George Peck's WYOMING, 1858 - Pennsylvania - Preface, Table of Contents Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja jbanja@comcast.net USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities, when written permission is obtained from the contributor, so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ________________________________________________ HTML with illustrations: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/1picts/peckwyo/peck-wyo.htm WYOMING ITS HISTORY, STIRRING INCIDENTS AND ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. By GEORGE PECK, D.D. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE, 1858 iv. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, by HARPER & BROTHERS, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. ZINDENDORF PROVIDENTIALLY DELIVERED [illustration] v. PREFACE. The present work is composed of a brief history of Wyoming, followed by a series of historic scenes, which constitute natural amplifications of the general outline. Each story is a complete picture in itself, and yet is a necessary part of the whole. The plan has the advantage of presenting independent views of the historic drama from many different stand-points. Our heroes not only reflect the lights and shades of their own character and actions, but give us their separate versions of the eventful scenes through which they passed. Forty years since we first visited Wyoming, and from that period we have enjoyed rare advantages for the study of its history. How we have improved our opportunities will appear in the work which we now present to the public. Our object has been strict conformity to historic truth, and we have spared no pains in the collection of facts, and in their study and exposition. The events herein recorded constitute a part of the wonderful history of the early development and fearful struggles of America, and we believe they will not fall behind any portion of that story in exciting interest. With the diffidence which a profound sense of the difficulties to be overcome in the execution of such a work naturally inspires, we publish the result of our vi. labors, hoping that it may both interest and instruct the reading community. The work, so far as we are concerned, has been a "labor of love," and our desire is that it may inspire in the reader a spirit of enlarged patriotism, noble heroism, patient endurance under severe trials, trust in Providence, and gratitude to God. We have the pleasure to acknowledge the kindness of several who have afforded us valuable assistance in our labors. In addition to the acknowledgements of favors which will be found in the body of the work, we would return thanks to the Hon. George Bancroft for the use of an important document, and for various suggestions; to Benson J. Lossing, Esq., for several important authorities; to the Hon. George W. Woodward, and to the Hon. George M. Dallas, our minister to the court of St. James, for the use of an important paper from the archives of the British government; also to several ladies for fine artistic sketches of objects and scenes which are used as illustrations. We owe to Mrs. Rev. Selah Stocking, of Pittston, thanks for the original sketches of Campbell's Ledge and Falling Spring; to Mrs. Dr. Crane, of Pennington, N.J., for a sketch of the old Myers House; and to Miss Miranda Myers for sketches of Toby's Cove and the Umbrella-tree. To all who in any way have given us facilities, we return many thanks, and it is to be hoped that they will find their reward in a conviction that they have contributed something to the object of giving permanency to the facts of history which will be valuable to posterity, but which might otherwise have passed into oblivion. GEORGE PECK. Scranton, 18th April, 1858. vii. CONTENTS. Chapter Page. I. WYOMING, ITS HISTORY, 9 II. BRANT AND HIS TORY ASSOCIATES, 71 III. COLONEL MATTHIAS HOLLENBACK, 99 IV. INCIDENTS AND ADVENTURES RELATED BY MRS. MARTHA MYERS, 133 V. SKETCHES AND INCIDENTS COMMUNICATED BY MRS. DEBORAH BEFORD, 200 VI. INCIDENTS OF THE WAR IN THE LACKAWANNA PORTION OF THE SETTLEMENT, RELATED BY MRS. MARTHA MARCY, 220 VII. MRS. SYLVIA SEYBOLT'S ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE AND FLIGHT, 231 VIII. THE CAPTIVE GIRL, FRANCES SLOCUM, 234 IX. QUEEN ESTHER'S ROCK, 284 X. CAPTIVITY AND ESCAPE OF THOMAS AND ANDREW BENNET AND LEBBEUS HAMMOND, 291 XI. THE CAPTURE AND ESCAPE OF JONAH ROGERS, MOSES VAN CAMPEN, PETER PENCE, AND ABRAM PIKE, 304 XII. THE CAPTIVITY AND ESCAPE OF GEORGE P. RANSOM AND OTHERS, 315 XIII. BENJAMIN RIDLACK - CAPTURE BY THE PENNAMITES AND SINGULAR ESCAPE, 330 XIV. A VIEW FROM CAMPBELL'S LEDGE, CONTRIBUTED BY REV. L. W. PECK, 344 XV. AN INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD GARDNER, 351 XVI. PROVIDENTIAL DELIVERANCE OF RUFUS BENNET ON THE FATAL 3D OF JULY, 362 XVII. NOAH HOPKINS - HIS LIFE SAVED BY A SPIDER, 369 XVIII. THE FRATRICIDE, 371 XIX. THE MONUMENT, 376 XX. COLONEL JOHN JENKINS, 388 XXI. ORIGINAL JOURNAL OF CHRISTOPHER HURLBUT, 405 XXII. MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES, 427 The Umbrella Tree - Prospect Rock - Harvey's Lake - Toby's Eddy - Toby's Cave - Seminaries