Area History: Bell's History of Northumberland County, PA - THE COLONIAL PERIOD (Concluded) - Part III File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Tony Rebuck. USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ________________________________________________________________________ HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° Chapter II. Pages 77 thru 98 THE COLONIAL PERIOD (Concluded) - Part III THE FLAG - DOCTORS AND CHAPLAINS - PLAN AND DESCRIPTION OF THE FORT - CLOSE OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR - PURCHASE OF 1768 - EARLY SURVEY - LISTS OF PIONEERS - FITHIAN'S JOURNAL - THE YANKEE AND PENNAMITE WAR Several allusions are made to the flag in the official papers relating to Fort Augusta "We want a good, large flag to grace it" wrote Commissary END OF PAGE 77 Bard on the 4th of September, 1756. The want was evidently supplied, but on the 1st of July, 1758, it was again expressed by Captain Trump, in the following words: "Our colors are entirely worn out, and should be extremely glad of a new one; the staff is seventy feet high." Captain Graydon made the following entry in the journal under date of September 14,1763: "This day got a new flag-staff placed and our flag hoisted." Reference is frequently made to the health of the garrison. There was a hospital at the fort, but it was not constructed with reference to sanitary requirements, and on the 10th of February, 1757, Dr. John Morgan, the post surgeon, made complaint to Major Burd regarding the amount of "under water" in it; he also attributed his lack of success in the treatment of patients to the want of fresh provisions and vegetables, and readily assented to a proposition for the removal of the sick to Fort Halifax or Hunter. The latter was selected; and "the hospital, consisting of twenty-four sick," was sent thither by batteaux on the 23d of February. "Forty of the hospital" left the fort by similar conveyance on the 6th of April; their destination, and possibly that of the others also, was probably Harris's Ferry, for Doctor Morgan is reported in the return of April 1st as absent since March 29th "visiting the sick at Harris's." "I desired Captain Young to acquaint your Honor that there was neither surgeon nor doctor here," wrote Commissary Bard from Fort Augusta on the 1st of July, 1758, "since which he informs me there is one appointed for us; I hope he will be here soon, as several of our men are suffering for the want of one. I believe Doctor Morgan left us but few drugs, as the shop looks very thin," Dr. John Bond was commissioned as surgeon on the 11th of May, 1758, and his name appears in the returns of August 1, September 1, and December 1,1758. On the 17th of October, 1763, Colonel Burd wrote that a surgeon and medicines were much needed, which is clearly evident from the following paragraph in his letter of November 25th: "The smallpox has been brought to this place, I believe by the volunteer parties; there is sundry of the soldiers down in them and a great number of the garrison has never had them, so that I expect they will be infected. I have no medicines, and therefore nature must do the whole." On the 10th of December he wrote: "I am glad a surgeon is allowed; Lieutenant Thomas Wiggins of my company is a surgeon, having served his apprenticeship with Doctor Thompson in Lancaster. He attended my family there; I always found him careful and I believe he understands his business, therefore would recommend him to your Honor for the double commission." He was accordingly appointed, and was the last resident surgeon at the fort. But meager provision was made for the spiritual interests of the garrison. Among the Sunday entries in Major Burd's journal are the following: December 2, l756 - "I have thought it my duty today to employ the carpenters in working at the beef cisterns. This day it rained so hard that we could not have sermon." March 19th - "This day we had two sermons, one END OF PAGE 78 forenoon and one afternoon, by Doctor Morgan." March 26th- "Had prayers and a sermon this forenoon and prayers in the afternoon by Doctor Morgan." January 2, 1757- "The weather this day would not permit sermon nor prayers." January 9th- No reference to religious exercises. January 16th- "Doctor Morgan read prayers this morning." January 23d "We had prayers today at eleven o'clock" January 30th- "This day it rained so hard all day that we could not have prayers." February 6th- "We could not have sermon nor prayers." February 13th- "So extremely cold that I omit prayers, the officers complaining it was too severe." February 20th- "The fort was so wet we could not have sermon nor prayers to-day." February 27th- "No prayers on account of the severity of the weather." Parson Steele, the first regularly appointed chaplain, arrived on the 24th of March; on the following Sunday (the 27th) Major Burd wrote: "It snowed and rained so much today that we could not have sermon, but we had prayers toward evening in a general parade and the chaplain prayed in each of the barracks and the hospital." It is not probable that Parson Steele remained very long; he returned on the 10th of July, but again took his departure on the 11th of August. The accompanying plan of Fort Augusta is reproduced from that published in Volume XII. of the Pennsylvania Archives, to which the following explanatory notes are appended:- 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 deposited in the