CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028829955 KS£:^^t^z^imzm ^^i BI-CENTENNIAL EDITION. HISTORY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA CIVIL, POLITICAL, AND MILITARY, FROM ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME, INCLUDING Historical Descriptions OF EACH COUNTY IN THE STATE, THEIR TOWNS, AND INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES. 'BY WILLIAM H. EGLE, M.D., M.A., Member o/ the Historical Society of Pennsylvania TIIIHD EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED. PHILADELPHIA : E. M. GARDNER. 1883. ]SrOTE TO BI-OEKTEE-JS'IAL EDTTIOK April 1, 1883. The demand for a Third Edition of the History of Pennsyl- vania has affordec the Author an opportunity to revise the work and correct a number of important errors, as also the bringing up the General History of the State to the present year, 1883. William H. Egle. K'^isisr^ OFFICIAL COAT OF ARMS OF PENNSiYLVANIA. Copyright, 1876, by D. C. GOODRICH & COMPANY. Copyright, 1880, by E. M. GARDNER. PREFATORY. BO WRlTlE tlio nistory of an Empire State, ■which Pennsylvania now is, should properly be the work of a lifetime, since the startling events of three centuries crowd its pages. For a long period we have been collecting material for such an undertaking, in the hope that as the years sped on we might present our contribution to the bibliography of this great Commonwealth. Believing, however, that the present time is opportune for the publication of a faithful resume of the transactions, local and general, which have transpired in the Past, after several years of labor we have essayed to offer to the good people of our native State the result. While the volume may not be as comprehensive in it^ details as some may desire, yet for general and popular perusal and information, we trust it will supply a want felt everj'where, containing as it does the complete story of the Commonwealth and the County, briefly and simply rehearsed. Following in the footsteps of Acrelius, Cajipanius, Thomas, Smith, Ebelino, Proud, Gordon, Scott, Day, Burrowes, Treqo, and Sypher, whose volumes relating to the History of Pennsylvania are of inestimable value, and of that glittering array of local historiographers, of whom the venerable Rupp heads the list, we have endeavored to give a fair and accurate representation of the History, the Resources, the Progress, and the Development of the Colonies on the Delaware, of the Province, and of the Commonwealth. ' To the many kind friends who have aided us by their pen in the prepara- tion of this volume, we tender at this time our warm acknowledgments, and in doing so, crave their pardon in the liberty we were compelled to take in limiting their sketches. In doing so, we endeavored not to omit more impor- tant matters than those given. When it is recollected there are sixty-seven counties in the State, and that an average of ten pages to each would make of themselves, a formidable volume, our friends, we trust, will fully appreciate our position when we also inform them that the MSS. in our possession would have made almost thrice the number of pages required. As it is, the Histories of the Counties have exceeded in length by two hundred pages the space originally assigned for that portion of the work, and the volume thereby increased in size. The enterprising Publishers, in their determination to send forth a thorough, full, and complete sketch of every county, notwith- standing the additional expense, deserve the patronage of the reading public of Pennsylvania. In the matter of engravings, the great difficulty has been in several Counties to secure subjects for illustration. In a few cases, after a great deal of V vi PBUFATOJiY. trouble and expense, we have failed. It was the intention of the Publisliers to fully illustrate every County, and yet, when the entire number of engrav- ings are taken into consideration, it must be acknowledged that Ihia volume is unequalled in that respect by any historical publication ever issued. To the photographers and others who have rendered us their assistance, we can only say "thank j-ou." The Photo-engraving Company of New York, to whose care most of the local views have been committed, have, by their (the Moss) process, given accurate representations of the photographs and designs sent us; while Messrs. Crosscup & West, of Philadelphia, to whom the portraits of the Governors have especially been confided, in the main have succeeded in their portion of the work. It may not be out of place, in this connection, to state that wc have endeavored to preserve a uniformity in the orthography of the Indian names. The admirable work of the devoted IIeckewelder has been taken as authority. Scarcely two authors write the same names alike. For instance, Moshannon is spelled Meshannon, Mushannon, and Moshannin. In the neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Allegheny is thus written, but in the northern part of tlie State, it is given Allegany and Alleghany. Although KiUochtinny is imdoubtcdly far more correct than EiUatuyiy, j'ct the latter is so frequently used that we have adhered to it. Attention is called to the tendency there is in many instances in destroj'ing the orthography of the names of streams, etc. Jlost writers call the Tonoloway creek, in Fulton countj', Gonolloway, while Quinn's run, in Centre and Clinton, is denominated QueerVs. These errors should be carefuU}- guarded against, not only by the historian but by writers generally. If our friends object to the alterations we have made in this respect, we can only refer them to the works of one wlio made the Indian language a study, and whose authority on such matters is unquestioned. It is proper to state that wc have omitted the given meanings of streams in certain instances, and inserted those furnished by the Indian lexicographer referred to. In conclusion, wc commit the work to the general reading public of the State of Pennsylvania. If it will give the young especially an incentive to learn more of the historj' of our old Commonwealth, — if it will stimulate all to search among the archives of the Past and gather up the records that none be lost, — if it enable every citizen to appreciate the greatness of the Keystone State of the Union, it will have served its purpose. The volume should be viewed as an entirety, and not simply regarded as a sketch of this or that county, but as covering the whole State ; — subjects purely local giving place to facts in which the general reader should be properly interested. Realizing fully the responsibility resting upon him, the author has avoided in the main thrusting his opinion in preference to facts. Where, however, material difforence as to date or intention existed, he has endeavored to diffuse light and correct error. With the objects heretofore expressed, and in the hope, briefly set forth, we present this contribution to the bibliography of our State to the candid appreciation of the citizens of Pennsjlvania. WILLIAM n. EGLE. Harrisburo, Penn'a, July 4, 1876. TABLE OF CONTENTS GENERAL HISTORY Chapter I. The Aborigines. The Susquehannas. The Dclawares. The Shawancse. Indian Characteristics 17 CnAPTER II. Discovery of the Delaware by Uudson. Settlement of the Dutch and Swedes. 1609-1G81 28 ClIArTEIl III. The Province of Pennsylvania granted to William Penn. The Proprietary Rule, until the Death of the Founder. lGSl-1718 45 ClIArTEB IV. Proprietary Rule. Administrations of Lieutenant Governors Keith, Gordon, Logan, Thomas, Palmer, and Uamilton. 1718-1754 61 Chapter V. Proprietary Rule. French and Indian War. Braddock's Expedition. In- dian Ravages on the Frontiers. 1 754-1750 80 Chapter VI. Reward for Indian Scalps. Destruction of Kittanning. Expedition of General Forbes. Pontiac's Conspiracy. Bouquet's Expedition, 175G-17G3 93 Chapter VII. Indian Depredations on the Frontiers. The Destruction of the Indians at Conestoga. The so-called Insurrection ofthePaxtang Boys. Bouquet's Expedition to-the Muskingum. 17G3-1 7G4 107 Chapter VIII. Relations between England and the Colonies. Mason and Dixon's Line. • The outset of the Revolution. Resolves and Instructions of the Pro- vincial Deputies. The Committee of Safety. 1765-1775 123 vii viii TABLE OF CONTENTS. Cdapteu IX. The Battle-Drum of the Revolution. The Pennsylvania Navy. The Provin- cial Conference. The Declaration of Independence. The Convention of 1776, and the end of Proprietary Rule. 1775-1776 154 Chapter X. The Revolution. Battles of Trenton and Princeton. The Battle of Brandy- wine. Massacre at Paoll. British Occupation of Philadelphia. Battle of Germantown, and Reduction of Fort Mifflin. 1776-1777 168 Chapter XI. The Revolution. The Cantonment at Valley Forge. The Mischianza. Philadelphia Evacuated by the British. Indian Outrages. SulKvan's Expedition. Abolition of Slavery in Pennsylvania. 1776-1780 181 Chapter XII. The Revolution. The Treason of Arnold. Revolt of the Pennsylvania Line. Surrender of Cornwallis. Declaration of Peace. 1780-1783... 196 Chapter XIII. Trouble in the Settlement of the Claims of the Soldiers. Council of Censors. Treaty at Fort Stanwix. ' Convention to revise the Constitution. 1783-1790 206 Chapter XIV. Administration of Governor Mifflin. The Yellow Fever in Philadelphia. The Presqu'Isle Establishment. The Whiskey Insurrection. Defence of the Frontiers. 1790-1794 213 Chapter XV. Jay's Treaty. The Fries' Insurrection. Removal of the Seat of Govern- ment. Administrations of Governors "VT'Kean and Snyder. War of 1812-14. 1795-1817 232 Chapter XVI. Administrations of Governors Findlay, Hiestcr, Schulze, Wolf, and Ritner. Internal Improvements. The Common School System. 1817-1837... 243 Chapter XVII. Constitutional Convention. " Buck-shot War." Administrations of Gover- nors Porter, Shunk, Johnston, Pollock, and Packer. 1837-1861 249 Chapter XVIII. The Civil War. Establishment of Camp Curtin. Pennsylvania Troops the First to reach the National Capital. Pennsylvania Invaded by the Confederates. Constitutional Convention of 1873. Administrations of Governors Curtin, Geary and Hartranft. 1861-1876 259 Administrations of Governors Hartranft, Hoyt, and Pattison. 1876-188.3.. 277 TABLE OF COJS^TENTS. ix COUNTY HISTORIES. [To those marked * credit is due for revision or data.] PAGE Adams Aaron Sheely, Gettysburg 281 Allegheny ... Wm. M. Darlington* and Thos. J. Bigham* 314 AaMSTBONQ A. D. Glenn, Eddy ville 330 Beaver James Patterson, Beaver Falls 340 Bedford Charles N. Hickok, Bedford 361 Berks J. Lawrence Getz, Reading 378 Blair Rev. A. K. Bell, D.D., Hollidaysburg 396 Bradford Rev. David Craft, Wyalusing 405 Bucks Joseph Thomas, M.D.,* Quakertown 438 Bdtler Jacob Ziegler, Butler 454 Cambria Robert L. Johnston, Ebensburg 461 Cameron John Brooks, Sinnemahoning 479 Carbon Robert Klotz,* Mauch Chunk , 486 Centre John Blair Linn, Bellefcfnte 508 Chester J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope, West Chester 517 Clarion Rev. James S. Elder, Clarion 547 Clearfield William D. Bigler, Clearfield . f 557 Clinton D. S. Maynard, Lock Haven 569 Columbia John G. Freeze, Bloomsburg 584 Crawford Samuel P. Bates, LL.D., Meadvillc 697 Cumberland I. Daniel Rupp and others* 612 Dauphin A. Boyd Hamilton, Harrisburg 636 Delaware H. G. Ashmead, Chester, 654 Elk Charles R. Earley, M.D.,* and others, Ridgway 682 Erie Isaac Moorhead, Erie 692 Fayette James Veeeh,* Emsworth, Allegheny county 724 Forest Samuel D. Irwin, Tionesta 733 Franklin Benjamin M. Nead, Chambersburg 739 Fulton James Pott, McConnellsburg 760 Greene Alf. Creigh, LL.D.,* and W. J. Bayard,* Waynesburg 769 Huntingdon J. Simpson Africa, Huntingdon 775 Indiana A. W. Taylor* and J. M. Robinson,* Indiana 790 Jefferson G. Ament Blose, Hamilton '. 798 Juniata A. L. Guss 806 Lackawanna L. A. Watres,* Scranton..., ■^ 911 Lancaster Samuel Evans, Columbia 814 X TABLE OF CONTENTS. FAOE Lawrence ;Rcv. D. X. Junkin, D.D., New Castle 854 Lebanon I. D. Rupp and George Ross, M.D.,* Lebanon 862 Lehicii R. K. Buehrle and E. G. Lciscnring,* Allentown 871' Luzeune Steuben Jenkins* and others, Wyoming 880 Lycominq E. S. "Watson, Williamsport 913 M'Kean William King, Ceres 923 Mercer William S. Garvin and Seth Jloagland, Mercer 931 Mifflin Silas Wright* and C. W. Walters,* Lcwistown 939 Monroe William S. Rees, Stroudsburg , 946 Montgomery Morgan R. Wills, Norristown 950 Montour John G. Freeze 9C1 NoRTHAJirTON Rcv. William C. Reichel, I^elhlchcm 961 Northumberland. John P. Wolfingcr, Milton 997 Perry Silas Wright, Millerstown 1006 PiiiLADELrniA Thomson Westcott, Philadelphia 1015 Pike William Westfall, Rowlands 1049 Potter E. 0. Austin, Forest House 1050 Schuylkill George Chambers, Pottsville 1064 Snyder Horace Alleman, S^elinsgrovc 1072 Somerset ^ . Edward B. Scull, Somerset 1077 Sullivan Edwin A. Strong, Dushore 1081 Susquehanna Miss Emily C. Blackmnn, Montrose 1080 Tioga John L. Sexton, Fall Brook 1101 Union John Blair Linn 1110 Venango Rcv. S. J. M. Eaton, D.D., Franldin 1117 Warren Samuel P. Johnson, Warren 1132 Washington Alfred Creigh, LL.D., Washington 1140 Wayne Thomas J. Ham, Honesdale 1145 Westmoreland.. . .Dallas Albert, Youngstown 1152 Wyoming Charles M. Lee, Tunkhannock 1163 ToRK M. 0. Smith, Hanover 1109 GENERAL INDEX U81 ILLUSTRATIONS. TAOB ALLEGUENY connty court house, rittsburgh 3i5 Alltiglieules, dlsliiiic view «r *'!> AllfgiipiinN nceiiesit, on ruiiiitiylviiiila lullruiia.... 401 Amlier iiiSL-iide, Olt-n Thuniati 4!)U Aiillnacitecual trailu. iuMjiress of IUi2 Annstruii;; uumity piibliu bulla) iig» :cti> Aniut^ coal Kcliiitesat 'i^i''^* Arnot, lutiliitt at 'Jtw 508 'MH tm 5(t2 51H 8(17 ;h78 \m !)7'J vta Raid Eagle's Nest, on Spring creek . ) Eeaver t-ul luge Jteiiver Falitiboi'uiigli, view of Bedfui'd, Pi'oviiicial cuiu't liutisu aC Kcdroi-d Spiiiigs, view at Itellcroiite boruiigli, view of lielleronte. view of Rap nej Jtei-g (1)111) klrehe^ Kuijaiiun coiiiily llei'kK county cuiiit lioiise JSethleiiem, first house built in < )tBllile]ieni,nian-Iu(l brothers' and £>l&mrs' house at, llelhleheiu, old Urown luu at i;etldebem, old mill at }!ethlelieu), old bclinitz house at Blgier. William, portraiiof Jtlruilngham li'rluiiUs meellng-house lElair county court housi% Uullltlaysbuig ]{|(iomsbui-g, Stale Noinuil school at.... liraddock's route, IT-m Jlraddock surprised by tlit* liidians. ■ Itrookslde, vluw near Itrownsvllle borough, view of Uucks county rourt house, Uoylt-siovvu liucUlnglmni Friends meeting-house Jtutler burough, view uf Itutler county court house m.., Uutler iiubllu school building Camp Curtln, general hospital at- 1804. unrnp (juriin, general nospiiai :ii. lawt Carbon county court house, Maucli (Jhuuk Carlisle, sohllers* monument at Carpeuter^s hall, I'hllatlelphla, 1774 Cariollowu, cliurch and convent at Carrier female seminary at Clarion Cascade, Cluu Onoko Caiawlssa. ancient Frlentls meeting-house at Chamberbhurg. before the burning, 18(i4 Chambersburg, after the burning, HHA Clianieleou falls, Uleii Unoko Chester, old town ball at Cliester county conrt house. West Chester Chester, first meeting-house of Friends at Chester or tireat valley, view of Chew mansion, Cierniantown Clirist cliurch, i'hiladelphla Clarion county court house. Clarion Clariuu county prison, Clariou Cleat field boiougii, view of Clinton county court house Cloud I'olnt, view of Columbia county court house, liloomsburg Colutubia borough, town hall in Conematigh, scene on, near Hollvar, i'eun'a It. U. Cornwall ml ties, Lehanon county Crawford county court house, Meadville Cresson Springs, Allegheny mountains Crozer tiieologica) seniinaiy at Upland Cumberland county courthouse Curtln, AudrewU., portrait of Delaware, view on the Inset. Delaware county court liouse. Media fi78 Derricks, calile group of, at rieasantville ■ IVM 5fl'i 84 87 1068 7-2A 4:w 4.10 4:»8 454 45'J sns 48(i (•-J8 141 47(i 5.Vi . 4!I7 .5tM 7.V1 , 7-1)1 485 655 517 G(il 5ht 178 , WIS &47 , W!> , .V.7 . am . 5(;o 584 . 8:ti . 1152 , Wi4 , 597 . 4(iS (Ml , CI2 , 2oy 'Dickinson college, Carlisle.. Derry church, liuuphln county.. l>erry churcii, interior view of.. Dickinson, John, portrait of Doyleslowii, soldiers^ nionunieut : 044 645 2(>5 44!) Drake's rioueer Oil well, Venango county lliy Economy, assembly honse at 3.'»c Emlgh's Uap, Tyioue and Clearfield railroad 564 Euiporiuui borough, view of 479 Ephrata, brothers' and sisters' house at 8:i3 Erie city, view of from tlie lake Erie, old block-house at 6!I3 Erie, soldiers' and sailors' monument at 7'iO TAOK Fall-Broolc. nortlietn view of, from the centre in)8 Flndlay, AVilliam, poitiuit of 242 Fort Jtedfot'il house, lledfonl HiVi Forr, Deshler's, on Coptay creek 876 Fort Forty, 1778 «i)2 Fort lluiiter, near Iliirrlsbiirg 649 Fort ]<) ttleton, plan of, 1755 765 Fort I'lit, plan of, 1760 ;)8 Fort I'itr, redoubt a r, lT6:i 104 Forts. French and Kiigllhh. at Vettangn Jlit Fi'anklin aiul Marshall ctillcge, l^ancasier tCi Franklin, lienjatnin, pot-tialiof ,. *2t Kngliah chui-ch at Plarris, Julin, grave of Harris mansion, built 1766 Hariranft, tJoliii.F.. ]iiu-tiait of Hiesler. .Joseiih. portiaitof Honodale boiough, view of Huntingdon Itorougn, seal of Hnntiiigdou borough, view of Horsu-suoe curve, Allegheny uiountaius 731 273 1<^6 2!I3 313 au:* 1(144 H72 I i6(i . G68 70 572 046 1170 . »58 (uU> 2-14 , (J-17 , 647 . r^ , 6:i7 , 275 213 , 1145 Independence Hall, 1S76 Hnlfpeiidence ilall, rear view Indiana connty court imuse Indian clKi|iel ai liethlehi'in, 1765 IiKliaii depredations on the fi on tiers Initiaii god rock, Ventingo cutinty Indliiii goil lock, Insciipiionson indian insci I pi ions un rocks at Sl-1655 [Captured by Peter Stuyvesant, 1033.] DOMINION OF THE DUTCH. Peter Stutvesast, Governor of New Netherlands and of the settlements on the Delaware 1055-1604 AxDREAS lIuuDB, Commissary 1G55-1G57 Joux Paul Jacquet .;...........•. 1055-1057 [The Colony divided into that of the City and Company, 1657.] COLOXY OF THE COSIPAXT. CoERAN Vax Dyke 1657-1658 William Ueekmax 1658-1003 coloxy of the city. Jacob Alricks 1057-1059 Alexaxdeu D'Hixoyossa. . . 1059-1002 William Heekmax 1063-10&4 Alexander D'Hixoyossa 1003-1GG4 [Settlements captured by the Eagliiih, 1004.] DOMINION OF THE DUKE OF YORK. CoLOXEL Richard Nicolls, Governor 1GG4-1G07 RoDKUT Carr, Deputy Governor 1004-1007 CoLOXEL Fraxcis Lovelace 1GC7-1673 [Colonics captured by the Dutch, 1073.] DOMINION OP THE DUTCU. AxTnoxY Col\t:, Governor of Now Netherlands 1C73-1G74 Peteu Ar.uicKS, Deputy Governor of the Colonics on the west side of the Delaware 1673-1074 [Colonies re-ciiptured by the English, 1074.] DOMINION OF THE ENGLISH. Bib Edmuxd Axdross 1674-1681 U Five Commissioners appointed by Penn, Fob., IGSS-Dec, 1CS8. GOVEBNOBS. 16 PROPRIETARY GOVERNMENT. William Pe>-n, Proprietary 1681-1003 William Markham, Deputy Governor. June, IfiSl-Oct., 1C82 William Penn, Proprietary Oct., IfiSU-June, 1081 The Council (Tuomas Lloyd, President) June, ICSl-Feb., 1GS8 1. Tuomas Lloyd, 2. RobkrtTukner, 3. Artuuk Cook, 4. JoiinSymcock, 5. John Eckley, Captain John Blaokwell, Deputy Governor Dec, 10SS-.Tan., 1000' The Council (Thomas Lloyd, President) Jan., 1090-Mar., 1091 Thomas Lloyd, Deputy Governor of Province, > ., ]G91-Ad1 1093 William Markham, Deputy Governor of Lower Counties, y ' ' Crown op England 1C93-1C95 ^ Benjamin Fletcher, Governor of New York, Governor Apl., IfiOS-Mar., 1095 William Markham, Lieutenant Governor Api., lC93-Mar., 1G95 William Penn, Proprietary 1C95-1718 William Markham, Deputy Governor Mar., lOOo-Dec, 1099 Wi LLi AM Penn, Proprietary Dec, 1099-Nov., 1701 Andrew Hamilton, Deputy Governor (died) Nov., 1701-Apl., 1703 The Council (Edward Shippen, President) Apl., 1703-Feb., 1704 John Evans, Deputy Governor Feb., 1704-Feb., 1709 Charles Gookin, Deputy Governor Feb., 1709-May, 1717 Sin William Keith, Deputy Governor May, 1717-Jnly, 1718 John Penn, Richard Penn, and Thomas Penn, Proprietaries 1718-1740 Sir William Keith, Deputy Governor July, 1718-Aug., 1726 Patrick Gordon, Deputy Governor Aug., 1720-Aug., 1730 The Council (James Logan, President) Aug., 1738-Aiig., 1738 George Thomas, Deputy Governor Aug., 1738-Mai-, 1746 [John Penn died 1740; Richard Penn died 1771, when John Penn, his son, together with Thomas Penn, became soIa Proprietaries.] 1740-1770 George Thomas, Deputy Governor May, 1746-May, 1747 The Council (Anthony Palmer, President) May, 1747-Nov., 1748 James Hamilton, Deputy Governor Nov., 1748-Oct., 1754 Robert Hunter Morris, Deputy Governor Oct., 1754-Aug., 1756 AViLLiAM Denny, Deputy Governor Aug. 1750-Oct., 1709 James Hamilton, Deputy Governor Oct., 1759-Nov., 1763 John Penn (son of Richard Penn), Lieutenant Governor Nov., 17G3-Apl., 1771 Tlie Council (James Hamilton, President) Apl., 1771-Oct., 1771 Richard Penn (brother of John Penn), Lieutouaut Governor. Oct., 1771-Sept., 1773 John Penn, Lieutenant Governor Sept., 1773-Sept., 1776 IN THE REVOLUTION. The, Committee op Safety (Benjamin Franklin, Chairman) Sept., 177G-Mar., 1777 presidents op the supreme executive council. Thomas Wharton, Jr Mar. 5, 1777-May 23, 177S Geo. Bryan, V. P., acting, vice President Wharton, deceased May 23, 1778-Dec. 22, 1778 Joseph Reed Dec. 22, 1778-Nov.l5, 1781 William JIoore , Nov. 15, 17Sl-Nov. 7, 17S2 John Dickinson Nov. 7, 1782-Oct. 18,'»17S5 Bkn JAMIN Franklin Oct. 18, 1785-Nov. 5, 1788 Thomas Mifflin i Nov. 5, 1788-Dec. 21, 1790 16 aOVEBNOBS. VIC£ FRESIDENTB. GEOnoE Bktan (resigned) Mar. 5 l7T7-Oct. 11, 1779 Matthew Smith (resigned) Oct. 11, 1779-Nov. 15, 1779 William Moore Nov. 15, 1779-Nov. 15, 1781 James Potter Nov. 15, 1781-Nov. 7, 1782 James Ewinq Nov. 7, 1-82-Nov. C, 1784 James Irvine (resigned) Nov. 6, 1784-Oct. 10, 1/85 Charles Biddle Oct. 10, 1785-Oct. 31, 1787 Peter MuHLENUEEa (resigned) Oct. 31, 1787-Oct. 14, 1788 David Redick Oct. 14, 1788-Nov. 5, 1788 OeorqeRoss Nov. 5, 1788-Dec. 21, 1790 GOVERNORS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OP 1790. Thomas Mifflin Dec. 21, 1790-Deo. 17, 1799 Thomas M'Kean Dee. 17, 1799-Dec. 20, 1808 /Simon Snyder Dec. 20, 1808-Dec. 16, 1817 ^ William Findlatt Dec. IC, 1817-Dec. 19, 1820 / Joseph Hiester Dec. 19, 1820-Dec. 16, 1823 "Ojohn Andrew Shulze Dec. 16, 1823-Dec. 15, 1829 ^Georqb Wolf Dec. 15, 1829-Dec. 15, 1835 Joseph Ritnee Dec. 15, 1835-Jan. 15, 1839 GOVERNORS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF 1838. David Rittenhouse Porter Jan. 15, 1839-Jan 21, 1845 /Francis Rawn Shukk Jan. 21, 1845- July 9, 1848 William Frbame Johnston (vice Shuuk, deceased) July 9, 1848-Jan. 20, 1852 William Biqlek Jan. 20, 1852-Jan. 16, 1855. James Pollock Jan. 16, 1855-Jan. 19, 1858 William Fisher Packer Jan. 19, 1858-Jan. 15, 1861 Andrew Greoo Curtin Jan. 15, 1861-Jan. 15, 1867 John White Geary Jan. 15, 1867-Jan. 21, 1873 - John Frederick Hartranpt Jan. 21, lS73-Jan. 18, 1876 GOVERNORS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF 1873. John Fkedeeick HAETRANn Jan. 18, 1876-Jaii. 21, 1879 Henry Maetyn Hoyt Jan. 21, 187&-Jan. 16,1883 EoBEET Emory Pattison Jan. 16, 1883- LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF 1873. John Latta Jan. 19, 1875-Jan. 21, 1875 Chaeles W. Stone Jan. 21, 1879-Jan. 16,1883 Chauncey F. Black Jan. 16, 1883- CHAPTER I. THE ABOKIOINES. tHE SUSQUEHANNAS. THE DELAWAEES. THE SHAWANESB. INDIAN CHARACTERISTICS. JO the Moravian and Jesuit missionaries of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries we are chiefly indebted for the information we have of the aborigines who inhabited Pennsylvania on the advent of the European, and in our account we shall make free use of Hecke- welder, Charlevoix, and others of that band of God-fearing men. At this period the territory embraced between the great lakes and the St. Lawrence to the northward, and the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac to the southward, was occupied by two families of tribes — the Algonquin and the Huron Iroquois. The former, which included the Micmacs, Mohegans, Illinois, Ohippewas, Ottawas, Pottawatamies, Sacs, Foxes, Miamies, the Delawares of Pennsylvania, and many of the Maryland and Virginia tribes, surrounded the more powerful and civilized tribes, who have been called the Huron Iroquois, from the names of the two most powerful nations of the group — the Hurons or Wyandots of Upper Canada, and the Iroquois or Five Nations of New York. Besides these, the group included the Neuters, on the Niagara; the Dinondadies, in Upper Canada ; the Eries, south of the lake of that name ; the Andastogu($s or Sus- quchannas, on that river ; the Nottaways and some other Virginian tribes ; and finally, the Tuscaroras in North Carolina, and perhaps the Cherokees, whose language presents many striking points of similarity. Both these groups claimed a western origin, and seem in their progress east to have driven out of Ohio the Quappas, called by the Algonquins, Alkansas or Allcgewi, wlio retreated down the Ohio and Mississippi to the district which has preserved the name given them by the Algonquins. After planting themselves on the Atlantic border, the various tribes seem to have soon divided and become eraLroiled in war. The Iroquois, at first inferior to the Algonquins, were driven out of the valley of the St. Lawrence into the lake region of New York, where, by greater cultivation, valor, and union, they soon became superior to the Algonquins of Canada and New York, as the Susquehannas, who settled on the Susquehanna, did over the tribes of New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Prior to 1600, says the Relation de la Nouvelle France, the Susquehannas and the Mohawks, the most eastern Iroquois tribe, came into collision, and the former nearly exterminated their enemy in a war which lasted ten j'cars. In 1608, Captain Smith, in exploring the Chesapeake and its tributaries, met a party of these Sasquesahanocks, as he calls them, and he states that they were still at war with the Massawomekes, or Mohawks. De Vries, in his Voyages, found them in 1633 at war with the Armewamen and Sankiekans — Algonquin tribes on the Delaware — maintaining their supremacy by butchery. They were friendly to the Dutch. When tlie Swedes arrived in 1638, 17— B 18 msSTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. they renewed the friendly intei'course begun by the Dutch. According to Hazard, they purchased lands of tlie ruling tribe, and thus secured their friend- ship. Southward, also, they carried the terror of their arms, and from 1634 to 1644, says Bozman, they waged war on the Yaomacoes, the Piscataways, and Patuxents, and were' so troublesome that in 1642 Governer Calvcil;, by procla- mation, declared them public enemies. When the Hurons, in Upper Canada, in 1647, began to sink under the fearful blows dealt \>y the Five Nations, the Susquehannas sent an embassy to offer them aid against the common enemy. Nor was the offer one of little value, for the Susquehannas could put into the field one thousand three hundred warriors, ti'ained, says Proud, to the use of flre-arms and Kuropean modes of war by three Swedish soldiers, whom they had obtained to instruct them. Before interposing, however, they began a negotiation, and sent an embassy to Onondaga to urge the cantoris to peace. The Iroquois refused, and the Hurons, sunk in apathy, took no active steps to secure the aid of the friendly Susquehannas. That tribe, however, maintained its friendl}' intercourse with its European neighbors, and in 1652, Sawahegeh, and other sachems, in presence of a Swedish deputy, ceded to Marj-land all the territory from the Patuxent river to Palmer's Island, and from the Choptauk to the north-east branch north of Elk river. Four years later, the Iroquois, grown insolent by their success in almost anni- hilating their kindred tribes north and south of Lake Erie, provoked a war with the Susquehannas, plundering their hunters on Lake Ontario. During that year the small-pox, that terrible scourge of the aborigines, broke out in their town, sweeping off many, and seriously enfeebling the nation. War had now begun in earnest with the Five Nations, and though the Susquehannas had some of their people killed near their town, thej' in turn pressed the Caj'ugas so hard that some of them retreated across Lake Ontario to Canada. They also kept the Senccas in such alarm that they no longer ventured to carry their peltries to New York, except in caravans escorted by six hundred men, who even took a most circuitous route. A law of Maryland, passed May 1, 1661, authorized the Governor of that Province to aid the Susquehannas. Smarting under constant defeat, the Five Nations solicited French aid, but in April, 1663, the AVestern cantons raised an army of eight hundred men to invest and storm the fort of the Susquehannas. This "fort was located about fifty miles from the mouth of the river. The enem}' embarked on Lake Ontario, according to the French account, and then went overland to the Susquehanna. On reaching the fort, however, they found it well defended on the river side, and on the land side with two bastions in European style, with cannon mounted and connected by a doable curtain of large trees. After some trifling skirmishes the Iroquois nad recourse to stratcgcm. They sent in a party of twenty-five men to treat of peace, and ask provisions to enable them to return. The Susquehannas admitted tliem, but immediately burned them all alive before tlie eyes of their countrymen. The force of the Iroquois, according to Proud and Hazard, consisted of one thousand six liundred warriors, while that of the Susquehannas only one hundred. On the retreat of the Iroquois, the Susquehannas pursued them with considerable slaugliter. After this the war was carried on in small parties, and Susquehanna prisoners QENEBAL HISTORY. 19 were from time lo time burned at Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca., and Cayuga. In the fall of 1669, tlie Susqueliannas, after defeating tlie Cayugas, offered peace, but the Caj'ugas put their ambassador and his nephew to death, after retaining liim five or six months — tlie Oneidas having talien nine Susquchannas, and sent some to Cayuga, with forty wampum belts to maintain the war. At this time the great war chief of the Susquehannas was one styled Hochi- tagete, or Barefoot, and raving women and crafty medicine men deluded the Iroquois with promises of his capture and execution at the stake, and a famous medicine man of Oneida appeared after death to order his body to be taken up and interred on the trail leading to the Susquehannas, as the only means of saving that canton from ruin. Toward the summer of 1672 a body of forty Cayugas descended the Susquehanna in canoes, and twenty Senecas went by land to attack the enemy in their fields ; but a band of sixty Andastd, or Susque- hanna boys, the oldest not over sixteen, attacked the Senecas and routed them, killing one brave and taking another. Flushed with victory, they pushed on to attack the Cayugas, and defeated them also, killing eight, and wounding with arrow, knife, and hatchet fifteen or sixteen more, losing, however, fifteen or sixteen of their gallant band. At this time the Susquehannas were so reduced by war and pestilence that they could muster only three hundred warriors. In 1675, according to the Relations InSditen and Colden, the tribe was com- pletely overthrown, but unfortunately we have no details whatever as to the forces which effected it, or the time or manner of their utter defeat. The remnant, too proud to yield to those with whom they had long contended as equals, and, by holding the land of their fathers by sufferance, to acknowledge themselves sub- dued, yet too weak to withstand the victorious Iroquois, forsook the river bearing their name, taking up a position on the western borders of Maryland, near the Pi^cataways. Shortly after they were accused of the murder of some settlers, apparently slain by the Senecas; they sent five of their chiefs to the Maryland and Virginia troops, under Col. John Washington, great-grandfather of General George Washington, and Major Thomas Truman, who went out in pursuit. Although coming as deputies, and showing the Baltimore medal and certificate of friendship, these chiefs were cruelly put to death. The enraged Susque- hannas then began a terrible border war, which was kept up until their utter destruction. Having thus followed the fortunes of the aborigines in the centre of Pennsyl- vania, we turn our attention to the two tribes residing therein upon the arrival of the Founder — and whose important connection with the subsequent history of the State deserves more than a passing notice. We refer to the Delawares and Shawaneso. The Lenni Lenape, or the original people, as they called themselves, inha- bited principally the shores of the river Delaware, thence their name. The Lenape were of western origin ; and nearly forty tribes, according to Ileckeweldei-, acknowledged them as their " grandfathers " or parent stock. It was related by the braves of the Delawares, that many centuries previous their ancestors dwelt far in the western wilds of the American continent, but emigrating eastwardly, arrived after many years on the Namcesi Sipu (the Mississippi), or river of fish, where they fell in with the Mengwe (Iroquois), who had also emigrated from a 20 HISTOB Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. distant country, and approached this river somewhat nearer its source. The spies of the Lenape reported the country on the east of the Mississippi to be inhabited by a powerful nation, dwelling in large towns erected upon their principal rivers. This people, tall and stout, some of whom, as tradition reports, were of gigantic mould, bore the name of Allegewi, and from them were derived the names of the Allegheny river and mountains. Their towns were defended by regular fortifica- tions or intrenchments of earth, vestiges of which are yet shown in greater or less preservation. The Lenape requested permission to establish themselves in their vicinity. This was refused, but leave was given them to pass the river, and seek a country farther to the eastward. But, whilst the Lenape were crossing the river, the Allegewi, becoming alarmed at their number, assailed and destroyed many of those who had reached the eastern shore, and threatened a like fate to the others should they attempt the stream. Fired at the loss they had sustained, the Lenape eagerly accepted a proposition from the Mengwe, who had hitherto been specta- tors only of their enterprise, to conquer and divide the country. A war of many years duration was waged bj' the united nations, marked by great havoc on both sides, which eventuated in the conquest and expulsion of the Allegewi, who fled by the way of the Mississippi, never to return. Their devastated country was apportioned among the conquerors ; the Iroquois choosing their residence in the neighborhood of the great lakes, and the Lenape possessing themselves of the lands to the south. After many ages, during which the conquerors lived together in great har- mony, the enterprising hunters of the Lenape crossed the Allegheny mountains, and discovered the great rivers Susquehanna and Delaware, and their respective baj's. Exploring the Sheyichbi country (Xew Jersey), they arrived on the Hud- son, to which they subsequently gave the name of the Mohicanviltuck river. Returning to their nation, after a long absence, they reported their discoveries, describing the country they had visited as abounding in game and fruits, fish and fgwl, and destitute of inhabitants. Concluding this to be the country destined for them by the Great Spirit, the Lenape proceeded to establish themselves upon the principal rivers of the east, making the Delaware, to which they gave the name of Lenape-wihittuck (the river or stream of the Lenape), the centre of their possessions. They say, however, that all of their nation who crossed the Mississippi did not reach this country ; a part remaining behind to assist that portion of their people who, frightened by the reception which the Allegewi had given to their countrj-- men, fled far to the west of the Namcesi Sipn. They were finally divided into three great bodies ; the larger, one-half of the whole, settled on the Atlantic ; the other half was separated into two parts, the stronger continued beyond the Mississippi, the other remained on its eastern bank. Those on the Atlantic were subdivided into three tribes — ^the Turtle or CInamis, the Turkey or Unalachtgo, and the Wolf or Minsi. The two former inhabited the coast from the Hudson to the Potomac, settling in small bodies in towns and villages upon the larger streams, under the chiefs subordinate to the great council of the nation. The Minsi, called by the English Monseys, the most warlike of the three tribes, dwelt in the Interior, forming a barrier between their GENEBAL HISTOBT. 21 nation and the Mengwe. They extended themselves from the Minisink, on the Delaware, where they held their council seat, to the Hudson on the east, to the Susquehannah on the southwest, to the head waters of the Delaware and Susque- hannah rivers on the north, and to that range of hills now known in New Jersey by the name Of the Muskenecun, and by those of Lehigh and Conewago in Pcnnsj'lvania. Man^' subordinate tribes proceeded from these, who received names from their places of residence, or from some accidental circumstance, at the time of its occurrence remarkable, but now^ forgotten. Such probably were the Shawanese, the Nanticokes, the Susquehannas, heretofore referred to, the Neshamines, and other tribes, resident in or near the Province of Pennsylvania at the time of its settlement. The Mengwe hovered for some time on the borders of the lakes, with their canoes in readiness to fly should the Allegewi return. Having grown bolder, and their numbers increasing, they stretched themselves along the St. Lawrence, and became, on the north, near neighbors to the Lenape tribes. The Mengwe and the Lenape, in the progress of time, became enemies. The latter represent the former as treacherous and cruel, pursuing pertinaciously an insidious and destructive policy toward their more generous neighbors. Dread- ing the power of the Lenape, the Mengwe resolved to involve them in war with their distant tribes, to deduce their strength. They committed murders upon the members of one tribe, and induced the injured party to believe they were pepetrated by another. They stole into the country of the Delawares, sur- prised them in their hunting parties, slaughtered the hunters, and escaped with the plunder. / Each nation or tribe had a particular mark upon its war clubs, which, left beside a murdered person, denoted the aggressor. The Mengwe perpetrated a murder in the Cherokee couQtr3'^, and left with the dead body a war club bearing the insignia of the Lenape. The Cherokees, in revenge, fell suddenly upon the latter, and commenced a long and bloody war. The treachery of the Mengwe was at length discovered,. and the Delawares turned upon them with the determi- nation utterly to extirpate them. They were the more strongly induced to take this resolution, as the cannibal propensities of the Mengwe, according to Hecke- welder, had reduced them, in the estimation of the Delawares, below the rank of human beings. * Hitherto each tribe of the Mengwe had acted under the direction of its par- ticular chiefs ; and, although the nation could not control the conduct of its mem- bers, it was made responsible for their outrages. Pressed by the Lenape, they resolved to form a confederation which might enable them better to concentrate their force in war, and to regulate their aifairs in peace. Thannawage, an aged Mohawk, was the projector of this alliance. Under his auspices, five nations, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagoes, Cayugas, and Senecas, formed a species of republic, governed by the united councils of their aged and experienced chiefs. To these a sixth nation, the Tuscaroras, was added in ltl2. This last originally dwelt in the western parts of North Carolina, but having formed a deep and general conspiracy to exterminate the whites, were, as stated in Smith's History of New York, driven from their country, and adopted by the Iroquois confederacy 22 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. The beneficial eflfccts of this system early displayed themselves. The Lenape were chcclted, and the Mengwe, whose warlike disposition soon familiarized them with fire arms procured from the Dutch, were enabled, at the same time, to con- tend witli them and to resist the French, who now attempted the settlement of Canada, and to extend their conquests over a large portion of the country between the Atlantic and tiie Mississippi. But, being pressed hahl by their new, they became desirous of reconciliation with their old enemies; and, for this purpose, if tlie tradition of tlie Dclawares be credited, they effected one of the most extraordinary strokes of policy which history has recorded. The mediators between the Indian nations at war are the women. The men, however weary of the contest, hold it cowardly and disgraceful to seek reconcilia- tion. They deem it inconsistent in a warrior to speak of peace with bloody weapons in his hands. He must maintain a determined courage, and appear at all times as ready and willing to fight as at the commencement of hostilities. With such dispositions, Indian wars would be interminable, if the women did not interfere and persuade the combatants to bury the hatchet and make peace with each other. On these occasions, the women pleaded their cause with much eloquence. " Not a warrior,'' they would say, " but laments the loss of a son, a brother, or a friend. And mothers, who have borne with cheerfulness the pangs of child-birth, and the .anxieties that wait upon the infancy and adolescence of their sons, behold their promised blessings crushed in the field of battle, or pe- rishing at the stake in unutterable torments. In the depth of their grief they curse their wretched existence, and sliudder at the idea of bearing children." They conjured the warriors, therefore, by their suffering wives, their helpless children, their homes,' and their friends, to interchange forgiveness, to cast away their arms, and, smoking together the pipe of amity and peace, to embrace as friends those whom they had learned to esteem as enemies. Prayers thus urged seldom failed of their desired effect. The function of the peace-maker was honorable and dignified, and its assumption by a courageous and powerful nation could not be inglorious. This station tlie Mengwe urged upon the Lenape. " They had reflected," they said, " upon the state of the Indian race, and were convinced that no means remained to preserve it unless some mag- nanimous nation would assume the character of the woman. It could not be aiven to a weak and contemptible tribe ; such would not be listened to ; but the Lenape and their allies would at once possess influence and command respect." The facts upon which these arguments were founded were known to the Dela- wares, and, in a moment of blind confldence in the sincerity of the Iroquois, they acceded to the proposition, and assumed the petticoat. The ceremony of the metamorphosis was performed with great rejoicings at Alban3', in 1617, in the presence of the Dutch, whom the Lenape charged with having conspired with the Mengwe for their destruction. Having thus disarmed the Delawares, the Iroquois assumed over them the rights of protection and command. But still dreading their strength, they art- ftilly involved them again in war with the Cherokees, promised to fight their bat- tles., led them into an ambush of their foes, and deserted them. The Delawares, at length, comprehended the treachery of their arch enemy, and resolved to resume QENEBAL UISTOBY. 23 their arms, and, being still superior in numbers, to crush them. But it was too late. The Europeans were now making their way into the country in every direction, and gave ample employment to the astonished Lenape. The Mcngwe denied these machinations. They averred that they conquered the Delawares by force of arms, and made them a subject people. And, though it was said thej' were unable to detail the circumstance of this conquest, it is more rational to suppose it true, tlian tliat a brave, numerous, and warlike nation should have voluntarily suffered themselves to be disarmed and enslaved by a shallow artifice ; or that, discovering tlie fraud practised upon them, they should unresist- ingly have submitted to its consequences. This conquest was not an empty acqui- sition to the Mcngwe. They claimed dominion over all the lands occupied by the Delawares, and, in many instances, their claims were distinctly acknowledged. Parties of the Five Nations occasionally occupied the Lenape country, and wan- dered over it at all times at their pleasure. Eventually, in lt5G, Tedyuscung, the noted Delaware chief, seems to have compelled the Iroquois to acknowledge tlie independence of his tribe, but the claim of superiority was often afterwards revived. The origin of the Shawauese was southern. They probably belonged to the Algonquins, as they spoke the same language. From the most authentic information, Harvey informs us, it appears that the basin of the Cumberland river was the residence of the Shawanese before the settlement of the Europeans on the continent, and that they connected the different sections of the Algonquin families. At the celebrated treaty of lG83,the Shawanese were a party to that covenant, and they must have been considered a very prominent band, from the fact of their having preserved the treaty in their own possession or keeping, as we arc informed that, at a conference held many j'cars after, that nation produced this treaty on parchment to the Governor of the Province. It was the custom with the Indian tribes who made a joint treaty with the whites to commit the preservation of the papers containing the treatj^ etc., to such of the bands as were considered most to be trusted. From the best authority, it appears that as early as 1G73 upwards of seventy families of that nation removed from the Carolinas and occupied some of the deserted posts of the Susquehannas. Others of tlie tribe soon followed. In the j'ear 1698, some Shawanese applied to the Proprietary Government of Pennsylvania for permission to- settle on the Couestoga and Pequea creeks, under Opessah, their principal chief. Here thcj- remained a quarter of a century, when, with other families settled on the Swatara, Paxtang, and the Susquehanna streams on the east, tliey branched off to the westward. As early as lt28 we find the Shawanese as far west as the Ohio, and by the middle of the eighteenth century the entire tribe had settled on the branches of that river. In the year 1732 the number of fighting braves of tliat nation in Pennsylvania amounted to seven hun- dred. The Shawanese, says Golden, were the most restless of all the Indian tribes. In 1745, he says, one tribe of them had gone to New Spain. This band of four hundred and fifty, who located themselves on the head-waters of the Mobile river, probably' never returned to Pennsylvania. As it is difficult to disentangle the web of conflicting evidence respecting the nationality of the Indians who from time to time occupied the soil of Pennsyl- 24 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. vania, we shall content ourselves with the foregoing reference to the three princi- pal nations, the most important of whom were the Delawares and Shawanese, as for almost a century' and a half they were the principal parties to all treaties. The language of the aborigines, says Gordon, was said to be rich, sonorous, plastic, and comprehensive in the highest degree. It varied from the European idioms chiefly in the conjugation of the verbs, with which not only the agent and patient were compounded, in every possible case, but the adverbs were also blended, and one word was made to express the agent, the action, with its accidents of time, place, and quantity, and the object effected by them. And, though greatly pliant, it was subjected to rules, from which there were few exceptions. It had the power of expressing every idea, even the most abstract. The Old and New Testaments were translated into it, and the Christian missionaries had no difficulty, as they asserted, of making themselves understood on all subjects by the Indians. As a specimen, we give the following translation of the Jubilate Deo in the language of the Six Nations : Sewatonnharen ne Rawenniioke, nise ne Tsionwentsiagweon ; hetsisewa- wenniiostak ne Rawenniio, nok tsi elho nensewaiere sewatsbennonnihak ; nok gasewe tsi nonwe nihenteron, nok tetsisewariwagwas ne Rawenniio. Agwa sewerhek ne Rawenniio raonha ne Niioh ; nok raonha songwaiatison ; nok iah i-i ne tiongwe teiongwatatiatison ; nok raonha rahongweta ni-i ne tion- gwehogon. Wasene tsit honnhogaronte, etho totsisewanonweraton ; nok ne rahononsagon tetsisewariwagwas: Tetsisewanonweraton, nok hetsisewasennanoronst nonen wesewatati. Roianere na-ah ne Rawenniio, tsinihotennitenraskon iah tiaiehewe ; nok ne rahoriwatokenti toitkon tontatie, tsinahe tsontagawatsiratatie nongwe. A cultivated language usually denotes great civilization. But our abori- gines seem to have confined their efforts to the improvement of their speech. This was a consequence naturally flowing from their form of government and political institutions, in which the most absolute liberty prevailed. The public welfare was confided to the aged and experienced chiefs, whose resolutions were obeyed in full conviction of theiis wisdom. They had no law but public opinion, and the redress of injuries belonged to the injured. Among such a people, par- ticularly, eloquence is the handmaid of ambition, and all power must depend upon the talent of persuasion. To this cause we may ascribe the cultivation and the many beauties which are said to mark the Indian tongues of North America. In other respects, these tribes had advanced little beyond the rudest state oi nature. They had no written language, unless rude drawings may be thus con- sidered. Their intercourse with each other was regulated by a few simple rules of justice and courtesy. Their passions generally preserved an even and mode- rate tenor ; but, occasionally becoming intense, they produced enormous crimes, or deeds of heroism. In the commerce of the sexes, love, as a sentiment, was almost unknown. Marriage was a physical convenience, continued by the will of the parties, either sex having, the power to dissolve it at pleasure. The treat- ment of the women, however, if not marked by tenderness, was not cruel. A full proportion of labor, it is true, was imposed upon them, but it was of that QEJUEBAL HISTOBY. 25 kind which necessarily falls to their lot, where the men are absent from their homes in search of sustenance for their families. It consisted of domestic and agricultairal services. Children were educated with care in the knowledge of the duties and employments of their future life. Their lessons were taught in a kind and familiar manner, their attention awakened by the hope of distinction, and their efforts rewarded by general praise. Threats nor stripes were ever used. Lands and agricultural returns were common property ; peltries and the other acquisitions of the chase belonged to individuals. It is well known they were very much averse to European religion and customs, unless in such things as they could comprehend and clearly understand were for their real benefit. Yet, in this, sometimes, their passions prevailed over their better understanding ; instance, their drunkenness, &c. But though the hoped and desired success did not so fully attend the labors bestowed on them, and the means used, both by William Penn himself, in person, and by divers others of the more pious and early settlers, whose good example was very remarkable, with the later endeavors since continued, to inform the judg- ment of the Indians in regard to religious affairs, to acquaint them with the principles and advantages of Christianity, to restrain them from some things acknowledged by themselves to be manifestly pernicious, particularly from abusing themselves with strong liquor, by law, as well as advice, &c., so much as might reasonably have been wished or expected ; yet these very labors and means were far from being useless, or entirely without good effect ; for the consequence declared that the Indians, in general, were sensible of the kind regard paid them and of the good intended thereby, which they showed and proved by their future conduct and steady friendship, though they generally refused in a formal manner to embrace European manners, religion, and opin- ions : " For, governed by their own customs, and not by laws, creeds, &c., they greatly revered those of their ancestors, and followed them so implicitly that a new thought or action seldom took place among them." " They are thought," says William Penn, "to have believed in a God and immor- tality; and seemed to aim at a public worship: in performing this, they some- times sat in several circlesj one within another : the action consisted of singing, jumping, shouting, and dancing; which they are said to have used mostly as a tradition from their ancestors, rather than from any knowledge or inquiry of their own into the serious parts of its origin. " They said the great, King, who made them, dwelt in a glorious country to the southward ; and that the spirits of the blest should go thither and live again. Their most solemij worship was a sacrifice of the first fruits, in which they burned the first and fattest buck, and feasted together upon what else they had collected. In this sacrifice they broke no bones of any creature which thej' ate ; but after they had done they gathered them together and burned them very care- fully. They distinguished between a good and evil Manito, or Spirit ; worship- ping the former for the good they hoped ; and, it is said, some of them, the latter, that they might not be afflicted with the evil which they feared; so slav- ishly dark were some of them represented to have been in their understandings 1 But whether tins last was true, in a general sense, or peculiar only to some parts, it was certainly hot the case at all among the Indians within the limits of these 2fi HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. provinces, or, at least, very much concealed from the first and early settlers of them. "But in late years it was less to be admired that the Indians, in these provinces and their vicinity, had shown so little regard to the Christian religion, but rather treated it, as well as its professors, with contempt and abliorrence, when it was duly considered what kind of ChrinHans those generally were, with whom they mostly dealt and conversed ; as, the Indian traders, and most of the inhabi- tants of the back counties of this and the neighboring provinces, who had chiefly represented the professors of ChrisLianity among them, for many years ! viz., such of the lowest rank, and least i^iformcd, of mankind, who had flowed in from Oarmamj, Ireland, and the jails of Great Britain, and settled next them, as well as those who fled from justice in the settled, or better inhabited parts of the country, and retired among them, that they might be out of the reach of the laws, &c., the least qualified to exhibit favorable ideas of this kind ; but it was most certain they have done the contrary ; insomuch that, it were to be wished the cause of the late unhappy Indian war within the limits of these pro- vinces, did not take its rise, in no small degree, from the want of common jus- tice, in the conduct of too many of these people towards them; for notwith- standing the general ignorance of the Indians in many things, especially of European arts and inventions, j'et in things of this kind they relied more on ex- perience than theory ; and they mostly formed their judgment of the English, or Europeans, and of their religion and customs, not from the words, but from the actions and manners of those with whom they most conversed and transacted business. " For, however ignorant and averse to European refinement and waj's of think- ing, on religious subjects, the Indians, in general, might appear to have been, j-et, as in all other nations of mankind, it is most certain there were some among them of a more exalted way of thinking, and enlightened understandings, who, not- withstanding the great absurdities among the generality, were not without some degree of a just sense and acknowledgment of the providential care and regard of the Almighty Creator over the human race, both in a general and particular capacitj', and, even, of divine grace and influence on the human mind, and that independent of foreign information, or instruction: of this their immediate sense and understanding of mental objects, which it is most manifest many of them possessed, even of the highest nature, and very demonstrative; besides, part at least of their traditions, from their ancestors, whose prime original, so far as it is founded on truth, must necessarily have first arisen from the divine intelli- gence, though communicated in different degree to difllerent parts of the human race, and tliough much of such tradition may be mixed with imagination and absurdity." The strongest passion of an Indian's soul was revenge. To gratify it, distance, danger, and toil were held as nothing. But there was no manliness in his vengeance. He loved to steal upon his enemy in the silence of the forest, or in his midnight slumbers, and to glut himself, like a ravenous wolf, in undistinguished slaughter. In war, not even the captive was spared, unless he were adopted to supply the place of a deceased member of the capturing nation. If not thus preserved, he was destined to perish, in protracted torture, under the hands of women and chil GENEBAL UISTOBT. 27 dren. On the other hand, hospitality and respect for the property of others were their distinguishing virtues. Strangers were treated with great attention and kindness, their wants liberally supplied, and their persons considered sacred. To the needy and sutTcring of their own tribes they cheerfully gave ; dividing with them their last morsel. Theft in their comnuinitics was rare, and is said to have been almost unknown before their apquaintance witii the whites. Such are, in brief, the peculiar charapteristics of the aborigines. With the exception of a mere handful in the northern part of Warren county, all have disappeared from the limits of our State, and only the names of our streams and our mountains arc left to remind us of the native red man, although the revenge- ful Delawares and perfidious Shawanesc hold a prominent place in the history of the State for at least an entire century. PROPRIETARY SEAL. CHAPTEE II. DISCOVERY OP THE DELAWARE BT HUDSON. SETTLEMENT OP THE DUTCH AND SWEDES. 1609—1681. BVERAL years subsequent to the first settlement of Virginia, Henry Hudson, while in the service of the. Dutch East India Company, made his celebrated voyage that resulted in the discov- ery of the great river which most justly bears his name. He sailed from Amsterdam in the Half-Moon, on the 4th of April, 1609, with the view of discovering a northwest passage to China. He arrived off the Banks 1609. of New Foundland in July, continued his course westwardly, and, after some delay, entered Penobscot Bay, on the coast of Maine. Aftei making some slight repairs, Hudson continued southwest along the coast until the 18th of August, when he arrived at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Reversing his course, on the 28th of August, 1609, in latitude thirty-iyne degrees and five minutes north, Hudson discovered " a great bay," which, after having made a very careful examination of the shoals and soundings at its mouth, he entered. According to Juet, he soon came to the over-cautious con- clusion that " he that will thoroughly discover this great bay must have a small pinnace, that must draw but four or five feet water, to sound before him." To this great bay the name of Delaware has been given, in honor of Lord Delaware, who is said to have entered it one year subsequently to the visit of Hudson, although this has been denied by Mr. Broadhead and other historians. Coasting along the Eastern shore of New Jersey, Hudson, on the third day of September, anchored his ship within Sandy Hook. On the twelfth he entered New York Bay through the Narrows. The time between the 11th and 19th of September was employed in exploring the North River. He ascended with his ship as high as the spot on which Albany now stands. Satisfied that he could not i-each the South Sea by this route, he retraced his steps. On the 4th of October he reached the ocean, and on the 7th of November following arrived on the English coast. Though an Englishman, Hudson was in the employ of the Dutch, and his visit to the Delaware, however transient it may have been, is rendered important from the fact that on it principally, if not wholly, rested the claim of that Government to the bay and river, so far as it was based on the ground of prior discovery. This claim is now fully conceded ; for although the bay was known in Virginia by its present name as early as 1612,. no evidence exists of its discovery by Lord Delaware, or any other Englishman, prior to 1610, when it is said that navigator " touched at Delaware Bay on his passage to Virginia." Plantagenet — very doubtful authority — in his " Descrip- tion of New Albion," gives Sir Samuel Argall the credit of being the first European who entered its waters after its discovery by Hudson. An oflScial Dutch document, drawn up in 1644, claims that New Netherland " was visited by 28 GENEBAL MISTOBT. 29 inhabitants of that country in the year 1598," and that "two little forts wore built on the South and North Rivers." This assertion, made by an interested party after the lapse of half a century, is also to be doubted. The vai'ious names by which the Delaware River and Bay have been known, are : by the Indians — Pautaxat, Mai'isquet-on, Makerisk-kislcen, and Lenstpe Wihittuck ; by the Dutch — Zuydt or South River, Nassau River, Prince Hendrick River, and Charles River ; by the Swedes — New Swedeland Stream ; and by the English, Delaware River. In 1614 a general charter was granted by the States General of 1614. Holland, securing the exclusive privilege of trade during four voyages with "any new courses, havens, countries, and places" to the discoverer, and subjecting any persons who sliould act in violation thereof to a forfeiture of their vessel, in addition to a heavy pecuniary penalty Stimulated by this edict, the merchants of Amsterdam fitted out five vessels to engage in voyages, in pursuance thereof. Among them was the Fortune, commanded by Captain Cornelis Jacobsen Mey. With more enterprise and industry than his predecessors, this navigator visited the shores from Cape Cod to the South, or Delaware River, examining and mapping as he went along the numerous inlets and islands. From him tlie bay of the Delaware was called New Port Mey, its northern cape. Cape Mey, and the southern. Cape Cornelis. To a cape still further south he gave the name of Hindlopen, after a town of Friesland. Returning to Holland, and making report of his discoveries, in connection with the other skippers, the exclusive privileges of trade were granted to the TJnited Company of Merchants of the cities of Amsterdam and Hoom, by whose means the expedition had been fitted out. It was limited, however, to " newly discovered lands situate in America between New France and Virginia, whereof the sea coasts lie between the fortieth and forty-fifth degrees of latitude, now named New Netherland," and was to extend to four voyages, to be made within three years, from the first of January, 1G15. It will be seen that the Delaware Bay is not included in this grant, a circumstance that would suggest that the discoveries in that quarter by Captain Mey had not been appreciated; To Skipper Cornelis Hendrickson is due the credit of the first exploration of the Delaware river as high up, probably, as the mouth of the Schuylkill, 1616. in the year 1616. His report, furnished by his employers to the States General, was not considered, however, as furnishing additional proof that the discoveries made by him went much beyond what had been previously made, for the application for trading privileges was refused. In anticipation of tlie formation of a Dutch West India Company, these privileges wore not again granted under the general charter of 1614, except in a very few instances. The trade to New Netherland, regarded by the Dutch as extending bej-ond the Delaware, "was thrown open, in a measure, to individual competition. This did not last long, for on the third of June, 1621, the West India Company was incorporated. This company having, by , virtue of the charter, taken possession of the country, they dispatched the ship New Netherland, with a number of people, thereto, under the direction of Captains Cornelis Jacobsen Mey and Adrien Joriz 80 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Ticnpont. Mey proceeded to the Delaware, or South, llivcr, on the 1623. eastern bank of which, fifteen leagues from its mouth, he erected Fort Nassau, at a place called by the natives Tcchaacho, supposed to be on the Sassackon, now Little Timber Creek, a short distance below the present town of Gloucester, in New Jersey. It was the first settlement, if it can so be regarded, on the Delaware. The administration of the affairs of New Netherland was confided by the West India Company to Peter Minuit, who arrived at Manhattan Island in 1624. He was assisted in his government by a council of five membera and a 1624. " Scout Fiscal," whose duties embraced those now usually performed by a sheriff and district attorney. The authority vested in the Director, as he was styled, and his council, was ample, being executive, legislative, and judicial, and extended to the South as well as the North River. The commencement of the Directorship of Minuit is fixed by Wassenaer, in his History of Europe, in the year 1G26, and he assigns him two predecessors in that oflice, viz., William Van Hulst, for the year 1625, and Comelis Mey, for the year 1624. These men, in conjunction with Adrien Joriz Tienpont, appear, however, to have been merely directors of an expedition, and it would seem that the government of the country, of which the territory embraced within the limits of that portion of the State on the Delaware constituted a part, com- menced with the administration of Minuit. According to the authority last quoted, the effort at a settlement on the Delaware seems to have been abandoned before the expiration of a single year, in order to strengthen the colony at Manhattan. It is not remarkable that this policy should have been adopted, as the whole colony at that place scarcely numbered two hundred souls. The fort, therefore, at the South River, was abandoned to the Indians, who did not fail to occupy it as their occasions required ; and the country again passed into their possession as completely as it was on the day Hudson touched at the capes. In 1629, the West India Company granted, by charter, special privi- 1629. leges to all persons who should plant any colony in New Netherland. They adopted certain articles termed " Freedoms and Exemptions," under which scheme the feudal tenure of lands was to be introduced into America, south of Canada, where settlements on an analogous plan had already commenced. Thus encouraged, several of the directors of the company, among whom were Samuel Godyn and Samuel Bloemaert, resolved to make vast territorial acquisitions, and by tlieir agents had purchased a large tract of land at the mouth of the Delaware Bay. This grant was confirmed to the purchasers by Peter Minuit, tlie Director, and his council, on the 16th of July, 1630. 1630. Tlie land embraced in the grant, thus confirmed, was " situate on the soutli side of the aforesaid bay of the South River, extending in length from cape Ilinlopen off into the mouth of the aforesaid South Ri-ver, about eight leagues, and half a league in breadth into the interior, extending to a certain marsh or valley through which these limits can be clearly enough distinguished." Samuel Godyn had previously given notice of his intention to make the above purchase, and to occupy the bay of the South River as " Patroon " on the conditions set forth in the " Freedoms and Exemptions." Meeting with GENEBAL HISTOItT. 31 David IMeterszen De Vries, of Ilooin, " a bold and skilful seaman," who liad been " m master of artillery in the service of the United Provinces," he made him acquainted with the design of himself and associates, of forming a colony. The bay of the South River was held up to De Vries as a point at which a whale fishery could be profitably established, as Godyn represented " that there wore many whales " which kept before the bay, and the oil, at sixty guilders a hogs- head, be thought, would realize a good profit. Dc Vries, declining to accept a subordinate position in connection with the colony, he was at once admitted, on perfect equality, into a company of " Patroons," who associated themselves together on the IQth day of October, 1630. On the 12th of December following, a ship and a yacht for tiie South River were dispatched from the Tcxel, " with a number of people, and a large stock of cattle," the object being, says De Vries, " as well to carry on a whale fishery in that region, as to plant a colony for the cultivation of all sorts of grain, for which the country is well adapted, and of tobacco." Swanendael (valley of swans) was the name given to the tract of land pur- chased by Godyn for his colony on the " South River, in New Netherland." From him the bay was named in the Dutch records, " Qodyn's Bay." This was in midwinter, 1630-1, but the date of the arrival of the colonists is not known. Skipper Heyes, who commanded the Walrus, for that appears to have been the name of the ship that brought out this little colony, purchased of the Indians a tract of land sixteen English miles square, at Cape Maj', and extending sixteen miles on the bay. This document, duly reported and recorded, is still in ex- istence. A house, " well beset with palisades in place of breastworks," was erected on the northwest side of Hoorn-kill (Lewes creek), a short distance from 1631. its mouth. It was called " Fort Optlandt," and appears to have served the colony, which consisted of thirty-two persons, as a place of defence, a dwelling, and a storehouse. This colony, the most unfortunate that settled on the bay or river, was left under the charge of Giles Osset. Commissary Osset set upon a post or pillar the arms of Holland painted on tin, in evidence of its claim and profession. An Indian, ignorant of the object of this exhibition, and perchance unconscious of the right of exclusive property, appropriated to his own use this honored symbol. Tlie folly of Osset con- sidered this offence not only as a larcenj'^, but as a national insult, and he urged his complaints and demands for redress with so much vehemence and importu- nity that the harrassed and perplexed tribe brought him the head of the offender. This was a punishment which Osset neither wished nor had foreseen, and he ought justly to have dreaded its consequences. In vain he reprehended the severity of the Indians, and told them, had they brought the delinquent to hiin. he would have been dismissed with a reprimand. The love of vengeance, insejia rablc from the Indian character, sought a dire gratification ; and, though the death of the culprit was doomed and executed by his own tribe, still thej' beheld its cause in the exaction of the strangers. Availing themselves of the season in which a greater part of the Dutch were engaged in the cultivation of the Holds, at a distance from their house, the Indians entered it, under tlie amicable pre- tence of trade, and murdered the unsuspicious Osset, with a single sentinel whu 33 HISTOB T OF PENNS TL VANIA. attended liim. Thence proceeding to the fields, they fell upon the laborers, in the moment of exchanging friendly salutations, and mastered every individual. This conduct of the Indians, with its extenuating circumstances, as related by themselves to De Vries, is sufficiently atrocious ; but it is neither improbable nor inconsistent with the disposition the aborigines had frequently displayed towards foreigners, that the desire of possessing the white man's wealth was as powerful a stimulant to violence as the thirst for vengeance. In December, 1631, De Tries again arrived from Holland. He found no vestiges of his colonists, save the ashes of their dwelling and their unburied carcasses. Attracted by the firing of a cannon, the savages approached his vessel with guilty hesitation. But having at length summoned courage to ven- ture on board, they gave a circumstantial narrative of the destruction of his people. De Vries" deemed it politic to pardon what he could not safely punish ; and was, moreover, induced, by the pacific disposition of his employers, to seek reconciliation. He made a new treaty with the Indians, and afterwards, with a vi6w to obtain provisions, ascended the river above Fort Nassau. He had nearly fallen a victim here to the perfidy of the natives. Pretending to comply with his request, they directed him to enter the Timmerliill (Timber Creek), which fur- nished a convenient place for an attack, but warned by a female of the tribe of their design, and that a crew of a vessel, which had been sent from Virginia to explore the river the September previous, had been there murdered, he returned to Fort Nassau, which he found filled with savages. They attempted to surprise him, more than forty entering his vessel ; but, aware of their intention, he ordered them ashore with threats, declaring that their Manito, or Great, Spirit, had revealed their wickedness. But subsequently, pursuing the humane and pacific policy which had hitherto distinguished him, he consented to the wishes they expressed, of forming a treaty of amitj-^, which was confirmed with the cus- tomary presents on their part; but they declined his gifts, saying they did not now receive presents that they might give others in return. Failing to procure the necessary provisions, De Vries, leaving part of his crew in the bay to prosecute the whale fishery, sailed to Virginia, where, as the first visitor from New Netherland, he was kindly received, and his wants supplied. Upon his return to the Delaware, in April following, finding the whale fishery unsuccessful, he hastened his departure, and, with the other colonists, returned to Holland, visiting Fort Amsterdam on his way. Thus, at the expiration of twenty-five years from the discovery of the Delaware by Hudson, not a single European remained upon its shores. Director Minuit, suspected to have favored the claims of the Patroons, having been recalled, left the now flourishing colony of New Amsterdam 1632. in the spring of 1632. He was succeeded by Wouter Van Twiller, who arrived at Fort Amsterdam early the following year. The same year, Lord Baltimore obtained a grant for Maryland, under which he claimed the lands on the west side of Delaware river, the fruitful source of continual controversies between him and the Dutch, and later with the Pennsyl- vania proprietaries, which were not settled for more than one hundred and thirty years. After his death, tuo patent was confirmed to his son. The extent of the grant will be seen from the following proceedings and description, but had it not GENERAL HISTORY. 33 been for the occupancy of the Dutch thus narrated, Delaware as a separate State would have had no existence. Therefore "the voj'age of De Vries," says Bancroft, "was the cradling of a State. According to English rule, occupancy was necessary to complete a title to the wilderness. The Dutch now occupied Delaware, and Harvey, the governor of Virginia, in a grant of commercial privileges to Claiborne, recognised the adjoining plantations of the Dutch." "By letters patent of this date, reciting the petition of Cecilius, Lord 'Baltimore, for a certain country thereinafter described, not then cultivated and planted, though in some parts thereof inhabited by certain barbarous people, having no knowledge of Almighty God, his Majesty granted to said Lord Baltimore : " All that part of a peninsula lying in the parts of America between the ocean on the east, and the bay of Chesapeake on the west, and divided from the other part thereof by a right line drawn from the promontory or cape of land called Watkins' Point (situate in the aforesaid bay, near the river of Wigheo), on the west, unto the main ocean on the east ; and between that bound on the south, unto that part of Delaware bay on the north, which lieth under the 40th degree of north latitude from the equinoctial, where New England ends ; and all that tract of land between the bounds aforesaid ; i. e., passing from the aforesaid bay called Delaware bay, in a right line by the degrees aforesaid, unto the true meridian of the first fountain of the river of Pattowmack, and from thence trending towards the south unto the further bank of the aforesaid river, and following the west and south side thereof, unto a certain place called Cinquack, situate near the mouth of the said river, where it falls into the bay of Chesa- peake, and from thence by a straight line unto the aforesaid promontory and place called Watkins' Point." It does not appear that actual steps towards the settling of the banks of the Delaware were taken until 1638, and the authentic notices of transactions belonging to the interval which have come down to us are not of sufBcient mo- ment to be chronicled in this place. Peter Minuit, after his return to Holland, went to Sweden and succeeded in reviving the plan of colonizing the Delaware, abandoned by Usselinx, who is supposed to have died at the Hague, in IQil. Towards the close of 1637, Minuit, under the patronage of Queen Christina, at the head of an expedition consisting of the ship of war Key of Kalmar, and the transport Griffin, and carrying' a clergyman, an engineer, about fifty settlers, with the necessary provisions, merchandise for trade and presents to the Indians, left Gottenberg, and after calling at Jamestown, in Virginia, for wood and water, reached the Delaware about May, 1638. Purchasing the soil on the western shore, from the 1638. capes to the falls of Santhikan, opposite to the present city of Trenton, from the Indians, he erected the fort and town of Christina, on the north bank of the Minquas-kill, or Minquas creek, almost three miles above its mouth. The Rev. Reorus Torkillus, who aqpompanied Minuit, was the first Swedish clergyman in America ; he died in 1643, aged 35. The establishment of the Swedes led to remonstrances on the part of Kieft,then director-general of New Xetherland, which were unheeded by Minuit, whose intercourse with the Indians was of an amicable character. Minuit died at Christina several years afterwards. c 34 HISTORT OF PENNSYLVANIA. While it is conceded that the Dutch had for a long time traded on the riverj that they had there erected forts, or trading posts, one of which had been occupied from time to time since 1624, that they had purchased lands from the Indians on both sides of the bay near its mouth, and had made an unsuccessful attempt to plant a colony at Swanendael, yet it cannot be denied that the colony of Minuit constituted the first permanent settlement on the Delaware. While the Swedish government may claim the distinction of planting this colony, it is really entitled to very little credit on account of any immediate care and attention bestowed on it. " The whole number of emigrants," says Hazard, ■' did not exceed fifty souls, and a portion of these, according to Van der Donk, were criminals." Though well supplied in the beginning, they were left a long time without aid or succor from Sweden, and but for the experience and energy of the Commander, a Dutchman, the permanency of the colony could not have been maintained. As it was, but a single day intervened between the time appointed for its dissolution, and the arrival of supplies that saved it from that catastrophe. Peter HoUandare, a Swede, appointed to succeed Peter Minuit as Governor of New Sweden, arrived in one of the vessels sent for the relief and 1641. reinforcement of the colony at Christina. His administration con- tinued for a year and a half, when he returned to occupy a military post in his native country. John Printz, appointed Governor, accompanied by Rev. John Campanius with , another colony, on board the Stoork and the Renown, arrived in the 1643. Delaware on February 15, 1643, at Port Christina, after a passage of one hundred and fifty days. Agreeably to his instructions, he erected on the island of Tenakong, or Tinicum, a fort called New Gottenberg, a hand- some residence which he named Printz Hall, and, subsequently, a church. A mill was also built on Cobb's creek. The principal inhabitants had their dwell- ings and plantations on this island. Printz's instructions acknowledged the right of soil in the Indians ; directed him to confirm the contract made by Minuit ■ to maintain a just, upright, and amicable intercourse with them, and, if possible also with the Dutch. Still, in case of hostile interference on their part, he was to " repel force by force." During the same year, Printz is said to have erected on or near the present Salem creek, another fort called Blftsborg, or Elsingborg, for the purpose of shutting up the river, a matter which greatly exasperated the Dutch, whose ships, when passing, had to lower their colors and were boarded by the Swedes. Report says that the latter had, however, soon to vacate the fort on account of the mosquitoes, and that the}' called it Myggenborg, or Mosquito Fort. Two years previous, against the anxious admonition of Director General Kiuft, a company of emigrants from New Haven proceeded to the Delaware located themselves at Salem creek and on the Schuylkill. This intrusion in the estimation of the Dutch,, was an affair of " ominous consequence," that might eventually result in the ruin of their trade on the South River ; accordingly, no time was to be lost in getting rid of these dangerous rivals. In effecting their I'emoval the Swedes have the credit of lending a helping hand to the Dutch. The only measures in which the Dutch and Swedes could unite hai-moniously in GJENEBAL HISTORY. 36 carrying out, were such as would keep the English from gaining a., footing on the river. In 1645, when Andreas Hudde, the Dutch commissary on the Delaware, made his examination of the river preparatory to making his report to the 1645. government, theye were on the same side of the river with Fort Christina, and about two (Dutch) miles higher up, " some plantations," which, in the language of the report, " are continued nearly a mile ; but few houses only are built, and these at considerable distances from each other. The farthest of tliese is not far from Tenakong. . . . Farther on, at the same side, till you come to the Schuylkill, being about two miles, there is not a single plantation at Tenakong, because near the river nothing is to be met but under- wood and valley lands." After Tinicum, according to Hudde, Chester, Marcus Hook, and one or two points above and below, may claim a priority of settlement to any part of the Province of Pennsylvania. Though the Swedes had erected a' fort on the New Jercey side of the river they never placed so high an estimate on their title to the land on that side as to that on the western shore. As a consequence, most of their settlements were at first made on that side of the Delaware, up which, and the Schuylkill, they were gradually extended. These rivers, and the numerous tide-water creeks, consti- tuted the highways of the Swedish settlers, and it was in close 1646. proximity with these streams their habitations were erected. In 1646 they constructed and consecrated a church on Tinicum island.* As to the social and domestic condition of the settlers on the Delaware, at the time of the arrival of Governor Printz, no satisfactory conclusion can be arrived at. The Swedes were of three classes, " The company's servants," those who came " to better their fortunes," and were called freemen ; and a third class, consisting of "vagabonds and malefactors," who were to remain in slavery, and were employed " in digging earth, thinning up trenches, and erecting walls and other fortifications." Fort Nassau was merely a military establishment to maintain a trading post- The fort was occupied by the soldiers and servants of the Dutch West India Company, and there is reason to believe that, at times, some of the latter were negro slaves. But little is known of the early doings of the Hollanders under Swedish authority on the river and bay below Christina. Governor Printz possessed many qualifications that fitted him for the position he occupied. His plans were laid with good judgment, and were executed with energy. He managed the trade of the river with the natives so as to monopo- lize nearly the whole; yet "succeeded during his entire administration in avoid- ing an open rupture with the Dutch authorities, whose jealousy was said to be excessive. The settlement of the country, however, proceeded very slowly under the Swedish dynasty, while trade was pushed to an extent never before known upon the river. This, as before remarked, was a source of great annoyance to the Dutch, as the trade of the river was lost to them in proportion as it was acquired by the Swedes. On account of the progress made by the latter. Governor Kieft sent Hudde to keep a watch on the proceedings of Governor Printz, and to resist his supposed innovations. Iludde, at this time, estimated 36 HISTOB Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. the whole force of the Swedish governor at from eighty to ninetj' men. But the Dutch force on the river, at the same time and for some years afterwards, was utterly insignificant, even when compared with that of the Swedes. As late as 1648 they had but six able-bodied men on the river. It was not long ere Hudde and Governor Printz got into an angry contro- versj', which, through the negotiation of Rev. Campanius, an amicable arrange- ment was entered into between the Swedes and the Dutch about the trade of the Schuyllcill. Nevertheless the planting of a Dutch settlement on the western shore of the Delaware was now the policy of the authorities at Manhattan. To this Governor Printz entered a sharp protest. Governor Kieft having been recalled, the administration of affairs 1647. upon Dutch account on the Delaware passed into the hands of Peter Stu^-^vesant. His administration commenced on the 27th of May, 1647. and continued till 1664, when the American interests of the Dutch passed into the hands of the English. The disagreements between the Swedes and the Dutch continued, giving rise to a mutual hatred and jealousy. Stuyvesant in a letter complains of the en- croachments of the former, while they in turn suggest plans to inter- 1648. fere with the Dutch to and on the North River. Each party steadily pursued the policy of obtaining additional grants of lands from the Indians as the one most likely to strengthen its claims upon the Delaware. The Swedes, however, maintained their supremacy. Governor Stuyvesant's troubles were not mIouc with the Swedes on the Dela- ware. He was constantly embroiled with his own people, and his New England neighbors gave him much uneasiness. The directors of the West India Company intended to apply to the Government of Sweden for the establishment of limits between the two colonies on the South River. Stuyvesant made a visit to the Delaware, and at once, without waiting for a personal interview with Governor Printz, conducted negotiations by means of "letters and messengers," but no sat- isfactory conclusion was arrived at. Before he left the river, he secured from an Indian sachem, by ''a free donation and gift," lands he had refused to sell to the Swedes. Certain other suspicious negotiations were conducted with the Indians, by which their title to the land from Christina-kill to Bombay Hook the Dutch pretended to have extinguished. Having thus acquired " an Indian title " to the west bank of the river, Governor Stuyvesant at once determined to erect another fort, and to raze Fort Nassau, which "lay too high up." This new fort, named Casimir, was erected about a league from Fort Christina, and its site was within the limits of the present town of New Castle. Governor Printz; having been accustomed to an active military life, became wearied of his position, and requested permission to return to Sweden. 1653. Not waiting for the arrival of his successor, he sailed for his native country in October, 1653, leaving his son-in-law, John Pappegoya, in charge of the government. The interval between the departure of the old Governor and the arrival of the new one did not exceed five or six months, and Pappegoya also returned to Sweden the following year. The commission of John Claudius Rysingh, the successor of Printz, bears QENEBAL HI8T0BT. 37 date the 12th December, 1653. Arriving in New Sweden towards the end of May, on board the ship Aren, Rysingh commenced his administration by capturing the Dutch Fort Casimir, in direct violation of his instructions. With its capture, the authority of the Dutch on the river, for the time being, was sus- pended. The engineer, Peter Lindstrom, who constructed the first map of New Sweden, and who came to the country with Rysingh, caused this fort to be greatly strengthened. He also laid out the town of Christina, back of the fort of that name. On the nth of June, a great convocation of Indians was held at Printz Hall, on Tinicum, at which it was offered, on behalf of the Queen of Sweden, 1654. to renew the ancient league of friendship that subsisted between them and the Swedes, who had purchased from them the lands they occupied. The Indians complained that the Swedes had brought much evil upon them, for many of them had died since their coming into the country; whereupon a considerable number of presents were distributed among the Indians, which brought about a conference among themselves. The result was a speech from one of their chiefs, Naaman, in which he rebuked his companions for having spoken evil of the Swedes, and told them he hoped they would do so no more, for the Swedes were very good people. "Look," said he, pointing to the presents, "what they have brought to us, for which they desire our friendship." " Afterwards he thanked the Swedes for their presents, and promised that friendship should be observed more strictly between them than it had been before ; that if any one should attempt to do any harm to the Indians, the Swedes should immediately inform them of it; and, on the other hand, the Indians would give immediate notice to the Christians of any plot against them, even if it were in the middle of the night. On this they were answered, that that would be, indeed, a true and lasting friendship, if every one would agree to it ; on which they gave a general shout in token of consent. Immediately on this the great guns were fired, which highly delighted the natives. After advising that some Swedes should be settled at Passyunlj, where there lived a great number of Indians, they expressed the wish that the title to the land which the Swedes purchased should be confirmed, on which the agreements were, read to them, word for word. When those who had signed the deeds heard their names they appeared to rejoice, but when the names were read of those who were dead they hung their heads in sorrow." The recorded proceedings of this treaty with the aborigines have come down to us through Campanius, and it is conclusive evidence that the Swedes had purchased from the Indians the lands then occupied by them ; and the fact that one of the principal chiefs was a party to this transaction, renders it a certainty - that the former purchase of the Swedes had been made fronj ''the right owners," the pretensions of Stuyvesant to the contrary. Campanius informs us that the treaty thus so solemnly made between the Swedes and Indians " has ever been faithfully observed by both sides." The affairs of the Swedes on the Delaware were now approaching a crisis, but nothing had occurred to arouse the suspicions ' of the home government. The triumph of Rysingh was regarded as a re-conquest of usurped territory, and no other means to reclaim it by the Dutch were apprehended. This was a fatal 38 HI8T0BT OF PENNSYLVANIA. delusion ; for at the close of 1654, while estimates were being made in Sweden for the support of their colony during the ensuing year, on a peace basis, an armament was being fitted out in Holland, not onlj-^ sufficient " to replace matters on the Delaware in their former position," but "to drive out the Swedes from every side of the river." In the spring of 1 655, five armed vessels, well equipped, were forwarded to Stuyvesant, with authority to charter others. The armament, when 1666. completed at New Amsterdam, consisted of seven vessels and about six hundred men. The expedition was commanded by Governor Stuyve- sant in person, and arrived at the bay of South River on the afternoon of Monday, the 5th of September. The deserted Port Blsingborg was visited the following day, but it was not until Friday that the fleet reached Fort Casimir, now christened Trefalldigheit, or Trinity. This post was under the immediate oommand of Swen Schute, "the brave and courageous lieutenant" of the Swedes, while Governor Rysingh, in person, had charge of Christina. To prevent a communication between the two forts, Stuyvesant had landed fifty men. The demand made by the Dutch was a "direct restitution of their own property," to which Commander Schute, after having had an interview with Stuyvesant, reluctantly yielded on the following day, upon very favorable terms of capitula- tion. The Dutch Governor then proceeded to Fort Christina, and, after a seige of fourteen days, it also was surrendered by Rysingh ; articles of capitulation were signed, according to which the Swedes were suffered to vacate the fort with flying colors, and the Governor and as many persons a$ might choose to accom- pany him, besides being allowed their private property, were offered a free pas- sage to Sweden, whither they ultimately returned. Agreeably to special . instructions from the home government, an ofier was made to restore the pos- session of Fort Christina to Rysingh, but he declined the offer, preferring to abide by the articles of capitulation. Thus ended, on September 25, 1655, the short career of Governor Rysingh, and with him fell the whole Swedish Colony. The hardships of the Swedes, though they were not protracted under the Dutch government, did not terminate with the capture of their forts. We are informed by Acrelius, that the "flower of their troops were picked out and sent to New Amsterdam. Under the pretext of their free choice, the men were forcibly carried on board the ships. The women were ill-treated in their houses, the goods pillaged, and the cattle killed." , Many improvements were made by the Swedes, from Henlopen to the Falls "of Alumingh or Santhikans. They laid the foundation of Uplandt, the present Chester ; Korsholm Port was built at Passayung; Mauayung Fort was placed at the mouth of the Schuylkill ; they marked the sites of Nya Wasa and Gripsholm, somewhere near the confluence of the Delaware and Schuj'lkill Rivers ; Straws Wijk, and Nieu Causeland (the present New Castle) ; and forts were erected at Kingsessing, Wicacoa (Southwark), Finlandt, Meulendael, and Lapauanel. On the eastern shore the Swedes had settlements at Swedesborough and other places. The government of the Dutch on the river was established by the appoint- ment of John Paul Jacquet as vice-director and commander-in-chief, and Andreas Hudde, as secretary and surveyor, keeper of the keys of the fort, etc. OENEBAL HISTOBY. 39 As evidence tbat the Swedish government had been kept in ignorance of the intended conquest of New Sweden by the Dutch, was the arrival, on the 1658. 24th of March, 1656, of the Swedish ship Mercury, with one hundred and thirty souls on board, intended as a reinforcement to the colony. They were forbidden to pass the fort, but a party of Indians joined the crew and con- ducted the ship up the river, the Dutch not venturing to fire a gun against them. Although the Dutch government never yielded its assent to the landing of the immigrant passengers, they all did land, and probably most of them remained in the country. The Dutch West India companies had become greatly embarrassed by the large amount of their debts, which had been increased by the aid 1657. afforded the City of Amsterdam, towards the conquest of tlie Swedes on the Delaware, and to liquidate this debt, that part of the South River extending from the west side of Christina-kill to the mouth of the bay, " and so far as the Minquas land extended," was transferred to that City. The colony thus established took the name of Nieuer Amstel. The government of the City colony was organized by the establishment of a board of commis- sioners to reside in the City of Amsterdam. Forty soldiers were enlisted and placed under the command of Captain Martin Krygier and Lieutenant Alexander D'Hinoyossa, and one hundred and fifty emigrants, freemen, and boors, were forth- with dispatched to settle in the new colony. Jacob Alricks accompanied the expedition as Director of New Amstel. Alricks assumed the government of the colony towards the close of April, 1657, when Hudde was appointed to the command at Fort Christina, the name of which was changed to Altona, and also of New Gottenberg. Over the Swedes and Fins, who were exclusively the inhabitants of the river above the colony of the City of Amsterdam, Goeran Van Dyck had been appointed with the title of " schout fisscal," and under him Anders Jurgen. Van Dyck suggested to Stuyvesant the necessity' of concentrating the Swedish inhabitants, and procured from him a proclamation inviting them to assemble in one settlement. The invitation was not accepted. In May, 1658, Governor Stuyvesant made a visit to South River to examine into affairs there. Finding some irregularities concerning the customs, 1658. he appointed William Beekman, with the title of commissary and vice- directqr, to superintend the revenue. Outside of the district of New Amstel, Beekman was charged with the administration of civil and criminal justice, and the superintendence of military affairs. Within that district the authority was vested in Alricks. The prosperous commencement of the City colony was soon followed by evils that almost threatened its dissolution. Sickness, a scarcity of provisions and failure of crops, followed by a severe winter, spread dismay and discontent among the people. Added to these distresses were news of a threatened invasion by the English, and the arrival of commissioners from Maryland to command the Dutch to leave, or to acknowledge themselves subjects of Lord Baltimore. In regard to the latter a protracted conference ensued, in which the Dutch title to the lands on the Delaware river and bay was defended with considerable ability. The land from Bombay Hook to Cape Henlopen was secured by 40 BISTOB T OF PENNS YL VANIA. purchase from the savages, and a fort erected at Hoern-kill as a further security against the English claim. It was attached to the district of New Amstel. The clashing of interests between the City and the Company, taken in connec- tion with the adverse circumstances with which he was surrounded, rendered Director Alrick's position one of great difficulty. Towards the close of 1659. the year 1659 he departed this life. Previous to his death Alricks nomi- nated D'Hinoyossa as his successor, and Grerit Van Grezel as Secretary. While the City and Companj' occupied the country jointly, the seat of justice of the latter jurisdiction was at Altona. The Swedes did not resort voluntarily to the court held there, preferring to settle their differences among themselves, and in one or two instances they wilfully disregarded its processes. The time had now arrived when the dominion of Pennsylvania was to be wrested from the Dutch, and, with the exception of a short interval, for ever. The crown of Great Britain having been restored to Charles II., he granted to his brother James, Duke of York, the territory embracing the whole of New York and New Jersey, and, by a subsequent grant, that which now comprises the State of Delaware. To secure the possession of his newly acquired territory, the Duke fitted out an expedition consisting of four men-of-war and four hundred and fifty men,. which he placed under the command of Sir Richard 1664. Nicolls. Associated with the commander were Sir Robert Carr, Sir George Cartwright,' and Samuel Maverick, Esq., as commissioners. The expedition reached the mouth of the Hudson in the latter end of August, 1664. The formidable force and the favorable terms offered to the inhabitants . disposed them to capitulate, notwithstanding the efforts of the Governor to excite resistance. After a few days of fruitless negotiation, during which Stuyvesant pleaded in vain the justice of the title of the States General, and the peace existing between them and the English nation, a capitulation was signed, August 27, 1664, and, immediately afterwards, a force was dispatched to reduce Fort Orange. In honor of the Duke of York, the city of New Amsterdam received the name of New York, and Fort Orange that of Albany. The greater part of the inhabitants submitted cheerfully to the new government, and Governor Stuyvesant retained his property and closed his life in New York. Matters being thus arranged at New Amsterdam, the reduction of the colony on the Delaware having been determined. Sir Robert Carr, with two frigates, the Guinea, and the William and Nicholas, and the troops not needed at New York, sailed thither arid accomplished his mission with the expenditure of two barrels of powder and twenty shot. The capitulation took place on October 1, 1664, and stipulated that " the burgesses and magistrates submitting to his majesty should be protected in their persons and estates ; that the present mag- istrates should be continued in office ; that permission to leave the country within six months should be given to anyone desirous so to do; that all persons should enjoy liberty of conscience as formerly ; that any person taking the oath of allegiance should become a free denizen, and enjoy all the privileges of trading into any of his Majesty's dominions, as freely as anj' Englishman." The whole country being thus reduced without bloodshed. Colonel Nicolls, by virtue of a commission of the Duke of York, assumed the government of New York, and on November 3rd was commissioned by his colleagues, Cart- OENEBAL HISTORY. 41 wriglit and Maverick, to proceed to Delaware, " to take special care for the good government of said place, and to depute such ofHcer or ofBcers therein as he shall think fit for the management of his Majesty's affairs, both civil and military, until his Majesty's pleasure be further known." Colonel Robert Carr was appointed Deputy Governor. New Amstel was now called New Castle. The capture of New York and its dependencies led to an European war between Great Britain and Holland, ending in the treaty of Breda, at which the right of the former to their newly-acquired territories in America was acknowledged. Colonel NicoUs governed for nearly three years with justice and good sense. He settled the boundaries with the Connecticut Colony, which, yield- ing all claim to Long Island, obtained great advantages on the main, push- ing its line to Marmaroneck river, about thirty miles from New York ; he prescribed the mode of purchasing lands from the Indians, making the consent of the governor requisite to the validity of all contracts with them for 1665. the soil, and directing such contracts to be entered in the public registry ; he incorporated the city of New York, under a mayor, five aldermen, and a sheriff, in 1665, and, although he reserved to himself all judicial authority, his administration was so wise and impartial, that it enforced universal praise. Colonel Francis Lovelace succeeded Colonel Nicolls, in May, 1667. By proclamation he required that all patents granted by the Dutch, for 1667. lands upon the Delaware, should be renewed, and that persons hold- ing lands, without patent, should take out titles under the English authority. Power was given to the officers on the Delaware to grant lands, and the commission of surveyor-general, of all the lands under the govern- ment of the Duke of York, on the west side of the Delaware, was issued to Walter Wharton. Governor Lovelace also renewed the duty of ten per cent, imposed on goods imported by the Delaware, which had been ordained by the Dutch, and repealed by his predecessor; but it was found so oppressive, that he also was compelled to revoke the order by which it was established. In the Spring of the year 1673, the town of New Castle was, by the 1672. government of New York, made a corporation ; to be governed by a bailiff and six associates ; after the first year, four old to go out and four others to be chosen. The bailiff was president and had a double vote ; the constable was chosen by the bench. They had power to try causes, as far as ten pounds, without appeal. The English laws were established in the town, and among the inhabitants, on both sides of Delaware. The office of schout wiis converted into that of sheriff, for the corporation and river, annually chosen. And they were to have free trade, without being obliged to make entry at New York, as before. The fears of the government of Maryland, says Gordon, lest the title of Lord Baltimore to the country on Delaware Bay sllould be weakened by non-claim, produced occasional irruptions of a very hostile character. An act of violence was committed at Hoarkill [1672], by a party of Marylanders led by one Jones, who seized the magistrates and other inhabitants, plundered them, and carried 4 2 HIS TOE Y OF PEJS'WS YL VANIA. off the booty. They were joined by one Daniel Brown, a planter of Hoarkill. Brown ^t'as soon taken, sent to New York, and there tried and convicted ; but on promise of amendment, and security given for his good behavior in future, was dismissed. Governor Lovelace wrote a letter to Governor Calvert of Maryland, on this aggression, and instructed Captain Carr, his deputy at Delaware, to resist future encroachments. Charles II. having declared war against the States General of Holland, Dutch privateers soon infested the American coasts, and plundered the inhabi- tants of New Castle and Hoarkill. With a view to repairing their losses^ per- mission was granted to them by the government to impose^ for one year, a duty of four guilders, payable in wampum, on each anker of strong rum imported or sold there. Wampum being the chief currency of the country and scarce, the governor and council of New York issued a proclamation increasing its value, whereby " instead of eight white and four black, six white and three black should pass for a stiver: and three times so much the value in silver." This was the Indian money, by them called wampum ; by the Dutch, sewant. It was worked out of shells, into the form of beads, and perforated to string on leather. Six beads were valued at a stiver; twenty stivers made what they called a " guilder, which was about sixpence currency, or fourpence sterling. The white wampum was worked out of the inside of the great conques. The black, or purple, was formed out of the inside of the mussle, or clam-shell. These, being strung on leather, were sometimes formed into belts, about four inches broad and thirty in length, and were given and received at treaties, as seals of friend- ship. A squadron of Dutch ships, under command of Evertse and Benke, arrived on July 30, 1073, and recaptured New York without opposition. The 1673. commander of the fort at the Narrows, John Manning, treacherously made peace with the enemy and delivered up the fort without giving or receiving a shot, and the major part of the magistrates and constables swore allegiance to the States General and the Prince of Orange. Thus New York and New Jersey came again under Dutch rule. Deputies were also sent by the people inhabiting the country as far west as Delaware, who, in the name of their principals, made a declaration of their submission, and Delaware again reverted to the Dutch in that year. Anthony Colve was appointed governor, with Peter Alricks Deputy, who held the offices until the country was restored to England bj' the Treaty of Westminster, concluded the 19th February, 1674. The Duke of York, says Proud, on June 29, 1674, obtained a new royal patent Confirming the land granted him in 1664, and two days after 1674. appointed Major, afterwards Sir, Edmund Andross, governor of his territories in America, which were surrendered to him by the Dutch on October 31 following. Andross authorized Captain Edmund Cantwell and William Tomm to take possession of the forts and stores at New Castle for the King's use, and directed them to adopt measures for the establishment of order and tranquility on the Delaware. On June 24, 1674, the Duke of York granted to John, Lord Berkley, and Sir George Carteret, " the Province of New Jersey, bounded on the east by the GENERAL HISTORY. 43 Atlantic ocean, on the west by Delaware Bay and river, on the north by a line drawn from the Delaware river at forty-one degrees forty minutes, to the Hudson River, in forty-one degrees northern latitude." Lord Berkley, in 1 675, sold his half of the province of New Jersey to a person named John Fenwicke, in trust for Edward Byllinge and his assigns, in conse- quence of which the former, this year, ar- rivM with a number of passengers, in a ship called the Griffith, from Loudon, on a visit to his new purchase. He land- ed at a place, in West Jersey, situated upon a creek, or small river, which runs into the river Delaware, to which place lie gave the name of Salem, a name which both the place and creek still retain. Byllinge being pecuniarily involved, conveyed his interest in the Province to William Penn, Gawen Lawrie, and Nicholas Lucas, in trust for his creditors. The trustees sold pro- prietary rights to seve- ral other persons, and having made, with Sir George Carteret, a divi- sion of the Province, proceeded to frame a constitution for their moiety under the title " concessions affd agreements of the proprietors and free-holders of West Jersey, in America." According to Gordon, in June, 1677, Thomas Olive, Daniel Wills, John Kinsey, John Penford, Joseph Helmsley, Robert Stacey, Benjamin 1677. Scott, Thomas Foulke, and Richard Guy, commissioners, appointed by the Proprietaries to superintend their interests in the Province, arrived at New Castle, with two hundred and thirty settlers, principally Quakers. Havino- explored the country for many miles along the shores of the Delaware, the}' made allotments of land among the adventurers at several miles distance MAP or MEW SWKDKN. 44 HISTOB T OF PENN8 TL VANIA. ■ from each other. But fear of the natives finally induced the emigrants to settle together, in and about a town plot, laid out by the commissioners, first called Beverly, then Budlington, and afterwards Burlington. In the same year two ships arrived, bearing many families of great respectability. The quiet of the colonists was undisturbed, except by the duty again levied upon their commerce at the Hoarkill, by the New York government. This was vexatious as a tax, and insulting to the sovereignty of the proprietaries, who remonstrated for some time in vain with the agents of the Duke of York ; but finally, after an invqgtigation, by commissioners appointed for the purpose, the duty was repealed. Dispensing with their executive of commissioners, the Proprietaries appointed Edward Byllinge Governor, who, soon after his arrival in the Province, commissioned Samuel Jennings as his deputy. In November, 1681, Jennings called the first Assembly, and, in conjunction with them, adopted certain articles, defining and circumscribing the power of the Governor, and enacted such laws as the wants of the colony required. Sir George Carteret, the proprietor of East Jersey, died in 16f 9, having in his last will ordered the sale of that country to pay his debts. His 1681. heirs sold it, by indenture of lease and release, bearing date February 1 and 3, 1681-82, to William Penn and eleven other persons. These twelve proprietors added twelve more to their number, and to these the Duke of York made a fresh grant of East Jersey under date March 14, 1682. William Penn, as one of the trustees of Byllinge, became thus intimately connected with the colonization of West Jersey, and subsequently as a pur- chaser with that of East Jersey. Under these circumstances he became familiar with the afiairs of the new world, and conceived the design of founding a commonwealth on principles of perfect equality, and of universal toleration of religious faith, on the west side of the Delaware. CHAPTER III. THE PROVINCE OF PENNSYLVANIA GRANTED TO WILLIAM PENN. THE PROPRJE TART RULE, UNTIL THE DEATH OF THE FOUNDERS. IBSI-ITIS. DMIRAL SIR WILLIAM PENN, renowned in English history by his martial valor as an officer of the British Navy, left to his son a claim against the government for sixteen thousand pounds, consist- ing to a great extent of money advanced by him in the sea service, and of arrearages in his pay. In 1680 William Penn* petitioned Charles II. to grant him in lieu of said sum " letters-patent for a tract of land in America, lying nortli of Mar\-land, on the east bounded with Delaware river, on the west limited as Maryland, and northward to extend as far as plantable." This peti- tion was referred to the " Committee of the Privy Council for the Affairs of Trade and Plantations," who ordered copies to be sent to Sir John Werrlen, the Duke of York's agent, and to the agents of Lord Baltimore, "to the end that they may report how far the pretensions of Mr. Penn may consist with the boun- daries of Maryland, or the Duke's propriety of New York, and his possessions in those parts." The Duke of York desired to retain the three lower counties, that is, the State of Delaware, as an appendage to New York, but his objection was finally withdrawn, bejng the result of an interview between him and Mr. * WiIjLIam Penn, the fouiirter of Pennsylvania, was born in London, October 14, 1644. While a student at Oxford he became deeply impressed by the preaching of a celebrated Quaker, Thomas Lee. He studied law at Lincoln's Inn, but in 1663 went to Ireland to manage an estate of his father's. He acquired military renown as a soldier at the siege of Carrickfergus, and caused himself to be painted in military costume. This is considered to be the only genuine portrait of the great " Apostle of Peace." He soon after joined the Quakers, and at a meeting at Cork, in 1667, was arrested and put into prison. Released through the efforts of the Earl of Orrery, he began to preach, and for writing " The Sandy Foundation Shaken," was imprisoned in the Tower, where he wrote his celebrated work, "No Cross, No Crown." Liberated by the influence of his father, he was, in 1670, arrested for street preaching, and committed to Newgate. At the trial he pleaded his own cause, was acquitted, but detained in prison, and the jury were fined. While in Newgate he wrote several religious tracts. In 1674 he wrote " England's Present Interest Considered," an able defence of freedom of conscience and the rights of Englishmen. In 1672 he married Gulielrna Maria Springett. In 1677 Penn, with Barclay and others, preached in Holland and Germa.iy. In 1676 he became concerned in the settlement of West Jersey. In 1681 lie obtained from the king a charter for Pennsylvania. He then published " A Brief Account of the Province of Pennsylvania," proposing the easy purchase of lands and good terms for settlers. On the 27th of October, 1682, he arrived in the Delaware. Returned to England in 1684. Secured, in 1686, the liberation of over 1,200 imprisoned Quakers, and the passage of the "Toleration Act" in 1687. In 1688 he was tried for treason, but acquitted. In 1699 made a second visit to his Province, returning in 1701. In 1708 was committed to prison for debt, but released by the intervention of friends. He died of paralysis, at Rushcombe, July 30, 1718. His enduring monument is the great State founded by him "in deeds of peace ' 45 46 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Penn. Lord Baltimore's agent wanted the grant, if made to Penn, to be ex- pressed as " land that shall be north of Susquehanna Fort, also north of all lands in a direct line westward from said fort, for said fort is the boundary of Mary- land northward." After sundry conferences and discussions concerning the boundary lines and other matters of minor importance, the committee finally sent in a favorable re- port and presented the draft of a charter, constituting William Penn, Esq., abso- lute Proprietary of a tract of land in America, therein mentioned, to the King for his approbation, and leaving to him also the naming of the Province. The King affixed his signature on March 4, 1681, naming the Province Pennsylva- 1681. nia, for reasons explained in the subjoined extract from a letter of William Penn to his friend Robert Turner, dated 5th of 1st month, 1681 : " This day my country was confirmed to me under the great seal of England, with large powers and privileges, by the name of Pennsylvania ; a name the King would give it in honor of my father. I chose New Wales, being, as this, a pretty hilly coun- try, but Penn being Welsh for a head, as Penmaumoire in Wales, and Penrith in Cumberland, and Penn in Buckinghamshire, the highest land in England, called this Pennsylvania, which is, the high or head woodlands, for I proposed, when the Secretary, a Welshman, refused to have it called New Wales, Syluania, and they added Penn to it, and though I much opposed it, and went to the King to have it struck out and altered, he said it was past, and would take it upon him ; nor could twenty guineas move the under-secretary to vary the name, for I fear lest it be looked on as vanity in me, and not as a respect in the King, as it truly was, to my father, whom he often mentions with praise." This charter, under date March 4, 1681, exists in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and is written on three pieces of strong parchment, in the old English handwriting, with each line underscored with lines of red ink, that give it a curious appearance. The borders are gorgeously decorated with heraldic devices, and the top of the first page exhibits a finely-executed likeness of his Majesty, in good preservation. Nearly a month after the signing of the charter, the King, on the second day of April, issued a declaration informing the inhabitants and planters of the Province that William Penn, their absolute Proprietary, was clothed with all the powers and preeminences necessary for the government. A few days later, on 8th of April, the Proprietary addressed the following proclamation to the inhabi- tants of Pennsylvania : " My Friends : I wish you all happiness here and hereafter. These are to let you know that it hath pleased God, in his providence, to cast you within my lot and care. It is a business that, though I never undertook before, }-et God hath given me an understanding of my duty, and an honest mind to do it uprightly. I hope you will not be troubled at your change, and the King's choice, for you are now fixed, at the mercy of no governor that comes to make his fortune great. You shall be governed by laws of your own making, and live a free, and, if you will, a sober and industrious people. I shall not usurp the right of any, or oppress his person. God has furnished me with a better resolution, and has given me his grace to keep it. In short, whatever sober and free men can rea- sonably desire for the security and improvement of their happiness, I shall GENERAL HISTORY. 47 heartily comply with, and in five months resolve, if it please God, to see you. In the meantime, pray submit to the commands of my deputy, so far as they are consistent with the law, and pay him those dues that formerly you paid to the order of the Governor of New York, for my use and benefit ; and so I beseech God to direct you in the way of righteousness, and therein prosper you and j-our children after you. " William Penn." Captain William Markham, a cousin of William Penn, was the deputy re- ferred to in the preceding proclamation, whose commission, bearing date April 10, 1681, contained the following directions: 1. To call a council, consisting of nine, he to preside. 2. To read his letter and the King's declaration to the inhabitants, and to take their acknowledgment of his authority and propriety. 3. To settle boundaries between Penn and his neighbors ; to survey, set out, rent, or sell lands according to instructions given. 4. To erect courts, appoint sheriffs, justices of the peace, etc. 5. To call to his aid any of tlie inhabitants, for the legal suppression of tumult, etc. Governor Markham carried also letters from Penn and the King to Lord Balti- more, authorizing him to adjust boundaries. He arrived at New York on June 21, 1681, and Lord Baltimore, being in the Province, had an interview with Markham, at Upland, which resulted in discovering, from actual observation, that Upland itself was at least twelve miles south of 40 degrees, and that boundaries claimed by Lord Baltimore would extend to the Schuylkill. This discovery ended the conference, and gave fresh incentives to Penn to obtain from the Duke of York a grant of the Delaware settlements, as without such grant he had now reason to fear the loss of the whole peninsula. Penn soon after published an account of his Province, with the royal charter and other documents connected with it, offering easy terms of sale for lands, viz., forty shillings sterling for one hundred acres, subject to a quit rent of one shilling per annum for ever. Many persons from London, Liverpool, and Bristol embarked in his enter- prise ; and an association, called the " Free Traders' Society of Pennsylvania," purchased large tracts of land. In the autumn of the same year Penn appointed three commissioners, viz., Wm. Crispin, John Bezar, and Nathaniel Allen, to proceed to the Province, ar- range for a settlement, lay out a town, and treat with the Indians. To these commissioners, says Westcott, was added afterwards William Haige. They set sail from London probably near the end of October, but it is not known at what date they arrived. In the beginning of the year following, Penn published his frame of govern- ment, and certain laws, agreed on in England by himself and the 1682. purchasers under him, entitled •' The frame of the government of the Province of Pennsylvania, in America ; together with certain laws, agreed upon in England by the Governor and Divers of the Free-Men of the aforesaid Province. To be further Explained and Confirmed there, by the first Provincial Council and General Assembly thai shall be held, if they see meet." 48 HISTOB Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. South of the Province lay the territories or counties on Delaware, stretching one hundred and fifty miles along the bay, to the Atlantic Ocean. The posses- sor of this country, commanding the entrance and course of the river, would have power to harass the commerce, and in other respects to affect the welfare of the neighboring colony. Penn was desirous, says Grordon, to possess these territories, as well on account of the securitv they afforded, as of the advantages to be derived from a hardy and laborious population. The Duke of York held them as an appendage to bis government, and, though reluctant to cede them, he could not resist the solicitations of the Proprietary. He executed three deeds to Penn in August, 1682. The first, dated the twenty-first, releasing his right to the Province ; the others, dated the twenty-fourth, granting the town of New Castle and the land lying within a circle of twelve miles about it ; and the tract of land beginning at twelve miles south of New Castle, and extending southward to Cape Henlopen. For the last tract, Penn cove- nanted to pay the Duke and his heirs one-half of all the rents and profits received from it. These grants conveyed to the Proprietary a fee-simple estate in the soil, but no political right whatever. Holding in socage as of the Duke's castle at New York, he owed fealty to, and was a subject of that government. Whether he ever obtained from the crown political power over this country is questionable. It is certain that, when the right he assumed became the subject of controversj' among the inhabitants of the Province and territories, no grant of this nature was exhibited. These deeds were duly recorded in New York, and, by proclamation of the commander there, twenty-flrst November, 1682, to the magistrates on the west side of the Delaware, the rights of Penn under them were publicly recognized. Penn having completed all arrangements for his voyage to America, after writing an affectionate letter to his'wife and children, and another " to all faith- ful friends in England," accompanied by about one hundred passengers, mostly friends from Sussex, after a passage of about two months on board the ship Welcome, of three hundred tons burthen, came in sight of the American coast about Egg-Harbor, in New Jersey, on the 24th of October, and reached New Castle on the Stth. On the following day he produced his deeds from the Duke of York, and received possession by the solemn " delivery of turf, and twig, and water, and soyle, of the River Delaware." He was received with demonstrations of gladness by the inhabitants, and at the Court House, at New Castle, says Clarkson, made a speech to the old magistrates, in which he explained to them the design of his coming, the nature and end of government, and of that more particularly which he came to establish. To form some idea of the proportion of the different sorts of people, observes Proud, on the west side of Delaware, about this time, or prior to William^ Penn's arrival, on the lands granted him, it may be noted, that the Dutch then had a meeting place, for religious worship, at New Castle ; the Swedes, three — one at Christina, one at Tinicum, and one at Wicacoa. The Quakers had three — one at Upland, or Chester, one at Shakamaxon, and one near the lower falls of Delaware. Penn went to Upland, on the 29th of October, 1682. On his arrival there he changed its name. This was a memorable event, says Clarkson, and to be GENERAL HISTOBT. 49 distinguished by some marked circumstance. He determined, therefore, to change the name of the place. Turning around to his friend Pearson, one of his own society, who had accompanied him in the ship Welcome, he said: " Provi- dence has brought us here safe. Thou hast been the companion of my perils. What wilt thou that I should call this place?" Pearson said, " Chester," in remembrance of the city from whence he came. William Penn replied, that it should be called Chester, and that when he divided the land into counties, one of them should be called by the same name. From Chester Penn is said to have proceeded with some of his friends in an open barge, in the earliest days of November, to a place about four miles above the mouth of the Schuylkill, called Coaquannock, " where there was a high, bold shore, covered with lofty pines. Here the site of the infant city of Phila- delphia had been established, and we may be assured, writes Jannej', his approach was hailed with joy by the whole population : the old inhabitants, Swedes and Dutch, eager to catch a glimpse of th^ir future governor ; and the Friends, who had gone before him, anxiously awaiting his arrival." .Penn immediately after his arrival dispatched two persons to Lord Balti- more, to ask of his health, offer kind neighborhood, and agree upon a time of meeting, the better to establish it. While they were gone on this errand he went to New York to pay his duty to the Duke, in the visit of his govern- ment and colony. He returned from New York towards the end of November. To this period belongs the " Great Treaty," which took place at Shaka- maxon. It seems to have been a place of resort for the Indians of different nations to consult together and settle their mutual differences, and on this account it was probably selected by Markham, and Penn aftei- him, as the place for holding their successive treaties. Thompson Westcott, whose researches have exceeded perhaps those of any other historian, says there is no evidence that a treaty of peace or of purchase of lands ever was held under the great elm tree at Shakamaxon, in 1682, by William Penn, and yet tradition is very positive upon the subject, and such antiijuaries as Watson and Fisher, with the graphic descriptions of earlier writers, have so fully engrafted this pleasing transaction on Penn- sylvania history, that we almost hesitate to dispel the illusion. The site of the great elm tree is marked by a monument, erected in 1 827. It contains the following inscriptions : North side. — Treaty Ground of William Penn and the Indian Nations. South side.— William Penn, born 1G44, died ni8. 'East side. — Pennsylvania Founded, 1681, by deeds of Peace. West side. — Placed by the Penn Society, A..D. 1827, to mark the site of the Great penn treaty monument. Elm Tree. If the treaty was not held at the Shakamaxon, Penn undoubtedly met the 60 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. representatives of the Indian tribes at other localities, for the aborigines them- selves alluded to the treaty of amity and peace held with the great and good Onas, on all public occasions — and true it is that for a period of forty, if not fifty years, it was not broken, and the Land of Penn was preserved during all that time from the reeking sealping-knife and the deadly tomahawk. I DQ §1 ^ I William Ccnn, on the fourth of December following, convened a General' Assembly at Chester, of which Nicholas Moore, president of the Society of Free Traders, was chosen Speaker. During a session of four days this Assembly jnacted throe laws: 1. An act for the union of the Province and Territories; 2. An act of naturalization ; and 3. The great law, or code of laws, consisting ol s.xtv-nine sections, and embracing most of the laws agreed upon in England and several others afterwards suggested. Q ENSEAL HISTORY. 51 On the 19th of the same month, Penn, by appointment, met Lord Baltim.ore at West River, but their interview led to no solution of the vexatious question of boundary. About this time the Province and territories were divided by the Proprietary each into three counties; those of the former were called Bucks, Philadelphia, and Chester ; those of the latter. New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. Sheriffs and other officers having been duly appointed for the several counties, writs for the election of members of Council and Assembly were issued conformable with the Constitution, and on the 10th day of the first month, 1683, Penn met the Council at Philadelphia, and the Assembly two days later. The number of members for both the Council and Assembly was twelve for each county, viz., three for the Council and nine for the Assembly, making in all seventy-two. At this time Penn was probably renewing his negotiations with the Indians, as would appear from two deeds On record for land purchased. The 1683. first, dated June 23, 1683, between William Penn and Kings Tamanen and Metamequan, conveys their land near Neshemanah (Neshaminy) Creek, and thence to Pennapecka (Pennypack). The second, dated July 14, 1683, is for lands lying between the Schuylkill and Chester Rivers. During the spring or summer of this yea,r, the Proprietary visited the interior of the Province, going as far west as the Susquehanna. The result of his trip he embodied in a letter to the " Society of Free Traders," in London, but its length precludes its insertion here. His description of the aborigines is full and interesting. It was while on this expedition that William Penn planned the founding of a great city on the Susquehanna, an idea never realized by himself. The controversy with Lord Baltimore concerning boundaries became a subject of great anxiety to Penn, who resisted the high-handed and 1684. aggressive measures of the former with gentle and courteous firmness. In the beginning of 1684, a number of people from Maryland made a forcible entry on several plantations in the Lower Counties, whereupon the Governor and Council at Philadelphia sent a written remonstrance to Lord Baltimore's demand, with orders to William Welsh to use his influence to rein- state the persons who had been dispossessed, and in case mild measures should prove unavailing, legally to prosecute the invaders. The remonstrances had, temporarily, the desired effect, but some inhabitants were threatened the next month with similar outrages, if they should persist in refusing to be under Lord Baltimore. The Governor issued a declaration showing Penn's title, and such other requisites as were thought most likely to prevent such illegal proceedings in future. The important interests involved in this controversy and other weighty matters requiring Penn's presence in England, he provided for the administra- tion of the government. The executive power was lodged with the Provincial Council, of which Thomas Lloyd, a Quaker from Wales, was made president — to whom the charge of the great seal was specially committed. Markham was created secretary of the Province and the territories ; Thomas Holmes, surveyor- general ; Thomas Lloyd, James Claypoole, and Robert Turner, commissioners of the land office; and Nicholas Moore, William Welsh, William Wood, I'obert 52 HIS TO BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. West Turner, and John Eckley, Provincial judges for two years. The Proprietary sailed for Europe on the 12th of June. At his departure, the Province and territories were divided into twenty-two townships, containing seven thousand inhabitants, of whom two thousand five hundred resided in Philadelphia, which comprised already three hundred houses. Penn wrote a farewell letter to his Province, from on board the vessel, couched in the most endearing terms. After a voyage of seven weeks he reached England. Charles II. died the 12th of December following, and was succeeded by James, Duke of York, whose accession was greatly dreaded by the Protestants, who apprehended a revival of the persecutions during the reign of Mary. Penn might have taken advantage of these apprehensions to in- duce more emigrants to settle in Pennsylvania, but he was disinterested, and used his in- fluence with the King to grant liberty of conscience to all re- ligionists, and more especially to the Quakers. Penn had stood high in the King's favor long before he ascended the throne, for. the friendship which James entertained for the father, who had bravely fought under his flag, was en- joyed in a still higher degree by the son, who by that means succeeded in obtaining from the King's Council a favorable decree in his dispute with Lord Baltimore. On the first day of the second month, 1685, the lines of separation 1685. between the county of Philadelphia and those of Bucks and Chester, were confirmed by the Council. " The county of Chester was to begin at the mouth, or entrance of Bough creek, upon Delaware river, being the upper end of Tenicum island; and so up that creek, dividing the said island from the land of Andrew Boone and com- pany ; from thence along the several courses thereof, to a large creek called Mill creek ; from thence, along the several courses of the said creek to a west-south- west line ; which line divides the liberty lines of Philadelphia from several tracts of land, belonging to the Welsh and other inhabitants; and from thence east- north-east, by a line of marked trees one hundred and twenty perches, more or less; from thence north-north-west by Ilaverford township, one thousand perches more or less ; from thence east-north-east by the land belonging to John Humphrey, one hundred and ten perches, more or less; from thence north north-west by the laud of John Eckley, eight hundred and eighty perches, more or less; from thence continuing said course to the bounds of Sculkill river- which said Sculkill river afterward to tlie natural bounds." ^.fta^ZwiiwfclK MAP OP PENNSYLVANIA — 1685. GENERAL HISTORY. 53 The period of William Penn's absence fi'om the Province is marked chiefly by unhappy dilTerenees between the legislature and the executive, and between the members from the territories and those of the Province proper. Our limits, however, will compel us to give raerel^'^ a resumd of the more important events and incidents. In 1685, the Proprietary appointed Nicholas Moore, from London a lawyer, and president of the Company of Free Traders, and a member of the Assembly, to the ofHce of chief justice. The Assembly, jealous of its prerogatives, disre- garded the fundamental laws of the Province in enacting statutes without pre- viously publishing them as required by the constitution. Moore, by opposing some of the measures of the Assembly, and more particular!}' their attempt to alter the organization . of the courts of justice, had incurred the enmity of the House, which proceeded to impeach him. He was charged, says Ebeling, with violence, partiality, and negligence, in a cause in which the Society of Free Traders was interested. Ten articles were preferred against him, which he re- fused to answer, though frequently summoned by the Council, and he was saved from conviction by some technical obstacle in the form of proceeding. But this did not protect him from punishment. He was expelled from the Assembly, and was interdicted all places of trust hy the Council, until he should be tried upon the articles of impeachment or should give satisfaction to the board. His offence was not of a heinous character, since he retained the confidence of the Proprietary; and, in noticing his punishment, it should be remarked, that he had incurred the displeasure of the House by having entered thrice in one day his single protest upon its minutes against the passage of bills which had been introduced without the publication directed by the charter. The anger of the Assembly was extended to Patrick Robinson, clerk of the provincial court, who had refused to produce before them the minutes of that court. They voted him to be a public enemy and a violator of their privileges, and ordered him into the custody of the sheriff. When brought before the House he complained of arbi- trary' and illegal treatment, refused to answer the questions put to him, and in a fit of suUenness cast himself at full length upon the floor. An address was presented to the Council requesting that the prisoner might be disqualified to hold any public office within the Province or territories ; but this punishment was not inflicted, as Robinson subsequently held the clerkship of the Coi^mcil and other offices. Neither Moore nor Robinson were Quakers ; they were charged with enmity to that sect, or, in the language of Penn, " were esteemed the most unquiet and cross to Friends." There were other disturbances at this time in the Province. A certain John Curtis, a justice of the peace, was charged with uttering treasonable and dangerous words against the King. He was ordered to be tried by commissioners from the Council, and, though no bill was found against him, he was dismissed from his office and compelled to give surety of the peace, in the sum of three hundred pounds. Charges were made against several officers of government for extortion ; and gross immoralities were practiced among the lower class of people inhabiting the caves on the banks of the Dela- ware. These things were reported with great exaggeration in fclnglahd, by the enemies of Penn and the Quakers ; they prevented emigration, and greatly afl'ected the reputation of the Society of Friends and the Proprietary. 54 mSTOB Y OF PENNS YL VAUflA. Penn, however, in 1686, changed the form of executive government 1686. to a board of five commissioners, any three of whom were empowered to act. The board consisted of Thomas Lloyd, Nicholas Moore, James Claypoole, Robert Turner, and John Eckley. The next session of the Assembly was marked by the usual want of unanimitj' and the objectionable act of laj'ing on its members a solemn 1688. injunction of secrecy. This measure was not without an exhibition of undignified violence, resisted by the Council, and the lack of harmony greatly obstructed legislation. Lloyd, in consequence, requested to be released from the public affairs of government. His request was reluctantly granted, and on his recommendation, the Proprietary changed the plural executive into a single deputy, making choice of Captain John Blackwell, formerly an oflieer of Cromwell, under whom he had earned a distinguished reputation in England and Ireland. He was in New England when he received his commission, dated July 25, 1688. ' Governor Blackwell met the Assembly in the third month, 1689 ; but, by reason of some misunderstanding or dissension between him and some of the 1688. Council, the public aflairs were not managed with harmony and satis- faction ; and but little done during his administration, which continued only till the twelfth month this year, when he returned to England, and the government of the Province, according to charter, devolved again on the Council, Thomas Lloyd, president. The appointment of Captain John Black- well, who was no Quaker, to be Deputy Governor, appears, by the Proprietary's letters to his friends in the Province, " to have been because no suitable person, who was of that society, would undertake the office." By the Revolution of 1688, which drove James from the throne, the Proprie- tary lost all influence at the English court. His intimacy with that unhappy monarch covered him with dark suspicion. His religious and political princi- ples were misrepresented; he wUs denounced as a Catholic, a Jesuit of St. Omers, and a self-devoted slave to despotism, and was charged with conspiring the restoration of James. It is now unnecessary to disprove these accusations ; for though his enemies caused him to be thrice examined before the privy coun- cil, and to give bail for his appearance in the King's Bench, he was discharged by that court, no evidence appearing against him. The ties which bound him to Europe liaving been thus broken, he prepared to revisit his Province, accom- panied by another colony of five hundred persons, which he had assembled by publication of new proposals. A convoy was appointed by government for his protection, and he was on the eve of sailing, when his enterprise was marred by another persecution. A wretch, named Fuller, subsequently declared infamous by parliament, and pilloried, accused him, on oath, with being engaged in a conspiracy of the Papists in Lancashire to raise a rebellion, and restore James to the crown. He narrowly escaped arrest on his return from the funeral of George Fox, the celebrated founder of the Society of Friends. Hitherto he had met his accusers with a courage worthy of his character and his innocence, yet such was his dread of the profligacy of the witness who now appeared against him, that he deemed it prudent to seek retirement and privacy. His contem- plated colony failed, and the expenses of its outfit were lost. GENERAL HISTORJ . 55 After Blackwell's departure, in 1690, the Council elected Thomas Lloyd their president, and according to the constitution, assumed executive 1690. functions ; but, six councillors from the Lower Counties, without the knowledge of the president, formed themselves into a separate Council, u 1691, appointed judges for those counties, and made ordinances. The President and Council of Pennsylvania forthwith published a proclama- tion declaring all the acts of the six seceding members illegal. The latter made proposals towards an accommodation, in which they principally required that the judges and all officers of the goVernment should be appointed by the nine council- lors from the Lower Counties. But this was not allowed them. On the other hand, Penn tried to restore a good understanding between the two sections of the Province, between whom the breach was widening, by giving them the choice of three modes of executive government, viz., by a joint council, by five com- missioners, or by a lieutenant-governor. The majority favored the last mode, but seven of the members for the Lower Counties protested against it, and declared for the commissioners, which form of government, in case the members for Pennsylvania should persist in favor of a lieutenant-governor, they meant to introduce into their territories until the will of the Proprietary ^ould be known. Their principal objections against a lieutenant-governor were the expense of his support and the fear lest the officers should be arbitrarily dismissed. The efforts on the part of the Council of Pennsylvania to effect a good understanding proving fruitless, the three Upper Counties chose Lloyd for their Governor, while the Lower Counties rejected him. Penn, therefore, perceiving it impossible to bring about a union, confirmed the appointment of Lloyd, and conferred the government of the lower counties on William Markham,,the former Secretary of the Province, who had joined with the protesting members. This was done by William Penn much against his will, and had the consequence he predicted, viz., that the King, as will presently appear, annexed the two colonies to the government of New York. William Penn foresaw that these dissensions would furnish the crown a pretext for depriving him of his Province. His fears were soon verified. William and Mary seized with avidity this opportunity to punish him for his attachmbnt to the late King ; and they were well pleased to clothe an act of naked pipwer with such justification as the disorders of the Province presented. Their Majesties' commission to Benjamin Fletcher, Governor-General of New York, constituting him Governor of Pennsylvania and the territories, was notified to Thomas Lloyd on the 19th of April, 1693. There was no 1693. notice in this commission, of William Penn, nor of the Provincial con- stitution. Governor Fletcher was empowered to summon the General Assembly elected by the freeholders, to require its members to take the oaths and subscribe the tests prescribed bj' act of parliament, and to make laws in conjunction with the Assembly, he having a veto upon their acts ; and was directed to transmit copies of such laws, for the approbation of the crown, within three months from their enactment. Official information of this change was not given to the constituted authorities of the Province, either by the King or Proprietary; yet, on the arrival of Colonel Fletcher at Philadelphia, the govern- ment was surrendered to him without objection; but most of the Quaker 56 HISTOB T OF PENN8 YL VANIA. magistrates refused to accept from him the renewal of their commissions. The Proprietary condemned this ready abandonment of his rights, and addressed a cautionary letter to Fletcher, warning him of the illegality of his appointment, which might have restrained the latter from, exercising his authority had it been timely received, as he was attached to Penn by personal favors. At the very beginning a misunderstanding arose between the Governor and the Assembly, who attempted the introduction of a mode of summoning and electing the representatives at variance with the fundamental laws of the Province, which he was bound to observe. The Assembly, consisting of members from the Upper and Lower Counties, but reduced to about sixteen in number, on convening, took steps to maintain their own and the peoples' rights. The Governor, on the majority of the members refusing to take the oaths, honored their conscientious scruples in permitting them simply to subscribe, but told them that this was an act of grace and not of right, which must not be used as a precedent. In this Assembly two important subjects were considered ; the confirmation of the old laws, and a grant of aid in men or money to the King for the then existing war witli France. The Assembly used the latter In order to secure the former, hoping that Fletcher would yield this point for the sake of obtaining the' other, as his Province of New York was much exposed to the Indians, who were supported by the French in Canada. Fletcher maintained a firm attitude, insisting upon the rejection of eight of the old laws, chiefly penal, as in conflict with and less rigorous than the laws of England. Long negotiations ensued, but he finally confirmed them all (one concerning shipwrecks excepted), subject to the King's pleasure. The Assembly, on their part, granted the required sub- sidy, after considerable delay, they insisting that their grievances should first be redressed. Fletcher claimed the right of altering the new laws, even without the deliberations of the Assembly. This was strenuously resisted by a part}- in the Assembly, which, ■ though in the minority, had their protest against Fletcher's pretensions entered upon the journal of the House. The Governor threatened to annex the Province to New York, and then the moderate party, rather than submit to this, preferred receiving the confirmation of their rights and liberties as a favor at the hands of the Governor. Prior to his departure for New York, in 1694, Fletcher appointed 1694. William Markham, the Proprietary's kinsman, Lieutenant-Governor. Governor Fletcher, being engaged at New York, did not meet the Assembly at its first session of this year. At the second he earnestly solicited them to make further appropriations for the public defence. He endeavored to excite their emulation by the example of New Jersey, which had freely con- tributed troops and money, and tried to engage their compassion by describing the sufferings of the inhabitants about Albany, from whence " fourscore families," he said, " had been driven, rather by the negligence of their friends, than by the force of their enemies." Experience having taught him that it was vain to ask men, whose religion forbade the use of arms, to organize a military force, or appropriate funds for its support, he sought to frame his demands in a less questionable shape. Putting out of view all warlike intentions, he solicited their charity "to feed the hungry and clothe the naked," by supplying the Indian QENEBAL HISTOBT. 57 nations with suoh necessaries as might influence them to continue their friend- ship 10 the Province. But even these instances proved powerless. For, although another tax, similar to the last, was voted, no part of it was appropriated to the war or relief of the Indians. As a considerable sum had been given to Governor Fletcher, justice demanded that the services of the Proprietary deputies should also be rewarded. The Assembly, therefore, directed two hundred p ounds each should be given to Markham and Lloyd, and that the balance to be raised by the bill should defray the general expenses of the government. Fletcher rejected their bill, because the whole sum was not granted to their Majesties, with a request that they would appropriate it to the use of the deputies, and to the defence of New York and Albany ; and the Assembly, refusing to modify it, and asserting their right to appropriate their money at their pleasure, was dissolved. The Proprietary, whose political views were rarely obscured by his religious principles, reprehended strongly this resolute refusal ; nor was he blind to the effects which such apposition to the wishes of the crown might have upon his particular interests. The clouds of suspicion, which had long enveloped William Penn, were at length broken. He had many friends among the nobles who surrounded the King, and his true character was at last made known. He was heard before the privy council, and was honorably acquitted, and was restored to his Proprietary rights by patent, dated August, 1694, in which the disorders in the Province were ascribed solely to his absence. Shortly before his reinstatement, Penn lost his wife, Gulielma Maria, in the twelfth month of the preceding year. Penn appointed William Markham his Lieutenant-Governor of Pennsylvania and territories, on the 24th of September, 1694. The restoration of the, former government, lioWever, did not bring with it contentment and a good imderstanding between the different branches of the legislature. Governor Fletcher was disliked because he had innovated upon the legislative forms, but the Assembly, summoned by Markham, in Sep- 1695, tember, 1695, was as much dissatisfied with him, although he had summoned them according to forms prescribed by the charter. The great bone of contention still being the subsidy to be granted to the King, Penn's letter shows that he disapproved of their conduct. Markham presented to the Assembly a new act of settlement, which was readily agreed to, but not finally adopted until the following year, because the Governor, no doubt on account of their obstinacy in refusing to pass the subsidy act, unexpectedly dissolved the Assemblj'. After a long remonstrance to the Governor had been found without effect, the proposal of a joint committee of the two branches of the Legislature was acceded to, by which it was agreed to accept the new constitu- tion, provided Penn should approve of it, and immediately a new subsidy of £300 was granted for the support of the royal government and of the suffering Indians. This was done by a tax of one penny on the pound on all assessed property. The new Constitution was more democratic than the former one. The Council, chosen biennially, consisted of two, and the Assembly, elected annually, of four members from each county. The right of the latter to originate bills, to sit on its own adjournments, and to be indissoluble during the term for which it 58 HISTOB Y OF PENIfS YL VANIA. was elected, was explicitly established ; and the powers and duties of the several officers were accurately defined. This instrument was never formally sanctioned by the Proprietary, and it continued in force only until his arrival in the Province, in 1699, or rather until ItOl, when a new and more lasting one was substituted in its place. Under it the people were content, and calmly and industriousl}- applied themselves to the improvement of the countrj-. William Penn, accompanied by his second wife and children, sailed from England in the ship Canterbury in September, and after a tedious 1699. voyage of more than three months, arrived in the Delaware on the 1st day of December, 1699. Penn was cordially welcomed, it being gene- rally believed that he had come resolved to spend the remainder of his life in the Province. Still he did not encounter that warm affection and unbounded confi- dence among the colonists which on his first visit had enabled him to lead them entirely according to his will. The Proprietary, believing everything ready for the introduction of a new form of government, free from the defects of the former ones, and 1700. calculated to impart strength and unity to the administration, called an extraordinary meeting of the Assembly in May following, which con- sisted of a larger number of members than those which preceded it, and held a session of unusual length. The new charter, although frequently discussed by the two houses jointly and separately, was not carried through at this and the next General Assembly, which was held in October of the same year at New Castle. The formation of a code of laws securing the titles to landed property, and a grant for the support of the government in addition to the new charter, were the chief objects of said Assembly. Its enactment failed to be accom- plished, chiefly on account of the exacting and unreasonable conditions stipulated by the Lower Counties. The Proprietary endeavored, though unsuccessfully, to obtain additional legis- lative restrictions upon the intercourse with the Indians, in order to protect them from the arts of the whites. Nor was he more happy in his renewed exertions to instruct the aborigines in the doctrines of Christianitj^ — their language, according to the report of the interpreter, not affording tei'ms to convev its mj-steries. This reason, however, was not well founded, and was the subterfuge of the agent to cover his own ignorance or indolence. The success of the venerable Elliot, and of the Moravian missionaries, has proven that the Indian language is compe- tent for the communication of the most abstract ideas. But, resolute to improve their temporal condition, Penn conferred frequeutlj^ with the several nations of the Province .and its vicinity, visiting them familiarly in their forests, partici- pating in tlieir fep+ivals, and entertaining them with much hospitality and state at his mansion at Pennsbury. He formed a new treaty with the tribes located on the Susquehanna and its tributaries, as also with the Five Nations.' 1701. This treaty was one of peace. In the Spring of 1101, William Penn took a second journey into the interior of the Province. The Proprietary's situation becoming uncomfortable, in consequence of mis- chief to his government brewing in England, ho made preparation for a speedy return. Since the Revolution, it had been a favorite measure of the crown to purchase the Proprietary governments in America. Jealousy of the power of GENERAL HISTOBY. 59 these governments, says Gordon, had grown with their growth,' and a bill was now before the Lords to change them into regal ones. * The friends of Penn, and others interested in the Province, had succeeded with difficulty in obtaining n postponement of the bill until his return, which they earnestly represented to him should be immediate. Penn forthwith convened the Assembly on September 16, 1701. The comple- tion of a new constitution, and the enactment of such laws as required his special sanction, made the session important and laborious. The address of the Proprie- tary was most frank and conciliatory. He apologized for having summoned them before the customary time, expressed his regret at being so unseasonably called away, and assured them of his unceasing love and regard. " Think," said he, "therefore (since all men are mortal), of some suitable expedient and provi- sion for j'our safety, as well in your privileges as property, and you will find me ready to comply with whatever may render us happy by a nearer union of our interest." Yet actuated by his duty to the crown, he again drew their attention to the King's demand for money, and mentioned a late treaty of peace, concluded with the Indians bj' the Governor of New York in behalf of all the Provinces, as worthy of their acknowledgments. The House replied to the address with grateful thanks, but refused the war contribution for the reasons already given. The Assembly then prepared an address detailing their wants and wishes, which related particularly to the appointment of a Lieutenant-Governor in his absence, the security of their land-titles, and the allowance of ten for every hundred acres connected with them, which they claimed by virtue of the Gover- nor's promise. They proposed the establishment of a patent oflice, and that the quit-rents should be made redeemable. The Lower Counties, in the twenty-one articles of which the address consisted, had asked much for themselves in direct oppositio'n to the Proprietary's interest, yet he granted the most of what was asked, refusing only some unjust demands and others of a private character, with which the Legislature had no right to interfere. The Assembly, on the other hand, pressed their demands, although Penn's complaisance went so far as to invite them to nominate his Lieutenant, which, however, they modestly declined. While they were debating on a bill to confirm the laws at New Castle, and the majority seemed to be in favor of its passage, the misunderstanding between the representatives of the Province and the Lower Counties was again revived, with more violence than ever, so that several of the members for the Lower Counties left the House. It needed all of Penn's weight of character and earnest interpo- sILioii to prevent an open rupture. He promised to agree to the separation of the two colonies. But then, continued the Proprietary, it must be upon amicable terms, and a good understanding. That they must first resoloe to settle the laws ; and that, as the interest of the Province and that of those Lower Counties would be inseparably the same, they should,both use a conduct consistent with that relation. Matters were adjusted temporarily with the provision for a conditional separation, if they chose it, within the space of three years. The constitution, which had been under consideration for more than eighteen months, was finally adopted on the twenty-eighth of October, six parts in seven of the Assembly having formally surrendered the previous charter granted by Penn. The new charter was as comprehensive on the subject of civil and reli- 60 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. gious liberty as the former ones. Whilst it secured, by general provisions, the most important of human rights, it left minor subjects to be detailed and enforced by the laws. Penn likewise, by letters-patent, under the great seal, established a Council of State, composed of ten members, chiefly Quakers and his intimate friends, of whom four made a quorum, who were empowered " to consult and assist, with the best of their advice, the Proprietary himself or his deputies, in all public affairs and matters relating to the government." And, in his absence, or on the death or incapacity of his deputy, they, or any five of them, w§re authorized to execute all the Proprietary powers in the administration of the government. The members of the Council were removable at the will of the Governor, who might increase their numbers at pleasure. Andrew Hamilton,* one of the Proprietaries of East Jersey, and formerly Governor of East and West Jersey, having been appointed Deputy Governor, and James Logan Provincial Secretary and Clerk of the Council, William Penn sailed for England in the ship Dalraahoy, and arrived at Portsmouth about the middle of December. The bill for reducing the Proprietary into regal governments, pending in Parliament, was entirely dropped. King 1702. William died on the 18th of the first month, 1701-2, and was suc- ceeded by the Princess Anne of Denmark, with whom William Penn was in great favor. Governor Hamilton's administration was very brief, for he died in the month of April, 1703. His chief efforts had been unsuccessfully directed to the consummation of a union between the Province and territories. Upon his death the government devolved upon the Council, Edward Shippen being President. ' During this time of dispute, or endeavors for an union between the representa- tives of the Province and territories, not much other public business of impor- tance ayjpears to have been transacted in the afiairs of the government. The latter persisted in an absolute refusal to join with the former, in legislation, till it was finally, in the year 1703, agreed and settled between them, that they should compose difierent and distinct Assemblies, entirely independent of each other, pursuant to the liberty allowed by the clause in the charter for that purpose ; which clause was said to have been there inserted by the particular and special request of the representatives of the territories, with previous full intention of the separation which ensued ; and in this capacity they had ever acted since that time. The Proprietary's choice of a successor to Governor Hamilton fell on Mr. John FIvans, a young man of six and twenty years of age, and of Welsh extraction. Ele was earnestly recommended to Secretary Logan, under whose direction he * An DREW Hamilton was a native of Scotland. Originallyamerchant of Edinburgh, he emigrated to America in 1685; was one of the Council of Lord Neil Campbell, whom he succeeded as Deputy G|nvernrir of New Jersey, in 1686. In 1689, while on a voyage to Eng- land, was made prisoner and detained some time in France. He devised the scheme for the establishment of post-oftices in the Colonies, and received the appointment, April 4, 1692, of Deputy Postmaster-General for all the plantations. He was Governor of New Jersey from 1692 to 1698, and again from 1699 to 1701, when he received the appointment of Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania. He died while on a visit to Amboy, April 20, 1703. GENERAL HISTOBY. 61 had promised to place himself. He arrived in the Province in Februarj', and soon after increased the number of the Council, calling to that board, with others, William Penn the younger, who had accompanied him to the Province. Pursuant to the instructions of the Proprietary, he earnestly applied himself to re-unite the Province and territories ; and his want of success in this n.easure produced an unfavorable disposition towards the f9rmer, which embittered his whole administration. John Evans* was a young man, uncommonly zealous and active in whatever aifected the Proprietary's interests ; deficient neither in wit nor talents, he lacked experience, prudSnce, and tact ; his private life was, moreover, highly offensive to the steady and quiet ways of the sober and moral Quakers. He early attached himself to the interests of the Lower Counties, and induced their Assembly to pass laws manifestly designed to produce unpleasant effects in the Province. England being then at war with France and Spain, he had been ordered by the Queen to raise an armed force in Pennsylvania, but his efforts 1706. proved unsuccessful. He affected to treat the peaceful of the Quakers with contempt, and, unable to argue them out of their princi- ples, endeavored to gain his object by a stratagem, which completely failed, and tended to make him odious to the people of Philadelphia, which occurred almost simultaneously with an unwise and unlawful measure, greatly offending the merchants of the Province. He had authorized the Assembly at New Castle to erect a fort near the town, where it could be of little use to the safety of the two Provinces. For the maintenance of this fort, inward bound ships, not owned bj- residents, were obliged to deliver their half a pound of powder for each ton measurement. The provincialists remonstrated against this abuse in vain. At length Richard Hill, William Fishbourne, and Samuel Preston, three spirited Quakers, roftolved to remove the nuisance by a method different from any that had yet been attempted. Hill and his companions, on board the Philadelphia, a vessel belonging to the former, dropped down the river and anchored above the fort. Two of them went ashore and informed French, the commander, that their vessel was regularly cleared, demanding to pass uninterruptedly. This being refused. Hill, who had been bred to the sea, stood to the helm and passed the fort with no other injury than a shot through the mainsail. French pursued in an armed boat, was taken alone on board, while his boat, cut from the vessel, fell astern, and was led prisoner to the cabin. Governor Evans, apprized of the matter, followed their vessel by land to New Castle, and after she had passed the fort, pursued her in a boat to Salem, where he boarded her in great anger, and behaved with great intemperance. Lord Cornbury, Governor of New Jersey, who claimed to be vice-admiral of the Delaware, being then at Salem, the priso- ners were taken before him, and having, together with Goverpor Evans, been severely reprimanded, and giving promise of future good behavior, was dismissed with the jeers of the captors. After this spirited action, the fort no longer impeded the navigation of the Delaware. * John Evans, though of Welsh descent, was born at London in 1678. At the time of his appointment as Deputy Governor of the Province he was an officer of the Queen's house- hold. His administration, from 1704 to 1709 was not a successful one. Of his subsequent career little is known. He returned to England, and died there about 1730. 62 HISTOR Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. Ou the 27^ of Jupie, 1707, it is narrated in the Proviiicial Records, the Gover- nor, in company of several friends and servants, set out on a journey to the Indians, occasioned by a message from the Conestoga and other Indians, 1707. upon the Nanticolies' designed journey to the Five Nations. He visited in turn the following places : Pequehan, on the Pequea, Dekonoagah, on the Susquehanna, about nine miles distant from Pequehan, Conestogoe, and Peix- tang, had friendly intercourse with them, and seized one Nicole, a French Indian trader, against whom heavy complaints had been made. His capture was attended with difficulties, but he was finally secured and mounted upon a horse with his legs tied. From the articles of remonstrance, addressed to the Proprietary by the Assembly, subsequently, it seems that the Governor's conduct among the Indians was not free from censure, it being described as " abominable and unwarrantable." The unhappy misunderstanding between the Governor and his secretary, Logan, on the one hand, and the Assembly on the other, almost paralyzed legis- lative action, and led to the most lamentable exhibition of ill-temper on the part of the latter, which first produced articles of impeac)iment against Logan, and afterwards, determined to have Evans removed, a remonstrance against both addressed to William Penn. The language of that instrument was intemperate, many of its charges exaggerated, and some unfounded. This remonstrance was not only unjust, but also unwise and inconsiderate, for it tended to produce the very steps which they were desirous to guard against, by provoking the Governor to relinquish a troublesome and ungrateful Province to the crown of England, which had long wished to repossess it. In the beginning of this year, 1709, Governor Evans was removed, and Charles Gookin* appointed his successor. Gookin was an officer in the army, but, in the language of Penn, a man of pure morals, mild temper, and mode- 1709. rate disposition. When he arrived, the Assembly was in session. That body, instead of waiting for the propositions of the Governor, hastened to present to him a statement of grievances, in which they repeated the weightiest of their complaints against his predecessor, and demanded immediate satisfac- tion. In vain Gookin endeavored to convince them that he had no right to sit in judgment over the acts of his predecessor. These beginnings were not promis- ing. Lloyd was almost always at the head of the Assembly, and Logan had as much influence on Gookin as on his predecessor. The spirit of discontent which reigned in the Assembly probably originated in the embarrassment of Penn, whose means were now greatly curtailed by his generosity towards his Province and the cause of the Quakers. Already, in 1707, he was involved in a heavy lawsuit with the executors of his former steward, who preferred large claims against him, the injustice of which he could not sufficiently prove, since even the Court of Chancery could not liberate him from imprisonment until he had satisfied the complainants. The income of his European estate was inadequate*^ to pay his other debts, and he had to borrow £6,600 sterling, for which he mortgaged liis Province. The knowledge of his situation may have prompted * Charles Gookin, a captain in Eaiie's Royal Regiment, was born in Ireland in 1660, He was well iidvanood in years on being appointed Provincial Governor, in 1709, an office he held for eight years, although not to the satisfaction of the Assembly. He returned tc England, and died in London about 1725. GENERAL HISTORY. 63 the Assembly to extort more privileges from liim, and to limit iiis prerogative. On the other hand, necessity compelled him to be attentive to the collection of his revenue from the Province, and to increase it as much as possible. This con- duct of the Assembly, however, contributed not a little to disgust him with the whole undertaking. Repeatedly urged to restore the Province to the crown, but long struggling against the abandonment of the brilliant hopes he had cherished to found a religious nation and a model of true freedom, his growing necessities and the constant opposition of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, finally com- pelled him to take that step. Several circumstances which occurred during the administration of Gookin contributed to produce this resolution. The Queen required the aid of the Province towards the conquest of Canada, in which the New England colonies assisted her with zeal. Pennsylvania was required to furnish and support 150 men, at an estimated expense of £4,000. The Assembly voted a free gift to the Queen of £800. To this was added the Governor's salary of £200, which, however, they would not allow until he should have passed the bills presented to him, and redressed their grievajices, which bore chiefly on the retention of Logan. The latter being about to visit England on the Proprietary's business, at the next sitting of the Assembly demanded a trial, instead of granting which, the Assembly ordered the sheriff to take him into custody ; the Governor prevented his arrest by issuing a supersedeas. This put the Assembly quite out of temper and arrested all business, besides the entering on' their minutes of a protest against the Governor's illegal and arbitrary measures. Logan went to London, fully justified his conduct, and returned to the Province confirmed in his office, and enjoying more than ever the favor of the Proprietary. Penn addressed a touching letter to the Assembly, in which he detailed' and described their unjust and illegal pretensions, taxed them with ingratitude, took the part of Logan, and finally informed them that if they should persist in their opposition to his government, he must seriously consider what he should do with regard to his Province, and his determination should be governed by the con- duct of the future Assembly. This letter effected an instantaneous change in the minds of the people. A new Assembly was chosen in 1710. Harmony of action ensued between 1710. it and Governor Gookin. They completed by their laws the organiza- tion of the courts of justice, and voted to the Queen the sum of £2,000, although they were well informed of her determination to go to war with France. The expedition to Canada, says Gordon, proved most disastrous. Colonel Nicholson, under whom served Colonels Schuyler, Whiting, and Ingoldsby, mus- tered at Albany two thousand colonists, one thousand Germans from the I'iila- tinate, and one tliousand of the Five Nation Indians, who commenced their march towards Canada on the twenty-eighth of August. The troops from Boston, composed of seven veteran regiments, of the Duke of Marl- 1712. borough's army, one battallion of marines, and two provincial regi- ments, amounting to six thousand four hundred men, sailed on board of sixty-eight vessels, the 30th of July, and arrived off the St. Lawrence on the 14th of August. In ascending the river, the fleet, by the unskilfullness of the pilots, or the obstinancy and distrust of the Admiral, was entangled amid 64 HISTOE T OF PENNS TL VANIA. rocks and islands on the northern shore, and ran imminent hazard of total destruction. Several transports, and near a thousand men, perished. Upon this disaster the remainder bore away for Cape Breton, and the expedition, by the advice of a council of naval and military officers, was abandoned, on the ground of the want of provisions, and the impossibility of procuring a seasonable supply. The Admiral sailed directly for England, and the colonists returned to Boston, whilst Colonel Nicholson, thus deserted, was compelled to retreat from Fori. George. Want of skill, fortitude, and perseverance were eminently conspicu- ous in the British commanders of this enterprise. In 1712, William Penn entered into an agreement with Queen Anne to cede to her the Province of Pennsylvania and the Lower Counties, for the sum of £12,000 sterling. But before the legal forms were completed, an apo- 1714. plectic stroke prostrated his vigorous mind and reduced him to the feebleness of infancy. The Queen died on the first of August, 1714, and was succeeded bj"^ George the First. Two years subsequent. Governor Gookin arrayed against himself all the Quaker interest in the Province, in consequence of construing a provision in the statute of 7 and 8 William III., "that no Quaker, by virtue thereof, could be qualified or permitted to give evidence in any criminal ease, or serve 1716. on juries, or hold any place or office of profit in the government." This act had been made perpetual in Great Britain, and was extended to the colonies for five years by an act of Parliament of 1 George I. In the opinion of Gookin, the extension of this act to the Provinces repealed the provincial law, and disqualified the Quakers from giving testimony in criminal cases, from sitting on juries, and from holding any office. Notwithstanding the desertion of his Council, and the remonstrances of the Assembly, Gookin tenaciously adhered to his construction of the statute. His good genius had now entirely abandoned him, for he now charged Richard Hill, Speaker of the Assembly, Isaac Norris, and James Logan, with disloyalty to the King and devotion to the Pretender. These allegations were utterly unfounded, and the Assembly, whither the parties charged had carried their complaint, com- pletely exonerated them. Expostulation with Gookin having proA-ed 1717. vain, his Council unanimously joined in an address to William Penn, praying his recall. He met the Assembly for the last time in March, 1717, and extorted from their compassion the sum of £200, a valedictorj' donation. Sir William Keith,* on the first of May, 1717, superseded Governor Gookin, » Sir William Keith, son of a Scottish baronet of the same name, was born in the ' North of Scotland about 1669. He long held a position under the royal government, and was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Pennsylvanii in 1717. One of the most successful of the Proprietary executives, on being superseded in 1726, he was imme- diately thereafter chosen to the Assembly. His course, however, in creating dissensions between the legislative and executive branches of the government, served to alienate his friends. He died in obscurity, in London, November 17, 1749. Lady Ann Keith had deceased in Philadelphia, July 31, 1740, at the age of sixty-five, and lies entombed at Christ Church graveyard. Governor Keith published a " History of the British Plantations in America, Part I.," containing the History of Virginia, 1738; and "Collections of Papers and Tracts," 1749. GENEBAL HISTORY. 66 SIR WILLIAM KEITH. having held for some time the office of the King's surveyor of the customs for the Southern Provinces, and on his occasional visits to Philadelphia manifested much interest in the political dis- cussions of the Province, and acquired the good will of Logan, Norris, and other prominent inhabitants. He was strongly recommended for the position of Lieutenant-Governor by the Pro- vincial Council and chief inhabitants, by their friends in London, by William Penn, Jr., Mr. Logan, and others. Keith was the first Gover- nor who ventured to espouse the side of the popular party and to support its interests with the Proprietary and the Crown, on disputed subjects. He arrived at Philadelphia on the 31st of Maj', and convened an Assembly on the 19th of June. Having thoroughly studied the errors of his predecessors, he sought to benefit by their experience. Governor 'Keith displayed the policy he meant to pursue in his first address to the Assembly. The Assembly testified their satisfaction with his address, and his kind and conciliatory manners, by an immediate grant of five hundred and fifty pounds, payable from the first moneys received in the treasury, which they replenished by an additional bill of supply. In return, Keith framed an address to the Throne on the interesting subject of affirmation, which had the good for- tune to please the House in all respects, save that the plural number was used >^ instead of the singular. On the 30th day of July, 1718, William Penn died at Rushcombe, near Twyford, in Buckinghamshire, England, aged seventy-four. As the 1718. honorable Proprietary and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, his loss was a severe one to the Province. He discovered and adored the great truths, that happiness of society is the true object of civil power, and that freedom exists only '■'■where the laws rule, and the people are parties to the laws." On these foundations, says Gordon, was his Province erected. His merit will be the more justly appreciated by adverting to the state of the American colonies planted antecedently to the year 1680. These were Massa- chusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, "Virginia, and South Carolina. The New England colonies sprang from the natural and selfish desires of their founders to withdraw themselves from power and oppression. Religious toleration and civil liberty were not appreciated by them as rights e"ssential to the happiness of the human race. The rights of conscience the Puritans of those Provinces demanded, were such as protected themselves from the gibbet and lash, which they applied to force the consciences of others. Their civil rights they regarded as exclusive propertj', acquired by purchase, the evidence of which was in their charter. Whilst Penn was offfering to the world a communion of religious and civil freedom, the saints of Massachusetts excluded from the benefits of their government all who were not members of their church, and piously flagellated or hanged those who were bG IIISTOJi Y OF PMNNSYL VANIA. not convinced of its infallibility. Roger Williams, proscribed and expelled for his own opinions, was the first to teach that the civil magistrate might not interfere in religious matters, and that to punish men for opinion was persecu- tion. New York, without a cliarter or an Assembly, was subject to the caprice of its governors, in civil as in ecclesiastical matters. New Jersey had a free, a liberal, but an impracticable constitution. The attempt to establish in that Province the basis of a free government, though unsuccessful, and throwing the administration into the hands of the Crown, was not useless. The people -jvure introduced to the knowledge of sound political principles, which were never altogether abandoned. Maryland, possessing the most liberal and the best digested constitution that had emanated from a British monarch, and the most independent of the royal power, had been involved in civil war and religious persecutions during the Revolution, and was then reduced to order and good government, by the resumption of executive power by the Calverts. But the Roman Catholic faith of its governors and principal inhabitants rendered its policy' suspected by Protestants. Carolina was the subject of a most fanciful experiment of the renowned Locke, who framed for it an aristocratical constitu- tion, totally inconsistent with the light of the age in which he lived ; establishing an hereditary nobility, with large and unalienable landed estates, and the Church of England as the religion of the State. Penu wisely modelled the royal charter for liis Province as closely as possible upon the Maryland grant ; and, though at the first institution of the government, he was doubtful of the propriety of giving the Assembly the power to originate laws, experience soon taught him the wisdom of this measure. His government secured the blessings of propertj' and personal freedom alike to Christian and to infidel ; placed all persons on an equality before the laws, and admitted Christians of every denomination to a full participation of political rights. The experience of almost two hundred years, during which political science- has been widely extended, has added nothing essential to human happiness which his sj'stem had not provided ; unless it be found in those constitutions which make no discrimination in the religious faith of the citizens. PKNN S BOOK PLATE. CHAPTER IV. PROPRIETARY RULE. ADMINISTRATIONS OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR KEITH, GORDON, LOGAN, THOMAS, PALMER, AND HAMILTON. 1718-1754. fECUNIARILY involved at Ms death, the Province was encumOcrcil by the Proprietary's mortgage of 1708 and his contract with the Crown for the sale of the government. His will, dated 1712, was made ante- cedently to, but in contemplation of, this contract. He provided for the issue of his first marriage by the devise of his Englisli and Irish estates ; which, producing fifteen hundred pounds sterling per annum, were estimated of greater value than his American possessions. From tiie latter lie made provision for the payment of his debts, and for his widow and her children. The govern- ment of the Province and territories he devised to the Earls of Oxford, Morti- mer, and Pawlet, in trust, to sell to the Queen, or any other person. His estate in the soil he devised to other trustees, in trust, to sell so much as should be necessary for the payment of his debts ; to assign to his daughter Letitia, and the three children of his son William, ten thousand acres each, and to convey the remainder, at the discretion of his widow, to her children, subject to an annuity to herself of three hundred pounds sterling per annum. He appointed her sole executrix and legatee of his personal estate. Three questions arose on his devise of the government: 1, Whether it was valid against the heir-at-law, who claimed by descent? 2, Whether the object of the trust had not been already efiected, by the contract of the Proprietary with the Queen? 3, Whether, by consequence, his interest was not converted into personality ? In which case it passed in absolute property to the widow. Prom their doubts on these points, the trustees refused to act, unless under a decree of the Court of Chancery, whose interposition was also required by the commis- sioners of the treasury, before payment of the balance due on the purchase, to the executrix. A suit in this court was accordingly instituted, which kept the family property in a state of great uncertainty for many years ; during which Mrs. Penn, as executrix and trustee, assumed the superintendence of provincial afiairs. In the year 1727, the family disputes, the Proprietary's will having been established in the Exchequer, were compromised ; and the crown lawyers and ministry concurring in opinion, that the Proprietary's agreement was void, from his inability to make a proper surrender of the government, it devolved, on the death of William Penn the younger, and his son Springett, to John, Thomas, and Richard Penn. The almost unbounded confidence of the Province in Keith enabled liim, in 1720, to establish two measures hitherto repugnant to the Assembly, an 1720. equity court, dependent on the Governor's will, of which he was chan- cellor, and a militia organized by like authority. The great influx of foreigners alarmed the Assembly, who dreaded their settle- 67 68 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. ment on the frontier.- Attempts to naturalize tiiem were treated witii coldness. Even the Germans, whose industry and utility were proverbial, could not remove the prevailing jealousy. Many Palatines, long resident in the Province, applied for naturalization in 1721, but not until 1724 was leave granted to bring in a bill, provided they should individually obtain from a justice of the peace a certificate of the value of their property and nature of their religious faith. A bill to that effect, presented to the Goverpor in the following year, was forthwith returned by him on the ground that in a country where English liberty and law prevailed, a scrutiny into the private conversation and faith of the citizens, and particularly into their estates, was unjust and dangerous in precedent. The Plouse yielded to the force of his reasons, and did not insist upon their bill, but it was not until some time afterwards that the privileges of subjects were granted to the Palatines. Indeed, the timidity of the Assembly induced them to check the importation of foreigners by a duty on all coming to reside in the Province. A disagreement relating to hunting-grounds, between the Southern and Penn- sylvania Indians, threatened to disturb the peace of the Province. To avert this, says Proud, Keith paid a visit to the Governor of Virginia, with 1 1721. whom he framed a convention, confining the Indians on the north and south of the Potomac to their respective sides of that river ; which the Pennsylvania and Fi\e Nation Indians, at a general conference, held at Cones- toga, on the 6th of July, 1721, fully ratified. This visit was made with much state. Keith was attended by a suit of seventy horsemen, niany of them well armed, and was welcomed on his return, at the upper ferry on the Schuylkill, by the mayor and aldermen of Philadelphia, accompanied by two hundred of the most respectable citizens. The Governor of Maryland proposed at this time to make surveys on the Susquehanna, within the bounds claimed by Pennsylvania, and within the present county of York. Keith resolved to resist this attempt by force, and ordered out a militia company from New Castle. His Council, however, dis- couraged every resort to violence, even should the Marylanders employ force to effect their object. The Indians became alarmed at the proposed encroachment from Maryland, and after much hesitation, consented to convey to Keith, that he might have a better title to resist the Marylanders, "a large tract of land for the use of Springett Penn, the grandson of William Penn, afterwards known by the name of Springettsbury Manor. The fears of the Province were soon atTier again awakened by a quarrel between two brothers named Cartlidge and an Indian near Conestoga, in which the latter was killed, with many circumstances of crueltj'. The known princi- ples of revenge professed by the Indians gave reason to apprehend severe retaliation. Policy an 1 justice required a rigid inquiry, and the infliction of exemplary punishment on the murderers. The Assembly commanded a coro- ner's inquest to be holden on the body, though two months buried in the interior of the country, and the arrest of the accused. Messengei-s were dispatched to the Five Nations to deprecate hostilities, and, to prevent further irregularities, the prohibition of the sale of spirituous liquors to the Indians was re-enacted, with additional penalties. The Indians invited Keith to meet them, with the Governors of Virginia, New York, and the New England Colonies, in GENERAL HISTORY. (i9 council at Albany, where, with great magnanimity, they pardoned the offence of the Cartlidges, and requested they might be discharged without further punish- ment. The address of the King merits a place here : " The great King of the Five Nations," said the reporter, " is sorry for the death of the Indian that was killed, for he was of his own flesh and blood ; he believes the Governor is also sorry; but, now that it is done, there is- no help for it, and he desires that Cartlidge may not be put to death, nor that he should be spared for a time and afterwards executed; one life is enough to be lost; there should not two die. fThe King's heart is good to the Governor, and all the English." The Governor was attended on his journey to Albany by Messrs. Hill, Norris, and Hamilton, of his Council. A part of the emigration to the colonies was composed of servants, who were of two classes. The first and larger, poor and oppressed in the land of their nativity, sometimes the victims of political changes or religious intolerance, submitted to a temporary servitude, as the price of freedom, plenty, and peace. The second, vagrants and felons, the dregs of the British populace, were cast by the mother country upon her colonies, with the most selfish disregard of the feelings she outraged. Prom this moral pestilence the first settler shrunk with horror. In 1682 the Pennsylvania Council proposed to prohibit the introduc- tion of convicts, but the evil was then prospective to them only, and no law was enacted. But an act was now passed, which, though not prohibitory in. teims, was such in effect. A duty of five pounds was imposed upon every convicted felon brought into the Province, and the importer was required to give surety for the good behavior of the convict for one year; and to render these pro- visions effectual, the owner or master was bound, under a penalty of twenty pounds', to render, on oath or atflrmation, within twenty-four hours after the arrival of the vessel, an account to the collector of the names of the servants and passengers. But such account was not required when bond was given con- ditioned for the re-exportation of such servants within six months. In the year 1122, owing to various circumstances, but chiefly by a deficiency in the circulating medium, commercial embarrassments ensued. 1722. Governor Keith proposed to overcome this difficulty by the intro- duction of paper money. The Assembly proceeded, with the utmost caution and circumspection, in. this important affair, for, with full knowledge of the examples and mistakes of the other colonies, they felt it chiefly incumbent upon them to prevent the depreciation of their bills, " which nothing could so much effect as an over-quantity, defect of solid security, and of proper provisions to recall and Sancel them," so in this, their first experiment of the kintl, they only issued £15,000 on such terms as appeared most likely to be effectual to keep up their credit, and gradually to reduce and sink them. For which purpose the act, among several others, was passed by the Governor en the second of March following. But from the advantage which was 1723. soon experienced by this emission, together with the insniflciency of the sum, the government was induced, in the latter end of the same year, to emit £30,000 more on the same terms. Governor Keith, in espousing the popular cause, secured the approbation and confidence of the Assembly, but unfortunately incurred the displeasure of the 70 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Proprietary party and its leader, James Logan. Complications arose, which eventuated in the triumph of the latter and the deposition of the former, who was decidedly the best of the Proprietary deputies. "Differing," wrote Franklin, " from the great body of the people whom he governed, in religion and manners, lie acquired their esteem and confidence. If he sought popularity, he promoted tlie public happiness ; and his courage in resisting the demands of the family may be ascribed to a higher motive than private interest. The conduct of the Assembly towards him was neither honorable nor politic ; for his sins against his principals were virtues to the people, with whom he was deservedly a favor- ite ; and the House should have given him such substantial marks of their gratitude as would have tempted his successors to walk in his steps. But fear of further offence to the Proprietary family, the influence of Logan, and a quarrel between the Governor and Lloyd, turned theii; attention from him to his successor." After his removal. Sir William Keith resided some time in the Province, and was elected to the Assembly. He shortly afterwards returned to England, where he died. Patrick Gordon* was appointed successor of Governor Keith by the family, and formally proposed to the Crown, by 1726. Springett Penn, their heir-at-law. He seems to have iirst met the Assembly in the beginning of the 6th month, 1726, though he arrived in the Province, with his family, some time before. The increase of foreigners, particularly of Germans, from the Palatinate, again produced serious apprehensions in the Province, even the mother country fearing that Penns}lvania was about to become a colony of aliens. Under instructions from the ministry, the Assembly passed "an impolitic act," imposing a duty of forty shillings per head on all foreigners. The rapid immigration, however, of the Scotch- Irish, changed the course of the Quaker opposition to the Swiss and Germans, for the interests and dispositions of the former being ever antagonistic to the Friends, the " foreigners " were more cajoled, and the odious law repealed. By this stroke of policy the Quakers retained I their supremacy in the legislative councils of the Province far longer, for we have it on the authority of Mr. S3-pher, that prior to 1727 over fifty thousand persons, mostly Germans, had Tound new homes in Pennsylvania. hi May, 1729, the county of Lancaster was set off from that of Chester. It was the first move towards that rapid division of the Province, which, 1739. iu the present days of the Commonwealth, comprises sixty-seven coun- ties. Although the population of the new county wa;* nearly as great as * Patbick Gordon, born in England in 1664, was bred to arms, and served from hia youth to near the close of Queen Anne's reign, with a high reputation. He was Lieutenant- Oovernor under the Proprietaries, from 1726 to 1736. He died at Philadelphia, August 5, 1736. He published "Two Indian Treaties at Conestogoe," 1728. PATRICK GORDON. 1727. GENERAL IIISTOUY. 