USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania > Part 4
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In 1757 it was decided that only four forts should remain over the Susquehanna. Of these, Fort Loudon was one, with a garrison of two companies of Col. Armstrong's batallion to be employed in patrolling between the four forts. Many stories of Indian atrocities centre around this fort but they are shrouded with uncertainty. This we know that in a letter dated February 15, 1756, written by
FORT LOUDON MARKER.
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
William Trent to Richard Peters, the following occurred, "Wednes- day evening two lads and a hired man were taken or killed at the Widow Cox's just under Parnell's Knob, and a lad who went from McDowell's Mill to ascertain what fire it was, never returned, the horse coming back with the reins over its head; they burned the house and shot the cattle. All the people had left their houses be- twixt this and the mountain, some came to the towns and others gathered into the forts."
1386680
FORT McCORD
This was a private fort erected in 1756, along the base ot the Kittochtinny mountains, north of Parnell's Knob. It was occupied temporarily during the early Indian wars. The site of this fort was three or four rods east of the public road, leading from Strasburg to St. Thomas, seven miles from the former place and six miles from the latter. This was one of the oldest forts in Franklin county It was in Hamilton township. When this fort was torn down an eye witness says it was constructed of heavy timber and dug deeply into the ground. He also relates that a few white people and Indians were buried near this fort in a graveyard, fenced off from a side of the garden belonging to the residence in which he lived. There was a severe engagement at this fort, in which it was captured by the Indians on or about the fourth day of April 1756, and burned, and all the inmates, twenty- seven in number, were either killed or carried into captivity. The Indians escaped the pursuit of two parties of inhabitants of the vicinity, who had divided themselves into three parties to seek them. The third party came up with them at Sidling Hill, where they had an engagement for two hours during which they fired twenty-four rounds, but were overpowered by numbers, the Indians having been relieved by an additional force under Shingas. This engagement was led under the command of Captain Culbertson. Each side had twenty killed and as many wounded. During the capture of the fort Doctor Jamison, of Col. Armstrong's batallion, was killed, so the wounded were without medical aid for a time. On the march to Sidling Hill mountains, the Indians committed many cruel deeds be- cause they were being pursued by the white settlers. On the Tusca- roras they killed a little child and two men. They had Mr. McCord's wife with them and when they cut off Mr. James Blair's head they threw it into Mrs. McCord's lap, saying that it was her husband's head, but she knew it to be Mr. Blair's.
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
FORT McDOWELL
This fort was midway, in a straight line, between Rev. Steele's Fort on the south and Fort Loudon on the north, in Franklin county, east of the Kittochtinny mountains (being in the western part of the county.) It was erected in the year 1756 at Bridgeport, where Mc- Dowell's mill stands. It was about two miles south of Fort Loudon, upon the eastern bank of the west branch of the Conococheague creek. It was built of logs, rectangular in shape, and had a loop in it. It stood until the year 1840. There is a store house erected on or near the site of this fort. The place seemed to be one of great notoriety and was referred to frequently by public officers and agents as McDowell's Mill. From all accounts this was a private fort, and the earliest notice of it is in a letter from General Brad- dock, dated June 18, 1755, signifying his approbation of the deposits being made at McDowell's Mill, instead of at Shippensburg. In July it is reported that the road cutters had returned as far as McDowell's Mill. These men were detached to construct a path through the forests and over the mountains for the English general and his army. The locality in which this fort stood was a scene of bloodshed, murder and devastation. A number of the soldiers were killed and many persons carried off as prisoners. In November 1756, Samuel Perry and his two sons, going from the fort to their plantation were killed, scalped and covered with leaves. A party sent from the fort in search of them, was shortly after attacked by some thirty In- dians. The party fought for some time, but, four of them falling, the rest made off, six of the party reaching the fort in safety. What became of the others is not known. The family whose name this fort bears were among the earliest settlers in the Cumberland Val- ley. They were of Scotch-Irish descent and held various positions of trust. Some of the descendents own large tracts of land in this vicinity at the present time.