geographical and topographical collection attached to library of his late Majesty, George the Third, and presented by his Majesty, King George the Forth, to the British Museum. London, March, 1880. WILLIAM OSMAN." Fort Augusta stands at about forty yards distance from the river, on a bank twenty-four feet from the surface of the water; that side of the fort marked with single lines, which fronts the river, is a strong palisade, the bases of the logs being sunk four feet into the earth, the tops holed and spiked into strong ribbands, which run transversely and are mortised into several logs at twelve feet distance from each other, which are larger and higher than the rest, the joints between each palisade broke with firm logs well fitted on the inside and supported by the platform. The three sides represented by double lines are composed of logs laid horizontally, neatly done, dove-tailed, and trunnelled down; they are squared - some of the lower ends three feet diameter, the least from two feet one half to eighteen inches diameter - and are mostly white oak. There are six four cannon mounted, one in the .......of each bastion fronting the river and one in the ...... , and one in the flank of each of the opposite bastions; the woods cleared to the distance of three hundred yards, and some progress made in cutting the bank of the river into a glacis. On the 23d of September, 1756, Colonel Clapham transmitted a plan of the fort to Governor Denny - probably the original of which that in the British Museum is a copy, as the foregoing description harmonizes fully with what is known of the fort at that date. The magazine, Indian trading house, etc. had not been erected at that time, nor are they indicated on this plan; END OF PAGE 79 moreover, six cannon constituted the armament until May 19, 1757, so that the plan must have been made prior to that date. The site of the fort was embraced in the manor of Pomfret, and continued in possession of the Penn family until 1780. The demolition of the Here is a site plan of Fort Augusta works probably began as soon as it became evident that they would be no longer required for military purposes. Colonel Samuel Hunter lived at the fort until his death in 1784; his residence and that of his family after his decease was the building originally erected as the colonel's quarters, of which an engraving is herewith given. It is reproduced from a painting END OF PAGE 80 in the possession of Captain John Buyers, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, which bears the following indorsement: "A view of the 'old house' at Fort Augusta, one mile above Sunbury, Pennsylvania, at the junction of the North and West Branches of the Susquehanna, in the year 1825. Painted by Mrs. Here is a sketch of Colonel's Quarters, Fort Augusta Amelia Donnel." This is believed to be the only picture of any part of the fort now extant, and is here published for the first time. If the author's inference regarding the date of the plan is correct, the building represented was erected in 1756, and was, until the time of its removal, the oldest house in the upper Susquehanna valley. It fronted toward the interior of the fort. END OF PAGE 81 That part of the porch north of the door was originally inclosed, and formed a small apartment with one window On the north; in this apartment reliable tradition asserts that the first court for Northumberland county was held. The close of the French and Indian war and the collapse of Pontiac's conspiracy were followed by the disbandment of the provincial forces and virtual evacuation of the frontier posts; a feeling of security pervaded the border communities, the conviction became general that a period of tranquility was at hand, and the progress of settlement on the northern and western confines of the Province early rendered further concessions of territory from the Indians necessary. One important result of the war was the recession of much the larger part of the purchase of 1754; this was done at a treaty at Easton in October, 1758, when the chiefs of the Six Nations also executed a release for the territory east of the Allegheny mountains and south of a line northwest and west from a point on the Susquehanna river one mile above the mouth of Penn's creek. The next purchase, the last and most important under Proprietary auspices, was consummated at Fort Stanwix, now Rome, New York, November 5, 1768; the territory ceded was bounded on the north and west by the North Branch of Susquehanna, Towanda creek, Lycoming creek, the West Branch of Susquehanna, and the Allegheny and Ohio rivers from Kittanning to the line of the State. The first survey in Northumberland county within the bounds of the purchase of 1768 was the manor of Pomfret. The warrant was issued, October 29, 1768, and the survey was made on the 19th of December in the same year by William Scull, deputy surveyor. The manor was bounded as follows: Beginning at a sugar tree marked T. R. P. on the east bank of the Susquehanna river at the south side of the mouth of Shamokin creek; thence up the east bank of the Susquehanna river and the North Branch thereof eleven hundred eighty-two perches to a beech marked T. R. P. eight perches northeast of a small run; thence south ten degrees east two hundred eighty perches to a small hickory marked T. R. P.; thence north eighty degrees east eight hundred forty-four perches to a chestnut oak marked T. R. P.; thence south ten degrees