USA > Virginia > Exiles in Virginia : with observations on the conduct of the Society of Friends during the revolutionary war ; comprising the official papers of the government relating to that period. 1777-1778 > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
13th .- Sixth day of the week, windy, clear and cold. Thomas Bates and William Robinson, of North Carolina, who were with us about four weeks ago, came back from the Indian country. They had gone to within thirty miles of Pitts- burg, where they were apprehended by some of the magistrates of Westmoreland County, and the test of allegiance to the States tendered to them, which they refusing to take, were put under confinement, and treated as prisoners near a month, their certificates taken from them, and treated with rough language and many threats ; but on the violence of the people abating, they were discharged, though not allowed to proceed on their journey; the magistrates withdrawing their warrant, after their steady refusal to comply with their arbitrary demands ; and as they were not permitted to accomplish their journey, they were most easy to return home. The people on the frontiers are in commotion from an apprehension of an Indian war, some of the Indian people having been killed in a very cruel manner by the whites.
14th day of 2d month, 1778 .- Cloudy and snow. Dr. Thomas Parke and James Morton, spent the evening with us, and as there appeared a necessity for their speedy return, they con- cluded to set off on 2d day morning, the 16th.
15th of 2d month. First day of the week .- Our meeting this morning consisted of only seven of us exiles, who reside in the house of Philip Bush, and three from Isaac Brown's, with Doctor Parke and James Morton, (James Pemberton's two sons-in-law,) who came last week to visit us, Henry
208
EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
Drinker, Samuel Pleasants, and Thomas Gilpin being in their chambers unwell.
16th day of 2d month .- A clear cold day. After dinner, about three o'clock, Doctor Thomas Parke and James Morton left us, intending to go to Lewis Neale's that night. Thomas Fisher, Miers Fisher, and Thomas Affleck accompanied them ; I (James Pemberton) was too unwell to go out. I thus parted with my two sons. I wrote to my family, and sent my diary from the time of my leaving Reading, the 20th of 9th month, 10 the 14th instant.
In the evening, I had cause to suspect that Thomas Pike had eloped, having left us this morning under a pretence of going to Isaac Zane's ironworks, and were informed he did not go there. I gave my sons notice to prevent his imposing himself upon them in the course of their journey. I thought it best they should return by way of Fairfax, as it was first in- tended; and sent my servant Richard with a note stating that our company considered that Thomas Pike had acted dis- honourably ; that he was suspected of going off, and that Com- missary Holmes would be informed of it in the morning.
17th .- In the afternoon, Major Holmes called; he had heard of Thomas Pike's elopement. We told him all the circum- stances we knew of him; that he was a stranger to us till he was sent away with us from Philadelphia ; but we considered him not to be under the same restraint of principle which we are.
Major Holmes behaved very politely to us on the occasion. He took a memorandum toward forming an advertisement, and having to send an express to the Board of War, he would inform Congress of the suspicions respecting him.
20th day of 2d month .- Sixth day of the week ; dull, cold weather. George Gilpin arrived from Yorktown and Lan- caster, where he had been since the 28th of last month, using his endeavours for a favourable determination of our memorials to the Congress and to the Council of Pennsylvania,-in which he was not successful. He informed us that on his arrival at
209
RESIDENCE AT WINCHESTER.
York, he found our friends had nearly completed their con- ference with the delegates, and that Congress had entered into " the Resolve," on the contents of our memorial.
Some of the members of Congress told George Gilpin, that if the Council of Pennsylvania would signify their desire for our discharge, they believed Congress would agree to it. It was accomplished in this way, as it will hereafter appear.
George Gilpin very prudently did not make himself known to the President, and but few of the people, and returned to us, after having been detained at the crossing of the Susquehanna eight days by the ice.
23d .- A message was sent us from E. Joliffe's, that our friend John Hunt, who had been confined to his bed for several days, was much worse; being suddenly seized with a pain in his leg which had rendered it entirely useless, and greatly alarmed the family.
28th .- James Pemberton returned from Thomas Brown's, and found our friend Thomas Gilpin in a very unfavourable way; reduced by much weakness, though not attended by pain or a high fever. His three brothers, Thomas Fisher, Samuel R. Fisher, and Miers Fisher, attend him with great care and affection.
