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UNIVERSITY 

OF  PITTSBURGH 

LIBRARY 


<  ur  p, 


THIS  BOOK  PRESENTED  BY 

Mrs.  Howard  Ea-^enson 


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"    '     J^dsq'uEHANNAHWIZH.    Jki^^fn^^- 


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OTZINACHSON: 

A    HISTORY 

OF  THE 

WEST  BRANCH  VALLEY 

OF 

THE   SUSQUEHANNA: 


ITS    FIRST  SETTLEMENT,  PRIVATIONS  ENDURED   BY  THE   EARLY 

PIONEERS,  INDIAN  WARS,  PREDATORY  INCURSIONS, 

ABDUCTIONS   AND    MASSACRES, 

TOGETHER  WITH 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  FAIR  PLAY  SYSTEM: 


^I'yhig  ^dene^  of  tl^e  Sig  f^un^wky; 


OF   CURIOUS   OLD    DOCUMENTS,    BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES   OF   THE    LEAUINO 
SETTLERS,  TOGETHER   WITH    ANECDOTES,   STATISTICS,  AND   MUCH 
VALUABLE    MATTER    ENTIRELY    NEW. 


REVISED  EDITION. 


BY  J.    F.   MEGINNESS, 

(John  of  Lancaster.) 

Volume  L 
williamsport,  pa.: 

GAZETTE  AND   BULLETIN    PRINTING    HOUSE. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  iSSS, 

JOHN   F.  MEGINNESS, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washingto 


^ 


TO   THE    READER. 

The  first  edition  of  this  work  was  pubUshed  in  1856,  but  as  it  had  gone  out  of 
print  many  years  ago,  the  author  was  frequently  requested  by  those  desiring  copies  to 
publish  a  revised  edition.  Reluctantly  yielding  to  these  requests,  a  new  edition, 
entirely  rewritten,  is  now  published.  It  is  fully  two  hundred  pages  larger  than  the 
old  work,  and  in  the  arrangement  of  the  matter  care  has  been  taken  to  give  the 
historical  events  as  closely  as  possible  in  chronological  order. 

Since  the  publication  of  the  first  edition  a  large  amount  of  important  matter  has 
been  developed,  which  is  now  printed  for  the  first  time.  Much  that  is  entirely  new- 
regarding  the  visits  of  the  Moravian  missionaries  to  this  valley  during  the  Indian 
occupation  has  been  introduced,  and  a  very  full  history  of  Shikelliniy,  the  famous 
Indian  Vice-King,  is  given. 

Many  illustrations  of  Indian  antiquities,  diagrams  of  manors  and  surveys,  forts, 
ancient  dwellings,  fac-similes  of  signatures  and  inscriptions,  are  introduced,  which  it 
is  believed  will  enhance  the  value  of  the  present  work.  Nothing  of  this  kind  was 
given  in  the  first  edition. 

It  is  truly  said  that  "history  is  an  account  of  facts,"  and  it  might  be  added  that  it 
is  the  duty  of  the  historian  to  so  collect  and  arrange  them  as  to  link  the  past  with 
the  present.  Writing  local  history,  however,  is  largely  a  labor  of  love.  But  while 
the  work  may  not  yield  a  pecuniary  reward,  there  is  some  consolation  in  the  reflection 
that  possibly  those  who  engage  in  it  are  doing  something  that  may  benefit  posterity, 
by  rescuing  from  oblivion  much  that  otherwise  would  be  lost.  Comparatively  few 
of  the  present  generation  are  aware  that  this  beautiful  valley  has  such  a  deeply 
interesting  and  thrilling  history;  that  the  early  settlers  were  subjected  to  great 
privations ;  that  the  barbarities  practiced  by  the  savages  were  of  the  bloodiest  and 
most  harrowing  description;  and  that  the  knife  and  tomahawk,  in  the  hands  of  a 
fierce  and  merciless  foe,  were  long  wielded  as  potent  factors  to  retard  the  advancing 

There  is  also  some  encouragement  to  writers  of  local  history  in  the  fact  that  there 
is  a  rapidly  increasing  desire  in  the  minds  of  the  present  generation  to  know  more 
of  their  ancestors,  and  the  dangers  they  were  subjected  to  when  a  savage  lurked  in 
every  bush.  Coupled  with  this  is  also  a  growing  taste  for  genealogy  and  biography, 
all  of  which  augurs  well  for  the  future. 


TO    THE    READER. 

In  the  revision  of  this  edition  the  author  has  been  fortunate  in  having  the  co- 
operation and  assistance  of  men  eminent  in  history  and  Uterature,  who  have 
generously  aided  him  in  unraveling  many  knotty  points,  which  he  would  have  been 
unable  to  clear  up  alone,  and  others  have  assisted  him  by  furnishing  data  and  papers, 
which  proved  of  great  historical  value.  To  the  following  gentlemen,  therefore,  he 
desires  to  return  his  acknowledgments:  Dr.  W.  H.  Egle,  State  Librarian,  Major 
R.  H.  Forster  and  Captain  John  A.  Campbell,  Department  of  Internal  Affairs, 
Harrisburg;  Rev.  John  Bodine  Thompson,  Inverness,  California,  who  contributed 
chapter  twenty-two;  Mr.  John  W.Jordan,  editor  of  the  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of 
History,  Philadelphia;  Rev.  A.  P.  Brush,  Bath,  N.  Y.;  Rev.  Horace  E.  Hayden,  D.  D., 
Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.;  Hon.  John  Blair  Linn,  Bellefonte,  Pa.;  John  T.  Campbell,  Esq., 
Rockville,  Indiana;  Isaac  Craig,  Esq.,  Allegheny,  Pa.;  Dr.  R.  H.  Awl,  Hon.  John  15. 
Packer  and  Hon.  S.  P.  Wolverton,  Sunbury,  Pa.;  W.  Field  Shay,  Esq.,  VVatsontown, 
Pa.;  Mr.  J.  M.  M.  Gernerd,  editor  of  The  Now  and  Then,  Mr.  Howard  R.  Wallis, 
great-grandson  of  Samuel  Wallis,  and  Dr.  George  G.  Wood,  Muncy,  Pa.;  A.  Brady 
Sharpe,  Esq.,  Carlisle,  Pa.;  Edward  Brady,  Esq.,  Philadelphia;  Mr.  D.  A.  Martin, 
antiquarian,  DuBoistown,  Pa.;  Hon.  R.  P.  Allen,  George  L.  .Sanderson,  Esq.,  and 
Mr.  J.  H.  McMinn,  Williamsport,  Pa.  Mr.  McMinn,in  addition  to  rendering  valuable 
assistance  in  the  work  of  research  and  preparation  of  historical  matter,  contributed 
an  instructive  free  hand  map  of  the  valley. 

In  conclusion  the  author  desires  to  especially  return  his  thanks  to  the  editors  and 
publishers  of  newspapers  in  the  West  Branch  Valley,  (over  twenty-five  in  number,) 
every  one  of  whom  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  work  and  aided  in  its  preparation,  by 
publishing  notices  from  time  to  time  regarding  its  progress,  which  were  of  great 
service  in  bringing  it  to  the  attention  of  the  public.  And  after  twenty  years  of 
continuous  service  on  the  daily  Gazette  and  Bulletin,  it  is  particularly  gratifying 
to  be  able  to  make  this  acknowledgment  of  such  invaluable  editorial  sympathy  and 
assistance.  The  work  was  mostly  written  during  the  past  year  at  odd  hours,  and 
often  after  midnight,  when  editorial  labor  ceased.  Industry  and  pluck  were  required 
to  carry  it  through,  but  the  end  was  finally  reached. 

The  historical  labors  of  the  author,  so  far  as  this  volume  is  concerned,  are  now 
concluded,  and  his  book,  with  all  its  imperfections,  goes  forth  to  the  world.  It  is 
hoped  that  it  may  to  some  e.Mtent  interest  the  reader.  If  the  history  of  the  valley 
from  1800  to  the  present  time  is  ever  written,  it  must  be  comprised  in  another  volume, 
and  in  some  respects  it  would  be  more  interesting  than  the  first. 

JOHN  F.  MEGINNESS. 

Williamsport,  Pa.,  July,  1SS9. 


i   '# 


u.      i 


\     5 


HISTORY 

OF  THE 

West  Branch  Valley. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY    OF    THE    SUSQUEHANNA WHERE    IT    IS 

LOCATED INDIAN     NAME     OF    THE      RIVER      AND      THE      CURIOUS 

THEORY    AS    TO    ITS    ORIGIN THE    CLIMATE. 

ON  taking  up  this  volume  the  reader  will  probably  ask, 
"Where  is  the  West  Branch  Valley?"  In  anticipation 
of  such  a  question,  it  is  deemed  best  to  describe  its  geographical 
position  in  the  outset. 

The  Susquehanna  River  flows  southward  through  the  central 
part  of  Pennsylvania,  east  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  and  falls 
into  the  Chesapeake  Bay  at  Havre  de  Grace,  Maryland.  Its  length 
from  Northumberland  to  the  mouth  is  about  1 15  miles.  This 
great,  but  unnavigable,  river  is  formed  by  two  large  streams  called 
the  North  and  West  Branches,  which  unite  at  Northumberland. 
The  North  Branch  has  its  source  in  Otsego  Lake,  Otsego  County, 
New  York.  In  its  descent  it  flows  through  the  beautiful  vale  of 
Wyoming.  The  West  Branch  rises  from  springs  on  a  mountain 
plateau,  about  eight  miles  north  of  the  picturesque  borough  of 
Ebensburg,  Cambria  County.  Flowing  northwesterly  it  touches 
Indiana  County  at  Cherry  Tree,  formerly  called  Canoe  Place,  be- 
cause it  was  the  head  of  canoe  navigation.  In  pursuing  its  winding 
course  it  passes'  through  Clearfield,  Clinton  and  Lycoming,  and  in 
running  south  forms  the  boundary  line  between  Northumberland 
and  Union  counties,  before  it  unites  with  the  North  Branch  at 
Northumberland.      The   distance  traversed   is   about   200   miles, 


O  HISTORY    OF    THE   WE-T    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

much  of  which  is  through  a  wild  and  mountainous  part  of  the 
State.  Its  main  tributaries  are  the  Moshannon,  Sinnemahoning, 
Kettle  Creek,  Youngwoman's  Creek,  Bald  Eagle,  Pine  Creek, 
Lycoming,  Loyalsock,  Muncy,  White  Deer,  Buffalo  and  Chillis- 
quaque  creeks.  The  Sinnemahoning,  Pine  Creek,  Lycoming  and 
Loyalsock  rise  to  the  dignity  of  mountain  rivers.  P^merging  from 
the  hills,  a  short  distance  wesr  of  the  city  of  Lock  Haven,  the  river 
enters  what  is  properly  called  the  West  Branch  Valley,  through 
which  it  flows,  on  the  north  side  of  Bald  Eagle  Mountain,  in  a  line 
due  east  for  about  forty  miles,  when  it  gracefully  curves  to  the 
south  at  Muncy,  and  then  flows  in  a  straight  line  to  the  junction. 
Its  passage  around  the  Muncy  Hills  and  the  point  of  Bald  Eagle 
Mountain  is  grand,  and  the  channel  was  probably  formed  by 
erosion  during  the  glacial  period. 

According  to  a  vague  tradition  this  beautiful  river  was  called 
Otzinachson  by  some  of  the  early  Indian  tribes — perhaps  the  Sus- 
qnehannocks  or  Andastes — but  its  meaning  has  never  been  clearly 
defined.  Professor  Guss,  who  gave  a  great  deal  of  time  and  re- 
search to  an  elucidation  of  this  problem,  says  that  the  Otzinachson 
were  people  of  the  Demons'  Dens,  but  this  seems  to  be  a  curious 
application  of  the  title,  when  the  natural  beauty  of  the  valle)-  is 
considered.  At  best  the  origin  of  the  name  is  mythical,  and  must 
forever  remain  so,  because  reliable  information  cannot  be  obtained 
at  this  late  date.  Conrad  Weiser,  the  famous  Indian  interpreter, 
was  among  the  first  white  men  to  visit  the  eastern  part  of  the  val- 
ley, and  he  occasionally  refers  in  his  journal  to  the  "  Otsinackson," 
the  "  Zinahton,"  the  "  Zinachton  "  and  the  "  Rinacson  "  river,  having 
reference  each  time  to  what  is  now  known  as  the  West  Branch. 
The  early  explorers  scarcely  ever  spelled  the  Indian  name  of  a 
place  twice  the  same  way,  and  its  pronunciation  often  became 
very  much  corrupted  on  account  of  confounding  sounds  with 
French  names.  The  latter  people  were  here  before  the  English, 
having  extended  their  explorations  from  Canada  and  their  lake 
forts  when  they  were  seeking  to  possess  this  portion  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. There  is  something  very  beautiful  as  well  as  poetical  in  the 
sound  of  Ot-zin-acli-son,  and  it  is  much  regretted  that  the  true 
definition  of  the  word,  beyond  all  doubt,  has  been  lost,  and  that 
we  have  no  authentic  account  of  the  tribe  that  appHed  the  name 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  7 

to  the  river.  Its  sweet  sound  seems  to  forbid  the  thought  that  it 
was  associated  with  anything  partaking  of  the  nature  of  demons,* 
although  in  later  years  many  Indians  were  made  demons  through 
the  treachery  and  dishonesty  of  white  men. 

At  Northumberland,  where  the  two  branches  unite  to  form  the 
Susquehanna,  is  a  bold,  rocky  promontory,  with  an  almost  perpen- 
dicular escarpment  on  the  side  bounding  the  West  Branch,  known 
as  Blue  Hill.  It  rises  to  an  altitude  of  301  feet,  taking  the  railroad 
track  as  the  base,  and  the  view  from  its  summit  is  one  of  unsur- 
passed beauty  and  loveliness.  In  the  foreground  lies  the  ancient 
borough  of  Northumberland  on  a  sloping  mesa,  with  Montour 
Ridge  in  the  rear.  From  the  east  roll  the  waters  of  the  North 
Branch  like  a  silver  ribbon  to  unite  with  the  West  Branch  and 
form  the  Susquehanna,  which  at  this  point  majestically  starts  on 
its  voyage  to  the  sea  amid  green  islands  and  rugged  hills.  Looking 
across  the  broad  waters,  the  level  plain  upon  which  Sunbury  is 
built  is  plainly  seen,  whilst  rolling  hills  form  the  background. 
This  plain  is  indeed  a  historic  spot.  Here,  150  years  ago,  stood 
.an  Indian  village — the  original  Shamokin — rand  here  an  Indian 
vice-king  once  lived  and  ruled.  If  the  testimony  of  the  first 
Englishmen  who  visited  him  is  to  be  believed — and  it  never  has 
been  questioned — he  was  in  every  sense  a  "  good  Indian ;"  a  noble, 
trusty  representative  of  everything  that  is  grand  and  beautiful  in 
the  Indian  character;  who  never  proved  recreant  to  his  word, 
betrayed  a  white  man  nor  condoned  a  crime.  Such  was  the 
typical  Shikellimy,  who,  on  account  of  his  ability,  nobleness  of 
character  and  fitness  to  govern,  was  selected  by  the  head  of  the 
Six  Nations  to  oversee  the  Indians  at  this  important  point  on 

*The  theory  is  advanced  that  this  name  may  have  grown  out  of  the  fact  that  one 
or  two  extensive  caves  once  existed  in  the  shelving  rocks  of  Blue  Hill.  The  Indians 
were  superstitious  about  things  they  did  not  understand,  and  it  is  possible  they  con- 
sidered these  subterranean  passages  the  haunts  of  demons.  Hence  the  name  they 
applied  to  the  West  Branch,  which  empties  into  the  main  river  at  this  point.  Scarcely 
a  trace  of  these  caves  now  exists,  as  they  have  been  filled  up  by  falling  rock  and  earth. 
Two  hundred  years  ago  they  may  have  been  quite  extensive.  The  theory  is  at  least 
plausible,  although  it  is  not  supported  by  any  conclusive  testimony. 

As  late  as  1854  or  1855  John  Hess  discovered  a  cave  at  or  near  Winfield,  in  Dry 
Valley,  at  the  upper  end  of  the  Blue  Hill  range.  He  was  operating  a  stone-quarry, 
and  had  paid  $300  for  the  piece  of  land  on  which  it  was  located.  The  first  Sunday 
after  the  discovery  his  son  charged  ten  cents  admission  for  visitors,  and  the  receipts 


8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

their  highway  to  the  South.  He  was  an  Oneida*  by  birth,  and 
here  he  Hved  and  reigned,  and  here  he  diid  and  was  buried.  He 
was  the  father  of  Logan,  whose  illustrious  character  shines  with 
such  resplendent  lustre  on  the  pages  of  imperishable  histor}-. 
Standing  on  the  crest  of  Blue  Hill,  with  the  great  river  rolling 
at  its  base,  and  looking  across  its  translucent  waters,  you  can 
almost  pick  out  the  spot  where  the  barbaric  king  was  buried 
in  1749,  and  the  site  upon  which  Fort  Augusta  afterwards  rose 
and  stood  as  a  barrier  against  the  encroachments  of  the  Indians 
and  French. 

This  rugged  hill  is  grim  and  grand  in  winter  time;  but  when 
clothed  in  the  green  garb  of  summer,  or  wearing  its  garments  of 
russet  and  brown  in  autumn,  it  is  superlatively  beautiful.  It  was 
so  named  because  of  the  blue  appearance  it  presents  with  the 
western  sky  as  a  background.  There  is  no  more  conspicuous 
point  on  the  river  from  the  sea  to  its  sources,  or  one  that  calls 
forth  more  rapturous  expressions  of  delight  from  strangers  and 
travelers. 

The  Valley  of  the  West  Branch  is  not  more  than  two  miles  wide 
at  any  one  point,  but  is  generally  much  narrower.  Several  valleys 
of  great  beauty  and  fertility  adjoin  it,  the  most  prominent  of  which 
are  Buffalo,  Paradise,  Black  Hole,  White  Deer,  Muncy,  Nippenose 
and  Bald  Eagle.  The  foot-hills  of  the  Alleghenies  appear  on  both 
sides  and  lend  an  additional  charm  of  beauty  to  the  landscape. 
From  one  end  of  the  valley  to  the  other  the  scenery  is  exceedingly 
beautiful  and  attractive;  in  fact  no  one  can  form  a  correct  idea  of 
its  beauty  without  passing  through  it.  The  valley  is  in  a  high 
state  of  cultivation  and  is  filled  with  thrifty  cities,  boroughs  and 

amounted  to  over  $60.  People  came  from  Lewisburg,  New  Berlin,  Milton  and 
Northumberland  to  view  the  subterranean  curiosity.  There  were  several  rooms 
in  the  cave,  and  the  limestone  water  dripping  from  the  roof  had  formed  beautiful 
pillars  the  size  of  hitching  posts  all  through  the  place.  Hess,  it  is  said,  finally  sold 
his  purchase  to  Noah  Walter  for  $3,000.  The  excitement  concerning  the  cave 
soon  subsided  and  now  its  existence  is  almost  forgotten. 

*Some  writers  assert  that  Shikellimy  was  a  Cayuga,  but  when  he  signed  the 
famous  deed  of  October  11,  1736,  with  many  other  chiefs,  conveying  the  Susque- 
hanna lands  to  William  Penn,  he  put  himself  down  as  an  Oneida.  His  signature 
was  a  character  representing  a  heart. — See  illustrated  Indian  autographs,  page  100, 
Vol.  I.,  Pennsylvania  Archives. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  9 

villages.  Agriculture  is  the  leading  occupation  of  the  people, 
followed  by  manufacturing  on  a  large  scale. 

What  a  contrast  does  this  magnificent  valley  present  to  the  time 
when  it  was  solely  occupied  by  the  aborigines !  Let  us  look  back 
in  imagination  to  the  period  when  the  red  man  dwelt  on  the  banks 
of  the  river,  roamed  in  the  mighty  forest,  or  hunted  the  deer  and 
the  elk  on  the  declivities  of  the  surrounding  mountains;  when  he 
built  his  humble  wigwam  in  some  shady  dell  beneath  the  protect- 
ing branches  of  the  mighty  oak.  The  scene  was  indeed  a  happy 
one;  his  papooses  gamboled  in  innocent  simplicity  on  the  banks 
of  the  silently  flowing  river,  or  by  the  side  of  the  dancing  rivulet ; 
the  warriors  hunted  and  fished,  and  the  squaws  cultivated  their 
little  patches  of  corn  and  melons  and  sang  sweet  songs  of  the 
spirit  land.  Happy  scene!  This  valley  was  then  a  fairy  land — an 
Indian  paradise — the  beloved  home  of  the  untutored  yet  noble 
children  of  the  forest.  But  mighty  changes  were  destined  to 
occur,  and  bloody  tragedies,  calculated  to  cause  a  thrill  of  horror 
to  run  through  the  frame,  must  be  enacted  before  their  cup  of 
destiny  i^  filled  and  the  last  aborigine  is  laid  beneath  the  green 
sward,  or  driven  towards  the  setting  sun. 

More  than  a  hundred  years  have  rolled  away  since  those  prim- 
eval days.  The  valley  has  entirely  changed,  and  the  last  red  man 
has  long  since  been  gathered  to  his  fathers.  The  little  mound 
that  marked  the  spot  where  he  was  laid  has  been  leveled  by  the 
plowshare,  and  in  summer  time  luxuriant  grain  waves  over  the 
graves  that  contain  the  ashes  of  his  ancestors,  and  the  riidc  hand 
of  civilization  has  obliterated  the  humble  monuments  reared  to 
perpetuate  their  memories.  All  have  perished  and  a  new  race 
occupies  the  land;  flourishing  cities  have  been  built  upon  the 
sites  of  their  villages,  and  the  hum  of  industry  is  heard  where  the 
yell  of  the  savage  once  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  dell  or  disturbed 
the  wild  beast  in  its  lair.  It  is  almost  impossible  for  the  present 
generation  to  realize  what  great  changes  have  been  wrought  in 
such  a  comparatively  short  period  of  time ;  and  it  is  only  after  a 
careful  reading  of  the  history  of  the  valley  that  they^can  under- 
stand it. 

The  following  apostrophe  to  Otzinachson,  written  by  Hon.  A.  J. 
Quigley,  of  Williamsport,  who  was  born  and   raised   upon  the 


lO  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEV. 

banks  of  the  lovely  river,  draws  a  vivid  picture  of  the  scene  as 
referred  to: 

THE  OTZINACHSON. 
Otzinachson,  beauteous  river,  flowing  onward  to  the  main, 
Drinking  from  ten  thousand  fountains  to  replenish  thee  again; 
Gorgeous  river,  on  thy  bosom  God  Almighty's  sun  hath  shone, 
Since  the  world  was  spoke  from  nothing  into  being,  thou  hast  flown; 
Thou  hast  flown  to  bless  the  nations,  and  upon  thy  bosom  bear 
Wealth  of  forests,  where  the  red  men  and  the  wild  deer  had  their  lair. 

Thou  hast  coursed  through  rocky  gorges  from  proud  Appalachian  height, 
Ere  the  Indian  maiden's  footsteps  sought  thee  at  the  dead  of  night, 
Found'st  the  eyry  of  the  eagle  poising  high  'bove  cliff  and  rock, 
His  dazzling  sunlit  splendor  would  terra  firma  seem  to  mock; 
Laved  (he  temples  of  the  woodsman  with  thy  cooling,  crystal  draft. 
As  he  plied  his  faithful  oar  to  guide,  from  point  and  rock,  his  raft. 

'Round  thy  history  hang  traditions  of  the  red  man  and  the  white, 

In  the  contest  for  dominion,  and  their  fearful,  bloody  strife. 

On  the  farm  lands  by  the  river,  and  the  field  and  forest  shades. 

Where  the  white  man's  home  and  school-house  rises  from  the  everglades ; 

From  the  fountains,  springs  and  ravines,  even  to  the  mighty  main. 

Relics  of  the  Indian  warrior  by  the  observant  eye  are  seen.        i 

Would  that  'round  thy  history  clustered  no  event  of  sadness,  when 
Vengeance  of  a  savage  warfare  dimmed  the  peace  of  William  Penn; 
Or  that  from  their  ancient  glory,  downward  through  the  course  of  time. 
Ages  have  not  swept  from  memory,  how  the  prophet  in  his  line 
Had  pronounced  to  scattered  Israel,  under  Jeroboam,  king. 
Sad  discomfiture  would  follow,  and  that  sin  would  sorrow  bring. 

Then  thy  peaceful  murmurings,  only,  would  tell  of  scenes  of  yore — 
Of  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest,  not  the  red  man's  knife  and  gore. 
But  these  scenes  are  gone  forever,  and  the  white  man's  deadly  foe. 
In  the  visions  of  the  future,  can  of  "promise"  see  the  "bow" 
That  will  one  in  union  ever  pledge,  by  oath  as  firm  as  God, 
Never  to  repeat  the  quarrel  acted  on  this  hallowed  sod. 

Then  thy  peaceful  waters  flowing,  tales  of  better  things  will  tell; 
Songs  of  peace  and  sweeter  music,  join  in  higher  notes  to  swell. 
Now  the  wigwam  of  the  savage  never  more  thy  banks  shall  greet, 
Nor  the  plaintive  wail  of  mourning  from  a  mother's  heart  shall  leap; 
But  upon  thy  shores  in  gladness,  from  the  cottage  in  the  dell, 
Other  sounds  shall  wake  thy  slumbers,  children  other  things  shall  tell. 

They  Vill  tell  of  household  pleasures,  of  the  school-house  in  the  place 
Of  the  wilderness  and  wildwood,  of  the  home  of  savage  race.; 
They  will  tell  of  towns  and  cities,  railroads,  telegraphs  and  fame — 
Where  the  Indian  hunter  loitered,  in  his  watch  for  fish  and  game; 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  II 

They  will  tell  of  mighty  doings,  of  the  white  man  and  the  red 
Laboring  side  by  side  each  other,  and  the  music  of  their  tread 
Will  not  startle  fear  and  anguish  from  the  helpless,  as  it  did 
When  brave  Brady  stood  between  them  with  uplifted  sabre  red. 

Now  they'll  tell  of  noble  chieftains,  in  a  contest  more  sublime 
On  the  banks  of  Otzinachson,  in  the  distant  shores  of  time; 
That  the  red  man  and  the  white  man  built  a  cottage  side  by  side, 
On  the  hill  and  in  the  valley,  by  the  streamlet  and  the  tide; 
Both  in  peaceful  habitations,  in  the  marts  of  busy  life. 
Laying  plans  of  social  progress,  not  of  taking  human  life. 

Another  writer  portrays  the  climate  of  the  valley,  in  rhyme,  as 
follows : 

"Beneath  the  temperate  zone  this  vale  doth  lie. 
Where  heat  and  cold  a  grateful  change  supply. 
To  fifteen  hours  extends  the  longest  day, 
When  Sol,  in  cancer,  points  his  fervid  ray. 
Yet,  here  the  winter  season  is  severe, 
And  summer's  heat  is  difficult  to  bear; 
But  western  winds  oft  cool  the  scorching  ray, 
And  southern  breezes  warm  the  winter's  day. 
Yet,  oft  tho'  warm  and  fair  the  day  begun. 
Cold  storms  arise  before  the  setting  sun ; 
Nay,  oft  so  quick  the  change,  so  great  its  pow'r. 
As  summer's  heat  and  winter  in  an  hour." 

This  climatic  picture  will  be  accepted  as  fairly  correct  by 
residents  of  the  valley.  Weather  changes  are  noted  for  their 
suddenness,  as  well  as  violence,  particularly  in  winter  time. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   ABORIGINAL  TRIBES    OF   THE   VALLEY THEIR    NAMES,  CHARAC- 
TER AND  TRAITS STORY    OF  THE  ANDASTES  AND  THE   THRILLING 

ADVENTURES    OF    ETIENNE    BRULE. 

THAT  Indian  tribes  of  whom  we  have  no  authentic  account 
once  inhabited  this  valley,  there  seems  to  be  little  doubt. 
Fifty  years  ago  traces  of  their  fortifications  existed  at  different 
points,  which  showed  them  to  have  been  superior  to  the  race  that 
came  after  them.  By  the  French  they  were  called  Andastes,*  but 
they  are  believed,  by  some  writers,  to  have  been  the  Susquehan- 
nocks,  alluded  to  by  Captain  John  Smith,  in  his  writings  on  the 
settlement  at  Jamestown.  They  were  finally  overcome  by  North- 
ern Indians,  absorbed,  and  dwindled  down  to  the  remnant  known 
as  the  Conestogas.  They  lived  in  palisaded  towns,  built  circular 
or  square  fortifications,  and  were  somewhat  advanced  in  civilization. 
Dr.  George  G.  Wood,  of  Muncy,  who  has  given  the  subject  of  In- 
dian occupation  much  attention,  writes: 

"  At  the  time  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  was  granted  to  Penn, 
for  his  colony,  he  found  it  occupied  by  the  great  Lenni-Lenape 


*In  a  work  entitled  "Some  Account  of  the  Conduct  of  the  Religious  Society  of 
Friends  Towards  the  Indian  Tribes,"  published  in  London,  in  1844,  is  a  frontispiece 
map  entitled  "  Aboriginal  America,"  which  purports  to  give  the  location  of  the 
different  tribes  at  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  of  the  country  by  the  English 
colonists.  The  Andastes  are  located  on  the  head-waters  of  the  Allegheny  River,  in 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York,  west  of  the  Iroquois  or  Six  Nations.  But  the  work- 
does  not  mention  the  tribe  in  its  pages.  If  such  is  the  fact,  they  must  have  been 
expelled  from  this  locality  by  the  Iroquois  previous  to  the  coming  of  the  French 
into  Canada  in  the  sixteenth  century,  for  the  Jesuits  who  lived  among  the  Iroquois 
do  not  mention  their  name,  if  they  called  them  Andastes,  as  Mr.  Craig  states.  Con- 
firmatory of  this  map,  we  refer  to  the  Jjistory  of  the  attack  made  on  the  Iroquois  by 
Hurons,  led  by  the  redoubtable  Champlain,  with  a  few  Frenchmen  as  allies,  in  the 
summer  of  1615.  Parkman,  in  his  Pioneers  of  the  French  in  the  New  World, 
quotes  Champlain  as  saying:  "There  was  cheering  news,  for  an  allied  nation 
(i.  e.  with  the  Huron  nation)  called  Carontonans  or  Andastes  had  promised  to  join 
the  Hurons  in  the  enemy's  country  with  500  men.    *      *      *     *      At  the  outlet  of 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 3 

tribe  and  its  sub-tribes.  Concluding  that  they  owned  the  land, 
he  made  treaties  with  them  for  its  purchase.  Subsequently  he 
discovered  that  they  were  merely  tenants,  as  it  were,  and  not  the 
rightful  or  lawful  owners.  It  seems  that,  at  a  period  in  the  last 
century,  the  Iroquois  (the  so-called  Five  Nations),  having  their 
homes  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  New  York,  made  war  upon  the 
Lenni-Lenapes,  living  southward  of  them,  and  succeeded,  after  a 
desperate  struggle,  in  making  a  complete  conquest.  Peace  being 
established,  the  Iroquois  permitted  the  Lenni-Lenape  Indians  to 
occupy  their  old  country  as  before,  as  long  as  they  continued  to 
act  properly,  but  they  claimed  their  territory  by  right  of  conquest. 
One  provision  existed,  however,  in  the  position  of  the  Lenni  Len- 
apes  toward  their  conquerors,  afterwards,  that  whilst  it  must  have 
been  irksome  to  the  conquered,  reflects  credit  on  the  wisdom  of 
the  Iroquois.  It  was  the  submission  of  the  Lenni-Lenape  tribes 
to  resident  deputy  governors,  appointed  by  the  grand  council  of 
the  Iroquois.  Shikellimy,  the  chief  residing  at  Shamokin,  was 
one  of  such  deputies,  and  the  most  distinguished. 

"The  Lenni-Lenapes  continued  in  such  abject,  spiritless  sub- 
mission to  the  Iroquois  thereafter,  that  the  latter  learned  to  despise 
them.     They  even  called  them  "  women,"  a  term  of  the  greatest 

Lake  Simcoe  they  all  stopped  to  fish.  (Allies  did.)  Here  the  intrepid  Etienne 
Brule,  at  his  own  request,  was  sent  with  twelve  Indians  to  hasten  forward  the  500 
allied  warriors.  A  dangerous  venture,  since  his  course  must  lie  through  the  borders 
of  the  Iroquois." 

We  leave  Champlain  to  his  adventures  and  pass  on  to  trace  the  experiences  of 
Etienne  and  his  party  on  their  way  to  the  Andastes. 

Meanwhile  Etienne  Brule  had  found  cause  to  rue  the  hour  when  he  undertook  his 
hazardous  mission  to  the  Carontonan  allies.  Three  years  passed  before  Champlain 
saw  him.  It  was  in  the  summer  of  1618  that,  reaching  the  Saint  Louis,  he  there 
found  the  interpreter,  his  hands  and  his  face  marked  with  the  traces  of  the  ordeal  he 
had  passed.  Brule  then  told  him  his  story.  He  had  gone,  as  already  mentioned, 
with  twelve  Indians  to  hasten  the  march  of  the  allies,  who  were  to  join  the  Hurons 
before  the  hostile  town  (of  the  Onondagas).  Crossing  Lake  Ontario,  the  party  pushed 
onward  with  all  speed,  avoiding  trails,  threading  the  thickets,  forests  and  darkest 
swamps,  for  it  was  the  land  of  the  fierce  and  watchful  Iroquois.  They  were  well 
advanced  on  their  way  when  they  saw  a  small  party  of  them  crossing  a  meadow,  set 
upon  them,  surprised  them,  killed  four  and  took  two  prisoners,  whom  they  led  to 
Carontonan  (the  town  of  the  Andastes),  a  palisaded  town  with  a  population  of  800 
warriors,  or  about  4,000  souls.  The  dwellings  and  defenses  were  like  those  of  the 
Hurons,  and  the  town  seems  to  have  stood  at  or  near  the  upper  waters  of  the  Sus- 


14  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

reproach,  on  several  occasions  when  speaking  of  them  to  the 
whites. 

"  Happily  for  the  Penn  treaties,  the  Iroquois  were  strong  friends 
of  the  English,  and  for  this  reason  they  allowed  the  treaties  to 
stand  and  the  whites  to  occupy  the  purchased  lands.  Had  they 
repudiated  the  purchases,  as  they  had  the  right  to  do,  Penn  would 
have  been  compelled  to  purchase  them  over  again  from  the  rightful 
owners,  especially  if  he  desired  to  continue  his  policy  of  peace. 

"  Tradition  tells  us  that  sometime  during  the  century  previous 
to  the  English  settling  in  North  America,  a  great  tribe  of  Indians, 
called  the  Andastes,  occupied  the  country  on  the  Susquehanna 
and  Allegheny  rivers.  The  Andastes  tribe  belonged  to  the  Algon- 
quin family,  as  also  did  the  Lenni-Lenape  or  Delaware  tribe. 
While  the  Andastes  inhabited  the  region  of  country  now  called 
Western  Pennsylvania,  and  also  its  central  portion  along  the 
Susquehanna  River,  the  Delawares  inhabited  New  Jersey  and  also 
that  part  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  along  the  banks  of  the  Delaware 
River. 

"The  Andastes,  at  the  period  spoken  of  (previous  to  the  i6th 
century),  were  the  bitter  enemies  of  the  Iroquois.  They  were 
spirited,  active  and  brave,  the  opposite  in  this  respect  of  their 

quehanna.  They  were  welcomed  with  feasts,  dancing  and  an  uproar  of  rejoicing. 
The  500  warriors  prepared  to  depart  so  slowly  that  though  the  hostile  town  was  but 
three  days  distant,  they  found,  on  reaching  it,  that  the  besiegers  (Champlain  and  his 
Hurons)  were  gone.  Brule  now  returned  with  them  to  Carontonan,  and,  with 
enterprise  worthy  his  commander  (Champlain),  spent  the  winter  in  a  tour  of  explo- 
ration. Descending  a  river,  evidently  the  Susquehanna,  he  followed  it  to  its  junction 
with  the  sea,  through  territories  of  populous  tribes,  at  war,  the  one  with  the  other. 
When,  in  the  spring,  he  returned  to  Carontonan,  five  or  six  of  the  Indians  offered  to 
guide  him  towards  his  countrymen  (the  French  at  Montreal).  Less  fortunate  than 
before,  he  encountered  on  the  way  a  band  of  Iroquois,  who,  rushing  upon  the  party, 
scattered  them  through  the  woods,  Brule  ran  like  the  rest.  The  cries  of  pursuers 
and  pursued  died  away  in  the  distance;  the  forest  was  silent  around  him.  He  was 
lost  in  the  shady  labyrinth.  For  three  or  four  days  he  wandered,  helpless  and  fam- 
ished, till  at  length  he  found  an  Indian  footpath,  and,  choosing  between  starvation 
and  the  Iroquois,  desperately  followed  it,  to  throw  himself  upon  their  mercy.  He 
soon  saw  three  Indians  in  the  distance,  laden  with  fish  newly  caught,  and  called  to 
them  in  the  Huron  tongue,  which  was  radically  similar  to  that  of  the  Iroquois.  They 
stood  amazed,  then  turned  to  fly;  but  Brule,  gaunt  with  famine,  flung  down  his 
weapons  in  token  of  friendship.  They  now  drew  near,  listened  to  the  story  of  his 
distress,  lighted  their  pipes  aiid  smoked  with  him,  then  guided  him  to  their  village  and 
gave  him  food,     A  crowd  gathered  about  him.     Whence  do  you  come?     Are  you 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  15 

lowland  neighbors,  the  Lenni-Lenapes.  The  hatred  existing 
between  them  and  the  Iroquois  was  such  that  their  continual  war 
was  one  of  extermination,  and  as  such  it  was  carried  on  till  only  a 
little  remnant  remained  of  the  Andastes,  which  fled  from  their 
homes  and  settled  near  the  mouth  of  the  Susquehanna  River. 
They  were  known  by  the  name  of  Susquehannocks  afterwards, 
and  subsequently  Conestoga  Indians.  The  few  left  in  the  17th 
century  were  Christianized  by  the  Moravians  and  Quakers,  and 
on  the  night  of  December  14,  1763,  were  cruelly  murdered  in 
cold  blood  by  the  "  Paxton  Boys,"  while  taking  refuge  in  the  old 
jail  at  Lancaster  from  their  fury.  Thus  perished  the  last  of  the 
Andastes.  The  manner  of  their  taking  off  was  one  of  the  most 
atrocious  events  in  the  history  of  those  bloody  times,  and  equals, 
if  not  excels,  any  deed  ever  committed  by  the  Indians. 

"  Such,  briefly,  is  the  history  of  the  Andastes.  We  are  certain 
that  they  resided  on  the  waters  of  the  Susquehanna  at  the  time 
spoken  of,  for  Champlain  sent  a  Frenchman  with  a  small  party  of 
Indians  to  incite  the  Andastes  to  join  him  and  his  Huron  allies, 
when  he  marched  to  the  attack  of  the  Iroquois  towns.  His  name 
was  Etienne  Brule.  After  many  trials  and  tribulations  he  reached 
the  Andastes  living  on  the  head-waters  of  the  Susquehanna,  as  he 

not  one  of  the  Frenchmen,  the  men  of  iron,  who  make  war  on  us  ?  Brule  answered 
that  he  was  of  a  nation  better  than  the  P>ench  and  fast  friends  of  the  Iroquois.  His 
incredulous  captors  tied  him  to  a  tree,  tore  out  his  beard  by  handfuls  and  burned  him 
with  firebrands,  while  their  chief  vainly  interposed  in  his  behalf.  He  was  a  good 
Catholic  and  wore  an  Agnus  Dei  at  his  breast.  One  of  his  torturers  asUed  what  it 
was,  and  thrust  out  his  hand  to  take  it.  "  If  you  touch  it,"  exclaimed  Brule,  "you 
and  all  your  race  will  die!"  The  Indian  persisted.  The  day  was  hot,  and  one  of 
those  thunder-gusts  which  often  succeed  the  fierce  heat  of  an  American  summer  was 
rising  against  the  sky.  Brule  pointed  to  the  inky  clouds  as  tokens  of  the  anger  of  his 
God.  The  storm  broke,  and,  as  the  celestial  artillery  boomed  over  their  darkening 
forests,  the  Iroquois  were  stricken  with  a  superstitious  terror.  They  all  fled  from  the 
.spot,  leaving  their  victim  still  bound  fast,  until  the  chief,  who  had  endeavored  to  pro- 
tect him,  returned,  cut  the  cords,  led  him  to  his  lodge  and  dressed  his  wounds  ;  and 
when  he  wished  to  return  to  his  countrymen,  a  party  of  Iroquois  guided  him  four  days 
on  his  way.  He  reached  the  friendly  Hurons  in  safety  and  joined  them  on  their 
yearly  descent  to  meet  the  French  traders  at  Monti^eal. 

This  story  of  Etienne  is  taken  from  Champlain's  narrative  of  his  voyage  of  1618. 
It  is  exceedingly  interesting,  because  it  is  located  in  this  section  of  the  country.  It  is 
the  earliest  nairative  we  have  that  concerns  the  West  Branch  Valley  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, and  the  town  alluded  to  may  have  stood  at  or  near  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek, 
where  the  ruins  of  a  fortification  were  plainly  visible  to  the  first  white  explorers. 


lb  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

said.  Succeeding  in  his  design,  he  marched  to  join  Champlain, 
with  a  strong  party  of  Andastes,  before  the  Iroquois  town,  but 
Champlain  had  been  compelled  to  retreat  a  few  days  previous  with 
his  Hurons.  Thus  their  plans  miscarried.  Etienne  Brule  had  to 
return  along  with  his  Andastes  to  their  towns.  He  spent  the 
balance  of  the  year  with  them.  In  the  meantime,  as  he  relates, 
he  journeyed  in  a  canoe  down  the  Susquehanna  to  its  mouth,  and 
returned  again  to  the  Andastes,  who  sent  him  with  guides  around 
the  Iroquois  toward  Quebec,  but,  unfortunately,  he  was  captured 
by  the  Iroquois,  taken  to  their  towns,  tortured  and  maltreated,  but 
afterwards  escaped  and  rejoined  Champlain.  This  account  is  to 
be  found  in  Parkman's  History  of  Champlain.  The  direction 
taken  by  this  Frenchman  to  reach  the  Andastes,  and  also  the 
account  of  his  return,.proves  conclusively  that  the  Andastes  lived 
on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna.  UndoubtedJy  the 
Muncy  Valley  was  their  garden  spot. 

"After  the  Iroquois  had  succeeded  finally  in  exterminating  and 
exiling  the  Andastes  tribe,  they  next  made  war  on  the  Lenni- 
Lenape  tribe.  They  soon  succeeded  in  this  enterprise.  The 
Delawares,  having  little  spirit,  soon  succumbed,  sued  for  peace 
and  gave  up  their  lands  and  themselves  as  slaves  to  their  fierce 
antagonists. 

"  The  Delawares  were  allowed,  after  their  capitulation,  to  stay 
in  their  old  homes ;  and  eventually  they  were  allowed  to  occupy 
also  the  country  of  the  Andastes  gradually.  It  was  shared  with 
the  Shawnees  and  Tuscaroras,  however,  which  tribes  moved  from 
the  Carolinas  northward  to  join  the  Five  Nations  in  a  league  to 
be  afterwards  called  the  "  Six  Nations,"  in  consequence. 

"The  countiy  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  was, 
then,  in  the  i6th  century,  occupied  by  the  Andastes,  and  on  their 
extermination  was  occupied  by  the  Lenni-Lenapes,  Shawnees  and 
Tuscaroras,  by  the  permission  of  the  Iroquois,  the  latter  owning 
the  land  by  right  of  conquest. 

"  Such,  briefly,  is  the  history'  of  the  Indian  occupation  of  the 
Muncy  Valley.  The  Indian  confederate  tribes,  commonly  called 
the  "Six  Nations,"  with  their  conquered  subjects,  the  Delawares 
and  Shawnees,  used  the  country  in  common,  mainh^  as  their 
hunting  and  fishing  grounds.     The    different    tribes   had  towns 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 7 

distributed  along  tlie  banks  of  the  Susquehanna  here  and  there, 
but  they  did  not  possess  much  importance.  They  so  remained 
until  the  encroachments  of  the  whites  compelled  the  Indians, 
about  the  year  1750,  to  vacate  the  West  Branch  and  seek  safety 
west  of  the  Ohio  River." 

By  the  term  Lenni-Lenape  was  meant  the  "original  people." 
The  title  was  general  in  its  application  and  embraced  a  number  of 
tribes,  quite  distinct  in  their  character,  yet  speaking  the  same  lan- 
guage and  meeting  around  the  same  council  fire.  Their  dialect  was 
the  Algonquin,  and  their  council  house  extended  from  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  Hudson  River  to  the  Potomac,  in  Virginia.  They 
were  divided  into  three  principal  tribes,  embracing,  in  their  sub- 
divisions, the  Unamis,  or  Turtle  tribes ;  the  Unalachtos,  or  Turkeys, 
and  the  Monseys,  or  Wolf  tribes.  The  former  occupied  the  coun- 
try atong  the  coast  between  the  sea  and  the  Kittatinny  or  Blue 
Mountains.  They  were  generally  known  among  the  whites  as  the 
Delaware  Indians.  The  Monsey,  or  Wolf  tribe,  the  most  active 
and  warlike  of  the  whole,  occupied  the  mountainous  country 
between  the  Kittatinny  Mountains  and  the  sources  of  the  Susque- 
hanna and  Delaware  rivers,  kindling  their  great  council  fires  at  the 
Minisink  Flats.  These  tribes  were  again  sub-divided  into  a  variet}- 
of  subordinate  clans,  assuming  names  suited  to  their  character  or 
station. 

The  Five  Nations,  called  Iroquois  by  the  French,  deserve 
particular  notice,  as  they  afterw'ards  became  rulers  of  the  tribes 
inhabiting  the  Susquehanna  region.  They  were  a  confederation 
consisting  of  the  Mohawk,  Oneida,  Onondaga,  Cayuga  and  Seneca 
tribes.  In  171 2  the  Tuscarora  tribe  was  forcibly  expelled  from 
that  section  of  country  now  embraced  in  North  Carolina,  and 
fl)'ing  northward  was  taken  in  and  adopted  as  the  Sixth  tribe, 
making  what  was  afterwards  known  as  the  Six  Nations.  Their 
domain  extended  from  the  borders  of  Vermont  to  Lake  Erie  and 
Lake  Ontario,  embracing  the  head-waters  of  the  Allegheny,  Sus- 
quehanna and  Delaware  rivers.  This  territory  they  styled  their 
"  Long  House,"  and  their  council  fire  was  held  at  Onondaga,  now 
Syracuse.  The  Senecas  guarded  the  western  door  of  the  house, 
the  Mohawks  the  eastern,  the  Cayugas  the  southern,  or  that 
portion   which   took   in   the   Susquehanna.     The   Mohawk   tribe 


1 8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAXCH    VALLEY. 

was  first  in  rank,  and  to  it  appertained  the  office  of  principal  \\ar 
chief;  to  the  dwellers  at  Onondaga,  who  guarded  the  council  fire, 
belonged  the  office  of  principal  civil  chief,  or  sachem.  The 
Senecas,  in  numbers  and  military  energy,  were  the  most  powerful. 

The  Seneca  tribe  frequently  inhabited  the  West  Branch  Valley, 
which  they  used  as  a  hunting  ground.  The  Cayugas  often  came 
here  and  remained  for  some  time  hunting  and  fishing.  This  dis- 
trict having  been  set  apart  for  game  was  why  the  Indians  were  so 
incensed  when  they  found,  the  whites  gradually  absorbing  it,  and 
their  passions  were  so  aroused  that  they  frequently  made  incursions 
for  the  purpose  of  expelling  the  settlers.  It  was  during  their  vis- 
itations that  so  many  bloody  deeds  were  enacted  and  men,  women 
and  children  seized  and  carried  into  captivity. 

The  Monseys,  noted  for  their  fierce  and  warlike  character,  also 
frequented  the  West  Branch  Valley,  and  their  name  is  now  per- 
petuated in  the  beautiful  borough  of  Muncy.  They  also  had  a 
village  a  short  distance  above  Lock  Haven,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  river,  which  was  given  the  title  of  "  Monseytown "  by  the 
whites.  Here  they  cultivated  corn  and  melons,  and  years  after 
the  last  Indian  had  disappeared  from  the  valley  the  remains  of 
corn  patches  could  be  traced. 

But  the  aborigines  of  the  valley  have  long  since  disappeared, 
and  scarcely  a  trace  remains  to  indicate  their  former  existence. 
Years  after  the  country  was  occupied  by  the  new  settlers  strag- 
gling Indians  often  came  to  visit*  various  points.  They  came  to 
take  a  last  look  at  the  scenes  they  loved  so  well  when  they  were 
happy  in  their  primitive  condition,  and  drop  a  tear  upon  the  little 
mounds  that  enclosed  the  bones  of  their  ancestors. 

Notwithstanding  the  Indians  were  called  savages  and  possessed 
of  much  ferocity,  they  were  withal  a  noble  race,  and  by  some  of 
the  old  writers- they  have  been  named  the  Romans*  of  the  New 
World.  An  examination  of  their  character  discloses  fine  traits. 
They  considered  themselves  created  by  an  almighty,  wise  and 
benevolent  spirit,  to  whom  they  looked  for  guidance  and  protec- 


*A  curious  work,  by  the  Jesuit,  Pere  Lafitau,  published  in  Paris,  1724,  is  entitled 
'  Moeurs  des  Sauvages  Ameriquains,  Comparees  aux  Mceurs  des  Premier  Temps." 
rhe  Iroquois  furnish  the  good  father  a  large  share  of  the  parallels  he  establishes 
aborigines  and  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  1 9 

tion.  They  often  were  in  the  habit  of  seeking  some  high  elevation, 
where  they  could  commune  with  the  Great  Spirit  and  contemplate 
with  awe  and  veneration  the  beauties  of  the  surrounding  landscape. 
While  they  paid  their  humble  adorations  at  the  shrine  of  their 
Deity,  they  were  not  unmindful  of  their  duties  to  one  another. 
They  looked  upon  the  good  things  of  the  earth  as  a  common 
stock,  bestowed  by  the  Great  Spirit  for  the  benefit  of  all.  They 
held  that  the  game  of  the  forest,  the  fish  of  the  rivers  and  the 
grass  and  other  articles  of  spontaneous  growth  were  free  to  all 
who  chose  to  take  them.  They  ridiculed  the  idea  of  enclosing  a 
field  or  meadow.  This  idea  had  a  tendency  to  repress  selfishness 
and  foster  generosity.  Their  hospitality  was  unbounded.  They 
considered  it  their  duty  to  share  their  la.st  morsel  with  a  stranger. 
When  the  first  whites  arrived  the  Indians  received  them  with 
open  arms,  supplied  them  with  food  and  shared  with  them  the 
rude  comforts  of  their  humble  wigwams.  They  were  actuated  bj- 
the  noblest  impulses  of  the  human  heart,  and  considered  it  their 
duty  to  take  the  white  strangers  in  and  minister  to  their  wants. 
But  how  was  this  kindness  repaid?  By  treachery,  deceit  and 
robbery.  They  came  to  cheat  the  Indian,  and  from  the  start 
acted  upon  the  idea  that  he  had  no  rights  they  were  bound  to 
respect.  When  the  Indians  became  satisfied  of  the  true  character 
of  the  invaders,  that  instead  of  friends  they  were  insidious  foes, 
their  vindictive  passions  were  aroused  and  terribly  did  they 
exhibit  the  ferocity  of  their  nature  when  smarting  under  grievous 
wrongs. 


CHAPTER  III. 

PURCHASE     OF     THE     SUSQUEHANNA     LANDS     BY     THE     PENNS      AND 

WHAT      THEV      PAID      FOR     THEM COPIES     OF     CURIOUS      INDIAN 

DEEDS     OF     TRANSFER. 

THE  lands  embracing  the  Susquehanna  region  were  leased  to 
William  Penn  by  Thomas  Dongan,  late  Governor  of  New 
York,  for  i,ooo  years,  at  the  annual  rental  of  a  "pepper  corn." 
Dongan  had  acquired  them  from  the  Indians,  either  by  purchase 
or  gift,  and  could  afford  to  rent  them  for  a  nominal  consideration. 
The  lease,  which  is  a  curious  instrument,  is  dated  January  I2, 
1696,  and  may  be  found  on  pages  121  and  122  of  Vol.  I.,  Penn- 
sylvania Archives.     It  is  as  follows  : 

DEED  THOS.  DONGAX  TO  \VM.  PENX,  1696. 
This  Indenture,  made  the  twelfth  day  of  January,  Anno.,  Dni,  1696,  and  in 
the  Eighth  Yeare  of  the  reigne  of  our  Sovereign,  Lord  William,  the  Third,  King  of 
Eng'd,  bet%yeen  Thomas  Dongan,  late  Govern'r  of  New  York,  and  now  of  London, 
Esq'r,  of  the  one  part,  and  William  Penn,  Govern'r  of  the  Province  of  Pensilvania 
in  America,  of  the  other  part  Witnesseth  that  the  said  Thomas  Dongan,  for  and  in 
consideration,  of  the  sume  of  one  hundred  Pounds  of  lawful  meney  of  England  to 
him  in  hand  paid,  by  the  said  William  Penn,  the  right  whereof  is  hereby  acknowl- 
edged, HATH  demised  and  granted,  and  by  these  presents  doth  demise  and  grant  unto 
the  said  William  Penn,  All  that  Tract  of  Land  lyeng  upon,  on  both  sides  the  River 
commonly  called  or  known  by  the  name  of  the  Susquehanah  River  and  the  Lakes 
adjacent,  in  or  neare  the  Province  of  Pensilvania,  in  America,  begining  at  the  Mount- 
ains or  he.ad  of  the  said  river,  and  running  as  farr  as  and  into  the  Bay  of  Chessapeake, 
with  all  Isles,  Islands,  Mines,  Mineralls,  Woods,  Fishings,  hawkings,  huntings, 
Fowlings,  and  other  Royalties,  profits,  comodityes  and  hereditaments  unto  the  same 
belonging,  which  the  said  Thomas  Dongan,  lately  purchased  of  or  had  given  him  by 
the  Sinneca  Susquehanah  Indians  and  also  all  the  lands,  hereditaments.  Isles,  Islands, 
rivers,  Royalties,  mines,  miuera'ls,  lakes,  waters,  profitts,  priveledeges,  and  appurtenan- 
ces, whatsoever  lyeing  on  both  sides  the  Susquehanah  river,  and  near  adjoining  thereto, 
which  he,  the  said  Thomas  Dongan  did,  at,  any  time  purchase,  or  which  were  at  any 
time  given  unto  by  the  said  Indians,  or  any  of  them  TO  HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD,  unto  the 
said  William  Penn,  his  Execr's,  Admin's  and  Assignes,  from  the  day  of  the  date 
hereof,  for  and  unto  the  end  and  term  of  One  Thousand  years,  P.WING  unto  the 
said  Thomas  Dongan,  his  Exer's  and  Adminr's,  yearly,  and  every  year  on  the  Feast 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEV.  21 

day  of  St.  Michaell,  the  Arch  Angell,  the  rent  of  a  pepper  Corn,  if  the  same  shall  or 
lawfully  demanded  to  the  intent  and  purpose  that  by  force  and  virtue  of  these  pres- 
ents and  of  the  Statute  for  transferring  of  uses  into  possession,  the  said  William  Penn 
may  be  in  the  actuall  possession  of  the  premisses,  and  may  be  thereby  the  better 
enabled  to  attempt  and  take  a  grant,  release  or  other  Conveyance,  of  the  revercion 
and  inheritance  thereof,  to  the  use  of  Himself,  his  heirs  and  Assignes  forever.  Ix 
WiTNESSE  whereof  the  said  parties  have  to  these  present  Indentures  as  Duplicates  to 
the  other  Indentures  of  the  same  contents  and  date  herewith  Interchangeably  sett  their 
hands.     Seales.     Dated  the  day  and  year  first  above  written. 

Tho.m.\s  Dong.\n.   [L.S.] 

Sealed  and  Delivered,  being  first  Stampt  according  to  Act  of  Parliant,  in  ye 
presence  of 

Sam.  Vaus. 
Fr.  H.\rding. 
Wm.  Springett. 

"Dongan,  to,  Penn,  Lease  for  looo  years  for  Lands  on  Susquehanah.  Recorded 
page  68,  &c. 

N.  B.  EoiLE.i.u,  Ser'y." 

William  Penn  at  once  purchased  the  lands  for  the  amount  named 
in  the  article,  the  deed  for  which  bears  date  January'  13,  1696. 
The  wording  of  the  deed  is  almost  identical  with  the  article  of 
agreement.     The  receipt  appended  is  as  follows  : 

Received  the  day  and  Year  within  written,  of  the  within  named,  William  Penn,  the 

sum  of  C1ne  hundred  pounds.     It  being  the  Consideration  money  within- mentioned, 

to  be  paid  unto  me,  the  Within  named 

Tho.  Dongan. 
Witnesse. 

Samuel  Vaus. 

Wm.  Springett. 

Fr.  Harding. 

The  Indian  chiefs  occupying  these  lands  then  confirmed  the 
purchase  thereof,  by  William  Penn,  in  the  following  instrument, 
found  on  page  133  of  Vol.  I.,  Pennsylvania  Archives: 

We  Widaagh,  alias  Orytyagh,  and  Andaggy-junkquagh,  Kings  or  Sachemas  of  the 
Susquehannagh  Indians,  and  of  the  River  under  that  name,  and  Lands  lying  on  both 
sides  thereof,  doe  declare  That  for  and  in  Consideration- of  a  Parcel  of  English  Goods, 
unto  us  given,  by  our  Friend  and  Brother,  William  Penn,  Proprietary  and  Governour 
of  Pensilvania,  and  also  in  Consideration  of  the  former  much  gieater  costs  and 
Charges,  the  Said  William  Penn,  hath  been  at  in  treating  about  and  purchasing  the 
Same.  We  doe  hereby  Give,  CJrant,  and  Confirm  unto  the  Said  William  Penn,  all  the 
Said  River  Susquehannagh,  and  all  the  Islands  therein,  and  all  the  Lands  Situate 
lying,  and  being  upon  both  sides  of  the  said  River,  and  next  adjoyning  to  ye  same, 


22  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

extending  to  the  utmost  confines  of  the  Lands,  which  are  or  formerly  were  the  Right 
of  the  People  or  Nation  called  the  Susquehannagh  Indians,  or  by  what  name  soever 
they  were  called  or  known  thereof,  and  also  all  Lakes,  Rivers,  Rivulets,  Fountains, 
Streams,  Trees,  Woods,  Underwoods,  Mines,  Royalties,  and  other  Mines,  Minerals, 
Quarries,  Hawkings,  Huntings,  ffishings,  fowlings  and  other  Royalties,  Privileges, 
and  Powers,  whatsoever  to  them  or  any  of  them  belonging,  or  by  them  enjoyed,  as 
fully,  and  amply  in  all  respects,  as  we  or  any  of  our  Ancestors  have,  could,  might,  or 
ought  to  have,  had,  held,  or  enjoyed.  And  also,  all  the  Right,  Title,  Interest,  Pos- 
session, Claim  and  Demand,  which  we  or  any  of  us  or  the  said  Nation  or  any,  in 
Right  of  the  same  have,  or  hereafter  can  or  may  claim,  to  have  in  the  same.  And 
we  do  hereby  ratifie  and  confirm  unto  the  said  William  Penn  ye  bargain  and  Sale  of 
the  said  Lands,  made  unto  Coll.  Thomas  Dongan,  now  Earl  of  Limerick,  and 
formerly  Govern'r  of  New  York,  whose  Deed  of  sale  to  the  s'd  Govern'r  Penn  we 
have  seen.  To  have,  and  to  hold,  the  s'd  Rivers,  Lands,  and  pr'misses,  hereby 
granted,  and  confirmed  with  their  and  every  of  their  Rights,  Members  &  Appurte- 
nances, unto  ye  s'd  Will.  Penn,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  to  the  only  proper  Use,  and 
behoof  of  the  said  Will.  Penn,  his  Heirs  and  iVssignes  forever.  In  witness  w'eof  we 
have,  for  our  Selves  &  Nation,  hereunto  set  our  Hands  &  Seals,  the  thirteenth  day  of 
September,  1700. 

WiDAAGH  X  al's  Orytyagh.  [l.  s.] 

AnDAGGY   X    TUNKOUAH. 
Mark. 

Sealed  and  Delivered  In  presence  of 

EwD.  Antitt. 
Hen.  Tregeny,  Esq. 
Edward  Singleton. 
David  Powell. 

James  Logan. 

N.  B.   BoiLEAU,  Sec'y. 


Recorded  page  73,  &c. 


The  second  Day  of  August,  in  ye  Year  of  our  Lord,  One  Thousand  Seven  hun- 
dred &  thirty-five,  James  Logan,  of  the  Northern  Liberties,  of  the  City  of  Philadel- 
phia, Esq.  Upon  his  solemn  affirmation,  according  to  Law,  doth  declare  &  depose, 
That  he  was  present  and  did  see  the  within  mentioned  Kings,  or  Sachemas,  named 
Widaagh,  its  Orytyagh,  al's  Andaggy-junkquah  Seal  &  as  their  Deed  deliver  the 
Writing  or  Conveyance,  within  contained.  And  that  the  name  of  this  Affirm't  thereon 
indorsed,  as  a  Witness  of  the  same,  is  of  his  own  hand  Writing. 

James  Logan. 
Affirmed 

At  Philadelphia,  the  Day  and  Year,  above  s'd,  before  me,  Thomas  Griffits,  One  of 
the  Justices  of  Peace  &c..  Witness  my  hand  &  Seal.     [l.  s.] 

Thomas  Griffits. 

Entered  in  the  C>ffice  for  recording  of  Deeds,  for  the  City  &  County  of  Philadel- 
phia.     In  Book  F.  Vol.  viii.  page  242  &c.,  the  26th  day  of  August,  A'o  D'i, 
1735.     Witness  my  Hand  and  Seals  of  my  OfKce,  the  day  and  year  above. 
C.  Brockden,  Rec'd. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  23 

"  Susquehannah  River  &  Islands,  therein,  and  Lands  on  both  Sides,  granted  by 
Widaagh,  and  Andaggyjunkquagh.  Confirming  Gov'r  Dongan's  old  Deed  to  Gov'r 
Penn." 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1701,  an  article  of  agreement  between 
William  Penn  and  the  representatives  of  the  Susquehanna  Indians, 
confirming  the  deed  of  Governor  Dongan,  was  drawn  up  and 
signed.  It  appears  on  pages  144,  145,  146  and  147  of  Vol.  I., 
Pennsylvania  Archives,  and  is  quoted  herewith  in  full : 

ARTICLES   OF   AGREEMENT  BETWEEN   W.M.  PENN  &   SUSQUEHAN- 
NAH IND'DNS  1701. 

Indented,  Made  Concluded,  &  Agreed  upon  at  Philadelphia  the  Twenty  third  day 
of  the  Second  Month,  called  April,  in  the  year  One  thousand  Seven  hundred  and 
one,  between  William  Penn,  Proprietary  and  Governour  of  the  Province  of  Pen- 
silvania,  and  Territories  thereunto  belonging,  on  ye  one  part  and  Connoodaghtoh, 
King  of  the  Indians  inhabiting  upon  and  about  the  lyiver  Susquehannah,  in   the 
said  Province,  AND  Widaagh,  (alias  Orettyagh,)  Koqueeash  and  Andaggy  Junk- 
quagh,  Chiefs  of  the  said  Nations  of  Indians  and  Nopaththa,  King  Lemoytungh 
&    Pemoyajooagh,   Chiefs   of    the    Nations   of    the   Shawonnah    Indians,    AND 
AHOOKASSOONGH,   Brother  to  the  Emperor,  for  and  in  Behalf  of  the  Em- 
peror WEEWHINIJOUGH,  Cheequittaagh,  Takyewsan,  Woapathoa,  chiefs  of  ye 
nations  of  Indians  inhabiting  in  and  about  the  Northern  part  of  the  River  Poto- 
niack,  in  the  said  Province,  for  and  in  Behalf  of  themselves  and  Successr's,  and 
their  several  Nations  and  people  on  other  part.     As  foUoweth. 
THAT  as  hitherto  there  hath  always  been  a  Good  understanding  &  neighbour- 
hood   between   the   said    WILLIAM   PENN,   and   his   Lieutenants  since  his  first 
Arrivall  in  the  said  Province,  and  the  Several  Nations  of   Indians  inhabiting  in  & 
about  ye  same,  so  there  shall  be  forever  hereafter  a  firm  &  lasting  peace,  continued 
between  the  said  Wm.  Penn,  his  heirs,  &  Successors,  and  all  other  the  English  and 
Christian  Inhabitants  of  the  said  Province,  &  the  s'd  Kings  &  Chiefs  &  their  Succes- 
sors, &  all  the  several  people  of  ye  Nations  of  Indians  aforesaid,  and  that  they  shall 
forever  hereafter  be  as  one  head  &  one  heart,  &  live  in  true  Friendship  &  Amity  as 
one    People,      ITEM,  that  the  s'd  Kings  &  Chiefs  (each  for  himself,    his   people 
engaging,)  shall  at  no  time  hurt.  Injure,  or  defraud,  or  suffer  to  be  hurt,  Injured,  or 
defrauded  by  any  of  their  Indians  any  Inh.ibitant  or  Inhabitants  of  ye  said  Province, 
either  in  their  persons  or  estate.     AND  that  the  s'd  William  Penn,  his  heirs,  .Succes- 
sors, shall  not  suffer  to  be  done  or  Committed,  by  any  of  ye  Subjects  of  England, 
within  the  said  Province  any  Act  of  Hostility  or  Violence,  Wrong,  or  Injury,  to  or 
ag'st  any  of  the  s'd  Indians,  but  shall  on  both  sides  at  all  times  readily  do  justice, 
perform  all  acts  &  offices  of  friendship  &  goodwill  to  oblige  Each  other,  to  a  lasting 
peace  as  aforesaid.     ITEM,  that  all  &  every  the  s'd   Kings,  &  Chiefs,  &  all  &  every 
particular  of  the  Nations  under  them  shall  at  all  times  behave  themselves  Regularly 
&  soberly,  according  to  ye  Laws  of  This  Govern't  while  they  live  near  or  amongst  ye 
Christian  Inhabitants  thereof,  AND  that  the  said  Indians  shall  have  the  full  &  free 
priviledges  &  Immunities  of  all  ye  Said  Lands,  as  or  any  other  Inhabit't  they  duely 


24  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Owinng  &  Acknowledg'g  ye  Authority  of  the  Crown  of  England  and  Government  of 
this  Province.  ITEM  that  none  of  the  said  Indians  shall  at  any  time  be  Aiding  or 
Assisting  or  Abetting  to  any  other  Nation,  whether  of  Indians  or  Others,  that  shall 
not  at  such  time  be  in  Amity  with  the  said  Crown  of  England  &  with  this  Govern- 
ment. ITEM,  that  if  at  any  time  any  of  the  said  Indians  by  means  of  Evill  minded 
persons  &  sources  of  sedition,  should  hear  any  unkind  or  disadvantageous  Reports  of 
ye  English,  as  if  they  had,  evil  designs  w'th  any  of  ye  s'd  Indians,  in  such  case  such 
Indians,  shall  send  notice  thereof  to  ye  s'd  William  Penn,  his  heirs  or  successors,  or 
their  Lieutenants,  and  shall  not  give  credence  to  the  said  Reports  till  by  that  means 
they  shall  be  fully  Satisfied  concerning  ye  Truth  thereof  and  that  the  said  William 
Penn,  his  heirs,  &  successors,  or  their  Lieutenants,  shall  at  all  times  in  such  cases  do 
the  like  by  them.  ITEM,  that  the  said  Kings  &  Chiefs  &  their  .Succsssors,  &  people 
shall  not  Suffer  any  Strange  Nation  of  Indians  to  Settle  or  plant  on  the  further  side 
of  Susquehannah,  or  about  Potomock  River,  but  such  as  are  there  ahready  seated  nor 
bring  any  other  Indians  into  any  pait  of  this  Province  without  the  Special  Approba- 
tion &  Permission  of  the  said  William  Penn,  his  heirs  &  Successors.  ITEM,  That 
for  the  Prevention  of  Abuses  that  are  too  frequently  putt  upon  the  said  Indians,  in 
trade,  that  the  said  William  Penn,  his  heirs  &  Successors,  shall  not  suffer  or  permit! 
any  person  to  trade  or  commerce,  w'th  any  of  ye  said  Indians  but  such  as  shall  be 
first  allowed  or  approved  of  by  an  Instrument  under  ye  hand  &  seal  of  him,  the  said 
William  Penn,  or  his  heirs,  &  Successors,  or  their  Lieut's  and  that  ye  said  Indians 
shall  suffer  no  person  whatsoever  to  buy  or  sell,  or  have  commerce  w'th  any  of  them, 
the  said  Indians,  but  such  as  shall  first  be  approved  as  aforesaid.  ITEM,  tliat  the 
said  Indians  shall  not  Sell  or  Dispose  of  any  of  their  Skinns,  Poltry  or  ffurre,  or  any 
other  effects  of  their  Hunting  to  any  person  or  persons  whatsoever,  out  of  the  said 
Province,  nor  to  any  other  person,  but  such  as  shall  be  authorized  to  trade  with  them 
as  aforesaid,  and  that  for  their  encouragement  the  said  William  Penn,  his  heirs  & 
Successors,  shall  take  care  to  have  them,  the  said  Indians,  duely  furnished  with  all 
sorts  of  necessary  goods  for  their  use,  at  reasonable  Rates.  ITEM,  that  the  Potomack 
Indians  aforesaid,  with  their  Colony,  shall  have  ffree  leave  of  the  said  William 
Penn,  to  settle  upon  any  part  of  Potomock  River,  within  the  bounds  of  this  Province, 
they  strictly  observing  and  practising  all  &  singular,  the  .articles  aforesaid  to  them 
relating.  ITEM,  the  Indians  of  Conostogoe,  and  upon  and  about  the  River  Susque- 
hannah, and  more  especially  the  said  Connoodaghiah  their  King  doth  fully  agree  to. 
AND  by  these  Presents  absolutely  Ratifie  the  Bargain  and  Sale  of  Lands  lying  near 
and  about  the  said  River  formerly  made  to  the  said  William  Penn,  his  heirs  &  .Suc- 
cessors, and  since  by  Orettyagh  &  Andaggyjunquagh,  parties  to  these  presents  con- 
firmed to  the  s'd  William  Penn,  his  heirs  &  Successors  by  a  Deed,  bearing  Date  the 
Thirteenth  day  of  September  last,  under  their  hands  &  Seals  duly  e-xecuted,  and  the 
said  Connoodaghtah  doth  for  himself  and  his  nation,  covenant  and  Agree,  that  he 
will  at  times  be  ready  further  to  confirm  and  make  good  the  said  Sale,  according  to 
the  Tenure  of  the  same,  and  that  the  said  Indians  of  Susquehannah,  shall  answer  to 
the  said  William  Penn,  his  heirs  and  Successors,  for  the  good  Behaviour  and  Conduct 
of  the  said  Potomock  Indians,  and  for  their  performance  of  the  severall  articles 
herein  Expressed.  ITEM,  the  said  William  Penn  doth  hereby  promise  for  himself, 
his  hoirs  and  Successors,  that  he  and  they  will  at  all  times  shew  themselves  true 
friends  and  Brothers  to  all  and  every  of  the  said  Indians,  by  Assisting  them  with  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  25 

best  of  their  Advice,  Directions,  Councils,  and  will  in  all  things  Just  and  Reasonable, 
Befriend  them,  they  behaving  themselves  as  aforesaid,  and  submitting  to  the  Laws  of 
this  Province  in  all  things  as  the  English  and  other  Christians  therein  doe  to  which 
they,  the  said  Indians,  hereby  agree  and  Oblidge  themselves  and  their  Posterity  for- 
ever. IN  WITNESS  whereof  the  said  Parties  have  as  a  Confirmacon  made  mutuall 
Presents  to  Each  other  the  Indians,  in  five  parcells  of  skinns  and  the  said  William 
Penn  in  severall  English  Goods  and  Merchandise,  as  a  binding  pledge  of  the  prem- 
ises never  to  be  Broken,  or  Violated,  and  as  a  further  Testimony  thereof,  have  also 
to  these  presents  Interchangeably  sett  their  hands  and  seals  the  Day  and  year  above 
written. 

CONNODAGTOH,  [L.  S.]  WlDAAGH    ALS  ORETTYAGH,  [L.  .S.] 

KOQUEEASH,  [l.  S.]  AnDAGGYJUNQUAGH,  [L.  S.] 

Wopaththa,  [l.  s.]  Lemoytungh,  [l.  s.] 

Pemoyajooagh,  [l.  s.]  Ahookassoongh,  [l.s.] 

Weewhinjough,  [l.  s.]  Cheequittogh,  [l.  s.] 

Taky'ewsan,  [l.  s.]  Woapatkoa,  [l.  s.] 


Signed,  Sealed  &  Delivered  In  the  presence  of 

Edward  Shippen. 
Nathan  Stanbury. 
Alexander  Paxton. 
Caleb  Pusey. 
James  Streater. 
J.  Le  Tort,  J.  L.  S. 
Jno.  Hans  Stellman. 

James  Logan. 

John  Sanders. 

Indian  Shewydoohungh, 

Harry,    HI     Interpreter. 
his         mark. 
Pemoquenichchan, 
his  X  mark. 
Passaquessay. 
his  X  mark. 

THE  second  Day  of  August,  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  One  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five,  James  Logan  of  the  Northern  Liberties,  of  the  City  of  Philadel- 
phia, Esq'r  upon  his  solemn  affirmation,  according  to  Law,  doth  declare  &  depose, 
that  he  was  present,  &  did  see  the  within  mentioned  Kings  &  Chiefs,  namely 
Connoodaghtoh,  Widaagh,  (a'ls.  Orettyagh,)  Koquuask,  Andaggyjunkquagh,  Wop- 
aththa, Lemoytungh,  Pemoyajooagh,  Ahookassoongh,  (Brother  to  ye  Emperor,) 
Weewhinjough,  Cheequittagh,  Takyewsan  &  Woapatkoa,  within  named,  sign,  seal, 
and  as  their  Deed,  deliver  this  Writing,  indented.  And  that  the  Name  of  this  Affirm- 
ant thereon  indorsed  as  a  Witness  of  the  Same,  is  of  his  own  Hand  Writing. 

James  Logan. 


26  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Ajffirmed 

At  Philadelphia,  the  Day  &  Year,  above  s'd,  before  me  Thomas  Griffitts,  Esq'r 
One  of  the  Justices  of  Peace  &c.     Witness  my  hand  &  Seal.     [l.  s.] 

Thomas  Griffitts. 

Entered  in  the  Oftice  for  recording  of  Deeds  for  the  City  &  County  of   Philada, 
|-       ,     in  Book  F.,  Vol.  8  page,  243,  &c.,  the  26th  day  of  August,  A'o  D'i   1735. 
Witness  my  hands  &  Seal  of  my  Office  aforesaid. 

C.  Brockden,  Rec'd. 

Indorsed. 

Articles  of  Agreem't  between  \Vm.  Penn,  Esq'r  &  ye  Susquehannah,  Shawonah  & 

Potomock  Indians.     Confirming  Gov'r  Dongan's    Deed,   to    Gov'r    Penn,    ever. 

Very  material. 
Recorded  Page  104.  N.  B.  BoiLE.-iU,  Sec'p. 

Nothing  further  \vas  done  regarding  this  great  purchase  until 
thirty-five  years  later,  when,  owing  to  the  dissatisfaction  which 
had  arisen  among  the  Indians,  a  council  was  called  at  Philadelphia 
to  consider  the  matter  and  restore  good  feeling  if  possible.  A 
large  number  of  chiefs,  representing  the  different  tribes,  assembled, 
and  after  much  parleying  they  signed  the  following  pre-emption 
deed,  releasing  all  claims  to  the  Susquehanna  lands  for  a  stnall 
consideration.  And  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  curious  instruments 
on  record,  it  is  quoted  herewith  in  full : 

INDIAN   DEED.— LANDS  ON  SUSQUEHANNAH. 

To  all  People  to  whom  these  presents  may  come.  Kakiskerowane,  Tagunhunty, 
Caxhaayn,  Kuchdachary,  Sawceyatecos,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Nations  of  ye 
Onondagoes;  Kanickhungo,  Tagachskaholoo,  Sagoyatondackquas,  Ashcoalaax,  Het- 
quantayechta,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Senekaes;  Sayuehsanyunt,  Sunaratchy, 
Kanawatoe,  .Tecochtseegherochgoo,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Cayoogoes;  Salisca- 
quoh,  Shecalamy,  Tahashwangaroras,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Oneydoes,  and 
Sawantga 'and  Tyeros,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Tuskaroros,  Send  Greeting: 
Whereas  the  late  Proprietary  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  Wm.  Penn,  Esq'r, 
Soon  after  his  ffirst  arrival  in  his  said  Province,  took  measures  to  have  the  River 
Susquehannah,  with  all  the  lands  lying  on  both  sides  of  the  same,  purchased  for  him 
and  his  heirs  of  those  Indians  of  the  fhve  Nations,  Inhabiting  in  the  Province  of  New 
York,  who  claimed  the  p'p'ty  thereof,  and  accordingly  did  purchase  them  of  Coll. 
Thomas  Dongan  formerly  Gov'r  of  New  York,  and  pay  for  the  same,  Notwithstand- 
ing which  the  Indians  of  the  ffive  Nations  aforesaid,  have  continued  to  claim  a 
Right  in  and  to  the  said  River  and  Lands;  nor  have  those  claims  been  hitherto 
adjusted;  whereupon,  the  said  Sachems  or  Chiefs  having  with  all  the  others  of  the 
said  Nations  Met  the  last  Summer  at  their  great  Council,  held  in  ye  Countrey  of  the 
said  Onondagoes,  did  Resolve  &  Conclude  that  a  final  Period  and  Conclusion  Should 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  2/ 

be  put  to  all  Disputes  that  might  possibly  anise  on  that  Occasion;  and  having 
appointed  the  aforenamed  Sachems  or  Chiefs  as  Plenepotentiaries  of  all  those  Nations, 
to  repair  to  Philadelphia  in  ord'r  to  Confirm  the  several  Treaties  of  Peace  which 
have  hitherto  been  concluded  between  them  and  the  said  Province;  and  also,  to 
Settle  and  adjust  all  Demands  &  Claims  that  have  been  heretofore  made,  or  hereafter 
may  be  made,  touching  or  concerning  the  aforesaid  River  Susquehannah,  and  the 
Lands  lying  on  both  sides  thereof;  and  the  said  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  ye  5  Nations 
aforesaid,  having  for  themselves  and  on  behalf  of  the  said  Nations,  renewed  and 
ratified  the  Treaties  of  Friendship  and  Peace  subsisting  between  them  and  the  said 
Province,  Did  afterward  proceed  to  treat  and  agree  with  the  hon'ble,  the  Proprietaries 
thereof,  about  the  said  River  and  Lands.  Now  know  ye,  that  in  consideration  of, 
the  premises  afs'd,  and  of  the  several  Quantities  of  Goods  herein  mentioned,  viz: 
500  pounds  of  powder,  600  pounds  of  Lead,  45  Guns,  60  Strowd  water  match  Coats, 
100  Blankets,  100  duffle  match  coats,  200  yards  of  half-thick,  100  shirts,  40  hatts,  40 
pair  of  Shoes  and  Buckles,  40  pair  of  Stockings,  100  hatchets,  500  Knives,  100 
houghs,  60  Kettles,  100  Tobacco  tongs,  100  Scissors,  500  awl  blades,  120  Combs, 
2000  needles,  1000  Flints,  24  Looking  Glasses,  2  pounds  of  vermilHon,  and  100  Tin 
pots,  besides  25  Gallons  of  Rum,  200  pounds  of  Tobacco,  1000  Pipes,  and  24  dozen 
of  Gartering,  by  the  said  Proprietaries,  John  Penn,  Thomas  Penn  and  Rich'd  Penn 
well  and  truly  paid  and  delivered  unto  the  said  Kakiskerowane,  Tayunhunty,  Cax 
haayn,  Kuchdachary,  Sawceyatecos,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Nations  of  ye  Onon 
dagoe;  Kanickhungo,  Tagachskaholoo,  Sagoayatondackquas,  Ashcoalaax,  Hetquan 
tayechta.  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Senekaes;  Sayuehsanyunt,  Sunaratchy,  Kana 
watoe,  Tecochtseegherochgoo,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Coyoogoes ;  Saliscaquoh, 
Shecalamy,  Tahashwangaroras,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Oneydoes,  and  Sawantga 
and  Tyeros,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Tuskaroros,  before  the  sealing  and  delivery 
of  these  presents,  the  receipt  whereof  they,  the  said  Sachems  or  Chiefs  do  hereby 
acknowledge  themselves  to  be  fully  satisfied  contented  and  paid,  and  thereof  do 
acquit,  and  forever  discharge  the  said  proprietaries,  their  heirs,  successors  and  assigns 
by  these  presents.  They,  the  said  Kakiskerowand,  Tayunhunty,  Caxhaayn,  Kuchda- 
chary, Sawcegatecos,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Nations  of  ye  Onondagoe;  Kanick- 
hungo, Tagachskaholoo,  Sagoayatondackquas,  Ashcoalaax,  Hetquantagechta,  Sachems 
or  Chiefs  of  the  Senekaes;  Sayuehsanyunt,  Sunaratchy,  Kanawatoe,  Tecochtseeghe- 
rochgoo, Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Cayoogoes ;  Saliscaquoh,  Shecalamy,  Tahashwan- 
garoras, Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Oneydoes,  and  Sawantga  and  Tyeros,  Sachems  or 
Chiefs  of  the  Tuskaroros,  for  themselves  and  on  behalf  of  all  the  ffive  nations  aforesaid, 
and  every  of  them,  have  given  granted,  bargained  sold  Released  and  Confirmed,  and 
by  these  presents  Do,  and  every  of  them  doth  give,  grant.  Bargain,  sell,  release  and 
Confirm  unto  the  said  proprietaries,  John"" Penn,  Thomas  Penn  and  Richard  Penn, 
their  Heirs,  Successors  and  Assigns,  all  the  said  River  Susquehannah,  with  the  Lands 
lying  on  both  sides  thereof,  to  Extend  Eastward  as  far  as  the  heads  of  the  Branches 
or  Springs  which  run  into  the  said  Susquehannah,  And  all  the  lands  lying  on  the 
West  side  of  the  said  River  to  the  setting  of  the  Sun,  and  to  extend  from  the  mouth 
of  the  said  River  Northward,  up  the  same  to  the  Hills  or  mountains  called  in  the 
language  of  the  said  Nations,  the  Tyannuntasacta,  or  Endless  hills,  and  by  th^  Del- 
aware Indians,  the  Kekkachtananin  Hills,  together,  also,  with  all  the  Island  in  the 
said   River,   Ways,  Waters,  Watercourses,  Woods,  Underwoods,  Timber  and  Trees, 


28  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Mountains,  Hills,  Mines,  Valleys,  Minerals,  Quarries,  Rights,  Liberties,  Privileges, 
Advantages,  Hereditaments  and  Appurtenances  thereunto  belonging,  or  in  any  wise 
appertaining,  And  all  the  Right,  Title,  Interest  property  claim,  and  demand  what- 
soever, of  the  said  Kikiskerowane,  Tayunhunty,  Caxhaayn,  Kuchdachary,  Sawceya- 
tecos.  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Nations  of  ye  Onondagoe ;  Kanickhungo,  Tagach- 
skaholoo,  Sagoayatondackquas,  Ashcoalaax,  Hetquantagechta,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of 
the  Senekaes;  Sayuehsanyunt,  Sunaratchy,  Kanawatoe,  Tecochtseegherochgoo,  Sa- 
chems or  Chiefs  of  the  Cayoogoes;  Saliscaquoh,  Shecalmy,  Tahashwangaroras, 
Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Oneydoes,  and  Sawantga  and  Tyeros,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of 
the  Tuskaroras,  or  any  of  them,  or  of  any  person  or  persons  of,  or  belonging  to  the 
ffive  nations  of  Indians  aforesaid.  To  have  and  to  hold  the  said  River  Susquehan- 
nah,  and  the  Lands  lying  on  both  sides  thereof,  and  the  Islands  therein  contained, 
hereditaments  and  premises  hereby  granted  and  Released  or  mentioned,  or  intended 
to  be  hereby  granted  and  Released,  and  every  part  and  parcel  thereof,  with  their  and 
every  of  their  Appurtenances  unto  the  said  Proprietaries,  John  Penn,  Tho's  Penn  and 
Rich'd  Penn,  their  Heirs  Successors  and  Assigns,  To  the  only  proper  use  and  Behoof 
of  the  said  Proprietaries,  John  Penn,  Thomas  and  Richard  Penn,  their  Heirs,  Suc- 
cessors and  Assigns  forever,  so  that  neither  the  said  Kakiskerowane,  Tayunhunty, 
Caxhaayn,  Kuchdachary,  Sawceyatecos,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Nations  of  ye  On- 
ondagoe; Kanickhungo,  Tagachskaholoo,  Sagoayatondackquas,  Ashcoalaax,  Het- 
quantagechta, Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Senekaes;  Saguehsanyunt,  Sunaratchy, 
Kanawatoe,  Tecochtseegherochgoo,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Cayoogoes;  Salisca- 
quoh, Shecalamy,  Tahashwangaroras,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Oneydoes,  and  Saw- 
antga and  Tyeros,  Sachems  and  Chiefs  of  the  Tuskaroros,  nor  any  others  of  the  said 
fitive  Nations  of  Indians,  nor  their  or  any  of  their  heirs,  successors  or  assigns,  shall, 
or  may  at  any  time  or  times  hereafter,  have  claim,  challenge,  or  demand  any  right 
Title,  Interest  or  property,  of,  in,  or  to  the  said  River  Sasquehannah,  lands  on  both 
sides  of  the  same.  Islands  contained  therein,  hereditaments  and  premises  hereby 
granted  and  Released,  or  mentioned  or  intended  to  be  hereby  granted  and  Released, 
nor  any  part  or  parcel  thereof.  But  of  and  from  the  same  shall  be  Barred,  and  for- 
ever Excluded  by  these  presents;  and  that  the  said  Proprietaries,  John  P.,  Thomas 
P.,  and  Rich'd  P.,  their  Heirs,  Successors  and  Assigns,  shall,  and  Rightfully  may, 
from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times  and  seasons,  forever  hereafter,  quietly  and  peace- 
ably, have,  hold,  occupy,  possess,  and  enjoy,  all  and  singular,  the  Said  River  Sasque- 
hannah, and  the  Lands  lying  on  both  sides  of  the  same,  and  all  the  Islands  therein, 
with  the  hereditaments  and  premises  hereby  granted  and  Released,  with  their  and 
every  of  their  Appurtenances,  without  the  Let,  Trouble,  Hindrance  or  Molestation  of 
the  said  Kakiskerowane,  Tayunhunty,  Caxhaayn,  Kuchdachary,  Sawceyatecos,  Sa- 
chems or  Chiefs  of  the  Nations  of  ye  Onondagoe;  Kanickhungo,  Tagachskaholoo, 
Sagoayatondackquas,  Ashcoalaax,  Hetquantagechta,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the  Sene- 
kaes; Sayuehsanyunt,  Sunaratchy,  Kanawatoe,  Tecochtseegherochgoo,  Sachems  or 
Chiefs  of  the  Cayoogoes ;  Saliscaquoh,  Shecalamy,  Tahashwangaroras,  Sachems  or 
Chiefs  of  the  Oneydoes,  and  Sawantga  and  Tyeros,  Sachems  or  Chiefs  of  the 
Tuskaroros,  or  any  of  them,  or  any  others  of  the  Indians  of  the  ffive  Nations  afore- 
said, or  any  other  person  or  persons  claiming  or  to  claim  the  same,  or  any  part  thereof, 
by,  from  or  under  them,  or  any  of  them,  according  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of 
these  Presents. 

In  Witness  whereof  the  before  named  Sachems  or  Chiefs,  for  themselves  and  on 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


Behalf  of  all  the  People  of  the  ffive  Nations  aforesaid,  have  hereunto  set  their  Hands 
and  Seals,  the  Eleventh  Day  of  October,  in  the  Year  of  Our  Lord  One  Thousand 
Seven  Hundred  and  Thirty  Six,  and  in  the  Tenth  Year  of  the  Reign  of  King  George 
the  Second,  over  Great  Britain,  &c. 


Signed  Sealed  and  Delivered  In  the 
Presence  of 

James  Steel, 

James  L(.igan, 

Clem.  Plumsted, 

A.  Hamilton, 

Thomas  Freame,  Jun., 

Wm.  Plu.msted, 

Chas.  E.  Willing, 

Edwd.  Shippen, 

Joseph  Shippen, 

Wm.  Logan, 

James  Steel,  Jun., 

James  Read, 

Rd.  Assheton, 

John  Georges, 

Thos.  Freame, 

Conrad  Weiser,  Interpreter, 

Tobias  Shewell. 


Onondagoes. 
Kakiskerowana,  his  X  mark, 
Tagunhunty,  his  X  mark, 
Caxhaayn,  his  X  mark, 
Kuchdachary,  his  X  mark, 
Sawegatekoe,  his  X  mark, 

by  his  fr'd  Taygunhunty, 
Saneyuskoe,  his  X  mark, 
Canaungoe,  his  X  mark, 
Cahooyeeoh,  his  X  mark. 

Senekaes. 
Kanickhungo,  his  X  mark, 
Ayacksagee,  his  X   mark, 

alias  Tagachskaholoo, 
Hannyharungguas,  his  X  mark, 
Sagayatondacuas,  his  X  mark, 

by  his  fr'd  Kaneckhungo, 
Ashcoalax,  his  X   mark, 
Hetquantagechta,  his  X  mark. 

Oneydas. 
Tecochtseegherochgoo,  his  X  mark, 
Saliskaguoh,  his  X  mai-k, 
Shekalamy,  his  X  mark, 
Tahashwangaroras,  his  X  mark. 

Ttiskaroras. 
Sawuntga,  his  X  mark, 
Tyeros,  his  X  mark. 

Cayoogoes. 
Saguchsanyunt,  his  X  mark, 
Suneretchy,  his  X  mark, 
Kanawatoe,  his  X  mark. 


City  of  Philadelphia,  ss : 

Be  it  Remembered,  that  on  the  twenty  Seventh  Day  of  June,  in  the  Year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  thirty  seven,  Before  me,  Clement  Plumsted,  Esq'r, 
Mayor  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  and  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  of  the  County 
of  Philadelphia,  personally  appeared  James  Steel  and  William  Plumsted,  two  of  the 
Witnesses  to  the  within  written  Deed,  who  on  their  several  Affirmations  did  Solemnly 
declare  and  say.  That  they  were  present  and  saw  all  the  Indians  within  named  Sign, 
Seal,  and  as  their  voluntary  Act,  deliver  the  within  written  Deed,  for  the  Uses,  In- 
tents and  Purposes  therein  contained.  And  also  that  the  several  other  Persons  whose 
Names  are  within  written  as  Witnesses  to  the  said  Deed,  did  likewise  in  the  Presence 


30  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

of  these  Affirmants  Sign  the  same.      Witness  my  Hand  &  Seal  of  the  sM  City,  Day 
and  Year  above  s'd. 

J.\ME.s  Steel, 
[l.  s.]  Clem.  Plimsted,  Mayor.  Willm.  Plumsted. 

Entered  in  the  Office  for  recording  of  Deeds,  for  ye  City  &  County  of  Philad'a, 
in  Book  G,  Vol.  5,  pa.  277,  &c.,  The  Seventh  Day  of  May,  A'o  D'i,  1741.  Witness 
my  Hand  &  Seal  of  my  Office  aforesaid. 

[l.  s.]  C.   Brockden,  Rec'dr. 

Indorsi'd. 

Pre-emption  deed  or  contract  of  October  nth,  A.  D.,  1736.  D'o  of  (Ratification) 
1754.     Recorded  Page  74,  &c. 

N.  B.  B01LF..A.I',  Sec'y. 

A  manuscript  copy  of  the  abo\'e  deed  was  found  among  the 
papers  of  Samuel  WaUis,  and  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his 
grandson,  Howard  R.  WalHs,  of  Muncy.  It  is  written  in  a  bold, 
plain,  round  hand,  and  with  the  exception  of  being  time-stained 
and  creased  by  folding,  it  is  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation. 
It  is  nearly  1 16  years  old  and  will  take  rank  among  the  ver\- 
oldest  instruments  of  writing  in  existence  in  the  West  Branch 
Valley.     The  following  certificate  is  appended : 

I  William  Parr  Esquire  Master  of  the  Rolls  in  and  for  the  province  of  Pennsyl- 
vania do  hereby  Certify  the  foregoing  writing  (containing  six  pages  and  about  one 
fourth  of  a  page  of  paper)  to  be  an  exemplification  or  true  copy  of  a  Record  of  my 
office  in  Book  G  Vol  1st  page  277  &c 

In  Testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  caused  the  Seal 
[l.  s.]  of  Office  to  be  hereunto  put  and  affixed  the  28th  day  of  September 

1772. 

Will  P.\rr  Master  of  the  Rolls. 

The  following  endorsement  appears  on  the  back  of  this  old 
paper : 

Exemplification  of  a  Release  from  ye  Five  Nations  of  Indians  to  Jno.  Thos.  and 
Rich'd  Penn,  Esqrs.  of  the  River  Susquehannah  and  the  Lands  on  both  Sides  thereof. 

The  Six  Nations  then  signed  a  release  of  the  foregoing  lands 
as  follows,  making  the  line  of  transfer  complete.  The  two  deeds 
are  printed  in  full  in  Vol.  I.,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  beginning  on 
page  494  and  ending  on  page  499: 

RELEASE  FROM  THE  SIX  NATIONS  FOR  SUSQUEHANNAH,  1736. 

We,  the  Chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations  of  Indians,  the  Onandagoes,  Isanundowans 
or  Sinnekas,  Cayoogoes,  Oneydas,  Tuscaroras,  (in  behalf  also  of  ye  Canyingoes  or 
Mohacks,)  who  have  lately  at  Philadelphia,  by  our  Deed  in  writing  dated  the  eleventh 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  3 1 

Day  of  this  instant,  October,  released  to  John  Penn,  Thomas  Penn,  and  Richard 
Penn,  Proprietors  of  Pennsylvania,  and  to  their  Heirs  and  successors,  All  our  Right, 
Claim  and  Pretentions  whatsoever,  to  all  and  every  the  Lands  on  both  sides  of  the 
River  Sasquehannah,  from  ye  mouth  thereof  as  far  Northvifard  or  up  the  said  River 
as  y't  Ridge  of  Hills  called  the  Tyoninhackta  or  Endless  Mountains,  Westward  to  the 
Setting  of  the  Sun,  and  Eastward  to  the  furthest  springs  of  the  Waters  running  into 
the  said  River,  Do  hereby  further  declare,  That  our  true  intent  and  meaning  by  the 
said  writing  was  and  is  to  Release  and  we  do  hereby  more  Expressly  Release,  to  the 
said  Proprietaries,  their  Heirs  and  Successors  forever.  All  our  Right,  Claim  and  Pre- 
tensions whatsoever,  to  all  and  every  the  lands  lying  within  the  Bounds  and  Limits 
of  the  Government  of  Pennsylvania,  Beginning  Eastward  on  the  River  Delaware,  as 
far  Northward  as  the  s'd  Ridge  or  Chain  of  Endless  Mountains  as  they  cross  ye 
Country  of  Pennsilvania,  from  Eastward  and  to  the  West. 

And  further,  as  we  have  made  the  firmest  League  of  Friendship  with  our  Brethren 
of  Pennsilvania  and  are  become  as  one  people  with  them.  We  do  hereby  promise  and 
Engage  for  ourselves  and  our  Children  and  their  Children,  That  neither  we  nor  they 
nor  any  in  Authority  in  our  Nations,  will  at  any  time  bargain,  sell,  grant,  or  by  any 
means  make  over,  to  any  person  or  persons  whatsoever,  whether  White  men  or  Indi- 
ans, other  than  the  said  Proprietors,  the  Children  of  William  Penn,  or  to  persons  by 
them  Authorised  and  .Appointed  to  agree  for  and  receive  the  same,  any  Lands  within 
the  Limits  of  the  Governm't  of  Pennsylvania,  as  'tis  bounded  Northward  with  the 
Governm't  of  New  York  and  Albany,  But  when  we  are  willing  to  dispose  of  any 
Further  Rights  to  Land  within  the  s'd  limits  of  Pensilvania,  We  will  dispose  of  them 
to  the  said  Wm.  Penn's  Children,  and  to  no  other  persons  whatsoever. 

In  Witness  whereof  we  have  in  Behalf  of  all  our  Nation,  signed  this  further 
writing,  being  distinctly  Read  and  Interpreted  to  us  by  our  Friend  Conrad  Wyser, 
the  Twenty  fifth  Day  of  October,  1736. 

Witness,  (an  interlineation  of  seventeen  words  being  first  made  between  the  8th 
and  9th  lines.) 

Anynssquasuh,  his  X  mark,  Tacannunty, 

Anyharungquas,  Caxhaayn, 

Candach,  Tocanorungo, 

Hawyienta,  Oscotax, 

JOSUNSUDAN,  SaWUNTGA, 

Josunlansenet,  Canawato, 

Hanukhungo,  Sagusksonyunt, 

Hatquantaguhty,  Tyiichrygerechgo, 

Gahisicerowano,  Saristorquoh, 

Gechtackhery,  Shykelimy. 
Tahashwangai, 

Conrad  Weiser,  Interpreter. 

City  of  Philada. 

Be  it  Remembered,  That  on  the  Nineteenth  day  of  November,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1736,  Personally  appeared  before  me  Clement  Plumste_d,  Esq'r,  Mayor  of  the 
City  of  Philadelphia,  and  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  of  the  County  of  Phila- 
delphia, Conrad  Weiser,  who,  on  his  solemn  affirmation,  did  declare  that  he  saw  the 


32  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

several  Indians  within  named,  sign,  seal,  and  as  their  voluntary  act,  deliver  the  within 
written  Deed,  for  the  use  and  purpose  therein  mentioned ;  and  that  he  saw  John  Peter 
Feck  and  Leonard  P'eck  sign  their  names  as  Witnesses  thereunto.  And  this  affirmant 
further  saith,  that  being  appointed  Interpreter  by  and  between  the  Government  of 
Pennsilvania  and  the  Indians  of  the  .Six  Nations,  He  faithfully  and  distinctly  Inter- 
preted and  Explained  to  the  Indians  who  signed  and  sealed  the  same,  all  the  several 
parts  of  the  said  within  written  Deed,  to  their  full  satisfaction  and  contentment ;  and 
that  upon  the  delivery  of  the  said  Deed,  the  same  Indians  presented  a  Belt  of  Wam- 
pum in  Confirmation  thereof. 

CONR.VD    WeISER. 

Affirmed  before  me. 

Witness  my  Hand  and  seal  of  the  City. 

Clem.  Plumsted,  Mayor. 
Recorded  ye  22  May,  1 741. 

The  next  great  Indian  council,  for  the  purpose  of  settUng  cer- 
tain questions  relating  to  the  lands  of  the  Southern  Indians,  was 
held  at  Lancaster  in  1744.  It  was  an  important  meeting,  accord- 
ing to  the  journal  of  William  Marshe,  secretary  of  the  Maryland 
Commissioners,  who  attended  and  made  a  record  of  the  daily 
proceedings.  That  journal  had  almost  been  forgotten,  when  it 
was  disentombed  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Egle — now  State  Librarian — and 
published  in  pamphlet  form  in  1884.  In  his  introductory  the 
Doctor  gives  the  following  explanation  of  the  object  of  the  con- 
ference : 

"  When  the  English  first  e.xplored  the  lower  Susquehanna,  they 
found  it  inhabited  by  a  race  which  they  called  the  Susquehannocks. 
The  Dutch,  as  early  as  161 5,  and  the  Swedes,  when  they  settled  in 
1638,  came  in  contact  with  these  Susquehannocks  and  called  them 
Minquas.  The  line  between  the  Delawares  and  Minquas  seems  to 
have  been  along  the  dividing  waters  between  the  t\yo  rivers,  though 
in  wars  the  Minquas  drove  the  Delawares  entirely  over  into  New 
Jersey.  The  Minquas  were  a  ruling  tribe  on  the  Delaware,  as  the 
Mohawks  were  on  the  Hudson.  From  1640  the  Five  Nations  of 
New  York  began  to  be  liberally  supplied  with  fire  arms,  and  they 
soon  devastated  the  tribes'  similar  to  the  Minquas  on  the  upper 
branches  of  the  Susquehanna.  Having  disposed  of  these  and 
opened  the  way,  in  1662  they  commenced  upon  the  lower  Min- 
quas or  Susquehannocks.  Before  this,  in  1652,  the  Susquehan- 
nocks had  sold  to  Maryland  their  possession  and  conquest  rights 
on  both  sides  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  from  the  Choptank  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  33 

Pautuxant  rivers  up  to  the  head  of  the  bay.  In  1663  the  Mary- 
landers  assisted  the  Minquas  with  cannon  and  men  in  their  fort, 
and  defeated  an  army  of  800  Senecas  and  Cayugas.  The  war 
was,  however,  kept  up,  and  finally,  after  various  reverses  and 
successes,  in  1675,  forsaken  by  the  English,  who  had  superceded 
the  Dutch  on  the  Delaware,  and  by  the  Marylanders,  and  reduced 
by  disease,  the  Minquas  were  conquered,  many  of  them  carried 
off  to  New  York,  and  the  balance  fled  to  the  Potomac  at  Piscata- 
way.  From  this  place  they  were  afterwards  allowed  to  return  to 
their  old  country  and  establish  themselves  as  a  tributary  outpost 
of  the  Five  Nations  on  the  '  Onestego '  Creek,  and  there  subse- 
quently they  were  known  as  Conestogas.  It  was  in  this  way  that 
the  New  York  tribes  obtained  their  conquest  rights  to  the  lands 
on  the  Susquehanna  and  southward  to  the  Potomac,  which  were 
recognized  by  the  several  purchase  treaties  made  with  them  by 
William  Penn  and  his  heirs.  Governor  Dongan,  of  New  York, 
first  purchased  these  Pennsylvania-Susquehanna  conquest  rights 
from  the  Five  Nations,  with  a  view  of  holding  those  parts,  at  least 
above  the  Conawago  Falls,  as  part  of  New  York  and  preventing 
Penn  from  obtaining  the  full  limits  of  his  charter.  When  this 
failed,  he  sold  and  transferred  these  deeded  rights  to  Penn  in 
1696.  In  1699  Penn  again  purchased  from  the  remaining  Cones- 
togas  all  their  rights  and  the  rights  of  their  ancestors,  and,  as  he 
aptly  expresses  it,  the  rights  that  their  'ancestors  have,  could, 
might  or  ought  to  have  had,  held  or  enjoyed '  in  these  lands.  In 
1701  this  purchase  was  again  confirmed  in  the  presence  of  an 
Onondaga  deputy,  and  a  promise  made  them  that  they  should 
have  a  reservation,  which  was  in  fact  afterwards  surveyed  to  them 
in  1 718.  Here  the  dwindling  remnant  remained  until  the  mas- 
sacre in  1763. 

"  Prior  to  this  their  young  men  gravitated  to  the  New  York 
cantons,  mostly  among  the  Oneidas,  as  this  course  afforded  the 
only  opening  for  martial  renown — for  an  Indian  is  nothing  if  not 
a  warrior.  Among  these  descendants  of  the  ancient  Susquehan- 
nocks  who  attended  the  Lancaster  treaty,  to  sell  the  former  heritage 
of  his  ancestors,  was  Shikellimy, — more  properly  Shickenany, — 
who  hesitated  about  signing  the  deed  to  Maryland,  which  Marshe 
blamed  on  the  Pennsylvanians.     When  the  Conestoga  Manor  was 


34  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

surveyed  in  1718,  they  'run  a  line  round  them  that  none  might 
come  near  them,'  and  though  at  that  time  the  Indians  '  had  ex- 
pressed a  wiUingness  to  retire  from  Conestoga,  yet  the  Government 
here  persuaded  them  to  continue  near  us,'  and  'they  appeared 
very  well  pleased'  with  '  the  inclosing  by  surveys  the  lands  where 
they  are  seated.' 

"The  Dutch,  Swedes  and  English  made  purchases  from  the 
Delawares  on  the  west  bank  of  their  river.  The  western  limits 
were  not  given,  or  were  vaguely  defined.  There  are  some  repre- 
sentations of  such  purchases  extending  to  the  Susquehanna ;  but 
the  Delawares  had  no  rights  to  lands  on  that  river,  and  probably 
never  made  such  sales.  Penn  thought  he  had  extinguished  the 
Indian  title  to  the  Susquehanna  lands  through  his  purchase  from 
Dongan,  and  in  satisfying  the  resident  Conestogas ;  and  there  can 
be  no  doubt  that  the  New  York  Indians  were  satisfied  and  for 
many  years  made  no  claims.  But  the  older  ones  died  and  the 
younger  ones  at  length  set  up  a  claim  that  they  had  not  been  paid 
for  their  conquest  lands  on  the  Susquehanna.  In  the  meantime 
many  settlers  had  moved  upon  these  lands.  The  Cayugas  were 
the  most  persistent  and  annoying  in  pressing  their  claims.  At 
length,  on  October  11,  1736,  these  lands,  as  far  west  as  the  Blue 
Mountain  range,  and  eastward  to  the  head  springs  flowing  into  the 
Susquehanna,  were  again  purchased  at  a  treaty  in  Philadelphia. 
After  this  treaty  adjourned,  and  some  of  the  delegates  had  gone 
home,  an  after-thought  came  to  the  proprietary  party :  As  the  Six 
Nations  seemed  to  be  setting  up  unexpected  claims  of  conquest 
rights,  it  was  thought  it  would  be  a  good  plan  to  get  a  release 
from  them  to  all  the  lands  eastward  as  far  as  the  Delaware. 
Accordingly  an  explanatory  deed  was  got  up,  stating  that  the  true 
intent  and  meaning  of  the  other  deed  was  that  it  should  embrace 
all  the  lands  eastward  as  far  as  the  Delaware.  This  was  a  most 
transparent  falsehood.  Not  until  white  means  black  can  eastward 
limits  on  the  head  of  streams  running  into  the  Susquehanna  be 
defined  as  intended  to  extend  to  the  Delaware.  There  is  not  a 
particle  of  evidence  that  the  Six  Nations,  prior  to  this,  claimed 
the  right  to  sell  the  lands  of  the  Delawares.  It  is  true,  the  Dela- 
wares were  a  conquered  tributary  people,  but  this  in  Indian  politics 
did  not  mean  always  a  right  to  alienate  the  soil.     Land  selling  was 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY.  35 

indeed  a  European  innovation,  the  full  meaning  of  which  the 
Indians  were  slow  to  realize.  As  long  as  they  sold  and  still  oc- 
cupied nearly  all  of  it,  the  sale  meant  little;  when  it  meant  dispos- 
ses.sion  then  trouble  ensued.  Occupancy  was  the  only  soil  right 
that  the  Indian  knew  before  the  presents  at  treaties  gave  them  the 
land-selling  itch.  This  supplementary,  explanatory  deed,  dated 
October  25,  1736,  fourteen  days  after  the  other,  was  not  for  sale  of 
land  that  they  claimed,  but  was  given  at  the  request  of  the  white 
men  to  cover,  or  prevent,  any  claims  the  Six  Nations  might  set  up 
to  the  lands  already  purchased  of  the  Delawares.  It  was  also 
used,  and  perhaps  designed  to  be  used,  in  1742,  to  induce  the  Six 
Nations  to  interfere  and  force  the  Delawares  to  leave  some  of 
these  lands,  as  comprised  in  the 'Walking  Purchase.'  Canassate- 
go's  speech,  in  ordering  the  Delawares  to  leave  these  lands,  is 
famous  in  history,  and  aroused  the  dormant  resentment  of  the 
Delawares.  He  called  them  zvomcii,  denied  their  right  to  sell 
land,  ordered  them  to  leave,  said  they  ought  to  be  taken  by  the 
hair  of  the  head  and  shaken  severely  till  they  recovered  good 
sense,  and  forbid  them,  their  children,  grandchildren  to  the  latest 
posterity,  forever  hereafter  to  presume  to  meddle  in  land  affairs. 
It  was  during  the  pending  of  these  troubles  that  the  treaty  was 
held  at  Lancaster  in  1744,  about  lands  in  Maryland  and  Virginia, 
when  not  a  Delaware  was  allowed  to  be  present. 

"  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  which  has  hitherto  been  unnoticed,  that 
in  the  great  wars  of  the  western  cantons  of  the  Five  Nations 
against  the  Susquehannocks,  which  were  waged  chiefly  about 
1666  and  1675,  the  Mohawks  took  no  part,  nor  did  there  a  single 
Mohawk  appear  at  the  treaty  in  Philadelphia  in  1786,  when  the 
last  sale  of  these  conquest  rights  was  made  to  the  Penns.  Nor 
did  there  appear  a  single  Mohawk  at  Lancaster,  when  the  claims 
of  similar  rights  were  to  be  disposed  of  to  Maryland,  and  other 
claims  to  lands  in  Virginia.  They  had  nothing  to  do  in  conquer- 
ing the  Minquas,  and  they  would  have  nothing  to  say  in  selling 
their  lands.  The  explanation  of  this  is  no  doubt  to  be  found  in 
the  special  examination  of  Governor  Andras,  who,  in  1675, 'did 
endeavor  to  be  rightly  informed  of  things  relating  to  that  war, 
and  found  that  the  Susquehannocks  were  reputed  by  the  Maqiies 
(Mohawks)  as  their  offspring.'     There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 


36  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Susquehanna  Minquas  were  an  old  diverging  branch  of  the  Mo- 
hawks, and  there  was  an  old  friendship,  which  forbid  them  to  war 
against  their  kindred,  and  yet  the  laws  of  the  Five  Nation  confed- 
eracy forbid  also  any  assistance.  The  absent  nation,  for  whom 
Conrad  Weiser  was  authorized  by  the  allies  to  sign  his  name,  at 
the  Lancaster  treaty,  as  mentioned  by  Marshe,  was  the  Mohawks, 
into  which  Weiser  had  been  adopted. 

"As  early  as  1736,  at  the  treaty,  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania 
was  earnestly  pressed  that  he  would  write  to  the  Governors  of 
Maryland  and  Virginia  to  make  them  (the  Western  New  York 
Indians)  satisfaction  for  their  lands  in  those  States.  They  say  '  all 
the  lands  on  the  Susquehanna  and  at  Chanandowa  (Shenandoah) 
were  theirs  and  they  must  be  satisfied  for  them.'  In  reply  it  was 
remarked  to  them  that  'the  lands  on  Susquehanna,  we  believe, 
belong  to  the  Six  Nations  by  the  conquest  of  the  Indians  on  that 
river,  but  how  their  pretentions  are  to  be  made  good  to  the  lands 
to  the  southward  we  know  not.'  At  the  treaty  on  July  7,  1742, 
Canassatego  again  introduced  their  claims  to  lands  in  Maryland, 
desiring  to  know  what  had  been  done  in  the  matter,  saying  '  you 
will  inform  the  person  whose  people  are  seated  on  our  lands  that 
that  country  belongs  to  us  in  right  of  conquest — we  have  bought 
it  with  our  blood  and  taken  it  from  our  enemies  in  fair  war;  we 
expect  such  consideration  as  the  land  is  worth ;  press  him  to  send 
us  a  positive  answer;  let  him  say  yes  or  no;  if  he  says  yes,  we 
will  treat  with  him;  if  no,  we  are  able  to  do  ourselves  justice,  and 
we  will  do  it  by  going  to  take  payment  on  ourselves.' 

"  These  alarming  words  caused  a  special  messenger  to  be  sent 
to  Maryland,  and  measures  were  taken  for  the  treaty  which  came 
off  at  Lancaster  in  1744.  Though  nothing  was  said  in  1742 
about  Virginia,  yet  the  demand  in  1736,  and  the  prospects  of  a 
war  with  France,  induced  the  King  and  his  Virginia  colony  to 
treat  with  these  Indians  at  the  same  time  and  place.  Conrad 
Weiser  was  sent  to  Onondaga  to  make  the  arrangements.  There 
was  a  shrewd  purpose  in  the  background  to  use  the  occasion  to 
prevent  them  from  espousing  the  cause  of  France,  and  the  Penn- 
sylvania Colonial  Records  show  how  nicely  it  was  managed. 
Pennsylvania,  having  in  1737  met  the  demands  of  these  Indians 
as  to  their  claim  on  the  lands  in  that  Province  below  the  moun- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  37 

tains,  was  in  a  position  to  act  as  a  go-between  and  secure  their 
friendship  to  Maryland  and  Virginia,  and  all  three  were  alike 
interested  in  view  of  the  coming  troubles  with  France  and  her 
Canadian  Provinces.  At  the  treaty  the  Marylanders  denied  their 
rights  to  land  in  that  Province,  and  pointed  to  their  deed  of  pur- 
chase from  the  Susquehannocks  in  1652  as  covering  all  or  nearly 
all  their  lands.  The  reply  was  very  well  put :  '  We  acknowledge 
the  deed  to  be  good  and  valid,  and  that  the  Conestoga  or  Susque- 
hanna Indians  had  a  right  to  sell  those  lands  unto  you,  for  they 
were  then  theirs ;  but  since  that  time  we  have  conquered  them,  and 
their  country  now  belongs  to  us,  and  the  lands  we  demanded 
satisfaction  for  are  no  part  of  the  lands  comprised  in  those  deeds 
— they  are  the  Cohogonontas  (Potomac)  lands.'  This  is  one  of 
the  proofs  that  the  territory  of  the  ancient  Susquehannocks  ex- 
tended to  the  Potomac,  probably  from  the  falls  up  to  Harper's 
Ferry.  The  old  Maryland  purchase  was  not  defined  in  its  west- 
ern limits,  and  certainly  did  not  include  a  part  of  Maryland  north  . 
of  the  head  of  the  bay.  Just  prior  to  their  subjugation  by  the 
New  York  Indians  the  Susquehannocks  had  somehow  got  into  a 
war  with  their  old  friends  in  Maryland,  and  suffered  greatly. 
Evans,  in  his  Analysis,  written  soon  after  this  treaty,  gives  this 
explanation :  Bell,  of  Maryland, '  by  the  defeat  of  many  hundreds, 
gave  them  a  blow  from  which  they  never  recovered,  and  for  that 
reason  the  confederates  (Six  Nations)  never  claimed  but  to  Cone- 
wago  Falls;  and  that,  as  the  Susquehannocks  had  abandoned  the 
western  shore  of  Maryland  before  their  conquest,  the  confederates 
confined  their  claims  northward  of  a  line  drawn  from  the  Cone- 
wago  Falls  to  the  North  Mountain,  where  it  crosses  the  Potomac, 
and  thence  to  the  head  branches  of  St.  James  River.'  The  point, 
doubtless,  is  Harper's  Ferry,  though  the  Blue  Mountain  and  the 
Blue  Ridge  are  not  the  same  range,  though  often  confounded. 
At  the  treaty  the  eastern  bounds  were  not  defined.  They  wanted 
pay,  and  having  got  it  they  cared  nothing  further  about  the 
grounds  of  their  claim,  nor  how  it  was  divided  between  Maryland 
and  Pennsylvania.  The  claim  for  pay  for  Virginia  was  not  founded 
on  the  conquest  of  the  Susquehannas,  but  upon  other  tribes. 

"  The  Virginians  claimed  that  they  had  long  held  peaceable  pos- 
session, and  that  they  found  those  lands  uninhabited  and  free  to  be 


38  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

entered  upon  by  the  King.  They  said :  '  Tell  us  what  nations 
you  conquered  any  lands  from  in  Virginia,  how  long  it  is  since, 
and  what  possession  you  have  had.'  The  answer  was:  'We 
have  the  right  of  conquest — a  right  too  dearly  purchased,  and 
which  cost  us  too  much  blood  to  be  given  up  without  any  reason 
at  all.  *****  fi^w  (-j^g  world  knows  we  conquered  the 
several  nations  living  on  Susquehanna,  Cohongoronto  and  on  the 
back  of  the  great  mountains  in  Virginia.  The  Conoy-uch-such- 
roonan,  the  Coch-nan-was-roonan,  the  Tokoa-irough-roonan  and 
the  Connut-skirr-ough-roonan  feel  the  effects  of  our  conquests, 
being  now  a  part  of  our  nations  and  their  lands  at  our  disposal' 
They  said  it  was  not  true  that  the  King  of  England  had  conquered 
the  Indians  that  lived  there.  '  We  will  allow  that  they  have  con- 
quered the  Sachdagugh-roonan  (Powhatans)  and  drove  back  the 
Tuscarroraws,  and  that  they  have  on  that  account  a  right  to  some 
part  of  Virginia;  but  as  to  what  lies  beyond  the  mountain,  we 
conquered  the  nations  residing  there,  and  that  land,  if  ever  the 
Virginians  get  a  good  right  to  it,  it  must  be  by  us.' 

"We  cannot  properly  identify  and  locate  the  four  tribes  said  to 
have  been  conquered.  The  first  were  probably  the  Conoys  or 
Ganawese.  The  second  probably  gave  the  name  to  the  Kanawha. 
The  lands  sold  were  the  Shenandoah  Valley  and  the  country 
westward.  The  Six  Nations  did  not  understand  the  sale  to  in- 
clude the  lands  on  the  Ohio,  now  West  Virginia.  These  were 
included  in  the  sale  of  November  5,  1768,  made  by  Sir  William 
Johnson.  Some  writers  erroneously  say  the  lands  sold  at  Lan- 
caster were  those  on  the  Ohio.  This  is  not  the  case,  for  they 
were  lands  just  then  settled  by  the  white  people,  and  there  were 
then  no  settlers  on  the  Ohio.  The  western  limits  of  Virginia 
were  then  not  defined.  Pennsylvania  never  called  in  question 
these  conquest  rights.  Had  they  done  so  at  the  several  treaties 
for  Susquehanna  lands,  the  Indians  would  then,  doubtless,  have 
given  us  some  interesting  facts  as  to  those  conquests,  which  are 
now  forever  lost." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  CAPTIVITY  AND  THRILLING  ADVENTURES  OF 
MARY  JEMISON,  WHO  IS  KNOWN  IN  HISTORY  AS  THE  "WHITE 
woman" THE    LAST    INDIAN    COUNCIL    HELD    AT    CANEADEA. 

IN  this  connection  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  relate  one  of  the 
strangest,  most  romantic  and  thrilling  incidents  in  all  Indian 
history,  since  the  subject  frequently  visited  this  valley  with  her 
captors  when  they  descended  by  the  Sinnemahoning,  Pine,  Ly- 
coming and  other  streams.  We  refer  to  the  strange  story  of  the 
captive  "White  Woman,"  and  to  begin  we  must  take  the  reader  to 
the  extreme  southern  part  of  the  State. 

About  the  year  1 742  Thomas  Jamison  and  his  wife  settled  near 
the  head-waters  of  Marsh  Creek,  Adams  County.  When  they  left 
the  "  Green  Isle  "  they  had  three  children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter. 
During  the  voyage  another  daughter  was  born  to  them,  whom  they 
named  Mary,  whose  birth  on  the  stormy  sea  foreshadowed  the 
rough  and  sorrowful  experiences  she  was  subsequently  called  to 
endure. 

Having  been  bred  to  agricultural  pursuits,  Thomas  Jemison 
settled  upon  an  extensive  tract  of  land  in  the  Marsh  Creek  region 
and  commenced  his  labors.  For  a  period  of  ten  years,  during 
which  time  two  more  sons  were  added  to  the  family,  this  pioneer 
had  a  busy  and  contented  life  in  his  mountain  home.  He  pros- 
pered and  was  happy.  The  settlement  grew.  Among  his  neigh- 
bors was  James  Bleakney,  who  survived  until  the  spring  of  1821, 
when  he  died  in  the  98th  year  of  his  age.  It  was  from  this 
venerable  ancestor  that  the  location  of  the  Jemison  farm  was 
learned.  For  about  ten  years  the  settlers  in  this  secluded  valley 
of  the  South  Mountain  lived  in  peace ;  then  trouble  arose. 

Both  the  French  and  English  governments,  equally  intent  on 
territorial  aggrandizement  in  the  northern  section  of  the  Western 
Continent,  sought  to  secure  possession  of  that  vast  territory  lying 


40  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

between  the  Allegheny  Mountains  and  the  Mississippi  River.  The 
former  laid  claim  to  it  by  right  of  discovery;  the  latter  by  right 
of  purchase  from  the  Indians.  Both  parties  prepared  to  maintain, 
if  necessary,  their  real  or  assumed  rights  by  force  of  arms.  To 
that  issue  the  controversy  came  at  last.  On  the  3d  of  July,  1754, 
a  battle  was  fought  at  the  Great  Meadows,  about  fifty  miles  west  of 
the  present  town  of  Cumberland,  Maryland,  between  the  English 
and  French  forces,  each  assisted  by  Indian  allies.  The  English, 
commanded  by  Colonel  George  Washington,  were  defeated.  This 
victory  so  elated  and  emboldened  the  French  that  they  threatened 
and  prepared  to  lay  waste  with  fire  and  tomahawk  the  frontier 
settlements  of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  whence  the  white  troops 
under  Washington  had  been  drawn. 

Not  long  after  the  capitulation  of  Fort  Necessity  the  situation 
became  alarming  to  the  peaceful  settlers  within  and  east  of  the 
South  Mountain.  Reports  reached  them  of  terrible  atrocities 
committed  by  the  French  and  Indians  west  of  the  mountain. 
Fearing  that  they  too  would  soon  be  visited  by  the  cruel  and 
bloodthirsty  foe,  they  erected  for  self-protection  a  block-house 
near  the  present  village  of  Arendtsville.*  Their  apprehensions 
were  well  founded. 

On  the  evening  of  a  pleasant  day  in  the  spring  of  1755,  Thomas 
Jemison  sent  his  daughter  Mary,  then  12  or  13  years  old,  to  a 
neighbor's  house  to  procure  a  horse  and  return  with  it  the  ne.xt 
morning.  Returning  at  the  appointed  time  she  found,  at  her 
father's  house,  a  neighbor,  William  or  Robert  Buck  by  name,  and 
his  sister-in-law  with  her  three  children.  The  woman,  whose  hus- 
band was  in  Washington's  army  fighting  the  French,  had  become 
alarmed  at  the  aspect  of  affairs,  and  sought  companions  and  safety 
in  the  house  of  Thomas  Jemison.  Buck,  wishing  to  get  a  bag  of 
grain  he  had  left  at  his  own  house,  took  the  horse  that  Mary 
Jemison  had  brought,  armed  himself  with  a  gun,  and  hurried 
away.  What  followed  is  thus  related  by  Mary  Jemison :  "  Our 
family,  as  usual,  was  busily  employed  about  their  common  busi- 
ness. Father  was  shaving  an  axe-helve  at  the  side  of  the  house ; 
mother  was  making  preparations  for  breakfast;  my  two  eldest 
brothers  were  at  work  near  the  barn ;  the  little  ones,  with  myself, 

*A  post  hamlet,  7^  miles  northeast  of  Gettysburg. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  4I 

and  the  woman  with  her  three  children,  were  in  the  house.  Break- 
fa.st  was  not  yet  ready  when  we  were  alarmed  by  the  discharge  of 
a  number  of  guns  that  seemed  to  be  near.  Mother  and  the  woman 
before  mentioned  almost  fainted  at  the  report,  and  every  one  trem- 
bled with  fear.  On  opening  the  door,  the  man  and  horse  lay  dead 
near  the  house,  having  just  been  shot  by  the  Indians.  They  first 
secured  my  father,  then  rushed  into  the  house  and  made  prisoners 
of  my  mother,  my  two  younger  brothers,  my  sister,  the  woman  and 
her  three  children,  and  myself  and  then  commenced  plundering 
the  house.  The  party  that  took  us  consisted  of  four  Frenchmen 
and  six  Shawanee  Indians.  They  took  what  they  considered  most 
valuable,  consisting  principally  of  bread,  meal  and  meat.  Having 
taken  as  much  provision  as  they  could  carry,  they  set  out  with 
their  prisoners  in  great  haste,  for  fear  of  detection,  and  soon 
entered  the  woods."  The  two  older  brothers,  Thomas  and  John, 
fortunately  escaped.  They  were  at  the  barn  when  the  assault  took 
place,  crept  into  a  hollow  log,  and  so  were  not  discovered  by  the 
keen-sighted  Indians.  Subsequently  they  went  to  Virginia,  and 
found  a  home  with  their  maternal  grandfather.  Buck,  the  mur- 
dered man,  was  buried  by  the  neighbors  not  far  from  the  spot 
where  they  found  the  body.  The  burial  was  hurried,  for  there 
was  other  pressing  work  on  hand. 

A  few  years  ago,  whilst  on  a  visit  to  Buchanan  Valley,  the 
grave  of  this  victim  of  Indian  atrocity  was  pointed  out  to  us.*  It 
is  situated  on  a  farm  recently  sold  by  Joseph  I.  Livers  to  Francis 
Cole.  Two  maple  trees,  standing  at  the  edge  of  a  narrow  ravine, 
mark  the  spot.  A  large  pile  of  stones,  gathered  from  an  adjoining 
field  and  bordering  the  grave,  may  serve  as  a  rude  and  unfinished 
monument.  The  house  and  barn  owned  and  occupied  by  the 
unfortunate  Jemison  family  have  both  succumbed  to  the  ravages 
of  time,  and  no  vestige  remains  to  tell  where  they  once  stood.  A 
few  gnarled  and  decaying  apple  trees,  so  old  that  no  one  now  living 
there  can  tell  when  they  were  planted,  testify  that  once  near  by 
there  stood  a  habitation.  But  that  solitary  grave  beside  the  maple 
trees,  with  its  cairn-like  monument,  and  its  tragic  history,  is  not 

*H.  J.  Stable,  Esq.,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Gettysburg  Compiler.  Mr. 
Stable  devoted  much  time  to  a  study  of  this  remarkable  case,  and  prepared  a 
condensed  history  of  the  captive,  the  material  portions  of  which  are  quoted  above. 


42     •  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

forgotten.  With  some  hesitation  we  venture  to  relate  what  was 
told  us,  viz :  That  those  who  plow  among  the  old  apple  trees  are 
wont  to  uncover  a  spot  where  the  soil  has  the  color  of  blood,  indi- 
cating the  place  where  the  kindly  earth  received  the  crimson  drops 
trickling  from  the  wounds  of  the  murdered  Buck. 

Anticipating  pursuit,  the  savage  captors,  with  their  ten  helpless 
captives,  fled  rapidly  in  a  westward  direction  across  the  mountain. 
On  the  first  day's  journey  the  children  were  frequently  lashed  with 
a  whip  to  make  them  keep  up  with  the  rest.  All  that  day  they 
hurried  on  without  a  mouthful  of  food  or  a  drop  of  water,  although 
they  had  not  eaten  since  the  previous  evening.  Whenever  the 
little  children  cried  for  water,  the  Indians  would  make  them  drink 
urine  or  go  thirsty.  At  night  they  encamped  in  the  woods  with- 
out fire,  and  without  shelter,  and  were  watched  with  the  greatest 
vigilance.  At  the  dawn  of  the  following  day  the  weary,  sorrowful 
march  was  resumed,  and  not  until  the  sun  had  risen  were  the 
prisoners  halted  and  fed.  Towards  noon  they  passed  within  sight 
of  a  small  fort,  known  as  "  Fort  Conococheague,"  situated  some- 
where near  the  present  town  of  Chambersburg.  Towards  evening 
of  the  second  day's  flight  they  arrived  at  the  border  of  a  "  dark 
and  dismal  swamp,"  covered  with  small  hemlocks  and  other 
bushes,  into  which  they  were  conducted ;  and  having  gone  a  short 
distance,  they  encamped  for  the  night. 

In  some  way  the  savages  ascertained  that  they  were  pursued.  A 
determined  band  of  Jemison's  neighbors,  headed  by  a  Mr.  Fields, 
had  started  in  pursuit  and  were  gaining  on  the  fugitives.  Fearing 
to  be  overtaken  if  they  continued  to  encumber  themselves  with 
so  many  prisoners,  the  savages  (white  and  red)  massacred  and 
scalped  eight  of  them,  viz:  Thomas  Jemison,  his  wife,  their 
daughter,  Betsy;  their  two  sons,  Robert  and  Matthew;  Mrs.  Buck, 
and  two  of  her  children.  Mary  Jemison  and  the  little  son  of 
Mrs.  Buck  were  spared.  The  naked  and  mangled  bodies  of  the 
slaughtered  victims  were  found  in  that  dismal  swamp  by  the 
parties  that  had  gone  in  pursuit. 

After  the  massacre  the  Indians  continued  their  flight  much 
more  cautiously  than  they  did  at  first.  At  the  end  of  seven  or 
eight  days  they  reached  Fort  Duquesne,  or  Fort  Pitt,  which  was 
then  a  rallying  point  for  the  French  and  their  Indian  allies. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  43 

On  the  day  that  Mary  Jemison  was  brought,  a  weary  and 
dejected  captive,  to  Fort  Duquesne,  two  pleasant  looking  Indian 
squaws  of  the  Seneca  tribe  had  arrived  there  also.  They  had 
lost  a  brother  in  a  battle  with  the  English,  and  had  come  to  the 
fort  to  obtain  a  captive  whom  they  might  adopt  as  a  member  of 
their  family.  On  the  following  day  they  inspected  the  prisoners 
lately  brought  in,  and  selected  Mary  Jemison  as  the  one  whom 
they  desired  to  take  the  place  of  their  lost  brother. 

The  time  had  come  when  Mary  Jemison  should  be  separated 
from  all  with  whom  she  had  been  acquainted.  The  little  boy  of 
Mrs.  Buck,  her  fellow  captive  and  companion  in  the  long  and 
trying  flight  from  Buchanan  Valley  to  Fort  Duquesne,  was  taken 
away  by  the  French.  Whither  he  was  taken  and  what  became  of 
him  is  unknown.  Mary  was  taken  by  the  two  Indian  squaws  in 
a  small  canoe  down  the  Ohio  River  to  a  small  Seneca  Indian  town 
called  "  She-nan-jee."  There  she  was  arrayed  in  a  suit  of  Indian 
clothing,  was  formally  adopted  as  a  member  of  the  family,  and 
received  the  name  of  "  Dick-e-wa-mis,"  which,  being  interpreted, 
means  "a  pretty  girl." 

An  adopted  member  of  the  Seneca  tribe,  and  provided  with  a 
home,  Dickewamis  was  employed  in  nursing  children  and  doing 
light  work  about  the  wigwams.  Occasionally  she  accompanied 
the  hunters,  when  they  went  but  a  short  distance,  to  help  them 
carry  home  the  game..  Her  situation  was  easy,  for  she  had  no 
special  hardships  to  endure.  Nevertheless,  the  recollection  of  her 
parents,  brothers,  sister  and  home,  and  the  sad  fact  of  .her  hopeless 
captivity,  destroyed  her  happiness  for  many  following  years. 

Encouraged  and  aided  by  her  adopted  sisters,  who  would  not 
allow  her  to  speak  English  in  their  hearing,  she  soon  learned  to 
understand  the  Indian  language  and  to  speak  it  fluently.  *  During 
the  second  year  of  her  captivity  (1757),  when  but  14  or  15  years 
old,  she  was  married,  by  command  of  her  sisters,  "according  to 
Indian  custom,"  to  a  Delaware  Indian,  She-nin-jee  by  name.  He 
was  large  of  stature,  elegant  in  appearance,  and  by  his  good  nature 
and  tenderness  gained  the  affection  of  his  wife.  The  year  following 
her  marriage,  "  at  the  time  that  the  kernels  of  corn  first  appeared 
on  the  ear,"  she  bore  her  first-born  child,  a  girl  that  lived  two  days 
only.     In  the  fourth  winter  of  her  captivity  (1759)  a  son  was  born 


44  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY". 

of  her,  whom,  in  remembrance  of  her  lamented  father,  she  called 
Thomas  Jemison.  Not  long  after  this  her  husband  died,  and  his 
death  was  to  her  a  sore  bereavement. 

The  different  Indian  tribes,  as  a  rule,  occupied  separate  and  well 
defined  districts  of  country,  which  they  held  as  their  exclusive 
domain.  Members  of  a  tribe  would  often  wander  far  away,  and 
live  mingled  with  similar  parties  from  other  tribes  on  some  com- 
mon hunting  ground,  and  then  after  many  years  absence  return  to 
their  tribal  home.  The  Seneca  tribe,  of  which  Mary  Jemison  had 
become  a  member,  dwelt  along  the  Genesee  River,  in  a  large  town 
named  Genishaw,  lying  southwest  of  the  present  town  of  Genesee, 
Livingston  County,  New  York.  Thither  her  two  adopted  sisters, 
those  "pleasant  looking  squaws"  to  whom  she  was  very  strongly 
attached,  had  gone  after  her  marriage.  And  thither  three  of  her 
Indian  brothers  concluded  to  go,  and  proposed  to  take  her  with 
them.  At  the  close  of  summer,  "  when  the  time  for  harvesting 
corn  had  come,"  this  young  woman,  of  delicate  constitution  but  of 
stout  heart,  started  with  her  three  brothers  on  the  long  and  toil- 
some journey  to  the  home  of  their  tribe.  Leaving  the  Ohio  River, 
they  went  northward  to  Upper  Sandusky,  Wyandot  County,  Ohio, 
and  then  turned  to  the  northeast,  skirting  for  awhile  the  shore  of 
Lake  Erie,  and  arrived  at  last  on  the  banks  of  the  Genesee.  The 
journey  was  made  on  foot,  through  an  almost  pathless  wilderness. 
Mary  Jemison  was  but  thinly  clothed;  was  often  drenched  by 
heavy  rains ;  had  to  sleep  on  the  naked  ground  at  night,  without 
a  shelter  and  nothing  but  a  blanket  to  cover  her;  and  had  to  carry 
her  child,  about  nine  months  old,  on  her  back  or  in  her  arms 
every  step  of  the  journey.  Her  Indian  mother  and  the  other 
members  of  the  family  received  her  kindly.  The  continued 
favors  she  received  at  the  hands  of  those  with  whom  she  lived 
won  her  gratitude  and  affection,  so  that  she  was  contented  with 
her  lot. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  with  the  French,  the  English  authorities 
made  the  humane  effort  to  restore  to  their  relatives  all  white  cap- 
tives in  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  Mary  Jemison  was  offered  the 
opportunity,  but  she  preferred  to  remain  with  those  who  had 
adopted  her,  and  had  treated  her  with  so  much  kindness. 

In  the  year   1763  she  was  married  to  an  old  Seneca  warrior, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  45 

Hiakatoo*  by  name.  The  difference  in  their  ages  wa.s  consider- 
able. She  was  20  and  he  was  55.  With  him  she  Hved  in  happy 
wedlock  for  forty-eight  years,  and  bore  to  him  six  children,  four 
daughters  and  two  sons.  He  died  in  181 1,  when  he  was  103 
years  old.  Her  sons  were  Thomas  (by  her  first  husband),  John 
and  Jesse;  her  daughters  were  Jane,  Nancy,  Betsy  and  Polly. 
Jane  died  in  1779,  aged  15  years.  The  other  daughters  married 
Indian  husbands  and  begat  children.  AH  of  her  sons  met  with 
violent  deaths.  Thomas  was  killed  in  181 1,  Jesse  in  1812;  both 
by  their  brother  John,  who  was  intemperate  and  a  thoroughly  bad 
Indian.  In  18 17  he  was  killed  by  two  Indians  with  whom  he  had 
a  drunken  quarrel. 

The  western  portion  of  the  State  of  New  York  was  occupied 
by  a  powerful  Indian  confederacy,  to  which  the  Seneca  tribe 
belonged.  This  confederacy  was  known  by  the  name  of  the  "  Six 
Nations."  At  a  council  held  in  the  year  1797,  which  Mary  Jemison 
attended  at  the  request  of  a  leading  chief,  she  was  authorized  to 
choose  and  describe  the  bounds  of  such  lands  as  she  thought  would 
suit  her.  She  chose  what  is  known  as  the  Gardow  Tract,  contain- 
ing upwards  of  19,000  acres.  In  the  year  1817  the  Legislature  of 
New  York  passed  an  act  of  naturalization,  making  her  a  citizen, 
and  confirming  her  title  to  the  reservation  she  had  received  from 
the  Six  Nations.  Portions  of  her  land  she  sold ;  other  portions 
she  leased  to  white  people  to  farm  on  shares;  and  thus,  as  regards 
temporal  support,  she  seemed  comfortably  provided  for  during  the 
remainder  of  her  life. 

In  the  year  1825  the  Seneca  Indians  disposed  of  their  lands  on 
the  Genesee  River  and  removed  to  other  reservations.  Mary 
Jemison,  with  her  daughters  and  sons-in-law,  did  not  follow  their 
example,  deeming  it  best  to  remain  on  her  Gardow  flats,  where  she 
had  spent  so  many  peaceful  years.     It  was  not  long,  however, 

*In  Judge  McMaster's  History  of  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  Benjamin  Patterson  is 
represented  as  saying  that  Hiakatoo,  the  second  husband  of  Mary  Jemison,  was 
present  at  the  capture  of  Fort  Freeland,  July  28,  1779,  and  commanded  the  Indians 
on  that  memorable  occasion.  Patterson  and  his  brother  Robert  were  in  the  party 
commanded  by  Captain  Hawliins  Boone,  which  was  waylaid  and  defeated  by  the 
Indians  that  day,  and  they  narrowly  escaped  with  their  lives.  Hiakatoo  and  his 
band  gained  the  rear  of  Captain  Boone,  while  McDonald,  the  British  officer,  assailed 
him  in  front.     Between  the  two  forces  Boone  and  his  company  were  cut  to  pieces. 


46  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

before  she  realized  that  she  had  made  a  mistake  in  allowing  her- 
self to  be  separated  from  her  adopted  people.  Though  surrounded 
by  whites,  she  could  not  readily  affiliate  with  them.  Accustomed 
to  the  companionship  and  mode  of  life  of  the  Indians,  her  discon- 
tent increased  until  she  finally  determined  to  rejoin  her  tribe. 
Accordingly  she  disposed  of  all  her  lands  and  removed,  in  the 
year  1 831,  to  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo,  New  York,  where  the  Senecas 
had  a  reservation.  There  she  purchased  a  cabin  and  a  small  piece 
of  ground,  and  there  she  remained  until  her  death.  Her  daughter 
Polly,  and  son-in-law,  George  Shongo,  with  their  five  children,  occu- 
pied the  same  house  and  took  care  of  her  in  her  old  age.  The 
proceeds  of  the  sale-of  her  Genesee  lands  she  entrusted,  soon  after 
her  removal  to  Buffalo,  to  a  white  man,  who,  by  an  unfortunate 
speculation,  lost  the  whole  of  it.  So  many  had  been  the  trials  and 
hardships  of  her  life;  suffering  and  sorrow  had  so  long  attended 
her,  that  this  new  misfortune  did  not  fall  upon  her  as  upon  one 
unaccustomed  to  endure.  Her  wants  were  few  and  simple,  and 
these  her  daughter  and  son-in-law,  with  filial  affection  took  pains 
to  supply. 

In  the  summer  of  1833  she  was  visited  by  the  wife  of  a  mis- 
sionary who  had  shortly  before  taken  charge  of  the  Indian  mission 
established  at  Buffalo.  This  good  woman  gives  the  following  af- 
fecting account  of  her  visit  to  the  aged  and  feeble  Mary  Jemison  : 

"I  found  her  in  a  poor  hut,  where  she  lived  with  her  daughter. 
There  was  a  low  bunk  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  on  which  she 
lay.  It  was  made  by  laying  a  few  boards  on  some  logs.  A  little 
straw  was  on  the  boards,  over  which  a  blanket  was  spread.  She 
was  curled  up  on  her  bed,  her  head  drawn  forward,  sound  asleep, 
and  as  she  lay  did  not  look  much  larger  than  a  child  ten  years  old. 
After  she  was  with  some  difficulty  roused  from  her  sleep,  I  went 
forward  and  shook  hands  with  her,  and  told  her  who  I  was  and 
why  I  had  come.  As  soon  as  she  understood  the  object  of  my 
visit  she  said,  with  much  emotion :  '  I  am  glad  to  see  you.'  Then, 
with  sobs  and  tears,  she  spoke  of  the  counsel  her  mother  gave 
her  the  last  hour  they  were  together,  on  the  second  evening  after 
their  abduction  (1755),  while  they  were  encamped  in  a  dark  and 
dismal  swamp.  And  now  in  her  old  age,  when  memories  of  her 
childhood  so  predominated  as  to  obscure  recollections  of  her  later 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  47 

life,  she  was  filled  with  great  sorrow  because  she  had  forgotten  the 
promises  she  had  made  to  her  mother,  had  forgotten  the  prayer 
her  mother  had  taught  her  and  knew  not  how  to  pray." 

The  kind  missionary  sought  to  comfort  the  sorrowing  woman, 
and  repeated  the  Lord's  Prayer  in  the  English  tongue.  Mary 
Jamison  listened,  with  an  expression  both  solemn  and  tender,  till 
near  the  close,  when  suddenly  it  was  evident  a  chord  had  been 
touched  which  vibrated  into  the  far  distant  past,  and  awakened 
memories  both  sweet  and  painful.  She  immediately  became  almost 
convulsed  with  weeping,  and  it  was  sometime  before  she  could 
speak.  At  length  she  said :  "  That  is  the  prayer  my  mother  taught 
me,  and  which  I  have  forgotten  so  many  years." 

After  a  brief  illness  she  suddenly  departed  this  life  and  the  scene 
of  her  many  afflictions,  on  the  19th  day  of  September,  1833,  and 
was  buried  with  the  usual  Christian  ceremonies  in  the  grave-yard 
.  belonging  to  the  Seneca  Mission  Church,  a  large  concourse  of 
people  witnessing  by  their  presence  their  interest  in  the  one  who 
had  departed  from  them.  A  marble  slab  was  planted  at  the  head 
of  her  grave.     It  contained  the  following  inscription : 

In 

Memory  of 

THE   WHITE  WOMAN, 

MARY  JEMISON, 
Daughter  of 
THOMAS  JEMISON  4  JANE  IRWIN, 
Born  on  the  ocean  between  Ireland 
and  Phila.,  in  1742  or  3.  Taken 
captive  at  Marsh  Creek,  Pa.,  in 
I755,carried  down  the  Ohio,adopted 
into  an  Indian  family.  In  1759 
removed  to  Genesee  River.  Was 
naturalized  in  181 7.  Removed  to 
this  place  in  1831.  And  having  sur- 
vived two  husbands  and  five  chil- 
dren, leaving  three  still  alive,  .she 
died  Sept.  19th,  1833,  aged  about 
ninety  one  years.  Having  a  few- 
weeks  before  expressed  a  hope  of 
pardon  through 
JESUS  CHRIST. 

"  The  counsel  of  the  Lord,  that  shall 
stand." 


48  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

The  descendants  of  Maty  Jemison  were  so  numerous  that  they 
might  have  formed  a  distinct  clan  by  themselves.  The  name, 
"Jemison,"  became  one  of  the  most  common  and  most  honorable 
among  the  Senecas.  Many  of  her  descendants  were  not  unworthy 
of  their  white  ancestress.  They  were  highly  respected  by  their 
own  people  and  by  the  whites.  They  adopted  the  dress  and 
modes  of  life  of  civilized  people,  and  spoke  the  English  language 
with  fluency.  One  of  her  grandsons,  Jacob  Jemison,  spent  two 
years  at  Dartmouth  College,  was  a  good  scholar,  studied  medicine 
and  received  the  appointment  of  assistant  surgeon  in  the  United 
States  Navy.  Competent  authority  declared  that  there  was  no 
better  surgeon  in  the  navy. 

For  more  than  forty  years  the  mortal  remains  of  Mar}.-  Jemison 
rested  undisturbed  in  the  Mission  Cemetery  near  Buffalo.  Her 
tragic  and  romantic  history,  as  related  by  herself,  published  in 
book  form  and  largely  read,  lead  to  a  species  of  vandalism  not 
uncommon  in  the  land.  The  stone  that  marked  her  grave  was 
nearly  destroyed  by  relic  hunters.  As  the  years  rolled  on  the 
burial  ground  was  neglected,  and  was  endangered  by  the  demand 
for  new  streets  and  building  lots  for  the  expanding  city.  It  was, 
therefore,  deemed  advisable  to  remove  Mary  Jemison's  remains  to 
some  other  spot  where  they  might  remain  undisturbed  for  all 
future  time.  The  removal  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1 874,  under 
the  direction  of  Dr.  James  Shongo,  a  favorite  grandson  of  the 
deceased,  son  of  her  daughter  Polly.  The  spot  selected  for  her 
final  resting  place  was  on  an  eminence  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Genesee  River,  a  few  miles  from  her  former  residence  on  the  Gar- 
dow  Flats.  The  re-interment  of  her  remains  took  place  with 
appropriate  services,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  concourse  of  peo- 
ple, some  of  whom  were  old  citizens  from  the  reservation  she  once 
owned,  who  had  known  her  during  her  life  and  held  her  memory 
in  esteem. 

The  removal  and  re-interment  of  the  remains  of  Mary  Jemison 
were  considered  facts  of  sufficient  importance  to  receive  conspicu- 
ous notice  in  the  Buffalo  papers.  Among  other  things  the  papers 
stated  that  "  a  goodly  sized  monument  of  suitable  proportions  is 
now  being  prepared  to  place  over  the  spot  where  her  remains  now 
repose.     One  of  its  four  sides  will  bear  the  same  inscription  that 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  49 

was  on  the  old  head-stone.  The  monument  is  in  the  shape  of  a 
base  or  square  pedestal,  upon  which  it  is  contemplated  to  place  a 
bronze  statue  representing  Mary  Jemison,  in  her  Indian  costume, 
carrying  her  infant  son  upon  her  back,  as  she  first  appeared  when 
she  entered  the  Genesee  country  after  her  long  and  toilsome  jour- 
ney through  an  unbroken  wilderness  from  the  State  of  Ohio." 

As  a  fitting  sequel  to  the  foregoing  sad  story  it  may  be  proper 
to  refer  to  the  last  Indian  council  held  at  Caneadea,  in  October, 
1872.  The  meeting  and  the  Indian  ceremonies  are  graphically 
described  by  Hon.  David  Gray.*  Here,  almost  in  sight  of  the 
lovely  falls  of  the  Genesee,  in  the  old  council  house  of  Caneadea, 
the  council  fire  was  kindled  for  the  last  time.  The  old  building, 
whose  history  dates  back  into  the  misty  past,  has  been  well  pre- 
served. At  this  council  fire  nineteen  descendants  of  the  Senecas 
and  the  Mohawks  met  to  participate  in  the  ceremonies.  Among 
those  present  were  Colonel  Simcoe  Kerr,  a  grandson  of  the  famous 
Joseph  Brant.  The  illustrious  Seneca  chief.  Red  Jacket,  was  rep- 
resented by  a  grandson  bearing  the  alliterative  cognomen  of  John 
Jacket.  A  grandson  of  the  great  Cornplanter  was  also  present. 
Scarcely  less  conspicuous  in  the  assemblage  was  Thomas  Jemison, 
an  old  man  of  almost  gigantic  stature,  and  of  venerable  physiog- 
nomy, in  whom  it  was  difficult  to  realize  a  son  of  the  babe  carried 
by  the  "White  Woman"  in  her  weary  tramp  of  600  miles  from 
Ohio  to  the  Genesee.  Nicholas  H.  Parker,  a  brother  of  General 
Ely  S.  Parker,  who  was  on  General  Grant's  staff  during  the  Rebel- 
lion, was  also  present.  Among  the  number  was  James  Shongo, 
whose  father  is  reputed  to  have  been  the  leader  of  the  Senecas  in 
their  memorable  expedition  to  Wyoming.  When  the  smoke  of 
the  emblematic  fire,  lit  by  one  of  the  Indians,  curled  up  from  the 
earthen  floor  of  the  council  house  and  rose,  a  blue  pillar,  in  the 
motionless  October  air,  the  red  men  sat  around  it  silent,  looking 
at  the  consuming  embers,  while  through  the  open  door  sounded, 
from  time  to  time,  the   light  rustle  of  the  falling  leaf     At  the 


*Hon.  David  Gray  was  long  one  of  the  leading  editors  of  the  Buffalo  Courier. 
He  was  fatally  injured  by  an  accident  on  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western 
Raih'oad,  near  Binghamton,  March  l5,  1888,  and  died  a  few  days  afterwards  from 
the  effect  of  his  injuries.  He  was  an  invalid,  and,  in  company  with  his  brother,  had 
started  for  the  island  of  Cuba  when  the  sad  affair  occurred. 


50  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

proper  time  speeches  followed  in  the  native  language  of  the  tribes 
represented,  which  were  eloquent  and  impressive.  After  the  Sen- 
eca orators  had  closed  and  smoked  a  silent  pipe  of  peace,  another 
meeting,  after  the  style  of  the  pale  faces,  was  organized  and  officers 
chosen.  Addresses  in  English,  by  eminent  scholars  and  appujpri- 
ate  to  the  occasion,  followed,  when  W.  H.  C.  Hosmer,  read  the 
following  exquisite  poem : 

AFTER  THE   COUNCIL.* 
The  fire  sinks  low,  the  drifting  smoke 

Dies  softly,  in  the  autumn  haze. 
And  silent  are  the  tongues  that  spoke 

The  speech  of  other  days. 
Gone,  too,  the  dusky  ghosts  whose  feet 
But  now  yon  listening  thicket  stirred ; 
Unscared  within  its  covert  meet 

The  squirrel  and  the  bird. 
The  story  of  the  past  is  told. 

But  thou,  O  Valley,  sweet  and  lone  ! 
Glen  of  the  Rainbow !  thou  shalt  hold 

Its  romance  as  thine  own. 
Thoughts  of  thine  ancient  forest  prime 

Shall  sometimes  haunt  thy  summer  dreams. 
And  shape  to  low  poetic  rhyme. 
The  music  of  thy  streams. 

When  Indian  Summer  flings  her  cloak 

Of  brooding  azure  on  the  woods. 
The  pathos  of  a  vanished  folk 

Shall  tinge  thy  solitudes. 
The  blue  smoke  of  their  fires  once  more 

Far  o'er  the  hills  shall  seem  to  rise. 
And  sunset's  golden  clouds  restore 

The  red  man's  paradise. 
Strange  sounds  of  a  forgotten  tongue 

Shall  cling  to  many  a  crag  and  cave. 
In  wash  of  falling  waters  sung. 

Or  murmur  of  the  wave. 
And  oft  in  midmost  hush  of  night. 

Shrill  o'er  the  deep-mouthed  cataract's  roar. 
Shall  ring  the  war-cry  from  the  height 

That  woke  the  wilds  of  yore. 
Sweet  Vale,  more  peaceful  bend  thy  skies, 

Thy  airs  are  fraught  with  rarer  balm : 

*See  Scribner's  Magazine  for  July,  1877,  page  349. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  5 1 

A  people's  busy  tumult  lies 

Hushed  in  thy  sylvan  calm. 
O  sweet  thy  peace !  while  fancy  frames 

Soft  idyls  of  thy  dwellers  fled,— 
They  loved  thee,  called  thee  gentle  names. 

In  the  long  summers  dead. 

Quenched  is  the  fire ;  the  drifting  smoke 

Has  vanished  in  the  autumn  haze; 
Gone,  too,  O  Vale,  the  simple  folk 

Who  loved  thee  in  old  days. 
But,  for  their  sakes — their  lives  serene — 

Their  loves,  perchance  as  sweet  as  ours — 
O,  be  thy  woods  for  aye  more  green. 

And  fairer  bloom  thy  flowers ! 

And  SO  closed  the  solemn  festival  in  the  council  house  of  Can- 
eadea.  To  the  descendants  of  those  who  two  generations  before 
had  gone  out,  it  seemed  but  a  phantom  of  the  old  nation  that 
came  back  to  revisit  its  ancient  haunts  and  bid  them  a  last  fare- 
well. But  around  the  ancient  council  house  the  memory  of  the 
exiles  will  be  kept  green.  The  tomb  of  Mary  Jemison,  reared 
but  a  few  paces  from  where  they  met,  will  form  an  enduring  mon- 
ument of  the  early  history  of  the  Genesee  country.  Some  trees, 
also,  brought  from  her  former  grave  and  set  around  the  old 
building,  will  cast  upon  the  place  a  memorial  shade.  One  planted 
by  the  granddaughter  of  Brant,  the  Mohawk,  stands  guard  at  the 
eastern  door;  another,  planted  by  the  descendant  of  Red  Jacket, 
keeps  watch  at  the  door  of  the  west.  In  the  branches  of  a  third, 
set  in  the  soil  by  the  hands  of  her  grandson,  the  wind,  perhaps, 
will  sometimes  seem  to  whisper  the  name  of  the  white  captive  of 
the  Senecas. 


CHAPTER   V. 

INDIAN    TOWNS,   GRAVE-VAKDS    AND    THE    REMAINS   OF   OLD    FORTIFI- 
CATIONS  CURIOUS  AND  INTERESTING  ANTIQUITIES TOMAHAWKS, 

BEADS,  PIPES,  GORGETS  AND  SPEAR  HEADS WAR  PATHS. 

IN  considering  the  subject  of  Indian  towns  and  antiquities  one 
must  of  necessity  divest  his  mind  entirely  of  all  ideas  arising 
from  an  acquaintance  with  the  collected  domiciles  of  civilized 
people;  for  the  existence  of  any  sort  of  intelligent  plan  or  ar- 
rangement in  their  savage  habitations  was  not  at  all  probable. 
Where  their  rude  wigwams  occurred  in  a  sufficient  number  to  be 
termed  a  village,  they  were  grouped  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  ground  and  surroundings,  with  a  view  to  safety-  from  sudden 
high  water,  and  at  the  same  time  keeping  in  close  proximity  to 
the  customary  resorts  of  game  or  other  sources  of  food.  An 
Indian  town  might  be  comprised  of  a  large  number  of  clusters  of 
wigwams,  extending,  in  a  disjointed  way,  for  several  miles,  or  it 
might  be  a  comparatively  large  population  within  a  short  radius. 

The  aboriginal  highways  or  trails  were  usually  located  along 
the  brow  of  alluvial  plateaus,  so  as  to  avoid  the  swamps  which 
everywhere  prevailed.  Their  settlements  were  within  easy  reach 
of  these  trails,  and  almost  invariably  along  the  banks  of  a  stream, 
the  seat  of  authority  or  most  populous  point  usually  being  near 
the  confluence  of  the  main  river  and  one  of  its  tributaries. 

It  was  upon  these  high,  warm,  sandy  plains  that  they  cleared 
up  their  little  patches  of  ground  upon  which  the  squaws  cultivated 
a  few  squashes,  beans,  maize  and  a  little  tobacco,  while  the  braves 
hunted  game  in  the  forest,  fished  in  the  streams  or  engaged  in  war 
with  neighboring  tribes.  Comparatively  few  of  these  villages  can 
be  located  at  the  present  day  by  name  with  any  degree 'of  accuracy, 
but  much  more  reliable  monuments  have  been  preserved,  which 
testify  in  unmistakable  signs  of  the  former  existence  of  Indian 
dwellings  of  no  short  duration.     When  we  come  upon  the  char- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  53 

acter  of  ground  indicated  above,  and  find  both  upon  the  surface, 
as  the  soil  is  turned  over  by  the  plow,  and  along  the  banks  where 
the  annual  freshets  scour  the  earth  away,  a  large  variety  of  stone 
implements  suited  to  the  habits  of  this  ancient  people,  we  may 
safely  conclude  that  here  indeed  was  their  abiding  place. 

Some  years  ago  the  late  Spencer  F.  Baird,  secretary  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  at  Washington,  requested  Mr.  J.  H.  Mc- 
Minn,  of  Williamsport,  to  send  him  a  brief  description,  accom- 
panied by  profile  drawings,  of  some  of  the  typical  specimens  in 
his  collection  of  pre-historic  relics  found  in  the  West  Branch 
Valley.  In  acknowledging  receipt  of  the  same,  Professor  Baird 
said  he  had  no  idea  that  such  a  variety  of  implements  had  been 
found  in  this  part  of  the  country. 

In  referring  to  the  antiquities  of  this  region  Mr.  McMinn  says: 
"  The  same  sentiment  has  been  expressed  by  every  one  taking  any 
interest  in  the  subject,  who  has  not  become  familiar  with  the  won- 
derful variety  and  abundance  of  these  tokens  of  a  large  population 
which  ohce  dwelt  along  the  banks  of  the  West  Branch  and  its  trib- 
utaries. The  numerous  local  collections  really  form  but  an  insig- 
nificant representation  of  the  total  amount  discovered,  for  great 
numbers  have  been  carried  to  all  parts  of  the  land  as  keepsakes  or 
curios,  or  contributed  to  various  institutions  at  home  and  abroad. 
Nothing  short  of  a  large  financial  outlay  in  the  engraver's  art,  upon 
a  volume  of  many  hundred  pages,  would  fitly  convey  an  idea  of 
the  character  and  extent  of  these  .specimens  of  pre-historic  art,  so 
that  we  must  be  content  with  a  very  imperfect  description  of  a  few 
of  the  leading  varieties,  leaving  the  wide  range  of  oddities  which 
challenge  our  attempts  to  account  for  their  intended  use,  without 
so  much  as  a  brief  mention. 

"The  most  familiar  article  of  aboriginal  workmanship  is  the 
so-called  '  flint  arrow  head.'  Perfect  specimens  are  not  now  very 
plenty,  but  fragments  and  spawls  can  be  picked  up  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  this  valley,  after  the  expiration  of  a  century 
and  a  half  of  occupation  by  the  white  race.  To  the  student  of 
this  branch  of  archaeology  these  implements  have  resolved  them- 
selves into  a  regular  classification,  consisting  of  spear  or  javelin 
heads,  knife  bits,  scrapers,  borers,  etc.,  and  arrow  heads  compris- 
ing the  stemmed,  barbed,  leaf-shaped,  lozenge-shaped,  triangular, 


54  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLE\'. 

Straights,  bunts,  etc.,  depending  upon  form,  size  or  probable  use  in 
determining  the  variety. 

"These  implements  were  flaked  out  of  a  material  known  as 
chert,  an  impure  flint  that  occurs  along  with  mo.st  of  the  limestone 
formations,  but  from  the  amount  of  yellow,  red  and  white  flakes, 
with  an  occasional  perfect  specimen  found  where  these  articles 
were  made,  it  is  clear  that  the  material  for  the  finer  varieties  must 
have  been  brought  from  a  great  distance,  as  it  does  not  occur  in 
this  vicinity. 

"Enthusiastic  disciples  of  the  ceramic  art  can  here  find  abun- 
dant opportunity'  for  extending  their  researches  into  the  most 
remote  antiquity,  for  scattered  over  every  sandy  bottom  can  be 
found  small  fragments  of  earthenware  that  have  withstood  the 
buffeting  of  the  elements,  and  the  implements  of  agriculture,  from 
the  dawn  of  our  local  history.  It  is  not  surprising  that  an  entire 
vessel  is  rarely  found,  but  yet  some  twenty  varieties  of  style  have 
been  identified,  showing  a  conical  bottom,  and  a  rim  as  skilfully 
formed  as  we  expect  to  find  upon  the  lathe  of  the  modern  potter. 
The  body  of  the  vessel  was  rarely  plain,  being  usually  marked 
profusely  with  bark,  an  ear  of  maize,  some  sharp  instrument,  or, 
perhaps,  the  basket  in  which  the  ware  may  have  been  fashioned. 
The  material  employed  consisted  of  clay  mixed  with  quartz  gravel, 
or  clay  and  comminuted  muscle  shells,  or  clay  and  soapstone,  and 
was  baked  thoroughly. 

"  A  variety  of  hollow  ware  is  occasionally  met  with  that  deserves 
an  extended  investigation.  It  has  been  produced  from  blocks  of 
soapstone,  carved  into  the  desired  shape.  The  material  is  not 
known  to  exist  nearer  than  Lehigh  County,  or  the  State  of 
Maryland,  as  it  does  not  occur  in  the  geological  formations  of  any 
nearer  locality;  so  that  this  ware,  or  the  crude  material,  must  have 
been  transported  hundreds  of  miles.  Entire  vessels  have  not  been 
met  with,  but  fragments,  indicating  large  capacity,  are  picked  up 
from  time  to  time  along  the  river  shores.  Some  of  these  have 
immense  ears  or  hand-holds  upon  them,  others  have  short  legs 
upon  which  they  rested,  while  others  are  very  crude  indeed. 

"  Long  cylindrical  implements,  known  as  '  pestles,'  are  occasion- 
ally found  without  being  broken.  One  of  the  most  perfect  speci- 
mens, carved  out  of  a  piece  of  black  slate,  was  taken  from  a  well 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  55 

that  was  being  dug  near  Pine  Creek  many  years  ago.  Another  of 
very  large  size  was  found  in  the  lower  end  of  the  valley,  in  turning 
over  a  furrow  with  a  plow ;  it  is  stained  black  at  each  end. 

"The  class  of  implements  denominated  celts,  or  'edge  tools,' 
finds  numerous  illustrations  in  our  valley.  They  are  tapering  and 
not  perforated,  as  in  many  European  specimens.  They  are  often 
beautifully  polished  and  bear  a  sharp  edge. 

"  Hatchets  and  axes  of  various  sizes  and  designs  are  found  now 
and  then ;  some  are  perfectly  formed  and  finely  finished ;  they  are 
all  grooved  and  not  perforated,  and  are  usually  made  of  a  hard, 
tough  stone,  not  found  in  this  vicinity. 

"  Discoidal  stones,  commonly  called  '  hammer  stones,'  are  com- 
paratively plenty ;  they  are  sometimes  made  of  very  hard  material 
not  found  about  here.  This  variety  of  implements  has  occasioned 
much  discussion  as  to  their  original  use,  which  is  not  understood 
at  all. 

"  Pipes,  beads,  amulets,  gorgets,  banner  stones,  gouges,  cere- 
monials, etc.,  are  the  most  rare  of  all  stone  implements.  The)- 
are  seldom  found  and  are  highly  prized.  Upon  them  has  been 
expended  the  most  definite  design  and  most  elaborate  skill  in 
finish;  they  seem  to  represent  the  highest  degree  of  art  attained 
by  the  people  of  their  day.  Many  beautiful  and  perfect  speci- 
mens have  been  found  in  this  valley,  and  they  are  held  as  precious 
treasures  by  collectors  of  relics  of  the  pre-historic  races. 

"  Copper  implements  have  not  been  found  in  this  valley,  so  far 
as  known,  and  implements  of  bone  are  rare,  as  they,  like  wood 
and  leather,  have  mouldered  on  account  of  their  perishable  nature. 

"  One  of  the  singular  indications  of  the  former  location  of  the 
aboriginal  wigwam  or  village,  is  the  frequent  occurrence  of  stone- 
heaps.*  These  mounds  are  composed  of  fragments  of  quartzite 
boulders  about  the  size  of  a  man's  fist,  or  larger,  and  bear  indica- 


*The  singular  sti'ucture  near  the  wigwam  was  a  vapor  bath  house,  whither  the 
Indians  repaired  three  or  four  times  a  week,  when  fatigued  or  unwell,  in  order  to 
perspire.  It  consisted  of  a  wooden  oven  covered  with  earth,  and  having,  at  one  end, 
a  small  orifice,  through  which  the  natives  crept  in,  squatted  between  stones  that  had 
been  previously  heated  red  hot  in  a  fire  built  at  the  opening.  After  a  time  they  came 
out  and  cooled  themselves ;  then  re-entered  and  perspired  anew.  This  was  repeated 
three  or  four  times.  The  bath  houses  of  the  women  were  apart  from  those  of  the 
men. — Life  of  Zeisberger,  page  89. 


56  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

tions  of  having  been  exposed  to  intense  heat.  They  may  be 
found  in  nests  of  half  a  bushel,  or  in  heaps  of  many  cart  loads ; 
while  they  are  commonly  upon  the  surface  of  the  ground,  they 
are  as  often  in  a  pit  beneath,  or  even  with  the  surface.  In  a  field 
near  Hillsgrove,  in  Sullivan  County;  on  the  upper  end  of  Bailey's 
Island,  near  Jersey  Shore,  and  on  Nippenose  Bottom,  opposite  the 
mouth  of  Larry's  Creek,  are  heaps  that  are  of  notably  large  di- 
mensions. Small  heaps  fringe  the  river  banks,  and  are  to  be  found 
along  the  tributaries.  Implements  are  not  found  in  them,  but  at 
a  convenient  distance  away  may  be  confidently  expected.  That 
these  were  fire-places,  seems  to  be  beyond  a  doubt.  The  stoiie 
selected  was  often  brought  from  a  great  distance,  and  was  chosen, 
apparently,  because  it  would  not  '  fly '  when  heated ;  but  why  they 
were  heated  is  an  open  question.  Some  assert  that  the  boulders 
were  heated,  then  cast  into  some  vessel  containing  water,  and  by 
this  means  food  was  boiled.  Others  have  thought  that  these  stones 
were  used  as  a  kind  of  hearth ;  the  fire  would  heat  them,  and  after 
it  died  out  the  radiation  from  the  stone  would  warm  the  wigwam. 
But  like  most  of  the  uses  ascribed  to  the  many  implements  left 
from  past  ages,  they  are  apt  to  be  suggested  by  the  customs  prac- 
ticed by  the  enlightened  people  of  to-day,  and  are  often  very  far 
from  the  actual  facts." 

Returning  to  the  starting  point  of  our  history,  we  find  that  the 
largest  Indian  town,  of  which  we  have  any  account,  was  located 
on  the  alluvial  plain  where  Sunbury  now  stands,  and  was  known 
as  Shamokin.  The  island  in  the  North  Branch,  at  the  junction 
with  the  West  Branch,  was  also  inhabited,  and  according  to  ac- 
counts of  the  early  explorers,  Indians  of  distinction  resided  there. 
It  was.  composed  of  a  rich  alluvial  soil  and  was  densely  wooded. 
The  great  Indian  ferry,  from  where  Northumberland  stands, 
touched  at  the  island  and  made  the  trip  across  the  river  much 
easier. 

Shamokin,*  on  account  of  its  location,  and  being  the  converging 

*  Written  Schahamoki  or  Schahamokink  by  the  Delawares.  In  early  times  the 
place  was  called  Schachavieki,  the  place  of  eels,  and  the  Creek  Schachamekan,  i.  e., 
eel  stream.  It  was  next  called  Sckachkenainendi^  signifying  the  place  where  gun 
barrels  are  straightened,  because  it  had  become  the  residence  of  an  ingenious  Dela- 
ware, Nutamees  by  name,  who  undertook  to  repair  the  bent  fire  arms  of  the  Indians. 
According  to  Shikellimy  Ot-ze-nach-se  was  the  name  of  the  place  in  the  Maqua,  or 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  57 

point  of  the  great  trails  south  and  north,  was  the  most  populous. 
It  was  also  the  most  important  settlement  south  of  Tioga  Point,  on 
account  of  being  the  residence  of  the  vice-king  or  governor  of 
the  Indians  in  this  wide  extent  of  territory.  When  first  visited 
by  the  whites,  in  1728,  it  contained  fifty  or  more  wigwams,  and 
they  were  scattered  over  considerable  territory.  At  the  upper 
part  of  the  village  was  an  extensive  burying-ground,  which  had 
evidently  been  used  for  a  long  time,  judging  from  the  number  of 
graves  it  contained.  After  the  abandonment  of  the  place  by  the 
Indians  many  of  these  graves  were  opened  by  relic  hunters. 
During  floods  in  the  river  many  of  them  were  exposed  in  the 
banks.  The  soil  was  a  loam,  mixed  with  sand,  which  made  it 
easy  for  digging.  The  grave-yard  was  located  on  the  river  bank 
at  a  point  about  midway  between  the  southern  end  of  the  Philadel- 
phia and  Erie  Railroad  bridge  and  the  Hunter*  mansion,  and  200 
yards  above  Fort  Augusta.  Nearly  forty  years  ago  two  hickory 
trees  were  standing  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  about  fifty  feet  apart. 
From  the  surroundings  at  that  time  these  trees  appeared  to  mark 
the  northern  and  southern  boundaries  of  the  burying-ground. 
There  is  no  trace  of  these  trees  now.  They  have  gone  down 
with  the  ravages  of  time  and  the  action  of  the  water  on  the  bank 
of  the  river  at  that  point,  A  large  buttonwood  tree,  now  stand- 
ing there,  is  the  only  thing  left  to  mark  the  location  of  the  cemetery 
on  its  southern  boundary.  The  graves  ranged  in  depth  from  one 
to  three  feet. 


language  of  the  Six  Nations. — Heckewelder.  Nutamees  was  at  this  time  King  of 
Nescopeck,  and  his  name,  according  to  Heclvewelder,  signifies  a  spearer  of  fish. 
Reichel  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  smithy,  built  at  Shamokin  by  Joseph  Powell  and 
John  Hagen,  of  Bethlehem,  in  July,  1747,  and  the  blacksmiths,  Schmid,  Wesa  and 
Kieffer,  who  wrought  in  iron  at  that  place  until  in  October,  1755,  was  suggestive  of 
the  name  Schach-he-na  men-di. 

*Three  farms,  known  as  the  "Grant,"  "  Hunter"  and  the  "Scott,"  border  on  the 
Susquehanna  at  Sunbury,  and  extend  east  to  the  Catawissa  road.  This  road  starts  at 
Market  Street,  in  Purdytown,  and  runs  northeast  along  the  western  base  of  what  is 
known  as  "  Bakeoven  Hill."  The  river  front  of  the  "Grant"  extends  from  a  point 
about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  on  the  North  Branch  to  a  short  distance  below  the 
Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad  bridge.  From  this  point  to  the  upper  corner  of  an 
orchard,  a  short  distance  below  the  Hunter  mansion,  is  the  river  front  of  the  "  Hun- 
ter," and  from  the  orchard  corner  to  Clement's  saw  mill,  or  the  Sunbury  borough  line, 
is  the  river  front  of  the  "  Scott."  The  "  Grant "  is  now  owned  by  Senator  S.  P. 
Wolverton.     The  buildings  are  located  at  the  end  of  the  Northumberland  wagon 


58  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Benjamin  Hendricks  purchased  the  Hunter  farm  in  1858  and  sold 
it  in  1863.  It  was  during  this  ownership  that  his  son,  M.  L.  Hen- 
dricks, now  of  Sunbury,  made  his  collection  of  Indian  antiquities, 
which  is  very  large  and  interesting.  In  his  collection  are  between 
5,000  and  6,000  beads,  taken  from  these  Indian  graves.  They  are 
of  amber  and  glass.  When  the  exhumation  was  made,  only  a 
portion  of  the  bones  of  the  dead  remained,  but  the  beads  laid 
just  as  they  had  rested  on  the  breasts  of  the  dead  warriors  when 
they  were  buHed  on  their  backs,  with  the  string  suspended  from 
the  neck.  The  "  dangle  beads,"  used  for  ornamenting  the  sidfes  of 
their  leggings,  were  of  brass,  invariably,  and  were  fastened  to  the 
leggings  with  bits  of  buckskin,  which  remains  in  many  of  them  to 
this  day.  Numerous  bunches  of  coarse  black  hair  were  also 
found,  but  it  crumbled  to  ashes  on  being  exposed  to  the  air.  Mr. 
Hendricks  exhumed  the  remains  of  at  least  twenty-five  bodies  in 
all.  One  was  in  a  standing  position.  Before  burial  the  body, 
evidently,  had  been  stripped  of  everything.  According  to  tradi- 
tion, when  an  Indian  committed  a  grave  crime  and  was  executed, 
he  was  buried  in  a  standing  position,  after  the  removal  of  all  his 
paraphernalia,  and  given  nothing  to  take  along  with  him  to  the 
happy  hunting  grounds.  This  standing  skeleton  had  been  violent- 
ly struck  on  the  left  side  of  the  head  with  a  tomahawk,  as  the 
skull  was  fractured. 

One  of  the  graves  opened  evidently  contained  the  remains  of 
a  person  of  distinction,  as  the  body  had  been  buried  with  the 
head  to  the  east  and  the  feet  to  the  west.  About  400  beads,  glass, 
bone  and  amber,  were  found  in  this  grave.  Some  are  of  the  shape 
and  color  of  blackberries.  The  amber  beads  are  as  large  as  small 
hickory  nuts,  and  of  different  colors.  They  are  regarded  as  rare 
and  valuable  relics.  The  grave  also  contained  the  following 
additional  articles :     Three  copper  finger  rings,  with  clasped  hands 

bridge  over  the  river.  TIae  "Hunter"  and  "Scott"  belong  to  the  estate  of  Joseph 
W.  Cake,  deceased.  The  round-house  and  extensive  shops  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  Railroad  Company,  and  the  yard  of  the  same,  are  located  on  the  "  Hunter." 
The  famous  "  Bloody  Spring,"  east  of  and  opposite  the  shops,  is  also  on  the  "  Hunter." 
The  site  of  Fort  Augusta  and  the  magazine  (the  latter  still  there)  is  on  the  "  Hunter," 
and  their  location  is  precisely  opposite  the  lower  point  of  Packer's  Island,  in  the 
North  Branch,  Along  the  river  fronts  of  these  three  farms  is  where  the  Indians 
anchored  their  canoes,  and  here  many  conflicts  and  stirring  scenes  of  early  days 
occurred. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


59 


on  the  upper  side  of  one;  a  number  of  small  bells  and  dangles 
for  breech  pants ;  six  copper  or  brass  bracelets ;  one  iron  tobacco 
box,  with  a  small  quantity  of  tobacco  still  in  it;  one  fishing  line; 
one  needle,  two  and  one-half  inches  long,  with  eye  one-fourth  of 
an  inch.  The  needle  is  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  thick.  One 
English  copper  cent  and  half  cent;  a  copper  medal,  with  portrait 
of  George  III.  on  one  side,  and  an  Indian  with  bow  and  arrow 
on  the  other,  standing  under  a  tree  in  the  act  of  shooting  a  deer, 
with  the  sun  brightly  shining  on  the  scene ;  one  scalping 
knife,  of  English  manufacture,  ten  inches  long  when  open. 
Although  much  corroded,  it  will  still  open  and  shut.  One 
green  glass  bottle,  with  a  long  neck,  which  will  hold  about 
half  a  pint.  It  laid  near  the  head  of  the  skeleton.  The 
remains  of  a  musket  barrel,  about  eighteen  inches  long, 
with  the  lock  attached.  The  wood-work  had  rotted  away. 
( )ne  ceremonial  iron  tomahawk,  in  an  excellent  state  of 
preservation,  and  a  number  of  flint  arrow  heads;  one  stone 
pamt  cup,  partly  filled  with  vermillion,  as  bright  as  it  was 
140  years  ago;  one  iron  pipe  of  peace  with  the  tomahawk 
broken  off  the  side ;  one  old  Enghsh  white  clay  pipe.  A 
few  crumbling  pieces  of  a  wooden  cofifin,  with  corroded 
nails  adhering  to  them,  were  also  found  in  this  grave. 
^Kmf".^  Mr.  Hendricks  is  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  this  was 
the  grave  of  Shikellimy,  the  good  vice-king,  who  died  April, 
1749,*  and  was  given  a  Christian  burial  by  the  Moravian  mission- 
aries. The  trinkets  found  in  this  grave  indicate  that  de- 
ceased had  been  a  person  of  more  than  ordinary  stand- 
ing in  life.  All  these  valuable  antiquities  are  kept  in  a 
neat  case,  with  a  glass  top,  which  was  manufactured  out 
of  pine  timber  found  among  the  crumbling  ruins  of  Fort 
Augusta.  It  is  the  most  valuable  part  of  his  large  and 
interesting  collection.  Another  curious  article  in  his 
museum  is  an  Indian  whistle.  It  is  made  of  stone,  with  a 
rude  face  carved  on  one  side.  By  blowing  in  the  lower 
end,  the  air  causes  a  loud,  shrill  sound.  It  is  less  than 
three  inches  long  and  about  one  and  a  half  wide.     Mr.      Tomahawk. 

*  The  Moravian  records  do  not  agree  as  to  the  date  of  his  death.     Zeisberger,  who 
was  present,  says  that  he  died  December  6,  1 748. 


6o  HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Hendricks  found  it  in  the  grave-yard  while  making  his  explorations. 
The  Indians  used  such  whistles  for  calling  each  other,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  imitating  the  cries  of  animals  and  birds. 
Specimens  are  rare  in  this  part  of  the  State,  and  we 
know  of  no  other  one  in  any  collection  in  the  West 
Branch  Valley.  There  are  other  collections  of  an- 
tiquities in  Sunbury  besides  the  one  belonging  to 
Mr.  Hendricks,  although  on  a  smaller  scale.  A.  N. 
Indian  Whistle.  Bricc,  Esq.,  cdltor  and  publisher  of  the  Weekly 
News,  is  the  possessor  of  a  choice  assortment  of  Indian  beads, 
spear  and  arrow  heads.  Many  valuable  relics  have  been  carried 
away  from  time  to  time  and  distributed  throughout  the  country. 
Had  a  start  been  made  a  hundred  years  ago  by  some  person  to 
collect  the  implements  used  by  the  Indians,  and  had  it  been  kept 
up,  an  immense  museum  would  now  be  one  of  the  attractions  of 
Sunbury. 

Years  ago  the  hills  around  Shamokin,  in  many  places,  bore 
marks  of  having  been  excavated,  but  for  what  purpose  is  now 
unknown.  It  was  said  that  the  Indians  had  knowledge  of  the 
existence  of  some  kind  of  mineral  which  they  used  in  considerable 
quantities.  P.  B.  Masser,  Esq.,  of  Sunbury,  describes  the  remains 
of  what  appeared  to  have  been  a  small  furnace,  covered  by  a 
mound,  which  was  discovered  near  the  Bloody  Spring  many  years 
ago.  It  was  carefully  examined  by  him  in  1854.  The  bed  ap- 
peared to  have  been  about  six  feet  square  and  it  was  constructed 
of  stone.  It  bore  every  sign  of  having  been  subjected  to  the 
action  of  intense  heat,  as  the  sand  was  much  baked  and  blackened. 
On  making  a  careful  examination,  several  small  particles  of  gold 
were  discovered,  which  Mr.  Masser  still  retains.  There  is  a  tradi- 
tion that  three  Englishmen  came  there  at  an  early  period  and 
erected  the  furnace  for  e.Kperimenting  with  ores. 

There  is  no  record  of  any  settlement  worth  speaking  of  on  the 
site  of  Northumberland,  although  it  is  probable  that  Indians  dwelt 
there.     At  the  mouth  of  Chillisquaque  *  Creek  there  was  a  small 


*  Corrupted  from  C/i7//;ra«?-/,  signifying  the  place  of  snow  birds. — HeckeiL'elJer. 
Scull's  map  locates  an  Indian  village  of  the  same  name  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek. 
Conrad  Weiser  says  in  his  journal  that  when  the  old  Indian  ferried  him  in  his  canoe 
across  the  creek,  he  gave  him  some  needles  and  a  pair  of  shoe  strings. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  6 1 

Indian  village.  Conrad  Weiser,  as  early  as  1737,  made  a  journey 
up  the  river  while  en  route  for  Onondaga.  On  the  7th  of  March 
he  writes  in  his  journal: 

An  old  Shawano  by  name  Jenoniawano,  took  us  in  his  canoe  across  the  creek  at 
Zilly  Sqiiaclie  (ChiUisquaque).  On  the  Sth  we  reached  the  village  where  Shikelimo 
lives,  who  was  appointed  to  be  my  companion  and  guide  in  the  journey.  He  was, 
however,  far  from  home  on  a  hunt.  V\'eather  became  bad  and  the  waters  high,  and 
no  Indian  could  be  induced  to  seek  Shikelimo  until  the  12th,  when  two  young  Indians 
agreed  to  go  out  in  search  of  him.  On  the  i6th  they  returned  with  word  that  Shik- 
elimo would  be  back  next  day,  which  so  happened.  The  Indians  were  out  of  pro- 
visions at  this  place.  I  saw  a  new  blanket  given  for  about  one-third  of  a  bushel  of 
Indian  corn. 

Hon.  John  Blair  Linn,  in  his  Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley,  thinks 
there  is  no  doubt  but  Shikellimy's  village  was  located  on  the  farm 
of  Hon.  George  F.  Miller,  at  the  mouth  of  Sinking  Run,  or 
Shikellimy's  Run,  as  it  was  formerly  called,  at  the  old  ferry,  one- 
half  mile  below  Milton,  on  the  Union  County  side.  The  Reading 
Railroad  now  runs  through  where  it  probably  stood.*  It  is  a 
beautiful  spot  for  a  village,  as  it  was  protected  on  the  north  by  a 
range  of  hills,  with  the  river  much  narrowed  in  front,  giving  easy 
access  to  the  Northumberland  side. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  river  from  Shikellimy's  town,  and 
nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek,  on  the  Nesbit  farm, 
the  early  settlers  discovered  an  Indian  mound  which  had  been 
used  for  burial  purposes.  It  was  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet  in 
diameter.  When  it  was  opened  it  was  found  to  have  a  floor  laid 
with  flat  stones,  on  which  the  bodies  of  the  dead  appeared  to  have 
been  placed  in  a  sitting  posture.  This  was  evident  from  the  fact 
that  the  skulls  all  rested  on  top  of  the  other  bones.  When  the 
bones  were  exposed  to  the  air  they  soon  crumbled  to  dust.  The 
tomb  contained  no  implements  of  war,  but  a  few  rude  stone  pipes 
were  found.     On  the  summit  of  this  mound  an  ash  tree  was  grow- 

*When  the  land  office  was  opened  for  "the  new  purchase,"  on  the  3d  of  April, 
1769,  there  were  many  applications  made  for  this  location.  In  all  of  them  it  is  called 
either  old  Muncy  town,  Shikellimy's  town  or  Shikellimy's  old  town.  It  is  referred  to 
as  a  locality  in  hundreds  of  applications  for  land  in  the  valley.  Shikellimy's  town 
was  on  the  "Joseph  Hutchinson"  and  "Michael  Weyland  "  warrantee  tracts,  from 
which  the  title  can  be  readily  traced  to  the  present  owner.  Thousands  of  Indian 
darts  were  plowed  up  there,  and  once  when  blasting  at  the  stone  quarry  a  grave  was 
uncovered  in  the  solid  rock,  in  which  was  found  the  skeleton  of  an  Indian. — Linn's 
Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley,  page  3. 


ill"- 


'PW'^f^y^^ 


^,.^^  Ml-'..  ,XaU!>.^iSid 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  63 

ing,  when  it  was  opened, — more  than  fifty  years  ago, — which  was 
hollow.  The  concentric  circles  in  the  solid  part  of  the  trunk 
showed  it  to  be  70  years  of  age.  The  tree  was  probably  much 
older  and  had  grown  on  the  mound  after  it  was  thrown  up. 
When  or  by  what  tribe  it  was  built  is  unknown.  But  that  the 
builders  belonged  to  a  pre-historic  race  there  is  no  doubt. 

There  were  some  Indian  habitations  where  New  Columbia 
stands,  but  they  were  small  in  number.  Many  relics,  however, 
have  been  picked  up  in  this  locality,  showing  that  straggling 
parties  were  there  frequently.  But  the  most  important  point, 
before  reaching  Muncy,  was  what  is  known  as  Warrior  Run. 
Here  was  a  hunting  cabin  occupied  at  one  time  by  a  son  of  Shik- 
ellimy.  It  was  a  tarrying  place  for  parties  working  their  way  up 
or  down  the  river.  Bishop  Spangenberger,  accompanied  by  Zeis- 
berger,  Conrad  Weiser,  Shikellimy,  Andrew  Montour  and  others, 
when  he  made  his  great  journey  to  Onondaga,  tarried  here  on  the 
night  of  June  7,  1745.  They  called  it  the  "Warrior's  Camp," 
because  "  it  was  the  custom,"  says  the  biographer  of  Zeisberger, 
"of  the  Moravian  missionaries,  in  those  days,  when  passing 
through  the  wilderness,  to  give  their  camping  grounds  names,  the 
initials  of  which  were  carved  on  trees,  and  remained  as  landmarks 
for  other  evangelists.  In  the  course  of  time  the  valleys  of  the 
Susquehanna,  and  the  forests  of  New  York,  were  full  of  memen- 
tos of  pious  zeal;  and  as  the  localities  were  described  in  the 
journals  of  the  itinerants,  and  the  appellations  used  by  subsequent 
visitors,  a  geographical  nomenclature  grew  into  existence  which 
was  peculiarly  Moravian.  The  arrival  of  two  Iroquois  warriors, 
who  noiselessly  glided  to  the  fire,  suggested  the  name  for  this 
particular  camp.  They  belonged  to  a  band  that  had  been  defeated 
by  the  Catawbas,  escaping  with  nothing  but  their  lives.  One  of 
them,  at  the  request  of  Weiser,  hurried  on  to  Onondaga,  the  ne.xt 
morning,  in  order  to  announce  the  coming  of  the  party." 

This  circumstance  seems  to  have  given  rise  to  the  origin  of  the 
name  of  the  stream  which  falls  into  the  river  at  Watsontown.  ^It 
afterwards  became  historic,  on  account  of  the  capture  of  Fort 
Freeland  by  the  British  and  Indians,  long  after  the  good  mission- 
aries had  tarried  over  night  on  its  banks. 

Many  years  ago  there  were  traces  of  some  kind  of  a  fortification 


64  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

near  New  Columbia,  and  it  was  called  the  "  Indian  Fort "  b}-  the 
early  explorers.  The  Indians  also  frequented  White  Deer  *  Val- 
ley, but  we  have  no  evidence  that  they  had  a  village  of  any  size 
in  it. 

That  the  valley  of  Muncy  was  a  favorite  place  of  resort  for  the 
Indians,  from  time  immemorial,  does  not  admit  of  a  doubt.  Indeed 
it  could  not  be  otherwise,  when  its  beauty  and  picturesque  sur- 
roundings are  considered,  for  there  is  not  a  lovelier  or  more 
attractive  district  in  all  the  Susquehanna  region.  It  is  surrounded 
on  all  sides  by  hills  which  afford  natural  barriers  to  the  ingress 
of  intruders.  The  valley  is  broad  and  undulating,  and  the  soil  is 
rich  and  productive.  Westward  looms  up  the  Bald  Eagle  range, 
with  its  sides  and  top  covered  with  dark  green  foliage  in  summer 
time,  or  rich  with  crimson  and  gold  in  autumn.  At  the  base 
sparkle  the  blue  waters  of  the  river.  Much  has  been  said  and 
written  about  the  romantic  beauty  of  Wyoming;  poets  have 
sweetly  sung  of  its  charms  in  verse,  and  painters  have  transferred 
its  glories  to  canvass,  but  in  natural  grandeur  it  does  not  excel 
that  of  Muncy  Valley,  if  indeed  it  compares  favorably  with  it. 
W'hen  and  by  what  tribe  the  valley  was  first  occupied  we  know 
not;  but  that  it  was  thickly  populated  in  the  dim  ages  of  the  past 
there  is  scarcely  a  doubt,  if  we  accept  the  numerous  relics  which 
strewed  the  plain  as  evidence  of  early  occupation.  It  is,  indeed, 
a  mountain-locked  vale,  and  by  its  rippling  brooks  and  crystal 
springs  these  forgotten  people  loved  to  dwell.  When  the  first 
occupants  came  and  when  they  departed  is  only  known  to  Him 
who  knoweth  all  things  from  the  beginning.  The  aboriginal 
tribes,  as  we  are  pleased  to  call  them,  were  comparatively  modern, 
if  we  consider  the  ruins  that  were  found  by  the  first  white  e.xplor- 
ers  as  proof  of  the  existence  of  a  pre-historic  race.  The  Monsey 
and  other  bands  of  Indians  loved  to  drink  from  the  Warrior 
Spring,  fish  under  the  shade  of  the  frowning  mountain,  whose 
base  is  laved  by  the  river,  and  hunt  in  the  plain  under  the  shadow 


*  White  Deer  Creek  is  marked  on  Scull's  map  of  1759  with  the  Indian  name  uf 
Opaghtanoteii,  or  AVhite  Flint  Creek.  The  run  entering  the  river  on  the  late  Samuel 
Henderson's  place,  in  White  Deer  Township,  was  called  by  William  Blythe,  the  first 
settler  there,  Red  Bank  Run;  and  the  bottom  above,  between  it  and  White  Deer 
Creek,  had,  before  1 769,  the  name  of  Turkey  Bottom,  from  the  immense  number  of 
wild  turkeys  haunting  \\..— Linn's  Annals  of  Buffalo    Valley,  page  7. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  65 

of  Bald  Eagle.  Their  wigwams  dotted  both  sides  of  the  river. 
It  was  an  elysian  retreat,  a  sylvan  home,  in  which  nature,  with  a 
lavish  hand,  had  adorned  the  vale  with  all  the  glory  she  could 
command. 

The  source  from  whence  Muncy  derived  its  name  is  involved  in 
some  doubt.  A  tribe  of  Indians  called  Monseys  frequented  the 
valley.  The  Moravian  missionaries  claim  that  the  word  is  a  cor- 
ruption of  Mins-ink,  signifying  where  there  are  Minsies.  Caim- 
sorago,  or  Loneserango,  was  the  earliest  name  given  to  Muncy 
Creek.*  It  was  an  Iroquois  word,  and  the  sound  readily  accounts 
for  the  two  ways  of  spelling  it.  It  was  also  called  Occohpoclie7iy,\ 
which  was  the  Shawanee  name  for  hickory  flats ;  and  there  is  but 
little  doubt  that  the  name  referred  more  particularly  to  the  level 
ground  east  of  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  as  hickory  is  known  to 
have  been  one  of  the  principal  growths  of  the  original  forest.  In 
1768,  when  the  first  surveys  were  made  in  the  valley,  the  name  of 
Muncy  was  applied  to  the  settlement.  Conrad  Weiser,  who  visited- 
the  place  first  in  1737,  named  the  creek  Canusorago,  and  as  he 
understood  the  Indian  language  well,  it  is  believed  that  that  was 
the  original  title,  and  it  so  passed  into  the  Colonial  Records. 
"  Hickory  Flats,"  it  is  believed,  was  the  name  of  the  level  country 
lying  around  about. 

"  The  several  ancient  monuments  in  the  West  Branch  Valley,  of 
which  the  one  near  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek  seems  to  be  the 
only  one  mentioned  by  early  travelers,  belong  to  the  vast  system 
of  such  works  spread  over  a  great  extent  of  territory.  They  are 
found  sparingly  scattered  along  the  banks  of  the  head-water 
streams  of  the  Allegheny  River,  mostly  in  the  western  part  of 
New  York,  and  also  extending  westerly  along  the  southern  shore 


*  Schoolcraft  accepted  the  name  given  to  the  Creek  by  Weiser  as  the  correct  one. 
See  his  great  work,  page  324.     Also  see  Colonial  Records,  Vol  VI.,  page  442. 

f  Dr.  M.  Steck,  who  spent  many  years  among  the  Western  Indians  as  an  agent  of 
the  Government,  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  term  Occoh-poch-eny  was  from  the 
Shawanese  language,  and  signified  hickory  ground,  or  flats,  from  the  word  Oche-ab 
— a  hickory  tree— and  pof-au-in,  or  among  ;  called  by  traders  hickory  ground.  The 
term  Canusorago  is  from  the  Iroquois  and  signifies  town  on  a  rock  or  high  place, 
from  the  word  Canada,  town-ay,  rock,  and  ago,  a  place.  The  height  on  which  the 
ancient  fortification  stood  near  the  mouth  of  the  creek  may  have  been  the  site  of  the 
original  town,  and  gave  its  name  to  the  stream. 


66  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

of  Lake  Erie,  through  the  States  of  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Iowa 
and  Nebraska.  But  the  Mississippi  Valley,  extending  to  the  shores 
of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  is  more  thickly  dotted  with  these  remains 
than  the  northern  lake  region,  showing  that  for  some  reason 
this  great  valley  was  more  the  chosen  home  of  this  curious  people 
than  the  country  east  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains.  Except  some 
few  traces  of  these  works  in  the  valley  of  Wyoming,  there  are  no 
ancient  fortifications  known  on  the  North  Branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna ;  nor  are  we  aware  of  any  that  are  located  further  east  than 
the  one  at  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek.  It  is  true  that  some 
writers  speak  of  the  numerous  ancient  mounds  that  had  been 
discovered  by  the  first  settlers  east  of  the  mountains.  If  this  is 
so,  and  we  do  not  doubt  it,  their  locations  have  long  since  been 
forgotten.  But  the  reader  must  not  confound  these  conical-shaped 
earth  mounds  with  what  Squier  classifies  as  fortifications — earth 
works,  designed  by  their  builders  as  places  of  defense  and  safety. 
He  classifies  the  former  as  either  sepulchral  or  sacrificial  mounds.* 
It  is  the  latter  kind  of  earth  works  that  some  writers  say  were  so 
plentifully  distributed  over  Eastern  Pennsylvania. 

"  The  fortification  mound  near  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek  is 
situated  on  a  high  plateau,  near  the  edge  of  a  steep  cliff.     Its 


*  George  P.  Thruston,  in  a  learned  and  exhaustive  article  on  the  Mound  Builders 
of  Tennessee,  published  in  the  Magazine  of  American  History  for  May,  1888,  says 
that  the  stone  grave  race  and  the  builders  of  mounds  were  Indians,  probably  living 
under  conditions  of  life  somewhat  different  from  that  of  the  more  nomadic  hunting 
tribes  of  Indians,  but  not  differing  from  them  in  the  essential  characteristics  of  the 
Indian  race.  The  dead  were  placed  in  rude  tombs  or  cists  made  of  flat  stones  care- 
fully laid.  Sometimes  they  were  laid  in  three  or  four  tiers,  forming  burial  mounds 
that  contained  more  than  a  hundred  graves.  The  remains  and  the  memorials  placed 
within  them  were  then  sealed  up  and  preserved. 

Referring  to  their  military  defenses,  he  says  that  the  Iroquois,  nearly  three  cen- 
turies ago,  had  acquired  a  knowledge  of  military  defense.  La  Salle  tells  us  they  built 
a  rude  fort  of  earth  and  timbers  every  night  they  encamped  near  the  enemy.  Cartier 
found  the  site  of  Montreal  occupied  by  a  strongly  fortified  Indian  town  in  1535.  On 
approaching  it  nothing  could  be  seen  but  high  palisades.  They  were  made  of  the 
trunks  of  trees  set  in  triple  rows.  Lewis  and  Clarke  describe  the  forts  built  by  the 
Mandans  and  other  Indians  of  the  Northwest  in  1805,  with  raised  stockades,  ditches 
and  fortified  gateways.  Captain  John  Smith,  the  founder  and  historian  of  the  first 
Virginia  colony,  writes  that  the  Indians  of  Virginia  had  "palizadood  towns."  It  is 
not  strange,  therefore,  that  similar  fortifications  were  found  in  the  West  Branch 
Valley. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  6^ 

exact  location  is  east  of  and  nearly  opposite  to  the  Fribley  House. 
The  canal  and  also  Wolf  Run  separate  the  Fribley  House  from 
the  steep  bank  or  cliff  The  railroad  passes  east  of  the  fortification 
and  very  close  to  its  outward  ditch.  Wolf  Run,  quite  a  large 
brook,  flows  close  to  the  base  of  the  cliff,  and  keeps  parallel  with 
it  for  a  few  hundred  feet  and  then  empties  into  Muncy  Creek,  a 
very  short  distance  above  where  the  creek  pours  its  waters  into 
the  river.  The  cliff  is  about  thirty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river 
and  is  far  above  the  influence  of  floods.  The  site  of  the  fortifi- 
cation is  admirably  located  for  all  purposes.  There  is  no  ground 
higher  for  a  mile  around  it.  It  easily  commands  the  river  and  the 
view  of  the  country  is  very  extensive.  When  the  writer  inspected 
the  location  it  was  a  wood,  but  the  trees  were  mainly  of  a  small 
growth ;  the  original  trees  were  cut  many  years  ago. 

"  The  shape  of  the  fortification  was  semi-circular  and  was  built 
parallel  with  the  direction  of  the  cliff  which  extends  almost  due 
north  and  south.  The  fortification  faced,  on  the  east,  a  level  plain 
of  more  than  a  hundred  acres.  The  flanks  of  the  embankment 
extended  originally  to  the  very  edge  of  the  cliff  There  are  no 
indications  of  any  works  along  the  cliff  side,  unless  that  of  an 
inclined  way  down  the  bank,  to  the  edge  of  the  water  in  Wolf 
Run.  There  was  probably  more  than  an  acre  in  the  inclosure. 
The  character  of  the  work  was  entirely  earth  and  clay.  The 
embankment  was  quite  wide,  probably  six  or  eight  feet,  and  its 
height  must  have  been  as  much  also,  although  when  we  saw  it, 
time  and  the  elements  had  conspired  to  render  its  height  not 
much  more  than  a  couple  of  feet.  On  its  convex  or  outer  side 
was  a  ditch,  now  almost  filled  up,  but  having  the  appearance  of 
having  been  quite  deep.  In  forming  an  idea  of  the  proximate 
size  of  the  inclosure,  at  the  time  when  it  was  built,  we  must  not 
forget  that  the  cliff  has  undoubtedly  crumbled  and  been  much 
worn  away  by  the  influence  of  the  elements  during  the  several 
centuries  that  have  elapsed  since  its  occupation ;  and  that,  conse- 
quently, the  area,  its  embankments  included,  must  have  been 
much  greater  than  at  the  present  time. 

"  This  fortification  is  doubly  interesting  to  us,  from  the  fact  that 
it  is  the  only  one  in  the  West  Branch  Valley  that  we  have  a  histor- 
ical notice  of     More  than  a  century  and  a  half  ago  that  sterling 


68 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLE\-. 


interpreter,  Conrad  Weiser,  whilst  on  a  journey  up  the  West 
Branch,  as  an  authorized  Indian  agent  of  the  government,  in- 
spected and  described  it  in  the  diary  that  he  made  it  his  duty  to 
keep.  The  account  handed  down  to  us  by  the  Moravians  is  as 
follows : 

March  21,  1737,  Conrad  Weiser,  an  educated  German,  passed  up  the  West  Branch, 
and  during  the  forenoon  reached  the  large  stream  Icnown  as  Canusarago,  now  called 


SITE  OF  THE  ANXIENT   FORTIFICATION.' 


*  Sketch  map  showing  the  form  and  location  of  the  ancient  mound,  supposed  to 
have  been  built  by  the  "Mound  Builders,"  near  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek.  It  is 
now  entirely  obliterated.  This  sketch  is  taken  from  the  accounts  given  by  old  men, 
who  saw  it  at  an  early  day. 

2.  House  of  Mr.  Fribley. 

3.  The  ancient  fortification,  curved  at  the  extremities  so  as  to  extend  to  the  cliff. 
The  cliff  is  very  steep,  and  probably  twenty  feet  high,  at  the  bottom  of  which  flows 
Wolf  Run.  The  fortification  extends  nearly  due  north  and  south.  On  the  east  the 
ground  is  exceedingly  level  for  a  long  distance.  The  embankment  was  made  of  earth 
and  probably  four  feet  high.  It  was,  undoubtedly,  much  higher  at  one  time.  On  the 
east  side  of  it,  and  running  parallel  at  its  base,  was  the  ditch  from  which  the  ground 
was  thrown  up. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  69 

Muncy  Creek.  The  stream  was  much  swollen,  and  was  crossed  with  much  difficulty 
and  great  danger,  in  canoes.  The  same  day  Mr.  Weiser  passed  a  place  where,  in 
former  times,  a  large  fortification  had  stood.  It  was  built  on  a  height,  surrounded  by 
a  deep  ditch.  The  earth  was  thrown  up  nine  or  ten  feet  high,  and  as  many  wide. 
In  Weiser's  own  words:  "It  is  now  in  decay,  as,  from  appearances,  it  has  been  de- 
serted beyond  the  memory  of  man." 

"  It  is  believed  by  most  antiquarians,  and  with  great  reason,  we 
think,  that  these  embankments  were  surrounded  with  pahsades, 
and  also  that  they  possessed  gates  made  of  timbers  for  ingress 
and  egress.  If  so,  the  timbers  have  decayed  centuries  ago,  leaving 
no  traces  of  their  once  being  an  important  part  of  the  fortifications. 
We  believe,  however,  that  such  gates  existed,  because  the  embank- 
ments would  not  render  them  sufficiently  defensive,  unless  such 
was  the  case.  Squier  is  our  authority  for  believing  the  Mound 
Builders  to  be  an  agricultural  people,  and  that  every  such  commu- 
nity possessed  its  little  fort,  to  which  people  flocked  in  case  of  alarm. 
We  also  believe  that  this  fortification,  which  we  have  been  at  pains 
to  describe,  was  an  outlying  colony,  belonging  to  the  main  body 
of  Mound  Builders  that  had  their  main  centre  of  population  in  the 
Ohio  Valley.  We  might  say  much  more  concerning  this  curious 
people,  but,  as  all  is  dark  and  mainly  conjectural,  we  must  refer 
the  reader  to  special  works  on  the  subject,  the  best  of  which  is,  we 
believe,  Squier  and  Davis'  Ancient  Monuments  of  the  Mississippi 
Valley. 

"At  the  time  the  first  settlers  came  to  Muncy  Valley,  there  ex- 
isted a  large  sepulchral  mound  near  the  bank  of  the  Susquehanna, 
at  a  point  nearly  opposite  to  where  Hall  Station*  now  is.  It 
excited  great  interest  in  their  minds  and  was  the  subject  of  num- 
berless theories.  It  was  conical  in  shape  and,  notwithstanding  its 
great  antiquity,  it  remained  a  prominent  landmark  from  its  di- 
mensions. We  are  not  able,  unfortunately,  to  give  its  exact 
measurement,  but  when  we  examined  it  a  few  years  ago,  making 
an  excavation  through  its  base,  we  were  led  to  think  that  it  had 
originally  been  about  fifteen  feet  high  and  thirty  feet  in  diameter. 
Of  course  the  thousand  or  more  years  that  have  -elapsed  since  it 
was  put  there,  with  their  change  of  seasons,  have  done  much  to 
destroy  it.      Mr.  Samuel  Wallis,  who  was  the  first  settler  to  take 


*At  the  junction  of  the  Williamsport  and  North  Branch  Railroad  with  the  Phi; 
delphia  and  Reading,  and  now  known  as  Hartley  Hall. 


70  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

up  the  land  in  that  region,  always  called  the  field,  in  which  this 
burial  mound  was,  his  '  Indian  grave  field.'  The  settlers,  unable 
to  account  for  it  in  any  other  way,  invented  the  legend  known  as 
the  grasshopper  war,  which  has  even  found  its  way  into  print. 
Many  persons  visited  the  mound  early  in  the  present  century  and 
made  excavations  to  find  treasure,  but  it  is  not  surprising  to  us  to 
know  that  they  did  not  obtain  any.  Some  scientists  also  made 
examinations  about  the  same  time,  but  their  object  was  to  obtain 
a  knowledge  of  the  curious  people  who  were  thought  to  have 
built  it.  The  latter  succeeded  in  obtaining  many  broken  speci- 
mens of  rude  crockery-  and  pipes,  that  had  been  buried  with  their 
dead  owners.  These  they  carried  away  with  them,  and  also  pieces 
of  human  bones.  Fowler,  the  American  phrenologist,  visited  the 
mound  in  1836,  to  procure  a  skull.  It  is  said  that  he  obtained  a 
couple  in  fair  preservation ;  but,  if  true,  we  are  ignorant  of  what 
subsequentlj-  became  of  them.  Probably  they  are  in  some  mu- 
seum. 

"  The  site  of  this  mound,  whilst  almost  leveled  with  the  surround- 
ing plain,  at  present,  is  marked  by  a  clump  of  medium  sized  locust 
trees,  and  is  well  worth  a  visit  by  the  lovers  of  antiquities.  Throw- 
ing aside,  as  utterly  worthless,  the  various  theories  that  have  been 
written  on  the  subject  of  this  conical  mound,  we  are  compelled  to 
adopt  as  the  most  plausible  the  one  advanced  by  Squier  in  his 
classical  work  on  the  subject,  concerning  the  same  works  in  the 
Ohio  Valley.  Briefly,  this  mound  is  classified  as  sepulchral;  that 
is,  it  belongs  to  the  same  system  of  works  that  we  have  already 
described  as  the  fortification  mound  near  the  mouth  of  Muncy 
Creek,  situated  within  a  mile  of  the  latter  work.  The  builders 
were  the  same.  One  was  a  place  of  refuge  in  time  of  danger;  the 
other  the  burial  place  of  one  or  more  persons,  whose  prominence 
made  it  necessary  to  erect  a  monument  to  their  memory. 

"As  we  have  already  intimated,  a  thousand  or  more  years  have 
elapsed  since  the  West  Branch  Valley  was  occupied  by  the  Mound 
Builders,  and  in  that  lapse  of  time  many  of  their  works  must  have 
been  obliterated.  Yet  sufficient  remains,  fortunately,  to  indicate 
their  handiwork,  and  this  proof  is  what  the  historian  particularly 
desires.  Undoubtedly  sacrificial  mounds  existed  along  with  the 
others,  but  we  know  of  no  traces  remaining.     We  have  been  par- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


ticLilar,  in  describing  these  mounds,  to  prove  to  posterity  that  our 
country  had  at  one  time  been  thought  worthy  of  occupation  by 
this  most  interesting  people." 

From  the  time  of  the  advent  of  the  white  man,  Muncy  Valley 
has  afforded  a  rich  field  for  the  researches  of  the  antiquarian,  and 
a  very  large  number  of  choice  relics  have  been  gathered  from  year 
to  year  by  those  who  take 
an  interest  in  such  curiosities. 
Although  the  Indians  were 
unlettered  and  unlearned, 
they  seem  to  have  possessed 
a  degree  of  mechanical  art 
that  has  elicited  the  admi- 
ration of  the  white  man,  and 
it  has  always  been  a  question 
how  they  manufactured  the 
stone  implements  they  have 
left  behind  them.  Many  the- 
ories have  been  advanced  by  the  learned,  but  they  are  theories 
after  all,  as  no  positive  evidence  can  be  obtained  to  support  them. 
That  there  were  workmen  whose  special 
business  it  was  to  produce  the  articles  of 
stone  we  now  find  embedded  in  the  soil, 
and  scattered  over  the  fields,  seems  certain,  I 
but  what  class  of  men,  and  under  what  con- 
ditions they  wrought,  we  know  not.  The 
largest  assortment,  consisting  of  about  7,000 
specimens,  is  found  in  the  magnificent  col- 
lection of  J.  M.  M.  Gernerd,  of  the  borough 
of  Muncy.  His  museum  is  methodically 
arranged  and  carefully  classified,  so  that 
those  who  have  any  taste  for  examining 
and  studying  the  rude  and  peculiar  handi- 
work of  a  race  now  extinct  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  can  go  there  and  spend  an 
hour  or  two  in  it  with  profit.  The  proprietor,  who  is  a  gentle- 
man of  intelligence  and  culture,  always  takes  pleasure  in  explaining 


72 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


the  curiosities.  Many  friends  have  assisted  him  in  making  the 
collection,  by  contributing  articles  found  by  them  at  various  times, 
because  they  knew  that  he  not  only  appreciated  but  greatly  prized 
such  contributions,  and  would  label  and  place  them  where  they 
could  be  seen  and  studied.  His  collection 
of  spear  and  arrow  heads  is  very  full.  These 
implements  were  fashioned  in  many  styles 
by  the  manufacturers,  which  show  that  they 
possessed  some  definite  idea  as  to  what  they 
were  doing  in  their  rude  workshops.  The 
study  of  these  relics  alone  affords  a  pleasant 
and  profitable  pastime.  His  collection  of 
gorgets,  pestles,  sinkers,  gouges,  stone  axes, 
tomahawks,  pipes  and  ceremonial  weapons, 
is  also  very  large,  and  many  of  the  speci- 
mens are  exceedingly  rare  and  valuable. 
In  the  manufacture  of  pipes  the  Indians 
seem  to  have  taken 
great  pains,  as  the 
Fig-  3-  pipe  figured   con- 

spicuously in  their  numerous  ceremonies. 
Before  the  appearance  of  the  whites  they  < 
knew  nothing  of  the  use  of  iron,  conse- 
quently their  rude  axes  were  cut  and  fashioned 
from  stone,  and  were  clumsy  and  not  of  nnich 
service  for  cutting  pur- 
poses, but  terribly  effect- 
ive in  war  when  wielded 
by  a  strong  arm.    When 
the  iron  hatchet  or  toma- 
hawk was  introduced  the 
Indians    were    quick    to 
seize  upon  it  as  an   im- 
Fig-  5-  provement,   and  they  at 

once  discarded  their  stone  weapons.  These 
tomahawks  assumed  many  fanciful  shapes 
and  the  part  they  played  in  Indian  warfare  Fig.  6. 

and  barbarous  practices  is  frightful  to  contemplate.     A  few  choice 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  73 

and  typical   specimens   have  been  illustrated  on  these  pages  to 
show  the  reader  more  clearly  how  they  appear. 

It  is  truly  said  by  Professor  W.  C.  Reichel,  in  his  introduction 
to  Rev.  John  G.  E.  Heckewelder's  Indian  Glossary,  that  the  foot- 
prints of  extinct  races  of  men  always  become  objects  of  interest 
in  proportion  to  the  fewness  of  their  number  and  the  obscurity  of 
their  character.  Those  of  the  Indian  tribes,  who  once 
dwelt  along  the  rivers  that  drain  the  loveliest  portions  of 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  Appalachians,  are  growing  less 
and  fainter  with  the  lapse  of  succeeding  years.  With 
no  records  to  perpetuate  the  story  of  their  origin,  the 
course  of  migratory  waves,  the  wars  of  contending 
nations,  the  rise  and  decadence  of  clans  and  the  prow- 
ess of  national  heroes  and  heroines,  save  an  oral  tradi- 
tion distorted  by  the  adornments  of  a  rude  poesy — the 
archaeology  of  this  strange  people  is  likely  to  remain  a 
Fig-  7-  sealed  book.  Even  the  tokens  they  have  left  us  in  en- 
during stone — memorial  pillars,  implements 

of  war,  of  the  chase  and  the  household — 

whether  inscribed  in  hieroglyphics  of  hidden    ^"li''    «    '''     '- ''W 
meaning,  or  cunningly  wrought  from  materi- 
al as  hard  as  adamant  in  an  age  which  was  i'ig-  8. 

ignorant  of  the  use  of  the  metals — instead  of  aiding  in 
the  solution  of  the  problem,  presents  it  in  a  more  per- 
ple.xing  form.  Equally  obscure  and  unintelligible,  but 
for  the  interpreter  through  whom  they  now  speak, 
would  have  forever  remained  another  class  of  relics 
come  down  to  us — we  mean  the  straggling  foot-prints 
of  its  language,  impressed  upon  the  beautiful  objects 
of  nature  among  which  this  mysterious  people  lived 
and  passed  away.  Our  mountain  streams  still  bear  the 
poetical,  yet  strange,  names  they  gave  them.  All  had 
a  meaning,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  thoughtfulness 
of  Heckewelder,  that  meaning  would  have  been  forever 
,  9.  lost.  But  the  mystery  as  to  how  their  implements  were 
manufactured  is  still  unsolved.  We  can  but  admire,  study  and 
contemplate  them.  They  speak  eloquently,  but  in  a  language  we 
do  not  understand. 


74  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BR.'^NCH    VALLEV. 

Bishop  Edmund  de  ScKweinitz,  in  his  biography  of  David 
Zeisberger,  one  of  the  earhest  Moravian  missionaries  among  the 
Indians,  informs  us  that  neither  the  origin  of  the  Indians,  nor 
their  appearance  upon  the  continent  of  America,  has  ever  been 
satisfactorily  explained.  Even  that  part  of  their  history  which 
immediately  precedes  the  coming  of  the  white  man  is  shrouded 
in  obscurity.  Among  many  of  the  Moravians  the  well  known 
theory  prevailed  that  they  are  the  descendants  of  the  lost  tribes 
of  Israel,  but  Zeisberger  evidently  did  not  entertain  this  opinion, 
as  no  trace  of  it  is  found  in  any  of  his  writings.  That  they  lived 
in  a  stone  age  there  is  but  little  doubt,  but  from  whence  they 
came  we  know  not  and  probably  never  will.  They  have  passed 
behind  the  impenetrable  veil  of  oblivion — their  dust  has  mingled 
with  the  soil,  and  their  imperishable  implements  only  remain  to 
tell  us  that  their  makers  once  were,  but  are  no  more. 

Fig.  I.  Carved  stone  pipe.  Found  on  the  north  side  of  Muncy  Creek,  near  the 
site  of  the  ancient  fortification,  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Charles  W.  Robb  farm. 

Fig.  2.  Pipe  of  dark  blue  soap-stone.  Found  near  Jersey  Shore.  Curious  com- 
bination of  human  face  and  head  of  reptile,  as  may  be  seen  by  viewing  the  cut  when 
held  both  vertically  and  horizontally. 

Fig.  3.  A  finely  wrought  baked  clay  pipe,  taken  from  the  great  mound  on  Hall's 
farm,  which  stood  a  short  distance  east  of  Fort  Muncy. 

Fig.  4.  A  very  diminutive  soap-stone  pipe,  apparently  cut  in  imitation  of  a  moc- 
casin.    Found  near  the  site  of  the  ancient  fortification  on  Muncy  Creek. 

Fig.  5.     Baked  clay  pipe.     Found  in  Clinton  Township,  Lycoming  County. 

Fig.  6.  Baked  clay  pipe,  double-faced,  and  unique  in  design.  Found  near  the 
site  of  the  ancient  fortification. 

Fig.  7.  Iron  hunting  hatchet.  Found  many  years  ago  on  tlae  site  of  Fort  Brady, 
now  within  the  limits  of  Muncy,  and  prized  as  having  probably  belonged  to  one  of 
the  pioneers  who  helped  to  "hold  the  fort,"  if  not  to  the  bold  Captain  Brady  himself 

Fig.  8.  Drilled  ceremonial  weapon  of  state.  Found  in  Clinton  Township,  Ly- 
coming County. 

Fig.  9.  Iron  tomahawk  with  the  eye  broken.  Found  many  years  ago  on  the 
Muncy  Hills. 

After  leaving  the  valley  of  Muncy,  the  next  Indian  village  of 
note  was  found  at  the  mouth  of  Loyalsock  *  Creek.  It  was  called 
Otstenwaken,  and  sometimes  Otstuagy.  From  the  best  infor- 
mation relating  to  it,  now  extant,  it  appears  to  have  been  scattered 


*  Corrupted  from  Lawi-saquick,  signifying  the  middle  creek,  i.  e.,  a  creek  flowing 
between  two  others. — Hecknuelder.  Loyalsock  enters  the  river,  from  the  north,  al- 
most midway  between  Muncy  and  Lycoming  Creeks — hence  the  name. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY.  75 

over  the  level  plain  on  the  east  side  of  the  stream,  with  a  few 
wigwams  on  the  west  side.  It  was  a  place  of  some  importance, 
as  will  appear  later  on,  and  a  number  of  French  half-breeds 
were  living  there  when  it  was  first  visited  by  white  men.  Chief 
among  them  was  the  celebrated  Madame  Montour  and  her  son 
Andrew.  That  the  Indians  used  a  portion  of  the  level  ground 
surrounding  their  village  for  agricultural  purposes  does  not  admit 
of  a  doubt.  General  John  Burrows  informs  us,  in  his  autobiog- 
raph\',  that  when  he  purchased  the  land  in  1812  there  were  large 
patches  of  ground  that  had  been  cleared  and  worked  by  the 
Indians  in  the  midst  of  the  forest.  The  place  was  attractive,  too, 
on  account  of  the  excellent  fishing  the  creek  and  river  afforded 
at  this  point. 

West  of  Loyalsock,  as  the  ground  rises  near  the  mouth  of  Bull 
Run,  at  the  head  of  Canfield's  Island,  implements  have  been  found 
scattered  in  profusion  along  the  bank  all  the  way  up  to  the  mouths 
of  Miller's  Run,  McClure's  Run  and  Grafius  Run,  a  distance  of 
nearly  two  miles.  This  must  have  been  an  important  point,  for 
the  Sheshequin  path,  which  left  the  main  trail  in  White  Deer  Val- 
ley and  crossed  the  mountain  by  the  Loyalsock  Gap,  passed  up 
Miller's  Run  to  Lycoming  Creek,  forming  a  short  cut  from  below; 
and  it  was  also  used  for  the  main  path  along  the  river  in  the  route 
northward. 

There  was  another  important  settlement  near  the  river,  between 
William  Street,  Williamsport,  and  Lycoming  Creek.  All  along 
the  sandy  soil,  between  these  points,  were  scattered  the  various 
implements  of  the  aborigine;  but  on  what  is  known  as  the  Sutton 
Farm  appeared  the  most  remarkable  evidences  of  ancient  occupa- 
tion— for  beside  the  chert  implements,  pottery,  etc.,  there  existed  a 
genuine  burying-ground.  Years  ago  skeletons  were  exhumed 
that  had  been  deposited  in  a  sitting  posture,  and  fragments  of 
their  ware  were  found  with  them,  as  though  it  had  been  used  in 
the  performance  of  some  superstitious  rite. 

An  Indian  village  stood  within  the  present  limits  of  the  bor- 
ough of  DuBoistown.  It  was  located  opposite  the  mouth  of 
Lycoming  Creek,  on  the  river  flat,  between  the  mouth  of  Mosqui- 
to Run  and  the  old  mansion  house  built  by  Andrew  Culbertson. 
Traces  of  their  fire-places  can  be  distinctly  seen  at  the  present  day. 


76  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Many  relics  have  been  found  at  this  place,  consisting  of  axes, 
tomahawks,  celts  and  arrow  heads. 

A  fine  collection  of  antiquities  has  been  made  by  Mr.  Joseph 
H.  McMinn,  of  Williamsport,  which  is  fully  as  large  as  that  of  Mr- 
Gernerd.  He  has  spent  all  his  leisure  time  for  years  in  its  acqui- 
sition, and  in  the  study  of  the  nature  and  habits  of  the  Indians. 
The  result  is  that  his  museum  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  valley,  and 
as  it  is  systematically  arranged,  the  visitor  can  see  the  specimens 
to  good  advantage.  To  his  archasological  and  ethnological  studies 
Mr.  McMinn  has  brought  a  degree  of  industry  and  intelligence 
that  have  been  productive  of  wonderful  results,  and  shows  what 
can  be  accomplished  when  there  is  a  will  and  a  determination  to 
succeed.     A  few  of  his  specimens  are  illustrated  hen  \'.  Iiii 


1.  Gouge,  made  of  slate,  highly  poUshed.     From  Bald    Eagle  Valley,  Centre 
County. 

2.  Tomahawk,  made  of  limestone.     Found  at  "  Bald  Eagle's  Nest,"  Milesburg, 
Centre  County.     A  fine  specimen. 

3.  Fragment  of  a  vessel  carved  from  soap-stone.     Found  at  the  mouth  of  Nip- 
penose  Creek. 

5.     Fragment  of  a  vessel  made  of  clay  and  gravel,  baked  black.     Williamsport, 
Pennsylvania. 

7.  Indian  mill  (?)  stone,  very  rare.     From  Clearfield  County. 

8.  Symbol  stone.      Made  of  sandstone.      Found  in  Half  Moon  Valley,  Centre 
County,  where  nine  Indian  chiefs  met  in  council. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  "JJ 

The  Moravian  missionaries  inform  us  that  French  Margaret's 
town  was  located  near  the  mouth  of  Lycoming*  Creek,  in  what 
is  now  the  Seventh  Ward  of  the  city  of  WiUiamsport.  Imple- 
ments were  found  scattered  along  the  high  ground  all  the  way 
from  the  mouth  of  Dry  Run  and  Dougherty's  Run,  almost  a 
distance  of  two  miles.  French  Margaret  told  the  missionaries 
about  the  drunkenness  of  the  Indians  at  their  town  near  Linden 
of  to-day.  Quenis]iac]ishackki,\  or  the  "  Long  Reach,"  was  a 
favorite  resort  for  them. 

Next  came  Level  Corner  and  the  mouth  of  Larry's  Creek. 
These  places  seem  to  have  been  favorite  Indian  resorts.  The 
banks  of  Pine  Creek  were  lined  with  implements  and  graves, 
which  have  given  rise  to  extravagant  traditions  about  battles  and 
large  numbers  killed. 

Returning  to  the  south  side  of  the  river,  near  where  the  She- 
shequin  path  debouched  from  the  mountain,  flows  Turkey  Run,  a 
locality  long  known  as  being  rich  in  stone  implements,  indicating 
an  extensive  settlement.  Then  came  a  section  near  the  main  trail 
that  extended  from  Mosquito  Run  down  to  Hagerman's  Run, 
which  was  very  prolific  in  relics.  An  ancient  rectangular  inclosure 
of  about  half  an  acre  existed  where  Valentine  Luppert's  saw  mill 
now  stands.  William  Hinkal  remembers  it  when  the  banks  were 
about  a  foot  high.  At  Susquehanna,  on  the  upper  bottom,  and  in 
Nippenose  bottom,  especially  opposite  the  mouth  of  Larry's  Creek, 
and  about  the  mouth  of  Antes  Creek,  and  at  the  mouth  of  Augh- 
anbaugh's  Run,  were  found  a  profusion  of  relics  that  were  truly 
wonderful,  and  indicated  the  former  existence  of  large  settlements 
for  many  years. 


*  Corrupted  from  Legani-hanne,  signifying  sandy  stream.  The  Delawares  called 
it  invariably  by  this  name. — Heckewelder.  On  Scull's  map  it  is  written  Lycaumick. 
Finally  it  settled  to  Lycoming.     It  runs  through  the  city  of  WiUiamsport. 

fThis  name  was  given  by  the  Delawares  to  the  "Long  Reach"  in  the  West 
Branch,  where,  for  several  miles,  the  current  is  so  sluggish  that  it  can  scarcely  be 
seen  to  move.  Hence,  according  to  Heckewelder,  they  called  the  West  Branch  Que- 
nisch-achach-gek-hanne,  which  word  has  been  corrupted  into  Susquehanna.  Zeis- 
berger  says:  "  Quin,  long;  Que-nek,  length;  Schaschack-ki,  sKx^X^V  The 
Delawares  had  a  town  of  this  name  on  the  "  Long  Reach,"  said  to  have  stood  on 
the  site  of  Linden,  six  miles  west  of  WiUiamsport.  It  was  repeatedly  visited  by 
missionaries  from  Bethlehem,  prior  to  1754.     Scull's  map  notes  it. 


78  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Fifty  years  ago  traces  of  an  extensive  Indian  grave-yard  existed 
on  the  farms  of  Harvey  Bailey  and  Samuel  Simmons,  two  miles 
west  of  Jersey  Shore.  Pine  Creek  runs  between  these  two  farms 
and  enters  the  river  a  short  distance  below.  On  the  Simmons  farm 
the  early  settlers  found  the  remains  of  an  ancient  circular  fortifi- 
cation, fashioned  after  the  work  of  the  Mound  Builders.  It  had, 
evidently,  been  constructed  by  this  class  of  people,  who  were  un- 
doubtedly occupants  of  the  valley  hundreds  of  years  ago.  No 
trace  of  the  work  now  remains,  it  having  long  since  been  leveled 
by  the  plow  of  the  industrious  farmer. 

Many  years  ago  a  remarkable  curiosity  was  plowed  up  in  Wayne 
Township,  Clinton  County.  It  represented  a  female  figure  sitting 
on  a  pedestal,  cut  out  of  a  hard  piece  of  stone,  about  six  inches 
in  length  and  highly  polished.  The  figure  was  beautifully  formed 
and  the  work  neatly  executed.  The  tissues  of  a  veil  thrown  over 
the  face  could  be  distinctly  seen  traced  in  the  stone.  This  curious 
relic  is  said  to  have  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  gentleman  who 
resided  in  the  borough  of  Jersey  Shore  at  that  time,  who  in  time 
placed  it  in  a  museum  at  Lancaster.  What  became  of  it  is  un- 
known. 

A  sword  was  plowed  up  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Callahan,  on  Pine 
Creek,  thirty-five  years  ago.  It  was  an  English  blade,  and  was 
embedded  in  the  ground  in  a  perpendicular  position.  It  was  prob- 
ably carried  there  and  left  by  Indians.  When  found  it  was  very 
much  corroded  and  had  evidently  been  in  the  ground  a  long  time. 
It  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  late  Dr.  J.  W.  Lyman,  who  fell  at 
Fort  Fisher,  but  where  it  is  now  is  unknown. 

On  the  side  of  the  high  mountain,  just  beyond  Safe  Harbor,  on 
Pine  Creek,  are  the  remains  of  what  appear  to  have  been  seven 
mounds  of  stone.  They  are  about  two  hundred  yards  apart  and 
run  in  a  straight  line  up  the  face  of  the  mountain.  A  careful 
examination,  made  many  years  ago,  showed  that  they  had  been 
torn  open,  but  by  whom  was  unknown.  That  they  were  erected 
by  human  hands  did  not  admit  of  a  doubt,  and  it  was  the  opinion 
of  those  who  examined  them  that  they  had  been  placed  there  as 
sepulchral  mounds. 

In  Wayne  Township,  Clinton  County,  there  were  two  Indian 
villages  of  some  note.     One  was  located  on  what  is  known  as  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY.  79 

"  Montgomery  farm,"  about  half  a  mile  east  of  Wayne  Station,  on 
the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad,  and  was  called  Patterson,  over 
which  a  chief  of  that  name,  of  the  Shawanee  tribe,  ruled.  In  this 
town  lived  the  famous  Chinklacamoose  prior  to  his  going  to 
"  Chinklacamoose's  Old  Town,"  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
borough  of  Clearfield.  The  other  was  called  Tucquamingy,*  and 
was  built  on  the  farm  of  Major  Sour,  near  Pine  Station,  on  the 
same  railroad. 

The  Great  Island,  situated  in  the  West  Branch,  a  short  distance 
east  of  Lock  Haven,  and  opposite  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  f 
Creek,  was  a  favorite  camping  place  and  council  ground  for  the 
Indians.  History  records  a  meeting  of  representatives  of  several 
tribes  on  the  island  in  October,  i/SS-  The  choice  camping  places 
with  the  Indians  appeared  to  have  been  on  the  eastern  and  west- 
ern points  of  the  island.  The  eastern  point  was  opposite  the 
mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  must  have  been  an  inviting  place, 
as  it  was  near  a  fine  fishing  ground,  known  at  this  day  as  the 
"Salmon  Hole,"  J  and  also  on  account  of  its  nearness  to  the  cele- 
brated flowing  spring,  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  A  few  years  ago, 
when  the  high  water  had  cut  into  the  banks  at  this  place,  and  at 
"  Old  Town  Point,"  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  the  remains 
of  camp  fires  could  be  distinctly  seen  on  the  solid  bed  of  clay, 
upon  which  the  surrounding  soil  rests.  They  were  many  feet 
below  the  present  surface,  and  but  slightly  elevated  above  the  level 
of  the  river  at  low  water  mark,  showing  conclusively  that  the 
island  had  been  inhabited.     The  western  point,  or  head  of  the 

*  Maynard' s  History  of  Clinton  County,  page  219. 

t  Called  by  the  Delawares  Wapalannoach-schiec-Jianne,  which  means  the  stream 
of  the  bald  eagle's  nest. — Hecknoelder.  Zeisberger  says  :  Woap-su  and  woa-peek, 
white;  wo(?/-a&««f,  the  bald  eagle;  w(ich-schie-chey,2.ritsi;  /iSK-K^',  a  stream.  An 
Indian  village  was  situated  below  the  confluence  of  Spring  Creek  and  Bald  Eagle 
Creek,  in  Centre  County,  and  it  was  the  residence  of  "Bald  Eagle,"  a  noted  chief. 
Scull's  map  calls  it  simply  "The  Nest."  It  stood  on  the  flats  near  Milesburg,  on  the 
Indian  path  from  the  Great  Island  to  Ohio. 

\  Loskiel,  in  his  History  of  Moravian  Missions  Among  the  Indians,  thus  describes 
their  method  of  catching  shad:  "As  soon  as  the  shad  (scAa-ma  nam-meek,  the, 
South  fish,  compounded  of  scha-wa-ne-u,  south,  and  na-mees,  fish)  come  from  the 
South  to  deposit  their  spawn,  running  up  the  river  from  the  sea,  the  Indians  assemble 
for  the  annual  fishery.     And  first  they  build  a  stone  dam  across  the  stream,  the  two 


So  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

island,  has  of  late  years  been  much  worn  away  by  the  action  of 
high  water.  At  an  early  period  it  undoubtedly  extended  much 
further  up  the  river  than  at  present,  and  covered  what  is  now  a 
barren  bank  of  sand.  The  Indian  village  was  situated  at  this 
point,  as  the  numerous  specimens  of  their  workmanship  found 
there  go  to  prove,  and  it  must  have  been  a  much  frequented  place 
on  account  of  its  favorable  location  and  the  extended  view  it 
afforded  of  the  river  and  surrounding  countr}'. 

In  its  primitive  state  the  island  was  evidently  covered  with  a 
heavy  growth  of  timber,  as,  on  the  main  land,  many  trees  of  first 
growth  still  fringe  its  shore. 

An  Indian  village  also  appears  to  have  been  situated  at  the 
mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  on  the  small  flat  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain,  and  opposite  the  eastern  point  of  the  island.  The  river 
at  this  point  is  of  great  depth.  Several  oak  trees  of  large  growth 
stood  here  until  within  a  few  years,  underneath  whose  shade  the 
arrow-maker  evidently  pursued  his  vocation,  judging  from  the  flint 
chips  scattered  around,  which  showed  the  site  of  his  rude  work- 
shop. Many  fine  specimens  of  Indian  workmanship  have  been 
found  here. 

An  Indian  town  was  located  on  the  main  land,  on  the  north 
side  of  the  Great  Island,  and  a  short  distance  east  of  what  is  now 
the  guard  lock  of  the  Pennsylvania  Canal.  One  of  those  immense 
fire-places,  peculiar  to  the  Indians,  was  situated  here,  traces  of 
\\  hich  can  be  seen  at  the  present  day.  During  the  great  flood  of 
1 865  this  place  was  overflown,  and  on  the  subsidence  of  the  water 
many  specimens  of  their  workmanship  were  found,  notably 
among  them  a  rare  and  beautiful  talisman  or  charm,  found  by 
Mr.  James  Newberry.     It  was  in  the  form  of  a  human  face  cut  in 

wings  or  walls  of  which  converge  into  a  pond  or  wooden  box,  perforated  with  holes. 
This  is  the  trap.  A  wild  grape-vine,  of  sufficient  length  to  reach  from  shore  to  shore, 
is  then  cut  and  loaded  down  with  brush,  secured  at  .intervals  of  from  ten  to  fifteen 
feet.  This  barrier  is  stretched  across  the  river,  perhaps  a  mile  above  tlie  pound,  and 
being  held  in  position  by  Indians  in  canoes,  is  slowly  towed  down  stream.  The 
frightened  fish  are  driven  before  it  back  into  the  dam  and  thence,  by  the  Indians 
posted  on  its  walls,  into  the  pound,  where  they  are  caught  by  hand.  As  many  as  a 
thousand  are  known  to  have  been  taken  in  this  way  in  a  morning.  The  Delawares 
called  March  the  shad  month."  From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  the  whites  got  the 
idea  of  building  stone  fish  dams,  which  are  used  to  this  day,  from  the  Indians. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


relief  on  a  stone  of  a  red  color,  and  about  as  large  as  an  ordinary 
finger  nail.  It  was  perforated  so  as  to  be  suspended  from  the 
neck  by  a  cord. 

"  Old  Town  Point,"  opposite  the  Great  Island,  is  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  gently  undulating  plain  on  which  Lock  Haven 
now  stands,  and  ends  at  an  angular  point  at  the  confluence  of 
Bald  Eagle  Creek  with  the  West  Branch,  and  a  part  of  the  grant 
to  Dr.  Francis  Allison  by  Governor  Richard  Penn,  under  date  of 
April  ID,  1772.  It  is  said  to  derive  its  name  from  an  old  Indian 
town  that  was  once  located  there.  Evidences  of  its  existence 
could  be  seen  some  years  ago,  when  the  high  water  had  cut  away 
the  bank  and  exposed  the  remains  of  camp  fires.  There  were 
well  preserved  specimens  of  charcoal  and  broken  pieces  of  pottery 
found  in  the  fire-places.  The  settlement  on  the  site  of  Lock 
Haven  was  also  called  Old  Town  prior  to  1833. 

In  1875  Mr.  J.  T.  McCloskey  found,  on  the  site  of  the  Indian 
town  on  the  island,  near  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  a  rare 
and  unique  specimen  of  carving 


on  stone,  supposed  to  be  of  In- 
dian origin.  It  consisted  of  a 
miniature  bust  figure  four  inches 
in  length,  bearing  a  rude  resem- 
blance to  the  human  form,  and 
covered  over  its  surface  are  hie- 
roglyphical  figures,  known  as  In- 
dian picture  writing.  It  has  a 
broad  and  distinct  face,  with 
large  hoop  rings  suspended  from 
the  ears.  The  neck  is  encircled 
with  a  string  of  beads  and  an 
cut  on  the  breast.  On  the  left  side 
letter  X.  Underneath  are  the  head 
and  shoulders  of  an  animal  with  ears  erect,  probably  intended  to 
represent  a  fox.  On  the  obverse  side  of  the  stone  is  a  figure 
having  the  appearance  of  an  Indian  papoose  in  a  wicker  basket 
or  case.  The  date,  1749,  inscribed  on  one  side,  is  of  interest. 
The  antiquity  of  the  relic  is  probably  much  greater  than  the  date 
would  indicate,     ft  must  have  been  highly  prized  by  the  Indians, 


Indian  pipe  of  rare  pattern  i 
are  two  arrows  crossed  like 


82  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

and  handed  down  from  father  to  son.  It  is  evident  that  the  figures 
and  arrows  were  the  work  of  a  white  person,*  who  had  penetrated 
there  at  that  early  day  and  cut  the  date  to  commemorate  his  visit. 
The  cut  is  a  correct  representation  of  this  curious  specimen  of 
Indian  carving,  which  may  now  be  found  in  the  collection  of  Dr. 
J.  H.  Ha\-es,  of  Lock  Haven. 

The  rude  mill  by  which  the  aborigines  converted  their  corn 
into  meal  can  still  be  seen  lying  on  the  north  shore  of  the  island. 
It  consists  of  a  cup-like  depression  in  a  large  detached  rock,  which 
makes  a  very  fine  mortar,  into  which  the  corn  was  placed  and  re- 
duced to  meal  by  the  slow  process  of  crushing  with  a  stone  pestle. 

In  the  days  when  the  red  man  roamed  fearless  and  free  over  the 
hills  and  through  this  lovely  valley,  the  spot  where  Dunnstown 
now  stands  must  have  been  a  place  of  picturesque  beauty.  Situ- 
ated as  it  is  on  the  bold  bluff  facing  Bald  Eagle  Mountain  and 
overlooking  the  Great  Island,  the  scene  presented  to  the  eye  is  one 
of  enchanting  loveliness.  Nature  has  done  much  for  the  place; 
numerous  springs  of  cool  water,  wide-spreading  trees  and  prolific 
soil  made  it  a  fairy  land  and  paradise  to  the  Indian. 

That  it  was  an  important  and  much  frequented  place  by  the 
aborigines  does  not  admit  of  a  doubt.  The  site  of  their  village 
could  be  easily  located,  until  within  a  few  years,  by  the  numerous 
specimens  of  their  workmanship  found  there.  It  was  located  on 
the  lands  of  the  late  Major  David  McCloskey  and  Mr.  Bethuel 
Hall.  That  of  the  former  was  situated  around  the  fine  spring 
which  still  continues  to  furnish  the  place  with  water.  The  land 
at  this  point  recedes  with  a  gradual  slope  to  the  river's  edge  oppo- 
site the  island.  That  of  the  latter  was  situated  on  the  high  ground 
between  the  residence  of  Mr.  Hall  and  the  mill  pond  at  Clinton 
Harbor.  At  this  point  the  surface  of  the  land  is  considerably 
elevated  above  the  river.  In  the  early  days,  before  the  canal  was 
built,  its  rock-bound  shore  extended  out  nearly,  if  not  altogether, 
to  the  water's  edge. 

The  Indian  burying-ground  was  situated  a  short  distance  west 


*July  n,  1748,  Bishop  Zeisberger  and  John  Martin  Mack,  Moravian  missionaries 
from  Shamokin,  visited  the  Great  Island,  but  they  only  found  a  few  old  squaws  living 
there.  The  men  had  been  driven  away  by  the  famine  which  was  then  prevailing  on 
the  West  Branch.     After  that  time  white  men  frequently  visitm  the  island. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  83 

of  the  village,  and  on  the  east  side  of  the  mill  pond  of  Clinton 
Harbor,  in  a  grove  of  wild  plum  trees.  There  were  a  number  of 
graves  also  located  on  what  is  known  at  the  present  day  as  Reed's 
Hill,  or  the  picnic  grounds.  About  the  year  1820  one  of  these 
graves  or  tombs  was  opened.  It  was  accidentally  discovered  by 
a  hunter,  whose  dog  gave  chase  to  a  rabbit,  and  it  ran  into  a  ledge 
of  rocks  near  the  brow  of  the  hill.  An  examination  showed  it  to 
be  a  shelving  rock,  walled  up  with  rough  stones  around  its  outer 
edge,  so  as  to  form  a  small  chamber  or  tomb.  Removing  part  of 
the  wall,  and  peering  beneath  the  rock,  the  hunter  found  himself 
confronted  by  an  Indian  corpse.  Being  much  frightened,  he 
hastily  left  the  place.  On  further  examination  it  proved  to  be  the 
body  of  an  Indian  woman  in  a  mummified  state,  placed  under  the 
shelf  in  a  sitting  position.  Her  clothing  was  richly  decorated 
with  beads  and  trinkets,  and  she  was  supposed  to  have  been  a 
queen  or  the  daughter  of  a  chief  With  the  remains  was  a  kettle 
of  European  make,  several  bottles  and  gilt  buttons,  the  latter  of 
which  bore  the  stamp  of  London.  It  was  evident  that  her  people 
had  had  communication  with  the  white  traders  before  her  death. 

Several  other  graves  were  located  not  far  from  this  one,  but 
they  were  so  carefully  covered  up  and  concealed  by  Mr.  Reed,  an 
early  settler,  that  they  have  not  been  discovered  to  this  day. 

Many  Indian  relics  have  been  found  at  Dunnstown,  consisting 
principally  of  arrow  heads,  tomahawks,  pipes,  beads,  celts,  etc.  A 
bronze  medal  or  breast  plate  was  found  by  Mr.  D.  A.  Martin  on 
the  site  of  this  village  while  engaged  in  antiquarian  research.  The 
shape  was  circular  and  in  size  it  was  about  as  large  as  a  silver 
dollar.  It  was  of  the  same  make  and  style  as  the  one  found  in 
the  grave  at  Sunbury,  in  which  Shikellimy  is  supposed  to  have 
been  buried  in  1748. 

The  last  red  man  of  the  old  stock  who  visited  Dunnstown  and 
the  Great  Island,  in  1878,  was  named  William  Dowdy.  He  was 
an  aged  Indian  of  the  Seneca  tribe,  and  lingered  for  some  time 
around  the  place  as  if  pleasant  memories  of  other  days  had  cast  a 
charm  about  it.  This  had  been  the  favorite  hunting  ground  of 
his  tribe,  and  the  cherished  spot  that  contained  the  bones  of  his 
ancestors.  He  was  a  remnant  of  a  once  powerful  tribe  now 
almost  extinct,  and  was  gathered  to  his  fathers  several  years  ago. 


84  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Mr.  D.  A.  Martin,  who  ha.s  thoroughly  explored  e\'ery  foot  of 
ground  on  the  Great  Island  and  surrounding  country,  in  search  of 
Indian  antiquities,  has  a  verj'  large  collection  at  his  home  in  Du- 
Boistown.  It  will  compare  favorably  with  the  collections  of 
Messrs.  Gernerd  and  McMinn.  A  few  typical  specimens  in  his 
collection  are  herewith  illustrated: 


1.  Hatchet,  or  iron  tomahawk,  found  on  the  Cireat  Island. 

2.  Gorget,  or  ornamental  stone.    Made  of  slate,  highly  polished  and  symmetrically 
shaped.     Found  at  the  mouth  of  Youngwoman's  Creek,  Clinton  County. 

3.  Stone  pipe.     Found  on  the  Great  Island  by  J.  C.  McCloskey. 

4.  Hunting  arrow  head.     Found  at  Dunnstown. 

5.  War  arrow  head.     Found  on  the  Great  Island. 

6.  Spear  head  for  war  purposes.     Found  near  Linden. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  85 

Many  other  persons  throughout  the  valley  have  small  collec- 
tions which  embrace  rare  and  beautiful  specimens.  Mr.  J.  C.  Mc- 
Closkey,  of  Lock  Haven,  who  has  explored  the  island  and  the 
surrounding  country,  has  a  fine  collection  which  he  prizes  highly. 

The  early  settlers  found  several  small  mounds  on  what  is  now 
the  site  of  Lock  Haven.  They  contained  bones  of  Indians  and 
the  various  trinkets  and  implements  usually  buried  with  the 
remains  of  dead  warriors.  One  of  these  mounds,  which  was 
located  near  the  bank  of  the  river,  just  below  where  the  Court 
House*  now  stands,  was  removed  when  the  canal  was  being 
built,  and  found  to  contain  a  large  number  of  skeletons,  arranged 
in  layers,  one  above  the  other,  with  earth  between.  Other  similar 
burial  places  were  found  in  the  neighborhood. 

The  Monseys  had  a  village  on  the  level  bottom  a  short  distance 
above  Lock  Port,  traces  of  which  were  visible  long  after  settle- 
ments were  made  at  Lock  Haven  and  in  the  Bald  Eagle  Valley. 
They  cleared  a  patch  of  ground  and  cultivated  corn,  and  the 
hillocks  were  plainly  discernible  long  after  they  had  taken  their 
departure.  Many  Indians  were  buried  in  a  mound  near  where 
their  village  stood.  The  place  is  known  at  this  day  as  the 
"  Monsey  Town  Flats." 

In  1854  James  Wilson  and  A.  H.  McHenry,  both  residents  of 
Jersey  Shore,  discovered  what  was  evidently  an  Indian  pottery 
about  five  miles  up  Quinn's  Run.  Under  a  detached  rock  there 
was  a  cave  sufficiently  large  to  shelter  thirty  men.  It  contained  a 
great  quantity  of  muscle  shells,  and  from  appearances  around 
the  rock,  some  kind  of  mineral  had  been  taken  out  of  the  earth. 
These  gentlemen  examined  the  ground  carefully  and  found  a  great 
quantity  of  broken  pottery  buried  in  a  heap,  and  near  by  were 
unmistakable  traces  of  a  hearth  where  it  had  been  baked.  A 
double  curbing  of  stone  was  nicely  set  in  the  ground  in  the  form 
of  an  ellipse,  about  ten  feet  in  diameter,  where  the  kiln  was 
erected.  Charcoal  and  other  evidences  of  fire  were  distinctly 
visible.  The  muscle  shells  had  been  carried  there,  burned,  pul- 
verized and  then  mi.xed  with  the  clay  which  was  used  for  forming 
the  vessels.  On  examining  the  fragments,  pulverized  shells  could 
easily  be  detected  in  the  form  of  minute  and  glistening  particles. 

*  Maynard's  History  of  Clinton  County,  page  32.  t 


86  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

Many  pieces  of  this  broken  pottery  were  collected  by  Mr.  Mc- 
Henry  and  retained  by  him.  Doubtless  this  was  one  of  the  places 
selected  by  the  Indians,  on  account  of  the  fire-clay  known  to  ex- 
ist in  that  locality,  for  the  manufacture  of  their  ware  for  culinaiy 
purposes.  At  another  place,  on  Tangascootack  Creek,  Mr.  Wilson 
discovered  a  number  of  rude  crucibles  that  evidently  had  been 
used  for  smelting  purposes. 

The  next  place  of  note,  in  ascending  the  river,  was  the  mouth 
of  Youngwoman's  Creek,  now  known  as  North  Point,  a  short 
distance  east  of  Renovo.  An  Indian  village  stood  at  the  mouth 
of  this  mountain  stream  (which  flows  from  the  north),  judging 
from  the  many  relics  found  there.  The  origin  of  the  peculiar 
name  this  creek  bears  has  never  been  clearly  explained.*  Ac- 
cording to  a  tradition,  it  received  its  name  from  the  dead  body 
of  a  young  woman  found  in  it,  near  the  point  where  it  enters  the 
river.  Others  say  the  Indians  scalped  a  young  woman  there  and 
threw  her  body  into  the  creek,  hoping  it  would  float  off  into  the 
river  and  their  act  would  thus  be  concealed.  A  legendary  tale 
is  that  the  Indians  there  killed  a  j'oung  woman  prisoner,  who 
could  walk  no  further — that  it  was  a  famous  and  most  desirable 
camping  ground — but  that  ever  after  this  murder,  if  Indians  en- 
camped there  at  night,  her  ghost  would  appear  gliding  over  the 
surface  of  the  stream  and  about  the  camp,  and  that  they  were  sure 
to  be  fired  upon  by  unseen  foes  if  they  remained  a  second  night. 
There  are  also  several  other  legends,  but  all  begin  with  the 
statement  that  the  dead  body  of  a  >'oung  woman  was  found  in  the 
creek.  The  Indian  village  was  called  Youngwoman's  Town,  but 
whether  it  derived  its  name  from  the  creek,  or  the  creek  from  the 
town,  is  doubtful,  and  both  sides  have  champions.  The  creek  is 
not  laid  down  on  Reading  Howell's  map,  and  the  Historical  Map 
of  Pennsylvania  simply  notes  its  location. 

From  the  best  information  we  have  there  were  no  villages  of 
note  until  the  valley  of  the  Sinncmahoning  was  reached.     It  is 


*,Hon.  A.  J.  Quigley,  who  was  raised  at  this  place,  states  that  the  following  legend 
regarding  the  origin  of  the  name  was  handed  down :  A  young  squaw  of  rare  beauty 
was  sought  in  marriage  by  a  young  chief  of  another  tribe.  Her  father  objected,  and 
failing  to  get  his  consent,  she  deliberately  cast  herself  into  the  stream  near  the  mouth 
and  was  never  more  heard  of. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  S7 

probable  that  Indians  dwelt  at  the  mouth  of  Kettle  Creek,*  where 
Westport  now  stands,  and  frequented  that  stream  for  fishing  and 
hunting  purposes.  It  ran  through  an  almost  impenetrable  wil- 
derness in  the  midst  of  the  AUeghenies.  At  Keating,  where  the 
Sinnemahoningt  unites  with  the  West  Branch,  was  an  Indian 
camping  place,  but  to  what  extent  it  was  frequented  we  know  not. 
At  this  point  the  river  flows  from  the  southwest  and  the  Sinnema- 
honing  enters  it  from  the  west.  The  valley  of  the  latter  is  narrow, 
and  frowning  mountains  overshadow  it  on  both  sides.  Its  extreme 
wildness  in  its  primitive  condition  can  easily  be  imagined  from  its 
appearance  to-day,  although  it  is  thickly  settled  and  contains 
several  villages  and  boroughs.  There  is" no  point  in  the  AUeghe- 
nies, perhaps,  where  the  scenery  is  grander  or  more  picturesque 
than  in  the  valley  of  the  Sinnemahoning;  and  as  the  Philadelphia 
and  Erie  Railroad  runs  through  it,  tourists  have  no  trouble  to  see 
and  enjoy  it  in  all  its  beauty.  The  Sinnemahoning,  from  the 
borough  of  Driftwood  to  its  junction  with  the  West  Branch,  is 
properly  a  river,  and  as  it  is  fed  by  many  tributaries  which  emerge 
from  dark  mountain  canons,  it  becomes  a  turbulent  stream  when 
the  spring  freshets  set  in. 

That  Indians  frequented  this  stream  in  considerable  numbers 
there  is  no  doubt,  as  they  left  abundant  traces  of  their  occupation 
behind  them,  both  in  ruined  huts  and  graves.  As  late  as  1873,  at 
the  village  of  Sterling  Run,  while  Mr.  Earl  was  excavating  for  a 
cellar,  seventeen  Indian  skeletons  |  were  disclosed.     All   except 

*  Said  to  derive  its  name  from  a  kettle  having  been  found  near  the  mouth  by  some 
of  the  early  explorers. 

In  1763  Colonel  John  Armstrong  collected  a  force  of  300  volunteers  from  the 
valleys  of  Bedford  and  Cumberland,  and  marched  from  Fort  Shirley,  on  the  30th  of 
September,  against  the  Indian  towns  on  the  West  Branch.  The  savages  escaped,  but 
the  town  of  Myanaguie,  at  the  mouth  of  Kettle  Creek,  and  one  at  Great  Island,  were 
destroyed.  Both  contained  large  quantities  of  provisions. — Pennsylvania  Magazine 
of  History,  Vol.  I.,  page  186. 

f  Corrupted  from  Achsinnimahoni,  signifying  stony  lick. — Heckewelder. 

There  were  many  licks  in  this  section  of  the  country,  which  doubtless  gave  rise  to 
the  Indian  name  of  the  stream.  On  Portage  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Sinnemahoning, 
ten  miles  north  of  Emporium,  the  largest  elk  lick  in  the  world  existed. — Maclay's 
Journal,  page  30. 

X  The  remains  were  exhumed  and  described  by  Hon.  John  Brooks,  civil  engineer 
and  ethnologist. — Egle's  History  of  Pennsylvania,  page  483. 


88  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

two  were  of  ordinary  grown  stature,  while  one  measured  over 
seven  and  one-half  feet  from  the  cranium  to  the  heel  bones.  The 
bones  had  all  remained  undisturbed.  They  lay  with  their  feet 
toward  each  other  in  a  three-quarter  circle,  that  is,  some  with 
their  heads  to  the  east,  and  then  northeasterly  to  the  north,  and 
then  northwesterly  to  the  west.  There  had  been  a  fire  at  the 
centre,  between  their  feet,  as  ashes  and  coals  were  found  there. 
The  skeletons,  except  one  smaller  than  the  rest,  were  all  as  regu- 
larly arranged  as  they  would  be  naturally  in  a  sleeping  camp  of 
similar  dimensions;  many  of  the  bones  were  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation,  particularly  the  teeth  and  jaw  bones,  and  some  of 
the  leg  bones  and  skulls.  The  stalwart  skeleton  held  a  stoneware 
or  clay  pipe  between  his  teeth  as  naturally  as  if  in  the  act  of  smok- 
ing; by  his  side  was  found  a  vase  or  urn  of  earthenware  or  stone- 
ware, which  would  hold  about  a  half  gallon.  This  vessel  was 
about  one-third  filled  with  a  granular  substance  like  chopped 
tobacco  stems.  The  vase  had  no  base  to  stand  upon,  but  was  of 
a  gourd  shape  and  rounded;  its  exterior  had  corrugated  lines 
crossing  each  other  diagonally  from  the  rim.  The  rim  of  the 
vase  had  a  serrated  or  notched  form,  and  the  whole  gave  evidence 
that  it  had  been  constructed  with  some  skill  and  care,  yet  there 
was  a  lack  of  beauty  of  form  or  symmetr)-,  which  the  race  were 
at  that  period  evidently  ignorant  of 

The  skeletons  were  covered  about  thirty  inches  deep,  twent)'- 
four  inches  of  which  was  red  shale  clay,  or  good  brick  clay.  The 
top  six  inches  was  composed  of  soil  and  clay,  which,  doubtless, 
had  been  formed  from  the  decayed  leaves  of  the  forest  for  centu- 
ries. This  ground  had  been  heavily  timbered.  When  the  first 
clearing  was  made  upon  it,  in  1818,  there  had  not  grown  immedi- 
ately over  or  upon  this  spot  any  very  large  trees,  as  no  roots  had 
disturbed  the  remains ;  yet  the  timber  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
had  been  ver>'  large  white  pine  and  oak.  This  spot  had  been 
plowed  and  cultivated  since  1818,  and  had  been  used  as  a  garden 
for  the  last  preceding  ten  years.  One  of  the  smallest  skeletons 
had  been  in  an  erect  or  crouched  position  in  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  domicile.  The  most  reasonable  theorj'  is  that  this  was 
their  habitation;  that  their  hut  had  been  constructed  of  this  clay,  as 
the  surrounding  ground  was  gravelly,  as  was  also  the  bottom  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  69 

spot.  It  appeared  as  if  the  gravel  had  been  scooped  away,  or  had 
been  e.xca\'ated  to  the  depth  of  two  feet,  and  that  there  had  been 
a  hut  constructed  of  clay  over  the  excavation,  and  that  while 
reclining  in  their  rude  domicile  a  tremendous  electric  storm  or 
bolt  of  lightning  had  in  an  instant  extinguished  their  lives,  and  at 
the  same  time  precipitated  their  clay  hut  upon  them,  thus  securing 
their  bodies  from  the  ravages  of  the  beasts  of  the  forest. 

At  the  village  of  Sinnemahoning  many  skeletons  were  exhumed 
when  the  railroad  was  built,  and  as  late  as  1887  C.  F.  Barclay, 
while  having  a  ditch  dug,  found  the  remains  of  an  Indian.  In 
the  grave  was  a  neat  iron  tomahawk,  a  beautifully  shaped  stone 
gorget,  the  remains  of  a  pocket  compass,  with  the  needle  as  per- 
fect as  when  it  was  made,  and  several  other  trinkets.  A  number 
of  teeth,  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation,  were  also  found. 
Near  by,  as  the  same  trench  was  extended,  Hon.  Joe  M.  Shafer 
found  an  iron  tomahawk  somewhat  larger  than  the  one  now  in  the 
possession  of  Mr.  Barclay.  Sinnemahoning  is  a  historic  spot,  on 
account  of  the  slaughter  of  a  band  of  marauding  Indians  by  Peter 
Grove  and  party,  as  they  slept  in  fancied  security  under  the 
branches  of  a  majestic  oak.  A  full  account  of  this  thrilling  trag- 
edy will  be  given  in  its  proper  place  in  this  history. 

Returning  to  Shamokin,  the  place  of  beginning,  we  will  close 
this  chapter  by  outlining  the  Indian  war-paths  which  ran  through 
the  valley.  The  first  or  main  path,  after  crossing  the  river  at 
Shamokin,  left  it  a  short  distance  below  the  end  of  the  Northum- 
berland bridge  across  the  West  Branch,  and  ascending  the  ravine, 
followed  the  present  road  for  a  few  miles;  then  turning  towards 
the  river,  it  passed  over  the  hill  upon  the  Merrill  place;  thence 
followed  the  river  bank  through  Winfield  and  Lewisburg;  thence 
to  Buffalo  Creek,  where  the  iron  bridge  now  spans  it.  It  then 
curved  to  the  river  and  passed  through  Shikellimy's  town  (see 
page  62)  and  along  the  river  road,  around  the  rocks,  into  White 
Deer  Valley;  thence  along  the  south  branch  of  the  creek,  near 
where  Elimsport  is  now  located,  and  over  the  mountain  into 
Nippenose  Valley;  then  out  of  the  head  of  the  valley,  through 
the  mountains  and  on  via  Great  Island  and  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  by 
the  "  Nest,"  over  the  mountains  to  Chinklecamoose  (Clearfield), 
and  westward  to  Kittanning. 


90  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

From  the  confluence  of  Spring  Creek  and  White  Deer  Hole 
Creek,  another  trail  bore  away  to  the  northwest,  following  up 
Spring  Creek  to  its  source,  then  over  the  mountains  into  Mosquito 
Valley ;  thence  down  through  the  narrows  to  the  river,  which  was 
crossed  just  west  of  the  mouth  of  Mosquito  Run,  to  the  western 
shore  of  Lycoming  Creek,  up  which  stream  the  path  led  to  its 
source,  and  branched  upon  the  head-waters  of  the  streams  taking 
their  rise  near  the  present  borough  of  Canton,  the  main  path  con- 
tinuing northward,  while  a  branch  led  down  Towanda  Creek  to 
the  North  Branch. 

Another  great  trail  passed  up  the  river  from  Northumberland, 
by  the  mouth  of  Warrior  Run  and  through  the  gap  in  the  Muncy 
Hills — now  followed  by  the  public  road — to  the  present  town  of 
Muncy.  The  Wyoming  path  started  from  Muncy  and  ran  up 
Glade  Run,  then  crossed  Fishing  Creek  where  Millville  now 
stands,  passed  on  to  Nescopeck  Gap  and  up  the  river  to  Wyom- 
ing. 

The  Wyalusing  path  ran  up  Muncy  Creek  to  the  head,  then 
crossed  the  hills  to  Loyalsock,  half  a  mile  from  where  tlie  Berwick 
turnpike  now  crosses,  then  by  the  site  of  Dushore  and  on  to  W\-- 
alusing  Creek,  near  the  northeast  corner  of  Sullivan  County,  and 
thence  to  the  flats. 

The  great  trail  from  Munc\-  up  the  ri\'er  crossed  Loyalsock  at 
Montour's  Island,  near  where  the  canal  was  built.  In  passing 
over  the  ground  on  which  Williamsport  stands,  the  path  was 
doubtless  located  where  East  Third  Street  and  West  Fourth  Street 
are  laid  down.  The  course  from  Third  and  Penn  streets  is  said  to 
have  been  a  little  north  of  the  present  Third  Street,  following  an 
elevated  piece  of  ground  near  the  line  of  Willow  Street  and  as  far 
north  as  Edwin  Street,  until  a  point  was  reached  near  Park  Avenue, 
when  the  present  Fourth  Street  was  followed  to  Lycoming  Creek 
and  French  Margaret's  Town,  near  the  mouth.  It  then  continued 
up  the  river  to  Great  Island,  where  it  joined  the  Kittanning  trail. 

The  Sheshequin  path  left  the  main  trail  at  the  mouth  of  Black 
Hole  Creek,  followed  up  that  stream  and  crossed  the  mountain 
through  the  Loyalsock  Gap,  striking  the  lower  end  of  the  bottom, 
and  thence  northwesterly,  across  the  river  at  the  head  of  Canfield's 
Island,  and  up  Bonsul's  Run,  which  is  now  known  as  Miller's  Run. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  9 1 

It  then  passed  through  what  is  now  called  Blooming  Grove,  and 
joined  the  trail  up  Lycoming  Creek  near  Cogan  Station,  on  the 
Northern  Central  Railroad.  According  to  Colonel  Hartley,  whose 
military  expedition  traveled  this  route,  it  was  called  the  Sheshe- 
cummink  Path. 

These  northern  trails  led  through  a  dense  and  gloomy  wilder- 
ness. Lycoming  Creek  had  to  be  frequently  crossed,  just  as  it 
has  to  be  to-day;  and  one  can  readily  imagine  what  a  gloomy 
wilderness  must  have  existed  in  the  Muncy  Creek  and  Loyalsock 
regions  at  that  day,  when  their  present  condition  is  considered. 
Doubtless  there  were  smaller  paths  running  in  various  directions 
to  shorten  distances  to  main  points,  by  "cut  offs,"  but  all  traces  of 
them  have  long  since  been  lost.  The  foregoing  main  paths 
were  so  important  and  so  clearly  defined  that  there  is  no  doubt  of 
their  location.  They  were  great  thoroughfares,  and  over  them 
many  war  parties  passed  and  repassed  when  the  Indians  held 
undisputed  sway  in  this  valley.  Over  a  portion  of  the  great  path 
from  the  west  the  French  traveled  in  force  when  they  descended 
upon  this  valley  and  penetrated  to  the  junction  of  the  two  rivers, 
with  the  full  intention  of  occupying  the  country. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

APPEARANCE    OF    THE    MORAVIAN     MISSIONARIES    IN    THE    VALLEY 

THEIR    TRIALS    AND    TRIBULATIONS FIRST   HOUSE   BUILT  AT  SHA- 

MOKIN DEATH  AND    BURIAL  OF    SHIKELLIMV,  THE    VICE-KING. 

THE  first  record  we  have  of  white  men  visiting  Shamokin 
was  in  September,  1728.  Governor  Gordon*  lays  down 
instructions  to  Smith  and  Petty,  who  were  about  to  make  a 
journey  to  that  place,  and  requests  them  to  call  upon  his  Indian 
friends,  AUummopies,  Opekassel,  Shachalawlin  and  Shikellimy, 
and  give  them  his  personal  regards.  Adventurers  and  Indian 
traders  followed  at  intervals.  The  government  also  sent  special 
messengers  on  different  occasions  to  confer  with  the  heads  of  the 
various  tribes,  but  as  they  kept  no  records  we  are  without  infor- 
mation regarding  their  visits  and  how  they  were  received. 

In  the  same  month  Wright  and  Blunstone  reported  to  Governor 
Gordon  that  they  had  learned  from  an  Indian  that  a  man  named 
Timothy  Higgins  had  been  hanged  at  Shamokin,  but  for  what 
cause  was  not  stated.  He  was  a  servant  of  an  Indian  trader 
named  Henry  Smith.  An  investigation,  however,  of  the  report 
by  Smith  and  Petty  showed  it  to  be  unfounded. 

In  1729  Governor  Gordon  wrote  a  letter  of  condolence  to 
Shikellimy  and  the  other  chiefs  at  Shamokin  on  the  death  of 
Carandawana.  He  also  spoke  feelingly  of  the  death  of  a  son  of 
Shikellimy,  and  sent  a  shroud  to  bury  him  in. 

In  1730  a  letter  was  received  by  the  Governor  from  a  number 
of  Delaware  Indians,  describing  the  manner  in  which  a  white  man 
received  serious  injury.  The  report  stated  that  John  Fisher  and 
John  Hartt,  two  of  the  Shamokin  traders,  accompanied  a  number 

*  Patrick  Gordon  was  born  in  England,  in  1664.  He  was  brought  up  a  soldier  and 
served  to  the  close  of  Queen  Anne's  reign  with  a  high  reputation.  He  was  Lieuten- 
ant Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  under  the  Proprietaries,  from  1726  to  1736.  He  died 
at  Philadelphia,  August  5,  1736,  in  the  72d  year  of  his  age. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY.  93 

of  their  tribe  down  the  river  on  a  hunting  excursion.  After  having 
proceeded  over  one  hundred  miles,  the  Indians  proposed  to  fire- 
hunt,  by  making  a  ring.  The  white  men  would  go  along  with 
them,  although  they  tried  to  dissuade  them  from  it,  alleging  that 
they  did  not  understand  it,  and  might  receive  some  injury.  But 
they  persisted  in  going.  In  the  excitement  of  the  hunt,  John 
Hartt  was  shot  in  the  mouth,  the  bullet  lodging  in  his  neck,  which 
killed  him. 

