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 153 
 
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 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME 
 FROM THE 
 
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 1891 
 
Cornell University Library 
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 Historical discourse of tlie Wvalusing Pr 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 028 864 225 
 
 
 DATE DUE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 TTi'"--' m 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GAYLORD 
 
 
 
 PRINTED IN U S.A. 
 
The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://archive.org/cletails/cu31924028864225 
 
SECOND PRESBYTEBIAN CHURCH, WYALmiNC. 
 
 (From Phot, hy ,^turdevant.) 
 
HISTOEICAL DISCOUESE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 WYALUSING 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 
 
 Delivered September 5, 1869, 
 
 BY THE PASTOR, REV. D. ORAFT. 
 
 Published at the Bequest of the Congregation. 
 
 TOWANDA, PENISPA.: 
 
 PfilSTjED At THE " BRADFOBD HEPOETER " OFPICTE, 
 1870. 
 
 2 
 
7/ 
 
 fv„ 
 
 K.m-'XW 
 
PREFATORY NOTE. 
 
 This discourse was commonced without any idea of its publieation. It wa» 
 thea intended to commemorate, as a member of a noighbariag Presbytery, who 
 knew something of its history, once observed, " some of the most remarkable 
 instances of divine grace he had ever known," and added, "the history of the 
 Wyalusing Church ought to bo written that succeeding generations may know 
 what God hath wrought." I am sensible that this sketch has but very imperfect- 
 ly developed that idea, in fact I have been able to use only a part of the material 
 I had gathered up, lest I should exceed the bounds I had prescribed to myself. 
 
 Since the discourse was first written, some foot notes have been added, and a 
 brief history of the settlement and progress of the place appended. The account 
 of the aboriginal tribes who inhabited the valley, and of the troubles between the 
 Pennarhitea and Yankee setMers is easily accessible and has not been rspeated. 1 
 sought accuracy, consulting where possible, original papers for names, faots and 
 dates. For what is written of the Moravian Mission I am mainly indebted to Kev. 
 E. DE SoHWEisiTZ of Bethlehem, the biographer of David ZEisBEnaEK ; for other 
 portions, to the records of the church, the histories of Wyoming, Mr. Justds 
 Lewis of Merryall, and other old people ; and to old papers containing obituary 
 notices of the persons whose names have been mentioned. 
 
 To the members of my beloved congregation, who have encouraged and aid- 
 ed me in its pubUoation, the reader is indebted for whatever of interent or in- 
 struction the discourse may afford. D. C. 
 
 Wyalusing, Pa., Jmmary 1, 1870. 
 
DISCOURSE 
 
 Hebrews XI, 2. — For hi/ if. (f'aUh) the elderA obtained c. good 
 report. 
 
 The record of christian faith and labor found in the history 
 of the church is both profitable and interesting. To preserve 
 that history is a duty we owe to ourselves, to past generations 
 and to posterity. The Holy Spirit has taught us this duty, 
 from the fact that the Holy Scriptures are made up largely of 
 narrative and biography. Wo assent to the duty in general, 
 by gathering up with vast labor, the outlines of church history, 
 but in the minor details .of individual character and special 
 fact we sadly neglect it. In gathering up the items of his- 
 tory of which this discourse is composed, my motive has been 
 to recount the dealings of the Great Head of the church, who 
 has promised to be with her until the end of time, both to at- 
 test the fulfillment of that promise and to encourage our faith 
 in it, rather than glorify men. Every name here mentioned, 
 with one voice would have declared " by the grace of God I 
 am what I am," and it becomes us to magnify that grace, 
 which so wrought in them, as to make them conspicuous ex- 
 amples of the faith and patience of the gospel. My only re- 
 gret is that the limits which I have prescribed for myself in 
 this discourse will prevent rae from using all of the material 
 which I have collected. 
 
 Wyaluslng is eminently historic ground. For more than a 
 century this place has been favored with the preaching of 
 
. ItlSTORlCAI, TtlSCOUfiSK. V 
 
 Christ's glorious gospel, and the fruits of that preaching are 
 novr being enjoyed by the fourth generation of those, who 
 through much sacrifice, established here the sanctuary of the 
 Most High. 
 
 Near this place, and within the bounds of this congregation 
 there was established a christian mission among the Indians 
 early in the latter half of the seventeenth century. The 
 founding of this mission is due to the labor and faith of the 
 Morayians or United Brethren. 
 
 The Moravians are a people who never submitted to the au- 
 thority of the Pope of Rome, Their home was among the 
 Moravian hills on the south of Bohemia, from which they 
 were expelled on account of their religion, in 1547. In the 
 year 1627, at the council of Ostrorog, the Bohemian and 
 Swiss churches were consolidated and took the name of the 
 "church of the United Brethren." They are Episcopalin 
 government, Calvinistic in doctrine, and hold, in a modified 
 form, to a community of goods. They have been noted for 
 their missionary zeal in preaching the gospel to the heathen. 
 Early in the settlement of the country, (1742) they establish- 
 edthemselves at Bethlehem, Pa., from whence they sent out 
 their missionaries to all the adjacent country, whose labors 
 were signally blest among the Indians. 
 
 A remarkable desire for the gospel awoke among the In- 
 dians, a clan of the Delawares, under the rule of the Six 
 Nations at Wyalusing, or as it was called by the natives, 
 Machiwihilusing, (meaning beautiful hunting ground,) in 
 the year 1762, where Papunhank, a false prophet, who 
 had obtained some knowledge of Christianity from the Del- 
 aware tribes, preached to them a sort of heathen morality. 
 The Indians losing faith in Pj punhank, desired some better 
 religious teachers. David Zkisberqer, known as the great 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 7 
 
 Moravian Apostle to the Indians, and a Delaware convert, 
 named Anthony, responded to the call. They arrived at 
 the Indian settlement on the 23d of May, and remained until 
 the 26th, 1762, preaching Christ. Returning to Bethlehem, 
 Zeisberger brought such a favorable report, as to induce the 
 Brethren to appoint him resident missionary. In June, he 
 came back to Machiwihilusing, and his labors were unusually 
 blest of God. On the 26th he baptized Papunhank, and 
 there were good hopes of converting the whole clan; but Pon- 
 TiAc's war broke out, and on the 5th of July Zeisberger was 
 obliged to leave. Nothing further could be done at the mis- 
 sion for the next three years. 
 
 After the conclusion of peace, Zeisberger led the remnant 
 of Christian Indians, who had been sheltered in government 
 barracks at Philadelphia, during the war, back to the SusquC' 
 hanna, assisted by John Jacob Schmick. They arrived at 
 Machiwihilusing May 9, 1765, and began to found a christian 
 town near the site of the heathen village. In October of the 
 same year, the first baptism took place and a remarkable re- 
 vival followed — Indians streaming together from every part 
 and listening to the gospel. " It often happens," writes Zeis- 
 berger, " while I preach, that the power of the gospel takes 
 such hold of the savages, that they tremble with emotion and 
 shake with fear, until consciousness is nearly gone and they 
 seem to be on the point of fainting." 
 
 The settlement, which received the name of Friedemhuetten, 
 or tents of peace, from the synod of the church assembled at 
 Bethlehem, May, 1766, was situated on that part of the farm 
 of the Hon. L. P. Stalpord lying between the canal and the 
 river, the main street of which was eighty feet wide running 
 nearly east and west, about twenty-five to thirty rods south of 
 the oanal. The settlement numbered twenty- nine log houses. 
 
« IIISTOJIIOAL UlSCOUKSE, 
 
 with ■yvindoviis and chimneys, thirteen huts, a church thirty- 
 two feet long by twenty-four feet wide, roofed with shingles, 
 a school house and a mission house. Nearly every dwelling 
 had a garden attached, and every household had a canoe on 
 the river. The church stood in the center of the street near 
 the east end of the town, about six rods cast of Stalfoed's 
 line, south of the churcii was the mission house, and on the 
 opposite side of the street was the school house. Each lot 
 had a front of thirty-two feet on the main street, and between 
 every two lots was an alley ten feet broad. The whole area 
 was surrounded by a post and rail fence, and every Saturday 
 during the summer, was swept by the women with wooden 
 brooms, and all of the rubbish removed, so that the town pre- 
 sented a neat and clean appearance. Between the town and 
 the river were two hundred and fifty acres of plantations and 
 meadows, on the west an orchard, and on the east a burying 
 ground ; and on their grounds were two miles of fences The 
 population numbered one hundred and fifty souls. 
 
 In September, 1766, Zeisberger left Friedenshuettcn to la- 
 bor elsewhere, and was succeeded by John Jacob- Schmick. 
 In 1767 a larger church was built which was dedicated Feb. 
 18, 1768. This church had a bell, the first ever heard in this 
 valley. 
 
 February 4, 1769, a second station was begun at Schech- 
 shiqanunk, (sometimes spelled Tschechsheqaanink) opposite 
 the present Sheshequin under John Rothe, (Rhodes). 
 
 On the Cth of September, 1771, Zeisberger came from 
 the Ohio, and brought the converts an invitfiitioa from the 
 Delaware chiefs of that country to settle there, which was ac- 
 cepted, at a council held on that day.* 
 
 '^The reasons vliicb induced the mdiaue to leave Friodcuabnetten vrera, First, Tlie Iro. 
 <iUol8, by the treat; at Fort Stamvix in 1768, sold to the Fi-opriatavieaof PeanaylTania, the 
 land which they had formerly aasigncd to the Chrietlan Indians. Second, Settlers from 
 
HISTOKICAL DISCOURSE. 9 
 
 On the llth of June, 1772, the christian Indians emigrated 
 from the Susquehanna to the Ohio — one hundred and fifty-one 
 from Friedenshuetten and fifty-three from Schechschiquanunk 
 — two hundred and four in all.f During the seven years 
 which the mission existed, there were one hundred and eighty- 
 six natives added to the church. 
 
 It is said that the Indians were very strongly attached to 
 their beautiful home and left it with much sorrow. On the 
 6th of June they partook of the Holy communion for the last 
 time at Friedenshuetten and with tears and prayers went forth 
 to bid adieu forever to this pleasant valley and the graves of 
 their fathers. Some of the company went by land to the 
 West Branch, the others constructed rafts of the timbers of 
 some of their houses and floated down the river to Northum- 
 berland, thence up the West Branch to the Big Island where 
 they joined their companions. They then took their journey 
 across the mountains, and after incredible hardships and suf- 
 ferings reached the Alleghany river, down which]^they floated 
 to the place of their destination. 
 
 The tract upon which the mission was situated was included 
 in a subsequent grant made by the Propriataries of Pennsyl- 
 vania to Job Chillawat, the chief of the clan. This grant 
 included the best part of the "plains of Wyalusing," begin- 
 ning at the Wyalusing creek, was nearly two miles long, and 
 was considerably more than half a mile wide, and contained 
 
 Connecticut, claiming the land under a former Indian grant, were making preparations to 
 seize their lands. Third, Traders and bad men would occasionally furnish the Indians 
 with spirituous liquors which tended to their demoralization. Fourth, lu^the difficulties 
 which were then pending between the colonies and the mother country, and which threat- 
 ed to bring on a general Indian war, the Christian Indians ^-ished to remain neutral, they 
 were therefore suspected and endangered by both parties. For these reasons they felt 
 compelled to remove further from the scenes of strife and from the bad influenceof the 
 whites. 
 
 IThe whole company consisted of 241 persons. 
 
10 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 nearly seven hundred acres. The warrant was issued to Chil- 
 LAWAY March "12, 1774, and was by him conveyed to Hbnky 
 Pawling May 4, 1775, for $2720. In 1795 Pawling con- 
 veyed it, by will, to his daughter Catherine, the wife of 
 Joseph Stalmford (Staleord). Subsequently the com- 
 missioners apppinted to settle the land titles in Springfield 
 township, assigned the upper half to Connecticut claimants, 
 leaving to the Stalfords only the part actually occupied by 
 the Indians. 
 
 After the abandonment of the Indian mission of Friedens- 
 heutten, the first public christian worship held in this valley, 
 was in the house of Mrs. Lucretia Miner York, under the 
 direction of an old man whose name was Baldwin, living near 
 Browntown, in the latter- part of year 1785. This old man 
 and his wife, with Mrs. York, were the only religious persons 
 at that time in this neighborhood. These two families agreed 
 to meet every Sabbath for religious worship, and invited their 
 neighbors to join them. The old man read a psalm and offer- 
 ed prayer, and Mrs. York's son, Mannassah Miner, read a 
 selected sermon. The good effects of this service were soon 
 apparent. Attendance upon the meetings became quite gener- 
 al. Sabbath profanation in 'a great measure ceased, and the 
 good order and morals of the community greatly improved. 
 Thus commenced in the wilderness, the public worship of Je- 
 hovah which has ever since been maintained in this valley, and 
 though not ably, yet we trust, was acceptably conducted. 
 
 Of Mrs. York, who was the nursing mother to this church, 
 and whose descendents have ever since formed a large portion 
 of its membership, it may not be amiss to say a few words. 
 LtJCRETiA, daughter of Manassah Miner, was born in Ston- 
 ington, Ct., Feb., 1730. The family is said to have belonged 
 to the Royal house of Prussia, were strict Protestants, and pos- 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 11 
 
 sessed of considerable wealth. In her eighteenth year she 
 was married to Amos York. Mr. Miner, having given his 
 daugter a considerable tract of land near the mouth of the 
 Wyalusing creek, in 1773 Mr. York moved his family to Wy- 
 oming, and the following spring moved up the river and settled 
 upon his lands. The difficulties which culminated in the war 
 of the Revolution, soon commenced, and Mr. York was known 
 to be an ardent Whig. 
 
 On the 12th and 13th days of February, . 1777, snow fell to 
 an unusual depth. On the next morning, the 14th, Mr. York, 
 while at a neighboring settlement, was captured by a band of 
 Indians, hurried from his family, and marched to Canada. 
 The journey was one of incredible hardship and suffering. 
 Mr. York was subsequently exchanged, and' arrived at his na- 
 tive place, in Connecticut, where he died nine days before his 
 family reached there. 
 
 The helpless family — a mother and eight children, h«r son 
 seven years of age and her youngest child only three weeks 
 old, were thus left in the depth of winter, without protection, 
 with but little clothing, bedding or provisions, the Indians hav 
 plundered them of most of their substance, in a land of stran 
 gers, and surrounded by enemies. They soon removed to the 
 old Indian village, where several white families were then liv 
 ing, and the next spring went down the river to Wyoming. 
 She was present at the terrible battle which was fought there, 
 in which her son-in-law, Capt. Aholiab Buck, was killed, 
 leaving her widowed daughter with an infant four months old. 
 As soon as it was safe to do so, she set out with her son, eight 
 daughters and her orpkan grandchild, for her home in Connect- 
 icut. In the year 1785 she returned to Wyalusing, where shs 
 resided until her death, October 30, 1818, in the 88th year of 
 her age, respected and beloved by a larga circle of relative, 
 
12 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 and acquaintances. She was a woman of remarkable energy, 
 deep piety, and ardently attached to the doctrines of the 
 church, and ever manifested, even to her dying day, the warm- 
 est interest in its welfare. 
 
 In the years from 1786 to 1793 several pious families set- 
 tled in the neighborhood. Tlie Rev. Ira Gondii visited them 
 occasionally as a missionary, and on the 30th day of June, 
 1793, organized the first Presbyterian church, in the whole 
 valley drained by the North Branch of the Susquehanna.* 
 The meeting was held in a log school house which stood very 
 near the place where this church now stands. The organiza- 
 tion consisted of thirteen members, whose names are as fol- 
 lows : Uriah Terry, Lucretia York, Justus Gaylord, Jr., and 
 Luoretia his wife, Zachariah Price, and Ruth his wife, Mary 
 Lewis, Abigail Wells, Sarah Rockwell, Anna Camp, James 
 Lake, Thomas Oviatt, and Hannah Beckwith. Uriah Terry 
 was at the same time ordained and installed Ruling Elder. 
 
 Of those ever to be remembered thirteen, who that day en- 
 tered into covenant with each other, to walk together as chris- 
 tians, it will be proper to say a few words. Of Lucretia 
 York I have already spoken. Uriah Terry was born on 
 Long Island, nearly opposite New London, Connecticut, Oct., 
 1728. His first wife was Abigail Case. Their oldest daugh- 
 ter, Abigail, married Jonathan, son of Parshali, Terry, 
 and were the first permanent white settlers in Terrytown. 
 Uraih Terry was at Forty Fort at the time of the battle, 
 after which he went to Orange county, N.Y. He returned to 
 the Wyoming valley after the war and came to Wyalusing in 
 1790. Soon after, he moved to Terrytown, where he died, 
 June 29, 1804. He was a man of good education for those 
 
 "This was the Siet organization of any kind in the County, of wMcb there is any record, 
 go far a« I know. 
 
UiS'rORICAL DISCOUESB. 13 
 
 times, and of superior talents. He -wrote several pieces of 
 poetry of decided merit, one of which, the Battle of Wyom- 
 ing, has a place in Miner's History, and a dialogue on Elect- 
 ion in which there is a clear statement of the doctrine, and 
 ingenious replies to the ordinary objections to it. He was, so 
 far as I can learn, the first sehool teacher in Wyalusing. The 
 school was commenced in the house of Major Gaylord, and 
 was removed to the school house in which the church was or- 
 ganized, when it was completed. He was a man of mark and 
 influence in the little community gathered here, and left a 
 name which is dearly cherished by his descondents. He was 
 a man of faith and prayer, and though the latter part of his 
 life was clouded by domestic troubles, he maintained a good 
 christian character, steadfast unto the end. 
 
 The name of Justus Gatlord, Jr., or as he was commonly 
 called Major Gatlord, stands next on the roll of the members 
 of this church. The father of JUSTUS Gaylord, Samuel 
 Gaylord, was one of three brothers who came from England 
 at an early day, and settled in Litchfield county, Connecticut. 
 The family is of French origin, but the period of their emi- 
 gration to England, or the causes which Jed to it, I have been 
 unable to learn. Justus was born Mar. 12, 1732. The brothers 
 engaged in the iron business. Justus was the blacksmith, 
 and is said to have forged from a piece of steel, the first saw 
 made in the country. Failing in the business of iron working, 
 he purchased a farm and engaged in agriculture. At the com- 
 mencement of the war of the Revolution, he with four of his 
 sons entered the continental army and remained in it until the 
 close of the war. He served without pay and lived without 
 pension. About the year 1793, he came to Black "Walnut, 
 Wyoming county, and lived on what is now known as the 
 Sterling place. The next year, (1794) he and his wife united 
 
14 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 with this church, and in the same year he was elected elder, 
 which o£5ce he held until his removal from the country. In 
 1814, his wife having died, and his son Elihu, with whom he 
 had been living, having gone further west, he came to TVyalu- 
 sing, and remained here about two years, when he went to 
 Delaware county, Ohio, where he died in 1720, at nearly eigh- 
 ty-eight years of age. His son Justus, was born in Connec- 
 ticut in the year 1757. He married a Miss G-arnee, who died 
 before he left the State. He enlisted in the company of 
 Capt. Ransom, and served during the war. He formed one 
 of the company sent for the relief of Forty Fort, and arrived 
 there a few days after the terrible battle. He was afterwards 
 a scout in Sullivan's army which was sent to drive the In- 
 dians out of the valley. While on that expedition, he saw for 
 the first time the beautiful lands of the Wyalusing, and after 
 the close of the war, came up and purchased the lands on the 
 north side of the creek, now occupied by some of his descen- 
 dents. 
 
 He married Lucretia, widow of Capt. Aholiab Buck, and 
 oldest daughter of Lguretia York. He was one of the 
 founders of this church, and all through life was regarded as 
 one of its strongest lupporters. He was chosen one of its 
 de^icons in 1795. He was a man of high christian principles, 
 ardently attached to the church, and bore a name and char- 
 acter above reproach. He died in Wyalusing, May 23, 1830, 
 at the age of ,73 years. 
 
 His wife survived him nearly sixteen years. She died Jan- 
 uary 15, 1846, aged eighty-seven years, nine months, and fif- 
 teen days* She was a superior woman, of great energy and 
 industry, and of decided firmness of character. 
 
 The house of Major Gatlord was for years the central 
 point of religious interest at Wyalusing. The school was 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 15 
 
 taught there, there was the place of religious meetings, and 
 the home of the minister. Mr. Miner, in his personal reme- 
 niscences appended to the history of Wyoming, says : " The 
 author waited upon Mrs. J. June 25, 1845, and found the good old 
 lady in fine health and spirits. The profusion of lace upon 
 her cap speiaking of habitual fondness for dress, her round full 
 face and cheerful smile indicating, in early life, remarkable 
 personal beiauty. She had walked up a mile to visit Mrs. 
 Taylor, wife of Major John Taylor, her daughter who was 
 on her nursing bosom in July, 1778." This was in June pre- 
 ceeding her death. 
 
 Mary (Turril) Lewis, was born in Litchfield county, Con- 
 necticut, March 1, 1748. She was married to Thomas Lewis 
 May 20, 1768. Mr. Lewis came to Wyalusing in 1786, and 
 having made some arrangements for the comfort of his family 
 brought them here the next year. They lived for a time in a 
 log house a few rods south of this place, and between the pre- 
 sent road and the river. Here their son Justus was born 
 August 24, 1787, to whom I am indebted for many of the in- 
 cidents mentioned in this discourse. Mrs. Lewis is spoken of 
 as a very superior woman. She encountered the trials, priva- 
 tion and dangers of pioneer life without a murmur or com- 
 plaint. She impressed her character upon her household, and 
 faithfully trained her children in the knowledge of the Script- 
 ures. Such was her influence in her family, that her husband, 
 though never a member of the church, regularly maintained 
 family worship morning and evening. She loved the church 
 of God. When she became helpless through infirmity, her 
 sons lovingly bore her to the place of worship, where she de- 
 lighted to go. On the 23d of January, 1813, she was num- 
 bered with the sainted dead, leaving a name perfumed with 
 many a christian grace, to be held in everlasting remembrance 
 by her posterity and the church of God. 
 
16 HISTORICAIi DISCOURSE. 
 
 Anna, daughter of Samuel Oviatt, was born in Litchfield 
 county, Connecticut, January 27, 1749, and was married to 
 Job Camp, February 22, 1773. He came to Wyalusing in 
 1792, and planted a piece of corn, and returned to Connecti- 
 cut after he had harvested it. The following spring he moved 
 his family here and settled five miles up the Wyalusing creek 
 in the present village of Camptown, when the country was an 
 unbroken wilderness, and there he lived until his death, Janu- 
 ary 17, 1822. His wife was a faithful, earnest, christian wo- 
 man, who trained her large family in the nurture and admoni- 
 tion of the gospel. She fell on sleep, November 19, 1825. 
 
 Abisail Wells, the sister of Mrs. Lewis and wife of dea- 
 con Reubin Wells, came with her family into the place at 
 an early day. They were among the pioneers in the settle- 
 ment up the Wyalusing. She was a devoted woman, and had 
 the satisfaction of seeing her husband profess the religion she 
 loved, and become an honored oflBcer in the infant church, 
 which position he adorned by a consistant christian walk and 
 conversation, commanding his household after him. 
 
 The other founders of this church either soon removed, or 
 lived at such a distance from this place, that I have be^ un- 
 able to learn that their influence was markedly felt in the de- 
 velopment of the religious interest which centered here. So 
 fai as I can learn, all of them exemplified the doctrine of God 
 their Savior, by blameless lives and a godly convei'sation. In 
 the midst of many trials, through many difiiculties, and at 
 much self-sacrifice, they joined their brethren in their sabbath 
 worship, and with them toiled and prayed for the prosperity 
 of ,the Zion they loved. 
 
 In the next year 1794, the church was visited by the Rev. 
 N. JuDD, who is said to have been a man of commanding per- 
 son, engaging manners, and a pleasing speaker. On the 17th 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE, 17 
 
 of August in this year, ten persons were ad^ed to the church, 
 namely : Justus Gaylord and Elizabeth his wife, John Taylor 
 and his wife Deborah, Daniel Turril and Temperance his 
 wife, M. Miner York, Berintha Buck, Parshall Terry, and 
 Beubin Wells. 
 
 Of Justus Gaylord I have already spokeup. 
 
 John Taylor, or as he was frequently called, Major 
 Taylor, was born in Powell's Valley, Dauphin county, Pa., 
 January 7, 1770. He was of Irish descent, his grandfather 
 having left Ireland to escape the persecutions to which the 
 Presbyterians were exposed. He came to Wyalusing in 1793. 
 On the 16th of May, 1794, he was married to Miss Deborah 
 Buck, daughter of Captain Aholiab Buck, and grand- 
 daughter of Mrs. LucRETiA York. The next year after hia 
 union with the church, he was chosen deacon, and in 1831 
 elected Ruling Elder, which office he held until his death. 
 He was also the church clerk for more than forty years. He 
 was a model of energy, punctuality, uprightness, fortitude 
 and christian integrity, and in connection with Justus Gay- 
 lord, Jr., was mainly instrumental in maintaining here the 
 ordinances of religion. In his daily deportment he exemplified 
 the doctrine of Christ, whom he loved, for whom he labored, 
 and in an unshaken faith in whom, he died October 17, 1855, 
 at the age of 85 years. 
 
 His wife, Deborah, was born at Forty Fort, (Wyoming,) 
 Luzerne county. Pa., March 25, 1778 ; a little more than 
 three months before that far-famed battle, in which her father 
 was slain. Her widowed mother fled with her over the moun- 
 tains after the battle to Connecticut. She returned with the 
 family in 1785. Born amidst the tumult of war, subject to 
 the exposures and hardships which attended the fugitives from 
 the Valley, trained subsequently in the severe school of pioneer 
 
18 HISTORICAIi PISCOURSE. 
 
 life, and by the spirit of Divine Grace, she endured hardness 
 as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and ever exhibited an earn- 
 est zeal for her Master. For more than sixty years she was 
 the partner of her husband's toils and united with him in 
 dispensing a generous hospitality to all who loved the name of 
 Christ. She dijsd in the 78th year of her age, September 26, 
 1855, leaving a numerous posterity to rise up and call her 
 name and memory blessed. 
 
