!liili;>|liiitl|;i|-' la!' W I :> IB THE FRIES REBELLION. *=•*! ^k m l!i.' 'Il'l tl'! ^S.i I.H,. ¦iL'ill'''' n\ ^|I3^M:..' ' ''"'"" " " " " '"" * "!H!:S^:feT':^^i^i^;^;W:;V':r -J • *f V ' k>tiAi II P^i ¦ YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY THE FRIES REBELLION 1798-99 AN ARMED RESISTANCE TO THE HOUSE TA.X LAW, PASSED BY CON GRESS, JULY g, 1798, IN BUCKS AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA. BY W. W. H. DAVIS, A. M. .\UTH0R OF "EL GRINGO, OR NEW MEXICO AND HER PEOPLE;" "HISTORY OF THE I04TH PENNSYLVANIA RFJGIMENT ;" "LIFE OF GENERAL JOHN LACEY ;" "HIS TORY OF THE HART FAMILY; "THE SPANISH CONQUEST OF J-'-^ u^-^^^f^ ^^^ IM ^»-^ y-'^^ f'^H^ ^^^X^r^ -ivT^ft H'vw ^/*4^Y^ xJv^^ ^t^vf^ iy-i'^ti* i^ FACSIMILE OF A THREATENING NOTICE ISSUED DURING THE FREAS' REBELLION. ORIQINAL IN THE COLLECTION OF JOHN W. JORDAN, PHILADELPHIA. ^r*Jt*^ mT »A«-»^ ^t^iyl uUj^ a^ lytfT-tikff**^ THE FRIES REBELLION. 13 had reached a green old age, his widow was twice married, and died in Plainfield, 1855, at the age of eighty-nine years. He had three sons, Charles, Samuel and Enoch, and one daughter, Elizabeth. It is related by his descendants that while the troops were in pursuit of him, a party of soldiers came to his house one night, when his wife was alone, except her little daughter, Elizabeth. They heard of threats against his life, and, hearing them coming, she jumped out of bed and put a spike over the door to prevent them getting in, and, leaving her child in the house, ran out the back door and across the fields to alarm a neighbor. When she returned with help the soldiers were gone. This child was Mrs. Edmonds, living, i860, in Bushkill township, Northampton county, whose son, Jacob B. Edmonds, resided at Quakertown. Getman is supposed to have been born in Rockhill town ship, also, but we have not been able to learn anything of his history. His brother George died near Sellersville, Bucks county, March 4, 1855, at the advanced age of 92 years, 2 months and 10 days, respected by all his friends and neigh bors. He, likewise, was arrested during the trouble ; was tried and convicted but received a much lighter sentence than his brother John, being fined one hundred dollars and sent enced to undergo an imprisonment of 6 months. Heaney was the owner of a small house and lot. These two men were the advisors and confederates of John Fries, Getman be ing the most in his confidence. They lacked the intelligence and shrewdness of their leader, but were active in the cause and rendered him important service. Such were the three men who were the head and front of the " Fries Rebellion." Thus we have related the cause of the rebellion, with some ac count of the principal actors in it, and, in the next chapter, we shall give our readers a brief history of the overt acts of the insurgents. fhe f¥ie^ Rebellion. CHAPTER II. The Insurgents Prepare to E^esist the La-H?-. John Fries was probably the first to array himself against the law, immediately upon its passage and promulgation. His own intense hostility begat the desire that his neighbors and friends should agree with him in feeling, and he labored with great zeal to this end. When going about the county crying vendues, he was careful to sound the people as to how they stood upon the subject of the new tax, and was never back ward in expressing his own opinion. From a warm supporter of Mr. Adams and his Administration, he suddenly became their most bitter enemy, giving vent to his feelings in terms of unmeasured denunciation. He reasoned with, persuaded, and threatened all and seemed to make it his business to create enemies to the act. He was thus active during the Fall months of 1798, and, by the end of the year, had raised a fierce opposition to the law and those who were to carry it into execution. He was particularly hostile to the house-tax, and declared openly that no assessments .should be made in Milfo'rd township, nor tax collected if he could prevent it. We were informed by his son Daniel, then about eighteen, and had a distinct recollection of the events transpiring, that .several private meetings were held at his father's house before, any public demonstration was made. His friends and neigh bors met there to talk about the law, and determine, in a quiet manner, what was best to be done. At these conferences Fries always took the lead, and his stronger mind assisted to mould the opinion of others. (H) THE FRIES REBELLION. IS The time had now arrivedwhen some more active measures must be taken, and opinion changed to deeds. The period approached when the assessors were to commence their duties, and some public demonstration was necessary to prevent them carrying the law into effect. With this object in view, about the first of February, 1799, notices, without any names signed to them, were put up at various places in the township, calling a public meeting for Friday, the eighth, at the public house of John Klein, on the road leading to Gary's tavern, two miles southwest from Charlestown. On the day appointed, a num ber of persons assembled at the place of meeting late in the afternoon. The two most active and noisy men present were John Fries and George Mitchel,' who then kept the public house more recently occupied by Eli L. Zeigler, at the west end of Charlestown. This tavern was one of the places where the mal contents of the neighborhood assembled at evenings to talk over their grievances. Few, if any, at the meeting ap pear to have had a very definite idea of what should be done ; they disliked the house-tax and were opposed to paying it themselves, or permitting others to do so; but, beyond this, there was no plan of opposition, at this time. The law was discussed and its authors denounced in violent terms. Some expressed a doubt whether the bill had yet become a law. The newspapers of the day mentioned that an amend ment had lately passed Congress, which seemed to confuse the understanding of the people, and rendered them undecided as to whether the law was actually in force. After the matter had been sufficiently considered and the sense of the meeting fully explained. Fries, with the assistance of the publican, Mitchel, drew up a paper that was approved and signed by about fifty of those present. What the exact import of this paper was has never been determined, as neither the original nor a copy fell into the hands of the authorities. It is sup posed, however, to have contained merely a statement of the views of the signers upon the subject of the tax, and their de termination to oppose the execution of the law. Before ad- ' We are not able to learn anything further ot George Mitchell than is mentioned here. l6 THE FRIES REBELLION. journing, however, a resolution was passed requesting the as sessors not to come into the township to make the assessment, until the people were better informed whether the law was really in force ; and one Captain Kuyder appointed to serve a copy of the resolution upon them. Having transacted the business which brought them together, the people quietly dis persed and returned to their homes. The meeting was con ducted in the most orderly and peaceable manner, and there was no appearance of disturbance on the part of anyone. Our readers will bear in mind, that Mr. Chapman, com missioner for the counties of Bucks and Montgomery, met the assessors of the former county at the public house of Mr. Rodrock, the latter end of December, to deliver to them their instructions how to proceed in the assessments. Immediately after this meeting, these officers commenced the assessment in the respective townships assigned them. They proceeded without any trouble, or appearance of opposition, in all the townships but Milford, and even there the people, notwith standing the late agitation and excitement against the law, quietly acquiesce in its execution. It is true they did not like it, and would rather have avoided paying the tax, but they had abandoned all intention of resisting the law. Childs and Clark had both been appointed for Milford, and, before separating, fixed upon a day when they would begin in that township. Childs had also one or two other townships as signed him, and, it was arranged between them, they should assist each other, two days at a time, alternately. As Childs had already made some assessments in his own district, he agreed to help Clark whenever he should be ready to begin the work. Before the meeting adjourned at Rodrock's, the principal assessor named an early day to meet again, and make return of what they had done. Mr. Childs went to assist Clark according to agreement, but, when he reached his house, finding the latter was not able to go on with the assessments, he returned to finish up his own district. In Milford the ex citement was still running high ; and as threats of serious in jury had been made against the assessors, who were forbidden to enter the township, they declined to attempt it. THE FRIES REBELLION. 17 Fries and his friends had inflamed the minds of the people to such degree, that in some parts of the township they were almost in a condition to take up arms. The assessors met at Rodrock's, to make returns, on February 6, but as they did not complete their business that day they adjotirned to meet on the i6th. In the unsettled condition of things in Milford, the princi pal assessor, James Chapman, determined to take some steps to satisfy the people of that township in relation to the tax. For this purpose he thought it advisable to have a public meeting called at some convenient place, where he would ex plain the law, but not trusting altogether to his own judgment in the matter, he went to George Mitchel's on Monday, Feb ruary II, and consulted him. The latter agreeing with the principal assessor, he was requested to lend his assistance in getting up the meeting and assented. Word was sent to Jacob Hoover,^ who owned and lived at a mill on Swamp creek, on the road leading from Trumbauersville to Spinners- town, about one mile west of the former place, and the same later occupied by Jonas Graber,' to give notice of the meeting to the people of his neighborhood; and also to inform them they would be permitted to select their own assessor, and that any capable man whom they might name would be quali fied. The offer, however, did not meet with much favor in that section of the township, and the people declined to have anything to do with it. There seemed to be a general disposi tion, among the friends of Mr. Adams in the township, to have a public meeting called notwithstanding the failure of the first attempt — to endeavor to reconcile matters ; and Israel Roberts and Samuel Clark both saw Mitchell upon the sub ject. A few days after, Mr. Chapman again sent word to Mitchell to advertise a meeting, which he accordingly did, and 2 The Hoovers, or Hubers, immigrated from Switzerland between 1750 and 1760, and settled in Milford township. The father's name we do not know, but his wife's was Ann who was born 1722, died 1775, and was buried at the Trumbauersville church. Henry, one of the sons, made powder for the Penna. Committee of Safety, r776, at a mill on Swamp creek. Another son, John Jacob, was probably the "Jacob Hoover" mentioned here. 3 This was in 1859 ; the present owner we do not know. 1 8 THE FRIES REBELLION. the time fixed was the latter end of February, the place, his own tavern. The notice given was pretty general, and a large assemblage was expected. The Jacob Hoover here spoken of was the uncle of Reuben L. Wyker, who lived near Rule's store in Tinicum, and was active in assisting Fries. It is said he manufactured cartouch boxes for the use of the insurgents, and otherwise made him self useful to them. He escaped capture by having timely warning of the approach of the troops. George Wyker, also of Tinicum, and uncle of Reuben L., was in Philadelphia at market, at the time, and there learned that Jacob Hoover was to be arrested, and that a warrant had already been issued. Being anxious to prevent him falling into the hands of the federal authorities, he hastened l]ome, as soon as he had sold out his marketing, to give warning of the danger. He told his father what he had heard in the city. The latter was Nicholas Wyker, who lived on the same farm where Alfred Sacket lived in more recent years, on the hillside near Rule's store. He immediately set off for Hoover's, whom he found at home, apparently very much unconcerned, but entirely ignorant of the danger that threatened him. Even when told of the arrangements made to arrest him, he did not seem to give it much importance ; but, while they were in conversa tion Hoover looked out the window and saw the troops com ing up the road. This reminded him of the necessity of flee ing. He immediately ran out the back door, and, keeping the house between him and them, made his way to a neighboring thicket, into which he escaped. When the soldiers arrived at the house, they surrounded it and entered, but the bird had flown, and Hoover was nowhere to be found. After a thor ough search, the officer gave up the pursuit and returned with his soldiers, much chagrined. Hoover kept out of harm's way until the affair had blown over, when he returned home. He afterward removed to Lewistown, in this State, where he died. In the meantime the adjourned meeting to be holden at Rodrock's tavern, on February i6, at which the returns of the assessments were to be made, came off. All the assessors THE FRIES REBELLION. 1 9 except Mr. Clark, were there and reported the assessments had been nearly completed in all the townships except Mil ford, where nothing had as yet been done. The assessor of this township had been so much intimidated and threatened he was afraid to go about in the discharge of his duties. Mr. Foulke also expressed some fears of going into the township, as threats had likewise been made against him, and he antici pated trouble. This state of things changed his mind in re gard to permitting the people of the township to select their own assessor, and he now gave his consent to it, hoping it would conciliate them. He used his influence with the com missioner to induce him to agree to the same, snd he finally yielded and gave his permission. He notified the assessors, at the same time, that in case the people did not accept the terms offered them, and choose some person to discharge the duty, they would have to go into the township, and assist Clark to make the assessments. Proposals were made to the various assessors as to which would assume the duty, but each one had some excuse to give why he could not go, showing great unwillingness to place themselves in the way of danger. The unsettled condition of Milford alarmed tliem, John Fries and his friends being the terror of these officer.s. The time for the meeting advertised to take place at Mitchell's had now arrived, which was holden on a Saturday, and a great many persons were at it. Everhard Foulke and James Chapman were present on the part of the assessors. The meeting was called for the purpose of reading and ex plaining the law, as they were extremely ignorant of its pro visions and operations ; but they behaved in such a disorderly manner nothing could be done. A general fear appears to have seized upon those present. Mr. Foulke used his best en deavors to remove it, but without avail. In their present state of mind, as he well knew, any explanation of the law on his part would have but little, if any, effect, and he did not even attempt it. Among the well disposed citizens present was Jacob Klein, who, at the request of Mitchell, made an effort to calm the fears of the people, but he met with no success, for the clamor and noise were so incessant he could not be heard. 20 THE FRIES REBELLION. Israel Roberts proposed to read the law to them, but they would not listen to him, and drowned his voice in their shouts. Conrad Marks, who afterward became an active participant in the disturbance, was at the meeting, but it does not appear that John Fries was there, which is hardly reconcileable, with his known activity in opposing the law. The assessors seeing nothing could be done toward satisfying their minds on the subject of the tax, and removing their prejudice and opp'osi- tion to the law's execution, declined to take further part in the meeting and returned home. The officers, upon this occasion, met with a signal failure in their attempt to induce the people to acquiesce in the as sessments, and the result of the meeting gave encouragement to the opposition. In the subsequent trial of John Fries be fore the United States Court, Mr. Chapman, who was a wit ness on the part of the Government, gives the following ac count of what took place at this meeting, so far as it fell under his own observations. He says : " I got there between one and two o'clock. Just as I got to the house, before I went in, I saw ten or twelve people com ing from towards Hoover's mill ; about the half of them were armed, and the others with sticks. I went into the house and twenty or thirty were there. I sat talking with some of my acquaintance that were well dispo.sed to the laws. Conrad Marks talked a great deal in German ; how oppressive it was, and much in opposition to it, seeming to be much enraged. His son, and tho.=e who came with him, seemed to be very noisy and rude ; they talked in German, which as I did not know sufficiently, I paid but little attention to them. They were making a great noise ; huzzaing for liberty and Democ racy, damning the Tories, and the like. I let them go on, as I saw no disposition in the people to do anything toward for warding the business. Between four and five I got up to go out ; as I passed through the crowd towards the bar, they pushed one another against me. "^ No offer was made to explain the law to them while I staid ; they did not seem disposed to hear it. THE FRIES REBELLION. 21 " They did not mention my name the whole time of my being there, but they abused Eyerly and Balliett and said they had cheated the public, and what villains the}' were. I under stood it was respecting collecting the revenue, but I did not understand near all the)- said. I recollect Conrad Marks said that Congress had no right to make such a law, and that he never would submit to have his house taxed. " They seemed to think that the collectors were all such fellows; the insinuation was that the}' cheated the public, and made them pay, but never paid into the Treasury. After getting through the crowd to the bar, I suppose I was fifteen minutes in conversation with Mitchell ; he said perhaps they were wrong, but the people were ver}- much exasperated. Nothing ver}^ material happened, and I asked Mr. Foulke if it were not time to be going. So I got into my sleigh and went off; soon after the}' set up a dreadful huzza and shout." Israel Roberts and other witnessess, on the part of the prose cution at the trial of Fries, and who was present at the meet ing at iMitchel's, testified as follows : " At the last meeting at Mitchell's there appeared a dis position to wait till the}' should have assistance from some other place. It was said that a letter had arrived to George Mitchell, from Virginia, stating there were a number of men, I think ten thousand, on their way to join them ; the letter was traced from one to another, through six or eight persons, till at last it came from one who was not there. Some of the company at that time were armed and in uniform. I do not recollect what was said when the letter was mentioned, but the}' appeared to be more opposed to the law than they were before. "At the meeting at George Mitchel's, at which Mr. Foulke and Mr. Chapman were present, which was held for the pur pose of explaining the law, there were a number, about twelve came up in uniform, and carrying a flag with "Liberty" on it. They came into the house and appeared to be very much op posed .to the law, and in a very bad humour. I proposed to read the law to them ; and they asked me how I came to 22 THE FRIES REBELLION. advertise the meeting ; I told them I did it with the consent of a few others; one of them asked me what business I had to do it ; I told him we did it to explain the law. He looked me in the face and said, ' We don't want any of your damned laws, we have laws of our own,' and he shook the muzzle of his musket in my face, saying, 'This is our law and we will let you know it.' There were four or five who wished to hear it, but others forbid it, and said it should not be read, and it was not done." On his way home from the meeting, Mr. Chapman stopped at the public house of Jacob Fries, who then kept the tavern more recently occupied by George L. Pheister, at the east end of Trumbauersville, where he waited for Mr. Foulke to come up, who arrived soon after. Clark was also there. Mr. Chap man had a conversation with him upon the subject of taking the rates in the township, when he declined to have anything more to do with it. He gave as a reason for this course that it would not be safe for him to undertake the assessments, and that he did not feel justified in endangering his life in order to assist to have the law carried into execution. He thus washed his hands of the whole business, and resigned his commission. It was now evident to Chapman and Foulke, that the other assessors would be obliged to make the as sessments in Milford, if they were made at all, and they deemed it their duty to take immediate steps to have it done. They agreed to meet the assessors at Quakertown, on March 4, in order to commence the work, and, before they left for home, Mr. Chapman asked each one to be present at the time and place appointed. When the day arrived for the meeting, but three of the assessors attended, Rodrock, Childs and Foulke, in addition to the principal, Mr. Chapman. They waited until evening without transacting any business, ex pecting others would arrive but none came, when they ad journed to meet at the house of Mr. Chapman, at nine o'clock the next morning. As soon as it became noised about that the assessor's had re solved to come into the township to take the rates, those op- THE FRIES REBELLION. 23 posed to the law renewed their activity against it. The peo ple were told by the leaders that the assessments must not be made, and force would be used to pre\-ent it, if necessar}'. The information that the a.-^sessors, who were now looked upon as enemies to republican institutions were coming, increased the excitement, and the people began active measures to oppose them. Captain Kuyder, who was in command of a com pany of militia, called them into service to assist in driving the asse.ssors out of the township. He notified his men to meet him at his mill, on March 6, where some fifteen or twent}- assembled. Earh- in the morning, while he was abroad in the neighborhood, he met his acquaintance, \\'illiam Thom.is, whom he invited to go to the mill and see his men. He accepted the invitation and accompanied the Captain there. His men were getting together. When he arrived he found a number already assembled, a portion of them armed and others soon came up. After remaining a little while the Captain ordered his men to take up the march for the tavern of Jacob Fries, Trumbauersville. By the time the}' reached the village a considerable number of stragglers had been attracted, who helped to swell the throng. The}' marched alon^ the main road until they came to the t.avern. when the}- drew up in front of it and halted. Here a number more joined them, making about thirty in all. The people a.^sembled expressed a desire to see the assessors. whom they knew were somewhere in the township making- as sessments ; and a couple of horsemen were sent off to hunt them up and notif}- them they were wanted. The}- were in structed, in case the}- should find them, to take them prison ers, and either conduct them to Quakertown or bring them to Fries" ta\-em. Soon after the messengers had left, it was proposed that Captain Ku}-der's compan}- and the rest of the people assembled, should march to Quakertown and they im- mediatel}' started down the road for that place. The}- pre sented a somewhat martial, but ver}- irregular, appearance ; the greater part being either armed with guns or clubs and accompanied with drum and fife. As the}- passsed through the country the}- attracted much attention, and the sounds of 24 THE FRIES REBELLION. their martial music were heard " far o'er hill and dale." They, who were not cognizant of the movement, and hardly knew what to make of the demonstration, went to the roadside to see what was going on. As they marched along the road they increased in number, and, by the time they reached their des tination, there were more than a hundred in rhe company. This movement was the commencement of the overt acts of resistance, and had an important bearing on the subsequent conduct of those who became insurgents in name and deed. fhe fpie^ Rebellion. CHAPTER III. Fries Oaptures the Assessors. The three assessors. Chapman, Foulke and Childs, met, on the morning of March 5, at the house of Mr. Chapman as had been agreed upon, and thence proceeded into Milford town ship to make the assessments. They thought it advisable to to call upon Clark, in the first instance, and see if they could not prevail upon him to go with them and divide the town ship, so as to complete their work in a short time. When the}' arrived at his house he was absent from home, and it was thought best for Mr. Chapman to go in search of him. Learn ing he had gone to assist one of his neighbors to move, he went to Jacob Fries'' ta\-ern to wait for him to return. In a little while he came. Upon being asked to assist in assessing the township he positi\'el}' refused, saying he might as well pay his fine, even if it should take all the propert}- he had. Finding that nothing could be done with him, the subject was dropped. \Miile Mr. Chapman was at the tavern, John Fries came up. After passing the compliments of the da}', Fries remarked to him he understood he had been insulted at one of the meetings in the township, which, he said, would not have been the case had he been present, and expressed his re gret at the rudeness with which the assessor had been treated. The following interview then took place bet«'een the two, as sworn to on the trial of Fries : " I told him (Fries) I thought they were very wrong in op posing the law as they did ; he signified that he thought the}- were-not, and that the rates should not be taken b}' the as- 1 Jacob Fries' tavern, torn down many years ago, was situated in the rocky part of Milford township, in a valley, about a mile below Milford Centre, and two hundred yards from a public road. The road passed by the house in early times, but was changed. The house was a long, stor}- and a halt, stone and log building. It was not a tavern for more than half a centurj- before it was torn down. The property was once owned by John Keiper. 1^5) 26 THE FRIES REBELLION. sessors. I told him the rates would certainly be taken, and that the assessors were then in the township taking them. I repeated it to him, and he answered, ' My God! if I were only to send that man (pointing to one standing by,) to my house to let them know they were taking the rates, there would be five or seven hundred men under arms here to-morrow morn ing by sunrise.' He told me he would not submit to the law. I told him I thought the people had more sense than to rise in arms to oppose the law in that manner; if they did, gov ernment must certainly take notice of it, and send an armed force to enforce the law. His answer was, ' if they do, we will soon try who is the strongest.' I told him they certainly would find themselves mistaken respecting their force; he sig nified he thought not ; he mentioned to me the troop of horse in Montgomery county, and the people at Upper and Lower Milford,'' and something about infantry who were ready to join. He said he was very sorry for the occasion, for, if they were to rise, God knew where it would end ; the consequences would be dreadful; I told him they would be obliged to comply ; he then said huzza, it shall be as it is in France, or will be as it is in France,' or something to that ef fect. He then left me and and went off." While Mr. Chapman was waiting for Clark at Jacob Fries' tavern, and holding the strange interview with John Fries, the other assessors were engaged in taking the rates around the township. The first house they came to was Daniel Weid- ner's, at the west end of Trumbauersville, and occupied by Geo. Zeigler, 1859. Childs went in first and told Mr. W. that he had come in order to take the assessment under the revenue law of the United States. He appeared to be in a bad humour at the proceeding, and declined to give any in formation of his property. The assessor reasoned with him, and pointed out the impropriety of his conduct and what would be the consequence of his opposing the law. He was told he might have ten days to consider the matter, at the end of which time he would be able to determine what he ought to do. He professed not to know whether the law was in force, and said many other things in extenuation of his conduct'; 11% 71 THE FRIES REBELLION. 