Conrad  Weiser*  first  visited  Shamokin  March  4,  1737,  on  his 
way  to  Onondaga.  When  he  arrived  at  Shamokin  he  informs  us 
that  he  did  not  find  a  single  Indian  at  home  who  could  assist  him 
in  crossing  the  river,  and  he  had  to  lay  still.  On  the  6th  he 
observed  a  smoke  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  an  Indian 
trader  came  over  and  took  him  and  his  party  across.  On  the  way 
up  the  West  Branch  he  was  ferried  across  the  Chillisquaque  Creek 
by  an  old  Indian,  which  shows  that  he  was  traveling  on  the  Nor- 
thumberland side.  On  the  8th  he  reached  Shikellimy's  town,  but 
does  not  inform  us  where  he  crossed  the  river  to  reach  it.  After 
some  delay  he  met  the  chief,  whom  he  engaged  to  conduct  him  to 
Onondaga.  On  this  journey  he  was  accompanied  by  a  Dutch- 
man and  three  Indians.  On  the  way  up  he  inspected  the  ruins  of 
the  ancient  fortification  at  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek,  which  he 


*As  Conrad  Weiser  figured  conspicuously  in  the  early  history  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  was  a  frequent  visitor  to  the  West  Branch  Valley,  a  brief  synopsis  of  his  histoiy 
is  given  herewith.  He  was  born  at  Afstaedt,  Wurtemberg,  November  2,  1696,  and 
came  to  America,  with  his  parents  and  a  company  of  Palatines,  in  1 7 10,  under  the 
auspices  of  Queen  Anne,  of  England.  They  settled  in  a  body  on  Livingston  Manor, 
Columbia  County,  New  York,  where  they  remained  some  time.  While  living  there 
young  Weiser  became  acquainted  with  an  Indian  chief  named  Quagnant,  who,  taking 
a  fancy  to  the  lad,  induced  his  father  to  permit  him  to  live  with  him.  He  went  on 
his  father's  request  and  lived  with  the  chief  about  eight  months.  During  this  time 
he  learned  the  Indian  language  thoroughly,  and  it  proved  to  be  of  great  service  to 
him  in  after  life.  He  was  seventeen  when  he  left  the  wigwam  of  his  dusky  tutor  and 
friend.  In  1723,  with  many  other  German  families,  he  emigrated  to  the  Tulpe- 
hocken  settlement,  on  the  Swatara.  Here  he  took  up  a  tract  of  land — having  married 
in  the  meantime — in  Heidelberg  Township,  Lancaster  County  (now  Berks),  and  began 
farming.  His  fluency  in  Mohawk  recommended  him  to  the  notice  of  the  Proprietary 
Governors,  and  at  the  special  request  of  the  deputies  of  the  Six  Nations,  who  met  in 
conference  with  Governor  Gordon  in  1732,  he  was  appointed  by  the  latter  interpreter 
for  the  confederation.  From  this  time  he  was  largely  identified  with  the  history  of 
the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  in  all  matters  relating  to  the  Indians;  was  sent  to  them 


94  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

spoke  of  in  his  journal.*  It  is  supposed  that  Weiser  and  party 
traveled  by  the  Sheshequin  path  after  crossing  Loyalsock,  which 
ran  up  Lycoming  Creek.     He  says : 

"  We  came  to  a  narrow  valley  about  half  a  mile  broad  and  thirty 
long,  both  sides  of  which  were  encompassed  with  high  mountains, 
on  which  the  snow  laid  about  three  feet  deep.  In  it  ran  a  stream 
of  water,  also  about  three  feet  deep,  which  was  so  crooked  f  that 
it  kept  a  continued  winding  from  one  side  of  the  valley  to  the 
other.  In  order  to  avoid  wading  so  often  through  the  water,  we 
endeavored  to  pass  along  the  slope  of  the  mountain, — the  snow 
being  three  feet  deep  and  so  hard  frozen  on  the  top  that  we  walked 
upon  it, — but  we  were  obliged  to  make  holes  in  the  snow  with  our 
hatchets,  that  our  feet  might  not  slip  down  the  mountain,  and  thus 
we  crept  on.  It  happened  that  the  old  Indian's  foot  slipped,  and 
the  root  of  a  tree  by  which  he  held  breaking,  he  slid  down  the 
mountain  as  from  the  roof  of  a  house,  but  happily  he  was  stopped 

on  many  important  missions,  and  was  present  at  the  making  of  all  treaties  as  long  as 
he  was  able  to  attend.  He  was  named  by  the  Indians  Tarachawagon,  and  was  held 
in  high  esteem  by  them.     He  served  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  several  years,  and 


the  French  and  Indian  wars  was  commissioned  colonel  of  all  forces  raised 


west  of  the  Susquehanna.  His  life  and  public  services  were  published  in  a  volume 
of  450  pages  in  1S76,  by  C.  Z.  Weiser,  D.  D.,  of  Reading.  A  few  years  before  his 
death  he  removed  to  Reading,  and  while  on  a  visit  to  his  farm  in  Heidelberg,  in 
July,  1760,  he  died  and  was  buried  in  the  family  grave-yard,  near  Womelsdorf.  His 
age  was  63  years,  8  months  and  13  days.  He  left  several  sons  and  daughters,  and 
his  po.sterity  is  numerous. 

*He  also  stopped  at  Otstonwakin,  or  "French  Town."  "It  is  so  called,"  he 
wrote  in  his  journal,  "  from  a  high  rock  which  lies  opposite.  We  quartered  ourselves 
with  Madame  Montour,  a  French  woman  by  birth,  of  good  family,  but  now  in  mode 
of  life  a  complete  Indian."  The  village  lay  on  both  sides  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Loyalsock,  which,  coming  down  from  the  north,  empties  into  the  river.  The  rock 
Mr.  Weiser  speaks  of  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  was  destroyed  when  the 
railroad  was  built.  His  last  visit  to  the  place  was  in  June,  1755.  The  village  was 
at  that  time  almost  deserted.  On  his  first  visit  he  also  stopped  at  French  Margaret's 
Town,  which  stood  at  the  mouth  of  Lycoming  Creek,  on  a  part  of  the  ground  after- 
wards occupied  by  Jaysburg,  now  in  the  Seventh  Ward  of  Williamsport.  Montours- 
ville  now  partly  occupies  the  site  of  Otstonwakin  and  perpetuates  the  name  of 
Madame  Montour  and  her  famous  son  Andrew,  who  was  afterwards  granted  a  reserve 
of  S80  acres  of  land,  by  the  Proprietary  government,  at  that  place. 

f  Lycoming  Creek,  the  Leguui-kanne  of  the  Delawares,  is  noted  for  its  crooked- 
ness. In  a  distance  of  twenty-three  miles,  after  leaving  Williamsport,  the  Northern 
Central  Railroad  crosses  it  eighteen  times  on  bridges. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  g5 

in  his  fall  by  the  string  which  fastened  his  pack  hitching  on  the 
stump  of  a  small  tree.  The  two  Indians  could  not  go  to  his  aid, 
but  our  Dutch  fellow-traveler  did;  yet  not  without  visible  danger 
of  his  own  life.  I  also  could  not  put  a  foot  forward  until  I  was 
helped.  After  this  we  took  the  first  opportunity  to  descend  into  the 
valley,  which  was  not  until  after  we  had  labored  hard  for  half  an 
hour  with  hands  and  feet.  Having  observed  a  tree  lying  directly 
off  from  where  the  Indian  fell,  when  we  got  into  the  valley  again, 
we  went  back  about  one  hundred  paces,  where  we  saw  that  if  the 
Indian  had  slipped  four  or  five  paces  further  he  would  have  fallen 
over  a  rock  one  hundred  feet  perpendicular  upon  craggy  pieces  of 
rocks  below.*  The  Indian  was  astonished  and  turned  quite  pale; 
then,  with  outstretched  arms  and  great  earnestness,  he  spoke  these 
words:  '/  thank  the  great  Lord  and  Governor  of  this  world, 
in  that  he  has  had  mercy  upon  vie  and  has  been  willing  that  I 
should  live  longer.'  Which  words  I,  at  that  time,  put  down  in  my 
journal.     This  happened  on  the  25th  of  March,  1737." 

The  journey  was  continued  through  the  gloomy  wilderness 
until  they  reached  their  destination,  but  their  sufferings  were 
great.  At  one  time  Mr.  Weiser  was  so  overcome  by  exhaustion 
and  hunger  that  he  seated  himself  by  the  roots  of  a  tree,  expect- 
ing to  die.  Shikellimy,  who  was  in  advance,  came  back  in  search 
of  him.  Finding  him  as  described,  he  stood  silently  for  a  moment 
and  then  said:  "  My  dear  companion,  thou  hast  hitherto  encour- 
aged us;  wilt  thou  now  quite  give  up?  Remember  that  evil  days 
are  better  than  good  days.  For  when  we  suffer  much  we  do  not 
sin.  Sin  will  be  driven  out  of  us  by  suffering,  and  God  cannot 
extend  his  mercy  to  them ;  but  contrary-wise,  when  it  goeth  evil 
with  us.  God  hath  compassion  on  us."  These  sublime  words, 
coming  from  the  lips  of  the  old  Indian,  had  the  desired  effect. 
Mr.  Weiser  says  they  made  him  "ashamed,"  and  he  rose  up  and 
tra\'eled  on  as  best  he  could  until  the  journey  was  finished. 

Count  Zinzendorft  was  the  first  Moravian  to  visit  Shamokin. 


*This  accident  is  supposed  to  have  occurred  near  the  present  village  of  Ralston. 

f  Count  Nicholas  Louis  Zinzendorf,  founder  of  the  sect  of  the  Moravians,  was 
born  at  Dresden,  in  May,  1700.  About  the  year  1 721  he  purchased  the  lordship  of 
Berthuldsdorf,  in  Lusatia.  Some  poor  Christians,  the  follovi'ers  of  John  Huss,  ob- 
tained leave,  in  1722,  to  settle  on  his  estate.     They  soon  made  converts.     Such  was 


96  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

He  informs  us,  in  his  journal,  that  he  started  from  the  residence  of 
Conrad  Weiser,  at  Tulpehocken,  on  the  24th  of  September,  1742, 
to  make  his  famous  journey  to  the  Susquehanna.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  Weiser,  as  interpreter,  his  daughter  Benigna,*  Anna 
Nitchman,  two  Indians,  named  Joshua  and  David,  and  J.  Martin 
Mack.  The  weather  was  very  unpleasant.  They  traveled  through 
an  exceedingly  rough  and  mountainous  country,  which  was  almost 
impassable  on  account  of  rocks  and  sharp  stones.  We  will  let 
him  describe  his  arrival  at  Shamokin  in  his  own  language,  as 
follows : 

"Sept.  26.  We  passed  a  memorial  stone  that  had  been  set  up 
by  an  Iroquois  brave.  On  it  was  a  delineation  of  his  perso'n  so 
accurately  executed  as  even  to  represent  the  lines  cut  in  upon  his 
face.  Besides,  he  had  affixed  strokes  of  red,  black  and  white 
paint,  respectively  indicating  the  different  fights  in  which  he  had 
been  engaged;  the  red  strokes  by  their  number  denoting  his  vic- 
tories, the  black  his  defeats,  and  the  white  the  drawn  battles  in 
which  he  had  contended.  At  Conrad  Weiser's  Creek  we  had 
passed  a  stone  with  a  similar  painting,  from  the  character  of  which 
we  discerned  that  the  hero  who  had  erected  it  belonged  to  the 
Wolf  tribe  or  division  of  Indians,  for  they  are  divided  into  three, 
called  the  Wolf,  the  Bear,  and  the  Turtle.  Not  far  from  the  same 
place  we  saw  also  the  tomb  of  a  hero.     On  this  day  we  met  with 

the  origin  of  Hermhut.  From  this  period  the  Count  devoted  himself  to  the  business 
of  instructing  his  fellow  men  by  his  writings  and  by  his  preaching.  He  traveled  ex- 
tensively in  Europe.  He  married  the  Countess  Erdmuth  Dorothea  von  Reuss  in  1736, 
by  whom  he  had  twelve  children — six  sons  and  six  daughters — but  only  three  daugh- 
ters survived  him.  In  1 741  he  came  to  America  and  preached  at  Germantown  and 
Bethlehem.  February  11,  1742,  he  ordained  two  missionaries,  and  they  soon  after- 
wards baptized  three  Indians.  He  soon,  with  his  daughter,  Benigna,  and  several 
others,  commenced  visiting  the  Indians,  and  he  established  the  first  Indian  Moravian 
congregation  in  North  America.  He  died  at  Herrnhut  in  1760,  aged  about  60  years, 
and  his  coffin  was  carried  to  the  grave  by  thirty-two  preachers  and  missionaries, 
whom  he  had  reared,  and  some  of  whom  had  labored  with  him  in  different  parts  of 
the  world.     What  monarch  was  ever  honored  by  a  funeral  like  this  ? 

*  Benigna  Henrietta  Justina  von  Zinzendorf,  oldest  daughter  of  the  Count,  accom- 
panied her  father  on  many  of  his  journeyings  during  his  stay  in  Pennsylvania.  She 
was  born  at  Bertholdsdorf,  December  28,  1725,  and  was  about  17  years  of  age  at  this 
time.  She  returned  with  her  father  to  Europe  in  January,  1743.  In  1746  she  mar- 
ried John  M.  de  Watteville;  deceased,  at  Herrnhut,  May  it,  1789,  in  her  65th  year. 
—  Memorials  of  the  Moravian  Church,  page  49. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  97 

fewer  difficulties  on  the  road,  but  had  to  encamp  for  the  night  in 
a  savage  wilderness,  and  David  grew  fretful. 

"Sept.  28.  The  word  of  Scripture  which  had  been  allotted  us 
as  a  subject  for  meditation  contained  a  promise  of  encouragement. 
I  remarked  that  we  would  see  this  promise  fulfilled  before  night, 
as  the  Lord  designed  to  encourage  us  by  permitting  us  to  meet 
Shikellimy.  ' That  is  impossible,' said  Conrad;  'Shikellimy  can, 
under  no  circumstances,  return  to  Shamokin  within  six  weeks.' 
This  he  said,  as  the  Sachem  had  undertaken  a  journey  to  Onon- 
daga in  the  interest  of  Maryland,  and  not  a  week  had  elapsed 
since  he  had  parted  with  us  at  Tulpehocken. 

"We  traveled  on,  and  soon  struck  the  lovely  Susquehanna. 
Riding  along  its  banks,  we  came  to  the  boundary  of  Shamokin,  a 
precipitous  hill,  such  as  I  scarce  ever  saw.  I  was  reminded  by  it 
of  Wenzel  Neisser's  experience  in  Italy.  Anna,*  who  is  the  most 
courageous  of  our  numl^er,  and  a  heroine,  led  in  the  descent.  I 
took  the  train  of  her  riding  habit  in  my  hand  to  steady  me  in  the 
saddle,  Conrad  held  to  the  skirt  of  my  overcoat,  and  Bohler  to 
Conrad's.  In  this  way  we  mutually  supported  each  other,  and 
the  Saviour  assisted  us  in  descending  the  hill  in  safety.  Toward 
evening  we  reached  Shamokin,  where  Conrad,  to  his  surprise,  met 
Shikellimy,  by  whom  he  was  welcomed  to  the  town. 

"  While  the  tent  was  being  pitched,  I  took  a  stroll.  An  Indian 
whom  I  chanced  to  meet  presented  me  with  a  melon,  in  return  for 
which  I  gave  him  my  fur  cap.  I  also  met  Shikellimy.  "The  vice- 
roy took'  my  hand  in  his,  pressed  it  repeatedly,  and  then  turned  to 

*Anna  Nitscliman,  born  1715  in  Moravia,  was  a  fugitive  from  Catholic  persecu- 
tion. Fled  to  Hen-nhut  with  her  parents  in  1725.  In  1736  she  accompanied 
Zinzendorf  into  banishment  to  the  Castle  of  Ronneburg.  The  ne.\t  year  she  spent 
in  England.  In  1740  she  sailed  for  Pennsylvania  with  her  parents.  Here  she 
labored,  through  the  rural  districts,  as  a  missionary.  She  was  the  daughter  of  a 
peasant.  On  Zinzendorf 's  arrival  she  repaired  to  Philadelphia,  and  tlience  to  Ger- 
mantown,  where,  in  company  with  his  daughter  Benigna,  she  was  employed  in  the 
Brethrens'  School  for  Children.  "In  1742,"  she  writes  in  her  autobiography,  "we 
were  three  times  among  the  Indians.  The  last  journey  was  into  the  heart  of  their 
country,  where  we  .sojourned  forty-nine  days,  encamping  under  the  open  heavens,  in 
a  savage  wilderness,  amid  wild  beasts  and  venomous  snakes."  Returned  to  England 
with  Zinzendorf.  Soon  after  the  death  of  his  wife  she  married  the  Count.  She  died 
May  21,  1760,  aged  about  45.  Her  sacred  lyrics  are  incomparably  beautiful. — 
Memorials  of  the  Moravian  Church,  page  84. 


98  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Weiser,  'to  steal  my  mission,'  as  the  Indians  say;  in  other  words, 
to  sound  him  as  to  what  proposals  I  intended  to  make.  The 
latter  reiterated  what  he  had  already  told  him,  saying  that  I  v^  as  a 
servant  of  the  living  God;  that  as  such  I  wrought  in  a  different 
way  from  others  of  that  class  who  had  called  upon  him,  and  that 
I  taught  mercy  and  grace,  and  not  works  or  moral  duties,  as  a 
ground  of  pardon  or  justification.  Shikellimy  hereupon  expressed 
his  pleasure  at  the  arrival  of  such  a  messenger  among  his  people, 
and  then  took  Conrad  into  his  lodge. 

"On  returning  to  the  tent  from  my  stroll,  I  found  Jeannette 
engaged  in  conversation  with  a  Mohican  woman. 

"They  conversed  in  Indian.  I  was  surprised  at  meeting  a 
Mohican  at  Shamokin,  and  more  so  on  learning  that  the  woman 
was  the  sister  of  Nannachdausch,  who  had  built  my  hut  at  She- 
comeco,  and  who  had  been  my  provider  while  there.  This  was  a 
trifling  coincident;  but  Shikellimy's  presence  I  interpreted  as  a 
special  divine  token.  I  need  not  say  that  it  was  opportune,  for 
Joshua  was  indisposed,  and  David  was  disheartened  on  account  of 
the  fatigues  of  the  journey,  and  we  needed  encouragement. 

"  The  train  of  circumstances  which  had  resulted  in  Shikellimy's 
unexpected  and  early  return  to  Shamokin  was  this:  While  on 
the  way  to  Onondaga  he  had  met  Caxhayton,  the  Indian  with 
whom  I  became  acquainted  at  Philadelphia.  Shikellimy  deputed 
him  to  convey  the  dispatches  with  which  he  had  been  intrusted  to 
the  Iroquois,  notifying  the  latter  that  the  bearer  had  been  duly 
authorized. 

"  Thus  he  was  at  liberty  to  return ;  and  at  the  same  time  he 
brought  word  to  Weiser  from  the  Shawanese  King  at  Skehando- 
wana,  that  he  wished  to  see  him  once  more  before  he  died. 

"On  the  previous  evening,  while  reprimanding  David,  I  had 
almost  stepped  into  a  pitfall,  when,  although  I  had  been  severe  in 
my  remarks,  he  kindly  pointed  out  the  danger. 

"Sept.  29.  Shikellimy  came  into  my  tent.  Seating  myself 
between  him  and  Conrad,  I  requested  an  audience.  It  having 
been  granted,  I  proceeded  to  explain  the  object  of  my  visit,  stating 
that  already  in  early  childhood  I  had  been  favored  with  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  God,  with  his  being  and  with  his  attributes,  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  99 

that  I  had  come  hither  in  order  to  reveal  this  knowledge  to  the 
Indians. 

"  Where,  or  in  what  tribe  I  would  begin  to  teach,  I  had  not  yet 
determined;  it  being  my  custom,  I  continued,  to  instruct  only  such 
as  God  himself  had  already  addressed,  and  who  felt  the  need  of 
some  one  to  interpret  to  them  the  meaning  of  the  words  he  had 
spoken. 

"  In  reply  he  said  that  he  approved  of  my  object,  and  expressed 
a  willingness  at  the  same  time  to  aid  me  in  its  accomplishment. 

"  I  next  observed  that  his  own  case  was  an  illustration  in  point, 
and  went  on  to  relate  my  experience.  '  My  early  return  home, 
your  arrival  here  simultaneously,'  responded  the  Sachem,  'are  an 
extraordinary  coincidence.  I  believe  it  was  pre-ordained.'  There- 
upon, perceiving  that  he  had  no  shirt,  I  handed  him  one,  begging 
him  to  accept  it  as  a  token  of  my  childlike  intercourse  with  him, 
and  not  as  a  gift.     '  I  thank  you,'  he  replied  as  he  took  it. 

"  I  will  now  proceed  to  describe  Shikellimy  more  fully.  As  the 
Iroquois  Sachems  were  about  setting  out  for  home,  after  my  inter- 
view with  them  in  Tulpehocken,  I  took  occasion  to  study  their 
peculiarities.  One  of  them  in  particular  arrested  my  attention. 
I  was  irresistibly  drawn  toward  him,  and  I  longed  to  tell  him  of 
the  Saviour.  '  He  is  my  choice,'  I  remarked  to  Conrad  (presum- 
ing the  man  to  be  Canassatego,  of  whom  he  had  just  spoken  to  me 
in  the  highest  terms).  '  He  is  the  Onondaga  Sachem  I  presume? ' 
'  No,'  replied  Conrad, '  he  is  Shikellimy,  the  Oneida.'  These  words, 
I  confess,  disconcerted  me,  as  it  was  altogether  improbable  that 
we  would  visit  the  Oneida  country.  On  learning,  however,  that 
Shikellimy  resided  at  Shamokin  (which  town  we  intended  to  visit 
on  the  way  to  the  Shawanese),  I  was  reassured,  and  I  also  regarded 
our  final  determination  not  to  journey  to  the  Mohawks  as  signifi- 
cantly providential. 

"On  the  road  hither,  I  spoke  much  of  Shikellimy,  and  of  the 
hopes  I  entertained  of  enlisting  him  in  my  service.  Weiser 
persisted  in  assuring  me  that,  in  consequence  of  his  prior  engage- 
ments, the  Sachem  would  be  absent,  and  hence  it  was  presumption 
in  me  to  reckon  on  his  co-operation.  He  spoke  so  positively  that 
I  was  almost  inclined  to  believe  that  Satan  was  bent  upon  foiling 
me. 


lOO  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

" '  As  you  appear  to  be  fascinated  by  this  Indian,'  said  Conrad, 
'  I  will  relate  an  incident  which  will  serve  to  illustrate  his  character. 
While  on  a  journey  to  Onondaga,  whither  I  had  been  sent  to 
negotiate  a  peace  between  the  Iroquois  and  the  Cherokees,  and 
while  passing  through  a  savage  wilderness,  I  was  one  day  so 
completely  exhausted  that  I  left  my  companions  and  sat  down  by 
a  tree,  resolved  to  die.  Stanation  stared  me  in  the  face,  and 
death  by  freezing  was  preferable  to  death  by  hunger.  They 
hallooed  and  shot  signal  guns,  but  I  remained  quiet. 

" '  Shikellimy  was  the  first  to  discover  me.  Coming  before  me, 
he  stood  in  deep  thought  and  in  silence,  and  after  some  time  asked 
me  why  I  was  there.  "  I  am  here  to  die,"  I  replied.  "  Ah !  brother," 
said  he, "  only  lately  you  entreated  us  not  to  despond,  and  will  you 
now  give  way  to  despair?"  Not  in  the  least  shaken  in  my  reso- 
lution by  this  appeal,  I  replied  by  saying:  "  My  good  Shikellimy, 
as  death  is  inevitable,  I  will  die  where  I  am,  and  nothing  shall 
prevail  upon  me  to  leave  this  spot."  "Ah!  brother,"  resumed  the 
Sachem,  "  you  told  me  that  we  were  prone  to  forget  God  in  bright 
days,  and  to  remember  him  in  dark  days.  These  are  dark  days. 
Let  us  then  not  forget  God ;  and  who  knows  but  that  he  is  even 
now  near,  and  about  to  come  to  our  succor?  Rise,  brother,  and 
we  will  journey  on."  I  felt  ashamed  at  this,  administered  by  a 
poor  heathen,  rose  and  dragged  myself  away. 

" '  Two  days  after  this  occurrence  we  reached  Onondaga.' 

"  Such  was  Shikellimy,  the  Sachem  who  had  arrested  my  atten- 
tion in  Tulpehocken,  and  with  whom  I  had  been  brought  into 
contact  by  the  providence  of  the  Lamb. 

"  On  Saturday,  the  28th,  we  wished  to  pray  the  Litany,  but  the 
merry-making  of  the  Indians  disconcerted  us.  I  accordingly 
dispatched  Conrad  to  Sachem  Shikellimy  to  inform  him  that  we 
were  about  to  speak  to  our  God.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  and 
immediately  on  the  former's  return,  the  beating  of  drums  ceased, 
and  the  voices  of  the  Indians  were  hushed.  Obedience  among 
this  people  is  yielded  only  when  it  is  positively  demanded,  as  they 
are  without  laws  to  enforce  it.  The  Indian's  national  history  is 
inscribed  on  his  memory,  and  I  am  inclined  to  believe,  neverthe- 
less, that  it  is  almost  as  reliable  as  our  own. 

"  Sept.  30.     Set  out  on  our  journey.     The  Sachem  pointed  out 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  10 1 

the  ford  over  the  Susquehanna.  This  river  is  here  much  broader 
than  the  Delaware,  the  water  beautifully  transparent,  and  were  it 
not  for  the  smooth  rocks  in  its  bed,  it  would  be  easily  fordable. 

"  In  crossing  we  had,  therefore,  to  pull  up  our  horses  and  keep 
a  tight  rein.  The  high  banks  of  American  rivers  render  their 
passage  on  horseback  extremely  difficult. 

"To  the  left  of  the  path,  after  crossing  the  river,  a  large  cave* 
in  a  rocky  hill  in  the  wilderness  was  shown  us.  From  it  the 
surrounding  country  and  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna 
are  called  Otzinachon,  i.  e.,  the  '  Demon's  Den ;'  for  here  the  evil 
spirits,  say  the  Indians,  have  their  seats  and  hold  their  revels. 

"  We  had  ridden  past  scarcely  two  miles,  when  the  pack-horse 
which  carried  our  provisions  suddenly  grew  restive,  made  a  spring, 
broke  the  rope  by  which  it  was  attached  to  Henry  Leimbach's 
animal,  and  galloped  headlong  in  the  direction  of  the  cave.  This 
did  not  disconcert  us  otherwise  than  to  bring  us  to  a  halt.  Conrad 
dismounted,  went  in  search  of  the  horse  and  found  him  a  mile 
back,  caught  in  the  bushes  by  tjje  rope. 

"The  country  through  which  we  were  now  riding,  although  a 
wilderness,  showed  indications  of  e.xtreme  fertility.  As  soon  as 
we  left  the  path  we  trod  on  swampy  ground,  over  which  traveling 
on  horseback  was  altogether  impracticable.  We  halted  half  an 
hour  while  Conrad  rode  along  the  river  bank  in  search  of  a  ford. 
The  foliage  of  the  forest  at  this  season  of  the  year,  blending  all 
conceivable  shades  of  green,  red  and  yellow,  was  truly  gorgeous, 
and  lent  a  richness  to  the  landscape  that  would  have  charmed  an 
artist.  At  times  we  wound  through  a  continuous  growth  of  dimin- 
utive oaks,  reaching  no  higher  than  our  horses'  girths,  in  a  perfect 
sea  of  scarlet,  purple  and  gold,  bounded  along  the  horizon  by  the 
gigantic  evergreens  of  the  forest.  During  the  journey  thus  far  I 
have  not  seen  any  snakes,  although  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna 
are  said  to  be  the  resort  of  species  which  lie  on  the  tops  of  the 
low  bushes  in  wait  to  spring  upon  the  passing  traveler.  The 
country  generally  abounds  in  reptiles,  bears  and  other  wild  animals. 
We  camped  out  twice  on  our  journey.     During  the  second  night 


*This  confirms  the  theory  advanced  on  page  6,  regarding  the  meaning  of  the  word 
Otzinachson.  By  some  writers  it  is  claimed  that  Otzinach  was  the  Iroquois  name  for 
Shamokin. 


I02  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

there  was  a  sudden  and  heavy  fall  of  rain,  and  all  of  our  horses, 
except  one,  strayed  away.  As  we  were  not  far  from  Otstonwakin, 
Conrad  rode  to  the  village.  He  soon  returned  in  company  with 
Andrew,  Madame  Montour's*  oldest  son.  Just  then  our  horses 
came  in. 

"  Andrew's  cast  of  countenance  is  decidedly  European,  and  had 
his  face  not  been  encircled  with  a  broad  band  of  paint,  applied  with 
bear's  fat,  I  would  certainly  have  taken  him  for  one  He  wore  a 
brown  broadcloth  coat,  a  scarlet  damasken  lapel  waistcoat, 
breeches,  over  which  his  shirt  hung,  a  black  Cordovan  necker- 
chief, decked  with  silver  bangles,  shoes  and  stockings  and  a  hat. 
His  ears  were  hung  with  pendants  of  brass  and  other  wires  plaited 
together  like  the  handle  of  a  basket.  He  was  very  cordial,  but  on 
addressing  him  in  French  he,  to  my  surprise,  replied  in  English. f 

"  When  a  short  distance  from  the  village,  Andrew  left  us  and 
rode  ahead  to  notify  the  inhabitants  of  our  approach.  As  soon 
as  they  saw  us  they  discharged  their  fire-arms,  by  way  of  salute, 
and  repeated  this  mode  of  welcome  on  our  arrival  at  the  huts. 
Here  we  dismounted  and  repaired  to  Madame  Montour's  quarters. 


*  Madame  Montour,  one  of  the  characters  in  the  history  of  English  intercourse 
with  the  various  tribes  of  Indians  settled  along  the  Susquehanna  or  moving  over  that 
great  thoroughfare  of  Indian  travel,  was  a  French  Canadian.  In  early  life  she  mar- 
ried Roland  Montour,  a  .Seneca  brave,  and  on  his  death,  Carandawana,  alias  Robert 
Hunter,  chief  of  the  Oneidas,  with  whom  she  was  living  on  the  Chenasky,  probably 
at  Otstonwakin,  as  early  as  1727.  In  that  year  she  acted  as  interpreter  to  the  Pro- 
vince at  a  conference  held  in  Philadelphia,  between  Governor  Gordon  and  sachems  of 
tlie  Five  Nations.  Again  in  October  of  1728.  "  It  was  afterwards  considered  by  the 
Board  what  present  might  be  proper  to  be  made  to  Mistress  Montour  and  her  husband, 
Carandawana;  and  it  was  agreed  that  Five  Pounds  in  Bills  of  Credit  should  be  given 
to  Mistress  Montour  and  her  husband." — Minutes  of  Provincial  Council,  October 
II,  1728. 

In  September  of  1734,  while  attending  a  treaty  in  Philadelphia,  the  Proprietaries, 
John  and  Thomas  Penn,  condoled  with  her  publicly  at  the  loss  of  her  husband,  who 
had  been  killed,  since  their  last  meeting,  in  war  with  the  Catawbas.  "  We  had  a 
great  esteem,"  they  said  to  the  Indians  present,  "for  our  good  friend,  your  chief, 
Carandawana,  and  were  much  grieved  to  hear  of  his  death;  but  as  you  and  we  have 
long  since  covered  his  dead  body,  we  shall  say  nothing  more  of  that  subject."  At 
this  time  Madame  Montour  was  already  advanced  in  years ;  for  a  minute  of  the 
Council,  October  15,  1734,  after  censuring  her  for  duplicity  at  the  late  treaty,  states 
that  "her  old  age  only  protects  her  from  being  punished  for  such  falsehoods." 

f  Andrew  Montour,  alias  Sattelihu,  was  for  a  number  of  years  in  the  employ  of 
the  Proprietaries  as  assistant  interpreter  in  their  negotiations  with  the  Indians  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  IO3 

Her  husband,  who  had  been  a  chief,  had  been  killed  in  battle  with 
the  Catawbas.  When  the  old  woman  saw  us  she  wept.  In  course 
of  conversation,  while  giving  her  a  general  account  of  the  Breth- 
ren and  their  circumstances,  I  told  her  that  one  of  our  towns 
was  named  Bethlehem. 

"  Hereupon  she  interrupted  me  and  said :  '  The  place  in  France 
where  Jesus  and  the  holy  family  lived  was  also  named  Bethlehem.' 
I  was  surprised  at  the  woman's  ignorance,  considering  she  had 
been  born  and  brought  up  a  Christian.  At  the  same  time  I 
thought  I  had  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  charge  brought  against 
the  French  missionaries,  who  are  said  to  make  it  a  point  to  teach 
the  Indians  that  Jesus  had  been  a  Frenchman,  and  that  the  Eng- 
lish had  been  his  crucifiers.  Without  attempting  to  rectify  her 
mi-sapprehension,  I,  in  a  few  words,  stated  our  views,  replying  to 
her  inquiries  with  sincerity  of  purpose,  without,  however,  entering 
into  an  explanation,  as  I  had  proposed  remaining  retired  for  a  few 
days.  She  was  very  confidential  to  Anna,  and  told  her,  among 
other  things,  that  she  was  weary  of  Indian  life. 

"A  knowledge  of  my  rank  is  unquestionably  prejudicial  to  our 
successful  labors  among  both  heathens  and  Christians.  As  soon 
as  people  discover  who  I  am  they  view  me  from  a  worldly  stand- 
point.    My  enemies  also  delight  in  publishing  to  the  world  that  I 

interior.  He  usually  accompanied  Weiser  on  his  missions  to  the  country,  and  when 
negotiating  with  Datawares,  interpreted  for  the  former,  who  was  ignorant  of  the 
Delaware.  As  both  spoke  Mohawk,  they  were  prepared  to  confer  with  all  the  Indian 
tribes  with  which  the  English  had  dealings.  At  the  time  of  the  Count's  visit,  Andrew 
was  residing  on  an  island  in  the  Susquehanna,  above  Shamokin.  Hence  he  accom- 
panied Spangenberg  to  Onondaga,  in  June  of  1745.  In  1748  he  entered  the  service 
of  the  Province,  and  soon  after  requested  permission  to  settle  near  the  whites. 
"Andrew  has  pitched  upon  a  place  in  the  Proprietary's  manor,  at  Canataquany,  and 
expects  government  to  build  him  a  house  there,  and  furnish  his  family  with  neces- 
saries. He  seems  to  be  very  hard  to  please." — (Weiser  to  Richard  Peters.)  In 
April  of  1752,  Governor  Hamilton  furnished  him  with  a  commission  under  the  Lesser 
Seal,  "  to  go  and  reside  in  Cumberland  County,  over  the  Blue  Hill,  on  unpurchased 
lands,  to  prevent  others  from  settling  there  or  from  trading  with  the  Indians."  In 
1755  he  was  still  residing  on  his  grant,  ten  miles  northwest  of  Carhsle,  between  the 
Conedogwinet  and  the  mountain,  and  was  captain  of  a  company  of  Indians  in  the 
English  service.  Rose  to  be  a  major.  Andrew  acted  as  interpreter  for  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Virginia  at  several  important  treaties.  The  French,  in  1753,  set  a  price  of 
;^loo  upon  his  head.  In  May  of  1761  he  was  his  Majesty's  interpreter  to  the  United 
Nations.  He  is  said  to  have  led  the  party  of  warriors  who,  in  1780,  surprised  and 
took  captive  the  Gilbert  family,  near  Lehighton. 


104  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

am  a  nobleman,  and  hence  I  endeavor  as  much  as  possible  to 
conceal,  or  at  least  not  to  allow  the  fact  to  excite  remark. 

"The  Indians  erect  either  a  stone  or  a  mound  in  honor  of  their 
deceased  heroes.  This  custom  is  decidedly  Israelitish.  Early  in 
the  morning  of  the  3d  of  October  we  heard  a  woman  wailing  at 
the  grave  of  her  husband. 

"  Andrew  asked  the  loan  of  my  horse  to  bring  in  the  bear  and 
deer  he  had  shot,  as  his  had  strayed  into  the  woods.  He  certainly 
intends  to  feast  us. 

"There  is  a  promiscuous  Indian  population  in  this  village. 
Madame  Montour  brought  two  children  to  me  and  asked  me  to 
baptize  them,  alleging  the  custom  of  the  Canadian  Fathers  as  an 
excuse  for  her  request.  I  refused,  telling  her  that  whenever  a 
Brother  settled  here  we  would  take  the  matter  into  consideration, 
as  we  were  in  the  habit  of  baptizing  only  such  persons  as  we 
thought  we  would  have  frequent  opportunity  of  reminding  of  the 
significance  of  the  rite.  At  the  same  time  I  spoke  to  her  of  that 
spiritual  baptism  which  the  heart,  even  of  the  unbaptized,  may, 
without  any  effort  or  premeditation  on  his  part,  experience.  She 
left  me  displeased. 

"  Now,  my  dear  Brethren,  I  must  dispatch  Conrad  to  Shamokin, 
as  the  Brethren  there  and  Shikellimy  are  expecting  him.  The 
latter  has  been  assigned  us  as  guide  to  the  wild  Shawanese. 
Andrew,  who  is  proficient  in  various  Indian  languages,  will  prob- 
ably also  accompany  us.  Remember  Johanan,*  Anna,  Martin, 
Jeannette,  Joshua  and  David,  who  are  followers  of  the  Lamb,  and 
your  fellow-members  of  His  congregation. 

"  P.  S.  We  will  probably  resume  our  journey  about  the  9th 
inst.  At  times  we  have  observed  signs  of  grace  in  Andrew. 
Anna  has  experienced  in  the  case  of  Madame  Montour's  grand- 
daughter. Andrew  has  concluded  to  give  his  hunting  companions 
the  slip,  and  forego  the  great  annual  hunt  which  the  Indians  are 
accustomed  to  prolong  into  the  month  of  February,  and  accom- 
pany us  to  Skehandowana."  t 


*The  name  given  Count  Zinzendorf  by  the  Indians. 

f  One  of  the  Indian  names  for  Wyoming  Valley.     According  to  Heckewelder, 

Wyoming  is  a  corruption  of  M'cheuwami,  a  Delaware  word  signifying  large  plains. 

Conrad  Weiser  uses  the  name  Skehandowana  in  a  narrative  of  a  journey  to  Onon- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  IO5 

The  mission  of  the  Disciple,  as  Zinzendorf  was  called,  had  a 
good  eftect  on  the  Indians.  In  May,  1743,  Conrad  Weiser  was  at 
Shamokin  and  expressed  himself  in  terms  of  unqualified  astonish- 
ment at  the  change  wrought  in  this  ferocious  people  through  the 
instrumentality  of  the  Brethren.  In  a  letter  dated  June,  1743,  he 
said: 

As  I  saw  their  old  men,  seated  on  rude  benches  and  on  the  ground,  Ustening  with 
decorous  gravity  and  rapt  attention  to  the  words  of  Post,  I  fancied  I  saw  before  me 
a  congregation  of  primitive  Christians.  John  (ShikelHmy),  who  is  truly  a  child  of 
God,  interpreted  with  demonstrations  of  the  spirit  and  power. 

David  Bruce  and  his  wife  were  sent  to  Otstonwakin  in  1743  to 
preach  to  the  Indians.  His  wife  was  conversant  with  the  French 
language.     They  remained  several  weeks. 

On  the  24th  of  May,  1745,  Bishop  Spangenberg,*  accompanied* 
by  Conrad  Weiser,  David  Zeisberger  and  Schebosh,t  started  on 
his  famous  journey  to  Onondaga,  via  Shamokin.  They  arrived  at 
the  latter  place  in  due  time  and  spent  several  days  there,  preaching 
and  making  arrangements  for  the  great  journey.  The  following 
extracts  from  his  journal;);  describe  the  trip  up  the  West  Branch 
and  Lycoming  Creek: 

"June  7,  1745.  Began  our  journey  to  Onondaga.  Our  com- 
pany is  composed  of  Spangenberg,  Conrad  Weiser,  John  Joseph, 

daga,  undertaken  in  February  of  1737.  He  found  two  traders  there  from  New  York, 
and  three  men  from  the  Maqua  country,  who  were  hunting  land. — Memorials  of  the 
Moravian   Churchy  page  69. 

*Augiistus  Gottlieb  Spangenberg  was  born  July  15,  1704,  at  Klettenberg,  Prussia. 
He  received  a  good  education  and  became  a  professor  in  the  University  of  Halle. 
In  1733  he  joined  the  Moravians,  having  been  deprived  of  his  office  at  Halle,  by  a 
royal  mandate,  on  account  of  his  connection  with  their  church.  He  subsequently 
presided  over  their  church  in  America  for  nearly  eighteen  years.  In  1762  he  entered 
the  General  Executive  Board  of  the  United  Fratrum,  and  died  in  that  office  at 
Bertholdsdorf,  Saxony,  September  18,  1792,  in  the  89th  year  of  his  age.  He  was 
known  among  the  Moravians  as  "Brother  Joseph,"  and  was  one  of  their  greatest 
men. — Life  of  Zeisberger,  page  89. 

f  John  Joseph  .Schebosh  was  born,  of  Quaker  parents,  May  27,  1721,  at  .Skippack, 
Pa.,  and  joined  the  Moravian  Church  in  1742.  His  real  name  was  John  Bull,  but  the 
Indians  gave  him  the  title  of  "  Schebosh,"  which  meant  running  water.  He  married 
Christiana,  a  Sopus  Indian,  baptized  by  Martin  Mack  (July  24,  1746),  and  devoted 
his  life  to  the  service  of  the  Indian  Mission.  He  died,  at  the  mission  in  Ohio,  Sep- 
tember 4,  1786,  in  the  68th  year  of  his  age. — Life  of  Zeisberger,  pages  131  and  605. 

{See  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History,  Vol.  II.,  page  431. 


I06  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

David  Zeisberger,  Shikellimy,  his  son,  and  Andrew  Sattelihu — 
seven  in  all.  Crossed  the  river  and  traveled  up  the  West  Branch. 
Passed  Shawane  Creek  and  the  site  of  the  town  that  formerly 
stood  there.  Next  came  to  the  place  where  Shikellim)-  formerly 
lived — it  is  now  deserted.  The  land  is  excellent  in  this  vicinitx', 
the  equal  of  which  is  seldom  found.  Our  course  has  been  several 
miles  W.,  and  then  N.  W.,  until  we  reached  Warrior's  Camp,* 
where  we  passed  the  night.  Two  Indian  warriors  overtook  us; 
one  belonged  to  Otstonwakin  and  the  other  to  Onondaga.  The 
latter  had  neither  shoes,  stockings,  blanket,  gun,  hatchet,  steel  or 
knife,  and  was  almost  naked;  yet  was  determined  in  this  condition 
to  undertake  a  journey  of  300  miles  through  the  wilderness. 
Conrad  asked  him  how  he  expected  to  continue  his  journey  in  his 
'  present  condition.  He  replied :  '  God,  who  was  in  the  heavens, 
had  created  the  earth  and  all  creatures;  he  kept  so  many  creatures 
alive  in  the  wilderness,  that  he  was  able  and  would  provide  for 
him.'  Both  warriors  had  returned  from  a  maraud  against  the 
Flatheads,  and  had  lost  all  save  their  lives. 

"June  8.  Our  course  was  N.  W.  We  crossed  a  creek  near  the 
Susquehanna,  called  Canachriage.t  On  the  way  we  found  half  a 
deer,  which  an  Indian  from  Otstonwakin  had  shot,  and  being 
unable  to  carry  all  of  it  home,  he  had  hung  the  rest  of  it  up  in  a 
tree,  so  that  whoever  needed  it  might  take  it — which  we  did.  At 
noon  we  reached  Otstonwakin.]:  The  Indians  here  treated  us 
very  well ;  boiled  meat  and  placed  it  before  us  in  a  large  kettle. 
In  the  afternoon  we  proceeded  on  our  journey,  and  at  dusk  came 
to  the  'Limping  Messenger,' §  or  Diadachton  Creek,  and  en- 
camped for  the  night.  Observations: — On  our  route  we  passed 
the  Shawanese  town,  and  the  place  where  two  years  ago,  when 
Conrad  was  traveling  to  Onondaga,  he  was  met  by  twenty  Shaw- 
anese, each  with  a  rifle,  two  pistols,  and  a  sabre. 


*  Now  called  Warrior  Run.     It  empties  into  the  river  at  Watsontown. 

t  Now  known  as  Muncy  Creek.     Called  Ocochpocheny  on  Scull's  map. 

J  Now  Montoursville.  It  was  also  written  Olsttiago,  Otsuehage  and  Oistuagy. 
Madame  Montour  lived  there. 

\  Lycoming  Creek,  the  Legaui-hanne  of  the  Delawares.  Written  Lycaumick  on 
Scull's  map.  It  afterwards  turned  out  that  the  true  Diadachton,  or  Tiadachton,  was 
what  is  now  known  as  Pine  Creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  IO7 

"June  9.  Conrad  VVeiser  sent  the  Onondaga  warrior,  who  had 
been  traveHng  with  us  thus  far,  ahead  to  inform  the  Council  of 
our  coming.  We  gave  him  flint,  steel,  knife  and  provisions  for 
the  journey.  Last  night  our  horses  strayed  back  to  Otstonwakin, 
hence  we  were  compelled  to  lay  by  until  noon.  After  dinner  we 
resumed  our  journey  and  entered  the  wilderness.  Our  course 
was  N.  Our  path  lay  through  the  valley  between  the  Ant  Hills  * 
— one  hill  resembling  another,  side  by  side,  and  so  high  that  we 
could  scarcely  see  to  the  summit.  They  are  all  peaked  and  re- 
semble ant  hills.  In  the  evening  we  lodged  at  the  Coffee  House, f 
on  Diadachton  Creek. 

"June  10.  It  rained  hard  all  day.  Our  course  was  N.  for  ten 
miles,  then  we  turned  N,  E.  We  are  still  between  the  Ant  Hills, 
and  follow  the  Diadachton.  The  forest  is  so  dense  that  for  a  day 
the  sun  could  not  be  seen,  and  so  thick  that  you  could  not  see 
twenty  feet  before.  The  path,  too,  is  so  bad  that  the  horses  often 
were  stuck,  and  had  to  be  extricated  from  the  bogs ;  and,  at  other 
points,  it  lay  full  of  trees  that  had  been  blown  down  by  the  wind 
and  heaped  so  high  that  we  were  at  a  loss  whether  to  turn  to  the 
right  or  to  the  left.J  In  the  evening  we  came  to  a  salt  lick,  where 
elks  frequent,  and  camped  for  the  night.§  At  this  place  once  three 
Indians  lost  their  lives.  Two  of  the  Six  Nations  had  two  Flat- 
head prisoners,  whom  they  were  taking  to  Onondaga.  As  their 
prisoners  had  deported  quietly,  they  were  no  longer  bound. 
While  the  Maquas  were  preparing  their  meal,  their  prisoners 
seized  their  guns  and  killed  one  on  the  spot.  The  other  was 
chased  among  the  trees  and  killed,  not,  however,  before  he  had 
mortall}-  wounded  one  of  his  prisoners  with  his  tomahawk.  The 
other  escaped.  The  marks  of  the  tomahawk  cuts  are  still  to  be 
seen  on  the  trees. 

"  Our  guides,  Shikellimy  and  his  son,  and  Andrew  Sattelihu, 

*  Dismal  vale.  Marked  on  Lewis  Evans'  map  of  1749.  Called  Burnet's  Hills 
by  the  Indians. 

f  A  hut  or  camp.     Probably  at  the  mouth  of  Trout  Run. 

I  Weiser,  in  his  journal  of  1737,  states:  "  The  woods  were  altogether  of  the  kind 
called  by  the  English  spruce,  and  so  thick  that  we  could  not  generally  see  the  sun 
shine."  What  we  call  hemlock.  At  that  time  it  must  have  been  a  frightful  wilder- 
ness. 

§  Probably  in  the  neighborhood  of  Field's  Station,  or  Ralston. 


I08  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

saw  fit  to  give  us  Maqua  names,  as  they  said  ours  were  too  diffi- 
cult for  them  to  pronounce.  Brother  Spangenberg  they  named 
T'gerhitonti,  a  row  of  trees ;  John  Joseph,  Hajingonis,  one  who 
twists  tobacco,  and  David  Zeisberger,  Ganonsseracheri,  on  the 
pumpkin.  Observations: — At  the  salt  lick  we  found  the  tracks 
of  elks,  who  came  there  to  lick  the  salt.  The  elk  is  a  species  of 
deer,  like  horses  without  a  mane. 

"June  i  i.  Set  off  from  the  salt  lick  and  traveled  N.  E.;  reached 
the  end  of  the  Diadachton  *  and  left  the  Ant  Hills  behind  us.  The 
path  was  very  bad,  so  that  one  of  our  horses  almost  broke  his  leg, 
by  getting  into  a  hole  between  the  roots  of  a  tree.  In  the  after- 
noon we  found  a  cold  roast  of  bear,  which  Indians  had  left  on  the 
hunt.  As  the  meat  was  good  we  prepared  it  for  dinner.  In  the 
evening  we  came  to  the  Bear's  Claws  and  camped.  The  Indians 
took  the  claws  from  the  bear  and  nailed  them  to  a  tree,  hence  the 
name.  Here  an  Indian  from  Tioga  lodged  with  us.  From  him 
we  learned  that  our  messenger  was  already  one  day's  journey 
ahead  of  us. 

"June  12.  Our  course  was  N.  E.  During  the  afternoon  we 
left  the  wilderness  in  which  we  were  four  days,  and  had  scarce 
seen  the  sun.  Even  our  horses  were  quite  inspirited  once  again 
to  leave  the  woods.  We  crossed  a  creek  called  Osgochgo,  and 
then  came  to  the  North  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna.  Here  we 
found  the  trees  curiously  painted  by  the  Indians,  representing 
their  wars,  the  number  that  had  fallen  in  battle,  and  the  number 
they  had  killed.  From  this  point  our  course  was  N.  W.  We 
went  up  the  Susquehanna  to  Tioga,  by  the  narrow  path  on  the 
mountain  by  the  river.  Crossed  the  branch  that  is  called  Tioga, 
and  here  empties  into  the  Susquehanna.  Here  we  found  a  Mo- 
hican town.  We  proposed  to  pitch  our  tents  near  by,  but  the 
Indians  came  and  urged  us  to  lodge  with  them,  as  they  had  pre- 
pared a  house  and  beds  for  us.  We  accepted  their  invitation  with 
many  thanks.  This  spot  is  about  180  miles  from  Shamokin,  and 
in  a  charming  region  of  country." 

From  here  the  journey  was  continued  to  Onondaga  with  safety. 
It  was  exceedingly  laborious  and  the  travelers  were  \ery  much 

*  Supposed  to  be  near  the  present  village  of  Roaring  Branch. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  IO9 

exhausted  when  they  reached  the  end.  After  a  stay  of  twelve 
days  they  started  on  the  return.  Conrad  Weiser  and  Andrew  Mon- 
tour returned  by  a  circuitous  route.  Spangenberg,  Zeisberger,* 
Schebosh,  ShikelHmy  and  his  son  came  back  with  them,  and  they 
traveled  the  same  route  they  did  on  going  out.  Their  experiences 
were  even  more  trying  than  on  the  outward  journey.  Not  only 
had  they  to  contend  with  the  same  horrors  of  the  swamps,  but  a 
succession  of  rain  storms  occurred  which  made  traveling  almost 
unendurable;  and  greatest  calamity  of  all,  their  provisions  failed. 
They  braved  these  hardships  for  eight  days,  until  they  reached 
Otstonwakin,  almost  exhausted.  A  bitter  disappointment  awaited 
them.  There  was  not  a  morsel  of  food  to  be  had  in  the  village, 
and  not  even  a  fire  burned  in  a  single  lodge.  Riding  on,  in  gar- 
ments wringing  wet,  and  barely  alleviating  the  worst  pangs  of 
hunger  with  a  few  fishes  f  which  they  had  caught  in  the  Susque- 
hanna, they  lay  down  on  the  bank  of  the  river  at  noon  of  the  7th 
of  July,  utterly  overcome.l  They  could  go  no  farther.  It  was 
an  hour  to  try  their  souls.      A  handful  of  rice  constituted  the 


*  David  Zeisberger  was  a  native  of  Moravia,  in  Germany,  whence  his  parents 
emigrated  to  Herrnhut,  in  Upper  Lusatia,  for  the  sake  of  religious  Uberty.  He  was 
born  in  1721.  In  1738  he  came  to  Georgia,  where  some  of  his  brethren  had  begun 
a  settlement,  that  they  might  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Creeks.  Thence  he  removed 
to  Pennsylvania  and  assisted  in  the  commencement  of  the  settlements  of  Bethlehem 
and  Nazareth.  From  1746  he  was  for  62  years  a  missionary  among  the  Indians. 
Perhaps  no  man  ever  preached  the  gospel  so  long  among  them,  and  amidst  so  many 
trials  and  hardships.  He  was  one  of  the  oldest  white  settlers  in  the  State  of  Ohio. 
In  the  last  40  years  of  his  life  he  only  paid  two  visits  to  his  friends  in  the  Atlantic 
States.  His  last  journey  to  Bethlehem  was  in  1781.  He  died  at  Goshen,  on  the 
River  Muskingum,  in  Ohio,  November  17,  1808,  aged  87.  Amidst  all  his  privations 
and  dangers  he  was  never  known  to  complain,  nor  ever  regretted  that  he  had  engaged 
in  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer.  He  would  never  consent  to  receive  a  salary.  He 
spoke  two  Indian  languages.  Free  from  selfishness,  a  spirit  of  universal  love  filled 
his  bosom.     A  more  perfect  character  has  seldom  been  exhibited  on  the  earth. 

f  Loskiel,  in  his  history,  and  Heckewelder,  in  his  biographical  sketches,  both 
relate  a  wonderful  draught  of  fishes  made  by  Zeisberger,  at  Spangenberg's  request,  in 
water  where  fishes  are  not  commonly  found,  and  say  that  this  saved  the  lives  of  the 
party.  This  incident  has  been  often  quoted  by  other  writers.  "  It  may  have  occur- 
red," says  Rev.  Edmund  de  Schweinitz,  the  biographer  of  Zeisberger,  "  but  there  is  no 
authority  for  it,  either  in  Spangenberg's  journal  or  in  his  original  notes ;  hence  I 
omit  it." — Life  of  Zeisberger,  page   137. 

J  Supposed  to  have  been  at  some  point  in  the  Muncy  Valley,  not  far  from  Port 
Penn. 


no  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

remnant  of  their  provisions.  Faint  and  silent,  the  Bishop  and  his 
young  companions  waited  to  see  what  God  would  do;  while 
Shikellimy  and  his  son,  with  the  stoicism  of  their  race,  resigned 
themselves  to  their  fate.  Presently  an  aged  Indian  emerged  from 
the  forest  and  sat  down  among  them,  opened  his  pouch  and  gave 
them  a  smoked  turkey.  When  they  proceeded  he  joined  their 
party,  camped  with  them  at  night  and  produced  several  pieces  of 
delicious  venison.  They  could  not  but  recognize  in  this  meeting 
a  direct  interposition  of  their  Heavenly  Father.  The  ne.xt  day 
they  reached  Shamokin,  where  a  trader  supplied  their  wants,  and 
the  terrible  journey  was  over. 

On  their  way  down  the  river  to  Shamokin  they  came  upon  a 
rattlesnake  *  nest  amid  the  hills  of  the  river.  Spangenberg  says, 
in  his  journal,  that  at  first  but  few  of  the  reptiles  were  visible, 
basking  in  the  sun.  No  sooner,  however,  did  they  kill  these  than 
the  whole  neighborhood  seemed  to  be  alive  with  them,  and  a 
rattling  began  which  was  frightful.  Snakes  crawled  out  of  holes, 
from  crevices  in  the  rocks  and  between  loose  stones,  or  darted 
from  thickets  and  lifted  up  their  heads  above  patches  of  ferns, 
until  there  was  a  multitude  in  motion  that  completely  surrounded 
the  travelers,  who  hastened  from  the  spot.  It  was  a  place  where 
the  reptiles  had  gathered  in  autumn  and  lain  torpid,  coiled  to- 
gether in  heaps,  during  the  winter. 

Zeisberger  relates  that  he  once  met  with  some  Indians  who  had 
found  such  a  nest  and  set  fire  to  the  dry  leaves  and  trees  around 
it.  The  result  was  marvelous.  First  a  terrific  concert  ensued  of 
roaring  flames  and  hissing,  rattling  serpents ;  and  then  these  came 
rolling  down  the  mountain  side,  scorched  to  death,  in  such  quan- 
tities that  they  would  have  filled  several  wagons,  while  the  air  was 
laden  with  an  intolerable  stench.f 

In  the  spring  of  1744  the  first  aggravated  case  of  murder  in 
this  part  of  the  State  occurred  on  the  Juniata,  when  John  Arrn- 
strong,  an  Indian  trader,  and  his  two  servants,  James  Smith  and 
Woodworth  Arnold,  were  inhumanly  and  barbarously  killed  by 
an  Indian  of  the  Delaware  tribe,  named  Musemeelin.     The  crime 


*As  they  were  traveling  by  the  great  trail  to  Shamokin,  it  is  supposed  that  this 
den  of  snakes  was  encountered  somewhere  in  the  Muncy  Hills. 
fSee  Life  of  Zeisberger,  pages  137-8. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I  I  I 

was  of  such  an  atrocious  and  aggravating  nature  that  a  Provincial 
Council  was  held  to  take  it  into  consideration,  and  it  was  finally 
resolved  that  Conrad  Weiser  should  be  sent  to  Shamokin  to  de- 
mand an  explanation  from  the  chiefs  in  the  name  of  the  Governor. 

Mr.  Weiser  arrived  at  Shamokin  May  2,  1744,  and  delivered 
his  message  to  Alumoppees,  the  Delaware  chief  in  the  presence  of 
Shikellimy  and  a  number  of  prominent  Indians. 

Alumoppees  replied  that  it  was  true  the  evil  spirit  had  influ- 
enced some  of  his  tribe  to  commit  the  murder;  that  he  was  very 
sorry  it  had  occurred,  and  had  ordered  the  murderer  to  be  deliv- 
ered to  the  friends  of  the  murdered  men  for  punishment. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  address  Shikellimy  arose  and  gave  a 
full  account  of  the  tragic  affair,  which  is  very  long  and  interesting. 
When  the  conference  ended  a  feast  was  prepared,  to  which  Weiser 
and  friends  were  invited.  There  were  about  100  persons  present, 
and  after  they  had,  in  great  silence,  devoured  a  fat  bear,  the  eldest 
of  the  chiefs  made  a  friendly  speech,  which  was  directed  to  the 
government  messenger. 

We  come  now  to  a  point  which  marks  an  important  epoch  in 
the  history  of  Shamokin — the  building  of  the _first  house  by  white 
men.  It  was  erected  by  Conrad  Weiser  for  Shikellimy,  who  em- 
ployed him  to  build  it,  and  the  event  was  the  beginning  of  a  new 
civilization  at  the  junction  of  the  two  rivers.  In  Mr.  Weiser's 
letter  to  James  Logan,*  dated  September  29,  1744,  he  says: 

Sir: — The  day  before  yesterday  I  came  back  from  Shohomokin,  where  I  had  been 
with  eight  young  men  of  my  country  people,  whom  Shickalemy  hired  to  make  a 
locke  house  for  him,  and  I  went  with  them  to  direct  them.  We  finished  the  house 
in  17  days;  it  is  49^  foot  long,  and  17^  wide,  and  covered  with  singels. 

That  this  was  the  first  building  after  the  English  style  erected 


*James  Logan  was  born  at  Lurgan,  Ireland,  October  20,  1674,  of  Scottish  parent- 
age. He  received  a  good  education  and  spoke  three  or  four  languages.  While 
engaged  in  trade  between  Dublin  and  Bristol,  William  Penn  induced  him  to  come  to 
Arherica  as  his  secretary,  and  he  landed  at  Philadelphia  in  December,  1699.  Penn 
invested  him  with  many  important  trusts,  which  he  discharged  with  fidelity.  Al- 
though he  never  received  the  appointment  of  Governor  of  the  Province,  on  several 
occasions  he  assumed  the  executive  functions.  He  filled  the  offices  of  provincial 
secretary,  commissioner  of  property  and  chief  justice.  He  was  the  warm  friend  of 
the  Indians,  possessed  uncommon  aliilities,  great  wisdom  and  moderation.  He  died 
at  his  country  seat,  near  Philadelphia,  October  31,  1 75 1,  aged  77  years  and  II  days. 
— Egl^s  History  of  Pennsylvatiia ,  page  76. 


112  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

at  this  place  does  not  admit  of  a  doubt.  Almost  144  years  have 
rolled  away  since  that  day.  The  building  was  no  doubt  construct- 
ed of  logs  notched  at  the  ends,  and  covered  by  what  was  known 
among  the  pioneers  as  clapboards.  For  what  purpose  such  a 
building  was  intended  we  are  not  informed,  further  than  it  was  a 
"  lockc  house."  It  is  sufficient  to  know  that  it  was  ordered  by  the 
king,  and  in  it  he  probably  incarcerated  some  of  his  refractoiy 
Indian  subjects. 

At  the  time  Mr.  Weiser  was  building  the  house  he  informs  us 
that  the  fever  was  very  bad  among  the  Indians  at  Shamokin,  and 
five  or  six  died  while  he  was  there.  Alumoppees,  the  Delaware 
king,  was  prostrated  for  a  long  time,  but  finally  recovered. 

As  early  as  1744  a  settlement  was  made  on  Penn's  Creek,  which 
falls  into  the  river  a  few  miles  below  Sunbury,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  stream.  These  settlers  were  the  advanced  pioneers  of  civili- 
zation. They  were  mostly  Scotch-Irish,  from  the  Kittatiny 
Valley,  and  they  pitched  their  tents  in  the  wilderness  on  the  rich, 
inviting  land  about  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  and  commenced  to 
make  improvements.  They  were  hardy,  industrious  and  deter- 
mined, and  well  fitted  to  endure  the  sufferings  and  privations  that 
must  be  met  in  a  new  country  filled  with  painted  savages  and  wild 
beasts.  The  names  of  a  few  of  these  settlers  have  been  preserved. 
They  are  as  follows :  Jacob  LeRoy,  George  Auchmudy,  Abra- 
ham Sourkill,  George  Snabble,  George  Gliwell,  John  McCahan, 
Edmund  Matthews,  John  Young,  Mark  Curry,  William  Uaran, 
John  Simmons,  George  Aberheart,  Daniel  Braugh,  Gotfried  Fryer, 
Dennis  Mucklehenny  and  a  number  of  others. 

J.  Martin  Mack*  and  his  wife  were  the  first  missionaries  sta- 
tioned at  Shamokin.  In  his  autobiography  he  thus  speaks  of 
their  stay  there : 

In  September,  of  1745,  my  wife  and  I  were  sent  to  Shamokin,  t/ie  very  seat  of  the 
Prince  of  Darkness.  During  the  four  months  we  resided  there,  we  were  in  constant 
danger,  and  there  was  scarcely  a  night  but  we  were  compelled  to  leave  our  hut,  and 
hide  in  the  woods,  from  fear  of  the  drunken  savages. 


*John  Martin  Mack,  bom  April  13,  1715,  at  Lysingen,  in  Wurtemberg,  was  a  dis- 
tinguished missionary  among  the  Indians,  and  subsequently  a  missionary  bishop 
among  the  negroes  of  the  West  Indies.  He  died  June  9,  17S4,  while  superinten- 
dent of  the  Mission  in  St.  Croix. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  II3 

David  Brainerd  visited  Shamokin  in  the  same  )-ear,  reaching 
there  the  13th  of  September,  and  in  his  journal  writes: 

The  town  lies  partly  on  the  east  and  the  west  shores  of  the  river,  and  partly  on 
the  island.  It  contains  upwards  of  fifty  houses  and  300  inhabitants.  The  Indians 
of  this  place  are  accounted  the  most  drunken,  mischievous  and  ruffian-like  fellows  of 
any  in  these  parts  ;  and  Satan  seems  to  have  his  seat  in  this  town  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree.    About  one-half  are  Delawares,  the  others  Senecas  and  Tutelars. 

During  this  same  visit  he  speaks  of  extending  his  journey  to 
the  Great  Island  and  of  the  sufferings  he  endured.  He  had  to  lie 
out  at  night,  and  in  order  to  get  branches  to  make  a  shelter  to 
protect  him  from  the  heavy  dews  he  was  compelled  to  climb  a 
tree  and  cut  them  with  his  knife.  He  speaks  of  reaching  a  Dela- 
ware town  (probably  where  Linden  now  stands),  where  he  found 
many  Indians  drinking  and  drunk.  He  preached  to  them  and  a 
few  listened  with  much  earnestness.  He  then  continued  about 
eight  miles  further,  to  a  small  town  of  "  Shauwanoes,"  where  he 
spent  an  hour  or  two,  and  then  returned  to  the  Delaware  town 
and  lodged  there.  The  next  day  he  continued  his  journey  down 
the  river  and  finally  reached  Shamokin,  almost  worn  out.  It  was 
his  intention  to  have  tarried  longer  on  his  mission,  but  illness 
prevented  him,  and  he  hurried  home.  He  returned  the  following 
year,  however,  and  had  a  much  pleasanter  time. 

The  Moravians  labored  with  great  zeal  among  the  Indians,  and 
succeeded  in  doing  much  good ;  and  in  order  to  obtain  a  better 
foot-hold  at  Shamokin  they  decided  to  establish  a  smith  shop 
there.  Ever  since  the  introduction  of  fire-arms  the  smitheries  of 
the  white  people  had  been  in  high  repute  among  the  Indians,  and 
they  were  constantly  visited  by  hunters  and  warriors  to  have  their 
arins  repaired.  On  account  of  the  distance  of  these  shops  from 
the  Indian  country,  Shikellimy  applied  to  the  Colonial  government 
to  authorize  one  to  be  set  up  at  Shamokin.  The  Board,  by  the 
advice  of  Weiser,  and  the  consent  of  the  Governor,  entered  into 
negotiations  with  the  Indians  for  that  purpose,  providing  they 
promised  to  remain  friendly.  Accordingly  in  April,  1747,  John 
Martin  Mack  was  sent  to  Shamokin  to  confer  with  the  Indians 
regarding  the  smithy.  He  was  accompanied  by  Nathaniel,  a 
Mohican  convert.  Mack  was  a  fluent  speaker  in  Mohican  and 
Delaware,  and  James  Shikellimy's  wife  translated  from  Mohican 
into  Oneida.     The  following  extracts  from  Mack's  journal  relating 


I  14  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

to  the  result  of  the  conference  were  transcribed  from  the  original, 
on  iile  in  the  Moravian  archives  at  Bethlehem,  by  Mr.  John  W. 
Jordan,  editor  of  the  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History : 

April  28,  1747.     Shikellimy  not  at  home. 

Al'Rll.  30.  Visited  a  Shawanese,  who  and  his  wife,  a  Mohican,  knew  many  of 
our  brethren.  In  the  afternoon  all  Shamokin  was  drunk,  and  Martin  [Mack]  and 
Nathaniel  went  into  the  woods. 

M.-\Y  I.  They  were  visited  in  the  woods  by  some  Indians  who  were  friendly. 
Towards  evening  Shikellimy  and  his  son  returned  home.  He  invited  and  lodged  us 
in  his  house. 

May  2.  Shikellimy  went  with  his  sons  into  the  woods,  kindled  a  fire  and  sum- 
moned us.  They  sat  in  a  circle  around  the  fire,  and  Shikellimy  said:  "Now 
propose." 

"  We  are  sent,"  said  Mack,  "by  T'girhitonti  (the  Indian  name  of  Bishop  Spangen- 
berg),  and  his  brethren  to  speak  words  with  Shikellimy  and  his  council."  (Gave 
a  fathom  of  wampum.)  "  Brethren  :  T'girhitonti  and  his  brethren  remembered  that 
they  had  promised  to  send  you  a  smith  at  your  request ;  we  had  selected  one,  and  he 
and  his  things  were  all  ready  to  come  last  yeai-,  but  it  was  so  sickly  in  all  Pennsyl 
vania;  this  and  other  things  prevented.  We  now  come  to  greet  you,  and  to  ask 
whether  you  still  desire  a  smith  ?  We  love  you ;  you  are  our  brethren ;  we  are  desirous 
of  aiding  you.  We  also  informed  the  Governor  of  your  request  and  our  wish  to  aid 
you.  We  think  it  would  be  well  if  the  whole  council  would  let  us  know  its  mind  in 
this  matter.  Last  of  all  we  desire  to  let  you  know  our  conclusions,  but,  Shikellimy 
and  brethren,  we  did  not  meet  at  home."     (Gave  a  fathom  of  wampum.) 

Shikellimy  said :  Good,  he  would  convoke  the  council,  but  it  was  not  necessary 
for  the  old  Delaware  King  to  be  present ;  he  was  an  ineliriate  and  had  nothing  to  say 
at  Shamokin. 

Hereupon  Mack  and  Nathaniel  withdrew,  and  Shikellimy  convoked  the  council- 
ors, and  after  a  council  of  three  hours  they  summoned  the  Moravians  and  had  them 
join  the  circle.  After  awhile  Shikellimy  took  Mack's  wampum,  held  it  aloft  and 
explained  its  significance  to  the  others.  It  was  handled  by  all  and  they  consulted 
over  it.     Then  Shikellimy  took  it  and  said  : 

"  My  brother!  T'girhitonti,  we  accept  of  your  message  as  true."  (Gave  a  string 
of  wampum.)  "I  wish  you  would  do  what  we  want.  We  wish  a  smith;  we  need 
one;  I  have  long  wished  for  one.  I  will  love  him  as  my  own  flesh  and  blood. 
T'girhitonti !  I  wish  him  to  come  soon.  He  shall  have  a  house  and  shop  near  mine, 
so  that  I  can  protect  him  against  drunken  Indians.  T'girhitonti !  the  smith  shall 
have  a  piece  of  land  of  mine,  to  support  himself.  T'girhitonti !  we  have  also  con- 
cluded that  the  Indians  who  have  work  done  at  the  smithy  shall  pay."  (Gave  a 
second  string  of  wampum.) 

Then  followed  some  general  conversation,  in  which  Shikellimy  spoke  of  Zinzen- 
dorf  and  Anna  Nitschman,  who  he  had  accompanied  to  Wyoming.  The  council 
then  dissolved.  It  consisted  of  Shikellimy,  his  three  sons  and  three  other  Five  Nation 
Indians.  No  Delawares  were  allowed  to  be  pre-sent.  James  Shikellimy's  wife,  a 
Mohican,  was  interpreter,  and  is  well  acquainted  with  Brother  Mack's  wife. 
May  3.     Martin  Mack  and  Nathaniel  set  out  for  Bethlehem. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  II5 

About  this  time  Bishop  Spangenberg  wrote:  "  ShikeUimy  is 
now  chief  over  all  the  Indians  from  Shokokin  to  Onondaga. 
The  Delawares  have  no  king  any  more  and  are  hkely  not  to  have 
any.     The  Five  Nations  have  given  all  over  to  ShikeUimy." 

In  June  Joseph  Powell*  and  John  Hagen,  with  David  Bruce, 
set  out  for  Shamokin  to  make  final  arrangements  with  ShikeUimy. 
Their  instructions  were  written  in  Mohawk  and  wampum  was 
taken  along  to  be  used  in  confirming  the  contract.  Powell  and 
Hagen  were  to  build  the  house,  and  in  it  was  to  be  the  smith  shop. 
When  all  was  settled  the  smith  and  his  wife  were  to  be  sent  up, 
and  Hagen  and  his  wife  were  to  remain  as  missionaries  in  charge. 
■  They  reached  Shamokin  June  ii,  1747,  and  camped  under  a 
beech  tree  near  Shikellimy's  house.  The  old  king  welcomed 
them,  as  did  his  sons  and  other  Indians.  He  then  took  them  to 
his  own  house,  where  his  sons  arranged  seats  for  them,  by  spread- 
ing out  bear  skins.  Around  the  Moravians  were  seated  ShikeUimy 
and  his  councilors.  Hagen  told  them  of  the  object  of  their  coming 
and  read  his  instructions  in  Mohawk,  which  all  said  they  under- 
stood. Finally  he  gave  them  the  wampum,  which  gratified  them 
very  much.  ShikeUimy  said  that  he  would  give  the  missionaries 
horses  to  drag  the  logs  to  the  site  of  the  house,  and  he  at  once 
went  out  with  them,  and  some  twelve  paces  from  his  house,  he 
pointed  to  the  place  where  they  might  build  the  house  and  smithy, 
and  also  several  acres  towards  the  Susquehanna  which  they  might 
fence  and  till. 

June  2 1st  Bruce  returned  to  Shamokin  with  Christian  Henry 
Rauch.  On  the  way  up  he  purchased  the  iron,  etc.,  for  the  smithy, 
at    Lancaster.t   which   was   transferred   to    Harris'    Ferry.      The 

*Joseph  Powell  was  an  itinerant  missionary,  born  in  Shropshire,  England,  in  1710, 
and  died  September  23,  1774,  at  Wechquadnach,  Connecticut,  where,  in  1859,  the 
Moravian  Historical  Society  erected  a  monument  to  his  memory.  He  was  great- 
grandfather of  Joseph  Powell,  of  Towanda,  who  ran  for  State  Treasurer  on  the 
Democratic  ticket,  in  1883,  against  William  Livsey,  but  was  defeated. 

f  justice  Smout,  of  Lancaster,  made  a  present  to  the  smithy  of  a  bench  vise.  The 
following  stock  was  also  purchased:  Fourteen  flat  and  half-round  files,  seven  files, 
one  large  three-square  file,  one  large  four-square  file,  one  pair  smiths'  pincers,  iron 
wire,  one  grindstone,  one  hammer,  one  tew  iron,  one  old  vise,  rosin,  brimstone,  glue, 
one  gimlet,  one  bench  hammer,  three  small  round  hatchets,  1 12  pounds  of  iron  and 
137  pounds  of  steel. 


Il6  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Indians  went  down  in  canoes,  loaded  the  anvil,  iron  and  tools,  and 
paddled  back  to  Shamokin.  In  passing  over  some  ripples,  seven 
and  one-half  miles  above  the  ferry,  the  canoe  in  which  was  the 
anvil  upset,  and  it  was  lost,  but  was  subsequently  recovei'ed. 

The  house  built  by  the  Moravians  was  30x18  feet,  with  an 
upper  room.     Some  land  was  then  broken  and  turnips  planted.* 

Anton  Schmidt, t  the  blacksmith,  arrived  and  was  introduced  to 
the  Indians  assembled  in  council  as  the  blacksmith  of  the  village. 
The  Indians  gave  him  the  name  of  Racliastoni,  but  we  are  not 
informed  as  to  its  meaning. 

Under  date  of  July  20,  1747,  Conrad  Weiser  wrote  to  Richard 
Peters,  concerning  some  of  the  principal  Indians;  "Alumop- 
peesj  would  have  resigned  his  crown  before  now,  but  as  he  has 
had  the  keeping  of  the  public  treasure— that  is  to  say  the  council 
bag — consisting  of  belts  of  wampum,  for  which  he  buys  liquor, 
and  has  been  drunk  for  these  two  or  three  years  almost  constantly, 
and  it  is  thought  he  won't  die  as  long  as  there  is  one  single  wam- 
pum left  in  the  bag.  Lapapitton  is  the  most  fitted  person  to  be 
his  successor.  He  is  an  honest,  true  hearted  man,  and  has  very 
good  natural  sense.  He  is  a  spber  man,  between  40  and  50  years 
of  age.  He  is  well  esteemed  among  his  country  people  and 
others,  but  whether  or  not  he  will  trouble  himself  with  public 
affairs  is  a  great  question.  He  has  lived  retired  for  these  several 
years  with  his  family." 

*ShikeUimy  was  very  fond  of  turnips  and  was  always  grateful  when  a  few  were 
presented  to  him.     The  "patch"  was  often  robbed  by  "  bad  "  Indians. 

f  Brother  C.  H.  Ranch,  who  escorted  the  smith,  Brother  .\nton  Schmidt  and  wife, 
and  the  wife  of  John  Hagen,to  Shamokin,  where  they  arrived  August  3d,  states: 
"  Was  surprised  to  see  the  beautiful  house  built  by  Powell  and  Hagen  in  so  short  a 
time — much  quicker  and  better  than  the  one  Conrad  Weiser  had  built  for  Shikellimy, 
at  the  order  of  the  Governor." 

JAlumoppees,  or  Sassoonan,  was  king  of  the  Delawares  as  early  as  17:8.  In 
1728  he  removed  from  the  Delaware  River  and  took  up  his  residence  at  Shamokin. 
In  June,  1747,  Conrad  Weiser  reported  that  "  Alumoppees  has  no  successor  of  his  re- 
lations, and  he  will  hear  of  none  so  long  as  he  is  alive,  and  none  of  the  Indians  care 
to  meddle  in  the  affair.  Shikellimy  advises  that  the  government  should  name  Alum- 
oppees' successor  and  set  him  up  by  their  authority,  that  at  this  critical  time  there 
might  be  a  man  to  apply  to,  since  Alumoppees  has  lost  his  senses,  and  is  uncapable 
of  doing  anything."  As  Alumoppees  robbed  the  Indian  treasury,  his  is  the  first 
recorded  case  of  official  defalcation  on  the  Susquehanna.  He  died  in  1747,  and  was 
buried  at  Shamokin. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  11/ 

August  1 8th  Rauch  returned  to  Bethlehem  and  reported  that 
the  missionaries  apparently  were  much  beloved  by  the  Indians, 
who  treated  them  differently  from  other  whites. 

The  building  of  the  smith  shop  was  an  interesting  event  and 
greatly  e.xcited  the  curiosity  of  the  Indians.  An  extract  from  the 
journal  of  John  Hagen,  now  preserved  in  the  archives  at  Bethle- 
hem, is  given  herewith: 

June  l,  1747.     Began  to  cut  timber  for  the  house. 

June  3.     Staked  off  the  house,  30  x  18. 

June  4.     Laid  the  sills.     Shikellimy  helped  us  in  person. 

June  5.     Began  to  set  up  the  frame. 

June  7.  Some  17  Delawares  came  here  to-day  on  their  way  to  war  against  the 
Catawbas.  When  we  had  retired  to  rest  they  came  to  us  in  our  house  to  acquaint 
their  idol  of  the  war.  The  idol  is  a  pestle,  on  which  a  human  head  is  carved.  They 
made  a  great  uproar  with  music  and  dancing.  Whenever  one  of  the  party  uttered  a 
complaint  against  the  Catawbas  he  slashed  into  the  god  with  his  hatchet,  in  order  to 
express  his  opinion. 

June  S.     Laid  the  beams. 

June  9.  The  warriors  left.  Shikellimy's  sons  went  along.  Food  scarce.  The 
Indians  hunt  wttrzel  grass,  etc.,  for  food — a  plant  which,  if  uncooked,  is  a  deadly 
poison,  but  if  cooked  with  ferns  it  is  good  eating. 

June  10.     Busy.     Visitors  plenty,  but  no  help. 

June  13.  Done  blocking  up.  Shikellimy  went  in  a  canoe  to  Harris'  Ferry  for 
provisions  for  himself.     Began  to  sow  our  turnips. 

June  15.  Cut  a  tree  for  shingles  and  made  some.  A  trader  p.issed  through.  He 
made  the  Indians  drunk  and  cursed  us. 

June  16.  Made  shingles.  Drunken  Indians  wanted  to  quarrel  with  us.  Shikel- 
limy's wife,  who  was  also  drunk,  interfered  in  our  favor. 

June  18.     Made  shingles  and  cut  a  door  into  the  house. 

June  22.     Commenced  shingling  the  house. 

June  23.     Shikellimy  returned  and  was  astonished  at  the  work  we  had  done. 

June  24.  Moved  into  our  house,  as  enough  of  the  roof  was  on  to  keep  dry.  A 
drunken  Indian,  on  behaving  ugly  to  us,  was  bound,  as  is  the  custom  here. 

June  28 — Sunday.  Rested.  On  telling  Shikellimy  we  did  not  work  on  this  d.iy, 
he  left,  put  on  his  kingly  robes  and  returned. 

Under  date  of  October  17th,  he  notes  in  his  journal:  "Shi- 
kellimy, at  this  date,  is  emperor  over  all  the  kings  and  governors 
of  the  Indian  nations  on  the  Susquehanna." 

September  1 1  th  Christian  Frederick  Post  *  was  sent  to  visit  the 
missionaries  and  to  assist  in  clearing  more  land  for  planting,  and 

*  He  was  born  at  Conitz,  in  Polish  Prussia,  and  w.as  a  distinguished  missionary 
among  the  Indians,  with  whom  he  was  connected  by  marriage.  His  first  wife  was 
Rachel,  a  Wampanoag,  baptized  February   13,  1743,  and  died  in   1747,  at  Bethle- 


Il8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

to  fence  it.  He  also  brought  a  hat  along  for  Shikellimy,  who  had 
lost  his  while  helping  to  transport  the  smithy  tools  from  Harris' 
Ferry  to  Shamokin. 

News  had  reached  Bethlehem  of  the  death  of  Hagen,  which 
occurred  on  the  i6th,  of  fever.  On  the  way  up  Post  took  the 
fever  at  Tulpehocken.  This  induced  George  Loesch  to  accom- 
pany him.  When  they  reached  Shamokin  they  found  the  smith 
and  his  wife,  and  Hagen's  wife,  all  sick  and  helpless  in  bed.  They 
at  once  set  about  making  preparations  to  bury  Hagen  *  the  next 
day.  Anton  Schmidt,  Post,  Loesch  and  an  Indian  dug  the  grave 
and  buried  him  in  the  turnip  patch  near  the  fence.  Many  Indians 
were  present  at  the  funeral,  and  the)-  were  so  affected  that  the)' 
shed  tears.  Shikellimy  and  other  Indians  were  also  sick  and 
several  died  of  the  fever.  Hagen  was  sick  eight  days.  He  was 
the  first  Mora\'ian  to  die  on  the  Susquehanna.  J.  Martin  Mack 
succeeded  him  as  resident  rnissionary. 

This  same  month  David  Brainerd  visited  Shamokin  and  found 
Alumoppees  t  still  living,  although  he  was  supposed  to  be  at  the 
point  of  death  when  he  was  there  in  May.  He  died,  however,  in 
October,  1747,  and  Conrad  Weiser  wrote  that  Lapapitton  was  the 
best  man  to  succeed  him,  but  he  declined,  because  he  was  afraid 
he  might  be  en\'ied,  "  and  consequently  bewitched  by  some  of  the 
Indians." 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1747,  Conrad  Weiser  writes  that  he  set 
out  for  Shamokin  and  arrived  there  on  the  9th.  He  was  surprised 
to  find  Shikellimy  so  ill  that  he  could  scarcely  stretch  out  his  hand 
to  bid  him  welcome.  His  wife  and  three  sons  were  also  very  sick. 
One  of  his  daughters  and  two  or  three  of  his  grandchildren  were 


hem.  In  1749  he  married  Agnes,  a  Delaware,  baptized  by  Cammerhoff,  March  5, 
1749.  She  died  in  175 1,  at  Bethlehem.  His  third  wife  was  a  white  woman.  Post 
eventually  left  the  service  of  the  Moravian  Church.  He  died  at  Germantown. — 
Life  of  Zeisberger,  page  121. 

*John  Hagen  came  from  Brandenberg.  In  April,  1740,  he  was  sent  to  Georgia 
to  missionate  among  the  Cherokees.  He  returned  to  Bethlehem  in  1742.  September 
19th,  of  the  same  year,  he  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  David  Dismann,  of  Prov- 
idence Township,  Montgomery  County.  He  labored  among  the  Delawares,  the  Sus- 
quehanna tribes,  and  the  Mohicans  of  New  York.     His  age  is  unknown. 

f  Some  time  in  1731  Alumoppees  assassinated  his  nephew,  Sat?i  Shakata-ailin,  at 
Shamokin,  by  stabbing  him  to  the  heart  with  a  knife,  while  in  a  drunken  Ijrawl.  He 
was  his  presumptive  successor,  and  he  became  very  jealous  of  him. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I  I9 

also  suffering  from  the  fever.  A  few  days  before  his  arrival  three 
out  of  the  old  chief's  family  had  died — Cajadies,  his  son-in-law, 
who  had  been  married  to  his  daughter  for  fifteen  years,  and  con- 
sidered the  best  hunter  among  all  the  Indians  of  the  place ;  also 
his  oldest  son's  wife  and  his  grandchild.  Mr.  Weiser  continues: 
"  Ne.xt  morning  I  administered  the  medicines  to  Shikellimy  and 
one  of  his  sons,  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Thomas  Gr^me,  which 
had  a  very  good  effect  upon  both.  Shikellimy  was  able  to  walk 
about  with  me,  with  a  stick  in  his  hand,  before  I  left  Shamokin, 
which  was  on  the  I2th,  in  the  afternoon." 

In  November  Post  returned  to  Shamokin  on  a  visit.  He  found 
Shikellimy  very  friendly,  but  he  was  much  distressed  on  account 
of  the  death  of  his  wife,  which  occurred  on  the  7th  of  November. 
He  and  his  sons  buried  her,  and  as  a  mark  of  respect  fired  rifles 
over  her  grave. 

In  January,  of  1748,  Bishop  J.  C.  F.  Cammerhoff*  and  Joseph 
Powell  set  out  from  Bethlehem  to  visit  Shamokin.  Their  journey 
at  that  time  of  the  year  was  a  perilous  one,  owing  to  the  snow 
and  high  water,  and  both  narrowly  escaped  drowning.  An  extract 
from  their  journal,  by  Mr.  Jordan,  reads  as  follows: 

J.\NU.'^RY  15,  1748.  Concluded  to  consult  with  Shikellimy  about  the  .smithy,  ,ind 
appointed  the  afternoon  for  the  interview.  Asked  him  to  dinner,  which  he  deemed  an 
honor.  Later  he  .summoned  his  councilors  to  our  house.  There  were  present  Shikel- 
limy, his  two  younger  sons  and  Logan's  wife,  who  was  to  act  as  interpreter  through 
the  Mohican  tongue.  His  oldest  son  was  sick — was  unable  to  be  present.  Mack's 
wife  translated  my  words  into  Mohican,  and  Logan's  wife  this  into  Shawanese  ,ind 
James  Shikellimy  into  Oneida  for  his  father. 

Shikellimy  said  :  "  Don't  take  it  amiss,  my  brethren,  that  I  speak  first.  You  said 
you  wished  to  tell  me  and  my  brethren  words,  but  first  I  must  tell  you  something. 
My  brethren,  don't  take  it  amiss  that  the  smith  at  Shamokin,  up  to  this  time,  has  not 
had  more  meat  to  eat.  I  have  been  sick,  and  also  my  sons  and  their  children,  and 
many  of  them  died.  If  we  had  been  well  and  able  to  go  on  the  hunt,  then  the 
smith  and  his  wife  would  have  had  more  to  eat." 

We  replied :    "  Shikellimy,  my  brother !    T'girhitonti,  my  brother  and  your  brother. 


*John  Christoph  Frederic  Cammerhofif  was  born  near  Magdeburg,  Prussia,  July 
28,  1721,  and  arrived  in  America  in  1747.  He  was  a  remarkable  man.  A  graduate 
of  the  Univei-sity  of  Jena.  He  was  a  bishop  at  the  age  of  25  and  a  divine  of  rare 
scholar>^hip.  During  his  labors  of  only  four  years  among  the  Indians  he  did  much 
good  and  baptized  eighty-nine.  He  died  April  28,  1751,  at  Bethlehem,  from  the 
effects  of  hardships  endured  during  a  journey  to  Onondaga  through  the  wilderness. 
— Life  of  Zeisberger,  page   182. 


120  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

heard  of  your  great  sickness;  we  sympathized  with  you,  and  we  rejoice  to  see  that 
you  are  convalescent.  T'girhitonti,  your  brother,  wishes  you  good  health."  (This 
pleased  him  exceedingly.)  "  Shikellimy,  my  brother!  My  brother,  the  smith,  and 
his  brethren  at  Shamokin  are  not  displeased,  for  they  had  as  much  meat  as  was 
necessary;  and  T'girhitonti  and  his  brethren  are  not  displeased,  and  rejoice  of 
your  kindness  towards  the  smith." 

Shikellimy  said  :  "So  far  the  smith  has  taken  deer  skins  in  exchange  for  his 
work;  cannot  he  take  also  raccoon,  fox,  wild  cat  and  other  skins,  so  the  smith  can  be 
paid  for  his  work?" 

"Shikellimy,  my  brother!  T'girhitonti  and  his  brethren  are  no  traders,  they  don't 
traffic  in  furs,  for  that  is  not  their  business;  hence  the  smith  cannot  take  all  kinds  of 
skins.  The  deer  skins  T'girhitonti  and  his  brethren  use  for  their  people  to  make 
breeches,  caps,  gloves,  etc. ;  the  smith  must  take  deer  skins.  But,  as  T'girhitonti 
loves  you  and  your  brethren,  the  smith  shall  sometimes  take  otter,  raccoon  and  fox 
skins,  as  such  skins  are  useful  to  us.  He  will  not  deliver  the  work  until  it  is  paid  for, 
else  he  be  cheated." 

Shikellimy  said:  "I  always  said  that  the  smith  should  trust  no  Indian,  but  as 
soon  as  he  mended  a  gun  he  should  keep  it  until  it  is  paid.  Why  did  he  trust?  I 
knew  he  would  be  deceived." 

"  Shikellimy,  my  brother!  the  smith  loves  the  Indians,  and  hence  he  trusted  them. 
For  when  Indians  came  to  him  with  their  broken  guns,  he  did  not  want  to  send  them 
away  to  get  skins  first,  thus  causing  them  to  lose  several  days  of  the  hunt — hence  he 
trusted  them.     But  he  finds  he  is  being  cheated  and  he  is  unwilling  to  trust  any  more." 

Shikellimy  said :     "  Cannot  the  smith  also  take  bear  and  elk  skins  for  his  work  ?  " 

"  He  can  take  as  many  bear  skins,"  we  replied,  "as  are  brought;  also  the  skins  of 
the  elk ;  but  it  is  better  if  he  is  paid  in  deer  skins,  for  T'girhitonti  and  his  brethren 
are  no  tradeis." 

"  Shikellimy  said :  "  Now,  my  brethren,  I  have  said  all  I  had  to  say,  and  I 
thank  you  for  your  answers;  now  you  can  speak." 

"T'girhitonti,"  said  I,  "and  all  his  brethren  send  greetings  to  you,  brother  Shikel- 
limy. I  send  you  this  my  younger  brother  [Cammerhotf  ]  to  greet  you,  to  tell  you  of 
my  joy  that  you  are  again  well,  for  I  love  you  tenderly,  Shikellimy.  Johanan  (Zin- 
zendorf  's  Indian  name),  who  is  over  the  great  water,  so  sent  my  younger  brother  over 
the  great  water  to  greet  you  and  your  brethren,  and  to  tell  you  he  loves  you. 

"  Shikellimy !  I  sent  the  smith  here,  who  I  love,  to  work  for  you,  and  I  rejoice 
that  you  all  love  him.     Continue  to  do  so. 

"  Shikellimy,  my  brother!  I  need  my  brother  Mack  and  his  wife  at  Bethlehem,  for 
she  will  soon  be  confined."  (About  this  they  spoke  much  to  each  other.)  "I  send 
my  brother  Powell  to  live  with  the  smith  and  to  help  him.  I  love  him,  and  do  you 
also  love  him."     (Here  they  smiled  at  Powell.) 

"Shikellimy,  my  brother!  you  said  you  would  give  the  smith  and  his  brethren 
more  land  to  plant  corn,  pumpkins  and  turnips.  Do  as  you  said,  and  give  them 
wood,  so  they  can  split  rails  and  fence  it  in  before  planting  time. 

"Shikellimy,  my  brother!  we  are  delighted  to  hear  that  you  will  visit  us  again  in 
Bethlehem,  and  if  you  bring  along  your  son  James  and  his  Mohican  wife,  and  your 
other  sons,  they  will  be  heartily  welcome.  I  have  now  said  all  I  had  to  say,  and 
thank  you  for  your  attention.  You  are  at  liberty  to  reply  if  you  have  anything  to 
say." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  121 

He  sent  many  greetings  to  T'girhitonti  and  his  brethren,  and  said  that  as  soon  as 
it  grew  warmer,  that  he  could  sleep  out  in  the  woods,  he  would  come  to  Bethlehem. 
His  son  Logan  Said  the  same  thing.  At  the  close  of  the  conference  I  distributed  some 
presents,  after  which  ShiUellimy  pointed  out  to  us  a  piece  of  land  for  the  use  of  the 
smith. 

I  conferred  with  my  brethren  and  we  determined  the  following : 

1.  That  the  smith  is  not  to  trust. 

2.  That  he  is  not  to  entertain  Indians  at  his  house,  as  it  makes  Shikellimy  dis- 
trustful, for  there  are  special  houses  for  all  strangers  or  visitors.  To  allow  any  one 
to  sleep  in  your  house  is  a  mark  of  great  confidence. 

3.  The  smith  is  to  trust  no  trader. 

4.  No  Indian  to  be  trusted  on  any  trader's  account. 

5.  Our  brethi-en  are  not  to  interfere  with  or  pass  judgment  in  case  of  any  dispute 
between  Indians  and  traders,  nor  interfere  with  their  bargains. 

6.  Must  represent  to  the  Indians  at  all  times  that  we  are  not  traders. 

7.  We  must  not  lead  Indians  into  temptation  by  leaving  many  things  lie  about 
the  house  or  shop. 

8.  Entertain  no  traders.     Send  them  all  to  Shikellimy,  except  Captain  McKee. 

9.  Always  be  scrupulously  truthful  to  the  Indians;  never  say  we  have  nothing 
when  we  have. 

10.  We  cannot  be  as  hospitable  to  the  Indians  in  Shamokin  as  at  Bethlehem,  as 
we  do  not  raise  harvests  here,  but  must  transport  all  our  flour  from  Harris'  Ferry;  but 
always  be  self-denying  to  the  last  crust  to  the  needy  and  suffering,  and  the  sick. 

11.  Our  brethren  are  to  visit  the  Indians  frequently  in  their  huts;  no  distinction 
to  be  made  between  Iroquois,  Delawares  and  Tudelars,  although  the  former  despise 
the  Delawares.     No  partiality ! 

12.  The  good  will  of  Shikellimy  and  his  family  must  be  maintained.  Invite  him 
frequently  to  dinner  and  constantly  seek  his  advice. 

13.  No  more  land  is  to  be  used  than  is  absolutely  necessary  to  farm  after  the 
Indian  fashion,  and  only  com,  potatoes,  turnips  and  beans  to  be  raised.  It  is  true 
Shikellimy  proposed  to  the  smith  to  keep  cows  and  hogs,  but  this  best  be  not  done. 

J.^NU.^RY  19.     Bishop  Cammerhoff  reached  Bethlehem. 

In  the  summer  of  1748  David  Zeisberger  and  John  Martin 
Mack  made  a  journey  up  the  West  Branch  for  the  purpose  of 
visiting  the  Indians,  among  whom  a  famine  was  prevailing.  The 
following  extract  from  the  journal  of  Mack  shows  the  wretched 
condition  in  which  they  found  them: 

"July  9,  1 748.  Set  out  from  Shamokin,  and  by  evening  reached 
the  spot  where  Bishop  Spangenberg  and  party  lodged  on  their  way 
to  Onondaga.* 

"July  10.  About  noon  reached  Otstonwakin,  and  found  it  en- 
tirely deserted;    so  we   journeyed  on.     At  night  tormented  by 

*At  Warrior  Run.     See  Spangenberg's  Journal,  page  106. 


122  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

punks  and  mosquitoes,  despite  the  five  fires  between  which  we  lay 
down  to  sleep. 

"July  ii.  Resumed  our  journey,  and  at  noon  came  to  some 
Indian  huts,  but  found  them  empt>^  We  passed  many  empty 
huts  to-day.  Crossed  a  branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  also  to 
an  island,  where  we  found  a  few  deserted  huts.  Brother  Mack 
climbed  into  a  tree  to  look  out  for  some  human  being — for  the 
grass  and  weeds  were  so  high  as  to  intercept  all  view — and  saw 
an  Indian  at  a  distance.  He  descended  and  made  for  the  point, 
where  he  found  a  hut  in  which  an  old  woman  and  some  others . 
were  down  with  the  small-pox.  On  asking  where  the  Indians  of 
this  region  were,  he  was  told  that  many  had  died  of  small-pox 
and  others  had  been  driven  by  famine  to  the  white  settlements. 
We  learned  that  this  district  was  called  Long  Island,*  and  nearly 
all  who  dwell  here  (and  the  number  is  not  small)  are  Delawares. 
One  of  the  Indian  men  knew  Brother  Mack  well,  having  met  him 
at  Shamokin.  He  was  friendly,  showed  us  the  way  to  Great 
Island,  and  regretted  he  had  nothing  to  give  us  to  eat. 

"Towards  evening  reached  Great  Island,t  and  found  Indians  at 
home,  residing  on  this  side  of  the  island.  They  asked  us  from 
whence  we  came,  and  whether  we  had  ought  to  sell.  When  told 
that  we  were  not  traders,  but  had  only  come  to  visit  them,  it  was 
incomprehensible  to  them.  But  a  few  old  squaws  were  living  on 
the  island ;  the  men  had  been  driven  away  by  the  famine.  We 
consequently  remained  on  this  side  of  the  island,  and  asked  an 
Indian  whether  we  could  lodge  in  his  hut.  He  took  us  in  cor- 
dially, and  spread  a  bear  skin  for  us  to  sleep  on;  but  he  had 
nothing  for  us  to  eat.  Ascertained  that  he  was  a  Five  Nation 
Indian,  and  his  wife  a  Shawanese;  whereupon  Brother  Zeisberger 
conversed  with  him.  His  father,  who  is  upwards  of  70  years,  was 
dying  of  small-pox,  and  was  a  most  pitiable  object.  His  case,  and 
that  of  the  Indians  here,  enlisted  our  sympathies  and  silent  prayers. 

*  Situated  in  the  river  opposite  Jersey  Shore.  In  later  years  it  was  known  as 
Bailey's  Island.  It  originally  consisted  of  one  farm,  and  contained  174  acres.  A 
few  years  ago  it  was  divided  into  two.  County  bridges  connect  it  with  the  main  land 
on  both  sides  and  a  public  highway  crosses  it. 

f  This  fanious  island  lies  in  the  river  a  short  distance  east  of  Lock  Haven.  It  is 
often  called  Dunn's  Island.     It  contains  325  acres  and  is  divided  into  several  farms. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 23 

"  In  the  evening  we  were  visited  by  a  number  of  Indians — 
Shawanese  and  Cayugas.  Here  dwell  in  three  houses  Shawanese, 
Maquas  and  Delawares ;  among  the  latter  an  Indian  from  Albany, 
who  spoke  Low  Dutch.  In  all  three  houses  were  cases  of  small- 
pox. In  one  hut  hung  a  kettle  in  which  grass  was  being  stewed, 
which  they  ate  with  avidity. 

"  July  i  2.  Brother  Zeisberger  learned  from  our  host  that  many 
Indians  passed  and  repassed  his  hut.  To-day  he  brought  out  some 
dried  venison  and  gave  us  some,  and  we  in  turn  gave  his  child 
some  of  our  bread,  for  which  they  were  very  thankful. 

"  In  the  afternoon  told  our  host  we  desired  to  visit  the  island  to 
see  the  Indians  there,  and  he,  unasked,  went  with  us,  and  led  us  to 
all  the  huts.  We  found  some  clever  people  here  who  had  just 
returned  from  the  woods,  and  who  shared  with  us  grapes,  green 
and  hard,  which  they  ate  with  avidity.  We  prayed  silently  to  the 
Lord  to  have  mercy  on  this  people. 

"Returned  to  our  lodgings,  and  our  host  again  asked  us  why 
we  had  come  so  far,  and  had  we  not  come  in  search  of  land?  He 
said  there  was  fine  land  in  the  neighborhood.  We  explained  that 
was  not  our  object. 

"July  13.  We  found  an  opportunity  to  speak  to  our  host  of 
the  Saviour.  He  had  heard  somewhat  of  God,  and  said  he  be- 
lieved what  we  had  told  him  was  good  and  true.  He  then  gave 
us  some  dried  venison  and  we  in  turn  some  needles  and  thread 
to  his  wife. 

"Set  out  on  our  return  down  the  Susquehanna.  At  night 
camped  on  a  large  flat  by  a  creek,  ate  some  mouldy  bread,  the 
last  of  our  stock,  and  built  four  fires  to  keep  off  the  vermin. 

"July  14.  Arose  early.  Brother  David  [Zeisberger]  caught 
some  fish,  which  we  cooked.  At  noon  reached  Otstonwakin,* 
where  we  speared  a  large  fish  with  a  pointed  stick.  This  we  took 
to  our  camp,  which  was  on  a  high  bank  of  the  Susquehanna, 
where  Bishop  Spangenberg  and  company  had  dined  on  the  way 
to  Onondaga  in  1745,  and' ate  the  fish  for  supper. 

"July  15.     Set  out  early  and  at  noon  came  to  a  spot  where 

*  Where  Madame  Montour  resided  on  the  Loyalsock.  Now  known  as  the  bor- 
ough of  Montoursville. 


124  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

Spangenberg  had  passed  the  night  on  his  return  from  Onondaga, 
and  at  evening  reached  Shamokin." 

Mack  and  his  companion  remained  in  Shamokin  until  July  22d, 
when  they  traveled  up  the  North  Branch,  visiting  the  Indian  towns 
along  the  river  to  Wapwallopen,  crossed  the  mountain  to  Gnaden- 
hutten,  and  from  thence  to  Bethlehem,  arriving  there  July  30th. 

Shikellimy  made  his  last  visit  to  Bethlehem  early  in  December. 
On  his  return  to  Shamokin  with  Zeisberger,  in  the  woods,  between 
Tulpehocken  and  his  home,  he  spoke  of  his  love  for  Zinzendorf, 
Spangenberg  and  Cammerhoff,  and  that  what  they  had  told  him 
of  God  was  true.  On  the  night  of  December  7th  he  was  taken 
ill  with  fever,  and  in  this  condition  Zeisberger  carried  him  home. 
In  his  lodge  he  laid  down  and  rapidly  became  worse,  so  that  he 
lost  his  hearing  and  speech.  Zeisberger  visited  him  frequently 
and  prayed  for  him  in  the  hour  of  death.  A  short  time  before  he 
breathed  his  last  he  turned  to  Zeisberger,  who  stood  over  his  bed, 
and  looked  him  beseechingly  in  the  face,  and  signified  as  though 
he  would  speak  to  him,  but  he  could  not.  He  reached  out  his 
hand  and  made  another  effort,  but  without  avail,  and  as  a  bright 
smile  illumined  his  countenance  his  spirit  quietly  took  its  flight. 
He  died  December  17,  1748,*  in  the  presence  of  his  daughter 
and  the  good  missionary,  who  had  so  faithfully  watched  by  his 
bedside. 

Several  days  after  his  decease  his  second  son,  Logan,  returned 
home  from  a  far  off  country',  to  weep  over  the  lifeless  body  of  the 
parent  he  so  much  esteemed.  The  Brethren,  Zeisberger  and 
Henry  Fry,  made  him  a  coffin,  and  the  Indians  painted  the  corpse 
in  gay  colors  and  decked  it  with  the  choicest  ornaments  f  that  had 
belonged  to  him  in  life.  Various  implements  were  then  placed  in 
the  coffin,  according  to  the  Indian  custom,  to  be  used  by  the  dead 
warrior  when  he  should  reach  his  new  home.     The  coffin  was 


*0n  page  59,  of  this  work,  an  error  inadvertently  crept  in  regarding  the  true 
date  of  his  death. 

f  The  grave  that  was  opened  in  185S  by  Mr.  Hendricks,  described  on  pages  58 
and  59,  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  one  in  which  the  remains  of  Shikellimy  were 
laid.  It  is  true  that  other  Indians  were  buried  in  coffins  by  the  Moravians,  but  no 
grave  was  ever  opened  by  antiquarians  at  this  place  which  contained  a  greater  variety 
of  beads  and  rich  trinkets  than  this  one.  It  is  reasonable,  therefore,  to  conclude  that 
this  was  the  grave  of  the  vice-king. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


then  carried  to  the  grave  by  three  Moravians  (Post,  Loesch  and 
Schmidt)  and  a  young  Indian,  when  the  honored  chieftain,  after 
Christian  funeral  services,  conducted  by  Bishop  Zeisberger,  was 
laid  to  rest  in  the  burial  place  of  his  fathers  on  the  banks  of  the 
"Winding  River." 


V, 


Shikellimy,  who  figured  so  conspicuously  in  Indian  histor_\- 
from  the  first  appearance  of  the  whites  in  this  valley  down  to  the 
close  of  his  eventful  life,  was  in  some  respects  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  aborigines  of  whom  we  have  any  account,  and  it  lis 
much  regretted  that  so  little  of  his  personal  history  has  been 
handed  down  to  us.  He  was  an  Oneida  by  birth,  and  Shikellim\- 
was  the  name  given  him  by  the  Shawanese.     The  Six  Nations 


126  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

called  him  Swatane.  He  belonged  to  the  tribe  of  the  Bear.  When 
and  where  he  was  born  is  unknown,  but  it  is  likely  that  he  first 
saw  the  light  of  day  in  some  part  of  what  is  now  the  State  of 
New  York.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  is  supposed  to  have 
been  65  or  68  years  of  age,  which  was  quite  old  for  an  Indian. 
He  had  four  sons:  i,  Tachnechtoris,  a  wide  spreading  oak,  who 
was  also  called  John,  of  the  tribe  of  the  Turtle;  2,  Arahhot;*  3, 
Sajechtowa,  alias  James  Logan;  4,  John  Petty,  named  after  a 
trader.  We  know  that  he  had  one  daughter,  for  the  Moravians 
inform  us  that  she  was  present  when  he  died. 

The  first  we  hear  of  him  was  in  1728,  when  he  was  living  on 
the  West  Branch.  In  1737  he  was  living  in  his  village,  a  short 
distance  below  Milton,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  the  site  of 
which  is  illustrated  on  page  62.  At  that  time  he  appears  to 
have  been  in  the  full  flush  and  vigor  of  manhood. 

As  he  possessed  an  executive  mind,  and  was  recognized  by  his 
people  as  a  man  of  much  more  than  ordinary  ability,  his  counsel 
was  eagerly  sought  by  the  government  of  the  Six  Nations;  and 
as  this  section  of  their  confederation  was  somewhat  hard  to 
govern,  on  account  of  the  various  tribes  inhabiting  it,  and  the 
conflicting  interests  which  had  to  be  regulated,  he  was  designated 
at  an  early  period  as  leading  sachem  or  vicegerent,  and  invested 
with  more  than  ordinary  authority.  As  early  as  1745  he  estab- 
lished his  seat  at  Shamokin,  as  that  place  was  recognized  as  the 
central  or  converging  point.  On  account  of  his  high  standing  and 
excellent  judgment,  his  influence  was  courted  by  the  Provincial 
authorities.  So  great  was  his  love  for  truth  and  justice  that  he 
never  violated  his  word  nor  condoned  a  crime.  There  was  scarcely 
a  treaty  held  for  the  purchase  of  lands,  from  1728  to  1748,  that  he 
did  not  attend,  and  his  wise  counsels  aided  in  amicable  solutions 
of  what  sometimes  threatened  to  be  troublesome  questions. 

The  acquaintance  which  Zeisberger  made  with  him  was  care- 
fully followed  up  by  the  Brethren  and  ripened  into  a  friendship 
which  ceased  only  with  the  death  of  the  noble  old  chief     His 

*In  1744  .Shikellimy  lost  a  son  in  the  war  with  the  Catawbas.  He  was  called 
"Unhappy  Jake,"  and  his  father  took  his  death  "very  hard,"  according  to  Weiser, 
and  the  Governor  sent  him  some  small  presents  to  "  wipe  off  the  old  man's  tears  and 
comfort  his  heart." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  127 

numerous  trips  as  guide  and  interpreter  with  the  Moravians  show 
the  great  confidence  that  was  reposed  in  him,  and  the  high  esteem 
in  which  he  was  held. 

He  was  also  the  warm  friend  and  confidant  of  Conrad  Weiser, 
and  they  were  always'fast  friends.  Many  anecdotes*  are  related 
concerning  them.  It  was  while  on  the  return  from  a  visit  to 
Bethlehem,  in  1747,  to  confer  with  the  Brethren,  that  he  was 
fir.st  taken  sick  at  Tulpehocken,  and  never  fully  recovered. 

In  April,  1745,  he  made  his  first  visit  to  Bethlehem  and  spent  a 
week  there.  Rev.  J.  C.  Pyrljeus.f  who  was  studying  Mohawk, 
improved  the  opportunity  to  collect  a  store  of  vocables  in  that 
language  from  the  lips  of  the  Oneida  chief  In  this  MS.  he  gives 
Otzinaches  as  Iroquois  for  Shamokin.  The  Moravians  invariably 
wrote  it  Shamoko. 

*  It  is  related  that  Shikellimy  once  came  to  Conrad  Weiser  and  said :  "  I  had  a 
glorious  dream.  I  dreamed  that  Tarachawagon  [Weiser]  had  presented  me  with  a 
rifle."  Conrad,  of  course,  handed  over  to  his  dusky  friend  the  coveted  weapon, 
suspecting  all  the  while  that  Shikellimy  had  a  dream  which  was  not  all  a  dream.  A 
few  days  later  Conrad  Weiser  had  a  dream,  and  told  Shikellimy  so.  The  chief  asked 
for  the  revelation  "I  dreamed,"  said  Conrad,  "that  Shikellimy  presented  me  with 
the  large  and  beautiful  island  nestled  in  the  Susquehanna  River."  The  nonplused 
chief  at  once  made  over  his  favorite  island — the  Isle  of  Que — but  added:  "Conrad, 
let  us  never  dream  again!  " 

It  is  not  believed  that  this  story  ever  occurred.  It  is  true,  however,  that  the  Isle 
of  Que,  on  which  a  part  of  Selinsgrove  now  stands,  had  been  owned  by  the  old 
interpreter,  and  that  it  remained  for  one  or  two  generations  in  the  possession  of  his 
direct  descendants ;  but  there  is  no  proof  that  his  title  rested  on  a  mere  dream.  On 
the  other  hand,  it  is  true  that  Shikellimy  had  been  very  poor,  so  poor  that  Conrad 
Weiser  interceded  for  him  as  an  object  of  charity  before  the  council  at  Philadelphia. 

The  following,  however,  is  said  to  have  been  true :  "  Conrad  Weiser  once  sat 
resting  on  a  log  in  his  extensive  forest  land.  An  Indian  came  and  sat  down  along- 
side him.  Conrad  moved  to  one  side  somewhat;  the  intruder  pressed  harder  against 
him.  Again  Conrad  made  more  room,  but  the  Indian  still  moved  after  him.  Then 
Conrad  demanded  an  explanation  of  his  strange  and  rude  procedure.  The  Indian 
answered:  'Thus  the  whites  did  to  the  Indians.  They  lighted  unbidden  on  our 
lands.  We  moved  on;  they  followed.  We  still  moved  and  they  still  followed.  We 
are  moving  onward  now,  and  they  are  following  after.  Conrad,  I  will  not  push  you 
from  the  log  entirely.  But  will  your  people  cease  their  crowding,  ere  we  roll  into  the 
waters?'" — Life  of  fFfM<??-,  pages   106-7. 

f  John  Christian  Pyrlaeus  was  born  at  Pausa,  in  Swabia,  in  1713,  and  studied  at 
the  University  of  Leipsic  between  1733  and  1738.  Here  he  became  attached  to 
the  Brethren,  visited  Herrnhut  and  accepted  an  appointment  as  missionary.  Arrived 
at  Bethlehem  October  19,  1740.     Ordained  to  the  ministry  during  the  sessions  of  the 


128  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

While  on  his  last  visit  to  Bethlehem,  in  1747,*  he  experienced 
the  power  of  divine  grace  and  made  a  profession  of  personal  faith. 
He  had  been  baptized  in  Canada,  by  a  Jesuit  father,  many  years 
before.  La}'ing  aside  a  Manitou,  the  last  relic  of  his  idolatry,  he 
took  his  way  rejoicing  to  his  home  on  the  Susquehanna.  It  was 
on  the  occasion  of  this  visit  that  the  Brethren,  before  his  depart- 
ure, presented  him  with  a  new  blue  cloth  waistcoat,  and  a  red  one 
for  his  grandson.  These  tokens  of  love  pleased  him  very  much 
and  he  felt  grateful  towards  the  donors. 

In  the  death  of  Shikellimy  the  whites  lost  the  best  and  truest 
friend  they  ever  had  among  the  Indians  in  this  lovely  valley. 
Loskiel,  the  historian,  who  knew  him  well,  pays  this  glowing 
tribute  to  his  character  and  worth : 

"Being  the  first  magistrate  and  head  chief  of  all  the  Iroquois 
Indians  living  on  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna,  as  far  as  Onon- 
daga, he  thought,  it  incumbent  upon  him  to  be  very  circumspect 
in  his  dealings  with  the  white  people.     He  mistrusted  the  Breth- 

Synod  convened  in  Oley.  July  10,  1742,  he  married  Susan,  youngest  daughter  of 
John  Stephen  Benezet,  of  Philadelphia.  He  studied  Mohawk,  became  a  famous 
Indian  scholar  and  opened  a  school.  Returned  to  Europe  in  1751.  His  wife  died 
at  Herrnhut,  May  28,  1779,  and  he  died  at  the  same  place,  May  28,  1785. — Life  of 
Zeisberger,  page   139. 

*In  a  letter  from  Tulpehocken,  dated  October,  1747,  Conrad  Weiser  thus  writes  to 
Richard  Peters,  Secretary  of  the  Province :  "  I  must,  at  the  conclusion  of  this,  recom- 
mend Shikellimy  as  a  proper  object  of  charity.  He  is  extremely  poor,  in  his  sickness 
the  horses  have  eaten  his  corn;  his  clothes  he  gave  to  the  Indian  doctors,  to  cure  him 
and  his  family — but  all  in  vain.  He  has  nobody  to  hunt  for  him,  and  I  cannot  see 
how  the  poor  old  man  can  live.  He  has  been  a  true  servant  to  the  Government,  and 
may,  perhaps,  still  be,  if  he  lives  to  do  well  again.  As  the  winter  is  coming  on,  I 
think  it  would  not  be  amiss  to  send  a  few  blankets  or  match  coats,  and  a  little  powder 
and  lead.  If  the  Government  would  be  pleased  to  do  it,  and  you  could  send  it  soon, 
I  would  send  my  sons  with  it  to  Shamokin  before  the  cold  weather  comes."  This 
appeal  had  the  desired  effect  and  the  following  goods  were  sent  in  the  early  part  of 
November  of  that  year;  "Five  strowd  match  coats,  at  seven  pounds;  one-fourth 
cask  of  gunpowder,  two  pounds,  fifteen  shillings;  one-half  cut  bar  of  lead,  one 
pound;  fifteen  yards  of  blue  half-thick,  two  pounds,  seven  shillings  and  si.\pence; 
one  dozen  best  buck  hefted  knives,  nine  shillings;  four  Duffel  match  coats,  three 
pounds — amounting  to  sixteen  pounds,  eleven  shillings  and  sixpence."  One  of  these 
knives,  found  in  his  (supposed)  grave,  is  illustrated  on  page  59.  The  fever  and  ague 
was  the  prevailing  disease  at  Shamokin  at  that  time,  and  it  is  said  by  some  writers 
that  old  Alumoppees,  who  robbed  the  Indian  treasury  and  kept  drunk  for  several 
years,  actually  shook  himself  to  death.  It  is  also  surmised  that  Shikellimy  died  of 
the  same  disease. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 2y 

ren  at  first,  but  upon  discovering  their  sincerit)%  became  their  firm 
and  real  fi'iend.  Being  much  engaged  in  political  affairs,  he  had 
learned  the  art  of  concealing  his  sentiments ;  and,  therefore,  never 
contradicted  those  who  endeavored  to  prejudice  his  mind  against 
the  missionaries,  though  he  always  suspected  their  motives.  In 
the  last  years  of  his  life  he  became  less  reserved,  and  received 
those  Brethren  who  came  to  Shamokin  into  his  house.  He  assist- 
ed them  in  building,  and  defended  them  against  the  insults  of  the 
drunken  Indians;  being  himself  never  addicted  to  drinking,  be- 
cause, as  he  expressed  it,  he  never  wished  to  become  a  fool.  He 
had  built  his  house  upon  pillars  for  safety,  in  which  he  always  shut 
himself  up  when  any  drunken  frolic  was  going  on  in  the  village. 
In  this  house  Bishop  Johannes  Von  Watteville  *  and  his  company 
visited  and  preached  the  gospel  to  him.  It  was  then  that  the 
Lord  opened  his  heart.  He  listened  with  great  attention ;  and  at 
last,  with  tears,  respected  the  doctrine  of  a  crucified  Jesus,  and 
received  it  in  faith.  During  his  visit  in  Bethlehem,  a  remarkable 
change  took  place  in  his  heart  which  he  could  not  conceal.  He 
found  comfort,  peace  and  joy,  by  faith  in  his  Redeemer,  and  the 
Brethren  considered  him  as  a  candidate  for  baptism ;  but  hearing 
that  he  had  already  been  baptized,  by  a  Roman  Catholic  priest  in 
Canada,  they  only  endeavored  to  impress  his  mind  with  a  proper 
idea  of  his  sacramental  ordinance,  upon  which  he  destroyed  a 
small  idol,  which  he  wore  about  his  neck.  After  his  return  to 
Shamokin,  the  grace  of  God  bestowed  upon  him  was  truly  mani- 
fest, and  his  behavior  was  remarkably  peaceable  and  contented. 
In  this  state  of  mind  he  was  taken  ill,  was  attended  by  Br.  David 
Zeisberger,  and  in  his  presence  fell  happy  asleep  in  the  Lord,  in 
full  assurance  of  obtaining  eternal  life  through  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ." 


*  John  de  Watteville,  a  bishop  of  the  Church,  the  principal  assistant  of  Zinzendorf, 
and  his  son  in-law,  was  one  of  those  lovely  characters  that  reflect  the  image  of  Christ. 
He  was  born  at  Walschleben,  in  Thuringia,  October  l8,  1718.  His  father  was  a 
clergyman.  He  was  educated  at  the  University  of  Jena,  and  subsequently  joined  the 
Moravian  Church.  Having  been  adopted  by  Baron  Frederick  de  Watteville,  he  was 
created  a  Baron  of  the  German  Empire  by  Francis  I.,  in  1745.  In  the  following 
year  he  married  the  Countess  Benigna,  Zinzendorf 's  eldest  daughter,  and  was  conse- 
crated a  bishop  in  1747.  He  died  October  7,  1788,  in  Europe,  aged  almost  70  years. 
— Life  of  Zeisberger,  page  147. 


130  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  Shikellimy,  his  son  Logan  had  Zeis- 
berger  write  a  letter  to  Conrad  Weiser,  notifying  him  of  the  death 
of  his  father,  that  he  might  inform  the  Governor.  He  also  had 
him  write  the  following  letter  to  Bethlehem : 

llv  Brother  Johanan,  Gallicwas: 

You  are  my  brethren,  therefore  I  let  you  know  that  my  father,  Swatane,  soon  after 
his  return  from  a  visit  to  you,  died,  on  which  account  I  am  much  grieved.  Have 
sympathy  for  me  and  aid  me  to  bear  my  affliction  at  the  death  of  a  father,  and  let 
your  brethren  know  this,  for  you  are  my  brethren.  He  who  speaks,  these  words,  his 
name  is 

S.A..IECHTOWA, 

And  as  sign  I  send  this  belt  of  wampum. 

In  closing  this  imperfect  sketch  of  Shikellimy,  we  desire  to  call 
attention  to  a  singular  freak  of  nature,  which  may  be  seen  in  the 
rocks  of  Blue  Hill,  when  viewed  from  a  certain  position.  Travel- 
ing up  the  river  on  the  Sunbury  side,  and  when  at  a  certain 
point,  the  outlines  of  the  face  of  the  old  Indian  chief  can  be 
plainly  seen,  in  profile,  on  the  rocky  side  of  the  hill,  a  short  dis- 
tance above  the  bridge  crossing  the  West  Branch.  The  position 
of  certain  rocks  is  such  that  they  outline  his  face,  and  the  features 
are  so  clearly  defined  that  they  cannot  be  mistaken.  He  appears 
to  gaze  serenely  over  a  portion  of  the  borough  of  Northumber- 
land and  the  majestic  hills  beyond.  That  his  rugged  features 
should  thus  be  preserved  is  indeed  remarkable,  and  whilst  it  can 
only  be  regarded  as  the  accidental  production  of  a  peculiar  com- 
bination of  rocks,  it  must  be  accepted  as  a  coincident  which  is  as 
strange  as  it  is  suggestive.  Hon.  T.  H.  Purdy,  in  his  Legends  of 
the  Susquehanna,  thus  refers  to  it : 

The  calm  of  peace,  of  blessedness  and  grace. 
Still  lingered  on  his  cold  but  kindly  face. 
Where  he  was  wedded,  there  his  grave  was  made. 
And  wild-wood  flow'rs  upon  his  tomb  were  laid. 

Then  every  bee  that  hum'd,  or  dove  that  sigh'd. 
Or  wind  that  moan'd  o'er  Susquehanna's  tide. 
And  every  cloud  that  wept  along  the  sky, 
Seem'd  full  of  sadness  as  it  drifted  by. 
And  all  the  pines,  on  every  hill  around. 
Have  never  ceas'd  to  send  their  wailing  sound. 
To  fill  the  forests  and  the  valleys  wide 
With  lamentations  since  this  chieftain  died. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I3I 

And  to  this  day  a  pensive  shadow  falls 
Down  on  the  river  from  those  tow'ring  walls, 
Where  Blue  Hill,  with  its  shale  and  rocks  of  red. 
Rise  up  to  memorize  the  noble  dead ! 

Half  up  those  rocks,  conspicuous  in  place, 
Time's  hand  has  chisell'd  Shikellimy's  face, 
Which,  looking  eastward  o'er  the  rippling  wave. 
Beholds  the  place  where  chieftains  made  his  grave. 
And  yet  along  that  beach,  still  whisp'ring  there, 
One  hears  low  murmurs  floating  on  the  air— 
"  Loved  Shikellimy  ! "  say  the  waves  that  rise, 
"  Fair  Nenaoma ! "  back  the  wind  replies. 
And  so  forever,  and  for  evermore. 
Their  names  shall  live  on  Susquehanna's  shore. 

Shikellimy  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son,  Tachncchtoris,  as 
vicegerent,  but  as  he  did  not  possess  the  executive  ability  of  his 
father,  nor  command  the  same  respect  among  the  Indians,  his 
reign  was  a  failure.  Evil  times  came  upon  the  country,  and  war 
and  pestilence  followed. 

Logan,  the  third  son,  possessed  some  of  the  remarkable  quali- 
ties of  his  father,  and  had  he  been  in  the  line  of  succession  a 
better  state  of  affairs  might  have  prevailed.  He  is  the  Indian 
who  became  celebrated  in  the  annals  of  border  warfare  by  the 
farnous  speech  attributed  to  him,  but  which  is  supposed  to  have 
been  written  by  Thomas  Jefferson.  He  was  the  fast  friend  of  the 
whites  until  his  entire  family  was  cruelly  murdered  in  Ohio,  when 
his  love  turned  to  hatred,  and  he  never  ceased  to  wage  war  against 
the  settlers  until  he  had  taken  thirteen  scalps,  one  for  each  member 
of  his  family.  He  then  declared  that  he  was  satisfied  and  made 
war  no  more.  It  was  then  that  he  uttered  the  speech  which  is 
considered  a  masterpiece  in  the  annals  of  oratory. 

Logan's  wife  was  a  Mohican,  and  Powell  relates  a  very  pathetic 
story  concerning  the  death  of  her  daughter.  He  says :  "  Last 
fall  she  took  her  daughter,  four  years  old,  with  her  on  the  annual 
hunt.  It  took  sick  and  died,  bewitched,  she  said,  by  the  Dela- 
ware sorcerers.  She  carried  the  body  of  her  dead  child  home 
and  had  it  buried  in  the  ancestral  burying-ground  at  Shamokin. 
The  mother  came  to  our  house,  asked  for  nails,  as  she  wanted  to 
make  a  coffin  to  put  the  child  in.     She  told  Sister  Mack  that  before 


I  32  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

death  it  said:  'Mother,  I  will  soon  die;  greet  the  white  people; 
tell  them  that  I  ne\er  stole  turnips.  I  always  asked  when  I 
wanted  one.'  She  asked  her  whether  the  child  would  go  to  our 
God?  Sister  Mack  said  yes!  and  she  spoke  of  the  love  of  God 
to  children.  Our  brethren  attended  the  funeral  of  the  child.  The 
mother  placed  it  in  the  coffin  with  its  presents,  viz :  A  blanket, 
several  pairs  of  moccasins,  buckskin  for  new  ones,  needle  and 
thread,  a  kettle,  two  hatchets  to  cut  kindling  wood,  flint  and  steel, 
so  that  on  arriving  in  the  new  countiy  she  could  go  to  house- 
keeping. Besides  this  she  was  beautifully  painted  and  had  a 
supply  of  bear's  meat,  corn  and  a  calabash.  After  the  funeral  the 
mother  came  to  our  house  and  brought  a  quart  tin  and  gave  it  to 
Sister  Mack,  saying:  'This  had  been  her  daughter's,  and  she 
should  keep  it  in  remembrance  of  her! '  " 

Another  incident  illustrative  of  Indian  character  is  related  by  a 
Moravian  writer,  as  follows :  "  Lately  an  Indian  from  Wyoming 
visited  the  mission  house  and  seated  himself  by  the  fire  and  said 
to  Sister  Mack  that  he  had  been  one  and  a  half  days  in  Shamokin, 
and  no  one  yet  had  given  him  anything  to  eat,  although  he  had 
been  in  all  the  houses.  He  asked  her  whether  she  would  give 
him  something,  whereupon  she  gave  him  some  bread,  and  he  was 
very  thankful." 

In  April,  1749,  Conrad  Weiser  was  ordered  to  visit  Shamokin 
on  government  business  relating  to  the  death  of  Shikellimy.  He 
did  as  directed  and  promptly  informed  Governor  Hamilton  *  that 
he  had  met  the  eldest  and  youngest  sons  of  the  deceased  chief  at 
the  trading  house  of  Thomas  McKee,  some  twenty  miles  below 
Shamokin,  who  informed  him  that  all  the  Indians  had  left  the 
place  for  a  short  time  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  provisions. 
Here  he  delivered  the  message  from  the  Governor  to  the  young 
men,  and  three  others  of  the  Six  Nations,  one  of  whom  was 


*James  Hamilton,  son  of  Andrew  H.-imilton,  was  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  born 
about  171 1.  At  the  death  of  his  father,  in  174 1,  he  was  left  in  possession  of  a  large 
fortune,  and  received  the  appointment  of  prothonotary,  then  the  most  lucrative  office 
in  the  Province.  He  was  appointed  Lieutenant  Governor  in  1748,  ser\-ing  to  October, 
1754.  He  filled  the  same  office  from  1759  to  1763.  He  filled  other  offices  of  dis- 
tinction, but  his  loyalty  to  the  crown  caused  him  to  be  unfriendly  to  the  Revolution. 
He  died  at  New  York,  August  14,  1783,  aged  about  72. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 33 

Toganogon,  a  noted  Cayuga.     In  reference  to  the  interview  he 
says : 

All  what  I  had  to  do  was  to  let  the  children  and  grandchildren  of  our  deceased 
friend,  Shikellimy,  know  that  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  and  his  Council  condoled 
with  them  for  the  death  of  their  father,  which  I  did  accordingly,  and  gave  them  a 
small  present,  in  order  to  wipe  off  their  tears,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Indians. 
The  presents  consisted  of  six  strowd  matchcoats  and  seven  shirts,  with  a  string  of 
wampum.  After  this  was  over,  I  gave  another  string  of  wampum  to  Tagheneghdoants, 
Shikellimy's  eldest  son,  and  desired  him  to  take  upon  him  the  care  of  a  chief  in  the 
stead  of  his  deceased  father,  and  to  be  our  true  correspondent,  until  there  should  be  a 
meeting  between  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  and  some  of  the  Six  Nation  chiefs, 
and  then  he  should  be  recommended  by  the  Governor  to  the  Six  Nation  chiefs  and 
confirmed,  if  he  would  follow  the  footsteps  of  his  deceased  father.  He  accepted 
thereof,  and  I  sent  a  string  of  wampum  by  Toganogon  (who  was  then  setting  out  for 
Cayuckquo,  Onantago,)  to  let  the  Council  of  the  Six  Nations  know  of  Shikellimy's 
death  and  my  transaction  by  order  of  the  Governor.  There  was  a  necessity  for  my 
doing  so. 

The  gradual  encroachment  of  the  white  settlers  caused  a  feel- 
ing of  unrest,  and  the  times  assumed  a  threatening  outlook. 
French  emissaries  were  busy  poisoning  the  minds  of  the  Indians 
for  the  purpose  of  inducing  them  to  abandon  their  alliance  with 
the  English  and  take  sides  with  them.  And  their  efforts  were 
not  wholly  in  vain,  for  they  succeeded  in  bringing  about  a  state 
of  affairs  which  resulted  in  drenching  this  fair  land  in  blood. 

One  of  the  last  journeys  made  up  the  river  by  the  Moravians 
was  by  Martin  Mack*  in  1753.  He  left  Bethlehem  August  21, 
1753,  in  company  with  Brother  Kaske,  and  reached  Shamokin  on 
the  evening  of  the  24th.  They  were  affectionately  welcomed  by 
the  three  brethren  stationed  there.  They  were  anxious  to  hear 
from  Bethlehem,  as  it  was  five  months  since  the  last  visit  of  any 
person  there.  Mack  kept  a  journal  of  his  travels,  from  which  the 
following  extract  is  taken  : 

"August  25,  1753.  Marx  Kiefer  prepared  for  his  return  to 
Bethlehem,  and  left  at  10  A.  M.  with  letters.  After  dinner  we 
visited  the  Indians  who  lived  here,  and  found  them  very  friendly. 
Many  children  are  down  with  the  small-pox. 

"  August  26.  In  the  forenoon  we  again  visited  the  Indians  and 
then  prepared  for  our  journey  to  Qiicniscliaschacki,^  a  Delaware 

*See  Meginness'  Historical  Journal,  page  92. 

f  Where  the  village  of  Linden,  a  few  miles  west  of  Williamsport,  now  stands. 


134  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEV. 

town,  sixty  miles  beyond  Shamokin,  on  the  West  Branch.  Early 
in  the  afternoon  we  set  out  in  a  canoe  and,  four  miles  above  Sha- 
mokin, visited  a  couple  of  lodges  where  Captain  Logan  lives.* 
Unfortunately  he  was  away  from  home — in  the  Seneca  country. 
Here  we  found  a  Shawanese  dying  of  small-pox;  he  died  next 
day.  A  few  weeks  ago  he  returned  from  the  war"  with  the 
Catawbas;  the  Captain  was  an  Oneida,  and  he  with  four  of  his 
tribe  were  killed.  The  others  fled,  one  being  the  Shawanese,  and 
two  Tudelars.  The  latter  died,  on  the  day  of  their  arrival,  from 
small-pox.  We  paddled  on  and  came  to  the  place  where  last  year 
we  tried  to  pass  a  fall,  and  when  half  way  up  Brother  Mack's 
pole  broke,  the  canoe  turned  and  Brother  Grubet  was  thrown 
into  the  water. 

"August  27.  Paddled  on  and  soon  reached  John  Shikellimy's 
hunting  lodge,|  who  lives  here  with  several  Shawanese  families. 
They  were  very  glad  to  see  us  and  gave  us  bear's  meat.  The 
children  so  pleased  Brother  Grube  that  he  gave  them  cakes,  to 
their  great  delight.  After  dinner  we  reached  Muncy  Creek,  forty 
miles  from  Shamokin,  where  we  put  up  our  canoe  with  an  Indian 
we  knew,  as  the  water  began  to  grow  rapid.  Here  we  met  se\'eral 
drunken  Indians  who  teased  us  for  tobacco,  and  began  to  get  cross. 
Finally  Brother  Grube  gave  them  several  cuts  and  they  were  sat- 

*At  the  mouth  of  Chillisquaque  Creek.  Logan  was  the  second  son  of  Shikel- 
hmy,  and  was  named  after  Secretary  James  Logan.     He  was  lame. 

f  Bernhard  Adam  Grube,  born  1715,  near  Erfurth,  and  educated  at  Jena,  came  to 
Pennsylvania  in  June,  1746.  At  first  he  was  employed  at  the  schools  in  Bethlehem. 
He  studied  the  Delaware  language  and  held  meetings'  among  the  Indians.  He  was 
fifteen  months  at  Shamokin.  "  Here,"  he  says,  "  we  had  hard  times  and  lived  amid 
dangers.  Our  smithy  became  the  resort  of  the  savages  passing  through  this  central 
town,  and  on  one  occasion  thirty  warriors  took  possession  of  the  house,  and  for  eight 
days  made  it  the  scene  of  their  di-unken  revels."  In  1753  he  was  sent  to  North  Car- 
olina, to  plant  a  colony  of  eleven  young  men  on  the  tract  of  100,000  acres  purchased 
by  the  Brethren  of  the  Earl  of  Granville.  The  next  year  he  returned  to  Bethlehem, 
and  in  1755  married  Elizabeth  Busse,  and  was  appointed  to  Gnadenhutten,  whence 
he  barely  escaped  with  his  life  in  the  memorable  night  of  the  24th  of  November, 
when  the  place  was  destroyed  by  the  Indians.  After  being  stationed  at  various  places 
and  passing  through  many  trials  and  vicissitudes,  he  took  leave  of  his  Indians  in  1765. 
After  this  he  was  stationed  at  Lititz.  The  evening  of  his  long  life  was  spent  at 
Bethlehem,  where  he  died  March  20,  iSoS,  in  the  93d  year  of  his  age. 

J  The  eldest  son  of  Shikellimy,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  vicegerency  in  1748. 
His  lodge  stood  at  the  mouth  of  Warrior's  Run. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 35 

isfied  and  let  us  go.  We  slung  our  packs  on  our  backs,  and  by 
evening  reached  Otstonwakin.  Mack  pointed  out  to  Grube  the 
spot  where  Zinzendorf  and  his  party  had  pitched  their  tents. 
Proceeding  several  miles  further  we  camped  for  the  night  b)- 
a  creek. 

"August  28.  Towards  9  A.  M.  we  came  to  a  small  town 
where  Madame  Montour's  niece  Margaret  lives  *  with  her  family. 
She  welcomed  us  cordially,  led  us  into  the  hut  and  set  before  us 
milk  and  watermelons.  Brother  Grube  told  her  that  Mack  had 
come  from  Bethlehem  especially  to  visit  her.  '  Mother,'  said 
Mack,  'do  you  know  me?'  'Yes,  my  child,'  she  replied,  'but  I 
have  forgotten  where  I  saw  you.'  'I  saw  you,'  he  said, 'eight 
years  ago  on  the  island  at  Shamokin,  when  you  were  living  with 
your  brother,  Andrew  Sattelihu.'  Hereupon  she  bethought  her- 
self that  at  that  time  she  had  come  from  the  Allegheny  f  and 
was  on  the  way  to  Philadelphia.  She  was  very  friendly  to  us,  and 
much  pleased  that  we  had  visited  her.     She  was  yet  sorrowing  for 

*  French  Margaret,  the  wife  of  Peter  Quebec,  resided  at  the  mouth  of  Lycoming 
Creek,  which  is  noted  on  Scull's  map  of  1759  as  French  Margaret'.s  Town.  The 
site  of  her  village  is  now  embraced  in  the  limits  of  Newberry,  or  the  Seventh  ward  of 
the  city  of  Williamsport. 

f  French  Margaret,  a  Canadian,  and  niece  of  Madame  Montour,  was  living,  prior 
to  1745,  with  her  Mohawk  husband,  on  the  Allegheny.  In  that  year  Martin  Mack  met 
her  at  the  lodge  of  her  cousin,  Andrew  Sattelihu,  on  an  island  in  the  Susquehanna, 
near  Shamokin.  She  had  prohibited  the  use  of  liquor  in  her  present  village,  and  she 
said  her  husband,  Peter  Quebec,  had  not  drank  rum  for  six  years.  She  had  initiated 
other  reformatory  measures  within  her  little  realm,  and  she  enjoyed  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  her  subjects. 

This  lesser  Indian  queen  frequently  attended  treaties  at  Easton,  Philadelphia  and 
Albany.  Sometimes  she  interpreted.  Clovernment,  desirous  of  retaining  the  Montour 
influence  for  the  English,  always  met  her  with  marked  deference;  and  yet  she  was  an 
uncertain  ally,  as  appears  from  Weiser's  statement  to  Peters  in  a  letter  written  to  the 
Secretary  in  May,  1755.  "French  Margaret,"  he  said,  "with  some  of  her  family,  is 
gone  to  the  English  camp  in  Virginia,  and  her  son  Nicklaus  is  gone  to  Ohio  to  the 
F'rench  Fort.  I  suppose  they  want  to  join  the  stronger  party,  and  are  gone  to  get  in- 
formation." 

In  July  of  1754  French  Margaret  and  her  Mohawk  husband  and  two  grand- 
children, traveling  in  semi-barbaric  state,  with  an  Irish  groom  and  six  relay  and 
pack-horses,  halted  a  few  days  at  Bethlehem  on  their  way  to  New  York.  During  her 
st.iy  she  attended  divine  worship,  expressed  much  gratification  at  the  music  and  sing- 
ing, and  was  also  pleased  to  find  sisters  who  were  conversant  with  French. — Memori- 
als of  the  Moravian  Church,  pages  330-1-2. 


136  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  loss  of  her  son  and  son-in-law,  who  were  killed  last  winter  in 
the  war  against  the  Creeks.  We  told  her  we  would  leave  our 
packs  here  and  proceed  to  the  Delaware  town  at  Quenischaschac- 
ki.  'Oh!'  she  said,  'the  Indians  up  there  have  for  some  weeks 
been  drinking,  and  we  would  undoubtedly  find  them  all  drunk.' 
On  arriving  at  the  town  we  found  all  quiet,  and  the  people  modest 
and  friendly.  We  visited  several  huts  and  inquired  diligently 
about  Christian  Renatus,  and  found  that  he  had  gone  to  peel 
bark  for  his  brother,  the  Captain,  who  is  building  a  new  hut. 
We  remained  until  evening,  and  then  returned  to  Margaret's  town, 
who  again  furnished  us  with  food.  We  had  a  long  conversation 
with  her  on  many  subjects,  and  she  spoke  particularly  of  Andrew 
Sattelihu,  and  of  her  husband,  who  for  six  years  has  drank  no 
whisky,  and  who  had  already  prevailed  upon  two  men  from 
drinking. 

"August  29.  Early  this  morning  we  again  went  to  the  Dela- 
ware town  to  seek  Christian  Renatus,  and  at  last  found  him.  He 
accompanied  us  a  short  distance  into  the  woods,  where  we  had  a 
lengthy  conversation  on  religious  matters;  and  finally  he  said: 
'  Yes,  brethren,  your  eyes  shall  soon  see  me  in  your  town.'  We 
took  an  affectionate  leave  of  him,  and  prayed  to  the  Lord  that  he 
might  have  mercy  on  him.  We  then  returned  to  Margaret's  town 
to  take  leave  of  her.  She  desired  us  to  visit  her  very  soon  again, 
which  we  hoped  to  do. 

"  As  to  Andrew  Sattelihu,  he  is  now  interpreter  for  Virginia  and 
receives  a  salary  of  ^^300,  and  has  been  twice  this  summer  to 
Onondaga.  He  is  now  absent,  to  bring  Margaret's  relatives,  who 
live  in  French  Canada,  to  her. 

"The  French  have  set  ;£'ioo  on  his  head.  The  Governor  of 
Virginia  has  also  appointed  him  a  Colonel,  and  presented  to  him 
a  fine  tract  of  land  on  the  Potomac.  He  is  a  friend  of  the  Mora- 
vians, and  still  remembers  how,  eleven  years  ago,  he  traveled  with 
a  great  gentleman.  The  Six  Nations  have  expressed  themselves 
to  this  effect,  that  whatever  nation  should  kill  him,  they  would  at 
once  begin  war — he  is  held  in  such  high  esteem  among  them. 

"  French  Margaret  is  also  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  Indians, 
and  allows  no  drunkard  in  her  town.     Her  husband  is  a  Mohawk, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 37 

who  understands  French  well,  as  also  their  children,  but  they  do 
not  speak  it.  She  told  Brother  Grube  that  our  missionaries  might 
learn  the  Mohawk  in  her  town. 

"By  noon  we  reached  our  canoe  at  Muncy  Creek,  and  found 
that  a  blanket  and  some  provisions  wrapped  in  it  had  been  taken. 
Having  had  nothing  to  eat,  we  obtained  some  corn  from  a  woman. 
Below  Muncy  Creek  we  visited  a  small  Shawanese  town,  which  a 
few  years  ago  was  built  by  some  families  from  Wyomick.  We 
found  old  Shikase,  of  Wyomick,  here,  who  has  been  here  since 
spring.  He  saluted  us  as  brothers.  We  also  visited  John  Shikel- 
limy,  who  lives  here  and  has  a  Shawanese  wife.  He  furnished  us 
with  a  choice  piece  of  bear's  meat.  Shikellimy's  family  have 
mostly  left  Shamokin,  as  they  found  it  very  difficult  to  live  there, 
owing  to  the  large  number  of  Indians  constantly  passing  through 
the  town,  who  have  to  be  fed.  Our  brethren  make  the  same 
complaint — they  have  fed  as  high  as  lOO  Indians  per  annum. 

"  We  encamped  for  the  night  on  a  beautiful  spot  on  the  river, 
and  before  retiring  to  rest  held  a  devotional  service. 

"August  30.  Journeyed  on  by  water,  and  towards  evening 
reached  our  brethren  at  Shamokin,  who  were  delighted  to  see  us 
again. 

"August  31.  We  visited  among  the  Indians  to-day,  and 
Brother  Grube  informed  them  that  in  the  morning  we  would  set 
out  for  Bethlehem,  and  that  the  smith  and  one  brother  would 
remain. 

"September  i.     We  set  out  for  Bethlehem." 

Matters  steadily  grew  worse.  On  the  1st  of  March,  1755, 
Conrad  Weiser  informed  Governor  Morris  *  that  he  had  recently 
been  visited  by  a  number  of  Indians,  some  of  whom  were  from 
the  Ohio.  The  first  company  consisted  of  nineteen  persons — all 
of  the  Six  Nations — with  a  chief  at  their  head.  The  second  con- 
sisted chiefly  of  Shawanese,  and  there  were  twelve  of  them.     They 

*  Robert  Hunter  Morris  was  the  eldest  son  of  Lewis  Morris,  Chief  Justice  of  New 
York  and  New  Jersey,  born  about  1699.  On  the  appointment  of  his  father  to  the 
governorship  of  New  Jersey,  in  1731,  the  son  succeeded  him  as  Chief  Justice  of  that 
State,  a  position  he  held  until  1757,  when  he  resigned  the  office.  He  was  Lieutenant 
Governor  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  from  1754  to  1756.  He  died  the  20th  of 
February,  1764,  in  the  65th  year  of  his  age. 


138  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

informed  him  that  they  left  the  Ohio  countiy  on  account  of  the 
invasion  of  the  French,  and  it  was  their  intention  to  jointly  settle 
on  the  West  Branch  at  Otstuagy  (Otstonwakin),  and  build  a  town. 
They  asked  for  assistance  from  the  whites,  and  sent  a  string  of 
v\ampum  with  their  request.  About  this  time  the  Indians  also 
informed  him  that  a  number  of  people  from  New  England  had 
formed  themselves  into  a  body  to  settle  on  the  Susquehanna  and 
in  the  Muncy  Valley. 

On  the  I2th  of  June,  1755,  Conrad  Wei.ser  notified  Governor 
Morris  that  he  had  just  returned  from  Otstuagy,  where  he  had 
been  with  ten  men  to  fence  in  a  corn-field  *  for  the  Indians,  ac- 
cording to  the  order  of  the  Governor.  But  when  he  arrived  at 
the  settlement  he  found  that  the  Indians,  who  had  petitioned  the 
Governor  for  assistance,  had  mostly  deserted  the  place  for  want  of 
provisions,  and  chiefly  for  having  lost  all  their  corn  by  severe 
frosts  between  the  29th  and  30th  of  May  last,  which  was  the 
second  frost  they  had  on  the  river  since  their  corn  was  up,  and  it 
had  been  entirely  killed.  He  only  found  two  Indians,  with  their 
families,  in  the  town,  and  they  were  very  thankful  for  what  had 
been  done  for  them,  but  as  they  had  no  hopes  of  raising  any  corn 
from  what  they  had  planted,  they  thought  it  needless  to  have  a 
field  fenced.  He  left  them  one  .sack  of  flour,  and  on  his  return 
left  one  with  the  Indians  at  Canasoragy  (Muncy)  and  two  at  Sha- 
mokin. 

On  this  journey  he  was  accompanied  by  John  Shikellimy,  the 
new  king.  At  Canasoragy  they  had  a  talk  with  the  Indians  and 
informed  them  of  the  object  of  his  mission.  Among  other  things 
he  told  them : 

I.  That  the  King  of  Great  Britain  had  sent  a  great  number  of  men  and  ammu- 
nition, who  are  now  on  their  march  to  drive  away  the  French  from  Ohio  by  force. 

II.  That  no  war  was  yet  proclaimed  between  the  Enghsh  and  French,  but  that  it 
was  daily  expected;  that  in  the  meantime  the  Government  desires  them  to  stop  their 
ears  to  everything  that  the  French  could  say  to  them  and  listen  altogether  to  the  Eng- 
lish, and  to  depend  upon  that  their  brethren,  the  English,  will  strictly  observe  the 
treaties  of  friendship  existing  between  them  and  their  bretliren,  the  Indians. 

III.  That  as  soon  as  the  Governor  would  receive  the  news  of  war  being  pro- 
claimed between  the  English  and  French,  the  Governor  would  let  them  know,  and 
whatever  else  should  pass  worth  theirnotice.     (Giave  a  string  of  wampum.) 


^See  Life  of  Conrad  Weiser,  page  192. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 39 

He  found  about  twenty  Indian  men  in  this  town,  five  or  six  of 
whom  were  Chickasaws,  the  balance  were  Shawanese.  They  in- 
formed him  that  they  would  be  glad  to  see  the  English  fight  the 
French  in  earnest,  that  they  had  observed  that  wherever  the 
French  came  they  did  mischief,  and  that  they  were  generally 
hated  among  the  Southern  Indians. 

The  signs  of  danger,  however,  increased.  The  crushing  defeat 
of  Braddock,  July  9,  1755,  was  followed  by  the  bloody  massacre 
on  Penn's  Creek,  only  six  miles  from  Shamokin,  and  caused  so 
much  alarm  that  the  Moravian  missionaries  deemed  it  best  to 
abandon  their  post.  Max  Kieffer,*  the  resolute  blacksmith,  kept 
to  his  anvil,  hoping  to  save  the  property,  until  the  sudden  appear- 
ance of  French  Indians,  painted  for  war,  betokened  the  approach 
of  the  storm  that  was  soon  to  sweep  the  defenceless  borders  of 
the  Province. 

Finally  Bishop  Spangenberg  wrote  a  letter  directing  him  to 
leave  everything  behind  and  hasten  to  Bethlehem  for  safety.  An 
old  friend  of  the  Church,  a  Conestoga  Indian,  offered  to  convey 
the  letter  and  escort  him.  When  within  six  miles  of  Shamokin, 
on  the  North  Branch,  he  met  Kieffer  and  delivered  the  letter  to 
him.  It  had  been  Kieffer's  intention  to  remain  at  Shamokin  until 
the  last  minute,  with  the  hope  of  saving  the  mission  house  and  the 
smith-shop. t  But  when  directed  to  abandon  all  he  continued  his 
journey.     John  Shikellimy  escorted  him  to  Nescopeck,  when  he 

*Dr.  de  Schweinitz,  in  his  life  of  Zeisberger  (page  225),  says  there  were  two  mis- 
sionaries at  Shamokin,  Roessler  and  Kieffer,  besides  Peter  Wesa,  the  smith,  when  the 
startling  news  of  the  massacre  reached  the  place,  and  the  murderers  came  thither. 
Roessler  and  Wesa  escaped  to  Bethlehem.  Kieffer  remained  and  was  concealed  for 
two  weeks  in  the  lodge  of  a  friendly  Indian,  when  he  was  escorted  away  by  Tachne- 
chtoris  (John  Shikellimy)  and  his  life  was  saved. 

f  According  to  tradition  the  blacksmith  shop  was  located  a  little  northeast  of 
where  Fort  Augusta  was  afterwards  built.  Mr.  M.  L.  Hendricks  says  that  while  he 
was  engaged  in  digging  for  relics,  he  came  upon  a  spot  which  had  been  partly  em- 
braced by  one  of  the  bastions  of  the  fort,  where  there  were  large  quantities  of  charcoal 
and  ashes.  Dr.  R.  H.  Awl  remembers  hearing  old  people  say,  when  he  was  a  young 
man,  that  pieces  of  iron  and  tools  used  by  the  smith  were  found  underneath  this  spot 
by  the  early  settlers.  If  the  shop  was  located  at  this  place,  and  the  debris  found 
there  indicates  that  it  was,  Shikellimy's  house  was  near  by,  together  with  the  huts  of 
the  Indian  village.  This  was  opposite  the  lower  part  of  the  island,  which  would  be 
a  natural  location  for  the  town,  the  mission  and  the  shop. 


140  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

took  leave  of  him.  Kieffer  then  continued  on  his  journe)-  via 
Wyoming  and  reached  Bethlehem  in  safety.  He  was  the  last 
Moravian  to  leave  Shamokin  on  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities, 
and  with  his  departure  the  mission  ended  on  the  Susquehanna. 
All  the  buildings  were  soon  afterwards  burned,  the  Indian  town 
was  abandoned  and  ashes  only  marked  the  spot  where  it  once 
stood. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  BLOODV  MASSACRE  ON  PENN's  CREEK  AND  THE  THRILLING 
NARRATIVE  OF  MARIE  LE  ROY  AND  BARBARA  LEININGER,  WHILE 
IN    CAPTIVITY THE    WHITES    ORDERED    TO    TAKE    SCALPS. 

WHEN  the  first  settlements  were  made  in  the  vicinity  of 
Shamokin,  and  on  Peon's  Creek,  the  territory  was  em- 
braced in  Cumberland  and  Berks  Counties.  Cumberland  was 
formed  January  27,  1750,  out  of  a  part  of  Lancaster,  and  took  in 
all  the  lands  on  the  west  side  of  the  Susquehanna.  Berks  was 
erected  March  11,  1752,  out  of  parts  of  Philadelphia,  Bucks  and 
Lancaster,  and  embraced  all  the  territory  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river  as  far  northward  as  the  limits  of  the  Province. 

The  feeling  of  amity  that  had  existed  between  the  Indians  and 
whites  for  over  fifty  years  was  about  to  be  broken.  The  Indians 
had  become  greatly  dissatisfied  on  account  of  the  recent  treaties, 
as  they  had  discovered  that  they  had  been  deceived  and  cheated. 
Their  evil  passions  were  aroused  and  they  prepared  to  take  revenge 
in  the  most  fiendish  manner.  They  united  their  fortunes  with  the 
French  and  the  most  terrible  massacres  followed.  Petitions  pray- 
ing for  protection  were  sent  to  the  Provincial  Government  by  the 
settlers,  but  they  availed  but  little.  The  Government  made  an 
effort  to  do  something,  but,  owing  to  its  weakness,  accomplished 
very  little.  The  disastrous  defeat  of  Braddock,  July  g,  1755,  was 
soon  followed  by  war  throughout  the  country.  Scarcely  three 
months  elapsed  until  a  body  of  Indians,  from  the  West  Branch, 
fell  upon  the  settlement  at  Penn's  Creek.  The  attack  was  made 
on  the  15  th  of  October,  1755,  and  every  person  in  the  settlement, 
consisting  of  twenty-five,  including  men,  women  and  children,  with 
the  exception  of  one  man,  who  made  his  escape,  though  danger- 
ously wounded,  were  either  killed  or  carried  into  captivity.  The 
scene  of  havoc  and  devastation,  presented  in  this  once  happy 
settlement,  is  described  to  have  been  mournful  in  the  extreme. 


142  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

Their  homes  were  burned  and  their  fields  laid  waste.  When  the 
terrible  news  reached  the  settlements  below,  a  number  of  men 
came  up  to  bury  the  dead.  They  described  the  scene  as  fol- 
lows : 

We  found  but  thirteen,  who  were  men  and  elderly  women.  The  children,  we 
suppose  to  be  carried  away  prisoners.  The  house  where  we  supposed  they  finished 
their  murder,  we  found  burnt  up ;  the  man  of  it,  named  Jacob  King,  a  Swisser,  lying 
just  by  it.  He  lay  on  his  back,  barbarously  burnt,  and  two  tomahawks  sticking  in  his 
forehead ;  one  of  these  marked  newly  W.  D.  We  have  sent  them  to  your  Honor. 
The  terror  of  which,  has  driven  away  almost  all  the  back  inhabitants,  except  the 
subscribers,  with  a  few  more,  who  are  willing  to  stay  and  defend  the  land;  but  as  we 
are  not  at  all  able  to  defend  it  for  the  want  of  guns  and  ammunition,  and  few  in 
numbers,  so  that  without  assistance,  we  must  fiee  and  leave  the  country  to  the  mercy 
of  the  enemy. 

Jacob  King,  alias  Jacob  le  Roy,*  who  was  so  inhumanly  butch- 
ered, had  only  lately  arrived  from  Europe.  At  the  time  of  his 
murder,  his  daughter,  Anne  Marie  le  Roy,  and  Barbara  Leininger 
were  made  prisoners  and  taken  to  Kittanning  and  other  places, 
where  they  were  kept  captives  for  about  three  and  a  half  \'ears. 

When  these  young  women  escaped  from  captivity,  in  1759,  they 
published  a  pamphlet  in  German,  giving  an  account  of  their  wan- 
derings and  sufferings.  A  few  years  ago  a  copy  was  found,  when 
a   translation  was  made    by  Bishop  Edmund    de  Schweinitz,  of 


*At  the  Albany  treaty,  July  6,  1754,  the  Six  Nations  conveyed  to  Thomas  and 
Richard  Penn  a  purchase,  the  northern  line  of  which  was  to  start  one  mile  above  the 
mouth  of  Penn's  Creek,  where  Selinsgrove  now  stands,  and  run  "  northwest  and  by 
west  as  far  as  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  extends."  This  line,  protracted  on  the 
map,  bisects  Limestone  Township,  Union  County,  and  if  run  on  the  ground,  would 
probably  pass  through  the  very  tract  of  land  taken  up  by  Jean  Jaques  le  Roy  (father 
of  Marie),  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Hon.  Isaac  Slenker,  in  that  township.  The 
Indians  alleged  afterwards  that  they  did  not  understand  the  points  of  the  compass, 
and  if  the  line  was  run  so  as  to  include  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  they 
would  never  agree  to  it  Settlers,  nevertheless,  pushed  their  way  up  Penn's  Creek, 
and  the  Proprietaries,  with  their  understanding  of  the  line,  issued  warrants  for  surveys 
along  Penn's  Creek,  in  Buffalo  Valley,  and  at  least  twenty-five  families  had  settled 
there  as  early  as  1754.  The  Indians,  emboldened  by  Braddock's  defeat,  determined 
to  clear  out  these  settlers,  and  did  it  so  effectually,  by  the  massacre  related  in  the  nai-- 
rative,  that  no  settlers  ventured  upon  the  bloody  ground  until  after  the  purchase  of 
1768.  In  1770,  when  Jesse  Lukens  re-surveyed  the  line  of  the  le  Roy  tract,  he  noted 
in  his  fieldbook  that  he  passed  le  Roy's  bake-oven  near  the  spring,  on  what  is  now 
the  Slenker  farm. — Historical  Note,  Vol.  VII.  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Second  Series, 
page  402. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I43 

Bethlehem,  and  it  was  published  in  Vol.  VII.  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Archives,  second  series.     Their  thrilling  story  is  as  follows : 

"  Marie  le  Roy  was  born  at  Brondrut,  in  Switzerland.  About 
five*  years  ago  she  arrived,  with  her  parents,  in  this  country. 
They  settled  fifteen  miles  from  Fort  Schamockin.t  Half  a  mile 
from  their  plantation  lived  Barbara  Leininger,  with  her  parents, 
who  came  to  Pennsylvania  from  Reutlingen  about  ten  years  ago. 

"Early  in  the  morning  of  the  i6th  of  October,  1755,  while  le 
Roy's  hired  man  went  out  to  fetch  the  cows,  he  heard  the  Indians 
.shooting  si.x  times.  Soon  after,  eight  of  them  came  to  the  house 
and  killed  Marie  le  Roy's  father  |  with  tomahawks.  Her  brother 
defended  himself  desperately  for  a  time,  but  was  at  last  overpow- 
ered. The  Indians  did  not  kill  him,  but  took  him  prisoner, 
together  with  Marie  le  Roy  and  a  little  girl,  who  was  staying  with 
the  family.  Thereupon  they  plundered  the  homestead,  and  set  it 
on  fire.  Into  this  fire  they  laid  the  body  of  the  murdered  father, 
feet-  foremost,  until  it  was  half  consumed.  The  upper  half  was 
left  lying  on  the  ground,  with  the  two  tomahawks,  with  which 
they  had  killed  him,  sticking  in  his  head.  Then  they  kindled 
another  fire  not  far  from  the  house.  While  sitting  around  it,  a 
neighbour  of  le  Roy,  named  Bastian,  happened  to  pass  by  on 
horseback.     He  was  immediately  shot  down  and  scalped. 

"  Two  of  the  Indians  now  went  to  the  house  of  Barbara  Lein- 
inger, where  they  found  her  father,  her  brother  and  her  sister 
Regina.  Her  mother  had  gone  to  the  mill.  They  demanded 
rum ;  but  there  was  none  in  the  house.  Then  they  called  for 
tobacco,  which  was  given  them.  Having  filled  and  smoked  a 
pipe,  they  said :  '  We  are  Alleghany  Indians,  and  your  enemies. 
You  must  all  die!'  Thereupon  they  shot  her  father,  tomahawked 
her  brother,  who  was  twenty  years  of  age,  took  Barbara  and  her 
sister  Regina  prisoners  and  conveyed  them  into  the  forest  about  a 

*November  22,  1752. — Rupfs  Collection,  page  297. 

f  i.  e.,  Fort  Aug\ista,  now  Sunbury. 

J  Jacob  King,  alias  John  Jacob  le  Roy,  was  killed  at  the  spring  on  the  late  Mr. 
Slenker's  farm.  He  came  over  in  the  ship  Phcenix  from  Rotterdam,  arriving  at 
Philadelphia  November  22,  1752,  in  the  same  vessel  which  brought  over  John  Thomas 
Beck,  great-grandfather  of  Dr.  S.  L.  Beck,  of  Lewisburg, — Rupfs  Collection,  page 


144  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

mile.  There  they  were  soon  joined  by  the  other  Indians  with 
Marie  le  Roy  and  the  httle  girl. 

"  Not  long  after  several  of  the  Indians  led  the  prisoners  to  the 
top  of  a  high  hill,  near  the  two  plantations.  Toward  evening  the 
rest  of  the  savages  returned  with  six  fresh  and  bloody  scalps, 
which  they  threw  at  the  feet  of  the  poor  captives,  saying  that  they 
had  a  good  hunt  that  day. 

"  The  next  morning  we  were  taken  about  two  miles  further  into 
the  forest,  while  the  most  of  the  Indians  again  went  out  to  kill 
and  plunder.  Toward  evening  they  returned  with  nine  scalps 
and  five  prisoners. 

"  On  the  third  day  the  whole  band  came  together  and  divided 
the  spoils.  In  addition  to  large  quantities  of  provisions,  they  had 
taken  fourteen  horses  and  ten  prisoners,  namely:  One  man,  one 
woman,  five  girls  and  three  boys.  We  two  girls,  as  also  two  of 
the  horses,  fell  to  the  share  of  an  Indian  named  Galasko. 

"  We  traveled  with  our  new  master  for  two  days.  He  was  tol- 
erably kind,  and  allowed  us  to  ride  all  the  way,  while  he  and  the 
rest  of  the  Indians  walked.  Of  this  circumstance  Barbara  Lein- 
inger  took  advantage  and  tried  to  escape.  But  she  was  almost 
immediately  recaptured  and  condemned  to  be  burned  alive.  The 
savages  gave  her  a  French  Bible,  which  they  had  taken  from  le 
Roy's  house,  in  order  that  she  might  prepare  for  death ;  and  when 
she  told  them  that  she  could  not  understand  it,  they  gave  her  a 
German  Bible.  Thereupon  they  made  a  large  pile  of  wood  and 
set  it  on  fire,  intending  to  put  her  into  the  midst  of  it.  But  a 
young  Indian  begged  so  earnestly  for  her  life  that  she  was  par- 
doned, after  having  promised  not  to  attempt  to  escape  again,  and 
to  stop  her  crying. 

"  The  next  day  the  whole  troop  was  divided  into  two  bands,  the 
one  marching  in  the  direction  of  the  Ohio,  the  other,  in  which  we 
were  with  Galasko,  to  Jenkiklamuhs,*  a  Delaware  town  on  the 
West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna.  There  we  staid  ten  days,  and 
then  proceeded  to  Puncksotonay,t  or  Eschentown.  Marie  le 
Roy's  brother  was  forced  to  remain  at  Jenkiklamuhs. 

"After  having  rested  for  five  days  at  Puncksotonay,  we  took 


*  Chinklacamoose,  on  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Clearfield, 
f  Punxsutawny,  in  Jefferson  County. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 45 

our  way  to  Kittanny.  As  this  was  to  be  the  place  of  our  perma- 
nent abode,  we  here  received  our  welcome,  according  to  the  Indian 
custom.  It  consisted  of  three  blows  each,  on  the  back.  They 
were,  however,  administered  with  great  mercy.  Indeed,  we  con- 
cluded that  we  were  beaten  merely  in  order  to  keep  up  an  ancient 
usage,  and  not  with  the  intention  of  injuring  us.  The  month  of 
December  was  the  time  of  our  arrival,  and  we  remained  at  Kit- 
tanny until  the  month  of  September,  1756. 

"  The  Indians  gave  us  enough  to  do.  We  had  to  tan  leather,  to 
make  shoes  (mocasins),  to  clear  land,  to  plant  corn,  to  cut  down 
trees  and  build  huts,  to  wash  and  cook.  The  want  of  provisions, 
however,  caused  us  the  greatest  sufferings.  During  all  the  time 
that  we  were  at  Kittanny  we  had  neither  lard  nor  salt;  and,  some- 
times, we  were  forced  to  live  on  acorns,  roots,  grass  and  bark. 
There  was  nothing  in  the  world  to  make  this  new  sort  of  food 
palatable,  except  hunger  itself 

"  In  the  month  of  September  Col.  Armstrong  arrived  with  his 
men,  and  attacked  Kittanny  Town.  Both  of  us  happened  to  be 
in  that  part  of  it  which  lies  on  the  other  (right)  side  of  the  river 
(Alleghany).  We  were  immediately  conveyed  ten  miles  farther 
into  the  interior,  in  order  that  we  might  have  no  chance  of  trying, 
on  this  occasion,  to  escape.  The  savages  threatened  to  kill  us.  If 
the  English  had  advanced  this  might  have  happened.  For,  at  that 
time,  the  Indians  were  greatly  in  dread  of  Col.  Armstrong's  corps. 
After  the  English  had  withdrawn,  we  were  again  brought  back  to 
Kittanny,  which  town  had  been  burned  to  the  ground. 

"  There  we  had  the  mournful  opportunity  of  witnessing  the  cruel 
end  of  an  English  woman,  who  had  attempted  to  flee  out  of  her 
captivity  and  to  return  to  the  settlements  with  Col.  Armstrong. 
Having  been  recaptured  by  the  savages,  and  brought  back  to 
Kittanny,  she  was  put  to  death  in  an  unheard  of  way.  First,  they 
scalped  her;  next,  they  laid  burning  splinters  of  wood,  here  and 
there,  upon  her  body;  and  then  they  cut  off  her  ears  and  fingers, 
forcing  them  into  her  mouth  so  that  she  had  to  swallow  them. 
Amidst  such  torments,  this  woman  lived  from  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning  until  toward  sunset,  when  a  French  officer  took  compas- 
sion on  her  and  put  her  out  of  her  misery.  An  English  soldier, 
on  the  contrary,  named  John  .  .  .  .  ,  who  escaped  from  prison  at 


146  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Lancaster  and  joined  the  French,  had  a  piece  of  flesh  cut  from 
her  body  and  ate  it.  When  she  was  dead,  the  Indians  chopped 
her  in  two,  through  the  middle,  and  let  her  lie  until  the  dogs  came 
and  devoured  her. 

"Three  days  later  an  Englishman  was  brought  in,  who  had, 
likewise,  attempted  to  escape  with  Col.  Armstrong,  and  burned 
alive  in  the  same  village.  His  torments,  however,  continued  only 
about  three  hours;  but  his  screams  were  frightful  to  listen  to.  It 
rained  that  day  very  hard,  so  that  the  Indians  could  not  keep  up 
the  fire.  Hence  they  began  to  discharge  gunpowder  at  his  body. 
At  last,  amidst  his  worst  pains,  when  the  poor  man  called  for  a 
drink  of  water,  they  brought  him  melted  lead,  and  poured  it  down 
his  throat.  This  draught  at  once  helped  him  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  barbarians,  for  he  died  on  the  instant. 

"  It  is  easy  to  imagine  what  an  impression  such  fearful  instances 
of  cruelty  make  upon  the  mind  of  a  poor  captive.  Does  he  attempt 
to  escape  from  the  savages,  he  knows  in  advance  that,  if  retaken, 
he  will  be  roasted  alive.  Hence  he  must  compare  two  evils, 
namely,  either  to  remain  among  them  a  prisoner  forever,  or  to  die 
a  cruel  death.  Is  he  fully  resolved  to  endure  the  latter,  then  he 
may  run  away  with  a  brave  heart. 

"Soon  after  these  occurrences  we  were  brought  to  Fort  Du- 
quesne,  where  we  remained  for  about  two  months.  We  worked  for 
the  French,  and  our  Indian  master  drew  our  wages.  In  this  place, 
thank  God,  we  could  again  eat  bread.  Half  a  pound  was  given 
us  daily.  We  might  have  had  bacon  too,  but  we  took  none  of  it, 
for  it  was  not  good.  In  some  respects  we  were  better  off  than  in 
the  Indian  towns;  we  could  not,  however,  abide  the  French. 
They  tried  hard  to  induce  us  to  forsake  the  Indians  and  stay  with 
them,  making  us  various  favourable  offers.  But  we  believed  that 
it  would  be  better  for  us  to  remain  among  the  Indians,  in  as  much 
as  they  would  be  more  likely  to  make  peace  with  the  English 
than  the  French,  and  in  as  much  as  there  would  be  more  ways 
open  for  flight  in  the  forest  than  in  a  fort.  Consequently  we 
declined  the  offers  of  the  French,  and  accompanied  our  Indian 
master  to  Sackum,*  where  we  spent  the  winter,  keeping  house  for 

*  Sakunk,  outlet  of  the  Big  Beaver  into  the  Ohio,  a  point  well  known  to  all  Indi- 
ans; their  rendezvous  in  the  French  wars,  etc.     Post,  in  his  journal,  under  the  date 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I47 

the  savages,  who  were  continually  on  the  chase.  In  the  spring 
we  were  taken  to  Kaschkaschkung,*  an  Indian  town  on  the 
Beaver  Creek.  There  we  again  had  to  clear  the  plantations  of 
the  Indian  nobles,  after  the  German  fashion,  to  plant  corn,  and  to 
do  other  hard  work  of  every  kind.  We  remained  at  this  place 
for  about  a  year  and  a  half 

"After  having,  in  the  past  three  years,  seen  no  one  of  our  own 
flesh  and  blood,  except  those  unhappy  beings  who,  like  ourselves, 
were  bearing  the  yoke  of  the  heaviest  slavery,  we  had  the  unex- 
pected pleasure  of  meeting  with  a  German,  who  was  not  a  captive, 
but  free,  and  who,  as  we  heard,  had  been  sent  into  this  neighbour- 
hood to  negotiate  a  peace  between  the  English  and  the  natives. 
His  name  was  Frederick  Post.  We  and  all  the  other  prisoners 
heartily  wished  him  success  and  God's  blessing  upon  his  under- 
taking. We  were,  however,  not  allowed  to  speak  with  him.  The 
Indians  gave  us  plainly  to  understand  that  any  attempt  to  do  this 
would  be  taken  amiss.  He  himself,  by  the  reserve  with  which  he 
treated  us,  let  us  see  that  it  was  not  the  time  to  talk  over  our 
afflictions.  But  we  were  greatly  alarmed  on  his  account.  For 
the  French  told  us  that,  if  they  caught  him,  they  would  roast  him 
alive  for  five  days,  and  many  Indians  declared  that  it  was  impos- 
sible for  him  to  get  safely  through,  that  he  was  destined  for  death. 

"  Last  summer  the  French  and  Indians  were  defeated  b)'  the 
English  in  a  battle  fought  at  Loyal-Hannon,  or  Fort  Ligonier. 
This  caused  the  utmost  consternation  among  the  natives.  They 
brought  their  wives  and  children  from  Lockstown,t  Sackum, 
Schomingo,  Mamalty,  Kaschkaschkung,  and  other  places  in  that 
neighbourhood,  to  Moschkingo,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
further  west.  Before  leaving,  however,  they  destroyed  their  crops 
and  burned  everything  they  could  not  carry  with  them.  We  had 
to  go  along,  and  staid  at  Moschkingo  J  the  whole  winter. 

"  In  February,  Barbara  Leininger  agreed  with  an  Englishman, 


of  August  20,  1758,  records  his  experience  at  Sakunk,  (Reichel.)  See  Peat's  Jour- 
nal, Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Series,  Vol.  III.,  page  527. 

*  Kaskaskunk,  near  the  junction  of  the  Shenango  and  Mahoning,  in  Lawrence 
County. 

t  Loggstown,  on  the  Ohio,  eight  miles  above  Beaver. —  Weiser's  Journal. 

J  Muskingum. 


148  HISTORY   OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

named  David  Breckenreach  (Breckenridge),  to  escape,  and  gave 
her  comrade,  Marie  le  Roy,  notice  of  their  intentions.  On  account 
of  the  severe  season  of  the  year  and  the  long  journey  which  lay 
before  them,  Marie  strongly  advised  her  to  relinquish  the  project, 
suggesting  that  it  should  be  postponed  until  spring,  when  the 
weather  would  be  milder,  and  promising  to  accompany  her  at 
that  time. 

"  On  the  last  day  of  February  nearly  all  the  Indians  left  Mosch- 
kingo,  and  proceeded  to  Pittsburg  to  sell  pelts.  Meanwhile,  their 
women  traveled  ten  miles  up  the  country  to  gather  roots,  and  we 
accompanied  them.  Two  men  went  along  as  a  guard.  It  was 
our  earnest  hope  that  the  opportunity  for  flight,  so  long  desired, 
had  now  come.  Accordingly,  Barbara  Leininger  pretended  to  be 
sick,  so  that  she  might  be  allowed  to  put  up  a  hut  for  herself  alone. 
On  the  fourteenth  of  March,  Marie  le  Roy  was  sent  back  to  the 
town,  in  order  to  fetch  two  young  dogs  which  had  been  left  there ; 
and  on  the  same  day  Barbara  Leininger  came  out  of  her  hut  and 
visited  a  German  woman,  ten  miles  from  Moschkingo.  This 
woman's  name  is  Mary  .  .  .  ,  and  she  is  the  wife  of  a  miller  from 
the  South  Branch.*  She  had  made  every  preparation  to  accom- 
pany us  on  our  flight;  but  Barbara  found  that  she  had  meanwhile 
become  lame,  and  could  not  think  of  going  along.  She,  however, 
gave  Barbara  the  provisions  which  she  had  stored,  namely,  two 
pounds  of  dried  meat,  a  quart  of  corn  and  four  pounds  of  sugar. 
Besides  she  presented  her  with  pelts  for  mocasins.  Moreover, 
she  advised  a  young  Englishman,  Owen  Gibson,  to  flee  with  us 
two  girls. 

"On  the  sixteenth  of  March,  in  the  evening,  Gibson  reached 
Barbara  Leininger's  hut,  and,  at  ten  o'clock,  our  whole  party,  con- 
sisting of  us  two  girls,  Gibson  and  David  Breckenreach,  left 
Moschkingo.  This  town  lies  on  a  river,  in  the  country  of  the 
Dellamottinoes.  We  had  to  pass  many  huts  inhabited  by  the 
savages,  and  knew  that  there  were  at  least  sixteen  dogs  with 
them.  In  the  merciful  providence  of  God  not  a  single  one  of  those 
dogs  barked.  Their  barking  would  have  betrayed  us  and  frus- 
trated our  designs. 

"  It  is  hard  to  describe  the  anxious  fears  of  a  poor  woman  under 

*i.  e.,  South  Branch  of  the  Potomac. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I49 

such  circumstances.  The  extreme  probability  that  the  Indians 
would  pursue,  and  recapture  us,  was  as  two  to  one  compared  with 
the  dim  hope  that,  perhaps,  we  would  get  through  in  safety.  But, 
even  if  we  escaped  the  Indians,  how  would  we  ever  succeed  in 
passing  through  the  wilderness,  unacquainted^  with  a  single  path 
or  trail,  without  a  guide,  and  helpless,  half  naked,  broken  down 
by  more  than  three  years  of  hard  slavery,  hungry  and  scarcely 
any  food,  the  season  wet  and  cold,  and  many  rivers  and  streams 
to  cross?  Under  such  circumstances,  to  depend  upon  one's  own 
sagacity  would  be  the  worst  of  follies.  If  one  could  not  believe 
that  there  is  a  God,  who  helps  and  saves  from  death,  one  had 
better  let  running  away  alone. 

"We  safely  reached  the  river  (Muskingum).  Here  the  first 
thought  in  all  our  minds  was :  O !  that  we  were  safely  across ! 
Presently  we  found  a  raft,  left  by  the  Indians.  Thanking  God 
that  He  had  himself  prepared  a  way  for  us  to  cross  the  first 
waters,  we  got  on  board  and  pushed  off.  But  we  were  carried 
almost  a  mile  down  the  river  before  we  could  reach  the  other  side. 
There  our  journey  began  in  good  earnest.  Full  of  anxiety  and 
fear,  we  fairly  ran  that  whole  night  and  all  the  next  day,  when  we 
lay  down  to  rest  without  venturing  to  kindle  a  fire.  Early  the 
next  morning,  Owen  Gibson  fired  at  a  bear.  The  animal  fell,  but 
when  he  ran  with  his  tomahawk  to  kill  it,  it  jumped  up  and  bit 
him  in  the  feet,  leaving  three  wounds.  We  all  hastened  to  his 
assistance.  The  bear  escaped  into  narrow  holes  among  the  rocks, 
where  we  could  not  follow.  On  the  third  day,  however,  Owen 
Gibson  shot  a  deer.  We  cut  off  the  hind  quarters,  and  roasted 
them  at  night.  The  next  morning  he  again  shot  a  deer,  which 
furnished  us  with  food  for  that  day.  In  the  evening  we  got  to  the 
Ohio  at  last,  having  made  a  circuit  of  over  one  hundred  miles  in 
order  to  reach  it. 

"About  midnight  the  two  Englishmen  rose  and  began  to  work 
at  a  raft,  which  was  finished  by  morning.  We  got  on  board  and 
safely  crossed  the  river.  From  the  signs  which  the  Indians  had 
there  put  up  we  saw  that  we  were  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  from  Fort  Duquesne.  After  a  brief  consultation  we  resolved, 
heedless  of  path  or  trail,  to  travel  straight  toward  the  rising  of  the 
sun.      This  we  did  for  seven  days.      On  the  seventh  we  found 


150  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

that  we  had  reached  the  Little  Beaver  Creek,  and  were  about  fifty 
miles  from  Pittsburg. 

"And  now,  that  we  imagined  ourselves  so  near  the  end  of  all 
our  troubles  and  misery,  a  whole  host  of  mishaps  came  upon  us. 
Our  provisions  were  at  an  end;  Barbara  Leininger  fell  into  the 
water  and  was  nearly  drowned;  and,  worst  misfortune  of  all! 
Owen  Gibson  lost  his  flint  and  steel.  Hence  we  had  to  spend 
four  nights  without  fire,  amidst  rain  and  snow. 

"On  the  last  day  of  March  we  came  to  a  river,  AUoquepy,* 
about  three  miles  below  Pittsburg.  Here  we  made  a  raft,  which, 
however,  proved  to  be  too  light  to  carry  us  across.  It  threatened 
to  sink,  and  Marie  le  Roy  fell  off,  and  narrowly  escaped  drowning. 
We  had  to  put  back  and  let  one  of  our  men  convey  one  of  us 
across  at  a  time.  In  this  way  we  reached  the  Monongahella 
River,  on  the  other  side  of  Pittsburg,  the  same  evening. 

"  Upon  our  calling  for  help,  Col.  Mercer  immediately  sent  out  a 
boat  to  bring  us  to  the  Fort.  At  first,  however,  the  crew  created 
many  difficulties  about  taking  us  on  board.  They  thought  we 
were  Indians,  and  wanted  us  to  spend  the  night  where  we  were, 
saying  they  would  fetch  us  in  the  morning.  When  we  had  suc- 
ceeded in  convincing  them  that  we  were  English  prisoners,  who 
had  escaped  from  the  Indians,  and  that  we  were  wet  and  cold  and 
hungry,  they  brought  us  over.  There  was  an  Indian  with  the 
soldiers  in  the  boat.  He  asked  us  whether  we  could  speak  good 
Indian?  Marie  le  Roy  said  she  could  speak  it.  Thereupon  he 
inquired,  why  she  had  run  away  ?  She  replied,  that  her  Indian 
mother  had  been  so  cross  and  had  scolded  her  so  constantly,  that 
she  could  not  stay  with  her  any  longer.  This  answer  did  not 
please  him ;  nevertheless,  doing  as  courtiers  do,  he  said :  He  was 
very  glad  we  had  safely  reached  the  Fort. 

"  It  was  in  the  night  from  the  last  of  March  to  the  first  of  April 
that  we  came  to  Pittsburg.  Most  heartily  did  we  thank  God  in 
heaven  for  all  the  mercy  which  He  showed  us,  for  His  gracious 
support  in  our  weary  captivity,  for  the  courage  which  He  gave  us 
to  undertake  our  flight,  and  to  surmount  all  the  many  hardships 
it  brought  us,  for  letting  us  find  the  road  which  we  did  not  know, 

♦Chailiers'  Creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I5I 

and  of  which  He  alone  could  know  that  on  it  we  would  meet 
neither  danger  nor  enemy,  and  for  finally  bringing  us  to  Pittsburg 
to  our  countrymen  in  safety. 

"  Colonel  Mercer  helped  and  aided  us  in  every  way  which  lay  in 
his  power.  Whatever  was  on  hand  and  calculated  to  refresh  us 
was  offered  in  the  most  friendly  manner.  The  Colonel  ordered 
for  each  of  us  a  new  chemise,  a  petticoat,  a  pair  of  stockings, 
garters,  and  a  knife.  After  having  spent  a  day  at  Pittsburg,  we 
went,  with  a  detachment  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Mile,*  to 
Fort  Ligonier.  There  the  Lieutenant  presented  each  of  us  with 
a  blanket.  On  the  fifteenth  we  left  Fort  Ligonier,  under  pro- 
tection of  Captain  Weiser  and  Lieutenant  Atly.f  for  Fort  Bedford, 
where  we  arrived  in  the  evening  of  the  sixteenth,  and  remained  a 
week.  Thence,  provided  with  passports  by  Lieutenant  Geiger,  we 
traveled  in  wagons  to  Harris'  Ferry,  and  from  there,  afoot,  by  way 
of  Lancaster,  to  Philadelphia  Owen  Gibson  remained  at  Fort 
Bedford,  and  David  Breckenreach  at  Lancaster.  We  two  girls 
arrived  at  Philadelphia  on  Sunday,  the  sixth  of  May."  X 

This  massacre  spread  terror  and  consternation  throughout  the 
settlements;  and  on  intelligence  being  received  below,  about  the 
20th  of  October,  a  party  of  forty-five,  commanded  by  John  Harris, 
set  out  from  Harris'  Ferry  (now  Harrisburg)  and  proceeded  to  the 
scene  of  the  disaster,  where  they  found  and  buried  a  number  of 
the  mangled  bodies  of  the  victims.     From  this  place  they  pro- 


*  Lieutenant  Samuel  Miles. 

f  Lieutenant  Samuel  J.  Atlee. 

J  Anna  M,  le  Roy  was  living  in  Lancaster  in  1764,  when  she  made  affidavit  again 
in  regard  to  her  capture  and  the  visit  of  the  Conestoga  Indians  to  Kittanning.  What 
became  of  Barbara  Leininger  is  unknown.  Hon.  John  B.  Linn,  in  his  Annals  of  Buf- 
falo Valley,  says  that  the  only  further  trace  of  the  le  Roy  family  he  could  find  is  a 
recital  in  a  deed,  that  on  the  19th  of  October,  1772,  John  James  le  Roy,  the  son,  of 
Prince  George  County,  Maryland,  sold  the  le  Roy  tract  in  Buffalo  Valley  to  Andrew 
Pontius,  of  Tulpehocken.  The  latter  was  an  uncle  to  the  late  Philip  Pontius,  of 
Buffalo.  He  said,  years  afterward,  when  clearing  up  John  Hoy's  place,  adjoining, 
they  found  several  gold  eagles,  dropped,  no  doubt,  by  the  Indians  or  their  captives  at 
the  time  of  the  massacre.  This  gave  rise  to  rumors  that  money  had  been  buried  on 
the  place,  and  many  expeditions  were  made  by  night  to  dig  for  the  treasure;  but,  ex- 
cept a  few  sleeve  buttons,  nothing  was  ever  found.  A  cloud  of  superstition  still  hangs 
about  the  fateful  spring,  although  133  years  have  passed  since  the  tragedy.  Switzer 
Run  preserves  the  nationality  of  the  first  settler.  It  empties  into  Penn's  Creek  a 
short  distance  above  New  Berlin. 


152  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

ceeded  to  Shamokin  to  see  the  Indians  and  prevail  upon  them, 
if  possible,  to  remain  neutral.  This  visit,  it  is  alleged,  they  were 
persuaded  to  make  by  John  Shikellimy  and  Old  Belt.  Their  re- 
ception at  the  village  was  civil,  but  not  cordial,  and  they  perceived, 
as  they  thought,  that  their  visit  had  disconcerted  the  savages. 
They  remained  there  till  the  next  morning.  During  the  night 
they  heard  some  Indians,  about  twelve  in  number,  talking  to  this 
purpose :  "  What  are  the  English  come  here  for  ?  "  Says  another : 
"  To  kill  us,  I  suppose ;  can  we  then  send  off  some  of  our  nimble 
young  men  to  give  our  friends  notice,  that  can  soon  be  here?" 
They  soon  after  sang  the  war  song,  and  four  Indians  went  off  in 
two  canoes,  well  armed — one  canoe  went  down  the  river,  and  the 
other  across. 

In  the  morning  they  made  a  few  presents  to  the  Indians,  who 
promised  to  remain  neutral,  and  assist  them  against  a  large  scalp- 
ing party  of  French  and  Indians,  that  they  had  learned  were  on 
their  way  across  the  Allegheny  Mountains  to  attack  the  settle- 
ments. They  were  distrustful  of  the  good  faith  of  the  Indians, 
after  what  they  had  heard  the  previous  night,  and  were  anxious  to 
get  away.  Before  leaving  the  village  on  their  return,  they  were 
privately  warned  by  Andrew  Montour  not  to  take  the  road  on  the 
western  side  of  the  river,  but  continue  on  down  the  eastern  side, 
as  he  believed  it  to  be  dangerous.  They,  however,  disregarded 
his  warning,  either  relying  on  the  good  faith  of  the  Indians  at 
Shamokin,  or  suspecting  that  he  intended  to  lead  them  into  an 
ambuscade,  and  marched  along  the  flats  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river.  The  fording  place  across  Penn's  Creek*  was  then  at  the 
place  where  the  stream  divides,  one  part  passing  south,  the  other, 
and  main  embouchure,  turning  nearly  due  east,  towards  the  Sus- 
quehanna— this  was  the  branch  which  Harris  and  his  party  were 
to  pass.  The  northern  shore  of  the  creek,  where  they  entered 
the  water,  was  low ;  on  the  southern  side — the  head  of  the  Isle  of 
Que — was  a  high  and  steep  bank  near,  and  parallel  to  which  was 
a  deep  natural  hollow,  where  the  savages,  some  thirty  in  number, 
lay  concealed.  Before  the  whites,  partly  on  foot  and  partly 
mounted,  had  well  time  to  ascend  the  bank,  the  savages  rose  and 
fired  on  them.    Four  were  killed.    Harris  states  that  he  and  about 

*  This  stream  was  named  after  John  Penn. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 53 

fifteen  of  his  men  immediately  took  to  trees  and  returned  tlie  fire, 
killing  four  Indians,  with  the  loss  of  three  more  men.  They  re- 
treated to  the  river  and  passed  it  with  the  loss  of  four  or  five  men 
drowned.  Harris  was  mounted,  and  in  the  flight  was  entreated  by 
one  of  the  footmen,  a  large  fat  man  and  a  doctor,  to  suffer  him  to 
mount  behind  him.  With  some  unwillingness  he  consented  (for- 
tunately for  himself),  and  they  entered  the  river.  They  had  not 
got  entirely  out  of  rifle  distance  when  a  shot  struck  the  doctor  in 
the  back,  and  he  fell,  wounded,*  into  the  river,  from  whence  he 
never  rose.  The  horse  was  wounded  by  another  shot,  and  falling, 
Harris  was  obliged  to  abandon  him  and  swim  part  of  the  way. 
The  remainder  of  the  party,  after  several  days  of  toilsome  march- 
ing through  the  rugged  country,  reached  home  in  safety. 

To  mark  the  spot  where  this  fight  occurred,  a  party  that  came 
up  to  bury  the  dead  drove  a  wedge  through  the  body  of  a  Linden 
sapling,  standing  on  the  ground.  This  tree,  fifty  years  ago,  was 
some  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  in  diameter,  and  still  retained  the 
marks  of  the  wedge,  about  five  or  six  feet  from  the  ground. 

The  next  day  a  party  of  Indians  from  Shamokin  went  down  to 
where  the  engagement  had  taken  place.  They  informed  David 
Zeisberger  that  they  found  three  white  men  killed,  lying  near  each 

*This  fight  occurred  October  25,  1755.  John  Harris  married  Elizabeth  McClure, 
of  Paxtrfng.  of  whom  it  was  said, "  .She  was  the  most  lovely  woman  who  ever  entered 
Donegal  Church."  She  was  greatly  attached  to  her  husband,  and  his  absence  on  this 
expedition  caused  her  much  uneasiness.  Mr.  Harris  had  many  narrow  escapes  from 
the  Indians,  this  being  one  of  them.  After  the  firing  began  it  was  deemed  best 
to  attempt  to  ford  the  river  and  travel  down  the  east  side.  The  Indians  were  so  close 
on  them  that  only  those  who  had  good  horses  had  any  chance  to  escape.  Just  as 
Harris  was  urging  his  horse  into  the  river,  a  young  physician  of  his  acquaintance, 
who  had  gone  out  with  his  party,  entreated  him  to  stop  and  take  him  on  behind,  as 
his  horse  was  shot.  Harris  did  this  at  the  risk  of  his  life.  They  had  not  proceeded 
far  from  the  shore  when  the  doctor  was  shot  by  an  Indian  and  fell  into  the  stream. 
His  name  is  unknown.  Harris  escaped,  but  as  he  was  delayed  in  reaching  home 
for  several  days,  the  report  of  the  fight  reached  his  wife  first,  and  she  was  informed 
that  her  husband  was  killed,  as  he  was  seen  to  fall  into  the  river  from  his  horse. 
The  man  who  fell  in  was  the  young  physician,  who  was  taken  for  Harris.  This  so 
frightened  his  wife  that  she  became  ill  and  soon  afterwards  died  from  the  effects  of 
the  fright.  Her  only  daughter,  Mary,  after  reaching  womanhood,  became  the  wife  of 
William  Mac!  ay,  who  was  the  first  United  States  Senator  from  Pennsylvania.  Mrs. 
Maclay  was  the  grandmother  of  Dr.  R.  H.  Awl,  now  one  of  the  oldest  physicians  of 
Sunbury. 


154  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

other ;  and  on  the  ri\'er  side  they  found  another  dead  man,  not 
shot,  but  supposed  to  have  been  drowned  trying  to  escape.  A 
short  distance  further  they  discovered  a  suit  of  woman's  clothes, 
with  a  pair  of  new  shoes,  lying  near  the  river,  which  they  thought 
must  have  belonged  to  some  one  who  endeavored  to  escape  b}- 
crossing  the  river.  They  then  followed  the  trail  further  into  the 
woods,  where  they  espied  a  sapling  cut  down,  and  near  by  a  grub 
twisted.  They  were  certain  these  marks  indicated  something,  and 
on  carefully  searching  around  discovered  a  parcel  of  leaves  care- 
fully raked  together,  upon  removing  which  they  found  a  fresh 
grave  that  contained  an  Indian  who  had  been  shot.  He  was  well 
dressed;  all  the  hairs  of  his  head  were  removed,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  small  tuft  on  the  crown,  which  indicated  him  to  be  a 
French  Mohawk. 

They  also  found  a  glove  covered  with  blood,  lying  by  a  tree 
that  was  much  shot,  which  they  supposed  to  have  belonged  to 
Thomas  McKee,  an  Indian  trader.  From  here  they  went  down  to 
George  Gabriel's*  farm,  where  they  saw  Indian  tracks  in  the 
plowed  ground.  His  corn  was  burnt  and  destroyed,  and  no  per- 
son about. 

As  the  Indians  were  prowling  around  the  settlements,  watching 
an  opportunity  to  murder  and  scalp,  it  is  impossible  to  imagine 
the  fear  and  consternation  that  seized  the  inhabitants.  The*-  only 
safety  was  to  flee  and  leave  all  to  the  enemy.  Thej-  had  in  vain 
looked  for  relief  from  the  Government.  Houses  that  had  been 
occupied,  barns  that  had  been  filled  with  the  fruits  of  a  rich  and 


*George  Gabriel  settled  upon  the  site  of  Selinsgrove  in  1754.  His  location  was 
surveyed  to  John  Cox,  by  William  Maclay,  May  15,  1766,  but  Maclay,  on  his  return 
to  the  Cox  warrant,  says :  "  Gabriel  had  made  a  settlement  and  improvement  upon 
it  at  least  ten  years  ago,  that  he  now  lives  on  the  property  and  claimed  it,  and  his 
pretensions  must  be  satisfied  by  Mr.  Cox  before  the  return  could  be  accepted." 
Gabriel  built  a  house  there  as  early  as  1754,  buying  his  land  directly  from  the  In- 
dians. He  was  a  guide  for  Colonel  Clapham  in  1756,  when  he  marched  his  regiment 
from  Fort  Hunter  to  Shamokin  to  build  Fort  Augusta,  and  he  also  served  as  a  guide 
for  surveyors  in  making  locations,  many  of  which  bear  his  name.  The  first  survey 
made  in  the  present  township  of  Benner,  Centre  County,  bears  the  name  of  "  George 
tJabriel,"  and  is  the  pointer  to  all  the  surveys  of  that  township.  He  died  on  the 
present  site  of  .Selinsgrove  in  1771.  His  obituary  in  Linn's  Annals,  page  37,  is  not 
flattering. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I55 

plenteous  harvest,  and  newly  sowed  fields  and  standing  corn,  were 
all  abandoned  to  the  mercy  of  the  savages. 

A  friendly  Indian,  named  Luke  Holland,  of  the  Delaware  tribe, 
who  was  much  esteemed  by  the  whites,  was  about  the  settlement 
at  the  time  of  the  massacre.  The  surviving  whites,  in  their  rage, 
partly  resolved  to  satiate  their  revenge  by  murdering  him.  This 
Indian,  satisfied  that  his  nation  was  incapable  of  committing  such 
a  foul  murder  in  time  of  profound  peace,  told  the  enraged  settlers 
that  he  was  sure  the  Delawares  were  not  in  any  manner  concerned 
in  it,  and  that  it  was  the  act  of  some  wicked  Mingoes  or  Iroquois, 
whose  custom  it  was  to  involve  other  nations  in  wars  with  each 
other  by  clandestinely  committing  murders,  so  that  they  might  be 
laid  to  the  charge  of  others  than  themselves.  But  all  his  repre- 
sentations were  vain;  he  could  not  convince  exasperated  men, 
whose  minds  were  fully  bent  on  revenge.  At  last  he  offered  that 
if  they  would  give  him  a  party  to  accompany  him,  he  would  go 
with  them  in  quest  of  the  murderers,  and  was  sure  he  could  dis- 
cover them  by  the  prints  of  their  feet  and  other  marks  well  known 
to  him,  by  which  he  would  convince  them  that  the  real  perpetra- 
tors of  the  crime  belonged  to  the  Six  Nations.  His  proposal  was 
accepted;  he  marched  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  whites,  and  led 
them  into  the  tracks.  They  soon  found  themselves  in  the  most 
rocky  parts  of  the  mountain,  where  not  one  of  those  who  accom- 
panied him  was  able  to  discover  a  single  track,  nor  would  they 
believe  that  ever  a  man  had  trodden  on  this  ground,  as  they  had 
to  jump  over  a  number  of  crevices  between  the  rocks,  and  in  some 
instances  to  crawl  over  them.  Now  they  began  to  believe  that 
the  Indian  had  led  them  across  these  rugged  mountains  in  order 
to  give  the  enemy  time  to  escape,  and  threatened  him  with  instant 
death  the  moment  they  should  be  fully  convinced  of  the  fraud. 
The  Indian,  true  to  his  promise,  would  take  pains  to  make  them 
perceive  that  an  enemy  had  passed  along  the  place  through  which 
he  was  leading  them ;  here  he  would  show  them  that  the  moss  on 
the  rock  had  been  trodden  down  by  the  weight  of  a  human  foot, 
then  that  it  had  been  torn  and  dragged  forward  from  its  place; 
further,  he  would  point  out  to  them  that  pebbles  or  small  stones 
on  the  rocks  had  been  removed  from  their  beds  by  the  foot  hitting 
against  them,  that  dry  sticks  by  being  trodden  upon  were  broken. 


156  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

and  even  that  in  a  particular  place  an  Indian's  blanket  had  dragged 
over  the  rocks,  and  removed  or  loosened  the  leaves  lying  there, 
so  that  they  lay  no  more  flat  as  in  other  places ;  all  of  which  the 
Indian  could  perceive  as  he  walked  along,  without  ever  stopping. 
At  last  arriving  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  on  soft  ground,  where 
the  tracks  were  deep,  he  found  that  the  enemy  were  eight  in  num- 
ber, and  from  the  freshness  of  the  foot-prints,  he  concluded  that 
they  must  be  encamped  at  no  great  distance.  This  proved  to  be 
the  exact  truth ;  for,  after  gaining  the  eminence  on  the  other  side 
of  the  valley,  the  Indians  were  seen  encamped,  some  having  al- 
ready laid  down  to  sleep,  while  others  were  drawing  off  their 
"leggings  for  the  same  purpose,  and  the  scalps  they  had  taken 
were  hanged  up  to  dry.  "See!"  said  Luke  Holland  to  his  aston- 
ished companions,  " there  is  the  enemy!  not  of  my  nation,  but 
Mingoes,  as  I  truly  told  you.  They  are  in  our  power;  in  less 
than  half  an  hour  they  will  all  be  fast  asleep.  We  need  not  fire  a 
gun,  but  go  up  and  tomahawk  them.  We  are  nearly  two  to  one 
and  need  apprehend  no  danger.  Come  on,  and  you  will  now 
have  your  full  revenge!"  But  the  whites,  overcome  with  fear, 
did  not  choose  to  follow  the  Indian's  advice,  and  urged  him  to 
take  them  back  by  the  nearest  and  best  way,  which  he  did,  and 
when  they  arri\ed  at  home  late  at  night,  they  reported  the  number 
of  the  Indians  to  have  been  so  great  that  they  dare  not  venture  to 
attack  them. 

This  story  is  said  to  be  strictly  true  by  Heckewelder,  the  Indian 
historian,  and  it  illustrates  the  wonderful  sagacity  and  cunning  of 
the  Indians. 

The  consternation  and  excitement  caused  by  this  bloody  mas- 
sacre— the  Jirst  that  had  occurred  within  the  limits  of  the  Province 
— can  be  better  imagined  than  described.  The  most  exaggerated 
rumors  were  in  circulation,  and  the  stories  of  blood  and  carnage 
were  calculated  to  appall  the  stoutest  heart.  Many  of  them  were 
wholly  devoid  of  truth,  but  the  settlers  had  reason  to  be  alarmed, 
as  the  danger  was  really  great.  The  painted  savage  was  on  the 
war-path  thirsting  for  blood,  and  in  his  fury  he  was  determined 
to  spare  neither  age,  sex  nor  condition. 

About  the  latter  part  of  October,  1755,  Andrew  Montour  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  157 

an  Indian  named  Monagatootha  were  sent  for  by  the  Delawares 
to  visit  them  at  the  Great  Island.  They  started  up,  accompanied 
by  three  other  Indians.  On  arriving  there  they  found  six  Dela- 
wares and  four  Shawanese,  who  informed  them  that  overtures  had 
been  made  them  by  the  French.  Large  bodies  of  French  and 
Indians  had  crossed  the  Allegheny  mountains,  for  the  purpose  of 
murdering,  scalping  and  burning.  This  Montour  reported  to  the 
Provincial  Government,  and  also  recommended  the  erection  of  a 
fort  at  Shamokin.  It  was  the  intention  of  the  French  to  overrun 
this  portion  of  the  country  and  erect  fortifications  at  different 
points — making  Shamokin  their  headquarters. 

Near  the  close  of  this  month,  a  few  weeks  after  the  big 
massacre,  the  Indians  again  appeared  in  considerable  numbers 
around  the  Shamokin  region;  and  during  the  following  month 
committed  several  barbarous  murders  upon  the  remaining  whites. 

During  the  month  of  November,  at  a  council  held  at  Philadel- 
phia, the  old  Indian  chief,  Scarroyady,  was  present  and  gave  some 
interesting  information.  It  was  to  the  effect  that  two  messengers 
had  recently  come  from  Ohio  to  the  Indian  town  at  Big  Island, 
where  they  found  a  white  man  who  accidentally  happened  to  be 
there.  These  Indians  were  very  much  enraged  on  seeing  him, 
and  insisted  upon  having  him  killed.  The  other  Indians  would 
not  permit  him  to  be  injured,  stating  that  they  would  not  kill  him 
nor  allow  thcin  to  do  it,  as  they  had  lived  on  good  terms  with  the 
English,  and  did  not  wish  to  shed  blood.  These  messengers  were 
sent  by  the  French  to  estrange  these  friendly  Indians,  if  possible. 

In  April,  1756,  the  Governor  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania, 
on  account  of  the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  was  obliged  to  issue 
the  following  proclamation :  * 

A    PROCLAMATION. 

Whereas,  the  Delaware  tribe  of  Indians,  and  others  in  confederacy  with  them, 
have  for  some  time  past,  without  the  least  provocation,  and  contrary  to  their  most 
solemn  treaties,  fallen  upon  this  province,  and  in  a  most  cruel,  savage  and  perfidious 
manner,  killed  and  butchered  great  numbers  of  the  inhabitants,  and  carried  others 
into  barbarous  captivity;  burning  and  destroying  their  habitations,  and  laying  waste 
the  country.  And  ivhereas,  notwithstanding  the  friendly  remonstrances  made  to  them 
by  this  Government,  and  the  interposition  and  positive  orders  of  our  faithful  friends 


■See  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  page  88. 


1 56  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

and  allies  the  Six  Nations,  to  whom  they  owe  obedience  and  subjection,  requiring 
and  commanding  them  to  desist  from  any  further  acts  of  hostility  against  us,  and  to 
return  to  their  allegiance,  the  said  Indians  do  still  continue  their  cruel  murders  and 
ravages,  sparing  neither  age  nor  sex;  I  have,  therefore,  by  and  with  the  advice  and 
consent  of  the  Council,  thought  fit  to  issue  this  Proclamation;  and  do  hereby  declare 
the  said  Delaware  Indians,  and  all  others  who,  in  conjunction  with  them,  have  com- 
mitted hostilities  against  His  Majesty's  subjects  within  this  Province,  to  be  enemies, 
rebels,  and  traitors  to  His  Most  Sacred  Majesty;  and  I  do  hereby  require  all  His 
Majesty's  subjects  of  this  Province,  and  earnestly  invite  those  of  the  neighboring 
Provinces  to  embrace  all  opportunities  of  pursuing,  taking,  killing  and  destroying  the 
said  Delaware  Indians,  and  all  others  confederated  with  them  in  committing  hostil- 
ities, incursions,  murders,  or  ravages,  upon  this  Province. 

And  whereas,  many  Delawares  and  other  Indians  abhorring  the  ungiateful,  cruel 
and  perfidious  behavior  of  that  part  of  the  Delaware  tribe  and  others  that  have  been 
concemed  in  the  late  inhuman  ravages,  have  removed  into  the  settled  and  inhabited 
parts  of  the  country,  put  themselves  under  the  protection  of  this  and  the  neighboring 
governments,  and  live  in  a  peaceable  manner  with  the  King's  subjects;  I  do  therefore 
declare,  that  the  said  friendly  Indians  that  have  so  separated  themselves  from  our  said 
enemies  and  all  others  who  shall  join  or  act  with  us  in  the  prosecution  of  this  just 
and  necessary  War,  are  expressly  excepted  out  of  this  Declaration,  and  it  is  recom- 
mended to  all  officers  and  others  to  afford  them  protection  and  assistance.  And 
whereas,  the  Commissioners  appointed  with  me  to  dispose  of  the  sixty  thousand 
pounds  lately  granted  by  act  of  General  Assembly  for  His  Majesty's  use,  have,  by 
their  letters  to  me  of  the  tenth  inst.,  agreed  to  pay  out  of  the  same  the  several  rewards 
for  prisoners  and  scalps  herein  after  specified ;  and,  therefore,  as  a  further  inducement 
and  encouragement  to  all  His  Majesty's  Liege  People,  and  to  all  the  several  tribes  of 
Indians  who  continue  in  friendship  and  alliance  with  us,  to  exert  and  use  their  utmost 
endeavor  to  pursue,  attack,  take,  and  destroy  our  said  enemy  Indians,  and  to  release, 
redeem,  and  recover  such  of  his  Majesty's  subjects  as  have  been  taken  and  made 
prisoners  by  the  same  enemies;  I  do  hereby  declare  and  promise,  that  there  shall  be 
paid  out  of  the  said  sixty  thousand  pounds  to  all  and  every  person,  as  well  Indians  as 
Christians  not  in  the  pay  of  the  province,  the  several  and  respective  premiums  and 
bounties  following,  that  is  to  say :  For  every  male  Indian  enemy  above  twelve  years 
old  who  shall  be  taken  prisoner  and  delivered  at  any  forts  garrisoned  by  the  troops  in 
the  pay  of  this  Province,  or  at  any  of  the  County  towns,  to  the  keepers  of  the  com- 
mon jails  there,  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  Spanish  dollars  or  pieces  "of  eight; 
for  the  scalp  of  every  male  Indian  enemy  above  the  age  of  twelve  years,  produced  as 
evidence  of  their  being  killed,  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  pieces  of  eight;  for 
every  female  Indian  taken  prisoner  and  brought  in  as  aforesaid,  and  for  every  male  In- 
dian prisoner  under  the  age  of  twelve  years  taken  and  brought  in  as  aforesaid,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  pieces  of  eight;  for  the  scalp  of  every  Indian  woman,  produced  as 
evidence  of  their  being  killed,  the  sum  of  fifty  pieces  of  eight;  and  for  every  English 
subject  that  has  been  taken  and  carried  from  this  Province  into  captivity  that  shall  be 
recovered  and  brought  in  and  delivered  at  the  city  of  Philadelphia  to  the  Governor  of 
this  Province,  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pieces  of  eight,  but  nothing  for  their 
scalps;  and  there  shall  be  paid  to  every  oflScer  or  soldier  as  are  or  shall  be  in  the  pay 
of  this  Province  who  shall  redeem  and  deliver  any  English  subject  carried  into  cap- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 59 

tivity  as  aforesaid,  or  shall  take,  bring  in  and  produce  any  enemy  prisoner,  or  scalp  as 
aforesaid,  one  half  of  the  said  several  and  respective  premiums  and  bounties. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  the  Great  Seal  of  the  Province,  at  Philadelphia,  the 
fourteenth  day  of  April,  in  the  twenty-ninth  year  of  His  Majesty's  reign,  and  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-six. 

ROBERT  H.  MORRIS. 
By  His  Honor's  Command, 

RicH.MiD  Peters,  Secretary. 

GOD  SAVE  THE  KING. 

From  thi.s  document  it  will  be  perceived  that  the  whites  were 
encouraged  to  scalp  the  Indians,  by  a  reward  offered  by  the  Gov- 
ernor. It  is  thought  to  have  been  very  barbarous  for  the  Indians 
to  scalp  the  killed,  but  at  the  saine  time  it  is  not  generally  known 
that  the  English  were  hired  to  do  the  same  thing.  Such  being  the 
fact,  are  the  Indians  to  be  blamed  for  their  conduct?  Certainly 
not.  But  it  will  be  argued,  probably,  that  they  first  commenced 
the  barbarous  practice.  Granting  such  to  be  the  fact,  was  that 
any  reason  why  people  claiming  to  be  enlightened  should  adopt 
the  custom  of  savages? 

About  this  time  the  Indians  abandoned  the  town  of  Shamokin, 
probably  on  account  of  fear  of  the  English,  who  were  expected 
there  in  considerable  force  to  erect  a  fort  and  make  preparations 
for  the  defense  of  the  frontier.  On  the  3d  of  June,  1756,  a  scout, 
consisting  of  George  Allen,  Abraham  Loverhill,  James  Crampton, 
John  Gallaher,  John  Murrah  and  Robert  Egar,  were  sent  up  the 
river  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy  at  Shamokin.  They  reported  that 
they  arrived  there  on  Saturday  night,  and  not  observing  any 
enpmy,  went  to  the  place  where  the  town  had  been,  but  found 
all  the  houses  consumed  and  no  trace  of  it  left.  They  remained 
there  till  ten  o'clock  the  next  day,  but  observed  no  signs  of  In- 
dians. 

Thus  had  the  ancient  Indian  town  of  Shamokin  disappeared 
from  the  face  of  the  earth — destroyed  by  its  own  inhabitants. 
From  time  immemorial  it  had  been  an  important  point  with  the 
aborigines.  The  seat  of  a  king,  the  sub-capital  of  their  confed- 
eracy south  of  Tioga,  where  all  paths  converged  and  where  war 
and  peace  parties  met.  With  its  destruction  went  down  the 
famous  blacksmith  shop  and  the  Moravian  mission  house.    Naught 


l6o  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

remained  to  mark  its  site  but  ashes  and  the  httle  hillocks  where 
hundreds  of  Indian  dead  were  buried  in  the  cemetery.  One  white 
man  slept  near  by — John  Hagan — who  was  the  first  of  the  "  pale 
faces "  to  die  and  be  interred  on  the  banks  of  the  river  at  Sha- 
mokin.  Thus  closes  an  important  chapter  in  our  history.  The 
curtain  will  rise  upon  new  scenes,  and  new  and  thrilling  incidents 
will  crowd  to  the  front,  crimsoned  with  human  blood. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

COL.    CLAPHAM  -ORDERED    TO    BUILD    FORT   AUGUSTA HIS    INSTRUC- 
TIONS  STORMY      TIMES HAMBRIGHT'S      SECRET      EXPEDITION 

DESCRIPTION    OF  THE    FORT CLAPHAM    RESIGNS HIS   SAD    FATE. 

THE  French  and  Indian  war  having  been  fairly  started  by 
the  defeat  of  Braddock  and  the  atrocious  massacre  of  the 
Peon's  Creek  settlers,  it  soon  became  evident  to  the  Provincial 
Government  that  something  must  be  done  for  the  protection  of 
the  frontiers.  In  the  meantime  petitions  poured  in  asking  for 
assistance,  and  the  greatest  excitement  prevailed  in  the  exposed 
settlements.  Towards  the  latter  part  of  October,  1755,  Governor 
Morris  called  the  Assembly  together,  when  they  passed  a  militia 
law  and  granted  i^2,ooo  for  the  "  King's  use."  It  was  also  learned 
that  a  body  of  1,500  French*  and  Indians  had  left  the  Ohio,  of 
whom  a  division  of  forty  was  destined  against  Shamokin,  for  the 
purpose  of  seizing  it  and  building  a  fort  there.  The  friendly 
Indians  repeatedly  requested  Governor  Morris  to  build  a  fort  at 
.Shamokin ;  but  as  the  necessary  orders  were  delayed,  the  Indians 
became  impatient.  At  a  conference  held  February  22,  1756,! 
they  said  to  Governor  Morris: 

We  advised  you  when  at  Carlisle  immediately  to  build  a  Fort  at  Shamokin;  we 
repeat  our  advice  &  earnestly  entreat  you  will  not  delay  in  doing  it.  Such  Indians 
as  continue  true  to  you,  want  a  place  to  come  to,  &  to  live  in  security  against  your  & 
their  Enemies,  and  to  Shamokin,  when  made  strong  they  will  come  and  bring  their 
wives  and  children  with  them;  &  it  will  strengthen  your  interest  very  much  to  have  a 
strong  house  there.  Indeed  you  lose  ground  every  day  till  this  be  done.  Pray 
hasten  the  .work,  the  warriors  say  they  will  go  along  with  you  &  assist  you  in  build- 
ing a  Fort  there. 

In  reply  Governor  Morris  said: J 

As  to  the  strong  house  you  have  frequently  desired  us  to  build  at  Shamokin,  you 
well  know  that  we  are  ready  to  do  anything  for  the  safety  of  our  Friends  among  the 


*Colonial  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pages  662,  675. 
\ Colonial  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  page  54. 
XColonial  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  page  56. 


1 62  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Indians,  and  our  people.  We  expect  every  day  to  see  Scaroyady  and  Andrew  Mon- 
tour with  agreeable  news  from  our  Brethren  the  Six  Nations,  and  as  soon  as  they 
arrive  you  will  have  notice  immediately  &  we  shall  build  the  Fort. 

Again  at  a  conference  held  at  Philadelphia  (April  8th)  the  Gov- 
ernor informed  the  Indians  that: 

Agreeable  to  your  repeated  request,  I  am  now  going  to  build  a  Fort  at  Shamokin. 
Forces  are  raising  for  that  purpose  &  everything  will  soon  be  in  readiness. 

Time  wore  away,  however,  and  nothing  was  done.  This  in- 
creased the  uneasiness  of  the  Indians,  and  on  the  loth  of  April, 
1756,  they  reminded  the  Governor  of  his  promise  in  these  words: 

You  told  us  *  that  you  must  now  build  a  Fort  at  Shamokin ;  we  are  glad  to  hear 
it;  it  is  a  good  thing;  these  young  men  are  glad  in  their  hearts  &  promise  you  their 
assistance,  &  would  have  you  go  on  with  it  as  fast  as  you  can,  &  others  too  will  assist 
you  when  they  see  you  are  in  earnest.  The  Fort  at  Shamokin  is  not  a  thing  of  little 
consequence;  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  us  as  well  as  to  you.  Your  people 
are  foolish;  for  want  of  this  fort,  the  Indians  who  are  your  friends  can  be  of  no 
service  to  you,  having  no  place  to  go  to  where  they  can  promise  themselves  protec- 
tion; they  can  do  nothing  for  you,  they  are  not  secure  anywhere.  At  present  your 
people  cannot  distinguish  Foes  from  Friends,  they  think  every  Indian  is  against 
them — they  blame  us  all  without  distinction,  because  they  see  nobody  appear  for 
them;  the  common  people  to  a  man  entertain  this  notion  &  insult  us  wherever  we  go. 
We  bear  their  ill  usage  the'  very  irksome,  but  all  this  will  be  set  right  when  you 
have  built  the  Fort  and  you  will  see  that  we  in  particular  are  sincere,  &  many  others 
will  come  to  your  assistance.  We  desire  when  the  Fort  is  built  you  will  put  into  the 
command  of  so  important  a  place  some  of  your  best  people,  grave,  solid  &  sensible 
men  who  are  in  repute  amongst  you,  &  in  whom  you  can  place  confidence.  Do 
this  &  you  will  soon  see  a  change  in  your  affairs  for  the  better. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  requests  and  arguments  of  the  Indians, 
and  the  repeated  promises  of  the  Governor  to  commence  the  erec- 
tion of  a  fort  at  this  important  point,  it  does  not  appear  that  active 
measures  were  taken  to  effect  it.  It  was  always  a  favorite  meas- 
ure with  the  Governor,  but  the  principal  reasons  for  delay  were 
probably  the  fear  of  opposition  from  the  enemy  should  they  be- 
informed  that  the  work  had  been  commenced.  The  difficulty, 
too,  of  making  arrangements  was  evidently  another  drawback, 
and  especially  the  want  of  consent  on  the  part  of  the  Commis- 
sioners. They  finally  did  consent,!  and  desired  him  to  raise  400 
men  for  that  purpose,  which  he  soon  afterwards  commenced 
doing. 


'^Colonial  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pages  79,  So. 
f  Pennsylvania  Archives^  Vol.  II.,  page  606. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  163 

In  the  meantime  exaggerated  reports  of  the  massacre  continued 
to  spread  over  the  sparsely  settled  country,  which  added  to  the 
terror  and  consternation  of  the  settlers. 

It  was  the  i6th  of  April,*  1756,  when  the  Governor  informed 
the  Commissioners  that  he  had  directed  Colonel  William  Clapham 
to  rendezvous  Jiis  regiment  at  or  near  Hunter's  Mill.t  where  he 
directed  a  number  of  canoes  to  be  collected  and  fitted  for  trans- 
porting stores  to  Shamokin,  and  he  thought  it  would  be  necessary 
to  form  a  magazine  of  provisions  and  other  warlike  stores  suffi- 
cient to  supply  the  troops.  The  Governor  soon  afterwards  pro- 
ceeded to  Harris'  Ferry  to  aid  by  his  presence  in  hurrying  for- 
ward the  expedition. 

Everything  being  in  readiness  to  commence  operations,  Gover- 
nor Morris,  on  the  12th  of  June,  1756,  issued  the  following  in- 
structions to  Colonel  William  Clapham: 

1.  Herewith  you  will  also  receive  two  Planus  of  Forts,  the  one  a  Pentagon,  the 
other  a  Square  with  one  Ravelin  to  Protect  the  Curtain  where  the  gate  is,  with  a 
ditch,  covered  way,  and  Glacis.  But  as  it  is  impossible  to  give  any  explicit  direc- 
tions, the  Particular  form  of  a  fort,  without  viewing  and  Considering  the  ground  on 
which  it  is  to  stand,  I  must  leave  it  to  you  to  build  it  in  such  form  as  will  best  answer 
for  its  own  Defence,  the  command  of  the  river  and  of  the  Country  in  its  neighbor- 
hood, and  the  Plans  herewith  will  serve  to  shew  the  Proportion  that  the  Different 
parts  of  the  works  should  bear  to  Each  other. 

2.  As  to  the  place  upon  which  this  fort  is  to  be  erected,  that  must  be  in  a  great 
measure  left  to  your  Judgment;  but  it  is  necessary  to  inform  you  that  it  must  be  on 
the  East  side  of  the  Susquehanna,  the  Lands  on  the  West  at  ye  forks  and  between 
the  branches  not  being  purchased  from  the  Indians,  besides  which  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  relieve  and  support  a  garrison  that  side  in  the  winter  time,  From  all  the 
information  that  I  have  been  able  to  Collect,  the  Land  on  ye  south  side  of  the  east 
branch,  opposite  the  middle  of  the  Island,  is  the  highest  of  any  of  the  low  land 
thereabout,  and  the  best  place  for  a  fort,  as  the  Guns  you  have  will  form  a  Rampart 
of  a  moderate  highth,  command  the  main  river;  but  as  these  Infonnations  come 
from  persons  not  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  such  things,  I  am  fearfull  they  are  not 
much  to  be  depended  on,  and  your  own  Judgment  must  therefore  direct  you. 

3.  When  you  have  completed  the  fort  you  will  cause  the  ground  to  be  cleared 
about  it,  so  to  a  convenient  distance  and  openings  to  be  made  to  the  river,  and  you 


* Pennsyhania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  626. 

f  Fort  Hunter  was  about  six  miles  north  of  Harrisburg,  at  the  mouth  of  Fishing 
Creek.  The  site  was  high  and  commanding,  and  the  surrounding  scenery  is  of  the 
most  romantic  character.  The  tracks  of  the  Northern  Central  Railroad  pass  within 
a  short  distance  of  the  site  of  the  old  fortification. 


164  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

will  Erect  such  buildings  within  the  fort  and  place  them  in  such  a  manner  as  you 
shall  Judge  best. 

4.  Without  the  fort,  at  a  convenient  distance,  under  the  command  of  the  Guns, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  build  some  log  houses  for  Indians,  that  they  may  have  places 
to  Lodge  in  without  being  in  the  fort  where  numbers  of  them,  however  friendly,  should 
not  be  admitted  but  in  a  formal  manner,  and  the  guard  turned  out,  this  will  be  es- 
teemed a  compliment  by  our  friends,  and  if  enemies  should  at  any  time  be  concealed 
under  that  name,  it  will  give  them  proper  notions  of  our  vigilance  and  prevent  them 
from  attempting  to  surprise  it. 

5.  In  your  march  up  the  River  will  take  care  not  to  be  surprised,  and  always 
have  your  forces  in  such  a  disposition  that  you  may  retreat  with  safety. 

6.  You  will  make  the  best  observations  you  can  of  the  river,  and  the  most  diffi- 
cult passes  you  meet  with  in  your  way,  as  well  by  land  as  by  water,  which  you  will 
note  upon  the  map  I  gave,  that  it  may  be  thereby  amended,  and  furnish  me  with  your 
opinion  of  the  best  manner  of  removing  or  surmounting  those  difficulties. 

7.  If  you  should  be  opposed  in  your  march,  or  gain  any  intelligence  of  the  ap- 
proach of  an  enemy  for  that  or  any  other  purpose,  you  will  inform  me  by  express  of 
such  intelligence  or  opposition,  the  situation  you  are  in,  and  everything  else  material, 
that  I  may  send  you  proper  assistance,  and  be  prepared  for  anything  that  may  Hap- 
pen, and  in  the  meantime  you  are  to  use  your  best  endeavours  to  oppose  the  Enemy 
and  to  secure  yourself. 

8.  As  soon  as  you  are  in  possession  of  the  Ground  at  Shamokin,  you  will  secure 
yourself  by  a  breastwork  in  the  best  manner  you  can,  so  that  you  ever  may  work  in 
safety,  and  you  will  inform  me  of  everything  committed  to  their  care. 

9.  You  will  order  the  Commissary,  and  others  into  whose  hands  you  may  trust 
any  of  the  Publick  Provisions  or  Stores  to  be  careful  and  exact  in  the  distribution 
thereof,  and  to  keep  exact  accounts  of  everything  committed  to  your  care. 

10.  Having  suspended  Hostilities  against  the  Delaware  Indians  on  the  East  side 
of  the  North  East  Branch  of  Sasquahana,  in  order  to  enter  into  a  treaty  with  them,  I 
send  you  herewith  my  Proclamation  for  that  purpose,  to  which  you  will  conform,  and 
any  friendly  Indians  that  may  Joyn  you  in  your  march  or  at  Shamokin  you  will  treat 
with  Kindness,  and  supply  them  out  of  the  Province  Stores  with  such  things  as  they 
may  want,  and  you  are  able  to  spare. 

11.  Having  sent  the  Indians,  New  Castle  and  Jagrea,  again  to  the  town  of  Dia- 
hoga,  accompanied  with  some  of  the  Jersey  Delawares,  all  our  good  friends,  who 
may  and  probably  will  return  by  the  Sasquahana,  you  will,  in  about  a  fortnight  after 
this  cause  a  lookout  to  be  kept  for  them,  and  if  they  return  that  way  you  will  receive 
&  assist  them  in  their  journey.  Their  Signal  will  be  a  red  flag  with  the  union  in  the 
corner,  or  if  that  should  be  lost  they  will  carry  green  Boughs  or  cluljd  Muskets,  will 
appear  open  and  Erect,  and  not  approach  you  in  the  night.* 

When  Colonel  Clapham  received  these  instructions  he  was  at 
Fort  Halifax  t  with   a  large  body  of  men,  engaged   in   making 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  pages  667-8,  Old  Series. 

f  Fort  Halifax  was  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Susquehanna,  at  or  near  the 
mouth  of  Armstrong's  Creek,  about  half  a  mile  above  the  present  town  of  Halifax, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 65 

preparations  to  resist  any  attacks  that  might  be  made  against  the 
place.  He  also  had  a  number  of  mechanics  and  ship  carpenters 
busily  engaged  in  building  flat  boats  for  the  purpose  of  transport- 
ing provisions  and  munitions  of  war  up  the  river.  These  boats 
were  pushed  against  the  current  by  strong  men  using  "  setting 
poles."  This  method  of  navigating  the  river  was  very  laborious 
as  well  as  dangerous,  because  the  savages  lurked  along  the  shore 
of  the  river  to  pick  them  off  with  their  rifles.  And  for  better 
.safety  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  guard,  which  traveled  by  land 
and  kept  within  sight  of  the  boats  to  protect  them. 

While  at  Fort  Halifax  Colonel  Clapham  had  a  number  of  car- 
riages for  mounting  cannon  manufactured,  but  the  records  do  not 
state  how  many.  It  is  inferred,  however,  from  letters  written  at 
the  time,  that  he  had  several  pieces  of  artillery. 

Before  starting  for  his  new  field  of  operations  Colonel  Clapham 
had  some  difficulty  with  a  number  of  his  men  on  account  of  pay 
due  them.  Not  being  able  to  pay  them  because  of  a  scarcity 
of  funds,  several  of  the  soldiers  and  "batteaux  men"  became  dis- 
satisfied and  refused  to  perform  their  duty.  According  to  his 
statement,  the  latter  were  Germans,  and  twenty-six  in  number. 
They  were  arrested  and  confined  for  mutiny. 

Everything  being  in  readiness,  the  march  to  Shamokin  was 
commenced  early  in  July,  1756.  There  being  no  road  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  it  was  necessary  to  cross  to  the  west  side  and 
follow  the  path  to  a  point  opposite  their  destination.  In  many 
places  the  underbrush  had  to  be  removed  and  the  road  widened 
to  admit  of  the  passage  of  the  troops  and  horses,  and  the  march 
was  necessarily  slow. 

Finally,  after  a  toilsome  march,  the  command  reached  its  des- 
tination*  about  four   hundred   strong.      It  was  a   motley   crew 

and  thirty-two  miles  below  Sunbury.  Nothing  now  remains  to  mark  the  spot,  except 
an  old  well.  Colonel  Clapham  had  selected  the  site  on  account  of  its  convenience 
and  natural  situation  for  establishing  a  magazine  for  provisions.  There  was  an  abun- 
dance of  pine  timber  near  at  hand.  When  he  received  his  orders  from  Governor 
Morris,  he  had  already  cut  and  squared  200  logs  and  had  hauled  eighty  to  the  spot 
and  made  some  progress  in  laying  them.  He  also  had  twenty  batteaux  finished  and 
two  canoes  to  bring  up  provisions  from  McKee's  store.  Scouts  were  on  the  lookout 
all  the  time. 

*  The  following  extract  is  from  a  memorandum  made  in  1 802  by  Colonel  Samuel 


1 66  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

indeed.  Indians  hovered  about  the  hills,  noting  their  movements 
and  watching  an  opportunity  to  seize  and  scalp  stragglers.  The 
ruins  of  Shamokin  and  the  famous  Moravian  blacksmith  shop 
were  visible  near  a  patch  of  cleared  ground,  not  far  from  where 
the  railroad  now  runs  after  crossing  the  island  bridge.  The  sur- 
rounding mountains  were  heavily  timbered  and  the  lowlands  and 
swamps  were  covered  with  impenetrable  thickets  of  briers  and 
bushes.  It  was  indeed  a  wild  and  romantic  spot  at  the  junction 
of  the  two  rivers.  Blue  Hill  proudly  reared  its  rugged  crest  and 
seemed  to  look  down  defiantly  upon  the  ragged  and  poorly  fed 
militia-men,  as  they  lay  encamped  upon  the  very  spot  where  the 
Indian  town  had  once  stood.  The  majestic  river  rolled  its 
current  silently  towards  the  sea,  and  as  the  sun  disappeared 
behind  the  bold,  rocky  promontory  on  its  western  shore,  and 
the  gathering  twilight  deepened  into  the  gloom  of  night,  the 
scene  was  indeed  a  weird  one  as  the  soldiers  passed  their  first 
night  upon  the  spot  destined  to  become  famous  in  the  annals  of 
history. 

Once  upon  the  ground,  Colonel  Clapham  ordered  temporary 
breastworks  thrown  up,  for  the  better  protection  of  his  command, 
and  preparations  were  at  once  made  to  commence  erecting  the 
fort  according  to  the  most  approved  plan.  A  hurried  survey  was 
made  by  the  engineers,  and  a  location  for  the  defensive  work 
selected.  But  notwithstanding  the  importance  of  the  expedition, 
and  the  absolute  necessity  of  preparation  to  resist  attack,  great 
dissatisfaction  existed  among  the  soldiers  on  account  of  their 
pay,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  many  of  them  could  be 
restrained  from  returning  home.  Finally  the  dissatisfaction 
assumed  such  a  serious  aspect  that,  on  the  13th  of  July,  a 
council  was  called  in  the  camp  to  take  into  consideration  what 
was  best  to  be  done.  As  the  report  of  that  meeting  shows 
clearly  the    difficulties    the    commander    had    to    surmount,  and 


Miles,  of  the  Revolutionary  Army :  "  We  crossed  the  Susquehanna  and  marched  on 
the  west  side  thereof,  until  we  came  opposite  where  the  town  of  Sunbury  now  stands, 
where  we  crossed  over  in  batteaux,  and  I  had  the  honor  of  being  the  first  man  who 
put  his  foot  on  shore  at  landing.  In  building  the  fort  at  Shamokin,  Captain  Levi 
Trump  and  myself  had  the  charge  of  the  workmen,  and  after  it  was  finished  our 
battalion  remained  there  as  garrison  until  the  year  1758." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST"  BRANCH    VALLEY.  iGj 

forms  an  important  link   in  the   history  of  Fort  Augusta,  it   is 
given  herewith  in  full :  * 

Present — all  the  Officers  of  Colonel  Clapham's  Regiment,  except  Capt.  Miles, j- 
who  Commands  the  Garrison  at  Fort  Halifax. 

The  Subalterns  complain,  that  after  expectation  given  them  by  several  Gentlemen, 
Commissioners,  of  receiving  seven  Shillings  and  Six  Pence  each  Lieut.,  &  five  Shil- 
lings &  Six  Pence  each  Ensign  per  day,  the  Commissary  has  received  Instructions  to 
pay  a  Lieut,  but  five  shillings  and  six  pence,  and  an  Ensign  four  Shillings. 

Capt.  Salter  affirms,  that  the  Gentlemen  Commissioners  assur'd  him  that  the  Sub- 
alterns pay  was  Augmented  from  five  Shillings  and  six  pence,  and  four  Shillings  to 
the  sums  mention'd  above. 

Lieut.  Davies  reports,  that  Mr.  Fox  assured  him  that  the  pay  of  a  Lieut,  in  this 
Regiment  woud  be  Established  at  seven  Shillings  &  six  Pence  per  Day,  and  that  Mr. 
Peters,  the  Provincial  Secretary,  told  him  the  same  as  a  thing  concluded  upon,  but 
hinted  .it  the  same  time  that  he  might  expect  but  five  shillings  and  sixpence  per  Day, 
l)efore  he  came  into  the  Regiment. 

Lieut.  Garraway  says,  that  Mr.  Hamilton  told  him  at  Dinner,  at  Mr.  Cunninghams, 
that  the  Pay  of  a  Captain  in  this  Regiment  was  to  be  ten  Shillings,  a  Liutenants 
seven  Shillings  &  six  pence,  &  an  Ensigns  five  Shillings  &  Sixpence. 

Capt.  Lloyd  says,  that  Mr.  Hughs,  one  of  the  Gentlemen  Commissioners  told 
him  the  same  thing. 

The  Gentlemen  Officers  beg  leave  to  Appeal  to  his  Honor,  the  Governor,  as  an 
Evidence  that  that  Opinion  Universally  Prevailed  thro'out  the  Regiment,  and  think- 
ing themselves  unjustly  dealt  with  by  the  Gentlemen  Commissrs.,  are  Unanimously 
Determined  not  to  Honor  their  most  hearty  and  sincere  thanks  for  the  Favours  re- 
ceived, the  grateful  impressions  of  wch  they  shall  never  forget,  and  at  the  same  time 
request  a  permission  from  your  Honor  to  Resign  on  the  Twentieth  day  of  Augst  next, 
desiring  to  be  relieved  accordingly. 

[Signed]  Levi  Trump,  Patrick  Davis,  Daniel  Clark,  Chas.  Garraway,  Asher  Clay- 
ton, Wm.  Anderson,  John  Hambright,  William  Plunkett,  Sam.  Jno.  Atlee,  Chas. 
Brodhead,  Wm.  Patterson,  Joseph  Scott,  John  Morgan,  Samuel  Miles,  James  Bryan, 
Pat.  Allison. 

James  Young,  who  appears  to  have  been  a  paymaster  in  the 
service  of  the  Provincial  Government,  visited  Shamokin  about  this 
time  and  found  great  confusion  and  dissatisfaction  existing  among 
the  officers.     On  the  iSth  of  July,  1756,^  he  wrote  a  long  letter 


*See  Vol.  L,  page  700,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Series. 

f  Notwithstanding  this  statement  it  appears  that  he  was  present  and  signed  the 
report — or  it  was  submitted  to  him  afterwards  for  signature. 

J  His  letter  is  dated  at  Carlisle.  After  remaining  at  Shamokin  four  days  he  left 
there  early  Friday  morning  in  a  batteau  and  "rowed  her  down  to  Harris'  before  night 
with  four  oars."  He  was  greatly  perplexed  during  his  stay  at  Shamokin.  He  says: 
"  I  was  ordered  to  pay  but  384  private  men  and  16  sergeants.  I  found  several  more 
in  the  camp  besides  Ensign  Meirs,  with  20  men  at  Maggies  Stores,  Ensign  Johnston 


l68  HISTORY    OF    THE  "WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

to  Governor  Morris,  in  which  he  gave  a  detailed  account  of  the 
dissatisfaction  he  found  prevailing  there.  Colonel  Clapham,  he 
stated,  was  much  displeased  on  account  of  the  insufficiency  of 
funds  forwarded  to  pay  the  troops.  Clapham  complained  loudly 
and  bitterly  of  what  he  termed  his  ill  usage,  and  in  his  wrath  went 
so  far  as  to  threaten  to  leave  the  service  and  join  the  Indians  if 
something  was  not  done  soon.  This  was  very  imprudent  talk  for 
the  commanding  officer,  and  shows  that  he  was  lacking  in  dis- 
cretion. 

Young,  according  to  the  records,  did  not  pay  any  of  the  officers, 
because  they  claimed  more  than  he  was  instructed  to  allow  them. 
And  to  make  matters  worse,  all  of  the  officers,  with  the  exception 
of  three  or  four,  had  been  under  arrest  by  order  of  Colonel  Clap- 
ham upon  one  charge  or  another,  but  released  at  his  pleasure 
without  trial.  His  conduct  arrayed  the  officers  against  him  and 
caused  them  to  despise  him.  Paymaster  Young  very  much 
doubted  the  wisdom  of  building  a  fort  at  this  place,  as,  in  his 
opinion,  there  was  great  danger  of  it  being  deserted  by  the  men 
on  account  of  the  bitterness  of  feeling  which  prevailed,  and  he  so 
stated  in  his  letter  to  the  Governor. 

On  the  same  day  Colonel  Clapham  and  James  Burd  united  in 
writing  a  long  and  censorious  letter  to  Governor  Morris,  in  which 
they  stated  their  grievances  as  follows : 

Shamokin,  July  iSth,  1756. 

Sir;  I  am  desir'd  herewith  to  Transmit  to  your  Honor  the  result  of  a  Council 
held  at  the  Camp  at  Shamokin,  July  the  13th,  in  consequence  of  a  disappointment  in 
the  Pay  of  ye  Subalterns,  from  wch  it  will  appear  to  your  Honor  that  they  think 
Themselves  illtreated  by  the  Gentlemen  Commissioners,  whose  Honor  they  rely'd  on 
and  several  of  whose  promises  they  recite  in  Regard  to  their  Pay,  and  that  they  are 
unanimously  determined  to  resign  their  Commissions  on  the  20th  day  of  August  next 
if  the  respective  Promises  and  Assurances  of  the  Gentlemen  Commissioners  on  that 
Head  are  not  fully  Comply'd  with  before  that  time. 

I  further  beg  leave  to  address  your  Honor  with  a  Complaint  in  behalf  of  myself, 
and  the  other  Captains  and  Officers  of  this  Regiment.  I  had  the  honor  to  receive 
from  you,  Sr.,  a  Commission  as  Captain  in  the  Regiment  imder  my  command,  dated 
March  the  29th,  for  which  the  Gentlemen  Commissioners,  notwithstanding  it  was  rep- 
resented to  them,  have  been  pleased  to  withhold  my  pay  and  Assign'd  as  a  Reason 


with  23  men  at  Hunter's  Mill,  and  a  sergeant  with  13  at  Harris",  all  ordered  there  by 
Col.  Clapham,  and  above  his  number  of  400.  I  therefore  did  not  pay  them." — 
Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  704,  Old  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  169 

that  a  man  can  execute  but  one  Office  at  a  time,  and  ought  to  devote  his  whole  service 
to  it,  which  is  not  only  an  unjust  remark,  but  affronting  to  all  Gentlemen  who  have 
the  Honor  to  hold  directly  from  his  Majesty  or  from  any  of  his  Majesty's  Officers 
more  than  one  Commission  at  the  same  time,  by  supposing  them  deficient  in  some 
part  of  their  Duty,  and  is  virtually  an  invective  against  the  Government  of  Great 
Britain  itself.  They  have  likewise  been  pleased  to  deal  with  Major  Burd  upon  the 
same  principles  and  have  paid  him  only  as  a  Captain,  which  must  be  confessed  is  a 
very  concise  method  of  reducing  without  the  Sentence  or  even  the  Sanction  of  a 
Court  Martial. 

The  several  Captains  think  themselves  affronted  by  the  Commissrs  Instructions  to 
the  Commissary  to  pay  but  two  Serjeants  and  forty-eight  Private  Men  in  each  Com- 
pany, notwithstanding  two  Corporalls  and  one  Drummer  were  appointed  in  each 
Company  by  your  Honor's  express  Command,  this  instruction  appears  to  them  also 
as  a  contempt  of  your  Honor's  Orders,  and  have  accordingly  paid  these  non-commis- 
sioned officers  out  of  their  own  Pockets. 

I  entered  into  this  service  at  the  Solicitation  of  some  of  the  Gentlemen  Commis- 
sioners, in  Dependence  on  Promises,  which  they  have  never  performed,  and  have 
acted  ever  since  not  only  in  two  Capacities  but  in  twenty,  having  besides  the  Duties 
of  my  Commissions  as  Col.  &  Captain  been  obliged  to  discharge  those  of  an  En- 
gineer and  Overseer  at  the  same  time,  and  imdergone  in  the  Service  incredible  Fatigues 
without  Materials  and  without  thanks.  But  as  I  am  to  be  paid  only  as  a  Col.  I  in- 
tend while  I  remain  in  this  Service  only  to  fulfill  the  Duties  of  that  Commission, 
which  never  was  yet  supposed  to  include  building  forts  and  ten  thousand  other  Ser- 
vices which  I  have  performed,  so  that  the  Gentlemen  Commissioners  have  only  to 
send  Engineers,  Pioneers  and  other  Laborers,  with  the  necessary  Teams  and  Utensils, 
while  I,  as  Col.  preside  over  the  Works,  see  that  your  Honor's  orders  are  punctually 
executed,  &  only  Defend  the  Persons  engaged  in  the  Execution  of  them.  In  pursu- 
ance of  a  resolution  of  your  Honor  and  the  Gentlemen  Commissioners  to  allow  me 
an  Aid-De-Camp  who  was  to  be  paid  as  a  Supernumerary  Capt.  in  the  Regiment ;  I 
according  appointed  Capt.  Lloyd  as  my  Aid-De-Camp  on  April  2nd,  1756,  who  has 
ever  since  acted  as  such  in  the  most  Fatiguing  and  disagreeable  Service  on  Earth, 
and  received  only  Captain's  Pay. 

Your  Honor  was  pleased  to  appoint  Lieut.  Clayton  Adjutant  to  the  Regiment 
under  my  command  by  a  Commission,  bearing  date  the  24th  day  of  May,  1756,  but 
the  Gentlemen  Commissrs  have,  in  Defiance  of  all  known  rules,  resolved  that  an  Of- 
ficer can  Discharge  but  one  duty  in  a  day,  and  have  paid  him  only  as  a  Lieutenant. 
Impowered  by  your  Honor's  orders,  and  in  Compliance  with  the  Exigencies  of  the 
Services,  I  hir'd  a  number  of  Battoe  men  at  2-6  per  day,  as  will  appear  by  the  return 
made  herewith  to  your  Honor,  and  upon  demanding  from  the  Paymaster  General 
money  for  the  Payment  of  the  respective  Ballances  due  to  them,  was  surprized  to  find 
that  the  Commissy  had  by  their  instructions  restraing  him  from  Paying  any  incidental 
Charges  whatever,  as  thinking  them  properly  Cognizable  only  by  themselves. 

'Tis  extremely  Cruel,  Sr,  and  unjust  to  the  last  degree  That  men  who  cheerfully 
ventured  their  lives  in  the  most  dangerous  and  Fatiguing  services  of  their  Country, 
who  have  numerous  Families  dependant  on  their  labor,  and  who  have  many  of  them 
while  they  were  engaged  in  that  service,  suffered  more  from  the  neglect  of  their 
Farms  and  Crops  at  home  than  the  Value  of  their  whole  pay.     In  short,  whose  Affairs 


I/O  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

are  ruined  by  the  Services  done  their  Country  should  some  of  them  receive  no  pay  at 
all  for  those  services,  if  this  is  the  case  I  plainly  perceive  that  all  Service  is  at  an 
end,  and  foresee  that  whoever  has  the  command  of  this  Garrison  will  inevitably  be 
Obhged  to  Abandon  his  Post  very  shortly  for  want  of  a  Suply  of  Provisions.  Your 
Honr  will  not  be  surprized  to  hear  that  in  a  government  where  its  Servants  are  so 
well  rewarded  I  have  but  one  Team  of  Draught  Horses,  which,  according  to  the 
Commissioners  remark,  can  but  do  the  Business  of  one  Team  in  a  day  from  whence 
you  will  easily  Judge  that  the  Works  must  proceed  very  slowly  and  the  Expence  in 
the  end  be  proportionable. 

Permit  me,  Sr,  in  the  most  grateful  manner  to  thank  your  Honr  for  the  Favour 
conferred  on  me  and  on  the  Regiment  under  my  Command  which  I  am  sensible  were 
meant  as  well  in  Friendship  to  the  Province-as  myself.  I  have  executed  the  trust 
Reposed  in  me  wth  all  Possible  Fidelity  and  to  the  best  of  my  Knowledge,  but  my 
endeavours  as  well  as  those  of  every  other  Officer  in  the  Service  have  met  with  so 
ungenerous  a  Return  so  contracted  a  Reward  that  we  can  no  longer  serve  with  any 
Pleasure  on  such  terms.  And  if  we  are  not  for  the  Future  to  receive  from  your  Honr 
our  Orders,  our  Supplys  and  our  Pay  beg  Leave  unanimously  to  resign  on  the  Twenti- 
eth of  August  next,  &  will  abandon  the  Post  accordingly  at  that  time,  in  which  Case 
I  would  recommend  it  to  the  Gentlemen  Commissioners  to  take  great  Care  to  prevent 
that  universal  Desertion  of  the  men  which  will  otherwise  certainly  ensue. 

Thus  much  I  thought  it  necessary  to  say  in  my  own  Vindication,  and  I  am  besides 
by  the  rest  of  the  Gentlemen  requested  to  add,  that  they  have  still  further  cause  of 
Complaint  from  a  Quarter  where  they  little  expected  it,  &  are  conscious  to  themselves 
they  never  deserved  it,  esteeming  much  lighter  their  Treatment  from  the  other  Gentle- 
men Commissioners  in  regard  to  their  Pay  than  the  ungenerous  Reflections  of  one  of 
those  Gentlemen  on  the  Conduct  of  an  Expedition  which  it  too  plainly  appears  it  was 
never  his  Study  to  Promote,  and  will  Appeal  to  their  Country  and  to  your  Honor  for 
ye  Justice  of  their  Conduct  in  the  present  Step. 

'  Tis  wth  utmost  concern  &  Reluctance  that  the  Gentlemen  of  this  Regiment  see 
themselves  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  this  Declaration  and  assure  your  Honr  that 
nothing  but  such  a  Continued  series  of  Discouragements  could  have  ever  extorted  it 
from  those  who  hope  that  they  have  not  used  any  Expressions  inconsistent  with  that 
high  Regard  they  have  for  your  Honor,  and  beg  leave  with  me  to  Subscribe  them- 
selves. 

Your  Honor's 

Most  obedient  humble  Servant, 

WILL'M  CLAPHAM, 
JAMES  BURD. 

Notwithstanding  these  serious  complaints^  the  Government  was 
slow  to  remedy  them  by  supplying  the  wants  of  the  command. 
This,  in  a  measure,  was  caused  by  the  scarcity  of  money  and 
provisions  and  a  lack  of  decision  and  promptness  on  the  part 
of  those  in  authority.  Colonel  Clapham  still  remained  at  Sha- 
mokin,  and  although  short  of  supplies,  it  appears  that  the  work 
of  building  the  fort  was  vigorously  pushed.      On   the    14th   of 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I71 

August  he  again  wrote  to  Governor  Morris  that  his  wants  were 
still  unsupplied,  and  that  they  only  had  about  half  a  pound  of 
powder  to  each  man,  and  none  for  the  cannon.  Their  stock  of 
provisions  was  very  low,  and,  as  winter  was  approaching,  famine 
stared  them  in  the  face,  unless  a  supply  was  speedily  received. 
Boats  had  been  dispatched  to  Harris'  for  flour,  but  they  were 
subjected  to  so  much  danger  from  the  Indians  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  that  their  safe  return  was  almost  despaired  of 

In  this  same  letter  the  Colonel  informed  the  Governor  that  he 
was  obliged  to  put  Lieutenant  Plunkett  under  arrest  for  mutiny, 
and  only  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  Judge  Advocate  to  have  him 
tried  by  court-martial. 

A  month  had  now  elapsed  since  the  arrival  of  the  force  at  Sha- 
mokin,  and  notwithstanding  the  dissatisfaction  that  existed  among 
the  officers  and  men,  and  the  threats  of  the  former  that  they  would 
throw  up  their  commissions  and  abandon  the  post  by  the  20th  of 
August  if  they  were  not  paid,  it  nowhere  appears  that  any  of  them 
carried  this  threat  into  execution.  The  commanding  officer,  on 
deliberate  and  calm  reflection,  no  doubt,  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  a  savage  and  wily  enemy  confronted  them,  and  it  was  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  their  ozvn  safety,  as  well  as  the  safet}-  of  the 
helpless  settlers,  that  defenses  should  be  erected  as  quickly  as 
possible  to  guard  the  frontier.  In  view  of  this,  patriotic  feelings 
evidently  triumphed  over  personal  bickerings,  and  the  work  of 
building  Fort  Augusta  steadily  progressed.  In  September  a  few 
supplies  were  received  from  below,  which  somewhat  revived  the 
drooping  spirits  of  the  command.  Previous  to  this  the  men  had 
been  put  on  a  short  allowance  of  flour. 

September  7th*  Colonel  Clapham  recommended  strengthening 
the  fort  by  doubling  it  with  another  case  of  logs  and  filling  up  the 
intermediate  space  to  render  it  cannon  proof 

On  the  14th  of  September,  1756,  Peter  Bard  wrote  to  Governor 
Morris,  informing  him  that  "the  fort  is  now  almost  finished,  and  a 
fine  one  it  is;  we  want  a  large  flag  to  grace  it."  The  officers  and 
men  had  labored  hard  for  about  six  weeks  on  the  works,  and  they 
felt  greatly  encouraged  at  their  success  in  the  face  of  the  difficul- 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  766,  Old  Series. 


172  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

ties  which  had  constantly  surrounded  them.  Colonel  Clapham 
was  evidently  in  a  better  humor,  for  about  this  time  he  informed 
Benjamin  Franklin  that  in  his  opinion  the  post  was  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  the  Province,  and  that  it  was  impregnable  against 
all  the  power  of  musketry.  From  its  position,  however,  he  feared 
that  it  was  more  exposed  to  a  descent  on  the  West  Branch,  and 
recommended  that  it  be  made  stronger.  The  threatened  French 
attack,  if  it  was  ever  made,  would  be  from  that  direction.  The 
enemy  could  easily  effect  a  lodgement  on  the  summit  of  Blue  Hill, 
which  overlooked  the  fort,  but  as  their  position  would  be  more 
than  a  mile  away,  they  could  do  but  little  towards  reducing  the 
fort  without  the  aid  of  heavy  artillery ;  and  as  it  could  only  be 
transported  there  with  great  difficulty,  the  danger  was  never  ver\- 
great,  but,  of  course,  this  fact  was  not  known  to  the  garrison. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  know  what  stores  and  munitions  of  war 
were  possessed  by  the  garrison  when  the  fort  was  nearly  com- 
pleted, 132  years  ago.  In  view  of  this,  the  first  report  of  Com- 
missary Peter  Bard,  made  in  September,  1756,  is  transcribed  and 
given  as  follows : 

Provisions  in  Store,  September  ye  1st. 

46  bbs.  beef  and  pork.  5   Do.  of  peas. 

9  Do.  of  flour.  I   Bullock. 

Brought  up  September  ye  ist. 

■  2  cwt.  powder.  1 1  frying  pans. 

6  Do.  of  Lead.  i   Stock  Lock. 

92  Pair  Shoes.  A  Lump  of  Chalk. 

4  Lanthorns.  27  bags  flour  about  5000  cwt. 

1301   Grape  shot.  4  Iron  Squares, 

46  hand  granades.  12  Carpenter's  Compasses. 

5S  Cannon  ball.  I   ream  writing  paper. 

50  blankets.  4  quires  Cateridge  Do. 

4  brass  kettles.  Some  match  rope  very  ordinary. 

6  falling  a.\es.  23  head  of  Cattle. 

He  does  not  state  how  many  cannon  they  had,  although  it  is 
known  that  several  pieces  were  brought  from  Halifax.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  they  were  not  yet  mounted,  and  he  did  not  deem  it  wise 
to  mention  them  for  prudential  reasons.  As  to  the  quantity  of  pro- 
visions in  store,  it  does  not  seem  that  the  men  were  in  immediate 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 73 

danger  of  starvation.  Of  beef  there  appears  to  have  been  an 
abundance,  but  coffee  and  sugar  were  wanting.  When  we  con- 
sider the  difficulty  of  transporting  heavy  stores  up  the  river  at 
that  time,  surprise  may  be  e.xpressed  that  they  possessed  as  much 
as  they  did. 

While  the  work  was  going  on,  the  Indians  watched  them  con- 
stantly. The)'  lurked  in  the  thickets  and  on  the  hill-sides  for  an 
opportunity  to  pounce  on  small  parties,  if  they  were  reckless 
enough  to  stray  any  distance  from  the  camp,  and  kill  and  scalp 
them.  The}'  could  be  seen  on  Blue  Hill  almost  daily,  peering 
over  the  cliffs  and  vigilantly  observing  every  movement.  On  the 
23d  of  August  an  express  courier,  on  his  way  up  the  river  from 
Harris',  was  killed  and  scalped*  fifteen  miles  below  the  fort.  The 
part}'  that  went  to  escort  Captain  Lloyd  from  Fort  Halifax  found 
his  body  and  buried  it  by  the  roadside. 

The  following  thrilling  incident,  related  by  Colonel  Samuel 
Miles,t  shows  the  constant  danger  to  which  stragglers  were  sub- 
jected : 

In  the  summer  of  1756  I  was  nearly  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians.  At  about 
half  a  mile  distant  from  the  fort  stood  a  large  tree  that  bore  excellent  plums,  in  an 
open  piece  of  ground,  near  what  is  now  called  the  "  Bloody  Spring."  Lieut.  S.  Atlee 
and  myself  one  day  took  a  walk  to  this  tree  to  gather  plums.  While  we  were  there 
a  party  of  Indians  lay  a  short  distance  from  us  concealed  in  the  thicket,  and  had 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  765,  Old  Series. 

f  Lieutenant  Samuel  Miles,  afterwards  better  known  as  Colonel  Samuel  Miles,  was 
born  March  22,  1739,  and  was  commissioned  an  Ensign  at  the  age  of  17,  and  con- 
tinued in  active  service  until  December  12,  1760,  when  he  retired  with  the  rank  of 
Captain.  He  married  February  16,  1761,  and  settled  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  a 
member  of  Assembly  in  1772'  March  13,  1776,  he  was  commissioned  Colonel; 
captured  at  Long  Island,  .and  not  exchanged  until  1778.  After  exchange,  not  being 
able  to  obtain  his  rank,  he  retired  from  active  service  and  was  appointed  Deputy 
Quartermaster  General  of  Pennsylvania,  and  served  as  such  until  1782.  He  was  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  judges  of  the  High  Court  of  Appeals  of  Pennsylvania  in  1783, 
and  in  1 790  he  was  elected  Mayor  of  Philadelphia.  In  October,  1805,  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  Assembly.  Was  taken  sick  at  Lancaster,  and  died  at  his  country  resi- 
dence, Cheltenham,  Montgomery  County,  December  29,  1805,  aged  66  years.  He 
became  a  large  land  owner,  in  what  is  now  Centre  County,  before  the  war,  and  after 
the  war,  in  connection  with  General  Patton,  built  large  iron  works  in  Centre  County 
and  laid  out  the  town  of  Milesburg.  He  was  Captain  of  the  City  Troop  of  Phila- 
delphia, 1786— 1791,  and  his  portrait,  with  a  full  biography,  will  be  found  in  Wilson^ s 
History  of  the  First  Troop  Philadelphia  City  Cavalry. 


174  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

nearly  gotten  between  us  and  the  fort,  when  a  soldier  belonging  to  the  bullock  guard 
not  far  from  us  came  to  the  spring  to  drink.  The  Indians  were  thereby  in  danger  of 
being  discovered,  and  in  consequence  thereof  fired  at  and  killed  the  soldier,  by  which 
means  we  got  off  and  returned  to  the  fort  in  much  less  time  than  we  were  coming 

A  party  of  soldiers  immediately  sallied  forth  from  the  fort,  on 
hearing  the  firing,  and  pursued  the  savages,  but  they  escaped  in 
the  thickets.  They  succeeded  in  scalping  the  soldier  before  they 
fled.  This  circumstance  is  believed  to  have  given  the  spring  its 
name,  which  it  bears  to  this  day.  When  the  rescuing  party  ar- 
rived they  found  that  the  blood  of  the  soldier  had  trickled  into 
the  spring  and  given  the  water  a  crimson  hue,  and  it  was  after- 
wards called  the  "  Bloody  Spring."*  The  peculiar  rocks  which 
at  one  time  surrounded  the  spring  have  been  disturbed,  and  its 
romantic  beauty  is  lost.  It  is  located  on  the  original  Grant  Farm, 
well  up  on  the  hill-side.  The  high  hills  on  the  east  and  south 
afforded  excellent  hiding  places  for  the  savages,  and  when  the 
topography  of  the  country  is  studied,  it  will  be  plainly  seen  that 
the  Indians  had  every  advantage  when  lying  in  wait  for  parties 
visiting  the  spring.  Whether  more  than  one  man  was  killed  at 
this  fatal  spot  is  not  stated,  but  this  single  mtirder  is  well  authen- 
ticated. 

*  Hon.  S.  P.  Wolverton  now  owns  the  ground  on  which  this  historic  spring  is  lo- 
cated on  the  hill-side.  The  space  occupied  by  it  is  about  the  size  of  an  ordinary  sized 
town  lot,  and  it  looks  as  if  it  might  have  been  dug  out  and  the  earth  taken  away  with 
horse  and  cart,  as  the  excavation  is  about  large  enough  in  which  to  turn  a  horse  and 
vehicle  of  that  kind.  At  the  head  of  the  excavation  the  distance  across  is  about 
twenty-five  feet,  and  has  a  depth  of  ten  or  twelve  feet,  and  then  runs  out  in  accordance 
with  the  declivity  of  the  field.  The  spring  flows  a  couple  of  months  in  the  early 
part  of  the  year,  during  which  time  the  water  runs  down  on  the  surface  to  the  Klines- 
grove  road.  The  spring  has  been  gradually  filling  up,  and  there  is  no  doubt  it 
would  flow  constantly  if  it  were  cleaned  out.  It  will  probably  entirely  disappear  in  a 
few  years.  Some  years  ago  there  was  a  clump  of  pines  about  the  spring,  but  they 
have  been  cut  away.  Two  small  chestnut  trees  shade  the  spring  in  the  forenoon  and 
a  good  sized  oak  in  the  afternoon.  The  whole  place  has  grown  up  with  a  dense  crop 
of  alders,  briers  and  vines.  Some  years  ago  an  Englishman,  a  machinist  at  the  rail- 
road shops,  built  a  wall  six  feet  high  at  the  edge  of  the  bank,  at  the  Klinesgrove 
road,  and  formed  a  reservoir  of  water  in  which  he  placed  fish  and  frogs ;  but  vandals 
tore  it  away.  On  the  rocks  surrounding  the  spring  are  many  names  and  dates  rudely 
cut.  Here  are  a  few:  "S.  Rockefeller,"  "Abba  Dock,  1857,"  "1S25,''  "1854," 
"C.  M.  Sarvis,"  "  M.  C,  1868,"  "A.  J.,  1862,"  "  M.  M.,  1876."  It  is  now  about 
132  years  since  the  tragedy  which  gave  it  such  a  sanguinary  name  occurred. — y.  y. 
Auten. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 75 

Gox-ernor  Morris  was  succeeded  by  William  Denny,*  August 
20,  1756.  Colonel  Clapham  wrote  him  a  congratulatory  letter 
from  Fort  Augusta,  under  date  of  September  23d,  as  follows: 

Sir — I  do  myself  the  Honor  to  congratulate  you  on  your  safe  Arrival  &  Accession 
to  the  Government  of  Pennsylvania,  where  I  sincerely  wish  your  Honor  all  the  Suc» 
cess  &  Happiness  that  can  possibly  flow  from  the  wisest  Councills  or  the  most  con- 
sumate  merit;  it  is  with  inexpressible  Pleasure  I  observe  that  his  Majesty  has  been 
graciously  pleas'd  to  confer  the  Command  of  this  Province  on  a  Gentleman  of  Experi- 
ence in  military  affairs,  at  a  Time  when  the  most  Vigorous  Measures  are  necessary 
for  its  Preservation  and  the  Happiness  of  the  People,  will  prove  at  once  the  Reward 
of  your  Cares  &  the  Glory  of  your  Administration. 

Permit  me.  Sir,  to  inform  you,  that  I  received  from  your  Honorable  Predecessor, 
Mr.  Morris,  the  Command  of  a  Regiment  of  foot,  consisting  of  four  hundred  Men, 
raised  in  the  Pay  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  &  now  doing  duty  at  Fort  Halifax, 
which  is  garrisoned  by  a  Company  of  fifty  men,  Detach'd  from  this  Regiment,  and 
the  Rest  of  the  Corps  station'd  at  Fort  Augusta  at  Shamokin,  where  I  am  in  Justice 
bound  to  Acknowledge  that  they  have  shown  a  commendable  Disposition  to  serve 
their  Country,  &  sufTer'd  excessive  Fatigue  in  building  a  Fort,  agreeable  to  the  Plan 
herewith  transmitted  to  your  Honor,  in  little  better  than  the  space  of  six  Weeks,  and 
in  Escorting  Provisions  for  the  use  of  the  Regiment  at  the  same  time. 

There  are  now  four  Months  Pay  due  to  this  Regiment,  and  as  many  of  the  Sol- 
diers have  left  Familys  at  Home  dependant  on  their  Pay,  &  reduc'd  to  the  utmost 
Misery  for  Want  of  it,  I  find  no  small  Difficulties  in  detaining  them  for  the  present,  in 
so  discouraging  a  Service,  and  am  apprehensive  I  shall  not  (unless  better  supported 
by  the  Government)  be  able  to  do  it  much  longer.  I  have,  in  order  to  relieve  their 
real  necessitys,  lent  amongst  them  great  Part  of  my  own  Pay,  besides  borrowing  from 
others  for  that  Purpose,  and  'tho  considerably  in  advance  for  the  Province,  have  not 
one  single  Farthing  in  my  Hand  for  any  Incidental  Charges.  My  duty  to  the  Service 
calls  upon  me  to  inform  your  Honor,  that  no  Person  being  regularly  appointed  to 
supply  this  Garrison  with  Flour,  we  have  been  twice  reduc'd  to  the  Quantity  of  two 
Barrels,  and  the  Commanding  Officer  of  the  Escorting  Party  sent  down  to  Hunters 
Fort  for  Flour,  as  often  oblig'd  to  purchase  it  from  diflferent  Parts  of  the  Country,  the 
Party  being  detain'd  in  the  Mean  Time,  &  deserting  daily  to  the  great  prejudice  of 
the  Service.  I  beg  Leave  to  represent  to  your  Honor,  that  this  Garrison  consisting  of 
three  hundred  &  twenty  Men  can  never  Answer  the  Purpose  expected  of  protecting 
the  Frontier  around  it,  &  carry  on  the  Works  at  the  same  Time,  while  one  hundred 
Men  are  constantly  employ'd  in  escorting  Provisions  for  the  rest,  and  frequently 
oblig'd  to  wait  a  considerable  Time  among  the  inhabitants,  till  Provisions  can  be  pur- 
chas'd,  and  that  a  Quantity  sufficient  to  serve  the  Garrison  at  least  six  Months,  ought 


*William  Denny  was  born  in  England  September,  1718.  He  received  a  fine 
education  and  was  in  high  favor  at  Court.  He  was  Lieutenant  Governor  of  the 
Province  of  Pennsylvania  from  August  20,  1756,  to  October,  1759.  On  his  removal 
from  office,  for  yielding  to  the  demands  of  the  Assembly  and  passing  their  money  bill, 
he  returned  to  England,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  retirement  on 
an  annuity  from  the  Crown.     f|e  died  before  the  War  for  Independence  commenced. 


176  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

always  to  be  in  Store  to  prevent  so  Advanc'd  a  Post  as  this  is,  from  falling  into  the 
Hands  of  the  Enemy,  in  Case  of  a  Siege  or  the  Communication  being  by  any  other 
means  cut  off;  I  hope  that  this  Regiment  will  be  happy  in  your  Honors  Favour  &  Pro- 
tection, &  I  am,  Sir,  with  all  possible  Respect 

Your  Honors, 

most  Obedient,  humble  Ser\'anl, 

WILLM.  CLAPHAM. 

On  the  13th  of  October,  1756,  Colonel  Clapham  was  at  Harris' 
Ferry,*  from  whence  he  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Governor,  in- 
forming him  of  the  condition  of  the  fort,  and  that  he  had  received 
information  that  an  attack  upon  it  was  contemplated  by  the  enemy. 
He,  therefore,  had  resolved  to  return  at  once  and  "  defend  it  to  the 
last  extremity."  The  garrison  at  that  time  consisted  of  "320 
effective  men,"  and  not  one  of  them,  remarks  the  commanding 
officer,  has  a  "  side  arm  in  case  of  an  attempt  at  storm." 

The  following  day  Captain  Lloyd  reported!  that  "the  small 
number  of  grenades,"  which  they  had,  "  were  sent  without  charges 
or  fuses,  the  match  was  of  bad  quality,  and  the  men  and  officers 
were  entirely  ignorant  of  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  gunnery." 
He  was  also  assured  that  it  was  "practicable  for  the  French  to 
bring  brass  four  and  six-pounders  on  drag-cars  from  Du  Quesne 
to  Shamokin." 

The  correspondence  between  Governor  Denny  and  Colonel 
Clapham  was  voluminous,  and  if  we  were  to  give  it  in  full  it 
would  fill  a  small  book.  That  the  commander  of  this  important 
fort  had  a  perplexing  and  trying  time  there  is  no  doubt.  Without 
money,  and  often  short  of  supplies,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered,  per- 
haps, that  he  sometimes  felt  discouraged  and  gave  vent  to  his 
feelings  in  language  more  emphatic  than  elegant. 

October  i8th  a  conference  was  held  at  Fort  Augusta  with  the 
friendly  Indians,^  who  informed  the  officers  that  a  large  body  of 
French  and  Indians  were  on  their  way  from  Du  Quesne  to  attack 
and  capture  the  fort.  On  being  advised  of  this  report  the  Gov- 
ernor at  once  ordered  a  reinforcement  of  fifty  men.  A  return  of 
this  date  shows  the  whole  force  to  be  306  men. 


*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  IH.,  page  9,  Old  Series. 
^Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  HI.,  page  12,  Old  Serie 
X  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  page  302.  « 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 77 

On  the  8th  of  November  six  barrels  of  powder,*  500  weight  of 
musket  barrels  and  fifty-six  rounds  of  shot  were  received  at  the 
fort.  The  commander  complained  of  the  want  of  stronger  teams 
and  wheelbarrows,  as  all  the  dirt  taken  from  the  excavation  had  to 
be  removed  by  the  latter  and  shoveled  from  man  to  man.  They 
were  also  very  much  in  need  of  "  axes,  tomahawks,  spades,  nails, 
wagon  masters  and  rum." 

Had  better  facilities  been  provided  by  the  Provincial  Govern- 
ment for  the  prosecution  of  the  work,  of  course  it  could  have 
been  completed  earlier.  But  when  we  consider  the  difficulties 
under  which  the  authorities  labored,  and  the  jealousies  that  ex- 
isted among  them,  we  must  come  to  the  conclusion  that  rapid 
progress  was  made.  The  work  was  hard,  it  is  true,  but  when  is 
it  not  under  such  circumstances?  Considering  these  facts,  it  is 
not  strange,  perhaps,  that  the  commander  wanted  plenty  of  "  rum  " 
for  his  men.  Its  use  stimulated  and  encouraged  them  to  wield 
the  spade  and  push  the  wheelbarrow. 

About  the  same  time  he  wrote  the  Governor  another  letter,  in 
which  he  said : 

Two  biisliels  of  Blue  Grass  .Seed  are  necessary  wherewith  to  sow  the  Slopes  of  the 
Parapet  &  Glacis,  and  the  Banks  of  the  River — in  eight  or  ten  Days  more  the  Ditch 
will  be  carried  quite  round  the  Parapet,  the  Barrier  Gates  finished  and  Erected,  and 
the  Pickets  of  the  Glacis  completed — after  which,  I  shall  do  mj'self  the  Honor  to 
attend  your  commands  in  person. 

In  course  of  time  Fort  Augusta  f  was  so  far  completed  that  it 
was  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  largest,  strongest  and  most  im- 
portant of  all  the  fortifications  erected  at  that  gloomy  period  on 
the  frontiers  of  the  Province.     The  following  diagram,  much  re- 

*  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  page  302. 

■j-  There  is  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  true  origin  of  the  name  of  the  fort,  and  who 
applied  it.  Governor  Morris,  before  it  was  built,  speaks  in  a  letter  to  Colonel  Clap- 
ham,  under  date  of  June  25,  1756,  of  "my  plan  of  Fort  Augusta  intirely."  [See 
page  674,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  Old  Series.]  The  mother  of  George  III. 
was  named  Augusta,  but  he  did  not  ascend  the  throne  until  October  25,  1760,  four 
years  after  the  fort  was  erected.  And  it  may  be  noted  in  this  connection,  as  a  singu- 
lar historical  fact,  that  the  first  authentic  notice  of  London  (Londinimn)  occurs  in 
Tacitus;  about  100  years  after  Cfesar's  invasion  of  Britain,  it  was  taken  by  the  Ro- 
mans under  Claudius,  called  Augusta,  and  placed  under  a  Roman  administration.  In 
later  years  a  tradition  prevailed  that  Major  Burd  had  the  fort  named  after  his  sister 
Augusta,  whom  it  was  said  resided  in  England.  But  it  is  more  likely  that  it  was 
called  for  the  mother  of  George  III.,  and  that  the  name  is  of  royal  origin. 


178 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 


duced  in  size  from  the  original,  will  give  the  reader  a  correct  idea 
of  its  appearance: 


FORT   AUCiUSTA 


The  above  plan  was  drawn  from  a  copy  of  the  original, 
to  which  the  following  note  is  attached:  "Isaac  Craig, 
Engineer;  Faithfully  copied  by  me  for  Richard  Biddle,  Esq.,  from  the  original  de- 
posited in  the  Geographical  and  Topographical  Collection  attached  to  Library  of  his 
late  Majesty  George  the  Third,  and  presented  by  his  Majesty  King  George  the  Fourth 
to  the  British  Museum. 

"London,  March,  1830.  "WILLIAM   OSMAN." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  1 79 

The  following  description  accompanies  the  original  drawing : 

Fort  Augusta  stands  at  about  forty  yards  distant  from  the  river,  on  a  bank  24  feet 
from  the  surface  of  the  water,  that  side  of  the  fort  marlced  with  light  lines  which 
fronts  the  river,  is  a  strong  pallisado,  the  bases  of  the  logs  being  sunk  four  feet  into 
the  earth,  the  tops  holed  and  spiked  into  strong  ribbonds  which  run  transversely  and 
are  morticed  into  several  logs  at  12  feet  distance  from  each  other,  which  are  larger 
and  higher  than  the  rest,  the  joints  between  each  pallisado  broke  with  firm  logs  well 
fitted  on  the  inside  and  supported  by  the  platform,  the  three  sides  represented  by  dark 
hues  are  composed  of  logs  laid  horizontally,  nearly  done,  dove-tailed  and  trunnelled 
down ;  they  are  squared  some  of  the  lower  ends  5  feet  diameter,  the  least  from  2  feet 
^  to  18  inches  diameter  and  are  mostly  white  oak.      There  are  six  four  Cannon 

mounted,  one  in of  each  bastion  fronting  the  river  &  one  in  the and  on  the 

flank  of  each  of  the  opposite  bastions.     The  woods  cleared  to  the  distance  of  300 
yards  &  some  progress  made  in  cutting  the  bank  of  the  river  into  a  glacis. 

