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. 2 > Part 58
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. 2 > Part 58
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. 2 > Part 58
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. 2 > Part 58
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. 2 > Part 58
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
PERRYSVILLE BRIDGE COMPANY .- The Per- rysville Bridge Company was incorporated April 16, 1829 ; supplementary act, April 15, 1834. The first bridge was built at this place in 1831, and was broken down by snow in 1839. The heavy snow crushed down the roof into the middle of the bridge, and then, by its leaning weight, burst out the arches, so that the whole structure fell down upon the ice upside down, so completely wrecking the timbers that
803
JUNIATA COUNTY.
scarcely a piece was fit to be used again. The piers and abutments were sold by the sheriff to satisfy some creditor. The purchaser turned in the title to the company. A bridge was built in 18.12 at a cost of five thousand dollars, and was washed away by the floods October 9, 1817. This blow broke up the company ; but a new one, composed largely of the same men, built another bridgein 1851, and raised it five feet higher than the former one. It cost about four thousand five hundred dollars, and it was first crossed on the 10th of September. The incor- porators were Stewart Turbett, John M. Pome- roy, Samuel Okeson, Wilson Laird, Jolm Esh, John Kepner, George I. Cuddy. Like those at Mifflin and the new one at Mexico, it still re- mains a toll-bridge, in which honor Jimiata County alone along the river has the mmenvia- ble distinction.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- The first sermon preached in this vicinity was by Rev. Charles Beatty, August 24, 1766. ITis journal will be found on pages 80, 81 and 82. The first Presbyterians in this section worshipped in Lower Tuscarora Church. The members hav- ing increased along the lower part of Tuscarora Creck, services were occasionally held in school- honses. At length the Lutherans of Church Ilill entered into arrangements with the Pres- byterians to help repair their church, and for this they were granted the use of it on the alternate unocenpied Sundays. Mr. William- son preached here ; also Mr. Thompson, during his ministry (1817-64.) In 1852 a new brick church was built in Perrysville, costing abont six thousand five hundred dollars. In 1856 part of the roof was blown off. In 1880 and later repairs were made. At first the members belonged to the Lower Tuscarora Church, and were served by its pastor. A separate body was organized October 14, 1865. The name was changed to Port Royal in 1883. The parsonage was built in 1869. The membership at its organi- zation was two hundred and thirteen. The first pastor was Rov. William Y. Brown, installed June 7, 1866 ; continued to Jme 5, 1870. Rev. James 11. Stewart was called and installed August 15, 1871 ; continued to October 29, 1877. Rev. R. F. Wilson was installed March 27, 1879, and
in 1886 continues in charge. Of the two him- dred and thirteen original members, twenty years ago, fifty remain. Samuel Buck has been superintendent of the Sunday-school for Twenty years. The elders at the time of the organiza- tion were John MeLaughliu, James MeLaugh- lin, D. W. Flickinger, John Koons, George W. Strouse, all of whom were officers in the parent church. Since then there have been installed Dr. G. M. Graham, October 31, 1865 ; David Wilson, Isaac Hawn, Samuel Buck, A. J. Pat- terson and Robert E. Flickinger, February 13, 1870; David S. Coyle, Uriah Wise and D. Nelson Van Dyke, May 1, 1879. Present ses- sion : (John and James Melaughlin), Graham, Wilson, Buck, Coyle and Van Dyke. The present pastor preached an historical discourse on the twentieth anniversary of the congrega- tion, October 11, 1885, which has been pub- lished.
THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH .- The Lutheran Church in Port Royal is a con- tinnation of the organization at Church Ilill, sometimes called "Lower Tuscarora " and " Rice's Church." The date of its organization is lost, but is was probably before the begin- ning of the present century. Church Hill is the oldest German Church west of the river.1
1 In n sermon now before us it is stated that at the time of the early settlements (whatever period this compre- hended) there were " no people of any other nationality here (in Tuscarora Valley) except Scotch-Irish, and no people of any other creed besides Presbyterians. All peo- ple of other national ancestors, or religious creeds, are importations made long since those times." As a matter of fact, there were a few persons of other creeds from the earliest settlements.