27 charged the assessor with receiving very high wages, &c. Mr. Childs explained that the law was in force and how a commit tee of Congress had reported against the expediency of re pealing it. At last, Weidner, overcome by persuasion, or argu ment, consented to be assessed nnd gave up his property, say- iing to the assessor, "take it now, since it must be done." Childs then continued on his round, A\a]kirg and leading his horse from house to house, until he reached Mitchel's tavern," where he found the other two assessors, who had arrived a little while before. Weidner got there in advance and was again railing out against the law; and said that the houses of high value were to pay nothing, while smaller ones, and of small value, were to pay high. He was again reasoned with, and final!}' became apparently reconciled, and gave up an ad ditional piece of propert}? to be assessed. He seemed to take the matter much at heart, however, and exclaimed, " They will ruin me; what shall I do?" The assessors then continued on their wa}? toward Jacob Fries' tavern, where they were to meet the principal assessors by appointment, assessing several houses as the}' went along. They had assessed some fifty or sixty houses in the whole, up to this point, and had done it without opposition. In every case but one the people were at home, and there a notice was left. They arrived at the tavern a little before dinner. As Mr. Childs was going into the door he was met by John Fries, who shook him by the hand, said he was glad to see him, and asked iiim to take a drink. The assessors dined at Jacob Fries'. After dinner, and while they were sitting at the fire, John Fries came into the room. He addressed himself to Mr. Foulke and Mr. Chap man, and said they were men he greatly esteemed, and was sorry they had placed themselves in that position. He here proclaimed his opposition to the law ; and said " I now warn you not to go to another house to take the rates; if you do you will be hurt." Without waiting for a reply he turned upon his heel and went out of the room. He seemed irritated and in anger. He said nothing more to them while they re mained there. After a conference, the assessors concluded to 3 I have not been able to locate Mitchel's tavern, further than to say it was in Milford township. 2g THE FRIES REBELLION. pay no attention to the threat of John Fries, but proceed with the assessments. While at the tavern, Mr. Childs took the rates of Jacob Fries' house to which no opposition was made.. It was then agreed that Rodrock and Foulke should go together, and Childs by himself to assess the houses of some who were known to be quiet and orderly people. They then mounted their horses and rode away in discharge of their duty. They found a marked difference, between the English and German, to be assessed ; with the former they had no difficulty, except at one place, where the family said there were some bad people living in the neighborhood who would do them injury if they submitted to the rates. Messrs. Rod rock and Foulke continued on until about sunset without meeting any hindrance, or seeing any sign of opposition to the execution of the law. They were now going to the house of a man named Singmaster, and, as they turned down a lane out of the public road, they heard some person halloo to them ; when, stopping and looking round, they saw John Fries and five men coming toward them. Fries was in front, and upon coming up he said he had warned them not to proceed with the assessments, but as they would not obey him he had now come to take them prisoners. Rodrock asked him by what authority he had stopped them, to which he made no reply, but immediately grappled for the bridle of his horse. He wheeled the horse around at the moment, which caused Fries to miss the bridle and catch the rider by the coat tail, but the latter succeeded in tearing away and freeing himself from his gra.sp. Fries then rode off, but, before he had gone far, he turned about and approached the assessor again. He now cursed Rodrock, and; remarked to him, if he had a horse he would catch him. He offered no further insult, but returned to his companions. Mr, Foulke was less fortunate. The comrades of Fries surrounded him and secured him without resistance p but when in their power they offered him no injury, but treated him with kindness. When Fries returned to his men and found Mr. Foulke in their hands, heat once directed them to let him go, giving as a reason that as they were not able to catch Mr. Rodrock, they would not detain him. As the as- TIIE FRIES REBELLION. 29 sessor was released Fries remarked to him, " I will have seven hundred men together to-morrow, and I will come to your house, and let you know we are opposed to the law." Being at liberty once more the assessors proceeded to the house of Philip Singmaster, who lived on the road leading from Trum bauersville to Philadelphia, half a mile from the former place, and in a house occupied by Zeno Frantz, 1859. They found him at home, and, upon informing him of their busi ness, were permitted to assess his house without opposition. While here Mr. Childs rejoined them as had been agreed upon when they parted company at the tavern of Jacob Fries. They now compared opinions, and came to the unanimous conclu. sion they would not be justified in further attempt to take the rates in Milford township, on account of the violent op position of the inhabitants, led on b}' John Fries ; and the principal assessor was to give notice of this determination to the commissioners. They thereupon ceased to make assess ments in the township and turned their faces homeward on the afternoon of March 6. Meanwhile the insurgents continued their march toward Quakertown, where they arrived about noon, or shortly after. In a little while the party of Capt. Kuyder was joined by John Fries and companions and several otheis. They halted at the tavern of Enoch Roberts, the same kept by Peter Smith, 1859, when those on horseback dismounted, and, as many as could, went into the house. The scene around the tavern was one of noise and confusion, while those inside were no less boisterous. They were hallooing, and cursing and swearing; the most violent were denouncing John Adams, the house-tax, and the officers who were to execute the law; some were drumming and fifing, apparently endeavoring to drown the hum of confused voices in the strains of martial music, and numerous other ways were resorted to, to give vent to their feelings. The bar of Mr. Roberts was pretty generously patronized, and that liquor flowed so freely the excitement and confusion were increased. Fries, expect ing the assessors to come that way on their return home, he 3a THE FRIES REBELLION. had made up his mind to arrest them if nothing transpired to interfere with his arrangements. When the assessors ended their conference at Philip Sing- master's, after having assessed him, they started directly homeward, having to pass through Quakertown their most direct road. Messrs. Foulke and Rodrock rode together, while Mr. Childs preceded them a short distance. W^hen they arrived at the village, they found it in possession of the crowd of people already mentioned, under the control of John Fries and Conrad ]Marks. Some were in uniform and others in their usual working clothes ; some were armed with guns, and others carried clubs. The noise and confusion they made were heard some time before the assessors reached the town. The testimony, given on the trial, shows they were congregated at two public houses, one already mentioned as being kept by Enoch Roberts, whereas the other was called " Zeller's tav ern." We have been at considerable trouble to locate this latter public house, but have been unable to do so. The house, in which Richard Green lived, 1859, on the road to the railroad station, is said to stand on the site of an old tav ern which may have been the one the witnesses called " Zel ler's." On the other hand it is said, by the old residents of Quakertown, that Enoch Roberts had a son-in-law named N. B. Sellers, who assisted him to keep the public house he then occupied. The name of Zeller may have been intended for Sellers, and is possibly a misprint in the report of the trial, both meaning one and the same place. When the insurgents saw the assessors coming they set up a great shout, and, as soon as they had approached within hailing distance, ordered them to stop. This they did not heed, as they had determined not to place themselves in their power if it could be avoided. As they entered the village ^Messrs. Foulke and Rodrock separated, and did not ride in together, Mr. Childs having already stopped at the house of a neighbor just on the edge of the town. Rodrock now rode in advance, and, when he had passed about half through the crowd, without giving heed to their commands to stop, they started to run after him from both sides of the road, some car- THE FRIES REBELLION. 3 I r}-ing clubs and others muskets, and made motions as if they intended to strike him. John Fries was standing upon the porch of the tavern, and when he saw Rodrock coming up he called out to him to stop, but, pa}-ing no attention to it, some of the men ran after him. The assessor, seeing himself pursued, wheeled his horse and demanded of Fries what he wanted with him. This seemed to excite the men the more, and they replied to him with curses, and ordered him, in an authoritative tone, to deliver himself up. To this he replied he would not do it while the}' addressed him in such language as they had applied to him. Some one in the crowd then gave the order to fire at him, when two men standing near the tavern door pointed their guns but did not fire. He now rode off toward home, and when the}- saw him making his escape, they again commanded him to stop ; some making demonstra tions to get their horses and pursue him, but they did not. When he reached the house of Daniel Penrose, seeing Jacob Fries and John Jamieson there, he halted and related to them what had taken place. He appeared to be much alarmed ; said that Foulke and Childs had been captured, and was afraid they would be killed. He requested Jamieson to return to the village, and prevent them being hurt, which he declined doing unless Rodrock would accompan}* him; but he was finall}- prevailed upon to go. He found the two assessor; in the hands of the mob but not injured. The other two assessors were less fortunate both falling into the hands of the enemy. As Mr. FouFkc, who was some little wa}'s in the rear of Mr. Rodock, approached Roberts' tavern, the crowd ran out to surround him. Some took hold of the horse's bridle, while others, among them Captain Ku}-der, seized his person. John Fries came up at this moment and commanded him to dismount, saying that he desired to speak to him, while the surrounding crowd demanded he should be pulled off his horse. There was great danger of violent hands being laid on him, and he began to be alarmed at his situation. At this critical moment, the two Hoovers. John and Jacob, came to his assistance, and interfered with the excited multi tude in his behalf. The}- ordered the mob to desist from their 32 THE FRIES REBELLION. insults, and let Mr. Foulke alone, who would get off his horse without any compulsion. They gave the insurgents to under stand the assessors would not be injured while they could pro tect them. Their resolute conduct somewhat silenced the crowd. Mr. Foulke deemed it the best policy to comply with their demands, inasmuch as he was not in a condition to help himself, and therefore rode up to the tavern shed, where he dismounted, tied his horse, and went into the- house. The crowd followed him and soon the bar-room was filled. Now Fries reminded him that he had warned him the day before not to assess the houses in Milford township, and yet they had done so contrary to his orders. He then demanded Foulke's papers, which were delivered to Fries, who, after reading, carefully returned, them. The assessor was now suffered to depart. Fries escorting him through the people to his horse, and holding the bridle while he mounted, when he rode off. Fries admitted to Foulke that he had violated the law, proba bly enough to endanger his life, and told him that he might " return him to the Court if he wanted to do so." It will be remembered that Mr. Childs did not accompany Rodrock and Foulke into Quakertown, but stopped at the edge of it — at the house of Esquire Griffith, who lived where Joseph R. Lancaster resided, 1859, where he dismounted and went in. As he was getting off his horse, Mrs. Griffith came out of the house and told him the people had come to make him and the others prisoners, and there was a large crowd in the village waiting to catch them. A few moments after he entered the house, a little girl came into the room and said the insurgents were taking Mr. Foulke, and, upon going to the window, saw them all around him. When he saw the danger which menaced his companions, he was goino- out to assist them, but the family persuaded him to remain where he was, and not place himself in unnecessary danger. In a little while John Fries came to the house and saluted Childs in a friendly manner, but told him he mu.st accompany him to where his men were ; and, as he had not the power to resist, concluded he might as well yield with as good grace as possible, and thereupon consented to go. As they walked along. Fries said THE FRIES REBELLION. 33 to Childs he had told him yesterday not to go to another house, and now they had come to make him prisoner if they found he intended to go on with the assessments. Childs re plied that he and the others were obliged to fulfil their office, unless interrupted by force. When they entered the tavern, Fries addressed himself to his men and Childs, saying : '' Here are my men — here is one of them." Going into the bar-room he seated himself upon a table and soon there were several around him One man damned him and said he should go to the liberty pole and dance around it. During this time they were crowding upon him and pushing, and he received several thumps with the knees and fists. At first he was taken for Rodrock, but when it was discovered he was not, they cursed him anew forbeingsomebody else. He then made himself known as Cephus Childs, when some one remarked he was no better than the others. They asked him a multitude of questions about the assessments; how the people liked it where he had been, whether he had taken the oath of 'allegiance to the United States, &c., &c. That the reader may judge of the temper the people were in, we make the following extract from the testimony of Mr. Childs, given on the trial: "They damned the house tax and the stamp act, and called me a 'stampler,' repeatedly; they damned the Alien and Se dition laws, and finally all the laws; the government and all the laws the present government had made. They damned the Constitution, also. They did not mention what constitu tion, whether of this State or of the United States. They damned the Congress, and damned the President, and all the friends to government, because they were all tories, as none were friends to the present government but the tories. They said they would not have the government, nor the President, and they would not live under such a damned government ; 'we will have Washington;' others said no, 'No, we will have Jefferson, he is a better man than Adams; huzzah for Jefferson.' " Those assembled continued in this strain, and constantly expressed themselves as opposed to.the law, and their deter mination to resist its execution. They boasted that every 34 THE FRIES REBELLION. man in Northampton county would assist them except a few tories, and that between Quakertown and the Delaware, they could raise ten thousand men ; and further that General Wash ington had sent them word that he had twenty thousand men to assist them. Some spoke in German and others in English. After John Freis took Mr. Childs into the house, he left him among the crowd and went out again, being gone some time. When he returned he apologized to him for the manner in which his men had used him. He then took him into an in ner room where there were but few people, and demanded his assessment papers. He gave him some papers he had about him, but which did not refer to the collection of taxes, when Fries gave a shout and told his men he had got what they wanted. He then went out of the room, most of his men fol lowing him. The crowd were gone but a short time when they returned without Fries, shouting, and rushed up to Childs and took hold of him. Some were armed with clubs, guns, pistols, &c., and others had swords. Daniel Weidner, whose house he had assessed in the morning, was with them, who in sisted upon Childs surrendering to him the assessment he had made of his house, but he did not give it up. They again took hold of him and shook him severely; and one man came forward and said he should be shot. Conrad Marks was pres ent armed with a sword, who made many threats, but did not attempt to put any of them into execution. Childs attempted to reason with them, but it had little if any effect toward paci fying them. During this proceeding, Fries returned into the room and gave back the papers to Childs, telling him at the same time he must now go home, and never come back again into the township to assess, or he would be shot. To this he replied that he had left the township with a view of not re turning to it again unless compelled to do so by authority, and that, from their present treatment, as he would never be likely to come back without such authority, they might have leave to shoot him. They then told him they wished him and Mr. Foulke to inform the government what had been done as soon as they pleased. After a little more parieying they gave him his liberty, when he rode off, glad enough to make his escape from such unpleasant company. THE FRIES REBELLION. 35 There is some discrepance, as regards what took place at Quakertown the day the assessors were captured, between the records of the transaction and the relation of those who have a recollection of the event. We had interviews with some of the oldest inhabitants of that section upon the subject, and find them at variance with the testimony drawn from other sources. They state that the assessors were chased to Quak ertown by Fries and his party, and that he snapped his gun three times at Mr. Foulke; that the latter sprang from his horse at the porch of Enoch Roberts' tavern and ran in, when they hid him in the cellar, where he remained concealed until ten o'clock, when he was released and ran home. Another version has it that he was hid under the counter in the bar room, and that Fries hunted all through the house, but was unable to find him ; that they got Fries, Haney and Getman drunk, when Foulke stole out and went home. Still another story is that he was kept confined in a stable, and that Mr. Childs was sent to inform his wife, but was afraid to go into the house, and walked in the yard until ten o'clock at night, when Foulke came home. These statements differ so widely, from the evidence given on the trial, we have thought it best to follow the testimony, believing that to be the nearest cor rect, because it was related under oath soon after the events happened. One circumstance is told by those who remember the difficulty, which seems so reasonable it is probably true; that a man named Everhart pointed his gun at Foulke, while they had him imprisoned at the tavern, but was so drunk he fell over while doing so. They afterward examined the gun, and found that the ball had been put in the bottom, and the powder on top. The circumstances which took place at Quakertown decided the assessors to make no further attempt to take assessments in Milford, as they were convinced it would lead to difficulty, and, possibly, bloodshed. In other parts of the county the law was quietly acquiesced in, and the officers discharged their duty peaceably, but it was, nevertheless, very unpopular and odious. For the time being, Fries and his friends had pre vented the execution of the law in the disaffected district, but 36 THE FRIES REBELLION. as far as we have been able to learn, no public outrages were committed, and their only desire seemed to be to prevent the officers, by intimidation, from making the assessments. The foregoing embraces the proceedings of the insurrection ists, or insurgents, while opposing the execution of the house tax law in Milford. It will be noticed their whole conduct was of that earnest character which marks the actions of men who are sincere in what they are doing. While there was, naturally, considerable noise and confusion attendant upon their conduct, and high excitement prevailing, there was no unnecessary disturbance, and nothing that can properly be called violence. Rude they were, but not to an extent to create a breach of the peace. We have every reason to believe they considered the law of the most oppressive character, and their minds had probably been inflamed against it by the mis representation of others. This opinion had been formed be fore they had an opportunity to learn its provisions and opera tions, and they were afterward either too much prejudiced, or their pride would not permit them, to be rightly informed. The law of itself was a mild one, and no one who examines it at this day can see anything in it to cause such opposition to it. The rates were light, and the burden of the tax fell upon the shoulders of those who were the best able to bear it. There was likewise a public necessity for that or a similar Act of Congress, and itwas necessary that the revenue should be in creased, as there was every probability of the government being driven into a war with one of the most powerful nations of Europe. The situation of the politics of the country had something to do with the opposition that was raised against the law. But recently, before their passage, the two statutes known as the Alien and Sedition Laws had passed Congress, which were received with a burst of indignation that had never been equaled in the country. They brought the administra tion of Mr. Adams into great unpopularity, if not detestation. The odium that rested upon these laws was reflected upon the house tax, and thus it was condemned in advance because it was found in bad company. Many honest people believed that an Act of Congress taxing the country, emanating from TIIE FRIES REBELLION. 37 the same government which had given them the Alien and Sedition Laws, must naturally be a wicked one, and, they were so well convinced of this, they were not open to persuasion, to the contrary. Another circumstance, in connection with the manner in which the law was executed, had something to d6 with its great unpopularity. The officers exceeded their du ties, and went beyond their instructions. The assessors were only required, by law, to assess the houses, lands and slaves, and were not directed to count the window lights of the houses, which was a duty superadded by the officers who had charge of affairs. The fact of the window lights being counted created suspicion in the minds of the people that it was done for the purpose of making them the subject of future taxation. This, more than anything else, led to the meetings held by the people, and, notwithstanding the unpopularity of the measure, there would probably never have been any " insurrection " or outbreak, had the assessors confined themselves to the duties which the law required of them. The abuse of the law had probably more to do with causing the disturbance than the law itself. fhe JpFiel Rebellion. •>^!«t^<^Mf-» CHAPTER IV. Opposition to the Mouse Tax La-sv in Northampton. Having recounted, in the preceeding chapter, the opposition to the House Tax Law in Bucks county, and the disturbance growing out of it, we shall now proceed to show what took place in Northampton. It will be remembered tbat Jacob Eyerley was appointed commissioner for a district composed of the counties of North ampton,' Luzerne'^ and Wayne.' As soon as the law was passed, the people of Northampton manifested so much oppo sition to it. Commissioner Eyerley believed there would be difficulty in carrying it out. This was before he had en tered upon the discharge of his duties. While at Reading, in October, he was informed by the commissioner from Bucks, that he had seen persons who had traveled through that coun ty, and in every tavern he stopped at, the law was the subject of general conversation and denunciation, and great pains were taken to find the friends of government, in order to pursuade them not to accept the office of assessor. In consequence of this feeling there was great difficulty in finding suitable per sons for these appointments. He selected one in each town ship, taking the most suitable for the duties, from all the in- 1 Northampton county was cut off trom Bucks, 1752. 2 Luzerne county was cut off from Northumberland, by Act of September 25. 1786, and .so named in honor ot the Chevelier De la Luzerne, then French Minister to the United States. Its original territory embraced 5000 square miles, but its present area is but 1427. A portion ot the celebrated Wyoming Valley lies within it. a Wayne county was organized by the Act ot March 21, 1798, out ot a portion ot i\t)rth- ampton, and named after General Anthony Wayne. The original area was 1300 square miles. (38) THE FRIES REBELLION. 35 formation hc could get. Commissions were immediately sent them, with notice to meet the commissioner to receive instruc tions. At that time the commissioner did not believe the state of things was as bad in Northampton as he afterward found it to be. The disaffection in Bucks had spread over the line into some of the neighboring townships of the adjoining county, and the people had become as hostile to the tax as Fries and his neighbors. Commissioner Eyerley divided Northampton into three dis tricts and first met the assessors November 3, at Nazareth*. Two were absent, and some of those present asked to be ex cused from serving, on account of the hostility of the people and the assessors fear of injury. As the commissioner had no authority to relieve them they were not excused. Finding them misinformed of the nature and operation of the law the commissioner took great pains to disabuse their minds, and, with such success, they consented to serve, and were given instructions. The following day he met the assessors of the second district at AUentown, ° all being present but one. The same difficulty met him here he had to contend with at Nazareth, disinclination to accept for the same reason, oppo sition of the people to the law, and fear of being assaulted, should they attempt to make the assessments. With a good deal of difficulty those present were induced to accept the appointments. As it was taken for granted the absent assessor, a Mr. Home, did not intend to accept, a blank com mission was left with Mr. Balliott, a prominent resident of the county, with authority to appoint some suitable rnan in place of Mr. Home. The assessors of the first district were met November 6, in Chestnut Hill township, with two absentees. ¦¦ Nazareth, a village of a few hundred inhabitants, in Northampton county, len miles from Bethlehem, was founded by the Moravians, 1775. The first house erected was a spacious stone mansion tor the residence of Count Zingendorf. The building was con verted into a school, 1785, and, trom that tirae. known as "Nazareth Hall," a cele brated boarding school for boys. 6 AUentown was laid out by James Allen, 1762, after whom it was named, and called Northampton until 1838, when the present name was adopted. It is the county seat of Lehigh, and situated on the right bank ot the Lehigh river. It is one of the most beautiful inland cities in the State. 