History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement, sketches of its noted men and women and many professional men, Part 7

Author: Hain, Harry Harrison, 1873- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa., Hain-Moore company
Number of Pages: 1102

USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement, sketches of its noted men and women and many professional men > Part 7

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

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED

George Croghan, George Stevenson, William Wilson, Hermanus Alricks, Andrew Montour, Jac-nec-doaris, Sai-nch-to-wano, Cata- ra-dir-ha, Tohonady Huntho, a Mohawk from Ohio.

Some of these men went away peaceably, upon the promise that when the lands were purchased from the Indians they might re- turn to their claims, but others were morose and went to other sections. Among those to return were Richard Kirkpatrick and John McClure.

Secretary Peters, in an official communication, dated July 2, 1750, recounting the previous troubles along this line, takes credit for having caused the intruders to be driven out in June, 1743. He further says that to the best of his remembrance there were no further encroachments until about 1747, when, among others, "some persons had the presumption to go into a place called Shearman's Creek, lying along the waters of Juniata, and is situ- ate east of the Path Valley, through which the present road runs from Harris' Ferry (now Harrisburg) to Allegheny; and lastly they extending their settlements to big Juniata; the Indians all this while repeatedly complaining that their hunting ground was every day more and more taken from them; and that there must infallably arise quarrels between their Warriors and these settlers, which would in the end break the chain of friendship."

The Indians then threatened to do themselves what the gov- ernment failed to do, with the result that Richard Peters, secre- tary of the province, with Conrad Weiser, the interpreter, were despatched to the territory in which the new settlements were located to expel the intruders. They were joined by the magis- trates of the county, the delegates of the Six Nations, a chief of the Mohawks, and Andrew Montour, an interpreter. The party met with some resistance, but Mr. Peters, the secretary, was some- what of a diplomat and gave money to the needy and offered a place of refuge on farms of his own elsewhere. He also gave all of them permission to locate on parts of the two million acres east of the Susquehanna, purchased of the Indians the previous year. Some accepted, and Andrew Lycon was one of them, the town of Lykens, in upper Dauphin County, where he later settled, being named after him.

In the letter from Richard Peters, the provincial secretary, to James Hamilton, the Colonial governor, dated July 2, 1750, among other matters is the following report of this expedition :

"Mr. Weiser and I have received your honor's orders to give informa- tion to the proper magistrates against all such as had presumed to settle and remain on the lands beyond the Kittochtinny Mountains, not purchased of the Indians, in contempt of the laws repeatedly signified by proclama- tions, and particularly by your honor's last one, and to bring them to a . legal conviction, lest for want of their removal a breach should ensue be- tween the Six Nations of Indians and this province. We set out on

HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Tuesday, the 15th day of May, 1750, for the new county of Cumberland, where the places on which the trespassers had settled, lay.

"At Mr. Croghan's we met with five Indians, three from Shamokin, two of which were sons of the late Shikellamy, who transact the business of the Six Nations with this government; two were just arrived from Alle- gheny, viz: one of the Mohock's ( Mohawk) nation, called Aaron, and Andrew Montour, the interpreter at Ohio. Mr. Montour telling us he had a message from the Ohio Indians and Twightwees to this govern- ment, and desiring a conference, one was held on the 18th of May last, in the presence of James Galbreth (Galbraith), George Croghan, William

"THE LINCOLN PROFILE" or "THIE SENTINEL OF THE SUSQUEHANNA"

The lower part bears a resemblance to President Lincoln. These rocks were blown away when the new Pennsylvania Railroad Line was built around the Cove Mountain at Duncannon.

Wilson, and Hermanus Alricks, Esqs., justices of the county of Cumber- land; and when Mr. Montour's business was done, we, with the advice of the other justices, imparted to the Indians the design we were assem- bled upon, at which they expressed great satisfaction.

"Another conference was held at the instance of the Indians, in the presence of Mr. Galbreth and Mr. Croghan, before mentioned, wherein they expressed themselves as follows :

"'Brethren, we have thought a great deal of what you imparted to us, that ye were come to turn the people off, who are settled over the hills ;

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED

we are pleased to see on this occasion, and as the council of Onondago has this affair exceedingly at heart, and it was particularly recommended to us by the deputies of the Six Nations, when they parted from us last summer, we desire to accompany you, but we are afraid, notwithstanding the care of the governor, that this may prove like many former attempts ; the people will be put off now, and next year come again; and if so the Six Nations will no longer bear it, but do themselves justice. To pre- vent this, therefore, when you have turned the people off, we recommend it to the governor, to place two or three faithful persons over the moun- tains, who may be agreeable to him and us, with commissions, empower- ing them immediately to remove every one who may presume after this to settle themselves, until the Six Nations shall agree to make sale of their land.'

