History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 77

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438

USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 77
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 77
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 77

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).

1 A short time before the breaking out of the Revolution, Bryant Kane made a contract for a farm on the east bank of the Delaware, near the Cochecton Falls-the same premises afterward occupied by Charles Young. Above him was the house of Nicholas Conklin, and Robert Land lived opposite. Land and Kane were both Tories. When summoned, Kane sought safety among the Indians, and afterward participated in their atrocities. Quinlan thinks he was the same person as the Barney Kane mentioned in Stone's " Life of Brant."

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their endeavors to bring Abel back with them, but not succeeding, they left him after inquiring what had been done, and being told that the Indians had a woman, some children and a very tall man.

"The friendly Indians at once hastened to the river to confirm this report, and arrived at Land's house just as Mrs. Land and her son John returned. The latter, with the friendly Indians and what whites and other Indians he could muster, started in immediate pursuit, and overtook the maurauders at Ough Quagua, where both sides formed in battle array. A talk was called for, and by mutual consent the gun-muzzles were dropped. After considerable wrangling, it was agreed that Abel should go back, but that he should first run the gauntlet. This he did with a speed that astonished every one present. He did not receive more than half a dozen blows, and none of them were severe. The pursuing party then returned to Cochecton. As soon as the Skinners heard of the murder of Kane's family, and the capture of Abel Land, they crossed the river, and took refuge in the woods, where they were afterwards joined by the wife and children of Nathaniel Evans. All of them remained herc until matters became more settled.

" About this time some of the inhabitants left the country and a few remained. Joseph Ross was commissioned by Colonel Hooper to take charge of the Indians, whose chief was called Minnotto, and these, together with the whites, concluded that, as the affairs of the Gov- ernment then existed, there could be no place of greater safety for them than at Cochec- ton. They made an agreement of mutual pro- tection, the Indians agreeing to watch the move- ments of unfriendly tribes, in consideration for which the whites were to assist the Indians in case of an attack on them. Relying on the sc- curity of this arrangement, the whites went on with their farming, feeling safe in their remote- ness from the seat of war and their poverty. But as their crops matured, the delusion was dispelled, and they found that they became ' dangerous to the cause of liberty.' Robert Land, who had been a colonial justice of the peace, had escaped, as has been before narrated.

Francis Little was set at liberty on parole. Solomon Decker, John Lassley, Grashon Smith and Daniel Skinner had fled for safety to a more settled part of the country. The crops they had left behind them were growing and bid fair for a beautiful harvest. There was at this time living in a place called New Tam- many, one of the old settlers at Cochecton, named Bezaleel Tyler, called Captain Mush by the Indians. This man assumed to himself the title of captain, and having extensive connec- tions all like him in indigent circumstances, to whom the stock of provisions accumulating about Cochecton would be a great acquisition, he found no difficulty in persuading them to join his command. These, together with others, had the sanction of the Committee of Safety at Paupack, fron whence they marched for Co- checton on an old Indian path, until they came to the mouth of Ten-Mile River, where it does not appear they did any mischief. From that point they murdered, burned and plundered all that came in their way without opposition, until they came in sight of Big Island, where they discovered a party retreating before them, from which one man on horseback rode directly towards them, calling to them not to shoot, as he was one of the Minnotto's men. His name was Handy,1 and he was well known to most of the company, and especially to Captain Mush, who shot him down as soon as he was within range, took his horse and left him where he fell. With the horse he overtook Nathan Mitch- ell, in the Benekill, a little above the lower point of Big Island, and made him a prisoner. He was in full Indian dress.2 The rest of the

1 Handy lived in Cochecton before the war ; he had been disappointed in a love-affair, and to prevent a repetition of his sorrows, had emasculated himself. He was a poor out- cast, and half-witted, and spent most of his time riding about and imagining he was a man of some consequence. Quinlan, in his "History of Sullivan County," states that Handy was riding a stolen horse, the property of a Whig of Mamakating, at the time he was killed, and that the animal was recognized by some one of the company, and his fate was sealed.

2 Mitchell had remained at Cochecton because his wife would not go away without her father, whose friendship for the revolting colonies was suspected. Mitchell was disguised as an Indian, to escape being fired upon by the savages lurking about the bush.

