History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 47

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

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Robert Stephenson, James Marlar, Wil- liam Chesney, Thomas Stockton, and Thomas Lilly were appointed commission- ers for York County, under the act of at- tainder. James Edgar, a member of the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, received 1,000 pounds in May, for the use of David Watson in the purchase of horses. May 20, William Scott, paymaster, received 4,000 pounds to pay the militia then in the service from York County. June 29, two days after Congress left York, a large number of refugees from the western frontier of Pennsylvania arrived in York on the way to Maryland.

August 10, Colonel Albright received from John Hay, sub-lieutenant of York County, 112 muskets for use of a part of his battalion on an expedition against the Indians and Tories in the interior of Penn- sylvania. These troops were sent to Standing Stone, now Huntingdon, Penn- sylvania.

On September 4, Elizabeth Shugart was given a pass into the British lines in the city of New York, for the purpose of visit- ing her husband, then a prisoner of war on Long Island, having been captured at Fort Washington while serving in Colonel Swope's Regiment, of York County. Sep- tember 5, Lieutenant James Milligan was ordered to recruit for the Continental army in York County, and for this purpose to receive pay from Richard McAllister, lieu- tenant of York County.

James Elliot and a detachment of militia were paid 8 pounds for services and expense in disarming Tories, September 15, 1778.

"Ralph," a negro slave belonging to John Rankin, of York County, petitioned the Assembly for his freedom in September, because his master was charged with being a Tory and was then in the British lines at Philadelphia. Ralph claimed his master had freed him sometime before he had gone to Philadelphia. Being unable to prove his assertion, the slave was ordered to be hired out. September 16, Paymaster William Scott received $20,000 for the use of the militia of York County. Colonel David Kennedy, of York County, one of the com- missioners to purchase clothing for the army in the county of York, received $12,500 for that purpose, October IO.

On February 9, 1779, Colonel Joseph Jeffries petitioned the

Wagons for Council of Safety for money to Prisoners. pay for wagons used in trans- porting the British and Hes- sian troops of Burgoyne's army from the Susquehanna River to Virginia. March 22, Colonel Richard McAllister received $15,000 for the use of William Scott, of York County, paymaster of militia. May 14, York County was ordered to furnish thirty wagons to transport provisions and military stores to troops ordered to the western frontier at Fort Pitt, now Pitts- burg.

Archibald McClean, of York, who had served as a member of the State Assembly, was appointed by the Supreme Executive Council, July 14, 1779, to receive subscrip- tions in York County to aid in securing a loan of twenty million dollars for carrying on the war, as authorized by Congress. October 13, the Supreme Executive Council called out three classes of York County militia to guard the frontier and to join the Continental army. The state militia were usually called out for sixty days. On this occasion, Washington desired them to serve one month longer. In answer to this call, an additional bounty was to be re- ceived. The officers and privates were to receive eighty dollars in addition to the one hundred dollars provided by a law already passed.

March 30, 1780, William Scott was ap- pointed lieutenant of militia for York

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

County to succeed Colonel Richard McAl- County. Colonel Ephraim Blaine, of Car- lister, who had been chosen a member of lisle, grandfather of Secretary of State James G. Blaine, in 1780, as clothier-gen- eral, reported that William Scott had suc- ceeded Colonel Henry Miller as assistant clothier-general of Pennsylvania. Miller had been appointed in 1779. John Brooks was then commissary of the government magazine at York.

the Supreme Executive Council. Captain William Scott was also appointed, April 3, commissioner of purchase for York County, under an act of Assembly recently passed. The office of lieutenant of York County was created by the Assembly in 1776. This officer was required to organize the militia throughout the county in which he lived, and see that the different companies re- ceived careful military drill and discipline. He was also required to superintend the calling out of the different classes of militia for service in the field, and, if necessary, was empowered to order a draft if there were not a sufficient number of soldiers to fill the quota as demanded. Captain Scott, also commissioner of purchase at that time, was ordered to purchase fifty tons of hay, two thousand bushels of corn or four thousand bushels of oats, and fifteen hun- dred barrels of flour, and in accordance with directions from General Washington, was ordered to deposit forty tons of hay, two thousand bushels of corn, one hundred bar- rels of flour, two hundred and eighty gal- lons of rum at York.