"To enforce this they gave a string of wampum, and received one in return from the magistrates, with the strongest assurances that they would do their duty.

"On Tuesday, the 22d of May, Matthew Dill, George Croghan, Benja- min Chambers, Thomas Wilson, John Finley and James Galbreth, Esqs., justices of the said county of Cumberland, attended by the undersheriff, came to Big Juniata, situate at the distance of twenty miles from the mouth thereof, and about ten miles north from the Blue Hills, a place mnuch esteemed by the Indians for some of their best hunting ground, and there they found five cabins, or log houses, one possessed by William White,* another by George Cahoon, another not quite yet finished in pos- session of David Hiddleston, another by George and William Galloway, and another by Andrew Lycon; of these persons William White, George and William Galloway, David Hiddleston and George Cahoon appeared before the magistrates, and being asked by what right or authority they had possessed themselves of those lands and erected cabins thereon, re- plied : 'By no right or authority but that the land belonged to the pro- prietaries of Pennsylvania.' They were then asked whether they did not know they were acting against the law and in contempt of frequent no- tices given them and in contempt of the governor's proclamation. They said they had seen one such proclamation and had nothing to say for themselves, but craved mercy. Hereupon the said five men being con- victed by said justices on their view, the undersheriff was charged with them and he took William White, David Hiddleston and George Cahoon

*This is the place where Frederick Starr, a German, with several of his countrymen, are spoken of in provincial annals as having "made set- tlements on Big Juniata, about twenty-five miles from the mouth thereof (recorded at other places as twenty miles), and about ten miles north from the Blue Hills." That location is impossible, as twenty-five miles (or twenty miles) from the mouth of the Juniata would be in Juniata County, while ten miles north from the Blue Hills would be in the vicinity of Wheatfield or Miller Township, in Perry County. Wright's History places Starr's settlement "probably near the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge over Buffalo Creek," above Newport, and those of Lycon and others "probably in Pfoutz's Valley," while the records of the land office show them to have been in Walker Township, Juniata County. In the letter to James Hamilton, dated July 2, 1750, is this clause, which locates the place in the vicinity of Thompsontown: "About the year 1740 or 1741, one Frederick Starr, a German, with two or three more of his countrymen, made some settlements at the above place, where we found William White. the Galloways, and Andrew Lycon, on Big Juniata, situate at the distance . of twenty-five miles from the mouth thereof," etc. As William White and John Lycon returned to their places, after the opening of the land office, February 3, 1754, and took up the lands legally, the location is determined.

HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

into custody, but George and William Galloway resisted, and having got at some distance from the undersheriff, they called to us: 'You may take our lands and houses and do what you please with them; we deliver them to you with all our hearts, but we will not be carried to jail.'

"The next morning being Wednesday, the 23d of May, the said justices went to the log house or cabin of Andrew Lycon, and finding none there but children, and hearing that the father and mother were expected soon, and William White and others offering to become security, jointly and severally, and to enter into recognizance as well for Andrew's appearance at court, and immediate removal as for their own, this proposal was ac- cepted and William White, David Hiddleston and George Cahoon en- tered into a recognizance of 100 pounds, and executed bonds to the pro- prietaries in the sum of 500 pounds, reciting that they were trespassers and had no manner of right and had delivered possession to me for the proprietaries. When the magistrate went to the cabin of George and William Galloway (which they had delivered up the day before, as afore- said, after being convicted and were flying from the sheriff) all the goods belonging to the said George and William were taken out, and the cabin being quite empty, I took possession thereof for the proprietaries; then a conference was held what should be done with the empty cabin; after great deliberation, all agreed that if some cabins were not destroyed they would tempt the trespassers to return again, or encourage others to come there should these go away. So what was doing would signify nothing, since the possession of them was at such a distance from the inhabitants and could not be kept for the proprietaries, and Mr. Weiser also giving it as his opinion that if all the cabins were left standing the Indians would conceive such a contemptible opinion of the government that they would come themselves in the winter, murder the people and set their houses on fire. On these considerations the cabin by my order, was burnt by the undersheriff and company.