 PxasHALL Terry, a cousin of Uriah Terry, was born near 
 New London, Connecticut, August 8, 1734. He and his 
 brother Nathaniel were among the one hundred and seven- 
 teen Connecticut settlers who came to Wyoming in 1763. 
 Wyoming sufifered from the Indian troubles which then existed, 
 known as Pontiac's War, and his brother Nathaniel was 
 shot* by an Indian, October 15, 1763, when Parshall soon 
 after made his way back to Connecticut, which journey he 
 made no less than twenty times. Parshall was also in 
 Wyoming in 1773, and was made one of the directors for the 
 town of Kingston, under the plan of government adopted by 
 the Susquehanna Company. He participated in that fatal 
 engagement in the afternoon of the 2nd of July, 1778, f and 
 
 * As illusti'ating the perils to -whicli the early settlers were exposed, and their many 
 liair-breadth escapes, the incident may be narrated, as I have it from the most rehable 
 authority. As Nathaniel and Parshall were going to their cabin for dinner, Nathaniel 
 seeing the Indian just ready to shoot his brother, called out, "Pakshall! thelndians!" 
 The savage immediately fired at Nathaniel and killed him ; but Pabshall, who was 
 unai'med, dropped down in the grass. The Indian searched for him a long time, frequently 
 coming within a few feet of him, but did not find him. Parshall subsequently saw thii 
 same Indian and heard him relate the incident, in which he said, "That he didn't know what 
 became of that other Yankee, but he must have jumped in the river and drowned himself, 
 or else the Devil took him, for he was sure that if he had been anywhere about where he 
 saw him, he would have found him." 
 
 t One writer has alleged that Pabshall Tebrt, Jr., who was a royalist, killed his father 
 and all his family after the battle. This of course is a mistake. In Justice to the man It 
 ought to be said that between him and the rest of the family there were only political 
 differences. After the capitulation be came into the fort and embraced Ms parents, 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 19 
 
 afterward, with other fugitives, made his way over the moun- 
 tain and through the " shades of Death," to the Delaware 
 river. Leaving his family at Stroudsburg, he went east to 
 obtain assistance to remove them to a place of safety. Here 
 his wife died and was buried. On his return he took his chil- 
 dren, one an infant, to Sugar Loaf, near Newburg, N. Y., 
 where he remained until the close of the war ; when he returned 
 to his farm in Wyoming, which he afterward sold to Oliver 
 Pettibonb. He came up the river to Wyalusing about 1790, 
 and soon after went over to Terrytown. While he lived there, 
 religious meetings on that side of the river were usually held 
 at his house. In 1808 he went to Palmyra, N. Y., where he 
 died, May 15, 1811, aged 76 years, 9 months and 7 days. In 
 1795 he was elected an elder in the church, which ofiBce he 
 held until his removal to New Yprk. He was an active man, 
 of good judgment, grave deportment, and genial temper. As 
 an office-bearer he was faithful and efficient, and as a christian 
 humble and devout. Nearly all of his family left this region, 
 except Deborah, of whom mention will be made further on. 
 
 Manassah Miner York, the only son of Amob and Locrb- 
 TIA York, who survived infancy, was born at Stonington, Ct., 
 October, 1767. After the death of his father, when the son 
 was but 11 years old, he was compelled to endure many hard- 
 ships and privations. In early life he showed a great fond- 
 ness for reading and from 1785 to 1793 was mainly depended 
 upon to read the sermon at religious worship when no minister 
 was present. In the fall of 1792 he married Miss Betsy 
 AniroLi). In 1808 he commenced his studies for the christian 
 ministry under Rev. Ard Hoix, and completed them under 
 
 brotbera and eisters; vith tbe 'warmest sffection, protected tlie^i to the exteot.of Us 
 ability, and parted with them with deep emotion, sorrow on their part being heightened 
 IjyhiB aiisgnlded-zeal. 
 
20 HISTOKICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Rev. Joel T. Benedict, of Catskill, and was licensed to preach 
 the e;oBpel in 1809. On the 23d of September of that year, 
 he commenced his labors at Wyalusing and was ordained in 
 the October following by Rev. Messrs. Hoyt and Benedict. 
 Mr. York continued to preach at Wyalusing until 1818. 
 From here he went to Trumansburg and returned in 1825. 
 He died in Wysox, Jan. 2, 1830, in the sixty-third year of his 
 age. Mr. York was abundant in labors. He wranght with 
 his hands, taught school, preached through all this section of 
 country not only on the Sabbath, but through the week, gath- 
 ered the children for catechetical instruction, and older per- 
 sons for bible study, and as the fruit of his toil many were 
 added to the church. 
 
 At this time he occupied an extensive field, preaching regu , 
 larly at Towanda, Wysox, Wyalusing and Black Walhtft, and 
 occasionally at out stations. What he endured ill the prosecu- 
 tion of his work, we at this day can Hardly imagine, and 
 what are the fruits of these labors eternity alone can reveal. 
 His name is still spoken with respect and veneration and his 
 memory is blessed. 
 
 In 1795 the Rev. Daniel Thatcher visited the church, and 
 the record shows that they contributed for him $4.06, an 
 amount, though small in itself, was large when we take into 
 the account the means of its members and the small amount of 
 money in circulation among them. Isolated by many miles of 
 dense forests from older settlements, with but few implements 
 of agriculture, living in log houses in an uncleared cofaflty, 
 none being able to cultivate but a few acres of land, and hav- 
 ing but just enough provisions to subsist on, the only won- 
 der is how they could have given so much. At this time the 
 meetings were held in the old school house where the church 
 was organized, and though several of the members lived some 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 21 
 
 miles distant, with only foot-paths through the woods to their 
 dwellings, none having wagons and but few having horses, yet 
 it was seldom that one was absent from th» appointed place of 
 worship. I have sometimes thought, when hearing the frivol- 
 ous excuses which now-a-days are frequently made for ab- 
 sence from the sanctuary, what stinging rebukes the examples 
 of these sdf-saorificiUg followers of Christ administer to their 
 degenerate offspring. 
 
 Among the additions to the church at this time were De- 
 borah HoBTON, Urania Stalfobd and Zerttah LaceY. Of 
 these three godly women, each is worthy of more than a pass- 
 ing notice. Deborah Hortqn, daughter of Parshall Ter- 
 ry, was born in Little Britain, Orange county. New ISTork, in 
 1767. In her early childhood she lived for several years with 
 the family of her father in Wyoming Valley, and was one of 
 the. inmates of the famed Forty Fort during the afternoon and 
 evening of the terrible battle and massacre, and though at the 
 time but eleven years of age, yet to the day of her death these 
 awful scenes were, vividly impressed upon her memory, and 
 she could never speak of them without tears. Early the next 
 morning she, with the rest of the family, started on their way 
 to Orangd county. New York. Here she was marl^ied to John 
 HoRTON, in 1783. She followed her father to the Wyoming 
 Vyiey in 1784, and in 1792 came to Terrytowii*. Here she 
 spent the remainder of her life, which closed on the 25th of 
 May, 1844, at thb age of 77 years. She was an energetic, 
 s^lriied woman, and her industry and perseverance knew no 
 bounds. She was emphatically the gtiide of her house and 
 deeply impressed ter character upon her household. She was 
 eminently devout, often rising at 3 o'clock in the lfldi"ttMg for 
 the pilrpose of heading her bible, and other devotional works, 
 OP in pious meditatiein and prayer, befor'fe beginning l^e duties 
 of the day. In her neighborhood and among her children her 
 
22 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 name and example are mentioned with the loving respect 
 which only a truly christian character can inspire. Though 
 called to pass throHgh many afflictions, she endured thenrwith 
 christian fortitude and resignation, and wken her life's duties 
 and suflferings were over, peacefully committed herself to her 
 covenant-keeping Saviour, who was able to keep that which 
 she had committed to Him against the day of his final 
 appearing. ^ 
 
 Urania (Turril) Stalford was born in Kent county, Ct., 
 in 1786. At the age of nineteen, in 1805, she came into Sus- 
 quehanna county and taught school. The next year she was 
 married to Mr. Cyril Peck, who died a little more than two 
 years after. In 1810 she was married to Benjamin Stalford 
 and became a permanent resident within the bounds of this 
 congregation, and where she died the 14th of June, 1868. 
 She was eminently a godly woman. She survived both hus- 
 bands, and three sons grown to manhood. Her afflictions 
 seemed sanctified to her spiritual good and she was able to 
 bear them in patience, with resignation and assurance that the 
 Master knew best what was for her good. Her piety was of 
 that quiet and unobtrusive type which did not so immediately 
 strike the stranger as it impressed itself upon all who were as- 
 sociated with her, and especially those of her own family. No 
 one could long be a member of her household without feeling 
 its hallowed influence. Her christian walk and deportment 
 were known to all. She was a woman of great industry and 
 prudence and she manifested these qualities in all of her 
 christian life. She was ever ready to speak a loving word for 
 her Saviour, or do an act which would lead others to think of 
 him. Her death was quiet, peaceful, triumphant; without 
 ecstacy and without fear. A few days before her departure 
 she called her pastor to her bedside and named the text which 
 
HISTOAICAL DISCOURSE. 23 
 
 had been the key-note to her life, as the one from which she 
 wished her funeral sermon to be preaehed : " Come unto me 
 all ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you 
 rest." 
 
 The last in this trio of noble women was Zeruah Lacey, 
 wife of Ebenezer Lacey, and a daughter of Amos Northup. 
 She was born in Connecticut, Feb. 1, 1789. For a time she 
 __lived near Rush, Susquehanna county. In 1807 she came to 
 Laceyville, where she married Ebenezer Lacey, June 5, 
 1809. She, too, was a very devoted, pious woman and warm- 
 ly attached to the church of which she was a member. Al- 
 though her lot was cast in a community where there were but 
 few Presbyterians, she was unshaken in her faith. No one 
 ever doubted the sincerity of her profession, or knowing her, 
 could fail to observe her christian walk. She was of a cheer- 
 ful disposition and her piety was of the same delightful char- 
 acter. Living as she did, far from the church of which she 
 was a member, she was unable, especially in the latter years 
 of life, to be present at its meetings as often as she wished, 
 but she always rejoiced to learn of its prosperity. She aboun- 
 dedin hospitality and her house was always open to the minis- 
 ter of Christ's gospel. She died March 1, 1869, at the age of 
 four score years. As she lived unto the Lord, so she died un- 
 to the Lord and rested in his embrace Of all these it may 
 be said : 
 
 Sweek is tho savor of their names, 
 And blest tiieir dying breath. 
 
 In 1806 Rev. Daniel Buck commenced preaching for the 
 church one- fourth of the time. About this time the families of 
 Nathan and Aden Stevens came into the country and set- 
 tled several miles up the Wyalusing creek and the meetings 
 were held alternately at Merryall and Wyalusing. During 
 tho three years which Mr. Buck remained with the church it 
 
24 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 enjoyed great prosperity, having received into its membership 
 nearly forty persons, the most of whom were by profession of 
 their faith. 
 
 In 1809 Mr. York, having been licensed to preach the gos- 
 pel, and being an ardent admirer of Congregationalism, the 
 church was induced to assume that form of church govern- 
 ment This change was made the more easily from the fact 
 that most of the settlers here were from Connecticut, holding- 
 their land under Connecticut titles, were in frequent corre- 
 spondence with their friends at home, and were by education 
 familiar with Congregational usage. Then there were no 
 Presbyterian churches near with which this could affiliate; 
 also the Congregational churches of that day usually adhered 
 strictly to the Westminster standards. In fact, this church 
 always maintained its adherence to those standards firm unto 
 the end. 
 
 Accordingly, on the 23d of September, 1809, the church 
 assumed the Congregational form of government. At this 
 meeting Mr. York was called to be pastor of the church and 
 was ordained and settled the 27th of October following, and 
 in 1811, the church having adopted the constitution of the 
 Luzerne Association, became a part of that body. During 
 the nine years which Mr. YoRK remained with the church it 
 continued to enjoy a large measure of prosperity, and every 
 year Avitnessed additions to its membership. After Mr. York 
 left, there was no stated preaching for several years. Rev. 
 Salmon Kino and Ebenbzer Kingsbury were occasionally 
 present and administered the sacrament. In 1826 the church 
 was visited by a committee of Presbytery and initiatory steps 
 were taken which ultimately resulted in the church becoming 
 Presbyterian again. As the Yalley of the Wyalusing had be- 
 come more thickly settled the meetings were most frequently 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. ti) 
 
 held in the school house at Merryall. As this became too 
 strait for the increasing congregations which assembled there 
 (for in those days they came from Stevensville, Wyalusing 
 and Terrytown), the question of having a more suitable house 
 of worship had been frequently discussed, and after a great 
 deal of exertion a subscription sufficient to warrant the under- 
 taking was raised, and Mr. Justus Lewis agreed to build the 
 house, which was commenced in 1828 and dedicated nearly 
 three years afterward. As showing something of the difficulty 
 with which such an undertaking was carried on in those days, 
 Mr. Lewis says that on that subscription he did not receive 
 one dollar in money, but took grain, produce, lumber, or what- 
 ever the people could spare, to the amount which had been 
 subscribed. In 1830 Rev. Simeon R. Jones commenced 
 preaching for the church and continued for nearly two years. 
 He is said to have been a very kind-hearted man and a fluent 
 preacher. 
 
 In 1831 (March 31), the church having had under con- 
 sideration for some time the subject of changing its ecclesias- 
 tical connexion, unanimously passed the following resolution : 
 
 "Resolved, That we unitedly agree to become a Presby- 
 terian church." 
 
 This resolution was signed by twenty-six persons — -just 
 double the original number with which the church was first 
 organized. Although nearly one hundred had been added to 
 the church on profession and several by letter. Of these some 
 had died, two or three had been excommunicated, some had 
 moved out of the county, and others had been dismissed to 
 form adjacent churches. On the 7th April the church called 
 Mr. George Peintz to the pastorate, and on the 28th of June 
 following the Presbytery of Susquehanna met with the church. 
 This is the first meeting of Presbytery at Wyalusing of which 
 
26 mSTORICAt DISCOORSHI. 
 
 there is any record. At this meeting Aden Stevens, John 
 Taylor, William Bradshaw, Hiram Stevens and Chester Wells 
 were ordained Ruling Elders. Mr. Printz was ordained and 
 installed pastor of the churches of Wyalusing and Braintrim, 
 serving the latter church one-fourth of the time, and the re- 
 cently completed church edifice atMerryall "was dedicated to 
 the worship of Almighty God." Thus Presbyterianism was 
 again established in this valley, and the church, entering its 
 new house, under the stated services of its pastor enjoyed sev- 
 eral years of uninterrupted prosperity and increased in num- 
 bers and influence. The session of the church at once com- 
 menced making regular contributions to the benevolent opera- 
 tions of the church, which have been continued to the present. 
 1834 was a year memorable in the history of the Presbyterian 
 church. The whole church was rent with fierce discussion of 
 those questions which finally led to the disruption, which efforts 
 have been made to heal, and the union of the two bodies has 
 been just consummated. This church, true to her sincere at- 
 tachment to her time-honored standards of christian doctrine, 
 unanimously adopted the "act and testimony" and ranged 
 herself with the Old School party. It may be well for us at 
 this day to be reminded of the testimony which the fathers 
 bore on this subject. They say : 
 
 " Whereas, we believe that truth is in order to godliness, 
 and the Scriptures say ' first pure and then peaceable,' and we 
 believe that the effort which is made in the Presbyterian 
 church to cry peace when there is none, only tends to increase 
 dissention and error, which facts have already proved ; and 
 we are moreover satisfied on sufficient grounds that our late 
 General Assembly acted contrary to the spirit of the constitu- 
 tion of our church, and by their acts have oncouraged the 
 spread of various errors already taught under her name; 
 therefore, resolved," &c. 
 
HIS'XOlilCAL DISOOUKSE, 27 
 
 Here follow the resolutions adopting the "Act and Testi- 
 mony," condemning the formation of Synods and Presbyteries 
 on the plan of elective affinity, and the dividing of Presby- 
 teries on the same plan, contraiy to the wish of the Synods 
 within whose bounds they are found. All honor to these 
 fathers in the church, who thus fearlessly bore their testimony 
 against prevailing errors, who, when the enemy came in like a 
 flood, could lift up the standard of a pure gospel against him. 
 Instead of, as some are anxious to do, blotting out this record 
 of their faithfulness to truth, I would write it in letters of gold- 
 en the doors ■ of every Old School church in the land, that it 
 might be held in everlasting remembrance by all who come 
 after them. 
 
 On the second Sabbath in December, 1839, the church ob- 
 served with deep interest the semi-centenary anniversary of 
 the formation of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian 
 Church in the United States. At this jubilee meeting $30 
 were raised for the Boards of the Church. 
 
 In 1836 the anti-slavery discussion commenced in this com- 
 munity. The question assumed more of a religious than poli- 
 tical character. The inherent sin of slavery, the duty of the 
 church in regard to it, were topics of debate in school houses 
 and neighborhoods, through all this part of the country. In 
 this conflict Gboroe and William Gamble, Dr. Horton, 
 and some other members of the church, were earnest and ac- 
 tive. Mr. Pkintz, while deprecating slavery, was in favor of 
 colonization and opposed to the discussion at first, but finally 
 allowed himself to be drawn into it. The church was thus 
 rent into opposing factions and the whole community thrown 
 into a fever of excitement. While this excitement was at its 
 hight, Mr. Pbintz attempted, as a last resort, to discipline 
 William Gamble, for using harsh words towards his pastor. 
 
28 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 After several meetings of the session, the parties being unable 
 to settle their diflSculties, Mr. Gamble denied the authority of 
 the church to try him, left the meeting, and his name, without 
 further process, was stricken from the roll. Shortly after this 
 (Oct. 1, 1842), a portion of the anti-slavery party requested 
 letters of dismission for the purpose of forming a new Presby- 
 terian church, which they contemplated placing under the con- 
 trol of another Presbytery. Owing to some misunderstanding 
 between them and the pastor, the church was formed before 
 the letters bad been granted, and thus, without any intention 
 on their part, their action seemed somewhat irregular. This 
 church maintained an existence for several years, but at 
 length the most of its members who remained in the vicinity 
 became connected with the Presbyterian church of Herrick, or 
 that of Terry town. In regard to this rupture in the cbnrch, 
 blame attaches to both parties. They imagined their differ- 
 ences to be greater than they really were. Some of the anti- 
 slavery party were too denunciatory in their language, un- 
 charitable and schismatic in their conduct. On tbe other 
 hand, Mr. Printz was of strong prejudices, and was unwise in 
 entering into a public debate with his own church members 
 when the differences with some of them had already become 
 personal and the subject enlisted so much feeling, and then 
 for proceeding to discipline his leading opponent when the 
 church was stirred with such a turmoil of excitement. On ac- 
 count of these differences Mr. Printz' usefulness as the pas- 
 tor of the church was largely diminished, and the next year 
 he resigned the charge and left the bounds of the Presbytery. 
 With whatever faults he may have had, he was an able minis- 
 ter, a good pastor, an exemplary christian, and endured hard- 
 ness, both in labors and privations, for Christ's sake and the 
 gospel's. Notwithstanding the troublesome times in which he 
 ministered, the church increased under his ministrations, both 
 in Bumbers and influence. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 29 
 
 On the 8th of December, 1843, the congregation invited the 
 Rev. S. F. Colt to become their pastor, which invitation he 
 accepted and commenced his labors with the church the begin- 
 ning of the next year. In the early part of Mr. Colt's pas- 
 torate, considerable religious interest was manifested in the 
 congregation, and at the communion, April 7, 1844, eighteen 
 persons were added to the church. During this year, the 
 Parsonage for the church was commenced at Merryall, and af- 
 ter much exertion, was completed at an expense of $850. Mr. 
 Colt served the church acceptably for about ten years, when, 
 at the request of Presbytery, he resigned the pastorate to take 
 charge of the Susquehanna Collegiate Institute, an institution 
 under the care of the Presbytery, and which was erected main- 
 ly through Mr. Colt's efforts. At this time the members of 
 the church were scattered over a large extent of territory, and 
 it- was Mr. Colt's policy to gather them together in their sev- 
 eral neighborhoods for religious worship, preparatory for sep- 
 erate church organizations. In this way were laid the founda- 
 tions of the churches of Herrick, Stevensville, Meshoppen, 
 Rush and Wyalusing 2nd, which were organized about the 
 time or soon after Mr. Colt left Wyalusing. 
 
 On the 12th of January, 1854, a committee of Presbytery 
 raised in answer to a petition of several members of the old 
 church and some others, met in the school house near by this 
 spot and organized the 2nd Presbyterian church of Wyalusing. 
 Thus within the reach of the sound of our worship in this 
 sanctuary, is the birth-place of two Presbyterian churches, 
 which have exercised a marked influence on the religious in- 
 terests of' the people of this valley, and which we trust are to 
 do good work for the cause of the Master. The 2nd church 
 was constituted with the following named persons : John R. 
 Welles, Mary A. Welles, Ellen J. Welles, William H. Welles, 
 
30 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Deborah A. Stalford, A. F. Eastman, H. S. Clark, Henry 
 Gaylord, Martha Gaylord, Lorinda H. Gaylord, GuBtavus A. 
 Gaylord, Urania Stalford, Joel Stalford, Nathan Stalford, 
 Lydia Stalford, Mary E. Ingham, Deborah E. Ingham, Moses 
 Eilenberger and Elizabeth his wife, James Gamble and his 
 wife Isabel, William Gamble and his wife Irene, and Elizabeth 
 Gamble, N. N. Gamble, Abigail T. Gamble, and Deborah H. 
 Gamble, in all twenty-seven persons. Of these, the greater 
 part remain until this present, but some are fallen asleep. 
 John R. Welles, Henry Gaylord and William Gamble were 
 ordained elders, and Rev. John White was the stated supply 
 of the church until the spring of 1857. Durihg Mr. White's 
 stay here nine persons were added to the church, most of them 
 by letter from churches. The erection of this building was 
 commenced before the church was organized, and was dedica- 
 ted to the worship of Almighty God the next year. 
 
 In the winter of 1857, the congregation called Rev. Thom- 
 as S. Dewing to become the pastor of the church. He ac- 
 cepted the call and commenced his labors here ■ in the month 
 of January following, when he was installed pastor by a com- 
 mittee of Presbytery. Mr. Dewing remained pastor pntil Aug. 
 31, 1861. During his pastorate six were received by letter 
 and one by profession, six were dismissed and one died, leav- 
 ing a total membership of thirty-five persons. 
 
 On the first Sabbath in September of the same year, the 
 present pastor began preaching in the church on Sabbath 
 morning, and at' Fairbanks, Terry town and Sugar Run on al- 
 ternate Sabbath afternoons. On the 11th of April, 1863, 
 Jesse T. Stalford was elected elder in the church and on the 
 19tli of May following J. W. HoUenback and wife were dis- 
 missed to the church of Wilkes-Barre. On the 11th of Oct. 
 the members residing on the other side of the river, eleven in 
 
HISTOttlCAL DISCOURSE. 31 
 
 number, were dismissed to form the church of Terrytown 
 which was organized by a committee of Presbytery, on the 15th 
 of the same month. On the 16th of Janua^ry, 1 866, the con- 
 gregation, in connection with the church of Terrytown, called 
 their stated 'supply to become their pastor, and he was instal- 
 led by a committee of Presbytery, over this church, the 28th , 
 of February following, and the next evening installed pastor 
 of the Terrytown church. The Terrytown church requiring 
 his services every Sabbath afternoon compelled the abandon- 
 ment of the station at Fairbanks. The winter of 1866 will 
 long be remembered by the churches in this Presbytery, as a 
 season of the gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The 
 revival visited both Wyalusing and Terrytown. At the latter 
 place it was the most extensive and poT\ erful religious awaken- 
 ing ever known there. As the fruits of that revival in April 
 there were added to this church sixteen persons, and to the 
 church of Terrytown eight. This community was also visited 
 last winter with a season of deep religious interest, and last 
 April ( 1869 ), eleven were added to the church. The 
 whole number added by profession since September, 1861, until 
 the present kas been thirty-one, by letter five, making a total 
 of thirty-six, one more than the whole number of members 
 when I commenced preaching here. During the same time, 
 there have been dismissed to join other churches, sixteen, and 
 there have died five, making a loss of twenty-one, leaving a 
 net gain in membership of fifteen. If in this we include the 
 church of Terrytown, which formed a part of this church 
 when I was settled here, the net gain is forty-three. To-day, 
 therefore, we can record our vows of hearty thanksgiving to 
 the Lord for his great goodness, and say surely the Lord hath 
 been mindful of his people, and hath not forsaken the heritage 
 which he hath chosen. , 
 
 During the eight years which I have been with you, I have 
 
32 IIISTOEICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 sought as well as I have been able, to do with diligence the 
 work of my Master. In that tipae I have preached to the dif- 
 ferent stations 1104 sermons, married 39 couple, and preached 
 61 funerals, besides attending numerous calls outside the 
 bounds of my field, whieh have not been included in this enu- 
 meration', and the field of labor has greatly increased in extent 
 and instead of four places for preaching there are now ten, 
 some of which are supplied by week night appointmenis., . 
 
 As a fit conclusion to this discourse, I shall give some brief 
 sketches of those who were members of this church, but have 
 been called to their rest. First in this list may be mentioned - 
 the name of Daniel Brown. He was born in Quaker Hill, 
 Connecticut, September 7, 1771. At an early day the family 
 came to Wyoming, and several of them were participators in 
 that memorable battle in 1787. The family came up the val- 
 ley soon after Sullivan's campaign, and in 1778 moved over 
 into Browntown. In 1795 Daniel was married to Mary Wig- 
 don, grand-daughter of Justus Gaylord. In 1824 ho united 
 with the church at Merryall, and August 4, 1868, was receiv- 
 ed by letter into this church He died March 3, 1859, in the 
 88th year of his age, leaving a numerous family to cherish his 
 memory. He was a supporter of the gospel, and the fast 
 friend of religion, quiet, patient and unobtrusive in his con- 
 duct. 
 
 GusTAVUS A., oldest son of Henry and Patty Gaylord, was 
 born in Wyalusing, January 26, 1829. He made a profession 
 of religion March 30, 1848, and formed one of the original 
 members of this church at its organization. Going west he 
 died of cholera at New Boston, Iowa, May 4, 1855. He was 
 a young man of good talents, of great energy, and unblemish- 
 ed character, and hii loss was deeply felt as well by the church 
 as by his own family to whom he was endeared by many a 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 38 
 
 christian and social virtue. His sister Juliette was born at 
 Wyalusing, May 10, 1835, and became a member of this 
 church July 12, 1856, In January 29, 1857, she was mar- 
 ried to Truman I. Lacey, and died November 11, 1858. 
 
 Thus early in its history was this little band thinned by 
 death, and its membership transferred to the great company 
 of the faithful in heaven, for which the church oh earth was 
 designed to prepare us. 
 
 Joel, son of Benjamin and Urania Stalford, was born Dec. 
 2, 1816. Made a profession of religion June 15, 1843, mar- 
 ried Minerva Pickett, September, 1858, and suddenly died on 
 the morning of the 2nd of April, 1866. He was a very quiet 
 diffident man, of good reputation and faithful in the discharge 
 of christian duties. 
 
 His brother Natuan was born January 10, 1816, and unit- 
 ed with the church at the same time with Joel. After a long 
 and peculiarly painful illness, (a scrofulous irruption,) he en- 
 tered into rest November 16, 1866. As a member of the 
 church he was faithful in his duties ; no storm was so severe 
 that it kept him from the accustomed place of meeting. He 
 loved the church with a peculiar affection, and rested in the 
 promises of his Redeemer with a confiding reliance, which 
 nothing was able to shake. The anchor of his hope was cast 
 in no uncertain ocean. Many of ug are the witnesses of that 
 patient, I had almost said heroic, resignation with which he 
 endured the pain and suffering of those long months of bitter 
 agony, a resignation which nothing but an unshaken faith in 
 the Savior could sustain. 
 
