USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 16
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
1
:
80
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
territory comprising Perry, Juniata and Mifflin Counties in 1766, and which affords some inter- esting glimpses of the then condition of the country.
His little book of one hundred and ten pages was printed in London in 1768, and is entitled, " The Journal of a Two-Months' Tour, with a view of Promoting Religion Among the Frontier Inhabitants of Pennsylvania, and of Introducing Christianity Among the Indians to the Westward of the Alegh-geny Moun- tains." The prefatory note is addressed to the Earl of Dartmouth and other English gentle- men interested in Rev. Dr. Wheelock's Indian Charity Schools, and he calls it " a plain, artless narrative of facts."
"Being appointed by the synod of New York and Philadelphia to visit the frontier inhabitants, that a better judgment might be formed what assistance might be necessary to afford them, in their present low circumstances, in order to promote the Gospel among them; and likewise to visit the Indians, in case it could be done in safety, to know whether they were inclined to receive the Gospel; I accordingly sat out on my journey, Tuesday, the 12th of August, 1766, accompanied with Joseph Peepy, a Christian Indian, who was to serve as an interpreter; and, after travel- ling one hundred and twenty-two miles, we arrived at Carlisle on Friday, the 15th instant, where I met Mr. Duffield, who was also appointed to accompany us, and lodged at Col. Armstrong's.
" Carlisle, Saturday, August 16 .- Remained here; as I understood that none of the vacant congrega- tions had any notice of my design of being with them on the morrow. An opportunity presenting to- day, we sent notice to several places of our purpose to preach to the people there next week.
" Carlisle, 17th, Sabbath .- Preached for Mr. Duf- field in the afternoon.
" 18th, Monday .- In the forenoon were much en- gaged, preparing for our journey ; sat out with Mr. Duffield. After riding about six miles, we came to the north mountain, which is high and steep. The day being very warm, and we obliged to walk, or rather climb up it, the greatest part of the way, were greatly fatigued by the time we reached the top,- After travelling four miles into Sherman's Valley, we came, in the night, to Thomas Ross's, where we lodged.'
August 12, 1772. The Rev. Philip Fithian, who in 1775 traveled through this section, was a son-in-law of Mr. Beatty.
! After crossing the Blue Mountains from Carlisle, come 18th August, to Thomas Ross', who was elder in Centre Church, in what is now Tyrone township, near Landisburg.
" 19th, Tuesday .- Rode four or five miles to a place in the woods, designed for building a house for worship, and preached but to a small auditory ; notice of our preaching not having been sufficiently spread. After sermon, I opened to the people present the principal design of the synod in sending us to them at this time; that it was not only to preach the gos- pel, but also to enquire into their circumstances, situation, numbers, and ability to support it.2
"The people not being prepared to give us a full answer, promised to send it to Carlisle before our return. After sermon we proceeded on our way about five miles, and lodged at Mr. Fergus's.3 The house where he lives was attacked by Indians in the late war, the owner of it killed, and, if I am not. mistaken, some others. While the Indians were pillaging the house and plantation, in order to carry off' what suited them, a number of the countrymen armed came upon them ; a smart skirmish ensued, in which the countrymen had the better. The Indians were obliged to fly, and carried'off their wounded, but left all their booty behind them.
" 20th, Wednesday .- This morning, after travelling about seven miles, we crossed the Tuskerora Moun- tain, which is very high, and in most places very dif- ficult to pass.4 Not far from where we passed to-day, after crossing the mountain, a block-house, or some little fortification, was built by a number of the in- habitants for their protection in time of war. The Indians, who very probably were watching them, took the advantage one day, when most of the men were about their business, and attacked the place, and killed and captivated all that were in it. So that the poor men found on their return, to their unspeaka- ble grief, their wives and children all carried off; and what still added to their concern, the fears of their being put to death in the most barbarous man- ner. In riding three miles on the other side of this mountain, we came to a house where a number of people were convened, whom I preached to; they promised to attend sermon to-morrow and give us an account of their situation, numbers, etc. The house I preached at to-day was also attacked by the In- dians : some were killed in the house and others were captivated.5 It was truly affecting to see, almost in
? The next day preached where Centre Church now stands.
