History of Greene County, PA

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H ISTORY

GREENE COUNTY.PA.

-CONTAINIXG-

AN OUTLIl OF THE STATE FROM 1682,

-UNTIL THE-

Formation of Washington Co-anty in 1781.

-o — :o: — o-

H ISTORY QUIRING i^ YEA^S OJ UNION.

The Virginia and New State Coxtroveksy — Ruxxing op

Mason's and Dixon's Line — Whisk fy Ixsukrection,

— History of Churches, Families, Judoes,

Senatoks, Assejibly.aien, Etc., Etc.

REV. WILLIAM IIANXA,

1832,

Library

Entered according to Act of Congress, Bv Rev. Wm. IIanxa, Id the Copy-Riglit Office, Washingtor, D. C, On the J St day of December, 1882.

PRjiFACE.

IT was a cnislung blow to the nobles and ignoblos of the old world when an obscure man like Christopher Columbus T>'a3 daily receiving the thanks of Monarchs and the continuous ap- plause from the masses. The envious were heard to say, "Oh, who could not do that ? Nothing easier in the world/* To si- • lence these gainsjiyings he ])roposed at the dinner jiarty that each guest should try to make an egg stand on its end on the marble table. When all had failed, he struck his ogg a sliglit ' blow on its larger end, crushing the shell slightly, and at onco it stood up. The sore-headed growlers at once said, "J low easy any one can do that," to which tlie great discoverer modestly , replied, "Yes, after I have showed you how." The historian often meets the same class of envious peo])le who are continu- ally saying, "what an easy thing to Avrite history ; any onc: <"an do that." So they can after some one has shown them how. And this is the great difficulty in Avriting a history of Greene County : no one has gone over the whole county before me to *i show me how. Another difficulty is' that I have presumed '' to bring the history down to the present day ; had I droj)pe(ll '; tlie tliread eighty years ago there would have been but few if any now living tliat ccjuld risv n\> and contradict me. But. there are hundreds of men and women of my own age who ■! have witnessed tlie scenes that I describe and who-se recollec- • tlon of the particulars will very likely dilTL-r from mine. Let the candid reader ask hitnself, how is it that eight or ten men, good citizens of Greene Countv, wili come into Court and uu-

335608

* I'KEFACE.

der oath give such different statements with refci-ence to a transaction that occurred within the last six months. lie (tlio reader) will then be prepared to make a great amount of allow- ance for thr different statements of persons who have witnei«ed the same transactions forty or fifty years ago. Some of these difficulties I do not pretend to solve, but give the different views of intelligent men and then leave the reader to form his owu opinion. In -wiiting this history I have imitated no model, ; purj)Osely intending that it shall differ in style and aiTange- ment from any other history that ever was written. Hoping all persons will extend to me that charity that hopeth all things I submit these pages, trusting that no wa-ong motive will be im- puted to me, although some of my statements may differ from, tbeir opinions. Wiixiaji Haxna. j

IXTEOOCCTIOX.

CHAPTER I.

kl^^ ^ t"''^ 4t1i of March, lesi, Charles TI. grnntea to Win. ' ^1^^ Ponn a charter for tlie Province of Pennsylvania, the t^^^i^ King liaving i-egard to the meiuory of his (Penn's) ^J^'^ father, who had served his Majesty in nuraerQus ways, csix-cially in tho lat<^ victory over the Dutcli fleet, commanded by Heer Von Oixlara in the year 1 G55. The English forces in the ■ battle were command^l by James, Duke of York. In consid- eration of these services, King Charles II granted to William I'enn all that tract of land in North America, bounded on the Biist by the Delaware river, commencing at a point twelve miles northward from New Castle town unto the forty-third degree of north latitude if the river doth extend so far; but if the river does not ext.end so far northward, then by the river HO ftar as it docs extend, and thence by a meridian line to bo nrawn from the head of the river extending northward as far as the forty-thiixl degree. The said tr;xct of land to extend , westward five degrees of longitude to be computed from the i Delaware river, and the said land to be bounded on the nortli by the beginning of the three and fortieth degree of northern j latitude, and on tlie south by a circle drawn at twelve miles- ;. distant from New Castle northward and westward unto the be- j ginding of the fortieth degree of northern latitude and then by ' a straight line westward to the limits of longitude mentioned Above. This Cliarter is in tlie office of the Secretary of the State of Pennsylvania until this day, and consequently is up- i ■yrards of two hundred years old. It is written on parchment