From  this  minute  description  it  will  be  readily  understood  that 
the  fort  combined  great  strength.  It  was  neatly  constructed  ac- 
cording to  the  most  approved  rules  of  engineering  at  that  time, 
and  as  it  mounted  twelve  or  more  pieces  of  cannon,  when  fully 
equipped,  a  strong  assaulting  force  would  have  been  required  to 
reduce  it. 

That  the  water  has  worn  away  much  of  the  river  bank  since 
that  time  is  evident,  for  instead  of  the  location  being  "  forty  yards  " 
from  the  margin  of  the  river,  it  is  now  only  a  few  feet.  And  not- 
withstanding it  was  such  a  strong  defensive  work  at  that  time,  not 
a  vestige  of  it  can  be  traced  at  the  present  day.  One  hundred 
years  have  sufficed  to  level  it  to  the  earth,  and  the  ground  upon 
which  it  stood  is  as  smooth  and  tillable  to-day  as  if  a  hillock  of 
earth  had  never  been  raised  on  its  surface. 

On  the  8th  of  November,  1756,  Colonel  Clapham  informed 
Governor  Denny  that  about  fifty  miles  up  the  West  Branch  was 
located  an  Indian  town,  containing  ten  families,  from  whence  ma- 
rauding parties  were  continually  annoying  them  by  lying  in 
ambush  to  pick  off  sentinels  and  to  kill  and  scalp  stragglers;  and 
he  believed  that  the  party  which  killed  the  man  at  the  Bloody 
Spring  came  from  this  town.  These  Indians,  having  once  lived  at 
Shamokin,  were  well  acquainted  with  the  country,  and  from  their 
knowledge  of  the  paths  and  defiles  in  the  mountains,  could  lay  in 
ambush,  and  after  murdering  one  or  more  persons,  escape  with 
impunity.  They  had  become  so  annoying  that  the  commanding 
officer  decided  on  sending  a  force  to  destroy  their  town  and  dis- 


ISO  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRAXCH    VALLEY. 

perse  them.  For  this  important  secret  expedition  Captain  John 
Hambright  was  selected  and  given  the  following  specific  in- 
structions : 

Sir:  Vou  are  to  inarch  with  a  Party  of  2  Sergts,  2  Corporals  &  38  Private  men, 
under  your  command,  to  attack,  burn  and  destroy,  an  Indian  Town  or  Towns,  with 
their  inhabitants,  on  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna,  to  which  Monsieur  Montoure 
will  conduct  you,  whose  advice  you  are  directed  to  pursue  in  every  case.  You  are  to 
attack  the  Town  agreeable  to  the  Plan  and  Disposition  herewith  given  you,  observing 
to  intermix  the  men  with  Bayonets  equally  among  three  Partys  in  the  attack,  and  if 
any  Indians  are  found  there  you  are  to  Kill,  Scalp,  and  capture  as  many  as  you  can; 
and  if  no  Indians  are  there  you  are  to  endeavor  to  act  with  such  manner,  and  in  such 
Caution,  as  to  prevent  the  Discovery  of  your  having  been  there  by  any  Party,  which 
may  arrive  Shortly  after  you,  for  which  Reason  you  are  strictly  forbid  to  bum,  take 
away.  Destroy  or  Meddle  with  any  thing  found  at  such  Places,  and  immediately  dis- 
patch Monsiem-  Montour  with  one  or  two  more  to  me  with  Intelligence;  when  you 
come  near  the  Place  of  action  you  are  to  detach  Monsieur  Montour,  with  as  many 
men  as  he  shall  Judge  necessary  to  reconnoitre  the  Parts,  and  to  wait  in  concealment 
in  the  mean  Time  with  your  whole  Party  till  his  Return,  then  to  form  your  measures 
accordingly;  after  having  burnt  and  destroyed  the  Town,  you  are  in  your  Retreat  to 
post  an  officer  and  twelve  men  in  Ambush,  close  by  the  Road  side,  at  the  most  con- 
venient Place  for  such  Purpose  which  may  offer,  at  about  Twelve  miles  Distant  from 
the  Place  of  action,  who  are  to  surprise  and  cut  off  any  Party  who  may  attempt  to 
pursue,  or  may  happen  to  be  engaged  in  Hunting  thereabouts,  and  at  the  same  Time 
secure  the  Retreat  of  your  main  Body. 

'Tis  very  probable,  that  on  these  Moon  Light  Nights,  you  will  find  them  engag'd 
in  Dancing,  in  which  case  embrace  that  Opportunity,  by  all  means,  of  attacking  them, 
which  you  are  not  to  attempt  at  a  greater  Distance  than  20  or  25  yards,  and  be  par- 
ticularly carefull  to  prevent  the  Escape  of  the  Women  and  Children,  whose  lives 
Humanity  will  direct  you  to  preserve  as  much  as  possible;  if  it  does  not  happen  that 
you  find  them  Dancing,  the  attack  is  to  be  made  in  the  morning,  just  at  a  season 
when  you  have  Light  enough  to  Execute  it,  in  which  attempt  your  Party  are  to  march 
to  the  several  Houses,  and  bursting  open  the  Doors,  to  rush  in  at  once ;  let  the  Signal 
for  the  general  attack  be  the  Discharge  of  one  Firelock,  in  the  Centre  Divisions. 

If  there  are  no  Indians  at  the  Several  Towns,  you  are  in  such  case  to  proceed  with 
the  utmost  Caution  and  Vigilance  to  the  Road  which  leads  to  Fort  Duquesne,  there  to 
lye  in  Ambush,  and  to  intercept  any  Party  or  Partys  of  the  Enemy  on  the  march  to  or 
from  the  English  Settlements,  and  there  to  remain  with  that  Design  till  the  want  of 
Provisions  obliges  you  to  return. 

I  wish  you  all  imaginable  Success,  of  which  the  Opinion  I  have  of  yourself,  the 
Officers  and  Party  under  your  Command,  leave  me  no  Room  to  doubt. 
Your  Humble  Servant, 

WILLIAM  CLAPHAM. 

That  Captain  Hambright  carried  out  his  instructions  so  far  as 
making  the  march  is  concerned  there  is  no  doubt,  but  what  suc- 
cess he  had  is  not  known,  as  the  report,  which  he  evidently  made, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


[8l 


has  never  been  found.  This  is  very  much  regretted,  as  his  expe- 
dition was  an  important  one.  Neither  has  it  ever  been  clearly 
known  where  the  town,  or  towns,  he  was  sent  to  destroy  were 
located.  It  is  believed,  however,  that  the  first  town  was  situated 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  a  few  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
Pine  Creek,  opposite  what  is  now  the  village  of  Pine,  in  Wayne 
Township,  Clinton  County.  At  this  point  antiquarians  inform  us 
that  years  ago  great  quantities  of  Indian  relics  were  found,  indi- 
cating that  an  important  settlement  existed  there  at  one  time.  It 
is  a  few  miles  east  of  Great  Island,  and  about  the  distance  from 
Shamokin — by  following  the  river — noted  in  the  orders  of  Colonel 
Clapham.  There  was  a  river  fording  at  this  place,  which  is  kept 
up  at  the  present  day  and  is  known  as  Quiggle's  Fording.  There 
was  a  town  at  Great  Island,  also,  but  as  it  was  inhabited  by  friendly 
Indians,  and  still  existed  after  the  expedition,  it  is  evident  that  he 
made  no  effort  to  destroy  it.  The  only  record  of  the  march 
known  to  exist  is  a  rough  pen  draft,  recently  found  among  some 
old  papers  at  Harrisburg,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy: 


C.'il'TAIN    H 


The  time-stained  paper,  yet  in  a  good  state  of  preservation, 
bears  this  endorsement  on  the  back:  "4th  Novr,  1756.  Route 
of  Captn.  Hambright's  secret  Expedition.  Inclosed  in  Col.  W. 
Clapham's  I'er  of"     The  sentence  is  unfinished,  but  it  may  have 


1 82  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

been  intended  to  note  his  "  letter  of  resignation."  It  will  also  be 
noticed  that  his  letter  conveying  a  copy  of  his  instructions  to 
Hambright,  and  forwarded  to  the  Governor,  was  dated  November 
8th,  four  days  after  the  endorsement  on  the  draft  of  the  march.* 
From  this  it  is  inferred  that  the  expedition  started  sometime  in 
the  latter  part  of  October.  An  examination  of  the  draft  will 
show  to  those  familiar  with  the  topography  of  the  country  that 
the  expedition  passed  through  the  ravine  at  the  lower  part  of 
Blue  Hill  (where  the  public  road  now  runs),  and  continued  up  the 
country  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  passed  through  White  Deer 
into  Nippenose  Valley,  thence  over  the  hills  to  a  point  where  they 
could  descend  McElhattan  Gap  and  emerge  upon  the  bank  of  the 
river  a  short  distance  below  Great  Island.  It  was  the  most  direct 
route  Captain  Hambright  f  and  party  could  travel  to  reach -their 
point  of  destination  quickly,  but  at  that  time  it  must  have  been  an 
exceedingly  hard  and  toilsome  one,  as  they  were  obliged  to  climb 
many  hills  and  pass  through  a  rough  section  of  the  country. 

There  was  much  suffering  among  the  garrison  of  the  fort  on 
account  of  the  absence  of  a  post  physician,  none  having  been 
ordered  there  for  a  long  time.  Fever  and  ague  prevailed  to  an 
alarming  extent — indeed  that  seems  to  have  been  the  most  dreaded 
of  all  the  diseases,  excepting  small-pox.     The  latter  broke  out 

*According  to  a  letter  of  Governor  Denny  to  the  Proprietaries,  under  date  of  April 
9,  1757  (see  Vol.  IIL,  page  1 16,  Pennsylvania  Archives),  Caplain  Hambright  was 
directed  to  attack  a  "town  called  Shingleclamouse"  (Clearfield),  which  was  supposed 
to  be  a  place  of  great  resort  for  the  Indians.  The  Governor  says:  "  Captain  Ham- 
bright entered  the  town,  found  the  cabins  all  standing,  but  deserted  by  the  Indians. 
Agreeably  to  his  orders  he  did  not  touch  anything  nor  destroy  the  town,  in  hopes  that 
the  Indians  would  come  to  settle  there  again.  This  was  the  only  Indian  town  that 
could  be  attacked.  And  we  found  by  a  second  expedition  that  they  had  returned,  set 
their  town  on  fire  and  then  retired  to  Venango."  From  this  it  would  appear  that 
Hambright  continued  his  march  further  than  the  draft  he  left  behind  indicates,  but 
there  is  nothing  on  record  from  him  relating  to  it. 

■{■Although  Captain  Hambright  was  so  prominent  in  early  times,  comparatively 
little  of  his  history  is  known.  Diligent  inquiry  among  his  descendants  has  failed  to 
elicit  any  information  as  to  the  place  and  date  of  his  birth,  and  when  and  where  he 
died.  That  he  belonged  to  Lancaster  County  is  unquestioned.  In  1775-6  he  lived 
in  Turbutt  Township,  Northumberland  County,  and  was  chairman  of  the  Committee 
of  Safety.  At  the  time  of  the  "Great  Runaway"  he  retired  to  Lancaster  and  was 
Barrack  Master  there  to  the  close  of  the  war.  According  to  Harris'  Biographical 
History  of  Lancaster  County,  pages  264-5-6,  his  wife's  name  was  Susanna.     Major 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  I  S3 

once  or  twice,  and  for  want  of  proper  hospital  facilities  and  treat- 
ment, a  number  of  deaths  occurred. 

There  appears  to  have  been  a  great  lack  of  harmony  between 
Governor  Denny,  the  Commissioners  and  the  Assembly,  which 
was  the  means  of  retarding  operations  at  Fort  Augusta.  The)' 
were  constantly  at  loggerheads,  and  the  Assembly  went  so  far  as 
to  treat  the  Governor  with  great  disrespect.  He  complained  of 
this  bitterly  to  the  Proprietaries,  but  affairs  were  not  improved. 
In  the  fall  of  1756  he  reported  that  the  French  had  sent  six  of 
their  people  and  four  Indians  to  view  the  fort,  and  that  they  suc- 
ceeded in  killing  two  sentinels,*  scalped  them  and  escaped. 

The  year  1756  was  one  of  the  most  trying  in  the  history  of  the 
Province.  Colonel  Clapham  had  borne  many  insults,  as  he  termed 
them,  from  the  authorities,  but  he  remained  at  his  post,  still  hoping 
for  a  change  that  would  improve  the  condition  of  himself  and  his 
men,  but  it  never  came.  He  had  given  Governor  Denny  notice 
that  most  of  his  command  was  only  enlisted  for  one  year,  that  the 
term  of  service  of  many  had  expired,  and  that  the  time  of  the 
majority  would  cease  in  about  a  month.  At  last,  says  Governor 
Denny  in  his  letter  to  the  Proprietaries,  under  date  of  April  9, 
1757,  Colonel  Clapham, "  tired  with  the  discouragements  perpetu- 
ally given  to  the  service  by  the  Commissioners,  and  with  their 
particular  treatment  of  him,"  had  resigned  his  commission  and 


Frederick  Hambright,  born  at  Lancaster,  November  22,  1786,  was  their  son,  and  he 
became  a  distinguished  military  officer.  In  1821  he  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Lancaster 
County,  an  office  previously  filled  by  his  brother,  Colonel  George  Hambright.  Fred- 
erick removed  to  Allegheny  City,  where  he  died  March  17,  1872,  in  the  86th  year  of 
his  age.  His  father  probably  died  about  the  close  of  the  last  century.  Samuel 
Evans,  Esq.,  of  Columbia,  says  "  there  was  a  Colonel  Hambright,  an  officer  in  the 
Revolutionary  War,  who  died  in  Earl  Township,  Lancaster  County,  and  is  buried  in 
the  old  Welsh  grave-yard,  near  Fairville,"  who  is  thought  to  be  our  hero.  There  are 
numerous  descendants  of  Captain  John  Hamliright,  and  many  of  them  have  displayed 
military  genius  of  a  high  order.  Colonel  H.  A.  Hambright,  a  retired  officer  of  the 
United  States  Army,  now  resides  in  Lancaster;  and  William  A.  Hambright,  of  Sun- 
bury,  was  born  there  in  1840.  He  served  nearly  three  years  in  the  Thirteenth  Penn- 
sylvania Artillery,  with  the  rank  of  Second  Lieutenant.  His  father  was  the  well 
known  conductor  on  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  who  died  a  few  years  ago.  They 
were  all  descendants  of  the  brave  pioneer  officer  of  1756. 

*For  confirmation  of  this  report,  see  Vandreuil's  report  to  M.  de  Moras,  Minister 
of  the  Colonies  and  Marine,  under  date  of  February  i,  1757,  printed  on  another  page 
of  this  work. 


1 84  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

retired  from  the  service.  And,  as  there  never  had  been  a  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  appointed  to  the  battalion  at  Fort  Augusta,  "  Major 
Burd"  succeeded  to  the  command.  The  exact  date  of  Colonel 
Clapham's  resignation  is  unknown,  but  it  is  supposed  to  have  been 
sometime  during  the  closing  days  of  1756.  According  to  Gov- 
ernor Denny,  the  "  works  there  could  not  be  finished  before  the 
severe  season  came  on,"  when  the  old  commander  retired.  But 
he  thought  they  would  soon  be  "  completed  if  the  soldiers  could 
be  prevailed  upon  to  continue  in  the  service,"  which  he  very  much 
doubted.  "They  have  done,"  he  continues,  "a  great  deal,  and 
ought  to  have  encouragement  to  do  more,  which  it  is  not  in  my 
power  to  give." 

It  was  under  such  discouragements  as  these  that  the  great 
defensive  work  at  Shamokin  was  continued,  and  it  was  owing  to 
the  constant  delays  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  that  Colonel 
Clapham  was  finally  forced  to  carry  his  threat  to  resign  into  exe- 
cution. He  may  have  been  haughty  and  overbearing,  and  through 
an  irascible  temper  brought  himself  into  conflict  with  his  superi- 
ors on  many  occasions,  but  with  all  his  faults,  he  must  be  credited 
with  doing  a  great  work  under  the  most  harassing  circumstances, 
and  in  saving  the  scalp  of  many  a  pioneer  from  the  knife  of  the 
savage.  At  many  times  during  the  building  of  the  fort  he  and 
his  command  were  in  iipminent  peril  of  their  lives ;  but  through 
pluck,  endurance  and  self-sacrificing  devotion,  they  triumphed 
over  what  often  seemed  to  be  insurmountable  obstacles.  If  there 
is  much  that  is  censurable  in  the  public  acts  of  Colonel  Clapham, 
there  are  still  more  of  good  deeds  which  stand  to  his  credit  during 
the  dark  period  when  he  was  in  command.  And  after  his  stormy 
career,  there  are  few  but  will  be  moved  to  sympathy  on  learning 
of  the  sad  fate  which  awaited  him  on  the  western  borders  of  the 
Province. 

Of  his  early  history  comparatively  little  is  known.  According 
to  the  researches  of  Dr.  W.  H.  Egle,  State  Librarian,  "he  was  the 
son  of  an  English  gentleman,  born  July  5,  1722.  He  received  a 
collegiate  education  and  was  appointed  ensign  in  His  Majesty's 
service.  He  came  to  America  after  the  close  of  the  first  French 
and  Indian  War;  subsequently  resigned  his  commission  and  ap- 
pears to  have  been  located  at  Philadelphia  at  the  time  of  the  defeat 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 85 

of  Braddock.  Offering  his  services  to  the  Provincial  authorities, 
he  was  commissioned  as  Captain  and  directed  by  Governor  Morris 
to  go  into  Bucks  County  and  muster  into  the  Provincial  service 
Captain  Insley's  company — the  regular  troops  posted  at  Reading 
and  Easton.  While  there  he  built  the  stockade  fort  called  Fort 
Allen.  On  the  29th  of  March,  1756,  he  was  commissioned  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  of  the  Third  Battalion,  and  as  soon  as  the  troops 
were  collected  marched  to  Shamokin  to  build  Fort  Augusta,  in 
July,  1756.  While  on  his  way,  however,  owing  to  a  letter  written 
by  Sir  William  Johnson  to  General  Shirley,  wherein  the  former 
blamed  Governor  Morris  for  issuing  his  declaration  of  war  against 
the  Delawares,  and  desiring  General  Shirley's  interposition,  Col- 
onel Clapham  was  directed  by  the  Provincial  Council  to  issue 
orders  to  the  officers  under  his  command  to  conform  to  the 
suspension  of  arms.  His  force  halted  at  Armstrong's,  on  the 
Susquehanna,  where  he  erected  a  temporary  fort  and  made  every 
preparation  for  the  establishment  of  a  post.  On  the  loth  of  June 
a  conference  was  held  by  him  with  Og-Ha-GrurDis-Ha,  an  Indian 
chief  of  the  Iroquois  or  Six  Nations,  in  which  the  Indians  signi- 
fied not  only  their  assent  to  the  building  of  the  fort  at  Shamokin, 
but  desired  that  another  should  be  erected  at  Adjoiigjiay,  on  the 
North  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  the  distance  being  '  three  days' 
journey  in  a  canoe  higher  up.'  Owing  to  this  satisfactory  confer- 
ence the  Colonel  subsequently  was  directed  to  proceed  to  Sha- 
mokin, where  he  arrived  in  due  season  and  proceeded  to  erect  the 
fort.  It  has  been  shown  that  he  had  much  trouble  with  his  offi- 
cers, which  was  probably  caused  by  his  domineering  spirit.  A 
careful  examination  of  the  authorities  bearing  on  the  subject  place 
him  in  the  wrong." 

After  leaving  the  fort,  about  the  close  of  1756,  he  disappeared 
from  public  notice  for  some  time,  and  his  history  is  involved  in 
obscurity.  In  the  roster  of  the  Third  Battalion  (known  as  the 
Augusta  Regiment)  it  appears  that  "  William  Clapham  "  was  Cap- 
tain,* having  been  appointed  March  29,  1756,  with  Lieutenant 
Colonel  set  after  the  date.  In  the  same  regiment  the  name  of 
"William  Clapham,  Jr.,"  appointed  Lieutenantf  August  20,  1756, 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  538,  New  Series. 
\  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  538,  New  Series. 


1 86  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

appears.  On  the  i6th  of  February,  1757,  Colonel  Burd  notes  in 
his  journal,  at  Fort  Augusta,  the  arrival  of  Lieutenant  Clapham 
and  another  officer  in  charge  of  thirteen  men.  Under  date  of 
March  24th  he  again  records  his  arrival  with  several  officers  in 
charge  of  a  party  of  men  and  "battoes"  loaded  with  provisions. 
On  the  evening  of  the  28th  Lieutenant  Clapham  started  down  the 
river,  on  his  return,  in  a  canoe.  In  a  "  List  of  the  Officers  of  the 
New  Levies,  1759,"  the  name  of  William  Clapham*  is  given  as 
Colonel.  In  "A  List  of  Officers  who  Served  in  the  Pennsylvania 
Regiments  of  Three  Battalions,  1758-9,"  the  name  of  William 
Clapham  t  appears  under  the  head  of  Captains,  with  the  word 
"dead"  written  after  it.  Who  was  Lieutenant  Clapham,  Jr.? 
Was  he  a  son  of  Colonel  Clapham?  We  would  naturally  infer 
that  he  was,  from  the  use  of  the  affix  "Jr.,"  but  there  is  no  e\'i- 
dence  on  record  to  show  that  such  was  the  fact,  or  that  they  were 
not  both  the  same  man. 

It  appears,  however,  that  when  "Captain  Clapham"  was  com- 
missioned, April  21,  1759,  he  was  ordered  to  Fort  Pitt.  April  15, 
1761,1  he  is  credited  with  making  a  careful  return  of  the  number 
of  houses  and  the  population  of  Pittsburg,  outside  of  the  fort,  for 
Colonel  Bouquet. 

At  the  time  of  the  Bouquet  expedition,  in  1763,  Colonel  Clap- 
ham appears  to  have  been  some  distance  from  Fort  Pitt — probabl)- 
on  a  scout — when  he  was  killed  §  on  Sewickley  Creek,  near  where 
West  Newton  now  stands,  on  the  28th  of  May,  1763,  about  3  p.  m., 
by  the  Wolf,  Kikyuscung,  and  two  other  Indians,  one  of  whom 
was  called  Butler.  They  killed  and  scalped  all  the  family,  but 
three  men  at  work  at  some  distance  escaped  through  the  wood 
and  carried  the  news  to  Fort  Pitt.  Gordon  says,  in  the  appendix 
to  his  History,  page  622,  that  the  warrior  Wolf  and  other  Dela- 
wares  murdered  and  scalped  Colonel  Clapham  and  four  of  his 
people,  of  whom  two  were  women.  The  latter  were  treated  with 
brutal  indecency.  Two  soldiers,  stationed  at  a  saw  mill  near  the 
fort,  were  killed  and  scalped.     On  the  5th  of  June,  1763,  Colonel 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  580,  New  Series. 
t  Pemisylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  60S,  New  Series. 
XEgWs  History  of  Pennsylvania,  page  321. 
\  Isaac  Craig,  Esq.,  Allegheny. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 87 

Burd  noted  in  his  journal,  at  Fort  Augusta,  that  he  had  received 
a  letter  from  "  John  Harris,  giving  an  account  of  Colonel  Clapham 
and  twelve  men  being  killed  near  Pittsburg,  and  two  Royal  Amer- 
icans being  killed  at  the  saw  mill." 

Judge  Jasper  Yeates,  in  describing  a  visit  to  Braddock's  battle 
field,  adds :  "  I  had  often  heard  of  the  celebrated  fortress  of  Du 
Quesne  in  my  youth.  What  is  it  now?  A  little  irregular  mound, 
a  few  graves,  and  the  fosse  of  the  fort  are  only  visible.  I  remarked 
the  grave  of  Colonel  Clapham." 

There  is  no  positive  evidence  that  his  wife  was  killed ;  neither  is 
there  any  that  she  was  ever  with  him  at  Fort  Augusta.  It  is 
probable  that  she  joined  him  after  leaving  Fort  Augusta.  But 
that  she  was  killed  on  this  occasion  may  be  inferred  from  a  state- 
ment in  a  letter  from  Colonel  Bouquet  to  General  Amherst,  dated 
Fort  Pitt,  May  31,  1763,*  in  which  he  says:  "We  have  most 
melancholy  accounts  here — the  Indians  have  broke  out  in  several 
places,  and  murdered  Colonel  Clapham  and  his  family." 

So  ends  the  career  of  the  builder  of  Fort  Augusta.  If  the  date 
of  his  birth  is  correct,  he  was  not  quite  forty-one  years  of  age 
when  he  fell  beneath  the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife.  Scarcely 
in  the  prime  of  manhood.  If  the  "  William  Clapham,  Jr.,"  was 
his  son,  he  must  have  entered  the  service  at  a  very  early  age,  or 
his  father  was  married  when  quite  young.  It  would  be  very  grat- 
ifying to  have  the  full  and  authentic  history  of  this  remarkable 
man,  but  it  is  not  likely  that  it  could  be  obtained  at  this  late  day. 
The  family  probably  became  extinct  after  the  warrior.  Wolf,  did 
his  bloody  and  fatal  work,  and  the  ashes  of  the  founder  of  Fort 
Augusta  have  long  since  mingled  with  the  soil. 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  II.,  page  742,  New  Series. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

COLONEL    JAMES     BURD     ARRIVES     AND    TAKES    COMMAND    OF    FORT 

AUGUSTA HIS   REMARKABLE  AND  INTERESTING   JOURNAL DAILY 

MILITARY    LIFE   AT    THE    FORT EXCITING    INCIDENTS. 

COLONEL  CLAPHAM  having  retired  from  the  command 
of  Fort  Augusta,  after  a  residence  of  about  six  months  at 
Shamokin,  was  succeeded  by  Colonel  James  Burd,*  who  also 
entered  upon  an  exciting  career  at  that  famous  place.  It  was 
not  new  to  him,  as  it  will  be  remembered  he  was  with  the  party 
on  their  arrival  in  July,  and  on  the  13th  he  united  with  Colonel 
Clapham  in  signing  the  report  of  a  council  regarding  the  pay  of 
subalterns. 

The  new  commander  arrived  late  during  the  night  of  Decem- 
ber 8,  1756,  and  found  that  his  predecessor  had  departed  on  the 
morning  of  the  6th,  rather  unceremoniously,  leaving  everything  in 
confusion.  He  was  in  such  a  hurry  to  get  away  that  he  had 
neglected  to  date  the  orders  he  left  behind  for  his  successor. 
What  route  he  traveled,  or  where  he  went,  are  unknown,  as  the 


*James  Burd,  son  of  Edward  Burd  and  his  wife,  Jane  Haliburton,  daughter  of 
the  Lord  Provost  of  Edinburgh,  was  born  March  10,  1726,  at  Ormiston,  near  Edin- 
burgh, .Scotland,  and  died  October  5, 1793,  at  Tinian,  near  Highspire,  Dauphin  County, 
Pa.  He  came  to  .America  in  1747,  and  May  14,  1748,  married  Sarah  Shippen, 
daughter  of  Edward  Shippen  and  Sarah  Plumley,  of  Philadelphia.  She  was  born 
February  22, 1731,  and  died  September  17,  1784.  They  are  both  buried  in  the  grave- 
yard at  Middletown,  Pa.  From  1750  to  1753  Mr.  Burd  resided  at  Shippensburg,  as 
manager  of  the  affairs  of  Mr.  Shippen.  About  1754  he  purchased  a  farm  on  the 
Susquehanna,  at  Tinian,  where  he  resided  until  his  death.  He  entered  the  Provincial 
service  as  Captain  in  1754.  The  same  year  he  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  the 
laying  out  of  a  road  to  the  Ohio,  known  as  the  "Braddock  Road."  In  1755  he  was 
promoted  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  "Augusta  Regiment,"  and  December  3,  1757, 
became  its  Colonel.  There  being  two  regiments  in  service,  his  rank  was  a  very  prom- 
inent one.  He  fulfilled  with  great  uprightness  and  punctuality  the  public  duties  with 
which  he  was  entrusted  for  quite  twenty  years.  When  the  war  of  the  Revolution 
began,  he  was  very  active  in  raising  troops  to  aid  in  the  cause  of  independence,  and 
was  commissioned,  September,  18,  1775,  Colonel  of  the  Second  Battalion  of  Lan- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 89 

records  of  that  period  are  silent  on  the  subject.  But  it  is  inferred 
that  he  directed  his  course  towards  Philadelphia ;  and  probably  he 
traveled  by  the  Tulpehocken  route,  as  Colonel  Burd  would  cer- 
tainly have  met  him  on  his  way  up  the  river. 

Notwithstanding  the  confusion  and  ill  feeling  which  had  pre- 
vailed among  the  officers  and  men  for  months,  it  seems  that  a 
secret  directing  power  had  prevented  everything  from  falling  into 
chaos  and  accomplished  much  good.  Had  it  not  been  for  this 
unseen  power,  the  fort  would  have  been  captured  by  the  French 
and  Indians  and  the  whole  West  Branch  Valley  would  have  been 
overrun  and  held  by  the  enemy. 

Fortunately  for  the  sake  of  history,  Colonel  Burd  was  a  ver)- 
thoughtful  and  methodical  man,  and  he  left  behind  him  an  elabo- 
rate journal,*  in  which  there  is  a  record  of  daily  events  transpiring 
at  Fort  Augusta  from  the  time  he  assumed  command  until  he 
departed  to  join  the  Bouquet  expedition,  in  October,  1757.  This 
journal  gives  a  minute  history  of  military  life  at  the  fort  for  over 
nine  months,  and  it  vividly  brings  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  the 
trials  and  tribulations  endured  by  the  commander  and  his  brave 
men  at  that  time.     It  is  given  herewith  in  full : 

"Sth  Decern.,  Wednesday,  Fort  Augusta,  1756. — Arrived 
here  with  Capt'ns  Shippen  &  Jamison,  and  a  party  from  the  Camp 
at  McKee's  Medows  with  19  baggs  of  flour,  and  26  Caggs  of 
Rum,  &  8  horse  load  of  salt,  at  eleven  O'Clock  P.  M.,  where  I 
found  Capt'n  Hambright  Commandant,  from  whome  I  Rec'd  Col- 
caster  County  Associators.  The  dissensions  in  his  battalion,  and  the  reluctance  on 
the  part  of  his  men  to  serve  anywhere  except  in  their  own  immediate  neighborhood, 
coupled  with  the  fact  that  officers  of  less  experience  were  placed  in  command  over 
him,  in  December,  1776,  he  resigned.  This  was  a  source  of  deep  regret,  as  besides 
"  being  fond  of  a  military  life,  he  had  anticipated  some  reputation  by  exercising,  in 
behalf  of  his  country,  the  professional  experience  and  knowledge  he  possessed."  The 
Middletown  Resolutions,  of  1774,  passed  at  a  meeting  of  which  he  was  presiding 
officer,  were  written  by  him  and  show  his  loyalty  in  defense  of  the  liberties  of 
Ainerica.  He  was  a  man  of  most  excellent  manners,  hospitable  in  his  intercourse 
with  his  neighbors,  and  respected  for  his  integrity  as  a  civil  officer.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  he  held  the  position  of  Associate  Judge  of  the  county  of  Dauphin.  His 
residence  at  Tinian  yet  remains,  although  modernized,  an  engraving  of  which,  as 
originally  erected,  is  published  in  EgU's  History  of  Dauphin  County. 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  H.,  pages  745-820,  New  Series. 


IQO  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

lonell  Clapham's  orders  to  me  without  a  date;  Collonell  Clapham 
left  this  Fort  on  Monday  last  at  lo  o'clock  A.  M.  Cap't  Ham- 
bright  informed  me  that  he  Rec'd  a  furlow  from  Col'l  Clapham, 
and  had  liberty  to  leave  this  upon  my  arrivall,  and  intended  to  sett 
out  to-morrow  for  Phil'a.  Capt'n  Jamison,  Lieut.  Clark  &  Com- 
missary Baird  likewise  informed  me  they  had  Rec'd  ferlows  from 
the  Col'l.  Capt'n  Jamison's  &  Leut.  Clark's  to  Commence  the 
1 6th  Jan'ry,  1757,  &  Commissary  Baird's  at  his  pleasure,  all  for 
one  month.  Upon  my  arrival  I  found  absent  from  the  Regement 
the  following  officers :  Col'l  Clapham,  Capt'n  Lloyd,  Capt'n  Salter, 
Lewt's  Clapham,  Trump,  and  Myles,  &  Ensigne  Patterson. 

"9th,  Thursday. — This  day  I  inquired  into  the  State  of  the 
Garrison,  &  found  280  men  here  doing  duty,  and  that  no  work 
has  been  done  for  some  time ;  the  ditch  unfinished ;  the  Picketts 
up ;  the  Beeff  Sistern  unfinished ;  the  Pickett  gates  not  done,  & 
the  Beaff  all  in  the  store  in  bulk ;  no  place  provided  for  the  flour, 

&  the  salt  in  Casks, in  ye  heads  standing  on  the  Parade,  the 

Battoes  all  frose  up  in  the  River,  and  Nine  officers  for  duty ;  no 
Instructions  given  to  any  officer  Concerning  the  works  begun, 
nor  do  I  find  in  my  Instructions  any  plan  of  the  Fort,  or  orders 
Informing  me  how  the  begun  works  was  intended  to  be  finished. 

"  I  employed  the  People  this  day  in  disposing  of  the  Cargoe  of 
flour  &  Rum  I  brought  up,  and  Collecting  the  horses  to  go  down 
to  the  Camp  at  McKee's  this  night  for  another  Cargoe;  accord- 
ingly I  detach'd  this  Evening  at  7  o'clock,  Lew't  Garraway  & 
Ensigne  Brodhead  with  a  party  of  50  men,  with  orders  that  Lewt. 
Garra'y  march  down  the  party  of  Capt'n  Work's  Comp'y  that  was 
at  McKee's  Camp,  &  the  party  of  Soldiers  belonging  to  Hunter's 
Fort ;  to  Fort  Hallifax  the  first  party,  &  the  latter  order  to  Hunter's 
Fort.  Ordered  Ensigne  Broadhead  to  Releive  Ensigne  Scott,  & 
to  Stay  at  that  Camp  untill  further  orders;  to  Guard  the  stores 
left  there,  with  30  men  of  the  party  I  sent;  &  that  Ensigne  Scott 
should  march  up  here  with  as  much  Provisions  as  he  could,  under 
the  Escort  of  20  men  of  the  party  sent  down.  Capt'n  Hanbright 
sett  out  for  Phil'a  this  Even'g  in  Consequence  of  his  furlow. 

"  lOth,  Friday. — Ordered  a  Generall  Parade  this  morning.  Em- 
ployed a  party  to  build  a  smock  house  for  the  Beaff,  one  to  hawl 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  IQI 

the  Battoes  out  of  the  Ice  upon  the  Bank  to  preserve  them  from 
being  destroyed  by  the  Ice  when  ye  River  should  break  up ;  one 
to  Clean  out  the  Fort,  which  was  full  of  heaps  of  nusances;  one 
to  through  all  the  stone  out  of  the  Picketts;  one  to  Ram  the 
Earth  about  the  Beaff  Sistern ;  one  to  build  a  beakhouse,  and  one 
to  build  a  Chimny  in  Capt'n  Handbright's  barrick,  &  one  to  make 
beds  in  the  Guard  house;  hard  frost;  nothing  Extraordinary  this 
day. 

"nth,  Saturday. — Employed  to-day  as  yesterday.  This  day 
the  weather  has  altered  to  a  thorough  thaugh,  and  I  am  very 
much  affraid  the  Beaff  will  spoil,  &  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  touch 
it  untill  the  Sistern  is  finished. 

"  Ensigne  Scott  returns  this  Evening  at  8  O'Clock  with  a  party 

from  the  Camp  at  McKee's,  and  28  horse  load  of  flour,  & 

load  of  salt,  &  13  horse  load  of  Rum — obliged  to  put  the  flour  & 
Rum,  in  the  Coil's  Celler,  &  leaft,  as  there  is  not  one  foott  of  room 
in  the  store  to  hold  anything — thaughs  very  much  to-day. 

"  1 2th,  Sunday. — I  have  thought  it  my  duty  to-day  to  employ 
the  Carpenters  in  working  at  the  Beaff  Sistern.  This  day  it 
rain'd  so  hard  that  we  could  not  have  sermon. 

"  13,  Monday. — Continued  working  at  the  Beaff  Sistern,  at  the 
Barrick  beds,  at  the  bakehouse,  at  smock  house,  Cleaning  out  the 
Fort;  an  officers  in  the  woods  with  thirty  men  getting  loggs  for 
the  smock  house  &  slaps  for  the  barrick  beds,  the  Smiths,  bakers 
&  sawers  at  work.  Sent  off  Daniel  Lowry,  with  all  the  Battoe- 
mens  &  two  of  the  lightest  battoes  to  the  Camp  at  M'Kees,  for 
the  Remainder  of  the  Stores  left  there,  ordered  them  to  be  brought 
up  in  the  lightes,  &  of  the  Battoes  under  the  Com'd  of  Ensigne 
Broadhead. 

"  14th,  Tuesday. — Employed  as  yesterday,  &  digging  a  little 
house  for  the  use  of  the  officers  &  walling  the  well  of  the  same. 
Nothing  materiall ;  the  River  rises. 

"  I  5 ,  Wednesday. — Employed  as  yesterday;  obliged  at  Noon 
to  give  over  work,  it  snows  so  hard  and  is  so  cold  the  soldiers 
cant  stand  it.  The  River  Rises  prodigeousely  to.  Ensigne  Broad- 
head  &  George  Allan  arrived  here  at  Noon  with  the  party  that 
was  encampt  at  McKee's;  the  Remainder  of  the  Stores  and  to 


192  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Battoes,  10  load  salt,  i  barr'l  do.,  7  barr'ls  rum,  1  bar'l  flour,  i 
bagg  do. 

"  1 6th,  Thursday. — This  day  it  snows  so  hard  that  the  soldiers 
can't  work,  but  as  it  seems  to  thaugh  and  the  River  swells  pro- 
digeousely  I  have  detached  Capt'n  Jamison,*  Lew't  Clark  &  En- 
signe  Scott,  with  one  hundred  men,  Including  all  the  battoemen, 
with  all  the  horses  &  battoes,  to  Hunters,  for  Pro\'isions  for  the 
use  of  this  Garrison. 

"  Capt'n  Jamison  sett  off  in  5  battoes,  with  60  men  mt'd,  at  2 
o'clock,  in  order  to  get  to  the  Camp  at  McKees,  and  have  all  the 
battoes  there  lanch'd  and  loaded  with  the  Empty  Cask,  &  ready 
ag't  ye  party  should  gett  up.  Lewt.  Clark  &  Ensigne  Scott 
marcht  ab't  ^  after  4  this  afternoon  with  the  Remainder  of  the 
Detachtement. 

"At  8  this  Evening  I  Rece'd  Intellegence  by  a  messenger  sent 
from  Ensigne  Scott,  to  inform  me  that  Lewt.  Clark,  with  his 
Devis.ion,  had  gott  over  Shamochan  mountain,  but  that  the  first 
Devision  had  made  the  mountain  so  slippy  that  he  had  at- 
tempted all  in  his  power,  but  could  not  gett  the  horses  up  the 
mountain,  upon  which  I  sent  to  his  Releeff,  Ensignes  Broadhead 
&  McKee,  &  twenty  men,  with  spades  &  shoovells,  &ca.,  to  Clear 
the  road  &  gett  the  party  up  the  mountain. 

"Ab't  12  this  Evening,  Ensignes  Broadhead,  Scott  &  McKee 
returns  with  the  partys  &  18  horses,  &  Reports  that  it  was  Im- 
practicable to  gett  the  horses  up  the  mountain,  that  they  had  used 
their  utmost  Endeavours,  &  had  two  horses  kill'd  in  the  attemp, 
&,  therefore,  was  obliged  to  desist  &  Return  here  for  further 
orders ;  ordered  the  party  to  wait  till  morning. 

"  I  /th,  Friday. — This  morning  I  sent  off  Ensigne  Scott,  with 
his  party,  at  10  O'Clock,  w't  ye   18  horses,  &  sent  with  him  two 


*  Captain  David  Jamison  was  from  Lancaster  County.  He  entered  the  service  as 
Captain,  in  the  French  and  Indian  war,  in  1756,  and  subsequently  was  promoted 
to  Major,  June  3,  1758,  of  the  Second  Battalion,  commanded  by  Colonel  Burd.  He 
was  in  the  expedition  against  Fort  Du  Quesne  under  General  Forbes.  In  1760  he 
appears  to  have  been  Brigade  Major,  with  the  rank  of  Captain,  in  the  Provincial 
forces.  As  he  did  not  participate  in  the  land  grants  to  the  officers  of  the  French  and 
Indian  war,  it  is  probable  that  he  died  before  the  Bouquet  expedition.  Colonel  Burd 
speaks  of  him  as  "  a  gentleman  of  education,  does  his  duty  well  and  is  an  exceed- 
ingly good  officer." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 93 

Pillotts  to  Convay  him  round  the  mountain.  It  snowed  so  hard 
there  was  no  work  done  this  day;  the  Pillotts  return  this  Evening, 
and  report  that  Ensigne  Scott  and  the  party  gott  round  the  Hill, 
and  that  the  Road  that  way  is  very  easy. 

"  1 8th,  Saturday. — This  day  Employed  all  the  Soldiers  in  Clean- 
ing the  Snow  out  of  the  Fort. 

"  19th,  Sunday. — This  day  we  had  two  sermons,  one  forenoon 
&  one  afternoon,  by  Doct'r  Morgan.  About  two  o'clock  George 
Gabriell,  and  four  men  more,  arrived  here  from  Capt'n  Jamison's 
Camp,  two  miles  on  this  side  of  McKee's  meadows,  and  brings 
me  a  letter  from  Capt'n  Jamison  informing  me  that  the  River  was 
so  shutt  up  that  they  could  proceed  no  further  with  the  battoes 
and  had  haul'd  them  up  upon  the  Bank,  left  a  Serg't  &  Corp'U  & 
12  men  with  them,  and  was  to  proceed  to  Hunter's  with  the 
remainder  of  the  Detachm't.  The  River  full  of  ice;  the  west 
branch  shutt  up;  it's  left  off  snowing;  the  North  branch  open  as 
yett,  but  very  full  of  ice. 

"  20th,  Monday. — This  morning  it  snows  prodigeousely  &  has 
all  last  night;  no  possibility  of  working  to  day;  the  snow  is  ab't 
2  foott  deep. 

"21st,  Tuesday. — This  morning  left  off  snowing;  employed  in 
Clearing  the  Snow  out  of  the  Fort;  sent  of  Volunteer  Hugheif 
with  3  Soldiers  and  4  horses  to  the  Camp  at  the  Island  2  miles  on 
this  side  McKee's,  with  three  days'  Provisions  *  for  1 8  men,  with 
Instructions  to  gett  the  Battoes  brought  to  the  main  if  possible 
and  there  secured,  &  then  to  proceed  to  Hunter's  mill  with  the 
party  to  Join  Capt'n  Jamison's  Detauchment  at  that  place.  P^m- 
ployed  this  day  in  Clearing  the  snow  out  of  the  Fort.  The  snow 
is  two  foott  deep  on  ye  Ground ;  no  work  can  be  done. 

"  22d,  Wednesday. — Continue  working  this  day  at  Clearing  the 
Fort  of  Snow.     No  work  can  be  done. 

*When  Colonel  Burd  assumed  command  the  following  stores  were  in  the  fort: 
Beef,  57,615  pounds;  6  barrels  of  pork;  2  of  beef;  2  of  peas;  11,376  pounds  of 
flour;  1,200  pounds  of  powder;  3,000  of  lead,  bullets  and  shot;  46  hand  grenades, 
not  filled  nor  fused;  2,000  flints.  The  number  of  cannon  is  not  given.  On  the  2ist 
of  December  Commissary  Bard  reported  that  there  were  six  weeks'  provision  of  flour 
at  the  fort. — Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  III.,  page  79,  Old  Series. 


194  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

"23d,  Thursday. — Snowed  all  last  night,  Compute  the  snow 
this  morn'g  to  be  2  foott  4  Inches  deep.  Clearing  the  snow  out 
of  the  Fort.  This  day  I  employed  6  men  to  Clear  out  the  Store 
&  attended  the  same  myself,  and  found  the  province  stores  in  a 
very  bad  situation,  all  Consuming  &  such  things  as  would  rott, 
roteing,  the  flour  work't  in  the  Clay  of  the  floor ;  the  floar  of  the 
Store  being  all  over  water,  I  gett  1 1  boards  sawed  &  put  upon  part 
of  the  loaft  where  I  put  a  great  many  perishable  articles,  &  gott 
pieces  of  boards  &  slabs  put  under  the  flour  Casks;  moved  20 
Casks  of  flour  out  of  Capt'n  Hanbright's  Barrick  &  put  it  in  the 
Store. 

"  24th,  Friday. — The  snow  is  so  deep  no  work  can  be  done ;  I 
had  this  day  3  additionall  Joists  cut  for  the  store  to  be  under  the 
flour  Bing,  but  could  not  gett  them  Home,  the  horses  were  so 
weak. 

"25th,  Saturday,  Xmas. — No  work  done  to  day  on  account  of 
the  depth  of  the  snow. 

"26th,  Sunday. — Had  prayers  &  a  sermon  this  forenoon,  & 
prayers  in  the  afternoon  by  Doct.  Morgan. 

"27th,  Monday. — This  morning  y^  before  10  o'clock,  arrived 
two  soldiers  from  Hunter's  mill  with  a  letter  from  Capt'n  Jamison 
■•—ordered  officers  &  soldiers  to  an  allowance  of  iflb  flour  &  ifti 
meat  p.  day.  No  work  done  to  day  on  account  of  the  snow ;  onl}- 
6  Carpenters  making  a  Bing  in  the  store  to  hold  flour. 

"  28th,  Tuesday. — The  soldiers  employed  to  daj'  Clearing  awa)- 
the  snow  for  a  parade  ground  to  exercise  in ;  keep  the  6  Carpen- 
ters making  a  Bing  for  to  hold  flour ;  thaughs  much  to  day. 

"29th,  Wednesday.- — -This  day  it  thaughs  so  much  that  the 
soldiers  can  neither  exercise  nor  work ;  Continue  the  Carpenters 
at  the  Bing  &  sawers. 

"  30th,  Thursday. — This  day  much  as  yesterday.  Lewt.  Clark 
arrived  this  evening  at  5  o'clock  with  a  party  of  40  men  &  Ens}'ne 
Scott  from  Hunter's  Fort;  they  brought  no  Provision  as  they 
report  they  could  gett  no  Horses. 

"  31st,  Friday. — No  work  done  to  day  unless  b)-  the  Carpenters 
&  sawers,  as  the  weather  would  not  permitt. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 95 

"  1st  January,  Saturday,  1757. — No  work  done  to-day. 

"  2d,  Sunday. — The  weather  this  day  would  not  permitt  sermon 
nor  prayers. 

"  3d,  Munday. — The  Carpenters  Continue  working  at  the  flour 
Bing,  at  the  Hospitall  beds;  the  sawers  at  the  saw  pitt;  soldiers  in 
the  woods  Cutting  a  Store  of  fire  wood  to  be  piled  up  &  resawed 
in  the  Garrison,  in  case  of  need ;  the  weather  exceeding  severe, 
but  the  snow  not  so  deep. 

"  Sent  off  Capt'n  George  Allen  with  a  party  of  1 2  men  &  two 
battoes,  with  orders  to  hunt  up  &  bring  over  to  this  Fort,  all  the 
Province  horses  he  could  find  on  the  other  side  of  the  River,  both 
on  the  West  and  North  branch  of  the  River. 

"4th,  Tuesday. — Continued  working  as  yesterday;  George  Allen 
Returns  with  his  party,  and  Reports  that  he  had  found  4  horses, 
one  of  which  (only)  belonging  to  the  Province;  that  he  had,  with 
a  good  deal  of  difficulty,  gott  them  upon  the  Island,  and  could 
bring  them  no  further;  that  the  weather  was  such  he  could  not 
proceed  up  the  North  branch  so  farr  as  I  ordered,  and  by  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  weather  was  obliged  to  Return — the  snow  being 
frose  hard  cutt  the  soldiers'  ankles  prodigeously.* 

"  5th,  Wednesday. — Nothing  materiall  this  day ;  Continued 
working  as  on  the  3d  Curr't;  ordered  that  all  the  Chimneys  in 
and  about  this  Garrison  should  be  swept  clean,  which  was  done 
accord'gly,  &  Report  made  thereof  by  all  the  officers  this  day. 
The  River  very  full  of  driving  ice  to-day. 

"6th,  Thursday. — Continued  at  the  same  work  as  on  the  3d 
Curr't;  this  Evening  two  men  arrived  here  at  6  O'Clock  in  the 
evening,  &  brought  me  a  letter  from  Capt'n  Jamison,  dated  from 
Berry's  place,  upon  his  march  heither. 

"  7th,  Friday. — Continued  working  as  above.  This  Evening  at 
6  O'clock,  Capt'n  Jamison  &  Ensigne  Patteson  arrived  here  with 
a  party  of  66  horses,  which  Carried  47  baggs  of  flour,  weighing 
7,700  flbs. 

"  8th,  Saturday. — This  day  kept  working  as  above.  Sent  Capt'n 
George  Allen  over  the  River  with  a  party  to  hunt  up  the  North 

*It  will  be  noticed  in  the  course  of  this  journal  that  this  was  a  favorite  word  with 
the  Colonel. 


196  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

branch,  with  orders  to  bring  in  all  the  Province  horses  he  could 
find.  Sent  another  party  up  Shamochan  Creek  with  the  same 
orders.  &  sent  a  third  party  up  the  North  branch  w't  the  same 
orders.  The  three  partys  Return  in  the  Evening ;  George  Allen 
brought  two  horses  and  left  them  upon  the  Island ;  the  other  two 
partys  bring  two  horses. 

"  9th,  Sunday. — This  morning,  sent  George  Alien  with  a  party 
to  the  Island,  &  sent  two  other  partys  out  to  bring  in  all  the 
Province  horses  that  could  be  found,  to  be  sent  down  to  Hunter's 
and  return'd  to  the  owners,  being  unfitt  for  service;  they  brought 
in  six.  Sent  Lewt.  Davis  &  Ensyne  Broadhead  to  Hunter's  this 
morning,  with  a  party  of  40  men,  to  Eschort  20  horse  drivers 
down,  and  66  horses,  and  Eschort  a  Cargoe  of  stores  up ;  sent  by 
them  the  6  horses  above  mentioned.  Gave  the  following  Persons 
furlows  for  the  follow'g  times :  Serg't  Andrew  Bane,  for  1 5  days  ; 
Alex'r  Stephens,  12  days;  Cornelius  Atkinson,  12  days;  Benj'n 
Nicholson,  12  days;  John  Cook,  5  days;  Drum  Major  John 
Feeld,  6  days.  Lewt.  Davis  &  party  Returns  and  Reports  that  it 
was  Impracticable  to  gett  over  Shamochan  Creek.  Great  rain; 
the  River  rises. 

"  loth,  Munday. — Sent  Lewt.  Davis  this  morning  to  Shamochan 
Creek,  to  view  it,  and  make  report  thereof  This  morning  sent  a 
battoe  &  5  Soldiers  down  to  Hunters',  in  order  that  Mr.  Crostian 
may  prepare  for  Lewt.  Davis's  party.  Lewt.  Davis  returns  &  re- 
ports that  the  Creek  is  unpassable. 

"  I  ith,  Tuesday. — Sent  off  Lewt.  Davis  with  a  party  of  30  men 
with  the  horse  drivers  &  horses  at  loth  A.  M.  At  3  P.  M.  sent 
off  to  Hallifax  Ensigne  Broadhead  with  a  party  of  5  i  men,  with 
orders  to  Carry  down  all  the  Battoes  from  McKee's  place,  &  to 
join  Mr.  Davis  &  bring  up  a  Cargoe  of  flour  from  Fort  Halifax  on 
to  the  Battoes.  Sent  George  Allen  &  3  men  on  b'd  a  Canoe  with 
Provisions  for  the  party.  This  day  working  at  the  Hospitall  &  the 
store,  and  preparing  slabs  for  barrick  beds ;  took  up  — —  Canoes 
that  came  adrift  down  the  River.  All  the  Carpenters  except  5 
gone  down  on  the  party,  being  the  only  fitt  to  work  The  Battoes. 
At  S  P.  M.  Serg't  Basoon  returned  with  27  of  Mr.  Broadhead's 
party,  the  bridge  they  had  made  a  Cross  the  Creek  being  swept 
away,  before  they  could  gett  over,  by  the  Impetuosity  of  the  Creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  1 97 

"  1 2th,  Wednesday. — The  Serg't  Basoon  &  party  went  off  this 
morning,  I  sent  a  battoe  tp  the  mouth  of  Shamochan  Creek  to 
ferry  them  over.  The  battoe  returned  at  2  P.  M.  The  River  falls ; 
working  at  the  store,  fire  wood,  &  Hospitall,  &  smoak  house. 

"  13th,  Thursday. — This  day  Continued  working  as  above;  the 
River  falls  &  Clears  of  Ice;  nothing  materiall  happened,  only 
George  McClenechan,  Wagon'r,  found  a  sadle  and  a  horse  load  of 
lead  in  the  woods  &  brought  them  home. 

"  14th,  Friday. — This  day  employed  at  the  Hospital,  the  Smock 
house,  Cutting  a  store  of  fire  wood  for  the  Garrison,  &  sawing 
plank  for  the  Pork  Sistern.  The  weather  frizes  hard;  the  river 
full  of  Ice. 

"15th,  Saturday. — This  day  I  went  with  Capt'n  Shippen  &  a 
party,  &  laid  out  a  straight  round  Shamochan  Hill,  for  the  Bene- 
fitt  of  transporting  our  Provisions  heither,  finding  it  impracticable 
to  pass  over  the  mountain.  The  Carpenters  Employed  as  yester- 
day. I  gott  a  leather  of  30  foott  long  made  to-day,  &  hung  upon 
the  hooks  on  the  front  wall  of  the  store,  there  to  be  ready  in  Case 
of  fire,  as  likewise  1 2  water  bucketts  for  the  same  purpose.  It 
frizes  hard  &  the  river  fills  with  Ice. 

"  1 6th,  Sunday. — Doctor  Morgan  read  prayers  This  morning — 
it  snows  a  little  &  frezes  very  hard. 

"  17th,  Monday. — This  morning  I  went  myself  with  a  party,  & 
began  to  open  the  Road,  mentioned  the  15th,  in  this  Journall. 
The  Carpenters,  &ca.,  Employed  as  the  iSth;  the  River  very  full 
of  Ice  &  the  weather  extream  cold — nothing  materiall. 

"i8th,  Tuesday. — This  morning  at  10  o'clock  A.  M.,  Serg't 
John  Lee  arrived  at  this  Fort,  who  brought  me  letters  &  Informed 
me  that  the  party  Commanded  by  Lew't  Davis,  at  Fort  Hallifax, 
had  gott  all  the  Barrells  filled  with  flour,  and  were  ready  to  sett 
off  with  the  Battoes  for  this  Fort.  The  work  Continued ;  it  frizes 
prodigeous  hard,  the  west  branch  is  fast,  &  the  North  branch  is 
very  full  of  Ice  &  moves  slowly. 

"  19th  January,  Wednesday. — Ordered  a  leather  to  be  made  to 
hang  upon  the  rooff 's  of  the  houses  with  hooks,  to  extinguish  anj' 
fires  that  might  happen  in  or  about  the  Garrison.  The  other 
works  Continued.     Lewt.  Clark  march't  this  evening  at  5  o'clock, 


1 98  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

with  two  soldiers  with  him,  In  Consequence  of  a  furlough  given 
by  Col'l  Clapham,  for  one  month  from,  the  i6th  Curr't.  The  river 
full  of  Ice  &  frizes  very  hard. 

"  20th,  Thursday. — This  day  I  sent  Capt'n  Shippen  and  the 
Adjutant,  with  a  small  party,  to  extend  the  road  from  the  first 
rise  over  the  Gutt,  to  the  forks  of  the  road  on  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  with  orders  to  blaize  it.  At  lo  o'clock  this  morning 
Capt'n  Jamison  &  the  Commissary  Gen'll  of  Stores,  Mr.  Bard, 
march't  with  a  party  of  5  Soldiers  in  Consequence  of  furloughs 
given  them  by  the  Col'l  Clapham,  the  i6th  Curr't,  for  one  month. 
Capt'n  Shippen  returns  and  reports  he  had  found  a  very  good 
road  with  an  easy  asshent  over  the  mountain  that  could  be  trav- 
ell'd  at  all  times  &  had  blais'd  it  well.  This  day  the  party  clearing 
the  road  to  the  first  rise  and  making  the  bridge  over  the  gutt,  re- 
ports the  same  finished ;  frizes  hard. 

"21st,  Friday. — This  day  it  rained  very  hard  and  froze  as  it  fell, 
so  that  no  work  could  be  done. 

"22d,  Saturday. — This  day  the  weather  grew  softer;  Employed 
a  party  to  Dab  the  Hospital  Chimny,  another  to  shingle  the  smoak 
house,  another  getting  wheel  barrow  stuff,  another  getting  shingles 
and  laths ;  the  sawers  could  not  work  to  day,  their  pitt  being  full 
of  water  with  yesterday's  rain,  employed  them  in  clearing  their 
pitt;  2  men  employed  handling  axes,  2  in  handling  Tom  haucks; 
The  smiths  &  Gunsmiths  at  work;  The  Ice  begins  to  come  down 
the  N.  Branch. 

"  23d,  Sunday. — We  had  prayers  to  day  at  1 1  o'clock  &  a  Gen- 
erall  parade  at  10  o'clock,  when  I  examined  all  the  arms  of  the 
Regement  present,  and  found  them  Generally  very  much  out  of 
order,  in  so  much  that  I  thought  it  for  the  good  of  the  service 
that  the  whole  Reg't  should  have  to-morrow  to  clean  their  arms, 
&  ordered  a  General  Revew  on  Wednesday  morning  at  10  o'clock. 
At  3  o'clock,  P.  M.,  3  men  arrived  here  with  3  loads  of  rum  for 
Mr.  Trapnell.  At  4  O'Clock,  P.  M.,  Volunteer  Hughes  arrived 
here  with  a  party  of  1 2  men  under  his  command,  he  had  under 
his  eschort  the  two  Indians  from  Connistogo  town,  named  William 
Sack  &  Indian  Peter,  the  said  Indians  being  committed  to  his  care 
by  George  Croghan,  Esq'r.,  at  Harris's  ferry,  to  be  by  him  trans- 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  1 99 

ported  heither.  I  Rece'd  said  Indians  as  friends,  they  delivered 
me  a  letter  from  George  Croghan,  Esq'r.,  dated  at  Harris's  the 
20th  Curr't,  Intimating  to  me  that  he  had  sent  them  to  the  Ohio 
on  his  Majesty's  service,  &  desiring  that  I  might  assist  them  with 
guns,  poudder,  lead  &  Provisions,  or  any  thing  elce  that  they 
might  want  for  to  enable  them  to  proceed  on  their  journey,  and  to 
dispatch  them  after  one  day's  rest.  They  likewise  presented  to 
me  the  Governor's  pasport,  Commanding  all  officers,  Civil  & 
Military,  to  allow  them  to  pass  unmolested,  as  likewise  Com- 
manding all  Military  officers  to  assist  them  in  everything  they 
should  stand  in  need  of  Mr.  Croghan  likewise  informs  me  that 
he  expects  some  Indians  down  Susquehanna  on  the  Business  of 
the  Governm't,  and  desires  that  I  may  not  suffer  them  to  be  hurt, 
&  I  have  given  orders  accordingly.  I  have  advised  the  Indians 
to  rest  to-morrow,  and  on  Tuesday  morning  to  sett  out  on  their 
Journe)-,  which  they  aggree  to. 

"  24th,  Munday. — All  the  soldiers  are  employed  to-day  in  clean- 
ing their  arms,  having  appointed  them  this  day  for  that  purpose. 
This  day  it  snows  much,  and  snowed  a  great  deall  last  night.  The 
officers  of  the  sundry  Comp'ys  report  that  the  arms  are  now  all 
in  good  order.  Gave  the  Indians  their  poudder  horns  full  of 
poudder,  &  bullotts  &  swan  shott  in  their  pouches,  what  they  said 
would  be  sufifitient  for  their  journey.  They  required  mockesons 
of  me,  &  I  told  them  I  had  not,  they  said  they  were  barefotted,  & 
that  Mr.  Croghan  told  them  they  would  be  provided  here.  I  gave 
Indian  Peter  a  p'r  of  new  shoes  out  of  the  Province  store,  and  gott 
a  pair  of  new  Soils  put  upon  William  Sack's  shoes ;  with  this  Pro- 
vision they  seem'd  satisfied.  I  likewise  prepared  hard  bisquett  for 
their  Journey,  suffitient,  &  meatt  &  every  Necessary  fitt  for  their 
Journey. 

"25th,  Tuesday. — This  morning  it  snowed  hard,  &  has  snowed 
all  last  night;  I  inquired  of  the  Indians  if  they  intended  to  pro- 
ceed on  their  journey,  and  they  informed  me  that  the  weather 
would  not  permitt.     No  work  done  to-day;  it  thaughs. 

"  26th,  Wednesday. — Working  to-day  at  the  smock-house,  at  the 
fire  leather,  &  at  dabing  the  hospitall  Chimney,  the  s'wers  were  at 
work,  making  a-x  and  Tomhawk  handles.     The  two  Indians  de- 


200  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

manded  of  me  two  matchcoats,  two  tomhawks,  one  Dear  Skin  for 
to  make  mockesons,  &  some  flints — I  told  them  I  had  neither 
matchcoats  nor  dear  skins,  but  gave  them  two  Tomhawks  &  some 
flints.  I  ordered  a  Canoe  to  be  launc'd  this  morning  to  carray  the 
Indians  over  the  River,  I  informed  the  Indians  that  the  Canoe  was 
ready,  &  they  told  me  they  would  not  go  away  to-day,  but  would 
go  to-morrow. 

"  Ensigne  Scott  marcht  this  morning  with  a  party  of  five  men 
to  his  Command  at  Fort  Hunter;  ommitted  the  Generall  Revew 
until  the  Indians  should  go. 

"  27th,  Thursday. — As  the  Indians  did  not  seem  inclinable  to  go 
airly  this  morning,  I  pospon'd  the  Generall  revew,  &  employed 
the  men,  one  party  finishing  the  Clapboard'g  &  making  a  dore  to 
the  smoak  house;  another  party  dabing  it,  dabing  the  Chimney 
and  walls  of  the  Hospitall ;  making  a  leather ;  getting  Coall-wood 
for  a  Coall-pitt,  &  getting  fire  wood;  the  Smiths,  &  sawers,  and 
wheelbary  makers,  and  ax  handle  makers,  all  at  work.  This  day, 
at  12  o'clock  M.  D.,  the  Indians,  William  Sack  &  Indian  Peter, 
Crossed  the  River  in  my  Canoe,  sent  3  men  to  put  them  over  and 
bring  the  Canoe  back ;  at  their  setting  off  I  saluted  them  with  3 
platoons  of  12  men,  3  roughs  of  all  the  Drums,  3  huzas,  &  one 
Great  gun.  It  thaughs  much  to  day.  In  this  night's  orders  ap- 
pointed the  Gen'll  Revew  to-morrow  morning  at  9  o'clock  A.  M. 

"  28th,  Friday. — This  morning  had  a  Generall  Revew  of  all  the 
Regement,  &  found  that  severall's  had  lost  their  Bayinotts,  but  all 
the  Arms  in  good  order.  Working  to-day  at  the  bake  house, 
getting  shingles  at  the  Coall  kill,  dabing  the  smoak  house;  the 
Smiths  &  Sayers  at  work.  The  weather  thaughs  and  it  is  exceed- 
ing muddy;  the  River  Remains  fast  all  along  shore  yett. 

"  29th,  Saturday. — It  snowed  all  last  night  and  continues  to 
snow  very  hard  all  this  day,  so  that  no  work  can  be  done.  This 
evening  it  turns  to  rain. 

"  30th,  Sunday. — This  day  it  rain'd  so  hard  all  day  that  we 
could  not  have  prayers.  Two  soldiers  arrived  here  from  Lewt. 
Davis,  from  Fort  Hallifax,  with  letters  at  6  O'Clock  this  Evening, 
Vizt:     Sam'l  Vantyne  &  Arch'd  Kelso. 

"  31st,  Munday. — It  rained  very  hard  all  this  day,  there  was  no 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  20I 

possability  of  doing  any  work,  only  the  wheelwrights,  &  the  two 
men  making  ax  handles.  The  River  rises  &  i.s,  full  of  Ice;  it 
frezes  towards  Evening. 

"Tuesday,  1st  February. — This  day  it  rained,  hail'd  and  snowed 
all  day,  and  is  so  extream  cold  that  the  soldiers  was  not  able  to 
work  out  of  doors.  The  wheelbarrow  makers  are  at  work  in  the 
Carpenter  shop ;  the  saw  pitt  is  full  of  water  &  most  froze  to  the 
bottom.  The  west  branch  driving  full  of  ice;  severall  canoes 
come  down  it  upon  cakes  of  Ice;  some  ice  driving  down  the 
North  branch.  This  morning,  John  Hans,  of  Capt'n  Jamison's 
Company,  died  in  the  Hospitall  of  the  Bloody  flu.x,  and  was  bur- 
ryed  this  Evening. 

"  2d,  Wednesday. — This  morning  it  snowed  &  blew  prodig- 
eously  cold ;  the  soldiers  could  not  work  out.  The  wheelbarrow 
makers  at  work  &  some  men  prepering  splitts,  &ca.,  to  hang  the 
beaff  upon;  in  ye  afternoon  a  little  milder;  the  Colliers  went  to 
work. 

"  3d,  Thursday. — This  morning  clear  weather,  but  frezing  much; 
at  12  O'clock  to-day  heard  two  Guns  feired  over  the  River;  lookt 
out  with  the  spy  glass,  about  I/2  after  12  O'Clock  discovered  two 
Indians  in  the  draught  where  the  water  runs  oposite  to  the  Sally 
port;  the  Indians  hung  out  a  rid  handk'r,  which  I  gave  William 
Sack  &  Indian  Peter  for  a  signall,  and  so  Conclude  from  the  sig- 
nall  to  be  these  two  Indians ;  I  have  sent  a  Canoe  &  3  men  over 
for  them,  but  the  River  is  so  full  of  ice  driving  in  large  Cakes 
that  I  am  affraid  I  can't  gett  them  brought  over. 

"The  Canoe  returns  &  brings  William  Sack  &  Indian  Peter, 
they  report  that  the  weather  was  so  exceeding  bad  they  could  not 
travell,  and  the  Creeks  and  River  Impassable,  that  the  snow  was 
so  deep  they  could  not  walk,  and,  therefore,  were  forced  to  Return. 

"The  wheelbarrow  makers  at  work,  2  men  making  tomhawk 
handles,  2  making  shingles  for  the  Bake  house,  6  men  clean'g  the 
saw  pitt,  a  party  in  the  woods  getting  stuff,  6  Colliers  at  work. 

"4th,  Friday. — This  day  34  in  the  woods  cutting  &  pointing 
pickitts,  2  making  Tomhawk  handles,  2  mak'g  wheelbarrows, 
Colliers,  bakers,  sawers  &  Smiths  at  work.  It  is  clear  weather  but 
extream   cold,  a  good   deall   of  Ice  in   the   river   driving;    John 


202  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

McCom,  of  Capt'n  Jamison's  Co.,  died  this  Evening  in  the  Hos- 
pitall. 

"5th,  Saturday. — It's  so  cold  and  snows  so  hard  to-day  the 
soldiers  can't  work.  The  wheel-wrights  are  at  work,  and  the 
Tomhauk  handle  makers.     John  McCom  was  hurried  to-day. 

"  6th,  Sunday. — This  day  it  snowed  very  hard  all  day,  and  the 
snow  is  deep  on  the  ground,  having  snowed  last  night.  We  could 
not  have  sermon  nor  prayers ;  the  River  drives  with  Ice  yett. 

"  7th,  Munday. — This  day  it  snows  a  little  in  the  morn'g ;  at 
work  in  the  woods  getting  firewood,  22;  at  the  Coall  Kill,  6; 
sawers,  2 ;  making  helves,  i ;  getting  stuff  for  helves,  2 ;  making 
wheelbarrows,  2.     Very  cold,  the  Ice  driving  but  very  little. 

"  8th,  Tuesday. — Employe  this  day  as  follows :  22  men  cutting 
pickets;  i  man  pointing  ditto;  6  men  at  the  Coall;  2  sawers;  2 
making  tomhauk  helves;  2  making  wheel  barrows;  9  putting 
beaff  in  ye  smock  house;  2  work'g  at  the  bake  house — a  clear 
cold  day. 

"9th,  Wednesday. — Employed  as  yesterday — sent  17  men  out 
to  hunt  up  any  stragling  horses  that  might  be  yett  in  the  Prov- 
ince service,  but  could  only  find  4,  which  I  have  sent  down  to  be 
discharged  the  service.  The  two  Indians,  William  Sack  &  Indian 
Peter,  applyed  to  me  for  an  Eschort  to  Conduct  them  safe  to  the 
Conostoga  Town.  I  accordingly  sent  Volunteer  Hughes  &  3 
Soldiers  and  4  horses,  with  orders  to  Conduct  them  safe  Home, 
they  sett  out  from  this  at  5  P.  M. — this  Evening  it  Rains  and 
blows  prodigeously. 

"  loth,  Thursday. — Could  not  work  to-day;  it  rained  and  blew 
prodigeousely  all  last  night  and  all  this  day.  The  saw  pitt  is  full 
of  water.     Dr.  Morgan  *  made  Complaint  this  morning  that  there 

*Dr.  John  Morgan  was  born  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  His  father,  a  respecta- 
ble Welsh  gentleman,  settled  there  at  an  early  day.  He  was  the  brother  of  Colonel 
George  Morgan,  and  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Redman.  He  was  an  apothecary  to 
the  Pennsylvania  Hospital.  After  leaving  Fort  Augusta  he  accompanied  the  Forbes 
expedition,  in  which  he  held  a  lieutenant's  commission,  hut  acted  chiefly  as  surgeon. 
Colonel  Burd  says  he  did  "his  duty  very  well."  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  traveled 
extensively  in  Europe  and  devoted  much  of  his  time  to  anatomical  studies.  He  was 
a  man  of  much  learning,  and  on  his  return  from  abroad  he  became  the  coadjutor  of 
Dr.  Shippen  in  founding  a  medical  school  in  his  native  city.  He  died  October  15, 
1789,  in  the  S4th  year  of  his  age. — Shippen  Papers,  ^Sige  74,  and  Hazard's  Register, 
Vol.  IL,  page  127.  , 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  2O3 

was  a  great  deal  of  under  water  in  the  Hospitall;  the  Doct'r  told 
me  that  he  thought  he  had  bad  success  in  his  cures,  which  he 
imputted  to  the  want  of  fresh  Provisions  &  Vegetables;  I  ac- 
quainted the  Doct'r  that  I  had  some  thoughts  of  Removing  the 
Hospitall  to  Fort  Hallifax,  or  Fort  Hunter,  as  soon  as  the  weather 
would  permitt;  he  told  me  if  that  was  not  done  many  would  loose 
their  lives.     The  River  in  a  fine  State  for  Battoeing. 

"nth,  Friday. — Employed  this  day  as  follows:  29  men  in 
the  woods  Cutting  picketts;  2  Carpenters  pointing  do.;  2  Carp'rs 
making  Tomhauk  helves ;  2  Carpenters  making  wheelbarrows ;  2 
Carp'r  working  at  the  bake  house,  sawers  Emptying  the  water 
out  of  the  saw  pitt;  the  Smiths  at  work  &  Colliers.  This  day  it 
blow'd  very  hard  &  froze  most  severe. 

"  1 2th,  Saturday. — Employed  this  day  as  yesterday;  this  day  it 
frizes  most  intensely;  the  River  is  quite  full  of  Ice;  tho'  the  people 
are  at  work,  yett  they  can't  do  much. 

"  13th,  Sunday. — This  morning  I  ordered  a  Generall  Parade  of 
all  the  Regement  present,  at  10  A.  M.,  and  prayers  at  1 1  A.  M.,  if 
the  weather  would  permitt.  Had  the  Generall  parade  accordingly, 
&  found  all  the  arms  in  good  order,  bright  and  quite  Clean.  This 
day  it  frizes  severe,  and  is  so  extream  cold  that  I  omitt  prayers, 
ye  Officers  Complain'g  it  was  too  severe. 

"  14th,  Munday. — Imployed  this  day  as  follows:  21  men  in  the 
woods  cutting  picketts,  2  pointing  ditto,  6  Colliers,  2  men  at  the 
wheelbarrows,  2  making  a.x  handles,  2  making  the  pork  sistern,  4 
sawers,  3  Bakers.  This  day  it  frizes  a  little ;  more  moderate  then 
it  has  done  for  some  days  past;  the  River  is  quite  full  of  Ice 
driving  thick  cakes. 

"  1 5  th,  Tuesday. — This  morning  John  Apelby,  of  Capt'n  Salter's 
Compa',  died ;   2  men  employed  in  mak'g  a  Coffin  for  ditto. 

"Twenty-one  men  in  the  woods  Cutting  picketts,  i  pointing 
ditto,  6  Colliers,  2  making  wheel  barrows,  2  making  ax  handles,  2 
wagoners,  4  sawers,  2  at  the  pork  Sistern,  3  bakers,  4  Smiths. 

"Burried  John  Apelby  this  Evening;  this  day  it  snows  a  little; 
the  River  Continues  full  of  Ice;  finish'd  cutting  picketts  this 
evening;  ye  Adjutant  reports  they  have  cutt  upwards  of  a  thous- 
and. 


204  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

"1 6th  February,  Wednesday. — This  morning  Christian  Holt- 
saple,  of  Capt'n  Salter's  Company  died.  Seventeen  men  in  the 
woods  piUing  of  picketts  &  Cutting  fire  wood,  i  man  pointing 
picketts,  6  Colhers,  4  Smiths,  4  Sawers,  3  Bakers,  2  Carpenters 
making  a  Coffin,  2  jointing  plank  for  }-e  pork  sistern,  2  making 
wheelbarrows,  2  making  ax  handles,  2  wagoners,  4  digging  a 
Grave. 

"At  1 1  A.  M.,two  men  arrived  here  with  Rum  for  Mr.  Trapnell, 
&  informed  me  that  the  Battoes  were  Ij'ing  weather  bound  at 
Berry's  place.  At  12  M.  D.,  Lewts.  Davis  &  Clapham  arri\'ed 
here  with  a  party  of  13  men,  &  brought  my  letters  &  Confirm'd 
the  battoes  being  at  Berry's  place,  under  the  Command  of  Capt'n 
Trump.*  The  above  Christian  Holtsaple  was  hurried  this  even- 
ing. 

"  This  day  I  was  taken  so  ill  that  I  could  not  read  my  letters ; 
should  have  answered  Col'l  Clapham's  letter,  &  Lewt.  Col'l  Arm- 
strong's, but  my  Indisposition  would  not  permitt.  It  thaughs  to 
day  much. 

■'  17th,  Thursday. — This  day  it  rained  so  hard  all  day  that  the 
soldiers  could  not  work  out  of  doors;  the  river  clear  of  Ice,  and 
thaughs  much.  The  2  men  at  work  making  wheel  barrows;  1 
making  ax  handles ;  Smiths  &  Bakers  at  work. 

"  1 8th,  Frida)-. — Fine  clear  weather.  Employed  to-da\'  as  fol- 
lows: 21  working  in  the  woods  cutting  picketts  &  Cutting  & 
piling  brush,  3  bakers,  6  Colliers,  4  sawers,  2  making  wheel  bar- 
rows, 2  pointing  pickitts,  2  joint'g  plank  for  the  pork  Sistern,  2 
making  ax  helves,  2  making  peddles,  2  Carters. 

"  This  day,  at  i  P.  M.,  Capt'n  Trump  arrived  here  with  Ensignes 
Broadhead  &  Scott,  &  the  party  &  battoes,  with  5 1  barrells  flour, 
3  hhds.  of  Rum,  i  faggott  steel,  12  barrells  pork.  At  2  P.  M.,  it 
began  to  rain  to-day;  we  have  great  difficulty  in  getting  the  bat- 
toes unloaded ;  sent  Serg't  Lee  to  Carlisle,  Express. 

"  19th,  Saturday. — It  rained  all  day  to-day;  no  work  done  ex- 

*Captain  Levi  Tramp  was  from  Northampton  County.  He  entered  the  service  in 
the  early  part  of  the  French  and  Indian  war  and  continued  to  its  close.  He  subse- 
quently removed  to  Barbadoes,  West  Indies,  where  he  died.  Colonel  Burd  speaks  of 
him  in  this  manner:  "Does  his  duty  with  freedom,  and  has  shown  a  good  spirit  on 
all  occasions." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  205 

cept  emptying  the  battoes  of  the  remainder  of  their  loading,  which 
is  now  all  in  the  store;  returned  to  the  full  allowance  of  Provision, 

1  ft),  2  oz.  b.  &  i^  lb  flour. 

"  20th,  Sunday. — Had  a  Generall  Revew  of  all  the  Regem't; 
appointed  the  party  to  wait  Lieut.  Col'l  Armstrong's  orders.  The 
Fort  was  so  wett  we  could  not  have  sermon  nor  prayers  to-day. 

"21,  Munday. — Employed  this  day  in  preparing  their  arms  for 
a  Generall  Revew  to  be  held  at  4  P.  M.;  had  a  Generall  Revew 
according  to  appointment ;  the  River  rises  much ;  a  Revew  to- 
morrow at  9  A.  M. 

"  22,  Tuesday. — A  Generall  Revew  at  9,  A.  M.,  when  I  Exersized 
the  officers  &  Soldiers  particularly  in  firing;  appointed  a  party  of 
30  men  to  go  with  10  battoes  tomorrow,  10  more  belonging  to 
Hunter's  Fort  &  the  Hospitall  Consisting  of  24  sick;  Lew'ts 
Clayton  &  Clapham,  &  pjisigne  Morgan  goes  with  the  party ;  fine 
weather. 

"  23d,  Wednesday. — This  morning  at  9,  A.  M.,  the  party  men- 
tioned yesterday  sett  off  from  this  for  Hunter's  Fort,*  with  10 
battoes;  23  men  lifting  the  old  picketts,  3  Carpenters  new  pointing 
do.,  2  working  at  the  pork  sistern;  2  wheel  barrow  makers;  4 
making  the  Barrier  gate ;  6  Colliers ;  2  making  paddles ;  smiths 
&  bakers  at  work;  10  dabing  the  bake  house;  fine  weather; 
Cloudy. 

"  24th,  Thursday. — Employed  this  day  2  making  the  wheel 
barrows,  2  at  the  pork  sistern,  4  at  the  barrier  gate,  3  pointing 
picketts,  3  bakers,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  6  Colliers,  25  heaping  brush, 
12  lifting  &  setting  pickets,  5  dawbing  the  bake  house,  2  wag'r; 
fine  clear  weather. 

"  25th,  Friday. — -Employed  this  day  18  digg  a  place  in  the  store 
for  the  pork  sistern,  11  at  the  picketts,  15  getting  stones  for  the 
Necessary  house,  3  -Carpenters  pointing  pickets,  4  at  the  Barrier 
Gates,  2  at  the  pork  sistern,  2  making  wheel  barrows,  6  Colliers, 

2  Sawers,  3  Bakers,  4  Smiths,  2  Carters;  fine  weather;  cold. 
"26th,  Saturday. — Employed  16  heaping  brush,  14  digging  for 

the  pork  sistern,  1 5  setting  picketts,  6  Colliers,  3  Bakers,  4  Smiths, 

*The  village  of  Rockville  is  near  the  site  of  the  old  fort.  At  this  point  the  Sus- 
quehanna River  is  spanned  by  the  magnificent  bridge  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 


206  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

2  Carters,  4  sawers,  2  making  the  pork  sistern,  4  working  at  the 
barrier's  Gates,  2  at  the  wheel  barrows,  3  sharping  pickitts. 

"  This  day  at  1 2  o'Clock  I  sent  out  the  Carter's  to  the  old  house 
at  the  spring,*  to  bring  in  some  stones  from  thence,  with  a  Cover- 
ing party  of  a  Corporall  &  7  men  at  10  O'Clock;  the  Centreys 
being  three  in  Number,  was  shott  at  by  a  party  of  Indians,  upon 
hearing  the  fireing,  I  detached  off  Ensignes  Broadhead  &  Allison 
with  a  party  of  20  men  to  support  the  Covering  party  attacked ; 
upon  Mr.  Broadhead's  approach  with  the  party,  the  Indians  from 
the  lope  of  the  mountain  gave  a  Generall  huza  which  Mr.  Broad- 
head  returned  with  his  party  &  keept  advancing  upon  the  Enemy, 
the  great  shoutts  made  me  think  their  Numbers  were  Consider- 
able. I  immediately  detauch'd  Capt'n  Trump  with  an  additionall 
party  of  20  men  &  2  Serg'ts  with  orders  to  oblige  them  to  feight 
or  to  pursue  them  &  try  to  surround  with  them.  Capt'n  Trump 
accordingly  pursued  them  for  an  hour,  but  could  not  overtake 
them  &  returned  with  the  whole  party  &  brought  with  him  two  of 
the  Centinalls  that  were  killed  &  Scalp't  by  the  Enemy.  I  imme- 
diately ordered  a  party  to  be  draughted  out  of  50  men,  2  Serg'ts 
&  2  Corporalls,  to  be  Commanded  by  Capt'n  Trump  with  the 
Ensignes  Broadhead  &  Allison,  give  them  3  biskitts  a  man  & 
ordered  Capt'n  Trump  with  this  party  to  follow  the  Indians  & 
come  up  with  them  at  their  fires  in  the  night  if  possible,  &  their 
surround  &  destroy  them.  Capt'n  Trump  march't  to  execute  this 
order  at  3  o'Clock,  P.  M. 

"  5  of  the  Covering  party  returned  to  the  Fort,  having  left  the 
Corporall  Barr  in  the  feeld;  the  Carters  afterwards  retturns  with 
The  Cart  &  horses;  the  Corporall  joined  Ensigne  Broadhead's 
party  &  pursued  the  Enemy;  as  I  find  these  5  of  the  Covering 
party  ran  off  in  disobedience  to  the  Corporall's  orders,  which  was 
to  advance  upon  the  Enemy  and  sustain  the  Centinalls,  I  have 
Confined  them  for  Cowardice. 

"This  day  it  began  to  snow  at  i  O'Clock  very  hard,  &  Contin- 
ued so  all  day. 

*  Bloody  Spring,  on  the  hill-side,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  fort.  The  surrounding 
hills,  covered  with  timber  and  underbrush,  afforded  a  good  lurking  place  for  the  sav- 
ages. The  house  alluded  to  must  have  been  erected  for  the  protection  of  a  guard. 
Many  fine  stone  were  quarried  at  the  spring. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  20/ 

"  27th,  Sunday. — It  Continues  to  snow  very  much.  This  morn- 
ing at  1 1  A.  M.  Capt'n  Trump  returns  with  his  party,  &  Reports 
that  he  followed  the  tracks  of  the  Indians  (which  he  thinks  steared 
their  Course  up  the  North  branch  in  the  parralel  of  one  mile  dis- 
tance from  the  River)  untill  dark,  then  he  march't  the  same  Course 
as  nigh  as  he  Could  until  1 1  O'Clock  P.  M.,  the  weather  being 
very  severe,  it  snowing  very  hard,  &  the  snow  deep,  fatigued  the 
soldiers  so  much  that  severall  of  them  gave  out  and  Could  march 
no  further,  upon  which  Capt'n  Trump  marcht  to  the  Top  of  a  high 
mountain,  being  14  miles  from  Fort  Augusta,  to  Endeavour  to 
discover  the  Indians'  fii;es,  in  Conformity  to  the  orders  given  him, 
but  making  no  discovery  he  haulted  his  party  some  time  and 
returned. 

"  John  Lee  arrived  here  with  a  party  of  8  men  and  the  Indians 
Named  William  Sam,  William  Taylor  &  his  wife,  Mary  &  James 
Narrows,  being  on  their  way  to  the  Ohio  in  the  service  of  the 
Government.  It  Continues  to  snow  hard  and  frizes;  no  prayers 
on  acco't  of  the  severity  of  the  weather. 

"2Sth,  Munday. — Employed  11  with  the  wagon;  6  Colliers; 
4  Sawers ;  4  Smiths ;  3  Bakers ;  30  heaping  brush ;  6  digging  in 
the  store;  2  making  wheel  barrows;  4  working  at  the  Barrier 
Gates.  This  day  the  Indians  Intimated  to  me  that  they  would 
proceed  upon  their  Journey  after  dinner,  &  that  they  wanted  to  be 
supplyed  with  sundry  Necessarys  to  Enable  them  to  do  the  same. 
Upon  which,  in  Conformity  to  the  Governor's  orders,  in  his  pass- 
port, I  furnished  them  with  two  Province  Guns,  two  Tomhauks, 
three  poudder  horns  full  of  poudder,  lead  in  Proportion,  one  shott 
poucn  and  poudder  horn,  40  ft),  of  biskitt,  1 1 1^  Sb.  of  beaff,  10  ft), 
of  pork,  &  2  qts.  of  Rum.  The  Indians  sett  out  at  4  P.  M.  I 
sent  them  over  the  River  in  two  Cannoes,  and  landed  them  at  the 
little  Run  in  the  Gap  *  of  the  mountain,  opposite  to  the  sally  Port; 
when  they  parted  with  me;  they  told  me  they  would  be  back 
again  in  one  month  if  the  weather  proved  Good ;  if  not  in  two 
months ;  that  they  would  go  first  to  Chinglechamush.t  from  thence 


*  There  was  an  Indian  path  through  this  gap.     The  road  now  follows  it  in  making 
the  ascent  of  Blue  Hill. 

f  Where  the  borough  of  Clearfield  now  stands. 


208  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

to  Bachaloons,*  that  they  would  bring  into  friendship  along  with 
them,  all  the  Indians  they  could,  men,  women  &  Children,  to  Fort 
Augusta,  and  that  they  would  hang  up  a  Red  Handkercheeff,  as 
a  signall,  in  the  head  of  their  Canoe,  or  at  their  fire  place,  if  they 
should  sleep  nigh  this  Fort.  Extream  cold  weather,  &  2  Inches 
of  snow  over  all  the  Ground. 

"Fort  Augusta,  1757.  March  ist,  Tuesday. — Employed  this 
day,  34  heaping  of  brush ;  1 3  with  the  wagon  bawling  picketts ; 
2  Carpenters  hanging  the  front  barrier  gate;  2  do.  making  the 
gate  posts,  &ca.,  for  the  back  barrier  gate;  2  making  the  pork  sis- 
tern;   2  making  wheelbarrows;   4  sawers;  4  Smiths;   3  Bakers; 

2  Candle  makers;  6  Colliers;  4  digging  in  the  store  for  the  pork 
sistern. 

"  Mounted  a  pickett  Guard  this  Evening  of  i  Corporall  &  6 
men  outside  of  the  Fort;  appointed  a  Court  of  Inquiry  into  the 
Conduct  of  the  Corporall  &  his  party  that  was  attack'd  by  the 
Indians  on  Saturday  last.  The  ground  Continues  Covered  with 
snow  and  hard  froze.  The  seven  Company's  of  the  Regement  in 
Garrison  here  are  each  man  served  with  one  half  pint  of  poudder, 
12  bullets  &  96  swan  shott,  being  in  all  20  rounds. 

"This  day  I  have  a  return  of  11  men  whose  times  of  Inlist- 
ments  are  expired  &  refuse  to  do  duty. 

"2d,  Wednesday. — Employed  to-day  44  piling  brush  in  the 
woods,  6  Carpenters  working  at  the  Barrier  gates,  2  making 
wheel  barrows,  1 7  with  the  wagon,  6  Colliers,  4  Smiths,  4  Sawers, 

3  bakers,  2  making  Candles ;  fine  clear  weather  &  thawing  to-day. 
"3d,  Thursday. — Employed  4  Carpenters  at  the  barrier  rates, 

2  at  the  pork  sistern,  2  making  piquetts,  23  in  the  woods,  26  set- 
ting piquetts,  8  working  in  the  store  assisting  the  Carpenters  at 
the  pork  sisterns,  4  at  the  gate,  6  Colliers,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  3 
Bakers  and  2  wagoners.  Fine  clear  weather  and  thawing ;  at  8 
P.  M.  began  to  Rain  very  hard  and  Continued  all  this  night. 

"4th,-  Friday. — Employed  to  day  as  follows :  2  Carpenters  at 
the  pork  sistern;  4  at  the  saly  barrier  gate;  2  making  a  gate 
for  the  outline  of  Piquetts;  2  making  wheel  barrows;   15  Cutting 


*An  Indian  town  near  the  mouth  of  the  Brokenstraw  Creek,  which  empties  into 
the  Allegheny  River  a  few  miles  below  Warren. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  2O9 

piquetts;  3  digging  in  the  store;  6  Colliers;  4  Smiths;  3  Bakers; 
39  heaping  brush.     A  soft  day,  but  raiii'g  with  Intermitions, 

"5th,  Saturday. — Employed,  19  with  the  wagon,  2  Carpenters 
at  the  pork  sistern,  2  hanging  the  back  barrier  gate,  2  at  the  out 
piquett  Gate,  2  making  wheel  barrows,  45  men  setting  piquetts,  4 
sawers,  4  smiths,  3  bakers,  and  i  mason  &  two  men  at  the  well  of 
the  necessary  house,  3  Cleaning  out  the  store;  fine  Clear  weather 
to-day.  Main  Guard  Consists  of  i  Sergient,  i  Corporall,  i  Drum, 
2  Padroles,  18  Private,  23;  Centinalls,  6.  Piquett  Guard  of  i  Ser- 
gient, I  Corporall,  6  Private,  8 ;  Centinalls,  2 ;  one  officer. 

"  6,  Sunday. — This  day  it  blew  very  hard  and  was  prodigeously 
cold,  on  this  account  I  posponed  the  Generall  Revew  untill  the 
evening;  had  a  Generall  Revew  at  4  P.  M.,  when  I  had  all  the 
arms  &  Accutraments  Examined,  and  as  I  thought  it  Necessary- 
to  make  a  speach  to  ye  whole  Regement  Publickly,  upon  the 
occasion  of  the  time  for  which  they  insisted  being  Expired  of 
some,  and  nigh  expiring  for  the  whole  Regement.  I  accordingly 
spoke  to  them  to  the  following  purpose: 

"'Telling  them  that  I  had  a  report  delivered  to  me  by  Adjutant  Allison  of  sundry 
men  in  the  Regement  who  said  their  times  of  Inlistments  were  expired,  and  on  that 
account  had  delivered  up  their  arms  &  accrutraments  to  the  officers  in  their  respective 
Comp'ys,  and  absolutely  refused  doing  duty,  which  laid  me  under  an  obligation  to 
talk  to  them  thus  pubUckly:  Gentlemen  &  fellow  Soldiers,  I  must  first  put  you  in 
mind  of  the  Cause  for  which  we  were  sent  heither.  Was  it  not  for  to  maintain  the 
Hon'r  &  Just  Rights  of  Our  Glorious  Sovereigne  &  the  Protection  of  our  Country? 
Did  we  not  all  seemingly,  Chearfully  Embrace  this  Opportunity  of  serving  our  King 
&  Country?  Have  we  not  taken  possession  of  this  Ground,  which  is  allowed  to  be 
a  place  of  great  Importance,  &  have  we  not  maintained  it,  and  built  a  strong  Fort 
upon  it,  and  has  not  these  works  been  erected  at  a  vast  Charge  to  the  Government,  & 
would  all  this  been  done  with  no  further  view  then  to  make  a  parade  to  Shamochan? 
Surely  this  can't  be  the  Case.  &  would  you,  like  a  parcel!  of  dastardly  pultroons, 
abandon  these  works  &  leave  the  King's  Fort  with  its  Gates  open  to  Receive  the 
Enemys  of  the  Crown  of  Great  Britain?  Why,  mearly,  because  your  times  for  which 
you  was  inlisted  expired,  &  you  are  not  obligated,  you  think,  to  do  the  Duty  you  owe 
by  Nature  to  your  Gratious  Sovereigne  &  bleeding  Country.  For  shame  !  forever 
shame !  everlasting  Infamy  &  just  Reproach  will  attend  you  &  all  your  Generations 
after  you,  was  you  to  attempt  to  act  such  a  base  part — a  part  so  unbecoming  the  Char- 
acter of  a  Protestant  Britain — a  part  that  would  give  just  cause  to  the  last  of  your 
seed  to  Curse  you.  And  lett  me  tell  you.  Gentlemen,  that  I  think  the  step  already 
taken  by  a  few  of  you  tends  nothing  to  your  Reputation;  on  the  Contrary,  your 
delivering  up  your  arms,  &ca.,  to  your  officers  without  previously  acquaint'g  me  and 
having  my  authority  for  so  doing,  is  a  great  step  towards  mutiny,  &  I  would  advise 


2IO  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANXH    VALLEV. 

you  to  be  Cautious  how  you  venture  to  persist  in  this  unwarranted  measure,  and  rest 
assured  that  at  all  events  I  will  not  suffer  the  King's  Fort  to  be  left  without  a  Garrison 
to  Defend  it. 

" '  Now,  Gentlemen,  as  I  have  laid  the  matter  Clearly  before  you,  I  would  have 
you  rely,  upon  my  Hon'r,  that  as  soon  as  the  Garrison  can  be  releav'd  with  the  Con- 
veniency  of  the  Government  Regularly,  there  shall  not  one  man  of  you  be  obliged  to 
Continue  in  the  service,  whose  time  may  be  expired,  unless  you  enter  anew  Voluntar- 
ily, &  that  you  will  Receive  pay  for  every  day  you  do  duty  in  the  service,  &  have  a 
Regular  discharge,  &  would  have  you  all  Consider  maturely  of  this ;  &  those  of  you 
that  say  you  are  already  free,  to  come  to  me  to-morrow  &  acquaint  me  with  your  Con- 
clusions; in  the  meantime,  be  very  Carefull  you  determine  to  act  Right,  and  don't 
attempt  to  pretend  Ignorance,  as  I  have  Publickly  showed  you  the  Consequences  of  a 
Contrary  part.' 

"7th,  Munday. — Employed  this  day,  17  Cutting  piquetts,  40 
setting  piquetts  &  digging,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  10  Taylors  mend- 
ing the  watch  Coats,  3  Bakers,  8  Carpenters. 

"  The  following  Soldiers  who  say  their  times  of  Inlistments  are 
expired  came  to  me  in  a  body  this  day,  vizt:  Coil's  Comp'y — 
John  McMath,  William  Armstrong,  Michael  Stows.  Majors'  Co. 
— Rich'd  Smith.  C.  Lloyd's  Co. — Lawrence  Lamb,  Will'm  Little, 
Wm.  Supple,  Arch'd  Kelso.     C.  Hambright's  Co. — Hugh  Donaly. 

"  They  told  me  that  they  had  served  the  time  for  which  they 
had  Inlisted,  and  would  go  home  and  serve  no  longer.  However, 
upon  my  talking  with  them  and  repeating  in  a  great  measure  what 
I  had  told  them  the  day  before,  they  Consented  to  stay  and  do 
dut>-,  relying,  as  they  said,  on  my  hon'r  to  fulfill  what  I  had  en- 
gaged to  them.  There  is  free  men  in  the  Regement  doing  duty 
besides  those  above  mentioned,  and  who  have  never  applyed  to 
me:  Coil's  Co.,  Peter  Smith;  Majors'  Co.,  Serg't  Gotlip;  Capt'n 
Shippen's  Co.,  John  Martin.     Fine  Clear  Weather. 

"  8th,  Tuesday. — Employed  8  Carpenters,  4  smiths,  3  bakers, 
4  Sawers,  42  Setting  piquetts,  21  Cutt'g  ditto,  i  wheelbarrow 
maker. 

"More  men  free  to  day,  vizt:  Coil's  Comp'a,  Alex'r  Logan; 
Capt'n  Lloyd's  Co.,  George  McClenehan,  Neall  McCallip,  John 
Crofrost. 

"  This  day  the  Serg't  Major  Reports  that  Wm.  Little,  of  Capt'n 
Lloyd's  Comp'a,  refuses  duty  absolutely  of  any  kind,  &  Neall  Mc- 
Callep  refuses  to  do  any  other  than  soldier's  duty. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  211 

"Fine  clear  weather  to-day;  hazy  towards  evening  and  a  httle 
rain ;  the  River  high  and  rising. 

"9th  March,  Wednesday. — Employed  to-day,  37  setting  of 
piquetts,  17  Cutting  piquetts,  8  Carpenters  Cutting  logs  for  the 
little  house,  putting  up  plattforms,  making  wheelbarrows,  &ca.,  4 
Smiths,  4  Sawers,  3  Bakers.  Fine  clear  weather  to-day;  the 
River  falling. 

"  loth,  Thursday. — This  day  it  snowed  so  much  that  no  work 
could  be  done.  At  Noon,  came  down  the  North  Branch  in  a 
Canoe  with  English  Collours  fly'g,  5  Indians,  one  Named  Nathan- 
iell,  &  4  more;  they  showed  me  Governour  Denny's  Passport,  and 
told  me  they  were  ordered  to  inform  me  that  Jo.  Peepy  and  90 
Indians  more  would  be  down  here  to-morrow  or  next  day;  and 
further,  that  they  were  ordered  to  desire  me  to  send  an  Express 
Immediately  upon  their  arrivall,  to  Inform  George  Croghan,  Esq'r, 
of  the  same,  and  I  accordingly  sent  John  Lee,  John  Boham  and 
Benja.  Nicholson  off  this  night,  12  P.  M.,  in  a  Canoe.  I  rece'd 
the  Indians  kindly,  and  told  them  I  would  Receive  them  all  in  the 
same  manner.     They  were  pleas'd  &  thankt  me. 

"  nth,  Friday. — Employed  to-day,  17  in  the  woods,  8  Carpen- 
ters, n  setting  piquetts,  4  Sawers,  4  Smiths,  &  3  Bakers;  a  fine 
Clear  day;  nothing  materiall. 

"i2th,  Saturday. — Employed  to-day,  30  setting  piquetts,  18 
Cutting  Piquetts,  &ca.,  in  the  woods;  7  Carpenters,  at  work,  4 
smiths,  4  sawers,  3  Bakers. 

"  This  Evening  Indian  Nathaniell  Informed  me  that  he  saw  his 
Brother  at  Tiogo,  who  told  him  he  was  just  come  from  Fort  De 
Quesne,  and  before  he  left  that  place  that  6  Frenchmen  and  3 
Indians  had  sett  out  from  thence  in  order  to  come  &  vew  the 
works  at  Fort  Augusta ;  fine  clear  weather. 

"  13th,  Sunday. — This  morning,  at  the  request  of  the  Indians,  I 
sent  one  soldier  &  one  Indian  up  the  River  to  meet  the  Indians,  & 
to  inform  them  of  the  welfare  of  their  friends  here,  and  that  they 
should  meett  with  a  good  reception. 

"At  2  P.  M.,  to-day  the  Indian  Fleet  hove  in  sight  with  two 
stand  of  English  Collours  flying.  Consisting  of  15  Canoes  &  3 
Battoes,  they  fired  two  rounds,  and  which  I  answered  from  the 


212  HISTOKV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

upper  Bastion  of  the  piquetts,  &  welcomed  them  here  with  three 
Huzas;  there  was  on  b'd  upwards  of  90  Indians,  many  of  which 
Kings  &  Cheeffs  of  their  People,  they  all  express'd  a  good  deal  of 
satisfaction  at  their  meeting  us  here,  and  told  me  upon  their  arriv- 
all  that  they  hurried  to  come  here,  as  they  had  good  Intelligence 
the  French  Intended  Immediately  to  besiege  this  Fort,  and  they 
were  afifraid  that  the  Enemy  would  gett  before  them. 

"  They  informed  me  that  they  mett  sundry  warriors  comeing 
down  upon  This  Province;  some  of  whome  they  turned  back; 
others  would  not  obey  them;  however  they  advised  them  to  turn 
back,  otherwise  it  would  not  be  good  for  them,  that  if  they  struck 
the  English  they  should  not  be  able  to  gett  Home. 

"  Towards  the  E\'ening  Jo.  Peep}'  informed  me  that  the  Indians 
had  been  in  Councell  for  sometime,  &  that  the  Kings  &  Cheeffs 
desired  to  meett  me  in  Councell  at  my  Home  one  hour  hence;  at 
8  P.  M.  they  mett  me  in  Councell  at  my  House,  when  Thomas, 
Deputy  King  at  Kemeosquagy  opened  the  Councell  with  three 
strings  of  Wampom,  to  the  foll'g  purpose: 

'"My  Dear  Brother: — Now  we  come  from  the  Indian  Country  to  see  you  at  our 
house  here,  &  we  dispell  the  Clouds  that  you  may  see  Clear  Sun  Shine,  and  we  wipe 
the  Tears  all  off  your  Eyes  that  you  may  see  your  Brothers  clear  &  well. 

" '  My  Dear  Brother,  It  is  a  Certain  thing  that  your  ground  here  is  all  Bloody,  & 
we  come  to  clean  away  all  the  bjood  that  you  may  sett  clean  &  well. 

" '  My  Dear  Brother,  We  are  all  one,  we  are  Brothers,  the  French  have  killed 
many  of  our  People,  but  we  all,  the  six  Nations,  have  Councelled  to  be  English  from 
this  time  forth,  &:  we  Clean  your  hearts  of  everything  that  you  may  give  answer  to 
your  Brothers  well  when  you  speak  this  Evening.  Two  Delaware  Warriers  came 
down  the  North  Branch  in  a  Canoe;  the  Indians  had  spoke  with  these  two  Warriers, 
&  the  warriors  told  them  they  were  going  to  warr  upon  Shamochan ;  &  the  Indians 
advised  them  not  to;  but  at  the  time  they  would  not  be  resti'ained;  but,  thinking  bet- 
ter of  it  afterwards,  they  Determined  to  sett  off'  in  a  Canoe  after  the  Indians  &  take 
their  advice,  which  they  accordingly  did,  &  anived  here  in  the  Evening.' 

"  It  Blow'd  very  hard  to-day  &  rain'd. 

"  14,  Munday. — This  day  it  rained  all  day  so  that  I  could  not 
work.  At  dusk  this  evening  John  Lee  arrived  here.  The  Indians 
informed  me  that  they  would  sett  of  from  this  for  John  Harris'  on 
Wednesday  morning,  and  I  acquainted  them  that  I  should  gett 
Necessarys  ready  for  them. 

".15th,  Tuesday. — This  day  30  men  at  work  upon  the  picketts, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  2I3 

4  Carpenters  at  the  little  house,  4  Smiths,  3  bakers,  2  wheel  bar- 
row makers. 

"This  day  a  Canoe  went  down  the  river;  thought  there  was 
men  in  her;  sent  out  three  partys  of  Indians  to  Reconoiture. 
Intended  to  send  a  Canoe  this  Evening  to  John  Harris,  but  the 
Indians  Interrupted  me.     It  is  cold  to-day. 

"  1 6th,  Wednesday. — This  day  it  frizes  prodigeously  and  blows 
hard.  Employed  17  men  in  the  woods  with  the  Cart,  bawling 
stuff  for  the  wheelwrights  and  little  house,  6  Carpenters  at  work, 
4  sawers,  4  smiths  &  3  bakers. 

"  17th,  Thursday.— This  day,  at  1 1  O'Clock  A.  M.,  the  Indians 
being  in  Number  a  hundred  sett  out  from  this  for  John  Harris's, 
in  Battoes;  sent  Ensigne  AUeson  in  a  Canoe  to  Conduct  them 
with  particular  orders  for  that  purpose. 

"  This  day,  at  5  P.  M.,  thirty  more  Indians  arrived  here.  Con- 
ducted by  William  Printy,  amongst  whome  was  Monicatutha  and 
Seneca  George.  The  Indians  informed  me  that  they  mett  six 
warrier  Indians  going  to  warr  ag't  the  flett  heads,  and  wanted 
to  know  If  I  did  not  think  it  would  be  right  to  stop  them  in 
the  morning  and  persuade  them  to  go  to  Harris's;  and  they 
told  me  as  I  said  they  would  do,  I  told  them  to  stop  them. 
These  Indians  behaved  very  well;  pritty  good  weather;  the  River 
high. 

"  1 8th,  Friday. — This  morning  the  Indian  Cheefs  desired  to 
speak  with  me  when  It  suited  me ;  I  told  the  messenger  I  should 
be  very  glad  to  see  them  derectly.  They  accordingly  waited  of 
me  at  10  A.  M.,  &  informed  me  that  there  was  eight  hundred 
French  and  Indians  marcht  from  Fort  De  Quesne  ag't  this  Fort, 
and  they  were  actually  arrived  at  the  head  of  the  West  Branch  of 
this  River,  and  were  there  making  Canoes  and  would  Come  down 
as  soon  as  they  were  made,  &  desired  me  to  believe  this  for  truth, 
to  be  upon  my  Guard,  and  to  fight  as  long  as  I  had  one  man 
alive.  I  gave  them  for  answer  that  I  was  very  much  obliged  to 
them  for  this  peace  of  Intelligence,  that  I  was  ready  to  Receive 
the  Enemy,  and  that  they  might  Depend  I  would  follow  their 
advice.     They  sett  out  from  this  at  Noon. 

"  Employed   30   men   at  the  ditch,  26  in  the  woods  bringing 


214  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

home  piquetts,  6  Carpenters,  4  blacksmiths,  4  sawers,  3  bakers. 
Blew  hard  at  south. 

[  That  the  French  seriously  contemplated  an  invasion  of  the  West  Branch  Valley 
in  force,  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  this  portion  of  the  Province,  there  is  no  doubt, 
but  there  is  no  evidence  on  record  that  a  large  expedition  was  ever  started  for  that 
purpose.  But  that  scouting  parties  were  dispatched  for  the  purpose  of  reconnoitering 
the  country  and  reporting  its  condition  and  the  strength  of  the  English  to  the  French 
commandant,  there  is  no  doubt.  It  was  a  party  of  this  kind  that  was  reported  to 
Colonel  Burd.  The  party  doubtless  concentrated  at  Chinklecamoose  and  there  made 
preparations  to  descend  the  river  on  rafts,  or  floats,  but  it  is  extremely  doubtful  that  it 
numbered  800  men.  That  would  have  been  a  sufficient  force,  if  properly  equipped 
and  officered,  to  have  captured  Fort  Augusta.  According  to  tradition,  this  scouting 
party  had  four  small  brass  cannon,  and  it  descended  the  river  to  a  point  on  the  West 
Branch  just  below  where  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad  bridge  crosses  the  river 
at  Williamsport.  This  was  near  where  the  great  war  path  crossed  the  mountain, 
through  what  is  known  as  the  Loyalsock  Gap.  On  the  beautiful  level  ground  at  this 
point  (now  in  Armstrong  Township,  Lycoming  County,)  the  party  disembarked,  went 
into  camp  and  sent  a  few  engineers  and  Indians  over  the  path  to  Blue  Hill,  for  the 
purpose  of  studying  the  situation  and  strength  of  the  works  at  .Shamokin.  That  there 
was  such  a  camp  at  this  place  there  is  no  doubt,  for  the  early  settlers  found  French 
buttons,  trinkets  and  other  evidences  of  a  camp  at  this  place.  John  Else,  of  Mon- 
toursville,  now  (September  i,  1SS8,)  living  at  the  age  of  91  years,  says  that  seventy 
years  ago  he  traveled  this  path  through  the  mountain,  and  the  story  was  then  current 
among  the  old  settlers  that  the  French  disembarked  from  their  flotilla  a  short  distance 
above  the  mouth  of  Loyalsock  and  went  into  camp.  At  an  early  period  in  our  his- 
tory a  rude  excavation  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain  was  found,  where  this  path  and 
the  present  public  road  intersect,  and,  upon  making  an  examination,  the  remains  of 
camp  kettles,  spoons  and  other  utensils,  which  had  evidently  belonged  to  a  military 
chest,  were  found,  showing  that  a  body  of  French  had  been  there  at  one  time. 

It  is  also  pretty  well  authenticated  that  the  French  engineers  reached  Blue  Hill  with 
their  Indian  escort  and  made  a  careful  reconnoissance  of  the  situation,  but  finding  the 
fort  too  strong  to  be  assailed  without  heavy  cannon,  they  returned  to  the  camp  below 
Williamsport  and  reported  the  facts.  While  making  this  examination  the  Indians 
scattered  about  in  small  parties  and  sought  to  shoot  the  sentinels  for  the  purpose  of 
.securing  scalps,  and  from  all  accounts  they  succeeded.  After  the  engineers  had  de- 
parted some  of  these  Indians  lingered  about  the  summit  of  Blue  Hill  and  amused 
themselves  by  trying  to  shoot  arrows  across  the  river  and  into  the  fort,  but  failed  on 
account  of  the  distance  being  too  great.  It  is  also  said  that  they  would  sometimes 
place  themselves  in  an  insulting  posture  to  the  garrison,  but  when  a  cannon  shot  was 
fired  at  them,  and  the  branches  of  a  tree  cut  ofi"  immediately  over  their  heads,  they 
gave  a  terrific  war  whoop  and  scampered  off'  into  the  woods. 

When  the  engineers  returned  and  reported  to  the  commander  that  the  force  was 
insufficient  to  reduce  the  fortification,  preparations  were  made  to  return  to  the  French 
strongholds  west  of  the  mountains.  Here  they  were  confronted  with  another  dilem- 
ma. As  they  could  not  return  in  their  floats,  and  it  was  impossible  to  drag  their 
cannon  back  over  the  narrow  paths  they  would  be  compelled  to  travel,  they  decided 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  215 

to  abandon  them;  and,  according  to  tradition,  they  took  the  four  brass  pieces  and 
threw  them  into  a  deep  hole  in  the  river,  a  short  distance  below  the  mouth  of  Loyal- 
sock  Creek,  and  ever  afterwards  it  has  been  known  as  the  "Cannon  Hole."  All 
rivermen  know  the  spot  well.  At  that  time  it  was  doubtless  a  chasm  in  the  rocks, 
and  very  deep,  but  in  course  of  time  it  became  filled  with  gravel,  and  is  no 
longer  of  any  great  depth.  There  is  no  account  of  any  of  the  pieces  ever  having 
been  recovered,  and  they  doubtless  remain  there  buried  deeply  in  the  mud  and  sand. 
The  only  official  account  we  have  of  this  scouting  party  is  found  in  Vaudreuil's 
report  to  the  French  commandant  in  Canada,  now  in  the  French  archives.  From 
this  report  it  will  be  seen  that  the  scout  was  comparatively  small,  and  does  not  war- 
rant the  report  in  the  Colonial  Records  that  800  men  ever  came  down  the  river  in  a 
body.  If  such  a  force  ever  followed  the  scouting  party,  all  record  of  it  has  been 
lost.     Vaudreuil's  report  is  as  follows : 

Montreal,  13th  July,  1757. 
My  Lord, 

In  my  letter  of  the  1 8th  of  April,  I  have  the  honor  to  report  to  the  Keeper  of  the 
Seals  that  the  Delawares  of  Theoga,*  whom  I  had  attracted  to  Niagara,  had  informed 
M.  Ponchot  that  the  English  had  nine  forts  around  them,  one  of  which  contained  a 
garrison  of  six  hundred  men; f  this  exacted  the  more  attention  on  my  part,  as  an 
English  prisoner  had  already  made  the  same  report  to  me. 

As  these  forces  are  within  reach  of  Presqu'ile  and  the  River  au  boeuf,  I  gave 
orders  to  the  Commandants  of  these  two  posts  to  have  scouts  constantly  abroad  in 
that  quarter.  I  caused  express  recommendations  to  be  given  to  all  the  Indians,  and 
particularly  to  the  Delawares,  to  inform  the  Commandant  of  the  first  post  at  which 
they  might  arrive,  of  the  enemy's  movements  as  soon  as  they  should  be  perceptible 

M.  de  la  Chauvignerie  sent  M.  de  .St.Ours  with  six  Canadians  and  fourteen  Indians 
on  a  scout  to  the  English  fort  containing  a  garrison  of  six  hundred  men.  This  fort 
is  on  the  upper  part  of  the  River  Zinantchain  and  positively  in  the  proximity  of  Fort 
Machault.J  Sieur  de  St.  Ours  took  two  scalps  within  sight  of  that  fort,  but  he  was 
unable  to  make  any  prisoners. 

A  party  of  fifteen  Loups  of  the  same  village  of  Theoge,  which  is  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  fort  in  question,  brought  M.  Ponchot,  at  Niagara,  a  German  prisoner,  belonging 
to  Bathleem,  in  Pennsylvania,  with  five  scalps.  Another  party  of  the  same  tribe 
brought  another  prisoner. 

I  was  informed  that  the  English  had  caused  five  hundred  bateaux  to  be  constructed 
at  Shamoken,  on  the  River  Canestio;  that  a  Delaware  had  even  seen  them;  that  the 
English  were  still  busy  building  other  bateaux  and  were  giving  out  that  they  would 
march  ten  thousand  men  to  reduce  all  the  forts  on  the  Beautiful  River. 

I  felt  the  necessity  of  assuring  myself  of  the  Loups  of  Chaamonaque  or  Theoga. 
'Twas  no  trifling  matter,  but  by  dint  of  having  belts  secretly  conveyed  to  them,  they 
sent  me  word  that  they  would  send  their  families  to  the  neighborhood  of  Presqu'ile, 
to  plant  Indian  corn,  and  that  all  the  warriors  would  rendezvous  at  Theoga,  to  oppose 
the  enemy's  march. 

I  profited  by  every  opportunity  to  send  some  Indians  to  that  quarter.  A  Seneca 
told  me  that  more  than  one  hundred  men  had  gone  with  the  Loups  to  the  River  Can- 
estio, to  harass  the  English,  who  are  very  numerous  about  Shamoken,  where  they  are 
really  building  bateaux;  that  he  felt  a  pleasure  in  killing  the  English;  that  the  river 
had  only  to  be  crossed  and  they  were  all  found  in  a  heap. 

Cadet  de  Chevigny,  accompanied  by  a  single  Indian,  was  on  the  banks  of  the 
River  Potomack,  where  they  killed  an  Englishman  and  took  a  French  renegade  pris- 


*  Tioga. 

fFort  Augusta. 

\  At  the  mouth  of  French  Creek,  Venango  County,  Pa. 


2l6  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

oner,  whose  head  the  Iroquois  broke  on  the  way,  because  he  could  not  march ; 
Sieur  Chevigny  burned  two  houses  which  were  abandoned ;  a  small  fort,  also  aban- 
doned, and  four  barns'  full  of  wheat. 

A  party  of  seven  Indians,  sent  out  by  M.  de  la  Chauvignerie,  returned  with  seven 
prisoners  and  three  scalps,  which  they  took  in  the  direction  of  Pennsylvania.  This 
party  had  ranged  around  Shamoken;  but  the  English  kept  so  strictly  on  their  guard 
that  our  Indians  could  not  find  an  opportunity  to  strike  a  blow;  this  obliged  them  to 
push  further  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  to  discover  some  settlements,  having 
seen  about  forty  houses  abandoned. 

It  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  settlers  had  retired  to  Shamoken  with  their  cattle,  the 
Indians  of  the  same  party  having  assured  that  they  had  seen  considerable  movements 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  English  fort,  and  that  there  was  not  a  single  person  in  the 
surrounding  country. 

Other  parties  arrived  at  different  intervals,  having  likewise  assured  that  the  settle- 
ments at  a  distance  from  the  forts  were  deserted,  and  that  all  the  small  stockades 
which  the  English  had  erected  last  year,  to  cover  their  frontiers,  were  vacated. 

I  was  informed  of  negotiations  of  the  English  to  destroy  mine  with  the  Loups  of 
Theoga;  that  many  Indians  of  that  nation  had  assisted  at  them,  but  on  a  message 
which  I  had  sent  to  their  chiefs,  the  latter  had  departed  with  their  warriors  to  go  in 
search  of  those  Indians,  and  had  sent  me  word  that  in  case  they  would  not  listen  to 
them,  they  should  be  treated  as  real  Englishmen.  These  Loups  had  been  seduced  by 
an  English  Interpreter  who  had  made  them  considerable  presents. 

Sometime  after  I  learned  that  all  was  quiet  among  the  Loups;  that  they  had  con- 
cluded their  planting;  that  the  chiefs  who  had  been  to  Philadelphia  had  returned,  and 
had  engaged  their  young  men  to  go  to  war  against  the  English. 

These  Indians  reported  that  a  great  chief  had  arrived  at  Philadelphia  (this  is 
doubtless  General  Lawdun*) ;  that  he  had  held  a  great  council  there  with  the  other 
chiefs  of  the  country;  when  he  was  told  that  Colonel  Johnson  had  caused  his  breth- 
ren of  the  Five  Nations  to  be  invited;  that  this  great  chief  got  into  a  considerable 
passion;  that  he  had  said  that  Colonel  Johnson  was  wrong  to  call  any  one  brother 
and  ally;  that  the  country  of  the  Five  Nations  and  that  of  the  Beautiful  River  be- 
longed to  the  King  of  England;  that  he  knew  the  Five  Nations  and  almost  all  the 
Indians  side  with  the  French;  but  as  soon  as  the  grass  was  a  little  high,  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Canada  would  be  dead,  and  that  he  would  march  everywhere;  that  he  was 
not  afraid  of  the  French;  that  though  he  should  lose  a  great  many  men  on  account 
of  the  Indians,  he  would  not  give  in;  fhat  he,  too,  had  Indian  friends  whom  he  would 
bring  with  him. 

The  Loups  have  assured  me  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  English  to  come  and 
attack  Presqu'ile,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  ascending  the  river,  where  the  English 
would  expose  themselves  to  be  defeated  by  a  handful  of  men,  and  that  moreover  it 
would  be  necessary  that  they  should  pass  through  their  villages. 

An  Englishman  told  me  he  passed  a  hundred  times  in  the  river  of  Canestio  to 
Shamoken;  that  it  is  a  very  trifling  circumstance,  about  as  wide  as  the  Niagara  River, 
but  rather  a  torrent  than  a  river;  full  of  rapids,  shoals  and  large  boulders;  that  the 
most  could  be  done  would  be  to  ascend  the  river  in  very  small  bateaux  by  towing; 
that  the  country  is  impassable  and  full  of  defiles. 

The  Iroquois  informed  me  that  there  was  one  portage  of  six  leagues  between  it 
and  the  River  Canaouagon,f  or  that  above  La  Paille  Coupee;  \  on  the  other  hand  an 
•  Englishman  has  told  me  that,  to  reach  Fort  Machault,  the  English  must  make  a  land 
journey  of  seventeen  leagues.  I  shall  endeavour  to  ascertain  precisely  what  I  am  to 
depend  on. 

I  judge  that  the  English  fort  in  question  is  at  least  a  hundred  leagues  from  Fort 
Machault,  and  that  it  is  situate  on  the  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania. 

*John  Campbell,  4th  Earl  of  Loudoun.  On  the  25th  of  December,  1755,  he  was 
appointed  Colonel  of  the  60th,  or  Royal  American  Regiment.  He  was  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  all  His  Majesty's  Forces  in  America,  where  he  arrived  in  July,  1756. 

f  Now  known  a.s  Conawago  Creek,  Warren  Count)-,  Pa. 

\  Now  known  as  Brokenstraw,  Warren  County,  Pa. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  21/ 

I  have  a  number  of  Indian  parties,  even  of  the  Five  Nations,  on  the  way  to  attacl^ 
that  fort.  Although  there  is  no  appearance,  according  to  the  Delawares  and  our 
scouts,  of  any  early  movement  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  I -have  nevertheless  given 
orders  to  M.  de  la  Chauvignerie  to  cause  to  be  completed  the  work  necessary  to  put 
his  fort  in  a  state  of  defence. 

I  have  not  neglected  anything  to  attract  the  Loups  of  Theoga,  who  are  settled  near 
Fort  Shamoken,  to  me.  I  am  of  opinion  that  I  could  not  effect  it,  because  they  have 
never  had  the  least  association  with  the  French,  and  have  always  been  among  the 
English;  nevertheless,  my  negotiations  have  so  far  succeeded,  that  I  have  actually 
with  me  the  great  chief  of  that  Nation,  who  is  called  the  King,  with  a  suite  of  his 
warriors.  I  have  received  him  very  well,  and  sent  him  home  in  such  a  manner  that 
he  and  all  his  Nation  were  attaching  themselves  warmly  to  the  French  and  waging 
war  on  the  English.  I  have  required  of  him  to  give  me  a  proof  of  the  sincerity  of 
his  promise.  He  forthwith  dispatched  some  of  his  warriors  to  join  the  army  I  am 
sending  against  Fort  Georges.*  The  sight  of  that  army,  which  is  about  nine  thous- 
and men,  will  not  fail  to  impress  those  Loups  with  a  high  idea  of  the  French  power, 
and  reanimate  the  confidence  they  are  beginning  to  repose  in  us.  The  alliance  I  am 
entering  into  with  these  Indians  will  be  very  advantageous  to  us  in  every  respect. 
They  can  extend  their  parties  as  far  as  New  York  and  in  many  other  places  where  our 
Indians  cannot  conveniently  go  to  strike. 

I  am,  with  most  profound  respect, 

My  Lord,  Your  most  humble  and 

Most  obedient  servant 

VAUDREUIL.f 
To  M.  de  Moras.J] 

"  19th,  Saturday. — Employed  to-day  12  Carp'rs,  26  in  the  woods, 
27  in  the  Trinch,  5  working  at  the  oven,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  3 
Bakers.     Fine  clear  weather  to-day. 

"  20th,  Sunday. — Thought  it  my  duty  to  work  to-day.  Em- 
ployed 56  men  at  the  Ditch,  11  carpenters,  5  making  the  oven,  3 
bakers,  4  smiths  and  4  sawers.  It  was  a  little  cold  to-day,  but  no 
frost;  inclineable  to  Rain. 

"21st,  Munday. — Employed  to-day  24  in  the  woods  with  the 
wagon,  24  at  the  Trinch,  4  Bakers,  10  Carpenters,  4  Smiths,  4 
Sawers,  3  Bakers,  4  Masons.  At  Noon,  turned  out  to  work  at 
the  Trinch  all  the  Cooks,  Serv'ts  &  Guard,  amount'g  to  55 ;  then 
the  horses  could  hawl  no  more  piquetts,  so  employed  the  wood 
party  in  the  Ditch. 

"  This  day  at  1 2  O'Clock  eight  Indians  came  down  the  River 
with  English  CoUours  flying;  they  Confirmed  the  Intellegence  I 

*  The  French  called  Fort  William  Henry,  situated  at  the  head  of  Lake  George, 
by  this  name. 

f  Pierre  Regaud,  Marquis  de  Vaudreuil,  Commander  of  the  Royal  and  Military 
Order  of  Saint  Louis,  Governor  and  Lieutenant-General  of  the  King  in  all  New 
France,  the  territories  and  countries  of  Louisiana. 

JM.  de  Moras  succeeded  M.  d'Machault  as  Minister  of  the  Colonies  and  Marine 
February  1st,  1757. 


2I»  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

had  Rece'd  of  the  approach  of  the  Enemy  to  this  Fort,  &  further 
told  me  that  they  would  come  down  both  branches  of  the  River 
at  once.  I  wrote  one  letter  to  the  Col'l  &  one  to  Capt'n  Jamison 
by  them,  they  sett  off  from  this  ab't  i  P.  M.  Heazy  weather  to 
day,  with  rain  towards  evening. 

"  22d,  Tuesday. — This  day  it  rained  so  bad  that  we  could  do 
very  little  work,  altered  the  plettforms  in  the  Bastion,  where  the 
flag  staff  is,  &  cut  new  loop  holes.  Rain'd  all  last  night  and  all 
this  day. 

"  23d,  Wednesday. — Employed  to-day  24  men  w't  an  officer  in 
the  woods,  1 1  Carpenters,  4  Smiths,  4  Sawers,  and  3  bakers,  the 
ground  is  all  covered  with  snow,  &  Exceeding  wett  that  we  Can't 
possible  work  at  ye  trinches. 

"  We  had  an  allarm  this  evening  by  four  of  the  Centinalls  along 
the  River,  some  of  them  said  it  was  battoes  came  down  the  west 
branch ;  others,  that  they  heard  20  Guns  fired  down  the  River 
nigh  to  Shamochan  hill ;  others,  that  the  guns  was  fired  a  little 
below  the  spring;  another  that  it  was  a  large  Rock  tumbled  off 
the  mountain  into  the  River.  I  doubled  the  Centinalls  this  even- 
ing, &  gave  orders  that  officers  &  soldiers  should  sleep  with  their 
Clothes  on  to-night;  which  Capt'n  Shippen  &  I  did,  upon  a  skin 
on  the  floor. 

"  24th,  Thursday. — Employed  to-day,  27  working  at  the  Platt- 
forms,  1 1  carpenters,  25  in  the  woods,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  3  bakers. 

"  This  evening  at  6  P.  M.  Capt'n  Lloyd,  Capt'n  Jamison,  Lewt. 
Clark,  Lewt.  Clapham,  Ensigne  Morgan,  and  Ensigne  Grayden,* 

&  Pason  Steel  arrived  here  with  a  party  of men ;  7  Battoes 

loaded  with  6,267  ft),  of  flour;  40  ftis.  fresh  beaff  for  the  sick ;  fine 
Clear  weather  to  day,  but  the  Trinche's  so  wett  that  their's  no 
possibility  of  working  in  y'm. 

"  25th,  Friday. — It  Rained  so  hard  all  daj-  that  it  was  Impossi- 
ble to  work ;  The  River  Rising. 


*  Lieutenant  Caleb  Graydon  was  from  Bucks  County,  Pa.  He  was  related  to 
Captain  Alexander  Graydon,  of  the  Revolution  and  author  of  the  Memoirs.  He 
was  commissioned  Ensign  December  2,  1757;  promoted  to  Lieutenant  November 
13,  175S,  and  was  Quartermaster  under  Colonel  Burd  in  1760.  .Subsequently  he  was 
commissioned  Captain  in  the  Provincial  forces. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  2I9 

"  26th,  Saturday. — This  day  it  rain'd  so  hard  that  no  work  was 
done. 

"  27th,  Sunday. — It  snowed  and  rained  so  much  to-day  that  we 
could  not  have  sermon,  but  we  had  prayers  towards  Evening  in  a 
Generail  parade,  and  the  Chaplain  prayed  in  each  of  ye  barricks 
&  the  Hospitall. 

"  28th,  Munday. — Employed  this  day,  69  in  the  woods  heaping 
&  burning  brush,  16  working  at  the  platforms,  11  Carpenters,  5 
smiths,  4  sawers,  3  bakers.  Lew't  Clapham  left  this,  this  evening 
at  dark  in  a  Canoe;  fine  clear  day. 

"  29th,  Tuesday. — It  Rained  so  much  all  day  that  no  work 
could  de  done.  This  day  I  was  informed  by  Capt'n  Trump  that 
one  hundred  of  the  Soldiers  are  determined  to  go  off  from  hence, 
in  a  body,  the  1st  Aprile.  I  Remonstrate  ag't  it  as  much  as  in  my 
power. 

"30,  Wednesday. — It  rained  all  day,  no  work  Could  be  done. 
This  day  it  was  Capt'n  Lloyd's  tour  of  duty  to  mount  Guard, 
which  he  refused,  giving  for  Reason  that  he  was  the  Col'ls  Aid- 
de-Camp. 

"31st,  Thursday. — This  day  employed  21  men  with  the  wagon, 

46  burning  brush,  1 1  Carpenters  at  work, smiths,  4  sawers, 

3  bakers. 

"  This  day  Capt'n  Lloyd  *  begg'd  leave  to  mount  Guard,  and  was 
permitted  accordingly.  I  was  given  to  understand  that  all  the 
soldiers  whose  times  of  Inlistments  were  expired  are  determined 
to  leave  the  Fort  to-morrow.  Clear  weather  to-day,  but  rain 
towards  the  evening. 


*  Thomas  Lloyd  had  been  an  officer  in  the  British  service  when  he  came  to  Penn- 
sylvania at  the  outset  of  the  French  and  Indian  war.  He  is  to  be  distinguished  from 
those  of  the  same  name  who  belonged  to  the  Society  of  Friends  in  Philadelphia  and 
Chester  Counties;  neither  was  he  related  to  any  of  the  Lloyds  whose  descendants 
now  live  in  Lycoming  County.  His  military  experience  secured  him  a  position  in 
the  Provincial  service  as  aid  to  Colonel  Clapham,  with  the  rank  of  Captain,  April  2, 
1756.  He  arrived  at  Fort  Augusta  on  the  first  of  August  that  year.  In  October 
following  he  was  sent  to  Philadelphia  to  "inform  Governor  Denny  of  the  apprehen- 
sions of  an  attack  by  the  French  on  Fort  Augusta."  The  latter  had  found,  however, 
that  the  place  had  been  so  well  garrisoned  that  no  force  they  could  bring  against  it 
could  accomplish  its  reduction.  During  the  winter  following  Captain  Lloyd  was 
upon  the  recruiting  service,  and  in  March,  1758,  he  was  at  Harris'  Ferry  in  charge  of 


220  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"1st  Aprile,  Frida\'. — Employed  ii  Carpenters,  21  setting 
jDiquetts,  2ii  working  in  the  woods,  5  smiths,  4  sawers,  3  bakers. 
This  evening,  at  dusk,  Mr.  James  Hughes  went  of  from  this 
with  3  men  in  a  Canoe  to  Harris's.  This  evening,  at  1 1  P.  M., 
Capt'n  Hambright  &  Capt'n  Young,  the  pay  master,  arrived  here. 

"  2d,  Saturday. — This  day,  at  2  P.  M.,  Captain  Patterson  arrived 
here  with  his  Comp'y.     Nothing  materiall  to-day;  rain  to-day. 

"3,  Sunday. — Had  a  Generall  Revew  this  morning  &  afterwards 
sermon;  mustered  all  the  Reg't.  It  Rained  to-day;  the  Rev'd 
Mr.  Steel  Spoak  to  the  Reg't  publickly,  and  so  did  I. 

"4th,  Munday. — Employed  to-day  11  Carpenters  on  the  walls, 
12  men  with  them  5  smiths,  4  sawers,  3  bakei's,  43  working  at  the 
Trench. 

"As  I  found  a  Generall  resolution  prevailing  in  the  Reg't  that 
the  soldiers  now  free  would  not  inlist  again  for  any  longer  time 
than  1 2  months,  I  thought  it  for  the  good  of  the  service  to  take 
this  matter  into  Consideration,  &  accordingly  I  called  a  Councell 
of  all  the  Capt'ns  in  the  Reg't.  Present — Captains  Lloyd,  Ship- 
pen,  Jamison,  Hambright,  Trump ;  Capt.  Lewt.  Davis ;  Commiss'y 
Young,  Chaplain  Steell.  I  told  the  Gent'n  that  it  was  my  opinion 
that  it  would  be  for  the  advantage  of  the  service  at  present,  as  we 
were  here  situate  to  take  the  men  for  1 2  mo's  raither  than  they 
should  leave  the  place,  but  that  I  should  be  glad  to  know  their 
minds  upon  this  occasion,  &  found  that  they  were  all  of  my  opin- 

the  batteaux  laden  with  flour  for  the  fort  at  Shamokin.  llpon  the  re-arrangement  of 
the  Provincial  forces  he  was  commissioned  Lieutenant  Colonel  February  22,  1758, 
and  was  on  the  expedition  to  the  westward  of  the  following  year.  While  detained 
in  Philadelphia  he  was  an.xious  to  be  ordered  back  to  the  frontier.  His  wife  died 
there  about  this  time,  which  caused  him  much  sorrow.  In  1760,  or  later,  he  left  the 
Provincial  service  and  went  to  Jamaica,  Iiut  he  afterwards  retiu-ned,  as  we  learn  from 
the  Shifpai  Papers  (page  74)  that  he  was  lost  at  sea  on  his  way  from  Boston  to 
Charleston,  somewhere  about  1770. 

Some  of  Colonel  Lloyd's  correspondence,  as  printed  in  the  Shippen  Papers,  forms 
very  interesting  reading.  As  a  writer  he  was  bright  and  piquant.  Colonel  Burd  says 
of  him,  in  giving  the  character  of  the  officers  of  the  Augusta  regiment :  "  Captain 
Lloyd,  a  young  gentleman  of  a  pretty  education  and  a  good  scholar;  he  has  acted 
always  as  aid-de-camp  to  Colonel  Clapham,  and  has  done  no  duty  in  this  regiment, 
only  mounted  two  guards  since  he  came  last  from  Philadelphia.  He  is  a  gentleman 
of  a  hasty  temper,  and  his  understanding  entirely  subservient  to  his  extravagant  pas- 
sion, which  is  gieatly  prejudicial  to  himself  and  troublesome  to  all  around  him." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  221 

ion,  except  Capt'n  Lloyd.  I  told  them  that  I  had  power  from  the 
Governour  to  Inlist  for  12  mo's,  &  if  they  could  not  gett  the  men 
for  a  longer  time  they  might  inlist  them  for  12  months,  when 
Capt'n  Lloyd  answered  me  as  follows :  '  By  God,  I  will  not  be 
Capt'n  of  a  1 2  months'  Company,  any  of  the  rest  of  them  may  do 
what  the  please;'  &  upon  my  reproving-  him  he  went  off  in  a 
passion. 

"  5th,  Tuesday. — This  day  could  gett  no  work  done.  Commis- 
sary Young  went  of  from  this  in  a  Battoe;  the  Doct'r  George 
Allen  and  9  men  more  after  dark. 

"6th,  Wednesday. — This  day,  at  12  at  noon,  Capt'n  Hanbright 
&  Ensigne  McKee  left  this  with  a  party  of  60  battoe  men,  40  of 
the  Hospitall,  and  upwards  of  100  freemen,  &  11  battoes.  A 
party  of  6  of  the  freemen  returned,  they  could  not  gett  over 
Shamochan  Creek ;  they  sett  out  again  a  little  before  dark.  It 
Rained  and  thundered  prodigeousely  this  evening. 

"  7th,  Thursday. — Employed  to-day  in  digging  down  the  Bank 
oposite  to  the  Sally  port,  &  Gathering  pine  knotts  &  padle  stuff,  & 
bringing  it  home ;  brought  two  Cart  load  of  pine  knotts. 

"  Capt'n  Patterson  sett  off  this  Even'g  after  dark  with  a  part}- 
of  ID  men  to  go  up  the  West  branch  in  quest  of  Intellegence,  and 
had  my  orders  as  follows: 

"  To  proceed  up  the  west  branch  of  this  River  as  farr  as  Shing- 
laclamush,  keeping  a  good  look  out  all  the  way,  &  marching  as 
Close  to  the  River  as  he  could,  in  order  to  Discover  if  any  body 
of  the  Enemy  was  upon  the  River;  &  if  he  should  make  a  Dis- 
covery, to  be  very  particular  in  Endeavouring  to  observe  the 
Numbers,  and  what  they  were  employed  about,  and  to  bring  a 
prisoner,  if  he  found  it  any  ways  practicable,  but  not  to  Discover 
himself  or  any  of  his  party  if  he  could  avoid  it;  to  observe 
whither  the  Enemy  was  cheefly  composed  of  French  or  Indians. 
If  he  should  discover  a  Body  of  the  Enemy  to  post  himself  and 
party  on  the  tope  of  the  most  Convenient  adjacent  hill,  to  be  free 
from  discovery,  &  have  at  the  same  time  a  good  prospect  of  the 
Enemy,  and  there  to  lay  one  day,  making  particular  observations 
of  their  motions ;  &  in  case  he  should  discover  any  particular 
place  that  they  frequented,  to  march  to  that  place  in  the  night,  & 


222  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

lay  in  ambush  untill  morning  and  try  all  he  could  to  bring  of  a 
prisoner,  which  he  might  find  santering  out  by  himself;  and  in 
this  Case  to  Return  to  this  Fort  with  all  Convenient  speed;  Rec- 
ommending to  come  by  water  if  he  could  find  Canoes. 

"  But  in  case  he  should  make  no  discovery'  between  &  Shingla- 
clamush,  not  at  that  place,  to  proceed  up  the  South  branch  of  the 
River,  from  the  Fork  at  Shinglaclamush,  &  examine  that  branch ; 
and  follow  the  above  orders,  to  go  to  the  head  of  that  branch ; 
and  if  he  found  the  Enemy  was  not  there,  to  return  to  Shinglacla- 
mush, and  to  go  up  the  North  branch  from  that  place;  &  if  he 
did  not  find  any  of  the  Enemy  then  neither,  to  return  to  Fort 
Augusta ;  I  have  given  him  a  Red  flagg  &  a  watch  word,  being 
London. 

"These  orders  I  gave  Verball,  not  thinking  it  prudent  to  give 
him  them  in  writing,  least  they  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
Enemy.  I  told  him  these  orders  severall  times  over,  least  he 
should  forgett  them  and  omitt  any  part  of  them ,  and  he  told  me 
he  understood  them  perfectly;  fair  weather,  Cheefly  Cloudy. 

"  8th,  Friday. — Employed  to-day  in  gathering  pine  knotts  & 
bringing  them  into  the  Fort,  &  preparing  loggs  for  Capt'n  Ham- 
bright's  room.  This  morning  we  were  allarmed  by  some  of  Capt'n' 
Patterson's  party  firing  three  guns;  they  lay  over  the  River,  we 
saw  their  fire  place.  Sent  a  party  over  the  River  which  bro't  over 
the  Canoes  that  Capt'n  Patterson  Carried  over  ye  river.  Fine 
clear  weather,  but  so  much  water  in  the  Ditch  we  could  not  work 
upoit  ye  Parapett.     River  Rises  prodigeously. 

"9th,  Saturday. — Employed  in  bringing  pine  knotts,  &  building 
Capt'n  Hambright's  Room.  Fine  clear  weather;  the  water  still 
remains  in  the  Ditch,  so  that  we  can't  work ;   ye  river  very  high. 

"  lOth,  Sunday. — This  day  we  had  a  Generall  Revew  at  10  A. 
M.,  &  Sermon  at  1 1  A.  M.  and  4  P.  M.;  fine  clear  weather;  river 
falling. 

"nth,  Munday. — Thirty  men  employed  at  the  Ditch  to  day 
under  the  Immediate  Derection  of  Capt'n  Shippen.*     Carpenters 

*Joseph  Shippen  came  of  a  distinguished  family.  He  was  the  second  son  of  Ed- 
ward Shippen,  of  Lancaster, — who  laid  out  Shippensburg, — bom  October  30,  1732, 
and  died  at  Lancaster  February  10,  1810.     He  took  an  active  part  in  military  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  223 

building  Capt'n  Hanbright's  room,  under  the  Derection  of  Capt'n 
Trump.  Employed  the  guard  to  Gravell  some  places  in  the  Fort. 
Fine  clear  weather  to-day,  and  the  River  falling. 

"  1 2th,  Tuesday. — It  Rained  all  this  day ;  no  work  could  be 
done;  River  falling. 

"  13th,  Wednesday. — Employed  20  men  at  the  Ditch,  10  men 
getting  iirewood  &  covering  the  cart,  7  carpenters  making  Capt'n 
Hambright's  room.     Fine  clear  weather;  river  falling. 

"  14th,  Thursday. — Employed  10  men  at  the  Ditch,  8  men  w't 
the  cart  fetching"  fire  wood,  i  mason  &  i  man  plastering  Capt'n 
Hambright's  room,  5  carpenters  at  work,  2  smiths,  2  bakers.  It 
Rained  to-day,  afternoon;  were  obliged  to  give  over  working,  it 
continues  to  Rain  very  hard. 

"  15th,  Friday. — It  rained  all  last  night  and  all  this  day,  so  that 
no  work  can  be  done  of  any  kind. 

"  1 6th,  Saturday. — This  day  so  much  water  in  the  Ditch  I  could 
not  work  upon  them.  Employed  24  in  the  woods  mailing  Rails 
for  a  garden  fence,  1 2  Clearing  a  Garden,  3  smiths  and  3  Bakers. 
The  river  rises. 

"  17th,  Sunday. — Had  a  Generall  Revew  &  Sermon  at  Noon. 
It  rained  this  afternoon ;  we  were  obliged  to  ommitt  Sermon. 
River  rising  much. 

"i8th,  Munday. — This  day  there  was  so  much  water  in  the 
Ditch  I  could  not  work  upon  the  parapett.  Clearing  ground  for 
a  Garden,  &  maling  rails  for  do.     Clear  weather. 

"  19th,  Tuesday. — Working  as  yesterday.  This  morning  John 
Lee  arrived  here,  &  a  man  from  Sam'l  Scott's,  with  shoes  to  sell. 
Clear  weather. 

"  20th,  Wednesday. — Employed  1 3  in  the  woods  gett'g  rails  for 
the  Garden  fence,  18  working  at  the  Ditch,  3  Smiths,  8  Carpen- 
ters raising  the  walls.     Clear  weather;  river  falling. 


political  affairs,  rose  to  the  rank  of  Colonel,  and  became  Secretary  of  the  Province. 
In  1789  he  was  appointed  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Lancaster.  Colonel  Burd  married 
his  sister  Sarah  and  was  his  brother-in-law.  In  speaking  of  the  officers  under  him  at 
Fort  Augusta  he  says:  "  Captain  Shippen. — My  near  connection  with  this  gentleman 
I  hope  will  apologize  for  me  to  the  Governor  for  not  doing  justice  to  his  merit.  I 
beg  leave  to  refer  his  Honor  to  Mr.  Young,  the  Paymaster,  or  to  William  Allen,  Esq., 
and  James  Hamilton,  Esq.,  for  his  character,  and  will  only  say  that  he  does  his  duty 
with  great  punctuality."— ^/^^s/cw  Papers,  pages  28,  96  and  102. 


224  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"2 1st,  Thursda}-. — It  Rained  ver>'  hard  all  this  day;  no  work 
could  be  done. 

"  22d,  Friday. — It  was  too  wett  to-day  to  work  at  the  Ditch. 
Employed  22  men  at  the  Garden  clearing  and  bringing  Rails  and 
putting  up  ye  fence ;  the  Carpenters  squaring  loggs. 

"  I  was  informed  this  day  that  the  officers  were  a  good  deall 
uneasy  ab't  a  report  that  prevailed  in  the  Garrison,  vizt:  That 
the  officers  of  this  Reg't  was  to  be  brok  &  that  the  Commiss'rs 
had  their  friends  prepared  to  Recruit  and  fill  up  the  vacancys.  I 
sent  for  severall  of  the  Officers  &  inquired  into  this  affair,  &  found 
that  there  was  some  such  thoughts  amongst  them,  &  I  traced  the 
foundation  of  this  story  &  found  it  proceeded  from  Capt'n  Lloyd. 
I  told  the  Gent'n  that  I  thought  there  wais  no  proper  ground  for 
entertaining  such  rediculous  storys,  and  desired  they  might  make 
themselves  Easy;  &  further,  that  I  would  venture  to  assure  them 
there  could  be  nothing  in  it. 

"23d,  Saturday. — Employed  32  working  at  the  Parapett,  7  car- 
penters making  step  leathers,  &ca.,  3  smiths,  3  bakers.  Clear 
.  weather  before  noon,  afterwards  showry,  &  hard  rain  in  the  Even- 
ing. 

"  24th,  Sunday. — This  day  it  rained  Cheefly.  Had  a  Generall 
revew  of  the  Regement  to-day,  at  12  M.;  at  4  P.  M.,  had  church. 
At  dark  John  Lee  sett  off  from  this. 

"25th,  Munday. — Employed  to-day  at  the  Parapett men, 

Carpenters  at  the  walls  ;  a  party  of getting  fire  wood. 

"  This  day  at  Noon  Capt'n  Patterson  *  arrived  with  his  party  all 
well ;  they  came  down  the  River  upon  Rafts ;  Capt'n  Patterson 
Reports,  That  he  march'd  from  hence  Shinglaclamuch,  that  he 
Tract  the  4  Canostogo  Indians,  who  were  sent  ^  Mr.  Croghan  to 
the  Ohio  on  Governm't  Business  &  left  this  Fort  on  ye  28th  Feb'y, 
great  part  of  their  way  hither,  and  observed  by  the  Traes  that 
they  was  mett  by  a  party  of  warriers  from  the  Ohio,  in  Comp'y 
with  whome  he  supposed  by  the  Traes  they  went  to  the  Ohio ; 

*0f  the  two  families  of  Patterson  in  Lancaster  County,  it  is  believed  that  Captain 
William  belonged  to  that  branch  which  settled  in  what  is  now  Rapho  Township. 
His  father  was  named  Arthur,  and  he  emigrated  from  Ireland  in  1724.  William 
served  in  the  Indian  wars  and  in  the  Revolution.  He  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
British  and  died  while  held  a  prisoner  in  the  prison  ship  on  Delaware  Bay. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  225 

that  he  saw  ye  Traes  of  a  large  party  that  had  come  from  the 
Ohio  ab't  a  month  agoe,  as  he  supposes,  &  had  march't  the  Road 
towards  Cumberland  Count)'.  That  he  march't  to  Shinglacamuch, 
saw  no  Indians  nor  French,  either  upon  his  march  or  at  the  Town  ; 
the  Road  that  leads  from  Buchaloons  passes  along  by  Shingla- 
clamuch  and  forks  on  the  south  side  of  Susquahanna  River,  at  the 
distance  of  abo't  40  miles  from  that  Town ;  one  road  from  that 
fork  leads  to  Fort  Augusta,  and  the  other  to  Cumberland  County; 
that  both  these  roads  were  very  much  frequented,  &  it  appeared 
to  him  the  Enemy  used  them  constantly  when  they  came  to  make 
their  Incursions  upon  this  Province;  that  the  Cheeff  part  of  the 
houses  at  Shinglaclamuch  wei'e  burnt  down,  and  he  Immajn'd  that 
no  Indians  had  lived  there  a  long  time;  that  he  was  obliged  to 
return  from  Shinglaclamuch,  not  being  able  to  proceed  for  want 
of  Provisions,  he  and  his  party  having  lived  upon  Walnutts*  for 
three  days ;  the  Country  there  was  so  excessively  mountainous 
that  they  could  not  find  any  Game  to  kill,  and  the  men  were  not 
able  to  travel  any  further  in  this  situation,  which  obliged  him  to 
Return  down  the  River  on  Rafts. 

"  This  Evening  Capt'n  Hambright,  Lewt.  Garrawa\',  &  the  En- 
signes  McKees  and  Hughes  arrived  here  with  a  part\-  of  90  men 
and  16  Battoes  loaded  with  stores  for  the  use  of  the  Garrison. 
Capt'n  Hambright  informs  me  that  there  is  a  Detachm't  to  come 
up  with  the  pay  mast'r  of  100  to  reinforce  this  Garrison. 

"  26th,  Tuesday. — It  rained  to-day,  &  being  employed  in  getting 
the  Battoes,  &ca.,  unloaded,  I  could  not  do  any  work ;  the  Rev'd 
Mr.  John  Steell  has  leave  of  absence  from  this  day  untill  the  1st 
June.  Sent  off  Capt'n  Hambright,  Lieut.  Allen  &  Ensigne  Miles 
to  Hunter's  for  stores,  with  a  party  of  44  men  &  15  Battoes;  they 
left  this  at  4  P.M.  I  am  under  a  Necessity  to  give  soldiers  dis- 
charges; rainy. 

"  27th,  Wednesday. — Employed  this  day  at  the  Garden,  the 
Ditch  being  too  wett;  Capt'n  Wetherholt  and  Lewt.  Handshaw 
arrived  here  to-day  at  Noon  with  a  Detachm't  of  50  men  with 
orders  from  Lieut.  Col'l  Weiser  to  reinforce  this  Garrison;  clear 
weather. 


*This  was  pretty  scant  fare,  but  it  doubtless  prevented  tlie  party  frc 
famished  that  they  could  not  travel. 


226  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"  28th,  Thursday. — Employed  to-day  at  the  Ditch,  and  6  men 
at  the  Garden ;  the  soldiers  gett  very  anxtious  to  have  their  dis- 
charges ;  fine  clear  day. 

"29th,  Friday. — Employed  to-day  6  men  at  the  Garden,  35  at 
the  Ditch;  6  Carpenters,  2  Smiths,  3  Bakers.  This  afternoon 
Mr.  Hugh  Crawford  arrived  here  with  two  Indians  and  4  soldiers ; 
fine  clear  weather. 

"30th,  Saturday. — Employed  to-day  6  men  in  the  Garden,  35 
in  the  Ditch,  2  Smiths  and  3  bakers ;  fine  Clear  weather  to-day, 
river  fall'g  very  much;  the  two  Indians  went  away  to-day,  at 
Noon,  up  the  North  branch  in  a  canoe. 

"  1st  May,  1757,  Sunday. — This  day,  at  2  P.  M.,  I  sent  the  4 
men  to  Fort  Hallifax  that  Eschorted  the  Indian  and  his  wife 
heither;   I  sent  the  horse  likewise.     River  fall'g;  Clear. 

"2d,  Munday. — Employed  9  Carpenters,  3  Bakers,  29  at  the 
Parapett,  17  in  the  woods,  6  in  the  Garden,  2  Sawers.  Fine  clear 
Aveather. 

"  3,  Tuesday. — Employed  to-day  9  carpenters,  14  at  the  Garden, 
1 2  with  the  wagon,  34  at  the  Parapett,  3  bakers,  3  smiths.  Fine 
clear  weather. 

"4th,  Wednesday. — Employed  29  at  the  Parapett,  22  with  the 
cart  and  in  the  Garden,  9  Carpenters,  3  smiths,  3  bakers. 

"  This  day,  at  Noon,  John  Lee  arrived  here  &  informed  me  that 
Capt'n  Morgan  &  Lewt.  Ingle,  with  30  men,  were  upon  the  march 
heither,  &  had  under  their  Eschort  44  bullocks  for  the  use  of  this 
Garrison ;  he  said  he  left  them  on  this  side  Shamochan  mountain. 

"  Capt'n  Morgan  and  Lieut.  Ingle  arrived  at  2  P.  M.,  with  the 
party,  &  informed  me  they  left  the  Cattle  ab't  i  ]/,  miles  distance 
from  this,  under  the  care  of  two  soldiers,  upon  which  I  immedi- 
ately sent  a  Guard  of  i  Serg't  &  1 2  men  to  the  Bullocks. 

"At  3  P.  M.  I  had  an  allarm;  I  sent  Capt'n  Jamison,  Lieuts. 
Garraway  &  Clark  with  a  party  of  50  men  to  the  Bullocks  to 
support  the  Sergt's  Com'd  there ;  found  the  allarm  false.  At  4 
P.  M.,  the  Indians  named  William  Taylor  and  his  wife,  and  Jamy 
Narrow  arrived  here  from  the  Ohio. 

"  5th,  Thursday. — Employed  9  Carpenters,  29  at  the  Parapett, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  227 

1 8  making  Rails  for  the  bullock  pen,  14  guarding  the  cattle,  j 
smiths,  3  bakers,  2  sawers;  in  Garden. 

"This  day,  Indian  William  Taylor  informed  me  that  the  part}- 
that  killed  the  two  Centinalls  had  left  two  letters,  the  one  from 
an  English  woman  Prisoner  (whom  he  saw)  the  other  from  the 
French  officer  that  Commanded  the  party  to  me  here.  I  sent  a 
party  derectly  to  hunt  for  these  letters,  but  they  return  &  inform 
me  they  could  not  find  them. 

"William  Taylor  further  informs  me  that  the  French  &  Indians 
are  determined  to  come  in  a  Large  body  &  besiege  Fort  Augusta, 
when  the  leaves  is  the  size  of  a  Dollar.  He  says  they  are  in  great 
want  of  Provisions  at  Venengo,  &  that  there  is  a  French  Fort 
there. 

"6th,  Friday. — Employed  to-day  33  at  the  Parapetts,  10  in  the 
Garden,  13  with  the  Cattle,  15  in  the  woods,  9  Carpenters,  3 
bakers,  3  smiths. 

•  "This  day,  at  Noon,  Capt'n  Hanbright,  Capt'n  Young,  &ca., 
arrived  here  with  17  Battoes.  The  Indians,  William  Ta},-lor  and 
James  Narrow,  and  Wm.  Taylor's  wife,  sett  out  from  hence  with  a 
Canoe  for  John  Harris's.  I  sent  in  the  canoe  John  Carter  with 
orders  to  deliver  the  Indians  to  John  Harris. 

"7,  Saturday.— Employed  to-day  33  at  the  Parapett,  10  in  the 
Garden,  13  garding  the  Cattle,  15  in  ye  woods,  9  Carpenters,  3 
bakers,  3  smiths.  This  day  the  Commissary  Mustered  all  the 
Reg't.     Fine  Clear  weather. 

"  8th,  Sunday. — No  sermon  to-day ;  had  a  General!  Revew  of 
the  Reg't  and  Detachm'ts.     Fine  clear  weather. 

"9th,  Munday. — Employed  to-day  at  the  Parapett,  at  the  Gar- 
den, in  the  woods,  &ca. ;  clear  weather. 

"  loth,  Tuesday. — Employed  as  yesterday;  the  paj-mast'r  sett 
off  from  hence  w't  him  the  Capt'ns  Morgan  &  Patterson,  Lieut's. 
Ingle  and  Miles,  and  Ensigne  Patterson,  at  8  A.  M.,  with  a  party 
of  1 5  soldiers  and  1 3  Battoes.  This  evening  a  great  many  disch'd 
men  went  from  hence;  fine  \veather. 

"  I  ith,  Wednesday. — -It  rained  so  much  to-day  that  I  could  not 
work  at  the  Parapett  nor  at  any  other  thing,  so  no  work  done 
to-day.     John  Meech,  at  6  P.  M.,  Express  from  Ft.  Hallifax. 


226  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAXCH    VALLE\-. 

"  1 2th,  Thursday. — Employed  to-day  at  the  Garden  and  in  the 
woods ;  too  wett  for  working  at  the  Parapett. 

"13th,  Friday. — Employed  to-day  at  the  Garden,  the  Ditch 
being  too  wett ;  cold  weather. 

"  14th,  Saturday. — Employed  to-day  in  the  woods,  at  ye  Garden 
and  building  officers  rooms,  being  too  wett  to  work  at  the  Ditch. 
River  falling. 

"  15th,  Sunday. — This  morning  at  8  A.  M.,  the  following  Gent'n 
sett  out  from  hence  to  go  a  Recruiting,  vizt. :  Capt'ns  Lloyd, 
Shippen,  Jamison,  Hambright  and  Trump,  Capt'n  Lieut.  Davis  & 
Lieut.  Clark,  in  the  battoes  man'd  with  disch'd  soldiers ;  at  1 1  A. 
M.  the  Indian  left  this;  fine  clear  weather,  river  fall'g. 

"  1 6th,  Munday. — Employed  at  the  Garden  and  ye  bank. 

"  17th,  Tuesday. — Employed  to-day  at  the  Ditch,  and  Garden, 
and  officer's  rooms. 

"  1 8th,  Wednesday. — Employed  as  yesterda}-;  this  day  at  1 1  A. 
M.,  Capt'n  Patterson  arrived  here  with  the  Battoes,  and  brought  2 
four  pound  Canon. 

"  19th,  Thursday. — Employed  to-day  at  the  Parapett  14  men; 
sent  off  the  Battoes  to  Fort  Hallifax,  under  the  Command  of 
Lieut.  Henshaw,  at  10  A.  M.  Rec'd  Information  this  evening 
that  a  Number  of  Indian  tracts  were  seen  one  mile  and  a  half 
distance  from  the  Fort;  ordered  Capt'n  Patterson,  Ensignes  Alli- 
son &  McKee  and  a  party  of  30  men  to  follow  the  tracs  early  to- 
morrow morning,  and  Endeavour  to  come  up  with  them,  and  Kill 
and  take  Prisoners  the  whole  if  they  could. 

"  20,  Friday. — Capt'n  Patterson  and  the  part\-  marched  earl\- 
this  morning  agreeable  to  orders. 

"  Capt'n  Patterson  returned  at  10  A.  M.,  and  reports,  that  the 
tracs  were  some  days  old,  and  that  he  could  not  follow  them  farr. 
Employed  at  the  Ditch,  &  14  Cattle  Guard. 

"21st,  Saturday. — Employed  25  at  the  Barr'k,  14  Cattle  Guard, 
8  Carp'rs,  6  at  the  Garding,  2  sawers,  2  bakers,  4  smiths.  This 
Evening  two  men,  Named  Wolf  &  Hamilton,  arrived  here  Ex- 
press; Woolf  from  Lieut.  Ingle  from  Reading.  Ordered  a  Gen- 
erall  Revew  of  ye  Garrison  to-morrow,  at  1 1  A.  M. 

"  22d,  Sunday. — This   morning   I   was  informed  b)'  the  lower 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY.  229 

Centrys  of  the  Palasades,  that  Severall  Indian  hallows  were  heard 
over  the  River;  detauch'd  Capt'n  Patterson,  Lieuts.  Garraway  & 
Clayton,  and  a  party  of  40  men  over  the  River  this  morning,  at  8 
A.M.,  after  the  Enemy.  Detauch'd  Ensignes  Brodhead  &  Miles 
with  a  small  Reconoitering  party  of  12  men  over  the  mountain'  by 
the  spring,  as  I  have  some  Reason  to  suspect  the  Enemy  lurking 
there  from  my  observation  this  night.  11  A.  M.  One  of  the 
soldiers  of  the  Bullock  Guard  brought  me  in  3  Indian  spears  they 
gott  by  a  tree  that  supports  the  spout  at  ye  spring,*  and  the  tracs 
fresh.  Ordered  the  Bullock  guard  in  with  the  bullocks.  I  sup- 
pose these  Indians,  laying  wait  for  the  Centrys  on  the  Bullocks, 
observ'g  the  Reconoitering  party,  went  of  so  precipitantly  they 
could  not  recover  their  spears.  Ordered  the  Bullock  Guard, 
under  the  Com'd  of  Serg't  Major  Falconer,  to  march  Immediately 
to  the  top  of  the  Hill  on  the  other  side  the  spring,  and  there  laj' 
with  the  party  conceal'd,  untill  he  should  hear  Ensigne  Broadhead 
attack,  and  then  to  march  Immediately  to  his  support.  Ensigne 
Broadhead  returns  with  his  party  and  reports  that  he  came  upon 
the  Indian  tracs'  fresh,  and  pursued,  but  Could  not  overtake  the 
Enemy.  At  3  P.  M.  Capt'n  Patterson  and  Lieuts.  Garrawayf  & 
Clayton  returns  with  the  party,  and  Capt'n  Patterson  reports  that 
he  saw  first  a  great  many  fresh  Indians'  tracs  between  this  and 
Gabriell's  J  place,  upon  which  he  divided  his  party  into  three  parts, 
one  under  his  own  Com'd,  one  under  the  Com'd  of  Lieut.  Garra- 
way, and  one  under  the  com'd  of  Lieut.  Clayton,  that  under  com'd 
of  himself  marching  over  the  mountain,  that  under  the  com'd  of 
Lt.  Garraway  by  the  River,  and  that  under  com'd  Lieut.  Clayton 
in  the  Centre.  On  the  tope  of  ye  Mountain  in  this  Position  they 
followed  the  tracs.  Came  up  with  the  Enemy's  fires  at  Gabriell's, 
but  the  Plnemy  had  discovered  them  and  fled  before  them ;  they 
saw  severall  of  them  on  flats  in  the  River,  but  having  neither 
Battoes  nor  canoes  they  could  not  gett  at  them;  ranged  the 
woods  round  Gabriell's  and  marcht  to  Mahaneoy  and  returned 
home. 

*The  famous  Bloody  Spring. 

f  Colonel  Burd  thus  speaks  of  Lieutenant  Garraway :  "A  gentleman  of  some 
education,  strictly  punctual  in  the  observance  of  duty,  a  good  soldier,  and  ready  to 
exert  himself  at  all  times  in  the  service  of  his  country." 

J  On  the  present  site  of  Selinsgrove. 


230  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"At  5  P.  M.  Had  a  Generall  Revew  of  the  Garrison;  found 
the  Arms,  &ca.,  in  good  order.     Dry  weather;  river  faUing. 

"23d,  Munday. — Employed  30  men  at  the  Parapett;  6  went  to 
the  Island,  a  covering  party  for  the  carpenters  getting  shingles,  14 
with  the  Bullocks,  3  in  the  Garden,  2  Sawers,  4  blacksmiths,  and 
2  bakers.     Fine  rain  to-day. 

"  24th,  Tuesday. — Employed  3 1  men  at  the  parapett,  3  in  the 
Gairden,  14  bullock  gaird,  8  carpenters,  2  sawers,  4  smiths,  2 
bakers. 

"  Ordered  the  officer  and  old  guard  to  Reconoiter  every  morn- 
ing; they  came  off  Guard  by  Rotation,  by  day  break.  Fine  clear 
weather. 

"  25th,  Wednesday. — Employed  as  yesterday.  Nothing  mate- 
riall. 

"  26th,  Thursday. — Employed  to-day  3 1  men  at  the  Parapett,  4 
in  the  Garden,  14  on  the  bullock  guard,  8  carpenters,  2  sawers, 
4  smiths,  2  bakers. 

"  This  morning  at  9  the  Battoes  arrived  under  the  command  of 
Lieut.  Handshaw  loaded.  Mr.  Handshaw  reports  to  me  that  he 
lay  at  Gabriell's  place  last  night  contrary  to  his  Inclination,  being 
forced  so  to  do  by  the  battoemen  who  stopt  here  long  before  sun 
down  and  told  him  they  would  proceed  no  further;  that  the  reason 
he  heard  of  this  determination  of  the  Battoemen  was  that  if  they 
should  arrive  at  Fort  Augusta  last  night  they  knew  the  Major 
would  dispatch  them  next  day  for  Hunter's,  but  if  they  stayed 
there  that  night  they  could  not  well  be  sent  from  Augusta  before 
Saturday  morning.  Mr.  Handshaw  was  under  a  necessity  to 
order  draughts  from  each  Battoe  to  join  the  soldiers  to  make  up  a 
Guard  last  night,  which  the  Battoe  men  absolutely  refused,  and 
behaved  with  great  Contempt,  during  the  whole  Voyage,  to  Mr. 
Handshaw  and  all  the  officers ;  upon  the  party,  upon  their  arrivall 
here,  complaint  being  made  to  me,  I  ordered  three  of  them  Con- 
fined. 

"  27th,  Friday. — Employed  to-day  as  yesterday.  This  morning 
the  Battoemen  sent  me  a  messuage  acquainting  me  that  they  were 
coming  to  me  to  know  the  reason  that  Battoemen  was  confined; 
I  sent  for  answer  that  if  they  had  anything  to  say  to  me  they 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  23 1 

might  send  one  or  two  of  their  number,  but  if  they  attempted  to 
come  to  me  in  a  body,  I  would,  with  my  own  hands,  shoot  the 
first  man  that  approach'd;  upon  which  two  of  their  number  came 
and  told  me  that  in  their  aggream'nt  with  Mr.  Young  they  were 
to  do  nothing  but  work  the  Battoes.  I  gave  them  for  answer  that 
the  present  smallness  of  my  Garrison  laid  me  under  a  Necessity 
to  do  for  the  good  of  the  service  as  well  as  I  could ;  that  if  once 
the  Garrison  was  reinforced  the  Battoemen  would  not  have  any- 
thing to  do  but  work  their  Battoes;  yett  Notwithstanding  they 
might  Expect  I  would  Insist  upon  it  that  the  Battoemen  should 
be  subject  and  punctually  obey  the  orders  given  them  by  the 
officers  from  time  to  time,  (and  as  they  had  used  the  officers 
scornfully,  and  with  great  contempt,  I  would  now  settle  that  point 
with  them  and  convince  them  of  their  Error.)  I  likewise  told 
them  that  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  dispute  the  orders  of  the 
officers  upon  party  nor  depart  from  their  duty  when  at  Hunters, 
Hallifax,  Harris, '&ca.,  without  leave  obtained  from  the  command'g 
officers  of  the  party ;  that  they  should  likewise  obey  the  orders  of 
George  Allen,  and  that  when  they  rec'd  orders  they  should  En- 
deavour to  execute  them  Immediately,  and  if  they  thought  them- 
selves at  any  time  aggreaved,  upon  their  arrivall  at  Fort  Augusta, 
I  should  always  be  ready  to  hear  them  and  give  them  Redress.  I 
desired  them  to  acquaint  all  the  Battoemen  with  this  my  reso- 
lution. 

"  28th,  Saturday. — Employed  to-day  as  yesterday.  The  two 
Battoemen  waited  upon  me  this  morning  and  acquainted  me  that 
the  Battoemen  desired  them  to  acquaint  me  that  they  would  do 
no  other  duty  than  work  their  respective  Battoes,  that  the)- 
thought  they  had  made  a  very  quick  trip,  and  that  I  might  con- 
tinue them  in  this  way  or  give  them  their  discharges.  I  returned 
them  for  answer  that  I  would  do  neither,  and  that  I  was  fulh* 
determined  to  make  Examples  of  all  of  them  that  I  found  Guilt}' 
of  this  piece  of  Mutiny;  that  if  they  Immajined  I  was  under  dif- 
ficulty to  gett  Battoemen,  they  would  find  themselves  in  this  much 
deceived.  I  could  not  put  this  intention  in  Execution  to-da)' 
without  stoping  the  works,  but  I  have  ordered  the  Adjutant  to 
Parade  the  Battoemen  to-morrow  morning,  and  to  acquaint  them 
of  my  orders  to  him,  to  desire  all  of  them  that  was  strickly  willing 


232  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

to  comply  with  m)-  Proposition  to  them  of  yesterday,  to  file  from 
the  others  and  parade  by  themselves,  that  he  might  return  me  a 
Roll  of  them  as  likewise  of  the  malcontents. 

"  29th,  Sunday. — This  morning  the  Adjutant  acquainted  me  he 
had  paraded  the  Battoemen,  and  that  they  acknowledged  their 
fault  and  were  all  willing  to  comply  with  my  orders ;  sent  all  the 
Battoes  four  miles  down  the  River  for  limestones*  to  make  lime 
to  build  a  magazine.  Had  a  Generall  Revew  of  the  Garrison  to- 
day at  5  P.  M. 

"30th,  Munday. — Employed  to-day,  34  at  the  parapett,  14 
Cattle  G\iard,  7  cutting  coal  wood,  7  with  the  wagon,  6  Carpen- 
ters, 5  at  the  limekill,  4  smiths,  3  bakers,  2  sawers,  3  in  the  Gair- 
den ;  sent  the  Battoes  two  trips  for  limestone  to-day. 

"31st,  Tuesday. — Employed  to-day  25  at  the  parapett,  10  with 
the  wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  7  Cutting  Coal  wood,  4  smiths,  2 
sawers,  2  Bakers,  7  Carpenters,  3  at  the  limekill,  3  in  the  Gairden. 
Sent  the  Battoes  two  trips  for  Limestone. 

"Wednesday,  ist  June. — -Employed  to-da}'  13  at  the  Bank,  14 
on  the  Cattle  Guard,  12  with  the  wagon,  2  in  the  Gairden,  2  saw- 
ers, 2  bakers,  4  smiths.     Sent  the  Battoes  two  trips  for  Limestone. 

"  2d  June,  Thursda}'.^This  morning  the  sentence  was  read  of 
the  Court  Martial  ag't  John  Mclntigger,  John  Boyl  &  Robert 
Gorrell;  John  Boyl  Remitted,  John  Mclntigger  and  Rob't  Gorrell 
Drum'd  out  of  the  service. 

"  Employed  to-day  as  yesterday ;  sent  the  Battoes  down  to 
Hunter's,  under  the  Command  of  Capt'n  Weatherholt ;  they  sett 
off  to-day  at  10  A.  M.  The  officers  of  this  party,  Capt'n  Weath- 
erholt, Lieut.  Clayton.  Ensigne  Allison,  party  15  men;  Capt'n 
Patterson  on  leave  of  absence  to  Remove  his  Family. 

"At  6  P.  M.,  this  day,  one  hundred  Indians  arrived  here  from 
the  Treaty  at  Lancaster,  under  the  Care  of  Capt'n  Thos.  McKee  ;t 
they  encamped  above  the  Fort,  towards  the  old  Town ;  ga\'e  them 
Provisions  of  all  kinds,  &  ^  gill  rum  a  man. 

*The  quarry  is  supposed  to  have  been  at  the  point  below  Shamokin  Creek  where 
abundance  of  limestone  is  still  obtained. 

'f  Thomas  McKee  was  a  famous  Indian  trader,  who  lived  at  a  point  on  the  river 
known  to-day  as  "  McKee's  Half  Falls."  In  the  list  of  names  of  Indian  traders  he 
appears  as  having  been  first  appointed  by  the  Provincial  Government  as  early  as  May, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  233 

"3d,  Friday. — Employed  to-day  as  yesterday;  Capt'n  McKee 
delivered  me  an  order  from  the  Commiss'rs  to  deliver  to  every 
Indian  man  4  pound  poudder,  and  16  pound  of  lead,  and  i  quart 
Rum,  which  I  told  him  I  would  punctually  comply  with,  as  like- 
wise Beaff  &  flour  what  they  should  want,  while  the}'  Remained 
here,  and  ^i  gill  of  Rum  a  man,  twice  a  day;  &  at  their  departure 
what  Beaff  &  flour  they  might  want  for  their  Journc}'.  Capt'n 
M'Kee  told  me  that  George  Croghan  had  ordered  me  to  deliver 
to  two  of  the  Indians  2  half  barrels  of  poudder,  besides  the  Com- 
miss'rs allowance,  which  I  Refused  to  Comply  with,  telling  him 
that  if  the  Govern'r  or  Commiss'rs  had  ordered  it  I  should  have 
Complyed  with  their  orders;  but  that  I  would  not  Receive  an}- 
orders  from  George  Croghan.  Capt'n  McKee  shewed  me  the 
Governour's  orders  to  him,  to  which  I  told  Mr.  McKee  I  should 
pay  due  Regard. 

"This  day  the  Indians  gett  troublesome;  obliged  to  Insist  upon 
their  behaviour  being  orderly. 

"4th,  Saturday. — Employed  to-day  as  yett,  only  a  Number  of 
my  people  mending  Indian  Canoes,  &ca.  This  day  the  Tuscorora 
tribe  Informed  me  they  intended  setting  off  up  the  River,  I  gave 
them  Provisions  Enough,  and  5  Gallons  of  Rum ;  they  sett  off 
accordingly;  they  wanted  much  to  purchase  Rum;  I  told  them 
there  was  none  here,  to  sell.  This  day  all  the  Indians  intended  to 
go,  but  an  accident  happening,  vizt.,  one  Indian  Girle  shott  another 
with  a  BuUott  and  4  sv,'an  shott  through  her  arm,  detained  them : 
this  Girle  that  was  shott  was  New  Castle's  Daughter.* 

1744.  August  12,  1752,  he  was  granted  a  warrant  for  a  tract  of  200  acres  "on  the 
Susquehanna  over  the  blue  hills."  This  land,  at  that  time,  had  not  been  purchased 
from  the  Indians.  As  early  as  1 749  he  was  assessed  in  Paxtang,  which  shows  that 
he  must  have  possessed  land  before  his  warrant  for  200  acres  was  issued.  He  was 
the  son  of  Patrick  McKee,  who  lived  in  Paxtang  as  early  as  1730.  Thomas  McKee 
died  at  his  famous  place  on  the  Susquehanna  in  April,  1772. 

*She  was  the  granddaughter  of  the  famous  Queen  AUiquippa  mentioned  in  Wash- 
ington's Journal.  New  Castle  was  so  named  by  Governor  Morris,  August  22,  1755, 
at  a  council  held  at  Philadelphia.  "Addressing  himself  to  Kanuksusy,  the  son  of 
old  AUiquippa,  whose  mother  is  now  living  near  Raystown,  desired  him  to  hearken, 
for  he  was  going  to  give  him  an  English  name.  '  In  token  of  our  affection  for  your 
parents,  and  in  expectation  of  your  being  a  useful  man  in  these  perilous  times,  I  do, 
in  the  most  solemn  manner,  adopt  you  by  the  name  of  New  Castle,  and  order  you  to 
be  called  hereafter  by  that  name  which  I  have  given  you,  because,  in   1 701,  I  am 


2],4  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"  The  Indians  are  \ery  well  pleased  w't  the  usage,  and  behave 
well  and  orderly,  find'g  they  are  obliged  so  to  do. 

"  5th,  Sunday. — This  day  Mr.  McKee  advised  me  to  call  the 
Cheeffs  of  the  Indians  together  at  my  house,  and  putt  them  in 
mind  of  their  promise  to  the  Govern'r  at  Lancaster,  vizt:  Of 
leaving  1 2  of  their  Familys  to  settle  near  Fort  Augusta,  which  I 
did  this  morning,  &  delivered  them  a  speach  &  string  of  wampum 
to  the  Following  purpose : 

'"Brethren  of  the  Six  N.vtions:  I  am  informed  from  your  Brother  Onas, 
our  Govern'r,  that  you  promised  to  him  at  Lancaster  that  12  of  your  Familys  would 
settle  here  &  plant,  &  that  he  had  sent  Thomas  McKee  along  with  you  to  me  to  see 
that  you  was  settled  Comfortably  to  your  Intire  satisfaction;  the  Govern'r  has  ordered 
me  to  take  Care  of  you  &  protect  you,  which  I  promise  faithfully  to  your  Brethren  I 
will  do  to  the  utmost  of  my  power;  but  I  am  this  day  informed  by  Mr.  McKee  that 
you  purpose  all  to  go  away,  &  I  desire  to  know  your  Resolutions  &  Reasons,  if  you 
have  altered  your  minds.' 

"  Gave  them  the  string. 

"  The  Indians  Consulted  together  what  anSwer  to  make  me,  and 
at  last  the  speaker,  Thomas  King,  stood  up  and  spoke  to  me  to 
the  following  purpose : 

"'Brother  Coroiago:  We  never  made  any  such  promise  as  you  mention  to 
our  Brother  Onas;  we  never  intended  to  stay  here.  Perhaps  Ogohrodariho,  Montour 
&  Jo  Pippy  might  make  some  such  promise,  but  if  they  did  it  was  intirely  unknown 
to  us.     We  have  all  our  friends  &  Relations  at  oar  Towns,  and  it  would  not  be  good 


informed  that  your  parents  presented  you  to  the  late  Mr.  William  Penn  at  New 
Castle.' "  In  a  passport  issued  by  Governor  Morris,  published  in  the  Feinisylvavin 
Arc/lives,  Vol.  IT.,  New  Series,  pages  698-9,  New  Castle  is  aKo  called  Cashunyon. 
After  the  defeat  of  Jumonville,  when  Washington,  in  anticipation  of  an  attack  of  a 
large  French  force,  was  busily  engaged  in  enlarging  and  strengthening  Fort  Necessity, 
the  Indians  began  to  flock  to  him.  Towards  night,  on  the  1st  of  June,  1754,  Ensign 
Towers  arrived  with  the  Half  King  Tanacharison,  Queen  Alliquippa  and  her  son, 
and  other  Indians.  On  the  loth  Washington  wrote  to  Governor  Dinwiddle:  "Queen 
Alliquippa  desired  that  her  son.  v.-ho  is  really  a  great  warrior,  might  be  taken  into 
council,  as  she  was  declining  and  unfit  for  business,  and  that  he  should  have  an 
English  name  given  him.  I  therefore  called  the  Indians  together,  by  the  advice  of 
tlie  Half-King,  presented  one  of  the  medals,  and  desired  him  to  wear  it  in  remem- 
brance of  his  great  father,  the  King  of  England,  and  called  him  by  the  name  of 
Colonel  Fairf.ax,  which  he  was  told  signified  the  first  in  council.  This  gave 
him  great  pleasure."  At  a  council  held  at  Easton,  November  17,  1756,  Governor 
Denny,  addressing  Teedyuscung,  said :  "  Since  I  set  out  I  have  heard  of  the  death 
of  several  Indian  friends  by  the  small-pox  at  Philadelphia,  and  particularly  Captain 
New  Castle  is  dead,  who  was  very  instrumental  joined  with  you  as  agent  in  carrying 
on  this  good  work  of  peace."     New  Castle's  daughter's  name  was  Canadahawaby. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXII    VALLEY. 


03 


fnr  us  ti5  stay  here  &  leave  them  there;  therefore  we  give  you  for  answer  that  we  are 
all  going  off  to-day,  S:  that  none  will  stay  here  unless  those  that  dye  (meaning  the 
sick  People  in  the  small  pox,)  which  they  leave  with  me,  &  Recommend  them  to  my 
care,  &  I  promise  to  take  care  of  them.' 

"They  deliver  me  back  my  .string.     The  Councell  breaks  up. 

"At  three  P.  M.  all  the  Indian  Councellors  waits  of  me  and 
acquainted  me  they  wanted  to  speak  with  me  ill  Councell.  I 
went  to  them  accordingly.  The  speakers  gott  up  and  spoack  to 
the  following  purpose: 

"'Brother  Coroiago:  As  our  Brother  On  as  acquainted  us  that  there  would 
be  a  store  of  goods  kept  at  Fort  Augusta,  that  the  Indiaiis  would  bring  down  their 
skins  here  and  be  supplyed  with  what  Necessarys  they  wanted,  in  order  that  they 
might  do  this  with  safety,  they  told  me  they  would  always  come  in  Canoes,  and  Come 
down  the  Midle  of  the  River  in  daylight,  that  I  might  see  them  and  know  them  to  be 
friends,  as  their  Hunters  had  not  flaggs,  and  they  desired  that  I  might  Receive  them 
kindly,  from  time  to  time,  &  use  them  well,  as  they  would  always  be  Coming  down 
the  River,  which  I  promised  to  do,  &  desired  them  to  Rely  upon  my  greatest  friend- 
ship.' 

"They  took  then-  leave  of  me,  and  I  gave  thein  14  Gallons  of 
Rum  and  Provisions,  and  Insisted  that  they  should  not  drink  any 
of  their  Rum  nigh  the  Fort,  but  carry  it  in  their  canoes  up  the 
River,  which  they  said  they  would  do,  and  we  parted. 

"6th,  Munday.— This  day,  William  Sack,  Geo.  Sack  &  William 
Tayler,  2  women  and  i  Child,  informed  me  they  were  not  going 
with  the  other  Indians,  and  were  determined  to  settle  and  plant  2 
miles  up  the  North  branch  and  there  hunt. 

"  Ogohrodariho  and  five  Indian  men,  three  woinen  and  a  boy 
Remain;  three  of  the  Indian  men,  one  woman  and  the  Boy,  very 
bad  in  the  small  pox.  Ogohrodariho  and  two  of  the  Indian  men 
went  up  the  West  branch  this  morning  in  a  canoe  to  hunt,  and 
propose  to  stay  4  nights. 

"Employed  to-day  15  at  the  Parapett,  14  w't  the  cattle,  14  get- 
ting shingles  on  the  Island,  7  w't  ye  wagon,  2  in  the  Garden,  2 
Sawers,  2  at  the  lime  kill,  2  bakers. 

"/th,  Tuesday. — Employed  to-day  23  at  the  Parapett,  14  with 
the  cattle,  8  with  the  wagon,  9  carp'rs,  9  raising  a  smith  shop,  2 
sawers,  2  bakers,  4  Smiths.     Nothing  materiall. 

"8th,  Wednesday. — Employed  21  at  the  Parapett,  14  with  the 
cattle,  10  with  the  wagon,  2  Sawers,  4  Smiths,  4  in  the  Gairding, 


236  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEV. 

2  bakers,  i  candle  Maker.  This  morning  one  of  the  Indians  that 
was  bad  with  the  small  pox  died.  Ordered  him  to  be  laid  out, 
and  a  shirt,  &ca.,  put  upon  him,  and  a  grave  to  be  dugg  for  him, 
at  the  old  Town  where  the  Indians  was  always  burried;  Mr.  Mc- 
Kee  signifying  to  me  that  this  would  be  agreeable  to  the  Indians ; 
the  coffin  is  making.     Burried  the  Indian  this  Evening. 

"9th,  Thursday. — Employed  to-day  21  men  at  the  Bank,  14  the 
cattle  Guard,  12  with  the  wagon,  4  smiths,  2  sawers,*  2  bakers,  2 
in  the  Garding,  8  carp'rs,  1  butcher. 

"This  morning,  at  10  A.  M.,  arrived  here  our  Fleet  of  Battoes; 
at  1 1  A.  M.  arrived  three  Indian  men,  one  woman  and  one  child- 
ren, vizt:  William  Sack,  George  Sack  and  William  Taylor,  Og- 
ohrodariho's  wife  and  child.  These  Indians  came  here  all  Drunk ; 
the  three  men  came  from  their  cabin,  which  they  inform'd  me  was 
three  miles  from  this,  up  the  North  branch ;  the  woman  went  from 
this  on  Sunday  with  the  main  hpdy  of  the  Indians,  &  they  would 
not  inform  me  where  she  was  come  from.  It  surprised  me  a  good 
deall  to  see  them  come  here  all  drunk,  knowing  they  had  no  liquor 
of  their  own,  which  led  me  to  ask  many  questions,  to  which  they 
would  gi\'e  me  no  satisfactory  answer. 

"At  4  P.  M.,  a  party  of  Indians  fired  upon  the  Bullock  Guard 
Centrys  and  killed  one  of  them.  The  Bullock  Guard  attackt  the 
Indians  Immediately.  In  this  skirmish  sixteen  shotts  was  Ex- 
changed. I  detauched  three  partys  from  the  fort  to  their  support. 
The  three  Indians,  Named  on  ye  other  side,  went  along  with  my 
partys;  Indian  William  Taylor  ran  ahead  of  the  foremost  party, 
and  kept  hooping  and  hallow'g,  and  fired  twice.  The  Bullock 
Guard  had  put  the  Enemy  to  the  flyght  before  the  other  partys 
gott  up.  They  pursued  as  did  the  partys,  but  could  not  overtake 
the  Enemy.  When  the  partys  returned  to  the  Fort,  Indian  Wil- 
liam Taylor  told  me  that  he  saw  the  Enemy  and  that  they  called 
out  to  him,  what,  are  you.  Uncle,  going  to  help  the  white  People? 

*  Throughout  this  journal  it  will  be  noticed  that  men  were  kept  constantly  at  work 
witt  the  saw.  This  was  the  only  method  they  had  at  that  day  of  manufacturing 
boards  and  square  timber.  It  was  known  as  "whip  sawing."  One  man  stood  in  a 
pit  underneath  the  log,  which  was  mounted  on  trestles,  and  drew  the  saw  down, 
whilst  the  other,  who  stood  on  the  log,  drew  it  up.  The  process  was  slow  and  labori- 
ous, but  it  answered  the  purpose. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  23/ 

After  this  he  told  me  he  did  not  see  them  and  that  he  only  fired 
for  fun. 

"  I  ordered  Lieut.  Handshaw,  Ensignes  Broadhead  *  and  Patter- 
son, to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  march  after  the  Enemy 
with  a  party  of  Thirty  men,  upon  which  WiU'm  Taylor  grew 
furious  and  swore  he  would  go  to  his  cabin ;  he  told  me  at  the 
same  time  that  the  French  were  very  good,  and  that  we  (meaning 
the  white  People)  had  settled  the  French  upon  the  Ohio,  and  had 
gott  money  for  it;  that  we  had  taken  all  the  Indian's  Lands  from 
them,  and  that  land  on  which  Fort  Augusta  stands  was  theirs.  I 
suspected  this  Indian  much;  he  attempted  to  gett  off  severall 
times,  but  I  would  not  suffer  him,  least  he  should  carry  Intelli- 
gence to  the  Enemy,  by  which  means  they  might  waylay  my 
party  and  cutt  them  off;  and  I  had  great  Reason  to  suspect  this 
from  the  Behaviour  of  this  Indian. 

"  Mr.  McKee  told  me  it  was  his  opinion  that  the  whole  Body  of 
the  Indians  was  a  few  miles  up  the  North  Branch,  (mean  those 
that  came  from  the  Treaty  at  Lancaster,)  and  advised  me  not  to 
send  the  party  this  night.  I  ordered  the  party  under  the  Com'd 
of  Lieut.  Handshaw  to  march  upon-  the  Tracs  by  break  of  day  in 
the  morning;  and  If  he  found  them  to  be  the  above  Body  of  In- 
dians, not  to  fire  upon  them  nor  discover  himself  and  party,  but  to 
vew  them  and  return  to  Fort  Augusta. 

"The  man  that  was  killed  was  Henry  Worm  of  Capt'n  Rey- 
nold's Comp'y;  brought  him  home  and  buried  him. 

"  loth,  Friday. — Employed  to-day  20  men  at  the  Parapett,  14 
Cattle  Guard,  16  in  ye  Carding,  8  carpenters,  4  smiths,  2  bakers, 
2  sawers,  i  wagoner,  i  candle  maker. 

"At  II  A.M.  Mr.  Handshaw  returns,  having  executed  my  orders 
to  him  of  yesterday,  &  Reports  that  he  Reconoitered  all  the  moun- 
tains for  6  miles  on  this  side  of  the  North  Branch,  &  then  crossed 
the  River  and  Reconoitered  the  other  side,  and  found  beds  and 
tracs  of  Indians,  but  could  not  follow  them. 

"At  Noon  Lieut.  Humphreys  arrived  here  with  Ensignes  Kern 
and  Biddle  and  a  Detachment  of  Lieut.  Col'I  Wiser's  Battalion  of 
47  men;  Mr.  Humphrey's  delivered  me  his  Instructions  from  Col'I 

*" Ensign  Broadhead,  a  gentleman  of  little  education  but  a  very  good  soldier; 
does  his  duty  well  and  cheerfully." — Colonel  Burd. 


238  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

Wiser.  This  Detauchment  is  sent  to  relieve  the  Uke  Number  on 
Duty  here.  I  delay  sending  them  a  few  days,  as  I  have  great 
Reason  to  suspect  the  Body  of  Indians  mentioned  before  has  an 
Intention  to  try  to  surprise  the  Garrison,  as  they  saw  our  Num- 
bers small  when  they  were  here. 

"At  2  P.  M.  Ogohrodariho  and  the  other  two  Indians  arrives 
from  the  west  branch  in  2  canoes ;  they  report  a  party  of  the 
Enemy  had  crossed  the  River  17  miles  up  the  branch,  and  they 
saw  their  tracs  coming  towards  Fort  Augusta. 

"At  2  P.  M.  William  Sack,*  George  Sack  and  William  Taylor, 
went  from  this  up  the  North  branch  to  their  cabin;  at  7  P.  M. 
William  Sack,  George  Sack  and. one  Hencoak,  a  white  man,  ar- 
rives here  from  their  cabin.  Hencoak  informs  me  he  saw  three 
Indians  in  white  new  shirts  a  cross  the  River,  and  that  about  3  or 
4  miles  above  the  Cabin  there  was  a  great  many  Indian  fires, 
which  he  takes  to  be  the  Body  of  the  Indians  that  went  from 
hence. 

"  I  ommitted  to  mention  in  Thursday  that  one  of  the  Bullock 
Guard  Centrys  told  me  that  he  saw  the  Indians  before  they  fired 
upon  the  other  Gentry,  and  could  have  shott  severall  of  them,  but 
he  knew  them  very  well  to  be  the  Indians  that  went  from  this,  & 
thought  they  were  friends  coming  to  Fort  Augusta ;  to  this  he  is 
willing  to  be  Qualified;  this  Gentry  was  afterwards  shott  at  twice 
by  the  Indians,  and  returned  them  five  shotts,  and  wounded  one 
of  them  badly,  but  he  gott  up  and  gott  off;  the  Gentry's  name  is 
John  Ermon  of  Gapt'n  Weatherholt's  Gompany. 

"  I  ith,  Saturday. — Employed  to-day  50  men  at  the  Parapett,  8 
in  the  Gairden,  4  smiths,  2  sawers,  2  Bakers,  8  carpenters,  i  candle 
maker.  I  have  been  under  a  Necessity  of  hawling  up  the  Battoes 
and  corking  them  all,  and  new  pay'ing  them,  as  they  are  so  laiky 
they  wont  sweem. 

"  Ogohrodariho  t  and  the  other  two  Indians  told  me  to-day  they 

*  George  and  William  Sack  were  vagabond  Cayugas,  and  resided  at  the  Conestoga 
town.  They  were  untrustworthy,  and  both  were  accused  by  the  "  Paxtang  Boys"  of 
committing  murders.  They  fell  at  the  massacre  of  the  Conestoga  Indians  at  the  jail 
in  Lancaster,  December,  1763.     Nothing  is  known  of  Taylor. 

f  Ogoh-ro-dari-ho,  Agagh-ra-darisha,  or  Og-ha-gha-disha,  was  an  Onondaga  chief, 
residing  on  the  North  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna.  The  first  we  hear  of  him  was  at 
a  conference,  held  at  the  camp  at  Armstrong's,  June  10,  1756,  with  Colonel  William 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY,  239 

spoke,  three  days  a;^o,  with  17  French  Indians  and  two  French 
men  coming  to  Fort  Augusta;  but  I  suspect  the  truth  of  this. 

"  George  Hills,  of  Capt'n  Reynold's  Comp'y,  says  that  he  saw 
the  Indians  on  Thursday  last,  &  knew  them  well  to  be  the  Indians 
that  slept  at  the  middle  fire  place  at  Fort  Augusta,  &  never  mis- 
trusted them  untill  they  fired  &  shott  one  centry  through  the  arm, 
upon  which  he  presented  at  one  of  the  Indians  who  was  stand'g 
with  his  brest  to  him  ab't  15  yards  distance,  but  his  Gun  snapt; 
to  the  truth  of  this  he  will  be  Qualified;  he  further  says  that  he 
could  have  killed  severalls  of  them  as  they  past  him,  as  they  did 
not  see  him. 

"  nth,  Saturday. — Ordered  a  Generall  Review  of  the  Garrison 
to-morrow  at  4  P.  M.  Great  deall  of  Rain  to-day;  stopt  the 
works. 

"  1 2th,  Sunday. — Sent  out  severall  Reconoitering  partys  to-day, 
returned  &  reports  no  Discovery.  Had  a  Generall  Revew  accord- 
ing to  the  orders  of  yesterday.  Sent  Ogohrodariho  up  the  North 
branch  to  Reconoiter,  with  orders  to  go  to  Lapach  Peetos  town, 
about  ten  miles  from  hence,  where  I  suspect  the  Body  of  the 
Indians  to  lay. 

"  Ogohrodariho  returns  with  William  Taylor,  and  reports  that 
William  Taylor  told  him  he  saw  Indians  every  day,  but  that  he 
thought  the  Indians  were  not  at  Lapach  Peetos  Town.  I  suspect 
William  Taylor  to  be  a  spy. 

"13th,  Monday. — Employed  40  men  at  ye  Parapett,  14  Cattle 
Guard,  15  the  wagon,  8  at  the  smith's  shope,  2  sawers,  2  bakers, 
I  candle  maker,  8  carpenters.  The  Centry  on  the  upper  Palasade 
Bastion  reports  he  saw  4  Indians  come  cross  the  River,  at  the  head 
of  ye  Island,  allarmed  the  Cattle  Guard,  &  sent  out  two  partys  & 
6  officers  to  surround  them.  The  Partys  return  at  2  P.  M.,  and 
reports  they  could  find  no  Indians  nor  saw  no  tracs. 

"  14th,  Tuesday. — Employed  44  men  at  the  Parapett,  18  with 

Clapham,  when  he  advucated  the  building  of  a  fort  at  Shamokin.  He  was  called  an 
"old  man,"  but  "  a  noted  friend  of  the  English,  and  known  by  the  Province  of  Penn- 
sylvania." He  not  only  advised  the  building  of  Fort  Augusta,  but  suggested  the 
erection  of  another  at  Adjouquay  (mouth  of  the  Lackawanna).  He  paid  a  second 
visit  to  Shamokin  in  October  following,  conveying  an  important  message.  Nothing 
further  is  known  of  him. 


240  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  5  at  the  smith's  shope,  4  smiths,  8 
carpenters,  2  Sawers,  2  Bakers,  i  Candle  maker.  This  Evening 
Williarn  Taylor  came  here  from  his  cabin  &  William  Sack. 

"Wednesday,  15th. — Employed  55  at  the  Parapett,  14  Cattle 
Guard,  14  with  the  Wagon,  8  Carp'ters,  4  smiths,  2  Sawers,  2 
Gairden,  i  Wagoner,  i  Candle  maker.  This  day  at  Noon  one 
Indian  man,  two  women  &  3  Children  arrived  here  from  Diahoga, 
they  came  for  flour;  they  report  that  the  Indians  are  to  kill  French 
Margaret  &  all  her  Family. 

"  16th,  Thursday. — Employed  65  at  the  Parapett,  14  Cattle 
Guard,  6  Carpenters,  4  smiths,  2  sawers,  2  bakers,  i  rendering 
Tallow,  2  Gairdeners.  At  4  P.  M.  the  foUow'g  Indians  arrive 
from  Lancaster:  Rob't  White,  Sam,  John  &  Young  John,  one 
woman  and  a  Girle,  and  2  Children,  being  Nanticoks,  in  a  Battoe 
loaded  with  Goods,  their  present. 

"  17th,  Friday. — Employed  31  at  the  Parapett,  14  catde  Guard, 
9  with  "the  wagon,  8  Carp'rs,  4  Smiths,  2  bakers,  2  sawers,  i  ren- 
dering Tallow,  2  Gairdeners.  This  morning  at  9  A.  M.  Lieut. 
Allen,  Ensignes  Broadhead  and  Hughes  marcht  with  a  party  of 

15  men  and Battoes  for  Hunter's  for  stores.     Lieut.  Hand- 

shaw  and  Ensigne  Thorn  marcht  with  the  Releived  Detachments 
of  Coll.  Wiser,  Capt's  Bussy's,  Morgan's  and  Smith's  Comp'ys. 
This  day  the  Indians,  arrived  on  Wednesday,  Insist  upon  having 
flour,  Rum,  pouder,  led  and  flints;  they  have  accordingly  150  ft>s. 
flour,  5  Gall's  rum,  6  lbs.  poudder,  14  ft)s.  lead  and  a  handfuU  of 
flints. 

"This  day,  at  3  P.  M.,  10  Delaware  Indians  arrived  here,  vizt: 
Joseph  Nutimus  (one  of  the  Cheeffs  of  that  Nation),  John,  3 
women  &  5  children;  they  inform  me  that  the  Indians  that  came 
here  on  Wednesday,  left  an  Indian  man,  their  Uncle,  a  little  way 
from  this,  up  the  North  branch,  and  that  they  found  him  drowned 
in  the  River  with  a  KetUe  on  his  head,  and  they  buried  him. 

"  1 8th,  Saturday. — Employed  12  men  at  the  Bank,  26  at  the 
Turneep  ground,  2  in  the  Gairden,  i  wagoner,  14  Cattle  Guard,  4 
smiths,  4  sawers,  2  Bakers,  i  candle  maker.  So  much  water  in 
the  Ditch  I  Could  not  Employ  more  men  on  the  Parapett  to-day. 
At  10  A.  M.,  Ogohrodariho  and  his  Family  went  up  the  River  to 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  24 1 

return  in  three  days.  The  Indians  that  arrived  on  Wednesday 
sett  off  at  the  same  time.  Robert  White  and  the  Nanticoks  sett 
off  at  4  P.  M.;  they  were  supplyed  with  pouder,  lead,  Rum  and 
flour,  as  the  other  Indians. 

"Sunday,  19th. — Indian  Sarah,  a  Nanticok  woman,  return'd 
this  morning  for  a  match-coat  she  had  forgott,  and  reports  she 
saw  no  signes  of  Indians  as  she  came  along.  This  day,  at  2  P.  M., 
Sarah  went  from  this,  as  likewise  two  Tuscorora  men,  three  women 
and  one  little  Girle;  they  went  up  the  North  Branch  to  make  a 
Bark  Canoe,  and  propose  to  return  in  two  days. 

"  No  Revew  to-day,  as  the  Delaware  Indians  are  here  and  my 
Garrison  so  small  that  I  don't  choice  to  give  them  an  opportunity 
of  knowing  my  Numbers. 

"20th,  Munday. — Employed  28  men  at  the  Parapett,  21  at  ye 
Turneep  Ground,  14  cattle  Guard,  4  carpenters,  4  sawers,  4  smiths, 
2  bakers,  i  plowman,  i  candle  maker,  2  Gairdners.  Very  great 
rain  at  Noon  to-day  and  continued  untill  night;  Stopt  all  the 
works;   River  rises. 

"  2 1  St,  Tuesday. — Employed  to-day  20  at  the  Parapett,  4  at  the 
Turneep  ground,  4  with  the  sawers,  4  sawers,  3  smiths,  2  Bakers, 

1  candle  maker,  i  wagoner,  14  Cattle  Guard,  2  waggoners.  Rain 
to-day. 

"  22d,  Wednesday. — Employed  30  Parapett,  14  Cattle  Guard,  4 
Turneep  ground,  8  w't  ye  Wagon,  3  carpenters,  3  smiths,  4  sawers, 

2  Bakers,  i  Candle  Maker,  i  wagoner,  2  Gairdners.  A  great  deal 
of  rain  to-day. 

"23d,  Thursday. — Employed  18  at  the  Parapett,  13  Turneep 
Ground,  14  Cattle  Guard,  6  with  the  wagon,  3  smiths,  4  sawers,  2 
bakers,  i  Candle  maker,  i  wagoner,  2  Gairdners. 

"This  day,  at  10  A.  M.,  three  partys  of  Indians  surrounded  the 
Cattle  Guard,  killed  4  &  wounded  5  men  of  the  party,  and  4  men 
escaped,  one  being  shott  through  the  hatt;  the  party  gave  them 
Battle,  but  was  overpower'd  with  Numbers.  I  sent  two  partys  to 
their  support  Instantly  upon  hearing  the  Guns,  but  the  Enemy 
run  at  the  approach  of  the  partys ;  they  scalpt  three  of  the  men 
&  was  scalping  the  4th,  but  were  obliged  by  the  first  party  to  fly 
without  the  scalp;  the  Indian  Ogohrodariho  went  along  with  the 


24^  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

partys,  &  behaved  \er)'  well  upon  the  occasion;  the  partj's  pur- 
sued without  success.  All  the  Party  was  Wounded  at  the  first 
fire;  yett,  notwithstanding,  they  returned  the  fire  severall  times 
upon  the  Enemy;  when  the  supports  came  up  they  found  the 
Bullock  Guard  all  in  the  field,  none  having  given  ground  but  one, 
Alex.  Fisher,  of  Capt'n  Patterson's  Compa'y.  List  of  the  killed 
&  wounded,  vizt:  Major's  Comp'y — George  Kelly,  killed;  Serg't 
John  McDonald,  Thomas  Row,  John  Cliss,  wounded.  Capt'n 
Weatherholt's — Matinas  Coal,  killed.  Capt'n  Morgan's — James 
Kelly,  killed.  Capt'n  Patterson's — Corp'I  Robert  Parker,  killed  ; 
Xath.  Barber,  Will'm  Watson,  wounded.  They  Enemy  left  in  the 
field  one  Gun,  two  Tomehawks  &  two  match  Coats ;  the  Number 
of  the  Enemy  was  about  40  Indians;  when  they  fled  they  went 
all  of  the  field  singly,  which  rendered  in  Impracticable  to  trac 
them. 

"24th,  Friday. — Emplo>-ed  18  at  the  Parapett,  14  Cattle  Guard, 
4  sawers,  3  smiths,  2  bakers,  3  carpenters,  1 2  with  the  wagon,  1 
candle  maker. 

"At  12  P.  M.,  the  Battoes  arrived  here  under  the  Command  of 
Capt'n  Hambright  with  the  following  officers,  Capt'n  Patterson, 
Lieut.  Allen,  Ensignes  Broadhead  and  Morgan,  and  Recruits. 

"  Ordered  Capt'n  Hambright,  Lieut.  Miles  and  Ensigne  Alhson 
v>'ith  a  party  of  50  men  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to 
march  to-morrow,  being  to  Reconoiter  the  country  20  miles 
round. 

"25th,  Saturday. — Employed  30  men  at  the  Parapett,  14  with 
the  cattle,  4  sawers,  3  smiths,  2  Bakers,  3  Carpenters.  At  3  P.  M. 
the  two  Tuscorora  Indians  came  down  the  River  in  a  Canoe.  As 
it  rains  very  much  to-day  I  have  delayed  sending  Capt'n  Ham- 
bright with  his  party  of  50  men,  and  have  ordered  him,  Lieut. 
Miles  and  Ensigne  Allison,  with  the  party,  to  hold  themselves  in 
Readiness  to  march  to-morrow.  Ordered  a  Generall  Revew  of 
the  Garrison  to-morrow  at  4  P.  M. 

"  26th,  Sunday. — Ordered  three  Reconoitering  partys  this  morn- 
ing to  scour  the  woods  all  round  the  Fort,  of  40  men  &  3  officers 
Each.  This  day  at  i.  P.  M.,  Capt'n  Hambright  sett  off  from  this 
with  his  party  of  50  men,  in  consequence  of  my  orders  of  Friday. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  243 

The  reconoitering  partys  returns  and  reports  no  signes  of  the 
Enemy. 

"This  evening  at  7  P.  M.,  a  woman*  wading  the  River  oposite 
to  the  Gentry  of  the  upper  Pallasade  Bastion,  was  discovered  by 
said  Gentry  &  called  to  the  woman  to  know  who  she  was,  and  she 
answered,  a  Prisoner  that  had  made  her  Escape  from  the  Indians. 
I  sent  a  Battoe  and  brought  her  over;  she  proved  to  be  one  Betty 
Armstrong,  the  wife  of  James  Armstrong,  (a  soldier  in  this  Gar- 
rison,) who  was  taken  captive  by  the  Indians  from  Junietto,  18 
months  agoe. 

"  27th,  Munday. — Employed  60  at  the  Parapett,  20  with  the 
wagon,  14  Gattle  Guard,  14  horse  hunting,  4  Smiths,  4  Carpt'rs, 
4  Sawers,  2  bakers,  i  candle  maker;  nothing  materiall. 

"  28th,  Tuesday. — Employed  30  men  at  the  Parapett,  30  Gattle 
Guard,  17  with  the  wagon,  3  at  the  Lyme  kill,  4  smiths,  4  sawers, 
4  carpenters,  2  bakers,  2  Gairdners,  i  candle  maker.  At  3  P.  M. 
Joseph  Nutimus  &  John,  Indians,  arrived  here  from  their  cabins 

*  The  circumstances  connected  with  this  thrilling  afifair  are  as  follows :  In  Febru- 
ary, 1756,  Indians  came  to  Juniata  from  Shamokin,  to  the  house  of  Hugh  Mitcheltrees 
and  killed  his  wife  and  a  young  man;  they  thence  went  and  killed  Edward  Nicholous 
and  his  wife,  and  took  Joseph,  Thomas  and  Catherine  Nicholous,  John  Wilcox,  James 
Armstrong's  wife  and  two  children  prisoners. 

Isaac  Craig,  Esq.,  of  Allegheny, — most  excellent  authority, — says  that  Watson, 
from  whose  Annals  the  above  paragraph  is  taken,  is  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  name 
being  Nicholous,  it  should  be  Nicholson.  Joseph  and  Thomas  Nicholson,  after  a 
long  captivity,  became  famous  as  Indian  interpreters  and  guides.  Joseph  was  the 
guide  and  pilot  who  descended  the  Ohio  with  Washington  in  1770,  and  was  the  only 
man  wounded  in  Brodhead's  expedition  up  the  Allegheny  in  1779.  He  died  in 
Pittsburg. 

In  Sir  William  Johnson's  "  Report  of  Proceedings  with  the  Confederate  Nations 
of  Indians,  at  a  Conference  held  at  Canajohary  "  in  April,  1759,  there  is  a  list  of  five 
prisoners  delivered  to  Sir  William.  The  "3d,  Elizabeth  Armstrong,  a  girl  about  4 
years  old,  taken  by  7  Delaware  Indians  &  a  Squaw  near  Juniata  in  Pennsylvania  in 
the  year  1756." 

What  anguish  and  suffering  must  these  captives  have  endured,  and  how  joyful 
must  have  been  the  meeting  of  "Betty"  Armstrong  and  her  husband  when  she  was 
ferried  across  the  river  to  Fort  Augusta.  It  is  probable  that  she  had  descended 
Lycoming  Creek  by  the  old  trail  and  made  her  way  down  the  river  by  the  route 
usually  traveled.  As  the  child  delivered  to  Sir  William  was  about  4  years  old  in 
April,  1759,  she  must  have  been  less  than  one  year  old  when  stolen  from  her  home 
on  the  Juniata  by  the  Indians.     What  became  of  the  other  child  is  unknown. 


244  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

at  Lapoch  peetos  Town,  they  report  the)-  saw  no  Indians  nor 
tracs. 

"  29th,  Wednesday. — Employed  68  men  at  the  Parapett,  3  cattle 
guard,  20  with  the  wagon,  6  on  the  Island  getting  shingles,  3  lime 
kill,  5  carpenters,  4  Smiths,  4  Sawers,  2  Bakers,  2  Gairdeners,  i 
candle  maker.  At  1 1  A.  M.,  Joseph  Nutimus  *  &  John  sett  off 
from  hence,  they  told  me  they  would  return  one  month  hence  & 
endeav.  to  bring  all  the  Delaware  Indians  with  them,  &  conclude 
peace  as  much  as  in  their  power,  I  was  under  a  Necessity  to  give 
them  two  baggs  of  flour.  These  Indians  assured  me  that  they 
Discovered  the  Enemy  coming  this  way,  that  they  would  return 
Immediately  and  give  me  notice.  They  intend  to  return  here  to 
Live. 

"  30th,  Thursday. — Employed  72  men  at  the  Parapett,  24  cut- 
ting turff,  30  cattle  guard,  5  carpenters,  4  Sawers,  4  smiths,  2 
Bakers,  i  candle  maker,  2  Gairdeners.  At  9  A.  M.  Capt'n  Ham- 
bright  arrived  with  his  party  of  50  men  and  reports  that  he  had 
Reconnoitered  a  circle  of  20  miles  aggreable  to  orders,  and 
had  made  no  discovery  of  an}-  road  being  cutt,  nor  no  fresh 
tracs. 

"Jul}-  1st,  Friday. — Employed  64  at  the  Parapett,  24  with  the 
wagon,  28  cattle  guard,  5  carpenters,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  2  bakers, 
I  candle  maker,  2  Gairdeners.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  2d,  Saturday. — Employed  67  at  the  Parapett,  25  with  the 
wagon,  29  cattle  guard,  5  Carp'rs,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  2  Bakers,  i 
candle  maker.     This  e\'ening  at  dark  ordered  Capt'n  Weatherholt 

*Joseph  Xutimus  was  a  Delaware  Indian  and  chief  of  the  tribe  known  as  the 
Fork  Indians,  and  later  in  life  was  known  as  ''Old  King  Nutimus."  His  home  for 
many  years  was  at  the  mouth  of  Nescopeck  Creek,  where  the  town  of  Nescopeck,  on 
the  North  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  now  stands.  He  lived  there  between  the 
years  1742  and  1763.  At  one  time  he  and  his  people  sympathized  with  the  French, 
and  their  town  was  a  rendezvous  for  those  who  were  plotting  against  the  English  at 
Fort  Augusta.  It  is  believed  that  Nutimus  was  largely  responsible  for  the  slaughter 
of  the  Moravians  at  Gnadenhutten  in  1755.  After  Fort  Augusta  was  built  he  became 
friendly  and  frequently  visited  the  place,  always  arriving  and  departing  in  a  canoe. 
It  is  stated  that  he  abandoned  Nescopeck,  with  his  family,  about  1763  and  went  to 
the  Great  Island,  on  the  West  Branch,  and  thence  joined  the  Delawares  on  the  Ohio. 
He  had  a  son,  Isaac  Nutimus,  who  died  in  Tioga.— C.  F.  Hill,  in  Historical  Reconl, 
Wilkes-Barre. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


245 


and  a  party  of men  to  scout  as  far  as  Mahonoy  and  ruturn 

to-morrow. 

"Ordered  the  Battoes  to  be  in  readiness  to  go  to  Hunter's  to- 
morrow. 

"  3d,  Sunday. — Lieut.  Humphreys,  Ensignes  Broadhead  and 
Scott,  &  a  party  of  30  men,  sett  off  at  11  A.  M.,  with  the  fleett  of 
Battoes  for  Hunter's^  Ensignes  McKee  &  Bidle  had  leave  of 
absence,  the  first  for  3  weeks,  the  latter  to  go  to  Reading  and  to 
return  with  the  first  party;  Capt'n  McKee  went  along  with  the 
Battoes,  and  did  Ogohrodariho,  his  wife  &  daughter,  &  Conostogo 
George. 

"4th,  Munday. — Employed  34  at  the  Parapett,  20  wagon,  30 
Cattle  Guard,  1 1  working  in  one  of  the  Bastions,  i  Carpenter,  4 
smiths,  4  sawers,  2  Bakers,  2  Gairdners,  i  Candle  maker,  i  wag- 
oner.    This  day  it  rained  very  hard  most  part  of  the  day. 

"  5th,  Tuesday. — Employed  32  Parapett,  29  Cattle  Guard,  10 
Carpenters,  4  Smiths,  2  Sawers,  2  Bakers,  i  candle  maker,  3  mak- 
ing pins  for  the  sods  on  the  Parapett.      Rained  very  hard  all  day. 

"6th,  Wednesday. — Employed  44  Parapett,  32  Cattle  Guard, 
12  wagon  party,  10  Carp'rs,  4  Smiths,  4  Sawers,  2  pin  makers,  2 
Bakers,  i  candle  maker.  Took  up  a  Bark  Canoe  coming  down 
the  West  Branch;  Rains  very  much;  River  Rises. 

"  7th,  Thursday. — Employed  43  at  the  Parapett,  22  with  the 
wagon,  14  cattle  guard,  10  carpenters,  4  Smiths,  4  Sawers,  2 
Bakers,  2  Gairdeners,  4  limekill,  2  pin  makers,  i  chandler. 

"  Nothing  materiall. 

"  8th,  Friday. — Employed  5  i  at  the  Parapett,  40  with  the  wagon 
and  Cattle,  10  carpenters,  4  Smiths,  2  Sawers,  2  Bakers,  2  pin 
makers,  1  chandler.     Nothing  Materiall. 

"9th,  Saturday. — Employed  60  Parapett,  20  Wagon,  14  Cattle 
Guard,  10  carp'rs,  4  Smiths,  4  Sawers,  2  Bakers,  2  chandlers,  3 
making  pins.  Nothing  materiall ;  a  Generall  Revew  to-morrow 
at  4  P.  M. 

"  loth,  Sunday. — This  day,  at  i  P.  M.,  the  Battoes  arrived  here, 
under  the  command  of  Capt'n  Trump,  with  him  the  officers,  Lieut. 
Humphreys,  Ensignes  Broadhead  and  Scott,  and  the  Rev'd  Mr. 


246  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

Steell;*  with  this  party  came  33  Recruits.  32  Bullocks,  2  cows, 
and  I  calf,  and  29  sheep,  and  17  Hoggs.  Had  a  Generall  Revew 
this  Evening;  found  the  arms  in  bad  order,  occasioned  by  the 
Number  of  Recruits. 

"nth,  Munday.— Employed  57  at  the  Parapett,  22  w't  the 
wagon,  41  with  the  cattle,  10  carpenters,  4  smiths,  2  bakers,  i 
Pinmaker,  l  chandler,  2  Gairdners;  nothing  materiall. 

"  1 2th,  Tuesday. — Employed  89  at  the  Parapett,  3 1  w't  the 
wagon,  14  Cattle  Guards,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  2  Gairdners,  10 
Carp'rs,  i  Chandler.  Ordered  Lieut.  Miles,  Ensignes  Patterson  f 
and  Allison  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  march  to-morrow 
morning. 

"  13th,  Wednesday. — Employed  52  Parapett,  23  wagon,  14  cat- 
tle guard,  8  carp'rs,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  2  Bakers,  i  Chandler,  i 
Gairdner. 

"This  day,  at  10  A.  M.,  the  Centrys  of  the  wagon  part)'  discov- 
ered, as  they  said,  60  Indians  upon  the  Islands  at  the  mouth  of 
Shamochan  Creek.  I  detauched  Immediately  Capt'n  Patterson 
with  a  party  of  40  men  to  lay  in  ambush  at  the  mouth  of  the 
creek,  ordered  Lieut.  Humphreys  to  take  the  Com'd  of  the  wagon 
party  of  26  men,  upon  hearing  of  the  first  gun,  to  march  with  his 
party  to  the  Island.  The  Battoes  under  the  Com'd  of  Lieut  Miles, 
sett  out  at  12  M.  D.,  ordered  them  to  surround  the  Island,  to  land 
their  men  (being  100  in  Number)  and  to  scour  the  two  Islands. 
Saw  the  battoes  land  on  the  outmost  Island  ab't  i  P.  M.,  they 
fired  4  shotts,  detauched  Immediately  the  Guard  under  the  com'd 
of  Ensigne  Broadhead  whome  I  had  in  Readiness.  Capt'n  Pat- 
terson's party  forded  into  the  Island  Instantly,  as  did  Lieut.  Hum- 
phrey and  Ensigne  Broadhead ;  made  no  discovery.  The  4  shotts 
was  fired  at  3  dear  by  the  Battoemen,  but  could  not  discover  the 
men  that  shott. 

"  14th,  Thursday. — Employed  75  Parapett,  30  w't  ye  wagon,  14 


*Colonel  Burd  says:  "Rev.  Mr.  Steele,  Chaplain,  acts  in  his  station  to  the  gen- 
eral satisfaction  of  all  the  officers,  and  claims  their  respect." — Shippcn  Papers,  page 
103. 

I"  Ensign  Patterson,  a  gentleman  of  little  education,  a  very  good  soldier,  and  does 
duty  well." — Colonel  Burd. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  247 

cattle  guard,  lo  carp'rs,  4  Smiths,  2  Bakers,  4  Sawers,  2  Gaird- 
ners,  i  chandler,  3  pin  makers.  This  day,  at  i  P.  M.,  Joseph 
Nutimus,  Indians,  3  men  &  Sundry  women  and  children,  arrived 
here  in  Canoes  from  Nescopeck;  the  bring  no  Intellegence  New. 

"  15th,  Friday. — Employed  57  Parapett,  10  carpent'rs,  14  cattle 
Guard,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  Bakers,  i  chandler,  29  wagon,  2 
Gairdners,  i  pin  maker.  This  day,  at  2  P.  M.,came  7  canoes  with 
Deleware  Indians ;  they  say  they  came  to  visit  their  Brothers,  the 
English  here,  with  whom  they  were  now  Intirely  &  firmly  at  peace ; 
there  is  here  now  40  Indians.  This  afternoon  the  Indians  waited 
upon  me,  and  told  me  they  were  in  a  starving  condition  &  begged 
that  I  would  Relieve  their  necessitys  by  giving  them  a  little  flour 
to  carry  home  to  their  Famillys.  I  told  them  for  answer  I  could 
not  give  them  any  flour  to  carry  off  without  the  Governour's 
orders,  that  I  had  wrote  the  Governour  upon  this  head,  &  Expect- 
ed an  answer  in  20  days  by  Mr.  Thomas  McKee,  that  if  they 
Inclined  to  live  here  they  should  have  the  same  allowance  w't  the 
soldiers.     They  left  me  very  much  disconted. 

"  i6th,  Saturday. — Employed  45  at  the  Parapett,  28  with  the 
wagon,  14  cattle  Guard,  10  carpenters,  3  smiths,  4  sawers,  2 
Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  i  Chandler,  2  pin  makers. 

"  This  day  2  canoes  w't  Indians  went  off  prodigious  angry  at 
my  refusall  of  a  supply  of  flOur,  &  all  the  others  were  preparing 
to  go,  upon  which  I  reconsidered  the  matter  and  thought  it  most 
prudent  to  stop  them,  and  I  told  them  I  was  sorry  to  see  them  so 
hungry,  and  that  although  I  had  not  the  Governour's  orders,  I 
would  give  them  3  barrells  of  flour  that  they  might  not  dey,  untill 
I  know  the  Governour's  pleasure;  they  thank'd  me,  and  said  they 
now  saw  that  their  Brothers,  ye  English,  would  have  compassion 
on  them  ;  they  were  heartily  sorry  for  what  they  had  done  to  their 
Brothers,  the  English,  but  now  it  was  over,  and  that  they  were  all 
determined  to  Return  to  this  River,  to  their  old  Towns  and  live. 
Ordered  a  Generall  Revew  to-morrow,  at  10  A.  M.,  and  church 
after. 

"  17th,  Sunday. — Had  the  Generall  Revew  and  Church  twice, 
at  which  the  Indians  attended.  I  had  all  the  Indians  to  dinner 
with  me  to-day,  which  gave  great  satisfaction. 


248  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"1 8th,  Munday. — Employed  58  Parapett,  27  with  the  wagon, 
14  cattle  guard,  10  carpenters,  13  mauling  Rails  for  a  hogg  penn, 
4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  i  chandler.  This  day 
at  I  P.  M.,  the  Indians  sett  off  quite  pleased,  and  said  they  would 
return  in  20  days  with  all  the  cheeffs  of  their  Nations. 

"  19th,  Tuesday. — Employed  63  Parapett,  26  w't  the  wagon,  17 
Cattle  Guard,  1 1  carp'rs,  4  smiths,  4  sawers,  2  Gairdners,  2  bakers, 

1  Chandler.     Nothing  Materiall. 

"  20th,  Wednesday. — Employed  65  at  the  Parapett,  27  with  the 
wagon,  1 5  cattle  Guard,  1 1  carpenters,  4  Smiths,  4  Sawers,  2 
bakers,  2  Gairdners,  2  pin  makers,  i  Chandler.  This  day,  at  3  P. 
M.,  Capt'n  Shippen  arrived  here  with  the  fleett  of  Battoes  and  27 
Recruits. 

"21st,  Thursday. — Employed  53  at  the  Parapett,  26  with  the 
wagon,  14  cattle  Guard,  10  carpenters,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  bakers, 

2  Gairdners,  i  chandler,  2  pin  makers.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  22d,  Friday. — Employed  72  at  the  Parapett,  27  with  the  wag- 
on, 14  cattle  Guard,  10  carpenters,  4  sawers,  4  Smiths,  2  bakers,  2 
Gairdners,  2  Masons,  2  pin  makers,  i  Chandler.  Nothing  mater- 
iall. 

"  23d,  Saturday. — Employed  72  at  the  Parapett,  26  with  the 
wagon,  14  Cattle  guard,  10  carpenters,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2 
Bakers,  2  Gairdners,  i  chandler,  2  pin  makers.  Ordered  a  Gen- 
erall  Revew  to-morrow  at  4  P.  M. 

"  24th,  Sunday. — This  morning  I  sent  out  a  Reconoitering  party, 
one  Hundred  men,  with  the  following  officers:  Capt'ns  Ham- 
bright  &  Trump,  Lieut.  Garraway,  Ensignes  Broadhead  &  Alle- 
son.  Had  a  Generall  Revew  to-day  at  4  P.  M.  The  Recon- 
noitering  party  returned  at  9  P.  M.,  &  reported  no  signes  of  the 
Enemy. 

"  25th,  Munday. — Employed  62  at  the  Parapett,  27  with  the 
Wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  Gairdners,  2  pin 
makers,  i  Chandler,  8  sodders.  Ordered  the  Battoes  to  be  ready 
to  sail  to-morrow ;  I  could  not  empty  the  flour  sooner,  having  no 
place  to  put  it  in.  Capt'n  Patterson  and  Ensigne  Miles  goes  w't 
the  Battoes,  and  a  party  of  25  sold'rs;  Lieut.  Garraway,  Ensignes 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  249 

Scott  &  Allison  goes  recruiting.  Ordered  Lieut.  Atlee  *  on  the 
Recruiting  service  from  Ft.  Hallifax,  &  Lieut.  Miles  to  take  post 
there. 

"  26th,  Tuesday. — Employed  54  at  the  Bank,  26  w't  the  wagon, 
14  Cattle  Guard,  8  sodders  of  ye  Bank,  4  Sawers,  10  Carpenters, 
4  Smiths,  2  Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  2  Masons,  2  Chandlers.  This 
day  at  M.  D.  the  Fleett  of  Battoes  sailed  with  the  officers,  Capt'n 
Patterson,  Lieut.  Garraway,  Ensignes  Scott,  Miles  &  Allison,  w't  a 
party  of  25  men. 

"  27th,  Wednesday. — Employed  74  at  the  Parapett,  27  w't  the 
Wagon,  14  Cattle  guard,  10  carp'rs,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  Bakers, 
2   Gairdners,  i   Chandler,  2  masons.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  28th,  Thursday. — Employed  70  at  the  Parapett,  27  with  the 
wagon,  14  with  the  Cattle,  15  Carp'rs,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  bakers, 
2  Gairdners,  2  Masons,  i  Chandler.     Nothing  materiall. 

"29th,  Friday. — Employed  61  at  the  Bank,  27  with  the  wagon, 
14  cattle  guard,  4  Sawers,  4  Smiths,  2  bakers,  2  Gairdners,  2  Ma- 
sons, I  chandler.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  30th,  Saturday. — Employed  62  at  the  Parapett,  30  with  the 
wagon,  14  Cattle  Guards,  15  Carp'rs,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  Gaird- 
ners, 2  Bakers,  2  Masons,  i  Chandler.  This  morning  at  2  A.  M. 
John  Cook,  of  C.  Davis's  Co.,  deserted  from  his  post  as  centry  on 

*The  father  of  Samuel  J.  Atlee  married  Jane  Alcock,  maid  of  honor  to  the  Queen 
of  England,  and  the  match  being  clandestine,  the  couple  immediately  sailed  for 
America.  They  had  three  children,  William  Augustus,  Samuel  John  and  Amelia. 
Samuel  John,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  at  Philadelphia  in  1739.  Being  a 
youth  of  great  daring  and  ambition,  he,  at  the  early  age  of  i6,  obtained  the  command 
of  a  company  in  the  Provincial  service  in  the  regiment  under  Colonel  Burd.  He  was 
present  at  the  defeat  of  Braddock  and  witnessed  the  horrors  of  the  rout  of  the  English 
forces  on  that  dreadful  day.  Subsequently  he  came  to  Fort  Augusta.  He  served 
eleven  years,  and  twice  during  that  time  he  was  taken  prisoner — once  by  the  Indians 
and  once  by  the  French.  At  the  expiration  of  his  service  he  read  law,  was  admitted 
to  the  Lancaster  bar,  and  was  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  his  profession  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  married  to  Sarah  Richardson,  April  19, 
1762.  At  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution  he  was  one  of  two  in  Lancaster  who 
had  a  knowledge  of  military  tactics.  He  immediately  undertook  the  work  of  drill, 
to  prepare  his  fellow  citizens  for  war.  Nearly  his  whole  time  was  devoted  to  this 
duty  during  1775.  In  the  beginning  of  1776,  by  virtue  of  an  Act  of  Assembly,  he 
raised  a  regiment  in  Pequea  Valley  and  in  Chester  County, — the  First  Regiment  of 
State  Infantry, — of  which  he  was  appointed  colonel.  He  achieved  imperishable 
honors  with  his  regiment  at  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  on  which  occasion  he  was 


250  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  lower  Bastion  of  the  Palosadoes.  This  evening  I  was  walking 
on  the  Platforms;  at  12  P.  M.,  I  heard  a  Gun  fired  ab't  2  miles 
down  the  River.  Ordered  a  General  Revew  to-morrow  at  4  P. 
M.     An  Eclips  visible  of  the  moon  at  7  P.  M. 

"31st,  Sunday. — Ordered  this  morning  a  party  of  40  men  under 
Capt'n  Trump  with  Lieut.  Allen,  to  Reconoiter  all  round  the  Gar- 
rison to  observe  along  shore  if  any  tracs  of  the  Enemy  Crossing 
the  River  last  night  and  to  cover  the  Cattle  Guard.  At  Noon  the 
party  returns  and  reports  no  signs  of  the  Enemy.  Had  a  Gener- 
all  Revew  this  Evening. 

"Munday,  ist  August. — Employed  53  men  at  the  Parapett,  30 
with  the  wagon,  14  cattle  guard,  20  carp'rs,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2 
Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  2  Masons,  i  chandler.     Nothing  materiall. 

"2d,  Tuesday. — Employed  52  at  the  Parapett,  30  with  the 
wagon,  14  cattle  guard,  2  carp'rs,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  masons,  2 
Bakers,  2  Gairdners,  i  chandler.  This  day  at  3  P.  M.,  the  Fleet 
of  Battoes  arrived  under  the  command  of  Capt'n  Jamison,  and 
reports  Lieut.  Miles  and  Ensigne  Miles  left  sick  at  Hunter's  and 
two  men  deserted  of  the  Detauchm't ;  Capt'n  Patterson  &  Ensigne 
McKee  came  in  ye  party.  This  Evening  mounted  a  piquett  Guard 
of  I  officer,  I  Serg't,  i  corporall,  i  Drum,  25  Privett — 29. 

'■3d,  Wednesday. — Employed  67  at  the  Parapett,  30  with  the 
wagon,  14  cattle  guard,  20  carpent'rs,  4  sawers,  5  smiths,  2  Gaird- 
ners, 2  Bakers,  2  masons,  i  chandler. 

taken  prisoner,  having  only  a  sergeant  and  sixteen  men  left,  the  rest  having  been 
previously  killed  or  taken  prisoners.  He  suffered  imprisonment  for  eighteen  months, 
part  of  which  time  he  was  on  board  a  prison  ship.  During  this  time  he  lived  for  two 
weeks  on  chestnuts.  Colonel  Atlee  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress 
in  1778,  and  held  a  seat  in  that  body  up  to  17S2.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Supreme  Executive  Council,  and  was  concerned  in  many  public  acts.  In  1784  he 
was  one  of  the  commissioners  to  ratify  the  treaties  of  Forts  Stanwix  and  Mcintosh 
with  the  deputies  of  the  Six  Nations.  He  was  also  elected  to  the  General  Assembly 
of  Pennsylvania  for  1782,  1785  and  1786.  While  attending  the  ratification  of  the 
Indian  treaties  he  contracted  a  cold,  by  lying  on  the  damp  ground,  from  the  effects  of 
which  he  never  recovered.  In  November,  17S6,  while  walking  in  the  streets  of  Phil- 
adelphia, he  was  seized  with  a  paroxysm  of  coughing,  ruptured  a  blood  vessel,  and 
shortly  afterwards  expired.  In  personal  appearance  he  was  very  handsome,  with  a 
fresh  and  ruddy  complexion,  brown  hair,  l^lue  eyes,  straight  and  portly,  and  very 
military  in  his  carriage.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  not  yet  48  years  old. — 
Harris'  Biographical  History  of  Lancaster  County,  pages  15,  :6  and  17. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  25  I 

"  This  day  I  proposed  to  the  Battoes  to  hault  here  6  or  7  days 
to  help  out  with  the  works,  which  they  aggread  to. 

"4th,  Thursday. — Employed  55  at  the  bank,  35  with  the  wagon, 
14  Cattle  Guard,  20  carpenters,  4  Sawers,  4  Smiths,  3  Gairdners, 
2  Bakers,  2  masons,  i  chandler.  Wm.  Taylor,  his  wife  &  Indian 
Nancy  arrived  here  at  5  P.  M.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  5th,  Friday. — Employed  60  at  the  Parapett,  30  with  the  wagon, 
14  Cattle  Guard,  20  carpenters,  4  Sawers,  4  Smiths,  2  Bakers,  2 
Masons,  3  Gairdners,  i  chandler;  nothing  materiall. 

"6th,  Saturday. — Employed  58  at  the  Parapett,  14  cattle  guard, 
30  with  the  wagon,  20  Carpr's,  4  Sawers,  5  Smiths,  3  Gairdners,  2 
Masons,  2  Bakers,  i  chandler;  a  Generall  Revew  to-morrow  at  5 
P.  M.  Wm.  Taylor  and  the  Indian  woman  went  from  this  at  6  P. 
M.,  to  Wywamjre. 

"  7th,  Sunday. — Had  a  Generall  Revew  agreable  to  the  orders 
of  yesterday. 

"8th,  Munday. — Employed  50  at  the  Parapett,  36  with  the 
wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  17  carpenters,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  3 
Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  2  masons,  i  Chandler;    nothing  materiall. 

"9th,  Tuesday. — Employed  45  at  the  Parapett,  17  Carp'rs,  8 
Sodders  of  the  Bank,  5  smiths,  14  Cattle  Guard,  33  with  the 
wagon,  4  sawers,  4  bakers,  2  Gairdners,  2  masons,  i  chandler. 

"  Nothing  materiall,  only  the  works  was  stopt  to-day  by  rain. 

"  loth,  Wednesday. — Employed  40  men  at  the  Parapett,  y:i  with 
the  wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  18  carpenters,  4  Sawers,  5  Smiths,  2 
Masons,  2  Gairdners,  2  bakers,  i  chandler. 

"  Ordered  that  Capt'n  Hambright  &  Lieut.  Clayton  *  &  a  party 
of  50  men  hold  themselves  in  readiness  for  a  march  to-morrow 
morning,  likewise  George  Allen  to  hold  himself  in  readiness  with 
the  Battoemen  &  Battoes.  Nothing  materiall ;  this  day  finished 
sod'g  the  Parapett. 

"nth,  Thursday. — Employed  23  men  at  the  Glassee,  36  with 
the  wagon,  14  cattle  Guard,  17  carpenters  at  the  Plattforms,  4 
sawers,  2  Gairdners,  2  Masons,  2  Bakers,  i  Chandler. 

"This  morning  Capt'n  Hambright  sett  out  with  the  Ten  Bat- 

**' Lieutenant  Clayton,  Adjutant,  an  exceeding  good  soldier,  very  active  and  ex- 
tremely assiduous  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty." — Colonel  Burd. 


252  HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

toes  for  Provisions  to  Hunter's  with  Lieut.  Clayton  &  a  party  of 
50  men  at  8  A.  M.  Parson  Steell  went  with  the  Battoes  by  my 
leave  to  go  home,  at  his  Request.     An  Generall  allarm  at  10  P.  M. 

"  1 2th,  Friday. — Employed  34  men  at  the  Glassee,  49  with  the 
wagon  &  cattle,  17  carpent'rs  at  the  Platform,  6  at  the  saw  pitt,  4 
smiths,  3  Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  2  Masons,  i  chandler. 

"  1 3th,  Saturday. — Employed  30  at  the  Glassee,  45  men  with 
the  wagon  &  Cattle,  18  Carpenters  at  the  platforms,  4  Sawers,  4 
Smiths,  3  Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  i  chandler.  A  Generall  Revew 
to-morrow  at  5  P.  M.  Nothing  materiall.  George  Wilsby  died, 
being  of  my  Co. 

"  14th,  Sunday. — Ordered  a  party  of  3  officers  and  50  men  to 
Reconoiter  all  round  the  Fort  this  morning,  vizt:  Capt'n  Weather- 
holt,  Lieut.  Allen  and  Ensigne  Broadhead,  and  to  be  particularly 
carefull  to  observe  any  tracs  of  the  Enemy.  At  1 1  A.  M.  the 
party  returns  and  reports  no  signs  of  the  Enemy.  This  morning 
Capt'n  Jamison  reports  that  Corporall  James  Lain,  of  his  Comp'y, 
deserted  last  night.  No  Revew.  It  Rained  so  hard;  the  sun 
under  cloud  that  I  could  not  see  the  Eclips,  and  the  sun  sett 
under  cloud. 

"  isth,  Munday. — Employed  29  men  at  the  Glassee,  50  with  the 
wagon,  18  Carpenters,  4  sawers,  4  smiths,  2  bakers,  3  Gairdners, 
I  Chandler,  3  Sinking  a  well  for  a  little  house.  This  day  8  taken 
sick  from  the  works.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  1 6th,  Tuesday. — Employed  30  at  the  Glassee,  36  with  the 
wagon,  14  cattle  guard,  17  Carpenters  at  the  walls,  4  Sawers,  5 
smiths,  3  Gairdners,  i  chandler. 

"Two  men  deserted  to-day,  Jacob  Hillibrand  of  Capt'n  Ship- 
pen's  Comp'y,  and  Bernard  Bower,  of  Capt'n  Hambright's. 

"  17th,  Wednesday. — Employed  27  at  the  Counterscarph,  41 
with  the  wagon,  17  Carpenters  at  the  Platforms,  4  Sawers,  3 
Gairdners,  i  Chandler,  4  smiths.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  1 8th,  Thursday. — Employed  22  Counterscarph,  41  with  the 
wagon,  14  Bullock  Guard,  10  in  Ambush,  17  carpenters  at  thc 
walls  and  Platforms,  4  Sawers,  5  Smiths,  3  Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  1 
chandler.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  19th,   Friday. — Employed   30    men    at   the   Bank,    14   Cattle 


I 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  253 

Guard,  41  with  the  wagon,  17  carpenters  at  the  Platforms  and 
Walls,  4  Sawers,  4  Smiths,  2  Gairdners,  i  chandler.  This  day  at 
Noon  Capt'n  Hambright  arrived  here  with  the  Fleet  of  Battoes  & 
48  Bullocks,  and  27  Recruits.  Joseph  Nutimus*  arrived  here  at 
the  same  time  with  his  wife,  one  young  child  and  an  Indian  Girle 
from  Nescopeak. 

"20th,  Saturday. — Employed  31  at  the  bank,  55  Wagon  and 
cattle,  17  carpenters  at  the  walls,  4  Sawers,  3  Smiths,  3  Gairdners, 
2  masons,  i  chandler.  It  rained  pretty  much  to-day  &  stopt  the 
works.  Ordered  a  Generall  Revew  of  the  Garrison  to-morrow 
at  5  P.  M.  Likewise  ordered  a  party  of  50  men  and  3  officers, 
under  the  command  of  Capt'n  Shippen,  to  Reconnoiter  round  the 
Fort  to-morrow,  to  march  when  the  bushes  is  dry. 

*  Brief  reference  is  made  to  Nutimus  in  a  note  on  page  244.  But  as  a  few  errors 
in  his  history,  which  do  him  great  injustice,  crept  into  that  reference,  it  is  deemed  but 
an  act  of  justice  to  set  the  old  Indian  right.  Mr.  John  W.  Jordan,  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Historical  Society,  who  has  carefully  examined  the  Moravian  records  at  Bethle- 
hem, writes: 

"  Notamaes,  the  proper  name  of  this  chieftain,  which  signifies  a  spear  or  gig  to 
strike  fish  with,  was  always  a  warm  friend  of  the  Moravians,  before  the  Indian  wars 
and  to  his  death.  He  frequently  visited  Bethlehem,  where  he  was  entertained  hospi- 
tably, and  whenever  their  missionaries  visited  Nescopeck  he  gladly  reciprocated. 

"There  is  in  the  archives  of  the  Moravian  Church  at  Bethlehem  a  MS.  of  David 
Zeisberger's  in  which  he  states :  '  The  party  that  made  the  assault  [on  Gnadenhuetten] 
was  composed  of  Monseys  and  numbered  twelve.  It  was  led  by  Jacheapus,  the  chief 
of  Assinnissink,'  [a  Monsey  town  in  New  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.]  And  further,  the 
diaries  of  the  Friedenshuetten  (Wyalusing)  mission,  which  I  edited  a  few  years  since, 
contain  this  notice:  'July  14,  1765. — News  reached  here  that  Jacheapus,  the  Mon- 
sey who  had  fired  Gnadenhuetten,  had  died  of  small-pox  up  at  Sir  William  Johnson's.' 
He  had  been  taken  prisoner  during  the  Pontiac  War,  and  died  in  captivity. 

"The  Diary  of  Bethlehem  Congregation  contains  the  following,  under  date  of 
August  II,  1757 :  '  To-day  we  learned  that  one  of  the  chiefs  who  had  attacked  Gnaedn- 
huetten  and  had  carried  off  Susan  Nitschmann  [a  member  of  the  mission  family]  was 
killed  by  an  Indian,  not  far  from  Easton,  on  the  pretext  that  he  was  a  French  spy. 
Notamaes  told  us  how  he  had  advised  him  not  to  attack  us  on  the  Mahoning,  but 
scarcely  had  he  left  Nescopeck,  but  he  took  his  way  thither.'  From  this  evidence  it 
is  certain  that  the  old  king  of  Nescopeck  cannot  be  accused  of  the  massacre  of  Gnad- 
enhuetten. 

"  Permit  me  to  add  a  few  more  items  of  this  family,  extracted  from  the  journal  of 
Bishop  John  von  Watteville,  the  diaries  of  the  Bethlehem  congregation  and  a  MS.  of 
John  Heckewelder,  in  my  possession. 

"In  the  autumn  of  1748  Bishop  von  Watteville,  with  Bishop  Cammerhoff  and 
David  Zeisberger  and  John  Martin  Mack,  visited  the  Wyoming  Valley: 

" '  Oct.  10.— -We  came  to  the  falls  at  Nescopeck,  where  we  had  Zeisberger  take  the 


254  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"2ist,  Sunday. — At  3  P.  M.  Capt'n  Shippen  returns  with  his 
party  and  reports  that  he  had  reconnoitered  7  miles  round,  but 
had  made  no  Discover)-  of  the  Enemy.  Had  a  Generall  Revew 
this  day  at  5  P.  M. 

"22d,  Munday. — Employed  58  with  the  wagon  and  bullocks, 
60  at  the  counterscarp  and  Ditch,  17  carpenters  at  the  walls  and 
Platforms,  4  Sawers,  4  Smiths,  3  Gairdners,  2  Masons,  2  bakers, 
I  chandler.  It  rained  much  to-day.  This  evening  we  had  three 
allarms ;  the  whole  Garrison  was  under  arms  all  night,  &  it  rained 
prodigeousely,  and  an  Indian  came  up  within  shott  of  the  lower 
pallasadoe  Bastion ;  the  Centrj'  fired  upon  him  but  mist  him ;  one 
of  the  Centrys  in  the  Fort  likewise  fired  at  (as  he  supposed)  an 
Indian  and  miss'd  him. 

"23d,  Tuesday. — Employed  41  w't  the  wagon,  14  cattle  Guard, 
57  at  the  counterscarp  and  Ditch,  19  carpenters  at  the  walls  and 
platforms,  4  sawers,  5  smiths,  2  Bakers,  3  Gairdners,  2  Masons,  i 
Chandler.     Ordered  Capt'n  Patterson  and   Ensigne  Graydon  to 

horses  and  with  them  follow  the  river  on  its  north  side.  Cammerhoflf,  Mack  and  I 
went  down  the  hill  to  the  Susquehanna  and  shouted  for  a  canoe.  Hereupon  Pantes, 
the  third  son  of  Notimaes  (the  Governor  of  Nescopeck),  tastily  painted  and  decked 
with  feathers,  came  and  set  us  over  the  rjf-er.  We  gave  him  a  silver  buckle  for  his 
trouble.  On  entering  the  town  we  went  to  the  Governor's  house  (more  spacious  than 
any  I  had  yet  seen  among  the  Indians),  in  which  he  and  his  five  sons  with  their  wives 
and  children  live  together.  We  found,  however,  no  one  but  Pantes,  his  brother  Joe 
and  women  at  home.  Seated  around  the  fire,  we  conversed  with  them  some  time.  On 
taking  leave,  we  kept  on  down  the  Susquehanna  to  call  upon  the  Governor  and  his 
other  sons  at  their  plantation,  one  and  a  half  miles  lower  down.  We  were  soon  met 
by  one  of  their  cousins  with  a  negro,  for  the  Governor  of  Nescopeck  has  five  slaves — 
a  negress'  four  children.  Negroes  are  regarded  by  the  Indians  as  despicable  crea- 
tures. On  coming  to  Nescopeck  Creek,  which  is  about  half  as  wide  as  the  Lehigh 
al  Bethlehem  (it  was  running  high  in  its  channel  by  reason  of  the  late  rains),  and 
having  neither  horses  or  canoe,  we  were  compelled  to  wade  it — the  water  rapid  and 
leg-deep.  It  was  the  first  time  in  my  life  that  I  waded  in  water.  Having  crossed  the 
stream,  we  met  Isaac,  one  of  the  sons,  and  a  short  distance  farther  the  old  Governor 
himself,  who  greeted  us  cordially.  I  presented  him  with  a  pair  of  scarlet  cansches. 
To  all  that  was  said  he  would  indicate  his  assent  with  the  word  "  Kehelle."  Going 
farther  we  came  to  the  plantation,  where  we  visited  in  four  huts.  In  one  was  a 
stranger  Indian  (not  a  member  of  the  family),  in  one  were  children,  and  in  the  third 
an  old  squaw.  The  fourth  hut  belonged  to  Ben,  old  Notimaes'  fourth  son.  He  had 
just  returned  from  the  hunt  and  welcomed  us  very  cordially.  We  sat  with  hira  a  short 
time,  and  I  took  a  great  liking  to  a  child  of  his.  Mack  gave  him  a  pipe-tube,  and  then 
he  set  us  over  the  river  in  a  canoe,  where  we  met  David  Zeisberger  with  the  horses. 
After  we  had  partaken  of  our  noonday  meal,  Ben  came  over  to  us  and  gave  us  a  fine 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  255 

hold  themselves  in  readiness  for  a  march  to  morrow  morning,  & 
the  Adjutant  to  parade  40  men,  and  Capt'n  Allen  to  hold  the 
Battoemen  and  Battoes  in  readiness. 

"24th,  Wednesday. — Employed  23  at  the  counterscarp,  36  with 
the  wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  5  sod  cutters,  8  sodders,  17  carpen- 
ters at  the  walls  and  platforms,  4  sawers,  5  smiths,  3  Gairdners,  2 
Masons,  i  Chandler.  Granted  Lieut.  Allen  leave  of  absence  until 
the  next  Battoes  goes  down.  Capt'n  Patterson  &  Ensigne  Gray- 
don  and  a  party  of  40  men  sail'd  with  the  Fleet  of  Battoes  this 
morning  at  10  A.  M.  for  Hunter's.     Nothing  materiall. 

"25th,  Thursday. — Employed  41  with  the  wagon,  14  cattle 
guard,  8  Sodders,  18  carpenters,  ij  at  the  counterscarp  &  Ditch, 
4  sawers,  5  smiths,  3  Gairdners,  2  bakers,  2  Pin  makers,  i  chand- 
ler. This  day  Philip  Goodman  of  Capt'n  Hambright's  Comp'y, 
deserted  from  his  Post  as  a  centry  in  the  woods.  I  hunted  for 
him  with  large  partys,  but  could  not  find  him;  this  stopt  the 
works  to-day. 

"26th,  Friday. — Employed  41  with  the  wagon,  14  cattle  guard, 


deer-roast,  when  we  presented  him  with  a  silver  buckle  and  needles  and  thread  for 
his  wife.' 

"'1754,  March  29. — At  noon  came  old  Notamaes,  chief  at  Nescopeck,  with  his 
two  eldest  sons  and  his  negro  and  negress,  on  his  journey  to  the  Jerseys.  *  *  * 
April  29. — Notamaes  and  company  passed  through  on  their  way  home. 

'"  1755.  June  2. — The  Nescopeck  Indians  came  here  for  good,  as  they  are  half 
starved.  [A  great  drought  prevailed  in  the  Wyoming  Valley  from  April  to  July  of 
that  year.] 

'"'757.  Sept.  I. — Notamaes'  son,  who  came  from  Nescopeck  for  some  Indian 
corn  for  his  sick  folks,  returned  home.  He  told  us  his  father  did  not  wish  to  move  to 
Diahoga  [Tioga],  but  remain  in  Nescopeck.' — Bethlehem  Diary. 

"A  few  years  ago  the  family  were  residing  on  the  Great  Island,  on  the  West 
Branch,  and  on  the  removal  of  the  Delawares  to  Ohio  two  of  his  sons  were  of  the 
number.  Heckewelder  states:  'Isaac  and  Partes  were  both  amiable  men  and  re- 
spected by  the  whites.  Isaac  having  a  mechanical  turn  of  mind,  soon  learned  the 
use  of  tools  and  became  a  pretty  good  blacksmith,  a  trade  which  he  followed  wher- 
ever he  moved  to,  and  during  his  life-time  delighting  in  nothing  more  than  in  a  hand- 
some corn  hoe,  tomahawk  and  other  instruments  made  out  of  iron  and  steel  by  his 
own  hands.  He  generally  settled  himself  a  short  distance  from  the  town,  where  he 
would  have  his  cornfield  at  hand  and  under  good  fences,  with  some  fruit  trees  planted 
in  it  next  to  his  house.  Preferring  manual  labor  to  that  of  legislating,  he  altogether 
declined  serving  in  that  capacity.     Both  died  in  Ohio.'  " 

^  The  old  chieftain  had  four  sons.     They  were  named  as  follows  in  the  order  of 
their  births:     Isaac,  Joseph,  Partes  and  Benjamin. 


256  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

33  counterscarp  and  ditch,  8  Sodders,  5  Smiths,  4  Sawers,  19  car- 
penters, 3  Gairdners,  2  Bakers,  i  chandler.  At  3  P.  M.,  William, 
Sam,  4  Indian  women,  i  Boy  and  a  child  arrived  here  in  two 
canoes. 

"27th,  Saturday. — Employed  41  with  the  Wagon,  14  cattle 
guard,  18  carpenters  at  the  walls  and  Platforms,  39  at  the  Ditch 
and  counterscarp,  4  masons  and  attendants,  2  Pin  makers,  4  Saw- 
ers, 2  Bakers,  3  gairdners,  i  chandler.  Ordered  a  Generall  Revew 
of  the  garrison  to-morrow  at  5  P.  M. 

"28th,  Sunday. — This  day  at  5  P.  M.,  a  woman  hallowed  for 
help  from  the  west  side  of  the  river,  I  sent  a  party  of  50  men  and 
two  officers,  vizt:  Capt'n  Jamison  and  Ensigne  McKee,  in  four 
Battoes,  with  orders  for  one  Battoe  to  land  and  the  other  three  to 
keep  in  the  offing.  I  likwise  sent  the  Picquett  of  30  men  under 
the  command  of  Ensigne  Broadhead  to  keep  off  and  be  ready  to 
cover  the  retreat  of  the  four  Battoes,  least  an  ambushcade  should 
be  formed  &  the  woman  prove  a  Decoy.  Capt'n  Jamison  brought 
the  woman  to  this  Fort,  and  I  found  her  to  be  an  old  woman  that 
had  been  taken  prisoner  by  a  party  of  6  Indians  and  one  French 
man  Named  Peter;  she  was  taken  last  Saturday  was  a  week  within 
a  mile  of  Justice  Galbraith's  house  upon  Swettarow  &  5  more,  & 
she  made  her  escape  from  the  Indians  eight  days  ago ;  her  name 
is  Nelly  Young;  she  says  the  were  all  on  horse  back.  Had  a 
Generall  Revew  at  5  P.  M. 

"29th,  Munday. — Employed  36  at  the  Counterscarp,  41  with 
the  wagon,  7  Sodders,  i  Mason  and  3  attenders,  18  carpenters,  4 
Sawers,  7  Smiths,  2  Bakers,  2  Pin  Makers,  i  Wheeling  clay,  i 
chandler,  3  Gairdners,  14  with  the  cattle.  This  morning  an  ex- 
press arrived  at  6  A.  M.,  to  Mr.  Smith,  Suttler.  Mr.  Smith  went 
from  this  w't  one  man  in  a  canoe  at  9  A.  M. 

"30th,  Tuesday. — Employed  41  with  the  Wagon,  14  cattle 
Guard,  32  at  the  counterscarp,  18  carpenters  at  the  Platforms,  5 
masons  and  tenders  at  the  little  house,  4  sawers,  7  smiths,  3 
Gairdners,  2  bakers,  i  levelling  with  the  Pallasadoes,  2  pin  makers, 
I  chandler. 

"31st,  Wednesday. — Employed  27  at  the  counterscarp,  41  with 
the  Wagon,  14  cattle  guard,  18  carpenters,  4  Sawers,  7  Smiths,  4 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  257 

masons  &  tenders,  3  gairdners,  2  bakers,  i  levelling  within  the 
Pallasadoes,  i  chandler,  2  pin  makers.     Nothing  materiall. 

"September  ist,  Thursday. — Employed  20  men  at  the  counter- 
scarp, 41  with  the  Wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  18  Carpenters  at  the 
Platforms,  4  sawers,  7  smiths,  2  Sawing  pin  wood,  3  Gairdners,  2 
Bakers,  i  levelling  within  the  piquetts,  7  sodders,  i  chandler,  4 
JVIasons  and  tenders.  This  day  at  Noon  Capt'n  Patterson  arrived 
with  the  fleett  of  Battoes;  he  brought  7  Recruits.  A  Number  of 
his  party  sick,  and  likewise  the  Battoemen. 

"2d,  Friday. — Employed  41  with  the  Wagon,  14  cattle  Guard, 
30  at  the  counterscarp,  18  carpenters  at  the  Plattforms,  4  sawers, 
7  smiths,  3  Gairdners,  7  Sodders,  2  bakers,  i  chandler,  4  masons 
and  Tenders,  I  Wheeling  clay.  Herman  Howfman,  of  Capt'n 
Hambfjight's  Co.,  died  this  Evening. 

"3d,  Saturday. — Employed  19  at  the  counterscarp,  48  with  the 
Wagon,  70  at  the  fish  Dam,  20  carpenters  at  the  platforms,  4  saw- 
ers, 7  Smiths,  2  Gairdners,  i  Chandler,  2  bakers,  i  wheeling  clay, 

4  masons  &  tenders.  This  day  Jacob  Smith,  of  Capt'n  Shippen's 
Co.,  deserted;  I  sent  2  partys  to  scour  the  woods  all  around,  but 
they  could  not  find  him.     A  Generall  Revew  to-morrow,  at  5  P.  M. 

"4th,  Sunday. — This  morning  Daniell  Murphy,  of  Capt'n  Lloyd's 
Comp'y,  died.  This  day,  at  2  P.  M.,  arrived  here,  down  the  N. 
branch,  in  two  canoes,  2  Indian  men,  three  woman,  one  Girl  and 
three  children;  they  brought  skins  to  deall  for  goods  out  of  the 
Provintiall,  &  seem  much  disappointed;  had  a  Generall  Revew  at 

5  P.M. 

"  5th,  Munday. — Employed  50  at  the  fish  Dam,  23  scouring  the 
Ditch,  18  carpenters  at  the  platforms,  4  sawers,  7  smiths,  3  Gaird- 
ners, 2  Bakers,  4  mason  and  tenders  at  the  little  house,  2  cutting 
coal  wood,  I  Wheeling  clay,  levelling,  49  with  the  Wagon  and 
cattle.     This  day  a  child  died.* 

"6th,  Tuesday. — Employed  25  at  the  Ditch,  45  at  the  fish  dam, 
50  with  the  Wagon  and  cattle,  1 8  carpenters,  4  Sawers,  7  Smiths, 
3  Gairdners,  4  mason  &  tenders,  2  Cutting  coal  wood,  2  Bakers, 
I  Wheeling  clay,  i  chandler.     Nothing  materiall. 

*This  is  the  first  mention  of  the  death  of  a  child  at  this  post 


258  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

"7th,  Wednesday. — Employed  50  at  the  fish  dam,  38  with  the 
wagon,  14  with  the  cattle,  18  carpenters  at  the  platforms,  9  smiths 
and  coal  wood  cutters,  4  Sawers,  2  bakers,  i  chandler,  4  mason 
and  tenders,  2  wheeling  clay. 

"8th,  Thursday. — Employed  26  at  the  ditch,  38  cattle  and 
wagon,  4  Sawers,  9  smiths  and  coal  wood  cutters,  3  Gairdners,  4 
Mason  and  tenders,  3  Butcher  &  Bakers.  This  day  it  rained 
very  hard. 

"9th,  Friday. — Employed  26  at  the  Ditch,  38  cattle  and  wagon 
guards,  18  carpenters,  4  sawers,  9  smiths  and  coal  wood  cutters,  3 
gairdners,  4  mason  &  tenders,  3  butchers  and  bakers.  This  day, 
at  1 1  A.  M.,  Capt'n  Shippen  and  Lieut.  Humphreys  left  this  with 
the  fleett  of  battoes  and  40  men.  This  Evening,  at  dark,  sent  off 
Serg't  Lee  and  two  men  more  on  horse  back. 

"  loth  September,  Saturday. — Employed  38  wagon  and  cattle, 
24  at  the  Ditch,  18  carpenters,  4  sawers,  9  Smiths  and  coal  wood 
cutters,  2  Gairdners,  3  Bakers,  6  weeding  turneeps,  i  wheeling 
clay,  4  masons  and  tenders.  Five  Indians  arrived  to-day  with 
skins. 

"  I  ith,  Sunday. — Had  a  Revew. 

"1 2th,  Munday. — Employed  30  at  the  Ditch,  40  Wagon  and 
cattle,  18  carpenters,  4  sawers,  9  smiths  and  wood  cutters,  2  gaird- 
ners, 4  mason  and  tenders,  3  bakers  and  butcher,  2  wheeling 
clay.  This  morning,  Jacob  Smith,  of  Capt'n  Shippen's  Co.,  was 
brought  in  Prisoner;  he  deserted  from  hence  the  3d  Curr't,  and  I 
have  Reason  to  believe  was  going  to  the  French,  but  not  being 
able  to  find  the  way  was  obliged  to  return,  being  very  weak  for 
want  of  Provision.     Great  Rain. 

"  13th,  Tuesday. — Employed  44  at  the  ditch,  48  wagon  and 
cattle,  19  carpenters,  4  Sawers,  9  Smiths  and  Wood  cutters,  4 
mason  and  tenders,  3  bakers  and  butcher,  3  Gairdners,  i  wheel- 
ing clay.  This  day,  at  4  P.  M.,  one  canoe  arrived  with  Cutt- 
finger'd  Peter  and  four  more  Indian  warriers  from  the  Ohio. 

"  14th,  Wednesday. — Employed  49  with  the  wagon  and  cattle, 
18  carpenters,  9  smiths  and  wood  cutters,  3  cutting  wood  for  the 
lime  kill,  33  at  the  ditch,  3  gairdners,  4  masons  quarrying  stones, 
4  sawers. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  259 

"  This  day  the  Indian  Warriers  waited  of  me  to  acquaint  me 
that  they  were  sent  by  their  Clieeff  to  know  of  me  if  the  Enghsh 
were  at  piece  with  the  Delawares,  &  if  I  would  receive  them  here 
kindly  if  they  would  come  in,  to  which  I  answered  that  the  Eng- 
lish were  at  peace  with  the  Delawares,  and  I  would  Receive  them 
kindly.  The  Warriers  said  that  they  were  to  Return  to  the  Ohio, 
and  desired  I  might  write  a  letter  by  them  to  the  commander  of 
Fort  Du  Quesne,  to  which  I  answered  that  altho'  the  English 
were  at  peace  with  the  Delawares  they  were  not  with  the  French ; 
&,  therefore,  I  would  neither  write  nor  speak  to  the  commander 
of  Fort  Du  Quesne,  otherwise  than  from  the  musell  of  my  Guns  ; 
but  a  conversation  of  this  kind  I  shall  always  be  ready  to  carry 
on,  and  told  the  warriers  he  might  give  that  officer  this  for  answer 
from  me. 

"  15th,  Thursday. — Employed  34  at  "the  Ditch,  49  with  the  cat- 
tle &  Wagon,  18  carpenters  at  the  Platforms,  9  Smiths  and  coal 
wood  cutters,  2  cutting  wood  for  the  lime  kill,  6  sawers  and 
Bakers,  3  Gairdners,  i  Butcher.     Nothing  materiall. 

"  1 6th,  Friday. — Employed  32  at  the  Ditch,  49  with  the  wagon 
and  cattle,  18  carpenters,  4  sawers,  9  smiths  &  coal  wood  cutters, 
3  bakers  and  butcher,  3  gairdner,  3  cutting  wood  and  attending 
the  lime  kill,  3  Brickmakers. 

"  17th,  Saturday. — Employed  32  at  the  ditch,  50  with  the  wagon 
and  cattle,  1 8  carpenters  at  the  Platforms,  4  Sawers,  9  Smiths  and 
wood  cutters,  2  gairdners,  3  Baker  and  butcher,  4  mason  and 
tenders,  3  at  the  lime  kill,  3  brick  makers.  This  day,  at  1 1  A.  M., 
Capt'n  James  Young,  Capt'ns  Lloyd  and  Busee  arrived  here  with 
a  party  of  50  men. 

"  1 8th,  Sunday. — This  day  severall  Indians  arrived  at  4  P.  M. ; 
Lieuts.  Humphrys  and  Allen  arrived  with  a  fleet  of  battoes  and 
recruits. 

"  19th,  Munday. — Employed  50  with  the  wagon  and  cattle,  33 
at  the  ditch,  18  carpenters  at  the  Platforms,  4  sawers,  9  Smiths  & 
wood  cutters,  3  bakers  and  butchers,  4  mason  and  tenders,  3  at 
the  lime  kill,  3  brick  makers.     More  Indians  arrived. 

"  20th,  Tuesday. — Employed  70  with  the  wagon  and  cattle,  30 
at  the  Ditch,   19  Carpenters,  9  Smiths  &  Coal  wood  Cutters,  3 


260  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Gairdners,  4  Mason  &  tenders,  3  Brick  makers,  4  sawers,  3  Bakers 
&  Butchers.  This  day  Ensigne  Johnston  Resigned  his  commis- 
sion to  me ;  the  Reason  he  gave  for  so  doing,  was  that  he  has  not 
been  promotted. 

"21st,  Wednesday. — Employed  60  with  the  wagon  &  cattle,  19 
carpenters  at  the  walls,  7  Smiths,  4  sawers,  7  at  the  lime  kill,  30 
at  the  Glassee,  3  Gairdners,  3  Bakers  &  Butcher,  3  brick  makers. 
Had  a  Generall  Revew  of  the  whole  Garrison,  the  Comissary  of 
the  musters  mustered  the  rest.  This  evening  the  Indians  pursued 
our  horses,  endeavouring  to  carry  them  off,  they  catcht  the  Com- 
issary Young's  horse  and  carried  him  away. 

"  22d,  Thursday. — Employed  36  at  the  Glassee,  49  with  the 
wagon,  &  cattle  14,  19  carpenters  on  ye  walls,  4  sawers,  7  smiths, 
3  Bakers  and  butcher,  3  Gairdners,  2  Masons,  3  Brick  makers,  2 
chandlers.  The  Pay  master  setts  off  to-morrow ;  sent  down  Serg't 
Lee  w't  his  horses  to  night. 

"  23d,  Friday. — Employed  34  at  the  Glassee,  38  with  the  wagon, 
14  cattle  guard,  19  carpenters  on  the  walls,  4  Sawers,  7  Smiths,  7 
Brick  makers,  3  Gairdners,  2  masons,  2  Bakers  &  Butcher.  This 
morning  at  8  A.  M.,  Capt'ns  Young,  Lloyd  &  Bussee,  &  Ensigne 
McKee  sett  off  with  the  Fleett  of  Battoes  &  the  party  that  came 
up  with  the  pay  mast'r.  Capt'n  Lloyd  begg'd  leave  to  go  to 
Philad'a,  he  assuring  me  he  had  the  Governour's  liberty,  upon 
which  I  granted  it,  with  orders  to  return  Immediately,  and  upon 
no  acco't  to  lett  his  stay  exceed  three  weeks.  The  pay  master 
will  be  at  Harris's  ferry  upon  his  return  to  Philad'a,  the  4th  Octo- 
ber. I  allow  the  Battoeman  6  days  to  provide  themselves  with 
arms  &  Blankitts. 

"24th,  Saturday. — Employed  34  at  the  Glassee,  14  with  the 
cattle,  30  with  the  wagon,  17  Brick  makers,  19  carpenters,  7 
smiths,  4  Sawers,  3  Gairdners,  2  masons,  3  Bakers  &  Butcher,  2 
Chandlers.  Ordered  Capt'n  Patterson  and  Lieut.  Humphreys  to 
hold  themselves  in  readiness  for  a  march  to-morrow.  Ordered 
the  Adjutant  to  prepare  a  part}-  of  50  men  for  a  march  to- 
morrow. 

"  25th,  Sunday. — This  morning  Capt'n  Patterson  and  Lieut. 
Humphreys,  with  a  party  of  50  men,  march't  over  the  River  at 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY.  26 1 

the  Forks,  with  my  orders  to  Reconnoiter  for  three  days  towards 
the  Ohio,  and  to  make  observations  if  any  signes  of  the  approach 
of  the  Enemy.  This  day  Capt'n  Hambright  with  a  party,  Reco- 
noitered  the  Island  and  found  that  the  Indians  supposed  to  be 
friendly  Indians,  had  carried  off  Capt'n  Lloyd's  horse,  Capt'n 
Hambright's,  Capt'n  Trump's,  Capt'n  Young's,  and  a  black  bald- 
faced  horse  of  Mr.  Crostian's. 

"  26th,  Munday. — Employed  34  at  the  Glassee,  37  with  the 
wagon,  14  cattle  Guard,  20  carpenters  at  the  walls,  4  Sawers,  7 
Smiths,  3  Brick  makers,  3  Gairdners,  3  Bakers  and  Butcher,  2 
Masons,  2  Chandlers.     Three  Indians  arrived  here  to  Day. 

"  27th,  Tuesday. — Employed  36  at  the  Glassee,  37  with  the 
Wagon,  14  cattle  Guard,  20  carpenters,  4  Sawers,  7  Smiths,  2 
masons,  3  brick  makers,  3  gairdners,  3  bakers  and  butcher. 

"This  Evening  at  Dark,  Will'm  Galbraith  and  Mich'l  Taffe  sett 
off  from  here,  in  a  canoe,  with  one  soldier.  This  afternoon  Capt'n 
Patterson  and  Lieut.  Humphreys,  and  a  party  of  50  men,  arrived. 
Capt'n  Patterson  reports  (by  the  Adjutant)  that  he  Reconoitered 
the  woods  well,  &  discovered  no  approaches  of  the  Enemy;  he 
found  Capt'n  Hambright's,  Capt'n  Trump's,  and  Mr.  Crostian's 
horses. 

"28th,  Wednesday. — Employed  36  at  the  Glassee,  14  Cattle 
Guard,  48  with  the  Wagon,  20  carpenters  on  the  walls,  7  Smiths, 
4  sawers,  3  Gairdners,  5  Brick  makers,  4  masons  and  tenders,  3 
bakers  and  butcher.  This  morning  ordered  Capt'n  Hambright, 
with  a  party  of  30  men,  to  reconnoiter  up  Shamochan  Creek,  1 5 
miles;  in  the  Evening  Capt'n  Hambright  returned,  and  report  no 
tracs  of  the  Enemy. 

"29th,  Thursday. — Employed  36  with  the  Wagon,  14  cattle 
guard,  38  at  the  Glassee,  20  Carp'ters  upon  the  walls,  4  Sawers,  7 
Smiths,  3  Gairdners,  5  Brick  makers,  4  Masons  and  Tenders.  A 
child  died  this  evening,  of  Capt'n  Patterson's  Co. 

"30th,  Friday. — Employed  50  at  the  Glassee,  36  with  ye  wagon, 
14  with  the  cattle,  20  Carpenters  on  ye  Walls,  4  sawers,  7  smiths, 

6  brick  makers,  3  gairdners,  5  masons, chandlers.     Ordered 

Capt'n  Jamison,  and  a  party  of  40  men,  to  hold  themselves  in 
readiness  for  a  march  to-morrow.      Here  follows  a  Recept  for 


202  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

curing  the  fever  &  ague,  taken  from  Mr.  Franklin's  Newspaper,  of 
the  8th  September,  1757,  No.  1498: 

"  Take  two  ounces  of  Jesuit's  Bark,  one  ounce  of  Snake  root,  one  ounce  of  salt  of 
Tartar,  and  half  an  ounce  of  Cammomile  flower;  put  them  into  a  half  Gallon  bottle 
filled  with  Jamaica  spiritt,  and  sett  it  into  a  Kettle  of  Water,  over  a  moderate  fire,  & 
lett  the  Ingredients  infuse  three  days,  the  water  being  kept  rather  warmer  than  blood 
warm.  A  Dose  for  a  grown  Person,  half  a  Jill  three  or  four  times  between  the  Fitts. 
For  a  Child  of  a  year  old,  a  tea  spoon  full,  mixed  with  balm  tea.  The  Quantity  to 
be  Increased  according  to  the  age  of  the  Person.  The  Ingredients,  by  ading  more 
spiritt  to  them,  make  a  good  preventing  Bitter. 

"  1st  October,  Saturday. — Employed  24  at  the  Glassee,  37  with 
the  Wagon,  14  with  the  cattle,  20  Carpenters  on  the  Walls,  7 
Smiths,  6  brick  makers,  3  gairdners,  5  masons,  3  bakers  &  butch- 
er, 4  sawers,  i  chandler.  This  morning,  at  9  A.  M.,  Captain 
Jamison  sett  off  for  Hunter's,  with  a  party  of  40  men.  Two  can- 
noes,  with  Indians,  arrived  here  to-day,  down  the  North  branch; 
they  inform  no  approaches  of  the  Enemy.  Robert  Kilton  of 
Capt'n  Patterson's  Co.,  died  this  Evening. 

"  2d,  Sunday. — This  day  it  was  a  continual  hard  Rain. 