April II, 1780, Thomas McKean, then chief-justice of Pennsylvania, wrote the Council, that the sheriff of York County had a prisoner who was charged with guid- ing the British from Philadelphia to Crooked Billet, in Bucks County, where the Pennsylvania militia were encamped. At this place, in 1778, the British had surprised the militia under General Lacey and routed them. In April, 1780, General Washington recommended that 100 barrels of flour, 1,280 gallons of rum, 40 tons of hay and 4,000 bushels of corn be purchased and placed among the militia stores at York.

May 27, purchasing agents were

Captain located in Pennsylvania at the William following posts: Philadelphia,

Scott. Easton, Reading, Lancaster, Sun-

bury, Carlisle and York. On

June I, Captain William Scott received from the Supreme Executive Council of the State, $6,500 for the purchase of supplies for the army. Under a special rule, the Pennsylvania militia was to be composed of fifty battalions, of which York County had eight. In June, Major James Chamberlain was appointed wagon master of York

On June 26, Lieutenant Scott wrote to President Reed that he had the promise of 600 barrels of flour from York County ; had purchased 170 sheep, 20 head of beef, but was unable to procure much salt beef and bacon, because they were scarce. These provisions were intended for militia to be marched to the frontier. He also said he could send 100 militia to the front as soon as arms could be procured from Philadel- phia. The plans were changed upon the arrival of the French fleet and the expedi- tion to the frontier abandoned.

On July 15, one company of militia from York County was ordered to Bedford, and another to Westmoreland County to aid in guarding the western frontier. Upon the arrival of the French fleet in American waters to aid in the cause of independence, the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsyl- vania ordered York County to provide 500 barrels of flour per month, for a stated time, 500 bushels of forage per month, 25 wagons, 300 horses and 600 militia. These supplies were intended for the soldiers and sailors of the French fleet; the horses and wagons to transport the goods, and the militia to act as a guard in transporting them. The wagonmaster of each county was to allow two work horses to remain on each farm. In September, 1780, the sum of $12.750 was advanced by the State of Penn- sylvania for calling into service a part of the militia of York County sent to the Con- tinental army in the field.

Colonel William Scott wrote, August I, 1780, to President Reed, that he "paraded one company of volunteers and ordered them to march for Bedford: but they are to set off this evening for Philadelphia under the command of Captain James Mackey, a gentleman who has served several years in our army and was recommended to me by gentlemen of my acquaintance, as one who behaved with bravery. The company con- sists of fifty men exclusive of officers."

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THE REVOLUTION

November 20, James Smith, of York, and Hessian prisoners northward. They dis- Henry Wynkoop, of Bucks County, were cussed the danger that would arise by bringing so large a number, more than 3,000 foreign troops, into southern Penn- sylvania. recommended for appointment as judges of the High Court of Appeals for the State of Pennsylvania. Thomas Armor, Sr., was ap- pointed, November 25, collector of excise for York County.

On January 30, 1781, Archibald Money for McClean received $1,500, to aid in recruiting men from York Recruits. County for the first regiment, Pennsylvania Line, which had been ordered to rendezvous at York. Three months later, McClean was granted $5,000 to be used in paying bounties to recruits and gratuity, then given to men in service in the Pennsylvania Line.

After 1779 the seat of war had been transferred to the South, where severe bat- tles occurred at Savannah, King's Moun- tain, Cowpens and other places. The valor of the American patriots called forth demonstrations of joy. General Greene was then in charge of the Southern army. In February, 1781, Archibald McClean

wrote from York: "Upon the arrival of the news from the South, a number of us met and subscribed liberally for a 'feu de joy' and also for a prudent treat for the return- ing soldiers. We also raised a fund to be distributed among those whom we could engage to re-enlist." He further stated about twenty of the returning soldiers had re-enlisted.

March 3, Colonel Michael Swope, of York, and Colonel Henry Slagle, of Han- over, were appointed, under authority of the Supreme Executive Council, to settle with troops of the First and Tenth Regi- ments of the Pennsylvania Line, then in camp at York. March 14, General James Potter and Mr. Cunningham were ap- pointed by the Supreme Executive Council to confer with the members of Assembly from York County, on the subject of the reception of the British and Hessian troops which were soon to arrive in Pennsylvania from Charlottesville, Virginia, where they had been held as prisoners of war since January, 1779. March 16, Colonel Michael Smyser, Captain Moses McClean, members of the Assembly from York County, and Alexander Lowry, of Lancaster County, held a conference with President Reed. relating to the movement of the British and

These troops, however, were brought soon after and placed in prison pens at York, Lancaster and Reading, the officers being sent to Connecticut.