"Then the company went to the house possessed by David Hiddleston, who had entered into bond as aforesaid, and he having voluntarily taken out all the things which were in the cabin, and left me in possession, that empty and unfurnished cabin was likewise set on fire, by the undersheriff, by my order.

"The next day, being the 24th of May, Mr. Weiser and Mr. Galbreth, with the undersheriff and myself, on our way to the mouth of the Juniata, called at Andrew Lycon's, with intent only to inform him that his neigh- bors were bound for his appearance and immediate removal, and to cau- tion him not to bring himself or them into trouble by a refusal. But he presented a loaded gun to the magistrates and sheriff and said he would shoot the first man that dared to come nigher. On this he was disarmed, convicted and committed to the custody of the sheriff. This whole trans- action happened in the sight of the tribe of Indians, who by accident had in the nighttime fixed their tent on that plantation; and Lyken's behavior giving them great offence the Shikellamies insisted on our burning the cabin or they would burn it themselves. Whereupon, when everything was taken out of it, Andrew Lycon all the while assisting, and possession being delivered to me, the empty cabin was set on fire by the undersheriff and Lycon was carried to jail.

"Mr. Benjamin Chambers and Mr. George Croghan had about an hour before separated from us; and on my meeting them again in Cumberland County, they reported to me they had been at Shecrman's Creek, or Little Juniata, situate about six miles over the Blue Mountain, and found there James Parker, Thomas Parker, Owen M'Keib, John M'Clure, Richard Kirkpatrick, James Murray, John Scott, Henry Gass, John Cowan, Simon

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED

Girtee and John Kilough, who had settled lands and erected cabins thereon; and having convicted them of the trespass on their view, they had bound them in recognizances of one hundred pounds to appear and answer for their trespasses on the first day of the next Cumberland County Court, to be held at Shippensburg, and that the said trespassers had likewise entered into bonds to the proprietaries in 500 pounds pen- alty, to remove off immediately with all their servants, cattle and effects and had delivered possession of their houses to Mr. George Stevenson for the proprietaries' use; and that Mr. Stevenson had ordered some of the meanest of those cabins to be set on fire, where the families were not large or the improvements considerable."

But even this did not deter aggression and at a council held at Carlisle in 1753 the Indians again protested the occupation of their hunting grounds and notified the authorities that "they wished the people called back from the Juniata lands until matters were set- tled between them and the French, lest damage should be done, and then the English would think ill of them." That they had a right to protest is substantiated by the fact that Alexander Roddy, Thomas Wilson, William Patterson, James Kennedy, John and Joseph Scott, and probably others, had located in 1753, in what later became Tyrone Township, then generally known as Sher- man's Valley.

As early as 1751 the number of taxables in Cumberland County north of the Kittatinny Mountain was 1, 134. Rupp's History says: "These were chiefly Irish, and some few Germans, who seated themselves on Juniata River, Sherman's Creek, Tuscarora Path, etc." The first settlements of these intruders on the un- purchased lands began about the year 1740, and increased despite the complaints of the Indians, the laws of the province and the proclamations of the governor.

While the treaty of 1736 gave to the Penns all the lands lying east and south of the Kittatinny or Blue Mountains, yet settle- ments had been made west of the Susquehanna River prior to that time, special grants having been issued for settlements. When the Penns came the first purchase by them from the Indians in- cluded a small domain around Philadelphia. This was at the fa- mous council meeting of 1682. On September 17, 1718, another treaty confirmed that sale and extended the lands as far west as the Susquehanna River. The treaty of 1836 again confirmed the previous ones, when on October II, twenty-three Six Nation chiefs sold to John, Thomas and Richard Penn all the lands on both sides of the Susquehanna, "eastward, to the heads of the branches or springs flowing into the river; northward to the Kittochtinny Hills, and westward to the setting sun." "Westward to the setting sun" merely meant that south and east of the Kitta- tinny Mountains all the lands, including those that drained into the Potomac, were conveyed-nothing more-and yet many of the

HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

white settlers construed that "westward to the setting sun" to mean anything.

THE ALBANY TREATY.