"3d,  Munday. — Employed  34  men  at  the  Glassee,  36  with  the 
Wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  20  Carpenters  at  the  Walls,  4  Sawers,  7 
smiths,  5  masons  and  tenders,  6  brick  makers,  3  baker  &  butcher, 
I  chandler.  This  day  the  Indians  intended  to  attack  our  out-pa'ty; 
but  not  liking  their  disposition,  they  went  over  the  Ri\'er  and  hal- 
lowed at  the  Fort,  &  went  off 

"4th,  Tuesday. — Employed  30  at  the  Warff,  34  with  the  wag- 
on, 14  Cattie  Guard,  20  carpenters  at  the  Walls,  7  Smiths,  4  saw- 
ers, 6  brick  makers,  3  gairdners,  3  bakers  &  butcher,  5  mason  & 
tenders,  i  chandler. 

"5th,  Wednesday. — Employed  14  with  the  cattle,  36  with  the 
wagon,  20  carpenters  upon  the  walls,  7  smiths,  4  sawers,  3  gaird- 
ners, 5  Masons  and  Tenders,  5  Brick  makers,  30  at  the  Warff  3 
Bakers  and  butcher.  Could  not  find  the  wagon  horses  to-day,  the 
wagon  party  guarding  the  Bullocks. 

"  6th,  Thursday. — Employed  43  at  the  warff  36  hunting  for  the 
wagon  horses,  14  cattle  guard,  20  carpenters  on  the  walls,  4  Saw- 
ers, 7  Smiths,  5  brick  makers,  3  Gairdners,  5  masons  &  tenders,  2 
chandlers,  3  bakers  and  butcher.     Indian  Bill  inform'd  me  he  saw 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  263 

8  Indians  cross  the  River  to-day.  This  Evening  Ensigne  Broad- 
head  returns  with  the  horse-hunting  party,  and  Informs  me  he 
could  not  find  the  horses,  and  that  he  discovered  the  tracs  of  30 
Indians  going  towards  Tulpohackin. 

"7th,  Friday. — Employed  41  men  at  the  warff,  14  with  the 
cattle,  36  with  wagon,  20  carpenters  on  the  walls,  7  smiths,  4  saw- 
ers,  5  Brickmakers,  3  Gairdners,  i  Grubber,  3  Bakers  &  Butcher, 
I  chandler. 

"8th,  Saturday. — Employed  41  at  the  warff,  14  with  the  cattle, 
36  with  the  wagon,  20  carpenters  on  ye  walls,  7  smiths,  5  Brick 
makers,  3  Gairdners,  4  Sawers,  3  Butcher  &  baker,  5  masons  and 
tenders  at  the  Gutter,  i  chandler,  i  Grubber.  This  morning  the 
Indians  kept  houping  &  hallowing  on  the  other  side  the  River,  & 
fire  three  guns;  sent  two  partys  after  them  to  no  purpose.  Jo. 
Nutimus  arrives. 

"9th,  Sunday. — This  day,  at  5  P.  M.,  Capt'n  Jamison  &  Ensigne 
McKee  arrived  here  with  the  party  of  40  men  and  10  Recruits, 
with  the  fleett  of  Battoes,  and  at  6  P.  M.  a  Sergt.  &  10  men  from 
Coll.  Wieser;  6  Indians  arrived  this  morning. 

"  loth,  Munday. — Employed  30  men  at  the  warff  49  with  the 
wagon  &  cattle,  20  carpenters  on  the  walls,  4  Sawers,  9  Smiths,  3 
Gairdners,  5  masons  &  tenders,  5  Brickmakers,  i  Chandler,  i 
Grubber. 

"Ordered  Capt'n  Hambright  and  Ensigne  Broadhead  to  hold 
themselves  in  Readiness  for  a  march  to-morrow;  the  Adjutant  to 
prepare  a  party  of  50  men  with  Provisions  for  three  days.  This 
afternoon  two  Indians  arrived  from  Fort  Nyagerra. 

"  nth,  Tuesday. — Employed  36  with  the  Wagon,  14  with  the 
Cattle,  20  Carpenters,  2  Sawers,  7  Smiths,  3  Gairdners,  3  Bakers 
&  Butcher,  5  Brickmakers,  3  Masons,  i  Chandler,  i  Grubber,  35 
at  the  Warff  It  Rain'd  all  day,  which  stopt  the  works,  detain'd 
the  party.  This  day,  at  4  P.  M.,  two  warrier  Indians  arrived  here. 
I  suspect  them  to  be  going  to  murder  the  Inhabitants;  I  have 
ordered  them  to  watcht,  &  if  I  find  they  intend  towards  the  inhab- 
itants, I  intend  to  send  a  party  after  them  to  kill  them. 

"  1 2th,  Wednesday. — Employed  to-day  24  at  the  Glassee,  14 
Cattle  Guard,  36  with  the  wagon,  20  Carpenters  on  the  walls,  2 


264  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Sawers,  7  Smiths,  3  Bakers  and  butcher,  3  Gairdners,  5  Brick 
makers,  3  Mason  &  tenders,  i  Chandler,  i  Gruber.  This  morn- 
ing, at  Revellee,  Capt'n  Hambright  and  the  party  sett  off 

"  Tedeyushunk's  son  offers  himself  Volunteer  in  this  Reg't  to 
day.  This  evening,  after  dark,  one  of  the  party  returns,  having 
lost  the  party  ab't  10  miles  off. 

"  13th,  Thursday. — Employed  29  at  the  Glassee,  37  with  the 
wagon,  14  with  the  Cattle,  20  Carpenters  on  the  walls,  2  Sawers, 
5  Smiths,  5  Brickmakers,  3  Gairdners,  3  Bakers  &  butcher,  i 
Chandler,  i  Grubber,  2  Masons. 

"October  14th,  Friday.— Employed  34  at  the  Glassee,  37  with 
the  wagon,  14  Cattle  Guard,  20  Carpenters,  2  Sawers,  5  Smiths,  i 
Gunner,  3  Gairdners,  i  Grubber,  5  Brick  makers,  3  Masons,  i 
Chandler,  3  Baker  and  Butcher.  This  day,  at  3  P.  M.,  Capt'n 
Hambright,  Ensigne  Broadhead  and  the  party  of  50  men  return'd, 
and  reported  that  he  discovered  severall  tracks  of  the  Enemy, 
which  he  followed  without  success ;  that  he  could  not  find  the 
wagon  horses,  and  was  firmly  of  opinion  they  were  Carried  off." 

At  this  point  the  interesting  journal  of  Colonel  Burd  ceased, 
and  he  soon  after  left  the  fort  to  make  a  tour  of  inspection  of  the 
troops  and  forts  from  the  Susquehanna  to  the  Delaware.  Captain 
Hambright  was  detailed  to  accompany  him,  and  they  started  on 
their  journey  from  Lancaster  on  the  i6th  of  February,  1758. 
The  next  day,  however.  Captain  Hambright  was  taken  violently 
ill,  and  the  Colonel  was  obliged  to  leave  him  at  "  Barny  Hughes'," 
in  the  care  of  a  physician,  and  proceed  alone.  In  accordance  with 
his  custom.  Colonel  Burd  kept  a  daily  journal  of  the  incidents  of 
his  tour  until  his  arrival  in  Philadelphia,  on  the  7th  of  March, 
which  maj'  be  found  in  Vol.  HI.  of  the  Pennsylvania  Archives 
(Old  Series),  pages  352  to  357. 

During  the  summer  of  1758  Colonel  Burd  participated  in  the 
Forbes  and  Bouquet  expeditions,  and  had  command  of  582  men, 
many  of  whom  were  drawn  from  Fort  Augusta.  He  was  in  "the 
battle  of  the  Loyal  Hannon  "  (Brushy  Run),  and  after  that  victory 
accompanied  the  army  to  Fort  Du  Quesne. 


CHAPTER  X. 

REPORTS  SHOWING  THE  CONDITION  OF  AFFAIRS  AT  FORT  AUGUSTA 
THE  MAGAZINE  AND  ITS  REMAINS YOUNG  SHIKELLIMY  AT- 
TENDS   A    CONFERENCE CAPTAIN    ORNDT's    CURIOUS    LETTER. 

WHEN  Colonel  Burd  retired  from  Fort  Augusta,  by  order 
of  Governor  Denny,  to  perform  other  duties,  although 
he  was  nominally  in  charge  of  the  post,  the  command  devolved 
on  the  next  officer  in  the  order  of  rank.  That  officer  was  Captain 
Joseph  Shippen,  his  brother-in-law,  and  as  he  had  been  on  duty  in 
the  garrison  for  several  months,  he  understood  the  situation  and 
the  wants  of  the  men  thoroughly.  After  great  labor  the  fort  had 
been  put  in  complete  order,  and  it  was  sufficiently  armed  and 
manned  to  successfully  resist  any  force  that  the  French  and  Indi- 
ans might  bring  against  it,  if  they  still  contemplated  an  attack. 

Colonel  Burd  had  been  on  active  duty  at  the  fort  from  early  in 
December,  1757,  to  the  middle  of  October,  1758,  a  period  of  about 
ten  months,  and  he  had  passed  through  many  exciting  scenes  and 
vicissitudes.  But  with  all  the  diiificulties  with  which  he  had  to 
contend,  he  succeeded  in  the  object  of  his  mission  to  Shamokin. 
During  the  time  he  had  command  he  was  obliged  to  hold  numer- 
ous conferences  with  Indian  deputations,  to  keep  scouting  parties 
constantly  in  the  field  to  guard  against  being  surprised  by  a  lurking 
and  wily  enemy,  besides  guarding  the  transportation  of  provisions 
up  the  river.  This  latter  duty  was  in  some  respects  more  exacting 
and  trying  than  fighting  the  enemy,  as  it  would  not  do  for  a  mo- 
ment to  have  communication  with  his  base  of  supplies  broken. 

As  we  are  about  to  enter  upon  a  new  era  at  the  fort,  it  may 
prove  of  interest  to  the  reader  to  know  the  exact  strength  of  the 
garrison  at  the  time  Captain  Shippen  assumed  command,  therefore 
the  following  report,  under  date  of  January  i,  1758,  is  copied  in 
full: 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BR.^NCH    VALLEY. 


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HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  267 

Out  of  the  whole  number  of  men  reported  it  will  be  observed 
that  232  were  fit  for  duty.  And  a  statement  was  also  appended  to 
the  report  showing  the  following  officers  absent  on  leave :  Cap- 
tain Thomas  Lloyd,  Lieutenants  Charles  Garraway  and  Nathaniel 
Miles,  Ensigns  Charles  Broadhead  and  William  Patterson.  Cap- 
tain Jameson  was  absent  on  other  duty,  and  Colonel  Burd  and 
Captain  Hambright  had  just  departed  on  a  tour  of  inspection. 

Under  date  of  January  20,  1758,  Captain  Shippen  forwarded 
the  foregoing  report  to  Colonel  Burd,  and  in  his  letter  of  transmit- 
tal stated  that  he  had  restricted  the  garrison  to  an  allowance  of 
one  pound  of  flour  per  man  since  the  beginning  of  the  year,  as  he 
only  had  17,390  pounds  of  flour  and  91,481  pounds  of  beef  on 
hand.  Old  King  Nutimus  and  his  family  were  visiting  him,  and 
the  number  of  Indians  present  was  forty-three.  Job  Chilloway 
had  also  arrived  from  the  Munsey  country,  "at  the  head  of  the 
Cayuga  branch  above  Diahoga,"  and  assured  him  that  the  "only 
Indians  on  the  Susquehanna  who  were  enemies  are  those  of  the 
Munsey  Nation,  and  they  are  determined  to  continue  the  war 
against  the  English."  And  in  conclusion  the  Captain  added  that 
Captain  Jameson  and  Lieutenant  Garraway  had  just  arrived  with 
"  12  battoes  containing  6,000  lbs.  flour,  2  hogsheads  of  whiskey,  3 
barrels  of  salt  and  20  bushels  of  Indian  corn  for  the  garrison, 
besides  a  quantity  for  Mr.  Carson's  store." 

On  the  1st  of  March  Captain  Shippen  reported  the  following 
provisions,  clothing,  ammunition,  tools,  &c.,  in  store  at  Fort  Au- 
gusta : 

RETURN    OF    PROVISIONS,   CLOATHING,   AMUNITION,    TOOLS,    tC,    IN   STORK   AT    FORT 
AUGUSTA,    THE     1st     DAY     OF    MARCH,    I758. 

75,786  pounds  of  Beef.  9  Pair  of  Traices. 

3694  pounds  of  FlouK  5  Drag  Chains. 

7  Sheep.  4  Ordinary  Cross  cut  Saws. 

2  Bushells  of  Salt.  4  Ordinary  Whip  Saws. 

40  Gallons  of  Rum.  I  New,  Ditto. 

23  pounds  of  Match  Rope.  3  Ordinary  Hand  Saws. 

12  Old  Great  Coats,  entirely  worn  out.  2  Do.,  Dutch  Saws. 

173  pairs  of  coarse  yarn  Stockings.  23  Pick  Axes. 

23  Brass  Kettles.  18  Grubbing  Hoes. 

5  Ditto,  not  worth  mending.  18  Broad,  Ditto. 

14  Frying  Pans.  3  Frows. 


268 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


15  Reams  of  Cartridge  Paper. 

4  Horse  Bells. 

3  Pairs  of  Steelyards. 

9  Old  Lanthorn  Frames,  useless. 
I  Set  of  old  Cooper's  Tools. 

1  Set  of  old  Carpenter's  do. 

32  old  Carrying  Saddles,  useless. 
yi  Piece  Ozenbrigs. 
18  Yards  of  Flannel. 
12  Horse  Collars. 

10  Pitching  Axes,  good. 

56  Do.,  worn  out,  not  worth  Steeling. 
10  Ordinary  Broad  Axes. 
7  Do.,  Drawing  Knives. 

5  Do.,  Adzes. 
70  Tomahawks. 
3  Hammers. 

22  Spades,  mostly  worn  out. 
21  Shovels,  Do. 
15  Maul  Rings. 

2  Hand  Screws. 


5  Crow  Bars. 

6  Iron  Wedges. 

7  Calking  Irons. 

298  New    Blankets,   Distributed   amongst 

the  Soldiers. 
282  Old  do.,  worn  out.  Distributed  amongst 

the  Soldiers. 
14  Batteaus,  patch'd  up  for  ye  pres't  use. 

8  pieces  of  Cannon. 
2  Swivels. 

7  Blunderbusses. 

313  Small  arms,  good. 

114  Do.,  Out  of  Order. 

104  Cannon  Ball. 

1301  Grape  Shot,  made  up  for  Cannon. 

46  Hand  Granadoes. 

1600  Flints,  very  ordinary. 

y^  Cask  of  Nails. 

2  Grind  Stones,  almost  worn  out. 

)i  Faggot  of  Steel. 

45ott).  wt.  of  Bar  Iron. 


In  Store 

Made  up  into  Cartridges  for  Cannon  &  Swivell 
In  the  Soldiers  horns  &  pouches 


. 

0 

il 

t 

1 

13 

2i 

1770 

3 

2 

50 

4 

190 

16 

%\ 

2010 

Expended  this  last  Month,  ^  Barrell  of  powder  by  the  Soldiers,  in  teaching  them 
to  shoot  at  marks,  and  keep  their  Arms  in  Order. 

JOSEPH  SHIPPEN, 

Capt.  in  Augusta  Reg't. 


Soon  after  making  this  report  Captain  Shippen  was  granted 
leave  of  absence  by  Colonel  Burd  to  visit  Philadelphia,  and  Major 
Thomas  Lloyd,  "  of  the  second  battalion,"  who  had  returned,  took 
command  of  the  fort.  He  made  a  report,  under  date  of  April  1st, 
of  the  condition  of  the  garrison,  which  showed  that  the  total  force 
consisted  of  348  men,  205  of  whom  were  fit  for  duty.  Dr.  John 
Morgan  was  reported  absent  visiting  the  sick  at  Harris'. 

Captain  Gordon,  who  served  as  engineer  of  the  works,  submit- 
ted the  following  report  on  the  6th  of  May,  1758: 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  269 

A  Magazine  ought  to  be  built  in  the  South  Bastion,  12  by  20  feet  in  the  clear,  also 
a  Laboratory  of  the  same  dimensions  in  the  East  Bastion.  The  Wall  of  the  Maga- 
zine to  be  2^  Foot  thick,  with  three  Buttresses,  2  Foot  thick  at  the  bottom,  levelling 
to  9  inches  at  Top,  in  each  side.  The  breadth  of  Buttresses,  3^  Ft.  The  Magazine 
to  have  an  arch  of  2^  Brick  thick,  and  to  be  under  ground  within  i]4  Foot  of  the 
Top  of  the  Arch.  The  Walls  seven  foot  high  from  the  Level  of  the  Floor,  and  to 
have  a  Foundation  2  Foot  below  the  Floor;  great  care  taken  to  lay  the  Joists,  and  to 
fill  up  between  with  Ruble  Stone  and  Gravel,  rammed;  the  Joists  to  be  covered  with 
Plank  2^  inch  thick.  An  Air  Hole  i  foot  Square  to  be  practised  in  the  Gavel  end, 
opposite  the  Door.  The  Passage  to  the  Magazine  to  have  a  zig-zag,  and  over  the 
Arch  some  Fine  Plaister  laid,  then  covered  with  Fine  Gravel  and  4  foot  of  Earth  a 
Top. 

The  Laboratory  likewise  to  be  arched,  but  with  ly^  Brick,  and  without  Buttresses. 

A  Fraise  ought  to  be  compleated  round  the  Fort,  to  be  introduced  upon  the  Hori- 
zontal Line,  at  20  Degrees  of  Elevation,  or  as  much  as  will  be  sufficient  to  discover  it 
underneath  from  the  Flanks.  This  Fraise  to  be  2^  feet  in  the  Ground,  3^  without, 
not  to  exceed  5  inches  in  Thickness,  the  Breadth  from  4  to  7;  a  number  of  these 
Fraises  ought,  before  set  in  the  Wall,  to  be  tunnelled  on  a  Piece  of  Slab  or  Plank,  of 
5  inches  broad,  within  6  inches  of  the  ends,  which  gives  an  inch  at  the  end  clear  of 
the  Slab;  the  distance  from  one  another,  2^.  After  made  fast  to  this  Slab,  to  be 
introduced  in  the  Wall,  and  the  Earth  ramm'd  well  between.  When  the  Earth  is 
well  fixed  and  the  whole  set  round,  or  a  considerable  way,  another  Piece  of  3  inches 
broad  and  2  thick,  should  be  nailed  al  along  close  to  the  wall,  which  will  bind  the 
whole  very  fast  together. 

The  magazine  was  built  according  to  his  suggestions,  and  to-day 
it  is  still  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  being  the  only  evidence 
of  the  existence  if  the  fort.  It  is  located  in  a  small  field  about 
sixty  feet  south  of  the  brick  house  known  as  the  "  Hunter  Man- 
sion," and  165  feet  from  the  river  bank.  A  small  mound  of  earth 
marks  the  spot  where  it  may  be  found,  and  upon  examination  an 
opening  in  the  ground  is  discovered,  which  is  two  and  a  half  feet 
wide.  There  are  twelve  four-inch  stone  steps  leading  below.  On 
descending  these  steps  the  ground  space  inside  the  magazine  is 
found  to  be  lox  12  feet,  and  it  is  eight  feet  from  the  floor  to  the 
ape.K  of  the  arched  ceiling.  The  arch  is  of  brick  and  commences 
on  an  offset  purposely  made  in  the  wall  five  feet  above  the  ground 
floor.  The  brick  are  of  English  manufacture,  and  were  trans- 
ported from  Philadelphia  to  Harris'  and  then  up  the  river  by  bat- 
teaux.  On  entering  the  ancient  magazine  one  is  reminded  of  a 
huge  bake  oven.  It  has  often  been  stated  that  an  underground 
passage  led  from  the  magazine  to  the  river,  but  had  been  closed 
up.      Although   a  break   or   narrow   cave-in   in   the   river  bank, 


270  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

directly  opposite  the  magazine,  which  had  existed  for  years,  would 
indicate  that  such  was  the  fact,  yet  there  is  no  evidence  on  the 
inside  of  the  walls  that  there  ever  was  such  a  passage.  A  recent 
careful  examination  failed  to  show  any  signs  of  an  opening  having 
existed.  The  stone  basement  walls  are  as  solid,  apparently,  as 
when  they  were  first  laid.  There  are  no  marks  or  other  evidences 
whatever  that  there  had  been  an  opening  in  the  wall,  or  that  it 
had  been  closed  up  since  the  construction  of  the  magazine.  If 
there  ever  was  such  a  passage  from  the  magazine  to  the  river,  it 
must  have  started  from  the  bottom  of  the  floor,  which  has  long 
since  been  covered  with  a  foot  or  more  of  debris.  But  there  was 
a  zig-zag  covered  way  leading  to  the  door  of  the  magazine  from 
the  fort,  as  suggested  in  Captain  Gordon's  report,  which  may  have 
given  rise  to  the  belief  in  after  years  that  a  subterranean  passage 
led  to  the  river.  There  was  such  a  passage  starting  from  one  of 
the  angles  of  the  fort,  but  it  had  no  connection  with  the  magazine. 

It  is  greatly  regretted  that  something  has  not  been  done  by 
the  owner  of  the  ground  to  preserve  this  interesting  relic  from 
decay.  It  will  not  be  many  years  before  the  walls  will  crumble 
and  render  the  place  unsafe  to  enter.  A  long  time  ago  it  was 
used  by  the  Hunter  family  as  a  cave  for  the  storage  of  various 
articles,  provisions,  etc.  At  present  it  is  but  a  receptacle  for  the 
carcasses  of  e.xtinct  cats  and  the  home  of  friendless  bats.  With 
a  neat  iron  fence  to  protect  the  mound  from  vandals,  it  might 
exist  for  many  years,  and  be  an  attractive  spot  for  antiquarians 
and  others  who  take  some  interest  in  studying  the  spot  where 
such  a  famous  defensive  work  once  stood.  Although  the  neigh- 
boring ground  shows  no  evidence  of  the  fort  that  once  stood  there 
as  a  menace  to  the  savage  foe,  and  with  its  bristling  cannon  held 
them  at  bay  for  years,  its  historic  associations  are  not  dimmed  by 
the  flight  of  time. 

At  the  same  time  that  Captain  Gordon  recommended  the  con- 
struction of  the  magazine  he  furnished  a  list  of  ammunition  *  and 
stores  wanted,  among  which  were  sixteen  cannon,  four  twelve  or 
nine-pounders  and  the  balance  six-pounders,  with  fifty  rounds  of 
shot  for  each  gun  of  ball,  eight  rounds  of  grape,  twenty-four  bar- 
rels of  powder  for  the  cannon  and   ten    for    musketry;    25,600 

*See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  III.,  page  388,  Old  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY.  2/1 

musket  balls,  i,6oo  flints,  600  muskets  complete  with  cartridge 
boxes.  He  also  described  minutely  how  the  cannon  should  be 
mounted. 

During  the  absence  of  Colonel  Burd  a  change  of  commanders 
frequently  occurred  at  the  fort.  On  the  2d  of  June,  1758,  we  find 
Captain  Levi  Trump  in  command.  On  that  day  he  made  a  return 
which  showed  a  force  of  only  I2i  men,  99  of  whom  were  fit  for 
duty.  There  was  but  one  captain  present,  and  that  one  was  him- 
self There  were  only  two  ensigns  and  two  sergeants  left.  All 
the  other  officers  had  departed,  with  details  of  men,  to  take  part 
in  the  Forbes  and  Bouquet  expedition.  This  was  a  small  force  to 
hold  this  important  post,  but  the  exigencies  of  the  service  west- 
ward were  so  great  that  the  risk  of  depleting  it,  with  the  hope  of 
striking  an  effective  blow  at  Fort  Du  Quesne,  was  taken.  The 
successful  result  of  the  western  expedition  showed  the  wisdom  of 
the  commanding  officer. 

One  month  later,  July  i,  1758,*  Captain  Trump  reported  that 
he  had  189  men  in  the  garrison,  160  of  whom  were  fit  for  duty. 
He  had  been  re-inforced  by  small  detachments  commanded  by 
Captains  Robert  Eastburn  and  Paul  Jackson.  There  were  now 
three  captains,  three  lieutenants,  three  ensigns,  six  sergeants  and 
three  drummers  in  the  command.  He  also  reported  that  he  had 
commenced  digging  the  cellar  for  the  store-house  for  Indian 
goods,  but  he  had  not  sufficient  carpenter  tools  to  complete  the 
building.  He  also  complained  that  they  had  no  doctor,  and  sev- 
eral soldiers  were  lying  sick.  Dr.  Morgan,  the  post  surgeon,  had 
gone  with  the  western  expedition.  He  was  also  informed  that  the 
French  were  erecting  a  fort  at  "  Shinglaclamush  "  (Clearfield),  and 
it  was  feared  they  contemplated  an  attack  on  Fort  Augusta. 
Colonel  Burd  immediately  ordered  him  to  "confine  all  the  French 
deserters  that  were  enlisted  as  soldiers,  and  send  them  under 
guard  to  Lancaster  Goal,"  which  he  did.  This  was  done  to  have 
them  out  of  the  way  in  case  of  an  attack,  as  it  was  feared  they 
would  desert  back  again  if  their  countrymen  appeared,  and  inform 
them  of  the  condition  of  the  fort  and  garrison.  At  the  same  time 
the  Captain  reported  that  their  colors  were  entirely  worn  out  and 


^See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  IIL,  pages  430,  431,  Old  Series 


2/2  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

they  would  be  extremely  glad  to  receive  new  ones.  The  flag-staff 
was  seventy  feet  high. 

In  July,  1758,  Frederick  Post,*  the  Moravian,  who  had  been 
ordered  by  Governor  Denny  to  proceed  to  the  Ohio  and  confer 
with  the  Indians,  set  out  on  his  perilous  mission.  He  arrived  at 
Fort  Augusta  July  25th,  and  records  in  his  journal  that  he  and 
his  party  were  well  received.  After  tarrying  two  days,  and  being 
furnished  with  everything  necessary  for  the  journey,  he  set  out  on 
the  27th.  His  route  was  up  the  West  Branch,  and  on  the  evening 
of  the  28th  he  arrived  at  "  Weheeponal.f  where  the  road  turns  off 
for  Wioming,  and  slept  that  night  at  Quenashawakee."  The  next 
day  he  continued  his  journey  and  crossed  the  river  at  the  Great 
Island.  His  companions,  he  reports,  now  became  "very  fearful," 
and  that  night  they  slept  "a  great  way  from  the  road,  without  a 
.fire."  Little  sleep  was  obtained  on  account  of  the  "bugs  and 
mosquitoes."  When  they  reached  the  mountains  they  were  very 
glad,  as  there  had  been  heavy  rains  all  night.  On  the  1st  of 
August  they  "  saw  three  hoops  on  a  bush,  and  to  one  there  re- 
mained long  white  hair."  The  next  day  they  "came  across 
several  places  where  two  poles,  painted  red,  were  stuck  in  the 
ground,  in  order  to  tye  their  prisoners."  That  night  they  reached 
"Shinglimuce"!  (Clearfield),  where  they  saw  more  painted  sticks, 
and  the  missionary  was  saddened  when  he  gazed  upon  the  means 
the  Indians  made  use  of  to  "punish  flesh  and  blood." 

After  great  suffering  Mr.  Post  reached  the  Indian  towns  beyond 
the  Ohio,  and  entered  upon  his  mission.  Among  the  leading 
chiefs  he  met  was  King  Beaver.  He  also  visited  Fort  Du  Quesne. 
While  he  was  at  an  Indian  town  on  Beaver  Creek  he  saw  the 
captive  girls,  Barbara  Leininger  and  Anne  Marie  le  Roy,  but  pru- 

*The  journal  of  this  distinguished  Moravian,  which  is  very  full  and  interesting,  is 
printed  in  the  third  volume  of  the  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Series,  beginning  on 
the  520th  page  and  ending  on  the  544th.  Referred  to  in  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  VIII., 
pages  147-8,  and  also  page  223. 

f  Supposed  to  have  been  at  what  is  now  known  as  Newberry,  in  the  Seventh  Ward 
of  Williamsport.  Queen  Margaret  had  a  town  here.  The  place  where  he  "slept" 
is  now  the  village  of  Linden,  Lycoming  County. 

XChinklecatnoose,  corrupted  from  Acht-schingi-clamtne,  signifying  "  it  almost  joins," 
in  allusion  to  the  Horseshoe  Bend  in  the  river  at  that  place,  whose  extremities  almost 
unite. — RHchel,  Transactions  of  the  Moravian  Historical  Society,  page  19. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  27.3 

dently  did  not  converse  with  them.  They  speak  of  him  in  their 
narrative,  on  page  147  of  this  work.  The  French  were  much 
incensed  at  him,  believing  that  he  was  a  spy,  and  ordered  the 
Indians  to  murder  him.  They  also  offered  a  large  reward  for  his 
scalp.  After  enduring  much  suffering,  and  his  life  being  in  immi- 
nent danger  all  the  time,  he  started  on  his  return  September  gth, 
under  the  protection  of  six  friendly  Indians.  They  were  obliged 
to  travel  secretly  through  the  wilderness  to  escape  from  the  Indi- 
ans that  had  been  ordered  by  the  French  to  pursue  and  capture 
him,  and  his  guides  were  compelled  to  exercise  all  the  sagacity 
they  could  command  to  elude  their  pursuers.  They  slept  without 
fires  and  endured  great  suffering  from  hunger  and  the  voracious 
insects.  On  the  nth  of  September  they  crossed  the  Allegheny 
River,  and  that  night  they  "slept  on  the  side  of  a  mountain, 
without  fire,  for  fear  of  the  Indians."  It  was  a  very  cold  night 
and  Mr.  Post  suffered  greatly,  as  he  had  "  but  a  thin  blanket." 
For  the  balance  of  the  journey  home  we  will  let  him  relate  his 
sufferings  in  his  own  words: 

I2th. — We  made  a  Little  fire  to  Warm  Ourselves  in  the  Morning,  our  horses  began 
to  be  weary  with  Climbing  up  and  down  the  Steep  Mountains. 

We  Came  this  Night  to  the  tup  of  a  Mountain  where  we  found  a  Log  house,  here 
we  Made  a  Small  fire  Just  to  boyl  ourselves  a  Little  Victuals,  the  Indians  were  very 
much  Afraid,  and  Slept  with  their  Gun  and  Tomahawk  on  all  Night;  they  heard 
somebody  Run  and  Whisper  in  the  Night;  I  Slept  Very  Sound,  and  in  the  Morning 
they  asked  me  if  I  was  not  Afraid  the  Indians  would  Kill  me.  I  said  no,  I  am  not 
Afraid  of  the  Indians  nor  the  Devil  himself,  I  fear  Great  Creator  God ;  ay,  they  said, 
you  know  you  will  go  to  a  good  place  when  you  die,  but  we  don't  know  that  that 
makes  us  afraid. 

13th. — In  the  afternoon  we  twice  crossed  Chowatin  and  came  to  Ponchestanning* 
(an  Old  Town  that  lies  on  the  same  Creek),  we  went  through  a  bad  Swamp  where 
was  very  thick  sharp  thorns,  so  that  they  tore  our  Clothes  &  flesh,  both  hands  &  face 
to  a  bad  Degree;  we  had  Such  a  Road  all  the  Day,  in  the  Evening  we  made  a  fire, 
and  then  they  heard  Something  Rush  in  the  Bushes  as  tho'  they  heard  Somebody 
walk,  then  we  went  about  three  Gun  shot  from  our  fire,  not  finding  a  Place  to  lie 
Down  for  the  Innumerable  Rocks,  that  we  were  Obliged  to  get  small  stones  to  fill  up 
the  Hollow  places  in  the  Rocks  for  our  Bed,  but  it  was  Very  Uneasy,  Almost  Shirt 
and  Skin  grow  together,  they  Kept  Watch  one  after  another  all  Night. 

14th. — We  Came  to  Susquehanna,  &  Crost  6  times,  &  Came  to  Calamaweshink,f 
where  had  been  an  Old  Indian  Town;  in  the  Evening  there  Came  3  Indians,  and 


*  Punxsutawny,  in  Jefferson  County, 
j-  Chinklecamoose. 


274  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

said  they  saw  two  Indian  tracts  where  we  Slept  turn  Back,  so  we  were  sure  that  they 
followed  us. 

l6th  &  17th. — We  Crossed  Over  the  big  Mountain. 

l8th. — Came  to  the  big  Island,  where  we  had  nothing  to  live  on,  were  Oblidg'd  to 
lye  to  Hunt. 

19th. — We  met  With  Twenty  Warriors  who  were  Returning  from  the  Inhabitants, 
with  five  Prisoners  &  i  Scalp,  Six  of  them  were  Delawares,  the  Rest  Mingoes,  we  sat 
Down  all  in  one  Ring  together.  I  informed  them  where  I  had  been  &  what  was 
done,  they  asked  me  to  go  back  a  Little,  and  so  I  did,  and  Slept  all  night  with  them, 
and  Inform'd  them  of  the  Particulars ;  they  said  they  did  not  know  it,  if  they  had, 
they  would  not  have  gone  to  war:  be  strong  if  you  make  a  Good  peace,  then  we  will 
bring  all  the  prisoners  Back  again;  they  Killed  two  Deer,  &  gave  us  one. 

20. — We  took  leave  of  each  other  and  went  on  our  Journey,  &  Came  this  Night. 

22d. — Arrived  at  Fort  Augusta  in  the  Afternoon,  very  Weary  and  Hungry,  but 
Greatly  Rejoiced  at  our  return  from  this  Tedious  Journey. 

In  several  respects  this  journey  was  the  most  dangerous  of  any 
made  by  the  early  missionaries,  as  it  not  only  involved  great 
powers  of  endurance  and  suffering  from  hunger  and  exposure, 
but  great  care,  coolness  and  sagacity.  It  is  doubtful  if  any  other 
man  at  that  time  but  Frederick  Post  could  have  made  the  journey 
successfully. 

In  the  meantime  the  garrison  at  Fort  Augusta  was  constantly 
kept  on  the  alert.  In  a  long  letter,  under  date  of  July  19,  1758,* 
Captain  Trump  reported  to  Governor  Denny  that,  with  the  few 
men  left  with  him,  he  was  doing  the  best  he  could  to  strengthen 
the  works,  but  he  had  but  one  officer  besides  himself,  and  no 
ensign.  Captain  Montgomery  had  reached  him  on  the  i6th  with 
three  subalterns  and  sixty-two  men,  who  were  drafts  out  of  several 
companies  of  the  new  levies.  But  he  immediately  met  with 
another  discouragement  by  receiving  an  order  from  General  Forbes 
for  Captain  Robert  Eastburn  and  Captain  Paul  Jackson  with  thirty- 
five  men  of  each  company  to  join  him  at  Raystown.  "  This,"  adds 
the  Captain,  "is  more  than  they  have  here."  He  was  likewise 
ordered  to  "  draught  forty  of  the  best  men  belonging  to  Colonel 
Burd's  Battalion  and  send  them  to  him  (Forbes)  with  two  offi- 
cers." This  left  but  143  men  at  the  fort,  and  out  of  this  number 
there  were  ten  whose  terms  had  expired,  and  they  would  not  enlist 
again ;  and,  he  added,  "  a  great  part  of  them  that  are  left  are  blind, 


'See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  III.,  page  480,  Old  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  2/5 

lame,*  sick,  old  and  decrepit,  not  fit  to  be  intrusted  with  any 
charge."  The  outlook  for  the  commander  was  certainly  gloomy 
when  he  had  to  depend  on  "blind  and  lame"  soldiers  to  do  garri- 
son duty!  He  had  received  four  pieces  of  cannon  from  Philadel- 
phia, but  as  he  had  no  one  to  make  carriages  for  them,  they  were 
useless.  He  was  also  obliged  to  depend  on  Indians  for  intelligence 
of  what  was  going  on  around  him,  and  for  this  duty  they  expected 
pay.  He  had  no  drums  to  beat  an  alarm,  as  they  had  all  been 
taken  away.  The  work  on  the  Indian  store-house  could  not  be 
carried  on  for  lack  of  carpenters  and  tools,  but  he  reported  that 
he  had  fitted  up  one  of  the  barracks,  which  would  hold  "  a  great 
quantity  of  skins."  The  trade  in  peltries  at  that  time  was  great, 
as  the  Indians  were  constantly  bringing  them  in  to  exchange  for 
provisions  and  clothing.  With  such  discouragements  the  Captain 
certainly  had  a  serious  time,  and  the  wonder  is  that  the  enemy  did 
not  pounce  on  the  fort,  capture  it  and  massacre  the  "halt  and  the 
blind"  that  were  left  to  defend  it! 


*In  a  private  letter  to  Colonel  Burd,  under  date  of  July  20,  1758,  Captain  Peter 
Bard,  the  Commissary,  writes  from  Fort  Augusta  as  follows :  "  I  arrived  here  on  the 
20th  past,  in  company  with  Captains  Eastburn  and  Jackson,  and  sixty-five  men,  being 
a  detachment  from  each  of  their  companies  and  four  officers,  and  found  121  men  in 
garrison,  the  leavings  of  the  battalion ;  some  dragging  their  legs  after  them,  others 
with  their  arms  in  slings,  several  sick.  The  garrison  cuts  a  droll  figure  to  what  it 
formerly  did.  The  17th  instant  came  here  one  Captain  Montgomery  with  62  men  to 
relieve  Eastburn  and  Jackson's  companies.  I  think  they  exceed  anything  of  men 
kind  I  ever  saw.  They  look  more  like  a  detachment  from  the  dead  than  the  living. 
I  vi'ould  have  given  five  pounds  to  have  had  Hogarth  here  when  they  were  drawn  up 
upon  the  parade,  to  have  taken  them  off  that  I  might  have  had  the  pleasure  of  giving 
you  a  view  of  them.  Major  Shippen  wrote  to  the  Captain  (Montgomery)  upon  some 
complaint  of  the  inhabitants,  for  his  not  going  in  quest  of  some  Indians  of  whom 
they  had  discovered  the  tracks.  It's  my  opinion  that  six  Indian  warriors  would  have 
scalped  them  all.  They  had  six  bullocks  in  charge  for  this  garrison,  and  a  mile  from 
Hunter's  they  lost  them  all,  they  did  not  bring  one  to  the  fort.  This  day,  march  the 
Captains  Eastburn  and  Jackson  with  their  companies,  to  join  you  and  forty  picked 
men  of  your  b.attalion,  so  I  leave  you  to  judge  what  a  blessed  corps  we  have  got  left. 
Captain  Trump  and  Ensign  Henry  are  all  of  the  old  officers  here.  The  garden  is 
the  only  thing  that  looks  like  itself,  and  that  in  a  great  measure  has  lost  its  relish  with 
me  for  want  of  your  good  company.  I  saunter  in  it  now  and  then  like  a  lost  sheep. 
We  have  great  quantities  of  almost  everything  that  is  good  in  it,  and  I  often  wish 
you  and  the  gentlemen  at  Raystown  could  partake  of  them.  Our  soldiers,  who  have 
their  share,  find  great  comfort  from  it.  I  believe  we  shall  have  no  occasion  to  trouble 
our  friends  next  year  for  seeds.     Our  young  nursery  grows  charmingly,     I  can't  for- 


2/6  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

From  an  official  report*  made  by  Captain  Trump  on  the  1st  of 
August,  1758,  it  appears  that  he  had  169  men,  141  of  whom  were 
fit  for  duty.  Captain  Montgomery  and  himself  were  the  only 
officers  of  this  rank  present,  with  two  lieutenants,  two  ensigns, 
four  sergeants  and  two  drummers.  Twenty-two  men  were  in  the 
hospital.  At  the  same  time  Peter  Bard,  the  Commissary,  reported 
that  there  were  in  store  62,443  pounds  of  flour,  twenty-eight  bul- 
locks, ninety-one  bushels  of  Indian  corn  and  four  barrels  of  salt. 
Many  other  items  of  camp  and  garrison  equipage  are  embodied 
in  the  report,  but  as  they  were  generally  old  and  worthless,  it 
would  be  a  waste  of  space  to  enumerate  them.  At  the  same  time 
Commissary  Bard  reported,  separately,  that  there  were  twelve 
pieces  of  cannon  at  the  fort,  two  swivels,  seven  blunderbusses  and 
1 14  small  arms,  in  good  condition.  They  also  had  704  cannon 
balls,  1,301  grape  shot,  twenty  rounds  of  grape  shot,  thirty-five 
rounds  of  partridge  shot,  twenty -two  barrels  of  powder,  1,883 
pounds  of  bullets  and  617  pounds  of  bullets  and  swan  shot.  But 
with  an  inefficient  force  to  handle  the  defensive  weapons  it  is  not 
likely  that  much  resistance  could  have  been  made  in  case  of  an 
attack. 

At  the  close  of  the  }-ear  175S  the  condition  of  affairs  had  not 
improved  at  the  fort,  for  we  learn  from  Captain  Trump's  report 
that  on  December  1st  he  had  170  men,  and  out  of  this  number 
123  were  fit  for  duty.  The  same  number  of  officers  present  were 
reported  as  were  given  in  the  last  report. 

During  the  winter  of  1759  a  period  of  comparative  quietness 
seems  to  have  prevailed  at  the  fort,  which  was  no  doubt  caused 
by  the  operations  of  the  Provincial  forces  on  the  western  frontier. 
On  the  13th  of  April,  however.  Captain  Trump  notified  Governor 
Denny  of  the  arrival  of  Job  Chilloway  at  the  fort,  who  brought 
information  of  the  holding  of  a  grand  council  of  the  Six  Nations 
at  Onondaga.f     He  was  present,  and  it  was  opened  by  four  chiefs, 

bear  smiling  as  I  am  walking  in  the  garden,  to  observe  the  great  quantities  of  mari- 
golds you  have  planted — there  is  enough  to  make  soup  for  your  whole  army." — Ship- 
pen  Papers,  page  124. 

*For  the  report  in  full  see  pages  502  and  503  of  Vol.  III.,  Pennsyk'ania 
Archives,  Old  Series. 

f  See  page  582,  Vol.  III.,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Series. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  277 

singing  "  the  war  song  and  handing  round  an  uncommonly  large 
war  belt."  It  was  his  opinion  that  the  Indians  had  de,cided  to 
favor  the  French  and  were  preparing  to  raid  the  white  settlements. 
Permission  had  been  given  the  French  to  pass  through  their 
towns  and  to  commence  the  erection  of  a  fort  on  the  head-waters 
of  the  West  Branch.  From  that  point  the  descent  of  the  river 
could  easily  be  made  on  batteaux.  Nearly  one  thousand  warriors 
were  assembled  to  be  ready  when  the  word  was  given  to  com- 
mence the  work  of  slaughter  and  pillage. 

Sometime  during  the  early  part  of  this  year  John  Shikellimy,* 
who  had  become  estranged  from  the  whites  and  behaved  badly, 
visited  the  fort  and  appeared  to  be  well  disposed  towards  the 
Provincial  Government.  Governor  Denny  had  sent  him  a  string 
of  wampum  and  solicited  his  attendance  at  a  conference  to  be  held 
at  the  fort.  He  also  extended  to  him  his  hand,  thanked  him 
sincerely  and  greeted  him  as  a  friend.  Shikellimy  attended  the 
conference,  which  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the 
propriety  of  "cutting  a  roadf  from  the  fronteer  to  Fort  Augusta." 
It  was  claimed  that  this  road  would  be  a  benefit  to  the  Indians 
who  came  to  the  fort  to  trade  at  the  store  which  was  opened  at 
their  request.  Shikellimy  seemed  to  favor  the  project  and  prom- 
ised that  he  would  acquaint  the  Onondaga  council  with  what  the 
Government  proposed  doing,  and  endeavor  to  obtain  their  consent. 
At  the  end  of  the  conference,  and  when  he  was  ready  to  set  out 
for  his  home,  he  requested  enough  provisions  to  last  him  on  the 
journey.  Lieutenant  Graydon,  who  appears  to  have  been  in  com- 
mand at  that  time,I  gave  him  lOO  pounds  of  flour  and  a  quantity 
of  meat,  when  he  started  in  good  spirits. 

*  He  was  the  son  of  Shikellimy,  the  famous  Indian  King,  and  on  the  death  of  the 
latter,  December  17,  1748,  succeeded  him  as  viceroy,  but  failed  to  command  the 
same  respect  that  his  distinguished  father  did. 

f  See  letter  of  Richard  Peters  to  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Augusta,  Vol.  III., 
page  727,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Series,  and  Lieutenant  Graydon's  reply,  same 
volume,  page  729. 

X  The  exact  date  when  Lieutenant  Graydon  took  command  cannot  be  determined, 
as  the  early  records  are  silent  on  the  subject;  but  as  Captain  Trump  made  a  report  to 
Governor  Denny  on  the  13th  of  April,  1759,  and  Graydon  wrote  concerning  the  con- 
ference under  date  of  May  6th  [Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  III.,  page  729,  Old 
Series),  the  time  can  be  fixed  within  a  few  days. 


2/8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Nothing  of  any  importance  is  reported  to  have  transpired  about 
the  fort  until  July  12,  1762,  when  a  great  excitement  was  raised 
on  account  of  a  report  that  liquor  was  being  furnished  to  the 
Indians  secretly.  The  Indian  agent  informed  Lieutenant  Graydon 
that  he  had  detected  Colonel  Burd's  store-keeper  selling  liquor  to 
the  Indians,  and  that  he  had  sufficient  proof  to  convict  him.  He 
demanded  of  the  commandant  why  his  liquor  had  been  seized. 
Graydon  in  his  reply  said  that  he  was  obliged  to  do  so  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Governor's  instructions.  The  store-keeper  denied 
the  truth  of  the  charge.  Graydon  said  that  Colonel  Burd's  "  good 
friend,"  Holland,  "had  been  posted  at  a  peephole,  made  in  the 
wall  in  the  adjacent  house,  from  whence  he  could  see  in  the  Col- 
onel's store,  and  the  proof  is :  That  he  saw  some  squaws  in  the 
house  with  the  store-keeper  and  me  (Graydon) ;  that  one  of  them 
asked  for  rum  and  shewed  a  dollar;  that  I  went  away.  Then  the 
store-keeper  shut  the  door  and  delivered  the  squaws  some  rum."* 

Lieutenant  Graydon  admitted  that  he  was  in  the  house  when 
the  squaws  were  there,  but  did  not  stay  long,  and  did  not  notice 
any  of  the  circumstances  charged,  nor  did  he  suspect  the  store- 
keeper of  any  intention  of  selling  them  liquor.  But,  he  added,  he 
did  not  know  what  might  have  occurred  after  he  left.  He  inferred 
that  the  store-keeper  suspected  Colonel  Burd  of  encouraging  "this 
long  continued  practice,"  and  had  no  doubt  represented  it  in  as  bad 
a  light  as  he  could,  to  the  prejudice  of  Colonel  Burd.  He  there- 
fore deemed  it  best  to  enclose  his  opinion  to  Colonel  Shippen,  in 
a  letter  addressed  to  his  sister  in  Philadelphia,  so  that  she  could 
hand  it  to  the  Commissioners,  and  his  version  of  the  affair  would 
reach  them  simultaneously  with  the  report  that  the  agent  had 
forwarded.  The  friends  of  Colonel  Burd  would  then  be  apprised 
of  what  was  going  on  and  be  prepared  to  defend  him. 

In  course  of  time  an  account  of  the  affair  was  laid  before 
Colonel  Burd,  who  wrote  from  Lancaster  to  Colonel  Shippen 
concerning  it,  under  date  of  July  18,  1762,  as  follows: 

I  am  pestered  with  that  fellow  Nathaniel  Holland,  Clerk  to  the  Indian  Store  at 
Fort  Augusta.  He  has  accused  Mr.  Dennis  McCormack,  ray  clerk,  for  Issuing  Pro- 
visions at  that  place,  with  having  carried  on  a  trade  with  the  Indians,  in  Consequence 
of  which  he  has  seized  all  the  Rum  in  Store,  and  he  further  says  that  this  Clandestine 

*See  Graydon's  letter,  page  88,  Vol.  IV.,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  279 

Trade  is  carried  on  by  my  Particular  orders.  Mr.  HolLind  has  sent  an  Express  to 
Philada.,  and  Mr.  McCormack  has  come  down  to  me  here,  and  in  order  that  this  let- 
ter may  come  to  your  hand  soon  and  safe,  I  have  sent  him  with  it  to  you. 

Inclosed  is  Mr.  McCormack's  Deposition,  which  was  taken  here,  as  I  intended  to 
have  sent  him  back  to  Augusta,  if  I  could  have  forwarded  my  lettere  by  a  safe  hand 
to  Philadelphia,  but  failing  of  this  I  am  under  the  Necessity  of  sending  himself. 

Now  .Sir,  as  to  a  trade  being  carried  on  with  the  Indians  By  me,  for  me,  by  my 
Clerk,  by  the  Officers,  or  Garrison  of  Fort  Augusta,  or  in  any  manner,  or  way  what- 
soever, at  Fort  Augusta,  to  my  knowledge,  I  hereby  declare  to  be  absolutely  False,  & 
to  the  truth  of  this  I  am  ready  &  willing  to  take  my  oath  in  any  words  that  the  Com- 
missioners, or  even  that  Scoundrell  Holland  would  Commit  to  paper,  and  further  I 
can  procure  if  Necessary  the  oaths  of  the  Officers  and  Garrison  of  Augusta  to  the 
same  purpose,  &  of  every  person  living  on  the  Susquehanna  from  Harris's  to  Augusta, 
that  I  never  brought  a  skin  or  any  other  Indian  Commodity  whatever  to  their  knowl- 
edge from  Augusta. 

You  will  observe  by  the  Deposition  that  Mr.  McCormack  did  want  of  an  Indian 
Squa  a  thin  Indian  dressed  winter  Skin  to  line  a  pair  of  plush  britches  for  himself 
which  he  was  getting;  if  this  is  the  ground  of  the  Complaint  it  must  appear  to  His 
Hour  the  Govr  &  Commissrs  to  be  intirely  malitious  in  Holland,  &  not  from  a  well 
grounded  zeal  of  serving  his  Country. 

It  Really  vexes  me  much  to  be  eternally  plagued  in  this  manner  by  Holland,  and 
the  more  so  that  it  is  an  accusation  of  the  highest  breatch  of  trust  for  me  to  break  a 
well  known  Law  of  that  Government  whose  bread  I  daily  eat. 

I  must  therefore  beg  your  friendly  olTers  in  laying  the  state  of  the  case  clearly 
before  the  Governor  if  Necessary ;  and  if  this  affair  is  mentioned  to  my  disadvantage, 
that  you  will  represent  it  as  it  really  is,  &  you  are  fully  at  liberty  to  show  this  letter 
to  any  Person  whatsoever,  as  I  shall  support  it  in  every  particular,  &c. 

From  the  tone  of  this  letter  it  will  be  inferred  that  Colonel  Burd 
was  not  in  a  very  good  humor  over  the  charge  when  he  wrote,  but 
whether  anything  further  grew  out  of  the  affair,  and  how  it  was 
finally  arranged,  does  not  appear  upon  the  records  of  that  time. 

From  other  reports,  however,  it  seems  that  the  illicit  traffic  in 
whisky  was  continued,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  following  extra- 
ordinary letter  of  complaint  from  Captain  Jacob  Orndt  to  Governor 
Denny : 

Fort  Augusta,  Sept.  17th,  1759. 
May  it  Piece  your  Honour: 

Sir: — By  George  Doms,  Shoamaker,  I  have  Rece'd  his  patition  To  your  Honour 
for  fourter  Residince  here,  &  as  your  Honour  is  plese  to  Requist  wherin  he  has 
offended,  and  ray  Displeshur  to  him,  I  must  beg  your  excuess  for  giving  a  full  Rela- 
tion of  his  Conduct  since  ray  Recedince  here,  which  was  thus: 

A  short  time  after  my  arrival  at  Fort  Augusta,  the  Petitionir,  George  Dom,  Came 
to  me  &  Desired  I  would  permit  him  to  go  Down  in  the  Country  and  purchis  some 
necessaris  his  wife  wontid,  as  she  was  near  her  time,  which  I  permitid  him  to  Do,  but 
as  the  same  time  possitively  forbid  him  not  to  bring  up  any  liquer,  furter  then  for  his 


280  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

family's  use,  as  I  had  your  Honour's  orders  that  no  sutler  should  be  permitted  to 
Seal  goods  or  Liquer  here  without  your  Honour's  licens;  and  he  as  the  same  Time 
Solrnly  promised  he  should  not  offer  to  do  any  such  things,  yet,  notwithstanding  the 
above  orders  &  his  own  promise,  he  went  to  Tulpehokin,  prifitly  braught  a  quantity  of 
liquers  and  clendestinely  sold  the  same  to  the  Soldiers,  and  as  the  same  time  Contractid 
with  men  to  bring  him  about  40  galons  more;  the  person  agreable  to  their  agree- 
ment braught  up  the  liquer  a  few  days  after.  Mecomon's  Store  was  lockt  up,  but 
when  I  got  intiligind  of  there  arrifel  I  order'd  the  men  a  halfe  an  hour  to  Refresh 
themselfes,  &  then  to  Retturn  with  there  liquer,  &  not  to  offer  to  Dispose  of  it  to  any 
body  here;  nevertheless,  the  above  George  Dom  again  Transgresed  my  orders  by 
Purchis  these  liquer,  &  had  them  conceled  in  the  woods  till  he  had  an  opportunyty  to 
convey  them  to  his  house,  as  he  lives  outsid  the  fort ;  and  a  few  Days  after  these 
Josaph  Nutimus,  an  Indian,  came  to  me  and  complained  that  the  same  night  a  soldier 
from  the  quarter  guard  came  with  a  Cantin  full  of  Wiske  to  his  wife  and  Daughter  to 
make  them  Drink  and  to  Debuts  them,  and  if  they  were  used  so  here,  they  are  obliged 
to  leve  there  Wifes  and  Children  at  home,  and  not  to  bring  them  Down  any  more; 
and  a  few  nights  after  these,  again  the  quarter  guart  was  made  Dronk  &  got  a  filing 
among  themselfs,  and  when  serch  was  made  for  the  liquer  it  was  found  by  the  said 
George  Dom  and  a  Soldeir,  a  beager,  which  livet  in  the  beak  house,  besaids  George 
Dom.  I  orderid  the  liquer  to  be  braught  to  the  barxde  &  Store  it;  a  short  time 
after,  the  s'd  George  Dom  Desired  he  might  go  Down  and  buy  some  lather,  as  the 
Taner  had  Disapoindit  him  in  Sending  it  up,  when  I  again  orderid  him  not  to  bring 
any  liquer  up  for  use.  Mr.  Clark  had  the  Store  and  was  appoinded,  but  he  Disregar- 
tid  all  orders  and  the  welfare  of  the  community,  braught  up  a  quantity  of  liquer  and 
other  goods  from  Reading.  As  soon  as  I  was  acquanitid  of  his  arrifel  and  had 
braught  up  a  quaintity  of  liquer  again,  I  orderid  him  to  Depart  the  garrison  in  Six 
Days'  time.  Before  the  exparation,  a  patition  was  presented  to  me,  signed  by  some 
of  the  Soldiers  in  his  behalf,  to  which  I  paid  no  Regard,  as  his  ofiSnce  had  been  so 
notorious,  and  when  he  found  he  must  Depart  the  garrison  he  got  the  Inclosed  letter 
write  and  was  Drapt  behind  me  as  I  pased  to  the  gardain,  by  the  content  I  appre- 
handed  he  intend  to  force  arisedent  by  Raysing  muteny  in  the  garrison,  and  as  soon 
as  I  had  Read  the  letter  I  orderid  the  whole  garrison  under  arms  and  told  them  I  had 
your  Honour's  orders  to  prevent  any  person  seling  liquer  to  the  garrison  without  his 
honour's  license  and  asked  them  if  they  intended  to  Raise  a  Muteny  to  settle  such 
vilain  here  to  abuse  the  country  by  selling  liquer  to  the  guard  to  Disable  them  from 
there  Duty,  and  said  that  I  was  astonised  they  should  pretend  to  say  they  must  suffer  in 
not  having  there  shoas  mentid  when  there  is  three  shoamakers  in  the  garrison,  being 
solders  and  had  materials,  &  both  made  &  Mentid  the  Shoas  for  the  garrison,  and  the 
s'd  george  Dom  had  behaved  in  so  base  a  manner,  I  orderid  him  to  leve  the  garrison 
the  next  Day,  but  permited  his  wife  to  Stay  til  she  was  able  to  Travel  and  in  these  I 
think  I  have  obaid  fuly  your  Honour's  order  and  Don  my  Duty. 

And  as  there  has  been  Severil  familys  here  which  wer  not  of  the  garrison  &  levet 
here  an  had  no  promission,  braught  up  for  there  support,  and  I  could  not  learn  that 
the  where  any  service  to  the  garrison,  I  have  orderid  them  to  leave  these,  for  I  have 
obsearved  that  they  are  more  hurt  to  the  countrey  than  binifet. 
I  am,  Your  Honour's  most 

obedient  Humble  Servent, 

JACOB  ORNDT. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  28 1 

This  letter  shows  that  a  state  of  demorahzation  must  have 
existed  in  and  about  the  garrison  at  that  time  which  was  discredit- 
able to  the  service.  The  report  of  Captain  Orndt  evidently  had  a 
marked  effect  on  Governor  Denny,  as,  in  a  letter  *  dated  Septem- 
ber 5th,  and  addressed  to ,  he  calls  attention  to  it  and  says 

that  it  "  is  of  a  very  extraordinary  nature,"  and  he  fears  that  "bad 
consequences  may  happen  from  the  mutinous  disposition  of  the 
soldiers."  He  expressed  a  wish  to  have  the  garrison  relieved, 
"and,  if  an  additional  number  of  soldiers  could  be  spared,"  he 
would  favor  making  the  force  stronger  on  account  of  the  import- 
ance of  the  post.  It  does  not  appear  to  whom  the  Governor 
addressed  his  letter,  but  it  was  probably  Colonel  Burd.  Neither 
does  it  appear  how  Captain  Orndt  f  came  to  be  acting  in  an  official 
capacity  at  that  time,  unless  the  commander  was  temporarily 
absent. 

Owing  to  some  dissatisfaction.  Governor  Denny  retired  from 
the  office  of  Lieutenant  Governor  in  October,  1759,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  James  Hamilton,  who  served  again  in  that  capacity 
until  1763. 

The  death  of  King  George  the  H.  occurring  on  the  24th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1759,  a  proclamation  was  in  due  time  issued  to  the  Colonies 
announcing  the  accession  of  George  the  HI.,  and  trusting  that  he 
would  be  respected  and  obeyed  as  their  sovereign. 

Soon  after  Governor  Hamilton  took  charge  of  the  affairs  of  the 
Province  the  Assembly  became  impressed  with  the  idea  of  aban- 
doning Fort  Augusta,  which  caused  much  feeling  among  the 
settlers.  This  movement,  it  is  supposed,  was  brought  about  by 
the  mutinous  disposition  that  had  been  shown  by  the  garrison, 
caused  by  the  clandestine  traffic  in  whisky.  Better  counsels  pre- 
vailed and  the  proposition  for  abandoning  the  post  was  dropped. 
General  Amherst,  in  a  letter  to  Governor  Hamilton,  under  date 
of  January    18,   1761,  commended  him  for  his  zeal  "in  not  dis- 

*Page  686,  VoL  IIL,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Series. 

f  Captain  Jacob  Orndt  was  commander  of  Fort  Allen  for  several  months,  when  he 
was  entrusted  with  other  military  duties  at  Reading  and  Easton.  It  does  not  appear 
when  he  was  sent  to  Fort  Augusta,  or  for  what  purpose.  His  commission  as  captain 
is  dated  December  10,  1757,  and  on  the  2d  of  June,  1758,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  major. 


282  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

banding  the  small  garrison  at  Fort  Augusta."  The  General 
expressed  a  hope  that  in  a  further  conference  with  the  Assembly 
he  might  be  able  to  impress  upon  them  the  necessity  of  retaining 
the  old  garrison,  as  he  had  no  regular  troops  to  put  in  their  place. 

June  13,  1762,  Governor  Hamilton  addressed  a  letter  to  Joseph 
Shippen,  informing  him  that  he  had  received  intelligence  from  the 
Indian  country  which  made  it  necesisary  for  him  to  re-inforce*  the 
garrison  at  Fort  Augusta  with  men  and  provisions,  and  that  there 
was  no  time  to  lose.  He  therefore  forwarded  blank  recruiting 
orders  and  commissions,  and  directed  him  to  proceed  at  once  to 
Lancaster  in  order  to  forward  the  service.  And  when  he  had 
succeeded  in  recruiting  a  force  of  men  he  was  to  proceed  at  once 
to  Harris'  Ferry,  and  collect  together  at  that  place,  or  at  Fort 
Hunter,  as  many  "  battoes  "  and  canoes  as  would  be  required  for  the 
transportation  of  the  provisions  and  ammunition  which  would  be 
sent  immediately  from  Philadelphia.  As  the  case  was  urgent,  he 
was  instructed  to  hire  as  many  "battoemen"  as  would  be  requisite 
for  the  service. 

Captain  Shippen  was  further  instructed  that  in  case  he  received 
intelligence  of  the  enemy's  design  of  attacking  Fort  Augusta,  and 
it  should  appear  to  him  to  be  necessary  that  a  re-inforcement  of 
men  was  required  without  delay  for  the  defense  of  the  post,  and 
before  the  recruits  could  be  raised,  as  was  intended,  "to  collect 
and  hire  as  many  of  the  frontier  inhabitants  as  he  could  get — not 
exceeding  ninety — and  fit  them  out  with  arms  and  ammunition 
and  allow  them  soldiers'  pay  while  they  were  in  the  service,  and 
order  them  to  march  with  the  utmost  expedition  to  Augusta  and 
put  themselves  under  the  orders  of  the  commanding  officer  there 
until  they  shall  be  discharged  or  relieved  by  the  soldiers  to  be 
raised." 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  no  monthly  reports  of  the  condition  of 
the  garrison,  or  the  quantity  of  provisions  on  hand,  were  after- 
wards made.  If  such  reports  were  made  they  do  not  appear  in 
the  published  volumes  of  the  official  records  of  that  period.  It  is 
likely  that  they  were  made,  but  were  mislaid  and  lost. 

*See  page  82,  Vol.  IV.^  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Series. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

EXCITING    AND    PERILOUS    TIMES    AT  FORT  AUGUSTA A  SECRET  PAS- 
SAGE WAY  TO  THE  RIVER  CONSTRUCTED THE  SETTLERS  WARNED 

STRICT  ORDERS  ISSUED  BY  THE  COMMANDING  OFFICER. 

COLONEL  BURD  returned  to  Fort  Augusta  on  Saturday, 
February  i6,  1760,  and  noted  in  his  journal  that  he  found 
Lieutenant  Graydon  and  thirty-six  men.  There  were  "  Uttle  stores, 
no  tools,  and  everything  much  out  of  order."  On  the  17th  he 
held  a  conference  with  John  Shikellimy  and  delivered  him  a  string 
of  wampum  from  Conrad  Weiser.  This  day  he  also  held  a  court- 
martial  for  the  trial  of  Sergeant  Thomson  on  the  charge  of  "  en- 
couraging the  old  garrison  to  mutiny,"  but  the  finding  of  the 
court  is  not  given.  On  the  morning  of  the  19th  the  old  garrison 
"  marched  off" 

John  Lykens  reached  the  fort  on  the  26th  with  letters  to  Col- 
onel Burd  from  the  Governor.  The  former  then  notified  "  Mr. 
Holland  to  acquaint  all  the  chiefs  of  the  Indians  that  he  had  a 
message  to  deliver  to  them,"  and  wished  to  know  if  they  would 
visit  his  house  the  ne.xt  day.  At  first  they  sent  word  that  they 
would  see  him  the  ne.xt  afternoon,  but  before  the  time  arrived  he 
received  another  mes.sage  from  the  Indians  informing  him  that 
they  would  not  go  into  the  fort  to  his  house,  as  they  feared  he 
would  "cut  them  off."  A  message  was  returned  stating  that  he 
had  no  such  intention,  but  to  show  his  good  faith  he  promised  to 
meet  them  at  the  Indian  store.  This  was  satisfactory  to  them  and 
the  conference  was  held  at  the  store.  Among  those  present  were 
"  Colonel  Hugh  Mercer,  Ensign  Graydon,  Ensign  Morgan,  Na- 
thaniel Holland  "  and  some  nine  Indians.  The  conference  related 
to  the  murder  of  Doctor  John  and  an  Indian  boy.  The  procla- 
mation of  the  Governor  regarding  the  matter  was  read,  and  the 
Indians  informed  that  proper  efforts  would  be  made  to  find  the 
murderers,  and  if  caught  they  would  suffer  in  the  same  manner  as 


264  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

if  they  had  killed  an  English  family.  This  satisfied  the  Indians, 
and  they  soon  afterwards  departed  to  carry  the  news  to  their  chiefs 
and  tribes. 

On  the  3d  of  March  the  Colonel  notes  in  his  journal  that  an 
Indian  attempted  to  kill  Nathaniel  Holland,  but  he  marched  out 
with  the  guard  and  prevented  it.  It  seems  that  the  Indians  did  not 
feel  very  warmly  towards  this  man.  He  was  the  store-keeper, 
which  may  account  for  their  dislike  of  him.  Store-keepers  and 
agents  are  unpopular  with  the  Indians  even  to  this  day. 

As  soon  as  Colonel  Burd  had  finished  his  business  at  Fort 
Augusta  he  departed,  and  on  the  6th  of  July  we  find  him  at 
Pittsburg  "with  the  Pennsylvania  regiment."  On  the  4th  of 
November  he  arrived  at  Lancaster  on  his  return  and  dined  Gen- 
eral Bouquet  and  Major  Gates. 

Nothing  further  is  heard  of  Colonel  Burd  until  June  5,  1763, 
when  we  find  him  at  Fort  Augusta  again,  and  he  notes  in  his 
journal  that  he  had  "begun"  again  that  day.  Lieutenant  Samuel 
Hunter  was  in  command.  This  is  the  first  mention  of  this  dis- 
tinguished officer,  who  afterwards  bore  such  a  conspicuous  part  in 
affairs  about  Fort  Augusta. 

June  6th  Colonel  Burd  "was  informed  by  an  Indian,  who  pro- 
fessed great  friendship  for  the  English,"  that  he  feared  it  would 
soon  be  veiy  bad  for  him  and  the  garrison,  and  he  was  cautioned 
to  be  on  the  alert.  If  the  Indians  and  French  attacked  the  fort 
and  were  successful,  he  was  warned  that  no  quarter  would  be 
given.  He  immediately  ordered  reveille  to  beat  at  day-break  and 
all  the  garrison  to  be  under  arms  and  repair  to  the  bastions  pre- 
pared to  resist  any  attack  that  might  be  made.  Twelve  men,  with 
a  sergeant  and  corporal,  were  ordered  to  mount  guard,  with  a 
sentinel  in  each  bastion,  and  all  persons  passing  after  "  retreat " 
were  to  be  challenged.  The  gates  were  ordered  to  be  closed  at 
dusk  and  the  corporal  was  to  visit  the  sentinels  every  half  hour. 
The  fact  of  a  number  of  Indians  coming  to  the  store  about  this 
time  and  wanting  to  exchange  all  their  peltries  for  powder,  gave 
cause  for  suspicion  that  all  was  not  right.  Lieutenant  Hunter's 
fears  were  further  increased  on  the  8th  by  receiving  a  message 
from  "  Telenemut,"  an  Indian  living  a  short  distance  up  the  West 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  2S5 

Branch,  warning  him  to  be  upon  his  guard,  for  he  (the  Indian) 
did  not  know  at  what  moment  the  place  might  be  attacked.  As 
a  further  precaution  all  those  living  outside  the  fort  were  ordered 
to  repair  inside  immediately,  and  an  express  was  dispatched  after 
Colonel  Burd,  who  appears  to  have  departed,  giving  him  infor- 
mation of  the  apprehended  danger.  Settlers  living  in  the  neigh- 
borhood were  warned  to  repair  to  the  fort  with  their  families  for 
protection,  which  they  did.  Almost  a  panic  seemed  to  prevail 
among  the  garrison  and  people  in  anticipation  of  danger.  All 
the  small  arms  were  gathered  up  and  charged  for  immediate  use, 
so  that  each  man  might  have  "  two  or  three  by  him "  in  case  of 
danger.  On  the  gth  no  Indians  came  to  the  store  to  deal,  which 
was  another  suspicious  circumstance,  and  increased  the  apprehen- 
sions of  trouble.  John  Shikellimy  arrived  in  his  canoe  on  the 
I  ith,  and  he  promised  to  be  on  the  alert  and  give  early  infor- 
mation of  the  approach  of  an  attacking  party.  Colonel  Burd, 
who  was  on  a  mission  to  Wyoming,  also  sent  a  warning  message 
to  the  commander,  and  preparations  for  defense  were  increased. 
But,  much  to  the  relief  of  the  garrison  and  refugees,  no  attack 
was  made,  and  about  9  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  15th  Lieu- 
tenant Graydon  and  a  small  party  arrived  and  he  assumed 
command. 

The  former  orders  by  Lieutenant  Hunter  were  continued,  and, 
as  a  small  re-inforcement  had  arrived,  ten  men  were  stationed  in 
each  bastion.  The  work  of  strengthening  the  fort  was  also  contin- 
ued. Colonel  Burd,  Captain  McKee  and  several  others  arrived  in 
the  evening  of  the  i8th  of  June,  which  had  the  effect  of  inspiring 
the  command  with  more  confidence.  The  Colonel  im'mediately 
assumed  command,  and  on  the  25th  a  conference  with  a  number 
of  Indians  was  held  at  the  "agent's  store."  While  the  speeches 
were  being  delivered  all  the  garrison  was  under  arms.  On  the 
26th  a  large  convoy  of  provisions  was  received,  with  "33  quarter 
casks  of  gunpowder  and  a  cask  of  lead."  The  next  day  Colonel 
Burd  served  as  "  officer  of  the  guard." 

Matters  became  so  serious  about  this  time  that  orders  were 
issued  "  that  no  soldier  belonging  to  the  garrison,  or  any  person 
within  it,"  should  have  "any  dealings  with  Indians  on  any  pretence 
whatever." 


286  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

On  the  29th  of  June  the  work  of  building  a  "  covert  way  to  the 
river"  was  commenced,  and  three  houses  at  the  south  end  of  the 
town  were  pulled  down.  The  con.struction  of  this  "  covered  way  " 
was  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  water  in  case  of  siege,  and  also 
to  facilitate  the  landing  of  parties  from  canoes  with  safety.  That 
it  was  built  there  is  no  doubt,  for  under  date  of  June  30th  it  is 
noted  in  the  journal  that  an  order  was  issued  directing  "  every 
one  passing  through  either  of  the  barrier  gates  to  shut  them  to 
prevent  catde  from  getting  into  the  covert  way,*  and  also  to  walk- 
on  it  as  near  the  pickets  as  they  can."  It  was  this  secret  passage 
which  doubtless  gave  rise  to  the  stories,  in  later  years,  that  it  led 
from  the  magazine  to  the  river.  It  was  built  a  short  distance 
above  where  the  magazine  stood,  and  was  very  likely  entered  from 
one  of  the  angles  of  the  fort.  When  the  fort  was  dismantled  and 
torn  down  the  covered  way  to  the  river  was  among  the  first  things 
destroyed. 

Nothing  remarkable  occurred  up  to  Friday,  July  i,  1763,  when 
an  Indian  named  John  Orby,  who  was  with  the  garrison,  informed 
Colonel  Burd  that  while  he  was  "  lying  at  his  fire-place  by  himself," 
an  Indian  stepped  up,  threw  some  dirt  upon  him  and  aroused  him. 
This  Indian,  who  was  named  Wingenam,  informed  him  that  he 
and  two  other  Indians  had  been  sent  from  Allegheny  to  view  the 
fort,  and  that  they  had  been  around  it.  This  alarming  intelligence 
caused  the  Colonel  to  issue  an  order  that  upon  the  first  alarm  the 
women  in  the  garrison  should  repair  to  the  well  with  all  the  buckets 
and  vessels  they  could  collect  and  fill  them  with  water,  and  ren- 
der all  the  assistance  they  could.  On  the  i6th  the  Colonel  noted 
that  he  had  commenced  tearing  down  the  Indian  trading  house 
and  taking  the  materials  into  the  fort.  Monday,  the  1 8th,  "  two 
young  fellows  of  French  Margaret's  family"  arrived  and  wanted 
to  make  purchases,  alleging  that  they  were  going  to  hunt  at 
"  Mockintongo,"  but 'on  being  refused  they  returned  home  much 
crest-fallen. 

About  this  time  a  device  known  as  the  "  crowfoot "  was  adopted 
by  the  commander  of  Fort  Augusta  to  punish  the  Indians  who 
were  constantly  prowling  about  in  the  bushes,  lying  in  ambush  to 


••See  page  437,  Vol.  VII.,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  New  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  287 

pick  the  sentinels  off  with  their  rifles,  or  to  pounce  upon  small 
parties  sent  out  some  distance  from  the  fort.  It  is  said  the  first 
lot  was  obtained  from  England.  They 
were  strewn  along  the  paths,  and  in  the 
woods  and  swamps  most  infested  by  the 
wily  foe  and  did  effective  service.  When 
thrown  upon  the  ground  one  of  the  barbed 
J  \"  prongs  *  of  this  deadly  device  always  point- 

-^^^  ed  upward,  and  when  stepped  upon  would 

A*        penetrate  the  soft  moccasin  and  foot  of  the 
Caltrop  or  Crowfoot.  unsuspecting  foe,  aud  as  it  had  to  be  cut 

out,  the  rusty  thorn  would  produce  a  wound  terribly  painful,  if 
not  fatal  in  its  results.  After  the  country  was  cleared  up  they 
were  found  upon  the  hills  miles  away,  where  the  suffering  bar- 
barian had  doubtless  halted  to  get  relieved  from  his  torture. 

Whilst  it  is  possible  that  the  first  of  these  deadly  implements 
were  brought  from  England,  it  is  also  quite  probable  that  many 
were  made  by  the  blacksmith  at  the  garrison,  as  very  little  skill 
was  required  to  produce  them.  They  were  made  of  iron  (possi- 
bly heavy  wire)  by  welding  two  pieces  together  crosswise,  then 
bending  the  prongs,  which  were  from  one  and  a  half  to  two  inches 
long,  so  that  no  matter  how  dropped  one  prong,  with  its  sharp 
point,  would  always  stand  erect,  and  these  prongs  being  barbed 
like  a  fish-hook,  made  them  truly  a  formidable  weapon. 

When  the  settlers  came  after  peace  was  declared,  their  cattle 
and  horses  frequently  stepped  upon  them  and  death  from  locked-jaw 
often  resulted,  so  that  they  were  carefully  hunted  up  and  stored 
away  in  barrels  in  the  passage  way  leading  to  the  old  magazine, 


*The  words  caltrop,  c^throp  and  calthorp  appear  to  have  been  derived  from  the 
Anglo-Sa.xon  word  caltrappe,  the  name  of  the  star  thistle  [centaurea  calcitrapa),  a 
native  of  Southern  Britain  and  Europe,  and  from  which  the  modern  word  "  crowfoot" 
has  no  doubt  been  corrupted.  The  oldest  implement  referred  to  and  described  in  history 
under  the  name  of  caltrop,  etc.,  was  used  in  military  warfare  by  the  Romans  and 
other  ancient  nations.  It  was  a  four-pronged  piece  of  iron,  each  prong  about  four 
inches  in  length.  When  it  was  desired  to  check  the  appro.ich  of  the  enemy's  cavalry 
over  a  plain,  or  of  his  besiegers  in  the  ditch  of  a  fortification,  caltrops  were  some- 
times thrown  down  and  would  work  terrible  mischief  to  the  enemy's  horses  or  men. 
The  ancient  caltrop  is  pictured  as  being  very  sharply  pointed,  but  not  barbed,  as  is  the 
case  with  the  modern  "crowfoot." — J.  H.  McMinn. 


288  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

from  where  they  were  afterwards  obtained  as  vakied  relics  and 
scattered  far  and  wide.  M.  L.  Hendricks,  the  antiquarian,  says 
that  when  he  was  prosecuting  his  searches  about  the  ruins  of  the 
fort,  he  discovered  two  barrels  filled  with  these  implements,  that 
had  been  covered  with  earth,  and  a  small  tree  was  growing  above 
them.  These  implements  are  very  scarce  now  and  are  highly 
prized  as  relics.  A  few  specimens  may  be  found  in  the  collections 
of  our  local  antiquarians  and  in  the  hands  of  other  persons. 

July  I,  1763,  Lieutenant  Hunter  noted  in  the  records  of  the  fort 
"that  Lieutenant  Graydon,  Mr.  Carmalt,  Balzer  Geer  &  John  Dean, 
went  down  to  the  mill  in  a  canoe."  This  is  the  first  mention  of  a 
mill  in  this  locality,  but  as  he  does  not  state  where  it  was  situated, 
we  are  left  to  infer  that  it  was  at  Hunter's.  A  few  days  later 
a  re-inforcement  of  twenty-nine  men,  of  Colonel  Work's  company, 
arrived  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Hendricks. 

Friday,  July  28th,  Colonel  Burd  was  informed  by  Job  Chilloway 
that  a  great  council  had  been  held  at  Onondaga,  and  that  he  would 
soon  have  information  as  to  the  result.  At  the  same  time  he 
learned  that  " Shamochan  Daniel,  with  18  Indians,  had  struck" 
Sherman  and  Path  valleys  on  the  Juniata  and  killed  a  great  many 
white  people.  This  same  marauding  party  had  intended  invading 
Berks  County,  but  the  friendly  Indians  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Susquehanna  had  stopped  them.  In  the  meantime  the  work  of 
putting  the  fort  in  a  better  condition  was  continued.  A  picket 
guard  was  kept  outside  all  the  time,  and  the  cattle,  which  were 
driven  out  in  the  morning  to  graze,  were  brought  in  at  night. 
An  order  was  also  issued  "that  no  soldier,  woman  or  child" 
should  go  into  the  garden  upon  any  pretence,  unless  by  the  par- 
ticular order  of  the  officer.  When  anything  was  wanted  out  of 
the  gai-den  application  was  to  be  made  to  the  gardener,  who  would 
deliver  it.  A  guard  of  twelve  men,  under  the  command  of  a  ser- 
geant and  corporal,  was  held  in  readiness  all  the  time,  with  their 
arms  and  accoutrements,  to  move  outside  quickly  when  an  alarm 
was  given.  Sunday,  August  7th,  Andrew  Montour  arrived  from 
the  West  Branch  and  informed  Colonel  Burd  that  Pittsburg  and 
Ligonier  had  been  taken  by  the  Indians,  and  that  the  savages 
were  watching  every  movement  of  General  Bouquet  since  he  had 
marched  from  Carlisle,  and  that  they  were  determined  to  attack 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  2139 

him.  On  the  loth  Lieutenant  Blythe  reported  the  arrival  of  a 
.small  re-inforcement  with  a  convoy  of  provisions.  At  3  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  the  20th  of  August  Colonel  Burd  and  a  small 
party  set  out  in  two  canoes  for  Harris'  Landing,  for  the  purpose 
of  attending  to  other  important  business  relating  to  Provincial 
affairs. 

The  western  expedition  by  the  Provincial  forces  was  anxiously 
watched,  not  only  by  the  small  garrison  at  the  fort,  but  by  the 
few  settlers  along  the  river  and  in  the  adjacent  valleys.  Much 
depended  on  the  success  of  this  military  movement.  If  it  failed 
this  portion  of  the  Province  would  no  doubt  be  overrun  by 
hordes  of  savages,  and  the  settlers  would  either  be  butchered  or 
carried  into  captivity.  Fort  Augusta,  which  had  already  cost  a 
great  deal  of  money,  could  not  expect  to  hold  out  much  longer, 
and  once  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  they  would  have  a  strong 
position  from  which  to  direct  operations,  besides  being  in  closer 
communication  with  the  forts  along  the  Canadian  border. 

If  General  Bouquet's  expedition  succeeded,  peace  would  cer- 
tainly follow  in  a  short  time,  and  the  people  would  be  relieved 
from  the  anxiety  which  now  distressed  them.  But  his  movements 
were  necessarily  slow  on  account  of  the  great  difficulties  that  had 
to  be  overcome  in  penetrating  the  wilderness.  Provisions  had  to 
be  provided  and  transported  over  horrible  roads,  which  caused 
great  delay.  Whilst  waiting  to  hear  from  the  expedition,  it  can 
readily  be  imagined  what  suspense  and  anxiety  prevailed  among 
the  people  on  the  Susquehanna. 

On  the  31st  of  August  Captain  Graydon  and  a  party  of  twelve 
men  arrived  from  below,  bearing  the  joyful  tidings  that  General 
Bouquet  had  finally  reached  Fort  Du  Quesne  and  that  the  out- 
look was  encouraging.  This  caused  much  rejoicing  among  the 
officers  and  men,  and  the  settlers  also  shared  in  the  good  news. 
In  due  time  the  news  was  confirmed,  when  everybody  experienced 
great  relief  of  mind  and  set  about  making  plans  for  the  future. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BATTLE  OF   MUNCV    HILLS WHEN   IT  OCCURRED  AND  THE  LOSSES- 
BARBAROUS     MURDER     OF    TWO     INDIANS ESCAPE     OF     ANOTHER 

AFTER    BEING    SCALPED REFERENCES    TO    THE    EXPEDITION. 

WE  now  come  to  another  important  epoch  in  the  history  of 
the  West  Branch  Valley,  in  which  events  of  a  startling 
and  bloody  character  will  crowd  upon  us.  A  description  of  the 
trying  and  exciting  times  at  Fort  Augusta  have  occupied  much 
space,  but  it  was  necessary  that  they  should  be  given  in  their 
order  to  complete  the  record.  Lieutenant  Samuel  Hunter,  who 
will  hereafter  occupy  a  conspicuous  position  in  affairs  at  the  fort, 
now  comes  upon  the  stage  as  the  chief  actor.  Under  date  of 
Thursday,  August  25,  1763,  he  makes  the  following  entry  in  his 
journal: 

this  day  at  Twelve  o'clock,  Capt.  Patterson,  George  Allen  &  Capt.  Bedford  arrived 
here  vv-ith  a  party  of  114  men,  on  their  way  to  destroy  some  Indian  Towns  about 
sixty  miles  up  the  west  Branch  from  here,  they  set  of  again  the  same  day,  all  in 
great  spirits,     fair.* 

On  the  subsequent  day,  the  26th,  Lieutenant  Hendricks  made 
this  entry  in  the  records  of  the  fort :  "  Nothing  extraordinar}^ 
Fair."  Saturday,  August  27th,  Lieutenant  Blythe  makes  the  fol- 
lowing important  entry f  over  his  own  name: 

About  Twelve  o'clock,  Capt.  Patterson  &  Capt.  Bedford  came  Back  here,  and 
seventy  six  of  their  party,     they  were  Disapointed  of  their  scheme,     in  cuting  some 


*  Lieutenant  Graydon  also  left  a  note  on  recoi-d  concerning  the  party.  He  says 
that  it  appeared  on  the  Blue  Hill  side  of  the  river,  and  three  men  came  over  to  the 
fort  and  reported  that  they  were  from  Cumberland  County,  that  there  were  fifty  in  the 
expedition.  They  claimed  that  their  object  was  to  look  at  the  land  on  the  river 
and  at  the  Great  Island,  where  some  of  them  proposed  to  settle.  The  Lieutenant 
could  not  imagine  what  the  object  of  the  visit  was,  but  as  the  party  made  many 
inquiries  about  Indians,  he  suspected  that  they  had  a  design  against  them.  The 
names  of  the  men  visiting  the  fort  were:  John  Woods,  James  McMein  and  James 
Dickey. 

f  See  page  442,  Vol.  VII.,  Pennsyivania  Archives,  New  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  29 1 

of  the  Indian  Towns  up  the  West  Branch  for  about  Thirty  miles  from  here,  they  fell 
in  with  a  strong  party  of  Indians  comeing  to  War,  which  had  the  first  fire  of  our 
men,  but  they.  Returning  the  fire  Briskly  and  advancing  upon  the  Enemy,  made  them 
give  way,  but  did  not  think  it  proper  to  follow  them  any  furder,  haveing  some  of 
their  men  killed,  and  the  wounded  they  could  not  leave,  as  it  was  near  night,  so 
tacked  about  &  march'd  all  night  through  the  woode.  the  Indians  followed  them 
and  fired  upon  them  about  Ten  O'Clock  at  night,  but  did  them  no  harm.  George 
Allen  &■  John  Wood,  with  Twenty  six  of  the  party,  was  separated  from  C.  Patterson 
&  Bedford  in  the  night,  and  did  not  come  here  till  five  O'Clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
on  their  way  came  up  with  three  Indians  comeing  from  Bethelam.  After  dealing 
their  peltry,  took  them  prisoners,  but  comeing  nigh  this  place,  thought  proper  to  kill 
&  scalp  them,  and  brought  all  their  Goods  &  Horses  along  with  them  here,  they  got 
in  all,  four  Indians  scalps— one  at  the  field  of  Battle,  &  them  Allen  brought,  there 
was  four  of  our  men  killed,  &  four  more  wounded  very  bad. 

This  refers  to  what  in  subsequent  years  was  known  as  the 
"  Battle  of  Muncy  Hills."  For  a  long  time  the  particulars  of  this 
exciting  affair  remained  in  such  obscurity  that  many  came  to 
believe  that  nothing  of  the  kind  ever  occurred;  or  if  there  was 
a  fight,  it  was  such  a  commonplace  affair  as  not  to  warrant  a 
prominent  place  in  the  annals  of  those  times.  Many  years  ago, 
however,  careful,  industrious  research  on  the  part  of  the  late  Hon. 
Thomas  Wood,*  of  Muncy,  developed  the  particulars  of  the  battle 
as  briefly  alluded  to  in  the  statement  of  Lieutenant  Blythe. 

When  the  author  of  the  History  of  the  West  Branch  Valley  was 
gathering  materials  in  1855  for  the  first  edition  of  his  work,  he  was 

*  Hon.  Thomas  Wood  was  the  son  of  William  Wood  and  Grezel  Dunlap.  He 
was  born  January  21,  1810,  near  Thompsontown,  Juniata  County,  Pa.,  and  when  four 
years  old  (1814)  his  parents  removed  to  Muncy  Valley.  His  ancestry  has  many  his- 
torical associations.  His  great-great-grandfather,  Captain  John  Wood,  fought  under 
King  Wilham  at  the  battle  of  the  Boyne,  in  1690,  and  was  rewarded  for  gallantry 
with  a  grant  of  an  estate  in  County  Cavan,  Ireland.  His  great-grandfather,  James 
Wood,  came  to  America  in  1731,  and  settled  in  Cumberland  County,  Pa.  His  grand- 
father, George  Wood,  removed  to  Juniata  County,  where  his  father,  William  Wood, 
was  born  in  1776.  His  maternal  grandfather,  John  Dunlap,  was  a  Revolutionary  sol- 
dier, belonging  to  the  Pennsylvania  Line,  was  mortally  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
Chestnut  Hill,  taken  prisoner  by  the  British,  and  died  within  a  few  days  in  Philadel- 
phia. His  maternal  grandmother,  Robina  Orr,  was  a  member  of  the  famous  On- 
family  of  the  North  of  Ireland,  which  met  with  such  terrible  persecutions  at  the  hands 
of  the  British  government  for  being  Irish  patriots  in  the  rebellion  of  1798.  Thomas 
Wood  married,  in  1834,  Margaret,  eldest  daughter  of  Col.  Jacob  Beeber,  one  of  the 
early  settlers  in  the  Muncy  Valley.  He  represented  Lycoming  County  in  the  Assembly, 
at  Harrisburg,  during  the  session  of  1S54-55.  He  died  February  12,  1884,  aged  74 
years. 


292  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

unable  to  learn  anything  positive  relating  to  the  affair.  According 
to  tradition  a  severe  battle  between  the  whites  and  Indians  had 
taken  place  somewhere  on  the  path  crossing  Muncy  Hills  from 
Warrior  Run  to  Warrior  Spring.*  No  written  account  of  the 
affair  was  then  known  to  exist  in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  verbal 
report  was  so  much  blended  with  uncertainty  that  it  was  received 
with  caution  and  but  brief  reference  made  to  the  event.  The  early 
pioneers  who  lived  in  the  vicinity  in  those  troublous  times  had 
passed  away,  and  their  immediate  descendants  had  been  educated 
more  particularly  in  the  use  of  the  rifle  than  that  of  the  pen  for  re- 
cording the  exploits  of  their  fathers.  Nor  could  any  official  report 
of  such  expedition  be  found  among  the  Colonial  papers,  conse- 
quently the  author  made  a  point  of  being  content  with  that  only 
which  he  deemed  reliable. 

Mr.  Wood,  however,  still  entertained  an  idea  that  something  im- 
portant had  occurred  in  the  vicinity  of  the  place  where  vague  tradi- 
tion pointed,  and  he  pursued  his  inquiries  for  years  for  the  purpose 
of  developing  the  facts,  if  any  existed.  The  absence  of  any  account 
of  the  affair  from  the  records  was  singular  and  increased  his  de- 
sire to  solve  the  mystery.  Finally,  after  patient  inquiry  and  in- 
vestigation, his  labors  were  rewarded  by  discovering  a  copy  of  an 
old  book  entitled  Loudon's  Indian  Narratives, -^  published  at  Car- 
lisle in  1 80S,  by  Archibald  Loudon,  which  gives  two  detailed  ac- 
counts of  this  battle,  as  well  as  the  cause,  and  the  unhappy  occur-. 

*  This  famous  spring  was  located  on  the  bank  of  the  river  near  what  is  now  the 
village  of  Port  Penn,  a  short  distance  West  of  the  borough  of  Muncy.  It  was 
drowned  out  by  the  pool  of  Muncy  dam  when  the  canal  was  built.  The  waters  of  the 
spring  flowed  into  what  were  known  as  the  Muncy  Ripples,  which  were  a  famous 
landmark  in  the  river  at  that  time.  These  ripples  consisted  of  a  descent  of  several 
feet  in  passing  the  limestone  formation  which  crosses  near  where  Warrior  Spring 
issued  from  the  east  batik,  and  were  perhaps  one  mile  in  length.  During  low  stages 
of  water  they  could  be  crossed  by  wading,  and  were  (in  places),  in  later  years,  ob- 
structed by  coffer  dams  of  stone  for  fishing,  and  water  power  for  Shane"s  mill.  The 
Warrior  Spring  flowed  into  these  ripples  from  heads  beneath  the  limestone  ledge  at 
different  places  on  the  bar,  from  the  bank  of  the  river.  The  spring  and  ripples  are 
now  hidden  by  the  pool  of  the  dam.  The  spring  was  a  favorite  place  of  resort  for  the 
Indians,  and  parties  of  them  frequently  encamped  for  some  time  by  its  side. 

f  This  exceedingly  rare  and  curious  publication  consists  of  two  small  volumes,  and 
the  account  of  the  battle  is  found  in  volume  II.,  page  184.  The  only  copy  known  to 
be  in  e.xistence  at  the  present  day  is  in  the  State  Library,  at  Harrisburg,  and  it  is 
guarded  with  extreme  care. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  293 

reiice  which  took  place  the  next  day  among  a  detachment  of  the 
party  engaged. 

The  historical   statement  alluded  to  is  well  sustained  by  docu- 
mentary evidence,  and  the  narratives  are  quoted  herewith  in  full: 

The  following  Narrative  we  had  from  one  of  the  men  who  was  at  the 
hattle  of  muncy,  on  whose  veracity  we  can  depend. 


In  the  year  1755,  Peter  Shaver,  John  Savage,  and  two  other  men  were  killed  at 
the  mouth  of  Shaver's  Creek  on  Juniata  by  the  Indians.  February,  1756,  a  party  of 
Indians  from  Shemoken  came  to  Juniata;  the  first  place  they  came  to  was  Hugh 
Mitcheltrees,  who  was  gone  to  Carlisle,  and  had  got  a  young  man  of  the  name  of 
Edward  Nicholous  to  stay  with  his  wife  until  he  would  return.  The  Indians  killed 
them  both.  The  same  party  of  Indians  went  up  the  river  where  the  Lukens's  now 
live;  William  Wilcox  at  the  time  lived  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  whose  wife 
and  eldest  son  had  come  over  the  river  on  some  business ;  the  Indians  came  while 
they  were  there  and  killed  old  Edward  Nicholous  and  Thomas  and  Catharine  Nicho- 
lous and  John  Wilcox.     James  Armstrong's  wife  and  two  children  prisoners. 

An  Indian  named  James  Cotties  who  wanted  to  be  Captain  of  this  party,  when 
they  did  not  choose  him  he  would  not  go  with  them.  He  and  a  boy  went  to  Shear- 
man's Creek, and  killed  William  Sheridan  and  his  family  thirteen  innuraber;  they  then 
went  down  the  creek  to  where  three  old  persons  lived,  two  men  and  a  woman  of  the 
name  of  French,  which  they  also  killed,  of  which  he  often  bo.isted  afterwards  that 
he  and  the  boy  took  more  scalps  than  the  whole  party. 

In  the  year  1757  the  same  Cotties  went  to  Hunter's  fort,  seven  miles  from  Harris- 
burg,  and  killed  a  young  man  of  the  name  of  William  Martin,  under  a  chestnut  tree, 
gathering  chestnuts.  After  the  war  was  over  he  came  to  Hunter's  fort  again  and  made 
his  boast  what  a  good  friend  he  had  been  to  the  white  people  in  the  time  of  the  war. 
At  the  same  time  another  Indian  who  had  been  friendly  to  the  inhabitants  the  time  of 
the  war  named  Ilambus,  said  he  was  a  liar,  for  that  he  had  done  all  the  mischief  he 
could,  upon  which  the  two  Indians  began  to  fight,  but  the  white  people  parted  them. 
Hambus  told  him  that  he  had  killed  Martin  within  sight  of  the  spot  where  they  now 
stood.  The  same  day  Cotties  got  drunk  and  fell  asleep  on  a  bench;  when  Hambus 
saw  that  he  was  asleep  he  struck  his  tomahawk  into  his  head  and  killed  him.* 

In  September  1763,  about  one  hundred  of  us  went  up  to  lake  the  Indian  town  at 
the  Great  Island,  and  went  up  to  Fort  Augusta  where  we  sent  a  man  forward  to  see 
whether  Andrew  Montm-e  was  there,  but  he  was  not;  he  asked  where  he  was  and  was 


*  Captain  Peter  Bard,  in  a  letter  from  Fort  Augusta  to  Colonel  Burd,  at  Raystown, 
under  date  of  July  20,  1758,  thus  refers  to  this  affair:  "Jem  Cottes  and  his  brother, 
two  Indians,  went  from  here  some  time  since  hunting,  and  opposite  Captain  McKee's, 
they  being  on  an  island,  discovered  about  thirty  Indian  warriors  going  down  towards 
the  inhabitants;  upon  which  they  made  the  best  of  their  way  to  the  fort,  and  informed 
Captain  Trump  that  evening,  and  he  sent  them  and  one  of  our  men  down  in  a  canoe 
to  acquaint  Lieutenant  Broadhead,  whom  we  expect  up  with  the  party,  and  to  alann 
the  inhabitants;  and  at  Hunter's  Hambus  and  Jem  Cottes  quarreled,  and  the  former 
killed  the  latter." — Shippen  Papers,  page  126. 


294  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

told  he  had  gone  to  the  plantation.  We  had  apprehended  that  Monture  knew  of  our 
coming  and  had  gone  to  inform  the  Indians  at  the  town  called  Great  Island,  or 
Monsey  town,  and  when  we  got  to  the  fort  the  officers  that  lay  there  wanted  to  per- 
suade us  not  to  go  over,  as  the  Monsey  Indians  were  friendly  to  the  white  people. 
But  as  this  was  contradicted  by  some,  we  concluded  to  go.  When  we  had  crossed 
the  river  we  saw  Monture  coming  down  in  a  canoe  with  a  hog  and  some  corn  which 
he  had  brought  from  his  plantation.  When  he  came  near  we  called  to  him,  upon 
which  he  landed  and  enquired  our  business,  which  we  told  him,  and  asked  his  advice 
whether  it  was  proper  to  proceed  or  not.  He  said  they  were  bad  Indians  and  that 
we  might  use  them  as  we  pleased.  We  went  that  night  to  Monture's  plantation,*  and 
next  morning  crossed  the  Monsey  hill,  and  discovered  fires,  where  the  Indians  lay  the 
night  before.  Here  we  consulted  whether  to  proceed  or  not;  at  length  WilHam 
Patterson  turned  back,  and  we  followed.  When  arrived  at  the  top  of  the  Monsey 
hill,  we  met  with  a  party  of  Indians  which  we  engaged;  had  two  men  killed,  and  four 
wounded,  two  of  which  died  that  night.  W^e  then  went  and  secreted  the  dead  bodies 
in  a  small  stream  to  prevent  their  being  discovered  by  the  enemy.  By  that  time  it 
was  night,  and  we  went  on  about  twenty  perches,  where  the  Indians  fired  on  us  from 
behind  the  point  of  a  hill.  About  twelve  of  us  ran  up  the  hill  when  we  heard  them 
running,  but  could  not  see  them.  We  then  came  back  to  where  they  had  fired  on  us 
at  first,  and  found  that  the  rest  of  our  party  were  gone.  We  heard  somebody  coming 
after,  stopped  to  see  who  it  was ;  George  Allen  and  two  or  three  more  of  our  men 
came  up  to  us.  We  chose  Allen  to  pilot  us  into  the  path,  which  he  undertook  to  do ; 
but  after  traveling  along  the  side  of  Monsey  hill  with  much  difficulty,  until  midnight, 
I  told  him  we  were  going  the  wrong  road ;  he  told  me  if  I  knew  the  road  better  to  go 
before.  We  then  directed  our  course  southward  until  near  daybreak,  when  we  came 
to  a  path,  which  Allen  informed  us  led  to  the  Great  Island  and  crossed  the  North 
branch  to  Iskepeck  falls;  in  this  path  we  traveled  until  daylight,  when  we  saw  a 
smoke,  and  proceeding  ten  or  twelve  perches  we  saw  some  Indians  sitting  around 
a  fire.  I  then  turned  to  the  right  into  the  woods,  and  some  of  our  men  followed  me 
and  some  went  on  in  the  path  till  the  Indians  saw  them,  and  seized  their  guns;  we 
then  raised  our  guns  to  fire,  but  the  Indians  cried  don't  shoot  brothers,  don't  shoot ! 
we  answered  we  will  not  if  you  do  not ;  we  then  went  up  to  them  and  asked  where 
they  had  been;  they  said  they  had  been  at  the  Moravian  town  buying  goods;  we  told 
them  we  had  an  engagement  the  evening  before  with  some  of  their  people;  they  said 
it  was  impossible,  as  there  were  no  Indians  at  the  Great  Island  but  a  few  old  men 
and  boys,  the  rest  having  all  gone  out  a  hunting;  I  told  them  I  knew  better;  that 
they  were  gone  to  Tuscarora  and  Shearman's  Valley  to  kill  the  white  people;  that  we 
had  been  waylaid  at  Buffalo  creek  by  them  and  had  five  men  killed  and  one  wounded ; 
that  James  Patterson's  shot  pouch  and  powder  horn  had  been  found  near  the  place, 
and  he  was  a  Great  Island  Indian,  and  they  must  come  with  us.  The  three  Indians 
began  to  tremble,  and  leaving  the  victuals  they  were  preparing,  proceeded  with  us. 

After  we  had  traveled  a  short  distance,  I  asked  George  Allen  what  we  should  do 
with  the  prisoners;  he  said  we  would  take  them  to  the  fort  and  deliver  them  up  to  the 
commander;  I  told  him  if  we  do  that  perhaps  they  will  let  them  go,  or  send  them  to 
Philadelphia,  and  where  they  would  be  used  better  than  ourselves  by  the  Quakers, 
and  you  know  what  a  defeat  I  got  a  few  weeks  ago  at  Buffalo  creek,  where  five  of 


''Near  the  mouth  of  Chillisquaque  Creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  29^ 

my  neighbors  were  killed  and  I  had  hard  running  to  save  my  own  life;  I  have  de- 
clared revenge  on  the  first  Indian  that  I  saw,  and  am  glad  that  the  opportunity  now 
offers;  "  Why,"  said  Allen,  "would  you  kill  them  yourself,  for  you  can  get  no  person 
here  to  help  you ; "  "  there  is  enough,"  said  I, "  that  will  help  me  to  kill  them."  "  Where 
will  you  kill  them,"  said  Allen;  I  told  him  on  the  hill  that  is  before  us,  which  lies 
between  the  two  branches  of  the  Susquehanna  river,  near  the  North  branch.*  When 
we  came  to  the  top  of  the  hill  the  prisoners  asked  liberty  to  eat  some  victuals,  which 
we  allowed  them;  they  directed  us  to  where  we  might  find  it  among  their  baggage; 
we  went  and  found  it,  and  gave  it  to  them.  While  they  were  eating  we  concluded 
who  would  shoot  at  them;  there  were  six  of  us  willing  to  shoot;  tying  then  to  each 
prisoner,  and  as  soon  as  they  were  done  eating  we  told  them  to  march  on  before 
us,  and  when  they  had  gone  about  thy-ty  yards,  we  fired  at  them  and  the  three  fell, 
but  one  of  them  named  George  Allen,  after  the  George  Allen  that  was  with  us,  was  shot 
only  through  the  arm,  and  fell  with  that  arm  uppermost  and  bloodied  his  body,  which 
made  us  believe  that  he  was  shot  through  his  body;  but  after  he  was  scalped,  having 
a  good  pair  of  leggins  on,  one  of  the  men  had  staid  behind  to  take  them  off;  before 
he  could  get  any  but  one,  the  Indian  started  up  and  ran;  the  man  was  surprised  at  his 
raising  from  the  dead,  and  before  he  could  get  any  assistance  he  had  made  his  escape. 
He  afterwards  told,  that  running  down  the  hill  he  fell  asleep,  that  after  he  recovered 
he  got  up  to  run,  but  the  skin  of  his  face,  the  scalp  being  off,  came  down  over  his  eyes 
so  that  he  could  not  see ;  he  then  took  off  the  leggin  that  was  left,  and  bound  it  round 
his  face,  and  when  he  came  to  a  spring  he  took  the  cold  moss  of  the  stones,  laid  it  on 
his  head  to  keep  the  hot  sun  from  beating  in  upon  his  brains,  and  made  out  to  get  to 
the  Great  Island,  when  he  recovered.  He  threatened  to  take  revenge  on  George 
Allen,  his  namesake,  and  James  Gallaher,  not  that  they  were  worse  than  the  others, 
but  because  they  were  the  only  persons  he  was  acquainted  with ;  it,  however,  so  hap- 
pened that  he  never  had  them  in  his  power. 

Another  account  in  the  same  work  is  as  follows : 

It  was  generally  believed  if  there  could  be  an  expedition  sent  out  to  destroy  some 
of  the  Indian  towns,  and  to  annoy  them  in  their  own  country,  it  would  be  the  most 
effectual  method  to  keep  them  from  murdering  and  massacreing  the  inhabitants;  ac- 
cordingly a  company  of  volunteers  turned  out  to  the  amount  of  about  one  hundred 
men,  and  marched  up  the  Susquehanna  as  far  as  Monsey,  and  at  the  foot  of  a  hill  of 
that  name  they  spied  some  Indians.  They  held  a  council  what  was  best  to  be  done; 
one  of  the  men  who  had  been  a  captive  with  them  for  nine  years,  advised  them  to  re- 
turn on  the  path  they  came,  for  the  Indians  would  take  round  them  and  come  upon 
their  rear,  and  take  them  upon  disadvantageous  ground ;  they  had  not  retreated  far  till 
they  met  the  Indians,  and  a  smart  battle  ensued,  which  lasted  till  dark.  The  Indians 
were  in  two  companies  and  one  of  their  captains  called  Snake  was  killed ;  and  when 
his  party  found  their  leader  was  killed  they  moved  off.     WTien  night  came  on  the 

*From  this  description  it  would  appear  that  the  spot  where  this  atrocious  crime 
was  committed  was  located  well  up  on  the  hill  in  the  rear  of  the  borough  of  Nor- 
thumberland. However  bad  many  of  the  Indians  were,  there  is  no  excuse  for  this 
murder,  save  an  insatiable  desire  to  wreak  vengeance  on  all  redskins;  and  in  carrying 
it  out  the  innocent  were  made  to  suffer  for  the  guilt  of  others.  Is  it  any  wonder  that 
the  evil  passions  of  the  Indians  were  aroused  and  that  they  retaliated  so  savagely  ? 


296  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

white  men  retired  a  small  distance  and  lay  down  to  take  a  little  rest.  The  Indians 
came  round  and  posted  themselves  in  a  thicket  a  few  perches  from  the  white  men; 
they  were  so  near  that  they  heard  them  cocking  their  guns,  and  directly  they  fired  on 
the  white  men,  who  were  about  to  return  the  fire,  when  the  captive  above  mentioned 
called  not  to  fire,  for  if  they  should  empty  their  guns  the  Indians  would  rush  up  with 
their  tomahawks.  The  white  men  and  Indians  lay  that  near  that  they  could  speak  to 
each  other;  the  Indians  hearing  some  of  our  wounded  making  some  moaning,  called 
to  them  that  some  of  them  was  very  sick ;  our  men  replied  that  they  would  serve  some 
of  them  as  they  had  done  the  Snake.  However,  the  Indians  did  not  choose  to  risk 
another  battle,  but  moved  off,  and  ours  came  home  and  brought  the  wounded.  How 
many  was  killed  we  cannot  tell. 

It  was  generally  believed  that  this  little  can^aign  proved  of  great  service  to  the  in- 
habitants. It  was  supposed  that  these  two  companies  of  Indians  were  on  their  way 
down  to  murder  and  massacre  the  inhabitants  when  the  men  met  them. 

It  will  be  .seen  by  the  foregoing  extracts  that  this  battle  was 
fought  in  September,  1763,  over  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years  ago,  by  a  volunteer  company  of  about  one  hundred  men 
from  Lancaster  and  Cumberland  counties,  sent  by  the  settlers  into 
the  Indian  country  to  chastise  the  savages  for  the  numerous  mur- 
ders and  depredations  committed  by  them  on  the  frontier  settle- 
ments of  those  counties.  This  expedition  was  undertaken  without 
any  direct  authority  from  the  officers  of  the  Province,  but  no  doubt 
with  their  approbation,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  sequel,  they 
would  have  been  proud  to  record  it.  At  that  time  great  dissatis- 
faction existed  among  the  inhabitants  of  those  counties,  on  account 
of  the  shelter  and  protection  afforded  b}'  the  Government  to  sev- 
eral tribes  of  (so-called)  friendly  Indians.  This  dissatisfaction  was 
shown  in  December,  of  that  year,  by  the  massacre  of  the  Conestoga 
Indians  by  the  "  Pa.xton  Boys "  at  Lancaster,  and  the  flight  and 
pursuit  of  the  Moravian  and  Wyalusing  Indians  to  the  barracks  in 
Philadelphia  to  escape  a  like  fate.  Notwithstanding  the  apparent 
friendship  of  these  Indians,  they  seem  to  have  held  intercourse 
with  those  in  the  French  interest,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that 
many  of  them  engaged  secretly  in  marauding  expeditions  against 
the  whites.  Among  them  was  the  remnant  of  the  Monsey  tribe 
then  living  at  the  Great  Island,  beyond  the  limits  of  Proprietary 
authority.  The  Proprietors  appear  to  have  relied  on  the  settlers 
to  defend  themselves  as  best  they  could,  independently  of  both  the 
Proprietary  Government  and  the  anny  officers  of  the  Crown.  It 
is  simple  justice  to  the  men  of  those  perilous  times  to  bear  this  in 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  297 

mind ;  and  it  can  easily  be  proved  by  a  few  extracts  from  the  cor- 
respondence of  those  officers  with  the  Governor  of  the  Province 
and  the  tart  interchange  of  sentiment  between  him  and  the  As- 
sembly. A  few  references  are  made  in  this  connection  to  establish 
the  truth  of  this  declaration. 

In  the  ninth  volume  of  the  Colonial  Records,  page  62,  will  be 
found  a  letter  from  Sir  Jeffrey  Amherst,  which  contains  a  para- 
graph from  Sir  William  Johnson,  and  which  was  laid  before  the 
Executive  Council  by  the  Governor,  dated  October  16,  1763,  ex- 
pressing "  surprise  at  the  information  of  the  people  of  the  Province 
who  tamely  look  on  while  their  brethren  are  butchered  by  the 
savages."  On  page  65  may  be  found  a  spirited  mes.sage  from  the 
Council  in  reply,  defending  themselves  from  "this  hard  censure" 
by  a  reference  to  their  grant  of  the  4th  of  July  for  seven  hundred 
additional  men  who  were  at  the  different  stations  on  the  frontiers, 
and  had  intercepted  and  repulsed  several  parties  of  Indians,  and 
that  "a  large  body  of  them  were  now  engaged  in  an  expedition 
against  the  Great  Island,*  which  has  heretofore  served  as  a  station 
whence  the  savages  usually  issue  for  the  annoyance  of  our  settle- 
ments." On  page  68  the  Governor,  in  answer  to  Papounan  (a 
Wighalousen  chief),  states  that  his  people  were  greatly  provoked 
on  account  of  late  murders;  and  that  some  of  them  had  gone  into 
the  Indian  country  to  take  satisfaction,  he  knew  not  where,  and 
that  they  perhaps  would  not  distinguish  between  friend  and  enemy. 
By  reference  to  page  87,  same  volume,  may  be  seen  the  conse- 
quence of  this  battle  on  "Muncy  Hill,"  in  the  desire  expressed  to 
know  how  Papounan  was  treated,  etc.  He  said :  "  Now  I  will 
tell  you  what  a  company  of  warriors  (the  Monseys),  who  are 
striking  you  now,  said  to  me  on  my  coming  away :  '  Now  Broth- 
ers, you  are  going  down  among  our  Brethren  the  English.  I  and 
all  the  warriors  should  be  very  glad  to  know  whether  they  treated 
you  kindly  or  not  and  how  you  are  used.' " 

These  references  fully  corroborate  the  statements  in  the  narra- 


*In  1763  Colonel  John  Armstrong  collected  a  force  of  300  volunteers  from  the 
valleys  of  Bedford  and  Cumberland,  and  marched  from  Fort  Shirley  on  the  30th  of 
September,  across  the  country,  against  the  Indian  towns  on  the  West  Branch.  The 
savages  escaped,  but  their  towns  at  Great  Island  and  Myanaquie  (at  the  mouth  of 
Kettle  Creek)  were  destroyed,  with  great  quantities  of  provisions. 


290  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

tives  of  the  battle,  and  the  following  pretty  clearly  shows  that  not 
only  the  Government,  but  the  community  censured  the  barbarous 
shooting  of  the  three  friendly  Indians.  On  page  140  will  be  found 
the  following  extract  from  a  remonstrance  of  Mathew  Smith  and 
James  Gibson  on  the  part  of  the  frontier  inhabitants,  addressed  to 
the  Governor  and  the  Assembly.  In  number  three  of  the  enu- 
meration of  the  grievances  complained  of  they  say : 

And  as  to  the  Moravian  Indians,  there  are  strong  grounds  at  least  to  suspect  their 
friendship,  as  it  is  known  that  they  carried  on  a  correspondence  with  our  enemies  on 
the  Great  Island.  We  killed  three  Indians  going  from  Bethlehem  to  the  Great 
Island  with  blankets,  ammunition  and  provisions,  which  is  an  undeniable  proof  that 
the  Moravian  Indians  were  in  confederacy  with  our  open  enemies.  And  we  cannot 
but  be  filled  with  indignation  to  hear  this  action  of  ours  painted  in  the  most  odious  and 
detestable  colors,  as  if  we  had  inhumanly  murdered  our  guides  who  preserved  us  from 
perishing  in  the  woods,  when  we  only  killed  three  of  our  known  enemies,  who  at- 
tempted to  shoot  us  when  we  surprised  them. 

This  spirited  remonstrance  is  dated  February  13,  1764,  and  is 
followed  by  a  declaration  to  the  House  on  the  17th,  in  which  (see 
page  144)  the  following  passage  occurs,  clearly  pointing  to  this 
expedition  and  battle  in  Muncy  Hills,  and  showing  that  it  was 
composed  of  independent  volunteers,  equipped  at  their  own  ex- 
pense : 

When  last  summer  the  troops  raised  for  defence  of  the  Province  were  limited  to 
certain  bounds,  nor  suffered  to  attempt  annoying  our  enemies  in  their  habitations,  and 
a  number  of  brave  volunteers  equipped  at  their  own  expense  in  September,  up  the 
Susquehanna  met  and  defeated  their  enemy  with  the  loss  of  some  of  their  number, 
and  having  others  dangerously  wounded,  no/  the  least  thanks  or  acknowledgment  was 
made  them  from  the  Legislature,  etc. 

By  turning  back  to  page  142,  in  the  ninth  division,  we  find 
direct  allusion  to  the  manner  this  expedition  was  received  and  ad- 
vised at  Fort  Augusta  on  the  way  up  the  river : 

That  Fort  Augusta,  which  has  been  very  expensive  to  this  Province,  has  afforded 
us  but  little  assistance  during  this  or  the  late  war.  The  men  that  were  stationed  at 
that  place  neither  helped  our  distressed  inhabitants  to  save  their  crops,  nor  did  they 
attack  our  enemies  in  their  towns,  or  patrol  our  frontiers. 

The  general  sentiment  of  condemnation  by  the  Government,  as 
well  as  the  community  of  that  day,  against  the  barbarous  shooting 
of  those  three  friendly  Indians  sank  so  deep  that  it  eclipsed  and 
shrouded  in  shame  and  disgrace  all  the  well  merited  glory  of  this 
daring  volunteer  expedition  at  the  battle  of  Muncy  Hills.     It  was 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  299 

the  inconsiderate  act  of  but  a  small  portion  of  the  expedition,  for 
which  the  whole  were  held  accountable,  and  notwithstanding  their 
remonstrances  to  the  Governor,  and  their  declarations  in  defense 
to  the  House  of  Assembly,  he  deemed  it  his  duty  to  apologize  to 
a  party  of  Indian  chiefs  in  council  on  the  27th  of  September, 
1766,  in  the  following  language,  which  may  be  found  on  page  331 
of  the  same  volume : 

We  agree  with  you  that  when  there  has  been  any  wickedness  committed,  it  should 
all  be  removed,  so  that  neither  may  bear  anything  in  our  hearts  against  each  one  an- 
other. Before  we  proceed  to  give  you  an  answer  to  your  speeches,  we  call  to  mind 
with  griefs  of  heart,  that  three  Indians  of  your  tribes  came  to  their  death  in  the  heat 
of  the  war  by  some  parties  of  our  warriors,  who  did  not  know  that  they  were  of  your 
tribes,  and  took  them  to  be  enemy  Indians,  and  unfortunately  killed  them  by  mis- 
take. And  now  Brethren,  with  this  string  we  take  the  hatchets  out  of  your  heads, 
and  all  mourning  from  your  hearts. 

A  string. 

Brethren,  with  these  handkerchiefs  we  wipe  away  the  tears  from  your  eyes. 

Brethren,  with  these  strouds  we  cover  their  graves — we  have  pulled  up  a  great  tree 
and  gathered  together  all  the  bones  and  blood,  and  buried  them  all  together  in  a  deep 
hole,  and  planted  this  tree  over  them,  that  neither  we  nor  our  children  may  ever  find 
the  place  where  they  are  buried. 

And  now  Brethren,  we  proceed  to  give  you  an  answer,  as  many  things  in  a  time  of 
great  wickedness  have  been  done  to  hinder  seeing  one  another  and  counciling  to- 
gether. We  join  you  in  wiping  all  tears  from  your  eyes,  taking  all  sorrow  out  of 
your  hearts,  and  making  the  council  seats  clean  from  all  blood  and  filthiness,  that  we 
may  confer  with  the  same  cheerfulness  and  openness  that  our  grandfathers  used  to  do. 

In  his  researches  Mr.  Wood  was  able  to  locate  the  ground  on 
which  the  ill-advised  "Battle  of  Muncy  Hills"  occurred.  It  was 
on  the  farm  and  near  the  residence  of  Joel  Bieber,  and  not  far 
from  where  the  Banghart  brick  school  house  stands.  The  Indian 
path,  which  the  expedition  was  following,  crossed  the  hills'at  this 
place  and  descended  to  Warrior  Spring,*  on  the  bank  of  the  river. 
In  later  years  an  occasional  Indian  relic  was  picked  up  on  this 
ground.  Several  specimens  may  be  found  in  the  Gernerd  col- 
lection,   at    Muncy,    which    are   treasured    as  memorials    of  the 

*  It  was  here  that  old  Egohowen,  a  Muncy  chief,  entertained  Newhaleeka,  chief  of 
the  Delawares.  As  late  as  1771  the  latter  was  living  at  the  Great  Island,  and 
Shawana  Ben,  who  was  chief  of  the  remnant  of  the  Shawanese,  lived  there  also. 
Under  the  wide-spreading  branches  of  a  majestic  elm  these  chiefs  and  their  attendants 
met  and  conferred  together  on  tribal  business,  and  drank  of  the  pure  waters  of  the 
spring.  A  fit  place  for  warriors  to  assemble,  and  who  will  say  that  the  name  was  not 
appropriate? 


300  HISTORY   OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

sanguinary  conflict  which  took  place  near  b\-.  And  as  is  often 
the  case  in  such  instances,  superstition  has  thrown  a  weird  and 
gloomy  pall  over  much  of  the  surrounding  region,  and  curious 
stories  have  been  related  by  individuals  of  what  they  have  seen  in 
some  of  the  dark  defiles  of  the  hills.  Their  imagination  has  pic- 
tured, when  they  were  passing  over  the  road  at  night,  stalwart 
warriors  with  waving  plumes  crouching  in  the  bushes,  and  strange 
sounds,  which  were  construed  into  groans,  were  heard.  But  it  is 
useless  to  add  that  such  things  were  anything  but  the  imagina- 
tions of  an  excited  brain.  However  wild  the  Muncj-  Hills  may 
be  even  to  this  day,  and  what  strange  things*  may  have  occurred 
within  their  gloomy  precincts,  it  is  not  likely  that  the  spirits  of  any 
of  those  concerned  in  the  conflict  have  ever  returned  to  plague  or 
frighten  those  who  have  had  occasion  to  travel  the  paths  by  night 
or  day. 

*According  to  tradition  a  white  prisoner  was  burned  at  the  stake  by  a  party  of 
Indians  here  at  an  early  day,  but  there  is  nothing  on  record  to  authenticate  it.  The 
story  is  that  they  stuck  his  body  full  of  pitch  pine  splinters  before  applying  the  torch, 
when  they  danced  around  him  like  demons  and  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  solitude 
with  their  yells.  And  for  years  the  superstitious  Ijelieved  that  no  grass  grew  on  the 
spot  where  the  tragedy  was  enacted. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

CONTINUED  RUMORS  OF  A  THREATENED  ATTACK.  ON  FORT  AUGUSTA 
GOVERNOR  PENN  FINALLY  INDUCED  TO  RECOMMEND  ITS  EVACUA- 
TION TO  PLEASE  THE  QUAKERS THE  LAST  CANNON ITS  HISTORY. 

AS  reports  were  daily  received  of  a  contemplated  attack  on 
the  fort,  the  utmost  vigilance  was  constantly  observed  by 
the  garrison,  and  every  available  preparation  for  resistance  was 
made.  The  work  of  tearing  down  the  trading  house  and  remov- 
ing the  materials  inside  the  fortification  was  continued.  On  the 
27th  of  July,  1763,  Lieutenant  Blythe  entered  in  the  journal  that 
a  Mr.  Clark  arrived  that  day  with  "one  canoe  loaded  with  rum 
and  sugar,"  and  that  Andrew  Montour  had  been  there  on  a  visit, 
but  left  in  the  evening  for  his  place  up  the  river.  He  traveled  in 
a  canoe.  The  following  day  Lieutenant  Hendricks  and  Mr. 
Irvine  went  down  the  river  with  a  party  of  eight  men  in  charge  of 
"  three  battoes  loaded  with  Province  goods."  They  probably  con- 
sisted of  peltries  obtained  from  the  Indians  in  exchange  for  pro- 
visions and  ammunition. 

On  the  14th  of  September  a  court-martial  sat  at  the  fort  for  the 
trial  of  two  prisoners  confined  in  the  guard  house.  Lieutenant 
Hunter  served  as  president,  with  Lieutenants  Hendricks  and  Blythe 
as  members  of  the  board. 

This  same  day  Captain  Graydon  made  an  entry  on  the  record 
that  "  they  had  got  a  new  flag  staff  placed  and  a  flag  hoisted," 
which  was  an  event  of  some  importance  at  the  fort.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  the  commanding  officer  had  complained  that  the 
old  flag  was  worn  out. 

Friday,  September  23d,  Lieutenant  Hunter  with  a  picket 
guard  was  sent  up  the  river  to  "  Monture's  place  to  bring  off  what 
necessaries  he  had  there,  and  to  destroy  his  corn."  The  officer 
on  his  return  reported  that  he  saw  nothing  that  gave  him  any 
suspicion  of  the  enemy  being  in  the  neighborhood.      The  same 


302  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

day  a  fire  broke  out  in  Lieutenant  Hunter's  house,  but  it  was  ex- 
tinguished before  doing  any  damage.  This  accident  caused  an 
order  to  be  issued  directing  all  the  chimneys  to  be  swept  the 
next  day,  which  was  strictly  carried  out. 

Nothing  of  any  importance  occurred  until  the  5th  of  October, 
when  messengers  arrived  from  Fort  Hunter  with  intelligence  that 
Job  Chilloway  and  others  had  gone  to  Philadelphia,  and  that  the 
Indians  were  "  universally  joined  against  the  whites  and  were  de- 
termined to  attack  the  fort."  This  alarming  intelligence  caused 
some  uneasiness,  but  Lieutenant  Hunter  felt  able  to  make  a  strong 
resistance  in  case  of  an  attack.     The  weather  was  cold.* 

As  a  better  safe-guard  strict  orders  were  issued  that  "  no  sol- 
dier or  non-commissioned  officer  was  to  fire  his  piece  on  any 
pretense  whatsoever,  except  at  an  enemy  or  by  the  leave  of  a  com- 
missioned officer."  On  the  9th  Sergeant  Grant  arrived  with  two 
canoes  loaded  with  stores,  and  intelligence  was  also  received  that 
Colonel  John  Armstrong  was  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  West 
Branch  with  a  force  of  three  hundred  men  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
stroying the  villages  where  Lidians  were  in  the  habit  of  con- 
gregating previous  to  making  forays  on  the  settlements  below. 
Monday,  the  9th,  nothing  of  any  importance  occurred,  but  on  the 
nth  Captain  William  Patterson,  Captain  Bedford,  Captain  Sharp, 
Captain  Laughlin,  Captain  Crawford,  and  about  two  hundred 
volunteers,  arrived  at  the  fort  on  their  way  from  the  Great  Island, 
they  having  been  in  company  with  Colonel  Armstrong.  An 
Indian  town  at  the  mouth  of  Kettle  Creek  was  destroyed,  together 
with  a  large  number  of  wigwams  at  Monseytownf  and  on  the 
Great  Island.  They  also  reported  that  they  had  destroyed  about 
two  hundi'ed  acres  of  corn  which  they  found  on  the  flats  at  various 
points  along  the  river.  Many  Indians  were  seen,  but  they  could 
not  be  brought  to  an  engagement.  Some  dispute  arising  between 
Colonel  Armstrong  and  the  officers  mentioned  above,  they  sepa- 
rated from  him  and  his  part  of  the  force  about  seven  miles  above 
Fort  Augusta,^:  and  he  continued  on  by  the  nearest  route  to  Car- 

*  About  8  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  October  6,  1763,  there  was  a  light  fall  of  snow 
at  Fort  Augusta. 

f  Located  on  a  level  plain,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  just  west  of  Lock 
Haven.     It  is  known  by  this  name  at  the  present  day. 

J  See  Vol.  VIL,  page  447,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Second  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  3O3 

lisle.  It  is  regretted  that  so  little  was  left  on  record  concerning 
the  operations  of  this  great  expedition.  It  was  the  largest  that 
had  invaded  the  West  Branch  Valley  up  to  that  time,  but  instead 
of  wiping  out  the  savages  and  rendering  them  powerless,  it  only 
tended  to  still  further  enrage  and  cause  them  to  commit  greater 
deeds  of  blood,  as  the  sequel  will  show. 

October  13,  1763,  the  records  inform  us,  Major  Clayton,  with 
a  force  of  eighty  soldiers  and  volunteers,  arrived  at  the  fort  on 
their  way  to  Wyoming.  On  the  15th  Lieutenant  Hunter  and 
twenty-four  men  belonging  to  the  garrison  joined  the  party,  and 
they  set  off  for  their  destination  up  the  North  Branch.  On  the 
17th  an  express  arrived  with  the  startling  news  from  John  Harris 
that  the  Indians  had  killed  forty-five  persons  in  Northampton 
County,  and  that  they  were  still  engaged  in  their  bloody  work. 
He  likewise  said  that  the  Governor  had  sent  a  letter  to  Mr.  Elder 
requesting  that  an  express  be  sent  after  Major  Clayton,  notifying 
him  to  return.  This  was  done,  and  the  Major  returned  on  the 
evening  of  the  20th.  At  Wyoming  he  found  that  ten  persons  had 
been  killed  and  scalped  by  the  savages.  They  destroyed  what 
cabins  and  corn  they  could  find. 

Sunday,  October  23d,  John  Mitchell  and  "  another  man  "  reached 
the  fort,  and  Lieutenant  Hunter  recorded  in  the  journal  that  they 
came  in  "pursuit  of  some  negroes,"  but  for  what  reason  is  not 
stated.  Colonel  Burd  and  Captain  Graydon,  with  an  escort, 
reached  the  fort  on  the  evening  of  the  9th  of  November.  They 
had  in  charge  "  eight  battoes  loaded  with  thirty  barrels  of  flour  and 
other  stores  for  the  use  of  the  garrison."  They  also  brought  a 
commission  for  Dr.'Wiggins,  who  was  serving  as  post  surgeon. 
They  were  followed  on  the  i6th  by  Mr.  McCormick,  who  was  in 
charge  of  a  party  driving  forty-four  head  of  cattle.  He  brought 
information  of  three  families  having  been  killed  and  scalped  within 
eight  miles  of  Carlisle.  On  the  17th  there  was  a  great  fall  of  snow 
at  Augusta,  which  prevented  them  from  slaughtering  the  cattle,  as 
was  the  intention  that  day.  On  the  20th,  however,  the  work  was 
completed  and  the  meat  packed.  The  following  day  an  order  was 
issued  "  that  five  women  of  each  company  be  permitted  to  draw 
provisions  on  the  conditions  that  the  rations  so  drawn  be  not 
allowed  to  the  contractor.     The  persons  receiving  them  must  pay 


304  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

for  them."  The  officer  of  the  guard  was  also  instructed  to  wait  on 
the  commanding  officer  every  day  for  orders. 

On  the  9th  of  December,  1763,  Lieutenant  Blythe  and  six  men 
went  from  the  garrison  "to  his  plantation  to  bring  in  some  of  his 
effects  he  had  left  there."  From  this  it  appears  that  he  had  al- 
ready selected  a  tract  of  land  with  the  view,  evidently,  of  settling 
on  it  as  soon  as  he  could  do  so  with  safety. 

December  12th  a  court-martial,  consisting  of  Captain  Graydon, 
president,  and  Lieutenants  Hendricks  and  Wiggins,  was  ordered 
to  sit  for  the  trial  of  William  Page,  who  was  charged  with  striking 
Corporal  Weston  while  on  duty.  It  was  also  ordered  that  Richard 
Fitzgivens  be  discharged  from  the  garrison,  "  he  having  rendered 
himself  by  his  behavior  as  unworthy  of  remaining  a  soldier." 
Other  courts-martial  followed  for  the  trial  of  soldiers  for  various 
offenses.  Another  heavy  snow  was  reported  on  the  14th;  on  the 
i6th  the  weather  was  "fair  and  cold,"  and  on  the  17th  the  river 
was  "driving  with  ice."  The  following  day  the  batteaux  and 
canoes  were  hauled  out  of  the  water  on  the  bank  for  safety,  as  a 
rain  had  set  in  and  there  were  indications  of  a  rise  in  the  river, 
which  still  continued  full  of  floating  ice.  Several  soldiers  were  re- 
ported suffering  with  the  small-po.x,  a  disease  which  seems  to  have 
prevailed  more  or  less  at  all  times  among  the  garrison.  On  the 
27th  George  Jinkins,  a  member  of  Captain  Graydon's  company, 
died  of  small-pox  and  was  buried  at  4  o'clock  in  the  cemetery  near 
the  fort.  For  the  balance  of  the  month  nothing  unusual  occurred 
and  the  year  1763  closed  with  "pleasant  weather." 

With  the  opening  of  1764  the  same  condition  of  affairs  prevailed 
in  the  West  Branch  Valley  that  had  existed  during  the  past  year. 
In  February  Colonel  Burd  sent  out  scouts  in  different  directions 
to  endeavor  to  discover  the  enemy  and  engage  them  for  the  pur- 
pose of  preventing  them  from  falling  upon  the  settlements,*  but  no 
discoveries  were  made. 

From  the  minutes  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Defense 
it  appears  that  at  a  meeting  held  on  the  20th  of  July,  1764,  at 
which  the  Governor  presided,  it  was  agreed  "  that  four  companies 
be  stationed  and  range  between  the  rivers  Delaware  and  Susque- 

*See  page  165,  Vol.  IV.,  Pennsylvania  Arc/tives,  Old  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  305 

hanna,  including  thirty  men*  to  garrison  Fort  Augusta."  After 
the  large  number  of  men  that  had  been  kept  here  for  several  years 
this  was  looked  upon  as  a  remarkable  change  in  the  policy  of  the 
Government,  particularly  when  it  was  remembered  that  the  Indians 
were  as  threatening  as  ever.  At  this  .same  meeting  it  was  decided 
that  two  companies  of  Provincial  troops  should  be  stationed  on  the 
west  side  of  the  river  and  given  a  wide  range.  And  one  officer 
was  to  have  command  of  three  companies.  The  garrison  at  Fort 
Augusta  was  to  be  "victualed  by  the  Crown."  From  the  report 
of  a  muster  soon  after  this  meeting,  it  appears  that  Captain  Hunter's 
company  consisted  of  47  men,  and  Captain  Graydon  had  a  detach- 
ment of  si.xteen.  They  belonged,  with  others,  to  the  first  battalion 
of  the  Fenn.sylvania  regiment.  In  the  second  battalion,  which  was 
mustered  at  Carlisle,  August  i,  1764,  Captain  John  Brady  appears 
with  a  company  of  forty-one  men.  This  is  the  first  appearance  of 
the  name  of  Brady  on  the  records  in  connection  with  defensive 
operations  on  the  frontier,  which  was  the  beginning  of  his  dis- 
tinguished career. 

In  a  message  to  the  Assembly,  under  date  of  February  9,  1765, 
Governor  Penn  said  that  from  the  great  importance  of  Fort  Au- 
gusta to  the  protection  of  the  Province,  when  engaged  in  a  war 
with  the  Indians,  he  thought  it  absolutely  necessary  to  keep  a  gar- 
rison in  the  fort  during  the  preceding  year,  and  was  of  opinion 
that  until  the  final  conclusion  of  peace  with  the  savages,  it  would 
be  highly  imprudent  to  abandon  the  post,  and  he  therefore  recom- 
mended a  continuance  of  supplies  for  it.f 

To  this  recommendation  the  Assembly  soon  afterwards  replied 
as  follows: 

After  due  consideration  we  are  of  opinion  that  as  the  cannon  and  other  military 
stores  at  Fort  Augusta  cannot  be  at  present  removed  from  thence,  it  may  be  prudent 
to  defer  any  resolution  concerning  the  evacuation  of  that  post  until  further  certainty 
of  peace  being  firmly  established  with  the  Indians;  yet  in  the  meantime,  as  the  fund 
from  whence  that  garrison  has  been  paid  up  to  the  first  of  last  month  is  nearly  ex- 
hausted, we  should  approve  an  immediate  reduction  of  the  troops  stationed  there, 
although  in  respect  to  disbanding  the  whole  garrison  we  can  only  recommend  to  your 
honor  and  the  Provincial  commissioners  when  more  satisfied  of  the  Indians'  fidelity, 
and  conveniency  offers  for  water  carriage  from  Shamokin,  to  lose  no  time  in  removing 


*See  page  195,  Vol.  IV.,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Old  Seri( 
f  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  page  244. 


306  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  cannon  and  stores,  and  disbanding  the  remainder  of  the  garrison,  in  order  to 
ease  the  public  of  that  burden  whenever  it  can  be  done  with  safety  and  prudence.* 

The  clamor  for  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Augusta  was  continued, 
howe\er,  by  the  people  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  Province,  on  the 
ground  of  the  great  expense  involved  in  keeping  it  up.  Many  of 
these  people  sympathizedf  with  the  Indians,  and  they  did  not 
fully  realize  the  condition  of  affairs  on  the  frontier ;  and  some  of 
them,  in  their  blindness,  thought  the  settlers  should  be  able  to  de- 
fend themselves.  On  the  other  hand,  the  settlers  begged  that  the}- 
should  not  be  deprived  of  all  protection  and  left  to  the  mercy  of 
the  savages.  Between  these  two  parties — the  one  that  surrounded 
the  Governor  and  Assembly,  and  the  other  on  the  Susquehanna 
and  west  of  it,  which  was  constantly  exposed  to  danger — a  bad 
feeling  existed,  and  many  grave  charges  were  made.  Finally  the 
home  party  triumphed  in  their  demands,  and  on  the  30th  of 
March,  1765,  the  Assembly  resolved  to  evacuatej  the  fort  as  soon 
as  -they  were  satisfied  that  peace  had  been  firmly  established  with 
the  Indians.  This  decision  caused  much  rejoicing  in  and  about 
Philadelphia  among  a  portion  of  the  inhabitants,  and  a  corres- 
ponding feeling  of  sadness  and  dejection  on  the  part  of  those  who 
Uved  on  the  frontier  and  had  to  face  the  bullet  and  the  scalping 
knife.  About  this  time  Governor  John  Penn,§  who  sympathized 
with  the  Quaker  idea,  made  this  communication  to  the  Assembly; 


*See  page  246,  Vol.  IX.,  Colonial  Records. 

f  The  situation  of  the  frontiers  was  truly  deplorable,  principally  owing  to  the 
supineness  of  the  Provincial  authorities,  for  the  Quakers,  who  controlled  the  Govern- 
ment, were,  tu  use  the  language  of  Lazarus  Stewart,  "  more  solicitous  for  the  welfare 
of  the  blood-thirsty  Indian  than  for  the  lives  of  the  frontiersmen."  In  their  blind 
partiality,  bigotry,.and  political  prejudice,  they  would  not  readily  accede  to  the  de- 
mands of  those  of  a  dilTerent  religious  faith.  To  them,  therefore,  was  greatly  at- 
tributable the  reign  of  horror  and  devastation  in  the  border  counties.  The  Govern- 
ment was  deaf  to  all  entreaties,  and  General  Amherst,  commander  of  the  British 
forces  in  America,  did  not  hesitate  to  give  his  feelings  an  emphatic  expression.  "  The 
conduct  of  the  Pennsylvania  Assembly,"  he  wrote,  "  is  altogether  so  infatuated  and 
stupidly  obstinate,  that  I  want  words  to  express  my  indignation  thereat."  Neverthe- 
less, the  sturdy  Scotch- Irish  and  Germans  of  the  frontiers  rallied  for  their  own  de- 
fense, and  the  entire  force  of  Colonel  Bouquet  was  composed  of  them. — Egle's  His- 
tory of  Pemisylvania ,  page  107. 

J  See  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  page  283. 

§John  Penn  was  the  son  of  Richard  and  grandson  of  William  Penn.  He  was 
born  in  Philadelphia  in  1728,  from  which  circumstance  he  was  called  the  "American 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  307 

That  immediately  on  receiving  intelligence  that  the  Indians  had  ratified  their  en- 
gagements made  last  fall  with  General  Bouquet,  I  gave  orders  that  Fort  Augusta 
should  be  evacuated,  and  commissioned  Colonel  Francis  to  settle  the  accounts  of  that 
garrison,  which  amounted  to  .^437.96,  for  which  he  desires  provision  to  be  made. 

But  the  request  for  an  appropriation  of  funds  to  carry  out  the 
Governor's  orders  was  postponed  until  the  meeting  of  the  next 
Assembly.  This  was  no  doubt  caused  by  remonstrances  from 
those  who  did  not  beheve  that  it  was  prudent  to  entirely  abandon 
the  post  until  there  were  positive  assurances  of  peace  and  quietness 
on  the  border.  Just  when  the  post  was  formally  abandoned  does 
not  appear  on  the  records  that  have  been  preserved;  but  it  seems 
to  have  been  kept  up  as  a  place  of  refuge,  with  a  small  garrison, 
for  a  long  time  afterwards,  and  proved  of  great  service  during  the 
trying  times  of  the  Revolution  and  the  "  Great  Runaway."  The 
gradual  work  of  dismantling  it  probably  began  about  1780,  as  the 
ground  upon  which  .it  stood  had  passed  into  private  hands.  It 
took  a  long  time  to  dig  down  the  embankments  and  level  off  the 
ground,  and  the  present  century  was  well  imder  way  before  all 
traces  of  the  fortification  had  disappeared. 

When  fully  equipped,  in  1758,  Fort  Augusta  mounted  from 
twelve  to  sixteen  pieces  of  artillery,  ranging  from  six  to  twelve 
pounders.  They  were  of  English  manufacture,  and  all  have  been 
lost  sight  of  save  one.  What  disposition  was  made  of  the  balance 
is  not  clearly  known.  It  is  supposed  that  a  few  were  returned  and 
rendered  service  in  other  places  during  the  Revolution.  Tradition 
informs  us  that  several  pieces  were  thrown  into  the  river  when  it 
was  feared  the  British  and  Indians  might  capture  the  place  in 
1778-9.  Many  years  ago  a  brass  piece  was  seen  by  a  number  of 
persons  in  the  river,  opposite  where  the  fort  stood,  but  no  attempt 
was  made  to  recover  it,  and  it  probably  remains  buried  in  the 
mud  to  this  day.  The  single  one  that  has  been  preserved  is  treas- 
ured as  a  valuable  relic  of  by-gone  times,  and  its  history,  which  is 
checkered  and  interesting,  is  related  by  Dr.  R.  H.  Awl,  of  Sun- 
bury,  as  follows : 

Penn."  He  was  Governor  of  the  Province  from  1763  to  1771,  and  also  from  1773 
to  the  end  of  the  Proprietary  Government  in  1776.  During  the  Revolution  he  re- 
mained in  the  country.  In  1777,  having  refused  to  sign  a  parole,  he  was  confined 
by  the  Whigs  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.  He  died  at  his  country  seat  in  Bucks  County, 
February,  1795. — Egle's  History  of  Pennsylvania,  page  III. 


308  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"  This  cannon  measures  from  the  tip  of  cascabel  to  the  end  of 
muzzle  fifty-six  and  one-half  inches,  in  front  of  trunnion  thirty-one 
inches,  behind  trunnion  thirty-three  and  three-fourths  inches.  In 
circumference  it  measures  thirty-nine  inches  at  the  base-ring  and 
twenty-four  and  one-half  inches  at  the  muzzle,  and  weighs  about 
one-half  a  ton.  The  piece  at  the  muzzle  end  was  broken  off  with 
a  sledge  hammer  by  an  old  darkey  "  Cudgo,"  while  drunk,  in  1838. 
The  cannon  began  its  migration 
by  being  taken  to  Muncy,  where 
it  remained  until  1774,  when  it 
was  brought  back  to  Augusta. 
The  Old  cinnoi  j(-  jg  supposcd  that  at  the  time  of 

"  The  Great  Runaway,"  in  1 778,  the  cannon  was  spiked  and  thrown 
into  the  river.  In  1 798  it  was  taken  from  the  river  by  George  and 
Jacob  Mantz,  Samuel  Hahn,  and  George  Shoop.  After  heating 
it,  by  the  burning  of  several  cords  of  hickory  wood,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  drilling  out  the  spiked  file. 

"  It  ne.xt  became  the  object  of  political  contention,  frequently 
changing  from  one  party  to  the  other.  At  one  time  the  party  in 
possession  buried  it  in  Mr.  Prince's  archway,  opposite  the  south 
side  of  the  public  square.  Its  hiding  place  was  made  known  by 
Mrs.  Prince  having  stumped  her  toe  on  a  part  that  jutted  above 
ground.  The  place  of  its  concealment  being  thus  revealed,  the 
other  party  stole  it,  and  put  it  in  the  cellar  of  Robin's  tanning 
place,  at  the  east  end  of  Market  Street,  where  George  Cad- 
walleder's  residence  now  stands.  In  1 824  it  was  stolen  from  the 
river  bank  at  Sunbury  by  citizens  of  Selinsgrove,  then  Union 
County,  and  hidden  away  in  Mr.  Baker's  cellar.  In  1825  George 
Weiser,  Esq.,  of  Sunbury,  on  going  to  Selinsgrove,  by  some 
means  discovered  where  it  was  hidden,  bribed  the  maid  to  have 
the  cellar  door  unlocked  and  the  dog  removed  from  the  premises, 
when  a  company  from  Sunbury,  consisting  of  George  Hileman, 
John  Eply,  John  Weaver,  John  Pickering,  James  McCormic, 
Jacob  Diehl  and  others,  went  to  Selinsgrove,  took  the  cannon  from 
the  cellar  and  started  for  Sunbury. 

I' After  arriving  at  Sunbury  they  went  to  the  hotel  then  kept  b\' 
John  Weaver,  at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Market  streets,  in  the 
stone  building  now  owned  by  William  H.  Miller,  carried  the  can- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  3O9 

non  up  on  the  attic,  placed  a  bed  over  it,  on  which  Joseph  Eisely, 
then  a  fourteen-year-old  boy,  was  to  sleep  and  give  the  alarm  in 
case  a  party  should  come  to  steal  it  away.  The  cannon  having 
been  kept  safe,  was  brought  down  next  morning  and  did  good 
service  at  the  Fourth  of  July  celebration.  In  1830  it  was  stolen 
out  of  the  cellar  of  Robin's  tanning  place,  where  the  residence  of 
George  Cadwalleder  now  stands,  by  citizens  of  New  Berlin, 
Union  County,  named  Charles  Awl,  Samuel  Kesler,  Charles  Baum, 
Elias  Hummel,  Michael  Klecner,  Thomas  Halabush,  Samuel 
Winter,  and  Thomas  Getgen.  From  New  Berlin  it  found  its  way 
to  Selinsgrove,  where  it  remained  until  1834,  when  Dr.  R.  H.  Awl, 
Charles  Rhinehart,  Henry  V.  Simpson,  Thomas  McEwen,  Jerry 
Mantz,  Jacob  and  John  Reichstine,  Weiser  Zeigler,  Edward  Lyon, 
Peter  Zimmerman  and  George  Mahan  laid  a  plan  to  recapture  it. 
Two  of  the  boys  went  to  Selinsgrove  on  the  Fourth  of  July  and 
learned  that  the  cannon  was  kept  in  the  fire  engine  house  of  that 
place.  The  rest  of  the  party  at  Sunbury  took  a  horse  from  Mrs. 
Rhinehart,  a  wagon  from  Hugh  Bellas,  Esq.,  and  the  ferry  flat, 
crossed  the  river  and  met  the  other  two  boys  late  that  night  at  the 
red  bridge  over  Penn's  Creek.  After  succeeding  in  getting  the 
cannon  from  the  engine  house,  they  loaded  it,  crossed  the  river 
and  came  to  Sunbury,  where  George  Mahan  stole  a  keg  of  powder 
from  Edward  Y.  Bright,  and  at  day-break  on  the  5th  of  July 
opened  fire  on  the  river  bank  in  front  of  Captain  Daniel  Levy's 
residence,  who,  with  sword  and  pistols,  came  out  and  offered  to 
command  the  defense  in  case  of  an  attack  from  Union  County. 

"We  quote  the  following  from  the  Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley : 
Daniel  Levy,  Esq.,  outlived  all  the  old  lawyers  except  Mr.  Bellas. 
He  was  a  conceited  man,  active  as  a  cat,  an  insatiable  dancer,  a 
hard  fighter  and  great  boxer.  The  interesting  fact  in  Levy's  his- 
tory is,  that  of  the  only  two  duels  fought  in  this  county  he  was 
one  of  the  participants.  A  militaiy  gathering  took  place  in  1812 
at  Michael  Kutzner's  hotel,  on  the  corner  of  Market  and  Second 
streets,  the  house  being  now  occupied  by  the  widow  of  Hon.  C. 
G.  Donnel.  During  the  time  of  the  gathering  a  dispute  arose  be- 
tween Daniel  Levy  and  General  Hugh  Brady,  a  man  of  six  feet, 
active,  strong  and  as  brave  as  Cssar.  He  was  the  last  survivor 
of  the   Brady  family,  and   died    at  Detroit,   Michigan,  in    1851. 


3IO  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

No  sooner  did  this  dispute  arise  than,  without  further  preparations, 
they  attacked  one  another  with  their  swords.  In  the  fight  Brady 
cut  off  Levy's  cue,  wounded  him  in  the  shoulder  and  also  broke 
his  sword.  Samuel  Awl,  Esq.,  Michael  Kutzner  and  others,  put 
chairs  between  the  duelists  and  in  this  way  separated  them.  This 
took  place  in  the  bar-room  of  the  then  hotel.  A  sword  of  one  of  the 
duelists  missed  its  mark  and  hit  the  window  sill  with  great  force, 
making  a  deep  mark  which  remained  for  years,  until  the  room 
was  repaired  for  a  private  residence. 

"In  1849  about  thirty  young  men  from  Danville  undertook  to 
capture  the  cannon.  Jerry  Hall,  of  Sunbury,  who  was  then  a 
clerk  in  the  Danville  post-office,  learning  of  the  plan,  sent  a  letter 
by  Clinton  Fisher,  in  advance  of  the  confiscating  party,  to  Captain 
C.  J.  Bruner  and  Captain  Henry  D.  Wharton,  notifying  them  of 
the  plot.  The  Sunbury  people  placed  pickets  around  the  house 
of  Benjamin  Krohn,  on  Front  Street,  where  the  cannon  was  con- 
cealed. When  the  Danville  party  made  their  appearance  they 
were  surprised  to  find  that  they  had  been  outgeneraled.  They 
returned  to  their  homes  sadder  and  wiser  than  when  they  came. 

"In  Sunbury  it  has  remained  since  1834,  frequently  changing 
owners  and  place,  as  the  several  parties  got  possession  of  it.  First 
at  the  old  "barracks"  on  Front,  near  Chestnut  Street,  where  the 
soldiers  of  1S12  staid,  being  chained  and  locked  to  a  five  hundred 
pound  ring-stone;  then  in  Peter  Weimer's  cellar,  the  vat  of 
Zeigler's  tan-yard,  the  Northumberland  County  prison.  Chestnut 
Street  gutter,  where  it  was  buried,  and  John  Schissler's  cellar,  all 
of  which  were  at  one  time  the  keeping  place  of  this  old  military 
piece.  Samuel  Huey  took  charge  of  the  cannon  for  many  years, 
from  whom  it  was  stolen  and  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
Sunbury  No.  I  Fire  Engine  Company." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

MURDER    OF    TEN    INDIANS    BY    STUMP     AND     IRONCUTTER ARREST 

OF     THE    MURDERERS    AND    THEIR    RESCUE    FROM    THE    JAIL     AT 
CARLISLE AN     EXCITING     TIME CAPTAIN     BLYTHE. 

PEACE  having  been  restored  after  the  success  of  the  Bouquet 
expedition,  the  inhabitants  began  to  settle  down  and  resume 
their  avocations  without  fear.  And  after  such  a  long  period  of 
unrest  and  turmoil  it  was  fondly  hoped  that  no  further  disturb- 
ances would  occur  to  mar  the  happiness  of  the  people.  But 
it  was  decreed  otherwise.  Another  exciting  episode  occurred  to 
disturb  the  country. 

On  the  loth  of  January,  1768,  occurred  the  murder  of  White 
Mingo  and  five  other  Indians  by  Frederick  Stump,  a  German, 
living  in  Penn's  Township,  not  far  from  where  Selinsgrove  now 
stands.  Information  of  the  atrocious  deed  was  made  at  Philadel- 
phia by  William  Blythe,*  January   19th,  and  is  in  substance  as 

*  Captain  William  Blythe,  who  was  an  officer  at  Fort  7\ugiista  when  Colonel 
Burd  was  in  command,  was  from  Cumberland  County.  Me  was  an  Indian  trader  at 
Shippensburg  in  1748.  His  commission  was  dated  December  24,  1757,  and  he  con- 
tinued in  service  until  the  close  of  the  Bouquet  expedition  to  the  Ohio,  and  partici- 
pated in  the  land  grants  in  Buffalo  Valley.  At  the  time  this  tragedy  was  committed 
he  was  living  in  a  cabin  at  the  mouth  of  Middle  Creek.  The  Indians  had  first  called 
at  his  place  and  he  treated  them  kindly.  On  leaving  they  proceeded  to  Stump's,  who 
lived  near  by.  Captain  Blythe  was  the  ancestor  of  Judge  Blythe,  who,  forty  years 
ago,  was  very  prominent  on  the  bench  in  this  State.  For  his  services  in  making  in- 
formation of  the  murder  he  received  two  tracts  of  land  which  were  surveyed  on  ap- 
plications in  the  names  of  his  daughters,  Margaret  and  Elizabeth,  containing,  to- 
gether, 640  acres.  Linn,  in  his  Annals,  says  the  land  laid  immediately  south  of 
White  Deer  Creek,  whither  he  removed  during  the  year,  and  was,  therefore,  one  of 
the  first  settlers  of  Buffalo  Valley  after  the  purchase.  His  cabin  stood  on  Red  Bank 
Run,  near  the  river,  on  the  Elizabeth  Blythe  tract.  Her  application  of  April  3,  1769, 
describes  it  as  including  an  old  Indian  fort  and  a  settlement  begun  by  her.  Captain 
•Blythe  lived  to  be  a  very  old  man.  He  is  described  as  being  tall  and  raw-boned,  and 
in  the  latter  years  of  his  life  he  was  blind.     The  date  of  his  death  is  unknown. 

His  daughter  Margaret  married  Captain  John  Reed,  who  had  commanded   the 


312  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

follows:  Hearing  of  the  murder,  he  went  to  George  Gabriel's, 
where  he  met  Stump  and  several  others,  on  the  12th,  and  was 
then  told  by  Stump  himself  that  six  Indians,  White  Mingo,  Cor- 
nelius, John  Campbell,  Jones  and  two  women,  came  to  his  house, 
near  the  mouth  of  Middle  Creek.  Being  drunk  and  disorderly, 
he  endeavored  to  get  them  to  leave,  which  they  would  not  do. 
Fearing  injury  to  himself,  he  killed  them  all,  dragged  them  to  the 
creek,  and  making  a  hole  in  the  ice,  threw  in  their  bodies.  Then 
fearing  the  news  might  be  carried  to  the  other  Indians,  he  went 
the  next  day  to  two  cabins,  fourteen  miles  up  the  creek,  where  he 
found  one  woman  and  two  girls,  with  one  child.  These  he  killed, 
and  placing  their  bodies  in  the  cabin,  he  burned  it.  That  he 
(Blythe)  sent  four  men  up  the  creek,  who  reported  that  they  had 
found  the  cabins  burned  and  the  remains  of  the  limbs  of  the 
Indians  in  the  ashes. 

It  is  surmised  that  Stump  killed  the  drunken  Indians  by"  knock- 
ing them  on  the  head "  with  a  tomahawk  *  when  they  were  so 
helpless  as  to  be  unable  to  defend  themselves.  The  women  and 
children  were  doubtless  murdered  in  the  same  way.  Linn,  in  his 
Annals  of  Bujfalo  Valley,  says  the  scene  of  the  latter  deed  was 
on  the  run  that  enters  the  creek  at  Middleburg,  which  goes  by  the 
name  of  Stump's  Run  to  this  day.     Stump  had  an  accomplice  in 

"  Paxton  Boys."  Her  tract  was  patented  to  Reed  in  1774.  Her  children  by  Captain 
Reed  were  William,  (father  of  James  Reed,  who  resided  near  Hartleton,  and  was  the 
grandfather  of  Dr.  Uriah  Reed,  of  Jersey  Shore,)  James,  who  moved  West,  and  Eliza- 
beth, who  married  John  Armstrong.  Captain  Reed  died  before  1778.  His  widow 
afterwards  married  Captain  Charles  Gillespie,  an  officer  of  the  Revolution,  and  raised 
a  second  family.  Margaret  Blythe  survived  the  fortunes  of  her  second  family,  and 
took  refuge  with  her  first  husband's  children.  She  died  at  the  residence  of  her  son, 
William  Reed,  in  Hartley  Township. 

Elizabeth  Blythe  married  Dr.  Joseph  Eakers,  who  had  been  a  surgeon  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary army.  In  October,  1798,  they  sold  their  place  to  James  Hepburn  and 
went  West,  where  she  died.  Her  husband  returned,  resumed  practice,  and  was 
drowned  in  Muddy  Run,  north  of  Milton,  many  years  ago. 

*  C)ne  of  the  dead  bodies  was  carried  down  the  creek  to  the  river,  and  floating  on 
finally  lodged  against  the  shore  on  the  Cumberland  County  side,  below  where  the 
road  bridge  at  Harrisburg  now  stands.  The  Indian  had  been  killed  by  being  struck 
on  the  forehead  with  some  instrument  which  crushed  his  skull.  His  entire  scalp,  in- 
cluding his  ears,  was  torn  off.  An  inquest  was  held  by  the  coroner  of  Cumberland  • 
County,  February  28,  1768,  when  the  body  was  buried  near  where  it  was  found. — 
Rupp^ s  Union  County,  page  274. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  313 

this  bloody  tragedy,  named  John  Ironcutter  (Eisenhauer),  who 
acted  as  a  servant  to  him.     Both  were  Germans. 

As  soon  as  the  crime  became  known  the  most  intense  excite- 
ment was  aroused.  The  settlers  were  astounded  at  the  magnitude 
and  relentless  barbarity  of  the  act.  The  Indians,  who  were  friendly, 
and  had  come  from  the  Great  Island  and  pitched  their  rude  wig- 
wams on  the  creek,  in  order  to  be  near  and  claim  the  protection 
of  the  whites,  had  given  him  no  cause  for  thus  barbarously  mur- 
dering them.  The  whites  were  alarmed,  too,  for  fear  that  when 
the  sad  intelligence  reached  the  friends  of  these  Indians  they 
would  rise  up  and  commence  to  burn,  murder  and  scalp  all  that 
they  could  find,  in  order  to  be  revenged. 

A  few  Indians  being  in  the  neighborhood  soon  heard  of  the 
affair,  and  on  hastening  to  the  spot  found  the  charred  remains  of 
their  friends.  Learning  that  Stump  was  the  murderer,  they  imme- 
diately started  to  look  for  him.  In  the  meantime  he  had  fled  to 
Fort  Augusta,  and  entering  a  house  in  the  occupancy  of  the 
mother  and  aunts  of  Mrs.  Grant,  claimed  their  protection,  alleg- 
ing that  he  was  pursued  by  Indians.  The  ladies,  noticing  from 
his  countenance  that  all  was  not  right,  at  first  refused  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  him,  fearing  that  the  Indians  might  come  and 
murder  them  too,  on  finding  him  secreted  in  the  house.  He  beg- 
ged so  piteously,  however,  for  protection,  that  they  relented  and 
snugly  stowed  him  away  between  two  beds.  But  a  few  minutes 
elapsed  before  the  arrival  of  the  infuriated  Indians,  who  had 
tracked  him  to  the  house.  They  inquired  if  he  had  been  seen 
there,  and  blustered  and  threatened  considerably,  but  the  ladies 
insisted  that  they  knew  nothing  about  him,  when  they  were  com- 
pelled to  reluctantly  depart  without  finding  him.  Before  leaving 
they  seized  a  harmless  cat,  plucked  out  its  hair,  and  then  tore  it 
to  pieces,  for  the  purpose  of  illustrating  what  they  would  have 
,  done  with  Stump  if  they  had  caught  him.  It  was  a  great  pity 
that  the  women  did  not  turn  him  over  to  the  Indians.  If  they 
had  done  so  the  Province  would  have  been  saved  much  trouble 
and  expense,  as  the  sequel  will  show. 

When  the  news  of  the  butchery  reached  the  ears  of  Governor 
Penn  he  was  greatly  shocked;  and  as  his  sympathies  were  largely 
with  the  Indians,  he  thought  that  it  was  his  duty  to  have  the  mur- 


314  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

derers  apprehended  and  brought  to  justice  as  speedily  as  possible. 
The  information,  sworn  to  by  Captain  Blythe,  was  laid  before  the 
Council,  which  was  then  in  session,  and  a  resolution  was  promptly 
passed  instructing  the  Governor  to  write  to  the  magistrates  of 
Cumberland  Count}-  and  require  them  to  have  Stump  and  his 
accomplice  arrested  without  delay;  also  to  order  the  sheriffs  of 
the  adjoining  counties  of  Lancaster  and  Berks  to  be  on  the  alert 
and  arrest  them  if  they  came  within  their  districts. 

The  Council  further  advised  the  Governor  to  write  to  General 
Gage  and  Sir  William  Johnson,  acquainting  them  with  the  unhappy 
event,  and  request  them  to  communicate  the  same  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible to  the  Six  Nations  in  the  most  fa\-orable  manner  in  their 
power,  to  prevent  their  taking  immediate  re\enge  for  this  great 
injury  committed  on  their  people;  and  to  assure  them  of  the  firm 
and  sincere  desire  of  the  government  to  give  them  full  .satisfaction 
at  all  times,  for  all  wrongs  done  to  them,  and  that  they  would 
leave  nothing  undone  to  bring  the  murderers  to  condign  punish- 
ment. 

On  the  19th  of  January,  1768,  Governor  John  Penn  addressed 
a  long  letter  to  the  magistrates  of  Cumberland  County,  giving 
them  the  necessary  instructions  how  to  act.  Amongst  other 
things,  he  said: 

I  am  persuaded,  gentlemen,  that  the  love  of  justice,  a  sense  of  duty,  and  a  regard 
for  the  public  safety,  will  be  sufficient  inducements  with  you  to  exert  yourselves  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  leave  no  measures  untried  which  may  be  likely  to  apprehend  and 
bring  to  punishment  the  perpetrator  of  so  horrid  a  crime,  which,  in  its  consequences, 
will  certainly  involve  us  again  in  all  the  calamities  of  an  Indian  war,  and  be  attended 
with  the  effusion  of  much  innocent  blood,  unless  by  a  proper  exertion  of  the  powers 
of  Government,  and  a  due  execution  of  the  laws,  we  can  satisfy,  our  Indian  allies 
that  the  Government  does  not  countenance  those  who  wantonly  spill  their  blood,  and 
convince  them  that  we  think  ourselves  bound  by  the  solemn  treaties  made  with  them. 
I  have  this  matter  so  much  at  heart,  that  I  have  determined  to  give  a  reward  of  two 
hundred  pounds  to  any  person  or  persons  who  shaft  apprehend  the  said  Frederick 
Stump  and  bring  him  to  justice,  etc. 

A  similar  letter  was  also  forwarded  to  the  magistrates  of  Berks 
and  Lancaster  counties,  enjoining  upon  them  the  necessity  of 
acting  with  promptness,  should  the  murderers  escape  into  their 
territory. 

Accompanying   this  letter  was  a  public  proclamation  bearing 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  315 

the  broad  seal  of  the  Province,  in  which  it  was  strictly  commanded, 
"that  all  Judges,  Justices,  Sheriffs,  Constables,  Officers  Civil  and 
Military,  and  all  other,  his  Majesty's  faithful  and  Liege  Subjects 
within  this  Province,  to  make  diligent  search  and  inquiry  after  the 
said  Frederick  Stump,  and  that  they  use  all  possible  means  to  ap- 
prehend and  secure  him  in  one  of  the  Public  Gaols  of  this  Prov- 
ince, to  be  proceeded  against  according  to  law." 

Governor  Penn  also  sent  a  message  by  an  Indian  named  Billy 
Champion,  to  Newhaleeka,  the  chief  of  the  Delawares,  and  other 
Indians,  residing  at  the  Great  Island,  acquainting  them  of  the 
cruel  murder  of  their  friends,  and  assuring  them  that  the  most 
speedy  measures  would  be  taken  to  have  the  ends  of  justice  ac- 
complished. For  carrying  this  message  the  Council  allowed  Billy 
for  his  services  a  "  blanket,  a  shirt,  a  hat,  a  pair  of  shoes,  a  pair  of 
Indian  stockings,  a  breech  cloth,  and  four  pounds  two  shillings 
and  six  pence  in  cash." 

Stump  was  finally  arrested  and  lodged  in  the  jail  at  Carlisle. 
The  account  of  his  capture  is  given  as  follows : 

Captain  William  Patterson,  lately  in  the  Provincial  service,  now  living  on  Juniata, 
about  twenty  miles  from  Frederick  Stump's,  hearing  of  the  murder  committed  by  him 
and  his  servant,  on  the  bodies  of  a  number  of  Indians,  engaged  nineteen  men  at  two 
shillings  and  six  pence  per  diem  wages,  to  go  with  him  to  take  them.  On  their  ap- 
proach Stump  fled  to  the  woods ;  but  Patterson  pretended  to  the  people  in  the  house 
that  he  came  there  to  get  Stump  to  go  with  them  and  kill  the  Indians  at  the  Great 
Island;  this  decoy  had  the  desired  effect.  Some  one  went  out,  found  and  brought 
Stump  to  the  house.  On  his  coming  in  Patterson  arrested,  bound  and  brought  him, 
with  his  servant,  John  Ironcutter,  without  delay  to  Carlisle  jail,  where  he  was  lodged 
on  Saturday  evening,  the  23d  of  March,  1768. 

Thus  it  seemed  that  the  ends  of  justice  were  about  to  be  ac- 
complished, and  the  murderers  receive  the  punishment  which  they 
so  justly  deserved.  A  difficulty,  however,  arose  among  the  mag- 
nates of  the  law  at  Carlisle  about  where  he  should  be  tried. 

It  was  intended  to  take  him  to  Philadelphia  for  trial,  and  a  dis- 
cussion arose  upon  this  point.  The  account  is  continued  as  fol- 
lows: 

The  court  just  then  concluding,  all  the  justices  were  in  town.  The  Monday  morn- 
ing following  the  sheriff"  was  preparing  to  carry  him  to  Philadelphia,  agreeable  to  the 
express  mandate  of  the  chief  justice's  warrant;  but  a  doubt  arose  amongst  the  justices 
and  townspeople,  as  is  pretended,  whether  the  sheriff'  had  a  right  to  remove  him,  he 
being  committed  to  their  jail  by  two  justices,  Armstrong  and  Miller.     But  the  truth 


3  ID  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

was  they  apprehended  a  design  to  try  him  at  Philadelphia,  though  the 'chief  justice's 
warrant  expressly  commanded  that  he  should  be  brought  down  for  examination — and 
thereupon  the  sheriff  was  directed  to  proceed  in  his  duty. 

Wednesday  several  justices  again  met  to  consult  about  sending  him  down;  while 
they  were  consulting  about  forty  of  the  country  people  assembled  and  marched  near 
the  town,  declaring  they  would  take  him  out  of  jail,  as  they  understood  he  was  to  be 
taken  to  Philadelphia.  A  gentleman  advised  them  not  to  go  into  town,  but  send  in 
two  of  their  party  to  know  the  sentiments  of  the  magistrates  on  that  head.  The  two 
messengers  came  into  town,  and  received  assurances  that  Stump  should  not  be  sent  to 
Philadelphia  but  receive  his  trial  at  Carlisle,  upon  which  the  messengers  returned,  and 
the  company  dispersed  and  went  to  their  respective  dwellings. 

Thus  matters  quietly  rested  until  Friday,  when  a  company  from  Sherman's  Valley, 
about  fifteen  miles  from  Carlisle  and  Stump's  neighborhood,  assembled,  and  came 
near  the  town,  about  eight  of  whom  came  in  by  couples;  the  first  two  that  entered  the 
prison  asked  the  jailer  for  a  dram,  or  some  liquor,  which  he  went  to  get  for  them,  and 
when  he  brought  it  the  others  entered.  They  directly  drew  a  cutlass  and  presented  a 
pistol,  swearing  they  would  kill  him  if  he  resisted  or  made  the  least  noise;  the  same 
care  was  taken  as  to  the  jailer's  wife.  Immediately  came  up  the  general  company,  of 
about  sixty  armed  men,  and  surrounded  the  jail;  the  rioters  within  had  a  sledge, 
crowbar  and  axe,  with  which  (as  some  say)  they  broke  the  inner  jail  door;  while 
others  assert  that  they  had  procured  the  keys  of  the  dungeon  from  a  girl  in  the  jail. 
They  proceeded  down  to  the  dungeon  where  Stump  lay  handcuffed,  the  chain  which 
fastened  him  to  the  floor  having  been  taken  off  two  days  before.  They  then  brought 
him  up.  In  the  meantime  came  the  sheriff,  Col.  John  Armstrong,  Robert  Miller, 
Esq.,  and  Parson  Steel,  who  were  admitted  within  the  circle  of  armed  men  round  the 
jail,  but  not  knowing  of  others  being  within,  went  on  the  steps  of  the  jail  and  de- 
clared they  would  defend  it  with  their  lives.  By  this  time  those  within  came  with 
Stump  to  the  door — the  sheriff  seizing  him,  when  one  of  the  men  made  a  thrust  with 
a  cutlass,  which  passed  close  by  his  throat,  and  immediately  the  whole  body  sur- 
rounded the  sheriff  and  justices,  and  carried  them  to  the  middle  of  the  street,  but 
happily  did  not  touch  a  hair  of  their  heads,  and  went  off  with  Stump,  greatly  shout- 
ing; but  first  took  him  to  a  smith,  whom  they  obliged  to  cut  off'  his  irons.  The  sheriff 
and  justices  immediately  went  after  them  and  overtook  one-half  of  the  company;  but 
the  rest,  with  Stump,  were  gone  over  the  hills  to  Sherman's  Valley. 

Some  of  them  declared  they  would  give  Mr.  Patterson  the  interest  of  his  i^200 
reward,  which  should  not  be  of  any  service  to  him,  and  great  danger  was  appre- 
hended to  his  person  and  property  for  his  upright  and  spirited  behavior  in  the  cause 
of  virtue  and  his  country. 

Ironcutter  was  also  rescued  at  the  same  time  and  carried  off 
with  Stump.  This  violent  demonstration  on  the  part  of  the  peo- 
ple against  the  enforcement  of  the  civil  law  caused  a  tremendous 
excitement  throughout  the  Province.  The  Governor  was  as- 
tounded and  scarcely  knew  how  to  act.  Not  daunted  by  the 
violence  of  the  people,  however,  a  party  composed  of  the  sheriff, 
clergy,  magistrates  and  several  other  reputable  inhabitants,  speed- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  317 

ily  assembled  and  proceeded  to  Sherman's  Valley  to  remonstrate 
with  those  who  had  rescued  Stump,  against  such  lawless  proceed- 
ings. They  represented  to  them  the  dangerous  consequences  of 
such  conduct,  and  the  bad  example  they  were  setting.  They 
manifested  some  contrition  at  first,  and  partially  promised  to  re- 
turn him  in  three  days,  but  they  did  not  do  it. 

The  people  of  the  frontier  were  very  much  alarmed  at  this  law- 
less demonstration,  and  many  of  them  left  their  homes.  Captain 
Patterson  being  threatened  by  the  rescuers  of  Stump,  was  obliged 
to  keep  a  guard  in  his  house  night  and  day. 

The  reasons  given  by  the  mob  for  their  conduct  was  that  the 
Government  always  manifested  greater  concern  over  the  killing  of 
an  Indian  than  a  white  man ;  that  numbers  of  the  whites  had  been 
barbarously  murdered  and  there  were  no  lamentations,  nor  exer- 
tions of  the  Government  to  bring  their  murderers  to  justice;  that 
their  wives  and  children  must  be  insulted  by  Indians,  and  a  num- 
ber of  them  receive  the  fatal  blow,  before  they  dare  say  it  is  war. 
In  view  of  this  they  were  determined  no  longer  to  submit. 

Governor  Penn  ordered  proceedings  to  be  instituted  against 
those  who  had  thus  violated  the  law  and  forcibly  rescued  Stump. 
Testimony  was  obtained  against  twenty-one  of  them,  including  the 
ring-leaders,  and  warrants  issued  for  their  arrest.  Whether  they 
were  arrested  or  not  does  not  appear. 

The  most  positive  instructions  were  issued  by  the  Governor  for 
the  re-arrest  of  Stump  and  Ironcutter,  and  a  warrant  from  the 
chi^f  justice  forwarded  to  the  authorities  to  convey  them  to  Phila- 
delphia, accompanied  by  a  second  proclamation  offering  an  ad- 
ditional reward  of  two  hundred  pounds  for  Stump,*  -and  one  hun- 
dred for  Ironcutter.  He  also  caused  a  description  of  their  per- 
sons to  be  published  to  assist  in  their  apprehension. 

The  description  of  the  culprits  given  at  the  time,  and  extensively 
published,  was  as  follows: 

Frederick  Stump,  born  in  Heidleburgf  Township,  Lancaster  County,  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, of  German  parents.     He  is  about  33  years  of  age,  5  feet  8  inches  high,  a  stout 

*  According  to  a  letter  written  by  John  Armstrong  to  Governor  Penn,  dated  Car- 
lisle, January  24,  1768,  Stump  admitted  that  he  killed  nine  of  the  Indians  and  his 
servant  one.  His  excuse  for  killing  them  was  believed  to  be  false.  Armstrong  had 
given  the  coroner  instructions  to  bury  the  bodies  found  under  the  ice  in  two  graves. 

f  Now  in  Lebanon  County,  which  was  taken  from  Lancaster  and  Dauphin  in  1813. 


31 8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

fellow,  and  well  proportioned;  of  a  brown  complexion,  thin  visaged,  has  small  black 
eyes  with  a  downcast  look,  and  wears  short  black  hair;  he  speaks  the  German  lan- 
guage well  and  the  English  but  indifferently.  He  had  on,  when  rescued,  a  light  brown 
cloth  coat,  a  blue  great  coat,  an  old  hat,  leather  breeches,  blue  leggins  and  moccasins. 
John  Ironcutter,  bom  in  Germany,  is  about  19  years  of  age,  5  feet  6  inches  high, 
a  thick,  clumsy  fellow,  round  shouldered,  of  a  dark  brown  comple.\ion,  has  a  smooth, 
full  face,  grey  eyes,  wears  short  brown  hair  and  speaks  very  little  English.  He  had 
on,  when  rescued,  a  blanket  coat,  an  old  felt  hat,  buckskin  breeches,  a  pair  of  long 
trousers,  coarse  white  yarn  stockings,  and  shoes  with  brass  buckles. 

After  their  rescue  from  the  Carlisle  jail  they  came  to  the  neigh- 
borhood where  the  bloody  crime  had  been  committed.  But  as 
their  presence  was  not  agreeable  to  the  inhabitants — notwithstand- 
ing they  winked  at  the  crime — Stump  soon  afterwards  retired  to 
the  residence  of  his  father  in  Tulpehocken,  and  Ironcutter  was 
secreted  by  some  of  his  friends.  No  effort  was  made  to  arrest 
them,  as  the  settlers  generally  sympathized  with  them.  They 
soon  afterwards  fled  to  Virginia  and  never  were  disturbed.  Stump 
died  there  at  an  advanced  age,  and  it  is  not  known  what  became 
of  his  accomplice. 


CHAPTER  XV.       . 

LAND    GRANTS  TO    THE  OFFICERS WHERE    THEY    WERE   LOCATED 

TREATY    OF    FORT    STANWLX MONTOUR's     RESERVE MANORS    OF 

POMFRET  AND  MUNCY — LAND  OFFICE  OPENED. 

AS  early  as  1 764  the  officers  of  the  First  and  Second  Battalions, 
who  served  under  Bouquet  on  the  expedition  against  the  In- 
dians at  Fort  Du  Quesne,  held  a  meeting  at  Bedford,  on  the  return 
march,  and  made  an  agreement  with  each  other,  in  writing,*  "that 
they  would  apply  to  the  Proprietaries  for  a  tract  of  land  suffi- 
ciently extensive  and  conveniently  situated,  whereon  to  erect  a 
compact  and  defensible  town ;  and,  also,  to  accommodate  each  of 
us  with  a  reasonable  and  commodious  plantation ;  which  land  and 
lots  of  ground,  if  obtained,  we  do  agree  shall  be  proportionably 
divided,  according  to  our  several  ranks  and  subscriptions."  This 
agreement  was  signed  by  Lieutenant  Colonels  Turbutt  Francis 
and  Asher  Clayton,  Major  John  P.  De  Haas,  Captains  Jacob 
Kern,  John  Proctor,  James  Hendricks,  John  Brady,  William  Piper, 
Timothy  Green,  Samuel  Hunter;  Henry  Watson,  adjutant  First 
Battalion;  Conrad  Bucher,  adjutant  Second  Battalion;  William 
Plunkett  and  James  Irvine,  captains;  Lieutenant  Daniel  Hun- 
sicker;  Ensign  McMeen,  Piper  and  others.  They  appointed  Col- 
onel Francis,  Captain  Irvine,  etc.,  commissioners  to  act  for  all  the 
officers.  These  commissioners  made  an  application  to  the  Pro- 
prietaries on  the  30th  of  April,  1765,  in  which  they  proposed  to 
embody  themselves  in  a  compact  settlement,  on  some  good  land, 
at  some  distance  from  the  inhabited  part  of  the  Province,  where, 
by  their  industry,  they  might  procure  a  comfortable  subsistence 
for  themselves,  and  by  their  arms,  union,  and  increase,  become  a 
powerful  barrier  to  the  Province.  They  further  represented  that 
the  land  already  purchased  did  not  afford  any  situation  convenient 
for  their  purpose;  but  the  confluence  of  the  two  branches  of  the 

*  See  Linn's  Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley,  page  26. 


320  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Susquehanna  at  Shamokin  did,  and  they,  therefore,  prayed  the 
Proprietaries*  to  make  the  purchase,  and  make  them  a  grant  of 
40,000  acres  of  arable  land  on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna. Lieutenant  Thomas  Wigginsf  and  Ensign  J.  Foster,  who 
were  absent  from  Bedford  when  the  agreement  was  signed,  were 
subsequently  admitted  into  the  association. 

In  accordance  with  the  request  of  the  petitioners,  Thomas  and 
Richard  Penn  held  a  treaty  with  the  Six  Nations  at  Fort  Stanwix;|: 
on  the  5th  of  November,  1768,  and  made  another  purchase  of 
land  on  the  Susquehanna  for  ;g  10.000.  This  deed  conveyed  all  the 
land  beginning  on  the  north  boundary  line  of  the  Province  to  the 
east  side  of  the  east  branch  of  the  Susquehanna  §  at  the  place 
called  "Owegy,"  and  running  with  the  said  boundary  line  down 
this  branch  till  it  came  opposite  the  mouth  of  a  creek,  called  by 
the  Indians  Azvadac  (Towanda),  then  across  the  river,  and  up  said 
creek  on  the  south  side  thereof,  and  along  the  range  of  hills  called 

Burnett's  Hills  by  the  English,  and  by  the  Indians ,  on  the 

north  side  of  them  to  the  head  of  the  creek  running  into  the 
West  Branch,  called  Tiadaghton,\\  and  down  it  to  the  river;  then 
crossing  and  running  up  the  south  side  to  the  forks  which  lie 
nearest    a    place    called    Kittanning,  on   the    Ohio;  from    thence 

*For  the  proceedings  in  full  of  the  meetings  of  the  association  see  Vol.  L  of  the 
Collections  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

f  Lieutenant  John  Wiggins  was  surgeon  of  the  Augusta  Regiment,  and  he  also 
served  in  the  same  capacity  during  the  Revolution.  He  was  from  what  is  now 
Dauphin  County — then  Lancaster.  He  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1712,  and  died  June 
12,  1794,  and  is  buried  in  the  old  Paxtang  church  grave-yard.  From  him  is  descended 
John  Wiggins  Simonton,  President  Judge  of  the  Dauphin  Judicial  District.  Colonel 
Burd  says  of  him:     "  He  was  a  gentleman  of  education  and  did  his  duty  very  well.'' 

J  This  fort  was  built  in  1758  by  the  English  at  the  enormous  expense  of  ^256,400. 
During  the  Revolutionary  war  Fort  Schuyler  was  built  from  the  ruins  of  Stanwix.  It 
stood  near  the  present  town  of  Rome,  Oneida  County,  New  York,  between  the  waters 
of  the  Mohawk  and  Wood  Creek. 

I  See  History  of  Indian  Purchases  by  Hon.  Daniel  Agnew,  LL.  D.,  late  Chief 
Justice  of  Pennsylvania,  pages  13,  14,  15. 

II  At  the  time  of  the  purchase  the  Indians  alleged  that  Lycoming  Creek  was  the 
Tiadaghton  referred  to.  This  was  afterwards  discovered  to  be  incorrect.  What  is 
now  known  as  Pine,  the  largest  stream  emptying  into  the  river  from  the  north,  was 
the  real  Tiadaghton.  This  bit  of  sharp  practice  caused  much  trouble  for  a  period  of 
sixteen  years.  It  is  supposed  that  Tiadaghton  is  an  Iroquois  word,  and  its  meaning 
has  been  lost. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  32 1 

down  the  Ohio  to  the  western  bounds  of  the  Province;  thence 
around  the  southern  boundary  to  the  east  of  the  Alleghenies  to 
the  line  of  the  tract  purchased  in  1758  by  the  said  Pfoprietaries, 
and  from  thence  along  the  line  of  a  tract  purchased  in  1749, 
around  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

From  the  boundaries  laid  down  the  tract  included  about  sixteen 
miles  in  width  of  the  Province  of  New  York,  from  the  Delaware 
to  the  Susquehanna.  From  the  head  of  Towanda  Creek  along 
Burnett's  Hills  would  undoubtedly  be  the  range  now  known  as 
the  Elk  Mountains,  and  further  west  Brier  or  Laurel  Hill.  This  is 
an  unbroken  mountain  until  it  is  pierced  by  the  second  fork  of 
Pine  Creek,  the  stream  called  Tiadaghton.  This  description 
would  harmonize  with  the  language  used  in  the  deed.  No  other 
stream  would  answer  the  description,  as  the  head  of  the  main 
branch  of  Pine  Creek  is  some  thirty  miles  north-west  of  the  head 
of  the  second  fork,  which  could  not  be  reached  by  following  the 
range  of  hills  mentioned  above  from  the  head  of  Towanda  Creek, 
and  crossing  the  main  branch  of  Pine  Creek  one  mile  below  Big 
Meadows,  at  the  mouth  of  the  third  fork,  and  fifty-five  miles  from 
the  river.  From  the  geography  of  the  country  the  stream  de- 
scribed as  forming  the  western  boundary  of  the  purchase  of  1768. 
on  the  north  side  of  the  West  Branch,  was  the  stream  known  as 
Yarnell's  Creek,  and  then  down  the  same  to  the  second  fork  of 
Pine  Creek,  thence  to  the  river,  a  distance  of  about  fifty-three 
miles.  The  line  then  passed  up  the  south  side  of  the  river  to  the 
forks  of  the  West  Branch  at  the  Canoe  Place,  now  the  corner  of 
Clearfield,  Cambria  and  Indiana  counties.  The  line  from  this  point 
to  Kittanning  was  run  by  James  Galbraith,  according  to  the  or- 
ders of  Surveyor  General  Lukens,  under  date  of  April  17,  1768. 

When  the  mountainous  nature  of  the  country,  which  was  em- 
braced within  the  lines  of  the  northern  part  of  the  purchase,  is 
considered,  it  is  not  surprising,  perhaps,  that  the  Indians  were  loth 
to  part  with  it.  It  was  an  exceedingly  wild  and  romantic  region, 
and  abounded  in  game  of  all  kinds.  Streams  filled  with  fish 
coursed  through  the  ravines  and  afforded  a  source  of  food  supply 
that  was  valuable  to  the  wandering  bands  of  the  different  tribes  at 
that  day.  Their  women  and  children  devoted  a  portion  of  their 
time  to  fishing,  while  the  warriors  engaged  in  the  chase,  and  be- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 


tween  the  two  they  managed  to  secure  a  fair  supply  of  food.  This 
was  another  reason  why  the  Indians  dishked  to  abandon  that 
magnificent  portion  of  the  valley  lying  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river,  between  Lycoming  and  Pine  creeks.  It  was  always  filled 
with  deer  and  elk,  on  account  of  the  fine  grazing,  and  hunting 
parties  invading  it  never  came  away  empty.  This  fact  alone  so 
tempted  the  cupidity  of  the  Indian  that  he  was  induced  to  tell  a 
deliberate  falsehood — which  at  one  time  was  so  revolting  to  the 
Indian's  sense  of  justice — when  the  law  of  self-preservation  stared 
him  in  the  face.  This  lie  relating  to  the  boundary  line  caused 
serious  trouble  for  sixteen  years,  and  it  was  only  when  the  In- 
dians saw  that  a  lie  would  no  longer  benefit  them,  that  they  ac- 
knowledged the  false  part  they  had  played,  and  admitted  that  Pine 
Creek  was  the  stream  referred  to  in  the  treaty  and  not  Lycoming, 
known  to  the  Moravians  as  the  "  Limping  Messenger." 

At  different  times,  between  the  confirmation  of  the  purchase  of 
1768  and  the  opening  of  the  Land  Office,  a  number  of  special 
grants  to  various  individuals,  for  valuable  services  rendered  the 
Proprietaries,  were  made.  Among  these  grants  was  one  to 
Andrew  Montour,  made  on  the  29th  of  October,  1768.  It  was 
located  at  the  mouth  of  Loyal- 
sock  Creek  (now  Montours- 
ville),and  was  made  in  recogni- 
tion of  the  valuable  services  he 
had  rendered  the  Government 
from  time  to  time  as  a  guide  and 
interpreter.  The  tract,  which 
took  in  both  sides  of  the  creek, 
contained  880  acres,  and  was 
called  "  Montour's  Reserve." 
This  was  the  site  of  the  In- 
dian town  Otstonwakin,  fre- 
quently alluded  to  in  the  times 
of  the  Moravian  missionaries.  Annexed  is  a  copy  of  the  draft  of 
the  survey  as  on  file  in  the  Land  Office. 

The  following  certificate  is  appended  to  the  draft : 

By  virtue  of  an  order  of  survey  dated  the   29th  day  of  October,  1768,  surveyed 
the  third  day  of  November,  1769,  u 


s/mucL  punvi^ 


Andrew  Montour  the  above  described  tract  of 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  323 

land,  situate  on  Loyalsock  Creek  (Stonehauger)  and  the  West  Branch  of  the  river 
Susquehanna,  in  the  county  of  Berks,  containing  eight  hundred  and  eighty  acres  and 
allowance  of  six  per  cent. 

Pr  \Vm.  Scull. 

In  Surveyor  General  Scull's  list  of  returns  it  appears  that  he 
made  return  of  this  survey  on  the  9th  of  January,  1770,  but  the 
land  was  not  patented  until  the  17th  of  June,  1785,  the  title  hav- 
ing passed  to  other  parties,  of  which  there  is  a  full  explanation  in 
the  warrant.  The  patent  was  granted  to  Mary  Norris  and  Peter 
Zachary  Lloyd,  and  is  recorded  in  Patent  Book  P,  Vol.  III.,  page 
416,  the  consideration  money  being  ^142.79.  Andrew  Montour 
seems  also  to  have  been  known  as  "  Henry  Montour."  He  is 
designated  in  the  patent  as  "  Andrew  Montour  who  by  the  name 
of  Henry  Montour,"  by  deed,  etc.,  conveyed  to  Robert  Lettes. 
The  following  extract  from  the  record  gives  the  history  in  detail: 

Commonwealth  of  Pennsylv.^nia,  ss. 

WHEREAS  by  Virtue  and  in  Pursuance  of  an  Order  of  Survey  dated  the  Twenty- 
ninth  Day  of  October  1768,  granted  to  Andrew  Montour,  there  hath  been  surveyed  a 
certain  Tract  of  Land,  Containing  Eight  hundred  and  eighty  acres  and  allowance  of 
six  per  cent  for  roads,  &c..  Situate  on  Loyalsock  Creek  and  the  West  branch  of  Sus- 
quehanna river,  in  the  County  of  Northumberland,  And  whereas  the  said  Andrew  by 
the  name  of  Henry  Montour  by  Deed  dated  12th  Augt.  1771,  Conveyed  the  same  to 
Robt.  Lettes  Hooper,  who  by  Deed  dated  27th  Feb'y,  1773,  conveyed  to  Jos.  Spear, 
who  by  Deed  dated  9th  Dec'r.  1773,  conveyed  to  James  Wilson,  Esq'r,  who  by  Deed 
dated  26th  June,  1777,  conveyed  to  Mary  Norris  who  by  Deed  dated  27th  June  1777, 
conveyed  one  Moiety  thereof  to  Peter  Zachary  Lloyd,  Esq'r,  And  the  said  Mary 
Norris  &  Peter  Zachary  Lloyd  have  paid  the  Purchase  Money  at  the  Rate  of  Five 
Pounds  Sterling,  per  Hundred  Acres,  with  the  Interest  thereon  due,  agreeable  to  an 
Act  of  Assembly,  passed  the  ninth  Day  of  April,  1781,  entitled  "An  Act  for 
Establishing  a  Land  Office,  &c."  and  a  Supplement  thereto,  passed  the  twenty-fifth  of 
June,  then  next  following  THESE  are  therefore  to  authorize  and  require  you  to  ac- 
cept the  said  Survey  into  your  Office,  and  to  make  Return  thereof  into  the  Office  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Land-Office,  in  Order  for  Confirmation,  by  Patent  to  the  said 
Mary  Norris  &  Peter  Zachary  Lloyd,  And  for  so  doing,  this  shall  be  your  Warrant. 

IN  WITNESS  whereof,  the  Honourable  James  Irvine,  Esquire,  Vice  President  of 
the  Supreme  Executive  Council,  hath  hereunto  set  his  Hand,  and  caused  the  lesser 
Seal  of  the  said  Commonwealth  to  be  affixed  the  seventeenth  Day  of  June,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  One  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  Eighty-five. 

JOHN  LUKENS,  Esq.  Surveyor  General. 

The  above  document  contains  the  following  endorsement  on  the 
back:  "1785,  June  17th,  Northumberland  880  acres,  Mary 
Norris  &  Peter  Zachary  Lloyd,  Esq.  Returned  &c  17th  June, 
1785.     No  Eighty-four." 


324  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

Previous  to  the  purchase  of  1768,  Robert  Martin,  an  emigrant 
from  New  Jersey,  erected  a  house  on  Northumberland  point  and 
kept  a  tavern.  This  building  was  the  first  one  at  that  place,  and 
after  the  purchase  of  1768  it  was  thronged  with  land  speculators, 
surveyors,  pioneers  and  adventurers  who  came  to  seek  locations 
on  the  West  Branch.  There  is  but  little  doubt  that  he  was  the 
first  settler  on  what  is  now  the  site  of  the  borough  of  Northum- 
berland. 

Robert  Martin  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  but  the  date  of  his 
birth  is  unknown.  Soon  after  attaining  his  majority  he  settled  at 
Wyoming  under  the  Pennsylvania  title,  but  being  unable  to  live 
there  in  peace  on  account  of  the  Connecticut  claimants,  he  aban- 
doned his  farm  and  removed  to  Northumberland.  This  was  a 
short  time  previous  to  the  purchase  of  1768.  During  the  Revo- 
lutionary struggle  Mr.  Martin  became  quite  prominent,  and  was 
paymaster  of  the  militia  service  during  the  campaign  of  1776. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Provincial  Conference  of  June  18,  1776; 
of  the  convention  of  the  15th  of  July  following,  and  of  the  As- 
sembly in  1777  and  1778.  He  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the 
peace  under  the  constitution  of  1790  for  many  years.  In  1789  he 
built  a  grist  mill  on  Lycoming  Creek  in  what  is  now  Newberr\-, 
and  known  to-day  as  Good's  mill.  He  died  at  Northumberland 
about  18 1 3,  leaving  a  large  estate,  mostly  in  unseated  lands.  One 
of  his  daughters  married  Dr.  James  Davidson,  a  distinguished  sur- 
geon in  the  army  during  the  Revolution,  who  was  also  from  New 
Jersey.  He  and  his  bride  settled  on  a  farm  just  below  the  mouth 
of  Pine  Creek.  They  had  five  sons  and  three  daughters.  Among 
the  sons  was  Dr.  Asher  Davidson,  who  died  at  Jersey  Shore  in 
1864.  His  parents  when  the}-  died  were  buried  in  the  old  grave- 
yard at  Pine  Creek,  which  was  on  their  estate.  Another  daughter 
married  Captain  Thomas  Grant,  of  the  Revolution,  who  built  a 
house  on  the  farm  which  adjoined  Fort  Augusta  on  the  east,  and 
is  now  owned  by  Hon.  S.  P.  Wolverton,  of  Sunbury.  Their  de- 
scendants embrace  many  of  the  best  families  on  the  Susquehanna. 

About  the  time  of  the  survey  of  Montour's  Reserve,  another 
was  made  at  Shamokin  (now  Sunbury),  in  pursuance  of  a  warrant 
issued  by  Lieutenant  Governor  Penn.  of  a  tract  to  be  called  the 
Manor  of  Pomfret.      The  following  draft  of  the  sur\e}-,   copied 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


325 


from  the  books  in  the  Land  Office,  at  Harrisburg,  shows  the  Hnes 
as  they  were  run,  and  what  territory  of  to-day  is  included: 


Courses  and  distances  of  the  river  Susquehanna  from  the  sugar 
of  Shamokin  Creek  with  the  river : 


I 

N 

7 

W 

20 

2 

N 

20 

W 

34 

3 

N 

30 

E 

64 

4 

N 

7 

E 

60 

5 

N 

14 

E 

70 

6 

N 

23 

E 

240 

7 

N 

32 

E 

60 

S 

N 

15 

E 

200 

9 

N 

23 

E 

24 

10 

N 

46 

E 

54 

from  the  sugar  tree 

at  the  junction 

II     N 

70 

E 

lOI 

12     N 

75 

E 

21 

13     N 

5 

* 

34 

14     N 

48 

E 

15     N 

39 

E 

* 

16     N 

35 

E 

* 

17     N 

39 

E 

* 

18     North-e 

ist  to 

ye 

beech  i 

ps. 

N    E 

of 

Small  Run. 

By  virtue  of  a  warrant  dated  the  29th  day  of  October  1768,  surveyed  the  19th 
day  of  December  1768,  to  the  use  of  the  Honorable  the  Proprietaries  of  the  Province 
of  Pennsylvania,  the  above  described  tract  of  land  situate  at  Shamokin,  on  the  river 
Susquehanna,  containing  four  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-six  acres  of  land 
and  allowance  of  six  per  cent. 

Pr.  Wm.  Scull. 

In  feudal  times  a  manor  was  a  territorial  district,  with  jurisdic- 
tion rights,  and  perquisites  thereto  belonging.  In  England  manors 
were  afterwards  called  baronies,  and  ultimately  lordships.  Each 
lord  held  a  court,  called  Court  Barons,  for  redressing  wrongs  and 
settling  disputes  among  the  tenants.  Pomfret  was  evidently  an- 
other name  for  Ponterfract,  a  borough  town  in  Yorkshire,  Eng- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 


326 

land.  It  is  derived  from  the  Latin,  p07is  fractus,  from  the  break- 
ing of  a  bridge  over  the  Aire.  Pomfret  castle  was  built  in  1080 
and  passed  through  many  stormy  scenes.  It  gave  the  title,  Earls 
of  Pomfret,  to  the  family  of  Former. 

Nothing  more  than  the  survey  was  done  with  Pomfret.  No 
barony  was  established  or  courts  held.  In  a  short  time  from  the 
date  of  the  survey  the  county  of  Northumberland  was  erected 
and  a  new  order  of  things  established.  It  is  interesting,  however, 
to  examine  the  lines  and  see  what  territor}'  was  embraced  within 
them,  and  contemplate  what  is  there  to-day. 

In  relation  to  manors  it  seems  to  have  been  a  policy  of  William 
Penn,  at  an  early  period  of  the  history  of  land  affairs  in  the 
Province,  to  reserve  out  of  each  purchase  from  the  Indians  one- 
tenth  of  the  lands,  to  be  selected  and  laid  out  before  the  Land 
Office  was  opened  for  the  purpose  of  granting  applications  or  war- 
rants to  individuals,  which  was  intended  as  the  property  of  himself 
and  successors.  This  policy  i.=  shown  by  a  warrant  issued  by  William 
Penn  at  an  early  date  to  Edward  Pennington,  then  Surveyor  Gen- 
eral, to  survey  for  the  Proprietor  500  acres  of  ever}'  township  of 
5,000  acres.  This  practice  was  continued,  with  some  variations, 
up  to  the  beginning  of  the  American  Revolution. 

On  the  25th  of  December,  1768,  a  warrant  was  issued  by  John 
Penn,  directing  the  survey  of  a  tract  at  Muncy,  to  be  called  Munoy 

Manor.  The  land  was 
recommended  by  Job 
Chilloway,  the  friendly 
Indian  and  guide,  and  it 
was  designated  on  the 
draft  as  "  Job's  Dis- 
cover}-." It  was  con- 
sidered the  most  im- 
portant point  on  the 
West  Branch,  above 
Shamokin,  on  account  of 

^BEECrl  U ASKED 

\,  TRP  its  fine  location,  the  rich- 
ness of  the  soil  and  the 
beauty  of  the  surrounding  scenery.  It  was  also  the  central  point 
of  the  great  war  paths  leading  east,  west,  north  and  south,  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  327 

from  the  earliest^times  had  been  a  favorite  place  of  resort  by  various 
Indian  tribes.  A  copy  of  the  draft  of  the  original  survey  is  given 
above : 

Appended  to  the  draft  are  the  "courses  and  distances  of  the  river  from  ye  beech," 
as  follows:  i.  N  57  E  50;  2.  N  43  E  155;  3.  N  24  E  147;  4.  North  84 j^ ;  5,  N 
10  E  72;  W  134;  80  ash. 

The  certificate  is  as  follows:  By  virtue  of  a  warrant  dated  the  24th  day  of 
November,  176S,  surveyed  the  26th  and  27th  days  of  December,  1768,  for  the  use  of 
the  Honorable  the  Proprietaries  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  the  above  de- 
scribed tract  of  land  situate  on  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna  River  at  the  mouth 
of  Muncy  alias  Cannassarago  alias  Ocochpocheny  Creek,  containing  one  thousand 
six  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  with  allowances  of  six  per  cent. 

Pr.  Wm.  Scull. 

Returned  into  the  Secretary's  office  the  8th  of  February,  1 769. 

The  above  is  certified  by  James  P.  Barr,  Surveyor  General,  as 
"a  copy  of  the  original"  on  file  in  that  office,  under  date  of  Febru- 
ary, 1866. 

In  accordance  with  the  custom  established  by  William  Penn, 
and  continued  by  his  sons  to  the  close  of  the  Proprietary  Govern- 
ment, another  manor  was  directed  to  be  surveyed  on  the  river.  It 
was  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  purchase,  and  John  Lukens, 
Surveyor  General,  issued  a  warrant  dated  December  27,  1768,  and 
on  it  Mr.  Maclay  surveyed,  February  18,  1769,  a  tract  of  1,328 
acres  about  one  mile  above  the  mouth  of  Penn's  Creek,  adjoining, 
on  the  south,  the  line  dividing  the  purchase  of  1754  from  that  of 
1768,  and  extending  up  the  Susquehanna  966^  perches. 

January  31,  1769,  a  warrant  for  the  survey  of  one  thousand 
acres  was  issued  by  John  Penn,  and  as  a  portion  of  the  land  em- 
braced by  it  has  been  the  cause  of  much  litigation,  it  is  given 
herewith  in  full : 

I    L.  s.     I  Pennsylv.^nia,  ss. 

BY  THE  PROPRIETARIES. 
These  are  to  authorize  and  require  you  to  survey  and  lay  out,  or  cause  to  be  sur- 
veyed and  laid  out  for  our  use,  the  quantity  of  one  thousand  acres  of  land,  viz.:  Five 
hundred  acres  thereof  at  the  mouth  of  a  creek  known  by  the  name  of  Lycoming,  and 
extending  thence  down  and  upon  the  river  Susquehanna,  and  the  other  five  hundred 
acres  in  any  part  of  the  purchase  lately  made  at  Fort  Stanwix  of  the  Six  Nations, 
that  shall  not  interfere  with  any  previous  warrant,  and  to  make  return  of  the  same  in 
our  Secretary's  Office;  and  for  the  so  doing  this  shall  be  your  sufficient  warrant.  Wit- 
ness, John  Penn,  Esq.,  Lieutenant-Governor  and  Commissioner  of  Property  of  the 


328  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

said  Province,  who  by  virtue  of  certain  powers  from  said  Prcyrietaries,  hath  here- 
unto set  his  hand  and  caused  the  seal  of  the  Land  Office  to  be  affixed  at  Philadelphia, 
this  thirty-first  day  of  January,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-nine. 
To  John  Lukens,  Esq.,  Surveyor-General. 

John  Penn. 
To  William  Scull,  Deputy  Surveyor : 
Execute  this  warrant,  and  make  return  of  survey  into  my  office. 

John  Lukens,  S.  G. 

N.  B.  The  last  above  mentioned  500  acres  may  be  surveyed  in  the  forks  of  Sus- 
quehanna between  two  runs  a  little  above  the  head  of  Shamokin  Island,  or  at  the 
place  called  the  Narrows,  running  a  mile  or  more  along  the  river  and  back  to  the  hill 
called  Hence  Michael's  Place. 

John  Lukens,  S.  G. 

February  3,  1769. 

P.  S.  If  the  land  at  Lycoming  should  be  found  to  belong  to  Andrew  Montour, 
lay  out  on  this  warrant  500  acres  at  any  place  thereabouts  not  already  appropriated. 

February  22,  1769,  there  were  surveyed  on  this  warrant  180 
acres  at  the  mouth  of  Mahoning  Creek,  including  the  land  on 
which  a  portion  of  the  borough  of  Danville  now  stands,  by  Wil- 
liam Scull,  Surveyor  General;  and  on  the  28th  of  the  same  month 
320  acres  were  surveyed  on  the  same  warrant  at  the  mouth  of 
Buffalo  Creek,  by  William  Maclay.  And  on  the  20th  of  March 
following  579  acres  were  surveyed  on  the  east  side  of  Lycoming 
Creek,  extending  down  the  river.  This  included  all  the  western 
part  of  what  is  now  the  city  of  Williamsport.  This  was  the  last 
of  the  manor  surveys.  The  warrant  was  dated  January  31,  1769, 
and  returned  May  5,  1770.  On  this  survey  a  patent  was  issued  to 
Rev.  Richard  Peters,  August  11,  1770,  for  599  acres,  and  called 
"Orme's  Kirk."  November  23,  1772,  it  was  sold  to  Turbutt 
Francis;  January  19,  1775,  to  Hawkins  Boone,  and  July  11,  1791, 
his  executors  sold  to  William  Winters  2871^  acres.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  599  acres  constituted  what  was  afterwards  known 
as  the  Amariah  Sutton  farm,  now  owned  by  Hon.  R.  J.  C.  Walker. 

Under  date  of  February  3,  1769,  the  following  petition  from 
Colonel  Francis  and  other  officers  was  received  at  the  office  of 
the  Governor,  duly  considered  and  granted ;  and  as  it  is  a  curious 
document,  it  is  given  in  full : 

Coll.  Francis,  Coll.  Clayton,  Major  De  Hass,  Capt.  Irvin,  Capt.  Plunket,  Capt. 
Hunter,  Capt.  Kern,  Capt  Green,  Capt.  Honsecker,  Capt.  Simes,  Capt.  Hendricks, 
Capt.  Brady,  Capt.  W.  Piper,  Capt.  Boucher,  Lieut  Steward,  Lieut  Wiggins,  Lieut 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  329 

Hays,  Lieut  Nice,  Lieut  Hunsiker,  Lieut  Askey,  Lieut  McAllaster,  Ens.  W.  Piper, 
Ens.  McMean,  Ens.  Moitow,  Ens.  Stine,  Ens.  Foster: 

The  above  officers  of  the  First  &  Second  Battallion  of  the  Pensylvania  Regt.  & 
who  served  under  Coll.  Bouquet  in  1764,  apply  for  twenty-four  Thousand  acres  of 
Land  to  be  taken  up  on  the  waters  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  River  .Susquehanna  in 
not  less  than  eight  Thousand  acres  in  a  Tract,  &  divided  amongst  them  and  seated 
according  to  their  agreement  amongst  themselves  &  the  concession  of  the  Proprietarys 
to  their  Petition. 

N.  B.  There  is  but  three  officers  who  have  left  us  since  our  first  Applycation  to 
the  Proprietors. 

TuRBUTT  Francis. 

Granted  (except  that  Coll.  Clayton  is  not  allowed  to  have  any  share)  upon  the 
terms  expressed  in  the  Minutes  of  Property  of  the  3d  Feb.  1 769. 

John  Penn. 

The  "minute"  of  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Property,  re- 
ferred to  above,  is  given  herewith  as  part  of  the  history  of  this 
great  land  transaction,  as  well  as  to  show  what  each  applicant  was 
required  to  pay  for  his  grant.     It  is  as  follows : 

Minute  of  the  Board  of  Property. 

At  a  Meeting  at  the  Governors  the  3d  Feby,  1769,  present.  The  Governor,  The 
Sec'ry,  Mr.  Tilghman,  The  Auditor  Gen'l.  Mr.  Hockley,  The  Rec'r  Gen'l  Mr. 
Physick,  The  Surv'r  Gen'l  Mr.  Lukens. 

Ordered  that  Col.  Francis  and  the  Officers  of  the  1st  &  2d  Battalion  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Regiment  be  allowed  to  take  up  24,000  as.,  to  be  divided  amongst  them  in 
distinct  Surveys  on  the  Waters  of  the  West  Branch  of  Sasquehanna  to  be  seated  with 
a  Family  for  each  300  as.,  within  two  years  from  the  time  of  Survey  paying  5^^ 
Sterling  p  hundred  &  id  Stg.  p.  acre.  The  Land  to  be  taken  as  near  as  may  be 
together  and  in  bodys  of  Eight  Thousand  Acres  at  least.  If  more  than  eight  Thou- 
sand acres  can  be  had  in  one  place  they  may  have  the  Liberty  of  taking  it  &  laying  out 
the  Residue  in  two  other  places  if  it  can't  be  got  in  one.  The  whole  paid  for  before 
patents  issue  for  any  parts.  Surveys  to  be  made  &  returned  in  nine  Months  and  Set- 
tleinents  made  and  Money  paid  in  15  Months  after  Returns  made.  Int.  &  Quit  Rent 
to  commence  in  nine  Months  after  Application.  If  all  cannot  pay  for  their  parts  in 
time,  patents  to  issue  for  the  whole  to  such  as  will  pay  the  whole  Money  still  seating  as 
above. 

Another  important  landmark  in  early  times  was  Shamokin 
Island,  in  the  North  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  at  the  point 
where  it  unites  with  the  West  Branch  and  forms  the  main  river. 
When  Fort  Augusta  was  built  the  lower  point  of  the  island  ex- 
tended a  short  distance  below  the  fortification,  but  the  water,  dur- 
ing the  past  hundred  years,  has  so  worn  away  the  point  that  it  is 
now  above  where  the  fort  stood  on  the  main  land.      The  island 


330 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


was  a  favorite  place  with  the  Indians,  and  they  had  two  villages 
on  it.  One  was  near  the  upper  end  and  the  other  about  the  mid- 
dle, and  the  remains  of  their  wigwams  were  pointed  out  long  after 
the  white  settlers  came.  Stone  axes,  and  spear  and  arrow-heads 
of  flint,  were  also  picked  up  where  their  huts  had  stood.  A 
mound  is  said  to  have  existed  on  the  island,  where  it  is  supposed 
many  bodies  were  buried.  Only  a  few  skeletons  were  unearthed, 
and  they  appeared  to  have  been  buried  a  long  time. 

On  being  informed  of  the  value  of  the  island,  the  Penns  were 
not  slow  to  take  steps  to  acquire  it  for  themselves,  and  on  the  29th 
of  November,  1768,  a  warrant  in  favor  of  John  Penn  and  John 
Penn,  Jr.,  Proprietaries,  was  issued;  and  on  the  i6th  of  December 
following  a  survey  was  made,  and  the  following  draft  is  now  on 
file  among'the  records  at  Harrisburg : 


By  virtue  of  a  warrant  dated  the  29th  Day  of  November,  1768,  Surveyed  the  i6th 
day  of  December,  1768,  unto  the  Honorable  the  Proprietaries  the  above  described 
Island,  situate  opposite  to  Fort  Augusta,  in  the  North  East  Branch  of  Susquehanna 
in  the  New  Purchase,  containing  Two  hundred  .'\cres  and  allowance  of  six  per  cent. 

PR.  Wm.  Scull. 

Mungo  Reed  appears  to  have  been  the  first  white  man  to  settle 
on  the  island,  erect  a  cabin  and  make  improvements.  The  Duke 
De  La  Rochefoucault  Liancourt,*  a  French  traveler,  who  visited 
Northumberland  in  1795,  thus  refers  to  him: 

Near  to  Northumberland,  on  the  northern  arm  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  close  to 
the  point  of  confluence  of  the  two  arms  of  that  river,  lies  an  isle,  which  contains 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  the  richest  soil,  from  fifty  of  which  the  largest 
trees  have  been  cut  down.  The  land  is  fit  for  all  the  purposes  of  agriculture,  and 
might  be  cultivated  with  equal  profit  and  satisfaction  by  an  industrious  owner.  It  is 
the  most  pleasant  little  estate  which  can  possibly  be  bought  by  any  person  desirous  of 

*  Liancourt' s  Travels  in  America  in  i^gj,  Vol.  I.,  pages  69,  70,  71  and  72. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  33 1 

settling  in  Northumberland.  At  present  it  is  the  property  of  a  man  much  advanced 
in  years,  who  lives  on  it,  in  a  small  log  house.  He  bought  it  about  seven  years  ago 
for  one  thousand  six  hundred  dollars,  and  very  lately  refused  three  thousand  three 
hundred,  which  were  offered  for  this  island. 

The  records  show  that  Reed  purchased  the  island  from  the 
Penns,  as  per  article  of  agreement  dated  July  2,  1784,  for  $1,413.33. 
The  article  was  proved  August  27,  1802,  and  recorded  the  same 
day  in  deed  book  L,  page  701,  at  Sunbury.  Reed,  however,  did 
not  long  remain  the  owner  of  the  island,  as  the  following  brief  of 
the  title  from  his  purchase  to  the  present  time  will  show: 

2gth  July,  1786.  Transfer  by  Mungo  Reed  to  Abraham  Scott  of  the  above  article 
of  agreement  and  the  premises;  said  Scott  to  pay  the  balance  of  purchase  money,  and 
pay  Reed  one  hundred  pounds.  Proved  27th  July,  1802.  Recorded  27th  July,  1802, 
deed  book  L,  page  702. 

John  Penn  and  Richard  Penn,  by  attorney,  John  R.  Coats,  to  John  Boyd.  Deed, 
26th  March,  1802.  Same  day  acknowledged.  Recorded  loth  December,  1817, 
deed  book  T,  page  418.  Recites  death  of  one  of  the  J.  Penns  and  Richard  as 
brother.  Letter  of  attorney  dated  27th  November,  1800,  intended  to  be  recorded. 
Recites  article  of  agreement  with  Mungo  Reed  for  absolute  sale,  Recites  transfer 
by  Mungo  Reed  to  Abraham  Scott;  death  of  Scott  intestate  in  August,  1798,  leaving 
issue  Samuel,  Alexander,  Mary  Wilson,  late  Mary  Scott,  Sarah  and  Susanna,  and  a 
widow,  Mary.  That  Samuel,  after  his  father's  death,  conveyed  his  share  to  Alexan- 
der and  died  intestate,  leaving  issue  Samuel  Hunter  Scott,  Sarah  and  Susan.  Susanna, 
a  daughter  of  Abraham  Scott,  died  after  Samuel,  unmarried  and  without  issue.  Recites 
payment  of  all  the  consideration  money.  Conveys  Shamokin  Island.  Recites  war- 
rant dated  29th  November,  1768,  and  survey  for  Proprietaries  on  the  1 6th  December, 
1768.     In  trust  for  heirs  of  Abraham  Scott. 

April  term,  1802.  Proceedings  in  partition  in  Orphans'  Court  of  Northumberland 
County.  Petition  of  Alexander  Scott,  heir  at  law  of  Abraham  Scott,  deceased; 
states  the  death  of  Abraham  Scott  and  his  issue,  and  the  title  to  him  of  Shamokin 
Island;  prays  an  inquest.     Awarded.     O.  C.  docket  3,  page  245. 

June  term,  1802.  Inquest  returned  and  confirmed,  and  Shamokin  Island  awarded 
to  Alexander  Scott  June  15,  1802.     Orphans'  Court  docket  No.  3,  page  252. 

Sarah  Scott,  widow  of  Abraham  Scott,  deceased,  to  Alexander  Scott.  Deed  of 
release  I2th  August,  1802.  Recorded  deed  book  T,  page  421,  loth  December,  1817. 
Recites  partition  and  distribution  15th  June,  1802.  Releases  island  from  dower — 
$150.24  per  annum  during  life. 

Sarah  Scott  to  same.  Ut  supra,  page  422.  Releases  her  share  of  money, 
$1,001. 64^*^;  $500.82y-j  upon  death  of  widow;  $2^o.\\^^  her  share  of  Susanna 
Scott's  portion;  ;?i25.2oJj  upon  death  of  widow. 

William  Wilson  and  wife  to  same.  Ut  supra,  page  423,  Ibid.  %\ ,001  .b/^-^-; 
iS500.82j-j  upon  death  of  widow;  ;S250.4iJj  her  share  of  Susanna  Scott's  portion; 
$125. 20J;  upon  death  of  widow, 

Henry  Vanderslice,  sheriff,  to  Alexander  Scott.      Deed  30th  April,   1803.     Re- 


^1^2  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

corded  T,  page  420,  loth  December,  1817.  Consideration  fifteen  pounds.  Judgment 
in  name  of  John  Deemer,  against  executors  of  Samuel  Scolt,  and  sale  of  one-fifth  of 
Shamokin  Island  to  Alexander  Scott,  as  property  of  Samuel  Scott. 

Sarah  Scott,  Alexander  Scott,  William  Wilson  and  Mary,  his  wife,  and  Sarah 
Scott,  Jr.,  with  Edward  Lyon.  Article  of  agreement  dated  2d  March,  1802.  Re- 
corded in  deed  book  U,  page  340.  Agrees  to  convey  the  Shamokin  Island  in  North- 
east Branch  of  Susquehanna  river,  opposite  Fort  Augusta,  called  "  Corcyra  " — ;^3,ooo- 

Alexander  Scott  to  Edward  Lyon.  Deed  6th  October,  1805.  Recorded  in  deed 
book  T,  page  452,  13th  February,  1818.  One-fifth  of  .Shamokin  Island  in  North 
Branch  Susquehanna  river,  opposite  Fort  Augusta.  Recites  sherifTs  sale  and  deed 
from  Vanderslice.     Consideration  fifteen  pounds. 

John  Boyd  to  Edward  Lyon.  Deed  24th  April,  1S21.  Recites  that  he  held  legal 
title,  and  the  transfer  by  heirs  of  Abraham  Scott  of  equitable  title,  and  payment  of 
consideration  money  and  a  former  deed  to  Lyon  by  him  dated  28th  June,  1802,  con- 
veys Shamokin  Island.  Recorded  in  deed  book  U,  page  338.  Consideration,  Sl.oo. 
'  Seth  Chapman  vs.  Executors  of  Edward  Lyon.  No.  6  April  term,  1824,  Ft.  Fa_ 
Levy  on  Shamokin  Island.     "Lands  levied  and  condemned." 

Same  vs.  Same.     No.  7  ibid — ibid. 

William  and  Thomas  Clyde  vs.  John  Watson  and  E.  Lyon.  No  17  April  term, 
1819.     23d  January,  1819,  judgment. 

William  Clyde,  who  survived  Thomas,  vs.  Executors  of  Edward  Lyon.  No.  84 
November  term,  1823,  Appearance  docket.  Amicable  Scire  Facias  to  revive,  etc. 
27  November,  1823,  judgment  confessed.  17  April  term,  1819,  aforesaid.  No.  52 
April  term,  1S24,  Fi.  Fa. 

Same  vs.  Same,  No.  52  April  term,  1824,  Fi.  Fa.  Levy  on  Shamokin  Island. 
"Lands  levied  and  condemned."     No.  13  August  term,  1824,  Vend.  Ex. 

Same  vs.  Same.  No.  13  August  term,  1824,  Vend.  Ex.  Lands  sold  to  John 
Cowden  for  $9,200. 

James  R.  Shannon,  sheriff,  to  John  Cowden.  Deed  acknowledged  l6th  day  of 
August,  1824,  for  Shamokin  Island.  Sold  as  the  property  of  Edward  Lyon  in  hands 
of  his  executors.     Ent.  March  12,  1829.     Consideration,  §9,200. 

Will  of  John  Cowden,  dated  ist  September,  1836.  Registered  i6th  January,  1837, 
will  book  No.  3,  pages  241  and  242,  devises  island  to  John  H.  Cowden. 

The  Philadelphia  Bank  vs.  John  H.  Cowden.  Judgment.  Same  vs.  Same,  Fi.  Fa. 
Same  vs.  Same,   Vend.  Ex. 

Merchants  and  Manufacturers  Bank  vs.  John  H.  Cowden.  Judgment.  Same  vs. 
Same,  Fi.  Fa.     Same  vs.  Same,  Vend.  Ex. 

6th  August,  1842.  Deed  Henry  Gossler,  sheriff,  to  Alexander  Cummings  for 
Shamokin  Island.  Acknowledged  13th  August,  1842.  Entered  in  sheriffs  deed 
book  B,  page  232. 

20th  August,  1842.  Deed  Alexander  Cummings  and  wife  to  the  Philadelphia 
Bank.  Indorsed  on  the  above  deed.  Acknowledged.  Recorded  in  deed  book  C  C, 
pages  489  and  490. 

31st  March,  1845.  Deed  Philadelphia  Bank  to  Ebenezer  Greenough.  Proved. 
Recorded  17th  June,  1846,  in  deed  book  E  E,  pages  635,  etc. 

E.  Greenough's  Executors  to  Joseph  Weitzel.     Deed  dated  the  19th  day  of  March, 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  333 

1857.  Recorded  June  7,  1858,  in  deed  book  O  O,  pages  38S,  etc.  Consideration, 
$14,000.     Conveys  the  whole  of  Shamokin  Island. 

Joseph  Weitzel  and  wife  to  Joseph  Bird.  Deed  dated  the  4th  day  of  January, 
1864.  Recorded  January  4,  1864,  in  deed  book  T  T,  pages  343,  etc.  Considera- 
tion, $18,600.     Conveys  the  whole  of  Shamokin  Island. 

Joseph  Bird  and  wife  to  John  B.  Packer.  Deed  dated  the  1st  day  of  June,  1877. 
Recorded  June  19,  1877,  in  deed  book  No.  74,  page  70.  Consideration,  $20,500. 
Conveys  the  whole  of  Shamokin  Island. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen  that  the  island  has  had  many 
owners  since  the  days  of  the  Penns.  And,  it  might  be  added,  it 
presents  a  changed  appearance  from  what  it  did  when  Count  Lian- 
court*  saw  it,  over  ninety  years  ago.  It  is  now  in  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  yields  luxuriant  crops.  The  farm  residences,  barns 
and  out-buildings  are  elegant  and  capacious.  Hon.  John  B. 
Packer,  the  present  owner,  has  spared  no  expense  to  beautify  and 
adorn  the  farm,  to  protect  it  from  the  encroachments  of  the  water, 
and  make  it  in  every  re.spect  a  model  of  rural  beauty.  There  is  a 
fine  native  grove  on  the  upper  end  of  the  island,  public  bridges 
connect  it  with  the  main  land,  and  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  rail- 
road also  crosses  it,  using  two  bridges  for  that  purpose.  Could 
old  Mungo  Reed  look  upon  it  now  he  would  be  compelled  to  rub 
his  eyes  the  second  time  to  convince  himself  that  he  once  lived 
there,  felled  the  stately  oaks  and  struggled  hard  to  gain  a  sub- 
sistence ! 

On  the  1 8th  of  February  William  IVJaclay  made  the  first  survey 
in  person  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  Linn,  in  his  Annals  of 
Buffalo  Valley,  says  his  field  notes  are  yet  preserved  among  the 
records  in  Union  County.  February  22d  the  Rev.  John  Ewing's 
survey  was  made,  which  was  the  first  in  Buffalo  Valley.     It  com- 

*This  distinguished  French  Duke  was  born  in  France,  1747;  and  was  grand 
master  of  the  wardrobe  to  Louis  XVth  and  XVIth.  During  the  Revolution,  like 
another  Lafayette,  he  was  the  friend  of  liberty,  but  the  enemy  of  licentiousness.  The 
downfall  of  the  throne  compelled  him  to  quit  France,  and  after  having  resided  for 
sometime  in  England,  he  visited  America  in  1795,  and  made  a  tour  through  this 
part  of  Pennsylvania,  stopping  some  time  at  Northumberland.  He  then  passed  up 
the  river  and  visited  the  French  settlement  called  Asylum,  composed  of  French 
refugees,  in  what  is  now  Sullivan  County.  He  published  two  large  volumes  entitled 
Travels  in  the  United  States.  In  1 799  he  was  allowed  to  return  to  his  native  coun- 
try, where  he  died  in  March,  1827,  greatly  respected  for  his  liberal  principles  and  his 
benevolence.  It  was  chiefly  through  his  exertions  that  vaccination  was  introduced 
into  France. 


334  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

menced  near  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek  and  extended  up  the 
river  675  perches  "to  a  walnut  that  formerly  stood  on  Dr. 
Dougal's  line."  This  survey  contained  1,150  acres.  Two  days 
afterwards  he  surveyed  the  Bremmer  tract  for  John  Penn,  which 
contained  1,434  acres.  At  that  time  he  named  it  the  "  Fiddler 
Tract,"  because,  according  to  tradition,  it  had  been  given  to  a 
fiddler  for  one  night's  performance  on  the  violin.  Bremmer  was 
a  London  music  dealer,  and  it  is  inferred  that  he  was  a  fiddler  by 
occupation. 

The  site  of  what  is  now  the  flourishing  borough  of  Lewisburg 
was  surveyed  February  28th  by  Mr.  Maclay,  commencing  at  a 
tree  which  stood  at  what  is  now  known  as  Strohecker's  landing; 
and  on  the  line  he  notes  the  spring  now  belonging  to  the  Uni- 
versity grounds.  The  line  as  he  ran  it  was  one  mile  long  to  the 
mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek. 

The  following  day,  February  4th,  a  special  application  was 
issued  in  favor  of  Dr.  Francis  Allison,  being  No.  2,  for  1,500  acres, 
and  a  survey  was  at  once  made  of  1,620  acres,  above  the  mouth 
of  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  It  embraced  that  beautiful  tract  of  alluvial 
land,  now  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  extending  westward  from 
the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  and  taking  in  the  ground  on  which  the 
passenger  station  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  railroad  now  stands, 
at  Lock  Haven.  An  Indian  village,  called  Old  Town,  stood  near 
the  mouth  of  the  creek,  opposite  Great  Island.  There  are  several 
very  fine  farms  on  this  tract  to-day,  the  most  attractive,  with  its 
handsome  dwelling  house  and  out-buildings,  being  that  of  Hon. 
Charles  A.  Mayer,  of  Lock  Haven. 

Sometime  during  1769  Thomas  Brown  settled  two  miles  up 
Loyalsock  Creek  and  made  an  improvement.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  settlers  in  that  section,  and  it  is  a  source  of  regret  that  noth- 
ing is  known  of  his  histoiy. 

Joseph  Bonser  was  an  early  settler  abo\'e  Loyalsock,  on  the 
small  stream  which  still  bears  his  name.  His  cabin  stood  at  the 
point  where  the  great  Sheshequin  path  intersected  the  run,  and 
where  Rev.  David  Brainerd  met  and  preached  to  the  Indians  as 
early  as  1746.  The  great  swamp  alluded  to  by  Colonel  Hartley 
was  in  this  neighborhood. 

Edward  Burd  is  reported  to  have  settled  and  made  a  small  im- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  335 

provement  on  the  river  five  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Buffalo 
Creek  as  early  as  1768.  His  claim  included  the  site  of  the  In- 
dian town  which  so  many  afterwards  coveted. 

Edmund  Huff  settled  in  1768  in  Nippenose  Bottom  and  made 
an  improvement  on  what  was  afterwards  the  farm  of  General  Mc- 
Micken.  Huff  seems  to  have  been  quite  an  adventurer,  or  squatter. 
At  one  time  we  find  him  living  near  Bald  Eagle's  Nest  (Miles- 
burg),  and  later  at  what  is  now  Newberry,  where  he  had  a  fort, 
although  it  had  a  questionable  reputation  in  later  years. 

Near  the  close  of  February  many  of  the  officers  of  the  First  and 
Second  Battalions  met  at  Fort  Augusta  and  agreed  to  take  the 
land  proposed  by  the  Proprietaries,  and  that  one  of  the  tracts 
should  be  surveyed  on  the  West  Branch,  adjoining  Andrew  Mon- 
tour's place  at  Chillisquaque  Creek,  and  one  in  Buffalo  Valley. 
And  in  order  to  expedite  business  it  was  agreed  that  Captains 
Plunkett,  Brady,  Piper  and  Lieutenant  Askey  should  go  along 
with  Mr.  Maclay  to  Buffalo  Valley,  and  Captains  Hunter  and 
Irvine  with  Mr.  Scull,  to  direct  the  survey  in  the  "forks,"  as  they 
termed  it. 

On  the  Lst,  2d  and  3d  of  March,  1769,  Samuel  Maclay,  for  his 
brother  William,  made  the  survey  for  the  officers  which  embraced 
the  heart  of  Buffalo  Valley.  The  survey  was  made,  according  to 
the  minutes,  "without  opposition."  The  party  then  returned  to 
Fort  Augusta,  held  a  meeting,  and  determined  that  the  third  tract 
of  8,000  acres  should  be  surveyed  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  Cap- 
tains Hunter,  Brady  and  Piper  were  appointed  to  oversee  that 
survey,  which  was  to  be  made  by  Charles  I-ukens.  The  records 
say  that  Dr.  Plunkett,  Colonel  Francis  and  Major  de  Haas  fur- 
nished the  stores  for  the  surveying  party. 

The  Bald  Eagle  survey  was  made  under  the  direction  of  Charles 
Lukens.  It  commenced  on  the  western  boundary  of  the  Allison 
tract,  embracing  the  territory  between  the  river  and  along  Bald 
Eagle  Creek  as  far  as  Howard,  in  Centre  County.  The  Berks 
County  line  of  1752  crossed  the  river  five  miles  below  Selinsgrove, 
passed  through  the  middle  of  Sugar  Valley,  again  crossing  the 
river  near  the  mouths  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  Quinn's  Run  and 
Paddy's  Run.  The  assumed  purchase  line  of  1754  crossed  the 
river  about  a  mile  above  the  mouth  of  Penn's  Creek,  crossed  the 


336  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Bald  Eagle  at  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek,  and  the  West  Branch 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Sinnemahoning.  The  latter  line  becoming 
the  assumed  boundary  between  Berks  and  Cumberland,  all  the 
territory  of  Clinton  eastwardly  of  it  was  in  Berks  and  within 
Charles  Lukens'  district. 

In  making  the  survey  of  the  officers'  tracts  on  Bald  Eagle  the 
first  one,  which  was  assigned  to  Ensign  William  McMeen,  com- 
menced at  an  ash  on  the  river  bank,  now  within  the  limits  of  Lock 
Haven.  This  survey  was  returned  as  containing  216  acres,  and  it 
was  patented  to  Alexander  Hamilton  May  3,  1774.  Lieutenant 
Hunsicker  came  ne.xt  with  a  tract  of  282  acres,  including  the  site 
of  the  present  town  of  Flemington.  Captain  Timothy  Green's 
tract  of  542  acres  included  what  is  now  Mill  Hall.  John  Brady 
had  a  tract  on  Fishing  Creek,  which  was  returned  as  containing 
393  acres.  Captain  James  Irvine's  tract,  westward,  contained  547 
acres.  Culbertson,  who  was  his  tenant,  was  killed  by  the  Indians 
near  what  Lukens  called  "  Hick's  Spring."  Above  this  tract  an- 
other was  surveyed  in  the  name  of  Captain  Brady,  containing  144 
acres.  Captain  William  Plunkett  also  had  a  tract  which  contained 
540  acres. 

Linn  says  that  west  of  Brady  was  Ensign  James  Morrow's  tract, 
about  whose  right  there  was  so  much  litigation,  consequent  upon 
the  refusal  of  the  proprietors  to  patent  it  to  him.  Morrow,  or 
Murray,  was  charged  with  being  with  the  part}'  which  rescued 
Stump  and  Ironcutter  at  Carlisle,  and  the  Proprietary  vacated  his 
right.  In  Ross  vs.  Eason,  4  Yates,  page  54,  is  a  report  of  a  case 
which  arose  upon  Murray's  right  (part  of  the  officers'  survey  on 
the  Chillisquaque),  which  was  decided  in  favor  of  Murray.  Whether 
any  difficulty  arose  about  the  tract  on  Bald  Eagle  is  unknown. 

Among  others  securing  grants  in  this  survc}'  may  be  mentioned 
Major  John  Philip  de  Hass,*  809  acres,  and  Lieutenant  James 
Hays,  303  acres.  Lieutenant  Thomas  Wiggins  had  a  tract  west 
of  Hays,  which  included  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  em- 
braced 125  acres. 

*  It  is  not  known  that  any  of  these  officers  settled  upon  their  tracts  except  Lieu- 
tenant James  Hays,  who  hved  and  died  upon  his  location,  and  is  buried  in  the  Hays 
grave-yard  at  Beech  Creek,  Clinton  County.  Major  de  Haas'  son  moved  upon  his 
land  early  in  the  present  century,  and  his  descendants  are  very  numerous  both  in 
Clinton  and  Centre  counties. — -Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  H.,  page  617,  New  Series. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  337 

The  William  Glass  tract  (not  included  in  the  officers'  survey) 
was  made  April  4,  1769,  and  took  in  the  upper  portion  of  the 
ground  on  which  Lock  Haven  now  stands.  It  was  on  this  tract 
that  the  famous  Clary  Campbell  squatted.  According  to  Judge 
Huston,  in  his  work  on  Land  Titles,  page  318,  the  work  was  in- 
accurately done,*  and  when  the  land  came  to  be  re-surveyed,  many 
of  the  tracts  were  found  to  contain  an  excess  of  over  one  hundred 
acres  of  the  quantity  called  for.  As  the  country  was  a  wilderness 
at  that  time,  and  land  was  plenty,  the  surveyors  were  not  par- 
ticular as  to  how  they  ran  their  lines. 

On  the  1 6th  of  May,  1769,  lots  were  drawn  by  the  officers  for 
the  choice  of  lands.  Captain  Hendricks  having  won  the  first 
choice,  took  the  eastern  end  of  Buffalo  Valley  survey.  Captain 
Plunkett  then  chose  the  tract  on  which  the  Driesbach  church  was 
finally  built,  and  Captain  Brady  what  afterwards  became  the 
Maclay  place.  Captain  Kern  took  the  site  of  Vicksburg.  Dr. 
Thomas  Wiggins  got  339  acres.  Dr.  Wiggins  resided  in  Lower 
Paxtang  Township,  now  Dauphin  County.  By  his  will,  proved 
August  31,  1798,  he  devised  to  his  brother,  John  Wiggins,  his 
land  in  Northumberland  County ;  and  by  the  will  of  John  Wig- 
gins, second,  he  devised  it  to  John  and  James  Simonton,  each  1 10 
acres.f 

May  16,  1769,  the  officers  |  met  at  Harris'  Ferry  (now  Harris- 
burg),  when  Messrs.  Maclay,  Scull  and  Lukens  laid  before  them 
the  drafts  of  their  respective  surveys.  Mr.  Maclay  reported  that 
the  tract  surveyed  by  him  in  Buffalo  Valley  contained  8,000  acres; 
Mr.  Scull,  that  in  the  "forks,"  6,096  acres,  which  left  9,004  for  Bald 
Eagle  Creek,  and  Mr.  Lukens'  survey  was  several  thousand  acres 
short  of  the  quantity.  They  agreed  then  that  Colonel  Francis 
should  receive  his  share,  2,075  acres,  surveyed  to  him  in  one  tract, 

*  For  a  very  full  description  of  these  surveys,  together  with  a  map  showing  the 
lines,  see  Linn's  History  of  Clinton  and  Centre  Counties,  pages  469,  70,  71. 

f  See  Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley,  page  31. 

JOn  the  9th  of  March,  1771,  the  officers  of  the  First  and  Second  Battalions  held 
another  meeting,  when  Charles  Lukens  reported  that  the  whole  tract  surveyed  by  him 
on  Bald  Eagle  Creek  contained  only  8,380  acres,  which  was  1,524  acres  less  than  the 
quantity  allowed  them.  He  divided  the  Bald  Eagle  tract  into  twenty  shares,  the  last 
of  which  Lieutenant  Askey  got;  so  that  Lieutenant  McAllister,  Ensign  Piper,  Captain 
Sems  and  Captain  Kern  yet  lacked  their  shares.     Colonel   Francis  then  said  that  a 


338  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

adjoining  the  tract  purchased  by  him  of  Andrew  Montour.  Ac- 
cording to  the  draft  of  this  survey,  now  on  file  in  the  Land  Office, 
it  extended  up  the  river  from  ChiUisquaque  Creek  to  a  point  near 
Watsontown,  taking  in  the  land  on  which  Montandon,  Milton  and 
Watsontown  now  stand.  Colonel  Francis  having  acquired  by 
purchase  the  land  from  ChiUisquaque  Creek  to  and  including 
Northumberland,  owned  a  continuous  strip  from  that  place  to  a 
point  near  Watsontown,  a  distance  of  about  eighteen  miles.  This 
made  him  one  of  the  most  extensive  land  owners  of  that  time. 
John  Lowdon  bought  the  tract  from  Francis  on  which  the  town 
of  Northumberland  was  built,  and  it  was  patented  to  his  wife, 
Sarah  Lowdon,  July  7,  1 770.  Boyd  and  Wilson  also  purchased 
of  him  the  tract  at  ChiUisquaque,  and  in  1791  they  erected  a  mill, 
which  has  been  rebuilt  at  different  times  and  kept  going  to  the 
present  day. 

Above  Francis'  tract,  which  took  in  a  portion  of  the  "  Paradise" 
country,  came  Ensign  Stein;  next  Lieutenant  Hunsicker.  Then 
came  Captain  William  Piper,  609  acres,  on  Warrior  Run,  which 
included  the  present  site  of  Watsontown.  North,  along  the  river, 
was  Lieutenant  Hayes,  334  acres,  where  Dewart  now  stands,  and 
several  other  officers.  These  tracts  were  all  surveyed  in  May, 
1769.  Captain  Piper  and  Lieutenant  Hayes  settled  on  their  lands 
and  lived  and  died  there.  The  others  all  sold  to  speculators  or 
other  parties. 

Colonel  Turbutt  Francis  was  a  son  of  Tench  Francis,  who  was 
Attorney  General  of  Pennsylvania  from  1741  to  1755,  and  was 
born  in  Talbot  County,  Maryland,  in  1740.  He  was  named  for 
his  mother.  Miss  Turbutt,  and  was  a  full  cousin  of  Dr.  Francis, 
the  translator  of  Horace,  and  Sir  Philip  Francis,  one  of  the  re- 
puted authors  of  the  letters  of  Junius.     He  served  in  the  French 

grant  might  be  obtained  for  the  tract  of  land  in  Buffalo  Valley,  formerly  intended  to 
be  located  by  Captain  Plunkett,  and  since  surveyed  for  the  Proprietaries,  containing 
1,005  acres.  Piper  was,  therefore,  given  lot  No.  6,  on  Bald  Eagle,  surveyed  for 
Ensign  Morrow,  who  was  excluded  from  the  grant  by  the  Penns,  because  he  was  of 
the  party  that  rescued  Stump  and  Ironcutter  from  the  Carlisle  jail.  Captain  Kern 
was  given  287  acres,  late  the  Chamberlain  mill  tract  in  Kelly  Township;  Lieutenant 
McAllister  290  acres,  adjoining  the  foregoing,  and  Colonel  Francis,  for  Captain 
Sems,  5271^  adjoining.  Colonel  Francis  sold  the  latter  to  William  Linn,  of  Lurgan 
Township,  Franklin  County. — Linn's  Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley,  page  37. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  339 

and  Indian  wars,  and  was  commissioned  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the 
First  Battalion  of  the  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  commanded  by 
Colonel  John  Penn,  June  6,  1764,  and  took  part  in  the  Bouquet 
expedition.  He  also  served  as  prothonotary  of  Cumberland 
County.  When  Northumberland  County  was  erected,  in  1772,  he 
was  appointed  one  of  the  first  justices  of  the  peace,  and  was 
afterwards  honored  with  having  one  of  the  original  townships 
named  after  him,  which  is  still  in  existence. 

At  the  time  of  Colonel  Plunkett's  invasion  of  Wyoming,  Colonel 
Francis  subscribed  fifty  pounds*  to  assist  in  defraying  the  ex- 
penses of  the  expedition  from  Fort  Augusta. 

The  village  of  Turbuttville  was  named  after  him,  but  through 
some  fatality  the  title  has  been  corrupted  into  Turbot-\\V^&,  much 
to  the  annoyance  of  those  who  are  familiar  with  the  origin  of  the 
name.  Turbot  is  the  name  of  a  fish,  and  its  application  in  this  in- 
stance is  wholly  out  of  place. 

During  the  Revolutionary  war  Colonel  Francis  remained  pas- 
sive, his  sympathies  rather  inclining  to  the  British  side  of  the 
question. 

He  died  at  his  home  in  Philadelphia  in  1797,  aged  about  57 
years.  From  a  copy  of  his  will  found  among  the  Samuel  Wallis 
papers,  and  now  in  the  possession  of  Howard  R.  Wallis,  of  Muncy, 
it  appears  that  he  bequeathed  to  his  wife  Sarah  all  his  "house- 
hold furniture,  plate,  servants,  horses,  carriages,  and  also  the  sum 
of  i^4,ooo  in  money."  He  also  gave  her  "  ^^260  per  annum,  to  be 
paid  to  her  yearly  or  quarterly,  as  she  might  choose." 

To  his  daughter  Rebecca  he  gave  one-third  of  his  estate,  to  be 
paid  her  on  reaching  the  age  of  eighteen,  or  on  the  day  of  her 
marriage. 

To  his  sons,  Tench  and  Samuel  Mifflin  Francis,  he  gave  the 
balance  of  his  estate.  His  wife  and  Samuel  Mifflin  were  con- 
stituted his  executors.  The  will  was  dated  February  11,  1777, 
and  was  written  wholly  in  his  own  hand,  without  subscribing 
witnesses.  It  was  proved  by  David  Kennedy  and  Dr.  William 
Smith,  by  comparison  and  similarity  of  hands. 

Sometime   towards   the   close  of  the  year   1769  an    Irishman 


*'See  ex-Governor  Hoyt's  Seventeen  Townships  of  Luzerne,  page  113. 


340  HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

named  Larry  Burt  had  a  cabin  near  the  mouth  of  Larry's  Creek. 
It  is  said  that  he  was  an  Indian  trader,  but  his  name  does  not  ap- 
pear in  the  official  Hst  of  traders  for  that  day.  Burt  had  an  Indian 
woman  for  a  wife  and  he  sold  goods  to  the  Indians.  His  cabin 
stood  a  few  rods  above  where  the  iron  bridge  now  crosses  the 
stream.  The  stream  now  known  as  "  Larry's  "  Creek  was  named 
after  him.  Nothing  more  of  his  history  is  known.  Being  an 
adventurer,  he  probably  retired  on  the  appearance  of  the  land 
speculators  and  followed  the  Indians  westward. 

The  special  grants  having  been  disposed  of,  preparations  were 
made  for  opening  the  Land  Office,  and  in  order  to  give  the  reader 
a  clear  idea  as  to  how  business  was  transacted  at  that  day,  and 
applications  granted,  the  following  advertisement  by  the  secretary 
of  the  Land  Office  is  given : 

The  Land  Office  will  be  opened  on  the  third  daj  of  April  next,  at  lo  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  to  receive  applications  from  all  persons  inclinable  to  take  up  lands  in 
the  New  Purchase,  upon  terms  of  five  pounds  sterling  per  hundred  acres,  and  one 
penny  per  acre  per  annum  quit-rent.  No  person  will  be  allowed  to  take  up  more 
than  three  hundred  acres,  without  a  special  license  from  the  Proprietaries  or  Governor. 
The  surveys  upon  all  applications  are  to  be  made  and  returned  within  six  months,  and 
the  whole  purchase  money  paid  at  one  payment,  and  patent  taken  out  within  twelve 
months  from  the  date  of  the  application,  with  interest  and  quit-rent  from  six  months 
after  the  application.  If  there  be  a  failure  on  the  side  of  the  party  applying,  in 
either  proving  his  survey  and  return  to  be  made,  or  in  paying  the  purchase  money, 
and  obtaining  the  patent,  the  application  and  survey  will  be  utterly  void,  and  the 
Proprietaries  will  be  at  liberty  to  dispose  of  the  land  to  any  other  person  whatever. 
And  as  these  terms  will  be  strictly  adhered  to  by  the  Proprietaries,  all  persons  are 
hereby  warned  and  cautioned,  not  to  apply  for  more  land  than  they  will  be  able  to 
pay  for,  in  the  time  hereby  given  for  that  purpose. 

By  order  of  the  Governor. 

James  Tilghman, 
Secretary  of  the  Land  Office. 

Philadelphia  Land  Office,  Feb.  2j,  1769. 

Notwithstanding  the  stringency  of  the  conditions  enjoined  upon 
those  taking  up  lands,  it  appears  that  they  never  were  wholl)- 
complied  with,  so  far  as  related  to  the  patenting  was  concerned. 
Simultaneously  with  the  advertisement  of  the  secretary  of  the 
Land  Office,  preparations  were  made  for  the  commencement  of 
business  on  a  large  scale.  Location  books  were  opened,  in  which 
the  tract  applied  for  was  entered,  numbered  and  described.  It 
being  understood   that   many  applications  would   be  made,  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  34I 

many  of  them  for  the  same  tract,  it  was  decided  by  the  Governor 
and  his  agents  that  the  best  way  to  award  these  appHcations 
would  be  to  place  them  in  a  box,  mix  them  well  together,  and 
then  draw  them  therefrom  and  number  them  as  they  came  forth. 
This  plan,  it  was  thought,  would  prove  more  satisfactory,  as  there 
could  be  no  partiality  in  awarding  an  application.  The  form  of 
an  application  was  as  follows : 

No.  1085. 

George  Grant  hath  made  application  for  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna,  joining  and  above  the  Honorable 
Proprietors  land  at  Muncy  Creek,  including  Wolf  Run. 

Dated  at  Philadelphia,  this  th'ird  day  of  April,  1769. 

To  William  Scull,  Deputy  Surveyor;  you  are  to  survey  the  land  mentioned  in  this 
application,  and  make  return  thereof  into  the  Surveyor-General's  Office,  within  si.\ 
months  from  the  above  date ;   and  thereof  fail  not. 

John  Lukens,  S.  G. 

Instructions  were  also  issued  by  Surveyor  General  John  Lukens* 
to  the  deputy  in  whose  district  the  tract  located  was  to  be  sur- 
veyed, and  they  accompanied  the  application.  Four  deputy 
surveyors  were  appointed  by  the  Commissioners  of  Property  to 
attend  to  the  field  work.     Their  names  were  William  Gray  for  the 

*John  Lukens  was  a  grandson  of  Jan  Lucken,  a  Quaker  from  Holland,  one  of 
the  first  of  the  thirteen  settlers  of  Germantown,  who  arrived  in  Philadelphia  October 
6,  1683.  The  seventh  son  of  the  emigrant,  Jan  Lucken,  was  Peter,  born  January  30, 
1696.  Peter  married  Gainer  Evans,  whence  the  common  appellative.  Gainer  or 
Gayner,  amongst  the  girls  of  the  Lukens  family.  John  Lukens  was  Surveyor  General 
under  the  Proprietaries,  appointed  December  8,  1761,  and  re  appointed  under  the 
Commonwealth  April  10,  1781.  He  died  in  office  in  October,  1789.  Among  his 
children  were  Charles,  who  is  connected  with  the  early  history  of  the  Valley  as 
Deputy  Surveyor.  He  surveyed  the  ofiftcers'  tracts  on  Bald  Eagle  Creek  in  March, 
1769.  Jesse,  another  son,  was  killed  in  Plunkett's  expedition  to  Wyomingin  Decem- 
ber, 1775. 

A  daughter  of  John  Lukens  married  Joseph  Jacob  Wallis,  who  died  in  1795, 
leaving  a  large  estate  and  the  following  descendants : 

1.  John  Lukens  Wallis,  the  first  white  male  child  born  west  of  Muncy  Creek,  in 
1773- 

2.  Grace  Wallis,  married  Evan  Rice  Evans,  Esq. 

3.  Sarah  Wallis,  married  Daniel  Smith,  Esq. 

4.  Thomas  Wallis,  who  became  a  physician.  He  was  tiie  father  of  the  late  Mr>. 
J.  M.  Petrikin,  of  Bellefonte. 

5.  Gayner  Wallis,  married  Enoch  Smith,  Esq. 

6.  Elizabeth  Wallis,  married  Thomas  Evans. 

7.  Joseph  Jacob  Wallis. — John  Blair  Linn. 


342  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

south-eastern  part  of  the  purchase;  Charles  Stewart  for  the  dis- 
trict lying  up  the  North  Branch;  William  Scull*  for  the  north 
side  of  the  West  Branch  above  Chillisquaque,  and  Charles  Lukens 
for  the  south  side,  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  treaty  line  of 
1754,  and  east  by  Buffalo  Creek.  His  district  also  extended  to 
the  head-waters  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  embraced  the  valleys  of 
Nittany,  Sugar,  Nippenose,  White  Deer  Hole,  White  Deer,  and 
the  upper  part  of  Buffalo  Valley. 

When  the  Land  Office  was  opened,  on  the  3d  of  April,  1769, 
there  was  a  great  rush  of  applicants,  and  on  the  first  day  2,782 
applications  were  issued  and  directed  to  the  deputy  surveyors  in 
their  respective  districts  embraced  in  the  purchase  of  1768,  in- 
cluding the  north  side  of  the  river  from  Lycoming  to  Pine 
Creek.  But  a  dispute  arose  which  caused  much  trouble  after- 
wards. The  Indians  claimed  that  Lycoming  was  the  Tiadaghton 
mentioned  in  the  treaty,  and  that  the  lands  west  of  Lycoming 
were  not  included  in  the  purchase,  and  that  the  whites  had  no 
authority  to  occupy  them.  The  Proprietaries  supposed  Pine 
Creek  was  the  Tiadaghton  referred  to  in  the  treaty,  but  as  the  In- 
dians expressed  much  dissatisfaction  at  the  occupancy  of  these 
lands,  an  order  was  issued  forbidding  any  surveys  to  be  made  in 
this  territory  west  of  Lycoming  Creek.  A  large  number  of  ap- 
plications had,  however,  been  granted  for  tracts  in  this  district,  and 
squatters  were  already  upon  the  land.     But  in  obedience  to  the 

♦Nicholas  Scull,  Surveyor  General  of  Pennsylvania,  was  the  eldest  of  the  six  sons 
of  Nicholas  Scull,  Sr.,  who  emigrated  to  America  from  County  Cork,  and  landed  at 
Chester  in  October,  1685.  Nicholas  Scull  (his  son)  was  born  near  Philadelphia  in 
the  year  1687,  and  was  an  apprentice  to  Thomas  Holmes,  the  first  acting  Surveyor 
General.  He  married  Abigail  Heap  in  1708.  While  young,  Scull  was  actively  en- 
gaged in  surveying,  and  learned  several  Indian  dialects.  He  was  present  at  many 
councils  with  the  Delaware  and  Conestoga  tribes.  He  acted  as  interpreter  at  a 
council  in  Philadelphia  April  18,  1728,  and  when  all  business  was  transacted  it  was 
"ordered  that  tlu-ee  match  coats  be  given  to  James  Le  Tort,  an  Indian  trader,  and 
John  Scull,  to  be  by  them  delivered  to  .A.lhimapees,  Mr.  Montour,  etc."  Nicholas 
Scull  was  elected  sheriff  of  Philadelphia  in  1744-5-6.  On  the  loth  of  June,  1748, 
he  succeeded  William  Parsons  as  Surveyor  General.  He  died  in  1761  and  was 
buried  in  Philadelphia.  His  wife  died  May  21,  1753,  aged  65.  They  had  nine 
children,  and  William,  the  deputy  surveyor,  was  one  of  them.  Descendants  of 
Nicholas  Scull  reside  at  Reading,  Westmoreland  County,  and  in  Pittsburg.  John 
Scull  founded  the  Pittsburg  Gazette.  John  Lukens  succeeded  Scull  as  Surveyor  Gen- 
eral in  December,  1768.— See  Autobiography  of  Nicholas  Biddte,  pages  378-384. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  343 

order  no  surveys  were  made  until  the  dispute  was  finally  settled 
by  the  treaty  of  1784,  and  there  was  an  interim  of  sixteen  year* 
which  was  fraught  with  fear,  uncertainty  and  bad  feeling  relating 
to  the  occupancy  of  this  territory. 

As  soon  as  the  applications  were  accepted  surveyors  were  set  to 
work  to  run  the  lines.  In  the  same  month  they  were  in  White 
Deer  Hole  Valley  making  surveys,  and  on  the  1st  of  July  in 
Black  Hole  Bottom,  and  on  the  4th,  5th  and  6th  in  Nippenose. 
The  first  survey  in  this  Bottom  was  made  on  the  application  of 
Elizabeth  Brown,  numbered  44,  and  included  the  mouth  of  the 
creek.  It  was  made  July  4,  1769.  On  the  7th  of  the  same 
month  the  first  survey  was  made  in  Nippenose  Valley,  on  the 
application  of  Ralph  Foster,  and  embraced  the  tract  where  San- 
derson's mill  stands.  On  the  8th  and  9th  surveys  were  made 
along  the  river  in  what  is  now  Wayne  Township,  Clinton  County, 
and  at  other  points  above.  In  October  surveys  were  made  in 
Mosquito  Valley,  south-west  of  Williamsport,  and  at  variou.s  other 
places  in  Charles  Lukens'  district. 

In  William  Scull's  district  we  find  them  making  surveys  on 
Muncy  Creek  in  the  vicinity  of  where  Hughesville  now  stands. 
The  surveyors  in  the  other  districts  were  also  progressing  with 
their  work. 

Applications  were  granted  until  the  31st  of  August,  1769,  when 
they  amounted  to  4,000.  Surveys  were  never  made,  probably,  on 
half  of  the  applications  issued,  but  applications  were  made  as  often 
as  four  or  five  times  for  the  same  tracts  by  as  many  different  per- 
sons. Priority  seems  to  have  been  generally  given  according 
to  the  prescribed  rule  adopted  for  the  regulation  of  such  cases,  and 
the  first  applicant  for  a  tract  generally  secured  it.  There  were 
some  five  or  six  applications  for  the  land  of  John  Cox,  three  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek,  including  the  old  Indian  town 
where  Shikellimy  dwelt  before  he  changed  his  residence  to 
Shamokin  to  assume  the  duties  of  vice-king  by  appointment  of 
the  Six  Nations.  Many  of  these  applications  were  surveyed  on 
other  tracts,  several  of  which  were  opposite  Long  Island  (in  the 
river  at  Jersey  Shore)  and  Nippenose  Bottom  and  Buffalo  Valley. 
A  tract  was  generalh-  found  to  fit  the  application.  These  applica- 
tions only  cost  a  dollar  for  office  fees,  and  a  small  sum  to  the  first 


344  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

explorer  or  guide  to  the  land,  who  was  generally  an  expert  woods- 
man and  sought  the  best  locations.  Some  lines  were  run  and  marked 
in  order  to  define  their  locations  to  a  particular  spot.  Hawkins 
Boone  was  the  principal  explorer  and  woodsman  in  Bald  Eagle, 
Nittany  and  other  valleys.  In  some  of  his  notes  taken  at  the  time 
he  mentions  the  Bald  Eagle's  Nest,  near  Milesburg,  and  a  settler 
there  named  Huff,  who  had  cut  logs  to  erect  a  cabin.  He  was  one 
of  those  early  adventurers  from  Cumberland  County,  mention  of 
whom  will  be  made  in  another  place. 

The  application  of  Andrew  Hackett  included  "an  old  Indian 
cornfield,  near  a  mile  from  where  Bald  Eagle  Creek  cuts  through 
the  hill,  and  where  the  Frankstown  road  leads  through  to  the 
Great  Island."  This  was  on  an  important  path  which  was  fre- 
quently traveled  by  Indian  war  parties,  and  it  was  found  to  be  very 
convenient  for  the  whites  in  later  years. 

In  many  cases  the  tracts  were  located  by  letters  cut  on  the  bark 
of  trees  standing  in  a  particular  place,  or  by  certain  localities  in- 
cluding deer  licks,  by  which  means  they  could  be  identified. 
Many  of  the  surveys  made  on  these  applications  were  not  found 
for  many  years  afterwards,  as  the  people  were  soon  compelled  to 
abandon  the  frontier,  and  in  many  cases  never  returned. 

The  year  1769  closed  the  application  system,  and  in  1770  the 
Proprietaries  commenced  the  issuing  of  warrants,  which  was 
pretty  much  on  the  same  principle.  Conditions,  however,  were 
fully  set  forth  in  the  warrants,  signed  by  the  Governor,  with  the 
seal  of  the  Land  Office  affixed.  The  original  was  filed  in  the 
Surveyor  General's  office,  and  a  copy  directed  to  the  deputy  in  the 
district  where  the  land  was  supposed  to  lie.  When  it  was  doubt- 
ful where  the  land  was,  they  were  in  many  cases  directed  thus: 
"To  the  proper  Deputy  Survej'or;"  and  he  was  supposed  to  be 
able  to  find  it.  .In  the  scramble  for  land  great  confusion  was 
caused,  and  in  many  instances  sharp  practices  were  resorted  to  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  eligible  locations. 

Among  the  noted  pioneers  of  1769  was  Samuel  Wallis,  who 
became  the  most  extensive  land  owner  of  that  time.  He  was 
aggressive  and  adventuresome,  and  acquired  one  tract  after  an- 
other until  he  owned  over  7,000  acres  in  one  body  in  Muncy 
Valley  alone.     He  also  secured  other  tracts  up  the  river,  and  on 


HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  345 

Sinneniahoning,  which  amounted  to  several  thousands  of  acres 
more.  His  famous  plantation,  known  as  "  Muncy  Farm,"*  figures 
more  in  history  than  the  balance  of  all  his  possessions.  His  seat 
was  at  what  is  now  known  as  Hartley  Hall,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Williamsport  and  North  Branch  and  Philadelphia  and  Reading 
railroads,  three  miles  west  of  Muncy,  and  ten  miles  east  of  Wil- 
liamsport. Here  Mr.  Wallis  commenced  the  erection  of  a  house 
early  in  1769,  which  is  still  standing  in  a  good  state  of  preserva- 
tion. It  is  without  doubt  the  oldest  house  in  the  West  Branch 
Valley  to-day,  and  is  regarded  as  the  most  important  of  all  its 
historical  landmarks.  It  was  built  on  high  ground,  on  an  arm  of 
the  river,  which  encloses  a  large  island,  near  the  mouth  of  Car- 
penter's Run.  The  location  was  well  chosen.  A  few  hundred 
yards  north  of  the  house  Fort  Muncy  was  afterwards  built  as  a 
protection  against  the  Indians  and  as  a  rallying  point  for  the 
settlers. 

Not  content  with  the  acquisition  of  this  great  tract  of  rich  farm- 
ing land,  Mr.  Wallis  was  so  imbued  with  the  speculative  fever  of 
that  day,  that  he  was  constantly  on  the  lookout  for  other  lands. 
There  is  in  existence  to-day  an  ancient  draft  showing  the  outlines 
of  a  tract  of  5,900  acres,  which  took  in  the  ground  upon  which 
Jersey  Shore  is  built,  and  the  surrounding  country.  The  draft 
shows  the  winding  course  of  the  river  from  the  mouth  of  Larry's 
Creek  to  Pine  Creek,  including  Long  Island,  and  as  it  is  a  docu- 
ment of  much  importance,  the  description  of  the  survey,  written 
upon  its  face,  is  given  herewith  in  full : 

"  A  Draught  of  a  tract  of  Land  situate  on  the  north  side  of  the 
West  Branch  of  Susquehanna  below  &  adjoining  pine  Creek. 

"Surveyed  the  ijtli  &  i8th  Days  of  June  in  1773,  for  Samuel 
Wallis,  in  Pursuance  of  Eighteen  orders  of  survey  Dated  the  3d 
Day  of  April  1 769  &  granted  to  the  following  persons,  viz :  One 
order  No.  1573  granted  to  Samuel  Nicholas  &  one  other  order 
No.  1588  granted  to  Samuel  Nicholas.  One  Order  No.  1701 
granted  to  Thomas  Bonnal.  One  order  No.  327  granted  to 
Joseph  Couperthwait.  One  order  No.  464  granted  to  William 
Wilson.      One    order  No.  592  granted   to  John    Sprogle.      One 


*It  appears  from  the  old  records  that  the  warrant  for  the  "  Muncy  Farm' 
the  name  of  John  Jarvis,  Sr.,  and  it  was  originally  known  as  the  Jarvis  tract. 


346  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

order  No.  318  granted  to  Thos  Morgan.  One  order  No.  118 
granted  to  Richard  Setteford.  One  order  No.  1 147  granted  to 
John  Cummings.  One  order  No.  1373  granted  to  Samuel  Taylor. 
One  order  No.  2231  granted  to  Joseph  Knight.  One  order  No. 
107  granted  to  William  Porter.  One  order  No.  807  granted  to 
Joseph  Paul.  One  order  No.  2127  granted  to  Henry  Paul,  Junr. 
One  order  No.  724  granted  to  Joseph  Hill.  One  order  No. 
608  granted  to  Isaac  Cathrall.  One  order  No.  1546  granted 
to  Benjamin  Cathrall  &  one  order  No.  1558  granted  to  Peter 
Young. 

"  Beginning  at  a  marked  Elm  standing  on  the  North  side  of  the 
West  Branch  of  Susquehanna  above  and  at  the  mouth  of  Larry's 
Creek  &  Turning  thence  N.  45°  E.  400  p.  thence  N.  67  W.  310 
p.  thence  S.  "]"/  W.  765  p.  thence  S.  5  i  W.  700  p.  to  Pine  Creek 
thence  Down  the  said  creek  by  the  several  courses  thereof  to  the 
mouth  thereof,  thence  down  the  northerly  side  of  the  West  Branch 
of  the  River  Susquehanna  by  the  several  courses  thereof  to  the 
place  of  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Larry's  Creek  containing  & 
laid  out  for  five  Thousand  Nine  Hundred  acres  with  Allowance 
of  six  acres  p  cent  for  Roads  and  Highways." 

This  document  is  signed  as  follows:  "John  Lukens,  Esq., 
Surveyor  General,  by  order  and  direction  of  Jesse  Lukens,  per 
Samuel  Harris." 

The  "  draught"  indicates  the  Susquehanna  River  and  Pine  Creek 
along  the  two  sides  of  the  survey ;  the  large  island  in  Pine  Creek, 
the  now  almost  obliterated  island  at  the  mouth  of  Pine  Creek,  in 
the  main  river,  and  the  Long  Island,  as  well  as  the  mouth  of 
Aughanbaugh's  Run,  a  stream  which  is  now  but  a  mere  rivulet ; 
"Nepenosis"  Creek,  and  Larry's  Creek. 

There  was  also  recently  found  among  his  papers  a  long  and 
carefully  drawn  article  of  agreement,  which,  on  account  of  its 
antiquity  and  historical  value,  is  worthy  of  a  place  in  these'  pages. 
It  is  as  follows : 

MEMI5RANDUM. 
That  it  is  agreed  by  and  between  Samuel  Wallis,  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and 
Joseph  Jacob  Wallis,  of  the  county  of  Northumberland,  to  enter  into  a  joint  partner- 
ship in  the  Farming  Business,  &  Raising  of  Stock  on  the  farm  now  belonging  to 
Samuel  Wallis  at  Muncy,  in  the  county  of  Northumberland  &  Province  of  Pennsyl- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  347 

vania,  for  the  Term  of  eleven  years,  to  begin  and  commence  from  the  1st  Day  of 
January  which  was  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  one  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and 
Seventy-four,  upon  the  following  terms  to  wit : 

1st.  That  all  the  Servants,  Stock,  Farming  Utensils  &c.  which  was  on  sd.  Farm 
on  the  said  1st  Day  of  January  1774,  together  with  all  that  has  been  since  that  time 
purchased  and  placed  on  the  Farm,  be  valued  at  what  they  originally  cost,  and  that 
an  Estimate  be  made  as  near  as  Possable  of  the  True  Value  of  all  the  crop  which 
was  at  that  time  on  the  sd.  Farm. 

2d.  That  the  Said  Joseph  Jacob  Wallis  do  pay,  or  secure  the  p.iyment  of  one-half 
part  of  the  full  amount  of  all  such  Valuation,  Estimate  &  Original  costs  of  the  Ser- 
vants, Stock,  Farming  Utensals  &  crop  then  on  the  sd.  Farm. 

3d.  That  the  said  Samuel  Wallis  Shall,  at  his  own  proper  cost,  and  expense 
(Provisions  for  the  Workmen  and  the  use  of  a  Team  to  do  the  necessary  Hailing 
only  excepted)  finish  the  Dwelling  House  which  is  now  on  hand  and  Build  a  good 
and  Convenient  Barn  and  stables  fitting  to  accommodate  such  a  Farm. 

.^th.  That  each  of  the  said  parties  shall  with  their  Respective  Familys  have  (at 
any  time  when  the  said  Samuel  Wallis  may  chuse  to  be  their  with  his  Family)  equal 
Priviledge,  benefit  &  advantage  of  in  and  to  the  said  DwelUng  House  During  the 
full  Term  before  mentioned. 

5th.  That  all  costs  and  expenses  which  may  arise  on  purchasing  of  Servants,  Stock, 
Farming  Utentials,  Provisions,  Labor,  and  all  other  Incidental  charges  which  may  be 
necessary  for  working  and  Improving  the  said  Farm,  shall  be  equilly  paid  and  Dis- 
charged by  the  said  parties.  Share  and  Share  alike. 

6th.  That  all  the  Servants,  Stock,  Farming  Utentials,  &c.  which  was  the  Property 
of  Saml.  Wallis  and  on  the  Farm  the  sd.  1st  Day  of  January,  1774,  Together  with  all 
that  has  been  since  that  time  purchased  &  placed  on  the  sd.  Farm  Shall  be  the  Joint 
Property  of  the  sd.  parties. 

7th.  That  all  moneys  arising  from  the  sales  of  the  Produce  of  the  sd.  F'arm  be 
equilly  Devided  between  the  said  parties,  share  cS:  share  alike. 

8th.  That  in  consideration  of  Saml.  Wallis  having  given  up  to  the  said  Joseph 
Jacob  Wallis  for  the  Term  of  Eleven  years,  one-half  part  of  all  the  Benefits  and 
advantages  of  a  well  Improved  Farm,  he  the  said  Joseph  Jacob  Wallis  Doth  promise 
and  oblige  himself  to  undertake  the  sole  care  and  Management  of  all  the  sd.  Farm 
&  Premesis  for  their  Joint  Benefit,  except  at  such  times  as  he  the  said  Samuel  Wallis 
may  chuse  to  be  there,  when  and  at  all  such  times  the  said  parties  are  to  manage  in 
Conjunction  as  all  Joint  Partners  in  such  cases  ought  to  do. 

9th.  That  it  is  agreed  that  the  Partnership  accounts  Shall  be  settled  once  every 
year  by  and  between  the  said  Parties — but  in  case  the  said  Joseph  Jacob  Wallis 
Should  die  at  any  time  During  the  Said  Intered  Partnership,  then  in  that  case  only 
the  said  Partnership  is  Immediately  to  Dissolve  and  all  our  relations  thereto  be 
Directly  settled,  and  all  Property  of  every  kind  whatsoever  belonging  to  the  Partner- 
ship be  equilly  Divided  between  the  Heirs,  Executors  or  administrators  of  the  said 
Parties. 

loth.  That  it  shall  be  the  particular  care  of  the  said  parties  to  keep  the  said 
Farm  with  all  its  buildings  and  appurtenances  in  good  order  and  repair,  and  at  the 


348  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

end  of  the  said  Term  of  Eleven  years  to  Deliver  up  the  said   Farm  &  Premises  to 

the  said  Saml.  Wallis  in  Good  Tenantable  Order. 

For  the  True  performance  of  all  and  Singular  the  covenants  and  agreements 
aforesaid,  the  said  parlies  bind  themselves  each  unto  the  other  in  the  Penal 
sum  one  Thousand  Pounds  lawful  money  of  Pennsylvania.  Witness  our 
hands  and  seals  this  twenty  .Sixth  Day  of  February  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  Seventy-five. 

The  article  was  signed  by  the  parties  thereto,  but  the  corner  of 
the  paper  containing  their  signatures  is  partially  torn  off,  showing 
that  they  afterwards  concluded  not  to  enter  into  the  partnership, 
but  it  is  nowhere  stated  for  what  reason  the  contract  was  broken 
off  Under  the  indorsement  on  the  back  the  word  "  canceled  "  i.s 
written,  showing  clearly  the  conclusion  that  had  been  arrived  at. 
The  witnesses  to  the  instrument  were  Jeremiah  Lochrey  and 
Cassandra  Jacob,  and  their  signatures  are  still  as  clear  and  distinct 
as  if  they  had  been  written  yesterday. 

The  article  of  agreement  having  failed,  Samuel  Wallis*  con- 
tinued to  reside  on  his  plantation  himself,  and  he  farmed  on  quite 
an  extensive  scale  for  that  day.  It  was  not  a  pleasant  pursuit,  as 
Indians  lurked  in  the  thickets  and  pounced  upon  the  defenseless 
at  all  times,  and  many  a  hardy  pioneer  was  slain  and  his  scalp 
ruthlessly  torn  from  his  head.  Of  course,  Mr.  Wallis  fled  with 
the  other  settlers  when  the  "  Big  Runaway "  occurred,  and 
abandoned  his  improvements  to  the  mercy  of  the  savages.  But 
he  returned  and  proceeded  to  make  other  improvements,  for 
among  his  papers  is  the  draft  and  specifications  for  the  erection  of 
a  grist  mill  on  Carpenter's  Run,  a  short  distance  east  of  where  he 

*  Toseph  Jacob  Wallis  was  a  half  brother  of  Samuel.  He  married  a  daughter  of 
John  Lukens,  Surveyor  General  of  Pennsylvania,  and  John  Lukens  Wallis,  their  son, 
was  the  first  white  male  child  born  west  of  Muncy  Creek.  This  was  in  1773.  He 
grew  to  manhood  and  married  Mary  Cooke,  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Jacob  Cooke,  of 
the  X'levolution.  But  three  children  survived  them — Joseph,  Jacob  C,  and  Mary 
Jane,  who  became  Mrs.  Shipman.  John  Lukens  Wallis  was  one  of  the  heirs  of 
John  Lukens,  who  was  cut  off  by  the  word  "propitious."  The  heirs  were  but  seven  in 
number,  and  the  property  was  to  be  divided  among  them  at  the  most  "  propitious ''  time. 
The  property  embraced  a  great  deal  of  land  upon  which  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
now  stands,  and  was  then  but  tracts  of  uncultivated  land.  But  the  estate  became  a 
veritable  Jarndyce  vs.  Jarndyce,  and  the  heirs  died  before  the  "propitious"  time 
came  for  its  division. 

