USA > Pennsylvania > The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. IX > Part 32
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VOL. IX. 15
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FIRST SETTLEMENT OF COLUMBIA.
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the east side of the river below the old ferry course. A sturgeon was once caught in a fish basket in the low- er falls.
The ferry across the Susquehanna was very early es- tablished. Two large canoes lashed together were used at first to take a wagon across, which had to be unloaded. In 1750, it was much improved and rented for £100 per annum, with the ground attached to it.
John Wright's stone house was built between 1740- 50, also the little stone mill at the mouth of Shawnee run, (still standing, ) this latter was built by James Wright. There was flour made at this mill, for the use of Braddock's army-it was packed in small casks for the purpose, and carried on pack-horses, a cask on each side-it was taken to what was then called Rays- town and fort Duquesne, (now Pittsburg.)
The people who had hired a time with the owners of the lands, or had been much employed by them, seem- ed to claim a kind of patronage from their masters, and usually contrived to get a small house with a garden, and potatoe patch. Their rent was so many days work in harvest, or other farmers work: many of them were tradesmen-weavers, shoemakers; and were paid for their work in grain, &c. Ilarvest wages were half a bushel of wheat; raising grain was not the principal ob- ject with the farmers, for there was no market for it: hops and hemp were the sources of profit. Many of these persons were Germans (redemptioners.) The first Friends' meeting-house was built in the upper part of the town, (Union street, ) Catharine Peyton and Mary Peasley, ministers from Ireland, held meeting there- they travelled on horseback.
In the fall of 1755, the inhabitants were greatly alarmed on account of the Indians. Braddock's army had been defeated and dispersed the preceding summer, and it was reported that the Indians were collecting a large number of bark canoes at the head of the Susque -. hanna, and were coming in great force to destroy all be- fore them. The inhabitants were struck with fear at the slightest noise during the night, as they hourly ex- pected the Indians coming down upon them. At last they agreed to take the women and children to Phila- delphia. They rented a large house to accommodate all, and late in the autumn five families and their attend- ants, in all about thirty, left their homes through fear of the Indians. The men remained however, some of them going occasionally during the winter to visit their families. The few Indians who were on friendly terms with the whites, were also struck with fear at the ex- pected invasion, and in consequence fled to Philadel- phia, where one of the lobbies of the old state house was allowed them for a place of residence. The whites who remained, fortified the stone house belonging to John Wright, which was the strongest in the place. The winter passing without an assault from the hostile Indians, the families together with the 'peaceable Indi- ans, returned in the spring to their homes. The town has never been disturbed by hostile Indians since its first settlement.
In December 1763, the massacre of the poor Conesto- ga 'Indians took place. They were called Conestoga,
but there were also among them of the Shawnee tribe. There was one called Shawnee John; and the little run on whose banks they built their buts, is still called Shawannah (Shawnee) run. They were here when the first white settlers came; were entirely peaceable and seemed as much afraid of the other Indians as the whites were-they were great beggars, very intimate with and muchi attached to the whites-naming their children after their favourite neighbours. The govern- ment of Pennsylvania had got into other hands, and the mild and peaceable nature of the administration of Penn was changed for one more hostile to the poor Indians. The Friends did all they could to prevent it, but in ivan. Many thought they ought to be destroyed uncere- moniously. Accordingly a company of Presbyterians, from Paxtang township, under the name of the Paxton Boys, determined to come by night and massacre promiscuously the poor Indians, at their town about nine miles off, near Turkey hill. Previous to this the Indians complained that they were suffering. They were afraid to go any distance from their town to sell their little wares, as the people began to threaten them. In consequence of this, James Wright and a German named Herr, who lived near the Indian town, were appointed by government, to supply them with flour, and other things necessary to their subsistenee. . They were ad- vised to keep in their town, their christian neighbours sympathizing with them: the most of these were Ger- mans of the Menonist Society, whose principles like the Friends', are against war or volence of any kind.