 Deborah A., daughter of John P. and Lydia Stalfoid, was 
 born in Wyalusing, October 15, 1828. June 15, 1843, she made 
 a profession of faith and united with the church, and subse- 
 quently was one of the members of this church at its organi- 
 
34 HISTORICAL DISCOUKSE. 
 
 zation. May 10, 1861, she was married to John Hollenback. 
 August 20, 1861, she was dismissed to unite with the church 
 at Newark, Ohio, whither she had removed immediately after 
 her marriage, and where she died June 15, 1863. She fulfill- 
 ed the duties of a professed christian, a daughter, wife and 
 mother, with a loving fidelity, and having served in her allot- 
 ed place with diligence entered into rest. 
 
 William, son of Charles F. and Ellen J. Welles, was born 
 at Wyalusing, May 8, 1829. On the 7th of July, 1844, he 
 united with the old church, and afterward connected himself 
 with this. In 1857 he was married to Miss Frances, daugh- 
 ter of Dr. Nathaniel Smith, of South Creek, Pa. Having re- 
 moved to Columbia X Roads, he was dismissed to the Troy 
 church in 1859. He fell asleep in Jesus, April 14, 1860. 
 His life was a beautiful exemplification of christian virtue and 
 faithfulness. Benevolent, genial, earnest, and strong in his 
 attachment to Christ, he commanded the respect of and en- 
 deared himself to all with whom he came in contact. " The 
 savor of his name" is still fragrant throughout this whole 
 community. 
 
 Anna E., daughter of Eli Beard and wife of John Welles 
 Hollenback, was born in Towanda, Bradford county, July 
 13, 1835, and was received by letter from the church of Wil- 
 liamsburg, July 12, 1856", and with her husband was dismissed 
 to the church at Wilkes-Barrn, May 19, 1863, where she died 
 September 11, 1864. The natural grace of her mind was re- 
 fined and beautified by the holier graces of the spirit, which 
 combined to form a character of rare lovliness and beauty. 
 Her family and friends, the church of Christ, the poor and 
 the sick all had a place in her heart. Those who have read 
 "Little Walter of Wyalusing," a sketch by her oldest son, 
 will understand something of the rare excellence of the moth- 
 
mSTORlOAL DISOOURSE. 35 
 
 er, to whom much of his trainmg was necessarily committed. 
 An ancient proverb says, "they who are born fairest die soon- 
 est," so she early in life faded away, 
 
 A3 from the eky, serono and far, 
 A voice fell, like a falling star, 
 
 Excelsior, with Jesus. 
 
 Jane M., only sister of William Welles was born December 
 8, 1820. Early in life she professed faith in Christ. She 
 was received into this church by letter from Rochester, Nov. 
 29, 1858. In 1852 she -was married to G. M. Bixby. The 
 inherent energy and spirit of her character manifested itself 
 in her christian life, while her fine accomplishmeats enlivened 
 the circles where she moved. She entered into rest May 4, 
 1869. 
 
 Benjamin Stetleb, was born in Middle Smithfield, Monroe 
 county. Pa., May 9, 1815, was married to Pennelia Gaylord, 
 March 31, 1846. He died in Albany township, Januaiy 12, 
 1869. His residence for the latter years of his life was so 
 far from Wyalusing that it was seldom he could attend wor- 
 ship here. He is said to have led a consistent christian life, 
 and died in the hope of the gospel. 
 
 I have thus briefly attempted to portray the christian char- 
 acters of some whose names are connected with this church, 
 names of those whose hearts being renewed by divine grace, 
 gave the strength of their hearts thus renewed to the building 
 up of Christ's kingdom in the community, and by whose influ- 
 ences our christian privileges have been secured and the ordi- 
 nances of religion maintained for almost a century. The 
 names of others found on our church roll, who have stood as 
 manfully for the truth, and had equal zeal for Christ and his 
 church in their respective neighborhoods, as the Stevenses and 
 the Gambles, might be mentioned, but the scope of this dis- 
 course forbids further enlargement. I confess that it is with 
 
36 Historical DiscotTUsfi. 
 
 reluctance that I forbear. I delight to linger around these 
 precious memories and to feel the blessed influence of these 
 examples of exalted faith. I delight to contemplate the type 
 of piety which that system of doctrine taught in our standards, 
 and as I unhesitatingly believe, taught in the word of God, pro- 
 duces. I delight to contemplate the fulfillment of the divine 
 promises which are given to believing parents, as I see around 
 me the decendents to the third and fourth generation of those, 
 who through patience and self-denial, erected here a sanctuary 
 to the worship of God. 
 
 Many of you, my young fi-iends, are their children. A pious 
 ancestry, though a priceless legacy, will not secure your ap- 
 proval in the great day. Nothing sliort of faith iu the Lord 
 Jesus Christ can do that. That blood alone can cleanse you 
 from all sin. If you would leave a name like theirs, seek for 
 a like faith, imitate their sacrifices and labors and faithful- 
 ness in Christ's cause, that at the last you may be found with 
 them with your robes made white in the blood of the Lamb. 
 So will God grant you acceptance in that day through Jesus 
 Christ and succeeding generations say of you as we say of the 
 fathers and mothers of the past, 
 
 " Willi us theii- names shall live 
 
 Tlirougli long suooceding years ; 
 Embalmed tvith all our hearts can give, 
 
 Our praises and our tears." 
 
It is said on page 6, that the Moravians "hold, in a modified form to a com- 
 munity of goods." This practice, though generally attributed to them, they do 
 not observe. At the establishment of Bethlehem, the settlers agreed to work for 
 the church and the church gave each one a supjiort ; at the same time, however, 
 each person retained his own private property. This system of community of 
 labor, or economy as it was called, was abolished in 1762. Bethlehem, Nazareth, 
 Litiz and Salem, however, continued to be exclusively Moravian towns until 1813, 
 when the exclusi«'e system was abolished by the voluntary act of the church. 
 Since that time, the Moravian, Uke other American churches, have formed but 
 one of the constituent elements of the community, 
 
GENEEAL HISTOKY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 From the First Settlement until 1779. 
 
 The early settlement of Wyalusing was attended with so 
 many interesting incidents, that it is thought some account of 
 them will not be unacceptable to the general reader, and may 
 be a small contribution to the common history of the country. 
 In fact the whole valley of the North Branch of the Susque- 
 hanna, as far as the State of New York, being in great part 
 settled by emigrants from Connecticut, and the pioneers in the 
 upper portions of it being in many cases, the same persons 
 who were active in the neighborhood of Wyoming through the 
 exciting scenes which transpired there, forms but one continu- 
 ous history, having common characteristics and many similar 
 phases. 
 
 The Wyalusing Creek is a beautiful stream, which takes its 
 rise in the Northern and central parts of Susquehanna County, 
 and flows in a southwesterly direction into the Susquehanna 
 River. Its course lies through a valley of great fertility, 
 skirted on either side with hills of considerable elevation, 
 which in some places have thrown their spurs to the water's 
 edge, and in others have receded to the distance of half a mile 
 or more, enclosing areas of productive bottom lands, and af- 
 fording many scenes of picturesque beauty. This valley, when 
 first known by the white people, was heavily timbered, and was 
 a famous resort for game of various kinds, especially deer. A 
 hunting path extended for some distance through its forests. 
 
40 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 along which the red man pursued hia favorite sport. The 
 creek meets the river in one of those fine intervales which 
 characterize the scenery of the Susquehanna, and at the junc- 
 tion of the two valleys is a considerable scope of slightly roll- 
 ing land, spoken of by the early travelers as the "Plains of 
 Wyalusing. " 
 
 It is the current opinion of historians that the Lenni-Lenape, 
 or Delaware Indians, for many years occupied the valley as far 
 as Tioga, the south door of the Iroquois, or confederated Five 
 Nations, from which'they were expelled by tke latter, after a 
 long series of bloody battles, that ended in the entire subjuga- 
 tion of the Delawares. Here, most likely, they had a village, 
 as it 5vas the place where one of those battles was fought, which 
 must have been of great severity, its account being preserved 
 in the traditions of both nations, and alluded to by the Cayuga 
 Chief, who wished to remove the Christianized Indians to 
 Cayuga Lake, assigning as his reason, that this was not a 
 proper place for a peaceable people to live in, as " all that 
 country had been stained with blood."* Having expelled the 
 Delawares, the Senecas and Oneidas, tribes of the Iroquois, 
 established villages at several points along the river, one of 
 which was at Wyalusing. The great war-path, leading south- 
 ward from Tioga, extended along the eastern bank of the river 
 as far as Shamokin, the present site of Sunbury, which for many 
 years continued to be a place of general rendezvous for the 
 war and hunting parties of the Iroquois and their confeder- 
 ates, and where they kept a viceroy or agent to transact' busi- 
 ness growing out of their relations with the Southern tribes 
 and the Propriataries of Pennsylvania. Wyalusing being about 
 a day's journey on this great highway from Tioga, afforded to 
 parties a convenient halting placBj its gravelly plaims an excel- 
 lent camping grpund, the abundance of game in its forests sup- 
 
 * See Life of Zeisberger. 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 41 
 
 plied them with venison, and its lower flats were well adapted 
 to the growth of corn. These circumstances combined to make 
 the village a place of note and importance among the aborigines 
 of the country. 
 
 After the white people began to purchase territory of the 
 Iroquois and their allies, the Susquehanna valley below Tioga, 
 was reserved as a general asylum for the Indians who beCame 
 dispossessed of their lands. In accordance with this arrange- 
 ment, the Shawanesc, who had been driven from Florida by the 
 Spaniards in 1698, were invited to the valley and established 
 themselves near Plymouth. Hither the Delawares were re- 
 moved in 1742. The Nanticokes, or tide-water people, emi- 
 grated from the eastern shore of Maryland in 1748, and set- 
 tled at various points along the river as far as Chemung. 
 Which of these several clans occupied the village at Wyalus- 
 ing, when it was first visited by the Moravian Missionaries, it 
 is impossible to tell certainly, but most likely they were Dela- 
 wares. In 1756 there was a considerable village here, a little 
 below the site of a more ancient one, on the first rise from the 
 river ; and in the autumn of that year, the plains are repre- 
 sented as being covered with a luxuriant growth of corn. The 
 natives gave to this village the same name as the Creek, 
 Machiwihilusing, which we find alluded to by the names Mahac- 
 loosing, Wighalusin, Wihilusing, &c., but was generally known 
 by the white people as Wialusing, or Wihilusing, as early as 
 1763 or 176.5.* Judging from the correspondence between 
 Lieutenant Governor Hamilton, of Pennsylvania, and Com- 
 mander Elder, in the autumn of 1763, as well &s some other 
 accounts of that date, it would be inferred that Wyalusing was 
 considered the most important settlement between Tioga and 
 Wyoming. Near the present Sugar Run Ferry was an ancient 
 
 *See Miner's Hiat,, P. 86, Mem. Moravian Church, vol. 1, P. 87. 
 
42 OENEllAL HISTORY. 
 
 burying ground, and until quite recently it was a common oc- 
 currence, after the subsidence of the river freshets, to find 
 numerous bones, and not unfrequently entire human skeletons, 
 with pieces of pottery washed out of the alluvial soil. In one 
 instance, a few years since, there was discovered an unbroken 
 earthen pot, containing the bones of a small animal, about the 
 size of a woodchuck, which undoubtedly had been placed in 
 the grave of some Indian warrior as provision for the way to 
 the good hunting ground beyond. The various relics of In- 
 dian villages, as arrow-heads, burnt sandstones, pipes, hatchets, 
 pestles, (fee, have been picked up in great abundance, but un- 
 fortunately no collection of them has been preserved. After 
 the removal of the Christianized Indians in 1772, there were 
 no permanent habitations of the red men in this part of the 
 valley, although occasional stragglers were sometimes seen here 
 as late as, or later than, 1790. 
 
 It is well known that the territory of Northern Pennsylvania 
 was for a long time the subject of fierce and even bloody 
 dispute between the people of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. 
 Owing to the imperfect knowledge of the geography of the 
 country, conflicting grants of land were not unfrequently 
 made in the royal charters, which afterward were the occasion 
 of much perplexity. Without minutely tracing the history of 
 these royal grants, it will be remembered that April 20, 1662, 
 King Charles II. granted to the colony of Connecticut that 
 part of the old Plymouth territory bounded on the east by 
 Narragansett Bay, on the north by the line of the Massachu- 
 setts Plantation, on the south by the sea, and on the west by 
 the south sea. This grant was understood to include all that 
 tract between the forty-first and forty-second parallels of lati- 
 tude from the Narragansett Bay westerly across the conti- 
 nent. Under this grant in 1753, a number of persons, con- 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 43 
 
 sisting first of 840, and afterward increased to 1,200, formed 
 themselves into a company, under the name of the " Connecti- 
 cut Susquehanna Company," for the purpose of purchasing of 
 the Indians the lands claimed under the Connecticut charter 
 on the Susquehanna. Accordingly at a conference held with 
 the Six Nations at Albany, the company July 11, 1754, pur- 
 chased for five thoxisand dollars all that tract beginning ten 
 miles east of the Susquehanna and extending westward 120 
 miles, lying between the forty-first and forty-second parallels 
 of latitude, and in 1762, the company planted their first 
 colony in Wyoming. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1681, Charles II. granted to William 
 Penn a tract of land extending west from the Delaware River, 
 through five degrees of longitude, and from the fortieth to the 
 forty-third degrees of latitude, excepting a segment of twelve 
 miles radius from Newcastle. At the treaty of Fort Stanwix, 
 Novembers, 1768, the Proprietors of Pennsylvania purchased 
 of the Six Nations the disputed lands, and from this time 
 commenced those fierce disputes for the soil, which have been 
 known as the Pennemite and Yankee wars. The claim of 
 Connecticut was based upon the earlier royal grant, earlier 
 Indian purchase and earlier occupancy, that of Pennsylvania 
 on the decision of the Royal Commission establishing the 
 boundaries between the Provinces of Connecticut and New 
 York in 1664. 
 
 The Susquehanna Company laid out their lands into town- 
 ships containing about 16,000 acres each, and these townships 
 weresubdividedintoshares, half shares and smaller portions, to 
 meet the wants of the settlers. As a means of keeping off the 
 Pennsylvania claimants, these lots were usually assigned on 
 the condition of " manning their rights," that is, of defending 
 by force their possessions against intruders. One of these 
 
44 
 
 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 townships, Springfield, winch was about five miles square, in- 
 cluded a large part of the present Township of Wyalusing. 
 It was divided almost diagonally by the Susquehanna River, 
 the opposite corners being within 100 rods of the eastern bank 
 of the river, and the eastern part of the township was divided 
 in the same way by the Wyalusing Creek, the corner being 
 about 150 rods east of it, and the mouth of the creek about 
 midway on the diagonal joining the adjacent corners. This 
 was. one of the seventeen townships in which, under the com- 
 promises for the settlement of disputed titles between the Con- 
 necticut and the Pennsylvania claimants, on lands occupied 
 previous to the Decree of Trenton, the Connecticut titles were 
 accounted valid. 
 
 At a meeting of the Susquehanna Company, held in Hart- 
 ford in 1768, it was resolved that five townships, each five 
 miles square, should be surveyed and granted, each to forty 
 settlers, being proprietors, on condition that those settlers 
 should remain on the ground — these were the Townships of 
 Wilkes-Barre, Hanover, Kingston, Plymouth and L'ittston. 
 Subsequently three townships were surveyed on the West 
 Branch. From 1769 until 1772 the records of the Company 
 contain numerous resolves in regard to the distribution of the 
 land among the different proprietors. At this latter date 
 there were at least two hundred settlers on the purchase and 
 frequent transfers of lands were made, so that much of the 
 time of the Company's meetings was taken up in arranging 
 these individual details. In order to expedite this part of the 
 business, and to relieve the company from embarrassment, a 
 committee was appointed to make surveys, and appropriate 
 lands and confirm titles to the settlers. 
 
 Accordingly, " At a meeting of y° Susquehanna Company 
 duly warned, held at Norwich, April yo 1st, 1772. 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 45 
 
 Voted, that s'' committee are likewise empowered to order 
 and direct where new townships shall be laid of five miles 
 square, divided into fifty-three rights or shares, three of which 
 shall be for public use, when they shall be applied toby twenty 
 proprietors, by tnemselves or agents, for lands to settle on as 
 a part of their proprietors' rights ; Provided, always, (here are 
 the conditions of payment, &c.,) that there shall be twenty 
 settlers settled within each of s''' townships within two years 
 from y" time of laying out y° same, in order that s"^ proprie- 
 tors of s"^ township shall hold y^ same." 
 
 At the meeting held at Windham, March 9, 1774, the time 
 of settling was extended to three years, " on account of 
 troubles now existing in y" purchase." 
 
 It will be seen that in the plan of the Company, each town- 
 ship embraced 16,000 acres, which was divided into lots of 
 300 acres each, and each settler was allowed to hold tAvo lots 
 of GOO acres. The lots for public use were for the support of 
 the minister and school-master ; the proprietors thus at the 
 outset making liberal provision for the religious and secular 
 education of their children. 
 
 This Committee was required to keep full and accurate 
 records of their doings, but after the most diligent search I 
 have been unable to find them.* The survey of Springfield 
 must have been made in 1772, as on the 29th of August of 
 that year a survey is recorded, one side of which is the 
 Springfield township line. 
 
 The plan adopted by the committee in the distribution of 
 
 * There are in tlie Library of tlio Connecticut Historical Society at Hartford, four voj- 
 xiiiieti of records, two of -which contain copies of their deeds, charters and lists of origi- 
 u;i.l proprietors, constitution of ttie Company, kc. One contains the minutes of the 
 company's meetings, and the other is a record of deeds and surveys, marked "Liber q.," 
 extending from 17«4 to the close of the Company's existence. There are also in the 
 Coinmisssloneirs ofQce at Wilkes-Barre, three volumes of the records of deeds, attach- 
 ments, &c. All of these I have carefully examined, for dates and facts respecting the 
 company's acts concerning the settlement of these upper townships. There are missing 
 the records of the town meetings, the records of the committee of the company, the list 
 Of proprietors ordered to be made in 17SB and several volumes of the records o( doefls. 
 
46 GENER/L HISTORY. 
 
 the lands was to give a township to a number ,of proprie- 
 tors in common. It was then cut up into the required 
 number of lots and numbered, and each proprietor drew two 
 numbers which were his portion of the township. The holders 
 of these lots were required to reside within the purchase for 
 at least two years. Who were the original proprietors of 
 Springfield it is now impossible to determine. The records 
 at the Land office in Harrisburg give the names of the holders 
 of Connecticut title in 1808, when the various claims were 
 adjusted, but the chain of title back to the original proprie- 
 tors is in most cases lost. 
 
 The following extracts from the records will give a clue to 
 a few of them : 
 
 " To all whom it may concern. — Whereas at a meeting of 
 y° Susquehanna company duly warned and convened at Hart- 
 ford, December 28, 1769, it was voted that Joseph Jacobs, of 
 Philadelphia, should be entitled to one whole share in y" Sus- 
 quehanna purchase for y'' consideration in s'^ vote mentioned,* 
 and where as s'^ Joseph Jacobs by his deed poll dated June 
 13, 1769, t for j" consideration therein mentioned, did grant 
 and convey y" same whole share unto his brother Israel 
 Jacobs, know y" that I y" s'' Israel Jacobs do hereby empower 
 and authorize my trustj' friend Benjamin Pawling in my 
 place and stead, to take up and settle y'^ s'^ share, and finally 
 to do and perform all such matters and things needful and 
 necessary and lawful to be done and performed touching and 
 concerning y*" same as fully and freely and absolutely as I 
 myself might or could do were I personally present. 
 
 *The consideration was one fHll right or ehnro piven Joseph Jacobs at the al)Ove named 
 meotlnpf. for bailing Captain Durkee, who was captured by Captain Amos Ogdeu, and 
 sheriff John'Jouning, September 176'.», and lodged in prison at Philadelphia. This was 
 the second raid made by the authorities of Pennsylvania upon the Connecticut settlers in 
 that year. 
 
 tThQre la jprobobly a jnietalte in tlie date here, as the right was »ot granted u»tU Dooew- 
 be;', ani.1 the bailing cUd not oeuurvuitll Septemuer. 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 47 
 
 In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal 
 this 25th day of March, 1777. Israel Jacobs. 
 
 There is also the following survey on record : " A piece 
 of land surveyed to John Reine. Beginning at a walnut tree 
 below Wialusingtown, thence running westerly by the Susque- 
 hanna river 161 chains to y" mouth of Wyalusing creek, 
 thence up y" creek so far as y'^ old Pennsylvania survey made 
 to Job Chillaway, thence easterly by s^ survey till it comes to 
 s Susquehanna river, thence up the river to the first men- 
 tioned bound, containing about 625 acres of land. Made 1st 
 day of June, A.D., 1777. Y^ above pitch is made on s'^ 
 Hogsboon proprietor's right, he being an original proprietor." 
 
 From some broken and defaced records of surveys mady by 
 Samuel Gordon, it appears that in 1774 there was surveyed 
 a lot for Thomas Wigton,* and one to James Quick, in 1776 
 one lot to Justus Gaylord, Sr., and in 1777 one lot for himself. 
 
 Through all of this disputed territory, the Proprietors had 
 surveyed for themselves tracts of the finest lands, which were 
 generally leased to their friends for a number of years, on 
 certain conditions, one of which was, that they should defend 
 the Proprietors against all other claimants — the remaining 
 lands were left " to reward the enterprise of such friends as 
 might be able to render assistance in meeting with defiance, 
 and resisting with effect, the ' moss trooping ' yankees from 
 the east."t In accordance with this policy there was survey- 
 ed by Charles Stewart, deputy surveyor, in October, 1773, a 
 tract called the " Manor of Dundee," containing 3520 acres 
 and allowance on a " warrant of the Honorable the Propri- 
 etors of Pennsylvania, situate on the North Easterly Branch 
 of the Susquehanna, and on a large stream called Wyaloos- 
 
 *From the same paper It would seem that the township was Burveyed on his petition . 
 t MiSEE's History, p. 107. 
 
48 GENERAL HISTOKY. 
 
 ing." This tract included !all the rich bottom lands on the 
 river except the Pawlingt ract, and embraced a narrow strip on 
 both sides the creek for nearly six miles. These were leased 
 to one Depew, and others, and occupied by them for some 
 time. The plan of the Proprietors manifestly being, that fail- 
 ing to dislodge the yankees from the lower part of the valley, 
 they would seize the best part of the land above them, and 
 thus effectually hem them in. I have a list of twenty-one 
 families who were occupying lands above Wyoming under the 
 Pennsylvania title, previous to the Revolution. Of these there 
 where two in Tunkhannock, One at Blackwalnut, one at Lacey- 
 ville, three in Wysox, and most of the remainder at Wyalu- 
 sing. In the meanwhile, the Connecticut people were not idle. 
 The beautiful and fertile valley of the Wyalusing was too valu- 
 able a prize to be lost without an effort. They determined 
 that no part of the purchase should be relinquished without 
 the most determined and persistent endeavors to retain it. 
 Therefore, in 1773, Amos York and Kathan Kingsley came 
 up the river and began work on their lands, and Justus Gay- 
 lord, Samuel Fitch, James Wells and four or five other famil- 
 ies followed them within the next two or three years. There 
 were in this frontier settlement altogether about twenty or 
 more families prior to the Revolution. 
 
 In addition to the constant irritation which grew out of this 
 conflict of title and occupancy, the contest between the colon- 
 ies and tke mother country had culminated in the Declaration 
 of Independence and open war ; Indian hostilities began to be 
 imminent and even in these remote settlements the inhabitants 
 began to range themselves on one side or the other, for the 
 impending conflict. The Connecticut people, true to their 
 traditional love for independence, without exception, were on 
 the side of Congress, while the Pennsylvania claimants, urged 
 by feelings of personal animosity against the Whigs, growing 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 49 
 
 out of disputed land titles, generally espoused tlie cause of 
 the crown, and determined to use this as a favorahle opportun- 
 ity, to enlist the aid of the loyalists and Indians to drive the 
 Yankees entirely out of the valley. Such were the dangers 
 which threatened the settlement, that it was contemplated to 
 build a fort at Wyalusing,',butthis design was abandoned on the 
 representation made by the wily savages, who professing 
 peace, were at the same time planning mischief. At a talk 
 held at Wyoming we find the following paragraph : " We 
 are unwilling to haj-e forts built up the river, but wish you 
 would be content to build forts here among the lower settlements. 
 A fort at Wyalusing will block up our new-made, wide, and 
 smooth road, and again make us strangers to one another."* 
 It seems surprising that the fears of the settlers should have 
 been so easily quieted, especially when it was generally 
 believed that the Indians were planning hostile movements, 
 to which this upper settlement would be particularly exposed. 
 Then too it was well known that many of the people were 
 disaffected toward Congress, and were secretly plotting with 
 the enemies of the country, and from Tioga or Sheshequin, 
 which were then exclusively Indian towns, from which hostile 
 bands could jdescend the river in a few hours, and murder or 
 capture the inhabitants before their movements could be known 
 or the people succored by the stronger settlements fifty or sixty 
 miles below. What were the consequences of their being 
 left thus unprotected the sequel will soon disclose. The 
 loyalists, whose strong hold and centre of influence was at 
 Wyalusing, being left free to carry on their alliance with the 
 Indians for the extermination of the Yankees without restraint, 
 were now exceedingly active in developing their plans. 
 
 That the reader may be able to judge for himself how far 
 
 *MiHEE's HiBtory, page 182. 
 
50 GENERAL HISTORY, 
 
 these men were instrumental in bringing about the battle of 
 Wyoming, and the outrages which followed it, I will quote at 
 some length from papers which have never been published, to 
 which I had access through the kindness of Mr. Steuben 
 Jenkins, of Wyoming. The first is from the petition of 
 Alexander Patterson,* presented to the Legislature of 
 Pennsylvania in 1804. 
 
 " In the year 1776, there were a number of inhabitants, 
 settlers on the North-east Branch of the Susquehanna, near 
 Wyalusing, under Pennsylvania title. Among these were 
 two brothers by the name of Pawling, of a respectable family, 
 from the county of Montgomery, who paid a thousand pounds 
 in gold and silver for their farm at Wyalusing, unto Job 
 Gillaway, a useful and well-informed Indian, who had 
 obtained a grant for said land from the late proprietors of the 
 State. Among the settlers were Messrs. Depue, Seacord, 
 Vanderlip, and many others, wealthy farmers. The Yankees 
 at Wyoming being more numerous, and though at the distance 
 of sixty miles, insisted that the Pennsylvania settlers should 
 come to Wyoming, and train and associate under "Yankee 
 officers of their own appointment. As may be supposed, the 
 proposals were very obnoxious to the inhabitants bf Pennsyl- 
 vania, and very properly refused, alleging that they would 
 associate by themselves, and would not be commanded by 
 intruders, who had so repeatedly sacked the well-disposed 
 inhabitants of Pennsylvania, and at that time bid defiance to 
 
 ♦Patterson was a zealous defender of the Pennaylvanians. As the agent of Governor 
 Fenn, in 1769, he brought to Easton jail the first iO intruders "who had attempted to seat 
 themselves at Wyoming." The neit year he " was the most active, who again took their 
 garrison with much entei-prise." In the second Pennamite wai* he took a conspicious and 
 disgraceful part. As the Justice for Northampton county, in 1783, ho continued for 
 nearly two years to harrass the Connecticut people in every way his ingenuity could de- 
 vise. Several porsous were killed, many were sent to prison, crops were destroyed, 
 buildings burned, families sent adrift homeless, civil war and confusion reigned, and the 
 whole valley presented a scene of desolation and woe. Such a man would not be likely to 
 unfavorably misrepresent his friends, whom he pledged his honor to defend, twentj 
 years after the colonies had achieved their independence. 
 
