USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County : from its first settlement to the present time, first under Virginia as Yohogania, Ohio, or Augusta County until 1781, and subsequently under Pennsylvania > Part 10
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Resolved, That Council approve of the said appointments, and that Col. James Marshall and Andrew Swearingen be accepted as sureties for the said deputy surveyors.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, Feb. 18, 1790.
The Comptroller and Register-General's reports upon the following ac- counts were read and approved, viz :---
Of Joseph Brown for one month's pay as a volunteer militia-man, while stationed at one McDonald's, for the defence of the frontiers of the county of Washington, in August, 1782, amounting to five pounds five shillings.
Of Samuel Brown for forty days' pay as a militia-man in Captain Robert Miller's Company, stationed on the frontiers of said county in the year 1782 and 1783, amounting to four pounds.
Of Alexander Lashley for a horse which was taken into public service
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
and lost on the Sandusky expedition against the Indians, under Col. Craw- ford, in the year 1782, valued at twelve pounds, and allowed.
Of George Sharp for bacon and flour furnished the militia of Washington County under his command, on the frontiers of said county, in March, 1785, amounting to two pounds four shillings.
IN COUNCIL. Philadelphia, March 4, 1790.
Upon the second reading of the report of the Committee to whom was referred the application for a new order in favor of Demus Linsley :---
Resolved, That the order which was granted to him for forty-four pounds one shilling and ninepence, on December 10, 1789, on the militia fines of Washington County, be cancelled, and that a new order for the same be is- sued, payable out of the militia funds of the county of Lancaster.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, March 8, 1790.
A letter from Thomas Ryerson, Esq., member of Assembly, relative to the defence of the western frontiers, against the invasion of the Indians, was received and read, whereupon it was
Resolved, That to-morrow be assigned for taking into consideration the several papers now before the Council, on the subject of a frontier defence. IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, March 22, 1790.
A letter from his Excellency, the President of the United States, dated the 15th inst., in answer to the letter from the President of this State, of the 10th, which inclosed the representatives from some of the inhabitants of Washington County, respecting the mischiefs which have been committed for several years past by the Indians in that county, was received and read, and the same was transmitted to the General Assembly in a letter from the President to the Speaker.
IN COUNCIL,
Philadelphia, April 6, 1790.
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable Henry 'Taylor for the sum of fifty-five pounds ten shillings in full of his account for his attendance in council, from the 23d day of January until the 6th day of April, 1790, inclusively.
James Archer, Esq., was appointed and commissionated a justice of the peace and of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Wash- ington, upon a return made according to law, from the district of the town- ship of Franklin, in the said county.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, April 19, 1790.
A letter from Henry Knox, Secretary of War, of the 15th inst., inclosing a copy of a letter which has been forwarded by him to the Lieutenant of Washington County in this State, authorizing him to embody any number of men, not exceeding eighty, for a temporary security to the frontiers of this State, was received and read.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, August 19, 1790.
Resolved, That the Lieutenant of the county of Washington be directed to transmit to Council as soon as may be, a return of the officers of the militia of the said county in order that commissions may issue to them, and that the Sec- retary write to the said Lieutenant and inclose him a copy of this resolution. IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, August 24, 1790.
James Mitchell, John Cannon, and Henry Graham, Esquires, were ap- pointed and commissionated justices of the peace and of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Washington, upon returns made to Council of elections held, according to law, in the following districts,
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
viz : James Mitchell elected in the district of Peters township; John Cannon in the district of Chartiers, and Henry Graham in the district of Cross Creek.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, August 28, 1790.
The report of the Comptroller and Register-Generals upon the following accounts was read and approved :-
Of Moses Cook, for a horse which was lost on the Sandusky expedition against the Indians, in the year 1782, amounting to fifteen pounds.
Of James Brownlee, for flour furnished to the militia of Washington County, in the month of May, June, and July, 1787, under the command of Colonel Marshall, amounting to nine pounds three shillings and three- pence.
IN COUNCIL. Philadelphia, September 4, 1790.
