Union County: History: Annals of the Buffalo Valley by John Blair Lynn: Pages 40 thru 88 Contributed for use in USGenWeb by Tony Rebuck USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file 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 submitter PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to state and county table of contents. 1772 NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY ERECTED - OFFICIALS - BOUNDARIES OF TOWN- SHIPS - SUNBURY LAID OUT - FIRST ROADS - CONNECTICUT CLAIM - WILLIAM SPEDDY - LUDWIG DERR - DEATHS. RICHARD PENN, Lieutenant Governor. Representative in Assembly, Samuel Hunter. George Nagel, Sheriff of Berks and Northumberland. Additional residents in Penn's township: Abraham Clements, Michael Hawn, Henry Miser, George Miller, John Swartz, Melchior Stock, Adam Steffy, Simon Scouden, widow of Andrew Moore, Benjamin Ewig, Conrad Hafflich, John Reber. The first assessments of Penn's and Buffalo, from the organization of the county down to 1775, seem to have been lost when the records were forwarded to Paxton, during the great runaway. List of settlers cannot, therefore, he given for the three years intervening. 21St March, Northumberland county was erected out of parts of Berks, Bedford, Lancaster, Cumberland, and Northampton, by the following bounds: Beginning at the mouth of Mahantango creek, up the south side, to the head of Robert Meteer's spring, (in West Perry, near Mr. Winey's, sometimes miscalled Montour's spring;) thence west by north, to the top of Tussey's mountain; thence along 1772.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 41 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 point due north of the most northern part of Great swamp, (the numerous ponds in the upper end of Luzerne county are here referred to;) thence south to the most southern point of said swamp; thence, with a straight line, to the head of Lehigh; thence down the creek so far that a line run west south-west will strike the forks of Mahantango creek, where Pine creek falls into the same, at the place called Spread Eagle, (now Klingerstown,) on the east side of the Susquehanna; thence down the south side of the creek to the river; thence across the river to the beginning. The county, therefore, extended as far west as Lake Erie, the head of Lehigh on the east, (Pike county,) New York State on the north, and the mouth of Mahantango creek on the south. Fort Augusta was fixed as the place of election, and the county 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 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. Officials. William Plunket, 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 24. The first county commissioners were William Gray, Thomas Hewitt, and John Weitzel. November 23, Casper Reed, of Penn's, was sworn in as county commissioner; Alexander Hunter, county treasurer; Walter Clark, Jonathan Lodge, Peter Hosterman, James 42 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1772. Harrison, Nicholas Miller, Jacob Heverling, and Samuel Weiser, assessors. 9th April, the first court, which was a private sessions of the peace, William Plunket presiding, James Potter and John Lowdon assisting, was held. The county was divided into seven townships: Penn's, Augusta, Turbutt, Buffalo, Bald Eagle, Muncy, and Wyoming. Our annals relate only to Buffalo and Penn's. The boundary of Buffalo commenced at the mouth of Penn's creek at the head of the Isle of Que; thence up the same to the forks, (a few miles south of Millheim, Centre county;) thence by a north line to the West Branch, (this struck the river at the mouth of Bald Eagle creek, a mile below Lock Haven;) thence down the river to the place of beginning. Thus embracing all of Union, a large part of Snyder and Centre, and a great part of Lycoming counties, as now constituted. Robert King was the first constable. The boundary of Penn's, before that in Cumberland county, began at the mouth of Mahantango creek; thence, by the county line, to Meteer's spring; thence, with the same line, to the top of Tussey's mountain; thence, along the top thereof, easterly, to Penn's creek; thence down the creek to its mouth; thence down the river to the place of beginning. This boundary ran along the present line of Snyder county; thence to the north line of Mifflin county, at the corner of the present townships of Jackson and Brown, and embraced part of Brown, nearly all of Armagh and Decatur townships, in Mifflin, the southern portions of Hartley and Lewis, and all the present county of Snyder, except Monroe township. The first court of common pleas was held on the fourth Tuesday of May, before Justices William Plunket, Samuel Hunter, Caleb Grayson, Thomas Lemmon, and Robert Moodie. The commission of William Maclay, prothonotary, was read, and the following mem- bers of the bar sworn in: James Wilson, of York, (a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States,) then residing at York; Robert Magaw, of Carlisle, (afterwards colonel of the Sixth Pennsylvania and defender of Fort Washington;) Edward Burd, district attorney; Christian Hucks* and George North. After examination, James Potts, Charles *Afterwards the Tory, Captain Hucks, of Tarleton's dragoons, killed in South Carolina, in 1780-81. - Graydon Memoirs, page 270. 1772.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 43 Stedman, and Andrew Robinson. Tavern keepers applying for license were George Wolf, (below the Northumberland bridge,) Martin Trester of Buffalo, and Martin Cost. The number of suits brought to August term was thirty-three. No. 1 was James Patton vs. James Garley - Magaw for plaintiff, Wilson for defendant. Of the first grand-jurors were Captain John Brady, foreman, George Overmeier, John Rearick, Peter Leonard, William Gray, Ludwig Derr, Andrew Hafer, Hawkins Boone, James Park, and John Walker, all of Buffalo Valley. Sunbury. In a letter, dated June 2, 1772, Mr. Tilghman, Secretary of the Land Office, writes to William Maclay: "Mr. Lukens goes to layout 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; 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 cannot be clear of claims, the town must be on the other side." Some of the difficulties were insuperable, for the instructions to treat with Lowdon for three hundred and thirty acres, or thereabouts, situated near the point of the Forks, are stricken out of the rough draft, and on the 16th of June, the Governor and his Council issued an order to the Surveyor General, John Lukens, to repair to Fort Augusta, and, with the assistance of William 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. Main street to be eighty feet wide, the others sixty, the lanes and alleys twenty, &c. The town was accordingly laid out in June, 1772. On the 31st of August, William Maclay writes, that the noise about the point town is already greatly quieted, and the people begin to think Sunbury the best situation. 44 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1772. The Ferry. August 14th, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, by letters patent, granted to Robert King, his executors and assigns, the privilege of keeping a ferry, over the main branch of the Susquehanna at Sunbury. (King conveyed his right to Adam Heverling, November 3O, 1773; Heverling to Christopher Gettig, April 17, 1775; Gettig 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 for a term of years, which was granted.) The first criminal case was tried at August sessions, King vs. John Williams, for larceny - Robert Fruit and Robert Clark 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. Thomas Hartley, (lieutenant colonel of Eleventh Pennsylvania regiment,) Casper Weitzel, Andrew Ross, and James Whitehead were sworn in as attorneys, at August term. Hawkins Boone and Thomas Sutherland had suits at this term - Weitzel for Boone, Stedman for Sutherland; also, Michael Regor vs. William Blythe. The latter suit referred to Samuel Maclay, John Brady, and George Wolfe, to settle. George Nagel, sheriff of Berks, acted as sheriff until Colonel William Cooke was commissioned, in October, the first sheriff of Northumberland county. The first road up the river from Fort Augusta was reported by the viewers, Richard Malone, Marcus Huling, John Robb, and Alexander Stephens, in October: "To begin at the end of the road lately laid out from the head of the Schuylkill to Fort Augusta; thence north-east, one hundred and sixty perches, to the fording; thence across the North Branch, to a marked hickory, near the bank on the main point; at two miles eighty-six perches, they came to John Alexander's; at one and a half miles further, they crossed Chillisquaque creek; at nearly one mile further, they came to William Plunket's; at three miles further, John Dougherty's; at two miles further, Marcus Huling's; at ten miles, the gap in the Muncy hills; at four miles, Muncy creek; at two hundred and seven rods, Wolfe's run; four hundred and forty- 1772.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 45 two rods, crossed the run above Samuel Wallis' house; three hundred and twenty-two rods, crossed next run above; at four and a half miles, Loyalsock creek; at five and a half miles, Lycoming creek." Total, thirty-seven miles from Northumberland point to now Newberry, in the city of Williamsport. This road was confirmed, and ordered to be opened, thirty-three feet in width. The line of the Indian purchase was then assumed to be at Lycoming creek, afterwards, admitted by the Indians to be at Pine creek. The order specified the "Indian line," as the terminus of the road. Of the Connecticut Claim. It will be recollected that the Connecticut people, or Yankees, as they were called by the Pennamites, claimed under their charter the land as far south as the forty-first degree of latitude, which passes through the county a mile or more north of Lewisburg. By the following memorandum, furnished me by O. N. Worden, Esquire, which he found among the records of the Susquehanna Land Company, at Hartford, Connecticut, it appears that William Speddy (the elder) was their authorized agent to take and hold possession of land claimed by them in the Valley. "1771, William Speddy voted one 'selling right' in Wyoming, for previous efforts in holding possession in June, and for further intended efforts." The following affidavit, in the handwriting of William Maclay, which I found among the papers of the deputy surveyor's office of Union county, is the first notice I have of his appearance in Buffalo Valley. It is worthy of note in this connection, that, in deeds of this year (1772) for lands in our Valley, special warrants were common "against the claim of the inhabitants of New England." It appears (Votes of Assembly, 1773, page 492) that in June a large band of armed men from Connecticut appeared upon the West Branch, to dispossess the inhabitants, and were prevented. Speddy was the mere advanced skirmisher or picket: "Northumberland County, ss: "John Scott, of Northampton county, being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth that the night before last, this deponent and his son and another man from Bucks county, lay in the woods near Buffalo creek, and in the morning a 46 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1772 certain William Speddy came to them and told them he supposed they were travelers and looking for lands to buy; this deponent and company answered in the affirmative. He then desired them to take care how they purchased of Penn, unless they had likewise New England rights; this deponent answered that he would not give a copper for New England rights. He said this deponent might be mistaken in being too sure in depending on Penn's rights. That the New England people had more right than we thought for; he owned that he stood by and saw Stuart shoot Ogden, and justified the action. Much more was said to nearly the same purpose by the said Speddy, who spoke with great violence, and would not bear any contradiction to what he asserted. Sworn and subscribed the 17 of June, 1772." William Speddy's name first appears in "a list of rioters in the fort at Wyoming, 21st January, 1771, when Nathan Ogden was murdered," to use the language - of Governor John Penn. (John Penn's proclamation offering a reward of £50 for the arrest of William Speddy, 9th February, 1771.) In Hugh Gaines' New York Gazette of November 14, 1771, there is a paragraph of Phila- delphia news, dated November 4, 1771, as follows: "At the Supreme Court, held here on Tuesday last, William Speddy was arraigned and tried for the murder of Lieutenant Nathan Ogden, who was shot from the block-house at Wyoming, whilst it was in the possession of Lazarus Stewart and company. After a long and impartial hearing, the jury soon gave in their verdict 'not guilty.' Doctor Peck, in his history of Wyoming, notices him thus: "Another of these rioters, as they were called, was William Speddy. He was somewhat in years, and was called 'Old Speddy,' but his age could not abate the rigor of the Pennsylvania authorities, for they kept him in close confinement in Philadelphia for more than two years. How, where, or precisely when Speddy was captured we are not able to say, but his final examination must have taken place some time in the year 1771. Mrs. Myers says when her sister Polly was two years old, and she was twelve, her mother was desired to go to Philadelphia, as a witness in favor of Speddy, who was to be tried for the murder of Nathan Ogden. This journey Mrs. Bennett performed alone on horseback, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles, most of the way through the wilderness. 