General history. ^i 
 
 its laws and jurisdiction. This gave a pretext for the Yan- 
 kees [calling] them tories. They, therefore, went in force 
 and tied the Pennsylvania settlers and brought them to Wyo- 
 ming with all their movables, and confined them in a log 
 house, until the Indians who lived in the neighborhood of 
 Wyalusing, and loved the Pennsylvanians and at that time 
 were well affected toward the United States, some of whom 
 were in our army — those Indians came to Wyoming and 
 requested that the Pennsylvania people should be released 
 from confinement. After some altercation, and the Indians 
 declaring they would complain to Congress, they' were 
 released ; and then on their return without property were 
 ambushed and fired upon by the Yankees. The eVent of all 
 this was, that the Pennsylvania people were so harassed by the 
 intruders that they were driven to seek an asylum with the 
 Indians, and at length retired to Niagara for protection. It 
 was well known at that time, on the frontiers of Northampton 
 and Northumberland, that the conduct of those lankees 
 occasioned the secession of the Five Nations from the United 
 States. As was natural to imagine, those Pennsylvania 
 settlers who had been so cruelly robbed of their property, 
 would endeavor to regain it. 'J'heir addrem and moving 
 com.plaints, induaed Joseph Brant, a well-known Indian chief 
 and Colonel Butler, Superintendent of Indian affairs, to 
 come with them to Wyoming, with a number of Indians, for 
 the recovery of their property, goods, and chatties." Then 
 follows a characteristic account of the battle of Wyoming too 
 long for quotation. 
 
 The following quotations from the other side show bej'ond 
 question that some of the people here were in intimate commu- 
 nication with the British and Indians. 1st. From Elisha Hard- 
 
§2 (JeNeral history. 
 
 ing's* letter to Charles Miner : " In the spring of 1777 the 
 inhabitants or men above Buttermilk Falls, with a few excep- 
 tions, went to Niagara and continued there until fall. They then 
 returned home and took the Freeman's oath, and continued until 
 about the first of May, 1778, and returned to the enemy and soon 
 came down with a party of Indians and Rangers with crafts 
 and took their families — came down as far as Buttermilk 
 Falls and returned, taking one man prisoner." Colonel 
 Jenkinsf in a letter to Mr. Kingsbury, written about 1801 
 (the date is torn off) says : " In a special manner the three 
 Pawlings who left our settlement the year before the battle 
 in 1778, joined General Butler, were commissioned as officers 
 in the Rangers. They afterwards returned home in the 
 winter season, made arrangement for their friends and then 
 joined Butler early in the (season) of 1778. A Captain 
 Stansbury was also aiding the Tories." 
 
 These quotations from the statements of persons who were 
 upon the ground and had the best oportunities for information 
 as well as others which might be given, establish the following 
 particulars : 1st. That many of the most violent tories were 
 congregated at Wyalusing, and were claiming land under 
 Pennsylvania title. 
 
 2d. That they were active instigators of the Indians to 
 hostilities, and to a great degree the responsible agents in 
 
 ♦Warding was born in Oonneclicut, 1763, came to Wyoming in 1770, and belonged to s 
 family wMcli suffered much during the troubles which afflicted Wyoming, and several of 
 them were killed. Miner, who was indebted to him for many of the facta stated in his 
 history, says of him: " A man of strong mind and retentive memory, he read much and 
 retained everything worth remembering," He died in the. seventy-fifth year of his age. 
 
 t Colonel John Jenkins was for many years one of the most prominent men in 
 Wyoming. In 1777 he was ambushed and captured by a party of Indians near Wyalusing, 
 subsequently was taken to Albany to be exchanged for an Indian chief, the chief having 
 died of small pox, the savages were with difficulty restrained from killing hi.n. After the 
 massacre, he joined Captain Spaldirigs company and continued in the service until the 
 close of the war. In 1779 he joined Sullivan's expedition as a guide. As superintendent 
 of surveys for the Susquehanna company he had acquired an intimate knowledge of the 
 county and people, and performed his duties to entire satisfaction. He died in 1827 in 
 the seventy-third year of his age, after a life of great activity, aod bavlng held several 
 important clvU offloere In the county of Luzerne, 
 
GENERAL HISTOEY, 53 
 
 bringing about the terrible massacre at Wyoming, and were 
 leaders and participators in it. 
 
 3d. They were led on by hatred toward the Connecticut 
 people, and desire to acquire their lands though not intending 
 to accomplish their extermination, were censurable for employ- 
 ing as allies, hostile Indians, whose acts of rapine and murder 
 they could not control. 
 
 Mr York, who was an earnest defender of the rights of 
 Connecticut, occupied a large tract of land under Connecticut 
 title, and was also an ardent Whig — was the first object of 
 their vengance. He* had been one of the foremest to cast 
 his fortunes at Wyalusing, and being possessed of consider- 
 able wealth, brought with him horses, cattle, and sheep to 
 stock his farm and had provided his family with a large quantity 
 of necessary supplies, so that there was every prospect for 
 their comfort and enjoyment in their new home. His farm, 
 that now occupied by Jackson and Chester Hollenback, 
 included a part of the clearings of the Moravians. But his 
 enemies had secretly planned his abduction, which they were 
 now ready to carry into execution through the aid of their 
 savage allies, and thus destroy the peace and comfort of his 
 family. 
 
 About the middle of February, 1777, there was a very 
 severe storm, snow falling to the depth of several feet. 
 During each evening of the storm, on the 12th and 13th, a 
 negro came to his house on some trifling errand and remained 
 until bed time. The character of the negro and the frivolus 
 excuses he made for coming out in such a storm, awakened 
 the suspicions of the family that all was not right. Early 
 the next morning, the 14th, Mr. York rode to the old mission 
 
 *TIie Yorka belonged to the old Connecticut familioa. James, the ancestor of Amos 
 Yoi'k, came from England and settled first at Braintree, thence ho removed to Boston, 
 andflnaUy went to Stonijjgton in 1670. Amos, the great grandson of hie was born about 
 17S0. 
 
54 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 village where several families were living, and without sus- 
 picion, entered the house of a supposed friend and received a 
 cordial welcome. But it was the malicious welcome of a 
 treacherous enemy. Between forty and fifty Indians, led on 
 by two Pennsylvania tories, one of whom was Parshall Terry, 
 Jr., had arrived at the settlement and were waiting there 
 during the storm. The moment they saw him they gave the 
 war whoop, and his white neighbor told him he was their 
 prisoner. Fourteen of the savages repaired with Mr. York to 
 his house for plunder. The family were waiting their morn- 
 ing meal anxious for his return, and when they saw him 
 attended by his savage escort, they met him with heartrend- 
 ing cries of distress. Fearful anticipations painted the scene 
 in most dreadful colors. What but a general massacre could 
 they expect from their savage foes, armed with rifle, toma- 
 hawk and scalping knife, to whom the British Government 
 hail promised a reward for scalps taken from the • enemy ! 
 Their terors were in a measure allayed, "when they were told 
 that they were not to be killed, but the father must go with 
 them as a prisoner. Then commenced a scene of general 
 pillage. The house was plundered of most of their bedding, 
 wearing apparel, meat and grain which were loaded upon 
 sleds, to which were attached his oxen and horses. His cattle 
 and flocks were collected and the best of them were taken ; 
 still enough was left for the comfortable sustenance of the 
 family until spring. As Mr. York was talking with his family 
 and giving them directions how to proceed in his absence, an 
 Indian struck him a blow which felled him in the snow. He 
 rose, gave his wife one earnest, loving, tearful look, his last 
 farewell, departed with his captors, and she never saw him 
 again. The journey was one of indiscribable suff'ering from 
 exposure to the oold as well aa from grief of mind. Mr. 
 
GENEEAL HISTOKY. 55 
 
 York was' compelled to Tvatcli the flock his own industry had 
 raised, and drive them at the pleasure of his plunderers. The 
 first day the trail went to the mouth of the Wisaukin, where 
 they lodged at the house of Mr. Strope, and the second to 
 Tioga, Mr. York was taken to Canada and was subsequently 
 exchanged, and returned to his old home in Connecticut, 
 where hearing of the disastrous battle of Wyoming, and 
 learning nothing of his family, he fell sick of fever and died 
 nine days before Mrs. York reached there. The subsequent 
 history of the family has been related in another place, it 
 need only be added that one of Mr. York's daughters married 
 Job Turrellf and another married Daniel Turrell, who became 
 parents of large and influential families, the former in Con- 
 necticut, the latter in Susquehanna county. 
 
 In Nov., 1777, Lieut., son of Col. Jenkins who was on a trip of 
 observation up the river, was waylaid and captured by a lurking 
 band of Indians. Lemuel Fitch was also taken with him; and 
 at Standing Stone they captured Elemuel Fitzgerald. Of this 
 person, Mr. Harding, in the letter before alluded to, tells the 
 following anecdote : " The Indians and their allies took Fitz- 
 gerald as far as Wysox, where they placed him on a flax brake 
 and told him he must renounce his rebel principles and declare 
 for the king or die. ' Well,' said the stout-hearted old fellow, 
 ' I am old and have but little time to live anyhow, and I had 
 rather die now, a friend to my country, than live ever so long 
 and die a tory.' " They released him, however, and he found 
 his way back to Wyoming. After peace he came back to his 
 old home, where he died at an advanced age. This incident 
 is characteristic of the spirit of the men who made their homes 
 in this valley at that early day, hewed down its forests, endur- 
 ed all sorts of privations and hardships, and the fruit of whose 
 labors we now enjoy. 
 
56 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 Fitch and Jenkins were taken to Niagara, and from thence 
 to Montreal, when Jenkins was taken to Albany, and Fitch 
 was released. He made his way back to Wyoming where he 
 died. Messrs. York, Jenkins arid Fitch were the first prison- 
 ers taken out of the valley. The object thus far seems to 
 have been not to kill, but to intimidate the people, by captur- 
 ing the most active and influential patriots, and by this means 
 induce the others to leave the country. 
 
 Nathan Kingsley was another one of the first settlers in 
 Wyalusing. He was a native of Connecticut, and belonged 
 to one of the most noted families in that State, He was a 
 man of wealth and influence in that early day. He occupied 
 the old log house now standing on the lands of Mrs. Welles, a 
 few rods east of the railroad, and north of the depot. This 
 house, a view of which is given facing this sketch, is on lands 
 adjoining the York property, and was built about 1768, and 
 for a time occupied by the celebrated missionary, Heckewelder. 
 It is, without doubt, the oldest house in the county. Here 
 Kingsley, by means of great watchfulness aud prudence, lived 
 for some time unmolested by the Indians, but at length in 
 June, 1778, was captured by them and taken to Niagara. 
 After a confinement of six months he was released and 
 returned to Wyoming, whither his family had fled, before his 
 capture. It was during his captivity (Nov. 2, 1778) that his 
 son Nathan Kingsley, Jr., was killed, and another son 
 together with Frances Slocum was carried into captivity. 
 The story of the capture of Frances, and of the discovery of 
 her by her brother after an absence of sixty years, as told by 
 Mr. Miner, is one of the most thrilling incidents of the Revo- 
 lution, and has been so frequently republished as to be famil- 
 iar to all the readers of our early history. Mr. Kingsley had 
 but one son left, Warrura, who married into the Turrell 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 57 
 
 family, went to Connecticut where he died. After troubles 
 in the valley in a measure ceased, Mr. Kingsley returned to 
 Wyalusing, where he lived for several years. Unfortunately 
 the old man acquired intemperate habits and became very 
 poor, so that he became a town charge and his keeping was 
 sold to James Anderson, who removed west where Kingsley 
 died, it is said by the falling of a tree, about the year 1800. 
 He was an intrepid pioneer in this county, and removing so 
 early from Wyoming, his name is seldom mentioned in their 
 records. The people of Wyoming being shut out from the 
 usual sources of information in regard to public affairs, 
 established a post to Hartford, and Mr. Kingsley was a 
 constant contributor to its support. In May, 1787, he was 
 commissioned one of the Judges of Luzerne County, and on 
 the 27th sat on the Bench at the first court held there. This 
 office he resigned January 14, 1790, on account of the great 
 difficulty for a man of his age to reach Wilkes-Barre. In 
 September, 1788, he and Justus Gaylord, Oliver Dodge 
 Thomas Lewis, Isaac Hancock and Gideon Baldwin were 
 appointed by the Court Commissioners with full powers to 
 lay out all necessary roads in Springfield township, and thus 
 assisted in opening the first regular roads in Wyalusing. 
 
 Lieutenant James Wells, a native of Connecticut, was 
 another of the early settlers here. In 1771 the Susquehanna 
 company surveyed two townships on the West Branch, 
 and Mr. Wells became a proprietor in one of these — 
 Charlestown. In 1775 Colonel Plunket, under orders from 
 the Pennsylvania Government, with a strong force of North- 
 umberland militia, broke up the settlement, burned the build- 
 ings, plundered their goods, and took the men as prisoners to 
 jail. The most of them were, however, speedily released and 
 returned to Wyomingj whence Mr. Wells came to Wyalusing, 
 and lived in a house where there is now a grove of small oaks. 
 
58 GENERAL HISTOKY. 
 
 about sixty rods from the bend in theroad] below the Presby- 
 terian church, toward the river. When danger from the 
 savages became imminent, he like many others in this remote 
 settlement, returned to the more densely settled parts of the 
 valley. He was a Lieutenant in the little army sacrificed in 
 the defence of Wyoming, and one of the party sent out by 
 Col. Zebulon Butler to select the ground on which the patriot 
 army should form their line of battle, fell- in the engagement, 
 and his name is written among the " honored brave." He 
 was the father of Reuben, Guy, and Amasa Wells, of whom 
 mention will be made further on. 
 
 Justus Gaylord has been spoken of before ; the following 
 facts, however, may not be uninteresting. He was one of 
 forty-four who organized the township of Norfolk, Connecti- 
 cut, December 12, 1748. In 1773 he was appointed one of 
 the directors* of Plymouth township, under the articles 
 adopted for the government of the settlers by the Susquehan- 
 na company, June 2, 1773 ; chosen tything man for the 
 township, March 2, 1774, was in the company captured by 
 Plunket in his raid upon Wyoming in 1775, and lodged in 
 Sunbury jail. Soon after his release he came to Wyalusing, 
 and lived near where the railroad now crosses the line between 
 the Welles and Stalford estates. He returned to Wyoming 
 before the Indian troubles began. f 
 
 Mr. Harding, in the letter before alluded to, gives in 
 addition to the names above mentioned, the following from 
 
 *There were appointed three directors for each town In whom were Tested the entire 
 civil authority. They had " the direction of the settlement of suoli town, and the weU 
 ordering and gOTerning of the same, to suppress vice of every kind, preserve the peace of 
 God and the king therein, to whom each inhabitant shaU pay, such and the same sub- 
 mission as is paid to the civil authority in the general towns in this colony. They must 
 be " able and judicious men," &c. 
 
 + 1 have here followed Miner's account, although it somewhat conflicts with the family 
 traditions. The names of father and son being alike, may la this as in other instances, 
 where two persons of the same name were in one family, have occasioned some confusion, 
 but the above Is most probably the correct account. 
 
genSral histoky. 59 
 
 about Wyalusing -who fled to the forts for protection, viz : 
 Z. Marcy, E. Sanford, I. Thompson, Phelps the Elder, N. 
 Depew, and R. Carr. Of these I have been unable to learn 
 anything further, or that they or their immediate decendents 
 ever returned to this neighborhood. Those that returned 
 ■with Butler were Anguish, Kentner, Simmons, Bowmans, 
 Phillips, Stephens, Smith, Buck, Williose, Wartmans, (here is 
 a name that cannot be deciphered) Seacords, Willards, E. 
 I'helps, Brown, Depew, Vanderlip and others. 
 
 At the time of the battle of Wyoming the settlement was 
 probably abandoned by all parties — the whigs had gone to 
 Wyoming for protection, and the tories had joined the 
 British Butler's Rangers. The white people did not return 
 before 1781 or 1782. The various predatory bands of Indians 
 and tories made it extremely dangerous for any whig to be 
 so far from any of the protected settlements. In fact, until 
 near the close of the Revolutionary war, the valley swarmed 
 with bands of hostile savages, who were continually commit- 
 ting depredations, murdering or carrying people away captive 
 in sight of the forts at Wyoming, burning buildings, stealin g 
 horses and cattle from the most thickly populated parts of 
 the valley. 
 
 In the autumn of 1778 Colonel Hartley set out with a 
 small force from Muncy and marched over to Sheshequin, 
 where he burned Queen Esther's town and then taking his 
 way down the river encamped over night at the old Indian 
 town in Wyalusing, and as it had recently afforded shelter to 
 the tories who acted as spies and informers to the enemy, he 
 burned it.* On the ridge a little below the town, he had a 
 slight skirmish with the Indians, and about three miles 
 
 *So says Sherman Day, on what authority I do not know — other accounts will be 
 given. 
 
60 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 beyond, on the hills just above the lower border of the county 
 he had a pretty sharp encounter with them. In this engage- 
 ment, the savages who had been hovering over his path all the 
 way from Tioga, and who outnumbered his little force by 
 four or five to one, made a furious onset. Being met with 
 great skill, courage and coolness, they abandoned the attack 
 and allowed him to pursue the remainder of his journey 
 unmolested. 
 
 The next year, 1779, General Sullivan, on his famous 
 expedition into the Indian country, arrived at Wyalusing on 
 the 5th of August, and his army encamped here. At the 
 encampment of the night before, on Vanderlip's farm, at 
 Black Walnut, a man was left sick, and the next day a party 
 sent back found him dead. The same night a sergeant from 
 the New Jersey troops died suddenly, and both were buried 
 near the old Kingsley house. The army remained here until 
 the 8th. From Lieutenant Colonel Hubley's journal of the 
 campaign is the following paragraph referring to Wyalusing : 
 " This valley was formerly called Old-man's farm, occupied by 
 the Indians and white people ; together, they had about sixty 
 houses, a considerable Moravian meeting house, and sundry 
 other public buildings ; but since the commencement of the 
 present war the whole has been consumed and laid waste, 
 partly by the savages and partly by our own people. The 
 land is extraordinarily calculated chiefly for meadows. The 
 grass at this time is almost beyond description, high* and 
 thick, chiefly blue grass, and the soil of the land very rich. 
 The valley contains about 1200 acres of land, bounded on one 
 side by an almost inaccessible mountain, and on the other by 
 theriver Susquehanna." The following is an extract from the 
 journal of Thomas Grant, who was also with the expedition ; 
 
 *Anothei' account says as higb as a man's beadi 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 61 
 
 " Marched this day nine and one-half miles to Wiahusing, a 
 noted Indian town settled by Moravian Indians who professed 
 Christianity. * * This town and the land adjacent formerly 
 belonged to an Indian chief by the name of Joab Chilaway, 
 which in this present contest and before has behaved friendly. 
 This place is at present laid waste partly by our own people 
 and the Indians ; not the appearance of a house to be seen, 
 but the soyle exceedingly fine, abounding with the finest 
 grass I ever saw in a wild country, chiefly blue grass and 
 clover." Grant adds the place of the encampment was one 
 and a fourth miles above the old Indian town, on the gravelly 
 ridge on which the Presbyterian church now stands. In 
 ascending the hill above Wyalusing, the advance guard fell in 
 with a party of Indians lying in ambnsh, in which several 
 were wounded, but the Indians dispersed after the first fire, i 
 
 CHAPTER II.— 1T80-1786. 
 
 The valley of the North Branch originally formed a part 
 of Northampton county, but subsequently it was set off to 
 Northumberland, and in 1780 the township of Wyalusing was 
 erected. As then described, it was bounded on the north and 
 south by parallel lines running due east and west, the former 
 crossing the river at Standing Stone, the latter at the mouth 
 of the Meshoppen Creek, its eastern boundary being the east 
 line of Susquehanna county, and its western limit the head 
 waters of Towanda Cr«ek. The organization of the township 
 did not take place until some time after. Luzerne county 
 
62 GENERAL HISTOET. 
 
 limits of the new county were, beginning at the mouth of 
 was erected by Act of Assembly, September 25, 1786. The 
 Ne'scopeck Creek, and running along the south bank thereof 
 eastward to the head of said creek ; thence a due east course 
 to the head branch of Lehigh Creek ; then along the east 
 bank of Lehigh Creek to the head thereof ; thence a due 
 north course to the northern boundary of the State, thence 
 along said boundary fifteen miles west of the Susquehanna 
 river ; thence by a straight line to the head of Towanda 
 Creek, then along the divide of the two branches of the river 
 to a point due west from the mouth of the Nescopeck Creek ; 
 thence east to the place of beginning. Wyalusing was one 
 of the eleven townships of which the new county was com- 
 posed, its northern and its southern boundaries remaining 
 unchanged, those on the east and on the west being the limits 
 of the county. The townships of the Susquehanna company 
 were never recognized by the Pennsylvania Government as 
 political divisions, but township and county lines were run 
 without any regard to them whatever. Under the compro- 
 mise acts by which disputed titles of land were settled, 
 seventeen of the company's towns lying in Luzerne county, 
 were known as " certified townships," as describing the terri- 
 tory where those acts applied, and determining the lines of 
 certain surveys, otherwise they were in no way recognized by 
 the authority of the State. 
 
 The country having become in a measure quieted from the 
 effects of the late war, and no further danger being appre- 
 hended from the incursions of the Indians, the old settlers 
 began to come back and new ones to flock in. Among the 
 first of these was Thomas Brown, who came up and occupied 
 a clearing on Sugar Run Creek, nearly a half a mile from the 
 river. The Browns are mentioned among the earliest New 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 63 
 
 England families. Thomas was a native of Rhode Island, but 
 removed to Quaker Hill, Duchess county, N.Y., where his 
 son Daniel was born, of whom mention has been made before. 
 In 1776 the family came into the "Wyoming valley, and 
 settled in Pittston. Here they built a stockade on their own 
 land, which was called Brown's Fort. About the time of the 
 descent of the Indians to the valley, Mrs. Brown received an 
 intimation of the danger from a friendly squaw, and with her 
 smaller children retired to the mountains; the older ones 
 remained for the defence of the place. In that far-famed 
 battle, Thomas a brother, and John a half brother of Daniel, 
 (who then but a mere lad, was in the Forty Fort) were slain . 
 Thomas in the retreat had nearly crossed the river, when 
 overtaken by the enemy, he was forced to return, and on 
 reaching the shore, was instantly speared and tomahawked. 
 
 In 1780 they came up the river in a canoe and brought one 
 cow with them. They remained on the Sugar Run until 
 about 1787-8 when Joseph Ingham purchaSjOd their possession 
 and the family moved into Browntown. He was the father 
 of a large family, many of whom were sons who by marriage 
 became connected with several of the old families here. Thomas 
 Brown died in 1791 at a good old age, and was among the first 
 buried in the beautiful cemetery at Wyalusing, where the 
 winds waft through the old pines that overshadow those hal- 
 lowed grounds, unceasing requiems for the dead. The first 
 person buried there was a raftman named George March, who 
 was drowned in the Susquehanna, in the spring of 1790. 
 The stone of Mr. Brown bears the oldest date of any in the 
 cemetery. 
 
 The same year that Mr. Brown died, 1791, Mr. Richard 
 Vaughan was buried in Wyalusing. He was born in 1754, and 
 with two brothers came from New York State and settled on 
 
64 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 the Lackawanna. He served in the American army during 
 the Revolutionary war, being Quartermaster a part of the 
 time. In 1785-6 he came to Laoeyville and purchased a 
 tract of 400 acres of land, what was afterward known as the 
 Avery place. The family came to Rummerfield the year 
 after his death. All of them however left this region, except 
 his son Elias, who was commissioned postmaster in 1811, and 
 retained the office for a number of years. Afterward he 
 removed to Vaughan Hill, where his sons now reside. He 
 married Sarah Abbott, March 6, 1807, and died November 
 1865 in the 83d year of his age. He was prudent and indus- 
 trious in business, kind and hospitable as a neighbor, and 
 maintained an unblemished character for integrity and 
 uprightness. 
 
 The old burying ground has received many accessions since 
 the time above mentioned, and while we naturally pause at 
 the mound beneath which lie the ashes of those whom we 
 have known and loved in their lives, yet who does not like to 
 linger around the ruder memorials of the fathers, decipher the 
 uncouth characters, now moss-covered and nearly obliterated, 
 in which the hand of affection the best way it could, sought to 
 perpetuate the names of the toil - worn veterans, in our 
 country's early history. 
 
 Very soon after the Browns came up the river, Mr. Kings- 
 ley returned to his old home and Amos Ackley, Richard Ben- 
 nett and Judah Benjamin made possessions north of the 
 creek, (about 1782).* Previous to this the settlers had all 
 clustered around the cultivated lands of the Moravians, most 
 of the houses having been built along a path, which through 
 Browntown followed pretty nearly the course of the canal, 
 
 ♦TUeymust have been here previouB to 1783, as Major Gaylorcl who bought their pos- 
 seBsionSi.held under Connecticut title. 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 65 
 
 ran through the old Indian town, along the ridge back of the 
 house of John Stalford, and thenee along the west slope of 
 the ridge, to near the creek. As the settlers came in after 
 the war, they began to take up land along thp creek, so that in 
 1795 we find families living four and five miles above the 
 forks of the Wyalusing, Benjamin built a house near the one 
 recently occupied by G. W Jackson. Ho moved from here 
 into Pike township. Akely lived fifty or sixty rods farther up 
 the creek, just at the bottom of the hill, beside the old mill- 
 race. He removed to Durell Creek, where many of his 
 decendents now live. Bennett's house was a few rods in 
 the rear of Bascom Taylor's lower barn. He built a little 
 mill on a small stream, which empties into the Wyalusing 
 near the road that crosses the creek to Stalford's saw- 
 mill. This mill must have been a small affair, as the tradi- 
 tion of it has been remembered by only one or two persons 
 whom I have talked with. When it was built cannot now be 
 known with certainty. In a survey of roads made in 1790, 
 it is mentioned as one of the points to which the survey was 
 referred. It is said the mill would grind three bushels of 
 samp meal in a day. This was doubtless the first mill in the 
 township if not in the county. Mr. Bennett afterward moved 
 up the river to a point nearly opposite William Storrs, called 
 Bennett's Eddy. 
 
