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Gc 974.801 L97ch 1146137
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01181 6433
A
SKETCH
OF THE -
HISTORY OF WYOMING.
BY THE LATE ISAAC A. CHAPMAN, ESQ ..
- -
TO WHICH IS ADDED, AN
APPENDIX,
CONTAINING A
STATISTICAL ACCOUNT
OF THE
VALLEY,
- AND
ADJACENT COUNTRY.
BY A GENTLEMAN OF WILKESBARRE.
- - WILKESBARRE, PENN.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY SHARP D. LEWIS-
1830.
1. 001
COPY-RIGHT, SECURED TO THE PUBLISHER.
PREFACE.
1146137
THE Settlements at Wyoming have been vis- ited by so many calamities, and the inhabitants have so frequently been carried into captivity, that most of those papers from which a regular and cir- cumstantial narrative of its early history might have been formed, have been destroyed ; and altho' there are still living many who were actors in most of the principal scenes, yet there are none who bore a part in all. And the chain of events, where there are not documents to connect them, depends on the recollection of various individuals who frequently differ from each other concerning the same particulars. In the following compilation the author has endeavored to relate such facts only as are supported by indisputable testimony ; and if, as is very probable, he is not in every instance correct, he relies with confidence upon the indul- gence of a liberal public, who are competent judg- es of the difficulty attending the acquisition of truth amidst a mass of error and misrepresentation,
Wyoming, July 11, 1818.
Note by the Publisher.
Since the MS. of the following pages came into the hands of the Publisher, he has been furnished with a Journal kept by Col. JOHN JENKINS during the time of the most serious disasters at Wyoming. The writer was particular in giving dates, &c. By this Journal, that part of the book which re- lates to the battle of Wyoming, has been carefully revised and corrected.
The Publisher has also been furnished with the Journal of a sergeant-major in Sullivan's army which has aided in establishing the correctness of some parts of the narrative.
0
SKETCH
OF THE
HISTORY OF WYOMING.
CHAPTER I.
Description of Wyoming Valley-Remains of an- cient fortifications-Etymology of the name- Indian Tribes-Indian tradition-Delawares- Monceys-Mingoes- Shawanese- Removal of the Shawanese from the Ohio-Their arrival at Wyoming-Treaty with the Six Nations- Speech of Connassatego-Arrival of the Dela- wares at Wyoming-Arrival of Count Zinzen- dorf-His reception-Plot to assassinate him- Arrival of the Nanticokes-Disagreements be- tween the English and French-The Six Nations take part with the French-Battle between the Delawares and Shawanese-Removal of the Sha- wanese-Gnaddenhutten built- Tadeuscund elected King of the Delawares-Fort Allen taken -Gnaddenhutten burnt-General Congress at Albany-Removal of the Nanticokes-Massacre at Shamokin-Braddock's defeat-Revolt of the Delawares-First Treaty at Easton-Speech of Tadeuscund-Fort Oswego taken by the French -General Treaty at Easton.
IT has been remarked by a celebrated histo- rian*, that " in the infancy of Society men are "' occupied with the business of the present hour,
*Gillies,
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SKETCH OF THE
" forgetful of the past, and regardless of the fu- " ture ; " and the experience of all ages and countries undoubtedly affords abundant testimony to the truth of this declaration. There are how- ever, perhaps, few instances in which it has been more forcibly exemplified, than in a struggle to form a settlement among the mountains of the new world.
That territory, the history of which, is attempt- ed to be sketched in the following pages, has ne- ver been celebrated either for its extent or power ; unless indeed, it may have been among the tribes composing its aboriginal inhabitants, of whom ve- ry little is now known, but of whom relicks have been found indicating a people of more importance than those tribes who subsequently occupied the country. That however, which renders it par- ticularly worthy of notice, is the unexampled suf- ferings of its early settlers ; and the frequent de- struction of its infant settlements ; subjects which have excited the notice of many modern historians, and have more recently been the theme: of a celebrated English bard -¿
WYOMING is the name given to a beautiful Valley situate along the river Susquehanna in the North Eastern part of the State of Pennsylvania. It is about three miles wide, and twenty-five miles long, and is formed by two ranges of mountains nearly parallel to each other, extending from the North east to the South west. These mountains contain
¡Campbell.