It having been determined at a conference of members of the General Assembly ; the members of the Supreme Executive Council; the Judges of Supreme Court, Judges Shippen and Wilson ; the Attorney-General of the State, and Alexander Wilcoeks and Jared Ingersoll, Esquires, Attor- neys-at-law, that the powers of the legislature of the present year expired on Thursday the second instant, and that the office of State Treasurer and Register-General of the accounts of this commonwealth, and of Register of Wills and a Recorder of Deeds in each county of this State, in like manner expired on the said day ; therefore
Resolved, That by virtue of the powers vested in this Board by the Con- stitution of this State,
Thomas Stokely be and hereby is appointed Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration, and Recorder of Deeds, in and for the county of Washington.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, September 22, 1790.
The following accounts were read and approved, viz :-
Of Thomas Scott, Esq., Clerk of the Peace of the county of Washington, for moneys received by him for fees upon tavern licenses from December, 1788, until June, 1789, amounting to thirty-nine pounds twelve shillings, which sum hath been paid into the treasury.
Of Daniel Beam, for his pay for sixty days' service as a Ranger on the frontiers of Washington County, in the militia, in the months of April and June, 1788, and for provisions during the same time, amounting to five pounds ten shillings.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, November 10, 1790.
Andrew Swearingen and Gabriel Blakely were offered and accepted as sureties for Thomas Stokely, Esq., who was, on the 4th day of September last reappointed Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration, and Recorder of Deeds, in and for the county of Wash- ington.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, December 11, 1790.
A letter from John Hoge, Esq., informing council that at the last general election held in the district composed of the counties of Washington and Fayette, he has been elceted to represent that district in the Senate of this State, and requesting that Council would be pleased to accept his resigna- tion of the offices of justice of the peace, and of the Court of Common Pleas for the county of Washington, which he now holds, previous to his taking his seat, was read, whereupon it was
Resolved, To accept the said resignation.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, December 14, 1790.
It being represented to-Council that William Wallace, Esq., Sheriff of the county of Washington, and Samuel Clarke, Coroner of the said county of Washington, are prevented from attending in Philadelphia to enter into negotiations and to give bonds with surcties, as the act of Assembly of the 5th of March last directs ; thereupon
Resolved, That a commission under the great seal be issued to Alexan- der Scott and Dr. Absalom Baird, of the said county, authorizing them to take from the said sheriff and coroner the said recognizances and bonds, in the manner prescribed in and by the said act of Assembly, and that the said commissioners make a report to council of their proceedings in the premises.
Thomas Scott and John Hoge, Esqrs., were accepted as sureties for the said William Wallace, and John Hoge, and Henry Taylor, Esqrs., as sure- ties for the said Samuel Clarke.
IN COUNCIL. Philadelphia, December 20, 1790.
The following order was drawn upon the Treasurer, viz :--
In favor of the Honorable Henry Taylor, for forty-four pounds ten shil- lings, for attendance in council from the 14th of November to the 21st of December, and mileage coming to Philadelphia and returning to Washing- ton County.
The Constitution of 1790 going into effect, the office of Supreme Executive Council was abolished. But very few persons having access to the twenty-eight octavo volumes which compose our colo- nial records and archives, I concluded to incorporate in this volume every fact contained therein in relation to Washington County, so that in the future it could be referred to.
CHAPTER V.
TOWNSHIPS AND BOROUGHS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
The history of the Townships and Boroughs in their chronological order, de- tailing interesting events in each-Also the history of churches and the present state of education in each Township and Borough.
WEnow proceed to the history of the townships of Washington County, which have been enumerated in chapter three, commencing with the thirteen original townships, and placing them in alphabeti- cal order; these townships having been organized on July 15th, 1781. When one of the original townships has been subdivided, or boroughs formed therein, we shall place its history with the township from which it was taken, yet giving a separate history. New townships and boroughs we shall place in chronological order.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AMWELL TOWNSHIP.
In the original record of this county its name is written "Aim- well." At the date of its organization, July 15th, 1781, it was bounded on the north by Strabane township, east by Bethlehem township, south by Morgan township (a township of Greene County since 1796), and on the west by Donegal.
Its present boundaries are South Strabane on the north, Morris and Franklin on the west, West Bethlehem on the east, and Greene County on the south. On the 19th of June, 1838, part of Am- well was annexed to Strabane township, and at the May term of court in 1856, the township lines between Amwell and Morris were changed and confirmed. It is centrally distant from the borough of Washington ten miles. Its population in 1860 was 2042, of which seven were colored. Its greatest length is ten miles, breadth four and one-half miles.