 Isaac Hancock returned to Wyalusing about 1785. He 
 had been here for a time previous to the Revolution, as it was 
 here that his third daughter, Polly who was married to Eze- 
 kiel Brown, was born, September 10, 1777. This is the second 
 white child born in Wyalusing of which there is any record 
 — a son of Amos York, who died in infancy, being the first. 
 Mr. Hancock was born at Valley Forge, Montgomery county, 
 in 1740. During the troubles here he retired to the more 
 thickly settled part of the country. After he came here the 
 
66 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 second time, ho built a house on the point of the ridge, a few 
 rods west of the Sugar Run Feri'y road, which was known as 
 Hancock's Tavern, and though not very commodious in its 
 accommodations, nor stylish in the character of its entertain- 
 ments ; yet its log walls and roof of unshaved shingles afford- 
 ed greatful shelter to many a weary adventurer, and its stores 
 of New England rum and corn whisky were the occasion of 
 many a round of boisterous mirth, and perhaps sometimes of 
 more unpleasant encounters. Mr. Hancock was the first 
 Justice of the Peace in the township, and held the office until 
 about 1802, at which time he moved farther up the Wyalu- 
 smg, where he died March 2, 1820. His daughter, Nancy 
 Brink, is still living at New Milford, Susquehanna county, 
 and though nearly eighty-six years of age, distinctly remem- 
 bers many of the events of that early day. 
 
 About the same time the York family returned to their old 
 home. Their house though standing, was considerably dilap- 
 adated, their fences were decayed and their clearings covered 
 with bushes. During their eight years absence, things had 
 remained very nearly as they left them, except what had 
 resillted from the want of care and labor, even the stick of 
 wood which Mrs. York's son was chopping when he saw the 
 Indians coming with his father, lay upon the ground just as 
 he left it. A less spirited and earnest woman under such 
 circumstances and surrounded by such painful associations, 
 would have given up all hope and sat down in despair. But 
 her son, who had now become a young man, meeting his 
 responsibilities with manly courage, and aided by his mother's 
 counsel, with great energy set about repairing the injury their 
 farm had sustained during their absence, and his labors were 
 attended with so much success that he was able in a short 
 time to place the family beyond the reach qf want, 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 67 
 
 Justus Gaylord, Jr., came to Wyalusing in company mth 
 the Yorks, and occupied the land purchased by his father or 
 himself before the war, where he remained for a year or two, 
 when he purchased the possessions of Benjamin, Akely, and 
 Bennett and moved into the Benjamin house, where he lived 
 for several years. While living here, there came along a 
 stranger one day, who fed his horse near Mr. Gaylord's house. 
 After a while a new and showy flower bloomed upon the spot, 
 which the family allowed to remain for its novelty, but in a 
 few years, from this single seed, the ox-eye daisy had spread 
 over every man's farm in the country. Mr. Gaylord was one 
 of the most prominent men in this little community. He was 
 watchful for its interests and active in promoting its prosper- 
 ity, and was frequently honored by his neighbors with ofiiees 
 of trust if not of profit. Intelligent, of good judgment 
 and of unswerving integrity, his counsel was sought in every 
 matter of difficulty, and his aid solicited for every enterprise. 
 As illustrating the respect in which he was held, the following 
 from Miner's History may not be unappropriate ; 
 
 " In 1806 Justus Gaylord, Jr., was on the, ticket for Assem- 
 bly. Luzerne then embraced Wyoming, Susquehanna and 
 Bradford, except the Tioga district set off to Lycoming.* 
 The vote stood — Justus Gaylord, Jr., 333 ; Justus Gaylord, 
 38 ; total, 371 ; Moses Coolbaugh, 854, so that if the votes 
 given without the Jr. were added to his list, (his father being 
 a very old man and not a candidate,) he was chosen. But 
 the place had not charm enough to induce the old soldier to 
 contest the election, and Mr. Coolbaugh took the seat. The 
 incident is mentioned to shjw the respect in which he was 
 
 *TMs included the northern part of Bradford county and wa6 done to keep John Frank- 
 lin out of the Legislature, by depriving him of the vote of his friends in the lower part 
 of the valley. The plan did not succeed, for even Lycoming sent the old veteran to rep- 
 resent her, and the very next year after the dismemberment of Luzerne had been effected, 
 those who had brought it absnt, had the mortification to find Franklin in his old seat. 
 
68 GENERAL HISTOKY. 
 
 held, as well as to show that less than 400 votes chose a 
 member of Assembly." He wa.s a liberal patron of education, 
 the first school in Wyalusiiig being taught in his house, the 
 friend of peace and good order, a lover of hospitality, whose 
 house was ever open to the traveler and his table spread for 
 the hungry. He was on the first traverse jury that ever sat 
 in Luzerne county, March 1788. Before this no trials were 
 had on account of the troubles groiving out of land titles and 
 the arrest of John Franklin. He and Joseph Elliott were on 
 the Grand Jury in Septemberof the same year. 
 
 Joseph Elliott was also one of the settlers of 1785. Born 
 in Stonington, Conn., October 10, 1755, he, with his father's 
 family, removed first to Orange county, N. Y., and then to 
 Pittston, Pa., in 1776. He was in the company of eighty 
 men, who, under the command of Col. Dorance, ascended the 
 river as far as Sheshequin in 1777. Query : Was this the 
 party who captured the settlers under Pennsylvania title, at 
 Wyalusing, referred to in the letter of Patterson ? All the 
 circumstances that we know, point to an afiirmative answer. It 
 was a few months after the capture of Mr. York, who was 
 taken off at the connivance of the Pennsylvanians here ; we 
 know that the conduct of these people had been such as to 
 awaken grave suspicions in the minds of the Whigs both at 
 Wyalusing and Wyoming — and then, this is the only detatch- 
 ment of sufficient force, to capture so many, sent up here pre- 
 vious to the battle. Be the object what it may, this was El- 
 liott's first active military service. At the battle of Wyoming 
 he was a member of the company under Capt. James Bidlack, 
 Jr., which consisted of thirty-eight men, and occupied the 
 right in the line of battle. The enemy having turned the left 
 wing, poured their overwhelming force upon the right, which 
 was nearly surrounded and many were captured, among whom 
 was Elliott. Stripped and led to the " Bloody Rock," with 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 69 
 
 other captives, they were arrayed in a circle, and the work of 
 butchery began. Six or seven having been murdered, one 
 Thomas Fuller, a young man, shook off his guards and sprang 
 to escape, but was almost instantly overtaken and tomahawk- 
 ed. The attention of the Indians being diverted to the strug- 
 gle, Elliott and Hammond, at the same instant, broke loose 
 from their captors and fled, Hammond to the mountains, and 
 Elliott to the river. He was pursued by several of the sava- 
 ges, but succeeded in making his escape. When nearly across 
 the river he was wounded in the left shoulder. Secreting him- 
 self until dark, he made his way to Wilkes-Barre Fort, where 
 Dr. Smith dressed his wound. The next morning he was 
 placed in a canoe, accompanied by his wife and a boy, who 
 took him to Catawissa. After partial recovery at this place, 
 he passed on foot to the Delaware, and thence to the Never- 
 sink bottoms. 
 
 No sooner had he recovered from his wound, than he again 
 entered the service. On Sullivan's advance into the Indian 
 country, a line of expresses was established to connect with 
 Wyoming. John Carey and Joseph Elliott were selected for 
 that duty. In this arduous undertaking, he was exposed to 
 great hardships — drenched with rain, out by night and by day, 
 sleeping in the woods when sleep he could, sometimes hungry 
 and often cold, after eighty days' service he wa.s taken sick 
 and barely recovered. 
 
 April 7, 1782, a party of Indians rushed into the house of 
 Lieut. Roswell Franklin, in Hanover settlement, captured his 
 wife and four remaining children, one an infant, (two sons had 
 been captured the September previous,) burned his buildings, 
 and started up the river. Several parties set off in instant 
 pursuit. One of these consisting of eight persons, were led 
 on by Thomas Baldwin, Joseph Elliott Deing second in com- 
 mand. The names of the others were John Swift, Oliver Ben- 
 
70 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 nett, Watson Baldwin, Cook, Dudley ; the name of 
 
 the other I cannot learn. On reaching the Wyalusing they 
 became satisfied that they had outstripped the savages, but 
 went on to gain a more favorable position, which was a narrow 
 defile, on the Frenchtown hill, in Wyalusing township, between 
 the former residence of Hon. J. F. Chamberlain and the river. 
 Here forming a miniature line of battle, and uncertain of the 
 strength of their foe, they awaited his approach. Swift had 
 gone out in pursuit of game for their breakfast. About nine 
 o'clock in the morning an Indian was seen stealthly advanc- 
 ing along the path, when at a signal, twelve more armed to 
 the teeth advanced, having with them Mrs. Franklin and her 
 children. The parties thus stood thirteen against seven. 
 
 Dudley, who first discovered the enemy, had the first fire, 
 and the foremost savage fell. The mother and her children 
 were forced to lie down behind the trunk of a fallen tree, and 
 were threatened with instant death if they attempted to escape. 
 Then commenced the conflict, a fiercer than which, for the 
 numbers engaged, has not its parallel in the annals of modern 
 warfare. The yells of the savages, the shouts of the whites, 
 the rattle of musketry made hideous music in that wild forest. 
 Dudley had been wounded in the hand in the act of reload- 
 ing his piece, but remained at his post. After firing for some 
 time, the Indians attempted to break through the line which 
 our men formed, but were repulsed, two more of their number 
 having been killed and one wounded, whereupon the victors 
 raised such a shout that Mrs. Franklin could not refrain from 
 raising her head, when the wounded savage shot her dead. 
 Elliott burning with indignation at the brutal act, determined 
 to avenge her death. Taking the range of a large tree in 
 front of him at the foot of which was the prostrate trunk of 
 another, he secured a favorable position, and the Indian soon 
 raising his head above bis covert, was shot in the throat. 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 71 
 
 Swift came up about two o'clock in the afternoon, and was 
 admonished by Dudley to seek the shelter of a tree, to which 
 he replied with an oath, that having chased the rascals for 
 seventy miles he now wanted to get sight of them. His wish 
 was soon gratified, for an Indian peered out from behind a 
 tree to see what Swift was doing, when the intrepid fellow 
 shot the savage through the head, and instead of stopping to 
 reload, seized his tomahawk, ran up to the fallen Indian, rent 
 off his scalp, and with a shout called to his companions to 
 come on. 
 
 Our men were already so near where Mrs. Franklin lay, 
 tha't the children knew their voices, and the two girls and boy 
 crept through the bushes to where Mr. Elliott was, and were 
 rescued. The Indians alarmed at the reckless manner of 
 Swift, the leader of the band caught up the infant and placing 
 it upon his shoulder, fled. The fate of the little one was 
 never known. 
 
 This engagement is the only one of any importance, which 
 in modern times, occurred within the limits of the township, 
 for this reason the account has been given with considerable 
 minuteness. It is true the fate of an empire did not hang on 
 the result of the combat, but the lives of the family of a com- 
 panion in arms was the prize of the contest, and nobly was it 
 won. For five hours the conflict raged, during which the 
 rescuers exhibited the most daring valor, unflinching courage, 
 consumate skill and untiring patience. The casualties were 
 Dudley wounded in the hand and Baldwin in the arm, five of 
 the Indians killed and one wounded. Mrs. Franklin was 
 hurried as decently as circumstances would permit, when the 
 party made a raft and hastened home with their prize. 
 
 When Mr. Elliott came to Wyalusing, he brought his aged 
 parents with him, whom he cared for with unremitting kindness 
 
72 GENERAL HISTOKY. 
 
 until their death. About 1792 he moved to Merryall where 
 he d,ied March 29, 1849. He was said to have been the last 
 survivor engaged in the battle of Wyoming. Mr. Elliott was 
 twice married. His first wife was a daughter of Thomas 
 Brown ; she having died, he married a daughter of Thomas 
 Lewis, October 18, 1787. He is remembered as a kind 
 hearted and benevolent neighbor, one whose family affections 
 were strong and of the tenderest kind. Mr. Miner says of 
 him: "His habits have been simple, his life virtuous, his 
 conduct in war as meritorious as fidelity and bravery could 
 render it." His services were not forgotten by the Republic, 
 which gave him a pension of $65 per year in his old age. 
 
 These early settlers were are all poor. With perhaps one 
 or two exceptions, they were in the Wyoming valley during 
 the Revolutionary war and had been stripped of everything, 
 and had sufi'ered everything but death. Timothy Pickering, 
 who is well known to every reader of our early history, passed 
 up the Susquehanna in 1784. In his account of this trip he 
 says " We were under the necessity of passing through the 
 Wyoming settlements from Nescopeck to Tioga. The inhabi- 
 tants from the causes before mentioned, (the Indian depreda- 
 tions) were universally poor, and their stock of cattle small 
 and inadequate to the common purposes of husbandry. 
 From Nescopeck to Tioga, a distance of one hundred and 
 twenty miles, we tasted bread but* once." For several years, 
 corn coarsly broken in their samp mortars, and venison formed 
 almost exclusively their only articles of diet. We, accustomed 
 to the abundance and luxuries of our ordinary living, can 
 hardly realize the picture which these few lines present, or 
 the changes which in less than a century have been produced. 
 
 It will be remembered that the first settlements were on 
 the river flats and therefore were exposed to the freshets 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 73 
 
 which frequently happen. In the ice flood of 1784 these flats 
 were covered with water, but comparatively little damage was 
 done ; but in October, 1789, the river rose rapidly to a hight 
 greater thaiji ever was known before, and occasioned great 
 loss. The hay was gathered and much of it was in stacks, 
 the corn was in the shock, the cattle were feeding in the 
 meadows, and the flood swept all before it. The fruit of the 
 summer's toil the hope of the winter's sustenance was borne 
 off in triumph by the turbulent waters, and in consequence no 
 little suffering ensued. Those who escaped however, shared 
 their store with true fraternal generosity with others less for- 
 tunate, and the next season these hardy pioneers commenced 
 their labors with renewed courage. This has been known as 
 the Pumpkin Freshet from the great quantities that floated 
 down the river. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 From the Organization of Luzerne County to the 
 Assessment in the Township. 1787-1795. 
 
 The controversies which had agitated Pennsylvania and 
 Connecticut prior to the revolution, respecting the jurisdiction 
 and right of soil to the Susquehanna purchase, had, in a great 
 measure, been held in abeyance from the battle of Wyoming 
 until the Trenton decree, which confirmed to Pennsylvania 
 jurisdiction over the disputed territory. While all parties 
 professed a willingness to submit to this decision, yet the 
 question of title to lands in actual occupancy before this 
 decree, was an open one. For the next three years the con- 
 
7-4 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 duct of Pennsylvania towards the Connecticut settlers was so 
 vacillating as to excite the disgust of all right minded men, 
 'both in and out of the Commonwealth. Laws passed one 
 session of the Legislature for quieting the settlement, were 
 repealed the next, so that the distressed people of the whole 
 Susquehanna valley lost all confidence in the integrity of the 
 State, whose laws they professed to be willing to obey. And 
 then the ofiBcers to whom the execution of these laws were 
 committed, were cruel and vindictive in the exercise of their 
 authority. Men who had perilled their lives in the defence of 
 the country during the war, were, by them, arrested as in- 
 truders and trespassers, and sent to jail. Neither age, char- 
 acter, honorable service, sex nor condition was spared. To 
 such an extent were these measures carried, that people in all 
 parts of the State began to remonstrate with the authorities ; 
 the Legislature was rebuked by the censors, and some of their 
 appointees in Wyoming were indicted by the grand jury of 
 Northumberland. In the meanwhile, the energies of the 
 Susquehanna company, which had been parallized by the 
 decision at Trenton, were now aroused, and some of the 
 leading men of New England, under the leadership of Col. 
 John Franklin, were determined, as a last resort, to set up an 
 independent State government on the disputed territory. To 
 this end half shares in the townships, that is, about one 
 hundred and fifty acres, were oifered gratis, to any who would 
 occupy them and defend the company's rights. A multitude 
 of restless, and in many instances, reckless spirits seized upon 
 the offer, and in a few months from the early part of 1786 the 
 tide of emigration to the purchase was greater than it had been 
 before. These were, for the most part, a very different class 
 of men from the original settlers. Many of them had been 
 soldiers in the Revolutionary war, were men without families,and 
 not unfrequently, without character or morals, and were known 
 
(3ENEKAL filSTORf. 75 
 
 as wild Yankees or half share men. To these lands were 
 assigned all along the river townships ; and consequently, at 
 the time at which our chapter opens, there was an almost con- 
 stant stream of new comers passing through Wyalusing for the 
 purpose of locating their shares. The most of these proved 
 to be mere temporary residents, who soon left the country, and 
 consequently their names and history, so far as connected with 
 this township, has been forgotten. But for all this, they played 
 an important part in the events then transpiring, and in the 
 subsequent history of the whole valley. These operations and 
 purposes of the Susquehanna company were not unobserved 
 by the people of Pennsylvania. The Legislature became 
 alarmed at the consequences of its own rashness. Interested 
 landholders, who had manipulated the legislation of the State, 
 were made to stand aside for wiser heads and ,more peacable 
 counsels. Timothy Pickering, a native of Massachusetts, and 
 a distinguished lawyer, was requested to visit Wyoming and 
 examine into its condition, and discover the sentiments of the 
 more moderate and influential class of its citizens. The result 
 was, that the county of Luzerne, embracing the whole 
 territory occupied by the Connecticut people, was established 
 and organized on the 27th of May 1787, by the appointment 
 of James Nesbitt, Obadiah Gore, Nathan Kingsley, Benjamin 
 Carpenter, Matthias Hollenback and William Hooker Smith, 
 justices of the Court of Common Pleas, and Pickering, Prothon- 
 otary, Register, Recorder and Clerk of the Court, as provided 
 under the old Constitution. By this act, and another which 
 was subsequently passed for quieting the settlers in their pos- 
 sessions, the plans of Franklin and his party were thwarted, 
 and the endless troubles which must have grown out of their 
 proposed project for a new State, were happily obviated. 
 During the period embraced in this chapter there was also 
 
1 6 tiENERAL ■ aiSTO&t; 
 
 much shifting of property ; and speculation in land, was-, to & 
 great extent, the order of the day. This grew out of the state 
 of society here at that time. Persons had obtained the Con- 
 necticut title for their lands, made some improvment on them, 
 and then finding that their titles were insecure, and becoming 
 discouraged by the obstacles which must be overcome, and 
 many being without families, they either abandoned their pos- 
 sessions or sold them for what they could get and removed 
 beyond the contested territory. Others finding tracts better 
 suited to their wants, sold out their first settlement and took 
 title elsewhere. Some of these changes will be noted in their 
 proper place. Notwithstanding these civil commotions, tran- 
 sient settlers and frequent removals, the improvement of the 
 country and the developement of its resources were more rapid 
 than ever before. At first the people all clustered about the 
 old Indian town, and occupied scarcely any ground beyond 
 the plantations annexed to it; and at the close of the last chapter 
 we find every house either on those grounds or in sight of them. 
 There had been but little, if any, encroachment made upon the 
 wilderness. Each settler occupied his small farm, as large 
 perhaps as he then had the means to cultivate, but not large 
 enough to meet the prospective wants of his family. Accord- 
 ingly a more expansive policy began to be adopted ; larger 
 farms were purchased, and the new settlers located themselves 
 at favorable points farther up the river and along the Wyalus- 
 ing creek. Also the great pumpkin flood, the destructioa 
 which attended it, and the suffering which followed it, made 
 the people fearful of depending upon the river flats exclusively 
 for their supplies. Accordingly new openings began to be 
 made in the forests, new houses to be built, and new soil to be 
 put under cultivation. Owing to the great scarcity and infe- 
 rior character of their agricultural implements, the small 
 number of laborers and the iaability of most of the settlers to 
 
GskEfeAL Distort i 77 
 
 hire them, the clearing and cultivation was very different from 
 that which now prevails. The great object of the new comer 
 was to provide for the immediate necessities of his family. As 
 many trees were felled as possible, others were barked, and as 
 soon as the leaves were dry a fire was kindled in the thick 
 boughs of the fallen trees, which so completely consumed the 
 underbrush and the smaller limbs of the girdled trees, and left 
 the soil so light that the ground was ready for planting or 
 sowing without any further preparation than removing the 
 partially consumed trunks of the fallen trees. To do this work 
 the settler not unfrequently invited the assistance of his 
 neighbors, who, with their oxen soon removed the logs and 
 placed his fallow in the ordinary state of cultivation. At these 
 "logging bees " the hard labor was often interspersed with the 
 telling of stories, running, jumping, wrestling, to say nothing 
 of the rougher sports among the younger ones, at which, stimu- 
 lated by the ordinary emulation amongst young men, and by 
 sundry draughts from the never missing demijohn, they put 
 forth their best efforts in these athletic sports. The old men 
 relate with great glee, many amusing incidents which attended 
 these neighborly gatherings in the new settlement. 
 
 Among the permanent settlers of this year (1787), was 
 Thomas Lewis. He was from New London, Connecticut, 
 where he was born, April 11, 1745, the eldest of four children. 
 May 20, 1768, he ra-arried Mary Turrel, of whom mention was 
 made in the historical discourse. He served for some time as 
 a soldier in the war of the Revolution, was engaged in the 
 battle of Ticonderoga, and was in the army that invaded 
 Canada; but his term of enlistment having expired before 
 reaching Quebec, he, with others returned home. In May 
 1787 he came to Wyalusing and lived near the place occupied 
 by Lieutenant Wells previous to the Revolution. In June of 
 
7 
 
 8 GENERAL HISTOE?. 
 
 the same year, his daughter was married to Amasa Wells, and 
 in the August following, Justus, the only survivor of his 
 children, was born. The next year, 1788, he moved his family 
 four miles up the Wyalusing on a tract purchased of Warum 
 Kingsley, and named his settlement Merryall, in memory of 
 his old home in Connecticut ; where he died in February 1810. 
 Mr. Lewis may justly be called the pioneer on the Wyalusing, 
 as he was the first to bring his family and make himself a 
 home so far in the wilderness. His life, though possessing but 
 few incidents differing from many others, was spent in the hard 
 toil and peaceful pursuits of agriculture, and in the enjoyment 
 of the quiet and peace of his own family, to whom he left a 
 name of unblemished integrity and uprightness. 
 
 Reuben, Amasa and Guy, sons of Lieutenant James Wells, 
 came to Wyalusing in the same boat which brought up the 
 Lewis family, and occupied the place held by their father 
 previous to the Revolution. Reuben, of whom mention has 
 been made in another place, moved up the Wyalusing next 
 below Mr. Lewis, whence he removed to Bridewater, Susque- 
 hanna County, where be died at a very advanced age. Amasa 
 moved on the place afteward owned by Elijah Camp, where he 
 lived until 1817, when he removed neir LeRaysville, where he 
 died in 1836, at the age of 71 years. He was a man held in 
 high esteem for his many virtues and christian character. 
 Under the old militia law he' was made a Major and performed 
 his duties acceptably. 
 
 Guy Wells was born in New London, Connecticut, the old 
 home of the Wells family, in 1766, and in 1790 was married 
 to Elizabeth, daughter of Perrin Ross, who was killed in the 
 battle of Wyoming. Mr. Wells moved up the Wyalusing and 
 built the house afterward occupied by Elisha Lewis, where he 
 died in 1828. About the year 1800, the townships of Brain- 
 
flBNEKAL HISTORY. 79 
 
 trim and Wyalusing were united in one election district, and 
 Guy Wells was chosen justice of the peace. He continued to 
 hold the office until 1825, so that he well earned the title esquire, 
 by which he was designated, and left an honorable testimony 
 to his character for judgment and integrity as well as to the 
 respect in which he was held by the people of his neighborhood. 
 David Shoemaker and Thomas Wigton, brothers-in-law to 
 Major Gaylord, were among the settlers of this period, the 
 former living at Porterville and the latter on the farm now oc- 
 cupied by Seth Homet. Whether Mr. Wigton resided here 
 before the Revolutionary war is uncertain, but as he was one of 
 the original proprietors of Springfield, it is probable that he 
 was here among the first settlers. Ho was quite a speculator 
 in lands under the Connecticut title, a school teacher for some 
 time, and engaged in various enterprises, none of which, how- 
 ever, resulted in any very great pecuniary benefit to him. 
 
 In the latter part of this year, 1787, John Franklin was 
 arrested for high treason, on account of the active measures in 
 which he was engaged to organize a new State out of the Sus- 
 quehanna company's purchase; and the next year Timothy 
 Pickering was taken by the friends of Franklin and for some 
 time held by them as a hostage for the release of their leader. 
 The excitement and disturbances which grew out of these vio- 
 lent proceedings had a tendency to check emigration to the 
 upper part of the valley and so interfered with the domestic 
 tranquility of the people that no trials were attempted at the 
 sessions of the Court for the first terms of this year. The only 
 business of which there is record is the appointment of officers 
 and dividing the county into election districts. Oliver Dodge 
 was made constable, and Elijah Buck and Isaac Hancock over- 
 seers of the poor. The first election district extended from 
 the State line to where the road crosses Roswell Franklin's 
 
80 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 sa-w-mill creek, in Wysox ; the seoond to the mouth of the 
 Wyalusing ; the third to Tagues creek, and each of them ex- 
 tended east and west across the county. It will be observed 
 that by this arrangement the settlement of Wyalusing was cut 
 in two, much to the inconvenience of the people. At the 
 September term of the Court, Wyalusing was represented by 
 Justus Gaylord and Joseph Elliott on the gra.nd jury, and at 
 this same term the commission was appointed to lay out all 
 necessary roads in Springfield township. 
 
 Jonas Ingham, who was the first settler on the Wyalusing 
 above the Lewises, was born in Bucks county in 1746, of 
 Quaker parentage, and by trade a clothier. In 1777 and 1778 
 he was in active service as a militia man ; first as Lieutenant, 
 then as Captain. In his journal, from which I shall quote at 
 some length, he says : " During the months of November, 
 December and January, we sufi"ered much with cold, lying out 
 of doors on the ground the whole time, with nothing to cover 
 us, but each of us a single blanket. I was at the battle called 
 the Gulph Mills, and so afraid of being called a coward, that I 
 was among the last left on the battle ground ; and I was very 
 near being taken prisoner." He remained in Bucks county 
 for some time after the war, but in 1789 he determined to 
 change his residence. His journal says : " I traveled north- 
 ward toward Wyoming, that had lately been esteemed a hostile 
 Indian country, and noted for the wars between Connecticut 
 and Pennsylvania. Wyoming then was but thinly inhabited, 
 the land along the river flat, wide and extensive, and very 
 rich. I traveled up the Susquehanna, following the course of 
 the river — found it had been traveled very little, hardly 
 a plain track, and this very crooked and hard to follow — quite 
 impassable for more than a man and a single horse. Along 
 the edges of the precipices, next the river, and other places I 
 
GENERAL HISTOUY. 81 
 
 had to ascend and descend from one ledge of rocks to another 
 some feet perpendicular, at a great height from the water, and 
 in some places exceedingly dangerous. The habitations of man 
 were very few, and the inhabitants instead of being glad to 
 converse with strangers or travelers, would hardly speak to 
 them. When I would ask them concerning the way they 
 would hardly give me an answer. The chief they would say : 
 ' Take any road, you can't miss the way.' I had occasion to 
 lodge three nights among these kind of people before I reach- 
 ed Wyalusing. When I arrived at Wyalusing I saw the re- 
 mains of an old Indian settlement, and but few habitations of 
 the present settlers, although there were more than 1 saw." 
 Remaining at Wyalusing over night he went six miles up the 
 creek "through very thick woods,to where there were signs of an 
 Indian improvement and a hunter's cabin." This tract he took 
 up and thought to hold under the confirming law,* Out that 
 law being soon repealed, left him without title ; he then took 
 out a Connecticut title, thinking this better than none. He 
 says, " I took possession of the hunter's cabin and lived in it 
 the greatest part of five or six summers from 1789-1795. The 
 nearest house to me was three miles, (that of Mr. Lewis) where 
 I went to get victuals." " After the repeal of the confirming 
 law, the settling of land under Pennsylvania title was little 
 thought of, and the inhabitants had frequent meetings. At 
 Tioga Point, at one of them, I expressed myself with so much 
 spirit on the subject of the repeal of the confirming law, that 
 they saw fit to choose me one of their directors. After this 
 I was requested to deliver a discourse on the Fourth of July, 
 (1801) to include this subject. The discourse I delivered 
 
 * The confirming law pssaed March 28, 1788, provided "That all the said rights or lots 
 now lying in the county of Luzerne, which were occupied or acquired by Connecticut 
 claimenta who were actual settleria there at or before the termination of the claim of the 
 State of Connecticut by the [Trenton] decree, aforesaid, and which rights or lots were par- 
 ticularly assigned to the said settlers prior to the said decree, agreeable to the regulations 
 then in force among them, be and they are hereby confirmed to them and their heirs and 
 assigns." This law was repealed April 1, 1790. 
 
