USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Mount Pleasant in Wayne County > History of the township of Mount Pleasant, Wayne County, Pennsylvania : a discourse delivered on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1855 > Part 3
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1795. This year Mr. John S. Rogers, from New Jersey, a Quaker, purchased and settled with his fa- mily. He had eight children. He built about one inile east of Mr. Joseph Peck's residence. Here he passed the remainder of his days.
Mr. Joseph Stevenson, from New Jersey, also came this year. He purchased a farm in the vicinity of the octagon stone school-house. He had six children, the oldest of whom was over twenty-one years of age. We also notice Mr. Seymore Allen, who came this year, and bought Geer's farm and improvement. He soon after sold -it to Mr. Ichabod Starks, who con- tinued to occupy it for many years, and there closed his earthly days.
Mr. Abram Cramer also settled here this year. He bought a place, and built a little south of Mr. Thomas Slayton's residence, where there is now a house made of hewn logs. He had a family of eight children. He died in this township.
This year Mr. Elijah Peck moved his family into
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this settlement. He had emigrated from Connecti- cut, and came to this place by way of Cooperstown. He had previously been here, purchased the farm where his widow now lives, made some improvement, and built a log-house on an old road which was con- structed north of the present turnpike. He had then a family of three children. He subsequently became a minister in the Baptist Church, as we shall have occasion to notice. He died in this town at an ad- vanced age.
This year Mr. Jirah Mumford completed a grist- mill and a saw-mill. This was considered a great acquisition to this new settlement. They were lo- cated near where Mr. Edward M. Atwater now has a saw-mill. The grist-mill was about twenty feet square. It had one run of stones, which were about three feet in diameter. It had one bolt about seven feet long. The meal was taken by hand and poured into the bolt, which the miller turned with a crank. The saw-mill, by diligent use, and a full head of water, would saw about 700 feet per day. Yet these were the only mills within twenty-five or thirty miles, and they were often rendered useless in the winter season.
1796. This year Mr. Benjamin King came to this place from the Paupack settlement. He was then a young, unmarried man, and purchased the farm now owned by Mr. George Moase. He built the house and barn now standing upon the place, and occupied the farm about twenty years. He is still living in this vicinity, at an advanced age.
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His brother, Mr. Charles King, came at the same time, and a few years after bought and cultivated a farm, east of the late Benjamin Wheeler's resi- dence.
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This year, also, Mr. Samuel Meredith, a man of wealth in Philadelphia, began to make improvements in this town. He first built an ashery, for making pot and pearlash. This enterprise, however, failed. He had invested a large part of his fortune in a tract of land in this region. Not finding as ready sale for this land as he expected, he retired from the city, and built in the west part of this town a well-finished house, at a cost of about six thousand dollars. He named the place of his residence Belmont, which name it has retained to this day.
His father, whose name was Reese Meredith, set- tled in Philadelphia at an early day. He was from England, and a Welshman by birth. In his own country he was a man of rank and wealth. He warmly espoused the cause of the American Colonies. His first interview with General Washington was when he held the office of Colonel in the Virginia troops. He at once formed a high opinion of him, and was ever after his firm and intimate friend. In the most trying period of the war, when the faith of many wavered, he boldly encouraged its prosecution. When the army were suffering for food and clothing, he promptly came to their relief, and freely contribut- ed the sum of five thousand pounds sterling. At the close of the war, when Washington was called to the Presidential chair, he promoted his son, Samuel Mer-
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edith, to the office of Treasurer of the United States.
The following letters, the original copies of which are now in the hands of the family, will show the estimation in which he was held, as well as the term of his office.
The first is from Alexander Hamilton, the Secre- tary of the Treasury. It is as follows :
TREASURY OFFICE, NEW YORK, September 13, 1789.
SIR :- Permit me to congratulate you on your ap- pointment as Treasurer of the United States, and to assure you of the pleasure I feel in anticipating your cooperation with me in a station in which a charac- ter like yours is so truly valuable.