6 IIlSTOIiV OF OI;ki:XK COLiNTV.

In Uie o)d English haTxi-writing ; cacli. line luidcrscoi-exl \rltb >^ Ted ink. The bcn.lers are cniblazeni^Hl with heraldic designs, ■ and on t/.)}.> is a poortrait of King Charles the Second. Enucr the provisions of this Charter "William Penn, by and witli the advice, assent and approbation of tlie freemen of the c<juntry ■above described liad authority to make, ordain and enact laws. ;. Accordingly on the 2oth of April, 1G82, ^Villiam Penn framed ■a form of govei-nment for the I'rovinco of Pennsylvania. It consist-ed of a preface and twenty-four articles, contirming ' :;nto the freemen thereof their liberties, franchises and j/roper- . ty. (Creigh History, page 28, William Markman was inniiedi- , utely dispatched as Penrrs deputy, Avho entered into negoti:i- tion with the Indians on the loth of July, 1C82, leaving their contracts open for the opproval or rejection of the projn-ietc" himself when he should arrive, which event took place on the 2-ith*of October, 1682. The landing of Penn and a large num- ber of colonists at New Castle formed a kind of epoch in the history of those early times. Indeed the 24th of October, 1GS2 ought to be celebrated on the 24:th of October, 1882 as a kind of "Red Letter Day." The consequences were so important td all parties. Had his rapacity and love of gold been equal tti that of a Cortes or Pizarro, how different doubtless would have been the results of his landing. Indeed it requires all the = ingenious laudations of the descendents of some of those prima- ' live settlers of some of these northern colonies to preserve the names of their ancestors from justly merited odium. Not so with AA^illitmi Penn. His career needs no sophisticated apolo- • o-ist ; his conduct was endorsed by the savages tliemselves ; the ■ very kind of hat he wore became in after times a pastport of safety t-o all who conscientiously wore it, as the following and , numerous other instances will abundantly illustrate : Soon aftei , I Christopher Gist had built his log cabin at the foot of Laurel Ilill on the location long known as Mount Braddock, Jacob'

ik:Tw<.'D;.v.iio\'. 7

^Bccson built liis caLin at tho cdiro of r.i; oxtor.slvo plumb thicket- that tlioii covcrod llic ontiie silf* of 'Aw I'rcsent I'niontowri.' One night tlic iuiiiatesoi" thishunibio '-hoiiic li: the woods" wer<?-. awakeucHl by the animntod disc-ussioji Lroin'^- on "itt.-ide with, reference to the proprictv of at ov.cv ;rmi'.i!:i'iii!4" those })nmitvc ;|^ clwellcrs. While the family listoncd -a i'h tl.iobbiiia; hearts ' to the half Indian, half English discussion, they could distinct- ly hear the expression "na na na : Brua<l Ibim/' The argument was ('onclusis^e ; the savages withdrew without doing the least harm, for Mr. J^eeson did conscicnciously wear the "Broad Hrim. ' and no Indian could be four.d so low-fallen as to do vi- olence to a family protected by this well recognised "talisman."' No wonder then that all jtarties rejoiced on th.e arrival of tho man whose good name had gone lu'iore hiio. and v/ho after long years of contact and trial was found to be in all respects Avorthy of it. His attention was innnediately called t-o the condition- al contract made by his deputy on tho l.'th of July, 1682. This contract Penn continued v/itii the Sachems and their tribes under tlic "Elm Tree" at Shackamaxon," now Kensing- ton. This treaty was the first nnide l)y Penn with the Indians and was for the purchase of the lands lying between the falls of the Delaware and the Neshamiug Ci'cek ; the deed was dated October 21, 1G82. The next purchase was made on the 23d of June, 1083, and was for a tract of land between Xesh- aniing Creek andPenncpack, and was to exti'ud as far back into the country as a man could travi'l in two days on horseback. Two days afterwards, June 25, KiHo. Penn ])urchased from tho Chief Wiuebone, what is styled his (Wiuehone) "release," for lands on the west side of Schuylkill. l)egimiing at the falls and extending back on the same as far as his right is uiubsputed. On tlie 14th of July of the same year, another deed was mado to Pemi by the Chiefs conveying tlie lands l)etwcen Selmylkill river and Ch.cstcr creek. On the sa.me da'-' another deed V\'rii