82 GENERAL HISTOKY. 
 
 pleased the people very much, who were now settling under 
 Connecticut title, and the Legislature of Pennsylvania was 
 passing very severe laws against them, as the Intrusion laws 
 and Territorial act, and the people were very much harrassed 
 by them." 
 
 In 1804 he was chosen, as he says, very unexpectedly to 
 himself, to represent Luzerne county in the State Legislature, 
 and through his eiforts the obnoxous laws above referred to, 
 were repealed. The next year the whole 'settlement was 
 thrown into a ferment by an ejectment suit being brought 
 against Mr. Ingham, which was finally terminated by purchas- 
 ing the Pennsylvania title. The n6xt year after, (1806) as 
 Mr. Robinson, a well-known surveyor, was tracing the Dundee 
 Manor line, some of the people near Camptown fearing that 
 this was done to dispossess them of their lands, determined to 
 stop the survey. Hero we will let Mr. Ingham tell the story : 
 " The inhabitants in the settlement were all of them very 
 averse to any surveys being made, for fear of ejectments, and 
 thereby furnishing the means for land owners to prove their 
 rights. Some of them queried with me what kind of opposit- 
 ion to make. I told them to make any kind of opposition 
 they pleased, only to kill and hurt nobody, nor let anybody 
 appear in arms. When this surveyor came, a great many of 
 the inhabitants collected, some in the woods shooting, others 
 around the surveyor, threatening him. I was afraid some 
 worse mischief would happen, so I ordered some one to break 
 the compass or I would. Upon this, one of the company 
 broke the compass, and the surveyor went away ; and not a 
 great while afterwards, a United States officer was sent to ar- 
 rest those who stopped the surveyor and broke his compass, 
 and four* of them were taken and had to go to Philadelphia. I 
 
 ♦Three of these were Major Wells, Job Gamp and Jobn Lewis. With genuine Yankee 
 spirit they engaged to assist Sheriff Wheeler in conveying another prisoner to Philadel- 
 phia, for which they received enough to pay their expenses. 
 
(^EilEftAL HISTORY. 83 
 
 Went with them to excuse them, and take theii part and de- 
 fend them as well as I could. Accordingly when they appear- 
 ed before the Court, in the representation which I made to the 
 lawyer who spoke for me, I took all the blame upon myself. 
 I stated the case as it really was. I said the people were ig- 
 norant and only did what I bid them, which I thought was 
 letter than might have happened otherwise. This the lawyer 
 stated to the Court in a few words, then expatiated largely on 
 the commendable part I had acted. Before he was done, an- 
 other lawyer got up and addressed the Court, and said he was 
 perfectly well acquainted with me and that I was a very good 
 man. Thus, contrary to my expectations, I received great 
 honor and applause, when 1 apprehended I should receive se- 
 ceive censure and reprimand, as the encourager and ringlead- 
 er of outlaws. They were all dismissed to go home about their 
 business with only paying the cost." 
 
 Subsequently Mr. Ingham entered into an extensive corres- 
 pondence with the Pennsylvania claimants of the land, for the 
 purpose of obtaining from them some adjustment of the 
 title (vhich the Connecticut people would accept. But in this 
 his efforts were unavailing. The result was, that many bitter 
 controversies ensued, and the prosperity of the communit}^ 
 was greatly retarded. As illustrating the spirit in which this 
 controversy was carried on the following anecdote may be in 
 point. Ezekiel, son of Thomas Brown, held a tract of land 
 under Connecticut title, and after he had occupied it some 
 time and made some improvement, a gentleman came to his 
 house and informed him that he, the stranger, owned that 
 land ; to which Mr. Brown replied, that if he owned any land 
 there, it was seven feet below the surface, and casting a glance 
 toward his rifle, added unless he was gone immediately, he 
 would be put in possession of it. The stranger took the hint 
 and left. 
 
84 GENERAL itlSTOti-^. 
 
 Mr. Ingham died suddenly in Bloomsburg, N. J., Octobei* 
 28, 1820. In a notice of him Mr. Miner says : " Possessing 
 an unusual share of philanthrophy, and a mind highly cultiva- 
 ted by scientific research, ho steadfastly espoused the cause of 
 the settlers, in that part of their country, and his virtues and 
 usefulness acquired for him their confidence and esteem, which 
 he continued to enjoy through the remainder of his life. He 
 was a republican in deed and in truth, a model of temperance 
 and a promoter of the peace and harmony of society." The 
 decendents of Mr. Ingham continue to reside in this and ad- 
 joining townships. 
 
 About 1790, the Terrys, Uriah and Parshall, came to \Vy- 
 alusing and lived for a time on the bank near the junction of 
 the creek with the river. Uriah, though advanced in life, 
 grave and sedate in deportment, took a deep interest in mat- 
 ters of education, and in the winter of 1792-3 commenced a 
 school in the house of Major Graylord. The following spring 
 the log school house was built near where the Presbyterian 
 church now stands, and on its completion, the school was mov- 
 ed into it. This, so far as can now be learned, was the first 
 school taught in Wyalusing, and the first school house built in 
 the township. This house was burned down, and another 
 which was also burned, was built of hewed logs and stood just 
 in front of the cemetery. This school was long before the era 
 of public schools, when every parent educated his own child- 
 ren as a religious duty, and sought every opportunity to avail 
 himself of all the advantages within his reach. The master 
 was paid by a small fee charged to each scholar, which varied 
 from a bushel of corn to a bushel of wheat per quarter. Who 
 succeeded Uriah Terry in the school at Wyalusing, I have 
 been unable to learn. 
 
 Parshall Terry was as deeply interested on the Connecticut 
 
dBNERAL HISTORY. 85 
 
 felde of the land controversy as any man in the township, and 
 exerted himself as earnestly to induce Connecticut settlers to 
 come into the valley. He was in constant correspondence and 
 perfect sympathy with Jenkins, Franklin, and others of that 
 class, who sincerely believed in the justice of their claims, and 
 had perfect confidence that when those claims were fairly tried 
 they would be fully allowed. In 1792 he went to Terrytown, 
 where he remained until his title was set aside under the com- 
 promise acts, when he left the State and went to New York 
 where he died. 
 
 About 1791 Benjamin Ackley first came into the township, 
 remaining here a part of the time until November, 1793, when 
 he moved his family here and lived in a log house where Elisha 
 Lewis' house now stands. lie was the first regular blacksmith 
 in the township, and until he arrived there was none nearer 
 than Blackwalnut. Mr. Ackley was born in Litchfield county, 
 Connecticut, in 1769. His first wife was Nancy Maxfield, to 
 whom he was married in 1780. She having died he married 
 Amy, daughter of Thomas Lewis in 1812. In 1813 he was 
 commissioned Justice of the Peace and held the ofiSce for ten 
 years. He died in Wyalusing in 1855. Mr. Ackley reared 
 a large family of children, many of whom still reside in the 
 township. It is worthy of note that somewhat later than the 
 period now under consideration, there wero four families living 
 upon one square mile, who collectively numbered upwards of 
 sixty children, viz : John Hollenback, Major Taylor, Mr. 
 Buck and Mr. Ackley. 
 
 On the 4th of May, 1775, Henry Pawling, a wealthy gen- 
 tleman of Montgomery county, purchased a tract consisting of 
 652 acres of land of Job Chillaway, the Indian chief to whom 
 Gov. Penn had granted the lands on which the mission was lo- 
 cated.* Pawling was not only a man of wealth and influence, 
 
 *Thi8 is nearly the same aa the Hogsboon pitch of the Oonneotlout survey. Fenn'a 
 •warrant to Chillaway U dated Marob 8, 1774. Moat lllsely the survey was made earlier, 
 
86 GENERAL HISTOfet. 
 
 but was warmly enlisted on the side of Congress, and contri- 
 buted largely to the support of the American army during that 
 trying winter of its encampment at Valley Forge, and enjoy- 
 ed the confidence of the Commander-in-chief. About 1786 
 his daughter Catherine was married to Joseph Stalford, and 
 Mr. Pawling having bequeathed to her a large portion of his 
 Wyalusing lands, the Stalfords removed here in the spring of 
 1792. Samuel Stalford, the father of Joseph, was born in the 
 parish of Tipperary, Ireland, 1718. While quite a young 
 man he emigrated to this country, married Elizabeth Richard- 
 son of Philadelphia, removed first to Montgomery county, and 
 then to Wyalusing, where he died in 1802. Joseph Stalford 
 died in Wyalusing in 1801, in the 47th year of his age. His 
 family for the most part have remained on the old place, and 
 are among the few families who' for more than three-fourth's 
 of a century have cultivated the same soil and become identi- 
 fied with the history of the township. In 1795, Joseph Stal- 
 ford had the highest valuation of any man in the present 
 township. 
 
 In 1792, Job Camp came to Wyalusing, planted a piece of 
 corn, and after it was harvested, returned to Connecticut for 
 his family, moved in the next year, and settled at Camptown, 
 which was then a dense, unbroken wilderness. At this time, 
 there were beside Jonas Ingham, two or three families above 
 him on the creek. As illustrating the difficulties which the 
 early settlers experienced in their emigration to the country, 
 the case of Mr. Camp is in point. He started from Connect- 
 icut with a yoke of oxen, which were used to transport his 
 family and goods. Taking the usual course of the emigrants, 
 across the country from the Hudson to Stroudsburg, and 
 through the great swamp, they reached the Susquehanna at 
 Pittston. The route was a slow and toilsome one, but thus far 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 87 
 
 there was a road along -which they could drive a team, but up 
 the river there was nothing but the narrow In'dian path. They 
 were therefore compelled to unyoke their oxen and drive them 
 along singly. The cart, younger members of the family, and 
 household goods were then placed on a keel-boat, and two men 
 were hired to push it up the river to Wyalusing. The progress 
 was slow and the labor severe, and several days were necessary 
 for the trip. It took all of Mr. Camp's crop of corn raised 
 the proceeding year to pay the boatmen, and the family were 
 obliged to get along as best they could until another crop was 
 harvested. Mr. Camp was by trade a carpenter, and the year 
 he moved in, built a large barn for Mr. Lewis, the first erected 
 on the Wyalusing. In 1795, he built a barn for himself, 
 which is still standing. This barn is covered with boards split 
 out of pine logs, and are fastened on with wrought nails made 
 by Solomon Bosworth, who had moved up the Wyalusing. 
 Speaking of the Camp family, they are said to have decended 
 from a Welch cabin-boy who came over in the Mayflower. 
 The family was numerous and have all lived to a great age. 
 William, son of Job, relates many anecdotes of the wolves and 
 panthers who made havoc among their flocks, whose bowlings 
 made nightly music about their dwellings, and whose depreda- 
 tions added no little to the distress experienced by these ear- 
 ly settlers. 
 
 It is difficult to estimate the amount of courage and forti- 
 tude possessed by these pioneers, who could bring their famil- 
 ies into such a wilderness, forsaking nearly every comfort, 
 braving toil and danger, sufiering frequently from hunger, liv- 
 ing in cabins which afforded but the merest shelter, with but 
 few social advantages, or religious or educational priviliges ; 
 and hew out for themselves homes in the forest, and rear up 
 their families to respectability, wealth and influence ; nor can 
 
88 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 we wonder, when after having made for themselves a compara- 
 tively comfortable home on lands purchased in good faith, they 
 should resist with all their might the claims of land specula- 
 tors, who under the color of law, sought to drive them from 
 their dearly bought possessions, and turn them and their fam- 
 ilies naked and homeless again into the wilderness. 
 
 Wyalusing being more than fifty miles distant from the old- 
 er settlements in the Wyoming valley, upon which the inhabi- 
 tants were dependent for many of their necessary supples, and 
 their only means of communication being either along the 
 narrow bridle path, which Mr. Ingham has so well described, 
 or by the river, the people were often subject to great incon- 
 venience,' especially with regard to their grinding. Families 
 were frequently without flour or fine meal for weeks at a time, 
 and meanwhile obliged to depend exclusively upon their samp- 
 morters, which consisted of a log one end of which was burn- 
 ed out in the center, using for a pestle a stone suspended from 
 a neighboring sapling. In this rude affair the corn could be 
 sufiiciently broken for making samp and coarse cakes, which 
 formed the principal article of diet for most of the inhabitants 
 here for several years. Families were thus in many instances 
 compelled to subsist on food no better than that which now 
 many a farmer feeds his stock. 
 
 The Susquehanna Company ever anxious for the welfare of 
 the settlers, offered a township of land to the one who should 
 build the first mill in Springfield township. This offer was 
 accepted by Samuel Gorden, who in 1793* built his mill near 
 the site of the present Lewis mill on the Wyalusing, about 
 . three miles from the river. 
 
 Mr. Gordon was born near Ballebay, in the county of Mon- 
 
 *In Mr. Gorflon's Day Book, now in possession of Harrison Lamb, his Rrandson, there is 
 tliis note: "June 35, 1793. This day I raised my mill." It did not get in operation untU 
 tlie next year. 
 
GEHBRAL HISTORY. 89 
 
 aghan, Ireland, in 1740. He was of Scotcli descent, of good 
 family, education and property. He left his native country 
 accompanied by two brothers, one of whom, Jtmes Gordon, 
 subsequently settled near Standing Stone, and a young man 
 named Gillespie, during some difficulties in that country, at 
 which time their property was confisicated. For a time Mr. Gor- 
 don followed the sea, after which he settled in Elizabeth, N. J., 
 where he married Mrs. Jane Gillespie, widow of his late fellow 
 passenger across the Atlantic. Afterwards he moved to Wy- 
 oming, and during the years of 1776 and 1777 spent some 
 time in the neighborhood of Wyalusing, making surveys under 
 direction of the Susquehanna company. On the breaking out 
 of the Revolutionary war, Mr. Gordon retired to New Jersey, 
 where he remained until 1792, when he again entered into the 
 employment of the Susquehanna company as a surveyor, and 
 at the same time operated quite extensively as a land dealer. 
 His mill which was commenced soon after, consisted of one run 
 of home-made stone, without bolts, was built under great dif- 
 ficulties arising from the scarcity of money in the settlement 
 and the want of experienced workmen ; while all of the iron 
 used in its construction was transported from Wilkes-Barre at 
 much trouble and expense. The mill being completed, on the 
 first of May, 1795, the township of Walsingham was surveyed 
 to Mr. Gordon, according to previous stipulation. He was also 
 one of the proprietors of Stephensburg, but owiag to the inval- 
 idity of Connecticut titles in these townships, he failed to re- 
 ceive any advantage from these possessions. Even the mill 
 which had cost him so much, was lost through the same defect 
 in the title. Two persons by the name of Porter, purchased 
 the Pennsylvania title for the land on which it was built and 
 Mr. Gordon becoming alarmed for the validity of his claim, 
 as additional security, was induced to take a lease of the lands 
 under the Porters and this acknowledgement of their claim, 
 
90 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 lost him the property, which the commissioners in 1804 as- 
 signed to the Porters. Mr. Gordon was therefore compelled 
 to vacate the land and leave his improvements made at so 
 much sacrifice. This is but a single instance out of many, 
 where this complication of title led to like disastrous results, 
 by which families, once in comfortable circumstances, were sud- 
 denly reduced to poverty. On the organization of the town- 
 ship Mr. Gordon was appointed clerk, and for many years the 
 records, which are beautifully written, were kept by him. He 
 died in Wyalusing in 1810, where his only surviving daugh- 
 ter, who has furnished most of the facts in this sketch, erect- 
 ed a stone to his memory. 
 
 Soon after the completion of Mr. Gordon's grist mill, Jo- 
 seph C. Town, a carpenter by trade, come to Wyalusing and 
 put up a saw mill on the creek near where Mr. Aaron Culver 
 now lives. This contributed largely to the welfare of the set- 
 tlement. Previous to this boards were split out of pine logs 
 from four to six feet long. The process was slow and expen- 
 sive, although suitable pine trees were abundant. In 1798 
 Mr. Town erected a grist mill at the same place, of superior 
 construction to that of Mr. Gordon's, and containing a bolt 
 for making flour. This, however, was swept away by a fresh- 
 et in the creek in the spring of 1800 or 1801. Mr. Town 
 was from Conn., and married a sister of Frances Slocum. Mrs. 
 Town went west with her brother in search of their lost sister, 
 and the frequent visits of the Slocum family at Mr. Town's, 
 made all of the older people here familiar with the story of 
 the capture and discovery of Frances, to which allusion has 
 been made in another place. 
 
 At the beginning of the troubles in France whioh culmina- 
 ted in the Revolution, many who sympathized with the royal 
 party, fled from their native country to various parts of Eu- 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 91 
 
 rope and America. Of these Viscount Louis M. De Noailles 
 and Omar Talon, who had been connected with the royal 
 household, went first to England, and then to the United 
 States. In Philadelphia they met with Robert Morris and 
 John Nicholson who were in possession of large tracts of un- 
 cultivated land in Pennsylvania, with whom they formed an 
 association known as the Asylum and Holland Land company, 
 and increased their estates to a million. of acres. Their first 
 colony was planted on Shewfelt flats, which from the fact that 
 it was peopled mostly by refugees from France, received the 
 name of Asylum, a name it has ever since retained. It is on 
 the right bank of the Susquehanna, near the upper limits of 
 the old Wyalusing township, and in the present township of 
 Asylum. In December, 1793, the first houses were erected, 
 and within a year and a half, there were some twenty or twen- 
 ty-five families there, several of whom were persons of note 
 in their own country, some having been connected with the 
 royal household, and others engaged in the public service of 
 the kingdom. A colony of such persons, whose business re- 
 lations threw them into immediate contact with the people 
 here, could not fail to exert upon them a marked influence. 
 Previous to the planting of the colony there was scarcely a 
 dollar of money in the township — all exchanges being carried 
 on by barter. This cumberous mode of exchange was attend- 
 ed with great loss and inconvenience to all parties, and served 
 to greatly retard the progress of the settlement. The refugees 
 brought with them considerable sums of money ; the colony 
 afforded a market for grain and cattle. The colonists immedi- 
 ately commenced constructing superior roads, erecting manu- 
 factories and comfortable houses, and engaged laborers to as- 
 sist in clearing and cultivating their lands. By these means 
 their money soon came into general circulation. At that time 
 there were no mails to these distant settlements, and the 
 
92 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 French established a line of expresses to Philadelphia, by 
 means of which the inhabitants along the route were brought 
 into nearer contact with the outer world. The habits and 
 manners of refined society which the refugees maintained even 
 in their new colony, were not without a geniel influence upon 
 the ruder people that surrounded them ; so that although their 
 ignorance of the language and customs of the people in the 
 settlements was a bar to free intercourse, yet their advent 
 proved to be an era in the development of this new country, 
 and their influence was felt for years afterward. Under the 
 stimulous of their example, enterprise and refinement, aided 
 by the gold and silver they had put in circulation, similar im- 
 provements were commenced by the people around them ; roads 
 were opened, mills were built, farms and houses were improv- 
 ed, new articles of furniture were introduced, better agricul- 
 tural implements were used, the rough and uncouth habits of 
 border life began to yield to the more refined intercourse of a 
 higher civilization. The colony existed only a few years and 
 never met the hopes of its founders. When liberty was grant- 
 ed the refugees to return to France, they gladly accepted the 
 off'er, leaving the most of their improvements in the possession 
 of two or three families who chose to cast their foirtunes in 
 this new land, and whose descendents are among the best farm- 
 ers of this and adjoining townships.* 
 
 About 1794-95 Major Gaylord built the first distillery in 
 the township near where Henry Gaylord now lives. The use 
 and trafic in ardent spirits were then regarded in a very dif- 
 ferent way from what they now are. Then alcoholic drinks 
 were looked upon as an absolute necessity. They were the 
 medicine for the sick and the help for the well. No one 
 thought of engaging in any work, going on a journey, or re- 
 
 *Tlie author hopes in a short time to give the public through the Bradford County His- 
 torical Society, a more detailed account of the French at Asylum. 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 93 
 
 ceiving friends without a supply of the needful article. This 
 was the prevailing habit with the best men in the country. 
 Every man kept it in his house, and every merchant in his 
 store and sold it as readily as he would now sell sugar or mo- 
 lasses, and the man who run a distillery was regarded as con- 
 tributing largely to the best interests of the community, by 
 making a market for the grain, and at the same time supply- 
 ing the inhabitants with a most necessary article. Within a 
 few years after, there were no less than five distilleries at one 
 time in the township. 
 
 The organization of the Presbyterian church at Wyalusing 
 during this period, has been spoken of at length and need not 
 now be repeated. When the first white people came to Wya- 
 lusing, and for many years afterward the only roads were the 
 narrow Indian paths along the river and up the creek. About 
 the commencement of the Revolution this path had been widen- 
 ed and improved, but was still narrow and difl^cult. In Sept. 
 1788, on the petition of sundry persons at Wyalusing a com- 
 mittee were appointed to lay out all needful roads in Spring- 
 field township. In June, 1790, this committee reported a 
 view and survey of two roads, one following nearly the course 
 of the present old stage road to Towanda, and the other ex- 
 tending some two miles further up the creek. In Jan., 1795, 
 another committee was appointed who laid out a road from 
 Miner York's to the forks of the Wyalusing, where at this 
 time there were a few families settled. Mr. Ingham has given 
 an account of the roads in 1789, and in 1795 they were not 
 much better. The country being covered with dense forests, 
 it was almost impossible to make the road passable. Puke De 
 la Rochfoucault Liancourt, a French nobleman who passed 
 through here in May, 1795, has given a description of the 
 journey which will convey to the reader a good idea of the 
 roads at the close of the period under consideration. He 
 
94 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 says : " The road was bad, and we were several times obliged 
 to travel in foot-paths which were hardly passable. We fre- 
 quently met with quaries of mill-stone (?) and with spots, 
 where a path only eighteen inches in breadth was cut through 
 the rock, or where the road was supported by trunks of trees, 
 narrowed by falls of earth, obstructed by fallen trees, and led 
 along the edge of a precipice. * * At times the road is 
 even and good, often recently cut through the wood or inter- 
 rupted by new settlements, [clearings] the fences of which oc- 
 casion a circuit of near a furlong, at the end of which it is 
 difficult to find the road again. We often passed over decliv- 
 ities, rendered more dangerous by the ground being strewed 
 with loose stones or fragments of rocks. Fortunately it so 
 happened that we never got more than a few rods out of our 
 road, but we were obliged to enquire of every one we met to 
 avoid more considerable detention." 
 
 At the close of 1795, there were about forty-five or fifty 
 families within the present limits of the township. These 
 were scattered along the river from Browntown to Fairbanks, 
 a distance of about six miles, and about the same distance up 
 the creek.* To these were assessed about eight thousand 
 acres of land, of which excepting the mission lands, but little 
 if any more than one-fifth were cultivated. The people occu- 
 pied log houses in a few of which the logs were hewed and 
 dovetailed together, but in the greater number the logs were 
 left round and barely notched at the corners, the interstices 
 filled with mud, and the roof covered with unshaved shingles. 
 One room below and the loft, to which access was had by a 
 ladder from the outside, were the extent of the accommoda- 
 tions ; while the low, narrow door, the six lighted window, and 
 the great fireplace were its principal sources of comfort. In- 
 
 *At this time aettlements had been mafle Up the Wyaluaing aa far as the forks. 
 
6ENEKAL HISTOKY. 96 
 
 to these rude cabins the rains and sunshine, the winds and 
 snows found free access, and yet these narrow and uncomfort- 
 able abodes were the only residences in the township for many 
 years. The first framed buildings were a small shop put up 
 by Robert Lattimore near where Mr. Bixby's house now 
 stands, and the dwelling erected by Joseph Stalford. 
 
 Occasionally the settler had a log barn, and more frequent- 
 ly a shed covered with straw for the protection of his stock. 
 Many of the families here were of the very best that New 
 England could furnish, who in that spirit of enterprise which 
 has ever characterized the people of that region, came here 
 for the purpose of making a home for themselves and for their 
 families, while others were of a roving dissolute class, such as 
 always hang upon border settlements, who contribute but lit- 
 tle, if anything, to the general good of the community. 
 
 The following is the description given by the French trav- 
 eler, who was mentioned above : " The dwelling houses in this 
 district are most of them so new that the inhabitants are oft- 
 en ignorant of the names of places which are scarce two 
 miles distant, so that their information beyond the next farm 
 house is not to be depended upon. There is not one inn on 
 the whole road [from Wilkes-Barrie to Asylum] but some pri- 
 vate individuals are in the habit of selling oats to travelers. 
 They live at certain distances, and being known, travelers con- 
 stantly put up at their houses." As to the sort of entertain- 
 ment these houses afforded the following is a specimen : " We 
 found in this house (Hunt's at Hunt's Ferry) Indian corn for 
 our horses, but neither oats nor hay, and no milk for our- 
 selves, nor.evpn an egg. Beds were not to be had." The 
 next day tte Duke goes on to say, "In the morning we halt- 
 ed at one Mr. Gaylprd's. All the dwelling houses are of the 
 same sort. We pursued our journey to ABylam by Wyalusing. 
 
96 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 The latter is a considerable village, seated on a creek from 
 which it takes its name." This is the only village mentioned 
 in the whole route from Wilkes-Barre to Tioga, except Asy- 
 lum, thus incidentally confirming what has been said of the im- 
 portance of Wyalusing in our early history. 
 