I need not observe to you how important it is that you should be on the ground as soon as possible. The call for your presence, you will be sensible, is urgent. Mr. Duer, my assistant, goes to Philadelphia to pro- cure a loan from the Bank there. He will commu- nicate with you, and, I am persuaded, will meet with your concurrence in whatever may facilitate the ob- ject of his mission.
With sincere esteem
I am, Sir, Your obedient servant,
ALEXANDER HAMILTON, Secretary of the Treasury.
SAMUEL MEREDITH, Esq.,
Treasurer of the United States.
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Mr. Meredith entered upon the duties of this office when the Treasury was in its most embarrassed and confused state. He resigned it in 1801.
The following letter from Thomas Jefferson, then President of the United States, shows the fidelity and ability with which he had fulfilled the duties of this office :
MONTICELLO, September 4, 1801.
DEAR SIR :- I received yesterday your favor of August 29, resigning your office of Treasurer of the United States, after the last of October next. I am sorry for the circumstances which dictate the meas- ure to you ; but from their nature, and the deliber- ate consideration of which it seems to be the result, I presume that dissuasives on my part would be with- out effect. My time in office has not been such as to bring me into an intimate insight of the proceedings of the several departments, but I am sure I hazard nothing when I testify in your favor-that you have conducted yourself with perfect integrity and pro- priety in the duties of the office you have filled, and I pray you to be assured of my high esteem and con- sideration.
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
MR. MEREDITH.
Soon after Mr. Meredith closed the duties of this office, he commenced his residence in this town, and retired from public life. Having spent the remnant of his days here, he departed this life February 10, 1817, in the 76th year of his age.
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His remains lie in the family cemetery, by the side of Mrs. Meredith's, his accomplished wife. His tomb rests upon one of the gentle declivities of the Moosic mountain, and overlooks the beautiful valley of the Lackawaxen.
It seems that this settlement had now attracted at- tention at the Capitol, and Mr. Samuel Stanton was this year appointed by the Governor, Thomas Mifflin, Justice of the Peace for this region, then belonging to Northampton County. This was the first appoint- ment of a Justice of the Peace north of Strouds- burg.
We are not able to relate in detail, the order and names of the settlers who subsequently came into this town. I will, however, remark, that the current of emigration, until about the year 1820, or 1825, was chiefly from New England. New England peo- ple have, from the first settlement, exerted a prepon- derating influence in giving character to society. It still retains, to a great degree, those early impres sions. At a very early period of the settlement, Mr. Tench Cox, a landholder from Philadelphia, spent a few days here, and afterwards remarked, as a matter of curiosity, that the people in Stantonville would lay aside their work at sundown on Saturday night, and begin the Sabbath. Then, on Sunday evening, the women would take their knitting-work. He had never seen the custom before. This is strictly a New England custom. The attachments of this people to their Puritan ancestors may be seen, from the cher- ished relics brought from New England. Among
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these we notice a trammel and a sea-chest, which were brought over in the Mayflower. They have de- scended in the line of the Brewster family, and are owned by Mr. Calvally Freeman, a descendant of that family. There is also an ancient book, entitled " Christ the Way and the Truth and the Life." On the title-page, its authorship is thus described : " Written by the eminently Pious, Godly, and Zeal- ous Mr. John Brown, Minister of the Gospel at Wam- phray, in Annandale, in the time of his banishment in Holland." "Printed at Glasgow, by Alexander Miller, 1738." This was undoubtedly written more than fifty years previous to this date, inasmuch as the persecution which led to the banishment of a large number of the dissenting clergymen of Scot- land, terminated in 1690. The book was brought here at an early day by Mr. James Bigelow, and now owned by his son, Mr. James H. Bigelow. He also has a copy of " The Confession of Faith of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church," containing also "The Sum of Saving Knowledge," "The First National Covenant of Scotland," "The Solemn League and Covenant," and " The Directory for the Publick Worship of God." Printed in Glasgow, 1749. These books, with others of a similar nature, were the chosen companions of his father, Mr. James Bigelow, while here in this new country.