This township is drained by the north fork of Tenmile Creek, by the little North fork and Bane's fork of the same creek. It con- tains four stores, one distillery, and ten schools, employing five male and five female teachers, the former receiving thirty-eight dollars and thirty-eight cents, and the latter thirty-three dollars and five cents each per month, with five hundred and nineteen scholars, of which two hundred and eighty-six are males and two hundred and thirty- three are females-the tuition costing each scholar per month eighty-
three cents. Amount of tax levied for building purposes, four hun- dred and thirty-eight dollars and ninety-five cents-total amount levied for school purposes, two thousand four hundred and thirty- nine dollars and fourteen cents; amount received from the State appropriation one hundred and eighty-three dollars and thirty cents. The towns are A.MITY and CLARKTOWN (TENMILE VILLAGE.)
Amity is about ten miles from the county seat, and is on Bane's fork of Tenmile Creek and on the road leading from Washington to Waynesburg, containing thirty-four dwellings, two stores, a Presby- terian church* under the care of Rev. J. W. Hamilton, and a Metho- dist Protestant church, the pastor of which is Rev. F. A. Day.
This town was located about the year 1790 by Daniel Dodd, Esq , a brother of the Rev. Thaddeus Dodd, who owned the land, forined the plan, and numbered the lots. The position being central, on the main thoroughfare to Greene County, a hewed log Presbyterian church, stores, tavern, and dwelling houses were soon erected. At that early date the churches were destitute of heating apparatus, and the church-going members sat in their pews with their great coats and mittens, while the women were muffled up-not in furs, but in home-made dresses and comfortable shawls. Here we may remark, that both before and after preaching by Rev. Dodd, the male part of the congregation used to resort to the tavern to warm themselves, the house being now occupied as a private dwelling by Squire Clutter, no tavern being licensed in the place. In those early days athletic
* See pr. 217, 218.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
. sports were much more in vogue than at present; long bullets, the ball alley, and target shooting were the favorite exercises, and the party losing paid their forfeit by ordering drinks for all hands.
MORMONISM.
The village of Amity, in all coming time, will be regarded as the Mecca of Mormonism. It was in the year 1816 that the Rev. Solo- mon Spaulding, a graduate of Dartmouth College, settled in this ru- ral village, with a view to banish ennui. He was (what is familiarly known as) an antiquarian, and travelled far and near to investigate, scientifically, Indian mounds, and everything else connected with American antiquities, for the purpose of tracing the aborigines to their original source, a portion of one of the lost tribes of ancient Israel. While pursuing these investigations, and to while away the tedious hours, he wrote a romance, based upon fiction ; his investi- gations and history at the same time leaving the reader under the impression that it was found in one of these mounds, and through his knowledge of hieroglyphics he had deciphered it. As time and cir- cumstances would permit, he would often read to his friends in Amity portions of his fabulous and historical romance.
Rev. Spaulding resolved to publish it under the name of " The Manuscript Found," and actually entered into a contract with a Mr. Patterson, of Pittsburg, to publish the same, but from some cause the contract was not fulfilled. The manuscript remained in the posses- sion of Mr. Patterson between two and three years before Mr. Spauld- ing reclaimed and recovered it. In the mean time a journeyman printer of the name of Sidney Rigden copied the whole of the manu- script, and hearing of Joseph Smith, Jr.'s, digging operations for money through the instrumentality of necromancy, resolved in his own mind that he would turn this wonderful manuscript to good ac- count and make it profitable to himself. An interview takes place between Rigden and Smith, terms are agreed upon, the whole manu- script undergoes a partial revision, and in process of time, instead of finding money, they find CURIOUS PLATES, which, when translated, turn out to be the GOLDEN BIBLE, or BOOK OF MORMON, which was found under the prediction of Mormon in these words (see Mormon Bible, p. 504): " Go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shin, and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people." Oliver Cowdery, David Whit- mer, and Martin Harris, certify that they have seen these selfsame plates which were deposited by Mormon-that they were faithfully translated by the gift and power of God, because God's voice declared it unto them, that the work was true, and to place the testimony of its truthfulness beyond a peradventure, eight witnesses, viz : Chris- tian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sr., Hiram Smith, and Samuel H. Smith (al- most all of the witnesses belonging either to the Whitmer or Smith
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
family), testify that Joseph Smith, Jr., the translator, showed them the plates of gold, that they handled them with their own hands, saw the curious engravings, and that the plates were of curious workmanship. Such is the account of the most stupendous imposture which has been perpetrated for many centuries, but more especially upon so intelligent a nation as the American people. An imposture, at which the religious world stands amazed, paralyzing the marriage vow, and defying the power of the general government.