40 THE FRIES REBELLION. One of these was a Mr. Kearne, of Easton,' but as it was not convenient for him to accept, he named a Mr. Snyder, who was only commissioned. He met with the others the same day; accepted the appointment and served. He stated there was much opposition to the law in his section of the county, and he did not understand it very well himself, but would do the best he could. The commissioner took considerable pains to explain the provisions of the law, which entirely satisfied him. He now became quite warm in its favor, and said he would ride fifty miles if it were necessary to accept the ap pointment, since he had been wrongly informed, about the law in the first place. The assessor from Hamilton township did not seem willing to accept his appointment, and it required a good deal of explanation and persuasion to overcome his dis inclination. He at last consented, however, accepted his com mission, and received his instructions. In Northampton county the principal part of the opposition to the law was in the townships of Heidelberg, Weisenberg, Lynn, Low Hill, Penn, Moore, Upper Milford and Hamilton. In four districts it was of such violent character the law was not executed until after the troops were marched into them, and, in some of them, the people were almost unani mous against it. In Moore township, the opposition was only among a portion of the inhabitants, and, when the assessor was opposed when making the assessment, he called a town meeting and took the sense of the people. The assessor of Penn township did not meet the commissioners, but refused to accept the appointment in view of the difficulties in his way, Some time elapsed before any one could be found wil ling to accept the office, but, finally, one bold enough to as sume the responsibility, presented himself and he was com missioned and qualified. When the people of the township ^ Easton, the seat of justice of Northampton county, situated at the confluence ot the Delaware and Lehigh, at what, was known as " Forks ot Delaware,'' was laid out by William Parsons, 1752. A ferry v^as established here as early as 1739, by David Martin, of Trenton, N. J., at which time a few log houses were standing on the present site ot the town. A jail was completed, 1755, and the first court house erected, 1766. Easton has been the county seat since the organization ot the county, 1752. It is the seat of Lafayette College, chartered, 1826. THE FRIES REBELLION. 4I heard that another person had been appointed in place of the one first named, and had undertaken to discharge the duties of the office, they became very violent and threatened him with personal injury. The leaders of the opposition collected a number of the disaffected into a mob, who waited upon the assessor, and gave him to understand harm would be done iiim if he attempted to take the rates. This demonstration intimidated him to such degree he resigned, and declined to have anything more to do with it. The hostility to the law continued so great in this township, the assessments were not made until sometime late in the spring of 1799, and after the presence of a military force had completely quelled every thing like opposition. The spirit of insubordination first manifested itself a little while before the general election, when meetings were held in different parts of the county to take action upon the subject. At one of these meetings the officers of the militia were in vited to be present, and their co-operation, as the leaders of the military of the country, was earnestly desired. The lead ing object was to nominate candidates opposed to the law. At this meeting several resolutions were passed, one recommend ing the circulation of petitions asking a repeal of the Alien and Sedition Laws and the land tax. The proceedings were published in the newspapers and circulated among the people. A petition was given to each of the captains of militia to get signers. On the day of election the people turned out very generally, and, in most of the districts, the opposition to the government was so general, its friends dare not say a word in its favor for fear of being abused. The anti-administration candidates were elected by considerable majorities, and the people, generally, rejoiced at their success. In Hamilton township, the people were so much enraged at Nicholas Michael, the assessor, for accepting the appointment, they went in large numbers to his house at night to do him bodily injury, but, being informed of their intention, he sought safety in flight. The next day he went to the commissioner and made complaint of the treatment he had received, ten dered his resignation, and begged its acceptance. This was 42 THE FRIES REBELLION. declined; he was told to return to his duty, and he would be protected in the discharge of it. He accompanied the com missioner to Easton, to see Mr. Sitgreaves, the United States Attorney for the district, before whom he intended to make affidavit in order to have some of the evil-disposed placed un der arrest. Mr. Sitgreaves not being at home, they went to Judge Traill,' an associate judge of the county; but, when they arrived there, Michael became alarmed and begged to be allowed until the next morning to consider the matter; say ing, that if he informed against the people, he and his family would be ruined. In the morning he wished to be put in jail to be kept from danger, so great were his fears, but his request was not complied with. In the present state of excitement the commissioner deemed it advisable to call a public meeting, at which the people could come together and have the law explained to them, as he was of opinion, the greater part of the opposition arose from a misconception of its provisions. With this object in view, he gave Mr. Michael a letter to take to the constable of the township, requesting him to fix the time and place for the meeting, and to give proper and timely notice thereof. Mr. Eyerley promised to be present to explain the law to such as did not understand it. The constable, accordingly, an nounced the meeting to be held at the public house of a Mr. Heller, and the time fixed was a few days before New Year's, but we have not been able to ascertain the precise day. The commissioner was present according to promise, being accom- ' Robert Traill was born on one of the Orkney Islands, April 29, 1744, and was the son of a clergyman. He came to America, 1763. reaching Philadelphia the 25th ot De cember. He shortly went to Easton where he was occupied in a store, taught school a year; then studied law, and was admitted to the bar, 1777. He took an active part in the Revolution, and was Secretary of the County Committee ot Safety from 1776 to 1778; was appointed a justice of the peace, 1777, and military storekeeper at Easton, March II, 1778. He was sheriff of the county from 1781 to 1784; member ot the Assembly for the sessions of 1785-86; member of the Supreme Executive Council ot Pennsylvania, 1786-88; and was commissioned one of the Associate Judges ot Northampton, holding the office trom May 14, 1796, to January 22, 1798, when he resigned. Judge Traill died at Easton, July 31, 1816. He filled a large space in public estimation, exerted a wide in- influence and was distinguished for his probity of character. His descendants, in the female line, live at Easton, one of them being Dr. Traill Green. THE FRIES REBELLION. 43 panied into the township by William Henr}',''one of the Asso ciate Judges of Northampton. When they arrived at the place of meeting they found some seventy persons assembled, among them three or four in uniform, whose arms were stacked behind the tavern door. After thc meeting- was or- ganized, Mr. Eyerie}- arose and stated that he had come there as their friend, to explain the house tax law, that they might no longer be in ignorance of its provisions. He and Judge Henry then proceeded to explain the statutes as they under stood them, but with little effect, ;is the people were not dis posed to listen to any explanation that would be likely to give them a more favorable opinion of the odious law. They hated it, and did not wish to think well of it. In order to reconcile the people, to the assessment of the rates, he proposed they should elect an assessor of their own ; this they refused to do, saying, if the}' did, it would amount to submission to the law, which they did not mean to make. The assessor already appointed was anxious to resign, but this lie was not allowed to do, as no one could be found who would accept the ap pointment in his place. In Upper Milford," the people opposed to the law held a township meeting and appointed a committee of three to wait upon the assessor when he should begin the assessment, and request him to desist; and about the last of December, when he began the work, he was met by this committee and in formed he could not proceed. No violence was offered, but he was gi\'en to understand he would not be permitted to carry out the law. He immediately wrote the commissioner 8 William Henry, son ot William and Ann Henry, was born at Lancaster, Pa., March 12, 1757. In 1778 he engaged in the manufacture ot fire-arms in Northampton county, and in 1808 erected a forge in which the first iron manufactured in the county was drawn March 9, iSog. In 1813 he built the Boulton Gun Works on the Bushkill, which are still continued by his descendants of the name. Mr. Henry "as commissioned Janu ary 14, 1788, a justice of the peace and Judge of the Courts of Common Pleas and Quar ter Sessions of the county. He resigned 1814. In 1792 he was elected one of the Presi dential electors of the State and cast his vote for Washington for President. He removed to Philadelphia, 1818, where he died April 21, 1821. ' Upper Milford, a township of Lehigh county, but originally in Bucks until North ampton was cut off, was organized, 1738. There were two Milfords, Upper and Lower, the former falling in Northampton on the division of Bucks, 1752. Germans settled here in the first quarter of the last century. 44 THE FRIES REBELLION. informing him of the situation of affairs, and asked advice as to the course to be pursued. The latter again thought it ad visable to have a public meeting called, at which he would make another effort to explain the law to the people, and en deavor to satisfy them with its provisions. He directed the assessor to give notice to John Schymer, Moretz and other leading men of the township, that he would meet them at such time and place as they might appoint. The place fixed upon was the house of Mr. Schymer, date not known. When the time arrived the commissioner set out for tbe place of meet ing, accompanied by Judge Henry, and, when he arrived within four miles of it, he was met by a friend who advised him not to attend, saying the people were so violent his life would be endangered, but he disregarded the warning and kept on. He found some 75 men assembled at the house of Schymer, sev eral of them having French cockades in their hats, showing very plainly which side they took in politics. One of the petitions, which a previous meeting had recom mended should be circulated for signatures, was handed' the commission who read it to the people. Some of them, upon hearing it, said it was not such a petition as they had been led to believe it was, as it mentioned nothing about the stamp act. As there was a report in circulation that the act was not in force, Mr. Eyerley read it in German, and explained to them it was their duty to submit to it. One, George Shaeffer, deny ing that it was a law, the question was submitted to the de cision of Mr. Schymer, who, being a justice of the peace, had considerable influence over the minds of the people. Shaeffer was inclined to be noisy and created a disturbance, and he and others used abusive language to the assessor, Mr. Hecktweld- er,'° accusing him, among other things, of having been a tory during the Revolution. Mr. Eyerley proposed that inasmuch as they were opposed to the present assessor, he would give them the privilege of electing one of their own number, to whom he would give the appointment. This they declined, i» Heckewelder, -«ho lived at Emaus, now in Lehigh county, was appointed one of the assessors for Upper Milford or Salisbury, probably the latter. He was doubtless a son, or grandson, ot Heckewelder, the Moravian divine. THE FRIES REBELLION 45 saying: "We will do no such thing; if we do, we at once ac knowledge that wc submit to the law, and that is what we will not do." Three of the Shaeffers made demonstrations to beat Heckewelder, but were deterred by the interference of others, and he was allowed to go away without injury. The commis sioner, even with the countenance of Mr. Schymer and several other well disposed persons present, found it impossible to reconcile the multitude to the law, and he retumed home a second time without having effected anything. The oppo sition to the law in this township, likewise, was not overcome until the presence of troops intimidated them into submission, when the rates were taken without further trouble. Resistance to the enforcement of the law had now reached that stage it became necessary for the authorities to take some notice of it. About January 15, 1799, Judge Henry, at the request of Commissioner Eyerley, and upon complaint of the assessors that they found it impossible to proceed in the execution of their duty, issued a number of subpoenas to bring persons, cognizant of the opposition to the execution of the laws, before him that he might make a careful examination of the cause of complaint and ascertain its truth. The witnesses who appeared were generally very reluctant to give informa tion, being afraid the insurgents would do them some injury. The Judge made appointment to meet a number of persons at Trexlertown," to inquire fuither into the matter, and a con siderable crowd assembled. Among those present was part of a company of light horse under Captain Jarrett." The men were mostly in uniform, and many of them noisy and impu dent. The Judge was attended by the commissioner and Mr. Balliott. They, who were present, paid little respect to the officers but ridiculed, and made fun of them. From the indi cations at this meeting, it was evident the disturbance could not be quelled by the local officers, and it was thought best to " Trexlertown, in Lehigh county, but, at that time, in Norlhamplon, is a small post village, eight miles from AUentown, on the Catasauqua and Fogelsville railway. It is in a rich agricultural region. 12 Although Captain Jarrett was evidently a man of some prominence in the communi ty we have not been able to obtain any information concerning him beyond that found in the text. The company he commanded was a local volunteer organization. Henry Jar rett, probably a relative, commanded a troop of light horse at Marcus Hook, 1814. 46 THE FRIES REBELLION. appeal to the Federal authority. The steps now about to be taken changed the aspect of affairs. Hitherto, it was consid ered but a local disaffection to a law of questionable expedi ency, and improperly understood, and which, in due time, would subside and be heard of no more. Down to this point it had hardly attracted public attention outside of the rural districts where the opposition was made, and neither State nor Federal Government had given it consideration. It now as sumed National importance, and what shortly before, was un worthy the attention of politicians or statesmen, became a matter of great moment. The action of Judge Henry was the incipient step that changed the affair to an insurrection, and converted the opponents of the house-tax law into insurgents and traitors to their country. Mr. Sitgreaves, United States District Attorney, was sent a number of the depositions he had caused to be taken to Judge Peters," of the United States District Court, Philadelphia. This was some time in February, and the first official informa tion the Judge received on the subject, although he had be fore heard of it as a matter of news. He examined a few wit nesses in addition to the affidavits, and, from the facts elicited, thought it his duty to issue warrants for the parties. Being much engaged he directed the District Attorney to draw up the form of warrants for his approval and signature. It had been decided, that, in order to ease the minds of the people, the warrants should be drawn in the nature of an order for the defendant to appear before some justice of the peace, or judge of the county, and give bail for appearance at the Circuit Court of the United States but circumstances prevented it. After this had been decided upon, it came to the knowledge of the authorities that several of the magistrates themselves were disaffected, and others were prevented doing their duty through fear of injury. The Judge also had scruples as to the legality of the measure, whether persons, arrested on his war rants, could be taken before an inferior magistrate While his "Richard Peters was born in Philadelphia, 1744; admitted to the bar, 1763; ap pointed a Justice of the United States-District Court tor the Eastern District of Penn sylvania, 1792, and died on the Bench, 1828, after continued service ot 36 years. THE FRIES REBELLION. 47 mind was in doubt, he received additional information of the state of the people in the disaffected districts, and this induced him, both to make a change in the form of the warrants and the procedure under it. The warrants were now to be made returnable to Judge Peters' Court. 5[he fpie^ Rebellion. CHAPTER V. The IvlarslT_al Malies Arrests in NortFiamptor^. When the form of the warrants was agreed upon, they were made out and put into the hands of Colonel Nichols,' United States Marshal, to be served. This was about January 25, and the Marshal was directed to proceed to Northampton county immediately and make the arrests. He left Philadel phia on the 26th, serving a few subpcenas on the road, in or der to collect evidence, reaching Nazareth on March ist. Here the Marshal met Commissioner Eyerley, and told him of the object of his visit, requesting him to go with him to serve the warrants executed. Those placed in his hands being only for the arrest of persons in Northampton county. The next morning, accompanied by Eyerley, and Eyerman, the Marshal set out to execute the warrants. They went first into Lehigh township, where twelve were arrested, all against whom they had process, but five others came in afterward and gave themselves up. Their offence being resistence to the .ex ecution of the house-tax law. They then returned to Bethle hem, where they were met by Colonel Balliott. The Marshal's party next went to Macungie township, where they had no difficulty until they came to the house of George Snyder, near Emaus,= on whom the Marshal wished to serve a subpoena. Snyder and his wife used abusive 1 Samuel Nichols was appointed U. S. Marshal of Pennsylvania, April lo, 1795 ; qualified May i8th, and confirmed June 26th. He served one term of four years ; was reappointed during a recess ot the Senate, June 26th, 1799, and succeeded, Dec' 6th, 1799, by John Hall. The State had not yet been divided into two districts. His county is not given. 2 Emaus isa small town, lying at the foot of South Mountain, five miles south east of AUentown, on the East Penn. railroad. The Moravians organized a church here, 1747, the house in which they worshipped being built as early as 1742. (48) THE FRIES REBELLION. 49 language toward them, the woman taking the lead. The husband came out of his house with a club, and positively re fused to receive the subpoena. He called the Marshal and the men with him rascals and highway robbers, and, upon being told he was only wanted to go to Philadelphia as a witness, he refused with an oath. The Marshal finding he could do noth ing with him requested Daniel Swartz's son to read and ex plain the subpoena to him, and leaving it with him to be served if it were possible. Thence they proceeded to Millarstown,' a few miles' distant. On the road' they stopped at the house of the Rev. Mr. VanBuskirk,' where they left their horses and walked into the town. The Marshal had a warrant for George Shaeffer, active in opposing the law, and to whose house they next proceeded to arrest him, but he was not at home. Not meet ing with success in this case they went to the tavern, where a considerable number of people had assembled. They now made an attempt to arrest a man named Shank- wyler, who also lived in Millarstown. The Marshal and Com missioner walked over to his house, leaving Mr. Eyerman at = Millarstown, now called Macungie, signifying " the feeding place of bears," and laid out by Peter Millar about 1776, is situated at the foot of South Mountain on the East Penn. railroad, nine miles from AUentown. It was incorporated in 1857. -¦ Jacob VanBuskirk, a native of Holland, settled with his family on a tract he pur chased in Lower Macungie township, Lehigh county, November 19, 1784. The borough of Macungie now occupies the same laud. I do not know the maiden name of his wife, but she was a sister of the great-grandmother of the late General Hartranf t. He preached for the Lehigh Church at Germantown, and at the Trappe, visiting his congregations on horseback. He built, and, for several years operated, the tannery at Macungie, owned by his great-grandson, James Singmaster. He had three sons and four daughters; George became a physician, and settled at Pottstown; Jacob removed to New York State, where he died- John, the third son, settled in Virginia, afterward came to Philadelphia and kept an'hotel. He married a Miss Eckhart, of Berks county. Of the daughters, Lydia married Adam Singmaster, of Millarstown, and, after his death, Daniel Good, ot Upper Milford- another married John Shimer, of Shimersville, Northampton county, E. S. Shimer Mayor of AUentown, being a grand-son. Mr. VanBuskirk was an ardent sup porter of John Adams' Administration, and, during the excitement of the "Fries Rebel lion " 1798, an attempt was made on his life. While sitting at home, surrounded by his family, a bullet was sent crashing through the window, but he luckily escaped injury. He was buried at North Wales, and his wife at the Lehigh Church. Adam Singmaster, who married the daughter Lydia, was a descendant, probably a son, of John Adam Zang- miester who came from Wurtumburg inthe good ship , " Patience," Hugh Steelmaster, September 19 1749, and settled in Bucks county. Adam, when a young man, went to Millarstown, 4here he obtained employment in Rev. Jacob VanBuskirk's family, and afterward married the daughter. 50 THE FRIES REBELLION. the tavern. They had not intimated they desired to ar rest him, but when they left the tavern the people suspected their intention and followed them in a crowd to the number of about fifty. They went in advance of the officers, and, reaching the house before them, filled the large room. When the Marshal arrived a friend pointed out Shankwyler to Col. Nichols, but observing what was going on, he withdrew into the crowd, with the intention of hiding himself from view ; but the Marshal followed him, and, putting his hand upon his shoulder, informed him he was a prisoner, in the name of the United States, announcing himself as the United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Shank wyler, having no idea of being captured without some resist ance, broke loose from the Marshal and fled toward the barn. He proclaimed he would not injure the Marshal, but made threats against Eyerley and Balliott, toward whom he mani fested great hostility. The people became much excited at this proceeding, and many cried out in German, "Strike! Strike!" Some said if he were taken outof his house they would fight as long as they had a drop of blood in their bodies. They seemed inclined to lay violent hands upon Balliott, and one of the crowd presumed to pull the cockade from his hat. The Marshal warned thern of the consequences of their attempting to strike, and reasoned with them upon their riotous conduct. Finding that himself and companions were in danger, the Marshal unbuttoned his coat, that the people might see a pair of pistols he had with him, and also in order that he might be able to grasp them quickly, should he find it necessary to use them. The determined manner of the Marshal had its effect, and the crowd became quieter. Shank wyler refused to accompany the Marshal to Bethlehem, and swore he would resist the authorities of the United States, let the consequences be what they might. He was told such a course would ruin himself and family, and be the destruction of his property, to which he replied that his father had fought against the stamp act, and he would resist the tax law which was supported by none but tories and the friends of government. At last he was prevailed upon to promise to meet the Mar- THE FRIES REBELLION. 5 1 shal at Bethlehem, but could not be induced to say that he would submit or surrender himself. Seeing that nothing further could be accomplished there, the officers took their leave. As they left the house the people set up a shout and hurrahed for "Liberty." The Marshal now continued on his rounds. He procured a constable to show him where Adam Stephen, Herman Hartman, and Daniel Everly, for whom he had warrants, lived. Having arrested these persons he and his party returned to Bethlehem, where they arrived on the evening of March 6. Bethlehem was his headquarters, and here he had his prisoners confined. Bethlehem, the place of confinement of the Marshal's prisoners, was such an important point at that day it will not do to pass it by with a mere mention of its name, but deserves something more. It stands on the north bank of the Lehigh, Northampton county, twelve mdles above where the river empties into the Delaware. Here was made the first permanent settlement of the Moravians in North America. The first tree was felled on the spot where Bethlehem stands Dec. 22, 1740, by a small party from Nazareth. The cold was intense, the snow lay deep on the ground ; and through the winter they encountered many privations and hardships. By the opening of spring a small log house was completed. On Sep tember 8, 1741, the corner-stone of a second, and much more commodious, house, was laid with interesting religious cere monies. The first house stood until 1823, when it was torn down to make room for the Eagle Hotel stables ; but the second has weathered the storms of nearly one hundred and sixty years, and still stands as a monument of the founding of Bethlehem. The first tree to build the first house was cut down by David Nitschman, who was born in Moravia, Sep tember 18, 1676, and died at Bethlehem, April 14, 1758. He was the first bishop of the brethren in America, and officiated at the laying of the corner-stone of the second building in 1 741. A recent writer speaking of this interesting building says : "Here, as in a common home, lived, side-by-side, the artisan and man of leisure— a little company met together from the 52 THE FRIES REBELLION. various walks of life, self-denying and devoted men, actuated by one spirit, and that the spirit of mutual love for Christ. Here lived for a number of years the elders of the congrega tion, its bishops and ministers. Here they met in conference to deliberate on the condition of the Lord's work in their midst, and abroad among the Indian tribes. Its walls have echoed to the voice of Zinzendorf,' and, for fifteen years was the home of that great and good man, the worthy Bishop Spangenberg." In the little hall on the second floor, the place of worship for the congregation as late as 1751. Spangenberg presided on two occasions at interviews with deputations from the rude tribes of Wyoming Valley.' Nanticokes and Shaw- nese, dressed in all their savage finery of feathers and painted deerskin, had come to see the home of the intrepid mission ary, whose lonely canoe they had encountered on the upper waters of the Susquehanna, to smoke the friendly pipe, and assure him of their good-will in a covenant of peace and mu tual friendship." ^ Count Zinzendorf, founder of the Moravian Colony north of the Lehigh, and descend ed of a noble Austrian family, was born at Dresden, Saxony, May 36, 1700. He was educated ar Halle and the University of Wittenberg, and afterward spent some time in traveUng. He was married in 1732 to the Countess Von Reuss, and became a convert to the Moravian faith shortly afterward. He landed at New York, December 2, 1741, reaching Philadelphia the loth, and Bethlehem the 24th. He immediately became an object of general interest and was recognized as the head of the Moravian movement lately initiated in the province. In June, 1742, he organized the Moravian congregation at Bethlehem, and preached his farewell sermon at Philadelphia, December 31, leaving the same evening for New Yark to embark for Europe, where he died May 9, 1760. He was accompanied to America by his daughter Benigna. " AugustusGottliebSpangenberg.abishopot theUnitasFratrum, or Moravian Church, was born at Klettenberg, Prussia, July 15, 1704, and died at Bershelsdorf, Saxony, Septem ber 18, 1792. He graduated at Jena, where he later became a professor, and also at Halle. In '735 he led the first Moravian colonists to Georgia. Having been appointed to preside over the Moravian Churches in America, he was raised to the episcopalcy in 1744 and arrived at Bethlehem, Pa., the same year. In 1760 he was recalled to Europe to take a seat inthe Supreme Board of the Church over which body he presided twenty-three years. He may justly be called the founder of the Moravian Church in America. He was a learned theologian, a man ot great power, and a writer ot many historical and theological works. ' The Wyoming Valley, so famous in history and song, lies along the Susquehanna, and spreads about Wilkesbarre, the county seat of Luzerne. In it took place the bloody massacre ot its inhabitants by Indians, in 1778, and avenged in 1779 by an army under General Sullivan. Campbell's "Gertrude of Wyoming" has made this vaUey almost as famous as the Vale of Cashmers. THE FRIES REBELLION. 