FORT STEEL
This fort was erected in the year 1755. The site is on the south side of the east branch of the Conococheague creek, being about twenty miles north from Mason and Dixon's line. It was known in frontier times as Rev. Steel's fort. It was situated at the point where the Presbyterian White church now stands, about five miles south of Fort Loudon and three miles east of Mercersburg. It was a place of notoriety during the Indian wars. It was erected shortly after Braddock's defeat and during the Indian invasion which occurred in the fall of that year. With regard to the appella- tion, Rev. Steel's Fort, Mr. Chambers states, "The first fort I have
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
any information of in the Conococheague settlement is this one; this settlement composed nearly the whole of Franklin county. This was at John Steel's meeting house, which was surrounded by a rude stockade fort in 1755." Upon a visit of the Indians to this settle- ment in November 1755 Rev. Steel with others to the number of about one hundred went in quest of them but with no success. The location of this site was in one of the oldest settlements in the Cono- cocheague Valley, and indeed, we find that settlements began as early as the year 1735. A few years later the settlers getting numerous they formed themselves into a congregation and later en- joyed supplies of preaching from that time. A short time before this period, the congregation became divided and different churches were erected, but so united were they in their tenets that one preacher usually supplied several congregations. It is due to this fact that we find one of the churches, known as "The White Church" called the Rev. John Steel's Church. It was in this church that he was installed as the pastor in 1754 and at the same time holding a charge in the East Conococheague. In the year following this settlement was very greatly disturbed by the interruption and forays of the Indians, due to the defeat of General Braddock. Mr. Steel's congregation was nearly broken up and dispersed. Though a man of peace and engaged in teaching the doctrine of his Divine Master, yet his heart burned within him on account of the sufferings inflicted upon his parishioners and neighbors, and he speedily organized a company of rangers for their defense, of which he was unanimously chosen captain and was commissioned by the Provincial government. At one time it is stated, Rev. Steei was in charge of Fort Allison located just west of the town which later became the site of McCauley's Mill. During this period, when Rev. Steel entered the church and took his place back of the rude pulpit, he hung his hat and rifle behind him, and this was also done by many of his parishioners. One one occasion, while in the midst of his discourse, some one stepped into the church quiet y and called a number of the congregation out and related to them the facts of the murder of a family by the name of Walker by the In- dians at Rankin's Mill. The tragic story was soon whispered from one to another. As soon as Mr. Steele discovered what had taken place he brought the service to a close, took his hat and rifle, and at the head of the members of his congregation, went in pursuit of the murderers. His meeting house was turned into a fort, was stockaded for defense and often was a refuge for the laboring peo- ple when the country was invaded by the Delaware Indians. It was later burned by the savages in one of their forays. About the year
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
1763 or '64 in consequence of these frequent attacks of the Indians, Mr. Steel took charge of the Presbyterian church at Carlisle, where he spent the remainder of his days.
There was also a fort in Guilford township, Franklin county, near Guilford Springs. Mr. Witherspoon states, "Some years ago a daughter of Mr. Etter found a tomahawk where this fort stood in Guilford township. It was made of iron or steel. He also states there was a man killed by an Indian close by, while he was on his way to the fort. The same gentleman also informs us that there was an old fort at the head of Row Springs, in Green township, known as Culbertson's Row, so called because four brothers emi- grated from Ireland and all settled in a row. They were the same ones who built the block house. This old fort was erected in 1752 just before Braddock's defeat at Fort Duquesne. Both these places were merely block houses.
McCONNELL'S FORT
This fort is claimed to have been erected in the year 1764, lying between McCord's fort and Fort Loudon east of the Kittochtinny mountains. By a later authority, McConnell's Fort was at what is now known as Upper Strasburg, Franklin county. It was located on the Conodoguinet creek, where that stream emerges from the mountain to take its course to the eastward. Nothing further is known of this fort, no doubt it was not long in use when the larger forts were better garrisoned.
