USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 7
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Another company may cover as much more of the Frontier, begin- ning where the first ends and reach towards, and back of Shippens- burg, by fixing a chief quarter in some convenient place about the mid- dle of said bounds, and from thence patrolling the ground twice a day, and keeping watches at the most proper places as above ; one of which watches may be constantly at Mr. Armstrong's, and another at a pro- per place at the other extremity.
This plan supposes each of the companies to consist of sixty men in all, as fewer cannot so patrol, keep watch, and have any force together to answer such exigencies as may occur. These may be furnished by deducting seventeen out of each of the four Forts back of our frontier : this leaves sixty in each fort, and makes up a new company of sixty men, and eight to be added to Captain Potter's company.
Governor Robert Morris, in his message of July 24, 1755, to the Assembly, has the following language in relation to
· See Appendix C,-Article " Proposal for the defence of the Fron- tiers by Major Burd.
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Braddock's defeat : " This unfortunate and unexpected change in our affairs deeply affect every one of his majesty's colonies, but none of them in so sensible a manner as this province, while having no militia, is thereby left exposed to the cruel incursion of the French and barbarous Indians, who delight in shedding human blood, and who make no distinc- tion as to age or sex-as to those that are armed against them, or such as they can surprise in their peaceful habita- tions-all are alike the objects of their cruelty-slaughter- ing the tender infant, and frightened mother, with equal joy and fierceness. To such enemies, spurred by the native cru- elty of their tempers, encouraged by their late success, and having now no army to fear, are the inhabitants of this pro- vince exposed ; and by such must we now expect to be over- run, if we do not immediately prepare for our own defence ; nor ought we to content ourselves with this, but resolve to drive to and confine the French to their own just limits."- Votes of Assem. iv. 416.
Scarce three months after this disastrous defeat, we find the barbarons savages, engaged in murdering the whites and setting fire to their houses, on the west side of Susquehanna, in Cumberland county, now Union; for on the fifteenth of October, 1755, a party of Indians fell upon the inhabitants on Mahahany (or Penn's) creek, that runs into the river Sus- quehannah, about five miles lower than the Great Fork made by the juncture of the two main branches of the Susquehan- nah, killed and carried off about twenty-five persons, and burnt and destroyed their buildings and improvements, and the whole settlement was deserted."-Pov. Recds. N. 340.
The inhabitants on Penn's creek sent in the following petition to Governor Morris : " We, the subscribers, near the mouth of Penn's creek, ou the west side of the Susquehanna, humbly show, that on or about the 16th October, 1755, the enemy came down upon said creek, killed, scalped and carried away all the men, women and children, amounting totwenty-five in number: and wounded 1 man, who fortunate- lv made his escape, and brought us the news, whereupon the subscri- bers went out and buried the dead, whom we found most barbarously murdered and scalped.
We found but thirteen, who were men and elderly women. The chil- dren, we suppose to be carried away prisoners. The house where we suppose they finished their murder, we found burnt up; the man of it, named Jacob King, a Swisser, lying just by it. He lay on his back, barbarously burnt, and two tomahawks sticking in his forehead; one of those marked newly with W. D. We have sent them to your Honor.
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The terror of which, has driven away almost all the back inhabitants, except the subscribers, with a few more who are willing to stay and defend the land ; but as we are not at all able to defend it for the want of guns and ammunition, and few in numbers, so that without assist- ance, we must flee and leave the country to the mercy of the enemy.
We, therefore, desire it, that your Honor would take the same into consideration, and order some speedy relief for the safety of these back settlements, and be pleased to give us speedy orders what to do.
George Gliwell George Anchmudy John McCahon Abraham Souer- kill Edmund Matthews Mark Curry William Doran Dennis Mucklehen- ny John Young John Simmons George Snabble George Aberheart Da- niel Braugh George Lynn and Gotfried Fryer .- Prov. Rec. N, p. 242-3.
Jacob King alias Jacob Le Roy, mentioned in the above petition, had only lately arrived in the country. At the time he was murdered, his daughter Anne Mary Le Roy and some others were made prisoners, and taken to Kittaning, where she was kept a captive for about four years. She arrived at Philadelphia, May 6th 1759. A narrative of her abduction and captivity, and that of Barbara Leininger was published by Peter Miller, in 1759 .- Sauer's Zeitung.
On the 23d of October, 1755, foty-six of the inhabitants on Susquehanna, about Harris' Ferry, went to Shamokin, to enquire of the Indians there, who they were, that had so cru- elly fallen upon and ruined the settlement on Mahahony creek ; on their return from Shamokin, they were fired upon by some Indians who lay in ambush, and four were killed, four drowned, and the rest put to flight; on which all the settlements between Shamokin and Hunter's mill (formerly Chamber's) for the space of fifty miles, were deserted .- Prov. Rec. N. 340.
