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 5

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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5

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On the 4th of September, 1774. the first continental congress assembled in Philadelphia. Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, was called to preside, and Charles Thomson, of Pennsylvania, was appointed secretary. It was resolved that no more goods be imported from England, and that unless a pacification was effected previously no more colonial produce of the soil be exported thither after September 10, 1775. A declaration of rights was adopted, and addresses to the king, the people of Great Britain and of British America were agreed to, after which the congress adjourned to meet again on the 10th of May, 1775. In January, same year, another meeting of the county delegates was held in Philadelphia, at which the action of the colonial congress was approved. and while a restoration of harmony with the mother country was desired, yet, if the arbitrary acts of parliament were persisted in, they would at every hazard defend the "rights and liberties of America." The delegates appointed to represent the colony in the second congress were Mifflin, Humphries, Biddle. Dickinson, Morton, Franklin, Wilson and Willing.

The government of Great Britain had determined with a strong hand to compel obedience to its behests. On the 19th of April, 1775, was fought the battle of Lexington, a blow that was felt alike through all the colonies. The cause of one was the cause of all. A public meeting was held in Philadelphia. at which it was resolved to organize military companies in all the counties. The assembly heartily seconded these views, and engaged to provide for the pay of the militia while in service. The second congress, which met in May, provided for organizing a Continental army, fixing the quota for Pennsylvania at 4,300 men. The assembly adopted the recommendation of congress, pro- vided for arming, disciplining and paying the militia, recommended the organ- izing of minutemen for service in an emergency, made appropriations for the defense of the city, and offered a premium on the production of saltpetre. Complications hourly thickened. Ticonderoga was captured on the 10th of May, and the battle of Bunker Hill was fought on the 17th of June. On the 15th of June George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the continental army, supported by four major-generals and eight brigadiers.

The royal governors were now an incumbrance greatly in the way of the popular movement, as were also the assemblies where they refused to repre- sent the popular will. Accordingly, congress recommended that the several colonies should adopt such government as should "best conduce to the hap piness and safety of their constituents in particular and America in general." This meant that each colony should set up a government for itself, independent of the crown. Accordingly, a public meeting was held in Philadelphia, at which it was resolved that the present assembly is "not competent to the present exigencies of affairs," and that a new form of government ought to be adopted as recommended by congress. The city committee of correspondence called on the county committee to secure the election of delegates to a colonial meeting for the purpose of considering this subject. On the 18th of June the meeting was held in Philadelphia, and was organized by electing Thomas McKean president. It resolved to call a convention to frame a new constitu-

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tion, provided the legal forms to be observed, and issued an address to the peo- ple. The convention for framing a new constitution for the colony met on the 15th of July, and was organized by electing Franklin president, and on the 28th of September completed its labors, having framed a new organie law and made all necessary provisions for putting it into operation. In the meantime the old proprietary assembly adjourned on the 14th of June to the 26th of August. But a quorum failed to appear, and an adjournment was had to the 23d of September, when some routine business was attended to, chiefly providing for the payment of salaries and necessary bills, and on the 28th of September, after a stormy existence of nearly a century, this assembly. the creature of Penn, adjourned, never to meet again. With the ending of the assembly ended the power of Gov. Penn.

The titles of the proprietors to landed estates were suspended by the action of the convention, and on the 27th of November, 1779, the legislature passed an aet vesting these estates in the commonwealth, but paying the proprietors a gratuity of $130,000, " in remembrance of the enterprising spirit of the founder." This act did not touch the private estates of the proprietors, nor the tenths of manors. The British government in 1790, in consideration of the fact that it had been unable to vindicate its anthority over the colony and afford protection to the proprietors in the enjoyment of their chartered rights, voted an annuity of $4,000 to the heirs and descendants of Penn. This annu- ity was regularly paid until within a few years, when, on the payment of a round sum to the heirs by the British government, the annuity was diseon- tinued.

