Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 6

Author: Babcock, Charles A.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

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away. The fort was burned after spiking and burying their guns. The trinkets, merchan- dise, and gay insignia were bestowed upon the Indians, and the laughing Frenchmen bid- ding their sorrowing friends adieu, and promis- ing to come back next year to drive out the English, departed. The kaleidoscope was dis- jointed in their hands, and they held only broken bits of glass which would never again assume the beautiful forms of hope. The dream of domination in the New World was ended, and others with it. Only the solitary savages remained along the Rivière aux Boeufs.

After the abandonment of Venango by the French a new fort was built by the English, in 1760. It was a much stronger and more pre- tentious work than Machault. It was put up in an incredibly short time, considering the many inconveniences and difficulties encountered. The materials were brought down the creek. Skillful engineers planned the work, but who they were we know not. There was no fear of the French. They had departed. But the Indians were still unfriendly, and as a defense against them it was provided. A small garri- son under Lieutenant Gordon was placed there. Under ordinary care these preparations would have been ample. During the Pontiac wars the little garrison and fort at Venango were blotted out. Lieutenant Gordon was tortured for sev- eral days by fire, before his brave spirit left the body. Not one of the garrison was spared. One prisoner, a woman, was taken to Buffalo. She told the story. The Indians, Senecas, came as in sport to play La crosse before the fort, the ball was struck several times into the fort and the laughing players were allowed to go inside to reclaim it. This happened sev- eral times ; when suddenly the smiling players became shrieking fiends and struck down the unsuspecting garrison, inside and outside the inclosure. This ruse was tried at other places on the same day. Pontiac was a man of broad comprehension. He planned to exterminate the whites in the west. He said either the white or the red man must go. Both can not remain. If the white man stays, we must go. His reasoning was correct, but his premises were false. He was splendid raw material, but was already at the end of a long line of de- velopment, and if the white man, perhaps- but it would have been like teaching songs to a robin, or a wildcat to plough-and the toma- hawks-and treachery. No; we can not sym- pathize very deeply with Pontiac. Civilization is best. The Indian we have still.' He is im- proving faster than the peasants did in the

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Dark Ages, and he is about as numerous as he ever was on this continent. Some of them are in Congress.

Again, the region of Venango is the hunting ground of savages. Perhaps they miss at times their jolly friends the French, with proffered glass of Onontio's milk (brandy) to drink Onontio's health in Quebec. They have heard that Onontio is no longer there. The English rule there also. Or they may miss the smith and the traders who supplied their wants in winter. They are still hostile to the English, who are again making settlements along the Allegheny. To protect these new colonists, a third fort was built at Venango, soon after the close of the Revolution. It was called Fort Franklin. The country now belonged to the Americans. The government would encourage emigration. The settlers must be protected. Therefore, in the spring of 1787, a company of United States soldiers, under command of Captain Hart, was sent to build the new forti- fication. The ground chosen was on the bank of French creek, a little above the present bridge near Thirteenth street. It was not a formidable work. It was about one hundred feet square, with bastions at the angles and surrounded by pickets some eight feet high. Inside of this was a ditch. Another ditch was constructed along the bluff to serve as a rifle- pit. In the spring of 1788 General Harmar made a tour of inspection of western posts, arriving here May 3d. In his journal of that date he speaks of this visit :

3d. About eight o'clock this morning, after pass- ing one island, we entered the mouth of French creek. The fort stands half a mile up. Several miles below we were discovered by some Indians, who cut across and gave notice of our approach to Captain Hart. The arrival of General Harmar was announced with seven rounds of a one-pounder from the fort. Very kindly received by Captain Hart and Lieutenant Frothingham, at the head of their com- mand. The company reviewed and dismissed. Spent the day in examining Captain Hart's work, viewing the adjacent country and the old fortifications of the French and the British. There is a fine flat of good land here, altogether on the lower side of French creek, but sufficient for several farms, the only flat land from Mahoning or Mogulbughtiton up. .... Captain Hart's fort or Fort Franklin as it is called, is built precisely after the plan of the one which had been erected by the British, called Venango. It is a square redoubt, with a block-house three stories high in the centre; stands better than half a mile up French creek upon very good ground, but the situation, in my opinion, is by no means so eligible, as that of old Venango, built by the English. The last work stood upon a command- ing ground pretty close to the bank of the Alle- gheny, half a mile below French creek and a mile from Fort Franklin. The cellar wall and huge

