USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 6
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 6
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The insurrectionary movement against the house tax of 1798 broke out in Milford township, Bucks Co., in the fall of the year. The head and front of it was John Fries," who had as his trusty lientenants
1 Shay's Rebellion, in Massachusetts, was the first organized opposi- tion to Federal law, and was much more serions in its consequences than that which we here have to consider. The Whiskey lasurrection in Pennsylvania (chiefly confined to Washington and Fayette Counties) urose from taxation in 1794, and was not so easily quelled by any means us Fries' so-enlled rebellion,
2 Jolen Fries was born in Hatfield township, Montgomery Co., about 1750, married Mary Brunner, of White Marsh, at the age of twenty, and five years later romoved to Milford, Bucks Co., whore he built a honse on the land of Joseph Galloway, at Boggy Creek. At the time of
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Frederick Heany and John Getman. The opposition of Fries and his followers to the tax prevented all assessments in Milford township, and they were given up. The insurrection also extended into Northamp- ton County (the region now embraced by its limits, and that also within the bounds of Lehigh), where the assessors were ehased from one township to an- other, and effectually deterred by the fear of physical ill treatment, and even worse consequences, from ear- rying out the duties for which they were elected. It is said that the resistants of the tax assembled in parties of fifty or sixty, and that most of them were well armed. Fries usually earried a large horse- pistol, and aecoutred himself in semi-military style, for he had been a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and had considerable knowledge of war manœuvres as well as martial spirit. The system of terrorism was earried on with a high hand, but at length it re- ceived a cheek. One Nichols, who was a marshal of Northampton, had the hardihood when he knew that Fries was absent, to serve warrants on seventeen of his known adherents and take them for imprisonment to Bethlehem. Some were released on bail, but several were retained in eustody. This was about the 1st of March, 1799, and it was upon the 6th that the re- doubtable Fries learned what had been done. He at onee formed a resolution to resene his adherents from the officers of the law. He drew up a strong agree- ment, which the members of his band signed, pledg- ing themselves to stand by the leader until his purpose was accomplished.
On the morning of the 7th they marched to Beth- lehem, about one hundred and forty strong, bearing arms of ahnost every variety, and forming ahnost as motley a throng as an old-time Western company of " eorn-stalk militia." They were a determined band, however, and they were inspired not alone by fife and drum, but by the words of a man who had in him the elements of a leader. They surrounded the "Sun" Tavern, where the prisoners were confined, and Fries boldly demanded of the marshal that they should be released.' After a slight show of resistance, this demand was acceded to, and his object thus being accomplished, Fries rode away in exultation, his supporters following. This boll act came very near costing the leader and some others their lives, for news of the open rebellion coming to the President, he sent au armed force to re-establish order in North- ampton and Bucks Counties. Several companies marched from Laneaster, April 1, 1799, wending their way toward the scenes of disturbance by way of
the outbreak he lived in a log house on a lot that belonged to William Edwards, on the Sumneytown road. lle had served in the Revolution- ary armny. "He wasn inan of good mind," says Gen. W. H. Il Davis, in his " History of Bucks County," " bnt had received only the rudiments of un education. Ile talked well, and possessed a rude eloquence that swayed the multitude. His character was good, und ho stood well among his neighbors. He learned the cooper's trade, but followed the occupation of a vendre crier." Ho died abont 1820.
Reading (where also considerable opposition to the tax had been manifested).
Fries had no disposition to meet these soldiers, and so went into hiding. About one month, however, front the time he had boldly marched into Bethlehem and intimidated the marshal and his aids, he was captured in a swamp near Bunker Hill, on the farm of John Keichline. His hiding-place had been betrayed by a little dog ealled "Whiskey," which followed him everywhere. He was completely crest- fallen, and unresistingly allowed himself to be taken by his eaptors to that confinement from which he should only emerge to stand trial for treason, the penalty of which was death.
