History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics, Part 4

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1320

USA > Pennsylvania > McKean County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Potter County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Elk County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Cameron County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 4

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But these troubles were of small consequence compared with those that were threatening from the West. The French were determined to occupy the whole territory drained by the Mississippi, including that on the Ohio, by force of arms, and a body of one hundred and fifty men, of which Washington was second in command, was sent to the support of the settlers there; but the French having the Allegheny river at flood-tide on which to move, and Wash- ington, without means of transportation, having a rugged and mountainous country to overcome, the former first reached the point of destination. Con- tracour, the French commander. with 1,000 men and field pieces on a fleet of sixty boats and 300 canoes, dropped down the Allegheny and easily seized the fort then being constructed by the Ohio Company at its mouth, and proceeded

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA

to erect there an elaborate work which he called Fort Du Quesne, after the governor-general. Informed of this proceeding, Washington pushed forward. and finding that a detachment of the French was in his immediate neighbor- hood he made a forced march by night, and coming upon them unawares killed and captured the entire party save one. Ten of the French, including their commander, Jumonville, were killed, and twenty-one made prisoners. Col. Fry, the commander of the Americans, died at Will's creek, where the com- mand devolved on Washington. Though re enforcements had been dispatched from the several colonies in response to the urgent appeals of Washington. none reached him but one company of 100 men under Capt. Mackay, from South Carolina. Knowing that he was confronting a vastly superior force of the French, well supplied with artillery, he threw up works at a point called the Great Meadows, which he characterizes as a " charming field for an encoun- ter," naming his hastily built fortification Fort Necessity. Stung by the loss of their leader, the French came out in strong force and soon invested the place. Unfortunately one part of Washington's position was easily com- manded by the artillery of the French, which they were not slow in taking advantage of. The action opened on the 3d of July, and was continued until late at night. A capitulation was proposed by the French commander, which Washington reluctantly accepted, seeing all hopes of re-enforcements reaching him cut off, and on the 4th of July marched out with the honors of war and fell back to Fort Cumberland. Gov. Hamilton had strongly recommended. before hostilities opened, that the assembly should provide for defense and establish a line of block-houses along the frontier. But the assembly, while willing to vote money for buying peace from the Indians, and contributions to the British Crown, from which protection was claimed, was unwilling to con tribute directly for even defensive warfare. In a single year €8,000 were voted to Indian gratuities. The proprietors were appealed to to aid in bearing this burden. But, while they were willing to contribute liberally for defense. they would give nothing for Indian gratuities They sent to the colony cannons to the value of $400.

In February, 1753, John Penn, grandson of the founder, son of Richard. arrived in the colony, and as a mark of respect was immediately chosen a mem- ber of the council, and made its president. In consequence of the defeat of Washington at Fort Necessity, Gov. Hamilton convened the assembly in extra session on the 6th of August, at which money was freely voted; but owing to the instructions given by the proprietors to their deputy-governor not to sign any money bill that did not place the whole of the interest at their disposal, the action of the assembly was abortive.

Finding himself in a false position by the repugnant instructions of the pro- prietors, Gov. Hamilton had given notice in 1753, that at the end of twelve months from its reception, he would resign. Accordingly, in October, 1754, he was succeeded by Robert Hunter Morris, son of Lewis Morris, chief justice of New York and New Jersey, and governor of New Jersey. The son was bred a lawyer, and was for twenty six years a counselor, and for twenty chief jus- tice of New Jersey. The assembly at its first session voted a money bill for £40,000, but not having the proviso required by the proprietors it was vetoed. Determined to push military operations, the British government had called early in the year for three thousand volunteers from Pennsylvania, with sub- sistence, camp equipage and transportation, and had sent two regiments of the line, under Gen. Braddock, from Cork, Ireland. Landing at Alexandria, Va .. he marched to Frederick, Md., where, finding no supplies of transportation, he halted. The assembly of Pennsylvania had voted to borrow £5,000, on its

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

own account, for the use of the crown in prosecuting the campaign, and had sent Franklin, who was then postmaster-general for the colonies, to Braddock to aid in prosecuting the expedition. Finding that the army was stopped for lack of transportation, Franklin returned into Pennsylvania, and by his com- manding influence soon secured the necessary wagons and beasts of burden.

