USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > Popular history of Erie county, Pennsylvania > Part 2
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HORACE GREELEY
SCOTT BLOCK TENTH AND STATE
SCOTT MAUSOLEUM
COLONIAL HISTORY
Jersey and was for some time a leading trustee. He wrote: "Here we lay a found- ation for after ages to understand their liberty as men and Christians, that they may not be brought in bondage, but by their own consent, for we put the power in the people they to meet and choose one honest man for each district that subscribes to this constitution, all these men to meet in assembly, choose a governor or commis- sioner with assistants to execute the laws. No man to be arrested, condemned, imprisoned or molested of his estate or liberty except by a jury of twelve. No person to be called in question for worshiping according to his conscience."
The information and experience gained by Penn, in this enterprise, assisted him to successfully lay the foundations for the great Commonwealth which bears his name. From his father he inherited a claim against the British Government for £16,000 and on March 4, 1681, was granted a patent from King Charles II, in liquidation thereof. The charter for this was drawn up with unexampled liberal- ity. covering a larger area than asked for. Penn was granted almost dictatorial power over a country as large as England itself which was named by the Court, Pennsylvania, in honor of the Admiral and his illustrious son. Penn says: "I first proposed 'New Wales' and when this was rejected suggested 'Sylvania' to which they prefixed Penn, although I much opposed it for I feared that it should be looked upon as a vanity in me." The tract commenced upon the Delaware at a point 12 miles northeast from New Castle, being bounded by a segment from there to the northeast corner of Maryland; thence west 250 miles, north to the 42º of latitude, east to the intersection of the Delaware river and south to the place of beginning. The original patent could have been interpreted to make the south- ern boundary on the thirty-ninth parallel; but as Maryland had prior claim, it long remained in dispute. In 1732, it was decided to commence on the segment, 12 miles west from New Castle, and thence due west on latitude 39º 43' 26", and some distance was surveyed. It was not again taken up until 1763, when two experts, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, began the work, upon which they were engaged for four years, reaching a point 214 miles west of the Delaware, when Indian threats compelled a cessation of the survey This being the line bc- tween a slave and free state, gave rise to the cognomen "Mason & Dixon's Line" from the name of the above surveyors. In later years, this has been by some his- torians, confounded with the "Missouri Compromise" line, by which in 1821 it was agreed from mutual concessions, that thereafter slavery should not be extended farther north ward in the territories than the latitude of 36° 30'. The completion of this survey was made in 1782, 100 years after Penn's first landing in America.
Pennsylvania Colony .- As seen in prior history, both sides of Delaware river and bay had settlements of Swedes and Germans, and in the New Jersey section under Penn as trustee, a colony of Friends had been established. Penn sailed from his home in Sussex, England, August 1682, with about 100 planters, of whom some 30 died of smallpox while at sea. He landed at New Castle, Oct. 27, and with those who had preceded him to the New World, endeavored to found a government upon the principles of the Golden Rule. He recognized the Indians as the original owners of the land and by treaty purchased it from them. He had purchased from the Duke of York the area, now the state of Delaware, and this was comprised in the government, formed by Penn and his people, Dec. 7, 1682. The laws were much like the New Jersey constitution and Penn said, "You shall be governed by laws of your own making and live a free, and if you will a sober and industrious people. I shall not usurp the right of any, nor oppress his person. God has furnished me with a good resolution and will give me grace to keep it."
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SUCCESSION OF GOVERNORS.
adviser, when his hand ceased to do its bidding and the usefulness of the great mind was destroyed, After being an invalid for six years Penn died in 1718. by some historians given as July 30, but we believe the predominance of testimony records the date as May 30. (See Penns and Penningtons, pp. 413-14.)
Respects to his Memory .- The noble and self-sacrificing spirit of William Penn is more revered at the present time than it was by those with whom he was associated. Bancroft says, "Penn never gave council at variance with popular rights. England today confesses his sagacity and is doing honor to his memory. After more than a century, the laws which he reproved have been repealed and although reproached by every form of abuse, the candor of his character always triumphed over calumny. His fame is now wide as the world: he is one of the few who have gained abiding glory."