1772.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 47 When she reached Philadelphia, she found that the court had adjourned, and she then made a journey to Goshen, and attended to some business. When the trial came on she was present, and her testimony cleared Speddy. He was wasted away to a mere skeleton. When he was discharged his joy and gratitude overleaped all bounds. He fell upon his knees before Mrs. Bennett, and almost worshiped her. 'Get up, Speddy,' said she, 'I have done no more than any one ought to do for a fellow-creature.' He kissed her hand and bathed it with tears." This story of "Pennsylvania rigor" is reduced in dimensions from two years to probably eight months, as no man was ever tried twice for the same murder in Pennsylvania; and he was acquitted on the 4th of November, 1771. Long enough, however, for this old war hawk of New England rights, to be caged, to render him very grateful to Mrs. Bennett. As it is said the honey bee precedes about fifty miles and heralds the advance of the white man into the wilderness, Speddy was the honey bee of New England civilization in Buffalo Valley. He chose for his residence the prettiest little dale in Buffalo Valley. It is on Turtle creek, near what is now Supplee's (formerly Treaster's) mill. Jacob Brown now owns the place. In December, 1776, he volunteered in Captain John Clarke's company of Northumberland county, and served during the campaign of Trenton and Princeton. In 1778 he resided upon the same tract, which was known as the George Gall tract of two hundred and sixty-two acres. In 1780 he is taxed with the same tract, one horse, and three cows. In 1782, in connection with John Lee and William Storms, he was assessor of Buffalo township. His signature to the assessment is in a full, round, beautiful hand. In 1785, his name is dropped from the assessment books, and he disappears from our local history. He had a son, William Speddy, junior. J. W. Speddy, of Mifflintown, Pennsylvania, wrote me in 1870 that William Speddy, senior, was his great-grandfather, and that the latter removed to Lost creek valley, Juniata county, and died at a place called Speddy's Gap, near McAllisterville. H. Swartzell, Esquire, deputy surveyor of Mifflin county, allowed me to copy a draft of the Speddy tract. It is the border one of the Valley surveys, and the finger-board to the Shade mountain surveys, and, therefore, though dead, he yet speaks, and his name will, no doubt, be 48 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1772. called over in court and out of court for hundreds of years yet to come. In April, James Wilson made a number of surveys for John Low- don, in what is now the territory of West Buffalo. On the 15th of May he made the leading survey in the lower end of what is now Union township, for Daniel Rees, so many years owned by Joseph Fearon, and now owned and occupied, in part, by Joseph Shannon. In consequence of the suit between Bonham and William Gibbons, referred to hereafter in connection with the capture of the Emerick family, the Rees lines were often run and found well marked. On his original field notes, Wilson says: "This land is situated about two miles from John Lee's, on both sides of the path that leads to Treaster's." Trester's was at the mouth of Tuscarora creek, on Penn's, one mile above New Berlin, now in Jackson township, Snyder county. Ludwig Derr bought the tract on which Lewisburg now stands, during the summer of this year, from the Reverend Richard Peters. His mill, which is still standing, being the front portion of Smith & Fry's, so many years John Brown's mill, was in existence in the fall of this year. How long previous I cannot ascertain. Derr bought the "Joseph Hudnot tract," (still owned, except the part belonging to Joseph W. Shriner, by his grand and great-grandchildren,) in June, 1772, of John Coxe, merchant, of Philadelphia, for £175. On the 3d of October, John Aurand bought the "Jenkin's mill property, on Turtle creek, and it went by the name of "Aurand's mill," when he sold it to Morgan Jenkin. It is still owned by the Jenkin's family. Doctor Harbaugh, in his "Fathers of the German Reformed Church," states, upon the authority of John Aurand, of Yellow Springs, Blair county, a grandson of John Aurand, that the latter built both flour and saw-mill at Turtle creek. Wilson, however, had some sort of a mill there as early as 1772. John Wilson died during the year 1772, according to my researches - Miss Sandford, ante, says in 1774. In the fall Robert Barber, Esquire, built the first house on the White Springs tract of which we have any knowledge, as he recites in a lease dated 9th August, 2773, to John Scott, that he leases him the house he had built last fall at the head of White springs for 1772.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 49 seven years. It was on the Edward Lee warrantee, which Barber had purchased, in August, from Reuben Haines. Christian Diehl (written Dale) lived on part of the Ewing tract, (now Colonel Slifer's upper farm, near the iron bridge.) The late John Beeber told me that his father's term of service was purchased by Mr. Diehl from the captain whose ship he came over in, and he helped Mr. Diehl clear that place in 1772, owned then by Ludwig Derr. Adam Beeber then returned to Philadelphia, served five years in the army, after which he came up to Muncy, where he settled and died. Christian Diehl's grandson, Captain Christian Dale, of Harris township, Centre county, aged sixty- six, confirms the story, as a tradition of the family, in regard to Adam Beeber's service with his grandfather. William Wilson bought of James Wilson, his father, the John Moore warrantee. Settled there during this year. He was then unmarried, Boarded at a house near Mortonville, whence he walked over every day to clear his place, on which he died in 1824. His mansion residence is now owned by Reverend Jacob Rodenbaugh. Wendell Baker bought of Samuel Maclay the George Calhoun tract. still owned by his descendants, in August, and moved into the Valley from York county. Mrs. David H. Kelly and J. T. Baker Esquire, are of his descendants. John Lowdon settled on the Levi Shoemaker place, near Mifflinburg, which he called "Silver Spring," removing there from Northumberland point, where he subsequently laid out the present town of Northumberland. John McClung settled on the place known as "Hard Scrabble," in East Buffalo. In 1807 Matthias Macpherson bought that portion of the McClung place, and sold off the lots. In December occurred the first wedding in the Valley I find any record of. Magdalena, widow of Michael Weyland, to Peter Swartz, senior. The latter then moved upon the place described as containing three hundred acres at Sinking spring - Shikellimy's old town. On the 18th of December, Mrs. Swartz took out letters of administration upon her former husband's estate, the first ever issued in Northumberland county. Her account was filed 8th September, 1774, in which Peter Swartz joins. It has an item on the debtor side of deer skins, accepted for a debt due the estate from Captain John Brady. 50 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1778. Peter Smith, who lived at White Deer Mills, (part of his old stone house still stands, now occupied by Doctor Donowsky,) died this fall. Jesse Lukens had the rightful title, and brought a suit, in 1772, against Peter, marked abated by the death of Smith, in 1773, February. His widow held on the possession, (postea 1785.) Thomas McKee, the Indian trader, from whom McKees' Half-Falls gets its name, died in April, 1772. 1773 SETTLERS - ROADS - BUFFALO CROSS-ROADS CHURCH - EJECTMENT CASES. RICHARD PENN, acting Lieutenant Governor until July 19. After August 30, John Penn, who was confirmed Lieutenant Governor by the King, June 30, was awarded the title of Governor by the Provincial Council. Member of Assembly, Samuel Hunter; Presiding Justice, William Plunket; Prothonotary, William Maclay; Sheriff, William Cooke; Coroner, James Murray; County Commissioner, Casper Reed. Officers of Buffalo: Constable, James Boveard; Supervisors, Joseph Green and Martin Trester; Overseers of the Poor, William Irwin, late of Carlisle, and John Lee. Settlers during this year: Abel Reese, on the place now owned by John Gundy's heirs, in East Buffalo; Joseph Sips, on the David Henning place, in Buffalo; Philip Hoy purchased the place in Limestone township, still owned by his descendants; James Fleming settled on Dale's place, opposite late Thomas Clingan's, erected a cabin, and cleared four or five acres. He sold out to Samuel Dale. See Gray vs. Dale, 4 Yeates, 494, for an account of their dispute about the dividing line. 1773.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 51 On the grand jury for May occur the names of William Irwin, John Foster, Peter Swartz, Abel Reese, John Gillespie, William Foster, William Leech, and John Thompson. Leonard Groninger and James Buchanan had a battle, which came before them. Joseph Green became Buchanan's bail. Christian Van Gundy recommended for license. He kept a tavern at the Strohecker landing, his house standing on Derr's land. Its remains were removed by excavation for the railroad in 1854. William Irwin, John Kelly, Robert King, Jacob Grozean, (called French Jacob,) and Ludwig Derr were appointed viewers to lay out a road "from the fording between Ludwig Derr's and John Aurand's mill through Buffalo Valley to the Narrows." They never reported, and at May sessions, 1774, Samuel Maclay, William Irwin, Henry Pontius, Christian Storms, and William Gray were appointed in their stead. They reported in February, 1775. William Foster and John Lee (first tavern at Winfield) were recommended for license. Among the viewers to lay out the road from Great Plains to Sunbury were James Potter, John Thompson, Joseph Green, et al. Among the jurors were Thomas Sutherland, William Thompson, Philip Cole, the first inhabitant of Hartleton. He was colonel of the militia regiment of the Valley in 1776, went on a tour of duty to Reading and Philadelphia; he left the Valley with the "great runaway," 1778, and never returned. Peter Kester succeeded Cole as tenant of Colonel Hartley, who purchased of Cole in 1784. It went by the name of Kester's until Colonel Hartley laid out the town. An indictment was found against Martin and Michael Trester for assault and battery; they were found guilty, and that was all the sessions business of this year. Buffalo Cross-Roads Presbyterian Church. According to Mr. Hood's account, this church was organized this year. and James McClenachan and Samuel Allen were its first ruling elders, the former ordained at Derry, now in Dauphin county, the latter at Silver Spring, Cumberland county. Mr. McClenachan was from Hanover township, Dauphin county, and came into the Valley in April, 1773. These gentlemen continued to act as elders to receive supplies until 1781, when the church was broken up in con- 52 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1773. sequence of the country being overrun by the Indians. In 1783 the people returned, and in the same year Mr. McClenachan died, and as Mr. Allen had died while the people were away, it appears the congregation were without elders until the year 1785, when Matthew Laird, who had been an elder at Big Spring, came to reside in the congregation. (Doctor Grier's manuscript sermon.) Ejectment. At May term, Adam Christ brought ejectment against William Speddy, tenant in possession of the George Gall tract, now Supplee's mill, in East Buffalo. Speddy's possession under his Connecticut title did not avail, and he was ousted. Hartley and Burd for Christ Stedman and Wilson for Speddy. Japhet Morton also brought suit vs. Christian Storms, tenant in possession of Captain John Brady's land, now Frederick's, adjoining Mortonsville. Brady held it, and it was in possession of his widow until 1783. The family lost it after her death, and Morton became owner. I copy, as a curiosity, a deed for a tract of land now owned by David Heinly, in White Deer township, near New Columbia: "I promise to deliver to Valentine Lees, his heirs or assigns, a convievce for fifty aciers of land adjoining Rees' grief and John Cox, and to agine when surveyed to land belonging to Valentine Lees, which warent was entered some time last Spring in My own name, and for the performance I bind myself, my heirs, in the sum of one hundred pounds, if in consequence of the said Lees pein me 5 pound 10 shillings of cash and one pair of lether britches to the valy of one pound 11 shillings. Witness my hand this 26th day of August, 1773. HAWKINS BOONE. Witness present: SAMUEL YOUNG. William McMurray, of Sunbury, made many surveys in the Valley this year. The Leonard Welker, East Buffalo, 11th May; Frederick Deel, on Penn's creek. near Centreville bridge; James Watson, east of Wehr's tavern, on 13th; Thomas Procter, on Penn's creek, Robert Jewel, Joseph Alston, Samuel Breck, James Barnes, ditto; Philip Cole tract, McMurray and Grant, &c., in Hartley township. 