53 Bethlehem was originally intended as a place of rendezvous for the missionaries among the Delaware and Mohican In dians, which it held for twenty years, but, at the end of that time, became the seat of the Moravian congregation, organ ized by Count Zinzendorf. A school for girls was opened as early as 1749, but the boarding school was not commenced until 1785, and is still in operation. During the Revolutionary War Bethlehem was often visited by American troops, and upon more than one occasion the brethren were sufferers from military exactions. On the re treat of Washington through New Jersey, December, 1776, Lee's divison, under the command of General Sullivan, after crossing the Delaware, came to this place, where it encamped on the 17th, and La Fayette spent some time there to recover from the wound received at Brandywine. In the spring of 1778, the single Sisters presented to Count Pulaski an elegant embroidered banner, which was borne at the head of his regiment until he fell at Savannah, 1779. Beth lehem was also visited by the Baron De Kalb, September, 1777. Hospitals were established there for the sick and wounded of the army, and it was also made a depot for pro visions; and, in fact, during the whole war it was an import ant point in military operations. Washington styled the weaving department of Sisters House, " the first domestic manufactories of the land," and from there supplied himself and wife with articles of wearing apparel. The situation of Bethlehem is beautiful and romantic in the extreme, and nature and art combined have rendered it one of the most charming spots in the country. It has grown into a town of some 10,000 inhabitants, and become an im portant business centre. Two railroads and a canal give the inhabitants great facilities for trade, and manufactories are rapidly growing up around it. The influx of strangers has done away with much of the exclusive Moravian impress formerly stamped upon the town, but the spirit of their insti tutions still prevails to a great extent, and may be said to be the governing influence. 54 THE FRIES REBELLION. The arrest of the persons for whom warrants were issued, and their confinement at Bethlehem by the Marshal, caused unusual excitement throughout the country. It created great indignation in the disaffected districts of Northampton and Bucks, and was considered an act of tyranny and oppression on the part of the government. As soon as it became known the arrests were made, the leaders of the opposition to the law determined to rescue them, if possible. For the purpose of consulting on the subject, a meeting was called at the public house of Conrad Marks', Milford, Bucks county, on March 7. Notices were carried around the evening before and left at the houses of those known to be friendly to the movement. By ten o'clock a number of people had assembled, and con siderable excitement was manifested. The general sentiment was in favor of immediate organization and marching to Beth lehem to take the prisoners from the hands of the Marshal. The crowd was formed in a company, and John Fries elected captain. They were variously armed ; some with guns, others with swords and pistols, while those with less belligerent feel ings, carried clubs. Subsequently, when Fries was examined before Judge Peters, he said his " motive in going to Bethle hem to rescue the prisoners was not from personal attachment, or regard for any of the persons who had been arrested, but proceeded from a general aversion to the law, and an inten tion to impede and prevent its execution." This reason, how ever, hardly explains their course, under the circumstances. Their plan was first to march to Millarstown and thence to Bethlehem. The people of Northampton, meanwhile, had also taken ac tion in reference to a rescue of the prisoners. A meeting to 8 Conrad Marks' tavern was in Milford township, Bucks county, near where the four corners of Bucks, Montgomery, Berks and Lehigh come together. His petition for license, in the Quarter Sessions office, was to August term, 1796, in which he states he had removed to the well-known tavern on the Magunshey (Macungie) road in said town ship of Milford, formerly occupied by George Horlacker," also that the house had been "kept as such above forty years." His endorsers were David Spinner and George Hor lacker. For many years the house was known as Geary's tavern. THE FRIES REBELLION. 55 consult on the subject was called at the tavern of Martin Rit- ter," to meet at lo o'clock, on the morning of March 7. No tice was also given for two or three companies of light horse to meet there at the same time, one of which was commanded by Captain Jarrett." At the hour appointed a considerable number of persons were on the ground, and much noise, confusion and excite- ment prevailed. Upon the meeting being organized, and a conference had about the matter, that had brought them to gether, it was unanimously resolved to march for Bethlehem without delay. The strength of the party which marched for that place we have no means of knowing, as the records do not give it. Soon after starting they selected a commander, the choice falling upon Andrew Shiffert. There were a few pres ent who questioned the propriety of the movement, but the general voice was so nearly unanimous in its favor, their ad vice was not listened to. The excitement ran high, and the multitude clamored to be led to the rescue of their friends in the hands of the Federal authorities. They did not look at the consequences that might recoil upon themselves, nor did they care at that particular moment, for they were burning under a sense of real or imagined wrong. They were blind to the nature of the step they were taking, and deaf to the voice of reason. The multitude believed, in case they should succeed in rescuing the prisoners, the matter would end there. Or, if it did cross the minds of the most far-seeing that such indignity to the government might be taken notice of, and troops or dered there to capture the guilty, it was not supposed, for a moment, the authorities would be able to do anything with them. With this feeling the march was taken up for Gunes' tavern, three miles from Bethlehem, where some confederates • We are not able to fix the locality of Martm Ritter's tavern. We thought, at first, it was on the sight of the present Rittersville, four miles trom Bethlehem, on the road to AUentown. But this was imposible as the place of meeting of the Northampton in surgents was on the south side of the Lehigh, while Rittersville is on the north. i» The same Captain Jarrett previously mentioned. His military, on this occasion, was a regularly organized volunteer company. 56 THE FRIES REBELLION. were expected to join them. Here they resumed the march for the bridge that crosses the Lehigh at South Bethlehem.'' " The South Bethlehem Star,, published a few years ago, the following account of the establishing of a ferry and the subsequent building of a bridge across the Lehigh at Bethlehem, by which the insurgents crossed; " The first public means of crossing the Lehigh was a ferry at the same place where the old Lehigh bridge now crosses the river- It was opened on March it, 1743, and the man who first paddled passengers across the new ferry was Adam Schaus. Ferriage was at first, for a horse and rider, 3d. In 1745 the use of the ferry was free to all who lived in Bethlehem or delt there. Travelers were expected to pay if they would, but in case they objected they were not to be constrained. Improvements gradually crept in and 1750 wharves were constructed. Eight years there after a rope was introduced which rendered a passage across the river a much less serious matter than heretofore. At last came a bridge in 1794. John Schropp, warden, was empowered hy an Act of Assembly to undertake the enterprise and to associate stock holders with himself. That first bridge was built of hemlock, was uncovered and cost $7800. In 1816 this bridge was removed and a more substantial structure put in its place. The latter bridge was also uncovered. In April, 1827, the present Bethlehem Bridge Company was organized. In 1841 the second bridge across the Lehigh was swept away by a freshet, after which the present covered one was constructed. After the great freshet of 1862 the present bridge had to be partially rebuilt, a portion of it having been carried away by the waters." JUDGE WILLIAM HENRY OF NORTHAMPTON COUNTY. T'he ^ne^ Rebellion. CHAPTER VI. I^escue of the Prisoners at Bethletxern. Fries and his friends received word, the night before, that the Northampton people, opposed to the law, also intended to make an effort to take the prisoners from the hands of the Marshal. In the morning, Conrad Marks sent his son to Ritter's tavern, to learn what movement was on foot at that place. In the meantime the march was commenced for Millarstown, and when they had gone three or four miles on the road, young Marks was met returning. He informed them the Northamp ton people were already in motion, a large party having left Ritter's before his arrival ; that it was not worth while for them to go, as a sufficient number was on the march to accomplish what they had in view. Upon learning this some were in favor of turning back, but Conrad Marks and John Fries advised they should go at least to Bethlehem to sec what was going on there. The march was now resumed. Daniel Fries, son of John, says that his father started for Bethlehem mounted, but, when near old Jchn Cline's, the animal cut its foot with the cork of his shoe and was disabled. Daniel was with him, and, as the horse was of no further service on the road. Fries sent his son back with it and continued the march on foot. They passed by Ritter's tavern, and followed the route of the Northampton contingent which had preceded them, overtaking and joining them at the south end of the bridge over the Lehigh at South Bethlehem,' The whole 1 South Bethlehem is on the south bank of the Lehigh opposite Bethlehem. Here was the Crown Inn, the first licensed house on the Lehigh that rose to the dignity of a tavern, and on the site of it is the Union Railroad Station. The house was built in 1745 and licensed in June, T746. The "Crown" played an important role in Colonial days. Around the site of this old hostelry has grown a town of fifteen thousand inhabitants; it is the seat of Lehigh University and here is located great iron works. Bethlehem and South Bethlehem are still connected by a wooden bridge that crosses the Lehigh at about the same place as the old one of 'gg. (57) 58 THE FRIES REBELLION. command numbered about one hundred and forty men, including two companies of riflemen and one of mounted men, the latter being armed with broad swords. They presented quite a martial appearance. Their march through the thickly populated country swelled their ranks by the addition of a number, attracted by curiosity, who followed after to see what would take place, without any intention of tak ing part in the proceedings. They were neutrals. We have already said the Marshal returned to Bethlehem with his prisoners the night of March 6, and confined them in the Sun tavern. ° As the Marshal passed through the country, on his return, he heard a rumor that an attempt wouid be made to rescue the prisoners, but he did not conceive such a thing possible, supposing somebody, as a matter of amuse ment, had raised the story to alarm him. Upon reaching Bethlehem, however, the rumor was confirmed, and he was convinced a movement of the kind was on foot by a band of 2 A public house has been kept on the spot where the Sun tavern stands for r40 years. The expsdiencey of erecting a house of entertainment at Bethlehem was first considered and the location fixed upon, in July, 1754, but delay prevented its completion until 1758. Down to this time travelers were accommodated at " The Crown " on the south bank of the Lehigh, bjilt 1743, and cjnt'erted into a farm house in 1754. Chastellux, a French gentleman traveling in America near the close of the last century says of the "Sun :" " This tavern was built at ths ex jsnje of the Society of Moravian Brethren whom it served as d. magazine, and is very liandsome, and spacious. The person who keeps it is only the cashier, and obliged to render an account to the administrators. As we had already dined we only drank tea, but ordered breakfast for the next morning at 10 o'clock.'' An English gentleman traveling in this country at that period also visited Bethlehem and put up at the Sun tavern. He afterward translated the work of Chastellux, and in it, makes the following note in reference to this tavern ; " This inn for its external appear ances, and its interior accommodations, is equal to the best of the large inns in England, which, indeed, it very much resembles in many respects. The first time I was in Bethle hem, in company with my friends, Maj ir Pierce Butler, Mr. Thomas Elliott and Mr. Charles Pinckney, Car.jlina gentlemen, \vi re.-nained here two or three days, and were constantly supplied with venison, mo ise, game, and the m.ist delicious red and yellow bellied trout, the highest flavored wild strawberries, the most luxurious asparagus and the best vegeta'^Ies. in short, I ever saw ; and notwithstanding the difficulty ot procuring good wine and spirits at that period throughout the continent, we were here regaled with rum and brandy, of the best quality, and exquisite old Port and Madeira." The present condition and appearance of the Sun tavern are in strong contrast compared with a century ago. It is excelled by few, if any, public house outside the large cities, and the accommodations are of the best. It is frequently alleged Lafayette put up at the Sun tavern, while recovering from the wound received at Brandywine, 1777, but this is an error. He occupied the house lately owned by Ambrose Rauch, on Main street, torn down 1872. The Marjuis was driven in a carriage from Bristol, on the Delaware, to Bethlehem, a distance of sixty miles. THE FRIES REBELLION. 59 armed men. The prisoners arrested in Lehigh township were released upon their own bonds, with good securities for their appearance, but the others were held in custody. The information, that an attempt at rescue would be made, naturally gave the Marshal great uneasiness, and he proceeded to take such steps as were dee neJ necessary to prevent it. He held a consultation with Judge William Henry, Mr. Eyerley, the commissioner, Mr, Balliott, Joseph Horsfield,' a justice of the peace at Bethlehem, and General Brown." He had received instructions before leaving Philadelphia to call out a posse comitatus in case it should be found necessary, but vvas forbidden to use an armed force. He made a demand upon Judge Henry for armed men, but as the latter had received similar instructions, and there could not be found any authority authorizing it, the requisition was refused. It was therefore decided to call such force as they were authorized to accept, and, accordingly, summoned a civil posse. Twenty men were called from Bethlehem and Easton, but only eighteen responded, arriving between ten and eleven in the forenoon. We have not been able to get the names of all, but among them were William Barnett, John Barnett, Christian Winters, Christian Roths and Philip Schlaugh. The prisoners were re moved upstairs to a room thought to be more secure. As General Brown was a person of influence in the county, the Marshal requested him to command at Bethlehem and lend the assistance of his counsel, but he declined on account of having been absent so long from his fam'ly. In the mean time an officer was sent to arrest a clergyman named Eyer- " Joseph Horsfield was a prominent citizen of Northampton, and justice of the peace many years at Bethlehem. He was the youngest child of Timothy and Mary Horsfield, who settled in Long Island, 1749, and removed to Bethlehem. 1750. He married a niece of the celebrated Anthony Benezet, Philadelphia, whose mother was a great court beauty during the reign of Louis XIV. He was a witness on the trial of Fries for the prosecution. He died at Bethlehem, 1834, at the age of 84 years. « General Brown was a descendant of an immigrant who settled at "Craig's Settle ment," Allen township, Northampton county, about 1735. He was prominent in his generation, and played an important part in the county during the Revolutionary struggle. Robert Brown, of that section, was a prominent man of his day and an officer in the Continental army. 6o THE FRIES REBELLION. man^ and one John Fox, both active in opposing the law, and who were thought to be too dangerous to go at large. They were taken and brought in without opposition. The proceeedings becoming known in the surrounding country, a large number of people came to witness a conflict, which, it was supposed, could not be avoided. About eleven o'clock, a Mr. Dixon, who arrived from Emaus, informed the Marshal he had seen a number of persons as sembled at Ritter's tavern, under arms, some mounted, others on foot, who were about to march for Bethlehem ; and also saw others on the road. This was the first positive informa tion that an armed party was actually coming to attempt a rescue of the prisoners. In about half an hour two men, one armed with a smooth bore gun, the other with a rifle, arrived at the Sun, dismounted in the yard, came quietly into the house, and placed themselves by the side of each other opposite the door. The Marshal, and some of the people who were collected, inquired the reason of their coming there armed, when, after some hesitation, they replied they " had come upon a shooting frolic." Upon being questioned as to what they intended to shoot, one of them evaded a reply by saying they wanted to see what was best for the country. They were then told to withdraw, and not appear in arms to obstruct the process of the United States. To this they replied they were freemen, and had a right to go where they pleased. They were supposed to be of the insurgent force, and, as they would probably come straggling in, it was thought best to secure them in detail. They were accordingly arrested, their arms taken from them, and they were taken up stairs and confined in a chamber. Shortly after three other mounted men arrived in uniform, at the head of whom was Shankwyler, who had re fused to submit to an arrest the day before. The Marshal asked him if he had come to surrender himself, but he replied ^ Among the prisoners released at Bethlehem was JacobEyerman, a clergyman resid ing in Hamilton township, Northampton county, recently arrived from Germany. He was oneof the most active in stirring up opposition fo the house tax law, only second in influence to John Fries, and continued to preach to his congregation until his tongue was silenced by arrest. Atter his release he fled to the State ot New York, where he was arrested and brought back. He was tried, found guilty of conspiracy ; sentenced to one year with a fine ot $50, and to give security for one jear for his good behavior. THE FRIES REBELLION. 6l he came to meet his accuser. They gave no indication of creating a disturbance and mingled peacebly with others assembled. Information was now brought in that there was an armed force at the Lehigh bridge, on the march for the tavern. A consultation was held, and it was deemed best to send a deputation down to hold a conference with them, to learn their intention. It was agreed to send a delegation of four upon this duty, two Federalists and two anti-Federalists. The men selected were John Mulhallon," William Barnett, Christian Roths and Isaac Hartzell, gentlemen of standing ard influence in the county. They received no particular instruc tions, and were only charged to prevail upon the armed force not to come into town. The deputation rode down through the main street of Bethlehem, crossed the Lehigh to the south bank, and pro ceeded about a half mile beyond the bridtje, where they met a party of armed horsemen, whom they learned were from the neighborhood of Millarstown. These belonged to the North ampton contingent. Upon inquiring for the commanding officer, they were told they had no officers but were all com manders. The committee then told them the object of their visit, and used every persuasion to induce them to relinquish their march to Bethlehem. They explained to them the prob able consequences of the rash step they were about to take; that they would be resisting the laws of the United States in rescuing the prisoners, and the Government would surely punish them for it. All they said seemed to have but little or no effect. While Judge Mulhallon and Mr. Barnett were talking with these people in front. Christian Roths went toward the rear to use his influence in that quarter. One of the men said to him, " We don't know you ;" whereupon he' told them in reply, that whether they knew him or not, they would thank him for the advice he had given them. Another pointed his gun at him. This did not alarm Roths, who mildly said, "Little man, consider what you are about; don't be too much in a hurry." While they were holding this parley a companj' "John Mulhallon, called'" Judge" Mulhallon, and probahly Associate Judge at one time, was appointed the first Prothonotary for Lehigh county, when it was cut off from Northampton. 62 THE FRIES REBELLION. of armed riflemen came up. They ivere likewise informed of the wish of the Marshal, but they gave it no more heed than the others. The march of the insurgents was now resumed and they continued to the bridge where another halt was made. The committee here held another parley with them, endeavoring, by all possible means, to induce them not to go over into the town. They now said that the Marshal had two of their men prisoners, who had gone to Bethlehem under arms, and they intended to set them free. They appeared to be alarmed at the idea of the prisoners being taken to Philadelphia for trial. While admitting they should be punished, if they had done wrong, they must be tried in Northampton county. When the committee saw the insurgents were determined to pro ceed, they suggested it would be better to send three or four men over as a deputation to confer with the Mar.'-hal. To this they agreed, and three of their number were appointed to go. Afraid lest these men should also be made prisoners they stipulated with William Barnett that he should return them safely. The two committees then crossed the river to Bethlehem, and together proceeded to the Sun tavern. They were taken before the Marshal and had a conference with him- Upon inquiring the reason of so many armed men coming there, they replied they came to prevent him taking the prisoners to Philadelphia to' be tried. He told them that that could not be, and advised them to go to their companions and persuade them to return to their homes. They requested that the two men, who had been made prisoners in the morn ing, should be released, which was done and their arms delivered to them. As the committee had promised, they now returned with these men to the south side of the river to deliver them to their companions. We last took leave of John Fries and his friends on their march from Conrad Marks' tavern by the way of Millarstown to Bethlehem. They were a little in the rear of the Northamp ton contingent, and arrived at the bridge while the committee of citizens were gone to the tavern with the men deputed to confer with the Marshal They did not halt any length of THE FRIES REBELLION. 63 time on the south bank of the river, but pushed across and continued on to the tavern, where the prisoners were confined. Meanwhile, the committee of conference, on the part of the. Marshal, had started on their return accompanied by the two released prisoners and their three friends. When they reached the lower part of the village, they met the force of John Fries marching up the main street. They stopped him to hold a parley, and endeavored to prevail upon him and his men not to continue their march up into the town; but they disregarded their appeal and said they were determined to go on. One of the men, supposed to have been Fries, said, "This is the third day that I am out. I had a fight yesterday, and I mean to have one to-day if they do not let the prisoners clear." They now resumed the march. The force consisted of two companies of riflemen, and one of mounted men, numbering in all about one hundred and forty. The horsemen marched two abreast armed with drawn swords. The footmen carried rifles, at a trail, in single file. One of tbe companies was commanded by a Captain Staeler, and wore tri-colored cockades on their hats. Fries marched in front of the riflemen and was apparently in command The appearance of this large armed force, so close at hand, created great confusion and e.Kcitement, not only at the tavern but throughout the town. A conflict between them and the Marshal's posse was now thought inevitable. The inhabitants and strangers in the town flocked around the scene of action to watch the course of events. The Marshal had a force of less than twenty men to protect eighteen prisoners, who were merely placed in different rooms in the tavern, without being further restrained of their liberty. When the insurgents were known to be coming, the prisoners were told their friends were at hand prepared to take them away, but they did not wish to be rescued. The force arrived about i o'clock in the day; marched into the yard in front of the tavern ; halted, the horsemen dismounting, and the riflemen passing around the house drew up in the rear of the horses and rested on their arms. The men kept well in ranks, and appeared to be under good control. The Marshal doubled his guard over the 64 THE FRIES REBELLION. prisoners and stationed two at the bottom and two at the top of the stairs, armed with pistols. Fries went into the tavern, accompanied by two of his men, and requested the sentinel at the foot of the stairway to let him go up to see the Marshal. Word was sent up to Colonel Nichols, who came forward and told the guard to let Captain Fries pass up. When he came to the Marshal, Fries informed him he had come for the prisoners, and demanded their release. The Marshal replied this was out of his power, but if he were determined to take them, he must get them the best way he could. Soon after Fries and his force arrived, Captain Jarrett came up, and the men saluted him with cheers. He had been to Philadelphia to surrender himself and be discharged on bail, and had just returned. He had an interview with the Marshal who re quested him to get the men to withdraw. This he promised to do, but he either had no influence or did not choose to exercise it. He remained about there some two hours, but took no steps to quell the disturbance. After the interview with the Marshal, Fries returned to the guard and told his followers the result of it. Upon learning this they became quite violent and expressed a determination to have the prisoners at every risk. They abused Eyerley, the com missioner, and all who had assisted him, and towards them appeared to be more enraged than at the Marshal. The insurgents now prepared to take the prisoners by force if theyshonld not be given up peaceably. Fries told his men that four or five sentinels had to be passed, and begged them not to fire until the Marshal's posse had fired upon them ; he would go on before them and expected to get the first blow. He cautioned them, a second time, not to fire first, and promised to give the word as soon as he was fired upon, when they must help themselves. He then gave the command, and his men followed toward the tavern. They came on with a rush and succeeded in getting into the entry in considerable numbers, where they were met by the Marshal's posse. A struggle took place between them, which resulted in the posse clearing the entry of the enemy. Esquire Horsfield came down stairs while the contest was going on, and, seeing that THE FRIES REBELLION. 