There were some Episcopalians in the region, and they once held services at MeLaughlin's, in Turbeit. The Bay - tists and others also had n small sprinkling of adherents among the early settlers. The Thomas family (1786) were Welsh and Baptists. The Beale family were originally English und Quakers. Daniel Okeson und Peter Kerlin, in 1786, und Thomas Van Swearingen, in 1793, were de- scendants of the ancient Dutch settlers on the Delaware. The Germans settled in the east end of the county as soon ns any one settled in the west end ; and they were not far behind them in entering Tuscarora Valley, as the following shows: Benjamin Kepner, 1772 ; George Crain (frahm), 1771; Philip Strouse, 1776 ; Andrew Kountz, 1789; Major Benjamin Kepner, John Kepner, 1790; Conrad Shuey, 1791, a French Huguenot ; Christian Brandt, n Mennonite. 1796; Leonard Groninger, Stephen Donghman, Samuel
=
804
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
It will be seen, under the head of Turbett township, that there was a church building at. Church Hill already in 1802. This congrega- tion received pastoral visits from Rev. William Seriba, and probably others from Carlisle. Rey. George Heim, coming from Suyder County, also preached to them for a few years. Rev. John William Heim preached his first sermon " in Tuscarora Valley, Rice's Church," on the 20th of Jime, 1814. (See history Lebanon Church, in Tyrone township, Perry County, for biography of Rev. Heim.) He was followed by Reys. Charles Weil, S. R. Boyer, Jacob Mar- tin and Levi T. Williams. The charge was then divided and Rey. P. Willard succeeded at Mifflintown, and Rev. Peter P. Lane, in the spring of 1852, became pastor of the Lower and Upper Tuscarora, otherwise known as Church Hill and St. Paul's Churches. He remained about four years, and was followed by Rev. P. M. Rightmyer for six years; Rev. A. R. Smith, for two years; Rev. Samnel Yingling, for one year; Rev. Thomas C. Pritchard, for three years. Then came a fourteen-year pastorate of Rey. H. C. Shindel, followed by Rev. A. II. Spangler, the present pastor. The church was moved to town and the corner-stone of the pres- ent brick building was laid Angust 6, 1855. Rov. Dr. D. H. Biddle preached the sermon in the Presbyterian Church. It was dedicated August 5, 1855, the sermon being preached by Rev. Dr. Benjamin Kurtz. The building is seventy-five by forty-five feet, with a basement for Sabbath-school purposes. The anditorimn
Kepner, 1797; Jacob Konulz (now Coons). 1798; Petor Rice. 1799; Valentine Weishaupt, 1800; Philip Saylor, Jacob Heuch (Huguenot), John, Jacob and George Rice, 1801; Henry Rice, John Suloff, John Weimer, Henry Ache (now Aughey), 1803; Father Zachariah Rice, 1809. These citations might be very greatly extended, but they prove that men of other creeds and nationalities were not far behind the first settlers in Tuscarora Valley, and were not "importations made long since." The lands under William Peun and his heirs, and under the Commonwealth, were free and open to all. As those who bought out the first settlers corned their own money, and paid the price agreed upon, it is difficult to see in what sense they are " importations."
The Rices, the two Kepuers, Groninger, Weishaupt, Weimer, Suloff, Saylor and other families were the active members in the erection and sustaining the church on the hill.