71 Bucks or Chester, it was allowed one-half the number of representatives in the Assembly. During this year the old State House, or Independence Hall, was commenced, although not completed before 1134. THE OLD PROVINCIAL STATE HOUSE. The enterprising public spirit of Benjamin Franklin, says Sherman Day, now began to display itself, by founding one of those monuments which will perpetu- ate his memory long after the plain marble slab that covers his grave shall have decayed. The promotion of literature had been little attended to in Pennsyl- vni ia. Most of the inhabitants were too much immersed in business to 1731. think of scientific pursuits ; and those few whose inclinations led them to study, found it difficult to gratify them, for the want of libraries sufficiently large. The establishment of a public library was an important event. This was first set on foot by Franklin, about the year 1731. Fifty per- sons subscribed forty shillings each, and agreed to pay ten shillings annually. The number increased, and in 1742 the company was incorporated by the name of the Library Company of Philadelphia. The Penn family distinguished them- selves by donations to it. In 1732 Thomas Penn, and in 1734 John Penn, his elder brother, both Pro- prietaries, arrived in the Province, and received from the colonists and 1732. the Assembly those marks of respect due to their station, and to the sons of the illustrious founder. John Penn returned to England in 1735, to oppose the pretensions of Lord Baltimore; but Thomas Penn remained for some years in the Province, spending his time much after the manner of an English country gentleman. He was cold and distant in his intercourse with society, and consequently unpopular. On his departure for Europe, in 1741, the Assembly presented him with an affectionate address, for which he returned them his warmest thanks. / This year, 1733, the Provincial government first became apprehensive'of the designs of the French in the western country, by es*;ablishing trading 1733. posts on the liead waters of the Allegheny and Ohio, claiming, by virtue of some treaty, all the lands lying on those rivers. With a view to frustrate their designs, which obviously tended to alienate the Indians from the 7 2 HIS TOR Y OF PENNS YL VANIA . English, James Logan proposed that a treaty should be holden with the Shaw anese and other tribes, and that they should be invited to remove nearer the English settlements. According to his suggestion a treaty was hgld at Phila- delphia with the Six Nations, who confirmed the designs of the French, and promised perpetual fiiendship with the English. In the minutes of the Provincial Council we find the following record of vio- lent transactions on the Maryland frontier west of the Susquehanna: " At a council, held at Philadelphia, May, 14, 1T34, the Proprietary (Thomas Penn) informed the Board of some very unneighborly proceedings of 1734. the Province of Maryland in not only harassing some of the inhabitants of this Province who live on the borders, but likewise in extending their claims much farther than had ever heretofore been pretended to by Mary- land, and carrying off several persons and imprisoning them ; that some time since they carried off John Hend.ricks and Joshua Minshall from their settle- ments on Susquehanna, and still detain them in the Goal of Annapolis ; that of late two others have b&n taken from the borders of New Castle County, and carried likewise to Annapolis ; that as these men will probably be brought to a trial at the ensuing Provincial Court of Maryland, he had spoke to Andrew Hamilton, Esq., to appear for them, but as these violent proceedings tend manifestly to the breach of his Majesty's peace, and rendering all the borderers insecure, both in their persons and estates, he was now to advise with the Council on such measures as are most fit to be proposed, for maintaining peace between his Majesty's subjects of both Provinces. " Then was read a letter from the Lieutenant-Governor of Maryland to the Lieutenant.Governor of this Province, dated the 24th of February last, with an answer of the latter thereto, dated the 8th of March following, on which some observations being made, the Proprietor said that he intended to make use of the opportunity of Mr. Hamilton's going to Annapolis, to press the Lieutenant- Governor of Maryland to enter into such measures as should be most advisable, for preventing such irregular proceedings for the future, and as he designed that his secretary, Mr. Georges, should accompany Mr. Hamilton, he had drawn up instructions for them, which being laid before the Board, were read, as was likewise a draught of a letter from the Lieutenant-Governor of this Province to the Lieutenant-Governor of Maryland. On consideration thereof had, the Board are of opinion that the proposed measures are absolutely necessary at this time, for securing the peace of his Majesty's subjects, and the said instruc- tions, together with the foregoing draught, being approved and ordered to be en- tered on the Records of Council, the Governor is desired to grant such creden- tials to the persons entrusted with the negotiations, as may show them fully autho- rized l)y this government for the purposes in the said instructions contained." Messrs. Hamilton and Georges, the persons named in the preceding para- grajjh,. having been appointed commissioners for the Proprietaries to execute certain articles of agreement concluded between the said Proprietaries and Lord Baltimore, bearing date May 10, 1732, for the running, marking, and laying out the lines, limits, and boundaries between the two Provinces, visited Anna- polis, and on their return presented the report of their negotiations, which was far from satisfactory. Thereupon, in consequence of a representation addressed GENERAL HISTORY. 73 to him by the Assembly, the Governor, under date August 19th, 1T34, wrote to the justices of the counties of Chester, Lancaster, and of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, as follows : " You are not, I believe, insensible how much the whole country has been disappointed In the just hopes which had been entertained of seeing a final period put to those long depending disputes between this government and that of Maryland, touching their respective boundaries, by the execiition of the solemn agreement concluded between the Proprietaries of each. It is, however, no small satisfaction to me, that I can now acquaint you that this agreement, with the proceedings of the commis- sioners thereon, having been laid, before his Majesty's attorney and solicitor general, we have had the pleasure of latelj- receiving their opinion, that the agreement still remains valid and binding on both Proprietaries, although their commissioners, by reason of difference in sentiments, have not carried it Into execution. Mow, as the northern bounds, formerly set by the Lord Baltimore to himself, ^diflFer not much from those lately agreed upon, I know not how we can judge better or with more certainty, of any bounds by which we can limit our present jurisdiction, than near the place where it is known the3' will fall when the lines shall be actually run. " In the meantime, that a stop may be put to any further insults on the people of this government, and encroachments on lands within the bounds of the same, I am again to renew to you those pressing instances I have repeatedly made, that agreeable to the duty of your stations, you exert your utmost endeavorp for preserving peace throughout your county, and protecting all the inhabitants in their just and right possessions, in the legal and necessary defence of which every person ought to be encouraged to appear with boldness, and to be assured of receiving all the countenance that lawful authority can give. And as the late disturbances have been in a great measure owing to the unjust attempts of those who, pretending right to, or claiming disputed lands, under that pretence, have come many miles into this Province, and with force pos- sessed themselves of lands for which they can have no lawful grant from any other person^ but our Honorable Proprietors only, and have likewise committed very great violences upon sundry of our Inhabitants, you are to give strict orders for apprehending and securing all such who have been principals or accessories therein, as well as those who hereafter shall presume to offer any injury to the persons or professions of his Majesty's peaceable subjects, or encroach on any lands within the known and reputed limits of your county, that they may be brought to condign punishment. But as In the year 1724, it was agreed 'that for avoiding all manner of contention- or difference between the inhabitants of the two Provinces, no person or persons should be disturbed or molested in their possessions they then held on either side,' you are desired still to have a par- ticular regard to those entitled to the benefit of that agreement, while they behave themselves peaceably. "And to the end that these directions be punctually observed and complied with, you are to order the sheriff of the county, with his ofllcers, frequently- to visit your borders, and those parts where either late disturbances have happened, or anything to the prejudice of the people is li ; to be attempted, giving all needful assistance wherever it may be requisite. 1 should likewise promise my- 74 HISTOIi Y OF PENNS YL VANIA . self much good from some of your number making a progress through these parts, when your conveniency would admit, or any exigency may require it, depending on your prudence that whatever measures yon shall take for the defence of the inhabitants, and for seizing and securing offenders, will be such as that we may be at no loss whenever called upon to justify them."- The intercourse with the Indians at this period continued to be of an amicable nature, notwithstanding occasional disturbances, almost uniformly caused by the too liberal distribution of rum. A specimen of the kindliness with which the chil- dren of the forest turned to the white man is furnished in the following extract from a speech of Hetaquantagechty : " That he comes hither from the Six Nations, on business relating to the last Treaty held between them and this Government; that on his road hither he heard the melancholy news of the Governor's loss, by the death of his spouse; that he once resolved to turn back lest the Governor's afflictiotu- should prevent him f*-om attending to business, but thinking it better to proceed forward, he is pleased to find the Governor present with ,them ; that he takes part in his grief, and if he had a handkerchief good and fine enough to present to the Governor, he would give it to wipe away his tears ;" then presenting some strings of wampum to the Governor, he desired that the Governor would " lay aside his grief and turn his thoughts to business, as he had done before." By the death of Springett Penn and Mrs. Hannah Penn, the Assem- 1735. bly conceived that Governor Gordon's authority was terminated, and accordingly refused to act upon a message which he had sent them, and adjourned themselves to the last day of their term. But a new commission, signed by John, Thomas, and Richard Penn, in whom the government was now vested, was received in October. In the approbation given to this appointment by the King there is an express reservation of the right of the Crown to the government of the Lower Counties on the Delaware. In August, 1736, Governor Gordon died. " His administration," 1736. says Gordon, " was in all respects a happy one. No circumstance oc- curred requiring him to weigh in opposite scales his duty to the people and to the Proprietaries. The unanimity of the Assembly, the Council, and the Governor, gave an uninterrupted course to the prosperity of the Province. The wisdom which guided her counsels was strongly portrayed in her internal peace, increased population, improved morals, and thriving commerce." On the 19th of September, 1737, the famous "Indian Walk" was 1737. performed by Edward Marshall, an account of which is given in the sketch of Bucks county. This walk, according to Charles Thomson, was the cause of jealousies and heart-burnings among the Indians, which eventu- ally broke out in loud complaints of injustice and atrocious acts of savage ven- geance. The very first murder committed by them after this transaction was on the very land they believed themselves cheated out of. The Indians always contended, says Mr. Buck, that the walk should be up the river by the nearest path, as was done in the first day and a half's walk by William Penn, and not by the compass across the country, as was done in this instance. On the death of Governor Gordon, the administration of the govern. 1738. ment devolved on the Council, of which James Logan was president, which he held until August, 1738, when George Thomas, a planter of GENERAL HISTOBY. 75 Antigua, was appointed by tlie Proprietaries.* Difficulties still ensuing between tiie people of Maryland and of Pennsylvania, consequent on the unsettled state of the boundary. Governor Thomas at once gave his attention ,to the question of jurisdiction over the disputed territory. It was mutually agreed, therefore, "that the respective Proprietaries should hold and exercise jurisdiction over the lands occupied by themselves and tenants at the date of the agreement, though such lands were beyond the limits thereinafter prescribed, until the final settle- ment of the boundary lines, and that the tenants of the one should not interfere with the other.'' The Proprietary land office having been closed from 1118 to the year 1732, during the minorities of Richard and Thomas Penn, emigrants seated themselves without title on such vacant lands as they found convenient. The number of settlers of this kind entitled them to great consideration. Their rights accruing by priority of settlement, were recognized by the public, and passed, with their improvements, through many hands, in confidence that they would receive the Proprietary sanction. Much agitation was produced when the Provincial pro- clamation required all who had not obtained and paid for warrants, to pay to the receiver-general, within four months, the suras due for their lands, under penalty of ejectment. As a consequence, great difficulties arose ; the Assembly sought to compromise the matter, payment of the purchase money being postponed for several years longer. On the 23d of October, 1739, war was declared between Great Britain and Spain. Prior to this. Governor Thomas endeavored to stimulate his peo- 1739. pie to active measures of defence. To the solicitations of the Governor the Assembly " pleaded their charter and their consciences." Unfortu- nately, he ran a tilt with the religious opinions of a people who measured their merit by the extent of suffering for conscience sake. The communications which passed between the Governor and tlie Assembly show neither a forbearing spirit on one side, nor an even-tempered one on the other. At length the demand of the home government for troops compelled the Executive to raise by his own exertions the number of men required. Four hundred men was the entire quota, and these were raised in the space of three months, many of the recruits, how- ever, being bond-servants, willing to exchange their service and freedom dues, for nominal liberty and soldier's pay. The year 1740 is remarkable in the. annals of Pennsylvania, by the labors of the renowned Whitfield. He landed at Lewes, early in November, 1739, 1740. and came thence to Philadelphia. His arri^-^l, says Gordon, disturbed the religious harmony which had prevailed for so many years. ITe drew to himself many followers from all denominations, who, influenced by the energy of his manner, the thunder of his voice, and his flowing eloquence, were ready to subscribe his unnatural and incomprehensible faith. Especially in the Scotch-Irish sections of the Province, between the Delaware and the Susquehanna, * Sib Gborqe Thomas, the son of a wealthy planter, was born at Antigua, about 1700. He was a member of the Council of that island at the time of his appointment of Govemor of the Province of Pennsylvania, a position he held from 1738 to 1747. From 1752 to 1766, lie was governor of the Leeward and Garribee Islands. In 1766, he was created a baronet. He died in London, January 11, 1775, 76 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.. were the numbers of his hearers immense. At Fagg's Manor, It is stated that twelve thousand people were congregated at one time to listen to this great revi- valist of the eighteenth century. For a while, no one opposed the wild extrava- gance of Whltfleld and his converljs, until at the location named, the Rev. John Roan boldly stood up and controverted the doctrines of the enthusiasts. In March, 1744, hostilities were openly declared between France and Great Britain. The peaceful era of Pennsylvania was now at an end, and 1744. the dark cloud of savage warfare began to gather on the western frontier. The lands acquired by tlie Indian walk, and by purchasing the Shawanese lands without their consent, were now to be paid for by the blood of the colonists. The Delawares refused to leave the Forks of Delaware. The Six Nations were called on to order them off, which they did, in the overbearing tone of conquerors and masters. They retired to Wyoming, with the repeated wrongs rankling in their breasts. Benjamin Franklin now became prominent as a public man, and published liis " Plain Truth," to endeavor to conciliate the Executive and Assembly, and Awaken them both to the importance of military preparations. He was appointed a colonel, but declined ; he preferred to wield the pen. James Logan,* too, who justified defen- sive war, assisted the cause with his means. A battery was erected below the city of Philadelphia, from funds raised by lottery, in which many of the Quakers were adventurers. " These military preparations were necessary to intimidate a foreign enem}', ami to curb the hostile disposition of the Indians. On the eve of a war with France, the alienation of the natives was gieatly to be dreaded. Governor Thomas dispatched a messenger to Conrad Weiser, the Provincial interpreter, directing him to proceed to Shamokin, to renew the assurances of friendship, and to pro- pose his mediation between the Indians and tiie government of Virginia, occasioned by an unpleasant rencontre between some Onondagas and Oneidas with tlie English, while on an excursion against the Tallapoosas, resident in JAMES r.OQAN. * James F^ooan was born at Lurgau, Ireland, October 20,' 1674, of Scottish parentage. Al the age of thirteen he had acquired Latin, Greek, and some Hebrew, and afterwards mas- tered mathematics, and the French, Spanish, and ftalian languages. While engaged in trade between Dublin and I?ristol, William Penn made proposals to him to accompany him to America as his secretary, which he accepted, and landed at Philadelphia in December, 1609. By Penn he was invested with many important trusts, which he discharged with tidelity. Although he never received the appointment of governor of the Province, on several occasions he assumed the executive functiou-i. He tilled the offices of provincial secretary, commissioner of property, and chief justice. He was t e warm friend of the Indians, possessed uncommon abilities, great wisdom, and moderation. He died at his country seat, near Philadelphia, October 31, 1751. lie was the author of " Exporimentse MeletemalM Plantarum Generatione," 1739 ; of two other Latin treatises of a scientific char- acter, published in Holland; of an English translation of Cicero's " De Senectute," 174-1; and of Cato's " Distichs," besides a variety of papers on ethics. GENEBAL HISTOBY. 11 that colony. Happily this attention induced them to hold a treaty the ensuing spring, and to refrain from hostility in the meantime. A conference was held with the Deputies of the Six Nations at Lancaster, commencing on the 22d of June, 1744, and ending on the 4th of Jul^' following, which was attended by Governor Thomas in person, and by the Commissioners of Virginia and Maryland. All matters of dispute were satisfactorily settled, and the Iroquois engaged to prevent the French and their Indian allies from marching through their country to attack the English settlements. This conference, however, did not remove causes of future disquiet. These lay in the encroachments of the settlers and in the conduct of the traders. The attempt of Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts, to enlist the other colonies in a design for attacking the French settlements at Cape Breton, found no favor in Pennsylvania, the Assembly refusing assistance, upon the specious plea that they had not been consulted. The plan, however, having been approved by the British Ministry, directions were sent to the Provincial authorities to furnish men, provisions, and shipping for the expedition. The Assembly acting upon the matter, resolved to grant the sum of four thousand pounds to be expended in the [)urchase of bread, beef, pork, flour, wheat, or other grain. The enterprise against Louisburg terminated honorably for those who had projected and executed it. The Shawanese Indians on the Ohio, who had long shown symptoms of disaffection to the English, and subserviency to the French cause, now 1745. openly assumed a hostile character. The policy of the French had been long directed to seduce all the Indian tribes from the English interest, and their efforts at this juncture upon the Six Nations produced great alarm in Pennsylvania. Commissioners were dispatched to a convention at Albany, held in October, 1745, by the Governor of New York, and commis- sioners from the Province of Pennsylvania and Colonies of Massachusetts and Connecticut, with the Indians of the Six Nations, to induce the latter, if possible, to take up the hatchet against the French and become parties in the war. The Six Nations showed no disposition to enter the contest, and the result of the conference was far from satisfactory. In May, 174(5, instructions were forwarded to the Provincial Government to raise forces to attempt the conquest of Canada. Governor Thomas 1746. forthwith summoned the Assembly, who, after considerable delay, voted five thousand pounds. The Governor raised four companies of over one hundred men each, commanded by Captains William Trent, John Shannon, Samuel Perry, and John Deimer, which were forwarded at once to Albany. Though the attempt on Canada was abandoned, the troops were retained nearly eighteen months on the Hudson River, with the view of over-awing the Indians. On the 5th of May, 1747, the Governor communicated to the 1747. Assembly the death of John Penn, one of the Proprietaries, and his own resolution, on account of ill-health, to resign the government. On the departure of Governor Thomas, the executive administration devolved on the Council, of which Anthony Palmer was president, until the 1749. arrival of James Hamilton, son of Andrew Hamilton, former Speaker of the Assembly, as Lieutenant-Governor, November 23, 1749. 78 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. The cereal crops were very abundant in 1751 and 1752. An extract, translated from the German in the Chron. Ephrat., 190, is quite a curiosity : " The years 1751 and 1752 have been so fruitful in wheat and other grain, that men in wanton carelessness sought to waste the supply ; for the precious wheat, which might have supported many poor, thej' used to fatten hogs, which afterwards they consumed in their sumptuousness. Besides, distilleries were erected everywhere, and thus this great blessing was turned into strong drink, which gave rise to much disorder." These years of plenty were followed by a season of scarceness, covering the years 1753-1755, and on the heels of it came Indian hostilities. The progress of the white population, says Gordon, towards the west continued to alarm and irritate the Indians. The new settlers, impatient of the delays of the land oflSce, or unable or unwilling to pay for their lands, or in search of richer soils, sought homes in districts to which the Indian title had not been extinguished. Especially was this the case with the Scotch-Irish, who seated themselyes on the west of the Susquehanna, on the Juniata and its tributary streams, in the Tuscarora Valley, in the Great and Little Coves formed by the Kittatinny and the Tuscarora hills, and at the Big and Little Connolloways. Some of these settlements were commenced prior to 1740, aifd rapidlj' increased, in despite of the complaints of the Indians, the laws of the I'rovincc, or the proclamations of the Governor. An alarming crisis was at hand. The French, now hovering around the great lakes, sedulously applied themselves to seduce the Indians from their allegiance to the English. The Shawanese had already joined them ; the Dela- wares waited only for an opportunity to revenge their wrongs ; and of the Six Nations, the Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas, were wavering. To keep the Indians in favor of the Province required much cunning diplomacy and expensive presents. In this alarming juncture the old flame of civil dissension burst out with increased force. The presents to the Indians, with the erection of a line of forts along the frontier, and the maintenance of a military force, drew heavily upon the provincial purse. The Assembly, the popular branch, urged that the Proprietary estates should be taxed, as well as those of humble individuals. The Proprietaries, through their deputies, refused, and pleaded prerogative charter, and law ; the Assembly in turn pleaded equity, common danger, and common benefit, requiring a common expense. The Proprietaries offered bounties in lands yet to be conquered from the Indians, and the privileo-e of issuing more paper money ; the Assembly wanted something more tangible. The Assembly passed laws, laying taxes, and granting supplies, but annexing conditions ; the Governors opposed the conditions, but were willing to aid tlie Assembly in taxing the people, but not the Proprietaries. Here were the germs of revolution, not fully maturerl until twenty years later. In the mean-' time, the frontiers were left exposed, while these frivolous disputes continued. The pacific principles, too, of the Quakers, and Dunkards, and Mennonists, and Schwenckfelders, came in to complicate the strife ; but as the danger increased they prudently kept aloof from public oflice, leaving the managetnent of the war to sects less scrupulous. The pulpit and the press, says Armoi" were deeply involved in the discussion, and the population was divided into opposing factions upon this question. GENERAL HISTORY. 79 The treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was scarcely regarded more than a truce by the French in America. Eager to extend their territories, and to connect their northern possessions with Louisiana, they had projected a line of forts and military posts from the one to the other along the Mississippi and the Ohio. They explored and occupied the land upon the latter stream, buried in manj' places leaden plates with inscriptions declaratory of their claims to that river and the lands adjacent thereto. Establishing themselves at Presqu'Isle, the French proceeded southward, erected a fort at Au Boeuf, and one at the mouth of French Creek, known as Fort Machault. This intention being communicated to Governor Dinwiddle, of Virginia, he dispatched George Washington, in the autumn of 1753, 1753. to inquire by what right these encroachments were made. Having performed his journey, which took about two months to accomplish, he, reported the answer of Legardeau St. Pierre, the commandant upon the Ohio, dated at the fort on Le Boeuf River, which was evasive. The English government having learned the designs and operations of the French, who pretended they derived their claims to the Ohio River and its appurtenances from the discovery of La Salle sixty years previous, remonstrated with the Court of Versailles, but to no purpose. Deceived, they resolved to oppose force with force. Accordingly, to combine the efforts of the colonies, if possible, a conference was ordered by the ministry at Albany, in July, 1754, to which the Six 1754. Nations were invited. Governor Hamilton, unable to be present, com- missioned Messi-s. John Penn and Richard Peters, of the Council, and Isaac Norris and Benjamin Franklin, of the Assembly, who carried with them £500 as the Provincial present to the Indians. Althouo-h not satisfactory in its results to the confederated council, the Pennsylvania commissioners secured a great part of the land in the Province, to which the Indian title was not extinct, comprehending the lands lying southwest of a line beo-inning one mile above the mouth of Penn's Creek, and running northwest by west " to the western boundary of the State." So far, however, from striking the western, it struck the northern boundary a little west of Conewingo Creek. The Shawanese, Delawares, and Monseys, on the Susque- hanna, Juniata, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers, thus found their lands " sold from under their feet," which the Six Nations had guaranteed to them on their removal from the eastern waters. It was highly dissatisfactory to these tribes, and was a partial cause of their alienation from the English interest. In this convention, however, a plan was proposed for a political union, and adopted on the 4th of July. It was subsequently submitted to the home o-overnment and the Provincial Assemblies. The former condemned it, says Franklin, as too democratic ; the latter rejected it, as containing too much prerogative. In Pennsylvania it was negatived without discussion. CHAPTER V. PROPRIETARY RULE. FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. BRADDOCK's EXPEDITION. INDIAN RAVAGES ON THE FRONTIER. 1754-1756. pNSIGN WARD, while engaged in completing a stockade at the forks of the Ohio, was surprised by the appearance of a large French force, under Contrecceur. The Ensign "was obliged to surrender his position and retreat. The driving of the Virginia troops from the Ohio and the erection of Fort Duquesne by the French force, aroused the Virginia authorities, and Governor Hamilton strongly urged the Pennsylvania Assembly to organize the militia in aid of Governor Dinwiddle's preparations against the French. This body, always factious, evaded the subject, by questioning the invasion of the Province, declaring the action of the Governor as imprudent, and adjourned. Virginia, however, raised a force of three hundred men, under command of Colonel Fry and Lieutenant-Colonel Washington, and near the Great Meadows, a detachment of the French force, under Jumonville, seat to intercept the Virgi- nians, was defeated, and their commander killed. Near that point Fort Necessity was erected by Colonel Washington, who succeeded to the command by the death of Colonel Pry, being reinforced by two companies of regulars. Marching out with his little band to dislodge the French from Fort Duquesne, recently erected by them, the advance of a large force of the enemy compelled the young comman- der to fall back to his stockade, which they immediately prepared to strengthen. Before it was completed they were attacked by the French under M. de Villier. Notwi.thstanding an obstinate defence, Washington was obliged to capitulate. His courage and conduct, however, were greatly applauded. On receiving the news of Washington's defeat. Governor Hamilton convened the Assembly in special session on the 6th of August, but unpleasant altercations between the executive and legislative were produced,' "and their labors were nugatory." Robert Hunter Morris* succeeded Governor Hamilton in October, the latter having requested to be relieved from his duties. A new Assembly had been elected about the time of his arrival. At its session in December, the Governor com- municated to it the royal order for a concert with the other colonies, commanding them not only to act vigorously in defence of their own government, but to aid the other colonies to repel every hostile attempt. This body were well aware of the progress of the French, of their completion of Fort Duquesne, and their pre- parations to occupy the country of the Twightwees with numerous settlers. The * Robert Hunter Morris was the eldest son of Lewis Morris, Chief Justice of New York and New Jersey, born about 1699. On the appointment of his father to the governor- ship of New Jersey, In 1731, the son succeeded hitn as Chief Justice of that State, a position he held until 1757, when he resigned the office. He was Lieutenant-Governor of the Pro- vince of Pennsylvania from 1754 to 1756. He died tlie 20th of February, 1764. 80 GENERAL HISTOKY. 81 Six Nation Indians, now more numerous on the western waters than in their ancient seats, cold to the English cause, and divided among themselves, barely- maintained their neutrality. The small bodj' of English troops, collected on the frontiers, was weakened by desertion and corrupted by insubordination. The Indians who still adhered to the Province, and had retired before the French, were seated at Aughwiek. They admired the courage of the enemy, contemned the pacific temper of the Assembly, and were scarcely kept in quiet by the liber- ality of the Province to their families, and its forbearance towards the license of their chiefs. The Assembly prepared a bill for the issue of forty thousand pounds currency, appropriating twenty thousand pounds to the use of the King, redeemable by the excise in twelve years, and the balance to supply the torn and defaced bills of former issues. But the Governor objected the royal instructions, so often urged by his predecessor, yet conceded, that, as he might dispense with the suspending clause in extraordinary cases, he would venture to sanction the bill, if the sum granted to the King were made redeemable within five years. This proposition was unhesitatingly rejected. The government of Great Britain had at length determined to oppose energetically the growing power of the French in America. Two regiments of foot from Ireland, under the command of Colonels Dunbar and Halkett, were ordered to Virginia, to be there reinforced ; and Governor Shirley and Sir William Pepperell were directed to raise two regiments of a thousand men each, to be officered from New England, and commanded by themselves. Pennsyl- vania was required to collect three thousand men for enlistment, to be placed at the disposal of a commander-in-chief of rank and capacity, who would be appointed to command all the King's forces in America ; to supply the troops on their arrival with provisions, and to furnish all necessaries for the soldiers landed or raised within the Province ; to provide the officers with means for traveling; for impressing carriages, and quartering troops. And, as these were " local matters, arising entirely within her government, his Majesty expected the charges thereof to be borne by his subjects within the Province ; whilst articles of more general concern would be charged upon a common fund, to be raised from all the colonies of North America." Toward this fund the Governor was directed to urge the Assembly to contribute liberally, until a union of the northern colonies for general defence could be effected. In answer to a message of the Governor, based on these requisitions, the House referred him to the money bill they had sent him ; and, after a recapitula- tion of their arguments against his objections, thej' intimated an opinion, that his refusal to pass the bill was occasioned by the Proprietary instructions, which they requested might be shown to them. He evaded a direct answer to this request, but assured them that his instructions were designed to promote the real happiness of the inhabitants, and contained nothing which his duty would not have required had they never been given. And, though it was indecorous and unprecedented for the House to demand their exhibition, still he would com- municate them when necessary for the public service ; it was sufficient now, to say that he was instructed by the Proprietaries earnestly to recommend to them the defence of the Province, not only by the grant of money to the King, but by F 82 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. the establisliment of a regular militia, the purchase of arms and military stores, and the erection of magazines. He would add, he said, to his former reasons for negativing their bill, the present state of the treasury, which did, or ought to, contain fifteen thousand pounds, and had an annual revenue of seven thousand per annum. With these resources, and a rich and numerous population, he deemed it unpardonable to disobey the royal instructions. The Assembly now seized on the Governor's denial of a precedent to the call for Proprietary instructions. Thej' adverted to the right of Parliament to ask from tiie Crown such information as they deemed necessary', and thence inferreil their own right to inspect his instructions, which they supported by examples from the administrations of Sir William Keith and Colonel Thomas. Then, assuming his instructions to be inconsistent with their views, they declined to proceed further in their public labors until, by a knowledge of the Proprietary designs, they might be enabled to labor^ successfully. The public service now required this ; and, as they were about to address the King in support of their civil and religious liberties, the Proprietary instructions, their force, and validity, would form the great burden of their petition, unless satisfied by the Governor that remonstrance on that subject was unnecessary'. But this threat availed not. Mr. Morris denied their right, and persisted in his refusal. The pertinacity of the Governor, says Gordon, produced from the House a long address, in which they reviewed all the objections that had been made to tiieir money bills, and dwelt with much earnestness upon the injustice and tyranny of administering the government by Proprietarj' instructions, kept secret from the people, instead of their constitution. " These instructions," they said, " as they have occasionally been made a part of the public records, have been judged by Governor, council, and representatives, either — 1, Inconsist- ent with the legal prerogative of the Crown, settled by act of Parliament ; 2, or a positive breach of the charter of privileges to the people ; 3, or absurd in their conclusions, and, therefore, impracticable; 4, or void in themselves: therefore, if, after exhibition of his instructions, the Governor, finding them to be such as had heretofore been given, should find reason, notwithstanding the bonds he may have given to follow them, to disobej' them, they would cheerfully grant such further suras for the King's use as the circumstances of the country would bear, and in a manner least burdensome to the iuhabitants." But that no doubt might exist of their disposition to obey the orders of the Crown in all things not forbidden by their consciences, the Assembly unanimously resolved to borrow, on the credit of the House, the sum of £5,000, to be expended in the purchase of fresh provisions, for the use of the King's troops on their arrival, and appointed a committee to negotiate the loan. A series of long and angry messages and replies resulted in a determination on the part of the Assembly to address the King, in testimony of their loyalty and affection, and to represent to him the ditflculties produced by Proprietary instructions. On the 14th of January, Major-General Edward Braddoek, Sir John St. Clair, Adj^itant-General, and the regiments of Dunbar and Halkett sailed 1755. from Cork ; and they arrived early in March at Alexandria, in Virginia, whence they marched to Fredericktown, in Maryland. The place of GENEBAL HISTORY. 83 debarkation was selected with that ignorance and want of judgment which distinguished the British ministry. The country could furnish neither provi- sions nor carnages for the army ; while Pennsylvania, rich in grain, and well stocked with wagons, could readily supply food, and the means to transport the army to any point. The Assembly, apprehending the General to be prejudiced against them, sent Mr. Franklin to undeceive him, with instructions, however, not to assume the character of their agent, but to present himself as Postmaster- General, disposed to make his office subservient to the General's plans. While Franklin was with the army the return of the wagons obtainable was made, from which it appeared that there were not more than twenty-five, and not all of those serviceable. Braddock, says Gordon, was surprised, declared the expedi- tion at an end, and exclaimed against the ministers for having sent them into a country destitute of the means of transportation. On Franklin expressing his regret that the army had not been landed in Pennsylvania, where such means abounded, Braddock seized eagerly on his words, and commissioned him, on liberal terms, to procure one hundred and fifty wagons, and fifteen hundred pack- horses. Franklin, on his return, circulated advertisements through the counties of York, Lancaster, and Cumberland, and by an artful address obtained, in two weeks, all the wagon*, two hundred and fifty pack-horses, and much popularity for himself. He stated in his address that he found the General incensed at the delay of the horses and carriages he had expected from Philadelphia, and disposed to send an armed force to seize the carriages, horses, and drivers necessary for the service. But that he, apprehending the visit of British soldiers, in their present temper, would be very inconvenient to the inhabitants, was desirous to try what might be done by fair and equitable means ; and that an opportunity was now presented of obtaining £30,000 in silver and gold, which would supply the deficiency of the Provincial currency. He expended £800 received from the General, advanced £200 himself, and gave his bonds for the payment of the value of such horses as should be lost in the service, the owners refusing to rely* upon Braddock's promise, alleging that he was unknown to them. The claims made against him in consequence of this engagement amounted to £20,000, and were not settled by the government until after much delay and trouble. The Adjutant-General, immediately on the arrival of the troops, required of Governor Morris that roads should be cut to facilitate their march and the supply of provisions. General Braddock demanded the establishment of a post between Philadelphia and Winchester, the Pennsylvania quota of men, and her portion of the general fund directed to be raised for the public service. The Assembly, specially summoned, met on the 17th of March, and imme- diately provided for the expense of a mail and the opening of the roads; and though they gave no direct encouragement to the raising of troops, they applied themselves assiduously to establish the necessary funds. As the French drew a considerable portion of their supplies from the English colonies, it became expedient to prohibit the expoit of provisions to French ports. This measure was adopted by the Assembly of Pcnns^ylvania with great cheerfulness. A council of the Governors of Kew York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania. 84 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, was held at the Camp at Alexandria, in Virginia, on the 14th of April, 1755, to settle with General Braddock a plan of military operations. Three expeditions were resolved on. The first, against Fort Diiquesne, under the command of General Braddock in person, with the British troops, and such aid as he couid draw from Maryland and Virginia ; the second, against Niagara and Fort Frontignac, under General Shirley, with his own and Fepperell's regiments; and the third, originally proposed by Massachu- setts, against Grown Point, to be executed altogether with colonial troops from New England and New York, under Major-General William Johnson of New York. General Bniddoek removed liis armj' to a post on Wills' Creek, since called BRADDOCK'S BOUTE. Fort Cumberland, where he awaited the wagons and other necessary supplies from Pennsylvania. From this place, confident of success, he informed the Governors of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, that, should he take Fort Duquesne in its present condition, he would, after some additions, garrison it, and leave there the guns, ammunition, and stores he should find- in it. But, should the enemy abandon and destroy the fortifications, as he "apprehended, he would repair the fort, or construct another. In the latter ease he required the necessary means of defence to be furnished by the colonies, and to be forwarded immediately, that he might not be delayed in his progress to Forts Niagara and Frontignac ; he also gave information of the enemy's intention to attack the frontier settlements as soon as he should have marched beyond them. On the 8th of .June General Braddock left Fort Cumberland. Scaroodaya, GENERAL HISTOHY. 85 successor to the Half-King of the Senecas, and Monacatootha, whose acquain- tance Washington had made on the Ohio on his mission to LeBceuf, witli about one hundred and fifty Indians, Senecas and Delawares, accompanied him. George Croghan, the Indian agent of Pennsylvania, and a frontiersman of great value called the "Wild Hunter" or Captain Jack, were also with him. The first brigade, under Sir Peter Halkett, led the way, and on the 9th the main body followed. They spent the third night only five miles from the first. A large spring, bearing^Braddock's name, marks the place of encampment at the present day. The route continued up Braddock's run to the forks of the stream nine miles from Cumberland, when it turned to the left in order to reach a point on the ridge favorable to an easy descent into the valley of George's Creek. " It is surprising," says Mr. Atkinson, who faithfully surveyed the route trodden by that unfortunate army, " that having reached this high ground, the favorable spur by which the national road accomplishes the ascent of the Great Savage Mountain, did not strike the attention of Braddock's engineers, as the labor necessary to surmount the barrier from the deep valley of George's Creek must have contributed greatly to those bitter complaints which the General made against the Provincial government of Pennsylvania in particular, for^their failure to assist him more effectively' in the transportation department." Passing a mile to the south of Frostburg, the road approaches the east foot of Savage Mountain, which it crosses about one mile south of the national road, and thence by very favorable ground, through the dense forests of white pine peculiar to that region, it got to the north of tiie national road, near the gloomy tract called the Shades of Death. This was the 15th of June, when the gloom of the summer woods and the faA'orable shelter which these enormous pines would give an Indian enemy, must have made a most sensible impression on the minds of that devoted army of the insecurity of their mode of advance. This, doubtless, had its share in causing the council of war held at the Little Meadows on the day following. To this place, distant only twenty miles from Cumber- land, Sir John St. Clair and Major Chapman had been dispatched on the 21th of May to build a fort. The conclusion of the council was to push on with a picked force of 1,200 men and twelve pieces of cannon, and the line of march, now more compact, was resumed on the 19th. Passing over ground to the south of the Little Crossings, the army spent the night of the 21st at the Bear Camp, supposed to be about midway to the Great Crossings, which it reached on the 23d. The route thence ' to the Great Meadows, or Fort Necessity, was well chosen, though ovei' a mountainous tract, conforming very nearly to the ground now occupied by the national road, and keeping on the dividing ridge between the waters flowing into the Yo'ughiogheny on the one hand and the Cheat River on the other. On the 30th of June, the army forded the former river at Stewart's Crossings, and thence passed a rough road over a mountain. A few miles onward they came to a great swamp, which detained them part of a day in clearing a road. They next advanced to Salt Lick Creek, now called Jacob's Creek, -where a council of war was held, on the 3d of July, to consider a suggestion of Sir John St. Clair, that Colonel Dunbar's detachment should be ordered to join the main body. This proposal was rejected, on the ground that Dunbar could 86 HISTOB Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. not join them in less than thirteen days ; that this would cause such a consump- tion of provisions as to render it necessary to bring forward another convoy from Port Cumberland; and that in the meantime the French might be strengthened by a reinforcement which was daily expected at Fort Duquesne, and moreover, tlie two divisions could not move together after their junction. On the 4th the army again marched, and advanced to Turtle Creek, about twelve miles fiom its mouth, where they arrived on the Tth. This was the name of the eastern branch of Bushy Run, and the place of encampment was a short distance northerly of the present village of Stewartsville, Westmoreland County. It was General Braddock's intention to cross Turtle Creek, and approach Fort Duquesne, on the other side ; but the banks were so precipitous, and presented such obstacles to crossing with his artillery and heavy baggage, that he hesitated, and Sir John St. Clair went out with a party to reconnoitre. On his return before night, he reported that he had found the ridge which led to Fort Duquesne, but that considerable work would be necessary to prepare a road for crossing Turtle Creek. This route was finally abandoned, and on the 8th the army marched eight miles, and encamped not far from^the Monohgahela, west of the Yougliiogheny, and near what is called, on Scull's map, "Sugar Run." When Braddock reached this place, it was his design to pass through the narrows, but he was informed by the guide, who had been sent out to explore, that the passage was very difficult, about two miles in length, with a river on the left, and -a high mountain on the right, and that much work must be done to make it passable for carriages. At the same time he was told that there were two good fords across the Monongahela, where the water was shallow, and the banks not steep. With these views of the case, he determined to cross the ford the next morning. The order of march was given out, and all the arrangements were made for an early movement. About eight o'clock on the morning of the 9th, the advanced division, under Colonel Gage, crossed the ford and pushed forward. After the whole army had crossed and marched about a mile, Braddock received a note from Colonel Gage, giving notice that he had passed the srtiond ford without difficulty. A little before two o'clock the whole army had crossed this ford, and was arranged in the order of march on the river plateau. Colonel Gage, with the advanced party, was then ordered to march, and while the main body was yet standing on the plain, the action began near the river. Not a single man of the enemy had before been seen. To the brave grenadiers, says Patterson, who had stood firm on the plains of Europe, amid tempests of cannon balls cutting down whole platoons of their comrades, this new species of warfare was perfectly appalling, and unable longer to breast the girdle of fire which enveloped them, they gave way in confusion, involving the whole army in distress, dismay, and disorder. In such a dilemma, with hundreds of his men falling at every discharge, his ranks converted into a wild and reckless multitude, unable to rally and too proud to retreat, Braddock obstinately refused to allow the provincial troops, according to Watson, to fight the Indians in their own way, but with a madness incomprehensible, did his utmost to form the men into platoons and wheel them into close columns. The result was horrible, and the sacrifice of life without a GENERAL HTSTDBT. 87 parallel at that time, in Indian warfare. The Provincial regiments, unable to keep together, spread through the surrounding wood , and by this means did all t)ie execution that was effected. Every man fought for himself, and rushing t6 BBADDOOK'S POBOES SURPRISED BY AN AMBTJSOADB. the trees from behind which gleamed the flash of the rifle, the brave frontiers- men often bayoneted the savage at his post. This perilous enterprise, however, was attended with a terrible sacrifice. Out of three full companies of Virg/iiia troops, but thirty men were left. 88 UlSTUnr OF PENNSYLVANIA. This appalling scene lasted three hours, during which the army stood exposed to the steady fire of a concealed but most deadly foe, and men fell on every side like grass before the sweep of the sickle. Finally, General Braddock, after having five horses killed under hira, fell mortally wounded by the hand of an outraged American named Faucett. At his fall all order gave way, and whal remained of that so lately proud army, rushed heedlessly into the river, abandon- ing all to the fury of the savages and French. Artillery, ammunition, baggage, including the camp chest of General Braddock, all fell into the hands of the victorious enemy. The retreating army rushed wildly forward, and did not stop until coming up to the rear division. So appalled were the latter at the terrible disaster, that the entire army retreated with disgraceful precipitancy to Fort Cumberland. This, according to Smollett, " was the most extraordinary victory ever obtained, and the farthest flight ever made." It was the most disastrous defeat ever sustained by any European army In America. Sixty-three officers and seven hundred and fourteen privates were killed or dangerously wounded. There is, perhaps, no instance upon record, where so great a proportion of officers were killed. Out of the eightj'-lix com- posing the regiment, but twenty-three escaped unhurt. Their brilliant uniform seemed sure marks for the deadly aim of the savage. On that disastrous day the military genius of Washington shone forth with much of that splendor which afterwards made him so illustrious. His courage, energy, bravery, and skill displayed on this occasion marked him as possessed of the highest order of military talents. After the fall of Braddock with his Provin- cial troops, he covered the retreat, and saved the remnant of the army from annihilation. General Braddock was taken to Dunbar's Camp, on the summit of Laurel Hill, where he breathed his last, on the third night after the battle. His body was interred in the centre of the road, and the entire army marched over the spot in order that the remains of the unfortunate General might not be desecrated by savage hands. In 1804, according to the Hon. Andrew Stewart, while repairing the old military road, the remains of General Braddock were re-interred at the foot of a large white oak tree, except a few which found their way into the possession of Mr. Peale, of Philadelphia, and in the conflagration of his museum were finally destroyed. In the correspondence of General Braddock with his government, from the time of his arrival in Virginia to his defeat, he complains that Pennsylvania and Virginia would not give the aid he demanded. The disputes at that period in the Proprietary government, saj'S Duponceau, account in some degree but not sufficiently for these results. The Quaker spirit in Pennsylvania may be sup- posed to have produced them, but it was used as a means instead of a primary cause. It is certain that at that time a leading Quaker, who was speaker of the Assembly, said in debate : " I had rather see Philadelphia sacked three times by the French than vote a single copper for the war." It is easy to see from this the difficulties Braddock had to contend with. Had he received the earnest support of the Province, his success would have been assured. The Scotch- GENERAL HISTORY. 89 Irish, who settled on the frontiers, were busy protecting their own homes, and although several companies offered their services to General Braddock, he did not accept them, not from the motives ascribed to him by most historians, but from the fact that they were actually required at their own firesides, which had alread3' been invaded by the sa\age foe. After the retreat of the array, the savages, unwilling to follow the French in pursuit, fell upon the field and preyed on the rich plunder which lay before them Three years after [1758], by direction of General Forbes, the remains of many of the.slain in Braddock's army were gathered up and buried. The number of French and Indians engaged in this affair has never been fully ascertained, but variously estimated at from four to eight hundred. The commander of the French-Indian force was Captain Beaujeu. Contrecoeur has generally been credited with the victory, but among the records of baptisms and deaths at Fort Duquesne during the 3'ears 1754 and '55, is this entry : " L'an mille sept cinquante cinq le neuf de Julliet a estd tu^ au combat donn^ centre les Anglois et le mesme jour que dessus, Mr. Leonard Daniel, escuyer, Sieur de Beaujeux capitaine d'infenterie commandant du Fort Duquesne et de L'armde, lequel estoit agd d'environt de quarente cinq ans ayant estd en confesse et fait ses devotions le mesme jour, son corps a est^ inhum^ le douze du mesme mOis dans le cimitiere du Fort Duquesne sous le titre de i'Assomption de la Ste Yierge a la belle Riviere et cela avec les ceremonies ordinaires par nous pre Recolet soussignd aumonier du Roy au susdit fort en foy de quoy avons sign^."* Reallj' it matters little to us at the present who was in command of the French and Indians, but in the light of history, " honor be to him to whom honor is due." Dunbar proposed to return with his army, yet strong enough to meet the enemy, to Philadelphia ; but consented, on the remonstrance of the Assembly of Pennsylvania, to keep on the frontiers. He requested a conference with Governor Morris, at Shippensburg ; but Governor Shirley having succeeded to the chief command of the forces in America, though at first he directed Dunbar to j-enew the enterprise on Fort Duquesne, and to draw upon the neighboring Provinces for men and munitions, changed his mind, and determined to employ his troops elsewhere, leaving to the populous Provinces of Pennsylvania, Majyland, and Virginia, the care of their own defence. The consternation at Braddock's defeat was very great in Pennsylvania. The retreat of Dunbar left the whole frontier uncovered ; whilst the inhabitants, unarmed and undisciplined, were compelled hastily to seek the means of defence or of flight. In describing the exposed state of the Province, and the miseries which threatened it, the Governor had occasion to be entirely satisfied with his own eloquence ; and had his resolution to defend it equalled the earnestness of his appeal to the Assembly, the people might have been spared much 'suffering. * Translation. — " M. Leonard Daniel, Esqr., Sieur de Beaujeux, captain of infantry, com- mander of the Fort Duquesne, and of tlie army, on the 9th day of July, in the year 1755, and in the forty-fifth year of his age. The same day, after having confessed and said his devotions, he was killed in battle with the English. His body was interred on the twelfth of the same month, in the cemetery of the Fort Duquesne, at the Beautiful River." 90 HISTOn Y OF PENNS YL VANIA. The Assembly immediately voted fifty thousand pounds to tiic King's use, to be raised by a tax of twelve pence per pound, and twenty shillings per head, yearl3', for two years, on all estates, real and personal, throughout the Province, the Proprietary estate not excepted. This was not in accordance with the Proprietary instructions, and therefore returned by the Governor. In the long discussions which ensued between the two branches of government, the people began to become alarmed, as they beheld with dread the procrastination of the measures for defence, an 1 earnestly' demanded arms and ammunition. The enemj', long restrained by fear of another attack, and scarce crediting his senses when he discovered the defenceless state of the frontiers, now roamed unmolested and fearlessly along the western lines of Virginia, Maryland, and Ponusylvania, committing the most appalling outrages and wanton cruelties which the cupidity and ferocity of the savage could dictate. The first inroads into Pennsylvania were into Cumberland county, whence they were soon extended to the Susquehanna. The inhabitants, dwelling at the distance of from one to three miles apart, fell unresistingly, were captured, or Jied in terror to the interior settlements. The main body of the enemy encamped on the Susquehanna, thirty miles above Harris' Ferry, whence they extended them- selves on both sides the river, below the Kittatinny Mountains. The settle- ments at tlie Great Cove in Cumberland county, now Fulton, were destroyed, and many of the inhabitants slaughtered or made captives, and the same fate fell upon Tulpehocken, upon Mahanoy, and Gnadenhutten. Under date of October 29, John Harris wrote to the Governor : " We expect tlie enemy upon us every day, and the inhabitants are abandoning their planta- tions, being greatlj- discouraged at the approach of such a number of cruel savages, and no sign of assistance. The Indians are cutting ns off every day, and I had a certain account of about fifteen hundred Indians, besides French, being on their march against us and Virginia, and now close on our borders, their scouts scalping our families on our frontiers dailv. Andrew Montour and others at Shamokin desired me to take care ; that there was forty Indians out many days, and intended to burn mj' house and dcstroj' myself and family. I have this day cut holes in my house, and is determined to hold out to the last extremity if I can get some men to stand by me, few of which I j'et can at present, every one being in fear of their own families being cut off every hour (such is our situation). I am informed that a French officer was expected at' Shamokin this week with a party of Delawares and Shawancse, no doubt to take possession of our river ; and, as to the state of the Susquehanna Indians, a great part of them are actually in the French interest ; but if we should raise a number of men immediately as will be able to take possession of some con- venient place up Susquehanna, and build a strong fort in spite of French or Indians, perhaps some Indians may join us, but it is trusting to uncertainty to depend upon them in my opinion. We ought to insist on the Indians declaring either for or against us. As soon as we are prepared for them, we must bid up for scalps and keep the woods full of our people hunting them, or they will ruin our Piovince, for they are a dreadful enemy. We impatiently look for assis- tfiiK'C. I have sent out two Indian spies to Shamokin, tlicy arc Mohawks, and I e-\pect they will return in a day or two. Consider our situation, and rouse 5'our GENERAL HISTORY. 91 people downvvanls, and not let about fifteen hundred villains distress sucU a number of inliabitants as is in Pennsj'lvania, which actually they will, if they possess our provisions and frontiers long, as they now have many thousands of bushels of our corn and wheat in possession already, for the inhabitants goes off nni) leaves all." In consequence of these melancholy tidings, the Governor summoned the Assembly for the 3d of November, when ho laid before them an account of the proceedings of the enemy, and demanded money and a militia law. Petitions were poured in from all parts of the Province ; from the frontier counties, praying for arms and munitions ; from the middle counties, deprecating further resistance to the views of the Governor, and requiring, if it were necessary, a partial sacri- fice of the property of the citizens for the defence of their lives ; and that the religious scruples of the members of the Assembly miglit no longer prevent the defence of the countrj-. B3' tlie middle of the month, the savages had " entered the passes o^ the Blue Mountains, broke into the counties of Lancaster,' Berks, and Northampton, committing murder, devastations, and other kind of horrid mischief," to use tlie ' language of Governor Morris, and 3'et the Assembly delayed tlie measures of defence required of them. The Governor, astonished at the obstinacy of the .Assembly, for such he characterized it, again sent a message requesting that body to strengthen his hands and afford assistance to the back inhabitants, but they lilpd in excuse that they feared the alienating the aifections of the Indians, and in a measure refused to grant the means necessary for the protection of tlie frontiers. In the meantime, the Proprietaries, alarmed by Braddock's defeat, now came forwai'd and offered a donation for defence of £5,000, to be collected from arrears of quit-rents ; but they refused to grant it on any other ground than as a free gift. The Assembly waived their rights for a time, in consideration of the distressed state of the Province, and ])assed a bill to strike £30,000 in bills of credit, based upon the excise. Tliis was approved by the Governor. The cold indifference of the Assembly at such a crisis awoke the deepest indignation throughout the Province. Public meetings were held in various parts of Lancaster and in the frontier counties, at which it was resolved that they would "repair to Philadelphia and compel the provincial authorities to pass proper laws to defend the country and oppose the enemy." In addition, the dead bodies of some of the murdered and mangled were sent to that city and hauled about the streets, with placards announcing that these were ^•ictims of the Quaker policy of non-resistance. A large and threatening mob susronnded the House of Assembly, placed the dead bodies in the doorway, and demanded imme- diate relief for the people of the frontiers. Such indeed were the desperate measures resorted to for self-defence. To guard against the Indian devastations, a chain of forts and block-houses were erected at an expense of eighty-iive thousand pounds, bj' the Province of Pennsyh'ania, along the Kittatinny hills, from the river Delaware to the Marj-- land line, commanding the principal passes of the mountains, garrisoned with from tvvent}' to seventy-five provincials, as the situation and importance of the places respective!}' required. The Moravians of Bethlehem cheerfully fortified 92 HISTORY OF L'MNNSTLVANIA. their town and took up arms in self-defence. Franklin took up the sword, and, with his son William, raised without difficulty over five hundred men, proceeded to the frontier, and assisted in erecting and garrisoning the line of forts. AS KAIILY MAP OF I HE PROVINCE OP PENNSYLVANIA. (Prom Uuuiphrey'i Aooouot or tho Mlutoos.) CHAPTEE yi. REWAED FOR INDIAN SCALPS. DESTRUCTION 'oP KITTANNING. EXPEDITION OF GENERAL FORBES. PONTIAO's CONSPIRACY. BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION. 1756-1763. aggravating had the enemy's conduct become, so terribly desolated the homes of the frontiersmen, that Governor Morris issued a pro- clamation on the 14th of April, offering the following bounties, hoping thereby to incite not only the energies of the soldiers, but to alarm those Indians who were still friendly : " For every male Indian enemy above twelve years old who shall be taken prisoner and delivered at any forts, 1756. garrisoned by the troops in pay of this Province, or at any of the county towns to the keepers of the common jails there, the sum of one hun- dred and fifty Spanish dollars or pieces of eight; for the scalp of every male Indian enemy above the age of twelve years, produced as evidence of their being killed, the sum of one hundred and thirty pieces of eight ; . for every female Indian taken prisoner and brought in as aforesaid, and for every male Indian prisoner under the age of twelve years, taken and brought in as aforesaid, one hundred and thirty pieces of eight; for the scalp of every Indian woman, pro- duced as evidence of their being killed, the sum of fifty pieces of eight; and for every English subject that has been taken and carried from this Province into captivity that shall be recovered and brought in and delivered at the city of Philadelphia to the Governor of this Province, the sum of one hundred and fifty pieces of eight, but nothing for their scalps ; and that there shall be paid to every officer or soldier as are or shall be in the pay of this Province who shall redeem and deliver any English subject carried into captivity as aforesaid, or shall take, bring in, and produce any enemy prisoner, or scalp as aforesaid, one-half of the said several and respective premiums and bounties." This proclamation gave great offence to the Assembly, but the times were perilous, and the bounties were absolutely necessary to secure the protection of the borders. To the credit of the hardy pioneers of Pennsylvania be it said, no Indian was wantonly killed for the sake of the reward. On the 20th of August, William Denny* arrived in the Province, superseding Governor- Morris. He was hailed with joy by the Assembly, who flattered them- selves that with a change of government there would be a change of measures. Upon making known the Proprietary instructions, to which he stated he was compelled to adhere, all friendly feeling was at an end, and there was a renewal of the old discord. Before Governor Morris was superseded, he concerted with Colonel John * William Denny, a native of England, born September, 1718, was well educated and in high favor at Court. He was Lieutenant-Governor of Pennsylvania from August, 1756, to October, 1759. Returning to England on his removal from office, he spent the remainder of his days in retirement on an annuity from the Crown. He died previous to the War of Independence. 9a U4 lUHTOli Y OF FENNS YL VANIA. Airasti'orig an expedition against ttie Indian town of Kittanning, on the Alle gheny, tlie stronghold of Captains Jacobs and Shingas, tlie most active Indiau chiefs, and from whence they distributed their war parties along the frontier. On the arrival of Governor Denny, Morris communicated the plan of his enter- prise to him and his Council. Colonel Armstrong marched trom Fort Shirley on the 30th of August, with three hundred men, having with him, besides other officers, Captains Hamilton, Mercer, Ward, and Potter. On the 2d of September he joined an advance party at the Beaver dams, near Frankstown. On the 7th, in the evening, within six miles of Kittanning, the scouts discovered a flre in the road, and around it, as they reported, three, or at most, four, Indians. It was deemed prudent not to attack this partj' ; but lest some of them should escape and alarm the town, Lieutenant Hogg and twelve men were left to watch them, with orders to fall upon them at day-break. The main body, making a circuit, proceeded to the village. Guided by the whooping of the Indians at a dance, the army approached the place by the river, about one hundred perches below the town, at three o'clock in the morning, near a cornfield, in which a number of the enemy were lodged, out of their cabins, on account of the heat of the weather. As soon as the dawn of day made the town visible the troops attacked it through the corn- field, killing several of the enemy. Captain Jacobs, their principal chief, sounded the war-whoop, and defended his house bravely through loop-holes in the logs; and the Indians generally refused quarter, which was offered them, declaring that they were men, and would not be prisoners. Colonel Armstrong, who had received a musket ball in his shoulder, ordered their houses to be set on flre over their heads. Again the Indians were required to surrender, and again refused, one of them declaring that he did not care for death, as he could kill four or five before he died, and as the heat approached some of them began to sing. Others burst from their houses and attempted to reach the river, but were instantly shot down. Captain Jacobs, in getting out of a window, was shot, as also a squaw, and a lad called the king's son. The Indians had a number of small arms in their houses, loaded, which went off in quick succession as the fjre came to them ; and quantities of gunpowder, which vyere stored in every house, blew up from time to time, throwing some of the bodies of the enemy a great height in the air. A party of Indians on the opposite side of the river fired on the troops, and were seen to cross the river at a distance, as if to surround them ; but they contented themselves with collecting some horses which were near the town to carrj- off their wounded, and then retreated without attempting to take from the cornfield those who were killed there in the beginning of the action. Several of the enemy were killed in the river as they attempted to escape by fording it, and between thirtj' and forty in the whole were destroyed. Eleven English prisoners were released, who informed that, besides the powder, of which the Indians boasted they had enough for ten years' war with the English, there was a great quantity of goods burned, which the French had pre- sented to them but ten days before ; that two batteaux of French Indians were to join Captain Jacobs to make an attack upon Fort Shirley, and that twentv- four warriors had set out before them on the preceding evening. These proved to 1)0 the party discovered around the fire, as the troops approached Kittanning. GENERAL HISTORY. 95 Pursuant to ids orders, and relying upon the report made by the scouts, Lieu- tenant Hogg had attacked them, and killed three at the first fire. He, however, found them too strong for his force, and having lost some of his liest men, the others fled, leaving him wounded, overlooked by the enemy in their pursuit of the fugitives. He was saved by the army on their return. Captain, afterwards General, Mercer was wounded in the action af Kittanning, but was carried off safely by his men. The corporation of Philadelphia, on occasion of this victory, on the 5th of January following, addressed a complimentary letter to Colonel Armstrong, thanking him and his officers for their gallant conduct, and presented him with a piece of plate. A medal was also struck, having for device an officer followed by two soldiers, the officer pointing to a soldier shooting from behind a tree, and an Indian piostrate before him; in the baclc-ground Indian houses in flames. Legend: Kittanning destroyed by .Colonel Armstrong, September the 8th, 1756. Eeuerse Device: The arms of the corporation. Legend: The gift of the corpo- ration of Philadelphia. The destruction of the town of Kittanning, and the Indian families there, was a severe stroke on the savages. Hitherto the English had not assailed them in their towns, and ihey fancied that they would not venture to approach them. But now, though urged by an unquenchable thirst of vengeance to retaliate the blow they liad received, they dreaded that in their absence on war parties, their wigwams might be reduced to ashes. Such of tliem as belonged to Kittanning, and had escaped the carnage, refused to settle again on the east of Fort Du- quesne, and resolved to place that fortress and the French garrison between them and the English. On the 8th of November, 1756, began the Grand Cduncil at Easton, between Governor Denny and the Delaware King Teedyuscung and other chiefs and warriors. Teedyuscung was the chief speaker on this occasion, and with .i Benjamin Loxley, William- Robinson, Ruloff Alberson, James Irvine. O ENERA L Hia TO liY. U5 Philadelphia county — George Gray, John Bull, Samuel Ashmead, Samuel Irvine, John Roberts, Thomas Ashton, Benjamin Jacobs, John Moore, Samuel Miles, Edward Milnor, Jacob Laughlan, Melchior Waggoner. Chester county — Anthony Wayne, Hugh Lloyd, "Richard Thomas, Francis Johnson, Samuel Fairlamb, Lewis Davis, William Montgomery, Joseph Mus- grave, Joshua Evans, Persifor Prazer. Lancaster county — Adam Simon Kuha, James Clemson, Peter Grubb, Sebas- tian G^^atf, David Jenkins, Bartram Galbraith. York county — James Smith, Thomas Hartley, Joseph Donaldson, George Bichelberger, John Hay, George Irwin, Michael Smyser. Cumberland county — James Wilson, Robert Magaw. Berks county — Edward Biddle, Christopher Schultz, Jonathan Potts, Sebas- tian Levan, Mark Bird, John Patton, Baltzer Gehf : iJortEampton county — George Taylor, John Oakley, Peter Kichline, Jacob Arndt. "Tforthumberland county — William" Plunkett, Caspei' Weitz el. After the organization of the Convention, General Joseph Reed being chosen chairman, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted : " That the committee of the city of Philadelphia, and each county committee, shall have one vote in determining every question that may come before this convention. " That this convention most heartily approve of the conduct and proceedings of the Continental Congress. That we will faithfully endeavor to carry into execution the measures of the association entered into and recommended by them, and that the members of that very respectable body merit our warmest thanks by their great and disinterested labors for the preservation of the rights and liberties of the British Colonies. " That it be, and it is hereby, recommended to the several members of this convention to promote and encourage instructions, or advise from their several counties to their representatives in General Assembly to procure a law prohibit- ing the future importation of slaves into this Province. " That in case the trade of the city and liberties of Philadelphia shall be suspended in consequence of the present struggle, it is the opinion of this con- vention that the several counties should, and that the members of this conven- tion will exert themselves to afford all the necessary relief and assistance to the inhabitants of the said city and liberties, who will be more immediately aflfected by such an event. "That if any opposition shall be given to any of the committees of this Pro- Tince in carrying the association of the Continental Congress into execution, the committees of the other counties, in order to preserve the said association inviolate, will give all the weight and assistance in their power to the committee who shall meet with such opposition, " That it is the most earnest wish and desire of this convention to see harmony restored between Great Britain and the Colonies. That we will exert our utmost endeavors for the attainment of that most desirable object. That )t is the opinion of this body that the commercial opposition pointed out by the Conti- nental Congress, if faithfully adhered to, will be the means of rescuing this I i6 HISTOB T OF PFNNS TL VANIA. unhappy country from the evils meditated against it. But if the humble and loyal petition of said Congress to his most gracious Majesty should be disre- garded, and the British administration, instead of redressing our grievances, should determine by force to effect a submission to the late arbitrary acts of the British Parliament, in such a situation we hold it our indispensable duty to resist such force, and at every hazard to defend the rights and liberties of America. "Whereas, It has been judged necessary for the preservation of our just rights and liberties to lay a restraint on our importation, and as the freedom, happiness, and prosperity of a State greatly depend on providing within itself a supply of articles necessary for subsistence, clothing, and defence, a regard for our country as well as common prudence call upon us to encourage agriculture, manufactures, and economy. Therefore this convention do resolve as follows : " That from and after the first day of March next, no person or persons should use in his, her, or their families, unless in cases of necessity, and on no account sell to the butchers, or kill for the market, any sheep under four years old. And where there is a necessity for using any mutton in their families it is recommended to them to kill such as are the least profitable to keep. " That we recommend the setting up of woollen manufactories in as many different branches as possible ; especially coating, flannel, blankets, rugs, or coverlids, hosiery, and coarse cloths, both broad and narrow. " That we recommend the raising and manufacturing of madder, wood, and such other dye-stuffs as may be raised in this Province to advantage, and are absolutely necessary in the woollen manufactures. " That each person having proper land should raise a quantity of flax and hemp, suflScient not only for the use of his own family, but also to spare to others on moderate terms. And that it be recommended to the farmers to provide themselves early with a sufficient quantity of seed for the proposed increase of the above articles of hemp and flax. " As salt is a daily and almost indispensable necessary of life, and the making of it among ourselves must be esteemed a valuable acquisition, we, therefore, recommend the making of it in the manner used in England and other countries, and are of opinion it may be done with success in the interior parts of the Pro- vince where there are salt springs, as well as on the sea coasts. " That saltpetre being an article of great use and consumption, we recommend the making of it, and are further of opinion it may be done to great advantage. " That the necessity we may be under for gunpowder, especially in the Indian trade, induces us to recommend the manufacturuig that article as largely as possible by such persons who are or may be owners of powder mills in this Province. " That we recommend the manufacturing of iron into nails and wire, and all other articles necessary for carrying on our manufactures evidently in general use, and which, of consequence, should our unhappy differences continue, will be in great demand. " That we are of opinion the making of steel ought to be largely prosecuied as the demand for this article will be great. "That we recommend the making of different kinds of paper now in use among us, to the several manufactures ; and as the' success of this branch depends OENEBAL HISTOBT. • 147 on a supply of old linen and woollen rags, request the people of this Province, in their respective houses, may order the necessary steps to be taken for preserv- ing these otherwise useless articles. " That as the consumption of glass is greater than the glass houses now established among us can supply, we recommend the setting up of other glass houses, and arc of opinion they would turn out to the advantage of the proprie- tors. 'i That whereas wool combs and cards have, for some time, been manufactured m some of the neighboring colonies, and are absolutely necessary for carrying on the hosiery and clothing business, we do recommend the establishing such a manufactory in this Province. " That we also recommend the manufacturing of copper into sheets, bottoms, and kettles. " That we recommend the erecting a greater number of fulling mills and mills for breaking, swingling, and softening hemp and flax, and also the making of grindstones in this country. " That as the brewing of large quantities of malt liquors within this Province would tend to render the consumption of foreign liquors less necessary, it is, therefore, recommended that proper attention be given to the cultivation of bar- ley ; and that the several brewers, both in city and country, do encourage it by giving a reasonable and suflBcient price for the same. " That we recommend to all the inhabitants of this Province, and do promise for ourselves in particular, to use our own manufactures, and those of the other colonies in preference to all others. " That for the more speedy and effectually putting these resolves into execu- tion, we do earnestly recommend societies may be established in different parts, and are of opinion that premiums ought to be granted in the several counties to persons who may excel in the several branches of manufactory, and we do further engage that we, in our separate committees, will promote them to the utmost of our power. " That if any manufacturer or vender of goods and merchandise in this Pro- vince shall take advantage of the necessities of his country, by selling his goods or merchandise at an unusual and extravagant profit, such person shall be considered as an enemy to his country, and be advertised as such by the commit- tee of the place where such ofi"ender dwells. " That we recommend the making tin plates, as an article worthy the attention of the people of this Province. " That as printing types are now made to a considerable degree of perfection by an ingenious' artist in Germantown, it is recommended to the printers to use such types in preference to' any which may be hereafter imported. " That the committee of correspondence for the city and liberties of Philadel- phia be a standing committee of correspondence for the several counties here represented, and that if it should at any time hereafter appear to the committee of the city and liberties that the situation of public affairs render a provincial convention necessary, that the said committee of correspondence do give the earliest notice thereof to the committees of the several counties." The crisis to which the convention looked forward when framing these resolves, 148 HIS TOE Y OF PENNS YL VANIA . SEAL. OF TUK COMMITTEE 0^■ SAFETV^1775. had arrived. The battle of Lexington was subsequently fought, and submission to the arbitrary acts of Parliament was attempted to be enforced by the bayonet. Congress at their session in May having resolved to raise a Continental army, oC which the Pennsylvania portion amounted to four thousand three hundred men, the Assembly recommended to the commissioners of the several counties, as they regarded the freedom, welfare, and safety of their country, to provide arms and accoutre- ments for this force : they also directed the officers of the military association to select a number of minute men, equal to the number of arms which could be procured, who should hold themselves n readiness to march at the shortest notice to any quarter, in case of emergency ; they made further i ppropriations for the defence of the city against attacks by vessels of war, and directed the purchase of all the saltpetre that should be manufactured within the next six months at a premium price. To assist in carrying into eflfect these measures, on the 30th of June, a Committee of Safety, consisting of the following persons, were appointed : City of Philadelphia — Thomas Wharton, Jr., Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Morris, .Ir., Robert Morris, Francis Johnston, John Cadwallader, Owen Biddle, Thomas Willing, Andrew Allen, Robert White. Philadelphia County — John Dickinson, George Gray, Daniel Roberdeaa, Richard Reily. Bucks — Henry Wynkoop. Chester — Anthony Wayne, Benjamin Bartholomew. Lancaster — George Ross. York — Michael Swope. C umberland — John Montgomery. Northampton — William Edmunds. Berks — Edward Biddle. Bedford — Bernard Dougheity. Northumberland — Samuel Hunter. Westmoreland— William Thompson. This body immediately organized by the appointment of Benjamin Franklin, president, William Garrett, clerk, and Michael_Hillegas, treasurer. For the pay and support of the associated troops called into service for the defence of the Province, the Assembly directed the issuing bills of credit for thirty-five thousand pounds. Among the first labors of the Committee of Safety was that of preparing articles for the government of the military organizations known as Associators. On the 19th of August, the following Articles of Association of Pennsylvania ■were adopted : "We, the officers and soldiers, engaged in the present association for the defence of American liberty, being fully sensible that the strength and security of any body of men, acting together, consists in just regularity, due GJSNSRAL HISTOBY. 149 subordination, and exact obedience to command, without which no individual can have that confidence in the support of those about him, that is so necessarj' to give firmness and resolution to the whole, do voluntarily and freely, after consideration of the following articles, adopt the same as the rules by which we agree and resolve to be governed in all our military concerns and operations, until the same, or any of them, shall be changed or dissolved by the Assembly, or Provincial Convention, or in their recess by the Committee of Safety, or a happy reconciliation shall take place between Great Britain and the Colonies. " 1st. If any officer make use of any profane oath or execration, when on duty, he shall forfeit and paj"-, for each and every such oflence, the sum of five shillings. And if a non-commissioned oflScer or soldier be thus guilty of cursing or swearing, he shall forfeit and pay, for each and every such offence, the sum of one shilling. " 2nd. Any ofiBcer or soldier who shall refuse to obey the lawful orders of his superior officer, may be suspended from doing duty on that day, and shall upon being convicted thereof before a regimental court martial, make such concessions as said court martial shall direct. "3rd. Any ofrfcer or soldier who shall begin, excite, cause, join in, or promote any disturbance in the battalion, troop, or companj', to which he belongs, or in any other battalion, troop, or company, shall be censured accord- mg to the nature of the offence, by the judgment of a regimental court martial. " 4th. Any officer or soldier who shall strike his superior officer, or draw or offer to draw, or shall lift up any weapon, or offer any violence against him, being in the execution of his oflTice, shall, upon conviction before a regimental court martial, be dismissed, and shall be deemed to be thereby disgraced as unworthy the company of freemen. " 5th. Any commanding or other officer who shall strike any person when on duty, shall, upon conviction before a general court martial, be in a like manner dismissed and disgraced. " 6th. Any officer or non-commissioned officer or soldier, who shall make use of insolent, provoking, or indecent language while on duty, shall suffer censure or fine as shall be inflicted by a regimental court martial, according to the nature of the offence. " tth. If any officer or soldier should think himself injured by his colonel, or the commanding officer of the battalion, and shall upon due application made to him, be refused redress, he may complain to the general of the Pennsylvania Associators, or to the colonel of any other battalion, who is to summon a general court martial, and see that justice be done. "8th. If any inferior officer or soldier shall think himself injured by his captain, or other superior officer in the battalion, troop, or company to which he belongs, he may complain to the commanding officer of the regiment, who is to summon a regimental court martial, for the doing justice according to the nature of the case. " 9th. No officer, non-commissioned officer, or soldier, shall fail of repair- ing with their arms, ammunition, and accoutrements upon any regular alarm, or at the time fixed, to the place of parade or other rendezvous appointed by the 150 EISTOB T OF PENN8YL VA NIA. commanding oflflcer, if not prevented by sickness or some other evident neces- sity, or shall go from the place of parade without leave from the commanding officer before he shall be regularly dismissed, on penalty of being fined or cen- sured according to the nature of the offence, by the sentence of a regimental court martial. But no officer or soldier shall be obliged to attend to learn the military exercise more than once in a week. " 10th. Any officer or soldier found drunk when under arms, shall be sus- pended from doing duty in the battalion, company, or troop on that day, and be fined or censured, at the discretion of a regimental court martial. " 11th. Whatever sentinel shall be found sleeping upon his post, or shall leave it before he is regularly relieved, shall suffer such penalty or disgrace as shall be ordered by a regimental court martial. " 12th. Whatever commissioned o^cer shall be convicted before a genera) court martial, of behaving in a scandalous or infamous manner unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman, shall be dismissed from the association with disgrace. " 13th. Every non-commissioned officer or soldier who shall be convicted at a regimental court martial of having sold, carelessly lost, wilfully spoiled or wasted, or having offered for sale, any ammunition, arms, 'or accoutrements belonging to this Province, shall be dismissed such battalion, troop, or com- pany, as an unworthy member, and be prosecuted as the law directs. " 14th. All disorders and neglects which officers and soldiers may be guilty of, to the prejudice of the good order and military discipline of the association of this colony, are to be taken cognizance of by a general or regimental court martial, according to the nature and degree of the offence, and be censured at their discretion. " 15th. That on the first meeting of every battalion, after subscribing these articles of association, and from thence forward on the first meeting of every battalion, after the third Monday in September annually, there be chosen two persons, such as are entitled to vote for members of Assembly, out of each com- pany in the respective battalions, by the non-commissioned officers and privates, whose duty and office shall be for the year following, to set and join with the officers in court martial, which persons so chosen shall be styled court martial men. " 16th. Every general court martial shall consist of thirteen members, six of whom shall be commissioned officers under the rank of a field officer, and six court martial men, who shall be drawn by lot out of the whole number, and these twelve are to choose a president, who shall be a field officer and have a casiing voice. " nth. Every regimental court martial shall be composed of seven mem- bers, three officers, three court martial men, and a president, who is to be a captain, and to be chosen by the six, and also to have a casting voice. " 18th. In all courts martial not less than two-thirds of the members must agree in every sentence for inflicting penalties, or for disgracing any assoeiator, otherwise he shall be acquitted. " l^lh. The president of each and every court martial, whether regimental or generpl, shall require all witnesses, in order to trial of offenders, to declare on GENERAL HI8T0EY. 151 their honor, that what they give in as evidence is the truth, and the members ol all courts martial shall make a declaration to the president, and the president to the next rank, upon their honor, that they will give judgment with impartiality. " 20th. All non-commissioned officers, drummers, fifers, or others, that shall be employed and receive pay in any of the battalions, companies, or troops, shall subscribe these rules and regulations, and be subject to such fines, to be deducted from their pay, and to such penalties as a regimental court martial shall think proper, upon being convicted of having transgressed any of these regulations. " 21st. All associators called as witnesses in any case before a court martial, who shall refuse to attend and give evidence, shall be censured or fined, at the discretion of the court martial. " 22d. No officer or soldier being charged with transgressing these rules, shall be suflTered to do duty in the regiment, company, or troop to which he belongs, until he has had his trial by a court martial ; and every person so charged shall be tried as soon as a court martial can be conveniently assembled " 23d. The officers and soldiers of every company of artillery, or othei company, troop, or party that is or shall be annexed to any battalion, shall be subject to the command of the colonel or commanding officer of said battalion, and the officers shall sit as members of courts martial in the same manner as the officers of any other company. " 24th. No penalty shall be infiicted at the discretion of a court martial other than degrading, cashiering, or fining, the fines for the officers not to exceed three pounds, and the fine for a non-commissioned officer or soldier not to exceed twelve shillings for one fault. " 25th. The field officers of each and every battalion shall appoint a person to receive such fines as may arise within the same, for breach of any of these articles, and shall direct those fines to be carefully and properly applied to the relief of the sick, wounded, or necessitous soldiers belonging to that battalion, and such person shall account with the field officers for all. fines received, and the application thereof. " 26th. The general or commander-in-chief of this association, for the time being, shall have full power of pardoning or mitigating any censures or penalties ordered to be inflicted for the breach of any of these articles by any general court martial ; and every offender convicted as aforesaid, by any regimental court martial, may be pardoned, or have his penalties mitigated by the colonel or commanding officer of the battalion, excepting only where such censures or penalties are directed as satisfaction for injuries received by one officer or soldier from another. " 2'Ith. Any officer, non-commissioned officer, or other person, who, having subscribed these articles, shall refuse to make such concessions, pay such fines, or in any other matter refuse to comply with the judgment of any court martial, shall be dismissed the service, and held up to the public as unfriendly to the liberties of America. " 28th. Upon the determination of any point by a regimental court martial, if the officer or soldier concerned on either side thinks himself still aggrieved, he may appeal to a general court martial ; but, if upon second hearing, the 152 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. appeal appears groundless and vexatious, the person so appealing shall bo censured, at the discretion of the general court martial. " 29th. Upon the death, resignation, promotion, or other removal of an officer from any battalion, troop, or company (except field officers), or any court martial men, such vacancy is to be filled by the person or persons such troop or company shall elect. " 30th. No officer or soldier shall be tried a second time for the same oflfence, except in case of appeal. " 31st. All officers and soldiers of every battalion, troop, company, or party of associators, who shall be called by the Assembly, or Committee of Safety in recess of Assembly, into actual service, and be on pay, shall, when acting by themselves, or in conjunction with the Continental forces, be subject to all the rules and articles made by the honorable Congress for the government of the Continental troops. " 32d. No commissioned, non-commissioned officer, or private, shall with- draw himself from the company to which he belongs, without a discharge from the commanding officer of the battalion, nor shall such person be received into any other company without such discharge. " In testimony of our approbation and consent to be governe4 by the above regulations, which have been deliberately read to, or carefully perused by us, we have hereunto set our hands." Many of the citizen soldiers refused to sign and submit to tnese regulations, alleging that numerous persons, rich, and able to perform military duty, claimed exemption under pretence of conscientious scruples, and asserting that where the liberty of all was at stake, all should aid in its defence, and that where the cause was common to all, it was inconsistent with justice and equity that the burden should be partial. Moved by these representations, the Committee of Safety recommended to the Assembly to provide that all persons should be subject to military duty, but that persons conscientiously scrupulous might compound for actual service by a 'pecuniary equivalent. The House, however, was not pre- pared for a measure of so strong a character; and they suflFered their term of office to expire without passing upon the proposition. But this subject was pressed on the early attention of the succeeding Assembly. Congress having recommended to the inhabitants of the several Provinces, between the ages of sixteen and fifty, to organize themselves into regular companies of militia, gave new occasion to the associators to urge the Assembly to put all the inhabitants in this respect on an equal footing. The Friends, who were the most afl'ected by coei'cion to military service, addressed the Legislature, setting forth their religious faith and practice with respect to bearing arms, and claiming exemption from military service by virtue of the thirty-fifth section of the laws agreed upon in England, and the first clause of the charter granted by Penn. The Mennonists and German Baptists also remonstrated, praying exemption, yet, while doing so, they were not unwilling to contribute pecuniary aid. The principles of the Quakers were severely denounced by the associators as unfriendly to the liberties of America, destructive of all society and government, and highly refiecting on the glorious revolutions which placed the present royal family on the throne. " Though GENERAL HISTOEY. 153 firmly persuaded," they said, " that a majority of the society have too much sincerity, wisdom, and good sense, to be influenced by such principles ; yet duty to ourselves, to our country, and our posterity, at this alarming crisis, constrains us to use our utmost endeavors to prevent the fatal consequences that might attend your compliance with the application of the people called Quakers, These gentlemen would withdraw their persons and fortunes from the service of their country at a time when most needed ; and if the patrons and friends of liberty succeed in the present glorious struggle, they and their posterity will enjoy ail the advantages, without jeoparding person or property. Should the friends of liberty fail, they will risk no forfeitures, but having merited the protection and favor of the British ministry, will probably be rewarded by promotion to office. This they seem to desire and expect. Though such conduct manifestly tends to defeat the virtuous and wise measures pla;nned by the Congress, and is obviously selfish, ungenerous, and unjust, yet we would animadvert upon the arguments they have used to induce the House to favor and support it." Thus urged, the Assembly resolved that "all persons between' the ages of sixteen and fifty, capable of bearing arms, who did not associate for the defence of the Province, ought to contribute an equivalent for the time spent by the associators in acquiring military discipline ; ministers of the gospel of all denominations, and servants purchased bona-fide for valuable consideration, only excepted." By this resolution the principle which still regulates the fines for neglect or refusal of military service was established. The military association, originally a mere voluntarj- engagement, became, by the resolutions of the Assembly, now having the eflect of laws, a compulsory militia. Returns were required from the assessors of the several townships and wards of all persons within military age, capable of bearing arms ; and the captains of the companies of associators were directed to furnish to their colonels, and the colonels to the county commissioners, lists of such persons as had joined the association ; and the commissioners were empowered to assess on those not associated the sum of two pounds ten shillings annually, in addition to the ordinary tax. The Assembly also adopted rules and regulations for the better government of the military association, the thirty-fifth article of which provided " that if any associator called into actual service, should leave a family not of ability to maintain themselves in his absence, the justices of the peace of the proper city or county, with the overseers of the poor, should make provision for their maintainance." CHAPTER IX. THE BATTLE-DRUM OF THE REVOLUTION. THE PENNSYLVANIA NAVY. THE PRO- VINCIAL OONPERENCE. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. THE CONVEN- TION or 1776, AND THE END OF PROPRIETARY RULE. 1775-1776. j ITHIN ten days, says Mr. Linn, after the news of the battle of Bun- ker's Hill had reached the Province of Pennsylvania, her first rifle regiment was officered and completed, many of the eight companies numbering one hundred men. It was commanded by Colonel William Thompson, of Cumberland county, wliom Lossing by mistake credits to Vir- ginia. The companies were severally under the command of Captains James Chambers, Robert Cluggage, Michael Doudle, William Hendricks, John Lowdon, James Ross, Matthew Smith, and George Nagel. The regiment upon its organi- zation at once marched to the relief of Boston, where they arrived about the last of Jul3'. They were the first companies south of the Hudson to arrive in Massachusetts, and naturally excited much attention. They were stout and hardy yeomanry, the flower of Pennsylvania's frontiersmen, and according to Thatcher, " remarkable for the accuracy of their aim." This command became, in January, 1776, the " First Regiment of the Army of the United Colonies, commanded by General George Washington." Two companies of this battalion. Captains Smith and* Hendricks, were subsequently ordered to accompany General Arnold in his unsuccessful expedition to Quebec. Their term of service was for one year. The Committee of Safety held its sessions almost daily in Philadelphia. Their duties, says Dr. Smith, were arduous in the extreme. It is indeed difficult to comprehend how a body of men could control and direct such an amount of business, in all its details, as was brought under their notice, and no adequate idea can be formed of their labors. On the 20th of October a new committee was appointed, the old members con- tinuing except Thomas Willing and Robert White, of Philadelphia; William Edmunds, of Northampton ; William Thompson, of Westmoreland ; James Mease, George Olymer, Pavid Rittenhouse, John Nixon, Sapuel Howell, and Alexander Wilcocks, of the city of Philadelphia. Joseph Reed and Samuel Miles, of the county, George Taylor, of Northampton, and James Biddle, of Berks, were added. The same organization was effected, and until the 22d of July, 1776, it was the moving power of the State. The troops ordered by Congress were immediately raised, measures taken towards the defence of the Delaware river, both by means of chevaux-de-frize and the construction of an armed flotilla. With great promptness, on the 7th of July, John Wharton was directed to procure materials and make preparations for building a boat or calevat, of which he was to exhibit a model on the next day. Mr. Wharton, equally prompt, produced his model on the 8th, and was 154 GENERAL SISTOBY. I55 then directed to immediately build a boat or calevat of forty-seven or fifty feet keel, thirteen feet broad, and four and a half feet deep. On the 10th, Manuel Eyre was directed to build a boat according to a model produced by him, and on the 15th the sub-committee was directed to build twelve boats, including the two already ordered. The first officers, Captain Henry Dougherty and Captain John Rice, were appointed on the 17th of July, 1715. The first boat launched was from the yard of John Wharton, on the 19th of July, and was called the Experiment, the command of which was assigned to Captain Henry Dougherty. The second boat launched was the Bull Dog, from the ship yard of Manuel Eyre, at Kensington, on the 26th of July, and Captain Charles Alexander assigned to its command. This was the commencement of the Pennsylvania State Navy, antedating three months the first legislation of Congress (October 13, 1775), in regard to a navy. The names of the builders of the greater part of the vessels have come down to us. The Franklin and Congress were built by Manuel Eyre; the Washington by John Wharton; the Burke by Warnock Coates; the Hancock by William Williams ; the Camden by Simoi^ Sherlock ; the Effingham by Casdrop and Ful- lerton; the Ranger by Samuel Robins; the Dickinson by John Rice, and the Warren by Joseph Marsh. Among the first commissions issued subsequent to those above mentioned were those of Nicholas Biddle, as Captain of the Franklin, August 1, 1775 ; John Hamilton, of the Congress, August 2 ; Allen Moore, of the Effingham, August 3 ; and James Montgomery, of the Ranger, August 31 ; and by the 15th of Sep- tember, the navy was upon a permanent footing, officered as follows : Bull Dog, Captain Alexander Henderson, Lieutenant John Webb ; Burke, Captain James Blair, Lieutenant John Chatham ; Camden, Captain Richard Eyre, Lieutenant George Garland ; Chatham, Captain Charles Alexander, Lieutenant Robert Pomeroy ; Congress, Captain John Hamilton, Lieutenant Hugh Montgomery ; Dickinson, Captain John Rice, Lieutenant James Allen ; Experiment, Captain Allen Moore, Lieutenant Benjamin Thompson ; Effingham, Lieutenant John Hennessey ; Franklin, Captain Nicholas Biddle, Lieutenant Thomas Houston ; Hancock, Captain John Moulder, Lieutenant David Ford ; Ranger, Captain James Montgomery, Lieutenant Gibbs Jones ; Warren, Captain Samuel David- son, Lieutenant Jeremiah Simmons ; Washington, Captain Henry Dougherty, Lieutenant Nathan Boys. The cost of this fleet was estimated at £550 per boat ; the boats were pro- pelled by rowers, each boat carrying two howitzers, besides swivels, pikes, and muskets. By the 28th of December ten fire rafts were constructed, and Captain John Hazlewood appointed commander and superintendent over the whole fleet of rafts. These were thirty-five feet long and thirteen wide, the floors close and caulked, with a wash-board and rails to confine the materials. They were loaded with hogsheads and other casks, the staves of tar-barrels, oil-barrels, turpentine and resin casks, with hay or straw, turpentine, brimstone, and other combustible substances thrown into the hogsheads and between them, a quantity of pine wood intermixed, and powdered resin strewed over the whole to convey the fire with greater rapidity to every part. To the naval force were added, in 177fi, two floating batteries called the Arnold 156 HI8T0R T OF PENNSYLVANIA. and the Putnam, a ship of war called the Montgomery, the JEtna, a fire sloop, and six guard boats. According to a return of the 1st of August, 1776, the number of vessels in commission was twenty-seven, and the number of men in actual naval service seven hundred and sixty-eight. On the 14th of September, 1775, John M. Nesbit was appointed paj'master, and on the 16th John Ross, muster master of the navy. The latter, in accepting the appointment, said he would undertal?e it for the good of the service, and would accept no pay therefor. He acted in this capacity until the 23d of Feb- luary, 1776. On the 27th of September, Dr. Benjamin Rush was appointed surgeon, an^ on the 10th of October, Dr. DufBeld, assistant-surgeon, each to re- ceive sixteen dollars per month for their services. On the 23d of October Cap- tain Thomas Read had the honor of receiving the appointment of commodore, the first officer of that title of the naval forces of America. Congress had, by resolution, allowed all merchant vessels until the month of September to get away from Philadelphia; immediately after which two tiers of the clievaux-de-frize were sunk opposite Fort Island (called also Mud Island), just below the mouth of tlie Schuylkill, to which a third tier was added soon after. Two tiers were sunk farther down the river, near Marcus Hook, and many hulks of vessels in the diflterent channels of the river. The track through these obstructions was concealed from general knowledge, and ten pilots were taken into the pay of the State, who alone conveyed vessels through the passage. The buoys were all removed from the Delaware below the city, and pilots were stationed at Lewes, Delaware, and at Cape May, who piloted vessels up as far as Chester, where the chevaux-de-frize pilots took charge of them. The fire- rafts were stationed part in Darby creek, on the Delaware side of the river, part in Mantua creek, on the Jersey side, eleven -miles below Camden, and part in the Schuylkill river, and five vessels were stationed between the chevaux- de-frize, and the mouth of Woodberry creek, which is a little above Mantua creek. Signal and alarm-posts were established and alarm-boats stationed near them. Post No. 1 was at Cape-Henlopen, under charge of Major Henry Fisher, of Lewes; No. 3 at Mother-kill; No. 8 at Chester; No. 10 at Billingsport, and so on up to the city ; and thus news of the arrival of any vessels off Cape Hen- lopen were conveyed to the Committee within twenty-four hours. The usual station of the fleet was at Port Island ; it was manned in part by sailors and crews of enlisted men, filled up, as occasion required, by the associators. In October a Continental fieet was fitted out by Congress, at Philadelphia, and the Committee of Safety loaded its vessels with all the gunpowder it could spare, furnished it with a great quantity of arms, and in addition, resolved that its officers might enlist one hundred men from among the crews of the armed boats who were willing to enter the service of the United Colonies. This fleet left Philadelphia in December, 1775, but was frozen up near Reedy Island, and did not finally leave the bay until the 17th of February ensuing. About the same time the second battalion, first under the command of Col. John Bull, and afterwards that of Col. John Philip De Haas, the latter a brave officer of the Provincial service under Forbes and Bouquet, wa,s organized. Towards the close of the year the Continental Congress made a further demand of four battalions, which were raised in a few weeks. These were placed GENERAL HISTORY. 157 under the commands of Colonels Arthur St. Clair, John Shee, Anthony Wayne, and Robert Magaw. The sixth battalion, under Colonel William Irvine, 1776. was organized in February, 1176. These commands were speedily forwarded to the front, a portion to Canada and the defences on the Hudson, the remainder to the main army. On the 20th of February, 1776, the Committee of Safety requested the Assembly to adopt measures for raising two thousand additional troops for the protection of the Province. The latter body took prompt action, resolving to " levy and take into pay fifteen hundred men, officers included, and that the men be enlisted to serve until the first day of January, 1778, subject to be discharged at any time upon the advance of a month's pay to each man." Two- thirds of the lines were to be rifle-men, divided into two battalions ; the remainder to consist of one battalion of musketry. The entire body was raised in six weeks, and rendezvoused at Marcus Hook. The rifle regiment was under the command of Colonel Samuel Miles, the musketry battalion that of Colonel Samuel J. Atlee. These officers saw good service during the French and Indian war, and it was not many days ere the men were under remark- able (li-cipline. This force, however, was severely worsted in the Long Island campaign. The principal officers remaining prisoners, the men were re-organized and recruited as the " Pennsylvania State Regiment of Foot," under Colonel John Bull. On the appointment of the latter as adjutant-general of the militia of the State, Colonel Walter Stewart assumed command. On the 13th of January, Andrew Caldwell was appointed commander-in- chief of the fleet, " he having been applied to take the command and consenting thereto." On the 22d of the month a muster showed four hundred and ten men employed on board the armed boats. On the 3d of February the pay of the captains of the armed boats was increased to £10 per month, or $26.66 ; pay of the first lieutenants to $17 per month; and of the second lieutenants to $17 per montt ; two-thirds of all prize money to be distributed among the captors, one-third to be retained by the Committee for use of the widows and children of those killed in battle. On the 18th of March seamen's wages were fixed at $7 per month, and two dollars bounty, to be paid one month after their enlistment. The commodore's pay was $60 per mouth. On the 5th of March, John Mitchell was appointed muster master, and on the same day William Brown the first captain of marines, in the State service. On the 6th, Captain Thomas Read was made second in command of the fleet, and the boats all ordered to Fort Island. On the 9th, Captain Samuel David- son was appointed to the command of the floating battery Arnold, and John Mitchell had to his other duty added that of commissary of provisions for the naval forces. " The first opportunity given this fleet to defend its native waters," remarks Mr. Westcott, in his History of Philadelphia, " was when, on the night of the 6th of May, 1776, an express arrived with the information that two ships of war and other vessels, supposed to be tenders, were coming up the river. The Com- mittee of Safety ordered Captain Thomas Read, commander of the ship Mont- gomery, and Andrew Caldwell, commodore, to proceed with the thirteen armed boats and fire-vessel ^tna, to attack the enemy. The enemy's vessels were the 158 HISTORY OF PJENNSTLVANI A. frigate Roebuck, Captain Hammond, of forty-eight guns, and the sloop of war Liverpool, Captain Bellew, of twenty-eight guns, with their tenders. Captain Proctor, of the artillery, who had command at Fort Island, volunteered with one hundred men, and served on board the Hornet. The Montgomery, the Conti nental ship Reprisal, Captain Weeks, and the floating battery Arnold, remained near the chevaux-de-frize, in a line with the forts, but the boats proceeded down the river near the mouth of Christiana creek. " On the afternoon of the 8th, the flotilla came in sight of the enemy. The boats opened flre with spirit, the cannonade on both sides being very heavy, and lasting for three or four hours, with no particular damage on either side. So wrote Colonel Miles, who was on the river bank near Wilmington with one hundred riflemen, to render any assistance that might be necessary. The Roebuck ran aground, and the Liverpool came to anchor to cover her. During the engagement the Continental schooner Wasp, Captain Charles Alexander, which had been chased into Wilmington creek, came out amid the confusion, and captured an English brig belonging to the squadron. It being nearly dark, and the provincial vessels being but poorly provided with ammunition, firing ceased on both sides. The British worked faithfully during the night, and succeeded in getting their vessels off. An American prisoner on board, said much solicitude was expressed about the movements of the fire-ship. For some reason no effort was made to send the JEtna against the Roebuck before she got off. On Thursday morning at five o'clock the action was renewed with so much vigor and skill that the ships were obliged to return to the capes. They were followed by the boats as far as New Castle. " The captains of the boats complained very much of the character of the supplies furnished them by the Committee. On the second day they had to cut up their blankets, trowsers, and stockings to compensate for defective cartridges ; and they also cut up cables and netting for wads for the guns. The captains published a statement, setting forth these facts, and blaming the Committee of Safety for the comparative failure of the expedition. The Assembly appointed a committee to investigate the subject, which reported that the galleys had suiBcient ammunition, and that the committee was not in fault. But this report was attacked by the captains, who alleged that the committee had never heard any evidence upon the subject. " The boats brought up to the city, after the action, splinters from the enemy's vessels knocked off by the American shot, which were exhibited at the Coffee House, exciting much interest. The loss of the boats was one killed and two wounded ; the loss of the British, one man killed and five wounded. The Roebuck and the Liverpool resumed their old stations at Cape May, where they organized invasions of the neighboring shores, and captured all the American vessels that came within their reach.". The deputies from Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress had been instruct- ed by the Provincial Assembly which appointed them to use their best efforts for redress of grievances. Failing in this, Congress, on the 15th of May, 17Y6 recommended that "the respective Assemblies and conventions of the United Col- onies, where no government sufficient to the exigencies of their affairs has been hitherto established, to adopt such government as shall, in the opinion of the OENEBAL HISTOR Y. I59 representatives of the people, best conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular, and America in general." A diversity of opinion existed in the Province upon this resolution, and on the 21st of the same month [May], a protest was presented to the representa- tives in Assembly against the authority of the House to interfere in the premi- ses, as being elected under authority derived from the Crown, and sworn to the King's allegiance, they were disqualified from acting on this recommendation. The petitioners did not, however, object to the exercise of the proper powers then existing for the maintainance of order until a new constitution, originating with and founded on the authority of the people, should be prepared and adopt- ed by a convention elected for that purpose. They accordingly asked that ap- plication should be made to the several county committees for the election of a convention empowered to carry out the recommendations of Congress. The Assembly referred the resolve of Congress to a committee, but took no further action, nor did the committee ever make a report. " The old Assembly," says Westcott, "which had adjourned on the 14th of June, to meet on the 14th of August, could not obtain a quorum, and adjourned again to the 23d of Septem- ber. It then interposed a feeble remonstrance against the invasion of its prei'o- gatives by the Convention, but it was a dying protest. The Declaration of Independence had given the old State Government a mortal blow, and it soon expired without a sigh — thus ending forever the Proprietary and royal authority in Pennsylvania." Inthe meantime, the Committee of Correspondence for Philadelphia issued a circular to all the county committees for a conference in that city on Tuesday, the 18th day of June. On the day appointed, the following deputies met at Car- penter's Hall, and organized by the election of Colonel Thomas McKean, presi- dent, Colonel Joseph Hart, vice-president, and Jonathan B. Smith and Samuel C. Morris, secretaries : ^ For the Committee of the City, &c., of Philadelphia — Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Col. Thomas M'Kean, Mr. Christopher Marshall, Sen., Major John Bayard, Col. Timothy Matlack, Col. Joseph Dean, Capt. Francis Gurney, Major William Coates, Mr. George Schlosser, Capt. Jonathan B. Smith, Capt. George Goodwin, Mr. Jacob Barge, Mr. Samuel C. Morris, Capt. Joseph Moulder, Mr. "William "Lqwman, Dr. Benjamin Rush, Mr. Christopher Lii^Jfig, Mr. James Milligan, Mr. Jacob S chri ner, Capt. Sharp Delaney, Major John Cox, Capt. Benjamin Loxley, Capt. Samuel Brewster, Capt. Joseph Blewer, Mr. William Robinson. Philadelphia county — Col. Henry Hill, Col. Robert Lewis, Dr. Enoch Ed- wards, Col. William Hamilton, Col. John Bull, Col. Frederick Antis, Major James Potts, Major Robert Loller, Mr. Joseph Mather, Mr. Matthew Brooks, Mr. Edward Bartholomew. Bucks — John Kidd, Esq., Major Henry Wynkoop, Mr. Benjamin Segle, Mr. James Wallace, Col. Joseph Hart. Chester — Col. Richard Thomas, Major Williams Evans, Col. Thomas Hock- ley, Mr.jor Caleb Davis, Elisha Price, Esq., Mr. Samuel Fairlamb, Capt. Thomas Levis, Col. William Montgomery, Col. Hugh Lloyd, Richard Reily, Esq., Col. Evan Evans, Col. Lewis Gronow, Major Sketchley Morton. Lancaster — William Atlee, Esq., Mr. Lodowick Lowman, Col. Bartram Gal- 160 HISTUM Y OF PHNN8 YL VANIA. braith, Col. Alexander Lowrey, Major David Jenkins, Capt. Andrew Graaff, Mr. William Brown, Mr. John Smiley, Major James Cunningham. Berks — Col. Jacob Morgan, Col. Henry Haller, Col. Mark Bird, Dr. Bodo Otto, Mr. Benjamin Spyker, Col. Daniel Hunter, Col. Valentine Eckert, Col. Nicholas Lutz, Capt. Joseph Heister, Mr. Charles Shoemaker. Northampton — Robert Levers, Esq., Col. Neigal Gray, John Weitzel, Esq., Nicholas Depui, Esq., Mr. David Deshler, Mr. Benjamin Dupui. York — Col. James Smith, Col. Robert M'Pherson, Col. Richard M'AUister, Col. David Kennedy, Capt. Joseph Reed, Col. William Rankin, Col. Henry Slagle, Mr. James Edgar, Mr. John Hay. Cumberland — Mr. James M'Lane, Col. John Allison, John Maclay, Esq., William Elliot, Esq., Col. William. Clark, Dr. John Calhoon, Mr. John Creigh, Mr. Hugh M'Cormick, Mr. John Harris, Mr. Hugh Alexander. Bedford — Col. David Espy, Samuel Davidson, Esq., Col. John Piper. Westmoreland — Mr. Edward Cook, Mr. James Perry. The Conference at once unanimously resolved, "That the present government of this Province is not competent to the exigencies of our affairs, and " That it is necessary that a Provincial Convention be called,by this Confer- ence for the express purpose of forming a new government in this Province on the authority of the people only." Acting upon these resolves, preparations were immediately taken to secure a proper representation in the Convention. The qualifications of an elector were defined. Every voter was obliged to take an oath of renunciation of the authority of George the Third, and one of allegiance to the State of Pennsylvania, and a religious test was prescribed for the members of the Convention. The following declaration was signed by all the deputies on the 24th of June, and presented to Congress : " We, the deputies of the people of Pennsylvania, assembled in full Provincial Conference, for forming a plan for executing the resolve of Congress of the 15th of May last, for suppressing all authority in this Province, derived from the Crown of Great Britain, and for establishing a government upon the autho- rity of the people only, now in this public manner in behalf of ourselves, and with the approbation, consent, and authority of our constituents, unanimously declare our willingness to concur in a vote of the Congress, declaring the United Colonies free and independent States : Provided, The forming the government and tlie regulation of the internal police of this Colony be always reserved to the people of the said Colony ; and we do further call upon the nations of Europe, and appeal to the Great Arbiter and Governor of the empires of the world^ to witness for us, that this declaration did not originate in ambition, or in an impatience of lawful authority, but that we were driven to it in obedience to the first principles of nature, by the oppressions and cruelties of the aforesaid King und Parliament of Great Britain, as the only possible measure that was left us to preserve and establish our liberties, and to transmit them inviolate to posterity." The Conference adjourned on tlie 25th of June, after unanimously approving of the following address to the Associators of Pennsylvania: " Gentlemen : The only design of our meeting together was to put an end OEHERAL HIHTOKY. ' 161 to our own power in the Province by fixing upon a plan for calling a convention to form a government under the authority of the people. But the sudden and unexpected separation of the Assembly has compelled us to undertake the execution of a resolve of Congress for calling forth 4, 500 of the militia of the Province to join the militia of the neighbouring colonies to form a camp for our immediate protection. We presume only to recommend the plan we have formed to you, trusting that in case of so much consequence your love of virtue and zeal for liberty will supply the want of authority delegated to us expressly for that purpose. " We need not remind you that you are now furnished with new motives to animate and support your courage. You are not about to contend against the power of Great Britain in order to displace one set of villains to make room for another. Your arms will not be enervated in the day of battle with the reflection that you are to risk your lives or shed your blood for a British tyrant, or that your posterity will have your work to do over again. You are about to contend for permanent freedom, to be supported by a government which will be derived from yourselves, and which will have for its object not the enrolment of one man, or class of men only, but the safety, liberty, and happiness of every individual in the community. "We call upon you, therefore, by the respect and obedience which are due to the authority of the United Colonies, to concur in this important measure. . The present campaign will probably decide the fate of America. It is now in your power to immortalize your names by mingling your achievements with the events of the year 1776 — a year which we hope will be famed in the annals of history to the end of time, for establishing upon a lasting foundation the liberties of one-quarter of the globe. " Remember the honor of our Colony is at stake. Should you desert the com- mon cause at the present juncture, the glory you have acquired by your former exertions of strength and virtue will be tarnished, and our friends and brethren who are now acquiring laurels in the most remote parts of America will reproach us and blush to own themselves natives or inhabitants of Pennsylvania. But there are other motives before you — your houses, your fields, the legacies of your ancestors, or the dear-bought fruits of your own industry and your liberty — now urge you to the field. These cannot plead with you in vain, or we might point out to you further — your wives, your children, your aged fathers and mothers, who now look up to you for aid and hope for salvation in this day of calamity only from the instrumentality of your swords. Remember the name of Pennsylvania. Think of your ancestors and of your posterity." Early the same month Congress " resolved, that a Flying Gamp be immediately established in the middle Colonies, and that it consist of ten thousand men," to complete which number, it was ordered that the Province of Pennsylvania be required to furnish six thousand of the militia. This force was to be enlisted for six months. The Conference of Committees then in session resolved subsequently that four thousand five hundred of the militia should be embodied, which with fifteen hundred then in the pay of the Province would make up the six thousand required by Congress. The Plying Camp was accordingly soon formed. It consisted of three brigades, two of which were L 162 HI8T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. commanded respectively by Brigadier-Generals James Ewing and Daniel Rober- deau, of Pennsylvania. The other officer was from Maryland. The object in forming this body seems to have been not only to show the enemy the power of the nation they warred against, but also to render assistance to General Wash- ington in case of offensive or defensive operations. The Flying Camp is closely united with the honors and the sufferings of many men in Pennsylvania. They underwent " the hard fate of war " in the Jerseys, and are intimately connected with the glories achieved at Trenton, Princeton, and Monmouth. Toward the last of June, apprehending an immediate attack upon Philadel- phia by way of the river, the Committee of Safety continued to increase its defences, in order to be prepared for the enemy. The two tiers of chevaux-de- frize first constructed were probably defective, and in consequence two addi- tional tiers were sunk, one opposite Billingsport and the other in range with the fires of the Fort. It becoming obvious in a few days that New York, and not , Philadelphia, was to be attacked. Col. Miles' command was ordered to Phila- delphia, and letters were dispatched by the Committee to the colonels of the different battalions of the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Lancaster, and Chester, requesting they would hold themselves in readiness to march at an hour's warning. We now come to the most momentous epoch in the history not only of the State, but of the Nation. The first actual approval of independence by State authority was in North Carolina. The convention of that State, on the 22d of April, 1776, directed their delegates to "concur with those of other States in establishing independence." Then followed the action of Virginia, the conven- tion of which resolved unanimously that their delegates in Congress should propose to that body to declare the United Colonies free and independent States, absolved from all allegiance to or dependence on the King and Parliament of Great Britain. The delegates in Congress from Pennsylvania, by their instruc- tions of the 9th of November, 1775, were expressly commanded to resist this measure, as they had been to oppose every proposition for changing the form of the Provincial government. From this restriction they were, however, released by a resolution of the Assembly, adopted at the instance of some petitioners from the counties of Lancaster and Cumberland, authorizing them " to concur with the other delegates in Congress in forming such further contracts between the United Colonies, concluding such treaties with foreign kingdoms and states, and adopting such other measures, as, upon a view of all circumstances, shall be judged necessary for promoting the liberty, safetj', and interests of America ; reserving to the people of this Colony the sole and exclusive right of regulating its inter- nal government and police." The reluctance with which the Assembly granted this authority is demonstrated by their concluding observations. " The happi- ness of these Colonies," they said, " has, during the whole course of this fatal controversy, been our first wish ; their reconciliation with Great Britain our next. Ardently have we prayed for the accomplishment of both. But if we must renounce the one or the other, we humbly trust in the mercies of the Supreme Governor of the Universe, that we shall not stand condemned before His throne, if our choice is determined by that overruling law of self-preservation, which His divine wisdom has thought proper to implant m the hearts of His creatures." OENEBAL HISTOBY. 163 The committee which reported these instructions consisted of Messrs. Dickinson, Morris, Reed, Clymer, Wilcocks, Pearson, and Smith. The action of the Pennsylvania Conference has been referred to. The public mind throughout the Colonies was now fully prepared for a declaration of independence. The Assembly of Pennsylvania, which displayed such reluctance, now assented to the measure. On the Ith of June the proposition was made in Congress by Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, seconded by John Adams, of Massachusetts, that the " United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states ; and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." This resolution was referred to a committee of the whole Congress, where it was daily debated. In favor of independence, Lee and Adams were the most distinguished speakers, the latter of whom has been characterized as the "ablest advocate " of the measure; and their most formidable opponent was John Dickinson. Although the latter, by his political writings, had been powerfully instru- mental in preparing the people for this end*, yet when the time came, he endea- vored to allay the undue excitement. " Prudence," he said, " required that they should not abandon certain for uncertain objects. Two hundred years of happi- ness and present prosperity, resulting from English laws, and the union with G-reat Britain, demonstrated that America could be wisely governed by the King and Parliament. It was not as independent, but as subject States, not as a republic, but as a monarchy, that the Colonies had attained to power and great- ness. What then," he exclaimed, "is the object of these chimeras hatched in the days of discord and war ? Shall the transports of fury sway us more than the experience of ages, and induce us to destroy, in a moment of anger, the work which had been cemented and tried by time. The restraining power of the King and Parliament was indispensable to protect the Colonies from disunion and civil war ; and the most cruel hostility which Britain could wage against them, the surest mode of compelling obedience, would be to leave them a prey to their own jealousies and animosities. For, if the dread of English arms were removed, province would rise against province, city against city, and the weapons now assumed to combat the common enemy would be turned against themselves. " Necessity would then compel them to seek the tutelary powe they had rashly abjured : and, if again received under its aegis, it would be no longer as freemen, but as slaves. In their infancy, and without experience, they had given no proof of ability to walk without a guide ; and, judging of the future by the past, they must infer that their concord would not outlive their danger. Even when supported by the powerful hand of England, the Colonies had abandoned themselves to discords, and sometimes to violence, from the paltry motives of territorial limits, and distant jurisdictions: what, then, might they not ^expect, when their minds were heated, ambition roused, and arms in the hands of all. " If union with England gave them means of internal peace, it was not less necessary to procure the respect of foreign powers. Hitherto, their intercourse with the world had been maintained under the name and arms of England. Not as Americans — a people scarce known — but as Englishmen, they had obtained entrance and favor in foreign ports : separated from her, the nations would treat 164 HISTOB Y OF PENNS YL VANIA. them with disdain, the pirates of Europe and Africa would assail their vessels, massacre their seamen, or subject them to perpetual slavery." As far-seeing a man as John Dickinson was, he could not fully comprehend the idea of a separate existence of the Colonies from the mother country, and yet no purer patriot breathed the air of freedom. A zealous advocate of liberty, it was, as stated, his words that startled the Colonies and struck the key-note which aroused the energies of the provincialists and bade them contend for inde- pendence. Notwithstanding his over-cautiousness, nay hesitancy, the declara- tion having been determined on, Dickinson entered heartily into its support and took an active part in all the affairs transpiring in the Colonies — even wielding his sword in the cause. On the first day of July, a vote in committee of the whole was taken in Con- gress, upon the resolution declaratory of independence. It was approved by aU the Colonies except Pennsylvania and Delaware. Seven of the delegates from the former were present, of whom four voted against it. Caesar Rodney, one of the delegates from the latter, was absent, and the other two, Thomas M'Kean and George Read, were divided in opinion, M'Kean voting in favor and Read against the resolution. At the request of a colony, the proposition having been reported to the house, was postponed until the next day, when it was finally adopted and entered upon the journals. Pending the consideration of this important question, a committee, consisting of Jefferson, John Adams, Franklin, Sherman, and R. R. Livingston, was appointed to prepare a Declaration of Independence. Adams and Jefferson were appointed a sub-committee, and the original draft of this eloquent mani- festo was made by Jefferson. It was adopted by the committee without amendment, and reported to Congress on the twenty-eighth of June. On the Uh of July, having received some alterations, it was sanctioned by the vote of every Colony. Two of the members from Pennsylvania, Morris and DicKinson, were absent ; Franklin, Wilson, and Morton, voted for, and Willing and Humphreys, against it. To secure the vote of Delaware, M'Kean sent an express for Rodney, who, though eighty miles from Philadelphia, arrived in time to unite with him in the vote. The Declaration' was directed to be engrossed, and, on the second of August, 1776, was signed by all the members then present, and by some who were not members .it the time of its adoption. Among the latter were Colonels George Ross and James Smith, Dr. Benjamin Rush, George Clymer, and George Taylor, who had been elected by the Pennsylvania Convention, in the place of Messrs. Dickinson, Willing, and Humphreys, who had opposed it. On the 5th of July circular letters were sent by Congress to the Assemblies, Conventions, and Councils of Safety of the various States, requesting that the Declaration of Independence should be officially proclaimed. In Pennsylvania the Committee resolved on the latter — that the instrument should be read by the Sheriff of Philadelphia, or by some person under his direction, at the State House, on Monday the 8th of July. At the same time it was directed that the King's arms should be taken down from the court room and publicly burned by nine associators appointed for the purpose. QENEBAL HISTOBT. 165 On the day in question, the Committee of Observation for Philadelphia marched to the lodge room, in Lodge Alley, occupied by the Committee of Safety ; from thence both bodies proceeded to the State House yard, where John Nixon, a member of the Committee of Safety, on behallf of the proper oflacer, read the Declaration of Independence. " The instrument," says Mr. Westcott, " was heard with attention, and received with hearty and warm applause. In the afternoon the five battalions were mustered on the commons, and the Decla- ration was proclaimed to each of them. In the evening the King's arms were torn down, as had been previously arranged, and burned, amidst the acclama- tions of a large crowd of spectators. Bells were rung, bonfires were lighted, and, upon this joyful occasion, the old bell of the State House, bearing upon its sides the remarkable motto ' Proclaim Liberty throughout the Land, unto all the Inhabitants thereof,'' was probably first rung in honor of the joyful change of affairs." The delegates to the Convention to frame a constitution for the new govern- ment consisted of the representative men of the State — men selected for their ability, patriotism, and personal popularity. They met at Philadelphia, on the 15th of July, each one taking, without hesitancy, the prescribed test, and organized by the selection of Benjamin Franklin, president, George Boss, vice- president, and John Morris and Jacob Garrigues, secretaries. On the 18th of the month, Owen Biddle, Colonel John Bull, the Bev. Wm. Vanhom, John Jacobs, Colonel George Ross, Colonel James Smith, Jonathan Hoge, Colonel Jacob Morgan, Colonel Jacob Stroud, Colonel Thomas Smith, and Robert Mar- tin, were appointed to " make an essay for a declaration of rights for this State." On the 24th the same persons were directed to draw up an essay for a frame or sj'stem of government, and John Lesher was appointed in place of Colonel lilor- gan, who was absent with leave. On the 25th of July, Colonel Timothy Matlack, James Cannon, Colonel James Potter, David Rittenhouse, Robert Whitehill, and Colonel Bartram Gal- braith, were added to the Committee on the Frame of Government. On the 28th of September, the Convention completed its labors by adopting the first State Constitution, which went into immediate effect, without a vote of the people. During the session of the Convention, says Mr. "Westcott, it not only discussed and perfected the measures necessary in the adoption of a Constitu- tion, but assumed the supreme authority in the State, and legislated upon matters foreign to the object for which it was convened. Among other matters this body appointed a Council of Safety, to carry On the executive duties of the government, approved of -the Declaration of Independence, and appointed justices of the peace, who were required, before assuming their functions, to each take an oath of renunciation of the authority of George III., and one of allegi- ance to the State of Pennsylvania. The legislative power of the frame of government was vested in a General Assembly of one House, elected annually. The supreme executive power was vested in a President, chosen annually by the Assembly and Council, by joint ballot — the Council consisting of twelve persons, elected in classes, for a term of three years. A Council of Censors, consisting of two persons, from each city and county, 166 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. was to be elected in 1783, and in every seventh year thereafter, whose duty it was to make inquiry as to whether the Constitution had been preserved inviolate during the last septennary, and whether the executive or legislative branches of the government had performed their duties as guardians of the people, or assumed to themselves, or exercised other or greater powers than they were entitled to by the Constitution. They were also to inquire whether the public taxes had been justly levied and collected, in all parts of the Commonwealth ; in what manner the public moneys had been disposed of, and whether the laws had been duly executed. For these purposes they had power to send for persons, papers, and records, and they could pass public censures, order impeachments, and recommend to the Legislature the repeal of such laws as appeared to have been enacted contrary to the principles of the Constitution. Their powers were to continue one year, and they might call a convention to meet within ■ two years, if deemed absolutely necessary, for amending any article of the Constitution that might appear defective, or for explaining any that might be thought to be not clearly explained, or for adding such as might appear necessary for the preservation of the rights and happiness of the people. The articles to be amended were to be published six months before election, in order that the people might have opportunity of instructing their delegates concerning them This Constitution, although defective, was not for some years remedied. The Assembly, in I'Tl'T, adopted measures looking to a calling of a convention, and an election ordered for delegates thereto by a resolution on 28th November, 17T8, but so highly incensed were the people of the State at what they consi- dered an uncalled-for action on the part of the Legislature, that body rescinded the motion/ by a vote of forty-seven to seven, nine-tenths of the qualified voters remonstrating. The scarcity of salt exciting serious apprehensions. Congress passed resolu- tions against a monopoly of that article, and the Council of Safety purchased a quantity to distribute through the State. They established salt works on Tom's river, New Jersey, but some time elapsed before these works were pro- ductive. The necessities of the Continental sei"vice caused the Council of Safety to place the State battalions of Colonels Samuel Miles, Samuel J. Atlee, and Daniel Brodhead at the disposal of Congress. They were marched to Long Island, where, with the Continental regiments of the Pennsylvania Line, viz. : Colonels Shee's, Magaw's, and Lambert Cadwallader's, they were engaged in battle on the 2Tth of August, which resulted in the defeat of the American forces and the evacuation of Long Island. The Pennsylvania troops sustained serious loss. Lieutenant-Colonel Caleb Perry, of the musketmen, was killed, as also Lieu- tenant Charles Tajior, of the second battalion of riflemen, and Lieutenant Joseph Moore, of the musketmen. Colonel Samuel Miles and Lieutenant- Colonel James Piper, of the first riflemen, and Colonel Samuel J. Atlee, of the third, with other officers, were taken prisonei's. On the 16th of November Fort Washington was reduced, and as in the engagement at Long Island, the Pennsylvania troops were severe suflTerers. Morgan's, Cadwallader's, Atlee's, Swope's, Watts', and Montgomery's battalions GENERAL HISTORY. 167 were taken prisoners. In addition to these severe blows to the cause of inde- pendence, General Howe's advance menaced Philadelphia. On the 28th of November a meeting was held at the State House to consider the exigency of affairs. The Assembly sent General Mifflin through the State to stir up the people. Bounties were offered to volunteers — ten dollars to every man who joined General Washington on or before December 20th, seven dollars to those who came forward before December 25th, and five dollars to all who enlisted after that time and before December 30th, on condition of their under- going six weeks service. Commodore Seymour was dispatched to Trenton with the armed boats to assist in transporting the army and stores across the Delaware. General Roberdeau was sent to Lancaster to alarm the people. In the midst of this general excitement and almost consternation. Congress exhibited an alarm and indecision which was exceedingly injurious to the cause. After having declared by resolution that they would not quit Philadelphia, the members, on the very next day, adjourned precipitately to Baltimore. General Washington dispatched Major-General Israel Putnam to Philadel- phia to direct the defences. He arrived on the 12th of December, and assumed military command of the city. The fort at Billingsport was of little conse- quence, and works were commenced at Red Bank, on the Delaware, New Jersey, as commanding the river. The British troops occupied Trenton towards the middle of December, and their advance threatened Philadelphia from the east side of the Delaware. The Council of Safety, owing to the dema,nd for reinforcements by the commander- in-chief, sent forth an energetic and patriotic citcular, calling on every friend of his country " to step forth at this crisis." In order to render the organization of the associators more serviceable, Colonel John Cadwallader was chosen brigadier-general by the Council of Safety, and Colonel Miles appointed brigadier-general of the Pennsylvania Line. ^^^^' BEAR VIEW OP INDEPENDENCE HALL. CHAPTER X. I HE REVOLUTION. BATTLES OP TRENTON AND PRINCETON. THE BATTLE OB BEANDYWINE. MASSACRE AT PAOLI. BRITISH OCCUPATION OP PHILADELPHIA. BATTLE OP GERMANTOWN AND REDUCTION OP PORT MIFFLIN. ITIG-ITTT. N Wednesday, the 25th of December, ITTG, General Washington, with his army, was on the west bank of the Delaware, encamped near Taylorsville, then McConkey's ferry, eight miles above Trenton. The troops under General Dickinson were at Tardley- vUle ; and detachments were encamped still further up the river. The boats on the river had all been secured when General Washington had crossed with his army on the first of the month. The Pennsylvania troops were in two bodies — one at Bristol, under General Cadwallader, and the other at MorrisvUle, opposite Trenton, under General Ewing. At this time the British, under General Howe, were stationed in detachments at Mount Holly, Black Horse, Burlington, and Bordentown; and at Trenton there were three regiments of Hessians, amounting to about fifteen hundred men, and a troop of British light horse. Divisions of the British army were also at Prince- ton and New Brunswick. The plan of General Washington was to re-cross the Delaware with his army at McConkey's ferry, in the night of the 25th, and for General Ewing, with his command, to cross at or below Trenton, — that both might fall upon the enemy at the same time — Ewing at the south and General Washington af the north end of the town. At dusk the Conti- nental troops, under the cit>mmander-in-chief, amounting to 2,400 men, with twenty pieces of artillery, began to cross at the ferry. The troops at Yardley- ville, and the stations above, had that day assembled at this ferry. It was between three and four o'clock in the morning before all the artillery and troops were over and ready to march. Many of the men were very destitute as regarded clothing, but nowise despairing, they pushed on. The ground was covered with sleet and snow, which was falling, although before that day there was no snow, or only a littte sprinkling on the ground. General Washington, as they were about to march, enjoined upon all profound silence during their march to Trenton, and said to them : " I hope you will all fight like men." The army marched with a quick step in a body from the river, up the cross- road to the Bear Tavern, about a mile from the river. The whole force marched down this road to the village of Birmingham, distant about three and one-half miles. There they halted, examined their priming, and found it all wet. 168 SEAL OF THE ASSEMBLY. 1776. GENEBAL HISTOBY. 169 " Well," said General Sullivan, " we must flght them with the bayonet." From Birmingham to Trenton the distance by the, river road and the Scotch road is nearly equal, being about four and a half miles. The troops were formed in two divisions. One of them, commanded by General Sullivan, marched down the river road. The other, commanded by General "Washington, accompanied by Generals Lord Stirling, Greene, Mercer, and Stevens, filed oflF to the left, crossed over to the Scotch road, and went down this road till it enters the Pennington road about a mile above Trenton. Scarcely a word was spoken from , the time the troops left the ferry till they reached the town, and with such stillness did the army move that they were not discovered until they came upon the out-guard of the enemy, which was posted in the outskirts of the town, when one of the sentries called to the out-guard and asked, " Who is there ?" " A friend," was the reply. " A friend to whom ?" "A friend to General Washington." At this the sentinel fired, retreating. The American troops immediately returned the fire, and, marching upon them, drove them into town. The artillery, under Colonel (afterwards General) Knox, soon got into position, and enfiladed the main street. The infantry supported the artillery, and the enemy were thrown into confusion. One regiment attempted to form in an orchard, but were soon forced to fall back upon their main body. A company of them entered a stone house, which they defended with a field-piece, judiciously posted in the hall; but Captain (afterwards Colonel) Washington advanced to dislodge them. Finding his men exposed to a close and steady fire, he suddenly leaped from them, rushed into the house, seized the officer who had command of the gun, and claimed him prisoner. His men followed him, and the whole company were made prisoners. In the meanwhile victory declared itself everywhere in favor of the American arms. General Rahl, who commanded the Hessians, was mortally wounded early in the engagement. He was taken to his headquarters, where he died of his wounds. The number of prisoners was twenty-three oflSeers and eight hundred and eighty-six privates. The loss of the enemy in killed was seven oflBcers and thirty privates ; that of the Americans, two privates killed and two frozen to death. Had General Swing's division been able to cross the Delaware as contemplated, and taken possession of the bridge on the Assunpink, all the enemy that were in Trenton would have been captured ; but owing to so much ice on the shores of the river, it was impossible to get the artillery over As it was, the victory greatly revived the drooping spirits, not only of the army, but of the Union. Before night the forces of Washington, with their prisoners and other trophies, of victory, had safely landed on the Pennsylvania side of the river. After the battle at Trenton, General Putnam hastened to rejoin the army, leaving General Irvine in command 'of Philadelphia. Subsequently General Gates succeeded the latter. Close upon the victory at Trenton followed the action at Princeton, on the 2d day of January, \1*l1. In this battle the Philadelphia City Troop, 1777. under the command of Captain Samuel Morris, and Captain William Brown's company of marines, belonging to the Pennsylvania ship I ij HISTOB Y OF PEN2fS YL VANIA. Montgomery, distinguished themselves by their bravery. At Princeton fell the brave General Hugh Mercer, and ^ number of other ofBcers and men. The members of the Supreme Executive Council, chosen under the Constitu- tion of the State, at the election in February, assembled on the 4th of March, and proceeded to an organization, and the Council of Safety was dissolved. In joint convention with the Assembly, Thomas Wharton, Jr.,* was elected President, and George Bryan, Vice-President. To give due dignity to the executive of the new government, the inauguration took place on the following day, the 5th, with much pomp and ceremony,, at the court house. On the 13th of March, the Supreme Execu- >»«'*''''^^ tive Council appointed a Navy Board, to whom / ^'S^ ■'^as committed all powers necessary for the / 'i^^ good of that service. This board entered very L"»»L ^"^^^^ promptly upon the duties of its appointment, 1*^^ ^^WajB meeting with many difficulties, boats out of t_^ . Tf repair and inefficiently manned, difficulties \ ,^»-» |> / ' ■ .' about rank in the fleet, all of which it succeeded ^^^^ "'■■'=''-■ in overcoming. In AprU, when it was thought ^^ yt^jj^^KKS^^ Philadelphia would be attacked, this board was ^^^Bk^^jj^^^H^^P^ invested with all powers in its department g- - W il^^ A-W^K^^^^^^ necessary to ensure the public safety, and a pro- ^aK f ' sW '''' "w- clamation was issued forbidding the sailing of ''' all vessels from the port without its permission. THOMAS WHABTON, JR., ^j^^ associatiou systcm faUing, the Assem- bly addressed itself to the task of establishing a regular and permanent mili- tia, and a Board of War, consisting of nine members, was appointed to assist in carrying out the provisions of the new militia law. Early in June, General Howe, commander of the British forces at New York, showed a dispositioH to advance by land across New Jersey, and to take posses- sion of Philadelphia. On the 14th of that month he actually made an advance by two columns, which led General Washington to believe that this was his real intention. This information being communicated to Congress, the same day that body directed "that the second-class of the militia of the counties of Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, Lancaster, York, Cumberland, Berks, and North- ampton, be ordered, to march to the places to which the first class of the said counties respectively are ordered, and that the third class be got in readiness to march, and also, that the first and second classes of the city militia be ordered to march to Bristol, and the third class hold themselves in readiness to march at the shortest notice." This order was promptly responded to by the Supreme Executive Council of the State, who issued a circular letter to the lieutenants of * Thomas Wharton, Jr., was born in Philadelphia in 1735, He was descended from an ancient English family, and was the grandson of Richard Wharton, who emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1683. President Wharton was twice married, first to Susan, daughter of Thomas Lloyd, and subsequently to Elizabeth, daughter of William Fishbourn. He was a warm supporter of the principles of the Revolution, and on the change of government, was elected to the higiiest office in the State. He died suddenly at Lancaster, on the 23d of May, 1778. He was buried with military honors, and at the request of the vstry, was interred within the walla of Trinity church in that city. QENEBAL HISTOBY. I71 the counties named " to forward the flrst-class of militia immediately, and to hold the second class in readiness to march at the shortest notice." One hundred wagons were also directed to be sent. The militia, we will state here, was divided into eight classes. When a class was called out, many belonging to it could not or would not go. The deficiency was made up by the employ- ment of substitutes, either taken from the other classes, or from those not subject by law to the performance of military duty. These substitutes were procured by means of a bounty, which was paid by the State, to be remunerated by the fines imposed on delinquents, and. varied from £15 to £50 for two months service. In some regiments the number of substitutes nearly equalled the num- ber of those regularly drafted. The system of employing substitutes at high rates was much complained of by. the officers of the regular army, who regarded it as a serious obstruction to recruiting by enlistments. The marching of General Howe, it seems, Was intended to draw General Washington from the strong position he then occupied, and in that event to give him battle, which he declined to do, as our troops were then posted. Wash- ington wisely refused to risk his army in an open field fight, and Howe would not venture to cross the Delaware, leaving so large a force as that commanded by Washington in his rear, so that Philadelphia was again relieved from being attacked by the way of New Jersey. It having become apparent, therefore, that General Howe had definitely changed his plan for gaining possession of Phila- delphia, the marching orders for all the militia, except those of Chester and Philadelphia, were countermanded. Early in July, news of the embarkation of a large British force at New York very reasonably suggested the idea that the attack on the capital of Pennsyl- vania would be by way of the river Delaware, and that perchance was General Howe's intention when he sailed. Every efibrt was accordingly made for the defence of the river. On the 2'7th of July certain information was received by the Council of Safety of the approach of the British fleet towards the Delaware bay. The news produced the highest degree of excitement among the inhabitants, and induced the authorities of the State to redouble their exertions. The day following. Congress made a requisition on the Supreme Executive Council for four thousand militia, in addition to those already in service, in response to which the authorities ordered one class to be immediately called into service " to march for Chester." The different detachments of the army under Washington were also directed to repair to the vicinity of Philadelphia, while the militia of Maryland, Dela- ware, and Northern Virginia, were ordered by forced marches to join the Penn- sylvania troops. It was at this time that Washington first met Lafayette, who had recently arrived in Philadelphia. Lafayette, invited by Washington, at once took up his quarters with the commander-in-chief, and shared all the privations of the camp. After entering Delaware bay, General Howe found some difficulty in the navigation of his immense naval armament. He retraced his steps to the ocean, deciding to make his approach by the way of the Chesapeake. On the 25th of August, the British army, consisting of eighteen thousand men including a portion of the Hessian force, was disembarked n'lt far from 172 HI8T0BY OF PENN8TLYANIA. the head of the river Elk. It was plentifully furnished with all the equipage of war, excepting the defect of horses, as well for the cavalry as for the baggage. The scarcity of forage had caused many of them to perish the preceding winter, and a considerable number had died also in the late passage. This was a serious disadvantage for the royal troops, who, in this section of Pennsylvania, might have employed cavalry with singular eflfect. On the 28th, the English vanguard arrived at the head of the Elk, and the day follow- ing at Gray's hill. Here it was afterwards joined by the rear guard under General Knyphausen, who had been left upon the coast to cover the debarkation of the stores and artillery. The whole army took post behind the river Christiana, having Newark upon the right, and Pencander or Atkiiis on the left.' A column commanded by Lord Cornwallis having fallen in with Maxwell's riflemen, routed and pursued them as far as the farther side of White Clay creek, in which the patriots lost - forty in killed and wounded. The loss of the enemy was somewhat less. The American army, in order to encourage the partisans of independence, and overawe the disaffected, marched through the city of Philadelphia ; it after- wards advanced towards the enemy, and encamped behind White Clay creek. A little after, leaving only the riflemen in the camp, Washington retired with the main body of his army behind the Red Clay creek, occupying with his right wing the town of Newport, situated near the Christiana, and upon the great road to Philadelphia ; his left was at Hockhesson. But this line was little capa- ble of defence. The enemy, reinforced by the rear guard under General Grant, threatened with his right the centre of the Americans, and extended his left as if with the intention of turning their right flank. Washington saw the danger, and retired with his troops behind the Brandywine ; he encamped on the rising ground which extend from Chadd's Ford, in the direction of northwest to southeast. The riflemen of Maxwell scoured the right bank of the Brandywine, in order to harass and retard the enemy. The militia, under the command of General Arm- strong, guarded a passage below the principal encampment of Washington, and the right wing lined the banks of the river higher up, where the passages were most diflScult. The passage of Chadd's Ford, as the most practicable of all, was defended by the chief force of the army. The troops being thus disposed, the American general waited the approach of the English. Although the Brandy- wine, being fordable almost everywhere, could not serve as a sufficient defence against the impetuosity of the enemy, yet Washington had taken post upon its banks, from a conviction that a battle was now inevitable, and that Philadelphia could only be saved by a victory. General Howe displayed the front of his army, but not, however, without great circumspection. Being arrived at Kennet Square, a short distance from the river, he detached his light-horse to the right upon Wil- mington, to the left upon the Lancaster road, and in the front towards Chadd's Ford. The two armies found themselves within seven miles of each other, the Brandywine flowing between them. Early in the morning of the 11th of September, the British army marched to- ward the enemy. Howe had formed his army in two columns, the right command- ed by General Knyphausen, the left by Lord Cornwallis. His plan was, that while GENERAL HISTORY. 113 the first should make repeated, feints to attempt the passage of Chadd's Ford, in order to occupy the attention of the Americans, the second should take a long circuit to the upper part of the river, and cross at a place where it is divided into two shallow streams. The English marksmen fell in with those of Max- well, and a smart skirmish was immediately engaged, The latter were at first repulsed ; but being reinforced from the camp, they compelled the English to re- tire in their turn. But at length, they also were reinforced, and Maxwell was constrained to withdraw his detachment behind the river. Meanwhile, Knyp- hausen advanced with his column, and commenced a furious cannonade upon the passage of Chadd's Ford, making all his dispositions as if he intended to force it. The Americans defended themselves with gallantry, and even passed several detach- ments of light troops to the other side, in order to harass the enemy's flanks. But after a course of skirmishes, sometimes advancing, and ,at others obliged to retire, they were finally, with an eager pursuit, driven over the river. Knyphausen then appeared more than ever determined to pass the Ford ; he stormed, and kept up an incredible noise. In this manner the attention of the Americans was fully oc- cupied in the neighborhood of Chadd's Ford. Meanwhile, Lord Cornwallis, at the head of the second column, took a circuitous march to the left, and gained unper- ceived the forks of the Brandywine. By this rapid movement, he passed both branches of the river, at Trimble's and at Jefferis' fords, without opposition, about two o'clock in the afternoon, and then turning short down the river, took the road to Dilworth, in order to fall upon the right flank of the American array. General Washington, however, received intelligence of this movement about noon, and, as it usually happens in similar cases, the reports exaggerated its im- portance exceedingly ; it being represented that General Howe commanded this division in person. Washington therefore decided immediately for the most ju- dicious, though boldest measure ; this was to pass the river with the centre and left wing of his army, and overwhelm Knyphausen by the most furious attack. He justly reflected that the advantage he should obtain upon the enemy's right would amply compensate the loss that his own might sustain at the same time. Accordingly, he ordered General Sullivan to pass the Brandywine with his divi- sion at an upper ford, and attack the left of Knyphausen, while he, in person, should cross lower down, and fall upon the right of that general. They were both already in motion in order to execute this design, when a second report arrived which represented what had really taken place as false, or in other words, that the enemy had not crossed the two branches of the river, and that he had not made his appearance upon the right flank of the American troops. Deceived by this false intelligence, Washington desisted, and Greene, who had already passed with the vanguard, was ordered back. In the midst of these uncertainties, the commander-in-chief at length received the positive assurance, not only that the English had appeared upon the left bank, but also that they were about to fall in great force upon the right wing. This was composed of the brigades of Generals Stephen, Stirling, and Sullivan. The first was the most advanced; and consequently the nearest to the English ; the two others were i osted in thfe order of their rank, that of Sullivan being next to the centre. The latter was immediately detached from the main body to support the two former brigades, and, being the senior officer, took the com- ] 74 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. mand of the whole wing. Washington himself, followed by General Greene, approached with two strong divisions towards this wing, and posted himself between it and the corps he had left at Chadd's Ford, under General Wayne, supported by Proctor's artillery, to oppose the passage of Knyphausen. These divisions, under the immediate orders of the commander-in-chief, served as a corps of reserve, ready to march, according to circumstances, to the succor of Sullivan or of Wayne. But the column of Cornwallis was already in sight of the Americans. Sullivan drew up his troops on the commanding ground above Birmingham meeting-house, with his left extending towards the Brandywine, and both his flanks covered with very thick woods. His artillery was advantageously planted upon the neighboring hills ; but it appears that Sullivan's own brigade, having taken a long circuit, arrived too late upon the field of battle, and had not yet occupied the position assigned it when the action commenced. The British, having reconnoitered the dispositions of the Americans, immediately formed, and fell upon them with the utmost impetuosity. The engagement became equally fierce on both sides about four o'clock in the afternoon. For some length of time the Americans defended themselves with great valor, and the ^carnage was terrible. But such was the emulation which invigorated the efforts of the British and Hessians, that neither the advantages of situation, nor a heavy and well-supported fire of small-arms and artillery, nor the unshaken courage of the Americans, were able to resist their impetuosity. The light infantry, chasseurs, grenadiers, and guards, threw themselves with such fury into the midst of the Continental battalions, that they were forced to give way. Their left flank was first thrown into confusion, but the rout soon became general. The vanquished fied into the woods in their rear; the victors pursued, and advanced by the great road towards DUworth. On the first fire of the artillery, Washington, having no do«bt of what was passing, had pushed forward the reserve to the succor of Sullivan. But this corps, on approaching the field of battle, fell in with the flying soldiers of Sullivan, and perceived that no hope remained of retrieving the fortune of the day. Oeneral Greene, by a judicious manceuvre, opened his ranks to receive the fugitives, and after their passage, having closed them anew, he retired in good order, checking the pursuit of the enemy by a continual fire of the artillery which covered his rear. Having come to a defile, covered on both sides with woods, he drew up his men there, and again faced the enemy. His corps was composed of Virginians and Fennsylvanians ; they defended themselves with gallantry, and made an heroic stand. Knyphausen, finding the Americans to be fully engaged on their right, and observing that the corps opposed to him at Chadd's Ford was enfeebled by the troops which had been detached to the succor of Sullivan, began to make dispositions for crossing the river in reality. The passage of Chadd's Ford was defended by an intrenchment and battery. The Americans stood firm at first ; but upon intelligence of the defeat of their right, and seeing some of the British troops who had penetrated through the woods, come out upon their fiank, they retired in disorder, abandoning their artillery and munitions to the Hessian general. In their retreat, or rather fiight, they passed behind the position of General Greene, who still defended himself, and was the last to quit the field of GENERAL HISTORY. 175 battle. Finally, it being already dark, after a long and obstinate conflict, he also retired. The whole army retreated that night to Chester, and the day following to Philadelphia. There the fugitives arrived incessantly, having effected their escape through by-ways and circuitous routes. The victors passed the night on the field of battle. If darkness had not arrived seasonably, it is very probable that the whole American army would have been destroyed. Their loss was computed at about three hundred killed, six hundred wounded, and near four hundred taken prisoners. They also lost ten field-pieces and a howitzer. The loss in the royal army was not in proportion, being something under five hundred, of which the slain did not amount to one-fifth. The French oflScers were of great utility to the Americans, as well in forming the troops as in rallying them when thrown into confusion. One of them, the Baron St. Ouary, was made a prisoner, to the great regret of Congress, who bore him a particular esteem. Captain De Fleury had a horse killed under him in the hottest of the action. The Congress gave him another a few days after. The Marquis De Lafayette, while he was endeavoring, by his words and example, to rally the fugitives, was wounded in the leg. He continued, never- theless, to fulfil his duty, both as a soldier in fighting and as a general in cheer- ing the troops and re-establishing order. The Count Pulaski, a noble Pole, also displayed an undaunted courage at the head of the light-horse. The Congress manifested their sense of his merit by giving him, shortly after, the rank of brigadier, and the command of the cavalry. If all the American troops in the action of the Brandywine had fought with the same intrepidity as the Virginians and Pennsylvanians, and especially if Washington had not been led into error by a false report, perhaps, notwith- standing the inferiority of numbers and the imperfection of arms, he would have gained the victory, or, at least, would have made it more sanguinary to the English. However this might have been, it must be admitted that General Howe's order of battle was excellent ; that his movements were executed with as much ability as promptitude ; and that his troops, British as well as German, behaved admirably well. The day after the battle, towards evening, the British dispatched a detach- ■ ment of light troops to Wilmington. There they took prisoner the Governor of the State of Delaware, and seized a considerable quantity of coined money, as well as other property, both public and private, and some papers of importance. Lord Comwallis entered Philadelphia the 26th of September, at the head of a detachment of British and Hessian grenadiers. The rest of the army remained in the camp at Germantown. Thus the rich and populous capital of the whole confederation fell into the power of the royalists, after a sanguinai-y battle, and a series of manoeuvres no less masterly than painful, of the two armies. The Quakers, and all the other loyalists who had remained there, wel- comed the English with transports of gratulation. Washington, descending along the left bank of the Schuylkill, approached within sixteen miles of German- town. He encamped at Skippack creek, purposing to a-ccommodate his measures to the state of things. Congress and the Supreme Executive Council of the State remained in 176 H18T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Philadelphia during the exciting events transpiring before the city. The former adjourned on the 18th to meet at Lancaster, where it convened on the 27th, but three days after removed to York. The State government remained until the 24th, when it adjourned to Lancaster, the archives, etc., having previously been removed to Easton. A few days after the battle of Brandy wine four or five hundred of the Ameri- can wounded soldier's were taken to Ephrata and placed in a hospital. Here the camp fever set in, which, in conjunction with the wounds of the soldiers, baffled the skill of the surgeons. One hundred and fifty, a fearful mortality, proved fatal and were buried there. They were principally from Pennsylvania and New England, and a few British who had deserted and joined the American army. On the evening of the 20th of September General Wayne's division of the army was encamped on the ground at Paoli, three miles in the rear of the left wino- of the British army, from whence, after being reinforced by General Smallwood's command of militia, it was his intention to march and attack the enemy's rear when they decamped, and if possible " cut off their baggage." General Howe having been informed by Tories residing in the neighborhood of the exact posi- tion of Wayne's encampment, dispatched General Gray, with an adequate force, to capture the whole party. Cautiously approaching in the dead of the night, and probably guided by some local enemy of the American cause, he drove in the pickets with charged bayonets, and at once rushed upon the encampment with the cry of "no quarters." Wayne instantly formed his division, and with his right sustained a fierce assault, directed a retreat by the left, commanded by Colonel Richard Humpton, under cover of the first Pennsylvania regiment the light infantry, and the horse, who for a short time withstood the violence of the shock. The total loss of the Americans has been variously estimated at from one hundred and fifty to three hundred, while the British only admitted a loss of seven. Some severe animadversions on this unfortunate affair having been made in the army, General Wayne demanded a court martial, which, after investigating his conduct, was unanimously of opinion "that he had done everything to be expected from an active, brave, and vigilant officer," and acquitted him with honor. Of this court General Sullivan was president. General Howe, ha-\ing occupied Philadelphia, at once took measures to secure the unobstructed passage of his fleet up the Delaware river. Colonel Sterling was sent with a detachment to attack the fort at Billingsport, as its capture would place it in their power to make a passage through the obstructions in the chan- nel, and to bring their vessels within striking distance of Fort Mifflin. This was accomplished on the 2d of October, without resistance, the small garrison, under Colonel Bradford, taking off all the ammunition and some of the cannon spiking the rest, and burning the barracks. While this was being effected by the enemy, General Washington regarded it as a favorable opportunity of making an attack on the British force stationed at Germantown. He took this resolution with the more confidence, as he was now reinforced by the junction of the troops from the Hudson and a division of Maryland militia. The British line of encampment crossed Germantown at right angles about GENEBAL HISTOBY. 177 the centre, the left wing extending on the west from the town to the Schuylkill. That wing was covered in front by the mounted and dismounted Hessian chasseurs, who were stationed a little above, towards the American camp ; a battalion of light infantry and the Queen's American rangers were in the front of the right. The centre, being posted within the town, was guarded by the 40th regiment, and another battalion of light infantry, stationed about three- quarters of a mile above the head of tjie village. Washington resolved to attack the British by surprise, not doubting that if he succeeded in breaking them, as they were not only distant, but totally separated from the fleet, his victory must be decisive. He so disposed his troops that the divisions of Sullivan and Wayne, flanked by Conway's brigade, were to march down the main road, and entering the town by the way of Chestnut Hill, to attack the English centre and the right flank of their left wing ; the divisions of Greene and Stephen, flanked by MacDougal's brigade, were to take a circuit towards the east, by the limekiln road, and entering the town at the market-house, to attack the left flank of the right wing. The intention of the American general in seizing the village of Germantown by a double attack, was effectually to separate the right and left wings qf the royal army, which must have given him a certain victory. In order that the left flank of the left wing might not contract itself, and support the right flank of the same wing, General Armstrong, with the Pennsylvania militia, was ordered to march down the Manatawny or Ridge road upon the banks of the Schuylkill, and endeavor to dislodge the chasseurs and Hessians at Van Deering's mill and at the falls, and afterwards to get upon the left and rear of the enemy, if they should retire from that river. In like manner, to prevent the right flank of the right wing from going to the succor of the left flank, which rested upon Germantown, the militia of Maryland and New Jersey, under Generals Smallwood and Forman, were to march down the old York road, and to fall upon the English on that extremity of their wing. The division of Lord Stirling, and the brigades of Generals Nash and Maxwell, formed the reserve. General Potter, in the mean- time, was ordered to make an attack or a feint from the west side of the Schuyl- kill upon the royal camp in the city, so as to keep the grenadiers in work. These dispositions being made, Washington quitted his camp at Skippach creek, and moved towards the enemy on the 3d of October, about seven in the evening. Parties of cavalry silently scoured all the roads, to seize any individual who might have given notice to the British general of the danger that threatened him. Washington in person accompanied the columns of Sullivan- and Wayne. The march was rapid and silent. At three o'clock in the morning, the British patrols discovered the approach of the Americans ; the troops were soon called to arms ; each took his post with the precipitation of surprise. About sunrise the Americans came up. General Conway, having driven in the pickets, fell upon the 40th regiment and the battalion of light infantry. These corps, after a short resistance, being over- powered by numbers, were pressed and pursued into the village. ' Fortune appeared already to have declared herself in favor of the Americans ; and certainly if they had gained complete possession of Germantown, nothing could hivj frustrated them of the most signal victory. But in this conjimcture 178 HI8T0BT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Lieutenant- Colonel Musgrave threw himself, mth six companies of the 40th regiment, into a large and strong stone house, the mansion of Judge Chew, situated near the head of the village, from which he poured upon the assailants so terrible a fire of musketry that they could advance no further. The Ameri- cans attempted to storm this unexpected covert of the enemy, but those within THE CHEW MANSION, QERMANTOWN. continued to defend themselves with resolution. They finally brought cannon up to the assault, but such was the intrepidity of the English, and the violence of their fire, that it was found impossible to dislodge them. During this time General Greene had approached the right wing, and routed, after a slight engagement, the light infantry and Queen's rangers. Afterwards, turning a little to his right, and towards Germantown, he fell upon the left flank of tlie enemy's right wing, and endeavored to enter the village. Meanwhile, he expected that the Pennsylvania militia, under Armstrong, upon the right, and the militia of Maryland and New Jersey, commanded by Smallwood and Pormau, on the left, would have executed the orders of the commander-in- chief, by attacking and turning, the first the left, the second the right flank of the British army. But either because the obstacles they encountered had retarded them, or that they wanted ardor, the former arrived in sight of the German chasseurs, and did not attack them; the latter appeared too late upon the field of battle. The consequence was, that General Grey, finding his left flank secure; GENERAL MISTOBY. 179 marched, with nearly the whole of the left wing, to the assistance of the centre, which, notwithstanding the unexpected resistance of Colonel Musgrave, was excessively hard pressed in Germantown, where the Americans gained ground incessantly. The battle was now very warm at that village, the attack and the defence being equally vigorous. The issue appeared for some time dubious. General Agnew was mortally wounded while charging with great bravery at the head of the Fourth brigade. Colonel George Matthews, of the Ninth Virginia regiment, who was in the advance of Greene's column, assailed the English with so much fury that he drove them before him into the town. He had taken a large number of prisoners, and was about entering the village when ho perceived that a thick fog and the unevenness of the ground had caused him to lose sight of the rest of his division. Being soon enveloped by the extremity of the right wing, which fell back upon him when it had discovered that nothing was to be apprehended from the tardy approach of the militia of Maryland and New Jersey, he was compelled to surrender with all his party ; the English had already rescued their prisoners. This check was the cause that two regiments of the English right wing were enabled to throw themselves into Germantown, and to attack the Americans who had entered it in flank. Unable to sustain the shock, they retired precipitately, leaving a great number of killed and wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel Musgrave, to whom belongs the principal honor of this affair, was then relieved from all peril. General Grey, being absolute master of Germantown, flew to the succor of the right wing, which was engaged with the left of the column of Greene. The Americans then took to flight, abandon- ing to the English, throughout the line, a victory, of which, in the commence- ment of the action, they had felt assured. The principal causes of the failure of this well-concerted enterprise were the extreme haziness of the weather, which was so thick that the Americans could neither discover the situation nor movements of the British army, nor yet those of their own ; the inequality of the ground, which incessantly broke the ranks of their battalions, an inconvenience more serious and dilBcult to be repaired for new and inexperienced troops, as were most of the Americans, than for the English veterans ; and, finally, the unexpected resistance of Musgrave, who found means, in a critical moment, to transform a mere house into an impreg- nable fortress. General Reed's proposition was to pursue the enemy when first thrown into confusion and turning their faces towards I'hiladelphia, but General Knox opposed the suggestion as being against all military rule, " to leave an enemy in a fort in the rear." " What," exclaimed Reed, " call this a fort, and lose the happy moment!" Knox's opinion prevailed, and the result was as described. Thus fortune, who at first had appeared disposed to favor one party, sud. denly declared herself on the side of their adversaries. Lord Cornwallis, being at Philadelphia, upon intelligence of the attack upon the camp, flew to its succor with a corps of the cavalry and the grenadiers ; but when he reached the field of battle the Americans had already left it. They had two hundred men killed in this action ; the number of wounded amounted to six hundred ; and about four hundred were made prisoners. One of their most lamented losses was that of Brigadier-General Francis Nash, of North Carolina, besides 1 80 HI8T0B Y OF PENNS YL VANIA. Colonel Boyd, Major Sherboume, Major White, and Major Irvine. The loss of the British was little over five hundred in killed and wounded ; among the for- former were Brigadier-General Agnew and Colonel Bird. The American army saved all its artillery, and retreated the same day, about twenty miles, to Perkiomen creek. The Congress expressed, in decided terms, their approbation, both of the plan of this enterprise and the courage with which it was executed ; for which their thanks were given to the general and the army. A few days after the battle, the royal army removed from Germantown to Philadelphia. On the 17th of October the British army, under Burgoyne, surrendered to General Gates, the news of which enlivened the hearts of the desponding patriots, but unfortunately resulted in a clamor for a change in the commander-in-chief, substituting Gates in Washington's position. This faction was not strong, and although they excited a spirit of envy and jealousy in many officers of the Con- tinental army, yet the rank and file bore true allegiance to their illustrious commander. On the 22d of October occurred Count Dunop's attack on Fort Mercer, at Red Bank. It commenced at four o'clock, and with the first sound of the Count's cannon, the British fleet, consisting of the Augusta, a new sixty-four gun vessel, the Roebuck, forty-four guns, the Merlin frigate, the Liverpool, and several other vessels which had got through the barrier at Billingsport, attempted to make its way up the river to assist the attack. The Pennsylvania State fleet, under Commodore Hazelwood, immediately engaged these vessels and drove them back ; the galleys also were of great service in flanking the enemy at the fort. Going down the river, the Augusta and Merlin ran aground ; hearing of which, on the morning of the 23d, the commodore immediately hoisted signal to engage, and the action soon became general. The Augusta took fire and blew up, and not being able to get the Merlin ofi", she was burned by her crew. Commodore Hazelwood was, by a vote of Congress of the 4th of November, honored with a sword for his gallant conduct in this action. Pending the reduction of Fort Mifflin, on Hog Island, the Pennsylvania fleet was actively engaged defending the pass between it and the Jersey shore, took a part in the actions before the fort was burned and abandoned by our troops on the 16th of November, losing in one day thirty-eight menkilled and wounded. On the 20th, Fort Mercer was abandoned by our troops, and the fleet could no longer lie in safety under Red Bank; accordingly, after holding a council of the captains of the galleys, it was determined to pass by the city in the night, and take refuge in the Delaware above Burlington. At three o'clock in the morning of the 21st, the commodore got under way, and about half past four passed the city without having a shot flred at the convoy. It consisted of thirteen galleys, twelve armed boats, province sloop, ammunition sloop, Convention brig, an accommo- dation sloop, one provision sloop, one schooner, and two flats with stores ; the schooner Delaware, Captain Eyre, was driven on shore and set on fire. An attempt was made to get the Continental fleet up, but failed, and its vessels Andrea Doria, Xebex, etc., with the Province ships and the two floating batteries, were set on fire and burned. CHAPTER XL THE RE\ OLUTION. THE CANTONMENT AT VALLEY TORQE. THE MISOHIANZA. PHILADELPHIA EVACUATED BY THE BRITISH. INDIAN OUTRAaES. SULLI- VAN'S EXPEDITION. ABOLITION OP SLAVERY IN PENNSYLVANIA. IITT 1780. BATE in November, General Washington, being now reinforced by Gen- eral Gates' army from the north, encamped in a strong position at Whitemarsh, Montgomery county. The American army at this time consisted of about eleven thousand, of whom nearly three thousand were unfit for duty, " being barefooted and otherwise naked." Howe had with him but little more than twelve thousand fighting men. The British general made several attempts to provoke or entice Washington into the field, but the latter chose to receive the enemy in camp — each general choosing not to risk a battle without the advantage of ground. ' On the 3d of December General Howe attempted to surprise the American camp, but his design was frustrated by the vigilance of the American commander. Howe manoeuvred with the hope of drawing General Washington out to battle, but signally failed. The Americans remained in their own camp, with the exception of skirmishing parties sent out to annoy the enemy. Generals Potter, Irvine, Armstrong, and Reed, of the Pennsylvania troops, kept watch over the movements of the British. On the night of the 8th, General Howe marched back ingloriouslj' to Philadelphia without accomplishing his threat of "driving General Washington over the Blue Mountains." Washington finally concluded to go into winter quarters at Valley Forge. Here this faithful band of patriots, worn out with the fatigues of the summer's campaign, and destitute of all the necessaries of life, passed a most dreary winter. They erected log huts on the plan of a village, and so far were comfortably sheltered ; but blankets, sufficient clothing, shoes, and oftentimes provisions, were but scantily provided. It was with great difficulty and anxiety that Washington kept his army together until spring. Yet amid all this suffer- ing, day after day, as Dr. Lossing remarks, surrounded by frost and snow, for it was a winter of great severity, patriotism was still warm and hopeful in the hearts of the soldiers ; and the love of self was merged into the one holy senti- ment — love of country. Although a few feeble notes of discontent were heard, and symptoms of intentions to abandon the cause were visible, yet the great body of that suffering phalanx were content to wait for the budding spring, and be ready to enter anew upon the fields of strife for the cause of freedom. It was one of the most trying scenes in the life of Washington, but a cloud of doubt seldom darkened the serene atmosphere of his hopes. He knew that the cause was just and hojy. and his faith and confidence in God as a defender and helper of right were as stead}' in their ministrations of vigor to his soul as were the pulsations 181 182 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. of his heart to his active limbs. In perfect reliance upon Divine aid, hfi moved in the midst of crushed hopes, and planned brilliant schemes for the future. Congress, on the 10th of December, passed a resolution requesting the liegislature of Pennsylvania to enact a law requiring all persons at the distance WASHINGTON'S HEAD-QUARTEBS AT VALLEY FOBGE. of seventy miles, and upwards, from General Washington's headquarters, and below the Blue Mountains, to thresh out their wheat and other grain within as short a space of time as the Legislature should deem sufficient for the purpose, and in case of failure to subject the same to seizure by the commissaries at the price of straw only. No such law was passed, but the commander-in-chief, on the 29th, issued a proclamation from Valley Forge commanding that one-half of QENEBAL HISTOBT. 