The Dutch had brought negro slaves into the colony before the advent of Penn and at one time he owned a few, but seeing the evils in slavery he liberated them all. In his will made 1701 he said: "I give to my blacks their freedom, ax is under my hand olready, and to old Sam 100 acres, to be his children's, after he and hi, wife are dead, forever." (Slavery was abolished in this State in 1780.)
Notwithstanding bis great wealth, on the eve of his first departure from England, to his children he wrote, "Betake yourselves to some honest industrious course of life, not for sordid covetousness, but for example and to avoid idleness. Love not money nor the world; use them only and they will serve you, but if you love them you serve them, which will debase your spirits and offend the Lord. Watch against anger, neither speak nor aet in it: for, like drunkenness, it mikes a beast of a man and throws its masters into desperate inconveniences."
Succession of Governors .- Gookin was succeeded by Sir Wm. Keith, May 1717, who held office for 9 years. He was affable and kind and much liked by the people. A difference arose between Keith, and Loganwho had long been secr :- tary for the proprietors, and upon Keith removing Logan from office, be in tur i was displaced by Hannah Penn, executrix of the estate, upon his refusal to reid- state the trusted secretary.
Patrick Gordon succeded to the governorship, July 1726, continuing for ten years. George I died, June 1727 and was succeeded by his son George II to whom the Pennsylvania Assembly sent congratulations. Philadelphia was then the finest city in all British America and second only in size to New York. Pennsy - vania Colony, although practically having been planted but 50 years, excelled in population "irginia, Maryland, and both Carolinas. The beneficient code of laws and peace with the Indians were believed to have largely contributed to this su( - cess. In August 1732, Thomas Penn, and two years later John Penn, a native od this state and eldest surviving son of William Penn arrived in the province and were received with honors by the people. John Penn returned to England the following year; where he died unmarried. Oct. 1746, leaving his share in the col- ony to his brother Thomas. Governor Gordon died Aug. 1736, lamented by both the people and the Proprietors as his judicious administration had prevented antagonism. Upon James Logan president of the Council, the executive office devolved, until Gordon's successor,
George Thomas, arrived Aug. 1738. On the 23, of Oct. 1739, war was formal- ly declared between Spain and Great Britain. Gov. Thomas made an effort to or- ganize ibe militia of Pennsylvania, but the Quaker aversion to arms prevent- ed much success. In 1744 war was declared between France and Great Britain
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and bitteries were planted along the shore of the Delaware. The Governor called for volunteers and aided by a pamplet from Benjamin Franklin, demonstrating the helpless condition of the Colony, 10,000 men were enlisted. Gov. Thomas re- signed in May 1747 and Anthony Palmer as president of the Council, held execu- tive authority till Nov. 23, following.
James Hamilton, was the first American-born governor. Early in his ad- ministration the Colonial settlements were threatened on all sides. The treaty of peace, which had been concluded between the governments at London and Paris, was scarcely recognized by the French in the New World. To the protests en- tered by the British ambassador, promises were made, but orders were not giv- en to abate the depradations. Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia on Nov. 14, 1753, dispatched Major George Washington, with an escort to Fort LeBœuf, to demand from the French commandant, Legardeau de St. Pierre, an evacuation of English territory. To the remonstrances presented by Washington, St. Pierre replied that he held the fort by order of the Marquis DuQuesne, governor of Canada, to whom the controversy was referred. From the interpreter, Washington learned that the French claimed all the country watered by the Ohio and its tributaries, by reason of LaSalle's discovery in 1669, and in turn the Canadian Governor re- monstrated with the Governors of N. Y., Va. and Penn., against encroachment. In 1753, forts were built by the French near the present sites of Franklin, Waterford and Erie. named respectively Venango, LeBœuf and Presqu'ile; but the English laid claim to all this country on account of previous discoveries and settlement along the Atlantic coast. *
These lands had also been purchased from the Six Nations at Lancaster in 1744 and confirmed by deed from a council at Logstown, 1753. Both the English and French sought to hold friendly relations with the Indians, with but partial success. As the French claimed all the lands west and north of the Ohio and its branches, and the English covered the same claim, but more especially all east and south of this an old Delaware Sachem, in reverie over this exclaimed, "now where does the Indian's land lie?"