The following letters from John Harris, and other gentle- men, give all the particulars, touching the above :
Paxton, October 20, 1755.
May it please your Honor-
I was informed last night, by a person that came down our river, that there was a Dutch (German) woman, who made her escape to George Gabriel's, and informs us that last Friday evening, on her way home from this settlement, on Mahahony, or Penn's creek, where her family lived, she called at a neighbor's house, and saw two persons lying by the door of said house, murdered and scalped ; and there were some Dutch (German) families that lived near their places, immediately left. not thinking it safe to stay any longer. It is the opinion of the people up the river, that the families on Penn's creek being scattered, that but few in number are killed or carried off, except the above said woman. the certainty of which will soon be known, as there are some men gone out to bury the dead.
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By report, this evening, I was likewise informed by the belt of wam- pum, and these Indians here, there were seen, near Shamokin, about six days ago, two French Indians of the Canawago tribe. I, a little doubted the truth of the report at first; but the Indians have seemed so afraid, that they despatched messengers, immediately, to the mountains, above my house, to bring in some of their women that were gathering chestnuts, for fear of their being killed.
By a person just arrived down our river, brought information of two men being murdered within five miles of Geo. Gabriel's, four women carried off, and there is one man wounded in three places, who escaped to Gabriel's, and it is imagined that all the inhabitants on Penn's creek and Little Mahahony, are killed or carried off, as most of them live much higher up, where the first murder was discovered. The Indian warriors here send you these two strings of white wampum, and the women the black one, both requesting that you would lay by all your council pipes, immediately, and open all your eyes and ears and view your slain people in this land, and to put a stop to it immediately, and come to this place to our assistance without any delay; and the belt of wampum particularly mentions that the proprietors and your honor would immediately act in defence of their country, as the old chain of friendship now is broken by several nations of Indians, and it seems to be such as they never expected to see or hear of. Any delay on our acting vigorously now at this time, would be the loss of all Indian in- terest, and perhaps our ruin in these parts
I am your honor's Most obedient servant, JOHN HARRIS.
P. S. I shall endeavor to get a number of my neighbors to go out as far as the murder has been committed ; and perhaps to Shamokin, to know the minds of the Indians, and their opinions of these times, and to get what intelligence I can from them, and to encourage some of their young men to scout about, back of the frontiers, to give us notice of the enemy's approach, if possible, at any time hereafter. I heartily wish your honor and the assembly, would please to agree on some me- thod at this time towards protecting this province, as this part of it seems actually in danger now ; for should but a company of Indians come and murder, but a few families hereabouts, which is daily ex- pected, the situation we are in would oblige numbers to abandon their plantations, and our cattle and provisions, which we have a plenty of, must then fall a prey to the enemy.
Our Indians here seem much discouraged at the large number of fa- milies passing here, every day, on account of the late murders on the Pctomack, and will be much more so, if it should happen to be our case. There were two Indian women set out from here two days ago, for the Ohio, to bring some of their relations (as they say) down here ; and should the French, or their Indians hear by them, as they will be enquiring for news, the effect that their late murders has had among our inhabitants, it will be a matter of encouragement to them.
I conclude, your honor's
Most obedient and most humble servant,
JOHN HARRIS.
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INTRODUCTION.
PAXTON, October 28, 1755.
May it please your Honor (Gov. Morris.)
This is to acquaint you, that on the 24th of October, I arrived at Shamokin, in order to protect our frontiers up that way, till they might make their escape from their cruel enemies ; and learn the best intelli- gence I could.
The Indians on the west branch of the Susquehannah, certainly killed our inhabitants on Penn's creek ; and there are a hatchet and two En- glish scalps sent by them up the North branch, to desire them to strike with them, if they are men.
The Indians are all assembling themselves at Shamokin, to counsel ; a large body of them was there four days ago. I cannot learn their in- tentions ; but seems Andrew Montour and Mona-ca-too-tha are to bring down the news from them. There is not a sufficient number of them to oppose the enemy ; and, perhaps, they will join the enemy against us. There is no dependance on Indians; and we are in imminent danger.
I got certain information from Andrew Montour and others, that there is a body of French with fifteen hundred Indians coming upon, us, Picks, Ottaways, Orandox, Delawares, Shawanese, and a number of the Six Nations ; and are now, not many days march from this Province and Virginia, which are appointed to be attacked; at the same time, some of the Shamokin Indians seem friendly, and others appear like enemies.
Montour knew many days ago of the enemy being on their march against us, before he informed ; for which I said as much to him, as I thought prudent, considering the place I was in.
On the 25th inst., on my return with about forty more, we were at- tacked bv about twenty or thirty Indians-received their fire, and about fifteen of our men and myself took to the trees, attacked the villains, killed four of them on the spot, and lost but three more-retreating about half a mile through woods, and crossing the Busquehannah, one of whom was shot off an horse riding behind myself, through the river. My horse was wounded, and failing in the river, I was obliged to quit him and swim part of the way.
Four or five of our men were drowned crossing the river. I hope our journey, though with fatigue, and loss of our substance, and some of our lives, will be of service to our country, by discovering our ene. my, who will be our ruin, if not timely prevented.
- I just now received information that there was a French officer, sup- posed captain, with a party of Shawanese, Delawares, &c., within six miles of Shamokin, ten days ago; and no doubt intends to take poș- session of it, which will be a dreadful consequence to us, if suffered .- Therefore, I thought proper to despatch this message to inform your Honor. The Indians here I hope, your Honor, will be pleased to cause them to remove to some place, as I do like their company ; and as the men of those here were not against us, yet did them no harm ; or else I would have them all cut off. Belt (Indian so called) promised at Shamokin, to send out spies to view the enemy, and upon hearing of our skirmishes, Old Belt was in a rage-gathered up thirty Indians im- mediately and went in pursuit of the enemy, as I am this day informed.
I expect Montour and Mona-ca-thoo-tha down here this week, with
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the determination of their Shamokin council. The inhabitants are abandoning their plantations, and we are in a dreadful situation. I am &c., JOHN HARRIS."
P. S. The night ensuing our attack, the Indians burnt all George Gabriel's houses-danced around them.
The Indians alluded to by Mr. Harris, had been at Har- ris' Ferry for some months, as is evident from the following letter addressed to Governor Morris :
HARRIS' FERRY, July 9th, at 11 o'clock, 1755.
Honored Sir : According to your order, I came to this place last Monday, and found the Indian's writing for me. Yesterday, I distributed about two hundred bushels of meal among them ; after that was over, they required how things stood as to the war. I told them what had happened to some of the back inhabitants ; and that the French Indians were like to do a great deal of mischief. They seemed to be very much concerned. There were about thirty of them, and of which number nine offered themselves to go with me, or my son Sammy, to Wills' creek, and serve as outscouts against the French and their Indians, and to protect the poor people settled about those parts ; and I was agreed that they should meet me, or my son, at this place, in ten days hence ; and that in the meantime, I was to obtain your Honor's leave, and a proper pass. This morning Captain Glazier's express from the east arrived at this place, with the agreeable news of the defeat of the French at Nova Scotia, and the taking of the French men-of-war, by Admiral Boscawen.
I read and explained the printed paper to the Indians, and they ex- pressed a good deal of satisfaction and pleasure with the news. Capt. Glazier gave me to understand that he should be very glad if some of these Indians would accompany him to the English camp with the de- spatches he had for the general, in this dangerous time. I proposed it to the Indians ; they approved of the thing, but having intelligence of your Honor's coming up, and that you would be in Lancaster this day, they would hear and receive your approbation ; and they have accord- ingly desired me to stay with them at this place, till your Honor's ar- rival, which I have promised to do, and have sent the bearer here of express to let your Honor know of this and to receive further orders.
I am sir, Your very obedient and humble servant, CORRAD WEISER.
HEIDELBERG, July 21st, 1755.
Honored Sir :
I must inform you that on the same day you left John Harris's, about twenty-five Indian women and children arrived from Achwick, (Augh- wiek) only one old man with them. They say that it was agreed upon when their husbands and young men went to the English army, under General Braddock, they should come down to the inhabited parts, where they should be provided for ; and as they had nobody to hunt for
* Prov. Rec. N. 247-8.
INTRODUCTION.
them, they could not live without being somehow assisted by their bre- thren, the English; and that a good many more were on their way coming down.
I bought 500 weight of flour and gave it to them ; and gave orders to John Harris that when the rest arrived to give them some flour also, till the Governor's pleasure should be known, which I desire your ho- nor will signify to me or John Harris, as soon as possible.
Jonathan and John Shickalamy* will stay among the inhabitants till they hear from your honor concerning the English army and Gon. Braddock.
Our people are very malicious against our Indians ; they curse and damn them to their faces, and say, "Must we feed you, and your hus- bands fight in the meantime for the French ?
I am, your honor's obedient and humble servant, CONRAD WEISER.
In the month of August 1755, Conrad Weiser, at the re- quest of Gov. Morris, went to Harris' Ferry, when he found that Scarroyady, and a good many more Indians had gone up the river to settle about Shamokin, or at least to hunt thereabouts during the winter of 1755 and '56.
Tohashwughtonie, commonly called "Belt" or "Old Belt," was at Harris' Ferry, with Seneca George, and five or six more elderly men, and others to the number of fifty or sixty including women and children. Weiser brought with him a wagon load of flour to supply the wants of the Indians.t
I, and Thomas Foster, Esq., Mrs. Harris, and Mr. McKee, with up- wards of forty men, went up the 2nd inst., (October 1755,) to Captain McKee, at New Providence, in order to bury the dead, lately murdered on Mahahany creek; but understanding the corpse were buried, we then determined to return immediately home. But being urged by John Sekalamy, and the Old Belt, to go up to see the Indians at Shamokin, and know their minds, we went on the 24th, and staid there all night- and in the night, I heard some Delawares talking-about twelve in number-to this purpose : " What are the English come here for ?" Says another : " To kill us, I suppose ; can we then send off some of our nimble young men to give our friends notice that can soon be here ?" They soon after sang the war song, and four Indians went off, in two canoes, well armed-the one canoe went down the river, and the other across.
On the morning of the 25th, we took our leave of the Indians and set off homewards, and were advised to go down the east side of the river, but fearing that a snare might be laid on that side, we marched
* Shickalamy-this name is variously spelled ; Shikellimus, the fa- ther of these sons died at Shamokin in 1749; and I find that Colden mentions him under the names of Shickalamy, Shicalamy, Shick Calamy.
+ August 8th 1755, Prov. Rec. N. 213.
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off peaceably, on the west side, having behaved in the most civil and friendly manner towards them while with them; and when we came to the mouth of the Mahahany creek, we were fired on by a good number of Indians that lay among the bushes; on which we were obliged to retreat, with the loss of several men; the particutar number I cannot exactly mention ; but I am positive that I saw four fall, and one man struck with a tomahawk, on the head, in his flight across the river. As I understand the Delaware tongue, I heard several of the Indians that were engaged against us, speak a good many words, in that tongue, during the action.
ADAM TERRANCE.
The above declaration was attested by the author's voluntary qualifi- cation, no magistrate being present ; at Paxton, this 26th October, 1755, before us :
John Elder, Thomas McArthur, Michael Graham, Alex. McClure, Mi- chael Teass, William Harris, Thomas Black, Samuel Lenes, Samuel Pearson, William McClure.
N. B. Of all our people that were in the action, there are but nine that are yet returned.
READING, October 22, 1755.
Honored Sir :
I take this opportunity to inform you, that I received news from Shamokin, and that six families have been murdered on John Penn's creek, on the west side of the Susquehannah ; about four miles from the river, several people have been found scalped, and twenty eight or more missing. The people are in great consternation, and are coming down, leaving their plantations and corn behind them. I'wo of my sons are gone up to help down one of their cousins with his family.
I hear of more that will defend themselves ; but George Gabriel- the people down here seem to be for ourselves, and says : The Indians will never come this side the Susquehannah river ; but I fear they will, since they meet with no opposition any where. I do not doubt, your Honor has heard of this molancholy affair before now, by the way of Lancaster, perhaps more particularly ; yet, I thought it my duty to in- form you of it ; and when my sons come back, I will write again, if they bring any thing particular.
I have heard nothing of the Indians that have gone up to fight against the French on the Ohio ; their going, I fear, has been occasion of this murder. I have nothing more to add, but am, Honored Sir,
Your very humble servant,
CONRAD WEISER.
HEIDELBERG, October 26, at 11 o'clock, Sunday night, 1755. Mr. James Read : Loving Friend :
About one hour ago, I received the news of the enemy having crossed the Susquehannah, and killed a great many people, from Thomas McKee's down to Hunter's mills.
Mr. Elder, the minister at Paxton, wrote to another Presbyterian min- ister, in the neighborhood of Adam Reed, Esq. The people were then
8
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in a meeting, and immediately designed to get themselves in readiness, to oppose the enemy, and lend assistance to their neighbors.
Mr. Reed sent down to Tulpehocken-and two men, one that came from Mr. Reed's, are just now gone, who brought in the melancholy news. I have sent out to alarm the townships in this neighborhood, and to meet me early in the morning, at Peter Spicker's, to consult to- gether what to do, and to make preparations, to stand the enemy, with the assistance of the Most High.