1774.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 53 William Black settled on Black's run, in Kelly township, and was a juror this year. Extract from a manuscript journal of Richard Miles, (who died in Centre county many years ago,) April 20, 1773: "Started for Shamokin, in company with James and Enos Miles, Abel Thomas, and John Lewis," (from Radnor, Chester county.) They passed up the river, stopping at Malone's, Huling's, Muncy Hill, Wallis's, Loyalsock, Lycoming, Pine creek, Great Island, and returned, by way of the Narrows, down through Buffalo Valley, to Tarr's Mill, where they got a horse shod; thence they went to Huling's, (Milton now;) thence down the river to the Fort, (Augusta.) In June a large body of armed men from Connecticut attempted to dispossess the inhabitants of the West Branch. This attempt was successfully resisted by the posse of the neighborhood, only to be renewed in 1774. 1774. POTTER TOWNSHIP ERECTED - POLITICAL DOCUMENTS - CROSS-ROADS CHURCH TITZELL'S MILL - ENNION WILLIAMS' JOURNAL. JOHN PENN, Governor. Samuel Hunter, Member of Assembly. 4th April, Robert Fruit and Thomas Hewitt sworn as County Commissioners. William Gray elected in October. Officers of Buffalo: James Young, Constable; James Park and Michael Hessler, Supervisors, the latter lived where Crotzerville now stands; Hawkins Boone and John Foster, Overseers. In February, William Wilson, (grandfather of Doctor T. H.,) and Samuel Dale, appear as jurors. Colonel Kelly was foreman in May. John Clarke, William Hutchinson, grand jurors. At May sessions Potter township was erected out of Penn's, Buf- 54 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1774. falo, and Bald Eagle. Bounded eastward by a north north-west line from the top of Jack's mountain, by the four-mile tree on Reuben Haines' road, in the Narrows, to the top of Nittany mountain; thence along the top to the end thereof, at Spring creek, on the old path; thence south south-east to the top of Tussey's mountain; thence along the county line, to the top of Jack's mountain, and along the same to the beginning. To August term one hundred and forty suits were brought. The ninety-ninth was Slough vs. Blythe. Margaret Blythe's title was confirmed. There was also an ejectment brought by Christian Van Gundy vs. Ludwig Derr for the site of Lewisburg. In May Daniel Christ settled and made the first clearing on the place where C. Sheckler, Esquire, now resides, in West Buffalo. James Anderson was then his neighbor, and had an improvement on the Matthew Irwin place. Anderson left before the runaway of 1778. Irwin took possession after the war. George Books also cleared a part of the Sheckler place. Political. The following letter, found among the papers of Captain John Lowdon, discloses the means taken to organize an opposition to the encroachments of the mother country upon the liberties of the American people, which culminated in the Revolution and the Declaration of Independence, on the 4th of July, 1776: PHILADELPHIA, June 28, 1774. To William Maclay, William Plunket, and Samuel Hunter, Esquires, Northumberland: "GENTLEMEN; The committee of correspondence for this city beg leave to inclose you printed copies of the resolves passed by a very large and respectable meeting of the freeholders and freemen, in the State House square, on Saturday, the 18th instant; and by the fourth of these resolves, you will observe that it was left for the committee to determine on the most proper mode of collecting the sense of this Province in the present critical situation of our affairs, and appointing Deputies to attend the proposed Congress. In pursuance of this trust, we have, upon the maturest deliberation, determined upon the mode contained in the following propositions, which we hope may 1774.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 55 meet with the approbation and concurrence of your respectable county, viz: "1st. That the Speaker of the House of Representatives be desired to write to the several members of Assembly, requesting them to meet in this city as soon as possible, but not later than the 1st of August next, to take into consideration our very alarming situation. "2d. That letters be written to proper persons in each county, recommending it to them to get committees appointed for their respective counties, and that the said committees or such number of them as may be thought proper, may meet at Philadelphia at the time the Representatives are convened, in order to consult and advise on the most expedient mode of appointing Deputies for the General Congress, and to give their weight to such as may be appointed. "The Speaker of the Assembly, in a very obliging and ready manner, has agreed to comply with the request in the former of these propositions; but we are now informed that, on account of the Indian disturbances, the Governor has found it necessary to call the Assembly to meet in their legislative capacity, on Monday, July 18, being about the same time the Speaker would probably have invited them to a conference or convention in their private capacity. "What we have, therefore, to request is that, if you approve of the mode expressed in the second proposition, the whole or a part of the committee appointed, or to be appointed, for your county, will meet the committees from the other counties at Philadelphia, on Friday, the 15th day of July, in order to assist in framing instructions, and preparing such matters as may be proper to recommend to our Representatives at their meeting the Monday following. "We would not offer such an affront to the well-known public spirit of Pennsylvania, as to question your zeal on the present occasion. Our very existence in the rank of freemen, and the security of all that ought to be dear to us, evidently depend upon our conducting this great cause to its proper issue with firmness, wisdom, and unanimity. We cannot, therefore, doubt your ready concurrence in every measure that may be conducive to the public good; and it is with pleasure that we can assure you that all the Colonies, from South Carolina to New Hampshire, seem animated with one spirit in the common cause, and consider this as the proper crisis for having our dif- 56 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1774. ference with the mother country brought to some certain issue, and our liberties fixed upon a permanent foundation. This desirable end can only be accomplished by a free communion of sentiments and a sincere, fervent regard to the interests of our common country. "We beg to be favored with an answer to this, and whether the committee from your county can attend at Philadelphia, at the time proposed. THOMAS WILLING, Chairman." On this letter is indorsed, in Joseph Green's handwriting, the following: "At a meeting of a number of the principal inhabitants of the township of Buffalo, at Loudowick Derr's, of Saturday, the ninth of July, John Lowdon, Esquire, and Samuel Maclay were chosen as committee-men to meet the other committee- men from the other townships, on Monday, the 11th instant, at Richard Malone's, in order to choose proper persons out of the township committees to go to Philadelphia to the general meeting of the committees chosen by the respective counties of this Province; and likewise to fix upon some proper way and means to correspond with the other committees of this Province. "By order of the meeting. JOSEPH GREEN, Clark." The committees that met on the 11th, at Richard Malone's, selected William Scull and Samuel Hunter to represent Northumberland county, at the Provincial meeting, at Philadelphia. This meeting convened in Carpenter's Hall, at Philadelphia, on Friday, the 15th day of July: Thomas Willing, chairman, and Charles Thompson, secretary. William Scull was of the committee to draft instructions to the Assembly. The resolutions were as follows, (Some passed unanimously, indicated by "U;" in case of difference of sentiment, the question being determined by the Deputies voting by counties:) "U. 1. That we acknowledge ourselves and the inhabitants of this Province liege subjects of His Majesty King George III, to whom they and we owe and will bear true and faithful allegiance. "U. 2. That as the idea of an unconstitutional independence of the parent state is utterly abhorrent to our principles, we view the unhappy differences between Great Britain and the Colonies with 1774.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 57 the deepest distress and anxiety of mind, as fruitless to her, grievous to us, and destructive of the best interests of both. "U. 3. That it is, therefore, our ardent desire that our ancient harmony with the mother country should be restored, and a perpetual love and union subsist between us, on the principles of the constitution and an interchange of good offices, without the least infraction of our mutual rights. "U. 4. That the inhabitants of these Colonies are entitled to the same rights and liberties within these Colonies that the subjects born in England are entitled to within that realm. "U. 5. That the power assumed by the Parliament of Great Britain, to bind the people of these Colonies, 'by statutes in all cases whatsoever,' is unconstitutional, and, therefore, the source of these unhappy differences. "U. 6. That the act of Parliament for shutting up the port of Boston is unconstitutional; oppressive to the inhabitants of that town; dangerous to the liberties of the British Colonies; and, therefore, that we consider our brethren at Boston as suffering in the common cause of these Colonies. "U. 7. That the bill for altering the administration of justice, in certain criminal cases, within the Province of Massachusetts Bay, if passed into an act of Parliament, will be as unconstitutional, oppressive, and dangerous as the act above mentioned. "U. 8. That the bill for changing the constitution of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, established by charter, and enjoyed since the grant of that charter, if passed into an act of Parliament, will be unconstitutional, and dangerous in its consequences to the American Colonies. "U. 9. That there is an absolute necessity that a Congress of deputies from the several colonies be immediately assembled, to consult together and form a general plan of conduct to be observed by all the Colonies, for the purpose of procuring relief for our suffering brethren, obtaining redress of our grievances, preventing future dissensions, firmly establishing our rights, and restoring harmony between Great Britain and her Colonies on a constitutional foundation. "U. 10. That although a suspension of the commerce of this large trading Province with Great Britain would greatly distress 58 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1774. multitudes of our industrious inhabitants, yet that sacrifice, and a much greater, we are ready to offer for the preservation of our liberties. But in tenderness to the people of Great Britain, as well as of this country, and in hopes that our just remonstrances will at length reach the ears of our gracious Sovereign, and