6$ great excitement prevailed, he made his way through the crowd up stairs again to the landlord, Mr. Levering,' and pre vailed upon him to close the bar, as liquor stimulated the dis turbance. This repulse maddened the crowd, and they re turned to the charge with greater fury than before, yelling and uttering savage shrieks. They struck the butts of their rifles on the ground, and fairly jumped with rage. They came to the door and a number entered and filled the hall. Those who remained outside pointed their rifles up at the windows to intianidate, and one, who entered, thrust the muzzle of his gun up the stairway, threatening to fire. They shouted their determin ition to have the prisoners. These proceed ings caused great consternation among the Marshal's posse, who began to grow alarmed for their own safety. Philip Schlaugh was so much frightened he mounted his horse when the second rush was made, and rode for Easton as fast as his animal could carry him. Esquire Horsfield begged the Marshal "for God's sake" to deliver up the prisoners, and worked his way down stairs to be ready to make his escape. The Marshal and his friends, up stairs at this time in charge of the prisoners, consulted with Judge Henry and others as to what was best to be done. He was advised to surrender the prisoners to Fries. This he refused to do, but said he would march them to Philadelphia, and if the mob thought proper to take them from him, on the way, it would be their act, not his, and he told them to prepare immediately to start for the city. Several refused to go, saying they would not thus endanger their lives, but if he would suffer them to return to their homes they would meet him in Philadelphia on Mon day or Tuesday following. Fries was still demanding their release and threats of bodily harm were made against Eyerley, Henry and others, in case the prisoners were not given up. The Marshal, considering the lives of these gentlemen in T Abraham Levering was the landlord of the Sun tavern at the time of the rescue of the prisoners, and the fifth in succession. He was a son of John and Susan Levering, Nazareth, and born December, 1757. His wife, Christiana, a daughter ot Lewis Gassier, Lititz, was the popular hostess of the tavern for nine years. Levering entered upon the management June ist, 1790; retired from the tavern in June, 1799, and died in Bethlehem, 1835. 66 THE FRIES REBELLION. danger, rather than expose them to injury, concluded to de liver the prisoners to Fries, and they were released and turned over to him. In a few minutes there was not an armed man on the ground, while the people of the town and neighbor hood, who had collected as witnesses of the proceedings, quietly dispersed and returned to their homes. The contest was bloodless and the insurgents won. The ^ne^ Rebellion. CHAPTER VII. ThLe Presider^t Issiaes Mis Proclamation. Immediately, after the rescue of the prisoners at Bethlehem, John Fries returned to his home in Milford township, but far from satisfied with the part he had taken in the affair. The excitement having subsided and reflection assumed its wonted swa}', he doubted the propriety of his course, and began to have fears that he and his friends had gone beyond legal resist ance. Like every man, who places himself in the wrong, he was an.xious to unburden his mind by talking with others upon the subject, in the hope of justifying his conduct. For this purpose he went to see John Jamison,' an old acquaintance, two days after the occurrence, to whom he gave a full account of the aft'air at Bethlehem, and the part he took in it. He threw the blame upon the Germans, who, he said, he could do nothing with, as they had gotten the idea into their heads General Washington was opposed to the law, and therefore they need not allow it to be carried into execution. An effort was now made to harmonize matters so the asssess- ments could be taken, thus putting an end to the disturbance that had so long agitated this and neighboring counties. It was agreed among the leading men in the disaffected districts of Bucks the proper course would be to meet and choose a committee from the three counties. For this purpose a meet ing was called at the tavern of Conrad Marks, Monday, March 15, which some 200 people attended from the three counties. A committee of four from each county was appointed, with authority to consider the situation, and report what was best to be done under the circumstances. We have not been able 1 John Jamison was a descendant of William Jamison, who settled in Richland town ship, in the neighborhood of Quakertown about 1730. He was a farmer and ot no par ticular prominence. (.67) 68 THE FRIES REBELLION. to procure the names of all on the committee, but have several from this county; John Jamison, George Kline," Daniel Roberts,' Conrad Marks, Dr. Baker, a man named Davis and Captain Jarrett. They advised the people to desist from further opposition to the assessors and other officers in the execution of their duties, and enjoined upon them to give due submission to the laws of their country. This seemed to be the sentiment of all present at the meeting, and no dissent was experienced. The people of Lower Milford were now in favor of having the assessments made, but, Mr. Roberts, upon being consulted, was not willing they should choose an assessor, but if Mr. Clark, who had not yet given up his commission, would take the rates, it would answer every purpose. A second meeting was advertised to be held at George Mitchel's tavern on March 25, to take the sense of the people upon the subject of permitting Clark to make the assessments. Fries was at the meeting held at Conrad Marks, and, as it does not ap pear he took any part in the proceedings, he probably quietly acquiesced with others in the peaceable measures adopted. Upon this occasion he and Mitchel had some conversation on the subject, when he admitted his former resistance to the law, a fact he never denied. He now expressed a willingness to give in his submission, and allow the law to be inforced. Apparently wishing to make some amends for his former harsh treatment of the officers, he told Jacob Huber that his house should not be assessed until he had given the assessors a dinner, and that if he were not at home when they came his son would be there to provide for them. With this the op position to the law in Milford ended, and, from that time for ward to his arrest, there was no better ordered citizen in the county than John Fries. He returned to his usual occupa- 2 The Kline family were sympathizers with Fries in his opposition to the house tax law, and Jacob Kline, Sr., and three others ot the name were arrested for treason. Jacob Kline was present at the meeting at Mitchel's tavern and was then well disposed. 2 Daniel Roberts was a descendant of Edward Roberts, who, with his wife, settled near Quakertown, 1716. She was a daughter of Everard and Elizabeth Bolton, who settled at Cheltenham, Montgomery county, 1682. The ancestry ot the Boltons is traced back to the Lord ot Bolton, the lineal representative of the Saxon Earls of Murcia. The late Judge Roberts, ot Doylestown, was a descendant of Edward Roberts. THE FRIES REBELLION. 69 tion, vendue crying, and, if his present good conduct be any evidence, he had entirely repented his previous course. The Marshal kept Judge Peters fully informed of the opera tions of the insurgents, and also of his own movements. Immediately upon the rescue of the prisoners at Bethlehem he announced the fact to the Judge, who laid the matter be fore the Federal authorities without delay. Upon being thus officially informed of the truth of what had heretofore reached hirn in the shape of rumors, although pretty well authenticated, the President called his cabinent together to deliberate upon the steps to be taken in relation thereto. They were now fully cognizant of the resistance that had been offered to the law, and was satisfied it could not be executed in the disaffected districts unless the opposition should end. It was now de termined the President should issue his proclamation, and en deavor, by this mild means, to call the deluded disturbers of the peace back to their duty, before a resort was had to harsher measures. For this purpose he caused to be issued, from the seat of government at Philadelphia on March 12, 1799, ^^^ following: By the President of the United States of A merica : PROCLAMATION. Whereas, combination.^, to defeat the execution of the laws for the valuation of lands and dwelling houses within the United States, have existed within the counties of Northamp ton, Montgomery and Bucks, in the State of Pennsylvania, have proceeded in a manner subversive of the just authority of the government, by misrepresentations to render the laws odious, by deterring the officers of the United States to for bear the execution of their functions, and by openly threaten ing their lives. And, whereas, the endeavors of the well- effected citizens, as well as of the executive officers to con ciliate compliance with these laws, have failed of success, and certain persons in the county of Northampton, aforesaid, have been hardy enough to perpetrate certain acts, which, I am advised, amount to treason, being overt acts of levying war against the United States, the said persons exceeding one ¦JO THE FRIES REBELLION. hundred in number, and armed and arrayed in warlike manner, having, on the seventh day of the present month of March, proceeded to the house of Abraham Levering, in the town of Bethlehem, and there compelled William Nichols, Marshal of the United States, for the District of Pennsylvania, to desist from thc execution of certain legal processes in his hands to be executed, and having compelled him to discharge and set at liberty, certain persons whom he had arrested by virtue of a criminal process, duly issued for offenses against the United States, and having impeded and prevented the commissioners and assessor, in conformity with the laws aforesaid, in the county of Northampton, aforesaid, by threats of personal injury, from executing the said laws, avowing, as the motive of these illegal and treasonable proceedings, an intention to prevent, by force of arms, the execution of the said laws, and to withstand, by open violence, the lawful authority of the United States. And, whereas, by the Constitution and laws of the United States, I am authorized, whenever the laws of the United States shall be opposed, or the execution thereof obstructed in any State, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by powers, vested in the Marshal, to call forth military force to supress such combinations, and to cause the laws to be duly executed, and I have accordingly determined so to do, under the solemn conviction that the essential interests of the United States demand it. Therefore, I, John Adams, President of the United States, do hereby command all persons, being insurgents as aforesaid, and all others whom it may concern, on or before Monday next, being the eighteenth day of the present month, to dis perse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes : and I do, moreover, warn all persons whomsoever, against aiding, abetting or comforting the perpetrators of the aforesaid treason able acts, and I do require all officers and others, good and faithful citizens, according to their respective duties and laws of the land, to exert their utmost endeavors to prevent and suppress, such dangerous and unlawful proceedings. In testimony thereof, I have caused the Seal of the United THE FRIES REBELLION. 7 1 States of America to be affixed to these presents, and signed the same with my hand. Done at the city of Philadelphia, the tw'elfth day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1799, and of the Independence of the said United States of America, the twenty-third. By the President : (Signed) JOHN ADAMS. (Signed) TIMOTHY PICKERING, Secretary of State. The proclamation reached Milford township, on the fifteenth of March. Its appearance created a good deal of excitement and talk among the people, who were now convinced the government was disposed to treat the late disturbance with more seriousness than the participators in it had believed. It was reported to the meeting at Conrad Marks, on the eigh teenth, where it became the subject of discussion and conver sation. On the evening of the day, it first made its appear ance in the township, George Mitchel carried a copy down to Frederick Heaney's, to whom he read it, who agreed to sub mit to it ; and he made no further opposition. Soon after the appearance of the proclamation, a statement of the part John Fries had taken in opposing the law was published in the newspapers; Israel Roberts carried a copy to him to read what was said of him. The account of his conduct, as published, seemed to affect him greatly; and, upon being questioned, he admitted he had never before considered the matter in such serious light as he had within a few days. He said he had not slept half an hour for three or four nights, and that he would give all he was worth in the world if the matter were settled and he clear of it. He expressed a willingness to surrender himself if the government would send for him. The meeting advertised at George Mitchel's tavern, on March twenty-five, was held at that time. About forty persons were present, among them, John Fries and Frederick Heaney. It was agreed that Clark should make the asse- ments. Neither Fries nor Heaney voted upon the question, but both expressed a willingness that others should do so, and, ¦J2 THE FRIES REBELLION. in fact, hoped they might vote for him. They seemed to yield entire obedience to the authorities, and appeared sensi ble of their previous misconduct. In Northampton county, the reception of the Preside.it's proclamation had the same good effect as in Bucks, and almost wholly quieted the dis turbance. But little opposition to the law took place after that date, the most serious being the attack on Mr. Balliott, a collector. He was waylaid upon his return from Bethlehem, whether he had been on business, and so severely beaten a physician was brought from that place to attend him. His injuries, however, proved not to be very serious, and he soon recovered. About the same time Henry Artman, Adam Stephen and Henry Shankwyler, of Millarstown, went to Philadelphia, and surrendered themselves to the Federal authorities, and entered into bail before Judge Peters for their appearance. These men were among the most violent opposers of the law in Northampton county. The opposition to the law had the effect of causing a repeal of the provisions of the house tax, requiring a statement of the windows of each dwelling, at the sessions of 1798-99, and before the most serious disturbances had taken place. The reader, no doubt, will be as much astonished as the writer, at the course of the government after this period. From and after March 25 John Fries and his aiders and abet tors gave their entire submission to the authorities, and com ported themselves as quietly and orderly as the best citizens. They allowed their property to be assessed, and acquiesced in the law being carried into execution. Under all the circum stances it does not appear that the extreme measures after wards pursued were called for, but that a lenient government, such as ours professes to be, should have overlooked the faults and even offenses of the past, in consideration that a very obnoxious law, and at best of questionable propriety, wa5 allowed to go into full force and effect. The pursuing of Fries, in this view of the case, had the appearance of perse cution, which created greater sympathy, in his behalf, than would otherwise have been extended to him. THE FRIES REBELLION. 73 The President's proclamation gave the proceedings of the insurgents, in Bucks and Northampton, an importance they otherwise would not have received ; and, from this time for ward to the conclusion of the " Rebellion," it was a National affair, and attracted the attention of all sections of the Union. Many expected to see another " Western Insurrec tion" or a " Shay's Rebellion," with a more disastrous termi nation. The timid friends of republican government were alarmed lest this disturbance might be a rock on which the ship of State would founder and go to pieces, while the enemies of our institutions predicted such would be the re sult, and appeared delighted at the prospective overthrow of the government. The President caused his proclamation to be immediately sent to the Governor of Pennsylvania, then in Philadelphia attending upon the session of the Legislature, and Governor Mifflin' transmitted a copy to the Assembly, accompanied by the following message : Message of the Governor of Pennsylvania, to the Two Houses of Assembly : Gentlemen : — It is announced, by proclamation issued by the President of the United States, dated the 12th inst., that combinations, to defeat the execution of the laws for the valuation of lands and dwelling houses within the United States, have existed in the counties of Northampton, Mont gomery and Bucks, in the State of Pennsylvania : That in the judgment of the President it is necessary to call for the mili tary force, in order to suppress the combinations aforesaid, and cause the laws aforesaid to be duly executed ; and that the President has accordingly determined to do so, under the * Thomas Mifflin was born in Philadelphia, 1744, of Quaker parentage, and brought up to mercantile pursuits. When the war for independence broke out. Congress ap pointed and commissioned him a Brigadier-General and he was given coramand of the Pennsylvania troops. He served with great credit in various positions, among which was Quartermaster-General. He was elected a member of Congress, 1783, and made Speaker. In this capacity he acted during the closing scenes of the Revolution and re ceived back the commission of Washington when he formally tendered his resignation. He was elected Governor of Pennsylvania, 1790, the first under the new Constitution, aud served three terms, nine years. He died at Lancaster, January 21, 1800. 74 THE FRIES REBELLION. solemn conviction that the essential interest of the United States demands it. That I have received no communication from the President on this important occasion, yet it is my duty, as Executive Magistrate of Penn.sylvania, to call your attention to the sub ject, that if any means ought to be taken on the part of the State to co-operate with the Federal government, they may be devised and authorized by the Legislature. (Signed) THOMAS MiFFLlN. Philadelphia, March 14., i^gg- The matter was referred to a committee of the House, which made report condemning the disturbance in the strong est terms, but proceeded to say, that as the President had taken proper steps to quell the insurrection, they did not deem it necessary for the State to take any action in the mat ter ; but whenever it should become necessary to co-operate with the general government they would do so cheerfully. To the report was addeded the following resolution, but was stricken out on its passage : Resolved, " That the Governor be, and is hereby requested to cause full and due inquiry into the causes of the said riots, to be made, and to make special report to this House there upon, and particularly of any circumstances which may be al leged, or discovered, tending to show the origin of the same agency of foreign incendiaries, in the seditions views of do mestic traitors." f*.,^^^..-*-'^„ ¦"f^ 4-, T'he jFief Rebellion. CHAPTER VIIL Troops Oalled Out to Svippress tl-i_e IrisurrectiorL. While the Legislature took no further action concerning the house tax troubles, the Representatives from Northamp ton county issued an address to the people of the State, in which they say that, on a recent visit to their constituency, they found nothing that "looks like an insurrection." They were highly indignant at the course of the Federal govern ment, as were the people of the State, generally. There was now a change of policy ; the " Fries Rebellion" was relegated to the military arm for treatment. On March 20 the Secretary of War made the following requisition, on Governor Mifflin, for militia to assist in quell ing the insurrection : War Department, March 20, 1799. Sir: — To suppress the insurrection now existing in the counties of Northampton, Bucks and Montgomery, in the State of Pennsylvania, in opposition to the laws of the United States, the President has thought it best to employ a military force, to be composed, in part, of such of the militia of Penn sylvania whose situation and state of preparation will enable them to march with promptitude. As the corps of militia first desired on this occasion are the troops of cavalry belong- ino- to this city, and one troop from each of the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Lancaster, these troops I have the honor to request your Excellency will order to hold themselves in readiness to march, on, or before, (75) 76 THE FRIES REBELLION. the 28th instant, under the command of Brigadier-General Macpherson.' I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, your Ex cellency's most obedient servant. (Signed) JameS McHenry." His Excellency, Thomas Mifflin. Upon the receipt of the Secretary of War's comm.unication. Governor Mifflin addressed the following letter to the Ad jutant-General of the State, directing him to issue general orders for complying with the President's request : " Philadelphia, March 20, 1799, 3 o'clock, p. m." " Sir .-—The Secretary of War, has this moment com municated to me, the President's intention to employ a mili tary force, in suppressing the insurrection now existing in the counties of Northampton, Bucks and Montgomery, with a re quest that the Troops of Cavalry, belonging to this city, and a troop from each of the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Lancaster, may be ordered to hold themselves in readiness to march on, or before, the 28th instant, under the command of Brigadier-General Macpherson. ".You will, therefore, issue general orders for complying with the President's request ; and communicate by express with the commanding officers of the several corps. As soon as the troops are ready to march you will make your report to me, sending the returns of the officers from time to time as you receive them." I am, sir. Your most obedient Servant, (Signed) ThoMaS Mifflin. To Peter Baynton,' Esq., Adjutant General of Militia of Pennsylvania. 1 William Macpherson, the son of Captain John Macpherson, Philadelphia, was an officer in the i6th British toot. At the first opportunity he sold out his commission and succeeded in escaping from the British lines to Philadelphia, where he offered his services to the Board of War. He was commissioned a major in the Pennsylvania line. His brother John, a Captain, tell at Quebec. ^ James McHenry, Secretary ot War, from 1796 to 1800, was born in Maryland, 1753, and died in Baltimore, May 8, 1S19. He served in the Revolution as aide-de-camp of Lafayette ; was a delegate trom Maryland to the Continental Congress, 1 783-86 ; a member of the Convention that formed the Federal Constitution, 1787, and appointed Secretary of War by Mr. Adams. 2 The records show that Peter Baynton was appointed Adjutant-General ot Pennsyl vania, February 27, 1799, and vacated the office May 1, i8co. We have not been able to find any further mention ot him. THE FRIES REBELLION. "]"] In obedience to the order of his immediate Commander-in- Chief, Adjutant-General Baynton issued orders calling into service a portion of the militia of the State, as follows: " GENERAL ORDERS." "Philadelphia, March 20, 1799." "The following corps of cavalry are to hold themselves in readiness to march on, or before, the 28th instant : "Captain Dunlap's, Captain Singer's, Captain Morrell's, Captain Leeper's, of the city of Philadelphia ; Captain Lesh- er's, of the county of Philadelphia ; Captain Sims',* of the county of Bucks; Captain Taylor's, of the county of Ches ter; Captain Montgomery's, of the county of Lancaster, and Captain Kennedy's, of the county of Montgomery. " Officers commanding the above troops of Cavalry will make report to the Adjutant-General as soon as their respec tive corps are ready to march." " By order of the Commander-in-Chief." (Signed) " Peter Baynton," "Adjutant-General of the Militia of Pennsylvania." Of the quota of troops called for, one company of cavalry was taken from Bucks and another from Montgomery, but Northampton was so far gone in rebellion her militia were not thought reliable, and none were taken from that county. The President designated William Macpherson as command er of the troops about to make the expedition into Bucks and Northampton, and, to give him sufficient rank, he was ap- * Walter Sims bought the China Retreat property, 361 acres, 1798. This was a famous place in its day, on the west bank of the Delaware three miles below Bristol. In 1787 the farm belonged to one Benger, an Irish sporting gentleman, who imported the famous horse Messenger. He sold it to one Van Braam Honchgust, the Dutch Governor of an East India island, who erected an elegant mansion upon it, and named it "China Retreat." From him it passed to Captain Sims. Captain John Green, son-in-law ot Captain Sims, was the first American sea captain to carry our flag to China. He died, in 1797. In 1833 an additional building was erected and a school established there called " Bristol College," but lived only a tew years. The buildings were used as an hospital dur ing the War of the Rebellion, and afterward a State school tor the education of colored soldiers' orphans, was opened there. Captain Alden Partridge established a military school at China Retreat about 1842-3, which was kep up for a few years. 