John  Lukens  Wallis  was  a  great  lover  of  the  chase  in  his  day  and  made  a  "  happy 
hunting  ground  of  this  earth."  He  died  July  27,  1863,  aged  89  years,  8  months  and 
3  days,  and  is  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Hughesville,  Lycoming  County,  Pa. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  349 

had  built  his  house.  The  country  was  now  rapidly  filling  up  and 
a  mill  was  a  necessity  in  the  settlement.  The  site  selected  was  an 
eligible  one.  There  was  plenty  of  water  in  the  stream  to  drive 
the  machinery,  when  it  was  carefully  husbanded.  The  site,  just 
below  the  canal  aqueduct,  is  still  pointed  out,  and  a  portion  of  the 
excavation  for  the  race  still  remains.  The  mill  was  built  in  1785, 
according  to  the  rough  draft.  It  called  for  a  building  "  20  x  24  feet, 
with  glass  windows,  two  doors  4x6^^  feet,  and  a  chimney,  clear, 
5x6}^  feet  9  inches.  Light  holes  and  shutters  2x2^  feet. 
Water  house,  cog-pit,  gate  hole,  mantle  piece  and  shaft,"  all  clearly 
specified  and  indicated  by  letter  on  the  plan.  For  the  machinery 
"  1 20  cogs,  3  inches  square  and  1 3  inches  long,  together  with  40 
round  cogs  3  inches  in  size  and  16  inches  long.  The  whole  to  be 
of  good,  tough  hickory,  well  seasoned."  The  specifications  further 
called  for  "  12  oak  boards  one  inch  thick;  17  inch  boards  and  15 
feet  long  for  water  wheel  buckets ;  800  feet  of  well  seasoned  pine 
boards,  6  pieces  of  pine  scantling  4^  inches  square,  16  feet  long, 
well  seasoned,  if  possible."  It  was  also  specified  "that  the  mill 
irons  should  be  sent  to  the  smiths  to  be  repaired  and  altered  ac- 
cording to  directions  to  be  given  by  Mr.  Antes."  From  this  state- 
ment it  is  inferred  that  the  irons  were  second-handed,  and  that 
Colonel  Antes,  who  had  built  a  mill  previous  to  this  time  at  the 
mouth  of  Antes  Creek,  was  entrusted  with  the  work  of  getting 
the  new  mill  under  way.  The  plans  and  specifications  were  signed 
by  George  W.  Hunter.  The  reader  will  notice  that  the  mill  was 
a  small  structure,  but  it  doubtless  served  its  purpose  at  that  day. 

The  following  account  of  a  fatal  hunting  accident  has  been 
found  among  the  Wallis  papers,  which  goes  to  show  that  affairs 
of  this  kind  occurred  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  ago,  just  as 
they  do  to-day : 

"John  Dallam,  of  the  county  of  Baltimore,  in  the  Province  of 
Maryland,  upon  his  solemn  affirmation  did  declare,  affirm  and  say, 
that  on  the  evening  of  the  i8th  of  September,  1769,  being  in  com- 
pany with  Samuel  Wallis,  Joseph  Jacob  Wallis,  John  Farmer, 
William  Beaver  and  a  negro  man,  at  the  house  *  of  Samuel  Wallis, 

*  This  affirmation  settles  two  important  questions  which  have  been  frequently  dis- 
cussed: 1st.  That  colored  men  were  there  at  that  early  day,  and  were  probably 
slaves.  2d.  That  the  house  of  Wallis  was  built  early  in  1769,  or  it  could  not  have 
been  occupied  by  these  parties  in  September  of  that  year. 


350  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

in  the  county  of  Berks,  a  few  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Muncy 
Creek,  on  the  West  Branch  of  the  river  Susquehanna;  John 
Farmer  and  this  affirmant  agreed  to  go  the  next  morning  before 
dayhght  to  hunt  bears  at  the  Muncy  Creek,  about  three  miles  dis- 
tant. This  affirmant  got  up  in  the  morning  before  daylight,  when 
it  rained,  and  as  it  was  not  suitable  weather  to  go  surveying  of 
land,  this  affirmant  called  up  John  Farmer,  who  had  agreed  the 
evening  before  to  go  a  hunting.  John  Farmer  and  this  affirmant 
had  their  guns  ready  cleaned  and  charged  the  evening  before. 
Joseph  Jacob  Wallis  and  William  Beaver  got  up,  dressed  them- 
selves and  went  to  cleaning  and  charging  their  guns,  during  which 
time  there  was  the  greatest  friendship  and  harmony,  as  well  as  at 
all  other  times  before,  between  them.  Before  they  set  off  it  was 
agreed  which  way  the}'  should  go,  least  any  of  them  should  shoot 
one  another  in  a  mistake  before  it  was  light.  John  Farmer  and 
this  affirmant  went  out  of  the  door  and  had  set  off  some  distance 
when  William  Beaver  called  Farmer  and  this  affiant  back,  and  said 
let  us  understand  one  another  fairly  which  way  each  other  is  to  go, 
least  there  should  be  a  danger  of  shooting  one  another  before  it  is 
light.  Farmer  and  this  affirmant  made  answer  we  are  going  to 
Muncy  Creek,  and  Joseph  Jacob  Wallis  said  I  will  go  up  this 
run*  by  the  house,  being  a  run  a  few  rods  below  the  house,  and 
Beaver  said  I  will  go  up  the  other  run  above  the  house,  upon 
which  this  affirmant  said  to  Beaver,  so  you  have  aimed  to  have  a 
chance  at  Selim  (meaning  a  buck  they  saw  at  the  head  of  the  run 
above  the  house  the  day  before),  upon  which  Beaver  answered 
yes,  and  so  parted,  leaving  Beaver  with  the  rest  of  the  compam' 
at  the  house.  Farmer  and  this  affirmant  parted  in  the  woods, 
when  this  affirmant  came  back  to  the  house  about  lo  o'clock, 
and  meeting  Samuel  Wallis  about  twenty  rods  distance  from  the 
house,  he  informed  this  affirmant  that  a  sad  accident  had  happened 
— such  an  one  he  had  never  met  with  in  his  life.  This  affirmant 
asked  what  had  happened;  he  said  William  Beaver  was  dead; 
this  affirmant  replied  how  did  it  happen?  He  said  Joseph  Jacob 
Wallis  had  shot  him  under  a  mistake  for  a  bear,  and  this  affirmant 
went  into  the  house  and  saw  William  Beaver's  corps  laid  out,  and 

*What   is  now  known  as  Carpenter's   Run.      The  other  stream  is  named  after 
Wallis. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  35  I 

also  saw  Joseph  Jacob  Wallis  lying  on  the  bed  much  distressed,  and 
he  said  to  this  affirmant  what  he  had  done  by  accident  that  day  he 
never  should  get  over  whilst  he  lived,  and  that  afternoon  Beaver's 
corps  was  decently  interred." 

The  place  of  burial  was  undoubtedly  in  what  is  now  known  as 
Hall's  Cemetery,  where  many  early  settlers  were  laid  to  rest,  who 
either  died  natural  deaths  or  were  slain  by  the  Indians.  It  is  one 
of  the  oldest  burial  places  in  this  part  of  the  West  Branch  Valley. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  house  Mr.  Wallis  erected  on  the  "  Muncy 
Farm"  was  not  entirely  destroyed  by  the  Indians  at  the  time  of 
the  "  Big  Runaway,"  for  it  is  learned  from  an  agreement  entered 
into  between  Wallis  and  Thomas  Sisk,  a  plasterer  of  Philadelphia, 
that  he  was  to  proceed  to  the  Muncy  Farm  and  plaster  certain 
buildings.  It  is  probable  that  the  house  was  not  plastered  at  the 
time  it  was  erected,  owing  to  the  trouble  with  the  Indians.  The 
contract  was  made  with  Sisk  the  27th  of  June,  1787,  and  he  was 
to  receive  five  shillings  per  day  for  his  services,  and  to  be  allowed 
two  days  and  a  half  time  while  going  from  Philadelphia  to  the 
farm,  "with  sufficient  meat,  drink  and  lodging."  And  during  his 
absence  whatever  money  was  paid  to  his  wife  in  Philadelphia  was 
to  be  deducted  from  his  wages.  According  to  the  terms  of  the 
contract  Sisk  was  to  start  on  or  about  the  13th  of  June,  "  and  do 
the  plastering  before  alluded  to  without  committing  any  unneces- 
sary delay."  The  contract  was  witnessed  by  Lawrence  Ross  and 
Mathew  Conroy,  and  it  is  supposed  that  it  was  carried  out,  for 
there  is  nothing  on  record  to  show  that  it  was  not.  Who  Law- 
rence Ross  was  is  not  known,  but  it  is  possible  that  he  was  the 
father  of  Michael  Ross,  the  founder  of  Williamsport.  It  is  well 
known  that  Michael  Ross  was  originally  in  the  employ  of  Wallis, 
and  through  him  he  got  his  start  in  life.  Is  it  not  reasonable  to 
conclude,  therefore,  that  Lawrence  might  have  been  the  progenitor 
of  the  man  who  afterwards  founded  the  city? 

Samuel  Wallis  was  of  Quaker  origin,  and  was  born  in  Harford 
County,  Maryland,  about  1730.  He  received  a  good  education. 
Blessed  with  a  large  fortune,  and  possessing  great  energy  and 
influence,  he  entered  into  active  business  early  in  life.  Among 
other  branches  of  trade  in  which  he  was  engaged  was  that  of  a 
shipping  merchant.     He  also  studied  surveying  and  became  inter- 


352  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

ested  in  land  speculations  when  this  section  of  the  Province  came 
into  market.  First  we  hear  of  him  with  the  surveyors  on  the 
Juniata,  as  far  up  as  Frankstown,  early  in  1768,  and  on  the  Indian 
path  leading  from  that  place  to  the  Great  Island.  Having  found 
his  way  into  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  West  Branch,  and  noting 
the  richness  of  the  land  and  the  beauty  of  the  surrounding  scenery, 
he  quickly  decided  to  locate  here  and  engage  extensively  in  land 
operations. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  1770,  he  married  L\'dia  HoUingsworth,* 
an  estimable  and  accomplished  lady  of  Philadelphia,  and  soon 
afterwards  brought  his  bride  to  the  home  he  had  established  on 
the  Susquehanna,  at  Muncy  Farm,  where  they  resided,  with  occa- 
sional interruptions  during  the  Indian  troubles,!  almost  to  the 
close  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Their  home  became  a  haven  of 
rest  for  weary  travelers  up  and  down  the  valley,  and  there  they 
dispensed  an  elegant  and  liberal  hospitality.  Mr.  Wallis  early 
became  a  leading  man.  On  the  24th  of  January,  1776,  he  was 
appointed  Captain  of  the  Sixth  Company  of  the  Second  Battalion 
of  the  Northumberland  Associated  Militia,  James  Potter,  Colonel. 
He  represented  Northumberland  County  in  the  Legislature  and 
filled  many  minor  offices.  When  Ljxoming  County  was  formed, 
in  1795,  Governor  Mifflin  appointed  him  one  of  the  associate 
judges,  and  he  sat  upon  the  bench  at  the  first  court,  which  was 
held  at  Jaysburg.     Mr.  Wallis  and  wife  had  the  following  children  : 

I.  Mary,  born  April  25,  1 77 1,  at  Philadelphia.  Married  William 
Kent  Lathey  June  30,  1800.  Dr.  William  Kent  Lathey  was  born 
in  Exeter,  England,  January  29,  1772.  and  died  at  Northumber- 
land July  28,  1809.  His  grave  can  still  be  seen  in  the  old  ceme- 
tery in  rear  of  the  Lutheran  church. 

*See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  IL,  page  301,  New  Series. 

f  Mrs.  Hannah  Miller,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Wallis,  who  died  at  Muncy  in  1858, 
used  to  relate  the  following  incident  which  occurred  during  one  of  their  flights  down 
the  river  at  night :  A  number  of  families  were  with  them  on  a  flat  boat.  They  had 
placed  boxes  or  chests  along  the  sides,  leaving  a  space  in  the  centre  where  beds  were 
made  for  the  women  and  children.  While  a  German  woman  was  engaged  in  doing 
something  about  the  boat  she  had  laid  her  baby  on  top  of  one  of  the  boxes.  It  rolled 
off  and  tumbled  down  among  the  other  children  and  commenced  crying  loudly.  The 
other  mothers  then  had  a  hard  time  to  prevent  their  babies  from  crying  also  and 
alarming  the  Indians  who  might  be  lurking  on  the  shore.  Hannah  was  small  at  the 
time  but  she  remembered  it  distinctly,  and  often  told  it  to  show  their  trials  at  that  day. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  353 

2.  John,  born  March  20,  1775.  Never  married.  Died  Septem- 
ber 14,  1 8 10,  at  Northumberland. 

3.  Cassandra,  born  October  6,  1776,  at  Muncy  Farm.  Mar- 
ried Daniel  Smith,  an  attorney,  who  resided  at  Milton. 

4.  Sarah,  born  August  19,  1778,  at  Elkton,  Maryland.  Mar- 
ried General  Hugh  Brady,  who  died  at  Detroit  in  185  i.  At  this 
time  the  Hollingsworth  family  was  living  at  Elkton,  and  Mrs. 
Wallis  was  on  a  visit  to  her  inother,  when  this  daughter,  who 
afterwards  became  the  wife  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished  sol- 
diers of  the  Republic,  was  born. 

5.  Hannah,  born  February  21,  1 78 1,  at  Philadelphia.  Married 
William  Miller  in  1S16,  Rev.  John  Bryson,  of  Warrior  Run 
church,  performing  the  ceremony.  Died  February  28,  1859,  ^t 
Muncy.  They  had  three  children  who  became  of  age,  viz.:  Cas- 
sandra S.,  who  married  J.  Roan  Barr,  of  Muncy;  Samuel  W.,  now 
residing  at  Waverly,  N.  Y.,  and  Susan  H..  who  married  Joseph 
Stauffer,  of  Muncy,  and  died  in  1865. 

6.  Samuel  Hollingsworth,  born  January  18,  1784,  at  Philadel- 
phia. He  studied  medicine  and  became  a  practicing  physician. 
Married  Elizabeth  Cowden  April  17,  1807.  Dr.  Wallis  died  at 
Dunnstown,  Clinton  County,  April  19,  1832,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Friends'  burying-ground  at  PennsviUe.  He  left  a  son  and  a 
daughter,  viz.:  Mary,  who  married  Philip  Shay;  and  Cowden 
Smith  Wallis.  Mrs.  Shay  left  one  son,  W.  Field  Shay,  Esq.,  now 
a  well-known  attorney  of  Watsontown,  Northumberland  Count)-. 
Cowden  S.  Wallis  died  at  Muncy,  April  24,  1862.  He  left  the  fol- 
lowing children:  Sarah  C,  Mary  M.,  Elizabeth,  Roberta,  Samuel 
H„  (died  December  15,  1887,)  and  Howard  R.,  the  well-known 
civil  engineer.  They  all  reside  at  Muncy.  Dr.  Samuel  H.  Wallis 
was  the  grandfather  of  these  descendants,  and  Samuel  Wallis,  the 
pioneer,  was  their  great-grandfather.  He  left  but  two  sons,  John 
and  Samuel  H. 

Samuel  Wallis  died  October  14,  1798,  at  Philadelphia,  of  yellow 
fever,  which  was  prevalent  at  that  time,  aged  67  years  and  8 
months.  The  circumstances  were  these :  He  had  been  called  to 
North  Carolina  on  important  land  business,  in  which  he  was  in- 
terested  with  Judge  Wilson.      On  his  return  he  stopped  at  an 


354  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

obscure  inn  for  the  night.  Being  very  weary  he  sought  his  room  at 
once.  On  entering  it  he  observed  that  it  was  in  disorder.  Bottles 
of  medicine  were  scattered  about,  and  the  bed  was  not  properly 
made  up.  He  instructed  his  serv'ant  to  inquire  if  he  could  not 
have  some  clean  linen  on  the  bed,  when  he  was  informed  that  they 
had  nothing  better  to  offer.  Owing  to  his  exhausted  condition 
he  retired  to  rest.  In  the  morning  he  made  some  inquiry  of  the 
landlord  why  his  room  was  in  the  condition  he  found  it,  when  he 
admitted  that  a  man  had  just  died  in  that  bed  of  yellow  fever  and 
they  had  not  time  to  put  it  in  order  when  he  came.  This  informa- 
tion not  only  incensed  but  alarmed  Mr.  Wallis,  and  calling  his 
servant,  informed  him  that  he  feared  he  would  have  an  attack  of 
yellow  fever,  and  that  they  would  hurry  on  to  Philadelphia.  They 
departed,  tradition  informs  us,  without  waiting  for  breakfast. 

On  reaching  Philadelphia  his  worst  anticipations  were  soon 
realized.  He  was  stricken  down  with  an  attack  of  the  dreaded 
scourge,  and  after  much  suffering  finally  died.  His  ser\'ant  re- 
mained until  after  the  burial  of  his  master,  when  he  started  for  the 
home  of  deceased  on  the  West  Branch,  leading  his  riderless  horse, 
and  bearing  the  sad  intelligence  of  what  had  occurred  to  the  wife 
and  children. 

After  leading  such  an  acti\"e  life  and  enduring  so  many  trials 
and  tribulations,  his  death  under  such  circumstances,  and  without 
the  knowledge  of  his  family,  was  peculiarly  sad,  and  the  melan- 
choly news  cast  a  deep  gloom  over  the  household. 

His  wife,  Lydia,  survived  him  about  fourteen  years.  She  died 
September  4,  181 2,  at  the  residence  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Smith, 
in  Milton,  aged  68  years  and  five  months,  and  was  buried  in  the 
old  cemetery  at  that  place.  It  will  be  noticed  that  there  was  only 
about  one  year's  difference  in  their  ages. 

And  thus  closed  the  careers  of  two  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  the 
central  part  of  the  valley.  They  bore  a  conspicuous  part  in  the 
trials,  sufferings  and  fears  which  beset  the  pioneers  of  those  times, 
and  their  names  are  inseparably  linked  with  our  early  histoiy. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Wallis'  death  he  left  a  very  large  estate, 
which  consisted  almost  entirely  of  lands,  and  it  proved  a  veiy- 
difficult  one  to  settle.  The  following  administrators  were  ap- 
pointed:     John   Wallis,   Daniel   Smith,  WiUiam  Ellis  and  John 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  355 

Adliim.  They  soon  afterwards  petitioned  *  the  Orphans'  Court  ol 
Lycoming  County,  sitting  at  the  April  term,  1799,  setting  forth 
the  condition  of  the  estate  as  follows:  "That  according  to  the 
debts  and  credits,  which  they  had  been  able  to  learn,  and  from 
the  value  of  the  personal  estate  as  appraised  by  persons  legally 
appointed  and  returned  into  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the  court,  it 
appeared  that  the  estate  of  Samuel  Wallis  was  indebted  in  the  sum 
of  -^33.798  '3s  3/2d,  and  that  the  debts  due  the  estate  amounted 
to  about  the  sum  of  ^^99,904  14s;  that  the  amount  of  the  per- 
sonal property  returned  by  the  appraisers  was  ^"2,932  i8s  lod." 
They  said  furthermore:  "The  amount  of  the  debts  which  the 
estate  owed  far  exceeded  the  amount  of  the  value  of  the  personal 
property;  that  the  debts  owing  the  estate  were,  many  of  them, 
against  persons  supposed  not  to  be  able  to  pay  them  to  their  full 
amount;  that  none  of  the  said  debts  could  be  recovered  until  suits 
were  brought,  and  of  course  could  not  be  collected  for  some  time; 
that,  on  the  other  hand,  the  debts  owing  by  the  estate  had  many 
of  them  been  put  in  suit  during  the  life-time  of  Samuel  Wallis  and 
judgments  obtained  thereon  and  executions  issued — particularly  a 
judgment  at  the  suit  of  Charles  Bitters,  on  which  about  ;$20,000 
remained  due;  and  one  at  the  suit  of  Ruth  Piret,  executrix  of 
Palatiah  Webster,  on  which  about  $18,000  remained  due.  On 
each  of  these  suits  executions  had  been  issued  and  levies  made  "on 
the  Mansion  House  and  adjoining  property,  otherwise  than  by  a 
sale  or  mortgage  of  part  of  the  lands.  They  therefore  prayed  the 
court  to  make  an  order  authorizing  them  to  mortgage  any  lands 
for  a  sum  not  exceeding  one-third  of  the  value  thereof,  or  sell  the 
lands  of  deceased  bought  by  him  at  sheriff's  sale  in  August,  1798, 
in  Luzerne  County,  for  which  lands  a  sheriffs  deed  had  been  exe- 
cuted to  the  administrators  in  trust  for  the  heirs,  in  order  to  pay 
off  the  executions." 

On  the  2d  of  May,  1799,  the  court,  which  consisted  of  Honor- 
able William  Hepburn,  James  Davidson  and  Samuel  Harris, 
granted  the  petition  of  the  administrators,  and  further  directed 
them  to  give  four  weeks'  notice  of  the  sale  in  the  Garj-ctte  of 
Luzerne  County,  and  in  one  of  the  gazettes  in  Philadelphia. 

*A  copy  of  the  petition,  in  the  beautiful  round  hand  of  John  Kidd,  first  prothono- 
tary  of  Lycoming  County,  is  still  in  existence,  in  the  hands  of  H.  R.  Wallis,  of 
Muncy,  a  great-grandson. 


356  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Mr.  Wallis'  business  was  much  complicated.  He  had  served  as 
the  agent  for  the  Holland  Land  Company  for  a  long  time,  and  in 
order  to  raise  money  to  carry  on  the  business  he  had  mortgaged 
his  farm.  His  landed  operations  were  vast,  but  his  estate  was 
heavily  encumbered.  When  the  Land  Company  commenced 
winding  up  its  business  it  was  abundantly  able  to  pay  all  its  debts. 
Judge  James  Wilson  was  an  agent  for  the  company  also,  and  for 
some  cause  not  clearly  known  at  this  day,  Mr.  Wallis  allowed  him 
to  assume  the  debt  owed  him  by  the  Land  Company.  And  through 
an  amicable  settlement,  as  appears  from  the  records,  a  mortgage 
was  executed  by  James  Wilson,  of  Philadelphia,  to  Samuel  Wallis 
for  220,000  acres  of  land,  being  an  undivided  part  of  300,000  acres 
in  Lycoming  County,  which  was  one  part  of  one  million  acres  of 
land  which  are  more  particularly  mentioned  in  certain  articles  of 
agreement  dated  December  25,  1792,  between  James  Wilson  and 
Herman  LeRoy  and  William  Bayard,  of  the  city  of  New  York, 
agents  or  trustees  for  Wilhelm  Willinck,  Nicholas  Van  Staphorst, 
Christian  Van  Elghon,  Hendrick  Vollenhoven  and  Rutger  Jan 
Schimmelpennick,  of  the  city  of  Amsterdam,  known  as  the 
Holland  Land  Company. 

This  was  subject  to  a  mortgage  given  by  the  said  James  Wilson 
to.  John  Adlum  February  7,  1798,  securing  $60,000.  On  Febru- 
ary 8,  1773,  the  application  of  Joseph  Schute  for  300  acres  of 
land  was  conveyed  to  Samuel  Wallis,  and  on  May  8,  1776,  was  by 
him  conveyed  to  Michael  Ross  for  five  shillings  and  other  valuable 
considerations.  Also  the  application  of  Samuel  Richards  for  300 
acres  of  land  above  the  mouth  of  Toby's  Creek,  dated  April  3, 
1769,  was  conveyed  to  Samuel  Wallis,  and  on  May  18,  1796,  was 
by  him  conveyed  to  Michael  Ross  for  five  shillings  and  other 
valuable  considerations.  The  Toby's  Creek  here  mentioned  is 
supposed  to  be  what  is  now  known  as  Grafius  Run,  which  passes 
through  the  central  part  of  Williamsport. 

A  long  time  elapsed  before  Wallis  could  get  a  final  settlement 
with  Wilson.  An  elaborate  statement  of  the  account  was  recently 
found  among  his  old  papers  now  in  the  possession  of  Howard  R. 
Wallis,  of  Muncy.  All  the  items  are  given  in  detail,  and  the 
venerable  document,  now  gray  with  age,  fills  six  large  folio  pages. 
An  examination  of  the  statement  shows  that  the  first  article  of 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  357 

agreement  between  James  Wilson  and  Samuel  Wallis  was  dated 
April  14,  1793,  and  the  second  April  i,  1795. 

The  account  was  audited  by  referees — Joseph  Thomas,  attorney 
for  James  Wilson,  and  T.  Duncan,  Jr.,  for  Samuel  Wallis,  who 
signed  the  same  July  6,  1797.  The  report  provides  an  allowance 
of  twenty  days  for  filing  exceptions.  The  account  as  stated 
showed  a  debt  of  £1 16,077  '7^  ^j^d  and  a  credit  of  .£^27,577  is, 
leaving  a  balance  in  favor  of  Mr.  Wallis  of  £"88,500  i6s  2}4d. 
This  shows  how  vast  his  business  was  for  that  period.  An 
affirmation  on  the  back  of  the  statement  made  before  Isaac 
Howell,  an  alderman  of  Philadelphia,  August  16,  1797,  sets  forth 
that  on  July  21,  1797,  at  Burlington,  N.  J.,  Samuel  Wallis  delivered 
a  copy  of  the  account  to  the  "  Hon.  James  Wilson,"  in  the  pres- 
ence of  William  Johnson,  who  made  the  copy  from  the  original, 
and  up  to  that  date  he  had  not  been  served  with  any  written 
objections  thereto.  The  notations  by  the  auditors  appear  on  the 
margin,  and  they  are  written  in  a  neat  and  delicate  hand.  The 
statement  bears  the  following  indorsement  on  the  back  :  "  On  the 
2 1st  day  of  last  July  I  received  a  copy  of  this  account.  James 
Wilson,  1st  September,  1797."  The  signature  of  Mr.  Wilson  is 
clear  and  distinct.  Mr.  Wallis  also  wrote  a  fine  business  hand, 
indicating  firmness  of  character. 

Among  other  things  the  account  recites  the  items  of  expense 
for  securing  titles,  locations,  surveys,  court  costs,  traveling  ex- 
penses, interest  on  money  advanced,  etc.,  for  James  Wilson  and 
the  Holland  Land  Company,  between  the  Second  Fork  of  Sinne- 
mahoning  and  Boston;  on  locations  west  of  the  Allegheny 
River  and  Conewango  Creek ;  on  the  Mahopeny  and  Bowman's 
Creek,  in  "Westmoreland  County;"  on  Sugar  Creek,  Luzerne 
County;  on  Loyalsock  Creek;  in  Huntingdon  County,  besides 
several  transactions  with  John  Adlum  at  Fort  Franklin.  His  land 
operations,  it  will  be  perceived,  were  immense  and  covered  a  wide 
territory. 

At  the  final  meeting  between  Wallis  and  Wilson,  tradition  in- 
forms us,  the  latter  said  that  he  did  not  have  money  enough  to 
wipe  out  all  his  indebtedness,  but  he  could  pay  one-half  in  cash, 
or  furnish  him  (Wallis)  with  wild  lands  for  the  whole  debt.  It 
does  not  appear  that  any  papers  were  signed  at  that  time,  but  they 


3S8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

separated,  evidently  expecting  to  meet  again  soon  and  close  up 
their  business.  This  last  meeting  is  supposed  to  have  been  at 
Burlington,  N.  J. 

And  here  comes  the  mysterious  part  of  this  affair.  Soon  after- 
wards Mr.  Wilson  crossed  the  Delaware  into  Pennsylvania,  and 
after  putting  up  at  a  farm  house,  retired,  took  a  large  draught  of 
laudanum,  and  was  found  dead  next  morning!  The  mystery  of 
the  suicide  has  never  been  explained,  but  it  was  the  beginning  of 
trouble  for  Mr.  Wallis,  which  culminated  in' the  sacrifice  of  a 
magnificent  landed  estate  after  his  death.  The  most  charitable 
construction  that  can  be  placed  on  the  suicide  of  Wilson  is  that 
he  was  bankrupt,  and  being  goaded  by  Wallis,  who  was  a  resolute 
and  positive  man,  to  settle,  he  became  discouraged,  and  seeing  no 
way  out  of  his  trouble,  suddenly  resolved  to  end  his  life ! 

Creditors  commenced  pushing  their  claims  for  settlement,  and 
finally  a  writ  of  Pliiries  Venditioni  Exponas  was  issued  by  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania,  directed  to  Henry  Vanderslice, 
sheriff  of  Northumberland  County,  and  that  officer  seized  "  a  part 
of  that  valuable  body  of  land  commonly  called  the  Muncy 
Farm,"  and  advertised  it  for  sale,  at  Williamsport,  on  the  3d  of 
May,  1 802.  The  sale  bill,  a  copy  of  which  is  still  in  existence, 
says  that  the  tract  contained  about  3,900  acres,  and  extended  for 
five  miles  along  the  river  between  Loyalsock  and  Muncy  Creek, 
and  also  comprised  an  island  in  the  ri\'er  called  Spring  Island. 
The  land  was  sold  in  tracts  for  the  convenience  of  purchasers,  and 
the  conditions  were  "  one-half  part  of  the  purchase  money  to  be 
paid  to  the  sheriff  at  the  time  and  place  of  sale,  otherwise  the 
premises  to  be  immediately  re-sold,  etc.,  and  the  remaining  part  of 
the  purchase  money  to  be  paid  to  the  sheriff  on  the  return  day  of  the 
writ,  to  wit,  the  first  Monday  of  September  next,  at  the  Court 
House,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia."  The  sale  bill  was  printed  at 
Sunbury  by  Jacob  E.  Breyfogel,  and  it  presents  an  antique  ap- 
pearance when  compared  with  similar  bills  of  to-da)'. 

The  Muncy  Farm  tracts  were  numbered  from  one  to  eight,  and 
those  in  Bald  Eagle  Township  from  nine  to  fourteen.  Number 
eight  was  the  tract  on  which  the  Mansion 'House  was  situated, 
together  with  "barn,  stables  and  outhouses,"  and  contained  about 
700  acres. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  359 

The  sale  took  place  according  to  announcement,  and  among 
the  Wallis  papers  of  to-day  is  a  bill  of  sale,  which  is  copied  here- 
with in  full : 

Charles  Bitters  for  the  use  of  Mahlon  Hutchinson  versus  Samuel  Wallis,  Supreme 

Court  of  Pennsylvania. 

Acct.  of  the  sales  of  the  real  property  of  S.  Wallis  made  by  Henry  Vanderslice 
at  Williamsport  on  the  3d  and  4th  days  of  May,  1S02,  in  pursuance  of  his  advertise- 
ment, dated  at  Sunbury,  17th  of  April,  1802. 

Sales  made  on  the  3d  of  May,  1802,  viz: 

No.     9  containing  310  acres.     Sold  to  Thos.   Grant,  Esq.,  for  ^(882.67 


!.' 

10 

321 
310 

!,' 

"       " 

" 

"  353-0O 
"^      631.00 

" 

12 

"           338 

" 

"       " 

" 

" 

'<: 

'3 

3U  1 

400   ; 

[56  p. 

". 

"    !! 

;.' 

!', 

50.00 
"   1,803.00 

" 

2 

400 

" 

" 

"    " 

"    1, 66 1. 00 

" 

3 

400 

" 

" 

"    " 

"   1,652.00 

4 

500 

"    " 

"  2,012.00 

5 

500 

" 

"    " 

" 

"  2,014.00 

" 

6 

500 

" 

"    " 

"   1,702.00 

" 

7 

500 

" 

"    " 

" 

"   1,525.00 

Sales  r 

nade  c 

,n  4th  May: 

No. 

:3  c, 

antaining  282 
700 

acres. 

Sold 

to  Thos 

i.  Grant, 

Esq., 

for  S301.00 

Acres      -      -      5,766,156  Jii9,i88.67 

Although  the  above  is  a  true  copy  of  the  bill,  it  will  be  noticed 
that  the  first  column  adds  up  eight  acres  more  than  the  total 
given,  making  5,774.  Thomas  Grant,  who  was  a  resident  of  Sun- 
bury  at  that  time,  and  afterwards  sheriff  of  Northumberland 
Count}',  made  the  purchase  for  Henry  Drinker,  a  prominent  land 
speculator  of  that  day.  The  proceeds  of  the  sale  fell  far  below 
the  indebtedness  of  the  estate. 

From  a  letter  written  by  J.  Wallis  and  D.  Smith,  two  of  the 
administrators,  to  Henry  Drinker,  under  date  of  March  10,  1803, 
it  is  learned  that  "the  Muncy  Farm  contained  in  one  connected 
body  7,561  acres,  and  the  debt  and  interest  due  on  the  mortgage 
was  ;^4,443  i6s  8d."  The  farm  extended  to  Loyalsock.  Spring 
Island  contained  about  500  acres.  After  deducting  Grant's  pur- 
chase at  sheriffs  sale,  2,300  acres  remained  unsold.  The  letter 
recites  at  great  length  the  encumbered  condition  of  the  estate,  and 
refers  by  name  to  the  holders  of  various  mortgages,  liens,  execu- 
tions, etc.,  including  claims  of  servants  for  pay.     The  letter  con- 


360  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

tinues:  "The  2,300  acres,  although  much  inferior  to  those 
purchased  by  Grant,  are  nevertheless  valuable,  and  depressed  as 
the  price  of  land  is,  and  speaking  with  our  hands  on  our  hearts. 
we  solemnly  declare  that  we  believe  the  3,960  acres  purchased  by 
Grant  to  be  worth  at  a  cash  valuation  $20  per  acre.  This  estimate 
is  low,  and  we  believe  that  indifferent  persons,  good  judges  of 
lands,  would  make  the  price  higher.  But  further  it  is  to  be 
remarked  that  the  amount  of  Grant's  purchase  is  $19,188.67!" 

But  judging  from  the  tone  of  a  letter  written  soon  afterwards  to 
Robert  Coleman  by  Mr.  Drinker,  he  was  not  entirely  satisfied  with 
his  purchase  and  was  anxious  to  sell.     The  letter  is  as  follows: 

Philad.a..  imo.  9,  1805. 
Respfxted  friend: 

It  has  been  intimated  to  me  by  Daniel  Smith,  Esq.,  that  the  valuable  estate 
formerly  possessed  by  Samuel  Wallis,  called  Muncy  Farm,  (the  title  for  this  property 
being  now  vested  in  me)  had  in  some  measure  claimed  thy  attention  and  that  a 
communication  from  me  on  the  subject  would  be  acceptable. 

My  nephew  at  the  Bank  of  North  America  also  informed  me  that  thou  regretted 
thy  not  recollecting  my  person  at  our  late  accidental  meeting  there,  that  thou  then 
expressed  a  wish  to  confer  with  me,  probably  on  this  subject.  Inclosed  I  send  thee 
a  map  of  the  Muncy  Farm,  and  also  a  description  of  the  quality,  &c.,  of  the  several 
lots  or  divisions,  as  delineated  in  said  map.  This  account  of  the  Muncy  Farm  I 
am  assured  is  just  and  candid,  and  in  no  part  overrated,  on  which  head,  however, 
much  need  not  be  said.  Presuming  persons  inclined  to  purchase  will  look  for 
themselves.  I  may  own  I  have  been  greatly  disappointed  in  my  expectations  respect- 
ing this  estate,  having  for  many  years  entertained  an  opinion  and  heard  it  described 
as  equal  if  not  superior  to  any  farm  in  this  state,  and  under  this  impression  believed 
it  would  invite  numerous  purchasers,  and  command  a  speedy  sale ;  now  especially, 
as  it  was  agreed  to  offer  it  at  rates  much  lower  than  lands,  neither  equal  in  quality,  or 
so  well  situated  had  been  selling  for.  It  is  true  many  applications  have  been  made 
by  persons  who  wished  to  be  indulged  with  extended  payments  for  a  considerable 
part  of  the  purchase  money;  but  in  my  situation,  under  the  pressure  of  heavy  ad- 
vances made  by  me  to  remove  and  relieve  thy  estate  from  every  incumbrance,  those 
distant  payments  could  not  be  assented  to.  Now  my  friend,  if  thou  art  disposed  to 
treat  for  this  property,  on  thy  signifying  the  same,  I  think  the  terms  I  shall  tempt 
thee  with  will  be  such  as  can  not  fail  of  meeting  thy  acceptance.  Several  wealthy 
farmers  have  been  in  treaty  with  me  for  a  large  part  of  the  premises,  expecting  to 
form  a  neighbourhood,  some  of  them  having  viewed  the  estate  last  summer,  and 
lately  went  a  second  time  as  far  as  Reading,  but  were  discouraged  from  proceeding 
by  the  snow  which  had  fallen,  and  difficulty  of  the  roads — on  this  account  to  hear 
from  thee  speedily  would  be  acceptable  to  thy  assured 
Friend 

Henry  Drinker. 

Robert  Coleman,  Esq. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  36 1 

The  property  was  finally  purchased  by  Mr.  Coleman,  of  Corn- 
wall, Lebanon  County,  in  1806,  and  presented  to  his  daughter 
Elizabeth,  wife  of  Charles  Hall,*  who  then  lived  at  Sunbury. 
Other  purchases  were  made  from  time  to  time  until  the  estate 
comprised  about  6,000  acres,  and  it  has  since  been  known  as 
"Hall's  Farms."  After  her  husband's  death,  in  1821,  Mrs.  Hall 
and  her  twelve  children  moved  from  Sunbury  to  Muncy  Farm,  and 
she  built  the  eastern  end  of  the  present  mansion.  The  architect 
employed  by  her  was  the  same  who  had  built  the  State  Capitol  at 
Harrisburg. 

The  wood-work  was  all  dressed  at  Harrisburg  and  brought  up 
the  river  on  batteaus.  In  1823  Mrs.  Hall  moved  to  Lancaster  and 
left  the  place  in  charge  of  her  son,  Robert  Coleman  Hall,  who 
married  Sarah  Ann  Watts,  daughter  of  Judge  Watts,  of  Carlisle, 
Pa.  In  1840  she  returned  to  Muncy  Farm,  and  remained  there 
until  her  death  in  1858.  Her  son  James,  at  her  wish,  had  left 
Greenwood  Furnace,  at  Lewistown,  which  he  owned,  to  take 
control  of  the  Muncy  property.  At  her  death  the  property  was 
divided  among  her  children,  the  mansion  farm  going  to  her  son 
James,  who  lived  there  until  1868,  when  he  moved  to  Philadelphia 
and  died  there  in  1882,  leaving  the  property  to  his  son,  W.  Cole- 
man Hall.  The  farm  now  comprises  about  500  acres  and  is  in  a 
high  state  of  cultivation. 

In  the  division  of  the  property  among  the  children  of  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Hall,  the  upper  or  western  farm,  known  as  Fairfield,  fell 
to  the  share  of  Louisa,  wife  of  F.  W.  Rawle,  who  soon  after  built 
the  stone  house  now  in  the  possession  of  his  son,  Hon.  Henry 
Rawle,  who  was  State  Treasurer  in  1875-6. 

Mr.  Rawle  has  recently  added  to  and  embellished  the  building 


*Charles  Hall,  when  a  young  man,  was  employed  as  a  book-keeper  by  Mr. 
Coleman,  aftd  he  performed  his  duties  so  well  that  he  soon  became  a  favorite  in  the 
family,  and  finally  secured  the  heart  and  hand,  by  marriage,  of  his  daughter.  He 
studied  law  and  settled  in  Sunbury,  where  he  became  a  leading  member  of  the  bar. 
He  built  and  occupied  the  elegant  brick  residence  fronting  the  river  bank,  now  owned 
by  Hon.  John  B.  Packer.  Mr.  Hall  died  in  Philadelphia,  January  14,  1821,  aged  53 
years,  2  months  and  12  days.  His  remains  were  afterwards  removed  to  the  cemetery 
on  Muncy  Farm,  and  a  plain  slab,  with  inscriptions,  marks  his  resting  place.  His  wife 
Elizabeth,  born  July  22,  1778,  died  August  5,  1858,  aged  80  years  and  13  days,  lies 
by  his  side. 


362  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

to  such  an  extent  as  to  make  it  a  modern  and  showy  edifice,  and 
it  is  now  one  of  the  most  attractive  and  charming  places  of  resort 
in  summer  time. 

Among  the  many  old  papers  in  the  Wallis  collection  which  have 
escaped  the  ravages  of  time,  is  one  now  yellow  with  age,  bearing 
this  indorsement :  "  Henry  Drinker  and  wife  to  Robert  Coleman." 
It  is  dated  November  18,  1805.  and  gives  the  "courses  and  dis- 
tances" of  "the  several  tracts  of  land  in  Muncy  Township,"  pur- 
chased in  "consideration  of  i^i  1,558  is  46."  This  is  the  only 
paper  that  has  been  found  in  the  collection  which  mentions  the 
price  paid  for  the  "farms." 

Another  paper,  signed  by  John  Wallis  and  Daniel  Smith,  "two 
of  the  administrators  of  S.  Wallis,  deceased,"  contains  a  proposal 
to  Robert  Coleman  to  "  sell  a  quantity  of  land  at  a  place  called 
the  Long  Reach,  on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  at  four 
dollars  per  acre."  The  proposal  states  that  Mr.  Coleman  "heard 
a  description  of  the  quality  of  the  land  when  last  at  Lycoming." 
This  sum  tliey  "  deemed  to  be  not  more  than  one-third  part  of  its 
real  value,"  but  they  "  would  rather  take  it  than  run  the  risk  of  an 
approaching  sacrifice."  They  informed  him,  furthermore,  that 
they  would  "have  the  lands  sold  on  the  earliest  judgment  and 
bought  in,  and  conveyed  to  him  by  the  purchaser.  There  are  at 
least  1,200  acres  free  from  dispute  as  to  title — perhaps  something 
more.  It  must  also  be  understood  that  these  lands  are  subject  to 
the  purchase  money  due  the  Commonwealth.  It  may  be  neces- 
sary also  to  state  that  this  sum  must  be  paid  in  cash,  and  four 
thousand  eight  hundred  dollars  must  be  at  Williamsport  on  the 
3d  of  May  next."     Signed  and  dated  April  27,  1802. 

Some  uncertainty  existed  for  a  long  time  as  to  where  these 
lands  were  located  on  the  "  Long  Reach."  All  doubt,  however, 
was  removed  recently  by  the  discovery  of  a  beautifully -executed 
draft  among  the  Wallis  papers,  which  shows  that  they  were 
located  on  the  south  side  of  the  rivef,  and  embraced  what  is 
known  as  the  "  Upper  Bottom,"  lying  opposite  the  present  village 
of  Linden.  The  line  commenced  a  short  distance  above  the  pres- 
ent borough  of  DuBoistown,  and  continued  up  the  river  for  967 
perches,  taking  in  all  the  rich  alluvial  lands  now  embraced  in  the 
highly  cultivated  farms  of  the  Messrs.  Gibson  and  others.     There 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  363 

were  five  tracts  surveyed  for  Samuel  Wallis  in  the  right  of  sundry 
persons,  April  3,  1769,  and  a  table  is  given  on  the  draft  as  follows: 

Jacob  Heltzheimer,  conveyed  to  Samuel  Wallis  by  deed  dated  5th  Oct. ,  1 769,  acres  3 1 3 
Maiy  Litton,  "  "       "  "        "       "         "     6th  Oct.,  1769,    "      310 

William  Lofflin,  "  "      "  "        "       "         "   12th  Mar.,  1770,    "      310 

Jacob  Steel,  "  "       "  "        "      "         "     9th  Aug.,  1769,    "      338 

Ann  Stamp,  "  "       "  "        "       "  "  20th  Aug.,  1772,    "       321 

Lands  belonging  to  Andrew  Culbertson  bounded  the  tracts  of 
Ann  Stamp  and  James  Steel  on  the  south,  and  William  Hepburn 
on  the  west.  These  five  tracts  were  sold  on  the  2d  and  3d  of 
May,  1802,  in  Williamsport,  by  Sheriff  Vanderslice,  and  purchased 
by  Thomas  Grant. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  these  rich  lands  were  not  held  at  more 
than  four  dollars  an  acre  eighty-six  years  ago.  To-day  the  best 
farms  in  the  "  Bottom"  could  not  be  purchased  for  $150  and  ;g200 
an  acre.  Mr.  Coleman  certainly  missed  a  royal  bargain,  for  there 
is  nothing  to  show  that  he  accepted  the  liberal  proposal,  and  some- 
body else  profited  by  the  "sacrifice." 

The  discovery  of  two  other  beautifully  executed  drafts  shows 
that  Mr.  Wallis  also  acquired  all  the  lands  on  the  north  side  of 
the  river  from  Lycoming  Creek  to  a  point  on  the  river  above 
"  Level  Corner,"  where  the  Pine  Creek  Railroad  cuts  through  the 
rocks  on  the  estate  of  the  late  John  King.  These  lands  were  also 
designated  as  lying  on  the  "  Long  Reach." 

The  line  of  the  survey  of  the  first  tract  commenced  at  a  point 
on  Lycoming  Creek,  on  the  west  side,  and  ran  up  near  where 
Bridge  No.  i  of  the  Northern  Central  Railroad  crosses  the  stream, 
or  as  the  survey  designates  it,  "  opposite  the  point  of  the  first  large 
hill."  This  took  in  the  present  residence  of  George  W.  Young- 
man,  Esq.  The  line  then  turned  and  followed  what  appears  to  be 
the  route  of  the  present  public  road  "to  a  marked  locust  on  the 
side  of  the  river  a  small  distance  below  the  mouth  of  Quinasha- 
Jiaquc  Run,  thence  down  the  river  by  the  several  courses  to  the 
place  of  beginning."  The  "survey  was  made  on  the  22d  and  23d 
days  of  June,  1773,  for  Samuel  Wallis,  in  pursuance  of  seven 
orders  of  survey  dated  the  3d  of  April,  1769,"  and  contained 
2,328  acres.  The  names  of  the  seven  persons  to  whom  the  ap- 
plications were  granted  appear  on  the  draft,  but  they  are  not 
familiar  names  of  to-day. 


364  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

The  second  survey  commenced  on  the  west  at  the  locust  tree 
where  the  first  survey  ended,  and  apparently  followed  the  public 
road  of  to-day,  "  to  a  post  on  the  bank  of  the  river,"  and  thence 
down  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The  survey  was  made 
on  the  24th  and  25th  days  of  June,  1773,  "for  Samuel  Wallis,  in 
pursuance  of  five  orders  of  survey  dated  April  3,  1769,"  to  that 
many  different  persons,  and  contained  1,547  acres.  The  only 
familiar  names  mentioned  in  the  orders  are  Elizabeth  Walton  and 
Josiah  Hews.  A  short  distance  above  the  western  corner,  on  the 
river,  the  great  tract  containing  over  5,000  acres,  and  extending  to 
Pine  Creek,  commenced,  which  has  already  been  described. 

From  the  numerous  surveys  heretofore  noted,  although  in  a 
disconnected  form,  on  account  of  the  extreme  difficulty  experienced 
in  gathering  the  information  at  this  late  day,  it  seems  pretty  clear 
that  Mr.  Wallis  at  one  time  controlled,  or  owned,  nearly  all  the  land 
from  Muncy  Creek  to  Pine  Creek,  embracing  the  splendid  district 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river  known  as  the  "Upper,  or  Susque- 
hanna Bottom,"  including  the  ground  on  which  the  Philadelphia 
and  Erie  Railroad  station  known  as  Nesbit  is  built.  What  a 
magnificent  domain!  And  yet  with  all  his  vast  possessions,  on 
account  of  having  suddenly  died  intestate,  nothing  was  left  worth 
speaking  of  for  his  descendants  on  the  final  settlement  of  his 
immense  estate. 

The  mansion  is  still  regarded  as  a  landmark,  and  as  time  mel- 
lows its  walls  it  grows  more  stately  in  its  grandeur.  The  smaller 
portion  of  the  building,  on  the  right  of  the  illustration,  is  the  part 
erected  by  Samuel  Wallis  in  1769.  Being  solidly  constructed  of 
stone,  it  has  successfully  weathered  the  tempests  of  nearl}-  120 
years.  It  is  true  that  it  has  been  overhauled  and  improved,  but 
the  walls,  which  are  three  feet  thick,  are  still  the  same.  The 
figures,  "  1769,"  are  carved  on  one  of  the  stones,  so  that  there  can 
be  no  doubt  as  to  the  date  of  its  erection.  The  original  wood- 
work, which  was  of  Norway  spruce,  waS  dressed  at  some  point 
below  and  brought  up  the  river  and  placed  in  the  building. 

The  two-story  structure  on  the  left,  with  its  antique  front  and 
dormer  windows,  is  the  addition  erected  by  Mrs.  Hall  in  1821.  It 
was  patterned  after  the  style  of  manor  buildings  in  vogue  in 
England  at  that  time.     Its  rooms  are  large,  airj'  and  grand,  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


365 


the  inside  is  rich  and  elaborate.  The  marble  mantels,  made  of 
stone  obtained  on  the  ground,  are  finely  dressed  and  carved. 
E\'erything  about  the  building  is  rich  without  being  gaudy.  The 
lawn,  which  is  broad  and  neatly  kept,  with  its  sweeping  driveway 
and  stately  trees,  is  all  that  a  cultivated  ta.ste  could  desire. 


The  magnificent  elms  overhanging  the  building  on  the  left  have 
a  history  that  is  worth  repeating  in  this  connection.  One  tradi- 
tion is  that  they  were  planted  under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Wallis 
soon  after  she  came  from  her  Philadelphia  home  as  a  bride. 
Finding  that  all  the  trees  for  some  distance  around  the  house  had 
been  cut  down,  she  begged  of  her  husband  to  have  a  few  planted 
that  in  time  they  might  have  shade.  He  objected  by  saying  that 
he  had  been  paying  men  to  fell  trees  and  he  did  not  feel  like 
incurring  the  expense  to  have  more  planted.  Undaunted  by  his 
objection,  Mrs.  Wallis  set  about  making  arrangements  to  have 
)-oung  trees  planted,  and  one  evening  after  the  working  hours  of 
the  day  were  over  she, secured  the  services  of  a  colored  boy 
to  assist  her  in  planting  them,  and  the  labor  cost  Mr.  Wallis 
nothing. 

The  other  tradition  is  that  the  trees  were  planted  by  Mr.  Wallis 
and  his  wife  by  moonlight,  to  avoid  being  disturbed  by  the  Indians, 
who  prowled  about  in  the  neighborhood,  and  she  held  them  erect 
while  he  shoveled  in  the  dirt  about  the  roots.     Whether  the  stories 


366  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

of  their  planting  are  true  or  not  is  unknown;    but  there   is  no 
doubt  of  their  having  been  set  out  where  they  stand. 

Originally  there  were  four,  but  when  they  grew  to  great  size 
they  were  too  much  crowded,  and  one  in  the  foreground  was  felled 
to  make  more  room.  The  others  remain,  and  they  are  stately  and 
grand  in  their  age.  The  one  in  the  background,  however,  has 
gone  into  decay  and  will  soon  pass  away.  For  a  hundred  and 
twenty  years  they  have  stood  on  that  lawn  and  witnessed  nearly 
four  generations  come  and  go.  The  fair  woman  who  superintended 
their  planting  has  long  since  returned  to  dust,  but  they  are  still 
there,  and  in  summer  time  they  are  fresh,  green  and  beautiful. 
What  stories  could  they  tell  if  gifted  with  speech !  What  strange 
and  exciting  scenes  they  have  witnessed !  Warriors,  painted  and 
plumed,  have  rested  beneath  their  inviting  shade ;  lovers  have  met 
by  moonlight  in  their  shadow  to  bill  and  coo;  children  have 
gamboled  around  them,  and  strong  men,  intent  on  business  or 
pleasure,  have  praised  their  beauty  as  the}'  have  come  and  gone. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

OPENING  OF  THE  YEAR  1 7/0 STORV  OF  THE  GREAT  ISLAND 

MUNCY  MANOR  TROUBLES NORTHUMBERLAND  COUNTY  ERECTED 

FIRST  COURT PLAN  OF  THE  ORIGINAL  SURVEY  OF  SUNBURY. 

THE  year  1770  opened  with  great  activity  in  the  West  Branch 
Valley.  Settlers  commenced  pouring  in  from  New  Jersey 
and  the  lower  counties  of  the  Province,  attracted  by  reports  of  the 
fertility  of  the  land  and  the  ease  of  acquiring  tracts  through  the 
land  office  at  a  nominal  cost.  James  Armstrong  settled,  or  rather 
squatted,  on  a  tract  at  the  upper  end  of  the  present  borough  of 
Jersey  Shore — for  that  was  disputed  territory — and  commenced 
making  an  improvement.  Soon  afterwards  James  Alexander 
ascended  Pine  Creek  and  built  a  cabin  on  the  tract  now  embraced 
in  the  Tomb  estate.  He  disappeared  when  the  Indian  troubles 
commenced  and  was  never  heard  of  again.  Two  families  pene- 
trated as  far  as  the  mouth  of  Youngwoman's  Creek  and  made 
some  improvements.  The  name  of  one  family  was  Reed.  Simon 
Cool*  settled  at  the  mouth  of  Larry's  Creek,  and  very  likely  took 
possession  of  the  spot  occupied  by  Larry  Burt,  the  Indian  trader, 
who  had  moved  on. 

*  Simon  Cool  was  an  ensign  in  the  Eighth  Company  of  Associators,  Captain 
Henry  Antes,  January  24,  1776,  and  Captain  of  the  Sixth  Company,  Third  Battalion, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Plunkett,  March  13,  1776.  About  two  years  after  the  mas- 
sacre (1778)  on  the  site  of  the  upper  part  of  Williamsport,  Cool,  William  King,  his 
cousin,  and  James  McSweeney,  pushed  up  the  river  from  Northumberland  in  a  canoe 
to  hunt  for  their  winter's  meat.  They  stopped  at  a  cabin  which  stood  at  the  mouth 
of  Dry  Run.  The  next  day  they  passed  up  Dougherty's  Run  and  descended  Bottle 
Run  to  Lycoming  Creek.  When  near  the  creek  they  found  themselves  pursued  by 
three  Indians.  Cool  and  McSweeney  ran  for  their  lives,  and  King,  who  was  on  the 
hill-side,  escaped.  On  reaching  the  creek,  McSweeney  got  over  safely,  but  Cool,  being 
a  large  man,  fell  in.  On  clambering  up  the  bank  he  found  that  he  could  make  no 
headway  with  his  wet  clothing,  and  he  took  to  a  tree  for  protection.  His  dog. gave 
him  some  trouble,  and  while  trying  to  keep  it  quiet  he  stooped  forward,  when  an 
Indian  shot  him  through  the  breast.     He  raised  up  and  called  to  McSweeney  to  give 


^6S  HISTOKV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

From  the  earliest  times  the  Great  Island*  was  a  favorite  place 
with  the  Indians,  and  they  remained  there  until  the  encroachments 
of  the  whites  compelled  them  to  leave.  It  was  a  lovely  spot  and 
the  soil  was  exceedingly  rich.  As  late  as  1768  Shawana  Ben  and 
Newhaleeka  resided  there.  The  former  was  chief  of  the  remnant  of 
the  Shawanese  and  Newhaleeka  of  the  Delawares.  They  remained 
there  until  about  1771,  when  they  bid  adieu  to  the  lovely  spot  and 
turned  their  faces  westward,  never  to  return. 

When  the  surveyors  came  to  lay  off  the  Allison  tract,  in  176S, 
they  were  accompanied  by  William  Dunn.t  a  native  of  York 
County,  who  acted  in  the  capacity  of  hunter  to  the  party  and 
served  it  with  wild  game  for  food.  He  carried  a  handsome  rifle 
and  other  equipments  to  match,  which  greatly  attracted  the  atten- 
ion  and  admiration  of  old  Newhaleeka,  the  owner  of  the  island. 

And  the  more  he 


viewed  the  gun 
and  accoutre- 
ments the  more 
determined  he 
became  to  pos- 
sess them.  Fi- 
nally he  offered 
to  give  Dunn  his 
island  for  the 
rifle,  trappings 
and  a  keg  of 
whisky  which  the  surveyors  had  with  them.  Tradition  informs 
us  that  Dunn  made  the  exchange  as  proposed  by  the  chief,  as  he 

up,  as  he  was  mortally  wounded,  and  sank  down  in  death.  McSweeney  then  sur- 
rendered and  was  taken  prisoner.  Cool  was  stripped  of  his  clothing  and  his  body  left 
where  it  fell.  The  Indians  took  his  gun  and  left  an  old  musket  in  its  place,  and 
hastily  departed  with  their  prisoner.  They  carried  him  to  Canada  and  kept  him  in 
captivity  for  some  time.  He  finally  got  back  to  Northumberland,  and  meeting  King, 
explained  the  mystery  of  Cool's  death.  Only  a  few  years  ago  the  rusty  irons  of  the 
old  musket  were  plowed  up  by  a  fanner.  Cool  was  killed  near  what  is  now  known 
as  Bridge  No.  2,  on  the  Northern  Central  Railroad. 

*  Situated  in  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  River,  Clinton  County,  about 
two  miles  east  of  Lock  Haven. ' 

f  William  Dunn  took  an  active  part  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  being  one  of 
the  committee  of  safety  for  Northumberland  County,  of  which  the  island  was  then  a 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  369 

was  satisfied  the  bargain  was  a  good  one.  The  Indian  was  de- 
lighted and  indulged  freely  in  the  use  of  the  whisky,  but  after  its 
exhilarating  effects  had  passed  off  he  began  to  realize  what  a  foolish 
thing  he  had  done  and  proposed  to  trade  back.  But  Dunn 
held  him  fast  to  his  bargain  and  took  possession  of  the  Great 
Island.  Whether  the  story  of  its  acquisition  is  true  or  not  is  un- 
known, but  we  do  know  that  Dunn  was  the  first  settler  and 
afterwards  obtained  a  legal  title  from  the  State. 

The  records  show  that  Dunn  made  application  for  the  island, 
and  that  the  survey  was  ordered.  If  the  stoiy  of  his  trade  with 
old  Newhaleeka  is  true,  that  was  not  sufficient  to  give  him  a  full 
title,  but  before  his  patent  was  granted  he  had  to  pay  "thirty 
pounds  per  hundred  acres  "  to  the  Proprietaries.  The  document  as 
recorded  in  the  Land  Office  is  as  follows : 

Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  ss. 

WHEREAS,  William  Dunn  of  the  County  of hath  requested  to  take  up 

three  hundred  Acres  of  Land,  including  his  improvement  made  about  the  year  1770 
in  the  great  Island  in  the  West  branch  of  Susquehanna,  in  the  County  of  Northum- 
berland, for  which  he  agrees  to  pay  immediately  into  the  Office  of  the  Receiver  Gen- 
eral for  the  use  of  this  State,  at  the  Rate  of  Thirty  Pounds  per  Hundred  Acres,  in 
Gold,  Silver,  Paper  Money  of  this  State,  or  Certificates  agreeable  to  Acts  of  Assembly, 
passed  the  First  Day  of  April  and  21st  day  of  December,  1784. 

THESE  are  therefore  to  authorize  and  require  you  to  Survey  or  cause  to  be  Sur- 

part.  At  the  time  of  the  "Big  Runaway"  he  was  forced,  like  his  neighbors,  to  leave 
his  house  and  fly  to  a  place  of  safety.  He  found  his  way  to  York,  which  place  he 
had  left  a  few  years  before,  and  soon  enlisted  in  the  army.  He  participated  in  sev- 
eral battles,  among  others  those  of  Germantown  and  Trenton.  After  the  latter  the 
Government  pressed  all  teams  into  the  service  that  were  available.  Mr.  Dunn  was 
surprised  one  day  to  see  his  own  horses  and  wagon  brought  into  camp,  and  im- 
mediately asked  permission  to  take  charge  of  them,  which  was  granted;  so  he  had 
the  satisfaction  of  driving  his  own  team,  if  he  was  a  soldier. — Maynard's  Clinton 
Couiify^  pages  147-8. 

Mr.  Maynard  says  that  nearly  all  the  valuable  and  interesting  records  relating  to 
the  early  history  of  the  island  were  unfortunately  destroyed  by  fire  several  years  ago. 
Therefore  it  is  difficult  to  give  anything  like  an  accurate  and  complete  sketch  of  its 
settlement.  It  is  known,  however,  that  previous  to  its  occupation  by  the  whites,  it 
was  a  rallying  point  and  council  ground  for  the  Indians.  History  records  a  meeting 
of  representatives  of  several  different  tribes  on  the  island  in  October,  1755.  This 
meeting  was  held,  it  seems,  to  consider  the  propositions  that  had  just  been  made  to 
some  of  the  tribes  by  the  French.  In  May,  1778,  Colonel  Hunter  wrote  to  the 
President  of  the  Executive  Council  of  the  Province," that  he  had  "ordered  some  peo- 
ple that  lives  nigh  the  Great  Island  to  preserve  shad  and  barrel  them  up  for  the  use 
of  the  militia  that  will  be  stationed  there  this  summer." — Page  148. 


370  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

veyed  unto  the  said  William  Dunn  at  the  place  aforesaid,  according  to  the  Method 
of  Townships  appointed,  the  said  Quantity  of  Acres,  if  not  already  surveyed  or 
appropriated,,  and  to  make  Return  thereof  into  the  Secretary's  Office  in  order  for 
Confirmation,  for  which  this  shall  be  your  Warrant. 

IN  WITNESS  whereof,  the  Honorable  Charles  Biddle,  Esquire,  Vice  President 
of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council,  hath  hereunto  set  his  Hand  and  caused  the  less 
Seal  of  the  said  Commonwealth  to  be  affixed  the  Thirteenth  Day  of  October  in  the 
year  1785. 

To  JOHN  LUKENS,  Esq.,  Surveyor  General. 

Endorsed:     1785,  Oct.  13th,  Northumberland,  300  acres. 

William  Dunn,  Returned  &c.,  28  Jan'y,  1796. 

The  first  draft  of  the  island,  made  in  1785,  shows  it  to  have 
been  shaped  very  differently  from  what  it  is  to-day.  And  the 
contents  are  given  at  267',-2  acres,  with  the  usual  allowances, 
which  were  always  very  liberal.  The  change  in  the  form  of  the 
island  has  been  wrought  by  the  action  of  the  water  on  its  shores. 
The  illustration  given  above  was  made  twelve  or  thirteen  years 
ago,  and  since  that  time  it  has  changed  somewhat  in  form.  The 
first  survey  was  made  by  Thomas  Tucker,  a  deputy,  under  date 
of  October  15,  1785,  and  it  was  certified  to  by  John  Lukens,  Sur- 
veyor General. 

The  records  in  the  Court  House,  at  Lock  Haven,  now  show 
the  famous  island  to  be  owned  and  divided  as  follows :  Estate  of 
William  Dunn,  180  acres;  R.  W.  McCormick,  65;  Heniy 
McCormick,  45  ;  John  Myers'  estate,  20;  R.  H.  Dorey,  15.  Total, 
325  acres. 

William  Dunn,  the  first  owner  of  the  island,  passed  it  b}'  will 
to  his  son,  Washington  Dunn,  who  was  for  many  years  a  leading 
citizen.  He  in  turn  transmitted  a  portion  of  the  estate  to  his  son, 
William  Dunn,  who  was  born  on  the  island  December  i,  181 1, 
and  died  suddenly  at  Lock  Haven  September  7,  1877.  Judge 
Dunn  was  a  man  who  was  highly  esteemed,  and  his  death  caused 
great  sorrow.  He  represented  his  district  twice  in  the  Legislature, 
and  was  presented  for  Congress  twice,  but  failed  to  secure  the 
nomination.  In  1871  he  was  elected  an  Associate  Judge  and 
served  out  his  term  with  great  credit. 

In  1772,  or  early  in  1773,  Ludwig  Derr,  a  German,  settled 
where  Lewisburg  stands,  and  purchased  a  tract  of  320  acres  which 
had  been  granted  to  Richard  Peters,  August  ii,  1772.     Colonel 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  37 1 

John  Kelly,  a  distinguished  hero  of  the  Revolution,  settled  in 
Buffalo  Valley,  a  year  or  two  earlier  than  this,  or  about  the  time 
the  officers'  surveys  were  being  made.  About  the  same  time 
Captain  John  Brady  came  with  his  family  from  Standing  Stone, 
and  located  on  an  officer's  tract  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  from 
Derr's  trading  post.  This  was  sometime  in  1772,  and  was  the 
first  appearance  of  this  remarkable  family  in  the  valley.  Captain 
Brady  had  preceded  them  and  selected  a  location.  At  this  time 
there  was  but  one  house  where  Sunbury  was  afterwards  built,  one 
at  Fort  Augusta,  one  on  the  Grant  farm,  one  on  Shamokin  Island,^ 
one  in  Northumberland,  and  but  four  between  that  point  and 
where  Milton  now  stands,  where  there  was  one.  Between  Milton 
and  Muncy  hills  there  were  about  six  families  and  only  about 
eight  or  ten  on  the  river  above.  Colonel  Hunter,  who  had  com- 
mand of  Fort  Augusta,  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  few 
who  resided  at  that  place  at  that  time.  Paul  Baldy  was  one  of 
the  earliest  settlers  at  Sunbury.  His  son,  John  Baldy,  was  born 
April  9,  1783,  and  died  June  22,  1827. 

It  is  learned  from  a  curious  old  paper  covered  with  drafts  of 
surveys  on  Lycoming  Creek,  that  "  H.  and  J.  Thompson"  claimed 
the  applications  filed  by  John  James  and  Richard  Cantwell,  dated 
April,  1769.  The  houses  of  the  Thompsons  are  indicated  on  the 
draft,  as  well  as  Eeltown,  near  by.  The  tracts  warranted  by  a 
number  of  other  persons  are  noted,  and  the  route  of  the  Sheshe- 
quin  war-path  is  indicated  by  a  dotted  line  until  it  reached  the 
point  where  it  turned  off  to  descend  Towanda  Creek,  passing  the 
"  Gooseberry  Meadows." 

Returning  to  the  Muncy  Valley,  attention  is  called  to  the  fact 
that  the  oldest  improvement  known  to  have  been  made  on  Muncy 
Creek,  above  the  mouth  of  Glade  Run,  was  by  Dennis  Mullin,  in 
1 760.  An  old  paper,  excellently  preserved  and  beautifully  written, 
shows  that  Mullin  had  taken  up  "  300  acres  adjoining  James 
Alexander,  and  about  two  miles  south-westward  of  land  claimed 
by  Charles  Moore."  There  seems  to  have  been  some  dispute 
about  the  tract,  judging  from  the  following  affidavit: 

"The  fourteenth  day  of  December,  1765,  came  before  me,  John 
Rannells,  Esq.,  one  of  his  Majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace  for  the 
county  of  Cumberland,  in  the  Province  of  Pennsyl\-ania,  Moses 


372  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Harlan,  and  qualified  according  to  law  that  the  improvement  on 
the  above  located  land  consists  of  about  four  acres  of  cleared  land, 
about  half  fenced,  and  further  this  deponent  saith  not."  The 
affidavit  is  signed  by  Moses  Harlan,  and  a  note  below  his  signa- 
ture says:  "Improved  in  the  year  1760."  James  Tilghman, 
Secretary  of  the  Land  Office,  then  appends  the  following  certifi- 
cate to  the  above  affidavit : 

In  testimony  that  the  above  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original  location,  and  of  the 
affidavit  thereunder  written,  on  which  a  warrant  was  granted  the  1st  of  August,  1766, 
to  Dennis  MuUin,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal  of  the  Land  Office  of 
•  Pennsylvania  this  12th  day  of  March,  1772. 

It  appears  from  the  deeds  of  Dennis  Mullin,  Robert  Roberts, 
James  Alexander,  Charles  Moore  and  Bowyer  Brooks,  who  had 
tracts  adjoining,  that  they  conveyed  them  to  Samuel  Wallis  "  in 
consideration  of  five  shillings  lawful  money  of  the  Province." 
The  surveys  were  made  in  August,  September  and  October,  1766. 
Roberts  conveyed  313  acres,  Brooks  217,  Moore  213  and  Alex- 
ander 232. 

Wallis,  it  is  supposed,  had  these  parties  take  up  the  lands  in 
their  own  names  and  then  convey  them  to  him  for  a  nominal 
consideration. 

A  great  deal  of  trouble  arose  out  of  the  surveys  on  Muncy 
Creek,  and  it  is  impossible  at  this  day  to  arrive  at  all  the  facts. 
Jonathan  Lodge  leaves  a  paper  saying  that  in  the  summer  of  1769 
he  was  employed  as  a  deputy  surveyor  by  William  Scull,  who 
sent  him  to  Muncy  Creek,  above  and  adjoining  the  manor,  and  in 
the  neighborhood,  to  make  surveys  for  Robert  Guy,  John 
Mourer,  Thomas  Seaman,  James  Robb,  William  Foulk,  Mr. 
Campbell  and  others,  who  were  with  him,  in  pursuance  of  orders 
from  the  Land  Office,  dated  the  3d  of  April,  1769.  After  arriving 
on  the  ground  he  was  met  by  Samuel  Harris  (June  i6th),  who 
informed  him  that  there  were  older  rights  to  these  lands,  and 
forbid  him  making  surveys.  Lodge  paid  no  attention  to  him  at 
first  and  proceeded  to  survey,  when  he  soon  found  a  tree  marked 
as  a  corner,  "which  appeared  to  be  old  marks,  on  the  bank  of 
Wolf  Run."  He  called  the  attention  of  those  with  him  to  the 
marks.  In  a  short  time  he  found  other  marks  which  showed 
clearly  that  surveyors  had  been  there  before  hirn.     He  and  his 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


373 


party  then  proceeded  to  the  camp  of  Mr.  Harris  and  informed 
him  what  they  had  discovered.  Harris  told  them  that  the  marked 
tree  was  the  corner  of  an  old  survey,  and  that  he  could  show  all 
the  corners  if  the  party  would  accompany  him.  Lodge  does  not 
say  what  he  did  afterwards,  but  it  is  inferred  that  he  stopped  work. 
There  are  a  number  of  drafts  of  Muncy  Manor  in  existence, 
drawn  for  the  purpose  of  showing  how  the  lines  of  these  disputed 
tracts  overlapped  the  manor.  They  were  used  in  the  lawsuits 
that  followed  between  Wallis  and  the  Proprietaries.  One  given 
herewith  is  interesting,  because  it  shows  the  location  of  John 
Scudder's  house.  He  was  an  early  settler,  and  this  draft  is  called 
"Scudder's  Complaint:" 


The  following  certificate  is  appended  to  the  draft: 

The  above  draft  represents  the  Proprietaries  Manor  of  Muncy,  and  several  tracts 
of  land  claimed  by  Samuel  Wallis  as  they  interfere  with  the  said  Proprietary  Manor. 
The  plain  lines,  together  with  the  river,  includes  the  Manor  of  Muncy,  and  the  dotted 
lines  represent  the  lines  of  the  lands  claimed  by  Samuel  Wallis. 

The  white  oak  corner  of  the  Manor  of  Muncy,  standing  near  Muncy  Creek,  stood 
one  perch  and  a  half   from  where  the  lines  N  80  E  &  N   lo  W  would  intersect. 
But  in  the  line  N  10  W  and  distant  from  the  pine  only  57^  perches. 
Certified  by 

Benja.  Jacobs. 

April  24,  1773. 


374  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

The  dispute  between  Wallis  and  the  Proprietaries  regarding 
the  surveys  having  waxed  warm,  the  question  was  finally  sub- 
mitted to  Joseph  Galloway,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  for  his  legal 
opinion.  After  a  careful  examination  that  gentleman  submitted 
the  following,  which  is  still  in  a  good  state  of  preserv-ation : 

"The  Land  Office  in  Philadelphia  did  at  different  times  issue 
warrants  and  orders  of  survey  to  sundry  persons  for  locating  and 
taking  up  a  quantity  of  vacant  land  in  the  County  of  Cumberland, 
and  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  to  wit: 

"  I.  Warrant  to  Dennis  Mullen  for  300  acres,  dated  the  1st  day 
of  August,  1766,  and  situate  adjoining  James  Alexander,  and 
about  two  miles  southward  of  land  claimed  by  Charles  Moore,  in 
Cumberland  County. 

"  2.  Order  to  James  Alexander,  same  date,  for  300  acres  situate 
adjoining  land  of  Dennis  Mullen,  and  land  of  Robert  Roberts  on 
the  west,  and  vacant  land  on  the  north  and  southward. 

"  3.  Order  to  Robert  Roberts,  same  date,  for  300  acres  situate 
and  adjoining  land  of  James  Alexander  on  the  eastward,  and  west- 
ward by  land  of  Bowyer  Brooks,  and  northward  by  vacant  land. 

"4.  Order  to  Bowyer  Brooks,*  same  day,  for  300  acres,  situate 
adjoining  land  of  Robert  Roberts  on  the  east,  and  by  vacant  land 
southward,  northward  and  westward. 

"5.  Order  to  Robert  Whitehead,  dated  March  17,  1767,  for 
200  acres  situate  and  adjoining  land  surveyed  for  Bowyer  Brooks, 
northerly,  barrens  west,  and  by  a  large  piney  hill  south  and  east. 

"  All  of  which  warrants  and  orders  of  survey  were  purchased 
from  the  different  granters  by  Samuel  Wallis,  as  will  appear  b\- 
their  deeds  of  conveyance  regularly  executed,  etc.  On  the  26th 
day  of  October,  1767,  and  on  the  28th  day  of  May,  1768,  regular 
surveys  were  made  in  pursuance  of  the  Proprietary  warrants  and 
orders    upon  vacant,    unappropriated    land,  and   unpurchased    of 

*  Under  date  of  December  14,  1765,  Moses  Harlan  makes  affidavit  "before  John 
Rannells,  Esq.,  one  of  his  Majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace,"  for  Cumberland  County, 
that  in  1 76 1  the  improvements  on  Bowyer  Brooks'  tract  consisted  of  "  about  foin-  acres 
of  cleared,  half  fenced  "  land.  That  the  improvements  on  the  tract  of  Robert  Roberts, 
made  the  same  year,  consisted  of  "about  three  acres  cleared,  with  a  dwelling  house," 
and  that  there  were  "about  four  acres  cleared  and  a  small  dwelling  house  "  on  the 
James  Alexander  tract. —  IVa/Zis  Papers. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  375 

the  Indians  by  the  Proprietaries'  regular  commissioned  Deputy 
Surveyor,  or  by  some  person  employed  by  him  as  a  deputy, 
which  surveys  were  certified  and  returned  into  the  Surveyor  Gen- 
eral's office  by  the  said  commissioned  deputy;  and  it  since  ap- 
pears that  they  contain  within  their  butts  and  boundaries  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  overplus  land. 

"On  the  25th  day  of  September,  1768,  and  on  the  12th  day  of 
April,  1770,  Samuel  Wallis  obtained  the  Proprietaries'  patents  for 
all  the  lands  so  surveyed  and  returned.  Immediately  after  the 
grand  Indian  purchase  was  concluded  in  November,  1768,  the 
Proprietaries'  officers  laid  out  a  manor,  now  called  the  Muncy 
Manor,*  which  interfered  with  a  part  of  the  foregoing  patents,  and 
such  part  of  these  patents  as  the  manor  did  not  interfere  with,  the 
Proprietary's  officers  granted  away  upon  common  orders  in  what 
was  called  the  Land  Lottery  on  the  3d  day  of  April  following,  to 
different  people,  who  have  since  obtained  surveys  and  returns,  so 
as  to  cover  the  whole  of  the  land  so  patented  by  Samuel  Wallis. 
The  Proprietary's  officers  now  contest  the  legality  of  Samuel 
Wallis'  title,  and  urge  the  following  reasons,  to  wit: 

"  I.  That  a  title  to  land  obtained  before  it  was  purchased  of  the 
Indians  cannot  be  valid  in  law,  because  it  is  contrary  to  their  com- 
mon mode  of  granting. 

"  2.  That  they  (the  superior  officers)  were  deceived,  or  rather 
not  made  acquainted  with  the  true  situation  of  the  land,  but  that 
the  returns  of  survey  were  blind  and  vague,  and  did  not  suffi- 
ciently describe  the  place  on  which  they  were  laid. 

"  3.  That  the  surveys  contain  a  considerable  quantity  of  over- 
plus land. 

"  As  to  any  particular,  fixed  mode  of  granting  away  the  Pro- 
prietaries' lands  has  been  generally  understood  not  to  exist,  but 

*In  the  warrant  to  Dennis  Mullen,  dated  August  I,  1766,  and  signed  by  John 
Penn,  these  words  occur:  "Provided  the  land  does  not  lie  in  or  interfere  with  our 
Manor  of  Lowther."  This  shows  that  it  was  intended  at  one  time  to  call  it  by 
another  name  than  Muncy  Manor.  Possibly  it  was  intended  to  name  it  after  Sir 
John  Lowther  Johnstone,  who  was  a  son  of  Sir  George  Johnstone,  the  eldest  brother 
of  William  Johnstone,  who  married  into  the  Pulteney  family  and  became  known 
thereafter  as  Sir  William  Pulteney.  By  the  death,  July  14,  1808,  of  Henrietta  Laura 
Pulteney,  the  descent  of  a  large  estate  was  cast  in  Sir  John  Lowther  Johnstone,  her 
cousin  and  heir  at  law.     He  died  December  23,  181 1. 


376  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

that  their  order  was  as  often  altered  as  it  suited  their  own  pur- 
poses, and  that  the  granting  of  lands  unpurchased  of  the  Indians 
is  well  known  to  have  been  frequently  done  by  them.  That  if  the 
Proprietary's  superior  officers  were  deceived,  the  deception  was 
from  their  own  inferior  officers,  and  not  from  Samuel  Wallis,  who, 
in  the  obtaining  of  these  lands,  did  in  every  respect  pursue  the 
common  method  of  negotiating  business  through  each  of  the 
respective  offices.  And  as  to  overplus  land,  Samuel  Wallis  can 
prove  that  he  did  as  soon  as  he  was  made  acquainted  with  it,  offer 
to  the  Proprietaries'  Receiver  General  to  pay  him  for  any  overplus 
which  his  surveys  might  contain. 

"  The  question  then  is  whether  or  not  the  Proprietaries,  by  their 
commissioners  of  property,  have  a  right  to  grant  lands  that  are 
unpurchased  of  the  Indians,  and  when  so  granted  by  letters 
patent,  are  they  valid  in  law?  or  whether  they  have  a  right  to 
vacate  Samuel  Wallis'  patents  on  what  is  now  called  the  Muncy 
Manor,  by  reason  of  their  containing  overplus  land,  when  it  does 
not  appear  that  he  was  privy  to,  or  concerned  in  any  deception  or 
fraud  intended  against  the  Proprietaries  in  obtaining  the  lands? 

."  Upon  the  facts  above  stated  I  am  of  opinion,  in  answer  to  the 
first  question,  that  under  the  Royal  Grant,  the  Proprietaries  have 
good  right  to  grant  patents  for  land  not  purchased  of  the  Indians, 
and  that  there  is  no  law  depriving  them  of  that  right.  Of  course 
the  above  mentioned  patents  must  be  valid.  And  as  to  the  second 
question,  I  apprehend  the  surveys  containing  a  quantity  of  over- 
plus land  are  not  a  sufficient  reason  for  vacating  the  patent,  there 
being  no  fraud  in  the  purchase  in  obtaining  such  overplus,  and 
more  especially  as  he  has  offered  to  satisfy  the  Proprietaries  for  it. 

"Joseph  Galloway. 

"March  21,  1771." 

The  dispute  between  Wallis  and  the  Proprietaries  finally  waxed 
so  warm  that  an  ejectment  suit  was  brought  against  him,  in  which 
the  lessees  of  the  Proprietaries  were  made  plaintiffs.  At  first  an 
effort  was  made  to  settle  the  dispute  by  appointing  a  jury  of 
viewers  to  meet  at  Fort  Augusta  in  October,  1772,  and  proceed 
to  examine  the  premises.  George  Nagel,  sheriff  of  Berks  County, 
had  selected  the  jurymen,  and  some  of  them  had  started  on  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  377 

journey,  when  word  was  received  from  the  secretary  of  tlie  Land 
Office,  that  owing  to  the  illness  of  Mr.  Wallis,  it  was  concluded 
not  to  go  on  with  the  view.  The  sheriff  then  dispatched  an  ex- 
press to  overhaul  the  viewers  who  had  started  and  turn  them  back. 
And  he  adds  in  one  of  his  letters  of  that  day  that  they  were  glad 
to  get  rid  of  the  journey. 

But  it  appears  from  the  papers  still  in  existence  that  the  diffi- 
culty was  not  amicably  settled,  and  suit  was  brought  in  the 
Supreme  Court  sitting  at  Reading  on  the  7th  of  April,  1773.  A 
few  of  the  subpoenas  have  been  found,  which  show  the  date. 
Joseph  Reed  was  attorney  for  Wallis  and  Edward  Biddle  for  the 
Proprietaries. 

One  of  the  most  curious  papers  in  the  Wallis  collection  contains 
a  list  of  the  names  of  jurymen  evidently  drawn  for  that  court, 
with  remarks  opposite  each  name,  for  the  guidance  of  his  counsel 
in  challenging.  The  paper  appears  to  be  in  the  handwriting  of 
Mr.  Wallis,  and  is  clear,  distinct  and  business-like.  It  is  given 
herewith  in  full : 

1.  Christopher  Shultz.  A  Dutchman,  and  when  disputes  run  high  was  a  Pro- 
prietary man.  A  farmer  and  man  of  good  abilities.  A  leading  man  in  the  county  ^; 
is  thought  will  act  from  Judgment.     By  religion  a  .Swinfielder. 

2.  John  Old.  A  country  Born  Englishman;  an  Industrious  &  Honest  man,  &  is 
supposed  will  act  from  Judgment,  &  not  from  Influence;  a  very  good  man  and  ought 
not  to  be  struck.     An  Ironmaster  &  Land  Holder.     A  Church  Man. 

3.  Abraham  Lincoln.  A  country  Born  Englishman.  An  Illiterate  man,  and 
apt  to  be  Influenced  by  the  pleadings  of  Lawyers;  apt  to  be  Intoxicated  with  Drink. 
A  ()uaker ;  is  thought  to  be  influenced  by  James  Starr,  or  Samue!  Hughs.     A  Farmer. 

4.  Samuel  High.  Dutchman;  a  weak.  Rich,  Miser.  Isthought  will  be  influenced 
by  the  pleading  of  Edw'd.  Biddle,  and  ought  to  be  struck.  A  Rich  man,  no  great 
wit,  but  thoughtful  and  careful  in  Judging,  &  I  believe  free  from  Byas,  and  will  act 
from  Judgment. 

5.  James  Starr.  A  Country  Born,  an  Honest  Juditious  man,  a  man  of  Common 
abillitys.and  is  supposed  will  act  from  Judgment;  a  Quaker,  a  Brewer  and  Consider- 
able Land  Holder. 

6.  Henry  Hollar.  A  Country  Born  Dutchman;  a  man  of  Common  abillitys;  is 
Thought  will  be  Influanced  by  Edw'd  Biddle,  &  ought  to  be  Struck.  A  Lutharan 
by  Profession.     A  Tavern  Keeper. 

7.  Thomas  Jones,  Junr.  A  Country  Born  Welch  man,  an  Active  man,  Midling 
understanding,  acquainted  with  Business  in  the  County,  perhaps  not  free  from  Bias, 
yet  seems  a  conscientious  Man.  A  Baptist.  A  considerable  Land  holder,  has  a 
little  Tract  of  Land  yet  to  pay  for  to  ye  Prop's. 

8.  Thomas  Dundass.     A  Scotchman,  a  very  sensible  Juditious,  Honest  man,  by 


3/8  HISTOKV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

profession  a  Presbeterian,  not  a  Biggot,  &  ought  not  by  any  means  to  be  struck.     He 
is  a  shop  Keeper  &  will  act  from  Judgment,  and  not  a  Land  Holder  in  the  Country. 

9.  A  Country  Born  Englishman,  of  Common  abillitys,  but  generally  Esteemed  an 
Honest  man,  &  will  act  from  Judgment;  a  Quaker.  Ought  not  to  be  struck;  a  Con- 
siderable Fanner  &  Land  Holder. 

10.  John  Godfrey.  A  man,  a  very  weak  man  &  apt  to  be  byased— a  Farmer. 
By  Religion  a  Churchman.     Ought  to  be  struck. 

11.  Benjamin  Pearson.  A  Country  Born  Englishman,  a  man  of  Common 
abillitys — is  supposed  will  act  from  Judgment.  Will  be  Likely  to  be  influenced  by 
James  Starr,  if  he  desents  from  his  Own  Judgment.  A  House  Carpenter  &  not  a 
Land  Holder  in  the  County;  a  Quaker.     Ought  not  to  be  struck. 

12.  Moses  Roberts.  A  Country  Born  Englishman;  generally  esteemed  a  very 
sensible,  Juditious,  Honest  man,  &  will  act  from  Judgment.  A  Farmer  and  Land 
Holder.     A  Quaker  Preacher,  &  ought  not  to  be  struck. 

13.  Valentine  Eckers.  A  Country  Born  Dutchman;  an  Illiterate,  weak  man; 
will  be  like  to  be  Influenced  by  Edw'd  Biddle.  A  Blacksmith,  a  rich  man  &  Land 
Holder.     Ought  to  be  struck. 

14.  John  Kerlin.  A  country  Born  Dutchman;  a  very  weak  man ;  a  Superstitious 
man — will  be  like  to  be  Influenced  by  Biddle.     Ought  to  be  struck.     A  Churchman. 

15.  Jacob  Mechlen.  A  Country  Bom  Dutchman;  a  weak  man;  great  talker;  a 
Land  Holder,  &  has  some  connection  with  one  holding  a  Commission  of  ye  Peace. 
Strike. 

16.  Thomas  Wright.  ^  good  Liver,  Independent,  no  great  Judgment,  but  will 
use  what  he  has  without  byas.     A  Quaker,  not  to  be  struck. 

17.  Sebastian  Levan.  A  Country  Bom  L^utchman,  perhaps  under  influence, 
tho'  Rite.     Strike. 

18.  John  Harrisson.  A  Country  Born  Englishman  ;  a  man  of  Common  abillitys; 
will  be  like  to  act  from  Judgment,  and  ought  net  to  be  Struck;  by  Profession  a 
Quaker.     A  Farmer  and  Land  Holder. 

19.  Owen  Hughs.  If  of  Maiden  creek,  wealthy;  rather  weak,  but  will  act 
from  Judgment ;  of  Welsh  desent.     A  Quaker.     Don't  strike. 

20.  Benjamin  Spycker.  A  Dutchman.  Rut;  perhaps  under  Influence;  his 
Brother  a  Justice  &  he  a  Tavern  Keeper.     Strike. 

21.  John  Scarlett.  A  Country  Born  Englishman;  a  good  kind  ef  a  man,  a 
Land  Holder  &  Farmer.     A  Quaker.     Don't  strike. 

22.  Jacob  Shoemaker.  A  Dutchman,  {Late  SheriflF)  a  very  weak  man,  and  is 
supposed  will  be  enfluanced  by  Edw'd  Biddle.     Ought  to  be  struck. 

23.  Nermer  Starr.     A  very  obscure  Duchman.     Strike. 

24.  Samuel  Hughs.  A  Country  Bom  Englishman;  a  man  of  Tolerable  good 
abillitys ;  is  supposed  will  act  from  Judgment.  A  Farmer  &  Landholder.  A  Quaker. 
Ought  not  to  be  struck. 

25.  Jacob  Echberger.     Rich  but  partial  &  weak.     Strike. 

26.  John  Jones,  of  Carnarvoon.  Welsh  Desent.  Tavern  Keeper.  Defendant. 
Strike. 

27.  Frederick    Weiser.       A    Country   Born   Dutchman,  setish,  under  influence. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  379 

28.  Peter  Yocum.  A  Country  Born  Englishman.  An  Illiterate,  weak  man,  Apt 
to  be  byased  by  Biddle.     A  Farmer  &  Land  Holder.     A  Churchman.     Strike. 

29.  Samuel  Lee.  A  Country  Born  Englishman.  A  man  of  good  abillity.  Is 
supposed  will  have  influence  with  the  rest  of  the  Jury,  and  will  act  from  Judgment. 
A  Farmer  &  Land  Holder.     A  Quaker,  &  ought  by  no  means  to  be  struck. 

30.  Benjamin  Parks.  A  Country  Born  Englishman ;  a  man  of  weak  abillitys ; 
in  low  circumstance;  apt  to  be  influanced;  a  Carpenter  &  not  a  Land  Holder.  A 
Quaker.     Take  if  no  better  to  be  had. 

31.  -Michael  Brucht.  A  Country  Born  Dutchman;  a  weak  man  &  apt  to  be  in- 
fluenced by  Edw'd  Biddle.  A  Tavern  Keeper  &  Land  Holder.  No  Religion. 
Ought  to  be  Struck. 

32.  Jacob  Lamescus.     Very  obscure. 

33.  William  Winter.     A  weak  man,  subject  to  Drink  &  obscure. 

34.  Richard  Penrose.  A  Country  Born  Englishman.  A  man  of  Common 
abillitys.  Will  act  from  Judgment.  A  Farmer  and  Land  Holder.  A  Constable.  A 
Quaker,  &  ought  by  no  means  to  be  struck. 

35.  Joseph  Grose.  A  Tavern  keeper,  a  Justices  son  in  Law.  Little  known. 
Strike. 

36.  Valontine  Probst.  Rich  in  Lands,  &c.  A  good  kind  of  a  Man,  tho'  weak. 
Strike. 

37.  Christian  Lauer.  A  Dutchman,  a  Leading  man  among  the  Dutch ;  very 
rich — a  man  of  Better  abillitys  than  Dutchman  have  in  Common— an  unprejudiced 
man.  Supposed  will  act  from  Judgment.  A  Considerable  Land  Holder  and  Farmer. 
Religion  a  Lutharan. 

38.  Philip  Kohl.  A  Country  Born  Dutchman;  a  man  of  weak  abillitys;  apt  to 
be  Influenced  by  other  People.  A  Tavern  Keeper.  A  Lutharan  in  Profession. 
Ought  to  be  Struck. 

39.  William  Tallman.  A  Country  Born  Englishman.  A  man  of  weak  abillitys. 
A  Rich  man.     A  Farmer  and  Land  Holder.     Strike. 

40.  George  Berstler.     Very  obscure.     Strike. 

41.  Samuel  Jackson.  A  Country  Born  Englishman;  a  man  of  good  abillitys — 
will  act  from  Judgment.      A  H.itter  in  Reading  &  ought  not  to  be  struck. 

42.  Owen  Hughs.  If  Owen  Hughs  in  or  near  the  County  Line,  a  weak  young 
Welshman.     Strike. 

43.  Henry  Hohn.     A  Smith.     Subject  to  strong  Byas.     Weak.     Strike. 

44.  Jacob  Snyder.  A  Rich  independent  Dutchman.  Sober  and  thoughtful; 
rather  Irresolute,  but  perhaps  best  not  to  strike. 

45.  George  Hughs.  A  Country  Born  Englishman.  A  man  of  good  abillitys. 
Will  act  from  Judgment.  A  Tanner  and  Farmer.  A  Quaker  &  ought  not  to  be 
stnick. 

46.  Jonathan  Davis.  Of  Welch  Desent.  A  Blue  DuVer  in  Reading.  Rather 
obscure.      Don't  strike. 

47.  George  Germandt.  .\  Rich  Dutchman,  sober.  Irresolute,  timorous;  yet  don't 
strike. 

48.  John  Spohn.  A  Country  Born  Dutchman.  A  young  man;  a  Brewer;  a 
man  of  Tollarable  good  abillity ;  a  Better  man  than  many  other  Dutchmen. 


380  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Nothing  has  been  found  to  show  the  proceedings  of  the  suit, 
but  it  is  evident  that  Wahis  was  the  loser,  for  the  Proprietaries 
afterwards  issued  an  order  to  divide  the  manor  into  five  tracts, 
which  were  sold  to  other  parties. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  first  settler  within  what  is  now  the 
territory  of  Clinton  County  was  a  curious  individual  named 
Cleary  Campbell.*  He  squatted  on  the  Charles  Glass  tract,  which 
was  the  one  immediately  north  of  the  officers'  tract,  in  the  name 
of  Ensign  McMinn,  and  surveyed  by  Charles  Lukens  for  William 
Glass  November  9,  1769,  and  on  which  the  northern  portion  of 
Lock  Haven  is  built.  In  a  trial  at  Sunbury,  in  1776,  Lukens 
testifies  that  when  he  went  up  to  make  the  sur\'eys  for  the  officers 
he  found  him  living  on  this  land  with  his  family. 

John  Hamilton  in  his  reminiscences  says  that  there  must  have 
been  something  in  the  character  of  Campbell  that  was  not  gener- 
ally seen  by  his  neighbors.  What  should  induce  him  to  venture 
ahead  of  the  first  settlers  in  that  remote  region  was  a  mystery,  for 
he  was  regarded  as  the  laziest  man  to  be  found.  The  houses  of 
that  day  w^re  cabins  with  one  room,  that  served  for  parlor,  kitchen 
and  bed  room.  It  was  invariably  the  practice  of  Cleary  Camp- 
bell, being  too  lazy  to  sit  up,  to  throw  himself  down  upon  a  bed. 
This  habit  must  have  drawn  to  it  universal  attention,  as  the  fol- 
lowing story  will  show,  whether  founded  on  fact  or  only  as  a 
specimen  of  the  rough  wit  of  backwoods  civilization.  As  the 
story  runs,  he  entered  a  neighbor's  house  one  day,  and  as  usual 
threw  himself  down,  and  on  a  cat  that  lay  asleep  on  the  bed. 
The  cat  began  to  make  piteous  cries,  but  there  was  no  help  for  it. 
"  Poor  pussy,  I  pity  you,  but  I  cannot  help  you,"  was  the  only 
remark  of  Cleary.  He  was  very  frequently  assessor  of  the  town- 
ship, and  wrote  a  very  plain,  good  hand,  and  the  fact  that  in 
September,  1792,  he  took  up  the  most  elevated  farm  in  Centre 
County,  on  the  top  of  Muncy  Mountain,  within  sight  of  Belle- 
fonte,  seems  to  indicate  that  he  was  not  lazy  after  locations  of  a 
high  order.     He  was  dispossessed  from  his  place  at  Lock  Haven. 

An  Irishman  named  Quinn  was  the  first  settler  at  the  mouth  of 
the  little  stream  now  called  Queen's  Run.     What  induced  him  to 


1 


*  According  to  the  best  information  at  hand  Campbell  was  from  the  Juniata,  and 
died  in  Howard  Township,  Centre  County,  in  1809,  at  an  advanced  age. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  38 1 

locate  there  is  unknown.  Possibly  he  was  a  hunter  or  trader  like 
Larry  Burt,  and  although  he  gave  his  name  to  the  rivulet,  it  has 
been  corrupted  into  Queen,  because  the  pronunciation  is  easier 
and  more  high  sounding. 

William  McElhattan*  was  the  first  white  settler  in  what  is  now 
Waynef  Township,  Clinton  County,  and  the  stream  which  passes 
by  the  camp-meeting  grounds  was  named  after  him.  He  was  an 
Irishman  by  birth  and  came  to  Lancaster  in  1760.  Hearing  of 
the  fine  lands  on  the  West  Branch,  he  came  with  others  to  pros- 
pect, and  located  about  a  mile  west  of  where  the  stream  bearing 
his  name  falls  into  the  river.  He  was  only  a  "  squatter,"  as  he 
never  obtained  a  warrant  for  his  land.  Richard  McCafferty  was 
the  second  settler,  at  a  point  about  a  mile  east  of  McElhattan  Run. 
He  made  some  improvements  on  his  land,  but,  dying  about  1 770, 
they  fell  into  decay.  The  first  grave  for  a  white  man  was  the  one 
dug  for  him  on  his  own  land.  This  was  the  grave-yard  started  at 
that  point,  and  it  was  used  for  that  purpose  until  it  contained 
about  fifty-two  graves.  Next  came  Robert  Love.t  who  settled 
near  the  mouth  of  the  little  stream  known  as  Love's  Run,  a  short 
distance  east  of  Pine  Station,  on  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Rail- 
road. Love's  Gap  in  the  mountain  at  that  place  was  named  after 
him.  He  built  a  mill  which  did  good  service  for  a  long  time. 
Robert  Love  was  a  celebrated  character  in  his  day,  and  took  an 
active  part  with  the  "  Fair  Play "  men  of  that  time.  He  also 
participated  in  the  meeting  at  the  mouth  of  Pine  Creek  on  the  4th 


*William  McElhattan  was  a  first  lieutenant  in  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  commis- 
sioned October  i6,  1776.  He  was  wounded  by  ball  and  buckshot  in  the  shoulder, 
and  lost  the  use  of  his  arm;  he  was  transferred  to  the  Sixth  Pennsylvania,  but,  his 
wound  troubling  him,  he  was  transferred  to  the  invalid  corps  July  I,  1779.  He  was 
discharged  December  3,  1784;  removed  to  Kentucky,  where  he  died  April  26,  1807. 

■f- Wayne  is  one  of  the  original  townships  of  Clinton,  when  that  county  was  created 
in  1839.  It  was  taken  from  Nippenose  Township,  Northumberland  County,  in  1795, 
when  Lycoming  County  was  organized,  and  was  named  after  General  Anthony 
Wayne. 

J  Robert  Love  was  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry  and  came  from  Chester  County.  He 
first  settled  on  the  Juniata,  and  then  came  to  the  West  Branch,  n\oving  part  of  his 
family  of  twelve  children  overland  by  the  way  of  Bald  Eagle's  Nest,  in  1773,  and 
part  by  way  of  the  river  in  canoes.  He  first  settled  on  the  level  plain  above  Pine 
Creek,  afterwards  known  as  the  "Cook  Farm."  At  the  time  of  the  Big  Runaway 
tradition    informs    us    that    he    sold    his    improvement    for    ;^IOO    and    two    barrels 


382  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

of  July,  1776,  when  the  famous  Declaration  of  Independence  res- 
olutions were  passed  by  the  settlers. 

According  to  the  best  authority  the  land  along  the  river,* 
about  a  mile  west  of  McElhattan,  was  taken  up  by  three  persons. 
The  warrant  for  the  western  part,  known  as  the  "Monmouth" 
tract,  containing  400  acres,  was  taken  out  in  1769  by  William 
Noland.  It  embraced  the  McKague,  Throne  and  Strayer  farms. 
The  warrant  for  the  central  part  was  taken  out  by  Isaac  Webster 
in  1770,  and  embraced  the  Stabley,  Montgomerj-  and  Gallauher 
farms.  The  eastern  tract,  by  warrant  of  John  L.  Webster,  in  1769, 
and  embraces  the  Steck,  Quiggle  and  Winchester  farms.  On  this 
tract  was  built  Harris'  fort  in  1774-5.  It  was  located  on  a  high 
bluff  a  little  west  of  Kurtz's  Run,  at  which  place  there  is  a  short 
curve  in  the  river,  giving  a  view  of  both  banks,  east  and  west,  for 
over  a  mile.  The  remains  of  this  fortification,  which  was  simply 
a  stockade  enclosure,  could  be  seen  until  the  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  Railroad  was  built  in  1856-8,  when  they  were  destroyed. 
The  land  east  of  Kurtz's  Run  was  taken  up  by  three  warrants: 
that  of  Robert  Love  in  1769,  containing  the  lands  of  Jamison,  the 
Ouiggles,  and  the  land  on  which  Pine  Station  is  built;  that  of 
Samuel  Wallis,  1770,  embracing  the  lands  of  G.  W.  Sour  and 
Jacob  Stamm;  and  that  of  Elizabeth  Jarvis,  1769,  embracing  the 
land  of  Thomas  Quiggle  and  others.  This  tract  was  first  called 
"  Fairview,"  and  was  afterwards  known  as  the  "  HoUingsworth " 

of  whisky.  On  his  return,  when  peace  was  restored,  he  settled  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river,  at  what  is  known  as  Love's  Gap  Fann.  Another  account,  and  the  correct 
one,  is  that  he  gave  the  improvement  to  his  daughters,  Ann  and  Jennet,  who  in  turn 
quitclaimed  it  to  James  Dill,  of  York  County,  for  ;{^20  and  two  cows.  The  in- 
denture is  dated  May  15,  1775,  and  the  sale  was  acknowledged  before  John  Kidd, 
Recorder  for  Lycoming  County,  November  30,  1803.  Surveyor  General  Lukens 
certifies  that  James  Dill  applied  for  300  acres  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  including 
Love's  improvement,  which  he  had  conveyed  to  Ann  and  Jennet,  his  daughters,  and 
whose  right  was  afterwards  vested  in  Dill.  The  latter  agreed  to  pay  ^30  per  hun- 
dred acres  for  the  tract  in  1785.  In  1792  this  same  tract  was  sold  to  William  Wilson 
for  ^200. 

Robert  Love  was  a  man  of  prominence  in  his  day,  and  served  as  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  He  died  in  his  95th  year,  having  been  blind  for  some  time.  His  wife  lived 
to  the  age  of  94.  Their  daughter  Jennet,  who  married  a  man  named  Anesley,  lived 
to  the  age  of  93. 

*See  MaynariVs  Histoi-ical  Viciv  of  Clinton  County,  pages  218,  219. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  383 

tract.  The  mountain  tract  of  156  acres  west  of  Noland's  was 
settled  upon  after  the  Revolution  by  Patrick  McElhaney,  who  sold 
to  Jacob  Whiteman.  The  next  spring,  it  is  related,  Whiteman 
went  to  Middletown,  and  meeting  George  Fry,  represented  his 
land  as  being  good  for  farming  and  well  adapted  for  grazing,  and 
that  he  had  a  large  number  of  cattle  on  it,  which  he  would  sell 
with  the  land  for  ;g6oo,  one-half  to  be  paid  down  and  the  balance 
in  the  fall,  at  which  time  Fry  was  to  go  up  and  see  the  land.  Fry 
bought  without  seeing  it  and  paid  ^300  down.  He  came  in  the 
fall  according  to  promise,  and  while  walking  over  the  land  and 
being  apparently  satisfied,  asked  Whiteman  to  see  the  cattle. 
Presently  they  came  upon  a  herd  of  deer,  when  Whiteman  said : 
"There  are  the  cattle!"  Fry  was  no  little  surprised,  and  turning 
to  Whiteman  rather  fiercely,  said:  "Take  your  land  and  go  to 
the  d — 1,  and  I'll  go  to  Middletown!"  Fry  went  home  and  never 
returned  to  see  his  "  farm  and  pasture  lands."  Whiteman  went 
west  and  was  never  heard  from  afterwards. 

Among  the  permanent  settlers  who  bought  land  and  improved 
it  were  the  Quiggles.  They  were  from  Hopewell  Township, 
Cumberland  County,  and  setded  here  about  1788.  The  Mont- 
gomery farm  is  another  fine  tract,  and  has  been  in  the  possession 
of  that  family  for  a  long  time.  The  Quiggle  farm  was  owned  by 
S.  N.  Quiggle  until  a  few  years  ago,  when  it  was  bought  by 
Charles  S.  Gallauher.  The  last  payment  on  this  farm  by  the 
Quiggles  is  acknowledged  by  the  following  queer  receipt,  now  in 
the  hands  of  S.  N.  Quiggle: 

June  the  27th  1807 — Receivt  by  the  Hand  of  George  Quickie  the  Sum  of  Si.\ty 
Two  Pounts  for  John  Quickie  to  the  Yuse  of  Adam  and  George  Wilt,  I  Say 
Receivt  by 

Henry  Shearman. 

The  rich  lands  lying  west  of  Pine  Creek,  north  of  the  river,  and 
e.xtending  to  Dunnsburg,  were  a  tempting  bait,  and  adventurers, 
in  defiance  of  the  orders  of  Governor  Penn,  squatted  there  as 
early  as  1772  and  commenced  making  improvements.  John 
Hamilton,*  whose  ancestors  were  among  the  first  settlers,  says 
that  a  company  consisting  of  John    Reed,  of  Philadelphia,  and 


''  Maynard's  History  of  Clinton  County,  pages  207,  20S. 


3S4  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

John  Bull,  Esq.,  and  Thomas  Proctor,*  Esq.,  purchased  a  large 
tract  containing  4,497  acres  and  allowances.  The  original  deed 
was  from  William  Penn  to  George  Evans,  of  Wales,  and  was  dated 
i682.t  This  survey  could  not  be  recognized  as  of  any  value  by  the 
State  after  independence.  The  whole  extent,  for  a  distance  of  five 
miles,  was  settled  upon  under  claims  of  three  and  four  hundred 
acres  before  it  was  purchased  from  the  Indians — previous  to  the 
Revolution  and  the  Big  Runaway  in  1778.  It  was  purchased  at 
the  treaty  of  peace  in  1784,  and  most  of  the  warrants  were  laid  in 
1785  under  the  claim  of  the  first  settlers,  the  State  honoring  and 
securing  their  claims  on  account  of  the  noble  stand  made  by  them 
in  defense  of  the  country  against  Great  Britain  and  her  allies  the 
Indians. 

The  first  settlers  who  got  back  after  the  war  settled  on  their 
improvements  and  took  out  warrants.  But  there  is  no  evidence 
that  Donaldson,  who  settled  on  what  has  gone  by  the  name  of 
the  "  Duncan  Farm,"  ever  returned.  Neither  did  Kinkaid  and 
Alexander  Hamilton.  The  latter  was  killed  by  the  Indians  near 
Northumberland.  His  family  returned,  however,  and  took  out  a 
warrant  for  his  improvement.  An  eagerness  to  get  possession  of 
land  showed  itself  in  strong  colors ;  not  only  were  the  best  bottom 


*  Thomas  Proctor  was  captain  of  the  first  Continental  company  of  artillery  raised 
in  Philadelphia.  He  was  afterward  promoted  to  the  position  of  General,  and  his 
brother  Francis,  who  was  lieutenant  of  the  same  company,  became  captain.  The 
Proctors  at  one  time  had  possession  of  several  hundred  acres  of  land  on  the  flats 
just  below  the  island,  but  for  some  reason  or  other  they  failed  to  hold  it,  probably  for 
want  of  means  with  which  to  make  their  payments,  and  it  finally  passed  into  the 
hands  of  others. — MaynanCs  History  of  Clinton  County,  page  149. 

fThe  deed  is  as  follows:  By  virtue  of  a  deed  of  lease,  dated  the  7th  of  the  5th 
month,  1682,  from  the  Hon.  William  Penn,  Esq.,  Proprietor  and  Governor  of  the 
Province  of  Pennsylvania,  unto  George  Evans,  of  Pembrokeshire,  in  Wales,  10,000 
acres  of  land  in  Pennsylvania  was  surveyed  and  laid  out  unto  John  Bull,  Esq.,  Thomas 
Proctor,  Esq.,  and  John  Reed,  in  right  aforesaid,  a  certain  tract  or  parcel  of  land  lying 
and  being  on  the  north  side  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  River,  and  on  the 
west  side  of  Pine  Creek,  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  Susquehanna,  and  by  Pine  Creek 
on  the  east;  by  vacant  lands  and  a  ridge  of  mountains  on  the  north,  and  lands  surveyed 
to  John  Reed  on  the  west,  containing  4,497  acres,  with  allowance,  &c.,  &c.  Surveyed 
September  the  3d,  4th,  5th,  7th  and  9th,  1772,  by  James  Dickinson.  Beginning  at  a 
post  standing  on  a  point  on  the  west  side  of  Pine  Creek,  and  on  the  north  side  of 
the  West  Branch,  running  from  there  up  the  Pine  Creek,  Then  follow  the  courses, 
distances,  &c. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY.  385 

lands  secured,  but  surveys  were  made  of  the  greater  portion  of 
the  hill  lands  in  1785.  Some  hill  land  was  taken  up  and  surveyed 
in  1792  and  1794. 

The  first  warrants  along  the  river  were  laid  in  the  names  as 
follows,  beginning  at  Chatham's  Run,  and  down  the  river:  John 
Chatham,  on  Chatham's  Run.  Ne.xt  below  Colonel  William  Cook, 
now  Condon;  then  Jane  Richard,  now  Ruling  and  Betts;  then 
McFadden,  now  McGuire  and  Brown;  then  John  Jackson,  now 
Ferguson  and  McKinney;  then  Hamilton's  heirs,  now  Hamiltons 
and  Shaw;  next  the  Duncan  farm,  settled  on  before  the  war  by 
Alexander  Donaldson,  now  owned  chiefly  by  Crawford  and  Smith. 
This  was  warranted  by  Benjamin  Walker,  deeded  to  Stephen 
Duncan.  Ne.xt  the  Love  improvement,  afterwards  owned  bj' 
Cook ;  then  the  McMasters  improvement  on  the  point — the 
Gallauher  farm.  Then  up  the  creek  further,  William  Plunkett, 
now  Simmons  and  Crist;  next  John  Scott,  now  McKinney;  then 
Barnabas  Parsons,  346  acres  and  allowance.  Phelps'  Mills  were 
on  this  tract;  next  above  was  Thomas  Proctor.  These  tracts  all 
seem  to  have  been  surveyed  in  1785. 

As  the  settlements  extended  up  the  river  great  inconvenience 
was  experienced  on  account  of  the  distance  from  the  county  seat, 
which  was  at  Carlisle,  and  the  people  commenced  clamoring  for 
the  creation  of  a  new  county.  Cumberland  covered  an  immense 
territory,  and  too  much  time  and  expense  were  involved  in  going 
to  the  county  seat  to  transact  business  by  the  settlers  on  the  West 
Branch.  Finally  the  Proprietaries  assented  to  the  formation  of  a 
new  county  on  the  27th  of  March,  1772,  out  of  parts  of  Lancaster, 
Cumberland,  Berks,  Northampton  and  Bedford,  to  be  called 
Northumberland.  The  name  selected  was  in  honor  of  the  most 
northerly  county  of  P'ngland.     Its  boundaries  were  as  follows : 

Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Mahantongo  Creek,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  Sus- 
quehanna, thence  up  the  south  side  of  said  creek  to  the  head  of  Robert  Meteer's 
spring;  thence  west  by  north  to  the  top  of  Tussey's  Mountain;  thence  along  the 
summit  to  the  Little  Juniata;  thence  up  the  east  side  of  the  main  branch  to  the  head 
thereof;  thence  north  to  the  line  of  Berks  County;  thence  north-west  along  the  same 
line  to  the  extremity  of  the  Province:  thence  east  along  the  north  boundary  to  a 
Ijoint  due  north  of  the  Great  Swamp ;  thence  south  to  the  most  southern  pait  of  the 
Swamp  aforesaid;  thence  with  a  straight  line  to  the  head  of  Lehigh,  or  Mill  Creek; 
thence  down  the  said  creek  so  far,  that  a  line  run  west  south-west  will  strike  the  forks 


386  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

of  Mahantongo  Creek  where  Pine  Creek  falls  into  the  same,  at  the  place  called 
Spread  Eagle,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Susquehanna ;  thence  down  the  south  side  of 
said  creek  to  the  river  aforesaid ;  thence  across  the  river  to  the  beginning. 

This  line  embraced  a  va.st  territory.  It  extended  as  far  west  as 
Lake  Erie,  the  head  of  Lehigh  on  the  east,  taking  in  what  is  now 
Pike  County,  with  the  State  of  New  York  on  the  north.  Imagine 
a  county  of  that  size  to-day.  Nearly  all  the  territory  at  that 
time  was  a  dense  forest,  and  the  Indians  held  almost  undisputed 
sway. 

Fort  Augusta  was  fixed  as  the  place  of  election  and  the  county 
was  to  be  entitled  to  one  representative.  The  Governor  was  to 
nominate  a  competent  number  of  justices,  any  three  of  whom 
could  hold  the  several  courts  on  the  fourth  Tuesday  of  February, 
May,  August  and  November,  at  Fort  Augusta,  until  a  court  house 
should  be  built.  William  Maclay,  John  Lowdon,  Samuel  Hunter, 
Joseph  J.  Wallis  and  Robert  Moodie  were  appointed  trustees  to 
purchase  a  piece  of  ground  on  which  the  court  house  was  to  be 
erected,  subject  to  the  Governor's  approval.  Thomas  Lemmon 
was  made  collector  of  excise.  Joshua  Elder,  James  Potter,  Jesse 
Lukens,  and  William  Scull  were  appointed  to  run  the  boundary 
line. 

The  celebrated  Dr.  William  Plunkett,  Turbutt  Francis,  Samuel 
Hunter,  James  Potter,  William  Maclay,  John  Lowdon,  Thomas 
Lemmon,  Ellis  Hughes  and  Benjamin  Weiser  confirmed  as 
justices  in  Council,  and  William  Maclay,  prothonotary  and  clerk 
of  the  several  courts,  March  24th.  The  first  county  commis- 
sioners were  William  Gray,  Thomas  Hewitt  and  John  Weitzel. 
On  the  23d  of  November  Casper  Reed,  of  Penn's,  was  sworn  in 
as  county  commissioner;  Alexander  Hunter,  county  treasurer; 
Walter  Clark,  Jonathan  Lodge,  Peter  Hosterman,  James  Harrison, 
Nicholas  Miller,  Jacob  Heverling  and  Samuel  Weimier,  assessors. 
Thus  were  the  offices  of  the  new  county  filled  and  ev-erything 
arranged  for  local  government. 

The  first  court  in  Northumberland  County  was  held  at  Fort 
Augusta  on  the  9th  of  April,  1772.  Tradition  says  that  it  met  in 
a  small  log  building  which  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  ri\-er  a  few 
feet  in  front  of  the  fort,  but  its  site  was  long  since  washed  away 
by  the  encroachment  of  the  water.     The  tradition  seems  to  be 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  387 

well  founded.     The  first  court  was  a  private  sessions  of  the  peace, 
and  the  record  is  herewith  given : 

RECORD  OF  THE  FIRST  COURT. 

At  a  court  of  private  sessions  of  the  peace  held  at  Fort  Augusta  for  the  County  of 
Northumberland  on  the  ninth  day  of  April  in  the  twelfth  year  of  the  reign  of  our 
Sovereign  Lord  George  the  Third  by  the  Grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britain,  France 
and  Ireland,  King,  defender  of  the  Faith,  and  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-two,  before  William  Plunkett,  Esq.,  and  his 
Associate  Justices  assigned,  &c.,  within  the  said  County  of  Northumberland,  viz: 

A  Commission  from  his  Honor  the  Governor,  bearing  date  the  24th  day  of  March 
anno  domini  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-two,  appointing  William 
Plunkett,  Turbutt  Francis,  Samuel  Hunter,  James  Potter,  William  Maclay,  Caleb 
Graydon,  Benjamin  AUison,  Robert  Moodie,  John  Lowdon,  Thomas  Lemon,  Ellis 
Hughes  and  Benjamin  Weiser,  Esqrs.,  Justices  of  the  Court  of  General  Quarter 
Sessions  of  the  Peace  and  jail  delivery  for  the  said  County  of  Northumberland  was 
published  in  Court. 

On  motion  made,  the  said  County  of  Northd.,  or  as  much  of  the  Extent  of  the 
same  as  is  now  purchased  from  the  Indians,  is  divided  into  the  following  townships, 
to  be  hereafter  called  and  known  by  the  names  of  Penn's  twp.* — Augusta  twp  — 
Turbutt  twp. — Buffalo  twp.—  Bald  Eagle  twp. — Muncy  twp. — and  Wyoming  twp., 
each  described  and  bounded  as  follows : 

DESCRIPTION    OF    BUFF.^LO    TOWNSHIP. 

Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Penn's  creek  at  the  head  of  the  isle  of  Que,  thence  up 
the  same  to  the  forks,  thence  by  a  north  line  to  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna, 
thence  down  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna  to  the  forks,  thence  down  Susque- 
hanna to  place  of  beginning. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    BALD    E.VILE   TOWNSHIP. 

Beginning  at  the  forks  of  Penn's  creek,  thence  by  a  north  hne  to  the  West  Branch 
of  Susquehanna,  thence  up  the  same  to  where  the  County  line  crosses  it,  thence  by 
the  County  line  south  to  the  head  of  little  Juniata,  thence  down  the  same  to  the  end 
of  Tussey's  mountain,  thence  along  the  top  of  the  same  easterly  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

DESCRIPTION   OF  TURBUTT   TOWNSHIP. 

Beginning  on  the  east  side  of  Susquehanna  at  Fort  Augusta,  thence  up  the  easterly 
side  of  the  N.  E.  Branch  to  the  old  line  formerly  run  for  a  division  between  Berks 
and  Northampton  counties,  thence  by  the  same  line  North  West  to  the  top  of  Muncy 
hill,  thence  along  the  top  of  the  same  westerly  to  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna, 
and  crossing  the  same  to  the  west  side  and  down  the  same  to  the  junction  of  the 
branches,  and  crossing  Susquehanna  to  the  place  of  beginning — so  as  to  include  the 
forks  and  island. 

DESCRIPTION    OF   MUNCY   TOWNSHIP. 

Beginning  on  the  west  side  of  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna,  opposite  the  end 

*The  descriptions  of  Penn's,  Augusta  and  Wyoming  townships  are  omitted,  as 
not  being  pertinent  to  the  history  of  the  Valley  of  the  West  Branch. 


388  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

of  Muncy  hill,  thence  up  the  West  Branch  to  opposite  the  mouth  of  Lycoming,* 
thence  crossing  the  branch,  up  Lycoming  to  the  heads  thereof,  thence  by  a  south-east 
line  to  the  Muncy  hill,  thence  along  the  top  of  the  same  to  the  West  'Branch,  and 
crossing  to  beginning. 

The  names  of  the  constables  appointed  for  these  respective 
townships,  on  the  same  occasion,  were  as  follows : 

Turbutt  Township,        .        -        -        -        William  McMein. 
Buffalo  Township,         -         -         -         .         Robert  King. 
Bald  Eagle  Township,  -         -         -         -         Samuel  Long. 
Muncy  Township,  .         .         -         -         James  Robb. 

This  appears  to  have  been  all  the  business  transacted  at  this 
court — which  was  of  a  preliminary  character — at  least  nothing  else 
appears  upon  the  record. 

The  first  Court  of  Common  Pleas  was  held  on  the  fourth  Tues- 
day of  May,  1772,  before  Justices  William  Plunkett,  Samuel 
Hunter,  Caleb  Graydon,  Thomas  Lemmon  and  Robert  Moodie. 
The  commission  of  William  Maclay,  prothonotary,  was  read,  and 
the  following  members  of  the  Bar  were  sworn  in :  James  Wilson, 
of  York,  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  and 
Associate  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States," 
Robert  Magaw,  of  Carlisle,  afterwards  colonel  of  the  Sixth 
Pennsylvania  and  defender  of  Fort  Washington;  Edward  Burd, 
district  attorne}-;  Christian  Hucksf  and  George  North.  After 
examination,  James  Potts,  Charles  Stedmanand  Andrew  Robinson 
were  also  admitted. 

The  record  of  the  court  reads  as  follows: 

At  a  Court  of  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace,  held  at  fort  Augusta  for  the  County 
of  Northd.,  the  fourth  Tuesday  in  August,  in  the  twelfth  year  of  the  reign  of  our 
Sovereign  Lord,  Geo.  the  Third,  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great  Britain,  France  an.l 
Ireland,  King,  defender  of  the  faith,  &c.,  Before  William  Plunkett,  Esq.,  and  his 
Associates,  Justices  assigned,  &c.,  within  the  said  County  of  Northd.,  viz: 

Upon  petition  to  the  Court,  Adam  Haveling,  Marcus  Hulings,  Jr.,  Martin  Kost, 
Samuel  Weiser,  and  John  Alexander,  are  recommended  to  his  Honor  the  Governor 
for  his  license  to  keep  public  houses  where  they  respectively  dwell  in  this  Comity, 
they  giving  bond,  &c.,  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  this  Province  in  such  cases  made,  &c. 

*  The  reader  will  observe  that  Lycoming  Creek  was  the  line  of  the  county  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river,  and  was  supposed  to  be  the  Tiadaghton  of  the  Indians. 

f  Afterwards  the  Tory,  Captain  Hucks,  of  Tarleton's  Dragoons,  killed  in  South 
Carolina  in  1780-S1. —  Graydon's  Memoirs,  page  270. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  389 

The  first  grand  jury  in  the  county  was  empaneled  at  this  court. 
The  names  of  the  jurors  are  given  below: 

George  Nagel,  Esq.,*  High  Sheriff  for  the  County  aforesaid,  returned  his  writ  of 
venire  to  him  directed,  with  the  panel  annexed,  which  being  called  over  after  proc- 
lamation, made  the  following  persons  appear,  who  were  accordingly  sworn  on  the 
grand  inquest  for  our  Sovereign  Lord  the  King,  for  the  body  of  the  County; 
John  Brady,  Foreman,  George  Ran, 

Geo.  Overmyer,  And.  Heffer, 

John  Rhowick,  Hawkins  Boone, 

Leonard  Peter,  George  Wolf, 

Gerhard  Freeland,  William  Cook, 

John  Jost,  John  Kelly, 

William  Grey,  James  Poke, 

Ludwig  Derr,  John  Walker. 

The  first  criminal  case  was  tried  at  this  court.  King  vs.  John 
Williams,  for  larceny.  Robert  Fruit  and  John  Williams  were  on 
the  jury.  He  was  found  guilty  and  sentenced  to  pay  a  fine  of  ^^5, 
to  receive  twenty-one  lashes  on  his  bare  back,  and  to  be  committed 
to  the  magazine  of  the  fort  until  the  sentence  was  complied  with. 
The  magazine  was  certainly  a  dark  and  dreary  dungeon,  if  it  was 
the  same  that  is  still  in  existence. 

The  number  of  civil  suits  brought  at  this  court  was  thirty-four. 
The  first  was  James  vs.  James  Garley.  Magaw  for  plaintiff, 
Wilson  for  defendant.  Hawkins  Boone  and  Thomas  Sutherland 
had  suits  at  this  court;  also  Michael  Regor  vs.  William  Blythe. 
The  latter  suit  was  referred  to  Samuel  Maclay,  John  Brady  and 
George  Wolfe  to  settle. 

Owing  to  the  increase  of  population  and  business,  it  was  found 
necessary  to  provide  better  facilities  for  crossing  and  recrossing 
the  river  between  Fort  Augusta  and  Northumberland.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  14th  of  April,  1772,  Thomas  and  Richard  Penn,  by 
letters  patent,  granted  to  Robert  King,  his  executors  and  assigns, 
the  privilege  of  keeping  a  ferryf  over  the  main  branch  of  the 
river.  November  30,  1773,  King  conveyed  his  right  to  Adam 
Heverling,  and  he  to  Christopher  Getting,  April  17,  1775  ;  Getting 

*George  Nagel  was  sheriff  of  BerksCounty  when  Northumberland  was  organized. 
He,  however,  served  in  Northumberland  till  William  Cook  was  elected  in  October, 
1772. 

■j-An  examination  of  the  records  to  verify  these  facts  was  made  by  John  B.  Linn, 
and  he  so  states  them  on  the  44th  page  of  his  Annals. 


39©  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

to  Abraham  Dewitt,  October  8,  1779;  Eleanor  Dewitt,  alias 
Coldern,  administratrix  of  Dewitt,  to  John  Lyon,  October  25, 
1787,  and  on  the  2d  of  November,  1787,  John  Lyon  presented  a 
petition  to  the  Assembly  for  the  privilege  of  keeping  the  ferry  for 
a  term  of  years,  which  was  granted. 

The  county  of  Northumberland  having  been  erected,  and  the 
machinery  for  its  government  put  in  operation  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  officers  and  the  opening  of  the  courts,  it  at  once  became 
apparent  to  the  Proprietaries  that  a  town*  should  be  laid  out 
either  at  Fort  Augusta  or  on  the  Northumberland  side  of  the 
river,  Which  should  be  known  as  the  county  seat.  As  soon  as  the 
proposition  became  known  a  strife  arose  between  parties  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  to  secure  the  prize,  and  according  to  the  records 
the  excitement  ran  high.  It  having  finally  been  decided  to  take 
the  necessary  steps  towards  laying  out  the  town,  a  meeting  was 
held  to  consider  what  course  to  pursue,  and  the  proceedings  as 
recorded  are  as  follows : 

At  a  Meeting  at  the  Governor's  on  Tuesday  the  sixteenth  day  of  June,  1772. 

Present — The  Governor,  The  Secretary  Mr.  Tilghman,  The  Receiver  General 
Mr.  Physiclc,  The  Surveyor  General  Mr.  Lukens. 

Ordered,  that  the  Surveyor  General  vrith  all  convenient  speed  repair  to  Fort 
Augusta  on  Sasquehanna,  and  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  William  McClay  lay  out 
a  ToA-n  for  the  County  of  Northumberland  to  be  called  by  the  name  of  Sunbury,  at 
the  most  commodious  place  between  the  Fort  and  the  Mouth  of  Shamokin  Creek, 
into  Three  Hundred  Lotts  to  be  accomodated  with  Streets,  Lanes  and  Alleys  and  a 
Commodious  Square  in  the  most  convenient  place  for  Publick  Buildings.  The  two 
Main  Streets  to  be  eighty  feet  wide,  the  others  sixty  and  the  Lanes  and  Alleys 
twenty  feet.  The  Lotts  to  be  sixty  feet  wide  in  Front  and  Two  hundred  and  thirty 
feet  deep  if  the  Ground  and  Situation  will  conveniently  allow  that  Depth.  And  it  is 
further  ordered  that  a  space  of  at  least  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  be  left  between 

*The  first  order  for  the  survey  of  the  manor  of  Pomfret,  issued  by  the  Proprietaries, 
was  in  these  words :  "  These  are  to  authorize  and  require  you  to  survey  &  lay  out 
for  our  Use  and  Right  and  as  part  of  our  tenths  the  quantity  of  Five  Thousand  Acres 
of  Land  at  Shamokin  on  the  River  Sasquehannah  to  include  the  old  Fort  and  the 
Lands  about  it  and  make  Return  thereof  into  our  Secretary's  Office  for  which  this 
shall  be  your  sufficient  Warrant. 

"Witness  John  Penn  Esqr  Lieutenant  Governor  of  the  said  Province  who  by  virtue 
of  certain  powers  from  the  said  Proprietaries  hath  hereunto  set  his  Hand  &  caused 
the  Seal  of  the  Land  Office  to  be  affixed  at  Philadelphia  this  twenty-ninth  Day  of 
October  Ao.  L^i.  One  thousand  seven  hundred  &  sixty-eight. 

"John  Penn. 

"To  John  Lukkns,  Esqr.  Survr.  Genl." 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  39 1 

the  Town  line  and  the  Bank  of  the  River.  Every  other  Lett  adjoining  the  Square 
and  fifty  Commodious  Lotts  besides  to  be  reserved  for  the  Proprietaries.  After  laying 
out  the  Town  the  Surveyor  General  while  he  is  there  and  Mr.  McClay  after  the 
Surveyor  leaves  the  place  may  receive  applications  and  make  Entries  to  be  Returned 
&  Recorded  in  the  Secretaries  Office  from  any  person  or  Persons  inclinable  to  settle 
&  build  in  the  Town,  particularly  Tradesmen  and  such  as  are  of  ability  to  improve. 
No  person  to  be  allowed  to  take  up  more  than  one  Lott  without  the  Governors 
special  Licence.  And  upon  making  Application  the  Party  applying  shall  receive  a 
Ticket  in  the  Form  following: 

The  day  of  ,  177 —  A.  B.  applies  for  and  is  allowed  to  take  up 

I.ott  No. in  the  Town  of  Sunbury  for  which  he  is  to  take  out  a  Patent  within 

six  months  from  the  Time  of  Application,  otherwise  the  Application  to  be  void  and 
the  Lott  free  for  any  other  applier.  A  clause  to  be  contained  in  the  Patent  that  if 
the  said  A.  B.,  his  Heirs  or  Assigns  do  not  within  three  Years  from  the  Time  of 
Application  build  and  Erect  on  the  said  Lott  a  Dwelling  House  of  twenty  feet  square 
at  least,  with  a  Brick  or  Stone  Chimney  the  Patent  to  be  void.  The  Lott  to  be 
forfeited  to  the  Proprietaries  and  they  at  full  and  absolute  Liberty  without  Re-entry 
to  Grant  and  dispose  of  it  to  any  other  Person  or  Persons  whatsoever.  The  Annual 
Ground  Rent  for  the  said  Lott  to  be  Seven  Shillings  Sterling. 

N.  B.— The  Rent  of  the  Unreserved  Lots  adjoining  the  Square  to  be  Ten 
Shillings  Sterling. 

A  true  Copy. 

James  Tilghman, 
Sec'ty  of  the  Land  Office. 

Thi.s  document  bears  the  following  indorsement:  "The  Gov- 
ernor's orders  for  laying  out  the  town  of  Sunbury.  Executed 
the  26th,  27th,  29th  and  30th  of  June,  the  ist,  2d  &  3d  of  July, 
1772."     Signed  "John  Lukens,  S.  G.,  William  Maclay,  D.  S." 

The  preliminary  steps  having  been  taken,  there  was  no  delay  in 
carr\'ing  out  the  decision  of  the  officers.  Mr.  Tilghman,  Secretary 
of  the  Land  Office,  wrote  to  William  Maclay: 

Mr.  Lukens  goes  to  lay  out  the  town,  agreeably  to  instructions.  You  are  joined 
with  him  in  the  work.  You  are  to  treat  with  Mr.  Lowdon,  and  if  his  title  be  good, 
and  he  will  take  a  sum  named  in  the  instructions  (^200),  the  town  is  to  be  laid  out 
in  the  Forks  (Northumberland) ;  otherwise  on  the  fort  side.  Wallis  and  Haines  have 
said  they  had  a  right,  and  they  must  relinquish  it.  As  Lowdon's  application  was  in 
his  wife's  name,  she  must  convey.  As  putting  the  town  in  the  forks  is  a  concession 
against  the  interest  of  the  Proprietaries  to  accommodate  the  people,  if  the  place  can- 
not be  clear  of  claims,  the  town  must  be  on  the  other  side. 

It  seems  that  the  terms  of  the  Proprietaries  were  not  complied 
with,  and  the  claimants  in  the  forks,  where  the  town  of  Northum- 
berland was  afterwards  located,  lost  the  county  seat,  for  on  the 
i6th  of  June,  1772,  the  Governor  and  his  Council  issued  an  order 


392  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

to  Surveyor  General  Lukens  to  repair  to  Fort  Augusta,  and,  with 
the  assistance  of  WiUiam  Maclay,  lay  out  a  town  for  the  county 
of  Northumberland,  to  be  called  by  the  name  of  Sunbury,*  at  the 
most  commodious  place  between  the  forks  of  the  river  and  the 
mouth  of  Shamokin  Creek.  General  Lukens  carried  out  his 
instructions  without  delay,  for  we  find  among  the  records  the  fol- 
lowing bill  of  expenses  incurred  while  engaged  in  the  work : 

The  Hon'ble  Proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania. 

To  John  Lukens,  Survey'r  Gen'l,  Dr. 

1772. 
June  18.     To  Sundry  Disbursements  &  Services  in  laying  out  the  town  of  Sunbury 

from  June  1 8th  to  July  20th. 
To  Cash  paid  Capt.  Hunter,  \Vm.  Wilson  &  Peter  Withington  for  pro- 
visions &  liquors  for  myself  &  Horse  while  laying  out  the  town,       ■  £  37   14  '  9 
To  Cash  paid  SamT  McClay  for  10  days  at  7-6  p  day,  -         -         -  j   15     o 

To  Ditto  paid  Charles  Lukens,  Judah  Bakerr,  \Vm.  Patterson  &  Jesse 

Lukens  8  days  at  5s  a  day  work, S     o     o 

To  Ditto  paid  Alex'r  Grant  &  James  Gay f  for  5  d.iys  at  55  p 

day  each, 2   10     o 

To  Ditto  paid  Rob't  Martin,  James  Gondy,  Jacob  Haverling  &  Adam 

Haverling  4  days  each  at  2-6, 200 

To   Ditto  paid  Thomas  Brannon,  Wm.  Murdock,    Sam'l    Pearson    & 

James  Aderson  for  3d  each  at  2-6, i    10     o 

To  Ditto  pd.  David  f ter  for  Rivets  for  20  feet  Rods,         -         -  10 

To  My  Expenses  going  up  &  coming  down,         -         -         -         -         -  8   iS   10 

To  My  Services  30  Days,  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -30     00 

To  Cash  paid  Tobias  Rudolph  Horse  Hire  30  days  at  5s  p  day,     -         -  7100 

/loi    19     7 

Thus  was  the  town  of  Sunbury  founded,  and  the  cost  of  making 
the  survey  slightly  exceeded  ^500.  A  copy  of  the  original 
survey ,3:   given   herewith,  shows  the   names  of   the  original   lot 

*  Named  after  .Sunbury,  a  village  on  the  Thames,  England ;  a  parish  formed  by 
the  union  of  shires  in  the  County  Middlesex,  about  fifteen  miles  from  London  proper. 
Supposed  to  have  been  the  place  at  which  the  Icend,  under  Boadicea,  were  defeated 
by  Suetonius  Paulinus,  in  5i.  A  church  was  erected  on  the  site  of  a  more  ancient 
edifice  in  1752. 

f  Obliterated. 

J  This  draft  or  "plan"  has  a  curious  history.  It  is  asserted  that  when  it  was  first 
made  by  one  of  the  surveyors  employed  by  John  Lukens,  he  traded  it  off,  for  some 
cause  or  other,  to  a  party  in  Philadelphia,  and  it  remained  in  obscurity  for  many 
years.  Its  existence  was  finally  discovered  by  an  officer  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical 
Society,  who  succeeded  in  purchasing  it,  and  it  is  now  in  the  archives  of  that  institu- 
tion. On  this  account  the  Land  Office  has  never  been  able  to  give  a  certified  copy  of 
the  original — it  can  only  certify  to  a  copy.  • 


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392  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

to  Surveyor  General  Lukens  to  repair  to  Fort  Augusta,  and,  with 
the  assistance  of  WiUiam  Maclay,  lay  out  a  town  for  the  county 
of  Northumberland,  to  be  called  by  the  name  of  Sunbury,*  at  the 
most  commodious  place  between  the  forks  of  the  river  and  the 
mouth  of  Shamokin  Creek.  General  Lukens  carried  out  his 
instructions  without  delay,  for  we  find  among  the  records  the  fol- 
lowing bill  of  expenses  incurred  while  engaged  in  the  work : 

The  Hon'ble  Proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania. 

To  John  Lukens,  Survey'r  Gen'l,  Dr. 

1772. 
June  18.     To  Sundry  Disbursements  &  Services  in  laying  out  the  town  of  Sunbury 

from  June  l8th  to  July  20th. 
To  Cash  paid  Capt.  Hunter,  Wm.  Wilson  &  Peter  Withington  for  pro- 
visions &  liquors  for  myself  &  Horse  while  laying  out  the  town,       -   ;^  37   14  '  9 
To  Cash  paid  Sam'l  McClay  for  to  days  at  7-6  p  day,  -         -         -  3150 

To  Ditto  paid  Charles  Lukens,  Judah  Bakerr,  Wm.  Patterson  &  Jesse 

Lukens  8  days  at  5s  a  day  work,     -         -         -         -         -         -         -  S     o     o 

To  Ditto  paid  Alex'r  Grant  &  James  Gay -f  for  5  days  at  5s  p 

day  each, 2100 

To  Ditto  paid  Rob't  Martin,  James  Gondy,  Jacob  Haverling  &  Adam 

Haverling  4  days  each  at  2-6,         -------  200 

To   Ditto  paid  Thomas  Brannon,  Wm.   Murdock,    Sam'l    Pearson    & 

James  Aderson  for  3d  each  at  2-6, i    10     o 

To  Ditto  pd.  David  f ter  for  Rivets  for  20  feet  Rods,         -         -  10 

To  My  Expenses  going  up  &  coming  down,         -         -         -         -         -  8   iS   10 

To  My  Services  30  Days, 30     o     o 

To  Cash  paid  Tobias  Rudolph  Horse  Hire  30  days  at  5s  p  day,     -         -  7   10     o 

/loi    19     7 

Thus  was  the  town  of  Sunbury  founded,  and  the  cost  of  making 
the  survey  slightly  exceeded  ^500.  A  copy  of  the  original 
survey,^   given   herewith,  shows   the   names  of   the  original   lot 

*  Named  after  Sunbury,  a  village  on  the  Thames,  England ;  a  parish  formed  by 
the  union  of  shires  in  the  County  Middlesex,  about  fifteen  miles  from  London  proper. 
Supposed  to  have  been  the  place  at  which  the  Icend,  under  Boadicea,  were  defeated 
by  Suetonius  Paulinus,  m  61.  A  church  was  erected  on  the  site  of  a  more  ancient 
edifice  in  1752. 

t  Obliterated. 

JThis  draft  or  "plan"  has  a  curious  history.  It  is  asserted  that  when  it  was  first 
made  by  one  of  the  surveyors  employed  by  John  Lukens,  he  traded  it  off,  for  some 
cause  or  other,  to  a  party  in  Philadelphia,  and  it  remained  in  obscurity  for  many 
years.  Its  existence  was  finally  discovered  by  an  officer  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical 
Society,  who  succeeded  in  purchasing  it,  and  it  is  now  in  the  archives  of  that  institu- 
tion. On  this  account  the  Land  Office  has  never  been  able  to  give  a  certified  copy  of 
the  original — it  can  only  certify  to  a  copy.  > 


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HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  393 

holders  and  the  names  of  the  streets  and  alleys.  The  letter  "P" 
stands  for  Proprietaries,  and  means  that  the  lots  so  marked  were 
reserved  for  those  gentlemen.  They  always  were  on  the  lookout 
for  the  best  locations  for  their  share.  And  it  will  be  observed  that 
those  who  were  in  favor  with  the  Government  succeeded  in  getting 
the  choicest  lots.  The  streets  of  to-day  bear  different  names  from 
those  given  on  the  map.  The  fine  avenue  fronting  on  the  river  is 
now  known  as  Broadway  or  Front  Street;  River  Street  is  called 
Second ;  Deer  Street  is  known  as  Third,  and  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  passes  through  it.  Fawn  Street  is  now  called  Fourth. 
The  streets  running  north  and  south  are  now  named  as  follows : 
Elderberry  Street  is  called  Spruce;  Hurtleberry  is  named  Walnut, 
and  Poakberry  is  known  as  Penn — the  Philadelphia  and  Reading 
Railroad  runs  through  it ; — Blackberry  Street  is  named  Chestnut, 
and  Shamokin,  the  principal  thoroughfare,  is  called  Market.  In  the 
square,  intersected  by  this  street,  the  original  court  house  was 
built,  and  stood  there  for  many  years.  A  handsome  soldiers'  monu- 
ment now  stands  south  of  the  railroad  track,  at  the  upper  end  of 
the  public  square,  surmounted  by  a  life-size  statue  of  Colonel 
James  Cameron,  who  fell  at  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run.  Dew- 
berry Street  is  now  called  Arch,  and  Cranberry  is  known  as  Race. 
It  will  be  noticed  as  a  curious  fact  that  all  the  streets  and  alleys 
running  north  and  south  were  named  after  a  "berry"  of  some  kind 
or  other,  which  leads  us  to  infer  that  the  town  site,  in  its  pristine 
condition,  yielded  a  great  variety  of  berries,  which  caused  the 
surveyors  to  adopt  these  names. 

It  is  also  a  curious  study  to  examine  the  names  of  the  original 
holders  of  the  town  lots.  Among  them  will  be  found  many  who 
were  conspicuous  in  public  affairs  at  that  day,  both  in  civil  and 
military  life.  And  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  descendants  of 
many  of  those  people  still  reside  in  Sunbury,  and  are  classed 
among  the  leading  and  most  distinguished  citizens ;  whilst  on  the 
other  hand  some  of  the  most  prominent  names  of  that  day  are  no 
longer  known  in  the  town.  George  Nagel,  who  was  sheriff  of  Berks 
County  when  Northumberland  was  set  off,  and  aided  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  first  court  in  Sunbury,  had  the  last  lot  at  the  foot  of 
the  square,  on  the  left  of  the  "plan."  How  long  he  held  it  an 
examination  of  the  record  only  will  show. 


394  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

The  present  building  on  lot  64,  at  the  foot  of  Market  Street — 
now  occupied  by  Hon.  John  B.  Packer  as  an  office — was  erected 
by  Charles  Hall,  Esq.,  who  afterwards  married  Miss  Coleman  and 
became  the  owner  of  Hall's  Farms  in  Lycoming  County.  The 
patent  for  the  lot  from  "  the  Hon.  Thomas  Penn  and  John  Penn, 
Esqs.,  true  and  absolute  Proprietaries  and  Governors  in  Chief  of 
the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  and  counties  of  Newcastle,  Kent  and 
Sussex  on  Delaware,  to  James  Tilghman,  Esq.,  of  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, was  dated  the  2d  day  of  January,  in  the  thirteenth  year 
of  the  Reign  of  our  Sovereign  Lord  George  HI.,  by  the  Grace  of 
God  King  of  Great  Britain,  etc.,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  seventy-three,"  and  recites :  "  That  the 
said  James  Tilghman,  in  the  year  1772,  applied  for  and  requested 
the  said  Proprietaries  to  permit  him  to  take  up  one  lot  of  ground 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Broadway,  in  the  town  of  Sunbury,  the 
county  of  Northumberland,  in  the  said  Province,  marked  in  the 
general  plan  of  the  said  town  No.  64,  in  order  to  build  thereon  one 
substantial  dwelling  house  of  twenty  feet  square  at  least,  with  a 
good  brick  or  stone  chimney  and  to  improve  the  same  within  the 
space  of  three  years  then  next  ensuing,  agreeably  to  the  said  plan 
and  regulations  fixed  for  building  the  said  town,  etc.;  and  that  the 
said  Proprietaries  favoring  his  request  did  order  and  direct  the 
said  lot  of  ground  to  be  surveyed  and  laid  out  for  the  said  James 
Tilghman,  and  by  their  warrant,  bearing  date  the  21st  day  of 
December  last,  under  the  seal  of  their  land  office,  having  required 
their  Surveyor  General  to  accept  and  receive  the  survey  so  made 
of  the  said  lot  into  his  office  and  to  make  return  thereof  into  their 
Secretary's  office,  in  order  for  confirmation  to  the  said  James 
Tilghman,  etc.,  etc.  The  said  Surveyor  General  hath,  in  pursu- 
ance of  said  warrant,  accordingly  made  his  return  of  the  said  lot, 
etc.  The  said  Proprietaries,  at  the  instance  and  request  of  the 
said  James  Tilghman,  and  for  and  in  consideration  of  the  condi- 
tions and  services  to  be  paid  and  performed  upon  the  part  of  the 
said  James  Tilghman,  they  the  said  Proprietaries,  for  themselves 
and  their  heirs  and  successors,  have  given,  granted,  released  and 
confirmed  and  by  these  presents  do  give,  grant,  release  and  con- 
firm unto  the  said  James  Tilghman,  his  heirs,  all  that  the  said 
before  described  lot  of  ground,  with  all  houses,  etc.,  whatsoever  to 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  395 

the  said  lot  of  ground  belonging,  etc.  To  have  and  to  hold  the 
said  lot  of  ground,  with  the  appurtenances,  etc.,  unto  the  said 
James  Tilghman,  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever.  To  be  holden  of 
them  the  said  Proprietaries,  their  heirs  and  assigns,  as  of  their 
Manor  of  Pomfret  in  the  county  of  Northumberland  aforesaid,  in 
free  and  common  socage  by  fealty  only,  in  lieu  of  all  other  ser- 
vices." 

James  Tilghman  and  William  Tilghman,  executors  of  the  last 
will  and  testament  of  James  Tilghman,  deceased,  by  their  in- 
denture, made  the  20th  day  of  May,  1795,  conveyed  this  lot  unto 
Charles  Hall,  Esq.* 

There  are  other  lots  on  the  "plan"  which  have  interesting  his- 
torical associations  connected  with  them,  but  space  will  not  war- 
rant a  notice  of  all. 

Sunbury  should  always  be  a  patriotic  town,  because  the  return 
of  its  survey  was  made  on  the  4th  of  Jul)',  1772,  four  years  before 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  proclaimed.  Its  natal  an- 
niversary, therefore,  always  comes  on  the  day  most  sacred  to 
Americans. 

We  learn  from  the  old  records  that  the  first  building — after  the 
town  was  founded — was  erected  by  John  Lukens  at  the  north- 
west corner  of  Market  Square,  although  nothing  but  the  letter 
"  P"  and  a  blank  space  appears  on  the  map.     The  second  house, 


*As  the  note  on  page  361  is  not  as  definite  as  it  should  be,  the  following  is  here- 
with inserted:  Charles  Hall,  whose  family  lived  at  Mt.  Welcome,  (the  first  brick 
house  built  in  Cecil  County,  Maryland,  in  1669,)  studied  law  with  his  uncle,  General 
Hartley,  in  York,  Pa.  One  day,  while  in  Lancaster  on  business,  he  saw  two  young 
ladies  on  the  street.  He  remarked  to  his  companion  that  if  he  could  find  out  who 
one  of  them  was  he  would  marry  her.  Later  in  the  day  he  presented  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  Mr.  Coleman  and  was  invited  to  dinner.  At  dinner  he  was  introduced 
to  the  young  lady  he  had  met  on  the  street,  she  being  Mr.  Coleman's  daughter,  then 
only  seventeen  years  of  age.  This  led  to  other  visits,  and  Mr.  Hall  having  settled 
in  Sunbury,  and  having  some  means  and  the  prospect  of  a  good  practice — which 
afterwards  became  very  large — he  married  Miss  Coleman  and  brought  her  to  the 
house  now  standing  on  lot  64,  which  he  had  built. 

R.  M.  Coleman,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Hall,  who  came  from  Castle  Finn,  Ireland, 
was  employed  by  Mr.  Old,  then  owner  of  Cornwall,  as  book-keeper,  and  married  his 
only  daughter,  and  thereby  came  into  possession  of  all  that  property.  Mr.  Old  had 
acquired  the  property  in  the  same  way  by  marrying  the  daughter  of  Baron  Steigel, 
who  lived  at  Manheim,  and  owned  all  the  property  now  forming  the  great  Cornwall 


396  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

and  now  the  most  historic  in  the  town,  was  built  by  WilHam 
Maclay  on  the  lot  fronting  the  river  at  the  foot  of  Arch  Street. 
An  examination  of  the  map  will  show  that  the  lot  was  num- 
bered 56,  in  the  name  of"  Wm.  Maclay,  Esq.,  returned  1st  Febru- 
ary, 1 773-" 

Mr.  Maclay  had  some  trouble  about  the  public  buildings  in 
Sunbury,  particularly  a  jail  in  which  to  incarcerate  law-breakers, 
if  we  may  judge  from  the  following  .spicy  letter  which  he  wrote  to 
J.  Tilghman,  under  date  of  April  2,  1773: 

Sir:  I  inclose  you  a  Letter  from  three  of  the  Trustees  for  the  piiblick  Buildings 
of  this  County,  respecting  some  measures  which  we  have  lately  fallen  on  to  rescue  us 
from  the  scandal  of  living  intirely  without  any  Place  of  confinement  or  punishment 
for  Villains;  Captain  Hunter  had  address  enough  to  render  abortive  every  attempt 
that  was  made  last  summer,  for  keeping  a  regular  Jail,  even  after  I  had  been  at  con- 
siderable expense  in  fitting  up  the  Magazine,  under  which  tliere  is  a  small  But  com- 
pleat  Dungeon,  I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  That  he  has  given  our  present  Measures  the 
most  Obstinate  Resistance  in  his  power  and  impeded  Us  with  every  embarrassment 
in  the  Compass  of  his  Invention,  we  know  nothing  of  the  Footing  on  which  Captain 
Hunter  has  possession  of  these  Buildings,  and  only  beg  that  the  County  may  be 
accommodated  with  this  old  Magazine,  with  the  addition  proposed  to  be  made  to  it, 
and  with  the  House  in  which  I  now  live,  to  hold  our  courts  in;  I  have  repaired  ihe 
House  in  which  I  now  live,  But  expect  to  have  an  House  ready  to  remove  to  in 
Sunbury,  before  our  November  Court.  As  the  present  repairs  are  done  inlirely  by 
subscription,  you  will  readily  guess  that  Captain  Hunter  is  not  among  the  number  of 
subscribers.  As  there  are  many  pieces  of  old  Iron,  &c.,  which  formerly  belonged  to 
the  fort,  not  of  any  use  at  present,  the  Trustees  propose  using  any  of  them  which 
can  be  converted  to  any  advantage,  for  Grates,  &c.,  for  our  temporary  Gaol,  unless 
they  receive  contrary  Directions  from  Philada.  If  Hell  is  justly  considered  as  the 
rendivous  of  Rascals,  we  cannot  entertain  a  doubt  of  Wioming  being  the  Place. 
Burn'd  Hands,  cut  Ears,  &c.,  are  considered  as  the  certain  certificates  of  superior 
merit;  we  have  certain  Accounts  of  their  having  had  several  meetings  lately  to  chuse 
a  Sovereign  and  settle  the  .State,  &c.,  for  it  seems  they  have  not  now  any  Dependance 
on  the  Government  of  Connecticut.  The  Time  of  the  Descent  on  the  West  Branch, 
Fort  Augusta,  c&c,  is  now  fixed  for  May  next ;  I  have  no  Doubt  but  the  Desperate 
Tempers  of  these  People  will  hurry  them  into  some  tragical  affair,  which  will  at  last 
rouse  our  Government,  when  it  may  be  too  late  to  repair  the  mischief  done  by  them. 
At  the  same  time  I  am  told  there  are  some  among  them,  who  would  willingly  become 
quiet  subjects,  and  are  afraid  to  own  their  sentiments.  Patterson  has  the  other  day 
been  offered  I200  o  o,  for  the  same  number  of  acres,  not  far  from  your  Land.  I 
would  not  have  you  sell.  Doctor  Plunkett  goes  down  in  a  few  days;  'tis  likely  I 
may  send  another  long  letter  by  him. 

And  am  with  the  greatest  Esteem, 

Your  most  Obedient  humble  Servant, 

Wm.  Maclay. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 


397 


The  house  alkided  to  in  the  above  letter,  to  which  he  expected 
to  remove  before  the  November  court,  was  built  on  lot  "56,"*  and 
is  still  standing.  Its  walls  are  of  limestone  obtained  from  the 
quarries  below  town,  and  they  are  as  solid  as  when  first  laid  up 
116  years  ago.  It  is  indeed  a  historic  house,  and  with  care  will 
stand  for  centuries  yet  to  come.  For  several  years  it  has  been 
owned  and  occupied  by 
Hon.  S.  P.  Wolverton. 
Luxuriant  maples  sur- 
round it,  and  in  summer 
time  it  is  almost  hidden 
by  their  foliage.  In  the 
accompanying  illustration 
the  trees  have  been  left  off 
for  the  purpose  of  show- 
ing the  house  and  its 
w  alls  as  clearly  as  possible. 
Recently  Mr.  Wolverton 
has  enlarged  and  modern- 
ized the  windows,  and 
built  an  addition  to  the 
rear  with  the  same  kind  of  stone,  which  is  much  larger  than  the 
original  building,  and  makes  the  whole  present  a  splendid  ap- 
pearance. Care  has  been  taken  to  preserve  the  old  mansion  in 
its  primitive  form  as  nearly  as  possible,  so  that  it  will  always  remain 
as  a  monument  for  its  original  builder.  Like  the  Wallis  mansion 
at  Halls,  erected  some  four  years  earlier,  it  will  be  pointed  to,  as 
long  as  it  stands,  as  an  object  of  veneration,  and  a  living  evidence 
of  the  handiwork  of  our  forefathers.  Mr.  Wolverton  prizes  the 
ancient  home  of  Mr.  Maclay  and  his  family  highly,  and  will  en- 
deavor to  preserve  it  as  long  as  it  remains  in  his  possession  with 
scrupulous  care,  because  it  was  built  and  occupied  by  the  first 
United  States  Senator  from  Pennsylvania,  1 16  years  ago. 

A  brief  of  the  title  to  this  historic  property,  from  the  Penns 


small 


ckade 


*  During  the  Revohn.„ -...  

for    the  better  protection   of  refugees,   in   case   of 


acted  on  the  rear  of  this  lot 
attack   on   the   town   by  the 


39o  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

down  to  the  present  time,  is  appropriate  in  this  connection,  and  it 
is  given  herewith: 

Deed,  dated  January  31,  1785,  from  John  Penn,  Jr.,  and  John  Penn,  Sr.,  to  William 
Maclay,  for  4gj{  acres  of  the  Manor  of  Poinfret,  in  Augusta  township,  North'd 
Co.,  Pa. 

Will  of  William  Maclay,  dated  November  3,  1797,  devised  lot  56  in  Sunbury, 
Pa.,  unto  his  daughter  Jane  Maclay. 

(This  will  is  not  recorded  in  North'd  County,  but  is  recited  in  deeds  below.) 

(Jane  Maclay  was  intermarried  with  John  Lyon. ) 

Deed,  dated  March  9,  1809,  John  Lyon  and  Jane,  his  wife,  to  Joshua  Elder  for 
said  lot  No.  56. 

Deed,  dated  May  6,  1809,  Joshua  Elder  to  John  Lyon,  for  lot  No.  56. 

Deed,  dated  March  29,  1S13,  John  Lyon  to  Daniel  Lebo,  for  lot  No.  56.  Re- 
corded in  North'd  Co.,  in  Deed  Book  "S,"  page  145. 

(This  deed  recites  the  above  deeds.) 

Deed,  Poll,  dated  April  20,  1819,  William  Shannon,  sheriff,  to  John  Conrad,  for 
lot  No.  56;  sold  as  the  property  of  Daniel  Lebo. 

Deed,  dated  January  5,  1S22,  John  Conrad  and  wife  to  William  Shannon  for  lot 
No.  56,  recorded  in  said  county  in  Deed  Book  "  U,"  page  530, 

Deed,  June  9,  1847,  Thomas  Pardee,  administrator  of  William  Shannon,  deceased, 
to  Ira  T.  Clement,  for  lot  No.  56,  recorded  in  said  county  in  Deed  Book  "  FF,"  page 
297. 

(This  deed  contains  the  following  preamble:) 

Whereas,  on  the  7th  day  of  April,  1S46,  John  Bogar,  intermarried  with  one  of 
the  daughters  of  said  deceased,  presented  his  petition  to  the  Orphans'  Court  of  said 
county,  praying  the  court  to  award  an  inquisition  to  make  partition  among  the  heirs 
of  said  deceased.  In  pursuance  thereof,  on  the  20th  of  July,  1S46,  an  inquest  was 
held  on  the  same  which  at  August  term,  1846,  was  confirmed  by  the  said  court. 

And  whereas,  on  the  nth  day  of  November,  1S46,  it  appearing  to  the  court,  that 
notice  had  been  given  to  the  heirs  of  said  deceased,  to  appear  and  accept  of  said 
estate  at  the  valuation,  and  as  they  did  not  appear,  the  said  court  did  order  and  de- 
cree that  the  same  should  be  sold  by  the  said  administrator. 

And  whereas,  in  pursuance  of  said  decree  the  said  administrator  advertised  the 
said  property  for  sale,  but  for  want  of  bidders  and  the  obstruction  by  ice  in  the  river, 
the  same  remained  unsold,  and  on  the  13th  day  of  January,  1847,  the  said  order  was 
continued  by  the  said  court. 

And  whereas,  the  said  administrator,  in  pursuance  of  said  order  did  on  the  25th 
day  of  February,  1847,  expose  said  lot  of  ground  for  sale  and  sold  the  same  to  Ira 
T.  Clement,  which  said  sale  was  confirmed  by  the  said  court  on  the  5th  day  of  April , 
1847,  as  by  the  proceedings  of  said  court  appear. 

Deed,  dated  August  28,  1848,  Ira  T.  Clement  and  wife  to  Solomon  Smith  and 
James  Murphy,  for  lot  No.  56,  recorded  in  Deed  Book  No.  "  GG,"  page  56,  &c. 

Deed,  dated  May  i,  1856,  .Solomon  Smith  and  wife,  and  James  Murphy  and  wife 
to  Henry  Bartley,  for  lot  No.  56,  recorded  in  Deed  Book  "  MM,''  page  599,  &c. 

Deed,  dated  April  8,  1865,  Henry  Bartley  and  wife  to  Simon  P.  Wolverton,  for 
lot  No.  56,  recorded  in  Deed  Book  "  VV,"  page  514,  &c. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  399 

Mr.  Maclay  was  finally  gratified  to  learn  that  steps  had  been 
taken  for  the  erection  of  a  jail  at  an  early  date.  On  the  23d  of 
July,  1774,  the  Colonial  Legislature  passed  "an  act  for  lending  the 
sum  of  iJ'Soo  to  the  county  of  Northumberland  for  building  a 
court  house  and  prison  in  said  county;"  as  may  be  seen  by  refer- 
ence to  Vol.  X.,  Colonial  Records,  pages  197  and  198.  In  March, 
1775,  Samuel  Hunter,  William  Maclay  and  Robert  Moodie,  com- 
missioners, commenced  to  build  the  jail.  Contracts  were  made 
with  different  parties  to  do  the  work.  The  vouchers  show  that 
James  Chisnal  had  the  contract  to  quarry  the  stone,  John  Lee  to 
furnish  the  lime,  John  Harris,  senior,  of  Paxtang  (now  Harris- 
burg),  the  iron,  Frederick  Weyman  to  supply  the  hinges,  hooks, 
rivets,  etc.  Joseph  McCarrell,  Zachariah  Robins  and  Conrad 
Platner  hauled  the  stone,  lime  and  scaffold  poles,  and  Heniy 
Crawford  and  Robert  Lent  laid  up  the  stone-work.  John  Buyers 
and  John  Maclay  did  the  carpenter  work.  The  jail  was  finished 
in  1776.  It  was  a  stone  and  brick  structure,  one  part  being  used 
for  a  court  house  and  the  other  for  a  prison.  The  building  cost 
about  ^4,000.  Although  much  modernized  and  enclosed  by 
other  buildings,  the  old  structure  could  still  be  clearly  recognized 
until  recently,  and  was  always  pointed  to  as  one  of  the  relics  of 
the  town.  On  the  green,  in  front  of  the  combined  prison  and 
temple  of  justice,  the  whipping  post  was  erected  and  there  crim- 
inals received  their  quota  of  "lashes  well  laid  on,"  in  the  days  of 
the  irascible  Judge  Plunkett. 

The  history  of  our  public  roads  is  inseparable  from  the  history 
of  the  settlement  of  this  valley  by  the  white  race.  From  time 
immemorial  the  unbroken  wilderness  had  been  penetrated  by 
narrow,  tortuous  paths,  so  dim  as  to  require  the  sagacity  natural  to 
the  aborigine,  or  acquired  by  the  early  white  hunters  and  scouts 
in  order  to  follow  them. 

When  the  adventurous  pioneer  determined  upon  a  permanent 
settlement,  these  paths,  known  as  "Indian  trails,"  were  made  more 
distinct  by  a  system  of  "spotting"  the  trees  along  the  way,  and 
many  cases  are  on  record  where  belated  people  have  patiently 
groped  through  the  dark  forest  by  feeling  the  blazes  on  the  trees. 

In  the  course  of  time,  when  it  became  desirable  to  transport 
merchandise  through  the  woods,  these  paths  were  widened  out 


400  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

and  acquired  the  name  of  "  bridle  paths,"  from  the  custom  of  lead- 
ing the  "pack  horse"  by  the  rein,  as  the  people  slowly  toiled 
along  on  foot. 

Still  later  on,  when  families  and  household  goods  of  the  early 
settlers  were  to  come  in,  these  paths  were  again  widened  out,  so 
as  to  admit  the  passage  of  wheeled  vehicles,  and  these  from  time 
to  time  have  been  changed  in  location  to  suit  the  convenience  and 
comfort  of  the  inhabitants. 

It  is  impossible  for  the  present  generation  to  realize  the  original 
surroundings  of  the  early  roads.  For  miles  there  would  be  a 
succession  of  great  chuck  holes  between  the  matted  and  gnarled 
roots  of  the  great  forest  trees,  over  which  the  vehicles  would 
thump  and  jerk,  at  times  getting  so  mired  that  levers  would  have 
to  be  cut  and  used  to  pry  the  wheels  out  of  the  sloughs.  After 
a  time  the  trees  were  girdled  along  the  road  to  admit  the  sunshine, 
so  that  they  would  dry  up.  In  many  cases  they  wound  around 
the  high  ground  far  away  from  the  direct  course,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  miles  of  impenetrable  swamps  that  covered  our  valley  plains. 

As  one  stands  to-day  upon  the  corner  of  West  Fourth  and 
Walnut  streets,  of  Williamsport,  with  that  magnificent  Catholic 
edifice  before  him,  and  those  elegant  mansions  on  every  hand, 
with  dry,  paved  streets  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  it  is  hard  to 
believe  that  less  than  80  years  ago  this  same  highway  was  cor- 
duroyed for  a  long  distance  to  make  it  passable,  and  that  a  hun- 
dred feet  west  of  Walnut  Street  stood  a  log  bridge  across  a  rapid 
stream,  from  wiliich  a  citizen  of  Jaysburg  fell  and  was  drowned.* 

The  first  public  road  in  the  West  Branch  Valley  was  authorized 
by  the  court  of  Northumberland  County,  and  reported  on  at  the 
October  term,  1772.  It  was  to  be  laid  out  33  feet  wide,  but  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  opened  for  some  time  afterward,  for  we 
find   that   Lieutenant  Colonel  Henry  Antes  and  others  were  ap- 


*His  name  was  John  Murphy,  and  he  settled  two  and  a  half  miles  up  Larry's 
Creek  as  early  as  17S8.  He  was  a  clock-maker,  and  it  is  said  that  some  of  his 
clocks  are  still  in  existence.  His  daughter  Sarah,  it  is  claimed,  was  the  first  white 
child  born  on  Larry's  Creek,  about  1790.  J.  H.  McMinn,  in  his  A/mals  of  Jaysburg, 
shows  that  he  was  one  of  the  settlers  there  when  that  place  aspired  to  be  the  county 
seat  of  Lycoming.  According  to  tradition  he  was  a  little  tipsy  when  he  fell  off  the 
bridge  and  was  drowned  on  what  is  now  the  driest  and  most  magnificent  street  in 
Williamsport. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  4OI 

pointed,  at  the  August  session  of  1775,  "to  view,  and  if  they  saw- 
cause,  to  lay  out  a  bridle  road  from  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle 
Creek  to  the  town  of  Sunbury." 

This  evidently  led  to  the  prompt  erection  of  the  public  road,  as 
provided  for  three  years  previously,  as  we  find  that  wagons  loaded 
with  emigrants  were  caught  in  that  memorable  massacre  that  oc- 
curred where  Williamsport  now  stands,  on  June  10,  1778. 

One  of  the  most  curious  documents  that  has  survived  the 
devastation  of  the  "Big  Runaway"  and  the  years  following,  is  the 
notes  of  the  surveying  party  which  laid  out  this  public  road.  It  is 
owned  by  Mr.  Howard  R.  Wallis,  of  Muncy,  and  is  briefly  con- 
densed as  follows: 

Courses  of  the  new  road  from  F"ort  Augusta  to  Laycauming, 

Beginning  as  follows: 

Course  &  Distance  of  a  road  viewed  and  laid  out  in  Pursuance  of  an  order  of 
Court  for  the  same.  Begin'g  at  fort  augusta  thence  n.  56  east  to  Sergt  Grants  160 
Perches,  thence  to  a  mark  Hickery  nigh  the  Bank  on  the  north  side  of  the  East 
Branch,  thence  N  50  west  90  P  to  the  first  street  of  Northumberland  along  the  man 
street  of  sd  Town  200  Perches,  thence  north  56  west  200  perches,  and  so  on  by 
several  courses  and  distances  726  perches  "to  John  Ale.xanders."  Thence  byseveral 
courses  and  distances  546  perches  "at  a  fording  of  Chisquaque."  Thence  306 
perches  " to  William  Plunkets  Esqrs."  Thence  836  perches  "to  John  Doughertys.'' 
Thence  512  perches  "(Marcus  Hulings)." 

After  this  time  no  definite  point  is  mentioned  until  "  The  Gap 
of  Muncy  Hill"  is  reached.  Three  hundred  and  eighteen  perches 
beyond  this  point  occurs  the  following  clause  that  has  been 
canceled : 

Thence  by  Northward  and  Westward  by  a  line  of  marked  trees  to  Laycauming. 

In  place  of  the  above  the  regular  courses  and  distances  follow ; 

"To  the  fording  of  Muncy  Creek,"  "to  Wolf  run,"   "to  Mr.  Wallis's  Run,"  "to 
the  run  above  Wallises."     "Across  LoyalSock  Creek  thence  N  74  W.  to  the  upper 
end  of  Barbers  field  100  P."  and  finally  "to  Lycauming." 
Signed. 

Richard  Mallone, 
Amariah  Sutton, 
Alex'd  Stephens, 
Marcus  Hulings. 

This  pioneer  highway  was  doubtless  very  rude,  only  room 
enough  being  brushed  out  for  the  wagons  to  edge  through,  as  they 
\\'ound  back  and  forth  among  the  forest  trees,  \'ery  few  of  which 


402  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRA^■CH    VALLEY. 

were  cut,  so  that  it  soon  grew  shut  again  and  became  undiscern- 
ible. 

Phihp  Tome  tells  us  that  when  he  brought  his  family  up  to 
settle  in  1791,  he  traveled  by  keel  boat,  there  being  no  other  mode 
of  conveyance. 

Soon  after  this  time  the  new  county  of  Lycoming  was  organ- 
ized, and  we  hear  of  a  public  road  from  Sunbury  to  Newberry, 
and  a  few  years  later  the  horn  of  the  stage  coach  driver  heralded 
the  dawn  of  rapid  transit  in  this  valley. 

In  1772  John  Harris  made  an  improvement  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river  opposite  the  Great  Island.  It  probably  included  the 
site  of  the  old  Indian  town  that  stood  on  the  point  where  Beech 
Creek  unites  with  the  river.  On  the  20th  of  November,  1774,  he 
conveyed  his  improvement  to  William  Dunn.  The  tract  contained 
about  300  acres.  He  was  a  son  of  Samuel  Harris,  a  son  of  the 
founder  of  Harrisburg.  His  father  (Samuel)  was  a  settler  in 
Northumberland  County,  and  took  an  active  part  in  affairs  on  the 
West  Branch.  He  afterwards  removed  to  near  Cayuga  Lake, 
where  he  died  August  19,  1825.  John  Harris  was  commissioned 
a  captain  in  the  Twelfth  Pennsylvania  October  14,  1776. 

At  this  time  all  settlements  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  and 
west  of  Lycoming  Creek  were  made  in  violation  of  the  laws  of 
the  Province,  as  the  land  had  not  yet  been  purchased  from  the 
Indians.  Yet  the  land  was  so  rich  and  fertile  that  many  ad- 
venturers ran  all  risks  and  squatted  there.  The  Indians  regarded 
these  settlers  with  suspicion,  as  they  were  trenching  on  their 
choice  hunting  grounds.  They  remonstrated,  but  their  re- 
monstrances did  no  good.  Finally  they  complained  to  the  Pro- 
vincial Government  so  sharply  that  the  Penns  became  alarmed,  and 
at  a, meeting  of  the  Council  held  at  Philadelphia,  September  18, 
1773,  reference  was  made  to  this  matter  as  follows: 

The  Governor  informed  the  board  that  he  had  received  information  that  several 
families  had  lately  seated  themselves  on  lands  on  the  north  side  of  the  West  Branch 
of  Susquehanna,  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the  last  purchase  made  of  the  Indians  at 
the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanvrix,  and  it  being  considered  that  the  making  settlements  on 
the  Indians'  lands  would  create  great  uneasiness  among  them,  and  if  not  immediately 
removed  and  prevented  for  the  future,  might  be  attended  with  fatal  consequences,  it 
was  the  opinion  of  the  board  that  a  proclamation,  commanding  the  magistrates  and 
other  peace  officers  to  enforce  and  carry  the  laws  for  preventing  persons  settling  on 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  4O3 

any  of  the  unpurchased  lands  in  this  Province  into  execution,  against  all  persons  who 
had  already  made  any  such  settlements,  or  should  hereafter  transgress  the  same  law ; 
the  secretary  was  accordingly  directed  to  prepare  a  draught  of  a  proclamation  for 
that  purpose. 

In  accordance  with  this  decision  the  proclamation  was  im- 
mediately drawn  by  the  secretary  and  approved  by  John  Penn, 
September  20,  1773,  when  it  was  proclaimed  throughout  the 
Province.  It  is  a  formidable  document,  and  recites  that  any  per- 
son settling  on  these  lands,  making  surveys,  cutting  or  marking 
trees  with  the  intention  of  appropriating  the  land,  should  be  ap- 
prehended and  tried  in  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  and  if  con- 
victed should  pay  a  fine  of  ;£'soo  and  suffer  imprisonment  for 
twelve  months,  "without  bail  or  main  prize,"  and  give  "surety  for 
good  behavior  during  the  space  of  twelve  months*  from  and  after 
the  expiration  of  the  term  of  such  imprisonment." 

Notwithstanding  the  severe  terms  of  the  proclamation,  no  atten- 
tion seems  to  have  been  paid  to  it,  for  settlers  continued  to  arrive 
and  settle  on  the  forbidden  territory.  Neither  does  it  appear  that 
any  arrests  were  made.  The  proclamation  seems  to  have  been 
generally  disregarded. 

In  1774  Thomas  Ferguson  settled  a  short  distance  west  of 
Lycoming  Creek,  on  what  was  afterwards  known  as  the  Grier 
Farm.  Another  family  of  Kings — Willfam,  Joseph  and  Reeder — 
settled  near  the  mouth  of  the  creek.  They  bore  no  relationship 
to  the  brothers  of  the  same  name  who  had  settled  at  Pine  Creek. 
Edmund  Huff  located  a  short  distance  above  the  mouth  of  the 
creek  in  the  same  year.  William  McMeen  settled  on  the  river  in 
1774,  and  Henry  Dougherty  came  the  following  year.  The  little 
stream  known  to-day  as  Dougherty's  Run  was  named  after  him. 
About  the  same  time  Andrew  Armstrong  settled  at  what  was 
known  as  the  "  Big  Spring,"  a  short  distance  east  of  what  is  now 
known  as  the  village  of  Linden. 

John,  James  and  Thomas  Hughes,  three  brothers,  settled,  in 
1774,  near  what  is  now  known  as  Pine  Run.  A  portion  of  the 
tract  taken  up  by  them  was  in  the  possession  of  descendants  for 
over  one  hundred  years.  Bratton  Caldwell,  afterwards  a  noted 
"Fair  Play"   man,  also  settled   on   what   was  a   portion   of  the 


For  proclamation  in  full  see  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  X.,  page  95. 


404  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

Hughes  estate,  in  1774.  John  Toner  had  preceded  him  in  that 
neighborhood  one  year.  The  first  wedding  west  of  Lycoming 
Creek  is  said  to  ha\-e  taken  place  in  the  winter  of  1775.  The 
parties  married  were  Bratton  Caldwell*  and  Miss  Elcy  Hughes. 
The  wedding  took  place  at  a  cabin  occupied  by  a  justice  in  Nip- 
penose  Bottom,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  The  contracting 
parties  and  their  friends  crossed  the  river  on  the  ice,  and  tradition 
informs  us  that  they  had  quite  a  jollification  after  the  nuptial  knot 
was  tied. 

In  1773,  Robert  King,  John  and  Adam,  three  brothers,  came  to 
the  valley  from  Ireland,  and  settled  on  the  fine  land  west  of  Pine 
Creek,  where  they  remained  about  a  year.  The\'  then  became 
impressed  with  the  idea  that  the  land  was  not  good,  when  they 
abandoned  their  improvement  and  located  below  Larry's  Creek 
on  the  hills.  They  were  greatly  mistaken  in  the  quality  of  the 
land,  and  lived  long  enough  to  realize  it.  Robert  served  as  First 
Lieutenant  in  the  Fourth  Company  of  Associators,  commanded 
b}'  Captain  Gillespie,  his  commission  bearing  date  February  8, 
1776.  He  and  his  brothers  fled  during  the  Big  Runawa}-.  On 
their  return  they  found  their  cabins  burned.  Robert  died  March 
29,  1848,  aged  94  years,  7  months  and  29  days,  and  was  buried  in 
the  old  cemetery  on  West  Fourth  Street,  Williamsport.  John 
lived  to  be  about  80,  but  Adam  died  at  a  much  younger  age. 
They  were  buried  in  the  Williamsport  Cemetery  also. 

*They  had  eight  children,  three  sons  and  five  daughters.  The  sons  were  named 
James,  David  and  John.  James  died  at  the  family  home  on  Pine  Run.  The  other 
two  went  West.  Of  the  daughters,  Nancy,  the  eldest,  remained  single;  Ehzabeth 
married  Adam  King,  and  they  moved  West  in  1835  and  settled  near  Indianapolis. 
Margaret  married  William  Pearson  and  they  settled  near  Cincinnati.  Maiy  married 
James  Watson,  and  they  took  up  their,  residence  in  Jersey  Shore.  Mr.  Watson  was 
one  of  the  first  store-keepers  in  that  place,  and  at  first  he  hauled  his  goods  from 
Philadelphia  by  wagon.  Bratton  Caldwell,  his  wife  and  young  daughter,  Susan,  died 
about  iSio  or  iSli,  of  what  was  said  to  be  yellow  fever,  at  their  home  on  Pine  Run. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

BISHOP  ETTWEIN's  JOURNAL  GIVING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  FLIGHT 
OF  THE  MORAVIANS  UP  THE  WEST  BRANCH  ON  THEIR  WAY  TO 
OHIO    IN    1772 THEIR    TRIALS    AND    SUFFERINGS. 

AT  this  point  we  note  the  passage  of  the  last  Moravians  through 
the  valley.  They  had  made  a  settlement  at  Wyalusing,  on  the 
North  Branch,  and  founded  a  town  called  Friedenshutten.  After  the 
treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix,  when  the  Indians  sold  the  land  to  Penn,* 
the  Moravians  asked  the  Governor  that  the  country  surrounding 
their  mission  might  be  held  in  trust  for  them.  This  he  declined 
to  allow,  but  assured  them  that  they  should  never  be  disturbed, 
and  that  his  surveyors  should  not  come  within  five  miles  of  their 
town.  But  after  this  assurance  had  been  given,  it  was  only  a  few 
months  till  the  surveyors  were  at  work  running  lines  and  locating 
warrants  upon  the  plantations  attached  to  the  mission.  In  addi- 
tion to  this,  the  controversy  between  Pennsylvania  and  the  Con- 
necticut people  was  beginning  to  assume  a  serious  aspect,  and  the 
probabilities  were  that  ere  long  the  whole  country  would  be  in- 
volved in  the  conflict. 

Not  liking  the  appearance  of  things,  the  Moravians  decided  to 
break  up  their  settlement  and  emigrate,  and  having  received  an 
invitation  to  remove  to  Ohio,  they  accepted.  The  Wyalusing 
mission  at  this  time  numbered  151  souls,  of  whom  52  were  com- 
municants; 72  were  baptized  non-communicants,  and  20  were 
unbaptized.  They  had  built  a  church  and  were  living  comfortably 
and  happy  when  this  trouble  came  upon  them. 

It  having  been  decided  to  emigrate  to  Ohio,  preparations  were 
at  once  commenced  for  the  exodus,  and  on  the  i  ith  of  June,  1772, 
the  congregation  assembled  for  the  last  time  in  their  church, 
when,  with  thanksgiving  to  God  for  His  mercies,  and  prayers  for 

*See  Egle's  History  of  Pennsylvania,  page  413. 


406  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

His  protection  and  guidance,  they  went  forth  to  bid  a  final  adieu 
to  their  humble  homes,  their  pleasant  hunting  grounds,  and  the 
graves  of  their  kindred,  and  took  up  their  march  toward  the 
setting  sun. 

The  emigrants  were  divided  into  two  companies,  and  each  of 
these  was  subdivided  into  several  parties.  One  of  these  com- 
panies marched  overland  by  the  Wyalusing  path,  up  Sugar  Run, 
and  then  through  what  is  now  Sullivan  County,  to  the  head- 
waters of  Muncy  Creek,  down  which  they  descended  into  Munc}' 
Valley.  This  company  was  in  charge  of  Bishop  John  Ettwein,* 
who,  at  their  request,  had  been  sent  to  superintend  their  removal, 
and  had  the  care  of  the  horses  and  cattle.  The  other  party  was 
in  charge  of  Roth,  and  went  down  the  North  Branch  in  canoes 
to  the  junction  of  the  West  Branch,  up  which  they  ascended. 
The  bell  was  taken  down  from  its  place  on  the  church  and  carried 
by  Anthony  in  his  canoe  in  the  van  of  the  fleet,  and  was  tolled 
until  the  squadron  rounded  the  mountain  a  mile  and  a  half  below 
the  church.  The  doors  and  windows  of  the  church  were  nailed 
up,  and  the  buildings  left  in  charge  of  Job  Chilloway,  a  friendh- 
Indian.  The  journey  was  toilsome,  and  full  of  incidents  and 
danger.  Bishop  Ettwein  kept  a  journal  of  daily  events,  which 
was  lately  found  among  the  Moravian  archives  at  Bethlehem,  and 
translated  and  annotated  by  Mr.  John  W.  Jordan,  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Historical  Society,  and  published  in  the  Moravian,  3.  re- 
ligious journal.  It  is  exceedingly  interesting,  and  such  portions 
of  it  as  relate  to  the  journey  up  the  West  Branch  are  quoted  here- 
with in  full: 

"During  the  8th,  9th  and  loth  of  June,  1772,  all  was  bustle  in 
Friedenshutten,  with  preparations  for  the  impending  journey,  and 
the  pestles  of  the  corn-mortars  were  plied  day  and  night.  The 
texts  of  Scripturef  allotted  for  these  days:     'I  will  make  the  re- 

*Born  1712,  in  the  Schwarzwald,  in  Germany.  In  1754  he  emigrated  to  America, 
and  served  the  church  both  in  Pennsylvania  and  North  Carohna.  In  1764  he  became 
a  member  of  the  Mission  Board.  In  1784  he  was  consecrated  a  Bishop,  and  stood 
at  the  head  of  the  church  in  Pennsylvania  until  his  death  in  1802. — Li/f  of  Zeis- 
berger,  page''338. 

f  Since  the  year  1731,  the  Moravian  Church  has  issued  annujilly  a  collection  of 
"Daily  Texts,"  consisting  of  verses  from  the  Bible  for  each  day,  with  appropriate 
collects  taken  from  the  hymn-book. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  4O7 

jected  unto  a  great  people,' — '  I  will  give  them  to  drink  of  the 
water-courses  in  plain  paths,' — '  Awake,  rise  and  awake,  oh  Zion,' — 
were  words  that  brought  us  comfort,  as  we  in  faith  applied  them 
all  to  ourselves. 

"  Tliursday,  June  ii. — Early  we  met  for  the  last  time  in  the 
town  for  divine  worship.  I  remarked  on  the  Scripture  portion  of 
the  day,  to  wit :  '  They  have  not  possessed  themselves  of  the  land 
by  the  sword ' — in  effect,  that  all  our  temporal  and  spiritual  wel- 
fare depended  upon  the  presence  within  us  of  the  Lord's  Spirit, 
and  of  His  being  well  pleased  with  His  people.  Then  we  knelt 
in  prayer,  and  again  thanked  Him  for  the  numerous  blessings  that 
had  been  vouchsafed  to  us  in  this  spot,  and  for  the  evidences  of 
His  love  and  patience.  Hereupon  we  commended  ourselves  to  His 
keeping  and  guidance  on  the  way,  asking  Him  to  provide  all  our 
wants,  both  by  land  and  water. 

"  At  the  close  of  the  service  the  canoes  were  laden ;  the  bell 
was  taken  from  its  turret,  the  window-sashes  from  out  of  the 
church,  and  the  dismantled  windows  nailed  shut  with  boards. 

"  At  2  P.  M.  Brother  and  Sister  Roth  in  their  canoe  set  out, 
followed  by  the  others,  thirty  in  number.  We  had  divided  the 
voyageurs  into  six  divisions,  over  each  of  which  were  set  one  or 
two  leaders.  Timothy,  who  carried  the  bell  in  his  canoe,  rang  it 
for  some  time,  as  the  squadron  moved  down  the  stream,  never 
again  to  ring  out  its  call  to  the  house  of  prayer,  over  the  waters 
of  the  lovely  Susquehanna. 

"  After  all  had  left  the  town  I  locked  the  doors  of  the  chapel 
and  the  missionaries'  dwelling — took  leave  of  Job  Chilloway  and 
commended  to  him  oversight  of  the  houses  and  improvements — 
to  which  he  consented,  and  at  the  same  time  made  fair  promises. 
He  and  his  wife  were  the  only  two  who  appeared  to  regret  our 
departure,  as  they  shed  tears.  All  the  others  manifested  satisfac- 
tion. With  Brother  and  Sister  Roth  there  went  140  souls;  with 
me  by  the  overland  route,  54.  Others  are  to  proceed  also  by 
land  from  Sheshequin,  so  that  the  entire  migration  numbers  2 1 1 
souls. 

"A  short  time  before  our  departure  the  measles  had  been 
brought  to  Friedenshutten  from  Sheshequin,  which  place  had  been 


408  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY-. 

infected  by  a  white  man.  The  epidemic  soon  appeared  among 
the  voyageurs,  and  a  maiden  of  my  company  was  taken  down 
with  them  on  the  third  day  out.  Our  journey  consumed  five 
days,  that  of  the  voyageurs  ten  days,  when  we  met  at  the  mouth 
of  Muncy  Creek.* 

"As  we  crossed  the  river  our  way  led  us  straightway  to  the 
mountain,  and  after  proceeding  two  miles  we  entered  the  great 
Swamp, t  where  the  undergrowth  was  so  dense  that  oftentimes  it 
was  impossible  to  see  one  another  at  the  distance  of  six  feet.  The 
path,  too,  was  frequently  invisible,  and  yet  along  it  sixty  head  of 
cattle  and  fifty  horses  and  colts  had  to  be  driven.  It  needed  care- 
ful watch  to  keep  them  together.  We  lost  but  one  young  cow  . 
from  the  entire  herd.  Every  morning,  however,  it  was  necessary 
to  send  drivers  back  as  far  as  ten  miles  to  whip  in  such  as  would 
during  the  night  seek  to  return. 

"At  our  first  night's  encampment  two  of  our  brethren  lost 
themselves  while  in  search  of  straying  cattle,  and  several  hours 
elapsed  before  we  could  reach  them  by  signal  guns  and  shouts. 
It  was  daily  a  matter  of  astonishment  to  me,  that  any  man  should 
presume  to  traverse  this  swamp,  and  follow  what  he  called  a  path. 
It  is  at  least  sixty  miles  in  diameter,  but  not  as  rocky  and  hilly  as 
the  swamp  between  Bethlehem  and  Friedenshutten.  However, 
on  the  highland  for  the  distance  of  about  eight  miles,  where  the 
LoyalsockJ  and  Muncy  Creek  head,  it  is  excessively  rocky  and 
almost  impassable.  There  were  indications  of  abundance  of  ores 
here.  It  might  be  called  with  propriety  Ore  Alountams.  The 
timber  is  principally  sugar-maple,  tall  lindens,  ash,  oak  and  white- 
pine.  What  told  on  me  the  most  was  that  several  days  it  rained 
incessantly  as  we  penetrated  the  woods,  so  that  I  was  wet  from 
head  to  foot  all  day.     The  path  led  thirty-six  times  across  Muncy 

*  Called  Ocochpocheny  on  Scull's  map.  Zinzendorf  with  his  companions  were  the 
first  Moravians  to  cross  the  creek,  in  September  of  1742. 

f  The  path  crossed  the  river  at  the  Fords  at  the  present  Sugar  Run  Ferry,  over  the 
mountains  to  Lewis'  saw  mill,  on  Sugar  Run,  thence  to  Well's  saw  mill,  where  the 
swamp  begins,  following  the  main  branch  of  the  creek  up  to  near  its  source—  to  this 
day  continuous  swamps  and  marshes. 

J  Heckewelder  states,  corrupted  from  Lawi-saqtiick,  signifying  the  middle  creek, 
i.  e.,  a  creek  flowing  between  two  others.  Zinzendorf  visited  Ots-ton-wa-kin,  the 
residence  of  Madam  Montour,  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  in  October  of  1742. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  4O9 

Creek.  At  intervals  there  were  exceedingly  rich  bottom-lands, 
and  the  noblest  timber  I  have  seen  in  America,  excepting  the 
cj'presses  in  South  Carolina  and  Georgia.* 

"  Trinity  Sunday,  June  /y. — We  met  for  worship  for  the  first 
time  on  the  journey,  as  the  incessant  lowing  and  noise  of  the 
cattle  drowned  all  attempts  at  discourse  and  singing. 

"  Monday,  June  ij. — We  passed  from  the  Swamp  into  an  ex- 
tensive and  beautiful  region  of  plains, f  where  we  encamped,  and 
from  which  point  we  sent  several  brethren  to  meet  the  voyageurs. 
Here  the  hunters  in  two  days  shot  fifteen  deer,  the  meat  of  which 
was  dried  at  the  fires  for  use  on  the  journey.J 

"  Tuesday,  June  ly. — A  man  from  the  Jerseys,  who  on  his  return 
home  will  pass  through  Bethlehem,  called  at  our  camp.  Through 
him  I  sent  letters  home. 

"  Wednesday,  June  i8. — We  proceeded  to  the  West  Branch,  to 
Scoonhoven's  plantation,  one  mile  above  Wallis'.S  Here  on  the 
20th  the  canoes  overtook  us. 

"Brother  Roth  narrates  as  follows  of  his  journey:  'We  ad- 
vanced the  first  day  but  eight  miles,  by  reason  of  a  heavy  rain 
that  fell,  which  necessitated  us  to  put  up  huts,  which  in  two  hours' 
time  were  all  complete,  affording  us  shelter.  The  rest  refreshed 
us,  and  our  little  Johnny  (Roth)  slept  soundly.  During  the  I2th, 
because  of  the  high  wind,  the  canoes  rocked  roughly  on  the 
water.  Samuel's  daughter  was  taken  ill  of  the  measles.  In  the 
evening  we  had  our  first  meeting,  worshiping  standing  in  the 
woods.  It  was  so  cold  during  the  night  as  to  keep  us  from  sleep. 
On  the  1 3th  the  wind  was  still  contrary,  causing  high  waves  in 
the  river.     At  noon  we  passed  Lechawachnek.     As  we  passed  the 


*Ettwein  in  1762  itinerated  among  the  German  settlers  in  South  Carolina,  and  in 
1765  in  Georgia  among  the  Salzburgers  and  Swiss. 

f  Muncy  Valley.  This  region  was  settled  by  Quakers  from  the  counties  near 
Philadelphia,  as  the  names  of  the  townships,  Penn,  Moreland,  Shrewsbury,  etc., 
indicate. 

J  In  Wolf  Township,  Lycoming  County. 

?  Reading  Howell's  map  of  1790  notes  Wallis'  mill  on  a  run  near  the  West 
Branch,  about  four  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek,  in  Muncy  Township. 
This  point  is  in  an  air  line  forty-one  miles  south-west  by  west  from  Friedenshutten, 
and  over  fifty  miles  by  the  route  traveled. 


4IO  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Fort*  we  saw  it  lined  with  spectators,  and  a  man  playing  on  the 
violin.  We  encamped  on  the  stony  beach  of  the  river,  and  were 
disturbed  at  night  by  some  drunken  fellows. 

'"On  Sunday,  the  14th,  after  we  had  passed  the  falls f  below 
Wyomik,  I  held  preaching.  We  then  paddled  on,  and  on  the  15th 
reached  NescopecJ  (the  word  signifies  "a  nasty  deep  hole"). 
Here  the  canoes  were  worked  over  the  falls,  in  part  by  hand,  in  part 
by  means  of  ropes,  and  not  without  much  anxiety.  Here  the 
Susquehanna  is  not  wider  than  the  mill-dam  at  Bethlehem;  a 
mile  lower  down,  however,  it  grows  much  broader. 

" '  i6th. — The  wind  continued  contrary. 

'"  ijili. — On  account  of  Anna  Elizabeth  being  ill  we  had  to. lay 
over.§  Several  brethren  came  from  Bro.  Ettwein's  camp  on 
Muncy  Creek.  A  number  of  white  settlers  also  called  on  us, 
several  of  whom  attended  our  evening  service.  At  its  close  a 
German,  who  had  years  ago  frequented  the  brethren's  meeting  in 
Oley,  called  on  me.  I  took  occasion  to  address  him  in  reference 
to  his  soul's  welfare  and  he  was  visibly  moved.  Next  morning 
he  came  with  his  family  to  bid  us  farewell.' 

"  Sunday,  June  21. — Bro.  Roth  preached  on  the  words  of 
Scripture:  'Hold  fast  that  ye  have'  concerning  continuing  with 
Christ  and  Him  crucified.  In  the  evening  service  I  discoursed  on 
the  text  of  the  day :  '  Where  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  there  is 
liberty;'  treating  of  the  true  liberty  enjoyed  by  believers,  and  the 
pseudo-liberty  of  unbelievers,  who  dread  Christ's  yoke  and  yet 
are  in  bondage  to  Satan.  At  noon  I  preached  at  Mr.  Samuel 
Walks'  to  from  fifty  to  sixty  hearers,  all  English,  some  of  whom 
had  come  from  twenty  miles  distance.  I  spoke  of  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"Monday,  June  22. — We  had  a  market-da\'  in  camp.  Mr. 
Wallis  bought  of  us  fifteen  head  of  young  cattle  and  some  canoes. 

*  Possibly  the  block-house  built  by  Charles  Stewart,  Amos  Ogden  and  John 
Jennings,  in  1768. 

f  Nanlicoke  Falls. 

J  Corrupted  from  Niskchoppeek,  signifying  black,  deep  and  still  water.  (Hecke- 
welder).     About  twenty  miles  below  Wilkes  Barre. 

\  Probably  above  the  Chillisquaque,  in  Northumberland  County.  Scull's  map 
locates  an  Indian  village  of  the  same  name  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  4I  I 

Other  persons  bought  bowls,  firkins,  buckets,  tubs,  chains  and  divers 
iron-ware.  A  trader's  agent  had  smuggled  some  rum  into  the  pur- 
lieus of  the  camp.  The  transgression  was  soon  discovered,  and  after 
threatening  him  to  his  great  anxiety  we  handed  the  contraband 
merchandise  to  Mr.  Wallis  for  safe-keeping,  until  the  trader  should 
return  from  the  Great  Island.  Twenty  cwt.  of  flour,  which  I  had 
purchased  with  the  money  presented  to  our  Indians  by  friends  in 
Philadelphia,  were  here  distributed.* 

"June  2j  and  2./.— Broke  up  camp  and  moved  on.  Passed  the 
Loyalsock  at  the  spot  where  the  Sainted  Disciple  visited  thirty 
years  ago.f  and  Lycoming  Creek,  which  marks  the  boundary  line 
of  lands  purchased  from  the  Indians.  J  At  both  places  we  found 
white  settlers.  Our  cattle  were  driven  to  grass  into  the  woods, 
past  the  site  of  the  old  Indian  town.  One  mile  above  Lycoming 
stood  formerly  the  town  of  Quenischaschachki,§  where  our  Bro. 
Nathaniel  Davis  lived  for  six  years,  and  where  Grube  and  Mack 
visited.  1 1  Nathaniel  Davis  related  to  Bro.  Roth  that  at  the  time 
of  the  two  missionaries'  sojourn  in  the  town,  a  couple  of  Shawanese, 
who  were  inimical  to  the  whites,  had  demanded  of  him  Grube's 
surrender,  in  order  to  murder  him,  denouncing  him  as  a  seducer; 
that  he,  Davis,  had  replied,  'the  white  man  is  seated  in  my  house 
and  there  no  harm  shall  befall  him,'  that  he  did  not  regard  him  as 
a  seducer,  that  he  had  heard  nothing  evil  from  him,  observing 
that  Bro.  Grube  had  been  so  kind  to  the  children  that  this  course 
had  at  once  prepossessed  him  in  his  favor.  Finally  Davis  stated 
that  all  the  chief  enemies  of  the  Word  of  God  and  of  the  whites 
were  now  passed  away. 

*Ettwein  brought  with  him  from  Bethlehem  to  Friedenshutten  a  gift  of  £\oo, 
donated  by  benevolent  friends  in  Philadelphia. 

fZinzendorf  visited  the  spot  in  October  of  1742. 

I  The  great  treaty  held  at  Fort  Stanwix  in  November  of  176S,  between  Sir  Wm. 
Johnson,  His  Majesty's  superintendent,  and  commissioners  from  Pennsylvania,  New 
Jersey,  Virginia  and  the  Six  Nations. 

\  The  Delawares  had  a  town  of  this  name  on  the  West  Branch,  on  the  site  of 
Linden,  Lycoming  County,  six  miles  from  Jersey  Shore.  It  was  repeatedly  visited 
by  the  Moravian  missionaries  prior  to  1754.  Scull's  map  notes  it.  The  name  is 
preserved  in  Queneshahaque  Creek,  a  northern  tributary,  which  unites  with  the  West 
Branch  at  Linden. 

II  In  August  of  1753.     See  Memorial  of  the  Moravian  Church,  Vol.  I.,  page  330. 


412  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

"  We  encamped  above  Larry's  Creek.*  Here  Newhaleeka's  ^vife 
visited  our  Bro.  Joseph.  She  stated  that  her  husband  was  ill; 
otherwise  both  with  their  family  would  have  emigrated  with  us  to 
the  West.  The  old  chief  told  Bro.  John  that  as  soon  as  possible 
he  would  take  the  step,  as  he  was  in  earnest  to  be  converted. 

''June  2j. — We  camped  opposite  Long  Island. f  Here  rattle- 
snakes seemed  to  hold  undisputed  sway,  and  they  were  killed  at 
all  points.  Not  more  than  a  half  hour  after  our  arrival  a  horse 
was  brought  in  that  had  been  bitten  in  the  nose.  His  head  swelled 
up  frightfully,  and  as  it  rained  the  remedy  failed  to  take  the  proper 
effect  and  the  poor  animal  perished  the  next  day,  as  we  lay  in 
camp  at  the  lower  end  of  Long  Island  and  halted  there  on  the 
26th.  Here  I  assembled  all  the  men,  told  them  that  we  had  pro- 
gressed but  thirty  miles  during  the  past  week,  and  that  if  we 
failed  to  make  more  rapid  headway  our  company  would  come  to 
serious  want;  that  it  would  be  prudent  under  these  circumstances 
to  leave  the  sick  woman,  her  husband  and  their  friends  on  the 
Island  (for  we  expected  her  release  was  near  at  hand) ;  that  when 
Nath'l  Davis  and  his  party  (which  had  also  remained  in  the  rear 
on  account  of  sickness)  would  come  up,  they  could  join  him,  and 
that  we  would  send  men  and  fresh  horses  for  them  from  Chink- 
lacamoose.  It  was  furthermore  resolved  that  the  strongest  of  our 
company  should  proceed  in  five  canoes  with  the  sisters'  baggage 
as  far  as  Chinklacamoose.  |  The  next  day  (27th),  however,  on  ar- 
riving at  Mr.  Campbell's,  §  at  the  upper  end  of  the  island,  where 
we  met  Mr.  Anderson,  they  dissuaded  us  from  attempting  to 
embark  a  canoe,  stating  the  water  to  be  too  shallow  for  naviga- 
tion. Hereupon  the  canoes  and  sundry  utensils  were  sold,  viz.: 
The  4  windows  for  our  church,  i   box  of  glass,   i   keg  of  nails. 


*  Larry's  Creek  empties  into  the  West  Branch  from  the  north,  in  Piatt  Township, 
Lycoming  County,  two  miles  east  of  Jersey  Shore. 

f  Jersey  Shore,  or  rather  the  island  in  the  river  at  that  place.  After  the  peace  of 
1783,  Jeremiah  and  Reuben  Manning,  two  brothers  from  New  Jersey,  and  others 
from  their  State,  settled  below  the  mouth  of  Pine  Creek  and  called  the  settlement 
Jersey  Shore.     It  was  for  some  time  called  Waynesburg. 

J  On  the  site  of  the  county  town  of  Clearfield  there  stood  in  olden  times  the 
village  of  Chinklacamoos,  written  Chinglccamouche  on  Scull's  map.  It  was  the 
central  point  of  the  great  "Chinklacamoos  path." 

\  Query — near  the  mouth  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  413 

and  another  filled  with  iron  we  left  here  in  trust,  as  it  was  im- 
possible to  transport  them,  and  yet  everyone  was  loath  to  part 
with  what  was  his.  It  having  rained  incessantly  for  several  days, 
our  effects  were  wet  through,  and  Roths  had  their  clothes  and 
bedding  seriously  damaged. 

"  Sunday,  June  2S. — -Yesterday  I  promised,  at  thein  request,  to 
preach  to  the  white  settlers.  Accordingly  a  goodly  audience  as- 
sembled, English  settlers  from  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,*  and  the 
south  shore  of  the  West  Branch,  to  whom  I  proclaimed  the  coun- 
sels of  God  respecting  their  salvation.  As  no  ordained  minister 
of  the  Gospel  was  as  yet  settled  in  the  neighborhood,  I  was  re- 
quested to  baptize,  and  accordingly  I  administered  the  sacraments 
to  the  new-born  daughter  of  a  Frenchman,  Fourney  by  name, 
calling  her  Conigunda,  and  to  the  son  of  a  Catholic,  Antoine 
White,  whom  I  named  John. 

"Joshua  convoked  the  men  and  persuaded  them,  despite  their 
yesterday's  deliberation  to  the  contrary,  to  carry  along  Elizabeth 
who  was  sick,  and  also  to  send  lame  Jonathan  with  a  string  of 
wampum  ahead  to  Langundoutenink,  Koskas  Kink,  and  Gekele- 
mekhpeekink.f  As  they  consulted  neither  me  nor  Roth  in  this 
business,  we  took  no  farther  notice  of  it.  It  proved,  however,  the 
beginning  of  divers  perplexities. 

"  Monday,  June  2C). — My  5  2d  birthday.  We  set  out  from  the 
island  by  land. J  I  and  a  few  of  the  brethren  from  this  day  on 
lead  the  caravan.  Traveled  14  miles  to  Beech  Creek  on  the  path 
agreed  upon.  Beech  Creek  is  a  branch  of  the  Bald  Eagle.  After 
encamping  here  the  brethren  returned  with  horses  to  fetch  up  the 
baggage.  This  they  did  daily,  and  thus  were  compelled  to  travel 
the  road  three  times. 

"  Tuesday,  June  jo. — Bro.  and  Sr.  Roth  came  up  from  the  rear 
with  the  others,  excepting  Elizabeth  and  her  friends,  she  being 

*  Called  by  the  Delawares  Wapalanewach-shiec-hanne,  i.  e.,  the  stream  of  the  Bald 
Eagle's  nest.     It  empties  into  the  West  Branch  from,  the  south-west  in  Clinton  County. 

f  On  the  Tuscaroras,  in  Oxford  Township,  Tuscarora  County,  Ohio. 

\  Probably  here  they  crossed  the  West  Branch  and  came  to  Beech  Creel-:,  which 
empties  into  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek  ten  miles  south-west  by  south  f.om  Lock  Haven. 
On  crossing  Beech  Creek  they  left  Clinton  and  entered  Centre  County.  Beech  Creek 
is  19  miles  from  Jersey  Shore. 


414  HISTOKV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

too  ill  to  allow  of  her  being  carried.  Thereupon  I  moved  on  9 
miles  to  a  salt-lick.  As  I  was  in  search  of  Roth's  horse  (which 
we  had  bought  on  Great  Island)  to  send  it  back  to  his  camp,  I 
trod  upon  a  fifteen  year  old  rattlesnake.  Such  was  my  fright  that 
for  days  I  took  every  footstep  with  dread,  fancying  every  rustling 
leaf  to  be  the  movement  of  a  venomous  reptile.  The  2  Indian 
brethren  with  me  despatched  the  reptile.  Nath'l  Davis  and  com- 
pany this  day  reached  Campbell's.* 

"  Thursday,  July  2. — Bro.  Roth  and  the  others  again  came  to 
the  front. 

"  Friday,  July  j;. — In  company  with  Cornelius  and  William,  I 
advanced  early  in  the  morning.  Up  to  this  time  we  had  passed 
only  through  a  beautiful  and  fertile  region  of  country,  but  now 
our  way  lead  across  mountains. f  On  reaching  a  summit,  when 
eight  miles  along,  we  saw  the  bold  peaks  between  the  West 
Branch  and  the  Juniata,  like  dwarfs,  and  before  us  stood  giants. 
We  were  compelled  to  encamp  on  a  dry  elevation,  and  to  fetch 
water  from  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  A  poor  little  cripple,  aged 
10  or  II,  our  sainted  Bro.  Jonas'  son,  whom  his  mother  had 
carried  all  the  way  in  a  basket  from  one  station  to  another,  was 
very  weak  to-day,  and  expressed  the  wish  to  be  washed  from  sin 
in  baptism.  Bro.  Roth  administered  the  sacrament  and  named 
him  Nathan. 

"  Saturday ,  July  y. — Early  to-day  there  came  two  Indians  from 
Kaskasky,  en  route  for  Stockbridge.  I  invited  them  to  breakfast. 
One  of  them  spoke  English  fluently.  In  his  childhood  he  had 
been  taken  prisoner  by  the  whites,  but  since  then  had  turned  a 
complete  Indian  in  his  mode  of  life. 

"  We  proceeded  four  miles  into  the  mountains.  Bro.  Roth  was 
from  this  point  summoned  to  Great  Island  by  an  express.  Thither 
Joshua  had  returned  with  twelve  men  to  fetch  up  his  sick  friend; 

*  He  evidently  has  reference  to  Cleary  Campbell,  who  settled  on  the  Charles  Glass 
tract,  on  the  site  of  Lock  Haven,  in  1769.     See  page  380  of  this  work. 

f  Thus  far,  on  leaving  Lock  Haven,  they  had  pushed  up  the  valley  of  the  Bald 
Eagle,  bounded  by  the  Bald  Eagle  Ridge  to  the  south  and  Allegheny  proper  on  the 
north.  Now  they  began  the  ascent  of  the  latter,  which  is  the  back-bone  of  Howard, 
Snowshoe,  Boggs  and  Houston  townships,  Centre  County — a  tract  of  broken  and 
wild  Alpine  region  of  country. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  415 

and  when  he  arrived  there  she  was  near  her  end,  which  she 
attained  with  release  from  all  suffering  on  the  evening  of  the  5th 
inst.,  just  an  hour  prior  to  Roth's  arrival.  On  the  6th  he  buried 
her.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Jo.  Peepe's  wife,  baptized  May  6, 
1770,  at  Friedenshutten  by  Bro.  Schmick,  married  there  to  Bro. 
Mark  and  bore  him  two  children — one  son  and  a  daughter  born 
twelve  days  ago,  prematurely,  on  the  West  Branch.  It  lived  but 
a  few  days.  On  the  evening  of  the  6th  Bro.  Roth  rejoined  us  in 
camp,  where  I  yesterday  held  a  discourse  on  the  daily  words, 
speaking  on  tlie  delights  of  meditating  on  the  Word  of  God.  The 
appended  verses  of  the  hymn  applied  to  our  case,  as  we  were 
weak  both  physically  and  spiritually.     Oh,  patience ! 

"  Tiiesday,  Jtily  7. — Moved  on  six  miles  to  a  spring,  where  there 
was  excellent  pasture.     A  heavy  thunder  storm  with  rain  set  in. 

"  Wednesday,  July  8. — Advanced  ten  miles  to  the  West  Mashan- 
nek,*  over  precipitous  and  ugly  mountains  and  through  two 
dangerous  rocky  streams. f  In  fording  the  second  I  fell  neck- 
deep  into  the  water.  Had  it  been  at  any  other  season  of  the  year 
we  could  not  have  endured  so  much  wading  in  streams. 

"  Thursday,  July  g. — Advanced  but  two  miles  to  a  run  in  the 
swamp.  We  were  almost  broken  down,  and  those  who  carried 
the  baggage  could  with  difficulty  climb  the  mountains. 

"  Friday,  July  10. — Lay  in  camp,  as  some  of  our  horses  had 
strayed,  and  I  had  to  send  mine  back  twice  to  Roth  at  his  camp. 

"  Saturday,  July  11. — We  found  Nathan  released  from  all  suffer- 
ing. He  had  departed  unobserved.  The  daily  word  was :  '  Re- 
member how  miserable  and  forsaken  I  was.'  How  applicable! 
His  emaciated  remains  were  interred  along  side  of  the  path,  and 
I  cut  his  name  into  a  tree  that  overshaded  his  lonely  grave,  and 
then  we  moved  on  eight  miles  to  an  old  beaver-dam.  My  heart 
was  often  at  Bethlehem,  and  I  longed  to  be  at  the  Lord's  Supper 
in  the  chapel  there. 

*The  Big  Moshannon,  the  boundary  between  Centre  and  Clearfield  counties  and 
thirty  miles  west  south-west  from  Lock  Haven.  Crossed  it  into  Clearfield  County 
and  entered  the  swamp,  say  in  Morris  Township. 

f  The  path  led  along  the  north  side  of  Marsh  Creek,  over  Indian  Grave  Hill, 
through  Snowshoe  and  Moshannon  to  the  West  Branch  of  Moshannon.  The  two 
streams  fofded  were  an  upper  branch  of  Beech  Creek  and  East  Branch  of  Moshannon. 


4l6  HJSTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

"  Siindav,  July  12. — Brother  and  Sister  Roth  came  up,  and  so 
did  others.  In  the  evening  we  met  for  worship,  and  discoursed 
about  prayer  to  and  longing  for  Jesus.  There  was  a  collection  of 
corn  and  beans  taken  up  for  the  poor. 

"  Monday,  July  ij. — Proceeded  six  miles  to  a  spring  in  a  beauti- 
ful, widely  expanded  mountain-meadow.  Scarcely  had  we  en- 
camped when  a  frightful  storm  swept  over  us.  The  angr>'  clouds 
like  mountains  piled  themselves  up  in  the  heavens,  the  lightning 
like  snakes  of  fire  leaped  in  forked  flames  over  the  sky,  the 
thunder  rolled  like  siege-artiller>',  and  the  rain  came  down  with 
the  sound  of  many  waters  or  the  roaring  of  a  mighty  cataract. 
It  was  a  war  of  the  elements.  The  tall  oaks  bowed  before  the 
storm,  and  where  the  timber  failed  to  do  obeisance  it  was  snapped 
like  glass  in  the  gra.sp  of  the  roaring  wind.  My  companions  to 
m)'  surprise  heeded  none  of  this,  but  cut  saplings,  collected  bark 
and  built  huts,  which  were  completed  as  the  storm  passed  over. 

"  Tuesday,  July  //. — Reached  Clearfield  Creek,*  where  the 
buffalos  formerly  cleared  large  tracts  of  undergrowth  so  as  to  give 
them  the  appearance  of  cleared  fields.  Hence  the  Indians  call  the 
creek  Clearfield.  Here  at  night  and  next  morning,  to  the  great 
jo}-  of  the  hungry,  nine  deer  were  shot.  Whoever  shoots  a  deer 
has  for  his  private  portion  the  skins  and  insides;  the  meat  he 
must  bring  into  camp  and  deliver  to  the  distributors.  John  and 
Cornelius  acted  in  this  capacity  in  our  division.  It  proved  ad- 
vantageous for  us  not  to  keep  so  closely  together  as  we  had  at 
first  designed;  for  if  the  number  of  families  in  a  camp  be  large, 
one  or  two  deer,  when  cut  up,  afford  but  a  scanty  meal  to  each 
individual.  So  it  happened  that  scarce  a  day  passed  without  there 
being  a  distribution  of  venison  in  the  advance,  the  centre  and  the 
rear  camp.  (On  the  route  there  were  150  deer  and  but  three 
bears  shot.)  In  this  way  our  Heavenly  Father  pro\'ided  for  us; 
and  I  often  pra}-ed  for  our  hunters  and  returned  thanks  for  their 
success.  As  there  was  a  growing  impatience  observable  among 
those  who  were  called  on  to  aid  others  with  their  horses,  to  press 
on,  and  not  be  detained,  I  here  spent  a  sleepless  and  anxious  night. 
But  on 

*  Two  miles  south-east  from  Clearfield.  , 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  417 

"  Thursday,  July  i6,  after  representing  the  state  of  our  case  to 
the  malcontents,  I  felt  reassured,  and  journeyed  on  with  a  few 
brethren  two  miles  in  a  pelting  rain  to  the  site  of  Chinklacamoose, 
where  we  found  but  three  huts  and  a  few  patches  of  Indian  corn. 
The  name  signifies  '  No  one  tarries  here  willingly.'  It  may  per- 
haps be  traced  to  the  circumstance  that  some  thirty  years  ago  an 
Indian  resided  here  as  a  hermit  upon  a  rock,  who  was  wont  to 
appear  to  the  Indian  hunters  in  frightful  shapes.  Some  of  these 
too  he  killed,  others  he  robbed  of  their  skins;  and  this  he  did  for 
many  years.  We  moved  on  four  miles,  and  were  obliged  to  wade 
the  West  Branch  three  times,  which  is  here  like  the  Lehigh  at 
Bethlehem,  between  the  island  and  the  mountain,  rapid  and  full  of 
ripples. 

"  Friday,  July  ly. — Advanced  only  four  miles  to  a  creek  that 
comes  down  from  the  north-west.*  Had  a  narrow  and  stony  spot 
for  our  camp. 

"  Saturday ,  July  i8. — Moved  on  without  awaiting  Roth  and  his 
division,  who  on  account  of  the  rain  had  remained  in  camp.  To- 
day Shebosch  lost  a  colt  from  the  bite  of  a  rattlesnake.  Here  we 
left  the  West  Branch  three  miles  to  north-west  up  the  creek, 
crossing  it  five  times.  Here  too  the  path  went  precipitously  up 
the  mountain,  and  four  or  five  miles  up  and  up — to  the  summit — 
to  a  spring,  the  head-waters  of  the  Ohio.f  Here  I  lifted  up  my 
heart  in  prayer,  as  I  looked  westward,  that  the  Sun  of  Grace 
might  rise  over  the  heathen  nations  that  dwell  beyond  the  distant 
horizon. 

"  Sunday,  July  ig. — As  yesterday  but  two  families  kept  with  me 
because  of  the  rain,  we  had  a  quiet  Sunday,  but  enough  to  do 
drying  our  effects.  In  the  evening  all  joined  me,  but  we  could 
hold  no  service,  as  the  ponkis  were  so  excessively  annoying  that 
the  cattle  pressed  toward  and  into  our  camp  to  escape  their 
persecutors  in  the  smoke  of  the  fires.     This  vermin  is  a  plague  to 

*Anderson's  Creek,  seven  miles  south-west  from  Clearfield,  in  Pike  Township, 
which  they  struck  at  a  point  near  the  present  Curwinsville,  thence  into  the  creek 
three  miles,  thence  north-westerly  to  the  summit  spring. 

f  Probably  the  sources  of  the  North  Branch  of  the  Mahoning,  which  rises  in 
Brady  Township,  Clearfield  County,  and  empties  into  the  Allegheny,  in  Allegheny 
County,  ten  miles  above  Kittanning. 


41 8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

man  and  beast,  both  by  day  and  night.  But  in  the  swamp 
through  which  we  are  now  passing  their  name  is  legion.  Hence 
the  Indians  call  the  swamp  Ponksutenink,  i.  e.,  the  'town  of  the 
ponkis.'*  The  word  is  equivalent  to  'living  dust  and  ashes,'  the 
vermin  being  so  small  as  not  to  be  seen,  and  their  bite  being 
hot  as  sparks  of  fire  or  hot  ashes.  The  brethren  here  related  an 
Indian  myth,  to  wit:  That  the  aforecited  Indian  hermit  and 
sorcerer,  after  having  been  for  many  years  a  terror  to  all  Indians, 
had  been  killed  by  one  who  had  burned  his  bones ;  but  the  ashes 
he  blew  into  the  swamp,  and  they  became  living  things,  and  hence 
the  ponkis." 

The  pious  emigrants  continued  on  their  journey  slowly,  and 
finally  reached  the  Moravian  settlement  in  Ohio  on  the  5th  of 
August,  1772.  The  good  Bishop  summed  up  the  incidents  of  the 
trip  in  his  journal  as  follows: 

"None  received  injury  to  his  person,  although  dangers  were 
without  number,  especially  along  the  West  Branch,  where  there 
are  rattlesnakes  in  abundance.  I  trod  on  one.  Another  bit  an 
Indian's  stocking  while  hunting,  and  so  tenaciously  that  he  could 
hardly  rid  himself  of  the  reptile.  Twice  was  one  discovered  in 
our  camp,  basking  between  the  fires,  after  all  had  lain  down  to 
sleep.  And  yet  no  one  was  injured.  Once  the  horse  that  was 
ahead  of  me  trod  upon  the  head  of  a  large  one,  so  that  it  rattled 
but  once  more.  I  know  that  upwards  of  fifty  were  killed.  Many 
laid  stretched  across  the  path,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  wonder  to  this 
moment  that  none  of  so  large  a  herd  of  cattle  should  have  been 
bitten.  The  fact  that  the  horned  cattle  brought  up  the  rear  of 
the  companies  was  in  their  favor.  Among  the  rocks  and  the 
broken  timbers  we  fell  countless  times.  Sister  Roth  fell  from  her 
horse  four  times — once  with  her  child  into  a  bog,  up  to  her  mid- 
dle, and  once  into  the  bushes  backwards  from  her  horse  with  her 
child,  and  once  she  hung  on  the  stirrup.  My  horse  once  took  a 
leap  down  an  embankment,  on  the  bank  of  a  creek,  throwing  me 
over  his  head  onto  my  back." 

*Kept  down  the  valley  of  the  Mahoning,  into  Jefferson  County.  Punxsutawney 
is  a  village  in  Young  Township,  Jefferson  County.  The  swamp  lies  in  Gaskell  and 
Young  townships. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

TROUBLES  WITH  THE  CONNECTICUT  SETTLERS  ON  THE  WEST  BRANCH 

THEIR  EXPULSION    BY  COLONEL  PLUNKETT NORTHUMBERLAND 

FOUNDED FREELAND    AND    THE    VINCENT    FAMILY. 

AT  this  late  day  it  is  difficult  to  give  a  full  account  of  the 
troubles  growing  out  of  the  Connecticut  settlement  at 
Wyoming,  which  involved  a  portion  of  the  West  Branch  Valley 
before  peace  was  restored.  As  early  as  1769,  says  Colonel 
Franklin  in  his  journal,  the  Susquehanna  Company  passed  a  vote 
to  send  on  540  settlers,  300  of  whom  were  to  have  lands  as  a 
gratuity  on  the  West  Branch.  The  settlement  was  made  on  the 
beautiful  rolling  plain  around  where  Muncy  now  stands,  and  was 
called  the  "  Muncy  Settlement."  Two  townships  were  surveyed 
there  as  early  as  1771.  One  was  named  Charleston,*  and  the 
other  Judea.     The  names  of  the  actual  settlers  have  been  lost. 

This  settlement  was  not  at  first  included  in  the  limits  of  West- 
moreland, by  the  Connecticut  grant,  which  extended  only  fifteen 
miles  beyond  the  North  Branch — not  reaching  within  twenty  miles 
of  Muncy.  In  May,  1775,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Connecticut 
Council  to  extend  the  limits  of  the  town  of  Westmoreland  as  far 
westward  as  the  line  fixed  upon  with  the  Indians  at  the  treaty  of 
Fort  Stanwix,  in  1768.  This,  then,  included  the  settlements  on 
the  West  Branch,  as  far  up  as  Lycoming  Creek. 

A  bad  feeling  was  engendered  between  the  Connecticut  settlers 
at  Wyoming  and  those  of  Pennsylvania.  The  latter  looked  upon 
them  as  invaders  of  a  territory  that  did  not  belong  to  them.  Seri- 
ous difficulties  arose  between  the  two  parties,  which  resulted  in  a 
resort  to  arms.  The  cause  of  these  troubles  may  be  briefly  out- 
lined as  follows : 

The  English  having  discovered   North  America  from  latitude 

*See  Miner's  History  of  Wyoming,  pages  166-7-8. 


420  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN-CH    VALLEY. 

34°  to  48°  and  made  entry  upon  it,  assumed  a  right  to  it, 
and  divided  that  territory  into  two  great  provinces  called  South 
Virginia  and  North  Virginia,  or  New  England.  King  James  I., 
by  patent  dated  lOth  of  April,  1606,  granted  to  Thomas  Gates  ct 
al. — called  the  "  London  Company  " — leave  to  plant  a  colony  any- 
where between  34°  and  41°  north  latitude.  Under  this  charter, 
and  those  which  grew  out  of  it,  Virginia  and  the  Southern  states 
were  settled.  The  same  year  King  James  granted  to  Thomas 
Hanham  ct  al.  like  leave  to  plant  a  colony  anywhere  between  38° 
and  45°  north  latitude.  April  20,  1662,  King  Charles  II.,  by 
letters  patent,  granted  to  John  Winthrop  et  al.,  incorporating  them 
as  a  body  politic,  by  the  name  of  "  The  Governor  and  Company  of 
the  English  Colony  of  Connecticut  in  New  England  in  America." 

On  the  strength  of  this  grant  a  corporation  was  formed  in 
Connecticut,  styled  the  "  Susquehanna  Company,"  which  num- 
bered about  half  of  the  inhabitants,  who  announced  their  desire 
to  form  a  new  colony  west  of  the  Delaware,  on  a  tract  of  land 
lying  on  both  sides  of  the  East  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna, 
which  they  doubtless  believed  to  be  the  rightful  property  of  Con- 
necticut. 

On  July  1 1,  1754,  this  company  obtained  a  deed  from  "eighteen 
chiefs  and  heads  of  Five  Nations,"  in  consideration  of  £2,000,  for 
lands  described  as  follows :  "  Beginning  from  the  one  and  fortieth 
degrees  of  north  latitude  at  ten  miles  distance  east  of  Susque- 
hanna River,  and  from  thence,  with  a  northerly  line,  ten  miles 
east  of  the  river  to  the  forty-second  or  beginning  of  the  forty-third 
degree  of  north  latitude,  and  to  extend  west  two  degrees  of  longi- 
tude, one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  and  from  thence  south  to  the 
beginning  of  the  forty-second  degree,  and  from  thence  east  to 
the  aforementioned  bounds,  which  is  ten  miles  east  of  the  Susque- 
hanna River,  together,  &c.,  &c." 

The  southern  line  of  this  grant  enters  Pennsylvania  near  Strouds- 
burg,  passing  we.stward  through  Conyngham,  in  Luzerne  Count)-, 
Bloomsburg,  Lewisburg  and  Clearfield,  and  so  on  north,  running 
a  little  east  of  Smethport  to  the  boundary  line  between  Pennsyl- 
vania and  New  York.  This  territory  includes  the  principal  part 
of  the  counties  of  Luzerne,  Lackawanna,  Wyoming,  Bradford, 
Columbia,  Montour,  Clearfield,  Elk  and  McKean,  smaller  portions 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  42 1 

of  Susquehanna,  Northumberland,  Union  and  Centre,  and  the 
whole  of  Sullivan,  Lycoming,  Tioga,  Potter  and  Cameron,  and 
has  at  present  a  population  of  half  a  million  people. 

The  "Susquehanna  Company"  subsequently  applied  to  the 
King  for  a  charter  of  government  for  the  new  colony,  which  was 
never  granted.  The  Pennsylvania  claim  to  this  territory  was 
based  upon  the  charter  granted  March  4,  168 1,  to  William  Penn 
by  Charles  II.,  King  of  England,  for  the  territory  comprising  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  very  much  as  it  is  to-day.  As  early  as 
1637  the  colonies  of  Connecticut  had  sent  out  settlers  upon  the 
Delaware  Bay  under  their  claim  as  part  of  the  Plymouth  grant. 

In  1755  surveyors  were  sent  out  under  the  Susquehanna  Com- 
pany to  lay  out  their  lands  along  the  Lackawaxen  and  in  the 
Wyoming  Valley. 

In  1768,  after  the  Penns  had  completed  their  purchase  of  these 
lands  from  the  Indians  at  Fort  Stanwix,  the  Pennsylvania  settlers 
began  to  go  into  the  valley,  and  then  began  that  "  miserable  con- 
test known  as  the  First  Pennamite  and  Yankee  War." 

A  bird's-eye  view  of  Pennsylvania  in  1783  will  show:  The 
Friends  possessed  of  a  prosperous  and  thrifty  metropolis,  and  rich 
fields  in  Philadelphia  and  adjoining  counties. 

The  Germans  profitably  and  industrially  settled  along  the  base 
of  the  "  Blue  Hills  "  from  the  Delaware  to  the  Susquehanna,  hold- 
ing the  rich  agricultural  country  as  they  hold  it  yet. 

The  Scotch-Irish  in  the  Cumberland  Valley,  and  pushing  up 
the  Juniata,  and  winding  around  the  spurs  of  the  AUeghenies  into 
the  then  counties  of  Bedford  and  Westmoreland. 

The  Yankee  seated  in  the  valley  of  the  North  Branch  of  the 
Susquehanna.  The  rest  of  the  State,  except  some  of  the  valleys 
of  the  West  Branch,  was  an  unbroken  wilderness.  The  total 
population  did  not  exceed  330,000.  Of  the  Yankee  settlers  there 
were  probably  about  6,000  scattered  mainly  in  the  seventeen  town- 
ships in  Luzerne.  After  the  decree  of  Trenton  the  inhabitants  set 
about  meeting  the  adverse  effects  of  the  decision  which  resulted 
in  the  second  Pennamite  war. 

This  conflict  at  one  time  threatened  to  become  of  serious 
magnitude,  embroiling  both  Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania,  but 
through   judicious    legislation    this    end   was    averted,   and    the 


422  HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRAXCH    VALLEY. 

compromise  act  of  1799  heralded  the  beginning  of  the  end.  It 
has  been  well  said  by  the  Hon.  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  that  the  con- 
troversy one  hundred  years  ago  raged  with  great  fierceness, 
evoked  strong  partizanship,  and  was  urged  on  both  sides  by  the 
highest  skill  of  statesmen  and  lawyers.  In  its  origin  it  was  a  con- 
troversy over  the  political  jurisdiction  and  right  of  soil  in  a  tract 
of  country  containing  more  than  five  million  acres  of  land,  claimed 
by  Pennsylvania  and  Connecticut,  as  embraced,  respectively,  in 
their  chartered  grants. 

It  involved  the  lives  of  hundreds,  was  the  ruin  of  thousands, 
and  cost  the  State  millions.  It  wore  out  one  entire  generation. 
It  was  righteously  settled  in  the  end. 

When  the  excitement  among  the  residents  of  the  West  Branch 
was  at  its  height,  they  went  so  far  as  to  remonstrate  against  the 
Connecticut  invasion  by  sending  a  petition  to  Governor  Penn.* 
The  petitioners  praj'ed  for  legal  redress.  They  charged  that  a 
large  body  of  armed  men  had  invaded  this  territory',  and  intimated 
that  if  they  were  not  protected  from  the  invaders  by  the  Govern- 
ment they  would  resort  to  arms  to  defend  themselves  and  their 
rights.  This  petition  was  signed  by  the  magistrates,  grand  jurors 
and  other  principal  inhabitants  of  Northumberland.  It  was  laid 
before  the  Board  of  Council,  then  in  session  in  Philadelphia,  Decem- 
ber 9,  1773,  by  Governor  Penn.  After  receiving  careful  considera- 
tion, it  was  decided  by  the  Board  that  it  should  be  laid  before  the 
Assembly,  accompanied  by  a  message  from  the  Governor.  This 
was  done  on  the  14th  of  December.  The  Governor  in  his  mes- 
sage was  very  emphatic  and  denounced  the  Connecticut  settlers 
in  these  words : 

The  insolent  outrages  of  a  set  of  men  who  have  long  bid  defiance  to  the  laws  of 
the  country,  and  have  afforded  protection  to  offenders  of  the  most  heinous  kind,  ought 
not,  certainly,  in  a  well  regulated  society,  to  be  suffered  to  pass  with  impunity ;  but 
when  these  men  embody  themselves,  sally  forth  with  arms  in  their  hands,  and  in  a 
warlike  manner  attempt  to  dispossess  the  peaceable  inhabitants  of  the  county  lately 
laid  out  and  established  by  act  of  Assembly,  within  the  known  bounds  of  the  Province, 
it  is  a  procedure  of  so  dangerous  a  tendency  as  not  only  to  threaten  the  destruction 
of  that  infant  county,  but  strikes  at  the  peace  of  the  whole  Province. 


*  Richard  Penn  was  the  acting  Lieutenant  Governor  from  October  16,  1771,  until 
July  19,  1773.  After  August  30th,  John  Penn,  who  was  confirmed  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor by  the  King,  June  30th,  was  awarded  the  title  of  Governor  by  the  Provincial 
Council. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  423 

He  closed  by  recommending  that  the  invaders  be  repelled  by 
force.  The  result  was  a  long  correspondence*  between  Penn  and 
the  Governor  of  Connecticut  regarding  the  difficulty.  All  prop- 
ositions to  settle  proved  unavailing,  and  the  Assembly  finally  in- 
structed the  Governor  to  issue  a  proclamation  f  to  the  magistrates 
and  officers  of  Northumberland  County,  to  be  vigilant  in  the  dis- 
charge of  their  duty,  and  see  that  the  intruders  from  Wyoming  no 
longer  impose  upon  the  Pennsylvania  settlers. 

Zebulon  Butler,  who  figured  conspicuously  in  Wyoming  affairs, 
issued  a  proclamation  and  distributed  it  through  Northumberland 
County,  announcing  that  he  had  been  appointed  a  justice  by  the 
authorities  of  Connecticut.  To  counteract  this  document  Governor 
Penn  issued  a  proclamation  strictly  forbidding  the  people  to  pay 
any  attention  to  this  usurper,  as  he  had  no  right  to  act  in  the 
Province. 

The  spirit  of  the  contending  parties  ran  high.  The  Connecticut 
people  were  determined  to  occupy  the  lands  on  the  West  Branch, 
and  the  Pennsylvania  settlers  were  determined  that  they  should 
not.  The  former  insisted  that  the  land  belonged  to  them — the 
latter  that  they  had  no  right  to  it,  and  they  decided  to  expel  them 
by  force  of  arms  if  they  did  not  peacefully  leave.  A  crisis  was 
approaching,  as  the  authorities  of  Northumberland  County  had 
received  instructions  which  could  not  be  mistaken. 

On  the  22d  of  September,  1775,  William  Maclay  informed  J. 
Shippen,  Jr.,  by  letter  that  the  injunction  placed  on  the  Connecticut 
people  was  no  longer  binding — that  Samuel  Wallis  had  informed 
him  that  Vincent,  who  settled  near  Milton,  claimed  to  be  a 
magistrate,  and  was  preparing  to  bring  three  hundred  colonists 
from  Wyoming  to  the  West  Branch.  And  further,  certain  settlers 
here  were  willing  to  be  enlisted  in  Zebulon  Butler's  regiment, 
and  he  could  not  understand  why  they  were  so  determined  to 
possess  these  lands. 

The  fears  of  the  authorities  at  Sunbury  of  an  invasion  were 
soon  realized.  Dr.  Plunkett,  who  was  then  serving  as  Judge  of 
the  courts,  was  apprised  of  the  arrival  of  an  armed  force  at  Free- 

*It  may  be  found  at  length  in  Vol.  X.,  Colonial  Records,  commencing  on  page  118. 
f  See  Vol.  X.,  Colonial  Records,  page  153. 


424  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

land's  mill,*  on  Warrior  Run,  consisting  of  three  hundred  men, 
and  it  was  supposed  to  be  a  detachment  from  Butler's  regiment. 
The  report  spread  rapidly  through  the  valley,  and  preparations 
were  made  to  resist  it  with  force,  if  necessary.  A  company  of 
fifty  men  immediately  left  Fort  Augusta  to  "  meet  and  demand  the 
reason  of  this  intrusion  and  hostile  appearance." 

But  the  story  of  the  arrival  of  this  large  force  was  never  con- 
firmed. It  appears  to  have  been  an  exaggeration.  Miner,  in  his 
History  of  Wyoming,  when  alluding  to  the  troubles  on  the  West 
Branch,  does  not  speak  of  it,  but  on  the  other  hand  says  that  the 
settlements  here  were  comparatively  small  and  unsupported.  In 
the  month  of  September,  1775,  Colonel  Plunkett,  under  orders 
from  the  Government,  detailed  a  strong  force  of  Northumberland 
militia  and  marched  to  break  up  the  settlements  at  Charleston  and 
Judea.  How  much  resistance  was  offered  is  not  stated,  but  it 
must  have  been  small,  as  only  one  life  was  lost  and  several  of  the 
Connecticut  people  were  wounded.  After  burning  the  buildings 
and  collecting  what  property  he  could,  Colonel  Plunkett  returned 
to  Sunbuiy  with  a  number  of  prisoners.  The  women  and  children 
were  sent  to  their  friends  at  Wyoming.  William  Judd  and  Joseph 
Sluman,  who  appear  to  have  acted  as  leaders,  were  captured  and 
sent  to  jail  in  Philadelphia. 

Franklin's  account  of  this  affair,  as  entered  in  his  journal,  was 
undoubtedly  exaggerated.  He  claimed  that  Plunkett's  force  was 
500  strong,  and  that  the  Connecticut  side  did  not  have  over  eighty 
men.  There  is  no  doubt  that  there  was  some  kind  of  a  skirmish, 
and  that  several  men  were  captured  and  carried  to  Fort  Augusta, 
but  that  it  rose  to  the  dignity  of  a  battle  is  highly  improbable. 
But  the  expedition  resulted  in  breaking  up  the  Connecticut  settle- 
ment, because  it  was  not  heard  of  again,  and  the  Pennsylvania 
claimants  remained  in  full  possession  of  the  territory. 

On  the  27th  of  October,  1775,  the  Assembly  having  had  the 
matter  under  consideration,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  settlers 
had  performed  their  duty  "in  repelling  the  intruders  and  prevent- 
ing the  further  extension  of  their  settlements." 

Much  excitement  prevailed,  and  such  bitterness  of  feeling  ex- 
isted that  a  number  of  boats  belonging  to  Wyoming,  and  trading 

*.See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  III.,  page  662. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  425 

down  the  river,  were  seized  as  they  attempted  to  pass  Fort 
Augusta,  and  their  cargoes  were  confiscated.  It  was  about  this 
time  that  Colonel  Plunkett  organized  an  expedition  against 
Wyoming  and  actually  started  with  a  strong  force  up  the  river. 
He  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  Wyoming  about  the  20th  of  Decem- 
ber, and  on  the  23d  he  met  the  enemy  and  was  disastrously  de- 
feated.* Thus  ended  the  Plunkett  invasion.  It  was  certainly  ill- 
timed,  rash  and  injudicious.  After  the  battle  Plunkett  returned 
to  Sunbury  with  his  forces  considerably  crest-fallen,  and  we  hear 
of  him  no  more  as  a  warrior.f 

Northumberland,  afterwards  noted  as  the  place  of  residence  of 
many  distinguished  English  exiles,  and  men  who  had  taken  a 
conspicuous  part  in  the  Revolution,  was  always  a  point  of  attrac- 
tion on  account  of  its  beautiful  location  in  the  forks  of  the  two 
branches  of  the  Susquehanna.  As  has  been  stated,  Robert  Martin 
was  the  first  settler  where  the  town  now  stands.  He  built  a  house 
on  the  point  as  early  as  1760  and  opened  an  inn,  which  was  a 
place  of  much  resort.  Martin  became  a  man  of  some  prominence. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Provincial  Conference  in  1776,  and  a 
member  of  the  State  Convention  to  form  the  Constitution,  and  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  in  1778-9. 

According  to  old  deeds  in  the  possession  of  the  Priestley  family, 
of  Northumberland,  the  town  was  laid  out  upon  four  tracts  of 
land,  two  of  300  acres  each,  and  two  of  500  acres  each,  in  the 
forks  of  the  north-east  and  west  branches  of  the  Susquehanna 
River,  called  "  Sarah's  Delight."  The  indorsements  on  these  deeds 
are  as  follows : 

Sarah's  Delight.  Patent  July  7,  1770.  The  Proprietaries  to  Sarah  Loudon,  en- 
rolled at  Philadelphia.  Deed,  John  Loudon  and  Sarah,  his  wife,  to  William  Espy. 
Recorded  at  Sunbury  in  Book  C,  page  239. 

1771,  April  23d.     Deed,  WilHam  Espy  to  John  Loudon.     Recorded  at  Sunbury. 

1772.  Loudon  and  Patterson  lay  out  the  town  called  Northumberland. 

1775,  March  20th.  Deed,  John  Loudon  to  Reuben  Haines.  Recorded  at  Sun- 
bury, Book  C,  page  240. 

Essex.     1772.     Loudon  and  Patterson  lay  out  the  old  town  of  Northumberland. 
1775,  January  7th.     Patent  to  Esther  Patterson,  wife  of  William  Patterson. 

*For  a  full  account  of  the  battle  see  Miner'' s  History  of  Wyoming,  page  171. 
f  The  difficulties  between  the  two  states,  Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania,  after  long, 
intricate  and  tedious  litigation,  were  ultimately  decided  in  favor  of  the  latter  in  1801. 


426  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

1775,  April  6th.  Deed,  William  Patterson  and  Sarah,  his  wife,  to  Reuben 
Haines.     Recorded  at  Sunbuiy,  Book  A,  page  248. 

Nottingham.  1772,  September  14th.  Patent  to  Richard  Peters  for  500  acres 
along  the  north-east  branch. 

Townside.  1772,  September  1 6th.  Patent  to  Richard  Peters  for  500  acres  along 
the  west  branch. 

1773,  December  17th.  Deed,  Richard  Peters  to  Reuben  Haines,  for  the  above 
mentioned  tracts. 

The  title  to  these  four  tracts  being  thus  in  Reuben  Haines,  he  enlarged  the  town 
plot  and  recorded  a  general  plan  of  Loudon  and  Patterson's  town,  with  his  own  ad- 
ditions, at  Sunbury,  in  Book  B,  page  273,  April  24,  1781,  which  was  afterwards 
recorded  by  John  Boyd,  May  10,  1808,  in  Book  C,  pages  367-8. 

Reuben  Haines  died  and  devised  his  estate  by  will  to  his  four 
children — Caspar,  Wistar,  Reuben*  and  Catherine  Haines.  Reuben 
Haines,  Jr.,  died  and  devised  his  estate  to  his  two  brothers  and 
sister,  who  made  partition.  Caspar  W.  Haines  and  Catherine 
Haines  conveyed,  among  other  things  in  partition,  the  unsold  lots 
in  the  town  of  Northumberland,  by  deed  dated  March  24,  1795, 
recorded  at  Sunbury  in  Book  C,  page  481,  to  Reuben  Haines. 

At  first  the  new  town  made  slow  progress,  as  the  inhabitants 
during  the  dark  days  of  the  Indian  invasions  and  the  Revolution 
were  frequently  obliged  to  take  refuge  at  Fort  Augusta,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  for  safety.  It  was  not  until  1784  that  it 
was  re-occupied,  and  in  1796  it  only  numbered  about  one  hundred 
houses,  and  in  1847  only  about  one  hundred  and  sixty.  In  1776 
the  question  of  independence  was  an  absorbing  one,  and  the  feel- 
ing became  so  warm  that  it  was  decided  to  have  a  public  discus- 
sion on  the  subject.  A  platform  was  erected  on  the  common  for 
the  speakers.  Colonels  Cooke  and  Hunter  took  the  side  of  liberty 
and  independence,  and  Dr.  Plunkett  and  Charles  Cooke  cham- 
pioned the  side  of  loyalty  to  the  crown.  Considerable  warmth 
was  manifested  on  both  sides,  but  tradition  fails  to  inform  us  which 
side  was  declared  the  winner. 

History  informs  us  that  the  first  fruit  trees  planted  in  the  town 
were  brought  from  Lancaster  by  William  Hoffman  about  the  year 
1 77 1,  and  one  of  these  trees,  called  the  "Centennial  Pear  Tree," 
was  standing  a  few  years  ago  and  still  bearing  fruit.     The  first 


*  Under  a  plain  slab  in  the  old  burying-ground  in  rear  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
Northumberiand,  lie  the  remains  of  Joseph  Haines,  one  of  the  sons  of  Reuben.  He 
was  born  August  15,  1764,  and  died  May  14,  1795. 


HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  42/ 

white  child  born  in  Northumberland,  about  the  year  1772,  was 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  William  Hoffman. 

The  location  of  Northumberland  is  exceedingly  charming,  and 
it  should  have  grown  into  a  large  and  flourishing  city  years  ago. 
The  surrounding  scenery  is  bold,  grand  and  picturesque.  The 
rocky  promontory  of  Blue  Hill  casts  its  shadow  over  the  town, 
and  Montour's  Ridge  forms  an  exquisite  background.  On  two 
sides  are  the  rivers  which  there  form  a  union  and  then  proudly 
sweep  on  towards  the  sea.  The  town  has  always  been  dis- 
tinguished for  its  wealth,  culture  and  seclusiveness.  At  one  time 
in  our  early  history  it  came  within  one  vote  of  being  selected  for 
the  State  Capital.  This  mishap  ever  afterwards  seemed  to  blight 
its  prospects,  notwithstanding  its  eligible  location  and  magnificent 
surroundings.  But  if  it  failed  in  this  respect,  it  enjoys  the  proud 
distinction  of  being  the  home  of  the  illustrious  Dr.  Priestley,  the 
discoverer  of  oxygen  gas.  There  he  took  refuge  when  he  fled  from 
England  on  account  of  religious  persecution,  and  there  he  prose- 
cuted his  chemical  studies  until  he  was  rewarded  by  making  a 
discovery  that  places  his  name  by  the  side  of  the  greatest  scientists 
who  ever  lived,  and  his  fame  will  ever  remain  as  refulgent  as  the 
stars  that  shine  in  the  arched  dome  of  heaven.  The  rude  instru- 
ments used  by  him  in  making  the  experiments  which  resulted  in 
the  discovery  of  oxygen  were  placed  in  the  Smithsonian  Institute 
at  Washington  a  few  years  ago  for  preservation.  The  centennial* 
of  his  great  discovery  was  properly  celebrated  at  Northumberland, 
and  the  meeting  was  attended  by  scientists  from  all  parts  of  the 
country. 

*Joseph  Priestley,  D.  D.,  was  boin  at  Fieldhead,  Yorkshire,  England,  March  24, 
1733.  His  father  was  a  cloth  dresser.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  had  acquired  in 
the  schools  a  good  knowledge  of  Greek,  Latin,  Hebrew,  French,  Italian  and  Ger- 
man, and  he  also  learned  to  read  Arabic,  Chaldee  and  Syriac.  With  these  attain- 
ments he  entered  on  the  study  of  theology,  with  a  view  to  the  Christian  ministry,  in 
1752.  He  had  been  educated  in  Calvinism,  but  not  being  satisfied  with  that  doctrine, 
he  became  a  Socinian.  He  traveled  extensively  in  Europe,  and  had  excellent  op- 
portunities for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge.  He  became  pastor  of  a  church  in  Birm- 
ingham. The  doctrine  he  preached  was  not  popular.  At  length,  when  several  of  his 
friends  celebrated  the  French  revolution,  July  14,  1 791,  a  mob  assembled  and  set  fire 
to  the  church  in  which  he  preached,  together  with  several  dwelling  houses  of  the 
Dissenters,  as  his  followers  were  called.  His  own  house  and  library  were  burned, 
and  he  was  forced  to  fly  to   London.      He  was  chosen  to   succeed  a  minister  at 


428  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Warrior  Run,  Northumberland  County,  although  a  small  stream, 
has  figured  in  history  from  the  earliest  times.  It  falls  into  the 
river  at  the  lower  part  of  the  thrifty  borough  of  Watsontown. 
The  first  white  settlement  made  on  this  stream,  where  Fort  Free- 
land  was  afterwards  built,  was  in  1772.  The  immigrants  were 
from  New  Jersey,  and  were  named  as  follows :  Jacob  Freeland, 
John  Vincent,  Cornelius  Vincent  and  Peter  Vincent,  with  their 
families.  In  1773  they  were  re-inforced  by  Timothy  Williams  and 
Samuel  Gould.  Both  brought  their  families  with  them.  Freeland 
settled  on  Warrior  Run,  some  three  or  four  miles  from  its  mouth, 
and  the  Vincents  settled  one  mile  below  the  mouth  on  the  river. 
This  was  the  nucleus  of  the  first  settlement  in  this  part  of  the 
valley,  around  which  other  settlements  were  made  until  there  was 
quite  a  community.  These  pioneers  built  their  cabins  in  the 
wilderness  and  commenced  to  make  improvements.  They  were 
men  and  women  of  nerve,  resolution  and  daring,  and  soon  became 
used  to  the  hardships  they  were  called  upon  to  endure  in  a  new 
country. 

Levi  Vincent,  the  progenitor  of  this  old  family,  was  born  in 
France  during  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  in  1676.  He  emigrated 
to  New  Jersey,  and  died  in  Newark  Township,  in  1763,  aged  87 
years. 

John  Vincent,  son  of  Levi,  was  born  January  26,  1709,  on  the 
farm  where  his  father  died.  He  married  Elizabeth  Doremus 
December  i,  1733.  She  was  born  July  12,  171 1,  and  died  Febru- 
ary  II,   1788,  aged  76  years.      Mr.  Vincent  died  February  24, 


Hockney,  and  was  a  lecturer  in  the  Dissenting  college  at  that  place,  but  public  aver- 
sion to  him  being  strong,  and  his  sons  having  emigrated  to  America,  he  followed 
them  in  April,  1794.  He  settled  at  Northumberland,  where  for  three  winters  after 
his  arrival  he  delivered  lectures  on  the  evidences  of  Christianity.  He  died  in  the 
full  vigor  of  his  mind  February  6,  1804,  in  the  71st  year  of  his  age,  and  his  remains 
lie  in  the  beautiful  cemetei-y  at  that  place.  A  plain  marble  tablet  at  the  head  of  his 
grave  simply  recites  his  name  and  age.  There  is  an  entire  absence  of  any  show  about 
the  grave,  and  a  stranger  unacquainted  with  his  history  would  not  suppose  for  a 
moment  that  one  of  the  most  distinguished  philosophers  of  the  world  there  lies 
buried.  He  was  a  voluminous  writer,  and  left  many  books  that  treated  on  theology 
and  science  behind  him.  He  was  not  only  a  chemist,  but  an  eminent  metaphysician. 
He  commenced  his  chemical  career  in  1772,  and  in  two  years  discovered  oxygen  gas, 
which  has  made  his  name  immortal.  His  descendants  continued  to  reside  in  Northum- 
berland for  many  years.     Very  few  of  them  now  remain  there. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  429 

1 80 1,  aged  92  years,  having  survived  his  wife  about  thirteen 
years. 

CorneHus  Vincent,  son  of  John  and  Ehzabeth,  was  born  on  the 
farm  of  his  father  April  15,  1737,  and  married  Phoebe  Ward 
November,  1756.  She  was  born  April  8,  1750.  Their  children 
were:  Isaac,  born  June  20,  1757;  Daniel,  born  January  17,  1760; 
Bethuel,  born  June  3,  1763;  Sarah,  born  July  26,  1765;  John, 
born  February  4,  1772;  Elizabeth,  born  June  4,  1774;  Rebecca, 
born  October  27,  1776;   Mary,  born  February  10,  1779. 

The  descendants  of  this  famous  family  are  numerous  and  widely 
scattered.  Bethuel  was  married  four  times.  His  third  wife  was 
Ann  Rees.     He  died  May  i,  1837,  in  the  75th  year  of  his  age. 

Jacob  Freeland,  who  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  enterprise, 
commenced  to  build  a  small  grist  mill  on  Warrior  Run  in  1773, 
having  brought  the  necessary  irons  with  him  the  previous  year 
from  New  Jersey.  The  mill  was  completed,  and  proved  a  valu- 
able acquisition  to  the  settlement.  The  fort  was  built  in  1775, 
when  it  became  apparent  to  Freeland  and  his  neighbors  that  better 
protection  than  ordinary  cabins  afforded  was  required,  as  the  In- 
dians were  daily  growing  more  bold  and  troublesome.  It  stood 
near  a  spring,  on  a  rising  piece  of  ground,  about  half  a  mile 
north-east  of  where  Warrior  Run  Church  now  stands.  The  site 
is  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Everitt,  and  is  marked  by  a  small  mound  of 
earth.  The  spring  is  there  still  and  is  shaded  by  two  or  three 
majestic  oaks.  The  fort,  which  afterwards  became  so  famous,  was 
a  stockade  enclosure  and  ranked  as  one  of  the  principal  fortifica- 
tions in  the  valley  above  Fort  Augusta. 

Among  other  settlers  who  pushed  their  way  up  the  river  was 
George  Morrison,  who  settled  on  a  tract  a  short  distance  west  of 
Jersey  Shore  in  1774.  Francis  Clark  located  on  a  tract  which 
now  adjoins  the  Jersey  Shore  Cemetery  the  same  year.  Edward 
McMasters  settled  on  the  point  on  the  west  side  of  Pine  Creek  in 
1774.  Robert  Plunkett  also  made  some  improvements  there  the 
same  year  on  what  are  now  known  as  the  Crist  and  Simmons 
farms.  In  1775  McMasters  left  the  settlement  to  join  the  Ameri- 
can army  at  Cambridge  and  never  returned. 

Michael  Seely  settled  and  made  some  improvements  in  1775 
on  a  tract  lying  about  half  a  mile  east  of  Jersey  Shore,  on  the 


430  HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

river.  During  the  same  year  Jacob  Mattox  squatted  on  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Jersey  Shore  and  made  an  improvement.  What  became 
of  him  is  unknown. 

According  to  Linn  the  first  wedding  occurred  in  Buffalo  Valley 
December,  1772.  Peter  Swartz  married  Magdalena,  widow  of 
Michael  Weyland.  They  then  moved  upon  the  place  described 
as  containing  300  acres  at  Sinking  Spring,  at  Shikellimy's  old 
town,  a  short  distance  below  Milton,  on  the  Union  County 
side.  On  the  i8th  of  December  Mrs.  Swartz  took  out  letters  of 
administration  upon  her  former  husband's  estate.  They  were  the 
first  issued  in  Northumberland  County.  Her  account  was  filed 
September  8,  1774,  in  which  Peter  Swartz  adjoins.  On  the  debtor 
side  of  the  account  is  an  item  for  a  deer  skin,  accepted  for  a  debt 
due  the  estate  from  Captain  John  Brady. 

Ludwig  Derr,*  the  founder  of  Lewisburg,  appeared  early  in  the 
valley.  When  Charles  Lukens  made  the  surveys  along  the  river 
to  the  mouth  of  White  Deer  Creek,  in  1769,  he  speaks  of  Derr 
being  with  him.      Derr  bought  the  tract  on  which   Lewi.sburg 


*Ludwig  Derr  died  in  Philadelphia  November,  1785,  where  he  had  gone  to  sell 
lots.  He  left  an  only  son,  George  Derr.  On  the  20th  of  December,  1788,  he  trans- 
ferred the  town  plot,  embracing  128  acres,  to  Peter  Borger,  e.xcepting  seventeen  lots, 
and  all  lots  that  his  father  had  sold  by  deed,  or  written  agreement.  January  2,  1789, 
Borger  disposed  of  the  same,  with  the  same  reserve,  to  Carl  Ellinckhuysen,  of 
^Amsterdam,  Holland.  On  the  Sth  of  May,  17S9,  Ellinckhuysen,  by  letter  of  attorney, 
authorized  Borger  to  sell  lots  for  him  ;  who,  as  attorney-in-fact,  sold,  mortgaged,  and 
disposed  of  lots,  for  about  eighteen  months,  when  he  was  superseded  by  a  letter  of 
attorney  to  the  Rev.  J.  Chai-les  Hilburn,  a  Catholic  priest,  dated  September  30,  1790. 
He  also  sold  and  mortgaged  lots,  so  that  in  consequence  of  mistakes,  or  something 
else,  many  lots  now  have  three  or  four  distinct  written  titles. 

About  this  time  Carl  Ellinckhuysen  sent  his  son,  Matthias  Joseph  Ellinckhuysen, 
to  America,  and  put  him  under  the  surveillance  of  Hilburn,  the  priest.  Being  dis- 
sipated he  ran  his  course  rapidly,  and  died  on  the  17th  of  July,  1792,  aged  38  years 
and  3  months.  His  widow,  Clara  Helena  Ellinckhuysen,  married  John  Thornburgh, 
who  also  soon  died.  They  were  both  buried  in  the  old  grave-yard  on  Market  Street, 
but  their  tombstones  have  entirely  disappeared.  The  widow,  who  was  short  of 
stature  and  much  pock-marked,  was  an  expert  skater.  She  afterwards  married  a 
Mr.  Moore  and  removed  to  Erie,  where  she  probably  died.  In  1793  the  eccentric 
Flavel  Roan,  who  was  sheriff  of  Northumberland  County  from  1791  to  1794,  wrote 
the  famous  deed  for  Mrs.  Ellinckhuysen,  conveying  a  lot  in  Lewisburg  to  himself,  in 
consideration  of  sixteen  pounds  ten  shillings.  The  deed,  which  begins  with  Adam 
and  Eve,  is  the  most  remarkable  piece  of  conveyancing  on  record,  and  is  copied  in 
some  of  the  Form  books  as  a  curiosity.  Recorded  in  deed  book  F,  page  280, 
November,  1793,  Sunbury. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  43 1 

stands,  in  the  summer  of  1772,  from  Rev.  Richard  Peters.  The 
ground  was  first  surve}'ed  by  WiUiam  Maclay  February  28,  1769. 
At  the  land  drawing  Derr  had  applied  for  a  tract  near  Nev/ 
Columbia,  but  failed  to  get  it.  He  then  settled  on  the  site  of 
Lewisburg  in  1770,  and  falling  in  love  with  the  place,  bought  it 
from  Peters.  There  is  no  record  of  any  one  having  lived  there 
before  Derr.  Soon  after  this  he  opened  a  trading  post  and  built 
his  famous  grist  and  saw  mill,  which  stood  until  a  few  years  ago. 

As  early  as  1767  William  Patterson  patented  a  tract  of  700 
acres  of  land,  which  now  lies  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  Lewis 
Township,  Northumberland  County.  On  account  of  its  hand- 
some appearance  he  named  it  "  Paradise,"  a  title  which  it  bears  to 
this  day.  For  rural  beauty,  fertility  of  soil,  and  charming  sur- 
roundings, it  is  not  excelled  by  any  district  of  similar  size  in  the 
United  States,  and  the  name  was  worthily  bestowed.  The  coun- 
try is  gently  rolling  and  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  Neat 
farm  houses,  with  capacious  barns,  abound  in  all  directions;  and 
what  adds  more  particularly  to  the  beauty  of  the  scene  are 
the  open  groves  of  oak  and  other  hard  woods  which  dot  the 
landscape.  And  as  these  groves  are  free  from  underbrush,  they 
present  the  appearance  of  well-kept  parks,  and  elicit  the  admira- 
tion of  all  who  pass  through  the  country.  In  177 1  Mr.  Patterson 
exchanged  his  Paradise  lands  with  John  Montgomery,  of  Paxtang, 
for  his  farm  in  that  settlement,  and  removed  to  White  Deer  Creek 
to  reside  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Hunter. 

When  Mr.  Montgomery  came  to  Paradise  he  located  near  a 
beautiful  spring  and  built  a  small  log  house,  where  he  resided  with 
his  family  until  they  were  driven  away  by  the  Indians  in  1779. 
On  their  return,  when  peace  was  restored,  they  found  all  their 
buildings  burned.  But  during  the  occupancy  of  the  country  by 
Captain  Rice  and  his  German  soldiers,  they  built  a  two-story  stone 
building  over  the  spring,  which  they  had  used  as  a  fortification. 
Mr.  Montgomery  took  possession  of  the  building,  and  after  mak- 
ing some  alterations  and  improvements,  used  it  for  a  dwelling 
house.  Thus  was  the  Montgomery  home  founded  in  Paradise. 
The  family  prospered  and  increased  in  numbers  and  wealth  until 
it  became  one  of  the  best  known  and  most  respected  in  that  lovely 
region,  and  this  distinction  it  has  maintained  until  the  present  day. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE   CHARMING   JOURNAL    OF    REV.    FITHIAN,    WRITTEN    DURING    HIS 

VISIT    TO    THE   WEST   BRANCH    VALLEY    IN    1 775 WHOM    HE   MET, 

WHERE    HE    STOPPED    AND    WHAT    HE    SAW. 

ONE  of  the  most  interesting  journeys  made  through  the 
West  Branch  Valley,  over  a  century  ago,  was  that  of  Rev. 
Philip  Vicars  Fithian,  in  the  summer  of  1775.  This  observant 
and  pious  young  minister  was  agraduate  of  the  class  of  1772,  in 
the  College  of  New  Jersey,  a  class  noted  for  its  ability  and  for  the 
subsequent  prominence  of  its  members — Aaron  Burr,  William 
Bradford,  William  Linn,  D.  D.,  and  several  others. 

Mr.  Fithian  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  First  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia,  November  6,  1774.  On  the  4th  of  April,  1775,  he 
received  an  honorable  dismission  from  the  Presbytery,  as  there 
were  no  vacancies  within  its  boundaries,  and  was  recommended 
as  a  candidate  in  good  standing.  He  left  his  home  at  Greenwich, 
N.  J.,  May  9,  1775,  on  horseback,  for  a  tour  through  Delaware, 
Maryland,  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  in  company  with  Andrew 
Hunter,  also  his  classmate,  taking  notes  of  people  and  places  in 
journal  form,  addressed  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Beatty,  sister  of  Major 
John,  Dr.  Reading  and  Erkuries  Beatty,  subsequently  prominent 
officers  in  the  Pennsylvania  line.  After  his  return,  October  25th, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Beatty,  and  in  the  following  June  accepted 
the  appointment  of  chaplain  to  Colonel  Newcomb's  battalion  of 
New  Jersey  militia,  and  died  in  camp  at  Fort  Washington,  of 
dysentery,  October  8,  1776.  He  kept  a  journal  up  to  within  a 
few  weeks  of  his  death,  embracing  the  battle  of  Long  Island. 
His  last  entry  was  made  Sunday,  September  22,  1776.  This 
journal  is  a  remarkably  interesting  contribution  to  the  history  of  the 
times  in  this  valley.  The  simplicity  of  its  style  and  the  charming 
manner  in  which  the  writer  relates  his  journey  up  the  river,  noting 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  433 

whom  he  met,  how  he  was  received  and  where  he  preached, 
makes  it  read  hke  a  romance.  After  his  death  it  remained  in 
manuscript  for  over  one  hundred  years,  and  its  existence  was  only 
known  to  his  descendants.  When  Hon.  John  Blair  Linn  was 
Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  he  succeeded,  through  friends  in 
New  Jersey,  in  borrowing  the  original  long  enough  to  have  a  copy 
made,  and  then  published  it  in  Dr.  W.  H.  Egle's  Historical 
Register  in  1883-4,  with  copious  annotations,  all  of  which  are 
given  herewith. 

Mr.  Fithian  came  through  Franklin  and  Cumberland  counties 
on  his  horseback  journey,  and  arrived  at  the  house  of  John  Harris, 
on  the  Juniata,  June  24,  1775.  He  speaks  of  his  elegant  home  in 
these  words;  "In  the  parlor  where  I  am  sitting  are  three  win- 
dows, each  with  twenty-four  lights  of  large  glass." 

On  the  25th  he  was  at  Cedar  Springs,  where  he  preached.  He 
speaks  of  the  scene  in  these  beautiful  words :  "  It  is  now  sunset, 
and  I  am  sitting  under  a  dark  tuft  of  willow  and  large  sycamores, 
close  on  the  bank  of  the  beautiful  Juniata.  The  river,  near  two 
hundred  yards  broad,  is  lined  with  willows,  sycamores,  walnuts, 
white  oaks,  and  a  fine  bank — what  are  my  thoughts  ?  Fair  genius 
of  this  water,  O  tell  me,  will  not  this,  in  some  future  time,  be  a 
vast,  pleasant,  and  very  populous  country?  Are  not  many  large 
towns  to  be  raised  on  these  shady  banks  ?  I  seem  to  wish  to  be 
transferred  forward  only  one  century.  Great  God,  America  will 
surprise*  the  world!" 

"Monday,  June  26,  lyjs. — I  rose  early  with  the  purpose  of 
setting  off  for  Sunbury.  I  had  an  invitation  to  a  wedding  in  the 
neighborhood,  but  my  business  will  not  permit  me.  After  break- 
fast I  rode  to  one  Mr.  Boyle's,  a  well-disposed,  civil,  and  sensible 
man.  He  entertained  me  kindly  and  acquainted  me  largely  with 
the  disturbance  with  Mr.  Kennedy.  I  dined  with  him  and  his 
wife.  She  looks  very  much  in  person  and  appears  in  manner  like 
my  much-honored  and  ever  dear  mamma.  Thence  I  rode  onward 
through  a  dark  bleak  path,  they  call  it  a  '  bridle  road,'  to  one  Mr. 
Eckert's,  a  Dutchman,  [German.]     He  used  me  with  great  civility 

*His  prophetic  vision  was  realized  in  the  Centennial  E.xhibiticn  at  Philadelphia, 
in  1876.     Could  the  enthusiastic  young  minister  only  have  been  there  to  see  it ! 


434  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

and  politeness.  Distance  rode  to-day,  25  miles;  course  N.  E.  I 
met  on  the  road  a  tinker,  on  the  way  to  what  is  called  the '  New  Pur- 
chase.'* He  has  been  to  Cohansie.f  Knew  many  there,  at  Potts- 
grove,  Deepel,  and  New  England  town.  He  told  me  that  he  had 
been  acquainted  in  seven  colonies,  but  never  yet  saw  any  place  in 
which  the  inhabitants  were  so  sober,  uniform  in  their  manners,  and 
every  act  so  religious  as  at  New  England  town,  and  Mr.  Ramsey 
was  his  favorite  preacher.  He  spoke  of  religious  matters  with 
understanding,  and  I  hope  with  some  feeling. 

"  Tuesday,  June  2'/. — Rode  from  the  clever  Dutchman's;};  to  Sun- 
bury  over  the  Susquehanna,  fifteen  miles.  I  think  the  river  is  a 
half  a  mile  over,  and  so  shallow  that  I  forded  it;  the  bottom  is 
hard  rock.  Sunbury  is  on  the  north-east  bank.  It  is  yet  a  small 
village  but  seems  to  be  growing  rapidly.  Then  I  rode  on  half  a 
mile- to  one  Hunter's,§  within  the  walls  of  Fort  Augusta.  Then 
I  rode  onward  to  Northumberland  about  a  mile,  but  on  the  way 
crossed  the  river  twice. || 

"  Here  are  a  number  of  boatmen  employed  in  going  up  and  down 
the  river  to  Middletown  and  back.  With  these  and  others  from 
the  countrj^  this  infant  village  seems  busy  and  noisy  as  a  Phila- 
delphia ferry-house.  I  slept  in  a  room  with  seven  of  them,  and  one 
for  a  bed-fellow.  He  was,  however,  clean  and  ci\'il,  and  our  bed 
good  and  neat.  Some  of  them  suspected  me  of  being  a  clergy- 
man and  used  we  with  profound  respect.  '  Your  Reverence,'  was 
the  preface  of  almost  every  sentence.  One  of  them,  a  genuine 
Quo-he,  coaxed  me  by  persuasion  and  complaints  out  of  a  six- 
pence as  charity. 

"  Wednesday,  June  28. — A  very  wet,  rainy  morning.  About 
twelve  o'clock  marched  into  this  town,  from  the  '  Great  Island '  or 
'  Indian  land '  fifty  miles  up  the  river,  thirty  young  fellows,  all  e.x- 


*  Valleys  of  the  North  and  West  Branches  of  the  Susquehanna,  purchased  in 
1768. 

f  Cohansey,  New  Jersey. 

I  Echart's  tavern  was  a  noted  stopping  place  in  Perry  Township,  now  Snyder 
County,  on  the  road  to  Richfield,  Juniata  County. 

I  Colonel  Samuel  Hunter  was.  the  commander  of  Fort  Ai;gusta  at  that  time. 

II  The  old  fording  crossed  by  the  large  island  in  the  North  Branch  at  Northumber- 
land.    Island  now  owned  by  Hon.  John  B.  Packer. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  435 

pert  riflemen,  with  a  drum  and  fife,  under  Captain  Lowdon.* 
They  passed  on,  however,  soon  to  Sunbury,  where  they  remained 
until  Monday.  Brave  youth!  go,  through  the  kindness  of  the 
God  of  battles,  may  you  prosper  and  save  your  country.  I  made 
some  small  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Doheda,  a  smart  agreeable 
Englishman,  and  one  Mr.  Chrystie,  a  dry,  sensible,  intelligent  Scot. 

"  Thursday,  Jii?ie  2g. — I  rode  up  the  West  Branch,  two  miles,  to 
Mr.  Andrew  Gibson's, f  on  the  way  crossing  the  river  twice,  over 
a  fine,  rich  island  shaded  with  lofty,  smooth  beech  trees;  on  one 
of  these  I  carved  my  name.  After  dinner  I  went  down  the  river 
with  two  of  the  Mr.  Gibsons  in  a  small  boat,  for  exercise  and 
recreation.  The  river  is  perfectly  transparent — so  clear  that  you 
can  see,  in  the  deepest  parts,  the  smallest  fish.  In  the  evening 
came  the  Philadelphia  papers.  All  things  look  dark  and  unsettled. 
The  Irish  regiments  have  arrived.  Government  is  strengthening 
its  forces ;  the  Americans  are  obstinate  in  their  opposition.  The 
Virginians  have  differed  highly  with  their  Governor,  and  he  has 
thought  it  necessary  to  go  on  board,  with  his  family,  of  one  of 
his  Majesty's  ships.  The  Continental  Congress  is  sitting  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  recommends  Thursday,  July  20th,  as  a  day  of  public 
humiliation,  fasting  and  prayer. 

"  Saturday ,  July  i. — I  crossed  the  river  and  rode  into  town;  my 
landlady  received  me  kindly.  From  the  room  where  I  write  this 
I  have  a  long,  full,  and  beautiful  prospect  of  Sunbury  down  the 
river.  Now,  going  either  up  or  down,  are  many  boats,  canoes,  &c., 
plying  about.  In  short,  this  town  in  a  few  years,  without  doubt, 
will  be  grand  and  busy.  I  find  these  two  infant  villages,  like  other 
rivals,  are  jealous  of  each  other's  improvements,  and  Mr.  Haines,! 
who  is  proprietor  of  this  place,  is  much  annoyed. 

"  Sunday,  July  2. — A  rainy,  damp  morning;  but  little  prospects 
of  service.  At  eleven,  some  few  came  in;  we  have  worship  in  Mr. 
McCartney's  house.  After  we  began,  many  came  in  from  the 
town,  and  they  gave  me  good  attention.     Between  sermons  sev- 

*This  was  Captain  Lowdon's  company  on  its  way  to  Boston;  see  Linn's  Annals 
of  Buffalo  Valley  for  a  roll  of  this  company,  enlisted  along  the  West  Branch. 

f  Andrew  Gibson  lived  about  a  mile  below  Dr.  Rooke's  furnace,  in  now  Union 
County. 

X  Reuben  Haines,  brewer,  of  Philadelphia. 


436  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

eral  gentlemen  kindly  invited  me  to  visit  them;  Mr.  Cooke,  the 
high  sheriff;*  Mr.  Martin,  a  gentleman  who  came  lately  from 
Jersey,  (Robert  Martin);  Mr.  Barker,!  a  young  gentleman,  a 
lawyer  from  Ireland  last  fall.  After  one  hour  and  a  half  inter- 
mission we  had  service  again ;  many  more  were  present  than  in 
the  morning.  Mr.  Scull,  the  Surveyor  General's  [Deputy  Sur- 
veyor, as  John  Lukens  was  then  Surveyor  General]  agreeable 
mate,  was  present  at  both  sermons;  Mrs.  Hunter,  Capt.  Hunter's 
lady,  who  lives  on  the  other  side  of  the  water  at  Fort  Augusta, 
and  is  burgess  [lieutenant]  for  his  county,  and  is  with  Mr.  Scull 
now,  down  at  Philadelphia,  was  also  present  at  both  sermons,  with 
her  two  small,  neat  daughters,  and  a  beautiful  young  lady — her 
niece.J  I  was  invited  by  Mrs.  Scull  to  coffee.  Present:  Mrs. 
Hunter  and  the  young  ladies,  Mrs.  McCartney  and  her  sister,  and 
Mr.  Barker.  While  we  were  at  coffee  the  post  came  into  town; 
we  have  in  the  papers  accounts  of  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  near 
Boston,  where  the  Provincials  were  worsted ;  accounts  of  General 
Washington  and  his  aid-de-camp,  Mr.  Mifflin,  leaving  Philadelphia 
for  the  North  American  camp.  Mrs.  Scull  ver\-  kindly  in\ited  me 
to  make  her  house  my  home  while  I  shall  stay  in  town.  She  has 
a  pleasant  and  valuable  garden,  the  best  by  far  in  the  town;  it 
has  a  neat  and  well-designed  summer-house.  She  has  a  well- 
finished  parlor,  with  many  pieces  of  good  painting;  four,  in 
special,  which  struck  me  much;  large  heads  from  ancient  marbles 
of  Hypocrates,  Tully,  Socrates,  and  Galen. 

"  Monday,  July  J. — No  paper  to  be  had  in  town  and  I  have  only 
five  sheets.  Mr.  McCartney  gave  me  ^i.  5s.  gd.  for  the  supply, 
for  which  he  demanded  a  receipt,  a  custom  here.  Breakfasted 
with  Mrs.  Scull.     I  dined  with  Mr.  Martin,  in  West-way  street,  on 

♦Afterward  Colonel  William  Cooke  of  the  1 2th  Pennsylvania.  See  Dr.  Egle's 
sketches  of  members  of  the  convention  of  1776  for  notice  of  Colonel  Cooke. — Penn'a 
Mag.,  Vol.  IIL,  page  320. 

tjohn  Barker,  Esq.,  joined  the  Revolutionary  army  in  September,  1776.  His 
further  history  cannot  be  traced. 

