USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > History of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. from a period preceding its settlement to recent times, including the annals and geography of each townshipAlso a sketch of woman's work in the county for the United States sanitary commission, and a list of the soldiers of the national army furnished by many of the townships > Part 4
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Mecom Maine, 107,108
John Passmore,
Ezekiel Maine, 107, 108
John Robinson,
Nathan Tupper, 204
William Lathrop, 208
DANDOLOE.
Eldad Brewster, 53
Elias West, 52, 54
Eli Billings,
205,206
Ezekiel Hyde (an im-
Crocker, 50,51
provement),
207
Joseph Chapman, 46
No. 242
Solomon Griffith, 156, 107
Erastus Bingham, 204,205
19
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
No.
MANOR.
Jeremiah Mecom,
63, 105 ditto.
Otis Robinson,
David Harris,
66,
Ozem Cook,
67, 68
NEW MILFORD.1
John Hussey
214, 264
Amos Perry, 67, 68
Daniel Kinney, Jr. 215
George Morey, 100,101
Ichabod Halsey,
104.
Nehemiah Maine,
104,
Otis Robinson,
104,
Spencer, agent for the claimant.
Ezekiel Maine, Jr.,
106,107
107,108
- Avery
FOSTER.
GORE.
David Dowd, southerly
part of Manor.
Andrew Lisk, southerly part of Manor.
RINDAW.
Capt. Joab Pickett, 240,242
Thomas Parke, ( perhaps in Bid-
Harry Parke, well.
Daniel Roswell, deaf and dumb, 240, 242
"There is one Isaac Brunson settled in the forks of Wyalusing Creek, just to the westward and adjoining my bounds of lot No. 239. He is on a tract survey'd to Thomas Dundas. This man has always conducted well and de- serves to be kindly treated ; being Town Clerk he can give all the names of settlers in New Milford.
* * * " 'Thy Friend,
*
*
HENRY DRINKER."
Extract from a letter of the same to Ebenezer Bowman, of Wilkes-Barre; dated " PHILADELPHIA, 3 mo. 24, 1802.
" Esteemed Friend,
" Is it not probable, while impressions are fresh and warm on the minds of the Connecticut leaders, speculators, &c., and their hopes and prospects in a low, desponding state, and before they have time to devise and contrive further means of deluding the people, and prolonging the controversy, there may be openings for bringing on agreements and contracts on such terms as the Pennsylvania landholders might not dissent from ?
" I am concerned in an extensive tract, and in the general of an excellent quality, situate principally on the waters of Meshoppen Creek, and including parts of Wyalusing, Tuscarora, and Tunkhannock Creeks, in the whole near 100,000 acres, which, on receiving part payment and undoubted good secu- rity for the remainder, I would sell together at two dollars pr. acre, though I believe it cheap at double that price. There are parts, however, picked pieces, which have been intruded on, that are of very superior value, and if separately sold, must be at a very different price. I care nought about re- linquishments, all that I require is pay and undoubted security, when a clear title will be made under grants from this State."
1 The reader will be careful to distinguish this from the Pennsylvania town- ship of the same name. The Kinneys were just below the south line of Rush.
Martin Myers Capt. Joseph Chapman Ezekiel Morey
No.
Henry Cook,
67, 68
Lyman Kinney 234
VICTORY.
Cyril Peck, Josiah Bass, between the Gore and Auburn.
CHEBUR.
-
20
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
From the same to the same.
" PHILADELPHIA, 7 mo. 7, 1802. " Esteemed Friend :
" Our friend E. Tilghman drew up the form of the depositions sent thee, and this mode of proceeding against the intruders was recommended by him, and also by Gov. Mckean; it is grounded on the Intrusion Laws, and has no reference to the cutting of timber, etc. It is expected the defendants must, in conformity to the laws, be subject to confinement, or give imme- diate security. Whether these suits are to be grounded on the act passed the 16th February, 1801, thou wilt judge. Will it not be necessary to as- certain when Spencer' and the others intruded and commenced their settle- ments ? If it was before passing the Intrusion Law in 1795, will not this circumstance be an objection to the proposed prosecution ?"
From the same to the same.
" PHILADELPHIA, 7 mo. 29, 1802.
" Esteemed Friend :
"I have this day received thy letter of the 25th inst., by which it appears that doubts continue on thy mind as to the propriety of commencing the suits I had proposed. Upon the whole, as my friend E. Tilghman is absent, and likely to continue so for a considerable time, on a journey into New England, and as it was by his advice that I move in this matter, it may, under every consideration, be prudent to let your next court go over with- out proceeding therein, intending to take further advice on the subject."