HISTORY OF WYOMING.
many rocky precipices and are covered with wood consisting principally of Oak and Pine." The ave- rage height of the eastern range is about one thous- and feet ; that of the western, about eight hundred. They are of a very irregular form having elevated points, and deep hollows or openings which are called " Gaps." The Susquehanna enters the Valley through a gap in the western mountain called the " Lackawannock Gap," and flowing in a serpentine course about twenty miles, leaves the Valley through another opening in the same mountain, called the " Nanticoke Gap." These openings are so wide only as to admit the passage of the river and are in part faced with perpendicu- lar bluffs of rocks, covered with a thick growth of Pine and Laurel, which have a very fine ap- pearance when viewed from the river, or from the road which passes along their basis. The river is in most places about two hundred yards wide- from four to twenty feet deep, and flows. with a very gentle current except at the rapids, or when swelled with rains or melting snows. Near the centre of the Valley it has a rapid called the " Wy- oming Falls ;"" and another called the "Nanti- coke Falls" where it passes through the Nanticoke Gap. Several tributary streams fall into the river, after passing through rocky gaps, to the mountains on each side of the Valley, forming beautiful cas- cades as they descend into the plain. Those on the North-west side are Toby's Creek, Moses' Creek and Island Run. On the South-east side are Mill Creek, Laurel Run, Solomon's Creek
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SKETCH OF THE
and Nanticoke Creek ; all of which are sufficient for Mills, and abound with fish.
Along the river, and on both sides, are level fertile plains extending in some places nearly a mile and an half from the margin of the stream, where small hills commence stretching to the mountains, the river sometimes washing the base of the hills on one side and sometimes on the other. The surface of the plain in some parts of the Val-
ley is elevated about ten feet higher than in other parts, forming a sudden offset or declivity from one to the other. These plains are called the up- per and lower " Flats," and spontaneously pro- duce quantities of Plumbs, Grapes, many kinds of Berries, and a great variety of wild Flowers.
In many parts of the Valley, and in the sides of the mountains, Mineral Coal of a very superior quality is found in great abundance ; it is of the species called Anthracite, which burns without smoke and with very little flame, and constitutes the principal fuel of the inhabitants, as well as their most important article of exportation.
In-the Valley of Wyoming there exists some re- mains of ancient fortifications which appear to have been constructed by a race of people very differ- ent in their habits from those who occupied the place when first discovered by the whites. Most of these ruins have been so much obliterated by the operations of agriculture that their forms can- not now be distinctly ascertained. That which remains the most entire was examined by the wri- ter during the summer of 1817, and its dimensions
9
HISTORY OF WYOMING.
carefully ascertained, although from frequent ploughing, its form had become almost destroyed. It is situated in the Township of Kingston, upon a level plain on the north side of Toby's Creek about one hundred and fifty feet from its bank, and about half a mile from its confluence with the Susquehanna. It is of an oval or elliptical form, having its longest diameter from the N. W. to the S. E. at right angles to the Creek, three hundred and thirty seven feet, and its shortest diameter from the N. E. to the S. W. two hundred and seventy two feet. On the S. W. side appears to have been a gate way about twelve feet wide, ope- ning towards the great Eddy of the River into which the Creek falls. From present appearances it consisted probably of only one mound or ram- part, which, in height and thickness, appears to have been the same on all sides, and was construc- ted of earth, the plain on which it stands not aboun- ding in stone. On the outside of the rampart is an entrenchment or ditch, formed probably by re- moving the earth, of which it is composed, and which appears never to have been walled. The Creek on which it stands is bounded by a high steep bank on that side, and at ordinary times is suffi- ciently deep to admit canoes to ascend from the Ri- ver to the Fortification. When the first settlers came to Wyoming, this plain was covered with its native forest, consisting principally of Oak and Yellow Pine ; and the trees which grew in the ram- part and in the entrenchment, are said to have been as large as those in any other part of the Val-
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SKETCH OF THE
ley ; one large oak particularly, upon being cut down, was ascertained to be seven hundred years old. The Indians had no tradition concerning these fortifications, neither did they appear to have any knowledge of the purposes for which they were constructed. They were perhaps, erected about the same time with those upon the waters of the Ohio, and probably by a similar people and for similar purposes.