J  Colonel  Samuel  Hunter's  wife  was  a  sister  of  Abram  Scott.  Their  two 
daughters  referred  to  were  Mary,  who  married  Samuel  Scott,  and  Nancy,  who  mar- 
ried Alexander  Hunter,  her  cousin.  The  niece  was  Mary  Scott,  who  married  Gen- 
eral William  Wilson,  of  Chillisquaque  Mills,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  John  B.  Linn,  of 
Bellefonte. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  437 

the  river.  After  dinner,  Mr.  Haines,  the  proprietor  of  the  town, 
took  me  to  see  a  lot  he  is  about  to  give  to  the  Presbyterian 
Society.  It  is  a  fine  high  spot  on  the  North-way  street,  and  near 
the  river;  also  near  it  is  a  fine  spring  of  good  water.  A  number 
of  the  town  gentlemen  proposed,  if  my  appointments  will  allow, 
to  preach  in  this  town  on  the  day  of  the  Continental  fast. 

"  Tuesday,  July  ^. — Mrs.  Scull  entertained  me  with  many  good, 
agreeable  songs.  She  moved  my  head  toward  my  charming 
Laura  when  she  sang  the  following: 

Constancy. 
Oh !  lovely  Delia,  virtuous,  fair. 
Believe  me  now  thy  only  dear, 
I'd  not  exchange  my  happy  state 
For  all  the  wealth  of  all  the  great,  &c.,  &c. 

"A  rainy  afternoon;  I  spent  it  with  Mr.  Barker  in  doors.  I 
was  introduced  to  one  Mr.  Freeman,  a  young  gentleman  who  has 
been  a  trader  at  Fort  Pitt.  He  beats  the  drum,  and  we  had  a 
good  fifer,  so  we  spent  the  evening  in  martial  amusement. 

"  Wednesday,  July  j. — A  very  wet  morning.  Last  Sunday 
some  Northumberland  saint  stole  my  surtout  from  my  saddle.  It 
was  hid,  for  security,  in  a  wood-pile  in  the  neighborhood,  where 
it  was  found  the  next  morning,  advertised,  and  this  day  returned. 
If  this  be  the  "New  Purchase"*  manners,  I  had  rather  chosen  to 
own  some  other  kind  of  impudence.  I  agreed  to-day  to  preach 
in  this  town  on  the  day  of  the  public  fast,  and  began  my  sermon 
for  that  purpose.  I  had  some  proposals  made  me  for  staying  in 
this  town,  but  I  cannot  yet  answer  them.  I  dined  with  the  kind 
and  entertaining  Mrs.  Scull.  She  took  me,  with  Mr.  Barker,  into 
Mr.  Scull's  library.  It  is  charming  to  see  books  in  the  infancy  of 
this  remote  land.  I  borrowed,  for  my  amusement,  the  following 
from  her:  'The  Critical  Review,  No.  44.'  Our  evening  spent 
nightly  tete-a-tete  in  honor  and  friendship ;  in  bed  by  three — much 
too  late. 

"  Thursday,  Jidy  6. — I  opened  my  eyes,  by  the  continued  mercy 
of  our  bountiful  overseer,  at  half  an  hour  after  eight,  when  a  most 

*The  country  along  the  West  and  North  Branches,  purchased  from  the  Indians  in 
1768,  went  by  the  name  of  the  "  New  Purchase"  until  after  the  next  purchase  of  1784, 


438  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

serene,  lovely  morning,  more  so  after  so  much  dark  and  unharvest- 
able  weather.  I  was  called  in  to  see  Mrs.  Boyd,  to  visit  and  pray 
with  a  sick  young  man,  Mr.  Thompson.  I  found  him  lying  very 
ill  with  an  intermittent  fever  and  a  great  uneasiness  of  mind.  I 
conversed  with  him  as  well  as  my  abilities  would  allow,  and  com- 
mended him  to  God  in  prayer  and  withdrew.  Breakfasted  with 
Mrs.  Scull  and  Mr.  Barker,  and  with  great  reluctance  I  took  my 
leave  of  both.  The  young  gentleman  who  has  been  preaching  in 
the  English  church  at  Salem,  N.  J.,  is  this  Mr.  Barker's  brother. 
By  ten  I  left  town.  The  road  lies  along  the  river,  and  after  leav- 
ing the  town  about  a  mile,  such  a  fertile,  level,  goodly  country  I 
have  perhaps  never  seen.  Wheat  and  rye,  thick  and  very  tall. 
Oats  I  saw  in  many  places,  yet  green,  and  full  as  high  in  general 
through  the  field  as  a  six-railed  fence.  Polks  and  elders,  higher 
than  my  head  as  I  sat  upon  my  horse,  and  the  country  is  thicklj' 
inhabited  and  grows  to  be  a  little  open.  All  this  pine  tract  on  the  . 
north  side  of  the  West  Branch  belongs,  I  am  told,  to  Colonel 
Francis,*  and  is  now  leased  for  a  term  of  years.  After  riding 
eight  miles  on  the  bank  of  the  river  I  crossed  over.  The  river  is 
near  a  half  mile  broad,  and  since  the  rain  it  has  risen  so  that  I  had 
near  been  floated.     Stopped  at  Captain  Wm.  Gray's. 

"  Mr.  Gray  received  me  cordially.  He  owns  here  a  most  ex- 
cellent farm  on  the  south  side  and  upon  the  West  Branch.  I 
walked  out  to  a  neighbor  of  his,  Mr.  AUen's.f  Mr.  Allen  was 
reaping  rye.  The  reapers  were  merry  and  civil.  We  returned 
through  the  rich  woods.  It  is  a  dull  calm.  The  woods  are 
musical ;  they  are  harmonious.  Bells  tinkling  from  every  quarter 
make  a  continued  and  cheering  echo.  Cows  returning  home. 
Sheep  and  horses  grazing  through  the  woods,  and  these  all  around 
in  every  part  make  a  transporting  vesper. 

"  Friday ,  July  7. — Early  to-day,  and  with  diligence,  I  pursued 


*  Colonel  Turbutt  Francis  owned  the  land  on  the  river  bank  from  Northumber- 
land to  above  Milton.  Captain  William  Gray  married  Agnes  Rutherford,  daughter 
of  Thomas  (of  Paxtang),  and  became  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Buffalo  Valley, 
Union  County,  in  1771.  He  owned  and  resided,  until  his  death  in  1815,  on  the  farm 
owned  by  Major  Paul  Geddes;  second  farm  above  Lewisburg,  along  the  river. 

t  Samuel  Allen  occurs  upon  the  assessment  list  of  Buffalo  Township  in  1775.  He 
probably  occupied  Colonel  Slifer's  upper  farm  on  the  creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  439 

my  preparations  for  the  approaching  fast.  I  wrote  in  Mr.  Gray's 
barn ;  his  house  is  hot  and  thronged.  I  shall  finish  one  sermon 
to-day,  and  enter  upon  the  other.  I  have  been  told  that  the 
memorable  Mr.  Whitefield  studied  the  greater  part  of  his  sermons 
upon  his  knees.  Noble  man !  I  revere  his  abilities.  Surely,  he 
was  raised  above  the  level  of  common  men.  Had  he  been  under 
the  necessity  of  studying  as  many  hours  and  with  as  close  applica- 
tion as  I,  blood  and  body  must  have  given  way.  Towards  even- 
ing I  took  a  pleasant  turn  upon  the  river.  I  wished  to  leave  the 
boat  and  swim,  but  spectators  forbid.  I  drew,  with  a  fife  I  was 
playing,  the  ear  of  all  the  swains  around.  In  particular  a  woman 
who  was  washing  in  the  river,  on  the  other  side,  gave  remarkable 
attention.  She  seemed  to  listen  with  eagerness  to  the  floating 
notes.     Indeed,  in  so  still  an  evening  it  is  fine. 

"  Saturday,  July  8. — Lovely  weather  for  harvest.  I  apply  my- 
self close  to  study.  On  the  fertile  goodly  lands  of  this  majestic 
river,  in  a  small  smoky  cabin,  or  under  some  shady  tree,  covered 
with  loftiest  timber,  surrounded  with  the  most  luxuriant  herbage, 
very,  very  charming.  Towards  evening,  I  visited  a  near  neighbor 
who  was  reaping  rye  by  far  the  largest  I  have  ever  seen.  I  will 
record  what  I  am  witness  to  this  day:  On  a  single  acre,  and  so 
through  the  fields,  eight  and  forty  dozen  large  sheaves  of  rye. 

"  Sunday,  July  Q. — The  people  are  building  a  big  meeting-house, 
up  the  valley,  four  miles  from  the  river  [Buffalo  X  Roads.] 
There  is  here  a  numerous  society,  and  it  is  a  growing,  promising 
place.  We  had  a  good  number  to-day.  But  I  was  put  to  my 
trumps.  There  is  no  house.  I  must  preach  among  the  trees.  I 
mounted,  therefore,  upon  a  little  bench  before  the  people;  but  it 
is  hard  to  speak  in  the  air,  entirely  subjove.  The  assembly  was 
very  attentive.  I  could  not  avoid  smiling  at  the  new  appearance 
to  see  them  peeping  at  me  through  the  bushes.  I  am  told  there 
is  at  present,  in  Philadelphia,  an  independent  number  of  men 
called  '  The  Silk  Stocking  Company.'  I  will  also  call  this  '  The 
Silk  Gowned  Congregation.'  I  saw  here  the  greatest  number 
and  the  greatest  variety  of  silk  gowns  among  the  ladies  that  I 
have  yet  seen  in  my  course.  It  is  and  shall  be,  therefore,  'The 
Silk  Gowned  Congregation.''    An  Irish  gentleman  on  the  other 


440  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

side  of  the  water,  Mr.  Plunkett,*  kindly  invited  me  to  his  house 
while  I  stay.  Mr.  Vandyke,!  also,  from  Abington,  near  Philadel- 
phia, and  many  others.  But  on  account  of  the  approaching  fast, 
I  chose  to  return  to  Mr.  Gray's.  Towards  evening  I  took  a 
solitary'  walk  along  the  banks  of  the  river.  Much  my  heart  teazes 
me  about  home.  This  is  a  happier  place.  It  is  silent  and  peace- 
ful ;  these  sylvan  shades  do  improve  contemplation.  Etery  cot  is 
filled  with  plenty,  and  simplicity  with  frugality  and  kindness. 
Here  I  am,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  in  the  very  spot  allotted  to  me  to 
labor  according  to  the  course  of  my  education;  let  me,  then,  be 
wholly  content. 

"  Monday ,  July  lo. — I  confine  myself  close  to  study.  I  sit,  now, 
in  a  small  joiner  shop  near  the  house  and  study,  amid  saws,  and 
planes,  and  chisels.  Before  the  door  of  this  shop  is  a  rich  meadow ; 
in  this  meadow  a  great  quantity  of  walnut.  The  birds  are  very 
musical  among  these  trees.  Often  I  break  off  and,  bearing  chorus 
with  them,  sing  some  favorite  air.  I  was  visited  by  a  young 
gentleman,  Mr.  Linn.J  of  Path  Valley.  We  spent  two  hours  in 
conversation.  Appeared  to  be  a  modest,  sensible,  and  religious 
youth.  Towards  evening  there  was  a  most  violent  thundergust. 
I  walked,  just  before  sunset,  up  the  bank  of  this  water,  to  Mr. 
Robert  Fruit's, §  half  a  mile. 

"  He  was  reaping.  The  corn  and  grass  upon  his  farm  are  most 
luxuriant.  A  poor,  unfortunate  Dutch  [German]  woman,  this 
morning,  while  she  was  reaping  in  the  harvest  field,  was  bitten  by 
a  snake.  She  lies  now  in  great  distress,  swelled  up  into  her  back 
and  shoulders.     They  call  it  a  '  copperhead.'     I  have  taken  pleas- 

*Dr.  William  Plunkett,  who  then  resided  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  a  little 
above  the  mouth  of  Chillisquaque  Creek,  at  his  place  called  "  Soldiers'  Retreat." 

t  Henry  Vandyke,  who  lived  at  the  l.ate  John  Rishel's,  half  a  mile  east  of  Buffalo 
X  Roads.  The  spring  went  by  the  name  of  Vandyke's  Spring.  His  descendants 
are  nirmerous.  Vandykes  of  Clinton  and  Centre;  Kalamazoo,  Michigan;  Stephen- 
son County,  Illinois,  etc. 

IJohn  Linn,  father  of  the  late  James  F.  Linn,  Esq.,  came  up  to  Buffalo  Valley  in 
1775,  and  settled  on  part  of  the  tract  his  father  purchased  of  Colonel  Francis,  on 
Buffalo  Creek,  where  he  died  in  1809. 

^Robert  Fruit  lived  on  the  Heinly  place.  He  sold  this  place  about  1812,  and 
moved  to  Columbia  County,  Pa.  Robert  Fruit's  descendants  are  prominent  and 
wealthy  people  in  Mercer  County,  Pa. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  44I 

ure   in   rambling  among  the  trees   and  bushes,   but   I   fear  the 
pleasure's  gone. 

"  Tuesday,  July  ii. — Early  I  returned  to  Mr.  Gray's,  to  my 
study.  He  reaps  to-day.  It  seems,  now,  to  be  the  hurry  of 
harvest.  Mr.  Clark,*  a  gentleman  in  the  neighborhood,  gave  me 
for  the  supply  twenty  shillings.  He  also  demanded  a  receipt.  I 
pored  over  my  sermon  in  the  little  shop  so  closely  to-day  that  I 
grew  quite  stupid,  as  they  say,  '  so  through  other,'  that  I  laid  it  by 
and  went  among  the  reapers.  There  is  one  thing  here  a  little  re- 
markable: These  damp  evenings  the  mosquitoes  are  thick  and 
troublesome.  But  oh!  the  fleas.  Some  mornings,  at  some 
houses,  I  rise  spotted  and  bepurpled,  like  a  person  in  the  measles. 
I  had  a  long  confabulation  with  Mr.  Allen  on  church  government. 
He  is  an  experienced  critic. 

"  Wednesday,  Jjily  12. — A  violent  thundergust  last  night.  Soon 
after  breakfast  I  left  Mr.  Gray's.  Rode  to  Mr.  Fruit's,  and  must 
breakfast  again.  Mr.  Fruit  very  civilly  gallanted  me  on  my  road. 
We  forded  the  river,  and  rode  up  the  bank  on  the  north  side. 
The  country  on  both  sides  of  this  water  very  inviting  and 
admirably  fertile.  Mr.  Fruit  left  me,  and  I  jogged  along 
alone.  A  narrow  bridle  road,  logs  fallen  across  it,  bushes 
spread  over  it,  but  I  came  at  last  to  Captain  Piper's,!  at  Warrior 
Run,  twelve  miles.  The  Captain  was  out  reaping.  Mrs. 
Piper  received  me  very  kindly.  She  is  an  amiable  woman  by 
character ;  she  appears  to  be  so  by  trial.  At  three  after  dinner 
the  Captain  came  in.  He  stood  at  the  door.  '  I  am,'  said  he, 
'  William  Piper.     Now,  sir,  in  my  turn,  who  are  you  ?  '     '  My  name 

♦Probably  Walter  Clark  who  lived  then,  1775,  on  Colonel  Slifer's  place.  See  Dr. 
Egle's  "Members  of  the  Convention  of  1776,"  (^Pennsylvania  Magazine,  1879.) 

f  Captain  William  Piper  of  Second  Battalion,  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  commis- 
sioned July  20,  1763;  served  under  Colonel  Bouquet  in  the  campaign  of  1764,  and 
received  for  his  services  three  tracts  of  land— one  of  which  contained  609  acres,  "in- 
cluding the  mouth  of  Delaware  Run"  (in  Northumberland  County),  was  surveyed 
May  23,  1769.  To  this  tract  he  removed  from  his  residence  near  Shippensburg  soon 
afterwards,  and  made  his  home  where  the  village  of  Dewart  now  stands.  He  had 
but  one  child,  Peggy,  mentioned  in  the  Journal ;  she  married  James  Irwin,  of 
Mercersburg,  Pa.  The  tract  is  patented  to  James  Irwin,  May  31,  1794,  and  Roan  in 
his  Journal  {Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley]  speaks  frequently  of  James  Irwin  stopping 
at  Clingan's  on  his  way  up  to  see  his  lands  on  Warrior  Run. 


442  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

is  Fithian,  sin'  '  What  is  it  ?'  '  Fithian,  sir.'  '  Oh,'  says  he, 
'Fiffen.'  'No,  it  is  Fithian.'  'What,  Pithin?  Damn  the  name, 
let  me  have  it  in  black  and  white.  But  who  are  you?  Are  you 
a  regular  orderly  preacher?  We  are  often  imposed  upon  and 
curse  the  man  who  imposes  on  us  next.'  '  I  come,  sir,  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  Donegal  Presbytery  from  an  order  of  Synod.' 
'  Then  God  bless  you,  you  are  welcome  to  Warrior  Run — You 
are  welcome  to  my  house.  But  can  you  reap?'  He  was  full 
'half  seas  over.'  He  spoke  to  his  wife:  'Come,  Sally,  be  kind 
and  make  a  bowl  of  toddy.'  Poor,  unhappy,  hard-conditioned, 
patient  woman!  Like  us  neglected  and  forsaken  'Sons  of  Levi,' 
you  should  fix  on  a  state  of  happiness  beyond  this  world.  I  was 
in  the  evening  introduced  to  Captain  Hayes,*  a  gentleman  of  civility 
and  seriousness.  He  begged  me  to  preach  a  week-day  lecture 
before  I  leave  the  neighborhood.  At  Mr.  Hayes'  I  saw  a  large 
gourd;  it  held  nine  gallons.  I  saw  iif  the  bottom  near  the  bank 
of  the  river  a  sycamore  or  buttonwood  tree,  which  measured, 
eighteen  inches  from  the  ground,  fifteen  feet  in  circumference. 

"  Thursday ,  July  ij. — 'There  is  not  one  in  this  society  but  my 
little  wain,'  said  the  Captain  to  me  quite  full  of  whiskey,  'not  one 


*  Lieutenant  James  Hays,  First  Pennsylvania  Battalion,  commissioned  November 
29,  1763,  [Pennsylvania  Archives,  Second  Series,  Vol.  IL,  page  612.)  His  location, 
334  acres,  was  sur\'eyed  immediately  above  Captian  Piper's  on  the  river.  Subsequent 
to  the  Revolution  he  removed  to  his  tract  at  the  mouth  of  Beech  Creek,  in  Clinton 
County,  where  the  house  he  originally  built  and  occupied  by  him  is  still  standing  on 
the  north  side  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  opposite  Beech  Creek  Station  of  the  Lock  Haven 
and  Tyrone  Railroad.  From  the  windows  of  the  cars  can  be  seen  the  Hays  Ceme- 
tery, originally  a  private  burying  ground  on  the  place.  His  tombstone  bears  the 
following  inscription:  "James  Hays,  born  February  29,  1740,  died  February  14, 
1817  ;  his  wife  Sarah,  born  February  15,  1745,  died  May  5,  1823."  They  have  many 
well-known  descendants  in  CliDton  County. 

Concerning  the  first  land  owners  in  this  part  of  the  valley,  A.  J.  Guffey,  the  well- 
known  surveyor  of  Watsontown  says : 

1.  Colonel  Turbutt  Francis'  application,  No.  6,  was  for  2,775  acres.  His  tract 
extended  from  about  one  mile  below  Milton  to  about  one  mile  above  the  present 
borough,  including  the  site  upon  which  it  stands. 

2.  Ensign  Stein,  246  acres,  included  the  mouth  of  Muddy  Run. 

3.  Captain  Samuel  Hunter  included  the  mouth  of  Warrior  Run. 

4.  Captain  Housegger,  609  acres,  included  the  site  of  Watsontown. 

5.  Lieutenant  Hunsicker,  334  acres,  e.xtended  to  near  the  mouth  of  Delaware 
Run. 

6.  Captain  William  Piper,  609  acres,  and  Lieutenant  Hays,  came  next  in  order. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  443 

of  them  all  but  my  little  wain  that  can  tell  you  what  is  effectual 
calling.'  Indeed,  his  'wain'  is  a  lovely  girl.  She  is  an  only  child 
just  now  ten  years  old.  She  seems  to  be  remarkably  intelligent, 
reads  very  clear,  attends  well  to  the  quantity  of  words,  has  a  sweet, 
nervous  quo-he  accent.  Indeed,  I  have  not  lately  been  so  highly 
pleased  as  with  this  rosy-cheeked  Miss  Peggy  Piper.  Mrs.  Piper 
keeps  a  clean  house;  well-fixed  beds.  Here  I  have  not  seen  a 
bug  or  a  flea. 

''  Friday ,  July  i^. — Last  evening  after  sunset  I  walked  with  Mrs. 
Piper  to  four  neighbors'  houses,  all  within  a  half  a  mile.  She  was 
looking  for  harvest  hands,  while  her  ill-conditioned  husband  was 
asleep  perspiring  off  the  fumes  of  whiskey.  It  is  now  seven 
o'clock.  There  are  two  reapers.  Miss  Piper  is  out  carrying  drink 
to  the  reapers.  Her  father  is  yet  asleep.  Tim  is  about  the  house 
as  a  kind  of  waiting  man.  '  There  is  also  a  close-set  young  Irish 
widow  who,  on  her  passage,  lost  her  husband  and  two  children  at 
sea.  She  came  in  Captain  McCulloch's  ship  with  six  hundred 
passengers,  of  which  one  hundred  and  five  died  at  sea,  and  many 
more  on  landing.  Mrs.  Piper  is  taken  this  morning  after  breakfast 
with  a  violent  fever  and  palpitation  of  the  heart,  which  continues 
very  threatening.  The  young  Irish  widow  is  lame  with  a  cold 
in  her  shoulder  and  has  this  morning  scalded  her  hand  most 
sorely.  Dear  Peggy  went  out  early  and  is  overheated,  so  that  she 
is  laid  up  with  the  headache.  The  Captain  himself  is  ut  semper 
full  of  whiskey.  A  house  full  of  impotence.  We  are  relieved, 
however,  by  a  young  woman  of  the  neighborhood.  Dr.  Sprigg, 
a  gentleman  in  the  practice  who  is  settling  in  this  neighborhood, 
by  accident  came  in,  and  made  some  application  of  some  medi- 
cine to  Mrs.  Piper.  Towards  evening  I  took  a  ramble  with  Peggy 
to  find  and  bring  in  the  cows.  She  showed  me  their  sugar  tree 
bottom,  out  of  which  Mrs.  Piper  says  she  makes  plenty  of  sugar 
for  her  family  use.  I  am  charmed  with  each  calm  evening.  The 
people  here  are  all  cordial  and  inveterate  enemies  of  the  Yankees, 
who  are  settling  about  in  this  province  on  the  land  in  dispute 
between  Connecticut*  and  Pennsylvania.     It  is  said  they  are  in- 

*The  forty-first  parallel  of  latitude  to  which  the  Susquehanna  Company  at  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  claimed,  runs  seven  or  eight  miles  south  of  the  neighborhood  known  as 
the  "  Paradise  Country,"  from  its  proverbial  beauty  and  fertility — where  Mr.  Fithian 


z^44  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

tending  to  come  down  into  this  neighborhood  and  fix  down  upon 
the  unsettled  land,  which  exasperates  the  people  generally. 

"  Saturday,  July  15. — I  had  my  horse  belled  to-day  and  put  in 
a  proper  lawn.  I  would  rather  call  it  a  park.  He  wears  the  bell, 
contrar}'  to  my  expectation,  with  perfect  resignation.  To-day 
Mrs.  Piper  is  better,  and  walks  the  house.  There  came  ten 
reapers  before  breakfast;  the  Captain  was  in  bed,  supinus  stertietis. 
It  was  something  remarkable — after  he  awaked  he  would  drink  no 
more,  and  before  evening  was  perfectly  sober.  I  am  told  he  is 
always  sober  and  devout  on  Sabbath.  There  came  on  a  great  rain 
before  ten,  and  reaping  was  done.  I  took  a  walk  after  the  rain  on 
the  bank  of  the  river.  My  wonder  ceases  that  the  Indians  fought 
for  this  happy  valley. 

"  Sunday,  July  16. — Warrior  Run.* — This  meeting-house  is  on 
the  bank  of  the  river,  eighteen  miles  from  Northumberland.  It  is 
not  yet  covered ;  a  large  assembly  gathered.  I  preached  from  a 
wagon,  the  only  one  present.  The  people  sat  upon  a  rising 
ground  before  me.  It  looked  odd  to  see  the  people  sitting  among 
the  bushes.  All  were  attentive,  and  there  were  many  present.  I 
spoke  the  loudest  and  with  more  ease  than  I  have  ever  done  any 
day  before.  After  service  I  rode  down  to  Mr.  Fruit's  and  spent 
the  evening  reading  and  examining  Mr.  Lusk's  piece  against  the 
Seceders. 

"Monday,  Jidy  ly. — After  breakfast  and  prayer  I  took  my 
leave,  crossed  over  the  river  and  rode  down  to  town.  The  day 
was  bright  and  very  hot.  The  inhabitants  yet  busy  with  their 
harvest. 

"  Northumberland. — In  town  by  eleven,  much  fatigued.  I  spoke 
with  Mr.  Barker.     He  was  busy,  but  soon  came  in,  and  we  spent 

was  sojourning.  As  early  as  1772,  the  company  had  advanced  its  pickets  to  the 
border  "  to  hold  possession."  In  deeds  of  that  year  a  special  covenant  was  com- 
monly inserted  "  against  the  claim  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  England." 

*  John  L.  Watson,  Esq.,  whose  father  owned  the  site,  says  that  the  old  church  of 
Warrior  Run  stood  at  the  lower  end  of  Watsontown,  where  the  old  grave-yard  is  still 
partly  visible  within  the  limits  of  Mr.  Ario  Pardee's  large  lumber  manufacturing 
works.  It  was  probably  burned  by  the  Indians  at  the  time  of  the  Big  Runaway. 
When  peace  was  restored  the  congregation  erected  a  new  church  some  three  miles  up 
Warrior  Run,  thinking  the  location  more  secure  and  convenient,  where  the  church  of 
to-day  stands. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  445 

an  hour  very  pleasantly.  I  walked  down  to  Mr.  Martin's*  to  see 
the  newspapers.  Dr.  Plunkettf  and  three  other  gentlemen  were 
in  the  next  room.  Mr.  Carmichael'sJ  sermon,  preached  lately 
before  the  Carlisle  company,  was  in  contemplation.  '  Damn  the 
sermons,  Smith's,  and  all,'  said  one  of  them.  '  Gunpowder  and 
lead  shall  form  text  and  sermon  both.'  The  Doctor,  however, 
gave  him  a  severe  reproof.  The  Honorable  Conference  is  yet 
sitting,  and  have  published  to  the  world  reasons  for  our  taking  up 
arms.  By  a  letter  lately  from  Princeton  to  a  gentleman  here,  I 
am  told  that  James  Armstrong  and  John  Witherspoon§  have  gone 
to  Boston  with  General  Washington.  I  am  told  that  Mr.  Smith, || 
our  tutor,  was  lately  married  to  Miss  Ann  Witherspoon.  Prob- 
ably in  this  conflict  I  may  be  called  to  the  field,  and  such  a  con- 
nection would  make  me  less  willing  to  answer  so  responsible  a 
call.  I  will  not  therefore  marry  until  our  American  glory  be  fixed 
on  a  permanent  foundation,  or  is  taken  entirely  from  us.^f  An 
alarming  report;  eight  horse  loads  of  powder  went  up  the  country 
this  day,  carried  by  a  number  of  Indians.  It  is  shrewdly  guessed 
they  have  in  view  some  infernal  strategem. 

"  Tuesday,  July  i8. — I  rose  by  seven,  studying  at  my  sermon 
for  the  fast.  There  is  a  rupture  in  the  other  town  (Sunbury); 
they  have  two  men  in  prison  who  were  seized  on  suspicion  of 
selling  what  they  call  the  Yankee  rights  of  land.     They  are  ap- 

*  Robert  Martin  kept  the  first  tavern  at  Northumberland,  having  settled  there 
prior  to  the  pui-chase  of  1768.  Robert  Martin  was  the  grandfather  of  the  late  Lewis 
Martin,  Esq.,  of  Williamsport.     Mrs.  Grant  was  a  daughter  of  Robert  Martin. 

f  Dr.  William  Plunkett  was  the  first  presiding  justice  of  Northumberland  County. 

J  Rev.  John  Carmichael,  graduate  of  Princeton  College,  1759,  afterwards  pastor 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  the  "  Forks  of  the  Brandywine."  He  was  an  earnest, 
uncompromising  friend  of  American  liberty.  (See  Futhey  and  Cope's  History  of 
Chester  County,  page  493.)  The  sermon  alluded  to  was  preached  to  Captain  William 
Hendricks'  company  which  left  Carlisle  for  Boston  a  week  previous. 

§  James  Armstrong  and  John  Witherspoon  graduated  at  Princeton  in  1773,  in  the 
class  succeeding  that  of  Fithian,  1772.  Armstrong  died  in  1816.  Witherspoon  in 
1795- 

II  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  afterward  President  of  Hampden  and  Sidney  College, 
Virginia,  died  in  1819. 

\  Mr.  Fithian  changed  his  mind.  He  married  Miss  Betsey  Beatty,  October  25, 
1775,  and  died  while  serving  as  a  chaplain  in  the  army  on  New  York  Island,  Octo- 
ber 8,  1776. 


446  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

prehensive  of  a  mob  who  may  rise  to  release  them,  and  keep  everj' 
night  a  strict  guard.  Mr.  Scull,*  who  is  captain  for  this  town, 
goes  with  a  party  for  a  guard  from  hence  to-night.  I  am  invited 
to  a  party  this  afternoon.  South  of  this  town  the  bank  of  the 
river  is  a  high  stony  precipice,  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  at  least, 
and  almost  perpendicular.  There  is  a  way,  by  going  a  small  dis- 
tance up  the  river,  of  ascending  to  the  top,  which  is  level  and 
covered  with  shrubby  pines.  Here  I  am  invited  by  a  number  of 
ladies  to  gather  huckleberries.  The  call  of  women  is  invincible 
and  I  must  gallant  them  over  the  river.  Perhaps  my  Eliza  is  in  the 
same  exercise  in  the  back-parts  of  Deerfield  (Cumberland  County, 
N.  J.)  We  dined  and  walked  down  to  Mr.  Martin's  on  the  West- 
way  street.f  Ladies:  Mrs.  Boyd,  a  matron,  Mrs.  Martin,  Mrs. 
McCartney,  Miss  Carothers,  Miss  Martin,  Miss  Lusk,  and  a 
strange  young  woman.  Miss  Manning,  and  myself  Horrible, 
fearful!  It  is  so  high  and  so  steep.J  Look  at  yon  man  in  his 
small  canoe;  how  diminutive  he  seems  groveling  down  there, 
paddling  a  tottering  boat !  The  water  itself  looks  to  be  ver>^  re- 
mote, just  as  I  have  often  seen  the  sky  in  a  still,  clear  brook. 

"  Wednesday,  July  ig. — Mr.  Barker  called  on  me  this  morning 
to  walk.  We  strolled  up  the  North  Branch  of  the  river  two  miles. 
Good  land  but  less  cultivated.  I  cannot  but  much  esteem  this 
young  gentleman.  He  is  not  forward  in  conversation,  not  by  any 
means  dull,  makes  many  just  and  pleasant  remarks  on  the  state 
of  America.  Two  wagons,  with  goods,  cattle,  women,  tools,  &c., 
went  through  the  town  to-day  from  East  Jersey,  on  their  way  to 
Fishing  Creek,  up  the  river,  where  they  are  to  settle.  Rapid, 
most  rapid,  is  the  growth  of  this  country. 

*  William  Scull,  sheritT  of  Northumberland  County,  October,  1775. 

fin  a  plot  of  the  town  which  Mr.  Fithian  makes  in  his  Journal,  he  represents  a 
row  of  houses  along  the  North  Branch  and  a  row  along  West  Branch — none  in  the 
centre.  By  Westway  street  he  meant  the  one  running  from  the  Point  up  the  West 
Branch.  Of  the  ladies  belonging  to  the  huckleberry  party:  Mrs.  Sarah  Boyd,  the 
matron,  was  the  mother  of  Lieutenant  William  Boyd,  killed  at  Brandywine,  Septem- 
ber II,  1777,  of  Lieutenant  Thomas  Boyd,  killed  by  the  Indians,  September  12, 
1779,  in  Sullivan's  campaign,  and  of  Captain  John  Boyd,  so  many  years  justice  of 
the  peace  at  Northumberland.  Miss  Carothers  was  a  sister  of  Lieutenant  John 
Carothers,  Twelfth  Pennsylvania,  killed  at  Germanlown,  October  10,  1777. 

I  Mr.  Fithian  was  looking  from  the  summit  of  Blue  Hill.  The  view  from  this 
elevation  is  very  fine. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


447 


FORT  AUGUSTA. 

"At  the  invitation  of  Mr.  Scull  and  Mr.  Barker  I  went,  after 
dinner,  over  the  river  to  Captain  Hunter's.*  I  was  formally  intro- 
duced by  these  gentlemen  to  him.  He  talks  but  little,  yet  with 
great  authority.  I  felt  little  in  his  presence  from  a  consciousness 
of  inferiority.  We  drank  with  him  one  bowl  of  toddy  and  passed 
on  to 

.SUNBURY. 

"The  town  lies  near  a  half  mile  below  the  fort,  on  the  north  side 
of  the  main  branch.  It  may  contain  an  hundred  houses.  All 
the  buildings  are  of  logs  but  Mr.  Maclay's.f  which  is  of  stone  and 
large  and  elegant.  The  ground  is  low  and  level,  and  on  the  back 
part  moorish.  Northumberland  at  the  point  has  a  good  appear- 
ance from  this  town.  The  inhabitants  were  mustering  arms — 
blood  and  death,  how  these  go  in  a  file!  As  we  were  returning 
in  our  slim  canoes,  I  could  not  help  thinking  with  myself  how  the 
savage  tribes,  while  they  were  in  possession  of  these  enchanting 
wilds,  have  floated  over  this  very  spot.  My  heart  feels  for  the 
wandering  natives.  I  make  no  doubt  but  multitudes  of  them, 
when  they  were  forced  away,  left  these  long-possessed  and  delight- 
some banks  with  swimming  eyes.  Evening,  between  9  and  10, 
came  into  Mr.  McCartney's,  Dr.  Allison,  Dr.  Kearsley,J  Mr. 
Barker  and  Mr.  Freeman.  '  I  am  the  very  man,  and  no  other,' 
said  Dr.  Allison,§  'who  was  appointed  to  carry  on  the  building  of 
our  meeting-house  here,  and  I  am  for  having  it  done  with  brick. 
Let  us  at  once  make  a  convenient  place  for  worship,  and  an  orna- 
ment to  the  town.' 


*  Captain  Samuel  Hunter,  County  Lieutenant  of  Northumberland  County  during 
the  Revolution,  and  member  of  the  Council  of  Censors,  1783,  died  on  the  site  of 
Fort  Augusta,  which  he  owned,  April  10,  1784,  aged  52.  He  was  a  native  of 
Donegal,  Ireland,  and  was  commissioned  captain  November  10,  1763,  serving  in  the 
Bouquet  campaign  of  1764. 

f  Hon.  William  Maclay's  house  is  still  standing,  owned  by  Senator  Wolverton. 
See  page  397  of  this  work. 

+  Dr.  Jonathan  Kearsley  emigrated  from  Dublin,  Ireland,  to  Shippensburg ;  was 
afterwards  Deputy  Surveyor  of  Cumberland  and  Franklin.     Died  April  8,  1796. 

^  Dr.  Francis  Allison,  Surgeon  of  Colonel  Cooke's  Twelfth  Pennsylvania.  Ap- 
pointed October  14,  1776. 


448  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

THE  SOLEMN  CONTINENTAL  FAST. 
"  Thursday,  July  20. — I  rose  by  six;  the  town  quiet;  all  seems 
dull  and  mournful;  stores  shut  and  all  business  laid  aside.  By 
ten  many  were  in  town  from  the  country.  Half  after  eleven  we 
began.  I  preached  in  Mr.  Chatham's  house,  in  the  North-way 
street.  It  is  a  new  house,  just  covered,  without  partitions.  It 
was  thronged.  Many  were  in  the  chamber;  many  in  the  cellar; 
many  were  without  the  house.  There  were  two  Jews  present — 
Mrs.  Levy  *  and  her  nephew.  I  spoke  in  great  fear  and  dread. 
I  was  never  before  so  nice  an  audience;  I  never  spoke  on  so 
solemn  a  day.  In  spite  of  all  my  fortitude  and  practice,  when  I 
began  my  lips  quivered;  my  flesh  shrank;  my  hair  rose  up;  my 
knees  trembled.  I  was  wholly  confused  until  I  had  almost  closed 
my  sermon.  Perhaps  this  feeling  was  caused  by  entirely  fasting, 
as  I  had  taken  nothing.  I  was  to-day,  by  Mr.  Barker,  introduced 
to  Mr.  Chambers,!  a  young  gentleman  of  Sunbury — a  lawyer. 
He  appears  to  be  serious,  civil,  and  sociable.  I  was  also  intro- 
duced to  Mr.  James  Hunter,  of  Philadelphia.  In  the  afternoon 
service  felt  much  better,  but  was  under  the  necessity  of  reading 
both  sermons.  Several  in  the  neighborhood  gave  me  warm  invi- 
tations to  call  and  see  them,  but  I  must  now  away  up  this  long 
river,  sixty  miles  higher,  among  quarrelsome  Yankees,  insidious 
Indians,  and,  at  best,  lonely  wilds.  Mrs.  Boyd,  an  aged,  motherly, 
religious,  chatty  neighbor,  Mr.  Barker's  landlady,  drank  coffee 
with  us;  Miss  Nellie  Carothers,  also,  and  several  strangers. 
Evening,  two  villains — runaways  and  thieves — were  bro't  into 
town  and  committed  to  prison.  One  of  them  took  my  coat  the 
other  day.     Justice,  do  thy  office! 

*Wife  of  Aaron  Levy,  a  great  land  speculator,  who  laid  out  the  town  of  Aarons- 
burg,  Centre  County. 

f  Stephen  Chambers,  Esq.,  who  went  out  in  Colonel  Cooke's  Twelfth  Pennsylvania 
regiment  as  First  Lieutenant,  and  was  promoted  Captain.  He  was  one  of  the  Council 
of  Censors,  1783,  delegate  to  the  Federal  Convention,  December  12,  1787,  and  was 
wounded  in  a  duel  with  Dr.  Jacob  Rieger,  Monday,  May  11,  1789,  and  died  on  .Sat- 
urday, 16,  at  Lancaster.  The  records  show  that  Stephen  Chambers  was  the  first 
Worshipful  Master  of  Lodge  No.  22,  A.  Y.  M.,  at  Northumberland,  December  27, 
1779.  On  that  day  he  produced  and  presented  to  the  lodge,  at  his  own  proper  cost 
and  charges,  the  warrant  for  the  lodge,  and  was  then  re-elected  Master.  His  sister 
was  the  wife  of  Judge  John  Joseph  Henry. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  449 

"  Friday,  July  21. — The  weather  these  two  days  is  extraordinary, 
so  that  I  have  slept  under  a  sheet,  blankets,  coarse  rug,  and  in  my 
own  clothes,  and  I  am  to-day  wishing  for  a  thicker  coat  than  this 
sieve-like  crape.  I  dined  with  Dr.  Allison  and  Mr.  Barker,  at  Mr. 
Scull's.  Oh!  we  have  had  a  most  agreeable  afternoon.  It  has 
been  an  entertainment  worthy  of  royalty.  If  this  pompous 
declaration  is  thought  strange  and  a  secret,  too,  I  will  explain  its 
meaning.  I  have  been  in  the  company  of  gentlemen  where  there 
is  no  reserve.  Books  and  literary  improvement  were  the  subjects. 
Every  sentence  was  a  sentiment.  Mr.  Chambers  and  Sheriff 
Cooke  joined  us.  The  gloomy,  heavy  thoughts  of  war  were 
awhile  suspended. 

''  Saturday,  Jtily  22. — I  slept  but  little  last  night;  a  sick  Irish 
girl  in  the  next  room,  by  her  continual  moaning,  kept  me  awake. 
Indeed,  the  poor  Irish  maid  was  extremely  ill.  I  am  to  take  my 
leave  of  acquaintances  and  soon  leave  this  town.  It  is  probable  I 
shall  never  see  it  again.  I  wish,  however,  it  may  thrive  and  pros- 
per in  all  its  interests.  I  left  the  town  and  took  a  long,  narrow 
bridle  road  to  Mr.  James  Morrow's  [Murray's]  at  Chillisquaque. 
He  lives  on  the  creek,  five  miles  from  the  mouth.  I  was  more 
bewildered  in  finding  this  road — which  for  more  than  six  miles, 
at  least,  was  nothing  more  than  a  dull,  brush-covered  hog-road, 
with  a  log  across  it  almost  every  rod — than  I  have  been  before. 
I  received  of  Mr.  Gibson  for  my  Fast-day  supply,  7s.  6d.  He 
lives  in  a  small  log  hamlet ;  is,  himself,  a  man  of  business.  He  was 
in  the  last  war,  and  is  very  garrulous,  and,  indeed,  intelligent,  on 
military  subjects.  On  the  bank  of  this  creek  I  walked  among  the 
white  walnuts,  ash,  buttonwood,  birch,  hazels,  &c.,  rambling  along. 
At  last  I  stopped,  stripped  off  my  stockings,  and  waded  up  and 
down.  One  thing  here  I  don't  like.  In  almost  all  these  rural 
cots  I  am  under  the  necessity  of  sleeping  in  the  same  room  with 
all  the  family.  It  seems  indelicate,  at  least,  for  men  to  strip  sur- 
rounded by  different  ages  and  sexes,  and  rise  in  the  morning,  in 
the  blaze  of  day,  with  the  eyes  of  at  least  one  blushing  Irish 
female  searching  out  subjects  for  remark. 
CHILLISQUAQUE. 

"  Sunday,  July  2j. — We  have  a  still,  dark,  rainy  morning.  The 
people  met  at  Mr.  Morrow's  [Murray.]     His  little  house  was  filled. 


4SO  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Many  came  from  a  funeral,  in  all  probably  sixty.  Three  days  ago, 
when  one  of  the  neighbors  was  carting  in  his  rye,  his  young  and 
only  child,  not  yet  four  years  old,  drew  into  its  mouth  one  of  the 
beards.  It  stopped  in  his  throat,  fixed,  and  soon  inflamed,  and 
yesterday,  in  spite  of  all  help,  about  noon  he  died. 

"  Monday,  July  2^. — One  of  the  elders  gave  me  for  yesterday's 
supply  15s.  3d.  Yesterday  and  this  morning  we  breakfasted  on 
tea.  It  is  boiled  in  a  common  dinner  pot  of  ten  or  fifteen  gallons, 
and  poured  out  in  tin  cups.  We  have  with  it  boiled  potatoes 
and  huckleberry  pie,  all  in  love,  peace,  and  great  welcome.  My 
horse,  however,  now  feeds  upon  the  fat  of  the  earth.  He  is  in  a 
large  field  of  fine  grass,  generally  timothy,  high  as  his  head.  He 
has  not  fared  so  well  since  we  left  Mr.  Gray's  on  the  Juniata. 
Mrs.  Morrow  wears  three  golden  rings,  two  on  her  second  finger 
of  the  left  hand  and  one  on  the  middle  finger  of  the  right.  They 
are  all  plain.  Her  daughter  Jenny,  or  as  they  call  her,  Jensy, 
wears  only  two.  Jensy  is  a  name  most  common  here.  Mr.  Fruit, 
Mr.  Allen  of  Buffalo,  Mr.  Hayes  of  Warrior  Run,  and  the  women 
here  all  have  daughters  whom  they  call  Jensy.  Salt  here  is  a 
great  price,  the  best  selling  at  los.,  and  los.  6d.,  and  the  lowest 
8s.  Half  after  nine  I  left  Mr.  Morrow's  and  rode  to  Mr.  McCand- 
lish's  *  on  the  river.  Here  I  fed  my  horse  with  a  sheaf  of  wheat. 
Thence  to  Freland's  mill,  thence  over  Muncy's  hills  and  Muncy's 
beautiful  creek  to  Mr.  Crownover'sf  on  the  bank  of  the  river. 
This  gentleman  came  from  Stonybrook,  near  Princeton  in  Jersey, 
and  is  intimately  acquainted  with  many  there.  He  has  here  a 
large  and  most  excellent  farm,  is  yet  busy  with  his  harvest,  seems 
to  be  a  moderate,  pleasant  person,  and  which  I  shall  always  after 
this  voyage  admire,  he  has  a  clever,  neat  woman  for  his  wife. 
Opposite  to  this  farm  is  a  very  high  hill  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river  under  which  the  river  runs  without  any  level  country. 

"  Tuesday,  July  25. — I  slept  soundly  and  fine  without  being 
disturbed  by  either  a  bug  or  a  flea.  And  the  house  is  as  poor 
and  as  much  surrounded  with  woods  and  brush  as  other  houses, 

*  George  McCandlish  kept  a  tavern  on  the  site  of  the  town  of  Milton. 

fOn  Loyalsock  Creek,  site  of  present  town  of  Montoursville.  Albert  Crown- 
over,  or  Covenhoven  ordinarily  written,  father  of  Robert  Covenhoven,  lived  at  Loyal- 
sock  Creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  45 1 

where,  through  entire  carelessness,  I  am  surrounded  by  number- 
less numbers  of  these  insects.  A  very  foggy  morning,  I  drenched 
myself  with  a  most  stinging  bitter,  and  left  Mr.  Crownover's  by 
eight,  expenses  3s.  8d.  I  rode  up  the  river,  course  west  and  to 
the  southward  of  west,  over  several  fine  creeks  and  rich  lands  to 
Lacomin  [Lycoming]  creek,  all  the  way  a  good  wagon-beaten 
road.  Here  the  Pennsylvania  '  New  Purchase '  ends  and  the 
'  Indian  land '  begins.  On  I  rode,  however,  on  a  worn  path,  over 
the  enemy's  country,  with  much  reverence,  and  am  now  at  one 
Ferguson's,*  on  the  very  bank  of  the  river,  and  am  now  scribbling 
this  while  my  horse,  who  is  now  my  only  agreeable  companion, 
eats  a  sheaf  of  wheat.  Since  I  left  Muncy  there  is  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river,  and  to  the  very  edge,  a  high  ridge  of  hills,  which 
makes  that  side  uninhabitable.  I  rode  on  to  Pine  Creek,  on  both 
sides  of  which  is  a  large,  long  clearing,  said  to  be  anciently  Indian 
towns,  clear,  level,  and  unbroken,  without  even  a  stump  or  hillock, 
only  high,  thick  grass.  On  this  common  I  saw  many  cattle  and 
droves  of  horses,  all  very  fat,  wantonly  grazing.  In  passing  over 
this  creek  I  met  an  Indian  trader  with  his  retinue.  Himself  first 
on  horseback,  armed  with  a  bright  rifle  and  apparatus,  then  a 
horse  with  packs,  last  his  men  with  luggage.  Meeting  these  in 
the  dark  part  of  a  lonely  road  startled  me  at  first.  On  I  rode 
over  a  part  of  the  river  onto  the  Great  Island,  and  thence  over  the 
other  branch  to  Esquire  Fleming's.f  He  was  out,  but  his  daughter, 
Miss  Betsey,  was  at  home.  She  was  milking.  She  is  chatable, 
and  I  was  soon  entered  upon  useful  business. 

"  Wednesday,  July  26. — A  most  excellent  spot  of  clear,  level 
land,  sixty-five  miles  computed,  I  call  it  seventy  miles  from  Sun- 
bury.  It  is  a  spot  of  land  which  once  was  an  Indian  town. 
There  is  more  than  a  hundred  acres  that  has  been  long  cleared,  so 


*  Thomas  Ferguson,  one  of  the  original  Fair  Play  men. 

-f-  John  Fleming,  Esq.,  lived  then  on  the  site  of  the  city  of  Lock  Haven,  his  house 
standing  close  to  the  south  abutment  of  the  dam  in  the  river.  He  owned  what  is 
known  as  the  Dr.  Francis  Allison  survey,  containing  1,620  acres,  on  which  the  city  is 
principally  located.  John  Fleming  died  in  1777,  and  his  daughter  "  Betsey"  married 
John  McCormick,  and  has  numerous  descendants.  Mrs.  Helen  Mayer  (wife  of  Hon. 
Charles  A.  Mayer,  President  Judge  of  the  XXVth  Judicial  District,  composed  of 
Clinton,  Cameron  and  Elk  counties,)  is  a  granddaughter  of  the  Betsey  of  whom  Mr. 
Fithian  speaks  so  kindly. 


452  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

long  that  every  stump  is  washed  all  away.  The  natural  situation 
of  this  estate  of  the  'Squire's  is  much  similar  to  the  spot  on  which 
Northumberland  is  building.  On  two  accounts  it  is  different. 
This  is  a  most  fertile  soil,  that  is  sandy  and  in  parts  piney.  The 
rivers  here  make  an  acute  angle,  there  they  widen  at  once  to  a 
right  one.  It  is  something  remarkable  that  they  have  not  finished 
taking  down  their  harvest,  and  many  have  their  grass  yet  in  the 
field.  I  saw  to-day  two  Indians,  young  fellows  about  eighteen. 
They  had  neat,  clean  rifles,  and  are  going  downward  with  their 
skins.  At  any  rate,  I  cannot  bring  myself  to  a  pleasant  feeling 
when  I  look  upon,  or  even  think  of  these  heathenish  savages. 
The  'Squire's  house  stands  on  the  bank  of  the  Susquehanna  two 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  He  tells  me  it 
stands  nearly  in  the  centre  of  his  land,  and  he  owns  all  between 
these  rivers  this  far  up. 

"  Indeed,  he  will  be  able  to  settle  all  his  sons  and  his  fair  daugh- 
ter Betsey  on  the  fat  of  the  earth.  He  took  me  to-day  a  long  and 
wearisome  round  down  the  Susquehanna  and  to  the  other  side  up 
the  Bald  Eagle  many  miles.  I  gathered  in  my  hand  a  garland  of 
wild  flowers ;  when  I  got  home  I  counted  thirty  different  distinct 
kinds,  and  most  of  them  beautiful  and  many  fragrant.  Mr. 
Fleming  tells  me  this  settlement  is  yet  small,  but  few  families,  yet 
he  thinks  it  growing  fast,  and  will  soon  form  a  society.  We  dined 
near  the  point  with  a  brother  of  the  'Squire's.  He  lives  well  and 
is  busy  reaping.  He  has  two  fair  daughters,  one  of  them  reaping. 
I  did  nothing  to-day  but  ramble  and  stroll  about. 

"  Thursday,  July  2y. — A  very  rainy  morning.  I  slept  until 
seven.  I  kept  house  until  after  dinner  and  reviewed  the  'Squire's 
library.  After  some  perusal  I  fixed  on  the  Farmer's  memorable 
letters.*  We  have  this  morning  a  great  and  general  fog.  There 
is,  along  the  whole  course  of  this  river,  but  chiefly  between  these 
branches,  the  main  river,  and  the  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  every  morn- 
ing great  fogs.  These  seldom  go  off  until  the  sun  has  been  up 
two  hours.      Another  inconvenience  is   the  want  of  cool  water. 


*"  Letters  of  a  Pennsylvania  Farmer,"  published  in  the  Pennsylvania  Chronicle 
in  1767,  written  by  John  Dickinson,  which  had  such  a  wonderful  effect  in  forming 
and  controlling  the  opinions  of  the  people  in  opposition  to  the  acts  of  the  British 
ministry. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  453 

All  the  water  they  drink  in  summer  is  brought  from  springs  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river.  The  land  between  these  rivers  is  flat, 
unbroken,  mellow  ground,  almost  without  a  stone;  but  along  the 
south  side  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek  and  on  the  north  side  of  the  main 
river  is  a  high  ridge  of  mountains,  and  they,  as  I  am  inclined  to 
think,  occasion  the  fogs.  It  is  certain  they  contain  the  fountains 
of  these  fine  springs.  Esquire  Fleming  has  1,640  acres  with  the 
allowance,  and  all  rich  and  all  level.  Timber  for  fencing  is  scarce; 
these  level  bottoms  abound  most  in  walnut,  ash,  and  locust.  The 
'Squire  tells  me  that  I  am  the  first  '  orderly '  preacher,  or  that  has 
come  by  appointment,  ever  to  this  settlement.  Mr.  Page,  a  church 
clergyman,  was  here  all  last  month.  Mr.  Hoge,  of  Virginia,  was 
once  here  to  view  some  land,  but  none  ever  by  appointment  of 
synod  or  presbytery.  Miss  Jennie  Reed,*  a  rural  lass,  lives  up 
the  river  about  half  a  mile.  I  will  venture  to  call  her  a  nymph  of 
the  waters. 

"  Saturday ,  July  2g. — I  drank  coffee  last  evening  at  Mr.  Reed's. 
They  appear  to  be  a  sociable,  kind,  neat  family.  Indeed  I  have 
not  seen  domestic  affairs  adjusted,  making  allowance  for  the  earth- 
floored  hamlet,  anywhere  in  the  Purchase  more  to  my  mind. 
They  treated  me  with  a  clean  dish  of  fine  huckleberries,  and  with 
a  dish  of  well-made  clean  coffee.  Before  dark  I  was  summoned 
home  to  see  Mr.  Gillespie,  who  is  arrived  from  Northumberland. 
Dined  with  Mr.  Waggoner,  of  Philadelphia;  he  is  going  up  higher 
with  a  surveyor.  I  had  a  long  walk  and  entertaining  chat  with 
him.  He  seems  to  be  a  young  gentleman  of  ease  and  pleasantrj^ 
Five  o'clock  afternoon,  with  Miss  Betsey  Fleming,  Miss  Jennie 
Reed,  and  Mr.  Gillespie,  I  crossed  over  the  river  in  a  canoe,  and 
went  up  a  very  high,  steep  mountain  to  gather  huckleberries.  On 
the  top  of  this  hill  we  found  them  in  the  greatest  of  plenty ;  low 
bushes  bending  to  the  ground  with  their  own  weight.  On  our 
return  we  had  rare  diversion.  The  water  is  in  all  parts  shallow. 
Gillespie,  the  helmsman,  he  overturned  the  canoe.  I  discovered 
my  little  water  nymph  was  more  fearful  in  the  water  and  less 
dexterous  in  it  than  I  was.  Miss  Fleming  stood,  the  beautiful 
current  gliding  gently  by,  and  squalled  and  begged  like  a  dis- 

*  Daughter  of  William  Reed,  whose  house  was  known  as  Reed's  Fort  during  the 
Indian  troubles.     Jenny  lived  to  an  extreme  old  age  and  died  unmarried. 


454  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

tressed  female.  The  water  was  waist-high,  our  canoe  filled  with 
water.  I  stood  almost  spent  with  laughter,  though  in  a  worse 
case  than  they.  Many  were  standing  on  the  shore.  We  lost  all 
our  fruit,  and  with  the  empty  cups  the  girls  drenched  and  be- 
spattered Gillespie  till  the  poor  Irishman,  impotent  of  help,  was 
entirely  wetted,  and  we  then  waded  dripping  to  the  shore. 

BALD  EAGLE  CONGREGATION. 

"  Sunday,  July  jo. — I  rose  early  and  walked,  with  a  Bible  and 
my  sermon,  down  the  bank  of  the  river.  The  morning  is  cool 
and  very  clear.  At  eleven  I  began  service.  We  crossed  over  to 
the  Indian  land,*  and  held  worship  on  the  bank  of  the  river  op- 
posite the  Great  Island  about  a  mile  and  a  half  below  'Squire 
Fleming's.  There  were  present  about  one  hundred  and  forty.  I 
stood  at  the  root  of  a  great  tree,  the  people  sitting  in  the  bushes 
and  green  grass  around  me.  They  gave  good  attention.  I  had 
the  eyes  of  all  upon  me.  I  spoke  with  some  force  and  pretty 
loud.  I  recommended  to  them  earnestly  the  religious  observance 
of  God's  Sabbath  in  this  remote  place,  where  they  seldom  have 
the  Gospel  preached;  that  they  should  attend  with  carefulness 
arid  reverence  upon  it. 

''  Monday,  Jidy  31. — A  fine,  clear,  cool  morning.  I  have  com- 
pany to  the  end  of  this  day's  ride.  Mr.  Gillespie  is  going  up 
Bald  Eagle  Creek  as  far  as  the  Nest.  Farewell,  Susquehanna. 
Farewell,  these  level  farms.  Farewell,  good,  sensible  'Squire 
Fleming.  Farewell,  Betsey  and  Jennie.  Now  I  am  bending 
towards  home,  having  arrived  at  the  full  end  of  my  appointment. 
The  'Squire  paid  me  for  my  supply  £\.  At  seven  we  took  our 
leave.  We  rode  through  a  wild  wilderness  up  Bald  Eagle  Creek 
twenty  miles  without  the  sight  of  a  single  house.  We  saw  many 
Indian  camps — small  crotched  sticks  covered  with  thick  bark. 
Some  of  these  were  lately  left.  On  the  bank  of  a  brook,  which 
ran  into  the  creek,  we  came  to  a  fire.  Some  Indians  or  others  had 
encamped  there  last  night.  Near  the  fire  over  the  very  road  hung 
half  a  deer;  the  two  hind  quarters  of  which  were  yet  warm. 
Mr.  Gillespie  alighted  and  wrapped  them  with  some'  green  bushes 

*That  part  of  Clinton  County  north  of  the  river  was  not  purchased  from  the 
Indians  until  October  23,  1784. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  455 

in  his  surtout.  I  was  fearful  that  it  belonged  to  some  Indians, 
who  were  lying  in  ambush  to  shoot  us  when  we  disturbed  their 
property.  We  rode  with  our  venison  a  little  further.  Whoop! 
Whoop!  cry  two  Indians.  I  was  very  much  terrified.  They 
were  lying  in  tents;  we  must  ride  up  to  them.  Brother!  and 
brother!  passed  between  them  and  Mr.  Gillespie.  They  were 
very  kind.     We  left  them  and  rode  through  the  brush  to 

BALD  EAGLE'S  NEST.* 

"  Mr.  Andrew  Boggs  lives  here,  twenty-five  miles  from  Esq. 
Fleming's.  We  dined  on  fish — suckers  and  chubs — and  on  ven- 
ison. It  is  a  level,  rich,  pleasant  spot,  the  broad  creek  running 
by  the  door.  Many  of  the  trees  on  this  road  are  cut  by  the  In- 
dians in  strange  figures — diamonds,  death-heads,  crowned  heads, 
initial  letters,  whole  names,  dates  of  years,  and  blazes.  Soon  after 
we  had  dined  two  Indian  boys  bolted  in  (they  never  knock  or 
speak  at  the  door)  with  seven  large  fish — one  would  weigh  two 
pounds.  In  return  Mrs.  Boggs  gave  them  bread  and  a  piece  of 
our  venison.  Down  they  sat  in  the  ashes  before  the  fire,  stirred 
up  the  coals,  and  laid  on  their  flesh.  When  it  was  roasted  they 
eat  in  great  mouthfuls  and  devoured  it  with  the  greatest  rapacity. 
When  they  were  gone  Gillespie  threw  himself  on  a  blanket  and  is 
now  asleep.  I  sat  me  down  upon  a  three-legged  stool  to  writing. 
This  house  looks  and  smells  like  a  shambles — raw  flesh  and  blood, 
fish  and  deer  in  every  part — mangled,  wasting  flesh  on  every  shelf 
Hounds  licking  up  the  blood  from  the  floor;  an  open-hearted 
landlady,  naked  Indians  and  children.  Ten  hundred  thousand 
flies.  Oh,  I  fear  there  are  as  many  fleas.  Seize  me  soon,  kind 
sleep,  lock  me  in  thy  sweet  embrace.  Oh,  so  soon  as  I  lay  me 
down  let  me  rest  in  thy  bosom  and  lose  my  senses!  Stop!  oh, 
stop!  sleep  to-night  is  gone.  Four  Indians  came  droving  in,  each 
with  a  large  knife  and  tomahawk.  Bless  me,  too,  they  are  strap- 
ping fellows.  I  am  sick  of  my  station.  All  standing  dumb  before  us, 
Gillespie  chatters  to  them.     I  am  glad  to  keep  bent  at  my  writing. 

*  Site  of  Milesburg,  Centre  County.  Andrew  Boggs,  the  first  settler  within  the 
bounds  of  Centre  County,  with  his  wife,  Margery  Boggs,  nee  Harris,  came  to  the 
Nest  in  1769.  Parents  of  Robert  Boggs,  one  of  the  first  associate  judges  of  the 
county — 1800.     Andrew  Boggs  died  in  1776,  and  his  wife  in  1809. 


456  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

For  all  this  settlement  I  would  not  live  here — for  two  such  settle- 
ments— not  for  five  hundred  a  year. 

"  Tuesday,  August  i. — At  prayers  this  morning  we  had  these 
Indians.  They  sat  motionless  during  the  exercise.  One  irreverent 
hunter,  too,  a  white  man,  lay  all  the  time  of  prayers  on  a  deer  skin 
on  the  floor.  We  had  a  room  full  of  one  and  another,  all  were 
quiet.  Mr.  Boggs  tells  me  he  knows  of  no  families  westward  of 
these  and  but  one  higher  up  the  creek.*  Some  of  the  Indians 
here  have  the  outside  rim  of  their  ears  slitted  and  it  hangs  dang- 
ling strangely.  Some  have  rings  and  others  drops  of  silver  in 
their  noses  and  ears ;  ruffled  shirts,  but  many  of  these  very  greasy. 
On  the  trees  near  their  camps  are  painted  with  red  and  black 
colors  many  wild  and  ferocious  animals  in  their  most  furious 
gestures.  It  is  only  eight  miles  distance  to  the  foot  of  the  Alle- 
gheny, but  it  rises  gradually  and  long.  In  this  neighborhood  (if  I 
may  be  allowed  to  call  it  so)  is  a  large  quantity  of  spruce  pine ; 
the  bark  is  black  and  fine;  it  is  a  straight,  tall  tree;  the  leaves  are 
thinner,  longer  and  of  a  deeper  green  than  other  pine.  It  makes 
an  excellent  ingredient  in  table  beer.  After  ten  I  took  my  leave, 
crossed  a  gap  of  Muncy  Ridge  t  and  rode  eighteen  miles  through 
wild  barren  woods  without  any  trace  of  an  habitation  or  road 
other  than  the  blind,  unfrequented  path  which  I  tracked  at  times 
with  much  difficulty.  Two  or  three  forsaken  Indian  camps  I  saw 
on  the  creek's  bank,  and  a  little  before  sunset  I  arrived  at  Captain 
James  Potter's  %  at  the  head  of  Penn's  Valley.  This  ride  I  found 
very  uncomfortable,  my  horse  lame,  with  but  one  shoe,  a  stony 
road.  I  lost  my  way  in  the  gap  of  the  mountains,  but  was  easily 
righted.  More  than  ten  miles  of  the  way  I  must  go,  and  my 
poor  horse  without  water.  I  let  him  feed,  however,  in  the  woods 
where  there  is  plenty  of  good,  wild  grass.  I  fed  myself,  too,  on 
huckleberries.     In  these  woods  are  very  beautiful  flowers  and  in  a 

*This  was  Thomas  Parsons,  who  lived  on  the  creek  seven  miles  above  the  "  Nest," 
near  where  the  line  between  Huston  and  Union  townships  crosses  the  creek. 

f  Gap  in  Muncy  Mountain,  between  Milesburg  and  Bellefonte. 

X  Mr.  Fithian's  route  was  across  Nittany  Valley  and  over  Nittany  Mountain  by 
what  is  now  known  as  McBride's  Gap,  where  he  lost  his  way,  then  down  Penn's 
Valley  to  Captain  (afterwards  General)  James  Potter's,  who  lived  then  near  the  pres- 
ent "Old  Fort"  tavern,  in  Potter  Township,  Centre  County.  By  the  present  direct 
road  the  distance  would  be  about  twelve  miles. 


I 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  457 

great  quantity,  especially  large  orange-colored  lily,  spotted  with 
black  spots.  I  saw  here  the  first  aloe ;  it  grows  on  a  small  bush 
like  the  hazel,  ripens  in  the  winter,  and  is  now  like  a  heart  cherry. 
In  these  woods  are  great  plenty  of  wild  cherries,  growing  on  low 
.spray  bushes,  which  are  just  now  ripening. 

"  Wednesday,  August  2. — How  pleasant  is  rest  to  the  wearied 
body !  How  balmy  is  peace  to  an  agitated  mind !  In  the  gracious 
bosom  of  both  of  these  I  retired  when  I  laid  myself  down  in  bed 
last  night.  An  elegant  supper;  a  neat  home — all  expressions  of 
welcome.  Not  a  flea ;  not  a  chinch,  as  I  know  of,  within  eighteen 
miles,  so  that  this  morning,  by  God's  mercy,  I  rise  in  part  recruited 
from  the  ruins  of  many  days'  distress.  Captain  Potter*  took  me 
walking  over  his  farm.  He  owns  here  many  thousand  acres  of 
fine  land.  Some,  indeed,  I  saw  in  most  fertile  walnut  bottom. 
One  great  inconvenience,  however,  attends  this  place — the  want  of 
water.  Some  few  springs  there  are  of  good  water  and  in  plenty, 
but  there  ought  to  be  many  never-failing  brooks.  Oats  and  flax 
here  are  not  yet  ripe,  and  it  is  now  the  greatest  hurry  in  getting 
in  the  wheat  and  rye.  Afternoon  I  rode  down  the  valley  five 
miles  to  a  smith  ;t  he  would  not  charge  me  anything  for  shoeing 
my  horse.  The  people  seem  to  be  kind  and  extremely  civil. 
Indians  are  here,  too.  It  was  evening  before  the  Captain  and  I 
returned.  We  must  pass  by  their  camp.  Ten  sturdy  and  able- 
limbed  fellows  were  sitting  and  lying  around  a  large  fire,  helloing, 
and  ir?  frantic  screams,  not  less  fearful  than  inebriated  demons, 
howling  until  we  were  out  of  hearing. 

"  Tliiirsday,  August  j. — I  miss  here  the  shady,  pleasant  banks 
of  the  Susquehanna.  It  is  forty-two  miles  to  Northumberland 
and  Sunbury ;  eight  miles  to  the  nearest  place  where  Penn's  Creek 
is  navigable  with  canoes ;  almost  surrounded  with  hills  and  moun- 
tains ;  on  a  few,  and  some  of  these  few,  temporary  springs.  The 
low  bottoms  now  have  scarce  water  sufficient  to  moisten  a  hog. 


*  General  James  Potter,  at  his  death,  November  27,  1789,  owned  6,000  acres  of 
land  in  the  heart  of  Penn's  Valley.  The  road  from  Spring  Mills  to  Boalsburg  ran 
seven  miles,  without  an  intervening  owner,  through  one  portion  of  his  possessions, 
all  good  farms  still. 

f  Daniel  Long,  a  blacksmith,  then  lived  near  Penn  Hall,  on  the  place  now  owned 
by  S.  J.  Herring,  Esq.,  where  many  cinders  mark  the  site  of  Long's  shop. 


458  HISTORY   OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

which  in  winter  are  continually  flooded.  Captain  Potter  has 
tasted,  in  times  past,  some  streams  of  the  Pierian  Spring.  He  has 
here  a  number  of  books — Justice  Blackstone's  celebrated  Commen- 
taries, Pope's  writings,  Hervey's  Meditations,  many  theological 
tracts,  &c.  Over  these  I  am  rambling  to-day  with  a  very  bad  head- 
ache and  oppression  in  my  breast,  the  effects  of  a .  deep-rooted 
cold  which  I  have  taken  some  nights  past  when  I  was  fighting 
with  the  fleas. 

"Friday,  August  /. — I  am  less  pleased  with  the  valley  and  my 
stay  is  more  irksome,  though  I  am  as  well  and  better  treated, 
indeed,  (more  genteelly  and  from  better  ability)  than  in  most  of 
the  places  where  I  have  been.  Perhaps  the  weather  makes  me 
dull;  it  is  now,  and  has  been  for  some  time  past,  cloudy;  aguish 
or  melancholy,  or  the  want  of  company;  not  a  house  is  there 
within  three  miles. 

"Saturday,  August S- — Yet  cloudy  and  dull.  It  is  muster  day; 
the  Captain  goes  off  early.  I  am  not  pleased  with  the  Captain's 
plan  of  farming;  he  has  too  extensive  a  scope  of  business — four 
men-servants ;  two  boys ;  more  than  two  hundred  acres  of  ground 
now  cleared;  much  more  cutting  down;  two  plows  going  in  a 
tough  rye  stubble,  one  pair  of  oxen  in  one,  two  horses  in  the 
other,  both  too  weak.  A  large  field  of  oats  is  ripe,  some  flax  too 
ripe,  and  not  yet  pulled.  But  it  is  difficult  to  be  nice  in  so  rough 
a  country." 

From  the  hospitable  residence  of  Captain  Potter  Mr.  Fithian 
passed  over  the  mountains  into  Kishacoquillas  Valley,  greatly 
admiring  the  beautiful  scenery  by  the  way.  He  stopped  at  the 
house  of  William  Brown,  who  had  settled  on  the  site  of  Reeds- 
ville  as  early  as  1760.  His  visit  was  a  very  pleasant  one.  He 
preached  several  times  to  the  people,  and  enjoyed  himself  very 
much.  From  here  he  continued  his  journey  and  in  due  time 
reached  his  New  Jersey  home,  much  improved  and  edified  by  his 
tour  through  the  new  country. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

FINAL    DISPOSAL   OF    MUNCY    MANOR   TO    SETTLERS WHO  THY  WERE 

THE    FAIR    PLAY    SYSTEM    AND    HOW    IT    OPERATED DECLARA- 
TION   OF    INDEPENDENCE   AT    PINE    CREEK    IN    X776. 

THE  ejectment  suits  brought  against  Samuel  Wallis  by  the 
Proprietaries  to  dispossess  him  of  the  lands  lying  within  the 
limits  of  Money  Manor,  which  he  claimed  under  certain  surveys, 
and  which  have  been  referred  to  heretofore,  were  evidently  won 
by  the  Penns,  because  we  are  informed  that  on  the  15  th  of  May, 
1776,  they  gave  orders  to  have  the  Manor  divided  into  farms  or 
lots  and  sold.  The  original  draft,  a  copy  of  which  is  printed  on 
page  326  of  this  work,  shows  the  lines  as  they  were  first  run,  and 
the  draft  on  page  373  shows  how  the  Wallis  lines  overlapped. 
Owing  to  the  lawsuits  of  that  day  a  number  of  drafts  were  made, 
which  are  still  in  existence,  but  the  two  referred  to  above  will 
give  the  reader  a  correct  idea  of  the  situation. 

The  survey  was  made  in  accordance  with  the  orders  of  the 
Proprietaries,  and  a  copy  of  the  report  of  the  surveyors  is  given 
herewith,  showing  the  size  of  the  tracts  and  who  had  occupied 
and  improved  them.     The  report  is  as  follows : 

No.  I. — Containing  three  hundred  acres  and  139  perches  and  an  allowance  of  six 
per  cent.,  &c.     Settled  on  and  improved  by  Mordecai  McKinney. 

No.  2. — Containing  two  hundred  and  ninety-nine  acres  and  a  half  and  allowance, 
&c.     Settled  on  and  improved  by  Peter  Smith  and  Paulus  Sheep. 

No.  3. — Containing  three  hundred  acres  and  seventy-si.x  perches  and  allowance 
as  aforesaid.     Settled  on  and  improved  by  John  Brady. 

No.  4. — Containing  three  hundred  acres  and  61  perches  and  allowance,  &c. 
Settled  on  and  improved  by  Caleb  Knapp. 

No.  5. — Containing  three  hundred  and  one  acres  and  105  perches  and  allowance, 
&c.  Settled  on  and  improved  by  John  Scudder,  who  is  displeased  with  the  manner 
in  which  it  is  laid  out,  alleging  there  is  not  timber  sufficient  on  it  for  fencing,  &c., 
and  desires  his  lot  may  be  laid  out  agreeably  to  the  red  lines,  (which  contains  two 
hundred  and  fifty-four  acres  and  74  perches  and  allowance,  &c.,)  which  would  greatly 
lessen  the  value  of  the  lot  Brady  possesses.      The  S   30   E  line  runs  through   of 


460  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

Brady's  improvement,  and  takes  near  all  the  rail  timber  from  Brady's  lot,  that  is  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Glade  Run,  so  that  upon  the  whole  we  judge  it  most  convenient, 
and  to  the  general  advantage  of  the  plantations  that  the  black  line  should  remain  as 
the  boundary  between  Brady  and  Scudder.  We  have  therefore  laid  down  Scudder's 
complaint  that  it  may  be  judged  of  by  his  honor  the  Governor. 

It  is  by  no  means  convenient  that  any  of  the  plantations  should  cross  the  creek, 
as  the  banks  on  the  north  side  are  high,  and  the  creek  in  time  of  freshets  flows  so 
very  considerable  that  it  is  thereby  rendered  impassable  for  several  days.  It  is  settled 
on  and  improved  by  Jerome  Vanest  and  John  Young,  as  described  in  the  draft,  &c., — 
in  Young's  improvement  thirty  acres,  and  in  Vanest's  sixty-seven  acres. 
Signed, 

Jo.  J.  Wallis, 
Jno.  Henderson. 
To  John  Lukens,  Esqr.,  Surveyor  General. 

Mordecai  McKinney  came  from  Middlesex  County,  New  Jersey, 
in  the  spring  of  1775.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  Committee 
of  Safety  for  six  months  from  August  13,  1776.  In  1778,  or  the 
subsequent  year,  he  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace  for 
Northumberland  County.  At  the  time  of  the  Big  Runaway 
Mordecai  McKinney  and  family  Add  to  Harrisburg,  where  he  re- 
mained the  balance  of  his  life.  What  disposition  he  made  of  his 
improvement  on  the  Manor  is  unknown. 

He  had  three  sons :  First,  John,  who  became  a  major  in  the  Con- 
tinental army,  and  is  said  to  have  been  living  at  Alexandria,  Va., 
in  1803;  Mordecai,  Jr.,  became  a  merchant  and  lived  at  Middle- 
town,  Columbia  and  Newport.  He  was  the  father  of  Judge 
McKinney,  of  Harrisburg,  author  of  McKinney's  digest  of  the 
laws  of  Pennsylvania.  His  son,  John  C,  was  engaged  upon  the 
first  geological  survey  of  Pennsylvania,  and  afterwards  served  as 
geologist  for  the  Iron  Dale  Company  at  Bloomsburg.  He  finally 
removed  to  Indianapolis. 

Jacob,  the  third  son  of  Mordecai,  removed  to  the  state  of  New 
York  previous  to  18 10,  and  settled  near  Ovid. 

Mordecai  McKinney  had  brothers  and  quite  an  extensive  rela- 
tionship among  the  early  settlers  in  the  West  Branch  Valley. 
One  of  Rev.  Asa  Dunham's  wives  was  a  niece.     John  Buckalow* 

*  The  facts  relating  to  Mordecai  McKinney  and  his  son-in-law,  John  Buckalow, 
were  furnished  the  compiler  by  Captain  John  M.  Buckalew,  of  Fishing  Creek, 
Columbia  County,  Pa.,  who  is  a  descendant  of  the  pioneer.  Captain  Buckalew  has 
many  of  his  old  papers  and  leases  in  his  possession,  which  he  treasures  highly  as 
of  his  i 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  46 1 

married  a  daughter  of  Mr.  McKinney  October  21,  1773,  and  re- 
moved with  him  to  the  vicinity  of  Muncy.  He  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Committee  of  Safety  six  months  from  February  8,  1776. 

John  Buckalow  leased  a  grist  and  saw  mill  from  John  Hinds,  of 
Muncy  Township,  for  four  years,  and  carried  on  the  business  until 
compelled  to  stop  by  the  savages.  He  was  one  of  the  party  that 
assisted  in  carrying  in  Captain  John  Brady  when  he  was  killed  by 
the  Indians. 

Soon  after  this  he  removed  with  his  father-in-law,  McKinney, 
to  Harrisburg  and  from  thence  to  Maryland,  where,  on  September 
II,  1779,  he  leased  a  grist  mill  of  Jacob  Giles  on  Rock  Creek, 
Harford  County,  for  two  years.  He  ground  grain  for  the  Con- 
tinental army  per  order  of  Congress,  at  a  stipulated  price  per 
bushel,  for  which  he  never  received  payment,  having  at  his  death, 
in  1833,  an  account  of  several  hundred  pounds  unsettled.  About 
1784  or  1785  he  returned  and  settled  on  Chillisquaque  Creek,  a 
mile  or  two  below  the  present  village  of  Washingtonville.  In 
1796  he  settled  on  Little  Fishing  Creek,  below  Eyer's  Grove, 
where  he  built  a  grist  mill,  which  he  run  until  age  rendered  him 
unable  to  continue  the  business,  when  he  sold  his  property  and 
removed  to  Fishing  Creek  Township.  He  died  there  in  1833, 
aged  nearly  91  years.  He  left  two  sons,  from  whom  are  descended 
all  of  the  name  residing  in  that  region. 

Catharine,  another  daughter  of  Mordecai  McKinney,  married 
Cornelius  Low  and  moved  to  New  York  as  early  as  18 10.  She 
afterwards,  with  a  daughter,  settled  at  St.  Louis. 

Nancy  married  Nicholas  Elder  and  lived  at  Middletown  a  long 
time.     Her  husband  was  a  merchant. 

Number  three,  which  is  also  within  the  present  borough  of 
Muncy,  is  the  tract  on  which  Captain  John  Brady  erected  his  stock- 
ade, afterwards  known  as  "  Brady's  Fort,"  although  it  was  not  classed 
among  the  regular  fortifications  in  the  valley.  His  family  were 
occupying  it  at  the  time  he  was  shot  by  the  Indians  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  fort.  To-day  (1889)  Mrs.  Dr.  William  Hayes  owns 
the  ground — a  well  cultivated  field — on  which  Fort  Brady*  stood, 

*The  enclosure  was  protected  by  stockades,  but  its  size  is  unknown.  That  there 
were  at  least  two  houses  within  the  enclosure  there  seems  to  be  no  doubt.  This  is 
verified  by  the  deposition  of  James  Patton  in  the  Robert  Robb  case. — Linn's  Annals, 
page  128. 


462  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEV. 

but  there  is  nothing  to  indicate  that  the  patriot  and  his  family 
once  dwelt  there. 

John  Scudder,  whose  name  and  house  appear  on  the  draft,  was 
born  in  New  Jersey.  January  29,  1738,  and  grew  to  manhood  in 
that  state.  He  was  among  the  first  settlers  who  found  their  way 
to  Munc)'  Manor,  and  was  to  a  certain  extent  identified  with  the 
troubles  that  followed  during  the  wars.  Under  date  of  Janu- 
ary 24,  1776,  he  was  appointed  first  lieutenant  in  the  Sixth  Com- 
pan\'  of  the  Second  Battalion  of  Northumberland  County  As- 
sociators,  commanded  by  Samuel  Wallis;  on  the  13th  of  March 
following  he  was  transferred  to  the  Second  Company  of  the  same 
battalion  with  the  same  rank,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Wallis, 
who  appears  to  have  been  transferred  also. 

John  Scudder  died  February  12,  1786.  His  wife  Susan,  also  a 
native  of  New  Jersey,  was  born  June  2,  1746,  and  died  November 
19,  1830,  having  lived  to  a  ripe  age.  They  had  three  children. 
William,  the  first,  was  born  April  4,  1766,  in  New  Jersey,  and 
died  April  19,  1825,  at  Muncy.  Mary,  whose  name  has  passed 
into  history  as  the  first  white  female  child  born  north  of  Muncy 
Hills,  on  the  Manor,  came  into  the  world  May  21,  I77i,and  died 
at  the  place  of  her  birth  April  14,  1850.  Hannah,  the  second 
daughter  and  third  child,  was  born  February  i,  1776.  She  mar- 
ried a  man  named  Bell,  but  the  date  of  her  death  is  unknown. 
Mary  married  Benjamin  Shoemaker.  They  had  nine  children, 
viz.:  John,  Henry,  Susannah,  Sarah,  William,  Hannah,  Benjamin, 
Mercy  and  Mary.  Susannah  married  a  Mr.  Langdon,  Hannah 
Mr.  Steadman,  Mercy  a  Mr.  Flack.  Mary  was  accidentally  shot 
when  a  small  child.     Little  is  known  of  the  others. 

Peter  Smith  had  a  sorrowful  experience  later  on,  which  will  be 
adverted  to  at  the  proper  time,  but  nothing  has  been  learned  of 
his  birthplace  or  age.  Nothing  is  known  of  Paulus  Sheep  and 
Caleb  Knapp. 

Much  has  been  written  about  what  is  called  the  Fair  Play  sys- 
tem, which  existed  in  that  portion  of  the  valley  lying  north  of  the 
river  and  west  of  Lycoming  Creek  to  the  Great  Island.  It  had 
its  origin  in  the  fact  that  the  district  alluded  to  was  not  included 
in  the  purchase  from  the  Indians  at  Fort  Stanwix  in  1768,  and 


I 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  463 

was,  therefore,  outside  the  hmits  of  the  Proprietary  Government. 
The  Indians,  through  deception,  made  the  whites  beheve  that 
Lycoming  Creek  was  the  boundary  noted  in  the  treaty  as  Tia- 
daghton  (Pine  Creels),  when,  in  reahty,  it  was  not.  They  after- 
wards admitted  that  what  is  known  as  Pine  Creek  was  the  true 
boundary  line. 

The  lands  embraced  in  this  disputed  territory  were  very  inviting, 
and  many  adventurers  ran  the  risk  of  losing  their  scalps  by  stak- 
ing out  tracts  and  "squatting"  on  them.  It  will  also  be  remem- 
bered that  the  Proprietary  Government  issued  a  proclamation, 
upon  complaint  of  the  Indians,  forbidding  any  one  to  locate  on 
these  lands,  under  pain  of  arrest  and  severe  punishment.  But  the 
hardy  pioneers  totally  ignored  the  proclamation,  and  it  nowhere 
appears  that  any  effort  was  made  to  enforce  it. 

These  settlers,  being  classed  as  outlaws,  were  compelled  to  enter 
into  some  kind  of  an  organization  for  their  government  and  pro- 
tection. This  condition  of  affairs  resulted  in  what  was  known  as 
the  Fair  Play  system.  Tradition  informs  us  that  they  adopted  a 
regular  code  of  laws  for  their  government,  but  as  it  was  not  pre- 
served, we  are  left  in  ignorance  of  its  provisions.  The  courts  of 
the  Fair  Play  men  were  often  held  at  a  place  near  what  is  now 
known  as  Chatham's  Mill,  in  Clinton  County.  But  it  is  doubtful 
if  they  had  any  regular  place  of  meeting,  or  stated  time  for  the 
transaction  of  business.  The  time  of  meeting  was  brought  about 
by  the  exigencies  that  might  arise.  The  court  could  be  convened 
at  any  place  within  the  territory  over  which  it  exercised  jurisdic- 
tion, and  on  short  notice,  to  try  any  case  that  might  be  on  hand. 

It  is  related  that  when  a  squatter  refused  to  abide  by  the  de- 
cisions of  the  court,  he  was  immediately  placed  in  a  canoe  and 
rowed  to  the  mouth  of  Lycoming  Creek,  the  boundary  line  of 
civilization,  and  there  sent  adrift  down  the  river. 

One  of  the  leading  Fair  Play  men  of  that  time  was  Bratton 
Caldwell,  allusion  to  whom  was  made  on  page  404.  On  the  break- 
ing out  of  Indian  ho,stilities  he  took  his  wife  and  fled  to  Lancaster 
County,  where  they  remained  until  peace  was  restored,  when  they 
returned.  On  the  2d  of  May,  1785,  he  took  out  a  pre-emption 
warrant,  and  had  3 1 5  acres  of  land  surveyed  on  the  tract  where 
he  first  settled. 


464  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

The  Fair  Play  courts  were  composed  of  three  commissioners, 
as  they  were  termed,  and  after  hearing  a  case  and  making  a 
decision,  there  was  no  appeal.  Bratton  Caldwell*  was  one  of  the 
commissioners,  and  according  to  tradition  he  rendered  good  satis- 
faction. 

In  the  examination  of  a  batch  of  papers  that  once  belonged  to 
Hon.  Charles  Huston,  at  Bellefonte,  John  Blair  Linn  discovered 
a  few  facts  relating  to  the  Fair  Play  methods,  which  he  published 
in  the  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History,  Vol.  VH.,  page  420. 
Some  of  the  provisions  of  the  code  crop  out  in  the  depositions 
taken  in  several  cases  before  the  court.  In  the  case  of  Greer 
versus  Tharpe,  William  King,  who  came  to  live  in  the  disputed 
territory  in  1775,  says  that  there  was  a  law  among  the  Fair  Play 
men  by  which  any  man  who  absented  himself  for  the  space  of 
six  weeks  lost  his  right  to  his  improvement.  Bratton  Caldwell, 
in  his  testimony,  says : 

"In  May,  1774,  I  was  in  company  with  William  Greer  and 
James  Greer,  and  helped  to  build  a  cabin  on  William  Greer's  place 
(this  was  one  mile  north  of  the  river  and  one-half  mile  west  of 
Lycoming  Creek).  Greer  went  into  the  army  in  1776,  and  was  a 
wagon-master  till  the  fall  of  1778.  He  wrote  to  me  to  sell  his 
cattle.  I  sold  his  cattle.  In  July,  1778,  the  Runaway,  John 
Martin,  had  come  on  the  land  in  his  absence.  The  Fair  Play  men 
put  Greer  in  possession.  If  a  man  went  into  the  army,  the  Fair 
Play  men  protected  his  property.  Greer  was  not  among  the 
Sherman's  valley  boys  [the  witness  no  doubt  refers  to  the  early 
settlers  of  what  is  now  Perry  County,  who  were  forcibly  removed 
in  May,  1750].     Greer  came  back  in  1784." 

The  summary  process  of  ejectment  employed  by  the  Fair  Play 
men  is  clearly  described  bv  William  King  in  a  deposition  taken 
March  15,  1801,  in  Huff  vs.  Latcha,  in  the  Circuit  Court  of 
Lycoming  County : 

"In  1775  I  came  on  the  land  in  question.  I  was  informed  that 
Joseph  Haines  claimed  the  land.  He  asked  thirtj-  pounds  for  it, 
which  I  would  not  give.  He  said  he  was  going  to  New  Jersey, 
and  would  leave  it  in  the  care  of  his  nephew,  Isaiah  Sutton.     Some 

*For  a  sketch  of  Caldwell  see  Meginness'  Biographical  Annals,  page  85. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  465 

time  after  I  heard  that  Sutton  was  offering  it  for  sale.  I  had  heard 
much  disputing  about  the  Indian  land,  and  thought  I  would  go 
up  to  Sutton's  neighbors  and  inquire  if  he  had  any  right.  I  first 
went  to  Edmund  Huff,*  then  to  Thomas  Kemplen.f  Samuel 
Dougherty,^:  William  McMeans,  and  Thomas  Ferguson,  and  asked 
if  they  would  accept  me  as  a  neighbor,  and  whether  Isaiah  Sutton 
had  any  right  to  the  land  in  question.  They  told  me  Joseph 
Haines  had  once  a  right  to  it  but  had  forfeited  his  right  by  the 
Fair  Play  law,  and  advised  me  to  purchase.  Huff  showed  me  the 
consentable  line  between  Haines  and  him.  Huff's  land  lay  above 
Haines',  on  the  river.  I  purchased  of  Sutton,  and  was  to  give 
him  nine  pounds  for  the  land. 

"  I  did  not  come  to  live  on  the  land  for  some  weeks.  One  night, 
at  a  husking  of  corn,  one  Thomas  Bond  told  me  I  was  a  fine 
fellow  to  be  at  a  husking  while  a  man  was  taking  possession  of 
my  plantation.  I  quit  the  husking,  and  Bond  and  I  came  over  to 
the  place,  and  went  into  a  cave,  the  only  tenement  then  on  the 
land,  except  where  Sutton  lived,  and  found  some  trifling  articles 
in  the  cave,  which  we  threw  out.  I  went  to  the  men  who  advised 
me  to  go  on  the  land,  all  except  Huff  and  Kemplen ;  they  advised 
me  to  go  on,  turn  him  off  and  beat  him  if  I  was  able.  The  next 
morning  I  got  some  of  my  friends  and  raised  a  cabin  of  some  logs 
which  I  understood  Haines  jand  hauled.  When  we  got  it  up  to 
the  square,  we  heard  a  noise  of  people  coming.  The  first  person 
I  saw  was  Edmund  Huff  foremost  with  a  keg  of  whiskey,  William 
Paul  was  next  with  an  axe,  and  many  more.  They  got  on  the 
cabin,  raised  the  Indian  yell,  and  dispossessed  me  and  put  William 
Paul  in  possession.  I  and  my  party  went  off.  Samuel  Dougherty 
followed  me  and  told  me  to  come  back  and  come  on  terms  with 
Paul,  who  had  money  and  would  not  take  it  from  me  for  nothing. 
I  would  not  go  back,  but  waited  for  Dougherty,  who  went  for 

*  Huff  lived  within  the  present  limits  of  Newberry  and  was  credited  at  one  time 
with  having  a  fort,  which  stood  near  the  site  of  Dodge  &  Co.'s  planing  mill.  His 
place  became  a  receptacle  for  stolen  goods,  which  so  enraged  the  neighbors  that  they 
removed  the  women  and  children  and  burned  the  "  fort "  to  the  ground. 

f  Captain  Thomas  Kemplen  and  his  son  were  killed  by  the  Indians  at  the  mouth 
of  Muncy  Creek,  in  March,  1781. 

J  Captain  Samuel  Dougherty  fell  in  the  attempt  to  relieve  Fort  Freeland,  July 
28,  1779. 


466  HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Paul.  The  whole  party  came  and  brought  the  keg  along.  After 
some  conversation,  William  Paul  agreed  to  give  me  thirteen 
pounds  for  my  right.  He  pulled  out  the  money,  gave  it  to  Huff 
to  keep  until  I  would  assign  my  right.  I  afterwards  signed  the 
conveyance  and  got  my  money. 

"  William  Paul  went  on  the  land  and  finished  his  cabin.  Soon 
after  a  party  bought  Robert  Arthur  and  built  a  cabin  near  Paul's, 
in  which  Arthur  lived.  Paul  applied  to  the  Fair  Play  men,  who 
decided  in  favor  of  Paul.  Arthur  would  not  go  off.  Paul  made 
a  complaint  to  the  company  at  a  muster  at  Quinashahague*  that 
Arthur  still  lived  on  the  land  and  would  not  go  off,  although  the 
Fair  Play  men  had  decided  against  him.  I  was  one  of  the  officers 
at  that  time  and  we  agreed  to  come  and  run  him  off.  The  most 
of  the  company  came  down  as  far  as  Edmund  Huff's,  who  kept 
Stills.  We  got  a  keg  of  whiskey  and  proceeded  to  Arthur's  cabin. 
He  was  at  home  with  his  rifle  in  his  hand  and  his  wife  had  a 
bayonet  on  a  stick,  and  they  threatened  death  to  the  first  person 
who  would  enter  the  house.  The  door  was  shut,  and  Thomas 
Kemplen,  our  captain,  made  a  run  at  the  door,  burst  it  open  and 
instantly  seized  Arthur  by  the  neck.  We  pulled  down  the  cabin, 
threw  it  into  the  river,  lashed  two  canoes  together  and  put  Arthur 
and  his  family  and  his  goods  into  them  and  sent  them  down  the 
river.  William  Paul  then  lived  undisturbed  upon  the  land  until 
the  Indians  drove  us  all  away.  William  Paul  was  then  (1778) 
from  home  on  a  militia  tour." 

Amariah  Sutton  testified,  July  5,  iSoo,  that  he  came  to  the 
plantation  on  which  he  then  resided  in  1770.  [He  lived  on  the 
east  bank  of  Lycoming  Creek,  on  the  border  only  of  Indian  land.] 
That  Joseph  Haines,  who  was  his  relative,  came  from  New  Jersey 
a  few  years  after,  and  began  to  improve  on  the  tract  of  land  at  the 
mouth  of  Lycoming  Creek,  on  the  Indian  land  side,  making  his 
home  at  his,  Sutton's,  house;  that  in  the  course  of  three  years  he 
returned  to  New  Jersey  and  never  came  back.  "We  were  all 
driven  off  by  the  Indians  in  May,  1778." 

*Now  Lihden;  in  Woodward  Township,  a  few  miles  west  of  Williamsport.  Quen- 
ischaschaki  was  the  name  given  by  the  Delawares  to  the  long  reach  in  the  river 
above  Williamsport.  Hence  they  called  the  West  Branch  Quenischachgek-hanne, 
which  word  has  been  corrupted  into  Susquehanna. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  467 

John  Sutton  says:  "I  came  to  Lycoming  Creek  in  1772,  went 
to  the  Indian  land  in  1773,  and  have  hved  there  ever  since,  except 
during  the  Runaway.  There  was  a  law  of  the  Fair  Play  men, 
that  if  any  man  left  his  improvement  six  weeks  without  leaving 
some  person  to  continue  his  improvement,  he  lost  the  right  to 
push  his  improvement.  After  the  war  I  was  one  of  the  first  to 
come  back.  I  believe  that  William  Tharpe  and  myself  were  the 
two  first  men  who  came  to  the  Indian  lands.  I  never  understood 
that  William  Greer's  claim  extended  as  far  as  where  Tharpe  now 
lives  [March  13,  1797,  date  of  deposition];  the  improvement  made 
by  William  Greer  was  near  the  house  in  which  Greer  now  lives. 
A  man  named  Perkins  lived  on  the  land  in  dispute  between 
William  Greer  and  William  Tharpe.  In  the  winter  of  1775-6, 
Thomas  Kemplen  bought  out  Perkins,  and  Kemplen  sold  to 
James  Armstrong,  commonly  called  '  Curly  Armstrong.'  I  saw 
William  King  living  in  the  cabin  in  which  Tharpe  now  lives.  I 
sold  my  place  which  adjoined  William  Tharpe's  to  John  Clark.  I 
came  back  after  the  war  with  the  first  that  came  in  eighty-three. 
William  Dougherty  lived  on  Tharpe's  land,  after  him  Richard 
Sutton.  Sutton  lived  in  the  cabin  in  '84  or  '85.  I  am  sure  he 
lived  there  before  Mr.  Edmiston  came  up  to  survey." 

Samuel  Edmiston  was  the  deputy  surveyor  of  district  No.  17, 
embracing  the  Indian  land.  He  made  the  survey  of  the  William 
Greer  tract,  302  acres,  148  perches,  December  4,  1788,  on  warrant 
of  May  6,  1785.  The  return  of  survey  calls  for  John  Sutton's 
land  on  the  east,  widow  Kemplen  and  John  Clarke's  land  on  the 
south. 

After  the  purchase  of  these  lands  from  the  Indians  it  was  dis- 
covered that  trouble  was  likely  to  arise  with  the  original  squatters. 
In  view  of  this  the  Legislature  passed  the  following  act,  which 
may  be  found  in  Smith's*  Laws,  Vol.  II.,  page  195  ; 

And  whereas  divers  persons,  who  have  heretofore  occupied  and  cultivated  small 
tracts  of  lands,  without  the  bounds  of  the  purchase  made  as  aforesaid  in  the  year 
1768,  and  within  the  purchase  made  or  now  to  be  made,  have,  by  their  resolute  stand 
and  sufferings  during  the  late  war,  merited,  that  those  settlers  should  have  the  pre- 

*  Charles  Smith  was  born  March  4,  1765,  and  received  his  early  education  under 
the  care  of  his  father  at  Philadelphia.  He  graduated  at  Washington  College,  Mary- 
land, May  14,  1783;  studied  law  with  his  elder  brother,  William  Moore  Smith,  at 
Easton,  Pa.,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  Philadelphia,  June,  1786.     He  located 


468  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

emption  of  their  respective  plantations,  it  is  enacted,  that  all  and  every  person,  or 
persons,  and  their  legal  representatives,  who  has,  or  have  heretofore  settled,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  \Vest  Branch  of  Susquehanna,  between  Lycomic  or  Lycoming 
Creek  on  the  east,  and  Tyadaghton,  or  Pine  Creek,  on  the  west,  as  well  as  other 
lands  within  the  said  residuary  purchase  from  the  Indians,  of  the  territory  within  this 
State,  (excepting  always  the  lands  hereinbefore  excepted),  shall  be  allowed  a  right  of 
pre-emption  to  their  respective  possessions,  at  the  price  aforesaid. 

No  person  was  to  be  entitled  to  the  benefit  of  this  pre-emption 
act  unless  he  had  made  an  actual  settlement  before  1780,  and  no 
claim  was  to  be  admitted  for  more  than  300  acres  of  land,  &c.,  and 
the  consideration  thereof  tendered  to  the  Receiver  General  of  the 
Land  Office,  on  or  before  the  ist  of  November,  1785. 

Several  cases  of  litigation  took  place  bet\veen  some  of  these 
settlers  that  were  decided  under  the  pre-emption  clause.  The  first 
was  John  Hughes  against  Henry  Dougherty,  tried  in  1791.  The 
plaintiff  claimed  under  a  warrant  of  May  2,  1785,  for  the  premises, 
and  a  survey  made  thereon  the  loth  of  January,  1786.  On  the 
20th  of  June,  1786,  the  defendant  entered  a  caveat  against  the 
claims  of  the  plaintiff,  and  on  the  5th  of  October  following  took 
out  a  warrant  for  the  land  in  dispute,  on  which  he  was  then  settled. 
Both  claimed  the  pre-emption  of  1784.  The  facts  given  in  evi- 
dence are  as  follows : 

In  1773,  one  James  Hughes,  a  brother  of  the  plaintiff,  settled  on  the  land  in  ques- 
tion, and  made  some  small  improvements.  In  the  next  year  he  enlarged  his  improve- 
ment, and  cut  logs  to  build  a  house.  In  the  winter  following  he  went  to  his  father's, 
in  Donegal,  in  Lancaster  County,  and  died  there.  His  elder  brother,  Thomas,  was 
at  that  time  settled  on  the  Indian  land,  and  one  of  the  Fair  Play  men,  who  assembled 
together  and  made  a  resolution,  (which  they  agreed  to  enforce  as  the  law  of  the  place), 
that  "  if  any  person  was  absent  from  his  settlement  for  six  weeks,  he  should  forfeit  his 
right.'' 


at  Sunbury  and  entered  on  the  practice  of  his  profession  there,  and  was  elected  a 
delegate  to  the  convention  which  foraied  the  Constitution  of  1790.  On  the  27th  of 
March,  1S19,  he  was  appointed  President  Judge  of  the  district  composed  of  the 
counties  of  Cumberland,  Franklin  and  Adams.  He  was  subsequently  President 
Judge  of  the  courts  of  Lancaster.  From  there  he  went  to  Baltimore,  and  from  that 
city  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  died  April  18,  1836,  and  is  buried  in  the  yard  of  the 
Church  of  the  Epiphany.  He  married,  March  3,  1791,  Mary,  daughter  of  the  Hon. 
Jasper  Yeates,  Associate  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania.  They  had 
eight  children.  Mrs.  Smith  died  August  27,  1836.  Judge  Smith  published  an 
edition  of  the  Laws  of  the  State,  and  a  treatise  on  the  Land  Laws. — Pennsylvania 
Magazine  of  History,  'Vol.  IV.,  page  320. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  469 

In  the  spring  of  1775  Dougherty  came  to  the  settlement,  and 
was  advised  by  the  Fair  Play  men  to  settle  on  the  premises  which 
Hughes  had  left.  This  he  did,  and  built  a  cabin.  The  plaintiff 
soon  after  came,  claiming  it  in  right  of  his  brother,  and,  aided  by 
Thomas  Hughes,  took  possession  of  the  cabin.  But  Dougherty 
collecting  his  friends,  a  fight  ensued,  in  which  Hughes  was  beaten 
off,  and  he  remained  in  possession.  He  continued  to  improve; 
built  a  house  and  stable,  and  cleared  about  ten  acres.  In  1778  he 
was  driven  off  by  the  enemy,  and  went  into  the  army.  At  the 
close  of  the  war  both  parties  returned  and  claimed  the  land. 
After  hearing  theargument.thejury  decided  in  favor  of  Dougherty.* 

The  next  case  was  between  John  Toner  and  Morgan  Sweeny. 
Toner  went  upon  the  Indian  land  in  1773  and  made  a  settlement; 
but  he  exchanged  it  for  another,  on  which  he  continued,  with  a 
view  to  make  a  settlement  for  his  family,  till  the  war  broke  out,  and 
there  was  a  call  for  soldiers.  He  was  inclined  to  enlist,  but  was 
afraid  of  losing  his  land,  and  his  friends  attempted  to  dissuade  him. 
However,  they  promised  to  preserve  his  settlement  for  him  and 
he  enlisted. 

In  1775  Sweeny  went  up  and  made  a  contract  with  him  in 
which  he  leased  the  land,  and  Toner  took  possession  of  the 
premises.  The  terms  of  the  lease  were  that  he  should  make  cer- 
tain improvements  on  the  place  for  the  benefit  of  Toner.  This 
lease  was  deposited  in  the  hands  of  a  third  person,  but  Mrs.  Sweeny, 
by  a  little  shrewd  practice,  got  hold  of  it,  and  she  and  her  hus- 
band determined  to  destroy  it  and  make  the  place  their  own. 
They  continued  there  till  driven  off  by  the  Indians.  During  all 
this  time  Toner  was  absent  from  the  settlement,  but  in  the  service 
of  his  country.     The  suit  was  decided  in  favor  of  Toner. 

*  In  after  years  Dougherty  sold  100  acres  off  his  tract  to  Patrick  Lusk,  and  the 
big  spring,  where  Hughes  located  in  July,  1773,  went  with  it.  Just  100  years  after- 
wards {1873)  Nelson  E.  Wade,  a  wild,  dissolute  fellow,  murdered  John  McBrideand 
his  wife  at  the  same  place  for  the  purpose  of  robbery,  as  they  were  misers  and  had 
hoarded  a  large  amount  of  money.  Wade  secured  considerable  money  and  made 
away  with  it.  But  he  did  not  get  all,  as  several  thousand  dollars  was  afterwards 
found  hidden  in  different  parts  of  the  old  tumble  down  house  in  which  they  lived. 
Mrs.  McBride  was  a  daughter  of  Lusk,  and  inherited  a  share  of  the  farm.  The 
murder  was  one  of  the  most  atrocious  on  record,  and  caused  a  great  excitement  at 
the  time.  Wade  was  apprehended,  tried,  convicted  and  executed  at  Williamsport, 
November  6,  1873. 


470  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

A  great  many  accounts  of  amusing  cases  settled  by  Fair  Play 
men  have  been  preserved.  Joseph  Antes,  son  of  Colonel  Henry 
Antes,  used  to  relate  the  following :  A  squatter  named 
Francis  Clark,  who  settled  a  short  distance  above  the  present 
borough  of  Jersey  Shore,  got  possession  of  a  dog  that  belonged 
to  an  Indian.  On  learning  who  had  his  dog,  the  Indian  com- 
plained to  the  Fair  Play  men  that  Clark  had  stolen  the  dog.  They 
forthwith  ordered  his  arrest  and  trial  for  the  theft.  He  was  con- 
victed and  sentenced  to  receive  a  certain  number  of  lashes,  and 
it  was  decided  by  lot  who  should  flog  him  by  placing  a  grain  of 
corn  for  each  man  present,  together  with  one  red  grain,  in  a  bag 
and  draw  them  therefrom.  The  man  drawing  the  red  grain  was 
to  administer  the  punishment.  It  was  drawn  by  Philip  Antes,  and 
preparations  were  at  once  made  to  carry  the  sentence  into  execu- 
tion. On  seeing  that  the  punishment  was  about  to  be  inflicted,  the 
Indian,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  ver>'  magnanimous  savage, 
became  sympathetic  and  made  a  proposition  that  if  he  would 
abandon  the  land  where  he  had  settled  the  punishment  should  be 
remitted.  A  few  minutes  were  allowed  him  for  consideration, 
when  he  acted  upon  the  suggestion  and  left.  He  settled  in  Nip- 
penose  Valley  in  1795.  He  transferred  his  claim  to  Andrew 
Boggs,  who  afterwards  disposed  of  it  to  Samuel  Campbell,  and  he 
conveyed  it  to  James  Forster. 

An  anecdote  is  handed  down  which  serves  to  illustrate  Fair 
Play  principles.  Once  upon  a  time,  when  Chief  Justice  McKean 
was  holding  court  in  this  district,  he  inquired,  partly  from  curi- 
osity and  partly  in  reference  to  the  case  before  him,  of  a  shrewd 
old  Irishman  named  Peter  Rodey,  if  he  could  tell  him  what  the 
provisions  of  the  Fair  Play  code  were.  Peter's  memory  did  not 
exactly  serve  him  as  to  details,  and  he  could  only  convey  an  idea 
of  them  by  comparison,  so,  scratching  his  head,  he  answered : 

"All  I  can  say  is,  that  since  your  Honor's  coorts  have  come 
among  us,  Fair  Play  has  entirely  ceased,  and  law  has  taken  its 
place." 

This  sharp  rejoinder  created  a  good  deal  of  merriment  in  court, 
and  the  judge  was  satisfied  to  ask  no  more  questions  reflecting 
upon  the  legal  tribunal  over  which  Peter  had  in  turn  presided. 

Another  incident  of  the  Fair   Play  method  of  administering 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  47 1 

justice  has  been  preserved.  A  minister  and  school  teacher  named 
Kincaid  was  brought  before  the  tribunal  on  the  charge  of  abusing 
his  family.  He  was  tried,  convicted  and  sentenced  to  be  ridden  on 
a  rail  for  his  offense.  A  little  of  the  same  kind  of  punishment 
administered  to  similar  offenders  in  these  modern  times  might  not 
be  out  of  place  any  more  than  it  was  in  the  days  of  squatter 
sovereignty  on  the  West  Branch. 

In  the  summer  of  1776  the  leading  Fair  Play  men  and  settlers 
along  the  river  above  and  below  Pine  Creek,  received  intelligence 
from  Philadelphia  that  Congress  had  it  in  contemplation  to  declare 
the  Colonies  independent  of  Great  Britain.  This  was  good  news 
to  these  people,  who  were  considered  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  all 
civil  law,  and  they  at  once  set  about  making  preparations  to  in- 
dorse the  movement  by  an  emphatic  expression  of  their  senti- 
ments. Accordingly,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1776,  they  met  in  con- 
vention, in  considerable  numbers,  on  the  level  plain  west  of  Pine 
Creek.  The  object  of  the  meeting  was  stated  by  one  of  their 
leading  men,  when  the  proposition  was  warmly  discussed  and  a 
number  of  patriotic  speeches  made.  The  subject  of  Independence 
was  proposed,  and  when  their  patriotism  warmed  up,  it  was  finally 
decided  to  indorse  the  proposition  under  discussion  in  Congress 
by  ^formal  declaration  of  independence.  A  series  of  resolutions 
were  drawn  up  and  passed,  absolving  themselves  from  all  alle- 
giance to  Great  Britain,  and  henceforth  declaring  themselves  free 
and  independent! 

The  most  singular  thing  about  this  meeting  was  that  it  took 
place  about  the  same  time  that  the  Declaration  was  signed  in 
Philadelphia!  It  was  indeed  a  remarkable  coincidence,  that  the 
Continental  Congress  and  the  squatter  sovereigns  on  the  Indian 
lands  of  the  West  Branch  should  declare  for  freedom  and  inde- 
pendence about  the  .same  time.  More  than  two  hundred  miles 
intervened  between  them,  and  neither  party  had  any  knowledge 
of  what  the  other  was  doing.  The  coincident  stands  without  a 
parallel  in  the  history  of  the  world. 

The  following  names  of  settlers  participating  in  this  extra- 
ordinary meeting  have  been  preserved:  Thomas,  Francis  and 
John  Clark,  Alexander  Donaldson,  William  Campbell,  Alexander 
Hamilton,  John  Jackson,  Adam  Carson,  Henry  McCracken,  Adam 


472  HISTORV    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Dewitt,  Robert  Love  and  Hugh  Nichols.  There  were  many  others 
present  from  below  the  creek,  no  doubt,  but  their  names  have 
been  lost.  This  is  deeply  regretted,  as  a  full  record  of  the  names 
of  those  in  attendance  on  this  patriotic  convention,  together  with 
the  proceedings  and  resolutions,  would  make  a  chapter  of  deep 
and  thrilling  interest. 

The  years  1775  and  1776  were  eventful  in  several  respects. 
The  breaking  out  of  the  American  Revolution  and  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  at  Philadelphia  and  on  the  Pine  Creek  plains, 
as  well  as  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  Pennsylvania,  resulted 
in  changing  the  political  government  of  the  State. 

In  177s  Catharine  Smith,  widow  of  Peter  Smith,  commenced 
building  a  saw  and  grist  mill  near  the  mouth  of  White  Deer 
Creek.  They  were  primitive  affairs,  but  ser\'ed  an  e.xcellent 
purpose  for  the  infant  settlements.  Mrs.  Smith  was  undoubtedly 
a  woman  of  unusual  enterprise,  or  she  would  never  have  under- 
taken the  management  of  such  improvements.  After  their  con- 
struction a  mill  for  boring  gun  barrels  was  added  in  1776,  and  the 
White  Deer  Mills  became  a  place  of  considerable  note.  Many 
gun  barrels  were  prepared  here  for  the  Continental  army,  and  no 
doubt  did  good  service  in  the  Revolution.  It  is  sad  to  reflect, 
however,  that  after  what  this  patriotic  woman  did  to  help  along 
the  cause  of  freedom,  she  lost  all  her  property  and  died  in  poverty.* 

On  the  20th  of  May,  1775,  James  Potter  was  returned  as  an 
additional  member  of  Assembly.  Samuel  Hunter  and  William 
Plunkett  presided  in  turn  over  the  courts  at  Sunbury.     In  July 

*In  a  petition  to  the  Legislature  in  1785  Catharine  Smith  set  forth:  "That  she 
was  left  a  widow  with  ten  children,  with  no  estate  to  support  this  family,  except  a 
location  of  300  acres  of  land,  including  the  mouth  of  White  Deer  Creek,  whereon  is 
a  good  mill  seat;  and  a  grist  and  saw  mill  being  much  wanted  in  this  new  country, 
at  that  time,  she  was  often  solicited  to  erect  said  mills.  At  length,  in  1774,  she  bor- 
rowed money,  and  in  June,  1775,  completed  the  mills,  which  were  of  great  advantage 
to  the  country,  and  the  following  summer  built  a  boring  mill,  where  a  great  number 
of  gun  barrels  were  bored,  and  a  hemp  mill.  The  Indian  war  soon  after  coming  on, — 
one  of  her  sons,  her  greatest  help,  went  into  the  army  and  never  returned, — the  said 
mills  soon  became  a  frontier,  and  in  July,  1779,  the  Indians  burned  the  whole  works. 
She  returned  to  the  ruins  in  1783,  and  was  again  solicited  to  rebuild  the  saw  and 
grist  mills,  which  she  did  with  much  diiificulty ;  and  now  ejectment  suits  were  brought 
against  her  by  Claypool  and  Morris,  and  she  being  reduced  to  such 
as  renders  her  unable  to  support  actions  at  law,  and  therefore  prays  for  relief." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  473 

Samuel  Maclay,  Robert  Robb,  John  Weitzel  and  Henry  Antes 
were  appointed  justices  of  the  peace.  Alexander  Hunter  was  ap- 
pointed collector  of  excise  in  the  place  of  Thomas  Lemmon.  On 
the  1 2th  of  October  William  Scull  was  commissioned  the  second 
sheriff  of  the  county;  Casper  Reed  and  William  Gray  were  com- 
missioners. June  25,  1775,  John  Hancock  commissioned  John 
Lowdon*  to  be  captain  of  a  company  of  riflemen.  The  company 
was  formed,  rendezvoused  at  Sunbury,  and  then  proceeded  to  Bos- 
ton. James  Parr,  first  lieutenant,  rose  to  the  rank  of  major,  served 
brilliantly  in  command  of  riflemen  under  Morgan  at  Saratoga,  and 
under  Sullivan  in  1779.  William  Wilson,  second  lieutenant,  was 
promoted  captain  March  2,  1777,  and  continued  in  the  army  to  the 
close  of  the  war  in  1783.  He  died  at  Chillisquaque  Mills  in  1813, 
while  serving  as  an  associate  judge  of  Northumberland  County. 
David  Hammond  rose  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant.  He  died  April 
22,  1 80 1,  from  the  effects  of  a  wound,  and  is  buried  in  the  Chillis- 
quaque grave-yard.  He  was  the  father  of  General  R.  H.  Ham- 
mond, of  Milton,  who  died  on  shipboard  while  serving  as  a  pay- 
master during  the  Mexican  war,  June  2,  1847,  and  is  buried  in  the 
Milton  Cemetery. 

According  to  a  request  of  the  Continental  Congress  for  each  of 
the  states  to  adopt  a  constitution,  the  convention  for  Pennsylvania 
met  on  the  15th  of  July  in  Philadelphia,  and  continued,  by  ad- 
journments, until  the  28th  of  September,  when  the  first  constitu- 
tion was  adopted  and  signed.  Northumberland  County  was  rep- 
facts  set  forth  were  certified  to  by  William  BIythe,  Charles  Gillespie,  Col.  John 
Kelly,  James  Potter  and  many  other  residents  of  the  county.  The  Legislature  could 
grant  no  relief  under  the  circumstances  and  the  petition  was  dismissed,  and  she  lost 
all,  for  in  iSoi  Seth  Iredell  took  possession  of  the  premises  as  tenant  of  Claypool 
and  Morris.  Her  case  was  a  hard  one.  She  is  said  to  have  walked  to  Philadelphia 
and  back  thirteen  times  while  her  lawsuits  were  going  on.  She  finally  died  and  was 
buried  near  by.  Her  house,  which  was  built  of  stone,  is  still  standing.  Her  bones 
were  disturbed  many  years  ago  by  digging  for  a  foundation.  They  were  identified 
by  a  party  who  knew  her  by  her  peculiar  projecting  teeth.  M.any  years  ago  an  old 
man  came  from  Ohio  and  viewed  the  place.  He  said  he  was  a  son  of  Catharine 
Smith,  and  if  justice  had  been  done  her  they  would  still  own  the  place. — Linn's 
Annals,  page  240. 

*  For  full  information  regarding  the  proceedings  at  this  time,  together  with  the 
roll  of  Captain  Lowdon's  company,  see  Linn's  Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley,  pages  76 
to  84. 


474  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

resented  by  William  Cooke,  James  Potter,  Robert  Martin,  Mathew 
Brown,  Walter  Clark,  John  Kelly,  James  Crawford  and  John 
Weitzel.  They  were  chosen  at  the  residence  of  George  McCand- 
lish,  who  lived  in  a  log  house  back  of  the  present  borough  of 
Milton,  on  what  was  afterwards  known  as  the  Hepburn  farm. 

The  Constitutional  Convention  decided  that  the  law-making 
power  should  be  vested  in  a  House  of  Representatives,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  were  to  be  chosen  by  ballot  on  the  second  Tuesday 
of  October.  Other  important  provisions  relating  to  State  officers 
and  members  of  Congress  were  adopted.  The  execution  of  the 
laws  devolved  upon  the  President  and  Supreme  Executive  Council, 
which  consisted  of  twelve  persons.  Every  member  of  Council 
was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  whole  State.  The  practice  of 
holding  the  October  elections  was  only  discontinued  a  few  years 
ago. 

The  convention,  by  an  ordinance  dated  September  3d,  created  a 
new  Council  of  Safety,  of  which  Samuel  Hunter  and  John  Weitzel 
were  the  members  for  Northumberland  County.  The  following 
justices  were  also  appointed:  Samuel  Hunter,  James  Potter, 
William  Maclay,  Robert  Moodie,  John  Lowdon,  Benjamin  Weiser, 
Henry  Antes  and  John  Simpson. 

On  the  28th  of  November,  1776,  the  Assembly  met  in  Phila- 
delphia and  elected  Thomas  Wharton,  Jr.,  President  and  George 
Br>'an  Vice-President  of  the  Council  and  State,  and  John  Jacobs 
Speaker  of  the  House.  With  the  election  of  Mr.  Wharton*  the 
reign  of  the  Penns  ended  in  Pennsylvania,  and  Proprietary  and 
royal  authority  ceased  forever. 


*Thomas  Wharton,  Jr.,  was  bom  in  Philadelphia  in  1753,  and  was  descended  from 
an  old  English  family.  Mr.  Wharton  was  twice  married.  He  died  suddenly  at 
Lancaster,  May,  22,  177S,  and  was  buried  with  military  honors  within  the  walls  of 
Trinity  Church  in  that  city. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

BEGINNING     OF    EXCITING     TIMES BRADY     UPSETS     DERR's     BARREL 

OF    WHISKEY WHERE    THE     FORTS     WERE    LOCATED MASSACRE 

ON    THE    SITE    OF    WILLIAMSFORT TERRIBLE    SCENES    OF    BLOOD. 

THE  year  1776  was  noted  for  the  large  number  of  emigrants 
who  reached  the  valley  in  search  of  lands  and  homes.  The 
majority  of  them  came  from  New  Jersey.  Everything  betokened 
peace  and  prosperit>'.  And  as  the  emigrants  expected  they 
would  be  called  on  to  endure  hardships  in  a  new  country,  they 
came  prepared  to  clear  the  ground,  sow  their  fields  and  reap 
their  crops.  The  fertility  of  the  land  was  the  principal  attrac- 
tion. These  emigrants  brought  their  familes  to  the  valley,  and 
where  the  Indian  wigwams*  once  stood,  and  the  pappooses  sported 
under  the  wide-spreading  branches  of  the  oak  and  the  elm,  the 
white  children  now  played  and  made  the  forest  resound  with  the 
melody  of  their  voices.  The  sound  of  the  axe  of  the  sturdy 
settler  was  heard  on  every  hand,  and  the  crash  of  the  falling 
monarchs  of  the  forest,  that  had  withstood  the  storms  of  ages, 
caused  the  wild  beasts  to  start  from  their  lairs  and  plunge  deeper 
into  the  depths  of  the  wilderness.  The  aborigine  viewed  the  on- 
ward march  of  civilization  with  alarm ;  he  plainly  saw  the  mysteri- 
ous tracings  of  the  hand  of  Destiny,  and  he  turned  aside  and 

*  Wig-uiam,  cabin.  The  spelling  adopted  by  MM.  De  Gaspe  (Les  A.  C,  166,  199, 
250,  263),  Frechette  (Pele-Mele,  126,  120),  Lemay  (Les  Veng.,  6,  II;  Pic.  Le 
Maud.,  138,  220;  Le  P.  de  Ste  Anne,  103).  Whether  the  word,  in  all  its  forms,  has 
reached  French  Canadian  from  English  or  not  is  uncertain.  At  any  rate,  the  word  is  of 
Algonquin  origin.  Baraga  (Otchipwe)  gives  for  "house"  wikiwam;  Wilson,  wege- 
ivaum,  and  Lacombe  (Cree)  has  for  "cabane"  mikiwap.  Cuoq  (Alg.)  gives  tiiiki- 
■wam  (house  of  wood),  wikiwam  (house  of  bark).  In  Gallatin's  Synopsis  we  find, 
Micmac  SigSam;  Mohican,  weekuwuhm ;  Delaware,  wiqoam;  Penobscot,  wigwam; 
New  England  (wood),  wigzuam;  Powhattan,  wigzciam.  It  is  probably  from  the  New 
England,  or  from  the  Virginia  form,  that  the  word  came  into  English. — American 
Notes  and  Queries,  Vol.  II.,  page  124. 


476  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

wept  over  the  thought  that  he  must  soon  bid  farewell  to  the 
cherished  land  of  his  nativit>^  and  take  his  departure  towards  the 
setting  sun.  His  lot  was  a  hard  one,  but  in  it  he  saw  the  decree 
of  fate. 

The  rush  of  emigrants  continued  and  the  valley  filled  up 
rapidly.  All  was  excitement  and  hope,  and  the  future  bore  a 
roseate  hue.  Contrasting  the  present  with  the  hard  lot  in  store 
for  many  of  these  enthusiastic  emigrants,  how  appropriate  are  the 
beautiful  lines  of  Gray : 

Fair  laughs  the  morn,  and  soft  the  zephyr  blows, 

While  proudly  riding  o'er  the  azure  realm 
In  gallant  trim  the  gilded  vessel  goes. 

Youth  on  the  prow,  and  pleasure  at  the  helm ; 
Regardless  of  the  sweeping  whirlwind's  sway. 

That,  hushed  in  grim  repose,  expects  his  evening  prey. 

But  the  settlers  were  not  to  remain  long  in  this  happy  frame  of 
mind.  The  war  of  the  Revolution  had  commenced  and  the 
clangor  of  arms  resounded  in  the  East.  Soldiers  were  wanted  to 
fight  the  battles  of  liberty  and  freedom.  The  whole  country  was 
in  a  state  of  confusion,  which  extended  to  this  region  and  materi- 
ally affected  the  settlements.  As  the  colonies  were  weak,  and  had 
a  powerful  foe  to  contend  with,  almost  superhuman  efforts  were 
made  to  repel  the  invaders.  It  was  also  feared  that  they  would 
tamper  with  the  Indians  and  once  more  incite  them  to  deeds  of 
violence  and  bloodshed.  This  was  a  fearful  anticipation,  but  hope, 
the  anchor  of  the  soul,  still  clung  to  the  idea  that  the  dark  cloud 
which  was  suspended  over  the  frontiers  would  be  rolled  back. 
But  the  hope  was  in  vain. 

At  this  time  the  Seneca  and  Monsey  tribes  were  in  considerable 
force,  and  Pine  and  Lycoming  Creeks  were  navigable  a  long  dis- 
tance north  for  canoes.  Fort  Augusta  at  that  time  was  garrisoned 
by  about  fifty  men,  under  Colonel  Hunter.  They  were  called  "a 
fearless  few." 

Captain  John  Brady  suggested  to  his  friends  at  Fort  Augusta 
the  propriety  of  making  a  treaty  with  the  Seneca  and  Monsey 
tribes,  knowing  them  to  be  at  variance  with  the  Delawares.  By 
doing  so  it  was  thought  that  their  friendship  and  assistance  might 
be  secured  against  the  Delawares,  should  they  commence  any 


History  of  the  west  branch  valley.  477 

inroads  upon  the  settlements.  His  proposition  was  approved  and 
petitions  were  sent  to  the  Council  praying  that  commissioners 
might  be  appointed,  and  Fort  Augusta  designated  as  the  place  of 
holding  the  conference.  The  request  was  granted  and  commis- 
sioners were  appointed.  Notice  was  given  to  the  two  tribes  by 
Brady  and  two  others  selected  for  the  purpose.  They  met  the 
chiefs  and  laid  before  them  the  proposition.  They  appeared  to  be 
delighted  and  listened  to  the  proposal  with  pleasure.  After  smok- 
ing the  pipe  of  peace,  and  promising  to  attend  at  Fort  Augusta 
on  the  appointed  day,  they  led  them  out  of  their  camp,  shook  hands 
with  them  cordially  and  parted  in  seeming  friendship.  Brady 
feared  to  trust  the  friendship  so  warmly  expressed,  and  took  a 
different  route  in  returning  home,  to  guard  against  being  waylaid 
and  surprised. 

On  the  day  appointed  for  holding  the  treaty  the  Indians  ap- 
peared with  their  squaws  and  pappooses.  The  warriors  numbered 
about  one  hundred,  and  were  dressed  in  their  war  costume.  Care 
had  been  taken  to  make  the  fort  look  as  warlike  as  possible,  and 
every  man  was  at  his  post. 

In  former  treaties  the  Indians  had  received  large  presents,  and 
were  expecting  them  here;  but  finding  the  fort  too  poor  to  give 
anything  of  value,  (and  an  Indian  never  trusts),  all  efforts  to  form 
a  treaty  with  them  proved  abortive.  They  left  the  fort,  however, 
apparently  in  good  humor  and  well  satisfied  with  their  treatment, 
and  taking  to  their  canoes  proceeded  homeward.*  The  remainder 
of  the  day  was  chiefly  spent  by  the  officers  and  people  of  the  fort 
in  devising  means  of  protection  against  anticipated  attacks  of  the 
Indians.  Late  in  the  day  Brady  thought  of  Derr's  trading  house, 
and  fearing  danger  at  that  point,  mounted  a  small  mare  he  had  at 
the  fort,  and  crossing  the  North  Branch,  rode  with  all  possible 
speed.  On  his  arrival  he  saw  the  canoes  of  the  Indians  on  the 
bank  of  the  river  near  Derr's.  When  near  enough  to  observe,  he 
saw  the  squaws  exerting  themselves  to  the  utmost,  at  their  pad- 
dles, to  work  the  canoes  over  to  his  side  of  the  river;  and  when 


*Soon  after  this  conference  the  Indians  at  the  Great  Island — which  appears  to 
have  been  their  headquarters — commenced  making  preparations  to  leave  the  valley. 
They  cut  down  their  corn  and  destroyed  everything  that  might  be  of  value  to  the 
whites,  when  they  fled  to  the  north  and  prepared  to  return  and  murder  the  settlers. 


478  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

they  landed  they  made  for  thickets  of  sumach,  which  grew  in 
abundance  on  his*  land  to  the  height  of  a  man's  head,  and  were 
very  thick  upon  the  ground.  He  was  not  slow  in  conjecturing 
the  cause.  He  rode  on  to  where  the  squaws  were  landing,  and 
saw  that  they  were  conveying  rifles,  tomahawks  and  knives  into  the 
sumach  thickets  and  hiding  them.  He  immediately  jumped  into 
a  canoe  and  crossed  to  Derr's  trading  house,  where  he  found  the 
Indians  very  drunk.  He  saw  a  barrel  of  rum  standing  on  end 
before  Derr's  door  with  the  head  out.  He  instantly  upset  it  and 
spilled  the  rum,  saying  to  Derr:  "  My  God,  Frederick,  what  have 
you  donfe?"  Derr  replied:  "  Dey  dells  me  you  gif  um  no  dreet 
town  on  de  fort,  so  dinks  as  I  gif  um  one  here,  als  he  go  home  in 
bease!" 

One  of  the  Indians  who  saw  the  rum  spilled,  but  was  unable  to 
prevent  it,  told  Brady  he  would  one  day  punish  him  for  it.  Being 
well  acquainted  with  the  Indian  character,  he  knew  death  was  the 
penalty  of  his  offense,  and  was  constantly  on  his  guard.  Next 
day  the  Indians  started  off. 

As  the  Revolution  had  become  general,  the  most  active  prep- 
arations were  made  to  devise  means  of  defense.  Companies  of  vol- 
unteers were  raised,  and  every  laudable  effort  used  to  induce  the 
patriots  of  that  period  to  march  to  the  defense  of  their  country. 
A  Committee  of  Safety  for  Northumberland  County  was  appointed. 
Regular  meetings  were  held  and  a  record  kept  of  their  pro- 
ceedings. 

From  the  records  it  is  learned  that  on  the  8th  of  February,  1776, 
the  following  gentlemen,  being  previously  nominated  by  the  re- 
spective townships  to  serve  on  the  committee  for  the  space  of  six 
months,  met  at  the  house  of  Richard  Malone,  at  the  mouth  of 
Chillisquaque  Creek:  For  Augusta  Township,  John  Weitzel, 
Alexander  Hunter,  Thomond  Ball;  Mahoning  Township,  William 
Cooke,  Benjamin  Alison,  Thomas  Hewet;  Turbutt  Township, 
Captain  John  Hambright,  William  McKnight,  William  Shaw; 
Muncy  Township,  Robert  Robb,  William  Watson,  John  Bucka- 
low;  Bald  Eagle  Township,  William  Dunn,  Thomas  Hughes, 
Alexander  Hamilton;  Buffalo  Township,  Walter  Clark,  William 


*When  Brady  removed  his  family  from  Standing  Stone  he  located  on  a  t 
land  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  opposite  the  present  borough  of  Lewisburg. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY.  479 

Irwin,  Joseph  Green;  White  Deer  Township,  Walter  Clarke, 
Matthew  Brown,  Marcus  Hulings. 

Captain  John  Hambright  was  elected  chairman  and  Thomond 
Ball  clerk.  The  field  officers  of  the  battalion  of  the  lower  division 
of  the  county  were,  Samuel  Hunter,  Colonel;  William  Cooke, 
Lieutenant  Colonel;  Casper  Weitzel,  First  Major;  John  Lee,  Sec- 
ond Major.  Those  of  the  upper  battalion  appear  to  have  been 
William  Plunkett,  Colonel;  James  Murray,  Lieutenant  Colonel; 
John  Brady,  First  Major;  Cookson  Long,  Second  Major. 

Each  captain  was  ordered  to  return  at  least  forty  privates.  Each 
battalion  consisted  of  six  companies.  The  captains  of  the  lower 
battalion  were  Nicolas  Miller,  Charles  Gillespie,  Hugh  White, 
William  Scull,  James  McMahon,  William  Clarke,  and  afterwards 
Captain  John  Simpson;  and  of  the  upper,  or  Colonel  Plunkett's 
battalion,  Henry  Antes,  Samuel  Wallis,  John  Robb,  William 
Murray,  William  McElhatten,  Simon  Cool,  David  Berry. 

On  the  13th  of  March,  1776,  in  their  dispatch  to  the  Committee 
of  Safety  at  Philadelphia,  they  made  certain  complaints  of  griev- 
ances suffered  in  their  infant  settlement,  on  account  of  so  many 
recruiting  officers  sent  among  them.  On  the  27th  of  the  same 
month  they  sent  another  petition,  in  which  they  remonstrated  in 
stronger  terms  against  being  required  to  furnish  so  many  recruits. 
The  poverty  of  the  people  was  referred  to,  many  of  whom  "  came 
bare  and  naked,  and  were  plundered  by  a  bandette  called  Yankees." 
They  desired  an  apportunity  to  raise  crops  for  the  support  of 
their  families.  They  recommended  that  two  or  more  companies 
be  raised  and  put  under  pay  for  the  use  of  the  Province,  to  be 
sent  wherever  their  services  were  needed  for  the  protection  of  the 
frontier.  The  petition  was  signed  by  John  Hambright,  as  chair- 
man. It  is  believed  that  the  Central  Committee  acceded  to  the 
request,  as  companies  were  afterwards  stationed  here. 

The  committee  was  changed  at  the  end  of  six  months,  and  only 
a  part  of  the  former  members  seem  to  have  been  re-elected.  The 
committee  often  met  at  the  house  of  Laughlan  McCartney,  a 
member  for  Mahoning  Township. 

On  the  loth  of  September,  1776,  the  committee  learned  that 
Levy  &  Ballion  had  a  quantity  of  salt  in  their  possession,  which 
they  refused  to  sell  for  cash, — as  it  seems  they  had  been  ordered 


480  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

SO  to  do  by  a  former  resolution  of  the  committee, — whereupon  they 
ordered  William  Sayers  to  take  possession  of  the  salt  and  sell  it 
at  the  rate  of  fifteen  shillings  per  bushel,  and  not  allow  over  half 
a  bushel  to  any  one  famil}-,  and  return  the  money  to  the  com- 
mittee. 

The  committee  also  attended  to  receiving  their  share  of  arms 
and  ammunition  from  the  Central  Committee  at  Philadelphia,  and 
distributed  them  very  carefully  among  those  who  were  performing 
military  duty. 

About  this  time  the  committee  had  some  trouble  with  Robert 
Robb,  a  former  member,  who  was  charged  with  being  disloyal  to 
the  cause  of  the  Colonies,  because  of  certain  derogatory  remarks 
he  was  charged  with  having  made.  One  of  the  charges  was  that 
he  had  called  Dr.  Franklin  "  a  rogue,"  and  said  "  that  he  had  led 
the  Government  into  two  or  three  difficulties  already."  Colonel 
James  Murray  was  appointed  to  arrest  and  confine  him.  The 
Colonel,  it  seems,  had  full  confidence  in  Robb's  patriotism,  as  he 
allowed  him  the  freedom  of  his  (Robb's)  own  house  when  he  put 
him  under  arrest,  "  under  promise  of  good  behavior  in  the  future." 

A  good  deal  of  bad  feeling  seems  to  have  grown  out  of  this 
matter,  and  Robb  became  much  incensed.  While  at  Fort  Brad\-, 
on  Muncy  Manor,  Robb  was  approached  by  Peter  Smith,  while  he 
was  "drinking  a  half-pint"  with  a  friend,  and  as  he  made  some 
remark  not  very  complimentary  to  Robb,  he  knocked  him  down 
and  beat  him  so  badly  that  he  was  laid  up  for  some  time.  The 
affair  was  investigated  by  the  committee,  and  a  number  of  deposi- 
tions of  eye-witnesses  taken.  The  committee  then  ordered  Col- 
onel Murray  to  take  him  to  Philadelphia,  but  as  he  resigned  to 
escape  the  unpleasant  duty,  other  parties  were  appointed  to  remo\  e 
him.  Robb  was  taken  as  far  as  Lancaster,  where,  after  the  matter 
was  explained  to  the  authorities,  he  was  honorably  acquitted  of 
the  charges  and  returned  home.  The  affair  caused  considerable  ex- 
citement at  the  time,  and  the  records  are  burdened  with  the  ac- 
counts of  the  difficulty. 

From  the  records  of  the  same  committee  it  appears  that  a  great 
scarcity  of  grain  prevailed  in  1777.  In  February  of  the  same 
year  the\-  ordered  "  that  no  stiller  in  Bald  Eagle  Township  shall 
buy  an}'  more  grain,  or  still  any  more  than  he  has  by  him  during 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  48 1 

the  season."  Andrew  Culbertson,  who  had  a  distillery  at  his 
place  near  the  present  site  of  the  borough  of  DuBoistown,  Lycom- 
ing County,  was  one  of  the  parties  ordered  to  cease  distilling 
grain. 

It  appears  that  the  committee  were  somewhat  inclined  to  mo- 
rality, too,  and  exercised  their  authority  to  stop  "  a  certain  Henry 
Sterret  from  profaning  the  Sabbath  in  an  unchristian  and  scandal- 
ous manner,  by  causing  his  servants  to  maul  rails,  &c.,  on  that 
day,  and  beating  and  abusing  them  if  they  offered  to  disobey  his 
unlawful  demands."  Sterret  resided  on  Long  Island,  opposite 
Jersey  Shore. 

The  war  of  the  Revolution  was  now  fairly  under  way  and  vol- 
unteers were  in  demand  from  all  sections.  Young  Sam.  Brady, 
destined  to  become  so  famous  in  the  annals  of  border  warfare, 
joined  Captain  Lowdon's  company  and  marched  to  Boston.  He 
soon  rose  to  the  rank  of  a  lieutenant,  and  was  in  all  the  principal 
engagements  until  after  the  battle  of  Monmouth.  He  was  then 
promoted  to  a  captaincy  and  ordered  to  the  West,  under  General 
Broadhead,  to  perform  duty  on  the  frontier.  During  the  same 
year  Captain  John  Brady,  father  of  Samuel,  was  appointed  a 
captain  in  the  Twelfth  Regiment.  He  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Brandywine  and  was  wounded.  His  son  James,  a  mere  lad,  was 
with  him  and  greatly  distinguished  himself  Owing  to  his  wound, 
and  the  necessity  for  his  presence  on  the  West  Branch,  Captain 
Brady  soon  returned  home. 

In  1778  Colonel  William  Cooke  received  orders  to  join  General 
Washington  with  his  regiment,  which  contained  three  companies 
raised  in  Northumberland  County.  His  regiment  was  so  dec- 
imated by  arduous  service  that  it  had  to  be  disbanded.  Colonel 
Cooke,  on  account  of  poor  health,  asked  leave  to  resign.  It  was 
granted,  but  he  was  appointed  Commissary  General  for  the  army 
of  the  North  and  stationed  at  Northumberland.  He  held  the 
office  to  the  close  of  the  war,  and  rendered  efficient  service.* 


*  Colonel  William  Cooke  was  a  native  of  Donegal  Township,  Lancaster  County. 
He  came  to  Northumberland  at  an  early  day,  and  being  a  man  who  took  an  active 
part  in  affairs,  was  elected  the  first  sheriff  of  Northumberland  County  in  October, 
1772,  and  served  until  1775,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  William  Scull,  the  noted 
surveyor.  Was  made  a  member  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  for  Northumberland 
County,  February  8,   1776;  of  the  Provincial  Conference  of  June  18,   1776;  and  of 


482  HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

As  the  struggle  for  liberty  increased,  and  the  infant  colonies 
were  straining  every  nerve,  a  new  danger  of  a  very  alarming  char- 
acter began  to  exhibit  itself  on  the  northern  and  western  frontiers. 
The  British  had  tampered  with  the  Indians,  and  induced  them  to 
take  up  the  hatchet  against  the  whites.  A  stipulated  price  was 
offered  for  scalps,  as  an  inducement  for  them  to  kill  and  destroy. 
The  West  Branch  Valley  was  an  exposed  and  defenseless  frontier, 
at  the  mercy  of  the  infuriated  savages.  Great  consternation  pre- 
vailed among  the  inhabitants,  and  the  Government  was  petitioned 
for  assistance,  but  it  was  almost  impossible  to  respond  to  these 
appeals  on  account  of  the  necessity  for  men  at  the  front  to  repel 
the  invaders. 

The  danger  became  so  great,  however,  that  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  construct  stockade  forts  at  different  points  along  the  West 
Branch,  where  small  bodies  of  armed  men,  mostly  volunteers, 
were  stationed  to  protect  the  settlements.  On  a  report  of  Indians 
being  discovered  in  the  neighborhood,  the  settlers  abandoned  their 
homes  and  fled  to  these  stockades  for  refuge  and  protection. 
Above  Fort  Augusta,  which  was  military  headquarters,  these  forts 
were  located  as  follows: 

Fort  Rice  was  built  on  the  head-waters  of  Chillisquaque  Creek, 
about  thirteen  miles  from  Sunbury.  It  was  a  station  of  consider- 
able note,  and  many  thrilling  and  bloody  events  occurred  in  its 
vicinity. 

Fort  Schwartz*  was  erected  about  one  mile  above  Milton.     The 


the  Constitutional  Convention  of  July  15,  1776.  On  the  last  day  of  the  session  of 
the  latter  body  he  was  chosen  and  recommended  a  colonel  of  the  battalion  to  be 
raised  in  the  counties  of  Northampton  and  Northumberland.  This  became  the 
Twelfth  Regiment  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line,  and  being  composed  of  riflemen,  was 
employed  upon  picket  duty,  and  covered  the  front  of  General  Washington's  army 
during  the  year  1777,  while  detachments  were  sent  from  it  to  General  Gates,  materi- 
ally assisting  in  the  capture  of  Burgoyne.  It  was  so  badly  cut  up  at  Brandywine  and 
Germantown  that  it  was  disbanded,  and  Colonel  Cooke  mustered  out  of  service.  In 
17S1  and  1782  he  was  chosen  to  the  General  Assembly.  October  3,  1786,  he  was  , 
appointed  one  of  the  justices,  and  January  16,  1796,  an  associate  judge  for  Northum- 
berland County.     Colonel  Cooke  died  in  April,  1804. 

*  A  log  structure  named  in  honor  of  Major  Christian  Godfried  Schwartz,  of  Colonel 
Weltner's  German  regiment,  a  detachment  of  which  under  Schwartz  garrisoned  it  at 
the  time  Fort  Freeland  was  captured.  It  stood  at  the  old  ferry  about  a  mile  above 
Milton.  Small  detachments  of  Weltner's  regiment  also  garrisoned  forts  Menninger 
and  Rice. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  483 

first  mention  of  it  occurs  in  a  letter  from  Colonel  Hunter  to  Presi- 
dent Reed.     It  was  built  by  Peter  Schwartz  on  his  farm. 

Boone's  Fort  was  erected  at  the  mouth  of  Muddy  Run,  two 
miles  above  Milton,  by  Captain  Hawkins  Boone,  a  cousin  or  dis- 
tant relative  of  the  famous  Daniel  Boone. 

Fort  Menninger  was  located  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  op- 
posite the  mouth  of  Warrior  Run.  Little  is  known  regarding 
this  place,  save  that  Captain  Kemplen  was  stationed  there  in 
November,  1779,  after  Fort  Freeland  had  been  destroyed,  with 
fourteen  men. 

Next  in  order  came  Freeland's  Fort,  on  Warrior  Run,  about 
four  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  was  built  by  Jacob  Freeland,  and 
bore  an  important  part  in  the  thrilling  days  of  1779. 

Brady's  Fort,  on  Muncy  Manor,  was  a  stockade  enclosure 
built  for  the  protection  of  his  family  and  neighbors.  No  troops 
were  stationed  there  at  any  time. 

Fort  Muncy  was  built  a  few  hundred  yards  north-east  of  the 
residence  of  Samuel  Wallis,  on  Muncy  Farms,  after  which  it  was 
named.  It  was  about  three  miles  west  of  the  borough  of  Muncy 
and  ten  miles  east  of  Williamsport.  It  was  erected,  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  Samuel  Wallis  and  his  neighbors,  by  Colonel  Thomas 
Hartley  in  1778.  Wallis  had  built  a  house  here  in  1769.  Colonel 
Hartley  says  that  all  the  women  and  children  had  fled,  and  as 
Indians  were  daily  seen  in  the  neighborhood,  the  settlers  clamored 
for  protection.  General  De  Hass  was  with  Colonel  Hartley,  and 
they  made  a  careful  examination  of  the  country  to  select  a  loca- 
tion. They  found  none  of  the  houses  properly  situated  to  admit 
of  a  stockade  fort  of  any  strength.  It  was  designed  to  be  the 
most  important  stronghold  next  to  Augusta,  and  was  situated 
midway  between  that  place  and  the  farthest  settlements  up  the 
river.  It  was  situated  on  a  rising  piece  of  ground,  at  the  foot  of 
which  was  a  fine  spring  of  water.  A  large  elm  tree  now  hangs 
over  the  spring.  A  covered  way  from  the  fort  led  to  this  natural 
fountain  as  a  protection  to  those  who  went  there  for  water.  When 
the  extension  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad  was  built 
to  Williamsport,  the  elevation  on  which  the  fort  stood  was  cut 
through.  The  excavation  is  quite  deep,  and  passengers  cannot 
fail  to  notice  it  on  account  of  the  view  of  the  Hall  residence  on 


484  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

the  right  being  suddenly  shut  off  as  the  train  dashes  into  the  cut. 
Colonel  Hartley  informs  us  that  the  bastions  of  the  fort  were  built 
of  fascines  and  clay,  and  the  curtains  were  protected  by  stockades, 
in  which  quarters  for  the  garrison  were  placed. 

After  leaving  Wallis'  the  next  fort  was  found  on  a  high  bluff  at 
the  mouth  of  Nippenose  Creek.  It  was  built  by  Colonel  Antes 
in  1776,  and  was  known  as  Antes  Fort.*  It  became  an  important 
rallying  point  for  the  settlers.  Colonel  Antes  built  a  small  grist 
mill  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  which  was  largely  patronized  by 
the  people.  Small  bodies  of  militia  were  stationed  here  at  times 
and  rendered  good  service.  Colonel  Antesf  had  command  of  the 
force. 

On  a  high  point  in  the  bend  of  the  river,  a  short  distance  above 
the  \'illage  of  Pine,  Clinton  County,  another  enclosure  was  built 
and  called  after  Samuel  Horn.  Traces  of  it  could  be  seen  until 
the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad  was  constructed,  when  all 
vestiges  of  it  were  destroyed. 

The  last  fortified  post  was  built  on  the  site  of  Lock  Haven  by 
an  adventurous  pioneer  named  William  Reed,]:  and  called  after 

*It  is  related  that  while  the  fort  was  being  built  coarse  flour  was  manufactured  by 
grinding  wheat  in  a  large  coffee  mill,  and  the  bran  was  removed  by  a  hair  sieve.  One 
person  was  kept  running  the  mill  all  the  time.  This  primitive  mill  was  kept  until  the 
great  flood  of  1865,  when  it  was  lost. 

fColonel  John  Henry  Antes  was  born  October  8,  1736,  near  Pottstown,  Mont- 
gomery County.  When  quite  a  young  man  he  came  to  the  West  Branch  and  settled 
at  the  mouth  of  Antes  Creek,  Nippenose  Township,  Lycoming  County.  In  July, 
1775,  he  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  on  the  24th  of  January,  1776, 
captain  of  a  company  in  the  Second  Battalion,  under  Colonel  Potter.  He  com- 
manded a  company  under  Colonel  Plunkett  when  he  made  his  famous  raid  against  the 
Connecticut  settlers  at  Muncy.  April,  1776,  he  was  commissioned  captain  in  the 
Second  Battalion  of  Associators,  and  lieutenant  colonel  May,  1777.  In  17S2  he  was 
elected  sheriff'  of  Northumberland  County.  Soon  after  locating  where  he  did,  and 
erecting  the  fort,  which  was  named  after  him,  he  built  a  grist  mill,  which  supplied  a 
great  want.  Colonel  Antes  was  married  twice  and  had  thirteen  children.  He  died 
May  13,  1S20,  aged  83  years,  9  months  and  5  days,  and  was  buried  in  the  cemetery 
near  his  fort.  A  much  fuller  sketch  of  him  is  given  in  Meginness'  Biographical 
Annals. 

J  The  fort,  which  was  built  of  hewn  logs,  and  surrounded  by  a  stockade,  stood 
very  near  the  present  site  of  the  Montour  House,  Lock  Haven.  William  Reed  was  born 
in  Donegal,  Ireland,  in  1730,  and  died  in  1808,  on  a  tract  of  land  which  he  bought 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  from  Lock  Haven.  Among  his  daughters  was  one 
named  Jane,  who  had  a  great  contempt  for  Indians.     She  lived  to  a  good  old  age. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  485 

him.  As  it  was  on  the  extreme  western  hmits  of  the  settlement, 
it  was  recognized  as  a  point  of  some  note,  and  held  out  until 
about  the  beginning  of  the  Big  Runaway. 

These  were  the  fortifications  of  the  West  Branch  Valley.  Sev- 
eral of  them  scarcely  merited  the  name,  and  all  at  first  were  desti- 
tute of  cannon,  but  they  served  the  purpose  at  that  time.  The 
settlers  were  obliged  to  abandon  their  rude  cabins,  their  little 
fields  of  grain,  and  seek  refuge  within  these  enclosures  from  the 
scalping  knife  of  the  savage.  The  women  and  children  remained 
in  the  forts  whilst  the  men,  in  armed  companies,  would  venture  to 
their  fields  and  houses  and  cut  their  crops.  Those  who  re- 
fused to  seek  the  forts  generally  paid  for  their  rashness  with  their 
lives. 

The  danger  grew  more  alarming  from  day  to  day.  One  fine 
Sunday  morning  in  June,  1777,  Zephaniah  Miller,  Abel  Cady, 
James  Armstrong  and  Isaac  Bouser  left  Antes  Fort  with  two 
women  and  crossed  the  river  into  the  disputed  territory,  for  the 
purpose  of  milking  a  number  of  cows  that  were  pasturing  on  that 
side.  When  they  landed  all  the  cows  were  found,  but  the  one  that 
wore  the  bell  was  heard  some  distance  back  in  the  bushes.  It  did 
not  occur  to  the  party  that  Indians  might  be  lurking  in  the  bushes. 
They  were  there,  however,  and  had  managed  to  keep  this  cow 
back  for  the  purpose  of  luring  the  party  on.  Cady,  Armstrong 
and  Miller  started  to  secure  the  cow.  As  soon  as  they  entered 
the  bushes  they  were  fired  on  by  the  concealed  foe,  and  two  of 
them  fell  severely  wounded.  Miller  and  Cady  were  scalped  im- 
mediately, but  Armstrong,  who  was  also  injured  in  the  back  of 
the  head,  succeeded  in  getting  away. 

As  soon  as  the  firing  commenced  the  women  ran  with  Bouser 
and  secreted  themselves  in  a  rye  field.  The  garrison  in  the  fort 
were  alarmed  and  rushed  forth  immediately,  regardless  of  the 
orders  of  Colonel  Antes,  who  feared  it  might  be  a  decoy  to  draw 
them  away  from  the  fort,  when  it  would  be  assailed  from  the  other 
side.  They  paid  no  attention  to  his  orders,  however,  and  seizing 
the  canoes,  crossed  the  river  immediately  to  the  relief  of  their 
comrades.  They  found  Miller  and  Cady  where  they  fell.  Cady 
was  not  dead.  They  carried  him  to  the  river  bank,  where  his  wife 
met  him.     On  seeing  her  he  reached  out  his  hand  and  immediately 


486  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

expired.  He  had  I'ecently  returned  from  the  army  and  was  one 
of  the  original  settlers  on  the  river.  Armstrong  was  taken  over 
to  the  fort,  where  he  lingered  in  great  agony  until  Monday  night, 
when  he  expired. 

A  party  immediately  pursued  the  Indians,  and  coming  up  with 
them  at  a  place  called  the  "  Race  Ground,"  they  stood  and  fired, 
then  broke  and  fled,  pursued  by  the  whites.  They  ran  across 
what  is  now  the  upper  part  of  the  town  of  Jersey  Shore,  and 
escaped  into  the  swamp.  The  whites  fired  upon  them  several 
times,  and  probably  did  some  execution,  as  marks  of  blood  were 
\isible  where  they  had  apparently  dragged  away  their  killed  or 
wounded. 

In  the  winter  of  the  same  year  three  men  left  Horn's  Fort  and 
proceeded  across  the  ri\'er  to  the  Monseytown  flats,  above  Lock- 
port.  They  were  fired  upon  by  a  lurking  party  of  Indians  and 
one  man  was  killed  near  Sugar  Run.  The  other  two  fled  and 
were  pursued  across  the  ice.  One  of  them,  named  Dewitt,  in  the 
hurry  of  the  flight  ran  into  an  air  hole.  He  caught  hold  of  the 
edge  of  the  ice,  however,  and  managed  to  keep  his  head  above 
water.  The  Indians  were  afraid  to  venture  too  near.  They  com- 
menced firing  at  his  head,  but  watching  the  flash  of  the  gun,  he 
dodged  under  water  like  a  duck,  and  eluded  the  ball.  Several 
shots  were  fired  at  him,  when,  thinking  he  was  dead,  they  left. 
Dewitt,  in  an  exhausted  state,  succeeded  in  crawling  from  the  water 
on  the  ice  and  escaped  to  the  fort. 

The  other  man  having  crossed  to  the  south  side  of  the  river  was 
pursued  by  a  single  Indian,  who  gained  on  him  rapidly.  He  had 
a  gun  which  was  supposed  to  be  worthless,  but  as  the  Indian 
neared  him  he  turned  and  pointed  it  at  him,  thinking  to  intimidate 
him,  but  didn't  pull  the  trigger.  This  he  repeated  several  times, 
when  the  savage,  thinking  it  was  unloaded,  would  point  his  toma- 
hawk at  him  in  derision  and  exclaim,  "  Pooh,  pooh."  The  pur- 
suit continued,  and  the  Indian  came  up  close,  feeling  certain  of  his 
victim.  As  a  last  resort  he  instinctively  raised  his  gun  and  pulled 
the  trigger,  when,  to  his  astonishment,  it  went  off  and  shot  the 
Indian  dead.     He  escaped  to  the  fort  in  safety. 

A  party  turned  out  and  pursued  the  Indians  as  far  as  Young- 
woman's  Creek.     They  noticed  that  they  had  carried  and  dragged 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  487 

the  body  of  the  dead  Indian  all  the  way  with  them,  from  the 
marks  in  the  snow. 

The  next  attack  made  by  the  Indians  in  the  autumn  of  1777 
was  near  Loyalsock  Creek,  on  the  families  of  Brown  and  Ben- 
jamin.* Daniel  Brown  settled  at  a  very  early  period  at  this  place. 
He  had  two  daughters  married  to  two  brothers  named  Benjamin. 
On  the  alarm  of  the  approaching  Indians  being  given,  the  Benja- 
mins, with  their  wives  and  children,  took  refuge  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Brown,  and  made  preparations  to  defend  themselves.  The 
enemy  came  and  assaulted  the  house.  A  brisk  resistance  was 
maintained  for  some  time,  during  which  an  Indian  was  killed  by  a 
shot  from  Benjamin's  rifle.  Finding  they  could  not  dislodge  them 
they  set  the  house  on  fire.  The  flames  spread  rapidly  and  a 
horrid  death  stared  the  inmates  in  the  face.  What  was  to  be  done? 
Remain  inside  and  be  burned,  or  come  forth  to  be  dispatched  by 
tlie  tomahawks  of  the  savages?  Either  alternative  was  a  fearful 
one. 

The  Benjamins  at  length  determined  to  come  forth  and  trust 
themselves  to  the  mercy  of  the  Indians.  Brown  refused,  and 
remaining  in  the  burning  building  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  was 
consumed  with  them,  preferring  to  meet  death  in  this  way  rather 
than  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  and  be  tortured  in  a  horrible 
manner. 

When  the  Benjamins,  with  their  families,  came  forth,  one  of 
them  was  carrying  his  youngest  child  in  his  arms.  The  savages 
received  them  at  the  door.  A  big  Indian  brandished  his  toma- 
hawk, and  with  a  fiendish  yell  buried  the  glittering  steel  in  his 
brain.  As  he  fell  forward  his  wife,  with  a  shriek,  caught  the  little 
child  in- her  arms.  His  scalp  was  immediately  torn  from  his  head 
and  exultingly  shook  in  her  face.     The  remainder  of  the  survivors 


*The  Benjamin  family  lived  north-east  of  Williamsport.  Three  brothers  and  a 
small  sister  were  carried  into  captivity.  Their  names  vi^ere  William,  Nathan  and 
Ezekiel.  The  name  of  the  sister  is  not  now  remembered.  The  boys  returned  in  a 
few  years,  but  the  sister  remained.  She  grew  up  among  the  Indians  and  married  a 
chief,  and  had  several  children.  Years  after  peace  was  made  William  went  after  her 
and  brought  her  to  Williamsport,  where  she  remained  some  time,  but  in  a  very  un- 
happy state  of  mind.  She  was  very  wild  and  shunned  all  society.  It  was  difficult 
to  get  a  view  of  her  face.  On  account  of  her  unhappiness  she  was  permitted  to  re- 
turn to  her  Indian  comrades. 


405  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

were  carried  into  captivity.  This  bloody  massacre  occurred  on 
what  was  long  known  as  the  Buckley  farm,  on  Loyalsock. 

The  report  of  these  murders  spread  terror  throughout  the  settle- 
ments along  the  river.  Many  of  the  families  fled  to  the  different 
forts  for  protection,  leaving  their  houses,  fields  and  cattle  to  the 
mercy  of  the  savages. 

About  the  close  of  the  year  the  Indians  killed  a  man  named 
Saltzman  on  the  Sinnemahoning.  At  the  same  time  another 
named  Daniel  Jones,  who  owned  what  the  settlers  called  "the 
little  mill,"  on  a  stream  this  side  of  Farrandsville,  was  murdered 
also,  with  another  man.  His  wife  escaped  to  the  fort.  These 
settlers  had  been  warned  to  leave,  but  refused  to  do  so,  claiming 
there  was  no  danger.     Their  lives  paid  for  their  incredulity. 

At  this  time  Colonel  Cookson  Long  gathered  a  company  of 
about  twenty  men  and  went  up  to  Youngwoman's  Creek  to  look 
for  Indians.  They  suddenly  espied  a  number  of  warriors  on  the 
opposite  side  marching  along  in  single  file,  painted  and  dressed  in 
war  costume.  The  whites  being  undiscovered,  concealed  them- 
selves. The  men  were  very  anxious  to  select  each  his  man  and 
fire  upon  them,  but  the  Colonel  refused.  There  were  not  more 
than  twenty  or  thirty  Indians  and  the  whites  could  undoubtedly 
have  done  good  execution.  The  Colonel  remained  in  his  con- 
cealed position  until  they  had  passed,  when  he  returned  to  the 
fort  and  reported  that  a  large  body  of  savages  were  approaching. 

Notwithstanding  the  utmost  vigilance,  a  man  was  tomahawked* 
on  the  23d  of  December,  1777,  near  the  mouth  of  Pine  Creek; 
and  about  the  ist  of  January,  1778,  another  was  killed  two  miles 
above  the  Great  Island.     Their  names  are  not  now  remembered. 

Petitions  having  been  sent  to  the  Council  praying  for  some  plan 

*  Tomahawk,  an  Indian  hatchet.  "  L'indien  jeta  de  cote  son  Homahawk"  (S.  C, 
1861,  p.  282).  See  also  Marmette  (F.  de  Bienville,  pp.  26,  174,  241),  De  Gaspe 
(Les  A.  C,  p.  132).  The  spelling  of  the  word  seems  to  indicate  that  it  has  been 
borrowed  from  English.  Lacombe  (p.  711)  takes  it  from  the  Cree  "  Otainahui, 
assommez-le,  ou,  otamahwaw,  il  est  assomme."  The  origin  is  better  sought  in  the 
old  Eastern  and  coast  Algonquin  dialects.  The  Micmac  form  was  tomehagan ; 
Abenaki,  temahigan;  Mohican,  tumnahecan;  Delaware,  tamahicun;  Pamptico, 
tommahick:  Powhaltan,  tomahack;  Virginia  (Strachey),  tainohake  and  tamahaac. 
It  is  probably  from  the  Virginia  region  that  the  word  crept  into  English,  whence  it 
passed  into  French  Canada. — Ameriian  Noles  ami  Queries,  Vol.  II.,  page  99. . 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  489 

to  be  devised  for  the  defense  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley,  in- 
structions were  forwarded  to  Colonel  Hunter  ordering  out  the 
fifth  class  of  the  militia  of  the  county.  On  the  14th  of  January, 
1778,  Colonel  Hunter  writes  to  President  Wharton  and  informs 
him  what  orders  he  had  given.  Colonel  Antes  also  came  down  to 
Fort  Augusta  to  consult  as  to  what  was  best  to  be  done,  as  parties 
of  Indians  were  constantly  prowling  around.  Three  companies 
of  Colonel  Long's  battalion  were  ordered  to  hold  themselves  in 
readiness  at  a  'moment's  warning,  subject  to  the  order  of  Colonel 
Antes. 

The  party  of  Indians  that  murdered  the  man  about  the  1st  of 
January,  above  the  Great  Island,  were  eleven  in  number.  They 
were  pursued  by  Antes'  command,  and  as  a  light  snow  had  fallen, 
were  tracked  easily.  The  whites  came  up  with  them  and  suc- 
ceeded in  killing  two.  The  rest  fled  and  could  not  be  overtaken, 
although  they  followed  them  for  a  long  distance. 

Arms  were  very  scarce.  Colonel  Hunter  informed  President 
Wharton  on  the  28th  of  March,  1778,  that  he  had  endeavored  to 
purchase  "some  good  guns"  but  could  get  none.  Two  rifles  and 
sixty  ordinary  muskets  were  all  the  public  arms  in  the  county  at 
that  time.  It  is  supposed,  however,  that  nearly  all  the  settlers  had 
private  arms  of  their  own.  All  the  guns  worth  repairing  were 
being  put  in  order,  and,  remarks  Colonel  Hunter,  "  I  have  prom- 
ised the  gunsmiths  their  pay  for  so  doing." 

It  appears  that  the  fifth  class  of  militia,  as  they  were  called, 
were  only  to  serve  two  months.  As  soon  as  their  term  expired 
the  sixth  class  were  ordered  to  relieve  them.  The  people  com- 
plained that  if  no  troops  were  stationed  above  Muncy  they  would 
be  obliged  to  abandon  their  settlements  and  go  down  the  river. 

On  the  5th  of  May  Colonel  Hunter  writes  that  he  could  get  no 
provisions  to  buy  for  them.  All  that  could  be  obtained  was  some 
beef  and  pork  that  had  been  purchased  by  Colonel  Hugh  White 
for  the  Continental  stores.     Of  flour  there  was  a  small  quantity. 

About  this  time  Colonel  John  Kelly's  battalion  was  ordered  to 
Penn's  Valley  to  perform  duty  for  two  months,  where  Jacob  Stan- 
ford, his  wife  and  daughter  were  inhumanly  killed  and  scalped, 
and  his  son,  a  lad  of  ten  years,  carried  into  captivity. 

A  party  of  Indians  having  penetrated  into  Buffalo  Valley  and 


490  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

secured  a  large  amount  of  plunder,  were  hotly  pursued  by  Lieu- 
tenant Moses  Van  Campen  with  a  party  of  men.  They  came  so 
close  upon  them  that  they  were  obliged  to  abandon  their  ill-gotten 
booty  at  a  large  spring  back  of  Jersey  Shore.  It  is  stated  that 
several  valuable  articles,  such  as  silver  tankards,  &c.,  were  re- 
covered at  this  place  by  the  pursuing  party. 

In  May  the  sixth  and  seventh  classes  of  Colonel  Long's  battalion 
were  ordered  to  be  consolidated  by  Colonel  Hunter  and  scout 
along  the  frontier  until  the  sixth  and  seventh  classes  of  Colonel 
Murray's  and  Hosterman's  battalions  should  arrive  at  the  Great 
Island,  to  cover  the  frontier  there. 

Colonel  Hunter  writes  to  Mr.  Wharton,  President  of  Council, 
under  date  of  May  14,  1778,  as  follows,  concerning  these  detach- 
ments : 

These  last  Classes  would  have  marched  before  this  time  only  for  want  of  Pro- 
visions, as  for  meat  there  is  very  little  to  be  had  in  this  County,  and  that  veiy  dear; 
Bacon  sells  at  4s  6d  '^  pound,  and  flower  at  three  pounds  ten  shillings  'JP  Hundred 
wt.  I  have  ordered  some  People  that  lives  nigh  the  Great  Island  to  preserve  Shad 
and  Barrel  them  up  for  the  use  of  the  Militia  that  will  be  stationed  there  this  summer. 

Colonel  William  Cooke  will  undertake  to  provide  Provisions  for  the  Militia  of  this 
County,  in  case  he  was  supplied  with  Cash  at  this  present  time,  as  he  would  go  to 
some  other  County  to  purchase  some  meat,  for  I  am  certain  it  will  be  Very  much 
wanted,  in  case  the  Savages  Commence  a  war  with  the  frontiers,  all  must  turn  out  to 
prevent  if  possible,  such  a  Crual  Enemy  from  makeing  inroads  into  our  part  of  the 
Country.  We  are  scarce  of  Guns,  not  more  than  one  half  of  the  Militia  is  provided 
with  Arms,  and  a  number  of  them  Very  Ordinary;  Our  Powder  is  Exceeding  Bad, 
and  not  fit  for  Rifles  in  any  shape.  And  as  for  Flints  we  can  get  none  to  Buy;  all 
this  I  think  proper  to  acquaint  the  Council  with,  &c. 

On  the  1 6th  of  May,  near  the  mouth  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek, 
three  men  who  were  at  work  putting  in  a  small  field  of  corn  were 
attacked  by  a  party  of  Indians,  killed  and  scalped.  Two  days 
following,  near  Pine  Creek,  a.  man,  woman  and  child  were  taken 
prisoners,  probably  by  the  same  party,  and  carried  off. 

On  the  20th  of  the  same  month  two  men  and  se\-en  women  and 
children  Avere  taken  from  one  house,  near  Lycoming  Creek.  They 
were  all  carried  away  as  prisoners. 

About  the  same  time  three  families,  consisting  of  sixteen  in 
number,  were  killed  and  carried  away  from  Loyalsock.  A  party 
that  went  up  from  Wallis'  only  found  two  dead  bodies,  from  which 
they  supposed  the  remainder  were  taken  prisoners.     Their  houses 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  4gl 

were  all  reduced  to  ashes.  It  is  very  much  regretted  that  the 
names  of  all  those  mentioned  above  who  were  killed  or  carried 
into  captivity  were  not  preserved. 

About  this  time  Andrew  Armstrong,  who  settled  at  the  "  big 
spring,"  below  where  Linden  now  stands,  was  visited  by  a  party 
of  Indians.  They  came  very  suddenly.  On  the  alarm  being 
given  Mrs.  Armstrong,  who  was  enciente,  slipped  under  the  bed. 
The  Indians  entered  the  house,  and  seizing  Armstrong,  his  little 
son  and  a  woman  named  Nancy  Bunday,  made  preparations  to 
carry  them  away.  Armstrong  told  his  wife  to  lay  still,  which  she 
did,  and  escaped.  They  were  in  a  great  hurry  on  account  of  a 
small  body  of  men  being  stationed  a  short  distance  below,  and  did 
not  take  time  to  fire  the  building.  They  turned  up  the  creek  with 
their  prisoners.  Mrs.  Armstrong  crawled  from  her  hiding  place, 
and  looking  out  of  the  window  beheld  her  husband  and  little  son  dis- 
appear in  the  forest  with  them.  Years  rolled  away  and  no  tidings 
were  had  from  Andrew  Armstrong.  No  doubt  they  had  cruelly 
murdered  him.  The  little  son  was  also  given  up  for  lost,  and  the 
mother  had  ceased  to  mourn  and  became  resigned  to  her  hard  lot. 

Many  years  after  peace  had  been  restored  and  the  settlers  had 
returned  to  their  homes,  an  aged  Indian  with  a  young  man  by  his 
side,  bearing  unmistakable  signs  of  having  white  blood  in  his 
veins,  knocked  at  the  cottage  door  of  the  widow  Armstrong  one 
pleasant  autumn  afternoon.  He  alleged  that  this  was  her  son  who 
had  been  carried  off  years  ago,  when  a  mere  child.  But  he  was 
grown  to  manhood  and  partook  so  much  of  the  character  and  dis- 
position of  an  Indian,  that  she  could  not  recognize  him  as  her  long 
lost  son.  The  scenes  of  that  sorrowful  day  were  brought  fresh 
to  her  mind,  and  her  heart  yearned  for  the  little  flaxen-haired  boy. 
Could  this  noble  youth,  of  athletic  form  and  piercing  eye,  be  he? 
Could  he  be  so  changed?  Thus  she  reasoned.  She  could  not 
feel  positive  that  he  was  her  son — neither  was  she  certain  that  he 
was  not.  If  she  was  to  own  him,  and  he  was  not  hers,  she  never 
could  extend  to  him  the  affections  of  a  mother;  and  if  she  turned 
him  away  and  he  was  her  son,  oh !  what  remorse  of  conscience 
would  she  feel.  A  terrible  conflict  was  going  on  in  her  mind. 
She  never  could  bring  herself,  however,  to  believe  that  he  was  in 
reality  her  boy.     Doubt  still  lingered  in  her  mind.     He  remained 


492  HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

about  the  settlement  for  some  time,  but  had  all  the  manners  and 
habits  of  an  Indian  and  never  seemed  to  readily  embrace  the 
usages  of  civilized  life.  He  finally  left  the  neighborhood,  on  find- 
ing that  she  would  not  recognize  him  as  her  son,  and  returned  to 
his  tawny  comrades  of  the  forest.     He  never  came  again. 

About  this  time  four  men,  Robert  Fleming,  Robert  Donaldson, 
James  McMichael  and  John  Hamilton,  started  down  the  river  from 
Horn's  to  Antes  Fort  in  canoes,  to  arrange  for  crafts  to  transport 
their  families  and  effects  down  the  river.  Having  engaged  a  flat, 
they  started  on  their  return,  and  had  passed  through  the  Pine 
Creek  ripples,  when  they  pushed  over  to  the  south  side  of  the 
river  to  rest  and  wait  for  their  comrades  who  were  following  with 
the  flat.  As  they  were  about  to  land  they  were  suddenly  fired  on 
by  a  small  party  of  Indians  concealed  on  the  shore.  Donaldson 
jumped  out  of  his  canoe,  fired,  and  cried  to  the  others;  "Come 
on,  boys."  Hamilton  saw  the  Indians  rise  from  behind  a  small 
bluff,  and  at  the  same  time  noticed  the  blood  spurting  from 
Donaldson's  back  as  he  was  trying  to  reload  his  gun.  Hamilton 
immediately  gave  his  canoe  a  shove  from  the  shore,  jumped  in, 
fell  flat  on  the  bottom,  and  then  by  a  sudden  whirl  of  his  body 
landed  in  the  water,  and  holding  his  canoe  with  one  hand  between 
himself  and  the  Indians,  he  paddled  across  the  river  with  the 
other  hand.  Several  bullets  flew  around  him  but  he  escaped  un- 
harmed. When  he  landed  his  woolen  clothes  were  so  heavy  from 
being  saturated  with  water  that  his  progress  was  greatly  impeded. 
He  therefore  stripped  himself  of  everything  but  his  shirt  and 
started  on  a  run  up  the  river.  His  route  was  by  a  path  which  led 
through  the  Gallauher  and  Cook  farms,  which  were  then  grown 
up  with  bushes.  He  ran  for  life,  and  at  the  flutter  of  a  bird  or 
other  noise  he  would  clear  the  brush  at  every  bound.  In  this 
way  he  ran  for  nearly  three  miles,  until  he  came  opposite  Horn's 
fort,  which  was  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  when  he  was  dis- 
covered and  taken  across. 

The  men  in  the  flat  ptished  over,  landed,  and  crossed  Pine 
Creek  a  short  distance  above  the  mouth,  and  hurried  up  the  river 
to  the  main  party  at  Horn's.  James  Jackson,  who  was  with  the 
party  on  the  flat,  found  a  horse  pasturing  on  the  Pine  Creek  clear- 
ing, which  he  caught,  mounted  and  rode  to  the  settlement  above. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  493 

After  the  excitement  of  this  tragic  affair  had  subsided  a  party 
started  down  the  river  and  secured  the  dead  bodies  of  Donaldson, 
McMichael  and  Fleming,  which  they  carried  to  Antes  Fort  and 
buried  them  in  the  little  cemetery  which  had  been  started  on  the 
hill,  near  the  fort,  and  which  is  used  for  burial  purposes  to  this 
day.  John  Hamilton,*  who  paddled  his  canoe  across  the  river 
and  then  made  the  great  race  for  his  life,  was  only  about  sixteen 
years  of  age.  His  escape  and  flight  were  regarded  as  little  less 
than  marvelous. 

The  same  day  this  bloody  affair  occurred  a  party  of  men  were 
driving  a  lot  of  cattle  down  the  river  from  above  the  Great  Island. 
Crossing  the  plains  near  where  Liberty  now  stands,  they  were 
fired  upon  by  a  party  of  Indians.  The  whites  immediately  re- 
turned the  fire,  when  an  Indian  was  observed  to  fall,  and  was 
carried  off  A  man  named  Samuel  Fleming  was  shot  through  the 
shoulder.  The  Indians  fled  very  precipitately  and  abandoned  a 
big  lot  of  plunder,  consisting  largely  of  blankets,  which  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  whites. 

As  early  as  1773  settlers  had  made  improvements  at  the  mouth 
of  Lycoming  Creek,  on  the  west  side,  and  also  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  near  where  DuBoistown  now  stands.  The  New 
Jersey  emigrants  came  in  1777,  when  it  is  probable  that  Amariah 
Sutton  t  built  a  cabin  on  the  east  side  of  the  creek.  The  next 
settlements  below  were  the  improvements  of  John  Thomson  and 
the  Benjamin  families,  near  Miller's  Run,  at  the  foot  of  the  hills. 
Then  came  the  settlement  at  Loyalsock,  by  Samuel  Harris,  where 
a  rude  block-house  is  said  to  have  existed  on  the  west  side  of  the 
creek.  Between  these  points  and  Antes  Fort  there  was  no  pro- 
tection for  the  settlers.  Some  brave  spirits,  among  whom  were 
William  King,  Robert  Covenhoven  and  James  Armstrong,  were 


*This  young  man  was  the  oldest  brother  of  Robert  Hamilton,  the  latter  of  whom 
became  the  father  of  John  Hamilton,  who  was  born  October  14,  1800,  and  resides  on 
his  farm  a  short  distance  above  the  mouth  of  Pine  Creek.  The  path  he  followed  in 
his  rapid  flight  led  through  what  is  now  the  farm  of  his  nephew.  Mr.  Hamilton, 
although  nearly  89,  is  an  unusually  active  and  vigorous  man,  and  has  always  been 
distinguished  for  his  intelligence. 

f  Sutton  was  an  Englishman  by  birth  and  came  here  with  the  New  Jersey  colonists 
in  1770.  He  was  born  January  14, 1730,  and  died  October  17,  1817,  and  was  buried 
in  the  old  Lycoming  grave-yard  on  his  farm.     He  had  four  wives  and  many  children. 


494  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

engaged  in  building  a  stockade  enclosure  at  Lycoming,  formed  of 
logs,  eight  or  ten  feet  in  length,  planted  in  the  ground  side  by  side, 
with  the  tops  leaning  outward,  so  as  not  to  be  easily  scaled.  It 
covered,  perhaps,  half  an  acre  and  was  located  near  what  is  now 
known  as  Fourth  and  Stevens  streets,  Williamsport.  The  evacu- 
ation of  the  valley  occurred  before  the  completion  of  this  structure, 
and  nothing  but  tradition  remains  to  tell  us  of  the  last  feeble  effort 
put  forth  to  save  the  first  citizens  of  Williamsport  from  destruction. 
William  King  had  served  as  lieutenant  in  the  war  with  the  Con- 
necticut settlers  on  the  North  Branch,  and  also  as  ensign  in  the 
company  of  his  cousin,  Captain  Cool,  in  March,  1776.  His  home 
at  that  time  was  in  Northumberland,  where  he  had  a  wife,  Rachel 
Tharp  King,  and  two  children,  Sarah  and  Ruth.  He  had  been 
up  the  river  before  the  war — indeed  it  is  claimed  that  he  settled 
on  the  site  of  Jaysburg  in  1774,  which  is  quite  likely,  but  he  had 
left  his  family  behind  with  instructions  for  them  to  remain  until  he 
came  after  them. 

The  rumors  of  a  descent  by  the  Tories  and  Indians  on  the  North 
Branch  had  aroused  a  fear  for  the  safety  of  Northumberland,  and 
some  of  the  settlers  thought  their  families  would  be  safer  in  the 
new  stockade  than  below;  so  they  went  down,  loaded  up  their 
goods  and  started  back  for  the  new  refuge.  They  requested  Mrs. 
King  to  accompany  them,  but  she  did  not  wish  to  disobey  her 
husband's  orders  and  refused.  Finally  they  overcame  her  scruples 
b}'  showing  her  that  he  would  have  to  travel  all  the  way  down  in 
a  canoe  for  her  and  the  children,  and  take  them  up  the  ri\'er  alone, 
which  would  expose  them  to  much  more  danger  than  would  befall 
a  party  traveling  together.  The  long,  tedious,  rough  ride  up 
the  river  passed  drearil}-  until  towards  the  evening  of  the  second 
or  third  day,  when  the  man  in  charge  of  the  team  said :  "  Here 
is  the  last  stream  we  will  cross  before  reaching  the  fort,  and  we 
will  stop  and  water."  The  horses  had  no  sooner  halted  than 
unerring  rifles  cracked  and  the  utmost  confusion  at  once  ensued. 
The  following  graphic  account  of  the  terrible  massacre  that  fol- 
lowed is  given  in  a  letter  by  Colonel  Hosterman  *  to  Colonel 
Winter,  from  Fort  Muncy,  under  date  of  June  10,  1778: 

On  this  day  Colonel  Hosterman,  Captain  Reynolds  and  thir- 

*See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  VI.,  page  5S9. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  495 

teen  men  set  out  for  Antes  mill  with  ammunition  for  that  place 
and  the  Big  Island.  The  same  day,  remarks  the  Colonel,  Peter 
Smith,  his  wife  and  six  children;  William  King'^  wife  and  two 
children;  Michael  Smith,  Michael  Campbell  and  David  Chambers, 
belonging  to  Captain  Reynolds'  company, — and  Snodgrass  and 
Hammond, — being  six  men,  two  women  and  eight  children,  were 
going  with  a  wagon  to  Lycoming.  When  they  reached  Loyal- 
sock,  John  Harris  (son  of  Samuel  Harris)  met  them  and  said  that 
he  had  heard  firing  up  the  creek  and  desired  them  to  return,  as  to 
go  forward  was  dangerous.  But  Peter  Smith  said  that  firing 
would  not  stop  them.  Harris  then  proceeded  to  Fort  Muncy,  and 
Smith  and  party  continued  up  the  river. 

Upon  Harris'  Information  a  party  of  fifteen  started  from  the  fort 
in  the  direction  of  where  the  firing  had  been  heard. 

When  Smith,  with  his  wagon  and  party,  had  got  within  half  a 
mile  of  Lycoming  Creek,  the  Indians  fired  on  them,  and  at  the 
first  fire  Snodgrass  fell  dead,  being  shot  through  the  temple.  The 
Indians  first  fired  two  guns,  when  they  gave  a  yell  and  ran  towards 
the  wagon.  The  men  with  the  wagon,  who  did  not  see  the  In- 
dians until  they  fired  and  approached  them,  immediately  took  to 
trees  and  returned  the  fire.  A  little  boy  and  a  girl  made  off  about 
this  time  and  escaped.  The  Indians  closed  in  on  the  party  and  tried 
to  surround  them.  Thi.s  caused  all  the  men  to  flee  as  fast  as 
possible  but  Campbell,  who  was  last  seen  fighting  at  close  quarters 
with  his  rifle,  and  an  Indian's  gun  was  afterwards  found  on  the 
spot  broken  to  pieces.  Befoi'e  they  were  out  of  sight  of  the 
wagon  they  saw  the  Indians  attacking  the  women  and  children 
with  their  tomahawks.  The  number  of  Indians  Chambers  thought 
to  be  about  twenty. 

This  bloody  affair  began  just  before  sundown.  The  boy  who 
escaped  pushed  on  to  Lycoming  Creek  and  informed  the  men 
there  what  had  happened.  They  started  immediately,  but  mistak- 
ing the  intelligence  the  boy  gave,  went  to  the  river  to  the  place 
where  they  lived,  thinking  it  was  the  canoe  that  was  attacked.  In 
the  meantime  Captain  Hepburn,  with  the  party  that  had  started 
from  Fort  Muncy,  came  up  and  found  the  dead  bodies  of  Snod- 
grass and  another  man,  but  it  being  dark  they  could  not  dis- 
tinguish who  they  were.     They  continued  on  to  Lycoming,  where 


496  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

they  met  the  other  party,  and  waited  until  the  next  day,  as  it  was 
too  late  to  do  anything  that  night. 

On  the  morning  of  June  nth  they  returned  and  found  the 
bodies  of  the  following  persons:  Peter  Smith's  wife,  shot  through 
and  stabbed,  scalped  and  a  knife  left  by  her  side;  William  King's 
wife,  tomahawked  and  scalped.  She  was  sitting  up,  and  leaned 
on  her  husband  when  he  came  to  her,  but  expired  almost  im- 
mediately. She  was  conscious  when  they  came,  but  could  not 
speak.  A  little  girl  was  killed  and  scalped — also  a  little  boy. 
Snodgrass  was  found  shot  through  the  head,  tomahawked  and 
scalped.  Campbell  was  shot  in  the  back,  tomahawked,  stabbed, 
scalped  and  a  knife  left  sticking  in  his  body.  They  had  taken  his 
rifle,  but  nothing  was  removed  from  the  wagon  but  a  few  trifling 
articles. 

This  bloody  affair  took  place*  at  the  point  where  West  Fourth 
Street,  Williamsport,  crosses  the  stream  which  flows  down  Ceme- 
tery Street.  It  was  a  natural  thicket  of  wild  plum  trees,  which 
yielded  fruit  of  remarkable  size  and  flavor  for  nearly  a  century 
after  the  massacre.  This  is  testified  to  by  those  born  and  raised 
near  the  place,  and  who  are  now  living  beyond  the  age  of  eighty 
years.  The  road  was  merely  a  widening  out  of  the  old  Indian 
trail,  and  was  cut  through  this  thicket;  the  boughs,  with  the  leaves 
dried  upon  them,  being  thrown  into  the  bushes,  formed  a  safe 
place  for  the  concealment  of  lurking  savages. 

When  the  searching  party  were  about  to  leave  the  spot,  the  boy 
insisted  that  Mrs.  King  must  be  somewhere  in  the  thicket,  as  he  had 
heard  her  scream  and  say  she  would  not  go  along  with  them, 
v.'hen  they  tried  to  drag  her  away,  and  that  he  saw  her  fighting 
vigorously  for  her  life  with  a  "piggin."t  They  made  another 
detour  through  the  bushes  and  found  her  about  9  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  near  the  stream  where  she  had  dragged  herself,  and 

•In  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  published  in  1856,  it  was  stated  that  the  mas- 
sacre tooli  place  on  or  near  the  site  of  Hall's  foundry  and  machine  shops.  Subse- 
quent research  and  careful  inquiry  by  J.  H.  McMinn  has  established  the  fact  that  it 
occurred  in  the  plum  tree  thicket,  as  given  above.  Mr.  McMinn  also  worked  out  the 
history  of  King,  and  the  rescue  of  his  daughters,  Sarah  and  Ruth,  which  forms  a  very 
pathetic  part  of  this  startling  narrative. 

f  Corrupted  from  pipkin,  a  small  vessel  made  of  staves,  with  one  longer  than  the 
rest,  which  served  for  a  handle.     In  olden  times  it  was  a  woman's  weapon. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  49/ 

rested  with  her  hand  under  her  head,  with  her  brains  oozing 
through  her  fingers ;  soon  after  which  she  died,  as  related  in  the 
official  narrative. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  for  one  at  this  day  to  realize  or  under- 
stand the  horrors  presented  by  this  scene.  In  the  midst  of  a  dense 
wilderness,  almost  alone,  and  bereft  of  his  entire  family  by  an 
enemy  more  cruel  than  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest,  stood  William 
King,  the  picture  of  despair.  Sorrowfully  indeed  did  he  prepare 
to  join  the  fleeing  settlers  to  seek  a  place  of  safety  beyond  the 
dangers  from  such  a  merciless  and  cruel  enemy.  He  returned  to 
Northumberland,  and  as  if  to  more  quickly  drown  his  deep  sor- 
row, he  married  Martha  Reeder  on  the  25th  of  May,  1779. 

About  two  years  after  the  massacre  William  King,  Simon  Cool, 
his  cousin,  and  James  Sweeny,*  pushed  up  the  river  in  a  canoe  to 
hunt  for  their  winter's  meat.  They  went  to  an  old  cabin  that 
stood  by  a  spring  near  the  mouth  of  Dry  Run,  (Fessler's  Mill). 
A  light  snow  had  fallen  and  they  discovered  Indian  tracks,  but 
boded  no  danger,  and  started  on  a  detour  up  Dougherty's  Run 
and  down  Bottle  Run  toward  Lycoming  Creek,  one  man  taking- 
each  side  of  the  ravine,  while  the  third  walked  down  the  bottom. 
After  going  some  distan'ce  King  heard  Sweeny  call  Simon  Cool 
three  times,  and  soon  after  he  heard  the  report  of  a  gun.  He 
proceeded  warily,  but  lost  track  of  his  companions  and  went  back 
to  the  cabin,  where  he  remained  all  night.  As  they  did  not  return 
he  became  alarmed,  and  taking  his  canoe  returned  home  alone. 
The  recital  of  his  story  was  received  with  discredit,  and  it  was  in- 
sinuated that  some  foul  play  was  involved  in  this  affair.  It  was 
intimated  that  he  had  shot  one  of  them  accidentally  and  killed  the 
other  to  cover  up  his  guilt;  and  so  uncharitably  was  the  gossip 
spread  that  he  felt  very  miserable  indeed  on  account  of  the  sus- 
picion that  rested  upon  him.  This  unpleasant  state  of  affairs  con- 
tinued for  about  seven  years,  during  which  time  he  had  settled  on 
Vincent's  Island,  Milton.     One  day  when  he  was  standing  in  a 


*  Lieutenant  Sweeny  had  charge  of  the  rear  guard  of  thirty  men  under  Colonel 
Hartley  in  his  famous  expedition  against  Tioga  Point,  and  was  noticed  in  his  report 
as  "a  valuable  officer."  We  find  that  he  bought  of  Jacob  Latcha  lot  No.  63  on 
Market  Street,  Jaysburg,  January  12,  1796.  He  afterwards  moved  west,  where  he 
died.     He  was  first  called  McSwiney,  then  McSweeny,  and  finally  plain  Sweeny. 


498  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

tavern  at  Northumberland,  Sweeny  suddenly  appeared  before  him. 
He  clasped  him  in  his  arms  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy,  for  now  the  great 
cloud  of  suspicion  which  rested  upon  him  could  be  cleared  away. 
But  still  further  joy  awaited  him,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  story  of 
Sweeny's  wanderings  after  their  separation. 

He  stated  that  on  Bottle  Run,  after  they  had  parted,  three  In- 
dians came  up  behind  Simon  Cool,  whom  he  saw  from  the  hill- 
side, and  called  in  warning  tones  to  him,  whereupon  Cool  ran  for 
his  life,  as  well  as  Sweeny.  But  in  crossing  the  stream,  which  was 
high,  while  Sweeny  sprang  clear  across,  Cool,  being  a  heavy  man, 
fell  short  and  dropped  into  the  water.  After  gaining  the  bank  he 
found  that  he  could  not  run  with  his  wet  clothing,  and  they  all 
took  to  trees  for  a  desperate  fight.  Cool  had  a  dog  with  him  noted 
for  hunting  Indians,  which  he  now  scented,  and  worried  Cool, 
from  whom  he  tried  hard  to  escape;  finally  he  bit  him  upon  the 
hand,  which  caused  him  to  lean  forward,  when  one  of  the  Indians 
shot  him  through  the  breast.  He  raised  up  and  said:  "Sweeny, 
give  up;  I  am  a  dead  man,"  and  sank  down  in  death.  Sweeny 
turned  his  gun  "up  end  down"  and  bared  his  breast  for  them  to 
fire,  but  they  came  up  and  seizing  one  article  after  another  of  his 
equipments,  said  in  broken  English,  "my  gun,  my  coat,  &c.,"  until 
they  had  him  almost  stripped  naked.  They  picked  up  Cool's  rifle 
and  threw  down  an  old  musket  in  its  place,  stripped  his  body  and 
let  it  lie  on  the  ground  with  the  old  gun.  A  few  years  ago  the 
rusty  irons  of  an  old  musket  were  plowed  up  by  a  farmer. 

Sweeny  was  then  hurried  along  by  his  captors,  who  started  up 
Lycoming  Creek.  And  as  day  by  day  his  buckskin  breeches 
would  get  wet,  and  then  hard  when  they  became  dry,  he  would 
cut  them  off  piece  by  piece,  until  his  bare  feet  and  legs  were  so 
exposed  that  they  would  stop  occasionally  to  rub  them  to  warm 
him  up,  when  they  would  start  again.  The  march  continued  in 
this  way  until  they  finally  reached  Canada,  when  he  was  selected 
to  run  the  gauntlet.  Being  a  very  active  man  he  passed  between 
the  two  lines  of  savages  armed  with  clubs  or  other  weapons  com- 
paratively unharmed,  when,  as  was  the  custom,  an  old  squaw- 
caught  him  around  the  neck  and  exclaimed:  "  My  son !  my  son !" 
and  adopted  him  in  the  place  of  a  real  son  she  had  lost  in  the 
wars. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  499 

During  his  captivity  he  made  repeated  efforts  to  escape,  but  his 
new  mother  kept  such  a  close  watch  over  him  that  he  found  it 
impossible  to  get  away.  Then  he  persuaded  some  of  the  French 
to  try  and  buy  his  freedom;  she  would  partly  agree,  take  the 
money  and  look  at  it,  at  the  same  time  soliloquizing:  "My  son 
no  home;  my  son  no  cow;  my  son  no  dog;  me  no  sell  my  son," 
when  she  would  throw  the  money  at  them  and  go  away  laughing. 

After  the  lapse  of  two  years  they  got  her  drunk  and  then 
bought  him  for  ^30.  When  she  became  sober  and  realized  what 
she  had  done  she  cried  bitterly,  and  endeavored  to  recover  him, 
but  he  went  away  and  worked  at  the  carpenter  trade  to  raise 
money  to  redeem  his  ransom.  After  this  he  made  his  way  down 
the  St.  Lawrence  to  Quebec,  where  he  shipped  for  New  York,  and 
then  walked  to  his  home  at  Northumberland. 

During  his  imprisonment  he  would  accompany  the  old  Indian 
squaw  to  the  towns  to  sell  trinkets  and  pelts,  and  while  there  he 
heard  of  a  young  girl  who  was  a  prisoner,  and  whom  he  dis- 
covered to  be  Sarah  King,  and  that  she  knew  the  whereabouts  of 
her  sister,  about  200  miles  down  the  river.  When  King  learned 
that  his  little  daughters  were  still  alive  he  was  overjoyed,  and 
determined  on  making  an  effort  to  recover  them.  Peace  had  been 
declared  and  he  could  travel  with  safety,  so  he  started  on  foot 
with  a  knapsack  on  his  terrible  journey  to  hunt  up  his  long  lost 
children.  An  Indian  named  "  Jake  "  Orby  lived  near  Milton  Island 
and  knew  all  the  paths.  King  persuaded  him  to  accompany  him 
as  a  guide  to  Niagara.  His  course  was  by  the  old  Indian  path  up 
Lycoming  Creek  and  across  the  state  of  New  York.  On  the 
march  they  fell  in  with  another  Indian  who  kept  them  company 
for  a  day  and  a  night.  The  animated  conversation  between  the 
two  Indians  so  worried  King  that  he  could  not  sleep  that  night, 
and  at  one  time  he  almost  determined  to  kill  them  and  go  on 
alone.  About  noon  the  next  day  the  stranger  left  them  and  went 
to  a  village.  After  the  parting  his  guide  said  to  him :  "  Bill,  that 
Injin  kill  your  wife!"  King  replied:  "Why  didn't  you  tell  me 
that  before?"  His  guide  replied:  "You  kill  em,"  which  was 
true. 

They  journeyed  on  to  the  Niagara  River,  which  King  crossed 
alone  to  the  fort,  where  he  sought  his  lone;  lost  children.     Sarah 


500  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

King  and  other  prisoners  were  held  there  waiting  to  be  claimed. 
When  her  father  came  to  the  gate,  accompanied  by  two  soldiers, 
she  saw  and  recognized  him,  and  told  the  others  he  was  her  father, 
but  they  laughed  at  her.  And  when  he  was  told  to  pick  his 
daughter  out  he  could  not  do  it.  Her  name  was  then  called,  when 
she  stepped  forward  to  him. 

Sarah  during  her  captivity  had  managed  to  keep  track  of  her 
little  sister,  and  she  gave  her  father  all  the  information  she  could 
respecting  her  whereabouts.  He  then  left  her  at  the  fort  and 
paddled  down  the  great  river  in  a  canoe,  promising  to  return  for 
her.  In  course  of  time  he  arrived  at  the  new  home  of  little  Ruth. 
On  making  his  business  known  at  the  dwelling  of  the  people  with 
whom  she  lived,  the  woman  denied  all  knowledge  of  a  captive 
child,  but  the  neighbors  re-assured  him,  and  when  he  returned 
with  asserted  knowledge  and  authority  of  law,  she  was  frightened 
into  admitting  that  she  had  a  captive  child,  but  denied  that  it  was 
his ;  and  as  she  had  bought  it  she  would  not  give  it  up.  Even  in 
the  presence  of  an  officer  of  the  law  she  refused  to  relinquish 
possession  of  the  child  until  he  could  prove  beyond  all  question 
that  it  was  his  own  daughter.  It  was  finally  agreed  if  he  could 
identify  her  by  some  natural  mark  he  could  take  her  away.  The 
anxious  father  was  only  too  glad  for  an  opportunity  to  refer  to  a 
strange  natural  phenomenon  in  the  form  of  pierces  in  the  lobe  of 
each  ear.  The  woman  confidently  produced  little  "  Rosanna," 
when  her  ears  were  found  to  have  the  tiny  holes  which  a  mother's 
hand  had  never  made.  The  woman  raised  her  hands  in  anguish 
and  exclaimed :  "  My  God !  how  often  have  I  washed  and  dressed 
that  child  and  never  saw  those  marks  before !" 

The  child  was  then  taken  away  and  they  returned  to  Fort 
Niagara,  where  Sarah  and  another  Pennsylvania  girl,  (about  four- 
teen years  of  age),  who  had  been  taken  prisoner,  and  who  wanted 
to  get  home  again,  joined  them  on  their  long  and  toilsome  journey 
back  to  the  Susquehanna. 

Before  they  had  gone  very  far  the  little  store  of  provisions  gave 
out,  and  they  became  so  nearly  famished  that  one  day  when  they 
found  a  skunk  that  had  been  killed  by  the  Indians,  they  dressed 
and  ate  it,  which  supported  them  until  they  came  to  an  Indian 
village,  where  they  obtained  enough  jerked  venison  to  last  them 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  5OI 

until  they  reached  the  North  Branch,  where  they  procured  a 
canoe  and  paddled  down  the  river  to  Northumberland,  and  then 
up  the  West  Branch  to  Milton  Island. 

The  children  were,  respectively,  two  and  four  years  of  age  when 
the  massacre  occurred  on  that  dreadful  evening  of  the  loth  of 
June,  1778.  When  torn  from  their  mother,  who  was  stricken 
down  by  the  tomahawk,  they  were  quickly  wrapped  together, 
placed  on  the  back  of  a  horse  and  hurried  away  through  the 
woods  over  what  is  now  Cemetery  Street,  until  they  reached  the 
Sheshequin  path  leading  through  Blooming  Grove  until  it  joined 
the  main  trail  up  Lycoming  Creek.  At  one  time  little  Ruth  began 
to  cry,  when  a  young  Indian  seized  her  by  the  legs  to  dash  her 
brains  out  against  a  tree,  but  an  old  squaw  claimed  her  for  her 
child,  and  thus  by  one  of  their  customs  her  life  was  saved. 

On  reaching  Canada  she  sold  her  to  the  wife  of  an  English 
officer  under  whom  Mr.  King  had  served  when  he  came  to 
America,  and  before  the  soldiers  fraternized  with  the  Colonists, 
and  were  sent  home.  At  that  time  Mr.  King's  term  of  enlistment 
had  not  expired,  and  as  he  wanted  to  remain,  he  exercised  his 
privilege  of  sending  a  substitute  home.  This  officer  had  treated 
him  badly  on  account  of  it,  and  when  he  found  that  his  child  was 
in  his  custody  his  Scotch  blood  boiled  and  he  became  desperate. 
But  his  wife  was  a  well-bred  and  reasonable  woman,  and  the  affair 
was  finally  settled  amicably. 

In  after  years  Ruth,  then  grown  to  womanhood,  went  back  to 
her  mother's  people  in  New  Jersey,  where  she  married  a  retired 
mariner  and  they  moved  to  Genessee,  N.  Y.,  where  they  settled, 
became  well  to  do,  and  died  there. 

Sarah  accompanied  her  father  when  he  returned  to  Jaysburg  in 
1789,  and  resided  with  him  until  he  died  in  1802;  she  then  went 
with  her  half-brother,  Joseph  King,  when  he  lived  on  the  Sutton 
farm  in  1 832.  At  this  time  she  would  frequently  take  her  nephew, 
Charles  King,  and  others,  down  to  the  Methodist  church  that  then 
stood  at  Fourth  and  Cemetery  streets,  where  they  would  gather 
the  wild  plums  that  grew  so  abundantly,  and  she  would  point  out 
the  spot  and  relate  the  bloody  incidents  of  that  dreadful  day. 

She  afterwards  removed  to  the  home  of  John  Kelly  King,  in 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAXCH    VALLEY. 

County,  where  she  died  September  19,  1850,  at  the  age  of 
76  years. 

She  often  spoke  of  one  of  the  prisoners  as  being  a  very  stout 
woman,  who  could  not  stand  the  hardships  of  the  march,  and 
when  she  gave  out  the  Indians,  to  terrify  the  others  and  warn  them 
of  the  fate  that  awaited  them  in  case  they  attempted  to  escape, 
formed  a  ring  of  the  other  prisoners  \hey  had  taken,  and  placing 
her  in  the  centre  massacred  her  in  the  most  barbarous  manner. 

William  King  was  a  silk  weaver  by  trade  in  Edinboro,  Scot- 
land, where  he  was  born  December  29,  1745.  His  father  died 
possessed  of  a  considerable  estate  in  the  shape  of  a  valuable  mill 
property,  but  Robert,  the  eldest  son,  inherited  all.  When  William 
found  that  he  would  get  nothing  he  went  to  England  and  enlisted 
in  the  British  army,  then  recruiting  for  America.  His  regiment 
was  sent  to  New  Jersey  to  guard  the  Colonists.  .  On  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Revolution  it  was  feared  that  the  soldiers  would 
fraternize  with  the  people,  on  account  of  having  been  with  them 
for  nine  years,  and  they  were  recalled  and  new  recruits  sent  out 
to  take  their  places.  When  Mr.  King  bought  a  substitute  to 
serve  for  his  une.xpired  term,  so  that  he  could  remain,  it  took  all 
his  savings.  He  then  went  to  work  on  a  farm  and  afterwards 
married  his  employer's  daughter,  Elizabeth  Tharp,  and  moved  out 
to  Northumberland  County. 

He  served  in  various  capacities  in  the  defense  of  the  frontier, 
and  on  May  21,  1777,  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant  of  a 
company  of  foot  in  the  Fourth  Battalion  of  militia  of  Northum- 
berland County.  Before  the  war  he  went  up  the  river  to  where 
Jaysburg  now  stands  and  built  a  cabin,  intending  to  settle  there, 
but  the  Fair  Play  men  drove  him  away,  when  he  returned  to 
Vincent  Island  (Milton  Island).  He  returned  to  Lycoming  Creek 
with  his  family,  as  before  stated.  In  March,  1787,  they  landed  at 
the  mouth  of  Dr>'  Run,  and  took  temporary  possession  of  an  old 
and  unoccupied  cabin  at  the  spot  where  he  had  landed  seven  )'ears 
before.  The  air  was  balmy  and  clear,  but  the  next  morning  they 
found  the  snow  two  feet  deep.  The  neighbors  had  been  apprised 
of  their  coming  and  hurried  to  them  with  hay  for  their  stock  and 
provisions  for  the  family. 

Soon  afterward  he  removed  to  the  site  of  his  original  cabin. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  503 

where  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  life.  After  he  became  para- 
lyzed from  falling  into  the  icy  waters  of  Mosquito  Run,  when 
returning  from  the  Northumberland  post-office  by  way  of  the 
Culbertson  path,  he  would  sit  in  his  chair  and  sing  old  Scotch 
songs  while  he  knit  seines  for  the  settlers  far  up  and  down  the 
river,  until  the  summons  came  to  follow  those  already  gone  to  join 
the  innumerable  caravan,  and  he  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  old  Lycom- 
ing grave-yard,  in  Newberry.     He  died  October  2,  1802.* 

In  September,  nearly  three  months  after  the  bloody  massacre 
just  described,  William  Winters f  came  up  from  Berks  County 
with  several  men  to  cut  hay  in  a  meadow  near  the  mouth  of 
Lycoming  Creek,  for  the  purpose  of  feeding  the  cattle  he  proposed 
to  bring  up  late  in  the  fall.  A  short  distance  north  of  the  canal 
aqueduct  over  Lycoming  Creek  of  to-day  can  be  seen  the  old 
channel  of  the  stream,  now  a  mere  back  water  swale.  Upon  the 
high  bank  we  find  the  somewhat  noted  Dix  Street  and  a  cluster  of 
frame  houses.  This  spot  marks  the  site  of  "  Locust  Bottom,"  of 
the  days  of  Amariah  Sutton,  and  the  native  village  of  aboriginal 
times.  Upon  the  advent  of  the  whites  the  flats  north  of  the 
village  were  covered  with  luxuriant  grass,  and  it  was  here  that  the 
party  came  to  cut  the  grass  for  their  cattle.     The  settlers  had 


*  His  family  consisted  of  the  following  members :  Sarah,  daughter  of  Elizabeth 
Tharp,  his  first  wife,  who  was  slain  in  the  massacre,  born  August  22,  1774,  died 
September  19,  1850;  Ruth,  born  May  23,  1776,  date  of  death  unknown.  Martha 
Reeder,  his  second  wife,  was  born  February  24,  1763,  died  May  16,  1817.  Her 
children  were:  Mary,  born  February  6,  1781,  died  June  13,  1782;  William,  Jr., 
born  August  29,  17S3;  Joseph,  born  September  3,  1786,  on  Milton  Island,  died  July 
16,  1870,  in  Mosquito  Valley;  Martha,  born  January  13,  1792;  George  Washington, 
born  July  14,  1794;  John,  bom  June  15,  1797.  Their  descendants  reside  in  and 
about  Williamsport. 

f  Winters  was  a  brother-in  law  of  Amariah  Sutton,  who  took  up  the  last  manor 
survey,  comprising  599  acres,  on  the  east  side  of  Lycoming  Creek.  Sutton  being 
unable  to  hold  the  entire  tract.  Winters  obtained  the  eastern  half,  which  was  after- 
wards known  as  the  "  Grier  farm."  His  cabin  stood  on  or  near  the  present  site  of 
the  residence  of  S.  T.  Foresman.  The  manor  was  surveyed  as  Ormes  Kirke. 
Winters  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  He  died  June  29,  1794,  aged  66  years,  three 
months  and  two  days.  One  of  the  early  terms  of  court  was  held  at  his  place.  Tra- 
dition says  that  some  of  the  officers  of  the  court  got  drunk,  and  Judge  Hepburn 
slapped  an  impertinent  witness.  Winters  had  two  wives  and  nineteen  children,  the 
same  number  that  his  neighbor,  Judge  Hepburn,  had.  Winters  was  buried  in  the  old 
cemetery  near  his  residence. 


504  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

previously  removed  their  families  to  Northumberland  and  other 
points  below,  on  account  of  the  Indian  encroachments.  While 
William  Winters,  who  led  the  part}',  was  preparing  dinner  at  the 
cabin  he  had  previousl}'  built  near  the  corner  of  the  present  Third 
and  Rose  streets,  Williamsport,  William  King  and  others  stood 
their  guns  against  a  tree  and  started  in  to  cut  the  grass.  They 
had  got  but  two  and  a  half  swaths  cut  when  the  Indians,  who  had 
stealthily  crept  around  between  them  and  their  arms,  opened  fire 
upon  the  party,  killing  three  or  four  at  the  first  round.  King 
quickly  ran  to  the  river  and  swam  to  the  opposite  shore,  dodging 
under  the  water  whenever  the  Indians  fired.  One  man  dropped 
in  the  grass  and  laid  concealed  until  dark,  when  he  made  his  waj- 
to  the  river,  raised  one  of  the  sunken  canoes  and  quietly  paddled 
to  Northumberland,  where  he  reported  that  all  had  been  killed 
but  himself  While  he  was  relating  his  sorrowful  tale,  and  the 
families  of  the  unfortunates  were  bewailing  their  loss.  King  sud- 
denly stepped  among  them  in  an  almost  nude  condition,  having 
torn  his  clothing  from  his  body  in  his  rapid  flight  over  the  moun- 
tains and  through  the  bushes. 

Winters,  and  those  who  were  with  him,  on  hearing  the  firing 
concealed  themselves  until  the  Indians  had  departed,  when  they 
went  to  where  their  comrades  had  been  killed,  gathered  their 
bodies  together  and  covered  them  with  the  freshly  mown  hay,  and 
then  hurried  down  the  river. 

In  the  following  spring  they  returned  to  bury  them,  and  they 
were  surprised  to  find  that  the  hay  had  preserved  their  bodies  from 
decomposition.  They  were  then  removed  to  the  barren,  sandy 
ridge,  where  the  public  road  emerged  from  the  great  plum  thicket 
along  the  little  stream  that  now  crosses  Fourth  Street,  Williams- 
port,  at  Cemetery  Street  intersection,  where  they  were  laid  near 
the  slain  of  the  dreadful  massacre  that  had  occurred  at  that  point 
but  a  few  months  previously. 

Thus  was  this  spot  again  hallowed  as  the  place  of  human 
sepulture,  which  in  after  years  prompted  Amariah  Sutton,  the 
owner  of  the  land,  to  set  it  aside  in  the  name  of  the  "  Methodist 
Church  Society"  as  a  public  burying-ground. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  an  Indian  burying-ground  had  existed 
near  this  point  from  time  immemorial,  and  in  the  course  of  time, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  505 

when  public  improvements  were  made,  the  graves  were  opened 
and  skeletons  disclosed  in  a  crumbling  condition.  The  remains 
of  the  departed  red  men  had  been  placed  in  a  sitting  posture  with 
the  knees  pressed  close  against  the  breast.  A  small  fragment  of 
some  domestic  utensil  was  found  in  one  of  the  graves. 

Thus  was  the  old  Lycoming  grave-yard  founded,  where,  for 
nearly  three-quarters  of  a  century  afterwards,  many  of  the  old 
deceased  settlers  were  laid  from  time  to  time,  and  it  is  still  filled 
with  graves.  Recently  a  new  Methodist  church  was  built  in  the 
corner  of  the  old  grave-yard  next  the  street,  and  in  digging  the 
foundation  many  of  the  graves  of  the  early  dead  were  disturbed, 
when  the  remains  were  carefully  collected  and  removed  to  Wild- 
wood. 

Andrew  Fleming  settled  on  Pine  Creek,  in  the  vicinity  of  where 
Matthew  McKinney's  house  stands.  On  Christmas  day,  1778,  he 
took  down  his  rifle  and  observed  to  his  wife  that  he  would  go  and 
kill  a  deer.  He  started  up  the  ravine,  and  had  not  been  gone 
long  before  the  report  of  a  gun  was  heard.  The  day  wore  away 
and  he  did  not  return.  His  wife  became  alarmed  at  his  protracted 
absence  and  feared  that  evil  might  have  befallen  him.  Proceeding 
up  the  ravine  to  look  for  him  she  suddenly  perceived  three  savages 
skulking  in  the  bushes,  and  her  worst  suspicions  were  at  once 
aroused.  Returning  hastily  she  gave  the  alarm,  and  a  number  of 
neighbors  collected  and  proceeded  to  search  for  her  husband. 
They  had  gone  but  a  short  distance  when  they  came  to  his  dead 
body.  Three  balls  had  passed  through  him,  one  having  entered  his 
eye.     The  scalp  was  removed. 

Among  the  New  Jersey  settlers  near  the  mouth  of  Loyalsock 
Creek  was  Albert  Covenhoven.  He  had  three  sons,  James, 
Thomas,  Robert,  and  a  daughter,  Isabella.  Robert  became  dis- 
tinguished as  a  guide,  spy  and  Indian  killer,  and  his  biography 
will  be  given  in  its  proper  place.  Shortly  after  coming  to  the 
valley  Albert  Covenhoven  lost  all  his  effects  by  a  sudden  freshet 
in  the  creek,  and  the  family  were  reduced  to  great  distress.  On 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution  Robert  joined  the  Continental 
army,  but  late  in  1777  he  returned  home  on  account  of  the  ex- 
piration of  his  enlistment  and  at  once  took  an  active  part  in  aiding 
to  protect  the  frontier. 


506  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

The  danger  soon  became  so  great  that  a  panic  seized  the  in- 
habitants and  nearly  all  of  them  about  Muncy  fled  to  Brady's 
Fort.  Those  above,  and  up  to  Lycoming  Creek,  took  refuge  at 
Wallis'.  All  above  Lycoming  and  Pine  creeks  were  at  Antes'  and 
Horn's  forts.  The  inhabitants  of  Penn's  Valley  gathered  to  Pot- 
ter's Fort.  Those  below  the  Muncy  Hills,  to  Chillisquaque,  were 
assembled  at  Freeland's  and  Boone's  forts  and  Sunbur>^  Those 
in  White  Deer  and  Buffalo  valleys  fled  to  the  river  and  forted  them- 
selves at  various  points.  This  took -place  in  the  summer  of  1778.* 
Colonel  Hunter,  in  a  letter  to  John  Hambright,  says  that  it  was 
very  distressing  to  see  the  poor  settlers  flying  and  leaving  their 
homes.  The  immigrants  from  New  Jersey,  who  had  come  up 
that  spring  and  winter,  set  off  again  as  rapidly  as  they  could 
travel  to  their  old  homes. 

Colonel  Hepburn,  afterwards  Judge  Hepburn,  was  stationed  for 
awhile  at  Muncy  Fort  and  commanded  it.  Colonel  Hosterman, 
Captain  Reynolds,  Captain  Berry  and  others,  were  sent  up  soon 
aflier  to  assist  in  protecting  the  frontier. 

On  the  intelligence  of  the  barbarities  alread}^  described  reaching 
Colonel  Hunter,  at  Fort  Augusta,  he  became  greatly  alarmed  for 
the  safety  of  those  who  remained  above  Fort  Muncy,  and  sent 
word  to  Colonel  Hepburn  to  order  them  to  abandon  the  country 
and  retire  below.  He  did  this,  he  claimed,  because  there  was  not 
a  sufficiency  of  troops  to  guard  the  whole  frontier,  and  Congress 
had  taken  no  action  to  furnish  him  with  men  and  supplies. 
Colonel  Hepburn  had  some  trouble  to  get  a  messenger  to  carry 
the  order  up  to  Colonel  Antes,  so  panic-stricken  were  the  people 
on  account  of  the  ravages  of  the  Indians.  At  length  Robert 
Covenhoven  and  a  young  millwright  in  the  employ  of  Andrew 
Culbertson  volunteered  their  services  and  started  on  the  dan- 
gerous mission.  They  crossed  the  river,  ascended  Bald  Eagle 
Mountain,  and  kept  along  the  summit  till  they  came  to  the  gap 
opposite  Antes  Fort.  They  then  cautiously  descended  at  the 
head  of  Nippenose  Bottom  and  proceeded  to  the  fort.  It  was  in 
the  evening,  and  as  they  neared  the  fort  the  report  of  a  rifle  rang 
upon  their  ears.     A  girl  had  gone  outside  to  milk  a  cow,  and  an 


*See  page  570  of  Pennsylvania  Archives  for  1777- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  507 

Indian  lying  in  ambush  fired  upon  her.  The  ball,  fortunately, 
passed  through  her  clothes  and  she  escaped  unharmed.  The 
orders  were  passed  on  up  to  Horn's  Fort,  and  preparations  made 
for  the  flight.  Great  excitement  prevailed  among  the  people. 
Canoes  were  collected,  rafts  hastily  constructed,  and  every  avail- 
able craft  that  would  float  was  pressed  into  service,  and  their 
wives,  children  and  goods  *  placed  on  board  to  be  floated  down 
the  river  to  a  place  of  safety.  The  men,  armed  with  their  trusty 
rifles,  marched  on  the  shores  of  the  river  to  guard  the  fleet.  It 
was  indeed  a  SLidden  as  well  as  an  exciting  flight.  The  inhabitants 
were  fleeing  from  their  primitive  homes  to  escape  the  merciless 
foe,  and  leaving  their  cattle  and  ripening  crops  behind.  Nothing 
worthy  of  note  occurred  during  the  passage  to  Northumberland 
and  Sunbury,  as  the  Indians  feared  to  attack  the  armed  force  that 
marched  on  the  shore.  It  is  related  that  whenever  one  of  the 
canoes  or  flats  grounded  the  women  would  jump  out  and  aid  in 
pushing  them  into  deep  water  again.  All  the  settlements  from 
Reed's  Fort  to  Northumberland  were  abandoned,  and  the  savages 
had  full  possession  of  the  country  once  more. 

As  soon  as  possible  small  bands  of  armed  men  cautiously 
ventured  up  the  river  to  secure  cattle,  horses  and  other  effects  that 
had  been  left  behind.  They  found  small  bands  of  Indians  engaged 
in  the  work  of  pillage  and  destruction,  and  at  night  the  sky  was 
reddened  by  the  lurid  glare  caused  by  burning  cabins,!  barns  and 
outhouses. 


*In  many  instances  household  utensils  and  articles  of  value  that  could  not  be 
removed,  on  account  of  the  scanty  means  of  transportation,  were  hurriedly  buried  by 
the  owners.  When  they  returned  a  few  years  afterwards  they  were  generally  found 
in  fair  condition. 

f  The  cabins  of  the  settlers  were  rude  but  substantial  buildings.  They  were  gen- 
erally constructed  of  hewn  logs,  and  were  on  an  average  24x20  feet.  Sometimes  a 
wall  of  stone,  a  foot  or  more  in  height,  was  raised  as  a  foundation;  but  in  the 
majority  of  cases  four  large  stones  served  as  corners,  on  which  the  building  was 
raised.  The  house  was  covered  with  clapboards.  Such  a  roof  required  no  rafters  or 
nails.  It  was  called  a  "poor  man's  make-shift,'"  and  its  use  was  justified  by  the 
poverty  of  the  times.  The  ground  logs  were  cut  "  saddle-shaped  "  at  the  ends ;  then 
the  cross  logs  were  notched  to  fit  the  saddle.  When  the  building  was  raised  as  many 
rounds  as  it  was  intended,  the  ribs  were  raised,  on  which  a  course  of  clapboards 
(made  by  splitting  them  like  staves)  was  laid,  their  butts  resting  on  a  butting  pole. 
A  press  pole  was  laid  on  the  clapboards  over  the  ribs  to  hold  them  in  place,  and  the 


508  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

The  first  party  that  reached  Robert  King's  improvement  at 
Level  Corner  found  the  remains  of  his  house  and  barn  yet  smok- 
ing. Passing  on  to  Antes  Fort  they  found  the  mill,  which  had 
contained  a  quantity  of  wheat,  and  the  adjacent  buildings,  reduced 
to  ashes.  As  the  smouldering  embers  were  not  yet  extinct,  the 
odor  of  burning  grain  tainted  the  atmosphere.  The  fort  stood 
grim  and  alone,  the  enemy  having  failed  to  destroy  it.  The  party 
hastily  collected  what  stock  they  could  and  drove  them  down  the 
river  to  a  place  of  safety.  The  upper  part  of  the  valley  presented 
a  sad  and  sickening  scene  of  desolation — burned  houses  and  barns, 
amid  ripening  fields  of  golden  grain,  presented  a  contrast  calculated 
to  sicken  the  heart. 

Thus  was  this  grand  and  beautiful  valley  evacuated  in  the  closing 
days  of  June,  1778,  and  the  whoop  of  the  Indians  again  awoke 
the  echoes  of  the  forest.  This  flight  was  called  by  the  people  of 
that  period  the  Big  Runazvay,  on  account  of  its  precipitancy  and 
the  excitement  and  fear  that  pervaded  every  heart. 

Soon  after  the  runaway  the  attention  of  the  Indians  was  at- 
tracted to  the  memorable  descent  upon  Wyoming,  which  took 
place  the  3d  of  July,  1778,  and  they  hastened  from  the  valley  to 
be  present  at  the  massacre. 

Many  of  the  fugitives  halted  at  Sunbury,  but  the  larger  num- 
ber, completely  panic-stricken,  continued  their  flight  to  Paxtang 
and  Donegal  before  they  halted.  The  whole  country  was  in  a 
state  of  wild  alarm,  which  was  intensified  by  the  news  of  the 
butchery  at  Wyoming. 

Something  must  be  done  to  secure  relief  Petitions  were  at 
once  drawn  up  and  numerously  signed,  praying  the  State  Govern- 
ment to  send  troops  to  the  West  Branch  Valley  to  protect  the 
settlers  whilst  they  returned  to  harvest  their  crops.  The  grain 
was  ripe,  but  it  could  not  be  gathered  without  protection. 

On  the    1 2th    of  July   Colonel    Hunter,   commander   of   Fort 


pole  was  kept  in  place  by  stay-blocks  or  a  weight  at  the  end.  The  logs  were  run  up 
on  the  building  on  skids,  held  in  place  by  wooden  forks.  The  most  experienced  axe- 
men were  placed  on  the  building  as  "corner  men"  to  notch  the  logs  as  they  were 
shoved  up  to  them  on  the  skids.  In  this  way  a  buildmg  was  raised  and  covered  in  a 
day  without  a  mason  or  a  pound  of  nails.  The  doors  and  windows  were  afterwards 
cut  out  to  suit  the  fancy  of  the  owner. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  509 

Augusta,  forwarded  the  following  strong  and  pathetic  appeal  to 
the  Executive  Council  for  succor,  and  as  it  gives  a  true  insight  of 
affairs  at  that  time,  it  is  given  herewith  in  full : 


To  His  Excellency    The  President  and  The  Honbk   The  Executive  Council  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  Calamities  so  long  dreaded,  and  of  which  ye  have  been  more  than  once  in- 
formed must  fall  upon  this  County  if  not  assisted  by  Continental  Troop  or  the  Militia 
of  the  neighboring  Counties,  now  appear  with  all  the  Horrors  attendant  on  an  Indian 
war;  at  this  date  the  Towns  of  Sunbury  and  Northumberland  on  the  Frontiers  where 
a  few  Virtuous  Inhabitants  and  fugitives  seem  determined  to  stand,  Tho'  doubtful 
whether  To-morrow's  sun  will  rise  on  them,  freemen,  Captives  or  in  eternity.  Yet 
relying  on  that  being  who  never  forsakes  the  virtuous,  and  the  timely  assistance  of 
the  Government,  which  they  have  with  Zeal  and  vigor  endeavoured  to  support,  they 
say  they  will  remain  so  long  as  they  can  without  incurring  the  censure  of  suicide. 
The  Carnage  at  Wioming,  the  devastations  and  murders  upon  the  West  branch  of 
Susquehanna,  On  Bald  Eagle  Creek,  and  in  short  throughout  the  whole  County  to 
within  a  few  miles  of  these  Towns  (the  recital  of  which  must  be  shocking)  I  suppose 
must  have  before  now  have  reached  your  ears,  if  not  you  may  figure  yourselves  men, 
women,  and  children.  Butchered  and  scalped,  many  of  them  after  being  promised 
quarters,  and  some  scalped  alive,  of  which  we  have  miserable  Instances  amongst 
us.  People  in  crowds  driven  from  their  farms  and  habitations,  many  of  whom 
have  not  money  to  purchase  one  day's  provisions  for  their  families,  which  must 
and  has  already  obliged  many  of  them  to  Plunder  and  lay  waste  the  farms  as  they 
pass  along.  These  Calamities  must  if  not  speedily  remedied  by  a  reinforcement  of 
men  from  below  inevitably  ruin  the  frontier,  and  incumber  the  interior  Counties  with 
such  numbers  of  indigent  fugitives  unable  to  support  themselves  as  will  like  locusts 
devour  all  before  them.  If  we  are  assisted  to  stand  and  save  our  crops,  we  will  have 
enough  for  ourselves  and  to  spare,  you  need  be  under  no  apprehension  of  any  troops 
you  send  here  suffering. for  want  of  provisions  if  they  come  in  time,  before  the  few 
who  yet  remain  are  obliged  to  give  way,  with  men  it  will  be  necessary  to  send  arms 
and  ammunition  as  we  are  ill  provided  with  them.  Gentlemen,  ye  must  all  know  that 
this  County  cannot  be  strong  in  men  after  the  number  it  has  furnished  to  serve  the 
united  states.  Their  applications  to  us  for  men  were  always  complyed  with  to  the 
utmost  of  our  abilities  and  with  the  greatest  alacrity ;  should  our  supplications  now 
be  reiected  I  think  the  survivors  of  us,  (if  any)  may  safely  say  that  Virtue  is  not  re- 
warded, I  have  only  to  add  that  A  few  Hundreds  of  men  well  armed  and  immediately 
sent  to  our  relief  would  prevent  much  bloodshed,  confusion  and  devastation  through 
many  Counties  of  this  State,  as  the  appearance  of  being  supported  would  call  back 
many  of  our  fugitives  to  save  their  Harvest  for  their  subsistence,  rather  than  suffer 
the  inconveniences  which  reason  tells  me  they  do  down  the  Country  and  their  with 
their  families  return  must  ease  the  people  below  of  a  heavy  and  unprofitable  Burthen. 
These  opinions  I  submit  to  your  serious  Consideration. 
Signed, 

SAMUEL  HUNTER. 
Sunbury,  12th  July,  177S. 


510  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

The  appeal  was  not  unheeded.  Colonel  Broadhead,  who  had 
been  ordered  to  the  assistance  of  the  settlement  at  Wyoming, 
finding  on  his  arrival  at  Sunbury  that  he  was  too  late  to  give  an}- 
succor  in  that  direction,  at  once  hurried  up  the  river  to  Fort  Muncj- 
and  took  possession  of  the  deserted  countrJ^  The  presence  of  an 
armed  force  encouraged  many  of  the  settlers  to  return  and  gather 
their  harvests.  The  Colonel  was  very  active  in  scouring  the  coun- 
try and  in  stationing  men  at  various  points  to  protect  the  har- 
\esters.  He  dispatched  a  captain  and  twenty-five  men  to  take 
post  at  Potter's  Fort,  in  Penn's  Valley,  to  protect  the  reapers  in 
that  settlement.  This  left  him  125  men  at  Fort  Muncy,  and  he 
kept  scouting  parties  out  all  the  time  on  the  lookout  for  Indians.* 

Samuel  Wallis,  whose  house  stood  within  a  few  hundred  yards 
of  the  fort,  returned  with  Colonel  Broadhead  to  look  after  his 
crops  on  the  Muncy  farm.  He  wrote  to  Colonel  Matlack  on  the 
24th  of  July,  and  complained  bitterly  of  the  conduct  of  Colonel 
Hunter  in  causing  the  panic  and  flight  from  the  valley.  He  stated 
that  Hunter,  on  hearing  of  the  massacre  at  Wyoming,  became  so 
much  alarmed  that  he  ordered  all  the  troops  off  the  West  Branch. 
This  order  resulted  in  the  Big  Runaway,  as  all  the  inhabitants 
became  panic-stricken  immediately,  abandoned  their  homes  and 
fled.  Wallis  says  that  when  he  reached  Sunbury  with  his  family 
he  found  that  Hunter  had  removed  Ids  family  and  effects  from 
Fort  Augusta  to  a  point  further  down  the  river,  and  was  ready 
to  fly  himself  on  the  slightest  alarm.  And  had  it  not  been  for  the 
arrival  of  Colonel  Broadhead,  Wallis  was  of  the  opinion  that  not 
ten  families  would  have  remained  in  the  county.  He  was  exceed- 
ingly anxious  to  have  a  few  regular  troops  sent  up  the  river,  as  he 
reposed  but  little  confidence  in  the  militia.  Concerning  them  he 
wrote  as  follows : 

Such  confusion  has  already  happened  by  trusting  to  the  Militia  here,  that  I  can  & 
do  declare  for  myself,  that  I  will  not  stay  a  single  moment  longer  than  I  can  help 
after  being  assured  that  we  are  to  be  protected  by  them  only.  We  were  amused  some 
time  ago  by  a  resolve  of  Congress  for  raising  100  six  months  men  in  this  Countj-,  & 
Col.  Hunter  was  pleased  to  assure  the  Counsil  that  the  men  would  be  readyly  raised, 
when  he  at  the  same  time  knew,  &  was  pleased  to  declare,  in  private  conversation, 


*0n  the  evening  of  July  23d  an  Indian  was  discovered  by  one  of  the  sentinels 
approaching  the  fort  in  a  skulking  manner.  He  fired  on  him  at  the  distance  of  150 
yards,  when  he  quickly  disappeared  in  the  bushes. 


I 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  5  I  I 

that  it  was  Impossible  to  raise  100  men  amongst  People  so  much  confused  and 
alarmed.  This  kind  of  Conduct  from  Col.  Hunter,  as  well  as  a  number  of  our  other 
leading  men,  has  brought  us  to  the  pass  you  now  find  us,  &  unless  some  speedy  In- 
terposition in  our  behalf,  I  do  again  with  great  Confidence  assure  you  that  we  shall 
be  no  Longer  a  People  in  this  County,  &  when  the  matter  will  end  God  only  knows. 

Such  was  the  plain,  outspoken  language  of  Samuel  Wallis  re- 
garding the  situation  at  that  time.  From  the  tenor  of  his  letter 
it  is  inferred  that  he  did  not  have  an  exalted  opinion  of  either  the 
judgment  or  bravery  of  Colonel  Hunter,  whom  he  held  responsible 
in  a  great  measure  for  the  terrible  state  of  affairs  then  prevailing. 

General  Potter  returned  to  Penn's  Valley  on  the  25th  of  July, 
having  been  absent  on  military  duty,  and  immediately  communi- 
cated to  the  authorities  the  information  that  the  farmers  had  pretty 
generally  returned  to  cut  their  harvests.  The  loss  to  the  county 
by  the  Big  Runaway  he  estimated  at  ^40,000.  The  panic,  in  its 
horrors  and  disastrous  consequences,  is  without  a  parallel  in  the 
history  of  any  new  country. 

The  urgent  appeals  of  the  people  to  Congress  were  not  made 
entirely  in  vain,  for  that  body  at  once  ordered  Colonel  Hartley  to 
the  West  Branch  Valley  with  his  regiment.  He  arrived  in  the 
early  part  of  August,  and  immediately  took  steps  towards 
strengthening  Fort  Muncy  and  putting  it  in  condition  to  make  a 
stout  resistance  in  case  of  attack.  A  body  of  militia,  amounting 
to  300  men,  was  ordered  out  in  the  county  to  assist  in  guarding 
those  who  were  anxious  to  gather  their  crops,  now  suffering  for 
the  sickle.  This  had  the  effect  of  encouraging  the  people,  and 
they  commenced  returning  to  their  desolated  homes  in  large 
numbers. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE    NEW    JERSEY    SETTLERS    ON    LOYALSOCK ATROCIOUS    MURDER 

OF    A    FRIENDLY    INDIAN DEATH    OF    JOHN    THOMSON HISTORY 

OF    HIS    DESCENDANTS THE    WYCKOFF    AND    OTHER    FAMILIES. 

ABOUT  the  beginning  of  the  Revolutionary  war  several 
families  from  Central  New  Jersey  settled  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Loyalsock.  Among  these  were  the  Thomsons,  Wyckoffs, 
Covenhovens,  Van  Camps,  Van  Nests,  &c.  All  of  these,  save  the 
first  mentioned,  were  of  Hollandish  descent. 

John  Thomson  was  a  Scotchman.  His  father  is  said  to  have 
borne  the  Biblical  name  of  Uzal.*  When  the  son  came  to  America 
he  brought  with  him  his  little  Bible,  printed  at  Edinburgh  in 
1735.  He  married  in  New  Jersey  and  duly  recorded  in  his  Bible 
the  dates  of  birth  of  himself  and  his  wife,  and,  afterwards,  that 
of  their  child. 

Their  home  in  New  Jersey  was  at  the  Drie  Hook  (Three 
Corners),  so  called  from  a  peculiarity  of  the  roads  in  that  vicinity.f 
The  farm  extended  up  the  eastern  slope  of  the  highest  peak  of 
the  Cushetunk  Mountain,  which,  however,  is  less  than  a  thousand 
feet  high.  The  house  stood  near  the  road,  upon  a  rivulet  which 
issues  from  the  mountain  to  form  the  "  Hollands  Brook,"  so  called 
because,  from  the  living  spring  which  is  its  source  to  the  spot 
where  it  falls  into  the  South  Branch  neir  the  "  Head  of  the 
Raritan,"  its  banks  were  occupied  by  Hollanders. 

More  than  a  century  had  elapsed  since  the  surrender  of  the 
New  Netherlands  to  the  British;  but  the  inhabitants  still  main- 
tained with  characteristic  steadfastness  the  customs  and  usages  of 
their  fathers.     The  language  of  the  law-courts  was  English,  but 

♦Genesis  x.  27 ;   i  Chronicles  i.  21;  Ezelciel  xxvii.  19,  (in  the  Hebrew). 

t  This  peculiarity  has  been  removed  by  the  extension  of  one  of  the  roads  during 
the  present  century,  but  the  ancient  name  still  remains  to  excite  wonder  and  invite 
inquiry. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  513 

that  of  social  intercourse  of  the  home,  and  of  the  church,  was 
still  "  Low-Dutch."  * 

The  Scotchman  must  have  been  ill  at  ease  among  a  people 
whose  language  he  understood  not,  and  probably  the  only  reading 
matter  he  had  in  his  own  tongue  was  his  Bible. 

At  this  time  the  fertility  of  "  the  Shemokem  country "  was  at- 
tracting attention.  The  name  designated  the  region  for  more  than 
a  hundred  miles  around  the  site  of  the  ancient  Indian  town  of 
that  name.  Considerable  numbers  of  the  Scotch-Irish  were 
already  in  that  vicinity,  and  their  fellow-countrymen  in  the  Dutch 
settlements  of  New  Jersey  would  not  be  loth  to  join  them  there.f 

The  family  is  now  represented  in  that  part  of  New  Jersey  only 
by  descendants  who  bear  other  names.  William  McKinney,  who 
formerly  owned  the  Forge  on  Lycoming  Creek,  and  his  sons,  Dr. 
McKinney,  who  died  at  Jersey  Shore,  and  Judge  McKinney,  of 
the  United  States  Court  in  Florida,  were  members  of  this  family. 
So  were  the  late  Judge  McKinney,  of  Dauphin  County ;  Mordecai 
McKinney,  of  Harrisburg,  etc. 


*Not  Piatt- Deidsch,  nor  "Pennsylvania  Dutch,"  nor  any  form  of  German.  The 
"Low-Dutch"  (Hollanders)  must  be  carefully  distinguished  from  the  High-Dutch 
(Germans),  from  whom  their  languages  and  customs  are  entirely  distinct.  The 
"Low-Dutch"  settled  New  York  and  New  Jersey  in  the  seventeenth  century.  The 
High-Dutch  came  to  Pennsylvania  in  the  eighteenth.  Descendants  of  the  Dutch 
settlers  in  New  Jersey  are  proud  of  their  origin,  and  still  preserve,  as  sacred  relics  of 
a  venerated  ancestry,  books  which  they  are  unable  to  read ;  heavy  folio  Dutch  Bibles 
with  immense  bronze  clasps;  Dutch  testaments  with  the  psalms  of  David  set  to 
music;  Dutch  discourses  on  the  catechism;  the  Dutch  "Domine"  Brakel's  ser- 
mons, etc. 

t  Mordecai  McKinney  had  already  settled  on  and  improved  three  hundred  acres  of 
Muncy  Manor  before  the  survey  ordered  May  15,  1776.  He  had  married  Agnes 
Bodine,  a  relative  of  John  Thomson's  wife.  They  all  came  from  the  borders  of  the 
counties  of  Hunterdon  and  Somerset  in  New  Jersey,  where  McKinney  had  been  a 
man  of  prominence.  As  early  as  1754  he  owned  five  hundred  acres,  extending  from  the 
Lamington  River  to  the  North  Branch  of  the  Raritan,  adjoining  the  possessions  of 
Lord  Neil  Campbell.  In  1774  he  was  living  in  Lebanon  Township,  Hunterdon 
County,  where  he  held  offices  of  trust.  His  children  were  baptized  in  the  Dutch 
"Church  of  the  North  Branch,"  which  stood  near  the  junction  of  that  stream  with 
the  South  Branch  to  form  the  Raritan.  The  dates  of  baptism  are  as  follows  :  John. 
October  9,  1753;  Mareytje,  December  27,  1755;  Catrina,  February  12,  1758;  John, 
March  2,  1760,  (he  married  Elizabeth  Wyckoff);  Mordecai,  .April  15,  1764: 
Augenietje,  May  18,  1766;   Willem,  July  11,  1768;  Antje,  August  12,  1770. 


514  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Many  of  the  Dutch,  also,  were  quite  ready  to  get  further  away 
from  the  encroachments  of  English  manners  and  customs. 

John  Thomson  *  located  about  a  mile  west  of  the  Loyalsock  on 
the  Sheshequin  Path,  up  Miller's  Run,  less  than  a  mile  north  of 
the  place  where  that  path  was  crossed  by  the  "  Path  up  the  river." 
He  built  his  house  on  the  edge  of  the  upland  whose  water-shed 
produced  the  terrible  swamp  lying  between  it  and  the  river.  The 
situation  was  not  linlike  that  he  had  left,  though  the  hills  north  of 
him  were  only  a  little  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  height  of  the 
rocky  barrier  which  had  shut  in  his  north-western  horizon  in  New 
Jersey. 

It  was  an  excellent  situation.  The  river  and  the  creek  furnished 
shad  and  salmon  as  well  as  fish  of  inferior  fame.  The  forests 
abounded  with  deer  and  bear,  and  various  kinds  of  smaller  game. 
But  the  chief  reason  for  the  selection  of  this  precise  spot  was, 
doubtless,  the  few  acres  of  clearing  on  which  the  red  men  of  the 
forest  had  raised  their  scanty  supplies  of  Indian  corn.  The 
thrifty  Scot  at  once  set  about  enlarging  the  clearing,  by  felling  the 
huge  pines  for  timber  to  build  his  house  and  barn.  After  these 
were  finished  he  grubbed  up  the  immense  stumps  and  dragged 
them  outside  his  fields.  He  plowed  his  ground,  and  sowed  and 
reaped  the  harvest  that  bountiful  nature  provided.  His  cattle  and 
horses  grazed  on  the  lowlands,  and  the  rich  upland  yielded  an 
abundant  reward  to  industry.  But  this  pleasing  scene  of  pastoral 
simplicity  came  to  a  bloody  end.  The  inhabitants  of  the  valley 
were,  for  the  most  part,  warm  adherents  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, but  there  were  among  them  also  a  few  Loyalists  ready  and 
willing  to  serve  as  guides  and  aids  to  the  enemy.  The  Indian 
title  to  the  lands  in  this  region  had  been  extinguished  by  the  treaty 
of  1768,  but  there  was  a  misunderstanding  respecting  the  boun- 
dary; and,  even  if  there  had  not  been,  it  is  doubtful  whether  the 
mixed  multitude  of  Indians  on  the  Susquehanna  would  have  been 
satisfied,  though  they  all  owned  allegiance  to  the  Six  Nations,  with 
whom  the  treaty  had  been  negotiated. f 

*  Henry  Lawrence,  recently  deceased,  owned  the  land  on  which  the  Thomson 
house  stood. 

fThis  powerful  confederacy  consisted  at  the  first  of  only  the  Mohawks,  the 
Onondagas  and  the  Senecas.     To  these  were  added,  (before  the  settlement  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  515 

Of  these  confederate  tribes  the  Senecas  were  the  most  numerous 
and  the  most  warhke.  The  territory  guarded  by  them  extended 
from  lakes  Ontario  and  Erie  to  the  western  head-waters  of  the 
Susquehanna  and  the  Allegheny,  or  Ohio,  as  it  was  still  named.* 
The  Delawares,  as  they  were  called  by  the  whites,  were  the 
remnants  of  the  Lenni-Lenapes  who  had  been  finally  driven  from 
the  Delaware  to  the  Susquehanna  in  I742.t 

The  Monseys  were  a  tribe  of  the  Delawares  who  had  been  on 
the  West  Branch  since  1724.  The  Delaware  chiefs  decided  to 
remain  neutral  in  the  contest  between  the  Colonies  and  the  crown ; 
but  the  Monseys  resolved  to  separate  from  the  main  body  of  their 
people  and  join  the  Mingoes,  "a  gang  of  thieves  and  murderers."  J 
This  resolution,  however,  they  kept  secret  until  they  had  sent 
emissaries  to  the  four  or  five  hundred  "  Christian  Indians,"  mostly 
Delawares,  in  their  settlements,  under  the  care  of  the  Moravians. 
The   emissaries   found  a   band  of   apostates  ready  to  relinquish 

country  by  the  whitesl,  Cayugas  and  Oneidas,  making  "Five  Nations."  After  the 
Tuscaroras  were  admitted  in  1712  they  were  known  as  "The  Six  Nations."  Toward 
the  end  of  the  century  the  Nanticokes  also  were  admitted,  making  the  seventh  nation. 
The  members  of  the  confederacy,  as  a  whole,  were  called  by  the  French  "  Iroquois;" 
by  the  Southern  Indians,  "  Massowamacs,"  and  by  themselves,  "  Mingoes,"  or  some- 
times "  Hodenosaunee,"  (people  of  the  Long  House). 

*  So  late  as  fifty  years  ago  in  Central  New  Jersey  the  region  immediately  west  of 
"the  Shemokem  country"  was  known  as  "The  Ohio." 

-(■The  Lenni-Lenape  confederacy  had  consisted  of  five  tribes;  i.  The  Monseys, 
who  dwelt  on  the  upper  streams  of  the  Delaware,  north  of  the  Lehigh.  2.  The 
Chihohocki,  who  dwelt  south  of  the  Lehigh  on  the  Delaware,  (the  Indian  name  of 
which  was  Chihohocki).  3.  The  Wanami,  who  inhabited  the  valley  of  the  Raritan 
in  New  Jersey.  4.  The  Manhattans,  whose  domain  included  Manhattan  Island, 
Staten  Island,  Long  Island  and  the  adjacent  parts  of  Connecticut  and  New  York. 
5.  The  Mohicans  or  River  Indians,  between  the  lower  Hudson  and  the  upper  Dela- 
ware. After  a  disastrous  war  with  the  Five  Nations  of  the  Mingo  Confederacy, 
the  Lenni-Lenapes  sued  for  peace,  which  was  granted  them  on  condition  that  they 
should  acknowledge  themselves  subservient  to  the  Mingoes,  and  never  again  attempt 
to  make  war,  but  confine  themselves  to  hunting  and  raising  corn  for  the  subsistence 
of  their  families.  This  their  conquerors  called  "  making  women  of  them :"  and  this 
was  their  condition  at  the  settlement  of  Pennsylvania  in  1682.  See  Charles  Thom- 
son's Observations  in  Jeffersoiis  Notes  on  Virginia,  pages  269-286. 

X Brown's  History  of  Missions,  Vol.  I.,  page  448.  This  "gang"  was  probably 
the  war  colony  of  sixty  which  John  Dodge,  the  Indian  trader,  reported  the  next 
year  as  dwelling  upon  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Scioto.  See  Jefferson's  Notes  on 
Virginia,  page  140. 


5l6  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Christianity  and  re-instate  the  ancient  paganism.  Through  alliance 
with  these  a  plot  was  formed  to  capture  the  missionaries,  or  kill 
them,  since  it  was  believed  to  be  through  their  influence  that  the 
Delaware  chiefs  were  so  firm  in  maintaining  peace.  The  plot 
failed;  but  the  apostasy  of  a  part  of  the  Christian  Indians  and 
their  alliance  with  the  Monseys  and  Mingoes  produced  its  effect. 
The  missionaries  withdrew  to  a  safe  distance.  Capt.  John  Brady's 
suggestion  to  make  a  treaty  with  the  Senecas  and  Monseys,  while 
they  were  yet  at  variance  with  the  Delawares,  had  not  been  carried 
into  effect,  and  at  length  the  Delawares  also,  "  seduced  by  the  arts 
of  the  English,"  took  up  arms  against  the  Colonists. 

Indeed  the  Indians  generally,  with  here  and  there  a  shining 
exception,  were  not  loth  to  undertake  an  offensive  warfare  after 
their  own  barbaric  fashion  against  those  whom  they  regarded  as 
intruders  upon  their  soil.* 

They  began  to  be  offensive  in  1777,  and,  during  the  latter  part  of 
that  year  and  the  beginning  of  the  next,  murders  became  more 
and  more  frequent.  In  April  and  May,  1778,  larger  parties  of 
Indians  and  Tories  hung  upon  the  borders  of  the  settlements,  and 
life  and  property  became  more  and  more  insecure.!  Most  of  the 
able-bodied  men  of  the  valley  had  gone  to  fight  their  country's 
battles  on  the  plains  of  New  Jersey,  and  their  wives  and  children 
were  unprotected.  By  and  by  the  danger  became  so  great,  and 
such  a  panic  seized  the  inhabitants,  that  nearly  all  of  them  betook 
themselves  to  the  "  forts,"  erected  for  this  purpose  at  various  points 
along  the  river.  Those  about  Muncy  fled  to  Brady's  Fort.  Those 
above  that,  up  to  Lycoming  Creek,  took  refuge  at  Wallis,'  (called 
also  Fort  Muncy).  All  above  Lycoming  and  Pine  creeks  found 
safety  at  Antes'  and  Horn's  forts.  The  inhabitants  of  Penn's 
Valley  gathered  to  Potter's  Fort.  Those  below  the  Muncy  hills, 
to  Chillisquaque,  assembled  at  Freeland's  and  Boone's  forts  and 

*  Twenty  years  before  the  Susquehanna  Indians  had  told  Rev.  John  Brainerd  that 
"God  made  two  worlds,  one  for  the  white  men,  the  other  for  the  Indians;  that  the 
white  people  had  no  business  to  come  into  the  Indian  country;  *  *  *  *  and, 
though  the  white  people  made  some  pretense  of  instructing  them,  yet  they  had  no- 
design  of  doing  them  good,  but  merely  to  put  money  into  their  own  pockets."  See 
Gillies'  Historical  Collection,  Vol.  II.,  page  448;  and  compare  William  Taylor's 
remarks  on  page  237. 

fSee  Stone's  Life  of  Brandt,  Vol.  I.,  page  331. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  517 

at  Sunbury.  Those  in  White  Deer  and  Buffalo  valleys  fled  to  the 
river,  and  built  such  forts  as  they  could  at  various  places. 

Others  left  the  country  entirely  and  sought  more  secure  places 
of  abode.  On  the  last  day  of  May  Colonel  Hunter  wrote  to  John 
Hambright  of  "people  flying  and  leaving  their  all,  especially  the 
Jersey  people,  who  came  up  here  last  winter  and  spring.  Not  one 
stays,"  he  says,  "but  sets  off  to  Jersey  again.*  Those  who  had 
been  longer  on  the  ground  were  not  so  ready  to  abandon  their 
improvements.  But  the  danger  constantly  increased.  Early  in 
May,  according  to  instructions  from  Colonel  Guy  Johnson,  the 
British  officers  at  Fort  Niagara  had  determined  to  strike  a  blow  at 
these  settlements,  t  Accordingly,  in  June,  Colonel  John  Butler 
descended  the  Susquehanna  with  his  own  Tory  Rangers,  a  detach- 
ment of  Sir  John  Johnson's  Royal  Greens,  and  a  large  body  of 
Indians,  chiefly  Senecas.  At  the  outset  they  numbered  three 
hundred  white  men  and  five  hundred  Indians,  but  by  the  time 
they  reached  their  destination  the  number  had  been  augmented 
by  accessions  of  Loyalists  and  Indians  to  nearly  or  quite  four 
hundred  white  men  and  seven  hundred  Indians.  J 

The  Indians  were  led  by  the  celebrated  Seneca  chief,  Giengwatoh 
(who-goes-in-the-smoke).  At  Knawaholee,  called  also  Newtown, 
(now  Elmira,  N.  Y.),  two  hundred  Indians  were  detached  from  the 
main  body,  and  this  detachment,  under  the  chief,  Gucingeracton, 
"  swept  the  West  Branch  as  with  the  besom  of  destruction."  § 

The  inhabitants  were  not  taken  by  surprise.  Job  Chilloway 
had  forewarned  them  of  the  coming  invasion.  And  now  another 
friendly  Indian  appeared  on  the  scene,  whose  name  is  unfortunately 
forgotten,   though   that  of  his   murderer,   more    malignant  than 

*See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  VL,  page  570. 

t  Colonel  Guy  Johnson's  report  of  September  20,  1778,  in  Bancroft's  History  of 
the  United  States. 

\  See  Pennsylvania  Historical  Collections,  page  438. 

§  The  West  Branch  detachment  killed  forty-seven  persons  and  captured  twenty- 
one.  ?:te  Egle's  Histojy  of  Pennsylvania,  pages  900,  1 1 64;  and  Stone's  History  of 
Wyoming,  page  193.  The  main  body  waited  on  the  south  side  of  Bowman's  Creek 
until  the  return  of  the  West  Branch  detachment,  after  which  the  entire  division 
marched  about  twenty  miles,  and,  crossing  a  wilderness  and  passing  through  a  gap  in 
the  mountain,  entered  the  valley  of  Wyoming  near  its  northern  boundary.  The 
Wyoming  massacre  occurred  July  3,  1778.  See  Marshall's  Life  of  Washington, 
Vol.  L,  page  2S0. 


518  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Erostratus,  is  remembered.  Hastening  "down  Sinnemahoning" 
he  suddenly  appeared  on  the  bank  of  the  river  where  Lockport 
now  stands,  and  made  signs  to  the  garrison  at  Reed's  Fort  to 
come  with  a  canoe  and  take  him  over.  They  feared,  however, 
that  he  might  be  a  decoy,  and  refused  to  venture.  Still  he  in- 
sisted, and,  to  show  his  good  intentions,  waded  out  into  the  river 
as  far  as  he  could.  One  of  the  women  (Mrs.  Reed  herself,  as  is 
believed),  seeing  that  none  of  the  men  would  go,  jumped  into  a 
canoe,  crossed  over  alone,  and  brought  him  to  the  fort.  He  had 
traveled  a  long  distance  to  give  warning  of  the  approach  of  the 
force  under  Gucingeracton.  He  gave  definite  information  also, 
especially  of  a  band  of  twelve  Indians  near  at  hand.  After  de- 
livering his  message  he  was  committed  to  the  guard-house  for 
safe  keeping,  where  he  lay  down  to  rest,  and,  being  much  ex- 
hausted by  the  fatigue  of  his  friendly  journey,  was  soon  fast  asleep. 

A  number  of  men  about  the  fort  were  amusing  themselves  by 
target  shooting.  Among  them  was  one  belonging  to  a  lower 
garrison,  who  was  slightly  intoxicated.  His  name,  DeWitt,  in- 
dicates that  he  was  of  Low-Dutch  extraction.  As  he  was  loading 
his  gun  he  observed  that  he  would  "  make  that  bullet  kill  an  In- 
dian." Little  attention,  however,  was  paid  to  the  remark  until  he 
took  deliberate  aim  at  the  sleeping  Indian  and  sJiot  him  dead! 
The  garrison  were  so  exasperated  at  this  ungrateful  and  inhuman 
act  that  they  threatened  to  lynch  him  on  the  spot.  Sobered  and 
alarmed,  he  fled  from  the  fort  and  was  never  heard  of  more.  It 
is  probable  that  he  fell,  as  he  richly  deserved,  by  the  tomahawk  of 
the  enemy. 

The  message  of  the  friendly  Indian  was  sent  on  down  the  river. 
John  Thomson  was  at  work  on  his  farm.  In  a  few  weeks  the 
grain  in  the  fields  would  be  ripe,  and  there  was  promise  of  an 
abundant  harvest.  Moreover,  his  last  year's  harvest  was  still  in 
the  barn  unthreshed,  (though  why  this  should  be,  when  provisions 
were  so  scarce  that  flour  sold  at  three  pounds  ten  shillings  per 
hundred  weight,  does  not  appear).  Taking  his  wife  and  child, 
with  such  clothing  as  they  could  hastily  collect,  his  fire-arms  and 
his  Bible,  he  made  his  way,  apparently  on  horseback,  to  Wallis' 
Fort,  seven  miles  away.  Here  he  found  several  of  his  friends  and 
neighbors  who  had  preceded  him  to  this  place  of  refuge.     It  was 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  5  IQ 

in  command  of  Colonel  Hepburn,  afterward  Judge  Hepburn,  and 
Colonel  Hosterman,  Captain  Berry,  Captain  Reynolds  and  others 
who  had  recently  been  sent  up  from  Fort  Augusta,  were  there  to 
assist  in  protecting  the  frontier. 

The  weather  was  rainy,  and  the  scouts  sent  out  could  discover 
no  signs  of  the  enemy.  The  canny  Scot  began  to  regret  that  he 
had  so  precipitately  abandoned  his  possessions.  He  determined 
to  make  an  effort  to  bring  off  his  cattle.  An  opportunity  occurred 
when  Captain  Berry  was  sent  out  with  a  small  company  to  look 
after  some  horses  that  had  been  stolen  by  Indians,  and  were  said 
to  be  some  distance  up  the  Loyalsock.  Two  men,  who  had  found 
refuge  at  the  fort,  were  willing  to  assist  in  the  endeavor.  One 
was  Peter  Shufelt,  (whose  name  indicates  that  he,  too,  had  come 
from  one  of  the  Low-Dutch  settlements  nearer  the  Atlantic  coast). 
The  other  was  William  Wyckoff  a  lad  of  sixteen. 

These  three  men  were  mounted,  probably,  on  Thomson's  horses. 
They  separated  from  the  rest  at  the  crossing  of  the  Loyalsock, 
and  went  on  to  "Thomson's."  Here  they  found  everything  ap- 
parently as  it  had  been  left,  and,  tying  their  horses  near  the  door, 
went  into  the  house.  It  was  now  long  past  noon,  and  they  were 
hungry.  Accordingly  they  at  once  set  about  preparing  their 
dinner.  But  suddenly  the  horses  snorted  with  alarm,  and  rushing 
to  the  door,  they  saw  Indians  approaching  from  the  barn,  where 
they  had  been  lying  in  ambush.  The  men  seized  their  rifles  and 
ran  for  the  woods ;  but  the  Indians  rushed  upon  them  with  terrific 
yells,  firing  as  they  came,  and  Peter  Shufelt  fell  mortally  wounded. 
Thomson  immediately  stopped  and  returned  the  fire.  But  this 
endeavor  to  save  his  friend  resulted  in  the  loss  of  his  own  life. 
Some  of  the  Indians  had  reserved  their  fire  for  just  this  op- 
portunity, and  now  delivered  it  with  fatal  effect.  A  bullet  from 
this  second  volley  passed  through  his  powder-horn,  which  burned 
at  his  side  as  he  lay  a-dying. 

William  Wyckoff  succeeded  in  reaching  the  woods,  but  was 
severely  wounded,  and  finally  captured  at  the  end  of  a  skirmish, 
which  had  lasted  nearly  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  The  bodies 
of  the  dead  men  were  at  once  thrown  out  of  sight,  apparently  in 
hope  that  others  following  might  fall  into  the  same  ambuscade. 
But  this  hope  was  not  realized,  for  a  rescue  party  larger  than  the 


520  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

Indians  were  willing  to  engage  was  close  at  hand ;  and  they  did 
not  have  time  even  to  burn  the  house.  They  fired  the  barn,  how- 
ever, and  then  made  off  with  their  captive  through  the  woods. 

After  Captain  Berry  had  started  in  the  morning.  Colonel  Hoster- 
man,  with  Captain  Reynolds  and  a  party  of  thirteen  men,  set  out 
from  Fort  Muncy  for  Antes'  Mill  with  ammunition  for  the  forts  at 
that  place  and  the  Big  Island.  They  crossed  the  Loyalsock 
between  two  and  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  as  they 
reached  the  western  shore,  heard  firing  and  yells,  which  they 
judged  to  be  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  up  the  creek.  They 
hurried  up  to  the  place  where  they  thought  the  firing  was,  but 
found  nothing.  Surmising  then  that  the  firing  might  have  been 
at  Thomson's,  they  pushed  on  thither  as  rapidly  as  they  could, 
across  the  northern  end  of  the  swamp,  near  the  foot  of  the  sand- 
hills. The  rains  had  made  the  swamp  "  very  ugly,"  and  it  took 
them  nearly  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  cross  it.  Thus  they  arrived 
too  late  to  be  of  service.  They  found  the  barn  with  its  store  of 
grain  on  fire,  and  heard  in  the  distance  the  triumphant  shouts  of 
the  foe.  Two  of  these  shouts  they  recognized  as  "  Death-Halloos," 
and  one  they  correctly  took  to  be  a  "  Prisoner-Halloo."  From 
the  shouts  thus  given  they  supposed  the  Indians  were  about  four- 
teen in  number.  This  was  a  very  good  guess,  for  the  friendly 
Indian,  shot  by  DeWitt,  had  given  information  "  of  those  twelve 
Indians  who  did  the  murder."  *  And  there  was  also  a  Tory  with 
the  party.  Captain  Reynold's  company  saw  his  shoe  tracks,  along 
with  the  moccasin  tracks  of  the  Indians,  in  the  soft  ground  near 
the  house.! 

Under  prudent  militar}-  direction  they  surrounded  the  house, 
and  proceeded  to  search  first  it  and  then  the  adjacent  field.  Near 
the  house  they  found  Thomson's  powder-horn,  with  the  bullet- 
hole  through  it,  but  did  not  find  the  men  or  their  bodies.  Satisfied 
that  they  could  be  of  no  service  there,  they  marched  on  to  Lycom- 
ing, Colonel  Hosterman,  at  least,  returning  the  same  evening  to 
Muncy  Farm,  where  he  began  to  write  his  report  of  the  events  of 
the  da\'. 

The  next  morning,  when  the  people  there  and  at  the  fort  learned 

*  Colonel  J.  Potter  to  Mr.  Stew.-irt,  in  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  VI.,  page  603. 
t  See  also  the  family  record  of  John  Thomson's  death. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  521 

that  the  companies  which  went  out  the  day  before  had  not  re- 
turned, they  grew  uneasy  and  sent  off  a  search  party  of  between 
twenty  and  thirty  men  under  Captain  Shaffer.  These  men,  when 
they  came  to  Thomson's,  made  a  thorough  search  of  the  house 
and  premises.  At  length  they  found  the  bodies  of  the  two  men 
lying  but  a  little  distance  apart  outside  a  field,  among  some  pine 
grubs.  Thomson  was  shot  through  the  left  side,  and  his  jacket 
was  scorched  by  the  burning  of  the  powder,  so  that  they  thought 
.  he  had  been  shot  at  very  short  range.  Shufelt  was  shot  through 
the  left  shoulder.* 

Doubtless  the  bodies  of  the  dead  were  buried,  but  there  is  no 
record  of  the  fact,  and  no  monument  to  tell  where  they  lie. 


Juda  Bodine,  the  wife  of  John  Thomson,  was  descended  from 
Jean  Bodin,  one  of  the  Huguenot  settlers  of  Staten  Island,  New 
York.t 

*This  statement,  taken  from  Colonel  Hosterman's  report,  (Pennsylvania  Archives, 
Vol.  VI.  page  589),  seems  to  imply  that  Shufelt  was  not  scalped.  But  this  is  very 
unlikely,  for  there  was  a  bounty  on  scalps.  And  Colonel  Hartley's  expedition,  in 
September,  discovered  the  huts  where  the  scalps  secured  on  this  raid  were  dried  and 
prepared  for  market,  so  as  to  secure  the  largest  bounty  offered.  "  This  was  graded  in 
amount  beginning  with  the  robust  and  able-bodied  man,  and  so  down  to  the  child  of 
two  years.  They  were  all  assorted,  and  labeled,  and  baled,  as  the  Indians  pack 
their  peltry,  and  in  this  way  delivered  over  to  the  officers  of  the  crown  entrusted  with 
this  branch  of  the  British  service."  {H.  B.  Wright's  History  of  Plymouth,  Pa.,  page 
170).  Compare  page  158.  The  Pennsylvania  tradition  of  the  death  of  Thomson  and 
Shufelt  was  given  in  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  (pages  209-215).  It  is  here 
supplemented  by  the  New  Jersey  tradition,  and  by  information  derived  from  the 
other  sources  indicated.  This  sketch  of  the  Thomson  family  has  been  furnished  by 
John  Bodine  Thompson,  a  native  of  Readington,  N.  J.,  now  residing  at  Berkeley, 
California. 

f  He  was  born  in  France,  at  the  village  of  Medis,  near  the  southern  shore  of 
Saintonge,  along  the  Gironde,  and  was  naturalized  in  London,  October  14,  1681, 
along  with  his  second  wife,  Esther  Bridon.  He  died  on  Staten  Island  as  early  as 
1695,  leaving  a  daughter,  Marianne,  and  a  son,  Jean.  Jean  Bodine's  will,  dated 
January  7,  1 707,  mentions  his  brothers,  Eleazor  and  Francis,  and  his  sisters,  Esther 
and  Mary.  (Baird's  Huguenot  Emigration,  Vol.  II.,  pages  38,  39).  The  original 
spelling  was  Bodin  or  Boudin.     In  America  it  soon  began  to  be  spelled  Bodien  and 


522  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

His  descendants  crossed  over  to  the  Mainland  at  Perth  Amboy, 
and  made  their  way  gradually  by  the  "Road  up  Raritan"  from 
the  mouth  of  that  river  to  its  sources.* 


Bodein,  and  finally  Bodine.  Jean  Bodin  was  one  of  the  ablest  political  thinkers  of 
France  during  the  sixteenth  century.  See  E7icyclopedia  Bi'ittanica^  Ninth  Edition, 
article,  Bodin,  John,  and  Bayles  Dictionary,  article,  Bodinus,  Joannes. 

"One  of  these  was  the  John  Bodine  who  in  1727  wa's  living  on  his  plantation 
west  of  the  North  Branch  of  the  Raritan,  known  as  No.  67  in  the  "  Elizabeth  Town 
Bill  in  Chancery."  His  son,  Abraham,  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Cornelius  Low. 
They  had  seven  children,  five  of  whom  were  baptized  in  the  Church  of  the  North 
Branch,  as  follows:     John,  April   15,  1743;  Judick,  March  31,  1745,  (she  married 

Peter  Bodine);   Mary, ;   Catherine,  September  3,  1749;  Jane, ; 

Sarah,  August  10,  1753;  Cornelius,  November,  1755.  These  were  all  living  at  the 
date  of  their  father's  will,  June  14,  1769.  The  will  was  proven  July  3,  1769.  It 
leaves  to  his  wife  "all  that  money  given  her  by  her  father,"  with  the  use  of  his 
"whole  estate,  real  and  personal,  during  her  natural  life  or  re-marriage,"  («V),  or 
until  Cornelius  should  become  of  age,  when  he  was  to  inherit  the  real  estate;  John 
was  to  have  fifty  pounds,  and  each  of  his  daughtei-s  twenty-five  pounds.  His  wife 
was  to  have  also  his  Dutch  Bible,  a  bed  and  bedding,  the  best  cupboard,  etc.  His 
personal  property  was  to  be  divided  equally  among  all  his  children. 

Cornelius  Bodine  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  was  in  the  battle  of  Mon- 
mouth. (He  said  that  Washington  did  swear  in  his  anger  at  Lee's  retreat).  After 
the  birth  of  his  third  child  in  1785,  having  lost  much  of  his  property  by  the  deprecia- 
tion of  the  Continental  currency,  he  went  to  the  borough  of  Muncy,  Pa.,  where  his 
other  children  were  born.  In  1802  he  removed  thence  to  Ovid,  in  Seneca  County, 
N.  Y.,  having  built  a  house  there  in  1801.  He  died  there  June  12,  1S20,  and  his 
wife  November  13,  1824. 

Their  children  were  eight : 

1.  Abraham,  baptized  September  19,  1779,  at  Readington,  N.  J.;  died  December 
23,  1862,  near  Hughesville,  Pa.,  where  his  descendants  still  live. 

2.  Peter,  baptized  March  25,  1781,  at  Readington,  N.  J.;  died  in  1843,  at  Ovid, 
N.  Y.,  where  his  descendants  still  live. 

3.  John,  baptized  January  I,  1785,  at  Readington,  N.  J.;  died  in  1S46,  at  Wayne 
Hotel,  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  leaving  numerous  descendants. 

4.  Cornelius,  born  in  1787,  in  Pennsylvania;  died  December  23,  1S65,  at  Ice- 
landville,  Schuyler  County,  N.  Y.,  leaving  many  descendants. 

5.  Gilbert,  born  in  1790,  in  Pennsylvania;  died  January  20, 1854,  near  Ovid,  N.  Y. 
Most  of  his  descendants  live  in  Iowa. 

6.  Isaac,  born  in  1794,  in  Pennsylvania;  died  February  24,  1840,  at  Ovid,  N.  Y., 
leaving  one  child,  who  has  descendants  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin. 

7.  Charles,  died  in  infancy  January  26,  1796,  in  Pennsylvania. 

8.  George,  born  January  8,  1 798,  in  Pennsylvania;  died  May  15,  1868,  at  Ovid, 
N.  Y.,  on  the  homestead,  where  his  eight  children  were  born,  in  which  vicinity  most 
of  his  descendants  still  live. 

Cornelius    Bodine's   oldest  son,  Abraham,  did  not  remove   with  his  father  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  523 

Among  them  was  Abraham  Bodine,  who  married  Adriantje 
Janse.* 

Their  daughter  Judil-c  became  the  wife  of  John  Thomson.  When 
she  was  but  thirteen  years  of  age  her  older  sister  married,  and 
she  was  left  alone  to  aid  in  the  care  of  the  other  children.  At 
eighteen  she  stood  before  the  church' as  one  of  the  Getiiygcii  (wit- 
nesses) at  the  baptism  of  her  brother  Peter's  daughter,  Elizabeth,  j 
After  that  she  continued  doing  the  work  of  the  household,  and 
alleviating  the  burdens  of  her  parents.  Not  until  she  was  no 
longer  needed  for  this  purpose  in  the  home  of  her  youth  did  she 
find  rest  in  the  house  of  her  husband. 

His  appreciation  of  her  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  he 
was  unwilling  to  use  alike  her  Dutch  name  of  Judick,  the  current 
abbreviation  of  it  to  Jude,  and  the  English  form  of  Judith.  He 
called  her  "Juda."  So  he  wrote  her  name  in  his  family  record, 
and  so  she  continued  to  write  it  after  his  decease.  In  this  form  it 
continues  among  her  descendants  to  this  day.  But  his  care  for 
her  came  to  an  untimely  end  on  that  dreadful  loth  of  June,  1778. 
Henceforth  she  was  alone  in  the  world,  with  a  young  child  to  care 
for,  and  destitute.  No  wonder  if  she  were  at  first  almost  in  de- 
spair.    No  wonder  that  she  turned  down  the  leaf  of  her  Bible  at  the 

family  to  "The  Lake  Country"  of  New  York,  but  remained  on  the  West  Branch  of 
the  Susquehanna.  He  married,  first,  Mercy  Paxon,  by  whom  he  had  five  children, 
and  secondly,  Barbara  Cruze,  by  whom  he  had  but  one  child.  His  six  children  were 
John,  Elizabeth,  Charles,  Margaret,  George  and  Russell. 

*  She  was  a  member  of  one  of  the  Hollandish  families  to  which  the  Huguenots 
in  New  Jersey  had  become  so  thoroughly  assimilated.  They  had  nine  children,  eight 
of  whom  were  baptized  in  the  "Church  of  the  North  Branch,"  and  the  ninth  in  the 
Church  of  Raritan,  (now  SomerviUe,  N.  J.) 

The  record  is  as  follows:  Catrina,  April  14,  1725;  Peter,  December  12,  1726; 
John,  December  6,  1730;  Abraham,  April  15,  1733;  Judik,  April  20,  1735;  Isaac, 
July  10,  1737;  Onke,  November  18,  1739;  Arriantje,  November  18,  1741;  Maria, 
June  10,  1744. 

Catrina  married  Llodewyck  Hardenbrook.  Peter  married,  first,  Mareytje;  second, 
Judick,  daughter  of  Abraham  Bodine  and  Mary  Low,  and  widow  of  Samuel 
Willemse.  John  married  Femmetje  Voorhees.  His  descendants  are  living  at  Plain- 
field,  N.  J.,  and  between  Seneca  and  Cayuga  lakes,  N.  Y. 

fThis  "Betsey  Bodine"  was  born  September  18,  1753.  December  23,  1779,  she 
became  the  second  wife  of  Tfolkert  Douw,  by  whom  she  had  seven  children.  She 
died  November  iS,  1825.  "  Betsy  Douw"  and  her  younger  sister,  "Judy  Bodine," 
were  visitors  all  life  long  at  the  residence  of  their  cousin,  John  Thompson. 


524  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

passage:  "Even  to-day  is  my  complaint  bitter;  my  stroke  is 
heavier  than  my  groning."  *  It  remains  still  turned  down  at  this 
place. 

Colonel  Hosterman's  report  of  the  occurrences  on  the  West 
Branch,  finished  June  1  ith,  must  have  reached  Fort  Augusta  the 
next  day.  Colonel  Hunter  immediately  issued  orders  that  all  the 
settlers  should  take  refuge  at  Fort  Augusta,  his  force  of  fifty  men 
being  entirely  insufficient  to  protect  any  of  the  points  along  the 
West  Branch.  Robert  Covenhoven  carried  the  message  to  Antes 
Fort  with  directions  to  pass  the  word  on  to  those  further  up  the 
river.  He  himself  returned  at  once  to  Wallis'  Fort  and  took  his 
family  safely  to  Sunbury.f  It  is  probable  that  Juda  Bodine  and 
her  boy  went  down  the  river  at  the  same  time  under  his  escort, 
since  he  was  one  of  her  neighbors  and  a  near  relative  of  her 
friends,  the  Wyckoffs.  How  long  she  remained  at  Sunbury  is  not 
known.  But  she  availed  herself  of  an  early  opportunity  to  set 
her  face  again  toward  the  home  of  her  youth.  Undoubtedly  she 
traveled  by  the  old  road,  "the  first  road  over  the  Blue  Mountain," 
which  struck  the  Susquehanna  at  the  Isle  of  Que. 