be no longer treated with contempt by any of our fellow-subjects in England, it is our earnest desire that the Congress should first try the gentler mode of stating our grievances, and making a firm and decent claim of redress. "11. Resolved by a great majority, That yet, notwithstanding, as an unanimity of counsels and measures is indispensably necessary for the common welfare, if the Congress shall judge agreements of non-importation and non-exportation expedient, the people of this Province will join with the other principal and neighboring Colonies in such an association of non-importation from and non- exportation to Great Britain, as shall be agreed on at the Congress. "12. Resolved by a majority, That if any proceedings of the Parliament, of which notice shall be received on this continent, before or at the General Congress, shall render it necessary, in the opinion of that Congress, for the Colonies to take further steps than are mentioned in the eleventh resolve, in such case the inhabitants of this Province shall adopt such further steps and do all in their power to carry them into execution. "U. 13. That the venders of merchandise of every kind within the Province, ought not to take advantage of the resolves relating to non-importation in this Province or elsewhere, but they ought to sell their merchandise which they now have, or may hereafter import, at the same rates they have been accustomed to do within three months last past. "U. 14. That the people of this Province will break off all trade, commerce, and dealing, and will have no trade, commerce, or dealing of any kind with any Colony on this continent, or with any city or town in such Colony, or with any individual in any such Colony, city, or town, which shall refuse, decline, or neglect to adopt and carry into execution such general plan as shall be agreed to in Congress. "U. 15. That it is the duty of every member of this committee to promote as much as he can the subscription set on foot in the sev- 1774.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 59 eral counties of this Province for the relief of the distressed inhabitants of Boston. "U. 16. That this committee give instructions on the present situation of public affairs to their Representatives who are to meet next week in Assembly, and request them to appoint a proper number of persons to attend a congress of Deputies from the several Colonies, at such time and place as may be agreed upon, to effect one general plan of conduct, for attaining the great and important ends mentioned in the ninth resolve." The instructions are too long to be copied. They commence, how- ever, with a recital that the dissensions between Great Britain and her Colonies commenced some ten years since, and arose from the power claimed by Parliament to bind the people of the Colonies by statutes, in all cases whatsoever, when from local circumstances they could not be represented in it. The object of the convention of Deputies is stated to be to obtain a renunciation on the part of Great Britain of all powers under the statute of 35 Henry 8th, cap. 2 - of all powers of internal legislation, of imposing taxes or duties, internal or external, and of regulating trade, except with respect to any new articles of commerce, such as silk, wine, &c., which the Colonies may hereafter raise, reserving the right to carry these from one Colony to another; to obtain a repeal of all statutes for quartering troops in the Colonies, or subjecting them to any expense on account of such troops; of all statutes imposing duties to be paid in the Colonies, that were passed at the accession of his present Majesty, or before this time, which- ever period shall he judged most advisable; of the statutes giving courts of admiralty in the Colonies greater power that the courts of admiralty have in England; of the statutes shutting up the port of Boston and affecting the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Offering, in case this was agreed to, to settle a certain annual revenue on His Majesty, his heirs and successors, and to satisfy all damages done to the East India Company - the executive powers of the crown to retain their present full force and oper- ation, and we to receive all manufactures from Great Britain, and in case of war, to contribute all aid in our power. In the event of a refusal of these terms, agreements of non-importation and non-exportation were recommended, "and a continual claim and assertion of our rights." 60 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1774. These proceedings being communicated to the General Assembly, it took up and promptly (22d July) passed a resolution "that there is an absolute necessity that a Congress of Deputies from the several Colonies be held as soon as conveniently may be, to consult upon the unhappy state of the Colonies, and to form a plan for the purpose of obtaining redress of American grievances, &c., and for establishing that union and harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies which is indispensably necessary to the welfare and happiness of both." During this year Catherine Smith, widow of Peter Smith, commenced building a grist and saw-mill near the mouth of White Deer creek, which she completed in 1775. See her statement, year 1785. 5th July, Robert Fruit and Thomas Hewitt, county commissioners, at the request of Ludwig Derr, who desired to borrow money from the loan office, valued the land, three hundred and twenty acres, (now the site of Lewisburg,) "on which said Derr now lives, having a grist and saw-mill, dwelling-house and barn, clear upland and meadow, at £1,000, Pennsylvania currency." On 7th, their sworn valuation of Robert Clark's, now Judge Hummel's, two hundred and fourteen acres, et al., dwelling-house, and barn, was £428; Walter Clark's, (Slifer place,) one hundred and eighty-eight acres, dwelling-house, and barn, £564; Aurand mill tract, (now Jenkins,) grist-mill, two pair stones, saw-mill, dwelling-house, and barn, two hundred and twenty-eight acres, at £700. Buffalo Cross-Roads Presbyterian Church. We come now to the first record evidence in regard to Buffalo Cross-Roads church. December 17, Edward Shippen and Joseph, his brother, by a written agreement, on the application of some of the inhabitants of Buffalo Valley, agreed to give a lot of five acres, to be laid off at the north-east corner of the Edward Bonsall tract, including a spring, for the purpose of erecting a meeting-house thereon for the Presbyterian congregation. The building was probably erected the ensuing year. The only clew I can find is a receipt among my grandfather's papers dated December 23, 1778, to William Rodman for ten pounds, being in full of a subscription lodged in his hands for building a meeting-house in Buffalo Valley, 1774.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 61 signed William Clark, Thomas Hutchinson, who were probably the building committee. In 1797 the Shippens made a deed to Samuel Dale and David Watson, trustees appointed by the congregation for that purpose. The courses and distances are important, as the land has been encroached upon. Beginning at a white oak; thence by land then vacant, now (1797) said to belong to Francis Zellers, N. 51º E. 20 perches, to white oak; thence S 39º E. 40; thence S. 51º W. 20; thence N. 39º W. 40; "for the use of such person or persons who now are, and from time to time hereafter shall be, inhabitants of said Valley, members of and forming together a Presbyterian congregation, to have a meeting-house for worship and a place of burial thereon, and for no other purpose." Deed book "C," page 81, Union county. It seems from Doctor Greer's statement that the church received an additional grant of five acres adjoining, of the "Isaiah Althouse" tract, either of Henry Vandyke or Francis Zeller, former owners. The old church was accordingly built on both tracts and the one half on land now claimed by Daniel Reugler, as an inspection of the old foundation will show, and many persons were buried in Mr. Reugler's field. The Althouse tract was patented to Henry Vandyke, 14th of December, 1774. On the same day he sold off to Captain John Foster nineteen acres and ninety-four perches, adjoining Foster's. Henry Vandyke's will, dated 18th October, 1782, wills his mansion, farm and tan-yard to John. John and Martha, his wife, sell to Francis Zeller two hundred and eighty-nine acres. This would, therefore, include the alleged five acres given to the church. It is probable, therefore, that Francis Zeller was the donor, and the addition made in 1789 to the building was put on that part. Flavel Clingan says "the old church had three doors and nine windows, one immediately behind the pulpit and two on each of the ends and sides. Part of the church covered where the present pulpit is, and extended out into the fields behind the present church, that it was put on the line of the two grants of five acres each, and the careless trustees lost five acres when Mr. Reugler bought." Surveys, &c. Among the surveys made this year in " Upper Moreland," as Hartley township territory was then called, William McMurray, on 62 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1774. the 31st of May, surveyed the Jacob Young and Conrad Weiser tracts; also Anthony Fricker and Daniel Levan; June 2, Philip Cole tract, adjoining Jacob Landis. In this year William McCandlish, senior, and Samuel Martin came from North Britain, and settled on the Billmyer place, after- wards Gebhart's, and the place now owned by Joseph Meixell's heirs; which Martin sold to George May, who sold it to Thomas Wilson, (grandfather of Francis Wilson,) 30th July, 1793. James Young settled on the place now owned by David Gross, in Union township. Isaac Hanna, a gunsmith, from Lancaster, bought it in 1780 for £600. Three hundred and nine acres, et al. The Weyland place, (now George F. Miller, Esquire,) in Kelly, was valued at 40s. per acre by witnesses. Titzell's Mill. 1st of December is the date of the deed from William Robb and Olive, his wife, to Henry Titzell, for fifty acres on Little Buffalo creek, the mill tract now owned by Jonas Rauch, in White Deer township. The mills were built during this winter, as he is assessed in 1775 with grist and saw-mill. Titzell's mill was a rendezvous during the Revolution, and a station of the defenders of the frontiers. Titzell never returned from Cumberland county after the great runaway of 1778, and we find Nagel Gray, of Northampton county, in possession in 1783, and a conveyance from Titzell to Gray on the 5th of May, 1786. Gray died the same year, and his son John took the tract, who, with Jane his wife, sold to George Reniger on the 18th of April, 1796. Reniger failed, and it went by the name of Kelly's mills for a long time after, until Mr. Rauch's purchase. Deaths. Joseph Rotten, of Buffalo, died this year. His will is the first one recorded at Sunbury, on 4th August. He left a widow, Mary, children, Thomas, Roger, and Elizabeth, He lived up Penn's creek, near White springs. Samuel Mathers and James McCoy witnessed it. Thomas McGuire also died in June. He left a son, Francis. 1774.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 63 Major Ennion Williams' Journal. Ennion Williams, afterwards major of Colonel Miles' rifle regiment, kept a journal of a trip to the frontiers. The original is in possession of Captain A. H. McHenry, the noted surveyor of Jersey Shore, from which I extract: "October 19, at Fort Augusta, Messrs. Scull, Maclay, Hunter, Troy, &c., entertained me in a very kind and friendly manner. October 25, started for Kishacoquillas valley, with William Foster; forded the river, and arrived at Wolfe's tavern, two miles from Sunbury, (this must have been at Shamokin dam,) where I took suddenly sick. A person in the next room played so pleasantly on a violin, and with such an effect, I was soon able to get up. We then passed through a level country to Michael Swingle's, eight miles; thence to Is. Dalton's, on Middle creek. The land here is good. We lately sold it for £100 per hundred acres. We passed through Potter's tract, which is very fine land, and John Swift's land, which is very good. Several friends settled above this. The land is well timbered-walnut, black oak, and maple - and a very pretty valley, called Beaver Dam valley. 