To place this question beyond the possibility of a doubt, and to demonstrate the fact that the Book of Mormon was originally written in Amity, Washington County, Pa., I shall take the testimony of living witnesses, whose characters are beyond reproach, and beloved by the entire community as persons whose veracity cannot be ques- tioned, and whose intelligence has no superior. The testimony I shall offer is a letter from the Rev. J. W. Hamilton, pastor of the Presbyterian church in Amity, Pa .- a letter from Joseph Miller, Sr., the intimate and confidential friend of Rev. Solomon Spaulding, and lastly, a letter from the wife of Rev. Spaulding, which was originally published thirty-one years since, or in 1839.
1. LETTER OF REV. J. W. HAMILTON
BOOK OF MORMON.
Some time since I became the owner of the book of Mormon. I put it into the hands of Mr. Joseph Miller, Sr., of Amwell township. After ex- amining it he makes the following statement concerning the connection of Rev. Solomon Spaulding with the authorship of the book of Mormon.
Mr. Miller is now in the seventy-ninth year of his age. He is an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. His judgment is good and his veracity unimpeachable. He was well acquainted with Mr. S. while he lived at Amity. He waited on him during his last illness. He made his coffin, and assisted to bury his remains where they now lie, in the Presby- terian graveyard at Amity. He also bailed Mr. S.'s wife when she took out letters of administration on his estate.
Mr. Miller's statement may be relied on as true. J. W. HAMILTON.
2. LETTER OF JOS. MILLER, SR.
When Mr. Spaulding lived in Amity, Pa., I was well acquainted with him. I was frequently at his house. He kept what is called a tavern. It was understood that he had been a preacher ; but his health failed him and he ceased to preach. I never knew him to preach after he came to Amity.
He had in his possession some papers which he said he had written. He used to read select portions of these papers to amuse us of evenings.
These papers were detached sheets of foolscap. He said he wrote the papers as a novel. He called it the " Manuscript Found," or " The Lost Manuscript Found." He said he wrote it to pass away the time when he was unwell; and after it was written he thought he would publish it as a novel, as a means to support his family.
Some time since, a copy of the book of Mormon came into my hands. My son read it for me, as I have a nervous shaking of the head that pre- vents me from reading. I noticed several passages which I recollect having
.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
heard Mr. Spaulding read from his "Manuscript." One passage on the 148th page (the copy I have is published by J. O. Wright & Co., New York) I remember distinctly. He speaks of a battle, and says the Amalekites had marked themselves with red on the foreheads to distinguish them from the Nephites. The thought of being marked on the forehead with red was so strange, it fixed itself in my memory. This together with other passages I remember to have heard Mr. Spaulding read from his " Manuscript."
Those who knew Mr. Spaulding will soon all be gone, and I among the rest. I write that what I know may become a matter of history ; and that it may prevent people from being led into Mormonism, that most seductive delusion of the devil.
From what I know of Mr. Spaulding's "Manuscript" and the book of Mormon, I firmly believe that Joseph Smith, by some means, got possession of Mr. Spaulding's " Manuscript," and possibly made some changes in it and called it the " Book of Mormon." JOSEPH MILLER, SR.
March 26, 1869.
3. LETTER OF MRS. DAVIDSON, FORMERLY MRS. SPAULDING.
THE MORMON BIBLE.
Joseph Miller, Esq., an old and highly respected citizen of Amwell town- ship, sends us by hand of Rev. J. W. Hamilton, of Amity, the following communication, which originally appeared in a magazine entitled the Evan- gelist of the True Gospel, published at Carthage, Ohio, in 1839.
Mr. Miller has, on various occasions heretofore, furnished us with many interesting incidents connected with the career of Solomon Spaulding, and the origin of the so-called Mormon Bible. The present contribution, which consists of a statement from the wife of Mr. Spaulding, seems to furnish conclusive evidence that the " Manuscript Found," written by her husband, and the "Book of Mormon," are one and the same.
Origin of the " Book of Mormon," or " Golden Promise."-As this. book has excited much attention, and has been put by a certain new sect in the place of the Sacred Scriptures, I deem it a duty which I owe to the public to state what I know touching its origin. That its claims to a divine origin are wholly unfounded, needs no proof to a mind unperverted by the grossest delusions. That any sane person should rank it higher than any other merely human composition, is a matter of the greatest astonishment ; yet it is received as divine by those who dwell in enlightened New England, and even by those who have sustained the character of devoted Christians. Learning recently that Mormonism has found its way into a church in Massachusetts, and has impregnated some of its members with its gross delusions, so that excommunication has become necessary, I am determined to delay no longer doing what I can to strip the mask from this monster of sin, and to lay open this pit of abominations.
Rev. Solomon Spaulding, to whom I was united in marriage in early life, was a graduate of Dartmouth College, and was distinguished for a lively imagination and a great fondness for history. At the time of our marriage he resided at Cherry Valley, New York. From this place we removed to New Salem, Ashtabula County, Ohio, sometimes called Conneaut, as it is situated upon Conneaut Creek. Shortly after our removal to this place his health sunk, and he was laid aside from active labors. In the town of New Salem there are numerous mounds and forts, supposed by many to be the dilapidated dwellings and fortifications of a race now extinct. These ancient relics arrested the attention of the new settlers, and became objects
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
of research for the curious. Numerous implements were found, and other articles evincing great skill in the arts. Mr. Spaulding being an educated man, and passionately fond of history, took a lively interest in these devel- opments of antiquity, and in order to beguile the hours of retirement, and furnish employment for his lively imagination, he conceived the idea of giv- ing an historical sketch of this long lost race. Their extreme antiquity of course would lead him to write in the most ancient style, and as the Old Testament is the most ancient book in the world, he imitated its style as nearly as possible. His sole object in writing this historical romance was to amuse himself and his neighbors. This was about the year 1812. Hull's surrender at Detroit occurred near the same time, and I recollect the date from that circumstance. As he progressed in his narrative, the neighbors would come in from time to time to hear portions read, and a great interest in the work was excited among them. It claimed to have been written by one of the lost nation, and to have been recovered from the earth, and assumed the title of "Manuscript Found." The neighbors would often inquire how Mr. S. progressed in deciphering the manuscript, and when he had a sufficient portion prepared he would inform them, and they would assemble to hear it read. He was enabled, from his acquaintance with the classics and ancient history, to introduce many singular names, which were particularly noticed by the people, and could be easily recognized by them. Mr. Solomon Spaulding had a brother, Mr. John Spaulding, resid- ing in the place at the time, who was perfectly familiar with this work, and repeatedly heard the whole of it read.
From New Salem we removed to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Here Mr. S. found an acquaintance and friend in the person of Mr. Patterson, an editor of a newspaper. He exhibited his manuscript to Mr. P., who was very much pleased with it, and borrowed it for perusal. He retained it a long time, and informed Mr. S. that if he would make out a title page and pre- face, he would publish it, and it might be a source of profit. This Mr. S. refused to do, for reasons which I cannot state. Sidney Rigdon, who has figured so largely in the history of the Mormons, was at this time connected with the printing-office of Mr. Patterson, as is well known in that region, and as Rigdon himself has frequently stated. Here he had ample oppor- tunity to become acquainted with Mr. Spaulding's manuscript, and to copy it if he chose. It was a matter of notoriety to all who were connected with the printing establishment. At length the manuscript was returned to its author, and soon after we removed to Amity, Washington County, Pa., where Mr. S. deceased in 1816. The manuscript then fell into my hands and was carefully preserved. It has frequently been examined by my daughter, Mrs. M'Kinstry, of Monson, Massachusetts, with whom I now reside, and by other friends. After the " Book of Mormon" came out, a copy of it was taken to New Salem, the place of Mr. Spaulding's former residence, and the very place where the "Manuscript Found" was written. A woman-preacher appointed a meeting there; and, in the meeting, read and repeated copious extracts from the " Book of Mormon." The historical part was immediately recognized by all the older inhabitants as the iden- tical work of Mr. Spaulding, in which they had been deeply interested before. Mr. John Spaulding was present, who is an eminently pious man, and recognized perfectly the work of his brother. He was amazed and afflicted that it should have been perverted to so wicked a purpose. His grief found vent in a flood of tears ; and he arose on the spot, and ex- pressed in the meeting his deep sorrow and regret that the writings of his sainted brother should be used for a purpose so vile and shocking. The excitement in New Salem became so great that the inhabitants held a
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