WYOMING is a corruption of the name given to the place by a nation of Indians called the Dela- wares, who called it Maughwauwame. The word is a compound ; Maughwau, meaning large or extensive, and wame, signifying plains or meadows ; so that it may be translated " The Large Plains." The name in the language of the Six Nations, is SGAHONTOWANO, "" The Large Flats ;" 'Gahonto, meaning, in their language, a large piece of ground without trees*, by which it appears that some part of these plains, probably the lower flats, contained no woods. The Dela- wares pronounced the first syllable short, and the German Missionaries, in order to give the sound as near as possible to the Indian pronuncia- tion, wrote the word M'chweuwami. The early settlers, finding it difficult to pronounce the word
*These particulars, the writer obtained from the Rev. John Heckaweldar of Bethlehem, who was a Missionary among the Indians as early as 1765, and to whose politeness he is much indebted. See . Note I. at the end of the Volume.,
11
HISTORY OF WYOMING.
correctly, spoke it Wauwaumie-then Wiwaumie -then Wiomic, and lastly Wyoming.
The information which can at present be obtained relative to the Indian Tribes who formerly inhabit- ed the Valley of Wyoming, is necessarily very limited, from the imperfect nature of Indian tradi- tion, which forms at present the only memorial of its ancient history. There was a tradition among the oldest and most learned of the Delawares, that their Nation originally came from the western shores of North America, and having proceeded eastward in quest of a better country, they came to the great River Mississippi, where they found a powerful Nation of Indians in possession of the country, who had strong fortifications and other means of defence unknown to the Delawares .--- "That this people refused them permission to pass through their territories, upon which the Dela- wares made war upon them, and cut them to pieces in many sanguinary battles ; after which the re- mainder went down the river, and have not since been heard of. At what period of time these im- portant events transpired, does not appear from the accounts transmitted to such of their posterity as remained upon the Susquehanna ; and whether the tradition is founded in fact may be considered as doubtful. The Delawares, like all other tribes, were proud of the prowess of their ances- tors, and without doubt would consider it as an honor to be thought the conquerors of a nation who had constructed such extensive works as are indi, cated by those ruins so common in the western
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SKETCH OF THE
country. The question may naturally occur, what became of that people who descended the Missis- sippi after their dispersion by the Delawares, and who were acquainted with the art of fortification ? It is not probable that they could have been the same with the Mexicans or Peruvians; since their traditions will not induce a belief of such an origin ; and it may also be considered a little surprising that the Delawares, during a long course of bloody wars, should not have learned from their enemies some knowledge of an art so beneficial in a system of national defence. The tradition proceeds tofre- late that after the Delawares had dispersed these people, called the Alligewe or Alligeni, and ta- ken possession of the country, a great portion of their Nation concluded to remain in the conquer- ed country, and another part removed towards the Atlantic, and took possession of the country ex- tending from the Hudson River to the Potomac .- The Nation was divided into several distinct tribes, each of which had an appropriate name. One took possession of the country between the sea coast and the mountains. Another tribe called the Mon- ceys, occupied the country extending from the Kittatinnunk or principal mountain, now called the Blue Mountain, to the heads of the Delaware and Susquehanna. This tribe had their principal settlement or council fire at a place called the Minisink on a River called by the Mingoes the Ma- kerisk-kiskon, being the same afterwards called De -la-ware, or Delaware ; and a part of the same tribe, nearly at the same time, settled at Wyoming.
13
HISTORY OF WYOMING.
About the same period, (for tradition does not sufficiently determine the precise time, ) the Shaw- anese Indians inhabited the country now composing Georgia and the Floridas, and were a very power- ful and warlike nation ; but the surrounding tribes having confederated against them, they were sub- dued and driven from that territory. In this un- fortunate condition they sent messengers to the Mohegans, a nation who resided on the east side of the Hudson River, requesting their influence in procuring from the Delawares, permission for them to come and reside under their protection.