The last vestige of Colonial days within Franklin county and in Cumberland Valley is the fort located upon the farm of George H. Stewart, about one mile northeast of Shady Grove, in Antrim town- ship. The ground on which the fort stands once formed a part of a tract of one thousand acres, owned by the Rev. William Stauffer, a minister of the German Baptist, now known as the Brethren Church. Mr. Stauffer came to America from Switzerland in 1754, being at that time about twenty-nine years of age. He landed at Germantown, rear Philadelphia, and soon after his arrival launched out into what was then a sparsely settled country and after making his way up the Cumberland Valley, selected the land referred to and made it his future home. Mr. Stauffer, soon after taking posession of the farm, erected thereon a small stone building or dwelling, one story in height, which is yet standing. Though not an imposing structure it was, no doubt, regarded by the people of that day as a building of more than ordinary proportions. During recent years additions have been made to the original dwelling, so that now it is one of the larg- est farm houses in that section of the country. In order to afford
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
safety to himself, his family and his neighbors, Mr. Stauffer erected a fort on his land, which is yet standing and is in a fairly good state of preservation. It is built of limestone. The length of the west wall is 113 feet, north wall 100 feet, east wall 100 feet and the south wall 84 feet. The north end of the original dwelling house forms part of the south wall of the fort. The walls are each about two feet in thickness and vary in height from six feet to ten feet, the west wall being the highest of the four. The wooden capping has about decayed on the walls. The inside of the fort now comprises the garden which is an exceptionally good one judging from the ap- pearance of the soil and the fine vegetables. In the north wall is a small gate, also one at the southern end, which permitted persons to pass from the dwelling house to the barn, a building that stood near the fort, without exposing themselves to the dreaded foe, who might be concealed nearby. The barn was removed some years ago farther from the old fort. A gate was also placed in an opening near the northern end of the east wall, wide enough for the passage of a team. How fine it would be for all these old forts to have per- manent marks in our valley. May the day soon come.
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
CHAPTER IV EARLY INDUSTRIES
A FTER THE INDIAN TROUBLES were over the early set- tlers returned to their old homes and in a short time beside clearing the land and the cultivation of it, they began other industries. The streams of the valley gave excellent water power for the turning of many wheels. From the Susquehanna to the Potomac began a perfect beehive of industries which has continued to the present day. The early indus- tries were very simple compared to the ones that are now in the valley. Distilleries, fulling mills, blacksmiths, wagonmakers, axle factories, furnaces, forges, grist mills, saw mills, flour mills, woolen and cotton factories were some of the chief industries engaging the carly settler. In the central section of the valley there were twenty- eight distilleries within a radius of three miles and the last one to go in the valley was located upon the McCune property in the year 1870. On the Middle Spring stream which is a branch of the Cono- doguinet there were three grist mills, one axle factory, remains of which can be seen yet, a fulling mill and several saw mills. This was a sample of many streams. The furnaces were mainly confined to the North and South Mountains, the wagonmaker shops were ev- erywhere and this was the age and day of the blacksmith which trade at that time was both lucrative and extensive, the bending the iron for the pack horses was in itself no mean occupation. The early furnaces were most interesting and this was one of the greatest occupations of the early settlers. Beginning in Franklin county some of the most noted are the following: Richmond Furnace, owned by the Ahls and bought by the South Penn Railroad Com- Fany; Loudon, owned by Springer and Hunter Hughes, located four miles east of Waynesboro near Quincy, named from the owner; Southampton Furnace, situated at Stony Point, and owned by Charles Wharton; Augusta and Mary Ann, one mile apart, situated at Cleversburg, are said to be named after the parentage of Mr. Geo.
THE DENNING MONUMENT, NEWVILLE, PA.
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
Clever, their owner, these two furnaces are fairly well preserved; Caledonia Furnace was a fine one but the site is now marked by a beautiful park eight miles from Chambersburg. Passing along the South Mountain one of the largest ones was at Big Pond giving employment to a hundred men and creating a little town around it. The owner of this furnace was Mr. Matthews. Another important one was the Pine Grove Furnace owned by the Ages. Not all the furnaces were along the South side although the ore was here in abundance but they did not have the water power as they did along the North side. The ore, however, had to be hauled in wagons from Green Spring, and other places in the central part of the valley to the north side. McAllister's Furnace and Forge at Roxbury, Frank- lin county, traces of which can yet be seen, was a very large one and was owned by Sheffler and Flemming, probably being built by either the McAllisters or the Leavights. Ore for this furnace came from Green Spring. The iron was a good grade and was used in making the old ten plate stoves and the Franklin stoves. One of the Franklin stoves is still in existence owned by a gentleman at Burnt Cabins and although the property has changed hands many times the fine old stove stays in the great chimney. Mt. Holly can boast of the most historical of all furnaces. William Denning was the owner of this furnace as well as the one at Middlesex. He was the first man to make iron cannon in America. One of these cannon was used in the battle of Brandywine and now reposes in London Tower. The British government offered a large sum of money if Mr. Denning would teach some of the British to make cannon but he would not go back on his country. He may well be called a great man in the history of this valley. The heat was so great in the manufacture of cannon that it would melt the buttons on the coats and clothing of the men working. Mr. Denning died in 1830 and lies buried at the Presbyterian graveyard. This inscription is on his monument:
Erected by the State of Pa. in memory of WILLIAM DENNING
the patriotic blacksmith and forger of wrought iron cannon during the Revolutionary War.