May 16, General Wayne, then in York, in command of the Pennsylvania Line, wrote the President of Pennsylvania asking for sixty head of cattle to be sent within a few days for the use of the Fifth Regiment, which would soon arrive. June 26, William Alexander was appointed paymaster of York County militia to succeed Captain William Scott. Major James Moore was appointed recruiting agent for the Pennsyl- vania Line at Hanover.

November 28, Captain Wil-

McPherson's liam Scott wrote to the

Cavalry. state authorities that a com- pany of cavalry had been organized in the western part of York County. Thirty men had enlisted at Marsh Creek and half that number at Hanover. He further stated that they had elected William McPherson, captain; Robert Mor- rison, lieutenant, and James Gettys, cornet. It would seem that this company was organized for the frontier service, for seven months later, in June 1782, Captain Scott wrote from York: "On Sunday last. I re- ceived the orders from Council of May 23. and agreeable to the directions therein con- tained, have ordered one-half of the Light Horse and four classes of militia of York County to hold themselves in readiness to march at the shortest notice. I have also taken an account of the public arms at this town and find sixty-eight unfit for use, which I have ordered to be immediately re- paired. The gunsmiths inform me that they will be all finished in a few days." The gunsmiths in York then were Philip Heckert. Ignatius Lightner, Adam Light- ner. Jacob Letter, Jacob Welschantz, Joseph Welschantz, Sr .. Joseph Welsch- antz, Jr., and Conrad Welschantz.

December 22, the Supreme Executive Council formed plans for recruiting the regi- ments of the Pennsylvania Line. This was two months after the surrender of Corn- wallis at Yorktown, in Virginia, and these

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

troops had returned to their native state. and more populous sections. The mildew York, Lancaster, Reading, Newtown, and and hail have destroyed many fields of grain Carlisle were the places of rendezvous for the regiments of these Pennsylvania troops. Colonel Richard Humpton, commanding the Second Regiment, was appointed to superintend this recruiting service.

January 2, 1782, General Lincoln, of the Continental army, reported that General Hazen, commanding the regiment of Con- tinental troops known as "Congress' Own," had been appointed to guard prisoners at York, Lancaster and Reading. The state militia then guarding the prisoners were discharged from the service. February 23, Lieutenant Richard Johnston, of Hazen's Regiment, was directed to march with his company, then at York, to Bedford for the defense of the frontier. Captain William Alexander, lieutenant of York County, was ordered to call out forty men from the

militia to guard the British, then in the carry out the provisions of the law and vicinity of York.

September 5, 1782, a company To marched from York to Fort Guard the Pitt, the site of Pittsburg, to guard the frontier. This com- Frontier. pany was composed of seventy- eight men, rank and file. A wagon also was sent to carry prisoners.

September 9, Captain Alexander was ordered to call into service one lieutenant, one sergeant, one corporal and fifteen men to guard the prisoners in York. Twenty days later these county lieutenants were in- structed that the Continental troops on their return from the western frontier would take the place of the militia in guard- ing prisoners of war in Pennsylvania. It was then ordered that these lieutenants had no further occasion to call out the militia for frontier service since the British had "called in" the savages and would give no further trouble.

August 5, 1783, Jacob Smyser, of York, wrote to the President of Pennsylvania, "about 200 cattle perished in York County last spring, and the crops for this year failed. If the threatened attempts to en- force collections of taxes be carried out, it will be ruinous to the county. Few indi- viduals will escape going to jail. Money has very little circulation among our in- habitants, as it has in other more fortunate

this year. Collectors of taxes have already brought goods to York from a distance of twenty miles in order to sell them in this town, but met with no encouragement be- cause no one would bid on the distrained goods out of sympathy for the fellow- citizens from whom the goods had been seized." A few months later a riot oc- curred in York as the result of tax collect- ors seizing goods and merchandise from delinquent taxpayers.

July 28, 1784, William Scott reported that there were still in York, belonging to the government, the following : 75 muskets, 20 bayonets, 8 cartridge boxes and 8 can- teens.

Owing to the depreciation of the cur- rency and the heavy taxes imposed for car- rying on the war, it was often difficult to certain officers refused to act. In 1778, George Jacobs, of Paradise, refused to ac- cept a commission as constable of that township. William Park, of Monaghan Township, was charged with non-compli- ance with the law because he would not serve a summons on one of his neighbors for the collection of taxes. For the same cause Matthias Hollowpeter, of Warring- ton Township, was indicted. He pleaded guilty and "put himself upon the mercy of his country" because he did not want to distress his neighbors.