Perry County is a part of the lands transferred by the Treaty of Albany, on July 6, 1754. The deed bears the names or marks of all the Chiefs and Sachems of the Six Nations and John and Richard Penn and their agents. It conveys to the latter "all the lands lying within the said province of Pennsylvania, bounded and limited as follows: Beginning at the Kittochtinny, or Blue Hills, on the Susquehanna River, thence along the said river a mile above the mouth of a certain creek called Kayarondinhagh; thence northwest by west as far as the said province extends, to its west- ern lines and boundaries; thence along the said western line or boundary to the south line or boundary; thence along said south line or boundary to the south side of said Kittochtinny Hills ; thence by south side of said hills to the place of beginning." The price was "400 pounds, lawful money of New York."

Should these boundaries have stood practically the greater part of western Pennsylvania to the Ohio line would have been in- cluded, but disaffection appearing among the Indians a conference was held at Aughwick (near Mount Union) in September, 1754, at which the representatives of the various tribes declared that it was not their intention to sell the lands drained by the west branch of the Susquehanna and that they would never agree to any boundary that extended to Lake Erie. The "certain creek" named Kayarondinhagh, is Penn's Creek, which flows into the Susque- hanna at Selinsgrove and a line northwest by west would strike Lake Erie about where the city of Erie is now located. The result of this conference was that another treaty was concluded at Eas- ton, Pennsylvania, October 22, 1754, when the boundary lines to the north and west were changed. The line starting above Penn's Creek was made to run "northwest and by west to a creek called Buffalo Creek ; thence west to the east side of the Allegheny or Appalachian Hills; thence along the east side of the said hills, binding therewith to the south line or boundary of the said prov- ince ; thence by the said south line or boundary to the south side of the Kittochtinny Hills; thence by the south side of said hills to the place of beginning."

The territory, as thus defined by the revised boundaries, included all of the present counties of Perry, Juniata, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Bedford, Blair and Fulton, almost all of Snyder, about one-half of Centre and portions of Union, Franklin, and Somerset. The Perry County territory is the extreme southern part of this pur- chase.

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED

During the preceding years pioneers had become familiar with the lands of the new grant and when the land office opened on February 3, 1755, on the very first day, a number of warrants were granted to those who had located their claims. While it has been impossible to give a full list of the warrantees during the early settlement of the county, yet a large number are covered in the early history of the various townships in another part of this volume.

As will be seen in the following chapters many of these pio- neers abandoned their homes and fled to more thickly populated sections during the French and Indian War, many more were killed and scalped and still others were taken prisoner by the wily redskins.

The Six Nations were not the occupants of the territory, al- though in authority. Many of the Delawares and the Shawnees, who were inhabiting it did not take the treaty literally, claiming a sort of ownership by right of occupation. This, in connection with the settlers having come in before the purchase and the trou- bles between the English and the French and Indians, soon made the land a veritable "dark and bloody ground."

That Andrew Montour, the first authorized citizen of the lands which now comprise Perry County, was sent for by Col. George Washington in 1754, the very year of the purchase of these lands, is attested by Montour's autograph letter, on file in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, at Harrisburg, addressed to Governor R. H. Morris. It follows:

SHERMAN'S CREEK, 16th May, 1754.

Sir: I once more take upon me the liberty of informing you that our Indians at Ohio are expecting every day the armed forces of this province against the French, who, by their late encroachments, is likely to prevent their planting, and thereby render them impossible of supporting their families. And you may depend upon it, as a certainty, that our Indians will not strike the French unless this province (or New York) engage with them; and that, by. sending some number of men to their immediate as- sistance. The reasons are plain, to wit: that they don't look upon their late friendship with Virginia, sufficient to engage them in a war with the French; I therefore think, with submission, that to preserve our Indian allies, this province ought instantly to send out some men, either less or more, which I have good reason to hope, would have the desired effect; otherwise I doubt there will, in a little time, be an entire separation; the consequences of which, you are best able to judge, &c. I am informed, by my brother, who has lately come from the Lakes, that there is at that place a great number of French Indians, preparing to come down to the assistance of the French, at Ohio. I am likewise informed, by a young Indian man (who, by my brother's directions, spent some days with the French at Monongahela), that they expect a great number of French down the river, very soon. I have delayed my journey to Ohio, and waited . with great impatience for advice from Philadelphia, but have not yet received any. I am now obliged to go to Col. Washington, who has sent for me many days ago, to go with him to meet the half-king, Mona- 5

HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

catootha, and others, that are coming to meet the Virginia companies ; and, as they think, some from Pennsylvania-and would have been glad to have known the design of this province, in these matters, before I had gone. I am sir, your humble servant,

ANDREW MONTOUR.