3 Mr. Fergus lived in what was, in 1763, the house of Alex. Logan, now Geo. McMillan, in Madison township, near Sandy Hill Post-Office.
" From Fergus' he traveled along the south foot of Cono- cocheague Hill, crossing it by the ravine north of Ander- sonburg, calling it the Tuscarora Mountain. In passing down the north side he came by what is now Mohler's fan- nery, crossing Liberty Valley and the end of the other Tuscarora Mountain by Bigham's Gap.
6 Three miles from the foot of the high mountain he came to the place where he preached, believed to be near where
-
-
: 1
1.
1
1.
.
81
THE "NEW PURCHASE.'
every place on the frontiers, marks of the ravages of the cruel and barbarous enemy. Houses and fences burned, household furniture destroyed, the cattle killed, and horses either killed or carried off, and to hear the people relate the horrid scenes that were acted. Some had their parents killed and scalped in a barbarous manner before their eyes and themselves captivated. Women saw their husbands killed and scalped, while they themselves were led away by the bloody hands of the murderers. Others related that they saw the cruel scene and that they themselves narrowly escaped. After sermon we rode to Mr. William Graham's, about three miles from hence, and lodged at his house.1
" 21st, Thursday .- After riding about two miles and a half, we came to a place where the people had begun to build a house for worship, before the late war, but by accident had been burned.2 Here Mr. Duffield preached to a number of people convened, who, after sermon, informed us that this valley of Tuskerora is about thirty-two miles in length, between six and seven miles broad in the middle, and about ten miles wide at the lower end next to Juniata River.
"There are about eighty-four families living in this valley who propose to build two houses for worship ; one about fourteen miles from the upper end of the valley and the other ten miles below it, towards Ju- niata River. As their circumstances, at present, are such that they cannot support the gospel, they pur- pose to join with the people settled upon the other side of Juniata ; but hope, in a few years, to be able to support a minister in the valley. We must say, upon the whole, that they appear very desirous to have the gospel settled among them, and are willing to exert themselves to the utmost for that purpose, and as soon as it shall be in their power, they design to purchase a plantation for a parsonage. After ser- mon we rode eight miles to Capt. Patterson's, where we were kindly received.3 Here we met with one Levi Hicks, who had been captive with the Indians from his youth, and we being desirous to know their present situation and circumstances, he gave us the following relation, that about one hundred miles westward of Fort Pitt was an Indian town, called Tuskalawas, and at some considerable distance from
the Rev. Christian Myers now resides. This route over the mountain was by what is known as the Traders' road. The reader is referred to the article on Bigham's Fort as to the persons killed at the house where he preached.
1 The house of William Graham is in Spruce Hill town- ship, near Graham's old mill, now owned by Benjamin Hertzler.
1 'The location of the house of worship is at the present Lower Tuscarora Church, at Academia.
3 The Captain Patterson may have been William, the young captain opposite Mexico, but it is much more probable Captain James Patterson, his father, who resided in Mexico.
6
that was another town named Kighalampegha, where Natatwhelman, the king of the Delawares, lived, and from thence, about ten miles or more, was one called Moghwhiston, i. e., Worm-Town, having about twen- ty houses ; that seventeen miles thence was another town, named Ogh-ki-taw-mi-kaw, i. e., White-corn- Town; that this was the largest, he supposed, in these parts; that about twenty miles farther was a Shan-wa-nagh Town; that there was another at some distance called Sugh-cha-ungh, that is, the Salt-lick, of about twenty houses. In this town, he told us, there was an Indian that spoke to the Indians about religion ; that forty miles farther was a town called Migh-chi-laghpiesta, that is, the Big-lick. He told us that he thought, from some things he observed among the Indians, that they would be desirous of hearing the gospel. This intelligence, with some other circumstances related to us by an Indian trader, gave us some encouragement to venture out among them.