I wrote you this, that you may have time to consult with Mr. Seely, and other well-wishers of the people, in order to defend your lives and others. For God's sake let us stand together, and do what we can, and trust to the hand of Providence-perhaps, we must, in this neighbor- · hood, come to Reading ; but I will send armed men to Susquehannah, or as far as they can go for intelligence.
Pray let Sammy have a copy of this, or this draft for his Honor, the Governor. I have sent him, about three hours ago express to Phila- delphia, and he lodges at my son Peter's. Despatch him as early as you can. I pray, beware of confusion, be calm, you and Mr. Seely, and act the part of fathers of the people. I know you are both able ; but excuse me for giving you this caution-time requires it .*
I am dear sir, your very good friend and
Humble servant,
CONRAD WEISER.
PAXTON, October, 28, 1755.
To Richard Peters :
Sir: I received your letter, and shall observe the contents. There is melancholy news, concerning which, I have written to his Honor, the Governor. If there were encouragement for 1000 or 1500 men to meet the enemy and build a fort some place up Susquehanna, I imagine a number of men will go at their own expense to assist.
I am sir, your most humble servant,
JOHN HARRIS.
P. S. I shall endeavor to keep out a few Mohawks, that are here, as spies. The Belt promised to send out some ; but it was our River In- dians, and some scouts from the French army, attacked us at Mr. Penn's creek.
Yours, J. H.
NOTE .- Heckewelder, in his Historical Account of the Indians, when speaking of the Indians' manner of surprising their enemies, relates a striking annecdote by way of exemplification of the Indians' sagacity, as well as veracity ; the subject of which, has some relation to massa- cre, mentioned above.
" In the beginning, says he, of the summer of the year 1755, a most atrocious and shocking murder was unexpectedly committed by a par- ty of Indians, on fourteen white settlers within five or six miles of Sha- mokin. The surviving whites, in their rage, determined to take their revenge by murdering a Delaware Indian who happened to be in those
* Provincial Records, N. p. 244-5.
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parts, and was far from thinking himself in danger. He was a great friend to the whites, was loved and esteemed by them, and in testimony of their regard, had received from them the name of Luke Holland, by which he was generally known. This Indian, satisfied that his nature was incapable of committing such a foul murder in a time of profound peace, told the enraged settlers, that he was sure that the Delawares were not in any manner concerned in it, and that it was the act of some wicked Mingoes or Iroquois, whose custom it was to involve other na- tions in wars with each other by clandestinely committing murders, so that they might be laid to the charge of others than themselves. But all his representations were vain; he could not convince exasperated men whose minds were fully bent upon revenge. At last, he offered that if they would give him a party to accompany him, he would go with them in quest of the murderers, and was sure he could discover them by the prints of their feet and other marks well known to him, by which he would convince them that the real perpetrators of the crime belonged to the Six Nations. His proposal was accepted, he marched at the head of a party of whites and led them into the tracks. They soon found themselves in the most rocky parts of the mountain, where not one of those who accompanied him was able to discover a single track, nor would they, believe that ever a man had trodden on this ground, as they had to jump over a number of crevices between the rocks, and in some instances to crawl over them. Now they began to believe that the Indian had led them across those rugged mountains in order to give the enemy time to escape, and threathened him with in- stant death the moment they should be fully convinced of the fraud .- The Indian true to his promise would take pains to make them perceive that an enemy had passed along the places through which he was lead- ing them ; here he would show them that the moss on the rock had been trodden down by the weight of a human foot, then that it had been torn and dragged forward from its place ; further he would point out to them that pebbles or small stones on the rocks had been removed from their beds by the foot hitting against them, that dry sticks by being trod- den upon were broken, and even that in a particular place, an Indian's blanket had dragged over the rocks, and removed or loosened the leaves lying there, so that they lay no more flat, as in other places ; all which the Indian could perceive as he walked along, without ever stopping .- At last arriving at the foot of the mountain on soft ground, where the tracks were deep, he found out the enemy were eight in number, and from the freshness of the foot prints, he concluded that they must be encamped at no great distance. This proved to be the exact truth ; for, after gaining the eminence on the other side of the valley, the Indians were seen encamped, some having already lain down to sleep, while others were drawing off their leggings for the same purpose, and the scalps they had taken were hanged up to dry. " See!" said Luke Hol- land to his astonished companions, " there is the enemy ! not of any nation, but Mingces, as I truly tell you. They are in our power ; in less than half an hour they will all be fast asleep, We need not fire a gun, but go up and tomahawk them. We are nearly two to one and need apprehend no danger. Come on, and you will now have your full revenge !" But the whites, overcome with fear, did not choose to follow the Indian's advice, and urged him to take them back by the nearest and best way, which he did, and when they arrived at home
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