east four hundred perches to a pine marked T. R. P.; thence south sixty-seven degrees west eight hundred sixty-five perches to a post; thence south eighty degrees west seven hundred perches to the place of beginning, embracing four thousand seven hundred sixty-six acres and allowance of six per cent. The officers' lands were next surveyed. The officers of the First and Second battalions of the Pennsylvania regiment who had served in Bouquet's expedition formed an association* at Carlisle in 1764 and entered into an agreement to "apply to the Proprietaries for a tract of land, sufficiently extensive and conveniently situated, whereon to erect a compact and defensi- _______________________________________________________________________ *The minutes of this association are published in the collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. I.; extended treatment of the subject is given in Linn's Annals of Buffalo Valley, pp. 26-32. END OF PAGE 82 ble town." In pursuance of this agreement an application was made to the Proprietaries on the 30th of April, 1760; as stated therein, their object Was, "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 requested the Proprietaries to make a new purchase from the Indians, and apportion among them forty thousand acres of amble land on the West Branch of the Susquehanna. Four years elapsed before their plans were realized. On the 3d of February, 1769, it was ordered by the Board of Property "That Colonel Francis and the officers of the First and Second battalions of the Pennsylvania regiment be allowed to take up twenty-four thousand acres, to be divided among them in distinct surveys, on the waters of the West Branch of Susquehanna, to be seated with a family for each three hundred acres within two years from the time of survey, paying five pounds Sterling per hundred and one penny Sterling per acre." The officers acceded to the terms proposed at a meeting at Fort Augusta in the latter part of February, and appointed Captains Hunter and Irvine to accompany William Scull in making the surveys of their lands east of the West Branch. At a meeting of the officers at Harris's Ferry on the 16th of May he reported having surveyed six thousand ninety-six acres, which were apportioned to Lieutenant Colonel Turbutt Francis, Ensign A. Stein, Captain Samuel Hunter, Captain Nicholas Houssegger, Lieutenant Daniel Hunsicker, Captain William Piper, and Lieutenant James Hays, all of whom were officers in the First battalion except Captain Piper, of the Second. Colonel Francis's tract embraced the site of Milton; Ensign Stein's, the mouth of Muddy Run; Captain Hunter's, the mouth of Warrior Run; Captain Houssegger's, the site of Watsontown, above which were those of Lieutenant Hunsicker, Captain Piper, and Lieutenant Hays. Applications for lands in the new purchase were first received at the provincial land office on the 3d of April, 1769, agreeably to the following advertisement: The land office will be opened on the 3rd day of April next at ten O'clock in the morning to receive applications from all persons inclinable to take up lands in the new purchase, upon the 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 the Special license of 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 procuring 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 END OF PAGE 83 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 TILGHAN Secretary of the Land office. Philadelphia Land Office, February 23, 1769. N. B. So long a day is fixed to give the back inhabitants time to repair to the office.* As it was evident that several applications might be made for the same location, all were put together in a box or trunk and thoroughly mixed, after which they were drawn out, one by one, by a disinterested person. In this manner questions of priority were obviated. The land desired was usually described by natural boundaries or characteristics, proximity to streams or mountains, etc. Delaware run, Warrior run, Muddy run, Limestone run, and Chillisquaque creek we're referred to by their present names, which had thus gained general currency prior to 1769. There was an immediate and rapid influx of population to the territory thus opened to purchase and settlement. Although that part of Northumberland county south of Mahanoy mountain was included in the purchase of 1749, it was not settled to any extent before the Indian war, during which the few inhabitants were compelled to seek safety beyond the Kittatinny range. After the restoration of peace the valleys of Mahanoy creek and its tributaries, Stone valley, and the Mahantango region early received a large German immigration, which also extended to the northern parts of the county and has since found a large element of its population. Between the North Branch of Susquehanna and the Muncy hills the pioneers were principally Scotch-Irish; this nationality was also represented in the valleys of Boyle's run, Hollowing run, and Shamokin creek, while many families of English or Welsh origin found their way into the territory now comprised in Rush, Shamokin, and the adjoining townships. The Germans were principally from Berks county, the Scotch-Irish from Lancaster, the English and Welsh from New Jersey. So rapid was the settlement of the region drained by the Susquehanna river, the North and West Branches, and their tributaries, that the county of Northumberland was erected on the 21st of March, 1772, less