Such was the situation of things, when on a snowy morning in December, 1763, a German neighbour came to Robert Barber's house, and requested him to go with him in pursuit of some ones who had been at his house the night before, and whom he called robbers. They had bebaved in a very disorderly manner, such as melt- ing the pewter spoons on the stove, &c. Mr. Barber, supposing it had been some persons in a frolic, advised his friend to take no notice of it. He had scarcely left the house, when five or six men came in, very cold, their great coats covered with snow and wet. They left their guns standing outside. Mr. Barber was not personally acquainted with them, though he knew from what part of the country they came. He made up a fire to warm, and treated them to the customary morning refresh- ments. While they warmed themselves, they inquired why the Indians were suffered to live peaceably here- Mr. Barber said they were entirely inoffensive, being on their own lands, and injuring no one. They asked what would be the consequence if they were all destroy- ed? Mr. Barber said be thought they would be as liable to punishment as if they had destroyed so many white men. They said, they were of a different opi- nion, and in a few minutes went out. In the mean time, however, two sons of Mr. B. about 10 or 12 years old, went out to look at the strangers' horses, which were hitched at a little distance from the house. After the men went, the boys came in and said they (the men) had tomahawks, tied to their saddles, which were all bloody, and that they had Christy's gun, (Christy was a little Indian boy about their own age-they
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AFRICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY.
1832.]
were much attached to him, as he was their play- mate, and made their bows and arrows, and other means of amusement. ) While the family all wondered what it could mean, a messenger came fron. Ilerr, giving information of the dreadful deed. Mr. Barber and some others went down to see the extent of the massacre. Shocking indeed was the sight !- the dead bodies of fourteen poor Indians lay among the rub- bish of their burnt cabins, like half. consumed logs! Mr. B. after some trouble, procured their bodies to administer to them the rights of sepulchre. It was said, that at the beginning of the slaughter, an Indian mother placed her little child under a barrel, charg- ing it to make no noise-a shot was fired through the barrel, which broke the child's arm, and still it kept silent. The rest of the Indians to the number of 28, who were absent from the town at the first mas- sacre, were collected together to be reserved for a still more distressing fate. They were put into the jail at Lancaster, for safety, as it was said; but the merciless wretches not satisfied with their first work, went thither, and (not in spite of opposition, for there was none made, ) broke open the jail, and cruelly and inhumanly, in the most shocking manner destroyed them all-old men, women, and children. There was at the time, a company of Scotch Highlanders quartered in Lancaster -their commander (Capt. Robinson, ) pleaded for or- ders from the authorities to defend the jail, promising that none on either side should be hurt, but the magis- trates could not be found, though the event occurred in day light-whether through fear or that they con- nived at it was never known. Their excuses seemed too trifling to be admitted-one could not find his wig, and things of as little importance were pleaded in extenua- tion of their guilt. An Episcopalian minister in Lan- caster, wrote, to vindicate the conduet of the magis- trates, bringing scripture to prove that it was right, to destroy the heathen-and many others were of the same opinion. .
The Paxton Boys after this dreadful and inhuman slaughter, made their boast, that now having procur- ed so many scalps, they would go to Philadelphia and let the Quakers share the same fate. They went, and the consequence is well known.
It has always seemed strange that these men should have been suffered to go unpunished. The disordered and chaotic state of the colony at that time prevented, however, the speedy and impartial administration of justice.
It was believed, however, that all or most of them, came to an untimely end. There was an Indian named Bill Sock, who it was said, had been up the river, with the hostile Indians who committed outrages on the whites during the preceding summer, and that the whites were actuated by a spirit of retaliation in the massacre of the Conestogas. But this statement, (which would afford but a trivial excuse for civilized men, acting in such a cruel and inhuman manner if true,) is however false, as Bill Sock was during that summer in the employ of Robert Barber.
In the year 1757 or 8, a physician (Dr. Moore, ) came
from Philadelphia to inoculate the children who never had had the small pox; being all connected they were taken to one house, to make it convenient for the Doc- tor. He had forty patients-one or two that did not take the small pox, by inoculation, died; the rest all did well It was the opinion then, that it would be wrong to inoculote the second time, lest the subject should take the disease the natural way, and have a double portion.