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company continued to retreat across the island and then across the river to Skinner's Flat, from the upper end of which they passed to Ross' and made a stand. Tyler's company pursued as far as Skinner's honse, and then making a stand, sent forward a small party to ascertain how many Indians there were at Ross'. The latter called over to the Indians, and in reply received a message to the effect that there were enough to give Captain Mush a good reception. When this was reported, it was concluded that it would not be safe to advance any farther, so after plundering Skinner's house, and hiding what they could not conveniently carry away, the scouts set fire to it and retreated to the river.

" When they came to Big Eddy, they dis- covered John Land and a man by the name of Davis coming up the river in a canoe. They had been to Ten-Mile River to mill. Captain Tyler and most of his company being well ac- quainted with these men, called to them, saying that they wanted to inquire about the capture and recapture of Land's brother Abel. They declared most solemnly that they would do no harm ; but Davis was suspicious of their inten- tion and at first declined going over. There were in the company a number of young men who had been mates with Land, and who, as he supposed, were on friendly terms with him, knowing no reason why they should be other- wise. He had not seen them for a long time and was anxious to talk over the affairs of their former friendship. Among them were John Conkling, William Tyler and Joseph Thomas, most of them about his own age. Captain Tyler, Moses Thomas and most of the others had belonged to the same neighborhood, and so, after considerable persuasion on the part of Land, Davis consented and they went over to the company. As soon as they were on shore they were seized, and their hands were tied be- hind their backs. They remonstrated, and re- minded them of the treachery, and of the prom- ises they were breaking. John Conklin an- swered by saying that "There was policy in war," and Moses Thomas by cocking his gun and putting it to John Land's breast, and say- ing that he would shoot him if he could obtain

the leave. Land was very stubborn, but Davis was humble, and plead earnestly that he might be permitted to see his wife and little boy once more, stating that their whole dependence was on him, and that the grist in the canoe was all they had ; that if they took this, and carried him to jail, his family would inevitably perish, all of which they well knew, for they were well acquainted with both him and his circumstances. Notwithstanding the prize was small, yet it was too valuable to them to part with for pity or humanity's sake ; so they put one of their company on board of the canoe to take it to Minisink and drove their prisoners before them. When they arrived at Minisink they held a council in order to abuse their prisoners, com- mencing with John Land, because he was the youngest, and his feelings were most easily ex- cited. They demanded of him how many wo- men and children he had murdered, and when to this he gave no answer, they put a rope around his neck, threw it over a limb, and hauled him up. After he had hung a few min- utes, they let him down and asked the same question. He then said that he had never killed, nor never had a desire to kill or hurt, women or children, and, as they well knew, the implied accusations were false and malicious. This provoked them, as might have been ex- pected, and they immediately jerked him np again. This would have been his last time, had not some of his old play-fellows wanted to .tantalize him a little more. They continued alternately to hang him and abuse him until their exertions had exhausted their strength, and there were none willing to pull the rope again. They then left him to anticipate what might follow in the morning, and he, with the others was taken to the log jail and shackled and handcuffed for safe keeping. This ended Captain Mush's first scout at Cochecton."

As may be seen from the above narrative, there was much bitter dissension to divide the few settlers that remained at the Cushutunk settlement during the Revolutionary War. By reason of its peenliarly isolated and exposed position on the route generally pursued by the hostile tribes in their incursions into New York State, and its contiguity to the war-path that led

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to the most restless Indian camps, it could hardly have escaped disastrous visitations; but the hard- ships of both Whig and Tory were much increased by the excesscs of each,-acts that added to the intensity and hatred of the time, and gave rise to mutual charges and recriminations and polit- ical antipathies that have come down to the present. The exodus that marked the begin- ning of the war removed not only the Whigs, but a number of the British sympathizers, who abandoned their property and went within the King's lines, where some of them found per- manent homes. The Whigs took their families to places of safety and then returned, either as scouts or to gather the crops that stood unhar- vested. They found that the few who had re- mained, and who had professed neutrality, had destroyed or appropriated their property. They, doubtless, practiced some cruelties in return, and a vengeful spirit was engendered which dis- criminated but little between friend and foe.