The convention which framed the constitution appointed a committee of safety, consisting of twenty-five members, to whom was intrusted the govern- ment of the colony until the proposed constitution should be framed and put in operation. Thomas Rittenhouse was chosen president of this body, who was consequently in effect governor. The new constitution, which was unan- imously adopted on the 28th of September, was to take effect from its passage. It provided for an assembly to be elected annually: a supreme executive eoun- cil of twelve members to be elected for a term of three years; assemblymen to be eligible but four years out of seven, and conneilmen but one term in seven years. Members of congress were chosen by the assembly. The constitution could not be changed for seven years. It provided for the election of eensors every seven years, who were to decide whether there was a demand for its revision. If so, they were to call a convention for the purpose. On the 6th of August, 1776, Thomas Wharton, Jr., was chosen president of the council of safety.

The struggle of the parent country was now fully inaugurated. Parlia- ment had resolved upon a vigorous campaign, to strike heavy and rapid blows. and quickly end the war. The first campaign had been eondueted in Massa- chusetts and, by the efficient conduct of Washington, Gen. Howe, the leader of the British, was compelled to capitulate and withdraw to Halifax in Mareh, 1776. On the 28th of June Sir Henry Clinton, with a strong detachment in conjunction with Sir Peter Parker of the navy, made a combined land and naval attack upon the defenses of Charleston harbor, where he was met by Gen. William Moultrie, with the Carolina militia, and after a severe battle, in which the British fleet was roughly handled, Clinton withdrew and returned to New York, whither the main body of the British army, under Gen. Howe, had eome, and where Admiral Howe, with a large fleet directly from England, joined them. This formidable power, led by the best talent in the British army, Washington eould muster no adequate force to oppose, and he was

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

obliged to withdraw from Long Island, from New York, from Harlem, from White Plains, to cross into New Jersey, and abandon position after position until he had reached the right bank of the Delaware on Pennsylvania soil. A heavy detachment under Cornwallis followed, and would have crossed the Del- aware in pursuit, but, advised to a cautious policy by Howe, he waited for ice to form on the waters of the Delaware before passing over. The fall of Phil- adelphia now seemed imminent. Washington had not sufficient force to face the whole power of the British army. On the 2d of December the supreme coun- cil ordered all places of business in the city to be closed, the schools dismissed, and advised preparation for removing the women and children and valuables. On the 12th the congress, which was in session here, adjourned to meet in Bal- timore, taking with them all papers and public records, and leaving a committee, of which Robert Morris was chairman, to act in conjunction with Washington for the safety of the place. Gen. Putnam was dispatched on the same day with a detachment of soldiers to take command in the city.

Washington, who had from the opening of the campaign before New York been obliged for the most part to act upon the defensive, formed the plan to suddenly turn upon his pursuers and offer battle. Accordingly, on the night of the 25th of December, taking a picked body of men. he moved up several miles to Taylorsville, where he crossed the river, though at flood tide and filled with floating ice, and moving down to Trenton, where a detach- ment of the British army was posted, made a bold and vigorous attack. Taken by surprise, though now after sunrise, the battle was soon decided in favor of the Americans. The victory had a great stragetic value. The British had intended to push forward and occupy Philadelphia at once, which, being now virtually the capital of the new nation, had it been captured at this junct- ure, would have given them the occasion for claiming a triumphal ending of the war. But this advantage, though gained by a detachment small in num- bers yet great in courage, caused the commander of a powerful and well-ap- pointed army to give up all intention of attempting to capture the Pennsyl- vania metropolis in this campaign, and retiring into winter cantonments upon the Raritan to await the settled weather of the spring for an entirely new cast of operations. Washington, emboldened by his success, led all his forces into New Jersey, and pushing past Trenton, where Cornwallis, the royal leader. had brought his main body by a forced march under cover of darkness, at- tacked the British reserves at Princeton. But now the enemy had become wary and vigilant, and, summoned by the booming of cannon, Cornwallis hastened back to the relief of his hard-pressed columns. Washington, finding that the enemy's whole army was within easy call, and knowing that he had no hope of success with his weak army, withdrew. He now went into winter quarters at Morristown, and by constant vigilance was able to gather marauding parties of the British who ventured far away from their works.