From the same to the same.
" PHILADELPHIA, 1 mo. 10, 1803.
" A letter was received by our committee of landholders, about three weeks since, dated Athens, 6th December, 1802, and signed by John Franklin and Samuel Avery, which letter thou hast seen. An answer was lately sent to Franklin at Lancaster, in substance as follows : After owning receipt of their aforesaid letter, and reciting the words of it, that they are a committee appointed at a meeting of the Susquehanna Connecticut Company, to write to, and treat with our committee for the purpose of promoting a just and reasonable settlement, or compromise of the long subsisting dispute, and requesting we would appoint a time and place to meet them on the occasion, our answer goes on to say, we cannot agree to meet them, or any descrip- tion of persons styling themselves a committee claiming lands under the Susquehanna Connecticut Company ; and then refers them to the printed letter written to thee, dated in the 5th mo., 1801, which, if they rightly prize their own peace and happiness, they will duly attend to.
" I have a letter from a certain Elisha Tracy, dated Norwich, Connecticut, December 19, 1802; he therein says, he owns lands on Wyalusing, Wappasinic, and at the Nine Partners, under the Connecticut Delaware Company, and offers to buy of me, or proposes I should buy of him at a low price, or transfer to him part of my lands, on his covering the remainder with his title, and says, unless the dispute is settled in some way like this, it never will be settled during our lives ; he goes further and says, more people are going from there this year on the disputed lands than ever did before.
" As yet, no intimation has come to us from the Connecticut speculators and leaders, showing an intention in them to give up the companies ; what effect the late decisions of our judges may have on them remains to be known ; a quiet and peaceable adjustment of this matter without a resort to force, particularly a military force, is much desired by thy assured friend,
HENRY DRINKER."
1 Jeremiah Spencer, who bought land under Connecticut title, and settled in Springville.
21
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
From the same to the same.
" PHILADELPHIA, 9 mo. 30, 1806.
" It was pleasing to hear of the progress thou had made, and of the pros- pect of additional sales on the waters of Wyalusing.
" A company who have lately viewed about six thousand acres of land owned by Colonel Hodgdon, near Kirby and Law's settlement, have offered him two and one-half dollars per acre, which he has agreed to accept, one- fourth in cash, and remainder on interest."
The animosity so long existing between the two parties now culminated into open warfare. In 1803 occurred the famous assault on Mr. Bartlet Hinds, the first settler in what is now Montrose, who had become on conviction an advocate of the Pennsylvania claim, and was charged with bringing against Connecticut settlers indictments for intrusion. This he denied. (He had himself been indicted for the same in 1801, along with Ezekiel Hyde, John Robinson, Charles Geer, Josiah Grant, Elisha Lewis, Amolo Balch, Ichabod Halsey, John Reynolds, Jeremiah Meachem, Otis Robinson, Elias West, and others.) His enemies believed him leagued with the Pennsylvania landholders, and said (though without reason) that he received five acres from them, for every settler he induced to come in under their title, and he had succeeded in bringing in about one hundred. But the fact that he had acknowledged the Pennsylvania right, by repaying for his own land, was ex- erting an influence that embittered against him all who denied that claim.
. They purchased a note of Mr. Hinds, commenced a suit upon it, took him fourteen miles from home for trial before D. Ross, Esq., at a late hour in the day, making it necessary for him to remain over night. In the evening, the house in which he lodged was surrounded by a mob, who forcibly entered and took him from the house; and, tying him to a horse's tail, dragged him through the Wyalusing Creek, near its forks. When nearly exhausted, Mr. Hinds made the Masonic sign, which induced one of the fraternity to give him assistance, but, when he had reached the shore, his assailants formed a ring, and, seizing his hands, drew him around his burning effigy, and occasionally pushed him into the flames.' For this deed, eighteen persons were indicted for riot and assault, and taken to Wilkes-Barre, as the parties belonged in what was then Lu- zerne County. On the trial, the defendants withdrew the plea of " not guilty," and entered "guilty." Five were imprisoned for
' Cyrus Whipple, son of Ebenezer Whipple, and now living in Iowa, says : " Mr. Hinds bore it like a martyr ; on his return home, he called at my father's, and he looked as if he had seen hard times. There was a constable among the mob, who would cry out at the top of his voice, 'I command the peace !' then, in a low whisper, would say : 'Rush on, boys, rush on !' "
22
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
the space of three months without bail, one of whom had to pay $10, and four of them, $20 each; and also to pay the costs of prosecution and stand committed until the whole was paid. Nine were to pay a fine of $30 each, and the court further or- dered "that they enter into recognizances each in the sum of $500, with one good freeholder in like sum, conditioned for their good behavior for the space of one year; and that they severally pay the costs of prosecution, and stand committed till the whole sentence be complied with."