V. FIRST THINGS.
There are some events and items of interest bearing upon the history of this town, which take their inter-
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est only from the fact of their priority." Among these I notice that the first child born in this town- ship was born August 26, 1791. She was a daughter of Mr. Samuel Stanton. She married Mr. Thomas Lillibridge, and now lives in the State of Illinois. 5
The first male child was born June 18, 1793. His name is Jabez Stearns. He now lives in the town of Lebanon, in this county.
The first wedding in this town took place January 1, 1796. The parties were Mr. Silas Kellogg and the eldest daughter of Mr. Jirah Mumford. There were at that time no magistrates here-no resident clergy- men. They were obliged to send to the Delaware river for the Rev. Ezekiel Sampson, a Baptist cler- gyman, who came twenty miles through the wilder- ness, by marked trees, and duly united in matri- mony the first wedded couple in this township. One who was present at that wedding, and now living, says, that nearly every man, woman, and child in the town were present, and all accommodated in one room.
The first adult person that died in this town was Mr. Jacob Van Meter, the eldest son of Jacob Van Meter, senior. He died in the fall of 1796. Pre- vious to this, a child of two or three years old had died. It belonged to Zebulon Tanner, who resided tempora- rily here as a chopper for the settlers.
The first frame building was a barn, built by Mr. Silas Kellogg, in 1794. It stood nearly opposite the residence of Mr. Charles Kennedy. The first framed dwelling-house was built the next year by Mr. Joseph
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Tanner. It was situated north of the village, by a cluster of apple-trees, still remaining. The road from the east passed through there before the turnpike was constructed. Here the first store in town was opened under the firm of " Granger & Tanner," in 1806. It was the only store within twenty miles. Their annual trade amounted to $3,000.
There was no building in this village until the " Cochecton and Great Bend Turnpike" was con- structed. The first house was built by Mr. Joseph Tanner in 1808, a few feet west of Mr. George Soper's residence. He used it as a dwelling, a store, and an office in which to transact his business as Justice of the-Peace. He also built a tavern two stories high, a few feet east of it. These were burnt in 1811.
The first Justice of the Peace after the organization of this town and county, was Mr. Joseph Tanner. Mr. Stanton having been commissioned to act in Northampton County, no longer held this office. The first Constable was Benjamin Dix. Joseph Tanner and Elijah Peck were the first Supervisors of this town.
VI. TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS OF THE SETTLERS.
The privations and sufferings endured by persons who have penetrated into the wilderness and made it a home, are themes often dwelt upon with interest. We should never forget the sacrifices made by our fathers, to procure for us a comfortable home. We have already related some of them-all can never bo.
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be told. Still, justice demands that something more on this point should be said. These sufferings arose from their secluded position and the incipient stage of everything .* One of the greatest difficulties was the want of a sufficient quantity of grain, and suitable means of preparing it for food. Many of the early settlers boiled their grain; others hollowed out a stump, and with a large pestle, attached to a bent sapling, pounded it. One man in town dressed out two stones of about two feet in diameter, in the shape of mill-stones. Having adjusted the upper one on a pivot, one turned it with a crank, while another threw in a handful of grain as fast as it was ground.
Mr. Silas Kellogg says he has brought in provisions from Great Bend upon his back ; and that in climb- ing the hills beneath his heavy burden, his vision has become double, so that he was obliged to sit down till his regular sight was restored.
Mr. Benjamin King says, that soon after he came here, he went with an ox-team four miles above Chenango Forks, to buy grain. He broke his road through a deep snow. There were then but three or four settlers between here and the Great Bend. It was a journey of more than ten days. The mills be- ing frozen in that region, he was obliged, on his re- turn, to make another journey to Waullenpaupach, to get it ground. He has frequently been to Wilkesbarre on horse-back, with maple sugar, and exchanged it for grain-returning with four and a half bushels upon his horse.
º See Appendix, No. 7.
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On another occasion of destitution, Mr. Jason Torrey took his oxen to the Delaware river, sold them, and with the money went to Stroudsburg, procured a horse, and brought home a load of flour. He travelled . in this journey about eighty miles. Having reached home, he first distributed a portion among his neigh- bors before eating any himself, that all might rejoice together.
Mrs. Lillibridge, daughter of Mr. Stanton, says that on one occasion, a poor neighbor who had a large family, and in a destitute state, called to borrow some flour of her father. He promised to pay it when he could go some thirty miles, earn it, and bring it home on his back. Mr. Stanton had but a half bushel of flour in his house. But he divided it, and gave him half, saying : "There will be some way provided ; we shall not starve." That night a man came along, on his way to New York, with a load of flour. He stopped over night at Mr. Stanton's house. He urged him to sell him a barrel, but he positively refused. The next morning one of his horses was very lame, so that he was obliged to leave the entire load for sale. Mr. Stanton ever spoke of it as an overruling Providence.
Mr. Joseph Stearns had a family of eight children. On one occasion he was so reduced for food, that he went to Great Bend, and purchased two bushels of wheat, had it ground, and brought it home on his back. At another time he was destitute of meat, which was greatly needed, to endure the hard work required to lay the forest. Weakened by such toil,
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he was much cast down at his lot here in the wilderness. His wife, however, who was a devotedly pious woman, endeavored to encourage him by refer- ring to that overruling Providence which had directed them here, and would still provide. Her confidence increasing as she dwelt upon this subject, she arose and said to her husband : " Now, I will hang the pot over the fire, and I believe the Lord will fill it." Her confidence was not mistaken, for before the water boiled a fawn, apparently frightened, entered the field where her boys were at work. They chased it a few rods, and easily captured it in a thicket of bushes, where Mr. Asa Smith's tannery now stands. As they joyfully entered the cabin door, the father remember- ed the words of encouragement and faith so recently spoken, and resolved no more to distrust God. On another occasion this good woman, when her husband and older sons had gone to their work, went out to the woods where they had been making sugar, to save some sap that was wasting. Having no one with whom to leave her infant child, she took it with her. She made a cradle of a sap-trough, and laid him down by the side of a large log. While busy here and there gathering the sap, she looked towards the child, and saw an enormous bear upon the log, look- ing down into his innocent face, and in the very act of grabbing him in his extended jaws. She uttered a wild shriek of terror and fell exhausted. The old dog saw the peril of the child and instantly flew to his rescue. That child is now Mr. Ashbel Stearns, who still lives in this vicinity. Not long after this,
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she had been over to Mr. Stanton's, on a visit with this same infant, having her son Otis, then a young lad, with her. While on their return, as they were in a foot- path, crossing a rivulet in the rear of the present dwelling of Mr. Jonathan Miller, sen., a large bear came out of the brush and stood directly before them. Her son was at the time carrying the infant. But that faithful dog, that had once saved his life, came up and rushed upon the bear, who speedily retreated.
In an early period of this settlement, Mrs. Mum- ford had suffered her two little girls, Deborah and Sally, to go home with a near neighbor. One was about four and the other about six years old. They were returning by a foot-path, and mistaking the right direction, wandered off into the wilderness. They had been gone some hours before it was discov- ered that they were lost. The whole town roused in the search; but the night closed in and no trace could be found of them. No efforts were spared with lanterns and torches throughout the night, but all in vain. The next day people came from a great dis- tance, and the woods were searched, but no children could be found. The second night spread its dark curtain over the distracted family. The heart-broken mother wrung her hands in agony. She would take her little infant, that clung to her breast with a tremulous fear, and go out at the midnight hour, and lie upon the cold ground, exclaiming, " Is this all the bed my dear little ones have to-night !" She would know herself how cold and damp it was. Thus the second night of agony passed. As the
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morning dawned, the fond mother bent under the crushing conflict of hope and fear. Yet hope was still strong that she should again see her dear chil- dren alive. . Every man met for consultation and concert of action. They separated themselves within hearing distances, and simultaneously moved forward, covering the whole territory as they went. It was agreed that if the children were found, guns should immediately be fired. In this manner they marched forward ; every man's eye intently fixed upon every object his field of vision covered. They moved on with breathless anxiety till about nine o'clock, when the report of a gun sent a thrill of joy through every heart. Presently another and another gun gave as- surance to hope, and brought the whole company around the rescued children.