On the 15th of May, 1799, Mr. Sitgreaves, of Eas- ton, opened the trial on the part of the United States. Following are extracts from his speech,1 which give quite a detailed history of the " rebellion" :
"It will appear, gentlemen, from the testimony which will be pre- sented to you, that during the latter months of the year 1798 discords prevailed to an enonuons extent throughout a large portion of the counties of Bucks, Northampton, and Montgomery, and that consider- able difficulties attended the assessors for the direct tax in the execu- tion of their duties,-that in several townships associations of the people were nctilly formed in order to prevent the persons charged with the execution of the laws of the United States from performing their dnty, and more particularly to prevent the assessors from measuring the honses. This opposition was male at many public township meetings called for the purpose. In many instances resolutions in writing were entered into, solemnly forewarning the officers, and many times accom- panied by threats. Not only so, but discontents prevailed to such a height that even the friends of the government were completely suppressed by menaces ngainst any who should assist those officers in their duty ; repeated declarations were made, both at public as well as private meet- ings, that if any person should be arrested by the civil authority, such arrest would be followed by the rising of the people, in opposition to that anthority, for the purpose of rescuing such prisoners ; indefatigable pains were taken by those charged with the execution of the laws to calm the fears and remove the misapprehensions of the infatuated people ; for this purpose they read and explained the law to them, and informed them that they were misled into the idea that the law was not actually in force, for that it actually was ; at the same Time warning them of the consequences which would flow from opposition ; and this was accompanied by promises that even their most capricious wishes would be gratified on their obedience. The favor was in many instances granted, that where any opposition was made to any certain person exeenting the office of assessor, another should be substituted. In some townships proposals were made for people to choose for themselves; bat notwithstatoling this accommodating offer the opposition continued. The consequences were actual opposition and resistance ; in some parts violence was actually used, ail the assessors were taken and imprisoned by armed partes, and in other parties mobs assembled to compel them either to deliver up their papers or to resign their commissions ; that in some instances they were threatened with bodily harm, so that in those parts the obnoxious law remained nexecuted in consequence The state of insurrection nud rebellion had arisen to such a height it became necessary to compel the execution of the laws, and warrants were in consequence issued against certain persons and served upou them; in some instances during the execution of that duty the marshal met with insult and almost with violence ; having, however, got nearly the whole of the warrants served, he appointed headquarters for those prisoners in rendezvons at Bethlehem, where some of them were to enter bail for their appearance in the city and others were to come to the city in custody for trial.
" On the dny thus appointed for the prisoners to meet, and when a num- ler of them had actually assembled ngreeably to appointment, n number of parties in arms, both horse and foot, more than a hundred meu, ac- contied with all their military apparatus, commanded in some instances
1 It was reported In short-band and published nt Philadelphia in 1800.
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FRIES' REBELLION.
by their proper officors, marched to Bethlehem, collected before the house in which were the marshul and prisoners, whom they demanded to be delivered up to them, and in consequence of refusal they proceeded to act very little short of actual hostility ; so that the marshal deemed it prudent to accedo to their demands, and the prisoners were liberaled.
"This, gentlemen, is the history of the insurrection. I shall now stato to you the part which tho unfortunate prisoner at the bar took in those hostile transactions. Tho prisoner is an inhabitant of Lower Milford, Bucks County. Somo time in February last a public meeting was held at the house of one John Kline, in that township, to consider this house tax ; at that meeting certain resolutions were en- tered into and a paper signed (we have endeavored to trace this paper so as to produce it to the court and jury, but have failed). This paper was signed by fifty-two persons, and committed to the hands of one of their number. Jolm Fries was present at this meeting, and assisted in drawing up the paper, at which time his expressions against this law wero extremely violent, and he threatened to shoot one of the assessors, Mr. Foulke, through the legs, if he proceeded to assess the houses; again the prisoner at a vendue threatened another of the assessors, Mr. S. Clark, that if he attempted to go ou with the assessment, he should be com- mitted to an old stable and there fed on rotten corn. The assessor in Lower Milford was intimidated so as to decline making the assessments, and the principal assessors, together with three other assessors, were obliged to go into that township to execute the law. At the house of Mr. Jacob Fries, on the 5th of March, Mr. Chapman, the assessor, met with the prisoner, who declared his determination not to submit, but to oppose the law, and said that by next morning he could raise seven hun- dred men in opposition to il.