One would suppose this had been enough to deter others from further assaults upon the person of B. Hinds, on account of his loyalty to Pennsylvania; but, as late as 1808, another case occurred, in which he again came off conqueror.
In 1804, Gov. McKean ordered out two brigades of militia, to enforce the laws against Connecticut claimants.
In 1805, the Pennsylvania landholders invited such claimants to give descriptions of their lands, and offered easy terms of purchase in return; but the public journals warned settlers against giving information which might lead to their ejectment. The old settlers in the seventeen townships, occupied before the Decree at Trenton, endeavored to dissuade new-comers from resistance to Pennsylvania claims, saying, "The State of Connecticut has abandoned you," which of course was the fact, so far as jurisdiction was concerned, since 1782. Congress re- fused to interfere, though its action in regard to acknowledging the claim of Connecticut to lands west of Pennsylvania, had only confirmed whatever claim she had entered to territory within it; since, in law, "all titles from the same source are equally valid."
In May, 1806, the trustees appointed by the association of settlers under Connecticut claims met? and proposed to settle the controversy by an amicable compromise, "on such terms as settlers can meet with safety ; as it respects payments, and the regularity of title;" and in their appeals to them, stated : " An agent (Tench Coxe) is appointed on the part of our oppo- nents," and so discouraged individual arrangements, advising that the business be effected with him through the agents for the settlers. These were John Franklin, at Athens, Major Nath'l Allen, at Burlington, and Captain (afterwards Colonel) Thomas Parke, of Rush. Three years previous, the committee of Pennsylvania landholders had refused to treat with persons styling themselves " President and Board of Directors appointed at a meeting of the proprietors and claimants of lands under a title derived from the Connecticut Susquehanna Company ;"
1 Of this meeting Isaac Brownson was chairman, and Joseph Kingsbury clerk.
23
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
but a less offensive phraseology seems to have conduced to a final adjustment of affairs.
Anecdotes are told to this day of the perils and adventures within our own vicinity which those encountered who came still later to take possession in the name or under the sanction of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. "A surveyor in the employment of Dr. R. H. Rose, while tracing a boundary line through the woods, placed his hand high on a tree to mark where the ax-man, who followed, should strike out a chip as an evidence of the line that had been run. The surveyor had scarcely taken his hand from the tree, when the sharp crack of a rifle ran through the forest, and the spot where the hand had been laid was ' chipped' by a leaden bullet, a hint that sufficed to stay all proceedings for the rest of that day. On one occasion, to such extremities had matters proceeded, the 'Yankees' had resolved to take the life of Dr. R., and information was brought to him that a meeting would be held at a particular place on a certain day named, to organize their measures. He determined at once to face the danger; and, riding boldly to a small clear- ing, which had been described to him as the scene of the in- tended meeting, he found the plotters in actual consultation on the subject. The very boldness of the step procured him a hearing; he rehearsed to them the history of the claims of the two States, and of the grounds of the final settlement, reminded them it was governmental, not individual action; that he had bought of the legal claimant; that he felt sorry for them, and wished to lighten their load in every possible way, and re- peated his offers, which he said were final. He told them he was aware of their designs, but added, ' Why shoot my survey- ors ? It is bright moonlight, and I shall ride slowly to my camp by such a track-but let whoever follows take a sure aim; he will not fire twice!' Soon one of the leaders advanced towards him, and renewed the conversation respecting the dis- putes that existed; the matter was freely discussed; a better temper sprang up, and from that moment may be dated the negotiations that produced the happy termination to which all the troubles arising from the conflicting claims of the two States were subsequently brought."
24
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
.