William Lukens, the colored

Brought cook, in Colonel Swope's News to Regiment, in the Flying Washington. Camp, was captured at Fort Washington. He soon af- terward escaped from his imprisonment and went to Trenton, where he made shoes for himself out of a cartridge box, given to him by a Hessian soldier. When Washing- ton crossed New Jersey from New York, Lukens gave the general the information that Hessians were garrisoned at Trenton. As the story goes, this information was of great value to the American army to lay plans for the capture of 1,000 Hessian soldiers under Colonel Rahl, at Trenton, on Christmas night, 1776. After the war he returned to York, where he lived the remainder of his life.

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THE REVOLUTION

Owing to the depreciation A Special Commission. in the value of Continental currency and the paper money issued by the differ- ent states of the Union, during the Revolu- tion, there was a continual fluctuation in the prices of goods and commodities bought and sold. In order to prevent monopolies, to regulate the price of labor, of manu- factured products and of internal produce, commissioners were appointed by the legislatures of different states to meet at certain places. On March 26, 1777, the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl- vania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia appointed commissioners, who, according to arrangements, met in York at the public inn of William White. The delegates who convened here were the following: John Sloss Hobart, Colonel Robert Van Rennse- laer, of New York; Theophilus Elmer, Joseph Holmes, of New Jersey; George Henry, (Bartram Galbreath) John Whitehill, Richard Thomas, David McConaughy, of Pennsylvania; Caesar Rodney, Lieutenant- Colonel Thomas Collins. Colonel James Lattamore, of Delaware; Norman Bruce, John Braceo, Henry Griffith, Joseph Sim, of laws.

Maryland; Lewis Burwell, Thomas Adams, of Virginia: Thomas Armor, clerk.

These were representative men from the for misprison and treason for having said,

states named and they remained in session eight days. The commissioners could not agree on definite measures. They, how- ever, discussed matters in detail and passed resolutions to be presented to the different legislatures. In November of the same year, commissioners from all of the thirteen original states were appointed to assemble at New Haven, Connecticut, to regulate the prices of commodities. Colonel Henry Slagle, of York County, was one of the representatives of Pennsylvania in that con- vention.

Toryism. At the opening of hostilities, in 1775. the people of Pennsyl- vania, as elsewhere, were divided in their sentiments as to the prosecution of the war. People of English birth who favored King George were Loyalists. who favored the war for independence were called Whigs. The Quakers, in carrying out their religious beliefs, were opposed to taking up arms against their fellow-men.

In the eastern part of the state, many of this class of people were ranked as Tories. After 1776, very few of them were elected to hold public office. Those who joined the army became the fighting Quakers of the Revolution.

John Webb, an intelligent citizen of New- berry Township, was prosecuted because he had opposed the Provincial Conference of Pennsylvania, a body which succeeded the Assembly, which was in part loyal to the British government. Webb was charged with having threatened Continental Con- gress and the officers of York County who supported that body. He went so far as to say that "within two or three days he could lay the town of York in ashes.'

Kilian Devinger and Andrew Miller, of Shrewsbury Township, were found guilty of treason, in April. 1779, for having pro- cured names to a paper to agree not to muster with the organized militia of the county. The paper, which they drew up. bound those who signed it to aid in break- ing open the county jail for the purpose of releasing those who were imprisoned by the state authorities for not obeying the militia

At the October sessions of court, 1779. Henry Watts, of York County, was indicted "Yes, I am a Tory and I acknowledge it. I am an old warrior and one of King George's men. God bless King George! Hurrah! Here is health and happiness to King George and down with the rebels! I'll see King George reign here yet in a short time."

Joseph Smith, of the town of York, in 1780, was found guilty of misdemeanor for asserting that Continental money was worth nothing and the paper money issued by the state no better. He further said to some patriots, "You have only eleven of the thirteen states left and how long will you keep Pennsylvania?"

Christian Pochtel, of Manheim Town- ship, who was offered twenty pounds each. or about one hundred dollars in Conti- mental money, for three oxen, refused the Later they became known as Tories. Those offer, stating that he would not sell for paper money because of its depreciation. He offered to sell them for fifteen pounds in gold or silver. Frederick Leather, of Dover Township. likewise refused to sell

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

tour oxen if he were to receive payment in ter roll of seven of the eight companies in Continental money. Frederick Young, of 1776: Mt. Pleasant Township, now in Adams Captain, William Bailey. First Lieutenant, John Hay. Privates, County, also refused to sell his cattle. These oxen were wanted as rations for the Pennsylvania Line under General Wayne, then encamped at York, before leaving for John Brown, Abraham Kneisle, the campaign against Cornwallis at York- Christian Beiding, Christian Kauffman, Jacob Barnhart, Joseph Klepper, town, Virginia.