 The habits of the people were simple and their wants few 
 and easily supplied. Corn bread and venison were the almost 
 exclusive articles of diet. Most of the wheat was sent to 
 Philadelphia by way of Middletown, to which place it was 
 carried in arks or rafts, and thence by wagons to Philadelphia. 
 The price per bushel was one dollar. Eye was from fifty to 
 seventy cents, and oats from thirty to forty cents per bushel. 
 The lighter articles of clothing were made from flax of which 
 every family raised enough for their own use. The carding, 
 spinning, coloring and weaving were done by the female por- 
 tion of the household, and each matron exhibited the various 
 articles of home manufacture with as much pride as the pres- 
 ent lady of fashion flaunts her gold and jewels. Carpets were 
 unknown, but the white sanded floor of the best room, when 
 there was more than one in the house, displayed the thrift of 
 the housewife. Leather was one of the most difficult articles 
 to be procured, and shoes were a very expensive necessity. 
 In the warm weather almost every one went barefoot, while 
 those who where able to have a pair of shoes for summer use, 
 carefully kept them for special occasions. It was common on 
 Sabbath mornings, to see women and the larger children going 
 to meeting barefoot, shoes in hand, which were put on when 
 near the school house where the meeting was held, and when 
 out of sight of it on their return, were carefully removed, and 
 laid away for use on the next Sabbath. As there were no 
 wagons, people traveled either on foot or on hbrseback, and it 
 was no strange sight to see the father, mother and perhaps 
 one or two children mounted on a single horse. But few cat- 
 
9ENBRAL HISTORY. 97 
 
 tie or sheep were raised ; of the former on account of the 
 limited extent of their meadows, of the latter on account of 
 imperfect fences around their fields and the great danger ex- 
 perienced from the wolves, which were numerous all around 
 the settlement. The country, for the most part, was covered 
 with pine and hemlock timber, but there were in some places 
 groves of sugar-maple, from whose sap, in the spring, consid- 
 erable quantities of sugar and molasses were made. In 1795 
 maple sugar was sold for 14 or 15 cents per pound. 
 
 During"thi3 first years of the settlement, on account of the 
 sparseness of the population, and the troubled state of the 
 country, no attempt was made to impose taxes upon the peo- 
 ple ; but in 1795j5an assessment was made and a tax levied. 
 This assessment of course covered the whole towifship, accord- 
 ing to the limits before described. From this list as nearly as 
 can now^be learned, there were within the present limits of the 
 township 39 taxables* to whom were assessed 7341 acres of 
 land, 19 horses, 86 horned cattle, and 7 slaves, with a valua- 
 tion of $10,291. Thus 21 years after the first settlement was 
 begun here, we find the township at length organized and 
 taking its place among the other townships of the Common- 
 wealth. We shall have occasion by-and-by to note the pro- 
 gress which has been made in three-fourths of a century. 
 
 *The following is the list of taxablee ; Benjamin Ackley, Sherman Buck, Gideon Bald- 
 win, Daniel Brown, Humphrey Brown, Bichard Baldwin, Stephen Beckwith, Benjamin 
 Crawford, Dr. Jabez Chamberlain, Job Camp, WiUiam IJalton, Samuel Gordon, James 
 Gordon, Justus Gaylord, Jr., James Hlnes, Matthias HoUenback, (nou-resident) Isaac 
 HancoclE, Nathan Eingsley, Warrum Kingsley. David Lake, Bobert Lattimore, Thomaq 
 Lewis, Thomas Oviatt, John Ogden, Philip Place, Beuben Place. Zacheriah Price, Israel 
 Shear, John Shoemaker, David Shoemaker, Thomas Smiley, Joseph Stalford, John Taylor, 
 Joseph C. Town, Amasa Welle, Guy We'la, Beuben Wells, Nathan Winton, Miner York. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 From 1796-1812. 
 
 The failure of the scheme for establishing a new State to 
 include the Susquehanna company's purchase having failed, 
 and the enactments of tke legislature of Pennsylvania- being 
 such as to discourage settlers under Connecticut title, emigra- 
 tion from New England nearly ceased as early as the begin- 
 ning of the present chapter, and thereafter the settlement of 
 the Susquehanna valley was not almost exclusively from the 
 east. 
 
 At the time when the county of Luzerne was constituted, 
 it consisted of eleven townships, but about the year 1800 these 
 townships were divided into twenty-three, and new election 
 districts were defined. In this division out of the old town- 
 ship of Wyalusing, were created those of Braintrim, Wyalu- 
 sing and Rush, while the two former were united in one elect- 
 ion district which contained 225 taxables, and Guy Wells, 
 Jonathan Stevens and H. V. Champin were commissioned 
 justices of the peace for the district. About this time or soon 
 after the elections were held at the house of Major Gay lord. 
 In 1801 John Hollenback came to Wyalusing and bringing 
 with him 2400 pounds of goods, engaged in the merchantile 
 business. Previous to this Mr. Gaylord had kept a few goods 
 for the use of the settlers, and afterward Peter Stevens, who 
 occupied a house nearly opposite the Presbyterian church, had 
 a small store, but neither of them had near the quantity 
 brought up by Mr. Hollenback. His goods were brought in 
 wagons to Middletown, where they were loaded on boats and 
 taken up the river.* Mr. Hollenback had been engaged since 
 
 ■^'Mr. Jordan, of Philadelphia, says that he ^vcll rcmcmbeve seeing wagons loade<l with 
 Hoods at his father's store for Wyalusing. 
 
GENERAL HfSTORY. 99 
 
 1796 in trafic Tor his uncle, Matthias Hollenback, who at that 
 time was carrying on an extensive business along the river. 
 In the spring of 1797 the former assisted in opening a shad 
 fishery on the river a little below Wyalusing village, the first 
 opened in this part of the country. In 1801 he rafted the 
 first platform of boards at Town's mill that ever went out of 
 the Wyalusing creek. After his settlement here, he was for 
 many yeai's prominent in the business of the place, which, so 
 far as he was concerned, was conducted with great energy. 
 In the year of Mr. Hollenback's removal here, (1801), there 
 was a grand 4th of July celebration at Wyalusing. Several 
 things contributed to give it interest. First there was the 
 conflict about land titles. And then it was the year of Mr. 
 Jefferson's accession to the Presidency. From the adoption of 
 the Federal Constitution there had been two great political 
 parties in the country, and in 1800 the party which elected 
 Mr. Jefferson had for the first time been successful at the 
 ballot box. The following anniversary of American Indepen- 
 dence was seized upon by that party, which was largely in the 
 ascendant here, for a general jubilation. General Washington 
 had died a short time before, and it seemed to be a great con- 
 solation to the democrats to have Mr. Jefferson for his succes- 
 sor in the Presideney. -All of these things combined to give 
 this first general celebration of American Independence at 
 Wyalusing great interest. People assembled from all parts of 
 the country. Such a gathering had never been witnessed here 
 before. Mr. Hollenback presided at the meeting. Jonas 
 Ingham delivered a spirited address on the subject of "Dii- 
 puted land titles," in which he defended the claims of the 
 Connecticut settlers, and with great severity characterized the 
 adverse legislation of Pennsylvania as opposed to the liberty 
 guarranteed by the Constitution, Uriah Terry prepared the 
 following on the "Death of Washington," which was sung by 
 
100 SENBRAL HISTORf. 
 
 a young'lady named Polly Sill. The'piece is inserted not bO 
 much for its poetical value, as for its local associations and as 
 indicating the feelings of the dominant party in the country. 
 
 THE HERO. 
 
 The Hero's dead, mournful the sound ! 
 
 How large the stroke, how deep the wound ! 
 
 The man that did his coantry save. 
 
 Lies cold and silent in the grave. 
 
 He led our forces on the field. 
 
 He made'the bold, presumptuous, yield, 
 
 He fought the foe on every side, 
 
 And bravely humbled Briton's pride. 
 
 Can we forget th' impending stroke, 
 When galled beneath the British yoke ? 
 Great Washington, |'twas he, 'twas he 
 That lead us through that bloody sea. 
 Perhaps his rival can't be found 
 Above the surface of the ground ; 
 His fame has spread from shore to shore, 
 But now, alas ! he is no more. 
 
 Ancient Rome nor Ancient Greece, 
 In time of war nor time of peace. 
 With all their boasted sons of fame, 
 « Had not a more illustrious name. 
 
 Friendship and lave shone in his face. 
 Virtue and truth he did embrace, 
 He kindly soothed and hushed our fears, 
 And gently wiped our falling tears. 
 
 But plaintive Muse, forbear to sigh. 
 For Washington was born to die ; 
 He ever was his country's friend, 
 But Washington must have an end. 
 And must it be, since he is'dead. 
 That all our happiness has fled ? 
 Behold the glorious change of late ! 
 See Jefferson in chair of State ! 
 
GENEAAL HISTORY. 101 
 
 Great talents in this man were found, 
 A piercing wit, a judgment sound, 
 A genius like the noonday bright, 
 Dispelling darkness from the sight. 
 We hope in Jefferson to find 
 A father, gracious, good and kind ; 
 We trust he will protect our land, 
 We yield to him both heart and hand. 
 
 We bid him welcome to his seat. 
 Nor do we doubt but we shall meet 
 With every favor he can give. 
 That 's fit for subjects to receive. 
 Hail happy day of jubilee, 
 That still proclaims us to be free ! 
 Kind and benign it all appears, 
 Then banish all foreboding fears. 
 
 See Liberty with'all her charms, 
 Caressed and smiling in his arms 1 
 Behold his ever outstretched hand. 
 Willing to guard our pleasant land ! 
 His heart and hands and lips agree 
 To settle firm our liberty ; 
 Sometimes a cloud will intervene, 
 But soon again, the sun is seen. 
 
 Dear liberty was his delight. 
 He ever kept it fair in sight ; 
 Dear liberty, that lovely flower 
 That shone so bright in Eden's bower. 
 His soul disdained a golden bribe, 
 Abhored that pride, despotic pride. 
 Which rankling in the breast of knaves 
 Would make us all to be its slaves. 
 
 But^heaven be thanked, the bud is nipped 1 
 The towering eagle wings are clipped, 
 They will not freedom overwhelm 
 Since Jefferson has took the helm. 
 May heaven protect him all his life. 
 Preserve him free from war and strife. 
 Long may he live in peace and love. 
 Then happy be in heaven above. 
 
102 GENEIiAI, HISTORY. 
 
 Those who are familliar with the contemporary history of 
 the county cannot fail to understand the allusions of the last 
 stanaa. The whole celebration ended with a barbecue. A 
 huge bear killed that morning and roasted whole, afforded 
 the entertainment. 
 
 Mr. HoUenback was prominent in many of the enterprises 
 of the neighborhood. He died in Wyalusing in 1867, at the 
 age of ninety-one years. 
 
 In 1803 a mail route was opened from Wilkes-Barre to 
 Tioga, a post-office was established at Wyalusing, and Mr 
 HoUenback was appointed postmaster. Charles Mowery and 
 Cyril Peck (^he first husband of Urania Stalford,) carried the 
 mail on foot once in two weeks, there being no roads adapted 
 for any better conveyance. In 1810 Conrad Teter contracted 
 to carry the mail in coaches once a week from Wilkes-Barre to 
 Painted Post, via Wyalusing and Tioga. This was the begin- 
 ning of stage-coach traveling so familiar to the people of this 
 valley for more than half a century. About the time Teter 
 took the route Major Taylor succeeded Mr. HoUenback as 
 postmaster. 
 
 In'1799 on account of troubles existing betAveenthe United 
 States and France, a call was made for volunteers, and Mr. 
 HoUenback enlisted as 2nd Sergeant in the company of Capt. 
 Bowman of the lltli United States Infantry rt?giment, and 
 was appointed recruiting officer. He succeeded in obtaining 
 fourteen recruits at Wyalusing* and fifty-eight at Wysox and 
 Tioga Point. The company was mustered out June 14, 1800, 
 without ever being called into active military service. On the 
 28th of June, 1803, a man named John Dalton, living on the 
 Wyalusing, near Merryall, met a neighboi\ Amos Hulburt, a 
 
 •"The list I have not been able to find bo as to identify all the namoa— thopp that ronld 
 be ld«»tl.fiftd aB belnyiginc to WyaliiRing ape tlierefnre omitted. 
 
GENERAL IIISXOKT. 108 
 
 son-in-law of Samuel Gordon, near Town's mill, and some 
 words passed between them, when DaltoB, (who was returning 
 from a field where he had been hoeing corn,) struck Hulburt 
 on the head with his hoe, with such force as to fracture 
 the skull. Hulburt died on the 5th of July. Dalton was ar- 
 rested and committed by Guy Wells to jail at Wilkes-Barre, 
 where he was indicted for voluntary manslaughter at the ses- 
 sions of court held August 16, 1803, and the next day was 
 convicted of murder in the second degree and on the 19th 
 sentenced to confinement and hard labor in the Penitentiary 
 at Philadelphia for eighteen years. In 1811 he was reprieved 
 by Gov. McKean but died soon after. This was the first high 
 crime committed in the township. 
 
 In 1804 a party of gentlemen among whom was Wilson the 
 ornothologist, passed up the North Branch valley on a tour of 
 observation, and gave a rhyming description of their trip which 
 under the title of The Foresters, was published in the Port- 
 folio, of Philadelphia, a monthly of considerable importance 
 as a literary paper, of which the following extract describes 
 Wyalusing as it appeared nine or ten years after the Duke De 
 la Rochfoucault traveled through here. The narrator says ; 
 
 "jThe morning dawned, again we took the road, 
 Each musquet shouldered o'er the lightened load ; 
 Through Wihaloosing's plains we gaiiey pass 
 Midst matted fields of rank luxuriant grass. 
 Here, nature bounteous to excess has been, 
 Yet loitering hunters scarce a living gleam. 
 Blest with a soil, that e'en in winter gay. 
 Would all their toils a hundred fold repay ; 
 Few cultured fields of yellow grain appear ; 
 Kich fenceless pastures not unheeded here. 
 Huge from the vale the towering walnuts* grow 
 And wave o'«r wretched huts that lie below. 
 No blosoming orchards scent the opening May, 
 No bleating flocks upon their pastures play." 
 
 ♦These have now nearl; all disappeared. Among the last were those cut for the Inaibcr 
 to finish the interior of the Presbyterian church. 
 
104 GENERAL HISTORY. 
 
 Several times in the course of this narrative, allusion has 
 been made to the dispute between the States of Connecticut 
 and Pennsylvania about the title to the soil and jurisdiction of 
 the valley of the North Branch. This dispute was referred 
 to Congress, who appointed a committee to decide the question, 
 which was done at Trenton, Dec. 30, 1782, giving to Pennsyl- 
 vania the right of jurisdiction and pre-emption to the disputed 
 territory. This decree as it was called, was variously inter- 
 preted by the contending parties, Pennsylvania holding that by 
 it she was put into such complete possession of the tract, that 
 before the Connecticut settlers could have any claim to the 
 land they must obtain title through her ; the Susquehanna 
 company claiming that while the jurisdiction was given to 
 Pennsylvania, it did not affect the title by which the land was 
 held by its present occupants, that the transfer of territory 
 from one State to another did not affect the rights, title, nor 
 interests of the inhabitants of that territory. The result was 
 that for twenty years after the Decree of Trenton, the whole 
 Susquehanna valley was in a constant ferment over the ques- 
 tions which grew out of this controversy. What made mat- 
 ters still worse, the Commonwealth seemed to have no fixed 
 policy for dealing with the subject. Sometimes the attempt 
 was made to coerce the settlers to purchase the Pennsylvania 
 title or leave the territory, at other times more conciliatory 
 measures would be adopted, which the settlers fearing were 
 intended to entrap them, generally refused to accede to. At 
 length in 1799 the Compromising law, as it was called, was 
 passed, which provided that in seventeen townships, according 
 to the Survey of Susquehanna Company, titles granted by 
 that company and occupied previous to the Trenton decree, 
 should be accounted valid on the occupant paying a small fee 
 to the State, while the Pennsylvania claimant was to receive 
 a certain compensation in case he released his claim to the 
 
(GENERAL HISTORY. 105 
 
 Commonwealth. Under this act commissioners were appoint- 
 ed, who caused the lands in these townships to he resurveyed, 
 examined claims, appraised the valuation and confirmed the 
 titles to the settlers. The commissioners began their work in 
 Springfield in July, 1803, but all the claims were not arranged 
 before 1808. They confirmed under Connecticut title thirty 
 shares and under Pennsylvania title four shares, taken previ- 
 ous to December 30, 1782.* It is now impossible to trace the 
 chain of title from the occupants in 1808 back to the original 
 proprietors. As the certificate from the committee was re- 
 garded as amply sufficient without the Connecticut title, the 
 latter has in most instances been lost. Thus after nearly 
 thirty years was this unhappy controversy brought to an end. 
 
 In 1805 Jonathan Stevens moved into Wyalusing, where 
 he remained for some time keeping a small store and tavern in 
 a house which stood near where Mrs. Welles now lives, known 
 as the Peter Stevens house and built by Guy Wells. The 
 Stevens family were of English descent. Having taken part 
 in the Revolution by which Charles I was brought to the 
 block, on the restoration of the kingdom to Charles II, they 
 fled to New England, their property being confiscated and 
 their lives threatened. Asa Stevens, the father of Jonathan, 
 was born in Plainfield, Conn., May, 1734, and was among the 
 first emigrants into the Wyoming valley, where he held several 
 offices. lie was a Lieutenant in the army at the time of the 
 Indian battle and was killed in that fatal engagement. Jona- 
 than, his second son, was born at Canterbury, Conn., July, 
 1764, consequently was fourteen years of age at his father's 
 
 '■'The share-holdfers were Joaepli Ingbam. 2 ; Justus Gaylord, 3; Joshua Eeeney, 2; — 
 Keeney, 1; Henry Elsworth, 3; Samuel Gibson, 2; M. HolJenback, 8; Thomas Wigton, 2; 
 Eleazer Blackman, 2; Lucretta York, 2; Township Committee, 3; Anderson Dana, >£; Jno. 
 Taylor, 1-6: Humplirey Brown, 34; — under Pa., heirs of Henry Pawling, 3. The com- 
 missioners were Thomas Cooper, John M. Taylor, and Alexander Scott. The surveyor, 
 Georg« Haia«s. 
 
106 GENKKAL HISTORY. 
 
 death. The family, with the other fugitives, went back to 
 Connecticut after the battle. When sixteen years of age he 
 enlisted in the army of the Revolution, where he served for 
 three years, when he was honorably discharged. In October, 
 1785, he m?-rried Eleanor Adams of Brooklyn. He went to 
 Wilkes-Barre between the years 1787 and 1790, and in 1795 
 he moved to Braintrim where he lived for ten years, working 
 a small farm for part of the time, and the rest working at his 
 trade — that of a tailor. In 1805 he came to Wyalusing where 
 he lived until 1812 when he went to Standing Stone, where he 
 died June, 1850. About the year 1800 he was appointed jus- 
 tice of the peace, and held the office for several years. In 
 1811 he was elected to the Legislature of the Commonwealth 
 and served for one term. On the 22d of May, 1818, he was 
 appointed by Gov. Findley, one of the associate judges of 
 Bradford county and went out of office with the change in the 
 State constitution in 1840. He was also for many years dep- 
 uty and county surveyor, having received the appointment in 
 1814, and agent for many dealers in lands in this part of the 
 county. In the discharge of these duties he surveyed almost 
 every tract of land within ten or fifteen miles of each side of 
 the river through the whole of this and adjoining counties. 
 The various offices to which he was elected, and the responsi- 
 ble trusts he held are the best evidences of his integrity, good 
 judgment, and ability, which could be mentioned. 
 
 Notwithstanding all of the difficulties with which the set- 
 tlers had to contend, and the perplexing controversies which 
 retarded their prosperity, the township gradually increased in 
 population and a very marked improvement was made in the 
 extent and character of the buildings and cultivation during 
 the period embraced in this chapter. Roads were cut through 
 and made passable, mail facilities were enjoyed, schools and 
 
&Ej<rEEAL HISTORY. 107 
 
 churches ifrel'e maintained, and the hardy but enterprising 
 people were gradually increasing in wealth, and in the com- 
 forts of life. Numerous saw-mills were built and the lumber 
 cut at them was sent in rafts to the markets below, and by 
 this means money was obtained by which exchanges were facil- 
 itated and improvements were carried on, and the people were 
 usually prosperous and happy. 
 
 It will be remembered that the county of Luzerne, whose 
 courts were held at Wilkes-Barre, included at this time nearly 
 all of Bradford. The people of this region being so far re- 
 moved from the county seat, the country sparsely settled, and 
 the roads for much of the time almost impassable, felt them- 
 selves well nigh beyond the protection or the restraint of the 
 law. In cases of litigation the decision of the justice was in 
 most instances final, the aggrieved party preferring to suffer, 
 rather than be at the expense and trouble of taking his case 
 to a higher tribunal. In these justices' courts business was 
 often conducted with great ii-regularity, and many transgres- 
 sions of the law were suffered to pass unnoticed. In a letter 
 written to H. V. Champin, a justice of Braintrim, by James 
 Sutton, dated Dec. 15, 1809, he expresses the opinion that 
 much of the evil and lawlessness in the community was owing 
 to the failure of the justices to enforce the laws. In view of 
 these difiiculties a " meeting of the justices in the northern 
 part of Luzerne was held at the house of Jonathan Stevens, 
 at Wyalusing, Feb. 8, 1810, for the purpose of forming a so- 
 ciety, and fixing on certain precedents to govern said society." 
 At this "meeting they passed resolutions discountenancing 
 " pettifoging," discouraging lawsuits, &c. Several questions 
 arrising out of the procedure in justices' courts were also dis- 
 cussed, and one of the standing rules of the society was that 
 each member ''of the association should present one " law ques- 
 
108 GENERAL IIISTORtv 
 
 tion " for discussion at each meeting. The second meeting 
 was held at the house of Major Gaylord, when a constitution 
 was adopted, and ofiScers were chosen. Among the require- 
 ments in this article of its members were " to use every pre- 
 caution to suppress law suits, and to bring about a reconcilia- 
 tion between the parties — to reprove persons of immoral char- 
 acters of every description and by all proper means to sup- 
 press every species of vice and immorality." The paper is too 
 long for insertion here, but it is instructive to observe the ef- 
 forts made by the conservators of the peace to promote the best 
 interests of the people. The names signed to the constitution 
 are Henry V. Champin, Josiah Fassett, Issaar Brownson, Guy 
 Wells, Salmon Bosworth, Parley Coburn, William Myer, Geo. 
 Scott, and Eliphalet Mason. 
 
 Mr. Champin was elected president, and Geo. Scott, secre- 
 tary. The third meeting was held at the house of Mr. Myer, 
 and the two next at Wyalusing. After this there were no re- 
 cords of the society, and it is believed the association ceased 
 to exist with the changes that grew out of the organization of 
 the new county, the necessity of which now became apparent 
 to all. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 From the Organization of Bradford County until the 
 Present. 1812-1870. 
 
 Bradford county was taken from parts of Luzerne and Ly- 
 coming, February 21, 1810, and received the name of Ontario; 
 March 24, 1812, the name was changed to Bradford, the 
 county organized and the first courts held in Towanda in the 
 January following. Wyalusing which was one of the ten 
 original townships of the county, included the present 
 townships of Tuscarora, Herrick, Wilmot, Terry, Overton, 
 Asylum, with parts of Albany and Standing Stone. As then 
 constituted the townships contained 71 voters, and the elec- 
 tions held at the house of Major Gaylord, and 127 taxables 
 with a valuation of $64;194 on personal estate and seated 
 lands and on unseated lands of $105,273. In 1814 that por- 
 tion of the township west of the river was constituted into a 
 separate township under the name of Asylum. In 1830 Tus- 
 carora was set oflF and the township was reduced to its present 
 size (about one twenty-fifth of its original territory) in 1837 
 by the cutting off of Herrick. In the organization of the 
 county Major Gaylord was one of the first commissioners, Jno. 
 Banister Gibson, president judge, and Charles F. Welles, pro- 
 thonotary, register, recorder, and clerk of the court. Mr. 
 Welles held this oflSce for six years. Burr Ridgway, the pro- 
 prietor of the Bradford G-azette, the first paper published in 
 the county, was his deputy. 
 
 Mr. Welles was born in Glastonbury, Ct., Nov. 5, 1789, and 
 the family were among the early settlers of Athens. In 1816, 
 he married Miss Ellen J., daughter of Judge HoUenback, and 
 removed to Wyalusing in 1822, where he died Sept. 23, 1866. 
 
110 GENERAL IIISIOllY. 
 
 Mr. Welles was a man of varied and extensive reading, and 
 probably know more of the history of the county, of its re- 
 sources and men, than any other man of his day. He wield- 
 ed a busy pen and contributed for the press some of the best 
 poetic articles which were published.* Though never a poli- 
 tician in the sense of aspiring for office, he took a deep inter- 
 est in political questions. In early life he espoused the prin- 
 ciples advocated by Jefferson ; later he became an admirer of 
 Henry Clay, and a defender of his policy. During his ten 
 years' residence in Towanda he exerted a well nigh controlling 
 influence in the politics of the county. His articles on polit- 
 ical questions, written at this time, were marked by a breadth 
 of view, and urged by a cogency of reasoning that carried 
 conviction to the mind of the reader, while the corrupt poli- 
 tician received scathing rebukes from his trenchant pen. 
 
 Judge Hollenback, with characteristic forethought, had in- 
 vested largely in lands in the county, and on the removal of 
 Mr. Welles to Wyalusing, he found abundant employment in 
 , superintending their management, in addition to the business 
 growing out of his own affairs. As a man of business he was 
 punctual, ready, accurate, of unquestioned integrity, possess- 
 ing a generous heart and a kindly feeling for the distressed. 
 The tenants upon his farm, or the people in his employ, ever 
 found him liberal in his demands and une.xacting in its require- 
 ments. Though engaged in extended and frequently har- 
 assing business, his interest in public matters continued un- 
 abatel ; and it is believed that until within the last year of his 
 life, he never missed attendance upon a single term of court 
 held at Towanda. 
 
 *A gentloman engagod for many years as an editor ol" a literary paper, who only new 
 Mr, WeUes through Lis published articles, once observed, " That Charles F. WeUes had 
 written some of the finest pieces of lugitive poetry that had ever been produced in this 
 country, in hS« day." , 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. Ill 
 
 On the breaking out of the late rebellion his whole heart 
 was enlisted on the side of the government, which he aided in 
 every way in his power, and the hearty God speed with which 
 he bade the company raised in this vicinity, go fight the bat- 
 tles of their country, will ever be remembered by those who 
 witnessed it. 
 
 In the latter years of his life he spent much time in read- 
 ing on subjects of natural history, especially geology, in 
 which he kept fairly abreast, and was thoroughly conversant 
 with the theories of the leading writers in this favorite depart- 
 ment of his study. 
 
 He was deeply interested in the public enterprises of the 
 place. On the completion of the North Branch canal, a basin 
 was excavated and a comraodious warehouse and coal bins 
 were constructed, which, through the facilities for business 
 thus afforded, have been the means of doing more than any 
 other one thing to develop the resources of the surrounding 
 country and make Wyalusing the centre of a large and rapid- 
 ly increasing trade. 
 
 In 1821 under the direction of John Hollenback, the grist 
 mill at the mouth of the creek was built, which from its supe- 
 rior construction and favorable location was of great advan- 
 tage to the surrounding country. 
 