CHAPTER V.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
SUSQUEHANNA County was set off from Luzerne by an act of Legislature, passed February 21, 1810; but it was not fully Fig. 1. organized, with county officers elect- ed, until the fall of 1812. The first section of the same act set off from Luzerne, with a portion of Lycom- ing, another county, then named Ontario, now Bradford; and the east line of Ontario formed the west line of Susquehanna County,
'From the fortieth mile-stone standing on the north line of the State, to a point due east of the head of Wyalusing Falls, IS 124 in the Susquehanna." From thence, the southern line was directed to run " due east to the western line of Wayne County; thence northerly along the said western line of Wayne County to the afore- said north line of the State (at the sixth mile-stone counting from the Delaware River westward), and thence along the said State line to the fortieth mile-stone, the place of beginning."
Different opinions exist respecting the origin of the present southern line of the county ; of these, one seemingly authori- tative is, that, owing to some misunderstanding between the surveyors as to the allowance to be made for the magnetic variation in the north line of the State, the party which set out to run the line from the point indicated in the act, found themselves considerably north of the line run by the party starting from the western line of Wayne County. This re- sulted in a compromise, which has since given rise to various difficulties, especially in determining the northern line of Wyoming County. By reference to the county map, it will be seen that a line drawn due east from the southwest corner of our county would cut off Dundaff and the land adjacent for more than a mile north and south.
From the report made by B. T. Case, Esq., to the commis- sioners of Susquehanna County, in 1827, we learn that the whole length of the county on the south line is thirty-three miles and one hundred and seventeen perches, and the breadth on the east line is twenty-three miles and three hundred and fourteen perches. (Magnetic variation 2° 30" west. See Ap- PENDIX.)
25
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
The county derives its name from the fact that the Susque- hanna River first enters the State of Pennsylvania within its limits. We are happy in having the sweet-sounding Indian name retained for our frequent local use. "Hanna" signifies a stream of water, and "Susque" is generally believed to mean crooked, though one writer gives its signification as muddy, for which there is no justification in point of fact; and the Indians gave no arbitrary names. A more winding, crooked stream than the Susquehanna, as to general course, is not to be found in the Northern States; in our own county it varies directly three times. In the grand sweep of the river, from Lanesboro to Pittston, it completely drains our county, every stream within our borders eventually falling into it. When the north line of the State was determined, in 1786, it was found to cross twelve streams running south, and nine running north between the sixth and fortieth mile-stones from the Delaware River- the limits of the north line of Susquehanna County. Promi- nent among these were the " Appelacunck," "Chucknut," and "Snake Creeks." (See 'Pennsylvania Archives,' No. 29.)
Running north into the Susquehanna, but not crossing the State line, there are, besides minor streams, Wylie Creek, the Salt Lick, Mitchell's, Drinker's, the Canawacta, and Starucca; though the latter and Cascade Creek may rather be said to enter the river from the east.
The Lackawanna (Leckaw, forks, and Hanna, stream), and Tunkhannock (Tonk two, and Hanna, stream), including Bow- man's Creek, with their tributaries, have their sources in the eastern townships, and run across the south line of the county ; the sources of Martin's and Horton's Creeks are in the central townships, and, with the Meshoppen (Mawshapi cord, or Reed stream), in its four streams, one of which rises near Montrose ; they cross the south line to reach the river, while the Tuscarora and Wyalusing ( Wighalusui, plenty of meat) find it after cross- ing the county line on the west.
But, without entering further, at present, upon the topo- graphical features of the county, the reader's attention is in- vited to the following diagrams illustrating its official divisions at different periods. And, first, in the year 1790, that portion of Luzerne, since constituting the area of Susquehanna County, was included within two townships, Tioga1 and Wyalusing. By order of the justices of Luzerne, Tioga was bounded on the north by the northern line of the State, and east and west
' Tioga township, in old Northumberland, from which Luzerne (including Susquehanna and Bradford Counties) was taken, extended from the present western line of Wayne County to Phoutz's or Big Meadows, in Tioga County, and was eighteen miles in depth from the State line.
26
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
by the lines of that county, and on the south by an east and west line which should strike the standing stone.
Wyalusing was " bounded on the north by Tioga township, on the east and west by lines of the county, and on the south by an east and west line passing through the mouth of the Meshopping Creek." Tunkhannock, the next township below,
Fig. 2.
TIOGA
WYALUSING
also extended across Luzerne County, and its southern limit was an east and west line through Buttermilk Falls.
In March, 1791, the court of Luzerne ordered the erection of the township of Willingborough, from the northeast corner of Tioga, but its boundaries were not defined until April, 1793. (See Great Bend.)