78 THE FRIES REBELLION. pointed a Brigadier-General in the United States army on March i8. At the time he held the same commission in the militia of Pennsylvania, which he resigned on the 22d, so as to accept the new honors that awaited him. General Mac pherson resided in Philadelphia, and, after the Revolution raised and commanded a celebrated volunteer corps known as the " Macpherson Blues," which, in its day, was the best drilled corps of citizen soldiery in the country. The troop of cavalry ordered out from Bucks belonged to the lower end of the county, and commanded by Captain Walter Sims. He was preparing to leave the country when the order of the Adjutant-General was issued, and, the next day, tendered his resignation as captain. The letter was addressed to the first lieutenant, William Rodman,* and answered on the 23d, in the name of the company. As we have not found any evidence of an election to fill the vacancy of Captain Sims being held be fore the troop marched, it probably went out under Lieutenant Rodman. General Macpherson subsequently ordered out a company of cavalry from Cumberland county. Not considering the militia called out sufficient to quell the disturbance, the War Department ordered all the regulars that could be spared from other service to join them. The number was about 500, and they were ordered to rendezvous at Newtown" and Bristol' and from there proceed to the seat of war. Two companies left New York, March 17, for Bris tol, there to await the arrival of other troops; a detachment, 5 William Rodman, grandson ot Dr. John Rodman, who settled at Burlington, N. J., early in the last century, was born in Bensalem township, Bucks county, 1757. He was a patriot in the Rovolution ; a member ot the State Senate, and was elected to Congress in 1812, serving two terms. The late Mrs. John Fox, ot Doylestown, was his niece, daughter of his Brother Gilbert. ' Newtown, the county seat of Bucks county from 1725 to 1S13, is situated in a delight ful country, six miles from the Delaware and twenty-five from Philadelphia. The popu lation is about 1500. It was to this place Washington brought the captured Hessians from Trenton, December 26, 1776. ' Bristol is on the west bank ot the Delaware, opposite Burlington, N. J., twenty miles above Philadelphia. It was made the county seat of Bucks in 1705, and so re mained until its removal to Newtown in 1725. It is the only sea-port in the county. Population, 5000. TIIE FRIES REBELLION 79 under Captain John Henry* reached Trenton' from New York on the 23d; encamped there over night, and marched to Newtown the next morning, there to await further orders. On the 2 1st a detachment of artillery, under Lieutenant Woolstencroft" passed through Harrisburg from Reading: on the 27th Captain Irvine's" artillery marched from Carlisle ;" and, on the 30th, a company, commanded by Captain Shoe maker," sixty strong, passed through Lancaster", all for the •* John Henry, Pennsylvania, was appointed captain of artilleryists and engineers June r, 1798, and resigned December 31, 1801. • Trenton, the capital of New Jersey, is at the head ot tide water on the Delaware. It was founded by William Trent, a successful merchant of Philadelphia, about 1715. Trent died in 1724. The town increased rapidly. It was made a borough in 1746, and a post office established as early as 1734. This was the scene of the capture of the Hes sians by Washington, the turning of the tide in Revolutionary affairs. The population of Trenton is about 75.000 and it is the seat of e.ttensive and valuable manufactures. n> Charles Woolstencroft, of Pennsylvania, was appointed lieutenant 2d artillerists and engineers June 4, 1798 ; in regiment of artillerists April i, 1802 ; promoted captain March 15, 1805 ; transferred to corps of artillery May 12, 18x4, and died September 28, 1817. He received the brevet rank of major March 15, 1815, for 10 years' faithful service in one grade. 1' Callender Irvine, of Pennsylvania, was appointed captain 2d artillerists and engin eers June 1, 1798, and resigned May 20, 1801 ; appointed superintendent of military stores October 24, 1804 ; appointed commissary general of purchases August 8, 1812, and died October 9, 1841, at Philadelphia, Penna. " Carlisle, the county seat of Cumberland, was laid out in 1701, and a survey of the town and adjacent lands made in 1702. It was so named from Carlisle, in Cumberland county, England. In 1753 it contained but five dwellings. It was the seat of a govern ment cavalry school for many years; the barracks being built in 1777 by the Hessians captured at Trenton were burnt down by Lees forces when they invaded the Cum berland Valley in June, 1863. Dickinson's College, chartered by the Legislature, 1783, is located at Carlisle. Few sections of the State are richer in historic incidents. '3 Peter Shoemaker, ot Pennsylvania, was appointed ensign, 2d infantry, April 11, 1792 ; in 2d sub-legion, September 4, 1792 ; ist lieutenant, March 3, 1793 ; captain, March 3, 1799 ; honorably discharged June 29, 1800. i*The city of Lancaster, the capital of the county ot the same name, is on the Penn sylvania railroad, between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, sixty miles from the latter. It was laid out by Governor Hamilton, 1730 ; became the seat ot justice in 1734, and was incorporated, 1742. It was an important place in Revolutionary times. Congress re paired there in September, 1777, and thence removed to York. It is the seat ot Franklin and Marshal College. Lancaster is in the heart of one of the very finest agricultural re gions in the country, and for a long time enjoyed the reputation of being the largest in land town in the United States. It contains many industries. Lancaster was the capi tal of the State for some time, and the seat of government was removed to Harris burg, 18 12. 8o THE FRIES REBELLION. same destination. The President also made requisition on the executive of New Jersey for two thousand militia, to hold themselves in readiness to march. Of this force the eight troops of cavalry were to be prepared to march at a moment's notice. The order provides that, " Those who shall be warned for duty in consequence of these orders are to take care that their swords be not loose, but well riveted in their belts, that their blades be sharp and bright, their pistols clean, and in good order for videt duty; their horses at all times well shod, fed, and gently exercised, their saddles and valise pads well stuffed, and their girths and breast plates sufficiently strong." This order was issued on March 22. As Governor Mifflin was an old soldier he understood the importance of minute direc tions on such occasion. At a meeting of Captain Mosher s company of infantry, at Lancaster, it was resolved they were ready to march at a moment's warning for the support of gov ernment. The Daily Advertiser, of March 30, says that various detachments of regular troops are already on the march for Northampton, which will, it is supposed, form a body of about 500 men. The time for the marching of the force from Philadelphia under the immediate command of General Macpherson, was fixed for April 3, and on the first instant the following orders were issued : " GENERAL ORDERS." The troops, which are under orders to march on Wednes day, the 3d instant, will assemble on their own parades pre cisely at 8 o'clock, a. m., on that day, in a complete state of preparation to take up the line of march. " The different commanding officers will receive their in structions as to the route, &c., on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, for which purpose they will attend at my quarters. Lieutenant John Williams, of the 2d troop of cavalry, of the Blues, is appointed aide-de-camp, and is to be respected ac cordingly." (Signed) WiLLIAM MACPHERSON, Philadelphia, April i, ijgg. Brigadier-General. TIIE FRIES REBELLION. 8l F'or some reason, not explained, the march of the troops was delayed until Thursday, April 4, at 8 o'clock, a. m., to which effect orders were issued on the 2d. The command was to rendezvous on the evening of that day at the Spring House tavern, on the Ridge Road, sixteen miles from Philadelphia, whence thej- were to march for the disaffected districts. Despite the orders to march on the 4th, thc entire force did not leave on that day. One company of United States Ar tillery, commanded by Captain Elliott," left the city on the 3d, the day first named, and, on Friday, the 5th, two troops of volunteer cavalry, and the four city troops of horse, got off, but the main body, under command of General Macpherson in person, left the morning of the 4th. They assembled at their quarters at an early hour; thence proceeded to the place of general rendezvous, and took up the march a'mid the shouts of the populace. As they passed through the city to the sounds of martial music, with flying colors, and " decked in all the pomp, pride and circumstance of glorious war," they created a great sensation. The streets were lined with citizens who had turned out to witness the display ; and while the men whirled their hats and shouted their huzzas, the ladies waved their handkerchiefs and otherwise manifested their admira tion of the glittering pageant. But once since the close of the war of Independence had so large a body of troops been called together in this section of the Union, and, upon this occasion, the number, as well as the nature of their service, caused the display to receive more than usual eclat. Passing out of the city the troops struck the Ridge Road," along which they marched to the Spring House, Montgomery county, where they made their camp the same evening. As they marched through the country, the people flocked to '5 Joseph Elliott, South Carolina, was appointed Lieutenant of Artillery, March 14, 1792; transferred to ist artillery and engineers, May 9, 1794; promoted captain July 19, 1796, and resigned December 29, 1800. 1^ The Ridge Road opened about 1700-1701, was one of the early roads leading from the Whitemarsh district to Philadelphia. In " Watson's Annals" I find this mention of it : " William Harmer, John Fisher, Daniel Howell, Edward Burch, Thomas Rutter and Nicholas Scull applied (to Colonial Council) for a road trom the limekilns tor carting of lime to Philadelphia, extending from the ' kilns into Plymouth road near Bressoon.' This was the beginning of this road. The recent History of Montgomery county says ; " We 82 THE FRIES REBELLION. the highways to gaze at the " Federal Army," as they called it, but, as the expedition was disapproved, they received but few marks af approbation in the rural districts. Headquarters was still at the Spring House on the 9th, on which day General Macpherson issued an address to the in habitants of the disaffected districts. It was published in German, and the object appears to have been to call the peo ple back to their duty; but inasmuch as they had ceased their opposition to the law some time before, and quietly submit- ed to its provisions, the address was uncalled for and without effect. The advent of the troops had a tendency to irritate any existing soreness in the public mind, instead of allaying it, and therefore did harm instead of good. The following is the address : " William Macpherson, Brigadier-General" of the armies of the United States, commander of the troops ordered to act against the insurgents of the counties of Northampton, Mont gomery and Bucks, in the State of Pennsylvania, to the peo ple of the aforesaid counties: Fellow Citizens : — "Being ordered by the President of the United States to employ the troops under my command, or, according to circumstances, further military force to pro cure submission to the laws of the United States, and to sup press and disperse all unlawful combinations, which have been made to obstruct the execution of the aforesaid laws, or any of them, by main force and power, I, therefore, have thought know, by William Scull's map, of 1770, that the Egypt or Ridge road had been laid out for several years, for it is denoted thereon as leading to Friends' Meeting house in Providence." On a map of Norriton, made in 1771, it is called " Road to Philadelphia called Egypt road." It was extended through the borough of Norristown sometime be" tore 1770. The Ridge Road terminates in Philadelphia at Ninth and Vine streets, and is known after it enters the city limits as Ridge Avenue, and is a much traveled highway leading to the northwestern part of the city, on which a line of passenger cars runs. In 1829, the United States mail was robbed on the Ridge Road, within the present built-up portion ot the city, which created great excitement at the time. The robbers, Porter, Wilson and Potete were arrested and tried. One of them turned states evidence and the two others were hanged. How far General Macpherson marched on the Ridge Road before leaving it and striking across country to the Bethlehem road along which he marched to reach the Spring House, is not known. No doubt he' marched up Ninth street, to Vine, and there took the Ridge Road, as this seems to have been his most practicable way of leaving the city. THE FRIES REBELLION. 83 it proper to inform the people of the said counties, and all others whom it may concern, of the danger to which they ex pose themselves by combining in unlawful proceedings, or giving any assistance or encouragement to those who are con cerned therein ; and likewise to represent to them how just it is to submit to the laws, in general, but particularly to those against which they have opposed themselves in the most violent manner. It cannot be unknown to you, my fellow citizens, nor to an)' part of the people of the United States that submission to the laws, constitutionally made, is abso lutely necessary for the support of the government ; and that in a republic, where laws are made by general consent, this consent must be manifested by the majority of such persons as have been appointed for that purpose by the people in general, according to the constitution." After pointing out the duty and necessity of the people to submit to the laws when made, he proceeds to discuss the constitutional power of Congress to lay the tax in question, and points out the article under which the law was passed. " The United States were threatened with the resentment of a very powerful, very ambitious and very revengeful nation," and that the tax was necessary to raise money in order "to provide for the common defense and general welfare" of the country. He next speaks of the tax and the manner in which it was to be assessed, of which he says : " In laying this tax Congress paid the greatest attention to the situation and wants of the people, and distributed it in such manner the burden almost totally falls on the richer part, and the poorer class are greatly screened from the effects thereof. It is laid on land, dwelling houses and slaves ; but as there are no slaves in this State, the whole tax falls upon the lands and dwelling houses. The lands are to be taxed exactly to their value, be the owner whom he may, but the dwelling houses are appraised at a different rate. The poor man whose house, outhouses and lot, not exceeding two acres, are worth less than $100 has nothing to pay ; and if it were worth $100 the tax would be only 20 cents. According to the same rule, other houses of a higher value pay as follows: If 84 THE FRIES REBELLION. worth $200, 40 cents ; $300, 60 cents ; $400, 80 cents, and $500, one dollar, from which you will perceive, my fellow citizens, that thehouse tax is accordingto the value of the house, at 20 cents to $100 ; but for houses from $500 to a $1000 value the tax rises for each $100, 30 cents ; so that a house of the value of $600 will have to pay six times 30 cents o'r$i.8o. If worth, $700, $2.10; $800, $2.40; $900, $2.70; $1000, $3. " At this rate the rich man, with a house rated at $1000, has to pay three times as much ta.x as the poor man whose house is rated at one-half that sum, viz : $500; and thus the tax operates progressively to the most costly houses and opulent people, until the value of their houses is taxed in proportion, five times as high as those of their poorer fellow citizens, whose houses are worth only from $100 to $500. A house worth $100 pays 20 cents, which is only the one-fifth part of one per cent, of its value ; a house worth $30 ,cco pays $300, which is one whole per cent, of its value, and consequently five times as much in proportion as the former. Hereby, my fellow citizens, you must be convinced that an opposition to this tax in our counties is not only contrary to the Con stitution, the laws, and every principle of good government, but, in itself, inconsistent and ridiculous, as the tax which is opposed is the most easy on the poorest citizens, whom they irritate to opposition. Many of their houses, however, would have no tax to pay, and very few more than $1.00 each, for very few of their houses would be rated at more than $500. It is true, they will be subject to a land tax, but the tax on houses must first be deducted from the whole quota of the State, and what is then deficient will be laid upon the land. The houses in this State will probably pay the greatest cart of the tax, perhaps the whole, and, in that case, no tax will be laid upon the land, and those whose houses are rated at less than one hundred dollars will be exempt from the tax. As a further proof of the attention of Congress to the wishes and accommodations of the people, they have, during the last session, repealed that part which required a statement of the windows of each dwelling house, and which, as it after- THE FRIES REBELLION. 85 ward appeared, was more disagreeable than necessary or useful. Therefore no further account of the vvindows has been demanded. To ascertain the value of the lands and houses was a difficult matter, and connected with a great deal of expense, but when once done need not be repeated. Great pains were taken and the most effective measures employed to select people of good character who understood the business well, and whose interest weie equally involved with their fel low citizens to have the business accurately executed. "Be sides, this act is not perpetual, being only for one year, and will net be continued unless the public good demands it, and not otherwise than with the consent of the people through their representatives. As for those who have, in so treason able a manner, opposed the execution of such lawful, necessary, and, for that part of the citizens who are the least able to pay taxes, indulgent law, there can, therefore, be no excuse. The bad consequences which they draw upon themselves by their criminal conduct they cannot impute but to their own blind ness, obstinacy and malice. On the contrary, every necessary step will, and must be, taken to bring them, and all others who have aided and abetted them, to submission and trial by due course of law, in order that their punishment may serve as an example to others and prevent a like course in the future. The necessity of employing arms against a number of our fellow citizens is painful, but the consequences must be im puted to those, whose traitorous conduct has produced the present disturbances, and not to government, who, according to its most sacred duties, is obliged to maintain order, and enforce obedience to the laws. " But all those who return quietly to their homes, and abstain from any participation in these unlawful acts, either through open aid or secret abetting, counsel, or information, shall obtain the utmost protection to their persons and property. " Every precaution shall be taken that the march of the troops shall not be troublesome to the citizens ; all subsistance shall be punctually paid for, and the strictest discipline ob served. Let me, therefore, my fellow citizens, warn and S6 THE FlilE'S REFELLIOPr. entreat you as you love your country artd extenuate the happi ness consistent with liberty, order amd peace ; as you wish to avoid the necessity of human bloodshed, which is as much repugnant to my wishes as thc«e of the President ; as you abhor the horrors of a civil war, and the crimes and punish ment of traitors, let noe conjure you to shut your ears against the counsels of those malicious persons wbo would lead you to destruction in order to satisfy their own ambition, while they screen themselves from punishment due to their crimes; who try to seduce you to take up arms against the laws and governments of your country, and involve yourselves in a contest, as hopeless as it is criminal, against the power of the United States ; who speak to you of peace and liberty while they are kindling civil war ; who complain of expenses while they are forcing the government to augment them, in order to suppress sedition and revolt ; and who plume themselves upon being Republicans, while transgressing the most essential principles of Republican government ; to wit : obedience to the laws made by the decision of the majority. "Therefore, I forewarn you not to aid or abet those violaters of the law in any manner, so that you may avoid a participa tion of their crimes, and the consequent punishment. "Given under my hand and seal at Headquarters, April 6, 1799." (Signed) William Macpherson. (Signed) JOHN WILLIAMS, Aid-de-Camp- The jfFiel Rebellion. CHAPTER IX. f^e-y. CI\arIes Henry Helmuth Issues an Address When the address of General Macpherson was published, it was accompanied by a letter, from the Rev. Mr. Helmuth,' ad dressed to the German population in general, and the people of Northampton, in particular: "TO THE PEOPLE OF NORTHAMPTON COUNTV." ''Friends and Brethren in the Fakh - — Excuse my address ing these lines to you ; where there is fire, everybody is bound to extinguish it, and the clergyman is no more to be blamed for lending his aid than any other citizen. I am depressed with anxiety on your account. I know the consequence of conduct like yours; many of you will doubtless be appre hended and confined, some perhaps will pay the forfeit with their lives. You know it is the duty of the clergy of the city to warn such miserable persons, and prepare them as much as in their power for the awful change. My heart was much op pressed. ^ J. Henry Charles Helmuth was a distinguished Lutheran clergyman, of Philadelphia, for his piety and zeal, and he is credited with hoping his appeal to the German popula tion might restore quiet and order. We give both the address of General Macpherson and Mr. Helmuth because they are part of the documents bearing on the "Rebellion," and help to make up its history. Macpherson's address is a stilted affair and not called for. From its date, the Rev. Helmuth's letter was written before the troops marched, and not published until after that of the General's. A citizen of Northampton replied to it with some bitterness, calling him to account for meddling with things that did not concern him. We were not able to find a copy of this letter among the contemporane ous records and newspapers we examined. (87) SS THE FRIES REBELLION. " I thought, alas ! perhaps the same circumstances as those of 1794 will again occur; perhaps other thoughtless people will fall into the same wretched situation because they were igno rant, and were deluded, and what \\'ould be your feelings if you had to witness their sorrow and anguish, their agonies of death? You should have warned the miserable creatures; he would then perhaps have been saved; but you neglected to warn him, and are therefore responsible for the destruction of him and his. Such were the melancholy reflections that in duced me to write you these lines. " I trust that you will thiiik, when you read this, as you may in truth : This man is sincere for our welfare — why then should we think it improper in him to send us this advice ? If he even should now and then say some things that are not perfectly agreeable to us we will still take it in good part, for, perhaps, he is in the right, perhaps we have been deluded, we may have been deceived. If such be your thoughts you will soon find them perfectly correct. "You have hitherto entitled yourselves to the character of industrious and religious citizens of the Union, and most of the Germans still deserve that praise ; but, sorrowful to re late, you have suffered yourselves to be spurred on to the most abominable injustice, to actual rebellion against the government you yourselves have chosen. How happy it is that your number is but small, amongst the serious, and that the far greater part of them view your inconsiderate conduct with detestation ! You all know that government cannot ex ist without taxes ; at least your Bible should so instruct you ; read Romans, 12th chap., 1-7 ; read it attentively. "Do but reflect reasonably on your conduct. Even the holy passion week have you profaned with the works of actual re bellion. You have undertaken to oppose a tax, which is as favorable to the country people as any tax can possibly be ; for the rich inhabitants of the cities pay by far the greatest proportion of it; you have undertaken to oppose the tax which never would have been made had not the govern ment been necessitated to make defensive preparations against the attacks of the French ; a nation that aims at the over- TIIE FRIES REBELLION. 89 throw and destruction of all religion, against a people that would scarcely have dared to attack and plunder us if they had not been certain they had their advocates among us. " You do not consider the dreadful consequences of such opposition as you have made; I will therefore inform you of some of them. " In the first pl.ice, an army of several thousand men will be marched into your neighborhood ; you well know that in spite of every possible attention of commanding ofificers, ex cesses will be committed by an army. You will be more or less prevented from following your usual occupations, and yourselves and families will be put in greater terror and ap prehension. "Second, The army will cost money, and the money the government will have to raise by direct taxes, for which you must thank your own opposition. The western expedition in 1794 cost a million of dollars ; from this you may judge what expenses you will bring on yourselves and fellow citizens by your scandalous insurrections. " Thirdly, If you make any further opposition you will necessarily be treated as rebels, and, before a month has passed, many of you will be in prison. They will be torn from their wives and children, and some will probably suffer an ignominious death. " Alas ! my heart bleeds for you. You have been told a thousand falsehoods. You have been told that the mjlitia ap proved of your violence, a-nd would not march against you. But you have been wrongfully deceived. For my own part I have heard many speak of your conduct, but I have not heard one approve of it ; your best friends (if those are your best friends who agreed with you in political opinions) say the oc currences in Northampton are very unjustifiable; the in surgents must be subdued; what would become of us if every body were to create an insurrection ? This is the substance of what is thought and said of your conduct^and you may de pend upon it, that the government could, at a very short no tice, muster upward of 20,000 men, if such a number were 90 THE FRIES REBELLION. necessary, who would willingly march against you. Every one cries shame ! shame ! upon you. "I beseech you to mark Well the character of these men who have enticed you to this insurrection. Are there not many of them who spend more money at the taverns in the course of a few evenings than their whole tax amounts to ? Honest Christian men will never advise to rebellion, but more especially against a government which has scarcely its equal under the sun. No ; they are wicked, restless men, who have deceived themselves and you. " It is your misfortune that you have suffered the habit, to grow upon you, of scandalizing the government ; of cursing, instead of blessing it ; and then indeed there are enough to be found, who, having particular ends in view, will scheme with you ; persons who wish for your friendship on election day, in order that they may get a lucrative office under the very gov ernment that they blaspheme. When matters come to ex tremities, these deluders know perfectly well how to slip their necks out of the halter and let the deluded suffer. These, who, in comparison with the former, are innocent, will be left to bake as their deceivers have brewed. Think of me when you experience this sorrowful truth. "Alas! you have been most scandalously deceived: from my soul I pity you ! But what is now to be done ? Listen, and take my advice. It is possible that the Marshal will be sent with an armed force to seize the. wretches who opposed him in arms. For God's sake do not let yourselves be prevailed upon to abet those rebels; for should you be found in their company, you will certainly be punished with them. " Rather endeavor to persuade them to deliver themselves up to the proper authority, and this would be the wisest course they could pursue; but if they will not do so give the Marshal every assistance he may require, for it is your duty. " Take my advice ; affection for you and the impulse of con science have compelled me to write you this letter. THE FRIES REBELLION. 