27th, slept at Nathaniel Hazen's on a chaff bed on the floor; breakfast - elegant milk, butter, pumpkin butter, Indian corn, and venison. (Snyder county fare in the olden time.) Then rode nine miles through a valley between Jack's mountain and Limestone ridge. "We crossed the run on which is our one hundred and fifty-nine acres, with a mill seat. The stream is now pretty large. The land is stony, but very well timbered. October 27, Hazen tells me that Reed has got (within this twelve months) a warrant for the hundred and fifty-nine acres, and that he intends to build a mill there, in spite of any person. They say that he is a scheming fellow, and that he has taken out warrants for other person's lands, as well as ours. We dined in the shade of a tree, screened from the remarkable heat of the sun, and fed our horses on a blanket near a run, and eat heartily of our hard cakes and solid venison. We continued up this valley, and passed by some good bottoms, with poplar, walnut, and shelbark, &c.; but there are no large bodies together. The road is very stony for several miles, yet level, and the land well timbered. 64 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775 "Foster's, and the land near it, is very good wheat land, and but little meadow. We passed in sight of our two hundred acres on a branch of Jack's creek, in the name of D. Beveridge, and the land near is very good meadow ground." The D. Beveridge tract he describes as situate on Mitchel Springs, which empties into Jack's creek about two miles from Kishacoquillas, (probably now in Decatur township, Mifflin county.) On the 19th of July a petition was presented to the Assembly from the inhabitants of Northumberland county, stating that the county was but thinly inhabited, and had within the limits of its jurisdiction a great body of intruders from the Colony of Connecticut, who refused subjection to the government, and that they found themselves unable to enforce the laws, through the want of a proper goal; whereupon an act was promptly passed, on the 23d, granting £800 out of the treasury to build a goal. 1775. PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION - ASSESSMENT LIST OF BUFFALO - REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE INAUGURATED - ROLL OF CAPTAIN JOHN LOWDON'S AND CAPTAIN JAMES PARR'S COMPANIES. JOHN PENN, Governor. Samuel Hunter, member of Assembly. On the 20th of May, James Potter was returned, and took his seat as additional member of Assembly. Samuel Hunter and William Plunket presided in turn over the courts. 29th July, Samuel Maclay, Robert Robb, John Weitzel, and Henry Antis, Justices of the Quarter Sessions, &c. March 17, Alexander Hunter was appointed Collector of Excise, vice Thomas Lemmon. 12th October, William Scull was commissioned Sheriff; Samuel Harris, Coroner. County Commissioners, Casper Reed, William Gray, Esquire; County Assessors, Paul Geddes, George Wolfe, Joseph Green, James McClure, John Weitzel, 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 65 and James McClenachan. Officers of Buffalo: Constable, Henry Vandyke; Overseers, John Thompson and John Aurand; Supervisors, Robert Clark and Henry Pontius. On the 23d of January the convention for the Province of Pennsylvania assembled at Philadelphia, and continued until the 28th. William Plunket, Esquire, and Casper Weitzel, Esquire, representing the county of Northumberland. This convention approved of the proceedings of the Continental Congress, recommended a law prohibiting the future importation of slaves into the Province; resolved to afford all necessary assistance and relief in case the trade of the city of Philadelphia should be suspended in consequence of the struggle; that it was the earnest wish to see harmony restored between Great Britain and the Colonies, but in the event the former should determine to effect a submission by force to the late arbitrary acts of Parliament, it was our indispensable duty to resist such force, and at every hazard to defend the rights and liberties of America. It was resolved to kill no sheep under four years old, or sell such to the butchers, and the setting up of woolen manufactures, especially for coating, flannel, blankets, rugs, &c., was recommended; also, the raising of madder and dye stuffs, flax and hemp, making of salt and saltpeter, gunpowder, nails and wire, making of steel, paper, setting up manufactures of glass, wool, combs, cards, copper in sheets, bottoms and kettles. It was further recommended to the inhabitants to use the manufactures of their own and neighboring Colonies, in preference to all others; and that a manufacturer or vender of goods who should take advantage of the necessities of the country to raise prices should be considered an enemy to his country. At February sessions, Samuel Maclay, Henry Pontius, William Irwin, and William Gray reported the first public road ever laid out by order of court through the Valley. Haines' road ran from Northumberland, by way of Dry valley, crossing into Limestone township now, and along Penn's creek, and by way of the Narrows, into Penn's valley, where he owned large tracts of land about Aaronsburg; but this was a private enterprise. His four mile tree is referred to as a landmark ever since his day, standing in the center of the Narrows. The road we now speak of commenced on Lud- 66 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. wig Derr's land, about fifteen perches above where Christian Hetrick* now lives, at a hickory on the West Branch of the Susquehanna, and ran the following courses and distances: S. 85º W. 742, to white oak, W. 156 post; N. 85º W 80, pine; S. 85º W, 300; S. 70º W. 550, pine; S. 82º W. 224, black oak; S. 67º W. 174, white oak; S. 74º W. 138, pine; S. 49º W. 138; S. 62º W, 419; S. 75º W. 168; S. 85º W. 158, white oak; N. 87º W. 98; S. 71º W. 136; S. 85º W. 266; S. 75º W. 116, white oak: twelve miles twenty-eight perches. After protracting, I found the course to correspond with the site of the road as described by old citizens, viz: Leaving the river at Strohecker's landing, it passed up his lane and by an old house that formerly stood in the southwest corner of Adam Gundy's field; thence along the line between John G. Brown and J. M. Linn, or near it, to and through Mortonsville, through or by the site of Ellis Brown's new house, to a white oak about one hundred rods west of his house. Thus far one course. Thence it curved about the hill, and ran in front of Frederick's, where stood the pine; and thence by Schrack's it ran straight, crossing the present turnpike beyond Biehl's tavern. It then ran north of the turnpike a little distance; thence along its site to another pine which stood near where the Great Western hotel now stands; thence it followed the turnpike site until it reached its terminus, where the Orwig mill road now comes out upon the turnpike, east line of Jane Little warrantee, one hundred and twenty rods west of the officers' survey. It was ordered to be opened thirty-three feet. Inhabitants in 7775. It appears, from a memorandum made by Daniel Montgomery, in 1781, that the county assessments were carried off to Paxton (Harrisburg) in 1778, and those of 1773, 1774, and 1776 lost. The following list is copied from that of 1775, which is in the handwriting of Joseph Green, grandfather of Joseph Green, of Lewisburg. I copy it in full. Matter in brackets I have added. It enumerates the acres of cultivated land, of horses, cows, sheep, slaves, and servants belonging to each settler *His name is sometimes written Espig. Hetrick resided near the site of John Strobecker's present residence. He was afterwards killed by the Indians. (See postea, 1781.) 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 67 Acr Hor Cow She Sla Ser Allen, Samuel 45 2 2 Aurand, Henry 15 1 2 Albright, Jacob 6 1 2 Aurand, Jacob 4 1 1 Aurand, Daniel 10 1 1 Armstrong, William 18 1 1 Aurand, John 40 2 3 ................Also grist and saw- Books, George 12 2 3 mill. Buchanan, James 30 2 2 3 .............Late A. McClure's, Burn, Peter 10 2 1 now Stolzfus.] Beatty, Alexander 30 2 2 ................A new settler. Bolender,John 20 Beatty, Hugh .................................Inmate to Thomas Sutherland. Bickel, Henry 10 1 2 [Now Henry Brunner, Jacob 4 2 2 Mertz's.] Barnett, Matthew ..............................Tenant on James Bremmer's land. Bolender, Henry 15 .........................Tenant of James Bremmer. Baker, Wendell 20 2 2 1..............[D. H. Kelly's.] Bashor, John 4 1 1 .................[N. W. of New Columbia.] Baker, Jacob 30 2 2 ................[Hoffman's, above Datisman's] Brundage, Joseph 50 2 2 Black, Thomas 6 1 2 .................Stahl's saw-mill, [n'r Union ch.] *Boveard, James 50 2 2 ................[Isaac Eyre, sr.] Boveard, William,..............................Inmate to James Boveard. Bower, Casper 10 2 2 Brosius, John 10 2 2 6 Boone, Hawkins 20 1 7 Bennett, William 3 1 1..................And grist-mill on Blythe, William 12 land belonging to Wm. Blythe. Bennett, William, jr.17 1 3 .............On Wm. Blythe's Blue, Frederick 10 1 1 land. Brown, Matthew 60 1 2 *Boveard is marked a free man, which, under Markham's charter, indicated an elector's, qualification. "No person shall be capable of being an elector, or of being elected, unless of the age of twenty-one, and have fifty acres of land, ten whereof being seated or cleared, or be otherwise worth £50, clear estate, and have been resident within the government two years before such election." 68 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. Acr Hor Cow She Sla Ser Cornell, Abraham ..............................[Coryell?] Clark, William 15 2 2 Cole, Philip 25 2 3 ................Hartleton.] Clarke, John 50 2 3 6 1 1 [He lived on the Crawford, Edward, 5 1 1 first farm above Clark, Walter 60 2 4 10 1 Mifflinburg; the Clark, William 50 2 3 2 1 name of his slave Cupples, David 10 2 2 was "Mel."] Cooper, Robert 1 2 ................Lives with William Cook, Henry 7 1 2 Bennett & crops Caldwell, Hugh 35 2 2 on the shares. Clark, Robert 60 2 3 Carson, James 2 Correy, Robert 1 1 ................Inmate to John Carter, William 15 1 2 Kelly. Coon, Nicholas 10 2 3 Ditelman, Peter 2 ........................Poor; [lived where late Jno. Schrack, Esquire, lived.] Duchman, Stephen, 10 1 ....................Lives on Derr's land. Doudrick, John 3 1 1 ................[Adam Young's.] Derr, Ludwig 30 5 4 2 .............Grist and saw- mill. Dale, Samuel 20 1 2 Dory, Levi 15 1 1 Davis, John ....................................Is a mason; lives Deats, Morris 5 1 1 at Abel Reese's. Deats, David 36 1 Dale, Christian 2 2 1 .................Lives on Peter Derr, Yost 15 1 1 Wilson's place, [now Jas. Law- son, Esquire's.] Duncan, David 2 4 .................Lives on L. Derr's. Daniel, Adam 3 .........................Tenant on Colonel Francis', below Grove's, [now W. T. Linn's.] Emerick, David 3 ........................[Widow Brown's tavern in Union township.] Evey, Adam 30 2 ..................On Simon Snithers' Etsweiler, George 15 2 2 3 land. 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 69 Acr Hor Cow She Sla Ser Eaken, John 1 1 .................On Rob. Clark's. Elder, Thomas 1 1 Living on James Eyer, Abraham 4 2 2 Fleming's, (late Evey, Christian 12 2 1 James Dale's.) Farren, James 5 Fought, Jonas 20 2 3 4 .............[South Chap. Hol- low.] Fought, Michael ...............................Lives with Jonas. Frederick, George 13 1 3 1 ............[These two lived Frederick, Peter 13 2 2 ...............at Cross Roads Foster, John, senior, 20 2 3 3 on McCreight's.] Fought, Jacob 40 2 4 Foster, William 1 Foster, John, junior, 60 1 2 1 Fleming. James 10 Fruit, Robert 3 3 5 1 1 Fisher, John 10 2 1 ................[Datisman's.] Fisher, Christian 1 2 ................[White Deermills.] Fought, Conrad 5 1 1 Fisher, Samuel 3 2 2 ..............Ferry. Fulton, John 15 1 2 Fleming, Hans 15 1 2 .............Up Black's run. Filey, John 35 3 1 Green, Joseph 30 2 2 Glen, Andrew 10 1 .............[Afterwards Emer- Greenlee, William 10 1 2 ick's.] Grochang, Jacob. 49 1 3 ...............[Heberling's.] Gundy, Christ., Van 10 2 Gray, William 60 2 3 7 .............[Paul Geddes.] Gibson, Andrew 100 1 2 .............Ferry. Green, Ebenezer 10 1 3 Graham, Edward 100 1 2 Graham, Thomas 4 2 Groninger, Leonard 10 2 2 Grove, Michael 20 1 2 2 ............Ferry. Huston, John 8 1 1 Haines, George 30 2 3 3 ...........Grist and saw mill. Hessler, Michael 6 2 1 1 Hessler, John 5 1 Hunter, Samuel, 10 5 2 1 1 1 Hamilton, Robert 28 1 1 3 Hoy, Philip 12 2 2 1 70 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 1775.] Acr Hor Cow She Sla Ser Hiney, Hieronimus 7 1 1 ................Capt Irwin's place. Hiltman, John 6 2 2 ................[John Beeber's, on Buffalo.] Heckel, Andrew 2 1 1 ...............