than three years after the purchase of 1768 was opened. Two townships, Augusta and Turbut, originally comprised its present area; the following lists of pioneers have been compiled from the earliest assessment records of these townships now extant. Augusta township originally embraced that part of Northumberland county south of the North Branch of Susquehanna; the following is a list of taxable inhabitants in 1774: William Boyle, Sebastian Brosius, Edward Biddle, John Clark, Jacob Conrad, Robert Conn, Adam Conrad, Uriah Clark, Sebastian Crevous, George Oliver, Henry Oliver, William Clark, ________________________________________________________________________ *Smiths's Laws, Vol. II p. 168 END OF PAGE 84 Frederick Dunkelberger, Robert Desha, William Davis, John Doane, George Eccle, Lawrence Eichinger, Martin Epley, Philip Everhart, David Fowler, John Fisher, William Forster, Peter Ferst, Henry Ferst, Anthony Fricker, David Fox, Samuel Flowers, Valentine Geiger, Peter Gearhart, Charles Garmont, Solomon Green, Stophel Gettig, Alexander Grant, Nicholas Groninger, Charles Gough, Ellis Hughes, Samuel Harris, Samuel Hunter, Max Haines, Jacob Haverling, Charles Hufty, George Hymn, John Harrison, George Hawke, Adam Haverling, Anthony Hinkle, Thomas Hughes, Reuben Haines, Henry Hollier, Philip Johnston, Gasper Kobel, Daniel Kobel, Samuel Krooks, Henry Kobel, Henry Kries, Peter Kobel, Henry Keller, Andrew Ketterley, Nicholas Kofield, Jacob Karron, James Logan, Martin Lister, Gottlieb Lefler, E. Lewis, John Liss, Jonathan Lodge, Benjamin Lightfoot, William Maclay, Joseph McCarrell, Robert McBride, William Murdock, Arthur Moody, David Mead, Jacob Martin, John Moll, John Miller, Jacob Mininm, Thomas McGahan, Patrick McCormick, Hugh McKinley, David McKinney, Nicholas Miller, Eli Mead, James McNeill, James McClegg, Joseph McDonald, Isaac Meyer, John Moore, Christian Mowry, David McNear, John Musser, George Overmeier, John Peiffer, John Philips, Samuel Pearson, James Parr, Jacob Read, Frederick Reely, Zachariah Robins, Cornelius Row, Henry Reigert, John Ream (butcher), John Ream, Michael Redman, Robert Randall, Thomas Runyon, Valentine Rebuck, George Reitz, Gustavus Ross, Joseph Shippen, Matthias Slough, James Starr, John Simpson, David Shakespeare, William Scull, Casper Snavely, Samuel Shakespeare, Stephen Sutton, Thomas Steinbach, John Sober, Daniel Smith, Gaspar Schneider, George Shellam, Michael Shaffer, John Shaffer, Nicholas Shuter, Peter Smith, Abraham Stein, Jacob Schertz, Conrad Schneider, John Spoon, Stophel Stump, John Titsal, Michael Troy, George Vaughan, Peter Whitmore, Samuel Weiser, Frederick Weiser, Stophel Whitmore, George Wolf, Jonas Weaver, Michael Weaver, Aaron Wilkerson, Frederick Wimbolt, John Weitzel, James Wild, John Wall, Peter Withington, Francis West, Mordecai Yarnall, Francis Yarnall, Ellis Youngman, Jonas Youghan, Jacob Zartman, Henry Zartman, Nicholas Zantzinger. The following were assessed as single men: John Barker, Nicholas Bierly, John Brentlinger, Adam Christy, James Chisnall, Charles Charter, William Crooks, George Calhoon, Joseph Disberry, Michael De Armond, John Elser, James Ellis, Ellerton Fowler, John Forsyth, John Feucher, Jacob Graff, Joseph Gray, James Gayley, Richard Grosvenor, William Gray, George Grant, Jacob Hill, David Harris, Henry Hide, Nicholas Harmer, James Hamilton, John Harris, Jr., William Harp, John Hardy, George Kiest, William Kennedy, David Johnston, Dennis Leary, Aaron Lane, Jesse Lukens, Charles McCann, John McCord, Abraham McGahan, George North, Casper Reigert, William Robins, Jacob Ribble, John Robinson, Richard Robinson, Lawrence Steinbach, James Silverwood. John Teel, Hugh Turner, END OF PAGE 85 William Trummer, Michael Tobin, Philip Valentine, William Wilson, Casper Weitzel, John Wiggins, Peter Yarnall, Ludwig the tar burner. Turbut township originally embraced all that part of the present area of Northumberland county north of the North Branch, with considerable adjacent territory to the east. The following are the names of taxables at the first assessment of which there is any record; while the year is not given, it bears satisfactory intrinsic evidence of having been taken before the close of the colonial period and prior to the year 1775: John Blair, Frederick Blue, William Blue, James Biggar, Michael Bannart, James Brandon, Samuel Bailey, Thomas Batman, John Black, Garret Berry, George Bennett, Hawkins Boone, Michael Bright, Dominick Bradley, John Brady, John Buyers, John Bullion, Michael Bradley, John Boyd, William Bailey, William Bonham, Isaac Coldron, John Curry, James Carscaddon, Adam Clark, Robert Curry, John Clark, James Coebran, Andrew Clark, William Clark, Nathaniel Coltart, Joseph Carson, James Clark, John Comfort, John Cheney, John Clark, James Crawford, Anthony Carney, John Cochran, Michael Campbell, David Carson, Charles Cochran, William Cooke, William Caldwell, Abraham Carr, David Chambers, Matthew Cunningham, Cornelius Cox, George Calhoon, William Clark, John Chambers, Johnson Cheney, John Carothers, John Chattam, Cain Callender, Philip Davis, John Denny, Peter Dougherty, Henry Dougherty, John Dixon, James Durham, Neal Davis, John Donald, David Davis, John Dunlap, Michael Dowdle, Henry Dougherty, Margaret Duncan, William Davis, John De France, Thomas Dean, John Dougherty, Adam Dean, Josiah Espy, James Espy, Thomas Egan, John Evison, John Emmitt, Alexander Emmons, John Eason, Robert Eason, Alexander Fullerton, Garret