Her  child  was  too  small  to  make  the  journey  on  foot  and  too 
large  to  be  carried  in  arms.  The  horses  had  been  lost  the  day  of 
her  husband's  death.  But  mother-wit  is  quick  wit,  and  mother- 
love  a  love  which  overcomes  all  obstacles.  She  succeeded  in 
securing  a  little  wagon  suitable  for  the  purpose,  and  in  it  she 
placed  her  child,  with  the  Bible,  which  had  been  her  husband's, 
and  such  slight  articles  of  apparel  as  she  had  been  able  to  bring 
with  her.  This  cart  she  pulled,  through  storm  and  sunshine,  the 
whole  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  over  the  mountains  and  across 
the  streams,  through  "  The  Beech  Woods,"  to  Easton,  and  then 
over  the  Jersey  hills  to  her  former  home. 

Her  return  was  like  that  of  Naomi  from  the  Land  of  Moab. 
She  "went  out  full"  and  the  Lord  brought  her  "home  again 
empty."  The  one  treasure  she  still  possessed,  the  only  relic 
rescued  from  the  destruction  of  her  home  by  the  heathen,  was  her 
husband's  Bible.  The  family  record  in  this  precious  book  was 
now  increased,  (apparently  by  the  hand  of  some  friendly  school- 

*Job  xxiii,  2.     The  spelling  is  as  above. 

f  Pennsylvania  historical  Collections,  page  45 1 . 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  525 

master),  as  follows:  "The  9th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1778,  John 
Thomson  departed  this  life;  was  killed  and  scalped  by  ye  Tor\'  & 
Indians  at  Shamoken."* 

The  devastations  of  war  had  been  felt  on  the  Raritan  as  well  as 
the  Susquehanna.  Washington's  army  had  crossed  the  Delaware 
at  Coryell's  Ferry  (now  Lambertville,  N.  J.),  and  had  met  the 
enemy  on  that  memorable  hot  Sunday  (June  28,  1778,)  at  Mon- 
mouth. Several  of  her  friends  and  relatives  were  in  the  army, 
and  (even  if  she  had  been  willing  to  receive  it)  none  of  them 
were  in  a  condition  to  render  her  more  than  a  very  limited  assist- 
ance.f 

It  is  true  that  her  child  was  but  six  years  of  age,  and  that  she 
was  forty-three  and  without  means  of  support,  save  such  as  she 
should  find  in  her  own  resources  of  body  and  of  mind.     But  she 

*So  the  word  is  spelled  according  to  the  custom  of  the  day.  Fifty  years  later,  in 
New  Jersey,  the  pronunciation  was  uniformly  "Shemokem."  The  date  here  given, 
doubtless  from  memory,  is  erroneous.  Colonel  Hosterman's  report,  dated  at  "  Monsey 
Farm,  June  10,  1778,"  says  that  the  death  of  John  Thomson  occurred  "this  day." 

t  During  the  early  part  of  the  Revolutionary  war  New  Jersey  was  devastated  by 
roving  parties  of  Tories,  as  well  as  by  Hessians  and  British,  under  orders  from 
General  Howe,  directing  that  "  all  salted  and  meal  provisions,  which  may  be  judged 
to  e.vceed  the  quantity  necessary  for  the  subsistence  of  an  ordinary  family,  shall  be 
considered  a  magazine  of  the  enemy,  and  seized  for  the  King,  and  given  to  the  troops 
as  a  saving  for  the  public ! "  Under  such  an  order  the  pickling  tubs  and  garners  of 
every  Jersey  farmer  became  lawful  prize, — the  captor  being  judge  of  the  quantity 
necessary  for  the  subsistence  of  the  family.  (See  Gordon's  History  of  New  jfersey, 
page  232,  note).  Among  the  families  thus  raided  was  that  of  David  Schamp,  the 
last  in  this  region  of  the  Colonial  land-holders  who  kept  packs  of  hounds  for  fo.x- 
hunting,  and  raised  horses  with  which  to  compete  in  the  Long  Island  races. 

His  wife  was  at  home  alone  with  her  children,  but  she  was  equal  to  the  emergency. 
When  a  neighbor  rushed  in  to  announce  the  approach  of  a  band  of  Tories,  she 
mounted  one  of  the  valuable  stallions  in  the  stable  and  galloped  away  with  him  to  a 
ravine  in  the  woods,  where  she  hid  him  securely.  The  other  horse,  of  equal  value, 
was  turned  loose  in  the  road,  and  the  raiders  were  unable  to  catch  him,  though  they 
asserted  they  would  do  so  if  they  had  "to  go  to  hell  for  him."  After  their  departure 
he  was  caught  on  the  mountain  and  returned  to  his  stable.  Having  done  what  she 
could  to  save  the  horses,  Mrs.  Schamp  stationed  herself  at  the  entrance  to  the  cellar, 
with  a  hay-fork  in  her  hands,  to  defend  her  meat-barrels.  Threats  of  all  kinds  and 
attempts  to  pass  or  seize  her  were  in  vain.  They  were  not  willing  to  kill  her  for 
what  they  could  more  easily  get  from  some  other  cellar;  and  so  she  saved  her  food 
for  her  children.  Probably  she  would  not  have  been  so  successful  if  her  assailants 
had  known  the  fact  that  her  husband  was  in  the  secret  service  of  the  patriot  army,  in 


526  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

had  inherited  the  virtues  of  generations  of  struggle  with  ad- 
versities, civil  and  religious.  And  her  life  for  nearly  half  a  century 
had  been  such  as  to  develop  her  inborn  strength  of  character,  and 
fit  her  for  the  future  upon  which  she  was  now  entering.  She  was 
named  after  the  Jewish  widow  whose  wisdom  and  courage  had 
given  a  future  to  her  people,  and  the  better  courage  of  this  Chris- 
tian widow  now  rose  in  like  manner  to  the  height  of  the  occasion. 
She  had  only  her  son  to  live  for;  but  she  would  live  for  him  in 
such  a  way  as  to  make  him  worthy  of  his  ancestry.  And  she 
did. 

Accustomed  to  toil,  she  became  housekeeper  for  the  well-known 
Jacobus  Vanderveer,  at  his  plantation  on  Hollands  Brook,  a  mile 
west  of  Readington  church.*  Here  she  made  a  home  for  herself 
and  her  boy,  and  sent  him  to  school  while  she  could,  the  school- 
house  being  only  three-fourths  of  a  mile  away,  on  the  road  to  the 
mill  and  the  church.     As  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  she  took  care 


which  he  served  duruig  the  war,  with  the  rank  of  captain,  though  he  was  commonly 
designated  by  his  rank  in  the  militia  as  "Colonel."  He  was  personally  known  to 
Washington,  at  whose  request  he  raised  the  company  of  scouts  which  he  commanded. 
On  one  occasion,  at  least,  the  General  spent  a  night  at  his  house.  The  wing  in 
which  he  slept  is  still  standing  at  "  The  Brookye,"  (now  Pleasant  Run,  N.  J.)  The 
enclosure  is  of  shingles,  fastened  with  wrought  nails.  While  they  were  at  dinner  a 
neighboring  child  (of  the  Van  Vliet  family)  slipped  into  the  room  to  get  a  glimpse  of 
the  great  General.  Expecting  to  see  a  sort  of  demi-god,  she  was  very  much  dis- 
appointed, and  exclaimed  aloud  in  her  "Jersey  Dutch  "  vernacular:  " Hy  zieC  tneer 
zo  's  een  andere  kerel."  Washington  heard  her  exclamation,  and  perceiving  that  it 
had  reference  to  him,  insisted  upon  knowing  its  meaning.  It  was  explained  to  him 
by  the  rather  mild  translation:  "He  looks  just  like  any  other  man;"'  to  which  he 
replied:     "  Yes,  my  child,  and  a  frail  one  at  that." 

The  next  morning,  walking  up  and  down  the  portico  while  waiting  for  his  horse, 
a  smaller  child  noticed  the  end  of  his  sword  case  dragging  on  the  porch  and  ventured 
to  lift  it  in  her  hand.  Receiving  a  kindly  smile  for  her  well-meant  endeavor,  she 
held  fast  the  sheath,  and  walked  up  and  down  behind  the  General,  "playing  horse" 
with  him. 

Colonel  .Schamp  was  the  nearest  neighbor  of  John  Thompson  in  New  Jersey,  and 
the  families  were  connected  also  by  marriage.  These  anecdotes  of  Washington  have 
always  been  well  known  in  the  family,  and  were  communicated  to  the  present  writer 
by  John  Thompson's  wife,  Elizabeth  Morehead,  (who  received  the  information 
directly  from  Mrs.  Schamp),  and  by  Colonel  Schamp's  grandson,  David  D.  Schamp, 
still  living  on  the  property. 

*The  farm  is  now  (1889)  owned  by  T.  V.  M.  Cox,  Esq. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  527 

to  have  him  become  famihar  with  the  routine  of  work  on  the 
farm.  After  that  she  bound  him  apprentice  to  a  tailor,  that 
lie  might  become  the  better  able  to  support  himself  by  his  own 
industry. 

When  she  was  no  longer  needed  in  this  household,  she  went  to 
service  with  Dr.  Jacob  Jennings,  then  just  beginning  the  practice 
of  medicine  in  this  vicinity.  When  he  refused  to  pay  her  her  just 
dues,  although  the  amount  in  dispute  was  small,  she  thought  of 
her  boy,  and  sued  him  (May  i8,  1785,)  before  Esquire  Peter 
Bruner,  recovering  the  sum  of  fifteen  shillings  and  sixpence,  with 
costs  of  suit.* 

At  a  later  date  she  was  in  the  employ  of  Peter  Whorley, 
who  kept  the  big  stone  tavern  at  what  is  now  the  village  of 
Raritan,  N.  J, 

Still  later  she  became  an  inmate  of  the  family  of  Esquire  Jacob 
De  Groot,  at  Bound  Brook,  N.  J. ;  and  here  she  ended  her  self- 
denying  life,  and  was  buried  June  17,  1796.  The  only  legacy  she 
left  her  son,  beside  the  innate  ethical  courage  which  had  mani- 
fested itself  in  her  life,  was  the  Bible  which  had  comforted  his 
parents  in  the  times  that  tried  men's  souls. 

It  was  customary  in  those  days  for  a  woman  who  could  write 
to  record  her  name  in  her  Bible,  with  the  added  statement  that 
"  God  gave  her  grace,"  etc.  This  pious  formula  of  covert  self- 
laudation  she  turned  into  a  prayer,  and  wrote: 

Juda  Thomson,  her  book; 

God  give  her  grace  tlierein  to  look ; 

Not  only  to  look  but  to  understand! 

From  this  writing  on  the  rough  surface  of  the  third  page  of 
cover,  inside  her  little  Bible,  has  been  made  the  fac-simile  which 
introduces  this  sketch  of  her  life. 


*See  Esquire  Bruner's  Docket,  now  in  possession  of  her  grandson,  Joseph  Thomp- 
son, of  Readington,  N.  J.  Dr.  Jacob  Jennings  was  a  graduate  of  Princeton  College. 
His  first  wife,  Maria  Kennedy,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  William  Kennedy,  of  Basking 
Ridge,  N.  J.,  is  buried  at  Readington.  After  her  decease  Dr.  Jennings  removed  to 
Hardy  County,  Virginia,  where  he  conducted  religious  services  so  acceptably  that  the 
people  of  that  region  urgently  requested  that  he  might  be  ordained  to  the  Gospel 
ministry,  and  he  was  so  ordained  by  the  Synod  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church 
in  1789. 


528  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

John  Thompson,  the  only  child  of  John  Thomson  and  Juda 
Bodine,  ^vas  born  at  the  Drie  Hook,  on  the  farm  now  (1889) 
belonging  to  the  estate  of  Philip  Ditts  Lare,  not  far  from  White 
House  Depot  on  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey.  The  re- 
moval to  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna  took  place  too 
early  to  make  any  definite  impression  upon  the  mind  of  the  young 
child.  He  remembered  well,  however,  his  childhood's  home  in 
the  wilderness.  In  later  years  he  was  wont  to  tell  how,  playing 
one  day  behind  the  barn,  he  found  a  rare  and  curious  flower, 
unknown  to  his  father  or  his  neighbors,  which  proved  to  be 
the  first  specimen  of  red  clover  ev^er  seen  in  "the  Shemokem 
country." 

He  remembered  also  how,  early  on  the  return  journey,  the  party 
gathered  lettuce  from  a  deserted  garden  at  a  place  where  they 
camped,  and  ate  so  much  of  it  that  they  were  sick.  At  first  they 
thought  the  lettuce  had  been  poisoned  for  them  by  the  Indians. 
One  of  the  men  kept  complaining  of  the  "  load  on  his  stomach  " 
until  his  companions  grew  weary.  The  joker  of  the  company  had 
disencumbered  himself  of  his  vest  while  at  work,  and  now  called 
to  the  boy  to  bring  from  the  pocket  of  the  vest  a  fish-hook  and 
line.  Some  one  inquired  what  he  wished  to  do  with  fishing  tackle 
then  and  there,  and  he  answered :  "  Fish  the  salad  off  this  man's 
stomach ! " 

John  Thompson's  "cyphering  book"  is  still  in  existence.  It 
was  begun  before  he  was  eleven  }-ears  old  and  finished  apparently 
before  he  was  twelve.  It  shows  that  his  mathematical  studies  ex- 
tended through  "  the  single  rule  of  three  "  and  "  practice."  In  it 
the  teacher  wrote  the  boy's  name,  and  always  as  his  parents  wrote 
it,  "Thomson."  But  the  boy  evidently  had  a  mind  of  his  own, 
and  he  wrote  it  ahva)s  " Thompson,"  a  custom  to  which  his  de- 
scendants (howe\er  much  they  regret  the  change)  now  uni- 
versally adhere. 

He  was  an  active  lad,  and  in  after  years  would  sometimes  speak 
of  his  exploits  as  a  farmer's  boy  in  the  breaking  of  colts.  He 
learned  his  trade  with  Peter  Mazzini,  the  little  Italian  tailor.  At 
twenty  years  of  age  he  became  a  tailor  himself  at  "  The  Brookj-e," 
fi\"e  miles  a\va\',  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.     He  was 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  529 

a  bit  of  a  beau,  as  became  a  young  man  of  his  profession.  His 
silver  sleeve  buttons  and  knee-buckles  are  still  in  existence.  The 
buttons  bear  his  initials,  "  I.  T."  * 

His  correct  deportment  and  industrious  habits  commended  him 
to  all  who  knew  him,  and  five  months  after  he  attained  his  majority 
he  married  (December  i,  1793,)  Hannah  Van  Syckle.f 

Their  oldest  child  was  born  September  23,  1794,  and  the  next 
spring  (March  25,  1795,)  he  bought,  for  three  hundred  and  twenty 
pounds,  "  specie  money,"  the  farm  on  which  his  ten  other  children 
were  born.  It  lay  mostly  on  the  south  side  of  Campbell's  Brook, 
and  contained  one  hundred  and  six  acres.  At  that  time,  he  was 
wont  to  say,  he  had,  besides  his  wife  and  child,  only  his  "  goose 
and  five  dollars." 

Yet  he  had  also  both  character  and  reputation.  His  reputation 
enabled  him  to  borrow  the  money  to  pay  for  the  farm,  and  his 


*The  letters  "I"  and  "J"  had  in  those  days  the  same  form.  John  Thompson's 
son,  Wilham,  always  wrote  his  name  "William  I.  Thompson,"  not  " William  J.," 
which  would  have  been  according  to  the  custom  still  prevailing  in  that  region.  This 
custom  of  distinguishing  relatives  whose  names  are  otherwise  alike,  by  using  the 
initial  of  the  father's  name  as  a  middle  letter,  is  probably  derived  from  the  old  Dutch 
usage  of  taking  the  Christian  name  of  the  father  with  the  addition  of  the  syllable 
so?i  as  a  surname.  Thus,  John,  the  son  of  Peter,  would  be  named  "John  Peterson;  " 
and  if  this  John  should  have  a  son  Peter,  he  would  be  known  as  "  Peter  Johnson," 
etc.  This  ancient  usage  was,  of  course,  very  confusing;  but  the  modification  of  it, 
above  stated,  meets  a  want  of  the  day,  as  will  be  seen  on  reference  to  the  list  of  John 
Thompson's  descendants  on  page  533.  He  himself  was  known  as  "John  Thomp- 
son, senior,"  and  his  son  as  "John  Thompson,  junior."  But  this  man's  son  John  was 
known  as  "John  J."  So  "John  A."  and  "  Peter  A."  are  at  once  recognized  as  sons 
of  Andrew ;  John  P.  as  a  son  of  Peter,  &c. 

This  usage,  however,  does  not  always  indicate  the  paternity  with  definiteness,  for 
"Aaron  J."  is  a  son,  not  of  John,  but  of  Joseph.  John  P.  Thompson's  son,  Joseph, 
secures  greater  accuracy  of  distinction  by  writing  his  name  "Joseph  John,"  thus 
reverting  more  nearly  to  the  original  usage,  according  to  which  it  would  be  "Joseph 
Johnson!"  It  is  fast  becoming  necessary  to  adopt  generally  some  such  usage,  by 
which  the  first  name  indicates  the  individual;  the  second,  \.he  family,  and  the  third, 
the  clan. 

fShe  was  born  February  29,  1772,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Andries  Van  Syckle, 
a  member  of  the  family  .so  numerous  and  so  pious  in  the  vicinity  that  "  The  Church 
of  the  North  Branch,"  after  its  removal  to  Hollands  Brook  in  1738,  was  known  as 
"The  Van  .Syckle  Meeting  House."  For  other  relatives  see  The  Van  Syckle 
Genealogy,  page  175. 


530  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

character  enabled  him  to  earn  the  money  and  pay  the  debt.  Most 
of  the  amount  was  reaUzed  in  small  sums  from  the  diligent  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil,  though  he  also  coined  the  clay  of  his  poorest 
field  into  money,  by  turning  it  first  into  brick.  During  these 
years  of  struggle  he  worked  at  his  trade  in  winter  enough  to  pay 
for  the  help  he  hired  in  summer,  and  afterward  abandoned  his 
trade  altogether,  save  that  to  the  end  of  his  life  he  always  made 
his  own  clothes.  His  industry  and  economy  were  well  seconded 
by  his  wife,  who  gave  him  also  the  wifely  sympathy  which 
sweetens  labor.  The  six  hundred  dollars  which  she  inherited 
enabled  them  to  double  the  size  of  their  house,  in  order  to  pro- 
vide accommodations  for  their  rapidly  increasing  family.  The 
faithful  wife  and  mother  died  May  i8,  1806,  leaving  to  him  the 
care  of  seven  children,  all  under  twelve  years  of  age.  A  year 
later  he  married  Elizabeth  Morehead.* 

She  bore  him  four  children,  and  cared  for  all  as  if  they  had  been 
her  own.  The  thousand  dollars  she  inherited  from  her  father's 
estate  enabled  them  to  enlarge  their  farm-land  and  to  settle  his 
two  eldest  sons,  when  they  married,  upon  the  northern  end  of  his 
plantation,  on  Campbell's  Brook.  The  nine  hundred  dollars  she 
inherited,  at  a  later  period,  from  her  maiden  sister,  Sarah,  with 
what  else  could  be  saved  by  the  economy  of  the  whole  household, 
afforded  them  the  gratification  of  educating  her  second  son, 
William,  for  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel.  Her  devotion  to  her 
husband  and  his  children  was  equaled  only  by  the  devotedness  of 
her  piety.  Her  children  and  her  children's  children  rise  up  and 
call  her  blessed. t 

When  her  eldest  son,  Joseph,  married,  an  addition  was  made 
to  the  house  at  the  eastern  end,  and  into  this  the  parents 
moved,  leaving  the  rooms  west  of  the  hall  for  Joseph  and  his 
family.  J 

Not  long  after  John  Thompson  bought  a  farm  a  mile  further  up 

*She  was  the  sister  of  John  Morehead,  who  had  married  Sarah  Van  Syckle,  the 
sister  of  John  Thompson's  first  wife. 

fShe  was  born  July  25,  1775,  and  died  January  16,  1861. 

J  The  quaint  life  in  this  "long,  low,  red  house"  is  described  in  Snelfs  History  of 
Hunterdon  and  Somerset  Counties,  N.  J.,  page  493. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  53I 

Campbell's  Brook,  upon  which  he  resided  as  long  as  he  lived,  and 
left  by  will  to  his  widow.  After  his  death  the  old  homestead  was 
bought  by  his  son,  Aaron,  who  ne\er  left  the  paternal  roof,  and, 
after  his  mother's  death,  purchased  also  the  farm,  which  had  been 
hers. 

For  more  than  thirty  years  John  Thompson  was  justice  of  the 
peace  and  judge  of  the  Hunterdon  County  Court.  During  the 
last  part  of  this  time  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  recognizing  his 
son,  Joseph,  as  one  of  the  judges  co-ordinate  with  him  on  the 
bench.* 

He  was  accustomed  to  hold  court,  usually  twice  a  week,  in  his 
own  ample  hall.  Ministers  of  every  name  had  the  free  use  of 
this  hall  also  for  public  worship ;  and  teachers  as  well  as  preachers 
found  always  a  welcome  at  his  hospitable  board.  He  died  March 
9,  1847,  in  the  bosom  of  his  family. 

A  list  of  his  descendants,  so  far  as  known,  will  be  found  on  the 
immediately  succeeding  pages.  They  number  nearly  three  hundred 
and  fifty,  and  are  scattered  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  and  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Children's  children  are  the  crown  of  the  old  men, 
And  the  glory  of  children  are  their  fathers. f 

After  the  death  of  the  last  member  of  the  family  who  had  lived 
on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  the  historic  Bible 
became  the  property  of  his  youngest  son,  Aaron.  By  him  it  was 
in  after  years  given  to  that  one  of  the  descendants  of  the  original 
owner  who  bears  the  names  of  all  three  of  the  residents  on  the 
West  Branch.  Every  leaf  of  this  precious  book  is  water-stained, 
probably  by  the  exposures  of  the  memorable  journey  from  the 
Susquehanna  to  the  Raritan.  The  old  calf  of  the  binding  is  worn 
into  holes  by  long  use,  and  only  small  pieces  of  the  antique  clasps 
remain,  imbedded  in  one  side  of  the  thick  cover.  The  leaf  which 
contains   the  family   record    is   becoming  brittle,  and   begins   to 

*Joseph  Thompson,  after  being  for  fifteen  years  judge  of  the  Hunterdon  County 
Court,  was  for  another  fifteen  years  judge  of  the  Somerset  County  Court,  his  last  ap- 
pointment being  made  on  the  nomination  by  Governor  George  B.  McClellan  (of  the 
opposite  political  party),  at  the  request  of  every  lawyer  in  the  county. 

f  Proverbs  xvii.  6. 


53^  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

crumble  at  the  edges.     It  is  admirably  represented,  however,  by 
the  following  fac-simile; 


M^a  ■'  -  '^' 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


DESCENDANTS    OF   JOHN    THOMPSON. 


Thompsons  In  Roman ;  others  In  Italics :  sm-names  (of  married  i 


Andrew,  born  Sept 


"  Kind  Is  but  kinned,  writ  s 


nirried  June  24,  1816;  died  Oct.  25,  Ig 


Stephen. 

Susan  Elizabeth, 

Eleanor  Ann  Post, 

Andrew  Thompson, 
'I    Peter  Elmer. 
William, 


L  Charles  ^ 

r  Susanna  Dallev, 


Henrietta  Kitchen, 


f  Andrew  . 


John  Ilardenburgh, 


-  .4 mt/  Herbert. 

(  Frederick  ?^^eviu,-i. 
<  Anna  yevius. 
(.  JEarle  Thompson. 

(  Clara  Hannah. 

\  William. 

-  John  L, 

-  jSrellie. 

-  Sarah  A  nn  Gordon. 
f  Georglana. 

John  A. 
Walter  Ople. 
Sarah  Catharine. 
Marj-  Elizabeth. 
Henry  Vroom. 
Peter  Schamp. 
David. 
Caroline. 
L  Alice. 
Anna  Maria. 

r  Mary  Ellen. 

Susan. 

Jennie  Lavira. 
I    Henrietta. 

Sarah. 

Carrie. 

Andreiv  Connet. 

Sarah  Ann. 
i    Hannah  Maria. 
I    Llda. 

1    Mar.v  Emma. 
I    Laura. 
L  Florence, 
r  Frank  Earle. 
!    Richard  H. 
"]    Mary. 
L  Grace. 
f  Eena  M. 

Mabel  F. 


I    William  Henry, 
I    Samuel,     - 
I-  Jacob. 


John  Henry,     - 
Andrew  P., 
Ellen  Maria  Dow,    - 
Henrietta  .\i.voKn, 
Caroline  Miller  Fogg, 
Edward  Anderson. 


■I   Peter  Cole. 

I   George  Musgrove. 

-  Wllhelmlna  stout. 
(  Mary  Ellen. 

<   Marshall. 
{  Mina. 

-  Laura, 
j  Robert. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


Eleanor  Ann. 
Andrew  A.,    - 

Susannah  Lane, 


William  Henry. 
Jacob  Quick,    - 


Catharine  Maria. 


L  Mary 


Thomas  Johnson. 
Henrietta. 

Lane. 


{^ 


Bertha  Acca. 
Marlon. 
Sadie  May. 


II.     Juda  Saxion,  born  July  17,  1796  ;  married  July  22, 1S20 ;  died  Jan.  26, 1847. 

,  f  Anna  Jane. 

Hannah  Elizabeth  Campbell,       i    Eva  May. 
J  I    IralAndsley. 

\  f  Joanna  Van  Camp. 

Uuda  Ann  THOMSON,       -       -       ^«r.^fl«.a6.«. 
L  John  Henry. 


Sarah  Ann  Lindslet, 


III.     John,  born  Jan.  3,  1798;  married  May  5,  1821;  died  April  20,  1846. 


John  J.,  - 
Elizabeth  J.  Roberts, 


r  Christopher  Brewer  Stout, 

I   Frederick  Frellnghuysen, 
L  David  Kline. 
-    Sarah  Jilizafielh  Simons, 

f  Sarali  Elizabeth  Snow,  - 


Catharine  Maria  Mekbiam, 

Georglana. 
Jane  Louisa. 
Adallne. 


Anne. 
Jenny. 
Marietta. 
Margaret. 


Cktra  Ellen. 

Mary  Ellen. 

Andrew  Alfred. 

Anna  Gertrude. 

Joseph  Melville. 

Elmer  Ii'ving. 
(  William  Eay. 
!    Mary  Ethel. 
'l    A  daughter  unnamed. 
L  Arscott  Andrew. 
r  Charles  Edward. 
I   John  Albert. 
1    William  Merrlam. 
L  George  P. 
(  Jennie  Elizabeth, 
\   Hattie  Ellen. 
(Ada  Irene. 


Aaron  Saxon. 


f  Ellda  Trimmer, 


■i   Levi,         -      -      -      . 

Sarah  Rebecca  Trimmer, 

L  Emma  Augusta  Trimmer, 


Elmer  Alpheus. 
Levi  Thompson. 
Anna  Lavinia. 
Ella. 
Emma. 
John. 

Margaret  May. 
Ella  Ray. 
Margaret  Ellen. 


liirie  Thompson. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

IV.     Peter,  born  May  23,  1802;  Married  Feb.  11,  1.830;  died  Jan.  15,  1845. 

f  Helen  Ross. 
David,      .       .       .       -        J  r  Jennetta. 

(  Jessie  Davetta  Streng,  -        -j   John  Edward. 

I  Jessie. 
f  .losephlne  Louisa. 
I    William. 


535 


Joseph  John, Grace. 

I    Peter. 

I    Chrysostom. 

L  Henry. 


Mary  Hannah  Case, 

William. 
George. 
Augustus. 


I  Jessie. 
.;  Mary. 
I  Earle. 
I  Joseph. 
L  Aaron. 
r  Marietta. 
Elizabeth  Augusta. 

I    Jessie  Davetta. 
[^  Peter  Lemuel. 


V.     Hannah  La  Tourette,  born  August  1,  1802;  married  August  19,  1820;  died 
March  27,  1838. 


Hannah  Maria  Cabkhofi 


f  Mary  Cathar 
(  Jacob  Quick, 


Andrew  Thompson 


Sarali  Van  Doren, 


George  Dalley, 
I   Ida  Hall. 
L  Elizabeth  Kee. 
f  Andrew. 
I    Mary  Letitia. 

Caroline. 

Lucy  Wyckoff, 


Franklin. 
Lemuel. 
Frederick. 
Flora  May. 
Arthur. 
f  Ezekiel. 


Fly. 

Franzenia. 

Naomi. 

John. 

Sufan  Maria. 

Hannah  Elizabeth  Crate, 


Alma  Jane. 

A  babe  unnamed. 

Clarence. 

Irene. 

Roseoe. 

Andrew  T. 

William  B. 


/Minnie  Alice. 
Stella  Ethel. 

L  Florence  Goldie. 


'Children  by  Daniel  Ent  Thompson,  grandson  of  Andrew.    See  In  I.  above. 


536 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


VI.     Sarah  Hudnut,  born  June  6,  1804  ;   married,  1825;   died  May  4,  1856. 
Josiah.  Austin. 


(  John. 

Elizabeth  Everett, 

<  Sarah. 
{  William. 
r  JacoD. 

1     /(ta  HOAGLAND, 

-       -    Katie. 
(  Ella. 

John  Thompson,    - 

J    Jacolj  Cole, 
1    Joseph  Boss. 

<  Hannah. 
{  John  T. 

1    J  «na  Wakefield,  -       - 

-    Marlon  F. 

L  Charles. 

AtyraUamP. 

(  .Stephen  De  Hart,     - 

-       -    Mai-y. 

Margaret  Stmt  Quimbt, 

<  John  D.  Vroom. 
I  Elizabeth  Holcomb. 
r  Sarah  Elizabeth. 
John  Thompson. 

A  babe  unnamed. 

Petfr  Thompson,   - 

i    WiUiam. 
]    Freaei-icK. 

Pearl. 

Grace. 
I  Lovel. 

VII.  Maiy,  born  May  18,  1806;  died  February,  1807. 

VIII.  Joseph,  born  Sept.  30,  1808;  married  Jan.  6,  1830. 
JobBBodme,         -      -        |S;™nS?fJ«- 


Abraham, 

WUllam. 

Aaron  J., 

Martha  Eliza  Hoffman. 

Lutlier. 

Emma  BonsQUET,  - 


I  James  Westf; 
1  JoUn  Henry. 
L  Wayne  Hube 


I  Kate  Kennedy. 
i  Ellas  Wortman. 
L  Josephine  Anderson  Kershaw,   -    Raymona  Davidson. 


Emma  Josephine. 


IX.     William,  born  March  8,  1812;  married  April  2,  1846;  died  March  19,  1867 


Kate  HOFPEs. 
Elizabeth  Higgins, 
John  Ward. 


X.     Aaron,  born  Sept,  16,  1814;  married  Feb.  '. 

Charltee  S.  Hegeman, 

{Aarmi  Thompson. 
Maria  Schamp. 
Ina  Thompson. 
sopme. 

InTivKriNF  j  Aaron  Thompson. 

Lany  KLINE,  -       -       -        \  sophie  Maria. 

David  Schamp,      -      -      -    Charltee  D. 

John  Kee. 

Ina. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  537 

XI.     Elizabeth  Kee,  born  Sept.  2, 1817 ;  married  Dec.  15, 1845 ;  died  Dec.  14, 1881. 


Margaret  Jane  Conkling, 
Eliza  Mary  Richards. 


f  Howard 
Ri^sel  i. 
,  <  Edward 
EUnabet. 

L   muiam 


THE  WYCKOFF  FAMILY. 


One  of  the  Dutch  families  from  New  Jersey  was  that  of  Peter 
Wyckoff* 

His  home  was  on  Mill  Creek,  just  above  the  place  where  it 
empties  into  the  Loyalsock,  about  a  mile  north-easterly  from 
"  Thomson's."  These  families  had  been  equally  near  neighbors  in 
New  Jersey,  and  they  probably  came  to  this  region  together. 
Peter  Wyckoff  was  a  juryman  in  Northumberland  County  in 
1777. 

This  family  was  well  represented  in  Captain  Berry's  company 
of  men  that  set  out  from  Fort  Muncy  to  look  for  the  stolen 
horses,  June  lo,  1778.  (Mention  has  already  been  made  of 
William  Wyckoff,  the  son  of  Peter.)  It  is  not  certain  that  Peter 
Wyckoff  himself  was  in  the  company,  though  it  is  very  probable, 
for  he  was  captured  the  same  day.  His  brother,  William,  and 
his  sons,  Cornelius  and  Joseph,  were  in  it.  So  were  their  cousins, 
James  and  Thomas  Covenhoven,  and  perhaps  others  of  their 
relatives.  Besides  these  there  was  a  friendly  Indian,  known  as 
"Captain  Sharpshins,"  a  negro,  and  others  to  the  number  of 
twelve.f  For  some  reason  (probably  because  of  information  re- 
ceived at  the  fort  after  their  departure)  a  messenger  was  sent  out 
after  them  to  advise  an  immediate  return.     This  messenger  was 


*The  original  spelling  of  this  name  was  "Wyk-hof."  The  last  syllable  appears 
also  in  the  name  "  Hoffman "  (Hof-man).  "Hof"  means  cot«-/,  and  "  Hofman "  is 
thus  equivalent  to  the  English  Courtier.  "Wyk"  denotes  2.  place  of  refuge,  and  also 
a  ward  of  a  city.  The  primary  signification  was  probably  home  or  dwelling-place . 
In  form,  the  word  is  almost  identical  with  the  Creek,  oik-os,  a  house,  and  has,  un- 
doubtedly, the  same  origin.  Thus  "Bruynswyck"  (Brunswick)  meant  originally 
Brown's  house.  " Wyk-hof-man,"  shortened  to  "Wyk-hof"  (Wyckoff),  must  have 
designated  primarily , the  Household  Courtier  in  distinction  from  those  at  a  further  re- 
move from  the  chief  court  of  the  realm.  In  like  manner  "  Kerk-hof-man,"  shortened 
to  "  Kerk-hof,"  and  anglicized  to  "  Cark-huff,"  designated  at  first  one  buised  in 
church  courts,  &c. 

f  See  Pennsylvania  Historical  Collections,  page  455. 


538  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

Robert  Covenhoven.*  But  Captain  Berry  refused  to  acknowledge 
Colonel  Hepburn's  authority,  and  persisted  in  going  forward. 
This  being  the  case,  and  so  many  of  his  relatives  being  in  the 
expedition,  Robert  Covenhoven  determined  to  go  along  as  guide. 
The  party  proceeded  cautiously  through  the  Narrows,  and  so  on 
up  the  creek,  searching  in  vain  for  the  horses,  until  they  thought 
they  had  gone  far  enough.  They  then  determined  to  retrace  their 
steps,  and  accordingly  set  out  again  down  the  creek.  Robert 
Covenhoven  believed  that  there  were  Indians  in  the  vicinity,  and 
advised  a  return  by  a  safer,  though  more  difficult,  route  through 
the  woods,  and  over  the  mountain,  in  order  to  avoid  the  danger 
of  an  ambuscade.  But  Captain  Berry  thought  there  was  no 
danger,  and  paid  little  attention  to  his  warning.  He  insisted  until 
Berry  impatiently  said  he  was  needlessly  alarmed,  and  accused 
him  of  cowardice.  This  irritated  him,  and  he  insisted  no  more. 
He  went  privately,  however,  to  his  brothers  and  communicated 
to  them  his  fears  that  they  would  be  attacked,  and  that  if  so  they 
would  probably  all  be  killed.  He  urged  them  to  keep  a  sharp 
outlook,  and  if  the  flash  of  a  gun  was  seen,  to  spring  immediately 
to  the  protection  of  some  friendly  tree. 

They  traveled  on  without  molestation  until  they  again  reached 
the  Narrows,  a  mile  above  the  present  bridge  across  the  Loyalsock, 
where  they  were  suddenly  fired  upon  by  a  band  of  savages  in 
ambush.  Most  of  the  party,  including  the  reckless  Captain  Berry, 
were  shot  down.  Robert  Covenho\'en,  however,  and  a  few  others 
escaped  and  returned  to  the  fort  to  report  the  fate  of  the  expedi- 

*The  original  form  of  this  name  was  Kouwenhnien.  A  branch  of  the  family  in 
New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  still  write  their  names  Cowenhoven.  Colloquially,  the  "Jersey 
Dutch"  were  in  the  habit  of  changing  final  "n"  to  "r,"  and  pronouncing  the  word 
Kou-wen-ho-ver,  with  the  accent  on  the  first  syllable.  From  this  the  transition  was 
easy  to  Cownm'er,  which  in  Pennsylvania  became  Crtnunover,  and  in  New  Jersey 
Conmer,  the  form  now  used  almost  universally  in  that  state.  All  the  branches  of 
this  family  are  descended  from  Wolfert  Gerrisse  Van  Kouwenhoven,  who  immigrated 
to  the  New  Netherlands  in  1630.  His  son,  Gerrit,  was  known  as  Geiril  Wolfcrtsen, 
and  /iw  son,  William,  as  William  Cerritsen.  (Compare  note,  page  529.)  They  all 
lived  on  Long  Island,  in  the  state  of  New  York.  William  Gerritsen  had  six  sons : 
William,  Peter,  Cornelius,  Albert,  Jacob  and  John.  These  all  removed  to  Monmouth 
County,  N.  J.,  except  William,  whose  sons,  however,  followed  their  uncles  thither; 
and  thence  Robert  Covenhoven's  father  came  to  the  West  Branch,  bringing  with  him 
at  least  his  three  sons  above  mentioned,  and  his  daughter,  Isabella. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  539 

tion.  Night  was  now  approaching,  but  Colonel  Hepburn  at  once 
set  out  with  a  party  to  rescue  any  other  fugitives  who  might  still 
be  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Loyalsock. 

Thomas  Covenhoven,  Peter  Wyckoff,  his  son,  Cornelius,  and 
the  negro  were  made  prisoners.  The  negro  was  afterward  burned 
alive  in  the  presence  of  the  other  prisoners,  who  did  not  know 
whether  or  not  they  would  meet  the  same  fate.  But  they  suffered 
only  the  privations  and  distresses  incident  to  the  condition  of 
captives  among  savages.  The  greatest  suffering  was  from  the 
lack  of  salt.  When  their  captors  stopped  to  purchase  supplies  of 
an  Indian  trader  in  the  wilderness,  the  white  men  eagerly  gathered 
up  a  few  grains  of  salt,  with  the  dirt,  upon  which  it  had  been 
spilled  near  the  sack.  Observing  this,  the  proprietor  kindly  gave 
them  each  a  small  quantity  folded  in  a  paper,  which  they  carried 
in  their  vest  pockets  and  husbanded  very  carefully. 

Peter  Wyckoff  was  fifty-four  years  of  age  when  captured,  and 
his  head  was  "  white  as  a  pigeon."  The  Indians,  however,  dyed 
his  hair  black  and  dressed  him  like  one  of  themselves,  so  that  he 
should  not  be  easily  recognized  by  any  chance  traveler.*  Both 
he  and  his  son,  Cornelius,  remained  in  captivity  about  two  years. 

Joseph  Wyckoff,  son  of  Peter,  was  also  captured  by  the  Indians 
about  the  same  time.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  was  taken  while 
rolling  logs  in  a  saw  mill. 

He  was  carried  off  to  Canada,  near  Montreal.  Being  skilled  in 
the  use  of  the  whip-saw,  he  made  use  of  his  knowledge  while  a 
captive  to  earn  a  little  money. 

About  the  time  of  Joseph's  capture  Pontiac,  with  some  Indians 
and  Tories,  descended  upon  a  little  settlement  called  Boone's 
Station,  in  Kentucky,  and  completely  destroyed  the  place,  captur- 
ing several  persons,  among  whom  was  a  family  named  Ford  (or 
Fore).  All  were  taken  to  Canada.  In  this  family  was  a  young 
woman  named  Keziah  Ford  (or  Fore).  While  in  captivity,  Joseph 
Wyckoff  fell  in  love  with  Keziah,  and  they  were  married  by 
Father  De  Lisle,  of  Montreal.  Their  marriage  certificate  is  still 
in  existence. 

*This  story  was  magnified  by  repetition  into  the  statement  {^Pennsylvania  Historical 
Collections,  page  455,)  that  he  was  bald  when  captured,  and  on  his  return  had  a  fine 
head  of  hair ! 


540  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

Joseph  Wyckoff  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Common- 
wealth of  Pennsylvania  July  30,  1777,  in  Northumberland  County, 
and  was  appointed  Lieutenant  of  the  Third  Company  of  the  Third 
Battalion  of  Militia,  in  the  county  of  Northumberland,  April  24, 
1785.  His  commission  was  issued  by  the  "Supreme  Executive 
Council  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Penns)4vania."  It  is  signed  by 
James  Irvine,  Vice-President,  and  John  Armstrong,  Secretary. 
In  it  he  is  described  as  "Joseph  Wickoff,  Gentleman."  It  is 
believed  that  he  was  a  soldier  also  at  the  time  of  his  capture. 

In  the  Nmm  cuuL  by  t4e  Authcnty  of  tlir  Freamn  of  the  Common- 
zjcaM  of  Pcnnfylvamx, 

The  SUPREME  EXECUTIVE  COUNCIL  of  the 
feid  Commonwealth, 


TcJc^^MJ^^^I^I^^  , 


WE  iMoring  tipcciil  Tiutt  fltid  CouSilenw  in  your  Pstriotifin,  Viloun  Conduft  and 
Ficfrlitjr,  3>0.  by  thefe  Pssfenft.  conftKute  ena  ippoincyoaa  be iJi'!ii£:,^ao'^i/_ ' 


^attauon  of  MUItia,  m  die  Coumr  of  fZa-'i^tt.m^^st^t.rii^'sa  are  tfiercfoK  carBfuIlr  and 

dili^ntly  to  cfSchirce  the  Duty  oia&nl^at^  ■" ^  doing  aid.  pcrfoimii^  all 

Marmei  of  Thing.i  -^heiEUnto  belonging.    Arid  AVe  do  ifridHj  Oaigt  ajidreqiaie  all  OSce^j 

and  Soiditrs  luicier  your  Cowmand^  to  be  obedient  ta  your  Driers  aiQ^i-api^^SSZ^ 

And  you.  ire  la  obCave  and  follow  {lich  Ordeis  and  Dire£lioiis  as  you  fljall  from  Tims  10 
T«in£  receive  from  {?se  Supreme  EjceeuJtVE  Coimcn  of  tbis  Coranonwealdi,  ox  from  your 
fiqjcrior  Officei^  accordirig  fo  fiic  Rules  ani  DifcJpline  o£  Wat,  and  in  pviriuaiice  ot  the 
ABs  of  AlTembly  o£  rfiu  Sn.te,  This  CamtaJfCin.ro  coTitJnufi  in  Force  uniuyour  Term,  by 
tlie  La»s  o£  this  State,  OmD  o£  Coiule  aspire^ 

GIVEN  In,  Cmmal,  imdcr  fe  Wand  oj  tht^Pnfib^  mi  tkc  li^ar  Seal  of  Ovf.  ~ 

Philaddphm,  du^^i^^^A^^O}  oflM>k^ m  tfie  Icar  0/  au7  Lord,  am  thodiud 

Jeven  ha  "    ■•        • -"^^-^-^  ■-         / 


a/ffiu,  (fZ*t»<.,  it*Ky/'^^^ 


FAC-SIMILE   OF  JOSEPH    W^'CKOFF  S   COMMISSI 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  54 1 

Peter  Wyckoffs  wife,  Rebecca  Emaus,  made  her  way  back  to 
New  Jersey  (in  the  same  company  with  the  widow  of  John  Thom- 
son) after  the  capture  of  her  husband  and  children.  She  was 
received  into  the  Dutch  Church,  at  Readington,  in  1782.  After 
their  release  from  captivity,  Peter  Wyckoff  and  his  son,  William, 
returned  to  New  Jersey,  and  remained  there  until  the  cruel  war 
was  over.  Then  they  came  again  to  the  West  Branch  and  erected 
a  house  on  the  old  ground,  and  the  mother  and  younger  children 
were  brought  thither  again. 

William  Wyckoff,  the  brother  of  Peter  Wyckoff,  went  with  him 
from  New  Jersey  to  the  West  Branch.  He  was  the  "  old  man 
Wyckoff"  who  had  a  rude  tannery  on  the  Loyalsock,  and  made 
leather  for  the  settlement  before  the  war  broke  out.  One  day 
early  in  June,  1778,  he  was  at  work  in  his  tannery,  and  his 
nephews,  the  Covenhoven  brothers,  were  mowing  in  the  adjacent 
meadow.  A  dog  suddenly  commenced  barking,  and  exhibited 
great  symptoms  of  alarm.  He  would  run  toward  the  woods,  sniff 
the  air,  and  return.  The  Covenhovens  were  confident  that  Indians 
were  near,  and,  seizing  their  rifles,  called  to  the  old  man  to  ac- 
company them  to  some  place  of  greater  security.  At  first  he 
refused,  alleging  that  there  was  no  danger,  but  at  last  yielded  to 
their  persuasions  and  went  with  them.  They  had  not  proceeded 
far  when  one  of  them  hissed  to  the  dog,  which  at  once  bounded 
into  the  bushes  and  seized  by  the  leg  an  Indian  who  was  hiding 
there.  He  jumped  up  and  shot  the  faithful  animal.  The  whites, 
who  were  in  all  si.x;  in  number,  immediately  jumped  to  trees.  The 
Indians,  who  had  been  lying  in  ambush,  did  the  same,  and  the 
firing  began.  Wyckoff,  who  was  very  much  humpbacked,  got 
behind  a  tree  that  was  too  small  to  hide  all  of  his  person. 
Fortunately  for  him  another  small  tree  stood  between  him  and 
the  Indians,  and,  as  they  fired  at  him,  their  bullets  struck  this  tree, 
and  made  the  bark  fly  around  Robert  Covenhoven,  who  was  near. 
He  yelled  at  the  old  man  to  stand  up  straight  or  he  would  be  hit. 
As  he  was  loading  his  rifle  his  ramrod  was  shot  in  two,  but 
luckily  he  had  a  "wiper,"  with  which  he  rammed  down  the  bullet. 
Just  at  this  moment  he  observed  an  Indian  stealthily  creeping 
round  to  get  a  fair  shot  at  old  Wyckoff  Watching  him  closely, 
till  he  attempted  to  crawl  over  a  log,  he  fired  and  shot  him  through 


542  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  body.  He  sprang  into  the  air,  gave  a  tremendous  yell,  and 
fell.  His  comrades  rushed  up  and  bore  him  off,  when  the  whites 
made  away  as  rapidly  as  possible.  He  appeared  to  be  the  chief, 
or  commander  of  the  party,  and  if  he  had  not  been  shot  the 
whites  might  have  been  worsted  in  the  encounter. 

Cornelius  Wyckoff,  the  son  of  Peter,  left  no  children  behind 
him. 

John  Wyckoff,  Peter's  second  son,  always  remained  in  New 
Jersey.  He  married  Altje  Lane,  and  they  kept  the  "  Potterstown 
Tavern."  News  traveled  slowly  in  those  days,  and  he  belie\-ed 
that  one  at  least  of  his  brothers  had  been  killed  by  the  Indians. 
This  must  have  been  either  Joseph  or  Cornelius.  Whichever  it 
was,  he  was  a  sort  of  practical  joker,  and  when  he  returned  to  his 
brother's  house,  in  the  dusk  of  the  e\"ening,  in  his  Indian  garb, 
determined  to  try  an  experiment  upon  him.  In  broken  English, 
after  the  manner  of  the  Indians,  he  asked  permission  to  stay  all 
night.  The  request  was  refused  by  the  tavern-keeper  rather 
roughly,  because  of  indignation  against  the  whole  race  of  Indians 
who  had,  as  he  supposed,  "killed  his  brother."  When  the  pre- 
tended Indian  urged  and  insisted,  the  landlord  became  angry,  and 
seizing  a  club,  would  have  beaten  him  had  he  not  made  himself 
known. 

William  Wyckoff,  Peter  Wyckoffs  son,  who  was  captured  when 
John  Thomson  and  Peter  Shitfelt  were  killed,  (June  lo,  177S,) 
suffered  exceedingly  during  the  wilderness  journey  from  the  pain 
of  his  wound  and  the  exposure  to  which  he  was  subject,  but  his 
youthful  vigor  triumphed,  and  eventually  he  recovered. 

On  arrival  in  the  Seneca  country  he  was  adopted  into  one  of 
their  families,  according  to  the  Indian  custom,  in  place  of  one  who 
had  been  slain  in  the  war,  so  that  his  life  among  his  captors  became 
quite  tolerable,  and  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  he  was  ex- 
changed, and  returned  home. 

After  the  war  he  married,  June  17,  1786,  Robert  Covenhoven's 
sister,  Isabella,  who  was  then  nineteen  years  of  age.*  He  was 
nearly  twentj^-five.  They  settled  near  Canandaigua,  N.  Y.,  on 
land  whose  value  he  had  learned  probably  during  his  six  months' 

*She  was  born  September  11,  1767. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  543 

membership  of  the  Seneca  family.     There  he  died  April  2,  1847, 
and  there  his  descendants  still  live. 

Some  of  the  Wyckoff  family  removed  from  the  West  Branch 
to  Harper's  Ferry,  and  thence  to  Kentucky.  Others  went  more 
directly  west,  and  the  name  is  now  common  all  over  the  United 
States.     The  table  on  the  following  page  will  be  of  interest :  * 

*It  has  been  furnished  by  William  F.  Wyckoff,  Esq.,  of  Woodhaven,  N.  Y.,  from 
whom  has  been  derived  also  most  of  the  information  here  given  respecting  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Wyckoff  family. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


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CHAPTER  XXIII. 

DEATH     OF     YOUNG    JAMES     BRADY THE    SCALPING     OF     MRS.     DUR- 
HAM  COLONEL     hartley's    FAMOUS    EXPEDITION     UP    LYCOMING 

CREEK CAPTAIN   JOHN    BRADY    SHOT HIS    GRAVE    AT    HALLS. 

AFTER  the  exciting  events  described  in  the  two  preceding 
chapters,  nothing  unusual  occurred  until  the  8th  of  August, 
1778,  when  a  party  of  Indians  fell  upon  a  number  of  reapers  and 
cruelly  murdered  young  James  Brady.  The  circumstances  of  this 
tragic  affair  are  as  follows: 

A  corporal  and  four  men  belonging  to  Colonel  Hartley's  regi- 
ment, stationed  at  Fort  Money,  together  with  three  militiamen, 
were  ordered  to  proceed  to  Loyalsock  and  protect  fourteen  reapers 
and  cradlers  who  were  assisting  Peter  Smith,*  the  unfortunate  man 
who  lost  his  wife  and  four  children  in  the  massacre  at  the  plum 
tree  thicket  on  the  loth  of  June.  His  farm  was  on  Bull  Run, 
nearly  three  miles  east  of  the  present  city  of  Williamsport,  and  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river.  It  was  the  custom  in  those  days  of 
peril,  when  no  commissioned  officer  was  present,  for  the  company 
to  select  a  leader  who  was  called  "Captain,"  and  to  obey  him  ac- 
cordingly. Young  Brady,  on  account  of  his  shrewdness,  dash  and 
bravery,  was  selected  to  take  command  of  the  party. 

They  arrived  at  the  farm  on  Friday,  and  stationing  a  few  sen- 
tinels proceeded  to  work.  That  night  four  of  the  party  left  and 
returned  to  Fort  Muncy.     Nothing  unusual  occurred  during  the 


*  Peter  Smith,  who  was  probably  from  Hunterdon  Coimty,  New  Jersey,  had  a 
farm  on  the  river  just  above  the  mouth  of  Loyalsock  Creek.  Like  other  settlers  he 
was  loth  to  leave  his  home  and  crops,  though  he  had  a  wife  and  six  children  to  care 
for.  It  appears  that  he  yielded  to  their  entreaties,  and  on  the  fatal  loth  of  June  put 
them  in  a  wagon  and  started  for  the  stockade  at  Lycoming.  The  wagon  is  said  to 
have  been  drawn  by  four  horses.  Several  men  joined  it  here,  it  is  supposed,  on 
account  of  being  afraid  to  go  down  the  river  to  Fort  Muncy,  some  seven  miles  away. 
Lycoming  was  several  miles  nearer.  The  firing  up  the  creek  was  very  likely  done 
by  the  Indians,  who  afterwards  ambuscaded  the  wagon  party. 


546  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEV. 

night,  and  the  next  day  they  commenced  work  early.  The  morn- 
ing was  quite  foggy,  and  they  had  not  worked  more  than  an  hour 
before  they  were  suddenly  surprised  by  a  band  of  Indians,  who 
stealthily  approached  under  cover  of  the  fog.  The  sentinels  dis- 
charged their  rifles  and  ran  toward  the  reapers.  A  panic  seemed 
to  seize  the  party  and  they  all  fled,  with  the  exception  of  )oung 
Brady,  who  ran  for  his  rifle,  pursued  by  three  Indians.  When  he 
was  within  a  few  feet  of  it  he  was  fired  at,  but  falling  over  a  sheaf 
of  grain  the  shot  missed  him.  He  immediately  arose,  and  as  he 
was  in  the  act  of  grasping  his  rifle,  he  was  wounded  by  a  shot  in 
the  arm  from  an  Indian.  He  succeeded  in  getting  hold  of  his 
gun  and  shot  the  first  Indian  dead.  Then  he  caught  up  another 
gun  and  brought  down  a  second  savage,  when  the  part)'  closed 
around  him.  Being  stout,  active  and  bra\'e,  he  fought  them 
vigorously  for  a  few  minutes.  Finally  he  was  struck  in  the  head 
with  a  tomahawk  and  almost  immediately  afterwards  received  a 
thrust  from  a  spear,  which  so  stunned  him  that  he  fell.  He  had 
no  sooner  fallen  than  he  was  pounced  upon  and  his  scalp  ruth- 
lessly torn  from  his  head.  It  was  considered  a  great  trophy  by 
the  Indians,  as  he  had  very  long  and  remarkably  red  hair.  A 
little  Indian  was  then  called  and  made  to  strike  a  tomahawk  into 
his  head  in  four  places.     The  Indians  then  hurriedly  fled. 

After  recovering  consciousness  he  succeeded,  by  walking  and 
creeping,  in  reaching  the  cabin  of  an  old  man  named  Jerome 
Vanness,*  near  the  bank  of  the  river,  who  had  been  employed  to 
cook  for  them.  On  hearing  the  firing  he  had  concealed  himself, 
but  on  seeing  Brady  approaching  him  in  a  terribly  wounded  con- 
dition, he  immediately  went  to  his  assistance.  James  begged  the 
old  man  to  fly  for  his  own  safety,  as  the  Indians  would  probably 
soon  return  and  kill  him  also.  He  refused  to  leave  him,  but 
proceeded  to  dress  his  frightful  wounds  as  best  he  could.     Brady 

*This  Jerome  Vanness  was,  doubtless,  the  same  man  who  had  settled  on  and  im- 
proved sixty  seven  acres  of  Muncy  Manor  before  it  was  surveyed  in  1776.  He  must 
have  been  70  years  of  age  at  that  time,  for  he  was  baptized  in  the  old  Dutch  Church 
of  the  North  Branch  of  the  Raritan,  in  New  Jersey,  August  6,  1706.  His  father's 
name  was  also  Jerome,  and  his  mother's  Neeltye,  or  Nelly.  His  grandfather,  Peter 
Van  Nest,  was  an  extensive  land-holder  on  the  North  Branch  of  the  Raritan ;  and  his 
father,  Peter  Van  Nest,  had  come  from  Holland  and  given  his  name  to  the  stream  yet 
called  "  Peter's  Brook,"  near  Somerville,  New  Jersey. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  547 

then  requested  to  be  assisted  down  to  the  river,  where  he  drank 
large  quantities  of  water.  He  then  begged  Vanness  to  bring  him 
his  gun,  which  he  did,  when  he  laid  down  and  appeared  to  sleep. 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  the  attack  *  reached  the  fort.  Captain 
Andrew  Walker  mustered  a  party  and  hurriedly  proceeded  to 
Smith's  farm.  On  approaching  the  spot  where  gallant  Brady  lay 
weltering  in  his  blood,  he  heard  the  noise  made  by  the  relief 
party,  and,  supposing  them  to  be  Indians,  immediately  jumped  to 
his  feet,  cocked  his  rifle  and  prepared  to  defend  himself  Finding 
the  party  to  be  composed  of  friends,  he  requested  to  be  taken  to 
his  mother  at  Sunbury.  He  was  tenderly  cared  for,  placed  in  a 
canoe,  and  a  party  started  with  him  as  rapidly  as  possible  down 
the  river.  On  the  way  he  constantly  thirsted  for  water  and  finally 
became  delirious.  When  they  arrived  at  Sunbury  it  was  nearly 
midnight,  but  his  mother  having  a  presentiment  that  something  had 
occurred,  met  the  party  at  the  bank  of  the  landing  and  assisted  to 
convey  her  wounded  son  to  the  house.  He  presented  a  frightful 
spectacle,  and  the  grief  of  the  mother  is  said  to  have  been  pitiable 
to  behold.  The  spot  where  they  landed  is  pointed  out  to  this  day 
in  Sunbury. 

The  young  Captain  only  lived  five  days,  which  would  make  his 
death  as  occurring  on  the  13th  of  August,  1778.  On  the  day  he 
died  his  reason  returned  and  he  described  with  great  minuteness 
the  bloody  scene  through  which  he  had  passed.  Early  writers 
used  to  state  that  he  declared  that  the  Chief  Bald  Eagle  had 
scalped  him,  and  that  his  brother  Samuel  afterwards  avenged  his 
death  by  shooting  Bald  Eagle  through  the  heart  on  the  Allegheny. 
But  this  afterwards  proved  to  be  a  mistake,  as  Bald  Eagle  had 
been  killed  nearly  five  years  before,  his  body  placed  in  a  canoe 
and  sent  adrift  down  the  Ohio.  The  unfortunate  young  hero  was 
buried  near  Fort  Augusta,  and  all  trace  of  his  grave  was  lost  more 
than  a  century  ago.  He  was  deeply  mourned,  for  he  was  a  great 
favorite  with  all  who  knew  him. 

After  much  careful  investigation  the  exact  spot  where  the 
tragedy  occurred  has  been  located.     It  was  on  or  about  the  site 


•■Colonel  Hartley's  report  of  this  bloody  affair  to  the  Board  of  War,  in  which 
■s  full  particulars,  may  be   found  on    pages   6SS-9   of  Vol.  VI.,  Pennsylvar. 


548  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

now  occupied  by  the  saw  mill  of  Mr.  Ezra  Canfield,  a  short  dis- 
tance above  the  mouth  of  Loyalsock  Creek,  and  near  where  Bull 
Run,  a  tortuous  little  stream,  falls  into  the  river. 

James  Brady  was  the  second  son  of  Captain  John  and  Mary 
Brady,  and  a  younger  brother  of  Captain  Sam.  Brady,  the  famous 
scout  and  Indian  killer.  He  was  born  in  1758,  while  his  parents 
yet  resided  at  Shippensburg,  Cumberland  County,  and  was  in  his 
2 1st  year  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  came  with  his  parents  to 
their  stockade  home  at  Munc\'  in  1769,  and  was  a  participant  in 
many  of  the  stormy  scenes  of  that  period  on  the  West  Branch, 
and  during  his  short  life  he  had  a  rough  experience. 

General  Hugh  Brady,  the  youngest  of  the  six  sons,  said  that  the 
boys  "all  lived  to  be  men  in  every  sense  of  the  term,  and  at  the 
period  when  the  qualities  of  men  were  put  to  the  most  severe  and 
enduring  tests."  Referring  to  his  brother  James  he  says :  "  James 
Brady  was  a  remarkable  man.  Nature  had  done  much  for  him. 
His  person  was  fine.  He  lacked  but  a  quarter  of  an  inch  of  six 
feet,  and  his  mind  was  as  well  finished  as  his  person.  I  have  e\er 
placed  him  by  the  side  of  Jonathan,  son  of  Saul,  for  beauty  of 
person  and  nobleness  of  soul,  and  like  him  he  fell  by  the  hands  of 
the  Philistines."  The  names  of  these  six  boys  were  Samuel, 
James,  John,  William  P.,  Hugh  and  Robert,  and  there  was  but 
half  an  inch  difference  in  their  heights — all  being  about  six  feet. 
Hugh,  who  paid  this  splendid  tribute  to  his  murdered  brother,  was 
born  at  Standing  Stone  (now  Huntingdon)  July  27,  1768.  He 
became  a  distinguished  military  officer,  rose  to  the  rank  of  a  Major 
General,  and  died  at  Detroit,  April  15,  1S51.  He  had  a  twin 
sister  named  Jane,  who  lived  and  died  at  Sunbiu'}'. 

Many  anecdotes  of  the  illustrious  Brady  family  have  been 
handed  down,  and  one  relating  to  James  is  worth  noticing  in  this 
connection.  John  Buckalow,  the  son-in-law  of  Mordecai  Mc- 
Kinney,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  at  Muncy.  The\-  were  all 
neighbors  and  friends  of  the  Brady  family. 

At  that  time  the  men  wore  long  hair,  plaited,  and  cued  behind 
the  head.  James  had  a  remarkably  fine  head  of  fiery  red  hair. 
"  The  young  captain  of  the  Susquehanna,"  with  several  others, 
was  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Buckalow  one  afternoon.     Mrs.  Buckalow 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  549 

"done  up"  Brady's  hair.  He  was  lively  and  full  of  humor  at  the 
time.     While  at  work  Mrs.  Buckalow  remarked: 

"Ah!  Jim,  I  fear  the  Indians  will  get  this  red  scalp  of  yours 
yet.'; 

"  If  they  do,"  he  replied,  "  it  will  make  them  a  bright  light  of  a 
dark  night! " 

In  less  than  a  week  the  noble  youth  fell  beneath  the  cruel  toma- 
hawk and  the  savages  had  his  scalp !  * 

On  the  20th  of  August  Colonel  Hunter  writes  that  in  accordance 
with  the  resolution  of  Congress  and  the  instructions  of  the  Coun- 
cil, he  had  succeeded  in  raising  a  company  of  volunteers  to  serve 
six  months,  and  had  appointed  the  officers.  The  company  was 
now  doing  duty,  and  numbered  about  sixty  men.  The  expense 
of  raising  the  company  was  considerable.  Each  man  who  had 
furnished  himself  with  a  good  rifle  and  accoutrements  was  to 
have  eighty  dollars.  This  was  the  promise  on  which  the  com- 
pany was  raised,  and  the  Colonel  was  anxious  that  it  should  be 
fulfilled.  The  militia  who  had  served  their  turn  complained  loudly 
about  not  receiving  their  pay  promptly.  Many  of  them  were  very 
poor,  on  account  of  having  lost  their  property  by  the  inroads  of 
the  savages — particularly  those  living  in  the  \-icinity  of  Loyalsock. 

At  this  time  the  records  show  that  loo  men  belonging  to 
Colonel  Hartley's  regiment,  220  militia  from  Lancaster  County, 
170  from  Berks  County,  100  from  Northumberland  County,  and 
between  60  and  70  of  Captain  James  Murray's  company  of  six 
months'  men,  was  the  entire  number  of  men  enrolled  in  the  valley. 
This  made  a  force  of  about  700  men,  which  was  deemed  sufficient 
to  cope  with  the  enemy.  They  were  stationed  at  various  points 
by  order  of  Colonel  Hartley,  and  directed  to  be  vigilant. 

On  the  1st  of  September  Colonel  Hartley  informed  the  Execu- 
tive Council  that  he  considered  it  highly  important  to  have  a 
small  body  of  horsemen  ordered  to  the  valley,  and  he  also  wrote 


*The  number  of  Indians  engaged  by  England  during  the  war  was,  according  to 
Camplwll,  12,690  warriors.  Of  this  number  1,580  belonged  to  the  Six  Nations,  500 
Delawares,  300  .Shawanese,  150  Monseys,  and  60  Mohicans.  Of  scalps,  the  Senecas 
alone,  400  warriors,  took  1,052  in  three  years,  299  being  women,  and  29  infants. 
They  were  sent  to  the  governor  of  Canada,  to  be  sent  as  a  present  to  the  King  of 
England ! 


550  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

to  the  Board  of  War  making  a  similar  request.  In  the  same  letter 
he  stated  that  Captain  Walker  had  succeeded  in  making  the 
necessary  repairs  to  Fort  Muncy,  and  that  he  had  obtained  a  four 
pounder  cannon  from  Fort  Augusta,  which  had  been  mounted  on 
the  walls.  A  better  feeling  of  security  prevailed  among  the  peo- 
ple, and  some  of  the  farmers  had  been  induced  to  put  in  their  fall 
crops. 

Indians,  however,  still  lurked  about  the  settlements,  and  so 
intent  were  they  on  securing  scalps  on  account  of  the  reward 
offered  for  them  by  the  British,  that  they  frequently  ran  great 
risks.  On  the  last  day  of  August  three  German  militiamen  left 
the  fort  without  orders  or  arms  to  dig  potatoes;  and  although 
they  were  in  sight  of  the  garrison,  they  were  immediately  attacked 
by  a  small  band  of  savages  lying  in  ambush.  The  Indians  dis- 
charged all  their  guns  at  once  and  pounced  upon  them.  One 
militiaman  was  killed  and  scalped,  and  another  was  seized  by  a 
stout  Indian;  but  after  a  hard  struggle  and  the  arrival  of  assist- 
ance from  the  fort,  his  assailant  fled  and  he  was  saved. 

About  the  same  time  a  man  named  Gortner  was  killed  near  the 
fort,  and  Captain  Martel  was  wounded.  It  was  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous to  venture  outside  of  the  fort  for  even  a  short  distance. 

When  the  Fort  Freeland  settlers  returned  after  the  Big  Run- 
away, Jacob  Freeland,  with  the  assistance  of  his  neighbors, 
enclosed  half  an  acre  with  stout  stockades,  inside  of  which  the 
settlers  collected  at  night  for  safety. 

Sometime  in  the  autumn  of  this  year  (1778)  Mrs.  McKnight  and 
Mrs.  Margaret  Durham,  with  infants  in  their  arms,  started  on 
horseback  from  Fort  Freeland  to  go  to  Northumberland.  Mrs. 
Durham's  husband  and  several  other  men  accompanied  them  on 
foot.  They  met  with  no  interruption  until  they  reached  a  point  a 
short  distance  below  the  mouth  of  Warrior  Run,  when  they  were 
unexpectedly  fired  upon  by  a  party  of  Indians  lying  in  conceal- 
ment. On  the  discharge  of  the  guns  Mrs.  McKnight's  horse 
quickly  wheeled  and  galloped  back.  She  came  very  near  losing 
her  child,  but  caught  it  by  the  foot  as  it  was  falling  and  held  it 
firmly  dangling  by  her  side  until  the  frightened  horse  brought  her 
safely  back  to  the  fort. 

Mrs.  Durham  was  not  so  fortunate.     Her  infant  was  shot  dead 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  55  I 

in  her  arms  and  she  fell  from  her  horse.  An  Indian  sprang  upon 
her,  tore  the  scalp  from  her  head  and  left  her  for  dead  lying  in 
the  road. 

Two  young  men,  sons  of  Mrs.  McKnight,  ran  when  the  guns 
were  discharged  and  tried  to  secrete  themselves  under  the  river 
bank.  They  were  discovered  by  the  enemy,  seized  and  carried 
into  captivity.  James  Durham,  husband  of  Margaret  Durham, 
was,  also  taken  prisoner  at  the  .same  time  and  carried  to  Canada. 
He  was  absent  until  1783,  when  he  regained  his  liberty  and  re- 
turned home. 

The  Indians,  according  to  their  habit,  quickly  fled  with  their 
prisoners  and  scalps.  Soon  after  the  firing  Alexander  Guffy  *  and 
a  companion  named  Williams  came  upon  the  ground.  On  ap- 
proaching Mrs.  Durham,  whom  they  supposed  dead,  they  were 
greatly  surprised  to  see  her  rise  up  and  piteously  call  for  water. 
With  the  loss  of  her  scalp  she  presented  a  horrible  appearance. 
Guffy  at  once  ran  to  the  river  and  brought  enough  water  in  his 
hat  to  quench  her  burning  thirst.  They  boimd  up  her  head  as 
best  they  could,  and  as  she  had  received  no  other  injuries,  started 
with  her  for  Sunbury.  They  reached  that  place  in  safety, 
when  Dr.  Plunkett  dressed  her  head.  It  was  a  long  time  before 
her  wound  healed,  but  she  finally  recovered  and  lived  to  a 
ripe  age.t 


*The  Guffy  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  Northumberland  County.  Three 
brothers  came  from  Scotland  about  1754  and  stopped  near  Philadelphia.  Alexander, 
one  of  the  three,  then  about  19,  came  to  the  West  Branch  in  1772,  located  a  warrant 
covering  the  present  site  of  the  borough  of  McEwensville,  and  soon  afterwards  mar- 
ried Miss  Margaret  Scott.  They  had  three  sons — John,  Andrew  and  Alexander,  and 
one  daughter,  Elizabeth.  She  married  Captain  Anthony  Armstrong:  Andrew  mar- 
ried Eleanor  Armstrong,  a  sister  of  Captain  Anthony  Armstrong.  This  made  their 
children  double  cousins,  because  brother  and  sister  had  married  brother  and  sister. 
Andrew  Guflfy  and  wife  had  three  sons  and  four  daughters.  The  sons  are  A.  J. 
Guffy,  now  living  in  Watsontown;  James,  a  resident  of  Kansas,  and  Richard  A., 
deceased.  The  daughters  were  named  Margaret,  Eleanor  Scott,  Clarissa  C,  and 
Harriet.  All  are  deceased  but  Margaret,  who  is  the  wife  of  J.  P.  Armstrong,  of 
Prince  George  County,  Maryland.  Andrew  Jackson  Guffy,  of  Watsontown,  studied 
law  with  ex-Governor  James  PollocI<,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Easton  in  1849. 
He  has  devoted  much  of  his  time  to  surveying  and  is  good  authority  on  land  ques- 
tions in  that  part  of  the  county. 

f  Mrs.  Durham's  maiden  name  was  Wilson,  and  she  was  married  to  James  Durham 


552  HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEV. 

As  the  Indians  continued  to  be  very  troublesome,  it  soon  be- 
came apparent  to  the  mihtary  authorities  that  some  offensive 
operations  must  be  undertaken  to  punish  the  savage  foe,  or  the 
inhabitants  would  be  in  imminent  danger  all  the  time.  With  this 
object  in  view  Colonel  Hartley,  in  September,  1778,  planned  an 
expedition  to  Tioga  Point,  on  the  head-waters  of  the  North  Branch, 
to  destroy  some  of  their  villages  and  break  up  their  places  of 
rendezvous.  His  expedition  was  one  of  the  most  memorable  on 
record,  and  proved  successful.  His  line  of  march  was  by  the 
great  Sheshequin  path  up  Lycoming  Creek  and  thence  down 
Towanda  Creek  to  the  North  Branch.  The  path  at  that  time 
evidently  crossed  Lycoming  Creek  as  often  as  the  Northern 
Central  Railroad  does  to-day.  The  best  account  of  the  march  is 
found  in  his  report  to  Congress,  and  it  is  given  herewith  just  as  he 
wrote  it: 

ADDRE.SS  OF  COLONEL  HARTLEY  TO  CONGRESS,  1778. 

"  With  a  Frontier  from  Wioming  to  Allegany,  we  were  sensible 
the  few  regular  Troops  we  had  could  not  defend  the  necessary 
posts.  We  thought  (if  it  were  practicable,)  it  would  be  best  to 
draw  the  Principal  part  of  our  Force  together,  as  the  Inhabitants 
would  be  in  no  great  danger  during  our  absence.  I  made  a  stroke 
at  some  of  the  nearest  Indian  towns,  especially  as  we  learnt  a 
handsome  detachment  had  been  sent  into  the  Enemy's  Country 
by  the  way  of  Cherry  Valley.  We  were  in  hopes  we  should  drive 
the  Savages  to  a  greater  distance. 

"  With  Volunteers  and  others  we  reckoned  on  400  Rank  &  File 
for  the  expedition,  besides  17  Horse,  which  I  mounted  from  my 
own  Regt.,  under  the  command  of  Mr.  Carbery. 

"Our  Rendezvous  was  Fort  Muncy,  on  the  West  Branch,  in- 

February  8,  1774.  Her  first  child,  named  John,  was  born  Sunday,  February  5,  1775, 
and  was  only  a  little  over  three  and  a  half  years  old  when  shot  in  her  arms.  The 
second,  named  James,  after  his  father,  was  born  November  15,  1784.  Some  of  his 
descendants  now  reside  in  Watsontown,  and  J.  E.  Durham,  of  Allentown,  is  a 
grandson.  Mrs.  Durham  was  the  mother  of  seven  children,  three  sons  and  four 
daughters.  All  but  one  were  born  after  she  was  scalped.  She  died  September  4, 
1829,  in  the  74th  year  of  her  age.  James  Durham,  her  husband,  died  January  24, 
1S13,  in  his  67th  year.      Both  are  buried  in  Warrior  Run  grave-yard. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  553 

tending  to  penitrate,  by  the  Sheshecunnunk  Path,*  to  Tioga,  at 
the  Junction  of  the  Cayuga,  with  the  main  North-East  Branch  of 
Susquehannah,  from  thence  to  act  as  circumstances  might  require. 
•  "The  Troops  met  at  Muncy  the  i8  Septr.,  when  we  came  to 
count  and  array  our  Force  for  the  Expedition,  they  amounted 
only  to  about  200  Rank  &  File.  We  thought  the  number  small, 
but  as  we  presumed  the  Enemy  had  no  notice  of  our  Designs,  we 
hoped  at  least  to  make  a  good  Diversion  if  no  more,  whilst  the 
Inhabitants  were  saving  their  grain  on  the  Frontier. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  21st,  at  four  o'clock,  we  marched  from 
Muncy,  with  the  Force  I  have  mentioned,  we  carried  two  Boxes 
of  spare  ammunition  and  Twelve  days  Provisions. 

"  In  our  Rout  we  met  with  great  Rains  &  prodigious  S\vamps,t 
Mountains,  Defiles  &  Rocks  impeded  our  march,  we  had  to  open 
and  clear  the  way  as  we  passed. 

"  We  waded  or  swam  the  River  Lycoming  upwards  of  20  Times. 
I  will  not  trouble  your  honourable  Body  with  a  tedious  Detail,  but 
I  cannot  help  observing  that,  I  immagine,  the  Difficulties  in 
Crossing  the  Alps,  or  passing  up  Kennipeck,  could  not  have  been 
greater  than  those  our  men  experienced  for  the  Time.  I  have  the 
pleasure  to  say  they  surmounted  them  with  great  Resolution  and 
Fortitude. 

"  In  lonely  woods  and  groves  we  found  the  Haunts  and  Lurking 
Places  of  the  savage  Murderers  who  had  desolated  our  Frontier. 
We  saw  the  Huts  where  they  had  dressed  and  dried  the  scalps  of 
the  helpless  women  &  Children  who  had  fell  in  their  hands. 

*The  .Sheshequin  path  struck  up  Bonser's  Run  below  Williamsport,  passed  through 
the  Blooming  Grove  settlement  and  intersected  the  main  path  up  Lycoming  Creek  a 
short  distance  below  Cogan  Station,  on  the  Northern  Central  Railroad. 

According  to  Zeisberger  Sheshequin  is  derived  from  Tschetschequannink,  and 
means  "the  place  of  a  rattle."  Other  authorities  give  the  same  definition.  Hecke- 
welder  gives  it  Shechschequon.  Sheshequin  Flats  is  no  doubt  a  corruption  of  the  first 
Indian  name  given  above,  and  is  said  to  mean  the  place  where  a  tributary  or 
vanquished  race  of  people  lived.  From  1768  to  1772  it  was  the  site  of  a  Moravian 
Mission. 

jThe  swamp  was  located  west  of  the  limestone  ridge  below  Williamsport,  and 
took  in  the  level  scope  of  country  as  far  west  as  Miller's  Run.  It  was  partially 
drained  by  the  small  rivulet  known  as  Bull  Run.  A  portion  of  the  swamp  is  there  to 
this  day.  Originally  the  territory  covered  by  it  embraced  more  than  a  square  mile, 
and  it  extended  back  to  the  foot-hills.     In  those  days  it  was  a  veritable  quagmire. 


554  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  26th  our  Advance  Party  of  19  met 
with  an  equal  Number  of  Indians  on  the  Path,  approaching  each 
other,  our  People  had  the  first  Fire,  a  very  important  Indian  Chief 
was  killed  and  scalped,  the  rest  fled.  • 

"A  few  Miles  further  we  discovered  where  upwards  of  70  War- 
riors had  lay  the  night  before,  on  their  March  towards  our 
Frontiers,  the  Panick  communicated,  they  fled  with  their  Brethren. 

"  No  Time  was  lost,  we  advanced  towards  Sheshecunnunck,  in 
the  Neighborhood  of  which  place  we  took  15  Prisoners  from  them, 
we  learnt  that  a  Man  had  deserted  from  Capt.  Spalding's  Company 
at  Wioming,  after  the  Troops  had  marched  from  thence,  &  had 
given  the  enemy  Notice  of  our  intended  Expedition  against  them. 

"We  moved  with  the  greatest  Dispatch  towards  Tioga,  ad- 
vancing our  Horse,  and  some  Foot  in  Front,  who  did  their  duty 
ver)'  well;  a  number  of  the  Enemy  fled  before  us  with  Precipita- 
tion, it  was  near  dark  when  we  came  to  that  town,  our  Troops 
were  much  fatigued;  it  was  impossible  to  proceed  further  that 
Night. 

"We  took  another  Prisoner,  upon  the  whole  Information,  we 
were  clear  the  savages  had  intelligence  of  us  some  days — That  the 
Indians  had  been  towards  the  German  Flats — had  taken  8  scalps 
&  brought  of  70  oxen  intended  for  the  garrison  of  Fort  Stanwix — 
That  on  their  Return  they  were  to  have  attacked  Wioming  and 
the  settlements  on  the  West  Branch  again — That  Colo.  Morgan 
or  no  other  Person  had  attempted  to  penetrate  into  the  Enemy's 
Country,  as  we  had  been  given  to  understand,  and  that  the  Col- 
lected force  at  Chemung  would  be  upwards  of  500,  &  that  they 
were  building  a  fort  there. 

"  We  also  were  told  that  young  Butler  had  been  at  Tioga  a  few- 
Hours  before  we  came — that  he  had  300  Men  with  him,  the  most 
of  them  Tories,  dressed  in  green — that  the\'  were  returned  towards 
Chemung,  12  Miles  off,  &  that  they  determined  to  give  us  Battle 
in  some  of  the  Defiles  near  it. 

"  It  was  soon  resolved  we  should  proceed  no  further,  but  if 
possible,  make  our  way  good  to  Wioming.  We  burnt  Tioga, 
Queen  Hester's  Palace*  or  Town,  &  all  the  settlements  on  this  side ; 

*  Robert  Covenhoven,  who  accompanied  the  e.\pedition,  claimed  to  be  the  first 
man  to  apply  the  torch  to  the  "palace." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  555 

several  Canoes  were  taken  and  some  Plunder,  Part  of  which  was 
destroyeJ. 

"  Mr.  Carbery  with  the  Horse  only,  was  close  on  Butler,  he  was 
in  Possession  of  the  Town  of  Shawnee,  3  Miles  up  the  Cayuga 
Branch,  but  as  we  did  not  advance,  he  returned. 

"The  Consternation  of  the  Enemy  was  great,  we  pushed  our 
good  Fortune  as  far  as  we  dare,  nay,  it  is  probable  the  good 
countenance  we  put  on  saved  us  from  destruction,  as  we  were 
advanced  so  far  into  the  Enemy's  Country  &  no  return  but  what 
we  could  make  with  the  sword.  We  came  to  Sheshecunnunk  that 
night, 

"  Had  we  had  500  Regular  Troops,  and  150  Light  Troops,  with 
one  or  two  Pieces  of  artillery,  we  probably  might  have  destroyed 
Chemung,  which  is  now  the  recepticle  of  all  villainous  Indians  & 
Tories  from  the  different  Tribes  and  States.  From  this  they  make 
their  Excursions  against  the  Frontiers  of  N.  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania, Jersey  &  Wioming,  &  commit  those  horrid  Murders  and 
Devastations  we  have  heard  of  Niagra  and  Chemung  are  the 
assilums  of  those  Tories  who  cannot  get  to  New  York. 

"  On  the  Morning  of  the  28th,  we  crossed  the  River  and 
Marched  towards  Wyalusing,  where  we  arrived  that  night  at 
elex'en  o'Clock;  our  men  much  worn  down — our  Whiskey  and 
Flour  was  gone. 

"  On  the  Morning  of  the  29th  we  were  obliged  to  stay  'till 
eleven  o'Clock  to  kill  and  cooke  Beef  This  necessary  stop  gave 
the  Enemy  Leasure  to  approach. 

"  Seventy  of  our  Men,  from  real  or  pretended  Lameness,  went 
into  the  Canoes,  others  rode  on  the  empty  Pack  Horses,  we  had 
not  more  than  120  Rank  &  File  to  fall  in  the  Line  of  March. 

"  Lt.  Sweeny,  a  valuable  officer,  had  the  Rear  Guard,  consisting 
of  30  Men,  besides  five  active  Runners  under  Mr.  Camplen.  The 
advanced  guard  was  to  consist  of  an  officer  &  15.  There  were  a 
few  Flankers,  but  from  the  Difficulty  of  the  ground  &  Fatigue, 
they  were  seldom  of  use. 

"The  rest  of  our  Little  army  was  formed  into  three  Divisions, 
those  of  my  Regmt  composed  the  first,  Capt  Spalding's  the  2d, 
Capt  Murrow's  the  3d.     The  Light  Horse  was  equally  divided 


556  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

between  front  and  rear.  The  Pack  Horses  and  the  Cattle  we  had 
collected,  were  to  follow  the  advance  guard. 

"  In  this  order  we  moved  from  Wyalusing  at  twelve  o'clock,  a 
slight  attack  was  made  on  our  Front  from  a  Hill,  half  an  Hour 
afterwards  a  warmer  one  was  made  on  the  same  quarter,  after 
ordering  the  2d  and  3d  Divisions  to  out  Flank  the  Enemy,  we 
soon  drove  them,  but  this,  as  I  expected,  was  only  amusement, 
we  lost  as  Little  time  as  possible  with  them. 

"At  two  o'clock  a  very  heavy  attack  was  made  on  our  Rear, 
which  obliged  the  most  of  the  Rear  guard  to  give  way,  whilst 
several  Indians  appeared  on  our  Left  Flank.  By  the  weight  of 
the  Firing  we  were  soon  convinced  we  had  to  oppose  a  Large 
Body. 

"  Capt  Stoddard  commanded  in  Front,  I  was  in  the  Centre ;  I 
observed  some  high  ground  which  overlooked  the  Enemy,  orders 
were  immediately  given  for  the  first  &  3d  Division  to  take  Posses- 
sion of  it,  whilst  Capt  Spalding  was  dispatched  to  support  the 
Rear  Guard.  We  gained  the  Heights  almost  unnoticed  by  the 
Barbarians,  Capt  Stoddert  sent  a  small  Party  towards  the  Enemy's 
Rear;  at  this  critical  moment  Capts  Boone  &  Brady,*  &  Lt  King, 
with  a  few  Brave  Fellows,  landed  from  the  Canoes,  joined  Mr. 
Sweeny,  and  renewed  the  action  there.  The  War  Whoop  was 
given  by  our  People  below  and  communicated  round,  we  advanced 
on  the  Enemy  on  all  sides,  with  great  shouting  &  Noise,  the 
Indians  after  a  brave  resistance  of  some  minutes,  conceived  them- 
selves nearly  surrounded,  fled  with  the  utmost  Haste,  by  the  only 
passes  that  remained,  &  left  ten  dead  on  the  ground. 

"  Our  Troops  wished  to  do  their  duty,  but  they  were  much  over- 
come with  Fatigue,  otherwise  (as  the  Indians  immagined  them- 
selves surrounded),  we  should  drove  the  Enemy  into  the  River. 

"  From  every  account  these  were  a  select  body  of  warriors,  sent 
after  us,  consisting  of  near  200  Men.  Their  Confidence  and 
Impetuosity  probably  gave  the  victory  to  us. 

"After  they  had  drove  our  Rear  some  Distance  their  Chief  was 
heard  to  .say,  in  the  Indian  Language,  that  which  is  interpreted 

*  Captain    John    Brady,   who    was   killed  the   following  .April  near   his  home  at 

Muncy. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  557 

thus :  my  Brave  Warriors  we  drive  them,  be  bold  and  strong,  the 
day  is  ours,  upon  this  they  advanced  very  quick  without  suffi- 
ciently regarding  their  Rear. 

"We  had  no  alternative  but  Conquest  or  Death,  they  would 
have  murdered  us  all  had  they  succeeded,  but  the  great  God  of 
Battles  protected  us  in  the  day  of  Danger. 

"We  had  4  killed  and  lo  wounded.  The  Enemy  must  have 
had  at  least  treble  the  number  killed  &  wounded. 

"  They  received  such  a  Beating  as  prevented  them  from  giving 
us  any  further  trouble  during  our  March  to  Wioming,  which  is 
more  than  50  Miles  from  the.  place  of  action. 

"The  officers  of  my  Regiment  behaved  well  to  a  Man.  All  the 
party  will  acknowledge  the  greatest  merit  and  Bravery  of  Capt 
Stoddert,  I  cannot  say  enough  in  his  favor,  he  deserves  the 
Esteem  of  his  Country. 

"  Mr.  Carbery  with  his  Horse,  was  very  active,  and  rendered 
important  services,  'till  his  Horses  were  fatigued. 

"  Nearly  all  the  other  officers  acquitted  themselves  with  Reputa- 
tion. 

"  Capt  Spalding  exerted  himself  as  much  as  possible. 

"Capt  Murrow,  from  his  knowledge  of  Indian  affairs,  and  their 
Mode  of  fighting,  was  serviceable.  His  Men  were  Marksmen 
and  were  useful. 

"The  men  of  my  Regt  were  armed  with  Muskets  &  Bayonets, 
they  were  no  great  marksmen,  and  were  awkward  at  wood  Fight- 
ing. The  Bullet,  and  three  Swan  shot  in  each  Piece,  made  up,  in 
some  measure,  for  the  want  of  skill. 

"Tho'  we  were  happy  enough  to  succeed  in  this  Action,  yet  I 
am  convinced  that  a  number  of  Lighter  Troops,  under  good 
officers,  are  necessary  for  this  Service.  On  the  3d  the  Savages 
killed  and  scalped  3  men,  who  had  imprudently  left  the  garrison 
at  Wioming  to  go  in  search  of  Potatoes. 

"  From  our  observations,  we  imagine  that  the  same  party  who 
had  fought  us,  after  taking  Care  of  their  Dead  &  Wounded,  had 
come  on  towards  Wyoming,  and  are  now  in  that  Neighborhood. 

"  I  left  half  of  my  detachment  there  with  five  of  my  own  officers, 
should  they  attempt  to  invest  the  place  when  their  number  is  in- 
creased, I  make  no  doubt  but  they  will  be  disappointed. 


558  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

"  Our  Garrisons  ha\-e  plenty  of  Beef  &  Salt,  Tho'  Flour  is  scarce 
at  Wioming. 

"  I  arrived  here  with  the  remainder  of  the  detachment  on  the 
5th,  we  have  performed  a  Circuit  of  near  300  miles  in  about  two 
weeks.  We  brought  off  near  50  Head  of  Cattle,  28  Canoes, 
besides  many  other  articles. 

"  I  would  respectfully  propose  that  the  Congress  would  be 
pleased  to  send  a  Connecticut  Regiment  to  Garrison  Wyoming  as 
soon  as  possible,  it  is  but  120  miles  from  Fish  Kills.  I  have  done 
all  I  can  for  the  good  of  the  whole.  I  have  given  all  the  support 
in  my  Power  to  the  Post,  but  if  Troops  are  not  immediately  sent, 
these  Settlements  will  be  destroyed  in  Detail.  In  a  week  or  less 
a  Regiment  could  march  from  Fish  Kills  to  Wyoming. 

"  My  little  Regiment,  with  two  Classes  of  Lancaster  and  Berks 
County  Militia,  will  be  scarcely  sufficient  to  preserve  the  Posts 
from  Nescopake  Falls  to  Muncy,  and  from  thence  to  the  Head  of 
Penn's  Valley. 

"  I  am  with  the  greatest  Respect, 
Your  most  obedt. 
Humble  Servt, 

THOS.  HARTLEY,  Col." 

"Sunbury,  Octr.  8th,  177S." 

This  very  interesting  and  full  report*  of  the  expedition,  with 
its  quaint  spelling,  gave  great  satisfaction  to  the  authorities  and 
people.  The  Executive  Council  unanimously  passed  a  vote  of 
thanks t  to  Colonel  Hartley  for  his  "brave  and  prudent  conduct 
in  covering  the  north-western  frontiers  of  this  State,  and  repelling 
the  sa\-ages  and  other  enemies." 

At  the  same  time  Colonel  Hartley  made  a  request  of  the 
Executive  Council  to  send  him  "  300  round  bullets  for  three 
pounders,  300  cartridges  of  grape  shot  for  the  same  bore,  1,000 
flints,  six  barrels  of  powder,  a  quantity  of  twine  and  port-fire,  a 
ream  of  cannon  cartridge  paper"  and  some  other  small  articles. 
He  said,  furthermore,  that  they  had  "eight  three  pounders  on  the 

*See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  VI.,  P.'xge  5. 
t  Vol.  XI.,  page  640,  Colonial  Records. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  559 

frontiers,"  probably  at  forts  Muncy  and  Antes.  There  is  nothing 
on  record  to  show  positively  that  small  cannon  were  taken  any 
further  up  the  river  than  these  two  forts;  and  it  is  even  doubtful 
if  any  guns  were  placed  on  Fort  Antes,  although  there  was  a 
tradition  that  the  latter  fort  had  a  cannon  or  two.  This  tradition 
was  afterwards  strengthened  by  the  finding  of  a  few  small  cannon- 
balls  near  where  the  fort  stood. 

Colonel  Hartley  found  that  the  Indians  of  the  North  were  incited 
to  commit  deeds  of  blood  by  the  Tories,  and  he  had  a  supreme 
contempt  for  these  scoundrels.  Indeed  it  seems  that  they  were 
worse  in  some  respects  than  the  savages,  and  it  is  possible  that  if 
they  had  not  existed  the  Indians  would  not  have  behaved  as  badly 
as  they  did. 

The  day  before  (October  7th)  Colonel  Hartley  wrote  his  report 
at  Sunbury,  two  sergeants  belonging  to  his  regiment  at  Fort 
Muncy  ventured  a  short  distance  outside.  They  were  im- 
mediately set  upon  by  lurking  Indians,  and  one  was  killed  and 
scalped.  As  the  other  could  not  be  found,  it  was  supposed  that 
he  was  carried  into  captivity. 

As  Colonel  Hartley  had  left  a  portion  of  his  regiment  at 
Wyoming,  the  force  on  the  West  Branch  was  very  much 
weakened,  and  it  soon  became  apparent  that  more  force  must  be 
obtained  to  protect  the  inhabitants.  The  volunteer  company 
raised  for  si.x  months'  service,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Mur- 
rows,  refused  to  perform  further  military  duty  until  the  sum  of  ^80 
per  man,  which  had  been  promised  by  the  Government,  was  paid. 
In  view  of  this  state  of  affairs,  and  the  urgent  necessity  for  troops 
to  protect  the  people  from  the  savages,  a  number  of  prominent 
citizens  were  induced  to  request  Colonel  Hartley  to  send  Colonel 
Antes,  Captain  Chambers  and  Mr.  Moffit  as  commissioners  to  the 
Executive  Council  to  lay  their  grievances  before  that  body  and 
solicit  military  assistance. 

The  feeling  of  unrest  continued.  During  the  month  of  Novem- 
ber the  savages  began  to  show  themselves  in  greater  force.  They 
burned  and  destroyed  much  property  on  the  North  Branch,  and 
on  the  gth  of  November  a  bod}^  of  about  seventy  came  to  the 
forks  of  Chillisquaque  Creek  and  took  a  number  of  prisoners. 


560  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

About  the  close  of  the  year  1778  Colonel  Hartley  left  the  West 
Branch  for  another  field  of  duty.  His  departure  was  very  much 
regretted  b}'  Colonel  Hunter  and  others,  as  he  had  done  more  for 
the  protection  of  the  people  during  his  stay  than  any  other  person. 
Colonel  Hunter  complained  that  his  lot,  as  commander  of  the 
militia,  was  a  hard  one ;  that  the  militia  of  Northumberland  were 
harder  to  govern  than  those  of  any  other  county,  and  that  they 
never  could  be  brought  under  the  same  degree  of  discipline  as 
regulars. 

He  also  informed  President  Reed  *  that  in  accordance  with  the 
resolution  of  Congress,  and  the  instructions  of  Council  to  raise  a 
company  of  volunteers  to  serve  for  six  months,  he  had  appointed 
the  following  officers :  James  Murrows,  Captain;  Robert  Arthur, 
First  Lieutenant;  Samuel  Fulton,  Second  Lieutenant;  William 
Reed,  Third  Lieutenant,  and  Andrew  Donaldson,  Ensign.  Their 
term  of  service  was  about  to  expire,  and  Captain  Murrows  had 
gone  to  the  Board  of  War  with  the  muster  roll  to  receive  their 
pay.  Some  of  his  men  had  paid  as  high  as  thirty  pounds  for  a 
good  rifle,  and  they  were  naturally  anxious  that  the  Government 
should  promptly  reimburse  them  for  their  outlay.  But  the 
Government  was  hard  pressed  to  raise  men  and  means  to  resist 
the  British,  and  however  anxious  the  Board  of  War  might  ha\'e 
been  to  pay  the  volunteers  promptly,  it  was  hard  for  them,  to  do 
so  without  means. 

The  departure  of  Colonel  Hartley  from  the  valley  was  greatly 
regretted  by  the  people,  because  of  his  success  in  fighting  the 
Indians  and  restoring  confidence  among  the  settlers.  He  was 
successful  through  life.  It  appears  from  his  biography,  which 
may  be  found   on   pages   733   and   734    of  that  excellent  work 


*General  Joseph  Reed  was  elected  President  December  i,  1778,  and  George 
Bryan  Vice-President.  He  was  born  at  Trenton  August  27,  1741 ;  became  a  lawyer 
and  soon  built  up  a  good  practice.  After  his  marriage  in  England  he  settled  in 
Philadelphia.  In  1775  he  was  a  delegate  to  Congress,  and  in  July  accompanied 
Washington  to  Cambridge  as  his  secretary  and  aid-de-camp.  During  the  campaign 
of  1776  he  was  Adjutant  General  of  the  Continental  Army.  In  1777  he  was  ap- 
pointed Chief  Justice  of  Pennsylvania.  He  served  as  a  volunteer  at  Brandywine, 
Germantown'  and  Monmouth,  was  a  member  of  Congress  in  1778,  and  signed  the 
Articles  of  Confederation.  From  177S  to  17S1  he  was  President  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  died  at  Philadelphia  March  5,  1785. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  56 1 

entitled  Pennsylvania  and  the  Federal  Constitution,  that  he  was 
born  in  Berks  County,  September  7,  1748.  His  father,  George 
Hartley,  was  an  early  settler  in  Pennsylvania  and  a  farmer  in  good 
circumstances.  The  son  received  a  good  education  at  Reading, 
and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  began  the  study  of  law  at  York  with 
Samuel  Johnston,  a  distinguished  lawyer  and  a  relative  on  his 
mother's  side.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  York  County  July 
25,  1769,  and  to  that  of  Philadelphia  on  the  loth  of  August  fol- 
lowing. He  rose  rapidly  to  legal  distinction  and  was  in  a  success- 
ful career  when  the  war  of  the  Revolution  opened.  In  1774  he 
was  Vice-President  of  the  Committee  of  Observation  for  York 
County,  and  again  in  November,  1775.  He  was  chosen  a  deputy 
to  the  Provincial  Conference  held  at  Philadelphia,  July  15,  1774, 
and  a  delegate  to  the  Provincial  Convention  of  January  23,  1775. 
In  December,  1774,  he  was  First  Lieutenant  of  Captain  James 
Smith's  Company  of  Associators,  and  in  December,  1775,  chosen 
Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  First  Battalion  of  York  County.  On 
the  loth  of  January,  1776,  Congress  elected  him  Lieutenant 
Colonel  of  the  Sixth  Battalion  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line,  and  he 
served  in  the  Canada  campaign  of  that  year.  On  the  27th  of 
December,  the  same  year.  General  Washington,  by  authority  of 
Congress,  issued  commissions  and  authority  to  raise  two  "ad- 
ditional regiments  in  Pennsylvania,"  the  command  of  one  being 
given  to -Colonel  Hartley.  He  commanded  the  First  Pennsylvania 
Brigade,  Wayne's  division,  in  the  battles  of  Brandywine  and 
Germantown.  In  1778  he  was  in  command  of  the  troops  in  the 
West  Branch  Valley,  which  the  Tories  and  Indians  from  the 
state  of  New  York  had  invaded.  By  a  resolution  of  Congress  of 
December  16,  1778,  the  remains  of  Patton's  and  Hartley's  regi- 
ments, with  several  detached  companies,  were  organized  into  what 
was  termed  the  "New  Eleventh"  Regiment  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Line,  to  vvhich  he  was  transferred  on  the  13th  of  January,  1779, 
but  resigned  the  month  following,  having  been  chosen  to  the 
General  Assembly. 

In  accepting  his  resignation  Congress,  deeming  his  reasons 
satisfactory,  bore  testimony  of  their  "  high  sense  of  Colonel 
Hartley's  merit  and  services."  He  served  as  a  member  of  the 
Council  of  Censors,  1783-84,  and  as  a  delegate  to  the  Pennsyl- 


562  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

vania  Convention  to  ratify  the  Federal  Constitution  in  1787.  He 
was  elected  by  the  Constitutionalists  on  the  general  ticket  for 
member  of  Congress  in  1788,  and  continued  in, that  high  official 
position  for  a  period  of  twelve  years.  He  was  one  of  the  original 
members  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  and  a  trustee  of  Dickin- 
son College  at  the  beginning  of  its  educational  career.  In  1799 
he  laid  out  the  town  of  Hartleton,  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  County, 
on  a  tract  of  1,000  acres  of  land  purchased  by  him  during  the 
Revolution.  Governor  McKean  commissioned  him,  April  28, 
1800,  a  Major  General  in  the  Pennsylvania  militia.  After  a  suc- 
cessful and  honorable  career  General  Hartley  died  at  his  home  in 
York,  December  21,  1800,  in  the  53d  year  of  his  age.  His  name 
will  be  forever  perpetuated  by  the  beautiful  town  he  founded  in 
the  fertile  and  lovely  valley  of  Buffalo. 

One  of  the  saddest  incidents  of  these  troublous  times  was  the 
assassination  of  Captain  John  Brady  by  a  concealed  foe  on  the  i  ith 
of  April,  1 779.  He  was  living  with  his  family  at  his  "  fort,"  as  it  was 
termed,  at  Muncy,  and  was  taking  an  active  part  against  the  Indians. 
On  this  fatal  day  he  made  a  trip  up  the  river  to  Wallis',  for  the 
purpose  of  procuring  supplies.  He  took  a  wagon  and  guard  with 
him,  and  after  securing  a  quantity  of  provisions  started  to  return 
in  the  afternoon.  He  was  riding  a  fine  mare,  and  was  some  distance 
in  the  rear  of  the  wagon.  Peter  Smith,*  the  same  unfortunate  man 
who  lost  his  family  in  the  bloody  massacre  of  the  loth.  of  June, 
and  on  whose  farm  young  James  Brady  was  mortally  wounded 
and  scalped  by  the  Indians  on  the  8th  of  August,  was  walking  by 
his  side.  When  within  a  short  distance  of  his  home,  Brady  sug- 
gested to  Smith  the  propriety  of  taking  a  different  route  from  the 
one  the  wagon  had  gone,  as  it  was  shorter.  They  traveled  to- 
gether until  they  came  to  a  small  stream  of  water  (Wolf  Run) 
where  the  other  road  came  in.  Brady  observed:  "This  would 
be  a  good  place  for  Indians  to  hide."  Smith  replied  in  the  affirma- 
tive, when  three  rifles  instantly  cracked  and  Brady  fell  from  his 
horse  dead !  As  his  frightened  mare  was  about  to  run  past  Smith 
he  caught  her  by  the  bridle,  and  springing  on  her  back,  was 
carried  to  Brady's  Fort  in  a  few  minutes.     The  report  of  the  rifles 

*  After  the  war  was  over  Smith  is  reported  to  have  settled  in  the  Genesee  country 
and  became  prosperous  again.     His  proverbial  bad  luck  seemed  to  have  deserted  him. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  563 

was  plainly  heard  at  the  fort,  and  caused  great  alarm.  Several 
persons  rushed  out,  Mrs.  Brady  among  them,  and  seeing  Smith 
coming  at  full  speed,  anxiously  inquired  where  Captain  Brady 
was.  It  is  related  that  Smith,  in  a  high  state  of  excitement,  re- 
plied :  "  In  heaven  or  hell,  or  on  the  road  to  Tioga!"  meaning  he 
was  either  killed  or  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians. 

The  wagon  guard  and  others  repaired  to  the  spot  at  once  where 
the  firing  had  occurred,  and  there  they  found  the  gallant  captain 
l}ing  dead  in  the  road.  The  Indians  were  in  such  haste  that  they 
did  not  scalp  him  or  take  any  of  his  equipments.  His  death 
caused  deep  sorrow,  and  cast  a  gloom  over  the  settlement,  as  he 
was  a  man  on  whom  all  relied  for  advice  and  assistance.  This 
was  a  terrible  stroke  on  Mrs.  Brady,  who  was  already  bowed  down 
with  grief  on  account  of  the  melancholy  death  of  her  beloved  son, 
James,  in  August  of  the  previous  year.  Now  her  husband  and 
protector  was  cruelly  stricken  down  b}'  the  same  cruel  hands 
that  had  slain  her  son. 

The  best  and  most  authentic  account  of  the  death  of  Captain 
Brady  was  given  by  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  Gray,  of  Sunbury, 
who  was  fifteen  years  old  at  the  time  of  the  sad  occurrence.  She 
had  to  the  last  day  of  her  life  (December  3,  1850)  a  vivid  recollec- 
tion of  the  startling  scenes  of  that  exciting  day.     She  said : 

My  father  was  riding  along  the  public  road  beyond  Muncy  Creek,  and  about  three 
miles  from  Fort  Brady,  and  near  Wolf  Run,  accompanied  by  Peter  Smith  on  foot, 
when  the  Indians  fired  and  Captain  Brady  fell  without  uttering  a  word,  being  shot  in 
the  back  between  the  shoulders  with  two  balls.  Smith  escaped  by  jumping  upon  my 
father's  frightened  horse.  The  Indians  in  their  haste  did  not  scalp  him,  nor  plunder 
him  of  his  gold  watch,  some  money,  and  his  commission,  which  he  carried  in  a  green 
bag  suspended  from  his  neck.  His  body  was  brought  to  the  fort  and  soon  after 
interred  in  the  Muncy  burying  ground,  some  four  miles  from  the  fort,  over  Muncy 
Creek. 

It  was  never  positively  known  what  Indians  did  the  shooting, 
but  it  was  suspected  that  a  small  party  had  stealthily  followed  him 
that  day  for  the  purpose  of  murder,  as  he  was  a  terror  to  their 
tribe.  The  ground  on  which  he  was  shot  afterwards  belonged  to 
the  farm  of  Joseph  Warner,  but  is  now  owned  by  Charles  Robb, 
Esq.,  of  Pittsburg.  The  fact  that  he  was  neither  scalped  nor 
robbed  was  regarded  at  the  time  as  a  mysterious  circumstance,  as 
his  slayers,  if  Indians,  had  ample  time,  and  his  scalp  would  have 


564  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

been  a  great  trophy.  The  only  explanation  that  can  be  offered  is 
that  the  I  ndians,  knowing  who  they  had  shot,  were  so  alarmed 
that  they  precipitately  fled  to  escape  pursuit. 

The  place  where  he  was  buried  is  on  the  brow  of  a  hill  near 
Hall's,  at  the  junction  of  the  Williamsport  and  North  Branch  with 
the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad,  ten  miles  east  of  Williams- 
port.  At  the  time  of  his  interment  very  few  burials  had  been 
made  there,  and  it  is  supposed  that  he  was  among  the  first  laid  to 
rest  in  that  lovely  spot.  The  cemetery  is  used  to  the  present  day, 
and  it  contains  the  ashes  of  a  large  number  of  pioneers.  It  is 
kept  in  excellent  condition  and  is  visited  by  many  persons  annually. 

After  this  tragic  event  Mrs.  Brady,  whose  cup  of  sorrow  was 
full  to  overflowing,  gathered  her  younger  children  together  and 
fled  to  the  home  of  her  parents  in  Cumberland  County,  in  May, 
1779. 


The  place  on  the  hill-side  where  Captain  Brady's  grave  was  made 
was  a  lovely  one,  but  as  the  years  rolled  away  it  was  forgotten, 
and  could  not  be  found  for  a  long  time,  as  it  had  become  over- 
grown with  briers  and  bushes.  General  Hugh  Brady,  his 
youngest  son,  often  sought  for  it  in  vain.  At  last  one  of  his 
daughters,  Mary  Lathey  Brady,*  wife  of  General  Electus  Backus, 
U.  S.  A.,  was  made  acquainted  with  the  spot  by  Henry  Lebo,  an 

*Ou  page  353  it  is  shown  that  General  Brady  maiTied  Sarah  Wallis.  They  had 
five  children:  Sarah,  Samuel  Preston,  Mary  Lathey,  Jane  and  Cassandra.  Mrs. 
Brady  died  at  Detroit  August  25,  1833,  eighteen  years  before  her  distinguished 
husband.  The  last  of  the  five  children  to  pass  away  was  Mary  Lathey,  who  finally 
discovered  her  grandfather's- grave.  She  died  February  10,  iSSo.  Several  de- 
scendants of  General  Brady  still  live  at  Detroit. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  565 

old  comrade  and  Revolutionary  soldier,  who  was  present  when 
her  grandfather  was  buried.  He  had  requested  on  his  death-bed 
to  be  laid  by  the  side  of  the  man  whom  he  had  loved  and  honored 
in  his  early  life. 

The  highway  between  Muncy  and  Williamsport  runs  by  the 
cemetery,  and  looking  over  the  picket  fence  you  can  see  Brady's 
grave,  for  it  is  marked  by  a  plain,  heavy  tombstone  of  granite,  and 
bears  this  simple  inscription : 

Capt.\in  John  Brady, 

Fell  in  Defense  of  Our  Forefathers 

At  Wolf  Run,  April   11,   1779, 

Aged  46  Years. 

By  his  side  lie  the  remains  of  his  faithful  friend  and  compatriot. 
The  i:nscription  on  his  head-stone  reads: 

In 

Memory  of 

Henry  Lefo, 

Died  July  4,   1828, 

In  the  70th  year  of  His  Age. 

Henry  Lebo  came  from  Berks  County.  It  is  related  of  him 
that  one  Sunday  while  he  was  attending  religious  services  in  a 
German  Reformed  Church  at  Reading,*  the  sound  of  a  fife  and 
drum  calling  for  volunteers  to  fight  the  British  so  aroused  his 
patriotism  that  he  jumped  through  the  church  window  and 
enlisted.  He  was  in  the  battle  of  Germantown  and  was  severely 
wounded.  A  sister  named  Elizabeth  walked  from  Reading  to 
Germantown  and  found  him  on  the  battle  field,  lying  behind  a  log, 
suffering  from  his  wound.  She  took  charge  of  him  and  nursed 
him  to  health  again.  After  the  war  he  came  to  Muncy,  married, 
and  for  many  years  kept  a  public  house,  which  stood  by  the  road- 
side on  one  of  the  Wallis  or  Hall  farms.  He  had  several  sons 
and  daughters.  The  old  hero  finally  died  at  the  house  of  a  son 
in  Muncy.  His  wife  survived  him  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, and  drew  a  widow's  pension  from  the  Government.  Robert 
W.  Lebo,  a  well-known  citizen  of  Muncy,  is  a  grandson. 

Although  it  had  often  been  suggested  that  a  monument  should 
be  raised  in  honor  of  Captain  John  Brady,  a  hundred  years  passed 
before  it  was  done.     At  last,  through  the  untiring  and  patriotic 


;66 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


efforts  of  Mr.  J.  M.  M.  Geriierd,  enough  money  was  raised  by  . 
dollar  subscriptions  to  erect  a  cenotaph  to  his  memoiy  in  the 
cemeter)-  at  Muncy,  and  it  was  formally 
dedicated  and  unveiled  on  the  15th  of 
October,  1 879.  There  was  a  large  throng 
of  people  present,  including  many  de- 
scendants of  the  illustrious  dead,  and  the 
ceremonies  were  interesting  and  impres- 
sive. Hon.  John  Blair  Linn,  of  Belle- 
fonte,  deli\-ered  the  historical  oration. 

The  cenotaph  is  plain  but  massive,  and 
is  constructed  of  Maine  granite  in  four 
handsomely  proportioned  pieces,  consist- 
ing of  a  base,  a  sub-base,  a  die,  and  an 
obelisk,  the  whole  twenty-seven  feet  high 
and  weighing  about  twent\'-five  tons.  It 
rests  on  a  solid  foundation  of  masonry 
hidden  from  sight  by  a  sodded  terrace 
nearly  three  feet  in  height,  and  is  in 
tasteful  proportions  to  the  size  of  the 
The  Brady  cenoMph.  clrcular   lot    iu  thc   Centre  of   which   it 

stands.  The  total  elevation  of  the  cap  of  the  shaft  is  about  thirtj- 
feet.  The  date,  "  1779,"  is  cut  about  the  centre  of  the  shaft  on 
the  front  face,  in  raised  figures;  the  name  of  "John  Brad}-"  in 
heavy  letters  in  the  die,  and  the  date  of  erection,  "  1S79,"  in  the 
centre  of  the  sub-base.  On  each  side  of  the  die  is  a  large 
polished  panel,  bordered  by  a  neatly  chiseled  moulding  to  cor- 
respond with  the  lines  of  the  die  and  shaft.  The  face  of  the 
letters  and  figures  are  also  highly  polished,  and  all  other  exposed 
parts  of  the  cenotaph  are  finely  cut.  Its  artistic  proportions  are 
pleasing  to  the  eye,  and  it  is  much  admired  by  visitors  to  the 
cemetery.     It  cost  about  $1,600. 

The  Brady  markers  in  the  old  cemetery  at  Halls  consist  of 
thick  slabs,  ^o  by  21  inches,  set  on  a  base  14  by  29;  the  whole 
being  44  inches  in  height.  The  stones  are  unpolished,  except  the 
fronts  on  which  the  inscription  given  above  is  carved.  The 
foot-stone  is  in  the  same  simple  style,  without  lettering.  The 
money  required  to  erect  them,  about  ^70,  was  also  raised  by  Mr. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  567 

Gernerd  by  an  autograph  album  at  25  cents  a  signature.  There 
side  by  side  sleep  the  hero  and  his  friend.  Near  by  stands  a 
lonely  pine,  through  whose  branches  the  wind  sighs  a  requiem 
over  their  graves,  and  notwithstanding  their  ashes  have  long  since 
commingled  with  the  soil,  many  persons  still  visit  the  spot  and 
stand  with  uncovered  heads  in  reverence  of  their  memories. 

In  closing  his  oration  on  the  unveiling  of  the  cenotaph  at 
Muncy,  Mr.  Linn  used  these  eloquent  words:  "To  Captain 
Brady's  descendants,  time  fails  me  in  paying  a  proper  tribute. 
When  border  tales  have  lost  their  charm  for  the  evening  hour; 
when  oblivion  blots  from  the  historic  page  the  glorious  record  of 
Pennsylvania  in  the  Revolution  of  1776;  then,  and  then  only,  will 
Captain  Samuel  Brady,  of  the  Rangers,  be  forgotten.  In  private 
life,  in  public  office,  at  the  bar,  in  the  Senate  of  Pennsylvania,  in 
the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States,  in  the  ranks 
of  battle,  Captain  John  Brady's  sons  and  grandsons  and  great- 
grandsons  have  flung  far  forward  into  the  future  the  light  of  their 
family  fame." 

No  family  of  pioneers  in  the  West  Branch  Valley  was  more 
conspicuous  in  our  early  history  than  the  Bradys.  The  male 
members  were  all  distinguished  for  their  prowess,  love  of  adventure 
and  patriotism  ;  and  two  of  the  number — father  and  son — perished 
at  the  hands  of  the  merciless  savages  over  one  hundred  \-ears  ago, 
a  few  miles  east  of  Williamsport.  The  trials  and  privations  en- 
dured by  the  family  were  great,  and  could  their  full  history  be 
known  it  would  form  one  of  the  most  thrilling  episodes  in  the 
events  of  early  times  in  this  section  of  the  State. 

Comparatively  little  is  known  of  the  ancestry  of  the  Bradys. 
Enough,  however,  has  been  discovered  to  show  that  Hugh  Brady, 
Most  Reverend  Lord  Bishop  of  Meath,  was  the  fourth  son  of 
Sir  Dennis  O'Grady  or  Brady,  of  Fassaghmore,  County  Clare, 
Ireland,  Knight  and  Chief  of  his  name,  and  was  directly  de- 
scended from  a  long  line  of  ance.stors,  including  several  kings  of 
the  Province  of  Munster,  and  other  McBradys  who  were  mon- 
archs  of  all  Ireland,  their  genealogy  having  been  traced  back  to 
King  Milesius  by  Sir  William  Betham,  who  was  Ulster  King  of 
Arms,  Dublin.     In  course  of  time  the  "O"  and  the  "Mc"  were 


568  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

dropped,  and  the  name  became  plain  Brady.  Hugh  Brady,  re- 
ferred to  above,  was  the  first  Protestant  Bishop  of  Meath  County, 
Ireland,  and  whose  descendants  have  continued  to  conform  to  the 
Protestant  reUgion. 

The  Perigal  branch  was  a  Huguenot  family  in  France,  who 
sought  refuge  in  England  after  suffering  persecution  in  France, 
after  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  in  1685,  and  were  de- 
scended from  a  Norman  family  named  Sequi,  who  assumed  the 
name  of  Perigal  in  911.  The  Arnaud  branch  was  also  a  Hugue- 
not family. 

A  few  extracts  from  a  "  Brady  Tree,"  obtained  from  London, 
are  given  herewith  to  show  the  names  of  a  few  of  the  early  and 
prominent  members: 

John  O'Grady,  alias  O'Brady,  Archbishop  of  Cashel ;  died  in 
1332. 

John  O'Grady,  alias  O'Brady,  Archbishop  of  Tuam;  died  1372. 
John  O'Brady,  of  Fassaghmore,  County  Clare,  Bishop  of  Elphin, 
died  1417. 

John  Brady  received  a  patent  of  land  from  Queen  Elizabeth 
in  1582. 

Nicholas  Brady  was  a  Major  General  in  the  English  army.  Date 
of  birth  and  death  not  given. 

Rev.  Nicholas  Brady,  D.  D.,  versifier  of  the  Psalms  and  chaplain 
to  King  William  and  Queen  Ann.  Born  October  28,  1659;  died 
May  22,  1726. 

Dr.  Samuel  Brady  was  Mayor  of  Portsmouth,  England,  in  1726. 
Died  March  17,  1747. 

Charles  James  Brady,  Lieutenant  in  the  Royal  Artillery.  Born 
September  24,  1764;  died  December  i,  1793.  Killed  in  batde 
at  Toulon. 

John  Brady,  Secretary  to  Victualing  Board,  Royal  Navy.  Born 
June  15,  1766.  Author  of  the  Clavis  Calcadaria.  Died  Decem- 
ber 14,  1 8 14. 

James  Brady,  Midshipman  in  H.  M.  Frigate  Guardian,  Royal 
Navy.  Born  November  27,  1769.  Lost  at  sea  December  25, 
1787. 

The  Brady  family  in  England  was  represented,  until  recently. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  569 

by  Sir  A.  Brady,  baronet,  London,  and  by  his  brother.  Captain 
Edward  Brady,  who  emigrated  to  Philadelphia,  April  9,  1847,  and 
who  had  intermarried  with  Mary  Ann  Sharpe,  a  descendant  of 
James  Sharpe,  Archbishop  of  St.  Andrews,  Scotland,  who  was 
murdered  near  Edinburgh  May  3,  1679.  The  Sharpe  branch  in 
Pennsylvania  is  represented  by  Captain  A.  Brady  Sharpe,  of ' 
Carlisle,  Pa. 

Another  branch  of  the  Brady  family  in  Pennsylvania,  who  are 
likewise  descended  from  Bishop  Hugh  Brady,  is  that  of  Captain 
John  Brady,  who  was  shot  by  the  Indians  near  Muncy,  April  11, 
1779,  and  in  whose  honor  a  beautiful  cenotaph  was  erected  in  the 
cemetery  at  Muncy  in  1879. 

Considering  that  there  is  such  a  long  and  distinguished  line  of 
ancestry,  it  is  much  regretted  that  the  history  of  the  family  was 
not  fully  written  when  the  facts  could  have  been  more  easily  ob- 
tained than  they  can  be  now.  But,  thanks  to  Captain  A.  Brady 
Sharpe,  of  Carlisle.  Recently  he  made  a  very  full  historical  con- 
tribution to  the  Herald  o{  t\\3.i  place.  His  article,  which  is  copied 
herewith  in  full,  was  published  in  that  paper  on  the  27th  of 
September,  1888,  and  throws  a  flood  of  light  on  the  history  of 
the  descendants  of  Hugh  Brady  in  Pennsylvania.     It  is  as  follows : 

"  The  Brady  family,  prior  to  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  had 
settled  on  the  Conodoguinet  Creek,  in  Cumberland  County,  in 
that  portion  of  it  which  now  embraces  Hopewell  Township.  The 
proposiUis  was  Hugh  Brady,*  an  Enniskilliner,  who  with  Hannah, 
his  wife,  were  the  parents  of  seven  sons  and  two  daughters,  whose 
numerous  offspring  is  scattered  through  many  of  the  states,  and 
has  had  all  along  members  of  it  distinguished  in  churchand  state. 

"  The  family  is  reported  to  have  come  into  Pennsylvania  from 
Delaware,  but  this  is  most  likely  a  mistake.  Its  settlement  here 
was  cotemporaneous  with  that  of  the  Hemphills,  Quigleys, 
Sharpes,  Carnahans,  McCunes,  McClays,  and  others  who  came 
from  the  Scotch-Irish  settlement  at  the  Forks  of  the  Delaware, 
and  the  Bradys,  Hemphills,  Sharpes,  McCunes  and  McClays  were 


*Their  children  were  named  as  follows:  Samuel,  John,  Joseph,  William,  Hugh, 
Ebenezer,  James,  and  Mary  and  Margaret.  The  date  of  the  death  of  Hugh,  the  pro- 
genitor, is  unknown,  but  he  is  believed  to  have  died  at  Easton. 


570  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

neighbors  in  the  valley,  and  connected  by  marriage  at  a  verj'  early 
period;  some  of  them,  the  Sharpes  and  Hemphills,  as  early  as  or 
possibly  prior  to  their  settlement  here. 

"The  Bradys  were  Presbyterians  and  members  of  the  Middle 
Spring  Church,  neighbors  and  parishioners  of  Rev.  Robert  Grier 
and  Rev.  Dr.  Cooper,  the  latter,  father  of  John  Cooper,  who 
taught  the  Latin  school  that  was  the  officina  Presbyterinin,  whence 
issued  Hon.  R.  C.  Grier,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States;  Hon.  J.  K.  Cooper,  of  Peoria,  Illinois,  and  many  other 
distinguished  lay  members  of  this  church ;  and  from  it  came  forth 
also  such  ministers  of  the  Presbyterian  body  as  the  Williamson 
brothers,  Stuart,  James,  Moses,  McKnight  and  Alexander;  the 
three  Nevins,  Alfred,  Edward  H.  and  D.  E.  Nevin;  Rev.  Dr.  Alex- 
ander Sharpe,  Rev.  John  Kennedy,  Rev.  Robert  Gracey,  Rev. 
David  Clark  and  such  members  of  society  as  Commodore  O'Brien, 
Hon.  Henry  M.  Watts,  Hon.  Charles  and  Hon.  William  McClure. 

"All  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Hugh  and  Hannah  Brady  mar- 
ried and  had  families.  Samuel,  his  eldest  son,  married  Jane 
Simonton,  and  they  had  six  children,  two  sons  and  four  daughters. 
John,  his  second  son,  married  Mary,  a  daughter  of  James  Quigley, 
and  they  had  six  sons  and  four  daughters.  Joseph  married  Mary 
Carnahan,  and  they  had  two  sons  and  four  daughters.     William 

married Ferguson,  and  they  shortly  after  the  close  of  the 

war  of  the  Revolution  emigrated  to  North  Carolina,  and  from  thence 
to  the  state  of  Kentucky.  (John  Brady,  a  son  of  Captain  Samuel 
Brady,  met  a  grandson  of  Joseph  Brady  in  1 8 1 3.  He  was  an  officer 
of  the  regular  army,  and  marched  his  command  to  the  relief  of 
General  Harrison  at  Fort  Meigs.  He  stated  to  John  Brady  that 
there  was  a  pretty  large  connection  of  them.) 

"  Hugh  Brady  married  Jane  Young,  and  they  had  five  sons  and 
four  daughters.  Ebenezer  Brady  married  Jane  Irvine,  and  they 
had  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  James  Brady  married  Re- 
becca Young,  and  they  had  four  sons  and  three  daughters.  Mary 
Brady  married  Samuel  Hanna,  and  they  had  two  sons  and  two 
daughters,  and  Margaret  Brady  married  Archibald  Hanna,  and 
they  had  also  four  children,  two  of  them  sons  and  two  daughters. 

"John  Brad)',  second  son  of  Hugh,  married  Mary  Quigley  in 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  57 1 

1755,  and  they  had  ten  children,  six  of  them  sons,  five  of  whom 
became  eminent  citizens,  two  of  them.  Captain  Samuel  and  Gen- 
eral Hugh  Brady,  greatly  distinguished  in  the  service  of  the 
country.  The  sixth  son  was  James  Brady,  of  whom  his  brother, 
General  Hugh,  said :  '  He  was  a  remarkable  man  ;  his  person  was 
fine,  he  lacked  but  a  quarter  of  an  inch  of  six  feet  and  his  mind 
was  as  well  finished  as  his  person.  I  have  ever  placed  him  by 
the  side  of  Jonathan,  son  of  Saul,  for  beauty  of  person  and  noble- 
ness of  soul,  and  like  him  he  fell  by  the  hands  of  the  Philistines.' 
Samuel  Brady,  their  oldest  child,  was  born  in  Shippensburg  in 

1756,  after  which  the  family  removed  to  Standing  Stone  (now 
Huntingdon),  and  in  1769  to  the  West  Branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, opposite  the  spot  on  which  Lewisburg  now  stands,  and 
thence  to  Muncy,  where  he  erected  a  semi-fortified  residence,  near 
which  he  was  shot  from  his  horse  and  killed  by  the  Indians  on 
the  I  ith  of  April,  1779.  He  was  in  command  of  a  regiment,  and 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  and  two  of  his  sons, 
Samuel,  his  eldest,  and  John,  but  a  youth  of  15  years,  were  in  the 
same  engagement. 

"The  third  son,  Joseph  Brady,  married  Mary  Carnahan.  He 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  in  his  will,  dated  September 
7,  1776,  and  proved  June  22,  1787,  he  speaks  of 'being  called  forth 
in  defense  of  my  country  to  join  the  Third  Battalion  at  Amboy, 
and  if  it  please  God  that  I  fall  in  battle,'  directs  how  his  wife  shall 
manage  his  estate  during  the  minority  of  their  children.  One  of 
their  children  was  Mary,  who  married  Colonel  Thomas  McCune, 
also  a  distinguished  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  they  were  the 
maternal  grandparents  of  Rev.  Dr.  S.  A.  Mutchmore.  Joseph 
Brady,  a  son,  became  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  was  a  graduate  of 
Dickinson  College  in  the  class  of  1798,  a  licentiate  as  early  as 
1802,  and  he  subsequently  ministered  to  the  churches  in  Perry 
County,  where  he  died  April  24,  1821,  aged  47  years.  He  mar- 
ried a  daughter  of  Thomas  Foster,  of  Carlisle,  and  had  four 
sons,  Alfred,  Joseph,  Ernest  and  Sobieski,  and  one  daughter, 
Mary,  who  married  Abram  Hendel,  of  Carlisle.  Jane,  a  daughter 
of  Joseph  Brady,  married  Paul  Martin,  of  Newton  Township, 
father  of  John  Brady  Martin,  of  Monmouth,  Illinois.  They  were 
United  Presbyterians,  and  lived  near  Roxbury.     The  parents  and 


572  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

their  children  were  members  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  worshiped  under  Rev.  Dr.  Sharpe,  at  Newville. 

"  Hugh  Brady,  the  second,  fourth  son  of  Hugh,  the  progenitor, 
married  Jane  Young,  and  had  five  sons  and  four  daughters.  One 
of  his  sons  was  James  Brady,  of  Greensburg,  Westmoreland 
County,  one  of  the  most  estimable  men  of  his  day.  He  was  the 
first  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  that  place,  of  whom 
there  is  any  record.  He  appeared  in  Presbytery  as  an  elder  in 
1802.  In  1808  he  and  his  pastor  were  elected  delegates  to  the 
General  Assembly.  He  frequently  represented  the  church  in  the 
meetings  of  Presbytery,  and  from  the  number  of  committees  on 
which  he  served  in  that  body,  he  must  have  been  an  active  and 
useful  member.  He  removed  from  the  Cumberland  Valley  and 
settled  in  Ligonier  Valley,  Westmoreland  County,  at  an  early  da\-, 
but  went  to  Greensburg  to  assume  the  duties  of  sheriff,  to  which 
office  he  was  elected  in  1795,  and  continued  to  reside  there  as 
long  as  he  lived.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  for  a 
number  of  years.  In  1806  he  was  Speaker  of  the  Senate,  and 
from  May  11,  1 821,  to  May  11,  1824,  Secretary  of  the  Land 
Office.  He  died  in  1839,  and  served  the  church  as  an  elder  nearly 
if  not  quite  forty  years.  His  son,  John  S.  Brady,  Esq.,  of  Wash- 
ington, Pa.,  married  the  daughter  of  Parker  Campbell,  Esq.,  but 
they  left  no  issue,  and  Hugh  Brady,  his  other  son,  died  unmarried; 
but  his  daughters,  Jane  and  Hannah,  married  Jacob  and  Henry 
Welty,  of  Greensburg,  and  they  both  had  families.  Among  their 
descendants  are  Hon.  Welty  McCullough,  a  grandson,  and  John 
Welty,  Mrs.  Rachel  Armstrong  and  Mrs.  Ann  McCausland,  chil- 
dren of  ^acob  and  Jane  Welty,  and  Mrs.  Richard  Coulter,  a 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Hannah  Welty.  Joseph  Brady,  another 
son,  also  went  to  Westmoreland  County  at  an  early  period  and 
lived  to  a  great  age.  He  was  possessed  of  an  excellent  memory 
and  furnished  many  facts  relating  to  the  older  branches  of  the 
family  to  the  younger  members  of  it.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  left 
sons  and  daughters.  Hannah  and  Rebecca,  two  of  the  daughters 
of  Hugh  Brady,  the  second,  married  Samuel  and  Hugh  McCune, 
brothers.  They  continued  to  reside  in  the  valley  and  both  had 
large  families,  that  of  the  former  consisting  of  four  sons  and  five 
daughters,  and  the  latter  of  five  sons  and  five  daughters,  and  these 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  573 

were  all  Presbyterians,  as  are  their  descendants,  man}-  of  whom 
have  gone  to  the  Western  States. 

"The  children  of  Samuel,  eldest  son  of  Hugh  and  Hannah 
Brady,  and  the  descendants  of  his  sons,  Ebenezer  and  James,  and 
of  his  daughters,  Mary  and  Margaret,  married  to  Samuel  and 
Archibald  Hanna,  early  emigrated  to  Western  Pennsylvania  and 
are  now  scattered  through  the  Western  States,  and  many  of  them 
have  attained  prominence  in  church  and  state. 

"  What  a  pity  it  is  that  no  records  have  been  kept,  so  that  the 
members  of  a  family  so  large  and  so  useful,  and  with  so  fine  a 
record  as  this  one,  could  show  their  relationship  to  each  other. 

"  Little  now  is  known  in  Pennsylvania  about  the  families  of 
Samuel,  the  eldest,  and  Hugh,  the  youngest,  sons  of  John  Brad)', 
and  scarcely  anything  east  of  the  mountains  relative  to  that  of 
William  P.  Brady,  his  third  son,  who  left  Northumberland  for 
Indiana  County  in  1806,  who  in  his  day  was  among  the  most 
prominent  men  in  the  state,  and  whose  descendants  have  shown 
themselves  worthy  of  him. 

"The  notion  that  most  people  have  of  Captain  Samuel  Brady  is 
that  of  one  who  passed  his  days  as  a  wandering  modern  Knight- 
errant,  killing  Indians  at  will.     This  is  entirely  erroneous. 

"  His  father  and  brother  both  perished  at  the  hands  of  the 
savages.  His  father  was  the  most  prominent  defender  of  the 
north-western  frontier  until  he  fell — and  his  eldest  son  was  then 
called  to  take  his  place. 

"He  had  been' cradled  among  dangers  from  their  inroads,  and 
knew  better  than  any  one  else  how  to  repel  them,  and  whilst  the 
accounts  of  his  many  conflicts  and  hairbreadth  escapes  are  all  well 
authenticated,  there  is  no  evidence  that  he  ever  was  a  cruel  foe. 
A  cousin  of  his,  a  daughter  of  Hugh  Brady,  the  second,  spoke  of 
him  as  a  gentle  and  taciturn  man,  of  handsome,  lithe,  graceful 
figure,  warmly  attached  to  his  friends,  never  boastful  nor  gi\en  to 
harsh  expressions  in  regard  to  persons  or  subjects.  He  was  but 
nineteen  years  of  age  when  he  volunteered  to  go  to  Boston  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  behaved  so  well  there 
that  he  had  a  commission  as  first  lieutenant  under  Washington 
before  he  left  the  East.  In  1779  he  was  breveted  captain  and 
ordered  to  join  General  Broadhead,  who  had  command  at  Fort 


574  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

Pitt.  He  remained  in  the  service  until  the  arm\-  disbanded  at  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  was  distinguished  for 
gallantry. 

"  In  the  fall  of  1785  he  married  Drusilla,  a  daughter  of  Captain 
Van  Swearingen,  and  settled  on  the  Chartiers  Creek,  in  Washing- 
ton County.  They  had  two  sons — Van  Swearingen,  born  on  the 
13th  of  September,  1786,  after  which  he  moved  to  Ohio  Count}-, 
Virginia,  and  settled  near  Wellsburg,  where  John,  his  second  son, 
was  born  on  the  24th  of  May,  1790.  In  1793  he  removed  to 
Short  Creek,  near  West  Liberty,  where  he  resided  until  he  died 
on  the  25th  of  December,  1795.  His  widow  died  in  Januaiy, 
1823.  Van  S.,  eldest  son  of  Captain  Samuel  Brady,  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Captain  William  Ivess,  of  Ohio  County, 
Virginia,  in  18 10,  and  in  18 13  removed  to  Manchester,  Adams 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  died  in  1859,  leaving  a  family  of  eleven 
children,  one  of  whom,  William  I.  Brady,  and  perhaps  others  of 
the  family,  reside  there  still. 

"John,  the  younger  son,  married  Xanc}-  Ridgely,  of  Ohio 
County,  Virginia,  on  the  loth  of  January,  1813,  and  they  had  a 
family  of  four  children.  He  died  on  the  12th  day  of  January, 
1872,  and  ^vas  buried  in  the  West  Liberty  Cemetery  by  the  side 
of  his  father,  and  one  monument  marks  the  last  re.sting  place  of 
both. 

"  The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  addressed  the  writer 
in  his  80th  year : 


'  Now,  sir,  you  ask  me  to  give  some  account  of  myself.  I  was  left  an  orphan  at 
the  age  of  some  little  over  five  years  without  any  relative  to  pity  or  encourage  me  in 
the  country;  left  in  the  wilds  of  West  Virginia.  My  mother,  little  brother  and  I 
had  to  hoe  our  own  row.  I  scuffled  until  I  became  a  pretty  good  looking  young  man 
when  I  married  a  nice  little  woman — lived  happily  with  her  until  she  died.  Never 
expected  to  be  anything  but  a  tiller  of  the  soil,  but  to  my  astonishment  in  1825  I  was 
appointed  a  member  of  the  County  Court  of  my  native  county,  which  position  I  held 
for  thirty-one  years.  In  the  meantime  I  was  appointed  Commissioner  of  the 
Revenue  for  the  county,  the  two  offices  not  being  incompatible.  I  held  that  office 
for  three  years.  I  was  carrying  on  my  little  farm,  was  busy  at  my  plough,  went  to 
my  dinner,  picked  up  the  late  paper  and  to  my  utter  astonishment  I  saw  that  at  a 
large  and  respectable  meeting  convened  in  the  Court  House,  John  Brady,  Esq.,  was 
unanimously  nominated  as  the  candidate  for  a  seat  in  the  House  of  Delegates. 

'  I  did  not  accept  the  nomination  until  the  Saturday  previous  to  the  election.  There 
were  four  candidates  and  two  to  be  elected.     When  the  poll  was  counted  I  was  fifty 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  5/5 

votes  ahead  of  the  foremost  of  the  other  three.  I  was  three  times  elected  until  I 
utterly  refused  to  be  a  candidate.  I  was  also  High  Sheriff  of  my  county.  I  have 
been  a  very  temperate  man  both  in  eating  and  drinking.  I  am  in  my  Soth  year  and 
I  l<now  nothing  of  the  feelings  of  a  drunken  man.  If  this  little  sketch  of  my  life 
will  be  of  any  use  you  can  use  it.  It  is  true  to  the  letter,  but  I  give  it  to  you  with 
reluctance.' 

"General  Hugh  Bfady  was  born  in  1768,  and  was  among  the 
younger  children  of  John  Brady,  and  when  quite  young,  after  the 
death  of  his  father,  was  apprenticed  to  a  tanner,  when,  in  1788,  his 
older  brother.  Captain  Samuel  Brady,  visited  the  family.  He 
negotiated  with  his  master,  lifted  his  indentures,  and  took  him 
with  him  to  Ohio  County,  Virginia,  where  he  remained  until  he 
received  a  commission  in  the  army  in  1792,  and  joined  the  com- 
mand of  General  Anthony  Wayne.  After  Wayne's  treaty  with 
the  Indians  he,  at  the  instance  of  his  friends,  resigned  his  com- 
mission and  returned  in  1796  to  the  home  of  his  brother,  Samuel, 
who  was  dead  but  a  few  months.  He  remained  with  his  widow  a 
short  time,  and  then  went  to  visit  his  friends  at  Sunbury,  Pa.,  and 
shortly  after  received  a  commission  as  captain  in  the  army,  raised 
during  the  administration  of  the  elder  Adams,  and  remained  in 
service  until  it  was  disbanded,  when  he  returned  to  Northumber- 
land County  and  married  Sarah  Wallis.  In  1S08  he  was  restored 
to  the  army  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  and  during  the  war  of  1812  attained 
great  eminence,  was  distinguished  for  gallantry  at  Chippewa  and 
the  other  battles  on  the  northern  frontier.  Of  him  General  Scott 
said,  '  God  never  made  a  better  man  nor  a  better  soldier.'  He 
remained  in  the  army  until  his  death  in  185  i.  It  was  accidental. 
He  was  driving  a  team  of  spirited  horses  that  became  entangled 
in  telegraph  wires  dropped  for  repairs.  They  ran  away  \vith  him 
and  threw  him  from  the  carriage  and  fatally  injured  him.  His 
pastor.  Rev.  George  Duffield,  of  Detroit,  was  with  him  in  his  last 
moments,  and  it  is  said  that  the  following  colloquy  took  place : 
'"General,  you  are  very  ill;  my  friend,  very  ill!' 
"The  General  opened  his  eyes  and  pressing  Mr.  Duffield's  hand, 
replied : 

"'Yes,  yes,  sir;   I  know  it — I  know  it!' 

'"But,  General,  you  are  badly  hurt  and  very  ill!' 

'"Oh,  yes!'  he  faintly  replied;  yes,  I  know  it,  Mr.  Duflield!' 


576  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

"A  pause — a  silence — a  few  deep  sobs — when  ]\Ir.  Duffield 
said :  '  But,  General,  you  are  very  ill.  I  am  sorry  to  tell  you,  you 
are  just  about  to  die!' 

"  Instantly  raising  himself  up,  straight  as  in  health,  his  eye 
flashed  under  his  bandaged  forehead,  and  he  firmly  spoke  out : 

'"Mr.  Duffield,  let  the  drum  beat;  my  knapsack  is  slung;  I  am 
ready  to  die,'  and  sank  away  in  the  arms  of  death. 

"This  was  the  parting  scene  between  two  distinguished  men, 
both  then  far  advanced  in  years,  and  both  belonging  to  two  of  the 
oldest  families  of  the  Cumberland  Valley,  Presbyterian  in  all  their 
branches.  The  one,  the  leading  divine  of  the  north-western  frontier 
of  our  country,  and  the  other  the  commander  of  the  '  North-western 
Military  Department  of  the  United  States,'  under  whose  hospit- 
able roof  Scott,  Worth,  Macomb,  Wool  and  other  heroes  of  the 
old  army,  and  prominent  men  in  the  other  walks  of  life — as  Bishop 
Onderdonk,  Judge  McLean,  James  Watson  Webb,  Millard  Fill- 
more and  others  often  gathered." 

Captain  John  Brady,  the  second  son  of  Hugh,  was  born  in 
Delaware  in  1733.  He  received  a  fair  education  for  the  time  in 
which  he  lived  and  the  opportunities  he  enjo\-ed.  He  taught  an 
elementary  school  in  New  Jersey  before  his  father  and  family  emi- 
grated to  the  province  of  Pennsylvania  and  settled  in  Hopewell 
Township,  within  five  miles  of  Shippensburg,  Cumberland  Countj', 
some  time  in  1750.  At  this  time  he  was  quite  a  young  man — 
scarcely  twenty-one.  His  personal  appearance  has  come  down  to 
us  by  tradition ;  he  was  six  feet  high,  well  formed,  had  black  hair 
and  hazel  eyes,  and  a  dark  complexion.  An  analysis  of  his  char- 
acter shows  that  he  was  fearless,  impulsive  and  warm-hearted  to  a 
fault;  he  went  promptly  where  duty  called,  and  he  never  flinched 
in  the  hour  of  danger. 

In  1755  he  married  Miss  Mary  Quigley,  who  was  also  of 
Scotch-Irish  origin.  Her  parents  were  among  the  early  settlers 
in  that  beautiful  valley,  and  the  names  of  two  brothers,  James  and 
John,  appear  upon  the  list  of  taxables  of  Hopewell  Township  for 
175  I.  The  Quigley  family,  of  Clinton  County,  also  came  of  this 
stock.  John  and  Mary  Brady's  first  son,  Samuel,  who  became  so 
famous  as  a  scout  and  Indian  killer,  was  born  in  1756.     At  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  577 

time  of  his  birth  "the  tempestuous  waves  of  trouble  were  roUing 
in  upon  the  infant  settlements  in  the  wake  of  Braddock's  defeat," 
and  he  grew  to  manhood  in  the  troublous  times  "that  tried  men's 
souls  "  in  this  lovely  valle}-. 

Soon  after  the  breaking  out  of  the  French  and  Indian  war  John 
Brady  offered  his  services  as  a  soldier,  and  on  the  19th  of  July, 
1763,  he  was  commissioned  Captain  of  the  Second  Battalion 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  "commanded  by  Governor  John 
Penn." 

In  1764  he  was  actively  engaged  against  the  savages,  who  made 
incursions  into  Bedford  and  Cumberland  counties,  and  killed 
many  of  the  settlers.  On  the  return  of  his  regiment  from  Fort 
Pitt,  in  176-1,  and  when  it  reached  Bedford,  the  officers  made  an 
agreement  with  each  other  in  writing  to  apply  to  the  Proprie- 
taries for  a  tract  of  land,  sufficiently  extensive  and  conveniently 
situated,  whereon  to  erect  a  compact  and  defensible  town,  and 
accommodate  them  with  reasonable  and  commodious  plantations, 
the  same  to  be  divided  according  to  their  several  ranks,  John 
Brady  was  one  of  the  officers  who  signed  this  agreement. 

Meanwhile,  urged  by  the  "restless,  mysterious  impulse  that 
moulds  the  destiny  of  the  pioneers  of  civilization,"  Captain  Brady 
had  removed  his  family  to  Standing  Stone  (now  Huntingdon)  in 
1768,  and  there  his  children.  General  Hugh  Brady  and  twin  sister, 
Jennie,  were  born  July  27,  1768.  Captain  Brady  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  surveyor,  and  was  kept  busy  surveying  wild  lands. 

During  the  summer  of  1769  Captain  Brady  moved  his  family 
from  Standing  Stone  and  settled  upon  a  tract  selected  out  of  the 
survey  on  the  West  Branch,  opposite  the  present  borough  of 
Lewisburg.  This  explains  his  emigration  to  this  portion  of  the 
Province.  Here  he  set  to  work  and  cleared  a  place  directly  op- 
posite Derr's  mill,  which  was  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 

Not  long  after  the  exciting  incident  of  upsetting  the  whiske}- 
barrel  at  Derr's,  described  on  page  478,  Brady  moved  his  family 
to  Muncy  Manor,  where,  in  the  spring  of  1776,  he  had  erected  a 
semi-fortified  residence,  which  was  afterwards  known  as  "  Brady's 
Fort."  It  was  constructed  of  logs,  and  was  a  secure  retreat  for 
those  who  resided  within.  It  is  regretted  that  an  accurate  descrip- 
tion of  it  cannot  be  given.     The  "fort,"  as  it  was  called,  was  a 


578  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

private  affair,  and  was  not  classed  among  the  provincial  fortifica- 
tions of  that  da\'.  The  ground  on  which  it  stood — now  in  the 
borough  of  Muncy — lies  west  of  the  main  street  and  is  owned  by 
Mrs.  Dr.  William  Hayes.  A  slight  elevation  in  the  field  is  still 
pointed  out  as  the  spot  on  which  the  building  stood. 

When  Northumberland  County  was  organized,  Captain  John 
Brady  was  appointed  foreman  of  the  first  Grand  Jury.  About 
this  time  the  trouble  with  the  Wyoming,  or  Connecticut,  settlers 
arose.  The  Connecticut  people,  who  had  settled  at  Wyoming, 
claimed  under  their  charter  the  territory  of  the  province  of  Penn- 
sylvania, as  far  south  as  the  41st  degree  of  latitude,  which  would 
run  about  a  mile  north  of  Lewisburg,  and  they  were  determined 
to  enforce  it  by  adverse  occupation.  Between  the  3d  and  7th  of 
July,  1772,  a  large  party  of  them  reached  the  river  where  Milton 
now  stands,  when  Colonel  Plunkett,  of  Sunbur>',  summoned  the 
Pennamites  to  arms,  and  dro\-e  the  invaders  away.  The  contest, 
however,  was  continued,  and  the  Connecticut  people  advanced  to 
Muncy  Valle)-  and  made  a  settlement  where  the  borough  is  now 
located.  In  December,  1775,  Captain  Brady  accompanied  Colonel 
Plunkett's  famous  e.xpedition  to  Wyoming,  to  punish  the  Con- 
necticut settlers  for  their  audacity  in  attempting  to  occup\-  this 
portion  of  the  West  Branch  Valley. 

To  aid  in  the  cause  of  liberty  two  battalions  of  Associators 
were  organized  on  the  West  Branch,  one  commanded  by  Colonel 
Hunter,  the  other  by  Colonel  Plunkett.  In  the  latter  battalion 
Captain  John  Brady  was  commissioned  First  Major,  March  13, 
1776.  On  the  4th  of  July,  1776,  he  attended  the  Convention  of 
Associators  of  Lancaster,  as  one  of  the  representatives  of  Plunk- 
ett's battalion,  when  Daniel  Roberdeau  and  James  Ewing  were 
elected  Brigadier  Generals  of  the  Associators  of  the  Province. 

The  day  of  Associators  for  mutual  protection  ended  with  a  }ear 
and  nine  months'  service.  It  then  became  necessary  to  raise 
regular  regiments,  enlisted  for  the  war,  if  the  independence  of  the 
State  was  to  be  maintained.  When  Colonel  William  Cooke's 
regiment,  the  Twelfth,  was  directed  to  be  raised  in  the  counties 
of  Northampton  and  Northumberland,  John  Brady  was  commis- 
sioned one  of  the  captains,  October  14,  1776,  and  on  the  iSth 
of  December,  in  mid-u'inter,  the  regiment  left  Sunbur)'  in  boats 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  579 

for  the  battle-fields  of  New  Jersey.  The  regiment  went  imme- 
diately into  active  service  and  participated  in  several  spirited  en- 
gagements. 

When  Washington  moved  his  armj'  to  the  banks  of  the  Brandy- 
wine  to  confront  Howe,  Brady  was  present  with  his  company 
and  took  part  in  the  engagement.  Captain  Brady  had  two  sons 
in  this  engagement.  Samuel,  the  eldest,  was  first  lieutenant, 
having  been  commissioned  July  17,  1776,  in  Captain  John  Doyle's 
company,  and  John,  afterwards  sheriff  of  Northumberland  County 
(1795),  and  then  only  fifteen  years  old,  who  had  gone  to  the  army 
to  ride  the  horses  home,  was  by  his  father's  side  with  a  rifle  in  his 
liands.  The  Twelfth  Regiment  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight, 
and  Lieutenant  William  Boyd,  of  Northumberland,  fell  dead  by 
his  captain.  Little  John  was  wounded  and  Captain  Brady  fell 
with  a  wound  through  his  mouth.  The  day  ended  with  disaster, 
and  the  Twelfth  sullenly  quit  the  field  nearly  cut  to  pieces. 
Fortunately  the  wound  only  loosened  some  of  Captain  Brady's 
teeth,  but  being  disabled  by  an  attack  of  pleurisy,  caused  by  his 
exposures — which  he  never  got  entirely  well  of — he  was  sent 
home. 

On  the  invasion  of  Wyoming  Valley,  in  1778,  he  retired  with 
his  family  to  Siinbury,  and  on  the  1st  of  September,  1778,  he 
returned  to  the  army.  Meanwhile,  under  an  arrangement  of  the 
forces,  which  took  place  about  the  1st  of  July,  the  field  officers 
had  been  mustered  out,  and  the  companies  and  their  officers  dis- 
tributed into  the  Third  and  Sixth  Pennsylvania  regiments.  Cap- 
tain Brady  was  therefore  sent  home  by  General  Washington's 
order,  with  Captain  Boone,  Lieutenants  Samuel  and  John  Daugh- 
erty,  to  assist  Colonel  Hartley  in  protecting  the  frontiers.  He 
joined  Colonel  Hartley  at  Muncy  on  the  i8th  of  September,  and 
accompanied  him  on  the  expedition  to  Tioga. 

On  their  return  Captain  Brady  and  his  rangers  were  kept  busy. 
His  headquarters  were  at  his  Muncy  fort,  where  he  had  brought 
his  family  on  his  return  from  the  army.  He  was  one  of  those  of 
whom  Colonel  Hartle_\'  wrote  on  the  13th  of  December,  1778, 
that  said  "they  would  rather  die  fighting  than  leave  their  homes 
again." 

The   only   autograph   writing  and   signature  of  Captain  John 


580  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAXCH    VALLEY. 

Brady  known  to  be  in  existence  is  in  the  possession  of  Dr.  George 
G.  Wood,  of  Muncy.  It  is  a  report  of  the  survey  of  Spring 
Island — below  Loyalsock — and  a  copy,  with  facsimile  of  sig- 
nature, is  appended : 

Surveyed  on  the  2d  Day  of  July  in  the  year  one  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  & 
Se%'enty  one,  an  Island  Situate  in  the  West  branch  of  the  river  Susquehanna,  being 
the  Island  on  which  Godfrey  Dareinger  now  lives  cSt  known  by  the  name  of  Spring 
Island,  for  the  Heirs  or  assigns  of  Wm.  Frampton,  in  pursuance  of  the  Honorable 
Wm.  Penn's  warrant  granted  to  him  on  the  12th  Day  of  the  4th  mo.  1684. 

Beginning  at  a  marked  Maple  Tree  on  the  lower  end  of  S.  Island  and  running 
thence  up  the  Easterly  side  of  the  same  N  50  Degrees  East  to  a  maple  51  Perches, 
Thence  by  the  same  N  20  Degrees  East  to  a  Post  38  P,  thence  by  the  same  N  27  E 
to  a  Mulberry  40  Perches,  thence  N  4  Degrees  West  to  a  Cherry  tree  18  Perches, 
thence  N  42  Degrees  East  to  an  Elm  21  Perches,  thence  N  10  Degrees  West  to  a 
white  walnot  at  the  upper  end  of  the  Island  31  Perches.  Thence  Down  the  West 
side  of  the  Island  S  40  Degrees  West  to  an  Elm  26  Perches,  thence  S  2  West  to  a 
walnot  58  Perches,  thence  S  10  West  to  Place  of  Beginning  96  Perches.  Sur- 
vey'd  by 


Joseph   X  Wilcox, 

mark 
Marcus  Hulings. 


I^-fynjf^^. 


1 


The  foregoing  is  but  a  brief  biographical  sketch  of  the  dis- 
tinguished pioneer,  soldier  and  scout,  Captain  John  Brady,  but  it 
will  suffice  to  give  the  younger  readers  of  to-day  a  faint  idea  of 
the  vicissitudes  the  early  settlers  in  this  valley  were  called  upon 
to  endure.  The  space  of  a  small  volume  would  be  required  to 
give  his  history  in  full,  together  with  that  of  his  wife,  sons  and 
daughters.  No  name  of  early  times  is  more  entitled  to  honor 
and  reverence  than  that  of  Brady. 

Mary  Quigley,  the  wife  of  Captain  Brady,  came  of  Irish  stock. 
In  O'Hart's  Irish  Pedigrees  the  Quigleys  are  mentioned  as  a  very 
ancient  family.  The  name  was  anglicized  from  O'Quigley  into 
Quigley,  and  it  means  a  "tall  hero."  Mary,  as  the  sequel  will 
show,  was  a  heroine  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  Her  trials  were 
many,  but  she  bore  them  with  Christian  fortitude  and  resignation. 

When  married  she  was  about  twenty  years  of  age.  The  first 
child  born  to  them  was  Samuel,  while  they  yet  lived  at  Shippens- 
burg,  in  1758.  It  is  truly  said  of  him  that  he  "was  born  in  the 
midst  of  the  teinpestuous  waves  of  trouble  that  rolled  in  upon  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  58 1 

settlements  in  the  wake  of  Braddock's  defeat."  He  grew  to  man- 
hood, served  in  the  Revolution,  became  a  noted  scout  and  Indian 
killer,  and  died  on  Christmas  day,  1795,  aged  about  39  years. 

When  her  husband  was  killed  she  collected  her  children 
together  and  fled  to  the  home  of  her  father  in  Cumberland  County, 
in  May,  1779,  where  she  remained  until  October  of  that  year. 
She  then  returned  to  the  West  Branch  and  settled  upon  a  tract  of 
land  her  husband  had  located  in  Buffalo  Valley,  now  better  known 
as  Smoketown.  After  enduring  much  suffering  and  hardship,  she 
died  there  on  the  20th  of  October,  1783,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Old  Lutheran  grave-yard  at  Lewisburg.  What  a  noble  type  of 
the  Roman  matron!  Many  years  afterwards,  when  the  new 
cemetery  was  opened  on  the  hill-side  outside  of  the  town,  her 
remains  were  carefully  taken  up,  with  those  of  her  son  John  and 
wife,  and  tenderly  laid  in  the  new  burial  ground.  A  time-stained 
marble  slab,  yet  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  bears  these  in- 
scriptions : 

Mary, 

Widow  of  Captain  John  Brady, 

(Who  fell  in  the  Revolution  of  '76.) 

Departed  this  Life 

Oct.  20th,  1783, 

Aged  48  Years. 

All  Tears  are  Wiped  from  Her  Eyes. 

John, 

Son  of 

John  and  Mary  Brady, 

Departed  this  Life 

Dec.  loth,  1809, 

Aged  48  Years. 

He  was  a  Good  Man  and  a  Just  One. 

Jane, 

Wife  of 

John  Brady, 

Departed  this  Life 

March  4,  1829, 

Aged  62  Years. 

Her  trust  was  in  Him  who  was  the 
Father  of  the  Fatherless, 
t  And  Husband  of  the  Widow. 


582  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

In  all  the  sketches  of  John  and  Mary  Brady  heretofore  pub- 
lished, it  is  stated  that  they  had  ten  children — six  sons  and  four 
daughters.  Recent  research  has  shown  this  to  be  incorrect. 
They  had  thirteen.  Dr.  R.  H.  Awl,  one  of  the  oldest  physicians 
of  Sunbury,  who  was  personally  acquainted  with  several  mem- 
bers of  the  Brady  family,  made  careful  inquiry  a  few  months  ago 
among  their  descendants  in  that  place,  when  the  following  names 
of  all  their  children  were  disco\ered : 

1.  Samuel,  born  in  1756;  died  December  25,  1795.  The  Cap- 
tain married  Drusilla  Van  Swearingen. 

2.  James,  born  in  1758;  died  at  Fort  Augusta,  August  13, 
1778.     Killed  by  Indians. 

3.  William,  born  in  1760;  died  in  infancy. 

4.  John,  born  March  18,  1762;  died  December  10,  i8og. 
Elected  sheriff  of  Northumberland  County  in  1794.  Married 
Jane  McCall  January  26,  1785. 

5.  Mary,  born  April  22,  1764;  died  at  Lancaster  December 
13,  1850.  Married  Captain  William  Gra\-*  of  the  Revolution, 
who  died  July  19,  1804. 

6.  William  Perry,  born  August  16,  1766;  died  November  27, 
1843,  at  Brookeville.     He  married  Jane  Cooke. 

7.  Hugh,  born  July  27,  1768;  died  at  Detroit  April  15,  1851. 
He  rose  to  the  rank  of  a  Major  General  in  the  United  States 
army.  Married  Sarah  Wallis,  of  Lycoming  County.  She  died 
August  25,  1833. 


*The  following  is  from  the  pension  record:  Captain  William  Gray  having  died 
July  ig,  1804,  which  was  before  the  passage  of  a  law  for  the  service  only  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  therefore  there  is  no  statement  of  his  military  services  other  than 
that  by  his  widow,  Mary,  when  she  made  her  application  for  a  pension  dated  in  July, 
1838.  She  stated  that  she  was  living  in  .Sunbury,  Penn'a,  and  was  aged  74  years  in 
April  last,  and  was  the  widow  of  William  C7ray,  who  was  a  Captain  in  the  Fourth 
Pennsylvania  Regiment  of  the  Continental  line  and  served  to  the  close  of  the  war, 
but  gives  no  dates  or  further  details  of  his  service  or  incidents  connected  therewith. 
Her  marriage  to  William  Gray  was  September  10,  1784.  Jane  Brady  testifies  in  July, 
1838,  that  she  was  70  years  old  and  was  present  at  their  marriage.  His  commission 
(which  is  on  file)  is  dated  June  28,  1778,  signed  by  John  Jay,  President  of  Congress, 
and  authorizes  his  rank  as  Captain  in  the  Fourth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  from 
June  3,  1777.,     In  June,  1S4S,  she  was  living  in  Sunbui-y. 

William  M.  Gray  testified,  in  1838,  that  he  copied  in  1S31,  from  an  old  original 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  583 

8.  Jane,  twin  sister  of  Hugh,  born  July  27,  1768;  died  at 
Northumberland  February  27,  1845.     Never  married. 

9.  Robert,  born  September  12,  1770;  died in  Jefferson 

County.  Married  Mary  Cooke.  She  died  at  Sunbury.  Left 
two  sons. 

10.  Agnes,  born  February  14,  1773;  died  November  24,  1773. 

1 1.  Hannah, born  December  3,  1774;  died  November  26,  1835, 
at  Sunbury.  Married  Robert  Gray,  a  nephew  of  Captain  WiUiam 
Gray. 

12.  Joseph,  born  August,  1777;  died  in  infancy. 

13.  Liberty,  born  August  9,  1778;  died  July  25,  185 1.  So 
named  because  she  was  born  after  independence  was  declared,  and 
there  were  thirteen  children  and  thirteen  original  states.  Married 
William  Dewart,  of  Sunbury.     No  issue. 

Many  interesting  little  incidents  in  the  life  of  Mary  Brady  have 
been  handed  down,  which  serve  to  show  the  bravery  she  possessed. 
When  she  started  on  her  return  to  Buffalo  Valley  she  performed 
the  wonderful  feat  of  carrying  a  young  child  (Liberty)  before  her 
on  horseback,  and  leading  a  cow  all  the  way  from  Shippensburg 
to  her  new  home.  The  cow  was  given  her  by  a  brother.  The 
journey  was  long,  the  roads  bad,  the  times  perilous,  but  her 
energy  and  perseverance  surmounted  all,  and  she  and  her  cow 
and  children  arrived  in  safety.  She  was  a  true  woman  and 
loving  mother.  After  her  death  her  younger  children — Robert, 
James,  Hannah  and  Liberty — were  taken  by  their  sister,  Mrs. 
William  Gray,  living  at  Sunbury,  and  provided  with  a  comfortable 
home. 

Of  the  trials  and  sufferings  of  Mrs.  Brady  and  her  family  of 

family  Bible  record  made  by  his  father,  a  list  of  the  births  of  the  children  of  William 
and  Mary  Gr.ay,  as  follows:  I,  Elizabeth,  born  April  23,  17S6;  2,  Mary,  born 
September  3,  1789;  3,  William  M.,  born  December  3,  1792;  4,  Jackson,  born 
September  30,  1796.  Underneath  these  names  follows  this  record:  Harriet  Jane 
Seely,  born  January  22,  181 1.  In  an  opposite  column  on  same  leaf  is  the  following: 
John  Brady,  born  March  18,  1762;  Mary  Brady,  born  April  22,  1764;  William  P. 
Brady,  born  April  I,  1766;  Hugh  Brady,  born  July  27,  1768;  Jane  Brady,  born  July 
27,  1768,  (twin  to  Hugh);  Robert  Brady,  born  September  12,  1770;  Agnes  Brady, 
born  February  14,  1773;  Hannah  Brady,  born  December  3,  1774.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  leaf,  under  the  heading  of  Marriages,  as  follows:  Jackson  Gray  married 
to  Margaretta  Jane  Carpenter,  September  3,  1827. — Egle's  Notes  and  Queries. 


584  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

younger  children,  while  living  in  Buffalo  Valle}',  General  Hugh, 
her  youngest  son,  gives  this  pathetic  account : 

After  the  fall  of  Captain  Brady,  my  mother  removed,  with  her  family,  to  her 
father's  place  in  Cumberland  County,  where  she  arrived  in  May,  1779,  and  where 
she  remained  till  October  of  that  year.  She  then  removed  to  Buffalo  Valley,  and 
settled  on  one  of  our  own  farms.  We  found  the  tenant  had  left  our  portion  of  the 
hay  and  grain,  which  was  a  most  fortunate  circumstance.  The  winter — 1779-80 — 
was  a  very  severe  one,  and  the  depth  of  snow  interdicted  all  traveling.  Neighbors 
were  few,  and  the  settlement  scattered — so  that  the  winter  was  solitary  and  dreary  to 
a  most  painful  degree.  But,  whilst  the  depth  of  the  snow  kept  us  confined  at  home, 
it  had  also  the  effect  to  protect  us  from  the  inroads  of  the  savages.  But,  with  the 
opening  of  the  spring  the  savages  returned,  and  killed  some  people  near  our  resi- 
dence. This  induced  Mrs.  Brady  to  take  shelter,  with  some  ten  or  twelve  families, 
about  three  miles  from  our  home.  Pickets  were  placed  around  the  houses,  and  the 
old  men,  women  and  children  remained  within  during  the  day,  while  all  who  could 
work  and  carry  arms  returned  to  their  farms  for  the  purpose  of  raising  something  to 
subsist  upon.  Many  a  day  have  I  walked  by  the  side  of  my  brother  John  while  he 
was  plowing,  and  carried  my  rifle  in  one  hand  and  a  forked  stick  in  the  other  to 
clear  the  plowshare ! 

Sometimes  my  mother  would  go  with  us  to  prepare  our  dinner.  This  was  con- 
trary to  our  wishes;  but  she  said  that,  while  she  shared  the  dangers  that  surrounded 
us,  she  was  more  contented  than  when  left  at  the  fort.  Thus  we  continued  till  the 
end  of  the  war,  when  peace — happy  peace — again  invited  the  people  to  return  to 
their  homes. 

In  1783  our  mother  was  taken  from  us.  In  '84  my  brother  John  married,  and 
soon  after  my  eldest  sister  followed  his  example.  All  the  children  younger  than 
myself  lived  with  them.  I  went  to  the  Western  country  with  my  brother.  Captain 
Samuel  Brady.  He  had  been  recently  disbanded,  and  had  married  a  Miss  Swear- 
ingen,  in  Washington  County,  Pa.  He  took  me  to  his  house  at  that  place,  and  I 
made  it  my  home  until  1792,  when  I  was  appointed  an  ensign  in  General  Wayne's 
army.  Previous  to  this  my  brother  had  moved  into  Ohio  County,  'Virginia,  and 
settled  a  short  distance  above  Charlestown.  At  that  day  the  Indians  were  con- 
tinually committing  depredations  along  the  frontier. 

The  death  of  Captain  John  Brady  cast  a  pall  of  gloom  over  the 
settlements  in  the  West  Branch  Valley.  His  son,  "  Captain  Sam.," 
as  he  was  usuall}'  called,  was  at  Pittsburg  when  the  sad  intelligence 
reached  him,  and  in  the  first  frenzy  of  his  grief  he  is  said  to 
have  raised  his  hand  on  high  and  made  this  fearful  vow: 

''  Aided  by  Him  who  formed  yonder  Sun  and  Heavens,  I  ivill 
revenge  the  murder  of  my  father;  nor  while  I  live  will  I  ever  be 
at  peace  with  the  Indians  of  any  tribe  !" 

From  this  time  on  to  the  close  of  the  war  he  never  ceased  his 
efforts  to  aventre  the  death  of  his  father.     He  commanded  scout- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  585 

ing  parties,  and  laid  in  wait  wliere\'er  an  opportunity  offered  to 
kill  an  Indian.  He  became  a  terror  to  the  red  skins  in  that  part  of 
the  State,  and  sent  many  of  them  to  the  "  happy  hunting  grounds." 
He  was  bold,  vigilant  and  active;  no  amount  of  fatigue  seemed  to 
cause  him  to  relax  in  his  efforts  to  wipe  out  the  life  of  one  of  his 
mortal  enemies.  Thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  wiles  of  Indian 
warfare,  he  was  constantly  on  their  trail  as  an  avenging  spirit,  and 
terribly  did  he  carry  out  his  vow.  His  daring  adventures  on  the 
Allegheny  and  in  South-western  Pennsylvania  would  fill  a  volume. 

Mrs.  Harriet  S.  Totten,  of  New  York,  a  great-granddaughter, 
writes  that  her  grandmother  (Mary  Brady  Gray)  used  to  relate 
how  Sam.  Brady  would  suddenly  appear  at  Sunbury  on  a  visit 
from  the  south-western  part  of  the  State.  He  was  somewhat 
eccentric,  and  lived  much  among  the  Delaware  Indians.  After 
making  a  short  visit,  "just  to  see  how  Polly  and  the  children  were 
getting  along,"  he  would  disappear  as  abruptly  as  he  came.  He 
would  be  attired  in  semi-Indian  fashion,  and  thought  nothing  of  a 
tramp  of  a  hundred  miles  through  the  wilderness.  He  never 
would  enter  by  the  front  door,  but  always  by  the  back  gate,  and 
he  preferred  a  seat  by  the  kitchen  fire.  If  he  remained  over 
night  he  would  insist  upon  sleeping  on  the  floor.  He  was  kind, 
affectionate  and  very  pious,  and  had  a  wonderful  acquaintance 
with  the  Bible.  Sometimes  when  he  was  induced  to  stay  all  night 
he  would  ask  the  boys,  William  and  Jackson  Gray,  to  read  the 
Scriptures  with  him.  A  chapter  would  be  selected  almost  any- 
where, and  the  boys  would  begin.  Verse  about  was  his  rule,  and 
he  would  use  no  book,  but  when  his  turn  came  he  would  repeat 
his  verse  and  give  the  words  correctly.  This  reading  usually 
took  place  in  the  kitchen,  while  Sam.  was  stretched  at  full  length 
on  the  floor. 

On  the  17th  of  April  Captain  Andrew  Walker,  who  then  com- 
manded Fort  Muncy,  wrote  to  the  Executive  Council  and  de- 
scribed the  repairs  made  to  the  fort  and  the  sufferings  endured  by 
the  garrison.     He  said: 

On  the  2d  of  Augt,  wee  ware  ordred  by  Colonel  Hartley  to  build  this  Fort ;  wee 
Immeadiately  begon  and  Finnish'd  by  the  i8th  of  Sepr,  with  these  Exceptions — 
There  was  but  one  row  of  Abbeties  round  it,  wee  had  built  Neither  Barrack's  Store 
or  Magazine. 


586  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEV. 

On  the  20th  of  Sepr,  the  Garrason,  which  Consifted  of  i  Capt,  2  Subs,  4  Sergts, 
&  60  Rank  and  File,  ware  drawn  out  (Except  i  Suhn  &  18)  on  an  Expedition  under 
the  Command  of  Col.  Hartley — on  the  9th  of  Sepr  wee  Again  marched  into  it ;  bad 
weather  comeing  on  we  began  our  Barraks  Magazine,  Storehouse,  &c ;  when  this  was 
Finesh'd,  wee  ware  Comfortably  Prepared  Again  the  winter;  but  in  the  Spring  I 
found  the  Works  much  Impeared;  I  then  set  the  Garrison  to  Repair  the  Works,  and 
raised  them  Eighteen  Inches;  Then  wee  put  two  rowes  more  of  Abberties  round  the 
works — this  is  Just  now  Finesh'd ;  it  is  to  be  Observ'd  that  in  the  Course  of  this  time, 
one  third  of  our  men  ware  Constantly  Imployed  as  Guards  to  the  Inhabitants,  and,  I 
may  Aferm,  in  Harvest  the  one  halfe  ware  Imployed  the  same  way,  nor  can  anny  man 
in  the  County  say  he  ever  asked  a  guard  (when  he  had  a  Just  Occation)  and  was 
denied.  Dureing  this  time  the  Troops  were  not  supplied  even  with  Ration  Whiskey, 
allmoste  Neaked  for  want  of  Blankets  and  Cloalhes,  and  yet  I  have  the  Satisfaction 
to  inform  you  they  done  their  Duty  Cheerfully.  I  from  time  to  time  did  promise 
them  some  Compensation  for  their  Troble  and  Industrey.  The  works  are  now 
finished,  and,  in  my  oppinion,  Taneble  again  anny  nomber  our  Savage  Enemy  can 
bring  again  it;  as  to  my  own  part,  I  begg  lave  to  observe  That  I  neither  clame  Meret 
or  Reward  for  what  I  have  done — it's  anough  that  I  have  done  my  Duty.  Yet,  Sir, 
as  I  have  Promised  these  men  a  Compensation  for  there  Industry,  I  begg  you  will 
Please  to  lay  before  the  Hon'ble  Councel,  the  Inclosed  Plan,  which  will  Inable  them 
to  Judge  wheather  the  Troops  deserve  a  Reward  for  their  labour  or  not. 

The  sole  cost  this  fort  is  to  the  States  is,  to  building  two  Roomes  for  the  Officers. 
Makeing  the  gate  &  two  Sentry  Boxes. 

(Signed) 

ANDW,  WALKER, 
Capt.  Com'g  Fort  Muncy. 

Captain  Walker  deserved  much  credit  for  his  services  at  this 
post  of  danger,  although  he  claimed  neither  "  Meret  or  Reward  " 
for  what  he  did.  Whether  he  ever  received  as  much  as  a  vote  of 
thanks  does  not  appear. 

On  the  26th  of  the  same  month  a  party  of  Indians,  supposed 
to  be  thirty  or  forty  in  number,  suddenly  appeared  in  the  vicinity 
of  Fort  Freeland,  and  succeeded  in  killing  and  capturing  seven 
men  belonging  to  the  Warrior  Run  settlement.  Among  those 
taken  prisoners  was  James  McKnight,*  one  of  the  Assembl}'men 
for  Northumberland  County,  and  probably  the  husband  of  Mrs. 
McKnight,  who  made  such  a  narrow  escape  with  her  child  at  the 
time  Mrs.  Durham  was  scalped. 

The  same  day  a  party  of  thirteen  men  went  in  search  of  their 
horses  about  five  miles  from  Fort  Muncy.     They  were  waylaid 

*  Colonel  Hunter's  letter,  giving  an  account  of  the  troubles  of  this  date,  is  printed 
in  full  on  pages  346-7  of  Vol.  VII.  of  the  Pennsylvania  Archives.  It  was  carried 
to  Philadelphia  by  James  Hepburn. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  587 

and  fired  upon,  probably  by  the  same  band  of  Indians,  and  all 
killed  or  taken  prisoners  but  one  man,  who  made  his  escape. 
Captain  Walker,*  on  hearing  the  firing,  immediately  turned  out 
with  a  company  of  thirty-four  men  and  proceeded  to  the  spot, 
where  he  found  the  dead  bodies  of  four  men.  They  had  been 
scalped. 

There  was  no  longer  any  doubt  that  great  preparations  were 
being  made  by  the  Tories  and  Indians  for  a  descent  upon  the 
valley  in  overwhelming  numbers,  for  the  purpose  of  exterminating 
the  infant  settlements  at  one  blow.  The  impending  danger  was  so 
great  that  William  Maclay  was  induced  to  submit  a  proposition  f 
to  the  Supreme  Executive  Council,  to  be  allowed  to  employ  blood- 
hounds to  hunt  the  savages.  An  extract  from  his  letter,  written 
April  27,  1779,  reads  as  follows: 

I  have  sustained  some  Ridicule  for  a  Scheme  which  I  have  long  recommended. 
Viz.,  that  of  hunting  the  Scalping  parties  of  Indians  with  Horsemen  &  Dogs.  The 
iminent  Services  which  Dogs  have  rendered  to  our  People  in  some  late  instances, 
seems  to  open  People's  Eyes  to  a  Method  of  this  kind.  We  know  that  Dogs  will 
follow  them,  that  they  will  discover  them  and  even  seize  them,  when  hunted  on  by 
their  Masters. 

History  informs  us  That  it  was  in  this  Manner  That  the  Indians  were  extirpated 
out  of  whole  Country's  in  South  America.  It  may  be  objected  That  we  have  not 
Proper  Dogs.  It  is  true  that  every  new  thing  must  be  learned ;  But  we  have,  even 
now,  Dogs  that  will  follow  them,  and  the  arrantest  Cur  will  both  follow  and  fight  in 
Company.  I  cannot  help  being  of  opinion  that  a  Single  Troop  of  Light  Horse, 
attended  by  Dogs,  (and  who  might  occasionally  carry  a  footman  behind  them,  that  the 
pursuit  might  not  be  interrupted  by  Morasses  or  Mountains,)  under  honest  and  active 
officers,  would  destroy  more  Indians  than  five  thousand  Men  stationed  in  forts  along 
the  Frontiers;  I  am  not  altogether  singular  in  this  opinion,  could  not  such  a  Thing 
be  tryed? 

It  nowhere  appears  how  his  views  were  received  by  the  Supreme 
Executive  Council;  but  it  is  certain  that  the  "scheme"  was  never 
adopted  and  tried.     It  might  have  been  a  good  one;  and  con- 

*It  is  regretted  that  nothing  of  the  persona]  history  of  this  brave  officer  is  known. 
Captain  Walker  was  originally  Lieutenant  of  Colonel  Thomas  Hartley's  Continental 
Regiment  from  Pennsylvania.  He  was  promoted  Captain  January  23,  1778;  trans- 
ferred to  the  Second  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Line,  January  17,  1781.  In  a  manu- 
script letter  from  Hartley  to  Council,  dated  June  19,  1784,  he  says:  "Captain 
Andreiy  Walker  entered  the  service  with  me,  and  on  account  of  his  merit  was 
appointed  Captain  on  my  request,  and  whilst  under  my  command  he  was  a  punctual, 
brave  and  deserving  officer,  and  acquitted  himself  with  the  highest  reputation." 

f  For  his  letter  in  full  see  Vol.  VII.,  page  357,  Pennsylvania  Archives. 


588  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

sidering  the  atrocious  methods  of  the  savages,  the  people  would 
have  been  justified  in  resorting  to  it  for  the  protection  of  the  lives 
of  their  wives  and  children. 

As  William  Maclay  is  one  of  the  conspicuous  characters  in  this 
work,  a  condensed  sketch  of  his  history  is  appropriate  in  this 
connection.  He  was  born*  July  20,  1737,  in  New  Garden  Town- 
ship, Chester  County,  Pa.,  and  died  April  16,  1804,  at  Harrisburg. 
In  1742  his  father  removed  to  what  is  now  Lurgan  Township, 
Franklin  County,  where  his  boyhood  days  were  spent  on  a  farm. 
When  the  French  and  Indian  war  broke  out  he  was  attending 
school  in  Chester  Count)',  and  desiring  to  enter  the  service  of  the 
Province,  his  teacher  gave  him  a  recommendation  "as  a  judicious 
young  man  and  a  scholar,"  which  secured  him  the  appointment 
of  ensign  in  the  Pennsylvania  Battalion.  Afterwards  he  was 
promoted  lieutenant  in  the  Third  Battalion,  by  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Hugh  Mercer,  May  7,  1758.  He  accompanied  General  Forbes' 
expedition  that  year,  and  especially  distinguished  himself  at  the 
battle  of  Loyalhanna.  In  Bouquet's  expedition  of  1763  he  was 
in  the  fight  at  Bushy  Run.  In  the  subsequent  campaign  of  that 
gallant  officer  he  was  stationed,  with  the  greater  portion  of  the 
Second  Pennsylvania,  on  the  line  of  the  stockade  forts,  on  the 
route  to  Fort  Pitt,  as  lieutenant  commanding  the  company.  For 
these  services  he  participated  in  the  Provincial  grant  of  land  to 
the  officers  connected  therewith,  located  on  the  West  Branch, 
and  most  of  which  he  assisted  in  surveying. 

Mr.  Maclay  studied  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  York  County 
Bar  April  28,  1760,  but  he  never  practiced  his  profession,  the  con- 
tinued Indian  war,  and  his  subsequent  duties  as  surveyor,  taking 
up  nearly  his  whole  time.  From  a  letter  of  John  Penn,  however, 
it  would  seem  that  he  was  afterwards  admitted  to  the  Cumberland 
County  Bar,  and  acted  for  the  prothonotary  of  that  county. 

At  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian  war  he  visited  England 
and  had  an  interview  with  Thomas  Penn,  one  of  the  Proprietaries, 
relative  to  the  surveys  in  the  middle  and  northern  parts  of  the 
Province,  and  was  the  assistant  of  Surve)'or  Lukens  on  the  frontiers. 

In  1772,  as  already  stated,  he  laid  out  the  town  of  Sunbury, 


*See  Dr.  Egle's  Pennsylvania   Genealogies,  pages  355  to  359,  for  biography  of 
William  Maclay,  together  with  a  history  of  his  descendants. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  589 

and  erected  for  himself  a  substantial  stone  house  (see  page  397), 
which  is  still  standing  and  is  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Hon. 
S.  P.  Wolverton. 

On  the  organization  of  the  county  he  was  appointed  prothono- 
tary  and  clerk  of  the  courts.  He  also  acted  as  the  representa- 
tive of  the  Penn  family,  and  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  troubles 
with  Wyoming. 

At  the  outset  of  the  Revolution,  although  an  officer  of  the 
Proprietary  Government,  William  Maclay  took  a  prominent  and 
active  part  in  favor  of  independence,  not  only  assisting  in  equip- 
ping and  forwarding  troops  to  the  Continental  army,  but  marched 
with  the  Associators,  and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Trenton 
and  Princeton.  During  the  Revolution  he  held  the  position  of 
assistant  commissary  of  purchases. 

In  1 78 1  he  was  elected  to  the  Assembly,  and  from  that  time 
forward  he  filled  the  various  offices  of  member  of  the  Supreme 
Executive  Council,  judge  of  the  Courts  of  Common  Pleas, 
deputy  surveyor,  and  one  of  the  commissioners  for  carrying  into 
effect  the  act  respecting  the  navigation  of  the  Susquehanna  River. 
About  this  time  he  visited  England  again  in  the  interest  of  the 
Penn  family. 

In  January,  1789,  he  was  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate, 
being  the  first  man  on  whom  this  great  office  was  conferred  by 
Pennsylvania.  On  taking  his  seat  he  drew  the  short  term,  and 
his  position  terminated  March  3,  1791,  his  colleague,  Robert 
Morris,  securing  the  long  term.  His  election  to  this  body  raised 
him  to  a  higher  plane  of  political  activity.  He  began  to  differ 
with  the  opinions  of  President  Washington  very  early  in  the 
session.  He  did  not  approve  of  the  state  and  ceremony  attendant 
upon  the  intercourse  of  the  President  with  Congress;  he  flatly 
objected  to  the  presence  of  the  President  in  the  Senate  while 
business  was  being  transacted,  and  in  the  Senate  boldly  spoke 
against  his  policy  in  the  immediate  presence  of  President  Wash- 
ington. The  records  show  that  Senator  Maclay  was  the  actual 
founder  of  the  Democratic  party,*  notwithstanding  that  honor  is 

*The  New  England  historians,  Hildreth  and  Goodrich,  repute  Thomas  Jefferson 
as  the  "  efficient  promoter  at  the  beginning  and  father  and  founder  of  the  Democratic 
party."  But  they  are  wholly  mistaken.  The  responsibility,  or  honor,  in  whatever 
light  it  may  be  regarded,  belongs  to  this  distinguished  statesman  of  the  Susquehanna. 


590  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

credited  to  Thomas  Jefferson.  Before  Mr.  Jefferson's  return  from 
Europe  Senator  Maclay  had  assumed  an  independent  position, 
and  in  his  short  career  of  two  years  in  the  Senate  propounded  ideas 
and  gathered  about  him  elements  to  form  the  opposition,  which 
developed  with  the  meeting  of  Congress,  at  Philadelphia,  on  the 
24th  of  October,  1 791,  in  a  division  of  the  people  into  two  great 
parties,  the  Federalists  and  Democrats,  when,  for  the  first  time, 
appeared  an  open  and  organized  opposition  to  the  administration. 
The  funding  of  the  public  debt,  chartering  the  United  States 
Bank,  and  other  measures  championed  necessarily  by  the  ad- 
ministration, whose  duty  it  was  to  put  the  wheels  of  government 
in  motion,  engendered  opposition.  Senator  Maclay,  to  use  his 
"own  language,  "no  one  else  presenting  himself,"  fearlessly  took 
tlie  initiative,  and  with  his  blunt  common  sense  (for  he  was  not 
much  of  a  speaker)  and  Democratic  ideas,  took  issue  with  the 
ablest  advocates  of  the  administration.  Notwithstanding  the 
prestige  of  General  Washington,  and  the  ability  of  the  defenders 
of  the  administration  on  the  floor  of  the  Senate,  such  was  the 
tact  and  resolution  of  Mr.  Maclay  that  when,  after  his  short 
service,  he  was  retired  from  the  Senate  and  succeeded  by  James 
Ross,  of  Pittsburg,  a  pronounced  Federalist,  their  impress  was 
left  in' the  distinctive  lines  of  an  opposition  party — a  party  which, 
taking  advantage  of  the  warm  feeling  of  our  people  towards  the 
P'rench  upon  the  occasion  of  Jay's  treaty  with  Great  Britain,  in 
1794,  and  of  the  unpopularity  of  the  alien  and  sedition  laws, 
passed  under  the  administration  of  President  John  Adams,  in 
1798,  compassed  the  final  overthrow  of  the  Federal  party  in  1800. 
W^ien  Mr.  Maclay  retired  from  the  Senate  he  resided  per- 
manently on  his  farm  near  Harrisburg.  In  1795  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  House  of  Representatives,  and 
again  in  1803.  He  was  a  presidential  elector  in  1796,  and,  from 
1 80 1  to  1803,  one  of  the  associate  judges  of  the  county  of 
Dauphin.  Mr.  Harris,  who  edited  his  journal,  gives  us  this  sum- 
mary of  Mr.  Maclay's  character:  "He  was  a  man  of  strict 
integrity,  of  positive  opinions,  having  implicit  confidence  in  his 
own  honesty  and  judgment;  he  was  inclined  to  be  suspicious  of 
the  integrity  of  others  whose  sentiments  or  action  in  matters  of 
importance   differed    from    his   own,  and    the   journal    to   which 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  59I 

reference  has  been  made  is  evidence  of  the  strength  of  his 
intellect.  In  personal  appearance  Mr.  Maclay  is  said  to  have  been 
six  feet  three  inches  in  height,  and  stout  and  muscular;  his  com- 
plexion was  light,  and  his  hair,  in  middle  age,  appears  to  have 
been  brown,  and  was  worn  tied  behind  or  clubbed." 

William  Maclay  married,  April  1 1,  1769,  Mary  McClure  Harris, 
daughter  of  John  Harris,  the  founder  of  Harrisburg.  They  had 
nine  children,  three  sons  and  six  daughters.  Mary,  the  fourth 
child,  became  the  wife  of  Samuel  Awl,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  Dr.  Robert  Harris  Awl,  now  one  of  the  oldest  physi- 
cians of  S anbury. 

When  many  of  the  settlers,  who  had  ventured  back  to  secure 
their  crops,  got  through  with  this  work  they  retired  again,  fearing 
to  trust  themselves  to  the  roving  bands  of  Indians.  And  the 
troops  had  scarcely  been  withdrawn  when  the  enemy  appeared 
in  increased  numbers  and  commenced  the  work  of  murder,  pillage 
and  destruction.  Sometime  in  the  month  of  June  two  men  were 
killed  on  Lycoming  Creek  and  three  taken  prisoners.  Their 
names  have  been  lost.  Following  up  their  work  of  destruction 
the  Indians  penetrated  to  the  mills  of  Widow  Smith,  near  the 
mouth  of  White  Deer  Creek,  which  they  burned,  and  killed  one 
man.  These  mills,  it  will  be  remembered,  were  of  great  service, 
and  Mrs.  Smith  in  rebuilding  them  incurred  a  debt  from  which 
she  never  recovered. 

On  the  17th  of  June  the  Indians  appeared  near  Fort  Brady, 
killed  two  men  and  carried  three  into  captivity.  They  burned 
Starret's  flouring  mill,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  what  is  known 
as  the  Muncy  Mills  of  to-day,  and  nearly  all  the  principal  houses 
in  the  township.  Several  families  were  taken  prisoners.  Among 
them  was  the  family  of  Abraham  Webster,*  of  Muncy  Township. 
Four  of  his  children  were  attacked.  The  eldest,  a  son,  was  killed 
and  the  others,  two  daughters  and  a  son,  were  taken  captives. 


*  Abraham  Webster  came  from  England  at  an  early  day  and  settled  on  land 
where  the  late  Henry  Ecroyd's  farm  now  is.  His  son,  Abraham,  was  killed  and 
Joseph  taken  into  captivity,  with  his  two  sisters,  one  of  whom  was  thrown  from  a 
canoe  into  Seneca  Lake  and  drowned  by  an  enraged  squaw.  The  other  was  never 
heard  from,  but  tradition  says  she  married,  when  she  grew  up,  an  Indian  chief. 
Joseph  returned  after  twelve  years  and  married  Anna  Robb.  When  Joseph  was 
captured  he  was  twelve  years  old,  and  distinctly  remembered  the  route  the  Indians 
took  in  their  flight.     Mrs.  Dr.  C.  E.  Albright,  of  Muncy,  is  his  granddaughter. 


592  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Emboldened  by  their  successes,  the  enemy  pushed  on  down 
the  valley.  They  crossed  Muncy  hills  and  appeared  in  the  vicinity 
of  Fort  Freeland  on  the  2 1st  and  surprised  several  men  at  work 
in  a  corn-field.  A  son  of  Jacob  Freeland  and  Isaac  Vincent 
were  killed,  and  Michael  Freeland  and  Benjamin  Vincent  were 
taken  prisoners.  It  is  related  that  when  the  alarm  was  given 
young  Freeland  ran  towards  a  stone  quarry,*  but  was  pursued 
and  speared  in  the  thigh.  He  fell  near  the  edge  of  the  quarry, 
when  the  Indian  sprang  upon  him,  but  rising  with  the  savage  on 
his  shoulders  he  pitched  him  over  the  precipice,  and  would  have 
escaped  but  for  another  Indian,  who  rushed  up  and  killed  him. 

There  was  such  an  increased  feeling  of  alarm  among  the  re- 
maining inhabitants  in  the  valley  that  the  authorities  resolved  on 
making  a  bold  effort  to  cripple  the  relentless  enemy  by  marching 
a  large  army  into  his  country  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  his 
villages  and  corn-fields.  By  such  a  bold  stroke  it  was  thought  the 
Indians  could  be  so  crippled  that  they  could  no  longer  carry  on 
their  cruel  .system  of  warfare.  A  great  force  was  organized,  and 
the  command  given  to  General  Sullivan,  with  instructions  to 
march  up  the  North  Branch.  And  in  order  to  carry  it  out  suc- 
cessfully all  the  available  troops  were  collected.  General  Sullivan 
withdrew  the  garrison  from  Fort  Muncy  to  strengthen  his  own 
command.  This  was  the  second  time  this  post  was  evacuated 
during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  all  the  settlements  from  Free- 
land's  up  the  river  were  left  in  a  defenseless  and  unprotected  con- 
dition. The  inhabitants,  therefore,  were  at  a  loss  what  to  do — 
whether  to  fly  or  remain.  Savages  lurked  in  every  thicket,  and 
it  was  unsafe  for  persons  to  venture  any  distance  from  a  place  of 
protection.  And  to  increase  the  feeling  of  alarm  a  rumor  reached 
the  settlements  that  a  large  body  of  Tories  and  Indians  was 
making  preparations  to  descend  upon  the  valley  from  the  north 
while  General  Sullivan  marched  up  the  North  Branch,  gain  his 
rear,  devastate  the  country,  and  if  possible  penetrate  as  far  as  Fort 
Augusta  and  capture  that  stronghold. 

*The  stone  quarry,  or  ledge  of  rocks,  where  this  affair  occurred  is  still  to  be  seen. 
Standing  on  the  site  of  Fort  Freeland  and  looking  across  the  creek,  the  rocks  are 
plainly  visible.  The  field  in  which  the  parties  were  at  work  was  in  rear  of  the 
precipice. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

INVASION    OF    THE    VALLEY    BV    THE    BRITISH    AND    INDIANS    UNDER 

m'dONALD CAPTURE    OF    FORT     FREELAND THRILLING     SCENES 

AND    INCIDENTS SKETCH    OF    COVENHOVEN,    THE   SCOUT. 

AS  the  rumors  of  an  approaching  body  of  British,  Tories  and 
Indians  from  the  north  increased,  it  was  finally  determined 
by  Colonel  Hepburn  to  send  a  man  who  was  well  acquainted  with 
the  paths  and  defiles  of  the  mountains  to  ascertain  and  report 
their  movements.  Robert  Covenhoven,  the  spy  and  scout,  was 
selected  for  this  dangerous  duty.  He  preferred  no  company,  as 
he  thought  he  could  better  elude  observation  if  alone  than  if 
accompanied  by  any  one.  Avoiding  all  the  Indian  paths,  he 
directed  his  course  through  the  wilderness  towards  the  head- 
waters of  Lycoming  Creek,  and  by  traveling  at  night  soon 
arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  the  enemy's  camp,  which  must  have 
been  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  present  village  of 
Roaring  Branch,  on  the  Northern  Central  Railroad.  The  diffi- 
culty of  making  such  a  journey  at  that  time  can  readily  be 
imagined  by  those  familiar  with  the  route  at  this  day.  It  lay  over 
rugged  hills,  through  dark  and  gloomy  ravines,  and  almost  im- 
penetrable thickets  in  many  places.  Arriving  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  camp  of  the  enemy,  he  secreted  himself  in  a  secure  position, 
where  he  lay  during  the  day.  At  intervals  he  heard  shots, 
amounting  to  several  hundred,  which  led  him  to  believe  that  they 
were  cleaning  their  guns  and  preparing  to  descend  Lycoming 
Creek  by  the  Sheshequin  war  path,  to  attack  the  settlements. 
Satisfied  that  a  large  body  was  about  to  advance,  he  retraced  his 
steps  over  the  rugged  hills  and  through  the  thickets,  hungry  and 
fatigued.  He  made  as  rapid  progress  as  the  nature  of  the  country 
would  admit.  Striking  an  Indian  path  near  Loyalsock,  it  sud- 
denly occurred  to  him  that  he  might  meet  Indians  if  he  continued 
to  travel  in  that  direction.     He  stepped  to  one  side  and  stopped 


594  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

behind  a  large  tree  to  rest  for  a  short  time.  He  had  been  there 
but  a  few  minutes  when  two  Indians  passed  him,  humming  some 
kind  of  a  rude  melody  as  they  jogged  along.  Had  he  remained 
in  the  path  he  would  have  come  in  collision  with  them  and  might 
have  been  killed. 

When  he  reached  Fort  Muncy  he  informed  Colonel  Hepburn 
of  the  impending  danger,  and  preparations  were  at  once  made  to 
retire,  as  the  approaching  force  was  evidently  too  strong  to  resist. 
What  women  and  children  were  at  the  fort  were  hastily  placed  in 
boats  and  sent  down  the  river  to  Fort  Augusta*  in  charge  of  Mr. 
Covenhoven.  Those  collected  at  Fort  Menninger  were  notified 
of  the  danger,  when  they  abandoned  that  post  and  hastened  down 
the  river.  Information  was  sent  to  Fort  Freeland  of  the  ap- 
prehended danger,  but  the  settlers  assembled  there  thought  Coven- 
hoven was  magnifying  the  danger,  and  they  concluded  to  remain. 
The  garrison  at  Boone's  fort  also  remained  behind. 

In  the  meantime  the  enemy,  consisting  of  about  lOO  British 
and  200  Indians — the  former  under  command  of  Captain  John 
McDonald,  and  the  latter  under  Hiokotof,  a  Seneca  chief — were 
rapidly  advancing.  They  entered  the  valle\-  at  Loyalsock  and 
commenced  laying  the  country  in  waste,  but  as  nearly  all  the 
settlers  had  fled  they  were  rewarded  with  few  scalps.  The  part}- 
ad\'anced  rapidly  on  Fort  Muncy,  which,  much  to  their  chagrin, 
they  found  abandoned.  It  was  burned,  and  everything  in  the 
neighborhood  destroyed  that  they  could  lay  their  hands  on.  The 
stone  house  of  Samuel  Wallis,  which  stood  a  few  hundred  yards 
south  of  the  fort,  on  the  bank  of  an  arm  of  the  river,  could  not 
be  razed  without  too  much  labor,  and  it  was  allowed  to  remain. 
The  force  spread  over  the  beautiful  Munc}-  Valle\-  and  burned 
every  cabin  that  could  be  found.  Captain  John  Brad\''s  fort  was 
destroyed  by  the  advancing  enemy.     Captain  McDonald  learned 


*  While  visiting  London  in  the  summer  of  1888,  Hon.  William  Rockefeller,  of 
Sunbury,  called  at  the  British  War  Office,  and  upon  request  was  shown  the  drawing 
of  Fort  Augusta  made  by  the  Provincial  engineers  in  1756.  It  required  a  search  of 
nearly  an  hour  to  find  it,  and  when  the  clerk  brought  it  forth  and  laid  it  before  him, 
he  made  a  request  that  he  would  not  touch  it,  as  it  had  belonged  to  George  IIL! 

t  He  was  the  husband  of  Mary  Jemison,  the  "  White  Woman,''  whose  strange  and 
thrilling  history  is  related  in  Chapter  IV.  of  this  work. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  595 

from  his  scouts  that  Fort  Freeland  *  was  still  occupied,  and  as  the 
savages  under  him  were  thirsting  for  blood,  he  hastened  forward 
rapidly,  fearing  that  the  garrison  might  elude  his  grasp.  The 
Muncy  hills  were  quickly  passed,  and  the  force  appeared  in 
the  vicinity  of  Fort  Freeland  before  daylight  on  the  morning  of 
July  28,  1779.  Keeping  well  hidden  in  the  timber,  the  garrison 
was  not  aware  of  the  nearness  of  the  red  devils  and  their  British 
colleagues,  and  rested  in  fancied  security. 

About  sunrise  on  that  fatal  morning,  an  old  man  named  James 
Watt  left  the  fort  to  look  for  his  sheep  that  had  strayed  away. 
He  had  proceeded  but  a  short  distance  in  the  direction  of  Warrior 
Run,  when  an  Indian,  who  was  lying  in  ambush,  sprang  upon  him 
and  tried  to  drag  him  away  a  prisoner.  Watt  stoutly  resisted  and 
cried  for  assistance,  when  the  savage  felled  him  with  his  toma- 
hawk, and  was  about  to  scalp  him,  when  a  shot  fired  from  the 
fort  wounded  him  in  the  back  and  he  was  forced  to  desist  in  his 
murderous  work.  Two  young  men  were  also  outside  at  the  time, 
but  hearing  the  alarm  rushed  to  the  fort.  One  of  them  stopped 
in  the  gate  to  look  back,  when  a  rifle  ball  struck  him  in  the  fore- 
head. His  comrade  pulled  him  inside  and  closed  the  gate.  In  a 
few  minutes  the  enemy  emerged  from  the  timber  and  the  garrison 
were  made  aware  of  the  danger  that  beset  them.  The  moment 
was  one  of  supreme  danger,  and  many  of  the  inmates  of  the  fort 
were  panic-stricken  at  the  sight  of  the  painted  devils  as  they 
glided  about  in  the  bushes. 

The  fort  only  contained  twenty-one  effective  men  and  a  large 
number  of  women  and  children.  But  there  were  brave  women 
in  the  fort,  and  when  apprised  of  the  danger  Mary  Kirk  and 
Phoebe  Vincent  commenced  to  run  bullets  for  the  rifles  of  the 
men,  and  continued  at  this  work  as  long  as  they  had  a  dish  or 
spoon  that  would  melt. 

The  savages  at  once  gave  a  tremendous  yell  and  advanced  to 
the  attack  under  cover  of  the  trees  and  bushes.  The  garrison 
offered  a  stout  resistance  and  fired  vigorously  on  the  advancing 
foe,  but  with  little  effect.     After  continuing  the  assault  for  some 

*  As  early  as  the  20th  of  July  an  advance  body  of  Indians  appeared  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Fort  Freeland  and  killed  three  men.  They  probably  belonged  to 
McDonald's  party. 


596  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

minutes,  Captain  McDonald  found  that  he  could  make  but  little 
impression  upon  the  works,  when  he  hoisted  a  white  flag  and  pro- 
posed terms  of  capitulation.  Captain  Lytle,  accompanied  by 
John  Vincent,  went  out  and  held  a  conference  with  McDonald, 
who  seemed  anxious  to  prevent  a  massacre,  which  he  knew  must 
follow  if  the  fort  was  taken  by  storm.  Half  an  hour  was  given 
the  garrison  for  deliberation  by  the  British  commander.  Lytle 
and  Vincent  immediately  returned  to  the  fort  for  consultation 
with  their  friends.  The  fortification  was  poorly  constructed,  and 
it  covered  more  space  than  there  were  men  to  man  it.  The  gar- 
rison, therefore,  believing  that  there  was  no  possibility  of  success- 
fully resisting  such  a  large  force,  and  being  anxious  to  save  the 
lives  of  their  women  and  children,  decided  to  surrender.  And  at 
the  end  of  the  thirty  minutes  accorded  them  for  consultation, 
Captain  Lytle  and  Mr.  Vincent  returned,  when  the  following 
articles  of  capitulation  were  agreed  to  and  signed : 

Articles   of    capitulation   entered    into   between   Captain   John    McDonald,   on    his 
Majesty's  part,  and  John  Lytle,  on  the  part  of  Congress : 

1.  The  men  in  the  garrison  to  march  out  and  ground  their  arms  on  the  green  in 
front  of  the  fort,  which  is  to  be  taken  possession  of  immediately  by  his  Majesty's 
troops.     Agreed  to, 

2.  All  men  bearing  arms  are  to  surrender  themselves  prisoners  of  war,  and  to  be 
sent  to  Niagara.     Agreed  lo. 

The  women  and  children  are  not  to  be  stripped  of  their  clothing,  nor  molested  by 
Indians,  and  to  be  at  liberty  to  move  down  the  country  where  they  please. 

John  McDonald, 

Captain  Rangers. 
John  Lytle. 

While  the  respective  commanders  were  discussing  the  terms  of 
surrender  the  women  were  not  idle  in  the  fort.  Every  one  put  on 
as  much  clothing  as  she  could  possibly  wear,  taking  care  also  to 
fill  her  pockets  with  every  little  thing  of  value  that  could  be 
secured  in  this  way.  William  Kirk,*  a  young  man  of  feminine 
appearance,  was  dressed  in  female  costume,  by  his  mother,  and 
escaped  with  the  women. 

*Mrs.  Etta  Kirk  Burr,  wife  of  Theodore  Burr,  of  Watsontown,  and  daughter  of 
John  McKinney  Kirk,  son  of  William  Kirk,  is  a  descendant.  Her  grandfather, 
William  Kirk,  who  escaped  from  Fort  Freeland  disguised  as  a  girl,  died  at  Charlotte, 
Monroe  County,  N.  Y.,  and  is  buried  there. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  597 

It  was  about  9  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  the  articles  of 
capitulation  were  signed  and  the  garrison  marched  forth  and  gave 
up  their  arms.  As  soon  as  the  Indians  took  possession  of  the 
fort  the  squaws  began  to  display  their  mischievous  and  destructive 
disposition.  They  ripped  open  all  the  feather  beds  they  could 
find,  emptied  the  contents  in  a  heap,  set  them  on  fire  and  danced 
around  in  fiendish  glee,  at  the  same  time  uttering  piercing  yells 
of  satisfaction.  They  packed  the  ticks  full  of  clothes  and  goods, 
and  then,  Vandal-like,  destroyed  everything  that  was  too  heavy  to 
be  carried  away.  One  of  the  squaws,  in  passing  a  white  girl, 
snatched  a  handkerchief  from  her  neck  and  refused  to  return  it. 
McDonald,  it  is  said,  was  so  moved  by  the  theft  that  he  gave  the 
poor  girl  his  own  handkerchief  and  then  scolded  the  squaw  for 
her  thievish  act. 

The  Indians  having  rifled  the  fort  of  all  that  was  valuable,  and 
having  gathered  together  all  the  provisions  they  could  find,  pro- 
ceeded to  the  creek,  where  they  made  preparations  for  a  feast. 
The  squaws  with  their  plunder  rode  away  on  the  side-saddles 
they  had  stolen,  in  mockery  of  the  white  women.  The  savages 
did  not  long  enjoy  their  feast  in  quiet. 

News  of  the  attack  rapidly  spread  among  the  few  settlers  re- 
maining in  the  country.  The  firing  was  distinctly  heard  at  Boone's 
Fort,  when  the  brave  captain  hurriedly  collected  a  party  and  pro- 
ceeded to  the  assistance  of  those  at  Freeland's.  It  consisted  of 
thirty-three  as  brave  men  as  ever  fired  a  gun,  and  they  rapidly 
marched  to  the  scene  of  pillage. 

It  was  about  1 1  o'clock  when  they  reached  the  opposite  side  of 
the  creek,  within  seventy-five  or  eighty  yards  of  where  the  enemy 
were  feasting,  without  being  discovered.  Captain  Boone  cautioned 
each  man  in  his  company  to  take  sure  aim,  and  when  all  were 
ready  the  signal  to  fire  was  given,  and  at  least  thirty  of  the  savages 
fell  dead.  As  soon  as  they  could  reload  they  crossed  the  bridge 
and  moved  directly  for  the  fort;  but  when  they  had  run  about 
half  way  across  the  meadow  they  discovered  that  the  building 
and  sheds  within  the  stockade  were  on  fire  and  that  it  had  been 
abandoned.  Boone  quickly  ordered  a  retreat  to  the  woods,  where 
he  felt  confident  he  could  better  cope  with  the  foe.  The  Indians, 
seeing  that  the  white  men  were  few  in  number,  endeavored  to  cut 


590  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

off  their  retreat  by  throwing  themselves  before  the  bridge,  but 
they  were  unsuccessful.  One  of  Boone's  men,  named  Daugherty, 
made  a  dash  for  the  creek,  and  while  endea\'oring  to  cross  it  got 
entangled  in  some  vines.  While  struggling  to  release  himself  an 
Indian  called  to  him  to  surrender,  but  he  derisively  answered  that 
he  would  not,  and  taking  out  his  pocket  knife  cut  his  way  out  and 
reached  his  companions  safely,  who  welcomed  him  with  a  hearty 
cheer.  A  brisk  fire  was  kept  up  across  the  creek,  as  Boone  tried 
to  work  his  way  around  the  hill  in  order  to  gain  the  open  country 
in  the  direction  of  Montgomery's  stockade,  a  few  miles  to  the  east. 
But  he  failed,  as  his  men  were  obliged  to  fight  against  nine  to  one. 
A  party  of  Indians  got  in  his  rear,  and  stationing  themselves  in 
the  log  building  used  as  a  mill,  did  much  execution.  The  whites 
maintained  a  stout  resistance  until  seventeen  of  their  number, 
including  the  brave  Captain  Boone,  were  killed,  when  the  survivors, 
seeing  the  hopelessness  of  further  resistance,  gave  up  the  fight  and 
each  man  did  his  best  to  escape.  These  brave  fellows  were  closely 
hunted  b)'  the  savages  and  several  of  them  barely  escaped.  A 
man  named  Doyle  darted  into  a  thicket  of  hazel  bushes  close  by 
where  he  had  been  fighting  and  remained  concealed  until  night, 
although  Indians  frequently  passed  within  a  few  feet  of  him. 

During  the  fight  William  Hood  and  Major  McMahon  crossed 
the  creek  to  where  the  women  were  collected,  spoke  a  few  words 
of  encouragement  to  them  and  then  returned  with  safety. 

During  the  morning  of  the  fight  John  Montgomery,*  who  had 
settled  in  Paradise,  about  four  miles  east  of  the  fort,  heard  an 
unusual  amount  of  firing  in  the  direction  of  Freeland's.  Fearing 
the  worst,  he  called  his  sons,  John  and  Robert,  and  directed  them 
to  mount  their  horses  and  ride  over  to  the  fort  and  learn  what 
was  the  cause  of  the  firing.  The)-  took  the  path  leading  through 
the  timber,  and  on  reaching  the  brow  of  the  hill  overlooking  the 
creek,  they  discovered  the  fort  on  fire  and  a  fight  raging  in  the 

*John  Montgomery,  the  fifth  son  of  John  and  Sarah  Montgomery,  was  born  in 
Ireland  and  was  only  four  years  old  when  he  came  to  this  country.  He  died  in  1792, 
at  the  age  of  58,  from  injuries  received  by  a  tree  falling  on  him  while  he  was 
engaged  in  opening  what  was  called  the  "  Derry  Road,"  leading  from  Milton  to 
Derry  Township.  His  widow,  Christiana,  died  March  2,  1821,  aged  So  years. 
Both  are  buried  in  Warrior  Run  Church  grave-y!LTd.—//is/o/y  of  the  Montgomery 
Family,  pages  6,  7. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  599 

timber  some  distance  below  where  they  stood.  This  was  where 
Captain  Boone  and  his  party  suddenly  came  on  the  Indians  as 
they  were  feasting  on  the  provisions  they  had  stolen  from  the 
fort.  The  point  where  they  stood  and  viewed  the  scene,  unob- 
served by  the  enemy,  is  still  pointed  out.  Satisfied  that  the 
enemy  was  in  force,  the  young  couriers  galloped  back  and  gave 
the  alarm.  Mr.  Montgomery,  on  learning  the  condition  of  affairs, 
quickly  loaded  up  his  family  in  a  wagon,  with  what  provisions 
and  clothing  they  could  carry,  and  hurriedly  drove  across  the 
country  to  Limestone  Run,  to  the  cabin  of  William  Davis.  After 
informing  him  what  was  going  on,  he  gathered  up  his  family  and 
proceeded  with  them  to  Fort  Augusta.  In  a  short  time  Mr. 
Montgomery  continued  his  flight  to  Harris',  where  he  rented  a 
farm  of  John  Harris,  and  lived  there  until  1783,  when  he  returned 
to  his  old  home  at  the  spring. 

Samuel  Brady,  the  elder  brother  of  Captain  John  Brady,  who 
was  killed  at  Wolf  Run,  and  uncle  of  the  celebrated  Sam.  Brady, 
of  the  Rangers,  was  at  Fort  Freeland  the  day  of  its  capture.  He 
was  determined  not  to  be  carried  away  a  prisoner,  and  watching 
an  opportunity,  suddenly  dashed  into  the  hazel  bushes  and  ran  for 
his  life.  He  made  his  way  through  the  thickets  and  emerged  in 
an  open  field,  hotly  pursued  by  several  Indians.  After  running 
a  considerable  distance  he  looked  back  and  found  two  Indians 
still  pursuing  him— one  a  large,  dangerous  looking  fellow,  the 
other  of  small  stature.  He  increased  his  speed  and  was  making 
rapid  headway  when  he  made  a  misstep  and  fell.  The  larger 
Indian  was  foremost,  and  now  felt  secure  of  his  victim.  But 
Brady  had  fallen  with  a  loaded  rifle,  and  quickly  rising  shot  his 
pursuer  dead.  The  other  fearing  to  follow  him  turned  and  fled. 
Brady  yelled  after  him — "  Y^oi^  niiirdering  thief,  you  did  not 
knozv  it  ivas  Brady!"  He  said  afterwards  he  was  determined 
"to  make  his  eternal  escape." 

The  only  one  of  the  band  captured  was  Henry  Gilfillen.  He 
was  caught  the  next  day  in  a  dilapidated  fort — -probably  Mont- 
gomery's, a  few  miles  east  of  Freeland's— while  in  the  act  of 
trying  to  milk  a  cow  to  obtain  some  nourishment,  which  he  had 
not  tasted  for  twenty-four  hours.  He  was  tomahawked  and 
scalped. 


600  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

The  names  of  those  killed  in  the  attack  on  the  fort  were  James 
Watt,*  John  McClintock,  William  McClung,  James  Miles  and 
Henry  GilfiUen.  It  is  regretted  that  the  names  of  all  the  killed 
belonging  to  Captain  Boone's  company  were  not  preserved.  The 
following  only  are  given:  Captain  Boone.t  Captain  Samuel 
Daugherty,  Jeremiah  McGlaghten,  Nathaniel  Smith,  John  Jones, 
Edward  Costigan,  Ezra  Green,  Samuel  Neel,  Mathew  McClintock, 
Hugh  McGill  and  Andrew  Woods,  making  eleven. 

William  Daugherty,  the  progenitor  of  the  family  bearing  this 
name,  was  born  in  the  north  of  Ireland.  When  he  first  came  to 
this  country  he  lived  for  a  time  in  Cumberland  County,  and  then 
found  his  way  to  the  West  Branch.  He  married  a  Miss  Means, 
and  they  had  seven  sons — John,  Samuel,  William,  James,  Abel, 
Robert,  and  one  whose  name  cannot  be  recalled.  There  were 
daughters  also.  One  became  the  wife  of  Marcus  Hulings,  who 
settled  at  Milton.  He  assisted  his  father-in-law  in  building  the 
first  keel-boat  that  was  used  on  the  river.  These  seven  sons  all 
took  part  in  the  Revolution.  John,  the  eldest  and  most  promi- 
nent, was  a  skillful  small  swordsman,  and  while  the  patriot  army 
was  in  New  Jersey  he  fought  and  killed,  in  single  combat,  a 
British  officer,  also  noted  as  a  swordsman,  for  speaking  con- 
temptuously of  the  rebels.  Captain  John  and  his  young  brother, 
Samuel,  formed  a  part  of  Captain  Hawkins  Boone's  command, 
sent  to  the  West  Branch.  Samuel  warned  his  brother  not  to 
take  part  in  the  attack  on  Fort  Freeland,  as  he  believed  the}' 
would  surely  be  defeated.  John  told  him  if  he  was  afraid  he 
should  go  back.  Samuel  replied:  "No  Daugherty  ever  was  a 
coward,  and  I  shall  fight  as  bravely  as  yourself,  but  we  shall  be  de- 
feated." McKnight  says  Hawkins  Boone,  Samuel  Daugherty  and 
fifteen  others  were  killed.  In  after  years  George  Daugherty,  while 
traveling  in  New  York,  met  a  man  named  Robinson,  who  said  he 

*See  Vol.  VII.,  page  610,  Pennsylvania  Archives.  Also  same  page  for  the 
names  of  Boone's  killed. 

fHe  was  a  cousin  of  the  celebrated  Daniel  Boone,  a  surveyor  and  an  expert 
woodsman.  A  few  years  before  this  affair  he  had  settled  at  the  mouth  of  Muddy 
Run,  built  a  log  mill,  and  a  small,  rude  defensive  work,  which  the  settlers  called  Fort 
Boone.  The  Indians  burned  them  both.  The  mill  was  on  the  site  now  occupied  by 
Kemerer's  mill,  two  miles  above  Milton.  Nothing  more  of  the  brave  captain's 
history  is  known. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  6oi 

was  in  the  fight  at  Freeland's.  After  their  repulse  he  hid  himself 
in  the  woods  while  three  Indians  passed.  One  of  them  carried 
what  he  recognized  as  Daugherty's  scalp  by  its  light  curling  hair. 
His  gun  was  loaded,  his  finger  was  on  the  trigger,  and  he  could 
have  killed  one  Indian ;  but  there  would  have  been  two  others  to 
fight,  so  he  was  obliged  to  let  them  pass.  At  Freeland's  Captain 
John  is  said  to  have  amply  revenged  his  brother's  death.  While 
the  fighting  was  in  progress  an  old  Tory,  who  was  more  than 
suspected  of  having  betrayed  the  fort  to  the  British,  came  up 
to  him,  and  rubbing  his  hands,  said:  "That's  right,  Daugherty; 
give  it  to  them!"  "Yes,"  said  he,  "and  I  can  give  it  to  a  d — d 
traitor,  too ! "  He  turned,  loaded  his  gun  and  shot  him  down  as 
coolly  as  if  he  had  been  shooting  a  squirrel !  After  the  war  Cap- 
tain John  went  back  to  his  farm.  One  day  his  bound  boy  did 
something  to  displease  him,  and  when  he  attempted  to  correct  him 
the  boy  stabbed  him  fatally  with  his  knife.  The  brave  man's  only 
lament  at  dying  was  that  after  fighting  the  British,  Hessians  and 
Indians  for  so  many  years,  he  should  be  killed  by  a  boy !  James 
Daugherty  was  taken  prisoner  and  carried  to  Canada.  When 
peace  was  declared  he  was  returned  to  Boston.  Besides  the  sons 
there  were  daughters  who  married  men  who  had  a  share  in  the 
great  struggle,  among  them  being  William  McGrady  and  John 
Campbell.  James  married  Ann  Hammond.  Their  children  were 
George  Hammond,  Grace  and  Sarah.  Grace  was  the  grandmother 
of  Daniel  Hogue,  of  Watsontown,  a^d  Sarah  was  the  grand- 
mother of  the  Bowmans,  of  Towanda.  George  H.  Daugherty, 
the  son,  was  born  in  1794,  and  his  living  children  are;  George 
H.,  of  Bethlehem;  Caroline,  now  Mrs.  Faries,  of  Ogontz;  Ada, 
Mrs.  Ten  Brook,  of  Turbuttville,  and  Thomas  Daugherty,  of 
Audenried,  Carbon  County.  James  was  the  only  one  of  the  seven 
brothers  who  died  a  natural  death.  The  brothers-in-law  of  James 
Daugherty  were  named  George,  James,  William,  Joseph  and 
David  Hammond.  One  daughter  of  James  Daugherty  married 
a  man  named  Vandyke,  and  two  of  her  sons,  James  and  Hammond 
Vandyke,  reside  on  farms  near  Ulster,  Bradford  County,  and  are 
prominent  citizens.  The  sisters  of  these  heroes  moved,  about 
1 800,  to  Ohio  and  have  been  lost  trace  of  James  Daugherty  died 
and   was   buried   near   Monroeton,   Bradford   County.       He  and 


602  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

Alexander  Guffy  once  occupied  pew  No.  40  in  the  old  Warrior 
Run  Church,  for  which  they  paid  one  pound  rent. 

The  survivors  of  this  Spartan  band  took  an  active  part  in  the 
skirmishes  which  followed  during  the  closing  years  of  the  war. 
Many  of  their  descendants  still  reside  in  Northumberland  and 
other  counties,  and  they  are  imbued  with  the  same  patriotism  and 
love  of  liberty  which  distinguished  their  heroic  ancestors. 

While  the  Indians  were  engaged  in  the  fight  with  Captain 
Boone,*  the  Fort  Freeland  prisoners  were  guarded  by  a  portion 
of  the  British  soldiers  under  command  of  McDonald.  Fift\--two 
women  and  children,  and'  four  old  men,  were  permitted  to  depart 
for  Sunbury.  Great  consternation  prevailed  in  the  countr}-  after 
this  battle,  and  the  road  leading  to  Sunbur\-  was  filled  with  terrified 
women  and  children,  flying  for  their  lives. 

John  Vincent  t  was  one  of  the  old  men  allowed  to  remain. 
His  wife  was  a  cripple  and  unable  to  walk.  He  carried  her  from 
the  fort  to  the  lower  end  of  the  meadow  and  laid  her  down,  and 
there  they  remained  until  the  next  morning  without  shelter  or 
covering  of  any  kind.  It  rained  during  the  night,  which  made  it 
very  uncomfortable  for  them.     In  the  morning  he  caught  a  horse 

*In  Judge  McMaster's  History  of  Steuben  County,  A'.  1'.,  is  a  curious  statement 
by  Benjamin  Patterson.  He  says  that  he  and  his  younger  brother  fought  in  Captain 
Boone's  party  and  narrowly  escaped.  Boone's  party  advanced  cautiously,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  concealing  themselves  in  a  cluster  of  bushes  overlooking  the  camp  of  the 
enemy.  Both  Tories  and  Indians  were  engaged  in  cooking  and  eating,  while  a 
single  sentinel,  a  fine  tall  savage,  with  a  blanket  drawn  over  his  head,  walked  slowly 
to  and  fro.  Boone's  men  commenced  firing  by  platoons  of  six.  The  sentry  sprang 
into  the  air  with  a  whoop  and  fell  dead.  The  enemy,  yelling  frightfully,  ran  to  arms 
and  opened  a  furious  but  random  fire  at  their  unseen  foes.  Their  bullets  rattled 
through  the  bushes  where  Boone's  men  lay  hid,  but  did  no  mischief.  The  slaughter,  he 
says,  of  Indians  and  Tories  was  dreadful.  The  thirty-two  rangers  firing  rapidly  and 
coolly  by  sixes,  with  the  unerring  aim  of  frontiersmen,  shot  down  150  before  the 
enemy  broke  and  fled.  Boone's  men,  with  strange  indiscretion,  rushed  from  their 
covert  in  pursuit,  and  immediately  exposed  their  weakness.  The  Indians  at  once 
made  a  circuit  and  attacked  him  in  the  rear,  while  McDonald  turned  upon  his  front. 
They  were  surrounded.  Seeing  this,  Boone  tried  to  escape.  His  rangers  broke  and 
fled,  and  many  escaped,  but  Boone  was  among  the  killed.  Patterson  was  one  who 
succeeded  in  escaping,  but  his  story  of  150  of  the  enemy  being  killed  is  very  wide  of 
the  mark. 

f  From  the  date  of  his  birth,  given  on  page  429  of  this  work,  it  will  be  seen  that 
he  was  in  his  80th  year  at  the  time  of  the  capture.  He  lived  to  the  great  age  of  92. 
His  invalid  wife  lived  until  1788. 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  603 

which  came  to  them,  and  making  a  bridle  out  of  hickory  bark, 
placed  his  wife  on  the  back  of  the  animal  and  succeeded  in  getting 
her  safely  to  Sunbury. 

The  enemy  ravaged  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort,  and 
burned  and  destroyed  everything  they  could  find.  They  advanced 
as  far  as  Milton,  where  they  burned  Marcus  Hulings'  blacksmith 
shop  and  dwelling  house.  They  did  not  venture  much  further, 
being  afraid  of  meeting  troops  from  Sunbury.  After  they  had 
swept  over  the  country  it  presented  a  sad  scene  of  desolation,  and 
it  remained  in  this  condition  for  several  years,  the  settlers  being 
afraid  to  return. 

The  next  day  after  the  capture  of  the  fort  McDonald  deemed  it 
best  to  retrace  his  steps  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  he  set  his 
motley  column  in  motion  for  the  north.  The  prisoners  were  in 
charge  of  a  detail  of  Indians  and  British,  and  were  treated  fairly 
well.  The  first  night  they  were  confined  in  a  dilapidated  house 
near  Muncy.  One  of  them  had  attempted  to  escape  during  the 
day  and  he  was  placed  on  the  second  floor  of  the  building  for 
greater  security.  John  Montour,  on  seeing  him,  pointed  his  gun 
at  him  as  if  he  intended  to  shoot,  but  did  not.  An  old  squaw, 
said  to  have  been  a  sister  of  Montour,  threatened  to  scalp  him, 
alleging  that  he  had  wounded  her  in  a  fight.  She  waved  a  toma- 
hawk as  if  about  to  hurl  it  at  him,  but  finally  desisted.  The 
prisoner  was  badly  frightened,  and  expected  that  he  would  be 
tortured,  but  his  tormentors  relented  and  left  him. 

Much  sentimental  writing  has  been  indulged  in  by  historians 
when  speaking  of  McDonald.  He  has  been  described  as  a  very 
humane  man,  and  prevented  the  Indians  on  many  occasions  from 
committing  deeds  of  atrocity.  The  facts  of  history  do  not  bear 
out  such  conclusions.  Captain  Alexander  McDonald  and  his 
brother  John  (made  captain-lieutenant  under  Sir  John  Johnson, 
June  ig,  1777,)  were  Tory  Roman  Catholic  Scotchmen,  living 
near  Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  prior  to  the  Revolution,  In  1776  they 
were  arrested,*  with  others  of  their  family,  as  suspected  persons 
and  imprisoned  at  Albany. 

Colonel   Stone   says   that,  having   been   permitted  by  General 

*The  McDonalds  are  still  prisoners,  except  John,  who  made  his  escape  from 
Albany  last  fall  and  lies  concealed  somewhere. — Letter,  January,  1777,  Col.  N.  Y. 
Revolutionary  Papers,  Vol.  I.,  page  583. 


604  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Schuyler  to  visit  their  famihes,  they,  in  the  month  of  March,  1777, 
again  ran  off  to  Canada,  taking  with  them  the  residue  of  the 
CathoHc-Scotch  settlers,  together  with  some  of  the  Loyalist  Ger- 
mans, their  former  neighbors. 

In  1778  Alexander  McDonald,  who  appears  to  have  been  a  man 
of  considerable  enterprise  and  activity,  collected  a  force  of  300 
Tories  and  Indians,  and  fell  with  great  fury  upon  the  frontiers,  the 
Dutch  settlements  of  Scoharie  especially  feeling  "  all  his  barbarity 
and  exterminating  rage."  One  example  of  his  cruelty  and  blood- 
thirstiness  is  given  by  Sims  in  his  Trappers  of  New  York,  viz.: 
"  On  the  morning  of  October  25,  1781,  a  large  body  of  the  enemy 
under  Major  Ross  entered  Johnstown  with  several  prisoners,  and 
not  a  little  plunder,  among  which  was  a  number  of  human  scalps, 
taken  the  afternoon  and  night  previous  in  settlements  in  and 
adjoining  the  Mohawk  Valley,  to  which  was  added  the  scalp  of 
Hugh  McMonts,  a  constable,  who  was  surprised  and  killed  as  they 
entered  Johnstown.  In  the  course  of  the  day  the  troops  from  the 
garrisons  near,  and  the  militia  from  the  surrounding  country, 
rallied  and,  under  the  active  and  daring  Willett,  gave  the 
enemy  battle  on  the  Hall  farm,  in  which  the  latter  were  finally 
defeated  with  loss,  and  made  good  their  retreat  into  Canada. 
Young  Scarborough  was  then  in  the  nine  months'  service,  and 
while  the  action  was  going  on  himself  and  one  Crosset  left  the 
Johnstown  fort,  where  they  were  on  garrison  duty,  to  join  in  the 
fight,  less  than  two  miles  distant.  Between  the  Hall  farm  and 
woods  they  soon  found  themselves  engaged.  Crosset,  after  shoot- 
ing down  one  or  two,  received  a  bullet  through  one  hand,  but 
binding  a  handkerchief  around  it  he  continued  the  fight  under 
cover  of  a  hemlock  stump.  He  was  shot  down  and  killed  there, 
and  his  companion  surrendered  and  was  made  a  prisoner  by  a 
party  of  Scotch  troops  commanded  by  Captain  McDonald. 
When  Scarborough  was  captured  Captain  McDonald  was  not 
present,  but  the  moment  he  saw  him  he  ordered  his  men  to  shoot 
him  down.  Several  refused,  but  three  obeyed  the  dastardly  order, 
and  yet  he  would  have  survived  his  wounds  had  not  the  miscreant 
in  authority  cut  him  down  with  his  own  broadsword.  The  sword 
was  caught  in  its  first  descent,  and  the  valiant  captain  drew  it  out, 
cutting  the  hand  nearly  in  two." 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  605 

Colonel  Stone  says  this  was  the  same  McDonald  who  in  1779 
figured  in  the  battle  of  the  Chemung,  together  with  Sir  John  and 
Guy  Johnson  *  and  Walter  N.  Butler. 

These  extracts  are  introduced  to  show  what  manner  of  men  the 
McDonalds  were;  and  although  there  is  nothing  on  record  to 
couple  the  name  of  John  McDonald,  of  Fort  Freeland  fame,  (?) 
with  deeds  of  atrocity  as  heardess  as  those  attributed  to  his 
brother,  yet  his  associations  were  such  as  to  show  that  he  was  a 
man  undeserving  of  the  praise  that  has  been  given  him  by  many 
writers.  The  very  fact  that  he  led  such  a  motley  gang  of  cut- 
throats through  the  wilderness  for  the  purpose  of  devastating  this 
beautiful  valley  and  taking  the  scalps  of  defenseless  women  and 
children  for  a  price,  shows  him  to  have  been  possessed  of  but 
little  of  the  elements  of  true  bravery  or  the  finer  sensibilities  of 
honorable  manhood.  He  was  simply  a  bloodthirsty  Tory,  in 
whose  defense  the  most  liberal  charity  can  credit  him  with  but  little 
that  is  humane  or  honorable.  And  then  the  fact  of  his  early  return  f 
to  the  valley,  after  peace  was  restored,  shows  that  he  had  a  desire 
to  visit  and  gloat  over  the  scenes  of  destruction  caused  by  his  direc- 
tion. But  the  manner  in  which  he  was  received  quickly  taught 
him  that  he  was  not  a  welcome  visitor  among  the  people  whose 
relatives  and  friends  had  perished  at  his  hands,  and  whose  houses 
had  been  burned  by  his  direction,  and  coward-like  he  quickly 
abandoned  his  horse  and  fled  to  escape  the  punishment  he  knew 
he  so  richly  merited.  Had  he  not  disappeared  when  he  did  he 
would  very  likely  have  been  ridden  on  a  rail,  if  not  treated  worse; 
and  he  showed  the  instinct  of  a  poltroon  by  secretly  escaping  down 
the  river,  and  the  innate  sense  of  guilt  by  failing  to  reclaim  his 
property,  which  was  probably  stolen  from  so.ne  friend  of  the  cause 
of  liberty. 


*\V.  L.  Stone  in  .Sir  John  Johnson's  Order  Book,  page  56. 

f  Some  years  after  tlie  war  Captain  McDonald,  having  business  with  the  American 
Government,  on  his  way  from  Canada  ventured,  from  pride  or  curiosity,  to  visit  the 
ground  of  his  victory,  and  tarried  part  of  a  night  at  Northumberland.  Alarmed  at 
certain  movements,  indicating  hostility,  he  hired  a  servant  to  take  him  down  the 
stream  in  a  canoe,  before  daylight  should  expose  him  to  his  (as  he  had  reason  to  sup- 
pose) excited  enemies.  His  fine  horse,  after  remaining  nearly  a  year  with  the  inn- 
keeper unclaimed,  was  sold  for  his  keeping. — Miner's  Wyoming,  page  266. 


6o6  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY. 

The  capture  of  Fort  Freeland,*  coming  so  soon  after  the  bloody 
massacre  at  Wyoming,  caused  an  increased  feeling  of  alarm  in  the 
country.  Colonel  Hunter,  at  Fort  Augusta,  was  informed  of  the 
capture  of  the  fort  by  a  courier  about  noon  on  the  day  of  the 
occurrence  (July  28th),  and  he  straightway  forwarded  the  news  to 
"  Colonel  Mathew  Smith,t  at  Paxton,"  and  after  speaking  of  the 
women  and  children,  and  the  men  at  Fort  Freeland,  he  adds: 
"  God  knows  what  has  become  of  them  ! "  He  said  that  the  situa- 
tion was  distressing.  General  Sullivan  would  send  them  no 
assistance.  The  express  messenger  informed  him  that  "  red  coats 
were  seen  walking  around  the  fort,  or  where  it  had  been."  He 
added  that  he  was  just  preparing  to  march  up  the  river  with  a 
party  that  he  had  collected.  And  then  in  a  postscript  to  his  letter 
he  added:     "  Rouse  ye  inhabitants,  or  we  are  all  ruined  here." 

On  the  following  day  (the  29th)  he  wrote  to  William  Maclay, 
at  "Paxton,"  giving  him  the  full  particulars  of  the  battle  and  the 
killing  of  Captain  Boone.  "The  regular  officer,"  he  added,  "that 
commanded  was  the  name  of  Captain  McDonald,"  and  that  he 
"  let  the  women  and  children  go  after  having  them  a  considerable 
time  in  custody."  No  doubt  he  was  anxious  to  carry  them  into 
captivity,  but  feared  they  would  not  sur\ive  the  march  through 
the  wilderness. 

William  Buyers,  on  the  same  day,  wrote  Mr.  Maclay,  giving 
him  the  same  information,  and  stated  that  not  more  than  eight  or 
ten  of  the  enemy  were  killed. t 

Application  was  made  to  General  Sullivan,  who  was  then  at 
Wyoming,  for  assistance.  The  General  replied, §  under  date  of 
July  30th,  that  it  would  afford  him  great  pleasure  to  relieve  the 
distressed,  but  it  was  not  in  his  power  to  do  so.  His  army  was 
ready  to  move  the  next  day,  and  he  was  of  the  opinion  that  as 
soon  as  he  was  in  motion  up  the  North  Branch  the  attention  of 
the  enemy  would  be  drawn  to  him,  and  the  result  would  be  a  relief 
to  the  West  Branch. 


*  After  the  battle  Colonel  Kelly  came  up  from  Fort  Augusta  with  a  p-arty  and 
buried  the  dead.     For  sketch  of  Kelly  see  Meginness'  Biographical  Annals,  page  175. 

fSee  Vol.  VII.,  pages  589  and  590,  of  Pennsylvania  Archives,  for  letter  in  full. 

X  See  page  592,  Vol.  VIZ.,  Pennsylvania  Archives. 

§For  correspondence  between  Sullivan  and  Hunter  see  Vol:  VII.,  pages  593-4, 
Pennsylvania  Archives. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  607 

On  the  same  day  William  Maclay  wrote  to  Council,  informing 
them  that  the  worst  that  was  feared  had  happened,  and  the  situa- 
tion "  was  most  distressing."  There  was  "  not  a  single  inhabi- 
tant," he  continued,  "north  of  Northumberland  town."  They 
had  "no  expectation  of  relief  from  General  Sullivan,"  and  he 
closed  his  letter  in  these  words  :  "  I  need  not  ask  you  what  is  to 
be  done.  Help,  help,  or  the  towns  of  Sunbury  and  Northum- 
berland must  fall ;  our  whole  frontier  is  laid  open  and  the  com- 
munication with  General  Sullivan's  army  is  cut  off" 

Colonel  Hunter  informed  President  Reed,  under  date  of  August 
4th,*  that  the  enemy,  after  burning  and  plundering,  had  gone  over 
Muncy  Hills,  and  there  "were  a  number  of  families  that  were  in 
great  distress,  having  nothing  left  them  to  subsist  upon."  He  had 
ordered  rations  for  them  until  he  heard  from  Council.  General 
Sullivan,  he  said,  had  marched  from  Wyoming  on  Saturday. 

Enough  of  the  correspondence  has  been  given  to  show  the 
alarm  that  existed  in  the  country.  Let  us  turn  to  the  captives 
and  their  families. 

Of  the  Vincent  family,  Bethuel,  Cornelius  and  Daniel  were 
taken  prisoners.  Benjamin,  a  lad  of  only  eleven  years  of  age,  had 
been  taken  at  the  first  attack  on  the  2 1st  of  July.  He  remained 
in  captivity  for  five  years,  when  he  was  liberated  and  made  his 
way  back. 

When  McDonald  started  on  the  return  with  his  prisoners, 
plunder  and  scalps,  he  followed  the  Sheshequin  path  up  Lycom- 
ing Creek,  because  it  was  the  best  route.  The  command  crossed 
the  mountains  to  Tioga  River  and  thence  to  the  Genesee  country, 
which  was  the  residence  of  Hiokoto  and  his  Seneca  followers. 
Much  of  the  country  through  which  they  passed  was  a  dense 
wilderness,  and  they  did  not  see  a  white  man's  cabin  after  leaving 
the  head-waters  of  Lycoming  Creek  until  they  arrived  at  Fort 
Niagara.  The  prisoners  had  a  rough  experience  on  the  march. 
A  little  fresh  meat,  without  salt,  roasted  on  the  end  of  a  stick, 
was  their  principal  food.  At  night  they  slept  on  the  ground  under 
the  shade  of  a  friendly  hemlock  and  had  to  brave  all  kinds  of 
weather. 


For  letter  in  full  see  Vol.  VII.,  page  621,  Pennsylv, 


6o8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Daniel  Vincent,  one  of  the  captives,  had  been  recently  married, 
and  after  his  capture  his  wife,  almost  overwhelmed  with  grief 
worked  her  way  back  to  the  home  of  her  parents  in  New  Jersey. 
Three  years  rolled  away  and  no  tidings  came  from  her  captive  hus- 
band, but  she  still  hoped  to  see  him  again.  One  evening  a  sleighing 
party  was  about  leaving  a  house  in  the  neighborhood  where  she 
was  staying  in  New  Jersey,  to  go  on  a  short  e.xcursion.  Mrs. 
Vincent  had  been  induced  to  go  along  with  the  party.  As  they 
were  about  starting  a  neighbor,  in  company  with  a  roughly  dressed 
man,  wearing  a  heavy  beard,  drove  up.  He  inquired  for  Mrs. 
Vincent,  and  on  her  coming  forth,  he  informed  her  that  here  was 
a  stranger  who  could  tell  her  something  about  her  husband.  The 
stranger  stepped  forward,  was  introduced,  and  shook  her  warmly 
by  the  hand  and  entered  into  conversation  with  her.  She  anx- 
iously inquired  about  her  husband,  when,  finding  that  she  did  not 
recognize  him  on  account  of  his  changed  appearance,  he  could 
restrain  his  pent  up  feelings  no  longer,  and  called  her  by  name 
and  said:  "Do  you  not  know  your  husband;  I  am  he?"  With 
a  shriek  she  bounded  into  his  arms  and  wept  tears  of  gladness. 

Cornelius,*  the  father  of  Daniel,  returned  from  captivity  about 
the  .same  time.  He  had  been  heavily  ironed,  while  a  prisoner, 
for  about  eighteen  months,  and  when  he  died  the  marks  left  by 
the  British  fetters  were  still  plainly  visible  on  his  ankles. 

Previous  to  the  return  of  the  captives  the  wives  of  several  of 
them  had  returned  to  their  desolated  homes  on  Warrior  Run  for 
the  purpose  of  trying  to  reclaim  something.  Among  them  was 
the  wife  of  Captain  Lytlef  and  her  children.  She  was  accom- 
panied by  a  single  man  of  good  reputation,  who  was  a  cropper. 
After  some  time  this  man  became  attached  to  Mrs.  Lytle  and 
made  proposals  of  marriage,  which  were  rejected  with  a  declara- 
tion of  her  determination  never  to  accept  the  addresses  of  any 
man   while   in   her  breast  she  could  cherish  fond  hopes  of  the 

*The  following  inscription  on  a  plain  monument  in  Warrior  Run  Church  grave- 
yard, reared  by  filial  hands,  briefly  tells  the  story  of  the  life  of  this  pioneer  and  his 
wife:  "This  monument  is  erected  by  John  Vincent,  Esq.,  to  rescue  from  oblivion 
the  memory  of  his  beloved  parents,  Cornelius  and  Phebe  Vincent.  They  were  born 
in  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  died  in  Milton,  Pa.  He  died  July  i6,  1S12,  in  his  76th  year; 
she  died  February  25,  1809,  in  her  70th  year."     See  pages  428-9  of  this  history. 

tSee  Hazard's  Register,  Vol.  X.,  page  88. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  6og 

return  of  her  husband  from  captivity.  To  effect  his  purpose, 
letters  were  circulated  stating  that  Captain  Lytle  was  certainly 
dead ;  and  after  giving  her  time  to  mourn  the  death  of  her  husband, 
the  young  man  resumed  his  addresses,  which  were  finally  accepted 
and  they  were  married. 

At  last  peace  was  declared,  and  Captain  Lytle  was  released  from 
imprisonment.  He  hastened  back  to  his  Warrior  Run  home  to 
seek  his  wife  and  children.  But,  like  Enoch  Arden,  he  found  her 
married  to  another  man.  Unlike  Enoch,  however,  he  did  not 
retire  and  leave  them  alone.  Tradition  says  that  he  first  refused 
to  see  her,  but  through  the  intercession  of  friends  a  reconciliation 
was  brought  about,  investigation  having  shown  that  the  letters 
were  forged  for  the  purpose  of  deceiving  her.  On  becoming  con- 
vinced that?  such  was  the  fact  he  relented,  accepted  his  wife  and 
they  dwelt  together  again  in  unity  and  happiness.  The  neighbors 
were  so  incensed  at  her  deceiver  that  he  was  obliged  to  fly  to 
escape  the  law.  Captain  Lytle  and  family  resided  in  Northumber- 
land County  to  the  close  of  their  earthly  career.  They  have  been 
dead  for  three-quarters  of  a  century. 

Preparations  were  hurriedly  made  to  follow  the  retreating  horde 
commanded  by  McDonald  for  the  purpose,  if  possible,  of  recover- 
ing some  of  the  stock,  as  they  had  taken  away  all  the  horses  and 
cattle  they  could  find.  On  the  3d  of  August  Colonel  Mathew 
Smith  arrived  at  Sunbury  with  a  company  of  sixty  Paxton  Boys, 
and  several  more  companies  were  expected  soon  from  other 
sections.  These  detachments  were  hurried  forward  by  order  of 
the  Supreme  Executive  Council.  On  the  5th  the  number  reached 
500  effective  men,  a  force  sufficient  to  render  good  service.  Colonel 
Smith  *  marched  immediately  up  the  valley,  and  in  a  few  days  he 

*  Mathew  was  the  eldest  son  of  Robert  Smith,  of  Paxtany,  and  was  born  in  1734. 
He  received  the  limited  education  of  pioneer  times.  During  the  French  and  Indian 
wars  he  was  in  service  in  Bouquet's  expedition,  but  he  came  into  prominence  by 
being  one  of  the  delegates  appointed  by  the  inhabitants  on  the  frontiers  to  present 
their  memorial  of  grievances  to  the  Assembly  during  the  Paxtang  Boys'  attack  on 
the  Conestoga  Indians  in  the  Lancaster  jail  Save  as  the  Ijearer  of  that  petition  he 
was  not  connected  with  the  bloody  affair. 

In  June,  1775,  the  drums  of  the  Revolution  called  him  from  his  farm,  and  he 
enlisted  a  company  of  volunteers  in  Paxtang  to  march  to  the  siege  of  Boston.  His 
company  included  many  famous  characters,  and  one  of  its  members,  Judge  Henry, 


6lO  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

reached  Fort  Muncy,  which  he  found  destroyed.  The  country  had 
been  swept  as  by  the  besom  of  destruction.  Scarcely  a  cabin  was 
found,  and  in  some  instances  the  mangled  remains  of  murdered 
settlers  were  discovered  and  buried.  Finding  that  the  enemy  had 
retired  far  into  the  depths  of  the  wilderness,  and  he  was  not  pre- 
pared to  follow  them,  Colonel  Smith  was  reluctantl}'  compelled  to 
retrace  his  steps  to  Fort  Augusta. 

The  best  description  of  Fort  Freeland,  as  it  appeared  when 
built,  was  furnished  by  the  venerable  Mrs.  Mary  Vincent  Derick- 
son  in  a  letter  written  December  17,  1855,  to  Samuel  Hazard, 
editor  of  the  State  Colonial  Records  and  Arcliivcs,  which  was 
published  on  pages  363-5  of  the  appendix  to  that  great  compila- 
tion. And  as  it  is  particularly  minute  in  its  details,  and  gives 
much  valuable  information  regarding  the  construction  of  the 
stockade,  it  is  given  herewith  in  full,  together  with  an  illustration: 

The  fort  was  situated  on  the  Warrior-run  Creek  about  4^  miles  above  where  it 
empties  into  the  Susquehannah  River. 

In  the  year  1772,  Jacob  Freeland,  Samuel  Gould,  Peter  Vincent,  John  Vincent  and 
his  son  Cornelius  Vincent  and  Timothy  Williams  with  their  respective  families  cut 
their  way  through,  and  settled  within  some  two  miles  of  where  the  fort  was  after- 
wards built — they  were  from  Essex  County,  N.  J.  Jacob  Freeland  brought  the  irons 
for  a  Grist  Mill,  and  in  the  years  '73  &  '4  he  built  one  on  the  Warrior-run. 

There  were  several  more  families  moved  up  from  the  same  place,  and  they  lived 


has  preserved  a  record  of  their  wonderful  march,  under  Arnold,  through  the  wilder- 
ness of  Maine  to  Quebec.  The  attack  on  Quebec  and  the  capture  of  Smith's 
company  are  graphically  told  by  Judge  Henry.  Captain  Smith  was  probably 
exchanged  in  the  spring  of  1778,  for  on  the  28th  of  May,  that  year,  he  appeared  in 
the  Supreme  Executive  Council  as  the  member  for  Lancaster  County,  in  which  office 
he  served  during  the  years  1778-9. 

On  the  3d  of  August,  1779,  he  writes  from  Sunbury  that  he  had  arrived  there 
with  "sixty  Paxtang  Boys"  to  look  after  the  Indians  and  British,  who  had  captured 
Fort  Freeland  on  the  28th  of  July.  On  the  llth  of  October,  1779,  he  was  chosen 
Vice-President  of  Pennsylvania,  but  resigned  shortly  after,  owing  to  the  heavy 
expense  connected  with  that  position.  On  the  4th  of  February  following  he  was 
appointed  prothonotary,  etc.,  for  Northumberland  County,  filling  that  office  until  the 
25th  of  September,  1783.  He  afterwards  removed  to  Milton,  where  he  resided 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  July  22,  1794,  at  the  age  of  sixty  years.  A  com- 
pany of  light  infantry,  under  Major  Pratt  and  Captain  James  Boyd,  marched  with 
the  body  six  miles  to  Warrior  Run  burying-ground,  where  the  interment  took  place. 
Many  tears  were  shed  at  the  old  patriot's  burial,  and  after  his  remains  were  deposited 
three  volleys  were  fired  over  his  grave.  Captain  Smith  was  as  brave  a  soldier,  as 
ardent  a  patriot  as  ever  lived. — Historical  Register,  Vol.  I.,  page  230. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  Oil 

oil  friendly  terms  with  the  Indians,  until  '77,  when  they  began  to  be  troublesome  and 
to  remove  their  own  families  in  the  summer  of  '78,  they  had  to  leave  the  country  and 
when  they  returned  in  the  fall  they  picketed  around  a  large  two  story  log  house 
(which  had  been  built  by  Jacob  Freeland  for  his  family,)  inclosing  half  an  acre  of 
ground ;  the  timbers  were  set  close  and  were  about  1 2  feet  high ;  the  gate  was  fastened 
with  bars  inside.  Into  this  fort  or  house  the  families  of  Jacob  Freeland,  .Sen.,  Jacob 
Freeland,  Jr.,  John  Little,  Michael  Freeland,  John  Vincent,  Peter  Vincent,  George 
Pack,  Cornelius  Vincent,  Moses  Kirk,  James  Durham,  Samuel  Gould,  Isaac  Vincent 
and  Daniel  Vincent,  all  gathered  and  lived  that  winter.  In  November,  Geo.  Pack, 
son  of  George  Pack,  was  born,  and  on  the  loth  of  February,  1779,  I  was  born,  my 
father  was  Cornelius  Vincent,  and  on  the  20th  of  May,  George,  son  of  Isaac  Vincent, 
was  born. 


I  Ilk  I     IRhFI  \MJ     \^    IT     MPEARED    WHEN    BUILT. 

In  the  sprmg  of  '79,  the  men  planted  corn,  but  were  occasionally  surprised  by  the 
Indians,  but  nothmg  seiious  occurred  until  the  21st  day  of  July;  as  some  of  them  were 
at  work  in  a  cornfield  back  of  the  fort,  they  were  attacked  by  a  party  of  Indians 
about  9  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  Isaac  Vincent,  Elias  Freeland  and  Jacob  Freeland,  Jr., 
were  killed,  and  Benjamin  Vincent  and  Michael  Freeland  were  taken  prisoners. 
Daniel  Vincent  was  chased  by  them,  but  he  out  ran  them,  and  escaped  by  leaping  a 
very  high  log  fence.  When  the  Indians  surprised  them,  Benjamin  Vincent  (then  10 
years  of  age)  hid  himself  in  a  furrow,  but  he  thought  he  would  be  more  secure  by 
climbing  a  tree,  as  there  was  a  woods  near,  but  they  saw  him  and  took  him  prisoner; 
he  was  ignorant  of  the  fate  of  the  others,  until  about  2  o'clock  P.  M.,  when  an  Indian 
thrust  a  bloody  scalp  in  his  face,  and  he  knew  it  was  his  (nnd  my)  brother  Isaac's 
hair. 

Nothing  again  occurred  until  the  morning  of  the  29th,  about  daybreak,  as  Jacob 
Freeland,  Sen.,  was  agoing  out  of  the  gate,  he  was  shot,  and  fell  inside  of  the  gate. 
The  fort  was  surrounded  by  about  300  British  and  Indians,  commanded  by  Capt'n 
McDonnald;  there  were  but  21  men  in  the  fort,  and  but  little  ammunition;  Mary 
Kirk  and  Phebe  Vincent  commenced  immediately  and  run  all  their  spoons  and  plates 
into  bullets;  about  9  o'clock  there  was  a  flag  of  truce  raised,  and  John  Little  and 
John  Vincent  went  out  to  capitulate,  but  could  not  agree.     They  had  half  an  hour 


6l2  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

given  them  to  consult  with  those  inside;  at  length  they  agreed,  that  all  who  were  able 
to  bear  arms  should  go  as  prisoners,  and  the  old  men  and  women  and  children  set 
free,  and  the  fort  given  up  to  plunder;  they  all  left  the  fort  by  12  o'clock  P.  M.  Not 
one  of  them  having  eaten  a  bite  that  day,  and  not  a  child  was  heard  to  cry  or  ask  for 
bread  that  day.  They  reached  Northumberland,  18  miles  distance,  that  night,  and 
there  drew  their  rations,  the  first  they  had  to  eat  that  day. 

When  Mrs.  Kirk  heard  the  terms  on  which  they  were  set  free  she  put  females 
clothes  on  her  son  William,  a  lad  of  16,  and  he  escaped  with  the  women. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Vincent  was  a  cripple,  she  could  not  walk.  Her  husband  John 
Vincent  went  to  Capt'n  McDunnald  and  told  him  of  her  situation,  and  said  if  he  had 
the  horse  that  the  Indians  had  taken  from  his  son  Peter  the  week  before  that  she 
could  ride,  and  about  day  light  the  next  morning  the  horse  came  to  them;  he  had 
carried  his  wife  to  the  lower  end  of  the  meadow  where  they  lay  and  saw  the  fort 
burned,  and  it  rained  so  hard  that  night  that  she  lay  mid  side  in  water ;  when  the  horse 
came  he  striped  the  bark  off  a  hickory  tree  and  plaited  a  halter,  set  his  wife  on  and 
led  it  to  Northumberland  where  there  were  wagons  pressed,  to  take  them  on  down 
the  country. 

In  the  fall  of  '78,  as  a  company  of  the  settlers  were  leaving  the  country  on  account 
of  the  Indians,  they  were  fired  at,  and  Mrs.  Durham's  infant  was  killed  in  her  arms; 
she  fell  with  it,  and  they  came  and  tomahawked  and  scalped  her,  and  when  the  men 
went  to  count  the  dead,  she  raised  up  and  asked  for  a  drink  of  water.  Elias  Wil- 
liams, one  of  the  men,  ran  to  the  river  and  brought  his  hat  full  of  water  and  gave 
her  a  drink;  they  then  put  her  in  a  canoe  and  took  her  to  Northumberland,  where  Dr. 
Plunket  dressed  her  head,  she  recovered  and  lived  about  50  years.  Her  body  was 
afterwards  lain  in  Warrior-run  burying  ground,  about  a  half  mile  ofiF  where  the  fort 
stood. 

And  now  Sir,  my  task  is  done;  if  it  gives  you  any  information  of  which  you  were 
not  in  possession  I  am  glad  to  have  done  it. 

Very  respectfully  yours,  &c., 

MARY  V.  DERICKSON. 

As  Mrs.  Derickson*  was  born  in  the  fort  February  10,  1779, 
and  it  was  captured  and  burned  July  28th  of  the  same  year,  she 
was  an  infant  only  a  little  over  five  months  old  at  the  time.  Her 
information,  therefore,  was  derived  from  her  parents  and  was  very 
likely  quite  correct. 

Any  one  visiting  the  ground  on  which  this  celebrated  stockade 
was  erected,  will  be  favorabh'  impressed  with  the  eligibility  of  its 
location  and  the  good  judgment  shown  b}-  its  builders.  It  stood 
on  high  ground,  which  commanded  an  unobstructed  vie«-  up  and 

*  Mary  V.  Derickson,  born  February  10,  1779,  "in  Freeland's  Fort,"  died  in  Dela- 
ware Township,  Northumberland  County,  March  12,  1864,  aged  85  years,  one  month 
and  two  days.  Her  husband,  David  Derickson,  died  September  11,  1828,  aged  77 
years,  nine  months  and  twenty-nine  days.  Both  lie  side  by  side  in  Warrior  Run 
Church  grave-yard,  and  a  plain  tombstone  marks  their  graves. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  613 

down  Warrior  Run  for  a  mile  or  more,  whilst  a  few  hundred  yards 
south  rolled  the  waters  of  the  stream.  About  fifty  yards  west  of 
the  southern  angle  of  the  enclosure  was  a  fine  spring  of  water, 
which  bubbles  forth  as  clear  and  cool  to-day  as  it  did  o\  er  one 
hundred  years  ago.  The  view  from  the  site  of  the  old  fort  is 
indeed  enchanting.  The  country  is  highly  cultivated,  and  fine 
houses  and  barns  dot  the  landscape.  A  mill  half  a  mile  down  the 
stream  stands  on  the  same  spot  where  Freeland  built  his  primitive 
mill  in  1772.  The  illustration  accompanying  this  description  is 
intended  to  represent  the  stockade  enclosing  half  an  acre,  with  a 
log  house  covered  with  clapboards.  Oak  timber  abounded  in  that 
region,  affording  excellent  material  for  making  clapboards,  which 
were  the  substitutes  for  shingles  in  those  days.  It  is  probable 
there  were  sheds  and  perhaps  other  small  log  cabins  inside  the 
enclosure,  as  it  is  not  likely  the  main  building  afforded  room 
enough  for  all  the  families  seeking  refuge  within  it. 

The  only  relic  of  this  primitive  but  famous  fortification  known 
to    be   in    existence   to-day,   is   a  tomahawk    pipe    belonging  to 

Thomas  B.  Young,  of 
Watsontown.  It  was 
found  many  years  ago 
on  the  site  of  the  fort 
by  a  relic  hunter.  The 
illustration  will  give  the 
reader  a  good  idea  of 
this  ancient  aboriginal 
ceremonial  weapon.  It  is  claimed  that  it  still  retains  the  original 
handle. 

The  farm  on  which  the  fort  stood  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  Enoch 
Everitt,  of  Watsontown,  and  a  tenant  occupies  the  premises.  The 
substantial  brick  house,  now  somewhat  time-stained,  was  built  in 
1845  by  Daniel  Dreisbach.*     It  stands  upon  the  same  spot,  ac- 

*  A  good  story  is  related  of  Dreisbach  when  he  was  building  the  house.  He  had 
ordered  a  keg  of  nails  of  R.  H.  McCormick,  Esq.,  a  merchant  at  McEwensville. 
But  through  mistake  a  keg  of  brads  was  sent  to  him.  When  he  discovered  what  the 
keg  contained  he  was  greatly  incensed,  and  returned  it  to  the  merchant.  Driving  up 
to  the  store,  he  lifted  the  keg  out  of  his  wagon  with  one  hand,  saying  to  McCormick : 

"Take  him  back,  or  I'll  trow  him  to  h— 1  and  d ation!  "     He  would  listen  to  no 

explanation,  and  refusing  to  take  a  keg  of  nails  in  e.\change,  drove  off  in  a  high  state 
of  excitement  and  purchased  another  keg  at  a  store  in  Turbuttville. 


O' 


6i4 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


cording  to  tradition,  that  was  occupied  by  the  log  house  shown  in 
the  illustration,  and  is  in  good  enough  condition  to  last  for  half  a 
century  more. 

From  the  consideration  of  Fort  Freeland  and  its  captives,  let 
us  turn  to  another  subject,  that  of  biography.  And  as  the  name 
of  Robert  Covenhoven  and  his  deeds  of  daring  and  adventure 
have  frequently  been  referred  to  in  the  preceding  pages,  the 
reader  will  naturally  desire  to  know  something  of  his  personal 
history. 


N  I  N     \1     90 

Robert  Covenhoven  *  was  of  Hollandish  descent.  All  the 
branches  of  the  family  came  from  Wolfert  Gerrisse  von  Kouwen- 
hoven,  who  immigrated  to  the  New  Netherlands  in  1630.  His 
son,  Gerrit,  was  known  as  Gerrit  Wolfertsen,  and  his  son,  William, 
as  William  Gerritsen.  They  all  lived  on  Long  Island,  in  the  state 
of  New  York.     William  Gerritsen  had  six  sons — William,  Peter, 


'■See  note  on  page  538  giving  the  etymology  of  the  1 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  615 

Cornelius,  Albert,  Jacob  and  John.  These  all  removed  to  Mon- 
mouth County,  New  Jersey,  except  William,  whose  sons,  however, 
followed  their  uncles  thither. 

Robert,  who  figured  so  prominently  on  the  West  Branch  as  the 
scout  and  spy  in  the  troublous  Indian  times,  was  born  in  Mon- 
mouth County,  December  7,  1755,  but  it  is  not  positively  known 
which  of  the  brothers  mentioned  above  was  his  father,  unless  it 
was  Albert,  who  is  known  to  have  lived  on  the  Loyalsock,  from 
old  papers  that  once  belonged  to  Samuel  Wallis,  and  to  which  he 
signed  his  name.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  New  Jersey,  and  when 
so  many  of  the  natives  of  that  State  emigrated  to  the  West  Branch 
Valley,  before  the  commencement  of  the  Indian  troubles,  his  father 
was  among  them,  bringing  with  him  at  least  three  sons  and  two 
daughters,  Isabella  and  Crecy. 

Robert  Covenhoven's  family,  with  their  relatives,  settled  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Loyalsock  about  1772,  and  commenced  making 
improvements.  At  first  Robert  was  employed  as  a  hunter  and 
axeman  by  the  surveyors,  who  were  then  busily  engaged  in  sur- 
^  veying  the  lands  which  had  just  come  into  market.  The 
knowledge  thus  acquired  of  the  paths  of  the  wilderness  afterwards 
rendered  his  service  eminently  useful  as  a  scout  and  guide  to  the 
military  parties  of  the  Revolution.  It  is  unnecessary  to  say  that 
the  graduate  of  such  a  school  was  fearless  and  intrepid,  that  he 
was  skillful  in  the  wiles  of  Indian  warfare,  and  possessed  an  iron 
constitution. 

At  the  call  of  his  country,  in  1776,  he  joined  the  campaign 
under  General  Washington.  He  was  at  the  battles  of  Trenton 
and  Princeton.  His  younger  brother  had  also  enlisted,  but  his 
father  took  his  place,  and  the  General,  with  his  characteristic  kind- 
ness, permitted  the  boy  to  return  and  protect  his  mother. 

In  the  spring  of  1777  Robert  returned  to  his  home  on  the  West 
Branch,  where  his  services  were  more  needed  by  the  defenseless 
frontier  than  on  the  sea  coast.  He  was  one  of  those  men  who 
were  always  put  forward  when  danger  and  hard  work  were  to  be 
encountered,  but  forgotten  when  honors  and  emoluments  were 
distributed.  Nevertheless,  he  cheerfully  sought  the  post  of  danger, 
and  never  shrunk  from  duty,  although  it  might  be  an  humble 
station.     Few  men  in  those  stirring  times  passed  through  more 


6l6  HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

hairbreadth  escapes,  few  encountered  more  personal  perils  in 
deadly  encounters  with  savages  than  Mr.  Covenhoven. 

Mr.  Covenhoven  married  Miss  Mercy  Kelsey  Cutter,  February 
22,  1778.  This  was  soon  after  his  arrival  here,  and  shortly  before 
the  breaking  out  of  the  serious  Indian  troubles  which  resulted 
in  the  flight  of  the  settlers  to  Sunbury  for  protection. 

His  many  thrilling  adventures  have  been  described  in  other 
parts  of  this  work  at  the  time  of  their  occurrence  and  in  the  order 
of  their  date.  He  was  the  principal  guide  to  Colonel  Hartley 
when  he  made  his  famous  march  up  Lycoming  Creek  in  Septem- 
ber, 1778,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  Indian  towns  on  the 
head-waters  of  the  North  Branch  and  its  tributaries.  At  Tioga 
Point  (now  Athens)  Covenhoven  applied  the  torch  to  Queen 
Esther's  castle  with  his  own  hands.  He  described  it  as  a  long, 
low  edifice,  constructed  of  logs  set  in  the  ground  at  intervals  of 
ten  feet,  with  horizontal  hewn  plank  neatly  set  into  grooves  in 
the  posts.  It  was  roofed,  or  thatched,  and  had  some  sort  of 
porch,  or  other  ornament,  over  the  doorway. 

The  part  he  bore  in  the  Big  Runaway,  and  his  thrilling  adven-. 
ture  on  the  Loyalsock  with  Captain  Berry's  party,  have  all  been 
described  in  their  proper  places.  In  the  latter  fight  one  of  his 
brothers  was  killed  and  another  taken  prisoner.  After  hard 
fighting  Covenhoven  was  chased  some  distance  along  the  bank  of 
the  creek,  dodging  up  and  down  the  bank  alternately,  that  his 
savage  pursuers  might  get  no  aim  at  him.  He  escaped  and  made 
his  way  to  the  fort.  Brave  as  he  was,  he  often  spoke  in  after  life 
of  the  fluttering  of  his  heart  when  he  was  fleeing  for  his  life.  The 
fight  occurred  on  Loyalsock  about  a  mile  above  the  Montours- 
ville  bridge. 

In  the  closing  years  of  his  life  he  frequently  took  pleasure  in 
relating  a  story  about  his  "sourrounding,"  in  company  with 
Robert  King,  a  party  of  Indians  and  refugees,  who  were  working 
a  loaded  boat  up  the  North  Branch  *  from  the  depredations  com- 
mitted at  Wyoming.  The  party  in  the  boat  outnumbered  them, 
but  the  prize  was  too  tempting  to  be  resisted.  King  remained  in 
the  bushes  and  kept  up  a  prodigious  whooping  and  shouting  to 


*Very   likely  he  has  reference  to  the  incident  mentioned  in  Colonel  Hartley's 
report  of  the  capture  of  stores  as  he  was  descending  the  river  from  Tioga. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  617 

his  imaginary  comrades  to  come  on.  Covenhoven  rushed  out 
with  his  gun  in  hand  and  ordered  the  party  in  the  boat  to  sur- 
render, which  they  did,  and  permitted  themselves  to  be  secured. 
King  made  his  appearance  and  the  two,  forcing  the  prisoners  by 
threats  to  assist  them,  arrived  with  their  prize  at  Wyoming, 
where,  said  Mr.  Covenhoven,  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the 
Continental  army  cheated  the  poor  Provincials  out  of  their  share 
of  the  plunder. 

Soon  after  peace  had  been  restored  by  the  last  treaty  at  Fort 
Stanwix  in  1784,  and  the  disputed  territory  between  Lycoming 
and  Pine  creeks  had  been  purchased  and  brought  into  market,  he 
commenced  looking  around  for  a  suitable  location  to  establish  a 
farm.  He  finally  fixed  on  a  tract  situated  in  Level  Corner,  on  the 
river,  three  miles  east  of  Jersey  Shore  and  called  "  Conquest," 
which  he  purchased  from  James  Hepburn  and  Mary,  his  wife,  for 
£310,  153,  8d.  The  deed  was  made  August  11,  1790,  and  was 
acknowledged  the  same  day.  It  may  be  found  recorded  in  Deed 
Book  E,  Vol.  v.,  page  141,  Lycoming  County,  and  as  it  recites 
some  important  facts,  an  extract  is  given  herewith : 

Whereas,  a  pre-emption  warrant  was  granted  unto  the  said  James  Hepburn, 
dated  the  3d  day  of  September,  A.  D.  17S5,  for  a  certain  tract  or  parcel  of  land 
situate  between  Lycoming  and  Pine  creeks ;  and 

Whereas,  in  pursuance  of  the  said  warrant  and  the  survey  made  in  consequence 
thereof,  there  was  granted  by  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania, a  patent,  signed  by  His  Excellency,  Thomas  Mifflin,  Esquire,  President,  and 
attested  by  the  Secretary  for  all  that  certain  tract  or  parcel  of  land  called  "  Conquest," 
situate  between  Lycoming  and  Pine  creeks  and  on  the  north  side  of  the  West  Branch 
of  Susquehanna  in  the  late  purchase  Northumberland  County,  as  in  and  by  the  said 
patent,  reference  thereunto  being  had,  may  more  fully  and  at  large  appear. 

The  same  tract,  "Conquest,"  was  sold  by  above  recited  deed,  and  mentioned  in 

said  deed,  as  lying  between  the  creeks  aforesaid  and  situate  in •  Township, 

Northumberland  County — courses  and  distances  given.  Containing  191  acres,  and 
67  perches,  and  the  usual  allowance  of  six  per  cent,  for  roads,  &c. 

In  1796  Mr.  Williamson,  of  New  York,  agent  for  Sir  William 
Pulteney,  opened  a  rough  wagon  road  from  Newberry  to  Painted 
Post,  and  Mr.  Covenhoven  was  chosen  to  superintend  the  work. 

In  1832  he  applied,  through  James  Gamble,  Esq.,  then  a  young 
attorney  at  Jersey  Shore,  and  received  a  pension  from  the  Govern- 
ment for  his  arduous  services  as  a  soldier  and  scout  during  the 


6l8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Revolution.       It    amounted   to    about   one   hundred    dollars   per 
annum. 

Mrs.  Covenhoven  died  November  27,  1843,  ^"^  was  buried  in 
the  old  Williamsport  Cemetery  on  Fourth  Street.  The  inscription 
on  her  tombstone  reads  as  follows : 

Sacred 

To  the  Memory  of 

MERCY  K.  CUTTER, 

Wife  of 

ROBERT  COVENHOVEN, 

Born  January   19th,   1755, 

And  Departed  this  Life 

November  27,  1843, 

Aged  88  Years,  10  Months, 

And  8  Days. 

A  Methodist  church,  erected  in  the  corner  of  the  cemetery, 
stands  over  the  spot  where  her  grave  was  made,  and  its  identity 
has  been  entirely  lost  to  view. 

Borne  down  by  the  weight  of  years,  Mr.  Covenhoven  did  not 
long  survive  the  death  of  his  wife.  He  soon  afterwards  went  to 
reside  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Nancy  Pfouts,  near  Northumber- 
land, where  he  died  in  1843,  and  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  Northumberland.  The  cemetery  is  now 
a  common,  but  the  tombstone  of  the  sturdy  old  hero  still  stands 
erect  and  firm  and  bears  this  inscription : 

In 

Memory  of 

ROBERT  COVENHOVEN, 

Who  was  Born 

December  7th,  1755, 

And  Departed  this  Life 

October  29th,  1846, 

Aged  90  Years, 

10  Months  &  22  Days. 

He  was  an  active 
Partisan  Guide  of  the 
Revolutionary  array. 

It  is  regretted  that  the  remains  of  these  two  pioneers,  who 
endured  so  many  trials  and  vicissitudes  in  this  valley,  were  not 
gathered  together  years  ago  and  placed  side  by  side  in  some 
suitable  place,  and  an  appropriate  tablet  erected  to  their  memories. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  6ig 

Robert  Covenhoven  and  Mercy  Kelsey  Cutter  left  issue  as 
follows : 

1.  James,  born  September  9,  1782.  When  grown  to  manhood 
he  resided  for  a  time  on  what  is  known  as  the  "  Knox  farm,"  on 
Larry's  Creek.  Afterwards  he  moved  West.  Date  and  place  of 
death  unknown. 

2.  Nancy,  born  April  29,  1783.  Married  Leonard  Pfouts,  who 
resided  in  what  is  known  as  Pfouts'  Valley,  across  the  river  from 
Northumberland.     Date  of  death  unknown. 

3.  Sarah,  born  May  6,  1786.  Date  and  place  of  death  un- 
known. 

4.  John,  born  February  6,  1790;  died  February  9,  1808,  aged 
17  years,  7  months  and  3  days.  Buried  in  old  cemetery  on 
Fourth  Street,  Williamsport. 

5.  William,  born  January  31,  1792.  Remarried  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Smith,  of  Level  Corner.  She  died  March  12,  1869,  at  their 
residence  on  the  west  side  of  Lo)^alsock.  William  died  January 
21,  1876,  at  the  same  place.     Both  are  buried  in  'Wildwood. 

6.  Christiana,  born  October  29,  1795.  Married  George  Crane, 
of  Nippenose  Township.  Died  August  5,  1849,  ^g^d  53  years, 
9  months  and  6  days.     Buried  in  Jersey  Shore  Cemetery. 

7.  Mercy,  born  May  11,  1799;  died  May  16,  1802,  aged  3 
years  and  5  days.  Buried  in  Fourth  Street  Cemetery,  Wil- 
liamsport. 

8.  Maria,  born  April  4,  1804.  She  was  married  three  times. 
First,  to  Henry  Antes,  May  16,  1826;  second,  to  M.  Crane, 
October  10,  1 83 1,  and  third,  to  E.  West,  February  26,  1850. 
Died  in  Kansas  January,  1879,  aged  75  years. 

George  Crane,  a  son-in-law,  and  e.xecutor  of  the  last  will  and 
testament  of  Robert  Covenhoven,  which  was  dated  June  12,  1843, 
sold  the  homestead  to  William  Covenhoven,  March  27,  1847,  for 
§5,500.  The  farm  was  still  called  "  Conquest,"  and  is  so  described 
in  the  deed.  A  small  portion  having  been  previously  sold  to 
another  party,  it  was  described  at  this  transfer  as  containing  1 76 
acres  and  144  perches.  He  soon  afterwards  sold  it  to  William 
Meginness,  and  moved  to  Loyalsock,  where  he  died,  as  stated 
above. 


620 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


An  excellent  oil  painting  of  Robert  Covenhoven,  now  in  the 
possession  of  Mr.  George  L.  Sanderson,  a  great-grandson,  and  a 
resident  of  Williamsport,  shows  him  to  have  been  a  man  of  powerful 
and  well  knit  frame,  with  a  countenance  indicative  of  firmness  of 
purpose  and  great  personal  bravery.  The  excellent  engraving, 
made  from  the  oil  painting,  gives  the  reader  a  clear  idea  how  the 
old  hero  appeared  at  the  age  of  over  eighty  years. 