[Doctor Dougal's.] Hammond, David 3 1 1 Hammond, James 10 1 1 Hunter, James 40 1 1 Hutchinson, Thos 50 2 2 .................[Little Buffalo Hood, Elizabeth 50 creek.] Harbster, David 20 2 2 Huling, Marcus 5 1 1 Irwin, William 24 2 3 5 1 Iterburn, Jacob 5 2 2 Johnston, Alex 20 1 1 .................Lives on George Cribble's land. Jordan, William 20 2 1 ...............[William Stadden's White Deer.] Klinesmith, Baltzer, 15 2 1 ................Lives on George Shultz's land. Kilday, John 10 1 ..................On John Reed's, Keen, Jacob 5 1 [mouth of White Kelly, Lawrence 1 1 Deer creek.] Leonard Peter 15 2 1 ................On Dr. Wiggins' Lee, John 20 1 1 10 1 land, [now Ma- Leech, William. 35 1 1 jor Simonton's.] Lewis, Daniel 9 1 1 Laughlin, Samuel 30 1 1 ................Freeman. Links, Jacob 25 4 3 ................Adjoining William Low, Cornelius 40 3 3 Clark's. Leas, Nicholas 3 ...............On John Boal's Low, William 7 1 2 land, on White Deer creek. Luckens, Thomas 25 2 2 ..............New settler. Lowdon, John 50 6 6 1 2 Miller, Benjamin ...........................Lives on James McKelvey, James. 4 1 1 Thorn's land. Moore, James 25 1 1 ...............On Joseph Green's land. McCashon, John 7 ........................Lives on Abram Miller, Frederick 5 Cribble's land, Miller, Jacob 2 [de Haas' large tract.] 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY 71 Acr Hor Cow She Sla Ser Maclay, Samuel 25 2 2 1 1 Slave aged 20. Moor, William 13 1 2 Myers, Henry 6 2 1 McCoy, James 15 1 2 Mathers, Samuel 15 2 2 Mitchell, John 12 1 1 McCandlish, Wm 16 2 3 .................[John Lesher lives on site of Mc Candlish's resi- dence.] Martin, Samuel 15 2 3 ................[Now farm-house of Joseph Meix- eli's heirs.] McClure, Thomas .............................On William Arm- Moore, Thomas 12 2 1 strong's land, [south of New Columbia.] Moore, Henry ................................At Thos. Moore's. Martin, Robert 6 1 1 ................New settler. McLaughlin, James, 10 2 1 McGinnet, Charles 9 2 2 McMahan, Patrick 9 2 2 Mackey, William 1 1 ................New settler. McClenachan, Jas 80 1 Mason, William 2 3 ................On Thos. Hutchin McComb, John 10 1 2 sons. McGrady, Alex 20 2 2 McClung, John 20 1 3 Martin, George 10 1 1 McCloud, William 1 McDonald, Randall ............................Lives with John Nees, John 2 1 Hiltman. Norcross, John ................................Lives on Robt. Mc Corley's land. Nobel, Robert ................................On J. Thompson's. Norconk, Daniel 3 2 2 [Near New Colum- Overmeier, George 40 2 2 2 bia.] Poak, James 40 2 4 Patton, Hugh 10 2 2 Pearson, Benjamin 25 1 2 6 Pontius, John 20 4 4 1 Pontius, Henry 15 2 2 72 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. Acr Hor Cow She Sla Ser Pontius, Andrew 15 2 1 Reed, William 20 1 1 Reese, Abel 40 3 1 Rearick, John 15 2 3 Rinehard, George 15 1 1 Reed, John 3 Rote, George 30 2 5 9 1 Reasoner, John 3 2 2 ................New settler. Rorbaugh, George 1 ................Living at Ludwig Redmond, John 2 1 Derr's. Sutherland, Thomas 20 1 2 Storms, Christian 30 2 2 2 Sierer, John 60 1 2 Smith, Adam 10 1 1 ...............[In Limestone, his Snyder, Michael 15 2 2 2 gr'dchildrenstill occupy the old place, near White springs.] Scott, John 15 1 2 ................On Rob't Barber's Shively, Christian 8 1 land Smith, David 7 1 1 ...............[The first miller, at Barber's lit- tle mill, called Smith's mill, for many years.] Shively, John 9 2 2 .................[Afterwards cap- Seller, Peter 18 1 tured by the In- dians, on Esquire Lincoln's place. He never came back.] Sips, Joseph 10 1 ....................[Lived on late farm of D. Henning.] Swartz, Peter 20 1 3 3 ............[Hon. George F. Stover, Philip 20 2 3 Miller's place.] Smith, Catherine 10 3 2 ...............[White Deer Mills.] Sutherland, Daniel 3 1 Smith, John 50 2 1 2 .............New settler. Steen, Alexander 4 1 Speddy, William 25 1 2 Shoemaker, Peter 1 4 Shaw, Hamilton 2 1 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY 73 Acr Hor Cow She Sla Ser Sample, John 23 1 2 Sample, Robert 1 3 ...............Living on Jas Mc- Dreisbach, Martin 30 3 6 Clenachan's. Dreisbach, Jacob Dreisbach, Henry Townson, C 16 1 Templeton, Ann 5 1 2 Thompson, John 60 2 1 Thomas, James ..............................On John Foster's land. Thombury, Thomas 1 ................On Ludwig Derr's. Tate, John 1 ................William Clark's. Tate, Joseph 50 6 1 1 Titzell, Henry 50 2 2 2 ............Grist and saw-mill. Thom, James 4 Thompson, Robert 10 1 2 Tavier, Joseph 12 2 3 ...............Freeman on John Lowdon's. Varner, Daniel 1 1 1 ...............New settler. Vandyke, Henry 30 2 3 ...............[Now Jackson Ri- Wilson, John 1 1 shel's.] Wilson, Matthew. 6 1 2 Wilson, Peter 30 2 2 Wolfe, George 40 3 2 4 Welker, Leonard, 15 1 2 Wise, Jacob 20 2 2 Watson, Patrick, 7 .......................On Robert Barber's Wierbaugh, John 8 2 3 land. Williams, George 20 2 2 Watson, Hugh 20 2 2 Wolfe, Andrew 1 ................Ludwig Derr's land. Weyland, George 8 1 Weeks, Joseph 20 5 Wertz, Dietrich 3 1 1 ...............New settler. Wilson, William 25 2 1 ................[Now Rev. J. Ro Young, Matthew 8 1 3 denbaugh's.] Young, James 50 2 2 Young, Samuel 15 2 2 ................[Dry valley.] Kennedy, Samuel 10 2 3 ................On Wm. Blythe's. Kennedy, John 1 1 Anderson, Thomas 12 1 1 Rodman, William 60 2 3 74 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. Acr Hor Cow She Sla Ser Row, Joseph 30 1 1 Johnston, John 8 1 1 Wildgoose, Michael 4 1 1 Glover, John 5 2 2 Whole number of acres cultivated in the Valley, four thousand three hundred and eighty-three; total horses, three hundred and forty; cows, four hundred and fourteen; sheep, one hundred and forty-one; taxable inhabitants, two hundred and sixty; six grist and saw-mills, and five slaves. In the summer of 1873, John Lesher tore down the old house, known many years as Billmyer's tavern, and afterwards as "Gebhart's." On taking off the more modern weather-boards, a log building, about forty-four feet square, was disclosed. In the logs were marks of arrows, and many bullet holes. Between the flooring he found a shingle, on which was written, "James Taler; built, 1775," the name, no doubt, of the carpenter, as William McCandlish was the owner. William McCandlish died in the fall of 1783, and it was sold, in 1784, to Andrew Billmyer, (grandfather of Philip Billmyer, of Lewisburg,) who sold it on the 21st of May, 1812, to Philip Gebhart. It was the place of rendezvous for the people in the lower end of the Valley during the subsequent Indian troubles, 1776-1783. In 1815, Michael Shirtz's deposition was taken, in a suit between John Hoy and John Stees. He said he came to live in the neighborhood in 1775. That the land in dispute between them was then occupied by Michael Snyder, (east end of Peter Wolfe's warrantee.) He had cleared eight or nine acres and had grain in. It adjoined what was called the "Switzer tract," surveyed in the warrantee name of John James LeRoy, and between it and the Limestone ridge. Snyder occupied it until the country was drove by the Indian, 1778 and 1779. After that, Martin Rinehart bought the land, and sold part to Andrew Pontius and part to Christopher Boohave, (Bogenreif.) That the first year the settlers returned after the war, he saw Andrew Pontius in possession of it, inclosed in fence and 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 75 grain growing upon it. The latter sold to John Stees. The deponent moved to the territory of Ohio in 1800. In the spring of 1775, Yost Hoffman, of Lancaster county, black- smith, bought of Jacob Baker, the place next above Datisman's. His descendants still occupy it. John Forsyth, a deputy for William Maclay, made quite a number of surveys this year. These and other surveys are noted, because they show what lands were yet unsettled. The Richard Manning for John Lee, on the river next above the Proprietaries, in Monroe township now. 25th March, the addition to John Foster's order, in the name of John Umstead, near Farmersville. 29th, Jacob Long's, a little north- east of Hartleton. 31st March, 1775, took Daniel Long's note for surveying fee, £2 l0s. The William Kelly, on Buffalo mountain, 1st April. Jacob Haines, in Union, lately owned by Major Gibson, 6th May. Aaron Levy on Buffalo mountain. "North line open," he says. No wonder subsequent surveyors could not find it. 12th July, Nehemiah Breese, of Sunbury, surveyed the John Sneagon tract, now Chappel's Hollow, then called Haverly's gap. Whoever tabled his notes, (he died not long after,) and made the return of survey, made the N. 20º W. line from the pine one hundred perches, instead of sixty, to chestnut, which produced a great dispute afterwards between Abraham Eyer and John Brown. 12th August, Breese surveyed the Thomas Smith tract for Joseph Green, on which the latter built his mill, latterly known as Bellas', on Penn's creek, below White spring. He says, not finding the adjoining surveyed line on the west of Craig's survey, to extend by the supposed adjoining lands, to include the above quantity to post, thence an open line by vacant land, to make the beginning. One Nees lived on the west of this open line. When Green's land was sold at sheriff's sale, in August, 1784, it was supposed to include Nees' improvement, and so sold by Mr. Awl, who bought at the sheriff's sale, to Badger, so that twenty acres now owned by Miller, Smith, and others, near White spring, has been occupied, bought and sold over and over again for a century, without any title from the Commonwealth. 27th August, he surveyed a small island for Martin Trester, nearly opposite his house, and another one half mile below his house. 76 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. 24th, the Joseph Green, south of Captain T. Green. 8th September, Robert Martin, on north branch of Buffalo creek. 8th September, the Thomas Graham, adjoining McClenachan, in White Deer, west of George Leiser' s. Philip Seebold informed me (1872) that George Overmeier, senior, John Rearick, Christian Shively, and Michael Focht were brothers-in-law. Overmeier settled near where Mr. Seebold still lives; Shively, at the mouth of White Spring run; Rearick, near Wehr's tavern; Focht, in Dry valley; and added the singular fact, that he Seebold, owned at one time the Overmeier, Rearick, and Focht homesteads. He is a grandson of George Overmeier. Conrad Sharp settled upon his tract, in Union township, west of Joseph Shannon. - See case reported, 4 Yeates, 266. The Revolutionary Struggle Inaugurated. SUNBURY, 20th April 1775. GENTLEMEN: The time is at hand when the spirit of Americans that love liberty and constitutional principles will be put to the trial. What has been by them in their different resolves avowed must, perhaps, at last be put in execution. The late alarming news just received from England (which we may depend upon) informs that the British Parliament are determined by force to put in execution every of their supreme edicts, as they style them, together with their late oppressive acts, which we have so long, and with so little or no effect, hitherto complained of. We consider it absolutely necessary to have a general meeting of the whole county, in order to form some regular plan, in conjunction with our countrymen, to give every opposition to impending tyranny and oppression, either by force or otherwise. The time of meeting, we think, will be best on the first day of May next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, and the place most convenient, at Vandyke's, near Beaver run, in Buffalo Valley. We do, therefore, earnestly request that you will immediately, on the receipt hereof, in the most expeditious manner, notify the inhabitants of your township of this matter, and insist on their attendance without fail there on that day. The place of meeting is such where we cannot expect much accommodation. It will be, 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 77 therefore, necessary that every man should provide for himself. We are your humble servants. Signed by order of the committee. CAS. WEITZEL. Directed to John Lowdon, Esquire, and Mr. Samuel Maclay, in Buffalo Valley. PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 1775. GENTLEMEN: Inclosed are resolves of Congress which we have transmitted to you, and request you will use your utmost diligence to have as many of the best marksmen procured to enlist as fast as possible. They are wanting for immediate service at Boston, and we have not the least doubt but the spirit of our people of this Province will induce them without delay