 In 1837, Dr D. 0. Seovill settled in Wyalusing, and was 
 the first permanently located physician. As early as 1795, 
 Dr. Jabez Ohamberlin settled at Fairbanks, where he remain- 
 ed for a short time, then went to New York for a while, and 
 afterward returned to Wyalusing where he died. Several 
 physicians were here for a short time, among whom may be 
 mentioned Dr. Sharts, Daniel Scofield, and Dr. Tewksbury. 
 Dr. Heyden who rode through all this section of the country 
 had his share of patients in Wyalusing. After him for sever- 
 
112 GENERAL HISIORY. 
 
 al years the people [were dependent mainly ou Dr. Crandall 
 and Dr. Horton, the former having lived in Wyalusing several 
 years and then removed to Stevensville, and the latter having 
 settled at Terrytown. Dr. Scovill has for a third of a century 
 sustained a large practice, and still bids fair to endure for 
 many more years the arduous labor which a physician here is 
 compelled to undergo. 
 
 In 1818, Elizur Price, son of Zachariah Price one of the 
 jSrst members of the old church, organized a sabbath school in 
 Wyalusing. It had been customary for the minister to gather 
 the members of the congregation on the sabbath, between the 
 services, for the study of the scriptures and for the discussion 
 of difficult questions in theology ; but the enterprise of Mr. 
 Price was the first attempt to organize a sabbath school on a 
 plan analogous to the present methods, whjch has become so 
 prevalent in all religious societies. The school then commen- 
 ced, has continued with but few interruptions, until the present 
 time, when there are at least five such schools in the township. 
 
 In 1854 a charter was granted for the formation of the se- 
 ciety of the 2nd Presbyterian church at Wyalusing. The 
 present building was commenced soon after, and completed the 
 following year at a cost of about $4000. As early as 1792 
 itinerants of the Methodist church had visited the settlement, 
 held meetings and considerable religious interest had been 
 awakened, but it soon abated and was not reviewed until some 
 years after. 
 
 The following sketch, furnished by Rev. J. B. Sumner, late 
 pastor of Methodist church at Wyalusing, gives the history of 
 this denomination in the valley. In 1788 a Methodist class 
 was formed at Ross Hill, near Kingston, by a pious blacksmith 
 named Anning Owen. This was the beginning of Methodism 
 in this section of the country. Three years after they were 
 
GENERAL IIISTOllY. 113 
 
 recognized by Conference, and Nathaniel B. Mills was sent as 
 their first preacher. In 1793, Tioga circuit -was formed, ex- 
 tending from Wyalusing to Chemung, with ^Vm. Colbert as 
 preacher in charge. "Wyalusing continued to form a part of 
 Tioga circuit until 1814, when the Wyalusing circuit was or- 
 ganized. This circuit embraced Owego, Nichols, Barton, 
 Waverly, Factoryville, Athens, Litchfield, Apolacban, Rome, 
 Windham, Orwell, Skinner's Eddy, and Wyalusing. The 
 following is a list of the preachers on this charge for the fii'st 
 ten years: 1814, Rinaldo M. Evarts; 1815, Elisha Bibbins; 
 1816-17, John Griffing ; 1818, Elijah King ; 1819, Elisha 
 Bibbins; 1820, E. Doolittle and H. G. Warner; 1821, Asa 
 Cummins and John Sayer; 1822-23, John Griffing and James 
 Hodge ; 1824, John Griffing, Caleb Kendall, and Philo Bar - 
 bary. 
 
 Wyalusing and Spencer circuits were this year united and 
 employed three men. During the next fifteen years the cir- 
 cuit was divided, trimmed up, and lopped ofi", until its identity 
 was lost, leaving not even so much as its name, and for sever- 
 al years seems to have been abandoned by the Methodists. 
 In 1840 we find Wyalusing included in the Skinner's Eddy 
 charge, but without regular preaching until the winter of 
 1842-3. H. Brownscombo reorganized the class and it was 
 entered upon the records as " Browntown and Wyalusing 
 classes." It consisted of twenty-nine members, eleven of 
 whom resided at Wyalusing, and four of the eleven were soon 
 transferred to Asylum. In 1854 the class consisted of eight 
 members, in 1861 of thirteen, in 1867 of thirty-five, and in 
 1870 of fifty-six. 
 
 In 1854 a modest appearing brick edifice 34x50 without a 
 steeple, was erected for the use of the congregation at a cost 
 of $1800. It was dedicated by Geo. Peck, D.D. in Septem- 
 
11-i GENERAL HISTOKY. 
 
 ber of the same year. Services are conducted at the church 
 every Sunday morning, and the class was never more numer- 
 ous than it is now. The following is the list of Presiding El- 
 ders since 1805 when Wyalusing was embraced in Tioga cir- 
 cuit, Susquehanna district : 1805-8, Anning Owen. 1808-9, 
 James Herron. 1809-12, Gideon Draper. 1812-15, George 
 Harmon. 1815-19, Marmaduke Pierce. (Wyalusing circuit 
 formed in 1814). 1819-23, Geo. Law. 1823-4, Fitch Reed. 
 1824-7, Geo. Peck. 1827-34, Horace Agard. During the 
 next six years I am unable to give the names of the Presiding 
 Elders — Wyalusing seems to have belonged nowhere. 1840-6 
 David Holmes, Jr., (Wyalusing and Skinner's Eddy charge). 
 1846-50, Wm. Reddy. 1860-4, D. A. Shepard. (Wyalusing 
 circuit reorganized in 1851.) 1854-5, Geo. Peck. 1855-9, 
 Geo. Landon. (Wyalusing district formed in 1855.) 1859-63, 
 G. H. Blakesley. 1863-4, T. H. Brownscombe. 1867 to the 
 present, DeWitt C. Olmstead. Since 1842 Wyalusing has 
 been regularly served by the following preachers : H. Browns- 
 combe, P. G. White, C. E. Taylor and J. W. Davison, 0. E. 
 Taylor and J. D. Safford, E. Owen and J. B. Cooper, E. B. 
 Tenny, George Landon, F. S. Chubbuck, Thomas Wilcox, 
 George Landon, Geo. W. Jackson, 0. F. Morse, L. Peck, (2 
 years), S. F. Brown, Edgar Libby, J. C. Barnes, George Lan- 
 don and J. 0. Barnes, J. D. Warren, I. P. Towner, (2 years), 
 S. F. Brown, (3 years), A. F. Harding, A. J. Arnold, (2 years) 
 P. R Tower and J, B. Sumner, P. R. Tower and G. Chamber- 
 lain, the present preachers. On the charge there are at this 
 time the stations at Wyalusing, Spring Hill, Camptown and 
 Herrick. In addition to these and the two Presbyterian 
 churches, there is also regular service at Camptown, by Rev. 
 Wm. Heaton, of the Protestant Episcopal church, where a re- 
 spectable congregation has been gathered. 
 
GfiNERAti HISTOKY. 116 
 
 in 1857 the North Branch Canal having been completed, 
 business became much more active all through this valley. Be- 
 fore this the nearest points to the great thoroughfares, Tvere 
 either Montrose station, on the D. L. & W. R. R., Waverly, 
 on the E. R., or Canton and Troy, on the E. & W. R. R. — 
 the distance to either of these points being about 40 miles. 
 When the river was free from ice, large quantities of lumber 
 in rafts ; hay, grain, potatoes and other agricultural produce 
 in boats, were sent to the markets below, while salt, lime and 
 plaster were brought doivn from the north. This means of 
 transportation, though cheap, was attended with considerable 
 risk, and often was available only when the markets were un- 
 favorable to the producer ; and then products could be brought 
 up the river only at great expense. The canal afforded a 
 cheap and safe means of transportation for about seven or 
 eight months in the year, and with its connections largely ex- 
 tended the market for the producer. The good effects of this 
 were at once seen in the healthy stimulus given to trade, and 
 in the rapid developement of the country ; the price of exports 
 was increased, and that of imports diminished. From this 
 time trade began rapidly to center at Wyalusing, and all 
 branches of industry were carried on with profit. 
 
 The people of Wyalusing have always given much atten- 
 tion to the subject of education. With the growth of the 
 country there has been a growing interest in this important 
 subject. Instead of the one school that was taught by Uriah 
 Terry in the little log school-house, there are now twelve 
 schools in the township, Avith comfortable buildings, in which 
 schools are maintained for six months in the year, at an ex- 
 pense of more than $1600, and where seven hundred pupils 
 receive instruction in the common English branches. In 
 addition to these Rev. S. F. Colt, while pastor of the Maryall 
 
HG GENERAL HISIORY. 
 
 Church, opened a largo private school in his own kouse, Avhicli 
 was continued for many years under very favorable circum- 
 stances. Previous to the erection of the Susquehanna Colle- 
 giate Institute, Wyalusing was a very formidable rival of 
 Towanda for the location of the school ; in fact tbe site vyas 
 selected, a well was dug, brick were burned, and money sub- 
 scribed for the erection of the building. But on the advice 
 of some prominent friends of education, the subscribers gen- 
 erously allowed the Institute to bo transferred to Towanda, 
 which being the county seat and more accessible, was thought 
 to aiford peculiar advantages of location for such an institu- 
 tion. For several years after there were none but the public 
 schools in the township. Although these •were of higher grade 
 than such schools ordinarily are, they did not meet the wants 
 of the community, and the subject of better advantages for 
 education was frequently discussed in different parts of the 
 township. 
 
 November 8, 1859, the Academy Association at "Wyalusing 
 ■was incorporated, and the building was commenced which was 
 completed in 1860 at a cost of more than $3000, and Miss 
 L. A. Chamberlain opened the school there the same year. 
 It is a fine building, two stories in height, surmounted by a 
 cupola, containing on the first floor two large school rooms, 
 one of which is used for the public school and the other neatly 
 fitted up with the Boston school furniture for the academy 
 proper. The upper story is a large room comfortably seated 
 and used for the present as a public hall. About the same 
 time another building was erected at Camptown, a pleasant 
 villiage five miles up the Wyalusing, and within the township, 
 for the same purpose, though of smaller dimensions, consist- 
 ing of two rooms, one in each story, the lower one being used 
 for the academy and the upper one for a hall, at present 
 
aENEUAL ni,'=:TORY. 11" 
 
 occupied by the Good Templars and Odd FelloAvs. The 
 school was opened by Mr. A. A. Kinney, the present County 
 Superintendent of common schools. In both of these build- 
 ings schools have been maintained in which, in addition to the 
 common English branches, higher mathematics, classics, and 
 normal departments have been opened and successfully 
 taught. 
 
 At the breaking out of the rebellion the people of Wyalu- 
 sing were not unmindful of their duty to the government, but 
 contributed largely in men and money for its defence. To 
 every call for volunteers, either for the State or national ser- 
 vice, she nobly responded, and her sons did gallant service iu 
 the field of conflict.* Their services deserve and will receive 
 a more extended account than can here be given. 
 
 In 1869 the extension of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, con- 
 necting Pittston with Waverly, was completed and the first 
 train of cars passed over the line on the 9th of September. 
 On the 13th of the same month the trains commenced making 
 their regular trips. The effect of this increased facility for 
 i;ravel and transportation was at once visible in the increase 
 of business which gathered hero, and now bids fair to make 
 Wyalusing one of the most important stations on the road. 
 
 The reunion of the two great branches of the Presbyterian 
 church in the United States which was consummated in 18G'J, 
 was succeeded by a complete reorganization of the Synods 
 and Presbyteries under its jurisdiction. The churches of 
 Wyalusing under this reconstruction, were embraced by the 
 Presbytery of Lackawanna. This body held its first stated 
 meeting at Wyalusing, September 20, 1870, and Avas one of 
 the most important gatherings over assembled here. It 
 seamed appropriate that the first meeting of the new Pres- 
 
 * Bee Appendix. 
 
118 OENERAt History. 
 
 bytery sliould be held oa the very spot where the first Pres- 
 byterian church was organized within its bounds, and that its 
 reunion should be celebrated on the place consecrated by 
 such holy memories. 
 
 Wyalusing, as at, present constituted, lies on the east side 
 of the Susquehanna, and or both sides of the Wyalusing 
 creek, up which it extends about eight miles, while its river 
 border is about twelve miles ; the whole township embracing 
 ■ about twenty-three square miles with a population of 1693 
 souls. At the last election (October, 1870,) the whole num- 
 ber of votes cast was 377, and at the presidential election in 
 1868 the number was 346. Its'politics have always been pre- 
 dominantly Republican since 1856. In 1870 the number of 
 taxables was 440, and the valuation of personal property 
 $37,590, of real estate $200,698, making a total of $238,288, 
 so that in the last seventy years the number of taxables has 
 increased eleven fold, and the valuation thirty fold. 
 
 There are at present in the township two villages ; one, 
 Wyalusing, at the mouth of the creek, the other, Camptown, 
 five m lies above ; three churches, two academies, and eight 
 stores. Although an agricultural community, yet the various 
 mechanical arts are well represented and the township is rap- 
 idly increasing in Wealth ay.d population. 
 
 The praperation of the foregoing pages, though made in the 
 midst of other and pressing duties, has been to the author a 
 labor of love, and it is with no little hesitation that they are 
 submitted to the public. The first attempt at preparing a 
 local history is always made under peculiar disadvantages. 
 
GBNEllAL HISTORY. 119 
 
 The writer has sought for facts, and has compressed in this 
 paper the results of several years investigation, and of research 
 wherever he has had reason to think valuable material could 
 be found. He hopes it may be the means of correcting inac- 
 curacies, if he has made them, and of bringing to light impor- 
 tant documents, if any exist, which have been overlooked. 
 The history of any locality is the history of the men who have 
 lived in it, and this has made it necessary to introduce several 
 biographical sketches, which have been taken either from ' 
 family records or other authentic sources. 
 
 It is but fair to say that the idea of writing a history of 
 the township was a recent one. The discourse had been 
 prepared, and was nearly printed when it was thought best 
 to put the paper in its present form. The work of printing 
 was therefore for a time suspended, new investigations Averc 
 undertaken, the whole plan of the work was recast, and the 
 result is before the reader. In consequence of this som c 
 repetition was necessary, and at the same time in a few 
 places the biographical sketches have been broken up into 
 fragments. No one can be more sensible of these defects 
 than the author, but with all these he hopes his efforts will bo 
 the means of preserving important facts which otherwise would 
 have been lost, and provoking some abler pen to tell the story 
 in the way which it deserves. 
 
 While the work has been going through the press one or 
 two mistakes have been discovered : 
 
 The name of Mr. Benjamin of whom Major Gaylord bought 
 a part of his property was Richard instead of Judah as was 
 there given — he and Mr. Akly were 'sons-in-law of Mr. 
 Bennet and went with him to Durell creek, where their 
 descendents now live. The story that^is told of an old Indian 
 
120 cKNEKAIi UISTOEY. 
 
 woman iuforming Mrs. Biown that there would be trouble in 
 the valley, should have been Mrs. Wigton, who at that time 
 lived near Tunkhannock. The information was gathered 
 from a grandson of both Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Wigton, 
 which led to the confusion. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 In am indebted to the Rev. W. C. lleicbel, of Bethlehem, 
 Pa., a gentleman versed in the Delaware names for the 
 following : 
 
 Wyalusing is written variously in the old records,'thus : 
 Machachlosung, Quihaloosing, Mockocklocking, Monmuch- 
 looson, Machmihilusing, abbreviated into Ch'wihilusing, and 
 then into Wihilusing. The last three are doubtless correct, 
 and the changes natural. I propose the the following analysis 
 for Mach-wi-hi-lu-sing : 
 
 Maeheu signifies large — see Zeisbergers|]jVOcables^ as'cor- 
 rected in his spelling book. Mi-hi-lu-sis, an~oldj)ian, {ibid) 
 ing or ink, the suffix of locality, i. e,, the place of. Macheu- 
 mihilusising, shortened and softened into Machwihilusing, the 
 place or residence of the large old man — the home of the 
 great patriarch. 
 
 The eai'liest hint that I can find of Wyalusing|^in the 
 journals of white travelers is that of 0. Wisser on his trip to 
 and from Onondaga, in 1737. April 24 — passed to-day Onon- 
 to (Owego) down to Diaogo (Tioga). April 25 — Embarked 
 early, got a companion, a relative of Shikellimy, but who was 
 of little use, except to help to eat. We passed the spot where 
 we first rested after leaving the desolate wilderness,* the 
 mouth of Oshcalui f (Sugar creek) and Dawantaa (Towanda). 
 
 * I. s. on the up trip, vi» the Lycsming, tbencs across Beaver Dam into the Towanda, 
 which Weisser Bays aigniflee •■ the fretful." 
 
 t Signifies " the fierce." 
 
122 GENEKAL HISTORY. 
 
 Shot several ducks and -wild turkeys. Passed several fine 
 bodies of land, partly level, partly timbered. * April 26 — 
 Eeached Skehandowana (Wyoming). Hero there is a large 
 body of land, the like of which is not to be found on the 
 river. 
 
 The next reference is by Christian Frederick Post, the 
 first Moravian at Papunhank's town at Wyalusing. He and 
 John Hays (a young Scotch Irishman, from the settlement in 
 Allen township, Northampton county,) were deputed by the 
 Government in May, 1760, to accompany Teedyuscung, King 
 of the Delawares, to the great Indian council to be held by 
 the Western Indians over the Ohio. Having been denied a 
 passage through the Seneca country, they turned back and 
 reached Bethlehem June 30. The following are extracts 
 from his journal : § 
 
 Dear Sir : — It gives me greatjpleasure to inform your 
 Honor that we arrived at Mockocklooking, an Indian town 
 newly laid out, where there is a company together, all of the 
 Minisink (Monsey) Indians, a sort of religious people. It is 
 about eight years (1752) that they originated, and Papoun- 
 hang is the originator of the company and thpir preacher. 
 They want to see the Friends (Quakers) chiefly. * * As 
 this people is a religious people, they desired to me to hold 
 them a meeting. This I did with great blessing, speaking on 
 the Announcement of the Saviour's Birth hy the Angels, May 
 20, 1760. * * * The Indians said to mo " Brother, I 
 am greatly pleased to hear of that good peace, that it is well 
 established. I heartily share in it, and like to live in peace. 
 Hearken, brother ! I pray you to have pity on us, and let us 
 have no strong drinks at all. This we all who live at Mach- 
 
 * Probably Wytluslng flsls, 
 
 I PenniiylT»ni» ArchisTos, III, p. 742. 
 
aENfitlAL lltSl'ORY. 123 
 
 achlosung pray of you ; and if any of our young men should 
 come down, ask them where they come from, and if they say 
 they come from Machachlosung, I pray you to give them not 
 a drop of liquor at all." 
 
 Extract from John Hay's journal. f^May 19, 1760 — Set 
 off early though wet, and arrived at a town called Quihaloos- 
 ing ; the Governor's name is Wampoonham, (Papunhank) a 
 very religious civilized man in his own way, and showed us a 
 great deal of kindness. Held a conference with him this 
 evening, and when over, Mr. Post gave them^a sermon at 
 their request. 
 
 May 20 — They called us to council and seemed to be very 
 'friendly. * * * This town is situated on the Susque- 
 hanna, east side, about twenty houses full of people, very 
 good land, and good Indian buildings, all new. Had sermon 
 this evening again. 
 
 May 21 — Set off about 11 o'clock (i. e. north) and crossed 
 the Quihaloosing creek about a mile above the town. 
 
 July 7, 1760 — " Some twenty Indians from the Susque- 
 hanna passed through Bethlehem, on the way to Philadelphia, 
 to a conference which opened July 11. Among these was 
 Papunhank. Most of these are known to us, and some five 
 or six years ago (1754) had heard us preach the gospel on 
 the Susquehanna. We met them in the small chapel. They 
 bought three captive children. Bethlehem Diary 
 
 " Grov. Hamilton met twenty -four Monsey Indians, two 
 Nanticokes and three Delawares from an Indian town called 
 Michalloosen or Wighahoscon, about fifty or sixty miles 
 above Wiomink on the Susquehanna in conference at Phila- 
 delphia, July 11, 1760. The speakers of the Monsey's were 
 
 t Pennij'lvania Archives, III. p. 735, 
 
124 GENERAL HISTORT. 
 
 Papunhank and Toan-kakanan. Job Chillaway, a Delaware, 
 interpreted for Papunhank. On this occasion Papunhank 
 stated that at his town white persons and also'horses had been 
 collected during the late war (1755-1760), that he had at 
 Post's request, given up the three persons there, viz : two 
 girls, a boy, and all the horses stolen from the frontiers. 
 
 July 18, 1760, " Papunhank and his Indians returned from 
 Philadelphia. July 21 Bishop Spangenberg had an interview 
 with Papunhank. July 23 Papunhank and his followers left 
 for his town, QuiohloosinJc, on the Susquehanna." 
 
 Bethlehem Diary. 
 
 From the extracts it appears that Papunhaiik was the 
 founder of the town known to the Moravians, which was a 
 sort of religious community ; that Post preached the first 
 sermon among them and was the means of their becoming 
 acquainted with the Brethren — and that it was predominantly 
 a Monsey town. 
 
 Also, from the Bethlehem diary we learn that on the 
 breaking out of the Pontiac conspiracy, twenty-one of these 
 Indians under the lead of Papunhank, determined to have 
 nothing to do with the war, and availed themselves of the 
 shelter of government barracks at Philadelphia, and the next 
 year Papunhank, in company with three other christian Indi- 
 ans, came back to Wyalusing to select a place for a christian 
 town, to which the remnant left in Philadelphia, came in 
 April, 1765, after a tedious journey of five weeks and one day. 
 
 June 11, 1766 — Our Indians on the Susquehanna have 
 changed the place of their abode, removing a short distance 
 above Wihilusing — erected two rows of dwellings, in the 
 centre is the meeting house." From Heckewelders narrative 
 we learn this' meeting house was surmounted by a cupola and 
 bell (p. 97), that the white surveyors were laying out farms 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 125 
 
 here previous to the abandonment of the mission (p. 107). 
 Also a Mohichan Indian named Joshua, with the aid of the 
 brethren, made a spinnet which was used in the worship of 
 the new church, the first instrument of the kind in the coun- 
 try (p. 413). 
 
 Rev. (afterward Bishop) Christian Gregor and^Loretz were 
 commissioned by the General Synod of the Moravian church 
 to visit their missions in America. He reached Friedenshut- 
 ten on this tour of visitation early in the summer of 1771 and 
 gave a representation of his journey and of the mission 
 in a playful! poem written in German to his daughter, 
 and which he intended should reach her on her birthday. 
 This poem which has never yet been published, is written in 
 such peculiar measure as to make a poetical translation unus- 
 ually difficult. The following prose rendering of some of the 
 stanzas may not be uninteresting. After mentioning several 
 places he says|: " Besides these there are other regions in 
 which we have churches — one of these lies on the Susquehanna 
 where it bristles with mountains, and to reach which the 
 traveller must needs have bold feet. Here he partakes of 
 Indian manna,* which himself must stamp in a mortar. This 
 is Friedenshutten, situate in heathen lands. It was with diffi- 
 culty that we journeyed thence on invitation, for the road was 
 hard to travel, alternately up and down and often dangerous 
 on account of the watercourses. Despite this, Loretz and 
 I resolved last May to go thither. We gladly accepted of 
 Nathaniel Seidel and four Indians (who were sent down 
 thence) as guides. One hundred and seventy miles we had 
 need to travel, and the road led over many a steep mountain, 
 often scarce passable, rough, swampy, narrow, dark and 
 gloomy too through the forest. It was a world of mountains, 
 
 * Maise, 
 
1^6 (ifiNERAL illSiORY. 
 
 in Vrliich tail hills were but as warp beside taller ones. Pri- 
 meval wildernesses and plains never as yet dwelt in by man. 
 * * * On reaching the Susquehanna we embarked in 
 canoes, and keeping to the middle of the river, saw Frieden- 
 hutten before us on the fifth day. I shall never forget the 
 looks of joy — of festive joy — depicted on the countenances of 
 those converted heathen, as they stood and ran up the bank 
 (young and old, large and small) to welcome us in sweet 
 unison. All work was laid aside to prolong this joyous 
 meeting, and for five, even six days too, during our sojourn. 
 Surely these once heathen are now the subjects of divine 
 grace. We assisted to minister to them daily in the services 
 of the sanctuary. We also celebrated the Lord's supper with 
 them. I greeted them for Herrnhut, for Bethlehem and for 
 myself. They are a dear people — some of them persons of 
 distinction — a wide awake and sagacious race of brown men. 
 The Lord has set some of them apart as he did men in the 
 Apostolic times. Our hearts and our lips often overflowed 
 with gratitude at witnessing such tokens of divine grace. On 
 Whit-Sunday there was a baptism of five adults in which we 
 took part. The last day of our sojourn I baptised also a little 
 child as it lay in swadling clothes, her I named Johanna and 
 commended her to the keeping of her crucified Master. 
 Hereupon we set out on our return to Bethlehem, with hearts 
 grateful for all we have here seen and experienced." 
 
 In the narrative of Zuriel Sherwood, published in the 
 Wyoming Democrat, it is stated that Messrs. Morris and 
 Nicholson, directors of the Asylum land company, cut through 
 a bridle path from the Lackawanna over the mountains to 
 Wyalusing. This is probably the shorter road referred to 
 by Jonas Ingham. In that same paper is a description of the 
 little corn mills which were first built through the country. 
 
GENERAL HISTORY. 127 
 
 They were located upon little streams whicli for most part of 
 the time now are nearly dry ; had one run of stone but little 
 larger than a half bushel. These stones were quarried from 
 the conglomerate rock along the Lackawanna. The mills 
 were so arranged that when the stream was low they could bo 
 turned by hand, and could crack into- samp and meal from 
 one and a half to three bushels of corn per day. Mr. Sher- 
 wood says that in 1789 nearly all the corn used in the 
 neighborhood of Tunkhannock was broua;ht from Wyalusing, 
 thus showing that Wyalusing was in a flourishing condition 
 when the settlements were made between it and Wyoming, 
 
The following are the most important errata : 
 Page 15, lino 4 from top, for Mrs. J. read Mrs. G. 
 
 " 18, last lino, for 2ncl read 3d. 
 
 " 20, line 10 ti-om bottom, after " amount " read which. 
 
 " 33, line 15 from top, for 1816 read 1819. 
 
 " 34, line 2 from bottom, for by read of. 
 
 " 35, line 16 from top, for Pennelia read Permelia. 
 
 " 47, line 13 from top, for mady read made. 
 
 " 52, line 6 from top, for crafts read rafts. 
 
 " 55, line 15 from top, for son of read afterward. 
 
 " 62, the first two lines are transposed. 
 
 " 73, hne 3 from top, for 1789 read 1786. 
 
 " 75, line 8 from top, for has read have. 
 
 " 90, line 14 from top, for come read came. 
 
 " 92, line 16 from top, after ttsed insert and. 
 
 " 93, Une 15 from bottom, for were read was. 
 
 " 98, line 1 from top, "failure of the" to be erased. 
 
 " 103, hrie 5 frsm bottom, for not read rot. 
 
 " " hne 9 from bottom, for gleam read glean. 
 
 " 115, last Hne, for Maryall read Merryall. 
 
 " 121, hne 6 from top, for Machmihilusing read Machwihilusing. 
 
 " 126, line 1 for warp read dwarfs. 
 
 " " Une 7, for and ran up read dratrn up on.