183 the grain in store within seventy miles of his camp should be threshed out before the first of February ensuing, and the other half before the first of March. On Monday, the 5th of January, 1178, transpired the ever-memor- 1778. able event — the " Battle of the Kegs.'' The large number of vessels, says Thompson Westcott, which lay before Philadelphia, stimulated the ingenuity of the Americans to find some means to destroy them. A num- ber of kegs, or of machines that resembled kegs as they were floating, were pre- pared at Burlington by the men of the Pennsylvania galleys, and placed in a position to be carried against the shipping by the current. Unluckily the vessels, which had been in the middle of the river, were then drawn in near the wharves to avoid the ice. The kegs had spring locks which were contrived so as to explode on coming in contact with any hard substance. On the day in question several of these kegs were observed floating down the river, and "an alarm immediately spread throughout the city. Various reports prevailed, filling the city and the royal troops with consternation. Some reported that these kegs were filled with armed rebels who were to issue forth in the dead of night and take Philadelphia by surprise, asserting that they had seen the points of their bayonets through the bung-holes of the kegs. Others said they were charged with the most inveterate combustibles, to be kindled by secret machinery, and setting the whole Delaware in flames, were to consume all the shipping in the harbor ; whilst others asserted they were constructed by art magic, would of themselves ascend the wharves in the night time, and roll, all flaming, through the streets of the city,,destroying every- thing iu their way. Be this as it may, certain it is that all the shipping In the harbor, and all the wharves were fuUj* manned. The battle b^gan, and it was surprising to behold the incessant blaze that was kept up against the enemy — the kegs. Both officers and men," continues the account, " exhibited the most unparalleled skill and bravery on the occasion, whilst the citizens stood gazing as the solemn witnesses of their prowess. From the Roebuck and other ships ot war whole broadsides were poured into the Delaware. In short, not a wandering chip, stick, or drift log, but felt the vigor of the British arms." The entire transaction was laughable in the extreme, and furnished the theme for unnum- bered sallies of wit from- the Whig press, while the distinguished author of " Hail, Columbia," Francis Hopkinson, paraphrased it in a ballad which was im- mensely popular at the time. With the exception of occasional depredations committed by British foraging parties, during the winter all was quiet on the Delaware. The vigilance of Generals Potter and Lacey greatly restrained these forays. In the meantime, through Washington, with the aid of Steuben and other foreign officers in the army, the band of American patriots were metamorphosed into a well-disciplined army. General Wayne's command was encamped during nearly the whole winter and spring at Mount Joy, in Lancaster county, assisting in securing supplies of provisions for the army at Valley Forge. The Supreme Executive Council of the State, and the Assembly, in session at Lancaster, and the Congress at York, were principally engaged in legislating for the interests of the army, preparing for the ensuing campaign. On the 6th of March the Assembly passed the " act for the attainder of divers traitors," among whom were specially mentioned, Joseph Galloway, Andrew Allen, Rev. 184 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Jacob Duch^, John Biddle, and others. The recreant sons of Pennsylvania began to be numerous and troublesome, and severe measures were absolutely necessary. On the 6th of February France openly espoused the American cause, and a treaty of alliance was negotiated at Paris, by the commissioners, Benjamin Frank- lin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee, who had been sent as ambassadors by Congress in September of the previous year. This joyful news reached York on the 2d of May. In compliance with this agreement, the French ministry dispatched a fleet of twelve ships and four frigates, under Count D'Estang, to the Delaware. On the 1st of May, General John Lacey, with a small force of militia stationed at Crooked Billet Tavern, Bucks county, for the purpose of preventing supplies of provisions being sent to Philadelphia, were surprised by a detachment of British troops under Colonel Abercrombie. The Americans lost twenty-six killed, eight or ten wounded, and flfty-eight missing. The British bayoneted many of the prisoners after they had surrendered ; others of the wounded were " thrown in among some standing buckwheat straw, which was set on fire, whereby several were burned to death. The corpses of the killed were roasted, and the clothes burned off their bodies." The infamous wretches who committed these atrocities were the Tory soldiers of Simcoe's rangers. Among the Ameri- cans killed was Captain John Downey. He served gallantly at Trenton and Princeton, afad was commissary to Lacey's brigade. On the Tth of May, Lord Howe was superseded by Sir Henry Clinton. Pre- vious to the British commander's departure a magnificent fSte, called the Mischianza — " a 'combination of the regatta, the tournament, the banquet, and the ball," we quote from Hazard, " was given in his honor by his field officers. The principal scenes were enacted at Mr. Wharton's country-seat, in Southwark ; but a splendid spectacle was exhibited on the Delaware, by the procession of galleys and barges, which left the foot of Green Street, with the ladies, knights, Lord and General Howe, General Knyphausen, &c., on board, with banners and music. The British men-of-war, the Vigilant, the Roebuck, and the Fanny, lay in the stream opposite the city ; and the shores were crowded with British trans- port ships, from which thousands of eager spectators watched the scene. Cheers and salutes of cannon greeted the procession. The' principal actors in the pageant were the six Knights of the Blended Rose, splendidly arrayed in white and pink satin, with bonnets and nodding plumes, mounted on white steeds elegantly caparisoned, and attended by their squires. These knights were the champions of the Ladies of the Blended Rose, and were dressed in Turkish habits of rich white silk. To these were opposed the Knights of the Burning Mountain, dressed and mounted with equal splendor, and professing to defend the Ladies of the Burning Mountain. The names of the Ladies of the Blended Rose, as given by one of the actors in the pageant, were Miss Auchmuty (the daughter of a British officer), Miss Peggy Chew, Miss Jenny Craig, Miss Wilhelmina Bond, Miss Nancy White, and Miss Nancy Redman. The Ladies of the Burning Mountain, Miss Beckie Franks, Miss Becky Bond, Miss Becky Redman, Miss Sally Chew, and Miss Wilhelmina Smith— only five; but Major Andr^, in his account, gives it a little differently. In place of Miss Auchmuty, of the Blended Rose, he has Miss M. Shippen ; and in plape of Miss Franks, of the Burning GENERAL HISTOBY. Ig5 Mountain, he has Miss S. Shippen, and, in addition, Miss P. Shippen. The challenge given by the Knights of the Blended Rose was, that ' the Ladies of the Blended Rose excel in wit, beauty, and every other accomplishment, all the other ladies in the world ; and if any knight or knights should be so hardy as to deny this, they are determined to support their assertions by deeds of arms, agreeable to the laws of ancient chivalry.' The challenge was of course accepted by the Knights of the Burning Mountain, and the tournament succeeded. After the tournament came a grand triumphal procession, through an arch ; and then a file champetre, with dancing, supper, &c., enlivened by all the music of the THE WHARTON HOTJSB, WHEEB THE MISCHIANZA WAS HELD, [Fac-filmile of ao Old Print.] I army. Such were the scenes exhibited in Philadelphia, while the half-naked and half-starved officers and soldiers of the American army were suffering on the hills of Valley Forge. The accomplished and unfortunate Major Andrd was one of the knights, and was, besides, the very life and soul of the occasion. He, with another officer, painted the scenery, and designed and sketched the dresses, both of the Knights and Ladies." Six days after this pageant of folly, on' the 24th of May, a council of war was held under Sir Henry Clinton, and it was resolved to evacuate the city, which took place on the 18th of June. This was delayed owing to the arrival, on the 6th, of the commissioners of Great Britain sent to negotiate peace and a recon- ciliation. It was too late. The treaty with France put that out of the question now, whatever might previously have been the feeling. Among other intrigues, it is stated, the commissioners secretly offered to General Joseph Reed, then delegate to Congress, and afterwards President of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania, £10,000 sterling, with the best office in the Colonies, to promote 186 HI8T0R T OF PENNSYLVANIA. their plans. He promptly replied : " I am not worth purchasing ; but such as 1 am, the king of Great Britain is not rich enough to do it." Fearing the arrival of the French fleet, news of which had been forwarded General Clinton by the British ministry, the enemy's flotilla went out to sea, or took shelter in Raritan Bay, while the army pushed across the Jerseys. Washington, apprised of the retreat of the enemy, moved his troops from winter quarters and pursued them. The brilliant action of Sunday, the 28th of June, at Monmouth, was the con- sequence. The day was excessively warm and sultry. The American troops, though much fatigued bj' their march, fought with determined bravery, and the British were compelled to give way. Taking advantage of the night, the ap- proach of which probably saved them from a total rout, they withdrew, and at daybreak had gained the heights of Middletown, having left behind them such of their wounded as could not with safety be removed. On the 23d of May previous, President Wharton died suddenly of an attack of quinsy, at Lancaster. His funeral, on the day following, was conducted by the State authorities, -and as commander-in-chief of the forces of the State, was buried with military honors. By his decease, the Vice-President, George Bryan, assumed the executive functions. Upon the re-occupation of Philadelphia by the Continental army. Major General Benedict Arnold was ordered by General Washington to take command of the city, and " prevent the disorders which were expected upon the evacua- tion of the place and the return of the Whigs' after being so long kept out of their property." Congress met at the State House, on the 25th of June, and the Supreme Executive Council held its first meeting the day following. It was the 9th of July ere Commodore Hazelwood reported the armed boats of the Pennsylvania navy all afloat and getting ready for service. The Conven- tion brig. Captain Thomas Houston, was ordered to be fitted out as soon as possible, and it, with the armed boats, to go down into the bay ; and in a short time three of the galleys and three of the barges were fitted and manned. The rest were laid up except one galley, which was sunk in Crosswichsunk creek, near Bordentown. On the 25th the Supreme Executive Council took into consideration the case of John Gilfray, boatswain of the ship Montgomery, found guilty of deserting to the enemy, and under sentence of death. It being the first conviction of an offence of this kind in the State fleet, he was pardoned, and Commodore Hazel- wood was authorized to offer full pardon to all deserters who returned before the 1 st of September. In the beginning of this month, however, Lieutenant Lyon, of the Dickinson, and Lieutenant Ford, of the Effingham, who deserted during the attack upon Fort Mifflin, were executed on board one of the guard boats on the Delaware. Lieutenant Wilson, of the Rangers, and John Lawrence, one of the gunners of the fleet, who deserted at the same time, and were under sentence of death, were reprieved. Actiie measures were taken for the speedy trial of all persons accused of high treason, and the " conviction of quite a number excited an intense sensation and much alarm among the Tories and Quakers." Several were executed, notwith- standing every exertion to save them, but so bitter was the hatred of the Whigs 188 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. of the Revolution, many of ■whom had suffered severely at the hands of the dis- affected, that some victims were deemed necessary to mollify their animosities. " Mercy," says Thompson Westcptt, " was fettered in the desire to vindicate principles, and strike terror into the souls of the Tories by some memorable examples." The Indians of the Six Nations, as well as the tribes in the western territory, had been induced by the British to take up the hatchet against the Colonies. During the year 177? they were principally engaged on the Northern frontiers of New York, and Pennsylvania escaped their ravages, with the exception of a few marauding parties. In 1778 the garrison at Pittsburgh was strengthened, and Fort M'Intosh was built at the mouth of Beaver. Notwithstanding the expected attacks from Indians on the north and west branches of the Susquehanna, the inhabitants of Northumberland county and of the Wyoming valley had promptly responded to the urgent calls of Congress, and left exposed their own homes, by sending nearly all their fighting men to the campaigns in the lower country. While in this ^defenceless situation, the dark cloud of savage warfare burst upon them. Early in July, 1778, Colonel John Butler, with a party of Tory rangers, a detachment of Sir John Johnson's Royal Greens, and a large body of Indians, chiefly Senecas, descended the Susquehanna, and destroyed the flourishing settlements of the Wyoming valley. A few old men were hastilj' gathered for defence, with a few soldiers returned on a visit from the army ; the women and children were sheltered in a stockade foi't, where their defenders ought also to have remained ; but their courage outweighed their prudence, they loved fighting from habit, and they chose to go out to meet the enemy. This little handful of men fought with more than Spartan courage, but numbers over- powered them — they were routed — many were cut down in the fight, and those captured were put to death with the hatchet. Colonel Dennison, who escaped to the fort with a few others, succeeded in entering into a capitulation by which the w'oraen and children were to be preserved, and permitted to depart. Unhappily, however, the British commander either could not or would not enforce the terms of the capitulation, which were to a great extent disregarded, as well by the Tories as Indians. Instead of finding protection, the valley was again laid waste — the houses and improvements were destroyed by fire, and the country plundered. Families were broken up and dispersed, men and their wives separated, mothers torn from their children, and some of them carried into captivity, while far the greater number fled through the wilderness of the Pokono mountains towards the settlements on the Delaware. Some died of their wounds, others from want and fatigue, while others were lost in the wilderness or were heard of no more. Several perished in a great swamp in the neighborhood, which from that circum- stance acquired the name of The Shades of Death, and retains it to this day. For fuller details of this painful transaction, the reader is referred to the. sketch of Luzerne. Colonel Hartley, with a small detachment from Munc^-, soon after the battle, went up the Susquehanna, and destroyed the Indian villaaes at Wyalusing, Sheshequin, and Tioga. A month or two after the battle of Wyoniing, a force of British, Indians, and Tories, under Colonel McDonald, made a descent on the West Branch. Fort Muncy being untenable, was abandoned on definite OENEBAL HISTORY. 189 information being received of the approaclvof the enemy, as also the fort at the mouth of Warrior's run, and all the women and children in the neighborhood were put into boats and sent down to Fort Augusta. Four miles up from the mouth of the Warrior's run was located Fort Freeland, which at this time was commanded by Captain John Lytle. The enemy at once laid siege to the fort. There were brave men in that fort, who would have defended it to the death ; but it was also filled with women and children, whom it was not thought prudent to expose to the cruelties that might result from a capture by storm. When, therefore, the enemy were about setting Are to the fort, a capitulation was entered into, by whicii the men and boys, able to bear arms, were to be taken prisoners, and the women and children were to return home unarmed. A Mrs. Kirk, in the fort with her daughter Jane and her son William, before the capitulation fixed a bayonet upon a pole, vowing she would kill at least one Indian ; but as there was no chance for fighting, she exhibited her cunning by putting petticoats upon her son "Billy" — who was able to bear arms, but had yet a smooth chin — and smuggled him out among the women. The enemy took possession of the place, allowing the women and child ri'ti to remain in an old building outside of the fort, on the banks of the run. At a preconcerted signal, Captain Hawkins Boon, who commanded a stockade on Muddy run, two miles above Milton, came up to the relief of Freeland's fort, with a party of men. Perceiving the women and children playing outside of the fort, he suspected no danger, and incautiously approached so near that the women were obliged to make signs to him to retire. He retreated precipitately, but was perceived by the enemy, who with a strong force waylaid him, on the Northum- berland road, at McClung's place. Boon's party fell into the ambush, and a most desperate encounter ensued, from which few of the Americans escaped. Colonel McDonald afterwards spoke in the highest terms of commendation of the desperate bravery of Hawkins Boon. He refused all quarter — encouraged and forced his men to stand up to the encounter ; and at last, with most of his Spartan band, died on the field, overpowered by superior numbers. The border settlements of Westmoreland were also overrun in every direc- tion by scalping parties, and as many of the marauding parties were known to cross the Allegheny, forts were ordered to be erected at the mouth of Puckety creek, on the Loyalhanna, and on the Kiskeminitas. At the same time, CJeneral Mcintosh was sent with a small force of regulars for the protection of the frontiers. He commenced'the erection of a fort at the mouth of the Beaver, named after the commander. From here General Mcintosh went on an expedi- tion against the Sandusky towns, and erected Fort Laurens on the Tuscarawas. On the 1st of December, General Joseph Reed was elected President, and George Bryan, Vice-President, who were inducted into their oflflcial stations with all the pageantry attending the first inauguration of the chief executive of the State. The main body of the American army continued at White Plains watching the movements of the enemy during the autumn of 1178, when Washington took up winter quarters in huts which he had caused to be constructed at Middle- brook, in New Jersey. Wednesday, the 30th of December, was observed, by order of Congress, as 190 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. ' a day of fasting and prayer. At this period " the affairs of the colonies were in the most distressed and ruinous condition Party disputes and personal quarrels were the great business of the day, while the momentous concerns of the country, a great and accumulating debt, ruined finances, depreciated money, and a want of credit, which is the consequence in the want of everything, were but secondary con- siderations, and postponed by Congress from time to time, as if their affairs wore the most promising aspect. The paper was sinking in PhUadelphia daily fifty per cent." In fact, there was an alarming supineness pervading the constituted authorities. The conduct of General Arnold, on the 3d of February, 1719, occasioned decided 1779. action on the part of the Supreme Executive Council, and the Attorney- General of the State was ordered to prosecute Arnold for illegal and oppressive conduct while JOSEPH KEED.* in commaud of the military at Philadelphia. A copy of the charges were presented to the General before he left the city, but he did not care to meet them, and under pre- tence of attending to his duty, " fled from inquiry." From the camp on the Raritan, whence he had gone, he addressed a letter " To the Public," expressing his willingness that Congress should direct a court-martial to inquire into his conduct. The accusations of the Supreme Executive Council were laid before that body, but the trial was delayed, and not until January, 1780, was the court- martial held. Arnold was then " convicted of using the public wagons for his own benefit," but he was. acquitted of any corrupt intent, and sentenced to be reprimanded by the commander-in-chief. * Joseph Reed was born at Trenton , New Jersey, August 27, 1741. He graduated at New Jersey College, 1767, and shortly after entered the Inner Temple, London, as a law student. Returning in 17G5, he began a successful practice at Trenton, and in 1767 was appointed deputy secretary of New Jersey. After his marriage in England to Esther De Berdt, he settled in Philadelphia. He was a member of the Committee of Correspondence in 1774, president of the Convention of January, 1775, delegate to Congress in May, and in July, accompanied Washington to Cambridge as his secretary and aid-de-camp. During the campaign of 1776 he was adjutant-general of the Continental army. In 1777 he was appointed cliief-justice of Pennsylvania, and named by Congress brigadier-general, both of which he declined. He served as a volunteer at Brandy wine, Whitemarsh, Germantown, and Monmouth. Member of Congress in 1778, he signed the Articles of Confederation. From 1778 to 1781 he was President of Pennsylvania. Active, energetic, and patriotic. President Reed had the confidence of his fellow-citizens, by whom he was respected and beloved. His memory, for almost a century, has been clouded by suspicions and chaiges of disloyalty. Recent researches, however, prove their falsity, and that the Americim officer wlio listened to the siren-voice of the Britons was a Colonel Eeed, of the Burlington, N. J., militia. President Reed resumed liis profession at the close of his administration, and after the peace visited England for his health, but without beneficial result. He aided greatly the founding of the University of Pennsylvania, favored the gradual abolition of slavery, and the doing away with the Proprietary powers vested in the Penn family. He died at Philadelphia, March 5, 1785. GENERAL HISTOR Y. 191 The " scarcity of articles of food and personal necessity " was now becoming so general, that the Supreme Executive Council issued a proclamation on the 18th of January against " forestalls and engrossers." The cause of all this trouble was, as heretofore alluded to, the depreciation of the Continental money. The quantity of this money then in circulation, exclusive of the State's emissions of paper, was one hundred and thirty millions of dollars — about four times as much as was necessary for a medium of trade. The Continental money, therefore, instead of standing at almost one-fourth of the value, remarks Thompson Westcott, had depreciated in some articles so low as three thousand per cent. This was said to be due " first, to a scarcity of many articles, particularly of European goods ; second, a monopoly of many articles, particularly of West India goods, which operates the same way as a scarcity ; third, a want of confi- dence in the credit of the money induced people to ask and give a greater sum for articles than they were worth." The Pennsylvania Assembly attempted to grapple with this subject, and adopted certain restrictions in regard to purchases, and laid embargoes on the exportation of goods. Prices were affixed by the local committees of inspection for certain imported articles and home produc- tions. These measures, it was hoped, would be of the utmost benefit, but the regulation of prices bore hard on some of the tradesmen, and in consequence they were the first to complain. The whole difficulty was owing to the deprecia- tion of the currency, but the problem was not of easy solution. On the 26th of May the Supreme Executive Council and the Assembly presented a memorial to Congress upon this subject. That body adopted " a plan for raising money by subscription, and stopping the emissions of paper currency." This gave some relief, but unfortunately the loans were small. The campaign of 17 79 opened, therefore, under circumstances not bright or cheery. Congress made no provisions for re-enlisting until late, when at the time a competent army should have been in camp. The bounty then oflered was so low that men could not be procured to enter the service, and the States of Penn- sylvania, New York, Virginia, and New Jersey had to be called on in the most pressing manner, by the commander-in-chief, and ultimately by Congress, to increase the bounty, and use every exertion to forward their respective quotas of troops. The policy of waging a more decisive war against the Indians, and the Tories associated with them in their barbarous irruptions upon the frontiers of Penn- sylvania and New York, caused Congress, on the 25th of February, to direct the commander-in-chief to take the most eficctual means to protect the inhabi- tants and chastise the savages. With this end in view. General. Washington ordered General Sullivan to carry the war into the country of the Six Nations, " to cut off' their settlement, destroy their crops, and inflict upon them every other mischief which time and circumstances would permit." The plan of the campaign was to be commenced by a combined movement of two divisions, the one from Pennsylvania ascending the valley of the Susquehanna to the intersec- tion of the Tioga river, under Sullivan, and the other from the north under General James Clinton, which was to descend the Susquehanna from its principal source, and after forming a junction, the whole to proceed by the course of the Chemung river into the fertile country of the Senecas and 1 92 HISTOB Y OF PENITS TL VANIA. Cayugas. The progress of this force was slow, and Indian precaution was used to guard against surprise. Large flanking parties were flung out on either side, and riflemen and scouts were kept forward. Major Parr's rifle corps formed the advance guard, the brigades of Generals Hand, Maxwell, Parr, and Proctor's. artillery fonning the central column, or constituting the main body of the army, while General Clinton's division protected and brought up the rear. On the 29th, the advance fell in with the enemy near Newtown, on the Chepiung. The number of Indians was thirteen hundred, of the Tories two hundred and fifty. The notorious Brant commanded the savages, while the regular troops and rangers were led by Colonel John Butler. The contest was long, and on the side of the enemy, bloody. The latter, at last, fled in the utmost precipita- tion. Eleven Indian dead were found on the field. The rest of the wounded and dead were borne away on the retreat. Being pushed at the point of the bayonet, they had not time to bear away all their slain, although the Indians invariably exert themselves to the utmost to prevent the bodies of their dead from falling into the hands of their foes. The Americans lost three killed and thirty-four wounded. Sending his wounded back to Tioga, General Sullivan pushed on his army, destroying the various Indian towns, their fields of corn and beans. The Indians everywhere fled as the American ai-my advanced, and the whole country of the Genesee was swept as with the besom of destruction. Forty Indian towns, the largest containing one hundred and twenty-eight houses, were destroyed. Corn, gathered and ungathered, amounting to one hundred and sixty thousand bushels, shared the same fate. This terrible lesson neither intimidated the savages nor prevented their incursions. Throughout the remainder of the war, they stole in small parties into all the frontier settle- ments, where blood and desolation marked their track. Colonel Brodhead, about the same time, engaged in a successful expedition against the Munsey towns on the north branch of the Allegheny, destroying the villages and crops about the mouth of Brokenstraw, and above the Conewango, and a party of forty warriors cut off who were on their way to the settlements in Westmoreland county. The successful storming of Stony Point by General Wayne on the night of July 15, one of the most daring exploits of the war, produced a great alteration in the situation of affairs, wrote General St. Clair, and buoyed up the hearts of thc>desponding patriots, as it struck terror to the Tories. Congress, on the 26th of the same month, unanimously passed a resolution of thanks to General Wayne, " for his brave, prudent, and soldierlj' conduct in the spirited and well conducted attack on Stony Point." On the nth of October, Vice-President Bryan resigned his oflSce, whereupon Colonel Matthew Smith was chosen to fill the vacancy, which he, too, resigned on the 29th of the month. At the annual election on the 12th of November following, William Moore was unanimously chosen to the position. On the 27th of November, the Assembly, after careful consideration, passed resolutions annulling the Royal Charter, and granting the Penns, as a compen- sation for the rights of which they were deprived, £130,000 sterling. They retained, however, their manors, real estate as private proprietors, their ground-rents and quit-rents issuing out of their manors, and were still thi! largest landed proprietors in Pennsylvania. They subsequently received GENERAL HISTORY. 193 from the British government an annuity of £4,000 for their losses by the Revo- lution. The year 1180 is memorable in the annals of Pennsylvania for the 1780. passage of the act for the gradual abolition of slavery in this State, On the 5th of February, 1779, the Supreme Executive Council, in their message to the Assembly, called the attention of that body to this subject. "We think," say thev, "we are loudly called on to evince our gratitude in making our fellow-men joint heirs with us of the same inestimable blessings, under such restrictions and regulations as will not injure the community, and will imper- ceptibly enable them to relish and improve the station to which they will be advanced. Honored will that State be in the annals of mankind which shall first abolish this violation of the rights of mankind ; and the memories of thost, will be held in grateful and everlasting remembrance who shall pass the law to restore and establish the rights of human nature in Pennsylvania. We feel our- selves so interested on this point as to go beyond what may be deemed by some the proper line of our duty, and acquaint you that we have reduced this plan to the form of a law, which, if acceptable, we shall in a few days communicate to you." Although the subject was thus forcibly presented, the matter was dis- missed by the Assembly " as the Constitution would not allow them to receive the law from the Council." Nothing more was done until in the November As- sembly, when George Bryan, formerly Vice-President of the State, having been elected a member of the Legislature, urged the passage of a bill which he had prepared. On the first of March, 1780, by a vote of thirty-four yeas to twenty- one nays, the act passed the Assembly. It provided for the registration of every negro or mulatto slave or servant for life, or till the age of thirty-one years, be- fore the first of November following, and also provided, "that no manr or woman of any nation or color, except the negroes or mulattoes who shall be registered as aforesaid, shall at any time hereafter be de'emed, adjudged, or holden within the territory of this Commonwealth, as slaves or servants for life, but as free men and free women." The servants of members of Congress, foreign ministers, and persons passing through or sojourning not longer than six months, were also made an exception. To Yice-President Bryan is due the credit of originat- ing and finally urging this humane measure to a successful vote. Again the paper-money difilculties took up the attention of the State Legisla- ture. On the 20th of March, Congress, yielding to the necessity, authorized the States to revise the laws making the continental bills a tender, and to amend them as it was thought proper. The next day, in the Assembly, a motion to sus- pend the operation of the law so far as it made the continental currency equal to gold and silver in payment of debts, was lost by a tie vote. The effort, however, to prevent a suspension of the tender laws could not be maintained very long. On the 24th of May a bill was proposed, which passed the 31st, effecting this plan for three months, and on the 22d of June the suspension was continued until the next session, and on December 22d, indefinitely. On the 1st of June, for the purpose of bringing the war to a close, the Assembly authorized the passage of an act to redeem the continental bills to the amount of twenty-five millions of dollars, by the collection of taxes at the rate of one million dollars to forty mil- lions. Every effort was made to keep the State money up. to par. The mea- 194 HI8T0BT OF PENNSYLVANIA. sures adopted bringing but temporary relief, the Assembly, on the 29th of May, passed resolutions authorized the borrowing of a sum of money not exceeding £200,000 sterling, pledging the faith and honor of the State for its repayment after ten years. It was deemed necessary to send an agent to Europe, but neither in Holland nor France, countries whose sympathies were the strongest for the struggling Colonies, could this be eflfected, and he was, in July, 1781, recalled by the Supreme Executive Council. Other measures were adopted to relieve pressing necessities. The army was not only without pay but without clothing, and full short of provisions. To supply their destitute countrymen, subscriptions were instituted by the ladies, while to relieve financial embarass- ment, " The Bank of Pennsylvania " was established. I'he continental money, however, continued to sink in value, while efforts were made again and again to sustain it. On the 20th of March a law was passed to effect a re-organization of the whole militia system. It provided. for the appointment of a lieutenant for each county, and two sub-lieutenants or more, not exceeding the number of batta- lions. The battalions were to be divided into classes as heretofore. Fines, however, for non-attendance on muster days were fixed for commissioned officers at the price of three days' labor, and for non-commissioned officers and privates at one and a half days' labor. When called out, the pay of privates was to be equal to one day's labor. Persons called out, but neglecting or refusing to go, were liable to pay in each case the price of a day's labor during the term of service, besides a tax of fifteen shillings on the hundred pounds upon their estates. As a relief to this class, the hiring of substitutes was allowed. Pensions were promised to the wounded in battle, and support to the families of those militia men who were killed, at rates to be fixed by the courts. Considerable opposition was made to this law, from the fact that by permitting the hiring of substitutes it would relieve the disaffected and Tories. The exigencies of the times, says Thompson Wescott, led to the authorizing of some extraordinary measures. On the 28th of May, General Washington, in writing to President Reed, said : " I assure you every idea that you can form of our distress will fall short of the reality. There is such a combination of circumstances to exhaust the patience of the soldiery that it begins at last to be worn out, and we see in every line of the army the most serious features of mutiny and sedition. ... I must observe to you that much will depend upon the State of Pennsylvania. She has it in her power to contri>»ute, without comparison, more to our success than any other State, in the two essential articles of flour and transportation. . . . The matter is reduced to a point. Either Pennsylvania must give us all the aid we ask of her, or we undertake nothing. ... I wish the Legislature could be engaged to vest the ExecutiA'e with plenipotentiary powers. I should then expect something from your abilities and zeal. This is not a time for formality or ceremony. The crisis is in every point of view extraordinary, and extraor- dinary expedients are necessary. I am decidedly of this opinion." In addition to the demands of our own army in the field, the expected arrival of the French troops rendered energetic and determined action. On the first of June the Assembly resolved, that during the recess of the House, " should the GENERAL HlSTOJiT. I95 circumstances of the war render it necessary," tlie President or Vice-President in Council, should be authorized and empowered " to declare martial law," as far as the same might be " conducive to the public security and to the safety and defence of the good and faithful citizens of this Commonwealth." On the 6th, Council passed resolutions to the effect, that as it " would be necessary to make extraordinary exertions for the supply of the army, and supporting other measures that might be for the safety and security of th-e State, a discrimination should be made between citizens who had shown themselves to be friends of the country and those of a contrary character. On the same day a proclamation was issued, in which was specified the necessity of procuring supplies in so short a space of time that the usual and ordinary forms must be dispensed with. Late offensive movements of the enemy, of which certain intelligence had just been received, admitted of no delay in procuring a number of horses and wagons to be forwarded with all expedition to camp. Furthermore, the indiscriminate admission of all strangers without examination or inquiry gave facilities to spies and emissaries of the enemy. All suspicious persons were ordered to be arrested. An embargo was laid on all outward bound vessels, excepting those in the service of Prance. Seizure of horses was made, especially those belonging to the Tories and Quakers. Searches for arms were also made through the houses of the latter. Sir Henry Clinton having entered the State of New Jersey with his force, seems to have caused all this alarm. A portion of the militia was ordered to join the main army, but the British commander having pushed up North river, the orders were countermanded. Shortly after, the French troops, under Rochambeau having arrived, a plan was formed for an attack on New York. In order to make this enterprise effective, the services of militia from Pennsylvania were demanded, and the several counties of the State were put under requisition for the furnishing of supplies. Flour, forage, wagons, and horses were required. Four thousand militia were ordered to be organized by the county lieutenants, to rendezvous at Trenton, New Jersey. President Reed took command of the camp in person. When strongest, it consisted of fifteen hundred infantry, two companies of artillery, with four pieces of cannon, and the City Troop of light-horse. On account, however, of the blockade of Rochambeau by the British fleet, and the non-arrival of another division of the French army, the plan failed and the camp broke up. The camp at Trenton was well conducted — the tents and necessaries for field service were in good order — a regular market was held which was attended by neighboring farmers. On the occasion of the dismissal of the troops on the 2d of September, addresses were made to them by General Lacey, Colonel Eyre, and Colonel Wills, a committee appointed for that purpose. CHAPTER XII. THE REVOLUTION. THE TREASON OF ARNOLD. REVOLT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA LINE. SURRENDER OF OORNWALLIS. DECLARATION OF PEACE. 1780-1783. jlOWARDS the close of September the Supreme Executive Council received intelligence of the treason of General Benedict Arnold, who had been in command of the American post at West Point. Among the people the news of the infamy of this man excited the greatest indignation. In Philadelphia, to give expression to popular feeling, a public parade took place, three days after the arrival of the news, in which an efflgy of Arnold was carried through the streets and finally hung upon a gallows. The Council at once confiscated Arnold's estate, and his wife was ordered to depart the State within fourteen days. Of the arrest, trial, and execution of Major Andre, and the escape of Arnold, his reward and price of dishonor, it is not in our province to refer to in full. If the proceedings against Tories in Pennsylvania had been fierce previous to this time, the feeling aroused by the defection of Arnold produced the bitterest animosity and hatred against all who were not in full sympathy with the American Colonies. Many arrests were made, a number were tried and condemned, and one, a Quaker of Chester county, executed for high treason. The property of prominent Tories were forfeited and sold, and in fact, the most energetic measures taken- to crush out whatever might be inimical to the cause of independence. The situation of the soldiers from Pennsylvania in the Continental army at this period was truly deplorable. About the Ist of December, the division of General Wayne went into winter quarters, in the neighborhood of Morristown. The soldiers were wearied out with privations, and indignant at their officers, whom they accused of not properly representing their situation to Congress. But the fault was in the tardiness of Congress, not in the officers. The Penn- sylvania troops had been enlisted on the ambiguous terms of "serving three years or during the continuance of the war," and the commanding officers of the army anticipated the evils that occurred. From the report to the Assembly we give the accounts which follow. It appears that considerable discontent had for some time taken place amongst the soldiers on account not only of the cause alluded to, but of deficiencies of clothing, arrearages of pay, and the depreciation of the currency ; which as yet extended no further than private complaints and murmurs. Whatever real causes of discontent, in some of these particulars, might have been occasioned by the public necessities, owing to disappointments unavoidable in times of war and invasion, it is evident that they were greatly exaggerated by the influence of too great a mixture of British deserters in the Pennsylvania Line. It is more than probable that this dissatisfaction would not have assumed the formidable aspect 196 GENEBAL HISTORY. 197 in which it afterwards appeared had not concurrent circumstances administered the occasion. New Year's Day, being a day of customary festivity, an extra pro. 1781. portion of rum was served out to the soldiers. This, together with what they were able to purchase in the neighborhood of the Line, was sufficient to inflame the minds of men, already predisposed by a mixture of real and imaginary injuries, to break forth into outrage and disorder. As soon as night came on, the camp was observed to be in great confusion, and by eleven o'clock became quite tumultuous ; the troops avowedly threw oflf all obedience and prepared to march. In vain did General Wayne and the officers of the Line exert themselves to reduce the mutiny and restore order and discipline ; the affair had gone too far to yield to their exertions, and one of the officers unhappily lost his life in the attempt. At length the Line left their camp in a most tumultuous and disorderly manner, and marched to Princeton, where they fixed their quarters. General Wayne, uncertain whether this mutiny arose from British influence and disaflection, or only from the grievances they so loudly complained of, thought it most prudent to get this disorderly body, if possible, organized into some regularity, in which situation the mutineers might be treated with and the truth discovered. To this he was the more encouraged as they had repeatedly, and in the strongest terms, denied the least tincture of disaffection, or any inten- tion of deserting to the enemy. He accordingly recommended it to them to choose a number of sergeants, to sit as a board and represent their grievances, so that redress might be had if their complaints should appear to be well founded. In pursuance of this order, a sergeant from each regiment met General Wayne, Colonels Butler and Stewart, and mentioned the following grievances : " 1. Many men continued in the service after the expiration of the enlistments. " 2. The arrearages of pay, and the depreciation not 3^et made up, and the soldiers suffering every privation for want of money and clothing. " 3. That it was very hurtful to the feelings of the soldiers to be prevented from disposing of their depreciation certificates as they pleased, without con- sulting any person on the occasion." Upon this representation being considered by General Wayne and the colonels, it was agreed, on their part, that one disinterested sergeant or private from each regiment should, with the commanding officer of the corps, when an enlistment was disputed, determine on the case; also that a sergeant from each regiment be appointed to carry an address to Congress, backed by the general and field officers. This was followed by the proposals from the sergeants to General Wayne, which, with his answer, was sent forward. The sergeants' propositions were entitled : " Proposals from the Committee of Sergeants, now representing the Pennsylvania Line Artillery, &c." " 1. That all, and such men as were enlisted in the years nT6 or IY'7'7, and received the bounty of twenty dollars, should be without any delaj' discharged ; and all arrears of pay, and depreciation of pay, should be paid to the said men, without any fraud, clothing included. " 2. Such men as were enlisted after the year ITIV, and received one hundred and twenty dollars bounty, or any more additions, should be entitled to their 198 EISTOB T OF PENNS YL VANIA. discharge at the expiration of three years from the time of said enlistment, and their full depreciation of pay, and all arrears of clothing. " 3. That all such men belonging to the different regiments that "were enlisted for the war, should receive the remainder part ,of their bounty and pay, and all arrears of clothing. That they should return to their respective corps, and should do their duty as formerly, and that no aspersions should be cast, and no grievances should be repeated to the said men. " 4. Those soldiers who were enlisted and received their discharges, and all arrearages of pay and clothing, should not be compelled to stay by any former officers commanding any longer time than was agreeable to their own pleasure and disposition ; of those who should remain for a small term as volunteers, that they should be at their own disposal and pleasure. " 5. As they then depended and relied upon General Wayne to represent and repeat their grievances, they agreed in conjunction from that date, January 4, in six days to complete and settle every such demand as the above five articles mentioned. " 6. That the whole Line were actually agreed and determined to support the above articles in every particular." General Wayne, having maturely considered the foregoing proposals and arti- cles presented to him by the sergeants, in behalf of themselves, the artillery and privates of the Pennsylvania Line, returned the following answer : " That all such non-commissioned officers and soldiers as were justly entitled to their (lischarges should be immediately settled with, their accounts properly adjusted, and certificates for their pay and arrearages of pay and clothing givea them, agreeably to the resolution of Congress, and the aet of the Honorable As- sembly of Pennsylvania, for making up the depreciation, and should be dis- charg'ed the service of the United States. " That all such non-commissioned officers and privates belonging to the respec- tive regiments, artillery or infantry, who were not entitled to their discharge, should also be settled with, and certificates given them for their pay, deprecia- tion, and clothing, in like manner as those first mentioned, which certificates were to be redeemable at a short period as the nature of the case would admit, to be paid in hard cash or an equivalent in Continental money of these States, and should be immediately furnished with warm clothing, they returning to their duty as worthy, faithful soldiers. " These propositions were founded in principles of justice and honor, between the United States and the soldiery, which was all that reasonable men could ex- pect, or that a general could promise consistent with his station or dut}', and the mutual benefit of their country and the Line which he had had so long tlie honor of commanding. If the soldiers were determined not to let reason and justice govern on this occasion, he had only to lament the fatal and unfortunate situation to which they would reduce themselves and their country." Intelligence of this affair was soon conveyed to New York. The enemy were highly elated on the occasion, and exerted themselves to the utmost, not abating their diligence, although the rain poured down incessantly. Four or five thou- sand troops were immediately embarked in order to make a descent on Jersey, at GJiJfJEBAL HISTOBT, 199 « South Amhoy, under a full persuasion that the Pennsylvania Line waited only an opportunity to join the British troops. They were confirmed in this idea by a person from Woodbridge who went over to Staten Island and informed that such was the determination of the Board of Sergeants. On the arrival of this news at Philadelphia, the President of the State and a committee of Congress, attended by the Pensylvania troop of horse, set out for Trenton. In the meantime, the negotiations previously, stated had taken place, but not to any extent. General Wayne was yet in doubt as to the real design's of the mutineers ; but a circumstance now occurred which seemed to evince the fidelity of the discontented troops. A spy from New York, attended by a guide, appeared before the Board of Sergeants with a paper rolled in sheet lead, inti- mating that if the Pennsylvania Line would direct their march toward North river a large body of British troops should be ready to receive them ; and pro- mising v.ery large emoluments to every soldier who would thus desert his country's cause. No sooner did this emissary make his errand known but the Board of Sergeants rejected the proposal with disdain, and sent the spy with his companion under guard to General Wayne, with a reserve, however, that they should be re-delivered to the Board if demanded. President Reed, having on the 6th advanced near Princeton (being also fully authorized by the Committee of Congress to niake propositions), wrote a letter to General Wayne, in which he expressed some doubts as to the propriety of going within the pickets of the insurgents. This letter being shown to the sergeants, they immediately wrote to the President these words : " Your Excellency need not be in the least afraid or apprehensive of any irregularities or ill-treatment, tbp.t the whole Line will be very happy, how expedient your Excellency would be in settling this unhappy affair." Encouraged by these circumstances, but without any great confidence in them, more especially as the Board of Sergeants had demanded the spies from General Wayne and at this time had them in possession, his Excellency determined to venture among them. That the President had no firm dependence on their pacific assurances, appears by a passage in a letter written to the Vice-President at Philadelphia, just before he went into Princeton, wherein he saj-s: "I have but one life, and my country has the first claim to it. I therefore go with the cheerfulness which attends performing a necessary, though not a pleasant duty.'' Upon his entry into Princeton the whole Line was drawn up for his reception, and every mark of military honor and respect shown him. After this interview the negotiations commenced in regular form. During the treaty, the President had the address to persuade the mutineers to advance to Trenton ; for notwithstanding all favorable appearances, he still remained jealous of their, situation. After a correspondence of some days, in which great tenaciousness was shown on the part of the malcontents, and equity with firmness on the part of Presi- dent Reed, articles of agreement were finally assented to and confirmed on both sides. These articles were as follows, viz. : " Proposals made to the non-com- missioned officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania Line, at Princeton, January 1th, 1781. 200 MISTO BY OF PENN8 TL VANIA. • " His Excellency, Joseph Reed, Esq., President, and the Honorable Briga- dier-General Potter of the Council of Pennsj'lvania, having heard the complaints of the soldiers as represented by the sergeants, informed them that they were fully authorized to redress reasonable grievances, and they had the fullest disposition to make them as easy as possible ; for which end they propose 1 : " That no non-commissioned officer or soldier should be detained beyond the time for which he freely and voluntarily engaged, but where it appeared they had been in any respect compelled to enter or sign, such enlistment should be deemed void and the soldier discharged. " To settle who were and who were not bound to stay, three persons should be appointed by the President and Councils [this appointment was made after- wards by the Committee of Congress], who were to examine into the terms of enlistments ; where the original enlistments could not be found, the soldier's oath should be admitted to prove the time and terms of enlistment, and the soldier should be discharged upon his oath by the condition of the enlistment. " Wherever any soldier had enlisted for three years, or during the war he was to be discharged, unless it should appear he afterwards re-enlisted voluntarily and freely. The gratuity of one hundred dollars given by Congress was not to be reckoned as a bounty, or any men detained in consequence of that gratuity. The commissioners to be appointed were to adjust any difficulties which might arise on this article also. " The auditors were to attend as soon as possible to settle the depreciation with the soldiers, and give them certificates. Their arrearages of pay should bo made up as soon as circumstances would admit. " A pair of shoes, overalls, and shirt, should be delivered to each soldier in a few days, as they were already purchased and ready to be forwarded whenever the Line should be settled. Those who were discharged would receive the above articles at Trenton, producing the General's discharge. " The President hoped that no soldier of the Pennsylvania Line would break his bargain, or go from the contract made with the public, and they might depend upon it that the utmost care would be taken to furnish them with every necessary fitting for a soldier. In addition, the President would recommend that the State of Pennsylvania should take some favorable notice of those who were engaged for the war. The Commissioners would attend at Trenton, where the clothing and. stores would be immediately brought, and the regiments should be settled with in their order. A field officer of each regiment was to attend during the settlement of his regiment. " Pursuant to General Wayne's orders of the 2d instant, no man was to be brought to any trial or censure for what had happened on or since New Year's Day, but all matters were to be buried in oblivion." On the conclusion of the foregoing articles, the two emissaries were again delivered up, but his Excellency having been informed by General Wayne, that at the time they were first brought to him, he had promised the two soldiers who conducted them fifty guineas each as a reward for their fidelity, he determined to fulfil this engagement, and accordingly sent for those men, and offered them the promised gratuity. Tliis, however, they declined accepting, saying that they only obeyed the orders of their superiors, the board of sergeants. The hundred GENERAL HI8T0BY. 201 guiLcas were then oflfered to the board of sergeants, who returned this remarkable answer ; " Agreeably to the information of two sergeants of our board who waited on your Excellency, that in consideration of the two spies, they informed the remainder of the board that your Excellency had been pleased to offer a sum of gold as a compensation for our fidelity ; but as it has not been for tlie sake or through any expectation of receiving a reward, hut for the zeal and love of our country, that we sent them immediately to General Wayne, we, therefore, do not consider ourselves entitled to any other reward hut the love of our countr^y, and do jointly agree that we shall accept of no other." The two spies were tried by a court-martial on the 10th, and being duly convicted, were executed on the 11th, agreeable to their sentence, near the great road leading from Philadelphia to Trenton ferry. However unjustifiable the conduct of the Pennsylvania Line was and should be deemed in the first instance, it must be acknowledged that they conducted themselves in the business, culpable as it was, with unexpected order and regu- larity, and their fidelity in refusing the large offers made by the enemy, in deliv- ering up the spies, and in refusing the hundred guineas they had so justly merited, exhibits an instance of true patriotism and disinterestedness not to be found amongst mercenary troops who bear arms for pay and subsistence only, uninspired by their country's rights, or the justice of the cause which they have engaged to support. In pursuance of the articles agreed to, and the plan adopted, commissioners were appointed by Congress to settle with the discontented soldiers, man by man, their terms of enlistment carefully inquired into, their wants supplied, money advanced on account of pay, and certificates given for the remainder. About the close of February, 1781, orders were given for the rendezvous- ing of the Pennsylvania troops under General Wayne at York, previous to joining the Southern army under General Greene. The delay of the State auditors, who were appointed to settle and pay the proportion of the deprecia- tion due the troops, caused some little trouble, but by the 7th of June this force, amounting to only eleven hundred, formed a junction with Lafayette. No sooner had the allied armies departed, than fears arose that the unprotected state of the country might tempt the British troops in New York to make an incursion into New Jersey, and even to approach Philadelphia. To counteract such a movement, the Pennsylvania militiamen were ordered to hold themselves in readiness for instant service. Congress recommended that three thousand men should be called out. This force rendezvoused at Newtown, in Bucks county. A watch was set at Cape May. The public records were ordered to be got ready for immediate removal. The uncertainty as to the designs of the enemy continued for some days, but as no movement was made against New Jersey, and as embarkations were made from New York, it became probablts that the intention was to transport a body of troops southward to relie-e Cornwallis. The camp at Newtown was therefore broken up about the middle of October, and the militia returned to their homes. The capitulation of the British army under Cornwallis at Yorktown to the American Commander-in-Chief on the 29th of October, gladdened and cheered the hearts of the patriots of the whole country. They were overpowered, says 202 HISTOB Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. Westcott, with gratitude and gladness — while the hearts of the Tories sank wiihin them for they knew this great event was virtually a conclusion of the war. The important news was first communicated to Thomas McKean, President of Congress, on the morning of the 22d. On the 24th, when the oflBcial account of the surrender was brought by Major Tilghman, aid to Washington, the Supreme Executive Council of the State waited upon the President of Con- o-ress, the members of that august body, and the minister of France, who congratulated each other on this great, important, and happy event. The standard of Pennsylvania was hoisted, and at twelve o'clock a salute was flred from the artillery in the State House yard, as also from the shipping in the harbor with colors displayed. The success of the American arms before Yorktown did not lessen the ardor and ener " It is cause for no ordinary measure of gratification that the Legislature, at its last session, considered this subject worthy of its deliberations, and advancing pno step towards the intellectual regeneration of the State by laying a foundation for raising a fund to be employed hereafter in the righteous cause of a practical general education ; and it is no less gratifying to know that public opinion is giving strong indications of having undergone a favorable change in reference to this momentous measure, and by its gradual but powerful workings is fast dispelling the grovelling fallacies, but too long prevalent, that gold is preferable to knowledge and that dollars and cents are of a higher estimation than learning. ... I would suggest for your consideration the propriety of appointing a commission, to consist of three or more talented and intelligent individuals, known friends of a liberal and enlightened system of education, whose duty it should be to collect all tlie information and possess themselves of all the facts and knowledge that can be obtained from any quarter having a bearing upon or connection with the subject of education, and to arrange and embody the same in a report to the Legislature." In compliance with this wise recommendation, a bill was eventually drawn embodying what were 1834. believed to be the best features of those systems which had been most successful in other States, and at the session of 1834 passed both branches of the Legislature with a unani- mity rarely equalled in legislation. On the 14th of April, the Legislature again passed an act for submitting the question of calling a convention, which was approved at the general election by a vote of 8T,5T0 to 73,166. At the next session of the Assembly, March 29, 1836, an act was passed directing the convention. In 1835, at a' period of unusual 1835. political excitement, Joseph Ritner,* of Westmoreland county, was elected Governor. Owing to a defection in the ranks of the party to whom Governor Wolf gave adherence, the vote was divided between him and Henry A. Muhlenberg, resulting in his defeat. JOSEPH RITNEB. * Joseph Kitner was born in Berks county, March 25, 1780. He was brought up as a farmer, with little advantages of education. About 1802 he removed to Washington county. Was elected a member of the Legislature from that countv, serving six years, and for two years was Speaker of the House of Representatives. In 1835 he was elected Governor of Pennsylvania, as the Anti-Masonic candidate. He was an earnest advocate of the common school system, so slicoessfully inaugurated during the administration of Governor Wolf, and also a strong opponent of human slavery. In 1848 he was nominated by President Taylor director of the mint, Philadelphia, in which capacity he served for a short time. He died on the 16th day of October, 1869. 248 HISTORY OF PENNSYI^VANIA. Notwithstanding the perfect unanimity which attended the passage of the school law of 1834, in many sections of the State persons were sent to the Legislature especially to secure its abolition. It was at this time that such men as Wolf, and Ritner, and Stevens, stood up in advocacy of the common school system, and which fortunately resulted in preserving the law intact, exqept so far as to divest it of any objectionable features. In the language of Mr. Burrowes, "When the agitating divisions of the day shall have sunk into comparative insignificance, and names be only repeated in connection with some great act of public benefaction, those of George Wolf and Joseph Ritner will be classed by Pennsylvania among the noblest on her long list ; the one for his early and manly advocacy, and the other for his well-timed and determined support, of the Free School." J- < ^s^^ A ViKW "N THK SCIIUVLKILl,. CHAPTEE XVIL CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. " BUCKSHOT WAR." ADMINISTRATIONS OF COVER NOES PORTER, SHUNK, JOHNSTON, POLLOCK, AND PACKER. 1837-1861. j N the 2d of May, 1837, the convention, of which John Sergeant was elected president, assembled at Harrisburg for the purpose of revising the constitution of the Commonwealth. Adjournino- in July, the convention met again at Harrisburg in October, and removed in December to Philadelphia, where their labors were closed 1838. on the 22d February, 1838. The amendments were adopted by the people at the subsequent annual election. In conformitv with the more important amendments, the political year commenced in January ; rotation in office was secured by allowing the Governor but two terms of three years each in any term of nine years ; the senatorial term was reduced to three years ; the power of the Legislature to grant banking privileges was abridged and regulated ; private property could not be taken for public use without compensation previously se- cured ; the Governor's patronage was nearly all taken awa}^, and the election of many officers heretofore appointed by him was vested in tlie people or their repre- sentatives ; the Governor's nomination of judicial officers was to be confirmed in the Senate with open doors ; all life offices were abolished; judges of the Supreme Court were to be commissioned for fifteen years — presidents of the common pleas, and other law judges, for ten years — and associate judges for five years^if thej' so long behaved themselves well ; the right of sufirage was extended to all white freemen twenty-one years old, one year resident in the State, having within two years paid a tax assessed ten days before the election, and having resided ten days immediately preceding in the district ; white freemen between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-two, citizens of the United States, having resided a year in the State and ten days in the district, could vote without paying any tax ; two successive Legislatures, with the approbation of the people at a subsequent election, once in five years, could add to the Constitution whatever other amendments experience may have required. The amendments proposed were ratified at the general election in Octobei l)y a vote of 113,971 to 113,759. At the October election (1838) David R. Porter, of Huntingdon, was chosen Governor, in a hotly contested political canvass over Governor Ritner. The defeated party issued an ill-timed and ill-advised address, advising their friends " to treat the election as if it had not been held." It was determined therefore to investigate the election, and to do this the political complexion of the Legislature would be decisive. The majority of the Senate was Anti-masonic, but the control of the House of Representatives hinged upon the admission of certain members from Philadelphia whose seats were contested. The votes of one of the districts in that city were thrown out by 249 250 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. reason of fraud, and the Democratic delegation returned. The Anti-masonic leturn judges refused to sign the certificates, "and both parties made out returns each for a different delegation, and sent them to the Secretary of the Common- wealth." The Democratic returns were correct, and should have been promptly received " without question." Wlien the Legislature met, the Senate organized by tne choice of Anti-ma- sonic officers. In the House a fierce struggle ensued, both delegations claiming seats. The consequence was that each party went into an election for speaker, each appointing tellers. Two speakers were elected and took their seat upon the platform — William Hopkins being the choice of the Democrats, and Thomas S. Cun- ningham of the opposition. The Democrats be- lieving they were in the right, left out of view the rejection of the votes of tlie Philadelphia district. However,, when the returns from the secretary's office were opened, the certificate of the minority had been sent in, thus giving the advantage to the Anti-masons. It was then a question which of the two Houses would be recognized bj' the Senate and the Governor. At this stage of the proceedings, a number of men (from Philadelphia especially), collected in the lobby, and when the Senate after organization proceeded to business, interrupted it by their disgraceful and menacing conduct. TIic other branch of the Legislature was in like manner disturbed, and thus both Houses were compelled to disperse. The crowd having taken possession o<" the halls iirocccded to the Court House, where impassioned harangues were indulged in and a committee of safety appointed. For several days all business was suspen- ded, and the Grovemor, alarmed for his own personal safety, ordered out the militia, and fearing this might prove insufficient, called on the United States authorities for help. The latter refused, but the militia under Major-Generals Patterson and Alexander, came promptly in response. For two or three days during this contest, the danger of a collision was imminent, but wiser counsels 1839. prevailed, and the Senate having A'oted to recognize the section of the House presided over by Mr. Hopkins, the so-called " Insurrection at Harrisburg" was virtually ended. This was what is commonly known as the " Buck-shot War." DAVID R. PORTER.* * David Rittenhouse Pokteb, the son of General Andrew Porter, of the Revolution, was born near Norristown, Montgomery county, October 31, 1788. He received a good classical education. When his father was appointed surveyor-general, young Porter went as bis assistant. During this period he studied law, but his health becoming impaired, be removed to Huntingdon county, where be engaged in the manufacture of iron. In 1819 he was elected member of the Assembly, serving two years. In 1821 Governor Hiester appointed him prothonotary of Huntingdon county. In 1836 be was chosen State senator, and from 1838 to 1845 filled the office of Governor of the Commonwealth. He died at Harrisburg, August 6, 1867. GENERAL HI8T0BY. 251 Governor Porter in his fli:st annual message to the Legislature held the follow- ing views, which for far-sightedness were ' somewhat remarkable, insomuch as as they were the subject of considerable ridicule by the press : " There are two subjects which are essentially necessary to the full fruition of the bene- fits to be derived from our main lines of canals and railroads between the eastern and western sections of the Commonwealth, as to awaken the earnest solicitude of every true Penusylvanian. I allude to the removal of the obstructions to steamboat navigation in the Allegheny, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers from Pitts- burgh to the Gulf of Mexico, and from Pittsburgh up the Allegheny as far as the same may be found practicable by the survey authorized under direction of the general government, and to the construction of a continuous railroad from the city of Pittsburgh through or near the capitals of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, to some point on the Mississippi river at or near St. Louis." In 1836, the charter of the second bank of the United States expired, but the United States Bank of Pennsylvania was chartered by the State Legislature, with the same capital of $35,000,000, and, purchasing the assets and assuming the liabilities of the old bank, continued the business uuder the same roof. In 183T, a reaction commenced. All .the banks, with very rare exceptions, sus- pended specie payment throughout the Union. A resumption was attempted in 1839, but was only persevered in by the banks of New England and New York. This hew suspension, however, was not generally followed by contraction of the currency in Pennsylvania until 1841, when an attempt was made to 1841. resume, but it proved fatal to the bank in question and the Girard baffk, which were obliged to go into liquidation ; while nearly all the banks of this State, and of all the States south and west of it continued their suspension. To relieve the distressing pressure throughout the State, consequent upon the .downfall of the great banks, and the general reaction of all private speculations, and also to provide temporary means for meeting the demands upon the State treasury, the banks, still in a state of suspension, were permitted, by a law of 4th Maj-, 1841, to issue small notes, of the denominations of $1, $2, and $3, which were loaned to the State, and were redeemable in State stock whenever |100 were presented in one parcel. The treasury of the State still being embarrassed, the State stocks became depreciated (being at one time as low as $35 for $100), and the small notes depending upon it, sympathized in the ilepreciatioL, but not to an equal extent. An attempt to coerce the banks to specie payments, in the spring of 1842, was unsuccessful, the State having made no adequate provision for the redemption of the small notes, called 1842. relief notes. A few city banks resumed ; others failed ; the country banks generally remained in a state of suspension, and the relief notes, at a discount of from seven to ten per cent., formed the only currency throughout the State. During this year the State made only a partial payment, in depre- ciated funds, of the semi-annual interest on her stocks, and her credit, hitherto sustained with difficulty, sunk with that of other delinquent States. The legisla- tive provisions of 1842 and 1843, especially the tax law of July, 1842, tended in a great measure to replenish the exhausted treasury, and resuscitate the credit of the State. In 1843 arose a- new political organization which had for its principles reform 252 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. 1843. in the Katuiallzation laws, the reading of the Bible in the public schools, and the election or appointment of native Americans only to office "American Republican Associations," as the societies were termed, were rapidly organized, especially in the large cities. " Beware of foreign influence," was the rallying cry of thi& ephemeral party, who were charged with religious proscription, intolerance, and persecution. A very large proportion of the inhabi- tants of Philadelphia were of foreign extraction, if not of foreign birth. The attempt to infuse religious prejudices into political contests always results in outrage, disorder, blood, tumult, and conflagrations. Such was the consequence in the metropolis — a series of riotous proceedings in April and May, 1844, which required at last the State authorities to check. Governor Porter 1844. issued a proclamation calling " into immediate service all the volunteer companies belonging to the first division of the Pennsylvania militia," under the command of Major-General Patterson. Over-awed for the time by the presence of this armed force, the lawless proceedings ceased, but no sooner did the military retire, than the same spirit fanned anew the flames of discord. The militia were again called out, and the city placed under martial law. A conflict arose between the populace and the troops, which resulted in the latter flring into an unarmed crowd of citizens. Several were killed and a number wounded. The excitement became intense. The Governor went in person to the city and used every exertion to quiet the turbulent and disaflTected, which result- ed successfully — and thus ended the lawless pro- ceedings which disgraced the proud escutcheon of not only the city of Philadelphia but the State of Pennsylvania. Having served two terms, Governor Porter was succeeded in oflice by his former 1845. Secretary of the Commonwealth, Fran- cis R. Shunk,* at that time from AUe- .^ ^^Hl^H^P ^^H^P ghen3' county. During his first term but little 4y 1^^ \ ^^^^ °^ interest transpired in Pennsylvania, the en- tire attention of the people of the State being drawn to the war with Mexico, brought about by the annexation of Texas. Congress, on the 13th of May, 1846, announced that by the act ot 1846. Mtxico a state of war existed between that government and the United States, and for the purpose of prosecuting it to a speedy and successful termination, the President was authorized to employ the militia, naval, and * Francis Rawn Shunk was born at the Trappe, Montgomery county, August 7, 1788. He became a teacher at the age of fifteen, and in 1812 received the appointment as clerk in the Surveyor-General's office under General Andrew Porter. In 1814 he marchod as a private soldier to the defence of Baltimore. In September, 1816, he was admitted to the practice of the law. He filled the position of assistant and then principal clerk of the House of Representatives fir several years; next became secretary to the Board of Canal Commissioners; and in 1839 Governor Porter appointed him secretary of the Common- wealth. In 1842 he removed to Pittsburgh, engaging in his profession. In 1844 he was elected Governor of Pennsylvania, and re-elected in 1847. He died on the SOth of July, 1848. FRANCIS R. SHUNK. GENERAL HISTOR Y. 253 military forces of the United States and to call for and accept the services of fifty thousand volunteers. In pursuance of this authority the President requested six regiments of volunteer infantry to be held in readiness to serve for twelve months, or to the end of the war. Within a period of thirty days the offer of ninety companies, sufficient to fill nine regiments, were received — manifesting an old-time pat- riotism and zeal highly cre^iiitable to the State. In Novembei', 1846, orders were sent for the mustering into the service of the United States one regiment of volunteers, and on the 15th day of De- cember the first regiment was organized at Pittsburgh — six of the companies composing it were from Philadelphia, one from Pottsville, one from Wilkes- Barre and two from Pittsburgh, under the command of Colonel Wynkoop. At the request of the President, the second regiment of volunteer infantry was mustered into service on the 5th of Januai-y, 1847, at Pittsburgh. ' One of the companies composing this force was organized in Philadelphia, one 1847. in Reading, one in Mauch Chunk, one in Harrisburg, one in Danville, two in Cambria county, one in Westmoreland county, one in Fayette county, and one in Pittsburgh. Colonel Roberts was placed in command, to which succeeded Colonel Geary. Two additional companies were subsequently mustered into service and sent to the field. One of these was from Bedford, the other from Mifflin county. The record of the gallant services of these troops on the fields of Mexico it is not our province now to recall. At Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Chepultepec, and the City of Mexico, their bravery and valor secured the highest commenda- tions of their venerated chieftain. Just as the remnant were returning from the South with their 1848. laurels, the Executive of the State, deeply lamented, passed away, hav- ing a few days previous (July 9, 1848) issued the following : " To the people of Pennsylvania : " It having pleased Divine Providence to deprive me of the strength neces- sary to the further discharge of the duties of your chief magistrate, and to lay me on a bed of sickness, from which I am admonished by my physicians and my own increasing debility, I may, in all human probability, never rise, I have resolved, upon mature refection, under a conviction of duty, on this day, to restore to you the trust with which your suffrages have clothed me, in order that you may avail yourselves of the provision of the Constitution to choose a suc- cessor at the next general election. I therefore hereby resign the office of Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and direct this, my resigna- tion, to be filed in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. " In taking leave of you under circumstances so solemn, accept my gratitude for the confidence you have reposed in me. My praj-er is that peace, virtue, intelligence, and religion may pervade all your borders — that the free institutions you have inherited from your ancestors may remain unimpaired till the latest posterity — that the same kind Providence, which has already so signally blessed yoQ, may conduct you to a still higher state of individual and social happiness — and when the world shall clofe upon you, as I feel it is soon about to clofe upon '254 HIiSTOMY OF PENNSYLVANIA. me, that you may enjoy the consolations of the Christian's faith, and be gathered, without a wanderer lost, into the fold of the Great Shepherd above." Governor Shunk was succeeded in office by William F. Johnston,* then Speaker of the Senate, according to the provisions of the Constitution. The vacancy having occurred three months before the time fixed for the annual elec- tion, the acting Governor therefore issued the necessary writs for the election of a chief magistrate, which resulted in the choice of Mr. Johnston. Owing to a number of illegal seizures of fugi- tives from labor, on the 3d of March previous the Assembly passed an act to prohibit the exercise of certain powers heretofore employed by the judicial officers of the State, relative to the ren- dition of fugitive slaves, forbidding the use of the jails of the Commonwealth for the deten- tion of such persons, and also repealing so much of the act of 1780 as authorized the masters or owners of slaves to bring and retain such within the State for a period of six months. This act was considered in the Southern States as being inimical to the faithful observance of Pennsylvania's Federal obligations. Fidelity in the discharge of every constitutional duty has distinguished our governnieut and people, and whatever may have been the mischievous opinions then propagated beyond our borders, they were conceived in error of our true history. Attention having been called to the neglected and suffering condition of the insane poor of the Slate in 1844, the Legislature, at the subsequent session, pro- vided for the establishment of an asylum for this unfortunate class, to be located within ten miles of the seat of government. The citizens of Harrisburg, with the aid of a liberal appropriation by Dauphin county, purchased a farm adjoining that city, and in 1848 the commissioners appointed by the State began the erection of the first building erected by the Commonwealth for the reception of the insane To the individual exertions of an estimable and philanthropic lady. Miss Dorothea L. Dix, are we indebted for the active interest taken by the Common- wealth in these noble charities. WIl.MAM F. JOHNSTON. *WiLLiAM Freame, Johnston was born at Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Novem- ber 29, 1808. With a limited academic education, lie studied law and was admitted to the bar in May, 1829. Removing to Armstrong county, he was appointed District Attorney, a position he held until 1832. He represented Armstrong county for several years in the Lower House of the Assembly, and in 1847 was elected a member of the Senate from the district composed of the counties of Armstrong, Indiana, Cambria, and Clearfield. At the close of the session of 1848, he was elected Speaker of the Senate for the interim, and on the resig- nation of Governor Shunk on July 9th following, assumed the gubernatorial functions, according to the provisions of the Constitution. At the general election in October, he was elected for the full term, serving until January 20, 1852. On retiring from office, Governor Johnston entered into active business life. He was appointed by President Johnson collector of the port of Philadelphia, but owing to the hostility of the United States Senate to most of that President's appointments, he was not confirmed. He died at Pittsburgh, October 25. 1872. GENERAL HISTOH Y. 255 It -was not until this year that the common school system was adopted throughout the entire State — and in the educational epoch of our history, stands conspicuous. From this time onward rapid strides were made improvements in the system and defects remedied. In 1849 considerable excitement existed in Pittsburgh and the western part of the State, occasioned by the erection of a bridge over the Ohio river 1849. at Wheeling, owing to the obstruction to navigation of that highway in times of high water. The Legislature was appealed to, eventually Congress, and finally the Supreme Court of the United States. Measures, however, were adopted which removed all objections. During Governor Johnston's administration, the attention of the Legislature was called to the records of the Provincial and State governments, which in their then condition were inaccessible, and that body authorized their publication Twenty-nine volumes of these documents, including a general index, edited by Samuel Hazard, were printed. They form almost complete details of the trans- actions of government from 1682 to 1790 — invaluable in their importance to a full copLiprehension of the early history of Pennsylvania. The passage by Congress of the fugitive slave law was a matter of 1850. vast importance to the State. Situate on the borders of the slave States of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, wrongs were to be feared and disorders apprehended. For years previous the southern slave felt free whenever he touched the soil of the Land of Penn, but the enactment of the compromise measures of 1850 obliged him to flee beyond the confines of the States. The year following a serious riot occurred at Christiana, Lancaster county ; and in other localities the ' arrest of fugitives led to disturbances of the peace and bloodshed. William Bigler,* of Clearfield,. as- sumed the functions of the chief magis- tracy January 20, 1852. During Gov- Bigler's term of oflSce several very important measures were adopted by the Legis- lature, the principal of which were the estab- lishing the office of county superintendent of 1862. erner WILLTAM BIGLEB. * William Bigler was born at ShermansS)urg, January 1, 1814. He received a fair school education. Learned printing witli his brother from 1830 to 1833, at Bellefonte. In the latter year he established the Clearfield Democrat, which he successfully carried on for a number of years. He subsequently disposed of his paper and entered into mercantile pursuits. In 1841 he was elected to the State Senate, chosen Speaker in the spring of 1843, and at the opening of the session of 1844. In October following, he was re-elected to the Senate. In 1849 appointed a revenue commissioner. In .1851, elected Governor of the State, serving for three years. In January, 1855, he was elected for the term of six years to the United States Senate. Governor Bigler w as a prominent delegate of the Constitutional Convention of 1873, and to his labors are we indebted for a number of the beneficial fea- tures of this Instrument. He was one of the earliest championsof the Centennial Exposition of 1876, and represented Pennsylvania in the Board of Finance, and his efforts ministered greatly to its successful issue. His residence is at Cleartield. 256 HISTOTiT OF PENNSYLVANIA. common schools, and the founding of the Pennsylvania training school for feeble-minded children. The completion of the Pennsylvania railroad from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, in February, 1854, added a powerful impulse to the development of the 1854. resources of the State, and perfected that grand scheme by which almost a ' century previous the inhabitants of the metropolis sought to secure the trade of the West. With the completion of this important route, lateral roads were built, until at the present time a map of that thoroughfare presents the anpearance of a gigantic tree with innumerable branches. The consolidation act of the 2d of February, by which the county of Philadelphia was blotted out of existence merging it into the city, was a notable event of the year The North Branch canal, the last of the sys-' tern of internal improvements undertaken by the Commonwealth, was completed. Owing to some mismanagement the work had been dis- continued for ten or twelve years. It opened an outlet to the inexhaustible mines of coal with which that section abounds. At the October election, 1855, .James 1855. Pollock,* of Northumberland, was chosen Governor by a large majority. He was nominated and supported by the Know- Nothing party, an organization closely allied to the Native American Association. At this period the subject of the introduction of slavery into the Territories was warmly agitated through- out the length and breadth of the State. By the act of the 16th of May, the main line of the public works 1857. of the State was directed to be sold. On the 25th of June following Governor Pollock caused the same to be done, and on the 31st day of Jul J' the whole line of the public works between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh was transferred to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, at the price of seven millions five hundred thousand dollars. Following this sale, measures were taken for the disposal of the remaining divisions of the public improvements. They had failed to be a source of revenue to the State, and the application of the proceeds to the payment of the debt of the Commonwealth soon led to the removal of taxation by the State. ^ . \ * James Pollock was born at Milton, Northumberland county, September 11, 1810. His early education was committed to the care of Rev. David Kirkpatrick, who had charge of the classical academy at Milton. He graduated at Princeton, September, 1831 ; in 1835 he received the degree of A.M. in course, and in 1855 the honorary degree of LI1.D. was confer- red upon him. Jefferson College conferred a like honor in 1857. In November, 1833, he was admitted to the bar ; in 1835 appointed District Attorney for Northumberland county ; from 1843 to 1849 served as member of Congress; in 1850 appointed president judge of the eighth judicial district, and in 1854 Governor of Pennsylvania. In the so-called com- promise convention assembled at Washington in February and March, 1861, Governor Pollock represented Pennsylvania. From 1861 to 1. 60 he filled the oi&co of Director of the United States Mint under the appointment of President Lincoln. In 1869 he was re- instated by President Grant to the same position, which office he now [1876] holds. JAMES POLLOCK. OJSNETiAL HISTOB Y. .^oT In the summer of this year [1857], a serious financial revulsion occurred, resulting in the suspension of specie payments by the banks of Pennsylvania and other States of the TJnion, followed by the failure of many long-established com- mercial houses, leading to the destruction of confidence, and to the general embarrassment and depression of trade, and threatening to affect disastrously the credit of the Commonwealth and the great industrial interests of the people. In order to release the banks from the penalties and forfeitures incurred by a suspension of specio payments. Governor Pollock convened the Legislature in " extraordinary session " on the 6th of October. On the 1 3th an act was passed " providing for the resumption of specie payments by the banks and for the relief of debtors," to go into immediate effect. This law had the desired result, and public confidence being restored, the different branches of industry revived, and the communitj' saved from bankruptcy and ruin. "When William P. Packer,* of Lycoming county, assumed the office of Governor on the 19th of January, 1858, the great ques- 1868. tion which occupied the minds of the people not only of the State but of the TJnion was the admission of Kansas among the great family of States. Although by the act of 1857, separating the oflice of superintendent of public schools from that of secretary of the Commonwealth, provi- william f. packer. sion was made for the establishment of normal schools, it was not until 1859 that any such was recognized. The first was that located at Millersville, Lan- caster countj'. In 1859 the celebrated raid into Virginia by John Brown occurred, by which the public property of the United States at Harper's Ferry was seized, and the lives of citizens of that State sacrificed by that band of desperadoes, who, in their mad zeal, attempted to excite the slave population to insurrection. The subsequent trial and conviction of John Brown by no means quenched the flames of disunion which the Missouri compromise of 1820, the fugitive slave law of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska imbroglio had united in kindling. The election of Presi- dent Lincoln in 1860 causelessly precipitated the measures which led to civil war. On the 20th of December, South Carolina passed by a unanimous vote the * William Fisher Packer was born in Howard township, Centre county, April 2, 1807. At the age of thirteen he began to learn the profession of printing in the office of Samuel J. Packer, at Sunbury. Mr. Packer's newspaper being discontinued, William F. returned to Centre county, completing his apprenticeship in the office of the Patriot. In 1825, he was appointed clerk in the register's office of Lycoming county. In 1827 he began the study of law, but purchasing an interest shortly after in the Oazette, ho continued Ids editorial career with that paper until 1836, when he assisted in establishing the Keystone at Harrisburg, remaining connected therewith until 1841. In February, 1839, he was appointed a member of the Board of Canal Commissioners ; in 1842, Auditor-General of the Common- wealth ; in 1847, and 1848, elected member of the Legislature, being chosen the latter year Speaker of the House ; in 1849, elected to the Senate ; and in 1857, Governor of the Com- monwealth. He died in the city of Williamsport, September 27, 1870. K 258 HISTOR T OF PENNS YL VANIA. ordinance of secession. Governor Packer, in his last message to the Legislature, expressed in plain terms the fearful position in which not only South Carolina, but the other States preparing for similar action, had placed themselves. " The advocates of secession," he said, " claim that the Union is merely a compact between the several States composing it, and that any one of the States which may feel aggrieved may, at its pleasure, declare that it will no longer be a party to the compact. This doctrine is clearly erroneous. The Constitution of the United States is something more than a mere compact, or agreement, between the several States. As applied to nations, a compact is but a treaty which may be abrogated at the will of either party ; responsible to the other party for its bad faith in refusing to keep its engagement, but entirely irresponsible to any superior tribunal. A government, on the other hand, whether created by consent or conquest, when clothed with legislative, judicial, and executive powers, is necessarily in its nature sovereign ; and from this sovereignty flows its right to enforce its laws and decrees by civil process, and in an emergency, by its military and naval power. The government owes protection to the people, and they in turn owe it their allegiance. Its laws cannot be violated by its citizens without accountability to the tribunals created to enforce its decrees and to punish offenders. Organized resistance to it is rebellion." On the 24th of December, on the attempt to ship ordnance from the arsenal at Pittsburgh for the purpose of supplying southern ports, the citizens of that city rightly refused permission, and it was .prevented. UNION LEAGUE HOUSE, PHILADELPHIA. CHAPTER XVIII. THE CIVIL WAR. ESTABLISHMENT OF CAMP CURTIN. PENNSYLVANIA TROOPS THE FIRST TO REACH THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. THE BATTLE FLAGS OF THE STATE. PENNSYLVANIA INVADED BY THE CONFEDERATES. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVEN- TION OP 1873. ADMINISTRATIONS OP GOVERNORS CURTIN, GEARY, AND HART- RANPT. isei-iste. TITTERINGS of the coming storm were approaching nearer and nearer, and the year opened up gloomily. In the midst of this portentous overshadowing, on the 15th of January, Andrew G. Curtin,* of Centre county, took charge of the helm of State. In his inaugural he took occasion "to declare that Pennsylvania would, under any circumstances, render a full and determined support of the free 1861. institutions of the Union," ... and pledged himself to stand betweeen the Constitution and all en- croachments instigated by hatred, ambition, fanaticism, and folly. On the Itth of February, the House passed a series of resolutions approbatory of Major Anderson, and Governor Hicks of Maryland, and pledging to that State the fellowship and support of Pennsylvania. The month previous the House had passed resolutions taking high ground in favor of sustaining the Constitution and the Union. In Philadelphia and throughout the State, meetings were held for the avowal of the same sentiments at that time. It was by this means that the elements of opposition to treason were called forth and put in motion. Threatening as was the danger, no one anticipated that it would break forth so suddenly, nor that it would grow to such fearful proportions as it in a brief time assumed. The Governor was aware of the solid patriotism of the citizens of the State, in the stubborn will, the ability, and resources of the Common- wealth. It is true, when the leaders of the South, who had long secretly been preparing to dissolve the Union, unmasked their design by the attack on Fort Sumter, in Charleston harbor, South Carolina, on the 12th day of April, 1861, no State in the Union was less prepared, so far as munitions of war were ANDREW a. CUBTIN. *Andbew Gbegg Curtin was born at Bellefonte, Centre county, April 28, 1817. Admitted to the bar in 1839, and practiced at Bellefonte. From 1855 to 1858 lie was Secretary of the Commonwealth and superintendent of common schools. In 1860 lie was elected Governor of Pennsylvania. When the war for the Union broke out he was one of the most zealous of the war governors of the Northern States. He was re-elected in 1863. Active in the election of General Grant to the Presidency, he was honored with the appointment of Minister to Russia in 1869. He returned in 1872, and was elected n member of the convention which framed the present Constitution of the State. He resides at Bellefonte. 259 2fi0 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. eoDcerued, to take part in an armed conflict, than Pennsylvania at that time. Her volunteer soldiery system had fallen into decay. There were less volunteer military companies in the State up to 1860 than ever before were on the rolls of the Adjutant-General's office. While the militia system had fallen into oontempt, by reason of the burlesques to which it was made a subject, the distaste for that service had grown with the long period of peace which had surrounded the country ; and this, added to the fact that the large Quaker and Menonnite portion of the population, the strong Methodist and Presby- terian elements which exist in all parts of the Commonwealth, and which, as a rule, held the mere trade in war in abhorrence, pervaded the State, so barren in military material, that when the first tokens of the impending storm were seen by the movement of secession, the people of Pennsylvania looked on with seeming indifference, lulling themselves in the false security which their hopes that there would be no collision, iu.spired. But when that first overt act was committed, and the news was flashed over the North, it created no fiercer feeling of resentment elsewhere than it did throughout the Keystone State. On the 15th day of the same month, the President of the United States issued a proclamation calling out seventy-five thousand militia from the different States to serve for three months, in the war thus precipitated, and a requisition at once made on this State for fourteen regiments. The alacrity with which these regiments were furnished, demonstrated not so much the military ardor, as it did the patriotic spirit of the people. As before remarked, the citizens had no clear idea of the horrors of war — the shedding of human blood and the sacrifice of human life was a thing fearfully horrible to them — which they did not fully realize were to be the enormous efiects of the attack on Fort Sumter. When they responded to the call for troops, they rushed forward believing their firm appearance would over-awe the insurgents, and a single bloodless campaign end the trouble between the South and the National government. Hence, instead of fourteen regiments, suflBcient rushed to Harrisburg to organize twenty-five. But there were two men — Pennsylvanians — who comprehended the situation from the outset. General Simon Cameron, Secretary of War under President Lincoln, advised the organization of the most powerful army the North could raise, so that at one blow armed Rebellion might be effectually crushed. Governor Curtin took advantage of the excess of men offering their services, and began at once, after the complement of the three months' men had been furnished to the Federal government, to organize the famous Reserve corps. He discovered the approach- ing tornado in the distance, and thus commenced to prepare for its fury, the Reserves being the only troops well-organized and' disciplined in the North ready for the service of the Union at the moment of the disaster of the first battle of Bull Run. On the 18th of April, Camp Curtin was regularly and formally established in the north-western suburbs of Harrisburg. It was the first regular camp formed north of ithe Susquehanna in the loyal States, and before the end of the month of April, twenty-five regiments were sent to the field from its precincts. On the 30th of April, Governor Curtin called an extra session of the Legislature, for the purpose of providing means for the better establishment of the State Militia, for the passage of financial measures, the assumption of a military debt GENERAL HI8T0BT. 261 then already created, and to organize an army for State defence. The Legisla- ture, when convened, acted with energetic promptness. On the 15th day of May, following, an act was passed providing for the organization of the Reserve corps, to consist of thirteen regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and one of artillery. The first military organization which, according to documentary evidence, began the active preparations for defence, was the Ringgold light artillery, of Reading. Early in January, 1861, Captain McKnight believed he foresaw the signs of impending danger, and he therefore councilled with his men, who agreed to devote a certain portion of each day to drill and discipline. On the morning of the 12th of April Governor Curtin received the following dispatch from Philadelphia : " The war is commenced. The batteries began firing at four o'clock this morning. Major Anderson replied, and a brisk cannonading commenced. This is reliable, and has just come by associated press. The vessels were not in sight." I This intelligence referred to the attack on Fort Sumter, and was at once flash- ed from the Capital, by orders of the Governor, to all parts of the State. The news was interpreted as the precipitation of a great rebellion. Three days later, the President issued his proclamation calling out the militia. The Secretary of War telegraphed to Governor Curtin to send two regiments of the quota of four- teen from this State within two days. Washington city was reported as in imminent peril, being entirely unprotected and at the mercy of the assailants then in arms in Yirginia. The utter lack of military organizations outside the cities of the State was remarkable at this period — so remarkable, indeed, as to have no doubt been understood and acted upon by the insurgent leaders, because the same condition existed in all the Middle and Eastern States, where a continuous period of peace had almost completely deadened military ardor. Aside from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, there were few military companies in the State fully armed and equipped, and of these not one-fourth contained the minimum number (thirty-two) of men. But, as the appeal for men was disseminated through the towns and villages of the interior, the officers of whatever military organizations which did exist promptly rallied their men and tendered their services to the Governor. The Ringgold light artillery. Captain McKnight, of Reading ; the Logan guards. Captain Selheimer, of Lewistown ; the Washington artillery, Captain Wren, and the National light infantry. Captain McDonald, of Pottsville ; and the Allen rifles, Captain Yeager, of Allentown, were the first, or among the very first to offer their services in an armed and disciplined condition for immediate action. When the Ringgold light artillery, numbering one hundred and two men, reached Harrisburg, -and word was sent to the Secretary of War of the presence of so strong a company at the State Capital, he at once telegraphed for its immediate presence in Washington, but for prudential reasons the order was suppressed. ■ On the morning of the 18th of April, a detachment of regulars of company " H," 4th artillery, numbering fifty men, arrived in Harrisburg from the West, in command of Lieutenant Pemberton. This young officer was of Northern extrtiction, but his Southern sympathies led him into the Rebel service^ where he 262 RISTOBY OF PENN8YLVANLA. rose to the grade of Lieutenant-General, and had the felicitous favor of being captured, with his entire command, at Vicksburg. The five volunteer com- panies having been mustered into the United States service by Ca:ptain Seneca G. Simmons, of the Tth United States infantry, the regulars and the volunteers referred to departed on the same train, the iirst for Fort McHenry, and the latter for Washington. The volunteers marched two miles through the city of Balti- more, then filled with Southern sympathizers, ready to obstruct their passage through the city. On leaving the cars at Bolton to march to Camden station, a battalion was formed in this order : Pemberton's regulars on the right, Selheim* er's Logan guards next, and Yeager, Wren, and McDonald folloifing — McKnight, with the Ringgold artillery, bringing up the rear. As the column was formed at Bolton station, the Baltimore police appeared in large force, headed by Marshal Kane, followed by a mob, who at once attacked the volunteers, and were counte- nanced by the police sent to give them a safe conduct through the city. The men were ordered to maintain their discipline, and to make no reply to the ribald slang of the ruffians who menaced them. When in the centre of the city, the regulars under Pemberton filed oflf toward Port McHenry, leaving the volunteers to pursue their march to Camden station. This seemed to be a signal to the mob, and at once the air was filled with flying missiles, while everj' species of oath and imprecation were flung at the volunteers as they moved onward. Not a man made a -reply — steadily, silently, sternly, and undauntedly the five companies moved over the rough, cobble-stone streets. At every step the mob increased — almost every house contributed to swell the stream of fury — women screamed encouragement from latticed blinds — but with unblanched faces and a steady step the brave ipen who hurried to the rescue of the National Capital never for a moment wavered, marching like veterans, as the mob gave way before and around them, they forced their passage to the depot. The mob believed that a portion of the Logan guards carried loaded guns, because their half-cocked pieces dis- played percussion caps, but in reality, there was not a load of powder or ball in / the entire five companies ; nevertheless the feint of displaying the caps, which was done partly as a jest on leaving the cars at Bolton station, saved the men from the bloody attack which was hurled the next day at a force of Massa- chusetts troops passing through the city. As it was, when the troops were boarding the cars at Camden station, the infuriated rabble who had dogged their steps hurled bricks, stones, clubs, and mud into their disorganized ranks, without, fortunately, injuring a man. Attempts were made to throw the cars from the track, to detach the locomotive, and to break the machinery — all of which failed, the train leaving the depot amid the demoniac yells of the disappointed ruffians whose thirst for blood was now aroused to a savage fury. The solici- tude of Governor Curtin for the safe transit of these troops through Baltimore was intense. He remained at the telegraph oflSce in Harrisburg receiving dis- patches depicting the scene in the streets of Baltimore, and when at length it was announced that the train had passed out of the reach of their assailants, with the men on board, he emphatically declared that not another Pennsylvania soldier should march through Baltimore unarmed, but fully prepared to defend himself. At seven o'clock, p.m., of the 18th, these five companies reached Washington, 9ENEBAL HISTOBY. 2(53 and were at once properly quartered. They were the first troops which arrived from any State to defend the National Capital, constituting the advance of that mighty host which speedily followed from the North, the West, and the East, and which eventually defeated the slaveholder's rebellion for the destruction of the fairest heritage in the shape of a government man ever bequeathed to his brother. The following resolution was passed by Congress in recognition of the gallantry displayed by the soldiers from Pennsylvania who passed through Bal- timore on the ever-memorable 18th of April : " 31th Congress, U. S., July 22, 1861. " Resolved, That the thanks of this House are due, and are hereby tendered, to the five hundred and thirty soldiers from Pennsylvania, who passed through the mob at Baltimore and reached Washington on the 1 8th of April last, for the defence of the National Capital. " Galusha a. Grow, " Speaker of the House of Representatives." On the day when the first troops contributed by the State for the defence of the National Capital were pursuing their march through the streets of Baltimore, other volunteers were arriving in Harrisburg — the railroad depots were over- flowing with recruits — the public grounds around the State Capitol were covered with improvised shelter for troops — the Capitol was occupied by them, and it was at once apparent that a great camp must be established, where raw recruits could be received, drilled, equipped, and armed for active service. Accordinglj', what was known as the Dauphin County Agricultural Society's park, an eligible plot of ground in the northwestern portion of the suburbs of Harrisburg, was taken possession of by the authorities. It lay within two hundred feet of the Pennsylvania railroad on the east, and a thousand on the west from the Sus- quehanna river, and was, perhaps, the finest site for a great camp of instruction and depot for military stores in the Commonwealth. Camp Cuxtin was founded on the 18th of April, 1861, and before the end of that month twenty-five regi- ments were formed there and sent to the field. It can be inferred from this, the energy and enthusiasm with which the authorities and people of Pennsylvania entered into the conflict for the defence of the Union after the assault on Fort Sumter had fully aroused their patriotic resentment. Captain G. A. C. Seller, of Harrisburg, organized the first military opera- tions at Camp Curtin ; and under the immediate direction of the State authorities before the regular recruiting and instruction of men at that post, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Eli Slifer, had, previously to the establishment of the camp on the 18th of April, assumed the discharge of certain military func- tions, such as replying to telegraph offers of troops, affording information as to quotas of companies ; but after the regular opening of Camp Curtin, Captain Seller was formally put in command, which position he held by commission from the 28th of May to the 31st of July, 1861, during which he displayed great energy, but by exposure and over-work contracted a disease, from which he died. Having relinquished the command of the camp on the date named, he was suc- ceeded by Colonel John H. Taggart, 12th Regiment, P. Y. Early on the 21st of April, there arrived in Harrisburg troops in companies from Ohio, consisting of men from Cincinnati, Cleveland, ITrbana, Mansfield, 264 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Dayton, Zanesville. and Steubenville, who were quartered at Camp Curtin. The intelligence had reached Harrisburg of the burning of the bridges on the Northern Central railroad, and a body of two thousand men were at once thrown forward' from Camp Curtin, followed by three hundred regulars from Carlisle barracks with a battery of flying artillery. When these troops reached Cockeysville, Md., it produced the most intense excitement along the Northern Central railroad lead- ing into Baltimore, while in that city the sympathizers with the rebellion were thrown into convulsive rage at the threat which this advance of troops seemed to imply, of an attack on that place. It was believed there that the troops in Port McHenry were awaiting the arrival of the troops from Cockeysville to shell Baltimore. In the meantime the few companies enlisted at the former locality were subjected to almost equal anxiety, as they were there without tents or proper commissary supplies, expecting hourly to be overwhelmed by the advance of a powerful force from disloyal Baltimore. On the 2'Ith of April, at least three thousand men had arrived at Camp Cur- tin ; two thousand were encamped at Lancaster, and three thousand were in readiness to march from Philadelphia. The twenty-five regiments which were fitted out at Camp Curtin, consisting of 20,175 men, were clothed, armed, equipped, subsisted, and transported by the State, in consequence of the inability of the Federal Government to perform this service. At the completion of the three months enlistment, over ten thousand of these men were returned to Camp Curtin. Their condition while in service on the Southern border of the State, in Maryland and Virginia, was not the best, as they were compelled, to a great extent, to do without cooked rations or tents, and much complaint was uttered in consequence. Colonel Thomas Welsh, of Lancaster county, assumed the command of Carap Curtin in July, 1861, which he held until the complete organization of his regiment, the 45th, and its departure for the scene of war, on the 21st of October following, having received its flag from Governor Curtin on the day previous. Until Colonel Welsli took command of the Camp, its organization and discipline were not as rigid as strict military rule demanded. This was partly owing to the peculiar condition of the levies which daily arrived. The three months' men had been principally organized under the militia laws of the State, and from the troops which had acquired that short experience in actual service, the nine months' men were recruited — after which came the requisition for the three-years' men, and with it a sterner element in both camp- and field, which brought up the standard of the troops sent to the front to the very highest veteran eflSciencj'. Colonel Welsh gave to the discipline of Camp Curtin its first strict military rule, in the enforcement of which he was ably seconded by Adjutant W. W. Jennings, of Harrisburg, who served from the opening of the Camp in that position until he was elected Colonel of the 12tth regiment. During the year 1862, when the organization of the three years, 1862. regiments began, drafts were ordered by the Federal Government, and as the Federal authorities apportioned the quotas to the States, the State authorities in turn apportioned quotas to the several counties, where they were sub-divided among towns and townships. To fill up these quotas and thus GENEBAL HISTORY. 266 escape the draft, called into existence a business in bounties, by which hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent if not squandered. Agents from the several counties of the State were stationed at Camp Curtin for the purpose of offering bounties to recruits, a business which was converted into a rivalry out of which official fraud and personal corruption grew to frightful proportions, filling up companies frequently with men who were physically and mentally incompetent, and in many cases with others who shirked their duty when in the field, or sought to escape before they reached the front. Nevertheless, Pennsylvania met the demands made upon her by the War Department with the utmost alacrity, and the best material she could command. Of the quota of the State, under the call of July 7, 1862, forty-three regiments of volunteers, aggregating 40,383 men, were put into service, and under the draft, ordered August 4th of the same year, fifteen regiments, con- taining an aggregate force of 15,000 men, organized and sent forward. During the same period nine independent batteries of artillery were organized in the State, with an aggregate strength of 1,358 officers and men. The speed with which Governor Curtin pushed forward these men elicited the warmest acknowledgments of the War Department, through which President Lincoln forwarded his thanks to the people of Pennsylvania for the promptness with which they responded to the call for troops. By the liberal offer of bounties the draft was rendered unnecessary in nearly all parts of the State, each county quota being in most part filled up by the nine months' men, who, on reaching Camp Curtin, in most instances re-enlisted for the war. In the month of September, after the second disaster at Bull Run, it became evident that the enemy had adopted an aggressive policy, and was about to invade the Northern States through Maryland and the southern border of Pennsylvania. At the period of this crisis, Governor Curtin, with his usual alacrity and foresight, solicited and received authority from the President to issue a proclamation calling into immediate service fifty thousand of the freemen of the State. Under this call twenty-five regiments and four companies of infantry, fourteen unattached companies of cavalry, and four batteries of artillery were immediately organized and sent to the border, the greater portion advancing beyond the State line into Maryland. General John F. Reynolds, at that time commanding the Pennsylvania Reserve corps, was put temporarily in charge of these troops, and when the crisis ended which made; their appearance in the field necessary. Governor Curtin was thanked by Major-General McGlel- lan for his zeal in thus covering the southern border of his State, which materially aided in frustrating the Southern incursion into the heart of Penn- sylvania, and probably further North. Early in June, 1863, before the dispersing of General Milroy's force at Winchester, the general government took the alarm, and an order from 1863. the War department constituted two new military departments, one of them being that of the Susquehanna, under the the command of General Couch, the other that of the Monongahela, under the command of General W. T. H. Brooks. On the 12th of June, Governor Curtin called out the entire militia of the State. Prompt was the response, and large numbers of troops came at once to Harrisburg, offering their services for the emergency. Unfortu- 26 (3 HIS TOR T OF PEN-NS TL VANIA. nately, the general government refused to accept on that first call any troops for less than six months. The men, who had suddenly left their homes, were unprepared for an absence of six months, and would not be mustered into the service of the United States. In this dilemma, Governor Curtin was appealed to, that he should receive the offering troops on account of the State, as we had a right to defend our territory without the consent of the general government — but to prevent a conflict of authority, the Governor would not consent thereto. It was on the 26th of June that the second proclamation of Governor Curtin was issued, limiting the service to ninety days, or for the emergency. However, in the interim between the ITth and the 26th of the month eight regi- ments and one battalion had been mustered in for the emergency. During this delay the battle of Gettysburg had occurred, and the rebel force retreated south of the Potomac ere the entire number of troops called by the State were in motion. This circumstance has given rise to the charge of lack of patriotism by Mr. Greeley and other historians of the war. It is stated by the former that "the uniformed and disciplined regiments of New York city generally and promptly went to the front, but that the number of Pennsylvanians, Marylanders, and West Virginians, who set their faces resolutely towards the enemy in this crisis bore but a slim proportion to that of their brethren, who seemed just then to have urgent business east of the Susquehanna or west of the Ohio;" in other words, that the country was profoundly disheartened, while the army had already absorbed what was bravest and most patriotic of its militia — and he puts down the number of Pennsylvanians who finally refsponded to the calls at twenty-five thousand, with the force of New York at fifteen thousand, and New Jersey at three thousand. The New York and New Jersey troops were not required to be mustered into the United States service for six months, but were received as they came, for the emergency. This should be properly understood. There was no lack of patriotism on the part of the people of Pennsylvania on this occasion, but the paucity of State troops was attributable, in a great degree, to the action of the State and National authorities. That the people of the State would have responded to a proper call before the battle of Gettysburg is evident from the alacrity which was exhibited on the occasion of that made by the Governor in September, 1862. It has been stated that the object of the Secretary of War in calling foi troops for so long a period as six months was in a great measure to have a large force ready to guard the line of the Potomac when necessary. Had a longer time been afforded for that purpose, troops might have been obtained, but it was unwise to make a call for the period noted, when the invasion of the State was imminent. The first evidence the inhabitants of the Cumberland Valley had of the rebel approach, was the flight of Milroy's wagon train, which was ordered, as alleged, to secure itself on the east side of the Susquehanna. The horse and mule teams, laden with army supplies, thronged the main road from the State line, and afibrded substantial evidence of Milroy's overthrow. Soon followed trains of farm wagons not only from Maryland, but from York, Franklin, and Cumberland counties, too numerous to find accommodations at Harrisburg or in GENERAL HISTOBY. 267 fcs vicinity, but which pushed on to Lebanon, Berks, and Lancaster counties. Many of these trains were crowded with produce and house furniture, most of dhem leaving behind the women and children. Loose cattle, horses, colts, and calves abounded. Pedestrians also pushed along with the caravan, some carrying wh.at they well could. So precipitate was the flight that many amusing incidents occurred, of which it is not our province at the present to . rehearse. While the female portion of the rural districts remained behind with their household goods to guard, in the towns along the railroads there prevailed a general alarm, and those who could left for places of security. As far east as Harrisburg was this especially the case ; railroad cars were crowded, and other vehicles were called into requisition. But the commotion was not confined to them. Banks were cleared of their money and valuable papers, numerous stores of their goods, and at the Capitol of the State, the important and valuable papers of the departments, the books of the State Library, as also the different county records, were removed to places of safety. In the midst of the consternation which prevailed, the men of the State who were not with the militia were firm, and the able-bodied went to work upon the fortifications on the west of the Susquehanna, opposite Harrisburg, subsequently named Fort "Washington, with the hope of some, and the expectation of others, that the Confederate force, if it came at all, would come directly down the valley. Troops were likewise stationed at the difiTerent fording places of the river, and breastworks thrown up. The New York and New Jersey troops did not by any means comprise all the effective militia force in the valley. They were of some use in swelling the number of our forces at Fort Washington, and it is now reported that Colonel Jenkins, who with his command of eight hundred men, spent a night at Mechanicsburg, approached Harrisburg as far as Oyster's Point, where a slight artillery skirmish ensued, but that oflBcer ascended a hill in the valley from which he had a view of the defences opposite the Capital, and upon inquiry was informed that a large Union force, with considerable artillery, occupied that city. However, the Army of the Potomac was approaching, the Confederate troops sent for, and on Monday, June 29, their forces at Carlisle and York fell back to concentrate. Of the subsequent events — the three days' fight at Gettysburg — that decisive battle which struck the death-knell of the Southern Confederacy, we shall describe in full in subsequent pages. In July 1864, the Confederate forces again crossed the Potomac, 1864. threatening the southern border of the State, and marched towards the National Capital. Under the pressing demands of the Federal authori- ties, all t;he organized troops in Pennsylvania were immediately sent forward. The Southern army was defeated and driven back. A column of three thousand men had however crossed into the State, and on the 30th of July, burned the town of Chambersburg. The full details of this transaction are given elsewhere. Although the people of all the Southern border suffiered much from the incursions of the enemy, Chambersburg was the only town entirely destroyed within the limits of any loyal State. The citizens of that place were suddenly reduced to 268 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. poverty, and for a time, were sustained by the active benevolence of the people of other portions of the Commonwealth. The burning of Chambersburg was an act of ruthless vandalism unnecessary at the time as a means of promoting the protection or the success of the invader, and perpetrated merely as a show of bravado, in defiance of all honorable warfare and the sacred rights of humanity. The inhabitants offered no resistance at the time to .the advance — there was no Union force intrenched in the town, and therefore, no necessity to fire it as a _ means of dislodging an enemy. The history of all the campaigns in which the troops of Pennsylvania took QENEBAIi HOSPITAL, OAMF OUBTIN, 1863. [From a Photograph by D. C. Boroita.] part is also the history of Camp Curtin. It was on that classic ground that these troops were in great part recruited, mustered-in, and mustered-out. After the mustering in of the nine months' men, the Federal authorities took charge of Camp Curtin, the affairs of which were thenceforth, to the end of the war, entirely conducted through the War Department. The control of all troops after they were mustered into the United States service passed out of the hands of the State, yet the Governor of the Commonwealth did not cease vigilantly to care for their welfare, to look after their comfort in the field, and their succor when sick or wounded. Camp Curtin, besides being a vast depot of militarj' stores and rendezvous for troops passing to and from the army in the field, was also a hospital for the accommodation of the sick and wounded, and for the quar- tering of prisoners captured in battle. In addition to the relief afforded by the government in hospitals attached to this and other camps, the citizens in various portions of the State were unceasing in their attention to the wounded or dis- eased-stricken heroes. After those sanguinary conflicts at Antietam and Gettys- GENERAL HISTORY. 26S) burg, when ^umerou8 hospitals were improvised, and indeed during the four years of war, the entire population of the State busied themselves in providing such aid that the military stores did not afford, in which noble duty women and children vied with old and young men in contributbg the utmost in their power. Governor Curtin, at the close of the war, in a special message to the Legisla- ture thus referred to the part which the people had taken in the struggle to maintain the Union and preserve the Government : " Proceeding in the strict line of duty, the resources of Pennsylvania, whether in men or money, have neither been withheld or squandered. The history of the conduct of our people in the field is illuminated with incidents of heroism worthy of conspicuous notice ; but it would be impossible to mention them in the proper limits of a message, without doing injustice, or, perhaps, making invidious dis- tinctions. It would be alike impossible to furnish a history of the associated benevolence and of the large individual contributions to the comfort- of our peo- ple in the field and hospital, or of the names and services, at all times, of our volunteer surgeons, when called to assist in the hospital or on the battle field ; nor is it possible to do justice to the many patriotic Christian men who were always ready to respond when summoned to the exercise of acts of humanity and benevolence. Our armies were sustained and strengthened in the field, by the patriotic devotion of their friends at home; and we can never render full justice to the heaven-directed, patriotic, Christian benevolence of the women of the State." With this message all operations at the various camps were brought to a close. At the great rendezvous. Camp Curtin, the ground was restored to the uses of agriculture, and to-day is partly occupied by private residences. But the scenes enacted there will never be forgottep. It was the Altar on which Pennsylvania laid her most precious offerings for the safety of the Union of which she is the Keystone. The flower of her youth and the robust maturity of her strongest manhood passed into and out of that camp to the field of battle — some to perish amid its carnage, others to return wounded or sickened unto death, and still others unharmed, the survivors of the great confiict, who now live to wear its honoi's and enjoy the fruits of the victory for Liberty and Union, which their valor helped to win. During the four years of war, Pennsylvania sent to the Federal or Union army 2t0 regiments and several unattached companies, numbering in all 38'7,284 men, including the 25,000 militia in service in September, 1862. 1861. — Under call of the President of April 15, 1861, for three months, 20,979; "Pennsylvania reserve volunteer corps" sent into the United States service under the cail of the President of July 22, 1861, for three years, 15,856 ; organized under act of Congress of July 22, 1861, for three years, 93,T59 ; making 130,594. 1862. — Under call of the President of July 7, 1862, including eighteen nine- months regiments, 40,383; organized under draft ordered August 4, 1862, for nine months, 15,100 ; independent companies for three years, 1,358 ; recruits forwarded by superintendents of recruiting service, 9,259; enlistments in organizations of other States and in the regular army, 5,000; making 71,100. 1863. — Organized under special authority from War Department for three 270 HISTtmr OF PENNSYLVANIA. years, 1,066; under call of the President of June, 1863, for six months, 4,484; for the emergency, 7,062; recruits forwarded by superintendents of recruiting service, 4,458 ; enlistments in regular army, 934 ; militia called out in June for ninety days, 25,042 ; making 43,046. 1864. — Re-enlistments in old organizations for three years, 17,876 ; organized under special authority from War Department for three years, 9,867 ; under call of July 27, for one year, 16,094 ; under call of July 6, for one hundred days, 7,675 ; recruits forwarded by superintendents of recruiting service, 26,567 ; drafted men and substitutes, 10,651 ; recruits for regular army, 2,974 ; making 91,704. 1865. — Under call of the President of December 19, 1864, for one year, 9,645 ; recruits forwarded by superintendents of recruiting service, 9,133 ; drafted men and substitutes, 6,675 ; recruits for regular army, 387 ; making 25,840; and a total of 362,284 men. To this should be added the militia called out in 1862, amounting to 25,000, which go to make up the grand total of 887,284 men furnished by Pennsylvania. There is no feature so attractive in the organization and services of the regiments which Pennsylvania contributed to aid in crushing the insurrection of the people of the slave States , than that of the origin of the regimental battle flags, the actions in which they were borne, their present condition, and place of deposit. In May, 1861, the Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania, an organization formed of the surviving officers of the Revolutionary war and their descendants, tendered to Governor Curtin a donation of five hundred dollars, to be used toward arming and equipping the volunteers of the State. On the 8fh of May the Governor, in a special message to the Legislature, announced the tender of this money, and requested that he be authorized to receive and directed how to apply it. In a series of joint resolutions, the Assembly directed him to apply the money to the purchase of regimental flags to be inscribed with the arms of the State. Other resolutions were passed providing for ascertaining how the several regiments of Pennsylvania in the war of the Revolution, in that of 1812, and with Mexico, were numbered, the divisions of the service in which they were distributed, and in what action said regiments distinguished themselves ; that having obtained these particulars, the Governor should procure regimental standards, inscribed with the numbers of those regiments respectively, on which should be engrossed such data. The standards thus were delivered to the regi- ments then in the field or forming, bearing the regimental numbers corresponding to the regiments of Pennsylvania in former wars. The Reserves secured the greater portion of the flags thus inscribed with the dates of the Revolution and succeeding wars. The Governor was also authorized to procure flags for all the regiments of the State serving in the Union army, emblazoned with the number thereof and the coat of arms of the Commonwealth. These resolutions provided for the return of all the standards to the possession of the State at the close of the war, to be inscribed as the valor and good conduct of the soldiers of each regiment deserved ; and whenever the country may be involved in any future war, they are to be delivered to the regiments then formed according to their number as they may be called into service. QENEBAL HISTVBY. 271 Such was the origin of the battle-flags of Pennsylvania. The Govemor in person presented each regiment with one of these ensigns, the ceremony either taking place at camps within the State or in the camps of the armies at the front to which they were assigned. Such events were always interesting — the mag- netic eloquence of the fervid Governor eliciting the spontaneous enthusiasm of the men who received their standards with vows that were zealously kept, while the pledges of personal devotion which the Governor made to care for them in sickness, wounds, and death, and to provide for the widows and orphans of those who perished, were as religiously fulfilled. Every regiment that went into service bearing one of these flags never lost its identity with the State which contributed it to the national defence, and to that extent the fame those soldiers made for themselves on the field of battle was reflected back on the old Com- monwealth, where its lustre will long be preserved, not as an object of irritation between the sections which antagonized each other in the late civil war, but as an evidence of national devotion and personal valor which is destined in after years to be prized in grateful remembrance. Two hundred and eighteen of these flags have been returned to the State, and are deposited in a room specially arranged for their safe keeping in the Capitol at Harrisburg. They are enumerated by beginning with the 11th regiment, Colonel Richard Coulter's, to that used by the 215th, Colonel Thomas Wistar's. The condition of the standards impresses the beholder with the havoc through which they were carried. That of the 100th regiment now consists of only three small pieces of tattered silk. The flag of the 150th was captured at Gettysburg and afterwards recaptured among the baggage of the President of the so-called Southern Confederacy. That of the 90th has its staff shot away ; the 148th is in a similar condition, as well as greatly riddled by bullets. Two flags of the 51st are torn and riddled, having been carried in some of the fiercest struggles of the conflict. The original flag of the Buck-tail regiment (42d), with a portion of a buck-tail still on the top of the staff, is an object of much curiosity. The State possesses no more valuable deposit in its archives than these flags. The older they become the more valuable and more venerated they will be. Another subject growing out of the war was the adoption of the system of soldiers' orphans schools. Of the facts connected with their origin and growth we shall refer in brief terms. In the message of Governor Curtin, of January 7, 1863, he says: "In July last, I received, at Pittsburgh, by telegraph, an offer from the Pennsylvania railroad company of a donation of $50,000, to assist in paying bounties to volunteers. I declined this offer, because I had no authority to accept it on behalf of the public, and was unwilling to undertake the disbursement of the fund in my private capacity. I have since received a letter on the subject from the company, suggesting other modes of disposing of the money, a copy of which is annexed to this message." To Cdlonel Thomas A. Scott, then vice-president of that great corporation, are we really indebted for originating and suggesting t'le establishment of that system which led the way to provide for the edu- cation and maintenance of the destitute orphans of soldiers. At the request of Ihe Governor, a bill was prepared by Professor J. P. Wickersham, then principa. of the State Normal school at Millersville, embodying the provisions necessary 272 HISTOB T OF PUNNS YL VANIA. for carrying into eflfgct the measures proposed in the message concerning tliese wards of the State. This bill was not acted on for want of time, but a short act was passed authorizing the Governor to, accept the donation of the railroad company, and to use it, at his discretion, for the purposes designated. In order to accomplish this, the Governor, on the 16th of June, 1864, duly com missioned Thomas H. Burrowes, Superintendent of Soldiers' Orphans. Dr. Burro wes began at once to organize the system. A number of schools wUl- ing to receive pupils were selected in diflferent parts of the State, through the assistance of the patriotic and public-spirited citizens in the several counties 'who acted as superintending committees. By the 9th of February, 1865, six schools and five homes had contracted to receive two hundred and seventy-six orphans. The task of finding suitable institutions willing to receive soldiers' orphans, under all the circumstances attending the matter, was one of extreme difficulty ; and a man less hopeful than Dr. Burrowes, one with more calculation and less faith, would not have succeeded in accomplishing it. He had but $50,000 at command, several of the Normal schools declined his request to erect additional buildings for the accommodation of such orphans as he might send to them, the prices asked for taking care of the orpha-ns by a number of boarding schools to which he applied were higher than he could pay, and, worse than all, there was a general want of confidence in the permanency of the enterprise. Still, full of faith and zeal, the superintendent labored on in his good work, and, at last, had the good fortune of seeing the obstacles that afc first stood in the way of his plans, in great measure overcome. The Legislature of 1865 passed an act, approved March 23, "establishing the right principle that the destitute orphans of our brave soldiers are to be the children of the State," and appropriating $15,000 to carry on the work for the year. Although this measure finally passed both Houses unanimously, it met in its progress some very strong opposition, and Dr. Burrowes says, " it owes its origination entirely to the wise forethought and untiring exertions of Governor Curtin." The expenses of the first year amounted to $103,817 67, but no one appre- ciated even then the magnitude of the system building up. For nearly ten years the number of orphans under the care of the Commonwealth have been about eight thousand annually, at an annual expense of nearly half a million dollars. "No calculation," said Governor Geary in his message of 1868, "can furnish an estimate of the benefits and blessings that are constantly flowing from these institutions. Thousands of orphan children are enjoying their parental care, moral culture, and educational training, who otherwise would have suff'ered poverty and want, and been left to grow up in idleness and neglect. ]\Iany a widow's heart has been gladdened by the protection, comfort, and reli- gious solicitude extended to her fatherless offspring, and thousands are the prayers devoutly uttered for those who have not been unmindful of them in the time of their affliction. In making the generous disposition it has done for these destitute and helpless orphans, the Legislature deserves and receives the heartiest thanks of e^ery good citizen, all of whom will cordially approve a oontinuanue of that beneficence. In shielding, protecting, and educating the GENERAL HISTOBY. gijg children of our dead soldiers, the Legislature is nobly performing its duty. These children are not mere objects of charity or pensioners upon our bountyj but the wards of the Commonwealth, and have just claims, earned by the blood of their fathers, upon its support and guardianship, which can only be witliheld at the sacrifice of philanthropy, honor, patriotism, State pride, and every prin- ciple of humanity." As early as 1864, measures were taken by the Executive and Legislature looking to the preparation of a history of the men who went forward in the armies of the country from this State in the great battles for the Union. Subse- quently, 1866, Prof. Samuel P. Bates 1866. was appointed to this work. Five im- perial octavo volumes of over one thou- sand pages each give a valuable history of every regiment from the State — an enduring monu- ment, not only of the bravery of the sons of Pennsylvania, but of the power and the glory of the good old Commonwealth. On the 15th of January, 1867, Gene- 1867. ral John W. Geary,* of Westmoreland county, was inaugurated Governor of the State, a position in which, by election to a second term, he served six years. During that period the debt of the Commonwealth was re- 1 ■■ . .,,. „ , ,, ■, JOHN \V. ajSAKT. duced over ten millions of dollars. It was a time of unusual activity in business, and the proper development of the indus- trial resources of Pennsylvania. During the war for the Union, the so-called " border counties," York, Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, and Perry, suffered severely, not only through the invasion of the Southern forces, but incidentally by the marching of the Federal troops interposing to drive the former from the State. The citizens who thus sustained destruction and loss of property appealed to the 1868 Legislature for aid. That body generously considered the matter and took measures to afibrd the citizens the necessary assistance. The Governor appointed a board of commissioners agreeably to the act of April 9, * John White Geary was born at Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland county, December SO, 1819. He taught school, became a merchant's clerk in Pittsburgh, afterward studied at Jeflerson College ; finally became a civil engineer, and for several years was connected with the Allegheny Portage railroad. He was lieutenant-colonel of the second Pennsyl- vania regiment in the Mexican war; wounded at Chapultepeo, and for meritorious conduct was made first commander of the city of Mexico after its capture and colonel of his regi- ment. In 1849 was made postmaster of San Francisco, soon after alcalde of that city, and its first mayor. In 1852 returned to Pennsylvania and settled on his farm in Westmoreland county. From July, 1856, to March, 1857, he was Governor of Kansas. Early in 1861 raised and equipped the 28th Pennsylvania volunteers ; promoted brigadier-general of volunteers April 25, 1862; wounded at Cedar Mountain; led the 2nd division of the 12th corps at Fredericksburg, ChancellorsviUe, Gettysburg, Wauhatchie, and Lookout Mountain ; com- manded the 2d division of the 20th corps in Sherman's march to the sea ; appointed military governor of Savannah on its capture, December 22, 1864; elected Governor of Pennsyl- vdnia, 1867, serving two terms. He died suddenly, at Harrisburg, on February 8, 1873. 8 274 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 1868, who were authorized to adjudicate the claims thereof, and although the amounts allowed were small, they served to afford temporary relief. By an act of the Assembly adopted April 22, 1858, a monument was erected this year, on the grounds of the Capitol at Harrisburg, to commemorate the heroic virtues of the " citizens of Pennsylvania who were slain or lost their lives in the late war with Mexico." THJi PENNSYIiVANIA MONUMENT TO THE HEROES OF MEXICO. At the session cf the Legislature of 1870, an effort was made to take from the sinking fund of the State bonds to the value of nine and a half 1870. millions of dollars, the proceeds of the sales of the public improvements formerly owned by it, in aid of certain railroads. The Governor inter- posing his veto, prevented this contemplated outrage. In the month of July, 1871, a serious disturbance of the public peace 1871. and order of the city of Williamsport took place, rendering the civil authority powerless. Under this necessity a reliable military force was sent forward under command of General Jesse Merrill, to protect and aid the authorities in enforcing tlio civil processes. By the presence of the troops the law-abiding citizens were encouraged and the lawless disheartened. This was termed at the time " the saw-dust war." QENERAL HISTORY. 275 1872. ^ Bureau of Labor Statistics and of Agriculture was established by an act of the Legislature of April 12, 18'72. General John F. Hartranft,* of Montgomery county, assumed the office of Governor on the 21st of January, 1873. The inland fisheries of nearly all the States having toward the middle of the century shown a very great falling off in consequence of the absence of all legal regulation, the New England States, commencing with Massachusetts, took the subject in hand in 1865, and immediately thereafter, on the 30th of March, 1866, the State of Pennsylvania followed her example. Colonel James Worrall was appointed commis- sioner by Governor Curtin, to make an exami- nation of the streams of the State, the artificial obstructions to the passage of fish, and to report such measures as should be proper to re-stock and protect them. In the summfer of 1868, several gentlemen of Harrisburg, to test the matter of propagating fish from other streams, introduced the black bass of the Potomac into the Susquehanna, and through appropriate legislation the result has been successful. Fish-ways were created in the dams which crossed the more important rivers— intended to facilitate the passage of "'"^^ "■■ "'^"'^■'-^•■'^t. anadromous fishes up and down the streams. The Legislature in 1873 1873. made appropriations for carrying out this object, and the Fishery com- missioners have zealously devoted themselves to this work; and Pennsylvania has advanced equally with the most energetic of the other States. The pernicious and alarming results of special legislation, with other evils connected with the working of the Constitution of 1838, demanded a reform in that instrument. On the 2nd of June, 1871, the General Assembly, to further that object, passed a resolution to submit the calling of a convention to the people *JonN Frederick 'Hartranft was born in New Hanover township, Montgomery connty, December 16, 1830. In his seventeenth year he entered the preparatory depart- ment of Marshall College, and. "subsequently was transferred to Union College, Schenectady, where he graduated in 1853; studying law, he was admitted to the bar in 1859. At the out- set of the civil war he raised the 4th Pennsylvania regiment. At the first Bull Run battle he served on General Franklin's staff', the period of enlistment of his regiment having expired one day previous. Upon the muster out of this "three months' " regiment. Colo- nel Hartranft organized the 51st. He accompanied General Burnside in his expedition to North Carolina in March, 1862, and with his regiment was in all the engagements of the 9th corps, Including Vicksburg ; led the famous charge that carried the stone bridge at Antietam ; was made brigadier-general May 12, 1864 ; in command of the 3d division, 9th army corps, March 25, 1865, gallantly recaptured Fort Steadman in the lines before Rich- mond, for which he was breveted major-general. 'Was elected auditor-general of Penn- sylvania, in 1865, and on August 29, 1866, the President tendered him the position of colo- nel in the regular army, which he declined. In 1868, General Hartranft was re-elected auditor-general. In 1872 he was chosen Governor of the Common n-ealtli, and re-elected in 1875 for the term of three years. 276 UlSSTOBY OF PENNSYLVANLA. of the State. At the general election held in October following, the vote for holding a constitutional convention was 328,354 to 1 0,205 against the measure The Legislature, by its act of April 11, 1872, made provision for the calling of the same, and to secure a full and free expression of opinion in the convention without party or political bias, the plan of minority representation was adopted. The delegates elected assembled at the State Capitol, Harrisburg, on Tuesday, November 13, 1872, adjourned from thence to Philadelphia on the 27th, where it assembled on the 7th of January, 1873. The draft of the Constitution having been adopted by that body, it was submitted to the qualified electors of the Commonwealth on Tuesday, the 16th day of December, and was approved by a vote of 253,560 for, and 109,198 against the measure. As thus adopted, the new Constitution of 1873 comprises the following reforms : An increase of tlie number of senators and representatives of the General Assembly; biennial sessions of the Legislature; the election by the people of sundr}' officers heretofore chosen ; minority representation ; modifications of the pardoning power ; a change in the tenure and mode of choosing the judiciary ; a change in the date of the annual elections ; prohibition of all special legislation, with other changes of vital importance to the interests of the people at large. The 1874. Constitution went into effect the first day of January, 1874. Although it is imperfect in certain points, the Constitution is considered a model instrument, and during the two years in which it has been in operation, given the greatest satisfaction to the people. In March, 1874, owing to the seizuie of railroad trains by a mob at Susque- hanna depot on the New York and Erie Railroad, troops were ordered forward by the Governor, who succeeded in quelling the disturbance and restoring con- fidence. Disturbances in the mming regions occurred during this and the following year ; but by the prompt calling out of the militarj' by Gover'uor Hartranft, order and peace were preserved. The new constitution providing for the election of a Lieutenant-Governor who was to act as President of the Senate, in November John Latta* of West- moreland county, was chosen for a period of four years. The year 1876 being the Centennial of American Independence, it was 1876. ushered in with demonstrations of joy in every city and town of the Com- monwealth. On the 20th day of January, Governor Hartranft re-assumed the executive functions under the Constitution of 1873, and in his message referred with pride to the progress which a century had wrought in our State. " The popula- tion," he said, " has increased tenfold, the area under cultivation a hundred-fold, and wealth almost beyond comparison. Thousands of miles of canals and railroads inter- sect the Commonwealth. Immense mining, manufacturing, agricultural ajid carry- ing enterprises give employment to the toiling millions of the State. All the prod- ucts of the earth are within our reach ; fuel and provisions are brought to our doors ; gas and water are in our houses, and the news of the world of yesterday are laid on our breakfast-tables in the morning. Thousands of schools and colleges are scattered * John Latta was born in Unity township, Westmoreland county, in 1836. He received an academic education, graduated at Yale Law School, admitted to the bar in 1859, and located at Greensburg. Mr. Latta served in the Senate 1864-5, and in the House 1872-8. Elected Lieutenant-Governor 1874. GENERAL HISTORY. 277 over the State, and the post is burdened daily with millions of letters attesting the general diffusion of knowledge. The people are more intelligent, freer and happier, more cheerful, tolerant and liberal." As early as 1870 the plan of holding an International Exhibition at Philadelphia, in commemoration of the Independence of the United States, was adopted and met with general approval. All previous exhibitions had been gotten up under the direc- tion of government, but this was an undertaking of the people at large, the co-ope- ration of Congress, being really only formal. The State of Pennsylvania, in testimony of her high appreciation of the enterprise, liberally appropriated money for the erec- tion of a Memorial Hall or Art Gallery ; and on the 10th of May the great Cen- tennial Exhibition was formally opened. The ceremonies, simple and dignified, were characteristic of the Republic and of the Commonwealth. The exhibition proved as successful as it was grand and imposing. On the 19th day of July, 1877, while Gov. Hartranft was on his way to 1877. visit the Pacific Coast, a general strike was inaugurated by the employees of nearly all the railroads in the United States. Within the Commonwealth all attempts of the municipal and county authorities failed to restore traffic, and for several days the I'ioters, for such many proved to be, had control of affairs. In this emergency the National Guard was called out and Gov. Hartranft summoned home. The outbreak at Pittsburgh at once assumed alarming proportions, followed as it was by the destruction of large quantities of produce and merchandise contained in the impeded freight cars, and the burning of all the rolling stock and railroad buildings of the Pennsylvania cT)mpany at that point, simultaneously with an attack upon the military by an armed mob, during which several of the soldiers were killed and wounded, as also a considerable number of the rioters. The disturbances spread rapidly over the State. In Philadelphia, by the courage and activity of the municipal authorities, supported by the great body of the citizens and the press, and in Harrisburg, through the coolness and promptness of the sheriff of Dauphin county and the mayor of the city and the public spirit of the citizens, who responded to the call of the authorities, qttiet was soon restored. In Reading the costly railroad bridge over the Schuylkill was burned on the evening of the 22d. but on the following day the National Guard had a severe street-fight, in which many of the military were injured by stones, eleven persons were killed and above fifty wounded, the rioters were dispersed. In the Luzerne coal region the miners, under the prevailing excitement, entered upon a general strike, but the prompt support of the civil authorities by the military cheeked the threatened serious dis- turbance. On the 24th of July the governor reached Pittsburgh, and, in obedience to his telegram of two days previous, the entire military force of the State was in mo- tion, together with such of the United States troops as then could be sent for- ward to co-operate with the National Guard. By the prompt and decisive measures of the Commander-in-chief, quiet was soon restored, and traffic resumed its regular channels. At the general election held in November, 1878, Heney M. Hoyt* of Luzerne, * Henry Martyn Hoyt was born in Kingston, Luzerne county, June 8, 1830. He remained upon Ills father's farm until his seventeenth year, when, having finished his preparatory studies under the Kev. Dr. Reuben Nelson, he entered Lafayette College. He finished his academic course 278 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. ^ was elected Governor of the State, and Chaeles W. Stone, of Warren, Lieutenant-Governor. On the 21st of January, 1879, with appropriate ceremonies, they were formally inducted into their respective offices. In his inaugural Gov. Hoyt, after alluding to the causes of the mone- tary crisis, thus spoke concerning national affairs : " The one great question yet to be solved is, shall government by the ballot be maintained in this country, with equal political rights for all legal voters? Pennsylvania's attitude on that question is known wherever her name is known. That she will insist on the enforcement of the authority of the National Constitution in every State of the National Union is as certain as that her mountain- peaks point toward heaven and her rivers roll to the sea. Under no circumstances can she ever re- cede from this position. Strong in herself, stronger in virtue of the constitutional relationship to her HENRY MAKTYN HOYT. . n i mi i • -i- Sister States, she ■will be magnanimous, conciliatory and patient." And thus at the close of another decade the Commonwealth of Penn- sylvania, founded by deeds of peace, is steadily pushing forward to the lead of empire, first in whatever may constitute the greatness of a State. The census of 1880 showed a surprising increase in the population of the Com- monwealth, and that Pennsylvania was steadily and surely approaching the lead of empire in the Union of States, it being four million two hundred and eighty-two thousand eight hundred and ninety-one, only eight hundred thousand less than that of the State of New York. In industrial and mineral resources, in all that goes to make a great State, it had surpassed all others. The statistics were exceedingly gratifying to the people whose energy, enterprise, and intelligence caused this re- markable prosperity. On the 2d of July, 1881, James Abram Garfield, who had been inaugurated President of the United States on the 4th of March preceding, was shot by a wilful assassin at Washington. It was the second Executive of the Nation who 1881. had thus been stricken down, and the people of the entire Union were shocked and saddened by the revolting deed. The prayers of the whole country were offered in supplication to Almighty .God for his recovery ; and Gov. Hoyt, with other State Executives, set apart days of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. at Williams College, Mass., where he graduated in 1849. Opened a high school at Towanda, Pa., and was a Professor of Mathematics at the Wyoming Seminary in the Wyoming conference ; read law with Chief-Justice George W. Woodward, and admitted to the bar in 1853. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was active in the raising of the 52d regiment, P. V., and was appointed by Governor Curtin, lieuteuant-colonel. Served in Naglee's brigade, army of the Potomac, until Janu- ary, 1863, when the brigade was sent to join the land forces intended to co-operate with the naval attack upon Fort Sumter under Admiral Dupont He was engaged in the siege of Morris Island under General Gillmore, and was captured in a night attack in small boats across Charleston Har- bor on Fort Johnson. Upon his exchange he rejoined his command, and at the close of the war was mustered out with the rank of brevet brigadier-general. In 1867 he held the ofiSce of Addi- tional Law Judge of the courts of Luzerne county, under appointment of Governor Geary. Ho was elected Governor in November, 1878, and was inaugurated in January, 1879. HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 278o After eleven weeks of anxiety and national gloom, President Garfield passed away, on the night of the 19th of September, 1881. History affords no such example, no parallel in the annals of crime with the unprovoked assassination of President Garfield. The two hundredth anniversary of the Landing of William Penn and the Pound- ing of Pennsylvania was appropriately celebrated in the metropolis. Gov. Hoyt appointed Thursday, October 24, 1882, as a day of Thanksgiving, and 1882. over the length and breadth of the Commonwealth ceremonies befitting the occasion were held, and the life of the great and good Penn became the theme of pulpit, forum, and social gathering. The Province, " Founded by deeds of Peace" — the dream of the Founder was fully realized in the glorious Commonwealth of 1882. At the annual election in November, Robert Emoey Pattison,* of Philadelphia, was elected Governor, and Chauncey F. Black, of York, Lieutenant-Governor; and on Tuesday, the 16th day of January, 1883. 1883, they were inducted into office. Upon taking the oath prescribed by law, Gov. Pattison concluded his lucid and forcible inaugural as follows : " I look forward with bright anticipa- tion of the future of our Commonwealth. Her possibilities are great beyond those of almost any of her sister States. Let it always be remembered by all citizens that intelligence and virtue are the safeguards of liberal institutions. The law must be preserved in its integrity and supremacy ; citizen- ship should not be treated as a light privilege, but its' duties should be made a serious matter of con- scientious performances ; the purity of our elections hobebt emory pattison. must be sacredly preserved ; and all alike should feel a personal interest in discharging their obligations to the State, and sustain- ing the officers of the law in the faithful and just performance of their functions. It will always be my pleasing duty to co-operate with the representatives of the people in giving validity to enactments whose object is the dissemination of infor- mation, the promotion of the general welfare, the placing of additional safeguards around the upright, or the punishment and restraint of the lawless and vicious. In short, whatever will tend to develop the resources, increase the comforts, or enlarge the happiness and prosperity of the citizens of a State which has been alike fortunate in its location and the wise policy of its founder, should receive the sedulous attention and constant support of every one who is called upon to make, expound, execute, or obey the laws.'' * Egbert Emoey Pattison, son of Eev. Robert H. Pattison, D. D., and Catharine Woolford, was born December 8, 1850, at Quantico, Somerset co., Md. He was educated in the grammar schools of Philadelphia, and graduated from the Central High School, being the valedictorian of the fifty-flfth class. He was registered a law-student with Lewis C. Cassidy of Philadelphia in December, 1869, and was admitted to the bar in 1872. In 1877 he was nominated for City Con- troller of Philadelphia, and elected, and in 1880 re-elected to the same position by a large majority. In 1882 he was nominated for Governor, elected in November, and inaugurated in January, 1883, the youngest person who has ever filled the gubernatorial office. JAMES A. BEAVER. Elected November 2, 1886. Juaugura^ed January 18, 1887, PART II. COUNTY HISTORIES 279 280 HI8T0BT OF PENNaYLVANLA. ORGANIZATION OF COUNTIES AND COUNTY TOWNS. Cliester* Bucks* Philadeiphia*'!!!! Ijaiicaster ^jrork ■^-Cumberland Berks. » Xortliamptou..,. Bedford Nortliumberlnnd Westmorelandt. . Washington Fayette Franklin Montgomery Daupulu Luzerne Huntingdon ^.-^Aileeljeny ( Delaware ^"^^Iffliii Somerse t f Lycoming *^-4rreene Wayne ,,-Adams Centre Armstrong Butler Beaver ., Crawford Erie Mercer Venango Warren I ndiana, fJeTTSTSoi] on. N-Al'Keaii I'otter Tioga Canibrln Clearfield Bradford* Susquebamia. ... Schuylkill Lehlgli ,, Lebanon . . Columbia. ,. Union IMke Perry Juniata , ALonroe , Clarion , Clinton , "Wyoming , Carbon , Elk flair , ultlvan Forests Fulton , Lawrence , Montour bnyder Cameron i^aclcawanna Fbou What Fobuxd. Chester Lancaster Lancaster Philadelphia, Bucks, Lancaster.. Bucks., Cumberland. _ Lancaster, Cumberland, Berks, Bedford, and NorthMi Bedford Westmoreland Westmoreland Cumberland Philadelphia Lancaster Northumberland Bedford Westmoreland and Washlnstou.... Chester Cumberland and Northumberland Bedford Northumberland AVashington Northampton York Mifflin, Northumberland, Lycoming, and Huntingdon Allegheny, AVestmorelai d, and Lycoming... Allegheny Allegheny and Washiugtcu Allegheny Allegheny, AlIeKheny Alleglieny and Lycoming. A llegheny and Lycoming. Westmoreland and Lycoming Lycoming. Lycunilug Lycoming Lycoming. Huntingdon, Somerset, and Bedford Lycoming and Northumberland. Luzerne and Lycoming Luzerne Berks and Northampton. Northam pton , Dauphin and Lancaster Northumberland Northumberland Wayne Cumberland Mifflin Nortliampton and Pike Venango and Armstrong Lycoming and Centre Luzerne Northampton and Monroe Jefferson, Clearfield, and M'Kean Huntingdon and Bedford Lycoming Jefferson and Venango Bedford , Beaver and Mercer Columbia Union Clinton, Elk, M^Keau, and Potter.. Luzerne «„„ Whbn FonusD. ,1682. ,1682.. May 10, 1729. . Aug. 19. 1749. . Jan. 27,1730.. Mar. U, 1732.. Mar. 11, 17S2.. Mar. 9,1771,. Mar, 27,1772., Feb, 28, J773.. Mar. 28, 1781. . Sept, 26, 1783.. Sept, 9, 17JH.. Sept. 10, 1784.. Mar. 4, 37a5, . Sept. 25, 1786.. Sept. 20, 17JJ7.. Sept. 24, 1788. . Sept. 2H, 1789.. Sept. 39, 1789.. Aprill7. 1795.. April 13, 1796.. Feb. 9, 1796. . Star. 21, 1708. . Jan. 22, 1800.. Feb. 13, 1800.. Mar. 12,1800.. Mar, 12,1800.. Mar. 12,1800.. Mar. 12, 1800.. Mar. 12, ISOO.. Mar. 12, 1800. . Mar. 12, 1800. . Mar. 12, 1800.. Mar. 30, 1803.. Mar. 26,1804., Mar. 20. 1804.. Mar. 26, 1804. . Mar. 26, 18(M.. Mar. 20, 180J.. Mar. 26, 1804. . Feb. 21, 1810.. Feb. 21, 1810. . Mar. 11, 1811.. Mar. 6, 1812. . Feb. 16, 181.?. . Mar. 22, IS13.. Mar. 22,1813.. Mar. 26,1814.. Mar. 22,1826.. Mar. 2,1831.. April 1,1836., Mar. 31,1839.. June 21,1839.. April 4,1»J2.. Mar. 13,1843.. Aprn]8,lft43.. Feb. 26, 1W6. . Mar. 15, 1S47. , April 11, ia4S,. April 19, 1830.. Mar. 25. 1850.. May 3,ia50.. Mar. 2,1855.. Mar. SS. 1860. . Aug, 21, 1S78... County Towns. West Chester, Uoylestown... Philadelphia.. Lancaster York Carlisle Heading Easton Bedford Snnbury Greensuurg .,, Washington .. Unlontown.,.. Chanibersburg., Norrlstown Harrlsbnrg .,.. Wllkes-Barre. Huntingdon ... Pittsburgh Media Lewlstown.. ,. Somerset Wllliamsport ,,. Waynesburg .... lionesdale Gettysburg Bellefonte KIttanniug Butler. Beaver Meadville Erie 3lercer Franklin Wan-en Indiana Jfrookville Smethport Coudersport ,,,. Wellsboro' Ebensburg Clearfield Towanda Montrose Pottsvllle Alhmtown I^ebanon Bloomsburg Lewisburg. Mllford New Bloom field Mlffllntown ., Stroudsbui^. . Clarion Lnckllaven Tunkhannock, .. MauchChimk... Uidgwiiy Ilollidaysburg Laiwrte Tionesta _ McConuellsburg Newcastle... Danville Mlddleburg .. Emporium... Scran toD...,.«_. 1^ Yim 1778 1S82 1730- 1741 • 1751 17-18 1738 1768 1772 1782 1782 1789 1764 1784 1785 1783 1767 1763 1849 1790 1795 1796 1796 182( 1780 ^ 1795 1804 1803 1791 1795 1795 1803 1793 1795 1803 1830 1807 1307 1806 1805 1803 1812 1811 1816 1751 17o( 180; 178! 1800 1822 li91 1806 1840 1813 1833 1812 1850 1852 1788 1802 1790 1800 1861 1840 'Chester, Bucks, and Philadelphia were the three original coantles established at the nist settlement of the I'ruviiiue of Pennsylvania. t In 1785 part of the purchase of 1784 was added to Westmoreland. % Previous to March 24, 1812, this county was called Ontario, bat Its name was clanged to Bradford on that day. I Part of Venango added by act approved October 31, ISM. ADAMS COUNTY. BY AAEON SHEELY, GETTYSBURG. [With acknowledgments to Edward McPherson, D. J. JBenner, and Joseph S. Oitt.'i jDAMS county was originally included within the ample limits of Chestei county. Soon after the settlement of Pennsylvania by William Penn, in 1682, the Province was divided by its proprietor into three counties, Bucks, Chester, and Philadelphia. Lancaster county was separated from Chester by act of May 10, 1129, and was the first county , established subsequent to the formation of the three original counties. Tlie first ' division of Lancaster county was by act of August 9, 1749, when York county was separated from it. York, which then included what is now Adams, was the first county erected west of the Susquehanna river, and embraced all that terri- tory bounded on the west and north by the South mountain, on the east by the Susquehanna, and on the south by Maryland. The county being very large, and the distance from the upper end to the county-seat being great, a movement looking to the formation of a new county was set on foot as early as 1790 Much feeling was soon developed in reference to this matter. Those living within easy reach of the old county-town manifested their selfishness by violently opposing the measure, while those residing within the limits of the proposed new county were just as active and zealous in favor of a separation. Public meetings were held, petitions for and remonstrances against the erection of a new county were industriously circulated, signers to each obtained, and presented to the Legislature. Finally, after ten years of contention and strife, the separation took place by virtue of an act of Assembly dated January 22, 1800. The new county was named Adams, in honor of John Adams, who was President of the United States from 1797 to 1801. The commissioners to mark and run the line dividing Adams from York county were Jacob Spangler, deputy survej'or of York countj', Samuel Sloan, deputy surveyor of Adams county, and William Waugh. In June, 1790, when the formation of a new county was first agitated, James Cunningham, .Jonathan Hoge, and James Johnston were appointed commis- sioners to fix upon a site for the county seat. After some deliberation the Com- missioners selected for this purpose a tract of one hundred and twenty-five acres, in Straban township, belonging to Garret Vanasdal, and described as " Ij'ing between the two roads leading from Hunter's and Gettys' towns to the Brick House, including part of each road to Swift run," and being in part the present site of Hunterstown. In 1791 the subject was again agitated. The Reverend Alexander Dobbin and David Moore, Sen., were appointed trustees for the new county, with full powers, for them and their representatives, to take assurances of all offers for the payment of money, or for the conveyance or transfer of any property in trust, for the use of public buildings to be erected in the town of Gettysburg. 281 282 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Adams county is bounded on the north by Cumberland, east by York, south by the State of Maryland, and west by Franklin. Its length from east to west is 27 miles, and its breadth from north to south is 24 miles. The area is 248 square miles, or about 350,000 acres. The surface of the county is greatly diversified. The South mountain, the first great chain of hills west of the sea-board, extends along the entire western and northern borders. The other principal elevations are Round, Wolf's, Spangler's, Gulp's, and Harper's hills, with Big and Little Round Top, in the central and southern parts. The principal stream is Conewago creek, which has its source in the South mountain, near the dividing line between Adams and Franklin, receiving in its course Opossum creek. Plum run, and Miley's run from the north ; and Beaver Dam run. Swift run. Little Conewago, Pine run. Deep run, and Beaver creek from the south, pursuing a winding north and ' north-east course into York county, through which it passes, and finally finds its way into the Susquehanna near York Haven. Marsh creek, the second stream in size and importance in the county, also takes its rise in the South mountain, near the source of the Conewago, flows south-east to the Monococy river, in Maryland, draining the southern portions of the county and receiving in its course North Branch, Little Marsh creek, Wil- loughby's run, Rock creek, and Little's run. The entire length of this stream is about 25 miles, and in its course it furnishes excellent water power for ten grist and flouring mills, besides a large number of saw mills and several factories. The first-mentioned of its tributaries. North Branch, is interesting because of its sub- terranean source in the South mountain, in Franklin township, some four miles north of Cashtown. The sound of this underground stream is first heard in a wild and rocky ravine a short distance north of the public road leading from Hilltown to Buchanan valley, and near Black Sam's cabin, a rude hut once occupied by an old colored man, who here lived the lonely and solitary life of a hermit. After pursuing a southerly course for about two miles, now roaring and thundering among subterranean rocks, and anon moving so slowly and quietly that its direction can only be determfned by a faint gargling and trick- ling sound, it finally appears above ground. Geologically, Adams county belongs to the south-eastern or sea-board district of Pennsylvania, and is an undulating plain of reddish, sandy-clay soil, in the northern and western portions, while in the eastern part a gray micaceous soil is fovind. The Lawrentian system, the oldest known to geologists, is represented in the South mountain. The Mesozoic, or New Red Sandstone formation, spreads itself thinly over a portion of the county. The principal minerals of importance are copper, found both in a native state and as a carbonate, in the western and central parts of the county ; and crystalline iron ore, much of it magnetic, and some hematite. The central part of Franklin township, about a mile east of Cashtown, is particularly rich in magnetic ore of superior quality The belt of country stretching from near Littlestown to Hanover, York county, near the line of the railroad, also yields annually immense quantities of iron. The great ore beds of the South -mountain seem to lie at considerable depths oeneath the surface, and with few exceptions, have not been reached. They will undoubtedly, in the near fntnre, become a source of great wealth to this part of ADAMS COUNTY. 283 the Stnte. Recent surveys and tests indicate that the iron ore of this county is nut only excellent in quality but almost inexhaustible in quantity. Some of the beds of magnetic iron ore are traceable for many miles, having become decom- posed along their outcrops in places,, thus affording extensive surface mines of brown hematite. Limestone occurs in large quantities in the northern, eastern, and western parts of the county, and, has become a source of great wealth to the people. Thousands of tons of limestone are annually converted into lime, which is used largely by farmers all over the county in the improvement of their land. The liberal use of lime as a fertilizer by farmers has wrought a wondrous cliange in this county during the last twenty-five years. Broad stretches of worn-out lands that formerly did not produce sufficient to pay the taxes assessed against them, have been rendered fertile and productive by the generous use of this agent. Hundreds of fields that were once too poor to grow even briars an 1 weeds have been, by its use, made to literally blossom as the rose. Many farms that, years ago, only impoverished those who cultivated them, now yield the most abundant crops of grain, grass, fruits, and vegetables, enriching those wlio till them, and all by the judicious application of liine. The county exports annually large numbers of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, and poultry, besides immense quantities of farm and garden products, such as wheat, corn, rj'e, oats, timothy and clover seed, hay, apples, peaches, grapes, strawberries, butter, and eggs. Much iron ore is also sent out of the county every year, bringing in a good revenue. Though for a time an object of reproach for the poverty of its soil and for its limited resources, Adams county now compares favorably with any county of its size in the State in everything that is necessary to make a county prosperous and its people happy. Between 1736 and 1740 there were early settlements made by the Scotch- Irish who had previously been residing in the lower end of York county. Among these were William McClellan, Joseph Farris, Hugh McKean, Matthew Black, Robert McPherson, William Black, James Agnew, John Alexander, Moses Jenkins, Richard Hall, Richard Fosset, Adam Hall, James Wilson, John Steel, John Johnson, John Hamilton, Hugh Vogan, John McWharter, Hugh Sweeny, Titus Barley, Thomas Hosack, some of the Allisons, Campbells, Morrisons, Edies, etc. The majority of these early settlers located on an immense tract of land comprising about one-fifth of the available land of Adams county laid out for the Proprietaries' use, and named the Manor of Maske. When the Provincial surveyors arrived for the purpose of running its lines, the settlers upon it, not understanding or not approv.ing the purpose, drove them off by force. Some of the settlers had taken out regular warrants, others had licenses, and some were there probably without either. As a result, the lines were not run till January, 1766, and the return of them was made, on the 7th of April, 1768, to the land office. The Manor, as theii surveyed, is nearly a perfect oblong. The southerly line is 1,887 perches ; the northern, 1,900 perches ; the western line, 3,842 perches ; and the eastern 3,954. It is nearly six miles wide, and about twelve miles long. The southern line is probably a-half mile north of Mason and Dixon's line, and the 284 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. northern is about mid-way between Mummasburg and Arendtsville, skirting a point marked on the county map as Texas, on tiie road from Gettysburg to Mid- dletown, does not quite reach the Conewago creek. The Manor covers the towns of Gettysburg and Mummasburg, the hamlet of Seven Stars, and probably McKnightstown, all of the township of Cumberland, except a small strip of half a mile along the Maryland line, nearly the whole of Freedom, about one- third of Highland, the southeast corner of Franklin, the southern section of Butler, the western fringe of Straban, and a smaller fringe on the west side of Mount Joy. Gettysburg is situated north of the centre, and on the eastern edge of the Manor, and is thus about five and a-half miles from the northern line and seven and a-half from the southern. The Manor is separated by a narrow strip on the west from Carroll's Tract, or " Carroll's Delight," as it was originally called, and which was surveyed under Maryland authority on the 3d of April, 1732. It was patented August 8, lt35, to Charles, Mary, and Eleanor Carroll, whose agents made sales of warrants for many years, supposing that the land lay within the grant of Lord Baltimore and in the county of Frederick. As originally surveyed, " Carroll's Delight " con- tained 5,000 acres. From the period of the organization of the county to the breaking out of the civil war, Adams countj' presents no striking features in her history, and not until July, 1863, when that terrible conflict between the armies of the two sec- tions of the Union took place within her borders, are the details of sufficient general interest. Leaving these matters, we proceed to narrate the events imme- diately preceding THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. The month of June, 1863, was probably the darkest period in the history of the great civil war. The conflict had been raging for more than two years with results wholly incommensurate with the means employed. Dissatisfaction with the conduct thereof was general. The conscription, which had been resorted to in most of the States, increased the popular discontent. Rumors of foreign intervention began to darken the political horizon. In the south-west, afl"airs were in a critical condition. The army of the Potomac had sustained repeated and severe reverses on the soil of Virginia. Such was the aspect of affairs when the enemy, flushed with victory, and his army augmented by large numbers of fresh troops, suddenly assutned the offensive by a bold invasion of the north. The Confederate army under General Lee left its position near Fredericks- burg on the 9th of June, moving in a north-westerly direction, and within a few days the valley of the Shenandoah was freed from the only opposing force b\ tiie dispersion of Milroy's command, at Winchester. On the 22d, Lee threw Ewell's corps across the Potomac, at Shepherdstown and Williamsport, with orders to advance upon Hagerstown, Maryland, Lee fol- lowing a few days later with the other two corps of his array, commanded respec- tively by Longstreet and A. P. Hill. From Hagerstown, General Ewell, with Piodes' and Johnson's divisions, preceded by Jenkins' cavalry, marched tc Chambersburg, and thence to Carlisle, where he arrived on the 27th. Early's division of Ewell's corps, which had occupied Boonsboro, moved to Greenwood, ADAMS COUNTY. 285 a point on the turnpike leading from Chambersburg to Baltimore, eight miUs from the former place, whence in pursuance of instructions from Lee, Early marched in the direction of Gettysburg. At Cashtown, eight miles from Gettys- burg, Early divided his force, sending Gordon's brigade to Gettysburg with directions to occupy the town, whilst with the remainder of his command betook the more direct road to York by way of Mummasburg, where he encamped for the night. Soon after Gordon's brigade had taken possession of the town. Gen- eral Early, with his staff, came in from Mummasburg for the purpose of commu- nicating with the borough authorities in regard to subsistence for his troops. Pending these negotiations, it was discovered that several cars at the depot were filled with supplies for Colonel Jennings' 26th regiment, P. V. M. These were at once captured and appropriated by the invaders, and thus the town was undoubtedly spared a burdensome levy. The railroad bridge across Rock creek, half a mile east of the town, was soon fired by order of General Gordon, and whilst it was in a blaze a number of cars were ignited and started down the track, but they passed over the bridge and were consumed a short distance beyond. Altogether about twenty cars were burned, belonging to the Pennsylvania, Northern Central, and Hanover Branch railroad companies, besides three or four belonging to individuals. One of the cars contained a supply of musskets for Colonel Jennings' command, and these were also destroyed, their captors pro- fessing to have no use for them. The Confederate advance consisted of White's cavalry, numbering about 150 men, and as they entered the town they charged up Chambersburg street at a rapid rate, in pursuit of a number of persons on horseback who were hurrying out York and Baltimore streets trying to escape. A few shots were fired, and the fugitives halted. In one instance a member of Bell's cavalry was pursued out the Baltimore turnpike, for a distance of nearly two miles, -by a Confederate cavalryman, and, after being vainly halted several times, was shot and instantly killed. As early as June 11th, the War Department at Washington, as a precau- tionary measure, assigned Major General W. T. H. Brooks to the Department of the Monongahela, and Major General D. N. Couch to the Department of the Susquehanna, with the headquartei's of the latter at Harrisburg. General Couch detailed Major G. 0. Haller, of the 7th Regular Infantrj', to duty at 6ett3'sburg, with orders to assume command of military operations in the county. His dispositions were made with promptness and energy. On the evening of the 20th he addressed a large public meeting at the Adams county court house, urging the citizens of Gettysburg to prepare for the emergency, as it was evident their homes and firesides were about to be invaded. Sunday morning, the 21st, the City Troop of Philadelphia, under command of Captain Samuel J. Randall, arrived and reported for duty. These men' furnished their own uniforms and equipments, a most complete outfit, and gave their services without pay. They did excellent duty on the mountain as scouts, carefully watching aind reporting the movements of the enemy. The 26tb Regiment, P. V. M., Colonel W. W. Jennings, arrived from Harrisburg on the morning of the 26th. Immediately on their arrival the regiment was sent out on a reconnoitering expedition in the direction of Cashtown, and aftei 286 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. proceeding about three miles they were surprised by White's Confederate cayalry and thirty-six of their number captured. These were taken into Gettysburg as prisoners, and subsequently paroled at the Court House. The next morning, the 2'7th, one hundred more of the regiment were taken prisoners about three miles out the Mummasburg road, where six hundred of them had encamped. These were paroled at Hunterstown later in the day. Bell's cavalry, a home company, accepted by the Governor, and formally sworn into the United States service for six months by Major Haller, on the 24 th, performed very efHcient service as scouts, frequently coming in contact with the enemy, making narrow escapes, and bringing in much valuable infor- mation. On Saturdaj', the 2'7th, the enemy left for Hanover, East Berlin, and York. Sunday, the 28th, at 12 M., two regiments of Federal cavalry, about 2,000 strong, commanded by General Cowpland, entered Gettysburg from the direction of Emmittsburg. Tuesday, the 30th, at 9^ a.m., a portion of General Hill's corps, comprising several thousand men, advanced on the turnpike from Cashtown to within two miles of Gettysburg, but ■ being only on a reconnoitering expe- dition they fell back within an hour. General Stuart, with the Confederate cavalry, did not cross the Potomac with the rest of Lee's army, but crossed near Harper's Ferry, and managed to elude every cavalry force sent after him, until he reached the town of Hanover, in Pennsylvania, where, on the 29th, he was defeated by Kilpatrick in a fierce engagement of eight hours, after which he moved in the direction of York. Meanwhile, on the 11th and 12th of June, the Union army had broken up its encampment and marched northward on a line nearly parallel with that of the enemy. The route of the army was kept carefully concealed, and it was not even known that it had crossed the Potomac until the 27th, when the headquarters were at Frederick city, which had been abandoned by the enemy. On this day General Hooker was relieved from the command of the army, which was con- ferred upon General George G. Meade, of Pennsylvania. On the morning after assuming command. General Meade ordered the main body of his army to march northward into Pennsylvania, in the general direction of Harrisburg, and on a line parallel with the route taken by Lee, but on the east side of South moun- tain. Major-General Reynolds, commanding the 1st corps, occupied the ex- treme left of the army of the Potomac, and was instructed by Meade to feel Lee and carefully watch his movements, but not to bring on a general engage- ment unless it became imperatively necessary to do so. On Tuesday, the 30th, about noon, Buford's Federal cavalry, 6,000 strong, came in on the Emmittsburg road, passed through Gettysburg, and encamped in two divisions a few hundred yards beyond the borough limits, the one on the Chambersburg pike, and the other on the Mummasburg road, placing tlieir artillery in position. The same afternoon the 1st corps of infantry, 8,000 men, under General Reynolds, and the 11th corps, numbering 15,000, commanded by General 0. 0. Howard, came from Emmittsburg to Marsh creek, five miles south-west of Gettysburg, where they encamped for the night. It now became evident that a great battle was about to be fought in the immediate vicinity of Gettysburg, invested as it was by 29,000 Federal troops, and at least twice this number of Confederates. AJ)AMS COVNTY. 287 Gettysburg is situated on a beautiful plain between two slightly elevated ridges, wliicli have become classic by reason of the important part they were made to.play in the grand drama enacted here. The elevation west of the town, a gently rising ground, is known as Seminary ridge, the Lutheran Theological Seminary being located here, and is distant just one mile from the centre of the town, which it overlooks. This 'ridge extends many miles in a direction almost due north and south from the Seminary, and formed the main line of Confe- derate defences during the last two days of the battle. It was on this ridge, where the Chambersburg pike crosses it, that General Lee established his head- quarters after the first day's engagement. The elevation east of the town is called Cemetery hill, from the fact that Evergreen cemetery, a citizen's burying ground, occupies some eighteen acres of beau- tiful ground on its east- ern and western slopes, on the south side of the Baltimore pike, and about half a mile from the town. This ridge commences a few hundred yards north of the entrance to this cemetery, and extends far to the south in a line parallel to Seminary ridge. Big and Little Round Top are both spurs of this ridge, which formed the main line of Federal defences during the second and tliird day's fighting. A short distance east of the ceme- tery this ridge curves sharply to the right, forming two rocky prominences, known respectively as Gulp's hill and Spangler's hill, and terminating in Wolfs hill a rough and thickly wooded knob east of Rock creek, which is a sluggish stream winding among these hills. Not only does Gettysburg possess many natural advantages for the fighting of a great battle in its vicinity, but its numerous and excellent roads give it additional value in a strategic point of view, being situated at the conver- gence of ten great roads, which radiate from it like the spokes of a wheel. The turnpike from Baltimore, by which the Cth and 12th corps were advancing, comes in on the south-east ; the road from Taneytown, by which the 2nd, 3d, and 5th were approaching, comes from the south ; that from Emmittsburg, by which the 1st and 11th were advancing, comes in from the south-west ; that from Hagcrs- town, used by Lee as one of his thoroughfares, approaches from the west ; that from Chambersburg, by which the corps of Longstreet and Hill were marching, comes in on the north-west ; those from Mummasburg, Carlisle, Harrisburg, and QENERAI. IEEE's HEAD-QUARTEBS AT OBTTTSBURG. [From a Photograph by TT. H Tipton A Co., Gettysburg.] 288 -H/S TOB Y OF PJENNS YL VAN I A. York, by which Ewell's troops were advancing, coming from the north and north-east ; and that from Hanover, used chiefly by the cavalry troops of Kil- patrick and Stuart, coming from the east. THE FIRST day's BATTLE. On Wednesday, July 1st, at 9 J o'clock in the morning, skirmishing began be- tween General Buford's dismounted cavalry and the advancing Confederates ; and by 10 o'clock the artillery was brought into play. Willougbby's run flows immediately west of the position occupied by Buford. Pender's and Ileth's divisions of Hill's corps, numbering 20,000 men, had moved down the Chambers- burg road, and had posted themselves along the line of the stream just mentioned, followed by Anderson's division of the same corps, and occupied a position near the Hagerstown road. Skirmishing soon brought on a battle, when sharp cannonading commenced on both sides, the gallant Buford bravely holding his ground against a superior force of the enemy. Meantime General Reynolds, on receiving intelligence from Buford of the presence of the Confederates in the vicinity of Gettysburg, hastily left his encampment on the Emmittsburg road at Marsh creek, five miles distant, and hurried up his corps, at the same time sending word back to General Howard, requesting him, as a prudential measure, to bring up the lltb corps as Rapidly as possible. The 11th had also been coming up the Emmittsburg road, but finding it crowded with tlie wagon train of the 1st corps, they started off on a by-way leading to the Tanej-town road, and were still on this by-way when Re3'nolds' messenger reached them. When the 1st had reached the Peach orchard, two miles from Gettysburg, and while many of the men were slaking their thirst and filling their canteens with water drawn from Wentz's well, the sound of heav^' and rapid cannon firing was heard in the direction of the Chambersburg road be3-ond Gettys- burg. Almost at the same instant Captain Mitchell, a gallant aid upon General Reynolds' staff, came dashing down the road, with orders to the various division commanders to push forward their divisions as rapidly as possible. The 1st corps consisted of three divisions, and marched in the following order : First division under General Wadsworth ; Second division under General Doubleday ; next came five full batteries of artillery under Colonel Wainright ; and bringing up the rear came the splendid Third division of General Robinson. The order was given to double quick, which was instantly obeyed, the troops keeping the road until they reached the brick house to the right, on Codori's farm, where they took to the fields and marched in the direction of the ridge lo the left, which they reached a short distance south of the Seminary. Wadswortli's division, composed of Meredith's and Cutler's brigades, h.id the advance, with Cutler on the right and Meredith on the left. Arriving at the Seminar^-, the near presence of tlie enemy became at once manifest. General Rej-nolds pi-omptly ordered a battery in position, and rode forward to select ground for a line of battle. S.adly unfortunate for him and for his country, that so sorely needed his well-tried ser- vices, he fell pierced through the head by a ball from a sharp-shooter's rifle, and was borne to the rear mortally wounded. General Abner Doubleday immcdi- atclj' assumed command of the corps, but there was no time to wait for orders ADAMS (JOUNTT. 