USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 2 > Part 43
USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 2 > Part 43
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" 2nd und 3rd. Not many days after their arrival at Niagara a vessel came up Lake Ontario to the fort with orders for the prisoners to go to Montreal. In this vessel came one Capt. Brant, an Indian chief, high in rank among them. Elizabeth Gilbert im- mediately applied herself to solicit and interest him on behalf of her children who yet remained in cap- tivity. He readily promised her to use his endeavors to procure their liberty. A short time before they sailed for Montreal they received accounts of Abner and Elizabeth Gilbert, the younger, but it was also understood that their possessors were not disposed to give them up. As the prospect of obtaining the re- lease of their children was so very discouraging, it was no alleviation to their distress to be removed to Montreal, where, in all probability, they would sel- dom be able to gain any information respecting them, on which account they were very solicitous to stay at Niagara ; but the colonel said they could not remain there, unless the son would enter into the king's ser- vice. This could not be consented to, therefore they chose to submit to every calamity which might be permitted to befall them, and confide in the great Controller of events.
" Here they became acquainted with one Jesse Paw- ling, from Pennsylvania, who was an officer among the British, and behaved with kindness and respect to the prisoners, which induced them to request his attention also to that part of the family remaining in captivity ; it appeared to them of some consequence to gain an additional friend. The colonel also gave his promise to exert himself on their behalf.
"After continuing ten days at Col. Johnson's they took boat in the forenoon of the 2d, being the Sixth day in the week, and crossed the river Niagara in order to go on board the vessel (which lay in Lake Ontario) for Montreal. The officer proenred necessa- ries for their voyage in great plenty, and they were also furnished with orders to draw more at certain i places as they might have occasion. These civilities may appear to many to be too trivial to be mentioned in this narrative, but those who have been in equal distress will not be insensible of their value.
587
SETTLEMENT BY MORAVIANS IN CARBON COUNTY.
" 4th. The vessel sailed down the lake on the Sixth day of the week, and on first day following, being the Fourth day of the Sixth month, 1780, came to Charlton Island, where there were such a number of small boats which brought provisions that it had the appearance of a fleet. Benjamin and Jesse Gilbert went on shore to obtain leave from the commanding officer to go to Montreal in the small boats, as the vessel they came in could proceed no farther. They met with a kind reception, and their request was granted.
"5th. On the second day following they left Charlton Island, which lies at the month of Lake Ontario, and took their passage in open boats down the river St. Lawrence, and passed a number of small islands. There is a rapid descent in the waters of this river, which appears dangerous to those unacquainted with these kind of falls. The Frenchman who rowed the boats kept them near the shore, and passed without much diffienlty between the rocks.
"6th, 7th, and 8th. Benjamin Gilbert had been much indisposed before they left the fort, and his dis- order was increased by a rain which fell on their pas- sage, as they were without any eovering. They passed Oswagatehy, an English garrison, by the side of the river, but they were not permitted to stop here; they proceeded down the St. Lawrence, and, the rain con- tinuing, went on shore on an island in order to secure themselves from the weather. Ilere they made a shelter for Benjamin Gilbert, and, when the rain ceased, a place was prepared for him in the boat that he might lie down with more ease. His bodily weak- ness made such rapid progress that it rendered all the care and attention of his wife necessary, and likewise called forth all her fortitude; she supported him in her arms, affording every possible relief to mitigate his extreme pains. And although in this distressed condition, he, notwithstanding, gave a satisfactory evidenee of the virtne and power of a patient and holy resignation, which can disarm the King of Ter- rors, and receive him as a welcome messenger. Thus prepared, he passed from this state of probation the 1 eighth day of the Sixth month, 1780, in the evening, leaving his wife and two children, who were with him, in all the anxiety of deep distress, although they had no doubt but that their loss was his everlasting gain. Being without a light in the boat, the darkness of the night added not a little to their melancholy situation. As there were not any others with Elizabeth Gilbert but her children, and the four Frenchmen, who man- aged the boat, and her apprehensions alarmed her lest they should throw the corpse overboard, as they appeared to be an unfeeling company, she therefore applied to some British officers who were in a boat behind them, who dispelled her fears, and received her under their protection.