to enter into so glorious a service. You will please to consult with gentlemen of knowledge and interest, as you can, (though not of your committee,) for the more speedy raising of the men, and let us know your sentiments relative to such gentlemen as may be proper for officers, and such as may be agreeable to the men. We hope the counties will advance any moneys necessary, as they shall shortly be repaid by Congress. The honor of Pennsylvania is at stake, and we have not the least doubt but that every nerve will be exerted, not only collectively but individually, to carry this matter into instant execution. You will see by the attestation to be signed by the men, they are to serve one year, unless sooner discharged. This may seem inconvenient, as the enlistments will be in one day. The intention is to discharge on the first day of July, 1776, unless their service may not be wanting so long, according to the attestation; which may possibly happen to be the case, and they may be discharged this fall. Let the committees or officers give certificates for any moneys necessary for the service which the Congress will discharge. It is expected that Cumberland will raise two companies, York one, Lancaster one, Northampton one, and Northumberland and Bedford one. You will keep the resolves of Congress as secret as the nature of the case will admit, that the arrival of the men at Boston may be the first notice General Gage has of this matter. The pay of the officers is on the establishment of the whole army; but we beg leave to assure the officers that our interest will be 78 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. exerted with our Assembly to the utmost to have an addition to their pay, so as to be equal to the pay of officers of the same rank in the Pennsylvania service last war. We are, with esteem, gentlemen, your most humble servants, THOMAS WILLING, JOHN DICKINSON, JAMES WILSON, THOMAS MIFFLIN, CHARLES HUMPHREYS, GEORGE ROSS. JOHN MORTON, IN CONGRESS, June 14, 1775. Resolved, That six companies of expert riflemen be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia. That each company, as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry under the command of the chief officer in that army. That the pay of the officers and privates be as follows: A captain, at 20 dollars per M. A lieutenant, at 13 1/3 dollars per M. A sergeant, at 8 dollars per M. A corporal, at 7 1/3 dollars per M. A drummer, at 7 1/3 dollars per M. A private, at 6 2/3 dollars per M. To find their own arms and clothes. That the form of enlistment be in the following words: I have this day voluntarily enlisted myself as a soldier in the American Continental army for one year, unless sooner discharged, and do bind myself to conform in all instances to such rules and regulations as are or shall be established for the government of the said army. CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary. True copy: CAS. WEITZEL, Secretary. On this paper is indorsed the following: "July I, 1775, Corne- lius Daugherty enlisted, this day, Robert Tuft, Edward Masters, James Garson, George Saltsman, Robert Rickey, Thomas Gilston, Robert Liney, Robert Carothers, John Hamberton, Michael Hare," in Joseph Green's handwriting. I have a copy of Captain Lowdon's commission, which is still in 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 79 possession of Samuel Wright, at Columbia, furnished by the kind- ness of Mr. Thomas Barber's son, who was at school there. It reads: IN CONGRESS: The Delegates of the United Colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina: To John Lowdon, Esquire: We, reposing especial trust and confidence in your patriotism, valor, conduct, and fidelity, do, by these present, constitute and appoint you to be captain of a company of riflemen in the battalion commanded by Colonel William Thompson, in the army of the United Colonies, raised for the defense of American liberty, and for repelling any hostile invasion thereof. You are, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of captain, by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging. And we do strictly charge and require all officers and soldiers under your command to be obedient to your orders as captain; and you are to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to tune, as you shall receive from this or a future Congress of the United Colonies, or committee of Congress for that purpose appointed, or commander-in-chief for the time being of the army of the United Colonies, or any other superior officer, according to the rules and discipline of war, in pursuance of the trust reposed in you. This commission to continue in force until revoked by this or a future Congress. By order of Congress. JOHN HANCOCK, President. Attest: CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary. PHILADELPHIA, June 25, 1775. Roll of Captain John Lowdon's Company, First Rifle Regiment, Commanded by Colonel William Thompson. Captain - Lowdon, John. First Lieutenant - Parr, James. Second Lieutenant - Wilson, James. 80 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. Third Lieutenant - Wilson, William; promoted second lieutenant January 4, 1776. Third Lieutenant - Dougherty, John; appointed January 4, 1776. Sergeants - Hammond, David; McCormick, Alexander; McMurray, William; Dougherty, Cornelius. Corporal - Henry, Thomas; Edwards, William; Dougherty, Cornelius; White, John, died January, 8, 1776; Carson, James; Cochran, Charles. Drummer - Grosvenor, Richard. Private - Adkins, William; All, Joseph, discharged July 31, 1775; Bernickle, John, afterwards sergeant in the German regiment; Brady, Samuel, afterwards captain lieutenant Eighth Penn- sylvania; Briggs, William; Butler, John, discharged January 25, 1776; Calhoun, William; Carothers, Robert; Carson, James, advanced to corporal, January 4; Casaday, John; Cealy, Samuel; Clements, David; Cochran, Charles, advanced to corporal January 8, discharged July 1, 1776, living in Crawford county in 1819; Condon, Peter; Davis, David; Dean, John; Eicholtz, John, residing in Lancaster in 1813; Evans, John; Finkboner, Jacob; Ford, Charles; Garson, James; Ginter, Philip; Gilston, Thomas; Hamilton, John; Harris, David; Hare, Michael; Hempington, Thomas; Henning, Christopher; Humber, William; Jamison William; Johns, Samuel; Johnston, James; Jones, Lewis; Kilday, Thomas; Kline, Nicholas; Ladley, John; Lowdon, Samuel; Leek, William; Lines, Robert; Lobden, Thomas; Masseker, Reuben, deserted July 31, 1775; Madock, Moses; Malone, John; Maloy, Charles; McMullen, Alexander; McGonigal, Patrick; McConnell, Cornelius; McCoy, Martin; McCleary, James; McMasters, Edward, residing in Lycoming county in 1823; Morgan, William; Murray, William; Murphy, Timothy; Murphy, John; Neely, John, he was captured at Fort Freeland, July, 28, 1779, and taken to Canada; Oakes, Daniel; Oliver, John; Parker, Michael; Peltson, Thomas, re- inlisted in the First Pennsylvania, and was killed by Joseph Blackburn in 1777; Pence, Peter; Ray, John; Richie, Robert; Roach, Bartholomew; Robinson, John; Sands, George; Saltzman, George; Segar, George; Silverthorn, Henry; Shawnee, John, (was a Shawanese Indian, died at Milesburg - see Jones' Juniata Valley, page 352;) Smith, John, (son of Widow Smith, of White Deer Mills; 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 81 he never came back from the army;) Speddy, James, (lived and died at New Berlin;) Sutton, Arad, (lived on Lycoming creek; the first Methodist society in northern Pennsylvania was formed at his house, in 1791;) Sweeney, James, discharged July 20, 1775; Teel, John; Tuft, Robert, discharged October 25, 1775; Valentine. Philip, discharged July 20, 1775; Ward, Peter; Ward, John; West, Charles, died January 4, 1776; Whiteneck, Joseph; Wright, Aaron, (residing in Reading in 1840;) Vouse, John; Young, Robert, (died in Walker township, Centre county, in 1824.) Quite a large number of this company re-enlisted for three years, or during the war, in Captain James Parr's company, first regiment, commanded by Colonel Edward Hand, who became colonel when Colonel Thompson was made brigadier. Of the company, Lieutenant Parr rose to the rank of major, served brilliantly in command of riflemen under Morgan, at Saratoga and Stillwater, and under Sullivan, in 1779. Second Lieutenant William Wilson was promoted captain, March 2, 1777, and continued in the army until the close of the war ii) 1783. He died at Chillisquaque mills in 1813, while an associate judge of Northumberland county. David Hammond rose to the rank of lieutenant. He was severely wounded in Wayne's attack upon the block-house at Bergen Point, now Jersey City. He died April 22, 1801, from the effects of his wound, and is buried in the Chillisquaque graveyard. He was the father of the late General R. H. Hammond, of Milton. Peter Pence was celebrated in border warfare, and figures conspicuously in Van Cam pen's narrative. Captain McHenry informs me he died in Crawford township, Clinton county, in 1827. He left a son, John, living in that neighborhood. Captain Lowdon's company rendezvoused at Sunbury; marched thence to Reading and Easton; thence through northern part of New Jersey, crossed the Hudson at New Windsor, a few miles north-west of West Point; thence, through Hartford, to Cambridge, where it arrived about the 8th of August. McCabe, in his sketches of Captain Samuel Brady, has preserved some few incidents of this service. He says, on one occasion, Brady was sitting on a fence, with the captain, when a cannon ball from a British battery struck the fence, and leveled them both. Brady was the first up, saying "we are not hurt, Captain." I found in a contemporary newspaper an 82 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. account of the island fight, to which McCabe alludes, when be says: "Lowdon's company was ordered to drive the British from an island on which they had landed to forage. Brady was considered too young to go along, and left behind; but, to the astonishment of the captain, he followed after, and was the second man on the island." November 9, the British landed at Lechmere Point, one and a half miles from Cambridge, under cover of a fire from their batteries on Bunker, Breed, and Copp's hills, as also from a frigate, which lay three hundred yards off the point on which they landed. The high tide prevented our people crossing the causeway for nearly an hour. This time they employed in shooting cows and horses. The battalion of Colonel Thompson took to the water, although up to their armpits, for a quarter of a mile, and, notwithstanding the regular fire, reached the island. Although the enemy were lodged behind stone walls and under cover, on Colonel Thompson's approach they fled, and although the riflemen followed them to their boats with all speed, they could not bring them to an engagement. Our loss was one killed and three wounded; English loss seventeen killed and one wounded. - Philadelphia Evening Post, 1775. In "The Letters of Mrs. Adams," wife of John Adams, page 61, under date 12th November, 1775, is also a notice of this incident: "A number of cattle were kept at Lechmere Point, where two sentinels were placed. In a high tide it is an island. About four hundred men were sent to take the cattle off. As soon as they were perceived, the cannon on Prospect hill were fired on them and sunk one of their boats. A Colonel Thompson, of the riflemen, marched instantly with his men, and though a very stormy day, they regarded not the tide nor waited for boats, but marched over neck-high in water, when the regulars ran without waiting to get off their stock, and made the best of their way to the opposite shore. The general sent his thanks in a public manner to the brave officer and his men." Colonel Thompson's men are thus described in Thacher's Military Journal: "Several companies of riflemen have arrived here from Pennsylvania and Maryland, a distance of from five hundred to seven hundred miles. They are remarkably stout and hardy men, many of them exceeding six feet in height. They are dressed in rifle shirts and round hats. These men are remarkable for the 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 83 accuracy of their aim, striking a mark with great certainty at two hundred yards distance. At a review, a company of them, while on a quick advance, fired their balls into objects of seven inch diameter, at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards. They are now stationed on our Tines, and their shot have frequently proved fatal to British officers and soldiers." Journal, pages 