Freeland, William Fitzsimmons, Barnabas Farran, Benjamin Fulton, Abraham Freeland, Jacob Follmer, Ephraim Fowler, Conrad Fouts, George Frederick, George Field, William Fisher, John Freeman, William Forster, Philip Frig, William Gillespie, John Gillespie, John Gilliland, Alexander Gibson, John Gray, Thomas Gaskin, James Goudy, Samuel Gordon, Paul Geddis, Charles Gillespie, William George, Thomas Ginning, James Galloway, Alexander Grant, Robert Galbraith, Bertram Galbraith, John Gray, Robert Gilfillan, Reuben Haines, George Hamilton, Thomas Hughes, James Harrison, David Hays, John Hood, Henry Hoffman, Marcus Hulings, Jacob Hammersley, Simon Hemrod, William Harrison, James Hays, Michael Hendershott, William Hutchison, John Hambright, James Hunter, Thomas Hewitt, Caleb Horton, Samuel Hunter, Jacob Haines, Joseph Herbert, Samuel Harris, Hugh Hamilton, Benjamin Hemling, William Hannah, George Haines, William Hoffman, David Ireland, George Irwin, Richard Irwin, Francis Irwin, Archibald Irwin, George Irwin, Matthew Irwin, John Irwin, Owen Jury, Benjamin Jones, William Johnston, Henry Johnston, Thomas Jordan, Peter Jones, John Johnston, Benjamin Jordan, Patrick Kearney, Moses Kirk, Daniel Kelley, David Kennedy, Robert King, END OF PAGE 86 William Kennersley, John Lytle, Robert Low, William Layton, Robert Luckey, Robert Luckey, Jr., James Luckey, Joseph Leech, Jonathan Lodge, Thomas Lemon, Charles Lomax, Hugh Logue, Cornelius Lamerson, Aaron Levy, Andrew Levy, Robert Luckey, William Linton, Robert Love, Charles Lamerson, Widow Lukens, Richard Malone, John Montgomery, William McKnight, Jacob Miller, Robert McCallan, William McWilliams, William Murray, Robert McCandlish, Robert McFarling, James McBrier, Judah Miller, John McHenry, John Martin, John McWilliams, James Murphy, Robert McWilliams, John McClenachan, Hugh McWilliams, Thomas Mahaffey, Robert Moodie, James Murray, John Murray, George McCandlish, James McClung, John McClintock, Alexander McMath, James McKnight, Gowan McConnell, Isaac Miller, John Minger, Samuel McKee, James Mahaffey, John Miles, Darius Mead, James McMahan, Adam Mann, William Marshall, Robert McCully, Hugh McCormick, James McClenachan, William Montgomery, George Miller, Frederick Mans, John McFadden, William Murdock, Samuel Mann, William McKim, Robert Martin, Peter Martin, Laughlin McCartney, John McAdams, John Moore, John McCulloch, John McGuffy, John Martin, Alexander Murray, John Neilson, James Neely, Thomas Orr, Samuel Oaks, Joseph Ogden, William Piper, William Plunket, Barnabas Parson, Robert Pedrick, Stephen Philips, Edmund Physick, John Pollock, William A. Patterson, William Patterson, Mr. Patton, Samuel Purviance, Robert Poyles, Robert Reynolds, Isaac Robison, Ellis Reed, John Richey, Matthew Reese, Joseph Reynolds, Andrew Russell, Mungo Reed, William Ross, Alexander Roddy, Richey & Company, William Reed, Andrew Robison, Archibald Simpson, Benjamin Sterritt, Thomas Staddon, Samuel Shaw, Alexander Speer, James Semple, John Simpson. This list is evidently not quite complete. Thirty-two indentured servants and five slaves were reported; the latter were accredited as follows: William Maclay, one; Garret Freeland, one; James Hays, one; David Ireland, one, and William Plunket, one. These were the pioneers of Northumberland county. With the implements of peaceful industry they invaded its territory, took possession of its soil, removed the primeval forest, and inhabited the development of its agricultural resources. The terms upon which the "New Purchase" was opened rendered it possible for men of limited means to buy land, improve it by their own labor, and acquire a home; the opportunity was eagerly embraced, and thus the early population of the county was composed almost entirely of people in humble circumstances. Contemporary assessment records show that a horse and cow and eight or ten acres of cultivated land constituted the taxable property of the great majority of the farmers of that period, and the man who brought with him several horses and cows and means enough to employ others to assist him in clearing his land was evidently regarded as rich by his neighbors. END OF PAGE 87 Many interesting characteristics of pioneer life in this county are reflected in the journal of Philip V. Fithian, a licentiate of the First Presbytery of Philadelphia, who made a journey through Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in the summer of 1775. The journal, edited by John Blair Linn, was first published in 1883-84 in Dr. W. H. Egle's Historical Register. He traveled horseback; passing through the Cumberland valley he arrived at John Harris's on the Juniata on the 24th of June, 1775 (Saturday); on the following Monday he rode to Eckert's tavern, within the present limits of Snyder county, and thence to Sunbury. The journal is as follows:- Tuesday, June 27. -Rode from the clever Dutchman's to Sunbury 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 northeast 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 country, this infant village seems busy and noisy as a Philadelphia ferry-house. I slept In a room with seven of them, and one for a bed-fellow. He was, however, clean and civil, and our bed good and neat. Some of them suspected me of being a clergyman, and used me 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 sixpence 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 expert 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, June 29. -I rode up the West Branch two miles, to Mr. Andrew Gibson's, 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 Messrs. Gibson 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 Philadelphia, and recommends Thursday, July 20th, as a day of public humiliation, fasting, and prayer. Saturday, July 1. -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, etc. 