Winchester, Ist day of 3d month, 1778. First day of the week .- Our meeting this morning was small, six of us only attending. In the afternoon, with our friends Isaac Everett and William Penrose, from York County, Pennsylvania, we had about thirty persons, the largest meeting we have had for a considerable time.
2d .- About half-past twelve o'clock, 2d day of 3d month, 1778, our fellow-sufferer, Thomas Gilpin, was taken out of this transitory life. He had been in a low state for several days, and had borne his previous sickness with great patience, as he had borne his unreasonable exile, and cruel separation from his wife and family.
Having been blessed with a mild disposition, and good mental qualifications, his intercourse with us has been always
14
210
EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
steady and amiable, so that he has been apparently contented since our confinement. He has borne his affliction with great stability and fortitude, and was sustained through his illness with great composure of mind. He was blessed with his un- derstanding to the last, and sensible of his approaching end, which he expressed to his brothers, who affectionately attended him. He had been ill with a fever, the consequence of a severe cold, which he had caught by exposure about two weeks before.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE ILLNESS AND DECEASE OF THOMAS GILPIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, AT WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA.
From the Journal of Israel Pemberton.
The case of our friend, Thomas Gilpin, has been painful to us all.
By exposing himself after our meeting, on the 6th day of the 2d month, 1778, in the meadow, about a mile from Win- chester, he took a violent cold, but after taking some medicine, he appeared to be as well as usual.
On the 12th, he went with our friend John Pemberton, Doc- tor Parke, and James Morton, to Hopewell meeting, and on returning home, he was indisposed, and went early to bed.
On first day, the 15th, at his request, Doctor Parke bled him, but this did not afford him relief.
On third day he seemed worse, his fever having increased, and Doctor Parke having gone to Philadelphia, he was attended to by Doctor Macky ; and after taking some diluting drinks, we considered him better.
On the 19th, his brother George Gilpin returned to Win- chester, from Yorktown, where he had been to Congress, and to the Executive Council of Pennsylvania, on our account ; he then appeared better, and we were without any apprehension of danger; so that his brother George Gilpin left him on the 20th, to go to his own family at Alexandria.
211
RESIDENCE AT WINCHESTER.
But on the seventh day of the week, the 21st, he grew much weaker, and could bear but little conversation ; from that time till the 23d, he began to be ill, and we apprehended he was in danger.
On the 26th and 27th he had less fever, but his weakness in- creased till the first of the 3d month, when he was evidently so very ill that we apprehended his approaching dissolution.
About 10 o'clock at night, a rough draft of his will had been brought to him, in which it was said that " he with a number of others, had been unjustly banished ;" but he desired that such an expression should not be continued in it, as it would cast a reflection on persons who had caused it. And after this, I took leave of him, when he was quite sensible and composed, and he told me he had nothing upon his mind.
In about half an hour, he desired his wife's brothers to re- member his dear love to his wife and children. Soon after this, the young woman who attended us, sat by him, and he said, " Katy, I am going the way of all flesh, and I hope it is in mercy ; thou hast been a good girl, and my brothers will reward thee ;" and after a short interval, he said, " There are many religions in the world, and a variety of forms, which have occasioned great persecutions, and the loss of many lives, each contending that they are right; but there is but one true religion, arising from faith in God, and in his son Jesus Christ, and hope in his mercy. A monitor placed in every mind, which if we attend to, we cannot err." He repeatedly expressed a wish that this monitor was attended to. He several times desired those about him to be very still, as he hoped he should also be; after which he said very little, his breath grew shorter, and without sigh or groan, or any sensible emotion, he quietly departed at half an hour after midnight.
He was interred in Friends' burial ground at Hopewell, in Fairfax County, near Winchester, Virginia, on the third day of the week, the third day of the third month, 1778, attended by a considerable number of Friends, and a few others, although the season was very severe, and the notice not so general as was intended.
212
EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
After the interment, we had a good meeting at Hopewell, in which our friends Joshua Brown and Isaac Everett had an acceptable testimony; the latter in fervent supplications, which I believe ascended with acceptance to the throne of grace, and in which our distant friends are remembered, who are com- panions in our afflictions.
Thus, one of us is happily released from the power of our oppressors ; and as our landlady observed, " He died like a Christian," which I believe may be truly said of him.
I had but little acquaintance with him before our being con- fined together; but his conduct recommended him much to my esteem.
He was steady in maintaining his own sentiments, but with due care to give no cause of offence to others. His principles were liberal, free from bigotry to any party : thus he could dis- cover that which was laudable or culpable in either. He sup- ported his opinion, but without severity ; and never expressed one murmur or complaint on our unjust suffering during his illness.
Winchester, 3d month, 1778.
ISRAEL PEMBERTON.
Winchester, 2d day of the 3d month, 1778. Second day of the week .- Very cold and clear. We hear that John Hunt is much the same as for a day or two past. Henry Drinker and Samuel Pleasants came down stairs, and are recovering. Doctor Macky says that the town of Winchester has never been so sickly before.
3d. Third day of the week .- A dull morning, the wind from the north, cold. This day being appointed for the interment of our fellow-exile, Thomas Gilpin, and the arrangements being made, the company set off from the house of Philip Bush, Winchester, about ten o'clock, several persons from the neigh- bourhood, and some town people attending. The snow being deep, and the roads much unbeaten, we did not reach Hope- well meeting (six miles,) until near one o'clock, where there were many other Friends assembled. After the interment we
213
RESIDENCE AT WINCHESTER.
had a satisfactory sitting at the meeting-house, and returned to Winchester.
8th day of the 3d month, and the first day of the week .- Eight of our company attended our meeting at the house of Philip Bush ; meeting silent.
12th .- Went out to David Brown's, but returned to Hope- well, where we received an unfavourable account of John Hunt; a mortification had begun in his leg, and made such progress that an amputation of his limb was the only means of arresting it. John Pemberton went immediately to visit him.
15th day of 3d month. First day of the week .- Six of us, lodgers at Philip Bush's, made up the meeting. Miers Fisher confined to his chamber unwell.
John Hunt had been visited at Hopewell by our friend John Pemberton, and his case was so precarious that it was con- cluded to send for Doctor General Stephens, an old and ex- perienced physician and surgeon, for his opinion and judgment. William Smith had rode all night on ?th day, to invite him to come ; he living twenty miles from Hopewell.
On the meeting of Drs. Macky and Stephens, they came to a conclusion that an amputation was the only expedient to save the patient's life; which, when communicated to John Hunt, he received the information with a composed mind. He agreed the operation should be performed, and they fixed upon the next day for the purpose.
16th .- We had concluded for some time to remove our quarters from Philip Bush's; divers reasons concurring to render it expedient. The persons who have sent us here having taken no pains to provide a place for our residence, or any support for us, we are under the necessity of seeking out a suitable one for ourselves; and our friend David Brown, who lives about five miles southward of Winchester, having agreed to accommodate us, my brothers, Israel Pemberton, John Pem- berton, and myself, Henry Drinker, and Samuel Pleasants, concluded to go there. Our friends, David Brown and Sarah his wife, had prepared the house to receive us, and we took a friendly leave of our landlord, Philip Bush, and his wife.
214
EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
My brother John Pemberton informs me, that Edward Pen- nington continues very poorly, and as Miers Fisher has been unwell for several days, he and his brothers, Thomas Fisher and Samuel R. Fisher, have been prevented from removing to Lewis Neale's, as intended.
22d .- This morning the physicians having concluded that an amputation was the only means by which the life of our friend John Hunt could be preserved, it was communicated to him, and he became resigned to it.
He was enabled to endure the operation with fortitude and composure, so that the surgeon observed to him when he had finished and dressed the wound, " Sir, you have behaved like a hero !" to which he mildly replied, " I have endeavoured to bear it like a Christian." The physicians continued to attend him with care, and had for some days hopes of his recovery, as for some time afterwards he appeared lively.
31st day of 3d month .- Clear, cold, windy. In the after- noon we received from Samuel Pleasants, who had been at Winchester, the following extract of a letter, from John Harvie, a delegate in Congress, to John Magill, Esquire, at Winchester, dated at Yorktown a few days past.
"Congress have ordered the Board of War to deliver the gen- tlemen of Philadelphia, now prisoners at Winchester, to the order of the State of Pennsylvania, which means shortly to send for them and bring them to trial on the charge formerly established."
Which John Magill delivered with the letter, that we might be informed fully of the contents of it. .
First day of 4th month, 1778, fourth day of the week .- A very spring-like morning.
I went over alone to Hopewell, having been for some days desirous to see our afflicted friend, John Hunt, and was in- formed there, he was released from the afflictions and troubles of this life at about 10 o'clock, on the 31st of 3d month, and when I reached Eliza Joliffe's, my fellow-exiles residing there had agreed upon his interment to be to-morrow morning, and Charles Eddy had gone to inform us of it.
215
RESIDENCE AT WINCHESTER.
Edward Pennington is very unwell, but as his disorder has reached his feet, he may soon recover.
James Pemberton states that he had received the following particulars respecting the decease of our worthy friend, John Hunt.
He bore his heavy trial with great patience and Christian resignation, which conveyed instruction to all who were with him ; he was cheerful though silent, and after as well as be- fore the operation, slept and eat sufficiently. His having laid so long in one position was tiresome and painful. He bore the dressing of the wound well; yet in about a week he declined. Something of a paralytic affection attended him, and his speech faltered as he grew weaker. He remained in a very composed ' state of mind, and expressed no apprehensions concerning him- self, and he departed this life very easily, on the 31st day of 3d month, at about 10 o'clock in the evening.
Second of 4th month ; fifth day of the week .- I set off before eight o'clock, with my brother John Pemberton and A. M'Coy, for Hopewell, to attend the interment of our dear friend, John Hunt. Rain fell until we reached Winchester, but not after- wards.
We reached E. Joliffe's, and the company, which was large and consisted of Friends and others, started at 10 o'clock. After the interment in the grave-yard near the meeting-house, the company retired into it, and we had a very satisfactory meeting.
Thus the last act of respect and love was solemnly paid to the remains of a dignified minister of the Gospel, whose gift was eminent, and he had laboured in it forty years. His de- livery was clear and intelligible, and his doctrine sound and edifying. He was often favoured with great power and de- monstration, singularly manifested in our meetings for worship we had during the time of our exile at Winchester. And he expressed himself much concerned that the inhabitants should come to a knowledge of the truth, and a due feeling for their
216
EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
own eternal welfare; and although but few of them knew us, yet they were desirous to attend our meetings.
Being a man possessing a clear judgment and strong natural abilities, improved by long religious experience, he was a use- ful member of our religious Society ; careful for the support of our discipline, and spoke often pertinently to matters under consideration.
He was in the 67th year of his age; strong constitution ; low in stature; but favoured through life with general good health.
Fifth day of 4th month, first day of the week .- I went with my brother, Israel Pemberton, and Samuel Pleasants, to the Centre Meeting.
10th .- Joseph Holmes informs us he meant to go to York- town, to visit Congress; and Thomas Affleck being much afflicted by the news of the illness of his wife and children in Philadelphia, is very desirous to go with him, in order to apply to Congress for liberty to visit them.
15th .- In the afternoon, J. Musser came as express, to bring a letter from J. Webbs, Lancaster, dated the 12th, to inform us that four of our near relatives and wives, Phebe Pemberton, Mary Pleasants, Susanna Jones, and Eliza Drinker, had come up there a few days before to use their endeavours to obtain justice from our persecutors, and a release from our unmerited banishment.
They write us that two persons, authorized by the President and Council of Pennsylvania, set out the day before to take charge of us, in pursuance of a resolve of Congress to the Board of War, to deliver us over to the President and Council ; and by a letter to James Pemberton from Charles Thomson, Secretary to Congress, now received, dated the 7th inst., I have a copy of the resolve, as follows, to wit :
" In Congress, 16th of March, 1778.
" Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to deliver
217
RESIDENCE AT WINCHESTER.
over to the President and Council of Pennsylvania, the prisoners sent from that State to Virginia.
" Extract from the minutes,
" CHARLES THOMSON, " Secretary."
And by a letter dated 18th, a copy of the resolve of the Board of War came to my brother, Israel Pemberton, to wit :
" Yorktown, 8th April, 1778. " SIR,-
" You are hereby directed and authorized to deliver over to the order of the President and Council of Pennsylvania, all the prisoners of that State now under your care.
" HORATIO GATES, " President.
" To JOSEPH HOLMES, EsQ., " Deputy Commissary of Prisoners at Winchester."