" 22d, Friday .- Preached in the woods, as we have done mostly hitherto, two miles on the north side Juniata.+ Here the people, some years ago, began to build a house for worship, but did not finish it, but expect soon to do it. This congregation extends about twenty miles along the river, and its breadth from Juniata to the head of the river called Kocka- lamis, is about ten miles ; and in this extent there are but fifty families, who meet together for worship. They purpose joining Tuskerora settlement, at pres- ent, till such time as they shall be able to support a minister themselves, which they expect to do in some years, if peace continues, and, as soon as they can, to procure a plantation for a parsonage. In short, these poor people, as well as those of Tuskerora, before mentioned, are very desirous of having the Gospel settled among them, and for that purpose appeared forward and willing to do everything in their power; but at present the people here, and in other places that have suffered so much by the war, have a number of difficulties to struggle with, as they have to begin the world anew.
" After sermon we returned to Captain Patterson's, where Mr. Duffield and I agreed to part for some days, the better to be able to answer the great design of our mission, for by these means we should be able to visit double the places, and preach to double the people we could have done had we been together. Accordingly, Mr. Duffield proposed to go to the Path Valley great and little Coves, and to set out this evening in his way to the first of these places, where he intended to preach next Sabbath, and I purposed to visit the new settlements up the river Juniata.
4 The site of this old church is in Walker township, near the house of David Diven, and in 1768 Captain James Pat- terson and James Purdy received a tract of glebe land for the Cedar Spring congregation, an account of which will be found under head of Mifflintown Borough.
1
·
1
....
1
82
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
"23d, Saturday .- Remained at Captain Patterson's. " 24th, Sabbath .- Preached near the mouth of Tus- kerora River (where it empties itself into Juniata) to a large congregation, collected from different quarters and from afar. The audience appeared very attentive and much engaged. I would fain hope some good impressions were made upon the minds of a number that attended to-day. In this afternoon, being in the open air, we were interrupted by a very heavy shower of rain, attended with a high wind and sharp thunder, which obliged us to take shelter in a neighboring house as well as we could. The women, and a great part of the men crowded into it, and there I finished my discourse.1 After sermon I went to a house about a mile off and baptized a child born last night, and returned to Captain Patterson's in the evening.
" 25th, Monday .- Sat out from Captain Patterson's this morning, as early as we could, on our journey, accompanied with Joseph, the interpreter, and Levi Hicks (mentioned before as being many years a pris- oner among the Indians). I understood he was con- siderably impressed under the Word yesterday, and therefore was desirous to hear more sermons. We traveled up. Juniata River eight miles through a bad road, to a place called the Narrows, where a rocky mountain bounds so close upon the river as to leave only a small path along the bank for the most part, and this, for about ten miles, very uneven : at this time also greatly incumbered by trees fallen across it, blown up from the roots, some time ago, by a hard gale of wind, so that we were obliged to walk some part of the way, and in some places to go along the edge of the water. After riding about twenty-one miles we came to Mr. Thomas Holt's, much fatigued, where we rested an hour or two, and refreshed ourselves, and fed our horses." Not far from his house stood Fort Granville, erected there the last war, and gar- risoned by a small number of provincial troops. This place was attacked by the savage enemy. Lieu- tenant Armstrong, and the few men under his com- mand, made a noble defence for some time, till at last the enemy found means to set the fort on fire, which was made only of wood. A breach by this means being made, the commanding officer was killed, and the remaining troops, with such of the inhabitants who had fled there for refuge, were either killed or taken prisoners.
"We proceeded on our journey, the road being now pretty good, the land we passed over, for the most part, level, some of it very rich, yet unhabitated. Night coming on, and it being very dark, we were at a
difficulty to find our way ; and rain coming on at the same time, added to our distress. We began to con- clude we must take up our lodging in the woods, but a kind providence at last brought us to a little house, where we were received and entertained in the best manner that was in the people's power.