seats about six hundred persons. The cost of the church was about five thousand dollars. The church elders then were Daniel MeCon- nell and Joseph 1. Kessler, and the deacons were George Boyer and Sammuel D. Kepner ; .. Rev. P. P. Lane was the pastor and Jacob Speicher the contractor. The parsonage of the church was built in 1861, during the pas- torate of Rev. P. M. Rightmyer, and cost about two thousand three hundred dollars. The lot- on which the church and parsonage stand were purchased from John Kepner, and the ad- joining hitching-ground from John Hughes. The congregation in 1886 has about two hun- dred and sixty communicants. On December 25, 1854, Christian Hartman and David Kop -: uer, in behalf of Lower Tuscarora, and Jacob Bushey, in behalf of Upper Tuscarora, released the interest of those congregations in the Luth- eran parsonage in Mifflintown to the congrega- tions east of the river.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH in Port Royal is the oldest church building in the borough. After repeated efforts to get the date of its organization, we can only guess that it was built about 1847. It is a substantial brick building, and the church here constitutes a pastorate, together with those at Spruce Hill, Ebenezer and Reed's Gap.
PORT ROYAL BRANCH BANK .- This bank was organized in September, 1867. The late Joseph Pomeroy was its first president. The cashiers have been Samuel Back, T. Van Irwin, J. 11. Irwin, Mason Irwin and W. C. Pomeroy. The Directors are J. Nevin Pom- croy, Amos G. Bonsall, Noah Hertzler, L. E. Atkinson, Philip M. Kepner, W. C. Pomeroy and Joseph Rothrock. The same board man- ages the JJuniata Valley Bank of Mifflintown.
TUSCARORA LODGE (formerly Perrysville Lodge), of Port Royal, No. 556, I. O. O. F., was organized in 1859. It has thirty-five mem- bers. They own a hall, built in 1875, which cost, including the lot, about twothousand dollars,
The Port Royal Times, the only paper ever published in the west end of the county, wa- started in 1876 by John W. Speddy, who hin- conducted it successfully ever since. It is neu. tral in politics and devoted to local news.
805
JUNIATA COUNTY.
AIRY VIEW ACADEMY .- In October, 1852, David Wilson, in connection with David Langh- lin, opened the Airy View Academy at Port Royal. Mr. Laughlin was elected the first superintendent of the public schools of Juniata County. The Airy View Academy has been in almost contimed operation since its organiza- tion, and is now (1886) conducted by Professor Wilson, who, as a snecessful teacher, has ex- erted a great influence for good on many of the young men of this as well as of other coun- ties, who were his pupils.
I. N. Ritner, a citizen of Port Royal, who was lieutenant in the famous Forty-ninth Pem- sylvania Volunteers, has since the war entered the ministry in the Baptist Church and is now preaching in Philadelphia.
Colonel John Armstrong, in a letter August 20, 1756, gives an account of one of the prison- er's taken at Fort Granville, named Peter Walk- er, who "made his escape in the night some- where about the Alleghany Mountain, and fell down Juniata to the mouth of Tuscarora, where my brother George was encamped." Captain George Armstrong, then encamped at Port Royal, was on his way to Kittanning. He most probably went up Licking Creek by the Fort Granville path. He afterwards owned the farm just above towu.
CHAPTER XIV.
PATTERSON BOROUGH.1
THE railroad station in Patterson is scheduled " Mifflin," and is directly across the river from Mifflintown. The site of the town of Patterson is part of a tract warranted to John MeClellan September 8, 1755. It had been surveyed by John Armstrong, but the papers were burned in Armstrong's house, in Carlisle, before the sur- vey was returned to the Laud-Office. Hence it was re-surveyed on December 9, 1765, and had five hundred and fifteen acres. On June 23, 1795, in consideration of buildings erected by him, and out of natural love, etc., Med Mellan conveyed to his son Joseph the part of this tract.