Putnam commenced fortifications at a point below Philadelphia upon the Delaware and at commanding positions upon the outskirts, and on being sum- moned to the army was succeeded by Gen. Irvine, and he by Gen. Gates. On the 4th of March, 1777, the two houses of the legislature, elected under the new constitution, assembled, and in joint convention chose Thomas Wharton, Jr., president, and George Bryan, vice-president. Penn had expressed the idea that power was preserved the better by due formality and ceremony, and. accordingly, this event was celebrated with much pomp, the result being de- clared in a loud voice from the court-house, amid the shouts of the gathered throngs and the booming of the captured cannon brought from the field of Trenton. The title bestowed upon the new chief officer of the State was fitted

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

by its length and high-sounding epithets to inspire the multitude with awe and reverence: "His Excellency, Thomas Wharton, Junior, Esquire, President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, Captain-General and Com- mander-in-Chief in and over the same."

Early in April great activity was observed among the shipping in New York harbor, and Washington communicated to congress his opinion that Philadelphia was the object against which the blow would be aimed. This announcement of probable peril induced the council to issue a proclamation urging enlistments, and congress ordered the opening of a camp for drilling recruits in Pennsylvania, and Benedict Arnold, who was at this time a trusted general, was appointed to the command of it. So many new vessels and trans- ports of all classes had been discovered to have come into New York harbor, probably forwarded from England, that Washington sent Gen. Mifflin, on the 10th of June, to congress, bearing a letter in which he expressed the settled conviction that the enemy meditated an immediate descent upon some part of Pennsylvania. Gen. Mifflin proceeded to examine the defensive works of the city which had been begun on the previous advance of the British, and recom- mended such changes and new works as seemed best adapted for its protec- tion. The preparations for defense were vigorously prosecuted. The militia were called out and placed in two camps, one at Chester and the other at Downington. Fire-ships were held in readiness to be used against vessels at- tempting the ascent of the river.

Lord Howe, being determined not to move until ample preparations were completed, allowed the greater part of the summer to wear away before he ad- vanced. Finally, having embarked his force on a fleet of transports, he sailed southward. Washington promptly made a corresponding march overland, passing through Philadelphia on the 24th of August. Howe, suspecting that preparations would be made for impeding the passage of the Delaware, sailed past its mouth, and moving up the Chesapeake instead debarked fifty-four miles from Philadelphia, and commenced the march northward. Great activity was now manifested in the city. The water-spouts were melted to furnish bul- lets, fair hands were busied in rolling cartridges, powerful chevaux-de-frise were planted to impede the navigation of the river, and the last division of the militia of the city, which had been divided into three classes, was called out. Washington, who had crossed the Brandywine, soon confronted the ad- vance of Howe, and brisk skirmishing at once opened. Seeing that he was likely to have the right of his position at Red Clay creek, where he had intended to give battle, turned by the largely superior force of the enemy. under cover of darkness on the night of the 8th of September, he withdrew across the Brandywine at Chad's Ford. and posting Armstrong with the mili- tia upon the left, at Pyle's Ford, where the banks were rugged and precipitous. and Sullivan, who was second in command, upon the right at Brinton's Ford. under cover of forest, he himself took post with three divisions, Sterling's, Stephen's and his own, in front of the main avenue of approach at Chad's. Discovering the strong position which the American army occupied. the Brit- ish general began a maneuver to turn it by a flank movement. Washington. always on the alert, promptly divined the enemy's intentions, and ordered Gen. Sullivan to counteract the movement by flanking the flankers, while he held his immediate command ready to attack the main force while in confusion. The plan was ruined, however, by Sullivan's failure to obey orders, and Wash- ington had no alternative but to remain in position and make the best dispo- sition that time would permit. His main body with the force of Sullivan took position along the brow of the hill on which stands the Birmingham meeting-

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

house, and the battle opened and was pushed with vigor the whole day. Over- borne by numbers, and weakened by losses, Washington was obliged to retire, leaving the enemy in possession of the field.

Congress remained in Philadelphia while these military operations were going on at its very doors, but on the 18th of September adjourne ? to meet at Lancaster, though subsequently, on the 30th. it removed across the Susque- hanna to York, where it remained in session till after the evacuation in the following summer. The conncil remained until two days before the fall of the city, when, having dispatched the records of the loan office and the more valu- able papers to Easton, it adjourned to Lancaster. On the 26th the British army entered the city. Deborah Logan in her memoir says: "The army marched in and took possession of the city in the morning. We were upstairs and saw them pass the State House. They looked well, clean and well clad, and the contrast between them and our own poor, bare-footed, ragged troops was very great, and caused a feeling of despair. * * * * Early in the afternoon Lord Cornwallis' suite arrived and took possession of my mother's house."