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. END OF PAGE 88 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 several gentlemen kindly invited me to visit them: Mr. Cooke, the high sheriff; Mr. Martin, a gentleman who came lately from Jersey; Mr. Barker, a young gentleman, a lawyer, from Ireland last fall. After one hour and a half intermission we had service again; many more were present than in the morning. Mr. Scull, the surveyor general's agreeable mate, was present at both sermons; Mrs. Hunter, Captain 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. 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 very kindly invited 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 3. -No paper to be had in town, and I have only five sheets. Mr. McCartney gave me one pound, five shillings, nine pence 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 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 4. -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 Della, virtuous, fair, Believe me now thy only dear, I'd not exchange my happy state, For all the wealth of all the great, etc., etc. 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 fife; so we spent the evening in martial amusement. Wednesday, July 5. -A very wet morning. Last Sunday some Northumberland saint stole my surtout from my saddle. It was hid for security in a woodpile 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 today 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 can not 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, July 6. -I opened my eyes, by the continued mercy of our bountiful END OF PAGE 89 Overseer, at half an hour after eight, when a most serene, love]y morning, more so after so much dark and unharvestable 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 commended him to God in prayer and withdrew. Break- fasted 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, New Jersey, is this Mr. Barker's brother. By ten I left town. The road lies along the river, and after leaving 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. Pokes and elders, higher than my head as I sat upon my horse, and the country is thickly 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 William Gray's. Mr. Fithian remained in Buffalo valley until the following Wednesday; during this time he was principally engaged in preparing for his part in the observances of the "Solemn Continental Fast." The following is the text of the journal from the time he left Captain Gray's until his final departure from the present territory of this county: Wednesday, July 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 is Fithian, sir." 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 appointment 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 Hays, a gentleman of civility and seriousness. He begged me to preach a weekday lecture before I leave the neighborhood. At Mr. Hays's I saw a large gourd; it held nine gallons. I saw in 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 13. -"There is not one in this society but my little wain," said the Captain to me quite full of whiskey, "not one 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 END OF PAGE 90 Page 91 contains a portrait of Alexander Jordan Page 92 is blank. 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 14.-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 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 this neighborhood. Doctor Sprigg, a gentleman in the practice who is settling in the neighborhood, by accident came in, and made some application of some medicine 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 intending 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 belied today and put in a proper lawn. I would rather call it a park. He wears the bell, contrary to my expectation, with perfect resignation. Today Mrs. Piper is better, and walks the house. There came ten reapers before breakfast; the Captain was in bed, supinus stertieus. 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. Fruitt's, and spent the evening reading and examining Mr. Lusk's piece against the Seceders. Monday, July 17. -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 an hour very pleasantly. I walked down to Mr. Martin's to see the newspapers. Doctor Plunket and three other gentlemen were in the next room. Mr. Carmichael's 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 END OF PAGE 93 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. Probably in this conflict I may be called to the field, and such a connection 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 entirely taken from us. 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 stratagem. Tuesday, July 18. -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 apprehensive of a mob who may rise to release them, and keep every 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 fifty feet at least, and almost perpendicular. There is a way, by going a small distance up the river, of ascending to the top, which is level and covered with shrubby pines. Here I am invited by a number of ladles 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, New Jersey]. We dined and walked down to Mr. Martin's, on the West Way street. 