"On the morning of the next day twenty or more of them met at tho house of Conrad Marks in arms. John Fries was armed with a sword and had a feather in his hat. On the road, as they went forward, they were met by young Marks, who told them they might as well turn abont, for the Northampton people were strong enough to do the busi- nesy without those from Bucks County. Somo were so inclined to do, but at the instance of Fries and some others they did go forward, and actually proceeded to Bethlehem. Before the arrival of these troops, a party going on the same business had stopped at the bridge near Beth- lehem, where they were met by a deputation from the marshal, to advise them to return home ; they agreed to halt there, and send three of their number to declare to the marshal their demand. During this period Fries and his party came up, but it appears when they came Fries took the party actually over the bridge, and he arranged the toll and ordered them to proceed. With respect to the proof of the proceed- Ings at Bethlehem it cannot be mistaken ; he was the leading man, and he appeared to enjoy the command. With the consent of his people he demanded the prisoners of the marshal, and when that officer told him thal he could not surrender them, except they were taken from him by force, aud produced his warrant for taking them, the prisoner thon harangned his party of the house, and explained to them the necessity of using force ; and that you should not mistake his design we will prove to you that he declared that was the third day which he had been out on this expedition ; that he had had n skirmish the day before, and if the prisoners were not released he should have another to-day. 'Now yon observo,' resumed ho, 'that force is necessary, but you must obey my ordets We will not go without taking the prisoners Bat take my ehlers: you must not the first ; you must be thst fired upon, and when I wm gone you must do as well as you can, as I expect to be the first man who falls,' He further declared to the marshal that they would firo till a cloud of smoke prevented them from seeing each other and executing the ollice of command of the troops, which at that time over- awed the marshal and his attendants ; he harangued the troops lo olay his orders, which they did. The marshal was really intimidated to lib- erate the prisoners, and then tho object was accomplished, and the party dispersod amid the huzzas of the insurgouts. After this affair at Beth- lehem, the prisoner frequently avowed his opposition to the law, and justified that outrage; and when a meeting was afterwards held at Lower Milford to choose assossors the prisoner refused his assent, and appeared as violent as ever."
Most of the foregoing charges were proved with a variety of other details, and John Fries was convicted of the crime of high treason and senteneed to death. A new trial was granted, of which the result was pre- cisely the same; but the prisoner was pardoned by President Adams. Upon his release Fries returned to
his home and restumed the oceupation of vendne crier, which he had long followed. He had no longer a taste for violent rebellion, and his remaining years were passed in a quiet and law-abiding manner. He died about 1820, having passed the allotted age of threescore and ten.
His lieutenants, Heany and Getman, were also tried and convicted of the erime of high treason, but neither of them received sentence of death. About thirty others who were implicated in the rebellion were tried, and most of them convicted and punished by the im- position of fines or short terms of imprisonment.
Among the disaffected who had been taken prisoners by the marshal and rescued by the insurgents was one Jacob Eyerman, a German preacher, who had not long been in this country. He seems to have exerted nearly as great an influence as Fries in stirring up the people in Bucks County. When he was tried, one of the assessors testified that while he was on the round of his duty in Chestnut Hill township, Eyerman " came in and began to rip out in a violent manner against this taxation, saying that Congress had made laws which were unjust, and that the people need not take np with them; if they did, all kinds of laws would follow ; but if they would not put up with this, they need not with those that would come after, be- cause it was a free country; but in case the people admitted of those laws, they would certainly be put under great burdens." He said also that " Congress and the government only made such laws to roh the people, and that they were nothing but a parcel of damned rogues, or 'spitz bube' (highwaymen or thieves)."
Eyerman, who had fled to New York State after the rescue, was followed and brought back, and the trial in which the foregoing evidence was elicited was held before William Henry, of Nazareth. He was sen- tenced to be imprisoned one year, pay fifty dollars fine, and give security for his good behavior for one year after release from confinement.
" All the German population of Northampton County," says a good authority,1 " were more or less affected by the spirit of opposition to the house tax." In Weisenberg township the opponents of the law are said to have prepared a house as a place of defense against the troops, and to have stored within it quite a large quantity of arms and ammunition.
Fries' Rebellion has been attributed by some writers? to the overbearing disposition and conduct of Jacob Everly, who had been appointed by the President to collect the direct taxes in Northampton County. ( He was charged, too, with having deserted the Republican or Democratie party, which had elected him to the State Legislature in 1796, and going over to the Fed- eralists.) The _furore, a Democratic paper published in Philadelphia, was the original authority for this
1 M. S. Henry (a native of Northampton County), in his History of the Lohigh Valley.
2 Notably by Professor Ebeling, in his History of Pennsylvania.
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
view of the matter. That journal affeeted to regard the whole affair as one of insignificant interest and importance, and (warranted by an incident) called it the " Hot-Water War." 1
A disparaging account of the operations of the mil- itary, presumably from the Aurora, or at least based upon an article in that paper, is as follows : '
" In some parts of the counties named (Berks, Bucks, and Northamp- ton), in demonstration of their opposition to government, they erected liberty-poles. To quell the insurrection troops, in obedience to Adams' instruction, were raised in Lancaster County. Several companies marched from Lancaster April 1, 1799, wending their front toward the arena of dispute by way of Reading, where Capt. Montgomery's troop of light-horse arrived on the evening of the Ist of April. Their first act to display their prowess and gallantry was to go clandestinely to the house of Jacob Gosin, who, in the spirit of the times, had erected a liberty-pole on his own premises, which they cut without meeting with any resistance.
" To give undoubted proof of their daring bravery, they brandished their damascene weapons, drew pistols to show that they were armed, in the house of the inoffensive father, whose minor children were scared 'half to death' at the martial manoeuvres of the Lancaster troops.
" To let no time slip, and while they were undaunted, they proceeded from Gosin's to the house of John Strohecker, whither their eagle eyes were drawn by a recently-erected liberty-pole, tipped with a rag 'flop- ping in the breeze.' This pole, to show the independence of some sturdy urchins, had been erected by some children, in which Stro- hecker's were ringleaders. To deter these young heroes, the soldiers took down the pole, stripped it of its insignia, entered the house, where they found the little wights, and, as they did at Gosin's, so did they here: brandished weapons of war, presented pistols and swords to the youthful company, to the no small alarm of both parents and children.
" To consummate their martial plans and designs they molested the house of Jacob Epler, and maltreated him unprovokedly. Like bravos ever merit, these merited the contempt of all reflecting persons, ren- dering themselves obnoxious to the orderly and well-disposed among all classes.
"Satisfied of having rendered their country some service, the troop next morning started for Northampton to fully execute the specific purpose of their mission (the capture of Fries). This done, they again returned by way of Reading, where they entered the office of the Adler (Eagle), a paper edited and printed by Jacob Schneider, whom they rudely denuded by violently tearing his clothes from his body, in a some- what inclement season, and by force of arms dragged him before the com- manding captain, who peremptorily ordered the editor, for writing and printing some offensive articles, to be whipped, 'Twenty-five lashes,' said he, ' shall be well laid on his deunded back, in the market-house,' which order, however, was not executed because of the timely and manly interposition of some gentlemen of Capt. Leiper's company of Philadelphia, A lew lashes, however, had been inflicted before these men had tone fully to interpose. There were laid on by one accustomed to bent when little resistance is to be dreaded : he was a drummer.
1
" Col. Epler, il appears, had by this timo erected, by the assistance of hls neighbors, a liberty-pole in place of the pole erected by his children. Thither the soldiers resorted, where they attempted to compel a counnon laborer to cut down the 'offending wood,' notwithstanding that he pro- tested against doing so at the same time on most solemn asseveratious, declaring he was also a Federalist (' Ich bin auch ein Federal ihr liebe Leut ; das bin. Ja ich auch ein Federal').