The army of Washington, after being recruited and put in light marching order, was led to Germantown, where on the morning of the 3d of October the enemy was met. A heavy fog that morning had obscured friend and foe alike, occasioning confusion in the ranks and, thongh the opening promised well and some progress was made, yet the enemy was too strong to be moved, and the American leader was forced to retire to his camp at White Marsh, Though the river had now been opened and the city was thoroughly fortified for resist ing attack, yet Howe felt not quite easy in having the American army quar- tered in so close striking distance, and accordingly on the 4th of December, with nearly his entire army, moved out, intending to take Washington at White Marsh, sixteen miles away, by surprise, and by rapidity of action gain an easy victory. But by the heroism and fidelity of Lydia Darrah, who as she had often done before passed the guards to go to the mill for flour, the news of the coming of Howe was communicated to Washington, who was prepared to receive him. Finding that he could effect nothing, Howe returned to the city, having had the wearisome march at this wintry season without effect. Washington now crossed the Schuylkill, and went into winter quarters at Val- ley Forge. The cold of that winter was intense; the troops, half-clad and indifferently ted, suffered severely, the prints of their naked feet in frost and snow being often tinted with patriot blood. Grown impatient of the small results from the immensely expensive campaigns carried on across the ocean. the ministry relieved Lord Howe and appointed Sir Henry Clinton to the chief command.

The commissioners whom congress had sent to France early in the fall of 1776-Franklin, Dean and Lee-had been busy in making interest for the united colonies at the French court, and so successful were they that arms and ammunition and loans of money were procured from time to time. Finally, a convention was concluded by which France agreed to use the royal army and navy as faithful allies of the Americans against the English. Accordingly. a fleet of four powerful frigates and twelve ships were dispatched under com- mand of the Count D'Estaing to shut up the British fleet in the Delaware. The plan was ingenious, particularly worthy of the long head of Franklin. But intelligence of the sailing of the French fleet reaching the English cabinet, they immediately ordered the evacuation of the Delaware, whereupon the admiral weighed anchor and sailed away with his entire fleet to New York.

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and D'Estaing, upon his arrival at the mouth of the Delaware, found that the bird had flown.

Clinton evacuated Philadelphia, and moved across New Jersey in the direc- tion of New York. Washington closely followed, and came up with the enemy on the plains of Monmouth, on the 28th of June, 1778, where a sanguinary battle was fought which lasted the whole day, resulting in the triumph of the American arms, and Pennsylvania was rid of British troops. The enemy was no sooner well away from the city than congress returned from New York and resumed its sittings in its former quarters, June 24, 1778, and on the following day the colonial legislature returned from Lancaster. Gen. Arnold, who was disabled from field duty by a wound received at Saratoga. was given command in the city, and marched in with a regiment on the day following the evacua- tion. On the 23d of May, 1778, President Wharton died suddenly of quinsy. while in attendance upon the council at Lancaster, when George Bryan, the vice-president, became the acting president. Bryan was a philanthropist in deed as well as in word. Up to this time African slavery had been tolerated in the colony. In his message of the 9th of November, he said: "This or some better scheme would tend to abrogate slavery, the opprobrium of Amer. ica, from among us. * * In divesting the State of slaves, you will equally serve the cause of humanity and policy, and offer to God one of the most proper and best returns of gratitude for His great deliverance of us and our posterity from thraldom; you will also set your character for justice and benevolence in the true point of view to Europe, who are astonished to see a people eager for liberty holding negroes in bondage." He perfected a bill for the extinguishment of claims to slaves, which was passed by the assembly, March 1, 1780, by a vote of thirty-four to eighteen, providing that no child of slave parents born after that date should be a slave, but a servant till the age of twenty-eight years, when all claim for service should end. Thus by simple enactment, resolutely pressed by Bryan, was slavery forever rooted ont of Pennsylvania.