stack of chimneys of the blockhouse are of stone and are yet quite entire. The parapet and some other parts remain perfect, and the whole work might have been rebuilt with half the labor and expense of that built by Hart. The only reason the captain could give for taking new ground was the con- venience of timber.

It served its purpose. It was the only place to which the earliest settlers could resort in case of Indian raids. Doubtless the fact of its presence prevented attacks that would other- wise have been made. When trouble was feared with the Indians in 1791, the people of Meadville sent their women and children to Fort Franklin.

Among those who came to Franklin at this time was Darius Mead, the father of Gen. David Mead. He was taken prisoner by Cap- tain Bull, an Indian, who professed to be friendly, and a companion, in a field near the fort, and was taken to the forest. The follow- ing day his body and also Bull's were found in Mercer county by a friendly Indian, who sent his daughter to Fort Franklin with the in- formation. It would appear that Mead had obtained possession of Bull's knife in the night and after killing Bull was later slain by the chief's companion.

The settlers believed in 1794 that a plan had been concocted to destroy the white people of Venango County. Major Denny writes, "no doubt but that a plan was formed to destroy all the posts and settlements in this quarter." But this seems hardly probable. Pontiac, the mighty, vengeful genius, had been slain in a drunken brawl, and Cornplanter, the great man of the region, was inclined to be friendly. His people, however, were jealous of the increasing number of the settlers. Apprehension was rife ; danger lay hid in the forest shades. Standing Stone, a chief of the Onondagas, according to a deposition of Daniel Ransome, said that "he thought the times at Fort Franklin would soon be bad," and urged him to leave it. Andrew Elliot, who visited the fort June 29th, writes: "On my arrival, the place appeared to be in such a defenseless condition that with the con- currence of Captain Denny, and the officer in command, we remained there some time, and employed the troops in rendering it more ten- able. It may now be considered defensible, provided the number of men is increased. The garrison at present consists of twenty-five men, one half of whom are unfit for duty, and it is my opinion that double that number would not be more than sufficient, considering the im- portance of the safety of the settlement on French creek."

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Adlum's letter from Fort Franklin, Aug. 31, he was unwilling, as his hints of danger, in- 1794, to Governor Mifflin, says in part :

Cornplanter laughs at the idea of our keeping the posts, either at Le Boeuf or at the mouth of French creek, should there be a war; for he says it will not be possible for us to supply them with provisions, as they will constantly have parties along the river and path to cut off all supplies, and that we would soon have to run away from them. I don't know how far it may operate in our favor should General Wayne be successful in the westward; but it appears to me that war is inevitable, and I think Captain Brandt has a very great hand in it, and his policy is to get the whole of the Six Nations on the north side of the lakes, as it will make him more con- sequential, for at present there is but a small num- ber of them there. The Cornplanter desired me to give notice that it was unnecessary to send any more provisions to Le Boeuf, as they would soon have to leave it.