9' If you follow my counsels you will do well, if not, I have done my duty. Be assured that I remain your friend," (Signed) "J. Henrv Charles Helmuth." " Philadelphia, March 28, lygg." The troops quartered at the Spring House' tavern and farm houses in the neighborhood the night of April 4, and, the ne.xt morning, several cavalry companies resumed the march up the old Bethlehem road' for Seller's tavern."* This was the 3 The Spring House is on the Bethlehem road, in Gwynedd township, Montgomery county, twenty miles from Philadelphia. It is an old settlement. The inn has been a famous hostelry in its time and was probably licensed as early as 1735. The village con sists of a store and a dozen houses. Four incorporated turnpikes meet here. On his pedestrian trip to Niagara, 1804, Alexander Wilson, the ornithologist, stopped over night at the Spring House, and wrote its praise in verse t '* The road was good, the passing scenery gay. Mile after mile passed unperceived away, Till in the west the day began to close, And Spring House tavern furnished us repose, There two long rows of market folks were seen, Ranged front to front, the table placed between, Where bags of meat and bones, and crusts of bread, And hunks of bacon all around were spread ; One pint of beer from lip to lip went round, And scarce a crumb the hungry house dog found ; Torrents of Dutch from every quarter came, Pigs, calves and saurkrout the important theme ; While we, on future plans revolving deep. Discharged our bills and straight retired to sleep." ' The Bethlehem road was originally laid out from the land of Peter Trexler, in the present Lehigh county, then in Bucks, to the Spring House tavern, Philadelphia county, now Montgomery, 1735, by Robert Thomas, John Robens, Hugh Evans, and Jan Jan- sen viewers. It was one of the great arteries of travel for more than a century from Le high to Philadelphia, and was tapped by numerous latteral roads. It was gradually ex tended up the country as the settlements went north, reaching Nathaniel Irish's stone quarry, in the Hellertown road, at Iron Hill, 1738, and Bethlehem and Nazareth, 1745. It crossed the Lehigh a short distance below Bethlehem, at the head of the island now owned by the Bethlehem Iron Company. It was piked in 180S-06. The Old Bethlehem road unites with the New Bethlehem road at Line Lexington. * Sellers' tavern, the present Sellersville, is on the North Penn. railroad, in Rockhill township, Bucks county, and, before the railroad was built, was a noted inn on the Beth lehem road. Philip Henry ZoUer was the first ofthe family to settle in that section, about the middle of the last century. His son, Samuel Sellers, built a house and opened a. tavern there about 1780, a small stone square structure, two stories and an attic. Here his son Thomas, was born, 1787. On the death of his father he took possession and owned it many pears, keeping a store and tavern. He was the first postmaster, 1820; was prominent in affairs, and elected sheriff and to the Legislature. It has had several owners, each occupant making some alterations. After Thomas Sellers came Peter Kneckel, Amos Jacoby, Simon Jacoby, Harry Jacoby &c., down to C. M. Hartzell, the g2 THE FRIES REBELLION. present Sellersville in Rockhill township,' Bucks county, on the line of the North Pennsylvania railroad. They got there that day and encamped on the farm of Andrew Schlichter, which, we believe, is still in the family, and was occupied by a grandson a few years ago. General Macpherson probably did not follow with the main body until the 6th, as his address bears the date of that day. There is, however, a conflict as to the date of its publication, for while the address itself is dated the 6th, the Philadelphia Daily Advertiser" states it was pro mulgated on the 5th, the day the cavalry resumed their march. If this date be correct General Macpherson probably marched with the cavalry. The whole force was now as sembled at Sellers' tavern, where headquarters was established. Judge Peters arrived at 11 o'clock on Saturday morning to be at hand to bind over, for appearance at court, any persons who might be arrested. General Macpherson appointed Robert Goodloe Harper,' Esq., an additional aide-de-camp, and other present owner. The interior was recently modernized, and a new porch built in front, but the old walls are there. The village was erected into a borough, 1874, and the popu lation is about 1200. ^ Rockhill, a township in Bucks county, was settled by Germans between 1720 and 1730, and that nationality continues largely the ruling element. It lies in the northwest section of the county and borders Montgomery. The township was organized in 1740, with an area of 14.343 acres, and is one of the most populus townships in the county. Perkasie Manor, a tract of 10,000 acres, granted by William Penn, in trust to his son John, 1701, was partly in Rockhill. The township is well watered and fertile. Sellers' tavern, the first objective point of Macpherson's army, is in Rockhill township. » The Daily Advertiser, wbich had its birth as The Pennsylvania Packet and General Advertiser, 1771, and was the first newspaper established in Philadelphia, in the Revolu tionary period. Its publisher was John Dunlap, a man of varied abilities and broad en terprise, and took David C. Claypole into partnership. In 1784 it developed into a daily, the first daily newspaper published in America, under the name of The Daily Adver tiser. It wielded great influence. On September 19, 1796, Washington's farewell ad dress to the people of the United States, first appeared in its columns, the manuscript of which Washington allowed Claypole to retain. During the prevalence of the vellow fever in Philadelphia, in the summer and early fall of 1798, the office of the Advertiser was removed to Germantown. The paper ceased to exist many years ago. ' Robert Goodloe Harper was born near Fredericksburg, Va., in 1765. For a time he served in the army during the Revolution. He graduated at Princeton, 1785; was ad mitted to the Bar of Charleston, S. C, 1786; member of Congress, 1794-1801. Served in the War of 1812, being promoted from Colonel to Major-General. Hewas elected U. S. Senator from Maryland and served in that body, 1816-1821. As an associate of Joseph Hopkinson he participated in the impeachment trial of Judge Chase of the U. S. Supreme Court ; in 1821 he became the Federalist candidate for Vice President of the United States. He was an eminent jurist and statesman. He died at Baltimore, January 15, 1825. THE FRIES REBELLION. 93 arrangements were made to perfect the organization of the troops, and have them in the best possible shape for the war they were about entering on. From this point the active operations of the campaign were to commence. They were within striking distance of the houses of the leaders of the disturbance in Bucks county, whom they sought to secure. Fries was the first object of capture, and, the same day the troops encamped at Sellers' tavern, a scout was organized to effect his arrest. Some of his acquaintance had given General Macpherson information of his whereabouts, and one, a neighbor, agreed to accompany the troops as guide. The detail for this purpose consisted of four companies of cavalry, two commanded by Captains Port er and Wharton, but the names of the commanders of the other two we have not been able to learn. The troops left camp soon after noon piloted by David Penrose, who lived at Bunker Hill." It was known he was engaged that day to cry a vendue for one Fried at this place, and it vvas the intention to capture him while thus employed. They continued their march up the old Bethlehem road in the direction of that point. In the forenoon, when Fries was on his way to the vendue, he passed by the residence of William Edwards, father of the late Caleb Edwards, Quakertown, wlm, with his son, was making fence alo.ig the road. Mr. Edwards told Fries he would be arrested if he went to the vendue, and he had bet ter stay away. He replied he was not afraid, and that no one or two men would take him. Edwards said there would be more than one or two there, but Fries made no reply and con tinued on his way. He was afoot and accompanied by his little black dog. Mr. Edwards' son soon mounted his father's stallion and rode down to the vendue, where a large number of people were collected ; the fact that the troops were ex pected probably bringing more together than usually as sembled at such places. When the troops were first seen ap- « Bunker Hill is on the New Bethlehem road, the line between Richland and Rockhill townships, and contains a store and a dozen dwellings. The old inn has been closed many years. g4 THE FRIES REBELLION. proaching, about half a mile below the tavern. Fries was on the head of a barrel, bell in his hand crying off an article ; this he knocked down to the bidder without much cere mony, then jumped to the ground and took to his heels. The commanding officer rode up and ordered the people to stand, but, having become alarmed, they did not heed his- order, and broke and ran in all directions, pursued by the troopers. Among the others was one Trumbower, who, choosing to trust to his heels, was chased by a soldier. He made for a fence which he mounted and sprang over, but just at this time the trooper rode up and made a stroke at him with his sabre, which he fortunately avoided and the blow fell upon the fence. The sabre was broken into three pieces, and Trum bower made his escape. The name of the soldier was Owen Foulke, belonging to one of the Philadelphia companies of cavalry, Caleb Edwards ran for his horse which he mounted to ride home ; he was stopped by the soldiers ; but David Penrose, the guide, coming up, told them to let him go, and he was permitted to ride away. In the meantime Fries had succeeded in getting away from the crowd, and, for the time being, eluded his persuers. In the confusion, which followed the arrival of the troops and flight of the crowd, it was some little time before an attempt was made to follow him. As none of the command knew him, they had to trust to their guide for his recognition. A search was instituted among those who remained upon the ground and about the premises, and, not finding him, inquiry was made as to the direction he had taken. This information was soon furnished. Upon leaving the vendue ground. Fries made for a nearby swamp, in a meadow on the farm of John Kach- line, half a mile from Bunker Hill, where he concealed him self in a bunch of briars. The soldiers distributed themselves through the meadow as he was suspected of being there, and made a thorough search. He would have remained undis covered, had not the presence of his dog betrayed his hiding place. He offered no resistance. He was brought back to the tavern, when a horse of Samuel Edwards was seized, upon THE FRn;s REBELLION. '95 which he was tied and taken under thc escort of the troops down to Sellers' tavern, where he was placed in close confine ment. There is a difference of opinion as to the place of capture of Fries. The Philadelphia Advertiser of April 8, 1799, in speaking of the .affair, states he was taken in a wood and was not secured until after a pursuit of nearly five miles. Our information w.is obtained from Caleb Edwards, of Quakertown, who was present at the vendue the day of the arrest, and was conversant with all the facts of the case. We think his state ment more reliable than that of a newsi^.-qjcr editor who lived at a distance of thirty miles from the scene of action. The same evening a detachment of cavalry from the first and third city troops left camp about sunset to arrest Eberhart, another of the insurgents. He was taken in his own house, in the night, and, of course, made no resistance. The troops called at the houses of several other disaffected persons, but found none of them at home, they having probably fled at their approach. They returned to camp thc next morning before day-break, after a ride of between forty and fifty miles. As soon as Eberhart heard of the approach of the troops, he became much alarmed and began to see the danger in which he stood. The day that Fries was taken he called upon Mr. Foulke and begged him to shield him from the military, and pleaded, in ex tenuation of the opposition he had made to the law, that hc was drunk at the time. An officer, who writes from the camp at Sellers' tavern, under date of April 6, says when thc cap ture of I'Vies was announced, "The joy manifested on this oc casion was not to be described ; the cheers from the encamp ment were loud and repeated." The following extract from a letter written at Quakertown, on April 8, considered the mat ter in a less serious light, and the writer presumed to turn t;he campaign and capture of Fries into ridicule. The author was probably an officer or soldier of tbe command although that fact is not stated. He says: " It will doubtless afford you much satisfaction to hear of the success of our arms against the rebels. Truxton's splen did naval victory must yield to the superior splendor of the 96 THE FRIES REBELLION. late action, which took place on the 5th instant, in the neigh borhood of Quakertown. Fries, the noted insurgent leader, who, by profession, is a vendue cryer, and who, on that ac count, had obtained some ascendency over the multitude, was informed on the morning of the day of the action, (which was a day on which he was also to cry a vendue) that the federal troops were in the neighborhood, and that they were resolved to capture him, and all the world beside if they opposed them. Fries laughed at the account, said he would cry the vendue in spite of the standing army, and seemed to talk as if he was not afraid of them. However, while he was busily engaged in his work of the lungs, to his great surprise he beheld, about half a mile distant, the troops approaching. He carried no arms for his defence but his heels, and, of course, the formid able appearance of a regular and disciplined army struck him with such a panic he threw down the fire shovel he was crying and made the best of his way to the woods. " The troops, with uncommon spirit and intrepidity marched on towards the crowd assembled at the vendue, and, with a menacing air, demanded the leader of the rebels. A boy of about eighteen, never having (I suppose) seen such boldness and intrepidity in military array, fled with uncommon precipita tion. Several of the troopers desirous of exhibiting their zeal and activity in the cause of humanity, pursued the poor soul. For some time, by dint of dodging and taking the advantage of fences, he kept them at bay. They grew more and more warm, as the battle increased in difficulty, and at last dis charged their pistols at him and shot a hole through his hat ; this brought him to the ground. The troops drew their swords, and it is declared, by a person near the scene of action, that they wounded him severely, and would, no doubt, have killed him, had not some of those that were in the war been informed, that the person captured was not Fries, but a Dutch boy, 18 ! ! ! Fries had a dog— (this dog, no doubt, will be en titled to a commission or a pension for life for his services) — this dog having missed his master was in search of him. Though as rank a rebel as Fries, no doubt, yet it is ten to one, that the sharp-scented warrior would not have smelt his track. TIIE FRIES REBELLION. 97 and of course he would have escaped, had it not been for his own ofificers and federal dog. The troops, understanding that Fries had gone such a particular course, and upon some per sons among the insurgents panting after him, the troops had the dog as a pilot, till they finally came in sight of the true rebel. Thus was Fries taken by his dog. A dog worth two of Homer's hero's dogs ! for he has, in a manner, quelled the formidable insurrection, an insurrection that has called forth the energies of government from all quarters. Now, if this Federal dog is treated according to his merit, he wili doubt less obtain an appointment in the army; a troop of dogs under his command might be used to great advantage among the savage Germans, and thus might thty obtain new honors equal to the dogs of Cortez in South America." Another informant says that the night after the arrest of Fries, he was taken to the house of Samuel Thomas, father of the late Edward Thomas, of Quakertown, who lived in Rich land township, near Lester's tanyard, on the Bethlehem road, where he was confined in a back room of a brick building standing a few years ago, and probably at this time, and, in 1861, inhabited by Enos P Nace. After the capture of John Fries, the military endeavored to make a prisoner of his son, Daniel, an active youth of 18, who was somewhat implicated with his father in his operations. They attempted to capture him at home, but he eluded them and took to the fields and woods. He was chased by the light horse into what was then called " Smith's Meadow." near Swamp Creek." The bogs bore him and he ran across without hindrance, but the horses were too heavy and broke through, one of the riders falling off and breaking his arm. Seeing they could not persue young Fries across the meadow, they turned back and he escaped. During the imprisonment of his father, Daniel went td Philadelphia to be present at the trial and watch events. The authorities, hearing of him be- * Swamp Creek rises in Lower Milford township, Lehigh county, a mile from Steins- burg. Several small streams flow into it within a half mile, and it becomes a consider able stream in the neighborhood of Milford Square, where it receives other affluents. It empties into the Perkiomen half a mile below Sumneytown, Montgomery county. 98 THE FRIES REBELLION. ing in the city, rnade efforts to arrest him, but in this they were frustrated. Information of what was going on being conveyed to his friends, they concealed Daniel in a joiner's shop, until night, when he quietly left for home and reached it in safety. He was never apprehended. He lived and died near Sumneytown. .Montgomery county, where I interviewed him in his 73th year and received these facts from his own lips. The next day after the arrest of Fries, he was taken before Judge Peters and examined, and what he said was reduced to writing and signed by him The following is a copy of what was produced at his trial and admitted in evidence against him. The confession is said to have been made voluntarily. THE EXAMIX.-\TIOX OF JOHN FRIES, APRIL 6, 1799. "The e.xaminant, confesses that he was one of the party which rescued the prisoners from the Marshal at Bethlehem ; that he was also one of a party that took from the assessors, at Quakertown, their papers and forewarned them against the execution of their /duty in making the assessments. The papers were delivered with the consent of the assessors, but without force ; perhaps under the awe and terror of the num bers who demanded them, and were by this examinant de livered to the assessors. He confesses that, at the house of Jacob Fries, a paper was written on the evening preceding the rescue of the prisoners at Bethlehem, containing an associa tion or agreement of the subscribers to march for the purpose of making that rescue ; but he is not certain whether he wrote that paper. He knows he did not sign it, but it was signed by many persons and delivered to the examinant ; he does not know where the paper is. The examinant confesses, also, that, some weeks ago, he wrote (before the assessors came into that township) an agreement, which he, with others signed, purporting that, if an assessment must be made, they would not agree to have it done by a person who did not reside in the township, but they would choose their own assessor within their township. A meeting has been held in the township since the affair at Bethlehem for the purpose of making such a choice; examinant went to the place of election, but left it THE FRIES REBELLION. 99 before the election opened. The examin.int further ac knowledges that his motive in going to Bethlehem to rescue the prisoners was not from personal attachment or regard to any of the persons who had been arrested, but proceeded from a general aversion to the law, and an intention to im pede and prevent its exaction. He thought that the acts for thc assessment and collection of a direct tax did not impose the quota equally upon the citizens and therefore were wrong. He cannot say who originally projected the rescue of the prison ers, or assembled the people for the purpose. The township seemed to be all of one mind. A man, unknown to the ex aminant, came to Quakertown, and said the people should meet at Conrad Marks' to go to Millarstown. The examinant says that, on the march of the people to Bethlehem, he was asked to take the lead, and did ride on before the people un til they arrived at Bethlehem. The examinant had no arms, and took no command, except that he desired the people not to fire until he should give them orders, for he was afraid, as they were so much enraged, there would be bloodshed. He begged them, for God's sake, not to fire, unless they had orders from him, or unless he should be shot down, and then they might take their own command. That he returned the papers of the assessors, which had been delivered into his hands, back to the assessors privately, at which the people were much enraged, and suspected him (Fries) of having turned from them, and threatened to shoot him, between the house of Jacob Fries and Quakertown." (Signed) "JOHN FRIES." Taken April 6, 1799, before RICHARD PETERS. As soon as this examination had been taken, Fries and Eberhart were sent off to Philadelphia under the escort of a detachment of the city cavalry, where they arrived the same evening, Saturday, and were lodged in jail to await their trial for treason. Their arrival and commitment were an nounced in the newspapers the next morning, and created considerable excitement. The troops broke camp at Sellers' tavern and marched for Quakertown, where they encamped, it is supposed, on the 6th. lOO THE FRIES REBELLION. They pitched their tents at three different points within the limits of the borough, two campanies being located at Pen rose's pottery, belonging to the late Richard Moore. The same evening a detachment of cavalry was despatched in pur suit of persons who were accused of having participated in the late disturbance. They were absent from camp all night, and after a hard scout returned the next morning with several prisoners. It was reported that Clergyman Eyerman was of the number, but this turned out to be a false rumor. He had put himself out of harm's way immediately upon his release at Bethlehem. While the army remained encamped at Quaker- town the troops were active in the pursuit of the disaffected, and scouts were sent out in all directions to apprehend them. On the seventh a detachment was sent into the region known as the Rocks," where some of the insurgents resided, and cap tured several of them, whom they brought to camp, and placed in confinement. The troops remained here until the 8th, when they struck their tents and marched for Millars town, Northampton county. The presence of the troops at Quakertown inspired terror among the inhabitants in all that region of country, and their conduct caused great distress and suffering. In their zeal to arrest the guilty their dis pleasure often fell upon the innocent. Armed parties patrol led the country in all directions, day and night, and it was only necessary to cast suspicion upon the most upright citi zen to secure his arrest. Many persons took advantage of this state of things to have revenge upon their personal or political enemies. The houses of quiet, unoffending people were en tered at the dead hour of night by armed men, and the hus band torn from the arms of his wife and screaming children ; and their terror was greatly increased by the belief that death awaited those who should be taken, whether they were in nocent or guilty. The scenes of distress which took place among these poor people, upon such occasions, are described by the eye-witnesses as heartrendering. In many instances the troops added insult to injury, by exulting over the misfortunes of the poor creatures who had fallen into their 10 The " Rocks" probably refer to the rocky section of Milford township. THE FRIES REBELLION. lOI hands. So general was the alarm that many of the inhabitants, persons of considerable property and respectable standing, came in and surrendered themselves to the military authori ties. 5[he ^ne^ Rebellion. CHAPTER X. The A-rnny VTai-cties F'rorn Qualierto^Yn to AlleT\- towfrx, arid F^etiir-r^s to Plxiladelpl^ia via treading. While the troops were encamped at Quakertown, and en gaged in pursuit of those denounced as insurgents, an alarm ing system of terror prevailed. This was carried to such ex tent that a large majority of both ofificers and men, belonging to the expedition, became dissatisfied and disgusted with the duties they were called upon to perform. An officer thus writes to a friend in Philadelphia, from camp under date of April 8, 1799. " The system of terror here, I am sorry to say, is carried far beyond what, in my opinion, the public good requires. De tachments are out every day, and night apprehending one or other individuals. I am well informed that from the time the members from this district in the State Legislature went among the people and stated to them the impropriety of in terfering with the civil power, the magistrates could have ef fected everything that government could require in the ap prehension of any person in the district. There is scarcely an officer or private in this expedition who is not .satisfied of this fact. The scenes of distress which I have witnessed among these poor people, I cannot describe, when we have entered their houses. Conceive your home entered at the dead of night by a body of armed men, and yourself dragged from your wife and screaming children. These poor people • (102) THE FRIES REBELLION. IO3 are extremely ignorant, but they have feelings, and they always consider that death awaits any one who is seized, be he culpable or not. I am sorry to say there have been any instances of an inhuman disposition exhibited ; they have not indeed been man)-, but vaunting exultation over men, even if they are guilty, when the}- are captives is neither a proof of generosit)' or courage. Great numbers of the inhabitants are coming in voluntarily and surrendering themselves; many of them persons of respectable property, and of good standing in the neighborhood." The following is an extract from another letter, written from the same place while the army was encamped there and of the same date, which will give the reader some idea of the unpleasant state of feeling e.Kisting in the section of Bucks county where the disturbance had taken place. " Some of the townships have been at variance ever since the commencement of our Revolution ; and they have been characterized according as they took part for or against Britain, as Tory or IF/i'/^ townships; they consist for the most part of Germans. The townships denominated Tory have always been attached to Mr. Adam's administration; the others of course had different politics. Much bitterness has been constantly' exhibited on both sides; but an anecdote, which occurred on this occasion, will, however, give you a closer view than a general relation. It appears that persons of both descriptions were opposed to the window tax, or rather the Tories were opposed to the tax, and the Whigs to the assessors. The landlord of the house in which we were quartered had given information against several of his neigh bors who lived in a 'Whig' township, and said they should be hanged together with Fries, but particularly Fries for hold ing a captain's commissions in the last war. A person present, who heard him make this declaration, supposing he meant in the British service, said it was not so ; the landlord replied that it was true, and that a reference to the proceedings of Congress would show it, as well as the name of the Conti nental battalion in which he served." 