"They succeeded in divesting the pole, and with it appended as a trophy, they rode, vociferating as they went, through the streets of Reading to their place of quarters. In a few days they left, but on the 24th of April an army under the command of Brig .- Gen. McPherson arrived at Reading, apprehending some of the insurrectionists, who were afterwards tried." .
And so ended Fries' Rebellion. It was one of those lesser disorders to which all governments are
1 Says the Aurora, " A person was in the act of measuring the windows of a house when a woman poured a shower of hot water on his head."
subject, and it might have beeome a dangerous dis- ease in the body politie had not the effective means been resorted to for its eradieation which was ridi- euled in the foregoing extracts.
CHAPTER V.
WAR OF 1812-14.
Rosters of Lehigh County Companies at Marens Hook and Elsewhere.
WHILE the State of Pennsylvania was at no time invaded by hostile forecs during the second war with Great Britain, her people exhibited a sturdy patriot- ism, and her soldiers went forward to the field with a spontaneousness and alacrity which was commend- able, and entirely natural to the sons of sires who had fought in the Revolution. When the metropolis of the State was threatened, there was an ont- pouring of the militia and other military elements such as had up to that time been unequaled, and has only since been exceeded by the grand muster for the war against secession. In this rally to arms Lehigh County was not behind the other divisions of the State.
It was supposed that the enemy's movement up the Chesapeake was planned for the assault of Philadel- phia, but it proved that the objective-point of the Britishi was the national eapital, instead of Pennsyl- vania's principal city and port.
President Madison issued July 14, 1814, his eall for ninety-three thousand five hundred militia, of which number the quota of Pennsylvania was fourteen thou- sand. In pursuance of this general call, Governor Snyder, of Pennsylvania, on the 22d of July, sent. out general orders to the militia of the State to organize and march against the enemy. The news- papers of Allentown, the Friedensbote and the Re- publikaner, published the order August 4th. Ten days later, Capt. Abraham Rinker, of the Allentown Rifles, and Capt. John F. Ruhe, of the Northampton Blues, called their companies together for the purpose of mustering them for service. On the same day the martial spirit of the community was stirred by the sight of one hundred regulars, under Capt. Schell, marching through the seat of justice of the new eounty on their way to New York State from Read- ing. On the Monday following the people heard with sorrow and indignation that the national capital was in possession of the enemy.
On Tuesday, the 6th of September, the light infantry company of Capt. John F. Ruhe and the riflemen under Capt. Abraham Rinker went voluntarily to Philadelphia in response to the call from the Gov- ernor to protect the sea-coast. Capt. Peter Ruch's cavalry troop, raised in Whitehall, also rode out a few days later for the same destination. Besides these
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WAR OF 1812-14.
there were the companies of Capt. Joseph Wilt and John Dornblaser, the former raised principally in Upper Milford, and the latter consisting of militia- men from Lehigh, Northampton, and Pike Coun- ties.
On September 9th the companies of Capts. Ruhe, Rinker, Dinkcy, and Rueh went into camp at Bush Hill, near Philadelphia. Altogether there were about one thousand men in this camp, including several com- panies not here mentioned. After the lapse of several weeks they were ordered to Mareus Hook, where they remained until November 30th, when orders were re- ceived for breaking camp, and the troops marched home without having been in any engagement. While they won no especial glory, they showed their willingness to meet the enemy, and fully expected to when they were mustered and went forward to the Delaware.
The company of Capt. Ruhe arrived at Allentown, Monday, December 5th, and on the Sunday follow- ing attended divine worship at the Lutheran Church in full uniform. Other soldiers from Lehigh County who had been in winter-quarters at Chester returned soon afterward.
The news of Jackson's victory at New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815, was received at Allentown February 28th. It was celebrated by the firing of eannon, illumina- tions, blazing bonfires, and the marehing of a torch- light procession, headed by " Eine herrliche bande musik" from Bethlehem, and thus an extraordinary air of festivity and rejoicing was given to the whole proceeding.
It is not possible to give the names of all the Le- high County soldiers who obeyed the call of the Governor in the war of 1812-14, but the majority of them are included in the following rosters, for the most part derived from official sourees.
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