August, 1795, Nicholson, so named from John Nicholson, Comptroller of the State, was erected from parts of Tioga and Wyalusing, with the following boundaries :-
"Beginning at the place where the north line of the township of Tunk- hannock crosses a small creek west of Martin's Creek; running thence due north thirteen miles; thence east to the east line of the county ; thence south on the county line to the place where it shall intersect the north line of Tunkhannock township ; thence west on said line to place of beginning."
This proves that Nicholson was never " twenty miles square," as some have supposed.
In January, 1797, the court approved, but not " finally" until January, 1798, the petition of Ephraim Kirby, and others, for the erection of the township of Lawsville. (See Franklin.)
In 1799, Braintrim was set off from Wyalusing and Tunk- hannock; the portion taken from the former by Susquehanna County, retains nearly its original dimensions in the present town of Auburn. (See Fig 3.)
27
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
Fig. 3. (A.D. 1799.)
LAWS-1 VILLE
WILLING BOROUGH
NICHOLSON
BRAIN TRIM
TOWNSHIPS ERECTED FROM TIOGA AND WYALUSING.
January, 1801, Ezekiel Hyde, Justus Gaylord, and M. Miner York were appointed commissioners to set off the township of Rush, and in November of the same year, their report was ac- cepted. The township was eighteen miles north and south by thirteen miles east and west, except that on the south line it extended five miles further, this extension being five miles square. The whole comprised 172,660 acres. The following diagram represents the boundaries of Rush in 1801. The dotted line marks the division made by the erection of Susque- hanna County.
Fig. 4.
13
13
18
Rush
1801
5
5
/8
At this time there were but twelve election districts in Luzerne County : Willingborough, Lawsville, and Nicholson, together
28
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
constituting the tenth : and Rush, or Rindaw, the ninth. Rindaw as a Pennsylvania election district must be carefully distin- guished from the Connecticut township of that name at the forks of the Wyalusing; the former included the latter, but its name appears to have been only temporarily adopted.
Fig. 5. (A.D. 1801.)
No. 9
Nº 10
ELECTION DISTRICTS.
Though the boundaries of the townships already given did not absorb the two townships of 1790, the latter are not again mentioned in this section on the Luzerne records. Practically, the line of Willingborough extended to Nicholson on the south, and both, to Rindaw (district) on the west.
In 1805, the court was petitioned to erect the townships of Clifford, Bridgewater, and New Milford. The first named was approved "finally" in April, 1806; the second, in November, following; and the last, in August, 1807. The northeast corner of Clifford was then twelve miles below the State line, being also what was the northeast corner of old Nicholson; and its area was one hundred and eight square miles. The eastern limit of New Milford, like that of Clifford, was the line of Wayne County. Bridgewater extended north and south about twenty-five miles.
At August sessions, 1807, a petition from the "Nine Part- ners" was promptly considered, and Harford was granted January, 1808. For eleven years the inhabitants had desired township organization, but two or three previous petitions had failed to secure the result.
29
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
Fig. 6. (A.D. 1808.)
3
8
5
1
7
9
6
4
2
1. Willingborough.
2. Remainder of Nicholson.
3. Lawsville extended.
4. A section of Braintrim.
5. Remainder of Rush.
6. Clifford.
7. Bridgewater.
8. New Milford.
9. Harford.
In 1809, Harmony was organized, the last township ordered by the court of Luzerne in the section set off to Susquehanna County. It formed the northeast corner of the latter as it had of the former, extending from the State line twelve miles south, and from Wayne County nine miles west.
Early in 1808, a division of Luzerne County was contem- plated, and a public meeting to favor the object was held July 13, at the house of Edward Fuller, in Bridgewater, about four miles below Montrose; Asa Lathrop presiding, and J. W. Raynsford acting as secretary. Owing to a disagreement as to county lines, it was proposed that all the townships should send delegates to a meeting to be held at the house of Salmon Bosworth, iu Rush, September 1, following, and then endeavor to decide the matter; but it was not until a year and a half later that the act of legislature was passed, which erected the counties of Susquehanna and Ontario; and it was two years more before the former " bade good-bye to old mother Luzerne, and set up housekeeping for herself."
[In the map of Old Luzerne, the west line, indicating the relative position of Susquehanna, is either not far enough west, or the line of the north branch of the Wyalusing is incorrectly given, for the forks should be within Susquehanna County.]
30
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
Fig. 7. (A.D. 1810.)
1
3
10
5
8
I
7
9
6
4
2
THE TEN TOWNSHIPS SET OFF TO FORM SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
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