At this time the Delawares were not upon the most friendly terms with the Mingoes or Six Na- tions, who inhabited the country in the neighbor- hood of the Lakes, and who, by virtue of their con- federated power, exercised a dictatorial spirit over the surrounding tribes. The Delawares were therefore anxious to accumulate a force against these powerful neighbors, and very willingly ac- cepted the proposition of the Shawanese. While these negociations were progressing the Shawanese had found a resting place near the mouth of the ri- ver Wabasch where they were building a Town, when their messengers returned, accompanied by a deputation from the Mohegans, who informed them of the success of their application to the Del- awares, and that a territory was already alloted for their reception. Upon receiving this intelli- gence, a National Council was held to deliberate on the propriety of removing to the country of the Delaware. The assembly however were divi-
B
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SKETCH OF THE
ded, a part having resolved to remain and fortify themselves in their new Town ; and the remain- der, consisting principally of the Pickaway tribe, under their Chief, Gachgawatschiqua, removed from the Ohio and formed a settlement in the forks of the Delaware. They however brought with them that artless and warlike spirit which had ren- dered them so disagreeable to their southern neigh- bors ; and as the character of a people cannot long be concealed, disturbances soon arose between · them and that tribe of the Delawares who occupied the country lower down the river. These conflicts became at length so violent, that the Shawanese were compelled to leave the forks of the Delaware, and the whole tribe in that country removed to Wyoming Valley, which they found unoccupied, as the Monceys had been induced by the threaten- ing posture of affairs to concentrate their forces around their principal settlement at Minisinks.
The Shawanese having arrived at Wyoming found themselves sole masters of the Valley, and as there appeared no enemy to annoy them in their new abode, they built a Town upon the west bank of the River, near the lower end of the Val- ley, upon a large plain which still bears the name of the Shawanese, Flats. In this situation the Shawanese enjoyed many years of repose. The women cultivated corn upon the plains, and the men traversed the surrounding mountains in pur- suit of game. While these changes were taking place among the Indian tribes, the Europeans were forming settlements in various places along the At-
-
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HISTORY OF WYOMING ..
lantie coast, which they obtained sometimes by purchase, at other times by conquest, and although they were beginning to extend them into the interi- or, yet the resistance made by the Indians was in most cases feeble, as there were few instances in which the different tribes united their forces for that purpose. There were however in the country of the Great Lakes, a people who conducted their wars upon a much more extensive system. These people were known by the general name of Mingoes. They consisted of the Onondagoes, Sen- ekas, Cayoogoes, Oneydas, Mohocks and Tusca- roras, and their confederacy acquired the appella- tion of " The Six Nations." They were a powerful warlike people, who held the surround- ing nations in subjection, and claimed a jurisdic- tion, extending from Connecticut River to the Ohio. They are described by a celebrated histo- rian*, as " A confederacy, who, by their union, "'courage and military skill, had reduced a great "number of other Indian tribes and subdued a "% territory more extensive than the whole kingdom "of France." This people claimed the country occupied by the Delawares and Shawanese and held these tribes or nations subject to their author- ity ; a claim which, though seldom acknowledged and never defined, was not frequently disputed ; for savage, as well as civilized nations, frequently strengthen a weak cause, by the powerful force of military array.
*Smollet:
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SKETCH OF THE
After the arrival of William Penn, the Propri- etor of Pennsylvania, he purchased of the Dela- ware Indians the country along that River below the Blue Mountains, supposing those tribes the only legitimate owners ; but having been informed of the claim and powers of the Six Nations, he al- so negociated a purchase of them. Some difficul- ty arising between the Proprietaries and the Dela- wares respecting the limits of these purchases, the Delawares refused to give up possession ; and as no accommodation appeared likely to take place, a messenger was sent from the Governor to the Six Nations, informing them of the circumstance and requesting them to send Deputies to meet in Coun- cil at Philadelphia with instructions upon all sub- jects in dispute.
Accordingly in the summer of 1742, the Chiefs and principal warriors of the Six Nations to the number of two hundred and thirty, repaired to Philadelphia where they met the Chiefs of the Delawares, and a General Council was opened in presence of the Officers of the Colonial Govern- ment and a large concourse of citizens, in the great Hall of the Council House.