Also the following subjoined :
" Yorktown, 8th April, 1778. " SIR,-
" By order of Congress, we enclose you our directions to Joseph Holmes, Esq., Deputy Commissary of Prisoners at Win- chester, to deliver over to the President and Council of Penn- sylvania, or their order, all persons under his care belonging to that State. The orders of Congress, which are also enclosed, are dated 26th of March, 1778 ; and would have been imme- diately attended to, had not the Board expected an application from the President and Council for the delivery of the prisoners to some person authorized to receive them.
" I am, sir, your most obedient servant, " HORATIO GATES, " President.
" To his Excellency, the President and Council of Pennsyl- vania."
218
EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
The transaction of this business relating to our releasement, manifests great inattention, whether designed or accidental we leave-but we had reason to conclude that James Pemberton's letter of the 31st ultimo, to Charles Thomson, informing him of the intelligence we had received of the orders of Congress, and requesting a copy to be sent us, produced an early deter- - mination on our case.
We are at a loss to conjecture from what culpable motion an influence was exerted in the Council of Pennsylvania, to continue us in confinement at Winchester-many of us very unwell and suffering in body and in mind after the loss of two of our companions by death. After the time of the resolve of Congress, of the 16th March, 1778, to liberate us, to the time our situation was forced upon the Council of Pennsylvania, by the resolution of the Board of War, dated 8th of April, the long time of twenty-three days passed when the order to Joseph Holmes, Esq., commissary of the prisoners, became absolute.
It appears that the order of the Board of War was imme- diately sent forward to the Council at Lancaster, which came to the resolve to send us two messengers to escort us to Ship- pensburg, and thus to discharge us.
The resolution of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania is as follows, viz. :
"IN COUNCIL.
" Lancaster, April 8th, 1776.
" The resolve of the Congress of 16th March last, ' That the Board of War be directed to deliver over to the order of the President and Council of Pennsylvania, the prisoners sent from this State to Virginia,' being now read, and the law for the further security of the government taken into consideration, as far as affects the said prisoners,
219
RESIDENCE AT WINCHESTER.
" Thereupon ordered, That the said prisoners, to wit :
Israel Pemberton,
Thomas Gilpin,
John Pemberton,
Samuel R. Fisher,
John Hunt,
Samuel Pleasants,
Thomas Wharton,
Owen Jones, Jr.,
James Pemberton,
Charles Jervis,
Edward Pennington,
Miers Fisher,
Henry Drinker,
Thomas Affleck,
Thomas Fisher,
William Smith,
Charles Eddy,
William Drewet Smith,
Elijah Brown,
be brought to Shippensburg, and there enlarged.
" That they be informed of the law passed for the security of the government, by giving to Mr. Israel Pemberton or some one of the prisoners, a printed copy of the said law for the in- spection of the whole. [See page 225.]
" That Mr. Francis Y. Baily and Captain Lang, be appointed to apply to the Board of War to receive from them an order for the delivery of the prisoners sent from this state to Virginia, and that the Board of War be requested to give orders for such assistance in procuring wagons to bring the prisoners on to this state as may be necessary. That the said Francis Y. Baily and Captain Lang receive and conduct the said prisoners to Shippensburg, in this state, and there set them at liberty ; and that on their journey they may be treated with the respect due to their characters.
" Ordered, That the Lieutenants of the counties through which the aforesaid prisoners may pass, give the necessary assistance to Mr. Baily and Captain Lang, by furnishing wagons and other assistance they will be in need of.
" Extracts from the minutes,
" T. MATLACK, " Secretary."
It will be observed on comparing the list, that the prisoners
220
EXILES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
to be brought back into Pennsylvania, are mentioned to be the same as those sent into banishment, with the exception of Thomas Pike, who had left the company.
But it was well known in Pennsylvania that two of the com- pany had died, owing to some of the causes connected with their situation, and the anxieties which had from time to time affected them; and yet-Could it have been unknown to the Council of Pennsylvania, or could they have so disregarded the feelings of society, as to place the names of two highly esteemed individuals, who died in Virginia during their long and unmerited banishment, in the list of those liberated to return home to their families !!
These had been previously liberated from the hand of the oppressor :
Thomas Gilpin died on the 2d of the third month, 1778.
John Hunt died on the 31st of the third month, 1778.
It is far more than probable that the general sympathy ex- isting on the occasion, called for this act of restitution as a compromise respecting the remaining sufferers.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.