Shortly after this date, the tranquillity of the town was disturbed by the revolutionary movements; great excitement was felt here, and as the inhabitants were moved by a patriotic spirit, having no, or few arms of any kind, their training's in particular for war, were performed with sticks, &c.
From this date, the history of the place is on record.
AFRICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY.
At a meeting of the coloured people of the city and vicinity of Pittsburg, convened at the African Church, on the evening of the 16th Jan. 1832, J. B. Vashon, was appointed Chairman, and Lewis Woodson, Secre- tary.
The object of the meeting being stated by the Chair- man, after some further deliberation, the following Pre- amble and Constitution were adopted.
PREAMBLE.
Whereas, ignorance in all ages has been found to de- base the human mind, and to subject its votaries to the lowest vices, and most abject depravity; and it must be admitted, that ignorance is the sole cause of the present degradation and bondage of the people of colour in these United States; that the intellectual capacity of the black man is equal to that of the white, and that he is equally susceptible of improvement, all ancient his- tory makes manifest; and even modern examples put beyond a single doubt,
We, therefore, the people of colour, of the city and vicinity of Pittsburg, and state of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of dispersing the moral gloom, that has long hung around us; have, under Almighty God, as- sociated ourselves together, which association shall be known by the name of the Pittsburg African Education Society, which shall have for the direction of its govern- ment, the following
CONSTITUTION.
ARTICLE 1. There shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Board of Managers, con- sisting of five, cach of whom shall be elected annu- ally by the members of the Society, at its annual meeting, and shall continue in office until their suc- cessors are appointed.
ART. 2. It shall be the duty of the President, to pre- side at all meetings of the society, and of the Board of Managers; to preserve orderin its deliberations, and to put all motions, when duly made and seconded, to the decision of the meeting; to sign all orders on the Treasurer for money. In the absence of tho Presi- dent, the Vice-President shall perform his duties.
ART. 3. The Secretary shall keep a fair record of all the proceedings of the society, and of the Board of Managers, in a book to be furnished him for that pur- pose, and shall file and keep all papers of importance to the society; and at the expiration of his office, shall deliver over to his successor, all books and pa- pers in his care, belonging to the society.
AAT. 4. The Treasurer shall keep all moneys and other property belonging to the society, committed to his care, and shall keep a fair account thereof, in a book to be furnished him for that purpose. Ilis books
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CABINET OF NATURAL SCIENCE.
[FEBRUARY
shall be open for inspection at any meeting of the soci- ety, or of the Board of Managers; and at the expira- tion of his office, he shall deliver over to his success- or, all moneys and other property in his possession, belonging to the society.
ART. 5. It shall be the duty of the Board of Managers, to transact the business of the society during its ro- cess, and to purchase such books as the society may, from time to time, direct. When the society may deem it expedient, they shall have power to raise money by subscription or otherwise, to purchase ground, and erect thereon a suitable building or build- ings for the accommodation and education of youth, and a hall for the use of the society. They shall have power to make, alter, or abolish all by-laws and regulations necessary for their government; and to do whatever else may be conducive to the best interests of the society.
ART. 6. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, shall be members of the Board of Mana- gers, any five of whom shall constitute a quorum to do business.
ART. 7. Any person subscribing his name to this Con- stitution, and paying into the hands of the Treasurer the sum of two dollars, shall be a member of this so- ciety, which sum the Society may alter, from time to time, as they may see fit.
ART. 8. The Annual Meeting of the society sball be on the third Monday in each year, and its Monthly Meet- ing, on the second Monday in each month.
ART. 9. No alteration shall be made in this Constitution without the concurrence of two thirds of its mem- bers.
The following persons were elected Officers of the Society for the ensuing year.
JOHN B. VASHON, President.
JOB B. THOMPSON, Vice-President. LEWIS WOODSON, Secretary. ABRAHAM D. LEWIS, Treasurer.
RICHARD BRYANS, 7 WM. J. GREENLY, SAMUEL BRUCE,
Baard of
MOSES HOWARD, SAM'L. CLINGHAM, J
Managers.
CABINET OF NATURAL SCIENCE.
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT.
PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE SOCIETY.
At a stated meeting of the Cabinet, held on the 31st day of December, 1831, Daniel H. Mulvany, from the committee appointed for the purpose, submitted the fol- lowing Report, which was approved, and ordered to be published:
At the last stated meeting a Committee was appointed to prepare a Report on the present state of the Cabinet of Natural Science of Montgomery county. In dis- charging this duty, the committee will premise that, as this is the first Annual Report ever made on the subject, the occasion is deemed appropriate to take a brief view of the formation of the Cabinet, its progress up to the present period, and the purposes for which it was insti- tuted.
Perhaps the existence of similar institutions in some of our neighbouring counties, and a conviction of their utility in a public and individual point of view, first sng- gested to some of our citizens the idea of establishing a Cabinet of Natural Science in Montgomery county .- But it was not until a series of lectures had been de- livered in this borough by Peter A. Browne, Esq. of Philadelphia, whose merits as a geologist are extensive- ly known and appreciated, that any effectual measures were taken for the formation of a Society for the culti- vation of natural science. The interest which this
gentleman, in his lectures, imparted to the subjects of geology and mineralogy, awakened in the minds of many a desire to become acquainted with those and oth- er branches of natural science, and the facilities which the institution of a Cabinet would afford, in the acquisi- tion of natural knowledge, were too apparent to be over- looked.
The first public meeting to take into consideration the utility of forming a society for the promotion of natural science, and for the establishment of a collec- tion of specimens, in the animal, vegetable and mineral departments of nature, was held at the house of Mr. Levi Roberts, in Norristown, on the 7th day of August, 1830. At this meeting a committee was appointed, and instructed to invite, through the medium of the pub- lic papers, the attention of the citizens of this county, to the objects contemplated by the meeting In dis- charge of their duty, the committee prepared and pub- lished an able address on the subject they were instruct- ed to present to the public, which had the effect of se- curing the co-operation of many intelligent individuals in accomplishing the object proposed-the formation of a society for the cultivation of natural knowledge. In their address which is dated August 20, 1830, the com- mittee requested the attendance of those disposed to become members of such a society, at a meeting desig- nated to be held at the house of Levi Roberts on the 4th day of September next, subsequent to the date of the address. Atthat time and place a meeting was accord- ingly held, and a committee of five were appointed to prepare articles of Association and Bye Laws for the consideration of the next meeting, which, pursuant to a resolution, was to be held at the same place on the 16th of the same month, September, 1830. When the time of meeting arrived, the committee to whom the duty was entrusted, submitted articles of Association, which, after some slight alterations, were unanimously approved and adopted. With regard to the Bye-Laws, the committee were continued, to make their Report at a future meet- ing-and they were subsequently discharged from the further consideration of the matter, until the charter of incorporation, which had been applied for, could be obtained from the proper anthorities. Pursuant to the 10th article of association reported by the committee, and in accordance with a resolution passed by the meet- ing, the following officers were chosen, until the next annual election which is to be held this day. President- Jonathan Roberts. Vice Presidents-George W. Hol- stein, Joseph Foulke. Corresponding Secretary -- Thomas M. Jolly. Recording Secretary-Alan W. Corson. Librarian-Daniel H. Mulvany. Curators- John Freedley, Philip Kendall and Joseph Thomas. Treasurer-John S. McFarland. Auditors-Charles. Jones, George W. Thomas and Hiram Corson.
The society being thus organized, such committees were appointed at subsequent meetings, with specific duties assigned them, as were judged expedient to carry into effect the objects of the association. Tbe treasurer, to whom the duty of procuring the charter of incorpo- ration was entrusted, reported at the stated meeting in April, 1331, that the articles prepared for the purpose had been signed by the Attorney General, the Judges of the Supreme Court and the Governor, and the charter was therefore perfected, A committee was then ap- pointed to prepare Bye-Laws for the regulation of the society. These were submitted at a stated meeting in July, 1831 and adopted. A committee was also appoint- ed to ascertain and mark the site of the Observatory, erected and used by the celebrated David Rittenhouse, and which, since the death of that philosopher, had been suffered to fallinto a state of delapidation. This committee reported at a stated meeting in June last, that through the politeness of the venerable Maj. Joseph Armstrong, they were shown the remains of a stone building which, according to the account of Maj. Arm- strong, whose veracity is to be relied on, was the same used by Mr. Rittenhouse as an Observatory. It is situ-
1832.]
CABINET OF NATURAL SCIENCE.
11 7
ated in the township of Norriton, about two and a half in quality to none in the state, extensive beds of excel- miles from this borough.
Since the organization of the society considerable pro- gress has been made, in the collection of appropriate specimens for the different departments of the Cabinet. The mineralogical department is gradually receiving an accession to the number of its specimens, which at the present time is about 300. For a considerable portion of these-some of which are European-the society is indebted to the kindness and liberality of Peter A. Browne, Esq. whose exertions in behalf of the Cabinet have contributed much to elevate the character of the institution. A number of specimens have also been presented by Mr. Joseph Thomas, now Casluier of the Pottsville Bank, who was formerly one of the Curators, and whose active and efficient co-operation aided much the foundation of the present society. Many other indi- viduals also, not connected with the society, have evinc- ed their good will, and an interest in its behalf, by dona- tions of specimens-and among these the munificence of Charles A. Poulson, Esq. is gratefully acknowledged. This gentleman has designed for the Cabinet a splendid collection of insects, from China, which are understood to be now at West Chester; and as soon as measures can be taken to have them forwarded to this place, they will form a [most valuable acquisition to our museum.
In the Botanical department, we have specimens of nearly five hundred plants, which are either indigenous or naturalized in Montgomery county. For the herba- rium comprising these plants the society is indebted to the kindness of Miss Hannah Corson, whose donation in this respect is the more valuable from the circum- stance that no addition has been made to the collection of plants made and presented by her to the Cabinet. The fact however, that nothing has been added to the result of her labours, it is hoped will have the effect of directing the attention of the members to the cultiva- tion of this science, and of impressing on their minds the utility of procuring specimens in botany. If the members would form themselves into several partics, each party, exploring a particular section, a general herbarium might be collected of all the plants of Mont- gomery county. Nor would this be the only result of such; an undertaking. In a general botanical excur- sion throughout the county, its mineral treasures might be explored, and specimens procured, without encroach- ing much on the time devoted to the purpose, or adding much to the labour, of collecting specimens for the her- barium. The duplicates too, which might be obtained in this way, would enable us to furnish specimens to oth- er Cabinets and to scientific individuals, in return for their favours-and by thus exchanging the natural pro- ductions of our own section of the county, for those collected in neighbouring and distant parts, the inte- rests of our institution would be materially promoted.
The Library at present contains about 20 volumes, among which are Godman's Natural Ilistory, Say's En- tomology, one volume of Audubon's Ornithological Bio- graphy, &c.
Of the minerals which have been collected by the members, or presented by others, but few compara- tively have been obtained within the borders of our own county. When it is recollected, that one of the pri- mary objects of our association is, to procure materials for a complete history of the natural productions of this county-to be enabled to display at a glance, to those who shall do us the favour to visit our Cabinet, the ani- mals, insects, fishes and birds which inhabit within its limits, and particularly those which are least familiar to the common eye-the vegetable plants which are the spontaneous growth of our soil, and the mineral trea- sures lying on its surface, or imbedded beneath it-it is to be regretted that specimens of these various articles have not been more generally procured. With regard to mineral wealth, our own is a highly favoured county. We have inexhaustible quarries of limestone, inferior
lent marble, and iron ore, and mines of copper, lead and zinc. There is reason to believe that even these have not been fully developed, and that there are large quan- tities of the same kind of minerals yet undiscovered. Perhaps it is not too much to expect that our Cabinet may yet be the means of conveying an accurate know- ledge of the true extent of our resourecs, in respect to those minerals, and developing other treasures which now remain imbedded in the earth, their nature, proper- ties, and the uses to which they might be applied, being alike unknown.
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