289 from the new commander. Instantly, right and left, Cutler, with his veterans, and Meredith, with his famous "Iron Brigade," wheeled into line on the double quick. C utler, having the advance, opened the attack. Mered ith became engaged a few minutes later. The fighting on the right was fearful for a while, and resulted in the capture of a portion of Davis' Mississippi brigade, wLich had taken refuge in an unfinished railroad cut. On the left the struggle was, if pos- sible, still more severe and bloody. A strong force advanced from the woods on the edge of which Reynolds had fallen but a short while before, and, though volley after volley was poured into the column, the men did not waver. The proximity and' strength of the enemy at last became so threatening that the second division was ordered to make a charge, which was successful; Many of the enemy were shot, bayoneted, and driven to partial retreat, Archer's bri- gade of 1,500 men being captured on the banks of Willoughby's run. Our ranks suffered severely in this demonstration, and it was evident such fighting could not long continue. Wadsworth's brave men, who had been contending for two hours against a superior force of the enemy, began to show signs of exhaustion. Rodes' division of Ewell's corps, numbering 12,000 men, ' had come up on the right and was pressing the 1st corps so hard that the veterans, who had been holding their ground so long and so firmly against large odds, began to waver. But just at the critical moment, when the sun stood at high noon. General O. 0. Howard arrived with the 11th corps, and, posting Steinwehr's division on Cemetery hill as a reserve, marched directly through the town with the divisions of Schurz and Barlow, and at once formed a line of battle to the right of the Chambersburg road along Seminary ridge. A charge was soon made by the entire force in front, comprising the corps of Hill and Ewell, 62,000 strong. The shock was awful. The superior numbers of the enemy enabled them to overlap both flanks of the Union army, threatening them with capture. Finally General Howard found it necessary to order a retreat, and the bleeding and exhausted remnants of the two devoted corps retired through the difierent streets of the town to Cemetery hill, where they took up a new position, the 1st corps to the left and the 1st and 3d divisions of the 11th corps to the right and rear of Steinwehr. The 11th corps, being heavily pressed, lost about 2,500 prisoners in the retreat through the town. General Meade received intelligence of the engagement at Gettysburg about noon, while he was on Pipe Creek hill, near Taneytown, Maryland, about 14 miles distant, selecting a line of battle. Shortly afterwards a second message arrived announcing the death of General Reynolds. Meade at once dictated an order to General W. S. Hancock, dated 1:10 p.m., directing him to turn his corps, the 2d, over to General Gibbon and proceed to the front, assume command of all the troops there, and make such dispositions as the exigencies of the case might require. Hancock arrived on the field at 3:30 p.m., while the retreat to Cemeterj' hill was in progress, and did much by his presence and influence to restore order and inspire the men with confldcncc in themselves and their new position. By half-past four p.m. the troops were securely posted in their new position, and the efl'ective fire of artillery and sharp-shooters prevented further pursuit by the enemy. About 5 o'clock in the evening General Sickles arrived from Emmittsburg with the principal part of the 3d corps, and took 290 EISTOBY OF PENJSISYLVANIA. position on Cemetery ridge to the left of Howard, occupying nearly the whole of the line to Round Top. An hour later, Slocum's 12th corps came up the Baltimore turnpike and occupied the extreme right of the line, embracing Gulp's, Spangler's, and Wolf's hills. Thus ended the action of the first day THE SECOND DAY'S BATTLE. On the morning of tlie 2d, the following were the dispositions of the two armies. General Meade, who arrived on the battle-field about eleven o'clock the night previous, assuming the active direction of aflfairs : The 12th corps, General Slocum commanding, was placed on his right ; General Williams commanding the 1st division of the 12th corps took the extreme right, his right resting on Rock creek, with one brigade thrown to the east of the creek to occupy Wolf's hill, and to protect the ex- treme right flank. The remainder of Williams' division occupied an irregular line stretching from the creek to Gulp's hill, by the way of Spangler's spring. General Geary, com- manding the 2d divi- sion, occupied Gulp's hill, and joined unto the 11th corps in posi- tion on Cemetery hUt. To the south of Cemetery hill were, first, the remnants of the 1st corps under Doubleday. Continuing the line toward the left, were the 2nd corps (Hancock's), the 3d (Sickles'), and later in the daj', the 5th (Sykes') occu- pying the naturally entrenched heights of Little Round Top. On the part of the Confederates, General Longstreet's corps had the right, with Hood's and McLaw's divisions in order ; General A. P. Hill's corps had the centre, with An- derson's, Heth's, and Pender's divisions in order; General Ewell's corps had the left, with Rodes', Early's, and Johnson's divisions in order. The 6th corps (General Sedgwick's) did not arrive until late in the day, and was held in reserve and used where its presence was most needed. Lockwood's brigade of Mary- land troops arrived on the field with the 6th corps and was temporarily assigned to the 12th corps, and relieved one of Williams' brigades that had been protect- ing Wolf's hill. General Meade established his headquarters on the Taney town road, a short distance to the rear of his line. General Lee had his headquarters on the Chambersburg road, a short distance to the rear of the Seminary ridge. GBNEBAI, MEADE'S HEAD-QUARTERS AT GETTYSBURG. [From a Photograph by W. H. TlptoD & Co., Gettysburg.] ADAM'S COUNT V. 291 Both commanders were thus in superior positions to communicate promptly and easily with all parts of their lines. The Confederate forces were now all in posi- tion with the exception of Pickett's division, of Longstreet's corps, which had been detailed at Chambersburg to guard the wagon trains and to keep open Lee'a communication with the Potomac against any flank movement from Harrisburg, by the Cumberland Valley. Strategically the positions of the two armies were iu accordance with the topography of the ground heretofore described ; the Federal army occupying Cemetery hill, as a centre, with flanks resting upon the elevated lines, on the right, to Wolf's hill, and, on the left, to Little and Big Round Tops, which ad- mirably and eflfectually protected the left flank of the army, as "Wolf's hill and Rock creek did the right. The movements of troops on the right were fully masked by heavy timber, the left being more Open. From Round Top to Cemetery hill the Union line generally faced the west, but from this hill to the extreme left the line curved back on itself so much that it faced nearly in the opposite direction. This curved line gave General Meade a great advantage in speedily moving troops from one flank to the other. The Confederates, on Semi- nary Ridge, had a'line of very similar form, but necessarily much longer. A comparison of the two lines shows that the Federal line was only one-third of that of their adversaries. The night, and Thursday till mid-day, passed in comparative silence ; what little firing was done was confined to the skirmish line. But the two armies were not idle ; artillery was brought up, the heavy guns that arrived with the 2d corps were put in position, regiments and brigades marched and counter-marched from one part of the line to another, weak points were strengthened, salients were covered with double lines, mattock and spade and shovel were in useful requisi- tion, rifle pits dotted the line, wood fences were swept away and combined with stone walls to give additional strength to the temporary defences, orderlies dashed from point to point bearing orders that were as promptly obeyed ; the heavy rumble of army wagons showed that provisions and ammunition were being distributed to the men, and ambulances hurrying to and fro pointed out plainly that the work of death was soon to begin. At 3 o'clock, the artillery on the Federal and on the Confederate sides was in position ; and everything seemed ready for the work of death to commence. It was only a few minutes before 4 o'clock when a gun from Seminary ridge was fired. In an instant both lines were a blaze of artillerj'- and musketry, and the action became general on the Federal left. It soon became evident that the ene- my's object here was to crush Sickles. Hood's and McLaw's divisions moved from under their cover on Seminary ridge, in 'solid columns, across an open space, and engaged Sickles, at the peach orchard, in a hand-to-hand fight. Ward's and DeTrobriand's brigades, of Birney's division, of the 3d corps, received the main force of the enemy's onset. The remainder of Birney's divi- sion was also hotly engaged. Gallantly the regiments and brigades met the attack — ably supported by a deadly artillery fire — volley for volley of the enemy was returned, inch by inch they yielded the ground, back over the ridge into the meadows of wheat and corn were they driven, but so stubbornly did they contest it that they had to abandon many of their wounded. A new impulse — a rally, a 292 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. cheer, and back their force was driven ; and the brigades re-occupied their first position. Fresh regiments filled up the gap made in the Confederate ranks — the shock of battle again was felt, the plain became enveloped in smoke,. and the left of the 3d corps (Birney's division) was once more driven back. Cheering his men on by his words, General Sickles did all that a brave commander could do. Pass- ing towards the left of his corps, into the Peach orchard. General Sickles' foot was carried off by a cannon shot. The command of the corps now devolved on Birney. The retreat of Birney's left was accelerated by the fact that General Longafcreet's right was prolonged by the interval of two brigades beyond his (Birney's) left ; and a quick flank movement of these brigades would have com- pletely enveloped his shattered troops. The right of the 3d corps fared no better. Birney's division having given way, exposed Humphreys' division and Graham's brigade on the right — still advanced to the Emmittsburg road — to the fiercest assaults of the enemy, both on flank and front. These officers saw that nothing but the best generalship could extricate their commands, as their right was separated from the 2d corps by half a mile of ground, their left was exposed by Birney's retreat, and the enemy was pressing them on all sides. Left without supports, Humphreys determined to do his best to get his command out of the dilemma. Drawing off his men by detail, reforming his line of battle, attacking the enemy at every van- tage ground with overwhelming impetuosity, taking advantage of his enemy's weakness, with the skilled eye of an engineer, to increase his own chances of escape, Humphreys commenced his retrograde movement from the line of the Emmittsburg road with 5,000 men, and formed a line to the left of the 2d corps, on the extension of Cemetcrj' Hill, with 3,000 men — a loss of 2,000 men bearing testimony in the language of blood to the desperation of the fight. Humphreys' division was now in the position originall3' contemplated for it by General Meade, in his general instructions to corps commanders. In its new posi- tion the division was still assaulted by the enemy, but its right protected by the 2d corps and its left by the timber stretching towards Little Round Top, it used its vantage of the high ground in such a manner as to repel every assault of the enemy, who at last retired beyond the Emmittsburg road. Even if the 3d corps was driven from its first position along its whole line, and the Confederates were left in possession of the field, yet one important effort had to be made before Longstreet had performed satisfactorily the work assigned him by General Lee — and that was to occupy Little and Big Round Top. This was the prize that eclipsed all others in the ej-es of the Confederate commander- in-chief, and to secure it was the main object of thfc fight of this day on his right. It was to accomplish this that Longstreet was directed to project two of Hood's brigades beyond the left of Sickles, and, forcing back the 3d corps with the remaining brigades and Anderson's division, these two brigades were at the proper moment to make a dash for these hills ; and once their I'ocky crests in pos- session, it would have been next to impossible to dislodge them. While these brigades were moving forward. General Meade was making such dispositions of his troops as frustrated the design of the enemy on these hills, and probably saved the army. General Meade had seen that Sickles could not maintain ADAMti OOU-NTY. 293 his isolated position at the commencement of the action, and immediately dis- patched aid from his reserves. General Warren, engineer-in-chief on General Meade's staff, noticing the nakedness of Little Kouiid Top, and Its importance as' the key to the Federal left, hastly detached General Vincent's brigade, of the 5th corps, and ordered it into position on its summit. . By a rapid movement General Vincent reached the height, and had scarcely time to advant-igeously form his men on the rocky and broken summit, and construct a few hastily formed rifle-pits, before the exultant Confederates, debouching from the heavy timber into the open space at the foot of the hill, and, with a yell and a rush, attempted to scale the rocky citadel. Like the rugged, weather-beaten rocks behind whose immov- able ramparts the men fought, Vincent's brigade met the enemy's shock. But the most determined bravery must yield before overwhelming numbers, and Vin- cent and his handful of men were borne down and would have become, together with the hill, the prize, had not General Weed, fortunately at that moment, arrived on the ground with his brigade. This new enemy was too much for the Confederates, and they retired from- the hill — but not before both Generals Weed and Vincent had laid down their lives in its defence. Birney's old division, which was tie first to retreat from the line of the Emmitsburg road, sought the cover of the two brigades of General Barnes' division — ;5th corps — sent to its relief. These brigades joined battle with the Confederates, in the woods some distance in front of Little Round Top, and so overwhelming were they assailed — the assailants encouraged by the prospects of an easy victory — that they were soon routed. Then Caldwell's division — temporarily detached from Hancock's corps, to relieve the pressing necessities of this position, but slightly more to the right, by a detour along the flanks of Lit- tle Round Top, entered the low skirt of woodland, where they became at once hotly engaged. With unparalleled courage, incli by inch, from rock to rock, and from tree to tree, this division disputed the ground, but the impetuosity of the Confederates was irresistible — human effort could not stand before it, the little advantage of one moment was swept away in the general disaster, and, broken, overpowered, the division sought safety in flight, with the loss of one-half their number, and having to lament the death of two of its brave brigade commanders — Cross and Zook, falling at the heads of their commands. General Ayers' division — mainly composed of regulars — now took the place that had been so disastrous to Barnes and Caldwell. This division stood like a wall of adamant to the fiercest shocks of the Confederates ; and had defied every attempt to break its ranks, until being out-flanked, it manoeuvred so as to form a new front, and under this advantage covered its retreat to the defences of Little Round Top. The intermediate low ground from Round Top to the timber — the posi- tion of the Confederates — was now unoccupied. A long and hearty cheer arose from the Confederate lines, the dead in the woods behind them, the groans of the wounded around them, were alike forgotten in the thought that they had beaten the foe — that they had only to move forward to occupy the desired summit, and then they could rest their weary frames. The line was formed ; and debouching from the cover of timber, every eye sought the heights beyond ; and no wonder it is that a shudder passed over them and an^ involuntary " halt," for from the 294 EISTOB Y OF PKJS^S YhVA NIA . crest of the hill, in the rays of the setting sua gleamed the brightness of an impassable wall of steel, and from every accessible crag and spur frowned down the gaping mouths of light and heavy artillery. In addition to the artillery, General Meade had thoroughly garnished the hill with fresh troops from the 5th and 6th corps. But the pause was only for a moment. General Crawford's division of the Pennsylvania Reserves, with General McOandless' brigade in advance, moved quickly and in compact order down the slope of the hill ; and with a volley and an order to charge, his men rushed upon the enemy with that determination and steadiness that contributed to the decision of more than one battle field. But Longstreet's troops were too used to success during the day, and thought the final victory too near their grasp, to yield without a desperate struggle. With words of cheer and examples of daring the Confederate officers urged on their men ; for a few moments the result was in doubt ; just then McCandless' brigade poured a destructive volley into the enemy's ranks, and the fight was decided at this point. Night was slowly, settling down ; the Confederates sought the shelter of a wheat field some distance in the rear, and there passed the night. Crawford's men occupied the timber — under cover of a stone wall, that had been the scene of such bloody fighting during the day. But while the exciting scenes just mentioned were taking place in front of Round Top, while Sickles and Longstreet were massing their strength on a field that was favorable to the latter in all except the last grand struggle, it must not be thought that the remaining corps, divisions, and bi-igades were lying quietly on their arms uninterested spectators of the exciting scenes in their immediate vicinity. General Lee, in initiating tlie attack on the 3d corps, had other plans in view. The attack on Sickles and the possession of Little and Big Round Tops were the most important of Lee's plans, yet it was equally important that both Hill and Ewell should so threaten the Union lines that General Meade would not be able to weaken them by sending reinforcements to his left. In succession after the attack on the 3d corps, the confiict extended along the Federal line, and the 2d corps with the left of the 1st became hotly engaged. The action was of short duration, and resulted in the repulse of the Confederates, but not before General Hancock was wounded in the thigh, and General Gibbon, upon whom the command of the 2d corps devolved after the fall of Hancock, was wounded in the shoulder. General Howard, already on the morning of the first day's fight, before the disaster to his own corps, saw the strategic importance of Cemetery and Culp's hills, and immediatelj' detailed for their protection Steinwehr's division of his corps. As soon as General Meade arrived on the field, he at a glance saw that these two points were the keys to the Federal position, and felt the necessity of properly strengthening them by massed artillery in such positions as commanded the ap- proaches. In addition to the artillery. Cemetery hUl was protected at this hour by the 11th corps, Culp's hill by one brigade of General Geary's division of the 12th corps, the remaining two brigades having at an earlier hour been sent to the left of the line and having not yet returned, and General Williams' division, of the same corps, deployed farther to the right, by Spangler's hill, to cover the ap- proaches by the way of Rock creek. ADAMS COUNTY. 295 General Bwell had his whole corps by this time in position, and, in accord- ance with General Lee's plan of battle, detailed three brigades to carry the works on Cemetery hill, among which brigades were the celebrated Louisiana Tigers. Through the east end of the town and across the open field they came in solid column, exposed to a murderous fire from artillery and musketry. Not a waver in their line, though under a deadly fire, up to the foot of the hill, then with a rush they charged to the very mouths of the guns. Protected as the Federals were by hastily constructed earthworks, they poured volley after volley into the advancing ranks. For a few moments there was a hand to hand fight over the very guns, the Federal cannoniers even using rammers and handspikes when they were unable to serve their pieces any longer. 80 nearly were the Confederates in possession of this point, that they succeeded in spiking two guns. There is no doubt that the success of the Confederates in driving back the artillerymen, and thus capturing the point,was mainly due to the fact that the support of the artillery did not act with that promptness and determination that should characterize efficient troops. These supports were the.shattered regiments of the 11th corps. But just at the critical moment, when two guns were already spiked and the artillerj'men were driven from more guns. General Richard Coulter's brigade, of the 6th corps, fell into a position commanding the threatened line, and at the com- mand " Charge," precipitated itself upon the enemy. The fight was renewed with increased fury ; the enemy were determined not to give up the victory so nearly won ; Coulter's men at the point of the bayonet pressed them backward inch by inch ; again they rallied ; again were they repulsed. Their reinforcements did not arrive, and at last Early and his brigades were beaten back, and sought safety' in flight. Early in this attack lost one-half his men, and was compelled by the steady fire from the lately beleaguered hill, to abandon his dead and wounded where they fell. Thus the second attack on the Federal lines during the day had failed of success, though at one period both promised victory for General Lee. General Lee had now attacked in detail every part of the Federal line except one, and that was the position of the I2th corps, extending from Cemetery hill to Rock creek, with General Geary's division, now reduced to Greene's brigade, on Gulp's hill, and Williams' division, on Spangler's hill, and Lockwood's Mary- laud brigade, temporarily assigned, on Wolfs hill. Greene's position was the weakest, as he had with his brigade to cover the division front. General Geary, with the remaining brigades, not j^et having returned from the left. But his men were not idle, and pick and shovel were used to so good effect, that his men were protected by a line of rifle-pits following the line of the hills to the creek. The whole line was situated in a dense belt of timber. At 8|- o'clock, p.m., Johnson's division, of Ewell's corps, advanced under cover of the darkness and timber close to the Federal lines, and began a vigorous and simultaneous attack on the 12th corps from Gulp's hill to Wolfs hill. The Federal batteries on Gulp's Hill commanded to a certain extent an enfllading fire on the advancing enemy, and thus did admirable service from behind their earth-works in lifting the brunt of an overwhelming attack from Geary's line. Lockwood, on Wolf's hill, from among the rocky covers fought the enemy with success. In conse- quence of the broken and irregular formation of the hill, the fight was more on the guerilla order, each man for himself. After several hours stubborn fighting. 2!)() HI8T0BY OF PENNSYLVAITIA. the Confederate left was driven back, except several small commands, which secured a lodgment in the timber near McAllister's dam, and surrendered af prisoners the next morning when they discovered that they were isolated ana surrounded. Farther towards the left, Williams' division held the ground in the timber and open meadow around Spangler's spring. His right was pushed back to McAl- lister's dam, by a superior force of the enemy, who tried to force his lines on the west bank of Rock creek, but being exposed to the fire of a Federal battery on the Baltimore road, they fell back out of reach of Williams' line. Between Williams' division and the batteries on Gulp's hill, lay Greene's brigade. As though knowing intuitively that this was the weakest point of the 12th corps, General Lee made this the principal point of attack, and to Generals Stewart and Walker, of Ewell's corps, was assigned the duty of directing the assault. Again and again did these Generals hurl their forces against Greene, and again and again were they repulsed. Greene's men, from behind their rifle-pits, delivered volley after volley into the rapidly-thinning ranks of the foe. After several assaults. Walker and Stewart drew off their commands, reduced by the fight more than one-half, and left Greene in undisputed possession of the ground. Between Greene and Williams was a gap made vacant by the withdrawal of Geary's two brigades, ;ind which was but poorly garnished by the details from Greene. This weak position was also sharply attacked, and everything was carried away before the Confederates. Advancing through this gap by the southern flank of Culp's hill, a considerable Confederate force passed around the flanks of the Federal lines, and, without any opposition, reached a position a little to the east of the Baltimore road and within a third of a mile of General Meade's headquarters. Probably fearing a trap, as they saw no enemy, they with- drew by the same way they came and took up their quarters for the remainder of tlie night under cover of the very rifle pits dug by their enemy. Thus closed the second day's battle. General Meade's losses had been heavy ; Sickles had been driven back from his first line ; Caldwell's, Barnes', and Ayers' divisions had been badly cut up ; Generals Hancock and Gibbon were wounded ; Generals Vincent, Weed, Zook, and Cross were killed ; two guns were spiked, but, on the other hand, the new line of the 3d corps was infinitely better adapted to defence in front, and guarded by natural fortifications on its outer flank ; the enemy had failed in their assaults at all but one small gap between Greene and Williams; Meade's army was jubilant over its successes; the men felt as though the tide of invasion was again to be rolled back to the soil where treason first drew the sword ; his line was stronger now than at any previous hour of the engagement, and he felt more able to repel attack. THE THIRD DAY'S BATTLE. During the night, Pickett's division of Longstreet's corps came up from Chambersburg and took position between Anderson and Heth, nearly opposite the Federal left centre. Rodes, also, withdrew the main part of his division from the town, uniting witli Early's command in front of the Federal right in such a way as to talie advantage, as soon as morning opened, of the break made ADAMS COUNTY. 297 in the right of Gearj''s division the evening previous. McGowan's and Daniel's brigades, of Hill's corps, were moved to the support of Johnson's line in front of Gulp's hill, while Smith's and "Walker's brigades, of Longstrcct's corps, were also sent to the Confederate left. At an early hour Colonel Best, who had placed his artillery on Powers' hill, an advantageous position on the Baltimore road to the rear of Cemetery hill, opened a furious cannonade, to dislodge the Confederates from their position in Geary's line. For an hour the storm of shot and shell raged. There had been PLAN OF THE BATTLE OP GETTTSBURO. no reply 3'^et from the enemy. Then General Geary, having returned from Round Top with two brigades, and General Shaler, with a brigade of the 6th corps, began the attack, and for an hour and a half the battle raged with unexampled fury in the timber of Spangler's hill and spring. Steadily the Federals advanced, driving the enemy from point to point, taking advantage promptly of every defection in the ;foe's ranks, and ably supported by part of the 5th corps and Humphreys' division of the 3d corps. The ground was obstinately contested, and Geary was making slow work in dislodging the encmj^, when Greene executed a flank movement so as to give his brigade a more commanding position, and Loekwood's brigade, on WoWs hill, being reinforced and forming an advance line, secured an eniilade fire. Assaulted now in both flanks as well as in front, the enemy were compelled to fall back, but only to take up a new line — make ;\ last stand. Geary, now being in possession of his 298 HISTOB Y OF PENJS'S TL VANIA. original line, made a bold dash on the new line of the enemy, wno, failing of promised reinforcements, made but oae effort to stem the tide of defeat and then sought safety in flight. Thus the Confederates were dislodged from their advan- tages of the evening before, but at a heavy loss for both sides. General Meade's line was now again intact from extreme right to extreme left, the enemy having been repulsed at every point. Thus closed the battle on the Federal right. The next act in this bloody drama was the great duel with cannon between the two armies, preparatory to Pickett's grand charge. " The movements of the enemy (Confederates)," says the Annual Encyclopedia, "thus far had been made rather to cover up his designs than as serious efforts against General Meade. The battle of the previous day had demonstrated that the issue of the struggle turned on the occupation of Cemetery hill. To get this, therefore, was the object of General Lee. Early in the morning preparations had been made by General Lee for a general attack on General Meade's whole line, while a large force was concentrated against his centre for the purpose of taking by force the ground he occupied." With this object in view and for the purpose of prepar- ing for the infantry assault. General Lee massed his artillery in a line that enveloped more than one-half of the point against which the attack was to be directed, namelj'. Cemetery Hill, and the positions of the 1st and 2d corps on the prolongation of this hill towards Roimd Top. " General Longstreet massed a large number of long range guns — fifty-five in number — " says the corre- spondent of the Richmond Enquirer, writing from the battle-field, "upon the crest of a slight eminence just in front of Perry's and Wilcox's brigades, and a little to the left of the heights upon which they were to open. Lieutenant- General Hill massed some sixty guns along the hiU in front of Posey's and Mahone's brigades and almost immediately in front of the heights." These parks of artillery were increased by batteries in position farther towards the flanks. General Meade had not been idle during these houi's. Satisfied that General Lee's intentions were to make a general assault on Cemetery hill and the lines of the 1st and 2d corps, he did what any good commander would have done, namely, strengthened this part of his position. He put his artillery in position, battery after battery forming in park, until he had at least one hundred gims in line. The infantry divisions and brigades were protected by reserve lines wherever it was thought there was the greatest danger of penetration in the anticipated charge. At 1 o'clock the signal gun was fired and the cannonading began — canno- nading that, for number of pieces, intensity of fire and duration, has never had its equal on the Western Continent and scarcely a superior in the annals of European warfare. It is thus described by a spectator in the Federal lines : " Tlie storm broke upon us so suddenly that soldiers and officers, who leaped as it began from their tents or lazy seats on the grass, were stricken in their rising with mortal wounds, and died — some with cigars between their teeth, some with pieces of food in their fingers, and one at least — a pale young German from Pennsj'lvania — with a miniature of his sister in his hands. Horses fell, shrieking such awful cries as Cooper told of, and writhing themselves about in mortal agony. The boards of fences, scattered by explosion, flew in splinters ADAMS COUNTY. 299 through the air. The earth, torn up in clouds, blinded the eyes of hurrying men ; and through the branches of the trees and among the gravestones of the cemetery a shower of destruction crashed ceaselessly." From Batchelder's Illustrated Tourist's Guide, the following account of the artillery duel and the movements of Federal troops is taken : " At one o'clock the artillery fire opened, and for two hours the heaviest artillery duel ever experienced on this continent was kept up. When it closed, the infantry (Confederate) advanced and like an avalanche swept majestically across the plain. It was received with a fearful hurricane of missiles, solid shot, spherical case, shrapnell, shell, canister, and every invention known to modern warfare. Still on it came, up to the very works behind which lay the Union troops. The Union line was broken at the ' copse ' of trees, and forced back over the ridge ; and for a moment of terrible suspense, victory hung trembling in the balance. Hall's brigade on Webb's left (Webb being in command of the temporarily broken line) rushed to his assistance, and Hays' division rose from the stone wall and delivered a perfect sheet of flame. Woodruffs battery, in tlie grove to our right, was run forward, turned to the left and swept the whole valley with canister. The 8th Ohio volunteers, on the skirmish line beyond the grove and the Emmittsburg road, 'changed front forward on left company;' Stannard's brigade, on Hall's left, moved by the right flank, 'changed front forward on flrst battalion;' Webb's first line united with his reserve, and all opened a converging fire of musketry, and the repulse was complete ; 4,500 men threw down their arms and came in as prisoners." The correspondent of the Richmond Enquirer gives the following graphic picture of the artillery duel and Pickett's charge which followed : " The fire of our guns was concentrated upon the enemy's line on the heights stormed the day before by Wright's brigade. Our fire drew a most terrific one from the enemy's batteries, posted along the heights from a point near Cemetery hill to the point in their line opposite to the position of Wilcox. I have never yet heard such artillery firing. The enemy must have had over one hundred guns, which, in addition to our one hundred and fifteen, made the air hideous with most discordant noise ; the very earth shook beneath our feet, and the hills and rocks seemed to reel like a drunken man. For one and a half hours this mest terrific firing was continued, during which time the shrieking of shells, the crash of falling timber, the fragments of rock flying through the air shattered from the clifls by solid shot, the heavy mutterings from the valley between the opposing armies, the splash of bursting shrapnell and the fierce neighing of wounded artillery horses, made a picture terribly grand and sublime, but which my pen utterly fails to describe. Now the storming party was moved up, Pickett's division in advance, supported on the right by Wilcox's brigade, and on the left by Heth's division commanded by Pettigrew. The left of Pickett's division occupied the same ground over which Wright had passed the day before. I stood upon an eminence and watched this advance with great interest ; I had seen brave men pass over that fatal valley the day before ; I had witnessed their death struggle with the foe on the opposite heights ; I had observed their return with shattered ranks, a bleeding mass, but with unstained banners ; now I saw their valiant comrades prepare for the same 300 HISTOR T OF PENNS TL VANIA. bloody trial, and already felt that their efforts would be vain, unless their supports should be as true as steel and as brave as lions. Now Ihey move forward ; with stead}', measured tread they advance upon the foe. . Their banners float defiantly in the breeze, as onward in beautiful order they press across the plain. I have never seen since the war began (and I have been in all the great fights of this array) troops enter a fight in such splendid order as did this splendid division of Pickett's. Now Pettigrew's command emerge from the woods upon Pickett' slcft, and sweep down tlie slope of the hill to the valley beneath, and some two or three hundred yards in the rear of Pickett. I saw by the wavering of this line as they entered the conflict that they wanted the firmness of nerve and steadiness of tread which so characterized Pickett's men, and I felt that these men would not, could not stand the tremendous ordeal to which they would be soon subjected. These were mostly raw troops which had been recently brought from the South, and who had, perhaps, never been under fire — who certainly had never been in any very severe fight — and I trembled for their conduct. Just as Pickett was getting well under the enemy's fire, our batteries ceased firing. This was a fearful moment for Pickett and his brave command. Why do not our guns re-open their fire ? is the inquiry that rises upon every lip. Still our batteries ' are as silent as death! But on press Pickett's brave Virginians ; and now the enemy open upon them from more than fifty guns, a terrible fire of grape, shell, and canister. On, on they move in unbroken line, delivering a deadly fire as they advance. Now they have reached the Emmittsburg road, and here they meet a severe fire from the heavy masses of the enemy's infantry, posted behind the stone fence, while their artillery, now free from the annoyance of our artillery, turn their whole fire upon this devoted band. Still they remain firm. Now again they advance; they storm the stone fence ; the Yankees fly. The enemj''s batteries are, one by one, silenced in quick succession as Pickett's men deliver their fire at the gunners and drive them from their pieces. I see Kemper and Armistead plant their banners in the enemy's works. I heard their glad shouts of victory. " Let us look after Pettigrew's division," continues the same correspondent. " Where are they now ? While tlie victorious shout of the gallant Virginians is still ringing in my ears, I turn 'my eyes to the left, and there, all over the plain in utmost confusion, is scattered this strong division. Their line is broken ; they are flying, apparently panic-stricken, to the rear. The gallant Pcttigrew is wounded, but he still retains command, andis vainly striving to rally his men. Still the moving mass rush pell-mell to the rear, and Pickett is left alone to contend with the hordes of the enemy now pouring in on him on every side. Garnett falls, killed by a minie ball, and Kemper, the brave and chivalrous, reels under a mortal wound and is taken to the rear. Now the enemy move around strong flanking bodies of infantry, and are rapidly gaining Pickett's rear. The order is given to fall back, and our men commence the movement, doggedly contending for everj' inch of ground. The enemy press heavily our retreating line, and many noble spirits who had passed safely through the fiery ordeal of the advance charge, now fall on the right and on the left. Armistead is wounded and left in the enemy's hands. At this critical moment the shattered remnant of Wright's ADAMS COUNTY. 301 Georgia brigade is moved forward to cover their retreat, and tlie fight closes here." During this attack on General Meade's left centre, Generals Longstreet and Ewell threatened the Federal flanks, but without any apparent success. With the repulse of Pickett closed General Lee's aggressive movements, and from this on he acted mainly on the defensive. The Federal ammunition and provision trains had been placed in position to the rear of Round Top as a place of security. While the assault by Pickett was being made against the Federal left centre. Hood's and McLaw's divisions attempted to gain possession of these trains by executing a flank movement to the south of Round Top, by turning the flank of the 6th corps. The enemy advanced in three lines and were meeting with considerable success when General Kilpatrick, whose cavalry division had been on duty protecting the Federal left flank, made a vigorous attack on the flank of the rear line of the enemy. Tliis threw the enemy in confusion, and Kilpatrick moving bis left rapidly forward, exposed the foe to the danger of being completely enveloped and cut off" from their supports. The Pennsylvania Reserves, under McCandless, pressed hotly upon the enemy in front of Round Top and drove them back in disorder, leaving part of a battery, three hundred prisoners, and five thousand stand of arms in the hands of this gallant command. At the same time General Gregg and his cavalry made an assault, in accordance with orders, on Ewell's left and Stuart's cavaliy, and met with decisive success. Thus closed the battle of Gettysburg — a battle unsurpassed in desperate fighting, distinguished bravery on both sides, and heavy losses, in any of the many battles of the war — a battle than which none was as important in ultimate results. Up to this time the general average of results was in favor of the Con- federate forces ; although defeated in numerous engagements, the troops of the Confederacy were handled in such a manner that victory resulted even out of defeat. Never had the chances of the Confederacy been so bright nor their hopes of success so apparently assured. All three of its armies were flushed with recent victories ; Lee's army with the victory of Chanoellorsville ; the army of the Ten- nessee with a series of out-manceuvres of their Federal opponents, and General Grant's hammering away at Yicksburg it was confidently predicted would result in defeat. When General Lee decided on the Pennsylvania invasion, although undertaken contrary to the advice and far-seeing counsels of discerning South- erners, including even Mr. Davis, the President of the Confederacy, he felt, and the world endorsed it, that he was at the head of an army that had never known defeat. This confidence is further indicated by General Lee changing the char- acter of the war from a defensive to an aggressive one. Although not anxious to precipitate a general engagement, and manoeuvring in such a manner as to avoid it, yet General Lee did not wish the world to understand by this conduct that he entertained any doubts of the result of such an engagement. General Lee's plan of the invasion, no tioubt, included the burden of the support of both armies by the Northern States, and at the same time to so manoeuvre his army and so take position that the Federal army would have to assume the attack and thus expose New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington to his control. He had fully weighed the military energy and capacities for moving large bodies 302 HI8T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. of men with rapidity from one base to another, as shown by the previous Federal commanders ; but Meade's promptness and celerity in following him upon the east slope of the mountains completely disconcerted his calculations. When Reynolds and Hill began the fight on Wednesday morning, and Ewell's corps crushed down all opposition, so that the advantages of the day were in favor of the Southern army, General Lee had no idea that he was in front of the whole army of the Potomac. The result of the first day's fight confirmed this theory ; and the Confederate forces were inspired with such unbounded enthusiasm at the success of Wednesday's fighting that General Lee could not doubtlessly have prevented an attack by his troops even when he learned that he was confronted by the whole army of the Potomac. Howard's selection and Hancock's wise defences of Cemetery hill, and the lines on elevated ground both towards the right and left which were protected by Wolfs hill and Little and Big Round Top, did much to ensure the success of the Federal forces and repel the repeated assaults of the enemy. Notwithstanding General Lee's orders and congratula- tions to his troops shortly after the battle convinced his men even against the facts that their defeat was not so great as it was in reality, this battle was the great turning point of the war. The army of Northern Virginia, whose boast had been that it had never suffered defeat, received here a blow from which it never recovered, sustained losses which all the governmental machinery could never replace. Prom this date on to the close of the war, never was the Confederacy able to put such an army into the field, and was compelled after this time to act on the defensive instead of initiating campaigns. The following is as nearly an ofllcial list of the casualties of the battles as is obtainable. The Federal losses were four thousand eight , hundred and thirty- four killed, including those who died in the various general hospitals located on the field by the surgeons in charge ; fourteen thousand seven hundred and nine wounded, and six thousand six hundred and forty-three missing, of whom nearly four thousand were taken prisoners, mostly from Howard's corps in the first day's fight ; making a total loss of twenty-five thousand one hundred and eighty-six. Among the killed were Generals Reynolds, Vincent, Weed, Zook, Cross, and Farnsworth — the last named falling in Kilpatrick's charge on Hood's command on the extreme left, late on Friday afternoon. The list of wounded included Major-Generals Sickles, Hancock, Butterfield, Doubleday, and Birney, and Brigadier-Generals Barlow, Barnes, Gibbon, Hunt, Graham, Paul, and Willard. The Confederate loss was six thousand five hundred killed ; twenty-six thou- sand wounded ; nine thousand prisoners, and four thousand stragglers ; making a grand total loss of over forty thousand men, besides three guns, forty-one stand- ards, and twenty-five thousand stand of small arms. Their retreat was so hasty that many of their dead were buried by the Union forces, and their means of con- veyance so inadequate that several thousand of their wounded fell into the Federa. hands, an insuflBcient number of surgeons being left with the wounded to give them the proper surgical attention. Among the dead were Major-Generals Pender, and Brigadier-Generals Barksdale (died on the battle field), Armistead (died in Fede- ral hospital several days after), Garnett (in Pickett's charge), and Semmes ; the wounded were Major-Generals Hood, Heth, and Trimble, and Brigadier-Gene- rals Kemper, Scales, Anderson, Pettigrew, wounded in the battle field and killed ADAMU COUNTY. 303 at Falling Waters, Hampton, Jones, and Jenkins. Generals Archer and Kemper were among the prisoners taken — the former captured with the Mississippi brig- ade in t!he first day's fight, the latter abandoned in the Seminary hospital as mor- tally wounded on the retreat of his command. The excess in killed and wounded among the Confederates is due to the fact that General Lee was compelled, being the attacking party, to fight his men on more ^pen ground. The numerical strength of the two armies is rather difficult to determine, but it is a safe state- ment to put General Lee's army, when it crossed the Potomac, at one hundred and five thousand men, with ninety-five thousand actively engaged ; the Federal seventy-five thousand, with sixty-five thousand actively engaged. Friday night passed away without any alarms — ^the Federals in doubt whether the fight was to be renewed on the following day, while General Lee was per- fecting his arrangements to successfully conduct his retrograde movement to the Potomac and the valley of the Shenandoah. Under the cover of the darkness General Swell's corps was withdrawn from its line through the town and placed in the works on Seminary ridge. At an early hour on Saturday morning strong details from both armies began the solemn work of burying the dead and collect ing the wounded into the general hospitals. The dead of both armies were interred after the usual hasty manner of such burying parties, on the field wViere they fell. (Afterwards the Union dead were collected together in the National cemetery, with the exception of between one thousand and twelve hundred who were removed to their homes in the loyal States. The Confederate dead remained in their hasty graves, in the cultivated fields and rocky timber land, with very little effort made to distinguish them from each other until after the war, when the bodies as far as possible were raised, coffined, and removed to places of inter- ment among their friends in the South.) The morning was hazy, and for several hours the rain fell in torrents. From an early hour General Lee was sending towards Hagerstown such of his wounded as could bear transportation or had been removed within his lines during the progress of the battle. After noon, he began withdrawing, by the roads leading through the mountain passes, his artil- lery and wagon trains, with which latter he was heavily loaded down — the pro- duct of the rich Pennsylvania farms upon which contributions had been levied right and left. By dark the whole Confederate army was in motion in the same direction j'^ its retreat concealed and protected by a heavy rear column. The route taken was by Fairfield and the Monterey mountain gap. On Monday General Lee reached Hagerstown, and took position with his army. The pursuit by General Meade is thus given in his report : " The 5th and 6th of July were employed in succoring the wounded and burying the dead. Major General Sedgwick, commanding the 6th corps, having pushed the pursuit of the enemy as far as the Fairfield pass and the mountains, and reporting that th(! pass was very strong — one in which a small force of the enemy could hold in check and delay for a considerable time any pursuing force — I determined to follow the enemy by a flank movement, and accordingly, leaving Mcintosh's brigade of cavalry and Neil's brigade of infantry to continue harrassing the enemy, I put the army in motion for Middletown (Maryland), and orders were immediately sent to Major-General French, at Frederick, to re-occupy Harper's Ferry, and send a force to occupy Turner's Pass, in South mountair. I subse- 304 HISTOB Y OF PENHSYL VANIA. queutly ascertained that Major-General French had not only anticipated these orders in part, but had pushed a cavalry force to Williamsport and Falling Waters, where they destroyed the enemy's pontoon bridge and captured its guard. Buford was at the same time sent to Williamsport and Hagerstown. The duty above assigned to the cavalry was most successfully accomplished, the enemy being greatly harr^sed, his trains destroyed, and many captures of guns and prisoners made. After halting a day at Middletown to procure necessary supplies and bring up trains, the army moved through South moun- tain, and by the 12th of July was in front of the enemj', who occupied a strong position on the heights near the marsh which runs in advance of Williamsport. In taking this position, several skirmishes and aflairs had been had with the enemj^, principally by the cavalry and the 6th corps. The 13th was occupied in rcconnoisances of the enemy's position and preparations for an attack, but on advancing on the morning of the 14th, it was ascertained that he had retired the night previous by the bridge at Falling Waters and ford at Williamsport. The cavalry overtook the rear guard at Palling Waters, capturing two guns and numerous prisoners. Previous to the retreat of the enemy, Gregg's division of cavalry' was crossed at Harper's Ferry, and coming up with the rear of the enemy at Charlestown and Shepardstown, had a spirited contest, in whicli the enemy was driven to Martinsburg and Winchester, and pursued and harrassed in his retreat." " The pursuit was resumed by a flank movement," continues General Meade in his report, " of the army, crossing the Potomac at Berlin and moving down the Loudon valley. The cavalry were immediately pushed into several passes of the Blue ridge, and having learned from servants of the withdrawal of the Con- federate army from the lower valley of the Shenandoah, the army (the 3d corps. Major General French, being in advance), was moved into Manassas gap, in the hope Of being able to intercept a portion of the enemy in possession of the gap, which was disputed so successfully as to enable the rear guard to withdraw by the way of Strasburg. The Confederate army retiring to the Rapidan, a position was taken with this army on the line of the Rappahannock, and the campaign terminated about the close of July." The history of this battle would be incomplete without recording the part taken in it by the raw troops organized mostly in the States of Pennsj'lvania and New York, and assembled at Harrisburg by orders from the War Depart- ment. General Couch, the commander of this department, did all he could to organize for active service these troops, in connection with General W. F. Smith, who was assigned to the command of the 1st division. This division took position opposite Harrisburg when General Lee's army was advancing by the Cumberland valley, and constructed a system of earth-works for defence. As soon as Lee's retreat became known General Smith advanced up the valley with six thousand infantry, two batteries, and a small force of cavalry, and at Carlisle met General W. H. H. Leo, who expected to meet Ewell there. Lee attacked Smith with artillery, but the latter was so well posted that the attack was soon abandoned. General Smith advanced towards Chambersburg, followed by General Dana with the second division of Couch's command. General Couch now transferred his headquarters to Chambersburg, but General Lee soon after ADA^S COUNTY. 305 this withdrew with his whole army to the south side of the Potomac, and these two divisions saw no further service at this time. Gettysburg, a post borough and the county seat, stands on a beautiful plain mid- way between two slightly elevated ridges a little more than a mile apart — the one to the west being known as Seminary ridge, while the one to the south-east is called Cemetery hill — and is within easy view of the South mountain, eight miles distant, which sweeps in a majestic curve far as the eye can reach to the south and north- east. It is surrounded by a fertile and well cultivated country, which exports an- nually large quantities of farm produce. It is noted for its pure and salubrious air, and has long been esteemed as one of the healthiest districts in the State. The town was laid out by James Gettys about the year 1780, and has been named after him. It became the county seat of Adams in 1800, and incorporated as a borough in 1807. The court house, jail, and almshouse are large and commodious buildings, and are well adapted to their several uses. The private dwellings are generally built in a neat and substantial manner, while a few of those more recently erected display much taste and elegance in their architecture and surroundings. Gettysburg branch of the Hanover Junction, Hanover and Gettysburg railroad has its western terminus here, and is doing a fair business. It has changed hands several times, and is at present owned and worked by the Hanover company. It was formally opened to business on Thursday, December 16, 1859. A Lutheran Theological Seminary is located here, and is in a flourishing condition. This highly important and useful institution, established by the Gen- eral Synod, was opened for the reception of students in 1826. Dr. S. S. Schmucker, who was the first professor, served in that position for almost forty years. Over five hundred men have been students in this Seminary. It is under the control of a Board of Directors, chosen by eight surrounding synods. The present faculty con- sist of Rev. James A. Brown, D. D., professor of didactic theology, and chairman of the faculty ; Eev. Charles A. Hay, D. D., professor of Hebrew and the Old Testa- ment exegesis, German language and literature, and pastoral theology ; Kev. E. J. Wolf, A. M., professor of Greek and New Testament exegesis. Biblical and ecclesias- tical history and archseology ; Rev. J. G. Morris, D. D., lecturer on pulpit elocution and the relations of science and revelation. Through the liberality of Rev. S. A. Holman, A. M., a lectureship on the Augsburg Confession has been endowed, and also another on " Methods in Ministerial Work," by John L. Rice, Esq., of Baltimore. The Seminary edifice is a plain but handsome four-story brick building, 40 by 100 feet, occupying a commanding eminence on a ridge about half a mile to the west of the town, of which it commands a beautiful view. A number of rooms have been furnished by congregations and benevolent individuals, by which the expenses of in- digent students are materially diminished. At a short distance on each side of the Seminary are fine, large brick houses, occupied by professors in the institution. The library of the Seminary is one of the most valuable collections of theological works in this country, containing many volumes written in all the languages of Europe, and treating of every branch of theological science. A large number of these were procured in Germany by the Eev. Benjamin Kurtz, D. D., and many others, consist- ing of the latest and best works of English and American theological literature, were subsequently obtained through the personal exertions of Dr. Schmucker. 306 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Pennsjilvania College is cl>armingly situated in the town. It had its origin in the wants of the community in general, and in those of the Theological Seminary in particular. Some of the applicants for admission to that institution being found deficient in classical attainments, it was resolved in 1827 to estab- lish a preparatory school, to be under the direction of the Lutheran Church, and appointed Rev. S. S. Schmucker, D.D., and Rev. J. Herbst to select a teacher and make the necessary arrangements for the establishment of the school. Rev. D. Jacobs, A.M., was chosen as teacher, and in June, 1827, the school went into operation, as a preparatory department of the seminary. From this humble be- ginning it gradually rose to importance and influence. The school building was sold for debt in 1829, and was purchased by Dr. Schmucker, who divided the price of the purchase into shares of fifty dollars each, which he induced promi- nent ministers in different parts of the country to purchase. Certain articles of agreement, which were duly executed, gave to the stockholders the management of the fiscal affairs of the school, and to the directors and professors of the Theological Seminary the selection of the teachers and the regulation of the course of study and discipline, and giving to the school the title of Gettysburg Gymnasium. Under the new management the number of pupils increased very rapidly. Rev. D. Jacobs died in 1830, and was succeeded in 1831 by Rev. H L. PENNSYLVANIA COLLEaE, GETTYSBURG. Baugher, A.M., as Principal. The number of pupils continuing to increase, measures were adopted a few years later by which a charter was obtained from the Legislature incorporating the institution under the name of Pennsylvania College. The college was organized, under very favorable auspices, on the 4th of July, 1832, and went into full operation in October following. Professors in the different departments were at once appointed, Drs. Schmucker and Hazelius, ADAMS COUNTY. 307 pf the Theological Seminary, serving temporarily and gratuitously, the former as professor of intellectual and moral philosophy, the latter as professor of the Latin language. Rev. H. L. Baugher and Professor M. Jacobs, who had already established a high reputation as teachers in the Gymnasium, were regularly appointed, the former as professor of the Greek language and literature, and the latter as professor of mathematics and the physical sciences. Through the strenuous exertions of Thaddeus Stevens, who then (1833) represented Adams county in the Legislaturie, fifteen thousand dollars were appropriated by the Commonwealth to this institution, payable in five years. Without this opportune succor, it is doubtful if Pennsylvania College would have become an established fact. In October, 1834, Rev. C. P. Krauth, D.D., a gentleman of ripe scholarship, became president of the college. From this time the college entered upon a career of great success and prosperity, other teachers and professors being added from time to time, as the needs of the institution required and its means justified. A large and commodious building was erected a few years ago on Carlisle Street, several hundred yards east of the college, for the use of the preparatory department, and has been named Stevens Hall, in honor of Thaddeus Stevens, a life-long friend of the college, who donated $500 for that purpose. Through the liberality of some of the friends of the college, an observatory has been erected and furnis-hed with a full equipment of astronomical and meteorological instruments. A large equatorial telescope has been mounted, a transit instrument, an astronomical clock, and chronograph have been purchased, and are freely used for the general purposes of class instruction. A large gymnasium has also recently been erected, affording opportunity to students for exercise, recreation, and general, physical culture. The students attend, under such regulations as they themselves, in their Gymnasium Associa- tion, establish, and ample time is afforded for voluntary exercise. The college library contains 7,200 valuable works. Each of the libraries of the two literary societies contains 6,000 volumes of well selected and standard volumes, to which additions are constantly made by donations and by appropriations of money for that purpose. The Soldiers' National Cemetery is by far the most attractive and sadly beau- tiful of the many points of interest on the field of Gettysburg. Here, beneath the soil they defended so well, repose the brave men who, after surviving many a hard-fought engagement, came at last to dicon these beautiful hills and plains. Here, under the sod which so many of them drenched with their life's blood, rest the heroes who saved a nation, and whose noble deeds will ever merit a grateful people's remembrance. This cemetery embraces seventeen acres of gently rising ground south of the Baltimore turnpike, and adjoining Evergreen Cemetery Owing to the necessary haste with which everything had to be done during the battle, and for some days subsequent to it, many of our brave soldiers were but insufficiently buried. Indeed, many of those who fell during the first day's fight remained unburied until Monday, the sixth day following after Lee's retreat, when decomposition had so far progressed as to render anything like proper interment impossible. A few bodies received no burial whatever, and were left to be devoured by hogs and birds. In many cases the bodies were left as they fell, and were covered only by heaping a little loose earth over them. The rains 308 HI8T0E Y OF PENN8 TL VANlA.. soon washing off this meagre covering, the bodies were left exposed. As a gene- ral thing the marks on the graves, where marked at all, were but temporary, and were liable to be speedily obliterated by the action of the weather. Such was the spectacle that presented itself to Governor Curtin, who, shortly after the battle, visited the hospitals in and around Gettysburg for the purpose of ministering to the wants of the wounded and dying. The Governor and a few friends, among whom was David Wills, of Gettysburg, at once conceived the idea of taking measures for collecting these remains and burying them decently and in order, in a cemetery to be provided for the purpose. Mr. Wills accordingly submitted a proposition and plan for this purpose, by letter dated July 24, 1863, to Governor Curtin. The Governor promptly approved the measure, and directed Mr. Wills to correspond with the Governors of the diffe- rent States with a view to securing their co-operation and aid. The project was seconded with great promptness by all the executives addressed on the subject. Grounds favorably situated were selected by Mr. Wills, as agent for Governor Curtin, and purchased for the State of Pennsylvania, " for the specific purpose of the burial of the soldiers who fell in defence of the Union in the battle of Gettysburg, and that lots in this cemetery should be gratuitously tendered to each State having such dead on the field. The expenses of the removal of the dead, of the laying out, ornamenting, and enclosing the grounds, and erecting a lodge for the keeper, and of constructing a suitable monument to the memory of the dead, to be borne by the several States, and assessed in proportion to their population." The grounds embraced in this cemetery are those on which the Federa. line of battle rested on the second and third days of July, and constitute the most orominent and important position on the whole battle-field. They have been tastefully laid out with walks and lawns, and planted with trees and shrubs. The oemetery proper is located on the central and highest portion of the grounds, next the citizens' burial-ground, and is in the form of a semi-circle, within which the bodies of the fallen soldiers are interred in sections, a large granite block with suitable inscription marking the section for each State respectively, with the number of bodies in each. The head-stones to the graves are all alike, and form a continuous line of gi'anite blocks, rising nine inches above the ground, and having the name, company, and regiment, of each soldier sculptured on it. The entrance to the cemetery-ga-ounds is on the Baltimore turnpike, through a large iron gateway, api^ropriately ornamented, with a beautiful iron fence the whole length of the front. The interments in the National Cemetery are as follows: Maine, 104; New Hampshire, 49 ; Vermont, 61 ; Massachusetts, 159 ; Rhode Idand, 12 ; Connecti- cut, 22; New York, 861; New Jersey, 78; Pennsylvania, 534; Delaware, 15; Maryland, 22 ; West Virginia, 11 ; Ohio, 131 ; Indiana, 80 ; Illinois, 6 ; Michigan, I'll ; Wisconsin, 73 ; Minnesota, 52 ; United States regulars, 138 ; three lots with unknown dead, 979 — total, 3,564. The care of the cemetery by commissioners from so many States being found inconvenient and burdensome, it was resolved by the boai'd of managers, June 22, 1871, to enter into negotiations with the Secretary of War for its transfer to the General Government. After some correspondence and several conferences, ADAMS UOUNTT. 309 the cemetery was finally transferred to the United States, and on the 1st day of May, 18'J2, the National Government took formal and complete possession and control of it. The National monument, so grand in conception, so happy in design, and so beautiful in execution, occupies a commanding position near the^ semi-circle of graves, and was erected by the several States in memory of the brave men who here offered up their lives on the altar of their country. The design of the monument is purely historical, and has been executed in a manner so strikingly natural and truthful that any discerning mind will at a glance comprehend its full meaning and purpose. The superstructure is sixty feet high, and consists of a massive pedestal of light grey granite, from Westerly, Rhode Island, twenty-five feet square at the base, and is crowned with a colossal statue of white marble, I'epresenting the Genius op Liberty. Standing upon a three-quarter globe, she holds with her right hand the victor's wreath of laurel, while with her left she clasps the victorious sword. Projecting from the angles of the pedestals are four buttresses, supporting an equal number of allegorical statues of white marble, representing respectively, Wae, History, Peace, and Plenty. . . . War is personified by a statue of an American soldier, who, resting from the conflict, relates to History the story of the battle which this monument is intended to commemorate. . . . History, in listening attitude, records with stylus and tablet the achievements of the iield, and the names of the honored dead. . . . Peace is symbolized bj' a statue of the American mechanic, characterized by appropriate acces- sories. . . . Plenty is represented by a female figure, with a sheaf of wheat and the fruits of the earth, typifying peace and abundance as the soldier's crowning triumph. This beautiful monument and statuary were designed by J. G. Batterson, of , Hartford, Connecticut, and were executed in Italy under the immediate supervision of Randolph Rogers, the distinguished American sculptor. The main die of jihe pedestal is octagonal in form, paneled upon each face. The cornice and plinth above are also octagonal, and are heavily moulded. Upon this plinth rests an octagonal moulded base bearing upon its face, in high relief, the National arms. The upper die and cap are circular in form, the die being encircled by stars equal in number with the States, whose sons gave up their lives as the price of the victory won at Gettysburg. This monument, as it stands, cost $50,000. The purchase of the ground, the removal and re-interring of the dead, the granite head-stones, the stone wall and tron fence, the gateway and the porter's lodge, and the laying out and orna- mentatioji of the grounds,' cost about $80,000. The Reynolds statue cost $10,000 — thus making the cost of the cemetery, and everything pertaining to it, about $140,000. The first object of special interest that presents itself on entering the cemetery is the beautiful statue erected to the memory of Major-General John Fulton Reynolds, who fell early in the first day's action. It is of bronze, of heroic size, standing on a pedestal of Quincy granite. The right hand, holding a field glass, hangs loosely at his side, while the left grasps the hilt of his 310 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. sword. The face is turned towards the north-west, the direction from which the enemy was advancing, and the direction in which he was looking when he received his death wound. The statue was cast at the foundry of Messrs. Robert Wood & Co., Philadelphia, from a model furnished by Mr. J. Q. A. Ward, of New York. The artist has given his subject an easy, graceful, and life-like attitude, and makes him look every inch the true soldier that he was. The Katalysine ^ ^- ^si- springs, which have be- come so celebrated as a resort for invalids, are situate two mDes west of Gettysburg, near WU- loughby's run, and are embraced within the area of the first day's battle- field. LiTTLESTOWN, for- merly called Petersburg, is the second town in size and importance in the county, and in 1870 contained a population of 847. It is on the Gettys- burg and Baltimore turn- pike, and is ten miles south-east from the for- mer place. The Frede- rick and Pennsylvania Line raUroad passing through the place, has added much to its business prosperity. The town is pleasantly located, in a fertile and highly improved country, and presents a fine appearance. The town was formerly a part of Germany township, having been incorporated as a borough by decree of Court, February 23, 1864. Petersburg, or York Springs, a post borough in the northern , part of the county, between Huntington and Lutimore townships, was incorporated by decree of Court of Quarter Sessions, August 20, 1868. It is on the Carlisle and Hano- ver turnpike, fourteen miles from the former and sixteen from the latter place. It is "also fourteen miles from Gettysburg and twenty-one from York, the State road leading to Harrisburg passing through the place. A railroad from Dills-* buig, York county, to this place has been graded but not completed. The town was laid out about the year 1803, bj' Peter Fleck, who, with Isaac Saddler, crLctcd the flrst two bouses in the place. Soon afterwards Jacob Gardner, Joshua Speakman, Vincent Pilkington, and others, added dwellings. Near by are the York sulphur springs, a favorite resort for many citizens of Philadelphia and Baltimore. Their medicinal qualities have been highly extolled. New Oxford, a post borough, and until recently embraced in Oxford town- ship, is on the railroad from Gettysburg to Hanover, ten miles from the former MONUMENT TO GENKRAL UBYNOLDS, GETTYSBURG. [From a Photograph by W. H, TEpton ± Co., QettTsbnrg.] ADAMS COUNTY. 311 and SIX miles from the latter place. It was laid out by Henry Kuhn, in 1792, and was erected into a borough by decree of Court, August 20th, 1874. It con- tains four churches belonging respectively to the Lutherans, the Reformed, the Methodists, and the Roman Catholics. A collegiate and medical institute was established here some years ago by Dr. Pfeiffer, but it never received sufficient patronage and support to justify its continuance. Abbottstown, or Berwick borough, is a post village on the turnpike lead- ing from York to Gettysburg, fourteen miles from either place. Two turnpikes, the one leading from York to Gettysburg, and the other from Hanover to East Berlin, intersect within the borough. The town was laid out in 1753 by John Abbott. The first lot sold Jiere was purchased by Jacob Pattison, October 19, 1763. Beaver creek, a tributary of the Conewago, flows near by the town, forming the boundary line between York and Adams counties. The town was incorporated as a borough in 1835. East Berlin is a pleasantly situated post town in the northern part of Hamilton township. It was laid out in 1764 by John Prankenberger, an early settler, who named it Berlin. Mr. Prankenberger, the proprietor, disposed of his interest, in 1774, to Peter Houshill, who, in 1782, sold to Andrew Comfort. In 1794 John Hildebrand became proprietor. The first house erected after the laying out of the town was built by Charles Himes, in 1765 ; the second, by James Sarbach, in 1766 ; the third, by James Mackey, in 1767, who opened the first store. The first English school taught in this part of the country was opened here, in 1769, by Robert John Chester, an. Englishman. The Conewago flowing hard by and affording excellent mill power, Peter Lane, a German, erected a grist mill at the west end of the town about the year 1769, which was swept away bj' a freshet thirty years afterwards. Bendersville, formerly Wilqonville, is in Menallen township, ten miles north of Gettysburg, on the State road leading from the latter place to Newville, Cumberland county. It is near the base of the South mountain, five miles from Laurel forge, and the same distance from Pine Grove furnace. It was laid out about the year 1885, but did not thrive till 1840, when an impetus was given it by the erection of some twenty houses. Nestling behind a semi-circular ridge, the village presents a neat appearance. It is noted for its pure air, for its healthful location, and for its attention given to the cultivation of all kinds of fruits and vegetables, of which it has the best in the county. An association was formed here in the early part of 1860, called the Menallen Agricultural Club, the object of which was the consideration of subjects and topics of interest to farmers and fruit growers. The meetings of the society were held regularly in the public-school house, and soon created so much interest in the community that measures were adopted bj' the society, aided by the citizens, for the holding of an agricultural exhibition in th« autumn of the same j'ear. The exhibition proved so successful that it at once became permanent. After a few years the society, together with its buildings and fixtures, was moved to Gettysburg, where its meetings and exhibitions have since been regularly held, under the name and title of the Adams County Agricultural Society. HUNTEESTOWN, formerly called Woodstock, is a post village in the central part of Straban township, on the road leading from Gettysburg to East Berlin, 3 1 2 HISTOB, T OF PENIfS TL VANIA. five miles from the former, and eleven miles from the latter pldce. . . Faik- FiELD, or Millerstown, is a post town of Hamiltonban township, on the Hagers- town and Gettysburg road, eight miles west from the latter place MiDDLETOWN, a post village of Butler township, is seven miles north of Gettys- burg, on the road leading from the latter place to Bendersville. The name of its post-office is Bigler Meohanicsville, or Bragtown, is a small village in the extreme northern part of the county, distant from Gettys- burg eighteen miles. It was laid out by Joseph Griest McSheerys- TOWN, a post village in Conewago township, is two miles west of Hanover, York county, on the road leading from the latter place to Gettysburg. It is one mile in length, being built chiefly along one street Hampton, a post town of Reading township, on the turnpike leading from Carlisle to Baltimore, twelve miles east from Gettysburg^ six from Petersburg, and ten from Hanover, was laid out in 1814 by Dr. John B. Arnold and Daniel Deardorff. Heidleksburg, a small post town in Tyrone township, on the State road leading from Gettysburg to Harrisburg, is ten miles from the former and twenty-five miles from the latter place. The State road and the Menallen road, leading from Chambersburg to York, intersect at right angles at this place Mummasbubg is a small village in Franklin township, at the tenninus of the Gettysburg and Mummaoburg turnpike, five mUes from the former place. . . . . Aeendtsville, a handsome and thriving post town in the north-eastern angle of Franklin township, was laid out by a Mr. Arendt about the year 1820. It is pleasantly located at the intersection of the Menallen and Shippenshurg roads, eight miles north of Gettysburg Beechersville, a small village about a mile east of Arendtsville, on the road from the latter place to Gettysburg, contains a woolen factory, a tannery, and about a dozen dwellings . . . . New Chester, or Pinetown, so called because of a belt of pine timber contiguous to it, is a post village in Straban township, and was laid out by Henry Martzsaal in 1804. It is nine miles east from Gettysburg, within several hundred yards of one of the bends of the Big Conewago Cash- town, a fine village in Franklin township, at the foot of the South mountain, is eight miles north-west from Gettysburg, on the Chambersburg turnpike. . . . . IIiLLTOWN is a small hamlet, one mile north of Cashtown, on the road leading from Mummasburg to Chambersburg New Salem a pretty vilLige on the Chambersburg and Gettysburg turnpike, six miles north- -vest from the latter place, was laid out in 1860 by John Hartman, who, in Tanuary of that year, purchased of Albert Van Dyke, administrator of the McKnight estate, the greater part of the ground now embraced within the limits •jf the village, paying $6,000 for the same. A number of lots were soon sold, upon which improvements were commenced the following spring. The location being a good one, the village has steadily grown until it has become quite a thriving place Seven Stars is a small village on the Chambers- burg turnpike, four miles from Gettysburg, where the old "Tape Worm" railroad crosses the turnpike. 313 NATIONAL MONUMENT AT OEITYSBURG. rProm a Photograph by W. H. Tipton A Co.. Gettyaburn.] 6 •.' • ■f3J*£JK _^Jt_^ i I Ll ALLEGHENY COUNTY. IWith acknowledgments to William M. Darlington and Thomas J. Bighorn.] I HE county of Allegheny was organized by virtue of the act of Assem bly of September 24, 1188, which recites : " That all those parts of Westmoreland and Wa;shington counties lying within the limits and bounds hereinafter described, shall be, and hereby are, erected into a separate county ; that is to say, beginning at the mouth of Flaherty's run, on the south side of the Ohio river; from thence, by a strait line, to the plantation on which Joseph Scott, Esquire, now lives, on Montour's run, to include the same ; from thence, by g, strait line, to the mouth of Miller's run, on Chartier's creek; J \ f ALLEOaENY COUNTY COURT HOUSE. AaN= '- • — from thence, by a strait line, to the mouth of Perry,'s mill run, on the east side of Monongahela river ; thence up the said river to the mouth of Becket's run: thence, by a strait line, to the mouth of Sewickly creek, on Youghiogheny river ; thence, down the said river, to the mouth of Crawford's run ; thence, by a strait line, to the mouth of Brush creek, on Turtle creek; thence, up Turtle creek, to the main fork thereof; thence, by a northerly line, until it strikes Puckety's creek ; thence down the said creek to the Allegheny river ; thence up the Alle- gheny river to the northern boundary of the State ; thence along the same to the Kiver Ohio ; and thence, up the same, to the western boundary of the State ; thence along the western boundary to the place of beginning; to be henceforth known and called by the name of Allegheny county." The commissioners to run the boundary lines were Eli Coulter, Peter Kidd, and Bejanmin Lodge. In 1789 an additional part of Washington county was annexed ; and by an act of April 3, 1792, upwards of 200,000 acres on Lake Erie, purchased by the State from the general government, was declared to be part of Allegheny county. olO 316 HISTOBT OF PENJtfSTLVANIA. These extended limits of the county were subsequently reduced by the counties formed west and north of the Allegheny river. Allegheny county is bounded on the north by Butler ; east by Westmoreland ; south and south-west by Washington, and north-west by Beaver. The county forms an irregular figure about twenty-six miles in diameter, and contains an area of 15i square miles, or 482,560 acres. The surface of the county is undulating, and near the rivers and principal creeks, broken and hilly, many of the elevations jeing precipitous, and occasionally furrowed into deep i-avines. The upland is rolling, and verj' little can be called flat, except the bottom lands along the streams. Within the limits of the county are comprised the very populous country around the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongabela rivers with the Ohio, and of the Youghiogheny with the Monongabela. feesides these navigable streams there are, tributary to them, Chartier's, Peters', Turtle, Plum, Deer, and Pine creeks, with a number of less important streams. The countj' is situated in the heart of the bituminous coal formation of the Appalachian field; and it derives its chief importance from the inexhaustible supply and enormous development of this valuable fuel. , The amount of capital invested in the mines of the county according to the census of 1870 was estimated at $12,169,000, and twenty-two thousand seven hundred and ten acres were under development. The value of these may be placed at $8,690,000 ; $438,000 was in- vested in cars, tools, ^nd the articles necessary to mining. The live stock employed was valued at $287,000. Upwards of $1,200,000 were invested in houses. The various improvements, such as railway tracks, trestles, etc., cannot be less than $1,625,000. The list embraces one hundred and thirteen collieries in active operation, employing eight thousand miners. The amount of coal mined annually is upwards of one hundred million bushels. Nearly thirty million bushels are consumed in and around the city of Pittsburgh, numbers of the manu- facturing establishments consuming from one to three thousand bushels of coal per day. From fifty to fifty-five million bushels are exported bj' river alone annually. The amount exported by rail approaches eighteen million bushels. Upwards of twenty million bushels of coke are made annually in eight hundred and fifty-six ovens. In a review of the industrial resources of Allegheny county, we speak princi- pally of those developed in the city of Pittsburgh and the towns in its immedi- ate vicinity. No other county in the United States contains two cities of the first class. It is not in coal alone that the strength of this section is shown In those things which coal enables artizans of Pittsburgh to produce, is her power equally apparent. As nearl3' as can be ascertained, one-half of the glass facto- ries in the United States are located at Pittsburgh, where there are forty firms engaged in the manufacture of glass, who run sixty factories producing the vari- ous descriptions of green, window, flint, and lime glass, employing over four thou sand workmen, and producing between four and five millions' worth of glass. In iron and steel Pittsburgh claims and maintains to be the great market of the country. The exact money market of this great trade has always been diffi- cult to arrive at. Much of the iron has been shipped by rail to the various points, and much by river. By figures we have at command of the shipments of plate, bar, sheet, and rod iron and steel from Pittsburgh in the year 1875, it would seem ALLEGHENY COUNTY. SH that there were exported, by rail alone, to twenty-four diflferent States, over 143,0Q0 tons, and 80,000 kegs of nails between twenty different States. These railroad exportations, it must not be forgotten, are not probably half the manu- facture. That of castings there were shipped by rail alone 5,143,008 pounds in 18t4 to twenty-two different States, and that by one railroad alone there was received in 18t4 into the city, 10T,000 tons of pig iron and blooms, exclusive of the yield of six or eight furnaces running in the city of Pittsburgh, nor the imports by river and other railroads. It is estimated that of shipments made from Pittsburgh, at least as much is sent by river as by rail. There are over thirty iron rolling mills in Pittsburgh, six steel mills, and between fifty and sixty iron foundries. These figures but feebly indicate the full extent of the great iron and steel trade of the city, of which the sales alone of articles made of iron sub- ject to tax, made and returned. in the city, was, from March 18T5 to March 18'!'6, over $27,000,000. In 1876 the amount of capital invested was $70,000,000,' and the annual value 6f the products $39,000,000. Oil is another great staple, and there are in Pittsburgh fifty-eight refineries, in which is invested a capital of over $12,000,000 in buildings and machinery, and in the tanks and barges necessary to the carrying on of the business, nearlj"- $6,000,000 more. The oil trade for the three years from January, 1873, to January, 1876, amounted to about $50,000,000, or an average of about $11,000,000 annually. During these three years the entire exportation of petroleum from the United States was 217,948,602 gallons, and the shipments east from Pittsburgh was 132,396,179 gallons, showing that Pittsburgh supplied over sixty per cent, of the whole foreign exportation of petroleum in the period cited. The history of Allegheny county presents a greater variety of startling inci- dents than almost any other portion of the State. Great Britain, France, Great Britain again, Yirginia, the United States and Pennsylvania have each in turn exercised sovereignty either dver the whole or greatest part of the county. Since its first settlement was captured in war, first by Contrecoeur in 1754, and by Forbes in 1758 — once beseiged by Indians in 1763 — blown up and burned by the French in 1758 — it was the field of controversy between neighboring States m 1774, and finally the scene of civil war in 1794. When the white man appeared in the region around the head-waters of the Ohio river, the occupants of the soil were principally Shawanese, with some roving bands of the Six Nations and scattered wigwams of the Delawares. It is more than probable that the "mound builders," whose traces were more notice- able in the Western States than in Pennsylvania, were the primeval inhabitants, j.udging from descriptions of the remains of ancient fortifications within the limits of Allegheny county, the principal one of which was located on Chartier's creek, about seven or eight miles from Pittsburgh. From the description of a traveler who passed through the western country in 1807, we learn that it consisted of an oblong elevated square two hundred feet long, one hundred and forty feet broad, and nine feet high; level on the summit and nearly perpendicular at the sides, the centre of each of the sides towards the stream projecting, forming gradual ascents to the top, equallj' regular and about six feet wide. Near the centre of the fort was a circular mound nearly thirty feet in diameter, and five feet high. At the corner near the river was a semi-circular parapet 318 ALLEGHENY CUU-NTV. 319 crowned with a mound which guarded an opening in the wall near by. Scarcely a vestige now remains, but we have seen it recently stated that a small mound is still to be seen on the ridge at McKee's rocks below the mouth of the same stream. It was the locality of Shingas, the famous Indian warrior. There were numerous Indian villages within the present limits of Allegheny county, but except in the historical details of one hundred and twenty years ago, nothing remains of the royalty which swayed the inhabitants of the Ohio. The principal of these was Shannopin's town. It was situated, says Mr. Darlington, on the banks of the Allegheny river, now in the corporate limits of the city of Pittsburgh. It was small, had about twentj' families of Delawares, and was much frequented by the traders. By it ran the main Indian path from the East to the West. In April, 1730, Governor Thomas, at Philadelphia, received a message from "the Chieffs of ye Delewares at AUegaening, on the main road," taken down (written) by Edmund Cartlidge, and interpreted by James Letort, noted traders. Among the Aames signed to the letter is that of " Shannopin his X mark." The chiefs message was to explain the cause of the death of a white man named Hart, and the wounding of another, Robeson, occasioned by rum, the bringing such great quantities into the woods, they desired the Governor to sup- press, as well as to limit the number of traders. Shannopin's name is signed to several documents in the archives of the State. He appeared occasionally at Councils held with the Governor. He died in 1740. Towards the close of the seventeenth century the French, through the adventures and discoveries of LaSalle, Marquette, and others, gained a most excellent knowledge of the country of the Ohio and Mississippi, and at once ^measures were adopted looking to the extension of the French empire, claiming the vast territory west of the Alleghenies. As early as 1719 the French began actively to erect a line of forts for the purpose of connecting Canada with the valley of the Mississippi, but it was not until 1749 that measures were taken to extend their trade with the Indians on the Allegheny. The year previous a movement had been made towards a permanent settlement on the Ohio river by the English colonies. Thomas Lee, one of His Majesty's council in Virginia, formed the design of effecting a settlement on the wild lands west of the Allegheny mountains, through the agency of an association of gentlemen. Before this date there were no English residents in those regions. A few traders wandered from tribe to tribe, and dwelt among the Indians, but they neither cultivated nor occupied the land. Mr. Lee associated with himself Mr. Hanbury, a merchant from London, and twelve persons in Virginia and Marj'land, composing the " Ohio Land Company." One-half million acres of land were granted them, to be taken principally on the south side of the Ohio, between the Monongahela and Kanahawa, and on which they were required to settle one hundred families and erect and maintain a fort. The Englishmen claimed title under a charter of Charles II., strengthened by a treaty with the Six Nations. In 1749, Captain Louis Celoron, a French officer, was dispatched by the Governor-General of New France (Canada) to take possession of the country along the Allegheny and Ohio rivers. He performed that duty, and deposited leac'en plates bearing inscriptions at the mouths of the prominent streams. Several of the plates were eventually secured. The ©ne placed at Venango was 320 HIHTOE T OF PENNS YL VANIA . dated 29th July, 1749,* at forks of the Ohio, 3d August, 1749, and at mouth of Kanahawa, 18th August, 1749. In 1750 Christopher Gist was dispatched by the Ohio Company to make explorations, and also an examination of the Ohio on the south side to within fifteen miles of the Falls. In June, 1752, a conference was held at Logstown, fourteen miles below Pittsburgh, on the right bank of the Ohio, with the Indian chiefs of the neighboring tribes. The commissioners, consisting of Colonel Pry, Captain Loamax, and Mr. Patton, desired an explanation of the treaty held at Lancaster in 1744, when the Delaware Indians ceded to the English the lands on the Ohio. The chiefs objected, stating that there was " no sale of lands west of the warrior's road which ran at the foot of the Allegheny ridge." The Commis- sioners finally induced them, by the offer of presents, to ratify the treaty and relinquish the Indian title to lands south of the Ohio and east of the Kanahawa. Soon after the treaty at Logstown, Gist was appointed surveyor of the Ohio Company, and directed to lay out a town and fort near the mouth of Chartier's creek. It seems, however, that this project was abandoned, and subsequently the location was changed to the forks of the Ohio. About this time (1753) the French, as referred to previously, were carrying out their grand scheme for uniting Canada with Louisiana, and it was decided to erect one fort at Logstown and one at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela. In the prosecution of this scheme, and to enforce their claim to the whole country on the Ohio, they seized the storehouse at the former place belonging to the traders, with all the goods and skins, amounting to the value of twenty thousand pounds. In the fall of 1753, accounts were received that a considerable French force had arrived at I'resqu'Isle, on their way to the Ohio ; and in October of that year, George Washington was selected as a messenger, to proceed by the way of Logstown to the French commandant, wherever he might be found, to demand information as to the object of the French troops. Washington departed imme- diately from Williamsburg, and arrived at the forks about the 23d or 24th of November, 1753. He examined the point, and thouglit it a favorable position for a fort. He then proceeded to Logstown — and thence to the French comman- dant at Le BoBuf, from whom he received a very unsatisfactory replj'. mmediately on the return of Washington to Virginia, Captain Trent, with a company of troops, was directed to proceed to the Ohio, and establish himself at that locality. In the early part of 1754 was commenced the first building on the site where Pittsburgh now stands. Of the arrival of the French convoy, the capitulation and the retiring of the English, and of the important events wliich transpired in this section of Pennsylvania during the expeditions of Gene- rals Braddock, Forbes, and Bouquet, we have alluded in the general history. By reference thereto, it will be seen that the French retained possession of Fort Duqnesne from the 17th of April, 1754, to the 24th of November, 1758. This position, of course, gave them an influence over the neighboring Indians, which was so used as to inflict upon the frontier settlers much distress and bloodshed. The importance of this position, in a military' point of view, was duly apprec:- *Por translation of the. one at French creek, see History of Venango county. ALLEOHUNT COUNTY. 32] ated hy the English, and early and energetic efforts were therefore adopted to expel the French. Upon its occupancy by General Forbes' army in 1758, the English proceeded to the erection of works for the defence of the post. A small square stockade with a bastion at each angle was constructed on the banks of the Monongahela between the present site of Liberty and West streets in Pittsburgh. This was only intended for temporary use, for in the year following, General Stanwix erected more substantial works, which in honor of the then British Premier, he n-amed Fort Pitt. In 1'764, Colonel Bouquet built a redoubt on the site of the fort which is stiL standing. It is simply a square stone building, and is located north of Penn street west of Point street, a few feet back of Brewery alley. The first town of Pittsburgh was built near the Fort, in 1760. It was divided into the upper and lower town. In a carefully prepared list of the houses and inhabitants outside of the fort, made for Colonel Bouquet, April 15, 1761, by Captain William Clapham, and headed "A return of the number of houses, of the names of owners, and number of men, women, and children, in each house. Fort Pitt, April 14, 1761," the number of inhabitants is two hundred and thirty-three men, women, and children, with the addition of ninety-flve officers, soldiers, and their families residing in the town, making the whole number three hundred and thirty-two. Houses, one hundred and four. The lower town was nearest the fort, the upper on the higher ground, principally along the bank of the Monon- gahela, extending as far as the present Market Street. In this list of the early inhabitants are the well-known names of George Croghan, William Trent, John Ormsby, John Campbell, Ephraim Blaine, and Thomas Small. Settlements were also made along the Monongahela and its tributaries, and the inhabitants seem to have enjoyed comparative quiet, until the year 1763, when, during the Pontiac war. Fort Pitt was completely surrounded by the savage foe, who cut off all communication with the interior of the country, and greatly annoyed the garrison by an incessant discharge of musketry and arrows. The post was finally relieved by Colonel Bouquet, who in the following year retaliated by marching with a sufficient force to the Muskingum, and there dictated terms of peace to the hostile tribes of the north-west. The second town of Pittsburgh was laid out in 1765, by Colonel John Camp- bell, by permission of the commanding officer at Fort Pitt. It comprised the ground within Water, Market, Second, and Ferry streets. Campbell's plan of lots was subsequently incorporated unaltered in the survey made by George Woods for the Penns in 1784, and is known as the " Old Military Plan." Two of the houses built on lots in that plan are now standing on Water street, near Ferry. They are constructed of hewn logs weatherboarded. These, with the two on the southeast corner of Penn and Marbury (Third) street, formerly owned and occupied by General Richard Butler and his brother, Colonel William, are the oldest in Pittsburgh or west of the AUeghenies. Of course the old brick redoubt of Colonel Bouquet before referred to, between the Point and Penn street, is excepted. It, however, was not originally built for a dwel- ling-house, but as an outwork or addition to Fort Pitt. From this period until the close of the Revolutionary war but little improve- V 322 HI8T0B T OF PENN8YL VANIA. meut was made at Fort Pitt. The fear of Indian hostilities, or the actua. existence of Indian warfare, prevented immigration. In 1775, the number of dwelling-houses within the limits of Fort Pitt did not, according to the most authentic accounts, exceed twenty-flve or thirty. During the Revolution, the Penn family beiqg adherents of the British government, the Assembly confiscated all their property except certain manors &c., of which surveys had been actually made and returned into the land-offlce prior to the 4th of July, 1776, and also except any estates which the Proprieta- ries held in their private capacities by devise, purchase, or descent. Pittsburgh, and the country eastward of it and south of the Monongahela, containing 5,766 acres, composed one of these manors (surveyed in 1769), and of course remained as the property of the Penns. In the spring of 1784, arrangements were made by Tench Francis, the agent of the Proprietaries, to lay out the Manor of Pitts- burgh in town and out-lots, and to sell them without delay. For this purpose he engaged George Woods, of Bedford, an experienced surveyor, to execute the work. The manor lots found a ready sale, and in 1786, Judge Brackenridge, then a young attorney in the new town, estimated the number of houses at one hundred, and the population at about five hundred. Previous to this there were no buildings outside the fort, except those already noticed occupied by Indian traders and a few mechanics and soldiers' families. The inhabitants of Allegheny coxinty took a conspicuous part in the " Whiskey Insurrection " of 1 794. Liberty poles were erected and people assembled in arms and compelled the officers of the Excise to leave the country or resign. Their object was to compel a repeal of the law and not to subvert the govern- ment, but they unfortunately pursued the wrong course to efiect their object, From 1790 to 1800, says Harris, the business of Pittsburgh and the West was small, but gradually improving. The fur trade was the most important. Con- siderable supplies of goods were received from the Illinois country by barges. On the 19th of May, 1798, the galley President Adams was launched at Pittsburgh. She was the first vessel built then competent for a sea voyage, and was constructed by order of the government of the United States, in its prepa- rations for the threatened war with France. In July, the Senator Ross was ready to launch, but on account of low water it fras not accomplished until the spring of 1799. In the spring of 1797, arrangements were made by James O'Hara and Isaac Craig, for the erection of the first glass works in Pittsburgh, and William Eich- baum, superintendent of glass works at the Schuylkill, near Philadelphia, engaged to direct the building of the works. This was the beginning of that business now so extensively carried on. So many difficulties, however, were encountered that after a few years Major Craig retired. General O'Hara persevered, and after a very large expenditure of money and labor succeeded in the manufac- ture of glass. During this year the first paper-mill west of the AUeghenies was erected at Pittsburgh. In 1802-3 Pittsburgh and the country around it were greatly excited by the impeachment and subsequent removal of Alexander Addison, then president iudge of the judicial district. This was owing to party spirit which during the administration of the elder Adams ran exceedingly high. ALLEGB.ENY COUNTY. 323 From 1802 to 1805 four ships, three brigs, and three schooners were built at Pittsburgh, while two vessels were constructed at Blizabethtown. On the first day of January, 1804, a branch of the Bank of Pennsylvania was established here in a stone building on the east side of Second Street, between Ferry Street and Chancery Lane. During that year the first iron foundry was erected by Joseph McClurg. The year 1811 inaugurated a revolution in the commerce and noted an epoch in the history of Pittsburgh well worthy of commemoration. In this year the genius of Fulton and the theory of Fitch had a practical and successful test in the application of steam as a propelling power to vessels against a strong cur- rent. The year previous [1810], Messrs. Fulton, Livingston, and Rossevelt, constituting a firm, organized for the purpose of testing Fulton's plan, com- menced the building of a boat, the dimensions of which, were — keel, a hundred and thirty-eight feet ; burden, some three hundred tons, cabin below deck, port- holes, bow-sprit, &c. Forty thousand dollars were invested in this enterprise, and in March, 1811, the first steamboat ever built or run on western waters was launched at Pittsburgh, and duly christened the New Orleans. On the 24th of December this steamboat left for the Crescent citJ^ The New Orleans arrived safely at her destination. Shortly after she went into the regular packet trade between Natchez and New Orleans, in which she continued two years, clearing $20,000 the first. In 1814 she was snagged and lost near Baton Rouge. The second steamboat constructed at this port was the Comet, launched in 1813. In 1814 the Mississippi steamboat company built the Vesuvius and ^tna. From this time onward, for a period of fifty years, the number of boats constructed at Pittsburgh was immense, and the progress and development of the place was rapid. During the war of 1812, Pittsburgh sent a company into the North-western territory to join the command of General Harrison that won a lasting fame for its bravery. It was named the Pittsburgh Blues, and was under the command of Captain James R. Butler. The Blues fought at Fort Meigs and Mississineway, losing a number of their men in those contests. Pittsburgh, hy an act of Assembly at the sessions of 1815-16, became a city — taking its date from March 18, 1816. At the first election for municipal ofiicers under the city charter. Major Ebenezer Denny was chosen mayor. In August 1825, a convention of the friends of internal improvements, con- sisting of delegates from forty-six counties of the State, met at Harrisburg, and passed resolutions in favor of " opening an entire and complete communication from the Susquehanna to the Allegheny and Ohio, and from the Allegheny to Lake Erie, by the nearest and most practicable route." The Juniata and Cone- maugh was reported the " most practicable route " by the commission appointed by the Governor in 1824, to explore a route for a canal from Harrisburg to Pitts- burgh. The report was adopted and the work let. In the fall of 1827 water was let into the levels at Leechburg from the " seven-mile " or Leechburg dam, but the inexperience of the contractors and workmen who had built the canal below caused innumerable diflSculties. To remedy the evil occupied the balance of the fall and winter. The first canal boat ever built or run west of the mountains, was the General 324 HISTOB Y OF PENJfS YL VAN I A. Abner Lacock. She was built at Apollo, Armstrong county, by Philip Dally, under the auspices of Patrick Leonard of Pittsburgh. She was intended as a freight and passenger packet, had berths and curtains, after the style of the steamboats of those days. In the fall of 1834, the Philadelphia and Columbia, and the Allegheny portage railroads were completed, giving a through line to Pittsburgh, and the same month an emigrant's boat from the North Branch of the Susquehanna, passed over the inclined planes on trucks with the family in it, was launched at Johnstown, reached Pittsburgh, was run into the Ohio, and pursued its course down that river to Cairo, and was towed up the Mississippi to St. Louis. The completion of this through route gave to Pittsburgh a fresh impetus, and tended largely toward the opening up of the mineral resources of Western Pennsylvania. The salt of the Kiskiminetas soon became an important branch of traflBc and barter in the east, and gave employment to a large number of men. Blast furnaces, bloomeries, etc., sprang into existence along its line, and a general life and thrift was manifest from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. In Pittsburgh, for a time, the forwarding and commission business absorbed all other branches of trade with capitalists. The business man who had not stock or some kind of an interest in some of the lines of boats on the canals, or the steamboats or other modes of transportation on the rivers, was not regarded as either wealthy or enterprising. In 1834, an experimental trip was made from Pittsburgh to Johnstown with a little steamboat, but not proving satisfactory for many -reasons, all ideas of applying steam to canal boats was abandoned. In 1835 the Erie canal, or the greater portion of it, was put into operation, opening up another large mineral and agricultural field to Pittsburgh, where the products found a ready market, and augmented the amount of business done there. The boats reached Pittsburgh by being towed by steam-tugs up the Ohio from the mouth of Beaver creek, twentj'-six miles below the city. Soon after this a canal called the Cross-cut was built, connecting the Erie with the Ohio canal at Akron, Ohio. The junction of the Erie and Cross-cut was made at the mouth of the Mahoning river, in the Beaver valley, some four miles below New Castle. By this connection, long before there was a railroad in the West, freight could be shipped to Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo, Detroit, Portsmouth, Chillicothe, and other iiitermediat3 points, without breaking bulk. All these advantages, taken in connection with the fact of Pittsburgh being the head of navigation of the western and south-western waters, it is little to be wondered at that she became a nucleus for all branches of trade, and a power in the manu- facturing world. In 1836 was commenced the improving of the Monongahela by locks and dams, to meet the efforts of Marylanders east of the mountains, and opening a channel of commerce with Pittsburgh by way of the Potomac canal to Cumber- and, and the Cumberland pike to Brownsville. After much opposition the work was completed in 1844, and it proved to be one of the greatest features of the Iron City's success. The pools or slack water offered ample harbors for the loading of coal boats and barges, and the coal tiade of the Monongahela has ever since been the source of great revenue to the company which, under the ALLEGHENY COUNTY. 325 lead of General James K. Moorhead, constructed it, to the exporters and the public generally. In 1839 the Valley Forge, the first iron steamboat made in the United States, was built at Pittsburgh. On the tenth day of April, 1845, occurred the great fire at Pittsburgh, burning over a space of flfty-six acres. The aggregate loss of property amounted to over five millions of dollars, and many families were rendered homeless. Aid came in freely from the neighboring towns and cities, while the Legislature, then in session, made an appropriation of fifty thousand dollars to relieve the distressed inhabitants, of which amount, however, only thirty thousand dollars was drawn from the Treasury. On the 29th of March, 1872, the consolidation of the Southside with Pittsburgh was eflfected by an act of the Assembly, which bill received the sanction of the Governor on the 2d of April, following. The Southside included eleven boroughs, having a population of 35,000 — Birmingham, East Birmingham, Ormsby, Allen- town, St. Clair, South Pittsburgh, Monongaliela, Mt. Washington, Union, West Pittsburgh, and Temperanceville. Although the details herewith given are in fact the history of Pittsburgh itself, there are other matters connected with that city to which we will make reference. Pittsburgh is the second city of Pennsylvania in population and importance. It is substantially and compactly built, and con- tains many fine residences, par- ticularly in the east section. A large number of the principal avenues are graded ' and paved. Horse cars run through the principal streets and to the suburbs. Seven bridges span the Allegheny nver and five the Monongahela. From its situation, Pittsburgh enjoys excellent commercial facilities, and has become the centre of an extensive commerce with the Western States ; of its industrial resources we have referred to in full. The extent of its iron manufactories has given it the appellation of the " Iron City," while the heavy pall of smoke that constantly overhangs it, produced by burning bituminous coal in all the dwelling-houses and manufacturing establishments, has caused it to be styled the"Smoky City." Smithfleld street is the principal business thorough- fare, and trade is very active in Penn and Liberty streets and Fifth avenue, which contain many handsome retail stores. Among the public buildings are the municipal hall, corner of Smithfleld and Virgin streets, costing seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, with a granite front and a massive central tower ; the Court House, a solid stone edifice, corner of Fifth avenue and Grant streef, with a columned portico, and surmounted by a dome ; the custom house *|iMiirt'>il(|ji... ^■*': CITY HALL, PITTSBURGH. 326 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. and post oflSce, a commodious structure of stone, corner of Smlthfield street and Fifth avenue ; and the United States Arsenal, a group of spacious buildings standing in the midst of ornamental grounds in the northeast section of the city. The new and elegant building of the Mercantile Library is in Penn street ; it cost two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and contains fifteen thousand volumes and a well supplied reading-room ; the Young Men's Christian Association has a good reading-room at the corner of Penn and Sixth streets. There are in the city two theatres, an Opera House, an Academy of Music, and several public halls. The Western University, founded in 1819, has a handsome building in the south- east part of the city, near the Monongahela, and in 1876 had seventeen instructors and two hundred and fifty-two students ; it has a library of twenty- five hundred volumes, extensive philosophical and chemical apparatus, and a WESTERN PENITENTIARY, ALLEGHENY CITY. cabinet containing over ten thousand specimens in geology, mineralogy, conchtjlogy, and zoology. The Pittsburgh Female College (Methodist) is a flourishing institution. Several of the public school buildings are large and substantial. Among the principal charitable institutions within the limits of the city, are the City General Hospital, the Homoeopathic Hospital and Dispen- sary, the Mercy Hospital, the Episcopal Church Home, and the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum. The Convent of the Sisters of Mercy is the oldest house of the order in America. The Western penitentiary, in the ancient Norman style, situated on Ohio street, Sherman avenue, and West Park, Allegheny City, was erected by authority of the Legislature of March 8, 1818. It was completed for occupancy about 1827, and cost over half a million dollars. It was originally intended to be con- ducted on the solitary confinement principle, but recently the "congregate" system has been adopted. ' ALLEGHENY COUNTY. 327 The Western Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane is at Dixmont. It is properly a private institution, although the State has constructed the buildings, which are capable of accommodating over four hundred patients, and otherwise aided it. The area of the grounds connected with it is three hundred and fifty acres. The buildings cost half a million dollars. Indigent insane have by law the preference of " paying " patients. The Western Reform school located at Morganza on the Pittsburgh and Washington railroad has recently been completed. It is designed for incorrig- ible or vagrant girls and boys. The ground and buildings cost half a million dollars. One main building for boys and another for girls. This institution is hereafter to bo conducted on the family system. The entire arrangement when in full operation will make it the finest institution on this plan in the United States. It is managed by a board of trustees, of which Thomas J. Bigham is president — appointed by the Governor. Besides the foregoing public institutions there are several other establishments of similar character — Allegheny City poor-house at Claremont, seven miles from the city ; City farm for Pittsburgh, situated on the left bank of the Monongabela about two miles above the city limits, containing 149 acres, and extensive build- ings ; Allegheny county home, situated near Chartiers' Valley railroad about seven miles from Pittsburgh, on. a farm of two hundred and five acres ; and the Allegheny county workhouse, situated on the right bank of the Allegheny, about seven miles above Allegheny City, at Claremont station. West Pennsylvania railroad, on fifty acres of land. The latter institution has been self-sustaining. It has been under the superintendence of Henry Cordier, who has been the most successful in managing an institution for stubborn persons. Allegheny City is situated on the west bank of the Allegheny river, opposite Pittsburgh, with which it is connected by several fine bridges. Its manufacturing interests are large, and the elegant residences of many Pittsburgh merchants may be seen here occupying commanding positions. The city has now a population of 7.5,000. The City Hall is on the square at the crossing of Ohio and Federal streets, and the Allegheny Library is close by. Theological Seminary (Presbyterian) was establislied here in 1827. It is situated on a lofty insulated ridge 100 feet above the river, and affords a magnificent prospect. The Theological Seminary of the United Presbyterian Church, established in 1826, and the Allegheny Theological Institute, organized in 1840 by the synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, are also located here. The Allegheny Observ- atory, situated on- an elevated site north of the city, is a department of the Western University of Pittsburgh. The Public Park lies around the centre of the city; it contains 100 acres, and is adorned with several tiny lakelets and a monument to Humboldt. On a lofty crest near the Allegheny, in the east part of the city, stands the Soldiers' Monument, erected to the memory of the 4,000 men of Allegheny county who lost their lives in the civil war. It consists of a graceful column, surrounded at the base with statues of an infantry man, a oavalryman, an artillerist, and a sailor, and surmounted, by a bronze female figure of colossal size. MoKeesport is laid out upon a wide plain which affords ample room for a large city. Situated at the junction of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny 328 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. rivers, it enjoys the business derived from the extensive coal trade on both streams, and under its influence has increased rapidly in population and wealth. The town is well laid out with fine wide streets, and a large proportion of the houses are well constructed of brick. 'The population numbers now about 12,000 ; in 1842 it had only 500. It is one of the principal stations of the Pittsburgh and Connellsville railroad, and by that road and its connections its inhabitants have easy access to all the Eastern and Western cities. Surrounded on all sides by a fine basin of coal, and possessed of supeiior advantages by either the Monongahela slack-water or the railroad for transportation to any of the cities of the United States, it is a choice spot for the location of manu- facturers of such articles as find their market elsewhere than at the places where they are made. The near access which is had from this point to the fine iron ores and forests which abound further up the valley of the Youghioghenj^, the supe- riority of the coal, its abundance and low cost, with the transportation advantages before mentioned, seem to point out this location as one in which must eventually gather a large number and variety of manufacturing in metals and wood. Perhaps no other town in Western Pennsylvania has so many elements of future growth. The close of the present century may show a city of 40,000 inhabitants. East and West Elizabeth boroughs are six miles above McKeesport — one on each side of the Monongahela river. They have in a less degree the same elements as McKeesport. Population nearly 5,000 Braddook borough is on the north bank of the Monongahela river, located upon the site of the famous battle ground of July 9, 1755, known in history as the defeat of Braddock. This town is situated eight miles above Pittsburgh and four miles below McKeesport, and receives the ovei-flow from both points. The Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio railroads both pass through it. Though only commenced as a village some eight years since, it has already a population of over 5,000. The Edgar Thompson steel works for the manufacture of steel rails, in successful operation, is located here The boroughs of Etna and Sharps- burgh, five or six miles above Pittsburgh on the Allegheny river, contain a population of some 10,000, chiefly engaged in the manufacture of iron. The offices are in Pittsburgh, but the mills are located in these boroughs. The furnaces of the Isabella company consume immense quantities of iron ore, chiefly brought from the Lake Superior region. Three rolling mills are also located here. The borough of Tarentum, twelve miles above, is also of late growing into importance. Population about 3,000 Natrona borough, some three miles above, is the result of the Pennsj'lvania Salt Manu- facturing company. This company produces several important products, and have built up a village of 2,000 inhabitants, chiefly employed in its industrial depart- ments Commencing about seven miles below Pittsburgh, on the north side of the Ohio river, the villages of Dixmont, Ha3'svUle, Sewickly, and Lutsdale, dot the line of the Chicago railway. These are the dwelling-places of Pittsburghers whose days are spent in the city and nights in these villages. They cover a space of some eight miles, and probably include a population of 10,000 Mansfield, and its suburbs on the line of the Pan-Handle railroad, six miles south of Pittsburgh, is an important mining, and will become ALLEGHENY COUNTY. 329 a manufacturing point. The Chartiers' Valley railroad connects this village ■with Washington, Pennsylvania, and the Pan-Handle railroad with Cincinnati and St. Louis. The development of coal mines along the route of these two railroads is likely in the near future to build up a large mining and manufactu- ring population, with Mansfield as its centre. POPULATION OF PENNSYLVANIA BY COUNTIES— 1790 to 1870. COUNTIES. 1790. 1800. 1810. 1820. 1830. 1840. 1850. 1860. 1870. 13,172 15,087 2,399 5,776 12,039 32,407 15,152 25,317 6,143 12,168 15,746 43,146 19,370 34,921 10,324 15,340 20,248 46,275 21,379 50,552 17,701 24,183 24,502 63,152 23,044 81,235 28,365 29,363 29,335 64,569 25,081 138,200 29,560 26,689 23,052 77,120 21,777 42,831 30,346 66,091 17,773 28,006 178,831 35,797 29,140 26,736 93,818 27,829 48,734 35,594 63,578 29,155 30,315 262,204 43,382 Allegheny 10,309 36,148 Bedford Berks Blair 13,124 30,179 29,635 106,701 38,051 11,554 10,193 37,842 3,287 19,746 14,581 45,745 7,076 32,769 22,378 48,107 11,256 53.204 3,916 27,496 7,346 32,371 2,117 36,510 Bucks 25,401 64,336 36,569 4,273 15,686 23,355 60,438 23,565 12,586 11,207 17,710 37,849 34,327 35,754 24,679 3,531 38,742 39,112 39,904 7,567 21,033 27,000 74,578 24,988 18,759 17,723 25,065 48,755 40,098 40,758 30,597 5,915 49,432 39,909 42,126 9,131 898 24,343 28,100 33,687 18,270 16,986 116,314 22,999 31,831 •3,753 10,244 : 7,399 8,859 36,856 16,340 16,758 70,500 13,053 47,904 28,922 22,793 565,629 7,155 11,470 89,510 28,778 15,035 5,637 36,267 31,044 14,145 25,043 19,190 46,805 32,239 53,736 12,640 68,200 28,144 7,562 27,937 13,609 32,093 10,681 39,596 13,796 44,451 18,879 50,910 20,402 67,615 34,418 Cbester 77,805 26,537 875 2,312 4,803 7,834 8,323 24,267 31,724 30,953 30,118 19,791 25,741 Clinton .. 23.211 17,621 9,397 23,606 21,653 14,810 20,059 16,030 29,226 25,243 17,323 28,766 2,346 25,386 22, WO 12,809 6,178 26,767 31,883 14,734 63,832 18,243 W,177 9,433 43,912 60,-740 39,403 8483 1,468 20,159 19,638 3,758 24,714 23,083 8,541 27,285 31,892 17,041 29,172 35,037 31,344 33,574 37,793 65,973 13,325 15,655 43,284 Frankliu 45,365 9,360 4,010 8,605 13,008 12,544 14,778 6,214 161 15,554 20,139 8,882 561 18,028 2? ,145 14,252 2,025 19, 147 35,484 20,782 7,253 11,080 84,203 22,136 24,786 27,170 13,518 13,029 98,944 21,079 26,071 32,479 56,072 26,2'>7 5,254 33,172 14,980 13,270 58,291 13,239 40,235 23.272 20,088 408,762 5,881 eojTS 24,416 25,887 • 7,565 31,251 36,138 21,656 17,390 36,147 43,403 53,927 67,975 76,63i 121,340 27,298 16,975 18,895 20,027 13,517 728 11,681 16,618 20,567 22,256 27,379 17,636 1,439 19,729 21,690 21,872 25,787 44,006 22,649 2,075 32,873 13,092 9,879 47,241 34,096 Lehigh 56,796 4,904 12,839 5,414 18,109 11,006 142 8,277 12,132 160,915 47,626 siKeSn..::;:'.'.:::::: 8,825 3,228 49,977 Mifflin 17,508 18,362 22,929 24,150 29,703 35,793 39,406 81,612 15,344 Northampton Northumberland .... 24,250 17,161 .10,062 27,797 88,145 36,327 31,765 15,424 11234 135,637 2,890 186 U,3U 13,974 39,482 18,133 14,261 188,797 4,843 1,265 20,744 17,762 40.996 20,027 17,096 258,037 3.832 3,371 29,053 19,650 61,432 41,444 25,447 Philadelphia 54,391 81,009 111,210 674,022 Pike 8,436 29 11,265 Schuylkill 116,428 10,188 11,284 28,226 15,606 Sullivan 3,694 28,688 23,987 26,083 18,310 13,671 44,939 21,890 51,726 10,655 ■ 57,450 6,191 Susquehanna 9,960 4,021 18,619 4,915 1,976 40,038 4,127 30,540 18i7»7 8,ff78 20,795 9,470 4,607 42,784 7,663 38,400 21,195 15,498 22,787 17,900 9,2?8 41,279 U,84S 42,699 37,523 1,687 35,097 IJiiton 15,56S 1,130 2.'S3 28,298 2,562 22,726 8,060 827 36,289 4,125 26,392 47,925 Warren 23,897 Washington 23,866 48,483 33,183 Westmoreland 16,018 58,719 14,585 37,747 25,643 31,998 38,747 42,869 47,010 76,134 Totals 434,373 602,365 810,091 1,047,507 1,348,233 1,724,033 2,311,786 2,906,216 3, 21,951 ARMSTRONG COUNTY. RMSTRONG county was formed by the act of 12th of March, 1800, from parts of Lycoming, Westmoreland, and Allegheny. It received its name from General John Armstrong, who commanded the expedition against the Indians at Kittanning in 1756. In 1802 commissioners were appointed to locate the county seat, and upon their report in 1804 the present site was laid out. James Sloan, James Mathews, and Alexander Walker were appointed the first commis- sioners to locate the county seat and organize the coun- ty, but the latter declined to serve. The county was fully organized for judicial purposes in 1805. Since the establishment of the county, its size has been considerably curtailed by the formation of Clarion. Average length, 25 miles; breadth, 25 miles; area, about 625 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Clarion, on the east by JeflFerson and Indiana, on the south by Westmore- land, and on the west by Butler. The surface of the county is diversified, particularly those parts lying adjacent to ABMSTBONG COUNTY PUBLIC BUILDINQS. [From ft Photograph by Shadle, KlttaDQlng.] hilly, but generally rolling streams of water. The Allegheny river is the 'largest stream of water fiowing through the county. It forms the eastern boundary of a narrow strip of territory belonging to Armstrong county, extending from above Parker to the mouth of Redbank creek, where the Allegheny river first enters the county, flowing a distance of nliout thirty-six miles through the county, separating it into two somewhat unequal pa^rts, and passing out of the county at the confluence of the Kiski- minetas. It was considered by both the aborigines and the French as identical with the Ohio, and the Monongahela an aflluent. 0-hee-o in the Seneca, and Alle- gheny in the Delaware language, having the same signification, /oiV water hence 330 ARMSTBONG UUUNTY. 331 the French name, La Belle Riviere. Before the construction of the Allegheny Valley railroad, this river aflforded by means of steamboats an easy and rapid transit between various towns along the river, but the days of steamboats are past on this river except those used in towing oil barges. The Kiskiminetas river forms the southern boundary of the county emptying into the Allegheny one mile north of Freeport. The Pennsylvania canal passed along this river and was fed by it, but now canal, aqueduct, and dams, are among things of tlie past — the use of the canal being superseded by the more rapid means of transit afforded by the West Pennsylvania railroad. Redbank creek forms the northern boundary. Mahoning creek, formerly called by the Indians Mohulbucteetam, enters the county near Milton, separating Wayne and Redbank townships, flowing through Mahoning township separating Madison and Pine, falls into the Allegheny river ten miles north of Kittanning. Crooked creek rises in Indiana county, flows in a westerly direction and empties into the Allegheny five miles below Kittanning. It is exceedingly crooked, hence its name. Cowanshannoc, Pine, Buffalo, Plum, Sugar, and Bear creeks, all tributaries of the Allegheny, with numerous smaller streams, furnish abundant water. In addition to water transportation there are three railroads : the Allegheny Vallej^, which extends along the left or eastern bank of the Allegheny river ; the West Pennsylvania, which passes along the southern boundary, but on the opposite side of the Kiskiminetas river ; the Low Grade Division of the Allegbenj' Valley railroad, which passes along the northern boundary, but on the north side of Redbank creek. Bituminous coal is found in all parts of the county ; the usual thickness of the vein being about four feet. Very extensive coal works are in operation in Mahoning township, about one and a half miles from the borough of New Bethlehem, in Clarion county, and the same distance from the Low Grade Division of the AUeghen}' Valley railroad, with which it is connected by a branch road constructed by the Redbank Mining Land coal company. The prin- cipal vein consists of cannel coal, with an average thickness of nine feet. Operations were commenced in 1870, but no coal was shipped until 18T2. The coal is of an excellent quality, and is forwarded to all the eastern cities. It is said there are but four other veins of similar coal in the United States. Thirty-eight thousand tons have been shipped the la^ two years (ISti-fS). In addition to this vein of cannel coal, the company own two veins of bituminous coal, one four feet, the other three feet nine inches; all three in 70 feet perpendicular of the hill. The capacity of the works is three hundred tons per day. A somewhat similar vein to this is found on the Thompson farm in Redbank township ; it is about six feet. Another extensive works the Mahoning Coal company is operating at the mouth of Mahoning on the Allegheny Valley railroad. It has bitumi- nous coal alone. Iron ore is found in the creeks and river hills in the northern part of the county. Caldwell's and Stewartson's furnaces on Mahoning, and Pine creek furnace on Pine creek, are now (1876) in operation. These produce pig iron, as also did Monticello at the mouth of Cowanshannoc, but it has ceased operations. That part of the county lying north of Brady's Bend and between Butler county and the Allegheny river, is included in what is generally termed " The 332 HI8T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Lower Oil Fields." The first attempt to develop the oil resources of this territory were made in 1860 by Thomas McCounell, W. D. Robinson, Smith K. Campbell, and Colonel J, B. Findlay, of Kittanning, but oil was not "struck" until October, 1865. The following account of the drilling of the first well at Parker's Landing is taken from Henry's " History of Petroleum : " " In the winter of 1864-5 the oil excitements of the upper and lower Oil creek regions were at their height, and Mr. William D. Robinson very earnestly conceived the idea that oil deposits existed in the region of his third of a century's residence. He had examined and carefully noted the then generally received opinion of " surface indications," and soon reached the conviction that oil could be found there. He purchased thirty-six acres of the old homestead farm, lying on the Allegheny river and now forming a portion of Parker's Landing. This thirty-six acres of land he made the basis of a stock company. In the spring of 1865 he commenced his first well under the auspices of this company, and this was the first oil-well drilled at PUrker's Landing. The embarrassment attending the first effort to find oil at Parker's Landing may be estimated by those familiar with new territory. All the machinery for the well had to be boated from Pitts- burgh or Oil City, and there was neither derrick nor development between these two points, fifty and sixty miles from a machine shop, if a break occurred. Pittsburgh, Oil City, or Titusville, were the nearest points for repairs. It required the entire summer of 1865 — nearly six months — ^to complete this well. In October, 1865, the sand pump brought up the unmistakable evidence of a ' third sand ' or oil-rock. The well was tubed and started off at about ten barrels per day. It averaged the first year nineteen barrels per day, and oil was sold from it during its first two or three months' production at eight dollars per barrel. The well continued to produce for a long time, and was a source of much profit to the company." This was the beginning of the oil development, but afterwards the hills around Parker became dotted over with derricks, and a vast quantity of the oleaginous fluid has been obtained. Large wells were afterwards struck in Perry township, at Armstrong run, near Qncenstown, and on the head-waters of Pine run. There was a burning well at the latter place. On both runs towns were rapidly built, but soon disappeared when the oil territory gave out. At Armstrong run a school-house was built for the us'e of the new town, and by the close of the first term the town had mostly been removed and the school-house itself emigrated to a different locality. In former years considerable salt was manufactured in the county, but at present nearly all the works have ceased to manufacture. Salt water at various depths is found in different sections. A vein of what is supposed to be roofing-slate has been discovered in Eedbank township. Limestone has been found in all parts of the county. According to a tradition of the Cornplanter Indians, a lead mine on the Mahoning creek was known to their fathers. So strong are they in this belief, some thirty years since they sent two of their number to find the mine, but without success. The site of Kittanning was originally occupied by an Indian village of that name. From this point a path crossed the mountains to Black Log valley, Standing Stone (now Huntingdon), and other places in the central part of the ABMSTUONO COUNTY. 333 State, along which the Indians passed to and fro. It was to this place that in September, 1756, the expedition of General John Armstrong was sent, the details of which, resulting in the destruction of the town and the overthrow of the Indians, we have previously given. Subsequently, in 1180, another fierce encounter with the natives took place within the limits of the county at Mahoning, ten miles distant from Kittanning. At this period General Brodhead was in command of Fort Pitt, and Captain Samuel Brady was frequently sent out with a scouting party into the Indian country north and west of the fort to watch the movements of the savages. Captain Brady was a native of Cumberland county, born in 1T58, but soon. after removed with his father to the West Branch of Susquehanna, a few miles above Northumberland. Cradled amid the alarms and excitements of a frontier exposed to savage warfare, Brady's military propensities were very early developed. He eagerly sought a post in the Revolutionary army ; was at the siege of Boston; a lieutenant at the massacre of the Paoli; and in 1TT9 was ordered to Fort Pitt with the regiment under General Brodhead. A short time previous'to this both his father and brother had fallen by the hands of Indians ; and from that moment Brady took a solemn oath of vengeance against all Indians, and his future life was devoted to the fulfilment of his vow. His success as a partisan had acquired for him its usual results — approbation with some, and envy with others. Some of his brother officers censured the commandant for affording him such frequent opportunities for honorable distinction. At length open com- plaint was made, accompanied by a request, in the nature of a demand, that others should be permitted to share with Brady the perils and honors of the service abroad from the fort. The General apprised Brady of what had passed, who readily acquiesced in the propriety of the proposed arrangements, and an oppor- tunity was not long wanting for testing its efficiency. The Indians made an inroad into the Sewickly settlement, committing the most barbarous murders of men, women, and children ; stealing such property as was portable, and destroy- ing all else. The alarm was brought to Pittsburgh, and a party of soldiers, under the command of the emulous officers, despatched for the protection of the settle- ments, and chastisement of the foe. From this expedition Brady was of course excluded ; but the restraint was irksome to his feelings. The day after the detachment had marched, Brady solicited permission from his commander to take a small party for the purpose of "catching the Indians;" but was refused. By dint of importunity, however, he at length wrung from him a reluctant consent, and the command of f,ve men ; to this he added his pet Indian, and made hasty preparation. Instead of moving towards Sewickly, as the first detachment had done, he crossed the Allegheny at Pittsburgh, and proceeded up the river. Con- jecturing that the Indians had descended that stream in canoes, till near the settlement, he was careful to examine the mouths of all creeks coming into it, particularly from the south-east. At the mouth of the Big Mahoning, about six miles above Kittanning, the canoes were seen drawn up to its western bank. He instantly retreated down the river, and waited for night. As soon as it was dark, he made a raft, and crossed to the Kittanning sid^. He then proceeded up to the creek, and found that the Indians had, in the meantime, crossed the stream, as their canoes were drawn to its upper or north-eastern bank. The country on both sides of Mahoning, at its mouth, is rough and moun- 334 HISTOBY OF PliJ:fN8YLVANlA. tainous ; and the stream, which was then high, very rapid. Several ineffectual attempt^ were made to wade it, which they at length succeeded in doing, three or four miles above the canoes. Next a fire was made, their clothing dTied,"and arras inspected ; and the party moved towards the Indian camp, which was pitched on the second bank of the river. Brady placed his men at some distance, on the lower or first bank. The Indians had brought from Sewickly a stallion, which they had fettered and turned to pasture on the lower bank. An Indian, probably the owner under the law of arms, came frequently down to him, and occasioned the party no little trouble. The horse, too, seemed willing to keep their com- pany, and it required considerable circumspection to avoid all intercourse with either. Brady became so provoked that he had a strong inclination to tomahawk the Indian, but his calmer judgment repudiated the act, as likely to put to hazard a more decisive and important achievement. At length the Indians seemed quiet, and the Captain determined to pay them a closer visit. He had got quite near their fires ; his pet Indian had caught him by the hair and gave it a pluck, intimating the advice to retire, which he would not venture to whisper; but finding Brady regardless of it, had crawled off — when the Captain, who was scanning their numbers and the position of their guns, observed one throw off his blanket and rise to his feet. It was altogether impracticable for Brady to move without being seen. He instantly decided to remain where he was, and risk what might happen. He drew his head slowly beneath the brow of the bank, putting his forehead to the earth for concealment. His next sensation was that of warm water poured into the hollow of his neck, as from the spout of a teapot, which, trickling down his back over the chilled skin, produced a feeling that even his iron nerves could scarce master. He felt quietly for his tomahawk, and had it been about him he probably would have used it ; but he had divested himself even of that when preparing to approach the fires, lest by striking against the stones or gravel, it might give an alarm. He was compelled, there- fore, noZeres volens, to submit to this very unpleasant operation, until it should please his warriorship to refrain, which he soon did, and returning to his place wrapped himself up in his blanket, and composed himself for sleep as if nothing had happened. Brady returned to and posted his men, and in the deepest silence all awaited the break of day. When it appeared, the Indians arose and stood around their fires, exulting, doubtless, in the scalps they had taken, the plunder they had acquired, and the injury they had inflicted on their enemies. Preca- rious joy — short-lived triumph! The avenger of blood was beside them! At a signal given, seven rifles cracked, and five Indians were dead ere they fell. Brady's well-known war-cry was heard, his party was among them, and their guns (mostly empty) were all secured. The remaining Indians instantly fied and disappeared. One was pursued by the trace of his blood, which he seems to have succeeded in staunching. ThepeMndian then imitated the cry of a young wolf, which was answered by the wounded man, and the pursuit again renewed. A second time the wolf cry was given and answered, and the pursuit continued into a windfall. Here he must have espied his pursuers, for he answered no more. Brady found his remains there three weeks afterwards, being led to the place by ravens that were preying on the carcass. The horse was unfettered, the plunder gathered, and the party commenced their return to Pittsburgh, most of them ABMSTBONG COVNTY. 335 descending in the Indian canoes. Tliree days after their return, the first detach- ment came. They reported that they had followed the Indians closely, but that the latter had got into their canoes and made their escape. It was not therefore until the danger of savage encroachments ceased, almost the close of the century, that settlements were made within the present limits of Armstrong county. The land. in the neighborhood of Kittanning remained in possession of the Armstrong family ; and when the establishment of the county was proposed. Dr. Armstrong, of Carlisle, a son of the General, made a donation of the site of the town to the county, on condition of receiving one-half of the proceeds of the sales of lots. Robert Brown and David Reynolds were among the first who erected dwellings at the old Indian town. The former went there in 1*198, with several hunters. He first settled on the opposite bank of the river. At that time there were very few settlers in the region. Jeremiah Loughery, an old frontiersman, who had been in Armstrong's expedition, lingered around the place for many years. He had no family, and wandered from house to house, staying all night with people, and repaying their hospitality with anecdotes of his adventures. The early settlers of that day found it necessary to be always prepared for Indian warfare, and for hunting the beasts of the forest ; indeed, their character generally throughout the surrounding region was a mixture of the frontiersman, the hunter, and the agriculturist. All wore hunting shirts, and went barefoot, or wore moccasins. The early pioneers were from the eastern sections of the State, many of them Germans who, through their thrift and frugality, soon transformed the wilderness into a garden of beauty. Upon the treaty of Fort Mcintosh, peace spread her benign influence over the forests and fields of Armstrong, and the peaceable pursuits of the agriculturist gave confidence to emigration, and gradually, without any of those incidents that comprise an eventful history of a locality, Armstrong county has progressed in all the essentials which go to make up an influential community — population, enterprise, industry, and wealth. Until after the lapse of almost three-quarters of a century, little of moment transpired within the limits of the county to be placed on record. Then the great civil conflict created such a powerful revulsion in popular feeling that Arm- strong county presents its history in the great Rebellion. During that struggle she performed her duty nobly. Captain William Sirwell organized a company of three months' men, and was mustered in as Company B, 9th Regiment Penn- sylvania volunteers, at Harrisburg, April 22, 1861. In the same year a camp was formed on the old fair-ground on the banks of the Allegheny river immedi- ately above Kittanning. It was named Camp Orr, after General Robert Orr, an old and prominent citizen of the county. There were two regiments (three-years' men) and a company of cavalry recruited at this camp. The first regiment, 7 8th Pennsj'lvania volunteer infantry, under the command of Colonel Sirwell, left Kittanning on the 14th of October, 1861, arriving in Pittsburgh that afternoon. On the. 18th of October, accompanied by the fTtli and "TQth regiments, Pennsyl- vania volunteers, and Muehler's battery of artillery, under command of General James S. Negley, they moved to Louisville, Kentucky, via the Ohio river. , From Louisville they moved south along the Louisville and Nashville railroad, first camping near Nolin creek. The '78th was attached to the army of the Cumber- 336 HISTOR Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. land, and so remained till the close of its term of service, when it returned to Kittanning to be mustered out. This regiment participated in many engage- ments, and made for itself a highly honorable record. Of this regiment Companies B, F, G, I, and K, were from Armstrong county. The second regiment, lOBd Pennsylvania voljinteers, left Camp Orr for Harrisburg, on the 24th of February, 1862. This regiment, under command of Colonel Theodore F. Lehman, joined the army of the Potomac, but was subse- quently sent further south, suflfered severely through sickness in camp, death in battle, and starvation in Southern prisons. But a small percentage of the regiment ever returned. Only one entire company (Captain Hamilton's) belong- ing to this regiment was recruited in Armstrong county, though a large number of the men in several of the other companies were citizens of Armstrong. The following fully organized companies served in different regiments : Company M, 2nd Pennsylvania cavalry ; Company D, 62nd Pennsylvania infantry ; Companies B and C, and part of B and F, 189th infantry ; Company K, 14th cavalry ; Battery No. 204 (5th heavy artUlery) ; and Company H of the 10th, and Companies A and G, 22nd militia (1862). Besides these there were a great many of the citizens of the county scattered in different regiments of this and other States. Since that period little of moment has transpired, save the excitement and incidents due to the discovery and development of oil. Kittanning, the county seat, is situated on the left bank of the Allegheny river, forty-five miles north-east of Pittsburgh. It is pleasantly located on the bottom land adjoining the river. Kittanning was laid out in 1804, and incorp'^ra- ted as a borough in 1821. It contains the usual county buildings, one of which — the jail — deserves special mention. The jail and sheriff's house are built together, the entire length being 114 feet by 50 feet in width. The jail is two stories in height, contains twenty-four cells, each 8x14, 13 ffeet in height, hall 18x68. A cast-iron balustrade three feet in width projects from the second tier of cells and extends entirely around the hall. The sheriff's house contains nine rooms, including dining-room and kitchen ; flooring of yellow-pLne, doors four inches thick, made of oak with boiler-iron between firmly bolted together ; the windows are protected by 1\ inches round iron. The foundations — seven feet in width — are sunk to the solid rock twenty-four feet below the surface. The entire structure, including cornice, window caps, and tower, are of fine-cut stone from the Catfish quarry in Clarion county. The sheriff'sJiouse is furnished with all the modern improvements — bath-rooms on both floors, gas, and hot and cold water throughout the building. The cupola rises 108 feet from the ground. James McCullough, Jr., of Kittanning, was the architect, and superintended the erection of the building. It was erected in 1 870-73 at a cost of $268,000. From its cost and color it has been euphoniously dubbed the " White Elephant." The court house is a plain, substantial structure. The Brady's Bend (or Great Western, as it was formally called) iron works are situated on the right bank of the Allegheny, twenty-five miles above kittan- ning. The rolling-mill is on the river at the mouth of the creek, the furnaces about a mile up the stream. Their lands and the village built thereon stretches out three or four miles up the valley of the Sugar creek and its branches. A rail- ABMSTBONG VOUNTr. 331 road extends from the depot of the Allegheny Vallej' railroad in Bast Brady, on the opposite side of the river, three miles up the Sugar creek ; another runs from the furnaces to the coke yard on the summit. On the former, locomotives draw the cars ; on the latter, the empty cars are drawn to the top by horse-power, which return loaded by the force of gravitation. There was a population of about 3,000 here at one time, and about $400,000 paid out annually to employees, but for some cause — probably the reduction in price of railroad iron — the company fulled, and the works at present stand idle. The place affords, when the works ■ire in operation, an excellent home-market for produce. The place derives its name from a large bend in the river named after Captain Samuel Brady, who bad an encounter with Indians near the present site of the rolling-mill. This seems to be the southern limit of the lower oil fields, as oil has never been found south of thii point in the county. About a mile north of the furnaces, up a deep ravine, is the borough of Queenstown, a smart village which has received quite an impe.tus from the discovery of oil within and adjoining the borough limits. Manobville, about one mile below Kittanning on the Allegheny river, with a population of 330, has an oil refinery, tannery, brick works, and an extensive lime-stone quarry Worthington is situated six miles west of Kittanning, on the Butler turnpike. Near it are the Buffalo woolen-mills, a tannery, and some minor enterprises. Pauker City is situated on the Allegheny river, eighty-two miles north of Pittsburgh, and is the centre of the Armstrong, Butler, and Clarion county oil regions. During the years 1818 to 1822, when the Bear creek furnace was built, quite a flourishing town grew up in the part now known as the Second ward ; it was then, and until the incorporation of Parker City, known as Lawrenceburg. When this furnace blew out about 1840, the town rapidly disappeared until only two or three houses remained. About the year 1869 the part known as the First ward had but two or three dwellings. In this year the pil excitement began, and a town sprung up as if by magic. These developments spread rapidly and people flocked to the phice, and in 18'73 the town of Parker's Landing and borough of Lawrenceburg were incorporated under the name of the City of Parker. The Parkers were the original inhabitants, and owned the greater part of the land on which the city now stands. This family gave the city its name. It contains five churches. Population about 3,500. The principal business is that of pro- ducing' oil ; the traffic in petroleum is carried on at this place very largely ; the bulk of the vast product of the region is handled at this place. The first well was put down in 1865 by W. D. Robinson for the Clarion oil company, but not much was done untib 1869. Parker is on the line of the Allegheny Valley railroad, and is the eastern terminus of the Parker and Karns City rail- road, a narrow gauge road running into the Butler county oil regions. Freeport, situated on the west bank of the Allegheny river at the mouth oi Buffalo creek, was laid out by David Todd, about the year 1800. The Penn- sylvania canal crossed the Allegheny about a mile above Freeport, at the confluence of the Kiskiminetas river, and passed through this town. It added much to its prosperity, but the closing of the canal gave Freeport a check, from which it has scarcely recovered. The West Pennsylvania railroad, crossing the river at the junction of the Kiskiminetas and Allegheny rivers, passes through w 338 HISTOB Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. Freeport ; also the Butler Branch railroad connects with the main line at this place. These improvements have aided somewhat in restoring its former vigor. Apollo is situated on the Kiskiminet^s river, about ten miles from its confluence with the Allegheny. It was laid out in 1815, by William Johnston and J. R. Speer, and named Warren, after an old Indian chief of that name — the site of the village being called Warren's Sleeping Ground. The first settlers were Isaac McLaughlin, Robert Stewart, Abraham Ludwick, and Catharine Cochran, mother of ex-Judge Cochran. In 1848 it was incorporated as a borough, and its name changed to Apollo. Until 1827 the citizens of Apollo (or, as then called, Warren) had to go to Gi'eensburg, Westmoreland county, or to Kittanning, Armstrong county, for their mail matter. In that year a post office was established. Milton Dally was the first postmaster. The first store was kept by John Mcllvaine, the first hotel by Peter Risher. The. cemetery is supposed to be located on an old Indian burying ground. Of the Indian chiefs who made this their stopping place the name of but one — Raughnewag — is remembered. The Pennsylvania canal passed through this town and aided much in building it up. The canal was pennanently closed in 1864. The town now possesses the facilities oflTered for transportation by the Western Pennsylvania railroad, which passes on the opposite side of the river. The present population is about 1,600. LEECHBURGn is situated on the Kiskiminetas river, seven miles from its mouth. It was settled about the opening of the Pennsylvania canal. After the canal was closed it seemed at a stand-still for several years, until Rogers & Burchfield, proprietors of the iron works in Apollo, started a works in this place. This gave the town new life, and it became quite a thrifty, enterprising village. A few years since, some parties desiring to test the territory for oil, drilled a well several j-ods from the Westmoreland end of the bridge. No oil was found, but a heavy flow of gas. This gas ran to waste for some time, but at length Messrs. Rogers & Burchfield, conceiving it might be utilized, convej'cd it by means of iron pipes from the well across the bridge to their rolling-mill, and introduced under their furnaces. It was found to work admirably, and resulted in a large saving in fuel, not onlj' furnishing heat and light for the works, but a pipe projecting far above the roof of the establis'.iment sends forth with great force a constant stream of gas, which burns night and day, illuminating the whole town. I Dayton, a thriving village in Wayne township, is situated in the midst of a flne fanning country. The first settlers were Peter Kamnierdinner, Jesse Cable, James M'Quown, Guyer & Laughlin, Dr. Goodheart, James Coleman, and Thomas H. Marshall. The town was never regularly laid out, but lots sold to suit purchasers. It was named about 1853 ; incorporated as a borough in 1873 ; present population, 575. Near to the limits of the borough is the Glade Run (Presbyterian) Church, and Glade Rim Academ . Glade Run and Dayton Academies were opened about twenty-five years ago. The Soldiers' Orphan school, established in 1866, is beautifully situated on a small eminence over- Looking the town and surrounding (.'ountry, and near to a fine grove — belonging to the school lot — of natural forest trees. Elderton borough (formerly called Middletown) is situated on a high hill ABMSTBONG COUNTY. 339 just midway on the pike between Kittanning and Indiana, containing three churches, an academy, school house, bank, several stores, two hotels, foundry, etc. It has an elevated and healthy location, and contains some fine private residences Wiiitesburgh post village, a small collection of houses, is on the pike five miles west of Elderton. Blanket Hill post office is about midway between Whitesburgh and Kittanning. Rural Tillage is situated on the Kittanning and Clearfield turnpike, twelve miles east of Kittanning, in one of the healthiest and best grain-growing sections of the western part of the State. It was settled in 1835 by John Patterson, Alexander Foster, Sr., Hamlet Totten, and others, and contains a population of 200. ^ Middlesex (Cowansville post office), is situated eight miles from Kittanning, on the Brady's Bend road, and contains twenty or twenty-five dwellings. Its first residents were William McClatchy, Solomon Bruner, and R. G. Portcrfield. The post office was established in 1848, through the iufluence of John Cowan, hence the name. The town was laid out by William McClatchj' about 1850. Oakland (formerly called Texas) is nine miles from the mouth of Mahoning, on the Brookville road. It was settled about 1843 by Joseph Baughman, Samuel Copenhaver, Isaac Sanderson, and William R'. Sanderson, by whom it was laid out. Putneyville was settled by David Putney in 1834, and who now lives in the village at the advanced age df 85. At that time it was a laurel thicket. It is on Mahoning creek, about twenty miles from the county seat. Two miles above this, on Mahoning creek, is Eddyville post office, a small village. Slate Lick is located at the cross-roads leading from Kittanning to Pittsburgh, and from Freeport to Brady's Bend, in South Buffalo township. The place derived its name from a deer lick in the immodi.ite vicinity. OENTENNTAL MEDAL— OBVERSE. BEAVER COUNTY. BY JAMES PATTERSON, BEAVER PALLS. ilBAVER COUNTY was erected March 12, 1800. It was foiined out of parts of Allegheny and Washington counties. Jonathan Coulter, Joseph Hemphill, and Denny McClure, were named as commis- ^J sioners for the erection of public buildings. Beaver town was named in the act as the county seat. The county was organized for judicial purposes April 2, 1803. The first court was held February 6, 1804, at the house of Abner Lacock, on the lot in whicli John Clark for many years kept a hotel. Jesse Moore was the first president judge; Abner Lacock, John H. Rcdick, and Joseph Caldwell, were the first associates, and sat with Judge Moore. David Johnson was the first prothonotary, and was the first teacher in Canonsburg academy, July, 1'791. William Henry was the first sherifl". .Judge Moore was succeeded by Samuel Roberts, and he by William Wilkins; then came Charles Shaler, followed by John Bredin; then Daniel Agnew, etc., etc. At the first term, 1804, the following named attomies were admitted to practice in Beaver county, viz. : Alexander Addison, Thomas Collins, Steel Sample, A. W. Foster, John Bannis- ter Gibson,- Sample S. King, Obediah Jennings, William Wilkins, Henry Haslett, .Tames Allison, John Simmonson, David Redick, Parker Campbell, David Hays, C. S. Sample, Henry Baldwin, Thomas G. Jolmston, Isaac Kerr, James Mountain, Robert Moore, William Ayrs, and William Sarwell. Many of these became afterwards distinguished inen in the State and nation, holding high and responsible positions. Judge Moore's circuit included five counties ending at Rrie, and holding court in each five weeks in the year. The county is bounded on the north by Mercer county, on the east by Butler, on the south-east by Allegheny, on the south by Washington, and on the west by the States of Ohio and Virginia. The Ohio river fiows through the southern portion of the county, which it enters fourteen miles below Pittsburgh, and runs a northerly course for about twelve miles, where the Beaver river falls into it, and then turns south-west and crosses the county by that course fifteen miles, receiving the Big Sewicklj- above the mouth of Beaver river, and the Raccoon creek below it. The Mahoning river and Shenango, imiting in Lawrence county, form the Btaver river, with the Slippery Rock and Conoquenessing creeks, which flow into it near to the dividing line from Lawrence county, flows southward through nearly the middle of the county, and empties into the Ohio at Rochester, and near the borough of Beaver. Within the first five miles from its mouth there is a natural fall and rapids in quick succession of sixty-five feet in the aggregate, which natural fall, with a dam erected at the head (making a pool or " slack water," reaching back some seven miles to the mouth of the Conequenessing 340 BEAVER COUNTY. 34I creek), make the -whole fall of water for manufacturing uses eighty to eighty-five feet. Besides these rivers and creeks there are many important streams in this county, which form collectively an almost incalculable amount of water power for factories, work-shops, &c. The population of the county when formed in 1800 was, as per the census of that year, 5,776, almost all of which was found to be on the south side of the Ohio, and engaged in agriculture. The length of the county north and south is 26| miles ; width east and west, 18| miles ; area in acres, 298,240 — square miles, 44P. Beaver county belongs to the secondary geological formation. Valuable and extensive beds of bituminous coal, with strata of limestone, occur in almost every part of the county. Near Darlington is a bed of cannel coal, eight or ten feet thick and greater, under which is a foot or more of good common bituminous coal. This cannel coal is also found in other parts of the county, and near to the Beaver and Ohio rivers. Cannel coal is light, compact, ignites easily and quickly, and burns with a strong blaze. Much of it is sent, during the naviga- tion of the Erie canal, to New York city for the making of gas. Coal No. 4, known as the Cannel coal vein, can be almost always found when sought at the proper horizon ; but with few exceptions is thin and of no value — or of but little. In the valley of the Little Beaver river it lies near the grade of railroad, and near Cannelton there is a " pocket " varying in thickness from three to twenty-two feet of cannel, underlaid with one foot of bituminous of such purity that it is hauled by wagons for use by blacksmiths for twenty miles around. The quality of the cannel is such as to compete with the English and Peytonia cannclsj and for its cheerfulness and cleanliness has become the favorite household fuel of New York City. The sales to that city alone will aggregate ten thousand tons annually during the past twenty years. The cannel coal was first discovered here in 1832, and was known as slate coal commonly, and a mine opened. The selling price was so low for a number of years as to supply the place of wood, having twice the heating-power of wood, and igniting as easily. About the year 1850 a railroad was built from the mine to the Pittsburgh, Port Wayne, and Chicago railroad, and during the past twenty-five years the mine has been steadily worked. During the forty-three years' operation, over one hundred acres have been mined out ; and still the supply seems to be mexhaustable. The coal is underlaid with a " mother " shale which is literally full of fossil remains, fishes and mollusks. Suites of beautiful preserved fossils from this mine forni the pride of many cabinets in Europe as well as in our own country. Iron ore of various kinds has been and is to be found in many parts of the countj'. That part of the county which lies on the south side of the Ohio river is somewhat hilly, but generally more of a rolling character, much cut with streams of water, and relieved by many fine valleys of good, rich bottom lands, and altogether well suited for sheep husbandry and the cultivation of wheat and the cereal grains. That part being on the north side of the Ohio is of a rolling, gently undulating surface, excepting points immediately upon the banks of the rivers, and the soil is well adapted to every variety of farming and stock raising. The county has been justly distinguished since the year 1830 for the quantity 342 H18T0BT OF PENNSYLVANIA. and quality of its wool. Bituminous coals of excellent quality, cannel coal^ limestone in inexhaustable quantities, fire clays, suitable for making lire bricks for furnaces, etc., superior free sandstone, for building, are to be found in many localities in great abundance, and at the most advantageous points for economical use and for transportation abroad. There are few places to be found anywhere where so many and great advantages are offered for manufacturers as are possessed by Beaver county. Among these may be named that which first attracts the attention of strangers, viz., the greatness of the water power — particularly of the Beaver river, and the great ease with which it can be made available for manufacturing and mechanical purposes ; and its other advantages for the economical manufacture and transportation of raw material and various articles of merchandize. The Ohio river aflfords one of the cheapest modes of transportation to and from the largest extent of country and population than by any other river or mode of conveyance of raw or manu- factured goods. Railroads, running to all points of the compass, afford addi- tional facilities for speedy travel and transportation, the advantages of which to manufacturers are steadily' on the increase. It is only recently, and since the close of the late war, that the great advan- tages of this county for economical manufacturing have been generally or widely appreciated by manufacturers or capitalists. This was owing to several causes ; a few of the most prominent and infiuential of which may be stated : In the first place, danger from the Indians prevented settlers and enterprising people from venturing into the territory west of the Ohio until after 1796, and compara- tively few even of those who had previously bought from the State and paid it for tracts of land, dared venture to make improvements for some years after that time ; and those who first entered were mostly farmers. And another cause was that, until after the year 1830, and the completion of the Pennsylvania public improvements from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, the great travel and transportation of merchandise, etc., between the great cities of the east and the country west of the AUeghenies were bj- the way of the New York canals to the lakes, or south by way of Baltimore and the national turnpike to Wheeling, Virginia, and partly over the Pennsylvania turnpike roads from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, and from Pittsburgh down the Ohio by steamboats. And all these missed any sight of Beaver county's natural beauties and advantages. The price of passage in a stage coach from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, for some time before and after 1830, was $18 to $20 and $22 ; and freight charges by Conestoga wagons were, from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, from three cents to five cents per pound; and the time occupied in travel between the two cities in the fastest stage line was three and one-half to four days and nights ; and even until the railroads from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh were in operation, or until telegraphic lines were established, an answer to a letter sent from Beaver post oflBce could not be received at that office in less time than eight to ten days. And even after the completion of the public works, and until about the close of our last war, the close proximity of Beaver to Pittsburgh, instead of working to promote the growth of Beaver county, operated to its disadvantage in various ways. The Pittsburghers labored to impress upon strangers from the East and elsewhere who were looking and inquiring for sites to engage in the erection of BEAVER COUNTY. 343 works, factories, &c., that coal in Pittsburgh was so cheap, and an engine of sufficient power for their purposes would cost so little, and could be got upon such terms there, and which could all be paid out of their daily profits, and had so many hard things to urge against water power generally, and there particularly, that they — seekers — were deterred from locating in Beaver county. Another fact — as argued — which operated against establishing industrial works in Beaver, was that Beaver county had no banking accommodations ; whereas, Pittsburgh had a great abundance of banking and exchange facilities ; that while a business man or a manufacturer wishing to get his bills of exchano-e cashed would be required, under the rules, if living out of the county city— to furnish two acceptable city endorsers, or go to a broker and pay him according as he could make terms. Before the Pennsylvania public improvements were completed, the market for flour, grain, manufactured goods of all kinds, was the " home market " and the Ohio river and western waters, up to the year 1830. The war of 1812 with Great Britain caused a check upon the growth and prosperity of the county in population and business. Many of the citizens entered the army and went to the frontiers, and generally supported the government most zealously. The law of April, 1792, opened up the " territory north and west of the Ohio " to occupancy, which was previously an uninhabited wilderness, and had been in possession of the Indians until after General Wayne's treaty of Green- ville in 1795, and for a year or more thereafter considered to be unsafe for families to settle in. Under this law of 1792 great troubles arose, and great litigation and almost never-ending lawsuits grew out of disputes between those claiming '' title under purchase from the State," and those claiming under "settlement and improvement." This retarded the growth and improvement of Beaver for more than fifty years. One case may be named as a proof for this. General Daniel Brodhead, an officer in service under General George Wash- ington, when in command at Fort Pitt, became well acquainted with the " Falls of Beaver and the Black Walnut Bottom on the west side of Beaver river." Aware of the great value of the site for manufacturing purposes, when this law of April, 1792, was passed, he, on the day of its passage, made purchase of warrants for two tracts of four hundred acres each, covering the Black Walnut Bottom and the " middle falls of Beaver." In August, 1801, he sold these two tracts of land to David Hoopes, of Chester county, for three thousand dollars, receiving one hundred dollars on account, binding himself to make good title and give possession at a fixed time. David Hoopes, with a company of friends, went out the same year to take possession of the land, and to begin building mills, etc., but found it in possession of " settlers," claiming the land under " settlement and improvement." He was obliged to buy fiftj' acres, embracing some of the bottom and water power, and the next year began making improvements. An iron-blast furnace was built, also a grist-mill, saw-mill, &c. ; and in 1806 a town plot was made, lots sold, and under various firms — Hoopes, Townsend & Co. ; J. Wilson & Co. ; Barker, Greege & Co. ; and 0. Ormsby. Until the year 1818, a large business was done in the " Brighton " estate, when, owing to the general financial depression, the furnaces could not be worked with profit, and the mills, furnace, forge, &c., were permitted to become dilapi- 344 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. dated and ruinous. Previous to this time, the Harmony Society, then located in Butler county, would have purchased the place — these two tracts of land and the improvements thereon— for $32,000, but for the disputes about the title of a large part thereof. Had it not been-for this defect in title, this numerous and influential society would have taken and improved it instead of removing to the State of Indiana, which they did shortly afterwards. General Brodhead institu- ted suit in the United States Court of Equity in Philadelphia, and obtaining a j udgment, in his favor dispossessed the original settlers, some of them leasing part of the land from him and others leaving the place altogether. The population in 1810 was 12,168, which had increased at the census of 1820 tb 15,340. The most important event during the decade thereafter, causing the increase of population, business, etc., was the coming into the county of the Harmony Society from Harmony, Indiana, in the year 1825, and locating upon ' a large tract of land on the Ohio river, possessing one of the most beautiful of the very many sites for a town or city, upon which they laid out the town of Economy, an4 erected factories, mills, and workshops. The Society added largely to the population, and made a market for many agricultural products, wool, etc. Their industry, economy in gardening, and in fruit culture, had a most inspiring and stimulating effect, constantly growing to the present time. The population had increased by the census of 1830 to 24,206. The influence' of a protective tariff and the United States bank, which had done so much for Eastern Pennsylvania, had for good reached even west and north of the Ohio river to Beaver county. James Patterson, a citizen of Philadelphia, on a visit to Pittsburgh and the West, was by an accident induced to visit Beaver county, in the spring of 1829, and falling in love with the water-power, etc., at Brighton, on the Beaver river, purchased the estate embracing about thirteen hundred acres. The old works were in a state of ruin and decay. He removed his family, machinery, etc., the same year, and began some improvements of the property. He erected a flour-mill, in which, during a number of years, he did a thriving business in purchasing wheat in the country around, making extra family flour for the Philadelphia market. Durmg the working of the Pennsylvania public improvements, large quantities were sent to the East. He also built a cotton factory, spinning coarse yarns for a market, and much of which he had made by local weavers into plaids, checks, etc., and giving employment to many work-peoplfe, spreading more money through the country than had ever been done before. At this time, and until the good effects of the working of the canals, etc., after completion were felt, the price of wheat at the Falls was forty to fifty cents per bushel — fifty cents per day for a laboring man, or a country carpenter ; very good coal delivered for four and one-half to five cents per bushel. The price paid the digger was one cent and five-eighths per -bushel. The purchase and cash price paid to Mr. Oliver Ormsby, of (near) Pittsbui^h, Allegheny county, made quite an inmression, and was the cause of much real estate in the county changing hands and many improvements of importance being made. The progress and completion in the county of the State canal to New Castle, produced a sensible effect upon the spirits of the people and upon values generally. 'I'he people of the county received with great approval the public school law, BEAVER COUNTY. 345 and put it in force by building school-houses, etc., early after its passage, and it has grown with the people since, until it is now a great power for good. The chartering by the State of Pennsylvania of the United States Bank, and establishing a branch thereof in New Brighton, had considerable influence at the time and for a few years thereafter, in stimulating and promoting real busi- ness and improvements, as also of all manner of wild speculation. Manufac- turers and owners of real estate were induced not only to enlarge their fac- tories, and work shops, but to build additional ones, and to embark in new and large business operations, requiring much money, which they were led to believe they could obtain abundantly from their branch bank. Every thing went on swimmingly till the mother bank in Philadelphia failed, and assigned the in- debtedness due to the branch in New Brighton to Philadelphia Bank " Trustees," when great distress and ruin fell upon many of the people and the business of the county, and values of real estate and other property were prostrate and almost entirely without a price in the market. The efleots of the so-called panic of IStS are not to be compared with the consequences of this failure of the United States Bank in Beaver county. Under the labor, influence, and cost of a citizen of the county, a very large amount of these debts due in Beaver county, approximating $200,000, was compromised and paid, by the assignments of cash, real estate, bank stocks, etc., to the very great benefit of debtor and creditor. By these compromises, most of the manufacturers were enabled, at least in a small way, to resume operations, and gradually, but slowly, confidence and business revived again. The population of the county, as per census of 1840, had grown to be 29,368. During the time from 1840 to 1850 the county interests continued to labor under the bad infiuences of the failure of the bank referred to, and the general depres- sion of business and losses incurred by some of her manufacturers by the great fire of 1845 in Pittsburgh, but trade and population gradually improved. The census of 1850 showed the population to be 26,689. This reduction in the number of inhabitants was caused by the act of the Legislature, March 20, 1849,' by which a part of Beaver county territory was taken to form Lawrence county, and Beaver lost thereby 9,130 of her citizens. The contract for build- ■ ing the Ohio and Pennsylvania railroad through this county was made April 24, 1850. The first locomotive passed up Be^iver creek as far as Block House run, July 30, 1851. The first " excursion train " came from Pittsburgh, 23d October, 1851, and passed beyond the summit towards Alliance, Ohio. Under the influence of general prosperitj'^ in the East, and under the hopes inspired, by the railroad enterprises in and through the county, an eastern company purchased, in 1853, through a real estate agent, James Patterson's estate, mills, etc., at Brighton, on the Beaver, and also from Ovid Pinney his large property at Rochester, on the Ohio. Great expectations were formed of the gqod results to the general interests from this purchase and the improve- ments which were expected to follow. But after a very sickly existence and unwise management, and the loss of the cotton factory and the original machinery therein from fire, by the act of an incendiary, and much damage to the property otherwise, the company utterly failed, and the owner, holding a mortgage for most of the purchase monej-. had a long and most vexatious suit 346 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. at law to dispossess them, and was sued for $10,000 damages, because in the deed of mortgage it was stipulated that one per cent, should annually be paid, over six per cent., to cover State or municipal taxes upon money at interest. The census of 1860 finds the population to be 29,140. The panic of 1857 had a very bad influence upon business in the county, as had also the two first years of our late war. The great majority of the people sustained the Government in the war with great zeal and spirit, promptly furnishing volunteers and recruits for the army as required of them, and as promptly paid all taxes and income. Each borough and township was made a military district, and furnished its quota of men as they were called, and paid their recruits in cash at the time, the bounty agreed upon to each, the county incurring no debt or obligation for this purpose. And owing to this fact the county has for a number of years past been free from debt. There is probably no county in the State which in proportion to popular- tion put more soldiers in the army than did Beaver. An effort was made during two sessions of Congress, in the years 1861-2 and 1802-3, to induce the government to purchase the Brighton estate, with its great water powers, for the erection of a National armory for making large and small guns, and for which a committee of National engineers, appointed by the government in 1825, had recommended it after careful examination of many sites in the West — but which, owing mainly to the opposition of the Pittsburgh " Board of Trade," which pressed for its location in Pittsburgh — was unsuccessful. Failing to induce manufacturers or capitalists from abroad to buy and improve the property for their own and the general benefit, the Harmony Society of Economy undertook the task to induce private manufacturers to buy lots, water powers, etc., and in that way do in a retail way what Mr. Patterson had. failed to do by wholesale. The Societj', accordingly, in the year 1866, had made a new survey of the town — Brighton — very much enlarging its boundaries, and appointed H. F. & J. Reeves, real estate agents, to oficr for sale building lots, water lots, houses and lots, etc., etc., at low prices to improvers. The lots sold quickly under this management, and the town grew in population and business very rapidly, and the people asked to be incorporated into a borough, and were so in the year ISVO. It is now believed to be the largest manufac- turing town in this county, and one of the largest in Western Pennsj'lvania, outside of Pittsburgh. The population as per the census of 1870 was 3,112. The tiixables assessed in December, 1875, were 1,104 (eleven hundred and four) ; niunber of children enrolled January 1, 1876, was 782 (seven hundred and uiglity-two). The whole population will not therefore be less than 4,500. The census of 1870 makes the whole population of Beaver 37,612, and it is at tliis time [1876] over 45,000. The population increase per cent, from 1850 to 1800 was nine (9) per cent. ; from 1860 to 1870 it was twenty-five (25) per cent. The old Pennsylvania Beaver division of the canal owned by the Erie canal company, which for many years had been doing no good to the company or the people, was sold, and the Harmony Society finally became the owner of the title, then sold off the dams, canal-bed, and tow-path, from the lower end of New Brighton up the river to the mouth of the Conequenessing creek — which makes the water power available for manufacturing purposes much greater at Beaver BHAVjER COVNTY. 347 Falls than ever before. The Erie canal used for passing boats very much of the water, and wasted much more needlessly, and doing little good most of the time. Much is said and often repeated of the hardships and sufferings endured by " the early pioneers " who first settled upon our frontiers to clear up the land and make themselves a home and a farm ; but their lives and fortunes are most happy and successful when compai'ed with the lives and fortunes of those who first undertook the task of improving the natural advantages and to build up a business for their own and the country's best welfare in this county. The whole history and experience of those who first began the improvements on the Beaver at Brighton, from Hoopes, Townsend & Co., until Oliver Ormsby became the owner, showed nothing but a continual contest with adverse circumstances and obstructions of all sorts, and of troubles, and discords, and opposition from their neighbors, and while Jjeing friends were themselves very ttnfriendly one with another ; and which continued as long as most of the parties lived, and exists with some to this day. A gentleman who was one of the firms owning and operating the works, and the best business man of them all, left Beaver county with so strong a hatred and antipathy to those people and the place, that he would not put his foot ashore in Beaver county, when he came up to receive a certain sum of money from Mr. Patterson, and to deliver an important title paper which he had held. The future prospects for the county are most promising. A railroad, the Pittsburgh and Erie, has been recently located, from Pittsburgh coming down the Ohio through this county on the south side, crossing the Ohio at Beaver, and running up the Beaver from there through Fallston, Beaver Falls, etc., up to the junction of the Mahoning river, beyond, westward and northward. In the not far distant future, the valleys on the sides of our rivei-s presenting the routes of iron railways built at low grades, and being made at a cheaper cost than they have been hitherto, will carry freights at all seasons, at a rate and under circumstances which shippers will prefer to any thing which could be offered even upon an improved navigation of the Ohio river. This, too, would work greatly to the benefit of Beaver county, where exist so many of the elements required for economical manufacturing. In a short time, too, the coal now sent down southward by the Ohio from Pittsburgh will not be required there, which will work much in favor of manufacturers in Pittsburgh and vicinity. Bkaver borough was laid out by the State surveyor and ' approved and con- firmed by the Assembly, March 6, 1793. The site is that upon which General Mcintosh built the fort named after him in I'T'TS. The town was first named Mcintosh, but subsequently called after the name of the stream. General Washington, on an exploring expedition down the Ohio, A.D. 17Y0, stopped at the mouth of Beaver, and speaks of the site in his diary as a fine body of land. It was also the site of a so-called French built town as early as 1754. The lots of ground as laid out were sold on the 12th day of July, by commis- sioners appointed for the purpose, viz., David Bradford, James Marshall, and Andrew Swearingen. The sale began in Washington, Pa., and continued from day to day, and finished August 12, 1793, nearly all of the lots being sold. Among the first purchasers, and who afterwards moved to the town, wei'e James Allison, Robert Jo'an, and Charlie T>n.vidson, Guion Grccr, Thom.as 348 HI8T0BT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Henry, David Johnston, Samuel Johnston, Joseph Lawrence, and James Lyon The town was formed into a borough, March 29, 1802, and originally esrtended east of the Beaver, including much of what is now Rochester and all Bridgewater. Beaver is beautifully situated on a high plateau of land, giving a large view of the Ohio on both sides above and below the town, which is rarely equalled. It 13 favored with very good and never-failing springs of water, conveyed In pipes generally through the streets ; the atmosphere is pure and healthy, as the county generally is proved to be ; and th3 population by the census of 1870 was 1,120. It has recently made rapid increase in numbers and in value of general improvements. -There is no place on the river better suited as a place for a home, churches, and schools, with quiet and good order prevailing. Prior to 1829, the Presbyterian brick church, now standing, was the only one south of Darlington and for many miles up or down the river. In this church the Rev. A. B. Quay was pastor, and alternated his labors between it aad the service of the Coloniza- tion Society as their agent, according as his health permitted. He was a scholar and Christian minister of zeal and great service to his church and society. He died here worn out in tho service, much respected and regretted. The first Methodist church was erected about 1830. The present building is of recent construction. There are also TTnited Presbyterian and Roman Catholic churches. The "Beaver* College sad Musical In- stitute," well-known and very highly appreciated, is located here, of which the Hon. Daniel Agnew is president and Rev. R. T. Taylor principal. At the upper end of the town is the " Beaver Female Seminary," under the charge of the Rev. Tho- mas Kennedy, and is in a prosperous and promi- sing condition. Bridgewater borough was foimed from a portion of Beaver, a part of Sharon, and another small part o? Fallston, and lies along the Beaver from Fallston line down to the Ohio river. The population by the census of 1870 was 1,119, and it is estimated by resident citizens to have much increased in numbers since that time. There are three iron foundries, two saw, and one grist mill ; two wagon factories, three tanneries, and many minor industries. Tlie first bridge across the Beaver river is at this place, and is a good, solid Pennsylvania bridge. Robert Dsrragh, a very early pioneer in Beaver county, opened a store at this locality. He served one term as State Senator from Beaver and Washington. He d ed at the advanced age <^f ninety-five. The Hon. .John Dickey lived in the b( oads of this borough many years, and died in it. Wm. Davidson, George Hi»d8, and John Boles, settled here at an early (late. BEAVER COLtiEOE AT BEAV>iR. BEAVER COUNTY. 349 The " Beaver Point," on the Ohio end of the borough, is a beautiful locatioti at the junction of tlie Ohio and Beaver rivers. It was for many years a great for- warding place for agricultural products down the river Ohio, and the landing and storing of goods from New Orleans, upwards, and from Pittsburgh, further east. The land at this point was bought earlj^ after 1803 by the Harmony Society, upon which they built a warehouse for storing goods received and shipped by the river, and which thej- sold before their removal from Butler county, ^S rist It was used for the same purpose as late, at least, as 1850. Upon the locks of the canal entering the Ohio, was erected the first steamboat built for carrying passengers to and from Beaver to Pittsburgh, by John Dickey and others, of a size as they calculated would pass through those locks. It did pass through once, and was found to be too tight a fit, coiisuming too much time in the transit. She ran for a time from below the locks, and it being found that she was too small for that trade, was sold to go down the river, and the steamboats Beaver, Falls- ton, and New Castle were subsequently built and put in successful operation, landing for a time at this place, and also at Rochester, where large warehouses were erected to accommodate the trade. Pallston is built on the west bank of the Beaver on a narrow bottom, at the foot of a high bluff or hill, and was as early as 1830 famous for the variety of its manufactures. It was at that time the chief and almost only point of mechanical and manufacturing industrj' in the county, excepting at Economy. Wool, paper, linseed oil, scythes, baskets, carpets, lasts, etc., were among the manufactures of the town in that day, but do not now exist there, and are superseded by larger and more important works. A road under the hills, called the " narrows," about a mile long, lies between this place and Beaver Falls. A good substantial covered bridge divides it from New Brighton, which last named place owes much of its population and wealth to the people and industries of this always busy and industrious town. About one-third of the distance between Beaver Falls and Fallston there is a dam Duilt across the Beaver for the common use of New Brighton and Fallston. The water power which this dam and the race-way affords is immense, each side being entitled to one-half thereof. A race-way is conducted down the narrows through the town to the works where it gives some seventeen <»r eighteen feet fall for use. It was among the first to improve the power of these water-falls for manufactur- ing purposes. John Pugh and Evan Pugh, David Townsend, Benjamin Town- send, Abel Townsend, and Thomas Thorniley, were among the early settlers. Miner, Champlin & Co., in 1828, established a factory for making buckets, tubs, etc., which became in time a great business, and at a later daj' under the firm of Miner & Merrick, was one of the very best managed and most successful works of the kind in tliis country. Owing to the nature of the enterprise and the ilevelopment of the West the enterprise could no longer be made to pay, and it iS (lead. In 1826 a wire-works was erected and started by Reese, Townsend & Co William P. Townsend & Co., the present proprietors, have in recent years built a solid and perfect stone building of large capacity for the business. A large business has been successfully carried on for some years past in making superior white lead kegs. Besides these establishments, there are the extensive saw-mills of Miner & Co. ; M. & S. H. Darragh's machine and engine works 350 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Herron & Kennedy's flour and grist-mill ; and John Thorniley's stove foondry. The town has grown and extended over the second bench or plateau, south of the water-power Wiorks. In 1831 an academy was built which was used foi educational and religious purposes. The Presbyterians of the Falls of Beaver generally were organized into a church body, and had children baptized in it shortly after its erection by the Rev. Mr. Hughs, of Darlington, before the church building was erected in New Brighton. The history of manufactures in. this place is very suggestive, particularly in an economical view. In 1830, and for a short time before and after that period wool cardiug for the far- mers was a large business of the place. The far- mers would bring their wool here to be carded, and when done would take it home ■ and spin it into yarn, and either weave it at home or bring it, which was most com- monly the case, to the woolen-mills to be made into goods for male ai^d female wear. lu a short time, however, they came to believe it best to sell their wool for cash, and trade in the stores for goods for wearing apparel. This ruined the business of wool carding, and in a great degree the business of the woolen factories. New Brighton is sitifatcd on the eastern side of the Beaver, and is con- nected with Beaver Falls by a covered toll bridge built and finished by Le Barron in 1833-4, and is a solid structure. A short distance above this the iron bridge of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago railroad company crosses it also. In 1829 David Townsend purchased from Thomas Bradford, of Philadelphia, the tract of land, No. 93, upon which the best part of the town has been since built. M r. Townsend had purchased this tract by articles of agreement from the latter, some considerable time previous, but paid no money on it, but was to pay 2,000 dollars on a fixed day in the summer or early autumn of 1829. As early as 1801, David and Benjamin Townsend bought tract No. 94. Tract No. 95 was bought by James Patterson in July, 1829, from Oliver Ormsby, the title to the tract being then in the name of David Shields, of Allegheny county, as it had been from an early day. In 1829 the only improvement upon No. 94 was the house of W. Webster and that of the large stone flour mill, unfinished, and perhaps a small one story bouse near where the VIEW OP NEW BRIGHTON. [From a Photograph b]r n. Koss, New Brighton.] BEAVEB UOUNTY. 35I Novelty Works now are, and back east of the rising ground. Benjapiin Towu- send had thea built the house where E. P. Townsend now lives. The town, as it now stands, covers the western end, or part of the two f b6nches," of them, Nos. 95, 94, 9.3, 92, and 91. The manufacturing business of the counties was then mainly done in Fallston, and the owners of the works lived there. After the purchase of No. 93, David Townsend laid it out as the streets, etc., are now ; the No. 94 was previously laid out as it is now. The first improvements, except the stone mill, were begun on No. 92. This town has its water powers under the control of a water company, as has the Fallston owners their water powers ; and they both joined a short time ago in building a strong and safe new dam, and made also improvements in their race-way and head-gates. They have now under good and safe command a very large water power of about eighteen feet fall. There were built and started many works upon this race-way for various kinds of manufacture. Circumstances have changed the character of many of them ; fire destroyed some, and for various reasons the business in others has been altered. When David Townsend died, his executors sold the lots at public sale, and many of them were purchased by business men in Fallston, who built and improved upon them and themselves occupied them. By the progress of the canal to completion and when completed, through the town, a great impulse was given to its growth. The establishment of the U. S. Branch Bank here also helped it greatly, but the finishing of the Ohio and Pennsylvania railroad to the town, with the great partiality of the engineers and oflflcers shown to it, made a wonderful addition to its business and advancement. To all these good influences may be added the fact, that large tracts of laud, north-west of New Brighton, owned by the heirs of Benjamin Chew, Senr., were put into market and sold rapidly to good, industrious settlers, who cleared the lands and improved the markets and business of the town ; to this also was added the same effects caused by the sales of large tracts of land owned by Thomas Bradford, by his grandson, B. R. Bradford, as agent resident in Beaver county. New Brighton suffered severely, as did the whole of the county, by the fail- ure of the United States Bank. Adversities from various causes were visited, and fell upon some individuals and business firms ; but the general course of the town has been very successful, much more so than usual with young towns in a new country. There lived, and yet are living, in this town numbers of persons who deserve to be mentioned and gratefully remembered for their influence upon the indus- tries and growth of this town, Fallston, and the county generally, prominent among whom was John Pugh. He was a professional miller, and did much, in his purchase of wheat for his mills in Fallston, to promote the agricultural inte- rests of the county ; and as a president of the Branch Bank, in co-operation with the cashier. Dr. W. H. Denny, did much to promote business at the Falls and in tlie county generally. Robert Townsend was a model business man, and a friend to the Falls. David Townsend, William Townsend, Benjamin Wilde, John Miner, Silas Merrick, W. T. Kennedy, and others, both living and dead, were most influential. 353 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. The town is now lighted by gas, and is steadily improving, and is altogether a delightful place of residence, and destined to a much larger growth. The industries of New Brighton are deserving of special notice in a descrip- tion of the town, but our limited space forbids. In 1842, the Keystone woolen mills was established for the manufacture of cloths and cassimeres, by William Wilde, who for a period of over thirty years successfully managed the enterprise. It is now owned by Mr. Bancroft, of New York, who proposes to devote the manufacture chiefly to flannels and water-proof. In addition to these works, there are the Novelty Works, employed in the manufacture of knitting machines, tliree large flouring mills, the Pennsylvania bridge and machinery works of White & Sons, Merrick's grate and front works, and the Pioneer flax mills of Bently & Gerwig, all giving employment to a large number of persons, and by •tlieir success adding much to the prosperity of this enterprising borough. There are nine churches of as many denominations. The site upon which Brighton and Beaver Falls was in part first laid out had the first improvements made upon it in the summer of 1801 b}' David Hoopes & Co., who had made the purchase previously referred to, but were obliged to pur- chase again from the occupant fifty acres, and some time thlreafter another fifty acres, on -which the erection of a grist and saw mills, forge, charcoal furnace for pigs, hollow-ware, stoves, etc., was commenced and put into successful operation. In 1806, Isaac Wilson & Co., now the owners, had surveyed and laid out a plot of a town and sold lots to improvers, built dwelling-houses, etc., and a large business was done, to the great benefit of the county, by the four or five firms which succeeded each other as owners in quick succession. They called the new town " Brighton." Oliver Ormsby kept the works in operation, under the super- intendence of James Glen and John Dickey, until about 1818, when, owing to the general depression in business, caused by the peace of 1814 with England, which removed all let and hindrance to English and other foreign iron and other manu- factured goods flooding our country, to the ruin of home industry and all values, and to other causes, it suspended. Thus this place and its work, for so many years the chief and almost the only point of manufacturing industry in the county, remained dead in ruins, until the year 1829, when it was purchased by James Patterson, long a citizen of Philadelphia, from Mr. Ormsby, and under his labors and expenditures it again was rebuilt, and became a point from which considerable money was spread abroad through the county and countiy around in the payment of labor, wheat, wool, etc., for twenty years and more. Mr. Patterson had great difficulty in consummating the purchase with Ormsby, inconsequence of he and the other owners of Gen. Brodhead's title to the land, having brought in a bill of $10,000 damages against the General for money they had been obliged to pay to those in possession for wool, ores, land, etc., which they held against the balance due the General for the original purchase from him — he not having given them possession, as he was bound to have done. The General's heirs would not make deed without the balance due being paid them. Mr. Pat- terson, to avoid law suits and trouble, agreed, finally, to pay the amount due the General's heirs. Notwithstanding all this, he was destined to contend at law through many vexatious and costly damaging suits, to make good his titles and become free from his opponents, who were many and influential. BBAVER COUNTY. 353 The suits growing out of the disputed parts of the two portions of land sold by General Brodhead to David Hoopes & Co., in 1801 — and which the former began in the United States Court in Philadelphia in 1812, and obtained a judg- ment in his favor and Jiad the United States marshal dispossess the occupants — were, unfortunately, not terminated finally until about the year 1865 or '6, when the United States Supreme Court in banc decided the last of them in favor of James Patterson, which made General Brodhead's title good ; after there having been in his favor one verdict in Beaver County Court, affirmed in the State Supreme Court, and twice in the United States District Court of Pennsylvania. It was the same case in which, when one of the lawyers was pleading before Judge David Green, for a new trial, a verdict having been rendered for Mr. Patterson, the judge on the bench said to him, " that in all his experience, which whether as a surveyor, a lawyer, or a judge, in Pennsylvania State, county, and in the United States courts, he had never known a case of land ejectment come into court so weak in every respect as this one which he was attorney for, nor one so strong and clear as that of the plaiatiflf, Mr. Patterson." These suits were costly and more vexatious and very injurious to the best interests of the country, and were prosecuted not by the original settlers, or claimants, but by neighboring proprietors, who, while improving their own properties, were tempted to disregard " party lines" in doing so, owing to the absence and neglect of the owner of the Brighton estate. Irf the year 1830 Brighton had no post office. In 1831 James Patterson was appointed postmaster, when by law it was entitled to a mail by horse twice a week. The postmaster carried it at his own expense daily for many years from Beaver town. There are now thirty-eight post offices in the county, and Beaver Palls receives two mails daily from the East by rail and one from the West. Lease & Robertson, paper makers, made agreement with Mr. Patterson to build a paper mill in Brighton, in 1831, to be driven by steam power, for which, and heat- ing purposes, the latter agreed to supply the coal from his coal banks, delivered at the mill, for ten years time for four and a-half cents per bushel. Experienqp proved the fact to Mr. Robertson, after running his mill by steam power some years, that he could make paper much more economically b3' water power than by that of steam, even with coal costing under four and a-half cents per bushel, when he bought land and water-power at the head of the Falls, and built a paper mill, which he operated successfully many years, allowing his steam mill to go to decay and ruin, after removing such paper machinery as he could use in his new mill. Mr. Robertsoij, in the manufacture of paper and wall paper, gave employment to many, thereby aiding in promoting the general interest. Having failed in his last efforts to make sale of the whole property to the United State government, for an armory and foundry for big cannon, Mr. Patterson surrendered the property to the Harmony Society, who undertook the task of inducing private parties to buy by retail lots for dwellings, water lots for mills, etc. They revised the plot of Brighton, very much enlarging it, extend- ing it along the Beaver nearly if not qiiite, three miles, over ground remarkably well suited by nature for a town or city, and changed its name from Brighton to that of Beaver Falls. One reason for this change was that the place had been Bnown by the name of Beaver Falls in the county in its earliest days ; and 354 HISTOB Y OF PENNSYL VANIA. another reason, that New Brigliton having, under the influences of the canal passing through it, and afterwards by the Ohio and Pittsburgh railroad stopping in it and passing through its streets and much favoring it, grown much larger than " Brighton " — people were in the habit of dropping " New " and calling their town Brighton, and calling Brighton proper " Old Brighton." This made confusion, and the people of Brighton were willing to adopt a name about which there could be no other " claimant " — at least in' the county. VIEW OF BEAVER PALLS. rFrom a Pencil Sketch, bj RobJohnr] Beaver Falls has now grown to be one of the most important and well-estab- lished manufacturing and successful business towns, not only in the county, but in Western Pennsylvania. In the census of 1870 the population was found to be 3,112, which at present exceeds 4,500. There has been built upon a triangular lot, surrounded by sixty-feet streets — the gift of the Society — a large, three- story school-house, at a cost of somewhere near $30,000, for the public schools. The town begins south of the toll bridge across the Beaver, connecting Beaver Falls with New Brighton, and just at the mouth, or northern end, of the road called the " narrows," on the banks of Beaver, between Fallston and Beaver Falls, the hills bearing to the north-west for some distance, and then turning to bear north-eastward, and the Beaver shore bearing from the bridge north-east- wardly for some distance, and then bending north-westward, makes the plot of the town and valley much in the shape of a pear — the narrows being the stem. In it is the toll bridge — the bridge of the Pittsburgh and Chicago railroad. The width of the Beaver where this railroad bridge crosses the river is five hundred BEAVER COUNTY. 