"9/h. In the morning they passed the garrison of Conr de Lac, and waited for some considerable time some distance below. Squire Campbell, who had the charge of the prisoners, when he heard of Benjamin
Gilbert's decease, sent Jesse to the commander of this garrison to get a coffin, in which they put the corpse, and very hastily interred him under an oak not far from the fort. The boatmen would not allow his widow to pay the last tribute to his memory, but re- gardless of her affliction, refused to wait; her distress on this occasion was great indeed, but being sensible that it was her duty to submit to the dispensations of an over-ruling Providence, which are all ordered in wisdom, she endeavored to support herself under her afflictions, and proceeded with the boatmen.
" Near this place they passed by a grist-mill which was maintained by a stone wing extended into the river St. Lawrence, the stream being very rapid, acquires a foree sufficient to turn a wheel without the further expense of a dam.
"The current carried the boat forward with amaz- ing rapidity, and the falls became so dangerons that the boats could proceed no farther ; they therefore landed in the evening, and went to the commanding officer of Fort Lasheen to request a lodging ; but the houses in the garrison were so crowded that it was with difficulty they obtained a small room belonging to the boat-builders to retire to, and here they stowed themselves with ten others.
" 10th. The garrison of Lasheen is on the Isle of Jefu, on which the town of Montreal stands, about the distance of nine miles; hither our travelers had to go by land, and as they were entirely unacquainted with the road, they took the advantage of an empty cart ( which was going to the town) for the women to ride in.
"The land in this neighborhood is very stony and the soil thin ; the cattle small and ill favored.
" When they arrived at Montreal they were intro- duced to Brig. Gen. McClean, who after examining them, sent them to one Duquesne, an officer among the loyalists, who being from home, they were desired to wait in the yard until he came ; this want of polite- ness gave them no favorable impressions of the master of the house; when he returned he read their pass, and gave Jesse an order for three days' provisions.
" Daniel Me Uphin received them into his house ; by him they were treated with great kindness, and the women continued at his house and worked five weeks for him.
"Jesse Gilbert met with employ at Thomas Busby's, where he lived very agreeably for the space of nine months.
" Elizabeth Gilbert had the satisfaction of an easy employ at Adam Scott's, merchant, having the super- intendence of his kitchen, but about six weeks after she engaged in his service, Jesse's wife, Sarah, was taken sick at Thomas Busby's, which made it necessary for her mother to disengage herself from the place where she was so agreeably situated, in order to nurse her. These three were favored to be considered as the king's prisoners, having rations allowed them ; this assistance was very comfortable, but Elizabeth's
588
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
name being erased out of a list at the time when they needed an additional supply, they were much strait- ened. Upon an application to one Col. Campbell, he, together with Esquire Campbell, took down a short account of her sufferings and situation, and after pre- paring a concise narrative, they applied to the briga- dier-general to forward it to Gen. Haldimand at Quebec, desiring his attention to the sufferers, who speedily issued his orders, that the releasement of the family should be proenred, with particular injunctions for every garrison to furnish them with necessaries as they came down.
" As soon as Sarah Gilbert recovered from her indis- position her mother returned to Adam Scott's family. "Thomas Gomersom hearing of their situation came to see them ; he was educated a Quaker, and had been a merchant of New York, and traveled with Robert Walker in his religious visits, but upon the commence- ment of the war had deviated from his former principles and had lost all the appearance of a Friend, wearing a sword. He behaved with respect to the prisoners, and made Elizabeth a present. The particular attention of Col. Closs, and the care he showed by writing to Niagara on behalf of the captives, as he was entirely a stranger to her, is remembered with gratitude.
" As there was an opportunity of hearing from Niagara, it gave them great pleasure to be informed that Elizabeth Gilbert was among the white people, she having obtained her release from the Indians prior to the others.