The son of the Black Chief made me the present of a hog while I was there, and in the morning before I came away, Half Town informed me that he dreamed I made a feast and dance with it; and as it is a general custom to give the Indians what they dream for (provided they are not too extravagant), I told him he must have it, and superintend the feast, and I would buy another that the whole town might partake. For I wished to get the sentiments of the Indians generally. It is the custom of the Indians, at such times, to set up a post and strike it to brag of the feats they have done, or those they intend. Some of the old chiefs were very delicate, and only told of their feats against the Cherokees, as they said it might injure my feelings if they mentioned anything against the whites; others wished General Washington would not grant their request, that they might have one more opportunity of showing that bravery and expertness in war against us. The Cornplanter bragged often and appeared to speak as if war were certain. In one of his brags he gave me a pair of moccasins, saying as he addressed himself to me: "It is probable that we shall have war soon. I wish every person to do their duty to their country, and expect you will act your part as becomes a man : and I see your mocca- sins are nearly worn out. I give you this pair to put on when you come to fight us." I took them and thanked him and said I would reserve them for that purpose. Du Quania, who headed a party of Indians from the north side of the lakes, in one of his brags said that he was always an enemy of the Americans; that he served the king last war, and when peace was concluded he moved over the lakes which some said was through fear. "But," says he, "you see it is not so, for I still love the king and hate the Americans, and now that there is like to be danger you see me here to face it." The Indians in general wished me to suppose that the British had no hand in the present business, but from sev- eral things they related to me, it appeared plain that they are at the bottom of it.

It seems likely from the correspondence of this period that an uprising of the Indians had been planned. This is shown by the presence of the Canadian chief and his band. The "Six Nations" may also have been urging Corn- planter to make war upon the settlements; but

tended to warn them, indicate. His "brags" were evidently for "home consumption," and to satisfy the chiefs of the Northern Iroquois. He had been striving for some time to keep peace, so that he had been blamed by his own people for his work in some of the late treaties. On the other hand, it is very likely that the smashing victory of "Mad Anthony Wayne" over the Miamis was already known to the Indians, and that the warlike ardor of the red men was pretty well extinguished. "Mad Anthony" might now come to Pennsylvania, and they feared him more than any other In- dian fighter. Wayne's victory occurred at a most opportune time. The "brags" of the chiefs may also be considered as safety valves which relieved their pent up war spirits. The garrison at Fort Franklin was strengthened, and this was good.

After this there was some trouble with the Indians ; but the cases were between individuals who had differences to adjust. There were no more raids, or signs of any for years. Fort Franklin was abandoned in 1796, when a fourth fortress, called the Old Garrison, was erected in a more suitable location, at the mouth of French creek. After 1805, when the county was organized, a fortress was felt to be un- necessary, and this last building for war only, enjoyed a period of civil life as a jail. Another transformed war product was closely asso- ciated with it during this strictly peace func- tion. Capt. George Fowler, formerly of the British army, became an American, was elected justice of the peace, lived in this building for a time, where he could try cases and if occa- sion demanded incarcerate the guilty, lodge and feed them in a homelike way. He was a good English soldier, and became a patriotic citizen of this country. In 1819 a jail was erected on the South Park. The work of dilapidation began. Now the "Old Garrison," with the other three, has joined the world of invisible things.

LAND TITLES

At the time settlements were begun in Penn- sylvania, before the coming of Penn, it was quite generally believed that an Indian had no right to land that would prevent a Christian nation from taking possession of it. Priority of discovery was at first claimed as giving title to a heathen country, and therefore the Span- iards assumed ownership of the whole conti- nent. But this claim, being too large to keep, was soon dropped. Priority of possession,

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coupled with power to keep hold, was soon silently seen to constitute a good title against not only the Indians, but also all other comers. The Indian was considered to have only the right of "occupancy" which affected the part actually used or occupied and which could in no way imply a title in fee to the soil any more than could the hole of a fox or of a wolf. Not- withstanding the Indians' claim, the Christian having prior possession to other Christians and power owned the fee and could terminate at his pleasure all relations of the Indian with his mother earth. Thus the Spaniards doubtless thought themselves possessed of the right to murder every man, woman and child in Mexico and Peru. But they were not able to keep any colonies there. They had to leave early in the 18th century. Not one of their governments which they established in Mexico, Central America, South America or North America now remains; not even the same form of gov- ernment, for they are now all republics. Span- ish occupation of a large part of this hemi- sphere is indicated now not by any high en- deavor for humanity, but noticeably by a race of half-breeds, and other breeds made up of small fractions of many races, and also by the great number of their odd and astounding preparations of hot-weather cookery.