French and Indian War .- Although war had not been actually declared against the French, Gov. Dinwiddie believed that further remonstrations were useless, from the revelations made by Washington, and solicited the co-operation of the other colonies for an immediate expedition against the French. It was the first call, for union against a common enemy, and the Legislature of North Caroli- na promptly responded with men. Some volunteers from South Carolina and New York were also hastened forward. Virginia raised a regiment of 600 men, with Col. Fry in command and Washington as Lieut. Col., in command of the ad- vance corps, started from Alexandria April 2. 1754.
The Ohio Company had commenced to erect a fort on the present site of Pitts- burg. when a party of French and Indians expelled them April 18, and completing the fort. called it DuQuesne. Washington's advance guard, met a detachment of the French, some 50 miles up the Monongahala, May, 28, when the first battle en- sued, resulting in the death of nine Virginians and 35 Frenchmen. Col. Fry died May 30 and Washington was attacked a few days later by 1,500 French and Indians and after holding Fort Necessity, (which had been hastely built.) for ten hours, he capitulated with De Villiers the French commander, and with his force returned to Virginia.
* See further information regarding these French forts, Washington's trip to LeBœuf, etc, under subsequent heading "Possession by the French."
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Edward Braddock arrived from Britain, Feb. 1755, with two regiments of Irish, and was made commander-in-chief of the American force. An expedition was planned against Fort DuQuesne, while others were sent against the Canadian frontier. June 10, 1755, General Braddoek started for DuQuesne, with 1,200 picked men; but not heeding the advice of his aide, Washington, he was drawn into ambush when within 10 miles of the fort, where an awful battle ensued, in which the commander, 63 officers and several hundred men were slain. Wash- ington rallied the provincial troops and prevented a route, but the expedition was abandoned. The defeat of Braddock, emboldened the French, and enlisting the sav- ages, they pushed the English back to the Susquehanna. Even the Shawnese and Delaware Indians, formerly clamorous to take up arms for the English, joined the victorious French and devastated Western Pennsylvania.
Robert Hunter Morris had succeeded Hamilton as governor of Pennsylva- nia, in Oct. 1744, and it was under his administration that the above seenes had been enacted in Western Pennsylvania although Virginia had been most active in the work. In the begining of 1755, it was estimated that there were 3,000 abl; bodied Pennsylvanians west of the Susquehanna. A year later not a hundred were left. They had sought refuge farther east, or enlisted in the strife, and now to prevent farther encroachemnt by the French and their Indian allies, a chain of forts was erected by a force of militia under command of Benj. Franklin.
William Denny became governor Aug. 1756. A year later Col. Armstrong, led a foree of 300 volunteers, against the Indian town of Kittanning, destroying the village and nearly exterminating its population.
The Assembly passed a bill levying a tax of £100,000, including the estate of of the Proprietors as well as the people, for continuing the war, and Gov. Denny promptly vetoed it. Isaac Norris and Benjamin Franklin were sent to England to present the grievances of the people against the Proprietors. Franklin was sue- cessfully in his mission to the Crown and was commissioned by Massachusetts, Maryland and Georgia to petition for similar rights.
The campaign of 1757, was under command of the Earl of Loudoun, and was uneventful. He was recalled and Gen. Abercrombie, with Amherst, Wolfe and Forbes, as lieutenants, succeeded. Through intercession of the Quakers, the sava- ges in Pennsylvania had been inclined to peace. Gen. Forbes left Carlisle, in July 1758, and marched upon Ft. DuQuesne compelling its evacuation, the French fleeing to their settlement on the Upper Mississippi. The fort was garrisoned by 400 Pennsylvanians and the rest of the army returned to Lancaster.
James Hamilton became governor a second time, Oct. 1759. Previous to this an English force under Gen. Prideaux marched upon Ft. Niagara. The French had gathered their available men from the forts in this section for the combat. By the bursting of a gun, Gen Prideaux, was killed July 19, and Niagara was surrendered to Sir Wm. Johnson, his successor, four days later. Fighting contin- ued between opposing forces until Sept. 8, 1760, when Montreal and all Canadian French posts ineluding Detroit, were surrendered to the British. By the treaty of Paris, Feb. 10, 1763, France ceded to Great Britain, all her claims in America, east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio river.