Born 1728
Died 1830.
According to the agricultural statistics of 1838 of the Cum- berland county there were 74,300 acres of cleared limestone land, 35,420 acres of uncleared limestone land, 38,060 acres of cleared slate land, 12,950 acres of uncleared slate land, 23,940 acres of
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
gravel cleared, 5,560 acres of gravel uncleared, 12,265 acres of sand, 80,715 acres of mountain land, 3,610 acres known to contain cre. The whole quantity of cleared land of all kinds is 284,100 acres, uncleared land and not fit for cultivation 48,600 acres. The average value of cleared land was in 1838, $33 per acre, woodland $27, wood land unfit for cultivation $8 per acre. The number of farms at that time was 1,474 with an average size of 110 acres. The chief products raised were wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, pota- toes, turnips, buckwheat, hemp and flax. The number of stone farm houses was 298, brick 144, frame 997, tenant houses on farms 812, stone barns 292, brick 71, frame 1,111, many of them being thatched with straw. According to the census of 1840 there were in this county, six furnaces, which produced 2,830 tons of cast iron; five forges and rolling mills which produced 2,150 tons of bar iron. Hats, caps and bonnet manufacturers employed twenty-six persons. Tanneries 31 people, sole leather and uppers with saddlers, etc., 96 people. Soap and candles were also manufactured. Twenty-eight distilleries produced 52,305 gallons of alcoholic beverages. Three breweries produced 12,000 gallons of beer. There was one pottery, 112 retail dry goods and grocery stores, 13 lumber yards, 12 fulling mills, 9 woolen mills, 1 cotton mill, 1 paper mill, 5 printing offices, 2 book binderies and 6 weekly newspapers, carriage and wagon maker shops valued at $309,760.00, 54 flour mills, 8 grist mills, 63 saw mills, 1 oil mill, furniture manufacturers valued at $60,831.00. Total amount invested in manufactures $309,001.00, a very small amount compared with the wonderful amount invested at the present time.
According to the Agricultural statistics of 1838 in Franklin county (and what is true of Franklin and Cumberland counties holds true for the rest of the valley) there were 101,020 acres of cleared limestone land, uncleared 40,840 acres, gravel land cleared 19,560 acres, gravel land uncleared 13,930 acres, sand uncleared 12,670 acres, mountain land 98,250 acres, land containing iron ore 1,530 acres, all cleared land being in a high state of cultivation. The farms differed in size from one to three hundred acres and were farmed by the land owners. The average value, per acre, of uncleared land was thirty dollars, cleared land thirty-five dollars, although some of the best improved farms sold for one hundred dollars per acre. Average value of wood land, unfit for cultivation, was from four to five dollars per acre. The whole number of farms was 2,064. Ac- cording to the census of 1840 there were eight furnaces in this county, which produced 3,810 tons of cast iron; eleven forges, bloomeries and rolling mills produced 1,125 tons of bar iron, which
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
employed 570 men, capitalized at $258,500.00. Hats, caps, bonnets, etc., giving employment to thirty-five people, valued at $30,800.00. There were thirty-seven tanneries. Other manufactories of leather, saddleries, etc., twenty-one, distilleries forty, breweries one, potter- ies five, retail dry goods, groceries and other stores one hundred eleven, brick and lime manufactories to the value of $7,800.00, full- ing mills seven, woolen mills nine, paper mills one, printing offices four, binderies three, four weekly and one semi-monthly newspaper, one rope walk, carriage and wagon manufactories valued at $23,- 700.00, flouring mills thirty-three, grist mills sixty-four, saw mills one hundred nineteen, oil mills seven, furniture manufactories to the value of $5,000.000, total capital invested in manufactories $436,- 610.00.