whereon Joseph " now dwells," containing one hundred and fifty acres, ou Juniata River, and bounded south by James Sanderson and north by Thomas Gallagher. The line ran from the river, by the street, past the warehouse, over the hill towards Licking Creek. Here Joseph MeClellan lived in a house on the corner be- low the bridge, and kept a ferry. In 1800 he sold the tract to Captain Noah Abraham, ot Path Valley, to whom, and his heirs after 1806, the land and ferry belonged many years. It was bought by William W. Wilson, and soon again sold to William HI. Patterson, of Mifflin- town, from whom it was purchased by John and Christopher Fallou. Previons to the time of this grant to his son Joseph, Jolm McClellan conveyed the lower part of the tract to his son- in-law, James Sanderson, who built a house over the spring, opposite Mifflinburg. This house was washed away by the first " Pumpkin Flood " in 1810. Sanderson then rebuilt on the upper corner of his tract, across the way from McClellan's house. He sold his tract to Ben- jamin Law. It was purchased by Gallagher & Parker, and in 1848 it was purchased by Wil- liam B. Foster, first vice-president of the rail- road company, and by him afterwards soll to William W. Wilson, except a tier of lots.
In 1849 the town was laid out by the Messrs. Fallon. The survey was made by George R. Mowry. They gave the railroad company all that part of the flat on which the shops were built, and the grounds now used as a yard. Andrew Parker, Esq., was their agent, and afterwards he became the owner of the balance of the unsold Patterson farm and lots. On the part deeded the railroad company, shops were built in 1851, and later. A force of seventy-five men were employed in repairing cars and en- gines. In 1869 the company removed most of the machinery of the shops to Altoona, and in 1871 the round-house was taken down, and there are now but half a dozen men here em- ployed. The removal of the shops was a great check upon the prosperity of the town.
Before the building of the railroad there was an abrupt bluff along the bank in front of the station, which was removed, and five good double houses were built by the company.
1 By A. L. Guss.
1
80G
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
The cars began to run as far as Lewistown September 1, 1819. For some time the freight and passengers were carried in the same train. Saml. Laird was the first agent. In 18 19 he was succeeded by James North, who remained until May, 188 1, when he was succeeded by hisson, W. S. North. The ticket-office was moved in 1855. The " Patterson House " was built by Messrs. Fallon & Wright, and they had a contract with the company that two trains daily were to stop long enough for passengers to take meals. This was done for some years. The hotel was kept. by D. H. Lnsk & Brother till 1851, and by General William Bell until 1858, after which it was merely a lunch-room. The company bought the Patterson Honse for one thousand seven hundred dollars in order to get rid of the contract.
James North furnished poles and assisted in putting up the first telegraph line, and in 1850 an office was opened. He had never seen an instrument before the one was placed in this office but after some instructions from David Brooks, now noted in the telegraphie world, he took charge of the office. Thomas A. Scott, Assist- ant Secretary of War during the Rebellion, took from the line of service in the government David Stronse, of Turbett township, who learned to handle the geared lightning with North in that warchonse.
The Adams Express Company established an office in Patterson in 1857, with James North as agent. The office was moved to Mifflintown. A post-office was established in Patterson, with James North as postmaster, May 1, 1852; and he held the office five years. Since then the postmasters have been James North, F. J. Mickey, Joseph Pennell, R. F. Parker, Dr. P. C. Rundio, J. B. M. Todd, Samuel Strayer, Samuel Brown, W. W. Copeland, Howard Kirk.
the act itself was inoperative and the organiza- tion void. On April 13, 1854, an act was passed to legalize the election and proceedings under it, as if the incorporation act had been in full effect. The first assessment was made in 1856. Prior to this year it was assessed as part of Milford township.
In November, 188 1, a fire destroyed the build- ings on the upper side of Main Street, from the Patterson house to the cross-street castward, and also Todd's corner. The fire originated in a bakery, when preparations were being made for an ox-roast over the result of the election.
The Patterson Red Star Hook-and-Ladder Company was organized April 1, 1880, with thirty-five members. It got trnek, ladders, gum buckets, hooks and six Babcock fire extin- guishers. It was chartered under the name of " Friendship Hook-and-Ladder Company," June 10, 1884, and now has fifty members. They have a house, built in 1882, on which is the old Mifflintown court-house bell.
First School Board, organized May 23, 1853 : Jacob Frank, president ; John Yeigh, treasurer; J. W. Oberholtzer, secretary. School was kept prior to this in a frame school-house, built by Milford township, and in it the first borough school was kept by Hiram Albert, October 1, 1853. In 1861 a brick house was built on lots bought of Jacob Silvins and John MeNulty. In 1875 a brick school-honse was built, with four rooms. Since the incorporation of Patter- son the elections have been held in the pub- lie school-house, and here, in 1855, while teach- ing school, the writer cast his first vote and acted as a clerk for the election. There were one hundred and seventy-nine children attend- ing school in 1884.
The corner-stone of the Patterson Church of the Evangelical Association was laid July 24, 1874,-dedicated December 13, 1871,-S. M. Siebert, missionary. It cost twenty-seven hun- dred dollars. The pastors since have been Revs. Zachariah Hornberger, G. W. Currin, G. E. Zehner, C. W. Finkbinder and E. Swengel.
Patterson was incorporated March 17, 1853. By an act of April 18, 1853, John I. Patterson, Joseph Middangh and James North were di- rected to comply with the provisions of the in- corporation act, and to hold an election for Before the building of the road there were but two housesat Patterson, --- an old tavern-stand on the river-bank, on the corner of Joseph Me- borough officers on the following 3d of May. Afterwards it was discovered that, the tax on the act of incorporation not having been paid, [ Clellan's tract, and just across the street was the
F
807
JUNIATA COUNTY.
house and barn of the Law place. The original road, which extended from the ferry straight across the hills, by the warehouse, to Licking Creek, was abandoned, and the roads forked, from the ferry, down and up the river, reaching the present road-beds at some distance outside of the borough. The warehouse was the first great improvement, and for a period the centre of trade and travel. Here James North start- ed a store in May, 1850. The idea was ridiculed by prominent citizens of Mifflintowu, who re- garded it a visionary project, saying it would indeed be a splendid place to " keep" store. It was his own individual enterprise, but the people called it " the railroad store." His first purchase of goods was two hundred and fifty dollars. After eleven years his sales amounted to seveuteen thousand dollars. The next store was opened by Messrs. Oles & Frank iu 1853. The borough now has three hotels, seven dry- goods-stores, one hardware-store, one drug- store, one shoe-store, one tobacco-store, two coal and lumber-yards.
April 18, 1853, the Patterson, Johnstown, Peru Mills and Concord Plank-Road Company was incorporated by R. C. Gallagher, And. Par- ker, E. S. Doty, W. W. Wilson, John JJ. Patter- son, James North, D. H. Lusk, John P. Shitz, William Miller, John S. Miller, Jacob Lemon, John Brubaker, Samuel Allen, John J. Hart, Neal McCoy, William Okeson, Joseph S. Laird, Samnel Crawford, Stewart McCulloch, William Johnson, William Elder, Daniel Skinner, Sam- nel Holliday, Sylvester Doyle, Oliver MeCurdy John Alexander, W. IT. Patterson, Joseph Berry, George Noss, Joseph Slaymaker.
A ferry was a notable feature in early life on the river. In early days " viewers of ferries" were among the township officers appointed by the courts. Alexander Lafferty, who lived across the river, held this office as early as 1763. John MeClellan kept facilities for crossing the river at this place from the time of the earliest settlements. After abont 1790 it was kept by his sou Joseph. On March 17, 1796, it was incorporated under the name of Harris & Me- Clellan and said to be " on the main road lead- ing from Sunbury to Path Valley." In 1775 the ferry must have been at the Mifflintown |
fording, for the Rev. Fithian, coming down from Lyon's (Sterrett's), crossed directly in front of the house of John Harris, and the first road led from this point directly across the hill to Licking Creek, just where it should have re- mained. It seems that after Milllinburg started, it being then the most important place, the most of the travel desired passage lower down ; so MeClellan for a time kept his ferry opposite that now old town. A road-view in the fall of 1795 started "at Mifflintown, opposite John McClellau's ferry." A road in 1794 is said to run "from John Lyon's, through the town of Mifflinburg, by John McClellan's old ferry "- he having started another ferry half or quarter of a mile farther up the river than the one at Taylor's. In 1800 it was bought, along with the farm, by Noah Abraham, who died in 1806, and the ferry was leased to Samuel Mettlen to 1815, and to James Love till 1821, and to Jomm Robinson until it was rendered worthless by the building of the bridge, but was sub-let to JJohn Lytle in 1828 and 1829, James Sanderson had a ferry lower down from 1811-1815 and Benjamin Law in 1816. In 1822-1824, Johu Love again had a ferry lower down than that of Abrahams.
One of the events at this ferry was the up- setting of the " flat " with a load of grain be- longing to Jacob Kepner. The front horses swam out, but the other two were drowned and the grain was lost. Rev. Jacob Esh grasped the tail of his horse and by this means landed safely on shore.
Samuel Mettlen came to Milford in 1806, and occupied the farm at the ferry at Patterson. ITis children were Alexander, Samuel, Thompson, Thomas, Robert, John, Joseph and Sarah, Jar- ried to William Nesbit. He had a brother William, who had a son William, and danghters Jane and Margery. John's son, John T. Met- tlen, was register and recorder a few years ago. Alexander and William were in Rogers' com- pany in the War of 1812-15. They were at Lake Erie in 1813, where Alexander, then twenty-three years of age, with Jacob Tool, a shoemaker of Mitllintown, performed one of' the most memorable feats in our history.
Every intelligent reader is familiar with the
1
808
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
victory won by Commodore Perry on Lake Erie, September 10, 1813. Perry's ship was disabled and defeat seemed inevitable. All depended ou Perry reaching another vessel. Ile did reach it, and gained a victory that has made his name immortal. Few people know, however, that this depended ou a couple of young men from the ferry at Mifflintown. Hlad it not been for the skill of Alexander Mettlen and Jacob Tool in handling oars, and their bravery under fire, there would probably have been no Perry's vic- tory. Perry had called for volunteers for his fleet out of the land forces, and sixteen men re- sponded from Captain Rogers' company, recruit- ed in Mifflin County. (Nearly all of the sixteen were residents of the Juniata end of it.) One of these was John F. Rice, son of Peter, of Tur- bett, born in 1790, who died recently at Shiloh, Shelby County, Ohio. He was said to be the last survivor of Perry's fleet. When he was eighty-six years old, having yet a clear mind and distinet recollection, he gave the following account :
" I went on board the schooner 'Scorpion,' under command of Capt. Christian Champlin, from Car- lisle, l'a. I was in the battle of Lake Erie on board the 'Scorpion'. . . . Commodore Perry was on the ' Lawrence,' and when it was cut to pieces and all killed but twelve men, I saw the Commodore leaving it in a row-boat, and going to the ' Niagara.' Jacob Tool and Alexander Metlan were called from our boat to take him over. They were called by a sig- nal from the 'Lawrence'-they were detailed to mannage the boat. I saw Commodore Perry get down into the boat and rowed toward the 'Niagara' by my two comrades above named. I heard the dis- charge of the cannon, but did not see the ball strike his boat, but I saw him jerk off his coat, stuff it into the hole the ball made, and then fly to the oars him- self, and went in safety to the ' Niagara.' The 'Niagara' was near by, and I could hear all that was said. Com- modore Perry asked Captain Elliot why he did not. bring the ' Niagara' into action. Elliot said he wastry- ing to do so, but the wind was against him. The Com- modore said, 'Captain Elliot, I am afraid the day is lost.' Then stepped up a Captain Brown, as he was called, for he had been in Napoleon's army, and said : ' Commodore, take my advice ; take command of this vessel yourself, and try and break through the lines, open lire from both sides of them, and then bring up your gunboats into action and you'll gain the victory.' Perry did exactly as Captain Brown advised. . . . The ' Niagara' now sailed directly through the British lines, and when pretty nearly between the 'Queen Charlotte'
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.