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. 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 very remote, just as I have often seen the sky in a still, clear brook. Wednesday, July 19. -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 can not but much esteem this young gentlemen. 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, etc., went through the town today 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. At the invitation of Mr. Scull and Mr. Barker I went, after dinner, over the river to Captain Hunter's. I was formally introduced 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 east side of the main branch. It may contain an hundred houses. All the buildings are of logs but Mr. Maclay's, 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 appearance 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 delightsome banks with swimming eyes. Evening, between nine and ten, came into Mr. McCartney's Doctor Allison, Doctor Kearsley, Mr. Barker, and Mr. Freeman. "I am the very man and no other," said Doctor 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 ornament to the town." END OF PAGE 94 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. Chattam'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 today, 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 introduced 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 invitations 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 villain runaways and thieves - were brought into town and committed to prison. One of them took my coat the other day. Justice, do thy office! 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 today wishing for a thicker coat than this sieve-like crape. I dined with Doctor 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 a while suspended. Saturday, July 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 prosper 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, seven shillings six pence. 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, etc., 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 surrounded 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. Sunday, July 23. -We have a still, dark, rainy morning. The people met at Mr. Morrow's [Murray's]. His little house was filled. 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. END OF PAGE 95 It stopped in his throat, fixed, and soon inflamed, and yesterday, in spite of all help, about noon he died. Monday, July 24. One of the elders gave me for yesterday's supply fifteen shillings three pence. 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 [Murray] 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. Hays of Warrior run, and the women here all have daughters whom they call Jensy. Salt here is a great price, the best selling at ten shillings and ten shillings six pence, and the lowest at eight shillings. Half after nine I left Mr. Morrow's (Murray's] and rode to Mr. McCandlish's on the river. Here I fed my horse with a sheaf of wheat. Thence to Freeland's mill, thence over Muncy's hills and Muncy's beautiful creek to Mr. Crownover's. The Connecticut claim, which received so large a share of public attention at the time of Mr. Fithian's visit, was based upon the royal charter granted to that Colony in 1662; this instrument described its territory as extending "to the South sea on the west," and under this clause all that part of Pennsylvania north of the forty-first parallel of north latitude was claimed to be within its jurisdiction. The Connecticut Susquehanna Company was formed in 1753, and at the Albany conference in the following year purchased from certain chiefs of the Six Nations the territory between the forty first and forty-second parallels of north latitude, bounded on the east by a line ten miles distant from the North Branch of Susquehanna and extending westward one hundred twenty miles. The forty-first parallel crosses Northumberland county a short distance below Milton, and thus a large part of its original area was included in the territory purchase. A number of emigrants from Connecticut arrived at Wyoming in 1762, but in the following year many of them were killed by the Indians; the settlement was abandoned, but in 1769 it was again established. In 1771 two townships, Charleston and Judea, were surveyed at Muncy on the West Branch and allotted to prospective settlers. In January, 1774, the Connecticut legislature passed an act erecting all the territory within its jurisdiction between the Delaware river and a line fifteen miles west of the North Branch into the "Town of Westmoreland," which was attached to Litchfield county; in May, 1775, its western limits were so extended as to include the townships on the West Branch, the actual settlement of which had been begun. The authorities of Northumberland county, unable to prevent the occupation of its territory by Connecticut claimants, joined in a petition to the Governor in which the following statements Occur: Sorry we are to inform your Honor that our utmost endeavors are likely to fail of the desired effect, through the restless and ambitious designs and enterprises of the Colony of Connecticut; the Intruders from that Colony settled at Wyoming are re-en- END OF PAGE 96 forced with fresh numbers; officers, civil and military, are appointed, not only among them but even among us, by the Governor of Connecticut, as well in direct violation of our laws as for the express purpose of overturning the jurisdiction of our courts. Swarms of emissaries from that Colony crowd among our people, seducing the ignorant, frightening the timorous, and denouncing the utmost vengeance against any who may be hardy enough to oppose them....... In fine, to such situation are we already reduced from the number of their adherents, spies, and emissaries, as to be under the hard necessity of keeping constant guards, not only to prevent the destruction of our jail, but for the security of our houses and persons.