Pontiac's Conspiracy .- The Indians beheld with a spirit of envy, the pros- perity of the English, and their eold demeanor, when compared with French courtesy. Early in 1763, under Chief Pontiac of the Oftawas, all the tribes along the frontier, without previous warning, fell upon the unsuspecting settlers and
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murdered them with savage, cruelty. Forts Presqu'ile, LeBœuf, Venango and those along the Upper Mississippi fell into the hands of the savages, their garrisons mostly having been massacreed. Ft. Pitt, erected by the English in 1759, upon the burned site of Ft. DuQuesne, and named in honor of William Pitt, (the Earl of Chatham, ) had become an important trading post, and this, as also Ft. Niagara and Detroit, although besieged for months, held out against the Indians. Ft. Pitt was finally relieved by Col. Bouquet, in charge of 300 volunteers from Cumberland county. Pontiac's force was finally subdued in 1764, but the wily chief escaped to the Illinois country, where he was murdered in 1769, by one of his own tribe.
John Penn, a son of Richard Penn, who came to the colony in 1753, superseded Hamilton in Nov. 1763. The Penn administration, was conciliatory towards the In- dians at Conestoga, and the white settlers being infuriated by failing to get jus- tice against these murderers and marauders, marched upon the Indian village and destroyed it. The British Ministry determined to prosecute the campaign of 1764, along the Pennsylvania frontier with vigor. Gov. Penn finally awoke to the dangers of treaty with his treacherous foe, and July 7, 1765, declared war against the Shawnese and Delaware Indians. Col. Bouquet with Pennsylvania. troops, marched against tbem, destroying their villages and by Oct. 3, reached the forks of the Muskingum, at Zanesville. The movements of the Colonel had been so rapid and strategic, that the savages were stricken with terror, and sued for peace. They agreed with Sir William Johnson, Indian agent, to give up all white prisoners and cease hostilities and several hundred white prisoners were re- turned to their homes.
The Stamp Act, was passed by the British Parliament, Mar. 22, 1765, "for granting and applying certain stamp duties and other duties in the British colo- nies and plantations in America," taking effect Nov. 1, following. It occasioned such bitter protests and overt acts of resistance, that it was repealed in March following and June 6, a bill was passed granting indemnities for penalties incurred .. This was however the begining of agitation which led to the Revolution.
In 1767, an act was passed, imposing duties on tea, glass, paper, and painter's colors. The Pennsylvania Assembly instructed its agent in London to present a re- monstrance. A circular from Massachusetts was received which gave offence to the British Ministry, and the Earl of Hillsborough wrote to Gov. Penn, for the Assembly to discountenance these matters and if it did not do so to adjourn its sit- tings. This was read to the Assembly and followed by a letter from Virginia As- sembly recommending a union of the Colonies in opposition to the proposed taxa- tion. A committee was appointed to prepare a remonstrance to the King and Parliament. The tax was reduced to one sixth the original amount, in 1769, and a year later removed altogether, excepting three pence per pound on tea. It, was however the principle, rather than the amount, that the colonists was opposed to, and they continued to urge the entire repeal of the law.
Disputed Territory .- The broad wording of Connecticut's charter, reissued by Charles II in 1662, covered the territory between the 41º and 42º of latitude, westward to the Pacific Ocean, and emigrants from that province, under title of the Susquehanna Company, settled in the Wyoming valley. These lands were in Penn's grant and by the Proprietors of Pennsylvania were purchased from the In- dians in 1768, and the Wyoming territory was divided into tracts which were ap- portioned to settlers. The Susquehanna Company basing their claims on the Con-
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THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
necticut charter, and a purchase from the Albany Indians in 1754, erected forts and prepared to maintain warfare. Their leader Butler, proposed to settle the dispute by personal combat, of 30 picked men on each side, but this barbar- ous offer was declined.