104 THE FRIES REBELLION. Among the letters written from Quakertown, while the troops were encamped there was one giving the name, and number, and persons who were taken, or had surrendered, which breathes quite a belligerent spirit . toward the un fortunates implicated, as the following extract will show : " We are here now two days, and shall proceed immediately to Millarstown ; when we reach that place I expect to be per mitted to return home. We have been successful since we set out, and shall have a drove of rascals sufificient to fill a jail; we have already taken thirty-one of them; against, which there is sufificient proof to convict of high treason ; the others of misdemeanor. Some of them are frightened almost to death ; the fear they are in is punishment almost sufficient for the greatest of the offenders. By to-morrow night we shall have about fifty more bad fellows; small fry are admitted to bail. The main guard is pretty well filled. "Some of the above persons came in and surrendered them selves, by way of" making peace, which saved the troops the trouble of going for them, and may save their lives as they expect by it." The following are the names given and the offences for which they were arrested : TREASON. John Fries, John Everhard, Jacob Huber, John Huber, Frederick Heaney, Christopher Socks, Jacob Klein, Sr., John Klein, Jr., Daniel Klein, Abraham Braith, Jacob Klein, John Getman, George Getman, William Getman and Daniel Weidner. MISDEMEANOR. Aaron Samsel, Peter Hamberg, Abraham Strong, Peter Heidrick, Jacob Huber, Henry Huber, Michael Breich, Abra ham Heidrick, Henry Mumbower, George Mumbower, Peter Gable, Jacob Gable and Daniel Gable. HELD AS WITNESSES. George Mitchell and William Thomas. These sum up fifteen held for treason; fourteen for mis demeanor, and two at witnesses, thirty-one in all. There is THE FRIES REBELLION. I05 hardly a name in the list that cannot be found among the residents of the German districts, of Bucks to-day, and are amongthe most prosperous, intelligent and respectable citizens. While this volume was in preparation,* we received a letter from Mr. James C. Iden, an intelligent and highly respectable citizen of Buckingham township, Bucks county, detailing some interesting incidents connected with the Fries Rebellion, from which we make the following extracts. He writes: "I remember, of hearing my mother say, that on the after noon on which the insurgents marched to Quakertown, and took the assessors, Foulke and Rodrock, prisoners, her father, James Chapman, managing to elude them, arrived unmolested at his home, one mile west of Quakertown, (I think on the farm now occupied by P. Moyer) on the road to Milford Square. But apprehending an attack from Captain Fries and his party, he sent his family to pass the night at one of his neighbors, and then proceeded to barricade the doors and windows of his dwelling, having armed himself with guns, pistols, axes, etc., to repel an attack, should one be made. It proved, however, to be a needless precaution, as no attack was attempted. " One day, while the military were encamped within the disaffected districts, a company of troops was detailed to make some arrests. The persons, after whom they were sent, having got wind of their approach concluded to leave for parts un known. Being closely pursued they took refuge under an arched bridge, and the troops rode over and passed them. Waiting a little while they ventured out again and made good their escape. The troops soon finding themselves at fault, and, suspecting how the matter stood, returned to the bridge and searched under it, but were too late as the quarry had flown. They returned to camp quite mortified at ^their ad venture, and declaring it was the last time they would ride over a bridge without examining it thoroughly. " On another occasion a party was sent out to reconnoitre, but, finding nothing that required their attention, they con- * 1859-60. Io6 THE FRIES REBELLION. eluded to have some sport by shooting at a mark, taking a farmer's wheelbarrow for their target. Being within hearing distance of the camp, the report of their guns produced a great commotion therein, it being supposed they had met with resistance, and probably would send for reinforcements. After waiting on the tiptoe of expectation for some time their trepidation was allayed by the return of the party to quarters, without, however, their having had the honor of receiving any wounds in their country's defense, or bearing with them any of the trophies of war. They and their commander, how ever, when the cause of the firing was inquired into were fated to have their feelings wounded by a severe reprimand from his superior officer for such a flagrant breach of the rules of military discipline, accompanied by a peremtory order to lay siege to no more wheelbarrows during the campaign. " Many of the insurgents were arrested and examined as to the extent of their participation. One person, (a German) on being questioned as to whether he had carried arms, reolied that he had carried an old mustick (musket,) but she was ' goot fer nossing, she would not go loose.' He was asked, ' if so, why did you carry it '? His reply was, ' O, I dunnow — I dought mebby I might schkeer some potty.' " In the same letter Mr. Iden furnishes us the following sketch of James Chapman, one of the assessors, which we insert at this point for want of a more appropriate place : "James Chapman, my grandfather, I may say, was born in Springfield township, in October, 1743; that he learned the trade of a cabinet maker, but quit it about the time of his marriage, and commenced farming, surveying and conveyanc ing, which he followed until age prevented, residing most of the time in the vicinity of Quakertown. After the close of the Revolution he was employed by Judge Wilson, of Penna., Governor Hooper, of N. J., and others, to survey and locate lands for them in what are now Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties. He suryeved and located the State road from AUentown through Mauch Chunk, Wilkesbarre and THE FRIES REBELLION. I07 Towanda to the State line, (a profile of which I have) also the North and South road leading from the Wind Gap to the State line. " In locating some lands for himself he entered a tract on the south side of Nesquehoning Valley — the tract lying immedi ately south of it being the one on which the Lehigh coal mines were afterwards discovered; he giving the preference to the former on account of the quality of the timber, thereby missing, as it were, by a hair's breadth the acquisition of almost boundless wealth. He held the appointment of county surveyor for many years, also the office of director of the poor at the time the alm.shouse was built in 1808. Some per sons urged the directors to build it one story higher, which he opposed, saying that 'the taxpayers of Bucks county would conclude that it was high enough by the time it was paid for.' He was one of the county commissioners in 1812, when the court house was erected in Doylestown. When his term ex pired he was appointed clerk to the board of commissioners, which he held until a few months before his death, which oc curred near Mechanicsville, in Buckingham township, 1821, aged nearly 78. " Being noted for his personal appearance, his weight being 270 pounds, and also for his great sociability and fund of anecdote and ready repartee, in connection with the length of his public life, there were comparatively few residents of the county at that day to whom he was not known ; persons of all ages and conditions addressing him by the familiar title of ' Uncle Jimmy Chapman.' The generation to which he be longed, have now nearly all passed away ; the venerable Na thaniel Shewell,' of Doylestown township, being the only sur vivor of his friends and associates, who now remains with us at the advanced age of nearly 100 years."* » Nathaniel Shewell, a leading character of his generation in Bucks county, a descend ant of Walter Shewell, who came from Gloucestershire, England, 1732, and settled in what is now Doylestown township. He built a handsome dwelling on a tract he pur chased and called it " Painswick Hall," after his birth place. Betsy Shewell, the wife of Benjamin West, was a member of the family. Mr. Shewell was elected sheriff of the county 1800, serving a full term of three years, and was appointed county treasurer, 1820. Mr. Shewell died at the close of i860, his will being proved January 2, 1861. *About 1859-60. I08 THE FRIES REBELLION. The army remained in camp at Quakertown until April 8, when the march was resumed toward Bethlehem, Northa^*C^ Last "Will aiT.d. Testamer^t of Jol-Lr\ Fries. In the name of God Amen, I, John Fries, of Lower Milford township, in the county of Bucks, State of Pennsylvania, Yeo man, though reduced to a low state of bodily strength, yet be ing of sound mind, memory and understanding, (blessed be Almighty God for the same) and considering the uncertainty of transitory life, think it necessary to dispose of those world ly goods that God, in mercy, hath given me to enjoy, by this, my last will and testament, in a manner hereafter expressed, that is to say, first of all, I will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be well and truly paid by my executors, hereafter named, as soon after my decease as conveniently may be, and that as soon as possible a true inventory and ap praisement may be taken of all my npovables and effects, out standing debts and further personal property, which said ef fects and property together, with my real estate (except those goods taken by my wife) I do order and direct my executors to sell and dispose by public vendue, as quick as possible, after my decease, as may be convenient: Item: I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Margaret one bed and bedding, one chest, one table and such other goods as my executors may think necessary for her own use. I also give and bequeath to my said wife forty dollars yearly. during her natural life, which is to be paid to her by my ex ecutors out of my estate yearly and every year as long as she may live, and in case there should not be enough for her (5) 6 THE FRIES REBELLION. maintainance, mv will is that my said wife shall have as much of my estate as is necessary for her support. Item: I give and bequeath unto my grandson, Samuel, (a lad that now lives with me) the just and full sum of forty dollars gold and silver money, to be paid to a guardian (whom I shall hereafter ap point) in one year after my departure. Item: I give and be queath to my two other grandchildren, the heirs of my daugh ter Catharine, deceased, (the late wife of George Gable) one share of my estate their mother would have become heir to, if she had been living) to be paid to their guardian (whom I shall appoint) at a convenient time for making the division of my estate. Item: I nominate and appoint my trusty friend, Jacob Loh, of Lower Milford township aforesaid, sole guar dian of these three minor children above mentioned, whom I re quest to receive the money as above willed and to put the same on interest in good safe hands, and to pay the said minors severally as they arrive to the age of twenty-one years. Item: I nominate and appoint my two sons, Solomon and John Fries, co-executors of this my last will and testament, giving them full power and absolute authority to sell and dis pose of the lot whereon I live, situated in Lower Milford aforesaid, containing fourteen acres, (be the same more or less) with all the buildings and appurtenances thereunto belong ing, or in any wise appertaining, and another lot, situated in Marlborough township, Montgomery county, containing three acres of land (be it more or less) giving them full power and absolute authority to make and execute good and firm titles, good and effective conveyances in law on the same unto such person, or persons that may or shall purchase the same, and unto his or their heirs and assigns forever, as I myself might, or could, do were I living, and that as soon after my decease as may be convenient, and the money arising from the said sales, as well as from my personal estate that may be remain ing after my just debts are paid and legacies aforesaid. Item : I give and bequeath unto my seven children, to wit, Solomon, John, Daniel, Elizabeth, Sarah, Margaret and Catharine, to be equally divided between them, share and share alike, but the share of my daughter Catharine, who has departed this life, is TIIE FRIES REBELLION. 7 to be paid to her two children, or their guardian, as above di rected. Finally, I do revoke, annul, and make void all former and other wills by me heretofore made or declared tobe made, either by word of mouth or in writing, ratifying and confirming this only written, on both sides of this sheet of paper to be my last. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen. (Signed) JOHN FRIES. [seal.J Signed, sealed and acknowledged by the testator, as his last will and testament, in the presence of us, the hereunto sub scribed witnesses, who, at his request, have set our names, Morgan Custard, Wm. Getman, Bucks county. Pa., on the gth day of March 1818. William Getman, one of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing writing, purporting to be the last will and testa ment of John Fries, deceased, appeared before me, and on this solemn afifirmation, taken and subscribed, did declare and say that he was present and saw John Fries, the testator, sign, seal and acknowledge the same to be his last will and testament, and that, at the time of his so doing, he was of sound mind and memory, and of deposing, understanding, as he, this afifirment believed, and, that at the same time, this af- firment saw Morgan Custard, the other subscribing witness, sign his name as a witness, at the request and in the presence of the testator, and further that the name William Getman above is of his, this afifirment's own proper handwriting, and further saith not. William Getman, affirmed and subscribed before me, day and date above. (Signed) JOHN PUGH, Register. Bucks County ss. Be it remembered, that on the 9th of March, 1818, the foregoing last will and testament of John Fries was duly proven, when letters testamentary thereof were granted unto Soloman Fries and John Fries, the ex ecutors therein named, they having first been duly sworn, well and truly to administer the same. Witness my hand and seal of ofifice. (Signed) JOHN PUGH, Register. INDEX. THE FRIES REBELLION. II 1?P^' ¦'''''"• 3. 7. 25, 70, 71, IIS I to VVolcott, 132, 12, 14, 17, 133, ,37 ; Ac tion Creditable, 138; Informs Him self, 133 ; Acted on his Own Judgment, 134; Adams' Administration of, 4, ii. Adams, Charles Francis, 132. Adams, Thomas, 134. Adrainistration, 14. Advertiser, The Daily, 80, 92. .¦Idler, Reading, 112. AUentown, Commissioners Meet at, 39 ; The Army Marches to, iii. Army, Continental, i, 10. Army, Federal, 82. Army, Review of, 108. Artman, Henry, 72. .Artillery, U. S., 8'. Arrests Made, Number and Names, 104. Army Officer, Letter from, 139. Authorities, Federal, 55, 69, 72. Assessors, 3, 6, 17, 20; Assessors Give up Assessments, 35. Assessment Rates of, 3. Assessments, 16. Balliott, 21, 39; at Trexlertown Meeting, 45- Balliott, Colonel, 48. Balliott, Mr., 59, 72. Barnett, William, 59, 61. Barnett, John, 59. Barnett, William, 62. Baker, Dr., 68. Baynton, Adjutant-General Peter, 76, 77 ; Issues Order for Troops, 77. Bethlehem, Marshal Returned to, 48 ; 50, 51. 53. 54, 55- Bethlehem, South, 56, 57 Bethlehem, 53, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 67, 69. 72. Bridge, Lehigh, 6. Brunner, Margaret, 8. Brunner, David, 8. Brandywine, ^^. Brown, General, 59. Bucks, 69, 72. Blues, Macpherson, 78. Bristol, Troops Ordered to, 78. Bucks County, Troops from, 77, 113. Bunker Hill, 93. c Camp Hill, 10. Cavalry, Troops, 76. Carlisle, 79. Cabinet, Changes in, 134. Campaign, Cost of, 140. Chase, Judge, Warrants Returnable to, 47 ; Conduct of, 124 ; Addresses Fries, 126, 133 Chapman, Seth, 5. Chapman, James, 6, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 22, 25, 26, 27 105 ; Sketch of, 106, 107. Charlestown, 9, 12, 15. Childs, Cephas, 6, 22, t6, 25, 26, 27, 28, ^> 3°! 31^1 32, 33 ; Threatened by In surgents, 3(. Clark, Samuel, 6, t6, 17, 19, 25, 26, 22, 68. Court, U. S., 20, 32. Cline, John, 57. Congress, 2 ; Act of, July 9, 1758, 3, 3, 4, 15. 21, 27 ; Power to Lay Taxes, 83. Commissioners, 5, 6. Company, Captain Mosher's, So. '"ontingent, Northampton, 57. Constitution, The, 70. County, Bucks, 2, 5, 7, 8, 13, 16, 54, 67, 73. 75, 76. 82. County, Northampton, 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 34. 40, 48, 51. 54. 62, 69, 70, 72, 73, 75, 75. 76, 77. 82, 113. County, Montgomery, 45, 8, 16, 26, 69, 73 ; Troops from, 77, 75, 76, 81, 82. County, Berks, 4, 5. County, Wayne, 5. County, Lehigh, 51. County, Luzerne, 5. County, Lancaster. 75. County, Cumberland, Cavalry Ordered from, 78. Contingent, Northampton, 61, 62. Colonies, American, 9. Crooked Billet, 10. Cortez, 97. Creek, Boggy, 8. 9. Creek, Swamp, 97. Davidson, Samuel, 5. Davis, 68. Dallas, Alex. J., 117; Dallas' Defence of Fries, 121 ; Dallas' and Lewis,' State ment of Fries' Case, 134 ; Withdraw, 134. Democracy, 2c. Delaware, The, 51, 53. DeKalbe, Baron, 53. Dixon, sir., 60. Districts, German, Inhabitants of, 105. Dogs, Homer's Hero's, 97. Dunlap, Captain, 77. Easton, 42, 59. Eberhart, Sent to Philadelphia, 99. Edwards, Caleb, g, 94. Edwards, Williara, g, g3. Edmonds, Mr., 13. Edwards, Jacol> E., 3. Edwards, Sa^^uel, g5. Elliott, Captain, 51. Eraaus, 48, 66. English, The, 28. Erdman, Interpreter for Witnesses, 119. Europe, 2. Eyerley, Jacob, 5, 21, 42 ; Appointed Commissioners, Northampton, 38; Di vides Township, 39 ; Explains the Law. 43 ; Reads Petition, 44, 48, 59, 64, 65. Eyerley, Daniel, 51. Eyerman, Accompanies Marshal to Make Arrests, 48, 49, 59 ; Clergyman, 100. 12 THE FRIES REBELLION. Federalists, 6i. Federalists, Anti, 6i. Foulke, FJverhard, 6, 19, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28. Frantz, Zeno, 29. Foulke and Rodrock, Messrs., 30. Foulke, 31, 32. Frailey, Colonel, 113. Foulke, Kverhard, 121. Fox, John, 6. France, z, 26. French, 2. Fries, John, 2, 7, 8, g ; Children of, 9, n, 12, 13, 14, ig, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 27, 28, 29. 3o» 31. 34- 3-2, 54, 57, 62, 63 ; Captain 64, 64, 65, 66, 67, 63, 71, 72 ; Military Called for, 75, 93 ; First Object of Capture, 93 ; Macpherson, Head of, 93 ; Arrests of, 94 ; Two Accounts of Capture, 95 ; Fries' Dog, Account of, 96 ; Examination of, 98, 99 ; Sent to Philadelphia, 99 ; Betrayed by his Dog, 97 ; Trial of, 115 ; Indictment of 116 ; Motion Argued. 118 ; Sitgreaves Opens Case, iig ; Names of Jurors, 119 ; Pleads Not Guilty, 119; Witnesses, 120 ; Confession of, read, 120 ; New Trial Granted to, 123; Sentence Imposed on, 126 ; Letter to his Children, 127 ; Bible Presented to, 127 ; Verdict Against, 122 ; Sympathy for, 127 ; Strong Feeling in Favor of, 129 ; Con viction and Sentence of, 129 ; Movement for Pardon of, 129 ; Petition for Pardon, 130 ; Pickering Favored Execution of, 133 ; Heaney and Getman, Pardon of, 136 ; Par don of, Engendered Bad Feeling and En tered Politics, 137 ; A Federalists, 139 ; Subsequent History of, 140 ; Recovers Cattle from British, 141 ; Release Well Re ceived, 141 ; Death of, 142 ; Character of, 143- Fries, Daniel, 8 ; 14, 57 ; Tried to Capture, 97 ; Death of, 98, 142. Fries, Jacob, 22, 23, 27, 31. Fries, Solomon, 142. Galloway, Joseph, 8. Germans, 2, 28, 67. Gerry, Mr., 138. Getman, 7. 12, 13, 137, 138. Green, Richard, 30. Greenmeyer, m. Government, The, 20, 61. Governor, Message of the, 73 ; To Make due Inquiry, 74. Graber, James, 17. Grant, Thomas, Jr., 5. Great Britain, 9. Griffith, Esquire, 32. Griffith, Mrs., 32. H Hager, Christian, 12. Hagersville, 12, Heaney, Frederick, 7, 12 ; Children of, 13, 7r> 137, 138. Heaney, George, 12. Heister, Colonel. 113. Heckewelder, 44. Heller, Meeting at House of, 42. Henry, William, 43. Henry, Judge, Attends Meeting at Hellers', 43 ; Issued Subpcenas, 45, 46, 59, 65. Henry, Capt. John, 79 ; Hamilton, Views of, 133- Harper, Robert Goodloe, 92, Hartman, Herman, 51. Hartzell, Isaac, 61. Helmuth, Rev. Chas. Henry, Address of, 87. House-Tax, Insurgents Dam the, 33. House, Jacob Fries, 28. House, Sisters', S3- House, The Question Referred, 74. House, Spring, 81. Horsfield, Mr., 59, 64, 65. Hotel, Eagle, 51. Home, Assessor, 39. Hoover's, John and Jacob, 31, 17, 18, 68. Iden, James C, Letter of, 41. Indians, Mohican, 53. Inhabitants, Distress of, no. Insurgents, The, 73 ; Persued by Troops, 105 ; Arrested, 106. Insurrection, Western, 73, 134. Insurrection, Whiskey, i, 10 Iredell, Judge, 115 ; Charge to Grand Jury, 116, 118. Irvine, Captain, 79. Jamison, John, 31, 67, 68, 121. Janeway, Rev. Dr., 127. Jarrett, Captain, 55, 64, 68. Jenkinson, Isaac, 5. Jury, Case Given to, 122. Jurors, Names of, 124. Kachline, John, 94. Karackerstown, Fourteen Surrender at, m. Kearne Mr. 40. Kennedy, Captain, 77. Klein, John, 15. Klein, Jacob, 19. Kline George, 68. Kuyder, Capt., 16, 23, 29, 31, Lacey, Gen, John, 10. LaFayette, 53. Liberty, 21 ; Pole Cut Down, no ; War on, 141. Laws, Alien and Sedition, 3, 4, 36, 41, 138. Law, House Tax, 4. Lesher, Captain, 77. Leiper, Captain, 77, 113. Lancaster, Joseph R., 32. Lancaster, 79. Levering, Abraham, 65, 70. Legislature, The, 75. Lewistown, 18. Lee, Henry, 2, Lee's Division, 53. Lewis, Mr., 131. Light Horse, Lancaster, 112. Macpherson, General, 8 ; Brigadier-General, 76 ; Designated to Command Troops, 77 ; Appointed Brigadier U. S. A., 78, 81 ; Ad dress of, 82 ; Forewarns People, 86 ; Ad dress of, 87 ; Probably Marched with Cavalry, 92, 112, 113, Marks, Conrad, 30, 21, 34, 54, 57, 67, 68, 71 ; Surrendered, 108. Marks, John, 50 Massachusetts, 1. Marshal United States, 50, 54,58,59, 60,62, THE FRIES REBELLION. 13 63, 64, 69, 70 ; Armed Force to be Sent With, 90. Meadow, Smith's, 97. Milford, Upper and Lower, 26, 63, 17, 19, 22, 54- Mifflin, Governor, 73, 76, 80. Montgomery, Captain, 77, 112, 113. MorreU, Captain, 77. Melbecke, Lieutenant, 108. Moravians, 51. Moore, Richard, icxi. Mulhallon, John, 61. Mitchell, George, 15, 17, 17, 19, 19,21, 71. Mill, Mathers', 8. Mill, Stover's, 12 Mill, Hoover's, 20. Millarstown, 49, 54, 57, 61, 62, 72 ; Troops March for, 100 ; Army Encamped at, 108. Michael, Nicholas, 41, 42. Military Force Called for, 73. Militia, Requisition from, 75. Mount Vernon, 3 McHenry, James, 76. McClerachan B., An Agitator, 138. Moretz, At Meeting, 44. Nazareth, 48, 51. Nanticokes, 52. Nace, Enos, P., 97. Newtown, Troops Rendezvous at, 78 ; Troops reach, 79. New York, Troops Leave, 78 ; Troops March from, 79. New Jersey, Requisition for Malitia on, 80. Nichols, Colonel, 50, 64 ; Marshal Makes Ar rests, 48, 70. Nitschman, David, 51. Northampton, Opposition to Law in, 38. Officers, Letters About, 95, 109. P Pardon, Recommendations for, 130 ; Proc lamation of, 13s ; Cabinet Divided on, 136; Proclamation of, 136. Patriot, Boston, 138. 1 Penrose, Daniel, 31 ; Penrose, David, 93. Pennsylvania, i, 4, 5 ; The State of 99 ; The Governor of 73 ; The State of, 75. Peters, Judge, Deposition Sent to, 46 ; Ex amine Witnesses, 46, 46. Peters, Judge, 54, 69, 72 ; John Fries Ex amined Before, 98 ; Called as Witness, 120. Pheister, George L., 22. ¦ Philadelphia, 7, 18 ; The Marshal Leaves to Serve Subpoenas, 48, 59, 62, 64, 65, 72, 73 ; The Troops Leave, 81, 81 ; Prisoners in Jail at, 113. Pickering, Timothy, 71 ; The Views of, 133. Poli tics, The Condition of, 36 ; The Influence of, log. Porter, James M. , Recollections of, 123. Posse, The Marshal's, 63, 64, 65. Pottery, Penrose's, 100. President, The, 3. 4 ; He Issues a. Procla mation, 69, 69. Proclamation, The President, 72, 73. President, The and Cabinet, 4. Pulaski, Count, 53. Porter and Wharton, Captains, Search for Fries, 93. Quakertown, 9, 13, 22, 23, 29, 30, 32 ; What Toofc Place, 35, 93, 97 ; Army Encamped at too, iq8 ; The Army Leaves, 108 ; Quincy, Mr, Adams at, 131. Rawle, William, 117. Rawle and Sitgreaves, 118. Rebellion, Fries, 2, 13 ; The a National Af fair, 73, 75 ; Fries, a Factor at Jefferson's Election, 137 ; Great Men at Bottom of, 138. Cost of, 14.0 ; Shays', i ; Shays', 73. Revolution, The, i, S3- Reed, Collinson, 5. Railroad, The North Pennsylvania, 92. Reading, 5 ; Troops March to, in ; Troops March from, 112 ; Outrage at, 112. Ritter, Martin, 55. River, Lehigh, 57, 61. Road, Ridge, 81 ; The Old Bethlehem, 91, 97, Roberts, Israel, 17, 20, 21, 71, 121. Roberts, Daniel, 68. Rodrock, John, 6, 16, 17, 22, 28, 31 33. Rodrock and Foulke, 32. Rodman, Lieutenant, W. M., 78. Roberts, Enoch, 35. Roths, Christian, 59, 61. Rocks, The, 100. S Savannah, 53. Sacket, Alfred, 18. Schmyser Michael, 5. Schaeffer, George, 44, 49. Schymer, John, 44 Schlaugh, Philip, 59, 65. Schlichter, Andrew, The Farm of, 92, Schneider, Jacob, 112. Sellersville, 13 ; 'The Present, 92. Schneider, Jacob, 113. Sentinel, BuU Shot by, in Shawnese, 52, Shankwyler, 49, 50, 72, 60. Shays' Daniel, i. Shoemaker, Captain, 79. Shewell, Nathaniel, 107. Shiffert, Andrew, 55. Sims, Captain, 77, 78. Singmaster, 18, 29, 30, 77. Sitgreaves, U. S. Attorney, 42 ; U. S. Dis trict Attorney, Draws up Form of Warrant, 46 ; 125, 139. Smith, Peter, 29. Snyder, Mr., 48, 39. Spangenberg, Bishop, 52. Spring House, Headquarters at, 82, Store, Rufe's, 18. Staeler, Captain, 62 Stephen, Adam, 51, 72. Spinnerstown, 17 ; 9. Sumneytown, 98. Swartz, Daniel. Tax, Direct, Passed, 3 ; On What Laid, 83 ; Rates of, 84 ; Law, Unpopularity of, 37. Tavern, Rodrock's, 18. Tavern, Jacob Fries', 27, 25, 26, 27, 29, 123, Tavern, Enoch, Roberts, 29, 31. Tavern, Sellers', 30 ; Troops March from, 99, 91. Tavern, Mitchell's, 27, 68, 71. The Spring House. 91. Tavern, Gennes, 55. Tavern, Gary's, 15. Tavern, Ritter's, 57, 60. Tavern, Conrad Marks', 62. Taylor, Captain, 77. 14 THE FRIES REBELLION. Tavern, The Sun, 58, 60, 62. Tanyard, Lester's, 97. Terror, System of, 102, 103. Trenton, Troops Reach, 79. Trail, Judge, 42. Treasury, Secretary of, 4, S, 21. Thomas William, 23. Thomas, Samuel, 97. Thomas, Edward, 97. Trexlertown, Meeting at, 45 ; Captain Jar- rett's Company at, 45. Trumbower, Chased by Soldiers, 94- Trumbauersville, 17, 22, 23, 26. Township, Milford, 8, 7, 6, 12, 12, 14, 16, *5, 29. 32, 67, 71. Township, Rockhill, 12, 13, 92. Township, Tinicum, 18. Township Richland, 6, 6, 97. Township, Hatfield, 8. Township, Plumstead, 6. Township, Plainfield, 12, 13. Township, Bushkill, 13. Township, Weisenburg, 40. Township, Lynn, 40. Township, Lehigh, 59 ; Twelve Arrested in, 48. Township, Hamilton, 40, 41. Township, Upper Milford, 40 ; Meeting in, 43. Township, Chestnut Hill, 39. Township, Moore, 40. Township, Penn, 40. Township, Low Hill, 40. Township, Heidelburg, 40. Troops, American, 53. Troops, Regular, Ordered Out, 78. Troops March, 80; Instructions for, 80; March for Quakertown, 99 ; March from Sellers' Tavern, 100 ; Alarmed, 106 ; Ex cesses Committed by, 109 ; Their Presence Inspires Terror, 100. United States, The, 26, 69, 70, 60, 71 ; The Laws of the, 61, 7s, 82 ; The Seal of the, 71 ; Interest ofthe, 74 : The Officers of the, 69 : The President of the, 70, 73, 82. Valley, Wyoming, 52. VanBuskirk, 49. Verdict Rendered,>25. Virginia, 3, 21. Washington, z, 3, 10; Mistaken Policy of, 13; 53- Wells, Isaiah, 123. Whigs and Tories, 103. Wheeler, Israel, 5. Whiskey, 11. Witnesses Called, 121. Wiedner, Daniel, 26. Wiedner, 27. Winters, Ctiristopher, 59. Williams, Lieutenant, John, 80. Whitemarsh, 8, 10, 142. Wolcott, OUver, 138 ; Favors Execution, 134. Wo ols ten craft. Lieutenant, 79. -^^ Wood, Mr., 138 ; Fries' Observation to, 134- Wyker, Reuben L., 18. Wyker, George, 18. Wyker, Nicholas, 18. Zellers,3o, 3°- Zeigler, George I., 25, 26. Zantzenger, Paul 5. Zinzendorf, Count, ss, 53- r LIBRARY 3 9002 06895