" Sarah Gilbert, wife of Jesse, becoming a mother, Elizabeth left the service she was engaged in, Jesse having taken a house, that she might give her daugh- ter every necessary attendance; and in order to make their situation as comfortable as possible they took a child to nurse, which added a little to their income. After this Elizabeth Gilbert hired herself to iron a day for Adam Scott. Whilst she was at her work a little girl belonging to the house acquainted her that there were some who wanted to see her, and upon entering into the room she found six of her children ; the joy and surprise she felt on this occasion were be- youd what we shall attempt to describe. A messen- ger was sent to inform Jesse and his wife that Joseph Gilbert, Benjamin Peart, Elizabeth, his wife, and young child, Abner, and Elizabeth Gilbert, the younger, were with their mother. It must afford very pleasing reflections to any affectionate disposition to dwell awhile on this scene, that after a captivity of upwards of fourteen months so happy a meeting should take place.
" Thomas Peart, who had obtained his liberty, and tarried at Niagara that he might be of service to the two yet remaining in captivity, viz., Benjamin Gil- bert, Jr., and Rebecca Gilbert.
" Abigail Dodson, the daughter of a neighboring farmer, who was taken with them, inadvertently in- formed the Indians she was not of the Gilbert family ; all attempts for her liberty were fruitless.
"We shall now proceed to relate how Joseph Gil- bert, the eldest son of the deceased, fared amongst the Indians. He, with Thomas Peart, Benjamin Gil- bert, Jr., and Jesse Gilbert's wife, Sarah, were taken along the westward path, as before related. After some short continuance in this path, Thomas Peart and Joseph Gilbert were taken from the other two, and by a different ronte, through many dithieulties, they were brought to Caracadera, where they received the insults of the women and children whose husbands or parents had fallen in their hostile exenrsions.
"Joseph Gilbert was separated from his companion, and removed to an Indian villa called Nundow, about seven miles from Caracadera ; his residence was for several weeks in the king's family, whose hamlet was superior to the other small huts. The king himself brought him some hominy, and treated him with great civility, intending his adoption into the family in the place of one of his sons who was slain when Gen. Sullivan drove them from their habitations. As Nundow was not to be the place of his abode, his quarters were soon changed, and he was taken back to Caracadera; but his weakness of body was so great that he was two days accomplishing this journey, which was only seven miles, and not able to procure any other food than roots and herbs, the Indian econ- omy leaving them without any provisions to subsist upon. Here they adopted him into the family of one of the king's sons, informing him that if he would marry amongst them he should enjoy the privileges which they enjoyed; but this proposal he was not disposed to comply with, and as he was not over- anxious to conceal his dislike to them, the sufferings he underwent were not alleviated. The manner of his life differing so much from what he had before been acenstomed to, having to eat the will roots and herbs before mentioned, and as he had been lame from a child, and subject to frequent indispositions, it was requisite for him to pay more attention to his weak habits of body than his captors were willing he should. When the master of the family was at home the re- spect he showed to Joseph, and the kindness to him, rendered his situation more tolerable than in his ab- sence. Frequently suffering with hunger, the privi- lege of a plenteous table appeared to him as an ines- timable blessing which claimed the warmest devotion of gratitude. In such a distressed situation the hours rolled by with a tediousness almost insupportable, as he had no agrecable employment to relieve his mind from the reflections of his sorrowful captivity. This manner of life continued about three months, and when they could no longer seeure a supply by their hunting, necessity compelled them to go to Fort Niagara for provisions. The greater number of the Indians belonging to Caracadera attended on this journey, in order to obtain a supply of provisions, their want of economy being so great as to have con- sumed so early as the eighth month all they had raised the last year, and the present erops unfit to
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589
SETTLEMENT BY MORAVIANS IN CARBON COUNTY.
gather ; their profuse manner of using their scant ' deavor an escape from the Indians, informing him pittance of provisions generally introducing a tamine that he had no other expedient for his release. This confirmed him in a resolution he had for some time after a short time of feasting. They compute the distance from Caracadera to Fort Niagara to be one ' been contemplating, but his lameness and weak- hundred and thirty miles ; on this journey they were upwards of five days, taking some venison on their route, and feasting with great greediness, as they had been a long time without meat.
" When they reached the fort they procured cloth- ing from the king's stores for Joseph Gilbert, such as the Indians usually wear themselves, -a match-coat, leggings, etc. His indisposition confined him at Col. . pared for the journey.
Johnson's for several days, during which time the British officers endeavored to agree with the Indians for his releasement, but they would not consent. The afflicting account of the death of his father, which was here communicated to him, spread an additional gloom on his mind. After continuing at the fort about four weeks the Indians ordered him back with them. This was a sore stroke, to leave a degree of ease and plenty and resume the hardships of an Indian life. With this uncomfortable prospect before him, added to his lameness, the journey was toilsome and painful. ! They were five days in their return, and when they arrived their corn was ripe for use; this, with the advantage of hunting, as the game was in its greatest perfection, furnished a present comfortable subsist. ence.
"Joseph had permission to visit his fellow-captive, Thomas Peart, who was at a small town of the In- dians about seven miles distant, called Nundow, to whom he communicated the sorrowful intelligence of their mother's widowed situation.
" At the first approach of spring Joseph Gilbert and his adopted brother employed themselves in procuring rails and repairing the fence about the lot of ground they intended to plant with corn, as this part of the preserving the grain was allotted to them ; the plant- ing and culture was assigned to the women, their husbandry being altogether performed by the hoe.
"The Indian manner of life was by no means agreeable to Joseph Gilbert. Their irregularity in their meals was hard for him to bear ; when they had pro- visions in plenty they observed no plan of domestic economy, but indulged their voracious appetites, which soon consumed their stock, and a famine suc- eeeded.
" In the early part of the sixth month, 1781, their corn was spent, and they were obliged to have re- course again to the wild herbage and roots, and were so reduced for want of provisions, that the Indians, having found the carcass of a dead horse, they took the meat and roasted it.
" An officer from the fort came down to inquire into the situation of the Indians, and, upon ob- serving the low condition Joseph was in, not being . provisions, they proceeded with expedition down the likely to continue long without some relief, which the officer privately afforded, he being permitted to distance from the small village to the mouth of the frequent his house, he advised him by flight to en- river being one hundred miles, and from thence up
ness, for want of proper sustenance, rendered it im- practicable to make such an attempt at that time, and it would require much care and attention to his own health and strength to gather sufficient for such an undertaking. He therefore made use of the lib- erty allowed him to visit the officer and partake of his kindness and assistance, that he might be pre-
"Embracing a favorable opportunity, when the men were generally from home, some in their war expeditions and some out hunting, he left them one night while the family slept, and made the best of his way towards Niagara Fort, following the path, as he had once before gone along it. Having a small piece of bread, which he took from the hut, he made a hasty repast, traveling day and night, in order to escape from the further distresses of captivity. As he neither took any sleep or other food by the way than the piece of bread mentioned for the two days and nights he pursued his journey, he was much fatigued when he reached the fort, and experienced the effects for sey- eral days. Upon his applying to Col. Johnson he was hospitably entertained, and the next day saw three of the Indians whom he had left at the town when he set off.
" After a few days' stay here, as most of the family were discharged from captivity and waiting for a pas- sage to Montreal, a vessel was fitted to take them on board in order to proceed down the lake.
" We next come to Benjamin Peart, who remained the first night after his arriving at the Indian huts with his wife and child, but was separated from them the next day, and taken about a mile and a half and presented to one of the families of the Seneca nation, and afterwards introduced to one of their chiefs, who made a long harangue, which Benjamin did not un- derstand. The Indians then gave him to a squaw, in order to be received as her adopted child, who or dered him to a private hint, where the women wept over him in remembrance of the relation in whose stead he was received. After this he went with his mother (by adoption) to Niagara River, about two miles below the great falls, and stayed here several days, then went to the fort, on their way to the Gen- esee River, where he had the pleasure of conversing with his mother, and received information concerning his wife and child; but even this satisfaction was short-lived, for he neither could obtain permission to visit his wife, nor was he allowed to converse freely with his mother, as the Indians hurried him off on board their bark canoe, when, having placed their lake to the month of the Genesee River, the computed
590
IIISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the Genesee to the place of their destination, thirty miles. In their passage up the river they were about five days, and as the falls in this river near its en- tranee into Lake Ontario has made a carrying-place of about two miles, they dragged their canoe this dis- tance to the place of boating above the falls. There were nine Indians of the party with them. They fre- quently caught fish by the way.
" When the party arrived at the place of their de- signed settlement, they soon erected a small hut or wigwam, and the ground being rich and level, they began with their plantation of Indian eorn. Two white men who had been taken prisoners, the one from Susquehanna and the other from Minisinks, both in Pennsylvania, lived near this new settlement, and were allowed by the Indians to use the horses and plant for themselves. These men lightened the toil of Benjamin Peart's servitude, as he was frequently in their company, and he had the liberty of doing something for himself, though without much success.
"Ilis new habitation, as it was not very healthy, introduced fresh difficulties, for he had not continued here long before he was afflicted with sickness, which preyed upon him near three months, the Indians re- peatedly endeavoring to relieve him by their knowl- edge of simples, but their endeavors proved ineffee- tual ; the approach of the winter season afforded the relief sought for. Their provisions were not very tempting to a weakly constitution, having nothing else than hominy, and but short allowance even of that, insomuch that when his appetite increased he could not procure food sufficient to recruit his strength. The company of his brother, Thomas Peart, who visited him, was a great comfort, and as the town he lived at was but the distance of eighteen miles, they had frequent opportunities of condoling with each other in their distress.
"The Indian men being absent on one of their war excursions, and the women employed in gathering the corn, left Benjamin Peart much leisure to reflect in solitude.
" Towards the beginning of the winter season the men returned, and built themselves a log house for a granary, and then removed about twenty miles from their settlement into the hunting country, and pro- eured a great variety of game, which they usually ate without bread or salt. As he had been with the In- dians for several months, their language became more familiar to him.
" Hunting and feasting, after their manner, being their only employment, they soon cleared the place where they settled of the game, which made a second removal necessary, and they are so accustomed to this wandering life that it becomes their choice.
" They fixed up a log house in this second hunting place and continued until the Second month, when they returned to their first settlement, though their stay was but a few days, and then back again to their log hut.
" A heavy rain falling melted some of the snow, which had covered the ground about two feet.
"The whole family concluded upon a journey to Niagara Fort by land, which was completed in seven days. At the fort he had the satisfaction of con- versing with his brother, Thomas Peart, and the same day his wife also came from Buffalo Creek with the Senecas to the fort. This happy meeting, after an absence of ten months, drew tears of joy from them. The Indians not approving of their conversing much together, as they imagined they would remember their former sitnation and become less contented with their present manner of life, they separated again the same day, and took Benjamin's wife about four miles away ; but the party with whom he came permitted him to stay here several nights, and when the Indians had completed their purpose of trathe they returned, taking him some miles back with them to one of their towns ; but upon his telling them that he was desirous of returning to the fort to procure something he had before forgot, in order for his journey, he was per- mitted. As he stayed the night with his adopted brother, the Indian came for him, but upon his complaining that he was so lame as to prevent his traveling with them, they suffered him to remain behind.
" Ile continued at the fort about two months before the Indians came back again, and as he labored for the white people, he had an opportunity of proeuring salt provisions from the king's stores, which had been for a long time a dainty to him.
"When one of the Indians (a second adopted brother) came for him, Benjamin went with him to Capt. Powell, who, with earnest solicitations and some presents, prevailed upon the Indian to suffer him to stay until he returned from his war expedi- tion ; but this was the last he ever made, as he lost his life on the frontiers of New York.
" After this another captain (a third adopted brother) came to the fort, and when Benjamin Peart saw him he applied to Adjt .- Gen. Wilkinson to inter- cede for his release, who accordingly waited upon Col. Jolison and other officers to prevail with them to exert themselves upon his behalf. They concluded to hold a council with the Indians for this purpose, who, after some deliberation, surrendered him up to Col. Johnson, for which he gave them a valuable com- pensation.
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