855 feet. The first Jam above this bridge across the Beaver is seven hundred and forty feet long, giving a fall of water for mill purposes of about twenty feet, flowing the water back nearly two miles, near to another dam across that stream, aflfording a fall of about the saipe value, and flowing a pool of water back about seven miles to the mouth of the Conequenessing creek. The town extends north of this dam for a considerable distance. These two dams can and will at a very early day be made to give jointly not less than forty feet of fall, witli a much greater supply of water than was ever at command for mill and manufac- turing purposes. In the hills lying west of the town are veins of very good bituminous coal. Those mostly now worked are a little over three feet thick. The hills also on the east bank of the river have the same veins with a greater thickness. The Pittsburgh and Chicago railroad runs at the foot of the hills on the west side of the town. There is a gas company, which supplies the borough with gas for the town lamps, etc., etc. There is also a water company, which may be said at present to consist of the Harmony Society, which has put up water works, pumping the water for general use from a very large supply under the rocks underlying the town, by improved machinery and great power. Pipes are laid through most of the streets, and many houses supplied thereby. The industries of Beaver Falls are on such a large scale and of such vast importance that although it would be desirable to describe them fully, we can merely allude to them, to show how extensive are the manufacturing facilities of the town, a very Pittsburgh in miniature, and rapidly growing in wealth and consequence. Steel works of Abel Pedder & Co., started in 1875 ; Beaver Falls cutlery, one of the first enterprises built in the town, giving employment to over three hundred persons, including one hundred Chinese brought from the Pacific in 1873; the Pittsburgh hinge company and Western file companj^ have large and extensive works ; the axe and hoe works of Joseph Graff & Com- pany ; Beaver Falls company's operative foundry ; saw works of Emerson, Ford & Co. ; Economy stove and hollow ware works ; shovelworks, H. M. Meyers & Co. ; and the Beaver Tails flour mills. In addition to the foregoing extensive manufacturing establishments, there are quite a number which, although of minor importance, in the aggregate employ many hands, such as planing mills, casket works, machine shops, foun dries, paper mill, carriage and glass works ; and beside all these industries, there are several coal mines — the whole going to make up such varied manu- facturing enterprises, that show the active means of the prosperity of Beav-er Falls. Economy. — The site of this town of economy and industry was purchased by Rev. George Rapp for the Harmony Society, then living in New Harmony, Indiana, and to which the Society removed in the year 1825, having lived ten years, increasing in numbers and wealth during their residence there, although previously, as a Society, living in Harmony, Butler county. Pa., ten years prior to their moving to Indiana. This site, upon which they built their new town of Economy, is one of the most beautiful anywhere upon the banks of the Ohio or elsewhere. It is on elevated ground, sloping gently back 356 HISTOEY OF PENNSYLVANIA. from the river. Their number then above seven hundred souls ; and at once began the erection of dwellings, mills, and factories, such as are usually necessary for so large a population in a busy manufacturing town. Rev. George Rapp, as spiritual head, "Father," and Frederick Rapp, as temporal business manager, were still with them as in Butler county and in Indiana State. Their thus coming again into Pennsylvania had very great influence upon the general interests and prosperity of this county, which continued to increase by their enterprise and their power for good to all. They built an extensive y r ASSEMBLY HALL AT ECONOMY. woolen factory, where a very large quantity of wool was manufactured into blankets, sattinets, etc., for which they purchased large quantities of the wool raised in the county ; they erected a cotton factory, spinning coarse cottons for sale, and weaving much of it into sheetings, shirtings, and many other branches of manufactures ; and cleared and cultivated many acres of good lands. Everything went on prosperously until the appearance in the society of a man calling himself Count Leon — an enthusiast and impostor, as he finally proved himself to have been — when, under his influence and that of the women and others brought with him, discord and ill-feelings arose, which ended in a division of the society, about one-third of their number leaving the Society with Count Leon, under the wise counsels of Father Rapp, by a compromise, paying them in cash one hundred and five thousand dollars ($105,000) to leave the place altogether, which they did. They purchased and formed a new society, under Leon, at what is now known as Phillipsburg, on the Ohio, opposite Beaver. The Society, after the departure from among them of the discontented, lived prosperously and happy under the lead of " Father Rapp " until his death, which occurred on the 7th of August, 184T. He was a most remarkable man in BEAVER COUNTY. 357 many , respects. " He made and left his impress on the Society, which ^till exists as he left it, only with diminution in numbers." And it may be further said, that this impression was even more remarkable upon those of the Society who left it with Leon, after having been long years under his training and spiritual influences — that while going out with Leon and into the world to do for them- selves, as many did from the time of first leaving, and all of them afterwards, each and all of them continued without exception to conduct themselves as good citizens, moral and upright, and many of them to-day are among the best people of the county. The influence of the Society was all good and influential in all the country around them, in economy, gardening, farming generally, sheep raising, etc. Upon the death of George Rapp, R. L. Baker and Jacob Henrici were formally • elected trustees of the society, and took charge of all temporal interests. Under their administration, as the numbers of the society decreased naturally, and their factories ceased to be operated at horne, they extended their attention, under the special care particularly of Mr. Jacob Henrici, to outside enterprises, as had not been done during the lifetime of Father Rapp, and with great and marked benefit to the interests of the Society and to the objects and neighborhoods where this attention and influence were directed. During the lifetime of Mr. Baker, the reputation and respect for these trustees as good business men, of large and liberal views, were generally very much increased. The influence of the Society, under their trusteeship, extended far and wide. They showed them- selves ready and willing to aid every good work which promised to promote the public welfare. Though conscientiously non-combatants, they were most zealous and hearty supporters of the government during the war, and not only contri- buted money for the relief of the soldiers, but paid large bounties for sub- stitutes for any who were drafted for the army, or called for from their military division of the country. Under their direction the Darlington cannel coal field was developed, and a very superior railroad made, some six or seven miles long, from tlie mines extending to New Galilee, connecting with the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago railway. Their means and enter- prise were mainly instrumental in making the Little Saw-Mill railroad, which brought and brings yet out such large quantities of good coal of so much benefit to the many rolling mills and other interests in that neighborhood and for export. But in the midst of this beneficial labor, R. L. Baker, that faithful trustee and good Christian man, died, much beloved and regretted in and out of tiie Society. He lived devoted to what he believed to be religious duty, self- denying, and faithful to all duties. After the death of their beloved " Baker," the Harmonists elected Jonathan Lenz as a trustee with Jacob Henrici — the latter as senior and spiritual leader. Mr. Lenz had been one of the first in the Society, and was greatly respected. Beaver Falls had made much progress in the development of its natural advan- tages, under the care and nursing of Baker and Henrici, in which Mr. Baker had taken great interest, and to whom it owes its name of Beaver Falls ; and this efficient care and interest have been since extended, to the immense benefit of the town and its various interests, and to the whole county, and with a good and ■jertain prospect of valuable pecuniary benefits, in the near future, of the Society. 358 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. And it is firmly believed that " Beaver Falls " will prove to be in all time, as it is now, the most material monument in the memory of the '' Harmony Society " and its trustees, of any other which they may or can leave of the good they have or may do dn earth. The members of the Society are now all old or elderly men and women, with quite a number of persons, mainly young, who live with them. They are the same economical, industrious, frugal people they- ever were. Their church is a fine building, which has a large clock in the steeple, with bells ; and during the whole of the existence of this church and the societj"^ at Economy it would have been and would now be a good lesson of how Christian people should conduct themselves in entering the " House of God," while they re- main there, and for their departure. In this church, upon the bell ringing, the people en- ter, and in a very short time ^all are quietly seated, are grave and soberly attentive during the services, and after, depart orderly, none entering or departing during the time of worship. The trustees, Messrs. Henrici and Lenz are fully and actively occupied in the discharge of all their various and special duties and cares. Their and the Society's whole lives have been examples worthy of study, and, in almost all things, of imitation. Rochester borough is situated on the east side of the Beaver river at the junction of that stream with the. Ohio, and contains about 2,500 inhabitants. It has an extensive front upon the Ohio river, with a very good landing for steamboats to load and unload freights and passengers. It is favorably situated for manufacturing, which is now being carried on to a considerable extent. The Rochefter Tumbler company's glass works is located here, and doing a large business ; also the Rochester casket manufactory ; the Rochester foundry • Pen- dleton & Bros.' fire-brick works; Scott, Boyle & Williams' lumber yard and saw mill company; L. H. Oatman's lumber yard, saw and planing mills; Monroe Miller & Co.'s planing mills, sash and door factory ; William Miller's planing mill and sash and door factory ; Whitfield & Co.'s planing mill and sash and door factory ; which, together with other minor works, give employment to a large number of employees. The advantages of shipping to all points of the country are unsurpassed. In addition to the Ohio river, there are the Pittsburgh Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad, the Cleveland and Pittsburgh railroad the CHURCH OF THE HARMUSIii'S, ECONOMY. .BEAVEB COUNTY. 359 Brie and Pittsburgh railroad, the Mahoning Valley railroad, the New Castle and Franklin railroad, all passing and stopping here each way. The attention of capitalists was first attracted to this point about 1835. Ovid Pinney came here about that time and purchased a large amount of land, and laid out a town, but owing to the crash of 1838 to 1840, a damper fell on the place, from which it did not recover till 1850, when the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad and the Cleveland and Pittsburgh railroad were com- menced, and a new impetus given to the place. The early pioneers here were the Rev. Francis Reno, and his sons Lewis and William, Atlas E. Lacock, William Porter, George Hinds, Sylvester Dunham, Samuel and John Stiles, Wilson Frazer, John Boles, Charles and John M. Lukens, Hamilton Clark, Clark Parks & Co., James A. Sholes, Frederick C. H. Speyerer, George C. Speyerer The proprietors of the tumbler glass works deserve much credit, for in their enterprise and public spirit, have drilled wells for gas for manufacturing uses at their works, which they have succeeded in obtaining. Philipsbtjrg is situated on the south side of the Ohio river, opposite the moutli of the Beaver river, and was occupied and improved as a boat yard for building steam boats, keel boats, fete, for quite a number of years before 1 832, when they sold the lands and improvements, as stated, to Count Leon. Their purchase included some eight hundred acres of land, which were purchased for the scceders from the Economy Society and others. They changed their name to New Philadelphia Societys and their town New Philadelphia. They erected a hotel, factories, etc., and proposed to rival Economy in manufacturing. . They organized a society, and Count Leon as president, and a board of twelve managers, which lasted some eighteen months, and then dissolved and the property divided. Those that remained after the dissolution of the society formed a company, and carried on a woolen and grist mills for eight years, and then dissolved. Count Leon with his followers went southward. The large buildings were 'sold to Dr. Acker, who opened a water cure, which was highly successful for years. He ^old to Dr. Baels, who also met with success. Here for ten years has been located one of the State's Soldiers' Orphan schools — Pennsylvania's great charity — under the superintendence of Rev. W. G. Taj'lor, D. D. This school has been considered among the best and most suc- cessful of the schools in the State. The school building is 40x44 feet, three stories, with wing.s S0x36 feet. The dwelling is 110x44- feet, four stories. The arrangement and adaptation of these buildings ar^ complete. There are two hundred and ten acres of ground connected with the school. The buildings and grounds wei;e furnished at the private expense of Dr. Taylor. The present popu- lation of the village is about six hundred, of which two hundred are in the Orphans' Home. Philipsburg is a fine site for manufacturing, and will no doubt be so improved if the railroad from Pittsburgh comes down on the south side and crosses the Ohio from there to Beaver. Freedom borough is situated on the north-west bank of the Ohio river above Rochester and adjoining it. It was founded in 1832, by Stephen Philips and Jona- than Betz, who entered into partnership for steamboat building, for which the place was deemed well suited, and where a great many good and large and small boats have been built by this firm and that of Philips and Graham. By the 360 UISTOIi Y OF PAA'iVtf YL VANIA. census of 1870 the population was six hundred and thirty-four, and as the place is prosperous and growing, the present number may be estimated at eight hun. dred. The chief business of the place is steamboat building. The Excelsior Oil Company is located here and do a large business. There is a saw mill, lath, shingle, sash, and door factory, five brick works, and other minor industrial establishments. Darlington is a village nine miles north-west of Beaver, and was a thriving place in stage coach times and before railroads. Since then it has barely held its own. It was many years well and favorably known for its church and academy, where many received from the Rev. Mr. Hughs and other teachers a good education. It is situated on the Little Beaver, in the midst of a thriving country and mining district. There is on the Ohio river, above Freedom, the town of Baden, through which passes the railroad, and also Remington ; and below Beaver, on the Ohio and the Cleveland and Pittsburgh railroad, the large and prosperous town of Industry, and another equally so. Smith's Ferry, at the mouth of Little Beaver, up which creek there are in operation one hundred and fifty producing oil wells, total production of oil being one hundred and ten barrels per day. A pipe three and a half miles long with a branch brings the oil to Smith's Ferry. There are three refineries, two at Smith's Ferry. A growing town, New Galilee, is on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago railway, some seven miles north-west from Beaver Falls, and near to Darlington. Above Beaver Falls on the Beaver and the railroad to Erie and the West, there are Homewood, Clinton, etc. In fact it may be said that along the Ohio through the county and on the railroads, population and towns are almost, and ultimately will be, continuous ; and so in the county up and on the Beaver river, from its mouth to the Lawrence line. A thriving town near the Washington county line ^ould be mentioned. — Frankfort, near which is the Frankfort Springs, a favorite resort for health and recreation in the summer months. ' OBNTENNIAL MEDAI.. — RKVERSB. BEDFORD COUNTY. BY CHARLES N. HIOKOK, BEDPOBD. [In consenting to furnish a synopsis of the early history of Bedford county, the writer anticipated difficulties in producing a full and reliable paper, but until he had fairly commenced the work, he had not the most remote idea of the many obstacles there were in the way of a conscientious performance of this duty, and nothing but the fact that his word had been given to his friend, the general Editor of this work, prevented the relin- quishment, at an early day, of a task, to say the best of it, very discouraging. The data, rendered by the lapse of time obscure and meagre, could be found, even for this short sketch, only after much and laborious search. Circumstances, the occurrence of which were evident, required sometimes weeks of patient labor to establish as facts by the records, and others were substantiated only by incidental and. collateral proofs, almost as legendary as the occurrences themselves. While what has been here recorded as history is, we think, reliable, many things interesting, if orJy they could have been proven true, liave been rejected, because the author was not sure upon which side of the doubtful line that divides romance from history they were located. In the labor incurred, the writer gratefully acknowledges the aid of the following named friends, without whose kind co-ope- ration he is conscious his eflbrts must have proved abortive, viz.: William P. Sohell, John Cessna, Samuel L. Russell, John Mower, John P. Keed, Joseph W. Tate, and Samuel Ket- terman. Esquires, and others.] |HE county of Bedford was created March 9, 1771, by an act of the General Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania, entitled "An act for erecting a part of the county of Cumberland into a separate county ;" and the commissioners appointed to " run, mark out, and distinguish the boundary lines between the said counties of Cumberland and Bedford," were Robert McCrea, William Miller, and Robert Moore. The reason assigned for the erection of the new county was " the great hardships the inhabitants of the western parts of the county of Cumberland lie under, from being so remote from the present seat of judicature and the public offices." The boundary lines were defined as follows, " that is to say, beginning where the Province line crosses the Tuscarora mountain, and running along the summit of that mountain to the gap near the head of Path valley ; thence with a north line to the Juniata ; thence with the Juniata to the mouth of Shaver's creek ; thence north-east to the line of Berks county ; thence along the Berks county line north-westward to the western boundaries of the Province ; thence south- ward, according to the western boundary of the Province, to the south-west corner of the Province ; and from thence eastward with the southern line of the Province to the place of beginning," embracing, as the reader will perceive, the entire south-western portion of the State, from the West Branch of the Susque- hanna and the Cove, or Tuscarora mountain, westward to the Ohio and Virginia line. The lines thus set forth, by the act passed " in the eleventh year of the present reign " (George III.), not being considered sufficiently explicit, a subse- quent act was passed, March 21, 17^2, in which the limits were more definitely explained, " to the end that the boundaries of the county of Bedford may be .Sfil 362 JJI8T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. certainly known," and George Woo'ds, William Elliott, Robert Moore, and Robert McCrea were appointed to carry the order of the General Assembly into effect. The area of this county, once so immense, has been gradually restricted, by the erection of Northumberland county, in 1772, Westmoreland in 1773, Hun- tingdon in 1787, Somerset in 1795, Cambria in 1804, Blair in 1846, and Fulton in 1850 ; and the one jurisdiction has, in time, been divided and sub-divided, until some twenty counties, or portions of counties, now occupy the territory of the original county of Bedford. The name it bears was evidently given to it from the fact that the town of THE PROVINCIAL COURT HOUSE AND JAIL AT BEDFORD. [From a Sketch hy John Mower, Eaq., trnkeo from memoir.] Bedford was selected as its county seat. The town was doubtless so called from the fort of that name there located. In fact, this name was assigned to the town by Governor John Penn, when, by his order, it was laid out in 1766, although it was commonly so designated as early as 1759 or 1760, and there is some i-eason for believing at a still earlier period. The reasons for thus naming the fort are, so far as we can learn, only traditionary. It is more than probable, however, that the tradition, in one instance, is correct, viz. : That the fort erected at Raystown, during the latter part of the reign of George II., received its name in honor of one of the dukes of the house of Bedford, in England. Various other reasons are assigned, but they are, to say the least, questionable. The reasons the writer of this paper has for concluding that the defence known as Fort Bedford was erected toward the close of the reign of King BEDFORD COUNTY. 363 George II., viz., not earlier than 1755 nor later than 1759, are as follows: There is circumstantial and incidental evidence almost as conclusive as positive proof, that protective and defensive works of some kind existed at Raystown (Bedford) for several years prior to General Braddock's expedition in 1755. The earliest traditions are very obscure as to the date of the first settlement of che locality. One Rea, whose previous or subsequent history is unknown, settled there in 1751, and the hamlet and the branch of the Juniata on whose banks it was built, doubtless derived their name from him, but there are intima. tions that there were settlements in the vicinity earlier still, and that fully a decade before Forbes' expedition in 1758, it was a defended settlement, or there was there a defence of some kind to which the settlers, scattered within an area of thirty or forty miles, could fly for protection against the incursions of the savages. Always, prior to that year (1758), so far as we can discover, all letters and ofllcial papers were dated at " Rays- town," " Camp at Rays- town," or " Fort at Rays- town." General Forb6s, while encamped there when on liis expedition for the relief of the gar- rison at Fort Duquesne, dates his letters from " Camp at Raystown." In 1759 and thereafter, these dates change. In August of that year, General Stanwix, on his way to the borders of the Province on Lake Erie, dates his oflBcial papers at » Bedford," and " Fort Bedford." This is the earliest mention we have discovered of " For-t Bed- ford." In July, 1755, immediately after Braddock's disaster, Colonel James Burd proposed cutting a road from Fort Cumberland to "Ray's Town," and suggested erecting a fort at that place, " to shut up the other road and save the back inhabitants." While this proposition of Colonel Burd's might, as isolated evidence, be considered as indicating that no work of defence was in existence at Raystown at that time, there is ample collateral evidence that a fort of some kind was then standing, but from lack of size, or strength, or from decay, it was insufficient for the exigencies of the time, and hence his proposal to build. A fort, such as he suggested, must have been erected prior to 1759. In fact, the " Old Fort House," a view of which we present to our readers, and which is still standing (1876) in good condition, and a large and commodious building for the period in which it was erected, is known to have been THE OLD FORT BEDFORD HOUSE. [From a Pbocograph bj T. R. QeLtys, Bedford.] 364 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. the oflBcers' quarters in the fort before that time, and was designated as the " King's House." The act of 1771, providing for the erection of Bedford county, also contained the following clause, to wit : " That it shall and may be lawful to and for Arthur St. Clair, Bernard Dougherty, esquires ; Thomas Coulter, William Procter, and George Woods, gentlemen ; or any of them, to purchase and take assurance to them and their heirs of a piece of land situate in some convenient place in said town (Bedford), in trust and for the use of the inhabitants of the said county, and thereon to erect and build a court house and prison, sufficient to accommo- date the public service of said county, and for the use and conveniency of the inhabitants." In pursuance of the foregoing, a purchase was made and the deed recorded as the " Deed of James McCashlin to Arthur St. Clair, Bernard Dougherty, George Woods, and William Procter, esquires ; and Thomas Coulter, gentleman, trustees appointed by the General Assembly of the Province to erect a jail and court house in the county of Bedford, for lot No. 6, bounded partly by the public square, dated November 10, 1771, consideration one hundred pounds." The lot No. 6 referred to, is that now occupied by the residence of Mrs. Samuel H. Tate, on the north-east corner of the square. Why the public buildings were not placed there, as at first intended, and were built instead in the north-west quarter of the square, is not now and probably never will be known. There was, howe\ er, so I am informed by several old citizens, a log structure on the comer of this lot (No. 6) temporarily occupied as a court house, and probably built to be used for that purpose, while the more permanent one was in the slow process of erection, and between this building and the north line of the lot, and standing back from Juliann street, to the rear of where H. D. Tate's law office now is, was, in the recollection of many of the present citizens, a low, one-story log house that was built for and used as a jail for several years. A letter we have just been shown by Chief Burgess Sansom, written many years ago by his uncle. Rev. James Sansom, speaks of his father (Rev. James) having delivered the logs for the first court house. The permanent " court house and prison," built on the portion of the square in front of where the Lutheran church now stands, was an unusually extensive and substantial building for that day, being massively constructed of the blue limestone of the vicinity. It was demolished about the year 1838, by order of the court, it having been declared a nuisance, after a greater and much less excusable ijuisance had been perpetrated in the erection of the present public structure on the opposite quarter of the square; thus, so long as it shall be permitted to stand, deforming what is otherwise one of the most beautiful town parks in the Commonwealth. The engraving of the old provincial buildings is a reproduction of a pencil sketch, by John Mower, Esq., the oldest living member of the Bedford bar, and the only individual, who was contemporary with it, whose fine artistic taste and skill could have been brought to bear to rescue it from oblivion. A number of the old citizens who remembered the building, but could not recall it in detail, pronounce this sketch perfect. The jail, with its dark dungeon for convicts, its cell for ordinary criminals, and its debtor's prison with the grated window, BEDFOBB GOVNTT. 365 occupied the lower story to the left of the centre door. The balance of the first floor, on the right, was the jailor's residence, in the wings of which, in early days, the elections were held. The court room comprised the entire second story, and was entered by the stair-case from without. In one corner of the court room a flight of steps led to the third story, or attic, under the high roof, in which were the grand jury and other jurj' rooms. The early courts of the county were not held as now by " men learned in the law," but by "justices nominated and authorized by the Governor for the time being, by commissions under the broad seal of the Province." The first "court of quarter sessions of the peace and jail delivery" was held April 16, 1171, "before William Procter, Jr., Robert Cluggage, Robert Hanna, George Wilson, William Lochery, and William McDonnell, Esquires, justices of our Lord the King, to hear and determine divers felonies and misdemeanors com- mitted in said county." The other justices appointed and commissioned by George III., with the above, were John Prazer, Bernard Dougherty, Arthur St. Clair, William Crawford, James Milligan, Thomas Gist, Dorsey Penticost, Alexander McKee, and George Woods. The first commissioners were Robert Hanna, Dorsey Penticost, and John Stevenson. The first grand jurj' were James Anderson, Charles Cessna, James McCashlin, Thomas Kenton, Allen Rose, George Milliken, John Moore, Robert Culbertson, George Funk, John Huff, Rinard Wolfe, Valentine Shadacer, Thomas Hay, Samuel Drennin, Edward Rose, Samuel Skinner, William Parker, Christopher Miller, Thomas Croyal, Adam Sam, Jacob Fisher, and David Rinard. William Procter was the first sheriff. Arthur St. Clair was appointed first prothonotary, recorder, and clerk of court, by Governor John Penn, March 12, ITTl, and deputy register for the probate of wills, 18th of same month, by Benjamin Chew, Register General. The first deed recorded in the archives of the county is that of George Croghan to John Campbell, Esq., merchant of Fort Pitt, dated 29th November, Iff 0. It recites, that " Whereas Johonoissa, Scanayadia, and Caseantinica, chiefs or sachems of the Six Nations of Indians, did by the deed duly dated August, A.D. 1149, sell to the said Croghan in fee a certain tract of land on the south side of the Monongahela river, beginning at the mouth of Turtle creek, and thence down the said river to its junction with the Ohio, computed to be ten miles," etc. The second paper recorded is an affidavit of James Pollock, on the 4th April, Ittl, that he lost a note for three pounds. The third paper recorded is a "mortgage made 14th January, ItlTl, between Francis Howard, now of Fort Pitt, ensign in his Majesty's 18th reg't of Foot, and Edward Hand, of the same, surgeon mate in said reg't, on both sides of Chartier's creek, for 1636 acres of land. Acknowledged before Charles Edmunston, Capt. 18th Reg't,- commanding." The next record is of the deed heretofore mentioned of lot No. 6, to the com- missioners. Then comes a deed of John Hardin, dated 15th February, 1'7'72, to John Hardin, Jr., " in consideration of natural love and affection, for his lands this side of Laurel Hill, negroes, stock, and other substances, moveable and immoveable." The last paper we shall mention as throwing some vague light upon the early 366 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. settlement of Bedford county, is a deed of the Indians to Garrett (Gerrard ?) Pendergrass. We give a copj' of the deed in full, as interesting, not alone from the fact that it is a conveyance of the ground on which Allegheny City now stands, then in Bedford county, but also that this conveyance was in lieu, as the reader will see, of the ground on which Bedford is built, and which having belonged to Pendergrass at a very early day — ^he was evidently dispossessed of previous to the settlement of Ray at the place. This is one of a number of the incidental proofs which justify the reader in believing that the early settlement of Bedford was even earlier than we have been accustomed to suppose. The deed is as follows, viz : " Know all men by these presents, that whereas a certain Garrett Pender- grass, Senior, of Bedford settlement, in the Province of Pennsylvania, and County of Cumberland, was settled some number of years past by leave of the chiefs and deputy's of the Six Nations of Indians, on a Tract of Land where Bed- ford is now situate, while the said land was j'et the property of us and our said Chiefs and deputy's. Said Pendergrass being dispossessed of said lands In the time of the war between the French and English, and before Said Pendergrass could saifly return to live on said land it was Entered upon by people who have from time to time and yet continues to keep said Pendergrass from the enjoyment of said tract of Land, and said Pendergrass, at the last treaty held at Fort Pitt with the representatives of the Six Nations, informed our said chiefs or their representatives or deputy's that he was deprived of the above tract of land as above mentioned, whereupon us and our said deputy's did then at the said treaty, give him, the said Pendergrass, our leave in writing under our hands to settle on a tract of land called the Long Reaeh near the mouth of the Tau- ghyagain, but the said last mentioned tract being at the time of the said treaty, or before it, improved by some other person or persons, contrary to our expec- tations, for which reason the said Pendergrass has not obtained possession of the latter mentioned tract and cannot quietly enjoy neither of the two above mentioned Tracts ; Know ye, therefore, that we the under or within bound subscri- bers, who have hereunto caused our names to be set, and have put our marks, the first of us assigning being one of the chiefs and the other two deputy's off the said Six nations, do give and grant to the said Garrett Pendergrass, his heirs and trustees forever, our full leave and liberty of us, and for and in l^ehalf of the said Six Nations to settle on a tract of land on the north side of the Aligania River opposite to Fort Pitt, in form of a Cemi Circle from said land- ing ; hereby granting to him and his heirs, trustees, and assigns, full liberty to build houses, make improvements, and cultivate the said tract of land or any part thereof, and that he, the said Pendergrass may the more quietly enjoy the said land, and any benefit that him, his heirs, or assigns shall make or can make thereby, we do for ourselves and in behalf of the said Six Nations discharge all people whatsoever from molesting or disturbing him the said Pendergrass, his heirs, trustees, or assigns, in the possession or quiat enjoyment of the said land, or any part thereof, and we do by these presents, firmly engage and promise to answer all objections that any Indian tribe or tribes may have to the making of the above settlement. " In witness whereof we have caused our names to be subscribed, and have BEDFOBD COUNTY. 361 hereunto set our marks, in the month of February, in the year of our Lord God one thousand seven hundred and seventy. Anonquit, (mark), a turtle. Enishshera, or Captain Henry Mountare, (his | mark). CoNNEHBAOA-HEOAT, or the White Mingo, (his mark), a circle, 0, "Signed and agreed to before James Elliott. " Garrett Pendebgrass, Jr." " Bedford, ss. " Came before me, the subscriber, one of his Majesty's justices of the peace of said county, the within named Indians, viz. : Anonguit, Enishshera, or Captain Henry Mountare, and Connehraca-hecat, or the White Mingo, and acknowledged the within instrument of writing, or bill of sale, to be their act and deed, and desired the same might be recorded as such. Given under my hand and seal in the month of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy. "James Elliott. " Recorded 19th September, 1712." The first attorney sworn in was Robert Magraw, at the first session of the courts of the county, April 16, 1111, on motion of Bernard Dougherty, one of the justices, there being no attorney to make the motion. Afterwards, at the same session, on motion of Robert Magraw, the following were admitted to practice, viz. : Andrew Ross, Philip Pandleton, Robert Galbraith, David Sample, and James Wilson, and at the ensuing term, July 16, ITTl, David Grier, David Espy, and George Brent were admitted. The names recommended to the Governor for license as tavern-keepers in nil, were Margaret Frazer, Jean Woods,. Frederic Naugel, George Funk, John Campbell, Joseph Irwin, John Miller, and Samuel Paxton. The old inns, or tavern-houses of Frederic Naugel and George Funk are still standing on West Pitt Street, and were famous in their day as synonyms of good cheer for " man and beast." That of George Funk was the aristocratic inn (hotels were un- known at that day), and the headquarters of the judges, lawyers, and military officers. The last of the Funk family died about fifteen years ago, and the descendants of Frederic Naugel are still with us, one of them (Frederic) still living on the farm, adjoining the town, owned by his ancestor. The first judge "learned in the law " appears to have been James Riddle, who died in Cham- bersburg in 1838, leaving an honorable record. The members, from Bedford county, of the convention which adopted the State Constitution of September 28, 1116, were Benjamin Elliott ; Thomas Coulter, ancestor of Judge Coulter of Westmoreland ; John Burd ; John Wil- kins, father of Judge Wilkins ; Joseph Rhoads ; John Cessna, great-grand- father of Hon. John Cessna of Bedford ; Thomas Smith, and Joseph Powell. The members of the State Constitutional Convention of February 5, 17" were Joseph Powell, and John Piper, afterward member of the House of Rej o- sentatives of Pennsylvania, of whom it is recorded that he made a leap acitias the open circle beneath the dome of the State House at Harrisburg, while it was unfinished as to the railing around it. From numerous traditions he was a remarkable athlete. It will hardly be considered an unpardonable digression to mention here a 368 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. number of names intimately associated with the history of Bedford county, in its courts and oflSces, who, at various periods, have become prominent in State and VIEW AT HEDFOIID srRlNOS. National affairs, viz. : Hon. Thomas Smith, who held several appointments of trust under the government, and was afterwards judge of the Supreme Court; Hon. Jonathan Walker, judge of the court, father of Hon. Robert J. Walker, BEDFORD COUNTY. 369 United States Senator from Mississippi, and Secretary of the National Treasury, who resided here in his boyhood, and received his early education here ; Hon. Charles Huston, judge, afterwards supreme jndge ; Hon. John Tod, judge, after- wards supreme judge, lived and died here ; Hon. Jeremiah S. Black, judge, afterwards supreme judge. Secretary of State of United States, Secretary of War, and- Attorney General United States; Hon. William Wilkins, judge, United States Senator, Minister to Russia, and Secretary of War of United States, lived in early life with his father in the house one mile north of Bedford, on the Holli- daysburg road, now occupied by Samuel Carney ; Hon. John S. Carlisle, United States Senator from West Virginia, is the son of a Bedford lawyer ; Ueneral Arthur St. Clair, of Revolutionary fame, was the first prothonotary and register of Bedford county ; Hon. David Mann, father of William F. and D. F. Mann, a gentleman of sterling worth, was appointed prothonotary in 1809 by Governor Snyder, and reappointed by Governor Findlay, serving twelve years, was State senator in 1821, and Auditor-General under Governor Shalze, 1824-'2Y. Hon. Job Mann, nephew of the above, was prothonotarj' for twelve years, afterwards State Treasurer of Pennsylvania and representative in Congress ; Hon. Alexander Thompson, judge, and member of Congress, a man of remarkable uprightness, purity, and simplicity of character ; Hon. James M. Russell, nephew of the first law judge of the county (Riddle), was a lawyer here for over fifty years, a repre- sentative In Congress, and a member of the Constitutional Convention of ISST- '38; Hon. S. M. Barclay, a prominent lawyer and senator of the State; Hon. Alexander King, judge of the district and State Senator ; Hon. Francis Jordan, Secretary of State of Pennsylvania, is ja, native of Bedford county, studied law, was admitted and practiced in early life at the Bedford bar ; Hon. Alexander L. Russell, son of James M., member of the Bedford bar, afterwards Secretary of State and Adjutant- General of Pennsylvania; Hon. Samuel L. Russell, brother of the above, a member of the Bedford bar, and member of Congress, and of the Constitutional Convention of 1872-"73 ; Hon. John Cessna, member of the bar, speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1851 and 1863, member of the forty-first and forty-third Congress, and filled many other important public and party offices ; Hon. William P. Schell, auditor-general of Pennsylvania ; Hon. William Maclay Hall, president judge of the court ; with many others whom Bed- ford might claim, who have had honorable influence in public affairs, but we are re- stricted by want of space to the above mentioned. The original townships, several of which will be recognized as now belonging to other localities, were Ayr, Bedford, Cumberland, Barree, Dublin, Colerain, Brother's Valley, Fairfield, Mt. Pleasant, Hempfield, Pitt (now Allegheny county), Tyrone, Spring Hill, Rosstrevor, Armstrong (now Armstrong county), and Tullileague. The present townships are Bedford, Broad Top, Colerain, Cumber land Valley, Hopewell, Harrison, Juniata, Londonderry, Liberty, Monroe, Napier, East Providence, West Providence, East St. Clair, West St. Clair, Southampton, Snake Spring, Union, Middle Woodbury, and South Woodbury. The early record of Bedford county abounds in the fearful incidents usual to wild and perilous border life, which if narrated here would make this sketch, albeit veritable history, seem a romance. Our space, however, is limited, and we must forbear. Often and terrible were the visitations of the savages to the Y 370 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. homes of the early settlers, and the obliterations of entire families, and the dispersion or destruction of settlements were of not infrequent occurrence. One incident of the kind — the massacre of the TuU family — is an illustration of the remark, and we allude to it to the exclusion of others as thrilling and dire, because the circumstance has been perpetuated in the memories of the inhabitants from the locality, having ever since bonie the name of the fated family. Every school child in the county knows of or has heard of " TuU's Hill." It lies on the Pittsburgh turnpike, six miles west of Bedford, and has its name from the murder in 1111 by the Indians of a family of that name, consisting of the parents and nine children. The writer many years ago saw an old citizen, who when a young man of nineteen years, passed the smouldering ruins of the TuU cabin the day of the massacre, and saw the mutilated remains of the victims. He made his escape to Port Bedford. We give the following extract of an account of this massacre, which was written by John Mower, Esq., some thirty years ago. "There were ten children, nine daughters and a son; but at the time referred to the son was absent. At that time the Indians were particularly troublesome, and the inhabitants had abandoned their improvements and taken refuge in the fort; but TuU's family disregarded the danger and remained on their im- provements. One Williams, who had made a settlement about three mUes west of TuU's, and near where the town of Schellsburg now stands, had returned to his farm to sow some flaxseed ; he had a son with him, and remained out about a week. The road to his improvement passed TuU's house. On their return, as they approached TuU's, they saw a smoke, and coming nearer, discovered that it arose from the burning ruins of TuU's house. Upon a nearer approach, the son saw an object in the garden, whicli by a slight movement had attracted his atten- tion, and looking more closely, they found it was the old man just expiring. At the same moment, the son discovered on the ground near him an Indian paint- bag. They at once understood the whole matter, and knowing that the Indians were still near, fled at once to the fort. Next day a force went out from the fort to examine, and after some search, found the mother with an infant in her arms, both scalped. A short distance in the same direction, they found the eldest daughter also scalped. A short distance from her, the next daughter in the same situation, and scattered about at intervals, the rest of the chUdren but one, who, from circumstances, they supposed had been burned." The following extract from the Pennsyluania Gazette of August 30, 1764, incidentaUy explains the perilous state of affairs at that time, and this continued to be the condition of things, at intervals, until 1780. The extract is as follows: " All appears quiet at present along the frontier, except about Bedford, where there are, according to intelligence from thence, some of the savages lying in wait for opportunity of doing mischief. They attempted, very lately, to take a man that was fishing, but he got oflf. The people are returning over the hills to their places, which we are afraid is too soon." General Bouquet writes to Governor Penn, August 25, 1764, as follows: "A party of thirty or forty Indians have killed, near Bedford, one Isaac Stimble, an industrious inhabitant of Ligonier; taken some horses loaded with merchants' goods, and shot some cattle, after Colonel Reed's detachment had passed that post." BEBFOBD COUNTY. 311 We learn, also, from Rev. Dr. Dorr's Historical account of Christ and St. Peter's churches, Philadelphia, that in July, l'I63, the " back inhabitants," Bedford, with other points, were in such distressed condition from the "inroads of the savages," that the congregations of Christ and St. Peter's Episcopal churches of Philadel- phia, at the instance of their Rector, Rev. Richard Peters, contributed the sum of £662 3s. for their relief, and after corresponding with the minister and war- dens of the Episcopal church, at Carlisle, for information, sent "supplies of flour, rice, medicine, and other necessaries, together with two chests of arms and half a barrel of powder, four hundred pounds of lead, two hundred of swan shot, and one thousand flints." The inhabitants of Bedford county have always been with the advance of their fellow-citizens of other localities in furnishing brave men for the defence of the rights of their country. Reference to the archives and records of the Commonwealth shows that in the early French and Indian wars, the war of the Revolu- tion, the late war with Eng- land, the Mexican war, and the recent civil war, Bedford county has always furnished, never less, and often more, than its full quota of those who voluntarily gave their services, in the camp and in the field, to their country. We are indebted to Hon. William P. Schell for the data of the following geographical and geological description of the county : All of the geological strata within the limits of Pennsyl- vania, from the Trenton or lower limestone up to and in- cluding the coal formation, are found in the county. The great Apalachian chain of mountains have their tread north-east and south- west through the county. The western boundary is formed by the Great and the Little Allegheny mountains, which abound in coal, iron ore, and fire-clay. The eastern boundary is formed by Ray's Hill and Broad Top moun- tains. They contain a very superior coal, known as the Broad Top, semi-bitu- minous, and also iron. The central portion of the county is traversed by several mountain ranges — Tsrrace, Tussey's, Dunning's, Evit's, Will's, and Buffalo mountains, all of which contain one or more valuable seams of fossil iron ore, excepting the first named, which contains an excellent red hematite ore. There are over two hundred square miles of fossil iron ore within the limits of the county. Embosomed in these ESPY HOUSE — washinoton's hbad-quabtbbs, 1794. fFrom a Photograph by T. B. Oettys, Bedford.] 372 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. mountain ranges are some of the most beautiful and fertile limestone valleys to be found anywhere. Many of them are of the same geological formation as Lebanon valley, the great Cumberland valley, and the limestone land of Lancas- ter county. Morrison's cove is some eight miles in width, and extends some twelve miles in this county and through Blair and Centre counties. The land is as fertile and as well improved as any part of the " garden spot of the State " — Lancaster county. Snake Spring valley. Friend's cove, and Milligan's cove are also composed of the Trenton or lower strata of limestone. These valleys are generally underlaid with a very rich brown and red hematite iron ore. There are also several very beautiful and fertile valleys of the upper or Hilderberg limestone formation, to wit: Bedford, Cumberland valley, Dutch Corner, St. Clair, and Will's Creek valleys. Chestnut ridge, near Schellsburg, is also of the same formation. Within a distance of ten miles, on an east and west line, may be found every geological stratum within the State, except those beneath the Tren- ton limestone. Bedford county is, without" doubt, one of the richest iron counties in the State, as it contains almost every variety of ore — the fossil, the hematite, and the carbonaceous ores. Iron can be made at lower rates than elsewhere in the State, as coal, iron ore, and limestone are found in great abundance in close proximity, and these are all intersected by a railroad running diagonally north- east and south-west, through the entire length of the county. The natural scenery of Bedford county is perhaps unsurpassed for pictu- resqueness and variety. The wild mountain views alternate with rare rural scenes. The valleys especially attract the attention of tourists, and some of the landscapes are pronounced, by persons traveled in this and other lands, as beautiful as any the sun shines upon. The climate is pure and healthful. The manufacturing facilities of the county are as yet comparatively unde- veloped. There are several extensive iron furnaces, some of which have been nearly a century in operation. One, the Bloomfield furnace, in Morrison's cove, furnishes iron of such peculiarly excellent and tenacious quality that it was exclusively used during the recent war for the manufacture of the immense cannon used by the government. There are several manufactories of woolen goods, planing mills, and a large number of extensive steam tanneries, but in all these industries, especially the iron interest, the reserve supply of material untouched is simply inexhaustible. The town of Bedford' was laid out in June, 1766, by order issued by Governor John Penn to the Surveyor-General of the Province, John Lukens, and it was incorporated as a borough, by act of Assembly of the State, 13th March, 1795. The original plan of the town, which has been enlarged by sub- sequent additions, was similar to all the old towns of the Penns, having equally sized squares, divided by streets intersecting each other at right angles, and a central park or square. It had three streets running east and west, viz., Penn, Pitt, and John, the two latter being on the north and south, and each sixty feet in width, and the first named being central, between the other two, and eighty feet in width. These are crossed at regular intervals by six other streets, running north and south, named respectively, Juliann, Thomas, Richard, Bed- BEDFORD COUNTY. 3Y3 ford, East, and West streets, each of the widtU of sixty feet. The personal names, feminine and masculine, perhaps more home-like than euphonious, which some of these streets bear, were given (so says tradition) by John Lukens in honor of members of the Governor's family. The limits of the borough have been gradually enlarged, until to-day it covers an area of one mile from east to west, by one and a quarter miles north to south. At the time of the survey by John Lukens, the streets of Raysto.wn, viz., the road from the east to Fort Pitt and the path south to Port Cumberland, entered the hamlet on lines parallel with the Old Fort, or King's house. The survey of Lukens changed these cojarses, for his orders were to " lay out the streets parallel with and at right angles with Colonel Bouquet's house." This house is the large limestone mansion known as the " Woods house," that stands on Pitt street, directly opposite the Old Port house, and is now the residence of A. B. Carn. It is, even for the present day, a spacious, elegant mansion, massive and durable in style, and unless it should be removed to make way for business houses, will be as strong and secure a century hence as it is now. Why it was called Colonel Bouquet's house is not now known, unless it being his head-quar- ters in 1758, when he remained some time at Bedford with his force of 7,850 men, and his again occupying it temporarily in 1763, associated his name with it. It is sure he never owned it, nor had his permanent residence in Bedford. The house was built prior to 1758, tradition says by a Captain Klem, a Scotch- man, and at an early day came into the possession of George Woods, Esquire, one of the King's justices, and was for several generations the residence of himself and descendants, having passed out of the family within the last thirty years. The only buildings contemporary, or nearly so, with it now standing are the Old Fort or King's house ; the Funk and Nawgel taverns, on West Pitt street ; the old Barclay house in the south-east suburb, known as the " Grove ;" the " Espy house," a picture of which is given, interesting as Washington's head- quarters in October, 1794, when he came to Bedford on his expedition to the western counties during the Whiskey Insurrection. It is also a matter worthy of note that General Arthur St. Clair had his first prothonotary's oflBce, in 1771 and 1772, in the basement of the rear building of the Espy house. The Old Fort, or " King's house," stands at an angle eccentric from the town lines, facing a private square at the intersection of Pitt and Juliann streets. It is a somewhat singular circumstance, in this land of change, that this property is now owned by a descendant (David P. Mann) of one of the first home officers commissioned in the war of the Revolution, Captain Andrew Mann, father of the late Hon. David Mann. The old house is built of oak logs, and is yet substantial and in good pre- servation. It had a smooth clay floor on the first story, still to be seen under the modern flooring, and split logs flooring the second story. The building is now covered with weather boarding, but the clap-boarding of the gable ends is still to be seen from the inside, fastened with immense wrought-iron spikes. In the old Nawgel tavern, the old split oak floor, nailed with the same huge home- made spikes, is to be seen. Lying to the eastward of the King's house, and sloping downward to what is tfow East street, was th" " King's orchard," some fifteen acre's planted in apple 374 BISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. trees, the last one of which was standing as lately as about 1865, having sur- vived its companions many years. This orchard seems to have been used in early times as a burial-place for the settlers and soldiers of the fort, the graves being scattered without regard to order all over the space alluded to, some singly, others in small clusters, as evidenced by the frequent exhumation of human remains, from the early years of the borough to the present time, in excavating for buildings and other purposes. These remains are still occasion- ally brought to the surface in the ordinary work of cultivating the gardens in the compactly built portion of the town which was once the King's orchard. But a dozen years ago, in digging the cellar for the brick- house on the north side of Penn street, immediately east of the Presbyterian church, the workmen discovered what were evidently the remains of two adult persons in early man- hood and womanhood, probably man and wife, who had, from indications shown by the appearance of the bones, met deaths of violence. In the forehead of the female skeleton was the perforation made by the leaden bullet which was found in the cavity of the skull. After the town was surveyed in 1T66, the interments seem to have been principally confined, for some thirty yeai's, to the Episcopal burial-ground on Penn street, east of Richard, also a part of the King's orchard, which, at the laying out of the town, was donated by Governor Penn to " the Church for a burial-place." In removing the remains of the dead from this old graveyard to the new cemetery, some ten years since, remains of several, sup- posed to be British officers, were among those taken up. In the grave of one, thought by the old inhabitants to be that of a Colonel Campbell, were found, besides the massive coffin handles, a breast-pin containing a lady's miniature, and a pair of very rich, old fashioned, gold linked sleeve-buttons. The remains of Justice Bernard Dougherty, Judge Scott, and others of the early pioneers, were deposited in this ground. In the old graveyard on Juliann street, south of the original borough line, also donated by order of Governor Penn to the " Lutherans and Calvinists of the town," commonly known as the Presbyterian graveyard, also lie the remains of many of the first settlers. It is in this ground that John Tod, judge of the Su- preme Court, is buried. There is also another tomb in this enclosure, around which cluster interesting memories — it is that of Colonel Levin Powell, of Virgi- nia, who died in Bedford while visiting the springs for his health in 1810. He was the Colonel Powell in connection with whose name the following characte- ristic anecdote is narrated. Colonel Powell was a candidate for Congress in the district in which Washington resided, and they were not on amicable terms, iilthough of the same party. As the General alighted from his horse and walked up to the polls to announce his vote, as was the custom of the time in Virginia, the crowd, curious to know how he would vote, under the circumstances, followed him. Washington observing this, exclaimed, in words that have passed into a proverb : " Gentlemen, I vote for principles, not men," and then directed the clerk to record his vote for Colonel Levin Powell. The early settlers of Bedford were principally English, also the Scotch-Irish and the German element were largely represented. The descendants of a number of the pioneers still reside here, and many of them are among our first citizens. For many years the society of the town was characterized by English customs BEDFORD COUNTY. 8t5 and hospitality, and like Carlisle, Chambersburg, and some other of the colo- nial towns, was intelligent, select, refined, and aristocratic. The town is beautifully situated on the Raystown branch of the Juniata, in the midst of a most charming landscape, in a valley the beauties of which have formed the theme of many a poet's verse and tourist's praise. For health- fulness of location, exquisiteness of scenery, and salubrity of climate, it has few rivals. It is well built, has wide streets well paved, and is much remarked upon for the beauty and number of its shade trees. Its public edifices, court house, churches, and school buildings, are handsome and in good architectural style, and its private residences are uniformly good, and some of them quite beautiful; these are for the most part brick and stone. The town stands upon what for many years was the great thoroughfare between the East and West — the turnpike leading from Philadelphia and Baltimore to Pittsburgh and Wheeling ; and until the completing of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad on the south, and the Penn- sylvania Central on the north, the entire road, from Ohambersburg to Pittsburgh, was teeming day and nighf~^ith coaches, Conestoga wagons, and private convey- ances, and every interest of the town and country was prosperous. After the opening out of the railroads above mentioned, the old place was figuratively " laid on the shelf," until the completing, in 1872, of its railroad connecting the Penn- sylvania and Maryland railroads, since which time its prosperity has been on the increase. Its population has since then doubled^its inhabitants now numbering 2,500. The Bedford and Bridgeport railroad runs on the north side of the river, about two hundred yards from its main street, with which it is connected by two bridges, one of them an iron bridge of remarkable durability and beauty. There is considerable wealth concentrated here, and there is little of poverty. The citizens, as a class, are industrious, moral, and prosperous. It has one of the finest graded schools in the State. Its churches are, the Presbyterian, Catholic, Reformed, Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, and two African Methodist. ' Everett, formerly Waynesburg and Bloody Run, the second in size of the towns of Bedford county, is a thriving borough of twelve hundred inhabitants, situated on the Raystown branch of the Juniata, and the Ohambersburg and Bed- ford turnpike, eight miles from the latter place. The Huntingdon and Broad Top railroad, which connects with the Bedford and Bridgeport railroad at Mount Dallas, one mile west of the town, has a depot here. The town is handsomely built, and improving rapidly, and is inhabited by a moral, energetic, intelligent, and hospitable people. The private residences are principally built of brick and frame. Colonel Joseph W. Tate writes to me concerning its early history : " In reference to the borough of Bloody Run, now Everett, I find the facts to be as follows: In a deed dated 7th March, 1787, from John Musser, of Lancaster, Penn- sylvania, to Michael Barndollar, of Frederick county, Md., there was conveyed four hundred acres of land. This was comprised in two warrants, one in the name of William Thompson, for 250 acres, the other in name of James Elliott, for 150 acres, which includes the creek or branch called Bloody run. On the first day of February, 1800, under articles of agreement, Michael Barndollar conveyed eighty acres of the western part of the above warrants unto Samuel Tate, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. The above eighty acres include#the Juniata river 376 HI8T0B Y OF PENNS TL VAWIA. and the stream Bloody run, from its mouth to a survey in the name of Robert Culbertson. On 13th October, 1800, Samuel Tate was by Michael BamdoUar constituted attorney to procure patents for the above described lands." This was the beginning of the hamlet of Bloody Run, which finally grew into a village, and afterward was incorporated as a borough. The name was changed, a few years ago, for one perhaps more euphonious — Everett, which at times has caused some embarrassment to tourists who were in search of the historic battle- ground of Bloody Run. Colonel Tate goes on to remark that " the battle with the Indians, from which the old town derived its name, was fought on the Culbertson tract, a short dis- tance east of the steam mill, and south of Spring's. Traces of the old road can yet be seen on Culbertson's hill, west of where J. W. Barndollar's railroad ware- house now stands. The first Methodist church and graveyard were on the boundary of R. Culbertson's survey. Prior to building the Methodist church, the graveyard was west of the old stone church, and near the old log school- house. There wsis another graveyard at an early day, on the point west of where Blooly run empties into the Raystown branch." There are various and conflicting accounts as to the affair which gave the name of Bloody run to this stream and for many years to the town. The follow- ing, published in a London (England) paper in 1765, is perhaps as authentic as any other, viz. : " The convoy ofteighty horses, loaded with goods, chiefly on his Majesty's account, as presents to the Indians, and part on account of Indian traders, were surprised in a narrow and dangerous defile in the mountains by a body of armed men. A number of horses were killed, and the whole of the goods carried away by the plunderers. The rivulet was dyed with blood, and ran into the settlement below, carrying with it the stain of crime upon its surface." The foregoing is as explicit as a report borne across the Atlantic from the wilds of the west at that day could well be. It was not in a mountain defile, however, that the melee occurred ; it was in a hollow among the hills, near the river, and not far from the base of the mountain, and the truth, as far as we can gather, is about this : The traders above referred to were doing, as some are doing in our western border to-day, gratifying their passion for lucre at the sac- rifice of the public good, viz., surreptitiously furnishing the savages with the implements and materiel of war, by which they were enabled to carry on more readily their predatory and murderous attacks upon the settlers and their fami- lies. It were well, perhaps, if there were now, as then, stern men who, on their own individual responsibility, would correct the evil by visiting summary ven- geance upon the sordid knaves. ScHELLSBURQ — I am indebted to John P. Reed, Esq., grandson of the founder of Schellsburg, for the following sketch : " Schellsburg, ' the loveliest village of the plain,' is situated on the eastern slope of Chestnut ridge, one of the foot- hills of the Allegheny mountains, nine miles west of Bedford, on the turnpike leading to Pittsburgh. It was laid out by John Schell, a native of Goshenhoppen, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1810, who was forced to leave his early home on account of the ' alien and sedition law,' and his ' liberty pole ' proclivities. He came to Bedford county about the year 1800, and stopped at 'iVfine Mile town* west of Bedford, and bought the tract of land patented as BEBFORB COUNTY. 377 'Nine Mile town,' and an adjoining tract patented in the name of ' Pekin,' about five hundred acres, from Samuel Davidson and John Anderson, of Bedford, in 1801, and on these lands, on the road leading from Bedford to Fort Pitt, he laid out the village of Schellsburg. It grew apace, and the Legislature, by act of 19th of March, 1838, made it a borough. It is a beautiful and substantial village of about five hundred inhabitants, situated near the foot of a picturesque ridge, sur- rounded by beautiful meadows and fields, forming quite an extended plain, with a fine view of the distant Buffalo ridge and the Wills mountains. John Schell donated severaFlots for church and educational purposes, and some ten acres of level land, on the summit of the ridge, for a church and cemetery. Here was built, mainly through his efforts, the first church (a union church of the German Reformed and Lutheran denominations) in that part of the county, which remains to-day a relic of the labors of the pioneers of this section, and is used now only as a mortuary chapel of the beautiful burial-ground that surrounds it. In the village, the Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian people are repre- sented by churches, and a creditable brick school-house supplies the wants of the villagers in that regard. A town hall is now also in process of erection. At an early day the town was the centre of business for thirty miles in a westerly and northerly direction ; now the business is more diffused." The other boroughs of the county are Woodbuey, in Morrison's cove ; St. Claiesville, ten miles north of Bedford, named in honor of Arthur St. Clair ; Rainsbceg, in Friend's cove, nine miles south-east from Bedford ; Saxton, on the Huntingdon and Broad Top railroad, in the north-east end of the county ; CoALDALE, on Broad Top mountain ; Pleasantville, in the north-west section, where are located a large steam tannery and grist mills ; and Beidqepoet, at the junction of the Bedford aud Dridgeport with the Pittsburgh and Connells- ville railroad. The medicinal springs of Bedford are so widely and justly celebrated, that no sketch of this locality can be complete without some reference thereto. These springs rank foremost in Pennsylvania on account of their mineral pro- perties and medicinal effects, and . their mountain elevation and scenery. They are a mile and a half from the town of Bedford, from which they derive their name. Besides the mineral spring, as it is called, there are found in close proximity a chalybeate spring, a powerful limestoiie one, a sulphur, and two sweet springs. The discovery of the remedial virtues of the Bedford waters only dates half a century back. In the year 1804, a mechanic of Bedford, Jacob Fletcher, when fishing for trout in the stream near the principal fountain, was attracted by the beauty and singularity of the waters flowing from the bank, and drank freely from them. They proved purgative and sudorific. He had suffered many years from rheumatic pains and formidable ulcers on the legs. On the ensuing night he was more free from pain, and slept more tranquilly than usual ; and this unexpected relief induced him to drink daily of the waters, and to bathe his limbs in the fountain. In a few weeks he was entirely cured. The happy effect which they had on this patient led others, laboring under various chronic diseases, to the springs. In the summer of 1805, many valetudinarians came in carriages and encamped in the valley, to seek from the munificent haM of nature their lost health. Since that period the springs have become widely famous. BERKS COUNTY. BY J. LAWRENCE QETZ, READING. |EIIKS county (named after Berkshire in England, where the Penn family held large landed estates) was originally formed from parts of Philadelphia county east of the river Schuylkill, and from parts of Chester and Lancaster west of the same river, by an act of the General Assembly, approved March 11th, 1752, by the Hon. James Hamilton, Governor of the Province. By the same act, Edward Scull, of Philadelphia county, Benjamin Lightfoot, of Chester, and Thomas Cookson, of Lancaster, were appointed commissioners to run the boundary lines. Its subdivisions at that BERKS COUNTY COURT HOUSE, READING. (From a Pbotogrmph bj BK7lor, Reading.] time consisted of sixteen townships, of which Albany, Alsace, Amity, Colebrook- dale, Douglass, Exeter, Hereford, and Oley, were taken from Philadelphia county ; Bern, Bethel, Caernarvon, Cumru, Heidelberg, Robeson, and Tulpe- hocken, from Lancaster county ; and Union township from Chester county. Berks was reduced to its present limits by annexing the extreme northern part to Northumberland, 1772 ; and by the erection of SchuylkiU county out of an additional northern part of its territory, 1811. It is bounded on the north by Schuylkill ; on the north-east by Lehigh ; on the south-east by Montgomery and Chester ; and on the south-west by Lancaster and Lebanon. Average length, 33 miles ; breadth, 28 miles ; area, 927 square miles, embracing 593,280 acres. By the petitiofi which was presented to the General Assembly, February 4th, .378 BERKS COUNTY. 379 1 752, asking for the erection of a county to be called Berks, the population of the territory included • within the then proposed limits was estimated at seven thousand. By the several decennial censuses of the United States government, taken from 1790 to 1870, inclusive, the population of the county was enumerated as follows : 1790, 30,17;9 ; 1800, 32,407 ; 1810, 43,146 ; 1820, 46,275 ; 1830, 53,152 ; 1840, 64,569; 1850, 77,129; 1860, 93,818; 1870, 106,701; 1876 (estimated), 120,000. The topographical features of the county are diversified. Broad fertile plains and valleys intermingle with rough hills and mountains incapable of culti- vation by the plow. But as compensation for the sterile surface of the latter, many of them contain enormous mineral wealth in the shape of iron, which awaits development, and will yet become the source of incalculable profit to the future inheritors of the soil. The southern portion of the county is traversed in a south-westerly course by the South mountain range, here and there broken into irregular spurs. In the northern part there are several elevated ridges. The Kittatinny or Blue mountain forms the boundary line between Berks and Schuylkill. The principal stream in Berks county is the river Schuylkill (" hidden creek "), so named by tlie Dutch, who were- the first explorers of this region, and who, it is said, in their explorations of the Delaware river, passed the mouth of the Schuylkill without perceiving its existence. The Indian name of the river was Manai-unk. It rises in the carboniferous highlands of Schuylkill county, and flowing in a south-easterly direction, breaks through the Blue ridge at Port Clinton, and flows down by Hamburg, and passing Reading, becomes the dividing line between the counties of Montgomery and Chester a few miles above Pottstown. Several of its large tributaries flow through Berks county, the principal one of which is the Tulpehocken creek, rising in Lebanon county, and flowing E.S.E., empties into the Schuylkill near Reading. The Maiden creek, another tributary, rises in the north-eastern part of the county, and flows into the Schuylkill six miles above Reading. The Manatawny rises in the south-eastern part of the county, and empties into the Schuylkill at Pottstown. There are several smaller streams in the county, viz. : Saucony, a branch of the Maiden creek ; Northkill, which empties into the Tulpehocken near Bernville ; Cacoosing and Spring creeks, which are branches of the Tulpehocken ; and Allegheny and Monocasy creeks, emptying into the Schuylkill below Reading. The Little Swatara rises at the foot of the Blue mountain, and flows in a south- westerly direction, through Lebanon county, and unites with the Great Swatara near Jonestown. These streams furnish ample water power for mills, furnaces, forges, and other manufactories. The agricultural resources of Berks are very large, and the county ranks in this respect as the third in the State, being excelled only by Chester and Lan- caster. The soil generally (with the exceptions noted on a preceding page) is of good quality, and under thorough culture. One-third is fertile limestone land, very productive in wheat and other cereals. In the southern part the red shale formation prevails. Well cultivated fields in every section testify to both the fertility of the soil and the persevering industry of the large rural popula- tion which is principally engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1870 the total 380 EIBTOBY OF PENNSTLVAJSIA. estimated value of all farm productions, including betterments and additions to stock, was $9,150,789. The surplus agricultural products are sent principally to the markets of Philadelphia, New York, and the Schuylkill coal regions. The chief mineral wealth of Berks consists in iron ore, which occurs in various parts of the county. At Mount Pleasant, in Colebrookdale township; in Oley township ; at Boyertown ; at Moselem, in Richmond township; and at several other points, beds of good quality of ore are profitably worked. The products of these mines forni the principal supply for the numerous furnaces in the county. An approximate idea of the extent and productive value of the various manufactories of iron in Berks county is given in the following table, compiled from the census of 18T0, which contains the only reliable data accessible to the writer : MAHrTACTOBIES. Bloomeries . . rorged and rolled Bolts, nuts, etc. Nails and spikes Wrought tubes . Pig iron . . . Castings, all kinds Machinery (not specified) Engines ana boilers . . Total , 69 Bm 16 1,027 26 140 241 1,244 492 68 112 3,366 Capital. $62,600 2,199,659 110,000 180,000 750,000 2,378,600 626,500 72,990 95,500 $6,475,749 "Wages. $5,133 581,260 13,564 66,250 108,410 332,945 211,623 23,090 40,600 $1,382,875 Value of materials consumed. $40,415 2,196,684 52,309 288,472^ 437,206 1,415,166 403,890 14,480 42,350 $4,890,972 Products. $59,220 2,983,755 71,000 383,500 569,634 2,041,025 718,559 68,750 107,640 $7,003,083 PEINCIPAIi INDUSTRIES OP THE COUNTY OTHER THAN IRON. MANUFACTORIES. Canal boats .... Boots and shoes . . Bricks Carriages and wagons Clothing Cotton goods . . . Flouring mill products Hats and caps . . . Leather tanned . . . Do. curried . . . Malt liquors .... Sash, doors, and blinds Cigars Woolen goods . . . (0 p. 121 177 386 185 307 341 154 432 1J3 74 66 130 282 227 Capital. $59,500 70,900 191,160 67,950 88,375 198,400 557,550 391,188 180,765 111,525 421,000 56,500 - 89,500 197,780 "Wages. $46,470 60,150 81,416 40,846 54,647 77,450 29,555 177,460 26,191 15,777 36,720 61,417 49,910 57,473 Value of materials. $106,401 89,622 97,915 44,064 137,143 175,574 1,127,265 458,299 281,499 250,961 150,715 112,852 86,198 158,795 Products. $155,801 170,417 260,110 137,233 228,801 299,550 1,308,233 951,880 348,564 314,831 257,679 211,861 196,543 285,435 BERKS GOUNTT. 381 The number of manufacturing establishments of all descriptions in Be^s county, as returned by the census of 1870, was 1,440. Total number of hands employed, 8,991; capital invested, $11,182,603 ; wages paid annually, $2,711,231 ; materials consumed, $10,646,049; value of products, $16,243,453. Estimated value in'1875, being 50 per centum added, $24,365,179. It has been the fashion with writers for the press, for the most part unac- quainted' with the history and character of the inhabitants of Berks county, to represent them as an ignorant people, inimical to education. To such an extent has this misrepresentation been carried, that, up to a very recent period, the " Dumb Dutch " of Berks had become a by-word of reproach against this people indiscriminately. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In every settlement of Berks county, from the earliest dates, the school house was reared contempora- neously with the church ; secular education went hand in hand with religious instruction, and the schoolmaster was regarded as second only to the pastor in the importance of his functions. It is true that the Germans of Berks county,, with their characteristic jealousy of all innovations upon their established customs and institutions, were slow to adopt the provisions of the common school law of Pennsylvania, which they looked upon with suspicion, as an attempt by the State to usurp authority in a matter which they believed to belong exclusively to themselves as a local and domestic regulation of which they were best qualified to have the control. Whether right or wrong in this view is no longer a question of practical importance. Suffice it to say that, when the school system came to be fairly understood, it was readily accepted and faithfully administered, and in no county in the State do its operations and results to-day present a more gratifying exhibit. Exclusive of the city of Beading, the county is sub-divided into fifty school districts, with four hundred and twenty-five schools, which are kept open upon an average of six months in the year. The number of teachers employed during the school year just closed was 430 ; average number of pupils in attendance, 12,374. The annual taxation of the people for the support of these schools amounts to nearly $105,000, and no tax is more willingly paid. The school houses are all substantially built, and many of them have been constructed after the most improved models of school architecture. The earliest internal improvements which brought Berks county into direct communication with other sections of the State were the three great turnpike roads, namely, the Reading and Perkiomen, from Philadelphia to Reading, fifty- two miles ; the Centre, an extension of the former, from Reading to Sunbury, eighty-two miles ; and the Berks and Dauphin, from Reading to Harrisburg, fifty-two miles. These highways have been preserved in good repair at a very small annual expenditure, and attest the wisdom and engineering skill of the old surveyors by whom they were constructed. The turnpikes were succeeded by the canals, of which the Union canal is the oldest, having been projected in 1821, and opened to navigation in 1826. It commences at Middletown, on the Susque- hanna, and enters the Schuylkill at Reading. The Schuylkill canal, although projected at a later date, was completed about the same time. It extends from Port Carbon, in the Schuylkill coal region, follows the course of the river down through Reading, and terminates at Fairmouut, Philadelphia. Its whole length 382 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. isaone hundred and eight miles. It is now operated, under lease, by tue Reading railroad company. The county is intersected by railroads in almost every direction, chief of which is the main line of the Philadelphia and Beading railroad, completed through from Philadelphia to Pottsville, ninety-three miles, in 1842. All the other lines of railway, with one exception, although constructed by independent companies, have now passed under the control of that great corporation, either by consolidation or lease. The Lebanon Valley branch, from Reading to Harris- burg, fifty-four miles, connects with the Pennsylvania railroad at the latter city. The East Pennsylvania branch, from Reading to AUentown, thirty-six miles, connects with the Lehigh Valley railroad at that station, and forms a link in what is Isnown as the AUentown route from New York to the West. The Read- ing and Columbia, and Lancaster branch, forty miles, connects at Columbia with railways to York and Port Deposit. The Berks and Lehigh branch, forty-three miles, from Reading to Slatington, connects at that point with the Lehigh Valley railroad. The other branches are the Colebrookdale, twelve miles, from Pottstown to Barto, and the Kutztown, four and one-half miles, from Topton to Kutztown, which are elsewhere noticed. The exception referred to is the Wilmington and Reading railroad, sixty-four miles, connecting with the Pennsylvania railroad at Coatesville, and with the Philadelphia, Wilming- ton, and Baltimore railroad at Wilmington. The South Mountain and Boston railroad, now under construction, and a portion of the Pennsylvania division of which has been graded, passes in a direct line from east to west, through the northern portion of Berks county, along the fertile valley of the Tulpehocken. This road will extend from the Susquehanna river, near Harrisburg, on the south-west, in a north-easterly course to the Hudson river, opposite Poughkeepsie, New York. When completed, it will form a connection with Reading by means of the Straustown branch, twenty miles in length, from the main line which takes Straustown in its route. This branch passes through the borough of Bernville. The first settlements within the present limits of Berks county were made between the years 1704 to 1712, by some English members of the Society of Friends, French Huguenots, and German emigrants from the Palatinate, in Wahlink, or Oley, a name which signifies, in the Indian tongue, " a tract of land encompassed by hills." Among the Friends who first domiciled here were Arthur Lee and George Boone, the ancestor of Daniel Boone, the famous pioneer of Kentucky. Prominent among the first German settlers at or near Oley was Hans Keim, the ancestor of the Keim family of Reading. The Huguenots who settled in Berks first endeavored to find a home in New York; Abraham De Turck, of Oley, one of their descendants, in a letter dated March, 1844, to I. D. Rupp, author of the " History of Berks County," wrote : " My ancestor, Isaac Turk, or De Turck, lived in France, and being a Huguenot, was obliged to flee to Frankenthal in the Palatinate. He emigrated to America in the days of Queen Anne (1709), settled in the State of New York, in the neighborhood of Esopus, and removed to Oley 1712. The patent of my land is dated 1712." About 1714 or 1715, a few Swedes settled in Amity township. There still BERKS COUNTY. 333 stands a relic of this settlement — a two story house, built of the native sand- stone, on the east bank of the Schuylkill, at the village of Douglassville, in the front wall of which there is a stone bearing the initials and date "I. M. I., 1716." A settlement was begun in Tulpehocken, in 1723, by some Germans who had fled from the Palatinate in 1T08 or 1709, and taken refuge in England at the invitation of Queen Anne. In December, 1709, three thousand of these refugees embarked at London in ten ships for New York. Nearly one-half of them perished on the voyage. The survivors arrived at New York in June, 1710, and settled at various points on the Hudson. In the winter of 1712-13, about fifty families took up lands and established their homes on the Scoharie, within the limits of the present county of Scoharie. Others soon joined them there, and after encountering the various trials and hardships incident to the immigrant for several years, they brought much of the land under culture, and founded flourishing hamlets in the midst of rich fields of corn and productive gardens. But while rejoicing in the prospect of peace and prosperity, they were suddenly notified that the lands which they had improved belonged to the State, and that they must relinquish them to the lawful claimant. Submitting patiently to adverse fate, they sadly left their homes on the Scoharie for Pennsylvania, where they found an asylum among the Indians. Piloted by a friendly Indian, in the spring of 1723, they finally reached the head of the Tulpehocken creek, and settled on Indian lands about eighteen miles west of Reading. Having pro- vided temporary shelter for their wives and children, their next care was to send deputies to Lieutenant-Governor Keith, to ask permission to settle on the Tulpe- hocken creek. He granted their petition on condition that they would, as soon as- possible, make full satisfaction to the Proprietary or his agent, for such lands as should be allotted them. A few years later, fifty other families removed from the Scoharie to Tulpehocken. This new accession aroused the hostility of the natives. At a council, held June 5, 1728, in Philadelphia, in the presence of a large audience, one of the chiefs, Allummapees, otherwise Sassoo- nan, king of the Delawares, plaintively alluded to the encroachments upon his people which had been made by the Germans. In addressing James Logan, president of the council, he said : " I am now an old man and must soon die ; my children may wonder to see their father's lands gone from them, without receiving anything for them, and they left with no place of their own to live on. This may occasion a difference between their children and us hereafter. I would willingly prevent any misunderstanding that may happen." In 1729 there was another accession of Palatines, prominent among whom was Conrad Weiser, who afterwards played an important part in the colonial history of Berks county. To quiet and fully satisfy the Indians, Thomas Penn, son of the Proprietary of Pennsylvania, purchased the lands in this region from the Indians in 1782, and from him the settlers derived valid titles to the lands they occupied. But the attempts to preserve peace between the German settlers of Berks county and the Indians were all unavailing. To relate in detail all the atrocities committed by the natives from 1744 to 1764, would exceed the jompass of this limited sketch. In 1744, when war was declared between Great 384 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Britain and Prance, the latter easily succeeded in exciting the hostility of the Indians against the English, and the French found them not only willing but eager to join them in their acts of plunder and rapine. Soon after Braddock's defeat at Fort Duquesne, in July, 1755, the Indians made marauding incursions into Berks county from the direction of the Blue mountain. They devastated, by fire and slaughter, many p^rts of the county. Hundreds of houses were laid in ashes, hundreds of persons were scalped and slain, and many, without distinction as to age or sex, were taken captives by the savages, and subjected to tortures from which death was a blessed release. Conrad Weiser, who was then commander of the Provincial forces in Berks, wrote numerous letters which are still in existence, to Lieutenant-Governor Morris, giving thrilling accounts of the deplorable condition of the settlements. In one letter, dated the latter part of 1755, he wrote : " This country is in a dismal condition. It can't hold out long. Consternation, poverty, confusion everywhere." Alarms of this kind continued in Berks and other counties till 1778, when the Indians were finally driven beyond the Allegheny mountains. Although the first settlers of Berks county were chiefly Germans, the colonial records show that emigrants of other European nationalities also sought and found homes here. Reference has been made to the settlements of Friends and French Huguenots in Oley, and of Swedes in Amity. Besides these, there were settlements of Huguenots in Alsace township, contiguous to Reading, and in Greenwich, on the border of Lehigh county ; in Bern, of Swiss ; in Brecknock, Caernarvon, and Cumru, of Welsh; in Maiden Creek, of Friends; in Robeson, of Friends, English, and Welsh ; and in Union, of Swedes, English, and Welsh. A few Dutch families settled in Pike township, about 1730, and their descendants still reside there upon the ancestral estates' John Pott, a descend- ant of one of these families, built the first furnace in PottsvUle, and gave the name to the town, which has since become the great depot of the Schuylkill coal region. He is also credited with having been the discoverer of the utility of anthracite coal. Hereford township, in the extreme eastern corner of the county bordering upon Montgomery and Lehigh, was settled principally by " Schwenkfelders," a religious sect founded by Kaspar von Schwenkfeld, a nobleman of Silesia. His adherents were persecuted by both Roman Catholics and Protestants, and in 1734 a considerable number of them emigrated to Pennsylvania, and settled on contiguous lands in Berks, Montgomery, and Lehigh. Their descendants in these counties still number about three hundred families and eight hundred members, and have five churches and school- houses. The inhabitants of Berks, being for the most part composed of immigrants, and the descendants of immigrants, who had either been driven from or voluntarily left their native country to escape from civil oppression or religious persecution, it was natural that they should have been among the first to espouse the cause of the Colonies in resisting the usurpations of the British Crown. In June, 1775, after the first blood had been shed for American freedom in the battles of Lex- ington and Bunker Hill, the Assembly, in session at Philadelphia, recommended to the commissioners and assessors of Berks county " to immediately provide four hundred firelocks with bayonets, cartridge boxes with twenty-three rounds of BURKS COUNTY. 386 cartridges in every box, and knapsacks for the immediate use of drafted soldiers." This recommendation was promptly adopted. At a meeting held at Reading, January 2, 1776, Edward Biddle, Jonathan Potts, Mark Bird, Christopher Schultz, John Patton, Sebastian Levan, and Baltzer Gehr, were appointed delegates to a convention, held at Philadelphia, January 22, 1776, to devise measures for effectual resistance to the mother coun- try ; and Edward Biddle, Jonathan Potts, William Relirer, Christopher Witman, and Mark Bird, were constituted a committee of correspondence. When, on July 4, 1776, the delegates of the "Associators of Pennsylvania " met at Lancaster, to choose two brigadier-generals to command the battalions and forces of Pennsyl- vania, Berks county was represented by Colonels Bird, Patton, and Levan ; Majors Gabriel Hiester, Jones, Lindemuth, and Loefller; Lieutenants Cremer, Lutz, Rice, and Miller; Adjutant S. Eby ; Captains Keim and May; and pri- vates Hartman, Filbert, Morgan, Tolbert, Spohn, Wenrich, Moser, Seltzer, Win- ter, Lerch, Wister, and Smack. While this convention was being held, the representatives in Congress unani- mously declared the thirteen Colonies free and independent States. This act gave an impetus to the struggle which induced the patriots of Berks to make common cause with their brethren already in arms, byjenlisting for active service •whenever their country should call them into the field. During the winter of 1776-'77, when the British were in possession of Phila- delphia, Reading was the resort of many fugitive families from the metropolis, and it is related that, notwithstanding the gloomy prospects of the army under Washington, the little town became the scene of much gaiety. The society of the refugees received accessions of visitors from time to time — officers of the army, and others, who found relief from the contemplation of the common suffer- ing in card parties, balls, sleighing excursions, and kindred pleasures. General Mifflin (afterwards Governor of the Commonwealth) held a country-seat named "Angelica," three miles south-east of Reading, which subsequently became the property of the county, and is now occupied by the alms-house and county hos- pital buildings. He was out of command in the army at this time, and was residing here. It was during this dark interval of the war that Reading became the head-quarters of the " Conway Cabal," which had for its object the deposi- tion of Washington as Commander-in-Chief, and the substitution of General Gates. General Mifflin was, for a time, a leading spirit among these malcontents, but subsequently regretted the step he had taken, apologized for his conduct, and was restored to favor. During the same period, a body of Hessian prisoners, who had been captured at Trenton in December, 1776, together with some British, and the principal Scotch Royalists who had been captured in North Carolina, were brought to Reading, and confined in a sort of rude barracks on Penn's Mount, east of the town, where they remained some time. To protect themselves against the incle- mency of the winter, they built huts from the stones which they found there in great abundance, the ruins of which may still be traced by the curious antiquary. These prisoners were under the command of Captain Philip Miller, of Reading, who fought in the battle of Trenton. At the beginning of the year 1777, the number of available efficient men in z 386 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Berks was reported at about four thousand. On the 5th and 6th days of May, in that j'car, they met at convenient places to elect field officers, and formed themselves into companies and classes, agreeably to law. July 28, 1777, the Council of Safety at Philadelphia, in the exigency of affairs, when the invasion of Pennsylvania by the British was apprehended, ordered Colonel Jacob Morgan, of Berks, forthwith to embody one class of the militia of the county and send them to Chester. The command was promptly complied with, the militia exhibiting the warmest zeal in the cause upon which the future fate of the American States depended. Some of the inhabitants, however, here as elsewhere, were not equally zealous, assigning as a reason for not responding to the call, that they were unprovided with arms, ammtmition, and other necessaries. In August following, a second class of the militia of Berks were ordered out, the force, including officers and privates, aggregating six hundred and fifty-six " hearty and able men." In JNovember, the fifth and sixth classes were notified to appear at Beading, with all the arms, accoutrements, and blankets they could procure. There was at this time a great want of arms and ammunition. In this exigencj', proper persons were appointed by the commissioners to go from house to house to collect arms, blankets, and whatever could be made available for the service, and forward them to the commissioners. In July, 1780, a requisition was made upon Berks to furnish, monthly, six hundred barrels of flour, six hundred tons of forage, two hundred horses, and twenty wagons. The last order from the Council of Safety was issued September 11, 1781, for three classes of the militia of Berks county. This, as well as the several previous requisitions, both for men and munitions of war, as well as for supplies for subsistence, were promptly complied with. During the entire period of the Revolutionary struggle, from 1775 to 1783, Pennsylvania furaislied 29,555 "effective men." Of these, 7,357 were militia, and 22,198 were regular Continental troops. Of this number Berks county furnished its full quota. In the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794, the town of Reading furnished a com- pany of volunteers to aid in subduing the malcontents in the west. In the war of 1812-14, Berks county furnished two full regiments of militia and volunteers, which constituted the Second Brigade Pennsylvania Militia, under command of General John Addams, of Reading. Jeremiah Shappell and John Lotz were Colonels of the First and Second regiments respfectively. The captains of the several companies were : George Zieber, Jacob Marshall, Tho- mas Moore, John Mauger, George Marx, George Ritter, Jonathan Jones, Henry Willotz, John May, John Christian, Gabriel Old, Daniel De B. Keim, and William Ilain. These troops marched to the defence of Baltimore in the fall of 1814, when that city was threatened by the British, and remained in camp there until the conclusion of peace. When war was declared between the United States and Mexico (1846) three companies of volunteers were recruited in Reading and the vicinity, and tendered their services to the government. Only one of them was accepted, the Reading Artillerists, Captain Thomas S. Looser, which became Company A of SEEKS COUNTY. 381 the Second Pennsylvania regiment, and did gallant service under General Scott in all the engagements from Vera Cruz to the capture of the city of Mexico. In the late war of the rebellion Berks county attested her devotion to the cause of tlie Union by sending into the field forty-eight full companies of volun- teers, who served in various regiments, chiefly in the Army of the Potomac, and many of these gallant men, officers and privates, yielded up their lives a willing sacrifice upon the altar of their country. In every sanguinary engagement of the campaign their names were found in the list of killed, wounded, and prisoners. The future historian will do justice to their memories. The drafts of 1863, which were obnoxious to the people of many districts and resisted in some, met with no obstacles to their enforcement here, and two full regiments of drafted men were obtained, who willingly submitted to the decrees of war, and faithfully served out the term for which they were recruited. It deserves to be noted here that the Ringgold Light Artillery of Reading, Captain James McKnight, was the first company that reported at Harrisburg in response to President Lincoln's proclamation of April 15, 1861, calling for 75,0U0 men, and was one of the five Pennsylvania companies that first arrived at Washington for the defence of the Capital. The territorial subdivisions of Berks consist of the city of Reading, eight boroughs and forty-one townships. The following table gives the date of formation, population, and valuation of taxable property of each : Districts. 2-1 1 Valuation DlSTKIOTB. 1 Valuation Albany, 1752 1,510 $1,048,365 Jefferson, 1851 1,133 858,405 Alsace, 1752 1,294 882,273 Kutztown (bor.), ' 1815 1,045 572,643 Amity, 1752 1,646 1,465,158 Longswamp, 1759 2,910 1,310,366 Bern, 1752 2,124 1,501,092 Maiden Creek, 1752 1,615 1,803,966 Bern, Upper, 1821 2,008 1,774,227 Marion, 1843 1,440 1,641,957 Bernville (bor.), 1850 457 220,053 Maxatawny, 1752 2,531 2,863,344 Bethel, 1752 2,285 1,898,955 Muhlenberg, 1850 1,547 1,626,228 Birdsboro (bor.), 1872 *],000 660,066 Oley, 1752 1,986 2,875,161 Boyertown(bor.), 18G6 C90 602,619 Ontelaunee, 1850 1,339 1,382,259 Brecknock, 1752 813 534,990 Penn, 1841 1,515 1,243,998 Caernarvon, 1752 927 797,125 Perry, 1849 1,680 1,282,035 Centre, 1842 1,529 1,405,590 Pike, 1813 925 480,177 Colebrookdale, 1752 1,660 1,107,981 Reading, 1783 33,930 34,700,000 Cumru, 1752 2,573 1,785,877 Richmond, 1752 2,874 2,067,936 District, 1759 724 503,358 Robeson, 1752 2,458 1,260,^37 Douglass, 1752 1,072 813,555 Rockland, 1759 1,451 967,170 Earl, 1781 1,022 516,135 Ruscomb Manor, 1759 1,408 682,974 Exeter, 1752 2,239 2,076,834 Spring, 1850 2,253 2,217,398 Fleetwood (bor.). 1873 »000 326,871 Topton (bor.), Tu peliocken. 1876 *400 Greenwich, 1759 2,151 1,462,620 1752 2,013 1,431,669 Hamburg (bor.), 1803 1,590 773,106 Tulpehocken, U., 1820 1,196 845,865 Heidelberg, 1752 1,193 1,601,025 Union, 1752 2,165 1,109,625 Heidelberg, Lo'r, 1842 2,480 2,302,926 Wasliington, 1839 1,609 1,483,221 Heidelberg, N'th, 1842 979 772,660 Windsor, 1759 1,211 683,094 Hereford, 1752 1,260 1,277,904 Womelsdorf (bo.), 1837 1,031 531,699 •Estimated population, 1876. Hamburg was settled as early as 1120, by emigrants from the free State of 388 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Hamburg, Germany, and hence when incorporated as a borough, it was appro- priately so named. It is beautifully situated on the east bank of the Schuylkill river, sixteen miles north-east of Reading, and has become one of the principal stations on the Philadelphia and Reading railroad between Reading and Potts- ville. The projected South Mountain railroad will span the Schuylkill at this point, and run through the northern portion of the town. It has considerable trade and manufactures, and contains many fine buildings, including five churches and three large school houses. KuTZTOWN was settled by Germans about the year ITSS. It is situated on the old post road between Reading and Easton, seventeen mUes north-east of Reading. It is now connected with the East Pennsylvania branch of the Phila- delphia and Reading railroad at Topton station, by a branch of the '(uncom- pleted) AUentown railroad. Since 1860 Kutztown has increased rapidly in population and business. It is now the most flourishing borough in the county. The Keystone State normal school is located upon a commanding site over- looking the town, and is one of the finest educational institutions in the country. It consists of a central building of simple, but imposing, architectural propor- tions, crowned with a tower and flanked by wings, the whole presenting a front of two hundred and forty feet. The surrounding grounds have been beautifully improved with parterres of grass and shrubbery, with walks shaded by numerous trees. The main building was originally the " Maxatawny seminary," which was enlarged to its present dimensions during the years 1865-'66. September 13, 1866, the school was officially recognized as the State Normal School of the Third District of Pennsylvania. It has boarding accommodations for three hundred, and school accommodations for four hundred,, students. The number of students enrolled in the catalogue of 1875 was five hundred and sixteen, of whom four hundred and seventy-one were males. The whole cost of the build- ings and grounds was about $85,000. WoMELSDOKF was settled in 1723, by some of the German families who had originally found homes in Scoharie county. New York, but were obliged to surrender their lands there in consequence of defective titles. It was laid out as a town by John Wommelsdorfl", from whom it derived its name. It is situated near the Tulpehocken creek, on the Berks and Dauphin turnpike road, fourteen miles west of Reading. Conrad Weiser settled near Womelsdorf in 1729, and his remains were interred there in the family burying-ground, which is still preserved intact as a venerated spot. Up to the date of its incorporation as a borough, Womelsdorf was included in Heidelberg township. The Bethany Orphans' Home, founded by the Reformed church, is situated in a beautiful grove of eighty-eight acres of land, near Womelsdorf station on the Lebanon Valley branch of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad, about half a mile south of the borough. The building is large and commodious, and is abundantly sup- plied with the purest water from the South Mountain spring. Previous to the purchase of the property for the Home, in 1868, it was known as " Manderbach's Springs," and was much frequented by strangers as a summer resort. There is a tradition among the inhabitants of Womelsdorf that Washington tarried there over night, in October, 1794, on his way to take command of the troops who had rendezvoused at Carlisle to march to suppress the Whiskey Insurrection in BEBKS COUNTY. 389 Western Pennsylvania, and that, on this occasion, accompanied by General Joseph Hiester and other persons of note, he visited the grave of Conrad Weiser. BiRDSBORO, formerly included in Robeson township, is a flourishing manii- facturing town on the Schuylkill, eight miles south-east of Reading. It is an important station on the main line of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad, and the Wilmington and Reading railroad. The extensive iron works' of Messrs. E. & G. Brooke, consisting of furnaces, rolling mill, and nail factory, are situated here, and make it the centre of a large trade. It has several fine churches and many elegant private residences. BoYERTOWN, set off from Colebrookdale township, is situated on the Cole- brookdale railroad, about eight miles from Pottstown, where the latter connects with the Philadelphia and Reading road. Its inhabitants are prin- Qipally interested in the min- ing of iron ore, large deposits of rich magnetic ore lying in the immediate vicinity, som6 of the veins of which extend under a portion of the ground on which the town has been built. The Colebrookdale iron works, two miles distant, are engaged extensively in the manufacture of castings of va- rious kinds, principally wagon- boxes and sad-irons. Boyer- town contains two large aca- demies and boarding schools, and is a favorite summer re- sort for Philadelphians. FLEETWOOD, set oflT from Richmond township, is a sta- tion on the East Pennsylvania branch of the Reading railroad, eleven miles east of Reading, and since the completion of that road in 1858, has grown into a thriving manufacturing town. Bernville is situated on the Union canal, fourteen miles north-west from Reading. It has an industrious population, and several manufacturing establish- ments of note. The South Mountain raili;oad, now in process of construction, will pass through the borough, which will give a new impetus to the business of the vicinity. ToPTON, the youngest borough in the countj', set off from Longswamp town- siiip. February 12, ISte, is situated eighteen miles north-east of Reading, on the Kast Penns^'lvania railroad, at its junction with the Kutztowri branch. THE OLD HAIN'S CHUBCH, HEAR WERNEKSVILLB. [From a Photograph bj LeunaD k Lee, UeadiDg.J 390 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Leespoet, on the Schuylkill river, and also a station on the Philadelphia and Reading railroad, nine miles north of Reading, is a flourishing village. A large anthracite furnace, owned by the Leesport Iron company, is in operation here. MoRaANTOWN, a village in Caernarvon township on the Conestoga turnpike road, thirteen miles south from Reading, was settled about lt40, by emigrants from North Wales, principally workers in iron, and is one of the few places in Berks county where the German language has never prevailed. It was named after its founder. Colonel Jacob Morgan, a distinguished soldier of the Revolu- tionary war, and is noted as the birthplace of many men who have become prominent in the public affairs of the countr3', among whom may be named the Hon. J. Glancy Jones, ex-Member of Congress and Minister to Austria, and the Hon. Hiester Clymer, ex-State Senator and now Member of Congress. The first inhabitant of Caernarvon was David Jones, a Welsh iron-master, who purchased about one thousand acres of land in 1735, and was the first to successfully develop the iron industry of Penns3-lvania. The mines now known as " Jones's Mine Holes," are upon a portion of the original purchase of this pio- neer, and for many j'cars were a source of wealth to him and his descendants. An old mansion is still standing on the turnpike, two miles from Morgantown, which was built in If 52 by his son, Jonathan Jones, who afterwards had a colo- nel's commission in the Revolutionary army. These were the ancestors of the Hon. J. Glancy Jones. ViRQiNSViLLE, hitlicrto an obscure village in Richmond township, four miles from Kutztown, has become a place of note since the discovery, in 1871, of a remarkable natural curiosity now known as the "Cry^stal Cave." This subter- ranean wonder was disclosed by some men engaged in quarrying stone, and is regarded with admiration by all who have examined it. TJie cave is of vast dimensions, and cr3-stal formations of every shape and color are found within its recesses. Chief among these is a splendid wing-shaped brace of pendants hanging from a lofty projection, and most appropriately named the "Angel's Wings." A large hotel has been built near the cave, and since the village has become a railroad station by the completion of the Berks and Lehigh road, numerous strangers and parties of pleasure visit the place during the summer season. The whole territory of Berks countj' is dotted with numerous villages, beau- tiful in situation, thriving in business, and delightful as rural retreats; but it is the province of the gazetteer rather than the historian to describe them. CuMUU township is entitled to notice under this head, as being the seat of the county almshouse and hospital buildings, upon a large and highly cultivated farm of over five hundred acres, which was formerly the property of Governor Thomas Mifllin, and where he resided during his intervals of retirement from the public duties of his eventful life. The new hospital for the insane, completed in 1875, is a large and commodious structure, in which all the modern appliances for the comfort and relief of this alllicted class have been introduced. An average of five hundred inmates are subsisted here, mainly from the products of the farm. It is easily accessible from the city, from which it is three miles distant, over an excellent macadamized road. Reading, the seat of justice of Berks county, was ijamed after the ancient BERKS COUNTY. 891 boiough of Reading and market-town of Berkshire in England, whicL it is said to resemble in some of its geographical environs. It was laid out in the fall of 1748, by tlie agents of Richard and Thomas Penn, then Proprietaries of the Pro- vince of Pennsylvania. Settlers were invited to it " as a new town of great natural advantages of location, and destined to become a prosperous place." In 1T52, when the county of Berks was erected, and Reading was made the capital, it contained 130 dwelling houses, 106 families, and 378 inhabitants. The original settlers were principally Germans, who had emigrated from Wirtemberg and the Palatinate, although a few Friends who settled here under the patronage of the Penns had control of the government prior to the Revolution. The Germans, however, being the more numerous, gave character to the town both in language and customs. For many years the German tongue was almost exclu- sively spoken, and it is still used in social intercourse and religious worship by a considerable portion of the present population. Reading was incor- porated as a borough in 1783, and as a city in 1847. It is beautifully situated on the eastern bank of tlie Schuylkill river, iifty-two miles east (fifty-four by railroad) of Harrisburg, and fifty-two miles north-west (fifty eight by railroad) of Philadelphia. It is built upon a plain sloping gently from Penn's Mount, an eminence on the eastern side, to the river, which gives it great natural facilities for drainage. The streets are wide and well graded, and generally intersect each otlier at right angles, and form ia their course almost exact indices of the cardinal points of the compass. Reading is abundantlj supplied witli pure water from various mountain streams which have been from time to time conducted into reservoirs on Penn's Mount, and thence distributed throughout the city. The first spring water was introduced by the Reading water companj', a private corporation, in 1822, wliose property and franchises were purchased by the city in 18G5, for the sum of $300,000, and since then they have been under the supervision of a board of four commissioners elected at stated terms by the city councils. The Reading gas company was chartered in 1848. The works are situated on the Schuylkill canal, at the foot of Fifth street. The present boundaries of Reading comprise an area of about four thousand acres, extending three and one-tenth miles north and south, and two and four- tenths miles east and west. Its municipal subdivisions consist of eleven wards, nearly equal in territorial extent and population, each of which elects one member of the select council for a term of three j-cars, and four members of common council (or more, according to the ratio of taxable inhabitants) for a term of two years. The mayor is elected biennially, and has the appointment of tlie police force of the city, which now consists of a chief, one lieutenant, two sergeants, and thirty-five patrolmen, subject to confirmation by the select council. All l.'iws and ordinances of councils must have the approval of the mayor. Reading has an efficient volunteer fire department, consisting of ten compa- nies — seven steam-engines, two hook-and-ladder, and one hose companj-— which are mainly supported by appropriations from the city treasury, at an average annual cost of $17,000. The councils have general control of the property and apparatus of the companies; and their. immediate direction, when in service, is committed to a chief engineer and two assistants, who are elected annually by 392 HISTOB^ OF PENNBTLYANIA. the Firemen's Tlnion, an incorporated body composed of delegates representing the several companies composing the department.- The fire-alarm telegraph, adopted 1875, has proved of incalculable service in saving the city from destruc- tive conflagrations, by the promptness with which the discovery of fires is signaled, and the exact indication of the locality where the services of the firemen are needed. Reading was among the first districts in the Commonwealth to accept the provisions of the Common School law of 1834, and although the progress of the new system of education was at first slow, it gradually grew into favor, until the public schools of Reading attained to a rank entitling them to be classed among the best in the State. The city now constitutes an independent school district, under special laws, and is governed by a board of controllers, composed of four members from each ward. The schools consist of a high school, in charge of a principal and eight assistants, seven grammar schools, six intermediate schools, thirteen secondary schools, and forty primaries. A corps of one hundred and thirty-two teachers are required to conduct these schools — all females except the principal of the high school and four of his assistants. The general supervision of the schools is committed to a city superintendent, elected annually by the board of controllers. Number of school-houses in 1876, twenty-two. Pupils of all grades in attendance, 7,000. Prior to 1830, the compilers of the gazetteers found nothing worthy of remark in relation to Reading, except that many of its inhabitants were engaged in the manufacture of wool hats. The hat manufacture still constitutes a branch of its productive industry, but it has been long since exceeded by other manu- facturing industries, chief among which are the various products of iron • although cotton and woolen goods, boots and shoes, agricultural implements, furniture, leather, bricks, carriages, and indeed almost every article that ministers to the necessity or convenience of man, are produced here for the supply of home and distant markets, The principal workshops of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad company are established here, consisting of forges, rolling mills, foundries, locomotive works, car shops, and others, which give employ- ment to about three thousand laborers and skilled mechanics. The first public buildings erected in Reading were the court house (1762)) the jail (1770), and the State house (1793). The court house stood in the open square, at the intersection of Penn and Fifth streets, which was then the geographical centre of the town. It was a small two-story structure of rubble work, painted red, with nothing pretending to ornament, if we may except a diminutive belfry which contained a small bell and the town clock, the dials of which were never known within the memory of the oldest inhabitant to mark the hours correctly. There was a tradition among the " old wives," that the clock was bewitched, and that no human skill ever could make it go right. Whatever might have been the cause, the fact was so. The old court house was demolished in 1841, having been superseded in 1840 by the completion of the present court house, a large and elegant structure, composed in the Ionic order of Grecian architecture, with basement and portico of sandstone, and a cupola twenty-four feet in diameter at the base, and eighty-four feet in height above the roof. This building was enlarged a few years ago by an addition to the rear, and BEBKS COUNTY. 393 now contains two spacious court rooms, commodious offices for the several county officers, a large law library room, jury rooms, vaults, etc. The old jail, a long, low, heavy two-story stone structure, built for durability, certainly if not for ornament, is still standing on the north-east corner of Fifth and Washington streets, with very little alteration in its original appearance, and is occupied for business purposes. If not disturbed by the onward march of improvement, it bids fair to endure for another century. The new county prison, designed and erected in 1846 by the celebrated architect, John Haviland, stands on a command- ing site on, the south-western slope of Penn's Mount, at tlie junction of Penn street and Perkiomen avenue. It is built of red sandstone, in the castellated THE PROVINCIAL COURT HOUSE AT READING. Erected In 1782, UenioUsliert In 1841. LFrom ft Drawing b7 F. A. Holuwart, 1838.] Gothic style, and is a conspicuous ornament of the city, if, indeed, a penal insti- tution can be viewed in an ornamental light. The State house, which, prinv to 1840, was occupied by the public offices of the county, and as a town hall, was a plain but substantial two-story brick building, on the north-east corner of Penn and Fifth streets. It was converted into places of business after ceasing to be used for public purposes, and was destroyed by fire, January, 18f 2. Reading contains many other large and elegant public edifices and private mansions, which give it the appearance of a metropolitan city. Among the former are the Academy of Music, Grand Opera House, market houses, the Key- stone Hall, Library Hall, City Hall, Masonic Temple, now in course of erectioni St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum, under the charge of the Roman Catholic Sisters 394 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. of Charity, the diocesan school of the Protestant Episcopal church, parochial school of St. Paul's Roman Catholic church, and others. The new passenger depot of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad company, in the northern section of the city, where the several branches of this great corporation connect with its main line, is, in convenience of arrangement, architectural taste, eligible loca- tion, and beautiful park-like surroundings, one of the most complete structures of the kind in the United States. It hae been truly denominated " the pride of the city and the admiration of all travelers." One of the few houses of ante-revolutionary date, which still stands as a monu- ment of the colonial era of Reading, is the two-story stone building on the north-east corner of the public square at Fifth and Penn streets, now occupied by the Farmers' National Bank. It was erected in 1764, and was originally kept as a public-house or tavern (the " hotel" is an institution of later tim6s). Tradition says that Washington was entertained here when on his way to join the troops which had been called out to suppress the Whiskey Insurrection in 1794, and this incident has been so well authenticated that it may be set down as a fact. The building has under- gone some alterations and improvements, but is well preserved in nearly its primitive form. The Friends were the first to make pro- vision for religious instruction in Reading. In 1750 they erected a meeting-house and school-house, plain log structures, on a lot set apart for the purpose in the locality now known as the corner of Washington and Ash streets. These relics of the past cen- tury have long since disappeared, and the present generation knows nothing of their existence, except from the photographs of them which have been fortunately pre- served. The next liouse of religious worship was the German Reformed church, erected about 1762, on the site of the present large and beautiful First Reformed church on Washington street, above Sixth. The Lutheran " Church of the Trinity," on the north-west corner of Washington and Sixth streets, was erected in J 791, and, with the exception of the graceful tapering spire which rises from the tower on the western gable-end to the height of two hundred and one feet six inches, and various improvements in the interior arrangements, stands to-day almost as it stood in its original form. The Roman Catholics built a chapel here in 1791, on the east side of Seventh street, between Franklin and Chestnut, which was occupied for worship until the year 1846, when St. Peter's church, on South- Fifth street, was erected. Tip to tlie year 1824, when the Presbyterian church was organized, the religious services of the churches were conducted exclusively in the German language. The English portion of the inhabitants, whose number was then small, assembled on every alternate Sunday, in the Reading academy, TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, BEBKS COUNTY. S95 which stood on the south-west corner of Seventh and Chestnut streets (now occu- pied by one of the railroad machine shops), where the Rev. John P. Grier, D.D., principal of the academy, ministered to them in their own tongue. The Epis- copal church, which occupied tlio site of the present Christ cathedral, was erected in 1826. The Methodists, although existing as a society previous to that date, erected their first church in 1833 ; the Baptists about the same period ; and the Uni- versalists in 1830. Reading now contains more than thirty church edifices, of which five are Lutheran, five Reformed, four Methodist, three Presbyterian, two Protestant Episcopal, two Roman Catholic, two Baptist, and others representing the various religious denominations in the United States. The Charles Evans cemetery, founded in 1846 by a munificent donation of land and money from i the late Charles Evans, Esq., long a distin- guished member of tlie Berks county bar, is bcautifull3' situated on an eminence in the northern suburb of Reading. It is adorn- ed with an imposing front and gateway on Centre avenue, of dark sandstone, in the point- ed Gothic stj'lc, and a chapel of red freestone in the same style, de- signed and constructed by tlie late John M. Gries, of Philadelphia (a major in the Union armj', killed at the battle of Fair Oaks), which is universally admired as one of the purest gems of Gothic architecture. In 1810, according to the first official census of record, Reading had a popu- lation of 3,462. During the thirty years following, its increase was very gradual, and the census of 1840 reported the number of its inhabitants at 8,392. But from that lime onward it took a new departure, and the enumeration of 1850 deve- loped the fact that it had nearly doubled its population within the preceding decade. In 1850, the little rural borough had expanded into the prosperous city. of 15,f43 inhabitants. Thus, in just one century from the date of the foundation of the town, the prediction of the Pcnns that it was "destined to become a prosperous place," was fully verified. By the census of 18T0, the population was enumerated at 33,030, which may be safely estimated to have increased by this time (1876) to 40,000. To predict the future of Reading is beyond the power of human foreknowledge. Notwithstanding the prevailing depression of its manufacturing industries, resulting from the universal financial panic of 1873, the destiny of this city is assured, and should it increase in the same ratio as it has advanced in the past, a decennial addition of fifty per centum will give it a population of not less than 250,000 fifty years hence. TUK OKMETERY GATE AT READING. [From a Photograph by Saylor, Readiag.] k" :^'^''•:■ 396 BLAIR COUNTY. BT A. K. BELL, D.D., HOLLIDATSBUEO. LAIR COUNTY was formed from parts of Huntingdon and Bedford by an Act of Assembly, approved the 26th day of February, 184G- The act declares that on and after the fourth Monday of July, 1846, the territory within the townships of North Wood berry and Green- field, in the county of Bedford, and the territory within the townships of Alle- gheny, Amis, Snyder, Tyrone, Frankstown, Blair, Huston, Woodberry, and a portion of Morris, in the county of Huntingdon, should constitute a new county, to be known as Blaie County. The county takes its name from John Blair, or rather John Blair, Jun., whose home was some four miles west of HoUi- daysburg, on the Hun- tingdon, Cambria, and Indiana turnpike, former- ly known as the " North- ern pike." He was in his day a man of mark, fore- most in every public en- terprise, and well de- served the honor thus con- ferred upon him. Holli- daysburg was made, from the beginning, the county seat. The general surface of the county is moun'jain- ous. Bounded on the west by Cambria, it takes in the eastern slope of the Alleghenj' mountains. It has Clearfield and Centre counties on the north, Huntingdon on the east, and Bedford on the south. It has within its borders. Brush, Canoe. Dunning's, Short, Cove, and Lock mountains, more or less, one and the same mountains, and all running north and south. These mountains are all rich in minerals, while the ^itilleys are well watered and fertile. Iron is the principal manufacture of the county. It is an old iron region. Formerly there were a large number of small charcoal furnaces and forges. Prior 397 BLAIR COUNTY COURT HOUSE. [From the Design of the Architect, David S, Gendell.] 398 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. to the building of the canal, the iron was hauled in wagons to Pittsburgh, at a cost of some thirty dollars per ton. Most of the old furnaces and forges are no longer worked, giving place to larger furnaces, worked with coke, to rolling mills, and nail factories. The present number of furnaces in use is ten, capable of pro- ducing one thousand tons of metal per week, with four rolling mills and two nail factories. The furnaces are known, as Etna in Catharine township, Juniata at Williamsburg, Springfield in Woodberry, Rodman in Taylor, Gap or Martha in Freedom, Frankstown at Frankstown, Number One and Number Two in HoUidaysburg, Allegheny and Bennington in Allegheny. HoUidaysburg has two rolling mills, and two nail factories: Duncansville, a rolling mill and nail factory ; and Logan township, a rolling mill. The iron ore of the county, though not specially rich, is abundant and of a superior quality; large quantities are shipped elsewhere. The agricultural products of the county are considerable and varied, yet not sufficient for the population, which in 1870 was 38,051, and is now, 1876, perhaps 44,000. The farmers are intelligent, enterprising, and well to do. Perhaps in all the State there is not a finer farming neighborhood or better farms than are found in Morrison's Cove and Sinking Spring Valley. The great Pennsylvania railroad passes through the county, entering its borders some three miles east of Tyrone ; and to this road the county owes very largely its prosperity. A branch road leaves the main line at Altoona, running to HoUidaysburg, Newry, Williamsburg, Martinsburg, and Henrietta. This branch is among the most profitable belonging to this great corporation, doing a heavy freight and passenger business. At Bell's Mills, a narrow gauge road connects with the main line, extending some seven miles to Lloydsville, in Cambria county. This is among the first, if not the first, narrow gauge roads in the country, and is a complete' success. The scenery along this road is wild beyond description, far superior in every respect to that along the main line from Altoona to Gallitzin. Other branch roads leave the main line at Tyrone, running to Clearfield and Lock Haven. Indeed, " Little Blair " is almost a railroad county, with Altoona, the chief of railroad towns, in her very centre. The usual Indian troubles, incident to the first settlement of the .luniata valley, marked the early history of what is now Blair county. The stories per- taining thereto have been written and re-written. No doubt the early settlers endured great hardships and privations. The Indians were savage, cruel, and treacherous, sparing neither women nor children. From one standpoint we can but regard them, and rightly, as savages. And yet we must not forget the circumstances surrounding them, and mourn that no one lives to tell the story of their wrongs. That they were wronged and cheated no one doubts ; and could we have the story of these wrongs, we might feel that if they did inhuman deeds, they had, at the hands of the whites, great provocations. The politics of Blair county from its organization have been moderate Republicanism, while many of the most worthy citizens have been and are of Democratic tendencies. Neither party, as a general rule, are able to carry a bad man into ofBce. Good and true men have usually filled the county olHces, and fill them this centennial year. Some townships in the county have not for years had a house licensed to sell intoxicating drinks. The common schools, though BLAIB VOUl^TY. 399 not all they should be, are, nevertheless, cherished by the people — their joy and their pride. Originally, the entire Juniata valley was settled lai'gely by Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, and after them the Lutherans. Botli denominations have still a strong hold throughout the valley. Methodists, Baptists, and others, have come in since the first settlements, and have a habitation and a home. In Blair county the Presbyterians would seem to lead in numbers, influence, and wealth. The Lutherans and Methodists "are both numerous and active, while the Baptists, the youngest of the leading denominations, are not behind in every good word and work. All in all, we claim for "Little Blair" in her mountain home, an ^\^--\l^~ DISTANT VIEW OP THE ALLEOHEXIES. mtelligent, enterprising, and upright citizenship, loyal to themselves, the State, and the Union. During the war for the Union, they may have differed as to measures, but treason found no home in Blair county. The blood of her first- born helped to fill the baptistry of the Nation's second baptism. Sinking Spring valley is noted as the place from whence the Government received lead in the early stages of the Revolutionary war. The mines were most likely known to the French as long ago as 175.0. The Indians of this region, after they had obtained fire-arms, could always secure abundance of lead, but from whence was long a secret. General Daniel Roberdeau, member of Congress from Pennsylvania, was appointed in ItTS, to proceed to the valley and superin- tend the mines. They were worked perhaps until the fall of 1719, or until a supplj' was received through the French. The Arcli Spring and Cave in this valley are among the greatest curiosities to be met with anywhere. The spring comes forth from an opening, arched over by nature, and with a sufficient supply of water to drive a large grist.-mill. A 400 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. * little below the mill the spring disappears; coming again to the surface, it rnna some distance and enters a cave, passing under Cave mountain, it flows into the Juniata at Water Street. The locality thus named by the early settlers is frequently alluded to in the Provincial records. Logan's valley, a valley extending from Tyrone to Altoona, takes its name from Captain Logan (not the Mingo), an Indian chief of the Delaware tribe who, for several years, resided in the locality. One of his homes was at the big spring adjoining Tyrone, and the other at the spring on the farm of David Hcnshy, Esq., in Antis township. Logan had been deposed by his tribe on account of the loss of an eye, before coming to the Juniata valley. The springs still bear the name of Logan, and are in themselves very fine. The entire valley has felt the quickening influence of the railroad, and do honor to the old Indian chief, who was a true friend of the white man. Scotch and Canoe valleys are parts of Frankstown and Catharine townships, and are very fertile. Scotch valley is somewhat noted as one of the earliest settlements in the county, and as the home of the Moore family, many of the descendants still residing there. The Moores came from Scotland — the father, Samuel Moore, seven sons, and two daughters. They stopped for a time in Kishacoquillas valley, and then came to Scotch valley, five miles beyond the nearest habitation. This was in 1768. Some time after they were joined by the Irwins, Crawfords, Fraziers, Bells, Stewarts, and others, all Scotchmen. Their descendants are in all the region round about and in parts beyond. We may not forget as among the valleys of Blair county, its Morrison's cove, but another name for valley. You enter it either at Williamsburg or through the gap at Roaring Spring, itself a curiosity, and the largest spring in the county. Around it, within a few years, a thriving village has sprung up, having a fine paper-mill, foundry, and several churches. And now, in the cove, and as you pass along, you are ready to ask, wherein is old Lancaster better than this before my eyes ? Such farms, buildings, deposits of limestone and iron ore, are but seldom met. All in all, Morrison's cove has few equals, viewed from what- ever standpoint you may take. In 1749 a few Scotch-Irish families settled in the cove, most of whom perished at the hands of the Indians. The entire cove was afterwards purchase'l by the Penns for £400, or $2,000. In 1755 a colony of Dunkards, or German Baptists, settled in the cove, and many of their de- scendants are still there, retaining well-nigh the same simplicity which marked their fathers — '' non-resistants — producers — non-consumers." HoLLiDAYSBUKG Still remains the county seat, and for years it was the chief town in all this region. The town takes its name from William and Adam Holliday, who settled here in the year 1768. They were on their way West, but on reaching this point they decided to stop and settle. As Adam drove the first stake in the ground, he remarked to William: "Whoever is alive a hundred years hence will find here a considerable sized town," all of which has been realized. The town took its start with the building of the canal, it being the head of canal navigation east of the mountains. ■ Here for years all goods going east and west were transhipped to boats and cars. The basin, in these d:iys, presented a lively, busy scene. But all this has passed away. The basin has been filled up, and the boatman's horn is heard no more. Nevertheless, HoUi- f^ -,^, -s «*»B»' £ 1 fc-^ , sri- --wi' -,- **-i SCENE AT ALLEQKIPPUS, ON THE PENNSYLVANIA KAILROAD. 2 A_401 402 HI8T0BF OF PENNSYLVANIA. daysburg remains a pleasant, prosperous town, with a population, embracing Gaysport and environs, of fully 5,000. The county buildings are among the best in the State, erected at a cost of some $225,000. Hollidayburg has, moreover, six fine houses of worship — two Catholic, one Baptist, one Lutheran, one Methodist, and one Presbyterian ; a superior female seminary, a large hall, and other public buildings. The iron works in the place give employment to a large number of hands, while the local trade is considerable. Altoona is the metropolis of the county, a city of no mean pretentions, and as a railroad town, second to none in the Union. On the location of the Penn- sylvania railroad in 1849, the present site, then a farm owned by David Robeson, Esq., was selected for the shops, offices, etc., of this young but now giant corpo- ration. The company now occupy all of one hundred and twenty-two acres, and is still extending its improvements. The Logan House, the grand railroad hotel, is a model establishment. All the Pennsylvania railroad buildings are of the sub- stantial kind, the machinery the very best, giving employment to thousands of men, and turning out such work as is seldom met with elsewhere. Some twelve church buildings speak well for the morals of the town, while the large and commodious school-houses assure the stranger the children are not forgotten. AltoOna has three banks, one public hall, one daily and three weekly newspapers. Population in 1870, 10,610, increased in 1876 to perhaps 13,000. All in all, the "Mountain City " is the city of all this region. Tyrone is another town, the outgrowth of the railroad, and laid out about the same time with Altoona. It is located some fourteen miles east of Altoona, at the mouth of Bald Eagle valley, and takes its name from an old iron works in the neighborhood, known as Tj^rone Forges. The rapid growth of Tyrone is owing to two branch roads connecting with the main line at this point, the one runniijg to the coal and lumber region of Clearfield county, the other connecting with the Pliiladelphia and Erie railroad at Lock Haven. A large coal and lumber trade is here brought upon the main line, making Tyrone station one of the most important between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The place has a good local trade, with a population in 1870 of 1,800; has eight churches, two public halls, two banks, three planing-mills, and a steam tannery. A new railroad from Tyrone to Lewisburg is in course of construction, which when completed will somewhat add to the importance of the " little citj^ " among the hills, while it will open up a direct route to the anthracite coal regions. Williamsburg, a village in the south-eastern part of the county, in Wood- berry townsliip, pleasantly located on the south branch of the Juniata. It was laid out in 1794, by a German named .Jacob Ake. One of the finest springs of water to be met with anywhere flows through the town, furnishing water power I'or a gi-ist-mill, furnace, and other machinery. Population some 900. Frankstown, on the Juniata, two miles cast of HoUidaysburg, is perhaps the oldest village in all this region, having been originallj- an Indian town known as Assunnepachla. Its present name is derived from an old German Indian trader, Stephen Franks, who made this place his home. The Indians remained hern until 1755, when they went West, joined the French, and made war on Father Onas, or William Penn. They did so because the year previous the Penns, for a paltry sum, had bought the whole region of the Juniata from the Iroquois a* »»»»»» BLAIB auUNTi. 403 Albany, N Y. Pnor to the building of the canal, Frankstown was a place of some note on the route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh ; since then it has made but little progress. One of the Cambria iron company's furnaces is at this point, and gives employment to a goodly number of the residents. Martinsburq is an old town, beautiful for situation, in Woodberry township, otherwise Morrison's Cove, and distant some twelve miles from Hollidaj'sburg, on the Hollidaysburg branch road. It contains several churches, a bank, a planing- mill, a high school, and a foundry. In the midst of one of the finest farming districts, il has considerable local trade. Newry is another old town, situate in Blair township, some four miles west of Hollidaysburg. It has a railroad connecting with the Hollidaysburg branch at Y switches. Newry, prior to the building cff the turnpike, was on the main road east and west. At present it has but little trade, yet, withal, it is a pleasant, quiet place, having for many years the only Roman Catholic church in the county. Organization or Townships Allegheny was, prior to the formation of Blair county, in 1846, a township of Huntingdon county. As it tlien existed, it joined Antis on the north. In 1852, Logan was formed out of Allegheny and Antis ; hence, Allegheny is now bounded on the north by Logan, on the west by Cam- bria county, on the south by Blair and Juniata, and on the east by Frankstown. Antis, like Allegheny, was a part of Huntingdon county. It is said the name is that of a somewhat noted Tory who resided hei-c during the Revolutionary War. In 1852, the southern portion of the township was taken to form Logan. As Antis now stands, it is bounded on the north by Snyder, on the east by Tyrone, on the south by Logan, and on the west by Cambria county. Blair came out from Huntingdon county, and surrounds Hollidaysburg, the ■county seat. It originally was taken from Allegheny and Frankstown, and as now organized is bounded on the north by Allegheny and Frankstown, on the east by Frankstown and Taylor, on the south by Freedom, and on the west by Allegheny. Catharine was part of Morris in Huntingdon county, and became a township in 1 846, by the organization of Blair county. It is bounded on the north and east bj' Huntingdon county, south by Woodberiy, and west by Frankstown and Tyrone. Frankstown was a township of Huntingdon county, until the formation of Blair county in 1846. Some changes have since been made in its boundaries, but none of any importance. As it now stands, is is bounded on the north by Tyrone and Catharine, on the east by Woodberry and Huston, on the south by Taylor, and on the west by Blair, Allegheny, and Logan. Freedom belonged originally to Bedford county, and as part of Greenfield First, in 184T, Juniata was formed out of Greenfield, and in 185'7 Freedom was created out of Juniata. It has Greenfield on the south, Juniata on the west, Blaii on the north, and Taylor on the east. Greenfield, an old township of Bedford county, became part of Blair county in 1846. Since then both Freedom and Juniata have been taken from it. It is bounded on the south by Bedford county, on the west by Somerset county, on the north by Juniata and Freedom, and on the east by Taylor. 404 HISTOJi Y OF PENNS YL VA NIA. Huston was originally a township of Bedford county. It is bounded on the south by Bedford county, on the east by Huntingdon county, on the north by Woodberiy, and on the west by Frankstown. Juniata, taken from Greenfield and organized as a township in 1847. It has Cambria county on the West, Allegheny on the north, Freedom on the east, and Greenfield on the south. Logan was formed in 1850 out of Allegheny and Antis, and lies around Altoona. It is bounded on the north by Antis, on the east by Tyrone and Frankstown, on the south by Allegheny, and on the west by Cambna county North Woodberky originally belonged to Bedford county. It has Bedford county on the south, Taylor on the west, Huston on the north, Huntingdon county on "the east. * Snyder came from Huntingdon county, and is bounded on the north by Center county, on the east by Huntingdon county, on the south by Antis. and on the west by Cambria county. It has within it the borough of Tyrone. Taylor was formed in 1855, out of North Woodbeny and Huston. It has Bedford county on the south; Greenfield, Freedom, and Blair, on the west; Frankstown on the north, and North Woodberry on the east. Tyrone an old township of Huntingdon county, and until incorporated into Blair county in 1846. It has Logan and Antis on the west, Snyder on the north, Catharine on the east, and Frankstown on the south. Woodberry came from Huntingdon county, and has within it the town ol Williamsburg. It is bounded on the south by Huston, west by Frankstown, north by Catharine, and on the east by Huntingdon county. Fifteen townships in all, Allegheny, Antis, Blair, Catharine, Frankstown Snyder, Tyrone, and Woodberry, originally from Huntingdon county ; Green field, Huston, North Woodberry, from Bedford county ; and Freedom, Juniata, Logan, and Taylor, formed since the organization of Blair county, in 1846. BKADFOED COUNTY. BY REV. DAVID CRAFT, WYALUSING. I HAT part of Pennsylvania now loiown as Bradford county, was formerly included in Northampton. At this time, however, it was the home of the red man, there heing not more than two or three white families residing within the county limits at the formation of Northumberland in ltY2. By the act of Assembly erecting the county of Luzerne, its boundaries were made to include nearly all of present Bradford, leaving a small triangle in the northwestern part of the count)-, whose base was about six miles on the State line, and its vertex at the southwestern angle of the county, which was subsequently included in Lj-coming. VIKW OF THIO IlOKOUfiH OF TOWANDA. [From a Photograph by G. H. Wood, Ton-nuda.] For the purpose of legislating Colonel John Franklin out of the Assembly, to which the people of Luzerne persisted in sending him, and where his earnest and persevering advocacy of the claims of the Connecticut settlers rendered him exceedingly obnoxious to those holding Pennsylvania titles in his district, and to the Pennsylvania Landholders' Association, which exerted great influence in the Legislature, an act was passed April 2, 1804, setting off so much of Luzerne as lies north and west of a line run from the East Branch ot the Susquehanna river, where it crosses the State line, thence southerly to the northeast corner of Claverack (one of the townships of the Susquehanna Company;, thence by the northwest and southwest sides of Clavornok to its southwest corner, which was near the present \iiage of Monrocton, thence liy a 40.5 406 UlSTOEY OF PENNSYLVANIA. line ronning due west to the line separating the two counties, and attaching it to Lycoming. On the 21st of February, 1810, an act was passed to erect parts of Luzerne and Lycoming counties into separate county districts, in which the first section provided that " such parts of those counties included within the following lines, to wit : Beginning at the fortieth milestone standing on the north line of the State ; thence running south to a point due east of the head of the Wj-alusing Falls in the Susquehanna river ; thence, southwesterly to the nearest point in the Lycoming county line ; thence in a direct line to the southeast corner of Tioga county, at the Beaver Dam, on Towanda creek ; thence northerly along the east line of Tioga county to the eightieth milestone standing on the north line of the State ; thence east along said line to the fortieth milestone, the place of beginning— be and is hereby erected into a separate county, to be henceforth called Ontario county, and the place of holding courts of justice in and for said county shall be fixed by three commissioners to be appointed by the Governor, at any place at a distance not exceeding seven miles from the centre of the county which may be most beneficial to and convenient for the same." The Governor appointed Samuel Satterlee, Moses Coolbaugh, and Justus Gaylord, trustees of the new county, who employed Jonathan Stevens, Esq., then deputy survej^or for tliis district, to survey the bounds thereof. By an act passed March 28, 1811, the trustees of the county of Ontario "are hereby authorized and required to establish a point east of the Slippery Rocks, (so called), at the head of Wyalusing Falls, in the river Susquehanna, for the southeast corner of Ontario county ; from thence a line run west to the said Slip- pery Rocks ; fi-om thence a southwesterly course to the nearest point of Lycom- ing county, is hereby established as the southern boundary of the said county." The remaining lines were left unchanged, and form the present boundaries of the county On the 24th of March, 1812, an act was passed which provided for the elec- tion of county officers at the regular election of the next October, for organizing the county for judicial purposes, and for changing its name from Ontario to that of Bradford, in honor of William Bradford, formerly Attorney-General of the United States, and directed the courts to be held at the house of William Means, Esq., of Meansville, in Towanda township, until suitable county build- ings should be erected. Bradford was united with Tioga, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Luzerne counties, to form the Eleventh Judicial District. John Bannister Gibson, after- ward one of the judges of the Supreme Court, was appointed president judge; John McKean and George Scott were his associates. The other county officers were, Abner C. Rockwell, sheriff; Charles F. Welles, prothonotary, clerk of the sessions and Oyer and Terminer, register and recorder, and clerk of the Orphans Court; William Myer, Justus Gaylord, Jr., and Joseph Kinne3-, commis- sioners ; Henry Wilson, prosecuting attorney ; John Horton, coroner ; Harry Spalding, treasurer. The venires were issued for a jury, and the whole machinery of the organiza- tion was put in motion January 18, 1813, the day fixed by law for the new county to go into operation. On this day the commissions of the several oflicera BEABFOBD COUNTY. 407 were read, and the baths administered with great pomp and ceremony There was considerable strife in the neighborhoods around the geographical centre of the new county for the county seat, especially between Wysox, Monroeton, and Towanda, but in consideration of the donation of ample grounds for county buildings, the commissioners located the county seat at Meansville, as it was then called, and the new county commissioners were instructed to proceed with all diligence to erect suitable buildings for the accommodation of the county offices. As the counties are now organized, Bradford is bounded on the east by Susquehanna, on the east and south by Wyoming, on the south by Sullivan and Lycoming, and on the west by Tioga. Its average length from east to west is a trifle less than forty miles, and its mean breadth from north to south about twenty-nine and one half miles, and includes within its boundary lines one thousand one hundred and seventy-four square miles, or seven hundred fifty-one thousand, three hundred and sixty acres, being in area the third county in the Commonwealth. The north-east branch of the Susquehanna enters the county from the State of New York, between the fifty-sixth and fifty-seventh mile-stones, and, running about six and a half miles in a south-westerly direction, receives its principal affluent, the Tioga, which finally enters the county near the sixty-second mile stone. The peninsula between the two rivers has been called Tioga-Point from the first settlement of the country. Prom the junction, the river pursues, with many windings, a mean south-easterly course, and leaves the county at the north-western angle of Wyoming county. Besides these, the principal streams m the west are Seeley's, South, Bentley's, and Orcut's creeks, flowing north into the Tioga ; the Sugar creek, the Towanda, Durell's creek, and the Sugar run, which empty into the Susquehanna from the west. On the east are the Wappusening, which runs north ; Horn creek, the Wysox, and the Wyalusing, running west into the Susquehanna. These creeks, with their numerous branches, the waters of the Apolacon in the north-east, of the Tuscarora in the south-east, and of the Loyal Sock in the south-west, and many smaller streams, make Bradford one of the best watered counties in the State. The surface of the county is uneven, being broken by numerous ridges of high hills, whose general course is from the south-west to the north-east, with spurs running north, which make the water sheds of the streams flowing in that direction. East of the river are high table lands in Tuscarora, Pike, Herrick, Orwell, and Warren townships, which are excellent grazing lands and produce good crops of summer grains, but there are no peaks of any considerable height. In the west are Mt. Pisgah and Mt. Elizabeth, and near the south-eastern corner of the county are the Tyler and Round Top. The principal ranges are the Armenia mountains, in the western part of the county, and the Barclay moun- tains — the Burnett's hills which formed part of the boundary in the Indian pur- chase of 1168 — between the main and Schrseder branches of the Towanda creek. The Susquehanna, in its passage through the county, instead of following a natural valley, like most large rivers, breaks through successive ranges of hills, whose precipitous escarpments in some places tower hundreds of feet above the stream, so that on each side it is bordered with alternate sections of hUls with 408 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. their intervening valleys, thus affording a pleasing variety of landscape to the traveler, and many views of picturesque beauty for the artist. This peculiarity of the Susquehanna valley, if valley it can be called, has produced a scenery which a celebrated Scotch essayist describes " beautiful as the gates of parar dise," of a'.most world-wide reputation. The flats along the river, usually at the mouths of the larger creeks, are rich bottoms, frequently intersected by a gravel i-idge running parallel with the river, and were seats of Indian villages, who had made partial clearings for corn patches long before the country was known to the white man. Along the creeks are fertile alluvial flats of varying width, which, as the river is approached, are bounded by steep hill sides. On the higher lands the soil is heavier, sometimes clayey, but productive. Agriculture is the cliief employment of the people. The county is well adapted to grazing, especially in the northern and western portions of it, where butter is the chief production, for which the county is justly celebrated, Bradford county butter commands a ready sale and the highest price in any market to which it is sent. In some portions of the county considerable atten- tion has been given, of late, to improved varieties of stock, both of horses, cattle, and sheep, and the stock now seen on many of the farms of the county will compare favorably with the finest cattle herds of the country. Oats, corn, and buckwheat are the principal grains. Good crops of wheat are usually raised on the river and creek flats, but the amount is seldom suflTi- cient for home consumption. Barley, millet, and hops have been grown in small crops, but the experiment has not as yet proved successful. Potatoes are largely cultivated, and many thousands of bushels are annually sent to the market. Within a few years past, hay has become an important article of export, and every season thousands of tons are sent to the coal-producing regions of the State. The principal mineral productions are coal and flagging. The coal is found on the Barclay mountain, geologically the highest land in the county. It is of the semi-bituminous variety, and is peculiarly adapted to manufacturing, black- smithing, and locomotive uses. At present the mining is carried on by the Erie railway. Fall Creek, and Carbon Run companies. A railroad from the mines connects with the Pennsylvania and New York railroad, at Towanda, and brings several thousand tons annually to the market. Most of the flagging quarries are found along the creeks a short distance from the river. There are also some beds of building stone. These are of the blue-stone variety, easilj- worked, but enduring a great amount of wear and exposure. The quarrying and shipping of stone has of late become an important industry. At Austinville, Columbia township, in the western part of the pounty, considerable quantities of iron ore are mined, which is claimed to be of a superior quality. Iron has been found in other parts of the county, but as yet no attempt has been made to bring it into market. The whole of Bradford was originally covered with heavy forests, in some parts of pine and hemlock, in others of beech and maple. There were magnifi- cent walnuts along the river; black ash, birch, and oak were frequentl}' found in the forests. For many years the manufacture of lumber and shingles was largely BBABFORB COUNTY. 409 carried, on. These were hauled to the river or larger creeks, rafted and floated - down the river to the several markets below. Every spring the river would be thickly dotted with rafts of various kinds and sizes, bearing the fruits of the winter's work, running the hazard of being stranded or being crushed by some mismanagement, to lind a market at Harrisburg, Middletown, Baltimore, or Phila- delphia, when many times the proceeds would scarcely be sullicient to pay for the rafting and running. The first saw-mill built in the county was by Anthony Rummerfield, on the creek which bears his name, before the Revolutionary war. Since then, there has been a time when they could be counted by the thousand. With the disappearance of the forest, this branch of industry has correspond- ingly diminished, and the greater facilities of transportation furnished by rail- roads have made rafting a thing of comparatively rare occurrence. Except from the south-western part of the county, very little lumber is now sent to the mar- ket. The water power furnished by the creeks affords facilities for manufactur- ing of yarious kinds, but as yet, except for running of grist and saw-mills, it has remained unused. Within a few years past a variety of manufactures have been initiated, which will be noticed under the sketches of the towns where they are located. ■ When the white people first began to visit this county, Tioga — Diahoga, as it is more frequently written in the journals of the earlier travelers — was the " fore town " of the Iroquois, who at that time held all the Indian tribes of Pennsj-lva- nia and New Jersey in subjection, and assigned the Susquehanna valley to the Delawares, whose lands they were selling from time to time to the whites. Tioga was the southern gate to the Confederacy, through which, or by the Mohawk, all strangers must enter their territory or be treated as spies and enemies. Here was stationed a sachem, whose business it was to examine all who applied for admission into the Iroquois country, and whose decision upon all such requests was final. To this point all the great paths led, which were frequented bj' warriors, hunters, and travelers. At the mouth of the Sugar creek, Oscului (meaning the Fierce) .was also an old Indian town, second in importance to Tioga, standing at the junction otthe path leading from the West Branch to the Susquehanna, with the great Warrior path down the river. It was a convenient resting place for travelers, and a rendezvous for hunting and war parties. At this place are the remains of what appears to be an ancient fortification, which from its construction and the relics found in it, would indicate that it was constructed by a people allied to the mound builders of the West, and point to an occupancy h,nterior to that of the Iroquois At Wyalusing was an ancient Indian town, traces of which were visible as late as 1T50, called Gahontoto, inhabited by a people who were neither Delawares nor Iroquois, called by the latter Tehotitachsae, against whom the Cayugas made war and exterminated them, before the Indians knew the use of fire arms, when they fought with bows and arrows. At Towanda and Wysox were at various times Indian settlements, but they do not, at least within historic times, seem to have been permanent places of abode. Subsequently Towanda was one of the national burying places for the Nanticokes, after their removal among the Iroquois. In 1752, Papunhank, a Minsi chieftain of some importance, with about twenty 4 1 HISTO RY OF PENNS TL VANIA. families, built at W3-alu8ing. Their houses for the most part were constructed of split logs, one end of which was set into the ground, and upon the other were placed poles which were covered with bark. The description given of this town by travelers would indicate that not only in the structure of their houses, but in the general character of the people, they were far in advance of most of the native settlements. Papunhank frequently visited Philadelphia, where he became acquainted with several Quakers, and acquired some knowledge of Christianity, and, at length, set himself up as a teacher to his people. In the month of May, 1760, Christian Frederick Post, on his way with a message from the Governor of Pennsylvania to the great Council at Onondaga, stopped over night at the town, and at their request, gave them a sermon from the text, "Behold I bring you tidings of great joy," etc. — Luke ii. 8-11. This without doubt was the first gospel sermon preached in the county. In the mean- while some other families had come into the town, among whom were Job Chilla- way, who had at times acted as government interpreter, and Tom Curtis, both men of intelligence and influence. Papunhank's people losing confidence in him as a religious teacher, on account of his own bad life, began to consult about taking measures for inviting a white teacher to settle among them. In their councils however, they were divided in opinion, one party being in favor of the Quakers, and -the other of the Moravians, and so equal was the strength of the two parties that neither was dis- posed to yield to the other. Their differences were compromised by agreeing to accept the first teacher who came. John Woolman, the prominent Quaker' evangelist, having made the acquain- tance of some of the Wyalusing Indians at Philadelphia, probably of Papunhank himself, after much deliberation, set out in company with Benjamin Parvin, to visit the town, in May, 1763, purposing, if he should be well received, to remain with them and. teach them the gospel. In the meanwhile, news of the awakened interest in religion at Wyalusing coming to the ears of David Zeisberger, the celebrated Moravian apostle to the Indians, he left Bethlehem on the 18th of May, passing Woolman on the mountain below Wilkes-Barre, where they dined together, reached Wyalusing on the 23d, two days before him. Above the Lackawanna, Zeisberger was met by Job Chillaway, who informed him of the conclusion of the council, and accompanied him to Papunhank's town. Here he was received as the divinely sent messenger, to teach them the great words of the Christian religion, and though wearied from the long journey, at once, that very day, set about preaching the gospel to his waiting and anxious hearers. Never had the great preacher a more attentive audience, and never did he speak " the great words " with more fervor and zeal. Woolman, on his arrival, was kindly received, but was informed that, accord- ing to the decisions of their council, Zeisberger must be regarded as their accepted teacher. After remaining five days to assist in inaugurating the good work, and witnessing the kind reception of the gospel, he departed, with many prayers for the abundant success of the mission. This opportune arrival of Zeisberger was the occasion of founding one of the most important and success* BRADFORD COUNTY. 411 ful missions ever established among our North American Indians. On such apparently trifling events do important results turn. Zeisberger being so well received, was appointed resident missionary at W^'alusing, by the Mission Board at Bethlehem, and with great success prosecuted his labors here and at Tawandaemenk, an Indian village, consisting ol twelve or fourteen Delaware families, relatives of Anthony, his helper, on the flats at the mouth of the Towanda creek. Scarcely had a month elapsed from the time of Zeisberger's first visit to Wyalusing, before the Pontiac war broke out, and the messengers of that celebrated chieftain were visiting every village on the Susquehanna, urging the Indians to again dig up the hatchet they had so recently buried. Already the emissaries were at Wyalusing before Zeisberger was com maiided to leave the town. All was now excitement and commotion; and the intrepid missionary was compelled to suspend the work so auspiciously begun, and of which there seemed such bright prospects of abundant success, but not before he had baptized Papunhank, who received the name of John, and another Indian who was called Peter. The Moravian Christian Indians, for their greater security during the war, in which they refused to take any part, were removed first to a settlement near Bethlehem, and then to Province Island, in the Delaware river, a little below Philadelphia, where they were sheltered in government barracks during the war. Thither Papunhank and twenty of his followers, who determined to have nothing to do with the war, hastened. Here, cooped up in narrow quarters, subsisting on food to which they were not accustomed, harassed by a multitude of fears, threatened more than once with death, their numbers decimated once and again, after a most distressing confinement of more than seventeen months, at the very first dawn of peace, they emerged from their prison, for such it had proved to be, and again sought a home in the forest. Papunhank invited the whole aompany to settle in his town on the Susquehanna, and hither, after due consultation, they turned their steps, led by their beloved teachers, Zeisberger and John Jacob Schmick. On the 3d of April, 1765, the company, consisting of eighty adults and upwards of ninety children, set out from Bethlehem, and after a tedious journey of thirty-six days, arrived at Wyalusing, May 9th. With devout thanksgiving they set the stakes for their new town, and their houses were reared amid joyous songs of praise to Jehovah, for his abundant mercies. During the season, thirty bark covered huts, four log cabins, a mission house, and church, were erected. This town, which was built on the east side of the river, about two miles south of the present village of Wyalusing, and near the Sugar Run station, on the P. and N. Y. railroad, was regularly laid out in lots, on each side of the street, eighty feet in width, running east and west, with an alley ten feet wide between every pair of lots. When the settlement was abandoned, it consisted of thirty- nine log cabins, some of these with shingle roofs, and thirteen huts. ■ In the centre of the town, and in the middle of the street, stood the church, built of square pine logs, with shingle-covered roof and glazed windows, surmounted by a belfry, in which hung a bell, that on the Sabbath, or holy day, as it rung out* over the meadows and corn fields of this beautiful valley, and its cheerful tonus 412 EISTOB Y OF PENNS YL VANIA. were echoed back from the surrounding hill sides, told heathen and Christian that in this one spot, in the wide-spreading wilderness, was a place consecrated to the worship of the true God, whose life-giving words they were invited to come and hear. Within, the church, which was thirty-two by twenty feet in dimension, was adorned with two oil paintings, one representing the Nativity, and the other Christ's agony in the garden. We read in the mission diary, that many a dusky warrior was led by the contemplation of these scenes to ask in amazement " who it was that thus humbled himself, and then suffered for the children of men." The town was surrounded by a post and rail-fence, and every week during the summer season, the streets .and alleys were swept by tlie women with wooden brooms, and the rubbish taken to the river, where every family had a canoe. Adjoining the town were two hundred and fifty acres of plantations enclosed with more than two miles of fences. Their corn patches were extended at intervals for nearly two miles up the Wj'alusing, and on the large island in the river between Tenytown and Wyalusing. Their hay was cut on the natural meadows near the Frenchtown station, they had sugar camps on the Sugar run, found cranberries in the marshes in Wilmot township, and whortleberries on the mountains around Tunkhannock. The mission received the name of Friedenshuttcn (Huts of Peace), in 1766. It was a Christian Indian town, in which the men still engaged in the hunt and the chase, the women planted and harvested the fields, but learned to read their Bibles, sing their religious hymns, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Order, harmony, iind industry, prevailed. A school-house was built adjoining the church, where both adults and ciiildren were taught to read in both Delaware and German, to repeat tlie ten commandments, the Lord's prayer, the Apostles' creed, and to sing Delaware hymns. * In the church, the daily morning and evening service was held, the Sabbath and usufil holy daj's were observed, and the Lord's Supper regularly celebrated. Their hymns were sung to the accompaniment of a spinnet, made by Joshua, a Mohican Indian, and all the arrangements of a strictly Moravian town were scrupulously enforced. Traders were not allowed to bring any spirituous liquors into the town, 'and the elders of the congregation enforced the wholesome rules for the peace of the community. Besides a large number of visitors which constantly thronged the town, the year 1767 witnessed the migration northward of the remnants of what were once two powerful nations, the Tuscaroras in the spring, and the Nanticokes in the autumn. These were entertained at the mission, whei'c quite a number remained all the winter, much to the annoyance of the missionaries. At Sheshequanink, the site of the present village of Ulster, some Delawares made a settlement soon after the close of the Pontiac war, under a chief named Echobund. Some of Brainerd's New Jersey Indians removed here, among whom were Isaac Stille and Joseph Peepy, both of wliom had been in the service of the Province of Pennsylvania as messengers and interpreters ; Nicholas Tateray, Nathaniel Davis, and some others. These frequently came to Friedenshiitten to attend religious worship, when at length, after due consideration, and at the repeated and earnest request of the Sheshequin Indians, a station was established at their town, and John Rothe, who had been an assistant at Friedenshiitten, was BBADFOBD GOVNl Y. 41 3 appointed resident missionary, who entered upon his work early in the year 1769. Here a small chapel was built and a house for the missionary ; but the pros- perity of the mission was retarded from various causes, but chiefly on account of the immediate settlements of heathen Indians, who were averse to receivino- the gospel, and it ever continued to be an appendage to Pricdenshiitten. The whole number connected with the mission at this station, at the time of the exodus, was fifty-three, of whom four were communicants, fifteen baptized non-communi- cants, thirty-one not baptized, besides the missionary, his wife, and child. This child, a son born in May, IT 72, was the first white child born in the county. Several circumstances contributed to render the mission insecure and finally led to its removal. When it was first established at Wyalusing, in accordance with Indian diplomacy, permission was asked of Togahaju, the Cayuga sachem, and viceroy of the Iroquois, for the privilege of building at the place they had selected ; but he wished them to remove to Cayuga, where he promised they should have lands, and permission to enjoy the teachings of the missionaries and to practice their religion But the proposition not being acceptable to the mission, an evasive answer was returned. In reply to a more peremptory summons, Zeisberger and a deputation of the chief men from the mission visited Cayuga, and represented to Togahaju the objections to a removal, the peculiari- ties of Moravian towns and of their religious services in such strong light, that the sachem withdrew his demand, and added, "heretofore you have only sojourned at Wyalusing, I now set j'ou down there firmly I give you all the land down from Tioga as far as a man can walk in two daj's. It is j'ours. No one sliall disturb j'ou. All other Indians sliall remove if j'ou desire it." This grant was afterward confirmed by the great council at Onondaga. Thus assured, they remained in peace until the treaty at Poit Stanwix, in November, 1T68, When the Six Nations sold the land which had so solemnly been assigned to them, " fi'Om under their feet." As soon as this transaction became known at Friedenshiitten, a deputation waited upon Governor Penn, informing him of their settlement and Christian civilization, and the peaceable character of their religious principles, asking that the country surrounding the mission might be held in trust for them. This the Govei'nor declined to allow, but assured them that they never should be disturbed, and that his surveyors should not come within five miles of their town. But even in Pennsylvania it ha,d begun to be fashionable to break faith with the Indians, and within a few months after this assurance had been given, Mr. Stewart was running lines and locating warrants upon the plantations attached to the mission. In addition to this, the controversy between Pennsylvania and the Connecli- . cut people was beginning to assume a serious aspect, and the probabilities were that ere long the whole country would be involved in the conflict. In September, 1766, Zeisberger left Friedenshiitten, in order to preach the gospel to some of the Delaware tribes, on the Ohio river, where he established a mission. Learning the cordition of affairs at Wyalusing, and that a removal was in contemplation, Zeisberger was commissioned to bear an invitation to the brethren on the Susquehanna to settle in the Ohio country. The proposition receiving the cordial approval of the Mission Board at Bethlehem, Zeisberger 414 HI8T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. hastened to Wyalusing, to lay the invitation before the brethren there. A coun- cil was called, to which the Sheshequin brethren were sammoned, when, after a long and careful deliberation, the invitation was accepted, and the early part of the following summer was fixed upon as the time for their departure. The Wyalusing mission at this time numbered one hundred and fifty-one souls, of whom fifty-two were communicants ; seventy-two were baptized non- communicants ; twenty were unbaptized. During the continuance of the mission, ninety-four adults and forty-five infants were baptized, seven couples were united in Christian marriage, and forty-one had died. With the coming spring, all were busy in qiaking preparations for the contemplated exodus. On the 11th of June, 1773, evei-ything being in readiness, the congregation assembled, for the last time, in their church, when, with thanksgiving to God for His mercies, and prayers for His protection and guid- ance, they went forth to bid a final adieu to their beautiful homes, their pleasant nuntirig grounds, and the grp,ves of their kindred, and took up their march toward the setting sun. The emigrants from Wyalusing were divided into two companies, and each of these was subdivided into several parties. One of these companies went over- land, by tlie Wyalusing path, up the Sugar run, and down the Loyal Sock, via Dushore. This company was in charge of Ettwein, who had, at their request, been sent to superintend their removal, and had the care of the horses and cattle ; the other, in charge of Rothe, went by canoe down the Susquehanna and up the West Branch, and carried the bulk of their property. The bell was taken down from its turret, and cari'ied by Anthony in his canoe in the van of the fleet, and was tolled until the squadron rounded the mountain a mile and a half below the church. The doors and windows of the church were nailed up, and the buildings left in care of Job Chillawaj", who, with Hendricks, remained in the town. Tbe Sheshequin party followed the path up the Towanda and down the Lycoming. The place of general rendezvous was the Great Island, now Lock Haven. After resting here a few days, they again took up their journey for the place of their destination, on the Big Beaver, in Lawrence county. The journey was full of incident, and severely taxed the patience and forti- tude of all who participated in it. Tormented with ponk flics, which were almost invisible, but whose bite was like burning ashes ; overtaken by terrible thunder storms, drenched by heav_y rains, encountering multitudes of rattle- snakes, traversing swamps, crossing mountains and streams, now feeling their way along dangerous precipices, then threading deep and narrow ravines, some- times their path obstructed by fallen trees, and at others obliterated by devasta- ting fires, not a soul was seriously injured, scarcely a hoof was lost, and not a night did one lack for food. Tlie journal of Ettwein is full of interest, but too long for quotation hero. Says the Bev. W. C. Reicbel, this migration " marks a new era in the history of the Moravian Mission among the aborigines of this countrj', which era was charucterizod by ]>crpetual disturbances and unrest — it also being the era of its gnidual decadence extending down into our own times, when there is but a feeble remnant of Christian Indians ministered to by Moravians, dwelling at New Fairfield, Canada, and New Westfield, Kansas. In the veins of some of these BRADFOED COUNTY 416 there flows the blood of the Mohicans and Dekwares of old Friedenshutten, the ' deserted village ' of the flats of Wyalusing " A century had elapsed, and the history, and even the location of this remarka- ble mission was fast fading out from the recollections of men. Their church had been torn down, and its timbers built into a raft, had conveyed a few fami- lies with their goods to Wyoming ; their houses had been burned by an armed force during the Revolutionary war, every vestige and mark of the town had been removed ; even the missionary's well had been covered up, and the spring which had furnished the town with water had been buried under the canal, when in September, 1870, a company of ladies and gentlemen, repre- senting the Moravian Historical Society, visited Wyalusing, and in company with some of the resi- dents of the place, sought out the historic ground, walked around the fertile fields which were the site of the ancient village and its plantations, visited the burying ground, where sleep the dust of more than two-score pious Indians: and on the 14th and 15th of the following June, a large company from Philadelphia, New York, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Litiz, with a large concourse of people from Wya- lusing and the surrounding country, assembled on the consecrated spot, and with beautiful, but solemn ceremonies, def the neighborhood. He had the happiness to reside here for a short period with his family in 1700-1, and entertained much company in his public capacity. The increasing cares and responsibilities of the Province, and the peculiar state of the times, required his presence in England, and he never after- ward enjoyed that quiet retirement for which he had so luxuriously provided. The mansion and out-houses were neglected during his absence. A large leaden water reservoir, which had been erected on the top of the mansion to guard against fire, became leaky, and injured the walls and furniture of the house, so that it fell into premature decay, and it was taken down just before the Revolu- tion. After the peace, the whole estate was sold out of the Penn familj'. In addition to this manor, Penn laid out in the township of Wrightstown, and also in Newtown, a park, or as it is frequently called, a town square. The lands' selected were considered the most beautiful in the township ; of an oval, smooth surface, having no chasms or large streams of water within their limits ; the soil rich and covered with heavy timber. The parks were perfect squares, near the centre of the township, and contained each about six hundred and forty acres of land. They were to be exempt from cultivation or settlement, and to be kept for purposes similar to the parks of England ; but were only continued in this manner for thirty-five or forty years, when the inhabitants of the township became dissatisfied with their continuance, as they produced much inconvenience to them from many causes. Upon these representations being made to the Pro- prietary government, the parks were divided between the land-holders, in propor- tion to the land each one held in the townships. We have already stated that Phineas Pemberton held the first commission as clerk of the courts of Bucks. The first justices of the peace for the county were Arthur Cook, Joseph Growdon, William Tardley, Thomas Janney, William Biles, Nicholas Wain, John Brock, and Henry Baker. The first purchase of land from the Indians above the Neshaminj-, in Bucks, made bj^ William Markham, the agent of William Penn, was in 1682. This pur- chase was to be bounded by the river Delaware on the north-east, and the Neshaminy on the north-west, and was to extend as far back as a man could walk in three days. It is stated that Penn and the Indians began to walk out this land, commencing at the mouth of the Neshaminy, and walking up the Delaware ; and in one day and a half they got to a spruce tree, near Baker's creek, when Penn concluded this would include as much land as he would want at present. A line was drawn, and marked from the spruce tree to the Neshaminy. From the period of this purchase, numerous white settlers established them- selves northward as far as Durham, in the upper part of the county, where a furnace was erected ; and some of the scattering frontier establishments of the white people reached as far as the Lehigh hills. The Indians, becoming uneasy at the approach of these settlements of the white people, desired to have a limit placed upon these encroachments, and a treaty was held at Durham in 1'734, which was continued at Pennsbury in May, 1735, and concluded at Philadelphia in August, 1737 ; in which the limits of the tract, as described in the deed of SUCKS COUTSTTT. 443 1682, were confirmed, and it was agreed that the " walk " which was to determine the extent of the territory should be performed. It seems to have been expected by the Indians that this " walk " would not extend beyond the Lehigh hills, about forty miles from the place where it was to begin ; but it was the desire of the Proprietary in 11S1 to extend the walk as far as possible, so as to include the land in the Forks of the Delaware, and even further up that river, to obtain, if possible, the possession of the Minisink land — a very desirable tract along the river above the Blue mountains. The time appointed for the walk was the J 9th of September, 1131. The place agreed upon as the point to commence was at a chestnut tree standing a little above the present site of Wrightstown. The walk was under the superin- tendence of Timothy Smith, then sheriff of Bucks county, and Benjamin East- burn, surveyor-general. The persons employed by government to perform the walk were famous for their abilities as fast walkers, and they were to have as a compensation five pounds in money and five himdred acres of land in the purchase. They were Edward Marshall, a native of Bucks county, a noted hunter, chain carrier, etc.; James Yeates, also a native of Bucks county, a tall slim man of much agility and speed of foot ; and Solomon Jennings, a remarkable stout and strong man. At sunrise they started from the chestnut tree alluded to above Wrightstown, accompanied by a number of persons, some of whom carried refreshments for them. They walked moderately at first, but soon quickened their pace, so that the Indians frequently called to them to walk and not to run ; but these remonstrances produced no effect, and most of the Indians left them in anger, saying they were cheated. A number of people were collected about twenty miles from the starting point to see them pass. First came Yeates, stepping as light as a feather, accompanied by several persons on horseback; after him, but out of sight, came Jennings, with a strong, steady step ; and yet, far behind, came Marshall, apparently careless, swinging a hatchet alternately in one hand to balance the motion of his body, and eating a biscuit. Bets ran in favor of Yeates. Jennings and two of the Indian walkers gave out before the end of the first day, being unable to keep up with the others. But Marshall, Yeates, and one Indian kept on, and arrived at sunset on the north side of the Blue mountain. At sunrise next morning they started again, but when crossing a stream at the foot of the mountain Yeates became faint and fell, Marshall turned back and supported him until some of the attendants came up, ana then continued the walk by himself. At noon, the hour when the walk was to ter- minate, he had reached a spur of the Second or Broad mountain, estimated to be sixty and three-fourths miles from the starting point. Having thus reached the furthest possible point to the north-westward, it now remained to draw a line from the end of the walk to the river Delaware. The course of this line not being described in the deed of purchase, the agent of the Proprietaries, instead of running by the nearest coutse to the river, ran north- eastward across the country, so as to strike the Delaware near the mouth of the Lackawaxen, thus extending far up the river, taking in all the Minisink territory, and many thousand acres more than if they had run by the nearest course to the Delaware. It is well known that the Delaware Indians immedi- ately saw and complained of the manner in which these things were done as a 444 RISTORT OF PENNSYLVANIA. fraud upon them, nor would they relinquish the land until compelled to do so by the deputies of the Six Nations, at the treaty of 1742. The proceedings of this walk are mentioned as one of the causes of the hostile feelings of the Indians, which eventually led to war and bloodshed; and the first murder committed by them in the Province was on the very land they believed themselves cheated out of. The Indians always contended that the walk should be up the river by the neai-est path, as was done in the first day and a halfs walk by William Penn, and not by the compass across the country, as was done in this case. It is stated that afterwards, when the Survej'or-General and other persons to assist him passed over this ground, it employed them about four days to walk to the extent of the purchase. , Jennings, who did not hold out to cross the Lehigh, never recovered his health, and lived but a few years after. Yeates, when taken out of the stream at the foot of the mountain, was quite blind, and died in three days afterwards. Marshall lived and died on Mar- shall's Island, opposite Tinicum township, on the Delaware, aged about nine- ty years. By an act of the Gene- ral Assembly, passed March 20, 1724, the county build- ings for Bucks were directed to be built at Newtown, as being more central and convenient for the people. Previous to this the courts and county business had been transacted at Bristol for neai'ly a quarter of a century, but as the popu- lation kept steadily extending itself upwards more into the (country, the change was a necessity. To Bucks county belongs the honor of having one of the earliest seminaries oi learning in the State. The Rev. Mr. Tennent came from Ireland in 1718, and three years after settled in Bensalem ; from thence, about 1726, he removed to the Neshaminy, in Warwick township, and established an academy which was more particularly intended for the education of ministers for the Presbyterian church. In consequence of having been constructed of logs, this school has been popularly denominated the " Log College." During many years after the first settlement of the county the kind-hearted and industrious Friends cleared and cultivated their lands in peace, contented with their own lot, and having no cause of quarrel with others. Between them and I he Indian-i who dwelt among them hospitality and other kind offices had s.lways been reciprocated, and although the black cloud of Indian warfare was FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE, SOtiESBUBY. [From a Photograph by C. Garwood.] BUCKiS COUNTY. 445 rumbling and thundering beyond the Blue mountains in IT55-1760, 3et the Quakers bad little to fear from it. During several generations, the simple history of the colonists of Bucks county was, that they lived in quiet and improved their farms. But at length people of other races and different religious and political opinions began to settle among and around them ; and in process of time the desolating tide of the Revolutionary war swept to and fro across their once quiet county. The American army, late in the year ITtG, retreated across New Jersey into this county. General Washington defended all the passes of the river from Coryell's ferry to Bristol. His headquarters were at Newtown, while, he was urging upon Congress the necessity of reinforcing the army. The enemy posted themselves along the Jersey side of the Delaware, waiting for the ice to form a bridge by which they might reach Philadelphia. The affairs of America at this time wore a very serious aspect. A consider- able part of New Jersey was in possession of the enemy. The American army had lost during the campaign near five thousand men by captivity and the sword; and the few remaining regular troops, amounting to only two thousand men, were upon the eve of being disbanded, as their enlistments had been only for one j'ear. In this dilemma. Congress invested Washington with great power ; and the Council of Safety at Philadelphia, on the 17th of December, recommended General Wash- ington to issue his orders for the militia of Pennsylvania forthwith to join his army. In pursuance of this call, the militia of Bucks and adjoining counties flocked with alacrity in considerable numbers to Washington's standard, and so rein- forced his depleted army that in a short time afterwards he was enabled to move against and defeat the enemy at Trenton. Soon after the battle, the Hessian prisoners, nearly a thousand in number with their arms, six brass field pieces, eight standards, and a considerable quantity of munitions of war, were brouglit through the county on their way to .Philadelphia to be sent to Lancaster. The Hessians were well clad, with large knapsacks and spatter-dashes to their legs, while on either side of them as a guard; in single file, were our countrj'men, at the end of December in their worn- out summer uniforms, and some even without shoes. General Washington, on the 28th, again made Newtown his headquarters, and after remaining there a few days, he once more crossed the Delaware, and on the 3d of January engaged the enemy at Princeton. About the close of the year 1776, when the cause of America seemed to be expiring, and the attack on Trenton had not yet been made, Joseph Galloway, a prominent citizen of Bucks county, like many others in the greatest hour of need, deserted his country, doubtless thinking that Britain's powerful arm would soon crush these colonies, and his best policy wou.d therefore be to secure her friendship in time. The people of Bucks were not surprised at tliis ; and their previous suspicions of his loyalty proved not unfounded. The Legislature of the State, under the new Constitution, at Philadelphia, on the 17th of March, 1777, pas.sed a militia law by which they established a sort of military tribunal in each county, composed of five oflBcers, four sub-lieutenants, with the rank of colonel and lieutenant-colonel respectively. These officers were to hold courts, to class and district the militia, to organize them into companies and ■ regiments, etc. Captain John Lacey, a native of Bucks, was made a U6 HISTORY OF. PENNSYLVANIA. lieutenant-colonel by the militia of his district, and as the duties did not interfere with his position as one of the sub-lieutenants of the county, he acted in both capacities. Colonel Lacey was commissioned a brigadier-general on the 9tli of January, 1178, and to him was given the command of the militia between the rivers Schuylkill and Delaware. His instructions from General Washingfton were to protect the inhabitants and prevent supplies and intercourse with the enemy in Philadelphia. The duties were exceedingly arduous, and owing to the paucity of the force under him, and the number of Tories and well-paid spies in the county, General Lacey found it impossible to carry out his instructions with that rigidity which the exigencies of the case required. On the morning of the 13th of January, a party of British light horsemen entered Bensalem, and took John Vandergrift, the county commissioner, his son, Edward Duflfieldj and others, prisoners, besides capturing a large quantity of forage, and on several occasions detachments of Lacey's men were surprised and made prisoners by a superior force of the enemy. After the departure of the British from PhQadelphia in June, 11 tS, the country around that city became tolerably quiet, though at times apprehensions were entertained of an invasion of the enemy from their stronghold at New. York. For this purpose the militia were kept in readiness to check any sudden irruption that should be made along the Delaware. On the 12th of October, 1181, at that time stationed at Newtown, they were discharged, with the thanks of General Lacey, in general orders, for the readiness they had exhibited in taking the field in defence of the State. Through all the Revolutionary contest Bucks county nobly did her duty. In the beginning, for the protection of the Northern colonies, she sent soldiers and money for their relief. When Washington was compelled to retreat through Jersey with his handful of half-clad and starving men before the victorious foe, it was in Bucks county that he raised his standard anew, and her citizens rallying to his assistance, contributed much to give the enemy his first check at Trenton. On all occasions she raised her quotas of men and money, and her patriotism fully equalled that of any of the other counties of the State. During the war a number of young men, either to escape from serving in the army or paying fines, and yet did not choose to enlist openly with the enemy, found a more profitable employment in secrect acts of treachery and piracy among their neighbors, and for which they were amply compensated by the British during their stay in Philadelphia or New York. Among these outlaws were several brothers by the name of Doane. The Doanes were a Quaker family, living in Plumstead township during the Revolution. The father was a worthy man ; but his six sons, as they grew to manhood, abandoned all the noble principles of the sect with which they had been reared, and retaining only so much of its outward forms as suited their nefarious schemes, they became a gang of most desperate outlaws. They were professedly Tories, and they drove for a time a very profitable trade in stealing the horses and cattle of their Whig neigh- bors, and disposing of them to the British army, then in Philadelphia. One of the brothers, Joseph, was teaching school in Plumstead. Two of the brothers had joined the British in Philadelphia, and through them the stolen horses were disposed of, and the proceeds shared. Tlie Doanes at school were often display- BUCKS COUNTY. 447 ing their pockets full of guineas, which were at first supposed to be counterfeit ; but subsequent events proved their genuineness, and disclosed the source from which they had procured so considerable an amount of gold. Suspicion had long fastened upon the family ; they were closely watched ; and eventually, about the year 1782, the stealing of a horse belonging to Mr. Shaw, of Plumstead, was distinctly traced to them. This brought upon Mr. Shaw, and a few others who were active in their detection, the combined malignity of the whole banditti ; and it was not long before they obtained their revenge. Uniting with themselves another villain of kindred spirit, the whole band, seven in all, including Moses Doane, who was their captain, and Joseph the schoolmaster before mentioned, fell upon- Mr. Shaw at the dead of night, in his own house, bruised and lacerated him most cruelly, and decamped with all his horses and many valuables plundered from the house. A son of Mr. Shaw was dispatched to the nearest neighbors foj; assistance and to raise the hue and cry after the robbers. But these neighbors being Mennonists, conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, and having besides an instinctive dread of danger, declined interfering in the matter; such was the timidity and cautiousness manifested in those times between the nearest neighbors, when of diflferent political sentiments. The young man, however, soon raised a number of neighbors, part of whom came to his father's assistance, and part armed themselves and went in pursuit of the robbers. The latter, after leaving poor Mr. Shaw, had proceeded to the house of Joseph Grier, and robbed him ; and then went to a tavern kept by Colonel Robert Robinson, a very corpu- lent n.an. Him they dragged from his bed, tied him in a most excruciating position, and placing him naked in the midst of them, whipped him until their ferocity was satiated. They subsequently robbed and abused several other individuals on the same nigljt, and then escaped into Montgomery county. Here they were overtaken, somewhere on Skippach, and so hotly • pursued that they were glad to abandon the fine horses on which they rode, and betake themselves to the thicket. Joseph, the schoolmaster, was shot through the cheeks, dropped from his horse, and was taken prisoner. The others effected their escape, and concealed themselves. The prisoner was taken to Newtown and indicted, but while awaiting trial escaped from jail, fled into New Jersey, and there, under an assumed name, taught school for nearly a year. The Federal government had offered a reward of eight hundred dollars for him or his brothers, dead or alive ; and while in a bar- room one evening he heard a man say that he would shoot any one of the Doanes, wherevet he might see him, for the sake of the reward. Doane's school- bills were settled very suddenly, and he made his way into Canada. Moses, the captain of the gang, with two of the brothers, had concealed themselves in a secluded cabin, occupied by a drunken man, near the mouth of Tohickon creek. Mr. Shaw, the father, learning their place of concealment, rallied ^ a party of men, of whom Colonel Hart was made the leader, and surrounded the house. Instead of shooting them down at once, Hart opened the door, and cried out, "Ah! you're here, are you?" The Doanes seized their arms, and shot down Mr. Kennedy, one of the party. Two of the' outlaws went through the back window, which seems not to have been sulHciently guarded, and made their escape into the woods. Moses, the captain, who, by the way. 448 HISTOR Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. was more of a gentleman than either of the other brothers, surrendered ; bnt immediately on his surrender he was shot down by one of the attacking party. The person who shot him was not, however, voluntarily of the party, but was suspected of being implicated with the Doanes in their ill-gotten gains ; and it was supposed he shot him to close his mouth against the utterance of testimony against himself. The other two were afterwards taken in Chester county, hung in Philadelphia, and brought home to be interred in Plumstead townsliip. The Doanes wci'c distinguished from their youth for great muscular activity. .They could run and jump beyond all competitors, and it is said one of them could jump over a wagon. Many years afterwards, the young lad Shaw, who had himself received many a severe flogging from Doane the schoolmaster, became a magistrate in Doyles- fown, and rejoiced in the dignified title of " 'Squire " Shaw. Sitting one day at his window, whom should he sec entering his gate but old Joseph Doane, the traitor to his country, the robber of Shaw's father, the old schoolmaster who had so often flogged him, the refugee from prison, and now a poor, degraded, broken- down old man. Mr. Shaw assumed his magisterial dignity, and met him bluntly at the door with the question, " What business have you with me, sir?" Some inquiries passed, a recognition was effected, and a cold formal shaking of hands was exchanged. The old scoundrel had returned from Canada to bring a suit against an old Quaker gentleman in the county, for a small legacy of some forty dollars, coming to Doane ; and he had the cool impudence to require the services of a magistrate whose father he had formerly robbed and nearly murdered. It is creditable to 'Squire Shaw's high sense of honor, and respect for the law he was sworn to administer, that the man received his money, and returned quietly to Canada. The meeting between the plaintiff and the defendant is said to have been quite amusing.