Gov. Penn protested against the invasion of territory, to Gov. Trumbull of Connecticut; but was met by the assertion of original grant from the Crown and the matter having been appealed to London was decided in favor of Connecticut. The Assembly of Pennsylvania however formed the county of Northumberland, out of the disputed territory, and in 1775, the controversy was appealed to the Continental Congress, which also decided in Connecticut's favor. The Pennsyl- vania Assembly however refused to grant peaceful right to the Susquehanna Company and it remained an open question, until Congress in 1802, decided in favor of Pennsylvania. Gov. Penn was called to England, by the death of his father, and James Hamilton, president of the Council, was again in charge of govermet.tal affairs, until the arrival of
Richard Penn, who became Governor, Oct. 17, 1771. He was superseded in August 1773, by his brother, the former Governor. The principal agitations, dur- ing the reign of the Penns, were the disputed territory and matters looking towards the independence of the Colonies.
The Tea Embroglio .- At a meeting held at Philadelphia, Oct. 18, 1773, to oppose the sale of tea and thereby prevent the effect of the duty, resolu- tions were passed asserting: "That the disposal of their own property, is the in- herent right of free men; that the claim of Parliament to tax America, is a claim of right, to levy contributions on us at pleasure, and whoever shall directly or indi- rectly countenance the attempt to unload, receive, or vend the tea, sent by the East India Co., while it remains subject to a duty here, is an enemy to this coun- try." Ships designed for Philadelphia and New York, returned upon learning the situation; but one partially unloaded at Charleston, storing the tea in a damp warehouse where it rotted; going thence to Boston harbor, where the Colonists in Indian disguise, boarded the vessel and poured 300 chests of tea into the water. In consequence of this overt act. the port was closed by the British Ministry, and Massachusetts charter was in effect revoked, allowing persons guilty of felony to be transported to England for trial.
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
We now come practically to the political history of America. England had provided no common government in which the Colonies should take part: and, while their interests were in many respects identical, in others they were con- flicting. As early as 1643, Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven had formed a confederation known as the"United Colonies of New England." This had principally been started for defence against the savages. It had but feeble powers of cohesion and became of no effect before a half century had expired.
In 1754, in view of threatened hostilities with the French and Indians, a con- vention was held in Albany, at the suggestion of the British Board of Trade, when delegates were present from New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the four New England Colonies and the Six Nations, A plan of confederation, similar to the Federal Constitution, was presented by Benjamin Franklin, delegate from this State and adopted by the convention July 4, 1754. This was rejected by the Colo-
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nial Assemblies, because it was too aristocratic and by the British because it was too democratic. No further serious attempt at union had been made, but the Stamp Act, and tea dispute, disclosed to the Colonists, that their only chance against oppression and tyranny, was to devise some plan for permanent unity. New England was chiefly Puritan and held charters from the Crown, Maryland and Pennsylvania were proprietary governments, and the high bred Episcopal spirit of the South, the Quaker opposition against the Puritanic "spirit of fight," and other internal causes, would long have prevented the consummation of union, ex- cepting for the oppression of the mother country.
A convention was called at Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1773, at which all the Colonies but Georgia were represented. Separation from England was not sug- gested at this time, but a declaration of rights was issued, based upon the laws of nature and protesting against taxation without representation. At a public meeting convened June 18, 1774, it was resolved that a Continental Congress should be convened and provision was made for the appointment of delegates from the several Colonies. A general conference held July 15, declared their alle- glance to George III, and desired harmony with England; but resolved that there was an absolute necessity for a
Continental Congress, which was accordingly convened Sept, 4, 1774, and from which came the far reaching results of liberty. This Congress adjourned sine die but the opening of hostilities by the battle of Lexington April 19. 1775, caused the Congress to be reconvened at Philadelphia, May 10. By the force of circumstances, this Congress, assumed the powers for mutual resistance, and the Colonial Army was called into the field with George Washington as commander- in-chief, commissioned by the United Colonies." Money was issued, a general treasury and post office established and the nucleus for a free government was started. June 17. came the battle of Bunker Hill and the succeeding events, to the close of the Revolutionary War in 1782, are, matters fully detailed in other histories and will not be separately taken up in this work. A Provincial Convention, was opened at Philadelphia, June 18, 1776, and on July 15 delegates met, with Franklin, as president of the meeting, for framing a temporary Constitution for Pennsylvania. In the mean time, June 7, it had been declared by the Colonal Congress that the "United Colonies are and of right ought to be, free and independent States, and all political connections with Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Sherman and Livingston were appointed to make the formal "Declaration of Independence" which was adopted July 4, 1776, and signed by all members of that memorable Congress.
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