Skinner and the few neighbors who remained to brave the dangers of the dark days relied on the alliance they had formed with the friendly Indians for protection against marauding bands, but did not expect to suffer at the hands of their fellow-pioneers. Though there was no suspi- cion that he was in any way disloyal, his prop- crty was burned and pillaged, so that it is not surprising that there is a trace of bitterness in his narrative, as given above. As is always the case in border warfare, many deeds, prompted by personal hate or private grievance, were committed in the name of patriotism ; and such may have been the murder of one Cooley, who was executed by Captain Tyler's company. Unknown to all, he had come up the river to Cushutunk early in the war, and asked permis- sion to remain with several individuals. As he told rather an unsatisfactory story, he was refused a welcome and wandered on until he came to a deserted cabin near Little Equinunk, where he found an asylum. Here he led a harmless life amid the solitudes, supplying his simple wants from wood and stream. History docs not record whom he had offended, and tra- dition is misty as to the manner in which he unconsciously provoked his death, but certain it is that he had been guilty of no crime for

which he was dragged from his humble retreat and brought before the scouts. A brief consul- tation decided that he should die then and there. In vain did a few contend that it was wrong to kill him without a formal conviction by a competent tribunal; vain were his frantic appeals for life ; deaf were the ears that heard his prayers and blind the eyes that saw his tears. Begging piteously for a moment's grace, he was shot even where he knelt, and his blood mingled with the stream. The minority of the company declared openly that it seemed to tliem a deed of murder, and that if such were the work necessary they would cease to be scouts. Thus red with blood and torch was the history of Cushutunk during the Revolution.

But at last the clouds broke ; the war was over and spectral memories stalked back into the dark past, as there dawned the bright prospect of peace and security. Once more the farmer was safe at the furrow, and the wood- man's axe swung free among the pines, where the scalping-knife was no longer to be feared. The people were still poor, but they went to work with a will to retrieve their ill-fortunes of preceding years. Lumbering was the most promising source of gain, and many en- gaged in it at the expense of agriculture, be- cause of its returns in ready money. Though the ventures were generally successful, some- times the rafts were wrecked on their way down the river, or the floods did not come at the usual time, and, as the people were poor, any contingency that prevented returns from their industry at the usual time caused general suffering. The milling was done at Minisink, and when a freshet of long duration prevented them from obtaining flour and meal there was much of kindness and good-will. Says one author,1 " Without hesitation they divided their last crust with the starving and trusted in Provi- dence for the next. So great was the scarcity of food at times, that women and children, after traveling for miles through the forest to pro- cure food, upon receiving a few ears of corn, would gnaw the raw kernels from the cobs like famished animals. An old gentleman, who had

1 Quiulan, in his "Sullivan County."

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been a witness of these scenes, while relating them wept like a sorrow-stricken woman."

The homes of the pioneers were of the rudest construction, as appears from the following from Mr. Skinner: "My father's house at Cushutunk-or rather the place where we stay- ed, for it consisted of a few logs thrown to- gether and covered with bark-was for several years the principal stopping-place. There were but few houses in Cochecton where a traveler could be lodged on a somewhat primitive floor. Some remained with us two or three days, others as many weeks. In those days there was no way to get to Cochceton except by pushing a canoe thirty-five or forty miles up the river, or by traveling the same distance on an Indian path, where a carriage could not be drawn. Yet many found the way to Cochec- ton by the power of feet and legs or the strength of hands and arms."

The progenitor of the Skinner family was Joseph Skinner, who came from Connecticut in 1755. He had eight sons, viz. : Daniel, Ben- jamin, Timothy, John, Abner, Haggai, Calvin and Joseph; and two daughters, Martha and Huldah. Daniel Skinner settled at Ackhake, or St. Tammany, and had six children, viz. : Reu- ben, Daniel, Jr., Joseph, William H., Nathan and Lillie. Reuben, the first son, married Polly Chase, the widow of Joshua Clark, of Long Island, and settled on his father's place. He or- ganized the first Masonic lodge in the county, and named it St. Tammany's Lodge. In 1801 he was assessed as owning two houses, twenty acres of improved land and a slave valued at fifty dollars. He was also a merchant, inn- keeper and justice of the peace, and the pos- sessor of a span of horses and two cows, his entire taxable valuation being five hundred and fifty-two dollars. His children were Daniel O. Skinner, formerly a resident of Honesdale; Anna, the wife of George Bush ; Hulda, the wife of Jacob P. Yerkes; and Nancy, who married George Kinney.