At the election held for president, the choice fell upon Joseph Reed, with George Bryan, vice-president, subsequently Matthew Smith, aud finally Will- iam Moore. Reed was an erudite lawyer, and had held the position of private secretary to Washington, and subsequently that of adiutant general in the army. He was inaugurated on the Ist of December, 1778. William Moore was elected president to succeed Joseph Reed, from November 14, 1781, but held the office less than one year, the term of three years for which he had been a councilman having expired, which was the limit of service. James Potter was chosen vice-president. In the State election of 1782, contested with great violence, John Dickinson was chosen president, and James Ewing. vice-president. On the 12th of March, 1783, intelligence was first received of the signing of the preliminary treaty in which independence was ac- kuowle lged, and on the 11th of April congress sent forth the joyful procla- matiou ordering a cessation of hostilities. The soldiers of Burgoyne, who had been confined in the prison camp at Lancaster, were put upon the march for New York, passing through Philadelphia on the way. Everywhere was joy unspeakable. The obstructions were removed from the Delaware, and the white wings of commerce again came fluttering on every breeze.

In September, 1785, after a long absence in the service of his country abroad, perfecting treaties and otherwise establishing just relations with other nations, the venerable Benjamin Franklin, then nearly eighty years old, feel- ing the infirmities of age coming upon him, asked to be relieved of the duties of minister at the court of France, and returned to Philadelphia. Soon after

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

his arrival he was elected president of the council. Charles Biddle was elected vice-president. In May, 1787, a convention to frame a constitution for the United States met at Philadelphia. The delegates from Pennsylvania were Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, Thomas Mifflin, George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson and Gouverneur Morris. Upou the completion of their work, the instrument was submitted to the several States for adoption. A convention was called in Pennsylvania, which met on the 21st of November, and though encountering resolute opposition it was finally adopted on the 12th of December. On the following day the conven- tion, the supreme council and officers of the State and city government, moved in procession to the old court-house, where the adoption of the constitution was formally proclaimed amidst the booming of cannon and the ringing of bells.

On the 5th of November, 1788, Thomas Mifflin was elected president, and George Ross, vice-president. The constitution of the State framed in and adapted to the exigencies of an emergency, was ill-suited to the needs of the State in its relations to the new nation. Accordingly a convention assembled for the purpose of preparing a new constitution in November, 1789, which was finally adopted on September 2, 1790. By the provisions of this instrument, the executive council was abolished, and the executive duties were vested in the hands of a governor. Legislation was intrusted to an assembly and a senate. The judicial system was continued, and the terms of the judges extended through good behavior.

The whisky insurrection in some of the western counties of the State. which occurred in 1794, excited by its lawlessness and wide extent general interest. An act of congress of March 3, 1791, laid a tax on distilled spirits of fourpence per gallon. The then counties of Washington, Westmoreland. Allegheny and Fayette, comprising the southwestern quarter of the State, were almost exclusively engaged in the production of grain. Being far re- moved from any market, the product of their farms brought them scarcely any returns. The consequence was that a large proportion of the surplus grain was turned into distilled spirits, and nearly every other farmer was a distiller. This tax was seen to bear heavily upon them, from which a non- producer of spirits was relieved. A rash determination was formed to resist its collection, and a belief entertained that, if all were united in resisting, it would be taken off. Frequent altercations occurred between the persons ap- pointed United States collectors and these resisting citizens. As an example, on the 5th of September, 1791, a party in disguise set upon Robert Johnson, a collector for Allegheny and Washington, tarred and feathered him, cut off his hair, took away his horse, and left him in this plight to proceed. Writs for the arrest of the perpetrators were issued, but none dared to venture into the territory to serve them. On May 8, 1792. the law was modified, and the tax reduced. In September, 1792, President Washington issued his proclama- tion commanding all persons to submit to the law, and to forbear from further opposition. But these measures had no effect, and the insurgents began to organize for forcible resistance. Maj. Macfarlane, while in command of a party of insurrectionists, was killed in an encounter with United States sol- diers at the house of Gen. Neville. The feeling now ran very high. and it was hardly safe for any person to breathe a whisper against the insurgents throughout all this district. One Bradford had, of his own notion, issued a circular letter to the colonels of regiments to assemble with their commands at Braddock's field on the 1st of August, where they appointed officers and moved on to Pittsburgh. After having burned a barn, and made some noisy

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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