The following note, taken from the Franklin Repository, being an account kept by Henry R. F. Mollwitz, keeper of the North Mountain turnpike gate, leading from Loudon to McConnellsburg, for the years 1830 and 1834 shows the amount of traveling over one road during these years, how they traveled and their mode of trans- portation and commerce:
,
Broad wheeled wagons
6,641
6,359
Narrow wheeled wagons
495
374
Single horses
761
1,243
Carriages
138
107
Two horse wagons
318
779
Gigs
18
Riding horses
3,116
2,817
Draft horses
39,824
42,330
Heads of cattle
5,834
6,457
Sheep
2,180
2,852
Hogs
1,180
40
Colts
18
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
CHAPTER V THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD
HE SCOTCH-IRISH are justly credited with being the first to respond to the call for defenders of the liberties of the colonies against the aggression of the British. Not only did they respond promptly to the call but it was largely through their instrumentality that the call was made.
Bancroft says, "We shall find that the first voice publicly raised in America to dissolve all connection with Great Britain came, not from the Puritans of New England, nor the Dutch of New York, nor the planters of Virginia, but from the Scotch-Irish Pres- byterians. The fact that the Cumberland Valley was settled by Scotch-Irish, who were also Presbyterians, brings all the descend- ents of the early pioneers into interesting and living union. There are several historic facts connected with the colonial life of our ancestors in the valley that shows that what Bancroft says is true. The characteristic foresight and aggressiveness of the race early recognized the interference of the mother country, and expeditiously gathered themselves together in public meetings to express their indignation and offer their protests against the encroachments of those who were assuming unjust rights and responsibilities.
On July 12, 1774, nearly a year before the Mechlinburg Dec- laration (in which the citizens of Mechlinburg county, North Caro- lina, on May 31, 1775, absolved themselves from all allegiance to the British crown and the Westmoreland county resolutions adopted May 16, 1775, bearing testimony against the arbitrary laws of parliament) the citizens of the different townships of Cumberland county, assembled in council in the First Presbyterian church of Carlisle, of which the venerable John Steel was pastor, for council and deliberation on the stirring events of the times. This assembly solemnly declared that the inhabitants of Boston, by the enforce- ment of the hated Port Bill, "are suffering in the common cause of all the colonies." Robert Megaw, James Wilson, who was afterward
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HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY
a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and William Irvine were appointed deputies from the county to meet other deputies from the several counties of Pennsylvania, to form measures prepara- tory to the general congress. The deputies left for Philadelphia, where the committee was to meet, on the fifteenth of the same month. We find the names of these three members from Cumberland county registered as taking part in the proceedings of the provincial committee, holding their meeting in Carpenter's Hall, while the As- sembly was deliberating in the State House. The important matter resting on the provincial committee was to impress the Assembly with the necessity of calling a congress of deputies from all the colonies, and to make the appointment of such from Pennsylvania at once. The assembly heeded the importunate plea and as a con- sequence the first Continental Congress was held in Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, September 5, 1774. Cumberland county was again represented by nine deputies at the Provincial Council in 1776. Middle Spring church occupied a very important place at this time and her influence in the valley can be judged from the fact that three of those nine deputies were members of her communion. These staunch defenders, John Maclay, Hugh McCormick and Hugh Alex- ander declared that the Scotch-Irish of the Cumberland Valley had one voice for the union of the separated colonies and they helped by their personal contact and patriotic addresses to lead the thirteen colonies, by their representatives, to unanimously adopt the Dec- laration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
The cause of civil and religious liberty was greatly strength- ened and directed by an able and self denying ministry. This was especially true of the Presbyterian clergymen of the Cumberland Valley. Rev. John Steel, of Carlisle, who, in his earlier days had been a leader in the expeditions against the Indians, now became captain of the first company that marched from the valley after the Declaration of Independence. Rev. John King, pastor of the Upper West Conococheague Presbyterian church at Mercersburg said to the men of his charge who were about to enter the conflict, "The cause of American Independence and Liberty, which has now called you to go forth to the scene of action, is indeed a cause in which it will be glorious to conquer and honorable to die." After urging his men to duty he accompanied them as chaplain. Rev. William Linn, was appointed chaplain of the Fifth and Sixth Penna. Bat- talions Feb. 15, 1776. Shortly after the batallion was ordered to Canada, Mr. Linn resigned and accepted a call, April 9, 1777, to the Big Spring church at Newville. Rev. John Craighead, born on the Yellow Breeches creek, near Carlisle, officiated for a short time as
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