Mr.  Sanderson  also  possesses  a  number  of  interesting  relics 
which  belonged  to  Mr.  Covenhoven,  and  were  carried  by  him 
when  he  was  a  scout  and  Indian  hunter.  They  consist  of  an  old- 
fashioned  flint-lock  pistol,  a  beautiful  pocket  compass,  of  French 
manufacture,  with  sun  dial  attachment;  a  hatchet,  or  tomahawk, 
minus  the  handle;  a  gauge  for  measuring  charges  of  powder  for 
his  riile  and  pistol,  and  lastly  a  scalping  knife.  The  knife  was 
evidently  made  from  an  old  file  and  is  a  formidable  as  well  as 
savage  looking  weapon.  It  is  symmetrical  in  its  proportions,  and 
appears  to  have  been  so  well  tempered  that  it  will  bear  a  keen 
edge.  On  the  wooden  handle  are  his  initials,  "  R.  C."  The}-  were 
formed  by  carving  the  letters  to  some  depth  in  the  wood,  and  then 
pouring  molten  lead  in  the  mould  thus  formed.  When  it  hardened 
the  surface  was  rubbed  down  until  it  became  even  with  the  wooden 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  621 

handle  and  made  quite  a  neat  job.  The  letters  are  clearh-  shown 
in  the  illustration. 

But  the  most  significant  marks  on  the  knife  are  nine  notches  on 
the  back,  evidently  cut  by  a  file.  It  was  the  custom  of  the  old 
hunters,  when  they  dropped  a  deer  or  an  Indian,  to  cut  a  notch  on 
their  knife  or  rifle  barrel,  to  preserve  the  record  of  the  number 
killed.  It  is  not  known  whether  these  notches  represent  deer  or 
Indians,  but  knowing  the  custom  of  the  hunters  and  scouts  of 
those  times,  and  remembering  the  service  of  Mr.  Covenhoven  on 
the  frontier  as  an  Indian  fighter,  the  reader  can  draw  his  own 
conclusions. 

Soon  after  the  Big  Runaway,  Marcus  Hulings,*  who  was  one 
of  the  earliest  settlers  on  the  site  of  Milton,  had  a  narrow  escape 
from  a  party  of  Indians.  While  temporarily  living  at  Northum- 
berland he  crossed  the  river  and  passed  up  the  Indian  path  in 
rear  of  Blue  Hill.  He  had  not  been  there  long  until  he  was 
discovered  and  hotly  pursued  by  several  Indians.  They  were  so 
close  upon  him  that  he  could  not  return  by  the  path  he  came,  and 
darted  off  in  the  direction  of  the  Blue  Hill  precipice,  with  the 
Indians  close  upon  him.  They  felt  sure  of  capturing  him,  as  they 
did  not  believe  he  could  escape  with  the  hill  in  front  of  him,  and 
they  yelled  savagely.  When  he  reached  the  edge  of  the  precipice 
he  determined  to  leap,  preferring  to  be  dashed  to  pieces  on  the 
rocks  to  being  tomahawked  by  his  pursuers.  Seizing  the  branch 
of  a  tree,  he  swung  himself  over  the  edge  of  the  frightful  precipice 
and  landed  some  ninety  feet  below  on  the  shelf  of  a  rock  unhurt! 
From  this  point  he  jumped  forty  feet  further,  and  reached  the  edge 
of  the  river  with  only  a  dislocated  shoulder,  when  he  was  seen 
from  Northumberland  and  brought  over  in  a  canoe.  The  jump 
was  a  remarkable  one,  but  it  is  not  likely  that  it  was  as  great  as 
tradition  makes  it.  The  bushes  and  shrubbery  very  likely  broke 
his  fall  and  let  him  down  more  easily  than  if  there  had  been  no 
obstruction.  On  being  asked  about  it  he  is  reported  as  saying  that 
he  "jumped  for  a  great  wager — he  jumped  for  his  life!"  The 
Indians,  doubtless,  were  amazed  at  his  escape,  when  they  felt  sure 
of  capturing  him. 

*For  a  sketch  of  Hulings  and  other  members  of  his  family,  see  Meginness' 
Biographical  Annals,  page  143. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

MORE    MURDERS    AND    CAPTURES CAPTAIN    JAMES    THOMPSON    AND 

MARY  YOUNG HER  SUFFERINGS  IN   CAPTIVITY HISTORY  OF  THE 

HAMILTON    FAMILY A    REMARKABLE   WOMAN. 

THE  movement  of  General  Sullivan  from  Wyoming,  up  the 
North  Branch,  with  a  strong  force,  had  the  effect  of  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  savages,  and  caused  them  to  withdraw  their 
marauding  parties  from  this  valley.  They  knew  very  well  that 
his  expedition  was  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  their  towns  and 
forcing  them  to  desist  from  carrying  on  their  nefarious  system  of 
warfare,  and  they  therefore  concentrated  all  the  force  they  could 
to  resist  him.  He  was  victorious  at  every  point,  and  the  blow  he 
delivered  was  so  crushing  that  the  savages  never  recovered  from  it. 
The  result  was  that  his  invasion  of  their  country  virtually  ended 
the  war,  and  no  extensive  raids  were  afterwards  made.  Straggling 
bands  occasionally  appeared  for  a  year  or  two  afterwards,  and  a 
number  of  murders  were  committed,  but  the  great  danger  to  be 
apprehended  from  savage  warfare  was  virtually  over. 

In  the  fall  of  1779  a  few  parties  began  to  return.  Henrj- 
McHenry,  with  ten  men,  came  to  Loyalsock  from  Fort  Rice  to 
thresh  grain  on  one  of  the  abandoned  farms.  Possibly  the  work 
was  to  be  done  on  the  Peter  Smith  farm,  where  young  Brady  was 
mortally  wounded.  Sentinels  were  posted,  McHenry  being  one, 
as  it  was  not  deemed  safe  to  neglect  this  duty.  He  took  a  position 
in  a  thick  clump  of  bushes  and  watched  sharply.  He  had  not 
been  there  long  until  he  observed  an  Indian  creeping  on  his  hands 
and  feet  to  get  a  shot  at  the  men  at  work  in  the  barn.  At  the 
proper  time  he  fired  and  shot  him  through  the  back.  He  sprang 
off  a  short  distance  and  fell,  when  his  comrades  rushed  up  and 
quickly  bore  him  away. 

During  the  year  1780  but  few  depredations  were  committed. 
This  encouraged  the  fugitives,  and  many  of  them  returned  and 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  O23 

occupied  their  ruined  homes.  On  the  14th  of  July,  of  this  year, 
however,  one  man  and  three  children  were  murdered  near  the 
mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek;  and  on  the  following  day  Captain 
McMahon  was  taken  by  an  Indian  and  a  Tory,  six  miles  from 
Northumberland,  on  the  West  Branch.  But  he  succeeded  in 
killing  the  Tory,  in  the  absence  of  the  Indian,  who  had  gone  to 
join  his  comrades,  and  escaped.  This  Tory  was  named  Caldwell, 
and  was  a  noted  villain. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1781  Captain  Robinson  came  to  the 
county,  and  straightway  set  about  raising  a  company.  General 
Potter  also  returned  about  the  same  time,  and  soon  afterwards  he 
wrote  to  President  Reed  informing  him  that  Robinson  had  suc- 
ceeded in  enlisting  forty  men,  but  many  of  them  were  so  destitute 
of  clothing  that  they  were  unfit  for  duty.  Not  one  of  them 
owned  a  blanket! 

Sometime  in  the  month  of  March  a  small  band  of  Indians 
penetrated  into  Buffalo  Valley  and  attacked  an  old  man,  his  son 
and  daughter.  The  boy  was  shot  and  scalped  and  the  girl  made 
a  prisoner.  The  old  man  had  a  stick  in  his  hand  with  which  he 
stoutly  defended  himself  against  one  of  the  Indians,  who  was 
armed  with  a  tomahawk,  and  compelled  him  to  drop  his  weapon. 
Colonel  Kelley  *  and  a  few  of  his  neighbors  were  near  at  hand,  and 
hearing  the  alarm  came  to  his  assistance.  Their  sudden  appear- 
ance caused  the  Indians  to  fly  so  suddenly  that  they  left  the 
young  girl,  their  blankets  and  the  brave  old  man.f  with  his  stick, 
behind.  Being  swift  of  foot,  they  outran  Colonel  Kelley  and  party 
and  escaped.  General  Potter  neglected  to  give  the  name  of  the 
man  in  his  letter. 

On  the  8th  of  the  same  month  a  party  of  Indians  came  to  the 
house  of  a  man  named  Darmes,  about  five  miles  from  Sunbury. 
On  entering  the  house  they  shot  Darmes  and  collected  all  the 


*  Colonel  John  Kelley  was  born  in  Lancaster  Covnity  February,  1744,  and  settled 
in  Buffalo  Valley  in  176S.  He  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  distinguished 
himself  in  the  battles  of  Princeton  and  Trenton.  He  rose  to  the  rank  of  major.  On 
his  return  home  he  was  made  colonel  of  a  regiment  of  militia,  and  did  good  service 
against  the  Indians.  He  endured  many  hardships  and  had  several  narrow  escapes. 
Colonel  Kelley  died  February  iS,  1832,  was  buried  at  Lewisburg,  and  a  monument 
erected  to  his  memory. 

f  He  was  the  father  of  Captain  A.  H.  McHenry,  of  Jersey  .Shore. 


624  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

plunder  the}'  could  lay  their  hands  on.  There  were  four  women 
and  se\eral  children  in  the  house,  but  the\'  did  not  disturb  them. 
Plunder  seemed  to  be  their  object  more  than  anything  else.  They 
were  pursued  the  next  day,  but  succeeded  in  effecting  their  escape. 

Joseph  Solomon,  who  lived  about  five  miles  from  Northumber- 
land, on  the  road  leading  to  Danville,  was  surprised  by  the  same 
party  and  made  a  prisoner.  His  wife  escaped  to  the  woods,  and 
a  girl  concealed  herself  in  the  garret,  and  was  not  discovered. 
According  to  tradition  they  traveled  with  Solomon  for  four  days, 
when  they  met  another  part)'  of  Indians  and  turned  him  over  to 
them.  One  of  the  Indians  was  called  Shenap,  and  addressing  his 
prisoner  he  said:  "Solly,  you  shant  be  hurt."  This  was 
encouraging.  They  soon  fell  in  with  a  large  body  of  savages, 
who  had  a  prisoner  named  Williamson.  They  were  ordered  to 
run  the  gauntlet.  Williamson  refused  and  was  beaten  to  death. 
Solomon  ran  rapidly  and  received  but  few  bruises.  When  the 
race  was  over  Shenap  came  up,  shook  him  by  the  hand  and  said : 
"Solly,  you  run  like  debil;  you  run  like  boss!"  He  was  ex- 
changed in  a  short  time  and  returned  to  his  home  in  safety.  He 
lived  and  died  on  Fishing  Creek,  leax'ing  a  respectable  family 
behind  him. 

On  the  15th  of  June,  1781,  Captain  Thomas  Robinson  wrote  a 
long  letter  to  President  Reed,  in  which  he  called  attention  to  the 
present  state  of  his  company,  and  informed  him  that  he  had 
enlisted  fift}'-two  men,  but  they  were  so  utterly  destitute  of  cloth- 
ing and  supplies  that  they  could  render  but  little  service. 
Lieutenant  Grove  had  raised  seventeen  men  to  serve  for  seven 
months.  Samuel  McGredy  had  secured  twenty  for  the  same 
length  of  time,  and  he  had  been  extremely  active  with  them. 
With  the  advice  of  General  Potter  he  had  nominated  him  a 
"  lieutenant  to  command  the  detachment."  He  had  raised  fourteen 
men  to  serve  for  seven  months,  but  as  they  had  been  divided  in 
small  detachments  it  was  impossible  for  "  Van  Campen  and  him- 
self to  do  the  necessary  duty."  He  had,  therefore,  with  the 
advice  of  Colonel  Hunter  and  the  approbation  of  General  Potter, 
nominated  Samuel  Quinn*  as  an  ensign,  as  he  had  been  doing 

*Qumn's  Run,  which  empties  into  the  river  a  few  miles  west  of  Lock  Haven, 
took  its  name  from  Ensign  Quinn.  It  has  been  coniipted  into  "Queen's"  Run,  and 
is  known  by  this  name  to-day. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  625 

the  duty  of  an  officer  since  the  ist  of  May.  •  The  Captain  admitted 
that  he  was  entitled  to  the  appointment  of  lieutenant,  if  the  condi- 
tion of  the  country  admitted  it.  He  also  called  attention  to  the 
fact  that  they  had  no  paymaster,  and  he  suggested  that  Quinn 
might  perform  that  duty  also,  if  authorized,  in  connection  with  his 
other  duties.  He  considered  him  worthy  and  competent.  An- 
other fact  was  also  noted.  They  badly  needed  a  surgeon.  There 
was  not  one  "within  forty  miles,"  and  he  knew  of  "none  that 
would  be  willing  to  come  here  but  Michael  Jenneys  or  Dr.  Smith, 
of  Lancaster  County."  He  also  considered  it  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  have  posts  established,  and  added  that  for  sometime 
he  had  had  it  in  contemplation  to  rebuild  Fort  Muncy.  General 
Potter  considered  the  idea  a  good  one,  as  the  post  was  in  many 
respects  the  best  that  could  be  selected  for  many  reasons. 

On  the  1 8th  of  July  Captain  Johnson  arrived  at  Sunbury  with 
twenty-six  militiamen,  to  serve  the  balance  of  their  time  in  Nor- 
thumberland County.  Fourteen  of  these  men  were  destitute  of 
arms,  and  no  ammunition  could  be  furnished  them.  Colonel 
H  unter  said  "  they  had  no  stores  of  any  kind,  not  even  provisions  !  " 
Imagine  how  destitute  and  distressed  the  country  must  have  been 
at  that  time. 

In  1780,  or  1 78 1,  John  Tate  resided  a  few  miles  above  Northum- 
berland on  a  farm  which  belonged  to  Judge  McPherson.  He  was 
cultivating  a  large  field  of  flax,  as  that  product  was  much  in 
demand  in  those  days  for  manufacturing  clothing.  It  was  time 
for  "pulling  flax,"  and  he  had  a  number  of  men  at  work  in  the 
field,  which  was  some  distance  from  the  house.  A  path  ran  by 
the  field,  and  a  party  of  Indians  stealthily  approached  and  laid  in 
wait  to  intercept  the  flax  gatherers  when  they  returned  from  dinner 
by  this  path  to  their  work.  From  some  cause  or  other  the  work- 
men did  not  return  that  way,  and  the  Indians  missed  their  victims. 
After  waiting  for  some  time  they  arose  and  proceeded  to  the 
house,  where  they  found  a  young  woman  named  Catharine  Storm, 
and  another,  engaged  in  spinning  flax.  Miss  Storm  was  knocked 
down  by  a  tomahawk  in  the  hands  of  a  stalwart  savage  and 
scalped.  The  other  girl  hid  behind  the  door  and  escaped. 
Catharine  Storm  was  not  killed  by  the  cruel  blow  she  received — 
she  was  only  stunned.     She  finally  recovered  from  her  wounds 


626  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

and  lived  for  many  years  afterward.  The  loss  of  her  scalp,  of 
course,  caused  her  much  trouble  during  the  balance  of  her  life, 
and  she  had  to  wear  a  silken  covering  on  her  head. 

The  Assembly  having  passed  a  law  for  furnishing  supplies,  and 
the  levying  of  a  tax  on  each  county  to  raise  revenue  for  this  pur- 
pose, it  was  found,  to  the  consternation  of  the  few  remaining 
inhabitants,  that  the  quota  for  Northumberland  was  greater  than 
could  be  raised  by  the  sale  of  all  the  personal  property  in  the 
county!  And  in  order  to  explain  the  situation,  William  Clark 
and  William  Antes,  commissioners,  immediately  wrote  the  fol- 
lowing letter  to  President  Reed : 

Believe  us,  sir,  it  is  with  the  utmost  pain,  and  yet  greatest  truth,  that  we  are 
obliged  to  declare  our  utter  inability  to  Comply  with  the  Demands  of  that  Law.  We 
now  know  that  all  the  inhabitants  in  this  County  are  not  Equal  in  number  to  those  of 
some  Townships  in  the  interior  Countys.  Those  who  have  property  sufficient  to 
support  themselves  are  removed  and  gone.  Shall  then  the  Quota  of  the  County  be 
Levyed  on  the  miserable  few  that  remain.  Their  whole  personal  property,  if  removed 
to  a  place  where  hard  Cash  could  be  had  for  it,  and  sold,  would  not  pay  the  tax. 
The  old  returns  will  not  do,  as  a  Rule  to  lay  a  Tax  on  Absentees.  The  improve- 
ments are  grown  up,  burnt  or  destroyed,  the  personal  property  removed  and  now 
paying  tax  in  the  lower  Countys.  As  to  the  men  for  the  Supply  of  the  Federal  Army, 
(if  those  already  inlisted  are  excepted)  they  are  not  to  be  here  without  taking  the 
heads  of  Familys,  and  those  we  well  know,  cannot  be  had,  as  no  money  whatever 
would  induce  them  to  abandon  their  Familys  in  our  Situation.  We  Sincerely  wish 
to  render  a  Ready  Obedience  to  all  Laws  of  the  State,  But  in  our  Circumstances,  it 
intirely  puts  it  out  of  our  power.  We  beg  you.  Sir,  to  Consider  this  as  the  Language 
of  Genuine  Truth,  Extorted  from  us  by  Distressing  Necessity,  cS:c. 

This  letter,  written  in  a  quaint  st\'le  and  with  little  regard  to  the 
rules  of  orthography,  shows  the  wretched  condition  to  which  the 
inhabitants  of  this  beautiful  valley  had  been  reduced  by  the  hands 
of  a  ruthless  and  unrelenting  foe.  With  their  improvements  and 
farms  laid  waste,  their  homes  pillaged  and  burned,  their  stock 
driven  away,  and  three-fourths  of  the  settlers  refugees  in  the  lower 
counties,  those  who  had  ventured  back  at  the  risk  of  their  lives 
were  not  in  condition  to  meet  the  tax  gatherer.  It  does  not 
appear  what  action  was  taken  by  the  authorities,  but  it  is  fair  to 
presume  that  they  were  moved  by  the  appeal  and  granted  liberal 
exonerations. 

As  has  been  stated  in  this  work,  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  what 
is   now    Pine   Creek  Township,  Clinton  Count}',  was  Alexander 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  627 

Hamilton.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish  origin,  and  came  to  America 
when  a  young  man.  His  first  settlement  was  on  the  Juniata, 
where  he  married  Amanda  Reed.*  They  had  eight  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Early  in  1772  Alexander  Hamilton  moved  his  family 
to  the  West  Branch  and  marked  out  for  himself  a  tract  of  land  a 
mile  square,  which  now  includes  the  farms  of  Messrs.  Ferguson, 
McKinney,  Hamilton,  Shaw,  Rogers  and  part  of  George  Craw- 
ford's. John  Hamilton,  his  grandson,  says  in  his  reminiscences, 
that  he  bought  the  good-will  of  the  Indians  with  a  few  presents. 
Afterwards,  thinking  the  land  would  be  more  than  he  could  hold, 
he  gave  one-half  of  it  to  John  Jackson,  an  emigrant  from  Orange 
County,  New  York.  The  elder  Hamilton  was  a  mechanical  genius 
and  combined  the  trades  of  carpenter,  joiner,  wagonmaker  and 
blacksmith.  He  manufactured  a  large  meal  chest,  out  of  walnut 
boards,  which  is  still  in  existence  and  gives  evidence  of  having 
been  an  excellent  piece  of  work.  Another  specimen  of  his  handi- 
work is  a  split-bottomed  chair,  which  is  still  preserved  as  a  relic 
by  his  grandson,  John  Hamilton.  When  the  great  Runaway  took 
place,  in  June,  1778,  Alexander  Hamilton  and  famil)'  fled  with  the 
other  settlers.  They  arrived  at  Northumberland  soon  after  the 
massacre  at  Wyoming,  but  at  the  earnest  request  of  Colonel 
Hunter  he  stopped  at  Northumberland,  with  others,  to  help  hold 
the  place.  Several  houses  in  the  town  were  vacant,  and  he 
occupied  one  with  his  family.  Three  of  his  sons,  being  large 
enough  to  perform  military  duty  by  serving  as  sentinels  and  going 
with  scouting  parties,  were  employed  in  this  way.  When  not  so 
engaged  they  assisted  in  cultivating  some  neighboring  fields  to 
raise  provisions  for  the  support  of  the  family.  In  the  fall  of  1781 
Alexander  Hamilton  *  was  killed  by  the  Indians  a  short  distance 
above  Northumberland,  on  the  North  Branch.  Two  of  his  sons 
were  with  him.  There  had  been  an  Indian  murder  a  few  days 
before.  Mr.  Hamilton  was  engaged  plowing,  and  he  had  been 
fearful  for  some  time  of  danger,  but  that  day  fear  had  left  him,  and 
he  spoke  more  loudly  than  usual  to  his  horses.  The  noise  it  was 
thought  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Indians,  who  were  lurking 
on  the  hill-side  near  by.     The  eldest  son  started  for  the  house 

*  After  his  death  his  widow  married  the  second  time  and  had  two  sons,  Atigustus 
and  Thomas  Price 


628  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

early  to  prqjare  dinner.  Robert,  the  ne.xt  son,  unhitched  the 
horses  and  started  for  the  house.  Alexander,  the  father,  instead 
of  going  with  them,  tarried  to  thresh  some  flax,  and  promised  to 
follow  soon.  The  boys  had  not  been  very  long  at  the  house  until 
they  heard  a  shot,  followed  by  an  Indian  yell.  They  knew  at 
once  what  they  had  to  fear.  On  going  to  the  place  soon  after- 
wards they  saw  where  the  Indians  had  crawled  through  the  fence 
when  they  stole  upon  him.  It  appeared  that  their  father  had 
succeeded  in  reaching  the  edge  of  the  woods  before  they  shot 
him.  The  alarm  was  quickly  given  and  a  scouting  part}-  started 
in  pursuit,  but  the  Indians  effected  their  escape. 

Robert  Hamilton,*  son  of  Alexander  Hamilton,  married  Anna 
Jackson  June  13,  1791,  and  commenced  housekeeping  in  a  build- 
ing which  is  yet  standing,  on  the  river  bank,  on  the  highway 
leading  to  Lock  Haven.  The  house  was  built  in  1789  or  1790, 
and  is  one  of  the  landmarks  of  the  township.  When  he  was 
married  by  Rev.  John  Bryson,  June  13,  1 791,  he  moved  his  bride 
into  the  house  he  had  built,  and  there  they  lived  without  change 
until  the  close  of  their  lives.  They  had  ten  children,  five  sons 
and  five  daughters,  as  follows  : 

1.  Alexander,  born  March  10,   1792;  died  Januaiy  28,  185 1. 

2.  Elc}-,  born  October  6,  1793;  died  September  13,  1836.  She 
married  Rev.  John  H.  Grier. 

3.  Elizabeth,  born  July  15,  1 795;  died  February  15,  1880. 
Never  married. 

4.  Anna  Hannah,  born  August  5,  1798;  died  June  12,  1886. 
Married  Abraham  Lawshe,  of  Jersey  Shore. 

5.  John,  born  October  14,  1800.  Married  Hannah,  daughter 
of  Hon.  Isaac  Smith.f  of  Level  Corner,  who  served  in  Congress 

*Mr.  Hamilton  was  born  on  the  Juniata  September  12,  1763,  and  came  with  his 
parents  to  the  West  Branch  in  1772.  He  died  June  2,  1S45,  '^'^0'  suddenly,  of 
apoplexy,  while  engaged  in  the  field  plowing  com,  in  the  S2d  year  of  his  age.  He 
was  noted  for  strict  integrity,  individuality  of  character,  devotion  to  the  church,  the 
advocacy  of  the  principles  of  Christianity,  and  high  intellectual  attainments,  all  of 
which  excellent  qualities  have  been  transmitted  to  his  descendants  in  an  eminent 
degree. 

f  Hon.  Isaac  Smith  died  April  4,  1834,  aged  73  years  and  4  months.  His  wife, 
Sarah,  died  July  23,  1834,  aged  76  years.  Both  are  buried  in  the  old  Pine  Creek 
Cemetery. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  629 

from  1813  to  18 1 5.  Hannah  was  born  July  7,  1805,  and  died 
June  12,  1868.*  Subsequently  (about  1870)  he  married  as  his 
second  wife  Miss  Jane,  daughter  of  David  Allen,  Esq.,  of  Bald 
Eagle  Township,  Clinton  County.  And  now,  (June,  1889,) 
although  in  his  89th  year,  he  is  vigorous  enough  to  look  after  his 
farming  operations,  and  his  mind  retains  all  its  strength  and 
brilliancy,  which  is  one  of  the  marked  characteristics  of  the 
Hamilton  family. 

6.  Mary,  born  November  5,  1802;  died  January  3,  1874. 
Never  married. 

7.  Robert,  born  January  31,  1805  ;  died  November  5,  1885,  in 
Nebraska.  He  married  Anna  VVorldley,  a  cousin  of  Dr.  Asher 
Davidson,  of  Jersey  Shore.  He  was  an  extensive  surveyor,  a 
musician  and  a  poet. 

8.  Priscilla,  born  May  21,  1807;  died  February  5,  1889.  Never 
married. 

9.  James  J.,  born  June  16,  1809;  died  February  19,  1886,  in 
Perry  County.     He  became  a  Presbyterian  minister. 

10.  William,  born  August  i,  181 1,  and  is  now  living  at 
Decatur,  Nebraska.  He  studied  for  the  Presbyterian  ministry, 
was  ordained  at  Jersey  Shore  in  1837  by  Rev.  John  Bryson,  and 
became  a*  distinguished  missionary  among  the  Indians. 

In  1818  or  1819  Robert  Hamilton  petitioned  the  Legislature 
for  compensation  for  his  services  during  the  war.  He  set  forth 
that  he  and  his  brother,  John  Hamilton,!  were  stationed  at  Horn's 
Fort,  a  short  distance  below  Lock  Haven,  which  they  assisted  in 
defending  for  a  short  time  after  the  commencement  of  the  Indian 
war  in  1778.     When  the  Big  Runaway  took  place  they  fled  with 

*She  left  the  following  issue:  Robert,  died  in  infancy;  William  L.,  a  resident 
of  Lock  Haven,  and  ex-prothoiintary  of  Clinton  County;  Isaac  S.,  resides  on  the 
homestead  farm;  Alexander;  John  L.,  killed  at  the  battle  of  Petersburg,  April  2, 
1865,  while  serving  as  captain;  Charles  M.,  served  in  the  army,  rose  to  the  rank  of 
colonel,  settled  in  Florida  at  the  close  of  the  war  and  was  sent  to  Congress  two 
terms  from  that  State.  After  a  brilliant  and  distinguished  career  he  died  October  22, 
1875,  ^'■"1  ^  handsome  monument  marks  his  grave  in  Jersey  Shore  Cemetery.  A 
sketch  of  his  life  and  career  may  be  found  in  Meginness'  Biographical  Annals,  page 
156.     James  L.  O.,  the  youngest,  is  a  member  of  the  bar  and  resides  in  San  Francisco. 

f  See  page  492  for  account  of  his  narrow  escape  from  the  Indians  at  Pine  Creek, 
and  the  celebrated  run  he  made  to  Horn's  Fort. 


630  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  other  settlers  to  Northumberland  to  seek  a  place  of  safety. 
When  they  reached  the  town  they  were  met  by  eighteen  men, 
"  who,  with  the  most  pressing  entreaties,  urged  them  to  halt  at  that 
place  and  make  a  stand  for  its  defense."  They  did  so,  and  in  a 
short  time  written  orders  were  issued  b\'  Colonel  Hunter  ap- 
pointing Captain  Chatharn  to  the  command  of  the  citizens  of  the 
town,  and  Captain  Alexander  Hamilton  *  to  the  command  of  those 
who  had  been  driven  down  the  river  with  him,  "directing  them  to 
enroll  and  organize  their  respective  companies,  at  the  same  time 
promising  them  that  they  should  be  allowed  the  pay  and  rations 
then  allowed  to  regular  soldiers."  The  petitioner  and  his  brother 
John  were  duly  enrolled  under  their  father  (Alexander  Hamilton), 
and  they  were  employed  and  continued  to  labor  themselves  and 
with  their  team  on  the  fortification  (Fort  Augusta)  until  it  was  put 
in  good  condition.  They  also  did  guard  duty,  and  went  with 
"  scouting  parties  whenever  the  alarm  was  given,  danger  menaced, 
or  the  safety  of  the  inhabitants  required  it,  until  September,  1781, 
when  their  father  was  killed,  and  occasionally  afterwards  until  the 
close  of  the  war."  For  these  services,  the  petitioner  continued, 
"neither  they,  their  father,  nor  a  \-ounger  brother,  who  was  en- 
rolled at  the  same  time  (but  since  dead),  ever  received  the  least 
compensation."  The  petitioner  therefore  prayed,  both  in  behalf  of 
himself  and  younger  brother  (John),  that  the  Legislature  grant 
them  such  compensation  as  had  been  granted  to  others  for  similar 
ser\ices.  The  Legislature  entertained  the  appeal  of  the  petitioner 
favorabl)',  and  granted  him  two  hundred  dollars,  but  did  not 
allow  his  brother  anj-thing,  because  he  had  removed  to  another 
state.     Robert  t  divided  the  money  with  him. 

Anna,  the  wife  of  Robert  Hamilton,  was  one  of  the  most  re- 


*He  \v£is  also  employed  in  the  boat  service  ia  Sullivan's  campaign  up  the  North 
Branch.  Captain  Hamilton  made  a  boat  out  of  two  trees  spliced  together.  As  it 
was  clumsy  and  hard  to  handle,  they  found  great  difficulty  in  keeping  up  with  the 
other  boats.  In  attempting  to  ascend  Nanticoke  falls  their  boat  took  a  sheer,  was 
driven  broadside  against  the  rocks  and  broken  in  two.  The  goods  were  saved  and 
placed  on  other  boats,  when  they  reached  their  destination  at  Wyoming. 

t  During  the  administration  of  President  Buchanan  his  widow,  Anna,  made  ap- 
plication and  was  granted  a  pension  of  $1,800,  and  a  warrant  for  l5o  acres  of  land, 
in  consideration  of  his  services.  She  gave  the  warrant  to  the  heirs  of  her  oldest  son, 
Alexander  Hamilton,  and  it  was  located  about  fifteen  miles  west  of  Omaha,  Nebraska. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  63 1 

markable  women  who  lived  and  died  in  this  valley.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Elcy  Jackson,*  and  was  born  in  Orange 
County,  N.  Y.,  January  25,  1768.  Her  parents  came  from  Ireland 
when  quite  young,  and  they  were  noted  for  their  intelligence, 
piety  and  industry.  Mrs.  Jackson  was  a  sister  of  General  Arm- 
strong, of  Revolutionary  fame,  and  she  also  had  another  brother 
who  was  engaged  in  the  struggle  for  liberty.  Mrs.  Hamilton's 
maternal  grandmother  was  a  Latta,  and  she  was  noted  for  her 
intelligence  and  ability  to  discuss  theological  subjects. 

When  Anna  was  only  about  five  years  of  age,  her  parents  emi- 
grated to  the  West  Branch  Valley  by  way  of  Towanda,  and 
located  in  what  is  now  Pine  Creek  Township,  Clinton  County,  on 
a  tract  of  land  adjoining  the  farm  of  Alexander  Hamilton.  This 
was  about  the  year  1773.  In  five  years  from  this  time  came  the 
Big  Runaway,  and  Mr.  Jackson  and  family  fled  with  the  other 
settlers  to  Northumberland,  where  they  remained  until  the  danger 
was  over.  They  then  returned  and  re-occupied  the  land  they  had 
originally  taken  up.  The  two  families  being  neighbors  and  on 
intimate  terms,  Robert  Hamilton  became  the  friend  and  admirer 
of  Miss  Anna  Jackson,  and  that  friendship  ripened  into  love,  and 
the  young  couple  were  united  in  marriage  June  13,  1791. 

To  grace  of  person,  loveliness  of  disposition  and  queenly 
dignity,  Mrs.  Hamilton  united  a  mind  that  was  strong,  clear  and 
practical,  and  a  memory  that  was  phenomenal.  She  could  remem- 
ber and  describe  events  and  incidents  with  marvelous  accuracy 
and  detail,  and  in  a  conversational  style  that  was  fascinating.  The 
author  spent  the  greater  portion  of  a  day  with  her  in  June,  1855, 
in  her  home  on  the  Susquehanna,  and  was  charmed  by  her  vivid 
description  of  the  thrilling  scenes  she  had  witnessed  during  the 
memorable  flight  of  the  settlers  down  the  river  in  1778.  At  tliat 
time  she  was  little  more  than  a  child,  but  in  1855,  seventy-nine 
years  afterwards,  and  when  she  was  in  her  89th  year,  she  remem- 
bered and  related  every  incident  of  that  dreadful  journey  with  a 
minuteness  of  detail  that  was  as  startling  as  the  story  was 
fascinating.  In  her  mature  age,  with  the  purple  haze  of  time 
gently  settling  on  her  brow,  she  retained  all  the  loveliness  and 
queenly  dignity  of  a  magnificent  womanhood,  reminding  one  of 

*  They  had  three  sons  and  four  daughters. 


632  HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  Stories  of  the  Roman  matrons  in  the  grandest  days  of  the 
Empire.  And  when  this  noble  mother  in  Israel  was  gathered  to 
her  fathers  in  the  95th  year  of  her  age,  one  of  the  truest,  most 
pious  and  respected  of  women  passed  to  the  realms  of  the  blessed.* 

Captain  James  Thompson  was  an  early  settler  in  Buffalo  Valley, 
and  during  a  predatory  incursion  of  savages  was  taken  prisoner 
and  carried  into  captivity.  In  1832  he  related  the  story  of  his 
capture  to  James  F.  Linn,  Esq.,  who  noted  it  down  at  the  time. 

The  Captain  stated  that  some  time  before  his  capture  he  had 
removed  his  wife  and  children  to  Penn's  Creek  for  greater  security 
against  the  Indians.  In  March,  1781,  he  was  going  from  Derrs- 
town  (now  Lewisburg)  to  his  home  for  the  purpose  of  making 
preparations  to  move  his  family  down  the  country.  On  the  road 
he  was  suddenly  surprised  by  four  Indians,  who  compelled  him  to 
accompany  them  as  a  prisoner.  On  coming  to  a  point  in  the  road, 
near  where  Colonel  Kelley  lived,  they  discovered  a  fresh  track  in 
the  soft  clay.  One  of  the  Indians  examined  it  and  immediatelj- 
exclaimed,  "Squaw,"  when  two  of  the  party  started  on  a  run, 
leaving  the  other  two  to  guard  Thompson.  They  soon  heard  the 
scream  of  a  woman,  when  one  of  the  Indians  struck  him  on  the 
back  with  his  gun,  sa}-ing  "Waugh,"  run.  They  started  on  a  run, 
and  on  reaching  the  top  of  the  hill  saw  the  other  two  Indians 
having  in  charge  a  female  prisoner.  The  party  then  hurried  awaj' 
with  their  prisoners. 

The\'  crossed  the  White  Deer  and  other  mountains,  and  taking 
the  Culbertson  path  struck  the  river  opposite  Lycoming  Creek. 
The  river  was  crossed  in  canoes,  and  they  passed  up  the  creek  on 
the  Sheshequin  path,  bound  for  Tioga  Point.  The  first  night  the\- 
tied  his  arms  securely  behind  him  and  fastened  the  ends  of  the 
cord  to  stakes  in  the  ground. 

One  night  while  encamped  on  Lycoming  Creek,  and  not  being 
tied  very  securely,  he  succeeded  in  releasing  his  arms.  Two  of 
the  Indians  laid  on  one  side  of  the  fire  with  the  girl,t  and  two  on 

*She  died  April  16,  1862,  aged  94  years,  2  months  and  16  days.  Her  ancestors 
were  all  long  lived.  Her  father  lived  to  be  92  and  her  mother  86.  Both  of  her 
grandfathers  lived  to  be  over  100.  For  sketch  of  this  remarkable  woman  see 
Meginness'  Biographical  Annals,  page  148. 

fThe  name  of  the  young  woman  was  Mary  Young,  the  daughter  of  Matthew- 
Young,  who  lived  on  a  farm  adjoining  Captain  Thompson's. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  633 

the  other  side  with  him.  He  first  endeavored  to  get  one  of  their 
tomahawks,  but  he  discovered  that  they  were  all  lying  on  their 
arms.  He  then  got  a  stone,  which  they  had  used  for  crushing 
corn,  and  raised  on  his  knees  for  the  purpose  of  giving  one  of 
them  ^  mortal  stroke  on  the  temple  and  then  secure  his  toma- 
hawk. But  on  account  of  his  head  being  wrapped  in  a  blanket, 
he  struck  too  high  to  effect  his  object.  The  Indian  gave  a  yell 
which  awoke  the  others.  He  now  attempted  to  run,  but  the  cord 
with  which  he  was  tied,  and  stretched  between  two  grubs,  inter- 
cepted him,  and  as  he  stepped  back  to  get  around  it,  one  of  the 
savages  caught  him  by  the  collar  of  his  coat  and  in  the  struggle 
tore  it  to  the  bottom.  He. drew  his  tomahawk  to  strike  him  on 
the  head,  but  desisted,  and  spoke  to  the  one  he  had  wounded  in 
his  own  language,  and  then  drew  it  again,  desisted,  and  spoke  to 
the  wounded  Indian,  and  then  drew  it  the  third  time.  He  ex- 
pected to  receive  the  blow  this  time,  and  determined  to  seize  the 
weapon  and  wrest  it  from  his  hand.  But  the  Indians  finally 
decided  not  to  kill  him,  but  to  reserve  him  for  a  more  formal 
execution.  A  gourd  containing  shot  was  then  tied  to  his 
waist  to  indicate  that  he  was  to  be  executed  in  some  savage 
manner. 

After  this  they  tied  him  so  tightly  at  night  that  he  lost  all  feel- 
ing in  his  hands  and  arms.  The  journey  was  continued.  One 
day  they  shot  a  wild  turkey,  and  taking  out  the  entrails  rolled 
them  on  a  stick,  roasted  them  in  the  fire  and  then  gave  them  to 
the  prisoners  to  eat!  Before  this  they  only  had  a  few  grains  of 
corn  per  day,  and  this  change  of  diet,  said  Captain  Thompson, 
was  highly  relished. 

When  they  reached  where  Towanda  now  stands  the  Indians 
became  less  vigilant,  thinking  he  would  not  attempt  to  escape 
again.  In  the  evening  they  made  him  gather  wood  for  their  fire. 
On  one  occasion,  when  engaged  in  this  work,  he  managed  to  go 
further  away  for  each  armful,  until  he  got  as  far  away  as  he 
thought  it  was  prudent,  and  watching  an  opportunity  darted  off 
into  the  woods  as  fast  as  he  could  run,  with  twenty-two  grains  of 
corn  in  his  pocket!  He  said  he  could  have  made  his  escape  on 
several  occasions  before,  but  he  could  not  think  of  leaving  the 
girl  a  prisoner.     She  frequently  told  him  to  run  away,  and  not 


634  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

try  to  rescue  her,  as  it  might  result  in  both  of  them  losing  their 
lives.     She  was  resigned  to  her  fate. 

On  making  his  escape  he  took  a  different  route  from  the  one 
they  came,  to  deceive  the  Indians  if  they  should  pursue  him.  In 
running  he  stepped  on  a  rotten  stick,  which  parted  and  rtiade  a 
noise.  He  was  soon  startled  by  the  sound  made  by  two  trees 
rubbing  together  by  the  wind,  which  he  imagined  to  be  the  sound 
made  by  Indians  in  pursuit.  Being  terribly  frightened,  he  ran  into 
a  pond,  and  hid  himself  in  the  brush,  with  nothing  out  but  his 
head,  where  he  laid  till  he  was  satisfied  they  were  not  coming  that 
way.  He  then  proceeded  on  his  journey,  keeping  along  the 
mountains  lest  he  might  meet  Indians  in  the  valleys.  One  night 
he  ran  almost  into  an  Indian  encampment  before  seeing  it.  He 
went  a  little  higher  up  the  hill,  where  he  could  plainly  see  the 
Indians  pass  between  him  and  the  fire.  At  another  time  he  came 
very  near  an  encampment,  when  an  Indian  gave  a  yell.  He  sup- 
posed he  was  discovered,  but  squatted  down  quickly  and  remained 
quiet  in  the  bushes ;  in  a  short  time  one  of  the  Indians  commenced 
chopping  wood,  when  he  knew  they  had  not  seen  him  and  care- 
fully passed  around  them. 

He  struck  the  West  Branch  a  few  rods  abo\'e  where  the\'  had 
crossed  it  going  out,  and  found  one  of  the  canoes  on  the  bank, 
the  river  having  fallen.  Being  very  weak  he  was  unable  to  push 
it  into  the  water,  but  getting  two  round  sticks  under  it  for  rollers, 
with  the  aid  of  a  handspike,  succeeded  in  launching  it.  On  getting 
in  he  discovered  the  other  canoe  sunk,  when  he  went  to  work  and 
bailed  it  out,  and  lashing  the  two  together  started  with  two  paddles 
on  his  voyage.  He  rowed  to  the  middle  of  the  river,  so  that  if 
the  Indians  should  pursue  him  and  shoot  they  would  not  be 
likely  to  hit  him.  One  of  his  paddles  accidentally  dropped  out 
and  floated  off,  which  he  regretted  very  much,  but,  on  getting  into 
an  eddy,  it  came  floating  up  to  his  canoe  and  was  recovered. 

When  his  craft  got  opposite  to  where  Watsonto\vn  now  stands 
he  was  discovered  by  some  persons  on  the  shore  and  relieved. 
He  was  so  weak  that  he  could  only  wave  his  hand  to  them  as  he 
laid  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe.  When  taken  out  he  was  so 
nearly  e.xhausted  that  he  could  not  relate  his  adventures  for 
several  days.     It  was  found  necessary  to  nourish  him  on  sweet 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  635 

milk  until  he  gained  sufficient  strength  to  sit  up  and  talk.  In  a 
few  days  he  recovered  sufficiently  to  rejoin  his  faniil}',  much  to 
their  joy,  as  they  had  supposed  he  was  dead.  In  a  short  time  he 
removed  his  family  to  Chester  County,  where  they  remained  until 
the  war  was  over. 

The  Indians  carried  Mary  Young  to  their  town  and  set  her  to 
hoeing  corn  with  the  squaws.  An  old  negro,  who  was  a  prisoner 
also,  told  her  to  dig  up  the  beans  that  were  planted  with  the  corn 
and  they  would  think  she  was  too  dumb  to  learn  agriculture  and 
would  sell  her  to  the  English.  She  followed  his  advice  and 
was  eventually  sold  to  an  English  captain,  at  Montreal,  for  a 
servant.  Her  purchaser's  name  was  Young,  and  on  tracing  rela- 
tionship they  found  they  were  cousins.  She  remained  with  him 
until  after  the  war,  when  she  was  returned  to  her  relatives  in 
Buffalo  Valley.  Having  been  so  much  exposed  during  her 
captivity,  her  constitution  was  so  greatly  shattered  that  she  sur- 
vived but  a  short  time.*  On  their  way  out  as  a  captive  she  was 
obliged  to  wade  through  deep  creeks,  and  as  the  weather  was  very 
cold  her  clothes  were  often  frozen  into  a  solid  mass. 

She  informed  Captain  Thompson  that  after  his  escape  two 
Indians  pursued  him  part  of  two  days,  and  when  they  returned 
they  seemed  to  be  much  chagrined  over  their  loss,  as  they  had 
intended  to  torture  him.f  The  Indian  he  had  wounded  in  the 
head  with  a  stone  left  them  soon  after  his  escape,  and  she  never 
.saw  him  again.  She  thought  he  had  died,  as  he  appeared  to  have 
been  badly  injured. 

After  the  Indian  troubles  ceased  Captain  Thompson  returned 
with  his  family,  and  he  purchased  a  farm  on  Spruce  Run,  in 
Buffalo.  There  he  resided  until  1832,  when,  having  become  old 
and  feeble,  he  went  to  live  with  his  son-in-law,  Boyd  Smith, 
near  Jersey  Shore.  He  died  February  9,  1837,  aged  93  years,  9 
months  and  9  days,  and  was  buried  in  the  old  grave-yard  now 
within  the  limits  of  Jersey  Shore. 

*Linn  says  in  his  Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley,  page  198,  that  she  was  living  in 
17S7,  when  her  father  died,  but  he  could  trace  her  no  further. 

t  Captain  Thompson  informed  Mr.  Linn  that  he  accompanied  his  step-father  from 
Fort  Cumberland,  who  drove  a  wagon  in  Braddock's  disastrous  campaign.  He  was 
then  a  lad  of  but  ten  years  of  age. 


636  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Linn  says  in  his  Annals  that  he  was  a  remarkable  man  in  his 
old  age,  often  walking  from  Jersey  Shore  down  into  Buffalo  Valley. 
He  was  a  welcome  guest  in  every  house  from  Pine  to  Penn's 
Creek. 

In  a  letter  to  General  Potter,  Colonel  Hunter  states  that  Captain 
Thomas  Kempling,  as  he  writes  it,  and  his  eldest  son,  were  killed 
by  the  Indians  at  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek,  in  March,  1781. 
In  the  petition  of  his  widow,  who  writes  her  name  Mary  Cample- 
ton,  presented  to  the  General  Assembly,  September  23,  1784,  she 
says:  "  My  husband  and  son,  with  others,  went  on  a  tour  of  duty 
up  the  West  Branch  early  in  the  spring  of  1781,  and  lying  one 
night  at  the  mouth  of  Muncy  Creek,  in  the  morning  the  savages 
came  on  them,  when  my  unfortunate  husband  and  son,  with  one 
William  Campble,  fell  a  sacrifice  to  all  the  cruelties  and  barbarities 
that  savages  could  inflict,  leaving  your  petitioner  and  six  children. 
We  were  driven  from  house  and  home,  and  so  reduced  that  I  am 
unable  to  return  to  the  place  we  had  improved  upon." 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1782  Captain  Robinson  was  ordered  to 
rebuild  Fort  Muncy,*  as  the  continued  appearance  of  Indians  on 
the  frontiers  caused  constant  alarm.  President  Reed,  in  a  letter  to 
Colonel  Weltner,  under  date  of  April  4th,  says  that  the  rebuilding 
of  the  fort  had  been  deemed  a  \'ery  proper  measure,  and  he 
requested  him  to  consult  with  Colonel  Hunter,  Colonel  Antes 
and  others  regarding  it,  and  he  closed  his  letter  b\-  saying :  "  And 
if  they  concur,  let  this  business  be  set  on  foot  with  as  little  delay 
as  possible." 

Whether  the  fort  was  rebuilt  as  strongly  as  it  was  before  there 
is  nothing  on  record  to  show,  but  that  it  was  reconstructed  in 
some  shape  there  is  little  doubt.  May  28,  1 781,  it  was  suggested 
by  General  Potter  to  President  Reed  "  that  Captain  Robinson,  who 
has  raised  a  number  of  men,  should  be  stationed  at  Muncy." t 
Colonel  Hunter  says  in  one  of  his  letters  that  it  had  been  in  con- 
templation to  order  Captain  Robinson's  company  to  Muncy  to 
repair  the  fortification,  and  in  his  opinion  he  thought  that  "  would 
be  the  only  way  to  have  the  most  service  done  by  that  company." 

*See  article  on  Fort  Muncy,  Appendix  to  Pennsylvania  Archives,  page  415. 
fSee  VoL   IX.,  page   185,  Pennsylvania  Archives.      Also  p.ige  500.       Colonial 
Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  page  214.      . 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  637 

"  If  Council  is  determined  to  order  Captain  Robinson's  company 
to  Fort  Muncy,"  he  continued,  "it  would  at  least  require  lOO  men 
to  keep  proper  out  scouts .aiid  repair  the  gai-rison." 

On  the  6th  of  March," 'i  782,.  Council  ordered  "that  Captain 
Robinson's  headquarters  be  at  Fort  Muncy,  and  that  the  County 
Lieutenant  of  Northumberland  County  order  the  necessary  detach- 
ments from  said  county,  and  that  the  Vice-President  write  to 
Colonel  Hunter  to  have  the  necessary  repairs  made  at  Fort  Muncy, 
having  due  regard  to  frugality." 

Colonel  Hunter  replied  to  Vice-President  Potter  on  the  17th  of 
April,  1782,  sa3ang:  "Agreeable  to  your  letter,  .and  the  resolve 
'of  Council,  Captain  Robinson's  headquarters  is  at  Fort  Muncy, 
and  I  am  certain  ne  does  all  he  can  in  the  ranging  way  for  the 
good  of  the  county;  but  as  for  doing  much  towards  the  repairing 
of  the  fort,  it  is  not  in  his  power  at  present,  as  the  enemy  have 
made  their  appearance  once  more  on  our  frontiers.  The  7th  in- 
stant they  took  off  a  woman  and  four  children  from  Wyoming; 
and  on  the  14th  instant,  a  scout  of  Captain  Robinson's  men  came 
on  fresh  tracks  of  Indians  about  a  mile  from  Lycoming,  and  fol- 
lowed them  up  the  creek  towards  Eel  Town."  *  Pie  then  speaks 
of  the  expectation  of  the  inhabitants  "moving  up  to  Muncy  as 
soon  as  the  ranging  company  would  be  stationed  there,"  which  he 
does  not  believe,  and  adds,  "that  whatever  is  done  must' be  done 
by  the  soldiers  themselves,  in  case  Mr.  Wallis  does  not  come  up 
with  a  party  of  Hessians  f  (as  we  have  been  told  by  some  people) 
to  build  a  fort  of  stone  and  lime;  this  I  would  lik^  very  well  if 
there  was  a  probability  of  defraying  the  expense  that  would  accrue 
by  erecting  such  a  fort;  but  in  the  meantime,  I  give  Captain 
Robinson  orders  to  repair  the  old  fort  in  the  best  manner  he  can 

*The  old  Indian  chief  Newhalel<a,  who  traded  the  Great  Island  to  William  Dunn 
for  a  rifle  and  a  keg  of  whiskey,  had  several  cabins  at  this  place  at  one  time.  Eels 
abounded  in  Lycoming  Creek,  which  gave  rise  to  the  name  \ty  the  whites.  Hepburn- 
ville,  about  six  miles  from  VVilliamsport,  is  supposed  to  occupy  the  site  of  EeUown. 

t  There  is  a  tradition  that  Hessians  were  used  to  rebuild  the  work,  but  a  careful 
examination  of  Loweirs  Hessians  in  the  Revolution  fails  to  show  that  they  were  ever 
employed  for  such  purpose  in  this  part  of  the  valley.  The  fact  that  many  Germans 
were  held  in  servitude  to  pay  for  their  passage  to  this  country  about  that  time,  and 
that  Wallis  had  such  men  in  his  employ,  probably  gave  rise  to  the  stoiT  that  Hessians 
rebuilt  the  fort.  It  is  likely  that  such  Germans  assisted  in  rel^uilding  it,  as  it  stood 
near  Wallis'  residence,  and  he  was  anxious  to  have  it  as  a  protection. 


638  HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

at  present  for  his  own  preservation,  as  I  had  no  assurance  from 
Council  of  any  such  fort  being  built  by  Mr.  Wallis."  "There 
will  be  as  much  frugality  as  possible  used,"  he  continued,  "in 
what  will  be  done  to  the  old  fort.  The  ammunition  is  not  arrived 
as  yet."  On  the  14th  of  September,  1782,  Council  ordered  troops 
from  Berks,  Cumberland,  Northumberland  and  Lancaster,  to 
rendezvous  at  Muncy  on  the  4th  of  October,  and  on  the  17th  of 
September  commissioners  were  appointed  to  make  purchases  of 
flour,  &c.,  and  others  to  hire  pack  horses  to  convey  the  various 
articles  to  Muncy  intended  for  an  expedition  into  the  Indian 
country. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  expedition  was  ever  made,  as  the 
last  treaty  at  Fort  Stanwix,  which  was  soon  afterwards  held, 
probably  put  a  stop  to  all  warlike  operations.  The  records  do 
not  show  what  amount  of  work  Captain  Robinson  *  put  on  the 
fort,  but  that  he  reconstructed  it  there  seems  to  be  no  doubt. 
After  the  declaration  of  peace  it  soon  fell  into  decay,  but  its  ruins 
existed  for  many  years.  The  last  trace  of  the  old  work,  which 
consisted  of  a  pile  of  stones,  was  finally  removed  by  Mr.  Hall's 
farmer  during  his  absence  in  Philadelphia.  He  thought  he  would 
be  doing  something  to  greatly  please  the  owner  by  removing  the 
debris,  and  was  much  surprised  to  find  that  Mr.  Hall  was  highly 
displeased  at  what  he  had  done.  It  was  the  intention  of  the 
owner  to  keep  the  ruins  as  long  as  he  could  as  a  historic  land- 
mark, and  but  for  the  vandalism  of  his  farmer  a  few  relics  of  the 
old  fort  might  be  in  existence  to-day. 

Sometime  in  the  month  of  October,  1782,  a  small  body  of 
savages  visited  the  house  of  John   Martin,  in  the  Chillisquaque 

*  Captain  Thomas  Robinson  was  a  valuable  officer.  He  was  commissioned 
February  lo,  1781.  After  rebuilding  Fort  Muncy  and  conducting  other  operations 
on  the  West  Branch,  he  was  placed,  in  March,  1783,  in  charge  of  the  fort  at 
Wyoming.  He  served  there  until  the  regular  army  was  discharged,  in  November, 
1783.  After  the  war  Captain  Robinson  settled  at  Robinson's  Island,  Pine  Creek, 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  mouth,  and  soon  after  he  engaged  in  the  land 
business.  The  tract  on  which  Youngwomanstown  is  situated  was  surveyed  on  a 
warrant  in  his  name  October  6,  1786.  While  on  a  visit  up  the  North  Branch  he 
took  sick,  and  coming  down  the  river  in  a  boat  exposed  to  the  sun,  his  disease  was 
aggravated,  and  he  died  at  Wyoming  in  August,  1792.  His  daughter  Mary  married 
John  Cook,  wlio  owned  the  beautiful  farm  on  the  river  a  short  distance  above  the 
mouth  of  Pine  Creek. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  639 

settlement,  near  the  residence  of  Colonel  James  Murra_\',  and 
barbarously  murdered  him  and  his  wife.  They  also  seized  two 
young  women,  and  a  little  girl  aged  seven  years,  whom  they 
carried  into  captivity. 

On  the  24th  of  the  same  month  two  men,  named  respectively 
Lee  and  Carothers,  were  sent  out  from  fort  Rice  as  spies  to  ascer- 
tain if  any  Indians  were  lurking  in  the  neighborhood.  They  were 
waylaid  and  fired  upon,  and  Lee  was  killed.  His  companion  was 
taken  prisoner. 

About  this  time  a  party  of  Indians  assaulted  the  house  of  the 
Klinesmith  family,  which  stood  near  the  present  site  of  New 
Berlin.  The  male  members  were  at  work  in  the  field  of  a  neigh- 
bor. The  Indians  plundered  the  house  and  carried  away  two  of 
Klinesmith's  daughters — one  aged  sixteen  and  the  other  fourteen. 
After  securing  their  prisoners  and  booty  the  savages  retired  to  a 
spring  near  by,  where  they  halted.  Not  satisfied  with  the  mischief 
they  had  done,  they  left  the  two  girls  in  charge  of  the  oldest 
Indian  in  the  party,  whilst  the  others  started  to  the  field  for  the 
purpose  of  murdering  the  men  and  securing  their  scalps.  The 
■  old  Indian  lighted  his  pipe,  and  sat  down  at  the  foot  of  a  tree  to 
enjoy  a  smoke  and  at  the  same  time  watch  the  girls.  In  a  short 
time  rain  began  to  fall,  when  Betsey,  the  eldest  girl,  intimated  to 
the  sentinel  that  she  wished  to  cut  a  few  branches  from  a  tree  to 
cover  a  small  bag  of  flour  that  had  been  taken  from  her  father's 
house.  Little  suspecting  her  real  intention,  the  Indian  permitted 
her  to  take  one  of  the  hatchets,  or  tomahawks,  to  do  the  cutting. 
She  pretended  to  be  very  busily  engaged  at  her  work,  and 
managed  to  get  behind  him,  when  she  quickly,  and  with  all  her 
strength,  buried  the  hatchet  in  his  head!  The  main  body  finding 
the  working  party  of  white  men  too  strong  to  attack,  had  started 
to  return,  and  were  near  enough  to  hear  the  cry  of  the  old  Indian 
as  he  fell.  The  girls  quickly  fled,  with  the  savages  in  pursuit, 
who  fired  on  them.  The  younger  girl,  as  she  was  in  the  act  of 
springing  over  a  fallen  tree,  was  struck  by  a  bullet,  which  entered 
below  the  shoulder  blade  and  came  out  at  the  breast.  She  fell, 
but  had  presence  of  mind  enough  to  roll  under  the  log,  which 
was  raised  a  little  from  the  ground.  The  Indians  sprang  over  the 
log  in  pursuit  of  her  sister  without  observing  her.     Betsey,  being 


640  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAXXH    VALLEY. 

Strong  and  active,  gave  them  a  li\'ely  chase,  and  the  firing  having 
alarmed  the  workmen,  the}-  came  to  her  rescue.  The  Indians, 
fearing  to  cope  with  them,  fled.  The  Utde  girl  was  found  under 
the  fallen  tree  suffering  from  her  wound  and  greatly  terrified.  Her 
v.'ound,  fortunately,  was  not  dangerous,  as  the  ball  had  passed 
through  her  body  without  touching  any  vital  organ,  and  it  soon 
healed.  She  grew  to  womanhood  and  married  a  man  named 
Campbell.  Becoming  a  widow,  she  married  the  second  time,  her 
husband's  name  being  Chambers.  The  heroic  Betsey  also  married, 
and  with  her  husband  removed  to  one  of  the  Western  States. 

The  murder  of  John  Lee  *  and  several  members  of  his  family, 
in  August,  1782,  ranks  among  the  most  cruel  in  the  catalogue  of 
Indian  atrocities.  They  lived  at  what  is  now  Winfield,  on  the 
river,  a  few  miles  below  Lewisburg. 

It  was  a  warm  evening.  Lee  and  his  family,  with  one  or  two 
neighbors,  were  taking  their  supper,  little  dreaming  of  the  horrible 
fate  that  was  in  store  for  them.  In  the  midst  of  their  enjoyment 
a  band  of  Indians  suddenly  burst  upon  them.  A  young  woman 
named  Katy  Stoner  rushed  upstairs,  and  concealing  herself 
behind  the  chimney  remained  undiscovered  and  escaped.  Lee 
was  tomahawked  and  scalped,  and  an  old  man  named  John  Walker 
shared  the  same  fate.  Mrs.  Boatman  f  and  daughter  were  also 
killed.  Mrs.  Lee,  with  her  small  child,  and  a  larger  one  named 
Thomas,  were  led  away  captives.  The  savages  took  the  Great 
Path  leading  up  that  side  of  the  valley,  crossed  the  White  Deer 
Mountains,  came  to  the  river  and  crossed  over. 

One  of  Lee's  sons,  named  Robert,  happening  to  be  absent  at 
the   time,  escaped  the  fate  of  his  parents.       He  was  returning, 

*A  letter  directed  to  Colonel  Magraw  at  Carlisle,  found  among  his  papers,  from 
Colonel  Butler,  dated  August  29,  1782,  says  a  party  of  Indians,  supposed  to  be  sixty 
or  seventy  in  number,  killed  Lee  and  family  a  few  miles  above  Sunbury.  Letters  of 
administration  were  issued  to  Captain  John  Lowdon  and  Thomas  Grant  on  the  31st 
of  August.  Lee  was  assessor  in  April  of  that  year.  Linn's  Annals,  page  210. 
The  Indians  hated  Lee,  because  they  believed  he  had  cheated  them  in  a  trade,  and 
they  had  long  sought  an  opportunity  for  revenge. 

t  Claudius  Boatman,  her  husband,  was  a  Frenchman.  In  17S6  he  took  the 
remainder  of  his  family  and  settled  far  up  Pine  Creek.  He  had  several  daughters. 
One  of  them  married  John  English.  Claudius  died  about  1802,  and  was  buried  at 
what  is  now  known  as  the  village  of  Waterville. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  64 1 

however,  and  came  in  sight  of  the  house  just  as  the  Indians  were 
leaving  it,  but  they  did  not  observe  him.  Knowing  that  the\- 
were  there  with  evil  intentions,  he  immediately  turned  and  fled  to 
Northumberland,  where  he  gave  the  alarm.  A  party  of  about 
twenty  men*  were  hastily  collected  by  Colonel  Hunter  at  Fort 
Augusta  and  started  in  pursuit.  On  arriving  at  Lee's  house  they 
beheld  the  sufferers  writhing  in  agony.  Lee  was  not  dead,  and 
Mrs.  Boatman's  daughter  also  survived.  Litters  were  hastily 
constructed,  and  they  were  sent  to  Fort  Augusta,  where  Lee  soon 
expired  in  great  agony.  Miss  Boatman  finally  recovered  and  lived 
for  many  years  afterwards. 

Colonel  Hunter  and  his  party,  without  delaying  to  bury  the 
dead,  pushed  after  the  savages  as  rapidly  as  possible  with  a  view 
of  overtaking  them.  They  came  in  sight  of  them  above  Lycoming 
Creek. 

In  crossing  the  mountains  Mrs.  Lee  was  accidentally  bitten  by 
a  rattlesnake  on  the  ankle,  and  her  leg  became  so  much  swollen 
and  pained  her  so  severely  that  she  traveled  with  great  difficulty. 
Finding  themselves  pursued  they  urged  her  along  as  fast  as 
possible,  but  she  failed  rapidly.  When  near  the  mouth  of  Pine 
Run,  some  four  miles  below  Jersey  Shore,  she  gave  out  and  seated 
herself  on  the  ground.  The  whites  were  rapidly  approaching, 
and  the  Indians  were  afraid  she  would  fall  into  their  hands.  One 
of  them  stealthily  slipped  up  behind  her,  and  placing  the  muzzle 
of  his  rifle  close  to  her  head,  fired.  The  whole  upper  portion  of 
her  head  was  blown  off!  One  of  the  fiends  then  snatched  up  her 
little  child  by  the  heels  and  hastily  dashed  it  against  a  tree,  when 
they  fled  with  renewed  speed,  and  crossing  the  river  at  Smith's 
fording,  at  Level  Corner,  ran  up  through  Nippenose  Bottom. 

When  Colonel  Hunter  and  his  men  came  up  to  where  the  bod}' 
of  Mrs.  Lee  laid  it  was  yet  warm.  The  sight  was  a  horrible  one 
to  look  upon.  The  child  was  but  little  injured,  and  was  found 
moaning  piteously. 

Crossing  over  the  river  as  rapidly  as  possible  they  pursued  the 
Indians  up  through  the  Bottom,  and  were  so  close  on  them  that 
when  they  came  to  Antes'  Gap  they  separated  and  ran  along  both 

*  Henry  McHenry,  the  father  of  A.  H.  Mclfenry,  of  Jersey  Shore,  was  m  this 
expedition  and  gave  an  account  of  it  to  his  son. 


642  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

sides  of  the  mountain  into  the  swamp.  Colonel  Hunter  con- 
sidered it  imprudent  to  follow  them  into  the  interminable  thickets 
of  the  swamp  for  fear  of  an  ambuscade,  and  being  much  exhausted 
reluctantly'  gave  up  the  chase  and  slowly  returned.  Passing 
down  they  buried  the  body  of  Mrs.  Lee  and  cared  for  her  child. 
When  they  came  to  Lee's  house  they  halted  and  buried  the  dead 
there.  A  hole  was  dug  alongside  of  Walker  and  his  body  rolled 
into  it. 

Young  Thomas  Lee,  who  was  taken  prisoner  and  carried  into 
captivity,  was  not  recovered  for  many  years  afterwards.  The  son 
who  gave  the  alarm  on  the  day  of  the  murder  made  arrangements 
with  certain  Indians  to  bring  his  brother  to  Tioga  Point,  where 
he  was  delivered  to  his  friends.  Such  was  his  love  of  Indian  life, 
however,  on  account  of  having  been  raised  among  them,  that  he 
was  very  reluctant  to  return.  They  were  obliged  to  tie  him  and 
place  him  on  board  a  canoe.  When  near  Wilkes-Barre  they 
untied  him,  but  as  soon  as  the  canoe  touched  the  shore  he  jumped 
out  and  darted  off  like  a  deer.  It  was  several  hours  before  they 
succeeded  in  taking  him  again.  On  arriving  at  Northumberland 
he  evinced  all  the  suUenness  of  a  capti\'e.  Indian  boys  and  girls, 
near  his  own  age,  were  made  to  play  about  him  for  several  days 
before  he  showed  any  disposition  to  join  with  them.  At  last  he 
began  to  inquire  the  names  of  things,  and  by  degrees  became 
civilized. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

VAN    CAMPEN     AND     HIS     THRILLING     ADVENTURES REMINISCENCES 

OF  BLACK   HOLE  VALLEY WARRIOR  RUN  CHURCH THE  WALKER 

TRAGEDY    ON    PINE    CREEK A    TYPICAL    HOUSE THE    END. 

DURING  the  closing  years  of  the  Indian  troubles  on  the 
North  and  West  Branches  of  the  Susquehanna  a  new  and 
daring  character  suddenly  appeared,  whose  deeds  of  prowess,  and 
his  hairbreadth  escapes,  are  unparalleled  in  the  annals  of  ad- 
venture. This  was  the  famous  Moses  Van  Campen.  His  father's 
name  was  Cornelius  Van  Campen,  and  his  mother  was  a  Depue, 
of  French  extraction.  Moses,  the  son,  was  born  in  Hunterdon 
County,  New  Jersey,  January  21,  1757.  Soon  after  his  birth  his 
parents  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania  and  settled  on  the  Delaware 
River,  in  Northampton  County,  near  the  Water  Gap.  Here  our 
hero  spent  his  boyhood  days.  The  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van 
Campen  consisted  of  six  sons  and  four  daughters.  Moses  was 
the  oldest,  and  he  was  named  after  his  maternal  grandfather,  Moses 
Depue.  In  his  early  days  he  became  a  noted  hunter  and  an 
unerring  shot. 

When  the  troubles  of  1775  broke  out  with  the  Connecticut 
settlers  at  Wyoming,  a  company  was  raised  and  sent  there  to 
preserve  order.  Young  Van  Campen  was  permitted  to  join  the 
company,  and  in  this  service  he  gained  a  knowledge  of  soldiering. 
In  the  meantime  his  father  removed  his  family  from  Northampton 
County,  and  settled  on  Fishing  Creek,  in  what  is  now  Columbia 
County,  for  the  purpose  of  following  an  agricultural  life. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  war  Moses  Van 
Campen  joined  Colonel  Cook's  regiment  from  Northumberland 
County,  and  marched  to  Boston  to  join  the  Continental  army,  and 
in  1777  he  had  fairly  entered  on  the  life  of  a  soldier.  In  1778  he 
was  appointed  lieutenant  of  a  company- of  six  months'  men  and 
assigned  to  the  protection  of  the  frontier.     He  was  under  Colonel 


f>\l  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Hunter,  and  assisted  to  build  Fort  Wheeler,  on  the  North  Branch. 
He  also  accompanied  General  Sulli\'an  in  his  famous  expedition 
up  the  North  Branch. 

Lieutenant  Van  Campen  says  that  his  father's  house  having 
been  burned  by  a  marauding  party  of  Indians  in  1778,  he  soon 
afterwards  requested  him  to  go  with  him  and  a  younger  brother 
to  their  farm,  about  four  miles  from  Fort  Wheeler,  where  the 
family  was  staying,  to  begin  preparations  for  building  another 
house  and  to  make  an  effort  to  put  in  some  grain.  Little  ap- 
prehension of  Indians  were  felt.  The)'  left  the  fort  about  the  la.st 
of  March.  Van  Campen  says :  "  I  was  accompanied  by  my 
father,  uncle  and  his  son,  about  twelve  years  old,  and  Peter  Pence. 
We  had  been  on  our  farm  about  four  or  five  days  when,  on  the 
30th  of  March,  we  were  surprised  by  a  party  of  ten  Indians.  My 
father  was  lunged  through  with  a  spear,  his  throat  was  cut  and  he 
was  scalped,  while  my  brother  was  tomahawked,  scalped  and 
thrown  into  the  fire  before  my  eyes.  While  I  was  struggling  with 
a  warrior,  the  fellow  who  had  killed  my  father  drew  his  spear  from 
his  body  and  made  a  violent  thrust  at  me.  I  shrunk  from  the 
spear,  and  the  savage  who  had  hold  of  me  turned  it  with  his 
hand,  so  that  it  only  penetrated  my  vest  and  shirt.  The\-  were 
then  satisfied  with  taking  me  prisoner,  as  they  had  the  same 
morning  taken  mj'  uncle's  little  son  and  Pence,  though  they  killed 
my  uncle."  Soon  after  this,  at  another  point,  they  took  a  boy 
named  Rogers  prisoner  and  also  a  man  named  Pike. 

With  their  captives  the  Indians  then  rapidly  made  their  way 
over  the  mountains  to  the  North  Branch,  near  the  mouth  of 
Tuncannook  Creek,  and  thence  toward  their  concerted  rendezvous. 

The  warriors  were  ten  in  number;  but  Peter  Pence  and  Van 
Campen  were  not  the  kind  of  men  to  pale  in  view  of  peril,  and 
determined  to  avail  themselves  of  the  first  opportunity  to  strike  a 
blow  for  freedom.  The  opportunity  came  at  length,  and  the  blow 
was  struck.  One  evening,  when  above  the  Wyalusing  Flats,  while 
the  prisoners  were  being  bound  for  the  night,  an  Indian  acci- 
dentally dropped  his  knife  close  to  Van  Campen's  feet.  By  a 
movement  that  escaped  observation  it  was  promptly  covered. 
About  midnight,  when  the  warriors  were  all  asleep,  \'an  Campen 
secured  the  knife  and  released  Peter  Pence,  who  in  turn  cut  from 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY.  645 

the  others  the  bands  that  held  them  fast.  Cautiously,  but  ciuickly, 
the  weapons  were  secured  and  a  plan  for  action  decided  on.  The 
prisoners  had  been  placed  in  the  midst  of  the  warriors — on  either 
side  five.  Van  Campen  and  Pike  were  to  use  the  tomahawk  on 
one  group,  while  Peter  Pence  opened  fire  on  the  other  with  the 
rifles. 

At  this  juncture  a  warrior  assigned  to  Pike  started  from  his 
slumber,  and  Pike  was  overcome  with  fear.  In  an  instant  Van 
Campen  buried  his  tomahawk  in  the  head  of  the  wakeful  savage, 
and  then  made  quick  work  with  the  adjoining  four,  while  four  of 
the  other  group  were  as  speedily  dispatched  by  Peter  Pence. 
Then  followed  a  desperate  hand-to-hand  contest  between  Van 
Campen  and  the  surviving  Indian — John,  the  Mohawk  Sachem. 

The  two  were  athletes  in  their  way,  well  matched  in  skill  and 
strength.  Van  Campen  with  his  left  hand  grasped  the  wrist  of 
the  warrior's  right,  in  which  his  keen-edged  knife  was  held.  The 
Mohawk  with  his  left  hand  seized  Van  Campen's  right,  in  which 
the  bloody  tomahawk  was  clutched.  Thus  grappling,  they 
struggled,  fell,  and  struggling,  rose  again,  each  vainly  seeking  to 
take  advantage  of  the  other's  first  false  movement,  while  Pence, 
unable  to  distinguish  the  two  combatants,  dared  not  fire  a  shot  for 
fear  of  killing  the  wrong  man.  At  length  the  Mohawk,  breaking 
from  Van  Campen's  grasp,  turned  to  flee.  Springing  after  him. 
Van  Campen,  with  uplifted  tomahawk,  aimed  a  deadly  blow 
straight  at  the  retreating  Sachem's  crest ;  but  the  wary  Mohawk, 
by  an  agile  movement,  saved  his  head,  the  hooked  blade  sinking 
deep  in  the  muscles  of  his  shoulder.  With  a  bound  that  wrenched 
the  weapon  from  Van  Campen's  hand,  the  Indian  dashed  into  the 
darkened  forest  and  escaped,  bearing  the  truculent  trophy  in  his 
quivering  flesh. 

The  liberated  captives,  after  scalping  their  late  captors  and 
securing  their  plunder,  embarked  on  a  hastily  constructed  i;aft 
down  the  river,  and  after  a  series  of  adventures  reached  Wyoming 
in  safety,  there  leaving  Pike  and  young  Rogers.  Van  Campen, 
with  his  nephew  and  Pence,  made  their  way  by  canoe  to  Northum- 
berland. 

In  1 83 1  Major  Van  Campen  became  a  resident  of  Dansville, 
N.  Y.,  some  twenty  miles  south  of  Geneseo,  and  the  interchanges 


646  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

of  visits  between  the  old  Indian  fighter  and  the  old  Indian 
interpreter  were  occasions  of  much  mutual  enjoyment.  Their 
associations  with  the  aborigines  had  been  very  unlike,  thou-gh 
their  early  adventures  were  similar.  For  the  Indians  Mr.  Jones 
retained  a  true  liking,  and  was  looked  up  to  by  them  as  a  friend. 
Among  those  who  frequently  visited  him,  and  by  whom  he  was 
greatl)'  beloved,  was  the  Mohawk  Sachem,  John. 

John  Mohawk,  as  he  was  commonly  called,  often  expressed  a 
desire  to  see  his  former  antagonist,  Moses  Van  Campen,  but 
hesitated  from  doubts  as  to  the  old  Major's  good  will  toward  one 
of  his  race.  At  length,  persuaded  to  accompany  Mr.  Jones  to 
Dansville,  the  two  met  and  clasped  in  friendship  hands  that  had 
once  been  joined  in  deadly  strife.  John  showed  the  Major  the 
great  scar  in  his  shoulder,  and  told  him  how  he  had  carried 
off  his  tomahawk  as  a  trophy,  from  that  battle  field  above 
Wyalusing. 

Previous  to  this  visit  the  Mohawk  had  presented  the  long- 
cherished  tomahawk  to  Mr.  Jones,  to  be  preserved  as  a  keepsake 
and  token  of  personal  esteem. 
The  weapon  has  ever  since  been 
retained  in  the  family  as  an  heir- 
loom, and  is  now  the  property  of 
the  old  interpreter's  only  sur- 
V  viving  son — the  youngest  but  one 
of  si.xteen  children. 

Mr.  Charles  Jones,  now   past 
Van  campcn-s  Tomahawk.  (-j.,g  ^gg  gf  threc-scorc  years  and 

ten,  has  related  to  me*  many  interesting  incidents  connected  with 
the  events  here  referred  to,  and  in  a  letter  says  of  this  tomahawk : 
"It  was  given  to  my  father.  Captain  Horatio  Jones,  by  John 
Mohawk,  who  received  it,  together  with  the  scar  it  made  in  his 
back,  from  the  hand  of  old  Major  Van  Campen,"  and  adds:  "I 
have  heard  my  father  and  Major  Van  Campen,  and  my  elder 
brothers  (who  if  now  living  would  be  one  hundred  and  five  and 
one  hundred  and  three  years  old)  say  this  identical  instrument 
was  the  one  that  old  John  captured  in  his  back  from  the  hand  of 

*Rev.  A.  P.  Brush,  of  Bath,  New  York,  who  has  seen  and  examined  the  famous 
tomahawk,  had  it  photographed,  and  furnished  the  accompanying  description. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  64/ 

the  Major  when  Van  Campen  was  in  full  chase  after  him,  and 
after  he  had  dispatched  five  of  said  John's  companions." 

"The  handle,"  he  writes,  "is  not  the  one  that  was  in  it  during 
the  Revolutionary  war,  but  was  put  in  about  sixty  years  ago." 

The  tomahawk  is  9^  inches  in  length;  the  blade  6  inches  long 
by  I  %  inches  broad  at  the  widest  part.  The  head,  or  pole,  is  a 
pipe  bowl  i^  inches  deep  and  7/i  of  an  inch  across  the  top.  The 
handle,  a  reproduction  of  the  original,  is  18  inches  long  by  lyi 
inches  thick,  where  it  enters  the  socket  and  forms  the  stem  of  the. 
pipe. 

The  old  relic  must  have  been,  as  may  be  judged  from  its  picture, 
a  formidable  weapon  in  the  hands  of  an  intrepid  and  muscular 
man  like  Moses  Van  Campen. 

After  his  remarkable  escape  and  return.  Van  Campen  was  not 
allowed  to  remain  idle  very  long.  In  the  latter  part  of  March, 
just  at  the  opening  of  the  campaign  of  1782,*  the  companies  that 
had  been  stationed  during  the  winter  at  Reading  were  ordered 
back  b\-  Congress  to  their  respective  stations.  Lieutenant  Van 
Campen  marched  at  the  head  of  Captain  Robinson's  company  to 
Northumberland,  where  he  was  joined  by  Thomas  Chambers,  who 
had  recently  been  commissioned  as  ensign  of  the  same  company. 
Here  he  halted  for  a  few  days  to  allow  his  men  rest,  after  which 
he  was  directed  to  march  to  Muncy,  and  there  rebuild  the  fort 
which  had  been  destroyed  by  the  Indians  in  the  year  1779. 
Having  reached  his  station  he  threw  up  a  small  block  house,  in 
which  he  placed  his  stores  and  immediately  commenced  rebuilding 
the  fort,  being  joined  shortly  after  by  Captain  Robinson,  in  com- 
pany with  several  gentlemen,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Culbertson, 
who  was  anxious  to  find  an  escort  up  the  West  Branch  into  the 
neighborhood  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek.  Here  his  brother  f  had  been 
killed  by  the  Indians  sometime  before,  and  being  informed  that 
some  of  his  property  had  been  buried  and  had  thus  escaped  the 
violence  of  the  enemy,  he  was  desirous  of  making  a  search  to 
obtain  it. 


*See  Life  of  Van  Campen,  by  his  grandson,  Rev.  J.  N.  Hubbard,  page  244. 

fWilliam  Culbertson.  Before  locating  here  he  had  taken  up  a  tract  of  land  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river  above  Lycoming  Creek,  in  1774,  which  he  sold  to  Abra- 
ham Latcha.  Andrew  Culbertson,  his  brother,  had  made  a  settlement  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river,  where  DuBoistovvn  now  stands. 


648  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

( 

Arrangements  were  made  b\'  which  Lieutenant  Van  Campen 
was  to  go  with  him  at  the  head  of  a  small  party  of  men  as  a 
guard ;  and  after  he  had  been  permitted  to  examine  his  brother's 
premises,  the  company  was  directed  to  take  a  circuitous  route 
around  the  settlements  and  waylay  the  Indian  paths,  since  it  was 
about  the  time  when  the  return  of  hostilities  was  expected.  In 
forming  this  party  Van  Campen  selected  his  men  according  to  his 
usual  custom,  by  taking  in  his  hand  a  small  piece  of  board,  on 
the  end  of  which  was  a  mark  of  white  paper,  and  standing  a  few 
rods  in  front  of  his  men,  who  would  fire  at  the  mark,  as  it  was 
held  up  before  them,  and  every  man  who  hit  the  paper  was  per- 
mitted to  have  his  name  enrolled  as  one  of  the  scouts.  He  did 
not  experiment  long  before  he  would  thus  find  a  sufficient  num- 
ber for  his  party.  Having  selected  his  men,  twenty  in  number,  he 
took  with  him  a  supply  of  provisions  and  marched  along  the  bank 
of  the  river,  while  Culbertson  and  four  others  advanced  up  the 
river  in  a  boat,  and  soon  arrived  at  the  Big  Island.  The  boat  was 
pulled  on  shore  and  all  the  party  proceeded  together  by  land 
until  the)'  reached  Culbertson's  farm  in  the  evening,  and  encamped 
for  the  night.  It  was  about  the  middle  of  April,  and  the  Indians 
being  expected  every  hour  to  pay  their  annual  visit  to  the  settle- 
ments, they  could  not  observe  too  much  caution  in  their  move- 
ments ;  and  having  selected  their  resting  place  for  the  night  with 
wisdom,  placed  their  sentinels  to  give  the  first  alarm  of  the  enemy. 

They  were  not  disturbed,  however,  during  the  night,  but  early 
the  next  morning  were  awakened  by  the  appearance  of  their  foes. 

While  Van  Campen  with  his  company  was  ascending  the  river 
a  large  party  of  Indians,  not  far  from  eighty-five,  were  on  their 
way  down,  paddling  along  in  their  little  bark  canoes,  and  were 
intending,  when  they  came  into  the  vicinity  of  the  settlements,  to 
separate  themselves  into  small  companies,  commit  depredations 
and  return  home.  As  the_\'  were  floating  down  with  the  current 
of  the  ri\'er,  the)'  came  to  where  the  boat  had  been  drawn 
on  shore.  Informed  by  this  of  the  presence  of  whites,  they 
secured  their  canoes  and  followed  the  trail  of  those  who  had  but 
a  short  time  before  left  the  river. 

The  Indians  crept  along  the  path  that  had  been  taken,  and  by 
the  morning  light,  concealed  by  the  bushes,  approached  very  near 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  649 

to  the  sentries,  and  burst  so  unexpectedly  upon  these  that  the\' 
liad  only  time  to  run  to  the  camp,  crying,  "The  Indians,  the 
Indians,"  before  the  savages  were  in  their  midst,  with  the  toma- 
hawk and  scalping  knife.  Van  Campen  and  his  men  started  upon 
their  feet  and  in  a  moment  were  ready  for  action.  The  enemy 
had  a  warm  reception.  The  combat*  was  at  first  from  hand-to- 
hand,  and  so  well  sustained  was  the  resistance  that  the  Indians 
were  obliged  to  retire;  but  they  came  up  on  all  sides,  and  one 
after  another  of  Van  Campen's  men  were  cut  down  with  the  rifle. 
Perceiving  that  the  party  of  warriors  was  so  large  as  to  offer  them 
no  hope  of  escape,  and  beholding  their  number  every  moment 
growing  smaller,  they  determined,  though  reluctantly,  to  sur- 
render themselves  to  the  enemy,  under  the  belief  that  their  lives 
would  be  spared.  The  Indians  were  commanded  by  a  Lieutenant 
Nellis,  who  was  in  the  British  service,  and  often  led  the  savages 
in  their  descent  upon  the  frontier  settlements.  To  him  they  made 
their  surrender.  Nine  of  their  number  had  been  killed,  several 
were  wounded,  and  three  in  the  early  part  of  the  action  effected 
their  escape. 

The  Indians,  thus  becoming  masters  of  the  ground,  came  up 
and  took  possession  of  the  prisoners  and  their  arms,  after  which 
they  began  to  dispatch  those  that  had  been  wounded.  Two  of 
Van  Campen's  men — Wallace  and  Stewart — were  killed  with  the 
tomahawk  immediately  before  him.  Another  by  the  name  of 
Craton  was  placed  on  a  large  stone,  and  as  he  sat  bending  over, 
half  unconscious  of  what  was  transpiring  around  him,  was  made 
the  mark  of  four  or  five  savages,  who  took  their  position  a  few 
rods  from  him,  and  all  aiming  their  rifles  at  his  head  fired  at  once. 

*The  place  where  Culbertson  built  his  cabin  and  was  killed,  and  where  the  battle 
took  place,  was  near  what  is  now  the  Bald  Eagle  dam,  about  five  miles  from  the 
confluence  of  Bald  Eagle  Creek  with  the  river  at  the  Great  Island.  The  land  on  the 
north  side  of  the  creek,  at  this  point,  is  considerably  elevated,  and  at  the  dam  it 
rises  in  a  rocky  bluff  from  the  water's  edge.  A  narrow  and  rather  deep  ravine  puts 
into  the  creek  at  this  point,  through  which  a  small  stream  of  water  flows.  The 
mouth  of  the  ravine  at  the  creek  is  quite  narrow  and  deep;  but  a  short  distance  back 
from  the  creek  it  widens  and  forms  a  small  level  plot  of  ground,  on  which  the  cabin 
of  Culbertson  was  built,  near  a  fine  spring  of  water,  which  flows  to  this  day.  The 
distance  from  the  cabin  to  the  creek  was  about  forty  rods.  The  location  is  near  the 
residence  of  Mr.  John  Berry,  and  about  one  mile  from  the  village  of  Flemington. 


650  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

and  with  their  balls  tore  the  top  of  his  skull  from  his  head. 
Craton  fell  over,  and  his  brains  rolled  -out  and  lay  smoking  upon 
the  ground ! 

The  blood  coursed  quick  through  Van  Campen's  veins  as  he 
saw  his  brave  soldiers  treated  thus,  and  it  was  not  the  least  of  his 
suffering  to  be  obliged  to  witness  the  scene  without  the  means  in 
his  power  of  affording  them  aid.  He  was  obliged  to  stand  as 
insensible  as  a  rock,  for  had  he  shown  the  least  signs  of  sympath\- 
or  disapproval,  it  would  have  been  at  the  peril  of  his  life. 

Himself  and  his  men  that  were  not  wounded  were  taken  into 
the  custody  of  Indian  warriors,  and  one  of  them  had  tied  a  cord 
around  his  arm,  and  stood  holding  it,  while  the  executioners  were 
dispatching  those  that  had  been  hurt  in  the  battle.  Near  him 
stood  one  of  his  men  who  had  received  a  shot  through  his  arm 
when  raised  in  the  attitude  of  firing,  the  ball  having  entered  his 
elbow,  had  passed  up  his  arm,  and  gone  out  near  his  shoulder 
blade.  His  name  was  Burvvell.  Van  Campen  seeing  him,  spoke 
and  said:  "Burwell,  you  are  losing  blood  pretty  fast,  are  you 
not?"  "  Yes,"  said  he,  "  I  can't  hold  out  much  longer."  "Stand 
as  long  as  you  can,  my  brave  fellow.  Your  wound  is  such  that  if 
they  pass  you  by  now  they  may  perhaps  spare  your  life." 

Just  then  an  executioner  saw  that  one  more  remained  to  finish 
his  dut}-,  and  he  came  up  towards  Burwell  with  his  tomahawk 
raised  to  strike  him  in  the  head.  Van  Campen,  perceiving  his 
movements,  jerked  from  the  warrior  who  was  holding  him  by  the 
arm,  sprang  forward  with  his  right  hand  clenched,  and  gave  the 
Indian  executioner  a  blow  in  the  breast  which  sent  him  reeling 
backward  until  he  fell  upon  the  ground  like  one  dead.  The 
warriors  then  turned  with  their  hatchets  upon  Van  Campen.  But 
a  party  who  had  witnessed  the  scene  were  highly  pleased  with  the 
bravery  that  had  been  shown  by  their  prisoner,  and  as  the  toma- 
hawk was  about  to  descend,  they  leaped  forward  over  his  head  to 
rescue  him  from  death.  For  a  few  moments  Van  Campen  could 
hear  nothing  but  the  clashing  of  tomahawks,  as  the  warriors 
engaged  in  a  fierce  struggle  for  his  life.  He  was  pushed  about  in 
the  scuffle,  a  part  of  the  time  his  body  bent  over  by  those  who 
endeavored  to  shield  him  from  the  threatened  blow,  expecting 
every  moment  to  have  the  hatchet  enter  his  head ;  but  at  length 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  65  I 

the  fortune  of  the  contest  turned  in  his  favor,  the  majority  being 
determined  to  spare  his  hfe.  When  the  strife  ceased  they  gathered 
around  him  with  looks  of  exultation  and  delight,  and  he  could 
discover,  from  the  pleasure  which  beamed  from  their  every  look, 
that  his  life  would  be  protected  from  any  further  injury.  This 
well-timed  blow  was  the  means  of  sparing  Burwell  from  falling 
under  the  hatchet  of  the  executioner,  for  as  they  came  around 
Van  Campen  they  repeated  one  after  another :  "  Brave  warrior, 
brave  warrior."  They  seemed  by  common  consent  to  yield  the 
life  of  the  one  as  a  tribute  to  the  noble  deed  of  the  other. 

Immediately  after  this  struggle  for  Van  Campen's  life  the 
prisoners  were  stripped  of  all  their  clothing,  except  pantaloons, 
and  taken  a  short  distance  from  the  battle  ground,  where  they 
were  made  to  sit  down  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  while  the  Indians 
made  a  larger  one  around  them,  and  bringing  up  five  Indians  who 
had  been  killed  during  the  engagement,  laid  them  down  near  the 
prisoners.  In  their  movements  they  observed  the  stillness  and 
solemnity  of  death,  and  as  the  captives  eyed  their  motions  and 
beheld  the  dead  warriors  stretched  out  before  them,  they  felt  that 
the  ceremonies  that  were  in  progress  deeply  concerned  themselves ; 
and  though  their  minds  had  in  a  measure  become  callous  to  the 
thoughts  of  death  by  familiarity  with  the  field  of  strife,  still  the 
voice  of  silence  whispered  even  into  their  ears  lessons  of  the 
tomb,  which  they  could  not  help  but  regard.  Under  the  present 
circumstances  it  was  very  natural  for  the  prisoners  to  turn  from  the 
slaughtered  warriors  to  themselves,  and  each  one  began  to  reflect 
upon  the  destiny  which  should  await  him.  Van  Campen  antici- 
pated little  short  of  a  cruel  and  lingering  death,  especially  if  he  was 
discovered  to  be  the  one  who  had  killed  so  many  Indians  while 
effecting  his  escape  in  the  year  1780. 

When  everything  was  arranged,  and  the  warriors  were  standing 
in  a  large  circle  around  the  prisoners  and  the  slain,  an  Indian  chief 
came  forward  into  the  ring  and  commenced  making  a  speech. 
Every  eye  was  turned  upon  the  speaker,  and  as  he  advanced.  Van 
Campen  watched  the  countenances  of  the  Indians,  and  could  see 
them  alternately  swell  with  rage,  and  with  the  stern  and  awful 
looks  of  revenge,  and  then  melt  away  with  the  voice  of  the  orator 
into  expressions  of  pity  and  compassion.     He  said  to  his  men,  in 


652  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

a  low  tone  of  voice,  that  their  fate  would  probably  be  decided  by 
the  speech  of  the  warrior,  and  that  they  had  better  prepare  them- 
selves for  the  last  extremity.  Said  he:  "  If  the  conclusion  is 
unfavorable  it  can  be  but  death  at  any  rate,  and  wt  had  better 
part  with  our  lives  as  dearly  as  possible.  Let  us  fix  upon  the 
weakest  point  of  their  line,  and  if  we  are  condemned  to  die,  let  us 
run  upon  it  with  all  our  might,  snatch  their  weapons  from  them 
and  engage  from  hand-to-hand;  it  may  be  that  some  of  us  will  be 
able  to  effect  our  escape  during  the  struggle."  He  kept  his  eye 
upon  the  speaker,  and  carefully  watched  the  effect  of  his  words 
until  he  was  through,  and,  happih-  for  them,  his  conclusion  was 
brightened  by  a  smile,  which  was  the  token  of  mercy.  There 
was  left  no  ill-boding  cloud  behind  to  warn  them  of  coming  evil. 

Directly  after  the  Indians  proceeded  to  bury  those  who  had 
fallen  in  battle,  which  they  did  by  rolling  an  old  log  from  its  place 
and  laying  their  bodies  in  the  hollow  thus  made,  and  then  heaping 
upon  them  a  little  earth.  They  then  divided  the  prisoners  among 
them,  according  to  the  number  of  their  fires.  Van  Campen  being 
placed  with  the  party  which  encamped  with  Lieutenant  Nellis, 
who,  having  the  first  choice  of  prisoners,  chose  him  because  he 
was  an  officer.  From  him  he  learned  the  substance  of  the  war- 
rior's speech,  who,  as  he  said,  had  been  consulting  the  Great 
Spirit  as  to  what  should  be  done  with  those  that  had  fallen  into 
their  hands.  He  presented  arguments  on  the  one  hand  to  show 
that  the  prisoners  should  be  immediately  killed,  and  again  he 
proceeded  to  remark  that  they  should  be  treated  with  lenity.  At 
one  time,  pointing  to  the  lifeless  bodies  before  him,  he  exclaimed : 
"  These  call  for  vengeance ;  the  blood  of  the  red  man  has  been 
spilled,  and  that  of  the  white  man  mu.st  flow."  Yet  he  repre- 
sented again  that  enough  blood  had  been  shed,  that  vengeance 
had  been  taken  in  those  of  their  enemies  that  had  been  killed,  and 
that  such  of  their  own  party  as  had  fallen  met  only  the  common 
fate  of  war.  He  suggested  finally  that  the  lives  of  the  prisoners 
should  be  spared,  and  they  be  adopted  into  the  families  of  those 
that  had  been  slain. 

In  accordance  with  this  recommendation  the  prisoners  were 
unharmed  and  put  in  readiness  to  march  with  the  Indians.  Packs 
were  prepared  for  them,  and  having  shouldered  these,  they  began 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  653 

to  march  towards  the  place  where  the  warriors  had  first  seen  the 
marks  which  led  them  in  pursuit,  and  having  reached  this  they 
entered  their  bark  canoes,  rowed  across  the  river,  and  then  sent 
them  adrift  down  the  stream. 

The  Indians  then  took  up  their  line  of  march  back  to  Niagara, 
proceeding  across  the  valley  and  its  tributary  streams.  On  the 
morning  of  the  second  day  of  their  march,  as  Van  Campen  passed 
by  one  of  their  fires,  he  saw  one  of  his  soldiers,  named  Henderson, 
seated  upon  a  billet  of  wood,  and  two  Indians  standing  by  his 
side.  His  countenance  was  sad  and  pale,  indicating  the  presence 
of  anxious  and  painful  thoughts.  He  had  been  wounded  by  a 
ball,  which  struck  his  left  hand  as  it  was  raised  for  the  purpose  of 
firing,  and  cut  off  four  of  his  fingers.  Van  Campen,  supposing 
that  the  fate  of  this  soldier  had  been  decided,  beheld  him  with 
mingled  pity  and  concern ;  yet  there  was  no  remedy,  and  he  passed 
on,  bearing  his  mournful  countenance  before  him.  He  did  not  go 
far  before  he  heard  a  noise  like  the  sound  of  a  tomahawk  entering 
the  head,  and  in  a  few  moments  saw  the  two  Indians  who  had 
been  standing  by  Henderson  run  by  him,  bearing  a  scalp  and 
carrying  a  hatchet  dripping  with  blood.  The  sight  filled  him  with 
maddening  thoughts,  yet  he  did  not  reveal  his  emotions  by  action 
or  look,  but  continued  to  march  reckless  of  every  event  that 
should  befall  him. 

Their  march  during  the  day  was  continued  without  provisions 
until  they  arrived  at  Pine  Creek,  where  they  halted  while  the 
Indian  hunters  went  out  in  pursuit  of  game.  In  a  short  time  they 
returned,  bringing  along  an  elk.  This  was  soon  dressed  and  pre- 
pared for  roasting.  The  prisoners  were  allowed  the  same  liberty 
that  was  taken  by  the  warriors  themselves.  They  cut  from  the 
animal  as  much  fresh  meat  as  they  wished  and  roasted  it  on  coals, 
or  held  it  on  the  end  of  a  sharpened  stick  to  the  fire.  This  made 
them  an  excellent  supper,  and  was  quite  a  relief  to  their  keen 
appetites. 

Burwell,  whose  life  had  been  spared,  marched  with  the  Indians 
as  a  prisoner;  but  his  wound  in  a  few  days  became  very  much 
inflamed  and  painful  to  such  a  degree  that  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  he  proceeded  on  his  march ;  and  though  he  promised  to 
give  them  trouble,  they  did  not  seek  to  rid  themselves  of  his  care 


654  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

in  the  summary  manner  in  which  they  generally  treated  their 
prisoners,  but  exercised  their  skill  to  restore  him  to  health  and 
soundness.  Having  collected  a  parcel  of  suitable  herbs,  they 
boiled  them  in  water,  thus  making  a  strong  decoction,  in  which 
they  dipped  the  feather  of  a  quill  and  ran  it  through  his  wound. 
Whenever  this  was  done  Van  Campen,  who  had  been  quartered 
with  a  different  company,  was  brought  to  see  the  attention  which 
was  given  to  his  soldiers — a  very  simple  but  flattering  token  of 
the  respect  they  paid  to  his  braveiy.  The  operation  was  exceed- 
ingly painful,  and  as  Van  Campen  stood  by  he  encouraged  him  to 
bear  up  bravely  under  his  treatment,  saying  that  he  must  prove 
himself  a  man,  and  that  if  he  suffered  the  keenest  anguish,  he 
should  not  manifest  it  by  a  single  sign.  The  Indians  who  were 
by  seemed  to  understand  the  instructions  that  were  given,  and 
were  highly  pleased  with  them,  as  well  as  the  manner  in  which 
the  soldier  endured  the  pain.  In  a  short  time  the  inflammation 
was  removed,  and  the  wound  healed  under  this  harsh  but  salutary 
treatment. 

Burwell  lived  to  enjoy  many  a  pleasant  day  after  the  Revolution, 
yet  whenever  he  told  the  story  of  the  blow  which  Van  Campen 
gave  to  the  Indian  executioner,  whose  hatchet  was  raised  to 
destroy  his  life,  and  when  he  described  the  fierce  and  doubtful 
struggle  that  followed,  it  was  always  with  tears  in  his  eyes. 
Several  years  afterwards  he  paid  Van  Campen  a  visit  at  his  resi- 
dence in  Angelica,  saying  that  he  was  about  to  remove  to  one  of 
the  Southern  States,  and  that  he  had  come  to  see  once  more  the 
man  who  had  saved  his  life  at  the  risk  of  his  own ! 

Van  Campen  and  his  fellow  prisoners  were  marched  through 
the  various  Indian  villages,  and  some  of  them  were  adopted  in 
families  to  make  up  for  the  loss  of  those  killed  in  the  battle  on  the 
Bald  Eagle.     Van  Campen  passed  through  all  the  villages  *  undis- 

*At  a  place  called  Pigeon  Wood  they  fell  in  with  a  large  body  of  Indians  on  a 
hunting  expedition,  and  were  received  with  wild  demonstrations  of  savage  glee.  The 
arrival  of  the  war  party  with  their  prisoners  was  followed  by  a  feast.  What  Van 
Campen  most  feared  was  recognition.  While  the  festivities  were  at  their  height,  one 
belonging  to  the  new  party  approached  him,  looked  at  him  intently,  and  speaking  in 
a  low  tone  called  him  by  name,  adding  that  he  knew  of  his  escape  two  years  before 
by  killing  his  captors.  Van  Campen  now  thought  that  he  had  nothing  save  torture 
and  death  to  expect.  Great,  however,  was  his  surprise  when  told  by  the  stranger 
that  he  himself  was  a  prisoner,  held  by  the  Indians  to  act  as  an  interpreter;  assured 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  655 

covered ;  neither  was  it  known  that  he  had  been  a  prisoner  before 
and  had  effected  his  escape  by  killing  four  men  and  seriously 
wounding  John  Mohawk,  until  he  had  been  turned  over  to  the 
British  at  Fort  Niagara.  As  soon  as  this  fact  became  known 
among  the  Indians  they  were  furious,  and  demanded  of  the  British 
officer  that  he  should  be  returned  to  them.  So  anxious  were  they 
to  get  him  in  their  power  for  torture  that  they  offered  several 
prisoners  in  exchange  for  him.  The  commander  of  the  fort,  on 
these  appeals  being  made,  sent  an  officer  to  examine  him.  He 
stated  the  facts  of  his  killing  the  party  of  savages  on  the  North 
Branch.  The  officer  stated  that  his  case  was  a  grave  one,  and  he 
did  not  know  whether  they  could  hold  him  when  the  Indians 
demanded  his  return.  Van  Campen  stated  to  the  officer  that  he 
considered  himself  a  prisoner  of  war  to  the  British,  and  claimed 
protection  as  such;  that  he  believed  the  British  possessed  more 
honor  than  to  hand  him  over  to  the  savages  to  be  burned  at  the 
stake;  that  if  they  did  they  might  expect  retaliation  in  case  one 
of  their  officers  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans. 

The  officer  withdrew,  but  soon  afterwards  returned  and  informed 
him  that  there  was  but  one  condition  on  which  his  life  could  be 
saved,  and  that  was  to  abandon  the  rebel  cause  and  join  the 
British.  As  a  further  inducement  he  was  offered  the  same  rank 
in  the  British  service.  The  answer  of  Van  Campen  was  worthy 
the  hero  of  any  age  or  people,  and  showed  that  the  courage  of 
the  patriot  never  quailed  under  the  most  trying  circumstances. 
It  was:     "No,  sir,  no — my  life  belongs  to  my  country;  give  me 

that  he  would  probably  remain  unrecognized,  and  put  on  his  guard  against  revealing 
his  identity  until  under  British  protection  in  Canada.  This  was  Van  Campen's 
memorable  meeting  with  Horatio  Jones,  the  interpreter.  Horatio  Jones  was  born  in 
Chester  County,  Pa.,  November  19,  1763.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  enlisted  as  a 
volunteer  in  Captain  John  Boyd's  company,  and  a  year  or  two  later  was  with  Boyd 
in  his  disastrous  expedition,  when  captured  by  the  Indians  under  Nellis.  Like  his 
captain,  young  Jones,  after  running  the  gauntlet,  escaped  death  through  the  inter- 
vention of  pitying  squaws.  He  was  subsequently  adopted  into  an  Indian  family, 
and  remained  in  captivity,  serving  as  an  interpreter,  until  after  the  treaty  of  1784. 
After  the  war  he  settled  at  Geneseo,  N.  Y.,  then  known  as  Big  Tree,  was  appointed 
by  Washington  as  interpreter  of  the  Six  Nations,  frequently  acting  as  the  favorite 
interpreter  of  Red  Jacket,  and  rendered  invaluable  service  to  the  Government  in  its 
treaties  with  late  hostile  tribes.  By  his  bravery,  tact,  physical  strength  and  manly 
traits  of  character,  Horatio  Jones  acquired  great  influence  over  the  Indians,  and 
retained  their  entire  confidence  through  life. 


656  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  Stake,  the  tomahawk,  or  the  scalpiiig-ktiife,  before  I  ivill  dis- 
honor the  charaeter  of  an  American  officer! " 

That  settled  it.  No  more  dishonorable  overtures  \vere  made  to 
him,  and  he  was  held  and  protected  as  a  prisoner  of  war.  And 
sometime  in  March,  1783,  he  was  exchanged  and  returned  home. 
He  immediately  went  into  service  again  with  his  company  at 
Northumberland.  Soon  afterwards  Captain  Robinson  received 
orders  to  march  with  his  company  to  Wyoming,  and  Van  Campen 
and  Ensign  Chambers  accompanied  him.  They  remained  in  the 
service  until  November  of  that  year,  when  the  army  was  dis- 
charged, and  they  retired  to  private  life,  poor  and  penniless,  after 
what",they  had  endured  in  the  service  of  their  country. 

Moses  Van  Campen,  some  years  after  his  marriage,  moved  his 
family  to  New  York,  where  he  resided  until  the  close  of  his  long 
and  eventful  life.  He  died  at  Angelica  October  15,  1849,  aged  92 
years,  8  months  and  24  days.  The  following  is  a  very  good 
likeness  of  the  old  hero  as  he  appeared  at  the  age  of  90  years : 


M.'VJOR    MOSES 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  657 

The  following  sketch  of  the  family  of  Major  Moses  Van  Campen, 
written  by  Miss  Mary  Lockhart,  of  Almond,  New  York,  who  is 
a  granddaughter,  will  prove  interesting  in  this  connection.  She 
says : 

"  Moses  Van  Campen  married  Margaret  McClure,  the  daughter 
of  James  McClure,  a  worthy  citizen  of  Bloomsburg,  Pa.  The 
location  where  the  town  of  Bloomsburg  now  stands  was  a  part  of 
the  farm  given  her  by  her  father.  He  had  no  sons  to  perpetuate 
his  name,  but  had  five  daughters,  who  all  were  women  of  unusual 
refinement  of  manners  and  of  benevolence  of  heart.  They  were 
born  in  Pennsylvania  (their  home  then  was  on  the  Fishing  Creek), 
with  the  exception  of  the  youngest  daughter,  who,  I  think,  was 
born 'after  their  removal  to  the  state  of  New  York. 

"  Mary  Van  Campen,  the  eldest  daughter,  my  dear  mother,  more 
closely  resembled  her  father  than  any  of  his  other  children.  She 
married  George  Lockhart,  who  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  a 
native  of  the  North  of  Ireland,  emigrating  when  about  nine  years 
of  age  with  his  father  and  the  rest  of  his  family  to  this  country. 
Shortly  after  his  father's  arrival  he  bought  about  300  acres  of  land 
on  the  Susquehanna  River,  below  the  Wyoming  Valley,  but  the 
title  not  proving  valid  he  lost  it  all,  retaining  only  what  was 
secured  by  a  second  payment. 

"  My  father  and  mother  are  the  parents  of  eight  children,  one 
dying  in  infancy,  seven  grown  up  to  adult  age,  five  sons  and  two 
daughters.  The  eldest  son,  Moses  Van  Campen  Lockhart,  died 
in  October  of  1887.  The  second  son,  James,  a  merchant  in 
Angelica,  died  in  1886.  The  third  son,  John,  served  under  General 
Sherman  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  He  died  in  1870,  his  death 
doubtless  hastened  by  hardships  endured  while  in  the  army.  The 
fourth  son,  Alfred,  formerly  a  merchant  of  Angelica,  is  now  in  the 
Patent  Office  in  Washington.  He  entered  during  the  administra- 
tion of  President  Arthur.  The  fifth  son,  Joseph,  lives  on  the  farm 
my  father  bought  shortly  after  his  marriage,  and  where  he  and  my 
mother  lived  until  their  decease.  My  father  died  in  1854.  My 
mother  died  in  1864.  The  sixth  child  was  Elizabeth.  She  was 
married  to  Henry  W.  Crandall,  a  merchant  of  Almond.  She  died 
in  1874.  Of  seven  children  but  three  survive,  two  brothers  and 
myself      Anna,   the   second   daughter   of   Moses   Van   Campen, 


658  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

married  Alvin  Burr,  from  Connecticut,  for  many  years  one  of  the 
most  prominent  lawyers  of  Allegany  County,  N.  Y.  They  had 
two  children,  a  son,  Moses,  now  living  in  Angelica.  After  the 
removal  of  my  grandfather  to  Dansville,  Mr.  Burr  went  to  live 
in  his  very  pleasant  home  after  he  retired  from  his  profession. 
The  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burr,  Harriet,  married  John 
Olmstead,  a  banker,  who  lives  at  Yonkers,  on  the  Hudson.  She 
died  in  1885.  The  third  daughter,  Priscilla,  married  Mr.  Samuel 
Mulholland,  a  farmer,  who  lived  on  the  shore  of  the  Canisteo 
River.  At  their  decease  they  left  two  daughters,  Sarah,  the 
eldest,  now  Mrs.  Frederick  W.  Landers,  who  resides  in  Decorah, 
Iowa,  the  other  daughter,  Mary,  now  Mrs.  Frank  Lewis,  living  in 
St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 

"The  fourth  daughter  of  Moses  Van  Campen  was  Elizabeth. 
She  married  the  Rev.  Robert  Hubbard,  a  Presbyterian  clergyman, 
a  native  of  Sherbourne,  Mass.,  a  graduate  of  Williams  College, 
and  one  of  the  most  exemplary  of  men.  They  left  one  son,  now 
the  Rev.  J.  N.  Hubbard,  of  Tracy,  California.  He  is  a  graduate 
of  Yale  College,  author  of  the  Life  of  Moses  Van  Canipcn,  and  of 
the  Life  of  Red  fackct. 

"  The  fifth  daughter,  Lavinia,  married  Samuel  Southworth,  M.  D., 
a  prominent  physician  of  Allegany  County.  She  died  at  the 
early  age  of  32  years,  leaving  two  little  daughters,  one  of  whom 
died  in  girlhood.  The  other,  Margarette,  married  a  Mr.  Mills,  of 
Mount  Morris,  Livingston  County,  N.  Y.  She  died  in  September 
of  18S7. 

"  You  will  see  by  this  sketch  that  the  descendants  of  Moses  Van 
Campen  are  fast  passing  away.  His  children,  all  but  the  youngest 
daughter,  Mrs.  Southworth,  lived  to  the  age  of  three-score  years 
and  ten.  Of  the  grandchildren  more  than  the  half  are  gone. 
Seven  are  still  living.     Eight  have  died  within  the  past  few  years." 

One  of  the  most  atrocious  murders  in  1781  was  that  of  the 
Stock  famil)',  near  Selinsgrove.  Three  of  Stock's  sons  were  at 
work  in  a  field  when  a  party  of  about  thirty  Indians  appeared. 
They  did  not  attack  the  boys,  but  passed  on  to  the  house,  which 
they  entered.  On  the  way  they  found  another  son  plowing  in  a 
field,  whom  they  killed.  Mrs.  Stock  and  a  daughter-in-law  were 
found   in   the    house.       The    mother,  a  strong  and    courageous 


HISTORY    OF    THE   WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  659 

woman,  defended  herself  with  a  canoe  pole,  as  she  retreated  towards 
the  field  where  her  husband  was.  She  was  killed  by  a  tomahawk, 
however,  the  house  plundered  and  the  young  woman  carried  into 
the  woods  near  by  and  killed  and  scalped.  When  Stock  returned 
he  found  his  house  plundered,  his  son  dead  in  the  field,  his  wife 
with  a  deep  wound  in  her  forehead,  murdered,  and  the  young 
woman  inhumanly  butchered. 

The  alarm  was  quickly  given,  when  three  experienced  Indian 
fighters.  Grove,  Pence  and  Stroh,  pursued  the  savages.  They 
found  them  encamped  on  the  North  Branch,  on  the  side  of  a  hill 
covered  with  fern.  Grove  crept  up  and  discovered  that  their  rifles 
were  stacked  around  a  tree,  and  that  all  but  three  or  four  were 
asleep.  One  of  the  Indians  was  narrating  in  high  glee  how  Mrs. 
Stock  defended  herself  with  the  canoe  pole.  Grove  lay  quiet 
until  all  the  Indians  fell  asleep.  He  then  returned  to  his  com- 
rades, Stroh  and  Pence,  and  informed  them  what  he  had  seen. 
They  decided  to  attack  them  when  all  appeared  to  be  asleep. 
They  crept  up  close  to  the  camp  and  dashed  among  the  sleeping 
savages.  Grove  plied  his  tomahawk  vigorously  on  their  heads, 
while  Stroh  and  Pence*  seized  the  guns  and  fired  among  the 
sleepers.  Several  were  killed,  when  the  Indians,  thinking  they 
were  attacked  by  a  large  party,  fled.  How  many  were  killed  is 
not  known,  but  the  white  party  brought  home  a  number  of  scalps. 
A  captive  white  boy  was  liberated.  Collecting  the  best  guns,  and 
destroying  the  balance.  Grove  and  his  companions  made  their  way 
to  the  river,  built  a  raft  and  floated  down  stream,  and  reached 
home  in  safety. 

Sometime  in  1781  Captain  John  Boyd,t  of  Northumberland, 
started  with  a  company  of  about  forty  men  on  an  expedition  to  the 

*Very  little  is  known  of  the  history  of  Peter  Pence.  That  he  was  a  daring  scout 
and  soldier  there  is  no  doubt.  In  June,  1775,  he  enlisted  in  Captain  John  Lowdon's 
company  and  marched  to  Boston,  where  he  did  good  service.  Pence,  according  to 
the  fragmentary  records,  saw  much  hard  service.  When  peace  was  restored  he 
settled  in  Nippenose  Valley,  Lycoming  County,  where  he  died  in  1812.  He  left 
several  sons  and  daughters.  In  1810  the  Legislature  granted  him  a  pension  of  $40 
per  annum.  Robert  Hamilton,  of  Pine  Creek  Township,  Clinton  County,  was  the 
e.\ecutor  of  his  estate.  He  left  a  will  which  is  recorded  in  Lycoming  County.  For 
a  much  fuller  account  of  Pence  see  Meginness'  Historical  Journal  for  1887,  pages 
88  and  155. 

f  For  a  sketch  of  the  Boyd  family  see  Meginness'  Biographical  Annals,  page  35. 


660  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Juniata.  Near  Raystown  they  were  surprised  by  a  large  body  of 
Indians  and  a  sharp  fight  took  place,  but  the  whites  were  over- 
come by  superior  numbers,  and,  after  losing  several  men,  were 
compelled  to  fly.  Lieutenant  John  Cooke,  of  Northumberland^ 
who  was  with  the  party,  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner.  Four 
Indians  took  him  in  charge  and  started  through  the  wilderness. 
On  the  third  night  of  his  captivit>'  they  began  to  amuse  them- 
selves by  burning  his  legs  with  firebrands,  and  as  he  was  much 
exhausted  from  loss  of  blood  from  his  wounds,  was  scarcely  able 
to  move.  After  traveling  through  the  wilderness  for  about  twenty 
days,  fed  on  the  entrails  of  wild  animals,  they  brought  him  to 
Niagara.  He  was  taken  out  one  day  to  run  the  gauntlet,  but 
being  unable  to  run,  as  his  legs  were  so  badl)'  burned,  the  savages 
at  length  took  mercy  on  him  and  let  him  off.  He  was  then  con- 
fined in  prison  till  he  was  finally  exchanged  and  returned.  He  is 
said  to  have  had  an  exceedingly  sharp  pair  of  legs  from  the  knees 
down,  probably  occasioned  by  the  burning. 

After  their  defeat  Captain  Boyd  tried  to  make  his  escape  by 
running,  but  was  pursued  and  received  three  severe  gashes  in  his 
head  with  a  tomahawk,  when  he  was  retaken.  The  Indians  imme- 
diately struck  across  the  country  and  came  to  the  We.st  Branch, 
near  the  mouth  of  Sinnemahoning  Creek.  They  also  had  another 
prisoner  named  Ross,  who  was  wounded  very  badly.  Being 
unable  to  travel  further,  the  savages  determined  to  massacre  him 
in  a  very  cruel  manner.  He  was  fastened  to  a  stake,  his  body  stuck 
full  of  pitch  pine  splinters,  when  fire  was  applied,  and  they  danced 
around  him  in-  fiendish  glee,  all  the  time  uttering  the  most  hideous 
yells.     His  tortures  were  terrible  before  death  relieved  him. 

During  this  time  Captain  Boyd,  faint  from  the  loss  of  blood, 
was  tied  to  a  small  white  oak  sapling  and  compelled  to  be  a  silent 
spectator  of  the  diabolical  scene.  His  turn  was  to  come  next  and 
he  summoned  up  courage  and  quietly  resigned  himself  to  his  fate. 
While  these  incarnate  fiends  were  making  preparations  to  torture 
him  to  death  by  inches,  he  sang  a  pretty  Masonic  song,  with  a 
plaintive  air,  which  attracted  their  attention,  and  they  listened  to 
it  closely  till  he  was  through.  At  this  critical  moment  an  old 
squaw  came  up  and  claimed  him  as  her  son.  The  Indians  did  not 
interfere.     She  immediately  dressed  his  wounds  and  attended  to 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  66 1 

him  carefully  during  their  journey  to  Canada.  She  accompanied 
him  to  Quebec,  where  he  was  placed  in  the  hospital  and  attended 
by  an  English  surgeon  and  rapidly  recovered.  He  was  then 
turned  out  into  the  street  without  money  or  friends.  As  he 
passed  along  a  large  sign,  with  the  letters  "  Masonic  Inn  "  painted 
on  it,  attracted  his  attention,  and  observing  the  landlord  standing 
in  the  door,  he  gave  him  the  sign  of  the  Order,  which  was  recog- 
nized. He  was  kindly  taken  in  and  cared  for  till  he  was  exchanged. 
The  wounds  on  his  head  caused  him  ever  afterwards  to  keep  up  a 
continual  winking. 

The  old  squaw  who  was  the  means  of  preserving  his  life 
belonged  to  the  Oneida  tribe.  Boyd  *  remembered  her  kindly  as 
one  of  his  best  friends,  and  frequently  sent  her  presents  of  money 
and  trinkets.  On  one  occasion  he  is  said  to  have  made  a  journey 
north  to  visit  her  in  her  aboriginal  home  and  personally  thank  her 
for  saving  his  life.  Boyd  died  at  Northumberland  February  13, 
1 83 1,  aged  82  years. 

After  the  murder  of  Klinesmith  Captain  Peter  Grove,  his  brother, 
Michael  Grove,  Lieutenant  Cramer  and  William  Campbell  resolved 
to  pursue  the  Indians  and  not  return  until  they  secured  a  few 
scalps,  even  if  they  had  to  follow  them  to  their  towns.  On  their 
way  up  they  took  dinner  at  the  house  of  James  Ellis,  near  Fort 
Muncy,  and  to  be  on  their  guard  ate  with  their  rifles  lying  across 
their  knees.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  they  came  in  sight 
of  the  Indians  at  a  point  near  Youngwomanstown,  when  they 
ascertained  that  the  party  consisted  of  twenty-five  or  thirty 
warriors.  This  was  a  very  large  number  for  four  men  to  pursue, 
but  so  intent  were  they  on  striking  a  blow  for  revenge  that  they 
did  not  shrink  from  the  danger. 

The  Indians,  evidently  fearful  of  pursuit,  did  not  kindle  a  fire 
that  evening,  and  the  Grove  party  delayed  their  attack  and 
awaited  a  more  favorable  opportunity.  They  stealthily  pursued 
them  all  the  next  day,  keeping  well  up  on  the  hill-sides  to  be  out 
of  danger.  The  Indians  traveled  rapidly,  and  that  evening  reached 
the  mouth  of  a  little  stream  which   empties   into  the  Sinnema- 

*The  story  of  Boyd's  sufferings  was  related  to  the  author  thirty-five  years  ago  by 
Jacob  Cooke,  of  Muncy,  who  was  a  descendant  of  the  Cooke  family  of  Northum- 
berland.    For  sketch  of  Cooke  see  Meginness'  Biographical  Annals,  page  77. 


662  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

honing  Creek  about  twelve  miles  from  its  mouth,  and  fancying 
themselves  secure,  kindled  a  fire  for  the  first  time. 

Grove's  party  cautiously  followed  the  paths  and  trails  that  led 
up  the  river  to  Cook's  Run,  ^\'hich  empties  into  the  West  Branch 
about  three  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Sinnemahoning.  At 
this  point  they  took  the  short  route  over  the  mountain,  used  by 
the  Indians,  to  the  mouth  of  the  First  Fork,  or  east  branch  of  the 
Sinnemahoning,  which  joins  the  main  stream  twelve  miles  from  its 
mouth.  From  the  summit  of  one  of  the  Fork  hills  of  the  stream, 
afterwards  called  EUicott's  *  Run,  they  discovered  the  Indian  camp 
fire  at  the  mouth  of  the  stream  now  called  Grove's  Run.  They 
were  encamped  near  a  fine  spring  that  formed  a  large  pool  or 
pond,  and  near  the  river  bank.  On  the  bank  of  the  little  stream 
stood  a  large  oak  tree  about  thirty  inches  in  circumference,  and 
some  six  or  seven  feet  from  the  ground  a  large  limb,  at  least 
eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  projected  from  the  tree,  on  the  side 
next  the  river  and  opposite  the  pond  or  spring.  This  limb  ran 
out  twelve  or  fifteen  feet,  and  drooped  slightly.     In  this  limb  they 

*Hon  John  Brooks,  now  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  Sinnemahoning,  says: 
"  The  stream  was  named  for  Mr.  Ellicott,  the  surveyor,  who,  about  1801,  laid  out 
and  opened  a  wagon  road  up  the  Sinnemahoning — crossing  the  creek  from  flat  to 
flat— and  up  the  Driftwood  branch  to  its  head,  then  down  the  Tuninquant  to  the  line 
of  the  state  of  New  York.  EUicott's  name  was  Joseph,  and  his  brother  Andrew 
was  in  the  employ  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania.  Under  date  of  April  20,  1795,  he 
writes  to  Governor  Miffiin  in  relation  to  the  town  of  La  Boeuff,  which  he  had  laid 
out  in  1794.  Speaking  of  his  compensation  he  refers  incidentally  to  his  brother' who 
is  in  the  employ  of  the  Holland  Land  Company,  and  who  receives  $8  a  day  and  his 
expenses  paid.'  See  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Vol.  VI.,  pages  816-17.  I  have  a 
copy  of  Jess'  Surveying,  printed  at  Wilmington,  Uel.,  in  1799.  This  was  the  book 
that  Joseph  Ellicott  had  and  used  when  laying  out  and  opening  this  road  for  the 
Holland  Land  Company;  and  I  have  often  conversed  with  -Adam  Logue,  vvho  assisted 
in  hunting  and  furnishing  supplies  to  EUicott's  coips,  and  was  under  his  pay.  I  have 
also  often  conversed  with  Joseph  Mason,  a  surv^or,  who  was  with  Ellicott  and 
assisted  John  Hanna  in  making  the  surveys  in  this  section  in  1794,  and  whose  sons 
now  have  the  compass  used  by  Ellicott  in  the  survey  of  the  road,  and  the  book 
referred  to  was  given  to  Adam  Logue  aforesaid,  of  whom  I  obtained  it,  and  made 
my  first  study  in  the  science  of  surveying  in  1834.  This  road  was  laid  out  prior  to 
1805  and  after  1801.  The  Holland  Land  Company  owned  a  large  body  of  land 
obtained  from  the  State,  and  the  warrants  were  generally  surveyed  in  1793  and  1794, 
and  are  situated  in  Cameron,  Elk  and  McKean  counties.  I  believe  the  State  had  a 
loan  from  the  Hollanders  to  pay  the  e.xpenses  of  the  war  of  1776,  and  took  their  pay 
in  land  warrants." 


HISTORV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  663 

Stuck  their  tomahawks,*  the  marks  of  which  were  plainly  visible 
for  many  years  afterwards. 

Creeping  up  stealthily,  Peter  Grove  found  the  Indians  lying 
under  the  tree  and  their  guns  were  standing  against  the  trunk. 
Having  studied  the  situation,  he  drew  back  a  short  distance,  and 
crouching  like  a  tiger,  quietly  waited  until  the  Indians  were 
wrapped  in  sleep  before  springing  upon  them.  One  old  Indian 
annoyed  them  very  much.  He  was  troubled  with  a  severe  cough, 
and  frequently  rose  up  and  looked  around  carefully  as  if  apprehen- 
sive of  danger.  At  length  he  fell  asleep,  when  the  Grove  party 
silently  crept  up,  intending  to  use  their  tomahawks  first.  One  of 
the  party  unexpectedly  crawled  over  an  Indian  who  was  lying  a 
few  feet  from  the  others,  and  just  at  this  moment  the  troublesome 
old  man  raised  his  head  again.  Finding  themselves  discovered 
there  was  no  alternative  but  to  rush  upon  the  Indians.  Michael 
Grove,  with  a  powerful  stroke  of  his  hatchet,  clove  the  skull  of 
the  old  man,  and  striking  it  into  the  back  of  another  was  unable 
to  withdraw  it.  when  the  Indian  drew  him  over  the  bank  of  the 
creek,  where  he  succeeded  in  killing  and  scalping  him.  The 
others  plied  their  hatchets  vigorously  and  killed  sev^eral,  when 
they  began  to  use  their  rifles.  One  of  the  party  seized  several  of 
their  guns  and  threw  them  into  the  pond  of  water.  The  Indians 
in  the  meantime  had  fled  to  the  other  side  of  the  creek,  when, 
finding  that  the  assaulting  party  was  small,  and  being  between 
them  and  the  light,  commenced  firing  at  them.  As  they  had  the 
advantage  the  whites  were  obliged  to  beat  a  retreat  without 
securing  the  scalps  of  all  that  were  killed.  They  secured  two,t 
however,  when  the}'  retreated  rapidly  by  wading  the  Sinnema- 

*  William  Nelson,  now  living  at  Huntley,  on  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad, 
four  miles  above  Driftwood,  says  that  his  father  moved  up  the  fork  of  the  Sinnema- 
honing  in  1S22,  when  he  was  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  old  (now  80),  and  when  they 
arrived  his  curiosity  led  him  to  visit  the  battle  ground,  and  he  counted  twelve  distinct 
marks  of  the  tomahawks  in  the  bark  of  this  large  limb.  This  Mr.  Nelson  considers 
as  proof  that  the  party  consisted  of  twelve  Indians,  although  there  was  a  tradition 
that  there  were  twenty-five.  But  it  is  believed  that  there  was  another  parly  encamped 
six  or  eight  miles  up  the  Fir.st  Fork. 

fin  the  State  Treasurer's  account  for  September  30,  1780,  appears  this  item: 
"Cash  paid  Robert  Martin  for  Jacob  Creamer,  Peter  Grove,  William  Campbell  and 
Michael  Grove,  for  two  Indian  scalps,  ;if  1,875."  This  shows  that  they  only  got  two 
scalps  and  that  the  currency  of  the  Province  was  fearfully  depreciated  at  that  time. 


664  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

honing  to  its  mouth,  twelve  miles  below,  and  then  making  tracks 
along  the  shore  of  the  river  a  short  distance,  as  if  going  down, 
when  they  turned  and  waded  up  the  river  a  short  distance  above 
the  mouth  of  Sinnemahoning  Creek,  when  they  left  the  river  on  the 
south  side,  where  the  bluffs  came  down  to  the  water's  edge,  and 
then  ascended  the  mountain  and  made  their  way  over  it  to  Bald 
Eagle  Creek.  Here  the}-  ascended  Bald  Eagle  Mountain,  when 
they  saw  the  Indians  in  pursuit  the  next  day  in  the  valley  where 
Monseytown  flats  are  located,  a  short  distance  above  Lock  Haven, 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  Grove  and  party  kept  along  the 
summit  of  the  mountain,  and  taking  the  path  which  led  through  . 
Nippenose  Valley,  returned  to  their  homes  in  Buffalo  Valley  in 
safety.  This  expedition  was  one  of  the  most  daring  on  record, 
and  in  its  results  crowned  the  pursuing  party  with  laurels.  The 
oak  tree  under  which  the  Indians  were  sleeping  stood  until  the 
flood  of  1847,  when  it  was  washed  out  by  the  roots  and  disap- 
peared. When  the  pool  of  water  was  drained  the  rusty  irons  of 
a  gun  were  found  which  the  Indians  had  failed  to  recover.  The 
little  stream  on  which  the  battle  occurred  is  now  known  as  Grove 
Run,  and  it  flows  through  the  western  end  of  the  \-illage  of 
Sinnemahoning. 

All  that  is  known  of  the  ancestors  of  the  Groves  is  that  they 
were  Hollanders,  and  probably  came  to  Buffalo  Valley  quite 
early.  Linn  says  in  his  Annals  that  there  were  four  brothers — 
Wendell,  Adam,  Michael  and  Peter.  Michael  died  in  Nippenose 
Valley  in  1827,  aged  70  years,  and  his  body  was  taken  home  and 
buried  in  the  Driesbach  grave-yard.  He  left  three  children: 
John,  Sarah,  and  another  daughter  who  married  Jacob  Smith. 
Sarah  married  Samuel  Lutz.  He  seems  to  have  acquired  con- 
siderable property,  as  he  gave  his  daughters  farms  in  Nippenose 
Valley,  and  he  was  there  visiting  when  he  died.  His  son  John 
left  a  son  Michael  and  a  daughter  Esther.  He  died  on  his  grand- 
father's farm  in  Buffalo  Valley.  Esther  married  Enoch  Kauffman. 
Michael's  son  Peter  was  living  a  few  years  ago  in  West  Buffalo 
Township,  together  with  other  descendants.  Adam  lived  on  what 
was  known  as  the  Nesbitt  property,  which  he  sold  to  Thomas 
Nesbitt  in  1822.  His  son  Samuel  married  a  Miss  Glass,  and  is 
the  father  of  Simon,  Joseph,  William  and  Wesley  Grove.     The 


HISTORY    OF   THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  665 

latter  was  starved  to  death  in  a  rebel  prison.  A  daughter  married 
Jacob  Parks. 

Peter  Grove,  the  hero  of  the  Sinnemahoning  battle,  married 
Sarah  Witmore  and  settled  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  at 
Dunnstown,  Clinton  County.  They  had  nine  children,  named  as 
follows:  John,  Jacob,  Peter,  George,  William,  Elizabeth,  Pattie, 
Susan  and  Fearm. 

Peter  Grove  lost  his  life  by  drowning  in  the  year  1802  or  1803. 
He  had  gone  over  the  river  from  Dunnstown  to  attend  a  shooting 
match  at  Old  Town,  which  stood  near  the  junction  of  Beech 
Creek  with  the  river.  On  the  return,  in  a  canoe,  and  when 
opposite  the  tavern  of  John  Myers,  the  two  young  men  who  were 
with  him — one  of  whom  was  named  Clark — commenced  rocking 
the  canoe  and  it  upset.  The  river  was  somewhat  swollen,  but  as 
Grove  was  known  to  be  a  good  swimmer  they  supposed  he  could 
easily  reach  the  shore.  He  had  on  an  overcoat  which  interfered 
with  his  swimming  very  much,  and  although  he  cried  for  assistance 
when  he  found  he  was  sinking,  his  comrades  supposed  he  was 
doing  it  merely  to  frighten  them,  and  they  did  not  aid  him.  But 
the  strong  man  was  struggling  for  his  life,  and  finally  drowned  in 
the  presence  of  his  friends.  Tradition  informs  us  that  they  had 
been  drinking  freely,  which  may  have  been  the  case,  and  the 
result  was  the  death  of  the  man  who  had  often  braved  much 
greater  dangers  on  land  in  the  presence  of  the  savage  foe.  The 
place  where  his  death  occurred  is  a  short  distance  above  the  Great 
Island,  and  about  where  the  ferry  now  is  between  Dunnstown  and 
the  Lock  Haven  shore.  His  body  was  recovered,  and  he  was 
buried  in  the  Dunnstown  cemetery,  near  a  large  oak  tree,  which 
stands  as  a  living  monument  to  his  memory.  His  grave  is 
still  pointed  out,  but  no  stone  bears  his  name  to  tell  the  passer-by 
that  the  brave  Indian  fighter  lies  there.  Grove  is  described  as 
being  about  five  feet  seven  inches  in  height,  compactly  built  and 
veiy  muscular.  His  descendants  are  quite  numerous,  and  many 
of  them  live  in  the  western  part  of  the  State. 

The  affair  which  called  forth  the  vengeance  of  the  Groves,  with 
a  few  other  outrages,  were  the  last  committed  in  the  valley,  and 
peace,  happy  peace,  soon  spread  her  wings  over  a  land  that  had 
been  drenched  in  blood.     On  the  14th  of  November,  1782,  William 


666  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

Moore,  who  had  served  as  Vice-President  since  1779,  succeeded 
President  Reed,  whose  term  as  councilor  had  expired.  General 
James  Potter  was  chosen  at  the  same  time  as  Vice-President. 

On  the  1 2th  of  March  the  first  news  was  received  of  the  signing 
of  the  treaty  of  November  30,  1782,  acknowledging  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  United  States.  On  the  20th  of  January,  1783, 
the  preliminary  treaty  of  peace  was  signed,  and  on  the  iith  of 
April  Congress  issued  a  proclamation  enjoining  a  cessation  of 
hostilities,  and  on  the  i6th  of  the  same  month  the  Supreme 
Executive  Council  made  public  announcement  of  the  happy  event. 
The  definitive  treaty  of  peace  with  England  was  ratified  by  Con- 
gress, January  14,  1784,  and  the  event  was  celebrated  all  over  the 
land  as  soon  as  the  fact  was  made  known.  At  the  election  in 
November,  1783,  John  Dickinson  was  chosen  President  and 
General  James  Ewing  Vice-President.  On  the  i8th  of  October, 
1785,  Benjamin  Franklin,  then  nearly  eighty  years  of  age,  was 
chosen  President  of  the  State  and  Charles  Biddle  Vice-President. 

The  last  treaty  with  the  Indians,  held  at  Fort  Stanwix,  October, 
1784,  was  a  very  important  one.  Since  the  year  1768  the  north- 
western boundary  of  Indian  purchases  in  the  State  ran  from  the 
Susquehanna,  on  the  New  York  line,  to  Towanda  Creek;  thence 
to  the  head  of  Pine  Creek ;  thence  to  its  mouth,  and  up  the  West 
Branch  to  its  source;  thence  over  to  Kittanning,  and  down  the 
Ohio  to  the  west  line  of  the  State.  The  principal  feature  of  this 
la.st  treaty  was  in  relation  to  the  boundary  line  embraced  by 
Tiadaghton  (Pine)  Creek.  It  had  been  contended  by  the  Indians 
that  Lycoming  Creek  was  the  true  line,  but  the  whites  claimed 
that  it  was  Tiadaghton.  This  dispute  had  given  rise  to  much 
contention,  out  of  which  grew  the  Fair  Play  system.  Settlers  in 
the  territory  lying  between  Lycoming  and  Pine  creeks  were  not 
recognized  by  the  Proprietary  Government,  and  therefore  were 
compelled  to  shift  for  themselves. 

Burnett's  Hills,  so  frequent!)'  alluded  to,  were  called  by  the 
Indians  the  Long  Mountains,  and  they  knew  them  b}'  no  other 
name.  At  this  treaty  a  purchase  was  made  of  the  residue  of  the 
Indian  lands  within  the  limits  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  deed  was 
signed  by  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations,  October  23,  17S4.  The 
boundaries  were  carefully  noted  in  the  deed. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  667 

At  a  treaty  held  at  Fort  Mclntosli  with  the  Wj-andott  and 
Delaware  Indians,  by  the  same  commissioners,  January,  1785,  a 
deed  was  executed  by  the  representatives  of  those  tribes  in  the 
same  words,  with  the  same  boundaries,  and  dated  January  21, 
1785.  Both  of  these  deeds,  with  the  proceedings  of  the  con- 
ferences, are  printed  in  the  appendix  to  the  Journal  of  the 
Assembly  for  February,  1785.  Thus,  in  a  period  covering  about 
one  hundred  and  two  years,  was  the  whole  right  of  the  Indians  to 
the  soil  of  Pennsylvania  extinguished.  The  Legislature,  at  the 
time  of  this  last  treaty,  being  apprehensive  that  the  instructions 
given  the  commissioners  to  ascertain  the  precise  boundaries  of 
the  purchase  of  1768  might  cause  trouble,  passed  the  following 
act: 


That  the  said  directors  did  not  give,  nor  ought  not  to  be  construed  to  give  to  the 
said  commissioners,  any  authority  to  ascertain,  definitely,  the  boundary  lines  afore- 
said, in  the  year  1768,  striking  the  line  of  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna,  at  the 
mouth  of  Lycotnick  or  Lycoming  Creek,  shall  be  the  boundaries  of  the  same  purchase 
to  all  legal  intents  and  purposes,  until  the  General  Assembly  shall  otherwise  regulate 
and  declare  the  same. 

This  last  accession  of  lands  was  called  by  the  whites  the  "  New 
Purchase,"  and  when  the  land  office  opened,  in  1785,  settlers 
rapidly  flocked  to  the  territory  located  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river,  west  of  Lycoming  Creek,  to  secure  the  choice  lands  lying 
in  that  district.  Nearly  all  the  original  settlers,  or  squatters,  on 
this  land,  previous  to  the  Big  Runaway,  returned  to  the  land  on 
which  they  had  made  improvements.  As  much  contention 
arose  about  the  right  of  occupancy,  the  Legislatiu'e  passed  the 
follov\'ing  act,  which  may  be  found  in  Sniitlis  Laws,  Vol.  II., 
page  195: 

And  whereas  divers  persons,  who  have  heretofore  occupied  and  cultivated  small 
tracts  of  lands  without  the  bounds  of  the  purchase  made  as  aforesaid  in  the  year 
1768,  and  within  the  purchase  made  or  now  to  be  made,  have  by  their  resolute  stand 
and  sufferings  during  the  late  war,  merited,  that  those  settlers  should  have  the  pre- 
emption of  their  respective  plantations,  it  is  enacted  that  all  and  every  person  or 
persons,  and  their  legal  representatives,  who  has  or  have  heretofore  settled  on  the 
north  side  of  the  West  Branch  of  Susquehanna,  between  Lycomick  or  Lycoming 
Creek  on  the  east,  and  Tyadaghton,  or  Pine  Creek  on  the  west,  as  well  as  other 
lands  within  the  said  residuary  purchase  from  the  Indians  of  the  territory  within  this 
State  (excepting  always  the  lands  hereinbefore  excepted,)  shall  be  allowed  a  right  of 
pre-emption  to  their  respective  possessions,  at  the  price  aforesaid. 


668 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


No  person  was  to  be  entitled  to  the  benefit  of  this  pre-emption 
act  unless  he  had  made  an  actual  settlement  before  1780,  and  no 
claim  was  to  be  admitted  for  more  than  300  acres  of  land,  and  the 
consideration  thereof  tendered  to  the  Receiver  General  of  the 
Land  Office  on  or  before  the  first  of  November,  1785.  Several 
lawsuits  ensued,  having  their  origin  in  Fair  Play  times,  which 
lasted  for  several  years. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  669 

Among  the  early  settlers  in  Black  Hole*  Valley  was  John  Ten 
Brook. t  He  was  born  near  Trenton,  was  a  posthumous  and  only 
child  of  Cornelius  Ten  Brook,  and  inherited  a  fair  estate  for  that 
time  and  place  from  his  father.  He  commanded  a  battalion  of 
New  Jersey  militia  at  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  with  the  rank  of 
major.  His  first  wife  was  a  Miss  Katie  Low,  by  whom  he  had 
two  sons  and  one  daughter — Garrett,  Katie  and  John.  His  second 
wife  was  Miss  Katie  Emmons,  also  of  New  Jersey,  and  by  her  he 
had  six  sons  and  two  daughters,  viz.:  Andrew,  Conrad, J  Jacob, 
Abram,  William,  Peter,  Sallie  and  Jemima.  The  former  married 
George  Irwin,  and  the  latter,  when  about  fifty  years  old,  married 
a  man  whose  name  is  not  now  remembered. 

Major  Ten  Brook  sold  his  farm  near  Trenton  about  1785,  and 
took  his  pay  in  Continental  money,  and  in  six  months  from  that 
time  he  could  nbt  have  bought  a  good  horse  with  the  money.  He 
also  kept  what  was  then  called  a  tavern  in  connection  with  his 
farm.  After  the  battle  of  Saratoga  the  Hessian  general,  Reidesel, 
and  his  wife  and  attendants  were  assigned  to  his  keeping  by 
General  Washington,  because  Ten  Brook  and  family  were 
Holland  Dutch,  and  could  understand  the  Hessian  language.  It 
was  the  policy  to  assign  Hessian  prisoners  to  the  Continental 
Dutch,  with  instructions  to  the  latter  to  convert  as  many  of  them 
as  possible.  A  strong  attachment  grew  up  between  the  General 
and  family  and  the  host  and  family,  and  also  the  Dutch  neighbors. 

Major  Ten  Brook,  finding  himself  financially  ruined  by  Conti- 
nental money,  moved  his  family  to  Black  Hole  Valley,  in  1786, 
and  took  a  ten  years'  lease  on  the  land  of  an  old  bachelor  named 


*The  name  of  this  rich  agricultural  valley,  lying  in  the  great  bend  of  the  river  in 
Clinton  Township,  Lycoming  County,  is  said  to  have  originated  in  this  wise:  When 
first  seen  by  the  pioneers  from  Muncy  hills,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  it  was 
covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  pine,  and  as  the  dense  foliage  of  the  trees  gave  it  a 
dark  and  sombre  appearance,  they  named  it  "Black  Hole  Valley!"  It  lies  under 
the  shadow  of  the  lofty  Bald  Eagle  range,  in  the  form  of  a  cove;  hence  it  is  seen 
that  the  name  is  quite  appropriate. 

f  Of  HoUandish  origin  and  spelled  Ten  Broeck,  Ten  Brook  and  Tenbrook.  The 
"ten"  being  a  prefi.x  like  "Van"  and  "  de." 

J  Grandfather  of  John  T.  Campbell,  civil  engineer,  of  Rockville,  Parke  County, 
Indiana,  who  contributed  these  reminiscences  of  the  Ten  Brook  family  and  Black 
Hole  Valley. 


6/0  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

William  AIacke\-,  and  at  the  end  of  the  lease  it  was  renewed  for 
ten  more. 

In  the  fall  of  1787,  early  in  November,  there  fell  a  snow  about 
four  feet  deep,  which  laid  on  the  ground  till  late  in  April,  and  a 
big  flood*  followed.     There  were  not  enough  teams  in  the  settle- 


*  There  have  been  many  great  floods  in  the  river.  The  first  known  to  early  historj' 
occurred  in  1744,  the  second  in  1758,  the  third  in  1772,  the  fourth  in  17S6,  and  the 
fifth  in  1800.  The  Indians  bad  a  tradition  that  a  great  flood  occurred  every  fourteen 
years,  which  seems  to  have  been  verified  in  these  five  instances.  In  a  memorandum 
on  file  at  Harrisburg,  signed  by  Robert  Martin  and  John  Franklin,  they  state  "that 
on  the  15th  of  March,  1784,  the  Susquehanna  rose  into  a  flood,  exceeding  all  degrees 
ever  known  before;  so  sudden  as  to  give  no  time  to  guard  against  the  mischief;  that 
it  swept  away  150  houses,  with  all  the  provision,  furniture  and  farming  tools  and 
cattle  of  the  owners,  and  gave  but  little  opportunity  for  the  inhabitants  to  fly  for  their 
lives.  One  thousand  persons  were  left  destitute  of  provisions,  clothing  and  every 
means  of  life."  This  flood  was  known  as  "  The  Ice  Flood."  The  freshet  of  October, 
1786,  was  called  the  "Pumpkin  Flood,"  because  of  the  great  number  of  pumpkins 
that  were  carried  down  stream.  The  next  great  flood  was  on  the  2Sth  of  June,  1829, 
and  again  on  the  13th  of  March,  1846.  Many  bridges  were  carried  away.  The 
great  flood  of  October,  1847,  was  three  or  four  feet  higher  than  any  previous  rise. 
A  number  of  bridges  were  destroyed  and  much  damage  done.  July  l8th  and  19th, 
1 85 1,  a  great  storm  raged  for  thirty-two  hours,  and  the  flood  that  followed  was  still 
greater  than  any  previous  one.  The  next  was  the  memorable  flood  of  St.  Patrick's 
Day  in  March,  1865.  This  freshet  was  caused  by  a  warm  south-west  wind  and  rain 
rapidly  melting  the  heax-y  body  of  snow  which  covered  the  ground.  The  water  rose  to 
a  great  height  and  caused  immense  damage  to  property  in  the  valley.  At  Williamsport 
it  attained  a  height  of  27^  feet.  History  shows  that  for  a  period  of  one  hundred 
years  there  has  been  a  successive  increase  in  the  height  of  floods  of  between  three 
and  four  feet  every  fourteen  to  eighteen  years.  In  the  flood  of  1865  all  the  river 
bridges  between  Farrandsville  and  Northumberland  were  either  carried  away  or 
liadly  damaged.  But  the  greatest  flood  of  all,  and  the  one  that  will  pass  into  history 
as  the  most  memorable,  occurred  June  I,  1889.  Rain  fell  incessantly  for  nearly 
forty-eight  hours,  and  the  wind  blew  from  the  south-west.  The  water  rose  rapidly, 
and  at  Williamsport  attained  the  unprecedented  height  of  33  feet  one  inch,  or  nearly  six 
feet  higher  than  in  1865.  Three-fourths  of  Lock  Haven,  Jersey  Shore,  Williamsport 
and  Milton  were  inundated,  the  water  reaching  a  depth  of  from  three  to  ten  feet  in  the  , 
houses.  With  but  one  exception  (Quinn's  Run)  all  the  river  bridges  from  Keating  to 
Northumberland  were  either  carried  away  or  partially  destroyed.  The  Williamsport 
boom  broke  and  150,000,000  feet  of  logs  were  carried  away,  besides  great  quantities 
of  manufactured  lumber.  The  losses  to  the  people  of  the  West  Branch  Valley  were 
enormous,  being  roughly  estimated  at  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  millions  of  dollars. 
Great  suff'ering  was  caused,  and  a  large  relief  fund  had  to  be  raised  for  the  destitute. 
Upwards  of  fifty  lives  were  lost  in  the  valley,  and  the  farms  and  crops  in  many 
instances  were  ruined.  Houses,  barns  and  saw  mills  were  carried  away,  and  a  scene 
of  desolation  that  beggars  description  was  left  in  the  track  of  the  mighty  torrent. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  67 1 

ment  to  keep  the  roads  broken,  nor  could  they  break  them  after 
they  became  gorged.  Nearly  all  the  stock  first  nearly  starved  and 
then  froze  to  death.  Men  could  only  get  from  place  to  place  on 
snow  shoes.  The  settlers  were  poor,  had  but  meagre  crops,  and 
these  were  consumed  by  stock  and  people  till  starvation  stared 
them  in  the  face.  Game  was  plenty,  but  it  too  starved  or  was 
frozen  to  death.  The  hunters  searched  the  woods  on  snow  shoes, 
and  sometimes  they  fell  through  the  crust  over  deep  snow  drifts, 
and  they  had  to  "tramp,  tramp,  tramp"  under  them  till  they 
packed  the  snow  into  a  stair-way  to  get  out.  Major  Ten  Brook 
was  a  good  marksman  and  an  expert  hunter,  and  he  kept  several 
families  in  venison  through  the  winter.  The  snow  was  sudden, 
and  bent  down  many  small  trees  and  broke  down  many  large 
ones.  These  bent  and  broken  trees  formed  a  sheltering  place  for 
the  deer,  where  they  stood,  starved,  and  froze  during  the  long 
winter.  Major  Ten  Brook  on  one  occasion  killed  two  deer  at 
one  shot  under  one  of  these  retreats.  He  had  only  one  mare  left 
in  the  spring  of  all  his  stock.  With  this  animal  and  a  neigh- 
bor's yoke  of  oxen  he  and  they  put  in  and  tended  their  crops. 

As  soon  as  the  roads  could  be  traveled  in  the  spring  Mr. 
Emmons,  the  father  of  Major  Ten  Brook's  second  wife,  came  to 
the  valley  with  a  four-horse  wagon  loaded  with  salt,  seed  wheat, 
corn  and  garden  vegetable  seed.  The  settlers  had  eaten  up  every- 
thing they  had  raised  the  season  before.  He  also  brought  a 
fishing  seine  six  hundred  feet  long.  With  this  seine  the  settlers 
of  Black  Hole  went  to  the  fishery  at  Lawson's  Island,  about  two 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  creek  and  opposite  the  foot  of 
Money  Hill.  At  the  first  and  only  drag  they  hauled  out  on  the 
island,  the  only  good  fish  landing,  2,500  shad,  each  weighing  from 
four  to  eight  pounds!  The  settlers  thought  it  as  miraculous  as 
when  the  net  was  cast  on  the  other  side  of  the  ship  in  Galilee. 
The  statement  was  cut  into  the  bark  of  a  soft  water  maple  on 
Lawson's  Island,  which  could  be  plainly  read  more  than  twenty 
years  afterwards. 

In  the  spring  of  1788  Mr.  Emmons*  and  his  son  brought 
another  four-horse  wagon  load  of  salt  and  other  provisions,  which 

*  Great-great-grandfather  of  John  T.  Campbell,  of  Rockville,  Indiana. 


6/2  HISTORY   OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

they  distributed  around  to  the  needy.  They  in  turn  helped  him 
catch,  with  the  big  seine  at  the  fishery,  a  wagon  load  of  shad, 
which  he  cleaned,  salted  and  packed  into  barrels,  and  started  for 
his  home  in  New  Jersey.  At  night  he  camped  by  the  roadside 
and  slept  in  his  wagon.  One  night  while  sleeping  with  his  son  a 
tree  fell  across  his  wagon — whether  from  wind,  or  being  burned 
at  the  root  by  his  camp  fire  is  unknown — and  a  sharp  limb  was 
thrust  through  his  head,  killing  him  instantly.  Just  where  the 
accident  happened,  and  where  the  kind-hearted  New  Jersey  farmer 
was  buried,  are  now  unknown,  and  nothing  but  this  tradition 
remains  to  keep  his  memory  green. 

As  Lawson's  Island  was  the  only  good  fish  landing  at  that 
point  in  the  river,  there  was  much  contention  about  the  right  to 
occupy  it.  There  were  always  some  parties  in  possession  when 
others  arrived,  and  they  were  in  each  other's  way.  Disputes  on 
such  occasions  were  often  settled  by  "fist  and  skull."  On  one 
such  occasion  Andrew  Ten  Brook  (son  of  Major  John)  and  one 
Dave  Macy  had  a  fight  about  the  fishing  rights.  Macy's  party 
had  possession,  and  Ten  Brook  and  party  were  making  it  as  best 
they  could  on  the  ripple.  Ten  Brook,  being  of  Holland  descent 
and  association,  called  out  to  his  party  along  the  seine:  "This 
carrant  is  taa  Strang,"  meaning  "current,"  and  "Strang"  for 
"strong."  Dave  Macy  was  the  champion  fighter  of  his  locality 
and  ever  ready  to  give  a  sufficient  provocation  for  a  fight  to  any 
one  that  would  accept  it,  and  he  began  mocking  Ten  Brook's 
HoUandish  pronunciation.  It  did  not  take  long  for  each  to  give 
the  other  enough  of  "  back  talk  "  to  bring  on  a  fight.  They  came 
to  the  island  where  Macy  was,  "  peeled  and  went  in."  After  a  long 
and  savage  fight  Ten  Brook  won. 

Lawson  found  out  that  by  applying  at  a  certain  town  in  the 
State  the  island  could  be  bought,  and  he  slipped  off  quietly  and 
bought  it,  and  monopolized  the  fishery.  When  the  canal  was 
afterwards  built  the  riprapping  along  Muncy  Hill  so  changed 
the  current  as  to  cut  away  the  entire  island,  and  Lawson's  heirs 
were  allowed  a  considerable  damage  for  it.  There  was  an  ex- 
cellent maple  sugar  camp  on  the  island.  It  contained  from  seven 
to  ten  acres. 

Some  years  afterwards  Major  Ten  Brook  and  two  of  his  grown 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  673 

up  sons  bought  several  hundred  acres  of  land  in  White  Deer 
Valley.  There  the  Major  died  sometime  between  1816  and  1820, 
aged  about  eighty  years. 

His  son  Conrad  married  Elizabeth  Tate  January  5,  1808. 
They,  with  their  children,  started  for  Ohio  in  the  summer  of  18 12, 
but  meeting  with  many  disappointments,  did  not  reach  their 
destination  till  18 16.  They  first  settled  in  Butler  County,  Ohio, 
eighteen  miles  north  of  Cincinnati,  where  they  remained  about 
three  years. 

About  1820  Conrad,  Jacob,  William  and  Peter  emigrated  further 
west  and  settled  in  what  is  now  Parke  County,  Indiana.  Their 
descendants  are  numerous,  and  are  scattered  from  Indiana  to  the 
Pacific  coast. 

Andrew  remained  in  Lycoming  County.  He  had  a  son,  John, 
who  graduated  in  medicine  and  settled  in  Paris,  Edgar  County, 
Illinois,  and  became  eminent  in  his  profession,  grew  wealthy  and 
very  influential.  He  died  about  1879,  leaving  a  wife  and  two 
daughters.  Most  of  the  descendants  of  Andrew  remained  in 
Lycoming  County. 

Another  early  and  prominent  settler  on  the  river,  a  short  dis- 
tance west  of  Pine  Creek,  was  Colonel  Hugh  White.  He  held  a 
commission*  in  the  army  of  the  Revolution,  and  acted  for  some 
time  in  the  capacity  of  commissary.  Mention  is  frequently  made 
of  him  in  the  Colonial  Records.  He  was  an  active  and  useful 
man,  and  was  untiring  in  his  efforts  to  provide  supplies  for  the 
army.  Mr.  White  was  accomplished  in  his  manners  and  exceed- 
ingly polite.  He  died  in  1822  at  the  age  of  85,  from  injuries 
received  by  being  thrown  from  his  horse,  leaving  behind  him  ten 
sons  and  two  daughters.  Among  the  survivors  is  John  White,  of 
Williamsport,  and  Isabella,  the  wife  of  Colonel  James  S.  Allen,  of 
Jersey  Shore. 

There  being  no  further  danger  to  be  apprehended  from  the 
savages,  settlers  commenced  pouring  into  the  valley,  and  improve- 
ments were  started  on  every  hand.  Little  bands  of  Indians, 
consisting  of  two  or  three,  occasionally  made  their  appearance  in 

*His  commission,  dated  April  19,  1776,  appointing  him  captain  of  a  company  of 
foot  in  the  First  Battalion  of  Associators  in  Northumberland  County,  is  still  in 
existence.     It  is  signed  by  John  Morton,  Speaker  of  the  Assembly. 


674  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  settlements,  but  they  were  friendly,  and  only  came  to  visit 
familiar  places  and  the  graves  of  their  ancestors,  before  taking 
final  leave  of  this  lovely  valley. 

Soon  after  the  return  of  the  Warrior  Run  settlers,  they  found 
that  they  had  no  place  for  public  worship.  They  were  largely  of 
the  Presbyterian  faith,  and  believed  in  providing  the  means  for  the 
inculcation  of  religion  into  the  minds  of  the  young  as  well  as  old. 
The  original  Warrior  Run  Church,  which  had  been  built  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  where  Rev.  Fithian  preached,  July  16,  1775, 
although  never  finished,  was  burned  by  the  Indians  during  the 
invasion  at  the  time  of  the  Big  Runaway. 

It  having  been  decided  to  erect  a  new  building  for  a  place  of 
public  worship,  a  site  was  selected  on  Warrior  Run,  about  four 
miles  from  its  mouth,  and  half  a  mile  from  the  ruins  of  Fort 
Freeland.  A  warm  friend  of  the  Church  now  came  forward  and 
donated  enough  land  on  which  to  erect  the  building;  and  as  this 
sacred  spot  is  among  the  historic  landmarks  of  the  valley,  a  copy 
of  the  original  deed*  is  herewith  appended; 
DEED  POLL. 

FROII 
Jos.  Hutchinson  &  Unor 
TO  THE 
Warrior  Run  Congregation. 
This  Indenture  made  this  Sixth  day  of  March  in  the  year  One  thousand  Seven 
hundred  and  Eighty  Nine  Between  Jos.  Hutchinson  and  Margaret  his  wife  of  Turbutt 
Township,  Northumberland  County,  of  the  one  part  and  the  Members  of  the  Warrior 
Run  Presbyterian  Congregation  of  the  other  part,  Witnesseth — That  the  above  named 
loseph  Hutchinson  &  Margaret  his  wife  out  of  the  regard  of  the  worship  of  God  i: 
the  Establishment  of  a  Christian  Society,  and  other  good  causes  mooving  thereto 
Doth  By  these  presents  Gift  grant  and  give  all  our  right  &  title  of  in  and  to  the  fol- 
lowing part  of  a  Tract  of  land  situate  on  the  waiters  of  Warrior  Run  in  the  Town- 
ship &  County  aforesaid  Beginning  at  a  post  in  a  line  of  Thomas  DeArmond  from 
thence  West  forty  perches  to  a  black  Oak  Grub  near  a  post  Corner  of  said  DeArmond 

&  Messer  Kirk  thence  south  ten  perches  to  a thence  East  forty  perches  to 

a thence  North  ten  perches  to  the  place  of  Beginning  Containing  two  acres 

&  a  half  the  above  described  piece  of  land  is  part  of  a  Tract  surveyed  by  virtue  of 
Edward  Rairdons  application  dated  April  third  in  the  year  1769  No.  713  on  which 


*This  curious  old  deed  is  in  the  possession  of  Hiram  Dunkle,  cashier  of  the 
Fanner's  National  Bank,  Watsontown,  who  is  the  custodian  of  many  of  the  books 
and  papers  of  the  Warrior  Run  Church.  It  is  still  in  a  good  state  of  preservation, 
and  the  writing  is  in  a  clear,  plain  hand. 


HISTORY   OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  6/5 

a  warrant  &  paten  issued  to  Cornelius  Atkinson  and  by  said  Atkinson  sold  and 
Transferred  to  George  Bereau  By  Deed  poll  dated  the  22d  day  of  Novr.  in  the  year 
1783  and  sold  and  Transferred  by  said  Bereau  to  the  above  named  Joseph  Hutchinson 
By  Deed  poll  dated  the  ist  day  of  May  in  the  year  1784  Reference  Being  had  to 
said  Paten  and  Deed  poll  will  more  fully  &  plainly  appear  Be  it  remembered  by  these 
presents  that  the  above  mentioned  Congregation  their  heirs  successors  is  to  Have  and 
to  Hold  the  above  described  premises  and  every  part  thereof  forever  and  to  occupy 
&  possess  the  same  Build  houses  Edifices  and  erect  monuments  in  Remembrance  of 
the  Dead  without  hindrance  Molestation  Or  Interruption  from  the  aforesaid  Joseph 
Hutchinson  his  heirs  Executors  administrators  or  assigns  or  any  person  or  persons 
Claiming  or  to  Claim  the  whole  or  any  part  thereof 

And  for  the  better  assuring  and  Confirmation  of  the  above  described  premises  the 
above  named  Joseph  Hutchinson  and  Margaret  his  wife  at  any  time  at  the  cost  and 
request  of  the  members  of  said  Congregation  or  a  majority  of  them  make  Execute 
and  acknowledge  Or  Cause  to  be  done  all  and  every  act  or  deed  for  the  further  Con- 
firming the  same.  In  Witness  whereof  the  within  named  parties  have  hereunto  Set 
their  hand  and  Seals  the  day  &  year  first  above  written. 

Joseph  Hutchinson.         [Seal.] 
her 
MARG.'iRET  X  Hutchinson.  [Seal.] 
mark 

Signed  sealed  and  delivered  in  the  presence  of 

John  Lytle. 

RoBT.  Smith. 

This  deed  was  acknowledged  on  the  6th  day  of  March,  A.  D. 
1789,  before  William  Shaw,  one  of  the  justices  of  Northumberland 
County,  and  it  was  recorded  in  Sunbury  on  the  14th  day  of  June, 
1805,  in  Deed  Book  N,  page  17,  the  certificate  being  signed  by 
Jeremiah  Simpson,  recorder. 

The  punctuation,  spelling  and  capitalization  are  as  in  the  original. 
Since  the  above  date  there  have  been  several  additions  to  the  orig- 
inal tract  purchased  from  Mr.  Hutchinson  and  the  late  Thomas 
DeArmond. 

The  new  Warrior  Run  Church  was  a  large  log  structure  with 
three  entrances  on  the  first  floor  and  two  by  which  the  gallery 
was  reached  from  the  outside.  The  central  aisle  and  the  space 
before  the  pulpit  was  broad,  being  intended  to  accommodate  the 
tables  where  the  communicants  sat.  The  pulpit  was  very  high, 
and  over  the  minister's  head  was  the  sounding  board.  At  the 
foot  of  the  pulpit  stairs  was  the  clerk's  desk.  The  gallery  ran 
around  three  sides  of  the  building.     This  house  of  worship  stood 


6/6  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

directly  in  front  of  the  present  brick  church,  which  was  erected 
in  1833. 

There  are  several  diagrams  of  the  interior  of  the  old  church  in 
existence,  showing  the  location  and  number  of  the  pews,  with  the 
names  of  the  occupants  and  the  rent  they  paid.  One  of  these, 
now  in  the  hands  of  R.  H.  McCormick,  Esq.,  of  Watsontown,  is 
a  quaint  and  curious  document.  It  is  at  least  85  years  old,  and  is 
endorsed  in  red  ink  in  bold  relief  letters,  with  the  price  in  pounds, 
shillings  and  pence  placed  opposite  the  name  of  each  pew-holder, 
as  follows : 


^WARRIOR   RUN  CHURCH.^ 


The  pews  on  the  floor  are  numbered,  assessed  in  pounds,  shil- 
lings and  pence,  and  have  names  thereon  as  follows : 


1.  Charles  Irwin  &  Co.,  -        -  2    26 

2.  Jas.  Harrison,  Samuel  Barr,   I  19  6 

3.  Wm.  Calhoun,    -         -         -   i  17  6 

4.  John  McCormick,  Wm.  Mc- 

Cormick, -         -         -   I  15  6 

5.  Joseph  Hutchinson,  Sr.,       -  2    00 

6.  MatthaCorry,  James  Wilson,   i  19  6 

7.  John  Buchannon,  John  Fer- 

geson,      -         -         -         -       I  13 
John  W.  McCurdy,     - 

8.  John     Wilson     J^,    Joseph 

Hutchinson  ^,        "-         -   i  19  6 
John  Baird  J^,   ■ 
g.     Barnabas     Ferron,      Alxer 

Stuart,     -         -         -         -200 

10.  Thos.  Wallace  2^,      -         -   I  19  6 
Robt.  McKee  y^^, 

11.  John       McKinnie,       Bruce 

Innis,       -  -         -         -I196 

John  Irvin,  James  Story,     - 

12.  James  Durham,  -         -  i  19  6 
Cornelius  Waldron,     - 

13.  Thos.  Gillmore,  -         -         -  2    2  2 
Thomas     Wilson,      Robert 

Miller,     -         -         -         - 

14.  James  Hammond,       -         -   I  14  6 
John   Brown,  Esq.,  George 

Hammond, 

15.  John  Woods,      -         -         -   I     2  6 

16.  Rob't  Craig,  Jane  Brown,  -   I     26 

17.  James  Falls,        -  -  -    I     o  O 

18.  Andrew  Foster,  -         -         -160 

19.  James  Allison,    -         -         -100 

20.  John  Watson,      -  -  -150 


21.  Wm.  Shaw,  Robert  Shaw, 

22.  Samuel  Blane,  Bethuel  Vin 

cent,        -         -         - 

23.  John  Burroughs, 
Wm.  Haslet,  Esq.,      - 

24.  Thos.  DeArmond, 
Robert  DeArmond,     - 

25.  Andrew  Russell, 
Patrick  Russell, 

26.  Roljert  Robertson, 

27.  Fleming  Wilson, 

28.  John  Bryson,  Minister, 

29.  John  Wilson, 
Joseph  Hutchinson,     ■ 

30.  David  Shannon, 

31.  David  Hunter,   - 
Joseph  Hammond, 

32.  William     Boyd     -/ 

Thomas, 

33.  Wm.  Kirk, 

34.  Robert  Montgomery 
John  Montgomery, 

35.  James  McAfiFee, 

36.  James    Welch,     Sr, 

Quigley, 

37.  Hugh  Wilson,    - 

38.  John  Haus  ^,   - 
John     Smith     U, 

All  1^,    - 

39.  William     Ruckman,    Jacob 

Bruner,   • 

40.  Alex'r  Gufiy,  Sam'l  Daugh 

erty, 

41.  Alex'r  Foresman, 


John 


John 


The  above  embraced  all  the  pews  in  the  body  of  the  bu 


I  150 
I  12  o 

I  106 
I  90 
I  76 

I  86 
I  126 

I  12  6 

I  106 
I    56 


76 
86 
12  6 


146 

2  6 
26 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


677 


There  were  twenty-four  pews 
around  three  sides  of  the  buildin< 


in  the  large  gallery,  which  ran 
[,  and  are  as  follows : 


I. 

John  Allison,  Wm.  Scott,    -   i 

50 

14- 

Thos.  Connely,  Jacob  Mix- 

2. 

Patrick  Dickson,          -          -    i 

50 

well,        -         -         -         - 

3180 

3- 

John  McKinney,  Alex.  Dun- 

IS- 

John    Pipenger,   John    Gib- 

bar,          -          -          .          - 

bons,        -         -"       -         -oiSo 

4- 

David  McCxuire,  Joseph  Mc- 
Guire,      -         -         -         - 

16. 

John  Herron,      - 

Michael  Nowlan,  Barnabus 

I     50 

5. 

Thomas  Barr,     -         -         -   i 

00 

Murray, 

6. 

Anth'y  Moore,  Geo.  McCoy, 

17- 

Mongo  Reed,  John  Jacoby, 

7- 

Robt.  Smith,  Dan.  Vincent, 

18. 

Thos.  Blane,  John   Fulker- 

8. 

Thomas     Murray,     Widow 

son,         -         -         -         - 

7  0 

Gaston,   .         .         -         .  i 

160 

19- 

John  Barr, 

r    2  6 

9- 

Tames  Watson,   -         -         -   i 

50 

20. 

Hugh     Hambleton,    David 

Andrew   Russel,   Jr.,    Benj. 

Hogge,    -         -         -         - 

00 

Bennet,   -         -         -         - 

21. 

George  McKee,  Tom  Ruck- 

0. 

Jas.  Welch,  Jr.,  John  Kath- 

man,        -         -         -         . 

r    7  0' 

cart,         -         -         -         -  0 

180 

22. 

John  Tweed,  John  Long,    -  0  17  6 

I. 

Fred'k  Taylor,  Wm.  Taylor,  0 

180 

23- 

John  Burroughs,  John  Allie,  0  15  0 

2. 

Alex.  Lock,        -         -         -   I 

00 

24- 

Tames     McCane,      Richard 

3- 

Samuel  Jones,  Richard  Van- 
deroef,     .         -         -         -   i 

00 

"  Allison,  -         -         -         - 

From  the  above  it  is  seen  that  every  pew  in  the  church  had  one 
or  more  occupants,  and  from  the  names  of  many  heads  of  families 
there  must  have  been  a  large  congregation  when  all  were  present. 
The  names  are  familiar,  as  many  of  the  descendants  of  these 
families  still  reside  in  the  neighborhood  and  are  members  of  the 
old  church. 

The  Church  of  Chillisquaque,  another  famous  place  of  worship, 
a  few  miles  south  of  Warrior  Run,  was  founded  at  as  early  a  date. 
It  appears  on  the  records  of  the  Presbytery  of  Donegal  as  early 
as  1774,  and  the  letters  patent  granted  to  the  trustees  for  twelve 
acres  of  ground,  on  which  the  church  stands,  are  dated  September 
22,  1774.  The  first  regular  pastor  of  these  famous  churches  was 
the  celebrated  Rev.  John  Bryson.  He  was  called  to  be  the  pastor 
of  these  congregations  June  23,  1790,  accepted  the  same  October 
7,  1790,  was  ordained  at  Carlisle  December  22,  1790,  and  installed 
in  June,  1791.  Mr.  Bryson*  served  the  Chillisquaque  Church 
until  October  i,  1839,  a  period  of  fifty  years,  and  on  October  5, 
1 84 1,  he  resigned  the  pastoral  charge  of  Warrior  Run,  after  a 


*For  a  very  full  and  interesting  biographical  sketch  of  this  eminent  divine,  by 
Rev.  John  Paris  Hudson,  see  Meginness'  Historical  Journal  for  May  and  June,  18S7. 
It  gives,  in  addition  to  a  full  history  of  his  life  and  labors,  the  names  of  the  signers  to 
both  calls  from  Warrior  Run  and  Chillisquaque  congregations. 


6/8  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

service  of  fifty-two  years.  He  died  August  3,  1855,  in  the  98th 
year  of  his  age,  and  is  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  McEwensville. 

The  famous  Warrior  Run  Church  stands  on  the  highway  leading 
between  Muncy  and  McEwensville.  The  road  was  laid  for  a 
portion  of  the  way  on  the  Indian  path  over  which  thousands  of 
warriors  passed  and  repassed  before  the  advent  of  the  whites.  A 
beautiful  grove  of  native  oaks  surrounds  the  church,*  and  there  is 
a  fine  spring  of  water  on  the  grounds.  The  grave-yard  contains 
the  ashes  of  hundreds  of  the  early  settlers,  and  there  is  no  more 
interesting  place,  on  this  account,  in  the  valley.  Many  of  those 
who  lie  buried  here  perished  by  the  hands  of  the  savages,  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution  and  the  great 
rebellion  of  modern  times. 

In  the  spring  of  1790  an  affair  occurred  on  Pine  Creek,  west  of 
the  borough  of  Jersey  Shore,  which  was  known  afterwards  as  the 
"  Walker  tragedy."  At  that  time  the  Indians  were  in  the  habit  of 
coming  from  their  villages  on  the  Genesee  to  hunt,  and  some  of 
them  remained  until  late  in  the  fall.  They  were  on  good  terms  with 
the  whites  and  frequently  stayed  over  night  with  acquaintances, 
sleeping  on  the  floor  before  the  fire.  They  kept  up  this  practice 
for  several  years,  when  the  last  Indian  disappeared  before  the 
advance  of  civilization. 

At  the  time  mentioned  three  brothers,  named  Benjamin,  Joseph 
and  Henry  Walker,  lived  on  a  farm  not  far  from  the  mouth  of 
Pine  Creek.  Their  father,  John  Walker,  had  been  barbarously 
killed  and  scalped  at  the  time  the  Lee  family  were  murdered  by  a 
band  of  marauding  Indians,  where  Winfield  now  stands,  a  few 
miles  below  Lewisburg. 

Two  Indians,  one  a  middle-aged,  fine  looking  savage,  and  the 
other  quite  a  young  man,  came  into  the  Pine  Creek  neighborhood 
on  a  hunting  expedition,  and  remained  for  some  time.  One  day 
they  were  at  the  Stephenson  tavern,  near  the  mouth  of  the  creek, 
where  a  number  of  men  were  congregated, — among  them  the 
Walkers, — and  Indian-like  they  became  intoxicated  when  there 

*  The  following  ministers  have  served  as  pastors :  Rev.  John  Bryson,  Rev.  S.  S. 
Shedden,  Rev.  Henry  M.  Parsons,  Rev.  E.  D.  Yoemans,  Rev.  Lorenzo  Westcott, 
Rev.  S.  P.  Herron,  Rev.  George  Elliott,  Rev.  George  A.  Marr.  The  latter  retired  in 
1885,  since  which  time  the  church  has  been  without  a  regular  pastor. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  679 

was  an  opportunity,  and  performed  many  drunken  antics  for  the 
amusement  of  the  spectators.  The  older  Indian  threw  himself 
on  the  o-roLmd  before  the  Walkers,  and  making  the  most  horrid 
grin^.dces  and  contortions  of  the  face,  said  to  them:  "  This  is  the 
^.vay  your  father  acted  when  I  killed  and  scalped  him  !  " 

The  brothers  were  greatly  enraged  at  this  shocking  and  tanta- 
lizing exhibition  on  the  part  of  the  Indian,  who  boasted  of  having 
slain  their  beloved  father,  and  in  mockery  and  derision  exhibited 
his  death  struggles.  Their  blood  fairly  boiled  with  rage,  and  they 
swore  vengeance  on  the  savage  fiend,  and  would  have  rushed  upon 
him  and  put  an  end  to  his  life  at  once,  but  from  being  restrained 
by  those  present. 

That  evening  they  persuaded  Samuel  Doyle  to  accompany 
them  a  short  distance  up  the  creek,  where  they  planned  the  mur- 
der of  the  two  Indians.  On  going  to  their  encampment  they 
made  known  their  intentions.  The  young  Indian  begged  piteously 
for  his  life,  saying  that  he  was  not  concerned  in  the  murder  of 
Walker,  but  his  appeals  were  all  in  vain,  and  he  was  immediately 
tomahawked.  They  then  attacked  the  older  Indian  and  a  des- 
perate struggle,  in  which  knives  and  tomahawks  were  used, 
ensued.  The  Indian  fought  desperately  for  his  life,  and  wounded 
two  of  the  Walkers,  and  probably  would  have  killed  them  had 
they  not  succeeded  in  shooting  him  through  the  head.  They 
then  took  the  bodies  of  the  Indians  and  sunk  them  in  the  creek, 
not  far  from  where  Phelps'  mills  afterwards  stood. 

The  sudden  disappearance  of  the  Indians  caused  some  surprise 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  Walkers  were  suspicioned  of  having 
killed  them,  but  as  almost  everybody  felt  that  they  deserved  death 
for  their  conduct,  their  disappearance  was  soon  forgotten.  In 
course  of  time  a  freshet  came  and  washed  the  dead  bodies  ashore 
on  a  gravel  bar  a  short  distance  below  where  they  were  thrown 
into  the  creek.  The  murder  now  became  the  subject  of  much 
talk  in  the  neighborhood;  some  asserted  that  the  Walkers  were 
justified  in  taking  the  summary  vengeance  they  did,  whilst  others 
declared  that  the  deed  had  been  committed  in  time  of  peace,  and 
was  a  palpable  violation  of  law. 

Thus  matters  rested  for  some  time  until  a  knowledge  of  the 
affair  came  to  the  ears  of  the  authorities.     In  the  meantime  the 


68o  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

friends  of  the  Indians  had  heard  of  their  murder,  and  they  became 
greatly  excited  and  threatened  to  come  down  in  force  on  the 
settlement  for  revenge.  This  alarmed  the  authorities,*  and  they 
promptly  condemned  the  act  and  adopted  measures  to  arrest  the 
murderers.  On  the  i6th  of  November  a  conference  with  the 
Indians  was  held  at  Tioga  Point,  which  Colonel  Pickering  attended 
as  a  commissioner.  Red  Jacket  and  Cornplanter  were  there,  and 
the  results  were  satisfactory.  In  the  meantime  the  authorities  of 
Pennsylvania  were  active  in  their  efforts  to  bring  the  murderers  to 
justice.!  At  a  meeting  of  the  Executive  Council,  held  at  Phila- 
delphia July  9,  1790,  information  was  laid  before  it,  that  two 
friendly  Seneca  Indians  had  been  wantonly  murdered  on  the  27th 
of  June,  on  Pine  Creek,  by  Benjamin  Walker,  Henry  Walker, 
Joseph  Walker  and  Samuel  Doyle,  and  a  proclamation  was  issued 
offering  a  reward  of  gSoo  for  the  arrest  and  conviction  of  the 
offenders,  or  S200  for  any  one  of  them.  On  the  17th  of  August 
John  Robinson  wrote  to  Colonel  Thomas  Proctor  from  Pine  Creek, 
as  follows; 

Sir,  I  desire  to  inform  you  that  Messrs.  Benj.  Walker,  Henry  Walker,  James 
Walker  and  Samuel  Doyle,  have  upon  mature  deliberation  been  convinced  of  their 
error  and  are  willing  to  give  themselves  up  to  stand  their  trial  according  to  law. 
They  most  earnestly  solicit  your  friendship,  and  pray  you  would  use  your  interest 
and  endeavors  in  their  behalf  with  the  Council,  in  order  to  mitigate  their  fault,  which 

*An  express  was  promptly  sent  to  advise  the  Indians  that  the  authorities  did  not 
approve  of  the  act.  He  found  the  Indians  greatly  excited,  but  owing  to  the 
influence  of  Cornplanter  a  war  party  was  prevented  from  starting  to  take  vengeance 
on  the  frontier  settlers. 

fin  a  letter  dated  Northumberland,  September  23,  1790,  William  Wilson  wrote  to 
Governor  Mifflin  informing  him  that  he  had  engaged  Thomas  Rue,  Jr.,  to  go  in 
pursuit  of  the  Walkers  and  Doyle,  and  to  take  such  persons  with  him  as  he  could 
confide  in.  He  started  for  Pine  Creek,  but  a  few  days  before  his  arrival  sixteen 
persons  residing  on  the  creek  banded  together  to  take  the  Walkers,  but  being  informed 
of  what  was  going  on  they  disappeared.  Rue  went  upon  the  ground  secretly  and 
soon  found  Doyle,  whom  he  arrested  and  sent  him  to  jail  at  Lancaster.  Mr.  Wilson 
said  further,  in  his  letter,  that  he  expected  to  secure  the  Walkers,  as  he  had  several 
persons  in  pursuit  of  them. 

In  another  letter  written  from  the  same  place,  and  dated  September  29th,  he 
informed  the  Governor  that  he  had  drawn  on  him  "for  fifty  specie  in  favor  of 
Hepburn  and  Cowden"  for  assisting  in  the  arrest  of  Doyle  and  taking  him  to  Lan- 
caster. The  Walkers,  he  said,  were  still  at  large,  and  as  the  people  sympathized 
with  them,  he  had  little  hope  of  securing  them.  Some  persons  thought  it  would  be 
better  to  have  them  "  outlawed,"  as  well  as  those  who  were  secreting  them. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY.  68 1 

they  are,  from  all  appearance,  very  sorry  for,  and  have  petitioned  the  Council  for  their 
pardon,  and  knowing  there  has  been  some  correspondence  between  you  and  my 
father,  have  desired  me  to  write  to  you  and  state  their  inducement  for  killing  the 
Indians,  and  my  desire  being  great  for  the  preservation  of  their  lives,  which  /  jiow 
earnestly  crave,  I  will  now  give  you  their  reasons  for  killing  the  two  Indians,  which 
are  as  follows:  One  of  the  two  Indians  they  killed  vaunted  of  his  taking  twenty- 
three  scalps.  One  of  the  scalped  persons  being  alive,  is  willing  to  give  in  on  oath  that 
he  scalped  a  woman  at  the  same  time  their  father,  John  Walker,  was  killed  and 
scalped,  which  was  their  inducement  for  killing  them. 

This  letter  had  no  influence  upon  the  Council,  for  it  redoubled 
its  efforts  to  arrest  the  offenders,  who  now  kept  out  of  the  way. 

This  bold  murder  had  created  great  excitement  all  over  the 
country,  and  grave  fears  were  entertained  of  an  Indian  invasion 
of  Pennsylvania.  A  deputation  was  at  once  sent  to  Canandaigua 
by  the  Council,  with  a  copy  of  its  proclamation  apologizing  for 
the  offense  and  promising  to  do  justice.  The  deputation  returned, 
bearing  a  letter  from  Oliver  Phelps,  dated  Canandaigua,  August 
14,  1790,  with  an  address  and  a  string  of  wampum  from  the  chief 
counselors  and  warriors  of  the  Seneca  nation  to  the  Executive 
Council,  in  token  of  peace  and  amity.  As  might  be  expected  in 
a  community  that  had  been  harried  and  assailed  by  the  bloody 
savages,  who  had  butchered  and  tortured  their  wives  and  children, 
burned  their  dwellings  and  desolated  their  plantations,  there  was 
no  disposition  to  deliver  up  for  punishment  those  who  assumed 
to  be  the  avengers  of  such  terrible  outrages.  The  result  was 
that  the  whole  power  of  the  commonwealth  to  arrest  any  of  the 
offenders,  except  Sam.  Doyle,  proved  ineffectual.  He  was  taken 
September  25,  1790,  by  Thomas  Resse  and  Jacob  Merclay,  and 
delivered  to  the  jailer  of  Lancaster  County  on  the  12th  day  of 
November  following.  He  was  indicted  by  a  Grand  Jury  of 
Northumberland  County,  at  Sunbury,  of  willful  murder,  and  at  the 
same  place,  on  the  same  day,  was  tried  in  the  Oyer  and  Terminer 
"before  a  jury  of  twelve  good  and  lawful  men,  being  called  and 
sworn,  who  being  duly  elected,  sworn  and  affirmed  to  speak  the 
truth  of  the  premises,  upon  their  oath  and  affirmation,  respectively 
do  say,  that  the  same  Samuel  Doyle  is  not  guilty  of  the  felony 
and  murder  whereof  he  stands  indicted."  So  reads  the  record  of 
acquittal.  Thomas  McKean,  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  State,  pre- 
sided   at    the    trial;    William   Bradford,   the    Attorney    General, 


682  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

prosecuted,  but  it  does  not  appear  who  defended  the  prisoner  or 
whether  he  was  defended  at  all.  Benjamin  Patterson,  the  scout 
and  hunter,  then  a  resident  of  Northumberland,  was  one  of  the 
jurors.     He  lived  and  died  at  Painted  Post. 

Samuel  Doyle*  went  to  Bath  soon  after  its  settlement  and  died 
in  the  town.  He  was  the  father  of  the  late  Mrs.  George  Young, 
of  Painted  Post. 

The  Walkers  were  lost  sight  of  for  some  time.  About  the 
year  1798  one  of  the  brothers  located  in  what  is  now  Steuben 
County,  New  York,  and  lived  at  Mud  Run  for  several  years. 
According  to  the  reminiscences  left  by  William  Howell,  of  Bath, 
he  did  not  work  much,  his  chief  employment  being  that  of  a 
hunter.     Mr.  Howell  says: 

"  He  had  a  log  house  which  he  called  his  home,  but  there  was 
very  little  land  cleared  or  cultivated  around  it,  and  during  the 
warm  weather  Walker  was  seldom  at  home,  but  often  remained  in 
the  woods  for  several  days  at  a  time  without  any  provision  except 
the  game  he  killed.  He  was  a  gloomy,  melancholy  man,  and  was 
known  among  the  inhabitants  by  the  name  of  the  '  Hermit.'  It 
was  said  that  he  came  from  Wyoming  on  the  Susquehanna,  and 
that  when  that  place  was  taken  by  the  British  and  Indians  during 
the  Revolutionary  war,  all  the  other  members  of  his  father's 
family,  consisting  of  seven  or  eight  persons,  were  massacred,  and 
that  he  escaped  only  by  a  bold  and  desperate  effort ;  but  as  he 
never  would  speak  of  it  himself  or  give  any  account  of  his  former 
life,  all  that  was  related  of  him  was  conjecture,  founded  upon  his 
singular  manner  of  living,  and  the  strong  prejudice  that  he  some- 
times exhibited  against  the  Indians.  It  was  evident  from  his 
conduct,  reserved  and  taciturn  as  he  appeared,  that  he  belonged 
to  a  class  of  men  who  were  once  found  along  the  boundary 
between  the  white  man  and  the  Indian,  the  line  separating 
what  was    called    civilized    from    that   which  was    called    savacje 


*  He  was  well  known  in  Bath  eighty  years  ago.  At  one  time  he  resided  three 
miles  below  the  village.  Many  of  his  descendants  now  reside  in  Steuben  County, 
and  some  of  them  are  also  living  in  Bath.  The  date  of  his  death  is  not  given,  neither 
his  age.  In  1807  there  were  many  Indians  about  Bath,  as  it  appears  by  a  resolution 
entered  in  the  town  records,  that  they  were  to  receive  a  bounty  for  the  scalps  of  all 
wolves  they  should  kill  in  the  county. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  683 

life,  but  which  was  in  fact  neutral  ground,  occupied  by  those 
who  claimed  to  belong  to  both  parties,  and  the  point  at  which 
the  worst  extremes  of  civilization  and  barbarism  met  and  con- 
tended with  each  other  with  all  the  animosit)'  and  cruelty  of 
mortal  hatred.  They  were  a  class  of  men  who  were  described  by 
the  elegant  writer  of '  The  Winter  in  the  West,'  as  being  possessed 
of  'two  consciences,'  one  for, the  white  man,  towards  whom  their 
conduct  was  correct  and  commendable,  and  the  other  for  the 
Indian,  towards  whom  they  entertained  the  most  inveterate  enmity, 
and  treated  him  with  the  utmost  cruelty,  not  only  without  regret 
or  remorse,  but  with  exultation  and  barbarous  satisfaction.  They 
were  the  '  Indian  haters '  of  the  frontiers,  and  though  many  of 
their  deeds  of  cruelty  to  the  ill-fated  savage  will  be  ever  looked 
upon  with  horror,  it  must  be  admitted  that  in  most  instances  they 
only  retaliated  upon  him  the  same  cruelties  which  he  had 
previously  inflicted  upon  them. 

"  In  a  few  years  after  Walker  came  to  the  county  the  settle- 
ments extended  along  the  river  for  several  miles,  and  at  Smith's 
Creek,  or  near  there,  about  three  miles  from  Bath,  Doyle,  who 
came  from  Pennsylvania,  had  built  a  house  and  made  a  small 
clearing.  Doyle  had  been  acquainted  with  Walker  before  he 
came  from  Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  often  came  to  his  house, 
and  frequently  stayed  with  him  several  days  at  a  time,  engaged  in 
hunting,  up  the  valley  of  Smith's  Creek. 

"  At  the  time  we  now  refer  to  the  Indians  were  in  the  habit  of 
coming  from  their  towns  on  the  Genesee  River  to  the  Canisteo 
and  Cohocton,  to  hunt  during  the  fall  of  the  year,  and  some  of 
them  frequently  remained  until  the  middle  of  winter,  during  which 
time  they  were  generally  on  good  terms  with  the  settlers,  so  much 
so  that  it  was  a  common  thing  for  the  Indians  to  stay  all  night 
with  them,  sleeping  on  the  floor  before  the  fire.  They  continued 
to  come  to  the  county  every  year,  in  greater  or  less  numbers, 
until  1823  or  1824,  when  Joshua  Stevens,  who  lived  on  the 
Canisteo,  was  shot,  while  he  was  in  the  woods  in  search  of  his 
cows.  His  body  was  found  the  next  day,  and  suspicion  fell  upon 
two  Indians  who  were  known  to  have  been  in  the  neighborhood. 
They  were  afterwards  apprehended  and  tried  at  Bath  for  the 
murder,  but  were  acquitted,  there  not  being  sufficient  evidence 


684  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

that  either  of  them  shot  Stevens.  After  this  event  but  few  Indians 
ever  came  to  the  county. 

"  While  Walker  was  staying  at  Doyle's  it  was  usual  for  him  to 
bring  the  game  he  had  killed  to  Doyle's  house,  and  Doyle  fre- 
quently went  with  him  to  carry  the  deer  he  had  shot  out  of  the 
woods.  Early  one  morning  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1807  Walker 
came  in  and  said  he  had  lain  out  in  the  woods  the  night  before,  a 
mile  or  two  up  Smith's  Creek,  and  asked  Doyle  to  go  with  him 
and  help  bring  in  a  large  buck  he  said  he  had  killed,  and  after 
breakfast  they  started  to  bring  in  the  deer.  Walker  said  that  the 
buck  was  about  the  largest  he  had  ever  killed,  and  though  he  had 
frequently  started  him  up  and  seen  him  before,  he  could  never  get 
a  fair  shot  till  this  time. 

"After  going  up  the  creek  about  two  miles,  Walker  stopped 
by  a  log  near  the  bank  of  the  creek,  and  throwing  aside  some 
brush  and  leaves,  said : 

"'Here  he  is,  Doyle,  and  ain't  he  a  fine  one?'  He  had  uncovered  the  body  of 
an  Indian,  and  as  Doyle  came  up  he  added:  'This  is  the  buck  I  meant.'  Doyle 
exclaimed,  'What  under  the  heavens  have  you  been  doing?'  and  he  replied,  'Just 
what  you  see  here.  I  have  been  shooting  this  d — d  Indian.  He  was  one  of  the 
devils  that  murdered  my  father's  family,  and  I  have  been  trying  to  kill  him  these 
twenty  years,  but  never  had  a  good  chance  till  yesterday.  He  makes  the  seventeenth 
I  have  killed,  and  now  I  am  satisfied,  and  you  may  complain  of  me  and  have  nie 
hung  as  soon  as  you  please.' 

"  In  giving  an  account  of  the  fight,  Walker  said  that  he  ran  a 
great  risk  himself,  for  they  discovered  each  other  at  the  same  time, 
and  that  the  Indian  knew  him  and  '  what  he  had  to  expect.'  They 
were  about  five  or  six  rods  apart,  but  the  woods  were  open  between, 
and  both  drew  up  their  rifles  without  saying  a  word,  and  fired  at  the 
same  instant.  Strange  to  say,  neither  shot  took  fatal  effect,  though 
the  Indian  started  a  little  when  the  rifles  cracked,  as  if  he  had 
received  a  wound,  but  stood  as  erect  as  before,  and  not  a  muscle  of 
his  face  moved.  His  ball  passed  the  side  of  Walker's  neck,  just 
grazing  the  skin.  It  was  now  that  Walker's  skill  came  into  play,  for 
the  whole  thing  turned  upon  reloading  the  rifles.  He  said  he 
turned  the  powder  from  the  horn  into  the  muzzle,  and  while  it  was 
running  down  he  drew  the  rod,  and  almost  at  the  same  instant 
laid  the  ball  on  the  muzzle  with  his  lips,  (for  he  always  carried  a 
ball  in  his  mouth  when  in  the  woods),  then  driving  the  ball  down 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  685 

with  a  single  stroke  and  trusting  to  its  having  primed  itself,  he 
drew  up  and  was  ready.  '  I  had  beat  the  poor  devil,'  said  Walker, 
'for  in  his  hurry  in  drawing  his  rod  from  the  thimbles,  he  snapped 
it  in  two,  and  this  frightened  him  so  much  that  he  did  not  appear 
to  think  he  could  fire  with  the  ball  partly  down ;  but  seeing  me 
ready,  and  that  he  had  no  chance  to  escape,  he  threw  down  his 
gun,  seized  his  tomahawk,  gave  the  war  whoop,  and  made  one 
bound  towards  me,  when  I  fired.  He  gave  a  loud  yell,  sprang 
into  the  air  almost  his  own  height  and  fell  dead.' 

"After  some  conversation  they  concluded  that  something  must 
be  done  to  conceal  the  body,  and  to  do  this  they  adopted  the 
Indian  method  of  interment,  by  turning  over  an  old  log  which 
was  imbedded  in  the  ground,  laid  the  body  of  the  Indian,  together 
with  his  rifle,  in  the  hole  and  then  turned  the  log  back  as  it  was 
before,  entirely  concealing  the  body  and  making  it  difficult  for  any 
wild  animals  to  reach  it.  This  Indian  was  apparently  about  fifty 
years  old  and  was  over  six  feet  in  height.  His  appearance  was 
very  remarkable,  owing  to  his  having  probably  received  a  wound 
on  the  side  of  the  nose,  which  had  healed  without  uniting  and  left 
the  nostril  open  almost  to  the  eye. 

"  It  was  seen  on  examination  that  Walker's  first  shot  had  hit 
the  Indian,  and  cut  a  long  gash  across  his  back  just  under  the 
shoulder  blades,  but  not  deep  enough  to  break  the  bones. 

"  Although  Walker  appeared  to  disregard  the  consequences  of 
the  act  he  had  committed,  yet  he  did  not  in  fact  feel  so  indifferent 
as  he  endeavored  to  make  Doyle  believe,  for  he  was  not  fully  satis- 
fied whether  Doyle  might  not  make  some  disclosure  that  would 
lead  to  his  conviction  for  the  murder.  He  was  a  shrewd  man,  how- 
ever, and  knew  that  if  he  could  excite  Doyle's  resentment  against 
the  Indians,  there  would  be  no  risk  of  his  betraying  the  secret." 

This  strange  and  fascinating  story  may  be  slightly  embellished, 
but  in  the  main  it  is  believed  to  be  true.  It  is  unknown  which 
one  of  the  Walker  brothers  figured  as  the  avenger,  as  by  a 
strange  oversight  the  writer  *  failed  to  give  his  first  name.     Neither 

*The  reminiscences,  which  Mr.  Howell  called  an  "Indian  Legend,"  were  edited 
by  A.  J.  McCall,  of  Bath,  and  printed  in  the  Plaindealer  oi  that  place  May  21,  1887. 
William  Howell  was  a  man  highly  esteemed  for  his  probity,  and  was  an  early  resi- 
dent of  Bath.  It  seems  that  he  did  not  know  he  was  dealing  more  with  fact  than 
romance  when  he  recorded  his  reminiscences  of  Doyle  and  Walker. 


686  HISTORY    (_)F    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

is  it  known  what  became  of  him  or  his  brothers.  They  all  dis- 
appeared, and  their  history  was  long  since  lost  sight  of. 

The  Constitution  of  1776  having  been  superseded  by  the 
Constitution  adopted  September  2,  1790,  a  new  political  order 
was  introduced  in  Pennsylvania,  which  very  materially  changed 
the  condition  of  affairs.  Under  the  new  Constitution  Thomas 
Mifflin  was  chosen  Governor  with  little  opposition.  He  was  a 
native  of  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  born  in  1 744.  He  had  much 
civil  and  military  experience  during  the  Revolution ;  was  a  dele- 
gate to  Congress  in  1782;  was  a  member  and  Speaker  of  the 
Legislature  in  1785;  president  of  the  convention  which  framed 
the  Constitution  of  1790;  Governor  of  the  State  from  1790  to 
1799.  He  died  at  Lancaster  while  serving  as  a  member  of  the 
Legislature,  January  21,  1800.  Thomas  McKean,  who  was 
serving  as  Chief  Justice,  succeeded  him  as  Governor  in  1799,  and 
served  three  terms,  or  until  1808. 

When  the  Constitution  of  1790  went  into  operation,  Samuel 
Maclay  and  John  White  were  members  of  the  Legislature  from 
Northumberland  County,  Jasper  Ewing  was  prothonotary,  Martin 
Withington  was  sheriff,  and  Peter  Hosterman,  John  Weitzell  and 
William  Hepburn  were  commissioners. 

During  the  year  1790  Samuel  Maclay,  John  Adlum  and  Timothy 
Matlack  were  appointed  commissioners  to  survey  the  West  Branch, 
the  Sinnemahoning,  Allegheny  and  other  streams,  with  a  view  to 
the  promotion  of  inland  navigation,  or  the  establishment  of  a 
water  way  between  the  West  Branch  and  Lake.  Erie.  The 
survey  was  completed  in  September  of  that  year,  and  a  report 
made  to  the  Legislature.  The  Journal*  kept  by  Mr.  Maclay 
during  the  survey  was  a  curious  and  interesting  document,  as  it 
noted  daily  incidents  and  gave  the  experiences  of  the  commis- 
sioners. At  the  beginning  of  1799  Andrew  Gregg  was  the 
representative  in  Congress,  and  Samuel  Maclay  and  Samuel  Dale 
were  State  Senators. 

Colonel  William  Plunkett,  who  was  one  of  the  conspicuous 
characters  in  the  history  of  this  valley  from  an  early  period,  died 

*  It  was  published  in  full  for  the  first  time  in  Meginness'  Historical  Journal  in 
1SS7,  nearly  one  hundred  years  after  it  was  written.  It  is  a  valuable  contribution  to 
the  history  of  the  times. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  68/ 

at  Sunbury  in  the  spring  of  1 791,  aged  nearly  100  years.  It  is 
supposed  that  he  was  buried  in  the  old  cemetery,  but  all  traces  of 
his  grave  have  been  lost.  He  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  studied 
medicine  and  emigrated  to  this  country  when  quite  a  young 
man.  Dr.  Plunkett  married  a  daughter  of  John  Harris,  Sr.,  and 
resided  for  a  short  time  at  Carlisle.  He  had  four  daughters, 
Elizabeth,  Isabella,  Margaret  and  Esther.  His  wife  died  early, 
and  he  ne\-er  married  again.  Dr.  Plunkett,  as  the  reader  will 
remember,  was  the  first  President  Judge  of  Northumberland 
County,  and  his  career  was  stormy  and  boisterous.  William  C. 
Plunkett,  afterwards  Lord  Chancellor  of  Ireland,  was  a  nephew  of 
Dr.  Plunkett.  A  brother  of  Dr.  Plunkett  came  to  this  country, 
bringing  with  him  a  daughter  named  Margaret,  who  married 
Samuel  Simmons,  who  resided  on  Pine  Creek,  west  of  Jersey 
Shore.  Some  of  their  descendants  still  reside  there,  and  one  of 
them,  Colonel  Samuel  Simmons,  is  a  prominent  member  of  the 
St.  Louis  Bar.  Before  his  death  Dr.  Plunkett  lived  in  a  building 
in  Sunbury  which  was  afterwards  used  by  Ebenezer  Greenough, 
Esq.,  as  an  office.  He  was  totally  blind  during  the  closing  years 
of  his  life,  and  as  a  protection,  when  he  went  outside,  he  had 
ropes  stretched  in  front  of  his  house.  His  will  is  dated  January 
3,  1 79 1,  and  it  was  proved  May  25,  1791,  and  in  it  he  mentions 
his  granddaughter,  Margaret  Baxter,  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  accomplished  ladies  of  her  day,  who  died  at  Milroy,  July  6, 
1863.  After  his  long  and  exciting  career,  there  is  much  that  is 
sad  and  pathetic  in  the  closing  years  of  the  life  of  this  truly 
remarkable  man.* 

Among  the  first  settlers  on  a  portion  of  Muncy  Manor,  after 
the  Penns  had  dispossessed  Samuel  Wallis  and  decided  to  dispose 
of  the  land  in  tracts,  were  the  Waltons.  They  were  of  English 
descent.  Their  forefathers  came  to  America  with  the  Friends,  and 
assisted  in  forming  the  nucleus  of  Philadelphia. 

Isaac  Walton  and  his  brother  James  came  to  Muncy  Manor  as 
early  as  1770,  and  purchased  for  a  few  shillings  per  acre  a  large 
tract  of  land.      James  located  on  the  river  bank  and  made  an 

*A  much  fuller  sketch  of  his  life  is  given  in  Meginness'  Biographical  Annals, 
together  with  a  very  interesting  letter  regarding  the  history  of  his  family,  written  by 
Dr.  Samuel  Maclay,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Hon.  John  Blair  Linn,  of  Bellefonte. 


688 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 


improvement.  His  farm  extended  from  the  river  to  the  pubhc 
road  leading  to  Williamsport.  The  farm  owned  by  Isaac  was 
situated  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road,  and  extended  from 
Muncy  Creek  to  the  borough.  As  an  inducement  for  settlers 
they  sold  tracts  of  land  at  cost.  Both  of  the  brothers  had  large 
families.     Isaac  had  twelve  children  and  James  had  nine.     When 

Isaac  married  he  was 


only  twenty  years  of 
age  and  his  wife  was 
sixteen.  Isaac  built 
a  log  house,*  which 
\\as  one  of  the  best 
of  Its  kind  in  those 
da)b,  and  was  re- 
garded by  the  early 
settlers  as  a  fine  man- 

Old  House  Built  m  .770  .n  which  Ell.s  Waltun  »as  Born  hept     .177.  SlOn.  Thc      aCCOm- 

panying  illustration  is  obtained  from  a  pen  drawing  made  by  a 
descendant,  and  is  given  to  show  the  style  of  architecture  in 
vogue  among  the  early  settlers  of  this  valley.  The  ruins  of  one 
of  these  typical  dwellings  may  yet  be  seen  near  Elimsport,  in 
White  Deer  Valley. 

In  this  house  Ellis  Walton,  one  of  the  sons,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 21,  1 77 1.  When  he  grew  to  manhood  he  studied  law,  and 
afterwards  married  Miss  Jane  Huston,  of  Williamsport.  On  the 
28th  of  February,  1808,  Governor  Snyder  appointed  him  prothono- 
tary  of  Lycoming  Count}-,  in  place  of  John  Kidd,  who  had 
neglected  his  duties  to  such  an  extent  that  his  removal  was 
demanded.  Mr.  Walton's  daughter,  Martha  L.,  who  was  unusu- 
ally bright  and  intelligent,  went  into  the  office  with  her  father 
when  only  eight  years  of  age  and  assisted  him  in  recording  deeds 
until  the  work  was  brought  up.  Ellis  Walton  died  November  9, 
1 81 3,  while  still  in  office,  at  the  early  age  of  42,  leaving  three 
daughters  and  one  son.     His  daughter,  Martha  L.,t  married  Dr. 

*  Isaac  Walton,  a  great-grandson,  still  lives  on  the  original  farm.  All  traces  of  the 
old  house  only  disappeared  a  few  years  ago. 

f  She  left  an  elaborate  history  in  MS.  of  her  ancestors  for  her  granddaughter,  Mrs. 
Slate,  which  is  very   interesting  as  well   as  valuable.      She  was  a  gifted  woman 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  689 

M.  B.  Grier,  of  Williamsport,  in  1817,  but  he  did  not  live  long. 
A  daughter,  born  after  his  death,  was  named  Anna  M.  Grier.  In 
1827  her  mother,  Mrs.  Grier,  married  Rev.  John  Bowen,  a  pioneer 
Methodist  minister.  When  Anna  M.  Grier  grew  to  womanhood 
she  married  Dr.  John  W.  Wright,  of  Baltimore.  He  died  in 
1879.  His  widow  still  survives.  Her  only  daughter,  Martha 
Virginia,  married  Hyman  A.  Slate,  of  Williamsport,  and  their 
children  are  now  of  the  sixth  generation  from  Isaac  Walton. 

Northumberland,  which  had  been  almost  entirely  abandoned, 
was  re-occupied  by  the  returning  inhabitants  in  1785,  and  it  soon 
became  a  place  of  refuge  for  a  number  of  distinguished  English 
and  other  e.xiles,  chief  among  them  being  Dr.  Joseph  Priestley,  Dr. 
Cooper,  Mr.  Russell  and  Mrs.  Dash.*  The  latter  was  a  woman 
of  great  spirit  and  enterprise.  She  was  the  wife  of  an  English 
banker  who  had  failed  in  business,  and  while  he  was  settling  up 
his  affairs  she  came  to  America  in  1794,  with  her  three  daughters, 
and  purchased  100  acres  of  land  for  $265,  near  Northumberland, 
on  which  she  erected  a  cabin  and  had  twenty  acres  cleared  and 
sown  in  wheat.  Soon  afterwards  she  built  a  stone  house,  in  which 
she  welcomed  her  husband  on  his  arrival. 

The  Duke  gives  his  impressions  of  the  towns  of  Sunbury  and 
Northumberland  as  follows : 

"Sunbury  is  the  chief  town  of  the  county.  But  the  small 
number  of  public  buildings, f  which  are  necessary  for  the  admin- 
istration of  justice,  constitute  its  only  advantages  over  Northum- 
berland. *  *  *  Xhe  number  of  houses  is  at  this  time,t 
perhaps,  a  sixth  greater  at  Sunbury  than  at  Northumberland, 
where  it  amounts  to  about  one  hundred.     *     *     *     It  (Sunburj') 

intellectually,  which  is  clearly  shown  by  her  writings.  Jane,  the  second  daughter  of 
Ellis  Walton,  married  Dr.  James  Teas,  of  Northumberland  County.  After  his  death 
she  remained  a  widow  for  thirty  years,  when,  in  September,  1868,  she  married  John 
K.  Hays,  of  Williamsport.     She  died  November  25,  1875. 

*The  Duke  De  La  Rochefaucault  Liancourt,  the  French  traveler,  visited  here  in 
May,  1795,  and  says  in  Vol.  L,  page  69,  of  his  great  work,  that  two  of  her  daughters 
were  married.  The  third  was  single,  and  she  played  the  piano  for  him  in  their  log 
cabin.     The  instrument  was  of  London  make  and  the  music  was  fine. 

fMay  17,  1795,  Vol.  I.,  pages  69  to  72,  of  his  travels. 

J  Sunbury  was  made  a  borough  March  24,  1797,  and  the  first  regular  court  house, 
which  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  square,  was  built  this  year.  The  census  of  1800 
shows  that  the  population  of  Sunbury  was  611. 


690  IIISTOKV    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

is  uiidoubtecll)'  the  worst  built  town  we  have  hitlierto  seen.  All 
the  lioiises  arc  of  wood,  chiefly  log;  two  only  are  of  stone.  There 
is  no  market  place  here;  the  town  contains  no  inns,  but  there  are 
four  whiskey  houses.  We  put  up  in  that  which  is  the  best  of 
them;  and  yet  it  rains  on  our  beds,  as  well  as  on  our  horses  in 
the  stable.  Mcthinks  there  is  hardly  any  place  situate  mere 
favorably  for  its  becoming  a  large  city  than  Northumberland.* 
The  slow  progress  hitherto  made  by  the  town  I  have  heard 
imputed  to  the  untoward  character  and  little  sense  of  the  gentle- 
men who  possessed  three-fourths  of  the  ground  on  which  the 
town  stands.  *  *  *  Xhe  price  of  land  about  Northumberland 
is  at  present  from  twenty  to  twenty-four  dollars  per  acre  near  the 
river;  that  situate  on  the  northern  arm  is  still  dearer,  on  account 
of  the  better  quality  of  the  soil,  and  because  a  greater  part  of  the 
ground  is  already  cleared  there  than  on  the  eastern  arm.  Further 
up  the  river  land  is  sold  from  four  to  six  dollars  an  acre.  *  *  * 
The  inhabitants  of  Northumberland,  as  well  as  the  county 
'  at  large,  consist  for  the  most  part  of  Dutchmen.  *  *  * 
Laborers  are  paid  six  shillings  a  day,  without  victuals,  or  three 
shillings  and  ninepence  with  their  entertainment.  In  the  country, 
where  they  hire  themselves  by  the  month,  have  eight  dollars,  for 
which  they  are  obliged  to  work  twenty-six  days.  Bricklayers 
and  carpenters'  wages  are,  in  town,  one  dollar  per  day.  The 
price  of  tiles  is  four  dollars  per  thousand,  and  very  good  bricks 
cost  in  Northumberland  two  shillings  and  sixpence,  delivered  free 
of  expense.  The  price  of  lime  is  from  nine  to  tenpence  per 
bushel,  of  deal  boards  five  shillings  per  hundred  feet,  and  of  other 
boards  six  shillings  and  sixpence. 

"As  there  is  no  market.f  either  in  Northumberland  or  Sunbury, 
the  inhabitants  live  for  the  greater  part  of  the  year  upon  salted 
meat,  unless  they  keep  fowls.  The  farmers  kill,  at  times,  a  cow, 
but  since  an  epidemic  has  carried  off  all  the  horses,  they  have 
been  obliged  to  replace  these  by  oxen  for  the  purpose  of  agricul- 
ture, and  consequently  use  less  beef  than  before.     Cow  beef  at 

*  Northumberland  was  not  erected  into  a  borough  until  April  14,  1828,  nearly 
thirty-three  years  after  the  visit  of  the  Duke. 

fin  1794  there  were  only  three  stores  in  Sunbury.  They  were  kept  by  William 
Dewart,  John  Buyers  and  James  Black. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  69I 

this  time  sold  from  fivepence  to  fivepence  half  penny  per  pound. 
The  highest  house  rent  in  Northumberland  is  $80,  and  there  is 
but  one  house  in  the  whole  town  for  which  so  much  is  paid.  It 
is  of  brick,  large  and  convenient,  and  was  but  lately  sold  for 
$5,200.  Everything  is  somewhat  dearer  at  Sunbury,  but  the 
difference  is  not  a  full  sixth." 

Mr.  Russell  was  an  Englishman  who  was  engaged  largely  in 
land  speculations  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  the  State.  Reference 
has  already  been  made  to  Dr.  Priestley,  the  eminent  philosopher, 
theologian  and  discoverer  of  oxygen. 

In  September,  1794,  a  serious  difficulty  took  place  at  Northum- 
berland, caused  by  the  excitement  in  the  State  which  culminated 
in  what  was  known  as  the  "  Whiskey  Insurrection."  Some  of  the 
whiskey  advocates  determined  to  erect  a  Liberty  Pole.  Judge 
William  Wilson,  of  ChiUisquaque,  and  Judge  Macpherson,  of 
Dry  Vallc}-,  determined  to  pre\-ent  it.  They  called  on  Daniel 
Montgomery,  also  a  justice,  to  assist  them.  He  told  them  he 
would  pull  at  the  rope  if  the  people  required  it.  He  went  with 
them,  but  rendered  no  assistance.  A  fight  took  place.  Judge 
Wilson  read  the  "  riot  act,"  as  he  called  it,  but  no  attention  was 
paid  to  it.  One  man  presented  a  musket  at  the  Judge,  but  he 
drew  his  pistol  and  made  him  put  down  his  gun  under  the  penalty 
of  having  his  brains  blown  out.  They  arrested  the  Judge,  but  he 
would  give  no  bail  and  they  were  afraid  to  lock  him  up.  In  the 
melee  Jasper  Ewing  *  drew  his  pistol  and  snapped  it  at  William 
Cooke. 

The  arsenal,  where  the  public  arms  were  stored,  stood  near,  and 
was  under  the  charge  of  Robert  Irwin.  The  pole  was  driven  full 
of  nails  to  the  height  of  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  so  that  it  could 
not  be  cut  down. 

The  insurrectionists,  or  whiskey  party,  took  possession  of  the 
arsenal  and  distributed  arms  to  those  who  were  opposed  to  the 
law.  Matters  became  serious  and  for  a  time  it  looked  as  if  blood 
would  be  shed.  A  guard  was  kept  near  the  pole  night  and  day. 
Those  friendly  to  the  Government  could  not  stand  the  outrage 
any   longer  and  were  determined  to  protect  the  house  of  John 

^For  report  of  the  case  see  I.  Yeates,  419. 


692  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV. 

Brady,*  who  was  the  district  marshal.  The  swords  of  the  officers, 
which  had  been  sheathed  since  the  war,  were  drawn  from  their 
scabbards  again  to  protect  the  Government.  As  the  excitement 
increased  a  colHsion  seemed  inevitable  if  something  decisive  was 
not  done.  In  a  few  days,  however,  a  company  of  ninety  men, 
under  command  of  Captain  Robert  Cooke,  arrived  from  Lancaster. 
The  pole  was  still  guarded,  and  the  marshal's  orders  to  clear  the 
streets  were  unheeded.  The  mob,  being  well  armed,  seemed 
determined  to  maintain  the  position  it  had  taken.  Captain  Cooke 
ordered  them  to  disperse,  but  as  they  did  not  obey,  he  ordered 
his  company  to  charge  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  The  order 
was  carried  out  and  the  bayonets  were  at  the  breasts  of  those  who 
were  resisting  the  law,  when  they  broke  and  fled.  An  axe  was 
called  for  to  cut  the  pole  down.  Barney  Hoobley's  wife  came 
with  one,  when  she  was  met  by  Jacob  Welker's  wife,  who  resisted 
her,  and  a  desperate  fisticuff  ensued  between  these  two  women  about 
the  axe.  The  battle  was  a  hard  contested  one,  but  Mrs.  Hoobley, 
who  was  the  least  of  the  two,  succeeded,  and  the  pole  was  cut 
down.  These  ladies  were  sisters  and  much  respected  by  the 
people. 

Several  of  the  ringleaders  in  this  insurrection  were  arrested  and 
conveyed  to  Philadelphia  to  stand  their  trial  for  resisting  the  laws 
of  the  United  States.  The  following  were  tried,  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  pay  a  fine  of  ;^  100  each,  and  undergo  an  imprison- 
ment of  six  months:  Robert  Irwin,  Daniel  Montgomery,  John 
Frick,  William  Bonham,  James  Mackey,  Sr.,  and  S.  McKee. 

When  they  were  marched  into  the  presence  of  General  Wash- 
ington the  old  hero  was  so  affected  that  he  shed  tears.  He 
pardoned  them  all  at  the  end  of  twenty  days,  and  they  returned 
home  deeply  impressed  with  the  goodness  and  magnanimity  of 
that  great  man. 

John  Quigley  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  on  what  is  known 
as  the  "  Youngwomanstown  Farm,"  embraced  in  the  Thomas 
Robinson   survey,  patented   and   signed  by  Benjamin    Franklin, 


*  He  was  the  son  of  Captain  John  Brady,  who  was  killed  by  the  Indians  near 
Muncy  April  11,  1779.  He  was  elected  sheriff  of  Northumberland  County  that  year 
and  served  his  term  of  three  years,  retiring  at  the  close  of  1797,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Robert  Irwin,  one  of  the  rioters. 


HISTOKV    OF    THK    WEST    liKANClI    VALLEY.  693 

President  of  tlic  Supreme  Executive  Council,  and  dated  1785. 
Here  he  lived  and  died,  and  hero  his  son  Michael*  was  born  and 
continueil  to  live  until  his  death,  February  16,  1888,  in  the  82d 
year  of  his  age.  Michael  Quigley,  iiis  grandfather,  located  in 
what  is  now  Wayne  Township,  Clinton  County,  soon  after  peace 
was  restored,  where  he  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  lying  on 
the  river.     His  descendants  still  live  in  Wayne  Township. 

Just  west  of  the  bustling  railroad  town  of  Renovo — which  was 
founded  long  after  the  period  of  which  we  write — is  a  place  called 
Shintown.  A  man  named  Long  settled  there  about  1790,  and 
after  he  abandoned  it  George  Hiuiter  succeeded  him.  He  lived 
there  until  1 806  or  1807,  when  he  moved  west  and  was  succeeded 
by  David  Drake  and  David  Summerson.  The  name  is  legendary, 
being  derived  from  an  Indian  chief  called  "  Shin,"  or  "  Shene." 
The  waiTunt  for  the  land  is  in  the  name  of  "Shene"  and  is 
dated  1785. 

According  to  John  S.  Bailey  the  first  settlement  was  made  at 
the  mouth  of  Kettle  Creek  by  Richard  Gilmore.  The  pre-emption 
warrant  is  dated  July  21,  1785,  in  Pine  Creek  Township,  Northum- 
berland County,  for  300  acres  of  land.  Gilmore  deeded  the  same 
to  William  McComb  October  12,  1793,  for  the  consideration  of 
fifty  pounds  in  gold,  and  McComb  deeded  the  same  to  William 
Andrews  May  3,  1794,  for  ;^26o  in  gold  and  silver,  and  Andrews 
deeded  the  same  to  James  Caldwell  January  23,  1796,  in  considera- 
tion of  one  yoke  of  three-year-old  oxen,  one  milch  cow,  and  ^95 
of  gold  and  silver.  Caldwell  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier  who 
remained  in  active  service  until  peace  was  proclaimed.  He  was 
born  in  Lancaster  County  and  removed  from  there  to  Warrior 
Run,  and  from  there  to  Youngwoman.stown.  After  remaining 
there  for  two  years  he  finally  removed  to  Kettle  Creek,  now 
Westport.  He  had  ten  children,  four  sons  and  six  daughters — 
William,  James,  John,  Andrew,  Polly,  Jane,  Nancy,  Betsy,  Sarah 
and  Hetty.  He  died  about  the  year  1819,  and  his  children  are 
also  all  dead.     James  lived  to  be  over  90  years  old. 

*He  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace  liy  Governor  Wolf  in  1830,  at  the  age 
of  23,  being  the  first  commissioned  justice  on  the  West  Branch  west  of  I,ocl<  Haven. 
He  was  continuously  re-elected  until  the  close  of  his  life,  having  held  the  office  foi- 
5S  years.     During  his  term  of  service  he  married  over  150  couples. 


694  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

What  is  known  as  Cook's  Run  was  settled  early  by  James 
McGinley,  perhaps  about  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  It  was 
known  for  many  years  as  McGinley's  *  Bottom.  The  land  was 
claimed  by  pre-emption  right,  and  the  warrant  was  dated  August 
2,  1785.  The  patent  was  issued  in  the  name  of  William  Cook, 
under  Governor  Mifflin,  and  dated  March  26,  1795.  Cook  pur- 
chased the  land  of  the  McGinley  heirs.  He  subsequently  sold 
the  property  to  Samuel  Harris,  of  Loyalsock  Township,  and  he 
sold  it  to  John  Carskadden,  May  6,  1795,  and  Carskadden  sold  to 
John  Baird,  May  7,  18 10.  Baird  came  from  New  Jersey  and 
foimd  the  place  almost  a  wilderness,  only  a  few  acres  being  cleared, 
with  a  small  log  hut  on  it.  He  was  a  remarkable  man,  a  man 
of  energy,  of  fine  physique,  distinguished  for  his  endurance, 
perseverance  and  firmness.  By  his  industry  he  made  the  wilder- 
ness blossom  like  the  rose.  He  lived  there  for  over  forty  years, 
and  raised  a  family  of  six  children,  all  daughters. 

As  early  as  1776  the  tavern  kept  by  George  McCandlish,  on 
the  present  site  of  Milton,  together  with  the  dwelling  and  black- 
smith shop  of  Marcus  Hulings,  constituted  quite  a  settlement. 
Possibly  there  were  a  few  other  cabins  or  buildings.  That  it  was 
regarded  as  a  point  of  some  importance  is  inferred  from  the  fact 
that  on  the  8th  of  July,  1776,  an  election  for  delegates  to  the 
Constitutional  Convention  was  held  at  the  house  of  McCandlish. 
These  buildings  were  all  burned  by  the  Indians  during  the  invasion 
of  1778.  After  this  the  place  remained  a  ruin  until  late  in  the  fall 
of  1779,  when  Andrew  Straub  came  from  Lancaster  County,  and 
liking  the  location,  concluded  to  settle  there.  He  was  an  active, 
sober,  industrious  man,  and  a  mill-wright  and  miller  by  trade.  He 
at  once  erected  a  house  and  brought  his  family  to  the  new  settle- 
ment. There  they  lived  until  1793,  when  he  erected  a  larger  and 
more   comfortable    dwelling.       Meanwhile,   about   1792,    he    had 


*  About  the  time  of  the  first  settlements  Nathaniel  Coulter,  a  dissolute  character, 
visited  Kettle  Creek  and  made  the  acquaintance  of  an  Indian  who  had  a  very  fine 
horse.  They  were  traveling  together  one  day,  sociably,  when  he  killed  the  Indian 
for  his  horse,  which  he  came  riding  home  and  related  his  adventure.  A  man  named 
McKinley,  who  claimed  to  be  a  wood  ranger  and  an  officer  having  authority,  arrested 
Coulter  for  murder,  and  was  taking  him  to  jail,  when  he  escaped,  as  he  no  doubt 
intended  he  should,  as  McKinley  kept  his  horse  and  watch.  Coulter  was  never 
heard  of  again. — Maynard's  Clinton  County,  page  199. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRAN'CH    VALLEY.  695 

planned  and  prepared  to  build  a  mill  for  the  convenience  of  the 
settlers.  When  it  was  completed  it  gave  the  place  such  importance 
in  the  eyes  of  the  settlers  that  the}'  called  it  "  Mill  Town,"  which 
was  afterwards  shortened  to  Milton.  The  country  filled  up  with 
settlers  rapidly  and  the  mill  was  largely  patronized.  Straub,  in 
partnership  with  a  man  named  Yentzler,  purchased  the  land  from 
the  insolvent  estate  of  Colonel  Turbutt  Francis,  and  in  a  short 
time  he  purchased  the  share  of  his  partner  and  became  sole 
owner.  In  1793  Straub  employed  a  surveyor  and  had  a  town 
laid  out,  and  Milton  soon  became  a  small  village.  In  1795  James 
Black,  who  had  purchased  land  adjoining,  laid  it  out  in  lots,  and 
the  two  plots  of  Straub  and  Black  became  known  as  Upper  and 
Lower  Milton.  The  new  town  steadily  grew  and  prospered.  Dr. 
Daniel  Faulkner  was  the  first  ph}sician  to  open  an  office;  Daniel 
Smith,  son-in-law  of  Samuel  Wallis,  was  the  first  lawyer,  having 
settled  there  in  1793.  Dr.  James  Dougal,  the  second  doctor,  came 
in  1795,  and  was  soon  followed  by  William  and  Thomas  Pollock, 
Robert  Taggart,  Samuel  Hepburn,  John  Armstrong  and  many 
others.  The  Episcopalians  had  a  log  church  as  early  as  1795,  and 
in  1 796  James  Black  built  a  stone  dwelling  house,  which  was  looked 
upon  as  a  very  superior  structure.  It  afterwards  became  the 
property  of  William  and  Thomas  Pollock,  and  is  now  owned  by 
ex-Governor  James  Pollock.  In  1798  the  town  had  grown  to 
such  proportions  that  a  fire  company  was  formed  and  hooks  and 
ladders  were  purchased.  Dr.  James  Dougal  built  the  second  stone 
house  in  1803.  It  is  still  standing  and  is  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  Dr.  Charles  Dougal,  a  descendant.  Andrew  Straub  died  in 
August,  1806,  but  the  town  he  had  founded  continued  to  grow 
and  flourish  until  it  has  become  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and 
progressive  on  the  river.  The  first  post-office  was  established  at 
Milton*  January  i,  1800,  and  Samuel  Hepburn  was  the  first 
postmaster.     He  was  succeeded  by  Jared  Irwin,  July  i,  1802. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  1794,  a  special  election  was  held  for  a 
State  Senator  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of 
William  Montgomery.  William  Hepburn  was  elected  by  sixty- 
four  majority  over  Rosewell  Wells,  for  the  unexpired  term.  The 
Senatorial   district   consisted   of    Northumberland,    Luzerne    and 

*Milton  was  not  incorporated  a.s  a  borough  until  February  26,  1817. 


696  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

Mifflin  counties,  and  two  Senators  were  chosen  for  the  term  of 
four  years.  Northumberland  County  was  entitled  to  three  mem- 
bers of  Assembly. 

Soon  after  taking  his  seat  Senator  Hepburn  introduced  a  bill 
for  the  erection  of  a  new  county,  to  be  called  Lycoming.  A 
division  was  called  for  by  the  people  living  above  Muncy  Hills, 
because  of  the  distance  from  the  county  seat  and  the  delays  they 
were  often  subjected  to  on  traveling  back  and  forth.  Several  large 
streams  had  to  be  crossed,  and  when  they  were  swollen  the  crossing 
was  dangerous.  The  bill  passed  and  was  signed  by  Governor 
Mifflin  April  13,  1795.  The  bill  is  '/er}^  long  and  specific.  The 
county  at  that  time  embraced  a  vast  territory,  from  which  the 
following  counties,  in  whole  or  in  part,  were  afterwards  formed : 
Armstrong,  Bradford,  Centre,  Clearfield,  Clinton,  Jefferson,  Mc- 
Kean,  Potter,  Sullivan,  Tioga,  Venango  and  Warren. 

In  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the  act.  Governor 
Mifflin  immediately  appointed  John  Kidd  prothonotary,  recorder 
of  deeds  and  clerk  of  the  several  courts.  On  the  following  day, 
April  14th,  Samuel  Wallis,  Senator  William  Hepburn,  John  Adlum 
and  Dr.  James  Davidson  were  appointed  associate  judges,  and 
they  were  sworn  into  office  by  Prothonotary  Kidd  on  the  15th. 
The  associates  soon  afterwards  met  at  Jaysburg  and  organized  by 
choosing  William  Hepburn  president,  and  the  first  court  was  thus 
opened. 

After  the  erection  of  the  count)-  of  Lycoming  a  great  strife 
immediately  ensued  for  the  location  of  the  county  seat.  Jay.sburg  * 
and  Newberry  t  both  contended  for  that  honor,  but  Judge  Hep- 

*  William  Paul  laid  warrant  No.  i  on  the  site  of  Jaysburg.  It  is  dated  October 
26,  1785.  He  sold  the  laud  to  Abratu  Latcha,  by  deed  dated  December  i,  17S7. 
Jacob  Latcha,  his  eldest  son,  afterwards  became  the  owner  and  had  a  town  laid  out 
early  in  1795  by  William  Ellis,  the  deputy  surveyor,  and  named  it  Jaysburgh, 
probably  in  honor  of  John  Jay,  a  leading  statesman  at  that  time.  Many  lots  were 
sold,  houses  erected,  shops  opened,  and  for  a  time  it  promised  to  become  a  place  of 
note.  But  the  selection  of  Williamsport  killed  the  project  and  Jaysburg  went  into 
decline  and  in  course  of  time  ceased  to  exist.  It  is  now  embraced  in  the  Seventh 
Ward  of  the  city  of  Williamsport. 

f  Newberry,  now  in  the  Seventh  Ward  of  Williamsport,  was  laid  out  by  John 
Sutton.  He  purchased  the  land  from  Richard  Penn  in  1786.  The  tract  was  called 
New  Garden.  Henry  Ellis  made  the  survey  for  the  town  and  drafted  the  lots.  An 
old  deed  bearing  date  May  3,  1798,  recites  that  John  Sutton  "hath  laid  out  a  parcel 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEV.  697 

burn,  who  owned  a  fine  farm  called  "  Deer  Park,"  east  of  Lycoming 
Creek,  thought  it  should  be  located  on  his  side  of  the  stream. 
The  first  court  was  held  at  Jaysburg,  at  the  hour.e  of  Thomas 
Caldwell,  as  well  as  one  or  two  subsequent  sessions.  Jacob 
Latcha  erected  a  building  for  a  jail.  It  was  16x24  and  con- 
structed of  hewn  logs,  lined  with  four-inch  plank-  inside,  spiked 
on  vertically,  and  the  windows  were  iron-barred.  The  last  session 
of  court  was  held  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  jail. 

John  Dunlap  opened  a  hotel  in  1798,  and  the  following  young 
lawyers,  who  had  opened  offices  in  Jaysburg,  boarded  with  him: 
Henry  D.  Ellis,  John  Teeple,  Robert  McClure  and  Charles 
Huston. 

In  the  meantime  the  struggle  between  the  rival  parties  for  the 
county  seat  went  on,  and  the  year  passed  without  the  vexatious 
question  being  decided. 

The  next  place  selected  for  holding  court  was  at  the  house,  or 
barn,  of  Eleanor  Winters,  which  stood  near  the  present  corner  of 
West  Fourth  and  Rose  str-eets,  Williamsport.  It  was  in  this  court 
that  Judge  Hepburn  is  said  to  have  got  off  the  bench  to  physically 
punish  an  impertinent  witness.  It  appears  by  the  records  that  on 
the  iith  of  September,  1797,  the  commissioners  issued  an  order 
to  pay  Mrs.  Winters  $^0  rent  for  holding  three  courts.  After  this 
court  ajDpears  to  have  moved  still  further  east,  for  on  the  1st  of 
February,  1798,  the  commissioners  issued  an  order  that  James 
Russell,  the  first  inn-keeper  on  the  site  of  Williamsport  (corner  of 
East  Third  and  Mulberry  streets),  be  paid  £y  19s.  4^d  for  the 
use  of  a  room  in  his  house  for  holding  court  at  the  December  and 
January  terms,  1797  and  1798.  Another  change  of  location 
again  took  place,  for  on  May  4,  1799,  Thomas  Huston  was  paid 
$43.02  for  the  rent  of  his  house  for  holding  court.  The  house 
stood  on  the  corner  of  We.st  Fourth  and  Pine  streets.  It  was 
constructed  of  logs,  and  was  only  torn  down  a  few  years  ago  to 
make  room  for  the  stateh'  brick  block  which  now  occupies  the 
ground. 

of  said  tract  in  a  town  which  he  calleth  New  Berry."  The  new  town  flourished  for 
a  time,  and  before  Williamsport  was  founded  it  did  the  mercantile  business  for  the 
surrounding  country.  As  many  of  the  settlers  in  and  about  the  place  came  from 
New  Berry,  in  York  County,  they  gave  the  new  town  the  same  name. 


698  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANXH    VALLEY. 

While  the  court  was  moving  around  without  a  local  habitation, 
the  county  seat  war  was  continued.  It  was  as.serted  by  the 
Jaysburg  advocates  that  the  Williamsport  site  was  a  swamp  and 
subject  to  inundations  as  far  up  as  what  is  now  Market  Square. 
The  commissioners  deemed  this  a  damaging  charge  and  hesitated 
about  making  the  selection.  If  this  charge  could  be  proved  they 
would  be  justified  in  selecting  Jaysburg.  The  fight  now  waxed 
so  hot  that  the  Jaysburg  party  dispatched  a  messenger  to  Nor- 
thumberland to  get  the  deposition  of  a  man  who  it  was  said  had 
sometime  before  brought  a  barrel  of  whiskey  to  Williamsport  in 
a  canoe,  and  "tied  up"  at  a  point  on  what  is  now  East  Third  and 
State  streets.  The  deposition  was  obtained  and  brought  to  the 
"  Russell  Inn,"  where  the  messenger  put  up  for  the  night,  leaving 
the  important  document  in  his  saddle  bags.  That  night  some  of 
the  Williamsport  party  succeeded  in  capturing  the  saddle  bags, 
and  next  morning  they  were  found  cut  open,  and  the  deposition, 
which  was  to  turn  the  scale  in  favor  of  Jaysburg,  was  missing. 

In  the  meantime  Michael  Ross,  the  owner  of  the  land  on  which 
it  was  proposed  to  found  the  town,  urged  by  Judge  Hepburn,* 
offered  superior  inducements  for  the  county  seat  by  proposing  to 
donate  the  land  for  the  public  buildings,  and  the  commissioners, 
impatient  and  wearied  over  the  quarrel,  accepted  the  offer  and 
selected  Williamsport.f  This  was  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
year  1796. 

Williamsport,  as  originally  laid  out  by  Michael  Ross,  the 
founder,  contained  one  hundred  acres,  which  is  but  a  small  part  of 
the  present  city  limits.  The  origin  of  the  name  has  often  been  a 
source  of  perplexity.     By  some  it  is  claimed  that  Michael  Ross 

*It  is  related  that  in  1810,  during  a  high  flood  in  the  river,  a  citizen  of  Jaysburg 
poled  his  canoe  to  Williamsport  and  tied  it  to  the  gable  end  of  a  house  which  stood 
on  Pine  street  above  the  canal.  He  then  drew  a  chalk  line  on  the  building,  level 
with  the  water,  and  drawing  a  semi-circle  above  it,  wrote  this  legend:  "This  shows 
what  Judge  Hepburn's  oath  is  worth."  The  inscription  remained  there  for  several 
years.  Since  that  time  there  have  been  much  greater  floods  than  this  one — notably 
those  of  March,  1865,  and  June  i,  1889. 

f  Williamsport  was  not  incorporated  as  a  borough  until  March  I,  1S06.  And  from 
the  best  information  at  hand  it  appears  that  the  population  of  the  town,  at  the 
beginning  of  1800,  did  not  exceed  200  inhabitants.  It  was  incorporated  as  a  city 
in  1866,  and  its  population  to-day  will  probably  reach  35,000. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  699 

named  it  William's  Port  after  his  son  William.  This  view  is  still 
maintained  by  the  descendants  of  Mr.  Ross.  On  the  other  hand 
it  is  asserted  that  inasmuch  as  Judge  William  Hepburn,  who  was 
a  member  of  the  State  Senate  from  Northumberland  County 
should  be  accorded  the  honor.  He  was  largely  interested  in 
selecting  the  site  for  the  county  seat,  and  the  first  settlers  proposed 
to  call  the  new  town  Hepburn's  Port.  To  this  he  objected,  and 
suggested  William's  Port,  which  was  finally  accepted,  and  the 
transition  to  "  Williamsport,"  in  a  short  time,  was  easy.  General 
Samuel  Stewart,  who  was  the  first  sheriff  of  the  county,  is 
authority  for  the  second  version.  However  it  may  be,  it  is  clear 
that  the  title  had  its  origin  in  the  word  William,  whether  it  was  in 
honor  of  William  Ross  or  William  Hepburn. 

Notwithstanding  Sunbury  was  a  place  of  more  military  and 
civil  importance  than  Northumberland,  the  latter  place  was 
honored  with  the  first  post-office  in  the  county.  An  office  was 
ordered  to  be  established  there  by  the  Government  on  the  ist  of 
April,  1796,  and  John  Cowden  was  appointed  postmaster.  He 
served  until  January  26,  1837,  a  period  of  forty-one  years,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  William  Forsyth.  For  several  years  the 
residents  of  the  West  Branch  Valley,  as  far  up  as  the  settlements 
e.xtended,  received  their  mail  matter  at  Northumberland.  And 
going  to  the  post-office  in  those  days,  when  thirty,  forty,  and  even 
fifty  miles  travel  were  involved,  was  no  small  job.  One  person, 
however,  was  generally  selected  to  make  the  journey  and  secure 
the  mail  matter  for  an  entire  neighborhood. 

Sunbury  soon  began  to  feel  the  necessity  of  having  a  post-office 
of  her  own,  and  on  the  20th  of  September,  1796,  a  public  meet- 
ing was  called  for  the  purpose  of  discussing  the  proposition,  when 
the  following  petition*  was  drawn  up,  signed  and  forwarded  to 
the  department  at  Washington : 

At  a  meeting  of  a  respectable  number  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Sunbury  in  the  county 
of  Northumberland,  it  was  unanimously  the  opinion  of  the  meeting  that  the  people  of 
the  said  town  labor  under  very  great  expence  &  inconvenience  by  not  having  a  post 
office  established  in  the  town  of  Sunbury  aforesaid,  particularly  as  the  public  officers 
of  the  County  reside  in  the  said  town  &  when  dispatches  are  forwarded  to  them  by 


*A  copy  of  the  petition  was  recently  found  among  the  papers  of  Charles  Hall, 
Esq.,  and  is  now  in  the  hands  of  \V.  Coleman  Hall,  Esq.,  a  grandson,  of  Hartley 
Hall. 


■JOO  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

the  government  they  are  under  the  necessity  of  paying  ferriage  over  the  river  Susque- 
hanna to  Northumberland  town  where  the  mail  is  now  opened,  by  which  the  public 
business  is  frequently  retarded  in  very  great  degree;  every  private  individual  is  under 
the  necessity  of  paying  a  greater  sum  for  his  ferriage  across  the  river  to  Northumber- 
land than  the  postage  of  a  letter  from  Philadelphia. 

It  is  therefore  resolved  that  Charles  Hall,  Esq.,  be  appointed  to  address  a  letter  to 
Timothy  Pickering,  Esq.  enclosing  this  paper  &  requesting  on  behalf  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  said  town  to  appoint  some  respectable  character  residing  in  said  town, 
Deputy  Postmaster  to  act  in  the  premises. 

And  it  is  further  resolved  that  Charles  Gobin  would  be  a  proper  person  to  act  as 
postmaster  aforesaid. 
[Signed.] 

Flavel  Roan,  John  Cowen, 

Henry  Vandersleve,  Wm.  Gray, 

Martin  Kendig,  J.  Ewing,  Jr. 

Wm.  Berghon, 

The  petition  was  responded  to  by  the  appointment  of  Robert 
Gray  as  postmaster  on  the  ist  of  January,  1797.  It  nowhere 
appears  why  he  was  selected  instead  of  the  person  named  by  the 
petitioners.  Mr.  Gray  only  held  the  office  until  October  i,  1798, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  John  Weitzell,  who  held  it  until 
July  I,  1802. 

The  next  post-office  established  in  the  valley  was  at  Williamsport, 
on  the  1 2th  of  August,  1799,  and  Samuel  E.  Grier  was  appointed 
postmaster.  He  held  the  office  for  a  short  time  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  Henry  Hughes. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1800,  an  office  was  ordered  to  be  opened 
at  Muncy,*  with  Henry  Shoemaker  as  postmaster.  He  held  the 
office  until  January  13,  1803,  when  James  Boal  was  appointed. 


Having  brought  the  histor}^  of  the  valley  down  to  the  close  of 
1799  and  the  beginning  of  1800,  our  work  is  now  finished.  If  the 
modern  history  is  ever  brought  up  to  the  present  time,  it  must  be 
embraced  in  another  volume.  Whoever  undertakes  the  task  will 
have  abundance  of  material,  and  it  will  be  interesting  to  describe 
the  wonderful  improvements  that  have  been  made  in  this  mag- 

*  There  is  nothing  on  file  in  the  department  at  Washington  to  show  that  an  office 
existed  here  prior  to  this  date.  It  is  possible  that  mail  matter  was  received  here  by 
private  means  before  this  time,  as  there  was  a  large  population  to  be  served. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY.  7OI 

nificent  valley  in  a  period  of  ninety  years.  At  the  close  of  the 
last  century  the  population  of  the  West  Branch  Valley  scarcely 
exceeded  fifteen  thousand;  it  is  now  over  one  hundred  thousand. 
The  progress  of  less  than  a  century  has  been  so  great  that  one 
can  scarcely  realize  what  has  been  accomplished.  Settlements' 
that  were  mere  hamlets  when  our  history  closes  have  grown  into 
stately  boroughs  and  dignified  and  populous  cities.  Many  beauti- 
ful and  thrifty  towns  now  exist  that  were  not  thought  of  at  the 
beginning  of  1800. 

Fort  Augusta,  the  greatest  defensive  work  in  this  part  of  the 
State,  and  a  place  of  refuge  for  settlers  fleeing  from  the  savages 
in  the  dark  days  of  1778-9,  when  a  pall  of  gloom  hung  over  this 
lovely  land,  has  long  since  disappeared,  and  the  old  magazine  and 
a  grave-yard  are  the  only  relics  that  remain  to  mark  its  ancient 
site.  Not  a  vestige  of  Fort  Freeland  remains.  A  brick  house, 
now  stained  by  the  touch  of  time,  marks  the  spot  upon  which  the 
historic  stockade  was  erected.  The  plowshare  of  the  husbandman 
now  stirs  the  ground  where  Fort  Muncy  stood,  and  a  stately  elm 
is  all  that  remains  to  mark  the  living  spring  that  supplied  the 
garrison  with  water.  Not  a  trace  of  Antes,  Horn's  and  other 
forts  remain  to  tell  the  story  of  their  existence.  A  higher  civiliza- 
tion is  the  mighty  force  that  has  been  the  silent  but  sure  factor 
in  bringing  about  the  changes  of  a  hundred  years,  and  the  refining 
influences  of  education  and  morality  have  gradually  elevated  the 
people  to  the  higher  plane  upon  which  they  now  move. 

The  music  of  the  steam  whistle  is  heard  upon  every  hand ;  the 
tall  chimney  of  the  manufactory  and  the  church  spire  are  the 
indexes  of  progress,  improvement  and  moral  force.  The  valley 
is  traversed  by  railroads,  upon  which  splendidly  equipped  trains 
move  up  and  down  every  few  hours,  bearing  hundreds  of  travelers 
to  and  fro,  and  the  rich  products  of  agriculture  to  market.  Finely 
constructed  roads  have  taken  the  place  of  Indian  trails,  and  the 
birch  bark  canoe  has  been  superseded  by  the  steamboat. 

Great,  indeed,  have  been  the  changes  that  time  has  wrought  in 
this  lovely  valley  which  was  baptized  in  blood  a  little  more  than 
a  hundred  years  ago.  All  that  remains  of  the  rude  and  savage 
race  that  once  peopled  it,  and  claimed  it  as  their  home,  are  the 
stone  relics  now  found  in  antiquarian  collections. 


702  HISTORY    OF    THE    WEST    BRANCH    VALLEY. 

There  is  no  lovelier  vale  in  the  State  than  this  region,  so 
abundantly  blessed  by  the  hand  of  nature.  Mountains  rear  their 
peaks  on  every  hand  as  sentinels  to  protect  the  valleys  which  lie 
at  their  feet.  The  scenery  is  diversified,  picturesque  and  en- 
trancing. Travelers  are  enraptured  with  its  beauties  and  never 
grow  tired  of  extolling  its  glories.  The  valley  is  indeed  a  rural 
paradise,  an  elysian  home,  where  a  progressive,  enterprising  and 
cultured  people  dwell,  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  that  pros- 
perity can  confer  upon  them;  and  a  glorious  future  lies  before 
them  if  they  continue  true  to  themselves  and  always  put  their 
trust  in  God. 


END    OF    VOLUME    FIRST. 


INDEX. 


s,  Tlie,  14,  16. 
Andras,  GoTernor,  35. 
After  the  Council,  Poem,  50. 
Ancient  Fortincatlon,  66. 
Antiquities,  Indian,  59,  60,  71,  T2,  81,  S3,  84. 
Axes,  Indian,  T3. 
Armstrong,  Col.  Jolin,  87,  297. 


Augusta,  Fort,  161 ;  Provisions  at,  172 ;  Why 
so  Named,  177;  Diagram  of,  178;  De- 
scription of,  179 ;  Report  of  Stores  at,  266, 
267;  Magazine  at,  269;  Cannon  at,  306, 

30T,  308. 
Armstrong,  Betty,  243. 
Atlee,  Lt.  Samuel,  249. 
Allen,  George,  294. 
Awl,  Dr.  R.  H.,  307. 
Allison,  Dr.  Francis,  334. 
Armstrong,  Andrew,  408;  Capture  of,  491. 
Antes,  Joseph,  470. 

Antes,  Col.  Henry,  470 ;  Sketch  of,  484,  625. 
Adlura,  John,  686,  696. 
Associate  Judges  of  Lycoming,  696. 
Bay,  Chesapeake,  5. 
Blue  Hill,  7. 
Brule,  Ktlenne,  13. 
Boone,  Hawkins,  45. 
Blacksmith  Shop  at  Shamokln,  139. 
Bath,  Indian  Vapor,  55. 
Bald  Eagle  Creek,  Indian  Name  of,  79. 
Bralnerd,  Rev.  David,  113,  516. 
Barbara  Lelnlnger,  143. 
Burd,  Col.  James,  168,  184;  Sketch  of,  188; 

Journal  of,  189,  265,  278,  282. 
Bloody  Spring,  174,  206. 
Blythe,  Lt,  289,  290;  Sketch  of.  311. 
Bouquet,  General,  289. 
Battle  of  Mimcy  Hills,  291. 
Burt,  Larry,  340. 
Bard,  Peter,  293. 
Brady,  Captain  John,  319;  Upsets  Barrel 

of  Whiskey,  477 ;  Death  of,  .562 ;  Grave  of, 

564 ;  Cenotaph,  566. 
Bonser,  Joseph,  334. 
Bald  Eagle  Survey,  335,  336,  337. 
Boggs,  Andrew,  456. 
Benjamin  Family,  Murder  of,  487. 
Big  Runaway,  508. 
Berry,  Captain,  620. 


Bodlne,  Juda,  521 ;  Flight  of,  524. 

Brady,  James,  Scalped,  .546 ;  Death  of,  648; 

History  of,  548 ;  Anecdote  of,  548. 
Brady,  Hugh,  648;  Marriage  of,  664. 
Brady  Family,  History  of,  667  to  685. 
Boone,  Captain,  Death  of,  598. 
Brady,  Capt.  Sam,  699. 
Boatman,  Claudius,  640. 
Burwell,  How  Saved  by  Van  Campen,  650 ; 

His  Wound,  653. 
Boyd,  Capt.  John,  How  Rescued,  659,  660; 

Death  of,  661. 
Brooks,  John,  662. 
BIddle,  Charles,  666. 
Black  Hole  Valley,  Origin  of  the  Name 

of,  669. 
Bryson.  Rev.  John,  677. 
Cambria  County,  1. 
Canoe  Place,  1. 
Champlaln,  16. 
ChlUlsquaque  Creek,  Origin  of  Name,  60, 

449. 
Camp,  Warrior,  63. 
Creek,  White  Deer,  64. 
Carving,  Indian,  81. 
Cammerhoff,  Bishop,  119. 
Clapham,  Col.,  Builds  Port  Augusta,  163, 

164,  165,  166,  167,  169,  176;  Sketch  Of,  184. 
Craig,  Isaac,  243. 
Chlnclacamoose,  272,  412. 
Chllloway,  Job,  276,  288,  407. 
Crowfoot,  Description  of,  287. 
Cottles,  Jem,  Killed,  293. 
Clayton,  Major,  303. 
Cool,  Simon,  367,  498. 
Cleary,  Campbell,  380. 
Court,  First  at  Sunbury,  388. 
Cameron,  Col.  James,  393. 
Connecticut  Troubles,  420,  421. 
Chambers,  Stephen,  448. 
Caldwell,  Bratton,  463. 
Constitutional  Convention,  Proceedings  of, 

474. 
Culbertson,  Andrew,  481. 
Cook,  Col.  William,  Sketch  of,  481. 
Coveuhoven,  Robert,  606 ;  Origin  of  Name, 

.538,  554,  694 ;  Sketch  Of,  614. 
Committee  of  Safety,  Names  of,  478. 
Cabins  of  Settlers,  How  Built,  507. 


Coryell's  Ferry,  n2.-). 

Clark.  William.  Letter  ot,  626. 

Campen,  Maj.  Moses  Van,  643;  Adventures 
of,  544;  KUls  Fire  Indians,  645;  Battle  on 
Bald  Eagle,  648 ;  Capture  of,  649. 

Culbertson,  William,  Where  Killed,  649. 

Craton,  Cruel  Death  of,  649. 

Church,  Warrior  Run,  674. 

ChtlUsquaque  Church,  67T. 

Constitution  of  1790  Adopted,  6S6. 

Caldwell,  James.  693. 

Cook's  Run,  694. 

Coulter,  Nathaniel,  Kills  an  Indian.  694. 

Courts,  First  Held  In  Lycoming,  697. 

Deed,  Dongan  to  Penn,  20. 

Deed,  Indian,  for  Susquehanna  Lands,  26. 

Dongan.  Governor,  33. 

Dowdy,  William,  Last  Indian,  83. 

Dladachton  Creek,  107. 

Death  ot  Logan's  Child,  131. 

Denny,  William,  Sketch  of,  175. 

Districts,  Surveyors  of,  342. 

Drinker,  Henry,  Letter  of,  360. 

Dunn,  William,  368,  369. 

Dougherty.  Henry,  403,  469. 

Derr.  Ludwlg,  430. 

Durham,  Mrs.  Margaret,  Scalped,  560;  His- 
tory of,  551. 

Daugherty,  William,  Family  of,  600.  601. 

Derickson,  Mrs.  Mary  v.,  610;  Sketch  of,  612. 

Drlesbach.  Daniel,  Anecdote  of,  613. 

Dickinson.  .John,  6Ci:.. 

Doyle.  Samuel,  6S0;  Arrested  and  Tried. 
6S1 ;  Incident  in  His  Life,  685. 

Dash,  Mrs.,  6S9. 

Dougal.  Dr.  James,  69.'). 

Etlenne,  Brule.  13. 

Etteweln,  Bishop,  Journal  ot,  405;  Sketch 
ot,  406;  Remarkable  Journal,  406;  Ar- 
rival at  Wains',  410. 

Eagle,  Bald,  Congregation  of,  454;  The 
Nest,  4.'i5,  647. 

Eeltown,  Where  Located,  637. 

Ellis,  Henry  D,  697. 

Fortification,  Ancient,  66,  67,  6S. 

Fish  Caught  by  Zeisberger,  123. 

French,  Invasion  of,  214. 

Francis,  Turbutt,  Petition  of,  323 ;  Board  ot 
Property,  329 ;  Sketch  ot,  33S,  438. 

Fiddler  Tract,  334. 

Ferguson,  Thomas,  403. 

Freeland,  Jacob,  429,  542. 

Flthlan,  Rev.  Philip  Vlckers,  Journal  of, 

Fleming,  John,  451 ;  His  Daughter  Betsy, 

461. 

Fair  Play,  Account  ot,  462,  463;  Anecdote 

of,  470. 
Fort  Muncy,  483,  586. 


Forts,  Locality  of,  482,  4S3, 484. 

Fourth  ot  July,  Declaration  of,  on  Pine 
Creek,  471. 

Fleming,  Andrew,  Murder  of,  505. 

Fort  Freeland,  Attack  on,  594;  Surrender 
ot,  596;  Description  ot,  610;  Tomahawk 
Found  at,  613. 

Floods.  Great,  670. 

Gray,  David,  49. 

Grant,  Farm  of,  69. 

Graves.  Indian,  Opened,  oS,  124. 

Gernerd,  J.  M.  M.,  Antiquities,  71 ;  Money 
Raised  for  Brady  Cenotaph,  566. 

Grave-yard,  Indian,  7S,  82. 

Great  Island,  80;  Purchase  of,  368;  Num- 
ber of  Acres,  370. 

Gordon,  Governor,  92. 

Grube,  Bernhard  Adam,  134. 

Gabriel,  George,  Death  of,  154. 

Graydon,  Lt.  Col..  218,  277,  283,  2S9,  290. 

Garraway,  Lt.,  229. 

Gordon,  Captain,  270. 

Glade  Kun,  371. 

Galloway,  Joseph,  Letter  of,  375. 

Grain,  Scarcity  ot,  480. 

Grave-yard,  Lycoming,  Founded,  505. 

Great  Runaway,  508. 

Guffey,  Family  of,  .551. 

Grove,  Peter,  Pursuit  of  Indians,  661 ;  Bat- 
tle With  on  Slnnemahonlng,  663 ;  History 
of,  664 ;  Death  of,  6.55. 

Hlokatoo,  45. 

Hunter,  Farm  ot,  57. 

Hendricks,  Benjamin,  Antiquities,  58. 

House,  First  at  Shamokln,  115. 

Hagen,  John,  Death  of,  lis. 

Hamilton,  James,  132,  282. 

Harris,  John,  Escape  of,  153,  303,  402. 

Holland,  Luke,  156,  283. 

Hambrlght,  Col.,  E.\pedltlon  ot,  180;  Dia- 
gram of  March,  181 ;  Sketch  of,  182. 

Holland,  Nathaniel,  278,  284. 

Hunter,  Lt.  Samuel,  284,  290,  447,  473,  mo. 
506 ;  Appeal  ot,  509,  649,  606,  636. 

Huff,  Edmund,  333,  466. 

Hays,  Lt.  James,  336,  44-2. 

Hartley  HaU,  346. 

Hall,  Charles,  361 ;  Mansion  of,  365 ;  394,  395. 

Hamilton,  John,  380. 

Hughes,  John,  James  and  Thomas,  403,  468. 

Haines,  Reuben,  426. 

Hammond,  David,  473. 

Hamilton's  Great  Run,  492. 

Hosterman,  Col.,  494,  524. 

Hepburn,  William,  495,  506 ;  Elected  Sena- 
tor, 695. 

Hartley,  Col.,  Address  ot,  552 ;  Sketch  ot,  560. 

Hidings,  Marcus,  Great  Jump  ot,  621. 
i    Henry,  McHenrj',  622. 


Ill 


Hamilton,  Alexander,  627. 

Hamilton,  Robert,  Family  of,  63S. 

Hamilton,  Mrs.  Anna,  Sketcli  of,  630. 

Hessians,  Traaitlon  of,  637. 

Henderson,  Cruel  Murder  of,  653,  654. 

Howell,  William,  Reminiscences,  682. 

Huston,  Tliomas,  697. 

Huston,  Cliarles,  697. 

Indian,  Towns  of,  52,  61,  82. 

Indian  Vapor  Baths,  65. 

Island,  Great,  80,  82, 302 ;  Diagram  of,  S6S. 

Indian  Paths,  Where  Located,  89. 

Island,  Long,  122. 

Indian  Carving,  81. 

Independence,  Celebration  of,  at  Pine 
Creek,  471. 

Indian  Massacre  at  WlUlamsport,  495. 

Indian,  Atrocious  Murder  of,  S18. 

Indians,  Number  Employed  by  the  Eng- 
lish, 549. 

Indian  Purchases,  Map  of,  668. 

Jemison,  Thomas,  39. 

.Jemlson,  Mary,  History  of,  39;  Where 
Bm-led,  47. 

Jury,  Remarkable,  List  of,  377. 

.lall.  First  at  Sunbury,  379. 

Jersey  Shore,  Why  so  Named,  412. 

Jones,  Charles,  646. 

Jones,  Horatio,  First  Meets  Van  Campen, 
654,  656. 

Jaysburg,  When  Laid  Out,  696. 

Kettle  Creek,  87;  Town  of,  302;  First 
Settler,  693. 

Kleffer,  The  Blacksmith,  1S9. 

King,  Jacob,  142;  Where  Killed,  143. 

King,  Famines  of,  403,  404. 

King,  William,  494;  Escape  of,  497 ;  Sketch 
of,  !)02. 

King,  Ruth  and  Sarah.  Captivity  and  Res- 
cue of,  500;  History  of,  601. 

Kirk,  William,  Escape  of,  596. 

Kelly,  Colonel,  006 ;  Sketch  of,  623. 

Kempllng,  Capt.  Thomas,  Murder  of,  636. 

KUnesmlth,  Family  of,  639. 

Kldd,  John,  Appointed  Prothonotary,  690. 

Lands  on  Susquehanna,  26. 

Loyalsock,  Indian  Name  of,  74. 

Lycoming  Creek,  77 ;  Indian  Name  of,  94, 
106;  Massacre  at,  496. 

Long  Reach,  77. 

Limping  Messenger,  106. 

Logan,  James,  in. 

Logan,  Son  of  ShlkelUmy,  131. 

LeRoy,  Miss,  Capture  of,  142. 

Lelntnger.  Barbara,  142, 151. 

Lloyd,  Capt.  Thomas,  219. 

Lykens,  John,  283. 

Loudon,  Archibald,  Narratives  of,  292. 

Land  Grants  to  Officers,  319. 


Larry's  Creek,  Origin  of  Name,  340. 

Lukens,  John,  323 ;  Sketch  of,  341. 

Last  Manor  Survey,  328. 

Llancourt,  Count,  333. 

Land  Office  Opened,  340,  342,  343. 

Love,  Robert,  381, 

Linden,  411. 

Logan's  Child,  Death  of,  131. 

Long,  CoL  Cookson,  488. 

Lebo,  Henry,  Sketch  of,  566. 

Lytle,  Captain,  Return  of,  609. 

Lee,  .John,  Murder  of,  640. 

Lee,  Mrs.,  Cruel  Murder  of,  641. 

Lee,  Thomas,  Captivity  of,  642. 

Last  Indian,  S3. 

Lawson's  Island,  672. 

Llancourt,  Duke,  Impressions  of  Sunbury 

and  Northumberland,  689,  690. 
Lycoming  County  Erected,  696. 
Monsey  Indians,  IS,  85. 
Mohawks,  35. 

Mlnquas,  Susquehanna,  36. 
Montour,  Andrew,  63, 102 ;  His  Reserve.  322. 
Muncy  Valley,  64. 
Mound,  Sepulchral,  69,  70, 104. 
McMlnn,  J.  H.,  Antiquities  of,  76. 
Margaret.  Queen,  Town  of,  77, 135,  272. 
McCloskey,  J.  T.,  81. 
Martin,  D.  A.,  83-;  Collection  of,  84. 
Madam  Montour,  102. 
Muncy  Creek,  Indian  Name  of,  65, 106. 
Mack,  Martin,  112, 121 ;  Last  Visit  of,  133. 
Morris,  Robert  Hunter,  137. 
Massacre  on  Penn's  Creek,  152, 153. 
Morris,  Governor,  161. 
Miles,  Lt.  Samuel,  Sketch  of,  173. 
Morgan,  Dr.  John,  202. 
McKee,  Thomas,  232. 
Muncy  Hills,  Battle  of,  291. 
Monseytown  Destroyed,  302. 
Martin,  Robert,  s■^4. 
Manor  of  Pomtret,  Diagram  of,  325. 
Maclay,  William,  334;   House  of,  396,  397. 

423  ;  Sketch  of,  588. 

Maclay,  Samuel,  335,  686. 

Mullln,  Dennis,  371.  375. 

Muncy  Creek,  Surveys  on,  372. 

McElhattan,  William,  381,  382. 

McMeen,  William,  403. 

Montgomei-y,  John,  431,  59S. 

McKinney,  Mordecal,  Family  of,  400,  461, 

513. 
McBrlde,  Murder  of,  469. 
Mills,  White  Deer,  472. 
McKnight,  Mrs.,  Escape  of,  551;  Husband 


IV 


Mccormick,  R.  H.,  Joke  on,  613. 

Muncy  Fort,  Last  Trace  ot,  638. 

Muncy  Post-Offlce,  700. 

MoUawk,  John,  Escape  ot,  645 ;  Tomahawk 

ot,  646 ;  Description  ot,  647. 
SlUesburg,  455. 

Mcintosh  Fort,  Treaty  at,  667. 
Milton,  Why  so  Named,  695:   First  Post- 

Offlce,  695. 
McClure,  Robert,  697. 
North  Branch,  Source  ot,  1. 
Nations,  Five,  17. 
Nltschman,  Anna,  97. 
Newcastle's  Daughter,  233. 
Nuttlmus,  Joseph,  57,  244,  253. 
Newhaleeka,  Chief,  299,  412,  637. 
Northumberland    County    Formed,    885; 

First  court,  3S7 ;  Townships  ot,  388 ;  First 

Grand  Jury,  389. 
Nagle,  George,  Sheriff,  3S9,  393. 
Northumberland,  When  Laid  Out,  425,  446. 
New  Jersey  Emigrants,  475. 
Nelson,  WllUam,  663. 
Newberry,  When  Laid  Out,  697. 
Otsego  Lake,  6. 
Otzlnaohson,  Origin  ot  Name,  6;  Ode  to, 

10, 101. 
Otstuagy,  74. 
Otstenwaken,  74, 121. 
Old  Town  Point,  79,  81,  334,  665. 
Orndt,  Capt.  Jai:ob,   Curious   Letter  ot, 

279,  281. 
Old  Cannon,  Sunbury,  308. 
Penn,  William,  23. 
Pipes,  Indian,  71,  72. 
Pottery,  Indian,  85. 
Paths,  Indian,  89. 
Powell,  Joseph,  Sketch  ot,  115. 
Post,  Frederick,  117,  272. 
Pyrlseus,  John  Christian,  127. 
Penn's  Creek,  Attack  on,  141. 
Proclamation,  Morris,  157. 
Patterson,  Captain,  221,  224,  290,  302,  315. 
Penn,  John,  306,  314,  327. 
Pine  Creek  Lands,  383 ;  Tragedy  at,  492. 
Proctor,  Thomas,  384. 
Punxsutawney,  Origin  ot  Name,  418. 
Penn,  Richard,  422. 

Plunkett,  Col.  WUUam,  386;   First  Judge, 
Against    Muncy    and 
,  424,  425,  440, 472 ;  Sketch  Ot,  686. 
Priestley,  Dr.  Joseph,  427. 
Paradise,  Settlement  ot,  431. 
Piper,  Capt.  William,  441. 
Potter,  Gen.  James,  4S7,  472. 
Peace,  Justices  ot,  473 
Persons  Scalped,  Number  ot,  577. 
Pence,  Peter,  645,  659. 
Pike,  His  Indian  Fight,  645. 


Purchases,  Indian,  Map  ot,  668. 
Post-Offlce,  Sunbury,  699;  Petition  for,  700. 
Qulggley,  A.  J.,  Poem  of,  9,  86. 
Queen  Margaret's  Town,  77. 
Quenlshachschackkl,  77, 133, 411. 
Qulggle,  Thomas,  382. 
Qulggle,  S.  N.,  383;  Curious  Receipt  ot,  383. 
Qulggle,  Mary,  History  ot,  5S0;   Children 

Qulnn,  Samuel,  624. 

Qulgley,  John,  692. 

Reach,  Long,  77. 

Roads,  History  ot,  399,  400,  401. 

Rattlesnakes,  Great  Numbers  ot,  110,  418. 

Robb,  Robert,  480. 

Revolution,  War  ot  the,  481, 

Reed,  Mrs.,  578. 

Reynolds,  Captain,  520. 

Reed,  Joseph,  560. 

Robinson,  Capt.,  623,   624;  Rebuilds   Fort 

Muncy,  636 ;  Sketch  ot,  638. 
Reed,  Mungo,  330. 
Ross,  Michael,  698. 
Shlkellimy,  7,  8 ;  Grave  ot,  58,  69 ;  Town  of, 

61, 98;  Death  ot,  124;  Sketch  of,  125;  Poem 

on,  130. 
Seneca  Indians,  18. 


159. 
Spangenberger,  Bishop,  63, 105. 
Shad,  Indian  Mode  of  Catching,  79. 
Slnnemahonlng,  Origin  ot  Name,  87. 
Skeletons,  Indian,  87,  88,  89. 
Schebosh,  John  Joseph,  105. 
Snakes,  Rattle,  110, 418. 
Smlthshop,  Moravian,  at  Shamokln,  117. 
Schmidt,  Anton,  Blacksmith,  116. 
Bassoon  an.  King,  116. 
Scarroyady,  157. 
Shlppen,  Joseph,  222. 
ShlkelUmy,  John,  277,  283. 
Stump,  Frederick,  Kills  Indians,  312, 
Stanwl.x,  Fort,  Treaty  at,  320 ;  Last  Treaty, 

Scull,  WUUam,  Surveyor,  323. 

Shamokln  Island,  329 ;  Brief  ot  Title,  331. 

ScuU,  Nicholas,  Sketch  ot,  342. 

Sunbury,  First  Laid  Out.  390 ;  Cost  of  Sur- 
vey, 392;  Why  so  Named,  392;  Plan  of, 
393 ;  Streets,  Names  ot,  393 ;  Description 
ot,  447;  First  Court  Held  at,  3S6,  337; 
First  Post-Offlce,  699. 

Scudder,  John,  462. 

Sutton,  Amarlah,  466 ;  Sketch  ot,  493. 

Sutton,  John,  467. 

Smith,  Charles,  467. 

Smith,  Catharine,  472. 


Safety,  Committee  of,  47S;  Members  of,  479. 

Sweeny,  Lt.  James,  Capture  of,  49T,  499. 

Scliamp,  David,  E.xplolt  of  His  Wife,  525. 

Smith,  Peter,  W5. 

Shesliequln,  Meaning  of,  563. 

Sullivan,  General,  E.TpecHtlon  of,  60i5,  622. 

Smith,  Matthew,  609. 

Sanderson,  George  L.,  Eellcs  Owned  by,  620. 

Storm,  Catharine,  Tomahawked,  026. 

Smith,  Hon.  Isaac,  628. 

Stock  Family,  Mm-der  of,  668. 

Shad,  Great  Haul  of,  671. 

Shintown,  Origin  of  Name.  693. 

Straub,  Andrew,  694;  Lays  Out  Milton,  695. 

Tribes,  Indian,  12. 

Towns,  Indian,  52,  63. 

Tomahawks,  Indian,  73 ;  Deflnltlon  of,  +38. 

Tulquamlngy,  79. 

Trump,  Capt.  Levi,  204,  271, 274,  275,  276. 

Tombs,  Indian,  88. 

Tladaghton,  or  Pine  Creek,  320. 

Townships,  Judea  and  Charleston,  419. 

Thomson,  John,  512;  Where  He  Located, 
514 ;  Murder  of,  519 ;  Record  of  Birth  and 
Death,  526;  His  Son,  523;  Descendants  of. 


Thomson,  Juda,  Autograph  of,  521,  526,  527 ; 
Bible  Entry,  Pac-slmlle  of,  532. 

Thomson,  John  Bodlne,  621. 

Totten,  Mrs.,  535. 

Tate,  John,  625. 

Thompson,  Capt.  James,  Capture  of,  632; 
Escape  of,  634 ;  Death  of,  635. 

Turbuttvllle,  Origin  of  Name,  839. 

Treaty  Lines,  Map  of,  668. 

Ten  Brook,  John,  Settlement  of  in  Black 
Hole  Valley,  669. 

Villages,  Indian,  74,  76,  79,  so,  86. 

visit  to  Great  Island,  122. 

Vaudreull,  Report  of,  217. 

Vincent,  Family  of,  428. 

Vapor  Baths,  Indian,  S5. 

Van  Campen,  Moses,  490;  Kills  Five  In- 
dians, 645;  Capture  of,  655;  Insulting 
Offer  by  a  British  Otflcer,  655 ;  Death  of, 
656 ;  Sketch  of  His  Family,  657. 

Vanness,  Jerome,  546. 

West  Branch,  Length  of,  1. 

Wood,  Dr.  George  G.,  12. 

Wood,  Thomas,  291,  299. 

White  Woman,  Story  of,  39. 

Whistle,  Indian,  60. 

Warrior  Run,  63, 106,  428. 

Welser,  Conrad,  63 ;  Sketch  of,  93 ;  Anecdote, 


White  Deer  Creek,  64. 

Westport,  87. 

War  Paths,  S9. 

White  Man,  First  at  Shamokln,  92. 

Wyoming  Valley,  Indian  Name  of,  104. 

WattevlUe,  Bishop,  129. 

Weheeponal,  272. 

Warrior  Spring,  292. 

Wiggins,  Dr.,  ClOTumissloned,  308,  820. 

Wallls,  Samuel,  344 ;  Built  House,  346 ;  Curi- 
ous Memorandum,  346;  Mill  Built,  349; 
History  of,  361 ;  Family.  353 ;  Death  of, 
364;  Estate  of,  356;  Sherift  Sales,  359; 
Jurors,  List  of,  377 ;  Ejectment  Suits,  459, 
510. 

Wallls,  Joseph  Jacob,  348. 

Wallls,  John  Lukens,  348. 

Wolverton,  S.  P.,  397;  Brief  of  Title,  398. 

Wyoming,  Settlement  of,  419. 

Watson,  John  L.,  444. 

Wade,  Nelson  E.,  the  Murderer,  469. 

Wilson,  William,  473. 

Wharton,  Thomas,  Death  of,  47-1. 

Wigwam,  Deflnltlon  of,  475. 

Winters,  William,  503;  Murder  of  Grass 
Cutters  and  Burial  of,  504. 

Wyckotr,  William,  519,  541,  542;  .\ncestry 
of,  544. 

Wyckotr,  Peter,  Family  of,  637. 

Wyckott,  Joseph,  Commission  of,  540. 

Walker,  Andrew,  547,  6S5 ;  Report  on  Build- 
ing Fort  Muncy,  586 ;  Sketch  of,  587. 

Webster,  Abraham,  691. 

Weltner,  Colonel,  636. 

Walker,  John,  Murder  of,  640. 

Winter,  Severe,  671. 

White,  Col.  Hugh,  Death  of,  673. 

Warrior  Run  Chm-ch,  Deed  of,  674;  Pew 
Holders,  676. 

Walker  Tragedy  on  Pine  Creek,  678;  In- 
dians killed,  684 ;  Desperate  Fight,  633. 

White,  John,  686. 

Walton,  Isaac  and  James,  687. 

Walton,  Ellis,  Birth  of,  688 ;  Family  of,  689. 

Whiskey  Insiu-rection  at  Northumberland, 
691.  692. 

Winters,  Eleanor,  697. 

WllUamsport,  When  Laid  Out,  698;  High 
Flood,  698 ;  When  Made  a  Borough,  698 ; 
Why  so  Named,  699 ;  First  Post-Offlce,  700. 

Youngwomanstown, 86 ; Origin  of  Name.Si;. 

Young,  Mary,  Capture  of,  635. 

Zelsberger,  Conrad,  63, 109,  121. 

Zlnzendorf,  Count,  Journal  of,  96;  Sketch 


127.