Daniel Skinner, Jr., married Hannah Bur- leigh, of Wayne County. His only child was Ira D. Skinner, who also left one son. Joseph, the third son of Joseph Skinner, married Mercy Delop, of Litchfield County, Connecticut, and |

their children were Courtland, Daniel K., Sarah, Susan (the wife of Horace Belknap), Polly (the wife of Jacob Mitchell) and Matilda (who first married Charles Young, and afterwards became the wife of Nathan Yerkes).

William H., the fourth son of Joseph Skinner, married for his first wife Elizabeth Gray, of Orange County, N. Y., and of this nnion there were born John, Elijah, Milton, Martha (the wife of Calvin Tibbets), Dulcinna (the wife of William Kellum) and Ardacea (who married a Thompson). William H. Skinner's second wife was a widow, Fannie Thompson, and by this marriage were born David, Henry, William H., Jr., Elizabeth (the wife of Samuel Haydn), Kate and Annie.

Nathan Skinner, the writer of the history which has been quoted, married Sarah Calkins, and his children were Col. Calvin Skinner (to whom the writer is indebted for many of the following notes on the early settlers), Albro, Oliver I., Charles C., Heli, Serenna (the wife of Oliver Calkins, Jr.), Amanda (the wife of Jesse D. Thomas), Olive (the wife of John Tyler) and Zilla (who married William Stephens).

Lillic Skinner, Joseph Skinner's first daugh- ter, married John Land ; Marcey, the second daughter, became the wife of Reuben Hancket ; and Sarah, the youngest, married John Conk- lin.

One of the early settlers whose descendants became prominent in the annals of the township was Bezaleel Tyler, who came from Connecti- cut with the Skinners and Calkinses, and settled above Cochecton. He was a brother-in-law of Simeon and John Calkins, and had twenty-one children, all of whom arrived at maturity, and most of whom were soldiers in the Revolution- ary War. Captain Bezalcel Tyler, who was killed at the battle of Lackawaxen, was one of his children. He had previously married, and settled on Hollister's Creek, where, with Daniel Skinner, he built a saw-mill, the second in Damascus township. He also assisted in the erection of Daniel Skinner's house, which was burned by the Indians in 1777. His children were John, Moses, Oliver, Elam, Phoebe and Abigail. John married Jane Fanoy and had

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seven children, viz .: Bezaleel, Moses, Benja- min, Oliver, Sally (the wife of James Ross, Jr.), Abigail (the wife of Jesse Drake, Jr.) and Lydia (who married Moses, a son of Oliver Calkins, of Big Eddy).

Oliver, the second son of Captain Bezaleel Tyler, married Elizabeth Comfort. His oldest son was John, but who the others were is not known, the family moving to Dryden, New York.

Moses, the third son, married Sarah Ross, a daughter of James Ross, Sr., and John R. Ross was one of his sons. One of his daughters married Elias Calkins, of Barryville.

Elam, the fourth son, was killed in youth ; Phœbe, one of the daughters, married Joseph Thomas ; while Abigail, the other, became the wife of Joseph Mitchell.

Nathan Mitchell, who was a prominent figure in the carly history of the settlement, always lived on the New York side of the Del- aware. His wife was Betsy, the oldest daugh- ter of Captain Ross, and Abraham, one of his sons, moved to Rileyville, where he married Polly Smith. James, another son, lives at the homestead, and Nathan, Jr., lived at Rock Run. He married Anna, daughter of James Brown, and two of his sons were Stephen and Elias.

Nicholas Conklin was of Dutch descent, and came from Haverstraw Bay about 1755-56, locating on the New York side of the Dela- ware. He had three sons,-William, John and Elias. The latter was an Indian doctor, and lived a wild, roving life, so that little is known of him. It is uncertain whether he married and left descendants or not. William Conklin married a daughter of -- Brink, and had seven children. They were Nicholas, John Paul, William Eli, Elias, Abby (wife of James Brink, of Milford), Hester (wife of Squire Mosh), Rachel (wife of Jesse Tyler), Christine and Elizabeth.

John Conklin, afterwards known as Judge, was one of Captain Tyler's company at the bat- tle of Lackawaxen; married Herzilla Fanoy, and was the father of five children,-Benjamin, William, Joseph, Jane (the wife of David Brown), and Sarah (the wife of Charles Little).