But at one time priority of possession was considered among all the colonizing nations as a valid title. All kings recognized it as such if they were sending out explorers. They as- sumed the title and gave grants. The head of the church on earth recognized it. As this title was not derived from any earthly source, like purchases for a consideration, established by law upheld by courts among civilized nations, but descended fully formed upon the discoverer of a heathen land, it was customary among Christian nations to speak of it as a "heavenly title." The phrase "this heavenly title" had been used by judges in making decisions before the time of Penn.

There is no doubt, however, that public opin- ion in England in the seventeenth century dis- countenanced all the harsh treatment of the Indians; and there is also no doubt that the treatment of the Indians in New England, Vir- ginia and the Carolinas was far better than what was known to be the practice in the Span- ish colonies. Roger Williams, who started as a colonist in Plymouth and in Salem, was the first to deny the validity of the "heavenly title." He was a very learned man. He was as well. an eloquent, persuasive preacher. He drew. Many loved him as a teacher of truth. In 1635 the General Court banished him from

the colony. He was ordered to leave in six weeks. His offense was that he denied the authority of the court respecting two things: The first was the right of the King to appro- priate and grant the lands of the Indians with- out first purchasing them; and the other was the right of the civil power to impose faith and worship. In other words, the Indians should be satisfied before the settlers took their lands, and the settlers themselves should be free to choose their church, according to their own beliefs, with no directions from the magis- trates. He emigrated-barely escaped from the court, which was expecting to return him to England. He founded a colony, after buy- ing the land. Here he lived and wrote some of the most learned works of the century, in "the thickest of the native Indians of America, in their very wild houses and by their barba- rous fires." His colony prospered and contin- ued with no material change in its constitution till well into the nineteenth century. Its suc- cess was a complete refutation of the first count in the judgment against him of the Gen- eral Court. The second count is now thought to be eternally wrong, a killer of faith. Truth has many sides .: Not all may see the same side ; but unless choice is free, it is not one's own act and has no moral quality. Still, a large part of New England was obtained from the Indians by conquest.

Penn paid the Indians for every rod of land he took from them. Though the price seems small, the Indians were always satisfied. His colony enjoyed peace with them for seventy years, while many of the other colonies had outbreaks and massacres. This has been gen- erally advanced as the reason that his colony enjoyed such wonderful growth and prosperity during this period. Penn's sons adopted their father's policy; and though in one or two in- stances the Indians considered themselves over- reached, the land was all bought over again in smaller tracts. So it may be considered that the whole Commonwealth was fairly purchased from its native owners.

At the close of the Revolution the State suc- ceeded the Penns as possessor of all their char- ter rights. Therefore it could dispose of any land not already purchased, and could protect its grant by a deed valid throughout the nation. A confirmatory law to this effect had also been enacted by our State legislature. But it was thought best to conform to the letter and spirit of the policy of the great founder, by the pur- chase from the Indians of all charter lands re- maining, and the satisfaction of their claims regarding them. This recognition of the

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natives' interest in the land is a tribute to the justice of a great soul. The last purchase from the Indians secured to the State an important tract in which Venango county is included. It was effected at a conference held at Fort Stanwix, New York, Oct. 23, 1784. At this meeting a deed was executed and delivered to the Commissioners of the Commonwealth by representatives of the Six Nations, purporting to convey all the land within a given boundary line described as follows:

"From the point where the east side of the east branch of the River Susquehanna crosses the northern boundary of Pennsylvania down said east side till it comes opposite the mouth of a creek called by the Indians Awandac, and across the river and up said creek on the south side thereof along the range of hills called Burnett's hills by the English and by the In- dians -; on the north side of them to the head of a creek which runs into the west branch of the Susquehanna, which creek is by the In- dians called Tyadaghton but by the Pennsyl- vanians Pine creek, and down said creek on the south side thereof to the said west branch of the Susquehanna : then crossing the said river and running up the course on the south side thereof the several courses thereof to the fork of the same river which lies nearest to a place on the Ohio (Allegheny) called Kittanning, and from the fork by a straight line to Kittan- ning aforesaid; then down the said river by the several courses thereof to where the west- ern boundary of the said State of Pennsyl- vania crosses the said river ; thence across the said river on the western boundary of the said State, and thence due north along the said western boundary to the end of the forty-sec- ond and the beginning of the forty-third de- grees of north latitude; thence by a due east line separating the end of the forty-second and the beginning of the forty-third degrees of north latitude to the east side of the east branch of the River Susquehanna," at the place of beginning.