* John Vincent appears to have been the most active partisan of the Connecticut interest who resided within the present limits of Northumberland county. In May, 1775, the Governor of Connecticut appointed him a justice of the peace for Litchfield county; in the following August, accompanied by his son and several others, he went to Wyoming "and requested a number of people to go on the West Branch and make settlements, and extend the jurisdiction and authority of Connecticut to that country."† His mission was successful; an armed force under the command of Major William Judd and Joseph Sluman marched from Wyoming and arrived at Warrior run on the 23d of September. Their purposes were thus set forth in the following letter to William Plunket:- Warrior Run, September 25, 1775. SIR: This acquaints you that we arrived at this place on Saturday evening last with a number of other men, purposing to view the vacant lands on this branch of the Susquehanna river and to make a settlement on the vacant lands if we find any place or places that shall be agreeable. And, as this may be a matter of much conversation among the present inhabitants, we are willing to acquaint you the principles on which we are come. In the first place, we intend no hostilities; we will not disturb, molest, or endeavor to dispossess any person of his property, or in any ways abuse his person by threats or any action that shall tend thereto. And, as we are commissioners of the peace from the Colony of Connecticut, we mean to be governed by the laws of that Colony, and shall not refuse the exercise of the law to those of the inhabitants that are now dwellers here on their request, as the Colony of Connecticut extended last May their jurisdiction over the land. Finally, as we are determined to govern ourselves as above mentioned, we expect that those who think the title of this land is not in this Colony will give us no uneasiness or disturbance in our proposed settlement. We are, Sir, with proper respects, Your humble servants, JOSEPH SLUMAN, WILLIAM JUDD‡ If Major Judd and his party really supposed that their movements would meet with no opposition, they were egregiously mistaken. It is quite evident, however, that they anticipated hostilities and prepared for defense. According to the deposition of Peter Smith, one detachment was on guard at a ________________________________________________________________________ *Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. 12. p. 241. †Miner's History of Wyoming, p. 168. The quotation appears in an extract from the papers of Colonel John Franklin. ‡Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. IV pp. 661-662. END OF PAGE 97 school house at Freeland's mill and another at John Vincent's house; the report reached Sunbury that they had brought intrenching and fortifying tools, which were put to use immediately upon their arrival. The militia of Northumberland county was at once called out, and at one o'clock on the 25th of September fifty men left Sunbury to join companies from other points and proceed to Warrior run. Colonel Franklin places the number of Major Judd's men at eighty and of the militia at five hundred; he states that one man was killed and several wounded, all of the Connecticut party were taken prisoners, three were detained at Sunbury, Judd and Sluman were sent to Philadelphia, and the others were dismissed. That the action of the authorities and militia was approved by the provincial Assembly is evident from the following resolution, which was passed on the 27th of October, 1775:- Resolved, That the inhabitants of the county of Northumberland, settled under the jurisdiction of this Province, were justifiable and did their duty in repelling the said intruders and preventing the further extension of their settlements.* Not content with the expulsion of the Connecticut intruders from the valley of the West Branch, the authorities of Northumberland county next undertook the invasion of Wyoming. Seven hundred men, commanded by William Plunket, composed the Pennamite force; the supplies were transported by boats, one of which carried a field piece. The expedition reached its destination on the 23d of December. The Yankees occupied an impregnable position, and, having failed to bring them to an engagement (in which superior numbers would doubtless have given him the victory), Plunket retreated with his command on the 25th instant. The question of jurisdiction remained unsettled, but the animosities of Yankee and Pennamite were for the time forgotten in the Revolutionary struggle that had already begun. _____________________________________________________________________ *Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. IV p. 678. END OF PAGE 98 Chapter 2