- Their conversation was still conducted, on both sides, in the " plain language " of Quakers ; but nevertheless they abused each other most roundly — ^the one alleging his authority from government to blow the other's brains out, or to take him " dead or alive," and the other claiming his money, so long, as he thought, unjustly detained. Subsequently, a sister of the Doanes, with her husband, also returned from Canada, and made a similar claim for a legacy before 'Squire Shaw. Bucks county sent her full quota of men to aid in the suppression of the rebel- lion. In April, 1861, a company of volunteers, in command of W. "W. H. Davis, was raised for the defence of Washington. Under the act of May, 1861, for the organization of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, Bucks county furnished three companies, one in the lower end, commanded by Wm. Thompson ; one in the middle, by David V. Feaster ; and one in the upper end, by Joseph Thomas. In the autumn of 1861 a full regiment of volunteers was recruited and organized in the county by Colonel W. W. H. Davis, called the one hundred and fourth regiment. In the latter part of the summer of 1862, Col. Samuel Croasdale, of Bucks county, organized a regiment, recruiting two companies in this county. He was killed, soon after entering the service, at Antictam, Maryland, September It, 1863. Several other' companies and parts of companies were subsequently recruited in the county for the war. On the 30th of May, 1868, on a small plot in Doylestown, was erected a BUCKS COUNTY. 449 monument to the memory of the officers and men of the one hundred and fourtn regiment who fell in the war. General W. H. Emory delivered a commemorative address. DoTLESTOWN, the couilty seat, was first called by this name in 1YY8. It derived the name from William Doyle, who settled there about ITSS, and kept a hostelry at the cross-roads as early as 1742. The town is situated on a hill commanding an extensive view of the fertile country around it. It became the county seat in 1812, when the public documents were removed from Newtown, and the county buildings erected. The earliest inhabitants of the neighborhood were Scotch-Irish. In 1132 a log church was founded at Deep Run, eight miles north-west of Doylestown, of which Rev. Francis McHenry was installed pastor in n38. He died in 1757, and was succeeded, in 1 761, by the Rev. James Latta, to whom and to his succes- sors in the ministry, Hon. William Allen, of Phila- delphia, gave the lot of ground occupied by the church and parsonage. Rev. Hugh McGill in 1776, Rev. James Grier in 1791, and Rev. Uriah DuBois in 1798, succeeded to the charge, and under the lat- ter, public worship began to be held interchangeably at Deep Run and Doyles- town in 1804, he being also principal of the academy at the latter place. The Pres- byterian church here was dedicated on the 13th of August, 1815. In the char- ter for the academy referred to, the State granted a certain sum, on condition that there should be a number of poor children educated gratis, not exceeding three in number at any one time. Do3'lestown was incorporated as a borough in 1838. About twenty years ago the Doylestown railroad was built to this place from Lansdale, a point on the North Pennsylvania railroad (it being a br.anch of the main trunk), and from this period Doylestown began to manifest life and materially grow. It now has extensive water works, furnishing a boun- teous supply of excellent spring water, which is obtained a short distance fiom the town. Its buildings and streets are lighted with gas ; new streets have been laid out, and many handsome and commodious residences have been built. A large and beautiful hall, called " Lenape Hall," with stores and market house in the basement, has been erected, constituting an ornament as well as a con- venience to the town. A flourishing boarding school for boys and girls has 2d SOLDIEES' MONUMENT AT DOYLESTOWN. [From a Fbotograpli by C. Garwood.] 450 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVAiriA. been established here by a joint stock company, and also a prosperous female seminary, conducted by Rev. Sheip. The same public buildings which were originally erected still stand, with little change in their appearance. The popu- lation of the borough exceeds two thousand. Bristol is the second chartered borough in Pennsylvania. The site upon which it is erected is a part of a tract of land patented to Samuel Cliff by Sir Edmund Andros, Colonial Governor of New York. The first court house and prison (of logs) were erected here at the formation of the county, and subse- quently rebuilt of brick in 1105. By an act of the Assembly, of the 20tli March. 1 Y24, the county seat was removed to Newtown. Sir William Keith, Governor of the Province, granted the first borough charter, on the 14tli November, 1'720. The petitioners for the same, " owners of a certam tract of land formerly called Buckingham, in the county of Bucks," were, Anthonj' Burton, John Hall, William Wharton, Joseph Bond, '' and many other inhabitants of the town of Bristol ; " and the petition recites that they had already laid out streets, erected a chui-ch and meeting-house, a court house, and a prison, and that the courts had for a loi^g time been held there, etc. Joseph Bond and John Hall were appointed burgesses, and Thomas Clifford, high constable. This oiiginal charter continued in force until the Revolution. A new one was granted by the State in 1785. Graydon, whose father was president of the court in this county, says in his memoirs : " My recollections of the village of Bristol, in which I was born on the 10th of April, N. S., in the year 1755, cannot be supposed to go further back than to the year 1756 or 1757. There are few towns, perhaps, in Pennsylvania, which, in the same space of time, have been so little im- proved, or undergone less alteration. Then, as now, the great road leading from Phila- delphia to New York, first skirting the inlet, at the head of which stand the mills, and then turning sliort to the left along the banks of the Delaware, formed the prin- cipal and indeed only street, marked by any thing like a continuity of building. A few places for streets were opened from this main one, on which, here and there, stood an l:\im- ble, solitary dwelling. At a corner of two of these lanes was a Quaker meeting-house, and on a still moic retired spot stood a small Epis- copal chnrcli, whose lonely grave-yard, with its surrounding woody scenery, might have furnished an ajjpvopriate theme for such a muse as Gray's. Tliese, together with an old brick jail (Bristol liaving once been the county town of Bucks), con- stituted all the public edifices in this, my native town. With the exception of I'lilliNDS' MKKTINO-noUSK, JiUl'Ivl^On AM. [From u riioUsniitli by C. Ganvood.] BUCKS COUNTY. 451 the family of Dr. DeNormandie, our own, and perhaps one or two more, the prin- cipal inhabitants of Bristol were Quakers. Among these, the names of Buckley, Williams, Large, Meritt, Hutchinson, and Church, are familiar to me." In 1713 Saint James' Church was erected by the Episcopalians, and in 1714 the Friends erected a meeting-honse. These comprised, for a full century, the only houses of worship in the borough. On the 16th of September, 1785, the Legislature passed a law to re-establish the ancient corporation of the borough of Bristol. This charter continued in force up to the year 1851, when the present charter, more satisfactory to the citizens, was adopted by the legislative authorities. Bristol is prettily located on an elevated plateau, on the right bank of the Delaware, at the mouth of Mill creek. It is opposite Burlington, and twenty miles from Philadelphia. The New Jersey division of the Pennsylvania railroad passes through the borough, and the Delaware canal has here its terminus. It has steamboat communication with the river towns, and the trade of the borough is rapidly increasing in importance. Newtown is a thriving borough, situated on a small branch of the Neshaminy, ten miles north-west of Bristol. By an act of Assembly, passed the 20th of March, 1724, it became the county seat in place of Bristol, an honor which it held until 1812, when the courts and^public offices were removed to Doylestown, as a more central situation. Newtown was one of the earliest settlements, the township from which it derives its name havihg been formed as early as 1686. In the original plan of survej's, the present borough was laid out exactly one mile square, containing sis hundred and forty acres, with the stream running through its centre. The Presbyterian church was founded about 1734, and a new house rebuilt in 1769. The academy was incorporated in 1798, and was the ninth institution of that kind in the State. While the American army were guarding the Delaware from Coryell's Perry to Bristol, in 1776, General Washington had his headquarters at Newtown. MoRRisviLLE took its name from Robert Morris, the distinguished patriot and financier. He resided here for some time in a splendid mansion-house. The estate was aftci-wards purchased by the French royalist. General Victor Moreau, who spent about three years of exile here. The neighbors remember him as a kind-hearted, sociable man, who delighted in roaming about the banks of the rivei', fishing and hunting. Tlie mansion took Are, and was consumed. The General returned to Europe, joined the allied armies, and was killed at Dresden. QuAKERTO■^v^f, in point of size and importance, ranks the third in the county. It is situated on the head-waters of Tohickon creek, in Richland township, and on the line of the North Pennsylvania railroad. It is suri-ounded by a I'.roductive farming district, with a soil composed of a clay loam, admixed with red shale, being especially well adapted to grain crops and grass for haj', which issliippcd in considerable quantity to Philadelphia and other places. Its name is derived from settlements of Friends, or Quakers, who emigrated from Gwynedd to its vieinitj', some time about the j-car 1700 ; and when a post office was established here, it wasthcn called' Quakertown, about 1803. The site of the town is a part of an extensive district, embracing several thousand acres, which was designated by the early settlers the Great Swamp, or 452 HISTOB T OF PEN JUTS YL VANIA. Great Meadow, on which they pastured their cattle, while they dwelt on the more elevated or hilly territory adjacent. It afterward took the name of Flatland, and subsequently Richland, from the fertile quality of the soil. A log structure was erected by the Friends for holding their meetings (originally about a half mile south of the present town, near where William Shaw now resides), in 1710. Here they had also a burying ground, where they consigned their dead, in common with the Indian, and thus the dust of these early pioneers mingles with that of the red man, with whom they always lived in friendly intercourse. There is, however, now no trace of the old log meeting-house, nor even a stone to mark the place of burial, yet some records in the possession of the Friends here, and tradition, preserve them from oblivion. Subsequently, about the year 17.50, on the site of the present meeting house, a new building was put up for public worship, to which the scattered Friends living in Springfield, Haycock, Milford, Rockhill, and even in the more distant townships, repaired to worship God, and bury their friends and kinsmen. They had no other place for worship nearer than the Gwynedd meeting (in Mont- gomery) some twenty mUes distant. Late as 1820 the village did not contain a dozen dwellings, notwithstand- ing it was on the main thoroughfare from Allcntown to Philadelphia, along which was the principal travel of the settlers on the Lehigh to Philadelphia. In 1855 the town began to improve very rapidly in consequence of the Jforth Pennsylvania railroad running near it, and it was the same year organized into a borough. In 1874 a little town called Richland Centre, which had sprung up near the station of the railroad, was annexed to the borough, making now an aggregate population of nearly two thousand. The extensive stove works of Thomas, Roberts, Stevenson, & Company, are located here. The first monthly meeting of the Friends recorded here is 1741. The first white child born in the vicinity of Quakertowii was John Griffith. Morris Morris gave ten acres of land for the Friends' meeting-house, etc., in 1745. Quakertown was a prominent station on the so-called " under-ground rail- road," in the days of anti-slavery excitements, to assist the fugitive slaves in making their escape to Canada. These negroes, having reached here by night usually, from West Chester (also a station), were concealed for a time by the Friends when danger of pursuit was apprehended, and then they were secretly transported in wagons to Stroudsburg, Monroe county. They came often, a dozen or more in one party, and were distributed among a number of the families of Friends, who would conceal them for a time in garrets, hay-lofts, etc. Richard Moore, recently deceased, an excellent and exemplary citizen, figured prominently in this philanthropic though perilous work. A library was established in Quakertown called the " Richland Library," by an act of incorpo- ration, dated 1795, it being, according to Commissioner Eaton, the seventh in rank of seniority in the United States. Its membership and readers embraced the most intelligent part of the citizens of the upper portions of the county. It contains near two thousand volumes. Sellersville was incorporated a borough in 1874. It is situated in Rock- hill, on the North Pennsylvania railroad, near the east branch of the Perkiomen. It contains two hotels, three stores, and an elegant public school-building, BUCKS COUNTY. 453 perhaps the finest in the county. The population is about four hundred. Cigar manufacturing is extensively carried on here and in the vicinity. The place was named after Samuel Sellers, who' kept a hotel and store at this place about seventy years ago, and was elected sheriflf of the county. It was then an impor- tant stopping place for teams, etc., located as it was upon the old Allentown road. Applebachville is in Haycock township, and was named after General Paul Applebach and his brother Henry, who erected the first house in the village, a hotel, and afterwards put up nearly all the other buildings. It was, for a long time, a principal stopping place for stages running on the old Bethlehem road, between Bethlehem and Philadelphia. The post ofiice was moved here from Strawntown, a little village half a mile south of it, in 1848. Sixty years ago such was the extent of travel on this great thoroughfare for stages and heavy teams, that at very short intervals hostelries were kept, and all were frequently crowded at nights with lodgers. There were two of these in Strawntown, one kept by Nicholas Roudenbush, and the other by Joseph Brown. Hagersville, also a small village on the Bethlehem road, in Rockhill township, was named after Colonel George Hager, who built here first in 1848. HuLMEViiiLE is situated on the Neshaminy creek, about six miles from Bristol. It contains a population of three hundred and fifty, and has a number of fine edifices — churches and private dwellings. The Neshaminy aflbrds' an excellent motive power here, which is utilized for manufacturing purposes. It was organized out of the township of Middletown into a borough in 1872. Attleboroxjgh was also organized out of Middletown township into a borough corporation in 1874. It is pleasantly located on an elevated site, surrounded by a fine farming district. It was an inconsiderable village over a century ago. Its present population is between five and six hundred. Organization op Townships. — The following are the dates of the prganiza- tion of the different townships : Bedminster, . 1742 NockamixoDj . 1724 Bensalem, 1692 Northampton, 1722 Bristol, . 1695 Plumstead, . 1725 Buckingham, . 1702-8 Richland, 1734 Doylestown, . 1818 Rockhill, . . 1740 Durham, 1775 Solesbury, . 1702-3 Falls, . 1692 Southampton, . 1702-3 Haycock, 1743 Springfield, . 1743 Hilltown, . 1722 Tinicum, . . 1742 Lower Makefield, . 1692 Upper Makefield, . 1737 Middletown, . 1692 Warminster, 1702-3 Milford, 1734 Warrington, 1734 New Britain, . 1722 Warwick, 1722 Newtown, . 1702-3 Wrightstown, 1702-3 BUTLER COUNTY. BY JACOB ZIEOLEE, BTITLEE. [ With acknowledgments to Samuel P. Irvin.'\ TJTLEE. county was formed from the county of Allegheny, by the act of the 12th of March, 1800, and named in honor of General Richard Butler, who was killed at St. Clair's defeat. It was then bounded : " Beginning at the mouth of Buffalo creek, on the Allegheny river ; thence by a straight line running due west until it strikes the line on Beaver county ; thence north by the line of said county to the north-east comer of said county ; thence by a line north thirty-five degrees, east four teen miles ; thence by a line running due east, continuing said course to where a line running due north from the mouth of Buffalo creek, the place of beginning." The place of the county seat was not to be at a greater dis- tance than foiu" miles from the centre of the county. The year following commissioners were appointed to run the county lines. The persons appointed for this purpose were Samuel Rippj', Henry Evans, and John M'Bride, with Beatty Quinn as their axeman. After these commis- sioners had performed their duty and made the proper report, the Legislature ap- pointed John David, William Elliott, and Samuel Ewalt, commissioners to fix upon a proper place for the seat of justice for the county. The place selected by them is where the town of Butler now stands. While this county was still a part of Allegheny county it contained but four townships. These were Buffalo, Middlesex, Conoquenossing, and Slippery Rock. The limits of the county now are as follows : Beginning at the moutb of the Buffalo creek at Freeport ; thence westward twenty-three miles to a 454 BUTLEll COUNTY COURT HOUSE. [From I Photogrftph by John F. Orr, Butler,] BUTLEB COUNTY. 455 comer on the west side of Alexander's district, adjoining Beaver county ; thence along said line and Beaver county, northward twenty-three miles to a corner, where the streams of Muddy creek and Slippery Rock unite ; thence along the Mercer county line north fifteen degrees, cast fifteen miles to a corner near Hairisville ; thence eastward fifteen miles to a corner near the Allegheny river near Emlenton; thence southward about thirty miles along the Armstrong, county line to the place of beginning, containing about seven hundred and eighty-five square miles. In point of mineral wealth, Butler county is among the foremost of the counties of the State, and it contains now about forty thousand inhabitants. Under the whole surface there is abundance of white, blue, black, and yellow clays, suitable for bricks and other purposes. In certain parts there are fine bodies of limestone, a portion of which is fossil. Sandstone of the best quality abounds in all localities, and bituminous and cannel coal in great quantities. Iron ore is also abundant, and as for petroleum, the county is now looked upon as the greatest oil region in the world. Some idea may be formed of the produc- tion of the latter article when it is stated that the average for the last two years has been about ten thousand l larrcls per day. No ent'erprise is equal to the development of oil to give rise and growth to towns, and when it fails nothing puts an end to their growth and prosperity quicker. ' Consequently we have Petrolia, Karns City, Greece City, Angelica, Argyle, Modoc, Troutman Farm, St. Joe, Great Belt City, and other towns all on the line of development. Of all these, however, Petrolia and Karns City seem to be the most successful. At these places the oil pro- duction is still very remunerative, and, of course, they have more stability than others. They are peopled with a thriying and industrious class, who take pride in keeping up the prosperity and business of their respective places. Greece City at one time bid fair to rival them all, but the failure of oil in large quantities has materially interfered with its growth. There arc still large pumping engines at work there pumping oil to the recefving tanks at Butler, of which there are three, and from which oil cars are loaded and taken over the Butler Branch railroad to the West Pennsylvania railroad, ' and thence to Philadelphia over the~ Pennsylvania Central. There are a great many iron tanks, capable of holding thousands of barrels of oil, and pipes, through which it is transported, and owned by pipe comj)anies to be seen in all directions. A just appreciation of the amount of business done by these companies can only be had by being an eye-witness and having some knowledge of the oil business. While oil is a wonderful production, and has fairly revolutionized the industry of the county, yet the gas will in all probability far exceed it in its application as fuel in propelling machinery, and also for lighting purnoses. There are several wells, the Dclamater and Dufly being the largest, which throw out a volume of gas per hour sufficient to supply the city of Philadelphia two days and nights, at least, with all the gas needed. This gas is to be found in all parts of the county, and it is not exaggerating when we say that Butler will in time be the basin from which will be taken the means of both light and fuel- It is inexhaustible. 456 BISTORT OF PENNSYLVANIA. In regard to railroads, there are — the Butler Branch road running from Butlei to. Freeport, and there connecting with the West Pennsylvania road, which gives a connection by rail with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The Parker and Karns City railroad runs from the town of Parker on the Allegheny river, it Armstrong county, to Karns City, in Butler county. It is a narrow gauge road, but does a large amount of business in freight and travel. This road gives an outlet for oil producers to the Allegheny railroad, and consequently to Pitts- burgh and the upper oil region. The Shenango and Allegheny river railroad runs from Sharon, in Mercer county", to Hilliard's Mill, in Butler county ; and while there is considerable travel, it is used mainly for shipping coal and the transportation of oil to the lake cities. There are other railroads in contempla- tion, and it is confidently expected the great mineral resources of the county will demand the investment of capital in their construction. The surface is beautifully distributed with hills and valleys, and streams of clear water flow in all directions. The whole is subject to cultivation, and the soil is good for farming and grazing purposes. The minerals, which abound everywliere in the county, must in time make it a great manufacturing centre ; especially when it is now an established fact that gas abounds in large quantities, and can be used for fuel in smelting iron or for manufacturing purposes with much more facility and at much cheaper rates than with coal. Timber, of the best quality, white oak, black oak, chestnut, sugar maple, etc., abound in nearly all sections of tke countj^ Fruit is grown with considerable success, but owing to the cold lake winds which prevail in the spring of the year, not in the same abundance that is grown in more southerly places. The first map of the county, in connection with one of Allegheny county, was made by David Dougal, Esq. the person referred to subsequently. He was an experienced surveyor, and had spent some time among the Indians in this the then western frontier. Butler county was first settled mostly by inhabitants from the counties west of the mountains. Westmoreland and Allegheny contributed the greater portion ; Washington and Fayette a part ; and some came from east of the mountains. A few emigrated from other States. Pcnnsylvanians, of Irish and German extraction, native Irish, some Scotch, and some few Germans, were amongst the early pioneers. The first settlement commenced in 1792, immediately subsequent to the act of the 3d of April of that year, which provided for the survey of all that part of western Pennsylvania lying north and west of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers and Conewango creek. No considerable settlement was made until 1796, and up to 1800-3, at which time the county town was laid out. This era gave a new stimulus to the opening up and improvement of tho county. The first locations were made on the head-waters of what is called Bull creek, in the south-east corner of the county, adjoining Allegheny county. ■ The names of these settlers were James Fulton, Henry Kennedy, Martin Kennedy, William Holtz, John Harbeson, and Abraham Frier. Previous to the formation of the county, the Indian disturbances on the frontiers bordering on the Allegheny were frequent, and the fear of the scalping knife and tomahawk prevented the rapid settlement of this locality. In the spring of 1792 a band of Indian marauders entered the limits of Butler, com- mitting numerous depredations. • BUTLEB COUNTY. 457 General Brodhead's expedition to the head-waters of the Allegheny, referred to in the General History, effectually checked these inroads, and secured peace to the frontiers. One of Captain Samuel Brady's characteristic adventures with the Indians occurred on Slippery Kock creek, in this county. Although General Brodhead's summary punishment of the natives quieted the countiy, yet for some time he kept spies out for the purpose of watching their motions and guarding against sudden attacks on the settlements. One of these parties, under the command of Captain Brady, had the French creek country assigned as their field of dutj'. The Captain had reached the waters of Slippery Eock, a brunch of Beaver, without seeing signs of Indians. Here, however, he came on an Indian trail in the evening, which he followed till dark without overtaking the enemy. The next morning he renewed the pursuit, and overtook them while they were engaged at their morning meal. Unfortunately for him, another party of Indians were in his rear. They had fallen upon his trail, and pursued him, doubtless, with as much ardor as his pursuit had been characterized by ; and at the moment he fired upon the Indians in his front, he was, in turn, fired upon by those in his rear. He was now between two fires, and vastly outnumbered. Two of his men fell ; his tomahawk was shot from his side, and the battle-yell was given by the party in his rear, and loudly returned and repeated by those in his front. There was no time for hesitation ; no safety' in delay ; no chance of successful defence in their present position. The brave Captain and his rangers had to flee before their enemies, who pressed on their fiying footsteps with no lagging speed. Brady ran towards the creek., He was known by many, if not all of them, and many and deep were the scores to be settled between him and them. They linew the country well, he did not ; and from his running towards the creek they were certain of taking him prisoner. The creek was, for a long distance above and below the point he was approaching, washed in its channel to a great depth. In the certain expectation of catching him there, the private soldiers of his party were disregarded ; and throwing down their guns and drawing their tomahawks, all pressed forward to seize their victim. Quick of ej^e, fearless of heart, and determined never to be a captive to the Indians, Brady comprehended their object and his only chance of escape the moment he saw the creek, and by one mighty effort of courage and activity, defeated the one and eflected the other. He sprang across the abyss of waters, and stood, rifle in hand, on the opposite bank in safety. As quick as lightning his rifle was primed, for it was his invariable practice in loading to prime first. The next minute the powder-horn was at the gun's muzzle ; when, as he was in this act, a large Indian, who had been foremost in pursuit, came to the opposite bankj and with the manliness of a generous foe, who scorns to under- . value the qualities of an enemy, said in a loud voice, and tolerable English, " Blady make good jump !" It may indeed be douhted whether the compliment was uttered in derision, for the moment he had said so he took to his heels, and, as if fearful of the return it might merit, ran as crooked as a worm-fence — some- times leaping high, at others suddenly squatting down, he appeared no way certain that Bradj' would not answer from the lips of his rifle. But the rifle was not yet loaded. The Captain was at the place afterwards, and ascertained that his leap was about twenty-three feet, and that the water was twenty feet deep. 458 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Brady's next eflfort was to gather up his men. They had a place designated at which to meet, in case they should happen to be separated, and thither he went, and found the other three there. They immediately commenced their homeward march, and returned to Pittsburgh about half defeated. Three Indians had been lucn to fall from the fire they gave them at breakfast. Butler borough is one of the most beautiful towns in Pennsylvania, and its location is upon a small hill, surrounded by an extensive valley, through which flows the Conoquencssing creek. At the time the location was effected it was covered with a heavy growth of timber, and although not exactly in the centre VIEW OF THE BOROnOB OP BUTLER. [From a Photosrapb by John P. Orr, BuUcr.] of the county, yet the Commissionei's deemed it the most eligible site that could be selected. Time proved the wisdom of their choice. Butler is at or near the 41° of north latitude and 3° of western longitude from the city of Washington. In 1803 the town was laid out in lots, and a sale was held in the month of August of that year. The . highest bid made was for lot No. 24, in the general 1 Ian of the town, and this lot reaches to the Diamond, in the centre of which is the large and commodious court house. The bid was one hundred and twenty dollars. The balance of the lots sold for prices ranging from that amount down to as low as ten dollars. The land on which the town is located was claimed by John and Samuel Cunningham, and contained one hundred and fifty acres. They made a free donation of it to the county of Butler. These gentlemen were sons of Colonel Cunningham, of revolutionary fame, and emigrated from Lancaster (now Dauphin) to this county. BUTLEB COUNTY. 459 The State of Penusylvania purchased from the Indians in 1784 the land lying north and west of the Allegheny river and Conewango creek. In It 86-7 and in 1788 this land was run oflf into donation districts, and Colonel Cunningham had a contract for part of this work. The part surveyed by John Cunningham under the contract with his father is known as the Cunningham district. The object was to give the soldiers land as a donation for their services. Robert Morris came into possession of about one hundred thousand acres, and John Cunningham, the son of Colonel Cunningham, was his agent. The act of Assembly required settlement to be made within a certain time, but by a special act Mr. Morris' right of settlement was extended for five years. The Indians still held possession, for there was a division among them as to the sale, and they refused to vacate. The consequence of this hostility was that Mr. Morris could not make settlements as re- quired, and a suit was tried at Sunbury, in this State, before Judge Mc- Kean, in which the ques- tion of prevention was settled. The suit ter- minated in favor of the Morris warrants. Bj' Wayne's treaty in 1795 the Indians were re- moved. John Cunningham, with his brother Samuel, came into possession under Robert Morris, of fifteen hundred acres of land, one hundred and fifty acres of which they donated, as stated, to the county of Butler. During the fall of 1803, houses were built in Butler, and accommodations made for citizens and for tlic reception of the court. The court was opened by Judge Moore as president, and Samuel Findlay and John Parker associates. John M'Candless was sheriff. Matthew White, Jacob Mechling, and James Bovard, commissioners, with David Dougal, as their clerk. The latter gentleman is still living, and is now in the ninety-eighth year of his age. Butler has, within the past five years, made rapid progress in wealth and population, the latter almost doubled since the census of 1870. It contains, besides the public buildings, an academy. Soldier's Orphans' Home, under the care of Rev. Thompson, and the Witherspoon Institute. The following are among the most prominent towns in the county, and which were organized prior to the discovery of oil : Peospect is a small place, situated on the old Franklin road, eight miles west PUBLIC SCHOOL nUILDINO, BUTLEU. [From a Photograph by Joh.o r. Orr, Butler.} 460 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. of Butler, and was laid out by Andrew M'Gowan about the year 1805. The country surrounding it is well adapted to agriculture. ZELiENOPLE.was laid out by Dr. Bassa Miller about the year 1802 or '3, and Harmony, which nearly adjoins it, by the Harmonites at about the same time. This latter place is located on the bank of the Conoquenessing creek, fifteen miles southwest from Butler. Both of these places are beautifully- loca- ted in the midst of an extensive valley, and are surrounded by the best farms to be found in the county. The people are mostly of German descent, and carry agriculture to the highest state of perfection. nAREisviLLE IS located on the old Franklin road, in the north-west corner of the county, twenty miles from Butler, and was laid out by Ephraim Harris about 1802 or 1803. Near this place the Shenango and Allegheny river railroad is located, over which is transported an immense quantity of: coal. About one mile and a half this side of the town on the railroad are the receiving tanks of an oil company, and the oil is pumped from the place of production, put on the cars, and taken to Cleveland. Centreville is situated on the road leading from Butler to Mercer, and about fifteen miles from Butler, north-west. This place was laid out by Stephen Cooper, and is now a thriving town. Murrinsville, situated on the road from Butler to Scrubgrass creek, in Venango county, about twenty miles north of Butler, was laid out by John Murrin about the year 1820. In the neighborhood of this place are great bodies of cannel coal, and efibrts are being made to ship it to the lake cities. SuNBURY is situated on the road leading from Butler to Emlenton, and was laid out about the year 1820 by John Gilchrist. North Washington is situated sixteen miles north-east from Butler on the same road, and was laid out about the year 1810 or '12. Fairview, on the road from Butler to the mouth of Bear creek, is fourteen miles north-east from Butler, and was laid out by Thomas McClearyi about the year 1830. MiLLERSTOWN is in the north-east section of the county, eleven miles from Butler, and was laid out by Philip Barnhart about the year 1830. Saxenburg is nine miles south-east from Butler, was laid out by John Roeb- ling, the famous engineer and bridge builder, in the year 1835. The country around is well adapted to agriculture, and some of the best farms in the county are to be found in its vicinitj'. Fairview, Martinsburg, and Millerstown, already referred to in consequence of the oil development in their immediate vicinity, have grown to be places of note, not only in point of population but of business. The latter place especially has become the centre of oil operations, and here can be seen oil tanks containing thousands of barrels of oil, immense engines to pump the oil to railroad stations, hundreds of laboring men employed in various capacities, together with many others engaged in those various pursuits which follow the development. There are small towns in the county, viz. : Martinsburg, Coylesville, Hannahstown, Brownsdale, Bransburg, Petersville, Mount Chestnut, Unionville, Eau Claire, Buena Vista, and some others not necessary to mention. All these existed before the oil excitement CAMBRIA COUNTY. BY ROBERT L. JOHNSTON, EBENSBTJRQ. HE county of Cambria owes its existence to an act of Assembly, passed the 26tli day of March, 1804. The territory composing it was taken from the counties of Huntingdon aiid Somerset. The act provided "That so much of the counties of Huntingdon and Somerset, included in the following boundaries, to wit : Beginning at the Cone- maugh river, at the soutli-east corner of Indiana county ; thence by a straight line to the Canoe Place, on the West Branch of Susquehanna ; thence easterly along the line of Clearfield county to the south-westerly corner of Centre county, on the heads of Moshannon creek ; thence southerly along the Allegheny mountain to Somerset and Bedford county lines ; thence along the lines of Somerset and Bedford counties about seventeen miles, until a due west course from thence will strike the main branch of Paint creek ; thence down said creek, the different courses thereof, till it empties into Stony creek ; thence down Stony creek, the different courses, to the mouth of Mill creek ; thence a due west line till it inter- sects the lines of Somerset and Westmoreland counties ; thence northerly along said line to the place of beginning, be and the same is hereby erected into a separate county, to be henceforth called Cambria county." The same act provided that the county seat should be &xeA by the Legisla- ture within seven miles of the centre of the county, and authorized the Governor to appoint three commissioners to run and mark the boundary lines. The act also provided for future representation in the Legislature as soon as the new county should be entitled thereto by an enumeration of its taxable inhabitants ; and for the appointment of three trustees to receive proposals for real estate upon which to erect the public buildings. The act organizing the county for judicial and political purposes was not passed until the 26th of January, 1807 ; until which time it was deemed only a " provisional " county, and was attached to Somerset county. An act of Assembly, passed the 29th of March, 1805, fixed the county seat at Ebensburg, and appointed John Horner, John J. Evans (both of Cambria county), and Alexander Ogle, of Somerset, trustees, to receive a grant of land for the public buildings from Bees Lloyd, John Lloyd, and Stephen Lloyd, who donated the square of ground upon which the public buildings now stand. The first general election in Cambria county was held in October, 1807, and from thence is dated its full organization. The county retains its original boundaries, with the exception of the north- Twestern corner, known in the original boundary as Canoe Place, more recently as Cherrytree, and now as Grant, the latter being the name of the post office This village, lying about equally in Cambria, Clearfield, and Indiana counties, was 461 462 HISTORY OF PENNSY LVANIA. erected into a borough and annexed to the latter county. Frequent efforts have been made to divide the county, both on the extreme south and the extreme north, but they have hitherto proved unsuccessful. While the northern and southern lines of the county liave never been the subject of dispute, the eastern and western lines have caused much difficulty. The -western line has since been re-located, and is now settled. But the greatest trouble was in reference to the eastern line. While the act placed it " along the Allegheny mountain," it became a matter of great difficulty to trace it, there being no record of the original running, and a great portion of the summit of the mountain being without timber for axe marks ; and the mountain being cloven, so to speak, by immense chasms and ravines, it became more a matter of opinion than any certainty where the line should actually be run. The inconvenience resulting from this uncertainty was remedied by an act of Assembly passed in 1849, appointing Hon. James Gwin, of Blair county, and E. A. Vickroy, of Cambria county, to run and adjust the line; a duty which was satisfactorily performed during the same year, and a record thereof filed in the proper office. Thus located, Cambria county occupies the table land lying between the summit of the Allegheny mountain and the Laurel Hill, the western line running near_ the western base of the latter elevation, including it, and running in the same general direction. And while it is called the ''' mountain county," it embraces, perhaps, more tillable surface than any of the adjoining counties, in proportion to its area. It is bounded by Clearfield, on the north ; Blair and . Bedford, on the east ; Somerset, on the south ; and Wegtmdreland and Indiana, on the west. Its length is thirty-five miles, its breadth twenty-one miles ; and embraces an area of six hundred and seventy square miles. The position of the county is elevated; for, while the eastern approach to the Allegheny moun- tain is abrupt and rugged, the western descent is comparatively gentle. Besides the Allegheny and the Laurel Hill, there is no elevation in Cambria county that can be dignified with the name of mountain. The Allegheny divides Blair and Bedford from Cambria, its direction being north-easterly and south- westerly, the whole length of the county. Its greatest altitude is at the southern extremity of the county, and there is a gradual falling-off in its height till it reaches the northern line. From the centre, north, it abounds in chasms or " gaps," known as Blair's gap. Burgeon's gap, Sugar Run gap, and Bell's gap. Tliese gaps furnished the sources of the main, or Frankstown branch of the Juniata. The Laurel Hill, in western Cambria, pursues the same general direction, and loses its character as a mountain before reaching the northern boundary. Tliough containing no large stream, Cambria county is well watered. The West Branch of the Susquelianna has its rise some eight miles north of Ebensburg, leaving the county at Cherrytree, formerly known as Canoe Place. Chest creek lises some lliree miles from Ebensburg, and pursuing a northerly course empties into tlie Susquehanna in Clearfield county. Clearfield creek rises near the summit of the mountain, at Gallitzin, flows north, and receiving the Beaver Dam oranch from the west, passes into Clearfield county, and reaches the Susque- lianna below the town of Clearfield. These streams are o.\\ declared public Highways. VAMBRIA COUNT.Y. 463 The Juniala has its rise from small streams passing through the various gaps in the Allegheny. The Conemaugh drains southern Cambria. This stream is formed of various branches : the Ebcnsburg branch, arising near the town of that name, and flowing south to the village of Wilmore, receives the Cresson branch, which has its source near the summit of the Allegheny, and flows in a south-westerly direction. Their united waters, pursuing the same direction, are increased by the South Fork, which flows nearly due west. At Johnstown it falls into the Stony creek, which rises in Somerset county, and flows in a northerly direction through Cambria to its junction with the smaller stream at Johnstown. Their united waters, taking the name of the Conemaugh, flow westwardly, and, leaving the county, forms the boundary between Indiana and Westmoreland. The southern branch of Blacklick has its source north of Ebensburg, and flows west to the line of Indiana county, where, receiving an accession in the northern branch, falls into the main Blacklick, a few miles west of the county line. The waters that flow into the Atlantic, and those that seek the Gulf of Mexico, interlock in alternate dells in this county ; and the traveler, at one point on the Ebensburg and Cresson railroad, some four miles from the former place, may see from the cars, on the ' one side, a fountain whose waters reach the Gulf of Mexico ; and on the other, exactly opposite, another whose waters pass through the Chesapeake bay to the Atlantic. Cambria county is not distinguished as an agricultural county, her soil being better adapted to grazing than grain growing. Still a large portion of the north produces excellent crops of wheat ; and the same may be said of the hilly por- tion of southern Cambria. The level portion of the county is too cold and " spouty" for fall grain, but produces excellent erops of grass. Corn is not a favorite of her soil, but oats is produced in abundance. The length and severity of the winter is all that hinders her from being one of the finest stock growing counties in the State. Coal" underlies the entire surface of the county, and is mined extensively. The line of the Pennsylvania railroad, from Gallitzin to Johnstown, more than twenty-flve miles, is a successioji of coal drifts, from which immense quantities of the best bituminous coal is shipped, and from which large quantities of colcc are manufactured. In the north and west the coal is equally abundant, but not so extensively worked for want of a convenient market. Near the north-eastern line, at Lloydsville, an extensive coal vein has recently been opened, which is shipped to the Pennsylvania railroad by a narrow gauge railroad, connecting with the former at Bell's Mills. A single deposit of cannel coal, in the western portion of the countj"^, was operated a few years since, but is now abandoned. Iron ore abounds in many portions of the county, but is only utilized in the vicinity of Johnstown, where immense quantities are mined to supply the furnaces of the Cambria iron company. The greatest iron and steel manufacturing company in Pennsylvania, if not in the world, is located at Jolmstown; and as this company conducts other enter- prises, they shall be considered together. An establishment that directly or indirectly employs nearly seven thousand persons — men, women, and boys, and transacts a business of over ten million dollars a year, deserves separate eonsi- 464 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. k -vrjii,^^ -' ■■ . ^% ' deration. While the main estab- lishment and a great bulk of its employers are in Cambria, itsmincs, furnaces, and lands extend to Blair, Bedford, and Som- erset counties. The Conemaugh valley at Johns- town is but a few hundred feet across. In the mountain side, to the west, lies a deep seam of semi-bi- t u m i n o u s coal, * which is exposed ^ all along the road- way, extending a vast distance, and appar- ently inexhaustible. It makes splendid coke, and is, therefore, invaluable for the company's many blast furnaces. Under this coal mine lies a fine bed of water cement. On the other side of the val- ley, and to the south, are vast beds of iron ore, coal) and lime-stone, and, im- mediately above the blast furnaces, a quarry of ex- cellent stone. Fourteen hundred tons of coal and five hundred tons of ore ai-e mined from these beds every day. With the ex- ception of the quantity of coal which is sold to their employees, the Cam- bria Iron company con- sume all the coal they mine in their mills and furnaces. As to iron ore, GAMBBIA COUNTY. 465 though they own and are interested in other mines as well (the aggregate of the ore and coal lands owned by the company exceeds 50,000 acres), they are, nevertheless, large buyers of Lake Superior and other high-classed ores. The company produces about three hundred tons of pig-iron a day. The Bessemer steel works and rolling mills turn out three hundred tons of iron and steel rails in a day; in a year about seventy thousand tons of iron rails, weighing from sixteen to eighty-three pounds to the yard, and thirty-five thousand tons of steel rails, weighing from forty-two to sixty-seven pounds to the yard. The area of ground covered by these enormous works is over sixty acres, the rolling mill alone covering seven acres. In the rolling-mill there are no less than seven trains of rolls, these trains each having five pair of rolls. To keep these rolls supplied with heated metal requires twenty-eight heating furnaces, while forty-two double puddling furnaces furnish the heaters with the puddled bars. The Cambria Iron company has already no less than nine blast furnaces in operation, producing as previously stated, three hundred tons of pig-iron a day; but finding these insufficient for their demands, they are.now erecting another very large one near the rolling-mill. Only four of the furnaces are at Johnstown. Of the others, one is at Conemaugh, about two miles from Johnstown ; two are at 'Hollidaysburg, to the south of Altoona ; one is at Frankstown, and another is'at Bennington, on the summit of the Allegheny mountains, at the point where they are crossed by the Pennsylvania railroad. The Johnstown works are marvels in their way. For the transportation of the coal and ore from the adjacent mines to the blast furnaces and mills, and carrying the pig-iron to the mills, transporting the rails, and doing all the heavy work, they have no less than eleven locomotive engines of all sizes, from the largest ordinary locomotive down to a little fellow about four feet high, called the Dwarf. The railroad track, which is a perfect network, would, if constructed in a straight line, extend over thirty-six miles of ground. Besides these works, Ashland furnace, near the eastern boundary of the county, and Eliza furnace, on the western -line, have been operated ; but both were abandoned on account of inconvenience to the market. Extensive tanneries are also operated at Johnstown and its vicinity, and also at CarroUtown. Lumber has been an important article of commerce. In the neighborhood of Johnstown, at Ebensburg, at Wilmore, and at other points, vast quantities of hard and soft lumber, such as ash, maple, cherry, poplar, cucumber, etc., have been manufactured for the eastern and western markets ; and immense quantities of hemlock is shipped for building purposes. The slwok business is carried on extensively in various parts of the county, more particularly at Ebensburg, Cone- maugh, Summer Hill, and Chest Springs. This is the manufacture of oak timber into vessels to be shipped to Cuba and other points for molasses, rum, etc. In the north-eastern, northern, and north-western portion of the county the lumber- ing business is a heavy element of prosperity. The pine lumber ti-ade in this region has been principally conducted by rafting the timber, sometimes manu- factured into boards ; but oftener the squared logs, formed into rafts, down the Susquehanna to the eastern market. More recently, however, what is called logging has been more generally adopted. This consists in cutting the pine logs 2 E 4fifi CAMBBIA COUNTY. 467 into proper lengths, and floating them down the stream, au naturelle, to the market. Timber thus floated pays tribute at the boom at Williamsport, and thence pursues its way east. On the most trifling streams this traffic is carried on by means of splashes — that is, a dam is constructed over the stream, and the water is pent up until it becomes a large body ; the timber is put into the stream below; at the proper time the sluices or gates are opened, and the timber floated down to the river. There is no township in the county in which the lumber business is not pursued with more or less success ; and the growing scarcity of the article only enhances the value of what remains. Large quantities of butter have also been shipped from Ebensburg, Carroll- town, and other points ; while the immense quantity manufactured in the coun- try surrounding Johnstown feeds the vast numbers connected with the Cambria Iron works. Besides the foregoing, the county has derived considerable amount of her resources from houses of resort for summer visitors. Of these, notably, is the Cresson House. The Cresson Springs now ranks with Saratoga, Bedford Springs, and other celebrated watering places. The house is beautifully situated on an eminence, directly east of the Pennsylvania railroad station at Cresson, and commands a fine view of the mountain scenery. It is calculated to accom- modate a thousand visitors, and with its adjoining cottages, has the appearance of a beautiful village. It is surrounded with carefully prepared drives and delightful walks through the primeval forest ; and St. Ignatius Spring, a highly medicinal fountain (named from Ignatius Adams, a pioneer, who formerly owned the ground on which it issues), is within a convenient plank walk from the main building. Near it are the Mansion House, at Summitville, also a delight- ful resort for visitors ; and the Callan House, about a furlong east of the Cresson House, on the line of the railroad. At Ebensburg, Bellemont is also a favorite resort, filled with strangers every season ; while the Lloyd House, directly opposite the Ebensburg station, is a delightful resting place for the visitor. At or near Scalp Level, on the southern boundary, large numbers of strangers make their annual visit ; while at different points in the county, especially the eastern part of the county, a large number of summer boarding houses are put in requisition to accommodate boarders for the season. In truth, the Allegheny mountain has attractions for summer visitors not to be found elsewhere. 'I'he high lands of the AUeghenies are entirely exempt from fevers and all malarious diseases. The fogs and miasma of lower regions are unknown, and a pure atmosphere is the reward of the visitant. A mid-day sun here is no less powerful and enervating than in the lower territory, but a cool breeze always tempers the atmosphere, while the nights of sweltering heat experienced elsewhere is not known In the AUeghenies, where the nights and mornings are always cool and invigorating. The early settlers of Cambf ia county may be divided mainly into three classes : 1. The families of American Catholics from Maryland and the adjacent portion of Pennsylvania (some of them descendants of the colony of Lord Baltimore), who settled in the eastern and north-eastern portion of the county, mainly in the vicinity where Loretto now stands. 2. Pennsylvania Germans, from Somerset 468 EUSTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. and the eastern German settlements, who occupied the south of the county, in the neighborhood of Johnstown. 3. Emigrants from Wales, who founded Ebensburg and Beula, whose descendants still predominate within a radius of five miles of the former village. 1. The earliest actual settlement was made by Michael McGuire, about one mile east of the present village of Loretto. The following in relation to this settlement was prepared by toe present writer more than thirty-five years ago, for Day's " Historical Collections :" " Previous to the year 1789, the tract of country which is now included within the limits of Cambria county was a wilderness. ' Frankstown settlement,' as it was then called, was the frontier of the inhabited parts of Pennsylvania east of the Allegheny mountain. None of the pioneers had yet ventured to explore the eastern slope of the mountain. A remnant of the savage tribes still prowled through the forests, and seized every opportunity of destroying the dwellings of the settlers, and butchering such of the inhabitants as were so unfortunate as to fall into their hands. The howling of the wolf, and the shrill screaming of the catamount or American panther (both of which animals infested the country in great numbers at the period of its first settlement), mingled in nightly concert with the war-whoop of the savages. It is believed that Captain Michael McGuire was the first white man who settled within the present bounds of Cambria county. He settled in the neighborhood of where Loretto now stands, in the, year 1790, and commenced improving that now interesting and well-cultivated portion of Allegheny township, a large portion of which is still owned by his descendants. Luke McGuire, Esq., and Captain Richard McGuire were sons of Michael McGuire, and came with him. Thomas Blair, of Blair's gap, Hunting- don county, was at this time the nearest neighbor Captain McGuire had. He resided at a distance of twelve tnilcs. " Mr. McGuire was followed not long afterward by Cornelius Maguire, Richard Nagle, Wm. Dotson, Richard Ashcraft, Michael Rager, James Alcorn, and John Storm ; the last was of German descent. These were followed by others — John Trux, John Douglass, John Byrne, and, we believe, Wm. Meloy. Under the auspices of these men, and perhaps a few others, the country improved very rapidly. The first grist-mill in the county was built by Mr. John Storm. The hardships endured by these sturdy settlers are almost incredible. Exposed to the inclemency of an Allegheny winter, against the rigor of which their hastily- erected and scantily-furnished huts afforded a poor protection, their sufferings were sometimes almost beyond endurance. Yet with the most unyielding firmness did these men persevere until they secured for themselves and their posterity the inheritance which the latter at present enjoy. There was nothing that could be dignified with the name of road by which the settlers might have an intercourse with the settlements of Huntingdon county. A miserable Indian path led from the vicinity of where Loretto now stands, and intersected the road leading to Frankstown, two or three miles this side of the Summit. " Many anecdotes are related by the citizens of Allegheny township of the adventures of their heroic progenitors among the savage beasts, and the more savage Indians, which then infested the neighborhood. The latter were not slow to seize every opportunity of aggression which presented itself to their blood- GAMBTilA COUNTY. 469 thirstj' minds, and consequently the inhabitants held not only property,' but life itself, by a very uncertain tenure. The truth of the following story is vouched for by many of the most respectable citizens in Allegheny and Cambria town- ships, by one of whom it has kindly been furnished us for publication. A Mr. James Alcorn had settled in the vicinity of the spot where Loretto now stands, and had built ^ hut and cleared a potato patch at some distance from it. The wife of Mr. Alcorn went an errand to see the potatoes, and did not return. Search was immediately made, but no trace could be found to lead to her disco- very. What became of her is to this day wrapped in mj'stery, and, in all human probability, we shall remain in ignorance of her fate. It was generally supposed that she had been taken by the savages, and it is even reported /that she had returned several years after, but this story is not credited by any in the neighborhood." The advent of the great American missionary priest, Demetrius Atjgustine Gallitzin, gave renewed courage to these poor colonists. He appeared among them under the humble name of Smith (his mother's maiden name was Sehmettan), and commenced his labor with a zeal that knew no flagging for more than forty years, when he laid down his life in the midst of his sorrowing flock. On his arrival at the scene of his labors in 1199, he had a rude log chapel erected, and was constant in his ministrations to the spiritual and temporal wants of his people. He wrote several controversial works in the midst of his duties. His " Defence of Catholic Principles," " Letter to a Protestant Friend," and " Appeal to the Protestant Public," have a very extensive circulation among those professing his faith. He died on the 6th of May, 1840, at Loretto, having for forty-two years exercised pastoral functions in Cambria county. He was born in 1110, at Munster, in Germany. His father, Prince de Gallitzin, ranked among the highest nobility in Russia. His mother was the daughter of Field- Marshal General de Sehmettan, a celebrated officer under Frederick the Great. Her brother fell at the battle of Jena. Rev. Gallitzin held a high commission in the Russian army from his infancy. Europe in the early part of his life was desolated by war the French revolution burst like a volcano upon that convulsed continent • it ofiered no facilities or attractions for travel, and it was determined that the young Prince de Gallitzin should visit America. He landed in Baltimore in August, 1792, in company with Rev. Mr. Brosius. By a train of circumstances in which the hand of Providence was strikingly visible, his mind was directed to the ecclesiastical state, and he renounced for ever his brilliant prospects. Already endowed with a splendid education, he was the more prepared to pursue his ecclesiastical studies, under the venerable Bishop Carroll, at Baltimore, with facility and success. Having completed his theological course, he spent some time on the mission in Maryland. Shortly after (1199) he directed his course to the Allegheny mountains, and found that portion of it which now constitutes Cambria county a perfect wilder- ness almost without inhabitants or habitations. After incredible labor and privalions, and expending a princely fortune, he succeeded in making "the wildeiaess blossom as the rose." His untiring zeal collected about Loretto, at the period of his decease, a Catholic population of three or four thousand. He not only extended the church by his missionary toils, but also illustrated and 470 HISTOB T OF PENJTS YL VANIA. defended the truth by several highly useful publications. In this extraordinary man we have not only to admire his renunciation of the brightest hopes and prospects ; his indefatigable zeal — but something greater and rarer — his wonder- ful humility. No one could ever learn from him or his mode of life, what he had been, or what he exchanged for privation and poverty. To intimate to him that you were aware of his condition, -vyjuld be sure to pain and displease him. He who might have revelled in the princely halls of his ancestors, was content to spend thirty years in a rude log-cabin, almost denying himself the common comforts of life, that he might be able to clothe the naked members of Jesus Christ, the poor and distressed. Few have left behind them such examples of charity and benevolence. On the head of no one have been invoked so many blessings from the mouths of widows and orphans. It may be literally said of him, " if his heart had been made of gold he would have disposed of it all in charity to the poor." A memoir of Prince Gallitzin, in the German language, was written many years ago by Rev. Peter Henry Lemkd, his successor at Loretto, and by Rev. Thomas Hoyden, of Bedford, in English, while a full history of his life and ministry has been published by Sarah M. Brownson, New York, 1873. After Gallitzin's arrival among the colony, he purchased large ^juantities of 'land which be*conveyed to actual settlers at nominal prices. He also laid out the village of Loretto, and named it from the religious town of that name on the Adriatic. Here he sold the lots, as he sold the farm land, to merchants and mechanics, upon the condition that they should be built upon within a certain time. The settlement thus inaugurated now embraces in whole or in part the town- ships of Allegheny, Clearfield, Gallltzin, Munster, Carroll, Chest, and Washing- ton, and the villages of Loretto, Chest Springs, St. Augustine, Munster, Gal- litzin, and Summitville. Within the territory where stood in 1800 the solitary log cabin chapel, there are now six fine churches with flourishing congregations. 2. The grand source of population was the Penn^lvania German stock. The pioneer of these settlers was Joseph Jahns, and those who followed in his wake were mostly Tunkers (German Tunken, to dip), and Mennonites, or Amish. Mr. Jahns (or Yahns, as he spelled his name), arrived on tlie scene in 1791. He found the site of the present town, an old Indian village, called Kickenapaw- ling's old town. The other settlers located in the adjacent county, notably on Amish Hill, so named from its colony, and their descendants preponderate to the present day hi the districts surrounding Johnstown. They i are a thrifty, honest people ; have their clergy among themselves, rarely patronize the doctor — the lawyer, never. 3. The third settlement was made by a colony of emigrants from Wales. Ebensburg and vicinity were not settled for several years after the first settle- ment was made at Loretto and Munster. As it lay still further from the more eastern settlements than the two latter places, it of course would not so soon be occupied by the hardy emigrants. In the fall and winter of 1796, the families of Thomas Phillips, William Jenkins, Theophilus Rees, Evan Roberts, Rev. Rees Lloyd, William Griffith, James Nicholas, Daniel Griffith, John Jones, David Thomas, Evan James, and George Roberts ; and Thomas W. Jones, Esq., John GAMBBIA COUNTY. 471 Jenkins, Isaac Griffith, and John Tobias, bachelors, commenced settling in Cam- bria township, Cambria county ; and in the following spring and summer the families of the Rev. Morgan J. Rees, John J. Evaus, William Rees, Simon James, William Williams (South), Thomas Griffith, John Thomas, John Rob- erts (Penbrj'n), John Roberts (shoemaker), David Rees, Robert Williams, and George Turner, and Thomas Griffith (farmer), James Evans, Griffith Rowland, David Edwards, Thomas Lewis, and David Davis, bachelors, followed. There were at this time several families living in the vicinity of the places where Loretto, Munster, Jefferson, and Johnstown now stand. The settlers above named, we believe, were all from Wales. They commenced making improve- ments in the different parts of what is now called Cambria township. The name which the Welsh emigrants gave to their settlement, Cambria, was derived from their former home — the mountainous part of Wales. Cambria township after- wards gave name to the county, which was, at the time of which we speak, a part of Somerset county. The tract of country on which the Welsh emigrants settled had been purchased a year or two previous by the Rev. Morgan J. Rees (mentioned above), from Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia, and by him sold to his Welsh brethren, in smaller tracts. The descendants of the Welsh are the principal population at this day of Ebensburg borough and Cambria township, while the settlement extends to a portion of all the adjoining townships. The colony, under lead of Rev. Rees Lloyd and Rev. George Roberts, were highly successful in their enterprise. They were, in religion, Dissenters, or Welsh Independents, and were men of strong religious convictions. Their services were at first exclusively in the Welsh language, and still preaching is rendered in that tongue in their churches "•Phe colony, under lead of Rev. Morgan J. Rees, Baptist, settled some two miles further west, and founded Beula. They flourished for a few years, but subse- quently the town was abandoned. A large Irish emigration subsequently settled in what is now Munster and Washington townships, and what is known as Hickory Ridge, in Allegbeny township. In the northern portion of the county settlements were afterwards made, both in the present bounds of Carroll township, one known as " Weakland '' settlement, the other as " Luther " settlement. These settlers were from the eastern counties, as were also those who founded " Glasgow " settlement, in the north-eastern portion of the county. In the west, on Laurel hill, Michael Rager, a revolutionary soldier, located at an early day, and his descendants occupy a large portion of the territory at present. Rev. Peter Henry Lemkd, a German priest introduced a colony of German Catholics into the neighborhood surround- ing CarroUtown, which is now a rich and thriving population. In more recent years there has been a considerable influx from the New England States, noted ■for their enterprise and industry. Trouble with the aborigines did not prevail to any great extent within the limits of the county. No Indian settlement, except the town of Kickenapawling (Johnstown) existed in the county. The rugged and mountainous character of the country was not adapted to the habits of the red men. Frankstown, in Blair county, and Kittanning, on the Allegheny, were noted Indian villages, and Canoe Place since known as Cherrytree, on the Susquehanna. The north-western 472 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. corner of Cambria county was known as the head of canoe navigation on the Susquehanna. To this point the Indians ascended in their canoes ; when, drawing them from the stream, thej would strike their trail, through northern Indiana to Kittamiing. From Frankstown a trail historically known as '' Kittanning Path '' passed the eastern line of Cambria county, and pursued a north-western direction through the county to Canoe Place, or Cherrytrec, whence the trail just mentioned was followed to Kittanning. It will be seen that Cherrytree was noted as the head of canoe navigation on the Susquehanna, and the point of junction of the Indian trails or paths. But it obtained greater celebrity, as the northern boundary of the purchase from the Indians, at the treaty or purchase made at Fort Stanwix, November 5, 17&8. That portion of the deed is in these words : " To the heads of a creek which runs into the west branch of Susquehanna, which creek is by the Indians called Tyadaghton, and down the said creek on the south side thereof to the said west branch of Susquehanna, then crossing the said river, and running up the same on the south side thereof, the several courses thereof to the fork of the same river, which lies nearest to a place on the river Ohio, called the Kittanning, and from thence," etc. This purchase included all of Cambria county. The Kittanning Path was a well-known landmark. It is often referred to in land warrants, was well known to the old surveyors who located lands in Cambria, as well as our older citizens. In many places it can be traced to this day. It gives the name to that triumph of science, the Kittanning point on the Pennsylvania railroad, on the declivity of the Allegheny, the path pursuing the gap which the road almost encompasses. John Hart, a German, who carried on a trade in furs, etc., with the Indians, is supposed to be the first white man who traveled this path. Some twelve miles north of Ebensburg, on the Dry Gap road, is a spot famous as the place where he, with his horse, was wont to spend the night ; and the name is frequentlj'- called Hart's Sleeping to the present time by many of the earlier settlers. Tradition gives the name of Hartslog valley, in Huntingdon county, to him, from the fact that he there fed his horse in a kerf cat in a log. An ancient fortification exists near the Beaver Dam branch of Clearfield creek, in the north-eastern portion of the county. Some years since part of the timbers remained, showing its, extent and purpose, but the plowshare has nearly obliterated the last vestige of it. It was evidently a stockade or fort for refuge against Indian aggression ; but there is no tradition concerning its construction or use. A short distance further north is a most remarkable windfall. When a primeval forest, a hurricane had passed from west to east, and in its force levelled every tree with the ground for nearly a mile in width. Nearly forty years ago, when first seen by the writer, the appearance was most striking. Approaching it from the south, in a summer's day, with a clear sky, the narrow road led through a dense forest of stately pines, through which the sun never reached the head of the traveler, the eyes are at once greeted by a vast opening, and, he believes himself, of extensive cultivation. Emerging from the woods, he finds himself on an extended plain without a single tree, but a general growth of aspen (Trembler), its leaves reflected in the bright sunshine, and a OAMBBIA COUNTY. ■ 473 relief, appearing ethereal, after the dense forest from which he had just emerged. The monarchs of the forest had all been uprooted, and small mounds (the earth which had adhered to the roots) filled the plain, while the last remains of the huge forest trees lay crumbling to the eastward, the direction in which the hurricane had passed. More recent improvements have put all this territory in cultivation, and the effect of the celebrated windfall is now, in a measure, lost ; but the post office, itself " Fallen Timber," keeps alive its memories. Cambria county furnished two companies in the war of 1812, commanded respectively by (.Japtains MoseS Canan and Richard McGuire, who were in the celebrated Black Rock expedition. Two companies volunteered for the Mexican war — the Cambria Guards, of Ebensburg, commanded by Captain James Mur- ray, afterwards Captain C. H. Heyer, and the Highlanders, from Summitville, commanded by Captain Johfi W. Geary, afterwards Governor of Pennsylvania. The history of roads and highways possesses some local interest. Originally transportation over the mountain was carried on by packing on horses, and traveling by pathways. The nearest mill to the early Ebensburg settlers was at Blair's gap, nearly twenty miles distant. It took a day to reach the mill with the grist on horseback, and after its conversion to flour another day suflSced to get it home. The earliest road, if it may be dignified by that name, was known as Galbraith's road, which passed, south of Ebensburg. Prom the location of the county, however, it necessarily becamp traversed by the various routes cross- ing from the east to Pittsburgh, or Fort Pitt, as it was then called. On the 29th March, I'lSI, an act of Assembly was passed appointing commissioners " to lay out a State highway, between the waters of the Frankstown branch of Juniata, and the river Conemaugh. This road, still known as the Frankstown .-oad, crossing the Allegheny, reaches the Conemaugh at Johnstown. The stream by the same act was made a public highway. Portions of this road were changed by proceedings in the quarter sessions of the counties through which it passed, by act of April 11, 1799. By act of April 13, 1791, amended by act of April 10, 1792, the Conemaugh and its branches were declared public highways. The act of February 13, 1804, declared the Clearfield creek to the great Elk Lick (forks of Beaver Dam), a public highway. The act of April 11, 1807, appropriates money to the commissioners of Cambria county, " for improving the State road from Beula to Pittsburgh." It is a sad commentary on the history of the county, that while Pittsburgh and its environs may number two hundred thou- sand, there is not now a solitary house or inhabitant in Beula. The once thriving village, two miles west from Ebensburg, and its formidable rival, is now entirely deserted, and in many places it is diflflcult to trace the State road, whose improvement was in the eye of the Legislature. The public road referred to passed centrally through Cambria county by Munster, Ebensburg, and Beula, and in legislative parlance was known as the " road leading f¥om Blair's gap to the western line of the State." All this was before the days of turnpikes. On the 4th March, 1807, an act was passed incor- porating a company to construct a turnpike " from Harrisburg through Lewis- town and Huntingdon to Pittsburgh." A supplement to this act incorporated a company for the construction of the " Huntingdon, Cambria, and Indiana Turnpike 474 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Road," March 20, 1810. A further supplement of February 21, 1814, directed that the turnpike should be laid out " from the house of John Blair (Blair's gap), on the east side of the Allegheny mountain, on the post road in Huntingdon county, by the best and nearest route through Munster and Ebensburg, to the house of Martin Rager, on the west side of Laurel Hill." This turnpilce was not finished for travel for several years aft^r, and passes directly through the centre of the 'ounty The Dry Gap road follows the same general direction as the Kittanning path, entering the county at the gap from which it takes its name, and ex- tending north-west- erly to Cherrytree. A road was con- structed from Ebensburg to Phil- ipsburg, in Centre county, but onlj' a pqrtion of it is now in use. General McCon- nell, of revolution- ary memory, a re- sident of Philadel- phia, held a large body of land in what is now Chest township, in north- ern Cambria, and Mrs. Ruth McCon- nell, the widow of his sou, built a fine mansion on the pro- perty, and named her home Glencon- nell. The doors, windows, etc., were brought from Phila- delphia. A road led from "the Glen" led from Beula to VIEW ON THE OLD POBTAQB ROAD. to Ebensburg, but has long been disused. A road also the town of Somerset, which is now obliterated. But the age of improvement sped on. In 1831-32 the Portage railroad, ascending the eastern slope of the Alleghen3' bj' five inclined planes, up which the cars were drawn by stationary engines, and descending on the west by a like number, connected at Johnstown and Hollidaysburg with the " Main Line " of Pennsylvania improvements. This great achievement Cas it was then call«d) is CAMBRIA COUNTY. 476 superseded by the location of the Pennsylvania railroad, near the same line, which enters Cambria through the great tunnel at Gallitzin, and leaves the county on the line of Westmoreland and Indiana counties. Two natural curiosities worthy of note, existing in this county, deserve brief ' mention. The Conemaugh, in its descent of the mountain, after the accession of the South Pork, finds its course arrested by a miglaty ledge of rocks, and, turning to the right, passes for milSs round an elevated plateau, and, returning to within a stone's-throw of the place of divergence, pursues its downward career. Immediately west of this is the Horse-shoe viaduct, constructed for the Portage railroad, and now used, by the Pennsylvania railroad. In the same manner the Blacklick, near the western line of the county, forms a peninsula. Along the public road tra- versing this neck of land is an immense rock, which has been cleft by some convulsion of nature, and aflfords barely room in the crevice, or creuas.se, for the passage of a wagon. The walls of this rock are perpendicular on each side, and if bro'ught into contact would fit like joiner's work. Passing through this in the hottest summer day, the traveler experiences the coolness of an ice-house. Snow has been known to remain here till June. Ebensburg is the county seat. It is situated in the precise geographical centre of the county. The Northern turnpike passes through its principal street ; is connected with Indiana by a turnpike road, and a branch railroad connects it with .the Pennsylvania railroad at Cresson. It has also public roads leading to Carrolltown. Loretto, and Wilmore. Ebensburg was laid out about the beginning of the present century by Rev. Rees Lloyd, who gave it the name of his eldest son, Eben. He also conveyed, in trust, the square upon which the public build- ings now stand. The court house is a venerable building, wherein justice is still "judicially administered," but is by no means creditable to the town or the county. The jail is one of the finest and most massive, and safe, of any in the State. An academy also stands upon the public grounds ; but is now used as a public school. Water works are in course of erection. The Sisters of St. Joseph have a Catholic school for boys, in a flourishing condition. The first court was held in the building known as the " Old Red Jail." The court room was above stairs — the prison below. It was here that Jemmy Farral, being sentenced for contempt of the court above, was seized with a devotional fit, and sang so lustily that the court was compelled to adjourn until his term of probation expired. Ebensburg was created a borough in 1825. Johnstown, with its aggregation of surrounding municipalities, eight in number, embraces a population of 13,842. These are, Johnstown proper, Cone- maugh, Millville, Cambria, Prospect, East Conemaugh, Franklin, Coopersdale, and Woodv^le. Johnstown proper is situated at the confluence of Conemaugh creek with Stony creek, two of its wards, lying on the west side of the latter, and formerly known as Kernville. It is connected with its Kernville wards by a fine bridge across Stony creek, while a like structure crosses the Conemaugh, connecting the town with the Pennsylvania railroad and the Cambria iron works. Its location, as before stated, is on the site of Kickenapawling's Indian town and was laid out by Joseph Jahns, before referred to, whence it derives its name. While the town itself lies mostly on a level plateau, it is surrounded on three sides by high and precipitous hills. The town is well paved, but the drainage 476 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. or a portion is very difficult. It is supplied with excellent water from Wild Cat run, on Laurel Hill; and recently additional supplies have been secured from theConemaugh. It is distinguished for the number and excellence of its churches. The Bap- tists, Catholics, Disciples, Episcopalians, Methcxlists, Lutherans (English and German), Presbyterians, and TJ-nited Brethren have each fine church edifices. Sandy Vale Cemetery is beautifully situated and tastefully ornamented. It is the chief burial place, im- mediately above town, on Stony creek. There are two elegant places of amuse- ment, the town hall and opera house ; a splendid market house ; one daily newspaper and three weekly newspapers, two English and one German. Formerly the borough was the con- necting point of railroad and canal transportation, and had a large number of warehouses for the deposit and transhipment of mer- chandise. These are all abandoned now, or con- verted to other purposes. Carrolltown, ten miles north of Ebensburg, is a prosperous borough, con- taining mainly German Catholic inhabitants. It boasts a very large and ele- gant Catholic church ; and close by, a Benedictine con- vent. Immediately west of >...- town stands a fine brick structure — the Benedictine monastery. Father Lemkd, a German priest, was the founder of the town, and an association known as the De Lemk^ Society perpetuates his name and his virtues. An extensive tannery, a brewery, and other manufactures, add to the prosperity of the village. The borough is in Carroll township. CoNEMAUQH borough adjoins Johnstown, from which it is only divided by an imaginary line, in appearance it being the same town. In 1870 it contained 2,336 inhabitants. It lies above Johnstown on the Conemaugh side. It has an indus- trious and thriving population, the majority being laborers. MiLLVtLLE is directly opposite Johnstown, fronting on the Conemaugh above and below its junction with the Stony creek. The immense iron and steel works of tbe Cambria iron company, alluded to in the early portion of this sketch, are OATHOLIO CHUBOH AND CONVENT AT CARROLLTOWN [From a Photograph by P L. Eck.] CAMBRIA GOaNTT. ill here located. The hulk of the inhabitants are operatives in these works. ■ It has a population of 2,500. Cambria borough lies opposite Millville, on the Conemaugh. Like it, it is mostly inhabited by operatives in , the mills. East Conemaugh and Franklin lie two miles higher up the Conemaugh, the stream dividing the two boroughs. The works of the Pennsylvania railroad company are located here, and these villageSsare mainly inhabited by those in the employ of the company. Between these points and Conemaugh 'borough, the village of Woodvale is situated. Here are located the extensive woolen mills of the Cambria iron company. A short distance below Cambria borough, on the Conemaugh, is Coopebsdalb. Prospect borough occu- pies the northern ascent from the Conemaugh, and is mainly inhabited by em- ployees at the iron works. L R E T T 0, founded by Prince Gallitzin, is one of the oldest villages in the county. It contains a large Catholic church edifice, in front of which repose the remains of the pious foun- der, surmounted by a monument. The convent of St. Aloysius, under the auspices of the Sisters of ST. AliOYSIUS' COI.I.i:OE, I.ORBTTO. Mercy, is a very imposing building, and has had the highest success as an educational establishment. The Franciscan Monastery, on an eminence west of the town is also a large and handsome structure, known as St. Francis, school for young men. It is situate in Allegheny township. Chest Springs, on the Dry Gap road, partly in Allegheny, partly in Clear- field township, owes much of its prosperity to a New England colony, engaged in the manufacture of shook and other lumber. It has a large steam planing mill. WiLMORE, on the Pennsylvania railroad and Conemaugh creek, in Summer Hill township,'is largely engaged in the lumber trade. S1IMMITVIT.LE, on the mountain, in Washington township, was incorporated as a borough during the palmy days of the "Old Portage railroad," and continued to thrive during its existence. On its abandonment the town declined. It is now a favorite summer resort, on account of the grateful mountain breezes. Among other villages may be noted— Adamsburg, in Adams township; Bel- SENO on the Indiana turnpike, in Blacklick township ; St. Lawrence and St. Boni'faoius, in Chest township, each of which boasts a handsome Catholic church • St! Augustine, in Clearfield township, with a large Catholic church; Summer Hill, in Croyle township, with a large lumbering establishment; Gallitzin borough, at west end of Pennsylvania railroad tunnel, so named from Prince Gallitzin ° Fairview, in .lackson township, on the Johnstown road ; MUNSTER, on the Northern turnpike, in township of same name; Plattville, in 4T8 HISTORY OF PENNbYLVANIA. Susquehanna township; Hemlock and Portage, in Washington township, on Pennsylvania railroad ; and Lloydsville, in White township. The last is a village of recent growth, at the terminus of the Bell's Mill narrow gauge railroad, where the mining of coal is carried on very extensively. The deserted village of Betjla has already been mentioned. Originally laid out with the dimensions of a city — afterwards the formidable rival of Ebensburg; the loss of the county seat, and the changed location of the Northern turnpike, left it without resources and without hope, and it went into rapid decay. At this time the site of the " deserted village," as shown the visitor by the " oldest inhabitant," is all that remains of the once prosperous Beula. Cambria county, with Blair and Huntingdon, constitutes the twenty-fourth judicial district, Hon. John Dean, presiding ; and is attached to the Western district of Supreme Court, sitting at Pittsburgh. With Blair, Bedford, and Somerset, she' forms a Congressional district. With Blair county she elects a Senator, and is entitled to two members of the House of Representatives. FEMALE SEUINABT AT WASHINGTON. CAMERON COUNTY. BY JOHN BROOKS, SINNEMAHONING. AMERON County, named for the Hon. Simon Camekon, was organized by act of Assembly, March 29, 1860, from parts "of Clinton, Elk, M'Kean, and Pott^ counties. It contains four hundred square miles, nd is within the purchase of October 23, 1784, known as the New Purchase. It lies in latitude north 41° 30', and longitude from Greenwich west 78° 30', and among the spurs of the AUeghenies, and on the eastern slopes VIEW OF TUE EOKOUGH OF EMPORIUM. thereof. The mountain ridges rise here to an altitude of 2,100 feet above tide water. The Sinnemahoning river and its branches and small creeks drain nearly all the area of the county, and are debouched into the West Branch of the - Susquehanna. The surface of the land within this county is much broken and rugged, occasionally interspersed with plateaus of table land upon the summits. These are mostly found in the middle and western parts of the county. The third bituminous coal basin passes into this county, a little north of the middle part, lying in a north-easterly and south-westerly direction, in which is found five workable veins of bituminous coal, and a vein of iron ore. The eastern part of the county 479 480 HISTOB Y OF PEJUrNSYL VANIA. lies chiefly upon the crest or anticlinal axis between the second and third bitumi- nous coal basins. The surface in this section is broken, lying in ridges and abrupt slopes and cliflFs, and on which are found boulders and fragments of thfe conglomerate rook No. 12, which attains the thickness of one hundred feet in many places. Underlying this strata of conglomerate is found the out-croppings of a vein of iron ore (by some called brown hematite), and believed to be from four to five feet in thickness, but as yefnot definitely ascertained. The river flats or bottoms are alluvial and fertile. The uplands are mostly of the red shale and flre-clay soils, and are fertile and adapted to produce all the cereals and grasses of the latitude exuberently. The forests of this' county contain a dense. growth of white pine, white oak, and hemlock timber, with other varieties of oaks and pines, elms, butternut, sugar maple, cherry, etc., excepting those parts which have been devastated by the axe-man and the forest fires of the last half century. Previously this county limit afforded the Indian inhabitants superior fishing and hunting grounds. The pure soft silvery waters teemed with the salmon, shad, pike, eel, trout, and other varieties of the finny tribe, and the forests abounded with elk, deer, black bear, raccoon, squirrels, wild turkey, pheasants, &c., all of which were. evidently provocatives to the gastronomy of the Indian youths and maidens of the seventeenth and previous centuries. The pioneer families who migrated to this section of country early in the present century subsisted largely upon the abundance thus aflforded. At this period it did not require the science or skill of a Nimrod and an Isaak Walton to furnish their tables with " bounteous supplies." The verdant Esau and the piscatory adventurer or tyro alike succeeded, so easily were these necessaries of life obtained. The resources of Cameron county are chiefly the productions of the forests, the manufacture of lumber and of leather being the principal vocations. Agricul- ture (as in most all lumbering sections of country) has been sadly neglected. This has been disastrouslj' true of the county of Cameron. Three railroads pass into or through this county. The Philadelphia and Erie railroad passes through, and has about forty miles of grade within the county The Buffalo, Philadelphia, and New York railroad passes into the county a dis- tance of about fourteen miles, and forms a junction with the Philadelphia and Erie railroad at Emporium ; and the Alleghen}' Valley (low grade) railroad passes into the county about ten miles, and forms a junction with the Philadelphia and Erie railroad at Driftwood. The Cameron coal company have been producing and marketing coal occa- sionally for the twelve years past. Two large tanneries have been established within the county, consuming some eight thousand cords of bark annually, and manufacturing over sixty thousand sides of sole leather. Principally the hemlock bark is used by these tanneries. The first settlements made within the limits of Cameron county were made in the years 1809 to 1815 inclusive. In 1809-10 Andrew Overdorf, Levi Hicks, Jacob Burge, John Earl, and John Jordan moved their families here and made improvements. In 1811-12 Joseph Mason, John Ramage, Stephen Berfield, Isaac McKisson, John Spangler, and Adam Logue made settlements. In 1813-14 Benjamin Brooks, Wm. A. Wykoff, James Shafer, Joseph Brooks, and John CAMEBON COUNTY. 481 Sheffer migrated to this section, and made improvements. In 1815-16 David Crow, Elihu Chadwick, Brewster Freeman, Robert Lewis, A. Housler, J. Brittain, and others came with their families. The early settlers were generally a hardy, active, energetic " go-ahead " class of people, hailing mostly frcto eastern and middle Pennsylvania, from the State of New Jersey, and from the New England States. They, as a class, though rude, were honest in their dealings ; though boorish, were hospitable and generous. Occupying, as they did, the remote outskirts of civilization, they were subjected to many privations, the more especially in this rugged section of country, without roads, except the Indian's trail, and the only mode of ingress and egress being by canoes and small boats. These early pioneers brought their families and goods in canoes up the Susquehanna river and the Sinnemahoning, propelled by manual force against the rapid current of the streams. These canoes were generally manned by a steersman and a bowsman, who with steel-pointed setting-poles placed upon the bottom of the stream upon which they threw their whole weight and force and thereby propelled their canoes forward, and by continued and repeated processes and propulsions, they frequently made twenty-flve miles a day against the current, carrying in their canoes from three-fourths to one ton at a trip. On some occasions, in case of low water in the streams, the boat crew would be compelled to remove the gravel and fragments' of rock from the line of their course, and wade for miles at a time in the stream, carrying and dragging their boats forward by their almost superhuman strength. Such frequent exercise of course developed an unusual vigorous muscle, and it would seem almost fabulous to describe the extraordinary feats frequently performed by these athletics of pioneer life. The first settlers were not a migratory people. Their descendants (with the exception of that of McKisson) continue to reside in this region, at the present time, and many of them within the limits of Cameron county. These families were generally robust and fruitful. As an instance of this, may be mentioned the family of Mr. Benjamin Brooks, whose descendants, now living, number four hundred and fifty-eight persons, three-fourths of which number reside within a radius of twenty miles from the point where their ancestor first- landed in this county. The majority of these early settlers could read, but had not much education ; had no schools for many years, and the education of their children, for a time, was neglected. Several of these pioneers had done efficient service in the Revolutionary war, and some in the war of 1812. Almost all the vocations of the industrial classes were represented, and all could aid in the work of extemporizing a cabin for the accommodation of the recent immigrant. Among these early settlers there were but few who professed Christianity practically. Most of them, however, held some theory of religion, mostly Baptist or Presby- terian in their views. Profanity was the common spice of conversation, and God was, if " not in all their thoughts," in all their mouths ; and invoked by way of execrations and imprecations more frequently than by benedictions. The use of whiskey was general ; Sam's families of more recent emigration always kept whiskey in the house, but kept no cows, alleging that a barrel of whiskey in a family was of more value than a cow. At this early period flax was much cultivated, and sheep raised ; and home- 2 p ' 482 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA, spun and woven manufactured fabrics, dyed with butternut and garden madder, constituted the greater part of the apparel of all the classes. The sugar maple furnished the sugar, and the pumpkin the molasses, for general use. Coffee was made from rye, wheat, acorns, chestnuts, and peas; tea from the spice-bush, the sassafras root, and from the aromatic plants of the kitchen garden. The Indians made frequent visits to this section of country for many years' during its first occupation by the whites. They were, however, peaceable, and if they indulged in a spree, they always had one sober Indian to care for the others. In this they were more discreet than many of the whites. The celebrated battle of Peter Grove with the Indians took place at the mouth of a small creek called Grove's run, which empties into the Sinnemaho- Qing, about three-quarters of a mile above the mouth of the first fork of Sinnema- honing. This occurred long before this region was settled by the whites, the frontier being Sunbury. The Groves, Peter and Michael, resided about two miles east of Mifflinburg, in BuflEalo valley. Union county. Peter Grove's father had been massacred by the Indians, who had exhibited contortions of the face to Peter Grove, thereby indicating how his father had made such contortions while being scalped. Peter Grove swore eternal vengeance on the murderers, and followed the party of Indians, pursuing them through the wilder- ness, until they had encamped for the night at the mouth of this small creek. Grove and his party of four men, among whom was a brother of his, observed from the summit of the fork hill of EUicott's run, about two miles east of the encampment, their locality. Seeing their camp fires from his elevated position, he and his party approached the Indian encampment stealthily, and found them near a small pond and large spring of water, on or near the bank of the river, and near the mouth of the small creek, or Grove's run. The Indians had stacked their guns against a large oak tree ; their tomahawks were sticking in the bark of a large limb that grew from the oak, quite within their reach. While all the In.dians except one, who sat as a sentinel, were asleep at the foot of the oak tree, or near thereto, Peter Grove, after reconnoitering, learned their position, and after having instructed his men as to the manner of attack, they all fired except one man, and rushed upon the Indians, who had been surprised, seized part of their arms, and threw them into the pond of water near the encampment. Several Indians had been killed in the attack, and the remainder had been routed. Soon, liowever, after the Grove party left, the Indians had rallied in pursuit, and were seen descending the valley of the Susquehanna, below the mouth of the Sinne- mahoning. Peter and his men having back-tracked themselves at this point, had waded up the bed of the Susquehanna, and from the mountain-top observed the Indians on the trail ; but, mistaking the route of Grove's party, they went down the valley, while Peter and his party crossed through the mountains, and the second day thereafter saw the Indians where Lock Haven now is, from the Bald Eagle mountains. Grove and his men then passed their way to the settle- ment in Buffalo valley. About the year 1820 the pond at the mouth of the creek was drained, and a gun barrel and lock found, which had not been recovered by the Indians. The marks of the dozen tomahawks, made in the limb of the old oak tree, were visible, and were to be seen until the tree fell into the river by the constant washings of the bank where it stood. The tree fell about the year 1836. GAMSBON CVUNTT. 483 Among the incidents that pertain to this county, the following may be noticed : In the year 1873 excavations were being made for a cellar under the post office building, at Sterling run, in this county. The building had been removed from its former site about forty feet, and hence the demand for the excavations for a cellar under the building at its new site. Mr. Earl, the proprietor of the grounds, in making these excavations found human bones, and proceeded the more carefully to continue his excavations, which, when completed, disclosed seventeen skeletons, evidently of Indian origin. All except two were of ordinary grown stature, while one measured over seven and a half feet from the cranium to the heel-bones. The bones had all remained undisturbed. They lay with their feet toward each other in a three-quarter circle, that is, some with their heads to the east, and then north-easterly to the north, and then north-westerly to the west. There had been a fire at the centre, between their feet, as ashes and coals were found there. The skeletons, except one smaller than the rest, were all as regularly arranged as they would be naturally in a sleeping camp of similar dimensions ; the bones were many of them in a good state of preservation, particularly the teeth and jaw-bones, and some of the leg-bones and skulls. The stalwart skeleton had a stoneware or clay pipe between his teeth, as naturally as if in the act of smoking; by his side was found a vase or urn of earthenware, or stoneware, which would hold about a half gallon. This vessel was about one- third filled with a somewhat granular substance like chopped up tobacco stems or seeds. The vase had no base to stand upon, but was of the gourd-shape and rounded ; its exterior had corrugated lines crossing each other diagonally from the rim. The rim of the vase had a serrated or notched form, and the whole gave evidence that it had been constructed with some skill and care, yet there was a lack of beauty of form or symmetry, which the race were at that period evidently ignorant of. The skeletons were covered about thirty inches deep, twenty-four inches of which was red stale clay, or good brick clay. The . top six inches was soil and clay, which, doubtless, had been formed from the decayed leaves of the forest for oenturies. This ground had been heavily timbered. When the first clearing was made upon it, in 1818, there had not grown immediately over or upon this spot any very large trees, as no roots of trees had distui-bed the relics, yet the timber in the immediate vicinity had been very large white pine and oak. This spot had been plowed and cultivated since 1818, and had been used as a garden for the last preceding ten years. I visited the ground, and examined the locality and position of all the skeletons. One, the smallest, had been in the erect or crouched position, in the north-west corner of the domicile. The most reasonable theory is that this was their habitation; that their hut had been constructed of this clay, as the sur- rounding grounds were gravelly, as was also the bottom of this spot. It would seem that the gravel had been scooped away, or had been excavated to the depth of two feet, and that there had been a hut constructed of clay over the excava- tion and that while reclining in their domicile some electric storm had in an instant extinguished their lives, and at the same time precipitated their mud or clay hut upon them, thus securing them from the ravages of the beasts of the forest. Emporium borough, the county seat of Cameron, was incorporated 13th Octo- 484 HI8T0B Y OF PENN8 YL VANIA. ber, 1864. It has a court house and jail, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, and a Catholic chuich, a graded school building, one tannery, two saw mills, o^e planing mill, and one grist or flouring mill. The Philadelphia and Erie railrostd passes through the town, and the Buflfalo and Philadelphia and New York rail- road forming a junction therewith. The town is situated on the Driftwood branch, at the junctions of the Portage creek and West creek with the Drtjft- wood DRrFTWOOD borough was incorporated ITth Januarj', 1872. It is located at the junction of the Driftwood and Bennett's branches of the Sinnemahoning. It was formerly called '• Second Forks." The junction of the Allegheny Vahoy railroad with the Philadelphia and Brie I'ailroad is at this place. The town h.ts two churches, one Union and one Catholic. The borough of Camekon is not organized. It is at the mouth of Hunt's rua, in Lumber township, and is the head-quarters of the Cameron coal company, who have offices here. The mills of the Hunt's Run lumber company are situated here. The town took its name from the post office, which was named in honor oi General Cameron, who contributed the court house bell, thereby acknowledging the compliment. Sterling Rutf is in Lumber township, situate at the mouth of Sterling run. There are several mills and a tannery in the vicinity, and the lands upon this run or creek comprise the greater part of the coal lands in the county, and are owned by Ario Pardee, Hazelton, Noyes & Whiting, and the Simpsons, of New York. The town site was owned and laid out by one Brooks, called Philosopher Brooks, who was a surveyor, a real estate dealer, and lumberman, and who built many houses and mills, and had in his employ hundreds of men and scores of teams. Sinnemahoning is a village extending from the mouth of the first fork of Sin- nemahoning, or east fork, up to the mouth of Grove's run, and takes in the station on the Philadelphia and Erie railroad called by that name. The greater part of the town is near the battle ground of Peter Grove and the Indians, and is called by some " Battle Grove," and by others " Enterprise." ^ This town was laid out and owned by the person known as Philosopher Brooks. The town is partly in the township of Grove and partly in the township of Gibson. Oeqanization oe Townships. — Lumber township was organized while in Clinton county. It is the third township from the east line of the county ; lies on the Driftwood branch of Sinnemahoning ; includes the villages of Cameron and Sterling [lun. The first settlers in the township were John Spangler, Wm. Sterling, and John Shefi"er, some of whose descendants still reside in the town- ship. Shippen township is the north-western township in the county, and lies on West creek. Driftwood, North creek, and Lower Portage creek. The borough of Emporium was taken out of this township. Prominent early citizens were Elihu Chadwick, Brewster Freeman, John Earl, R. Lewis, A. Housler, and John Chand- ler. Portage township lies on the Upper Portage waters, and adjoining Potter county, of which it was a part. The Buffalo railroad passes through this town- ship. There was a salt manufactory established here about 1833, now abandoned. The prominent early citizen was Hiram Sizen, who made the first improvement V AM Eli ON COUNTY. 485 ana settlement, and built the first grist mill and wooden bowl manufactory, about 1828. His descendants still reside in the township. Gibson Township, named in honor of Colonel George Gibson, was organized while in Clearfield county, and lies next to Grove township on the west, and west of the line of Houston's district, which, running north and south, passes across the Sinnemahoning, about three-fourths of a mile above the mouth of the first fork, and near the mouth of Grove's run. Driftwood borough was taken from this township. Salt was made here in 1815-16. It has two post offices and six school houses, and four railroad stations. Prominent early citizens were Joseph Mason, John Jordan, Benjamin Brooks, and others, descendants of whom still reside in the township. GEOvti Township, named in honor of Peter Grove, was established while the territory was in Lycoming county, before Clinton county was organized. It is the most easterly township in the county of Cameron. It lies principally on the east branch of the Sinnemahoning, or what is called the first fork. The first settlement made in the limits of the county of Cameron was made in this and Gibson townships. It has three post offices and one railway station. Among its early citizens were James Shafer, John Ramage, and William A. Wykoff. CHAMELEON FALLS, GLEN ONOKO, CARBON COUNTY. CARBON COUNTY. IWith acknowledgments to Robert Klotz, Mauch C!hunk.'\ H ARBON county was formed by an act of Assembly, passed March 13, 1843, out of parts of Northampton and Monroe counties. The commissioners appointed by the Governor to form the county were Charles W. Higgins, of Northumberland county, William J. B. Andrews, of Clearfield county, and John B. Brodhead, of Pike county. The original townships were East Fenn, Upper Towamensing, Lower Towamensing, Mauch Chunk, and Lausanne, from North- ampton county, and the township of Penn Forest, from Monroe county ; since which time the following changes have been made by sub-division of townships and new townships formed, viz. : Franklin [1852]; Ma- honing, Packer [1854] ; Banks, Lehigh [1872] ; Kidder [1851]; mak- ing in all twelve town- ships, within which there are six boroughs, each having their own officers entirely inde- pendent of the town- ships from which they were taken, viz . : Mauch Chunk, East Mauch Chunk, Lehigh- ton, Weatherly, Weiss- port, and Parryville. The county is near- ly square, or about twenty miles each way, and is a very mountainous and wild region, with about one-third of the land adapted to agriculture. It is about equally divided by the Lehigh river, and is watered by a number of important and picturesque streams, the most promi- 486 CARBON COUNTY OOUBT HOtTSE, MATJOH OHUNE. [From ft Photograpli bj Junei Zellaer, Mkoob Obonk.] OABBON COUNTY. 481 aent of which are the Aquancshicola, Lizard, Poho-Poko or Big creek, Mahoning, Nesquehoning, and Quakake creeks. The principal productions of the county are coal and lumber, and the outlets from the county to the markets are by the canal of the old Lehigh Coal and Navigation company (which had its commencement in this county), and the Lehigh Valley, and the Lehigh and Susquehanna railroads. The first discovery of coal in the valley of the Lehigh was by a hunter named Philip Ginter, in 1191, on the top of Sharp mountain, now the site of the town of Summit Hill, nine piiles north-west of Mauch Chunk. Making known his discovery to Colonel Jacob Weiss, residing at what is now known as Weissport, the latter took a specimen of it to Philadelphia, and submitted it to the inspec- tion of Messrs. John Nicholson, Michael Hillegas, and Charles Cist, who were so well satisfied as to its merits, that in 1792 they, with some others, formed them- selves into what was called the Lehigh Coal Mine company. Without charter or incorporation, they took up eight or ten thousand acres of unlocated land, including the Sharp mountain. The company proceeded to open the mines, and made an appropriation of ten pounds to construct a road to the landing, a distance of nine miles. The mines were not worked to any extent, owing to the poor encouragement they received, until after the commencement of the war of 1812. Tb»y afterwards gave leases of their mines to different individuals in succession, the last of which was owned by Messrs. Cist, Miner, and Robinson, who started several arks of coal to Philadelphia, only three of which reached the city. They abandoned the business, disheartened by the public incredulity, in 1815. People would neither purchase it (or, when they did, would afterwards complain of being imposed upon), nor take it as a gift. At the solicitation of Colonel Weiss, an attempt was made, by permission of the Philadelphia city authorities, to burn it under the boilers at the water-works ; but it was declared that it only served to put the fire out, and the remainder was therefore broken up and scattered on the sidewalks in place of gravel. In the light of its present universal use, it is most amusing to recall the persistent discredit with which the public looked upon it in the beginning. Hand-bills were printed in English and German, stating the method of burning it, and including certificates from blacksmiths and others who had successfully used it. Sometimes journeymen were bribed to try the experiment fairly, so averse were they to any innovation of this kind. Luckily, charcoal became scarce and costly, and thus at length some were the more easily induced to test the new commodity ; but it was many vears before capitalists were led to put much faith in it as a profitable invest- ment. The expenses of hauling from the mines and of transportation to the city were very great, so that in the early experiments coal cost the shippers about fourteen dollars a ton when ready for sale in Philadelphia. In July 1818, the Lehigh Navigation company, and in October of the same year the Lehigh Coal company were formed, which together were the foundation of the present Lehigh Coal and Navigation company. The improvement of the Lehigh was commenced in August, 1818, and under the skillful and energetic management of Josiah White, Erskine Hazard, and George F. A. Hanto, the almost insuperable obstacles in the way of the river's navigation and the trans- portation of coal were at length overcome, and the sucqess of the settlements 488 EISTOB T OF PENNSYL VAI^IA. of Mauch Chunk and vicinity assured. Several incidents connected with this development of the coal trade are of such interest that we append them : The Legislature were early aware of the importance of the navigation of the Lehigh, and in 1171 passed a law for its improvement. Subsequent laws for the same object were enacted in 1791, 1794, 1798, 1810, 1814, and 1816. A company was formed under one of them, which expended upwards of thirty thousand dollars in clearing out channels, one of which they attempted to make through the ledges of slate which extend across the river, about seven miles above Allentown ; but they found the slate too hard' to pick, and too shelly to blow ; and at length considered it an insuperable obstacle to the completion of the work, and relin- quished it. In 181 2, Messrs. White & Hazard, who were then manufacturing wire at the Falls of Schuylkill, induced a number of individuals to associate and apply to the Legislature for a law for the improvement of the river Schuylkill. The coal, which was said to be on the head waters of that river, was held as an induce- ment to the Legislature to make the grant, when the senator from Schuylkill county asserted that there was no coal there — that there was a kind of " black stone " that was " called " coal, but that it would not burn. During the war, Virginia coal became very scarce, and Messrs. White bank of the Lehigh river, forty-six miles from its mouth, iir what has been called the " Switzerland of Ameri- ca." It was first settled about the year 1815. It was then a perfect wil- derness, covered with forest-trees arid undergrowth, and so coriipletely hemmed in by high and steep mountains, that it was as unlikelj- a spot as could be selected for a town, while any outlet by means of a wagon road seemed well nigh im- possible. The borough is located on a creek of the same name, in a narrow gulch, between three h'gh, steep, and rocky mountains, whose peaks average eight hundred and fifty feet above the town. Mauch Chunk is an Indian name, and means "Bear mountain." One of the peaks, in proximity to the town, is the celebrated Mount Pisgah, over which crosses the far-famed switch-back railroad, annually visited by sight-seers from all parts of the country. Until 1827 the coal was brought from the mines to the river in wagons. To Josiah White is due the honor of this enterprise, which has contributed so largely to the development and prosperity of this locality. By means of stationary engines at the different MOUNT PISQAH INCLINED PLANE. LAJiBON COUNTY. 497 planes, the empty cars are hauled up and returned to the mines, and the loaded ones brought as far as Summit Hill, whence they proceed, by gravity, to the shutes at Mauch Chunk. The grade varies from fifty to ninety feet per mile, except in the descent from Summit Hill to Panther Creek valley, when it is two hundred and twenty feet. The same unusual style of locomotion is also adopted for passenger cars, and aflfords a remarkable degree of amusement and enjoyment to the numerous visitors carried daily over this route. By a tunnel one mile in length, through the Nesquehoning mountain, from the Panther Creek valley, the coal company ships most of its coal to Mauch Chunk, retaining the switch-back road for passenger travel al- most exclusively- From the foot of Mount Pisgah a double track has been const' ucted to its sum- mit, 11 distance of two thousan 1 three hundred and twenty-two feet, with an elevation of about nine hundred feet above the river, at an angle ot twenty degrees. The scene from the top of the plane is really su- blime. The view of Mauch Chunk, Upper Mauch Chunk, East Mauch Chunk, nestling beneath the shadows of the mountains, with the Lehigh river winding its way at its base, and alive on either side with the steam-cars and canal boats ; the succession of mountain ridges, rising range after range; the distant view of the Lehigh water gap, with occasional glimpses of intervening fields and hamlets, and the far distant view of Schooley's mountain, in New Jersey; this with much more that cannot be described, combine to make this panorama one of almost matchless beauty and grandeur. As a consequence, Mauch Chunk has become a favorite resort. The borough contains handsome church edifices of stone and brick, belonging to the Presbyterian, Episcopal, Catholic, and Methodist congregations. The county prison is a fine specimen of architecture, costing over $130 000. The court house is a plain, substantial, and commodious building. The borough is well lighted with gas, while few places enjoy so great and .constant supply of pure spring water. Its industries consist principally of two extensive iron foundries and machine shops for the manufacture of stationary engines, pumps, boilers, etc., steam flour and grist mill, car repair shops, shoe 2g THE CASOA.DE, OIiEN ONOEO. 498 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. factories, boat yards, and two wire-rope factories. The machinery for this latter branch of manufacture was first invented in Mauch Chunk. The second ward of the borough, called Upper Mauch Chunk, is situated on the mountain, about two hundred and fifty feet above the main part^of the town. It is a quiet and industrious place, of about one thousand inhabitants, principally Germans, who work in the different car shops and on the railroads. A grave-yard is located on the neighboring height. The grandeur and magnificence of the scenery of Carbon county is not confined to picturesque Mauch Chunk. Two miles above is situated Glen Onoko, greatly admired for its wild beauty. Its course is westerly, and the total ascent over nine hundred feet. It forms the channel for a pure and limpid stream, which fol- lows its eccentric course over innumerable cascades and rapids until it empties into the Lehigh. The finest ' view in the Glen includes not only the Chameleon Falls but also Onoko Falls and the Cas- cade, and this double vista is rich with a diver- sity of loveliness not easy to describe. The former are so called from the va- riety of colors frequently noticeable in the spray and foam. They are fifty feet high. Onoko Falls are the highest in the Glen, and are esteemed the handsomest. Their height is ninety feet. The shelving overhanging rocks on either side are covered with moss and fern, and these, with a tree now and then jutting out from their apparently sterile embrace, form a fitting embellishment to the dashing and sparkling waters which have been for centuries seeking through their fissures an outlet from their mountain source. A view of the Nescopec valley from Prospect rock is grand and imposing. For miles and miles the eye ranges over a succession of fertile valleys inter- spersed with the primeval forest. The panorama extends as far as the eye can reach. Not far distant is Cloud Point, so named from the fact that it is very frequently shrouded in filmly vapor. Here, too, the view is of equal beauty, and in the language of a celebrated tourist, " there is something indescribably grand in the solitude of this scene — forests of giant trees lifting high their heads, OKOKO FALLS, GLEN ONOKO. OABBON COUNTY. 499 through which peer rough visaged rocks, which the hand of time has failed to smooth." All along the Lehigh valley, north of Mauch Chunk, are numberless attractions. Fifty years ago it was almost an unexplored wilderness, but the ingenuity of man has triumphed, and instead of the dan- gerous defile and the impassable mountain torrent, two railroads thread the way ; and the scenic beauties — a succession of valley, precipice, mountain, rock, ravine, snowy cascade, and romantic nook, are open to the artist and the traveller, enrapturing the one and charming the other. Not far from Cloud Point is Glen Thomas, named in honor of David Thomas, the pioneer of the iron trade of the Lehigh. In this shaded dell is the Amber Cascade, so greatly admired by all visitors to this picturesque region. The borough of East Madoh Chunk was incorp^ritod in IS.^S. It is situated on the east side of the Lehigh river, on a level platform of land sur- rounded by mountains. The streets are wide, and it contains many handsome residences. It has a Catholic, Methodist, and Episcopal church edifices. Most of the trading is carried on with Mauch Chunk, three-quarters of a mile distant. Weissport borough was early settled by Colonel Jacob Weiss, Quartermaster-General of the Revolutionary army. It contains among other industries, an emery wheel manufactory, a foundry, boat yards, sash factory, saw mill, etc. The town is situated on a level sandy plain, along the shore of the Lehigh river, and on the site of old Fort Allen. The famous Franklin well, constructed by the celebrated printer, is in a good state of preservation. Weissport was incorporated as a borough in 1867. Lehighton, directly across the Lehigh river, and from which it takes its name, is an old town, also laid out over a hundred years ago. It is a stirring borough, containing about two thou- sand inhabitants, having a foundry, pork pack- ing establishment, lumber and coal yards, grist mill, coach factories. The Lutherans, Presbyterians, Catholic, Episcopalians, and Methodists have each a church. The famous Gnadenhiitten burying ground is located here. The " Packerton " Lehigh Valley railroad company's shops are located one and a half miles north of it, and also those of the Lehigh Valley and Lehigh and Susquehanna railroads. Mahoning and East Penn townships are tributarj- to its trade. This borough has doubled its popu- AMBEB CASCADE, GLEN THOMAS. 600 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. ^ lation in ten years, and is destined to be the largest town in Carbon county. It was incorporate»l in 1855. Paokerton, named in honor of Hon. Asa Packer, the president of the Lehigh Valley railroad, contains the large shops of the Lehigh Valley railroad company, completed in 1863, where nearly five thousand coal and box cars were built during 1875, employing about six hundred men. Here is located the deer park of Judge Packer, seventy-five acres of which are enclosed, containing elk, ante- lope, deer, etc. Packerton contains a post office, Methodist church, and a large school-house, erec- ted by Mr. Packer, and presented by him to the school board of the Pack- erton independent school district. Adjoining this is a small hamlet known as Dolon- burg, containing a population deriv- ing their support from Packerton. Nesquehoning is a small mining village in Maucb Chunk township, on the Nesquehon- ing Valley rail- road, four and one- half miles north- west from Mauch Chunk. The inhabitants are miners, as a general thing, old residents of the county, as the place has been very steadily worked for forty years. Summit Hill, in Mauch Chunk township, is a large town, entirely a mining district of the old Lehigh coal and navigation company. It, with the towns of Ashton and Sansford, adjoining on the west fthe latter place being the east end of the tunnel made a few years ago by the Lehigh coal and navigation com- pany, nearly a mile long), containing repair shops, and the large amount of coal produced from the different mines, make Summit Hill, as the centre, a busy place, with a population of about three thousand hardy, sturdy miners and artisans. This is the end of the famous switch-back railroad, and by it in times past all the product was transported. Since the completion of the tunnel at Sansford, the towns are supplied by that road running trom Mauch Chunk to Tamaqua station OliOUD POINT. CARBON COUNTY. 501 \ at Sansford. The north end of the tunnel is called Houts, after one of the part- ners of the original firm of the original coal producing company of 181Y, White, Hazard & Houts. Here are located very large works where small coal receives its second cleaning prior to its being shipped to market. Weatherly borough, a very busy, thriving town of full one thousand five hundred inhabitants, near the junction of the Mahanoy branch of the Lehigh Yalley railroad, is situated on Black creek. It contains large repair shops and locomotive works for the Lehigh Valley railroad. It was incorporated in 1864. Buck Mountain, a village at the mines of that name. The Buck Mountain coal company lies in Lausanne township, adjoining the Luzerne county line. Rock-Port is a small town on the Lehigh river. In former days it was the outlet of the coal from the Buck Mountain company's mines to the canal. The canal was washed away in 1862, and since its abandoning is the station of the Lehigh and Sus- quehanna railroad. There is an extensive flagstone quarry near by. The poor house farm is located in the neighborhood, and is a model in its way. liEHiGH Water Gap is lo- cated where the Lehigh river cuts through the Blue moun- tains. It is known as the resi- dence of General Craig of revo- lutionary fame. A small ham- let in a vei-y picturesque place at the junction of the Aquan- shicola creek and the Lehigh river. Mill-Port is situated two miles up Aquanshicola creek. It is a small village, containing a tannery, mill, etc., and gives the people of the village and the township of Lower Towamensing a centre of labor. Beaver Meadow, a village located in the east end of Banks township, close to the Beaver Meadow mines, also other large coal works near by and newly building, is the station of the Beaver Meadow branch of the Lehigh Valley railroad. It contains a large shoe manufactory, etc. YoRKTOWN is a mining town, in the western end of Carbon county, from Mhich a large amount of coal is shipped by the Lehigh and Susquehanna and lichigh Valley railroads. Jeansville, a flourishing mining town, lies partly in :puzerne and partly in Carbon counties. It ships large quantities of coal. NBSQUEHONINQ BRIDOE. CENTRE COUNTY. BY JOHN BLAIR LINN, BELLEPONTE. |HE act " for creating parts of the counties of Mifflin, Northumberland, Lycoming, and Huntingdon into a separate county, to be called Centre," was approved February 19, 1800. [Dallas' Ldws, vol. iv. 541. J The bounds of its territory then commenced on the river, opposite the ^nouth of Quinn's run (improperly called in present maps " Queen run ") ; thence running nearly due south to the mouth of Fishing creek (where "'"'^^'^w^SI VIEW OF THE BOEOUGH OF EELLEVONTE, [From a Photograph hy Moore, BelleroQte.] Mill Hall has been built since) ; thence a course a little south of east, to the old north-east corner of Haines, including Nittany valley ; from which point they followed the present boundaries of the county to the Moshannon creek ; thence to the mouth of the Moshannon ; thence down the river to the place of beginning. The act creating Clin'on county (21st June, 1839, P. L., 362) carved from 502 CENTRE COUNTY. 503 Centre the territory now embraced in that part of Chapman and Crugan town- ships south of the river ; all of Beech Creek, Porter, and Logan, and nearly all of Greene, Lamar, and Bald Eagle townships, in the former county. The northern line of the purchase of 1758 ran from a point on Buffalo creek, a few miles west of Mifflinburg, Union county, due west, passing through where Bellefonte now stands, to the east side of the Allegheny hills, where the boundary deflected southerly to the State line at what is now the intersection of the bounds of Bedford and Somerset with the latter. About the half, then, of the present territory of Centre was within the purchase of 1758, and that the more tillable portion. " So cautious, however, were the proprietors at this period, of offending the Indians, by making surveys beyond the line, that the most positive instructions were given the deputy surveyors on this head ; and as the line was not run, nor its exact position known, the end oT Nittany mountain appears to have been assumed as a station,-and a west line from thence presumed to be the purchase line." [Charles Smith, 2 Smith Laws, 122.] Cumberland county had been formed January 27, 1750, including all the western portion of the Province. All the southern half of Centre county therefore was within the bounds of Cumberland until the following changes took place : first, Bedford county was erected March 9. 1771, and that part of Frankstown township, which included the territory forming now the southern portions of Harris, Ferguson, Half-Moon, Taylor, and Rush townships, came within the bounds of Bedford, and remained there until Huntingdon was erected, September 20, 1787 ; second, Northumberland county was erected March 21, 1772, embrac- ing the present territory of the count}' north of the Bedford county line ; speaking with reference to the lines between Bedford and Northumberland, ascer- tained in pursuance of the act of 30th of September, 1779. [Dallas' laws, vol. i. page 803.] On the 19th of September, 1789, Mifflin county was formed [Dallas' Laws, vol. ii., 718], including all the southern half of the territory of Centre except the part in Huntingdon county above referred to, and Gregg, Penn, Haines, and Miles townships, as now constituted, which remained in Northum- berland. On the 22d of September, 1766, William Maclay made the first survey in Penn's valley, then in Cumberland county, a reservation of the Proprietaries in the name of Henry Montour, eight hundred and twenty acres, called the Manor of Succoth, described as on the head of Penn's creek, above the great Spring and north-west of it. It adjoins the Matlack survey (where Spring Mills now stands) on the north, in Gregg township, and is called for by all the surrounding surveys. On the 23d and 24th of September, 1766, Mr. Maclay surveyed what is now known as the " Manor," for the Proprietaries, embracing one thousand and thirty- five acres in what is now Potter township, described as " near the Indian path leading from the head of Penn's creek to Old Frankstown, where the waters seem to turn to Little Juniata." Its bounds ran south-westerly from the tract on which Potter's Fort tavern stands, eight hundred and fifty-seven perches, or nearly three miles its width varying from one hundred and fifty-eight perches on the east, to two hundred and fifty-four and a half on the west. The Haines' 8ur\-ey8, run- nmg from the mouth of Elk creek, along Penn's, and for nearly a mile up Sink- ing creek, were made by the same surveyor in September and October, 1766 ; a few 504 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. oLIiers were made for General Potter (now in Gregg township), in 1766. A number of surveys, commencing with the John Chandler, immediately west of Woodward, were made in October, 1766; but the larger portion of the valley surveys do not date beyond 1774. On November 5, 1768, the upper half of the present territory of Centre was secured by purchase at Fort Stanwix from the Indians. It was all within Cum- berland until the erection of Northumberland, in 1772. It being within Charles Lukens' district, the oldest surveys were made by Lukens and his deputies, in the summer of 1769. The "officer's surveys, "extending from Lock Haven to Howard, were made by Charles Lukens, in March and April, 1769. The Griffith Gibbon, on which Bellefonte now stands, was surveyed July 20, 1 769, and the Peter Graybill (on which Milesburg is now built), on the 18th of July, 1769, then known as the " Bald Eagle Nest." The, valley surveys, commencing near Stover's, in Brush valley, and running up to Gregg township, were all made by William Maclay, for Colonel Samuel Miles, in 1773. A manuscript journal of Richard Miles probably indicates the surveying party: "April 20, 1773, started for Shamoken, from Radnor, Chester county, in company with James and Enos Miles, Abel Thomas, and John Lewis." They passed up the river by way of Muncy Hill and Great Island ; then went up the Bald Eagle, returning by way of the Narrows, down through BuflFalo valley. Elk, Penn's, Pine, Sinking, and Bald Eagle creeks had their names as early as 1766 Marsh, Beech, Spring, Fishing, Moshannon creeks, Wallis, Davis, and Buf- falo runs have their names in 1769. Scull's map of April 4, 1770, indicates the position of the Eagle's Nest, Great Plains, Big Spring, now Spring Mills, the Indian path from " the Nest," up Buffalo run to Huntingdon. In 1772 the territory was nearly all included in Buffalo and Bald Eagle town- ships, Northumberland county — Buffalo, extending up to the forks of Penn's creek, thence by a north line to the river, and Bald Eagle beginning at the forks, thence by a north line to the river, thence up the same to the county line, etc. At May sessions, 1774, Potter township was erected out of Penn's, Buffalo, and Bald Eagle, boundfed eastward by a line from the top of Jack's mountain, by the four-mile tree in Reuben Haines' road in the Narrows, to the top of Nittany mountain, thence along the top thereof to the end thereof, at Spring creek, on the old path, thence south or south-east to the top of Tussey's mountain, thence . along the county line to the top of Jack's mountain, etc. At February sessions, 1790, the name of Potter township was chaliged to Haines. ' The southern portion of Centre county was settled by emigrants from Cum- berland valley as early as 1766, and before that. The settlers of the northern portion came in by way of the Bald Eagle creek in 1768 and 1769. Among the earliest settlers of this northern portion of the county were Andrew Boggs, who built his cabin on the Joseph Poultney, opposite Milesburg, Daniel and Jonas Davis, who settled a little farther down the creek, William Lamb, Richard Malone, etc. Among the Revolutionary soldiers of Centre county were Philip Barnhart. who died April 3, 1843; Lawrence Bathurst; Nicholas Bressler, died in April, 1843; Isj,ac Broom, wounded at Gerraantown ; John C. Colby, a deserter from the Hessians; Jacob Duck, died in 1836; Peter Fleck, Peter Florey, of Haines CENTBE GOUNTT. 505 township ; Jacob Fliescher, Ludwig Friedley, John Glantz, John Garrison, of Spring; Henry Herring, Williatn Hinton, of Boggs, who died in 1839, aged ninety-one years ; Christopher Keatley, of Potter township; William Kelly, John Kitchen, Daniel Koons, David Lamb, died April 19, 1837, and who was with Arnold at Quebec; Mungo Lindsay,. of Col. Miles' regiment; William Mason, of Spring township; John McClean, of Potter; Jacob Miller, of Walker; Henry McBwen, of Potter, who was also at Quebec; Alexander Mc Williams ; Isaac McCamant, of Ferguson ; John F. Ream, Evan Russel, Adam Sunday, Valen- tine Stober ; Nicholas Schnell, of Potter, Nicholas Shanefelt, of Harris ; William Taylor; Joseph Vaughn, of Half-Moon; David Wilson, of Bald Eagle; Joseph PENN'S VALbEY, FROM NITTANY MO0NTAIN. [From a Fhotograph bj Moore, Belleronte] White, of Boggs ; Neal Welsh, of Half-Moon. Robert Young, of Walker, of Lowdon's company at Boston, in August, 1775; also James Dougherty, who was made a prisoner at Quebec, and afterwards served in Washington's Life-Guards until the end of the war. In 1776 Penn's valley was pretty numerously settled, and Potter township, which then embraced that valley, was represented in the county committee of safety by John Livingston, Maurice Davis, and John Hall. A company of asso- ciators from it and the Bald Eagle settlement, in March, 1776, was oflBcered as follows : Captain William McBlhatton, First Lieutenant Andrew Boggs, Second Lieutenant Thomas Wilson, Ensign John McCormick. A Presbyterian church was organized in East Penn's valley, and a church built at Spring Mills at a very 506 HISTORY OF.PENNSYLVANIA. early date. The first regular pastor, of whom we have any account, was Rev. James Martin, who commenced his labors there April 15, 1789; he died June 20, 1795, and is buried at Spring Mills. He was the ancestor of the Bell family of Blair county. On the 8th of May, 1778, the Indians killed one man on the Bald Eagle set- tlement, Simon Vaugh, a private of Captain Bell's company ; he was killed at Che house of Jonas Davis, who lived a short distance below Andrew Boggs, opposite Milesburg. Robert Moore, the express rider, who took the news, stopped at the house of Jacob Standiford to feed his horse, where he found Stan- diford dead, who, with his wife and daughter, were killed and scalped, and his son, a lad of ten or eleven years of age, missing. Standiford was killed on what was lately Ephraim Keller's farm, three miles west of Potter's Fort. Henry Dale, father of Captain Christian Dale, who helped bury them, said that Standi- ford and four of his family were killed. They were buried in a corner of one of the fields on the place, where their graves may still be seen. On the 25th of July, 1778, General Potter writes from Penn's valley, " that the inhabitants of the valley are returned, and were cutting their grain. Yesterday two men of .Captain Finley's company. Colonel Brodhead's regiment, went out from this place in the plains a little below my fields, and met a party of Indians, five in number, whom they engaged ; one of the soldiers, Thomas Van Doran, was shot dead, the other,- Jacob Shedacre, ran about four hundred yards, and was pursued by one of the Indians ; they attacked each other with their knives, and one excellent soldier killed his antagonist. His fate was hard, for another Indian came up and shot him. He and the Indian lay within a perch of each other ; these two soldiers served with Colonel Morgan in the last campaign.'' (At Bur- goyne's capture.) James Alexander, who in after years farmed the old Fort place, found a rusted hunting knife near the spot of the encounter. Two stones were put up to mark the spot, still standing on William Henning's place, near the fort. In 1792, when Reading Howell published his map, his stations on the main road were Hubler's, Aaronsburg, McCormick's, now Spring Mills, and Potter's. Connelly's is marked in Nittany valley, Malone's opposite the Nest, Antes' below. Miles' in Brush vallej-, Willy brook (Willy-bank), name of a stream issuing prin- cipally from Matlack's spring, and running into Spring creek ; the Buffalo Lick, on Bufi'alo run, on the place now owned by Mrs. Samuel H. Wilson's heirs. Aaronsburg was then the only town in the territory. In the years 1770 or 1771 Reuben Haines, a rich brewer of Philadelphia, who owned the large body of land above referred to, cut a road from the hollow just below the Northumberland bridge, up along the south side of Buffalo valley, through the narrows into Penn's valley. In 1775 a road from the Bald Eagle to Sunbury, along the west side of the Susquehanna, was laid out, and the main road through Buffalo valley was pushed up as far as the Great Plain. The turnpike era commenced March 29, 1819, with the incorporation of the Aarons- burg and Bellefonte turnpike road company and the Toungmanstown and Aaronsburg turnpike road company. Inland navigation, with the incorpoi-ation of the Bald Eagle and Spring Creek navigation company, April 14, 1834. Railroads, with the incorporation of the Tyrone and Clearfield railroad company, March 23, 1854, and the Tyrone and Lock Haven, February 21, 1857. CENTRE COUNTY. SOT The development of the iron interest of Centre county commenced with the purchase by Colonel John Patton, of the tract upon which he erected Centre furnace, now in Harris township, and twentj'-eight other contiguous tracts from Mr. Wallis, May 8, 1790. He built Centre furnace in the summer of 1792. The next adventurer in that business was Greneral Philip Benner, who bought the Rock Forge place of Mr. Matlack, May 2, 1792, and in 1793 erected his house there, together with forge, slitting, and rolling mill. In 1795 Daniel Turner erected Spring Creek forge, of which nothing remains now but the site, and in 1796 Miles Dunlap & Co. had Harmony forge, on Spring creek, in operation. In 1837 the following iron works were in operation: On Bald Eagle creek: Hannah furnace, owned by George McCuUoch and Lyon, Shorb & Co. ; Martha furnace, owned by Roland Curtin ; a new furnace, owned by Adams, Irwin & Huston. On Moshannon and Clearfield creeks : Cold Stream forge, owned by Mr. Adams ; a forge and extensive screw factory, owned by Hardman Phillips. On Spring and Bald Eagle creeks : Centre furnace and Milesburg forge and rolling mill, owned by Irwin & Huston ; Eagle furnace, forge, and rolling mill, owned by Roland Curtin ; Logan furnace, forge, rolling mill, and nail fac- tory, owned by Valentine & Thomas ; Rock furnace and forge, owned by the heirs of General P. Benner; forge owned by Irwin & Bergstresser. On Fishing creek and Bald Eagle creek : Hecla furnace and Mill Hall furnace and forge, owned by John Mitchell & Co.; Howard furnace, owned by Harris & Co.; Wash- ington furnace and forge, owned by A. Henderson. Also, in the county : Tus- sey furnace, owned by Lyon, Shorb & Co., not now in operation ; and a furnace owned by Mr. Friedley. In all, thirteen furnaces, making annually eleven thousand six hundred tons pig metal ; ten forges, making four thousand five hundred tons blooms ; three rolling mills, manufacturing two thousand three hundred tons into bar iron and nails. Aaeonsburg was laid out by Aaron Levy, of the town of Northumberland, on the 4th of October, 1786. The town plan is recorded at Sunbury of that date. Aaron's square, ninety feet in breadth, extending from East street to West street, was reserved for public uses. Bellefonte was laid out by Messrs. James Dunlop and James Harris, upon the Griffith Gibbon tract, which they purchased of William Lamb, in 1795. The first members of town council were William Pefriken, Roland Curtin, J. G. Low- rie. Thomas Burnside,. Andrew Boggs, and Robert McLanahan. It was incorpo- rated March 8, 1806. The first water works were erected in 1808. On the 18th of March 1814, another act of incorporation was passed, including Smithfleld in the borough, and repealing the former one. MiLESBtTRQ was laid out by Colonel Samuel Miles, on the Peter Graybill tract, known as the Bald Eagle's Nest, in 1793. The old Indian town stood on the right bank of the creek about a mile below where Spring creek empties into the Bald Eagle. Many applications of 1769 have reference by distance or otherwise to the Bald Eagle's Nest. The Joseph Poultney, on the opposite bank of the creek is described " as near the fording, including his improvement, and opposite the Nest." Milesburg was incorporated March 3, 1843. The " Bald Eagle's Nest" was the residence of an Indian chief of that name, 508 HISTOB Y OF PENNS YL YAMIA. who had built his wigwam there between two white oaks. Bald Eagle was the chief of a Muncy tribe, and commanded the party which made the attack upon a party of soldiers who were protecting some reapers on the Loyal Sock, on the 8th of August, 1778, when James Brady was mortally wounded. He was killed at Brady's Bend on the Allegheny, fifteen miles above Kittanning, by Captain Samuel Brady, in the early part of June, 1779. [Appendix to Pennsylvania Archives, page 131.] It was a place of resort by the Indians even after the Revolutionary war. Shawanee John and Job Chillaway, friendly Indians, made it their rendezvous. The former, who belonged to Captain Lowdon's company. BALD EASLE'S NEST, PROM BELOW, ON SPRING CREEK. [From k Photograph by Uoore, BeUeroDte.] which fought in front of Boston, died at the " Nest" many years after the war. All traces of the village have long since disappeared. Phillipsburg was laid out before Centre county was erected. Henry and James Phillips were the proprietors, and the first house was built by John Henry Simler, a Revolutionary soldier, in the year 1797. Simler enlisted ia Paris, in 1780, in Captain Claudius de Berts' troop. Colonel Armand's (Marquis de La Rouarie) dragoons, and was at the taking of Cornwallis ; he was wounded in the forehead and eye by a sabre. He died in Philadelphia in 1829. William Swansey, Robert Boggs, and Andrew Gregg, the trustees specified in the act of Assembly erecting the county, met at Bellefonte on «^^lie 31st of GENTBE COUNTY. 509 July, 1800. A conveyance for one-half of the tract of land on which the town-of Bellefonte was laid out, including a moietj'' of the lots in said town as well as those sold or those not sold, was presented by James Dunlop and James Harris, Bsqs., according to their bond given to the Governor. It was agreed that the sale of the lots should be indiscriminate, and the money arising therefrom should be divided equally between the proprietors and trustees ; and that on the first Monday of September, the residue of the part undivided in the town should be laid out in lots of two and a half acres each, and sold at public auction. It was also agreed that it would be injurious to the interests of the inhabitants to erect the prison in the public square, and that application should be made to the Legis- lature to vest the trustees with discretionary power to erect the prison in any other part of the town. On the 1st of September they met again, articled with Colonel Dunlop and Mr. Harris for payment of one half of the proceeds of lots to be sold, and contracted with Hudson Williams to build the prison on such lot as should be designated. It was to be thirty feet long and twenty-five feet wide in the clear. Among other specifications " there shall be an apartment in the cellar for a dungeon ; said dungeon shall be twelve feet by nine in the clear, covered above with hewed logs laid close together, under the plank of the floor, and a proper trap door to let into the dungeon." The contract price for the jail was one thousand one hundred and sixty-two dollars. The first court held in Bellefonte was the quarter sessions of November, 1800, before Associate Judges James Potter and Jcjhn Barber, when, upon motion of Jonathan Walker, Esq., the following attorneys were qualified : Jonathan Walker, Charles Huston, Elias W. Hale, Jonathan Henderson, Robert Allison, Robert F. Stewart, William A. Patterson, John Miles, David Irvine, W. W. Laird, and John W. Hunter. The January sessions, 1801, were also held by Judge Potter and his asso- ciates ; constables appearing : for Upper Bald Eagle, William Connelly ; Lower Bald Eagle, Samuel Carpenter; Centre, John McCalmont; Haines, Philip Frank; Miles, Stephen Bolender; Potter, Thomas Sankey; Patton, Christian Dale. The following persons were recommended for license as inn-keepers : John Matthias Beuck, Aaronsburg; Robert Porter, Franklin; Thomas Wilson, Centre; James Whitehill, Potter ; and Philip Callahan, Aaronsburg. The name of Upper Bald Eagle was changed to Spring township, and Ferguson erected, beginning at the line of Bald Eagle and Patton, near Robert Moore's, including his farm, thence through the Barrens, to include Centre furnace and James Jackson, near Half Moon the line to be ^continued until it strikes the Huntingdon county line, thence alone same and Centre till it strikes Tussey mountain, thence along the mountain to Patton and Potter and part of Bald Eagle, to the place of beginning. The first grand jury was assembled to April sessions, 1801, when the presi- dent judge, James Riddle, appeared on the bench for the first time in the county. The names of these jurors were William Swansey, Esq., James Harris, Esq., Philip Benner, Richard Malone, John Ball, David Barr, William Kerr, Esq., Michael Bolinger, Esq., James Whitehill, William Irvine, John Irvin, William Eyerly, Esq., James Newall, Samuel Dunlop, Alexander Read, General John Pat- ton, John M. Beuch, James Rej'nolds, Michael Weaver, and Felix Chrisraan. Additional persons recommended for license : Hugh Gallagher and Benjamin 510 HISTOBT OF PENNSTLVANIA. Patton, Bellefonte; Jacob Kepler and John Benner, Potter; John Motz and William Lowerwine, of Haines. The first case of notoriety, particularly from the array of counsel concerned, was George McKee vs. Hugh Gallagher, 18th August, term, 1801. McKee kept a tavern in a stone house, on the lot where Thomas Reynolds now resides ; Gal- lagher, in a lo.ng frame housfe, which stood in the lot now occupied by D. G. Bush, Esq. A wagon loaded with whiskey in barrels did not stand over night in front of McKee's, as some one took out the pinnings, and it rushed, like the swine of old, down the declivity into the creek, and the whiskey floated off with its waters. Hinc illae lacrimse. The case, however, was slander. Gallagher said George McKee stole Samuel Lamb's saddle bag^. The counsel who appeared for McKee were Foulke, Reed, J. Dunlap, S. Duncan, Wallace, T. Duncan, Culloh, Thompson, Miles, McCIure, Kidd, Irwin, Allison, and Patterson. For Gallagher appeared Stewart, Walker, Henderson, Rose, Huston, Hastings, Clark, Hall, Laird, Bonham, Gemmill, Burnside, Boggs, Orbison, Oadwalader, Canan, Smith, Carpenter, H. Dunlop, Dean, Hepburn, and Bellas. After exhausting all the tactics known to lawyers in attack and defence, the case was finally marked settled. The first capital case was that of negro Dan, alias Daniel Beyers, who mur- dered James Barrows, on the night of the 15th of October, 1802, in Spring town- ship. The jury returned with their verdict a valuation of him ; "valued him at two hundred and fourteen dollars." He was executed on the 1.3th of December, 1802, by James Duncan, Esq., then high sheriff. A large crowd, consisting of forge-men and other original characters, had assembled to witness the execution, and a company of horse, under the command of Captain James Potter (Genera! Potter, 2d), was drawn up near the scaffold. With the first swing the rope broke, and negro Dan fell to the ground unhurt ; with that the crowd shouted " Dan is free," and headed by Archy McSwords and McCamant, they made a move to rescue him. Sheriff Duncan, who always carried a lead-loaded riding whip, drew it promptly, and struck McSwords a blow that might have felled an ox. McSwords scratched his head, and said, " Mr. Duncan, as you are a small man, you may pass on," with that Captain Potter's company made a charge, and William Irvin, of the troop, levelled McCamant with a blow of his sword, cutting his cap-rim through Meanwhile William Petriken stepped up to Dan, and patted him on the shoulder, saying, " Dan, you have always been a good boy, go up now and be hung like a man," which he did. The next capital case was that of James Monks, convicted of the murder of Reuben Guild, before Judge Huston, December 1, 1818. He was executed on Sjaturday, January 23, 1819, by John Mitchell, Esq., high sheriff. For several years prior to 1820, the people of Centre county were kept in constant terror by the operations of a bold band of highwaymen and counter- feiters, among whom were McGuire, Connelly, and David Lewis. Lewis was a son of Lewis Lewis, a former deputy surveyor under Charles Lukens, who re- moved to Centre county, then MifHin, in 1793. They operated along the road through the Seven mountains, their last adventure being the robbery of a wagon loaded with store goods belonging to Hammond and Page of Bellefonte. An aimed party from Bellefonte tracked them to the house of Samuel Smith, at the CENTBE COUNTY. 511 junction of Bennett's and Driftwood Brancli, where a battle occurred, resulting in the mortal wounding of Connelly, who died July 3, at Karskadden, near the mouth of Bald Eagle, and of David Lewis, who died in the Bellefonte jail, in July, 1820. Twelve miles south-west of Bellefonte, in College township, is located the State College. As originally proposed by the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society, and organized under its apspices, it was named the Farmer's High School of Pennsylvania. The act of incorporation is dated April 13, 1854. In 1862 its name was changed to " The Agricultural College of Pennsylvania." In ISeT, the institution having then come under the law of Congress of July 2, 1362, was compelled to extend its course of instruction, in order more fully to comply with the educational requirements of that act, which directs that " the leading PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLIiEGE. object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanical arts, in such manner as the Legislature of the State might prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life." The scope of the institution being thus greatly extended, the name was again changed (January, 1874) to "the Pennsylvania State College." In 1863 the Congres- sional land grant was accepted by the State, and subsequently the scrip for the 780 000 acres of land granted, sold and properly invested as an endowment fund for the State College. Since the year 1872 the annual income from this fund has been $30,000. The college property consists of a tract of four hundred acres of which one hundred are set apart as a model and experimental farm, and worked separate from the main college farm of three hundred acres, though under the supervision of the professor of agriculture. The main building is a 512 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. plain substantial structure of limestone, seated on a pleasant rise of ground, and is two hundred and forty feet in length, eightj' feet in average breadth, and fuL five stories in height, exclusive of the basement, with ample lodging rooms chapel, library, society halls, laboratories, cabinets, and refectory for three hundred and thirty students, the whole well heated and supplied with water. A large campus for exercise and drill and extensive pleasure grounds adjoin the buildings. A full college course is pursued, consisting of instruction in agricul- ture, chemistry, geology, botany, surveying and engineering, telegraphy, physics, language, and literature, combined with military instruction. No charge is made for tuition. The faculty consists of twelve professors, of whom Rev. James Calder, D.D., is president. The State College is at present in ti flourishing condition. \ Organization of Townships. — The original townships of Centre county were Upper Bald Eagle, Lower Bald Eagle, Centre, Haines, Miles, Patton, Potter, and Warrior Mark. In January, 1801, the name of Upper Bald Eagle was changed to that of Spring township, and at the same session Ferguson was erected, including Centre furnace. January session, 1802, the name of Warrior Mark was changed to that of Half Moon. On the 26th of March, 1804, Clear- field and M'Kean counties were erected and placed under the jurisdiction of the several courts of Centre countj-. Accordinglj' at August session, 1804, M'Kean was erected into a township called Ceres, and Clearfield into a separate township called Chinklacamoose, by the Quarter Sessions of Centre county ; and roads laid out in those counties by the Court in 1806. At August sessions, 1807, Brad- ford and Becaria townships were erected in Clearfield county. At January sessions, 1810, Howard and Walker townships were erected out of Centre township, and the latter name abolished. Howard was called after the great philanthropist Howard, and Walker after Judge Walker, at the request of the inhabitants. At November sessions, 1810, Sergeant township was erected in M'Kean county, and called after Jonathan Dickinson Sergeant. At January sessions, 1813, Sergeant township was divided into Ogden, Walker, Cooper, Burlington, and Shippen. At November sessions. Chinklacamoose, in Clearfield, was divided, and Lawrence and Pike erected. At April sessions, 1814, Rush and Jenner townships were erected out of Half Moon, the former called after Dr. Benjamin Rush, the latter after Dr. Jenner. (On 26th January, 1815, the name Jenner was changed back to Half Moon.) In August of same year Spring township was divided, and one part called Allen, after Captain W. W. Allen, of the sloop Argus ; the other Covington, after Leonard Covington, who fell at Williamsburg. At April session, 1815, Allen was changed to Boggs, after the late Robert Boggs, and Covington back to Spring. In April, 1817, Gibson was erected out of Lawrence, in Clearfield, and called after Colonel George Gibson. In August Bald Eagle was divided, and the part adjoining Walker called " Lamar, after Major Lamar, who fell at the surprise at Paoli, in the midst of the British on the retreat. His last words were, ' Halt, boys, give these assassins one fire.' He was instantly cut down by the enemy. Shall he not be remembered by a grateful country ? He shall. In honor of this VENTRE CO UNI Y. c , „ old martyr in the cause of his country, we name the within township, Lamar. J^ B R„^t°l' °'-'l":«f Major Lamar was distinctly heard by Colonel Benjamin Buid. Signed by Jonathan Walker and James Potter. Major Marien Lamar commanded a company in Colonel Philip de Haas' battalion in the campaign o^ 1776 in Canada; was promoted Major of the Fourth Pennsylvania Line, and killed at Paoli, September 20, 1777. On the 27th of March, 1819, that part of the township of Bald Eagle begin- ning at the river opposite the mouth of Quinn's run, thence along the division me of the counties of Centre and Lycoming, one mile, thence by a direct line o the mou h of Sinnemahoning creek, was annexed to Lycoming, and attached to Dunstable mid Chnpmnn townships. ^ T^ If- fc- L_jpifl ^ iH%r GAP NORTH OF BELLEPONTE, [Prom a Photograpli by Moore, Belletonte.J April, 1819, Logan appears among the list of townships. No record of its formation can be found. January 25, 1821, Sinnemahoning township erected in Clearfield county. Gregg township was erected November 29, 1826, and called for Hon. Andrew Uregg; HarrisoutofPotter,Ferguson, and Spring, April 27, 1835, and called after the late James Harris. Huston appears among the list of townships in April, 1889 ; no record of its erection can be found. Snow Shoe was erected out of Boggs, January 31, 1840. Marion, August 26, 1840, out of Walker. Penn appears among the list of townships in April, 1845 ; Liberty was erected August 28, 1845 ; Taylor, January 27, 1847, out of Half-Moon ; Worth, Januarv 27, 1848, out of Taylor; Union November 25, 1850, out of Boggs; Burnside in April, 1857, and Curtin, November 25, 1857, OFFICIALS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF 1790, UNTIL JANDARY 1, 1839. President Judges.— James Riddle (Centre being annexed ),o the Fourth 2 H b 1 4 HISTOB T OF PENNS TL YANIA. District of which he was then, 1800, President Judge) ; Jonathan Walker, com missioned March 1, 1806; Charles Huston, commissioned July 1, 1818; Thomas Burnside, commissioned April 20, 1826. Associate Judges. — James Potter, commissioned October 20, 1800, died 1818 ; John Barber, commissioned October 22, 1800 ; Adam Harper, commissioned December 1, 1800, died November, 1827; Robert Boggs, commissioned Decem- ber 2, 1800; Isaac McKinney, commissioned January 8, 1819; Jacob Kryder, commissioned December 10, 1827. Deputy Attorney- Generals Thomas Burnside, January 12, 1809; William W. Potter ; Gratz Etting, July 17, 1819 ; James M. Petriken ; Ephraim Banks ; James MacManus, February 28, 1833. Prothonotaries Richard Miles, October 22, 1800; John G. Lowrey, May 10, 1809 ; John Rankin, February 2, 1818 ; John G. Lowrey, February 8, 1821 ; John Rankin, January 22, 1824 ; William L. Smith, March 3, 1830 ; James Gil- leland, March 23, 1831 ; George Buchanan, January 12, 1836. Registers and Recorders Richard Miles, October 22, 1800 ; William Petriken, May 10, 1809, re-commissioned February 2, 1818 ; Franklin B. Smith, February 8, 1821 ; William Pettit, January 22, 1824; William C. Welch, January 12, 1836. Sheriffs James Duncan, October 28, 1800 ; William Rankin, October 35, 1803; Roland Curtin, November 14, 1806; Michael Bolinger, November 11, 1809; John Rankin, November 6, 1812; William Alexander, December 1, 1815; John Mitchell, October 23, 1818; Joseph Butler, October 22, 1821; Thomas Harkness, Jr., November 17, 1824; Robert Tate, December 19, 1827; William Ward, October 22, 1830; George Leidy, October 31, 1833; William Ward, October 29, 1836. Commissioned Deputy Surveyors of Districts of which its Territory formed part John Canan, September 20, 1791; James Harris, October 19, 1791; Frederick Evans, November 9, 1791; Joseph J. Wallis, January 18, 1792; Daniel Smith, August 10, 1795. William Kerr, May 11, 1815; Joseph B. Shugert, June 4, 1826. First Justices of the Peace. — Bald Eagle (Lower) — Matthew Allison, October 22, 1800. Bald Eagle (Upper)— William Petriken, October 22, 1800. Centre. — William McEwen, October 22, 1800 ; William Swansey, October 22, 1800 ; Thomas McCalmont, October 22, 1800. Haines. — Michael Bolinger, October 22, 1800; James Cook, October 22, 1800 ; Adam Harper, October 22, 1800 ; John Matthias Beuck, December 6, 1800- Patton. — Thomas Ferguson, October 22, 1800 ; David Killgore, June 5, 1801 ; PUdrles P. Trezizulny, June 5, 1801. Potter. — William Kerr, October 22, 1800 ; William Early, December 1, 1800. The first County Commissioners were John Hall, David Barr, and Matthew Allison ; Commissioners' Clerk, William Kerr. BiOQBAFHiCAL NOTICES. — The space accorded Centre county will only admit of some notice of the early prominent characters of the county, leaving to the county annalist the names of Charles Huston, Thomas Burnside, W. W. Potter, Bond Yalentine, John Blanchard, H. N. M'Allister, and others, ornaments of the bench and bar. General Philip Benner was born in Chester county. His father was an active OENTBE COUNTY. 515 Whig of the Revolution, was taken prisoner by the British, and imprisoned. Philip, then a youth, took up arms under General Wayne, his relative and neighbor. When he went forth to the field, his patriotic mother quilted in the back of his vest several guineas, as a provision in case he should be taken prisoner by the enemy. After the war he became a successful manufacturer of iron, at Coventry forge, in Chester county. He removed to Centre county, in 1792. At that early day the supply of provisions for the works had to be trans- ported from a distance, over roads that would now be deemed almost impassable, and a market for his iron was to be found alone on the Atlantic seaboai-d. He succeeded, and enjoyed for several years, without competition, the trade in what was termed by him the " Juniata iron," for the Western country — a trade now of immense importance. He held the rank of major-general in the militia of the State, and was twice an elector of President of the United States. He was a Democrat throughout his life. The borough of Bellefonte bears testimony to his enterprise and liberality. He adorned it by the erection of a number of dwelling- houses, and aided in the construction of works to give it advantages which nature denied. He established the Centre Democrat, in 182t. General Benner died at his residence, in Spring township, July 27, 1832, aged seventy. He was remark- able for bis industry, enterprise, generosity, and open-hearted hospitality. Andrew Gregg was among the early settlers in Penn's valley. He was born on 10th June, 1755, at Carlisle. He acquired a classical education at several of the best schools of that day, and was engaged for some years as a tutor in the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania. In the year 1788, Mr. Gregg, having saved a few hun- dred dollars from his salary as a teacher, changed his employment, and commenced business as a storekeeper in Middletown, Dauphin county. In 1787 he married a daughter of Gen. Potter, then living near the West Branch, in Northumberland county ; and at the earnest request of his father-in-law, in 1789, moved with his family to Penn's valley, where he settled down in the woods, and commenced the business of farming, about two miles from Potter's Old Fort. On the place he first settled, he continued improving his farm from year to year, pursuing with great industry the business of a country farmer. There all his children were born, and some married, and there he resided until the year 1814, when he removed to Bellefonte, having some years before purchased property in that neighborhood. In 1790 Mr. Gregg was elected a member of Congress, and by seven successive elections, for several districts, as they were arranged from time to time including one by a general vote or ticket over the whole State — was con- tinued a member of that body for sixteen successive years — and duiing the ses- sion of 1806-7, was chosen a member of the Senate of the United States. At the expiration of this term, on the 4th of March, 1813, he returned to private life, attending to the education of his children and the improvement of his farms until December, 1820, when he was called by Governor Hiester to the position of Secretary of the Commonwealth. In 1823 he was the nominee of the Federal party for Governor, in opposition to John Andrew Shulze. He died at Bellefonte, May 20, 1833. Martha Walker Cook., the authoress and poetess, was born in Bellefonte, in the year 1807, daughter of Judge Jonathan Walker, and sister of Hon. Robert J. Walker She was married to General William Cook, of New Jo>-sey, January 1, 616 EISTOB T OF P ENN8 TL VANIA. 1825, and died at Washington, D, C, September 15, 18T4. Mrs. Cook edited and conducted the Gontinental Monthly magazine, translated the life of Chapin from the original of Liszt, etc. She was the mother of B. B. Cook, author of works on Chess. Colonel John Patton, who built the first iron works in the territory of Centre county, was a major in Colonel Samuel Miles' rifle regiment, appointed March 13, 1776. He participated in the battle of Long Island, was appointed October 25, 1776, major of Ninth Pennsylvania regiment, and after the organization of the Pennsylvania Line in 1777, commanded one of the additional regiments. He and his old friend Colonel Miles became associated in the iron business in Centre county, and together owned vast tracts of land extending from near Rock Forge up to Centre Furnace. He died in 1802, and is buried in a grave yard on Slab- Cabin branch of<6pring creek. Major-General James Pottee died in the fall of 1789. He was assisting in building the chimney of one of his tenant houses, and in turning suddenly, injured himself internally. He went to Franklin county to have the advantage of Dr. McClelland's advice, and died at his daughter's, Mrs. Poe's, a few miles west of the present station of Marion on the Cumberland Yalley railroad. He is buried, it is said, in an old grave yard at Brown's Mills, not far from Marion. He was a son of John Potter, the first sheriff of Cumberland county, and was a lieutenant, in 1758, in Colonel Armstrong's battalion ; and next appears, July 26, 1764, in com- mand of a company in pursuit of the Indians who had murdered a school master near Greencastle. His brother Thomas was killed by the Indians in one of their inroads into Cumberland county. He was a large land-holder in Penn's Valley, owning, in 1782, nine thousand acres, and spent the principal part of his time, wnen he was at home from the army, there ; but his residence was on the A.rd farm, still in the ownership of his descendants in White Deer township. Union county, a mile or so above the town of New Columbia. He is assessed there with negroes, servants, etc., as late as 1788. Timothy Pickering, in his Journal, speaks of visiting him there. Andrew Gregg was there married to his daughter, January 29, 1787. His services during the Revolution are beyond the limits of any notice here. He erected a stockade fort on the Odenkirk place, a little south of where the Old Fort Tavern now stands, at the junction of the Mifflinburg, Bellefonte, and Lewistown roads. In personal appearance he was short and stout, and the native force of his intellect overcame in war and civil business the obsta- cles of a limited education. He always had a hopeful disposition which no troubles could unjoint. In a letter, dated May 28, 1781, he says: " Look where you will, our unfortunate country is disturbed, but the time will come when we shall get rid of all these troubles." He was appointed Brigadier-General April 5, 1777 ; Major-General May 23, 1782. He was Vice-President of the State in 1781, member of the Council of Censors in 1784, and on one occasion came within one vote of being made President of the State. Samuel Pobtee, of Lamar township, died in January, 1825, aged 79. He served three years in the Revolutionary war, was with the Pennsylvania detach- ment of rifiemen under Colonel Morgan, at the capture of Burgoyne, and also served through Sullivan's campaign. He participated in twenty-two engagements or skirmishes. He was a highly respected citizen. Pour children survived him. CHBSTEE COUNTY. BY J. SMITH FUTHEY AND GILBERT COPE, WEST CHESTEE. |HESTER COUNTY is one of the three orjginal counties established by William Penn in 1682, and originally included Delaware county and all the territory (except a small portion of Philadelphia and Montgomery counties) southwest of the Schuylkill, to the extreme limits of the Province. It was the first of the three counties of^anized, at what precise date is not known, but it was within two months after the arrival of Penn. CHESTER CODNTY CO0ET HOUSE. (From a Photograph by T. W. Taylor.) The landing place of the Proprietary was at Upland (now Chester), and he resolved it would seem without much reflection — that its name should be changed. Clarkson, in his life of Penn, says that " turning round to his friend, * 517 5 1 8 HIS TORT OF PENNS TL VA NIA. Pearson, one of his own societj', who had accompanied him in the ship Welcome, he said, Promdence has brought us safe here. Thou hast been the companion of my perils. What wilt thou that I shouM call this place ? Pearson said, ' Chester,' in remembrance of the city from whence he came Penn replied that it should be called Chester, and that when he divided the land into counties, one of them should be called by the same name." The western boundary of Chester county was established "by the erection of Lancaster county in 1729, and the northern and northwestern, by the erection of Berks county in 1752. Philadelphia county formed the north- eastern and eastern boundary, until the establishment of Montgomery in 1784. The town of Chester, altliough located at the extreme southeastern border, continued to be the seat of justice for more than a century, but as the settle- ments extended into the northern and western parts of the county, a sense of its inconvenience to the great majority of those having business to transact at the county seat, at length induced a vigorous effort for its removal to a more central location. That effort was strenuously resisted by the inhabitants of the town of Chester, especially by that class who derived their chief sustenance from the gleanings incident to a county seat, and a controversy was maintained with varying success, and much acrimony, for several years. At length the removalists were successful, and an act of Assembly was passed in 1784, authorizing the sale of the old county buildings at Chester, and the erection of new ones at a point to be selected by commissioners named in the act. These commissioners fixed upon a central point, near the " Turk's Head Tavern," at the intersection of the great road leading from Wilmington to Beading, and the road leading from Philadelphia to Strasburg, in Lancaster county, and erected the necessary buildings, and the court records and prisoners were removed thither in 1786. In 1788 the new seat of justice was incorporated into a borough, and styled " West Chester," obviously because of its location some sixteen miles north- west from the former county seat at Chester. The people of the old town of Chester, finding themselves deprived of the advantages of having the county seat, soon took measures to procure a division of the county, with a view to the re-establishment of a seat of justice in their midst. In this they were successful, and by an act of Asserablj', passed on the 26th of September, 1789, the county was divided, and a new one formed from the southeastern portion, under the name of Delaware. This new county ombraced all the old and originally settled parts of the county, with Chester as the county seat. It may be questioned whether any advantage has resulted from the sundering of the noble old bailiwick. The act of Assembly erecting the new countj' provided that the line of division should be so run as not to divide plantations. The commissioners, John Sellers, Thomas Tucker, and Charles Dilworth, acceded to the wishes of the land-owners, as to which of the counties they desired their farms to be in, and ran the line accordingly. The result was an exceedingly crooked line, there being in one part of it no less than forty courses, and a line twenty- eight miles long, in a direct distance of seven miles. Chester county, as reduced bj' the erection of the new county, is about thirty-six miles from north liiii 519 520 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. to south, and twenty-one miles from east to west, and contains about seven uundred and sixty square miles. The county embraces every variety of soil and surface. The northern part is rugged ; the Welsh mountain, a sandstone chain of considerable elevation, belonging to the lower secondary formation, forms the north-western boundary. A wide belt of red shale and sandstone, and a considerable area of gneiss rock, lies to the south of the mountain, and to this succeeds the North Valley hUl. The " Great Valley," or Chester Valley, as it is now generally called, of primitive limestone, forms a most distinguishing feature of the county, and constitutes one of its greatest sources of wealth. This valley, which is generally from two to three miles wide, crosses the county a little north of the centre, in a south-east and north-west direction. It is shut in on both sides by parallel Jiills of moderate elevation, generally densely wooded, and from either of these the whole width of the valley may be comprehended at one glance, presenting, with its white cottages and smiling villages, one of the most lovely scenes in the United States. Its numerous quarries furnish great abundance of lime, to fertilize the less favored townships of the county. It received its name of " Great " in the earlier days of the Province, when the greater limestone valleys of the Cumberland and Kittatinny, and those among the mountains, were yet unknown. Compared with these, it is rather diminutive. This valley yields marble of all shades, from black and dark blue to nearly pure white, one of the most extensive deposits of which is at Oakland, between the Pennsylvania 'and Chester valley railroads, now owned by Dr. George Thomas. It was from this quarry that the marble for building Girard College was, in a great measure, procured. The Corinthian capitals and other sculptured work are constructed from it. The stone stands the exposure of years without the ler.st appearance of disintegration, and retains its color without stain or blemish. In these respects it diflfers from the greater part of the marble found in this country. An analysis of it shows no talc, and but little earthy matter ; that it is composed of nearly pure carbonate of lime, and with considerable silex, and although hard to work, it finishes smoothly. These characteristics render it valuable for monumental purposes. To the south of the Chester Valley lies an extensive primitive formation of gneiss and mica slate, covering the greater portion of the southern section of the county, and forming a gently undulating country, with occasionally a few abrupt elevations. In this formation there occur frequent beds of serpentine, hornblende, trap-dykes, and deposits of pure feldspar. Limestone is found in various parts of the county besides the Chester valle3-. particularly along the line of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central railroad, and an extensive trade in the article is carried on. In former times, when wood was abundant, the farmers, generally, had large kUns on their farms, and hauled the stone from the quarries and burned it themselves, but this practice has for many years been almost wholly abandoned, and the business of lime-burning is now carried on by the proprietors of the quarries. The State of Delaware is largely supplied with lime from the quarries of Chester county. In the south-western part of the county, the mineral known as "chrome" is extensively found, both in the rock and sand, and is dug and shipped to Europe, where it commands a high price. For many years this trade was, under GSESTEB COUNTY. 521 the almost exclusive control of Isaac Tyson, of Baltimore, who procured from the farmers the right to dig and remove the minerals found on their plantations. He amassed a fortune from this trade. The soil is generally very sterile where this mineral appears, and almost valueless for agricultural purposes. Plumbago or graphite, of a superior quality, and in apparently inexhaustible quantities, is found in Upper TJwchlan and adjoining townships, near the line of the Picker- ing Yalley railroad. Works have been recently erected with the view of turning it to account, and the prospect of a large annual production is flattering. In Charlestown and Schuylkill townships are deposits of lead and copper. The existence of these minerals in this locality has long been known. As early as 1683, mining was done by Charles Pickering and Samuel Buckley, and the productions used in the manufacture of coin. In that year these men were tried before William Penn, for debasing the coin, and convicted. It was not, how- ever, until about 1850, that mines were regularly opened. Before that time the operations were confined chiefly to the surface. Since 1850 considerable qtianti- ties of lead have been taken out, chiefly by Charles M. Wheatley. The mines opened by him are now owned by the New York and Boston silver-lead mining companj'. Copper is found, but not in sufficient quantities to render its pro- duction profitable. The greater portion of the serpentine or green stone, now so popular in Philadelphia as a building material for the outer walls of houses^ and which has been used in the construction of the University of Pennsylvania and many churches and other buildings, comes from this county. An extensive quarry is situated in Birmingham township, about four miles south of West Chester, from which large quantities are shipped to Philadelphia and other points. It is owned by Joseph H. Brinton. Fine building stone is to be found in every part of the county, and it is extensively used in the erection of buildings. Frame houses are very rare. In New Garden township is a hill several miles in length, bearing the Indian name of Toughkenamon, signifying Fire-brand Hill ^which contains inexhaustible quantities of stone^ Con- siderable deposits of clay formed from the decomposition of feldspar, and known in the market as " kaolin," are found in New Garden, Pennsbury, and other townships, and used in the manufacture of china-ware, porcelain, and fire-brick. In Newlin township is an extensive deposit of the rare and valuable mineral known as " corundum," where large operations are carried on. In the vicinity of Coates- ville is an excellent quality of sand, which is shipped to Pittsburgh, and used in the manufacture of glass. Valuable deposits of iron ore are found in almost every section of the county, but especially in the northern hills and in the Chester valley, and its preparation for the market is a source of large profit to the owners. There are extensive iron works in difl'erent parts of the county, but especially at Phcenixville and Coatesville. The Phrenix Iron company is one of the largest establishments in the United States. It is engaged, among other things, in the manufacture of railroad iron and in the construction of bridges, and gives employment, when in full operation, to about fifteen hundred men. During the war the celebrated Griffen wrought iron cannon were manufactured by this company, and about twelve hundred of them were supplied. The new Girard Avenue bridge in Philadelphia was erected by it, as well as bridges in various 52-2 OHMSTER COUNTY. 523 parts of this country and of Canada. At Coatesville, Parkesburg, and Thorn- dale, on the line of the Pennsylvania railroad, are a number of large rolling mills, owned by Charles E. Pennock & Co.,^ Huston & Penrose, Hugh E. Steele, Horace A. Beale, William L. Bailey, and others, which do an extensive business in the manufacture of boiler plate. At Spring City, on the Schuylkill river, is a large manufactory of stoves and hollow ware. At West Chester, spokes and wheels are extensively manufactured. Woolen and cotton factories, paper mills, and flour and saw mills, are numerous on the various streams which flow through the county. These streams furnish excellent water power, which is extensively utilized. Agriculture is the great business of the county, and a more intelligent, industrious, thrifty, and orderly set of farmers are not to be found in the State. They artj largely the lineal descendants of the early Welsh, English, and Scotch- Irish pioneers, who came over in the time of the Proprietaries, and of the Germans, who came in at a somewhat later date. In former years stock grazing and feeding was extensively engaged in, but latterly this branch of business has fallen oflT very much, owing to the high price of stock-cattle compared with their value when fatted for the market, and the farmers are now turning their atten- tion largely to the business of dairying and furnishing supplies for the Philadel- phia market. Large quantities of milk and butter are transmitted on the various railroads leading to that citj-. The farm buildings are generally of a very supe- rior character, and indicate the thrift and intelligence of the people. The old system of what are called worm fences is gradually giving way to fences made of posts and rails ; stone is used for fencing to a very limited extent. What is known as the Eastern Experimental Farm is situated in Londongrove township, in the southern part of. the county, near the line of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central railroad, and contains about one hundred acres. It is now under the care and superintendence of John I. Carter, a gentleman in every way suited to the position. The experiments carried on at this farm have already been of great beneflt to the farming community, and its means of useful- ness will increase as its operations become more extensive. A club is maintained at the farm, at which a large number of intelligent farmers meet monthly, to read essays and discuss matters pertaining to the business of agriculture. The farmers of Chester county are a reading people, and scarcely a house will be found, however humble, to which the daily newspaper and the monthly magazine do not find their way. Their tables will vie with those of the inhabitants of the towns in the elegance of their appointments, and the grace and dignity with which they are presided over. There are a number of extensive nurseries and greenhouses in the county, the productions of which are forwarded to various parts of the country ; notably among these are the estal)lishment8 of Hoopes, Brother & Thomas, Otto & Acheles, and Joseph Kift, of West Cliester, and of Dingee & Conard, of West Grove. The growing of evergreens with Hoopes, Brother & Thomas, and of roses with Dingee & Conard, are specialties. The surface of the county is almost wholly susceptible of cultivation. There is scarcely any broken land. Each farm has usually a proportion of woodland sufDcient for the uses of the farm — generally about eight acres in the hundred. 524 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. The principal streams are the Octorara, Brandywine, Elk, White Clay, Red Clay, Chester, Pocopson, Ridley, and Crum creeks, flowing southwardly, and the Pickering, Valley, French and Pidgeon creeks, tributaries of the Schuylkill. There are a large number of other smaller streams, and the county is remarkably well watered. Nearly all the farms have running water on them, many of them in every field. The Octorara creek forms the western boundary of the county, and the Schuylkill river skirts it on the east. The Brandywine, at its upper end, is composed of two branches, called the east and west branches. The Pennsylvania railroad crosses the east branch at Downingtown, and the west branch at Coates- ville. They unite at a point nearly west of West Chester. The Brandj'^wine has been generally supposed to have derived its name in consequence of the reported loss of a vessel in its waters, laden with brandy — in the Dutch language, brand-wijn. This, however, is shown by recent investigation to be a mistake. It most probably derived its name from one Andrew Braindwine, who, at an early day, owned lands near its mouth. It was very common in the olden time, in the lower counties — now the State of Delaware — to name streams after the dwellers upon their banks. This creek is shown by the old records to have been known as the Fish-kill, until the grant of land to Andrew Braindwine ; immediately after which it is referred to, on the records, as Braindwine's kill or creek, and the name was eventually corrupted into its present form of Brandywine. The Indian name of the Brandywine is not certainly known. It is spoken of by tradition, both as Suspecough and Wawassan. Octorara and Pocopson are of Indian origin, the latter signifying rapid or brawling stream. Excellent public roads cross the county in every direction. These are usually sold out by the supervisors to the lowest bidder, to be kept in repair for a term of years, the farmers in the vicinity being gen.erally the purchasers. There are also a number of turnpike roads, the principal of which are the Philadelphia and Lancaster, West Chester and Wilmington, and Downingtown, Ephrata, and Harrisburg. The Schuylkill canal traverses the eastern part of the county, near the Schuylkill river. The county is well supplied with railroad facilities, almost every part being within convenient reach of this mode of travel. The Pennsylvania railroad passes across the centre of the county from east to west, and the Reading and Wilmington railroad from north to south, while the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central railroad traverses the entire southern part of it. The West Chester and Philadelphia railroad connects West Chester with Philadelphia, and the West Chester, with the Pennsylvania railroad, at Malvern station, near Paoli. The Pennsylvania and Delaware railway runs from the Pennsylvania railroad at Pomeroy station to Delaware City ; the East Brandywine and Waynes- burg railroad, from Downingtown to Waynesburg ; the Chester Valley, from Downingtown to Norristown, and the Pickering Valley, from Uwchlan to Phoenixville. The Wilmington and Western connects Wilmington with the Pennsylvania and Delaware railway at Landenberg ; the Reading railroad passes along the eastern boundary of the county, and the Perkiomen railroad connects with the Reading railroad, between Phoenixville and Valley Forge. The Peach Bottom railroad — a narrow gauge — is in process of construction from Oxford to York, several miles of which, from Oxford, westward, have been constructed, CEESTEli COUNTY. 525 and are in operation. These thirteen railroads have about two hundred miles of track within the limits of the county. The territory now included in Chester county was honorably purchased of the Indians by William Penn, and was conveyed in several distinct deeds; The first, bearing date June 25, 1683, and signed by an Indian called Wingebone, conveys to William Penn all his lands on the west side of Schuylkill, beginning at the first falls, and extending along and back from that river, in the language of the instrument, " so far as ray right goeth." By another deed of July 14th, 1683, two chiefs granted to the Proprietary the land lying between the Chester and Schuylkill rivers. From Kikitapan he purchased half the land between the Susquehanna and Delaware, in September, and from Malchaloa, all lands from the Delaware to Chesapeake bay, up to the falls of the Susquehanna, in October. And by a deed of Julj' 30th was conveyed the land between Chester and Penny- pack creeks. Another conveyance was made on the 2d of October, 16S5, for the greater portion of the lands constituting the present county of Chester. This last instrument is a quaint piece of conveyancing, and will show the value attached by the natives to their lands : " This indenture witnesseth that we, Packenah, Jackham, Sikals, Portquesott, Jervis, Essepenaick, Pelktrug, Porvey, Indian kings, sachemakers, right owners of all lands from Quing Quingus, called Duck cr., unto Upland, called Chester cr., all along the west side of Delaware river, and so between the said creeks back- wards as far as a man can ride in two days with a horse, for and in consideration of these following goods to us in hand paid, and secured to be paid by William Penn, Proprietary of Pennsylvania and the territories thereof, viz. : 20 guns, 20 fathoms match coat, 20 fathoms stroud water, 20 blankets, 20 kettles, 20 pounds powder, 100 bars of lead, 40 tomahawks, 100 knives, 40 pair of stockings, 1 barrel of beer, 20 pounds of red lead, 100 fathoms of wampum, 30 glass bottles, 30 pewter sppons, 100 awl blades, 300 tobacco pipes, 100 hands tobacco, 20 tobacco tongs, 20 steels, 300 flints, 30 pair of scissors, 30 combs, 60 looking glasses, 200 needles, 1 skipple of salt, 30 pounds of sugar, 5 gallons of molasses, 20 tobacco boxes, 100 jews-harps, 20 hoes, 30 gimlets, 30 wooden screw boxes, 103 strings of beeds — do hereby acknowledge, &c. &c. Given under our hands and seals, at New Castle, 2d of the 8th month, 1685." The title of the particular Indian chiefs to the lands claimed by them was not always very clear, but it was the policy of the Proprietary government to quiet all claims which might be made, by purchasing them. Accordingly, purchases were made from time to time, of claims made by chiefs, which they alleged had not been extinguished. The Indians after the sale of their lands, continued to occupy them until needed by the settlers, and gradually abandoned them as the whites advanced and took possession. They were an amiable race, and when they left the burial places of their fathers, in search of new homes, it was without a stain upon their honor. Considerable numbers, however, remained in the county, inhabiting the woods and unoccupied places, until the breaking out of the French and English war in 1755- about which time they generally removed beyond the limits of the county, and took up their abode in the valleys of the Wyoming and Wyalusing, on the Susquehanna. At the making of the treaty of St. Mary's, in 1720, there 526 H18T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. were present some chiefs of the Nanticokes, one of whom, who had withstood the storms of ninety winters, told the commissioners that he and his people had once roamed through their own domains along the Brandy wine. At the close of the Revolutionary war, the number of Indians resident in the county was reduced to four, who dwelt in some wigwams in Marlborough township. After the death of three of them, the remaining one, known as Indian Hannah, took up her abode in a wigwam near the Brandywine, on lands of Humphrey Marshall, or as she considered it, on her own lands. During the summer she traveled through diflferent parts of the county, visiting those who would receive her with kindness, and selling her baskets. As she grew old she quitted her wigwam and dwelt in friendly families. Though a long time domesticated with the whites, she retained her Indian character to the last. She had a proud and haught3- spirit, hated the blacks, and did not even deign to associate with the lower order of the whites. Without a companion of her race — without kindred — she felt her situation deso- late, and often spoke of the wrongs and misfortunes of her people. She died in the year 1803, at the age of nearly one hundred years — the last of the Lenni Lenape resident in Chester county. The early settlers of the county were of various nationalities. The Swedes, who came first, established themselves along the banks of the Delaware and Schuylkill. The Welsh — who settled in considerable numbers — occupied the eastern townships, and extended up the Great Valley and into the northern and north-western parts of the county. The English — principally of the Society of Friends — settled all the central portion of the county, and extended into the south and south-west, some of them taking up lands bordering upon the Mary- land line. The Scotch-Irish gradually spread over the whole of the western part of the county, from the Maryland line to the Welsh mountain, while the Dutch and Germans filled up the north-eastern townships. It/ is a singular fact that the white races in Pennsylvania are remarkably unmixed, and retain their original character beyond that of any State in the Union. These distinctly marked races are the English, Scotch-Irish, and German. Emigrants from other countries contributed to swell the population, but their numbers were small compared with the races just mentioned, and their peculiar characteristics, through admixture with the people of other nationalities, and the mellowing influence of time, are scarcely recognizable. These different peoples have impressed their peculiar characteristics upon the portion of Chester county in which they settled. While to the eye of th& stranger this may not be apparent, yet to one long resident in the county, and familiar with its inhabitants, the difference is quite perceptible. Throughout all the eastern, central, and a portion of the southern part of the county, the plain language of the Society of Friends is still largely used, their meeting houses are numerous, and the descendants of the early settlers have inherited their simple manners and style of living. The western part of the county is largely peopled by the descendants of the Scotch-Irish settlers, and the peculiarly energetic, positive, enterprising, and intellectual character of this people has descended from genera- tion to generation. They are chiefly Presbyterian, and a large number ot churches of that denomination are scattered over this region. In the north- eastern part of the county, any one familiar with the peculiar expressions of the VRESTEH COUNTY. 627 English speaking Pennsj-lvania German, would know that he was among the descendants of that race, although scarcely any of them speak the/ German language. They possess the thrift and industry of their forefathers, and are an orderly and law-abiding people. The first court after the granting of the Province to William Penn was held at Upland, on the 13th of September, 1681. This was the day to which the court, at its last session under the government of the Duke of York, had adjourned. The records of the county from that time to the -present have been >/ preserved, and are all in the public offices at West Chester. When the county seat was removed to West Chester, in 1186, these records were removed there from Chester. Delaware county, although having the old county seat, was a new county, and its records date from its erection in 1789. A portion of these old records having become much worn and difficult to decipher, were, by an order of the court made in 182T, copied into a large book, labelled " Old Court Records," which is now in the office of the clerk of the court of quarter sessions. They contain much curious and interesting matter. The first entries are of two cases of assault and battery, and appear to have been what are in these days called cross-prosecutions. As a specimen of court proceedings in those early days, these first entries are given : " Province of Pennsylvania, at the court at Upland, September 13th, 1681. Justices present : Mr. William Clayton, Mr. William Warner, Mr. Robert Wade, Mr. Otto Ernest Cock, Mr. William Byles, Mr. Robert Lucas, Mr. Lasse Cock, Mr. Swan Swanson, Mr. Andreas Bankson. " Sheriff, Mr. John Test ; clerk, Mr. Thomas Revell. " An action of assault and battery. Peter Erickson plaintiff; Herman John- son and Margaret, his wife, defendants. " Jurors : Morgan Drewitt, William Woodmansen, William Hewes, James ^ Browne, Henry Reynolds, Robert Schooley, Richard Pittman, Lassey Dalboe, John Ackraman, Peter Rambo, Jr., Henry Hastings, and William Oxley. " Witness : William Parke. The jury find for the plaintiff, give him 6d. damages and his costs of suit. " An action of assault and battery. Herman Johnson and Margaret, his wife, plaintiffs ; Peter Erickson, defendant. " Jurors, the same as above. Witnesses : Anna Coleman, Richard Buffington, Ebenezer Taylor. The jury find for the plaintiffs, and give them 40s. damages and their costs of suit." In a case tried at the next court, it. is recorded that " Katharine Winch- combe's evidence was rejected as a lie." The title Mr., which had theretofore been appended to the name of the justices and officers of the court, was at this court omitted, and does not appear to have been thereafter used.