This deed conveys all the land within the boundaries noted. But it was thought the Wyandots and Delawares had as good a title to a part of the tract as that of the Six Nations, and the Commonwealth by a treaty made at Fort McIntosh, now Beaver. the following year purchased their title. Prior to the acqui- sition of this territory the State had assumed obligations which controlled its disposition to a great degree. Toward the close of the Revolu- tion, Pennsylvania, as well as all the other colonies, was suffering from the evils of a depreciated currency. The soldiers and all

others serving the American interests, from this colony, must be paid in this currency. To compensate for the shrinkage in value, Penn- sylvania prepared a scale of depreciation for every month from Jan. 1, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1781, and decreed that according to this scale the troops of her line should be paid. As money to pay what was due could not then be had, certificates were used, and to them the name "depreciation certificates" was given. By another act, passed Dec. 18, 1780, it was ordered that the Depreciation Certificates should be received at the land office in pay- ment of the purchase money of unlocated lands, and that they should there be taken as the equivalent of coin. A vast tract of terri- tory to redeem this pledge was set apart in 1783. It began at a point where the western boundary of the State crosses the Ohio river, runs up the Ohio and the Allegheny rivers to the mouth of Mogulbughtiton creek, thence by a due west line to the western boundary of the State. The "certificate lands" were in this area.

But the faith of the Commonwealth was pledged to give to her citizens serving in the Federal army, or, if they should die in the serv- ice, to their heirs, additional "donations and quantities of land." A second tract was desig- nated for this purpose. It lay just north of the "certificate lands," and extended to the northern limit of the State. On the east the boundary was the Allegheny river, from Mo- gulbughtiton creek to Conawango creek, and a meridian to the north boundary of the State. On the west it touched Ohio. These were the "donation lands." That they might be equi- tably distributed, the good lands and the bad, a lottery was arranged and each claimant was allowed to draw from the wheels the tickets assigned to his rank. No officer could draw more than two thousand acres. No private could receive less than two hundred.

William Irvine, a Revolutionary general, afterward explored these lands in accordance with the directions of the land commissioners, and reported that one district was unfit for farming. This section was at once withdrawn from the lottery. It became known as the "Struck District." During this expedition Ir- vine discovered that the State owned only a very short extent along Lake Erie. Shortly after this the "Triangle" was purchased from the United States Government.

On the 3d of May, 1785, the controller gen- eral reported to the Supreme Executive Coun- cil the names of all who were entitled to receive lands. The surveyor general was directed to

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make a survey. The "donation lands" were ac- cordingly divided into ten districts, numbered in regular order from the depreciation lands to the northern boundary of the State, and ex- tending westward from the Allegheny river and Conawango creek. In Venango county the Sixth, Fifth and Fourth districts in full width, and the Third in part, pass across the county from the Allegheny westward and enter the adjoining counties.

The deputies appointed for these districts were James Christie for the Sixth, Benjamin Lodge for the Fifth, Andrew Henderson for the Fourth, and Griffith .Evans for the Third. A provision of the act of 1783 directed that those entitled to these lands should make appli- cation within two years after the close of the war with an extension of one year for execu- tors and heirs. In 1792 the officials of the land office were directed to draw lots for such per- sons as were entitled to them according to the list furnished by the controller general. The land office was closed against all applications for donation lands after Oct. 1, 1813. The great body of donation lands had been located and patented within a few years after the passage of the act of 1785. The surveys were principally made in 1786 and 1787.

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Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 6

Author: Babcock, Charles A. Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: Babcock, Charles A.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: