HISTOEY

•Joiintsjnj of ^louttt JUasant,

WAYNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

A

DISCOURSE

DELIVERED ON

THANKSGIVING DAY, NOVEMBER 22, 18.55.
BT THE
REV. SAMUEL WHALEY.

NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED BY M. W. DODD,
No. 59 CHAMBERS .STREET,
RffiiR of the Park.
1 * 1856.

CORRESPONDENCE.
Mount Pleasant, Nov. 26, 1855.
To the Rev. Samuel Whalei :
'Dear Sir : — We had the* pleasure, in common with your other
hearers, in listening to the Historical Discourse delivered by you on
last Thanksgiving Day. We feel that the facts therein embodied
must have cost much patient labor and research, and are of interest
to us, and well worthy to be transmitted to future generations. We
therefore request that you would furnish a copy of it for publica
tion. Yours very truly, William K. Stone,
Ukiel Weight,
Henry W. Bbowi*,'**
John F. Sherwood,
William Wright,
Eldad Atwater,
Edward M. Atwater.

Mount Pleasant, July, 1856.
Gentlemed :— In furnishing a copy of my ""Historical Discourse"
for publication, it is due" to state that the collection of these facts
was made with no other intention than the gratification of a love of
such incidents. These facts accumulated in a few years to such a
number, and possessed such a degree of interest, that the thought of ,
_ historical discourse was suggested. Frota that time my object has'
been to form an accurate narrative of events in the order of time in
whicli they occurred. This was found to be a work of much more

_ CORRESPONDENCE.
labor thankthat of collecting isolated facts. The principal difficul
ties have arisen, (1) from a want of suitable records. A few of
the first settlers were in the habit of making brief notes of events,
which have been of great service. Man*/ of the facts, however, are
from eye-witnesses. Difficulties have also (2) arisen from indistinct
niernory— (3) conflicting accounts — and (4) from the death of some
who were familiar with the early history of. the settlement.
Since receiving your note requesting its publication, much addi
tional matter has been added to it, and«some corrections made which
have been kindly suggested by those who heard it. In its present
form it is much enlarged, and will be of much more value as a book
of historical reference. It has been my great object to give a lucid,
correct, and impartial narrative. That inaccuracies have crept into
it, would be folly to deny. If the long delay in furnishing the man
uscript needs further apology, it will be sufficient to say, that the
author has ever regarded its preparation as secondary to his profes
sional duties. Having charge of a large parish, little time could be
devoted to this work. He has also had an unusual demand upon
his time and efforts since its delivery.
It has been said by a distinguished historian of this State, that
' ' concerning the early settlement of this county, little has been pre
served." Hoping that this discourse may furnish some materials for
a future history of this county, encourage similar efforts in other lo
calities, and promote the interests of intelligence and truth — I here
with furnish you the manuscript.
Very truly
Your friend and fellow-citizen, SAMUEL WHALEY.
William B. Stone, and others.

DISCOURSE.

" Hear this, ye old men, and give ear all ye inhabitants ofthe land. Hath this
been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers ? . Tell ye your children of
it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation."
—Joel i. 2, 3. *"$¦
With these words the prophet Joel opens the narra
tive of events contained in his prophecy. These
events were even then transpiring, or about to trans
pire. They were matters of great interest and im
portance to all the people.- He appeals to the old
men whether such events as were about to take place
ever occurred in their days, or in the days of their
fathers. They are such as should and would be. re-
memberedv They affected the whole land, and were
of interest to all the people. The prophet, therefore,
requires that they should be related repeatedly, and
handfed down from one generation to another.
The importance of historical narratives was under
stood at a very early day. Events of a public and
important nature, were in various ways carefully
preserved : these formed a ground of admonition
and instruction. It is, therefore, a duty incumbent upon
us, who have so much greater facilities to record the
events of the past, for the benefit of those yet to come
upon the stage of action. Let me then invite your
attention to the history of this Township, which is

6 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
the object of this discourse. I shall introduce it by
directing your attention to its
I. NATUBAl FEATURES.
The township of Mount Pleasant lies in a territory
broken into hills and valleys, by the extreme northern
branches of the Alleghany range of mountains. This
range is here lost in the irregularities of the surface.
The only mountain in this town worthy a name, is the
Moosic range, which here runs North and South, and
receives upon its summit our Western boundary. In
its natural state it is covered with a heavy growth
of beech, maple, and hemlock, with a limited quan
tity of ash and elm interspersed. The soil is chiefly
a sandy loam, and rests on a strata of sand rock, call
ed " Millstone G-rit." At various places the old red
sandstone appears, giving character to the soil.*
The most prominent- streams of this town are the
Dyberry t and the Lackawaxen. The former runs
through the Eastern, and the latter through the
Western part of the town, furnishing upon their banks
many valuable mill-seats.
There are in this town four of those beautiful
lakes so often found in this part of the State. They
are formed by springs, and are clear as crystal.
They usually constitute the head of some stream.
The names of these lakes are as follows : Duck
Lake, Rock Lake, Howe's Pond, and Bigelow Lake.
The first two mentioned are in the northeast part of
u See Appendix, No. 4. f See Appendix, No. 5'»

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 7
the town, and divided by the town line. Howe's
Pond has two outlets. One is at the Eastern ex
tremity, and empties into the Dyberry. The other
is at the Western extremity, and empties into the
Lackawaxen. Bigelow Lake forms the head of Thomp
son's Creek, which also flows into the Lackawaxen.
This stream, a few rods below the lake, plunges
over a fall of about one hundred feet, in two per
pendicular cataracts, which are but a few feet apart.
We know of no waterfall in this region equal to it in
beauty. The view from below is enchanting. The
shrubbery and trees which overhang the crystal wa
ter as it dashes over the rocks, greatly add to its
effect. We hope the enterprising individual who has
erected his mills by the side of this waterfall, will
suffer them long to remain.
II. ABORIGINES.
There are no evidences within the limits of this
town of any Indian battle-ground, or any important
event connected with their history. Still there are
abundant indications that it was once occupied by
them as a hunting-ground.
The large number of Indian arrow-heads found
here, leaves no room to doubt it.* These arrow-heads
are invariably made of flint. This region afforded
for them a rich field. On the head waters of the Dy-
® There have also been found in this vicinity, pieGes of ancient
English (join. One now in possession of the writer bears date 1757,
coined under George II., Kiug of Great Britain.

8 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
berry there was undoubtedly an Indian encampment.
There are still to be seen soars on the sugar- maple
there, which, at the time the first settlers came, indi
cated great age. These, from their appearance, are
supposed to have been made by the aborigines, for
the sap. There is also in the same vicinity, a natu
ral opening on the rich alluvial soil of this stream,
where it is supposed they cultivated a little Indian
corn .
There were also a large quantity of Beaver, as well
as other kinds of deer, which furnished an extensive
field for trapping. Some of the dams built by the
beaver still remain in some parts of this town. There
was also an Indian path through this place, which
connected the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. It
had the appearance of having been much travelled, and
traces of it were distinctly seen and followed by some
of the first settlers in this region.
Here these children of the forest tarried, and found
their rich furs in trapping the beaver and the otter.
Around these beautiful lakes, or natural ponds, whose
waters are clear as crystal, and over these hills, the
Indian boy found his sport in the chase for the deer
and the elk. Here he drank and refreshed himself at
these cool springs of water, and bathed in the limpid
streams of his forest home. No white man molested
him, or tempted him with the vices of civilization.
As he pursued the plentiful game, or reposed in safety
by these murmuring streams, and majestic rivers —
he could say with a conscious independence. "This
is my own" as well as " my native land.''

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.

III. SETTLBMEIVT.

But now another race of men has taken their
places — a race more capable of developing the re
sources which the Creative Hand has here lodged.
The entrance and work of the white man more parti
cularly claim our attention.
The tract of land lying in the north part of this
county, was bought of the aborigines, by Thomas
and Richard Penn, heirs of William Penn, on the 5th
of November, 1768. In this purchase was included
a large portion of the State, extending diagonally
from the northeast to the southwest corner. It was
bought of the confederate tribes called the " Six Na
tions," in their general council, at Fort Stanvix —
now the village of Rome, New York — for the sum of
ten thousand dollars. Just six years after this event,
that is to say in November 1774, a lot of land, upon
which a part of this village stands, was bought of
the proprietaries by one Christopher Hagar. This
lot extended westward across the valley of the Lacka
waxen to Belmont. It passed through several hands —
purchasers who never intended to occupy it — when
in June, 1789, it was purchased by Mr. Samuel
Stanton, \the first actual settler in this township.
He was fr6m Preston, New London County, Connec
ticut. Taking the route of New England emigration
at that time, he proceeded up the Mohawk river. To
gain the information he needed, with reference to
wild lands, he came to Cooperstown, and had an in-
1*

10 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. *
terview with Mr. William Cooper, who was an agent
for the sale of an extensive tract of wild land in this
region. He soon engaged to accompany Mr. Cooper
into this part of the State, and survey some land for
him ; having previously had some knowledge of this
art. They proceeded down the Susquehanna, and
leaving his family at Mr. Lane's, near Windsor, they
entered this region. Here they were engaged some ¦
weeks in running out some lots of land upon the
new road which had been constructed from the south
part of the State. It was thought that this road
would soon call in a large number of settlers. While
thus engaged, he surveyed and purchased the lot of
land as above mentioned. Having finished the in
tended surveys, they started homewards on the new
road. They soon came to the camp of Mr. Samuel
Preston, who, with Mr. John Hilborn, were then en
gaged in constructing this road. They had then
encamped on or near the head waters of the Starucca
Creek, about twelve miles from this village, and in
the present township of Scott. Mr. Preston writes in
his journal under date June 28, 1789, concerning his
first interview with Mr. Stanton, thus : ¦- While I was
directing letters to send by John Hilborn, William
Cooper came to my camp on his way to Otsego, as
also his surveyor, Samuel Stanton. We moved to
the camp by the spring, where I filled up for William
Cooper several blank deeds, mortgages, &c," On the
following day, Mr. Stanton signed, in this place, the
deed for the above lot of land, containing 322 acres.
For this he was to pay the sum of £322 to Thomas

. HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 11
Rogers, of Philadelphia, for whom, as proprietor, Mr.
Cooper acted as agent.
It seems from a note in the first volume of the
Town Records, in Mr. Stanton's handwriting, that
on the next day he bought a large quantity of land
in addition to the above lot. The note is as follows :
" Samuel Stanton bought of William Cooper, agent
for Thomas Franklin, William, and Andrew Craig,
and others, nearly 3,000 acres on the 30th of June,
1789, and began to work on the land in June", 1790.
Built a house and cleared some land."
After the business pertaining to this purchase was
completed, Mr. Cooper left on the same day for
Otsego, and Mr. Stanton remained in the employ of
Mr. Preston. They soon finished this road to the
State line — its proper terminus, according to the re
quisition of the "Act" which provided for its con
struction. He also aided Mr. Preston in constructing
his own road down to the mouth of the Cascade
Creek, on the Susquehanna river. Here Mr. Preston
began a settlement which he supposed would eventu
ally be a place of much business. During the sum
mer he cleared several acres of land in this fertile
valley ; erected several dwelling houses ; built a store,
a blacksmith's shop, and a saw-mill. He named the
place Harmony. Mr. Henry Drinker was associated
with him in this enterprise ; also Mr. John Hilborn,
who afterwards made it the place of his future resi
dence. Mr. Preston, however, superintended these
improvements, and afterwards constructed a road
connecting this place with the Delaware river, at

12 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
Stockport, where he subsequently settled and spent
the remnant of his life. He supposed this road
would be a great thoroughfare between the two riv
ers, while the north and south road would bring
travel from the south, and both concentrate at Har
mony.* The next spring we find Mr. Stanton upon the lot
of land he first purchased in this town, making im
provements. He cleared a little land and built a
small cabin.
A brief description of this cabin, in which the
hardy pioneer of this town spent his* first winter
with his family, will not be out of place. Poor as it
was, it was the best their circumstances would
allow. It will also keep us reminded how many
privations are endured by those enterprising men
who have left the comforts of good society, to provide
a home for their children, as well as to lay for them
the foundations of good moral and religious institu
tions. This cabin was situated a few rods southeast of
Mr. Minor Mumford's residence. It was about ten
rods east of the present Belmont and Easton Turn
pike. For the want of help to raise this cabin, it was
built of poles. It was about twelve by fourteen feet
on the ground, and had but one room. After he had
raised it to such a height that he could stand, upright
in it, the poles were gradually drawn in on eaich side
* See Appendix, No. 6,

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 13
till they met at the ridge. Upon these were laid
hemlock bark for a roof. A few stones were laid for
a hearth, and built-up a few feet in the rear, to form
a protection against the fire. Upon this platform were
piled huge logs,1 from which the smoke ascended and
found its way out through an opening left in the roof
for this purpose. The cabin stood with its ends east
and west. The fire was at the east end. The door
was in the south side. Windows it had none. He
was able to bring but little household furniture into
this wilderness. He, therefore, made use of such as
he could hastily make with a few tools, from the na
tive forest. There were no cabinet-makers — no saw
mills. Mrs. Lillibridge, his daughter, in speaking of ber
parent's furniture when they first moved into this
cabin, says : " It was not much. A white pine ta
ble, a chest of drawers with legs, two bedsteads which
would now be worth about two dollars a-piece, four
splint-bottom ehairs, a trammel for the fire-place, a
looking-glass, a few dishes set upon as shelf, pewter
platters, pewter plates, and basins of the same mate
rials ; also some trenchers. Two children, a dog and
a cat, made up the family circle when first they ar
rived in town." Mr. Stanton took slabs which he
split from the logs, and constructed a door. Boards
made in the same manner were used for the floor.
Into this humble dwelling he moved his family on
the tenth day of April, 1791. During this season he
had the society of a few settlers, to be noticed here
after, who had come without their families to begin

14 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
improvements. They all left, however, in the au
tumn. He, with his family, remained alone in this
vast wilderness to spend the winter,. It proved to be
a severe one. He had raised a scanty supply, which
he hoped by proper care would be sufficient. The
winter closed in with unusual rigor. His nearest
neighbor lived about fourteen miles from him.. The
depth of the snow cut off all communications. A
dense forest surrounded him. No friendly neighbor
greeted him or inquired for his welfare. Not the
sound of a human voice was heard, except those of
his own family. With them he found his compan
ions; with them he shared the wants and trials of
the winter ; with them the dreary nights and linger
ing months passed away. The storm rushed around
his rude cabin, searching out its crevices, or rearing
mimic Alps about his door.
But our solitary pioneer had other and more for
midable difficulties to encounter. He was obliged to
bring his hay, for two cows and a yoke of oxen, from
a beaver meadow — a distance of nearly two miles.
His wife in his absence, while attending on the du
ties of her household, had stepped upon the ice,
slipped, and fractured a bone in her ancle. Priva
tions and exposure brought 'on a severe cold : this
was soon accompanied with a high fever. Soon her
mind wandered, unconscious of her condition. The
storm rushed around the poorly-covered cabin and
sifted the snow upon her bed. Her youngest child,
an infant of about five months old, also sickened. The
father laid it at her side, but, alas ! the delirious mother

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 15
knew not her child. A raging fever had destroyed
its natural aliment. His cows afforded no substitute
for it. It rapidly declined under sickness and hun
ger. His stock of provisions were nearly exhausted.
His potatoes had frozen by the unexpected severity of
the winter. But even without this loss he would have
had a scanty supply. He saw with regret that his
provisions were not sufficient to supply even the lim
ited wants ofhis family. Still, as they disappeared,
he lived in hope that deliverance would come from
some source ; yet no relief came. His wife still de
clined. That kind voice that had encouraged and
cheered him in his toils in the wilderness, now ut
tered only incoherent sounds. Those active limbs,
that had never tired in promoting the comfort of her
loved companion and little ones, were now helpless.
Those eyes, that had so long beamed with affection,
now roamed about this scene of sorrow with a vacant
stare. There were no kind neighbors near to call
with some cooling draught for her fevered lips,, and
speak kind words of sympathy. He suffered alone
in this, vast wilderness. There were none to assist
him or relieve him one moment in the care of his
children and now more than helpless wife. No kind
voice greeted him during these lonely and trying
months — no hand brought relief. Obliged by these
circumstances to remain at home, he saw hunger,
famine, and perhaps death, coming upon himself and
family with steady and relentless step. The snow
had fallen to a great depth. Every path through
these extensive forests was blocked up. Not a soli-

16 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
tary wanderer attempted to penetrate it. True, in
deed, the deer, the elk, the bear, and the panther roamed
in these unbroken wilds ; but our pioneer was no
hunter. He had no means of taking the animals that
prowled around his dwelling. At length his food for
his family was nearly exhausted. He had for several
days kept his children on a small allowance, taking
scarcely nothing himself. * He still hoped that God
would send relief. He divided his last provisions
until they were reduced to a single meal. Before he
distributed this, he hesitated. He looked over his
beloved family, arid'his heart was moved. There, in
the corner of the room, lay his sick wife, so wasted
under disease and want that the light of reason had
become extinguished. By her side lay an infant
child, .pining away for the want of the aliment suited
to its years. On either side of him were his two lit
tle children, looking up to him with tearful eyes for
bread. He arose and took the last morsel and di
vided it between them. It was a trying hour. With
out speedy relief those helpless children must cry in
vain for bread. A lingering, dreadful death awaited
them. Painful thought! Must I see these loved
ones pine away with hunger ? Must I hear their un
availing cry for food ? Must I close their eyes in
death, and here, alone, bury their wasted forms in
the wilderness ? 0, how can a father's heart bear
all this ? Such thoughts, as we may well imagine,
led him with unusual earnestness to Him " who pro-
videth for the raven his food." He there kneeled before
God, with his family, and committed them to Him,

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 17
hoping and trusting in His mercy for deliverance.
He arose from prayer and went to his door, when he
heard a dog bark upon the opposite hill, near where
this village now stands. He distinctly heard the dog
as if closely chasing an animal down the hill to the
Lackawaxen. Elated with the hope of deliverance,
he seized an old musket which had long been useless,
and ran down to the stream, where he found an elk
in the water, defending himself from the dog. So
intense were the emotions of that hour, that without
reflection he repeatedly snapped the old musket, but of
course to no effect. The hunter, whose dog had roused
the elk, soon came down the hill and sliot it. He, with
his companion, who had cnme out on snow shoes for
a hunt, soon learned the condition of Mr. Stanton
and his family. They immediately emptied their
knapsacks of palatable food for them. They roasted
a part of the elk, and before its flesh was yet fully
cooked, Mr. Stanton, as a starving- man, eagerly de
voured it. After relieving their immediate wants,
they went to obtain other comforts for this afflicted
family in the wilderness. Mr. Stanton was soon
visited by his cousin, Mr. Asa Stanton, who had re
cently settled near Weymart. To these visits, and
the frequent visits of .these hunters, he was indebted
for many comforts, and the restoration of his wife and
infant child to health. The hunter who found Mr. Stan
ton in this distressed situation was Mr. Frederic Coates.
Mr. Stanton ever after regarded this visit, and very
justly too, as a remarkable interposition of Divine
Providence. He preserved the horns of this elk as a

18 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
momento of God's mercy to him and his family while
in a sick and starving condition. Some years after
wards he kept a public house and had them nailed
upon the top of his sign-post, and often related to
visitors and travellers the story of his suffering and
deliverance. It will not be out of place here to give a more ex
tended account of this man, who was first in this
town to meet the difficulties of a settlement in the
wilderness. In his physical aspect he was heavy-
built, tall, broad-shouldered, but not corpulent. He
had a light complexion, soft blue eye, very light
brown hair, with whiskers verging a little to the
sandy shade. He was always sanguine in whatever
enterprise he undertook. His imagination was lively,
and would picture before him the result before he
had properly weighed the difficulties to be encoun
tered. In his deportment and common habits he had
no refinement. His person and things around him
indicated great neglect. His intellectual faculties
were, however, well developed. He had a great de
sire for the acquisition of knowledge. If not occu
pied with company, or other pressing duties, he might
be found with some book in his hand. Those who
saw him most, usually found him, if alone, sitting in
his bar-room, with his feet perched upon some object
higher than his head, absorbed in reading. At such
times he seemed not to care how affairs went around
him. His cows might be in his garden, or his wife
destitute of wood, or his bar-room uns wept and in
total disorder : he would sit for hours absorbed in

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 19
reading. Nor was this any dreamy mood. His
mind grasped and retained with an Unusual memory
whatever he read. One who was intimately ac
quainted with him has informed me that he had read
more than two thousand volumes, and could converse
intelligently about the contents of each one of them.
He also had a sociable nature. In conversation he
was free, affable, entertaining, and serious, rather
than jovial. He was extremely inquisitive, and had
a happy faculty of becoming acquainted with stran
gers who put up with him. He had also an easy
way of entertaining them with a great variety of
anecdotes. He was not easily forgotten by those
who had once stopped at his tavern. It was his nat
ural turn to be engaged in matters of public interest
and improvement. He took a prominent part in se
curing the "act" for the " Cochecton and Great Bend
Turnpike." This was then considered a greater
achievement than the construction of a canal or a rail
road would now be. He possessed a good judgment,
and was considered a safe adviser in matters of a
legal and public nature. He was appointed Justice
of the Peace in 1796, while this region belonged to
Northampton County. When this county was organ
ized in 1798, he was appointed one of the commission
ers to locate the Seat of Justice, and erect the court
house and jail. In a vote taken on this question, he
found himself alone in favor of a more northern loca
tion. After much argument, he, for the sake of una
nimity, voted with the others. This gave offence to
this part of the county, which he represented. He

20 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
soon published a pamphlet, in which he advocated
his opinion, and attempted to justify the course he
had taken. Whatever may be thought of his course
in casting his vote against his better judgment, it is
worthy of note, as an honor to his good judgment,
that within three years the seat of Justice was re
moved northward to Bethany. In October, 1814, he
was appointed associate-judge in this county. He
held this office until he left this part of the State.
We have never discovered but a single instance in
which his good judgment failed him. This was in
conceiving himself to be a poet. But, if he erred
here, he has but followed the track of many a great
and good man before him. We find recorded upon
the town book some rhymes in his own handwriting.
They so intimately relate to the early history of this
township, that they cannot well be omitted in this
discourse. They are entitled, " The Golden- Age of
Mount Pleasant, from 1791 to 1796, while eighty-
two miles from Easton, the seat of justice. There
was no law put in force but the law of forbearance.
Having no law, the people were a law unto them
selves." So runs the title.
But it may be well here to state the history of the
origin of these verses, that you may be better able to
appreciate their sentiments. Mr. Stanton conceived
the idea that the people of this new and isolated
country ought to have an Almanac suited to their
times and circumstances. He, therefore, made a
proposition to Judge Samuel Preston, of Stockport,
who was quite a mathematician, to do the figuring,

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 21
and he would write the poetry usually placed at the
head of the page. He, therefore, went to work, and
the following verses are the result :

1 . "Secluded here from noise and strife,
We lead' a quiet, peaceful life.
No loungers here with poisonous breath,
Nor doctors here to deal out death .
2. No trainings here, nor such like trash,
To waste our time and spend our cash ;
Nor town meetings to choose our masters,
To make us slaves and breed disasters.
3. No priest sends round his man for pay,
Because that he did preach and pray ;
For we believe that grace is free
To all who wish to taste and see.
4. No jockey merchants here prevail,
To trust their goods, then send to jail ;
Nor fiddling strolling players dare
Infest the place, our youth to snare.
5. Some slaves to forms may now inquire,
Have you no court-house, jail, or Squire 1
While all are honest and sincere,
What need of court or prison here ?
6. Have we a cause to settle ? then
We leave it to judicious men
To search the matter well, and we
To their just judgments do agree.
7. The noise of war, or the excise,
Does neither vex our ears nor eyes ;
For we are free from every tax,
And stay at home and swing the ax.
8. Our corn we pound, our wheat we boil,
Thus eat the product of pur soil.
Sweet Independence here does reign,
And we've no reason to complain.

22 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
9. Yet we, like others, still look on
Till we shall get our mill to run ;
Then we'll not pound and boil again,
But live in style like other men.
10. From sheep we make our clothing warm,
In which we face the wintry storm ;
They likewise give us meat and light,
To feast by day and see by night.
11 . Do we want wild meat ? then we kill
Elk, deer, or bear, and eat our fill.
Sometimes we've fowl and sometimes fish,
But rarely meet an empty dish.
12. Here healing herbs and roots do grow,
And sugar-juice from maples flow.
Molasses, vinegar, and beer,
Are made from sugar orchards here.
13. Sometimes we live on pork and peas,
Then milk and honey, butter, cheese-
Plain food and exercise agree
To make us happy while we're free."
We will add, that Judge Preston never completed
the mathematics : so that this New World was never
benefited by the almanac. But it is just to say that
such poetry was not without its benefit. It was pub
lished in some periodical, and read by one John Bunt
ing, a Quaker in New Jersey, and a man highly
respected, who was so pleased with the description
of things, that he soon moved into this region. His
descendants are now in this county.
As a Christian man, Mr. Stanton is uniformly
spoken of in commendable terms. In this respect,
his memory is blessed. He has left the savor of
godliness behind him. His religious poetry is of a
more elevated character. I have been able to find
but one piece: this is entitled, "The Complainer

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 23
Reformed," and is written as though it was his
own experience. This hymn consists of twelve verses,
and was considered worthy a place in a collection of
religious hymns used by the Free Communion Bap
tist Church.* It may be found on the 185th page
of that book, which has been furnished me by Mr.
Luther Starks. His religious views, while they were
strictly evangelical on all the doctrines of grace, were
of a liberal character. He fellowshipped Christians of
all evangelical denominations. As early as 1797, he
cordially welcomed the Rev. Daniel Thatcher, a mis
sionary of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church, to preach in his house. At this service he
invited Christians of all denominations to meet, and
there, for the first time in this place, the Sacrament
of the Lord's Supper was administered to nine pro
fessed disciples seattered in this wilderness. It was
a memorable event. He was always ready to open
his house for religious meetings. His shed and barn
were, for several years, the usual place for holding
the yearly meetings of the Free Communion Baptist
Church. He had painted upon his sign the following,
as he thought, appropriate passage of Scripture : " Be
not forgetful to entertain strangers." This, surmount
ed as it was by the horns of an elk, would naturally
remind a hungry, weary traveller through this wilder
ness, of a scriptural tavern keeper, with a good liberal
steak of venison. Few taverns at the present day
awaken similar associations.
° Since writing the above, the author has been furnished with a
manuscript, containing about fifty hymns, which breathe the spirit
of true devotion.

24 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
Mr. Stanton, near the close of his life, removed
from this town to reside in the western part of this
State. He had been appointed a commissioner of a
State road in that section. Having business, grow
ing out of this office, to transact in Harrisburg, he
took his family down to the west branch of the Sus
quehanna, where he left them to proceed on their
way, while he went to Harrisburg. Having com
pleted the object of his visit there, he directed his
course to meet his family. He came to Bellefonte, in
Centre County, and stopped with his friend Judge
Burnside, where he was taken sick. Every effort
was made to restore health, but he rapidly declined",
and, after a few days' illness, ended his mortal life,
April 15th, 1816.

IV. ORDER OF SETTLEMENTS.
The order of time in which the first settlers came
into this town is as follows : Mr. Stanton made his
first purchase as a settler in this township, on the
29th of Jiine, 1789. We may, therefore, fix the first
settlement of this town at this date, which will be
sixty-seven years ago next June. In the spring of
1790, having brought his family down the river, he
left them at Mr. Lane's near Windsor, and came
into this town, and worked upon the lot he had just
purchased. He built his cabin and cleared a few
acres. On the next spring he moved his family, consisting
of his wife and two children, the oldest of whom Was
nearly four years of age. He occupied the cabin he

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 25
had built the year before. Mr. Silas Kellogg also came
in with him to begin a settlement. He brought with
him two hired men. This company came from Har
mony with ox-teams and sleds, upon which they
brought their goods and farming implements, besides
the family. They were four days on their way — a
distance of 28 miles. The road, though having been
once cut through, had become much obstructed.
They arrived here on the 10th day of April, 1791.
Mr. Kellogg had emigrated from Ballstown, Saratoga
County, New York. It had been his intention to
settle in Western New York ; but from representations
made to him of the anticipated growth of this region,
he directed his course hither. His brother, Mr. Eli
phalet Kellogg, who had not yet visited this region
had purchased a lot of land in this township on the
9th of August, 1790. This lot was transferred to Mr.
Silas Kellogg on the 2d of Feb., 1791. He settled
on this lot, and made his first clearing on the bank
of the Lackawaxen. In that beautiful opening of
this valley which lies immediately below Mr. Heman
J. Wheeler's residence, he, with his two hired men,
began their summer's work. During the season they
cleared and sowed to wheat fourteen acres of land.
Mr. Kellogg has been heard to say that, in order to
procure the seed, he was obliged to go* with his ox-
team to Harmony — then a distance of twenty-eight
miles — and thence down the river to Great Bend.
It was a journey of nearly two weeks. Having
accomplished his work, he returned to Ballstown
to spend the winter. During this season, also, Mr.

26 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
Elijah Dix and his son, a boy of eleven years old,
came, and began to work a lot of land he had pur
chased. Pie was from Williamstown, Massachusetts.
He built a log house a few rods east of Mr. E. Rich
ardson's late residence, where, also, he began his first
improvement. There were in all nine residents of this
town during the summer of 1791. Concerning this
year, Mr. Stanton has written in the town book as
follows : " This summer, at any heavy work, such as
raising log-houses, we were able to raise six hands.
And, considering ourselves so strong, we undertook
opening a road toward the Great Bend, some south
of where the turnpike road was made afterward."
At the close of the summer, all but Mr. Stanton
and his family left for the winter. The sufferings he
endured here while shut out from human society,
have already been related.
1792. As the next spring opened, Mr. Kellogg re
turned. He was at this time but twenty-four years
of age. He was still unmarried, and had drank deeply
of the spirit of western emigration. He possessed a
good constitution, and had a-n intelligent, active mind.
He was ambitious and ardent in his expectation of
securing. great results in this his first enterprise. He
laid out extensive plans, and entered upon them with
a firm expeitation of success. He purchased a tract
of about three thousand acres of land in this town
ship, and made it his residence for life. He died at
the residence ofhis son, Mr. Jerry Kellogg, on the 15th
of August, 1853, at the advanced age of 86 years.
About the last of February, Mr. John Tiffany, frorr

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 27
Attlebury, Massachusetts, stopped at this place on his
way to the Nine Partners. He had his wife and three
children with him. While tarrying, he concluded to re
main here and make it his home. He purchased the
farm now owned by Mr. Chistopher, built first a log-
house, and then thehouse now occupied on that place.
On the 5th day of March, Mr. Joseph Stearns and
Mr. Jirah Mumford arrived, who also were on their
way to the Nine Partners. They were from Tolland
County, Connecticut. They had put their teams to
gether, making two yoke of oxen attached to a sled.
They were three weeks on their way. Mr. Stearns had
his two sons, James and Otis, with him, and also a.
hired man. He found an his arrival that the provis
ions of the settlers were far too limited for such an
increased company. He, therefore,- left immediately
for Great Bend, and procured two bushels of corn-
meal. He then went to the Nine Partners, where he
had spent the previous summer. Mr. Mumford, how
ever, concluded to remain. He had brought with
him his son Thomas, then a boy of twelve years old,
and still living in this town, and also two hired men.
He purchased two hundred acres of land, and built a
log-house near where his son Minor now lives. In
the fall, he returned with his son to Connecticut, and
spent the winter. Mr. Stearns, near the close of the
season, went to Connecticut, and brought in his
family, which then included eight children. Having
arrived at this place, the people of the Nine Partners
came to aid him through to that place. But he con
cluded to relinquish his improvements there, and

28 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
make a home in this settlement. He lived during the
Winter in the house Mr. Mumford had built.
Mr. Dix also returned in the spring of this year,
and occupied the log-house which he had built the
previous summer. He brought with him a family
of eight children. He had formerly been a man of
some wealth, but had lost most of it by the deprecia
tion of Continental money. He came into this new
county to retrieve his loss, and provide a future
home for his family. The second winter, therefore,
found four families here, besides Mr. Kellogg, to share
each other's wants and trials, and form a society for
social and religious enjoyment.
1793. As the spring opened, Mr. Jirah Mum
ford returned withhis family, consisting of four chil
dren. He occupied the house he had built the pre
vious summer. Mr. Stearns, who had lived in it
during the winter, removed to Mr. Elijah Dix's house.
He (Mr. Stearns) had purchased the farm now owned
by Mr. Noah Chittenden. During the summer he
built his house -nearly opposite Mr. Asa Smith's res
idence. Mr. Joseph Tanner also moved into the settlement
this spring, from Preston, Connecticut. He had but
one child. His purchase included a greater part of
this village, but lying mostly north of it. He built
his house nearly half a mile north of this village, by
the side of a large spring, where the main road east
and west, now running through this village, was
originally constructed.
We also notice a Mr. Amasa Geer, as a settler this

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 29
year. He built a house by a noted spring, as you de
scend the hill westward, on land now owned by Mr.
T. H. Brown. Mr. Jacobus Barrager also moved into
the settlement this year. These two individuals,
however, remained but a few years.
During the last week in May pf this year, a young
man not twenty years old entered this settlement,
from the West. He had a small bundle which he car
ried in one hand, and with the other he used a staff.
He was weary, penniless and alone. He had left his
home in New England, on the sixth of the same
month, with $11 75 in his pocket, to become acquaint
ed with the resources of the vast territories of our coun
try then unoccupied. He had started out on life's
errand with a determination to,- construct his own
fortune, and establish his own character. Nature had
endowed him with an active, well-balanced mind, and
a vigorous constitution. He had early been taught,
and heartily received the great moral and religious
principles which constitute the best foundation for
success. Pie had a fixed and unalterable purpose in
carrying them out in the duties and conflicts of life.
His name was Jason Torrey. He had come from Wil-
liamstown, Massachusetts, his native place, on foot.
He had crossed the Hudson near Kinderhook, passed
through Harpersfield, in Delaware County, and reach
ed the Susquehanna, near Unadilla. He followed this
river down to Great Bend, and from thence to this
place. Arriving here, he stopped at the house of Mr.
Elijah Dix, with whom he had previously been ac
quainted. In June 27, we find him at work with his

30 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
ax, when Mr. Baird, of Pottstown, near Philadelphia,
came and engaged him to survey some land on the
Lackawaxen, for him. Again in July, while in the
employment of Mr. Jirah Mumford, who released him
from an engagement to work for him, he left on a
surveying t.our for the same man, through different
parts of this region of the State. On his return he re
sumed his engagement with Mr. Mumford, and work
ed till the 18th of- October, when he started on his
return to Williamstown. To secure the great object
for which he had left home, he took a circuitous route.
He followed the Susquehanna from Great Bend to
Owego, from thence he went to the Cayuga Lake, then'
taking the Genessee road he passed through Oneida
and Whitesboro, and then down the Mohawk through
Albany to Williamstown, making a distance travelled
since he left home, of 900- miles, most of which he had
performed on foot.
In the next spring, 1794, he left with the same
object in view. He went to Philadelphia, and from
thence came to this place, and then proceeded west
ward as far as Lake-Ontario. Again, in December,
1795, he went to Philadelphia, in which city and vi
cinity he remained until July, when after some hesi
tation whether to settle in Pennsylvania or Western
New York, he decided "upon the former.
He then proceeded up through Pottstown and Naz
areth, slept in the woods one night near Blooming
Grove, then followed up the Lackawaxen through
where Honesdale now stands, to this place. He en
gaged to Mr. Mumford again, in mowing, that he

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 31
might, as he says, " harden his hands for chopping."
He had deliberately made up his mind, after explor
ing the best portions of New York and Pennsylvania,
here to settle and spend his life. He had seen more
promising fields for wealth, but he regarded the char,
acter of the society in which he was to live and edu
cate his family as pf more importance than the rapid
increase of riches. With such principles he could
pass over the most fertile soil and locate upon these
hills. The result has confirmed his wisdom. The diffi
culties he here met in the early settlement of this
county, developed those sterling qualities of mind
and heart which have made him a distinguished and
useful man. In his first effort he encountered diffi
culties which would have disheartened many persons.
But when once his mind was fixed upon any object
to be accomplished, nothing but absolute impossibili
ties deterred him. He had designed to encamp upon
the land which he had purchased in the eastern
part of this town, and commence clearing the land,
but no pork could be obtained in the settlement. This
being a necessary article in this work, he went to
Blooming Grove, bought nineteen pounds, at one
shilling per pound, and some salt, at the rate of $3
per bushel, and returned with them upon his back.
But now, when ready to enter upon his enterprise, he
was afflicted with a severe sickness. He was con
fined for five weeks at the residence of Mr. Elijah
Dix, part of the time helpless, and apparently nigh
unto death. When he had sufficiently recovered he

32 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
returned home. Still fixed upon his purpose, we find
him (March 16th, 1797) again starting for Stanton-
ville, as this settlement was then called. At this
time he came with a horse, by the way of E,sopus and
Coohecton. During this summer his brother Samuel
was with him. He built a log-house, and made im
provements on his farm. He was also, during the
season, interested in the construction of a new road
from this village to Minisink. It is the present
turnpike road connecting this place with Bethany,
and proceeding from thence to its intersection with
the Milford and Owego turnpike. He selected the
route, and assisted in cutting out the trees, more or
less, with his own ax.
In the December following he went to Williams
town, and returned with his wife, whom he had mar
ried in January preceding. They came, bringing all
their goods and furniture in the same sleigh in
which they rode. They arrived at the log-house,
and entered it on the 11th day of February, 1798.
Here he resided until he removed to the county seat.
He had two sons born in this house — William and
Ephraim. The latter died at the age of twenty-
four. In 1801 Mr. Torrey surveyed and set the stakes
for the public square and Court-house, in the present
village of Bethany. It had been selected as the place
where the County-seat should be located. But at
that time not a foot of land had been cleared, nor a
tree cut within two miles of it. He immediately
commenced building a dwelling-house. " The old

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 33
family mansion was the first house erected ; and
while building this house, he travelled daily from
Mount Pleasant and back, twelve miles, through a
"wilderness, to carry his workmen their provisions.
The first'court held there was organized in the old
homestead. The upper rooms were unfinished, and
chairs were set on a joiner's bench for the judges,
while the jury occupied seats below. Then, and for
years afterwards, Mr. Torrey was personally acquaint
ed with every family in the county, and was well
informed of all their circumstances. The purchases
of real, estate by new settlers were, to a very large
extent, made through his agency. In the year
1818, the church at Bethany was organized, and then
Mr. Torrey made a profession of religion, and was
soon after elected a ruling Elder. At the time of his
death, he was the oldest-ordained Elder in any
Church in the northern. part of this State." *
He entered^ heartily into all the efforts made to
plant the institutions ofthe Gospel in this new county.
Pie was a liberal supporter of the Gospel in the church
of which he was a member. Though a change ofthe
County-seat led to the removal of his residence to
Honesdale, three, miles distant, he never removed his
church relation. He still contributed as before to
the church which he had aided in its infancy, and
which now had been weakened by removals. In his
will, he made provision for a like sum to be paid an
nually from his estate, during a term of years, forthe
'* Funeral Discourse of Jason Torrey, by Henry A. Rowland, D. D,
2*

34 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
support of the Gospel in that Church. All evangel
ical clergymen traversing the dense forests, to reach
the scattered population of this county, and break
unto them the bread of life, were sure to meet at his
door a cordial welcome. Here they and their horses
have been often refreshed on their way. In him they
found a generous and sympathizing friend.
Through a train of providential events "Mr. Torrey
had become owner of a large tract of land, about three
miles south of Bethany, where the canal of the Dela
ware and Hudson Canal Company terminates ; and
on this spot the borough of Honesdale is now located.
The first settlement was begun in 1826. The first
house was erected by Mr. Torrey, at the forks of the
Dyberry and West branch of the Lackawaxen, and
was afterwards converted into a Church, and desig
nated as the Old Tabernacle."*
Here he resided to the close of his life. He had
the pleasure of seeing a beautiful village of some
3,000 inhabitants spring into existence, while over the
extensive fields of his early surveys, where the wild
beasts had roamed; unmolested, he witnessed with
equal satisfaction beautiful farms, church edifices,
mills of various kinds, and villages, with the various
blessings of a thriving and virtuous society. Ad
monished by the approaching infirmities of age that
the day of life was drawing to a close, he made liberal
bequests to the cause of Christ, and retired from ac
tive business — then leaning upon his Almighty Sav-
0 Funeral discourse, &c.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 35
iour, quietly and peacefully descended to the
grave. We proceed to notice but one more settler in this
town during this year. Mr. Jacob Van Meter came
to this place, on his way from Salem County, New
Jersey, to Western New York. He was here over
taken by the autumnal storms, and concluded to set
tle in this township. He had a family of five chil
dren. Soon after he purchased and built the place
where his son Charles now lives. He "spent the rem
nant of his life in this town.
1795. This year Mr. John S. Rogers, from New
Jersey, a Quaker, purchased and settled with his fa
mily. He had eight children. He built about one
mile east of Mr. Joseph Peck's residence. Here he
passed the remainder of his days.
Mr. Joseph Stevenson, from New Jersey, also came
this year. He purchased a farm in the vicinity of
the octagon stone school-house. He had six children,
the oldest of whom was over twenty-one years of age:
We also notice' Mr. Seymore Allen, who came this
year, and bought Geer's farm and improvement. He
soon after sold -it to Mr. Tchabod Starks, who con
tinued to occupy it for many years, and there closed
his earthly days.
Mr. Abram Cramer also settled here this year.
He bought a place, and built a little south of Mr.
Thomas Slayton's residence,, where there is now a
house made of hewn logs. He had a family of eight
children. He died in this township.
This year Mr. Elijah Peck moved his family into

36 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
this settlement. He had emigrated from Connecti
cut, and came to this place by way of Cooperstown.
He had previously been here, purchased the farm
where his widow now lives, made some improvement,
and built a log-house on an old road which was con
structed north ofthe present turnpike. He had then
a family of three children. He subsequently became
a minister in the Baptist Church, as we shall have
occasion to notice. He died in this town at an ad
vanced age.
This year Mr. Jirah Mumford completed a grist
mill and a saw-mill. This was considered a great
acquisition to this new settlement. They were lo
cated near where Mr. Edward M. Atwater now has a
saw-mill. The grist-mill was about twenty feet
square. It had one run of stones, which were about
three feet in diameter. It had one bolt about seven
feet long. The meal was taken by hand and poured
into the bolt, which the miller turned with a crank.
The saw-mill, by .diligent use, and a full head of
water, would saw about 700 feet per day. Yet these
were the only mills within twenty-five or thirty miles,
and they were often rendered useless in the winter
season. 1796. This year Mr. Benjamin King came to this
place from the Paupack settlement. He was then a
young, unmarried man, and purchased the farm now
owned by Mr. George Moase. He built the house
and barn now standing upon the place, and occupied
the farm about twenty years. He is still living in
this vicinity, at an advanced age.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 37
His brother, Mr. Charles King, came at the same
time, and a few years after bought and cultivated a
farm, east of the late Benjamin Wheeler's resi
dence. This year, also, Mr. Samuel Meredith, a man of
wealth in Philadelphia, began to make improvements
in this town. He first built an ashery, for making
pot and pearlash. This enterprise, however, failed.
He had invested a large part of his fortune in a tract
of land in this region. Not finding as" ready sale for
this land as he expected, he retired from the city, and
built in the west part of this town a well-finished
house, at a oost of about six thousand dollars. He
named the place of his residence Belmont, which
name it has retained to this day.
His father, whose name was Reese Meredith, set
tled in Philadelphia at an early day. He was from
England, and a Welshman by birth. In his own
country he was a man of rank and wealth. He
warmly espoused the cause of the American Colonies.
His first interview with General Washington was
when he held the office of Colonel in the Virginia
troops. He at once formed a high opinion of him,
and was ever after his firm and intimate friend. In
the most trying period of the war, when the faith of
manv wavered, he boldly encouraged its proseoution.
When the army were suffering for food and clothing,
he promptly came to their relief, and freely contribut
ed the sum of five thousand pounds sterling. At the
close of the war, when Washington was called to thq
Presidential chair, he promoted his son, Samuel Mer-

38 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
edit'h, to the office of Treasurer of the United
States. The following letters, the original copies of which
are now in the hands of the family, will show the
estimation in which he was held , as well as the term
of his office.
The first is from Alexander Hamilton, the Secre
tary ofthe Treasury. It ii' as follows :
Treasury Office, New York, )
September 13, 1789. J
Sir : — Permit me to congratulate you on your ap
pointment as Treasurer of the United States, and to
assure you of the pleasure I feel in anticipating your
cooperation with me in a station in which a charac
ter like yours is so truly valuable.
I need not observe to you how important it is that
you should be on the ground as soon as possible. The
call for your presence, you will be sensible, is urgent.
Mr. Duer, my assistant, goes to Philadelphia to. pro
cure a loan from the Bank there. He will commu
nicate with you, and, lam persuaded, will meet with
your concurrence in whatever may facilitate the ob
ject of his mission.
With sincere esteem lam, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
ALEXANDEE HAMILTON,
Secretary of tjte Treasury.
Samuel Meredith, Esq.,
Treasurer of the United States.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 39
Mr. Meredith entered upon the duties of this office
when the Treasury was in its most embarrassed and
confused state. He resigned it in 1801.
The following letter from Thomas Jefferson, then
President of the United States, shows the fidelity and
ability with which he had fulfilled the duties of this
office : Monticello, September 4, 1801.
Dear Sir : — I received yesterday your favor of
August 29, resigning your office of Treasurer of the
United States, after the last of October next. I am
sorry for the circumstances which dictate the meas
ure to you ; but from their nature, and the deliber
ate consideration of which it seems to be the result, I
presume that dissuasives on my part would be with
out effect. My time in office has not been such as to
bring me into an intimate insight of the proceedings
of the several departments, but I am sure I hazard
nothing when I testify in your favor — that you have
conducted yourself with perfect integrity and pro
priety in the duties of the office you have filled, and
I pray you to be assured of my high esteem and con
sideration. THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Mr. Meredith.
Soon after Mr. Meredith closed the duties of this
office, he commenced his residence in this town, and
retired from public life. Having spent the remnant
of his days 'here, he departed this life February 10,
1817, in the 76th year of his age.

40 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
His remains lie in the family cemetery, by the side
of Mrs. Meredith's, his accomplished wife. His
tomb rests upon one of the gentle declivities of the
Moosic mountain, and overlooks the beautiful valley
of the Lackawaxen.
It seems that this settlement had now attracted at
tention at the Capitol, and Mr. Samuel Stanton was
this year appointed by the Governor, Thomas Mifflin,
Justice of the Peace for this^region, then belonging to
Northampton County. This was the first appoint
ment of a Justice of the Peace north of Strouds-
burg. We are not able to relate in detail, the order and
names of the settlers who subsequently came into
this town. I will, however, remark, that the current
of emigration, until about the year 1820, or 1825,
was chiefly from New England. New England peo
ple have, from the first settlement, exerted a prepon
derating influence in giving character to society. It
still retains, to a great degree, those early impres
sions. At a very early period of the settlement, Mr.
Tench Cox, a landholder from Philadelphia, spent a
few days here, and afterwards remarked, as a matter
of curiosity, that the people in Stantonville would
lay aside their work at sundown on Saturday night,
and begin the Sabbath. Then, on Sunday evening,
the women would take their knitting-work. He had
never seen the custom before. This is strictly a New
England custom. The attachments of this people to
their Puritan ancestors may be seen, from the cher
ished relics brought from New England. Among

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 41
these we notice a trammel and a sea-chest, which
were brought over in the Mayflower. They have de
scended in the line of the Brewster family, and are
owned by Mr. Calvally Freeman, a descendant of that
family. There, is also an ancient book, entitled
" Christ the Way and the Truth and the Life." On
the title-page, its authorship . is thus described :
" Written by the eminently Pious, Godly, and Zeal
ous Mr. John Brown, Minister of the Gospel at Wam-
phray, in Annandale, in the time of his banishment
in Holland." " Printed at Glasgow, by Alexander
Miller, 1738." This was undoubtedly written more
than fifty years previous to this date, inasmuch as
the persecution which led to the banishment of a
large number of the dissenting clergymen of Scot
land, terminated in 1690. The book was brought
here at an early day by Mr. James Bigelow, and now
owned by his son, Mr. James H. Bigelow. He also has
a copy of " The Confession of Faith ofthe General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church," containing
also "The Sum of Saving Knowledge," ."The First
National Covenant of Scotland," " The Solemn
League and Covenant," and " The Directory for the
Publick Worship of God." Printed in Glasgow,
1749. These books, with others of a similar nature,
were the chosen companions ofhis father, Mr. James
Bigelow, while here in this new country.
V. FIRST THINOS.
There are some events and items of interest bearing
upon the history of this town, which take their inter-

42 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
est only from the fact of their priority. Among
these I notice that the first child born in this town
ship was born August 26, 1791. She was a daughter
of Mr. Samuel Stanton. She married Mr. Thomas
Lillibridge, and now lives in the Staie of Illinois.
The first male child was born June 18, 1793. His
name is Jabez Stearns." He now lives in the town
of Lebanon, in this county.
The first wedding in this town took place January
1, 1796. The parties were Mr. Silas Kellogg and the
eldest daughter of Mr. Jirah Mumford. There were
at that time no magistrates here — no resident clergy
men. They were obliged to send to the Delawafe
river for the Rev. Ezekiel Sampson, a Baptist cler
gyman, who came twenty miles through the wilder
ness, by marked trees, and duly united in matri
mony the first wedded couple in this township. One
who was present at that wedding, and now living,
says, that nearly every man, woman, and child in
the town were present, and all accommodated in one
room. The first adult person that died in this town was
Mr. Jacob Van Meter, the eldest son of Jacob Van
Meter, senior. He died in the fall of 1796. Pre
vious to this, a child of two or three years old had died.
It belonged to Zebulon Tanner, who resided tempora
rily here as a chopper for the settlers.
The first frame building was a barn, built by Mr.
Silas Kellogg, in 1794. It stood nearly opposite the
residence of Mr. Charles Kennedy. The first framed
dwelling-house was built the next year by Mr. Joseph

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 43
Tanner. It was situated north of the village, by a
cluster of apple-trees, still remaining. The road from
the east passed through there before the turnpike was
constructed. Here the first store in town was opened
under the firm of " Granger & Tanner," in 1806. It
was the only store within twenty miles. Their annual
trade amounted to $3,000.
Ther^ was no building in this village until the
" Cochecton and Great Bend Turnpike" was con
structed. The first house was built by Mr. Joseph
Tanner in 1808, a few feet west of Mr. George Soper's
residence. He used it as a dwelling, a store, and an
office in which to transact his business as Justice of
the Peace. He also built a tavern two stories high,
a few feet east of it. These were burnt in 1811.
The first Justice of the Peace after the organization
of this town and county, was Mr. Joseph Tanner.
Mr. Stanton having been commissioned to act in
Northampton County, no longer held this office. The
first Constable was Benjamin Dix:. Joseph Tanner
and Elijah Peck were the first Supervisors of this
town.

VI. TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS OF THE SETTLERS.
The privations and sufferings endured by persons
who have penetrated into the wilderness and made it
a home, are themes often dwelt upon with interest.
We should never forget the sacrifices made by our
fathers, to procure for us a comfortable home. We
have already related some of them — all can never bo

44 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
be told. Still, justice demands that something more
on this point should be said. These sufferings arose
from their secluded position and the incipient stage
of everything.* One ofthe greatest difficulties was the
want of a sufficiefit'quantity of grain, and suitable
means of preparing it for, food! Many of the early
settlers boiled their grain ; others hollowed out a
stump, and with a large pestle, attached to a bent
sapling, pounded it. One man in town dressed out
two stones of about two feet in diameter, in the shape
of mill-stones. Having adjusted the upper one on a
pivot, one turned it with a crank, while another
threw in a handful of grain as fast as it was ground.
Mr. Silas Kellogg says he has brought in provisions
from Great Bend upon his back ; and that in climb
ing the hills beneath his heavy burden, his vision has
become double, so that he was obliged to sit down
till his regular sight was restored.
Mr. Benjamin King says, that soon after he came
here, he went with an ox-team four miles above
Chenango Forks, to buy grain. He broke his road
through a deep snow. There were then but three or
four settlers between here and the Great Bend. It
was a journey of more than ten days. The mills be
ing frozen in that region, he was obliged, on his re
turn, to make another journey to Waullenpaupach, to
get- it ground. He has frequently been to Wilkesbarre
on horse-back, with maple sugar, and exchanged it
for grain — returning with four and a half bushels
upon his horse. 0 See Appendix, No. 7.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 45
On another occasion of destitution, Mr. Jason Torrey
took his oX*en to the Delaware river, sold them, and
with the money went to Stroudsburg, procured a
horse, and brought home a load of flour. He travelled
in this journey about eighty miles. Having reached
home, he first distributed a portion among his neigh
bors before eating any himself, that all might rejoice
together. ^
Mrs. Lillibridge, daughter of Mr. Stanton, says
that on one occasion, a poor neighbor who had a large
family, and in a destitute state, called to borrow
some flour of her father. He promised to pay it
when he could go some thirty miles, earn it, and
bring it home on his back. Mr. Stanton had but
a half bushel of flour in his house. But he divided it,
and gave him half, saying : " There will be some way
provided ; we shall not starve." That night a man
came along, on his way to New York, with a load of
flour. He stopped over night at Mr. Stanton's house.
He urged him to sell him a barrel, but he positively
refused. The next morning one of his horses was
very lame, so that he was obliged to leave the entire
load for sale. Mr. Stanton ever spoke of it as an
overruling Providence.
Mr. Joseph Stearns had a family of eight children.
On one occasion he was so reduced for food, that he
went to Great Bend, and purchased two bushels of
wheat, had it ground, and brought it home on his
back. At another time he was destitute of meat,
which was greatly needed, to endure* the hard work
required to lay the forest. Weakened by such toil,

46 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
he was much cast down at his lot here in the
wilderness. His wife, however, who was a devotedly
pious woman, endeavored to encourage him by refer
ring to that overruling Providence which had directed
them here, and would still provide. Her confidence
increasing as she dwelt upon this subject, she arose
and said to her husband : " Now, I will hang the pot
over the fire, and I believe the Lord will fill it." Her
confidence was not misfaken, for before the water
boiled a fawn, apparently frightened, entered the field
where her boys were at work. They chased it a few
rods, and easily captured it in a thicket of bushes,
where Mr. Asa Smith's tannery now stands. As they
joyfully entered the cabin door, the father remember
ed the words' of encouragement and faith so recently
spoken, and resolved no more to distrust God. On
another occasion this good woman, when her husband
and older sons had gone to their work, went out to
the woods where they had been making sugar, to
save some sap that was wasting. Having no one
with whom to leave her infant child, she took it with
her. She made a cradle of a sap-trough, and laid him
down by the side of a large log. While busy here
and there gathering the sap, she looked towards the
child, and saw an enormous bear upon the log, look
ing down into his innocent face, and in the very act
.of grabbing him in his extended jaws. She uttered a
wild shriek of terror and fell exhausted. The old
dog saw the peril of the child and instantly flew to
his rescue. That child is now Mr. Ashbel Stearns,
who still lives in this vicinity. Not long after this,

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 47
she had been over to Mr. Stanton's, on a visit with this
same infant, having her son Otis, then a young lad,
with her. While on their return, as they were in a foot
path, crossing a rivulet in the rear of the present
dwelling of Mr. Jonathan Miller, sen., a large bear came
out of the brush and stood directly before them. Her
son was at the time carrying the infant. But that
faithful dog, that had once saved his life, came up and
rushed upon the bear, who speedily retreated.
In an early period of this settlement, Mrs. Mum
ford had suffered her two little girls, Deborah and
Sally, to go home with a near neighbor. One was
about four and the other about six years old. They
were returning" by a foot-path, and mistaking the
right direction, wandered off into the wilderness.
They had been- gone some hours before it was discov
ered that they were lost. The whole town roused
in the search ; but the night closed in and no trace
could be found of them. No efforts were spared with
lanterns and torches throughout the night, but all in
vain. The next day people came from a great dis
tance, and the woods were searched, but no children
could be found. The second night spread its dark
curtain over the distracted family. The heart-broken
mother wrung her hands in agony. She would
take her little infant, that clung to her breast with
a tremulous fear, and go out at the^midnight hour,
and lie upon the cold ground, exclaiming, " Is this all
the bed my dear little ones have to-night!" She
would know herself how cold and^damp it was.
Thus the second night of agony passed. -As the

48 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
morning dawned, the fond mother bent under the
crushing conflict of hope and fear. Yet hope was
still strong that she should again see her dear chil
dren alive. Every man met for consultation and
concert of action. They separated themselves within
hearing distances, and simultaneously moved forward,
covering the whole territory as they went. It was
agreed that if the children were found, guris should
immediately be fired. In this manner they marched
forward ; every man's eye intently fixed upon every
object his field of vision covered. They moved on
with breathless anxiety till about nine o'clock, when
the report of a gun sent a thrill of joy through every
heart. Presently another and another gun gave as
surance to hope, and brought the whole company
around the rescued children.
It seems that a certain hunter, familiar at Mr.
Mumford's, while eagerly searching for the lost ones,
heard the little dog bark, that had strayed with and
attended the children in their wanderings. He at
once recognized the sound, and immediately bent his
course towards it, and found the. children sitting un
der some bushes. He gave the appointed signal,
which brought together the whole company. With
joy in every countenance, the multitude returned
with them to their home. The mother clasped them
in her arms and wept a flood of tears. It was a
melting scene ; strong, hardy men of the forest were
overcome with emotion.
The children soon told their own story. They had
wandered the first day in search of home, till night

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 49
overtook them. Exhausted, they sat down, and the
dark night gathered about them. The older one
gathered a few leaves for a bed, and they laid down
together, with little " Trip" (which was the dog's
name), by the side-of them. Presently " two big gray
dogs," as they called them, " eame and put their paws
on a log," and looked over at them ; but little " Trip,"
bristling up, ran and drove them off. These were
undoubtedly wolves, that had followed their track.
The next day they wandered about, gathering a few
berries to satisfy their hunger. " My child, where
did you sleep last night," inquired the mother of the
youngest, who was not yet able to speak plainly.
" Under a 'ittle geen tee" was the innocent reply.
The elder sister said she cried in the night, because
she was cold, and asked her to pull the clothes over
her. They had become fearful of everything. They
had heard frightful stories about the Indians, and
were afraid of those who were searching for them, and
would hide from them when they came near or heard
their call. It is thought they never would have been
found had it not been for the little dog that accom
panied them. . VII. ROADS.
•
A few words are due in the history of this town
ship with reference to the first roads here constructed.
No State in the Union has manifested more enter
prise in the construction of roadsthan Pennsylvania.
As early as the year 1712 it was the custom of the
proprietaries, and afterwards of the Commonwealth,
3

00 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
to allow all purchasers of vacant lands an addition
without charge, in the proportion of six acres for
every one hundred purchased. This was given as a
compensation for roads and highways that might
afterwards be constructed by authority 6f the State.
This custom has continued in all grants of vacant
land since that time. The customary acre of Penn
sylvania, therefore, in such grants, consisted of 169
perches and six-tenths of a perch ; whereas the strict
measure of this State makes the acre consist of 160
perches. The first road through this township was intended
to be a great highway for Western emigration. It
was built by private enterprise, aided by State appro
priation. The Act of Legislature for opening it was
passed March 28, 1788. It was to be made sixty
feet wide, beginning at Pocona Point, a place near
¦ Stroudsburg, and extend north to the State line. It
was cut through in l788—'89> but never thoroughly
worked. The State appropriated -£1,000 towards it.
In this town it followed nearly the route of the pres
ent " Belmont and Easton Turnpike," and was called
the "North and South Road." From Belmont it pro
ceeded north until it intersected the State line. The
"act" also provided for another road, to leave this
"at or near Mount Ararat," and to be constructed
westward to the mouth of the Tioga river. But as"
the Susquehanna river, with which the former was
connected, furnished so good a substitute for this road,
it was never constructed. This was a great and
far-reaching project for that early day. It was de-

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 51
signed to open a great thoroughfare through the un
settled portions of the State, and, as the " act" says,
" conduce to the immediate settlement of an extensive
tract of country," and "by communication with other
roads already begun, render Pennsylvania the most
eligible route for emigrants from the Northern and
Eastern parts of the United States." In 1791 the
settlers in this town began opening a road to Great
Bend. It left the North and South Road nearly op
posite Mr. Stanton's house, and proceeded westward,
varying from half a mile to a mile south of the present
turnpike, which has taken its place. Soon after there
was another road, which left the North and South
Road from two to three miles south of Mr. Stan
ton's, and proceeding westward, intersected the road
to Great Bend, in the western part of Herrick Town
ship. From the fact that this road intersected the
other two in the form of a brace, it was usually called
the " Brace Road." It came down into the Lacka
wanna Valley, near Mr. Benjamin Smith's residence.
Many of the settlers of Susquehanna County passed
over this road. It was never' worked much, and re
linquished at an early day. There was another road
early made and still in use, which left the North and
South Road on the east side, about four miles south
of this village, and came up by Mr. Silas Kellogg's im
provement, passed Mr. Joseph Stearns', and contin
ued north to Mr. John Tiffany's farm, now owned by
Mr. Christopher. From this point a road was con
structed westward to the brow of the hill near Mr.
William Wright's residence, then passing south-

52- r HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
ward down by Mr. Geer's log-house, near the
large spring, and then over the Lackawaxen, a few
rods above Mr. Baker's residence. As this was a
prominent road previous to the construction of the
turnpike which took its place, it may be of interest
to notice the inhabitants on it, beginning with Mr.
John Tiffany. On leaving his house westward was
Nathan Rood, Solomon West, Henry Newton, Benja
min Newton, Silas Tanner ; next, a frame school-
house ; then Joseph Tanner and Benjamin Dix. As
it passed Mr. Dix's, it bent southward, and passed
down as before mentioned. Just before it reached the
stream it connected with another road that came up
in the direction of the present Bethany road, and
passed th©;dwellings of Messrs. Benjamin King, Ru
ben Carr, and Elijah Dix. Here the two roads unit
ing, passed over the Lackawaxen. Then they parted
to accommodate two taverns at the top of the hill,
kept by Mr. Stanton and Mr. Mumford, on the north
and souch road.
There are five turnpikes, which either commence
or pass through this township. The CocJ-iecton and
Great Bend Turnpike, incorporated March 29, 1804,
passes through it from Cochecton to Great Bend.*
The following terminate in this town: " Bethany and
Dingman's Choice," incorporated March 2d, 1811.1
"Belmont and Easton," incorporated March 13th,
1812. " Belmont and Ochquaga," incorporated Febru
ary 26th, 1817. "Lackawaxen Turnpike," incorpor
ated January 17th, 1828.
• See Appendix, No. 8. f See Appendix, No. 9.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 53
VIII. ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
At the time this place was settled, it was, together
with this and the county of Pike, included in the un
defined regions of the town of Upper Smithfield, in
Northampton County. At that time, the elections for
this region were held in the house of Nicholas Depuis,
in. the vicinity of Stroudsbur.g. The polls were so re
mote (about 70 miles) that no votes were ever cast by
any of the people here at any election in that county.
They were so isolated from all civil jurisdiction, that
no tax was levied, and no officer reached them, or
was appointed, with one exception : this was the
appointment of Mr. Samuel Stanton, by the Governor,
in 1796, to act as a Justice of the Peace here for
Northampton County. Thus things continued till
this town was organized, in 1798, the same year in
which Wayne County was set off from Northampton.
This county then embraced all of Pike County and
nearly one half of Monroe. This was one of ten town
ships constituted by the Legislature with the county.
The five following were in the present territory of
Wayne County : Canaan, Palmyra, Buckingham, Da
mascus, Mount Pleasant. This township had origi
nally a territory of twelve miles north and south, and
eight miles east and west, containing about 96 square
miles. It included one-seventh and five-tenths of the
entire county. The territory first included in this
county was divided into three election districts. The
third and northern included all of the present Wayne
County and about one half of Pike. This district com-

54 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
prised six of the original townships. In the same ter
ritory there are now nineteen townships and four bor
oughs. The polls for this district were opened in this
town at the house of Elijah Dix, during the years 1798
and 1799. To this place all the inhabitants on the
Waullenpaupack and north of the Shoholy Creek, came
to vote. They came up the Lackawaxen to the junc
tion of the Dyberry, where Honesdale now stands. This
was then a dense, uninhabited wilderness. Leaving
the stream, they proceeded through Bethany by mark
ed trees, and so found their way to Mount Pleasant.
Citizens on the Delaware found their way hither by
bridle paths. Here, for the first time, the scattered
inhabitants of' the wilderness met from all parts of
this extensive district to choose the State and county
officers. The polls were held open in the log-house of
Mr. Elijah Dix. It stood a few rods east of Mr. Ebene
zer Richardson's late residence. This log-house served
as a residence, a school-house, a meeting-house, and
now for an election-house. It is to be regretted that not
a single relic of this house is now to be found.* Pre
vious to the organization of this town, the settlement
was usually called Stantonville. In regard to the
origin of the name it now bears, it is obvious that no
created being gave it. The Hand that formed these
hills and clothed them with their beauty, wrote its
name. Man has only read it here. It could be called
nothing else. The men who struck the first blow in
the wilderness found it here. It is said that one
* A framed house now standing a few rods west of the old founda
tion*, was built in 1801.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSF. 55
Robert L. Hooper, in surveying his lands here in
1775, while overlooking the township from one of
the elevations of the Moosic Mountains, was charmed
with its beauty, and exclaimed, "This is Mount
Pleasant." On this point there, never has been a
question. Mr. Stanton saw that the Creator had
named it, and, therefore, the impropriety of connect
ing his- own name with it. And what stranger even
that overlooks these hills and valleys in their verdure,
but must also say this town could be called by no
other name ?
About the time this village was becoming the cen
tre of business for the township, a few individuals
named it Centreville. It never was fully adopted,
and has long since become obsolete.
By an act of Legislature of March 27, 1845, this
village was incorporated as a borough, embracing a '
mile square, under the name of Pleasant Mount. On
the 7th of May, 1855, that act was repealed, and the
village was again merged into the township. The
Post-Office, however, still retains the name of Pleas
ant Mount.
The slow progress made during the first period of
this township did not meet the expectation of the
early settlers. Some of them who had made large
purchases on the expectation of a rapid growth, suf
fered embarrassment. This expectation, which had
become general and confident, induced them to pay
extravagant prices for land. At the date of the first
settlement here this whole region had been surveyed,
and was held by men who had bought to sell at an

56 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
advanced price. They had projected and opened the
North and South Road, which, it was expected, would
become a great thoroughfare. Plans already entered
upon would, it was thought, make two large places
of business in this vicinity. One of these was on the
Delaware, at Stockport, the other on the Susquehanna,
at Harmony. These expectations, which were never
realized, induced the first settlers to purchase at too
high prices. Mr. Stanton paid for his first purchase
at the rate of one hundred pounds per one hundred
acres. He could have bought Government land at
the same time at the rate of twenty pounds per one
hundred acres* The growth of the township has
therefore, from its origin, been gradual, though uni
form. Its population in 1800 was 188, which' ex
ceeded that of any other town then in this county It
Was not, however, as large, nor as favorably situated
to secure a rapid settlement, as many others. It has
been diminished on the northeast and south sides to
form-, or be added to, other townships. It now con
tains fifty-seven and a half square miles. The popu
lation of this town in 1850 was 1,737. At the present
time it is about 2,000. The number of taxables in
1855 was 360.t The last assessment gives the follow
ing estimate of property :
Real Estate,. . . . $74,078 00
Personal Property, . . 24,056 00
Aggregate, .... $98,134 00
* See "Act " of Oct. 3d, 1788, Sergeant's " Land Laws of Pennsyl
vania," page 274.
f When this town was organized in 1798, there were residing in
it thirty-four taxables.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 57
The greater part of the inhabitants are engaged in
agriculture. Considerable attention is given to dai
rying. In 1850 there were made 35 tons of butter,
and in 1855, 70 tons. Of grain there was raised
in 1850, 12,100 bushels of Oats.
5,400 " Indian Corn*
6,831 " Buckwheat.
There are ten saw-mills in this town, which cut an
nually two million feet of lumber ; three flouring
and grist-mills, having nine run of stones, whioh
grind annually 30,000 bushels of grain ; three turn
ing-mills, which use 225,000 feet of lumber ; two
wagon-shops, five blacksmith-shops, two. tanneries,
and one carding and cloth-dressing machine.
There are also five stores, in which there is an
annual trade of $50,000.
IX. RELIGIOUS EVENTS.
As we have already seen, the Gospel was early
preached in this town. The first minister of Christ
who preached the Gospel here, was Elder David
Jayne, who then lived on the Tunkhannock. He
came by request of. Samuel Stanton and others, in
July, 1795. The next year, on the 28th of June, a
Free Communion Baptist Church was organized. A
number of persons of this denomination in New Eng
land had joined together, and agreed with Mr. Stan
ton to proceed into some new country and purchase a
lot of land, and they would take* portions of it and
,° See Appendix, No. 10.
'3*

58 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
form a settlement. But on hearing of the isolated
situation of his purchase, they all declined settling
with him. Others, however, of this denomination,
from New England, were induced to settle here,
which led to the organization of this church. It was
constituted with six members.* In the spring of
1793 the regular and public worship of God on the
Sabbath was commenced, which has never ceased to
the present day. Having no minister of the Gospel
to preach to them, they read printed discourses.
Among those often read, were the sermons of Whit
field and Stennett.
Missionaries, in passing through this region, would
spend one or two Sabbaths and preach to the people
of this new settlement. The Rev. Daniel Thatcher,
a missionary ofthe General Assembly ofthe Presbyte
rian Church, visited them, and on the 9th of July,
1797, administered the Sacrament. of the Lord's Sup
per. This was the first time this truly Christian ordi
nance was ever administered in this town.t It is
•spoken of in a record made of it by Mr. Stanton, as a
very interesting and profitable season. Several other
missionaries of the General Assembly, in passing
through this region, tarried over Sabbath and preach
ed to the people of this settlement. Among them we
notice the names of Rev. Messrs. Aaron Condit, James
Boyd, Asa Hillyer and Robert H. Chapman.
The first resident clergyman settled here in 1800.
His name was Epaphras Thompson. He was from
Bristol, Connecticut. He was a Close Commun-
• See Appendix, No. 11. -f See Appendix, No. 12.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 59
ion Baptist. A few months after his arrival, he
attempted to induce the Free Communion Church he
found in this settlement to adopt the Close Commun
ion faith. Failing, however, in this attempt, he united
with them, and preached to them for several years.
In 1806 Mr. Elijah Peck was ordained by this Church
as a Gospel minister. In 1807 he, with Elder Thomp
son and seven or eight other members of this church,
separated and formed a Close Communion Church,
which became very numerous under his ministrations.
Both of these churches declined, and were some years
ago disbanded. No vestige of them now remains.
In 1806 the first Methodist clergyman preached in
this township. This was the Rev. Annon Owen. He
had a circuit extending from Wilksbarre through this
region to the Delaware river. The first Methodist So
ciety was organized the same year in the house of
Abram Cramer. Among the various clergymen who
have been successively appointed over this charge, we
notice the Rev. George Peck, D. D., and the Rev.
Benjamin Ellis.
On the 26th of January, 1814, a Congregational
Church was organized in this town by the Rev. Ebe
nezer Kingsbury and Rev. Worthington Wright, mis
sionaries of the Connecticut Missionary Society. It
was organized with seventeen members in the house of
the late John Tiffany. In 1831 this church changed
its form of government, and became Presbyterian,
which form it still retains. At first the church was
supplied occasionally by missionaries. Public worship
was, however, uniformly sustained when destitute of a

60 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
minister. During the greater proportion of the early
history of this church, they were able to support the
public preaching of the Gospel by uniting with some
neighboring church. The first pastor settled over
this church was the Rev. Henry A. Boyce. He was
installed July 8th, 1835. He labored but a little more
than a year, when he was called away by death-
Rev. Anthony McReynolds succeeded him as pastor,
and remained about two years. The next pastor was
the Rev. Daniel Higbie. After a very acceptable and
useful pastorate of six years, he was called away by
ill health, The writer of this history was the next
succeeding pastor of this church. It is now upwards
of ten years since he commenced his pastoral labors
in this congregation.
A few years after the organization of this church,
it became obvious that they must have a house of
public worship. All the private houses where they
had been accustomed to worship, had become " too
strait" for them. A house was consequently built
on the first North and South Road, east of the village,
connecting the Newburg and Bethany turnpikes. Its
size was 48 by 24 feet. It was formed by building
an addition of twenty-four feet square to a school-house
of the same size. . The two parts were thrown into
one by a swing partition. In this effort, all denomi
nations cordially united. So perfectly did this plan
commend itself to all the citizens, that the same week
it was suggested all the materials were brought upon
the ground, and during the next week it was so nearly
completed, that it was occupied for the purpose in-

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 61
tended on the following Sabbath. This was in the
year 1822, and it was the first house of public wor
ship ever built in this town. Poor as it might now
be considered as a place of public worship, it was
then regarded as a valuable accomplishment. Many
persons from six to seven miles distant regularly wor
shipped in this house. It was common for many of
them to walk this distance to and from the meet
ing. Some of them who still survive have their hap
piest seasons of religious worship associated with that
old house. " How charming is th^place
Where my Redeemer, God,
Unvails the glories of his face,
And sheds his love abroad !"
" There from his eyes I met the heavenly beam,
That kindled in my soul this deathless flame."
The Presbyterian congregation erected a church
edifice in 1830* This building is 45 by 55 feet.
With the exception of the church in Bethany, t this
was the first Presbyterian Church built in Wayne
County. It was refitted and improved in 1850 at a
cost of $700. In 1833 a colony of 31 members went
off from this church to form another church of the
same denomination in an adjoining town.
In 1832-the Methodist Society erected a plain and
commodious house of worship about two miles east
of the village, on the Bfethany turnpike, and dedicat
ed it on the 4th of July of that year. It was refitted
and greatly improved in 1851.
* A charter was granted them September 21st, 1831.
t The Presbyterian Church in Bothany was erected in 1823.

62 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
In 1835 there was-a Roman Catholic Church erect
ed in the northeast part of the towh. Since its erection,
their number has greatly increased. There is now a
large congregation statedly meeting in that house.
A Sabbath School Society, auxiliary to the
American Sunday School Union, was organized in
1833. This society became very efficient and useful
in establishing schools in different parts of the town.
It continued for many years to elicit an increasing
interest. We are much indebted to its early efforts
for the elevated position this cause has to the present
time occupied in the hearts of this community.
There was also a Tract Society organized in the
same year. • Much was done by this society, while
its purposes were carried out in circulating; religious
tracts among the families of the township.
A Bible Society, auxiliary td the Wayne County
Bible Society, was organized in 1838. Vigorous ef
forts were made, by appointing visitors in every
school district in town, to raise funds and circulate
the Scriptures without note or comment. The first
officers of the society were William R. Stone, Presi
dent, and Anson Chittenden, sen., Vice-President.
There were early efforts made in this town in the
cause of temperance. The first society, called the
" Mount Pleasant Temperance Society," was organ
ized on the 9th of February, 1830* Mr. Jacob Eaton
was the first president of the society, and Mr. Wil
liam R. Stone, secretary. Mr. Stone continued to be
an. efficient and able secretary of this society for
1 • See Appendix, No. 13.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 63
twenty years. It was organized on the principles
of abstinence from distilled spirits; but in 1837
the pledge of total abstinence from all intoxicating
drinks was adopted. When organized, the society
had nine members :*
In 1835 it had 240 members.
" 1840 " 384 i'
" 1845 " 401 "
" 1850 " 550 "
The whole number of names enrolled to the pres
ent time is 610. X. COMMON SCHOOLS.
Though Pennsylvania has been tardy in waking
to the importance of Common Schools, many of the
towns in this part of the State have not overlooked
their value. Without aid from the State they have
erected school-houses, and supported schools, even
while in the infancy of their existence. The first
school in this town was taught by Miss Lucy Stearns
in the summer of 1794. It was held in Mr. Elijah
Dix's log-house. She had twelve scholars, and re
ceived six shillings a-week as her wages. The first
male teacher that ever taught in this township was
Mr. John Tyler. . He taught in the winter of 1799
and 1800. His school! was jn a log building which
had been erected and occupied by Mr,. Geer, but «
which then having no family in it, was used forthe
school. This was the only school in town, and num-
* See Appendix, No. 13.

64 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
bered about twenty-five scholars. The next winter
a school was taught by Mr. Richard Perkins, on the
old road running north of the village.
The first framed school- house was built in 1804.*
It was the next building eastward of Joseph Tanner's
residence. The first school in it was taught by Mr.
Truman Wheeler.
In 1834 the State passed a law for a general sys
tem of education by Common Schools. In the same
year there was a Board of School Directors chosen in
this town under that law. The first officers were
Truman Wheeler," President, and William R. Stone,
Secretary. There are now in this town fourteen
Common Schools, and 500 scholars. The school-
houses are generally well built and commodious.
One is of stone, one of brick, and others of wood, well
finished and painted.
There have never been permanent provisions made
in this town for a higher education than what is ob
tained in the Common Schools. We notice several,
however, who were born and spent their youth here,
that have overcome obstacles, and with an education
more or less extensive, have entered some of the pro
fessions. These are Rev. Wesley Miller, a clergyman
in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He graduated
at the Wesleyan University in 1848. We may also
notice Mr. Jacob Eaton, who is a member of the
' Presbyterian Church in this place, and also of the
Theological-Department of Yale -College. He is now
* The author has been informed that a log school-house was erect"
ed in 1798. It stood in the vicinity of Philo Spencer's residence.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 65
about entering the last year of.his preparatory studies
for the ministry. In the legal profession, we notice
Mr. Henry L. Palmer, who is practicing law in Mil-
waukie, Wisconsin. Of physicians, we notiee Drs.
Lowell Lillibridge, who died in California, Solomon
Essary, who is practicing medicine near Chester,
New York, Charles T. Wheeler, who is a practicing
physician in Indiana, William H. Wheeler, who is
now dead, and Jirah Rogers, who is practicing medi
cine in Wisconsin.
For a greater diffusion of knowledge among the
people, there has been for many years^a circulating
library in town. It consists at the present. time of
157 volumes. XI. RESIDENT PHYSICIANS.
i
. The first resident physician in this township was
Dr. Asa Parks. He lived in a house which stood
east of Mr. John F. Sherwood's residence^, on the farm
now owned by Mr. Arthur. The old chimney stack
is still to be seen. He resided here "three or four
years, and was considered a good physician. He was
afterwards a successful practitioner in Montrose for
many years. Before he came here the people em
ployed Dr. Chandler, who resided in Gibson, about
sixteen miles west of this place. His ride extended
beyond here twenty miles to the Delaware river.
The next resident physician was Dr. John P. Ken
nedy. He, came in 18-11, and left in 1815. He lived
in a house which stood nearly opposite Mr. John F.
Sherwood's.

66 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
In 1814 Drs. Jonathan French and Uriel Wright
began their residence in this town. Dr. French was
from Newburyport in Massachusetts, where he had
very successfully devoted his efforts to his profession
for fifteen years. He was a skilful physician, possess
ing a finished education, and refined in his deport
ment. He came here to relieve himself from an ex
hausting practice. He designed, also, to engage in
*he lumber business. He had, however, while here,
many professional calls. Not succeeding in lumber
ing to his expectation, he remained but two or three
years. Dr. Wright, who came at the same time, was
then a young man from Berkshire County, Massachu
setts. He has consequently practiced medicine here
forty-one years. Part of this time he has had a ride of
fifteen or twenty miles around, often through a deso
late wilderness. Though the frosts of many winters
have whitened his few remaining hairs, he may still
be- seen breasting the storm with a resolute spirit to
reach the sick and suffering.
In 1834 Dr. Ed win Eldridge came, and had a limit
ed practice of about two years.
In 1837 Dr. Rodney Harmes began his practice of
medicine in this place. He was from Sullivan
County, New York, and had recently entered upon
his profession. He still resides here as one of the
physicians of this township.
Dr. Frederick Tracy began the practice of medicine
here in 1851. After a practice of about two years
he removed his residence from this place.

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 67
XII. HITNTERS.
There is another class of men who deserve a no
tice in the history of this town. They do so from
the fact that their work is now done. If, therefore,
it is not written, it must be left to an uncertain tra
dition. I refer to the hunter. There are emergen
cies in a hunter's life which educe the qualities of
the man. There are few men who are or can be
hunters. A thoughtless boy can shoot an innocent
robin or a merry squirrel, who gives you a lively chirp
before he dodges into his underground room : but
he is no hunter. There are emergencies in a hun
ter's life which require the most sterling traits of
character, such as would make him a Leonidas or a
Bonaparte, if in their circumstances. He must be a
man of the utmost coolness in the midst of the most
terrific scenes, quick and judicious in his movements,
and of indomitable perseverance and bravery. The
men who have proved these qualities in conflict with
the fierce animals of the wilderness deserve our
notice. The first instance, though somewhat amusing,
shows the tenacity with which a hunter will cling
to his prey. It seems Mr. John Tiffany and Mr.
Elijah Peck were hunting deer, and shot at a large
buck. He fell to the ground. Mr. Tiffany imme
diately ran to cut his throat and remove the blood.
When he had grasped his horns, with one foot on
each side of his body, the animal instantly rose with
him upon his back, and ran off at the top of his

68' HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
speed. He still clung to him, and vanished in the
distance, crying out to his companion, '• 'Lijah !
'Lijah ! ! 'Lijah ! ! ! But in that perilous flight Elijah
could afford him no assistance. He soon relinquished
his grasp, and was very unceremoniously alighted.
He was found by his companion uninjured.
Mr. George McMulIen settled in this town in 1800,
and is of Scotch descent. He is tall, bony, yet com
pactly built, has a Roman nose, broad capacious
mouth, a dark expressive eye, which is usually rest
less in its socket. He is animated in conversation,
commanding in his general appearance, and disdains
to be outdone. He has the natural qualities for a
successful hunter. He has engaged in it more or
less the greater part of his life. He has not done it
for the profit °f it so much as because he is passion
ately fond of it. Though now in his seventieth year,
he will travel from ten to fifteen miles a day in pur
suit of a deer. He is full of animation in this his
favorite sport. Said he a few days ago, after return
ing from a chase, "The smeil of the woods excites
me when I have my rifle in my hand. I am ready
for anything." His life is full of stirring incidents.
He has had many bloody battles with the ferocious
animals of this county in its wild state. He will
entertain you for .hours in relating them with such
vivacity and excitement that you will think your
self in the midst of them. A few of these must
serve the present occasion. On one of his hunting
excursions he was out with another hunter and two
dogs. They discovered a panther, and the dogs treed

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 69
him. When they came up, he saw him with his
enormous body stretched from limb to limb. His
fierce eyes glared wildly down upon his foes. But
our hunter with great deliberation levelled his rifle.
Instantly the panther jumped upon a large hemlock
limb, which being a little rotten, broke, and he fell
in a place surrounded with fallen trees. Here the
dogs closed in for a battle. At the first blow the
panfher struck one of the dogs, and tore the entire
flesh from one side of his jaw, which sent him howl
ing through the woods. The other, of " better
pluck," grabbed the panther by the neck for a death-
struggle. Our hunter saw his favorite dog dread
fully torn. Blood flowed from both combatants in a
fearful manner. He called for his comrade's ax
with which to end the fierce battle. But, alas ! his
companion stood with ghastly countenance, terror-
strieken, and seemed not to know what he said. He,
therefore, went to him, and seized his loaded rifle,
and rushed to the scene of conflict.1 Watching his
opportunity amid their writhing struggles, he put
the puzzle of the rifle at the heart of the panther
so as not to injure his dog, and thus ended the battle.
After the death of the panther, so deeply and firmly
were his claws imbedded in the neck of the dog, he
was obliged to cut the cords of his paw to extract
them. But this is not the only conflict he has had with
this kind of animal. On another occasion he was
out alone in one of his favorite hunts. His attention
was caught by a heavy rustling and crackling of

70 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
limbs, mingled with a deep growl. He hastened to
the place, and found an enormous panther fighting
with a bear. Unobserved, he watched their attacks.
He saw the panther rush upon the bear, grab her
by the neck, when she would fall and hold the pan
ther by the fore-paws, and tear him with her hind-feet,
so that the skin and blood flew out at every stroke.
He would soon let go his hold, yet exasperated to the
highest degree, he would clinch the bear again. At
the third onset our hunter thought he would have a
share in the fight. He very deliberately discharged
his rifle at the panther, when instantly- he left the
bear and came bounding at him,, enraged to frenzy.
He declares that the eyes ofthe panther were like
balls of fire, and his teeth of the bigness of his
thumb. As the maddened animal was about to
spring upon him, he, eying him sharply, swung
his rifle, and gave one of his terrific yet characteristic
howls which brought the panther to a stand about' a
rod from him. He continued to swing his rifle, and
eye him fiercely, with such a growl as George
McMullen only can make. The panther made round
hini ready to spring, yet cowered by fear, until the
bear, who had been defending her whelps- from the
panther, came and again fell upon him. At this in
stant he attempted to re-load, hut in his hurry he
unconsciously put the ball in first. He declares it
is the only time he ever lost self-possession in all
his conflicts and adventures with wild beasts. But
the bear having worsted the panther and drove him
off, came back fiercely upon him. He snapped his

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 71
rifle, but tcrhis astonishment it missed fire. There
was no alternative but a close fight. He began to
swing his rifle as the bear approached, and raise one
of his inimitable howls. He had always a knife
ready for such emergencies ; but before called to
use it, the bear heard her whelps, which the pan
ther had treed, coming. down and made off for them.
But he would not give it up so. He was determined
to carry home the bear with her whelps. He repeat
edly primed his rifle, but to his utter astonishment
it missed fire. There was no other way but to go
home in disappointment. Not until he had taken
his rifle to pieces did he discover his unconscious
mistake. *
, At another time his spirit was roused by some
wolves which had made depredations upon the flocks
in this town. He tracked them over the Lackawanna
into Susquehanna County, and found their den far
away from any human habitations. Not being able
to draw them out, he prepared to have a battle with
them in their own den. So, setting down his rifle at
the mouth of the den, and grasping his knife, he,
down upon his hands and knees, made his way in
through the narrow passes of projecting rocks^ He
found on his arrival that, contrary to his expecta
tion, the old wolves were not at home. But per
ceiving in that dark abode a nest of half-grown cubs,
he grabbed one, drew him out, and killed him. En
couraged by his success, he went in again, grabbed
another, who, not so willing to be dragged out in this
manner, bit his wrist badly ; but finding that this

72 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
did not relieve him from the death grasp around his
heels, he made a most pitiable and deafening outcry
which roused the old wolves. No 'sooner had he
reached the mouth of the den with the crying cub
and ended his troubles, than they were seen coming
with all possible vengeance. He immediately grasp
ed his rifle and took his stand. Not being able to
make his rifle bear upon them as-they came up, they
snapped at him and passed by. Again they wheeled
and came at him, but he defended their attack.
They then parted, one to attack him on one side and
the other on the other side. As the enraged mother
came snarling with her bare teeth, he deliberately
discharged a ball into her jaws- Then instantly
turning upon the other and yelling in defiance at
him, he was so intimidated as to make good his re
treat. He then plunged into the den again and
brought out every cub, and when he had counted
the dead he found nine cubs and their mother, re
gretting most of all that one should have escaped.
What becomes of the lauded adventure of General
Putnam into the wolf's den when compared with
that of George McMullen? But we must notdwell
longer upon these fearless encounters. His life is
full of them. He has often traversed this county
in this his favorite sport. At one time he was in the
wilderness in the north part of it thirteen successive
nights, without seeing a human person during the
time. It was his custom, when young, to teach
school during the winter. Before going to his school
he would have a hunt. One autumn he killed sixty-

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 73
five deer, eleven bears, six red foxes, and nine mar
tens. He then went down to the Susquehanna river,
near the Wyoming valley, and taught school during
the winter.
Mr. John Wrighter settled in this town in 1812. He
is of German descent. His father was a native of
Bavaria. He has a tall, heavy-built frame. His
features are all well developed. His movements are
slow, but firm and forcible. His mind, partaking
of his bodily characteristics, is well balanced — acts
with great deliberation and perseverance, and is
not .moved by difficulties or dangers. He has culti
vated a farm, and devoted but a part of his time to
hunting. His success is owing more to his calm and
fearless manner of. meeting wild animals, than from
any dexterity.
On one occasion, while hunting, he saw the head
of a large buck peering up from behind an obstacle.
He shot,- and the deer fell. Dropping his gun, he ran
up to make sure of him; but, when within a step or
two, the wounded buck rose upon his enemy. An
enraged buck is a most dangerous animal to meet.
His remarkable strength and agility combined, make
him a formidable foe. Throwing forward his horns,
With every bristle erect, he made a pass a"t him. But,
with greaj coolness, he evaded his blow, and grabbed
his horn. Then came " the tug of war." For some
time they fought in close combat. The buck, bran
dishing his antlers, would have been glad to have
plunged them into his foe and tossed him into the air.
But he found the iron sinews of the old German too
4

74 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
strong for him. His cool, deliberate mode of warfare
was more than a match for the sprightly buck. His
strength was soon exhausted, and our hunter, who
had long aimed to throw his combatant with his feet
from him — for he had no thought of being raked with
his sharp hoofs, — now succeeded. He laid him: across
a log, which gave him an opportunity to draw his
knife and end the conflict.
- On another occasion he tracked a bear and some
whelps far into the wilderness. While in pursuit he
came suddenly upon the old bear at the mouth of her
den. He had no sooner lodged his rifle ball in her
body than she wheeled, and the dog made after her.
But the commotion without alarmed the cubs within.
They came rushing to the mouth of the den, when
they were met by the old German, who grabbed one
by the neck. He thought he could hug as hard as a
young bear. But he soon found that he had "caught
a Tartar." The little fellow proved to be as long-
wind-ed as his antagonist. But the stalwart hunter
'had been accustomed to these close fights. He had
no thought of making compromises with young Bruin.
A few more struggles brought this " fast youth" up
against a log, where our hunter, releasing one hand,
drew his knife and ended the battle. The young cub
weighed fifty pounds.
It would seem that such a victory would have satis
fied German ambition for that day. But, on his way
home, he fell upon another track, which soon brought
him to a cave or den among the rocks. He entered
the mouth of it, and saw, about twenty feet before

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 75
him, the glaring eye-balls of old Bruin, who had re
tired to her dark lair. Aiming at the space between
the glaring eye-balls, hoping there might be brains
there, he sent his leaden bullet on its message of death.
After the smoke had passed away he crawled in, knife
in hand, to reconnoitre the field and bring off the tro
phies _f victory, if there should be any. As he ad
vanced, he discovered that the enemy were not all
dead, and that it might be safer for him to retreat to
a place where he could have a fairer field. According
ly, having returned, he took his rifle, and, re-entering,
he again saw two eye-balls in that dark retreat rolling
wildly at him. Seeing nothing very agreeable in their
motion, he soon treated them to the same material he
had before done. The smoke having removed, he re
entered, to count and recover the dead. Creeping
cautiously, with knife in hand, he discovered now no
fiery eye-balls — no movement — no signs of life.. He
at length laid his hand firmly on his prey ; but life was
extinct. He dragged out an old bear with her cub.
XIII. MRS. SARAH BENJAMIN.
There is a woman in this town who, on account
of her extreme age, claims a notice in this discourse.
Her name is Sarah Benjamin., Her maiden name
was Sarah Mathews. She was born in Goshen, .Orange
County, New York, on the 17th of November, 1745.
She was, therefore,- 110 years old on Saturday last.
She has had three husbands. The first was Mr. Wil
liam Read. He served in the Revolutionary war, and
was in the army in the early part of the struggle. He

76 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
died of a wound received while inVirginia. Her second
husband was Mr. Aaron Osborne, of Goshen, Orange
County, New York. He also was in the army of the
Revolution, and survived the war. She was with him
during a part of the time he was in the army, as will
presently appear. She has had five children. Her
youngest is now sixty-seven years old. She settled
in this town with her last husband, Mr. John Benja
min, about the year 1822. He died in the year 1826.
She has now in this place her great-great-grandchild,
which has descended from her youngest daughter.
Including herself, this child belongs to the fifth genera
tion. These. generations, still unbroken by death, have
often met in this town. But what is still more re
markable is, that none of them have the vivacity which
she, even now, has in conversation. Few persons in
the prime of life, can throw so much animation into
a brief interview/as this relic of a past age. She has
naturally great energy of mind and body. She is bold,
fearless, very cheerful, and ready for a joke with any
one. She has enjoyed remarkably good health all her
life. She says she was never sick but once. She then
sent for the physician of this place, who left her some
medicine. But, after he was gone, she, not liking the
smell of it, says she " threw the dirty stuff into the
fire, and then had to pay for it." The doctor never
loses a good joke from her, on account of it, to the
present day. ^
Her parents moved into this State when she was
quite young. They resided at Minisink. She has a
distinct recollection of crossing the Delaware, and of

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 77
being lifted up in the arms of one of the men as they
approached the shore, to pick some beautiful clusters
of ripe strawberries.
From her youth, until over forty years of age, she
was in the midst of the rough and stirring scenes of
the border warfare and Revolutionary struggle. Her
temperament was such, that she could be no idle
spectator. She entered very deeply into those trying
events. She distinctly recollects' the family of Mr.
Broadhead, whose sons, in 1755, boldly resisted a
party of 200 Indians, making their house a fort. She
has often been in this house, and says it was built of
stone. She was acquainted with Nicholas Depuis and
his family, and will now repeat a piece of poetry, of
about twenty lines, written concerning an unhappy,
though somewhat romantic marriage of his son. She
was in the vicinity of Minisink when Brant, the In
dian chief, led a party of Indians and Tories through
that settlement, scalping the inhabitants and burning
their houses. She entered very deeply into the spirit
of the Revolutionary war. She was confident of its
success, and had no fears of danger. After her sec
ond marriage, in the latter part of the war, she accom
panied her husband in the army. During their
marches, she made herself useful in preparing food,
and when not thus employed, engaged in sewing for
the officers and men. She was, however, ready for
any service which circumstances seemed to require.
When the army were engaged in embarking some
heavy ordnance at Kingsbridge on the Hudson, osten
sibly to attack New York, then in the hands of the

78 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
enemy, it was necessary to do it in the night, and to
place sentries around, lest they should be observed, or
taken by surprise: Her husband having been placed
as a sentinel, she came and took his place, with over
coat and gun, that he might help" load the heavy ar
tillery. Soon, however, General Washington came
round to examine the outposts, and seeing something
in her appearance a little unusual, said : " Who placed
you here?" She promptly replied, in her character
istic way, "Them that had a right to, Sir !" He,
apparently pleased with her independent and patri
otic spirit, passed on.
She accompanied the army with her husband to the
South, and was present at the siege of Yorktown and
surrender of Cornwallis. During the battle, she was
busy in carrying water to the thirsty and relieving
the wants of the suffering. When passing where the
bullets of the enemy were flying, she met General
Washington, who said*: " Young woman, are you not
afraid of the bullets ?" She promptly and pleasantly
replied : " The bullets will never cheat the gallows."
She says the General smiled, and passed on.
Such is her extraordinary energy — even in her ex
treme age — that she will now relate the events of
those days with all the vivacity of youth. Though
-she receives a pension from Government for her sup
port, she can never sit down without having some
work in her hands. She tenaciously holds to the old
practice of carding and spinning wool. She says she
" is no friend to machines that save labor and make
people lazy." At this extreme age, she takes the

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 79
wool in the fleece, cards, spins, doubles, often with
three threads, and knits it. The fineness and beauty
of the yarn is a wonder and admiration to all. Not
a youHg lady can be found able to compete with her
in the beauty and value of her work.- Until quite
recently, she has had all 'the ambition of youth to
spin every day her "day's work." Not long since, in
calling upon her, we found her spinning wool at a
" little wheel." he is not now able to spin at the
" large wheel." Without Stopping her wheel, she
says, pleasantly: "I must finish my day's work."
We sat down by her side, to witness with astonish
ment, in the motions of that aged form, what we
never expect to see in another. Having finished the
roll in her hand, she arose as usual, and welcomed
us. That wheel- she has used sixty years, and, after
having been somewhat repaired, now turns out under
her hand good work Her work has also been ex
hibited in the American Institute, and received very
flattering notices. Her yarn and stockings are in
great demand. Persons from a distance, visiting this
town, do not fail to call on her for a specimen of her
yarn or stockings. She sent a beautiful specimen of
fine woollen stockings to the World's Fair in New
York. The wool fof them was taken in the fleece,
and the entire work was done by herself. We also
notice that, at our county fair, last month, she took
the premium on linen cloth.
She still keeps up the practice of making yearly-
visits to her old friends in town. These visits are
usually made on foot. If at a distance, she is willing

80 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
to ride, but disdains the effeminate fetiquette of being
helped into a carriage. Your speaker was permitted
to welcome her to the parsonage, at a donation visit,
one year ago last January. It will not be a breach
of propriety here, to say that he received from her a
beautiful pair of stockings, made from the fleece with
her own hands. The yarn, though fine, is composed
of three threads. He has never seen the occasion
which could justify him in treading Upon the memen
to of such an aged friend, without committing a sac
rilegious act. At this visit, two other aged females
were present : one seventy -three, and the other sixty-
nine. All seemed to enjoy the interview. But the
oldest seemed to be the youngest, and the youngest
the oldest.
Ten days from that visit the youngest died. At
the close of this interview, being about to have a
season of worship, our Eiged friend, then one hundred
and eight years old, sang, with a clear, distinct voice,
the following verse :
" The day is past and gone,
The evening shades appear —
Oh, may we all remember well
The night of death draws near. " .
And then knelt with us during prayer.
But, most of allj am I happy to say here, she ap
pears to have the consolations and hopes of the Saviour's
love. She has often said : " This is all my comfort."
She is ready and waiting to depart.- The infirmities
of age seem to be growing upon her. May the kind

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 81
and gracious Saviour bear her aged form gently down
wards to the tomb, and gather her redeemed spirit
into the bosom of his love.
I have now finished my plan for writing the history
of this township. I have carried you through the
lights and shades of life as here developed. This may
be very imperfectly done. But I am reminded that
there is another history, written by an unerring hand.
It is a history of thought, of conduct, and of charac
ter. The leaves of that history are on high. Our
fathers have. many of them gone to meet it. A few
of them yet stand waiting at the river of death.
Soon, fellow-citizens, shall we all appear where a
different history of life will be read from that which
I have written. There, mere earthly names and dis
tinctions are nothing. Character and the awards of
that life are tried by a different standard from that
found in human records. When we meet in that
world, and those books shall be ppened, may we all
find our names written in the Lamb's book of life.

APPENDIX.

NO. I.
MILITARY EVENTS.
Until after the war of 1812, military honors were
sought for and highly prized. To be a captain even
was an enviable distinction. There was no military
organization north of the Shoholy Creek until after
Wayne County was constituted. This organization
took place at Willsonville, in 1798. Mr. Samuel
Stanton was, at this time and place, elected Major of
the battalion. He held this office two years, when he
resigned, and Mr. Joseph Tanner succeeded him. Mr.
Tanner was succeeded "by Mr. Jason Torrey ^ This
office was held during the latter part of the war of
1812 by Mr. Luther Starks;
The following persons held the office of Captain
until, after this war, and in the following .order :
John Tiffany— Elijah Peck— Thomas Mumford —
Chandler Tiffany — Luther Starks, and Harry Mum
ford. The first battalion-training in this town was
in 1813. The first regimental training was in 1804,
under Colonel Asa Stanton. There was also another

APPENDIX. 83
here, under Colonel Harry Mumford, who received
his commission in 1828. There have been various
military elections here for battalion and regimental
officers. The, battalion covered this county, and the
regiment covered" this and Susquehanna Counties.

NO. II.
GRAVE- YARDS.
There are three public grave-yards in this town.
All of them are well protected by substantial stone
walls, and are held as town property. These are lo
cated in the southern, central, and northern parts of
the township. The land for the central yard was
given, one-half by Mr. Benjamin King, and the other
half was designed as a donation to the town by Mr.
Silas Kellogg, but, by an oversight, he did not reserve
it in the sale of the*1 adjoining land, and the town re
ceived it as a gift from the purchaser, Mr. Benjamin
Wheeler. The first burial in this ground took place in June,
1802. The individual was a daughter of Mr. Abram
Cramer, who had recently been married to Mr.
Joseph Reeder. She was well known and highly es
teemed by all. The funeral was held in a grove on
the east side of the grave-yard . A large number of
people were present, who listened to a discourse by the
Rev. Epaphras Thompson, from Revelation xiv. 13 :
" Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord," &c.
The grave-yard situated in the south part of the

84 APPENDIX.
town, was first occupied for this purpose in 1826-
The individual first buried was Mr. Gilbert Horton.
The land was given by Mr. David Horton, and con
sists of about one-half of an acre. »
The third public grave-yard is in the north part of
the town. The land was given by Mr. Samuel Brook
ing, and consists of about one acre. The first burial
was on Nov. 14, 1850. Several graves, located on
private property, were opened, and the bodies interred
in the yard. Prayer was offered on the occasion, and
an address, appropriate to the opening of this ground,
was delivered by the Rev. Samuel Whaley.

NO. III.
MORTALITY.
The following notice ofthe deaths in this town for
the thirteen years past, may be of some service, as
well as interest, in the history of this town. The
author is indebted for it to Mr. William R. Stone :

In 1843 there were

((

1844,

i'

a

1845.

it

11

1846,

n

tl

1847,

tl

u

1848,

n

((

1849,

it

((

1850,

u

ll

1 Rn!

((

20 deaths

19

u

14

-(

6

n

9

n

46

u

19

it

11

il

8

u

APPENDIX.

In 1852 there were

13 deaths

" 1853; " . .

. 20 "

" 1854, "

20 "

" 1855, .• " . .

. 10 "

It will be seen from this table that the year 1848
was remarkable for its number of deaths. -The cause
of this will be seen by giving an extract from the
annual discourse of the pastor of the Presbyterian
Church in this town, delivered Jan. 7, 1849 :--
" During the last year there were forty-six deaths
in this town. This is a very unusual number. For
the five years preceding this last, the average num
ber of deaths in this town was thirteen and six-tenths
for each year. This certainly is a small number for
the population. Placing the population at 1700, and
the deaths in this town, for the five years past, have
been one for every one hundred and twenty-five
persons. This surely is a small number. There are
few places that can be said to be as healthful."
The deaths in this State, according to the census of
1850, are in the proportion of one to every eighty-one
of the population. " The ratio of deaths in the city
of New York, which is called a healthful city, is one
to every 36 or 37 of its population. Whereas, in this
town, for five. years past we have had only one death
to every one hundred and twenty-five of the popula
tion. Last year, however, which proved to be a very
sickly season, there has been one death to every
thirty-seven of our population. This large increase
of deaths in this town was caused by the epidemic

86 APPENDIX.
which prevailed here during the months of August
and September. This will be seen from the number
of deaths in each month. In January, one ; in Feb
ruary, two •; in March, one ; in April, two ; in May,
one ; in June, one ; in July, three ; in August, seven
teen ; in September, twelve ; in October, two ; in
November, three, and in December, one. Thus it
will be seen that the epidemic was mostly confined to
August and September. With the exception of these
months; we have but seventeen deaths in town during
the year. This epidemic — the dysentery — has never
before been known to prevail in this town. The same
thing may be seen from the various causes which have
produced it, and their relative number. They are as
follows : Four infants, whose disease was unknown ;
croup, two ; pleurisy, one ; parturition, one ; inflam
mation of bowels, one ; chronic rheumatism, two ;
consumption, one ; fever, two ; worms, one ; lung-
fever, one ; old age, one ; asthma, one ; cholera-mor-
bus, two ; dysentery, twenty-six. Thus it will be
seen that the greatest number of deaths has been
caused by this disease, and that, aside from this, no
one disease has prevailed — two being the highest
number from any other disease. It will also be seen,
from the following statement, that this disease has
proved most fatal among children. Died, during the
past year, at the age of five, and younger, nineteen ;
between five and twenty, seven ; between twenty and
forty, nine ; between forty and sixty, four ; and from
sixty and older, seven. There have been nearly as
many deaths among children of five years old and

APPENDIX. 87
younger, as those of all other ages. With these facts
before us, it is extremely difficult to form any con
clusion as to the cause of this unusual mortality.
Many things have been conjectured, but it is evident
that no one cause can account for it. A variety of
circumstances expose the system to disease. The
same epidemic prevailed"" during the last season in
many parts of our country, and in its healthiest locali
ties. But, whatever may have been the immediate
cause, we know there is one First Great Cause, who
rules all intermediate causes. Sickness and death
are at His disposal. In His hands are all the springs
of life."
NO. IV.
This township is elevated from sixteen to seventeen
hundred feet above tide-water. The following table,
prepared with much care, for the different months of
the years 1846 and 1849, will show the character of
the seasons, temperature and variations :

88

APPENDIX..

Mean

t- io uri »— ( cm

r- co cq cq -¦# cq ¦«#

Variation.

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rH CM i-H rH

r-^ cq co in co ¦<* oo
i— I i— 1 i-H r-4 r-H i— 1

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cq <M CO'"--* CO £-
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OXONi--
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il
a
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APPENDIX. 89

NO. V.

The Dyberry is called in the oldest surveys of this
region, the " northeast branch of the Lackawaxen."
From various accounts, it is probable it received its
present name as follows :
At an early period, a Mr. Dye began improvements
on this stream, a little above the present village of
Honesdale. He felled some of the timber and girdled
some. In this state he left it, and did not return. In
a few years it was covered with bushes, which bore
a bountiful supply of luxuriant berries. This was
called Dye's berry-field — or Dye's berries. Hence,
Dyberry. This name was given to the stream, upon
whose margin the field, was located..
NO. VI.
The following is a copy of some verses written by
Mr. Samuel Stanton. As they have a historical in
terest, and embody the opinion then generally enter
tained, that there would be a great western thorough
fare, through this region, they are here inserted. The
author is indebted for them to Hon. Paul S. Preston,
who has also kindly furnished other documents of
interest and value.
The most that was then expected was a good turn-
'pike road. Little did they think of a great iron
railway connecting New York City and Lake Erie.
Had the writer seen the majestic arch of the Erie
Railroad, which now spans the Cascade gulf, and

90 '* APPENDIX.
the ponderous trains, laden with a nation's wealth,
forced on their way by the iron horse, his poetic ge
nius would have kindled with new fire.
"A few Lines of Poetry, attempted on seeing and assisting in
building the town of Harmony, on the Susquehanna River, Aug. 2,
1789.

" When I see towns and cities rise,
It fills my mind with sweet surprise
To find what man may do :
To see bright genius displayed,
And deserts turned to marts for trade,
Is sure a pleasant show.

' In contemplation rapt, methinks
I see on Susquehanna's banks,
Where savages long rov'd,
A pretty town in order stand,
Stored with the riches of the land,
Possess'd by men belov'd.

' Sweet, happy place, called Harmony.
Strangers must say, when they pass by,
The Founder they approve ;
Who from a forest wild didTaise
A seat where men may spend their days
In friendship, peace, and love.

'Here nature, industry, and art,
Join — and their various powers exert
In several different ways.
The builders do cut down and hew
The pines whicli unregarded grew,
And famous houses raise.

APPENDIX. 91

"Each tradesman here may have employ,
And the oppressed are filled with joy,
That virtue has a home.
The vicious here no count'nance find,
But the distressed are used kind,
And here the honeat come.
VI.
" Here health and peace do walk the round-
Plenty springs from the well-till'd ground,
Where honest farmers live :
More happy far than warriors are,
The fruits of their industry share,
¦ And to the needy give.

' ' From the high rock with lofty roar,
The Cascade stream did useless -pour,
But now its use we know.
Millers and clothiers it maintains —
The smith and potash-maker gains
A living by its flow.

" The gardens it from drought defends,
And what none use still downward tends,
To join the flood below.
There boats do find a pleasant road,
And their rich treasures they unload,
And safely come and go.
IX.
" How curiously the streets are plann'd,
How thick the stores and houses stand —
How full of goods they are !
From north and south the merchants meet,
Have what they wish for most complete,
And to their home*, repair,

92 APPENDIX.

" Drinker is worthy of esteem,
Who plann'd and brought about the scheme
That. I this day do see.
May blessings all thy plans attend —
While thou art still the poor man's friend,
Thou art beloved by me. ,

' And Preston, too, who takes the care,
May he in all the blessings share,
And always have a friend ;
And have a long and prosperous life,
A worthy woman for a wif*;,
To love and to defend.

' ' The workmen who assist to raise '
The town, must have a little praise,
And some good wish bestow' d ;
May they Hve long — be good and great —
Be bless'd in person and estate,
And walk the right-hand road."
NO. VII.
The following letter was received too late to be
used in the Discourse, but which contains some state
ments worthy of notice. It was written by a native
of this town, who spent his youth in this place :
Gibson, Jan. 29*/*, 1856.
Eev. Mr. Whalet :
Dear Sir : I have delayed replying to your note,
hoping to be able to give the desired information;
but, up to this time, have not been able to do so.
* * * By the way, short, as my life has been, I

APPENDIX. 93
have some recollections of the men of those early
times — of Samuel Stanton in particular. Well do I
remember accompanying my parents to religious
meetings in the barn of Samuel Stanton, somewhere
on Belmont Hill. No easy-cushioned seats in those
days. We boys were disposed of in the manger, or on
the scaffold. Well do I remember that the good mat
rons of those days — yea, and the young women (no
ladies then) — would carefully carry their shoes, when
going to meeting, till near the house, before they
would put them on. The more favored few, who
first came out with wagons of a most uncomfortable
build — a plain board box upon a stiff, unyielding axle
— were then considered, aristocratic. ¦ In short, the
real and pressing wants of the times left no room for
indulgence in luxuries. When we go back in imagi
nation, and try to contemplate* what our first settlers
endured, the thought is interesting and melancholy.
For long, long years, they labored on in their wilder
ness-homes — the deep snows of the dreary winter
shutting them out from all communication with the
more favored world. Some pressing want compels
the father to leave his little family for a season— his
stay may be necessarily protracted^-sickness visits
his little family. For long, long days and weary
nights, his companion watches over the sick ones, and
with painful anxiety awaits his return. No friendly
voice salutes her ear — no physician is at her com
mand. But the actors of those trying times are gone
t— their history is buried with them. It is well that
the little which can be gathered up should be preserved.

94 APPENDIX.
A knowledge of what our fathers endured may be
useful to us, and to those who live after we are
gone. I think the undertaking very commendable,
and wish you much success in its prosecution.
Respectfully, Yours, &c, N. E. KENNEDY..1"

NO. VIII.
The following facts concerning this road are taken
from a report made by the company to the Senate, in
1822. They may be of interest, to show the magni
tude and value of this road in the first period of its
existence-r— as well as the enterprise of the inhabit
ants :
" The length of this road is fifty miles. Beginning
at the Delaware river, it passes through the towns of
Damascus, Lebanon, and Mount Pleasant, in Wayne
County, and Gibson, New Milford, and Great Bend,
in Susquehanna County. It was begun in 1806, and
finished ,, in 1811. The act of incorporation provided
for 1,000 shares of $50 each, with power to increase
the'number of shares, so as to fulfil the intention of
the act. The number of shares taken was 1,657.
The capital stock, therefore, amounted to $82,850*
The road received no assistance from the State. It
was built by individual enterprise— most of the stock
was taken on the line ofthe road. It was constructed
twenty feet wide. The materials are, earth, stone,
lime, and timber. Its form was convex, being- about
four inches- higher in the centre than at the sides*

APPENDIX. 95
During the three first years, it paid a debt of $11,000,
besides keeping itself in repair.
This road furnished a very convenient passage for
settlers in this new country and westward. Some
portions of this part of the State owe their early ex
istence and growth to this road. It gave a decided
impulse to jthe increase of population and improve
ments to the surrounding country."
NO. IX.
•' This road was begun in 1812. It commences at
Mount Pleasant, and was to terminate at Dingman's
Ferry on the Delaware river, in Pike County — a dis
tance of fifty miles. It was, however, never finished
further thanvits intersection with the Milford and
Owego turnpike — a distance of thirty-two miles.
The capital stock was $40,000. Private subscriptions,
$24,000. State subscription, $8,000. Average cost
of the road per mile was $904. The principal ob
jects of the road were — to open a communication to
market, chiefly to Philadelphia, by way of the Dela--
ware river — and promote the more rapid settlement-
of this part of the State. In consequence of great
changes in public improvements and modes of travel,
it has been relinquished, with the exception of that
"portion lying between Bethany and Mount Pleasant."
y
..NO. X.
The average yield of Indian corn, under good til
lage,, is fifty bilshels per acre. The cost of raising it

APPENDIX.

is about fifty-two cents per bushel. The soil being
highly adapted to grazing, more attention, of'late, has
been paid to dairying than any other branch of agri
culture. NO. XI. *
The following are the names of those who united
in the .organization of this Church :
SAMUEL STANTON, MARTHA STANTON,"
JOSEPH TANNER, LYDIA TANNER,
MARGARET DIX,* RHODA STEARNS.
NO. XII.
The following are the names of the communicants
on this occasion : — Joseph Tanner, Samuel Stanton,
Abram Cramer, Joseph Cromwell, Margaret Dix,
Rhoda Stearns, Martha Stanton, Lydia Tanner, and
Anna Cramer. NO. XIII.
This society was the first 'Temperance Society prop
erly of Wayne County. The Damascus andCochec-
to'n Temperance Society, organized in May, 1829,
was located partly in New York State. But nine
persons could be induced to join* this society" at its'
organization. It became auxiliary to the Wayne
County Temperance Society, in 1832. In 1834, the
society took forty copies of "The Temperance Re
corder."