"26th, Tuesday. - Finding that notice of my preaching to-day had not been sufficiently spread through this settlement, the man of the house where I lodged sent this morning betimes, in order to notify my preaching to the people that lived at some con- siderable distance up the river, while I at the same time crossed the river at a fording-place, to a house, and from thence sent notice to those living on that side of the river. By twelve o'clock a considerable number of people were collected at a place in the woods, where a mill was building, near to which a house for worship is intended to be built, as being most essential to the inhabitants in those parts. 3 While the people were convening it began to rain, and the rain continuing, obliged as many as could to crowd into a small house. While I was preaching, and the people were very attentive, we were alarmed by a rattlesnake creeping into the house among the people, supposed to have got in under the logs of the house, it being pretty open, but this venomous creat- ure was, happily, discovered and killed before it did any damage. Scarcely were the people composed again before we were alarmed anew by a snake of another kind, being discovered among the people, which was also killed without any detriment besides disturbing us. The providence of God appeared very remarkable in preserving us from the venom of the creatures, and more so, as these people were so crowded together as that it might be a just matter of wonder how these creatures could crawl through the congregation without being some way offended by them, which always excites them to bite ; however, the auditors all got composed again and were attentive the remaining part of the discourse, which was the first sermon ever preached in these parts. Here I baptized several children; and after sermon rode about four miles and a half with one of the audience and lodged at his house.
"This settlement, on both sides the river Juniata, consisting, at present, of about eighty families, ex- tends from the place called the Narrows, mentioned before, to where the river Augweek empties itself into the Juniata. The settlement is about twenty-five miles in length; and in the centre, seven miles broad.
"There is another settlement just began, consisting
'This was probably at the house of Robert Campbell, who then lived near the mouth of Licking Creek. It has been stated that this Sabbath service was at Thomas Wil- son's (now Port Royal), but Wilson did not become a resi- dent on his tract until 1771.
2 Thomas Holt then lived on the land on which Hope Furnace was afterwards erected.
3 The preaching-place here mentioned is supposed to be near the old Bratton graveyard, and where, a few years later, a log church was built. The tradition is still retained in old families that the Rev. Charles Beatty preached the first sermon in that neighborhood at this place, and near to which the Brations had a saw-mill.
1
1
1
1
·
83
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
at present of six or seven families, four miles from the center of the former, over a mountain called Kithaquaquilla or Great Valley, extending about thirty miles and five or six wide. As the land here is very good, a greater number of people is expected to settle there in the spring. Both those places propose joining in order to make one congregation. They are desirous of having a minister settled among them as soon as may be, and appear to be willing to do as much towards his Support as their present low circumstances will admit.
"27th, Wednesday. - I baptized a child this morning, brought to my lodging, and then sat out in company with several people. I rode about eight miles and preached to a small auditory convened for that purpose, who appeared attentive. I baptized several children, and lodged near the place, at Mr. John M'Michael's.1 Here, and in many other places on the river, is very rich land, usually distinguished by the name of Bottom-Land, excellent for hemp and Indian corn ; but it is so rich that it must be culti- vated some years, and sowed or planted with other grain or hemp, before it will produce good wheat. It abounds with fine black walnut timber, and the people settled on this river, have an advantage above many others on the frontiers; and that is of carrying down the river when the water rises but a little with the rains, their produce, and floating down walnut boards to Harris's or Wright's ferry, on Susquehannah river, the former within thirty-five and the latter about eight miles off Lancaster town, (which is forty- five miles from Philadelphia), where they have a market for their produce; so that probably they will be able in some years, if peace continues, to support a minister among them.
" 28th, Thursday. - Rained last night and this morning till 9 o'clock, when we sat out for Fort Littleton, crossing Juniata at the mouth of Aughweck river, and being conducted by the men in whose house we lodged about twelve or fourteen miles along a small path which led up the river Aughweek, cross- ing the bendings of it a number of times (the land chiefly level and some very rich near the river); we passed by an old Indian town, now deserted, where Fort Shirley was built in the late war. Hitherto we saw but two or three houses. We halted a little while on a natural meadow, situated on a bend of the river Aughweek, to let our horses feed. After travelling about thirty miles to-day, we arrived, a little before night, at Fort Littleton and put up at Mr. Bird's, a public-house."
Beatty's course from Fort Littleton, where he was rejoined by the Rev. Mr. Duffield, was
through Path Valley and on to Fort Pitt, where he arrived Friday, September 5th.
CHAPTER IV.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
Troops Forwarded to the Continental Army-The Militia- Indian Incursions and other Local Affairs of the Period -- Tories.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, through the different stages of its progress, from its com- mencement until the final establishment of peace and independence, occurred and covered a period in the annals of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys, when that great region (more particularly the part of it which is the special subject of this history) had been devastated again and again by savage incursions and mas- sacres, so frequently, and with such terrorizing effect, that the few adventurous pioneers who had attempted the making of homes within the territory from 1750 to 1763, inclusive, had been forced to abandon their possessions, and fly eastward and southward, across the river and the mountains, leaving the country desolate and depopulated ; and those of the bolder ones who, years afterwards, had again ventured back to the western side of the Susquehanna, during the brief time that had intervened between the close of active Indian hostilities and the open- ing of the great conflict for national freedom, were too few and too poor to be expected to give material assistance in any other struggle than the one in which they were already en- gaged, and from which there was no discharge -the ceaseless fight to procure bread for their wives and children, and to guard their cabin- doors from the assaults of the gaunt wolf of hunger.
The result was such as was inevitable within a territory in which a few of the oldest settle- ments were only ten years old (1765 being the earliest return of any who had fled before the Pontiac alarm), and the greater part of them of much more recent date; there could be no gen- eral enlistment of men to form regiments or companies to serve in the righteous cause, and although at the first alarm and call to arms the
"The name John McMichael is a typographical error, us John Carmichael then lived in what is now Wayne town- ship, Mifflin County, and was connected later with the Prey- byterian congregation.
1
84
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
pioneers of this territory came forward at least as readily and with as much of ardor as those of any other part or region of the province, to enroll themselves among the fighting men and patriots of Pennsylvania, the drain on the sparse, able-bodied population could not afterwards be sustained, and few soldiers went from this re- gion to fill the Continental army ; for all, and more than all, were needed at home, to care for the helpless ones, and, once more to become guards against the savage atrocities which reached their climax in the fourth year of the war, and which continued until its close to de- mand the constant services and vigilance of every man capable of bearing arms, from the West Branch southward to the Blue Mountain range. At the time of the great struggle for independence there was no Mifflin, Union, Perry, Juniata or Snyder County ; all the terri- tory now embraced in those counties forming only the outlying, wilderness portions of the counties of Cumberland and Northumberland, at whose county-seats, the people of the south- ern and northern portions of this territory, re- spectively, met for the holding of their courts and the transaction of all publice business, in- cluding that most intensely exciting part which related to events of continual occurrence, that. were each day bringing the people and the province face to face with the dread realities of actual war.
The oppressions and exactions of the mother- country were becoming more and more odious to the people, and were acting as educators to prepare the colonists for the impending contest, which, under Providence, was to result in their emancipation from foreign rule. Among the first of the measures taken in Pennsylvania to organize an opposition to the encroachments of the ministry on the people's liberties was the formation of a central Committee of Correspond- ence and Safety in Philadelphia, and of branch committees in most, if not all, of the several counties. The central committee assumed a gene- ral oversight of affairs through the province, and placed themselves in correspondence with the leading patriots of the different sections for that purpose. Such a communication, sent at a very carly period (while the peaceable relations be-
tween the two countries were yet unbroken) by the committee to leading men of Northumber- land County, explains the object had in view, and may be said to have marked the commence- ment of Revolutionary measures. The docu- ment, the original of which was found among the papers of Captain John Lowdon, one of the most prominent and patriotic of the Revolution- ary officers of this region, was as follows :
" PHILADELPHIA, June 28, 1774.
"To William Maclay, William Plunket and Samuel Hunter, Esquires, Northumberland :
"GENTLEMEN : - The committee of correspondence for this city beg leave to enclose you printed copies of the resolves passed by a very large and respectable meeting of the freeholders and freemen, in the State House square, on Saturday, the 18th instant; and by the fourth of these resolves, you. will observe that it was left for the committee to determine on the most proper mode of collecting the sense of this Province in the present critical situation of our affairs, and ap- pointing Deputies to attend the proposed Congress. In pursuance of this trust, we have, upon the maturest deliberation, determined upon the mode contained in the following propositions, which we hope may meet with the approbation and concurrence of your respect- able county, viz .:
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.