- Soon afterwards, the manner of calling the names of the days of the week and month, was changed to the style used by the Friends, the Assembly having directed " that ye days of ye week, and ye months of ye year shall be called as in Scripture, and not by heathen names (as are vulgarly used), as ye first, second, and third days of ye week, and first, second, and third months of ye year, beginning with ye day called Sunday, and ye month called March." This style was continued for a considerable period of time. Corporeal 528 HI8T0B Y OF PENNS TL VANIA . punishment for crime was quite common, and thie whipping post, stocks, and pillory are frequently mentioned in these old records. The first sentence of this character recorded is that " J — M — , being convicted of stealing money o'lt of the house of William Browne, was ordered twelve stripes on his bare back, well laid on, at the common whipping post, the fourth instant, between the tenth and eleventh hours in the morning." This system of punishment appears to have continued until after the middle of the eighteenth century, when it fell gradually into disuse, and- punishment by fine and imprisonment became general. The grand jury frequently presented persons for being intoxicated, for selling liquor without license, and for keeping disorderly houses, and the disposal of such pre- sentments occupied much of the attention of the court. The following are extracts of early cases : " James Sanderlaine was fined 5s. for suffering Robert Stephens to be drunk in his house. " Neil Juist paid 5s. for being drunk at Chester." Margaret Matson, of Chester county, was tried before William Penn, at Philadelphia, in February, 1684, for witchcraft. It is recorded that " the jury went forth, and upon their return brought her in guilty of having the common fame of a witch, but not guilty in manner and form as she stands indicted." The proceedings are given at length in the first volume of the Colonial Records, pages 93-96. The first tourt after the removal of the county seat to West Chester, was held on the 28th of November, 1Y86, the following justices being present: William Clingan, William Haslett, .John Bartholomew, Philip Scott, Isaac Tay- lor, John Ralston, Joseph Luckey, Thomas Cheyney, Thomas Lewis, and Richard Hill Morris. It will be remembered that in those days the ordinary county courts were held by the justices of the peace. At August term, 1791, they sat for the last time, and at November term following, the judges appointed under the constitution of 1790 took their seats. The following is a chronologi- cal list of the president judges who have occupied the bench in West Chester, viz.: William Augustus Atlee, from November, 1791, to August, 1793 ; John Joseph Henry, from February, 1794, to February, 1800; John D. Coxe, from May, 1800, to May, 1805 ; William Tilghman, from August, 1805, to February, 1806 ; Bird Wilson, from April, 1806, to November, 1817, when he left the bench for the pulpit; John Ross, from February, 1818, to May, 1821, when the judicial district was divided, and he accepted the new district composed of Bucks and Montgomery; Isaac Darlington, from July, 1821, to his death, in May, 1839; Thomas Sloan Bell, from May, 1839, to October, 1846, when he was appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court, and Henry Chapman, the last of the appointed judges, from April, 1848, to November, 1851. Townsend Haines, elected by the people, occupied the bench from December, 1851, to December, 1861, when he was succeeded bj' William Butler, who has presided from that time to the present. Between the resignation of Judge Bell, and the appointment of Judge Chapman, John M. Forster, of Harrisburg, and James Nill, of Chambersburg, occupied the bench for a time, by appointment of Governor Shunk, but were not confirmed by the Senate. The influence exerted in tliis county by the example of the Society of Friends CHESTER COUNTY. 529 is ver^' marked. The simple aflflrmation taken by their members as witnesses and in judicial proceedings is now generally used by those of all creeds, and of no creed. Even the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, who formerly always took the oath with uplifted hand, now generally follow the example. The long period of ninety years that elapsed between the settlement of the county and the war of the Revolution was a peaceful era, unfruitful of incident. During all that time the settlers were left to pursue their peaceful occupations, uninjured and unmoved by the commotions that shook the rest of the world. They plied the arts of commerce, brought new lands into culture, established schools and churches, and advanced with uniform progress towards a state of opulence and refinement. The contests which occurred within this period had little effect on the settlers here. They were largely Friends, took no active part in military concerns, and were not molested by them. The cloud, however, which had so long been gathering and rumbling on the horizon, had at length spread itself over the land, and the \noment arrived when it was to burst. The citizens of Chester county were now to see their fields crossed by hostile armies, and made the theatre of military operations, while they themselves, throwing aside the implements of husbandry and forgetting the employments of peace, were to mingle in the general strife. When the difficulties between the Colonies and the mother country became serious, a large meeting of the inhabitants of the county was held at the court house at Chester, in December, 17 14, to devise measures for the protection of their rights as freemen, in pursuance of the resolution of the Continental Congress. A committee of seventy was chosen, at the head of which stood Anthony Wayne, and among his colleagues were such resolute men as Francis Johnston, Richard Riley, Hugh Lloyd, Sketchley Morton, Lewis Gronow, Richard Thomas, William Montgomery, Persifor Frazer, John Hannum Patterson Bell, Richard Flower, and Walter Finney. The object of this com- mittee was to aid in superseding the Colonial government, and to take charge of the local interests of the county. The first military force raised in the county was a regiment of volunteers, commanded by Colonel Richard Thomas, of the Great Valley. In the beginning of the year 1776, a regiment was organized, commanded by Anthony Wayne as colonel, and Francis Johnston as lieutenant-colonel, and consisting of eight companies, with the following named captains : Persifor Frazer, Thomas Robison, John Lacey, Caleb North, Thomas Church, Frederick Vernon, James Moore, and James Taylor. All these officers were citizens of Chester county, except John Lacey, who then resided in Bucks county, and Thomas Church, who resided in Lancaster county. Another regiment was subsequently raised and officered principally by the inhabitants of Chester county. Samuel J. Atlee, of Lancaster was appointed colonel, and Caleb Parry, of Chester county, lieutenant- colonel and among the captains were Joseph McClellan and Walter Finney. Among the citizens of Chester county who rose to eminence as military men during the revolution, were Anthony Wayne, Richard Thomas, Francis Johnston, Jacob Humphrey, Caleb Parry, Joseph McClellan, Walter Finney, Richard Humpton, Persifor Frazer, Benjamin Bartholomew, William Montgo- mery Allen Cunningham, James McCullough, John Harper, Stephen Cochran. 2 I 530 HISTOB Y OF PENNS YL VANIA. Robert Smith, and Andrew Boyd. The last two were lieutenants of the county, and had charge of the raising and equipping of the militia levies. Among the civilians who rendered eflScient service, were John Morton, Thomas M'Kean, William Clingan, Thomas Cheyney, John Hannum, Samuel Futhey, John Jacobs, Dr. Joseph Gardner, John Beaton, Caleb Davis, William Gibbons, Richard Riley, John Ralston, Stephen Cochran, and Reverends John Carmichael, William Foster, and David Jones. It will thus be seen that Chester county not only contributed a full propor- tion of men for the service, but evinced a spirit scarcely to be expected among a people, so many of whom were opposed in principle to the practice of war. It is to be remembered, however, that when the Revolution dawned upon us, the Scotch-Irish element had become very strong — almost the whole of the western part of the county was peopled by them and their descendants — and they became a powerful element in the contribution of the county to the cause of liberty. As an instance of their flevotion, it is stated that in the region known as Brandy- wine Manor, in the campaign of 1777, not a man capable of bearing arms remained at home, and the farm labor devolved upon the old men, women, and children. Among the most active in promoting the cause, were the Rev. John Carmichael, of Brandywine Manor, and Rev. William Foster, of Upper Octo- rara, Presbyterian clergymen, and the Rev. David Jones, of the Great Valley, a Baptist clergyman, the effect of whose preaching was to send many a valuable recruit into the army. The Welsh element was generally favorable to indepen- dence, and contributed to swell the ranks of the patriots. The British, on their route from the head of Chesapeake bay to Philadelphia, in September, 1777, entered Chester county in the lower part of New Garden township. They rested the night of the tenth at Kennett Square, and on the next morning formed in two divisions, one under General Knyphausen, pursuing the direct road eastward to Chad's ford, and the main body, under General Corn- wallis, and accompanied by the commander-in-chief, taking a circuitous route, crossing the west branch of the Brandywine at Trimble's ford, and the east branch at Jefferis' ford, and approaching Birmingham meeting house from the north. The object of this movement was to hem in the American forces between the two divisions of the British army. In this they were successful, and the Americans, after a brief but severe struggle, were routed and compelled to seek safety in flight. The particulars of the battle of Brandywine are given in the general sketch, and need not be repeated here. The question has been frequently mooted, whether the fact that the British tiad divided their forces, should not have been discovered sooner than it was, and the disastrous defeat which took place have been prevented ? The writer, from a knowledge of the entire section of country near where the battle was fought, entertains the opinion that there was somewhere the most culpable and inexcusable negligence, in not having sooner definitely ascertained the move- ments of the British army. The fords of the Brandywine, where the British were at all likely to cross, were all comparatively near to the Americans, and were easily accessible ; the country was open, and the roads were substantially the same as now, and with proper vigilance, the movements of the Bri'-ish could 0HE8TEB COUNTY. 53: have been easily discovered in time to have enabled General Washington to have disposed of his troops to the best advantage. It is now known that small bodies of the British light troops crossed at Wistar's and at Buffington's fords, which are between Jefferi's ford and Chad's ford, some time before the main body of the army crossed at Jefferis' ford, and yet no information of these movements appears to have been communicated to the commander-in-chief. The first reliable information which he received was from Thomas Cheyney, an intelligent and patriotic citizen, whose residence was a few miles distant. He had passed the night at the residence of John Hannum, where the present village of Marshalton stands, and the two set out on the morning of the eleventh to visit the American army. As they descended towards the west branch of the Brandywine near Trimble's ford, they discovered, coming down from the hills opposite, a numerous body of British soldiers. This very much surprised them, and they moved round the adjacent hills, in order to observe the direction talien by tliem. Finding they were going towards Jefferis' ford, and believing them to constitute the main body of the British army, they resolved at once, and at some personal rislf, to proceed with the intelligence to General Washington. Cheyney being mounted on a fleet hackney, pushed down the stream until he found the commander-in-chief, and communicated the tidings to him, but the information came so late that there was not time to properly meet the emergency. It has been usual to attribute the loss of the battle to this want of timely intelli- gence of the movements of the enemy, but it is problematical whether the Ameri- cans could have been successful under any circumstances. The British army was well appointed and highly disciplined ; a large part of the American army, at that time, was a mere militia levy, and this superiority of the British troops over the Americans would probably have enabled them to gain the day under any circumstances. The meeting-house at Birmingham had been taken possession of by Washington some days previously, with a view to its occupancy by the sick of the American army, but before it was in readiness for that purpose the bati la was fought, and it was used by the British as an hospital for their wounded officers. There is a tradition which has long been current, that a member of the House of Northumberland, named Percy, was killed in the engagement, a,nd buried in the graveyard at Birmingham meeting-house, and the supposed place of inter- ment has been pointed out to the writer. This tradition, which we see occcasion- ally given as history, is unqestionably a myth. We have no reliable evidence of its truth. "Very few officers of conspicuous rank, in either armj-, were slain in the OLD BIBMINGHAM MEETING HOUSE. 532 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. battle of Brandywine, and if it were true that a " Percy of Northumberland " had fallen there, General liowe assuredly was not the person to ignore the death of a companion in arms who could trace his family name back to the days of Chevy Chase. Hugh, Earl Percy, afterwards Second Duke of Northumberland, was in this country in the early period of the Revolution, and commanded some forces at the battle of Lexington, but he left America previous to the battle of Brandywine. The British army remained some days in the neighborhood of the field of buttle, and during this time had a cattle pen, where they collected large numbers of cattle and other animals, 'and slaughtered and preserved them for the use of the army. Nearly all the live stock in the country for a considerable distance around was taken from the inhabitants. In some instances payment was made in British gold, but generally no compensation was given. On the 16th of September they proceeded northward towards the Great Valley, by what is known as the Chester road. Washington, after resting his army, marched from Philadelphia up the Lancaster road, with the view of again offering battle. On the llth the armies met in Goshen township, about four miles north-east of West Chester ; skirmishing began between the advanced parties, and a sanguinary battle would probably have been fought, but a rain storm of great violence stopped its further progress, and rendered it impossible for either army to keep the field. A few soldiers were killed in the conflict. The Americans retired to the Yellow Springs, where, discovering that their ammunition had been greatly damaged by the rain, and that they were not in a condition to engage in a conflict, the march was continued to Warwick Furnace, in the present township of Warwick, in the northern part of the county, where a fresh supply of arms and ammunition was obtained. After a detention of two days on account of the weather, the British moved down the Great Valley into Tredyffrin township. A detachment under General Wayne was dispatched by Washington to the rear of the British army, to harass and annoy it, and endeavor to cut off the baggage train, and by this means to arrest its march towards the Schuylkill, until the Americans could cross the river higher up and pass down on the east side, and intercept the passage of the river by the British. On the night of the 20th of September, the command of Wayne, who were encamped in what is now known as the Paoli Massacre ground, in WiUistown township, was surprised by General Grey, and many of his men slain. Informa- tion of the whereabouts of the forces of Wayne had been given to the British commander by Tories residing in the neighborhood, by one of whom General Grey was guided in his cowardly midnight assault. The dead were decently interred by the neighboring farmers in one grave immediately adjoining the scene of action. After the affair at Paoli, the British army moved down the valley, intending to cross the Schuylkill at Sjvedes' ford, but finding it guarded, they turned up the river on the west side, for the purpose of effecting a passage of some of the fords higher up. The American army, in order if possible to prevent the British from passing the river, had in the meantime moved from Warwick Furnace and crossed the Schuylkill at Parker's ford, at or near the present village of Lawrenceville, in this county, and moved southward CHESTER COUNTY. 533 on the east side. They were unable, however, to prevent the passage of the British, who crossed in two divisions — at Gordon's ford, now Phoenixville, *nd at Fatland ford, a short distance below Valley Forge. On the 20th of September, 1817, being the fortieth anniversary of the mas- sacre, a monument was erected over the remains of those gallent men by the Republican Artillerists of Chester county, aided by the contributions of their fellow-citizens. It is composed of white, marble, and is a pedestal surmounted by ^ pyramid. Upon the four sides of the body of the pedestal are appropriate inscriptions. It stands on the centre of the grave in which the slaughtered heroes were buried, in the south-east corner of a large field, owned and used by the military organizations of Chester county for parades and encampments. The grave itself is about sixty feet long by twenty wide, and is surrounded by a stone wall. The scene of this conflict is probably the best preserved of any that marked the progress of the Revolutionary war. The monument has become so much battered and broken by relic hunters that it is proposed'to erect a new one during this Centennial year, and funds are now being contributed for that purpose. The point is a short distance south of Malvern station, at the inter- section of the West Chester and Pennsylvania railroads. In the year 1794, what is popularly known as the Whiskey Insurrection, in western Pennsylvania, became so threatening, that when President Washington made a requisition for a uiililiir^' force. Governor Mifflin came to Chester county, and in a speech at West Chester called upon the patriotic citizens of the county to volunteer their aid in its suppression. The Governor, who was good at astump speech, addressed the meeting with such effect that the people responded in the most patriotic manner. A troop of cavalry was promptly raised by Colonel Joseph McClellan, Major Samuel Futhey, and others, and a company of artillery by Aaron Musgrave. These companies joined the ex- pedition to the west, and faithfully performed their tour of duty as good citizen soldiers. In the war of 1 81 2-1 4, with Great Britain, Chester county did her share in raising men to resist the encroaches of the enemy. A number of companies were recruited and prepared for duty. Those from the western part of the county marched to Baltimore, and those from the eastern part to Philadelphia, and from thence to Marcus Hook, where they were received into the ser- vice of the United States, and served until they were regularly discharged. Colonel Isaac Wayne, Major Isaac D. Barnard, Captain Christopher Wigton, Captain Titus Taylor, and Captain George Hartman, were among those who recruited men for the service. Major Barnard was actively engaged in the field during the entire war, and won for himself honorable distinction. On the 26th of July, 1825, General Lafayette visited the Brandywine battle- field, where he had been wounded in 1777, and was thence escorted by the V )lunteer soldiery and assembled citizens to West Chester, where he was enter- tained by a committee with a public dinner in the court house. The following day he proceeded to Lancaster. He was accompanied by his son, George Washington Lafayette. In the .var for the preservation of the Union, Chester county, in common with the cnliic North, responded most nobly to the calls made upon her. Where 634 HI8T0BT OF PENNSYLVANIA. all did so well, it would be invidious to claim for one greater distinction or regard than another. It is estimated that this county furnished not less than six thousand five hundred soldiers, of whom about five hundred were colored men. When the three months men were called for, four companies were furnished, one of which was connected with the 4th and the other with the 9th regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers. The others, so far as we have any record of them, were distributed as follows : In the 1st Pennsylvania reserves, two companies ; 4th reserves, one company ; 1st Pennsylvania rifles (BucktaUs), one company ; 49th Pennsylvania volunteers, one company ; 53d, two companies ; 71st, one company; 97th, seven companies; 116th, one company; 124th, eight companies; 175th, eight companies; 7th cavalry, one company; 16th cavalry, one company ; 20th cavalry, one company. In addition to these, hundreds of men left the county, singly and in squads, and became connected with regiments in other places — ^largely in Philadelphia. Drafts were also made from time to time, which furnished a large number. Camp Wayne was established at West Chester early in the war, and many of the regiments were fitted there for active duty. General Galusha Pennypacker, formerly colonel of the 97th Pennsylvania, now in the regular army, is a native of Chester county. Among her citizens who fell in the service were Colonels Frederick Taylor, Thomas S. Bell, Henry M. Mclntire, and George W. Roberts. The earliest educational institution of note in the county was the New London Academy, established by Rev. Dr. Francis Allison in 1743. It became justly celebrated, and served to aid in furnishing the State with able civilians, and the church with well-qualified ministers. Among those who were wholly or partially educated here were Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, Dr. John Ewing, Provost of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. David Ramsay, the historian, the celebrated Dr. Hugh Williamson, one of the framers of the Constitution of the United States and historian of North Carolina, and three signers of the Declaration of Independence, Gov. Thomas M'Kean, George Read, and James Smith. Hugh Williamson and Thomas M'Kean were both natives of Chester county, and born within a few miles of the location of this school. Dr. Allison subsequently became Vice Provost of the University of Pennsylvania, was an unusually accurate and profound scholar, and to his zeal for the diffusion of knowledge, Pennsylvania owes much of that taste for solid learning and classical literature for which many of her principal characters have been distinguished. About the same, time Rev. Samuel Blair established a clas- sical school at Fagg's Manor, from which came forth many distinguished pupils, who did honor to their instructor. Among them was Rev. Dr. Samuel Davies, who was one of the Presidents of Princeton College, Rev. Dr. John Rodgers, and Rev. Robert Smith, the father of Samuel Stanhope Smith and John Blair Smith, all eminent as scholars and divines. The West Chester Academy was erected in 1812, and was a flourishing insti- tution for many years. It was finally merged in the State Normal School. Anthony Bolmar, a native of France, established a school in West Chester in 1840, which he conducted until his death, in 1859. It was one of the best regu- lated and most complete institutions for the education of young men in the United States. His pupils are scattered over the country, and many of thera CHESTER COUNTY. 535 occupy prominent positions. He was the author of several educational works on the French language. After his decease Colonel Theodore Hyatt conducted the Pennsylvania Military Academy in the same building for some years, and was succeeded by William P. Wyers. After the death of Mr. Wyers, the property passed under the control of the Catholic church, and is now occupied by the Convent of the Sacred Heart. In 1826, Rev. Francis A. Latta estab- lished, in Sadsbury township, the Moscow Academy, which he successfully conducted for several years. Among the most distinguished of the seminaries of learning in the county is the Westtown Friends boarding school. It was established in 1794, and has ever since been in successful operation. It is ex- clusively for the education of youth of both sexes belonging to the Society of Friends. The buildings are located on a farm of six hundred acres. The Kimberton boarding school was established in 1817, by Emmor Kimber, and was conducted by him and his accomplished daughters for many years. The State normal school, for the district coniposed of the counties of Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks, was opened in 1871, and under the superintendence of George L. Maris, and a corps of eflScient teachers, is doing a noble work. The building is a massive structure, con- structed of the beautiful serpentine stone, so abundant in this region. The grounds contain ten acres, laid out in drives, walks, croquet and ball grounds, and ornamented with trees, shrubbery, and flowers. During the last year, there were two hundred and eighty-seven scholars, about equally divided between the sexes. Lincoln University — an institution for the education of young men of color — was incorporated by the Legislature in 1854, under the title of Ashmun InstitQte. In 1866 the name was changed to Lincoln University, and its sphere of usefulness enlarged. The buildings are situated on a tract of eighty acres, in Lower Oxford township, on the line of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central railroad, and near the borough of Oxford, and occupy a commanding position upon one of the highest hills in that undulating district. There are four University buildings and four professors' houses. The institution is completely equipped with a corps of fifteen professors and teachers, who are zealous and earnest in the work. Students are fitted in the preparatory department, and in college pursue the regular course of four years, and on graduating receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts., Pull instruc- tion is also given in the law, medical, and theological departments, and the regular degrees conferred. The University is doing a noble work in sending out educated colored men, fitted to instruct and elevate their race. The number of students in all the departments at the present time is about two hundred. Rev. I. N. Rendall, D.D., is president. A soldiers' orphans' school was established at Chester Springs, in West Pikeland township, at the close of the war, and has always had a full attendance. Chester Springs was once a noted watering place, but is not now kept as such, and the buildings are in the occupancy of this school. Among them is a large structure which was erected by General Washington during the Revolution, for the sick and wounded of the army. It has long been known as Washington Hall. Numerous institutions of learning are scattered over the county, among 536 HI8TOR Y OF PENN8YL VANIA. which may be mentioned the TJnionville academy, R. M. McOlellan's school for young men and boys at West Chester, the Eaton academy at Kennett Square, and the Kennett Square academy of Dr. Prank Taylor, the Ercildoun seminary, Mary B. Thomas and sister's seminary at Downingtown, and Mrs. Cope's boarding school at Toughkenamon. In speaking of the literary institutions of Chester county, honorable mention must be made of John Forsythe, Philip Price, Enoch Lewis, author of several mathematical works, Jonathan G-ause, Joshua Hoopes, Thomas Conard, Joseph C. Strode, and Hannah P. Davis, as successful educators and proprietors of boarding schools. Jonathan Gause and Joshua Hoopes each taught over fifty years, and always had a large number of pupils. There are ten boroughs in Chester county. Atglen, formerly the village of Penningtonville, is a new borough, and was incorporated by decree of court, December 20, 1875. It is situated on the Pennsylvania railroad, in the Great Valley, about one mile from the Octorara creek, which forms the western boundary of the county. It contains a large manufactory of sad-irons. CoATESViiiLE, named in honor of the Coates family, was incorporated in 1867. It is situated in the Great Valley, where it is crossed by the west branch of the Brandywine. This has of late years become a thriving town, its prosperity being due in great part to the extensive iron works of C. E. Pennock & Co., Steele & Worth, Huston & Penrose, and others. Tliere are also a number of paper mills, woollen and cotton mills, flouring mills, and other industries, within a short distance. The Pennsylvania railroad crosses the Brandywine on a magnificent bridge, 836 feet in length, and seventy-three feet high. The Wilmington and Reading railroad also passes through the town. Moses Coates, the ancestor of the family from whom the place derives its name, came from Ireland about 1717, and settled in Charlestown township, whence some of their children removed to East Cain. William Fleming was a settler near this place. His wife was a sister to John and Thomas Moore, who settled at Downingtown. DowNiNaTOWN is in the midst of the Great Valley, on the east branch of the Brandywine. In 1702, surveys were made here in right of purchases made in England. Among the earlj' settlers were Thomas and John Moore, George Aston, Roger Hunt, Thomas Parke, and Thomas Downing. Thomas Moore erected a mill before the year 1718, which afterwards became the property of Thomas Downing, from whom the place received its present name, having been previously known as Milltown. During the early years of its history Downingtown was a peculiarly staid and respectable place, and resisted the project of making it the county seat, when its removal from Chester was under consideration, and not a lot could be obtained on which to erect the county buildings. No parallel can probably be found in the history of any town in the country. They were opposed both to parting with their lands, and to the noise and brawling of a county town. Not even the passage of the railroad along its southern border could seduce the old-fashioned citizens from their quiet, staid, and thrifty ways, into the delusive dream of making haste to be rich. Of late years, however, new men have taken hold, and it now possesses its full share of enterprise, and bids fair to become a large and prosperous town. Among its industries is a manufactory of sewing CHESTER COUNTY. 531 machines. It is a prominent station on the Pennsj'lvania railroad, and the point of junction of the branch road to Waynesburg and New Holland, and of the Chester Valley railroad to Norristown. It was incorporated as a borough in 1859. HOPEWELL is situated in the south-western part of the county, and contains a large number of cotton and woolen manufactories and flouring mills. The Dickey and Ross families were enterprising and leading operators here for many years. Kennett Square is situated on the line of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central railroad, in the midst of an exceedingly fertile district of country, at the head of the Toughkenamon valley. The inhabitants — who are largely the descen- dants of the original settlers — are noted for their intelligence and culture. The anti-slavery sentiment has always predominated strongly, and in the days of slavery it was esteemed a hot-bed of abolitionism. The inhabitants, however, gloried in their sentiments, and many a way-faring bondman received aid and comfort from them on his passage towards the North Star. It would have been a dangerous experiment, in those days, for any of its inhabitants to have pro- claimed their nativity, south of Mason and Dixon's line. Its academies and seminaries have for years ranked high, and many youth from a distance are edu- cated here. The prosperity of the place is largely due to the extensive manu- facture of agricultural machinery. The old Unicorn tavern, said to have been the scene of one of the outlaw Fitzpatrick's exploits, was burned during the past year. Gayen Miller was the first settler in this neighborhood. Oxford is also on the line of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central railroad, and at the junction of the Peach Bottom railroad to York. It has grown rapidly since the completion of the first named railroad, and bids fair to become a large and prosperous town. It was incorporated in 1833. Parkesburg, incorporated in 18T2, is a prominent station on the line of the Pennsylvania railroad, and contains, a population of about six hundred. The State shops were formerly located here, but a few years since were removed to Harrisburg, and the buildings have since been occupied as a rolling mill. It received its name from the Parkes, an old and influential family in this section of the county. Ph(ENIXVILLE, incorporated in 1849, is situated on the Schuylkill river, and on the line of the Reading railroad. It owes its prosperity largely to the very extensive iron works located here, which give employment to several hundred families. The families of Coates, Starr, and Buckwalter, were among the early settlers. Population, about six thousand. Spring City, originally Springville, is situated on the Schuylkill river, opposite to Royer's Ford, on the Reading railroad. The American Wood-Paper company have their works here, and there is also a large manufactory of stoves and hollow ware. Incorporated in 1867. West Chester was incorporated in 1788, and contains a population of about six thousand flve hundred. The original court house, erected in 1784, was replaced by a new one in 1846, and the old prison by a new one — conducted on the penitentiary system— erected in 1838, and enlarged in 1872. The public buildings reflect great credit on the enterprise and taste of the citizens. This town is one of the most attractive in the State. It is well built, the streets well 538 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. paved and lighted, and lined with shade trees. One looking on it from an elevated position would suppose it situated in a forest. It is remarkable for salubrity, and is surrounded by a beautiful, undulating country. West Chester is pre-eminent among the towns of the State for its highly cultivated state of society, and the general diffusion of intelligence among its citizens. The natural history of the county has been very fully explored and written upon by citizens engaged in the ordinary pursuits of life. It contains private collections of minerals, shells, and botanical specimens, scarcely equalled in public institutions. A taste for such studies was much fostered by the '' Chester County Cabinet of Natural Science," a society organized in 1826 — the library and collections of which are now in charge of the State Normal school, located here. As an educational centre, West Chester has always enjoyed a high rank, and the graduates of its schools are to be found in every department of public life. It is also noted for the number of people who resort to it from other places, to pass the remainder of their lives in ease and retirement. Its inhabitants were, for a long time, chiefly of the Society of Friends, and this has given tone to society, although its character is fast changing, from the influx of those of other creeds. Chester county, in addition to the incorporated boroughs, is studded with villages, which have grown up in the progress of years, at the crossings of the great roads, and at or near the sites,of the ancient inns, with which the county abounds. Many of these old taverns were famous among the travelers of the olden time, and not a few have been distinguished in the annals of the Revolu- tion. Among these were the Paoli, Warren, Chatham, White Horse, Black Horse, Ship, Buck, Red Lion, Wagon, Anvil, Hammer & Trowel, Compass, Turk's Head, Unicorn, and Spread Eagle. The most noted of these villages are Waynesburg, Lionville, Marshalton, Wagontown, Doe Bun, Unionville, New London, Cochranville, Chatham, Avondale, West Grove, Landenberg, and Toughkenamon. There are fifty-six townships in the county. Birmingham was probably named by William Brinton, one of the earliest settlers, who came from the neighborhood of the town of that name in England. It was surveyed about 1684 to various persons in right of purchases made in England. Upon the division of the county, the greater part of the original town- ship fell into Delaware county, but to the remainder an addition was made from the southern end of East Bradford in 1856. The battle of Brandywine was fought in this township. The descendants of William Brinton, the first settler, are numerous, and very many of them occupy highly respectable positions in society. It is believed that all bearing the name of Brinton, in Pennsylvania, are descended from him. For more than a century the name was pronounced Bran- ton. A public library was established in this township as early as 179.5, which is still kept up. Bbadfobd was probably named from Bradford, in Yorkshire, or the town of the same name on Avon, in Wiltshire. It was divided into East Bradford and West Bradford, in lt31. Some of the early surveys were made in 1686, others in 1702, and later. Among the early settlers were the names of Bufflngton, Jefferis, Taylor, Woodward, Martin, Townsend, Strode, and Marshall. Abia)' OHESTER COUNTY. 539 Taylor settled on the Brandymne in 1702, and built a mill on a branch of that stream. In 1724 he erected a brick house, with briclcs imported from Sluglxid, which is still standing. Humphrey Marshall, one of the earliest American botan- ists, and author of a work on the Forest Trees of the United States, published in 1785, planted a botanical garden at Marshallton, in West Bradford, and his name was given to the village. Brandtwinb was erected in 1790, and named from the stream, by the two branches of which it was bounded on either side. It was formerly the northern part of East Cain, and was divided into East Brandy wine and West Brandywine in 1844. Caln (now divided into Cain, Bast Cain, and West Cain), was named from Cain, in Wiltshire, England, whence some of the early settlers came. In 1702, surveys were made, extending from the Welsh tract on the east, to the west branch of Brandywine on the west, mostly confined to the valley. These were afterwards extended northward and westward. In 1728 the township was divided into East Cain and West Cain, the Brandywine being the dividing line. East Cain was reduced in 1790, by the erection of Brandywine on the north, and in 1853 by the for- mation of Valley township on the west. In 1868, it was again divided, the part east of Downington re- taining the name of East Cain, and the remainder, with a part of Valley, taking the name of Cain. The greater part of Cain and East Cain lie in the Great Vallej', and contain beautiful farming lands, while West Cain is more hilly. house of abiah tayi-oh, Charlestown was so called in honor of Charles Buiitmin). Pickering, of Asmore, in the county of Chester, England, who purchased a large amount of land from Penn. His surname was given to the stream which flows through the township. This township was divided in 1826, and the eastern part Ij'ing on the Schuylkill river, called Schuylkill township. The early settlers were mostly Welsh, followed by some from Germany. CovKNTRY township doubtless received its name from Samuel Nutt, an early settler who came from Coventry, in Warwickshire, England. He arrived in this country in 1714, bringing a certificate of recommendation from friends in England, and after his arrival married Anna, widow of Samuel Savage, , and daughter of Thomas Rutter, one of the early iron masters of Pennsylvania. Samuel Nutt, after his arrival here, turned his attention to the manufacture of iron, and established the first iron works in Chester county. He took up land on French creek in 1717, and about that time built a forge there. A letter written by him, in 1720, mentions an intention of erecting another forge that fall. His step-son, Samuel Savage, married a sister of John Taylor, who erected Sarum forge, on Chester creek, and a step-daughter, Ruth Savage, became the wife of John Potts, the founder of Pottstown. Ilobert Grace, an extensive iron master, resided in this township, and the Merediths, from Radnorshire, were among the prominent settlers. The date of the erection of the township is not certainly known, but supposed to have been about 1723. In 1841 the town- 540 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. ship was divided into North Coventry and South Coventry, and in 1844, East Coventry was formed by a division of North Coventry. Easttown was erected in 1704, and so named on account of its position. It was included in the original survey made for the Welsh, and was settled by them. In 1722, Anthony Wayne, a native of Yorkshire, emigrated from the county of Wicklow, Ireland, and settled in this township, where he died in 1739. His son Francis appears to have done something at surveying. Another son, Isaac, was the father of General Anthony Wayne, who was born in this township. Elk was formed in 1857, from the township of East Nottingham, and named from the stream which skirts its eastern side. Its southern boundary is Mason and Dixon's line. Fallowfield is supposed to have been named in honor of Lancelot Fallow- field, of Westmoreland, England, who was one of the first purchasers of land from William Penn. John Salkeld, a noted Quaker preacher, who came from that part of England, bought the right of Lane- lot Fallowfield, and took up land in this township in 1714, and may have sug- gested the name. The township was erected about 1724. In 1743 it was di- vided into East Fallowfield and West Fallowfield, the stream called Buck run being the dividing line. At this time we find among the inhabitants of the eastern part, the names of Bentley, Dennis, Filson, Fleming, Mode, Hannum, and Hayes; and in the western part, the names of Adams, Cochran, Moore, Parke, and Wilson. In 1853 Highland township was formed from the eastern part of West Fallowfield. Franklin was formed from the eastern part of New London in 1852. Goshen was included in the original survey for the Welsh, but many survej-s - were made there for other purchasers, owing to delay on the part of the Wekh to settle the land. It was organized as a township in 1704. Among the early settlers were Robert Williams, Ellis David (or Davies), George Ashbridge, and Mordecai Bane. Griffith Owen had a house here, at which Friend meetings were held as early as 1702. This meeting was probably the first within the present limits of the county. It was also held at the house of Robert Williams for a time, previous to the erection of a meeting house. Tradition says that he was called the king of Goshen, and that on one occasion when his fire went out, he was obliged to go several miles to get it renewed. George Ashbridge, a son of the settler of the same name, was a member of Assembly from this county from 1748 till his death, in 1773, a period of thirty years, probably the longest BIKTH PLACE AND KESIDENOE OF GENERAL WAYNE. [From a Photograph by A. W, Taylor, Weat Chester.] CHESTER COUNTY. ' 541 terra the oflBce was ever held by one man. Men of experience weie sought after in those days to fill public positions. The Haines, Matlack, and Hoopes families became numerous here. In 1817 tne township was divided into East Goshen and West Goshen. The borough of West Chester was taken from this township in 1788. Goshen Friends meeting house, still standing, was erected in 1736. Highland was formed from the eastern part of West Fallowfleld in 1853. It lies between West Fallowfleld and East Fallowfleld. Among early settlers were the names of Adams, Boggs, Boyd, Cowpland, Futhey, Glendenning, Gibson, Haslett, Hamill, and Wilson. HoNEYBROOK was formed from West Nantmeal in 1789. The name Nant- meal (or Nantmel, as originallj' spelled), which is Welsh, signifl'es Honeybrook, and the translated name was given to the new township. Among the early residents were the families of Ralston, Buchanan, Maceldufl', 'I'albot, Trego, Suplee, and Long. Kennett (originally spelled Kennet), is flrst mentioned on the court records as a township in 1704. It is thought the name was suggested by Francis Smith, who came from Wiltshire (where there is a village of that name), and took up land in 16S6, at the mouth of Focopson creek. Pennsbury and Pocopson were originally included in Kennett, while the greater part of what now bears the name was included in a survey made about 1700, for William Penn's daughter Letitia, and called LfCtitia's Manor. The land was sold to settlers by her agents. London Britain. — A considerable part of this township was included in the survey made for the London company. Settlements were made at an early date by Welsh Baptists, in the southern part of the township, and a church was estab- lished amongst them. The oldest tombstone in the grave-yard bears date 1729. John Evans, from Radnorshire, about 1700, was prominent among these settlers, and his son of the same name, who died in 1738, held large tracts of land, together with fulling mills and grist mills, on White Clay creek. An Indian village was formerly on the creek, near Yeatman's mill. Londonderry derived its name from Londonderry, Ireland. Nearly all the early settlers were Scotch-Irish. The greater part of the present township was in Sir John Fagg's Manor, and the large Presbyterian church of Pagg's Manor is in this township. It was separated from Nottingham in 1734. Oxford was taken ofi' in 1754, and further divided in 1819, and the southern part called Penn. London Grove was organized in 1723. In 1699, William Penn sold to Tobias Collet and three others, among other lands, sixty thousand acres, not then located. These persons admitted others into partnership with them, and formed a com- pany generally known as the London company, for the improvement. of their property, the number of shares eventually reaching eight thousand eight hundred, and the shareholders several hundred. As a part of the sixty thousand acres, a survey was made of seventeen thousand two hundred and eighteen acres in Chester countj' including all the present township of London Grove, and a large part of Franklin (formerly New London) and London Britain. A large number of the settlers in London Grove were Friends, and among them were the names of Chandler, Jackson, Lamborn, Lindley, Allen, Morton, Pusey, Scarlet, 642 HIS TOR Y OF PENNS YL VANIA. Starr, and Underwood. The villages of Avondale and West Grove are in lltiB township. MAELBOBOuaH was named from Marlborough, in Wiltshire. The eastern pan was laid out about 1701, in right of purchases made in England. As first designed by Penn, the eastern part was to be rectangular — the "Street" road passing through the middle, and the land on the north, was described as in Ben- salem township, but afterwards added to Marlborough. The township was divided, in 1Y29, into East Marlborough and West Marlborough. Among the early settlers were Joel Baily, Thomas Jackson, Caleb Pusey, Francis Swayne, John Smith, and Henry Hayes. In West Marlborough, Joseph Pennock was among the first settlers, and there he built "Primitive Hall," which is still stand- ing. His descen.lants are very numerous. Cedarcroft, the home of Bayard Taylor, is in East Marlborough, less than a mile north of Kennett Square. The name Hilltown was originally applied to West Marlborough and lands to the westward, probably from its topography. Nantmeal is a Welsh name, and the early settlers were chiefly from that countrJ^ The township was divided in 1740 into East Nantmeal and West Nant- meal. The signatures to the petition for division indicates the character of the population at that time. On this petition are the Welsh surnames of Pugh, David, Roger, Williams, Stephens, Griffiths, Rees, Edward, Jones, Meredith, Roberts, and Philips. There are also the names of Frayley, Marsh, Kirk, Savage, and Speary. New Garden was named from New Garden, in the county Carlow, Ireland. This township was included in a survey made about 1700, for William Penn, Jr., being part of 30,000 acres surveyed for him and his sister Letitia, part of which lay in New Castle county. It was largely settled from 1712 to 1720, by Friends from Ireland, one of whom, John Lowden, is supposed to have suggested the Uame, in remembrance of his former home. Thomas and Mary Rowland settled in the valley, near Toughkenamon, in 1706, being, perhaps, the first settlers who purchased land in the township. Among the early settlers were John Miller, Michael Lightfoot, Joseph, John, and Nehemiah Hutton, Joseph Sharp, Benjamin Fred, Robert Johnstf-n, and the Starr family. The township is now intersected by three railroads. Landenbei'g, in this township, is the seat of extensive woolen mills, and at Toughkenamon is a large manufactory of spokes and wheels, and one of hard rubber goods — also a large boarding school. Newlin, formerly called Newlinton, was named in honor of Nathaniel New- lin. This township was surveyed in 1688, for the Free Society of Traders. It was purchased in 1724, by Nathaniel Newlin, who sold parts of it, and the remain- der was divided among his heirs in 1730. An Anabaptist congregation held meetings at the house of John Bentley, prior to 1747, with Owen Thomas as their minister, and a meeting house was erected some years after, on land of the Bentleys. New London was pi-obably so named because it contained land of the London company's purchase. A survey was made for Michael Harlan, in 1714, at a place called Thunder Hill, while near it, on Elk creek, a large tract called Pleasant Garden, was taken up under a Maryland right. About 1720, a survey was made for Susanna M'Cain, who was doubtless the grandmother of Governor Thomas CHESTER COUN'IY. 543 M'Kean. The names of Hodgson, Mackey, Scott, Moore, Cook, Finney, John- son, and Allison, were among the early settlers. The most of these were Scotch- Irish Presbyterians. Nottingham In 1102 a survey of eighteen thousand acres was made by direction of Penn's commissioners, and divided amongst several persons who took an interest in the settlement, except three thousand acres, which was reserved for the Proprietary. This settlement received the name of Nottingham When the line between the Provinces of Pennsylvania and Maryland was finally settled, all of the original survey fell into Maryland, except one thousand three hundred and forty-five acres. Prominent among those who settled upon these lainds, were the names of Brown, Beeson, Beal, Churchman, Gatchell, Job, Rey- nolds, Ross, and Sidwell. The township was divided into West Nottingham and East Nottingham, about the year 1720. The celebrated Hugh Williamson was bom in West Nottingham, in 1135. OxFOED was formed by a division of Londonderry, in 1754. A survey of five thousand acres was made in the eastern part of this township for William Penn, Jr., and afterwards known as Penn's Manor. Between this and the Octorara creek, surveys were made from 1730 to 1750 and later, as desired by settlers. Those who had seated themselves on the Manor did not get title until 1 747, and afterwards. The township also included a portion of Pagg's Manor, which lay to the east of Penn's Manor, and on this the settlers were also seated a consider- able time before getting titles to the land. A majority of the early settlers were Scotch-Irish. It was divided into Upper Oxford and Lower Oxford in 1797. Penn was formed by a division of Londonderry in 1817. The greater part of it was originally included in Fagg's Manor, and the settlers were largely from Ireland. Pennsbury was formed from the eastern part of Kennett, in 1770, and com- prised the earliest settled part of that township. There were few settlements made until after 1700. The names of Smith, Peirce, Way, Hope, Harlan, Few, and Bentley, were among the first to take up land, and after these came the Harveys, Mendenhalls, Webbs, and Temples. John Parker, an eminent minister among Friends, was settled there in the time of the Revolution. At the battle of Brandy wine, Knyphausen's forces were posted in this township, at and near Chad's ford, until the fighting commenced with the forces under Cornwallis, at Birmingham meeting-house, when he crossed the Brandywine and attacked the forces under General Wayne, who were guarding the ford. PiKELAND was granted by William Penn to Joseph Pike, by patent made in 1705. It contained over ten thousand acres. By various devises and convey- ances, it became the property of Samuel Hoare, of London. He, in 1773, con- veyed it to Andrew Allen, and took a mortgage on it for sixteen thousand pounds sterling. Allen sold parcels of it to over one hundred persons, and received the purchase moneys. The mortgage not being paid, it was sued out, and the entire township sold by the sheriff in 1789, and re-purchased by Samuel Hoare. The persons to whom Allen had made sales, and whose titles were divested by this sherifi^s sale, generally compromised with Hoare and received new deeds from him. It was divided into East Pikeland and West Pikeland in 1838. 544 HISTOB Y OF P ENNS YL VANIA. PooopsoN, named from the stream which flows through it, was formed in 1849, from parts of four adjoining townships. It is bounded on one side by the Brandy wine. Benjamin Chambers took up a large quantity of land on the Brandywine, which he sold to settlers. Joseph Taylor purchased from him in 1711, and afterwards built a mill on Pocopson creek. The Marshalls settled the northern part, and were succeeded by the Bakers. The name Pocopson is Indian, and signifies rapid or brawling stream. Sadsburt was a township as early as 1708. That part of it lying in the Great Valley was taken up at an early date in right of purchases made in England. The erection of Lancaster county, in 1729, took off the part of it west of the Octorara, The early settlers were a mixture of Friends from England, and of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The families of Boyd, Cowan, McCleUan, Marsh, Moore, Parke, Truman, Williams, Hope, Gardner, and Richmond, were here early. Upper Octorara Presbyterian church, which dates from 1720, is in this township. Schuylkill was formed from Charlestown in 1826. In the southern part was Lowther's Manor of Bilton, which was surveyed very early for (it is supposed) the children of Margaret Lowther, who was a sister of William Penn. The land in the northern part was taken up by David Lloyd, and settled by the Buckwalter, Coates, Starr, Longstreth, and other families. Thornbtjkt was named from Thornbury in Gloucestershire, England. It comprises but about one-fourth of the original township, the greater part being in Delaware county. This was all surveyed in right of the " first purcha'sers." Thornbury, Birmingham, and Westtown are the only townships within the present limits of the county which were organized before the year 1704. Tredtffrin is situated in the Great Valley, in the most easterly part of the county, and was part of a large tract surveyed for the Welsh, and principally taken up by them. The name is Welsh, and signifies valley-town, or township Tre or tref is the Welsh for town or township, and Dyffrin is a wide cultivated valley, hence the compound, Tredyffrin, the town or township in the valley. This township was sometimes called Vallej^-town or Valleyton, in old writings, an evident effort to anglicize the name. It has been said by some writers to signify stony valley, but this is not correct. UwCHLAN was principally settled by Welsh Friends about 1715 and later, under the auspices of David Lloyd. A Friends meeting was established, and a house erected, in which the preaching was in Welsh. Among the early settlers were John Evans, Cadwalader Jones, James Pugh, Robert Benson, Noble Butler, John Davis, Griffith John, and Samuel John. The latter two were preachers, and sons of John Philips, taking their father's christian name for their surname, as was the custom among the Welsh. The present inhabitants are largely the descendants of the early settlers. The name is Welsh, and signifies upland, or higher than or above the valley. The township was divided in 1858, and a new township formed, to which the name of Upper Uwchlan wa^ given. Valley was formed in 1852, from parts of four adjoining townships, and was reduced in size by the formation of Cain in 1868. The greater part of the present township was formerly in Sadsbury. Vincent. On the earliest map of Pennsylvania this township is given in CHESTER GOUSTY. 545 the names of Sir Matthias Vincent, Adrian Vreosen, Benjohan Furloy, and Dr. Daniel Cox. French creek, -which passes through the township, was sometimes called Vincent river, and the tract of land was most frequently described as Cox & Company's 20,000 acres. The earliest inhabitants were supplanted by the Germans, whose descendants still, to a considerable extent, enjoy the lands of their fathers. Garret Brombac — now corrupted into Brownback— established in this township the first tavern north of the Lancaster road, in a house of rude construction, where he pei-formed the duties of host many years. He was a merry German, and accumulated considerable means. The township was divided into East Vincent and West Vincent in 1832. Wallace was formed in 1852, by the division of West Nantmeal. The name given to it by the court was Springton, but the Legislature changed it the next year to Wallace. The Manor of Springton, laid out about 1729, and containing ten thousand acres, included nearly, if not quite all, the lands in this township, and it is to be regretted that the name given bj"^ the court was not retained. Wallace post office is a prominent point in the township. Among the names of early settlers are Murray, Henderson, Starret, Parker, and McClure. Warwick, named from Warwick iron works within its limits. The name came originally from the county of Warwick, in England, and was conferred on the works by Samuel Nutt, who was from that county. This township was formed by the division of East Nantmeal, in 1842. The Warwick ironworks were originally erected in 1736, by Samuel Nutt. During the Revolution, they were in constant operation for the government, and cannon were cast there. In 1857 they produced 759 tons of boiler plate iron, from the ore of the neigh- boring mines. These works have been owned by the Potts family for over a century, by one of whom, David Potts Jr., they were carried on successfully for more than fifty years. Westtown was organized about 1700. The early settlers were Daniel Hoopes, Aaron James, Benjamin Hickman, James Gibbons, and John Bowater. The Gibbons tract, of six hundred acres, was purchased by the Society of Friends in 1794, and there was established the well known Westtown boarding school, in which, at the present time, are about 220 pupils of both sexes. Whiteland was organized about 1704. This is the north-western part of the original Welsh tract of forty thousand acres, which was laid out to them in 1684, with the expectation that they should be a separate Barony, with liberty to manage their municipal affairs in their own way. It appears they also desired to retain their own language, but the tide of subsequent events rendered this impracticable. The north and west lines of this survey are still chiefly retained, but the others are obliterated. Richard Thomas was one of the early settlers, and took up five thousand acres of land, in right of a purchase made by his father, Richard ap Thomas, of Whitford Garden, in Wiltshire, North Wales, in 1681, the greater part of which was located in this township. One of his descendants. Colonel Richard Thomas, was an officer during the Revolutionary war and occupied a prominent position, both in civil and military affairs. The township is situated almost wholly in the choicest part of the Great Valley, and was divided into East Whiteland and West Whiteland in 1765. WiLLiSTOWN was organized in 1704. A large part of this tract was within the 2 K 546 BI8T0BT OF PENNSYLVANIA, lines of the Welsh tract, but many surveys were made for other persons, espe- cially in the southern parts. The families of Hibberd, Massey, Smedley, Thomas, and Yamall, were among the earliest and most numerous. A tribe of Indians, called the Okehockings, held lands in this township, by special grant from the Commissioners of Propert}', ANNUAL VALUE OF PRODUCTS OP AGRICULTURE IN PENNSYLVANIA- 1870. Adams Allegheny Armstrong Beaver , Bedford Berks Blair Bradford.. Butler Bucks Cambria Cameron Carbon Centre Chester Clarion Clearfield Clinton Columbia Crawford Cumberland Uauphin Delaware Elk Erie Faj'ette , Franklin Fulton Forest Greene .'■. Huntingdon Indiana Jefferson... Juniata Lancaster Lawrence Lebanon Lehigh Luzerne l>.vcomh)g M'Kean Mercer Mifflin Monroe Montgomery. ... Montour Northampton ... Northumberland I'eiTV niltadelphla I'ike Potter Schuylkill Somerset Snyder SnIUvan Susquehanna Tioga Union Venango Warren WaMhlngton Wayne Westmoreland . . Wyoming York is S3, 820. 4,M3. 2,507. 1,760. 1,906, 16,179. 1,447, 4,720. 5,490, 2,96J, 1,074, 201, 292, 2,626, 5.759, 1.568. 1,371, 1,068, 1,790, 3,784, 8,544. 2,843, 1,368, 211, 3,810, 2,348, l.W. 3,075. 629, 1.8.W, 2,138. 2,607. 1,256. 1,320, 9,727, 1,706. 2,718, 2,398. 2,738, 1,963, 462, 3,118, 1.414, 834. 4,498. 703, 2,643. 1,995, 1,726, 1,873. 874. 824, 1,656. 1,204, 1,879, 433, 3,104, 2,742. 1,311. 1,313. 1,270. 4,146. 1.697. 4,243. 1,127. 6,408, 217 817 0O7 232 915 190 930 857 774 438 869 442 028 723 996 158 155 024 723 345 .^0 993 805 178 247 I 323 : 057 12,920 69.875 9.632 2.487 12,067 10, 19.1 3.57 20,245 19,997 14,703 16,155 200 50 1,550 80,075 6,932 7,272 1,957 4,730 123,690 .1,902 14,997 38,566 48 14,093 14,507 1,406 21,876 3.518 21,586 .32.836 17,879 6,7.50 2.378 39,708 1,172 4,804 10,528 18,585 416,625 5,222 21,273 1,069 12.063 1,894 2,446 1,271 1,787 10,843 6,075 581 10.239 182,789 3,067 86.933 0,758 18,244 13,818 13,915 4,768 4,432 8,255 10,292 12,103 14,072 ' ^498. 545 472,794 394,227 348,199 256. .'tgs 1,263.649 187,971 7r>2,712 1,151,645 518,968 173,344 12,520 42,390 3.54.2117 2,181,799 311,902 248,426 126,217 282,616 765, ;io 55.5, 7ir7 475.479 4r6.920 .34,8.56 6.56.260 605.767 2.3,769 579,7119 100,966 398,572 242,017 45.5.914 191,075 1.59. :«e 2,.')7I,860 299,796 477,381 437.683 410,612 13.5,910 84. .579 710,620 187.526 149.864 1,298,321 110,453 4:<5,294 300,607 260,014 63,967 50,346 05,064 2>9,293 170,035 202,306 80,501 572,688 823,737 2.10, 230 217,484 1»5,901 870,401 272,538 675,021 174,000 982,874 1,722,610 3,015,224 1.915.150 1,576,277 1.298, 2a5 4,544.490 798.164 4,262,095 4,357408 2,467,001 833,361 73,220 202,974 1,332, .555 5.192.517 1.317,708 931.661 5.30.152 1.064.968 3.702,266 1,909.461 1.660, .572 1.605,6.57 206,706 2,930,1.56 2,09.5,444 127.114 2,270.161 474.654 1,87.5,272 1,4.34.648 2. 174..'>12 941.012 633. &50 6,044,215 1.373,251 1,020,3.15 1.949,1.57 2.a56,063 1.244,900 372.162 2,784.612 808. «» 677,047 3.8S5.237 419.606 1,900,042 1,113,983 948,988 659.695 309,090 672.291 951,979 651.113 1,060,233 &51,901 3,277,703 2.074.117 658,911 1.150.153 1,00:1,603 3,938.335 1,731,055 3,028.081 822,811 4,013,452 28,413.110 115,647,075 21,542.289 CO ■ B 319,240 490,734 .32.1.682 318,178 1-52.451 901.761 101.877 1,262,561 1,054,315 483, 176 14.5,733 16.421 28. .132 174,652 1,078,463 188,556 150.971 74.139 156.886 804,257 290,317 268,993 512.642 36,311 688.520 231.516 21,055 301,249 .i7,39C 253. .554 , 155,717 I 368,415 I 106,018 I 100.122 ; 814,0112 241.389 292.957 320.656 372.904 150.176 69.942 .533.810 140,811 99, .583 1,310.112 65.027 297.104 161.815 12.583 125. '86 55,191 160. .VIS 134.239 80.421 448.180 76.683 869.500 562.619 88,684 172.052 255.916 395.060 336.231 407.951 150.992 696.781 (13.148 I 1.54,237 63.i'34 210,953 30,352 5.429 9.833 61.126 8.750 112.110 23,772 LOW 615 26.724 15.888 13.574 11.163 115.332 14.069 4,981 50n 3,5.54 &5.412 143.376 .3. .107 15.581 10.220 222,244 27.0.55 62.993 28.310 8.469 10.046 1.14.063 2.603 4.384 19.277 12.902 14.008 121.319 lfl.228 6.019 2.8M 3.378 7.135 7.879 10.224 150 1,608 26.230 3,342 4.6S1 40.088 10.608 54,292 44.894 4.269 46,283 25,403 931,376 24,763 89.325 9.807 19,547 J4..567 39.3S2 6.861 17.030 8.086 12.817 .^643 40.521 10,040 11.046 7. .522 1.315 234 363 12.147 3.3.58 3.012 1.88" 4.5.11 20.234 5.526 8.38) 227 501 18.539 48.816 1.179 3.949 1.184 47.863 4.211 6.939 4.7.10 1,9m 2l.8(ri 7.979 6.475 1.5.203 10.246 4.624 5.193 21.022 1.465 2.9:)6 7.040 401 6.9o:< 2. 152 1.985 905 1.30O 12.484 7.772 l.:<84 89. .550 251. ?.« 15.275 4.496 8.140 :9.ai7 .5.713 19.1(8 9. .502 22.192 2° 52* 983.422 S6, 381. 468 8.286,117 5.219.686 4.233,750 .1,664.407 22.917.824 2.549.685 11,119.310 12.092.823 6. .571. 626 2,274,812 3(»,919 567.538 4. .516. 420 14.320.527 3.441.690 2.740,962 1.816.485 3.315.8rj 9.315.821 II..12.5.491 5.277.294 3.932.653 49.1.920 5,487,516 333.4.50 7.1711.770 1.277.748 4.B78.723 4.030.290 .5.693.811 2.594.3.50 2.228.431 19.061.772 3.764,089 5.123.233 5.1.59.947 5.626.049 3.928.384 1.013.723 7.314.699 2. .563. 390 1.782.427 10.983.607 1.311.241 5.291. II r, .L.'ilT.ftil 2.!t7l.r25 2,73.847 79-2. .5.58 l.S"1.779 .1.196.199 2.11.5.699 4.422. 4J.< 1,211. .199 7,911.786 .5. 792, .539 2,295,8.19 2.917.943 2,814,624 10, .106, 046 4,070.7.53 8,473.065 2.306..5:« 12,057,575 343,077,991 CLARION COUNTY. BY REV. JAMBS 8. ELDER, CLARION. |LARION COUNTY was erected by act of Assembly, passed March 11 1839, from parts of Armstrong and Venango counties. The boun daries of the new county were defined in the act as follows : " That all those parts of Armstrong and Venango counties lying and being within the following boundaries, viz. : Beginning at the junction of Red Bank creek with the Allegheny river ; thence up said creek to the line of Jefferson and Armstrong counties ; thence along said line to the line dividing Parmington and Tionesta townships, in Venango county ; thence along said line to the northwest corner of Farmington town- ship, in Venango county ; thence by a straight line to the mouth of Shull's Run," afterwards called Ritchie's Run, " on the Allegheny River ; thence down said river to the place of beginning, be and the same is hereby declared to be erected into a county, henceforth to be called Clarion." The straight line from '.' the northwest corner of Farmington township to Shull's Run," on account of running diagonally through large tracts of unseated lands, was after- wards changed so as to avoid such divi- sions, rendering it angular and irregu- lar. Thus Clarion county is bounded on the north by Forest county, on the east' by Jefferson county, on the south by Red Bank creek and the Allegheny river, and on the west by Venango county. Average length of the county 25 miles ; breadth, 24 miles ; area, 600 square miles. In 1840, the townships comprising Clarion county and the population of each, although reported in the census returns of the county to which they had formerly belonged, were as follows : Townships from Armstrong county — Clarion, 2,239; Madison, 1,305; Monroe, 1,151 ; Perry, 1,122; Red Bank, 8,070; Toby, 1,829, Townships from Venango county — Beaver, 1,611; Elk, 585; Farmington, 799; Paint, 491 ; and Richland, 1,385. Total population, 15,587. The population of the county in 1850 was 23,565 ; in 1860, 24,988 ; and in 1870 26,537. Within the past five years larne numbers have been attracted to the 547 CLARION COUNTY COURT HOUSK. (From a Photograph bj A. BooneL.) 548 HISTOB Y OF PENN8 TL VANIA. county by the oil business, and from the last election returns, it is safe to estimate the present population at a little over 31,000. Tke marked increase from 1840 to 1850 ^as owing to the rapid development of the iron and lumber interests, especially the former. At the organization of the county, many of the above townships embraced a wide territory. As the population increased, the following townships have been erected : Ashland, Brady, Highland, Knox, Licking, Limestone, Mill Creek, Piney, Salem, and Washington. Also, the following boroughs have been incorporated : Callensburg, Clarion, Curllsville, East Brady, New Bethlehem, Rimersburg, Strattanville, and St. Petersburg. By the same act, March 14th, 1839, James Thompson, John Gilmore, and Samuel L. Carpenter, were appointed commissioners to view the relative advantages of the situations offered, select " a proper and convenient site for a seat of justice," and transmit their report to the Governor on or before the 1st day of the following September. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Thompson resigned, and by the act of June 25, John P. Davis, of Crawford county, was appointed to fill the vacancy. A number of places were offered as sites, and the claims and advantages of each were warmly pressed by the citizens of the respective locality. The contest was finally ended by the selection of a site, the most central, and afterwards called Clarion, situated on the Bellefonte and Meadville turnpike, about one mile from where that road crosses the Clarion river. At that time only a very small part of the grounds were cleared, and only one house was standing where the future town should arise. It was also provided by the act of March 11, 1839, that the organization of the, county for judicial purposes should go into effect on the 1st day of Septem- ber, 1840. It was attached to the Sixth Judicial District, consisting of the counties of Erie, Crawford, and Venango. The first court was held on the first Monday of the following November. Hon. Alexander McCalmont, of Franklin, was appointed president judge; Messrs. Christian Myers and Charles Evans were commissioned associate judges. All these gentlemen were honored with a second appointment. The court convened for the first time in the front room of an unfinished house belonging to Captain Robert Barber, now owned by Captain A. H. Alexander. In'this room, the floor yet covered with sliavings, a rude platform was extemporized for the Court and Bar. There were twenty- three lawyers present, many of them residents, who took the prescribed oath. The amount of business to be transacted was small, and was soon dispatched. When the site for the seat of justice was selected, the lauds belonged to General Levi G. Clover, James P. Hoover, Peter Clover, .Tr., (heirs of Philip Clover,) and Hon. 0. Myers, who donated the town site to the county, on the condition of receiving half the proceeds from the sale of lots. Grounds for the county buildings, and a public square, were reserved from sale. At this time a dispute arose about a strip of land lying between these tracts, and which would be the central part of the future town. This ground being needed for lots before the question of ownership could be settled by law, the parties agreed in writing to release their claim to the title of the land, reserving the privilege of contesting the right to the purchase money. Application was made to the liCgislature, and the Governor, by act of June 25, 1839, was authorized to appoint three citizens of the county, who were empowered to take deeds in trust CLAEION COUNTY. 549 from persons donating lands, to lay out the town in lots, to sell the same, and to make contracts for the public buildings. Accordingly, the Governor appointed George B. Hamilton, Lindsay 0. Pritner, and Robert Potter, commissioners, who proceeded to the discharge of the duties of their appointment. It was but a short time before 1839 that any part of the chosen site had been cleaicd out, and even then only a small portion. There was only one house in all that is now included in the borough limits. The greater part of the site was still covered with large pine and dense underbrush. It was previously esteemed good hunting grounds, where wild game' had been frequently caught. As the commissioners entered upon their work, they laid out the town in lots, employ- ing Mr. John Sloan as surveyor, who, .for a long series of years before and after- ward, was identified with the interests of the county. The first sale of lots, was in October, 1839, and a second sale was made in the following spring. The court house and jail were put under contract in the fall of 1839. Much of the work of building was done during the summer, of 1840, though neither was completed that • season. The jail being further ad- vanced, was used for other purposes than that of detaining alleged law- breakers. Indeed, its loft for several years served for court room, church for all denominations, and for town hall. Both buildings were fine struc- tures, remembering the time in which they were built. The court house was ready for occupancy in 1848. This building was destroyed by Are in March, 1859. The work of rebuild- ing was at once commenced, and pushed forward with commendable energy. The new court house stands on the old site, and presents a fine appearance, though its cost was only $23,000, a marvel of economy and cheapness. The old jail, in 1874, was supplanted by a most complete and substantial structure of stone, with brick front, at a cost of about $122,000. These buildings reflect honor on the county that erected them, and are indi- cative of the public spirit and enterprise of the citizens. The first election in the county was held on the 13th of October, 1840, when only two thousand ajid five votes were polled. The following officers were chosen : sheriff, James Hasson ; prothonotary, James Goe ; coroner, John Reed ; commissioners, George L. Benn, Jacob Miller, and Gideon Richardson; auditor's, John Elliott, Joseph C. King, and George Means. The surface of the county is greatly diversified. Along the streams it is broken, and in many places precipitous. On the uplands between it is rolling and often hilly. The soil, in some parts, is of a good quality and quite prodnc- CLAEION COUNTY PRISON. (From a Photograph by A. Dounot.) 550 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. tive. Other parts are better adapted to grazing purposes. On the whole it is susceptible of a very high state of cultivation. The iron interest, once so prosperous, has now fallen into decay. While formerly, for a number of years in succession, the furnaces of this county pro- duced not less than fifty-five thousand tons of iron per annum, now there is but one furnace in blast. And yet the hills contain almost inexhaustible mines of ore, and there are immense supplies of charcoal and coke. There are indica- tions, however, of a revival of this industry in the county, and many anticipate a future in this interest, bright with prosperity. For many years considerable amounts of fire clay were taken to places beyond the county for manufacturing the various articles made from this material. Within the county that business was conducted in various places on a small scale. Recently, additional establishments have been erected, where fire brick and all kindred wares are made. Clarion county lies in the northern end of the Allegheny coal field. Though near the out-cropping of that field, yet much of the coal of this region is of excellent quality. Beds of this mineral underlie large portions of the county. Frequently there are two veins, and sometimes three. While it has long been mined for domestic use, yet it is only lately that it has been sent to morie distant markets. Within a short period a number of collieries have been established along the southern border. For many years the lumber business has been the leading interest. At present it has received a partial check. A heavy amount of capital is invested in tracts of land in the northern section of the county, covered with pine forests. The energies of a large number of the people have been directed uo this industry. At present petroleum is the source of greatest wealth. The oil field extends over a large part of the county in the south-west, and is steadily advancing further to the interior. While " prospecting " for oil was carried on in Clarion county early in the history of the development of that article, yet the success was partial until the year 1870. In the early summer of that year it is believed there were only five producing wells. During the year other wells were put down across from Parker City, which yielded rich returns of oil. The business then began to assume a distinct form in this county. Each year it has been rapidly increasing, until the development is marvellous. The success gave a multiplied value to every spot of land where there was a prospect of finding oil. Population flowed in, wells in large numbers were put down, villages sprung up, business activity has been displayed to an astonishing extent, and that, too, sometimes in places that had been most quiet. A. W. Smiley, superintendent of the Union pipe line, estimates that five thousand wells have been drilled in this county. Reports show that forty-seven wells were finished being drilled in the month of January, 1876, with an aggregate daily yield of six hundred and sixty- two barrels. S. H. Stowell, compiler of the Petroleum Reporter, Pittsburgh, has also kindly furnished us with statistics. He says : " The reports in my posses- sion do not separate Clarion county production from that of Butler and Armstrong counties. I should judge about one-third of the production in the district composed of these counties comes from Clarion. Whole production from Pennsylvania oil fields for the year 1875 was 8,942,938 barrels, of which VLABION COUNTY. 551 Clarion, Butler, and Armstrong produced 7,621,419 barrels — one-third of which estimated to have come from Clarion, 2,540,495 barrels. This would make a daily average yield of six thousand nine hundred and sixty barrels in Clarion county, and the development is still widening. Every day new " rigs " go up as new sources are penetrated, and new wells tested. The county is well drained by numerous streams which intersect it in almost every direction. The Clarion river, formerly called Stump creek, and some- times Toby's, from the names of .two Indian trappers, is a beautiful stream, its waters so clear and pure, and its banks lined with scenery so fair. Having its source in Elk county, it flows directly through the interior of the county within half a mile of the county seat, and empties into the Allegheny river. Red-bank creek, the south branch of which rises in Clearfield county, and the North fork, which rises in Jefferson county, forms the southern boundary for some distance before it empties into the Allegheny river. Neither of these streams are navi- gable for steamboats, but rafts in vast numbers and coal boats are run down on high water. In addition to these, there are many smaller streams, yet sufficiently large to aflFord much valuable water-power, as Mill creek, Beaver, Deer, Paint, Canoe, Hemlock, Little Toby, Leatherwood, Piney, Licking, etc. The facilities for public travel and transportation of goods have greatly increased within a few years. Formerly steamboats on the Allegheny river for part of the year, and at very irregular times, together with the old stage coach, furnished the only means of travel ; the former alone the only public facility for exchanging commodities with outside markets. Now the Allegheny Valley rail- road traverses twenty-flve miles of the southern border of the county, and the Eastern Extension, or Bennett's Branch, twenty-eight miles more. At Lawson- ham, the Sligo Branch leaves the Eastern Extension, and running for ten miles ' towards the centre of the county, reaches the town of Sligo. This furnishes a greatly improved outlet. Educational interests receive much attention. The common school system being early adopted, there is a commendable enterprise manifested in keeping abreast of the improvements of the age. There are one hundred and eighty- eight school buildings, providing two hundred and three school rooms, with an attendance of about seven thousand two hundred scholars. Besides these schools there are a number of seminaries, academies, and select schools in the county. The Clarion Academy was incorporated by the act of June }2, 1840, and an appropriation of two thousand dollars was made by the State to secure grounds and erect buildings, with the stipulation that four children, of limited means, from each township might enjoy the benefits arising from such an academy, without paying tuition. No further appropriations being made, the building had to be kept in repair by the borough, until finally, in 1865, it was transferred to the school board of the borough of Clarion, and is now used fov public school purposes. Reid Institute is located in Beidsburg. In 1 863, a young lady taught a select class in the vestibule of Zion church. Following this, increased efforts were made, and a school was established of no little celebrity. Hard by the church, now stand Prescott and Reid Halls, on the bluff overlooking the village below. Efforts are being made to secure sufficient funds to enlarge and endow. 652 HISTORY OF PENNSTLVAITLA.. Clarion Collegiate Institute was established in 1858, in the borough of Rimers- burg. Its three story building, located in a beautiful grove of native growth, was erected in 1859. It is in successful operation, and its influence on all the surrounding community been marked and healthful. Callensburg Institute was chartered in 1 858. Previous to that time there had been two or three sessions of select school. Rev. David M'Cay — now of precious memory — was deeply interested in its success. Many of the citizens in the town and surrounding community joined him in earnest efforts for its advancement. After some time a handsome building was completed, which is still an ornament to the place. Its students are now widely scattered, many of them filling with honor their professions or callings. For some time its prosperity has declined, but located as it is, there is no reason why it should not greatly surpass its former usefulness. Carrier Seminary, on the hill at the east end of the borough of Clarion, was erected in 1868, at a total cost, including furniture and apparatus, of seventy-five thousand dollars. It is built of brick, and the main edifice is one hundred feet in length and seventy-five in width, and is three stories high. The grounds comprise about ten acres, handsomely laid out, and planted in shade and ornamental trees. It has received a good measure of patronage, and has been attended with a good degree of prosperity. At East Brady a select school has been successfully started within the past year, under the management of Rev. J. A. Ewing; and still others are in opera-, tion within the county. In all these institutions, for the year 1875, there were gathered nine hundred and fifteen pupils, and twenty-nine instructors. The early history of the region now embraced in the limits of Clarion county should not be overlooked. Very much is lost. Of that which remains, much is only fragmentary. The first settlers had earnest work to do in planting homes in the wilderness and subduing the forest. They had but little time to put on record the events transpiring around them, and which would now be read with thrilling interest. One after another of the pioneers has passed away, until now scarcely any remain. Hence, many of those early incidents of real historic value can only be gathered from conflicting tradition. But few conflicts with the Indians are known to have taken place in what is now Clarion county. There is one incident, however, that should not be suffered to pass into oblivion. It occurred at Brady's Bend, in the south-western line of the county, in June, 1179. The incarsions of the Indians had become so frequent, and their outrages so alarming, that it was thought advisable to retaliate upon them the injuries of war, and to carry into the country occupied by them the same system with which they had visited the settlements. For this CARRIER SEMINAKV. OLABION COUNTY. 553 purpose an adequate force was provided, under the immediate direction of Colonel Brodhead, the command of the advance guard of which was confided to Captain Brady. The troops proceeded up the Allegheny river, and had arrived near the mouth of Red-bank creek, now known by the name of Brady's Bend, without encounter- ing an enemy. Brady and his rangers were some distance in front of the main body, 'as their duty required, when they suddenly discovered a war party of Indians approaching them. Relying on the strength of the main body, and its ability to force the Indians to retreat, and anticipating, as Napoleon did in the battle with the Mamelukes, that, when driven back, they would return by the same route they had advanced on, Brady permitted them to proceed without hindrance, and hastened to seize a narrow pass, higher up the river, where the rocks, nearly perpendicular, approached the river, and a few determined men might successfully combat superior numbers. In a short time the Indians encountered the main body under Brodhead, and were driven back. In full and swift retreat they pressed on to gain the pass between'the rocks and the river, but it was occupied by Brady and his rangers, who failed not to pour into their flying columns a most destructive fire. Many were killed on the bank, and many more in the stream. Cornplanter, afterwards the distinguished chief of the Senecas, but then a young man, saved himself by swimming. The celebrated war chief of this tribe, Bald Eagle, was of the number slain on this occasion. After the savages had crossed the river, Brady was standing on the bank wiping his rifle, when an Indian, exasperated at the unexpected defeat and dis- graceful retreat of his party, and supposing himself now safe from the well-known and abhorred enemy of his race, commenced abusing him in broken English, calling Brady and his men cowards, squaws, and the like, and putting himself in such attitudes as he probably thought would be most expressive of his utter contempt of them. When Brady had cleaned his rifle and loaded it, he sat down by an ash sapling, and, taking sight about three feet above the Indian, fired. The Indian, as the rifle cracked, was seen to shrink a little and then limp off. When the main army arrived, a canoe was manned, and Brady and a few men crossed to where the Indian had been seen. They found blood on the ground, and had followed it but a short distance when the Indian jumped up, struck his breast and said, "I am a man." It was Brady's wish to take him prisoner, without doing him further harm. The Indian continued to repeat "I am a man." "Yes," said an Irishman, who was along: " By Saint Patrick, you're a purty boy," and, before Brady could arrest the blow, sunk his tomahawk into the Indian's brain. About the year 1192 this region was visited by four land companies — the Peters, the Holland, the Bingham, and the Pickering — for the purpose of locating land warrants. As nearly as can be ascertained, they came in the above-named order, and all within a year of each other. Their warrants were all dated from 1792 to 1794. -They were laid in sections of a thousand acres each, and covered the principal part of the lands within the present limits of Clarion county. By an act passed in 1785, actual settlers were allowed to take up tracts of four hundred acres. No settlements, however, were made in what is now Clarion county till 1801. In the fall of that year, two bands of pioneers came out, one 654 HISTOR T OF P BJVjy^S TL VANIA. from Westmoreland county, under the patronage of General Alexander Craig, the other from Penn's Valley and neighboring localities. It is estimated that about one hundred and fifty persons, in all, came out that year. As the winter approached, some of these visited their old homes, and returned with their families in the spring. The streams from these two sources continued to flow for ten or twelve years. Those who settled in the southern part, near where Callensburg now stands, supposed they were taking up vacant lands. *But in the course of time they discovered their mistake, and were compelled to purchase of the Bingham company. The toils and hardships of all those first settlers were almost incredible. Journeying through long stretches of forests, over dim and ill-defined paths, and across unbridged streams, they could bring but a small supply of the necessaries of life with them. Finding a home in a vast unbroken wilderness, they could not provide these necessaries at once. Thus the want of proper food and sufficient raiment caused no little suffering. Ofttimes they were compelled to encamp under trees, and use bread made of flour mingled with water and baked on the coals. There were times in the experience of many when a supply of even this f9,re would have been deemed a luxury. Their first dwellings were hastily built, and of the simplest architecture. One of the first articles manufactured by these hardy pioneers was " pine tar," extracted from the knots of decayed pine trees. The product thus obtained was put in kegs, taken down the river in canoes to Pittsburgh, and there exchanged for flour and other necessaries. Many paid for their lands, at least in part, by money raised in this way. At once small clearings were made, and patches planted in that which would most fully relieve pressing necessity. By and by farms began to be opened out and a greater competency to be enjoyed. Churches were built, schools were started, and the wilderness began to blossom. Though the beginnings were small, yet the foundations were laid that would bear a noble superstructure. The character of these men, very generally, was of a manly type. As a rule they were not only men of great courage and endurance, but likewise men of sterling integrity. Many of them were men of great Christian worth. Their wives were equally patterns of excellence. "Such men and women were made to match." All honor to the memory of those fathers and mothers who toiled so unweariedly, and suffered so patiently that they might secure homes for themselves and their children, and lay the founda- tions of a worthy community. How well they did their work is seen in the rich fruitage we now enjoy. The county that covers the region they settled has made amazing strides in wealth, and now takes a high rank among the counties of the Commonwealth in all those interests that are deemed valuable and precious. Clarion, the county seat, is a handsomely laid out town. It was erected into a borough by the act of April 6, 1841. In its early history it has been asserted that its growth was too rapid. Public buildings to be erected and so many new houses to be built, people floclted in, in too great numbers for the permanent growth of the town. In 1840 the census showed a population of 'eight hundred. But if this mistake was made it was soon remedied. The place has acquired a healthy growth. Building has been greatly stimulated within the past two years, more houses having been built during that time than for a number of years previous. The neatness and good taste which mark both the public and private OLARIOJSr COUNTY. 555 buildings, and the sound financial basis on whicti business is conducted, attest its growing prosperity. One of tiie most important improvements was the con- struction of water works in the fall of 1876. Water is forced from th* Clarion river by Eclipse pumps, to an elevation of four hundred and eighty-four feet, at !i possible rate of three hundred barrels per hour. The influent pipe is of wrought iron of three and a half inches diameter, and three thousand three hun- dred and thirty-six feet in length. The water is discharged into two tanks, having a united capacity of twenty-five hundred barrels. They are located on Seminary hill, eightj'-five feet above the average level of the town. Prom these tanks the water is distributed. In this way an abundant supply of pure water, for the requirements of the whole town, has been provided at a cost not exceeding thirteen thousand dollars. The works have been pronounced very complete in their construction. Located as Clarion is, on high ground, this improvement has added greatly to the comfort and convenience of the citizens, and to protection against fire. Shippenville, located on the turnpike, five miles west of Clarion, was laid out in 1826 by Hon. Richard Shippen. For some years after the decline in the iron manufacture it remained nearly stationary. Recently, however, the oil field has extended almost to its doors, imparting new vigor and awakening a growing activity. It is a point of considerable importance. St. Petersburg is in the south-western part of the county, labout three miles north of Foxburg, a station on the Allegheny Valley railroad. It is in the midst of an oil-producing district. For many years prior to 18T0 it was only a small village. After that time it suddenly sprang into prominence, rising like an exhalation from the earth, and now presents a busy aspect. Its population is fluctuating, and is variously estimated at from fifteen hundred to two thousand. East Brady, situated on the Allegheny river, opposite Brady's Bend, is a borough of rapid yet steady growth. Its situation and surroundings are favor- able to its permanent increase. Callensburg, built on an eminence, and near the confluence of the Clarion and Licking streams, is seven miles east of Parker City. It was laid out in 1826, by Hugh Callen. It has a fine location and is a beautiful town. ^ Sligo is among the towns recently laid out. Its location is near the noted Sligo furnace, where, until recently, large quantities of iron have been manufac- tured. It is the terminus of the Sligo Branch railroad, and a point where large amounts of oil are shipped by the Atlantic Pipe company. New Bethlehem is an important town on the Eastern Extension. Its improvement is marked since the completion of the railroad. The various coal works in the immediate vicinity have increased its importance and business activity. Strattanville is on the turnpike, three miles east of Clarion. John Strattan was its proprietor, who laid it out in 1830. It has been incorporated as a borough, and is the centre of an agricultural region. Greenville is a pleasant village, eight miles south-east of Clarion. Crowded into a small area, it nestles in one of the narrow and romantic valleys of Piney. Bordered with evergreens, it is protected by the surrounding hills. 556 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Near by is an extensive woolen factory, which has been in operation for ten years, furnishing a market for wool, and manufactures excellent cloths and kindred goods. Besides the foregoing boroughs and villages there are many others, as Tylers- burg, Freyburg, Edenburgh, Turkey City, Salem City, Foxburg, Perryville, West Freedom, Monterey, Phillipsburg, Lawsonham, Millville, Shannondale, Rimersburg, Curllsville, Reidsburg, and others still smaller. OLD UBEBTT BELL, PHILADELPHIA. CLEARFIELD COUNTY. BY WILLIAM D. BIGLBR, CLEARFIELD. LBARFIELD COUNTY was brought into existence by an act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania passed the 20th of March, 1804. The same act provided also for the erection of Jefferson, M'Kean, Potter, Tioga, and Cambria counties. Clearfield was formed out of the counties of Huntingdon and Lycoming, and its boundaries were set forth in the law which created it as follows : " Beginning where the line dividing Canan and Brodhead's district strikes the West Branch of the Sus- VIEW OP THE BOROUGH OP CLEAKPIEIiD. (From a Fhotosraph by J. E, Bottorf.) quehanna river, thence north along said district line until a due west course from thence will strike the southeast corner of M'Kean county, thence west alono- the southern boundary of M'Kean county to the line of Jefferson county, thence southerly along the line of Jefferson county to where Hunter's district line crosses Sandy Lick creek, thence south along the district line to the Canoe Place on the Susquehanna river, thence an easterly course to the southwest corner of Centre county on the heads of Moshannon creek, thence down the Mo- shannon creek the several courses thereof to the mouth, thence down the West Branch of the Susquehanna river to the beginning." A portion of the territory "included in the above boundaries was taken in 1843 to form a part of Elk county, and a small portion in 1868 was annexed to Jefferson and Elk counties. 557 558 HI8T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. By authority of this law, Governor M'Kean appointed Roland Curtin, James Fleming, and James Smith, commissioners, who, after receiving several propo- sals for the location of the county seat, finally selected,, in the year 1805, for that purpose, a tract of land belonging to Abraham Witmer, being the site of the old Indian town of Ghincklacamoose, and the site of the present town of Clearfield. It was not tor some time after its creation that Clearfield county was regu- larly organized and assumed absolute management of its own internal affairs. The commissioners of Centre county, by virtue of a legislative enactment of March 14, 1805, took charge of the infant county, and exercised a provisional autliority over it from that time until 1812, when Clearfield county selected its first board of commissioners, to wit: .Robert Maxwell, Hugh Jordan, and Samuel Fulton, who at their first session appointed Arthur Bell, Sr., county treasurer. The connection between the two counties for judicial purposes con- tinued until the 29th of January, 1822, when the Legislature passed a law "or- ganizing Clearfield county for judicial purposes, and empowering her to elect county oflScers." From the adoption of this law dates the complete organization of the county. Clearfield county occupies a central position in the State, and is situate on the west side or rather beSind the main ridge of the Allegheny mountains, on the sources of the West Branch of the Susquehanna river. The surface is gene- rally hilly and broken — in some parts mountainous, with occasional level pla- teaus as you approach the heads of the streams. There are no continuous moun- tain ranges which can be distinctly traced, but a succession of ridges and hills, irregular in outline and deeply indented by small streams, which indicate the close proximity of a mountain range. There is considerable flat land along the larger streams. The river, more particularly in the southern and central portion of the county, is bordered with a valley of rich bottom land, which spreads out at times to considerable width. But following the course of the river through the north-eastern part of the county, the country assumes a bolder aspect — the valleys and bottom land gradually narrow, in places disappear, and high, rugged hills, from whose summits are opened long vistas of beautiful mountain scenery, hem the river on either side. The entire county is traversed from the southwest to the northeast by the West Branch of the Susquehanna river, which takes its rise in the adjoining county of Indiana. The upper West Branch is a beautiful mountain stream, and while there is a prevailing sameness in the general outline of its scenery, yet it exhibits an interesting variety in its tortuous course, alternately sweeping to- ward the middle of narrow valleys and back again to hug the base of gently sloping ridges or steep, forest-crowned hills — at times a gentlj' flowing current, and again a torrent of waters rushing in wild tumult through narrow and rocky channels. It is also a useful stream, being the great outlet for the material wealth of the county ; and every year, when swollen by freshets, it is a scene of life and activitj-, and its bosom is freighted with the valuable crafts of the sturdy lumberman, on his way to the markets in the eastern part of the State. Cush, Chest, Anderson, Clearfield, and Moshannon creeks, and Bennet's Branch of the Sinnemahoning, are its principal tributaries in the county, and partake of CLEABFIELD COUNT F. 559 the cbaracteristics of the main stream, both in topographical feature and scenery. The line of water shed, which separates the streams of the Atlantic from those which flow into the Gulf of Mexico, passes through the western end of the county, and within a few rods of each other. Within the limits of the county are springs whose water form a part of this widely diverging drainage. In the one case they traverse a distance or over two thousand miles, watering twelve States, in the other they reach the same tide water line, in a distance of three hundred miles. Territorially, Clearfleld is one of the largest counties in the State. Its length is forty-five miles, and its average breadth thirty-two miles ; its area one thou- sand four hundred and forty square miles, and embracing in its boundaries over eight hundred thousand acres of land. The soil is generally fertile, but varies a great deal with the surface of the county. The valleys and the bottom lands along the banks of the streams are rich and productive. The soil on the higher lands is naturally thin, but yields good crops, and by careful husbandry will compare favorably with some of the recognized agricultural districts in the State. There are occasional strata of limestone of good fertilizing qualities to be found throughout the county. Whilst its agricultural resources are naturally good, Clearfield county has suffered a great deal from poor ^rming. The original fertility of the soil in many cases was exhausted, and lands being plenty and cheap, it was found to be more profit- able to clear new fields than to bring back old ones to a proper state of cultiva- tion, and thus in many Clearfield farms the eye is pained with the sight of large fields of abandoned soil, with scarce a blade of grass to hide the naked earth." It is only within the last few years that the subject of agriculture has received the attention in this county which its importance demands. Lumbering has always been the principal industry, a more attractive industry than farming, because it has been more profitable, and affords more variety in its pursuit ; and in the early spring, or, in local parlance, in rafting time, the season ,most essential to the interest of the agriculturist, the farm was neglected for a " trip down the river." This neglect, with the consequent bad results, has been the authority for the familiar remark that the " soil is poor, and farming don't pay here." But the rapidity with which the pine forests are disappearing before the axe of the lumberman, and the early prospect of their complete exhaustion, and also the recent stagnation or rather prostration of the lumber interest throughout the State, has compelled many of the citizens to turn their attention to some other occupation as a means of subsistence and profit. This has given a strong impetus to the cause of agriculture, and of late there has been an uplifting of the business of farming from a condition where neither knowledge or skill were used to the higher plane it occupies elsewhere. Recent efforts have demonstrated not only the natural capacity of the soil, but what is an essential element to the prosperity of an agricultural people, its capability to produce an amount equal to and in excess of home consumption. Hitherto ClearfleM exported lumber to In-ing back fiour and grain, and thus was dependent upon her neighbors for her daily bread ; but the day is not distant when her hills and valleys will blossom as the rose, through the efforts of the skilled husbandman, who has recognized 560 H18T0B T OF P£!NN8 TL VANIA. farming as a science and an art, and not a thing of chance, and whose return for his labors are proportioned to his advancement by careful study and experiment in the knowled^ of his occupation. Its pine trees have been the county's great source of wealth. Before the advent of the settler this county was a vast wilderness of pine and hemlock — plenteously intermingled with many varieties of hard wood, such as oak, maple, beech, birch, poplar, etc. To the early settler the value of the pine was unknown, because there had not yet been any markets established for that commodity on the river below, and on account of its bulk was most troublesome to dispose of in clearing up the land. Hence he was wont to take its life by girdling it with his axe, and leave it stand ; and in different parts of the county can be seen many fields covered with those dead standing pines — mute monuments of man's waste- fulness. The first trade of the county was in bituminous coal. This was engaged in as early as 1810, and carried on for many years. The coal was loaded in arks, which were built to contain from one thousand two hundred to one thousand five hundred bushels ; and when the freshets came these arks were run down the river to the larger towns, and the coal disposed of at prices ranging from twelve to twenty-flve cents jjer bushel. The building of dams on the Susquehanna put an end to this trade, as the schutes in these dams interfered with the success for navigation of these primitive vessels — ^the least mishap sending them and their cargoes to the bottom of tlie river. It was not until the year 1837 that lumbering in square timber was carried on - as a business, nor with any degree of success until about the year 1842, and the prices even then (four to six cents per cubic foot) would not be considered very remunerative now, when the same quality of timber brings in the market from fifteen to twenty cents per cubic foot. But the wants of the lumberman of those early days were few, his expenses small, and smaller profits satisfied him than would satisfy the operator now-a-days. But with occasional reverses the business rapidly grew, until it has become one of the most important industries in the State. There are diflferent processes by which the business of lumbering is carried on — one of the principal modes is by felling the trees generally during the fall and winter season, hewing them, i. e., squaring them up on all sides with axes made for the purpose — hauling them on sleds to the river and larger creeks ; and then when the freshets come in the spring, they are rolled into the stream and fastened together, generally enough sticks to make five to eight thousand cubic feet, with a semblance of regularity and neatness, by lash poles of hickory or white oak couplings. Large oars or sweeps are put at either end. When completed this is called a raft, and being provided with a crew of hands, in charge of a pilot, is started down the river to market. The current is the propelling power, and the oars are used to keep the craft from striking the shore or staving on the numerous rocks and obstructions in the channel. Mishap sometimes overtakes the unskillful navigator, and then the "trip" is attended with a great deal of hard work, and occasionally with risk to life and limb. The occupation of a raftsman has just enough of excitement and danger in it to make it attractive, and begun in boyhood is generally adhered to thronarb life. CLEARFIELD UOUNTY. 661 Another process was to "raft and run" the manufactured lumber. This branch of the business was carried on extensively for many years, and there were at one time, within the county, no less than four hundred saw mills — principally small water mills with an average capacity each of sawing one hundred thousand feet per annum. The establishment of large booms at Lock Haven and Williams- port has revolutionized this branch of the business, and board rafts on the West Branch are almost a thing of the past. These booms are located at points on the river where there are good facilities for shipping lumber by railroad and canal to the markets all over the country, and it was found more profitable to " drive " the loose logs from the heads of the stream into these booms, and manufacture them there, than to manufacture them at home and send the lumber in rafts to the uncertain markets on the river. The advent of railroads to Clearfield county within the last few years has been gradually working a second revolution in this business. Large steam saw mills are being erected along the lines of the new railroads, and if the pine forests would hold out, not many years would elapse before the most of her lumber would again be manufactured within the limits of the county. To show the rapidity of the growth of this lumber trade and its importance now, it is estimated that during the year 1840 the amount of lumber rafts out of the county would not exceed one hundred and fifty rafts, or seven million five iiundred thousand feet board measure. For the last twelve years, from 1862 to 18T4, the amount inclusive of both the logging and square timber will equal two hundred and forty million feet annually. There has been, in addition, within the same period, an average annual shipment by railroad of twenty to forty million feet of manufactured lumber. "A reasonable valuation on this lumber exhibits an annual trade to the county of over two millions of dollars. It also exhibits another fact, and a warnful one to the lumberman — that the end of this large white pine lumber trade is not far distant. These noble forests are fast disappearing before the axe of the woodman, and at the present rate of operating another decade of years will witness their entire exhaustion. What will Clear- field have to depend on when her pine trees are all gone ? Where will her capital find investment, and her surplus labor employment ? That question has been already answered. In addition to the steady development of her agricul- tural resources, since the year 1862, a new industry has been growing up which will in a brief period overshadow her lumber trade. Clearfield county lies in the centre of the largest bituminous coal basin in tlie State. An idea of its extent may be gathered from the following brief sketch made by one who has given the subject much attention. The full depth of the coal strata is yet unknown, but there is no difficulty in tracino- its lateral bearings in any direction. The numerous tracts of land extend- ing to the head of the Moshannon, and those embracing the vast region between Moshannon creek and Tyrone and Clearfield railroad, cover a coal region of about one hundred square miles, which -is only the undisturbed part of the coal territory lying in Centre county. Trout run. Bear run, and Wilson run course through this part of Centre county, and the ravines in which they flow afford splendid openings for striking the heavy coal beds that crop out along the hill-sides. 2 1. 562 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Westward of the Mosbannon, the coal extends throughout the regions coursed by Beaver run, Whiteside run, Muddy run, Clearfield creek and its numerous tributaries. Chest creek, and Susquehanna river, embracing an area of nine himdred or one thousand miles. Following southward into Cambria county, the continuation of the coal region covers an additional area of about three hundred square miles ; and if we take in Jefferson and Indiana counties we have a coal territory embracing the greater part of five counties, with Clearfield as the great central basin, the whole covering an area of about five thousand square miles. In some places there are not less than twelve seams of coal, and these will average at least four feet in thickness. The vein worked in this region is six feet from top to bottom, while many other veins measure only three feet, but over on Clearfield creek, at the mouth of Beaver Dam branch, fifty feet below water level, a seam of coal was found, which measures fourteen feet in thickness, and there is no doubt this same body of coal underlies the whole extent of our coal territory. Bennett's Branch extension of the Allegheny Valley railroad, or what is familiarly known as the low grade railroad, which was recently completed, passes through the northern and western ends of the county, and has opened up and brought into market the bituminous coal lands of the famous Beynolds- ville basin. The Tyrone and Clearfield railroad, a branch of the Pennsylvania, enters the county at its south-east corner, and is extended more than half way through it. This is the outlet for the coal of the Moshannon basin. From this main branch numerous smaller branches and lateral roads are building and extending every year, and penetrating this vast coal field in many different directions. The first coal shipped from this region was from the Powelton colliery in the year 1862. Now there are in the Moshannon region twenty-five large collieries, employing over three thousand men, and with an aggregate daily capacity of twelve thousand tons. The total amount of coal now annually shipped from the county is not less than two millions of tons. This coal has become a great favo- rite in the eastern markets, and for steam generating purposes is preferred to other varieties of bituminous coal. The coal trade of Clearfield county is only in the infancy of its development, yet its rapid growth in the short time of its existence, the many superior qualities of the coal, the extended area of its basin, warrant the prediction that it is destined to be, in the not far off future, the largest and most active bitumi- nous coal trade in the world. Fire clay is also among the valuable resources of Clearfield county. It abounds in great quantities all through this bituminous region. It has been subjected to the most severe tests, and found to be in all respects equal to the celebrated Scotch clay, or the Mount Savage clay of western Maryland. There are three large establishments in the county, one at Clearfield town, and the other two within five miles, at Woodland, with a total capacity of thirty thousand brick per day, engaged in the manufacture of fire brick, and also some forms of terra cotta ware. These brick have established for themselves a good reputation, not only among the iron men of Pennsylvania, but find a ready market as far west as Chicago and St. Louis. VLEABFIELB COL NTT. 563 Iron ore is also found in considerable quantity throughout the county, but not In veins of sufficient size or richness to attract capital from other localities, in a State that is so famous for the abundance and superiority of that precious metal. In 1814, Peter Karthaus, a native of Hamburg, Germany, but after- wards a resident merchant of Baltimore, a man of large means and energies, with great eccentricities of character, established a furnace at the mouth of the Little Moshannon or Mosquito creek, in the lower end of the county. It was a stupendous undertaking, and called forth more than the or'dinary attributes of human sagacity and skill to build up iron works in an almost unbroken wilder- ness, so far from market, and with few facilities for transportation. But Kar- thaus possessed all these qualities, and made his works a partial success for several years. They afterwards, about the years 1833-6, passed into the hands of diflferent owners, who carried them on until the year 1840, when they suc- cumbed to the fluctuations of the times, the disadvantages of distance of market, and the cost of transporting their products. Within a few years a railroad has penetrated to a short distance from Karthaus, and projected branches into these lands have already been surveyed. Capital has found its way back after a long absence, and in a brief period of time the clank of the forge-hammer, and the busy hum of industry may soon again be heard where it has been silent for over a quarter of a century. The territory now included in the limits of Clearfield county was, until the close of the last century, an unbroken and almost unexplored wilderness, visited only by venturesome hunter and the surveyor. It was the undisturbed habita- tion of the bear, the wolf, the panther, the moose, and the deer. The colonial struggles for liberty had been over many years, our nationality had been achieved, and America had a place in the family of nations, and her people had gradually settled down to the arts of peace long before the white, man had penetrated these wilds to build himself a home, and therefore the early settlement of this county was not attended with those stirring scenes and tragic incidents of border warfare which marked the early history of tfie white settle- ment in the valleys of the lower West Branch. The Indian was still here, but he had already succumbed to his inevitable destiny, and was peacefully receding before the onward march of civilization. Although their slumbers were not broken by the war whoop of the savage, nor their families live in hourly dread of his tomahawk and scalping-knlfe, yet these hardy pioneers exhibited the same stern and unbending heroism in strifes where no world could look in upon and applaud, in unceasing daily toil, a courage and self-devotion in hand-to-hand struggle with hardship and want as would have made them heroes on fields of war. With few exceptions, they have long since passed awaj' ; but many of them lived long enough to reap some reward for their early trials and sufferings in the enjoyment of the local honors of their fellows, and the material comforts of life which their labors had gathered around them. Ogden, Leonard, Bell, [leed, Kyler, Bloom, McCracken, Ferguson, Fulton, Ii-win, are historic names in the annals of Clearfield county, and although the achievements and fame of these pioneer settlers may not have crossed the mountains which surround cheir former homes, and the story of their lives go unrecited to the world outside, family tradition will long preserve the record of their ancestral deeds. 564 BISTORT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Clearfield, the county seat, was laid out in 1805 by the commissioners appointed by the Governor to make selection of a site for a county seat for Clearfield county. It was incorporated into a borough by an act of the Legisla- ture, approved Slst April, 1840. Its location is one of great natural beauty, on the bank of the river, and embosomed in an amphitheatre formed by surrounding hills, from whose summits a fine panoramic view can be had of the town and the narrow valley which borders the river for several miles. It is located on the site of the old Indian town of Chinklacamoose, and the openings or clearings made by the Indians, which the first settlers found upon their arrival here, gave the name of Clearfield to the town and county. The town derives its importance from its connexion with the lumber trade of the county, it being the residence of many of those who were the pioneers of the timber business, and are still prominently engaged in that pursuit. Its public buildings, the court house and jail, are both new structures, modern in their styles of architecture, and of a size and capacity to meet the growing wants of the county for many years to come. It contains six churches — Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic, Episcopal, Baptist, and Lutheran. The two first named are fine large edifices, models of architectural skill, and a credit to the enterprise and liberality of the community that erected them. It contains one of the finest public school buildings in the central part of the Stat(!,. the result of the munificence of one of its citizens, Judge James T. Leonard, who donated the ground and erected and furnished the building at au expense of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars. Judge Leonard is the oldest inhabitant of the town, and one of a few still living of the early settlers of the county, having come here with his father in 1803, when he was only three years old. He endured all the privations and hardships incident to the life of a pioneer in the wilderness, when the means of subsistence were only obtained by ueceasing toil. By his never-failing industry and prudent manage- ment, he has made his life a success, and for many years has been at the head of the business of the county. The present? population of Clearfield is something over two thousand. The ' Tyrone and Clearfield railway passes through the town. It presents an appear- ance of neatness and comfort in its wide and finely shaded streets, its numerous spacious and tasty homes, and its business and manufacturing establishments, all indicative of the enterprise and thrift of its citizens. Ctjrwensville, named after John Curwen, of Montgomery county, upon whose land the town was laid out. It was made a borough by an act of the Legislature, approved 3d February, 1832. It is pleasantly situated on high tolling ground, near the confluence of Anderson creek with the \Yest Branch of the Susquehanna. It is noted for its many handsome private residences, its numerous business establishments, and the enterprise and public spirit of its citizens. Curwensville is the present terminus of the Tyrone and Clearfield railway. Since the advent of the railroad the town has been making marked strides in the increase of population and growth of its trade. It has many natural advantages in its location. Surrounded by a large and prosperous agricultural district, and possessed of ample water power for manufacturing purposes in its adjoining stream, these, with the business activity and spirit of improvement which animate her people, warrant the belief that the town will never stand still. CLEARFIELD COVNTY. 665 Osceola was laid out by a company of capitalists from Centre county, in the year 1859. It was located in the centre of a vast pine and hemlock forest, all of which covered immense deposits of bituminous coal. The Tyrone and Clearfield railroad was completed to this point in 1862, and since that time the growth of the town has been rapid and substantial. Thirteen large lumber manufactories were erected and in operation in and about the town within a circuit of a few miles, the largest of which was that of the Moshannon land and lumber company, with a capacity of sawing seventy-five thousand feet of lumber per day, and in its arrangements and improvements one of the finest mills iu the United States. The development of the coal trade, soon after the arrival of the railroad, gave additional impetus to the town, and caused its rapid expansion. The Moshannon Branch railroad, projected in 1864, which penetrates the coal basin in different directions, connects with the parent road at this point. The town was made into a borough in 1864. In 1875 its population had increased to two thousand. I Many tasteful and costly dwellings and large and substantial business houses had been erected. The valuable resources of this region had attracted capital from all parts of the country. Its future was bright and promising until the 20th May, 1815, when the town was almost entirely destroyed by fire. Fifteen hundred people were made homeless, and the result of years of toil and indus- try was swept out of existence in a few brief hours. Discouraging as the prospect was, the pluck and enterprise of the citizens soon came to the surface, and while still a smoking ruin, the scene of the conflagration was dotted over witli the rude shanties and tents of those determined to commence the battle of life anew. Not a year has elapsed since the fire, and although it has been a year of unusual depression of the industries in which her people are largely engaged, Osceola has come up phoenix-like from its ashes. The din of the hammer and saw has been unceasing day and night. More than two hundred buildings have been erected in that short time. Scarce a vestige of the great fire remains, and the scenes and the incidents of that day already belong to the historic past. HouTZDALE was laid out in the year 1870 by G. N. Brisbin, on land of Dr. Houtz. It is located six miles west of Osceola, on tlie Moshannon Branch rail- road. It was incorporated into a borough in 1871, and has a present population in the town and neighborhood of three thousand. Houtzdale is lilce some of those famous western towns that spring into existence already incorporated, and spread out faster than the woodman can fell the forest in advance of them. It is an outgrowth of the coal development of this region ; is surrounded on all sides by collieries, which secures a large trade and business activity to the town. Athough one of the youngest towns in the county, it is rapidly coming to the front in size and importance. New Washinqton is a thriving little town, situate in the southern part of the county, and was incorporated by the Legislature on the 13th of April, 1859. It is in the midst of a rich agricultural region, and only needs the advent of a rail road to rouse its latent energies. Lumber City is situated on the river, six miles above Curwensville, and derives its name from its connection with the lumber trade of the county. It was made a borough in 1857. It is a busy place in the spring of the year, during the freshets in the river, being the head of navigation for full-length rafts. 566 HI8T0B T OF PENN8TL VANIA. Wallaoeton was laid out in 1868, and incorporated in 1873. Its population is about two hundred. It is on the line of the Tyrone and Clearfield railway. Is the seat of a large steam saw mill, and is a point of shipment for considerable manufactured lumber, railroad ties, etc. BuRNSiDE borough was incorporated in the year 1874. It is in the extreme south-western part of the county. Is located on the bank of the river, and her citizens are largely interested in lumbering. It is an enterprising town, and is in the full tide of expectancy for a railroad outlet for her valuable material resources. Prenchville, in Covington township, is a large and flourishing French settle- ment, which was commenced in 1832. It is composed of over two hundred industrious and thrifty families. Its pioneers "were from Normandy and Picardy, and the location of a French colony in the then wilderness of the Upper Susque- hanna was brought about by the failure of a Philadelphia banker having a large indebtedness in France. M. Zavron, a wealthy French creditor, got possession of these lands, and through the assistance of John Keating, his agent, established a colony of his countrymen. ■'Glen Hope, in Beecaria township, is an enterprising town, situate on the head-waters of Clearfield creek. It is within the limits of the Clearfield bitumi- nous coal basin, and is on the line of proposed railroad extensions. Geahamton, in Gi'9.ham township, both named in honor of Hon, James B. Graham, the largest landholder in the township, and for many years a resident therein. Mr. Graham came to the county in 1822. He commenced life without any means, but possessed of a willing heart and an energy that could master any difficulty, he has, by a life of well directed industry, secured not only compe- tency, but the respect and esteem of his fellows, and his name is always found at the head of every enterprise, public and charitable. Geampion Hills, in Penn township, includes one of the oldest and most productive farming districts in the county. It was first settled about the year 1805, and the name w.as given to it by Dr. Samuel Coleman, one of the early settlers, a man of ability, but eccentric in his habits, on account of the resem- blance to the celebrated hills of his native country. This region was settled principally by Quakers, and is noted for its many finely cultivated farms, and the intelligence and general prosperity of the farmers. Kylertown, in Morris township, is yet a small town, but has a promising future, because of its close proximity to large coal operations, and on the line of projected railways. LuTHEESBURO, in Brady township, is situate in the centre of the finest agricultural district in the county. The settlers in the township are principally Germans, noted for their industry and thrift. The town has always been a good business point, but new railroad towns in the vicinity have of late diverted some of its trade. Pennfield, in Huston township, is a new and thriving railroad town, on the line of Bennett's Branch of the Allegheny Valley railroad, and growing rapidly. RuMDERQER, in Brady township, on the line of the Bennett's Branch Exten- sion railroad, although a town of few years' existence, is fast increasing in size and importance. It is within the Reynoldsville coal basin, and several collieries CLEAEFIELD UOUNTY. 561 are in operation .around it. It is also the location of one of the largest saw mills in the United States. Woodland, in Bradford township, six miles east of Clearfield, on the line of the Tyrone and Clearfield railroad, is the seat of two large fire brick manufacto- ries and a steam saw mill, and under the influence of these -industries is im l)roving rapidlj'. PENNSYLVANIA STATISTICS— CENSUS OF 1870. UANUFACTUItlNQ INDUSTRY. IMFROTED AND UNIUFK07ED LANDS. Adams Allegheny Armstrong Beaver Bedford Berks Blair Bradford Bucks Bntler Cambria Cameron Carbon Centre Chester Clarion Clearfield Clinton Cotnmbla Crawford Cumbertaud Uaupliln Delaware Elk Erie Kayette Forest Franklin Fulton Greene Ilunllngdun Indiana Jefferson Juniata Lancaster Ijawreuce ..- Lebanon l.ehigli Luzerne Lycouilng M'Keau MHi-per Mimin .Monroe , .Mniitgoraery iMuntuiir Northampton Nurthumberlaud... I'erry I'liiladelpbla I'Ike I'otter IScbuylkili Snyder Somerset Sullivan Susquehanna Tioga ... Union Venango Warren Wnsbliigton Wayne Westmoreland Wyoming york £S 1,»I4 276 600 360 1,414 440 631 739 3S7 373 44 161 279 245 211 268 743 449 587 «I4 81 928 402 37 324 473 232 204 1,G16 181 481 438 ni •an 1,089 1^ 655 424 282 1,184 67 41 844 S3 376 282 106 278 450 402 291 390 194 ,111 5?" JPB. »1,416,126 00 88,780,414 CO 4,337,357 00 4.024.083 OO 1,687.024 00 16,243,453 00 6,428,366 OO 2,738,395 00 4,7:<2,I18 00 1,330.032 00 8,MI,8I3 00 896,810 00 2,03.5,783 00 3,047,674 00 11,494.343 00 1,355,606 00 1.100.405 00 3,646 620 00 2.706,290 00 10,167,000 00 3,249,032 00 13,514,156 00 n,(>ll,664 00 1,624,392 OO 0,697,987 00 3,627,404 00 393,191 00 3,621,349 OO 512,433 00 573,060 00 2,319,132 00 1,393,408 00 1,238,613 00 678,343 00 14,034,180 00 3,439,700 00 4.160.084 03 1.5.4S0.84.'( 00 17.493,463 OC 9.081.406 00 3.58,91)4 00 6,544,277 00 1,016,985 00 2,2S2,5.S9 00 16,933,703 00 4,857,r.!J2 00 12,s,Sil,S30 00 4.2n-.8.')5 00 2.412,626 00 322,0(H..517 00 692.313 OO 240.721 00 0,686.114 00 1,240,071 00 591.410 00 390.877 00 3.22.5.0.W OO 2,190,852 00 1.288,692 00 4,616,566 00 3. 224768 00 2,037,441 00 3,714,075 00 2,592,487 00 1,013,831 00 7,028,934 00 ag.*=ois2 M S ^ Q P ST ® H ^ CC tt SS.S.O c .=" 7* £ 2 ® S 711,894,234 00 $2,122,689 00 133,184,121 00 6.506.035 00 6,036,124 00 2,380.536 00 21,365,179 00 0,642.540 00 4,107,592 00 7,098,177 00 1,99.5.043 00 12,962.719 00 1,»15.215 OO 4,433.674 OU 4,571, 5U 00 17,241.814 00 2,(133,250 00 1,064,107 00 6,460.780 00 4,060,435 00 13,235,613 00 4, 873, .548 00 20,271,234 00 16,662,484 00 2,286.588 00 1,046.980 00 6,291.106 00 .589.786 00 6,432,023 00 768,649 00 859, .575 00 3.478,728 00 2,090.112 00 1,857,919 00 1,017.522 00 21,051.270 00 5.159,5.50 00 6,210,126 00 23,221,272 00 26,230,694 00 13,622,109 00 .538,976 00 9,816,415 00 2,426,477 00 3,348,808 00 25,400,654 00 7.280,403 OO 18,796.251 00 6,311,282 00 3,618.939 OO 483.006,775 00 1,033,469 00 374, .580 00 14.379,171 00 1.861,006 00 887,173 00 .586,315 00 4,8:17,681 00 3.280.278 OO 1.933.1138 00 6,774,849 00 4,837,1,52 00 3,0.56.161 00 6,571,112 00 3,888,730 00 1,. 520, 740 00 10,543,401 00 Adams Allegheny Armstrong Beaver Bedford Berks Blair Bradford Bucks Butler Cambria Cameron Carbon Centre Chester Clarion Clearfield Clinton Columbia Crawfoi-d Cumberland Dauphin Delaware Elk Erie Fayette Forest Franklin Fulton CJreene Huntingdon Indiana Jefferson Juniata Lancaster Lawrence ■ J^ebanon Lehigh Luzerne Lycoming M'Kean I Mei'cer ! Mimin Monroe Montgomery Mtmtoiir I Northampton ' Northumberland.. Perry . I IMiiladelphia . I I'Ike . Potter Schuylkill Snyder E^omerset Sullivan Susquehanna... Tioga Union Venango Warren Washington .... Wayne Westmoreland . Wyoming York 1,067,841,351 00 go p,3 214,316 292,089 230,915 176,861 197,250 374,660 98,285 360,851 315,833 273,168 93,438 6,486 25,782 152,238 374,759 162,747 116,218 54,852 136,710 328,553 239,784 172,586 80,438 16,124 270,868 235,006 10,890 263,617 86,995 230,-594 163,818 258.023 104,220 97,609 462,833 148,500 1.19,481 181,097 194,116 163,892 28,164 260,109 97,687 86,063 256,909 33,182 170,062 147,120 136,809 37,618 27,303 88,307 109,135 02,680 219,615 36,689 290,907 187,305 70,762 122,874 83,762 409,863 110,718 342,083 87,953 411,341 11,513,966 68,609 03,670 126,163 71,074 211,627 07,448 62,600 226,464 48,786 157,883 136,457 02,777 34.620 90,362 68,154 111,317 156,056 72,610 68,443 197,686 49,758 61.219 11,316 28,739 134,889 146.006 87,256 92,703 117,902 107,748 186,076 172,164 133,722 66,567 76,868 60,665 43,883 30,217 174,381 143,291 60,689 129,066 60,763 110,311 27,877 16. 4S3 16,401 46,462 126,223 2,786 88,439 111,727 75,318 45,313 254,442 69,363 160,016 166,708 19,075 93,340 134,508 114,004 200,880 144,014 72,212 133,181 6,478,235 ES ■gap (14,611,060 66,448,818 13,681,426 14,108,713 0,405,119 43,638,463 8,008,146 25,158,245 40,289,213 18,230,848 4,834,076 1,332,188 1,484,-210 13,665,198 46,737,688 7,784,127 5,931,360 4,797,040 0,013,460 21,903,661 22,474,577 10,053,433 10,288,.7!!7 1,010,820 23,001,607 18,230,998 610,308 23,775,174 2. 365, 042 13,5.54,374 9,445,678 12,943,069 5,362,623 6,351,175 70,724,908 11,614,044 10,016,808 23,635,476 21,665.724 11,212,366 1,566,250 22.048,299 0,13.3,277 4,459,114 40,902,050 4,615,636 20,991,169 12,4.30,987 8,750,803 18,046,000 2,213,326 2,042,318 8,643,665 5,769,403 12,043.715 1,658,100 16,707,011 10, 92a 925 7,891,97; 7,211,006 6,976,674 39.015,006 8.816,220 28,210,826 6,633,100 1,043,431,382 568 CLINTON COUNTY. BY D. S. MAYNARD, LOCK HAVEN. fREVIOTJS to March 11, 1752, the territory embracer! within the present limits of Clinton county was a portion of Chester, one of the three original counties into which the Province of Pennsylvania was divided by William Penn ; but on that date Berks county was formed, taking that part of Chester which contained what is now Clinton. By act of March 21, 1772, Northumberland county was taken, in part, from Berks, including the present Clinton. When Lj-com ing county was cut off from Northumberland in 1795, it also comprised all the area now in Clin- ton, a portion of which was taken in the forma- tion of Centre in 1800. Therefore, when Clinton was organized by the act of 1839, it took portions of Centre and Lycoming. The townships of Bald Eagle, Lamar, and Logan were stricken from Cen tre, the others from Ly- coming. The first section of the act organizing the county is as follows : » That all those partt of the counties of Ly- coming and Centre, and lying within the following boundaries, viz., beginning at Pine creek, where the north line of Lycoming county crosses said creek ; thence a straight line to the house of William Herrod ; thence following the Couderspovt and Jersey Shore turnpike, the several courses and distances thereof, to the middle of Pine creek ; thence down the said creek, the several courses thereof, to its junction with the West Branch of the river Susquehanna ; thence a straight line to the north-east corner of Centre county; thence to include Logan, Lamar, and Bald Eagle town- ships, in Centre county ; thence along the Lycoming county line to the south- west corner of said county ; thence by the lines of Clearfield, M'Kean, Potter, 569 CLINTON COUNTY COURT HOUSE, LOCK HAVKN. [From R Pbotograph by D. Uolloy, Loob Haren.] 670 HISTOn Y OF PENNSYLVANIA. and Tioga counties to the place of beginning ; and the same is hereby created into a separate county, to be called ' Clinton,' the seat of justice to be fixed by commissioners Lereiuafter appointed." Clinton county, as well as Lock Haven, the county seat, owes its- origin to the indefatigable exertions of an exceedingly eccentric individual, the irrepressible and indomitable Jerry Church, a " York State Yankee," whose name (if not face) was once familiar to every citizen of the county. The efforts made by this man to organize the county were strenuously' opposed by leading citizens of both Centre and Lycoming counties. In a unique and amusing book called " Travels of Jerry Church," published in 1845, that wortliy gives his own account of the organization of the county as follows : " I now undertook to divide the counties of Lycoming and Centre, and make a new county to be called Clinton. I had petitions printed to that effect, and sent them to Harrisburg, to have them presented to the Legislature, and then went down myself to have the matter represented in good order. My friend John Gamble was our member from Lycoming at that time, and he reported a bill. The people of the town of Williamsport, the county seat of Lycoming, and Bellefonte, the county seat of Centre county, then had to be up and be doing something to prevent the division ; and they commenced pouring in their remon- strances, and praying aloud to the Legislature not to have any part of either county taken off for the purpose of making a new one, for it was nothing more or less than some of Jerry Church's Yankee notions. However, I did not despair. I still kept asking every year, for three successive years, and attended the Legislature myself every winter. I then had a gentleman who had become a citizen of. tlie town of Lock Haven, by the name of John Moorhead, who harped in with me — a very large, portly looking man, and rather the best borer in town; and, by the bye, a very clever man. We entered into the division together: We had to state a great number of facts to the members of the Legis- lature, and perhaps something more, in order to obtain full justice. We continued on for nearly three years longer, knocking at the mercy-seat, and at last we received the law creating the county of Clinton. In the year 1839, the county was organized by the Hon. Judge Bumside." "Eagle" was the name originally selected for the new county, but after several unsuccessful attempts to get the required legislation, that name was dropped and " Clinton " substituted as a ruse, intended to mislead the opponents of the new county movement. As the opposition in the Legislature had been so long and vigorously made against the forming of Eagle county, when that name, wliich had become familiar to every member, ceased to be presented, and Clinton appeared, the required act was passed, before many of the legislatoi-s knew that the name belonged to the same territory they liad been voting against for several successive winters. Immediately after the county was organized, three commissioners,- Colonel Cresswell, Major Colt, and Joseph Brcstel were appointed to locate the county seat. After viewing and considering Various locations, Lock Haven was chosen as the most desirable and appropriate place. Accordingly a site was selected for the public buildings near what is now the lower end, at that time the centre of the town plot, three squares from the river; and sufficient land for the purpose CLINTON COUNTY. 571 donated by Jerry Church. Soon after, the building of the court house was commenced by John Moorhead, Robert Irwin, and George Hower, and com- pleted in 1842, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. In the meantime the courts were held, and other business of the county transacted in the public house of W. W. Barker, a portion of -which was rented for " county purposes." Barker's tavern, as it was "called, was located upon Water street, a short distance below the present court house, on the lot now occupied by the residence of John Quigley, Esq. Clinton county is located near the centre of the State, and is bounded as follows : on the south by Centre, the central county of the State ; on the west by Clearfield and Cameron ; on the north by Potter and Lycoming ; and on the east by Lycoming and Union. The county was originally divided into twelve townships : Allison, Bald Eagle, Chapman, Colebrook, Dunstable, Grove, Lum- ber, Limestone, Lamar, Logan, Pine Creek, and Wa3'ne. The subsequent for- mation of several new townships, among others, Grugan from Chapman and Colebrook, in 1855 ; and Keating from Grove, in 1860 ; and the taking of Lum- ber and the balance of Grove in the formation of Cameron county ; the organi- zation of Noyes from Chapman, in 18t5 ; the division of Keating into East Keating and West Keating, the same year, and the absorbing of Allison by Lock Haven city and Lamar township, in 1870, makes the entire number of townships in the county at the present time nineteen, as follows : Bald Eagle, Beech Creek, Chapman, Colebrool*, Crawford, Dunstable, Gallauher, Greene, Grugan, East and West Keating, Lamar, Leidy, Logan, Noyes, Pine Creek, Porter, Wayne, and Woodward. This county is of irregular shape, being nearly sixty miles long and twenty wide, and contains nearly, one thousand square miles. Its surface is varied by mountains, hills, and valleys, which were at one time entirely covered with a heavy growth of timber, consisting mainly of pine and oak, interspersed with chestnut, walnut, hemlock, maple, ash, hickory, etc. There are several beautiful and highly productive valleys within the limits of the county, the most important being the West Branch, the northern terminus of which is just above Lock Haven ; the Bald Eagle, through which the Bald Eagle creek finds its way to the river ; Sugar, Ij'ing parallel with and near to the line of Centre countj', and Nittany. which lies between the Bald Eagle and Sugar valleys, and might truthfully be called the garden of Clinton county. The principal stream in the county is the West Branch of the Susquehanna, which flows nearly the entire length of its territory, a distance of over fifty miles, and at the lower end " breaks through the Allegheny mountain, which at this point seems to lose much of its loftiness, as if in courtesy to the beautiful stream." The Indian name of this stream was Otzinachson. In flowing through the county the West Branch takes a south-easterly course ; in passing Lock Haven, however, it runs almost due east. The other streams are the Sinnemahoning creek, which takes its rise in Potter county, and empties into the West Branch at Keating station ; Kettle creek and Young woman's creek, both of which also rise in Potter and join the river, the former at Westport, the latter at North Point ; Pine creek, which also originates in Potter, and after flowing through Tioga and Lycoming, forms the boundary for a short 572 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. MAP OF THE GREAT OB BIG ISLAND. distance between the latter and Clinton, and readies the river at the point where it enters Lycoming ; then the Bald Eagle, which flows from Centre county and unites with the river just below Lock Haven; Beech creek, also originating in Centre, flows into the Bald Eagle at Beech Creek borough ; Fishing creek, having its source in the extreme eastern end of Sugar valley, near a point where the corners of Clinton, Centre, Lycoming, and Union counties meet, flows the entire length of said valley, breaking through the mountain at the western end, thence into Nittany valley, losing itself in the waters of Bald Eagle creek, at Mill Hall. The principal mountain in the county having a name and distinctive features, is tlie Bald Eagle or Muncy mountain, which extends diagonally across the entire width of the county. This mountain is the continua- tion of a range which, in almost a straight line, runs from Blair county in a north-easterly dirAjtion along the Bald Eagle creek, to the West Branch of the Susquehanna. It takes its name from the noted Indian chief Bald Eagle, who long years ago roamed in its fastnesses. The first important public improvement made in Clinton county was the West Branch canal, which was completed to Lock Haven in 1834, and the Bald Eagle branch extended to Bellefonte in 1846. This great enterprise did away with keel-boat navigation. After its construction the canal became the great thoroughfare, not only for freight, but passengers as well, who considered them- selves highly favored when they had the privilege of riding in a packet boat drawn by horses or mules, at the rate of five or six miles per hour. When the Sunbury and Erie railroad (now Philadelphia and Erie) was com- pleted to Lock Haven, in 1859, a great impetus was given to all branches of industry in the county. It was the beginning of a new era in the march of enter- prise. It greatly enhanced the value of real estate, the price of which has been steadily p,dvancing ever since. On the opening of the Bald Eagle Valley rail- road, in 1864, a new impetus was given to the growth and prosperity of the county, especially that portion lying along the Bald Eagle creek. Very few realize the extent to which the manufacture of lumber has been carried on in this county during the past twenty years, It is estimated that the average per year since 1860 has been one hundred million feet, making an aggre- gate of over fifteen hundred millions up lo the present time, tlie value of which was not far from twenty-six million six hundred thousand dollars. The cost of cutting and manufacturing this has been not less than eleven dollars per thou- sand, amounting in the aggregate to the sum of fifteen million four hundred thousand dollars. Besides the lumber estimated, there has been great quantities of lath, pickets, and shingles manufactured. In addition to the vast amount CLINTON COUNTY. 573 manirfaetured in the county, the value of the logs and square timber cut and run down the river to various points has been as much more. This immense busi ness has given employment to several thousand men each year. Tlie mineral wealth of this county consists of coal, iron ore, fire-clay, potter's clay, and an abundance of sand, suitable for the manufacture of glass ; also an inexhaustible supply of limestone, all of which exist,, to some extent, in nearly every township. The north-western portion of the county is especially rich in mineral deposits. It lies within the limits of the Clearfield coal basin, and contains bitum,inous seams, belonging to that region, aggregating a thickness of not less than thirty feet.' The quality of this coal, as is well known, is superior. In various other parts of the county, coal, for many years, has been known to exist, and for more than forty years has been more or less extensively mined, principally on Lick and Queen's [Quinn's] runs, and Tangascootac creek. Iron ore (mainly hematite) is quite plentifully distributed throughout the countj-. It has been found of various degrees of purity, yielding from fifteen or twenty per cent, to seventy-five or eighty of metallic iron through the furnace. The manufacture of iron from native ore has been to some extent engaged in .during the past thirty years ; even, as long ago as 1829 a man by the name of Friedley erected a furnace near the east end of Sugar valley, where there was plenty of ore of a good quality, but owing to the want of capital he suspended operations in a few years, after having made large quantities of good iron. A furnace was constructed, and iron alio manufactured at Farrandsville, near the mouth of Lick run, in 1832 or 1833, but the works were allowed to go to ruin. About the same time Washington furnace, on Fishing creek, about eight miles from its mouth, was built, and has been in operation most of the time since. The ore used at this furnace is of the variety known as " pipe," and obtained in the immediate vicinity. The iron produced is of a very fine quality, being espe- cially adapted to the manufacture of boiler plates, etc. In 1831 George Bressler, in company with Messrs. Harvey, Wilson, and Kinney, erected a furnace at Mill Hall, near the mouth of Fishing creek. The ore was procured from the Bald Eagle mountain, near at hand. The undertaking proved unsuccessful, and after passing through a number of different hands, the works were abandoned. The manufacture of fire brick has been an important branch of industry in this county for many years, extensive works having been constructed at Queen's [Quinn's] run and Farrandsville. Only the ones at the latter place are now in operation. The material, both claj' and coal for fuel, is obtained near by Extensive beds of potter's clay have recently been found on the north side of the West Branch, nearly opposite Lock Haven. This clsiy has been thoroughly tested, and found to be of superior quality for the manufacture of stoneware, and is now being used for that purpose at an establishment in operation at Lock Haven. Lime of a good quality has for some time been manufactured in this county and shipped to other points at a distance. Marble of different degrees of fineness and various hues exists on Fishing creek, in Sugar valley, and also in Nittany valley but as yet no extensive effort has been made to aicertain its extent and real value. Aa compared with other sections of the State, it cannot be claimed thai 5U HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Clintou is an agricultural county. In directing their attention to the lumber interests, the citizens of this region have unfortunately lost sight of the fact that beneath the surface of the " broad acres " of Clinton there is more wealth than ever existed upon it. As a general thing the soil of the county, both on the highlands and in its valleys, is sandy, and, to a great or less extent, intermixed with loam, this being especially the case along the streams. Probably there is not a single acre of mountain land in the upper West Branch region, that is not more or less strewn with sandstone, and the soil composed to a considerable degree of sand, as a result of disintegration; yet this land is nearly all suscep- tible of a high state of cultivation, as has been demonstrated by occasional clearings, some of which are at a height of more than a thousand feet above the West Branch, and produce fine crops of wheat, oats, corn, buckwheat, and hay. Of such lands, now in market at from five to ten dollars per acre, there are many thousand acres in the county. The first actual settlement within the present limits of Clinton county was made previous to 1769, of which Meginness, in his " History of the West Branch Valley," speaks as follows : " The earliest settlement, of which I have any account, that was made up the river on the .south side was by a man named Clarey Campbell, from Juniata. His cabin stood on the river, in the upper part of Lock Haven. In 1776 a trial took place between him and William Glass, who claimed his land. Charles Lukens, deputy surveyor, of Berks county, being a witness, testified as follows: 'When 1 went up in March, 1769, to make the officer's surveys, I found Clarey Campbell living on this land with his family.' " The other principal early settlers of the region were John McCormick, John Fleming, William Reed, Colonel Cooksey Long, and John Myers, who all settled near the site of Lock Haven ; and Alexander and Robert Hamilton, William McElhatton, and the Proctors and Bairds. who located a few miles further down the river; and William Dunn, the original owner and settler of the Great Island, which lies about two miles below Lock Haven. These persons mostly came from the lower counties of the State, and were principally, if not all, of Scotch or Irish descent, and possessed intelligence and energy. At the time they located on the West Branch, which was between the years 1768 and 1785, the country all around was a dense wilderness, and, as may be supposed, infested with wild beasts and wilder Indians. A favorite route taken by predatory bands of red-skins in their descent upon the frontier settlements lay .along the Sinnema- honing creek and the Susquehanna river, and during the early days of the settlement, on many occasions,, the hardy " squatters " were aroused from their midnight slumbers and forced to fly to their arms in defence of their homes, oftimes being compelled to leave them to be plundered and destroyed by the merciless savages. One of the most important events of pioneer life in the West Branch Valley was what is known as "the big runaway," which occurred in June, 1778. At that time " Reed's Fort," located where Lock Haven now stands, was gs^rrisoned by a " fearless few," under command of Colonel Long. It is said that William Reed and his five sons«!onstituted one-third of the fighting strength of the fort, and that the Reeds and Flemings were a majority of the whole number. During the year 1777, the Indians became very troublesome, and killed a CLINTON COUNTY. 575 number of the settlers. From various indications it was evident that a general invasion of the white settlements was imminent, and accordingly, preparations were made to repel any attack that might be made. Considering the scarcity of fire-arms and military equipments generally, and the thinly settled condition of the country, it is a wonder that the inhabitants entertained the least hope of successfully opposing a horde of blood-thirsty savages ; but strange as it may appear, a number of the settlers, among them the Flemings, held out to the last against abandoning the fort. Early in IT'IS, a lone Indian appeared on the bank of the river opposite the fort. He made various signs for some one to come with a (ianoe and take him over. The occupants of the fort being suspicious that his object was to entice some of the whites across the river for the purpose of betraying them into the hands of confederates who might be concealed near at hand, hesitated to comply with his request, still he insisted, and waded some distance oiit into the stream, to show that his intentions were honorable. It has been said that at this juncture Mrs. Reed, wife of William Reed, "seeing that none of the men would venture, jumped into a canoe, crossed over alone and brought him with safety " to the fort. It is now stated, on the best authority, that it was not Mrs. Reed who took the Indian over, but a son of Job Chillaway, a friendly Indian, who, with his family, was at the time under the protection of the garrison. On being talten into the fort, the strange Indian proved to be friendly, and had come a great many miles to warn the settlers of the approach of a large and powerful band of warriors, who were " preparing to make a descent upon the valley, for the purpose of exterminating the settlements. Being very much fatigued after his long journey, and feeling perfectly secure in the hands of those to whom he had just rendered such important service, the Indian laid down to rest, and soon fell asleep." . In giving an account of this occurrence, Meginness says : " A number of men about the fort were shooting at a mark, amongst whom was one who was slightly intoxicated. Loading his rifle, he observed to some of them that he would make the bullet he was putting in kill an Indian. Little attention was paid to the remark at the time. He made good his word, however ; instead of shooting at the mark, he fired at the sleeping Indian, and shot him dead. A baser act of ingratitude cannot well be conceived. The murder was unprovoked and cowardly, and rendered doubly worse, from the fact that the Indian had traveled many miles to inform them of their danger. The garrison were so exasperated at this inhuman and ungrateful act, that they threatened to lynch him on the spot; when, becoming alarmed, he fled, and was sufiered to escape." Immediately after being apprised of their danger, a "council of war" was held by the garrison, when it was decided to evacuate the fort, and with all the inhabitants of the neighborhood go to Fort Augusta (now Sunbury) for protec- tion. Accordingly preparations were made to depart ; live stock, and supplies o-enerally, were placed upon rafts hastily constructed from whatever available material could be obtained. Many articles, such as household utensils, etc., that were considered too cumbersome to take along, and too valuable to lose, were hidden with the hope of getting them again when peaca should be restored. Among other things that were thus secreted was a stone crock filled with sand for scouring tinware, etc. ; this was buried by the thoughtful Jane Reed, daughter 576 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. of William Reed, under the floor of her father's cabin. There was not much time to spare in arranging preliminaries; whatever was done had to be performed quickly, and in a few hours the settlers bade adieu to their homes, and began their flight to a place of safety, and the setting sun of that memorable day in June, 1778, shed its rays upon their deserted dwellings. In their flight down the river the people from Reed's Fort and vicinity were joined by the other inhabitants of the valley, and all found refuge, as before stated, at Fort Augusta. After being driven from their possessions, the Reeds, Flemings, McCormicks, and perhaps others, returned to their former homes in Chester county, remaining there till after the declaration of peace, in 1783, when again, five years after their flight, and ten years from the time they first settled on the West Branch, they returned to take possession of their homes, where they remained, most of them, to the end of their lives, never after having occasion to flee from the tomahawk and scalping knife. During the five years' absence of the settlers, their buildings, though left to the "tender mercies" of the savages, were not destroyed, with the exception, perhaps, of one or two; and when their owners came to inspect them they were found to be in a tolerable state of preservation. After their return the people went to work with a will to fit up their homes, and it seems that the house of William Reed, being probably the most substantially built, had withstood the action of the weather better than any of the others, and was therefore the first to be put in order. While engaged in repairing the floor, some of the men discov- ered what they pronounced hidden treasures — a crock of silver. The result was quite an excitement among the people for a time, till Jane "put in an appear- ance " and claimed her "pewter sand," as it was called, which she had deposited under the floor five years previous. That identical crock, now over one hundred years old, is still in possession of the Reed family. During times of comparative peace the settlers were often visited by the Indians, whom they always treated kindly, giving them food, etc., whenever they came around. Time after time Miss Jane Reed (who seems to have been chief cook not only for her father's family, but also of the garrison) exhausted her entire supply of bread in feeding bands of visiting red-skins. As it always gave offence to the Indians if they were not all treated alike, Jane was often at her wits' end to know how to make her bread reach around if she happened to have a scanty supply on band when they made their appearance. On one occasion the young lady was trying on a hat which she had just purchased, when suddenly a band of savages entered the cabin, and gazed with astonishment at what they, no doubt, considered a new fangled head dress. At length one of them, who was more bold than the rest, deliberately walked up to Miss Jane, and took the hat from her head, and after giving it a thorough examination, handed it to his companions, by each of whom, in turn, it was closely scrutinized and then replaced upon the head of its owner, after which the band departed without having the least apparent inclination to appropriate the singular looking article. It seems that Miss Jane had not a very exalted opinion of the Indians, at least as far as their stomachs were concerned, for one morning she found a mouse drowned in her cream pot, and exclaimed, with a twinkle in her eye, that she would give the cream to the Indians, for it was good enough for thejn. Accord CLINTON COUNTY. 677 ingly she made it into butter, and the next time the scamps paid her a visit, she had the grim satisfaction of seeing them feast on butter and buttermilk to their hearts' content. Many of tlic early settlers of the county rendered valuable service to the country during the Revolutionary and Indian wars; in fact, during those times nearly every able-bodied man was a soldier. Living on the extreme western border of civilization, as the pioneers of Clinton then did, it maj' be supposed that they had their full share of duties to perform in piotecting their homes and their lives from invading Indians. Consequently, as long as danger threatened their own families and firesides, very little fighting material could be spared to join the Continental troops in their various campaigns against the British. After the close of the Revolution, quite a number of persons who had taken part in that struggle settled within the present limits of the county. Among them was Major John P. De Haas, who located on Bald Eagle creek, about nine miles above its mouth, and Thomas and Francis Proctor, who acquired possession of a large tract of land on the river just below the mouth of the same stream. Thomas Proctor was captain of the first Continental companj' of artillery raised in Philadelphia. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of colonel, and his brother Francis, who was lieutenant of the same company, became captain. William Dunn, the owner of Che " Big Island," also served some time as a soldier of the Revolution, participating in the battles of Germantown and Trenton. Mr. Dunn, with Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Hughes, were appointed a Committee of Safety at the beginning of the Revolution for Bald Eagle township (then Northumberland county). Immediately after the restoration of peace, in 1783, a number of families, in addition to those who had been driven away by the Indians, came to the West Branch and settled. The lands lying between the river and Bald Eagle creek, being especially desirable, owing to their fertility and favorable location, pa,rticularly attracted those seeking frontier homes, and by the beginning of the year 1800 quite a settlement had there sprung up. To give the reader something of an idea how the land where Lock Haven now stands appeared seventy years ago, it may be stated that all of the territory, comprising about two thousand acres, lying in the angle formed by the junction of Bald Eagle creek and the Susquehanna river, was then covered with a vigorous growth of pine and oak, with the exception of about a dozen cleared patches of a few acres each, scattered here and there over the tract. Fifteen hundred acres of said angle was granted to Dr. Francis Allison, in 1769, by the Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania. A few years after receiving his patent, Dr. Allison sold his purchase to John Fleraing, who took possession in 1773, and located on the lower end of the tract, where he died in 1777. In accordance with the provisions of his will, the estate after his death was divided among his heirs. About the j'car 1800, Dr. John Henderson, of Huntingdon, married Margaret Jamison, one of the Fleming heirs, and through her came into possession of a portion of the original " Allison tract," as it was called. The completion of the West Branch division of the Pennsylvania canal from Northumberland to Dunnsburg, opposite Lock Haven, in 1834, was the beginning of a new and important era in the history of the West Branch valley. For 2 M 578 HI8TOR Y OF PENN8 YL VANIA. several years the work of building the canal had progressed, and finally culmi- nated in the construction of the Lock Haven dam. During the construction of these works, a large number of adventurers from various parts of the country visited the locality ; some of them remained and took an active part in the affairs of the community for years after. Several of the Irish laborers located on lands in the vicinity, and made industrious, law-abiding citizens. Of the specu- lating spirits who were attracted thither by the prospect of a bright future, Jerry Church was the most original, enterprising, and venturesome, and although the region round about and above the mouth of Bald Eagle creek had been looked upon for many years, by the settlers and others, as desirable for agricultural pur- poses, and destined to become populous, productive, and wealthy as a farming district, it remained for the energetic Jerry to conceive and consummate the idea of laying out a town on that beautiful plain. Accordingly, in October, 1833, he purchased Dr. Henderson's farm of two hundred acres, for which he paid twenty thousand dollars, and immediately proceeded to lay out the tract into lots, streets, and alleys. On the 4th of November, 1833, a public sale of lots took place, when quite a number were disposed of to the " highest and best bidders." The first lot sold was the one on which the Montour House is now located. It was bought by Frank Smith, Esq. The name Lock Haven was given to the town because of the existence in its vicinity of two locks in the canal, and a raft harbor or haven in the river. It was not long after Lock Haven was laid out before it assumed the propor- tions and characteristics of a thriving town. The impulse given to its growth by the building of the public works, soon caused it to rank; among the enterprising and prosperous inland villages of the State. The qircumstauces attending its origin were such as to render its inception almost an absolute necessity, and after viewing the location and its surroundings, it did not take the shrewd Jerry Church long to realize that such was the case. The influx of strangers to the neighborhood, in consequence of the building and opening of the West Branch canal (and the extension to Bellefonte), at once created a demand for business places of various kinds. Hotels became necessary, to accommodate those con- nected with and having charge of the works ; stores were needed to furnish boatmen and others with supplies. In fact nothing but some providential calamity could have prevented the springing up and development of a flourishing town just where Lock Haven is situated. The location itself has natural attrac- tions suflicient to justify the assertion that, aside from its acquired advantages, a more desirable sight for a large town could not well have been found within the confines of the State. A healthful climate, fertile soil, grand and romantic scenery, pure air and water, all conspire to render the location especially desirable as a place of residence. * Nature is accused of partiality in the distribution of her favors. She is charged with scattering them with a lavish hand in some places and parsimoniously withholding them in others. Whether this charge is true or false, it is indisputable that the region of which Lock Haven is the geographical centre has received a full share of her richest bounties, of which fact Jerry Church and his coadjutors were not unmindful when Clinton county was orga- nized and Lock Haven made the seat of justice. The formation of Clinton county, and the selection of Lock Haven as a site for the public buildings, was CLINTON COUNTY. 5T9 the consummation of a wish dear to the heart of Jerry Church. From the time he made the purchase of Dr. Henderson he had exerted himself to the litmost to hring about that result. After the building of the court-house, the next important event in the history of Look Haven was the construction of the West Branch boom, in 1849, concern- ing which H. L. Deiffenbach, Esq., formerly editor of the Clinton Democrat, says : " From this period the rapid growth of Lock Haven commenced. Property doubled, trebled, and quadrupled in value, and soon the fields around the town were dotted with houses, and the streets filled with an industrious, energetic, and prosperous population." The completion of the Sunbury and Erie (now Philadelphia and Brie) railroad to Lock Haven, in 1859, was another important event in the history, not only of the town, but of Clinton county and the entire West Branch valley. The build- ing of this road placed Lock Haven in direct and easy communication with the principal commercial cities of the country, and at once gave the community advantages' and facilities which greatly increased its growth and prosperity. Lock Haven was incorporated as a borough April 25, 1 840, and became a city March 28, 1810, having a population at that time of six thousand seven hundred and eighty-six. The first jail in Clinton was built soon after the county was organized. It was constructed of logs, and stood near where the present one is located. On October 1, 1851, Colonel Anthony Kleckner was awarded the contract to build a new jail, which was completed the following year, at a cost of five thousand five hundred and seventy -five dollars. In ISTl the building was remodeled and enlarged, which cost twenty-two thousand two hundred and forty dollars. As the population and business of the county increased, it was found that the court house, built in 1842, was not large enough ; therefore it was decided to erect a new one. Accordingly a location was selected on Water street, just above the river bridge, and the present structure erected, costing ninety-three thousand dol- lars. It was dedicated on Monday, February 8, 1869, on which occasion addresses were delivered by the Hon. C. A. Mayer, president judge of the dis- trict, and H. T. Beardsley, Esq. The following extract from Mr. Beardsley's remarks is given, because the circumstances under which it was delivered, and the • facts which it contains, render it a part of the history of the county : " This county was organized, and the first court held in December, 1839. The court then, and for the years 1840 and 1841, was held in a part of a twostory building that then stood on Water street, above the canal, known as ' Barker's Tavern.' That house was burned down in 1855. It was what is known as a double front, that is, two rooms in front, with a hall between those rooms. The part on the east side of the hall was the court room, and was about twenty-eight feet in length by sixteen in width. Think of it, a court room twenty-eight by sixteen. Over tiiis court room, in the second story, were the county offices, being two in number, and in size about fourteen by sixteen feet' each. The front one was used as the commissioners' and treasurer's office ; and the back one as the oflTice of the prothonotary, register andTecorder, clerk of the courts, etc., one man easily performing all the duties in the last mentioned oflBce. You may be curious to know where the sheriffs office was. ' Old Sheriff Miller ' discharged 580 HUSTURY OF PENNSYLVANIA. PD1.PIT BOOKS, NBAB ROUND ISLAND, CLINTON COUNTY, CLINTON COUNTY. 681 the duties of that office at the period of which I am speaking. I recollect him well. A dark-visaged, good-natured, genial man; but that does not inform you where he had hi^ office. It was not in the court house, nor was it in his own dwelling in Dunnstown, nor, I may add, was it in any other house in Lock Haven, Dunnstown,.or in Clinton county. All who recollect him will witness that he wore a high-crowned hat, and allow me to inform you, that in that hat he kept his office. He placed an empty cigar box in the prothonotary's office, in which that official placed the writs that were occasionally issued, marking the day and hour of their being so deposited, and that was considered a delivery to the sheriff, who, upon coming to town, Would transfer them to his hat, and the records of this court will show that very many of them never found their way back to the court house." In all the wars in which the United States have been engaged, Clinton county has furnished her full share of troops. Quite a number of her citizens partici- pated in the war of 1812, and several from the county took part in the war with Mexico. During the great Rebellion, the various calls of the government for troops met with patriotic and ready responses, and the county not only contri- buted her full quota of able-bodied private soldiers, but furnished a complement of brave and efficient commissioned officers, many of whom did honor to them- selves and to the country by especial acts of gallantry on the field of battle. The following are their names : Colonels Phaon Jarrett, C. A. Lyman, H. C. Bolinger, H. M. Bassert. Majors Jesse Merrill, afterwards major-general N. G. of Penn'a., Charles Wingard, Sylvester Barrows. Captains W. C. Kress, R. S. Barker, W. W. White, C- W. Walker, J. W. Smith, John B. Johnson^ now colonel in the i-egular army, George B. Donahaj^, W. S. Chatham, A. H. McDonald, B. K. Jackman, William Shank, Thomas B. Quay, Samuel H. Brown. First Lieutenants John S. Haynes, John A. Cogley, George Curtin, R. R. Bitner, Alexander Blackburn, J. W. Devling, William Hollingsworth, Joseph Showers, William Kauffman, William Crispin, Austin Stull, George W. Thomas, John P. Straw. Second Lieutenants James R. Conlj', David Hayne, Thomas C. Lebo, now captain in the regular army, Edward Barnum, Daniel Wolf, Samuel W. Philips, E. P. McGormlck. Lock Haven has sixty streets, the aggregate length of which is over twenty- five miles, and more than two hundred business places, thirteen church struc- tures, and fourteen church organizations. It has fifteen secret societies, and four fire companies, three banks, and four printing offices, each issuing a weekly newspaper. The latitude of Lock Haven is 41° 5' 30" north ; the longitude, west of Greenwich, 7T^ 30' ; west of Washington, 2° 12'. The average rain-fall per year, including water contained in snow, forty inches. The mean temperature in the summer is 67^° ; in the winter, 47^°. Beside Lock Haven the most important town in Clinton county is Renoyo, located on the west branch of the Susquehanna, twenty-seven miles above the for- mer place. It is emphatically a railroad town, that is, it owes its existence to the erection at that point of extensive car-shops by the Philadelphia and Erie rail- road company, in 1868. The town is beautifully situated in a delightful valley, surrounded by high mountains on all sides. It contained a population of 1,940 in 1870 which has steadily increased. It has an elegant hotel, owned by the railroad 582 CLINTON COUNTY. 583 company, and named after the town. It contains three churches, eleven public schools, a public hall, a bank, and a weekly newspaper. Renovo was incorporated as a borough in 1866. There are but three other incorporated villages in the county : Mill Hall, Beech Creek, and Logansville. Mill Hall was laid out in 1806, by Nathan Harvey, and became a borough in 1850. Its population is now about five hundred. Beech Creek was started about the j-ear 1812, by Michael Quigley. The first store in the place was kept by " Buck " Claflin, father of Victoria WoodhuU. It was incorporated in 1809. Its population in 1870 was 384 Logansville was laid out' in 1840, by Colonel Anthony Kleckner, and incor- porated in 1864. Its population in 1870 was 414, now about 500. The other principal villages in the county are, Salona, Clintondale, Tylers^ viilc, Ilyner, Xorth Point, and Westport. COLUMBIA COUNTY. BY JOHN G. FREEZE, BLOOMSBUKG. IIOLUMBIA COUNTY was taken from Northumberland by an act of 22d March, 1813. By the bill organizing the county, the Governor was authorized to appoint the commissioners to select and locate the county seat, and they recommended Danville as the site. Thereupon, on the 21st February, 1815, Turbut and Chillisquaquc townships were stridden off, and re-annexed to Northumberland. This act placed Danville largely upon one side of the county, and the question of removing the county seat to Bloomsburg immediately commenced. To check it, on the 22d January, 1816, part of the above townships was re-annexed to Columbia countj'. On the 3d March, 1^18, a portion of Columbia county was annexed to Schuylkill, and was called Union township. The removal question still continuing to agitate the public mind, on the 24th February, 1845, the Legislature passed an act au- thorizing a vote on the question of a re-location of the county seat of Columbia county, and at the October election following, it was decided by a popular vote to remove it to Bloomsburg ; and thus ended a long and bitter local contest. On May 3, 1850, the county of Montour was erected out of part of Columbia ; and a fierce contest arose as to the repeal of that act, which finally resulted in the passage, on the 15th January, 1853, of an act to straighten the division line between the two counties, by which a portion of the territory was re-annexed to Columbia. The county still contains about five hundred square miles, and has now nearly thirty thousand inhabitants. It occupies a part of the Apalachian mountainous 584 COLUMBIA COUNTY COURT HOUSE. COLUMBIA UOUNJi. 585 belt, between the anthracite formations on the S.E., and the Allegheny moun- tains on the N.W. The county is quite broken, though the mouncain ranges are not high. The arable land is mostlj' red shale and limestone. Little moun- tain, Catawissa, Long mountain, and Knob mountain are the principal eleva- tions. The Muncy hills send some spurs into the county. A heavy belt of limestone runs the entire length of the county. Tlie Susquehanna river enters the county at Berwick, dividing about one- third to the east side, and two-thirds to the west side. Its principal tributaries upon the east side are Catawissa creek and Roaring creek, and on the west Fishing creek, which is a large stream, being itself fed by Huntington, Hemlock, and Little Fishing creek, besides smaller streams, and which flows into the Susquehanna near Bloomsburg. There is a passenger bridge over the river at Berwick, and another at Catawissa, and the bridge of the Catawissa branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad at Rupert, at the mouth of Fishing creek. There is a rope ferrj' at Bloomsburg, one at Espy, and another at Mifllinvillc. There are large deposits of iron ore at Bloomsburg, as well as limestone, and a considerable anthracite coal basin at the southeast end of the county, bordering on Schuylkill. The North Branch canal passes along th* right bank of the Susquehanna through the county. The Catawissa railroad, now under lease to the Philadel- phia and Reading railroad, runs through the county, crossing the Susquehanna river at Rupert, near the mouth of Pishing creek. The Danville, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre, running from Sun bury in Northumberland county, to Tomhickon in Luzerne county, passes along the left bank of the Susquehanna to Catawissa, and then up the Scotch run, leaving the county near Glen City. The Lacka- wanna and Bloomsburg, from Scranton to Northumberland, passes along on the right bank of the Susquehanna, through Bloomsburg, the whole length of the county. These are all in successful operation. The projected improvements are the North and West Branch railroad, to run from Wilkcs-Barre by Bloomsburg to Williamsport. It passes down the left bank of the Susquehanna, crosses at Bloomsburg, and up the valley of the Fishing creek. Considerable grading has been done on this road. The Hunlock Creek and Muncy raih'oad intersects the northern portion of the county. A preliminary survey has been made, but the work is not at present continuing. The earliest historical bands of Indians on the territory of Columbia county were the Shawanese, who had a village on the flats about the mouth of Fishing creek near Bloomsburg, another at Catawissa, and another at the mouth of IJriar creek. The Delawares were also within the valley, vassals to the Six Na- tions. The territory lay in the route of travel for hunting or for war. " The Wyoming path" left Muncy on the West Branch, ran up Glade Run, then through a gap in the hills to Fishing creek, passed on into Luzerne county, through the Nescopec gap, and up the North Branch to Wyoming. The Fish- ing creek path started in the flats near Bloomsburg, up Fishing creek by Orangeville, to near Long Pond, thence across to Tunkhannock creek. It was on this very path, about six miles above Bloomsburg, that Van Campen, the great Indian fighter, was captured. In the year 1772, Mi-. James McClure settled upon the west bank of the 586 HISTOB T OF PENNS YL VAITIA. North Branch of the Susquehanna, about one mile above the mouth of Fishing creelf, in what is now Columbia county. He obtained a patent for his farm, under the name of " McClure's Choice." He was a man of position and influ- ence, and when the war of the Revolution was raging was prominent in the councils of his country. On the 8th February, 1776, the members of the Com- mittee of Safety for Wyoming township were Mr. James McClure, Mr. Thomas Claj-ton, and Mr. Peter Melick, whose descendants are still in the county. Major Moses Van Campen married James McClure's eldest daughter. AVithin the same j'ear of 1772, Evan Owen located himself on a farm at the mouth of Fishing creek, and above Mr. James McClure, came in their order, Thomas Clayton, John Doan, John Webb, George Espy, and the Gingles family. There was also, previous to the Revolution, a settlement at the mouth of Briar creek. The territory of what is now Columbia county was considerably overrun by the Indians during the border and Revolutionary wars. Upon several occasions the inhabitants were massacred by or fled before their savage enemies. They protected themselves as well as their numbers and strength enabled theip, and erected forts at several points in the county. But little more than the location can now be ascertained, and even^hat is sometimes uncertain. Fort Bosley was on the Chillisquaque, on the site of the present borough of Washingtonville. Fort Rice was also on the Chillisquaque, near its head-waters. It was attacked unsuccessfully in September, 1780, being relieved by a force under General Potter, who followed the enemy about flfty miles up Fishing creek with- out reaching them. Fort Wheeler was on the Fishing creek, about three miles above its mouth. It was begun b}' Van Campen, in April, 1778, and was a stockade sufficiently large to accommodate all the families of the settlement. It was attacked before it was entirely completed, in May, 1778, but withstood the assault. It was near Light Street. Fort Jenkins was on the Susquehanna river, near Briar creek, on the farm of Jacob Hill, and on the very spot where his house now stands. It was attacked in April, 1779, and again in 1780, in the spring, and it was evacuated in the fall, and burned by the Indians about September, 1780. Fort McClure was built by Van Campen, in 1781. It was on the spot on which the dwelling-house now stands, on the James McClure farm, about one mile above the mouth of Fishing creek. Here ho made his head-quarters, and thence led his scouting parties. Having alluded to the Indian forts located within the count}', we insert a portion of the " Narrative of Van Campen," who erected the fort just named. Major Moses Van Campen, or Van Camp, as it was usually pronounced, and bis brother Jacobus, or Cobus Van Camp, were famous in the border wars of the Susquehanna. The father of the family was a Low Dutchman, probably from the Minisink settlements on the Delaware. In the winter of 1838, then living at Dansville, New York, he sent a petition to Congress for a pension, from which the following passages arc extracted : " My first service was in the year 1777, when I served three months under COLUMBIA COUNTY. 587 Colonel John Kelly, who stationed us at Big Isle, on the West Branch of the Susquehanna. Nothing particular transpired during that time, and in March, lt78, I was appointed lieutenant of a company of six months' men. Shortly afterward I was ordered by Colonel Samuel Hunter to proceed with about twenty men to Fishing creek (which empties into the North Branch of the Susquehanna, about twenty miles from Northumberland), and to build a fort about three miles from its mouth, for the reception of the inhabitants in case of an alarm from tlie Indians. In May, my fort being nearly completed, our spies discovered a large body of Indians making their way towards the fort. The neighboring residents had barely time to fly to the fort for protection, leaving their goods behind. The Indians soon made their appearance, and having plundered and burnt the houses, attacked the fort, keeping a steady fire upon us during the day. At night they withdrew, burning and destroying everything in their route. What loss they sustained we could not ascertain, as they carried off all the dead and wounded, though from the marks of blood on the ground, it must have been considerable. The inhabitants that took shelter in the fort had built a j'ard for their cattle at the head of a small flat, at a short distance from the fort ; and one evening in the month of June, just as they were milking them, mj- sentinel called my attention to some movement in the brush, which I soon discovered to be Indians making their way to the cattle yard. There was no time to be lost ; I immediately selected ten of my sharp-shooters, and under cover of a rise of land, got between them and the milkers. On ascending the ridge we found ourselves within pistol shot of them ; I fired first, and killed the loader, but a volley from my men did no further execution, tlie Indians running off at once. In the mean- time the milk pails flew in every direction, and the best runner got to the fort first. As the season advanced Indian hostilities increased, and notwithstanding the vigilance of our scouts, which were constantly out, houses were burnt and families murdered." In 17t9 Van Campen, as quarter-master, accompanied General Sullivan's expedition to'ravage the Indian towns on the Genesee. He distingushed him- self in several skirmishes at Newtown and Hog Back hill. " On the return of the army, I was taken with the camp-fever, and was removed to the fort which I had built in '78, where my fatlier was still living. In the course of the winter I recovered my health, and my father's house having been burnt in '78 by the party which attacked the before-mentioned fort, my father requested me to go with him and a younger brother to our farm, about four miles distant, to make preparations for building another, and raising some grain. But little apprehension was entertained of molestations from the Indians this season, as they had been so completely routed the year before. We left the fort about the last of March, accompanied bj' my uncle and his son, about twelve years old, and one Peter Pence. We had been on our farms about four or five days, when, on the morning of the 30th of March, we were surprised by a party of ten Indians. My father was lunged through with a war-spear, his throat was cut, and he was scalped ; while my brother was tomahawked, scalped, and thrown into the fire before my eyes. While I was struggling with a warrior, the fellow who had killed my father drew his spear from his body and made a violent thrust at me. I shrank from the spear ; the savage who had hold of me turned it with his hand 588 HISTOR Y OF PUNKS YL VANIA. so tliat it only penetrated my vest and shirt They were then satisfied with taking me prisoner, as they had the same morning taken my uncle's little son and Pence, though they killed ray uncle. The same party, before thej' reached us, had touched on the lower settlements of Wyoming, and killed a Mr. Upson, and took a boy prisoner of the name of Rogers. We were now marched off up Fishing creek, and in the afternoon of the same day we came to Huntington, where the Indians found four white men at a sugar camp, who fortunately dis- covered the Indians and fled to a house; the Indians only fired on them, and wounded a Captain Ransom, when they continued their course till night. Having encamped and made their fire, we, the prisoners, were tied and well secured, five Indians lying on one side of us, and five on the other ; in the morning they pur- sued their course, and, leaving the waters of Fishing creek, touched the head- waters of Hunlock creek, where they found one Abraham Pike, liis wife and child. Pike was made prisoner, but his wife and child they painted, and told Joggo, squaw, go home. They continued their course that da}-, and encamped the same night in the same manner as the previous. It came into my mind that some- times individuals performed wonderful actions, and surmounted the greatest danger. I then deoLded that these fellows must die; and thought of the plan to dispatch them. The next 'day I h-ad an opportunity to communicate my plan to my fellow-prisoners; they treated it as a visionary scheme for three men to attempt to dispatch ten Indians. I spread before them the advantages that three men would have over ten when asleep ; and that we would be the first prisoners that would be taken into their towns and villages after our army had desti'oyed their corn, that we should be tied to the stake and suffer a cruel death ; we had now an inch of ground to (fight on, and if we failed, it would only be death, and we might as well die one way as another. That day passed away, and having encamped for the night, we lay as before. In the morning we came to the river, and saw their canoes ; they had descended the river and run their nanoes upon Little Tunkhannock creek, so called. They crossed the river and set their canoes adrift. I renewed my suggestion to my companions to dispatch them that night, and urged they must decide the question. They agreed to make the trial ; but how shall wc do it, was the question. Disarm them, and each take a tomahawk, and come to close work at once. There are three of us ; plant our blows with judgment, and three times three will make nine, and the tenth one we can kill at our leisure. They agreed to disarm them, and after that, one take possession of the guns and fire, at the one side of the four, and the other two to take tomahawks on the other side and dispatch them. I observed that it would be a very uncertain way ; the first shot fired would give the alarm ; they would discover it to be the prisoners, and might defeat us. I had to yield to their plan. Peter Pence was chosen to fire the guns. Pike and myself to tomahawk ; we cut and carriied plenty of wood to give them a good fire ; the prisoners were tied and laid in their places ; after I was laid down, one of them had occasion to use his knife ; he dropped it at my feet ; I turned my foot over it and concealed it ; they all lay down and fell asleep. About midnight I got up and found them in a sound sleep. I slipped to Pence, who rose ; I cut him loose and handed him the knife ; he did the same for me, and I in turn took the knife and cut Pike loose ; in a minute's time we dis- armed them. Pence took his station at the guns. Pike and myself with our COLUMBIA COUNTY. 689 tomahawks took our stations ; I was to tomahawk three on the right wing, and Pike two on the left. That moment Pike's two awoke, and were getting up ; here Pike proved afcoward, and laid down. It was a oritical moment. I saw there was no timerto be lost ; their heads turned up fair ; I dispatched them in a moment, and turned to my lot as per agreement, and as I was about to dispatch the last on my side of the fire, Pence shot and did good execution ; there was only one at the off wing that his ball did not reach ; his name was Mohawke, a stout, bold, daring fellow. In the alarm he jumped off about three rods from the fire ; he saw it was the prisoners who made the attack, and giving the war-whoop, he darted to take possession of the gnns ; I was as quick to prevent him ; the contest was then between him and myself. As I raised my tomahawk, he turned quick to jump from me ; I followed him and struck at him, but missing his head, my tomahawk struck his shoulder, or rather the back of his neck ; he pitched forward and fell ; and the same time my foot slipped, and I fell by his side ; we clinched ; his, arm was naked ; he caught me round my neck ; at the same time I caught him with my left arm around the body, and gave him a close hug, at the same time feeling for his linife, but could not reach it. " In our scuffle my tomahawk dropped out. My head was under the wounded shoulder, and almost suffocated me with his blood. I made a violent spring, and broke from his hold ; we both rose at the same time, and he ran ; it took me some time to clear the blood from my eyes ; mj' tomahawk had got covered up, and I could not find it in time to overtake him ; he was the only one of the party that escaped. Pike was powerless. I always had a reverence for Christian devotion. Pike was trying to pray, and Pence swearing at him, charging him with cowar- dice, and saying it was no time to pray — he ought to fight ; we were masters of the ground, and in possession of all their guns, hlankets, match coats, etc. I then turned my attention to scalping them, and recovering the scalps of my father, brother, and others, I strung them all on mj' belt for safe-keeping. We kept our ground till morning, and built a raft, it being near the bank of the river where they had encamped, about fifteen miles below Tioga Point ; we got all our plunder on it, and set sail for Wyoming, the nearest settle- ment. Our raft gave way, when we made for land ; but we lost consi- derable property, though we saved our guns and ammunition, and took to land ; we reached Wyalusing late in the afternoon. Came to the narrows ; discovered a smoke below, and a raft laying at the shore, by which we were certain that a party of Indians had passed us in the course of the day, and had halted for the night. There was no alternative for us but to rout them or go over the mountain ; the snow on the north side of the hill was deep ; we knew from the appearance of tlie raft that the party must be small; we had two rifles each ; my only fear was of Pike's cowardice. To know the worst of it, we agreed that I should ascertain their number, and give the signal for the attack. I crept down the side of the hill so near as to see their fires and packs, but saw no Indians. I concluded they had gone hunting for meat, and that this was a good opportunity for us to make off with their raft to the opposite side of the river. I gave the signal ; they came and threw their packs on to the raft, which was made of small, dry pine timber; with poles and paddles we drove her briskly across the river, and had got nearly out of reach of shot, when two of them came 590 HIS TOB T OF PENNS YL VANIA. in ; they fired — their shots did no injury ; we soon got under cover of an island, and went several miles ; we had waded deep creeks through |the day, the night was cold ; we landed on an island and found a sink hole, in Vrhich we made our fire ; after warming, we were alarmed by a cracking in the cru». Pike supposed the Indians had got on to the island, and was for calling for quarters ; to keep him quiet wc threatened him with his life ; the stepping grew plainer, and seemed coming directly to the fire ; I kept a watch, and soon a noble racoon came under the light. I shot the racoon, when Pike jumped up and called out, ' Quarters, gentlemen ; quarters, gentlemen I ' I took my game by the leg and threw it down to the fire. ' Here, you cowardly rascal,' I cried, ' skin that and give us a roast for supper.' The next night we reached Wyoming, and there was much joy to see us ; we rested one day, and it being not safe to go to Northumberland by land, we procured a canoe, and with Pence and my little cousin, we descended the river by night. We came to Fort Jenkins before day, where I found Colonel Kelly ahd about one hundred men encamped out of the fort. He came across from the West Branch by the heads of Chillisquaque to Fishing creek, the end of the Nob mountain, so called at that day, where my father and brother were killed ; he had buried my father and uncle ; my brother was burnt, a small part of him only was to be found. Colonel Kelly informed me that my mother and her children were in the fort, and it was thought that I was killed likewise. Colonel Kelly went into the fort to prepare her mind to see me ; I took off my belt of scalps and handed them to an officer to keep. Human nature was not sufficient to stand the interview. She had just lost a husband and a son, and one had returned to take her by the hand, and one, too, that she supposed was killed. " The day after, I went to Sunbury, where I was received with joy ; my scalps were exhibited, the cannons were fired, etc. Before my return a commission had been sent me as ensign of a company to be commanded by Captain Thomas Robinson ; this was, as I understood, a part of the quota which Pennsylvania had to raise for the Continental Line. One Joseph Alexander was commissioned as lieutenant, but did not accept his commission. The sirmmer of 1780 was spent in the recruiting service ; our company was organized, and was retained for the defence of the frontier service. In February, 1181, I was promoted to a lieutenancy, and entered upon the active duty of an officer, by heading scouts ; and as Captain Robinson was no woodsman nor marksman, he preferred that I should encounter the danger and head the scouts. We kept up a constant chain of scouts around the frontier settlements, from the North to the West Branch of the Susquelianna, by the way of the head-waters of Little Fishing creek, Chillisquaque, Muncy, etc. In the spring of 1781, we built a fort on the widow McClure's plantation, called McClure's Fort, where our provisions were stored." Mr. Van Cam pen, the same summer, went up the West Branch. He was taken prisoner by the Indians. On arriving at the Indian village of Cauandai- gua, on the Genesee, he says : " We were prepared to run the Indian gauntlet ; the warriors don't, whip, it is the young Indians and squaws. They meet you in sight of their couucil-house, where they select the prisoners from the ranks of the warriors, bring them in front, and when ready, the word^joggo is given ; the prisoners start, the whippers COLUMBIA COUNTY. 591 follow after; and if they outrun you, j'ou will be severely whipped. I was plac ed in front of my men ; the word being given, we started. Being then young and full of nerve, I led the way; two young squaws came running up to join the whipping party ; and when they saw us start, they halted, and stood shoulder to shoulder with their whips ; when I came near them I bounded and kicked them over ; we all came down together ; there was considerable kicking amongst us, so much so that they showed their under-dress, which appeared to be of a beautiful yellow color; I had not time to help them up. It was truly diverting to the warriors ; they yelled and shouted till they made the air ring. They halted at that village for one day, and thence went to Fort Niagara, where I was delivered up to the British. I was adopted, according to the Indian cus- tom, into Colonel Butler's family, then the commanding officer of the British and Indians at that place. I was to supply the loss of his son, Captain Butler, who was killed late in the fall of ItSl, by the Americans. In honor to me as his adopted son, I was confined in a private room, and not put under a British guard. M3' troubles soon began ; the Indians were informed by the Tories that knew me that I had been a prisoner before, and had killed my captors ; they were outrageous, and went to Butler and demanded me, and, as I was told, offered to bring in fourteen prisoners in my place. Butler sent an officer to examine me on the subject ; he came and informed me their Indians had laid heavy accusations against me ; they were informed that I had been a prisoner before, and had killed the party, and that they had demanded me to be given up to them, and that his colonel wished to know the fact. I observed, ' Sir, it is a serious question to answer ; I will never deny the truth ; I have been a prisoner before, and killed the party, and returned to the service of my country ; but, sir, I consider myself to be a prisoner of war to the British, and I presume you will have more honor than to deliver me up to the savages. I know what my fate will be, and please to inform your colonel that we have it in our power to retaliate.' He left mo, and in a short time returned and stated that he was authorized to say to me that there was no alternative for me to save my life but to abandon the rebel cause and join the British standard ; that I should take the same I'ank in the British service as I did in the rebel service. I replied, ' No sir, no ; give me the stake, the tomahawk, or the knife, before a British commission ; liberty • or death is our motto ; ' he then left me. Some time after a lady came to my room, with whom I had been well acquainted before the Revolution ; we had been schoolmates ; she was *hen married to a British officer, a captain of the Queen's rangers ; he came with her. She had been to Colonel Butler, and she was authorized to make me the same offer as the officer had done ; I thanked her for the trouble she had taken for my safety, but could not accept of the offer ; she observed how much more honorable would it be to be an officer in the British service. I observed that I could not dispose of myself in that way; I belonged to tlie Congress of the United States, and that I would abide the consequence ; she left mc. and that was the last I heard of it. A guard was set at the door of my apartment. I was soon afterwards sent down Lake Ontario to Montreal, whence a British ship brought me to New York. In the month of March, If 83, I was exchanged, and had orders to take up arms again. I joined my company in March at Northumberland ; about that time Captain Robinson received orders 692 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. to march his company to Wyoming, to keep garrison at Willses-Barre fort. He sent myself and Ensign Chambers with the company to that station, where we lay till November, 1783. 