackhouse, Peter Snyder, John Raymel, John Ink, David Young, John Vaughan, Lawrence Mau and Peter Hardy of Mount Bethel; James Lawson, Edward McMichael, husbandmen of Lower Smithfield ; and James Allen of Northampton.
The Board of War on July 15, 1778, set the quota to be furnished by Northampton county for reinforcing the American army at three hundred, and they were ordered to report at Easton. Northampton county never became the seat of war ; no battles were fought within its borders, yet Easton and Bethlehem frequently became the location for hospitals. The German Reformed Church, court-house and jail at Easton were often crowded with sick and disabled soldiers. General Washington passed through Easton during the year 1778; General Gates, on his way to Ticonderoga in the same year, visited the shiretown. To Bethlehem the French officers Marquis de Lafayette, Count Pulaski and Baron De Kalb made frequent visits to their comrades wounded or sick in the hospitals. Generals Armstrong, Mif- flin and Schuyler, John Hancock, Henry Laurens and Benjamin Franklin paid occasional visits to Bethlehem.
Northampton county's immediate connection with the later events of the Revolutionary conflict were not a repetition of the stirring times of 1777-78. In the last struggles for American independence the South became the seat of war; there were no marching and counter-marching of troops, no prisoners daily arriving, and no wounded and sick came from the disastrous battlefields. The inhabitants of the county in 1779 were severely censured by Joseph Reed, president of the council; he claimed there was a lack of activity, and dissatisfaction among the officers and military authorities. The council of war the previous winter had offered a bounty of six hundred dollars to recruits for the army. The scarcity of supplies became an alarming fea- ture; they had increased in value six hundred per cent. Continental money. Though every county and province made strenuous exertions to keep the value of the bills at par with coin, they depreciated so that their purchasing power had reached a very low value. The American government was unable to purchase supplies, as the British would pay as much in gold as they would in depreciated currency ; to prevent this the general assembly passed a law to punish the offenders who were tempted by the British gold, making it a misdemeanor to sell supplies to the enemy. The demands for the
·
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NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
farmers' products for the necessities of the armies were such that they could hardly retain enough meat for their own family, nor tallow for the making of their candles. There was an extreme scarcity of salt, it being quoted as worth as high as two hundred dollars a bushel.
The important military event in Northampton county in 1779 was the passage through its interior of General John Sullivan's expedition. The troops commenced arriving at Easton on May 26, 1779; the Third New Jersey Regiment crossed the Delaware river in boats and were welcomed by Major Powell's German battalion, who had been at Easton since April. A regiment from York county, Pennsylvania, reported at headquarters in May. Then came a regiment from New Hampshire and one commanded by Captain John Paul Schotts, who had served in the army of Frederick the Great. It can plainly be seen that Easton streets and byways were filled with soldiers; tents were pitched along the Delaware and Lehigh rivers and up the Bushkill creek. There was here gathered an army of twenty-five hundred men and two thousand packhorses. On the morning of June 18, 1779, to the sounds of martial music of fife and drum, the army took up its march to the coun- try of the Iroquois to revenge the Wyoming massacre. The army encamped the first night at Wood Gap, near Heller's, and in the morning pursued their march, reaching the Wyoming Valley on June 23, 1779. The work of devas- tation occupied the army for one month. On its return march it came down the north branch of the Susquehanna to Wilkes-Barre, and from thence marched to Easton, where the soldiers were billeted upon the town. Sulli- van's army remained at Easton several weeks quartered upon the inhabitants. Three soldiers belonging to a Pennsylvania regiment commanded by Colonel Hubley were hung on Gallow's Hill, on the site of St. Bernard's Church, for murdering a tavernkeeper beyond Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, on account of his refusing them liquor.
Indian horrors again menaced the border townships. In Lower Smith- field a party of fifteen Indians, on April 20, 1780, attacked the plantations of Manuel Gansaleyes and James McCarte, situated two miles below Wells Ferry, on the banks of the Delaware. The Indians were pursued by Captain Van Etten, three of his sons and his son-in-law, and an engagement took place which resulted in the retreat of the Indians. Two of the whites were killed, Benjamin Ennis, the son-in-law of Captain Van Etten, and Richard Rosekrans. Just above the Blue Mountains in Northampton county lived the Gilbert family, near Lehighton. Benjamin Gilbert was an English Quaker, who came from Byberry near Philadelphia in 1775 to a farm about ten miles east from Weissport, now Gilbert, marked by a monument commemorating the event. Here he was comfortably situated, with a good log dwelling- house, barn, saw and gristmill. He had married for his second wife the Widow Peart. The Indians, to the number of eleven, surrounded this nest of contentment, April 25, 1780, and made captives of Benjamin Gilbert, Sr., aged sixty-nine years; Elizabeth, his wife, forty-five; Joseph, his son, forty- nine ; Jesse, another son, nineteen; Sarah, wife of Jesse, nineteen; Rebecca, a daughter, sixteen; Abner, a son, fourteen; Elizabeth, a daughter, twelve; Thomas Peart, a son of Benjamin Gilbert's wife, twenty-three; Benjamin Gilbert, a son of John Gilbert, of Philadelphia, eleven; Andrew Harrigar,
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