37 and 38. PHILADELPHIA, August 13, 1775. DEAR SIR - We hope this letter will find you safe at the head of your company, acting in support and defense of American liberty; a glorious cause, which must stimulate the breast of every honest and virtuous American, and force him, with undaunted courage and unabated vigor, to oppose those ministerial robbers. We hope the contest will be ended where it began, and that the effusion of blood may be providentially prevented, but, at the same time, we hope to see American liberty permanently established, to have the honor, ere long, to serve in her righteous cause; and we are well convinced that these sentiments prevail throughout this Province. You can't conceive what a martial spirit prevails here, and in what order we are. Two battalions, with the light infantry companies, are very expert in all the manoeuvres, and are generally well furnished with arms. Several companies of riflemen are formed in this city and the adjacent counties, who are become expert in shooting; besides we have sixteen row galleys, with latteen sails, now building. Some of them are already rigged and manned. These galleys are rowed with from twenty-four to thirty oars, and carry each one gun, from eighteen to thirty-two pounds, besides swivel guns, fore and aft. We are told by experienced men that these galleys will prevent any ship of war from coming up this river. All the coast to Georgia is alarmed - prepared to oppose our ministerial enemies. Where, then, can these British bastards, those servile engines of ministerial power, go to steal a few sheep. God and nature has prescribed their bounds. They can't deluge our lands, nor float their wooden batteries beyond the bounds prescribed, nor dare they to penetrate so as from afar to view those high-topped mountains which separate the lower plains from our Canaan, and from whence, should their folly or madness prompt them to attempt it, would come forth our thousands and tens of thousands, with gigantic strides, to wash the 84 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. plains with the blood of those degenerate invaders of the liberties of mankind. We, in conjunction with many others, presented a memorial to the Congress, representing the threatened encroachments of the Connecticut invaders of our Province. It was well received, and the Connecticut Delegates and those of this Province were desired to write to their people respectively, and inclosed I send you a copy of the Connecticut letter to Wyoming. Stansbury has in it charge, and it seems to be all that honorable body could do in the affair. Our partiality for the rifle battalion is so great that we are very anxious to hear of their having distinguished themselves in some great enterprise. This partiality is natural and allowable, when, from one's personal acquaintance with many of their commanders, we can and do with martial pride celebrate their distinguished abilities as riflemen and soldiers. We are, with great esteem, dear sir, your most humble servants, ROBERT LETTIS HOOPER, junior, REUBEN HAINES. Captain JOHN LOWDON. P. S. - Present our compliments to Mr. Lukens and Mr. North. Mr. Musser desires his compliments to you and them. P. S. - August 17. Since the date of this letter Hawkins Boone has been down, and says that the Connecticut people have not attempted any encroachments lately, and, from circumstances, have little reason to think they will. Major Ennion Williams (journal before referred to) gives the details of a trip to the camp at Cambridge, under date October 17. He says: guns of one of our batteries, two miles from Boston, firing. One bursted, and killed one man and wounded six. I returned thence to the riflemen's camp, and stopped with Captain Lowdon over night. At daybreak I awoke, and a few minutes after the morning gun fired. All aroused directly; the men repaired with arms and accouterments to the forts and lines, and in about ten minutes the captains, with their companies, were in the fort, drawn along the sides of the fort, and in two or three minutes they began their firing. The captain stepped on the banket or step, inside at foot of 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. 85 breastwork, and gave the word, "Make ready!" The front rank step on the banket, and second step forward. "Present !" He does not give the word "Fire!" but makes a pause. Then they recover, and face to right about, and march through the files. At the word "Make ready !" again the next rank steps on the banket, and so on continually. Every man is to be sure of his object before he fires, as he rests his piece on the parapet. In about a half an hour the flag was hoisted. They ceased, and retired by regiments to their quarters, and the orderly sergeant read the orders of the day and trials by court martial, &c. There are numerous notices of this company in the Hand papers in the possession of Mrs. S. B. Rogers, of Lancaster, the grand- daughter of General Edward Hand, who was lieutenant colonel, and afterwards colonel of the First Rifle Regiment. On the 24th of October he says: "This morning at dawn Parr, from Northumber- berland, with thirty men from us, marched for Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to defend that place." On the 8th of March: "I am stationed on Cobble Hill, with four companies of our regiment. Two companies, Cluggages' and Chambers', were ordered to Dorchester on Monday; Ross' and Lowdon's relieved them yesterday. Every regiment is to have a standard and colors. Our standard is to be a deep green ground, the device a tiger, partly inclosed by toils, attempting the pass, defended by a hunter, armed with a spear, (in white,) on crimson field. The motto, Domari Nolo."* On the 14th of March, 1776, the company left Cambridge with the battalion which was detached by General Washington, with five other regiments, under General Sullivan, to prevent a landing of the British at New York, when they evacuated Boston. Arrived at Hartford on the 21St, and at New York on the 28th. The company was stationed on Long Island during May and until June 30th, when it was mustered out of service. *This Standard is still in possession of Thomas Robinson, Esquire, grandson of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Robinson, of the First Pennsylvania, and was on exhibition at the Centennial, 1876. I identified it by this description, found among the Hand papers. 86 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. Roll of Captains James Parr's company, enlisted for three years or during the war, from July 1, 1776. Captain - Parr, James, promoted major October 9, 1778. First Lieutenant - Wilson, James. Second Lieutenant - Wilson, William, promoted captain March 2, 1777. Third Lieutenant - Dougherty, John. Sergeants - Hammond, David, (promoted second lieutenant, September 14, 1777; first lieutenant, May 12, 1779,) McCormick, Alexander; McMurray, William; Dougherty, Cornelius. Privates - Allen, David; Bacher, Michael; Bradley, John; Callahan, Daniel; Campbell, Daniel; Condon, Peter; Conner, James; Coons, Mansfield; Davis, David; Dubois, Richard; Delling, Cornelius; Donahue, Patrick; Edwards, William; Griffin, John; Hagerty, William; Hammond, John; Henry, Philip; Hinson, Aquila; Hutchinson, John; Jones, Lewis; Leech, William; Lochry, Michael; Loughrey, James; McCleary, James; McConnell, Cornelius; McCormick, Henry; McGaughey, Hugh; Malone, John; Meloy, Charles; Moore, James; Moore, William; Morgan, William; Murphy, John; Murray, Patrick; Noishen, John; Norton, George; Oliver, John; Paine, Thomas; Peltson, Thomas; Peter, Philip; Rankin, John; Ray, John; Ryan, William; Saltman, George; Scott, Samuel; Scott, William; Sprigg, James; Speddy, James; Stewart, Thomas; Sullivan, Maurice; Thompson, Alexander; Toner, John; Warren, George; Washburn, Jonathan; Wilson, Matthew; Willson, Samuel; Whiteneck, Joseph; Youse, John. Road from Bald Eagle to Sunbury. The viewers reported this road at November sessions. I copy so much as relates to our Valley, as it indicates the names and residence of early settlers: "From a white oak in the Narrows, between White Deer and Buffalo Valleys, two miles ninety-nine perches, to Smith's mills, (now Candor's;) thence to white oak, west side of Blythe's mill (which was probably nearer the mouth of the creek;) thence to McClures, (who lived on Blythe's land;) thence to a white oak opposite the lower end of Marcus Huling's island, (Milton bridge 1775.] ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY 87 island;) thence to a plumb at Peter Swartz's, (Miller's place;) thence to a stone at Clark's, (late John Kling's;) thence to a post at Robert Fruit's, (Hinely's;) thence to a post at William Gray's, (now Paul Geddes';) thence to Buffalo creek, (where the iron bridge now spans the creek;) thence to a pine near the head of Derr's dam; thence to a pine, corner of Abel Reese's, (i. e. through the University grounds, to Adam Gundy and William Brown's corner;) thence to a post at Aurand's barn, (Jenkins';) thence to John Lee's, (Winfield;) thence to Andrew Gibson's; thence to the gum near Reuben Haines' road; thence down the same to the black oak on the west bank of the river, opposite Sunbury." At the same sessions, the great road up the Valley was extended, through the Narrows, to the Great Plains, now in Centre county. 25th December occurred Plunket's expedition to Wyoming. Colonel Kelly and some others from the Valley were along. Jesse Lukens, Surveyor General Lukens' son, was killed. The history of this expedition, taken from the records at Harrisburg, I will give in brief: On the 23d of November, the Speaker laid before the Assembly a letter from Samuel Hunter, and others, stating that two of the magistrates and the sheriff of the county had an interview with Zebulon Butler and some others of the principal men among the Connecticut settlers at Wyoming, and read the resolves of the Assembly to them, and inquired whether they would peaceably submit to the laws of Pennsylvania. They answered that they despised the laws of Pennsylvania, and never would submit to them unless compelled by force. The magistrates received a great deal of abuse, and returned a different road from that in which they had gone, on account of the risk of their lives. The Assembly, on the 25th, requested the Governor to issue orders for a due execution of the laws of the Province in North- umberland county, which the Governor did in a letter of that date to the justices and sheriff. The report of the latter to the Governor is dated Sunbury, 30th December, 1775, and states that pursuant to his orders, a number of warrants for the apprehension of a number of persons residing at Wyoming, charged on oath with illegal practices and crimes, were placed in the Sheriff's hands. He judged it prudent to raise the posse of the county, and a body of 88 ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1775. near five hundred men accompanied him to the neighborhood of Wyoming. They were met by some of the people; one of whom was said to be an officer. The intentions of the sheriff and his posse were explained, and that no violence or molestation would be offered any one submitting to the laws. The sheriff had proceeded but a little further whence was fired upon, and Hugh McWilliams was killed and three others dangerously wounded. It was found impossible to force a passage on that side of the river, as the Narrows had been fortified with great care, and were lined with numbers of men, to which ours bore no reasonable proportion. An attempt was then made to cross the river in the night, for greater secrecy, to reach the settlements of the persons against whom the process had issued. When the boats had nearly reached the opposite shore, and were entangled in a margin of ice, too thin to bear the weight of a man, they were, without previous challenge, repeatedly fired upon by a party on top of the bank. Jesse Lukens received a mortal wound, of which he is since dead. As a landing could not be effected, the boats returned. Baffled in the second attempt, and the weather being intolerably severe, and receiving information that the parties he desired to arrest were chief in command in the breastworks, it was deemed advisable to desist from any further attempt. A constant fire was kept upon our men from the opposite side, while they retreated through a long narrows. One man only, however, was wounded in the arm, &c. This report is signed by William Scull, sheriff; Samuel Harris, coroner; and the justices, William Plunket, Samuel Hunter, Michael Troy, and John Weitzel.