0,ur army was then discharged, and our company likewise ; poor and pennyless, we retired to the shades of private life." In the war of 1812, Columbia county furnished a company, but I have not recovered any particulars or names. In the Mex- ican war, the Columbia Guards, com- manded by Cap- tain Prick, achieved a high reputation. In the Union war Columbia county sent a large number of men into the Held, and some of her citizens secured a high militarj' posi- tion, notably General Wel- lington H. Ent, Colonel Samuel Enorr, Captain Charles B. Brockway. The general educational in- terests of the count}', under ■ the common school system, are . in a very satisfactory condition, and need not be particularized. But the State Normal school at Bloomsburg is an enterprise that should not be passed over. A charter for the incorporation of the Bloomsburg Literary Institute having been secured, on the 2d of May, 1866, the corporators and others met, organized, and adjourned to meet again on the 4th, when measures were resolved upon to put the Institute in permanent condition. A building, costing about twenty-five thousand dollars, wns erected, and formally opened on COLUMBIA COUNTY. 593 the 3d day of April, 1867. The situation and building so pleased Mr. Superin- tendent Wickersham that he urged the addition of grounds and building for a State Normal school, and on 9th March, 1868, it was resolved upon. The corner- stone of the building was laid by Governor Geary, June 25, 1868. On the 8th February, 1869, application was made by the Board of Trustees to have the Insti- tute recognized as a State Normal school. A committee was appointed, who, on 19th February, 1869, made the official visit and examination. On the same day the committee reported favorably, and on the 22d of February, 1869, Hon. Mr Wickersham, State Superintendent, formally recognized the said Bloomsburg Literary Institute as the State Normal school of the Sixth district. The school continued in operation, with increasing success, until September 4, 1875, when the boarding hall took fire and burned down. It was a total loss. The trustees took immediate measures to rebuild, and on the 14th October fol- lowing let the new building for forty-seven thousand and ninety-eight dollars. It is one hundred and sixty-two feet front, with elevation and projection, and one hundred and fifteen feet deep, in the form of a T. It was finished by April 1, 1876, and occupied for the spring term. There is no finer view in the State than that from Institute Hill, overlooking the town and the surrounding country. Bloomsburg lies upon a bluff on the south bank of the Fishing creek, and about one mile from the Susquehanna, the Fishing creek emptying into the Susquehanna, about two miles below the town. The location is beautiful in all respects. Between the mouth of the creek and the town the Shawanese Indians had a village, and in 1772 Mr. James McClure located his farm near the same point, and in 1781 a fort was erected there. In 1802 the town was laid out by Ludwig Byer, by the name of Bloomsburg. In 1846 it became the county seat of Columbia county ; in 1869 was made the educational centre of the north-eastern portion of the State by the completion of the buildings for the Sixth Normal School district of the State. In 1870 it was organized as the town of Blooms- burg, and includes as such, the whole of what at that date was Bloom township. It contains within its borders the furnaces of the Bloomsburg iron company, and the furnace of William Neal & Sons ; the foundry of Sharpless & Son, of Turn- bach & Hess, and of Harman & Hassert, the car and machine shops of Lockard & Brother, and the planing mill of the Bloomsburg lumber company, besides other smaller manufacturing establishments of various kinds. It has an Episco- pal, a Presbyterian, a Methodist, a Catholic, a Lutheran, a German Reformed, a Baptist, and several other places of religious worship. It has five hotels, an opera house, and a dozen or more school houses, besides the Normal School buildings. It has three nioney institutions, the First National, the Blooms- burg and Columbia county banks. The North Branch canal and the Lacka- wanna and Bloomsburg railroad both run through the town, and the pro- jected North and West Branch railroad also is located within its limits. It contains about' four thousand five hundred inhabitants. There are pub- lished in it The Columbian, The Republican, The Sentinel, Tlie Some Trade Journal, and by the students of the Normal School, The Normal Mentor. Catawissa is a large village, on the left bank of the Susquehanna, at the mouth of Catawissa creek, about four miles south of Bloomsburg. The scenery 2n 694 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. about the place is fine and picturesque. The town contains about one thousand of a population. The furnaces in the neighborhood have been demolished, but the paper mill, the tanneries, the car shops of the Catawissa railroad, and other industries, give the place a lively aspect. The places of worship are a Lutheran, a German Reformed, a Methodist, and an Episcopal church. There is also yet standing, a Friends' meeting house, and there has been lately erected a fine Masonic and town hall. The German race at present prevails about Catawissa^ It was originally a Quaker settlement, and on a beautiful shady knoll, a little apart from the dust and din of the village, stands the venerable Quaker meeting house, a perishable monument of a race of early settlers that have nearly all passed away. "And where are they gone ?" we inquired of an . aged Friend sitting with one or two sisters on the bench under the shade of the tall trees that overhang the meeting-house. "Ah," "^" " , said he, " some are dead, but many A.NCIENT friends' MEETING HOUSE, CATAWISSA. ' ' •' are gone to Ohio, and still further west. Once there was a large meeting here, but now there are but few of us to sit together." Pennsylvania exhibits many similar instances in which the original settlers have yielded to another and more numerous race. Catawissa was laid out in 1187, by William Hughes, a Quaker from Berks count}'. Isaiah Hughes kept the first store. Among the early pioneers were WiUiam Collins, James Watson, John Lloyd, Reuben Fenton, Benjamin Sharp- less, and other Quakers. John Mears, a famous Quaker preacher and physician, a man of great energy of character, afterwards became proprietor of the town by buying up the quit-rents. In 1796 James Watson laid out an addition to the town. Among the Gerraans| Christian Brobst came about 1793, and George Knappenberger had previously taken the ferry. The place was then noted for its shad fishery. John Hauch was one of the first to build a furnace in this region, on the Catawissa, in 1816. Redmond Conyngham, Esq., who has devoted much research to the aboriginal history of the State, says the Piscatawese or Ganga- wese or Conoys (Kenhawas), had a wigwam on the Oatawese at Catawese, now Catawissa. It is a good plan to identify the Indian name of a place with its pre- sent name. The Catawissa railroad passes through the village, and the Danville, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre, within a few hundred yards. The Catawissa deposit bank is located in the town, and a fine new passenger bridge spans the Susque- hanna. Berwick was originally settled by Evan Owen in 1783. It was organized as a borough in 1818. It is built on a bluff on the right bank of the Susquehanna, on the eastern boundary of the county, on the very line of Luzerne county. It is twelve miles east from Bloomsburg. The Methodists, Baptists, and Presby- terians, have large congregations and commodious houses for public worship. There is a fine Odd Fellows hall, and a large public school house. There are COLUMBIA COUNTY. 696 several botels, a large foundry, car shops, and rolling mill in operation, mainly under charge of Jackson & Woodin. The- North Branch canal aad the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg railroad pass along the foot of the bluflF upon which the town is built. It is the terminus of the Berwick and Towanda turnpike, leading to Newtown, in New York ; as it is also of the'Nescopec and Mauch Chunk. There is a bridge over the Susquehanna at this place, sind there is also located here a national bank. It was at Berwick, May 3, 1826, that the steamboat Susquehanna, Captain Collins, of Baltimore, blew up, ascending Nescopec Falls. And it was at Berwick on July 4, 1828, that ground was broken for the construction of the North Branch canal. The population is about one thousand five hundred. The Berwick Independent is published here. Rupert is in Montour township, two miles south of Bloomsburg, at the intersection of the Catawissa and the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg railroads, at the mouth of Fishing creek. It has about twenty dwellings, hotel, blacksmith shop, etc. The railroad depots make it a well-known point. Buckhoen is in Hemlock township, four miles west of Bloomsburg. It has about forty dwellings, two stores, a tavern, blacksmith shop, wheel-wright shop, large three- story school house, and meeting house. Jerseytown is in Madison township, twelve miles west from Bloomsburg. It has about fifty dwellings, meeting house, school house, two taverns, stores, etc., etc. Milville is in Greenwood township, and about twelve miles north-west of Bloomsburg. The township is mainly settled by the Friends. The village has about twenty dwellings, hotel, grist mill, shops, etc., etc. Eyer Grove is also in Greenwood, has twelve or fifteen dwellings, grist mill, meeting house, and shops and stores. Rohrsbtjro is also in Greenwood ; was laid out about 1825, by Frederick Rohr ; has twenty to thirty dwellings, and the usual number of shops, stores, meeting house, and hotel. Cole's Creek is in Sugarloaf township, twenty miles north from Blooms- burg, at the confluence of Cole's creek and Big Fishing creek. Has grist mill, post office, store, smith shop, meeting house, etc. Benton, in township of same name, sixteen miles north from Bloomsburg, has hotel, meeting house, stores, shops, and thirty to fifty dwellings. It is on Big Fishing creek. Orangeville, in Orange township, was settled before lt85. Clement G. Ricketts opened a store there in 1822. It has sixty to severity dwellings, two meeting houses, an academy, stores, taverns, grist mill, tannery, foundry, etc., etc. It is also on Big Fishing creek. Light Street is in Scott township, three miles north of Bloomsburg. It has seventy to eighty dwelling houses, meeting house, stores, school houses, tannery, etc. Espytown is also in Scott township, three miles east of Bloomsburg. It is about the same size as Light Street, and is one of the depots of the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg railroad. Mifplinville is a staid village, in Mifflin township, nine miles east of Bloomsburg, on the east bank of the Susquehanna. It contains about seventy dwellings. The North and West Branch railroad will, when built, pass through the village. Mainville, in Main township, six miles south-east from Bloonasburg, has fifteen to twenty dwellings, grist mill, and forge, etc. It is on the Catawissa creek, and a depot of the Catawissa railroad. Beaver Yalley, in Beaver township, twelve miles south-east from Bloomsburg, has half a dozen dwellings, and is a depot of Catawissa 5»6 HISTOBi OF PENNSYLVANIA. railroad. Centealia borough in Conyngham township, twenty mUes south-east of Bloomsburg, in the coal mining region, contains several hundred dwellings, Episcopal and Catholic churches, and several denominational meeting-houses. Slabtown, in Locust township, on Roaring creek, with a dozen dwellings, stores, shops, hotel, etc., eleven miles south-east of Bloomsburg; and Numidia, two miles beyond, in same township, of about the same size. Glen City, in Beaver township, twenty miles south-east from Bloomsburg, a mining village, has about twenty dwellings, shops, etc. Townships and Boeoughs. — When Columbia county was organized in 1813, it contained the following twelve townships, viz. : Bloom, Briar Creek, Chillis- quaque, Catawissa, Derry, Fishing Creek, Greenwood, Hemlock, Mahoning, Mifflin, Sugarloaf, and Turbit. The erection of Montour county, carried off the follow- ing four of these originals, viz, : Chillisquaque, Derry, Mahoning, and Turbit. The townships and boroughs of Columbia county, and date of organization, are as follows : Bloom Briar Creek Catawissa Fishing Creek . . . Greenwood Hemlock Mifflin Sugarloaf Madison Mount Pleasant. . Berwick borough . Roaring Creek . . . Montour Original. 1817 1818 1818 1832 Jackson .... 1838 Oranffe .... 1839 Franklin . . . Main 1843 1844 Centre 1844 Beaver 1845 Benton 1850 Pine 1853 Locust 1853 Scott 1853 Conyngham Centralia borough The Town of Bloomsburg . . 1856 1866 1810 MAIW EXHIBITION BUILDING— 187G. CRAWFOED COUNTY. BY SAMUEL P. BATES, LL.D., MEADVILLE. SHE first representative of English speaking people in America to traverse the forests, then unbroken by the hand of cultivation, which afterwards became Crawford county, was George Washington, then a major of the Virginia militia, destined to be largely instrumental in the establishment of the American name and nation, and create for himself undj'ing renown. In the first years of European colonization upon this conti- nent, two nations played important parts, the French and the English. In point J, ' * l" CRAWFORD COUNTY COURT HOUSE, MEADVILLE. LFrom a Pbotograph by J. D. Dunn.] of numbers and power they were, for a time, quite equally matched. While the English held the seaboard, from Massachusetts bay to Georgia, the French laid claim to Canada and the Mississippi valley, stretching away to the Gulf. About the middle of the seventeenth century, the French Jesuits showed great zeal in their attempts to proselyte the Indians, and to spread the French name and power. In IQ19, Robert Cavalier de la Salle constructed, beneath the sombre shades of the forest which fringed the northern shore of Lake Erie, a craft of sixtj- tons burden, which he named the Griffin, and, setting sail, ploughed 597 698 EISTOB Y OF PENNS YL VANIA. the waters of the great lakes, hitherto imvexed by the keel of civilized man. Moving up Erie, Huron, and Michigan, and crossing over to the Mississippi, he descended the Father of Waters to the Gulf, and laid claim to all the teiTitory which the river drains, even to its remotest tributaries, the French maintaining that the right to the mouth of a river governs its sources. Had this claim been vindicated, Pennsylvania and Virginia would have been despoiled of the half of their heritage. Against this pretension the Governors of both States loudly protested, and prepared to defend their rights. In Virginia was formed the Ohio company, organized to promote emigration and settlement in its western territory ; and so eager were its hardy pioneers to possess the choicest lands, that they pushed far into the boundaries of Pennsylvania, though suppos- ing they were still on Virginia soil, and commenced building a fort at the junc- tion of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, which afterwards became fort Duquesne, now the very midst of the city of Pittsburgh. The French in Canada, learning of this occupation by the Ohio company, sent an armed force, which dispossessed the Virginians and continued the fortifications on French account. By the treaty of TJtrecht, of 1713, Louisiana was confirmed to the French, but it was provided " that France should never molest the Five Nations, subject to the dominion of Great Britain." The treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which con- cluded a four years' war between France and England, in 1748, confirmed the rights of Great Britain. But the boundaries of the Five Nations — ^now become the Six Nations— were indefinite, and the French were determined to hold the entire valley of the Mississippi. To that end they built a line of forts, commencing with Presqu'Isle, near the city of Erie, and continuing it at Le Boeuf, now Waterford — at Venango, near Franklin — at Duquesne, now Pittsburgh, and so on down the Ohio, and planted plates of copper or lead along the route, on which were inscribed their claims. To ascertain what was the temper and what the purposes of the French, Lieutenant-Governor Dinwiddle, of Virginia, sent Major Washington, in 1753, to confer with the French commandant at Le Boeuf. It was a tedious journey, made in mid-winter, and required nerve and resolution to accomplish it. On arriving, he was politely received, but referred to the chief in command in Canada. It was evident that the troops in possession would j'ield to no argument but force, and Washington ascertained, in the progress of a conversa- tion with a subordinate oflflcer, that it was the intention to maintain their occupation of this territory. Virginia, intent on defending the interests of the Ohio Company, sent a force of militia, under Major Washington, who sui-prised a body of French at the Great Meadows, on the morning of the 28th of May, 1754, and routed it completely; but on the 4th of July following, having been confronted at i'ort Necessity by a superior force, was obliged, after nine hours of severe fighting, to surrender. Early in the spring of 1755, General Braddock, with a body of regulars brought direct from Ireland, accompanied with a force of militia under Washington, again marched against the French. But when nearing Fort Duquesne, he was attacked by French and Indians lying in ambush, and his little army completely routed. Again, in July, 1758, General Forbes, with a force accompanied with militia under Colonels Bouquet and Washington, advanced upon the foe on the Ohio, and, after severe fighting in OBAWFOBB COUNTY. 599 froat of Fort Duquesne, the French were driven out, and, henceforward, no more encroached upon the territory of the colonies. But the western portion of Pennsylvania was still subject to the savages, having never been acquired by either treaty or purchase, and so it remained till after the close of the Revolution, and, consequently, was not open to white occupancy. In October, 1784, a treaty was concluded at Fort Stanwix, with the Six Nations, whereby the authorities of Pennsylvania gained by purchase all the territory, not before acquired, within its chartered limits, and this purchase was confirmed by a treaty concluded by the Wyandots and Delawares, in January, 1185, at Fort Mcintosh, situated at the mouth of the Beaver river. But though the Six Nations were quieted by treaty, the Indian tribes along the Ohio were still intent on preserving, in their own right, the lands to the north of that river and east of the Allegheny, to which they may have been prompted by the emissaries of the French, who still held Louisiana. Hence, all visitors from the colonies upon the territory in question, for the purpose of settlement, were met by roving bands of these Indians who maintained a hostile front. To overawe and subdue them, military expeditions were undertaken by Mcintosh in 17T8, by Brodhead in ItSO, by Crawford in 1782, by Harmar in 1789, by St. Clair in 1791, and by Wayne in 1792, which resulted with varying fortune. During all this time the frontier was lit up by the blaze of savage warfare, and the tomahawk and scalping knife were busy with their fell work. Finally, the campaign, conducted by General Anthony Wayne with his characte- ristic energy and skill, ended in triumph in 1795, and- the treaty, by him concluded, for ever put an end to this sanguinary struggle, wherein neither helpless infancy nor trembling age was exempt, and which was accompanied by every crime which debases manhood and eflfaces from the human character every trace of its heaven-born attributes. Hence, though the purchase was fairly made in 1785, it was ten years later before the territory could be said to be fairly open to settlement. It was well known, however, that the lands west of the Allegheny were of excellent quality, and naturally tempted the cupidity of the adventurous, even though still subject to savage sway. Washington, in passing up the Venango river (French creek), on his journey to Le Boeuf, in 1753, made this entry on the 7th of December: "We passed over much good land since we left Venango (Franklin), and through several extensive and very rich meadows, one of which I believe was nearlj"^ four piiles in length, and considerably wide in some places.'' There is no doubt that these expressions of Washington, " much good land," and " extensive and very rich meadows," were recurring in the minds of many, and caused them to look with longing eyes towards this goodly country, even during the long and gloomy years of the Revolution. When that war came to an end in 1783, and in 1785 these lands were purchased of the Indians, the disposition to acquire titles to them was active. Three separate companies, with large capital, each sought to secure vast stretches of this territory. They were the Holland Land company, the Population company, and the North American Land company. By the act of 1792, titles could only be perfected by actual settlement for the space of five years, which must be begun within two years from the date of its locfition. But an important proviso was attached, that if settlers were prevented 600 HISTOBY OF PENNHTLVANIA. by ai-med enemies of the United States from settlement, tiie title was to become valid the same as if settled. This left the question open and indefinite, and gave rise to endless litigation, the Holland Land company contending that, Indian hostilities having prevented actual settlement for the space of two years, they could then perfect their titles without actual settlement, and without waiting for the end of the five years. It was decided pro and con in the lower courts repeatedly, and taken up on appeal, until it finally reached the Supreme Court of the United States, when Chief Justice Marshall delivered an opinion in favor of the company, Mr. Justice Washington declaring : " Though the great theatre of the war lies far to the north-west of the land in dispute, yet it is clearly proved that this country during this period was exposed to the repeated irruptions of the enemy, killing and plundering such of the whites as they met with in defenceless situations. We find the settlers sometimes working out in the day-time in the neighborhood of forts, and returning at night within their walls for protection ; sometimes giving up the pursuit in despair, and returning to the settled part of the country ; then returning to this country and again abandoning it. We sometimes meet with a few men daring and hardy enough to attempt the cultivation of their lands ; associating implements of husbandry with the instruments of war — the character of the husbandman with that of the soldier — and yet I do not recollect any instance in which, with this enterprising, daring spirit, a single individual was able to make such a settlement as the law required." \ Such " daring and hardy" men as are here referred to by Judge Washington, were those who first settled Crawford county. In 1T87, David Mead, in com- pany with his brother John, sons of Darius Mead, of Hudson, New York, having taken up land in the Wyoming Valley, and been dispossessed through the confiicting claims of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, made their way through the forests, and across mountains to the mouth of the Venango river, and thence up that stream till they reached a broad valley, nearly five miles in length, on whose bosom now reposes the citj- of Meadville, and the one, undoubtedly, referred to by Washington. Two years previous, at the instance of the general government, a party of engineers, headed by William Bowen under military escort, made a survey of a large \)ody of land in this corner of the State, embra- cing the sixth, seventh, and eighth sections, which had been set aside for the payment of bounties to soldiers of the Revolution. Having had some experience in selecting lands for settlement, these two pioneers made a thorough examination of the territory, and chose this valley, for their future habitation. They found the fiats above the confluence of the Cussa- wago with the Venango river cleared, and covered with luxuriant grass, having been previously cultivated by the natives, and perhaps by the French, who had a fort on what is now Dock street, Meadville. Returning to the Susquehanna, in the spring of the following year, they came again, accompanied by Thomas Martin, John Watson, James F. Randolph, Thomas Grant, Cornelius Van Horn, and Christopher Snyder. With the exception of Grant they all selected lands on the western side of the river, now Valonia, and the tracts above. Grant chose the section on which is now Meadville, and made his home at the head of Water street. Soon tiring of the frontier, he transferred his tract to David GBAWFOBD COUNTY. 601 Mead, who thus became the proprietor and real founder of the city which took his name. In the spring of the following year came the families of some of these men. Sarah Mead, daughter of David, was the first child born within the new settlement. Subsequently came Samuel Lord, John Wentworth, Frederick Haymaker, Frederick Baum, Robert Fitz Randolph, and Darius Mead. These were the pioneers ; but as the report of fine lands upon the Venango spread, settlers came in great numbers. There were a few families of Indians inhabiting the neighborhood, who became the fast friends of the white men, prominent among whom were Canadochta and his three sons. Flying Cloud, Standing Stone, and Big Sun, and Half-town, a half brotlier of Cornplanter, Strike Neck, and Wire Ears. To the beginning of ITOl, few disturbances from hostile Indians occurred, and little danger was apprehended ; but the defeat of the army under General Harmar, and subsequently that led by St. Clair, left the hostile tribes of Ohio and western Pennsylvania free to prosecute their nefarious schemes of murder, arson, and fiendish torture, upon the helpless frontiersmen. Early in this year, Flying Cloud, the ever faithful friend of the whites, gave notice that the savages were upon the war path. For safety, the settlers repaired to the stockade fort at Franldin. It was seed time, and these provident men were loath to let the time pass for planting, and thus fail of a crop for the sustenance of their families. Accordingly, four of them, Cornelius Va;n Horn, William Gregg, Thomas Ray, and Christopher Lantz, returned with their horses, and commenced ploughing. Vengeful Indians came skulking upon their track, and, singling out Van Horn, when the others were away, seized him and his horses, and commenced the march westward. Eight miles away, near Conneaut lake, they stopped for the night, where Van Horn managed to elude them, and made his way back, when he found that Gregg had been killed, and, as'subsequently ascertained. Bay was made cap- tive and led away to Detroit. Hostilities continued during 1792; but General Anthony Wayne, w'ho had now been placed at the head of the troops sent against the savages, gave them sufficient employment. Early in the year, a company of twenty-four men, under Ensign Bond, was detailed from Wayne's army to protect this settlement, and was quartered at Meadville. But as the campaign became active, it was sum- moned away, and the families of the settlers again retired to the stockade at Franklin. The numbers had considerably increased by 1T94, and a militia com- pany was formed for self-protection, Cornelius Van Horn being elected Captain, and a block-house was erected near the head of Water street. On the 10th of August, James Dickson, a resolute Scotchman, was fired upon by Indians in con- cealment near the outskirts of the settlement, and severely wounded in the hand and shoulder. By dexterous management with his gun, of which he held the fire, he baffled the endeavors of his assailants to capture him, and, though bleeding profusely, reached the block-house. The alarm was given, and pursuit promptly made; but the wily foe escaped. Ten days later General Wayne inflicted a crushing defeat, and Indian warfare in this part of the State was at an end, though occasional depredations were committed by isolated parties for some time, James Findley and Barnabas McCormick having been murdered in cold blood, in June of the following year, six miles below Meadville, on the river valley. f02 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. The tide of settlement now began to set strongly towards this portion of the State, stimulated, no doubt, by the organized efforts of land companies to gain titles to the best lands, and by tlie settlers themselves to perfect their claims. What afterward became Meadville, Mead, Rockdale, and Vernon, were settled simultaneously in 1787 ; East Fallowfield, Greenwood, Hayfleld, Oil Creek, and Titusville, in 1790; Fairfield and Woodcock in 1791; Venango in 1794; Bloom- field, Cussawago, Randolph, Richmond, South Shenango, and Spring, in 1795; Cambridge and West Fallowfield in 1797 ; Conneaut, North Shenango, Pine, and Sadsbury, in 1798; Athens, Beaver, Rome, and Summit, in 1800. The remain- ing townships, -with the exception of Wayne, have been subsequently erected from the territory of other townships, Sparta, Summer Hill, and Troy, in 1830; Steu- ben in 1861; West Shenango in 1863, and Union in 1867. The opening of tlie year 1795 marked a new era in the history of these settle- ments. During the three preceding years the pioneers had labored under great depression and discouragement. At times, when the labors of the husbandmen should be performed, their work was interrupted, and they were driven with their families for safety to the common fort. But a better day seemed now dawningj and a reasonable prospect that the fierce sounds of savage warfare would be no longer heard, and that the sons of the forest would ' cease from their trade of blood. Buildings erected were of a more permanent character, and the settlement, though far away from the sunny abiding places where clustered their early asso- ciations, began to be looked upon as home. A saw-mill was constructed near the block-house as early as 1789, from which the settlers were supplied with lumber, and the surplus was rafted to Pittsburgh ; but as late as 1795 grain was ground ' by hand-mills or broken in a mortar. The thought of establishing the location of a town which should serve as a centre for distribution and supply, early occupied the minds of the settlers, and none seemed more fit than this goodly valley, where three considerable streams, two from the west, the Cussaw£(go and Watson's run, and one, Mill run, from the east, poured their currents into the Venango, leaving in their tracks fe'rtile val- leys and easy grades for highways to lead out in all directions. Though the earliest settlements had been chiefly made on the west side of the river, above the mouth of the Cussawago, doubtless on account of the lands having been previously cleared and cultivated, and because there was a deep alluvial soil pro- ducing fine crops with little labor, yet the site for the town was chosen on the opposite side, probably on account of the surface being higher, and not liable to overflow, as had been the sad experience on the right bank, and also, it may be, because the will of David Mead, who had established himself here, was more imperious than those of his companions. In 1792 the part immediately upon the river was laid out, lots ofiered for sale, and the embryo city was named Meadville. Through the exertions of Major Roger Alden, a soldier of the Revo- lution, and the first agent of the Holland Land company, and Doctor Kennedy, the plan of the town was greatly enlarged and improved in 1795. Only a small portion of the valley, along the river front, was at that time cleared, all the lower part being covered by a dense hemlock forest, the covert of the deer, and the more elevated portions, where are now some of the finest residences, had a massive growth of oak, and beech, and chestnut. CMAWFOBD COUNTY. 603 The thougbt, of these hardy pioneers was early given to provision for the edu- cation of their children, and a school was established in the block-house, to which allusion has been made, situated on the triangular lot at the corner of "Water street and Steer's alley. It was originally built for defence, was of logs, two- stories in height, surmounted by a sentry box ; the second-story projecting over the first, and was provided with a cannon. This building stood until 1828. The lot was donated by the founder for school purposes. David Mead was the first justice, and the Governor having failed to provide him with one, he acted as his own constable. He had served as justice in the Wyoming settlement, and con- tinued to hold that office until 1799, when he was made associate j udge. Prior to the year 1773, all this section of the colony, held under the charter of King Charles II., though not yet purchased from the Indians, formed a part of the county of Bedford. At that date the county of Westmoreland was orga- nized, and this portion of the State, by that act, was embraced in its limits. In September, 1788, the county of Allegheny was organized, which was made to embrace all the territory north and west of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers. Till the end of the century it remained thus. By an act of the Legislature of the 12th of March, 1800, the county of Crawford was erected and was made to embrace all ' the north-western portion of the State, including Erie, Warren, "Venango, and Mercer, with the county seat at Meadville.- Erie became a separate county on the 2d of April, 1803, and "Venango and Warren, April 1, 180.5. It was named for the unfortunate General William Crawford, who was burned by the Indians at Sandusky, on tlie 11th of June, 1782. What finally became Crawford county was entirely surrounded by the parts thus stricken ofi", with the exception of its western boundary, where it meets Ohio, Erie forming its northern limit, Warren and "Venango its eastern, and Venango and Mercer its southern. Its length from east to west is forty-one miles, and its width twenty-four, and contains nine hundred and seventy-four square miles, nearly as much arable land as th^ entire State of Rhode Island. Its surface is for the most part heavily rolling, the State road, running from the south-western corner to the north-eastern, crossing nearly at right angles what seem an interminable series of earthy billows, at nearly regular intervals of eight or ten miles. The soil is unsurpassed for grazing, for corn and oats, and, along the rich valleys, for wheat. Copious springs of pure water are everywhere abundant, and shade, grateful to flocks and herds, has been left in profusion on hillside and vale. In some portions are dense forests, still the lurking places of the deer. Its principal stream is the Venango, meandering through it from north- west to south-east, which is fed by the Conneautee, the Cussawago, and the Con- neaut outlet on its right bank, and by Muddy creek. Woodcock creek. Mill run, and the Sugar creeks on its left. The sum of four hundred pounds Was appro- priated by Congress, in 1791, to improve the navigation of this stream ; and, • before obstructed by mill dams, was navigable to Waterford, for boats of twenty tons burden at certain seasons of the year, and is still employed for rafting lum- ber. Extensive lumber and flouring mills are situated upon it at intervals of a few miles. The western portion is watered by the Shcnango, a considerable stream running south and emptying into the Beaver, and by the Conneaut creek, which runs north and empties into lake Erie. In the east is the Oil creek, which 604 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. empties into the Allegheny at Oil city, six miles above the mouth of the Venango. The great water-shed, which divides the waters that descend to the gulf from those which flow to Lake Erie, and marks the boundary between the Mississippi basin and that of the great lakes, cuts into the western portion, and upon its summit, where are dead flats of considerable extent, is Conneaut lake, a sheet of five miles in length by two in breadth, and the Conneaut anarsh and Pymatuning swamp. The lake is the largest body of water in the State. The Pymatuning swamp undoubtedly at one time formed the basin of an extensive lake, but was partially drained by the deepening of its outlet, and has been filling with sediment and the annual accumulations of rank growths of vegeta- tion. In cutting trenches through it, fallen timber and the stumps of trees are found in perfect preservation. It is now mostly covered by a growth of tamaracs, where, in the autumn, vast flocks of pigeons make their roosting place. In the eastern part are Sugar and Oil Creek lakes, smaller but picturesque sheets. The slates and shales of the Chemung and Portage groups underlie its sur- face, but it is destitute of calcareous rock, with the exception of a bed of marl, of over thirty acres in extent, situated near the head of Conneaut lake, from which, by burning, a dark grayish lime is made, and also a deposit of similar marl in the Pymatuning swamp. Sedimentary flag stoue abounds in most parts, though as' yet no quarry of the best quality has ever been opened. Red and yellow sand- stone, yielding and easily wrought when first taken from the quarry, but which hardens by exposure to air and light, are found in abundance. Iron ore exists in the southern section, as also bituminous coal. From the earliest knowledge of the valley of the Oil creek, an exceedingly volatile substance was known to exist, which, when floating upon the surface of the water, reflected in the sunlight the most beautiful and variegated colors. In the extensive flat lands upon this stream are found many acres of pits dug in the soil and lined with split logs, doubtless constructed for the purpose of collecting this fluid, as the water which rises in them is found to be covered with it. By whom they were constructed is not known ; but it must have been long ago— ^as no traces can be discovered of the stumps where the timber used in lining them was cut, and huge trees are growing in the very midst of the cradles — and by an intel- ligent people, as much skill, involving the use of effective tools, is shown in their construction. The French of a generation or two before its settlement may have fashioned them. They were certainly not the work of the nomadic Indians of our day. The more probable view is that they must be referred to the mound build- ers of a much earlier period. The composition of this substance is believed to be akin to that of the bituminous coal of the fields below. It was used by the natives as a medicine and in their strange worship. Assembling at certain points, having drained the waters of the streams on which it floats, quantities by this means having collected, they applied the torch, and while sheets of flame were ascending heavenward, uttered demoniac yells. It was known to the French » two centuries and a half ago, their missionaries and military explorers having been led to the springs by the natives. Joseph Delaroche Daillon, in a letter of the 18th of July, 1627, published in Sagard's " History du Canada " describes it. Charlevoix, an agent of the French government, in his journals of 1720, makes mention of it, and Thomas Jefferson, in his Notes on Virginia, very minutely de- OBAWFOBD COUNTY. 605 scribes it as taken from the earth in the Kanawha valley. Considerable quantities were collected of the surface oil, and it was sold for medicinal purposes and for lighting ; but it was never an article much consumed till 1859. In that year Mr E. L. Drake commenced drilling, with the expectation of finding it in quantities He was not disappointed, and the current which he thus diverted has been united with similar ones, till the volume would equal a considerable stream steadily flowing. It is used chiefly for illumination, but largely for lubrication and in the mechanic arts. In a single year nearly seven million barrels have been produced. The act of the Legislature authorizing the formation of the county, empowered the commissioners to fix the county seat at Meadville, provided the people of that place Tvould contribute $4,000 towards the establishment of an institution of learning. This sum was speedily raised, and the commissioners had no further discretion. The school, as has been noticed, was commenced in the block-house ; but in 1802 an act of the Legislature was passed incorporating the institution. David Mead and six others were appointed trustees. Grounds were subse- quently acquired on the south-west corner of Chestnut and Liberty streets, and a one story brick building with two rooms was erected thereon. In the fall of 1805 the Meadville Academy was opened under the charge of the Rev. Joseph Stockton, who, in addition to an extensive scientific course, taught also Latin and Greek. This building remained for twenty years, and at successive periods Gary, Kerr, Douglas, Reynolds, and De France taught therein. It was finally purchased, and gave place to a private residence, and the building now used for the public high school was erected, McKinney, Leflangwell, and Donnelly, among others, were at its head, the latter for a period of seventeen years. It received donations from the State at various times, and had a small endowment fund that was used for keeping the building in repair. In 1852 it entered upon a sphere of enlarged usefulness as a county academy, heing attended by over three hundred pupils annually for several years. In 1861, by act of Assembly, the property and funds were given into the hands of the board of control of the city of Meadville for the use of a puhlic high school, to which pupils from the county may be admitted. During the early history of the county, and until 1834, when the iree school law was enacted, schools were established as 'the settlers could unite for the pur- pose, and were supported by their patrons. In sparse settlements it was impossible to accommodate all in this way. Some few of the indigent were taught at the expense of the county under the law of 1809, which provided for the " instruction of the poor gratis." But most parents were too independent to report themselves too poor to pay for the tuition of their children. There were in various sections men of great learning who gave instruction in the languages, notable among whom were Mr. Gamble, of the Shenangoes, and David Derickson, of Meadville. In 1838 the free school system began to go into operation, and rapidly the whole school-going population was gathered in. In 1854, upon the revisal of the law, a regeneration of the schools occurred ; new buildings were erected, with improved furniture and appliances, and teachers were held to a strict examination and accountability. With opportunities so meagre as were aflbrded in that early period, it is a matter of congratulation that education was 80 general and so good as it was. 606 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Especially is it a subject of pride that the early settlers entertained so exalt- ed an idea of higher education, which led them early to make provision for an academy, making it a condition of securing the county seat; but also, not many years after, and while yet the county was new and the means of realizing money were few, to found a college and make it the seat of the most advanced culture of the period. On the evening of Thursday, the 20th of June, 1815, at a public meeting held at the court house in Meadville, at which Major Roger Alden presided, and John Reynolds acted as secretary, it was resolved to establish a college, which should be called Allegheny, from the river which drains all this region ; that Timothy Alden, a brother of the major, a native of Massachusetts, a graduate of Harvard University, and an eminent teacher at Boston, and also at New York, should be president, and the Rev. Robert John- son, a learned Presbyterian divine, should be vice-president. A committee was appointed to ask the Legislature for a charter, another to prepare rules for its government, and a third to open books for receiving subscriptions. The sum of six thousand dollars was subscribed, and a chai'ter was obtained on the ITth of March, 181T, with the following named persons as the Board of Trustees: Roger Alden, William McArthur, Jesse Moore, John Brooks, William Clark, Henry Hurst, Samuel Lord, Samuel Torbett, Ralph Martin, Patrick Farrelly, Thomas Atkinson, John Reynolds, David Bums, William Foster, and Daniel Perkins, and two thousand dollars, which were subsequently increased to seven thousand, were appropriated. The site for a building was selected upon the. hillside, a mile to the north of the town, which it overlooked, a most delectable spot, commanding a view of the charming valleys, which approach from every point of the compass, and the beautiful hills, half covered with forest, which tower up on all sides and kiss the sky in seeming nearness. A plot of five acres, subsequently enlarged to ten, and lately to twenty, was contributed by Samuel Lord, upon which a substantial and imposing structure of brick, with fine cut freestone trimmings, was erected, and the infant institution was fairly launched. The president. Dr. Alden, was a man of versatile talents, a prodigy in lingual acquirements, to whom diflScul- ties and seemingly insurmountable obstacles were meat and drink. He orga- nized, he taught, he visited the cities of New York and New England soliciting aid. His plans were successful. The institution took form beneath his plastic hand. To the plea of the necessities of his dear college, valuable private librar- ies dropped into its alcoves. That of the Rev. Wm. Bentley, D.D^ of Salem, Massachusetts, was especially rich in lexicons, theological books, and such treasures of the Latin and Greek fathers as few colleges in the United States possessed ; and those of Isaiah Thomas, LL.D., of Worcester, Mass., and James Winthrop, LL.D., of Cambridge, Mass., comprised the best miscellaneous writings, making the entire collection in the different departments of literature and science " most rare and valuable." Contributions were also made to cabi- nets in natural history, and apparatus for chemical and philosophical experi- ments. But though fortune seemed to smile upon the early labors of its founders, yet the period of growth was one beset by many hardships. Money was difficult to command, and few of the sons of the frontiersmen could spare the time or secure CBAWFORD COUNTY. 607 the means requisite to compass a liberal education. A proposition was made to foutad a German professorship with a view to enlisting that element of the population ; likewise one to have a mathematical professorship endowed by the Masonic fraternity, to secure their active co-operation ; and finally, to change it to a military school. But none of these projects were successful, and in 1833, its management was assumed by the Erie and Pittsburgh conferences of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, under which it has remained to the present day. At this date Dr. Alden gave place, as president, to Martin Rutfer, D.D., who was sucl ceeded by Homer J. Clark, D.D., in 183T ; John Barker, D.D., in 1847 ; George Loomis, D.D., in 1860 ; and Lucius H. Bugbee, in 1875. Its alumni number over five hundred, among whom are men adorning all the learned professions. MEASVII.E, FROM THEOliOOlOAL SEUINABY, liOOKINO NOBTH-WEST. [From a Photograph b; J. D. Dunn, Ueadrllle.] In 1851, a large building, designed for chapel, library, laboratory, and cabinets, was erected, and in 1864 a boarding hall, capable of accommodating one hundred students was- added. The cabinets in the various departments of natural history, mostly collected under the administration of Dr. Loomis, are equalled in few institutions of the United States. The Meadville Theological school was established mainly through the influence of the late H. J. Huidekoper, a native of Holland, who succeeded Major AJden in the agency of the Holland Land company, and was one of the most influential and intelligent of the earlj' settlers. It was opened in 1844, under the presidency of Rufus P. Stebbins, D.D., and in 1854 a commodious and substantial building was erected on an elevated site to the east of the town, commanding a beautiful 608 HISTOB Y OF PENNS TL VANIA. view of the Cussawago valley and the dark pine forests which skirt its mouth. It was principally endowed by the Unitarian denomination, though the Society of Christians extended some aid. It has a productive endowment fund of over one hundred thousand dollars, and property in buildings and library amounting to over thirty thousand dollars. Rev. Oliver Steams, CD., became president in 1856, and the Rev. A. A. Livermore, D.D., in 1864. The school has a library of over twelve thousand volumes, and numbers over one hundred and fifty graduates. It is a circumstance for which it may claim_ credit that nearly all the periodical and newspaper publications of the Unitarian denomination are under the edito- rial charge of its alumni. On the 2d of January, 1803, was issued at Meadville the initial number of the Crawford Messenger, the first paper published in this portion of the State, and for a long series of years held its place as the most respectable. It was founded by Thomas Atkinson and W. Brendle. In an editorial of September, 1828, Mr. Atkinson makes the following interesting record: "In two months more, twenty-five years will have elapsed since we arrived in this village with our printing establishment, being the first, and for several subsequent years, the only one north-west of the Allegheny river. How short the period, yet how fruitful in interesting events! Our village at that time consisted of a few scattered tenements, or what might be properly termed huts. It is now surpassed by few, if any, in West Pennsylvania, for its numerous, commodious, and in many instances, beautiful dwelling houses, churches, academy, court-house, with a splendid edifice for a college ; all affording pleasing evidence of the enterprise, the taste, and the liberality of its inhabitants. Then we were without roads, nothing but Indian paths, by which to wend our way from one point to another. Now turnpikes and capacious roads converge to it from every quarter. Then the mail passed between Pittsburgh and Brie once in two weeks — now, eighteen stages arrive and depart weekly. Then we had not un frequently to pack our paper on horsback upwards of two hundred miles ; on one hundred and thirty of this distance there were but three or four houses — now, however, thanks to an enterprising citizen of the village, it can be had as conveniently as could be desired. Our country is marching onward." Since the time when Mr. Atkinson congratulated himself and his readers on the great changes which had occurred, a half century has elapsed, and the progress which has been made far out-reaches the contrasts of that early day. There are at present published in Meadville, the Crawford Journal, weekly ; the Crawford Democrat ; the Crawford county Post (German), weekly ; the Meadville Republican, daily and weekly ; in Con- neautville, the CohneautvLUe Courier, weekly ; in Titusville, the Herald and Courier, both daily and weekly, and the Sunday Press; in Cambridge, the Index, weekly ; and in Linesville, the Linesville Leader, weekly. As we have noted, David Mead was the first commissioned justice, which office he continued to hold until 1799, when he was made a judge, and in 1800 was held the first court. Judges Mead and Kelso presiding. At the session of April, 1801, Alexander Addison presided as president judge, and David Mead having resigned, William Bell was commissioned in his place. Judge Addison has been succeeded in the office of president judge by Moore, Shippen, Eldred, Thompson, Church, Galbraith, Derickson, Brown, Johnson, Vincent, and Lowrie. CBAWFOBD COUNTY. 609 By an act of the Legislature of March 5th, 1804, the commissioners were directed to erect a court-house upon the public square. The present edifice was com- menced on the 10th of September, 186T, and was completed in October, 1869. It. occupies a commanding location, is constructed of pressed brick, with red sandstone trimmings, and is one of the most pleasing pieces of architecture, of the renaissance style, which the State, outside of Philadelphia, can boast. The contrasts of twenty-five years in the means of travel and communication as depicted by Mr. Atkinson, convey some conception of the difficulties experi- enced. It was not uncommon for salt to be carried on pack horses, and even on the backs of men, long distances in that early day. But in 1 828, the Beaver and Erie canal was constructed, stretching from Lake Erie, near the village of Girard, to the mouth of the Beaver river, on the Ohio, and thence to Pittsburgh, which greatly improved the means of transportation. The summit between these two points is Conneaut lake, which, as we have seen, is upon the divide which separates the Mississippi river system from that of the great lakes. Boats were accord- ingly locked up from Pittsburgh to the Conneaut lake, and from there down to Lake Erie. Conneaut lake was hence made the reservoir for feeding the canal in both directions. To make it at all times serviceable, its mouth was dammed and its surface raised eleven feet, greatly increasing its size, and to feed it the water was tjaken from the Yenango river, two miles above Meadville, conducted by the left bank to Shaw's landing, seven miles below, where it was led across the stream by an aqueduct, high above its natural level, and thence- forward to the lake. This feeder gave Meadville all the advantages of the main line which followed the valleys of the Shenango and Conneaut creeks, leaving Meadville twenty miles away. In its day it served an important purpose. But the hour was rapidly approaching, then little dreamed of, when this vast public work, with its miles of solid masonry, executed with vast labor, would be thrown aside as a cast-off garment. As late as 185T there was not a mile of railway within the borders of the county. In less than ten years from that date it had more miles than any other county in the State. The Erie and Pittsburgh railroad follows substantially the course of the canal, traversing the whole length of its western border, and was completed in 1858. The Atlantic and Great Western, with broad gauge to cor- respond to the Erie, was constructed in 1861-2, and passes in a somewhat circuitous course from north-east to south-west through the central part, having large and substantial shops of brick and stone at Meadville. At about the same time the Oil Creek and Allegheny Valley road, extending through the whole length of the eastern part, was built, and likewise the Franklin branch of the Atlantic and Great Western, reaching from Meadville to Oil City. Subsequently the Union and Titusville was constructed, giving complete rail communication with every part. The two most important were projected before oil was discovered, and hence independently of the necessities which it created. The others were the outgrowth of the surprising development of that wonderful fluid. Though considerable manufacturing in iron and wood and wool has, from an early day, been carried on, to which may now be added those of oil, and the wants which the production of oil has given rise to, yet it cannot be properly termed a manufacturing county. Conneautville, a village in the western part, on the line 2o GIO HI3T0BY OF PSNySTLVANIA. pf the canal, was for many years the rival of Meadville in enterprise and business capacity, and far outstretched Titusville, the principal village of the extreme east ; but upon the discovery of oil in 1859, the latter suddenly sprang into importance, and shot forward until it had surpassed Meadville in population, and is still a place of much wealth and business, though, since the subsidence of oil, has fallen behind its more staid and sedate neighbor. Mosiertown, Harmons- burg, Evansburg, Linesville, Bspyville, Hartstown, and Adamsville, in the west, are all villages long settled, and the centres of a prosperous population. In the centre are Cambridge, Venango, Saegertown, Geneva, and Cochranton, and in the east Spartansburg, Riceville, Oentreville, Townville, Tryonville, and Oil Creek, which share in the general prosperity. The population of the county in 1800 was 2,346 ; in 1830 it had increased to 16,030 ; in 1870 to 63,833. The early settlers were chiefly Gei-man, Scotch-Irish, and emigrants from New England and New York, and such, substantially, the population has continued to be. Wheat, corn, rye, oats, barley, and hay were the staple products of the soil, of which in the early settlement more was pro- duced than consumed. From the first, however, the soil seemed better adapted to grazing than to gra;in, and to within a recent period the chief product for export was stock, though not in a profitable way. Immense numbers of cattle were raised, but they were not usually kept until they were more than three years old. They were then sold for a price that barely covered the cost of production, and were driven away to the luxuriant meadows of Lancaster and Chester, where they attained great weight, and were sold at high prices for the Philadelphia market. That custom has now almost entirely ceased. Some twenty years ago a great impetus was given to stock breeding by the introduction, especially in the western portion, of fine blooded horses, cattle, sheep, and swine, and the county fairs held at Conneautville and Meadville, served to stimulate competition and local pride in securing perfection. The agents of Louis Napoleon bought horses here for the imperial stables, and many of the proudest stepping animals that make their appearance on Broadway and Chestnut street were gathered from the rich pasturage of Crawford. A limited number of farmers in diflFerent sections of the county made excellent butter, which did not sufier by comparison with the noted Orange county makes of New York. But the true sphere of the farmers had not yet been reached. To raise enough buckwheat for home consumption, to fatten a few bullocks and swine and sheep, and to furnish a few pounds of butter carried to market on cabbage leaves, was not putting the rich grasses of its hillsides and intervals to their most profitable and natural use. It was not until 1870 that any considerable concert of action was secured in cheese-making at factories. Since that period this business has rapidly increased, until now nearly every section in its broad domain is covered by it. The great increase in the amount of money realized from the dairy products has stimulated production, and now the pure water, the fine shade, and the excellent grass are utilized in the production of milk Already the Meadville cheese exchange rivals that of the famous Little Falls. During the year 1875 there were sixty nine factories in operation, giving an ' aggregate product of ten million pounds, valued at one million dollars. A large number of the early settlers had served in the Revolutionary army. CBAWFOBD COUNTY. 611 of whom Major Roger Alden, mentioned before, was one of the most pro- minent. They were among the best citizens, and showed by their sober and industrious habits that the fortunes of the camp and the battle-field had not destroyed their capacity for usefulness in private life. In 1812-15, the war was brought near to our borders, and when Perry prepared his fleet at Erie, he found among the most useful and resolute of his mechanics, men from this county, and when he set sail to meet the foe, that those same brawny arms were skillful and i-eady in handling the musket. Seeing that this part of the State was exposed to invasion from its near contiguity to Canada, and reflecting upon what the con- sequence might have been had the British fleet been victorious instead of the American, the Legislature of Pennsylvania ordered the erection of an arsenal at Meadville, and concentrated there several powerful batteries of artillery ; this location being just far enough away from the border to be secure from sudden seizure, and near enough to be of service should an enemy attempt invasion. In 1855, through the influence of Senator Darwin A. Finney, the necessity for keep- ing a military depot at this point having passed away, on account of the im- proved means of rapid transit, the Legislature donated • the property which had now become centrally located, to the city of Meadville for school purposes, and in 1868 a beautiful structure was erected thereon. But it was the war of Rebellion which called out the military strength and powers of the county, and illustrated the nerve and stern qualities of which its citizens are composed. In the three months' service the Erie regiment was largely made up of volunteers from its borders. In the three years and veteran service the Ninth and Tenth Reserves, the Fifty-seventh, the Eighty-third, the One Hundred and Eleventh, the One Hundred and Forty-fifth, the One Hundred and Fiftieth, One Hundred and Sixty-third (Eigliteentti cavalry), and One Hun- dred and Ninetieth regiments were composed largely of its hardy sons. Colonel Henry S. Huidekoper, of the One Hundred and Fiftieth, lost his right arm at Gettysburg; Major A. J. Mason, of the One Hundred and Forty-fifth, was killed in the battle of Fredericksburg, and numbers of others of various ranks were killed or wounded, there being few townships throughout its borders but have some graves of soldiers to cherish and decorate. Company K, of the One Hun- dred and Fiftieth regiment, better known as the Bucktails, was selected on its arrival at Washington for the body guard to Mr. Lincoln, which oflace it faith- fully performed for two years, winning the respect and confidence of the Presi- dent and his family, and served as escort at his funeral. No troops won a more enviable reputation in the great army of the Union than the Bucktail?, and to wear its significant emblem was a proud distinction. CUMBEELAND COUNTY. BY I. DANIEL RUPP. [TTi/i acknowledgments to E. f Choato, Carllalc] OUMBEBLAND G0UNT7. 629 in the north-west angle of the public square, at a cost of forty-five thousand dollars. The United States barracks, located within the borougli limits, north-east of the town, about one-half mile from the court house, were built in Ittt by Hessians captured at Trenton. They were for many years a school for cavalry. When Lee's advance forces invaded Cumberland county the barracks were laid in ashes by them, in June, 1863. For several years the barracks have been abandoned by the government. The churches are: two Presbyterian, one Episcopal, one Ger- man Reformed, two Lutheran, two Methodist, one Churcli of God, one Evan- gelical Association, one Roman Catholic, and three African churches. Dickinson College, beautifully and favorably located at Carlisle, was chartered by the Legislature in 1T83, and named in honor of John Dickinson, President of the Supreme Executive Council, in memory of his great and important services to his country,' and in commemoration of liis very liberal donation to the institu- tion. In 1784 the first faculty was organized, and the Rev. Charles Nisbet, D.D., of Montrose, Scotland, was elected president. The following year he arrived in America, and soon afterwards was installed in office, which position he occupied till his death, in 1804. He was a man of extensive and varied learning, who, amid great discouragements, labored earnestly and prodigiously in his new sphere, and doubtless the college grew and flourished as much as those early times would permit. In Conrad's edition of '' Sanderson's Biogi-apliy of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence," it is stated that the distinguished Dr. Benjamin Rush, himself one of the immortal signers, " was a principal agent in founding Dickinson College at Carlisle, and was chiefly instrumental in bring- ing from Scotland Dr. Nisbet, who for several years presided over that institution." The flrst, or " old college " building, stood on the south side of Liberty alley, a short distance west of Bedford street. The flrst edifice on the present grounds was erected in 1802, but burnt down in 1803, and rebuilt in 1804, and is now known as the West College, to distinguish it from the East College, built in 1836-'37, and from the South College, reconstructed the year following. A large stone building, erected many years since for a different purpose, but, in later times transformed into "North College," was destroyed by fire some years ago, and has never been rebuilt. The Rev. Robert Davidson, D.D., a member of the faculty, worthily and acceptably succeeded Dr. Nisbet in the presidency, pro tempore, until 1809, when he resigned, for the full work of the pastoral office, and the Rev. Jeremiah At- water, D.D., was elected president. Under his directions the college was compara- tively prosperous. In 1815 he resigned, and then the Rev. John McKniglit, D.D., served as president one year. Afterwards the operations of the college suspended till 1821, when, by legislative enactment, six thousand dollars in cash, and an annuity of two thousand dollars for five years were granted, in exchange for cer- tain lands belonging to the corporation, and the Rev. John M. Mason, D.D., was chosen president. He commenced and continued his administration under favor- able auspices, but failing health obliged him to resign in 1 824. In the same year the Rev. William Neill, D.D., succeeded Dr. Mason. During his presidency the Legislature donated three thousand dollars a year for seven years — which kept it 630 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. in existence, but a want of proper harmony between the trastces and faculty, and among the trustees as well as among the faculty, led Dr. Neill, in 1829, to resign, lie was succeeded by the Rev. Samuel B. Howe, D.D., who had been a tutor in the collpge in 1811, and who, having received a legacy of dissensions, which accumulated while ho remained, also resigned the presidency, in 1832, to accept of a pastoral charge, and the college again suspended operations. Although the career of the college, under the old regime, had been one of many and varied Changes, yet it has been very justly acknowledged that among the i^residents and professors were men of distinguished ability and professional skill, and old Dick- inson had the honor of educating many persons who became eminent in subse- DICKINSON COLI.EOK, CARLISLE. [ Frcm a Photograph bj Chapmaa, CarllaU.] quent life. " Among its four hundred and forty alumni one became President of the United States, one chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, one justice of the same court, two district or territorial judges, three justices of State supreme courts, two senators in Congress, ten representatives in Congress, eleven presidents of colleges, sixteen professors in colleges, sixty-eight ministers of the gospel, one bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church, and one governor of a State." In 1833, the college was transferred to the Methodist Episcopal Church by the resignation, from time to time, of the old trustees, and by the election of others, until finally a complete change was effected in the control and management of the institution. The first president under the transfer was the Rev. John P. Durbin, D.D., whose able and successful administration continued till 1845, when he resigned, and the Rev. Robert Emory was elected his worthy successor. He died in 1848, beloved and lamented, and was succeeded by the Rev. Jesse T. Peck, D.D., who resigned in 1852, when the Rev. Charles Collins, D.D., was chosen to fill the place. He was a man of dignity, learning, and educational ex- CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 631 penence. In 1S60 he resigned, to take charge of a literary institution in Ten- nessee. The Rev. H. M. Johnson, D.D., succeeded to the office. He had been a professor in the college, a superior classical and biblical scholar, and of fair executive talent; he died in 1868. He was succeeded by the Rev. R. L. Dashiel, D.D., alike eloquent and popular, and the first graduate of the college who had attained to its presidency. At this time all the members of the faculty were alumni of the institution. Dr. Dashiel resigned in 1872, having been elected, by the General Conference, missionary secretary of his church ; and the Rev. J. A. McCauley, D.D., an alumnus of tlie college and a scholarly gentleman, was elected to succeed him, who is still at the head of the institution, having asso- ciated with him in the faculty, professors Charles F. Himes, Ph.D.. Henry M. &arman, D.D., James H. Graham, LL.D., Rev. J. A. Lippincott, A.M., "William R. Fisher, and Rev. Charles J. Little, A.M. The permanent endowment funds of the college amount to over two hundred thousand dollars, distributed among the educational boards of the patronizing conferences and the board of trustees, the larger proportion being held by the Baltimore Conference. In the libraries are twenty-seven thousand volumes, and among these are many rare and valuable books. The appliances for scientific instruction have been greatly improved, and 9,re increasing from year to year. According to an historical sketch, by Dr. Wm. H. Allen, it appears that under the regime of the Methodist church the number of students exceeds that of the former regime, and " their names are found in almost every position of use- fulness and honor. In the forum and the field, in the sacred desk and legislative halls, in foreign missions and in bishops' chairs, in science and literature, in the cabinet and on the bench of justice, in manufactures, agriculture and commerce, they are doing manly work for God and men, and conferring new honor on the institution which was the nurse of their youth. . . . Among many whom Dickinson honors and who honor her, are many names : in the oflSce of bishop, Cummins p,nd Bowman; as pulpit orators. Tiffany and Ridgaway; in the fields of science, Baird and Himes ; in literature. Deems, Conway, and Crooks ; in jurisprudencp, Fislier ; in politics, Cresswell, Todd, and Albright ; in classical and biblical learning, professor Harman. Add to these no small number of the younger alumni, who emulate the fame of those just named, and who will in due time gather laurels as green as theirs. Happy is the mother who has reared such sons." SuiprENSBURO, on the western border of Cumberland county, is the oldest town, except York, west of the Susquehanna, in Pennsylvania. After Cumber- land county was organized the courts were held here, and then removed to Carlisle. Great excitement was caused by the removal of the courts. During the French and Indian war two forts were erected here — Fort Morris in 1T55, and Fort Franklin in 1756. The dwelling-houses, prior to 1756, were built of stone or wood. In the spring and summer of 1755, it was a magazine to store provisions for General Braddock's army. The supply for Braddock's forces wore very inadequate. The incidents in the early history of this place are replete with thrilling interest. Years ago Shippensburg was a very brisk town, made so by hundreds of wagons stopping on their way from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, and on their returning eastward. Since the raili'oad has been in 632 HI8T0BT OF PENNSYLVANIA. operation, wagoning tlirougli this place has nearly ceased. The town will, however, always command a reasonable share of business by way of trade and manufacture. The Cumberland Valley railroad passes through the place. The town is situated in the heart of a fertile country, twenty-one miles south-west of Carlisle, thirty-seven miles from Harrisburg, and eleven miles east from Cham- bersburg. It was incorporated into a borough in 181t. The Cumberland Valley State Normal school of the seventh district is located at Shippensburg. The present principal is Rev. I. N. Hayes. Mechanicsburg is a beautiful and flourishing borough, in the heart of the most fertile and best improved regions of Cumberland valley, eight miles from Harrisburg and ten from Carlisle. It was incorporated as a borough, April 12, 1828. Its local advantages are many, being situated on the Cumberland Valley railroad, and also accessible by well improved roads from various sections of the eotintry. The surrounding vicinage is densely settled by a wealthy and indus- trious population. The town has rapidly increased, and now [1876], has a population of three thou- sand one hundred. It is finely laid out, and in the older portions well and compactly built. A gas and water company supplies the town with these neces- sary elements of comfort and convenience. An im- posing town and masonic hall, with market house attached, adds also to the appear- ance and advantage of the place. The only manufacturing interests of special mention are a foundry and car shops, agricultural implement factory, steam saw and planing mill, and the Trindle Spring paper mill, adjacent to the town. Few towns of the same size can boast of as many and as fine churches, seven of which, with their beautiful towering spires, point the devout worshipper to Heaven. The educational interests of the town are well provided for. The public schools, under a local board of directors, are systematically and carefully graded. In addition to these two private educational enterprises have been in successful operation for several years. The Cumberland Valley Institute, the older of the two, is situated at the west end of the town, Rev. 0. Ege and Son, principals, and was founded in 1853 by Rev. Jos. Loose, and was by him successfully conducted for several years. It has been under the present management since 1860. The Irving Female College is situated at Irvington — a name given to the eastern end of the town of Mechanicsburg — in the midst of a beautiful grove and grounds. It was founded in 1856 by Solomon P. Gorgas, and incorporated as a college by the Legislature of the State in 1857, since which time it has enjoyed a good and sub- IRVINO PEJtIALK CULLEaS, MECUAKICSBURO. CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 633 stnntial patronage from this and adjoining States, about two hundred young ladies having graduated from her halls. The buildings are imposing in appear- ance, substantially built of brick, conveniently arranged, and comfortably fitted up with the modern conveniences, and every thing calculated to make it an attractive and safe home, with full and thorough educational advantages for young ladies. Rev. T. P. Ege, A.M., is the present proprietor and president. Newville borough is located on Big Spring, twelve miles north-west from Carlisle, within half a mile of Cumberland Valley railroad. The town was incorporated February 26th, 181Y. It is a thi-iving place. Newburgh borough, in Hopewell township, was laid out by Mr. Trimble, about 1886. Springfield village derives its name from a large spring, which throws out a volume of water to turn several mill wheels within a few rods of the spring or head. It is fourteen miles south-west of Carlisle. Papertown, or Mount Holly, a post-village, south of Carlisle, on the Carlisle and Hanover turnpike, laid out some forty years ago by Barber & Mullen, then owners of an extensive paper mill. It is quite a business place. The original paper mill has grown into three, and are still owned by the sons of the original Mullen, who established the first mill. RoxBERRY is a small village, strung along nearly one-half mile on the road leading from Mechanicsburg to Carlisle. It is two miles west of Mechanicsburg. Sixty years ago Paul Reamer erected the first house here. HoGESTOWN, a post-village on the turnpike leading from Harrisburg to Carlisle, is nine miles west of Harrisburg. It contains about forty houses. A small stream called Hoge's run flows hard by the village, and empties into the Conodogwinet not far off. Middlesex, a post-village on the turnpike from Harrisburg to Carlisle, is three miles from Carlisle, near the confluence of LeTort's creek with the Conodo- gwinet. It contains twenty houses, a grist mill, saw mill, and woolen factory. New Kingston, a post- village, on the turnpike from Harrisburg to Carlisle, six miles from the latter, was laid out by John King about fifty years ago. It is situated in a well improved portion of the county. At an early period in the history of Cumberland Valley, Joseph Junkin, the ancestor of the Junkins of Pennsylvania, took up five hundred acres, of land, including the present site of New Kingston. On this tract he built a stone house, now owned by Mr. Kanaga. In this bouse his son, Joseph Junkin, was born, January 22, 1150. He took an active part in the Revolution of 1776, and commanded a company at the battle of Brandywine, where he was severely wounded. It is recorded of him, " he was self-taught." He had been a justice of the peace and practical surveyor. He died in Mercer county, Pa., February 21, 1831. His son. Rev. George Junkin, D.D., LL.D., was born in the stone house, November 1, 1790; who closed his eventful life in Philadelphia, May 20, 1868. LiSBURN, a post-village on the Yellow Breeches creek, on the road leading from Carlisle to York, sixteen miles from the former, was laid out in 1760, by Gerard Erwin. It consists of fifty houses. Churchtown is a post- village, so named because of a church held in common by Lutherans and German Reformed, which had been erected here twenty 634 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 3-cars before the town was commenced. It is on the main road from Shippcns- burg to Mechanicsburg, six miles from Carlisle, and contains between forty and fifty dwellings. Seventy years ago Jacob Wise built the first house here. WoBLEYSTOWN, in Monroe township, on the main road leading from Carlisle tto Dillsburg in York county, seven miles east from Carlisle, is near the Yellow IJi-ccches creek. It was laid out about sixty years ago. SiiEPiiERDSTOWN, a post-villagB in Upper Allen township, on the State road, leading from near the Susquehanna to Gettysburg, is situated on a hill, having a commanding view of the Cumberland Valley. SiiiREMANSTOWN is a post-village, partly in Lower Allen, and partly in Hamp- den township, on the road from Carlisle to New Cumberland, usually called Simpson's Ferry road, five miles west of Harrisburg, twelve miles east of Car- lisle. The first house erected here, and occupied by the widow of George Suavely (Schnebely), was in the summer of 1813. About the year 1823, Martin Zearing erected the first brick house in the village. New Cumberland, a post-town and borough, was known for some years as Haldeman's town, laid out by Jacob M. Haldeman, about 1810. It is a thriving place, three miles below the Cumberland Valley railroad bridge, at the conflu- ence of the Yellow Breeches creek with the Susquehanna. The York turn- pike and the Northern Central railroad pass through the borough. The lumber business is carried on extensively. In the early part of the last century, the Shawanese Indians had a village here. Peter Chartier, Indian agent, had his station here. About the year 1124, he left for the western part of Pennsyl- vania, settled on or near the Allegheny river, forty miles above Pittsburgh, at Oldtown, or Chartier's Old town. He proved treacherous to the English, ac- cepting a military commission under the French. He prevailed upon some Chawanoes, or Shawanese, of Old Town, to remove to the French settlements on the Mississippi. Bridge Port, at the west end of Cumberland Valley railroad bridge, consists of some five or six dwellings, and a warehouse. At this point the Northern Central railway, from Baltimore to Sunbury, intersects the Cumberland Valley railroad. Wormleysburo, immediately above the Harrisburg bridge, on the right bank of the Susquehanna, was laid out in 1815, by John Wormley, whose name it bears. West Faieview, a post-village at the confluence of the Conodogwinet with the Susquehanna, about two miles above the Harrisburg bridge, was laid out in 1815 by Abraham Neidig. Contiguous to it are the Messrs. McCormick's exten- sive rolling mill and nail factory. The Northern Central railway passes through the village. WiiiTEiiiLL, on the Cumberland Valley railroad, one mile west of the Sus- quehanna, consists of nine or ten dwellings, and a warehouse. This place sprung up nearly forty years ago. It was named after Robert Whiteliill, who settled in 1770, in Cumberland county. Camp Hill is a post-village on the Harrisburg and Carlisle turnpike, two milrs west of the Susquehanna. It contains one church, and a school building, in wliieh " are taught, clothed, and fed," orphans of Union soldiers who fell ir the CVMBEBLANB COUNTY. 635 late conflict between the North and South. The place is noted in the early history of the county as the station of an Indian agency, under Tobias Hen- dricks, Esq. Oyster's Point is one half mile west of Camp Hill. Near this paint there occurred a skirmish, June 28, 1863, in one of Jacob Rupp's fields, between the > rebel advance and Captain E. S. Miller's Battery of Philadelphia. MiLLTOWN, or Cedar Spring mills, a post-village in Lower Allen township, con- tains a church, a grist mill, saw mill, etc., pleasantly situated in a dell, about two minutes walk of the Susquehanna. Caspar and Adam Weber erected a mill here upwards of a hundred years ago. VIEW ON THE WISSAHIOKON. fi36 DAUPHIN COUNTY. *£ — '* ;a*j ^*^^^W<«!/' 1686, where Friends' meetings are spoken of at William ui.EN ov uLKNOLDEN Braiutou's (Brluton's) residence, and as he migrated from luEidieyTowaBhip. ^^^ viciuity of Birmingham, England, that name was given to the new township in commemoration of his early home. In 1718 a Friends meeting-house, said to have been constructed of cedar logs, was buUt on or near the site of the present edifice, and the old grave-yard was dedicated some eight years previously. About 1762, the present structure, one of the scenes of the duplex battle of Brandywine, was erected, and the grave-yard enclosed with a stone wall. After the battle the meeting-house was made an hospital, and during the conflict the American riflemen are said to have used the cemetery wall as a breast work, and within its enclosure a number of the killed of both armies were interred. Dark spots on the oaken floor are yet pointed out as the stains made by the blood of the wounded. In 1717, the Brandywine Baptist church, the first regularly Baptist religious congregation established DELAWARE COUNTY. 669 permanently in Delaware county, was located in this township. From a remote date the Brandywine, at a point on the property of Francis Chadsley, was fordable, and was known as Chadsley's ford. In 1737 public travel had become of such consequence that John Chads (the name had then been changed) entered into a contract with the commissioners of the county to maintain a ferry boat there, and it seems to have been continued until within a short time before the outbreak of the Revolution. The old houses where Lafayette and Washington had their head-quarters are still standing near the ford. In 1789, the line divid- ing Delaware from Chester county was run so as to include about two-thirds of the original township within the limits of the former county. Near the site of the battle field, the village of Chad's Ford has been erected, and manufacturing interests are being rapidly developed in that vicinity. The Baltimore Central railroad traverses the township from cast to west, with stations on Brandywine Summit and Chad's Ford. The city of Chester has been heretofore mentioned in this sketch. It is believed to have been settled in 1645, and in the early times was a place of considerable importance. The main prominent events connected with its history have been related, and under the present head the purpose is to refer especially to its antiquities, its torpor, and its recent marvelous growth. Friends grave- yard, on Edgmont avenue, above Sixth street, was laid out in 1683, and is the most ancient memorial of former times in the city. Within this ancient " God's acre," the remains of many of the most active men in the colony are interred. Among these are the bodies of David Lloyd, chief justice of the Province from 1717 to 1731; Caleb Cowpland, an associate judge of the supreme provincial court ; Henry Hale Graham, who was appointed president judge of this district, but who died in January, 1790, while a delegate to the convention that framed the first constitution of the State, and before taking his seat on the bench ; Davis Bevan, a gallant and brave soldier of the Revolution ; John Salkeld, a noted Friends preacher, nearly a century and a half since : Dr. Preston, the founder of Prestoff's Retreat, in Philadelphia, and other personages of considerable local renown. The Yeates or Logan House, on Second street, near Edgmont, built by 'jasper Yeates, in 1700, is the oldest structure in the city, and in former years its pictured tiled chimney-places were much admired. At the foot of Welsh street, and now the pyrotechnic works of Professor Jackson, stands the Greenbank ,mansion-house. This noted memorial of the past was erected in 1721, by David Lloyd, the ablest man in the colony at that time, and the date of the building, and his own and his wife's initials, are cut upon a large stone in the gable end of the house. Many years afterward the estate passed into the possession of Commodore David Porter, and here Admiral David D.' Porter, and Commander William Porter whose capture of Ports Donaldson and Henry in the late war made him famous at the cost of his own life, were born. Here, too, Admiral Farragut and other distinguished naval officers spent their boy- hood years as inmates of the Porter household. In 1724 the present city hall, formerly the court house of Chester, and afterwards of 'Dela- ware county, until the removal of the seat of justice in 1850, was built, and it is at this time one of the most substantial structures in the city. About 1735 John f)70 HI8T0BY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Salkeld built the house on Norris street, near the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore railroad, which was for many years used as the tenant house on the Kenilworth estate. In 1736 the present Friends meeting-house, below Market square, was erected. Chester contains several hostelries that exceed in age any others to be found in the State. The present City hotel, at Third and Edgmont streets, was conveyed by William Preston to Solon Hanley, in 1750, by the title of " Blue Anchor Tavern." The Washington house, opposite the city hall, was built previous to 1755, and the exact date of the erection of the Columbia hotel is not known, but before and during the Revolution it was kept by Mrs. Mary Withey, and it is said during her lifetime to have been the best kept tavern in America. The Steamboat hotel, at the foot of Market street, is one of the old landmarks. When the ill-fated British frigate Augusta passed up the river in 1777, she opened fire on the town, and a cannon ball passed through the upper story of the building. At the north-east corner of Market and Second streets stands an ancient house that in former days was known as the " Blue Ball Inn," from its peculiar sign, and is believed to have been erected about the middle of the last century. A peculiar incident connected with the structure are the holes where the scaffolding fitted into the walls while building have never been filled in, owing to the fact that in former times, when masons were not paid for their work, they refused to fill in these holes, and no others of the same trade would do it until the builders had been paid their claim. In the old house at the comer of Third and Edgmont streets, Lafayette was taken after the battle of Brandywine, and therein his wounds were dressed. In the old mansion, built by Major Ander- son, a Revolutionary oflBcer, in 1803, at the comer of Fifth and Welsh streets, Lafayette was entertained during his visit to Chester in 1825. The service of china used on that occasion is still in the house in excellent preservation. St. Paul's Episcopal church-yard is one of the most noted points in the ancient borough. The present edifice is comparatively a recent structure. The old building, which was opened and dedicated on St. Paul's day, July, 1702, was taken down jn 1 850 and the present one substituted. The church organization have still in their possession two silver chalices, one bearing the inscription, " Annas Reginae," and the other a gift from Sir Jefferis Jefferies. They were both presented in 1702. In the vestibule of the present church is inserted in the wall a memorial stone — the first known to have been used in the colony — to James Sanderland, which in early times formed the front part of the Sanderland pew, having been placed on its edge for that purpose. The slab is gray sand- stone, six feet high, four wide, and about six inches in thickness. The emblems upon it are clearly cut and executed with much artistic skill. Along its border, in large capital letters, are the words : " here lies interrd the bodie of james SANDELANDES, MERCHANT, IN UPLAND, IN PENNSYLVANIA, WHO DEPARTED THIS MORTAL LIFE APRILE 12, 1692, AGED 56 YEARS, AND HIS WIFE ANN SANDELANDES." The face of the stone is divided into two parts, the upper bearing in cypher the initials I. S. and A. S. and the arms of the Sandelandes family. Around the border, and dividing the upper from the lower half, are many emblems of mortality, the tolling bell, skull and cross bones, the empty hour glass,'an upright coflSn, bear- ing on its side the words : " Memento mori, tempus Deum," and in either corner crossed a sceptre and mattock, and a mattock and spade. An old stone, now DELAWABE COUNTY 671 for safe keeping in a closet in the Sunday-school rooms, states : " Here lyeth the body of Charles Brooks, who Dyed [no date], also Frances Brooks, who Dyed August ye 9th, 1704, aged 50. " In barbarian bondage and cruel tyranny Fourteen years together I served in slavery ; After thi^, money brought me to nay country fair, At last I was drowned In the river Delaware." In the old church-yard is a slab to the memory of Paul Jackson, A.M., who died in 1767. He was the first person who received a degree (A.M.) in the Col- lege of Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania), and was a surgeon in the Buftddock expedition. Major William Anderson also reposes in this ancient en- closure. He was a captain during the Revolutionary war, participating in many of the most important battles, and was present at the siege of Yorktown. After the formation of the Constitution he represented this district in Congress for many years. His daughter became the wife of Commodore David Porter, and mother of Admiral David D. Porter and Commander William Porter. But the most important memorial is the obelisk to John Morton, the signer of the De- claration of Independence, who was the first of those men to die, his death oc- curring in April, 1777. It is not necessary to transcribe the inscriptions, except that on the east side of the shaft, which is as follows : " In voting by States upon the question of the Independence of the American Colonies, there was a tie until tbe vote of Pennsylvania was given, two members from which voted in the affirmative, and two in the negative. The tie continued until tbe vote of the last member, John Morton, decided the promulgation of the glorious diploma of American Freedom." Unfortunately there is no contemporaneous historical account to establish these facts, and this stone, erected sixty odd years after the event, can hardly be accepted as of much authority. An Interesting incident con- nected with " Old Chester," is that in 1739 George Whitefield preached there to about seven thousand people, and was accompanied thither from Philadelphia by almost one hundred and fifty gentlemen on horseback. Chester was for many years a place of but little importance and without any indications of future pros- perity. When it was determined to remove the county seat, it was believed it would become of much less consequence. About 1850, several enterprising men who saw its capability as a manufacturing site, purchased large farms in the vicinity, laid out streets, solicited manufacturers to locate, ofierfng them induce- ments to do so, until in 1876 it is one of the most flourishing cities of its size in the Union. Chester and South Chester borough, which are divided from each other by Lamokin run, and must within a few years be united, form busy hives of industry, are estimated to contain a population of thirteen thousand people, and have within their incorporated limits twenty-five cotton and woolen factories, six ship yards — one of them the mammoth establishment of John Roach & Son, from whence was launched the City of Peking and City of Tokio, the largest steamships, with the exception of the Great Eastern, «ver built in the world — one rolling mill, one planing mill, one car shop, one sugar refinery, one brass foundry, three carriage factories, one axe factory, and lesser industrial establishments. There are two National and one State bank ; five 672 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Methodist, three Presbyterian, two Baptist, two Episcopal, two Catholic, and one Friends meeting house, and a young men's Christian and several literary associations. The Chester Library company, organized in 1769, still exists, but with little, except its old age, to attract attention. It has eight hundred or a thousand volumes upon its shelves. The Pennsylvania Military academy was located in this city in 1868 by act of Assembly. The buildings, which are spa- cious and attractive, are located in th.e north ward, nearly at the edge of the city limits. Colonel Theodore Hyatt is President of the academy. It is a popu- lar institution, and is well supplied with apparatus, and a library of fifteen —jt CHESTER MILITAKT ACADEMY. hundred volumes. Chester has been a mausoleum of newspapers ; more journals have been born, died, and buried there than in any city of a like size in the State. At the present time there are five weeklies and one daily paper puMished in this city, and they are edited with good taste and much ability. The Dela- ware County Republican, founded by Y. S. Walter, in 1833, and owned and edited by him ; the Delaware County Democrat, owned and edited by Colonel W. C. Talley ; Delaware County Advocate, owned and edited by John Spencer ; Weekly Mail, by Joseph Desilver & Company ; Democratic Pilot, by William Orr; The Public Press, by Higgins & Simpson; The Delaware County Paper, edited and published by Ashmead & McFeeters, and Daily News, by William A. Todd. There are twenty-eight public schools in the city of Chester. The borough of South Chester was incorporated by act of As- sembly in 1870, and is an active progressive borough, containing one Metho- dist and one Baptist church, six public schools, and a population now estimated at BELAWABE COUNTT. 6^3 about sixteen hundred. The Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore, the Reading, and the Chester Creek railroads, afford access to Chester from every section of the country, and its communication with Philadelphia is close, by reason of the constant trains going to and coming from that city. North Chester borough was incorporated by act of Assembly, March 14, 1873. It includes within its area the villages of Powhattan, Waterville, and Shoemaker ville. Jt has a Baptist chapel, Friends meeting, and four public schools. Chester rural and the Catholic cemeteries are located within it. In the former the Delaware county soldiers' monument — a handsome bronze figure of a soldier standing at ease — has been placed. Chichester township, comprising Upper and Lower Chichester, was among th^e most ancient settlements in the county. The name first appeared in 1682, when the inhabitants of Marcus Hook petitioned Governor Markham to change the name to Chichester, after the ancient city in Sussex, England, and although the request was complied with, the ancient settlement is known to this day as Marcus Hook. The " old King's highway " passes through both these town- ships, as does also " the road from Concord to Chichester," laid out in 1686, and the road from Birmingham to Chester, laid out in 1687. In 1722 the separa- tion of the original township into Upper and Lower Chichester had taken place, but the exact date of the establishment of the separate townships is not known. Lower Chichester contains the borough of Marctjs Hook, which was " taken up by a company of six persons, under a patent granted by Sir Edward Andros." In 1701 it was created a borough by William Penn. The first Friends meeting was established, there in 1682, and in 1685 .James Brown conveyed two acres of ground to the Friends, upon which to build a meeting-house and lay out a burial place. In 1702 St. Martin's Episcopal church congregation occupied an old frame building on the site of the present edifice, when the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts sent over Rev. Henry Nichols as missionary. The frame building was used as a church until 1746, when the present structure was erected. The ancient borough has now and then shown a disposition to throw ofl!" the sluggishness that has retarded its progress, but it fails to effect much material growth, and the principal business is fishing, although at no distant day it must become an active thrifty community. There are three churches in the borough — a Baptist, founded in 1789; St. Martin's, in 1702; and a Methodist. The population of Marcus Hook is about one thousand. • CoNCORP, the largest township in the county, was organized in 1683, and received its name from the harmonious feeling that had beeti noticeable among the settlers there. The first road laid out in Concord was that from Birmingham to Cliester, constructed in 1687. Friends meeting was established there in 1684. In 1697 John Mendenhall leased to trustees land for a meeting-house and grave- yard at an annual rent of " one pepper corn yearly for ever." The ineeting-house that was erected thereon stood until 1728, when a brick one took its place, which was in turn in 1788 partially destroyed by fire. St. John's Episcopal church was built originally in 1727j but the present edifice by that name was erected in 1833. In 1730 the first Roman Catholic church in the county was located at Ivy Mills, by the Jesuit society from Maryland, and for a century and a quarter religious 674 EISTOB Y OF PENNS YL VANIA. services were held at the residence of the Wilcox family, until the present church structure was erected. One year before this, in 1129, Thomas Wilcox purchased a tract of land and built the second paper mill in the Province of Pennsylvania, although at this time most of the business of the Messrs. Wilcox has been removed to Glen Mills. The small old, ivy-covered mills, in which the bank notes, papers for the country, including much that was used for the Conti- nental currency, was made, is yet standing, and paper is still made there by hand. The Baltimore Central traverses the county from east to west, with stations . at Ivy Mills, Woodland, and Concord. Darby and Upper Darby, included in one township, was settled in 1682, and the name is doubtless derived from Derby, in England. In 1747 the townships were practically divided by an agreement made in town meeting, in ItSG, that division was confirmed by the court, and the present line of demarcation indicated. That portion lying to the north of the line was designated as.Upper Darby. Darby was one of the oldest settlements in the Province, and here, about 1695, the Darby mills were erected. A deed in 1697 mentions " three water grist mills and fulling mills," the latter believed to have been the first erected in the State. The present borough of Darby was one of the most ancient settlements. In 1684 Friends meetings were first held there, in 1688 a meeting-house of logs was erected, and in 1699 the present structure was built. In 1743 the Darby Library company was founded, and in 1871, the company, then one hundred and twenty- eight years old, erected a commodious hall and librar}"- room. This association, after lingering along for more than a century, began to develop considerable strength, and ^it has now a valuable collection of books, which in all probability will constantly increase in numbers. In 1777 five thousand militia were ordered to rendezvous at Darby, and after the battle of Brandywine the American army marched through the town on its way to Philadelphia. On March 3d, 1853, the ancient settlement was incorporated, since which time it has been making steady and rapid growth. It contains a Friends meeting-house, one Methodist and two Presbyterian churche?. The Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore railroad traverses the township. Upper Darby is much the larger portion of the ancient township. The principal village is Kelleysville, located on Darby creek, and was named in honor of the late Charles Kelley, to whose exertions its pros- perity is mainly due. The town contains six cotton and woolen, two paper mills, and three churches. The West Chester railroad passes through the village. Clifton, which is in close proximity to Kelleysville, is also constantly increas- ing in importance. In Upper Darby is Clifton Hall, a private insane hospital. The Friends have a' meeting-house, the Methodists have several churches, and ' there is also a New Jerusalem church, the only one in Delaware county. The Burd orphan asylum, also located in this township, was founded by Mrs. Eliza Howard Burd, who bequeathed in trust to the rector, warden, and vestry of St. Stephen's Church, in Philadelphia, a large estate to be applied to the establishment of an asylum for poor wliite female orphans, who should be baptized in the Episcopal church. The building was dedicated in 1866, and is built in the form of a Cross, in plain English Gothic architecture. Edomont is believed to have been organized into a township in 1687, and the name is supposed to have been given it in memory of the place of the same name DELAWABE COUNTY. 675 111 SLropshire, England. Dr. Smith relates the following tradition respecting the laying out of the road from Chester to Edgmont : " Henry HoUingsworth, the surveyor, caused an apple tree to be planted at the end of every mile. The sur- veyor happened to be at variance with Richard Crosby, who then resided in Middletown township. It so happened that one of the miles ended on Richard's lands, but instead of planting an apple-tree, the surveyor took an axe and bent two saplings so as to cross each other at the spot, saying at the time, ' Richard Crosby, thee crosses me, and I will cross thee.' " Some of thsse apple-trees were standing within a quarter of a century since. A curious upheaval of rocks, known as Castle rock, occurred in Edgmont, and is often visited by tourists. The town- ship contains the villages of Howellville and Edgmont. Haverford township is wholly located in what was known in early colonial days as the " Welsh Tract," and its name is derived from Haverford West, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. The first settlement was made there in 1682, by three families, and they appear to have suffered much from the Indians, who slew their hogs. In 1684 a burial-ground was located at Haverford, and in ItOO, Havei-ford Friends meeting-house was built. The original structure, although it has been enlarged at its north end, still stands, and in that old building William Penn preached to Welsh Friends, who sat quietly listening to an address from the Proprietary, of which they did not understand a word. The timbers of which this house of worship were built are heavy, and show the marks of the saw and axe upon them to this day. A number of chestnut boards, which were the first lining of the building, are still doing service. It was in going tojihis meeting that Penn, overtaking a little girl, Rebecca Wood, walking in the same direction, caused her to mount behind him, " and so rode away upon the bare back, and, being without shoes or stockings, her bare legs and feet hung dangling by the side of the governor's horse." The road from Haverford to Darby was laid out in > 1687, and upon it are still some of the old mile-stones, bearing the Penn arms, that were brought over from England by order of the Proprietary. *' Clifton Hall," a manor-house erected in the township by Henry Lewis, in 1682, was noted in early colonial times for its sumptuousness, is still standing, although modernized. It is now known as " The Grange," and owned by John Ashhurst. Cooperstown is a small and the only village in this township. Haverford College was established in 1832, by the orthodox branch of the Society of Friends. The buildings are large and commodious, and its reputation as an institution of learning is deservedly high. It possesses a well-selected library of ten thousand volumes. Mauple became a township early in the year 1684. The derivation of this name is not known. Dr. Smith informs us that in many of the ancient records the name is spelt Marpool ; but Holmes, the first surveyor-general, in his map gives it the modern spelling. About 1833 the Presbyterians erected a church in Marple village, which was the first religious body organized in the township since which time a colored Methodist church has been built there. Several whetstone quarries are located in this township, as are also chrome mines. Middletown, which appears on the old map mentioned by Mr. Lewis, as Mid- dle township, and derived its name from its supposed central location, was orga- 61o RISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. nized at an early date, but Dr. Smith has failed to find any notice of it, as such, previous to 168t. The Edgmont great road, which was formerly known as the road from Edgmont to the King's Highway in Chester, was laid out in 168t. The old Middletown church, as it is affectionately termed, the first Presbyterian church organized in Delaware county, is located in this township ; the precise date of its erection is, however, not known. In 1736, Dr. Isaac Watts, the poet, presented a copy of Baxter's Directory to this church. According to the instructions of the donor, which are written on the inside of the cover, it is " intrusted to ye care of Protestant Dissenting Ministers who preaches there, and to his successors, to be used by him or them in their weekly studys, when they please, and to be secured and devoted to the use of this Congregation on ye Lord's days." This volume is yet preserved as a sacred relic. The earliest inscription in the old church- yard is dated 1124, but the most noticeable is a stone to the memory of Dr. Barnard Van Leer, a prominent man of his day, who died in 1790, aged 104 years. After he had become a centenarian, he rode thirty miles on horseback in one day, and, when 102 years old, was cruelly beaten by burglars, because of his refusal to disclose where he had secreted his money. From these injuries he never recovered. The Friends have also two meeting-houses in the township, and the Methodists a church. The Pennsylvania Training School for Feeble- minded Children is located in Middletown. This institution was org£^nized in May, 1853, and located on School lane, near Germantown. It being cramped, the Legislature authorized its removal, and the present site was purchased and building erected at a cost of $140,000. In the fall of 1859 the new institution was opened, and its irriportance became so manifest that liberal bequests to it by individuals, and generous appropriations by the State, were made to it. Dr. Isaac N. Kerlin is the superintendent, and as each year rolls by, its impor- tance as a noble charity becomes more and more apparent. The county house for Delaware county is also located in Middletown. The West Chester and Philadelphia railroad and the Chester Creek railroad traverses this township. On the former are stations at Greenwood, Glen Riddle, Lenni, Baltimore Junction, Pennelton, and Darlington, while on the latter are Knowlton, Presbyterian Ford, Glen Riddle, Lenni, and Baltimore Junction. The site of Knowlton, says Dr. Smith, until " 1800 was a wilderness." Near the head gates of the mill there were formerly the marks of a grave, the occupant of which tradition named " Moggey," and from that circumstance the crossing of the creek was named Moggey's ford. As Moggey had the reputation of making her appear^ ance occasionally, it required no little courage in the traveler in early times to cross the ford at night. Lenni, located near the centre of the township, contains a general store, school-house, and other evidences of thrift; it is the only village entirely within the township, although parts of Glen Riddle and other manufac- turing places extend into its borders. NE^yT0WN was organized in 1686. Its original settlers were Welsh emigrants. Dr. Smith states that it was laid out in what was called a townstead in the centre, and the first purchases of land in the "town" ship were entitled to a certain number of acres in the townstead or village, and from that fact the name of the township is probably derived. The Goshen road, which traversed the township from east to west, was laid out in 1719. When St. David's Episcopal church was DELAWAEE COUNTY. 07? establisLcd is not definitely known, but tradition records that a log churph was erected, and towards the latter part of the seventeenth century the settlers gar- risoned themselves against the Indians within it. The present foundation of the brick church edifice was laid in May, 1T15, and finished during that year. In the niche of the north wall of the church isthis inscription : " a.d. 1717." The stone was placed there manj'- years after the church was built, in a vacant place caused by the fall of a stone bearing a similar date. That date is an error, since documentary evidence shows conclusively that the church was finished two years prior to that, and is the oldest church edifice in Delaware county. The oldest tombstone in the yard is to Edward Hughes, the rector, who was interred on the 16th of December, 1716. On the 4th of July, 1809, the Pennsylvania State Society of the Cincinnati removed the remains of General Anthony Wayne from Presqu'Isle to this old grave-yard, and erected a plain marble shaft to his memory. Friends meeting was established in the township in 1697, and a meeting-house erected in 1710 ; also, in 1832, a Baptist church was built. Newtown Square, Newtown Centre, originally the " townstead," and Cen- tre Square, are thrifty villages located on the West Chester and Philadelphia turnpilie. Providence was settled among the earliest of the tier of townships, back of and immediately along the river side. It is first mentioned in the records of the October court, 1683, when " the inhabitants of Providence make application for a highway to the town of Chester." In 1686 Upper Providence was recognized as a separate township, and in contradistinction, the lower part of the municipa- lity was designated as Nether Providence. In the former is located the borough of Media, the county seaf of Delaware county, to which circumstance it owes its past and present importance. After the removal act was passed the commission- ers purchased forty-eight acres of land from Sarah Briggs, at a cost of $5,760, upon which the future town was plotted. It was first proposed to designate the inchoate seat as Providence, but, although its location was a special dispensation to those persons having land to sell in the vicinity, the name of Media was adopted. It was incorporated as a borough, March 11, 1850, and, owing to the removal of all the county oflSces there, grew rapidly for a few years, since which time it has increased slowly, both in population and private improvements. The Delaware County Institute of Sciences, located in the borough, has a commodious hall, which was erected at a cost of $10,000. This society was organized in 1833, and has become siuce that time an active body, which has done and is still doing much to popularize scientific and historical knowledge among the people of the county. The library contains many costly books, together with a number of valuable MSS. and papers relating to the history of the county. The museum has a number of interesting and curious articles, and specimens illustrative of the natural sciences. In 1855 the first number of the Delaware County American was issued from the county seat, by Vernon & Cooper, since which time it has grown until it is one of the largest papers pub- lished in the State. There are one Episcopal, one Presbyterian, and a Methodist church in the borough. The population of Media in 1870 was 1,045, and the assessed value of real and personal property in 1875 was $1,114,975. JThe popu- l.ition of Upper Providence, independently of the borough of Media, in 1870, 678 BISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. was f 58 ; the number of public schools three, and the assessed value of real and personal property *^as, in I81b, $693,795. Nether Providence township was organized in 1686, as heretofore mentioned. A portion of Media and an addi- tion to it, designated South Media, is located in this township. There are also Briggsville, Hinkson's Corner, Waterville, the extensive woolen mills at Walling- ford, Bancroft's Bank, and the Lenni paper mills. The West Chester and Phila- delphia railroad passes through both the Providence townships. Radnor was said to have been settled by emigrants from Radnorshire, Wales, about 1683, although no documentary evidence of a prior settlement can be found by Dr. Smith before 1685. Almost the entire land included within the DELAWARE COUNTY COURT HOUSE, MEDIA. boundaries of the township was patented in 1681, to Richard David or Davies but it nowhere appears that the owner of the estate of five thousand acres ever saw his purchase. In 1688 the Welsh inhabitants of Radnor and Haverford refused to recognize the validity of the line that located them within Chester county, and in 1689 they cast their vote for members of Assembly with the county of Philadelphia, but the poll was rejected by the Governor and Council, and a new election ordered so far as related to the members for whom they had voted was concerned. In 1693 a Friends meeting-house was built in Radnor, and in 1718 the present Radnor Friends meeting-house was erected. In the grave-yard attached to the meeting-house the first body interred was that of Qwenllian, wife of Howell James, 11th mo., 81st, 1686. Villanova College, named in honor of St. Thomas of Villanova, was founded in 1846, by the Augus- tinian Fathers, and incorporated in 184S by the State, with power to confer DELAWABE COUNTY. 679 degrees in the arts and sciences. It employs twelve professors, and its average attendance of students is about one hundred. The college building is capacious, and in connection with it is a hall capable of seating four hundred persons. The Methodists early made a lodgment in this township, and the congregation of that denomination in Radnor is one of the oldest in the county. The Penn- sylvania railroad touches Delaware county only in this township, and the sta- tions on thaj; road are Villanova, Upton, Radnor (otherwise Morgan's Cor- ' ner), and Wayne, where a pretty village, called Louclla, has sprung up around the station. The Baptists have a church in the township, their place of wor- ship Radnor Hall, having been constituted in 1841. Ridley, which was named in honor of Ridley, who died at the stake in 1554, originally under the government of the Duke of York, em- braced the neck of land known as Cal- koen's Hook (Tur- key PQint), Ammas- land, and Tinlcum. In 1686 Calkoen's Hook was annexed to Darby, and in the following year Rid- ley township was or- ganized. At Leijjer- ville, Thomas Lei- per, a man of posi- tion and a brave soldier of the Revo- lution, constructed, in October, 1809, the second railroad ever laid in the United States, the first being that laid at Beacon Hill, Boston, by Silas Whitney, in 1807. It has been said that the Leiper road was con- structed in 1806, but subsequent investigation has demonstrated that date to be erroneous. The old Darby Creek ferry-house, which for many years was used as a hotel, -is still standing, and on one of the mantles are the figures 1698, which is believed to be the date of the erection of the building. Leipervillc, which was laid cut by Thomas Leiper, and named after him, is the only village of any size in ll.e township, although Ridley Park, Prospect Park, and Norwood are rapidly gathering together a number of ornate, and in some instances, imposing suburban dwellings. There are one Baptist, one Presbyterian, and one " Bible Christian " churches located in Ridley. The Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore rail road traverses this township, and has stations at Crum Lynne, Ridley Park, and RIDI/ET PARK STATION, P., W. AND B. E. R. C80 HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Moore's. At Ridley the number of school-houses are five. The population in LSTS was one thousand one hundred and forty-two, and the assessed value of real and personal property in 1875 was $1,616,840. Springfield township is believed by Dr. Smith to have been regularly organ- ized in 1686, but two years previous to that time Robert Taylor, one of the early settlers of the county, was appointed supervisor " from Chester creek to Croome creek " early in 1684. In 1688 the Ammasland road was laid out. On the left- hand side of the road leading from Springfield meeting-house to Chester stands the house in which Benjamin West was born, on the 10th of October, 1738. In 1874 the upper part of this building was injured by fire, but the room in which West was born was untouched by the flames. The old structure has been reno- vated as when first constructed, and is now occupied as a residence by two of the professors of Swarthmore College. There is a tradition that a picture from the youthful pencil of West could be seen on the breast of one of the chimneys in one of the attics, but the story is as apocryphal in its character as the oft-told narrative of West drawing in ink, at seven years of age, the portrait of the child who he was instructed to watch in the cradle. The old Springfield meeting-house, built in 1738 and taken down in 1850, was the scene of the inquiry among the good Friends of that day, whether the society would permit Benjamin West to paint. Swarthmore College, under the management of the Hicksite branch of the Society of Friends", is located in this township. It was founded in 1866, and is now in a flourishing condition. The building is spacious and imposing, and the institution has a creditable museum, the nucleus of a library, and a depository of relics connecting with and relating to Greorge Fox and William Penn. The board of managers consists of thirty-four members, who must be members of the Society of Friends. Professor Edward H. MagiU is president of the college. Dr. Smith relates an extraordinary instance of the freaks of electricity that occurred in this township on the 3d of November, 1768. The lightning struck the house of Samuel Lewis, and, among other remarkable things, tore the lower part of the apparel entirely from off his daughter Margaret, rent her garters into a number of pieces, tore the upper leather of her shoes into frag- ments, and melted part of one of her silver shoe-buckles, without materially injuring the young lady. In 1810 " Indian Nelly," the last native known to have resided in Delaware county, made her home in Springfield. Wallingford, Hay- ville, and Beatty's Hollow, are manufacturing places of considerable importance. The West Chester and Philadelphia railroad passes through the southern section of this township, and has stations at Morton, Oakdale, and Swarthmore. The population of the township in 1870 was one thousand two hundred and sixty- seven, and the assessed value of real and personal property in 1875, $1,075,720. Thornbury was organized as a township in 1687, and derived its name from Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England. When Delawai-e was set apart from Chester county the line of division was such that one-fourth of the old township was retained in the latter county. About forty years since the township was enlarged so as to include a portion of Aston, in which Glen mills, the estab- lishment of Mark & James Wilcox, the manufacturers of all the paper used by the Government in legal tender and National bank notes, is located. There are consi- derable settlements around the manufacturing localities of Glen mills, Cheyney's DULAWABE COUNTY. 681 shops, and Thorntonville. The Philadelphia and West Chester railroad passes through the township,*with stations at the two former mentioned places. An old road in the western part of the township is laid out, and follows the course of an old Indian trail. TiNiouM, the smallest municipality in the countjf, was made a separate town- ship on the petition of thirty-three of the inhabitants, by order of the August court of Chester county in 1181. During the Revolutionary war, when it was thought that General Howe was menacing Philadelphia by water, a temporary fortification was located at the mouth of Darby creek, on the present island of Tinicum. In 1782 the Supreme Council confiscated a large tract of land in this township, belonging to Joseph Galloway, who had talien part with the mother CltOZKB THEULOOICAL SBMINAElf AT UPLAND. coun|;ry. The Lazaretto was established at Tinicum, and spacious buildings were erected to meet the requirements of a post which, when the quarantine was located, held the commercial supremacy of the nation. IJpIjAND was created a borough by the Court of Quarter Sessions, February 22 1869. The borough is the site of the noted Chester mills. The greater part of the property is owned by John P. Crozer's family. It is a busy manufac- turino' place, neat and attractive. It contains four public schools, a Baptist church and the Crozer Theological seminary ; the seminary receiving an endowment fund of $390,000 from the Crozer family, and they are constantly aiding to its usefulness. The Pearl library, a gift of a daughter of John P. Crozer contains between six and seven thousand volumes, many of which are rare and original, although composed almost exclusively of theological works. ELK COUNTY. [ mill acknowledgments to C. B. Earley, M.D., Jesse Kyler, Erasmus Morey, and Lyman Wilmarth.] ROM 1835 to 1842 applications were annually made to the Legislature for a new county, to be formed out of portions of Jefferson, M'Kean, and Clearfield ; and in the spring of 1843 the bill passed creating the county of Elk, and was organized for judicial purposes the year following. The commissioners to fix the county site, and to perform other duties in the organization of the county, until the proper oflBcers could be elected by the VIEW OF THR BOEOUGH OP RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY. [From a Photograph by C. B. Slsde, RidgvKjr.] people, were Timothy Ives, of Potter, James W. Guthrie, of Clarion, and Z. H. Eddy, of Warren. They received offers of land sufficient in quantity for all the public buildings from persons in different parts of the county. Matthew McQuoin offered one hundred acres at the forks of the road leading to Brandy Camp, four miles east of Ridgway, now known as Boot Jack, and in addition would give a year's work toward the erection of the public buildings. Reuben Winslow promised that the expense of the buildings would be provided for, if the fi82 ELK C0VNT7. 683 commissioners would fix upon his place at the mouth of Trout run. The citizens of Ridgway, aided by a donation from John J. Ridgway, guaranteed the expense of erecting the buildings, also giving ground, with a never- failing spring attached, which offer the commissioners accepted, and located the seat of justice at Ridgway. Tliey laid out the site for public buildings, and entered into a contract with Edward Derby for the erection of the court-house. This action of the commissioners was, however, violently opposed, and delays were created in the erection of the county buildings. Finding their efforts unavailing, the oppo- sition for a while ceased. The county seat having been fixed by the commissioners, the buildings com- pleted, and the courts in regular session, it was supposed that the time for disturbing the county by its removal was past. It was doomed otherwise. At the session of the Legislature in 1848-49, A. I. Wilcox was the member in the House, and Timothy Ives in the Senate. Will. A. Stokes, a lawyer of Phila- delphia, was interested in selling lands around St. Mary's to actual settlers, at a profit of some seven or eight hundred per cent., which sales would be accelerated by having the county seat at St. Mary's, where his political aspirations had led him to settle. He therefore procured the introduction, in the Legislature, of a bill to remove the county seat to St. Mary's ; but the people from Ridgway and other parts of the county entered such a vigorous protest that the plan failed. The name of the county was derived from the ''noble animal which, upon the arrival of the first settlers, in large droves had a wide range over this forest domain." The encroachments of civilization, and the wanton destruction of these creatures, have completely exterminated them. The first court in Elk county was held at Caledonia, December 19, 1843. The first officers of the county were James L. Gillis and Issac Horton, associ- ate judges; W. J. B. Andrews, prothonotary ; Reuben Winslow, Chauncey Brockway, and — Brooks, commissioners. The first attorneys at this court, at which little business was done, were Benjamin R. Petriken, George R. Barrett, and Lewis B. Smith. The second court was held at Ridgway, in the sche»l- house, on February 19, 1844. Present — Alexander McCalmont, president judge ; Isaac Horton, associate ; and Eusebius Kineaid, sheriff. The resources of the county consist in the main of coal and lumber. The fourth coal basin, according to Rogers, extends through the county from the north-west to the south-east, embracing perhaps fifty thousand acres, and passing near the centre of the county. On the Little Toby creek the aggregate thickness of the veins of bituminous coal that have been discovered has been found to average twenty-eight feet, and are seven in number, and two veins of cannel coal, averaging each about three feet in thickness. There are also two beds of lime, one of eiwht and one of four feet. The former is of excellent strength, being of a fossil- iferous character, though dark in color. There are several deposits of iron ore, containing from thirty to forty per cent, of metallic iron, being the ores of the carboniferous regions. In the western portion of the county, and also in the eastern portion, are found the fifth and third basins respectively. The veins of coal and minerals compare favorably, as reported by Professor Rogers. The developments of the coal fields of the county are as follows : the St. Mary's coal company and the Benzinger coal and iron company, in the vicinity of St. Mary's 684 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Ttioy are shipping coal of good quality, but, from the fact of the slight covering over the veins worked, the coal has a rusty and stained appearance. The North-western mining and exchange company own about thirty-three thousand acres of land, mostly underlaid with coal, situate in Fox and Horton townships, Elit county, and Snyder township, Jefferson county. This company include, with their former lands, also the properties of the Daguscahonda improvement company and the Shawmuk coal company. They are now operating quite largely at the old works of the Daguscahonda company, shipping their pro- duction by way of the Earley branch of the Pennsylvania and Erie coal and rail- way company. This latter corporation is formed by a consolidation of several railroad companies whose lines are at present built, or to be constructed. One line, leading from the Pliiladelphia and Erie railroad to Earley, six miles in length, also the Shawmuk branch, about seventeen miles of track, both in this county, are under its control. The lumber and tanning business forms an active industry. There are three large tanneries (one said to be the largest in the world), emploj-ing many men, and the numerous saw mills in the various parts of the county contribute greatlj^ to the prosperity of its inhabitants. A large body of land, containing about one hundred thousand acres, lying in what is now Benzinger, Fox, Horton, and Houston townships, the latter in Clear- field county, was patented to Samuel M. Fox, and was offered for sale and settle- ment by his heirs. Their agent, William Kersey, opened a road from the State road (now Bellefonte and Erie turnpike) to what is called the Burned Mill, alongside of the Daguscahonda railroad, thirty-three miles in length. These lands lay in what was then Jefferson, M'Kean, and Clearfield counties, most of it in the latter, which at that time could not poll over one hundred and sixty or one hundred and seventy votes, and was attached to Centre county. It had but one township, called Chinklacamoose. Amos Davis was the first actual settler. He resided, prior to 1810, some two or three years, on the tract north of Earley, where the steam saw mill stands. In the spring of the above year, John Kyler, who lived in Centre county, came to see the country, and located his place at Kyler's Corners, on Little Toby creek. That year and the summer following he packed his provisions on a liorse to do him while clearing some land and putting up a cabin, and the last of May or first of June, 1812, moved his family to the country. Elijah Meredith had moved in a few days previous, and Jacob Wilson, Libni Taylor, and Samuel Miller at the time Kyler came. Miller located at Earley, and the year following Jonah Griffith located on a farm where Centreville now is. Miller and Griffith both left the succeeding j-ear. The flaming hand-bill of the land-owners, in 1811, is a curiosity. From it we learn, "Within ten miles of the tract, and immediately upon the Sinnema- honing, salt works have been erected by a company who are interested in the property, and considerable quantities of salt have been already manufactured. Iron and coal may be had in the neighborhood, adequate to the most enlarged system of operations. . . . It is confidently believed that, taking into con- sideration the situation, soil, and general advantages that belong to this tract, there seldom has existed a more favorable opportunity for industrious and enter- prising men to acquire a handsome property upon more liberal terms. . . . The proprietors, duly estimating the advantages, both in a private and a national ELK COUNTY. 685 view, from a system of education and the encouragement of moral and religious habits, have resolved upon appropriating one hundred and fifty acres of land, nearly in the centre of the tract, for the promotion of these salutary purposes. This tract will be granted to a church and school, the use of it remaining in the clergyman and preceptor who may be of competent abilities and approved of by the proprietors. . . . The subscribers purchased the property after a full and complete inspection of the soil and other local advantages, and a satisfactory investigation of the title. It is intended for the present to sell to actual settlers at two dollars per acre, at a credit of five years, two years without interest. A large company, who may be desirous to fix themselves permanently upon the tract, will meet with liberal encouragement from the proprietors." Settlers from the New England States and New York were informed that the most direct route to these lands was from " Chenango Point to Dr. Willard's, at Tioga, thence to Ellis's, on the State road, by the way of Crooked creek, thence through Couder's Port to the Canoe Place on the Allegheny, seventeen miles west of Couder's Port, from whence a road is opened by the Portage branch of the Sinnemahoning, about twenty-three miles in a southern direction to the tract." In the spring of 1812, quite a number of settlers, induced by the very favor- able and flattering terms of Messrs. Shippen, McMurtrie & Co., land owners, located on Bennett's Branch of the Sinnemahoning, having been preceded by Dr. Daniel Rogers, the agent, in the autumn previous. The more prominent were Leonard Morey, who selected land one mile below Caledonia, on Bennett's Branch, the year following, settled in Medoc run ; Captain Potter, who cTiose a flat oppo- site the mouth of the Medoc run ; Elder Jonathan Nichols and Hezekiah Warner, at Caledonia. Captain Potter finding no mill in the locality, burned out one end of a hickory log and made a mortar, fastened a pestle to a spring pole, and in that manner, to use his expression, "pounded our corn and made our ' Johnny cake.' " In 1813 Clearfield was divided into two . townships — one Lawrence, in honor of the gallant commander of the Chesapeake, and the other Pike, after General Zebulon M. Pike, killed at York, Canada, in April, 1813. The latter township comprised all what is now Elk county. By this division the township of Chink- lacamoose became extinct. During this season one of the proprietors came into, the county, and made provision for cutting roads and erecting a mill. It was not, however, for two years after that the latter was built. It was the second, or old Kersey mill, now known as Conner's, superintended by William Fisher, from Centre county. Settlers from various sections began to find their way into the wilderness. Some made improvements, intending to locate, but never brought tlieir families, or left soon after, if they did, discouraged at the prospects of " life in the woods." ^mong the permanent settlers in 1817-18, were William McCauley, James Reesman, James Green, Smith Mead, and Consider Brock way. The latter was the best prepared to make improvements of any family at that time, having a large family of boys, and of some means. He settled about four miles west of Kersey run. Between the years 1818 and 1828, Conrad Moyer, Libni Taylor, John Keller, Joel and Philetus Clark, Isaac Coleman, Uriah and Jonah Rogers, Colonel Webb, Milton Johnson, Anson Vial, and Isaac Hovton, 686 HISTOB Y OF PENJf^S YL VAmA. were added to thd settlement, and remained permanently. The latter located on Brandy Camp branch of Little Toby, now Horton township, and the following named. Dr. William Hoyt, John J. Bundy, James B. Hancock, Chauncey Brock- way, James Iddings, and Robert Thompson, remained a number of years and then left ; but all have some of their descendants living here. The first settlement nearest to Ridgway was at " the forks," where the east and west branches of the Clarion river unite, and was made by a Mr. David Johnson, from Salem county. New Jersey. This was long before Ridgway had a habitation or a name, and long previous to the organization of Potter, M'Kean, and Jefferson counties for judicial purposes. It was laid down upon the maps as Coopersport, named after a well-known and large land-holder, by which name it was called until within a few years, when it was changed to John- sonburg, in honor of its first founder. From 1825 to 184ft, the plan of Fourier — that of communities with a union of labor and of capital, and working under fixed rules — was actively put into opera- tion in this section of Pennsylvania. On the main road, from Ridgway to Smethport, are the remains of Teutonia, once a large community, but jealousies grew up, and the members dispersed among the people at large and became industrious and useful citizens. The sudden advent and exit of this community had its prototype within half a mile of Teutonia. The mouUlcring wood and growth of trees of half a century mark the spot where was laid out the town of Instanter. Its plot is duly recorded in M'Kean county. Mi-. Cooper, a large land owner, was the instigator if not the forerunner of the settlement. As the streets were marked out the buildings went up like magic ; but Madam Rumor spread a report that the land title was unsound, and on investigation such was found to be the fact. Work suddenly ceased, and the settlers left. Jacob Ridgway, of Philadelphia, was the owner of a large body of land in M'Kean county, the centre of which was about thirty miles from the .York State line, also another large body of lands in Jefferson (now Elk county), the centre of which was near Montmorency, six miles north-east of Ridgway... To com- mence and carry out his improvements in M'Kean was not so difficult as in Jefferson. The former location was only eight miles from the established seat of justice in the county, and settlements had been pushed to within four miles of his location on that side, and within two or three miles of settlements on Potato creek. Mr. Ridgway selected high ground long since known as Bunker Hill, though it was first known as Clermontville, under which cognomen its post office was established. Mr. Ridgway here, as well as at Montmorency, selected elevated ground on which to make his improvements. That at Bunker Hill is probably three hundred feet above the waters of Potato creek, and Montmorency about four hundred and fifty feet above the Clarion at Ridgway. The superintendence of the work on Bunker Hill was confided to Paul E. Scull, and the settlement progressed rapidly under his supervision and the abundant resources of Mr. Ridgway. The latter, in turning his attention to his lands in Jefferson county, found that the selection of a location was a more difficult undertaking, from the fact of its remoteness from all human companionship. It was twenty-five miles from Bunker Hill, and twenty-three miles from Judge Bishop's, through a dense and heavy timbered wilderness. The nearest settlement JULK COUNTY. 687 on the south-east was Mr. Re'esnian's, a distance of sixteen miles. Mr. Ridgway secured James L. Gillis, a relative by marriage, as his agent. This was in 1821, when he entered upon the arduous task of carrying out the designs of the pro- prietor, and commenced what was called Montmorency. Mr. Gillis was a native of Washington county, New York. He served in a cavalry company in the war of 1812, and was at the battle of Lundy'a Lane. He was taken prisoner in a scout- ing expedition and sent to Quebec, and finally exchanged. From the close of the war until 1821 he held various oflflcial positions in Ontario county, whither he had removed at the age of nineteen. Such, in brief, was the history of the indi- vidual who, in- 1821, commenced what was called the Ridgway settlement. From 1822 to 1824, Gillis had pushed his work rapidly on, with ample means, and by his herculean efforts nearly four hundred acres were cleared, a saw and grist mill erected on Mill creek, three miles west of Montmorency, and a carding machine was also put in operation. By great watchfulness and folding the sheep at night, and warned by their watch dogs, the settlers in Kersey contrived to raise sufficient wool to clothe themselves. A carding machine might heretofore have been considered a convenience, rather than an article of necessity. It was surely not from any profit expected to be derived, that prompted Gillis to such an expense. From the fact that the grist and saw mills were placed upon Mill creek, Gillis and Ridgvray expected that settlements would tend towards that quarter. The Olean road from Armstrong county to the New York State line crossed Gillis' road west from Mill creek, at right angles, some three miles west of the mill, where the land was highly favorable for cultivation. The laying out of the Olean road was a State work, and the land owners and settlers were quite enthusiastic with regard to it. It was never used except by returning lumbermen on foot from Pittsburgh to Allegheny and Cattaraugns counties. New York, for a number of years, aud until the underbrush precluded all pedestrianism no teams passed over it. The failure of this road in stimulating settlement, suggested the gigantic proj ect of that day and age, of opening the county by the construction of a turnpike, under the direction of a stock companj', from Bellefonte to the New York State line, near Olean, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles — any and every mile of which was denominated a wilderness. In the winter of 1824 Mr. Gillis drew up a petition to the Legislature for a charter, his Kersey neighbors signed it, and with his sleigh and horses he crossed the Bennett's Branch near Morey's settlement, and thence to Karthaus, the first team that ever was driven through that twenty-three miles of wilderness. At Belle- fonte his petition was signed by a few. He then proceeded to Harrisburg. Judge Burnsidc was then Senator, and General John Mitchell a member of the House — both were from Centre county. The bill granting the charter passed that winter and became a law, but gave no help. Before the next meeting of the Legislature the feasibility of making the road was more apparent, and Mr. Gillis succeeded in obtaining a subscription of twenty thousand dollars from the State to its stock. After innumerable difficulties, the road was finally com.pleted. In the winter of 1832 and 1833, Messrs. L. Wilmarth, Arthur Hughes, and Gcoro-e Dickinson purchased of J. L. Gillis and Mr. Aylworth land^and water power requisite for a lumbering establishment. At this period there were not exciiPfling seven families in Ridgway, to wit: Mr. Alyworth and Caleb Dill, on 688 RISTO RY OF PENN8 YL VANIA. the west side of the creek ; Enos Gillis, J. W. Galfagher, H. Karns, Thomas Bar- ber, and Joab Dobbin, on the east side. The commencement of building mills, etc., by Hughes & Dickinson, and the settlement by Colonel Wilcox this s.ame year, tended much to encourage these denizens of forest life, and matters began to wear a more lively aspect. The Messrs. Gillis had succeeded in having several mail routes established which centered at Ridgway, as follows : from Kittanning via Brookville to Ridgway, from the south ; from Bellefonte via Karthaus to Ridgway, from the east ; from Ridgway to Smethport and Olean, and from Ridgway to Warren, each weekly. The year 1833 was an era in Ridgway's history marked by the commence- ment of the Wilcox settlement, the building of the mills, etc., alluded to. Mill- wrights and others advised putting the mills on the banks of the streams, but experience had demonstrated its dangers. James L. Gillis built a saw mill in 1824 at the windfall, a mile and a quarter above the present village, and the first or second ice flood gorged and carried it away, and he was opposed to further trial of that sort. Although settlement commenced at Montmorency in 1822, and at Ridgway in 1825, yet not a single death occurred during that whole period of time to 1833, eleven years. Whilst grubbing for the race one workman from Armstrong county was killed by the falling of a tree, and within the period of six months thereafter there were four deaths. There were no other deaths until about the year 1840 or '41. Whilst the surveys of the Sunbury and Brie (now the Philadelphia and Erie) railroad were in progress in 1836-37, there were no houses nor clearing between Shippen and Ridgway, and with the exception of a cabin at Johnsonburg, there were none between Ridgway and Tionesta waters. St. Mary's settlement was commenced a year previous to the organization of thfe county of Elk. It is now a large town, and a prominence is given to it as well as all other towns which are on the line of a railroad. Had it, however, not been for the church, headed by Father Alexander, St. Mary's settlement would have been deserted, and the clearings that were first made would have grown up to briars — the carnival ground of bears and foxes, a second edition of Instanter. Early in the summer of the year 1842, a number of Germans in the cities of Philadelphia and Baltimore associated themselves to form a German settlement on the community plan, and appointed John Albert, Nicolaus Reimel, and Michael Derleth, a committee to select a suitable place for such a settlement This committee came to Elk county during the summer of the same year, and selected thirty-five thousand acres of land — the site where the borough of St. Mary's and part of the settlement now is — and made a contract with Mr. Kings- bury for the purchase of them. -In October of the same year the first instalment of the intended settlement from Philadelphia came out and took up their residence at John Green's, in Kersey. A few days after the instalment from Baltimore came and joined the other party at Kersey. From Kersey these men opened a path to where the borough of St. Mary's now is, and, late as the season was, put up some log shanties along where now is St. Mary's street. Late in December of the same yoar, as they had built enough shanties, they took their families in, and began to cut down trees along St. Mary's road. All the work done was made in common, so also had they a common store where ELK COUNTY. (589 they drew their rations. The clearing and the work in general progressed slo" 'v. The community plan of working proved a failure, and during the first year only a few town lots were cleared, although in the spring of 1843 the number of colonists was increased by the second instalment from Philadelphia and Baltimore. In the fall of the year 1842, Father Alexander, from Baltimore, came to the colony by invitation. This gentleman, a man of great learning and experience, and a lover of rural life, became soon convinced that the community plan would not work, and that the settlement was bound to break up, and the labor and money already spent in the undertaking lost. He conceived another plan to save it, but this could only be carried out by some person of influence and "" r * * -^ '"?^^ u^'jjSfMMMfritf' VIEW OP WILCOX, ELK COUNTY. [Prom a Photograph hy D. W. Ealdrvio, Ridgway.] means. He, therefore, after consultation with the colonists, went back to Balti- more, and laid his plans before Colonel Matthias Benzinger, a man known for his kindness, enterprise, and experience. He prevailed on Colonel Benzinger to come and look at the settlement. Late in the fall of 1843 Colonel Benzinger came to the colony, and after examination concluded to buy the lands. The Community society had their contract annulled with Mr. Kingsbury, and Colonel Benzinger then bought the colony lands, with some others adjoining, making about sixty-six thousand six hundred acres. The following year, as soon as the season was favorable, part of the lands were laid out in farms of twenty- five, ,fifty, and one hundred acres, as also part of the village of. St. Mary's, and 2 T 690 HISTOR Y OF P EN2/SYL VAmA. gave each of the colonists of the Community society that remained twenty-five acres and one town lot free. Now each one was for himself, and the work and improvement went on well from that time. In the fall of 1844, George Weiss came to the colony. In the following spring he built his store-house and store on the north side of Elk creek. About the same time Colonel Benzinger engaged Ignatius Garner as agent and general director of the colony, and early in the year 1845 Mr. Garner went to Europe and came back in July with a good number of substantial settlers. From that time the colony made rapid progress : settlers came from Europe and all parts of the United States. A large three- story log building was built on the south of Elk creek, with twenty-four rooms, where the colonists found shelter until they could build houses for themselves. At the same time a neat church was built, and also the large saw-mill on Elk and Silver creeks by Father Alexander, who made his residence here, and by his good example, cheerfulness, and liberality, contributed largely to the success of the colony. RiDGWAY, the county seat of Elk county, is situate upon the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, at the junction of Elk creek with the Clarion river. It is sur- rounded by hills where the largest and best springs of pure cold water exist, which is conveyed to the houses in pipes, supplying every dwelling and public building in the town with the very best water known. It is one of the oldest and most flourishing towns in the county, being laid out in 1833. The town was named in honor of Mr. Jacob Ridgway, who at the time owned a large amount of land in that locality. Among the leading business enterprises may be men- tioned two large tanneries and a machine shop and foundry. It contains four churches, court house, and county buildings, and a splendid public school build- ing in which is held a graded school. St. Mary's borough is situated in Benzinger township, on the line of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, and where the Centreinlle road crosses, leading to Williamsville. It was incorporated into a borough, March 3, 1848. The principal business enterprises are coal mining, lumbering, etc. Among the prominent buildings may be mentioned three churches — two Roman Catholic and one Presbyterian, monastery of the Benedictine society, convent of the Benedic- tine Sisters, also a seminary under their direction, public school and town hall. The first Roman Catholic church under the management and direction of the Benedictine society, is a handsome stone edifice. The town has also two machine shops and foundries, a tannery, and planing mill. Wilcox is situated on the line of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, fourteen miles west of Ridgway. The village was named after the Hon. A. I. Wilcox, and is a flourishing town, settled by energetic and enterprising citizens. It is the location of the Wilcox tanning company, said to have the largest tannery in the world. It is expected that the Pennsylvania and Erie coal and railway company's road, soon to be built, will pass through this place, which upon completion will add greatly to the prosperity of the town and its citizens. Williamsville is situated in Jones township, near the M'Kean county line, and on the Milesburg and Smethport turnpike. It was the old residence of the late Hon. William P. Wilcox, and is one of the oldest post oflSces of the county. WiLMARTii is situated on the line of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad. HLK OOUNTY. 691 nine miles west from Ridgway, and is near the old site of Johnsonburg or Coopers- port. It was established and built up by Lyman Wilmarth, Esq., for whom it was named. The principal business is lumbering. ARaoTO is situated in Spring Creek township, on the Clarion river, ten miles below Ridgway. It was located by Thomas Irwin, Esq., who yet resides there. The principal business engaged in is lumbering. Benezette is situated in Benezette township, on the line of the Low Grade division of the Allegheny Valley railroad, sixteen miles west of Driftwood, on the Bennett's Branch of the Sinnemahoning. It was founded by Reuben Winslow, a very energetic and enterprising man, who lost his life in a collision of trains upon the Philadelphia and Erie railroad at Westport. Caledonia is situated in Jay township, on the Bennett's Branch of the Sinne- mahoning creek, twenty miles east of Ridgway, upon the Milesburg and Smeth- port turnpike, and was among the earliest settled portions of the county. Among the first settlers were Zebulon and Hezekiah Warner. Earley is situated on the Milesburg and Smethport turnpike, and at the terminus of the Daguscahonda railroad, eight and one-half miles east of Ridg- way, and one and one-half miles west of Centreville. It was laid out in 1865 by Dr. Charles R. Barley, an enterprising physician who came from Allegheny county. New York, to Elk, in 1846, after whom it is named. It is a mining town, and contains at present a depot, engine-house, tannery, stores, and a Pres- byterian church, in which other dfenominations are allowed to worship when not in use by the society. Hellen is situated in Horton township, on the road leading from Ridgway to Brookville, and upon Little Toby creek, one-half mile below the junction of Brandy Camp creek with Little Toby. Among the first settlers were the Clarks, Daniel Oyster, Brockways, and others. Kersey post office is situated at the town of Centreville, Fox township, and where the road from St. Mary's to Brookville crosses the Milesburg and Smeth- port turnpike. It was established by settlers of the old Kersey land company, and laid out in November, 1846, by John Green. The mail in olden times was carried on horseback from Milesburg to Smethport, once a week and return, a distance of one hundred and forty-five miles, by Conrad Caseman. Raught's Mills is situated in Millstone township, on the Clarion river, seven miles below Arroyo. Principal business engaged in is lumber. Weedville post office is at the mouth of Kersey run, on the Low Grade rail- road. The first settler was John Boyd, who came there in 1816. He bought several tracts of the company's land, and built a saw-mill. In 1817, Frederick Weed and Captain Weed, the father of Judge Charles Weed, of Ridgway, purchased Boyd's improvements. On the organization of the county, in 1843, the townships then formed were Benzette, Benzinger, Fox, Gibson, Jay, Jones, Ridgway, Spring Creek, and Ship- pen. Gibson -and Shippen were subsequently absorbed by the formation of Cameron county. Highland and Horton were formed April 8, 1850, and Mill- stone, March 9, 1870. 692 ERIE COUNTY. BY ISAAC MOORHEAD, BRIE. HE first occupants of the land embraced in our favored county, of ■whom we have any knowledge, were the Erie or Cat Indians. The Eries occupied the land on the south shore of Lake Erie, eastward to the foot of the lake. Ver}' early in the seventeenth century, we find the Neutrie Nation and the Eries spoken of by the French priests, and we know that Jean Brebeuf and Jos Marie Chaumonot were on the south side of Lake Erie. Ketchum, in his History of Buffalo, says "from their (the Iroquois) own traditions, confirmed by the earliest records of history, their most powerful enemies and rivals were the Eries or the Cat Nation, living upon the south side of the lake which bears their name." The Eries were anni- hilated as a nation by the Iroquois in 1655 or thereabouts, in a terrible battle of the former's own seeking, east of the Genesee river, while en route to fight more particularly with the Seneoas. Jealous of the power of the confederacy of the Five Nations, they staked all in one desperate battle on the soil of their enemies, and lost. Tradition has it that a fragment of the tribe escaped to the far west, and long years thereafter, according to Ketchum, ascended the Ohio, crossed the country, and attacked the Senecas. A great battle was fought near Buffalo, in which the Eries were again defeated and slain to a man, and their bodies were burned and the ashes buried in a mound, which is still visible near the old Indian Mission Church, a monument at once of the indomitable courage of the terrible Eries and their brave conquerors, the Senecas. La Salle and his party, in their journey through the region lying south of Lake Erie, in the winter of 1680, encountered the wolves in such numbers as to be in danger of being overpowered by them. The extraordinary quantity of game of all kinds upon the south shore of Lake Erie is spoken of by several of the early travelers from 1680 to 1724, and is accounted for by the fact that since the terrible war between the Eries and the Iroquois no one resided there. " It was not considered safe to even pass through the country." From " Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York," 693 •ff^' % OT.D BLOCK HOUSE AT EBIE. (FrDDi u Puiatiiig b; Dr. TliomaR H. Stuart.) 694 EBIE COUNTY. I note the following, a portion of the deposition of Stephen OofTen, who was taken prisoner by the French and Indians of Canada, at Menis, in the year 174T: "... In September, 1752, the Depon't was in Quebec, and endea- voring to agree with some Indians to convey him to his own country, New- England, which the Indians acquainted the Gov't of, who immediately ordered him to Goal, where he lay three months; at the time of his releasement the French were preparing for a march to Belle Riviere or Ohio, when he offered his service, but was rejected by the Gov'r, General Le Cain ; he, the said General, setting out for Montreal about the 3rd of January, 1753, to view and forward the Forces, Deponent applyed to Major Ramsey for liberty to go with the army to Ohio, who told him he would ask the Lieutenant De Ruoy, who agreed to it, upon which he was Equipped as a soldier, and sent with a Detachment of three hundred men to Montreal, under the Command of Mons. Babeer, who sett off imme- diately with said Command by La!nd and ice for Lake Erie; they in their way stopt a couple of days to refresh themselves at Cadaraghqui Fort, also at Taranto, on the North side of Lake Ontario; then at Niagara Fort 15 days; from thence set off by water, being April, and arrived at Chadakoin [now Port- land, Chatauqua county, N. Y.], on Lake Erie, where they were ordered to fell Timber and prepare it for building a Fort there, according to Govr's instructions; but Monsr. Morang coming up with 500 men and 20 Indians, put a stop to the erecting of a Fort at that place, by reason of his not liking the situation, and the River of Chadakoins being too shallow to carry any craft with provisions, ettc, to Belle Riviere. The Deponent says, there arose a warm debate between Messrs. Babeer and Morang thereon, the First insisting on building a Fort there, agree- able to his Instructions, otherwise on Morang's giving him an Instrument in writing to satisfy the Gov'r in that point, which Morang did, and then ordered Monsr. Mercie, who was both Commissary and Eugeneer, to go along said Lake and look for a good situation, which lie found, and returned in three days, it being 15 Leagues to the S. W. of Chadakoin ; they were then all ©"rdered to repair thither ; when they arrived there were about 20 Indians fishing in the Lake, who immediately quit it on seeing the French. They fell to work and built a square fort of Chestnut Loggs, squared and lapt over each other to the height of 15 foot; it is about 120 feet square, a Log-house in each square, a Gate to the Southward and another to the N. ward ; not one port-hole cut in any part of it ; when finished they called it Fort la Briske Isle. The Indians who came from Canada with them, returned very much out of Temper, owing, as it was said among the army, to Morang's dogged behaviour and ill usage of them, but they, the Indians, said at Oswego, it was owing to the Frenche's misleading of them, by telling them falsehoods, which they said they had now found out, and left them. As soon as the Fort was finished they marched southward, cutting a waggon Road through a fine, level country, twenty-one Miles to the River of Boeff (leaving Capt'n Depontency with a hundred Men to garrison the Fort la Briske Isle), they fell to work cutting timber boards, etc., for another Fort, while Monsr. Morang ordered Monsr. Bite with 50 Men to go to a place called by the Indians Ganagarah'hare, on the Banks of Belle Riviere, where the River Boeff empties into it. In the meantime Morang had got 3 large Boats or Battoes made to carry down the Baggage and provisions, ettc, to said place ; Monsr. Bite on JSBIE COUNTY. 695 coming to said Indian place was asked wliat he wanted or intended ; he upon answering, it was their Father the Govr. of Canada's intention to build a tra- ding house for their and all their Brethren's conveniency, was told by the Indians that the Lands were theirs, and they would not have them build upon it ; the said Mr. Bite returning met two Englishmen traders, with their horses and goods, whom they bound and brought prisoners to Morang, who ordered them to Canada in irons ; the said Bite reported to Morang the situation was good, but the wate[r] in the River Boeff too low at that time to carry down any Craft with provisions, ettc. A few days after, the Deponent says, that about [one] hundred Indians called by the French Loos, came to the Fort La Rivifere Boeff to see what the French were adding ; that Mons. Morang treated them very kindly, and then asked them to carry down some stores, ettc, to the Belle Riviere on horseback for payment, which he immediately advanced them on their undertaking to do it ; they sett off with full loads, but never delivered them to the French, which incensed them very much, being not only a loss but a great disappointment. Morang, a Man of very peevish, choleric disposition, meeting with those and other crosses, and finding the season of the year too far advanced to build the Third fort, called all his officers together, and told them that as he had engaged and firmly promised the Govr. to finish the three Forts that season, and not being able to fulfill the same, was both affraid and ashamed to return to Canada, being sensible he had now forfeited the Gover- nour's favour for ever ; wherefore, rather than live in disgrace, he begged they would take him [as he then sat in a carriage made for him, being very sick sometime] aiid seat him in the middle of the Fort, and then set fire to it, and let him perish in the flames ; which was rejected by the officers, who, the Deponent says, had not the least regard for him, as he had behaved very ill to them all in general. The Deponent further saith that about eight days before he left the 'Fort La Briske Isle, Chev: Le Crake arrived express from Canada, in a birch canoe, worked by 10 men, with orders (as the deponent afterwards heard) from the Govetnour Le Cain to Morang to make all the preparation possible again the spring of the year, to build then two forts at Chadakoin, one of them by Lake Erie, the other at the end of the carrying place at Lake Chadakoin ; which carrying place is 15 miles from one Lake to the other ; the said Chevalier brought for Mons. Morang, a cross of St. Louis, which the rest of the officers would not allow him to take until the Govr. was acquainted of his conduct and behaviour; the chev: returned immediately to Canada, after which the Deponent saith when the Fort la Rivifere Boeff was finished [which is built of wood stockadoed triangularwise, and has two Logg Houses in the inside] Mons. Morang ordered all the party to return to Canada, for the winter season, except three hundred men, which he kept to garrison both forts and prepare materials ag'st the spring for the building other Forts ; he also sent Jean Coeur, an Officer and Interpreter, 'to stay the winter among the Indians at Ohio, in order to prevail with them, not only to allow the building Forts on their Lands, but also persuade them if possible to join the French interest against the English. The Deponent further saith that on the 28th of October inst. he sett off for Canada under the command of Captn. Deman, who had the command of 22 Battoes with 20 men in each Battoe; the remainder being t60 men, followed in 696 HISTOBT OF PENN8YLYANIA. a few days, the 30th arrived at Chadakoin where they staid four days, during which time Monsr. Peon with 200 men cut a Waggon Road over the carrying place from Lake Erie to Lake Chadakoin [Chautauqua] being 15 miles, viewed the situation, which proved to their liking, so sett off November 3d for Niagara, where we arrived the 6th ; it is a very poor, rotten, old wooden Fort with 25 men in it ; they talked of rebuilding it next summer. We left 50 men here to build Battoes for the Army again the spring, also a Store House for provisions, stores, ettc, and staid here two days, then sett off for Canada ; all hands being fatigued with rowing all night, ordered to put ashore to breakfast within a mile of Oswego Garrison, at which time the Deponent saith, that he with a French- man slipt off, and got to the Fort, where they both were concealed until the Army passed ; from thence he came here. The Depnt. further saith that besides the 300 men with which he went up first under the command of Mons. Babeer and the 500 men Morang brought up afterwards, there came at different times with stores, ettc, 700 more, which made in all 1,500 men; three hundred of which remained to garrison the two Forts, 50 at Niagara, the rest all returned to Canada, and talked of going up again this winter, so as to be there the begin- ning of April ; they had two 6-pounders and 7 four-pounders which they intended to have placed in the Fort at Ganagarah'hare, which was to have been called the Govr's Fort, but as that was not built, they left the guns in the Fort La Riviere Boeff, where Morang commands." The instructions to General Braddock, before setting out on his fatal expedi- tion, were, after reducing Duquesne, to proceed by way of Forts Le Boeuf and Presqu'Isle, to Niagara. In a letter from Lieutenant-Governor De Lancey, of New York, to Secretary Robinson, dated August t, 1755y we find that "The third method of distressing the French is by the way of Oswego. To go thither we pass, as I observed before, through the country of our friendly Indians. We pass by water, a much less expensive carriage than by land. From Oswego we may go westward by water through the Lake Ontario to Niagara. If we become masters of this pass, the French cannot go to reinforce or victual their garrisons at Presqu'Isle, Beeve river, or on the Ohio, but with great diflBculty and expense, and by a tedious long passage. From the fort at Niagara there is a land carriage of about three leagues to the waters above the falls, thence we go into the Lake Erie, and so to the fort at Presqu'Isle, and if we take that, the French can carry no supplies of provisions nor send men to the head of Beeve river, or to the fort DuQuesne, on the Ohio, and of course the forts will be abandoned. The same Battoes which carry the train, provisions, ettc, for the army to Oswego may carry them to Niagara, and being transported above the falls, the same may carry them to Presqu'Isle, the fort on the south side of Lake Erie, so that it will be practicable to bring the expense of such an expedition into a moderate compass, far less than the expense of wagons, horses, etc., which are necessary in an expedition by land from Virginia to the Ohio ; besides that, proceeding from Virginia to fort DuQuesne, if it be taken, is only cutting off a toe, but taking Niagara and Presqu'-Isle, you lopp off a limb from the French, and greatly disable them." The New York colonial papers contain a letter addressed to the Marquis di. Vaudreuil, from which we read, " Presqu'Isle is on Lake Erie, and serves as a EBIE COUNTY. 697 dep5t for all the others on the Ohio ; the effects are next rode to the fort on the River au Boeuf, where they are put on board pirogues to run down to . . . The Marquis de Vaudreuil must be informed that during the first campaigns on the Ohio, a horrible waste and disorder prevailed at the Presqu'Isle and Niagara carrying places, which cost the King immense sums. We have remedied all the ■ abuses that have come to our knowledge by submitting those portages to compe- tition. The first is at forty sous the piece, and the other, which is six leagues in extent, at fifty. . . . Hay is very abundant and good at Presqu'Isle. 'Tis to be observed that the quantity of pirogues constructed at the River au Boeuf has exhausted all the large trees in the neighborhood of that post ; it is very important to send carpenters there soon to build some plank bateaux like those of the English. . . . M. de Vaudreuil has read in the letter of Sieur Benoist, the commandant at Presqu'Isle, the dangers the people are exposed to by this cursed traflBc in brandy, which is maintained and protected, and whose source he will soon ascertain." Thus we see that the French, with the unceasing activity peculiar to their country, had, in the first half of the eighteenth century, established no less than four forts within the present bounds of Pennsylvania — two of them within the borders of what is now known as the county of Erie, and known respectively as Presqu'Isle and Rivifere au Boeuf. From a letter of William Smith, D.D., of Pennsylvania, to a friend in London, printed in that city in 1755, I quote: "The French, well apprised of this defenceless and disjointed State, and presuming on the religious Principles of our ruling People, have, the Year before last, invaded the Province, and have actually three Ports now erected far within the Limits of it. Justly, therefore, may we presume that, as soon as war is declared, they will take Possession of the whole, since they may really be said to have stronger Footing in it than we, having three Forts in it supported at Public Expense, and we but one Small Fort, supported only by private Gentlemen. 'Tis true our Neighbors, the Virginians, have taken the Alarm, and called on our Assistance to repel the com- mon Enemy, knowing that if the French hold Footing in Pennsylvania, their Turn must come next. In like manner, the several Governors, and ours among the rest, have received his Majesty's gracious Orders to raise Money and the armed Force of their respective Governments on such an Emergency ; and had these orders been complied with last Winter, the French would neither have been able to drive the Virginians from the Fort they had begun in the back Parts of Penn- sylvania, nor yet to get Possession of one-third Part of the Province, which they now have undoubtedly got thro' the Stubborness and Madness of our Assemblies." The principal employment of the Quakers of the lower counties of Pennsyl- vania, at this time, was getting gain, keeping themselves in the offices of trust and profit in the Province, and shutting their eyes to t&e condition of the defence- less people in the border counties. With great tact they had pushed the Palatines and other Germans into the country just west of their own, and still beyond them ; close upon the savages, they had placed that hardy and historic race, the Scotch-Irish, whose hands were as deft in the use of fire-arms as the plough or the loom. The border line of settlements were lighted up with the burning cabins of the people, and nearly every household counted its member 698 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. slain or carried into captivity. The Scotch-Irish appealed in vain to Philadel- phia for help of men and arms, but the peaceful Assembly turned a deaf ear to the frontiers of their' Province, and left the people to battle alone for their homes. They were not dismayed, for they had grown with the neglect and persecution of the government in their old home, and had still the arms of defence in their hands which they had used in the bitter wars of religious persecution beyond the sea. But Virginia had shown more care of her borders than we, and Robert Din- widdle, the Governor of that Province, sent Major George Washington, late in 1753, with a letter to the commandant of the French forces on the Ohio, desiring to be acquainted "by whose Authority and Instructions you have lately marched from Canada with an armed Force ; and invaded the King of Great Britain's Ter- ritories," and requiring his peaceable departure. Washington, when he arrived at Fort La Rivifere au Boeuf on the 11th of Decem- ber, remained until the 16th, and returned to Governor Dinwiddle with the answer from Le Gaideur de St. Pierre, the commandant whose absence detained Washing- ton, in which he said, " I shall transmit your Letter to the Marquis Duquisne. His Answer will be a Law to me ; and if he shall order me to communicate it to you, Sir, you may be assured I shall not fail to dispatch it to you forthwith." And so the white lilies of France continued to wave over Presqu'Isle. The batteaux and canoes of silver birch, laden with French soldiers and their savage allies, came from and departed to Montreal with great regularity. At Presqu'Isle, after their long and wearisome voyage of six hundred miles, by water, the soldiers and the officers, many of them gray-haired veterans, decorated with numerous and brilliant orders of distinction, gathered around the elevated cross, while their self-denying priests (who were always with them) chanted praises to Him who is over all, for protection vouchsafed in the journey past, and supplicating Divine favor and assistance to them as they entered the wilderness on their march to La Belle Rivifere. In 1759 Burinol commanded at Presqu'Isle, and had one hundred and three men, exclusive of oflBcers, clerks, and priests. During this year the avail- able forces were drawn from the Pennsylvania forts for the defence of Niagara, which was besieged and taken by Sir William Johnson, who promptlj' sent word to Presqu'Isle, and the other forts, ordering the departure of the French. In 1760, Major Rodgers, of the English army, took possession of Presqu'Isle, and in 1763 a treaty of peace was signed at Paris. In 1763 Pontiac's grand scheme of destroj'ing all the English forts was completed, the attack to be made simul- taneously upon the 4th of June. Henry L. Harvey, editor of the Erie Observer, gives the following account of the attack upon Fort Presqu'Isle : " The troops had retired to their quarters to procure their morning repast ; some had already finished, and were sauntering about the fortress or the shores of the lake. All were joyous, in holiday attire, and dreaming of nought but the pleasures ot the occasion. A knocking was heard at the gate, and three Indians were announced in hunting garb, desiring an interview with the commander. Their tale was soon told ; they said they belonged to a hunting party who had started to Niagara with a lot of furs ; that their canoes were bad, and they would prefer disposing of them here, if they could do so to advantage, and return UBIE COUNTY. 699 ratlier than go further ; that their party wereT encamped by a small stream west of the fort, about a mile, where thBy had landed the previous night, and whore they wished the commander to go and examine their peltries, as it was difficult to bring them, and they wished to embark from' where they were if they did not trade. " The commander, accompanied by a clerk, left the fort with the Indians, charging his lieutenant that none should leave the fort, and none but its inmates be admitted until his return. Well would it probably have been had this order been obeyed. After the lapse of sufficient time for the captain to have visited the encampment of the Indians and return, a party of the latter — variously estimated, but probably about one hundred and fifty — advanced toward the fort, bearing upon their backs what appeared to be large packs of furs, which they informed the lieutenant that the captain had purchased, and ordered to be deposited in the fort. The stratagem succeeded, and when the party were all within the fort, the work of an instant, threw off the packs and the short cloaks which covered their weapons — the whole being fastened by one loop and button at the neck. Resistance at this time was useless or ineffectual, and the work of death was as rapid as savage strength and weapons could make it. The shortened rifles which had been sawed off for the purpose of concealing them ander their cloaks and in the packs of furs were once discharged, and of what remained the tomahawk and knife were made to do the execution. The history of savage war presents not a scene of more heartless or blood-thirst}' vengeance than was exhibited on this occasion, and few its equal in horror. The few who were taken prisoners in the fort were doomed to the various tortures devised by savage ingenuity, until, save two, individuals, all who awoke to celebrate that day at this fort, had passed away to the eternal world. " Of these two, one was a soldier who had gone into the woods near the fort, and on his return, observing a party of Indians dragging away some prisoners, he escaped, and immediately proceeded to Niagara. The other was a female who had taken shelter in a small building below the hill, near the mouth of the creek. Here she had' remained undiscovered until near night of the fatal day, when she was drawn forth, but her life, for some reason, was spared, and she was made prisoner, and ultimately ransomed and restored to civilized life. She was subsequently married and settled in Canada, where she was living since the commencement of the present century. From her statement, and the informa- tion she obtained during her captivity, corroborated by other sources, this account of the massacre is gathered. Others have varied it so far as relates to the result, particularly Mr. Thatcher, who, in his Life of Pontiac, says : ' The oflicer who commanded at Presqu'Isle defended himself two days, during which time the savages are said to have fired his block-house about fifty times, but the soldiers extinguished the flames as often. It was then undermined, and a train laid for an explosion, when a capitulation was proposed and agreed upon, under which a part of the garrison was carried captive to the north-west. The oflicer was afterward given up at Detroit.' He does not, however, give any authority for his statements, while most writers concur that all were destroyed. The number who escaped from Le Bceuf is variously estimated from three to seven. Their escape was effected through a secret or underground passage, 700 HISTOBT OF PENNSYLVANIA. ba\iug its outlet in the direction of the swamp adjoining Le BcBuf lake. Tradition, however, says that of these only one survived to reach a civilized settlement." So adroitly was the whole campaign managed, that nine of the garrisons received no notice of the design in time to guard against it, and fall an easy conquest to the assailants. These were, besides the three already named, Sandusky, Washtenaw, on the Wabash river, St. J'oseph's, on Lake Huron, Mackinaw, Green Bay, and Miami, on Lake Michigan. Niagara, Pittsburgh, Ligonier, and Bedford, were strongly invested, but withstood the attacks until relief arrived from the eastern settlements. The scattered settlers in their vicinity were generally murdered or forced to repair to the forts. Depredations and murders were committed as far east as Carlisle and Reading, and the whole country was generally alarmed. Colonel Bradstreet, in 1764, at the head of three thousand men, arrived at Presqu'Isle in five days from Niagara. He was on his way to Detroit. Colonel Bouquet at the same time was moving westward from Carlisle, by way of Fort Pitt, in a parallel line. Both armies were under orders from General Gage. Colonel Bouquet tells us that while he was at Fort Loudoun, dispatches came to him from Colonel Bradstreet, dated at Presqu'Isle, August 14th, announcing the completion of a treaty at that place with the Delawares and Shawanese. Bouquet knew the Indian character better than Bradstreet, comprehended at once the treacherous plans of the savages, declined to observe Bradstreet's treaty, and reported to General Gage that he should push ahead in the execution of his work. One of Bradstreet's messengers to Bouquet was killed by the Indians, between Presqu'Isle and Fort Pitt, and his head stuck upon a pole beside the path. General Gage cordially approved of Bouquet's plans, and notwithstand- ing the utter failure of good results from Bradstreet's operations. Bouquet con- quered the Indians everywhere on his route, and far away " in the forks of the Muskingum" dictated terms of peace, received a large number of persons who had been carried into captivity from Pennsylvania and Virginia, and on his return was everywhere hailed as a deliverer by the people, and received the hearty thanks and congratulations of " the Representatives of the Freemen of the Province of Pennsylvania," and " the Honourable members of his Majesty's Council, and of the House of Burgesses for the Colony and Dominion of Virginia." The Indians everywhere sued for peace and brought in their prisoners and promised good conduct in future. Pennsylvania at first had but four miles of territory on Lake Erie, which was at the west end of the county, and adjoining the State of Ohio. There was much trouble concerning that portion of Erie coiinty known as the triangle, until finally the claims of the Six Nations, Massachusetts, and New York, became merged in the United States. In March, 1792, Pennsylvania bought the celebrated triangle for about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, giving her near fifty miles of frontage on the lake, and more than two hundred thousand acres of additional land, which is now embraced in Erie county. In April, 1795, the legislature authorized the laying out of a town at Presqu'- Isle and at Le Boeuf (Erie and Waterford). The Governor appointed commis- EBIH CqUNTT. 701 sioners to lay out sixteen hundred acres for town lots, and thirty-four hundred acres for out-lots at Erie, the town lots to contain about one-third of an acre, and the out-lots to contain five acres. In addition, sixty acres were reserved for the use of the United States near the entrance of the harbor, for forts, etc. Upon completion of the surveys, the Governor was authorized to offer at auction one-third of all the lots, conditioned upon the building upon the lots within two years a house with a stone or brick chimney. The Indians still being troublesome, troops were employed to protect the surveyors. Miss Sanford, in her admirable History of Erie County, says : " Thomas Kees, Esq., for more than half a century, a citizen of Erie county, made a deposition in 1806 as follows : Thomas Rees, of Harbor Creek township, in Erie county, farmer, being sworn according to law, etc. I was appointed deputy surveyor of District No. 1, north and west of the rivers Ohio, Allegheny, and Connewango creek, now Erie county, in May, l'r92, and opened an oflBce in Northumberland county, which was the adjoining. The reason of this was, all accounts from the country north and west of the rivers Ohio, Allegheny, and Connewango creek, represented it as dangerous to go into that country. In the latter part of said year I received three hundred and ninety warrants, the property of the Penn Population company, for land situated in the Triangle, and entered them the same year in my book of entries. In IMS I made an attempt to go ; went to the mouth of Buffalo creek to inquire of the Indians there whether they would permit me to go into my district to make surveys. They refused, and added that if I went into the country I would be killed. At the same time I received information from different quarters which prevented me from going that year. In 1794 I went into district No. 1, now Erie county, and made surveys on the three hundred and ninety warrants mentioned above in the Triangle, except one or two for which no lands could be found. Among the surveys made on the warrants above mentioned, was that on the warrant in the name of John McCullough. Before I had completed I was frequently alarmed by hearing of the Indians killing persons on the Allegheny river, in consequence of which, as soon as the surveys were completed, I removed from the country and went to Franklin, where I was informed that there were a number of Indians belonging to the Six Nations going to Le Boeuf to order the troops off that ground. I immediately returned to Le Boeuf. The Indians had left that place one day before I arrived there. I was told by Major Denny, then commanding at that place, that the Indians had brought General Chapin, the Indian agent, with them to Le Boeuf; that they were very much displeased, and told him not to build a garrison at Presqu'Isle. There were no improvements made, nor any person living on any tract of land within my district during the year 1794. "In 1795 I went into the country and took a number of men with me. We kept in a body, as there appeared to be great danger, and continued so for that season. There was no work done of' any consequence, nor was any person, to my knowledge, residing on any tract within my district. In the course of the summer the commissioners came on to lay out the town of Erie, with a company of men to guard them. There were two persons killed within one mile of Presqu'Isle, and others in different parts of the country. Such were the fears that though some did occasionally venture out to view the lands, many wou.d 702 EISTOB Y OF P ENNS TL YANIA. not. We all laid under the protection of the troops. I sold, as £igent of the Penn Population company, during that season, seventy-nine thousand seven bundled acres of land, of which seven thousand one hundred and fifty acres we^^e a gratuity. The above quantity of land was applied for and sold to two hundred persons. That fall we left the country. "In the spring of 1796 a considerable number of people came out into the country, and numbers went to the farms that they had purchased from the Population company. The settlements during this year were very small." Captain Martin Strong, of Waterford, said to William Nicholson, Esq., 6f Eric, " I came to Presqu'Isle the last of July, 1Y95. . A few days previous to this, a company of United States troops had commenced felling the timber on Gari-ison hill, for the purpose of erecting a stockade garrison ; also a corps of engineers had arrived, headed by General Ellicot, escorted by a company of Pennsylvania militia commanded by Captain John Grubb, to lay out the town of Erie. We all were in some degree under martial law, the two Rutleges having been shot a few days before (as is reported) by the Indians near the site of the present rail- road depot. Thomas Rees, Esq., and Colonel Seth Reed and family (the only family in the Triangle) were living in tents and booths of bark, with plenty of good refreshment for all itinerants that chose to call, many of whom wei-e drawn here from motives of curiosity and speculation. We were then in Allegheny county. In 1795 there were but four families residing in what is now Erie county. These were the names of Reed, Talmadge, Miles, and Baird. .The first mill built in the Triangle was at the mouth of Walnut creek ; there were two others built about the same time in what is now Erie county ; one by William Miles, on the north branch of French creek, now Union ; the other by William Culbertson, at the inlet of Conneauttea lake near Edinboro." The " two Rutleges " spoken of by Captain Strong were a father and son, settlers here, who came from Cumberland county. The father was shot dead. The son was badly tomahawked, and was taken to Fort Le Bceuf, where medical aid was afibrded, but died seven days thereafter. Persons in captivity at this time in Detroit said that these murders were committed by the Wj^andotts and Pottawatamies, who reported at Detroit that they lay in ambush and watched the movement of the troops while building the fort at Presqu'Isle. July 25, 1796, the Harrisburg and Presqu'Isle company was formed "for the settling, improving, and populating the country near and adjoining to Lake Erie." The company consisted of Thomas Forster, John Kean, Alexander Berryhill, Samuel Laird, Richard Swan, John A. Hanna, Robert Harris, Richard D'Armond, Samuel Ainsworth, and William Kelso, and each one paid in to the company's treasury £200 in specie, save Thomas Forster, who subscribed for three shares of £200 each. The agents of the company attended the land sales a,t Carlisle upon the 3d and 4th of August, 1796, and purchased a large number of lots in Erie, Waterford, and Franklin. The prices ranged from $3 to $260 per lot ; $8 was paid for lots on 8th street near Parade, and $260 for lot corner of 2d and German. Corners on Market square sold fpr $152, $70, and $112. The price paid for out-lots averaged $50. Robert Harris was elected treasurer, and John Kean secretary. The purchases at Carlisle amounted to £2,583. Thomas Forster was appointed agent of the company, and repaired to Presqu'- ERIE COUNTY. 703 Tslo. with power to build mills upon Walnut creek, etc. Thomas DuQcan, of Carlisle, was called upon for legal advice ; then it was deemed necessary " to have a law character engaged in Harrisburg to put the affairs of the company in a proper train," and "William Wallace of Harrisburg was engaged. The exist- ence of this company and its operations so early in our county brought us that large and sterling emigration from the county of Dauphin and vicinity. In August, 1195, Augustus Porter, Judah Colt, and Joshua Fairbanks, of Lewiston, came from the foot of the lake, in a row boat of Captain William Lee, to Presqu'Isle, and found surveyors laying out the village now called Erie, and a military company under the command of General Irvine, sent by the Governor of the State to protect the surveyors from the Indians. Colonel Seth Reed was there with his family, living in a bark house, having just arrived. They report having seen Thomas Rees at Erie, who was the agent of the Pennsylvania Popu- lation company. These facts we glean from " The Holland Purchase." In not the Mr. Rees before named entertained Louis Phillipe and party for some days at Erie. They had much admiration for the beauties of Presqu'Isle bay and the lake region. Mr. Rees sent a guide with the party to Canandaigua. They visited one of the Robert Morris family of Philadelphia at Canandaigua, and went from thence to Elmira on foot, following the Indian trail for seventy mUes. Mr. Tower, of that place, fitted up an ark and conveyed the party to Harrisburg. General Anthony Wayne, having broken up and defeated the Indian tribes in the West, was sent by Government to conclude a treaty with them in 1796. This he accomplished, and embarked in a schooner at Detroit for his home in Chester county. He was taken ill with his old complaint, the gout, and landed at Erie in great physical distress. Dr. John C. Wallace, an army surgeon of much skill, was absent at Pittsburgh. An express was started for him in haste, but before the ai'rival of Dr. Wallace, General Wayne was dead. He died in the Block-house, December 15, 1796. " Bury me at the foot of the flag-staff, boys," he ordered, and his command was obeyed. A stone, marked with his initials, was placed over his remains, and a neat railing surrounded his grave. Thirteen years later his son came and carried his remains to the family home in Chester county. The body was found in a wonderful state of preservation. March 12, 1800, the territory, as it exists to-day, was set off as Erie county, and Erie named as the place for holding courts of justice, but it was not organized judicially until April, 1803, when Judge Jesse Moore held the first court near French and Third streets. The county contains 460,800 acres. A ridge running parallel with the lake, rising gradually from its banks (which are about fifty feet in height) and extending back for ten miles, makes a summit, which divides the water courses. The 4, 6, 12, 16, and 20 mile creeks, together with Mill creek, Walnut, Elk, and Crooked creeks, flow into Lake Erie, and French and Le Bc3uf creeks flow southwardly to the Allegheny. North of the ridge the land is warn} and gravelly, producing wheat, rye, corn, barley, etc., in great luxuriance. Apples are abundant and of excellent quality. All the other fruits of the climate abound, and grapes, particularly, are abundant and superior in quality and flavor. The original townships were sixteen in number, viz.. North-east, Harbor 704 HISTOB T OF PENNS TL VANIA. Creek, Mill Creek, Venango, Greenfield, Union, Broken Straw, Conneauttee, Waterford, Le Boeuf, Pairview, Springfield, Conneaut, M'Kean, Elk Creek, and Beaver Dam. The names of some were subsequently changed. Beaver Dam, Broken Straw, and Conneauttee are now unknown, and to the other names men- tioned are added Amity, Concord, Wayne, Girard, Washington, Greene, Frank- lin, and Summit. Mill Creek is divided into East and West Mill Creek. Settlers continued to arrive from New York and New England, but the greater- number came over the mountains from the lower counties of Pennsylvania. The first court house was erected in 1807. This building was destroyed by fire in 1823, and with it were destroyed the valuable records and papers of the » county, a sad loss for the people, and a sore annoyance to our local historians. Another building was Ut once erected similar to the old, and placed in the western part of the public square. In 1852 the corner-stone was laid for the present court house on West Sixth Street. THE BATTLE OP LAKE ERIE. In June, 1812, war was declared by the United States against Great Britain, and unusual anxiety was felt at Erie, being unprotected, lying within sight of Canada, and easy of access by the lake. In this county, as in other portions of the land, there was a strong pa,rty opposed to the war, and this opposition was manifested by indiflTerence to the preparations made, and expressions of contempt for the character of the men sent here to build and organize a fleet for the defence of the lakes. Perry was but twenty-seven years old, was a stranger from -Rhode Island, and arrived in Erie the evening of the 27th March, 1813, in a sleigh, having come up on the ice from Bufi"alo. It was the good fortune of Perry to find a man in charge of the building of the fleet of wonderful energy and executive ability, a man thoroughly acquainted with the country and the whole chain of lakes. We allude, of course, to Captain Daniel Dobbins, who had come out to Erie from what is now known as Bradford county, in 1795. Captain Dobbins, by his deterniiued spirit, had successfully overcome the opposition of Lieutenant Elliot, of the navy, to the building of the fleet at Erie, and having been appointed a sailing master in the navj', and empowered to commence building the fleet, he engaged the master carpenter, cut the first stick of timber with his own hands, and with all the discouragement attendant upon the drawing of workmen supplies, and material, from the seaboard and from Pittsburgh, aud the trans- portation of the same through the wilderness of a new country with horses and oxen, he drove the work rapidly forward. The differences existing among the people in regard to matters in dispute concerning the battle on Lake Erie, in 1813, are many and apparently insur- mountable. In printed books we have the histories of Cooper, Mackenzie, Elliot and others, and without adopting the theory of either, we prefer to print the account furnished by a gentleman of Erie, who has had unexampled facilities for information, and writes without prejudice or favor. It is here inserted : At the time war was declared with Great Britain, in 1812, the Canadian frontier was in advance of us in commerce and agriculture. A goodly portion of our supplies of merchandise, particularly groceries, came to us from Montreal. In regard to agriculture, the Tory emigration from the United States during the UBIE COUlflTT. 706 Revolution, had done good work in tiiis line, assisted by emigration from the old country and the Canadian French. Then their military posts were well kept up, and having something of a navy in the way of several heavily armed vessels, classed by the British Government as a " Provincial Navy," and not regular. These vessels also transported passen- gers and merchandise. In another point of view, they were well prepared, viz. : " They were on the best of terms with the numerous tribes of Indians, not only in Canada, but many on this side of the line, as the British government pursued a course calculated to attach the Indians to their interests. Their treaties with their red brethren were always strictly kept, and no Indian agent was allowed to defraud them ; consequently, their supplies were of the best. For one hundred years they have had little or no trouble with the Indians, although the British possessions are full of them. There the trader was safe at his post in the wilder- ness, and the Roman Catholic priest on his mission through their midst. . . . On the American side of the line, say from the Black Rock, on the Niagara river, to Sault St. Mary's river, the outlet of Lake Superior, things were in a poor condition to go to war with our neighbor. ... To show how deficient we were in the way of postal communication, the first news of the declaration of w^r along the frontier west of Black Rock, N. Y., was through Canadian dis- patches to their several posts. When Mackinaw was taken, the first notice of the declaration of war was a heavy force of British and Indians landing .upon the eastern and uninhabited portion of the island in the night, and capturing the post without the firing of a gun " In July, 1812, Captain Daniel Dobbins was at Mackinaw, in command of a merchant vessel named the Salina, belonging to himself and a merchant of Erie ■ named Rufus S. Reed, who was also on board, and was taken at the surrender of that post. His vessel and one other of the captured were, made cartels to convey the prisoners and non-combatants to Cleveland, Ohio. Upon their arrival at Detroit, they were taken possession of by General Hull, and again fell into the hands of the enemy on the surrender of that post. Captain Dobbins obtained a pass, through an old friend in the British army, and accompanied Colonel Lewis Cass, who was in charge of wounded prisoners, in boats to Cleveland. He worked his way to Erie, and on arrival there, was sent with dispatches to Washington, by General Mead, who was there in command of that post, and gave the first in- formation of the surrender of Mackinaw and Detroit, at the seat of government. A cabinet meeting was held, to whom he gave a full account of matters, including the situation of the frontier, and a most suitable point for a naval depot upon the upper lakes. He recommended Erie, which was adopted. He was then solicited to accept a sailing master's position in the navy, which he accepted, and was at once ordered to Erie, with instructions to immediately commence the con- struction of gun boats, which work he speedily began in October following. To give some idea of the difficulties encountered in this early work, I will state that there were no ship carpenters to be had, although he managed to secure one at Black Rock, whom he appointed the master carpenter, the balance being a few house carpenters and laborers ; other mechanics were equally scarce. The iron had to be brought from Pittsburgh, a distance of 150 miles, over the worst of roads, and all else of a like character. 2 u 706 HISTOBY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Tliree gunboats were nearly completed, and by orders from Commo