Moses Thomas, who has already been referred to, came from Philadelphia with his brother

Aaron, in 1755, to establish a block-house at Milanville, on the flats just above the mouth of Calkins' Creek. They were both sent by the pro- prietaries to look after the Penn interests, and, if possible, prevent the further occupancy of the lands by Connecticut settlers. They ful- filled their mission, but afterwards became per- manent settlers, and their descendants inter- married with the Yankee families they came to restrain. Moses Thomas had two sons,-Moses, Jr., and Elias,-and three daughters,-Hulda, who married Abram Ross ; Sarah, the wife of Nathan Evans ; and Hannah, who married Oi- iver Calkins. Aaron was also the father of a good family-six children. His sons were Joseph and Benjamin, and his daughters,-Pol- ly, the wife of Solomon Decker ; Charity, who was twice married, and had a number of chil- dren by each husband; Rachel, who married Jerry Lilli ; and Elsie, the wife of a man named Howe. Moses Thomas, Jr., was one of Captain Tyler's company and was killed at the battle of Lackawaxen. He left four children. His daugh- ters were the wives of Reuben Decker, Abraham Burnes and one of the Calkinses ; and his son Moses, who was an infant at the time of the bat- tle, located on the Delaware.

David Youngs was a Scotchman, who emi- grated from Easton before the Revolution, ar- riving about the same time that Moses Thomas did. Youngs did not find a convenient place for settlement on the Pennsylvania side of the river, and located in New York State, just op- posite Big Island. His wife was an English woman, and claimed to be of royal blood, on the ground that she was a natural child of George III. Mr. Youngs had five children,- David, Thomas, John, George and Isabella, who married Charles Tyler, and afterwards settled on the original Tyler property. David built a grist-mill, which afterwards passed into the hands of his brother. George Thomas mar- ried Abigail Thomas, and settled on the Lassley place, just below the Cochecton Falls. John's wife was the granddaughter of John Lassley, and they lived on the Youngs place for many years, afterwards moving to Smith Hill, where both died. George married Hannah Wheeler, and lived and died on Tyler Hill.

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John Lassley moved into Damascus soon af- ter Youngs and Thomas did, and took up a tract adjoining that of Aaron Thomas. Hc married Sarah Tyler, and had three children,- Cornelius, Sarah (the wife of Parks Baird) and Betsy (Mrs. Salisbury). Mr. Lassley was a Revolutionary soldier, and served throughout the entire war.

Simeon Bush was one of the original settlers, and came with the Calkinses and Skinners. He was a half-brother to the Tylers, and married Hannah Smith, of Orange County, during the Indian War. His sons were George, Jolin and Eli, and his daughters,-Kesiah, who became Mrs. Nicholas Conklin ; Polly, the wife of James Carryheart ; Wadie, who married Charles Drake ; Eleanor, the wife of Isaac Mills ; and Abbie, who died single. Simeon Bushi made ont the assessment list of 1801, which is quoted elsewhere, and was a man of much prominence in the township. George, the eldest son, was also a man of mark. He was born in Damas- cus in 1791, and served as county commissioner in the early part of this century. In 1842 he was elected to the Legislature, and served for two years ; he died in 1872, leaving several children, and a wife who was the daughter of Reuben Skinner.

Robert Land was a son of Samuel Land, an Englishman, who first settled near Wilming- ton, Delaware, where he took up a tract on White Clay Creek, which he afterwards (in 1684) disposed of to John Cann. In 1763, Land was sent to Cushutunk as a justice of the peace under the colonial government. He was a man of enterprise and perseverance, and his wife who was a Scott, was a woman of uncon- mon endurance and ability. He settled on the property now owned by Colonel Calvin Skin- ner, at Milanville, and it was from that home that Mrs. Land went in the spring of 1777, when the Mohawks visited Calkins' Creek, murdered Bryant Kane's family and carried in accordance with the recommendations of the Continental Congress, a Committee of Safety had been formed at Cochecton, and as Land had been in the service of the King, an order for his arrest as a Tory was made. It was 44

served, and he was condemned to incarceration at Paupack, pending a trial for his Royalist pro- clivities. In some way he eluded the vigilance of his captors, and escaped, after which he kept within the English lines until the Revolution was ended, and then went with his daughter and son Ephraim to Canada.

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 77

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co. Number of Pages: 1438

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438