It seems that a certain hunter, familiar at Mr. Mumford's, while eagerly searching for the lost ones, heard the little dog bark, that had strayed with and attended the children in their wanderings. He at once recognized the sound, and immediately bent his course towards it, and found the children sitting un- der some bushes. He gave the appointed signal, which brought together the whole company. With joy in every countenance, the multitude returned with them to their home. The mother clasped them in her arms and wept a flood of tears. It was a melting scene ; strong, hardy men of the forest were overcome with emotion.
The children soon told their own story. They had wandered the first day in search of home, till night
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overtook them. Exhausted, they sat down, and the dark night gathered about them. The older one gathered a few leaves for a bed, and they laid down together, with little " Trip" (which was the dog's name), by the side of them. Presently " two big gray dogs," as they called them, " came and put their paws on a log," and looked over at them ; but little " Trip," bristling up, ran and drove them off. These were undoubtedly wolves, that had followed their track. The next day they wandered about, gathering a few berries to satisfy their hunger. " My child, where did you sleep last night," inquired the mother of the youngest, who was not yet able to speak plainly. " Under a 'ittle geen tee" was the innocent reply. The elder sister said she cried in the night, because she was cold, and asked her to pull the clothes over her. They had become fearful of everything. They had heard frightful stories about the Indians, and were afraid of those who were searching for them, and would hide from them when they came near or heard their call. It is thought they never would have been found had it not been for the little dog that accom- panied them.
VII. ROADS.
A few words are due in the history of this town- ship with reference to the first roads here constructed. No State in the Union has manifested more enter- prise in the construction of roads than Pennsylvania. As early as the year 1712 it was the custom of the proprietaries, and afterwards of the Commonwealth,
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to allow all purchasers of vacant lands an addition without charge, in the proportion of six acres for every one hundred purchased. This was given as a compensation for roads and highways that might afterwards be constructed by authority of the State. This custom has continued in all grants of vacant land since that time. The customary acre of Penn- sylvania, therefore, in such grants, consisted of 169 perches and six-tenths of a perch ; whereas the strict measure of this State makes the acre consist of 160 perches.
The first road through this township was intended to be a great highway for Western emigration. It was built by private enterprise, aided by State appro- priation. The Act of Legislature for opening it was passed March 28, 1788. It was to be made sixty feet wide, beginning at Pocona Point, a place near Stroudsburg, and extend north to the State line. It was cut through in 1788-'89, but never thoroughly worked. The State appropriated £1,000 towards it. In this town it followed nearly the route of the pres- ent " Belmont and Easton Turnpike," and was called the " North and South Road." From Belmont it pro- ceeded north until it intersected the State line. The "act" also provided for another road, to leave this "at or near Mount Ararat," and to be constructed westward to the mouth of the Tioga river. But as the Susquehanna river, with which the former was connected, furnished so good a substitute for this road, it was never constructed. This was a great and far-reaching project for that early day. It was de-
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signed to open a great thoroughfare through the un- settled portions of the State, and, as the "act" says, " conduce to the immediate settlement of an extensive tract of country," and "by communication with other roads already begun, render Pennsylvania the most eligible route for emigrants from the Northern and Eastern parts of the United States." In 1791 the settlers in this town began opening a road to Great Bend. It left the North and South Road nearly op- posite Mr. Stanton's house, and proceeded westward, varying from half a mile to a mile south of the present turnpike, which has taken its place. Soon after there was another road, which left the North and South Road from two to three miles south of Mr. Stan- ton's, and proceeding westward, intersected the road to Great Bend, in the western part of Herrick Town- ship. From the fact that this road intersected the other two in the form of a brace, it was usually called the " Brace Road." It came down into the Lacka- wanna Valley, near Mr. Benjamin Smith's residence. Many of the settlers of Susquehanna County passed over this road. It was never worked much, and re- linquished at an early day. There was another road early made and still in use, which left the North and South Road on the east side, about four miles south of this village, and came up by Mr. Silas Kellogg's im- provement, passed Mr. Joseph Stearns', and contin- ued north to Mr. John Tiffany's farm, now owned by Mr. Christopher. From this point a road was con- structed westward to the brow of the hill near Mr. William Wright's residence, then passing south-
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