George Beck, Daniel Keiser,

Wilial Brown, David Kuff,

Jacob Baub,

Christour Lauman,

George Brionn,

Frederick Laumaster,

Matthias Cranth,

William Lange,

Diter Conn, Nathaniel Leightner, Jr.

William Clem,

Jacob Lether,

Henry Counselman,

Nathaniel Leightner,

John Claydt,

Arthur McMann,

Jacob Crist,

James MacCamend,

Abraham Danner,

Paul Metzgar,

Jacob Doudel,

John Mayer,

John Dicks,

John Neit,

Jacob Daiwele,

John Probst,

Hugh Dobbins,

Thomas Rein,

George Erwin,

Andrew Robinson,"

Michael Edwards,

Jacob Sprenkle,

Jacob Sheffer,

Peter Schlemer,

John Schultz,

Peter Streber,

Andener Schettle,

Christian Greithler,

Henry Schultz,

George Gulhiahr,

John Shall,

Anthony Gyer, Jacob Gron,

William Stoot;

Seth Goodwein,

Christian Strahman,

William Thomson,

Jacob Vallydein,

Abraham Graufus,

Henry Walter,

Thomas Hickson,

Jacob Welshans,

Adam Wolf,

Philip Heckert,

Joseph Welshans,

George Wilt,

George Haide,

Philip Waldismaien,

David Welshans,

Francis Jones,

John Welsh,

George Koch,

Archibald M. Williams,

Henry Kiefer,

Frederick Zeigle,

Baltzer Kneible,

Gottlieb Zeigle.

Captain, Charles Lukens.

First Lieutenant, Christian Stake.

Second Lieutenant, Ephraim Sherriff.

Privates,

Joseph Adlum,

John Adium, Jr.,

John Brown,

George Graham,

John Blackburn,

James Gorman,

Robert Bailey,

Andrew Grobb,

Charles Barnitz,

Jacob Holtzinger,

Jacob Barnitz, Peler Boos,

Martin Carman, David Candler, Isaac Davis, Anthony Dougherty,

Frederick Huber,

Frederick Houseman,

Thomas Hancock,

Thomas Irons,

Godfry Lonberger,

At the opening of the Revolution, in 1775, able-bodied citizens of Pennsylvania formed themselves into military companies Jacob Entler, and were known as Associators. Five bat- Diter Furth, talions were organized in York County. John Fitz, No complete muster roll of these battalions George Frey, Philip Grener, is known to be in existence. A large pro- portion of them were found by Edward W. John Grever, Spangler, Esq., and first published in the Spangler Annals, in the year 1896. The original rolls were placed, by Mr. Spangler, in the Historical Society of York County. Jacob Grever. Philip Gross, Printed copies of them will be found in the . Adam Grener, succeeding pages. After the state constitu- tion of 1776 was adopted, the state militia Peter Haner, was organized out of the Associators. Muster rolls of some of the companies from Jacob Hause, York County serving in the Continental Peter Hoke, Line appear in the preceding chapters.

The muster rolls of the militia companies which follow were largely furnished by Luther R. Kelker, of the Pennsylvania State Library, at Harrisburg.

The First Battalion of York County As- sociators was organized in 1775 by Colonel James Smith, and included companies from the town of York and the townships of Hel- lam, Windsor, Manchester, York and Co- dorus. This battalion marched, in 1776, to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, where part of its rank and file enlisted in the First Regi- ment of the Flying Camp, commanded by Colonel Michael Swope, of York. In 1775, Thomas Hartley was lieutenant-colonel and Joseph Donaldson and Michael Swope, majors. The following is a complete mus-

Samuel Keller, of York County, May 10, 1781, was found guilty of misdemeanor for saying to other parties that if they could "keep off the rebel collector of taxes for two months, the King of England will con- quer the country.'

ROLLS OF ASSOCIATORS AND MILITIA.

James Dobbins,

Andrew Nonnemacher,

George Stoll,

John Struhman,

John Schultz,

Martin Eichelberger, Jr. John Forsythe,

Peter Haack,

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THE REVOLUTION

Henry Myers, William McMunn, William Nitterfeld, Jacob Obb, Thomas Prior, Robert Patton, Robert Paisley,

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 47

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372