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

Prior to 1753-54 for a period of probably seventy years the white settlers of the province and the Indians had gotten along peacefully in a general way, but about this time things changed. The Indians joined with the French against the English and bloody massacres followed. Already Virginia was being deso- lated and consternation seized the pioneers on every hand. The inhabitants of the new county of Cumberland, including what is now Perry County, petitioned Colonial Governor Hamilton for aid. The petition :

The address of the subscribers of the county of Cumberland, sheweth that we are now in most imminent danger by a powerful army of cruel, merciless and inhumane enemies, by which our lives, liberties, estates, and all that tends to promote our welfare, are in utmost danger of dreadful destruction, and this lamentable truth is most evident from the late defeat of the Virginia forces, and now as we are under your honor's protection, we would beg your immediate notice, we living upon the frontiers of the province and our enemies so close upon us, nothing doubting but these considerations will affect your honor, and as you have our welfare at heart, that you will defer nothing that may tend to hasten our relief. And we have hereby appointed our most trusty friends, James Burd and Philip Davies, our commissioners, to deliver this our petition to your honor, and in hopes of your due attention and regard thereto, we are your honor's devoted servants, and as in duty bound shall ever pray :

CUMBERLAND, 15th July 1754.

To which was attached the following signatures: Benjamin Chambers, Robert Chambers, James Carnahan, James McTeer, Charles Morrow, John Mitchell, Joseph Armstrong, John Miller, Alexander Culbertson, James Holiday, Nathaniel Wilson, Wm. McCord, James Jack, John Smith, Fran- cis West, James Sharp, John Ervin, Matthew Arthur, James McCormick, Charles Magill, George Finly, John Dotter, John Cesna, Joseph Culbert- son, Samuel Culbertson, John Thompson, John Reynolds, George Hamil- ton, David Magaw, James Chambers, Hermanus Alricks, Robert Meek, Archibald Machan, Benjamin Blyth, Joseph Mckinney, John Thompson, Francis Campbell, John Finly, Isaac Miller, John Machan, John Miller, John Blair, James Blair, James Moore, John Finly, William White, Wil- liam Buchanan, John Montgomery, Andrew McFarlane, James Brandon, John Pattison, John Craighead, Wm. McClure, Samuel Stevens, William Brown, Pat McFarlan, Stephen Foulk, John Armstrong, Stephen Foulk, Jr., William McCoskry, Charles Pattison, William Miller, John Prentice, Arthur Forster, William Blyth, Gideon Griffith, Thomas Henderson, An- drew McIntyre, John McCuer, Reuben Guthrie, George Davidson, Robert Miller, Thomas Willson, Thomas Lockert, Tobias Hendricks. It was read in Council, August 6, 1754.

The governor, after giving proper consideration to the urgent demands of these settlers, in the same month-August, 1754-sent a message to the Assembly, then in session, urging that immediate

INTRUDING SETTLERS EVICTED

attention be given to the matter and assistance be sent to then. From "Votes of Assembly," 4-319, August, 1754, the document is here reproduced :

"The people of Cumberland and the upper parts of Lancaster County, are so apprehensive of danger, at this critical juncture, from the nearness of French and savages under their influence, that the principal inhabitants have, in the most earnest manner, petitioned me to provide for their pro- tection ; representing withal, that a great number would be warm and active in defence of themselves and their country, were they enabled so to be, by being supplied with arms and ammunition, which many of them are unable to purchase at their own private expense. The substance of these several petitions, which I shall likewise order to be laid before you, appears to me, gentlemen, to be of the greatest importance, and well worthy of your most serious attention. You may be assured that nothing which depends on me shall be wanting towards affording them the pro- tection they desire; but you cannot at the same time but be sensible how little it is in my power to answer the expectations without the aid of your house. It becomes then my indispensable duty, and I cannot on any ac- count whatever, excuse myself from pressing you to turn your thoughts on the defenceless state of the province in general, as well as of our back inhabitants in particular ; and to provide such means for the security of the whole, as shall be thought at once both reasonable and effectutal to the ends proposed; in which, as in every other matter, consistent with my honor, and the trust reposed in me, I promise you my hearty concur- rence."

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History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement, sketches of its noted men and women and many professional men, Part 7

Author: Hain, Harry Harrison, 1873- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa., Hain-Moore company Number of Pages: 1102

Author: Hain, Harry Harrison, 1873- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa., Hain-Moore company
Number of Pages: 1102