The Governor by means of an interpreter opened the Conference on the part of the Proprietaries in a long talk, which set forth, that the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania had purchased the lands in the forks of Delaware several years before, of the Del- aware tribes who then possessed them .- That they had afterwards received information that the same lands were claimed by the Six Nations, and a pure
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HISTORY OF WYOMING.
chase was also made of them .- That in both these purchases the Proprietaries had paid the stipula- ted price ; but the Delaware Indians had never- theless refused to give up possession ; and as the Six Nations claimed authority over their country, it had been thought proper to hold a Council of all parties that justice might be done. The Chiefs of the Six Nations were then informed that as they had on all occasions required the Govern- ment of Pennsylvania to remove any whites that settled upon their lands, so now the Government of Pennsylvania expected that the Six Nations would cause these Indians to remove from the lands which it had purchased. The Deeds from the Indians, and Drafts of the disputed lands were then produced, and the whole submitted to the- consideration of the Council. After some delibe- ration among the different Chiefs, Connossatego, a venerable chieftain, arose in the name of all the Deputies and informed the Governor, " That they "saw the Delawares had been an unruly pec- " ple and were altogether in the wrong, and that " they had concluded to remove them." And addressing himself to the Delawares in a violent manner, he said, " You deserve to be taken by " the hair of your heads and shaken 'till you re- " cover your senses and become sober. We have " seen a Deed signed by nine of your Chiefs above " fifty years ago for this very land. But how " came you to take upon yourselves to sell lands "at all .? We conquered you-we made women "% of you ; you know you are women, and can no
B*
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"6 more sell lands than women. Nor is it fit "6 that you should have the power of selling lands, "" since you would abuse it. You have been fur- "" nished with clothes, meat and drink by the goods " paid you for it, and now you want it again like " children as you are. But what makes you sell " lands in the dark ? Did you ever tell us that s' you had sold this land ? Did we ever receive "'any part, even the value of a pipe-shank for it?
" You have told us a blind story that you sent a " messenger to us to inform us of the sale, but he " never came amongst us, nor have we ever heard "anything about it. But we find you are none of "' our blood, you act a dishonest part not only in " this, but in other matters. Your ears are ever " open to slanderous reports about your brethren.
" For all these reasons we. charge you to remove ""instantly ; we don't give you liberty to think 4. about it. You are women ; take the advice of a "' wise man and remove instantly. You may re- " turn to the other side of the Delaware where you "' came from, but we do not know whether, con- "' sidering how you have demeaned yourselves, you " will be permitted to live there, or whether you "' have not swallowed that land down your throats " as well as the lands on this side. We therefore "assign you two places to go to, either to Wyc- "ming or Shamokin. You may go to either of "* these places, and then we shall have you more "under our eye, and shall see how you behave.
" Dont deliberate, but remove away and take this. ** belt of Wampum."
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HISTORY OF WYOMING.
He then commanded them to leave the Council as he had business to do with the English.
The influence of the Six Nations was too power- ful to be disregarded, and the speech of Connassa- tego had its full effect ; the Delawares immediately left the disputed country ; some removed to Sha- mokin and some to Wyoming.
On their arrival at Wyoming the Delawares found the valley in possession of the Shawanese ; but as these Indians acknowledged the authority of the Six Nations, and knew that the removal of the Delawares was in consequence of their order, resistance was thought to be inexpedient ; and the Delawares having taken quiet possession of a part of the Valley, built their Town of Maughwauwa- me on the east bank of the River upon the lower flat below the mouth of a small stream, and nearly opposite the first Island above the mouth of Toby's Creek .* Such was the origin of the Indian Town of Wyoming. Soon after the arrival of the Dela- wares, and during the same season, (the summer of the year 1742,) a distinguished foreigner, Count Zinzendorf, of Saxony, arrived in the Valley on a religious mission to the Indians. This nobleman is believed to have been the first white person that ever visited Wyoming. He was the Revivor of the ancient Church of the United Brethren, and had given protection in his dominions to the perse- cuted Protestants who had emigrated from Mora- via, thence taking the name of Moravians, and
*Just below the present Town of Wilkesbarre.
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SKETCH OF THE
who two years before bad made their first settle. ment in Pennsylvania.
Upon his arrival in America, Count Zinzendorf manifested a great anxiety to have the Gospel preached to the Indians ; and although he had heard much of the ferocity of the Shawanese, form- ed a resolution to visit them. With this view he repaired to Tulpehocken the residence of Conrad Weiser, a celebrated Indian interpreter, and In- dian agent for the Government, whom he wished to engage in the cause and to accompany him to the Shawanese Town. Weiser was too much occu- pied in business to go immediately to Wyoming, but he furnished the Count with letters to a Mis- sionary of the name of Mack, and the latter, ac- companied by his wife who could speak the Indian language, proceeded immediately with Zinzendorf on the projected mission.
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