Braddock had formed extravagant plans for his campaign. He would march forward and reduce Fort Du Quesne, thence proceed against Fort Niagara, having conquered which he would close a season of triumphs by the capture of Fort Frontignac. But this is not the first time in warfare that the result of a campaign has failed to realize the promises of the manifesto. Accus- tomed to the discipline of military establishments in old, long settled coun- tries, Braddock had little conception of making war in a wilderness with only Indian trails to move upon, and against wily savages. Washington had advised to push forward with pack-horses, and by rapidity of movement forestall ample preparation. But Braddock had but one way of soldiering, and where roads did not exist for wagons he stopped to fell the forest and construct bridges over streams. The French, who were kept advised of every movement, made ample preparations to receive him. In the meantime Washington fell sick; but intent on being up for the battle, he hastened forward as soon as sufficiently recovered, and only joined the army on the day before the fatal engagement. He had never seen much of the pomp and circumstance of war, and when on the morning of the 9th of July the army of Braddock marched on across the Monongahela, with gay colors flying and martial music awakening the echoes of the forest, he was accustomed in after years to speak of it as the "most magnificent spectacle" that he had ever beheld. But the gay pageant was destined to be of short duration; for the army had only marched a little dis- tance before it fell into an ambuscade skillfully laid by the French and Indians, and the forest resounded with the unearthly whoop of the Indians and the con- tinnous roar of musketry. The advance was checked and thrown into confusion by the French from their well-chosen position, and every tree upon the flanks of the long drawn outline concealed a murderous foe, who with unerring aim picked off the officers. A resolute defense was made and the battle raged with great fury for three hours; but the fire of the English was ineffectual because directed against an invisible foe. Finally, the mounted officers having all fallen, killed or wounded, except Washington, the survivors being left without leaders were seized with a panic, and "they ran," says Washington, "before the French and Indians like sheep before dogs."

Gov. Morris made an earnest appeal to the assembly for money to ward off the impending enemy and protect the settlers, in response to which the assembly voted £50,000; but having no exemption of the proprietor's estates it was rejected by the governor, in accordance with his original instructions. Expeditions undertaken against Nova Scotia and at Crown Point were more fortunate than that before Du Quesne, and the assembly voted £15,000 in bills of credit to aid in defraying the expense. The proprietors sent £5, 000 as a gratuity, not as any part of expense that could of right be claimed of them. In this pressing emergency, while the governor and assembly were waging a fruitless war of words over money bills, the pen of Franklin was busy in infusing a wholesome sentiment in the minds of the people. In a pamphlet that he issued, which he put in the familiar form of a dialogue, he answered the objections which had been urged to a legalized militia, and willing to show his devotion by deeds as well as words, he accepted the com- mand upon the frontier. By his exertions a respectable force was raised, and, though in the dead of winter, he commenced the erection of a line of forts

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

and block-houses along the whole range of the Kittatinny hills, from the Delaware to the Potomac, and had them completed and garrisoned with a body sufficient to withstand any force not provided with artillery. In the spring he turned over the command to Col. Clapham, and returning to Philadelphia took his seat in the assembly. The governor now declared war against the Indians, who had established their headquarters thirty miles above Harris' Ferry, on the Susquehanna, and were busy in their work of robbery and devastation, having secured the greater portion of the crops of the previous season of the settlers whom they had killed or driven out. The peace party strongly objected to the course of the governor, and voluntarily going among the Indians induced them to bury the hatchet. The assembly which met in May, 1756, prepared a bill with the old clause for taxing the proprietors, as any other citizens, which the governor was forbidden to approve by his instruc- tions, "and the two parties were sharpening their wits for another wrangle over it," when Gov. Morris was superseded by William Denny, who arrived in the colony and assumed authority on the 20th of August, 1756. He was joyfully and cordially received, escorted through the streets by the regiments of Franklin and Duche, and royally feasted at the State House.

But the promise of efficient legislation was broken by an exhibition of the new governor's instructions, which provided that every bill for the emission of money must place the proceeds at the joint disposal of the governor and assembly; paper currency could not be issued in excess of $40,000, nor could existing issues be confirmed unless proprietary rents were paid in sterling money; proprietary lands were permitted to be taxed which had been actually leased, provided that the taxes were paid out of the rents, but the tax could not become a lien upon the land. In the first assembly the contention became as acrimonious as ever.

The finances of the colony, on account of the repeated failures of the money bills, were in a deplorable condition. Military operations could not be carried on, and vigorous campaigns prosecuted, without ready money. Accordingly, in the first meeting of the assembly after the arrival of the new governor, a bill was passed levying £100.000 on all property alike, real and personal, private and proprietary. This Gov. Denny vetoed. Seeing that money must be had the assembly finally passed a bill exempting the proprie- tary estates, but determined to lay their grievances before the crown. To this end two commissioners, Isaac Norris and Benjamin Franklin, were appointed to proceed to England and beg the interference of the royal govern- ment in their behalf. Failing health and business engagements of Norris prevented his acceptance, and Franklin proceeded alone. He had so often defended the assembly in public, and in drawing remonstrances, that the whole subject was at his fingers' ends. Franklin, upon his arrival in Eng- land, presented the grievances before the proprietors, and that he might get his case before the royal advisers and the British public, wrote frequent articles for the press, and issued a pamphlet entitled "Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania." The dispute was adroitly managed by Franklin before the privy council, and was finally decided sub- stantially in the interest of the assembly. It was provided that the proprie- tors' estates should be taxed, but that their located uncultivated lands should be assessed as low as the lowest uncultivated lands of the settlers; that bills issued by the assembly should be receivable in payment of quit-rents, and that the deputy-governor should have a voice in disposing of the revenues. Thus was a vexed question of long standing finally put to rest. So success-

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

fully had Franklin managed this controversy that the colonies of Massa- chusetts, Maryland and Georgia, appointed him their agent in England.

In October, 1759, James Hamilton was again appointed governor, in place of Gov. Denny, who had by stress of circumstances transcended his instruc- tions. The British government, considering that the colonies had borne more than their proportionate expense in carrying on the war against the French and Indians, voted £200,000 for five years, to be divided among the colonies, the share falling to Pennsylvania being ₺26,000.

The boundary line between Maryland and Pennsylvania had long been in dispute, and had occasioned serious disturbances among the settlers in the lifetime of Penn, and repeatedly since. It was not definitely settled until 1760, when a beginning was made of a final adjustment, though so intricate were the conditions that the work was prosecuted for seven years by a large force of surveyors, as men and pioneers. Finally, the proprietors, Thomas and Richard Penn, and Frederick, Lord Baltimore, entered into an agreement for the executing of the survey, and John Lukens and Archibald McLean on the part of the Penns, and Thomas Garnett and Jonathan Hall on the part of Lord Baltimore, were appointed with a suitable corps of assistants to lay off the lines. After these surveyors had been three years at work, the proprietors in England, thinking that there was not enough energy and practical and scientific knowledge manifested by these surveyors, appointed Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, two mathematicians and surveyors, to proceed to Amer- ica to take charge of the work. They brought with them the most perfect and best constructed instruments known to science, arriving in Philadelphia on the 15th of November. 1763, and, assisted by some of the old surveyors, entered upon their work. By the 4th of June, 1766, they had reached the summit of the Little Allegheny, when the Indians began to be troublesome. They looked with an evil eye on the mathematical and astronomical instruments, and felt a secret dread and fear of the consequences of the frequent and long continued peering into the heavens. The Six Nations were understood to be inimical to the further progress of the survey. But through the influence of Sir William Johnson a treaty was concluded, providing for the prosecution of the work unmolested, and a number of chieftains was sent to accompany the surveying party. Mason and Dixon now had with them thirty surveyors, fifteen axmen, and fifteen Indians of consequence. Again the attitude of the Indians gave cause of fear, and, on the 29th of September, twenty-six of the surveyors abandoned the expedition and returned to Philadelphia. Having reached a point two hundred and twenty- four miles from the Delaware, and within thirty- six miles of the western limit of the State, in the bottom of a deep, dark valley they came upon a well-worn Indian path, and here the Indians gave notice that it was the will of the Six Nations that this survey proceed no further. There

was no questioning this authority, and no means at command for resisting, and accordingly the party broke up and returned to Philadelphia. And this was the end of the labors of Mason and Dixon upon this boundary. The line was marked by stones which were quarried and engraved in England, on one side having the arms of Penn, and on the opposite those of Lord Baltimore. These stones were firmly set every five miles. At the end of each intermediate mile a smaller stone was placed, having on one side engraved the letter P. and on the opposite the letter MI. The remainder of the line was finished and marked in 1782-84 by other surveyors. A vista was cut through the forest eight yards in width the whole distance. In 1849 the stone at the northeast corner of Maryland having been removed, a re-survey of the line was ordered, and survey - ors were appointed by the three States of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Mary.

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

land, who called to their aid James D. Graham. Some few errors were dis- covered in the old survey, but in the main it was fonnd to be accurate.

John Penn, one son of Richard, and grandson of the founder, had come to the colony in 1753, and having acted as president of the council, was in 1763 commissioned governor in place of Hamilton.

A difference having arisen between the governor and assembly on the vexed question of levying money, the assembly passed a series of resolutions advocat- ing that the " powers of government ought to be separated from the power attending the immense proprietary property, and lodged in the hands of the king." After an interval of fifty days-that time for reflection and discussion might be given-the assembly again convened, and adopted a petition praying the king to assume the direct government of the province, though this policy was strongly opposed by some of the ablest members, as Isaac Norris and John Dickinson. The Quaker element was generally in favor of the change.

The great struggle for the independence of the colonies of the British crown was now close at hand, and the first sounds of the controversy were be- ginning to be heard. Sir William Keith, that enterprising governor whose head seemed to have been full of new projects, as early as 1739 had proposed to lay a uniform tax on stamped paper in all the colonies, to realize funds for the common defense. Acting upon this hint, Grenville, the British minister, notified the colonists in 1763 of his purpose to impose such a tax. Against this they remonstrated. Instead of this, a tax on imports to be paid in eoin was adopted. This was even more distasteful. The assembly of Rhode Island. in October, 1765, submitted a paper to all the colonial assemblies with a view to uniting in a common petition to the king against parliamentary taxation. This was favorably acted on by the assembly of Pennsylvania, and Franklin was appointed agent to represent their cause before the British parliament. The stamp act had been passed on the 22d of March, 1765. Its passage ex- cited bitter opposition, and a resolution asserting that the colonial assemblies had the exclusive right to levy taxes was passed by the Virginia assembly, and concurred in by all the others. The Massachusetts assembly proposed a meeting of delegates in New York on the second Tuesday of October, 1765, to confer upon the subject. The Pennsylvania assembly adopted the suggestion, and appointed Messrs. Fox, Morton, Bryan and Dickinson as delegates. This congress met according to the call and adopted a respectful petition to the king, and a memorial to parliament, which were signed by all the members and forwarded for presentation by the colonial agents in England. The stamp act was to go into effect on the 1st of November. On the last day of October, the newspapers were dressed in mourning, and suspended publication. The pub- lishers agreed not to use the stamped paper. The people, as with one mind, determined to dress in homespun, resolved not to use imported goods, and to stimulate the production of wool the colonists covenanted not to eat lamb for the space of one year. The result of this policy was soon felt by British man- ufacturers, who became clamorous for repeal of the obnoxious measure, and it was accordingly repealed on the 18th of Mareb, 1766.

Determined in some form to draw a revenue from the colonies, an act was passed in 1767 to impose a duty on tea, paper, printers' colors and glass. The assembly of Pennsylvania passed a resolution on the 20th of February, 1768, instructing its agent in London to urge its repeal, and at the session in May received and entered upon its minutes a circular letter from the Massachusetts assembly, setting forth the grounds on which objection to the act should be urged. This circular occasioned hostile feeling among the ministry, and the secretary for foreign affairs wrote to Gov. Penn to urge the assembly to take-

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

no notice of it; but if they approved its sentiments, to prorogue their sittings. This letter was transmitted to the assembly, and soon after one from the Vir- ginia assembly was presented, urging union of all the colonies in opposing the several schemes of taxation. This recommendation was adopted, and com- mittees appointed to draw a petition to the king and to each of the houses of parliament. To lead public sentiment, and have it well grounded in the argu- ments used against taxation, John Dickinson, one of the ablest of the Pennsyl - vania legislators, at this time published a number of articles purporting to come from a plain farmer, under the title of "Farmer's Letters," which be- came popular, the idea that they were the work of one in humble life helping to swell the tide of popularity. They were republished in all the colonies, and exerted a commanding influence. Alarmed at the unanimity of feelings against the proposed schemes, and supposing that it was the amount of the tax that gave offense, parliament reduced the rate of 1769 to one-sixth of the original sum, and in 1770 abolished it altogether, except threepence a pound on tea. But it was the principle and not the amount that was objected to, and at the next session of the assembly in Pennsylvania their agent in London was directed to urge its repeal altogether.

Richard Penn, son of the founder, died in 1771, whereupon Gov. John Penn returned to England, leaving the president of the council, James Ham- ilton, at the head of the government. John Penn, eldest son of Richard, suc- ceeded to the proprietary interests of his father, which he held in conjunction with his uncle, Thomas, and in October of the same year, Richard. the second son, was commissioned governor. He held the office but about two years, and in that time won the confidence and esteem of the people; and so much attached was he to the popular cause that upon his return to England, in 1775, he was intrusted by congress with the last petition of the colonies ever pre- sented to the king. In August, 1773, John Penn returned with the commis- sion of governor, superseding his brother Richard.

To encourage the sale of tea in the colonies and establish the principle of taxation the export duty was removed. The colonies took the alarm. At a public meeting called in Philadelphia to consider the subject, on the 18th of October, 1773, resolutions were adopted in which it was declared: "That the disposal of their own property is the inherent right of freemen; that there can be no property in that which another can, of right, take from us without our consent; that the claim of parliament to tax America is, in other words, a claim of right to levy contributions on us at pleasure." The East India Com- pany now made preparations for sending large importations of tea into the colo- nies. The ships destined for Philadelphia and New York, on approaching port and being advised of the exasperated state of public feeling, returned to England with their cargoes. Those sent to Boston came into the harbor; but at night a party disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded the vessels, and break- ing open the packages emptied three hundred chests into the sea. The min- istry, on being apprised of this act, closed the port of Boston, and subverted the colonial charter. Early in the year committees of correspondence had been established in all the colonies by means of which the temper and feeling in each were well understood by the others, and concert of action was secured. The hard conditions imposed on the town of Boston and the colony of Massa- chusetts Bay aroused the sympathy of all; "for," they argued, "we know not how soon the heavy hand of oppression may be felt by any of us." At a meeting held in Philadelphia on the 18th of June, 1774, at which nearly eight thousand people were convened, it was decided that a continental congress ought to be held, and appointed a committee of correspondence to communi-

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cate with similar committees in the several counties of Pennsylvania and in the several colonies. On the 15th of July, 1774, delegates from all the counties, summoned by this committee, assembled in Philadelphia, and declared that there existed an absolute necessity for a colonial congress. They accordingly recommended that the assembly appoint delegates to such a congress to repre- sent Pennsylvania, and Joseph Galloway, Samuel Rhoads, George Ross, Edward Biddle, John Dickinson, Charles Humphries and Thomas Mifflin were appointed.

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Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1320

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1320