C niSTOKY OF GRKEXE OOUNTV.

tmade conveying the lands between Schuylkill and Penn- iepack. On the 10th of September, 1G83 "Kake Tap^ jpan"' makes a deed for his half of <ill his lands between Susque- I hanna and Delaware rivt?i-s on the Susquehanna side. October /1 8. 1683, the Cliief Machaloha, executes a deed for lands be- tween the Delavv'are river and Cliesepeak bay, as far up as the ^ falls of the Susquehanna. June 3, 1684, Manyhenghsin sign;v ; a release for lii.-, ]and on Peckioming. June 7, 1684, Mettam 'micont releases his lanus on l.'Oth sides of Pennepach on Dela- Avare rivei". Jidy 80, 1685, the Ciiiefs execute a deed for land:; between Pennepuck on Chester Creek as far back as a mancai. •go in two days from a point on Conshocken hill. October 2c\ ■1685, Penn received his eleventh deed for lands between Duck '■ and Chester creeks as far back as a man could ride in two days ' with a hoi-se. On tlie loth of June, 1692, the Indians acknov". edge full satisfaction for lands between Neshaming and P<>- quessing creeks as far back as the boundaries of the Pi'ovincc . June 13, 1696, the Chief, Dongan, made Penn a deed for lands on both sides of tlie Susquehanna from the lakes to the Chese- peak bay. January o, 1697, Penn was put in possession of ai- other deed made by Taming, for the land between Pennepacl: ! and Neshaming, as far back as a horse can travel in two sun> nier days. September 13, 1700, a deed was made by the Su?- quehanna Indians for the lands on both sides of the Susquehan- bi a river, comprising Dongan's deed of January 13, 1696. It . would seem from the record that this Dongan was an enter- . prising fellow and was, like many white men, ready te ' 'Teeon without his host," and consequently seems to have sold as his own ])roperty, lands in which he only had a small inter- , est ; and here wc see the generosity of Penn — instead of insist- / ing on his precious purchase, he seems to have bought this same land at lea;:t twice, perhaps three times, for on the 23d '.,S«f April, 1701, tlierc seems to have been a general gathering of

INTRODUCTION".

9

tlie Indians, when after various speeches and payments of ad- , 'jltional sums, the Cliiefs of the Shawnees, Fotomacks and ■ Conestoges all ratify the transaction and relinquish all claim to j the lands in dispute. These dissentions seem to have rendere^i the proprietors more slow in jjurchasmg Indian claims, hence ivo further ]>urchase Avas made for upwards of seventeen years, when on the 13th of September, 1718, a deed of release is made by the Delaware Indians' for the lands between the ])elaware and Susquehanna from Duck creek to the Lehigh hills. A controversy arose at th;s time about the distan^.-e that a man ci; horseback onaht to travel in oiic day, which hs will be seer, above was the way in winch sevt-ral of the previous bounda- ries were to be decided. The presumption is that the horse had traveled much further than the Indians expected. These dis- l>utes were satisfacforily adjusted by a deed executed on the ■Mth of Decembei, IT^U. I\Jay SI, I720, the Indiant- execute u deed for lauds on both sides of Bi-andywine creek. September 7, '.732. the proprietors are put in possession of their twentieth deed lor lands betw^'en Tehigh hilis and Kittatinny mountains, I'etween Schuylkill and its branches and the brancties of the Doiawwi. October '% '7:1*5. a deed was made by the Indians f-.'! fiie Susquehanna rivcx and the lands cm both sides thereof ..'astsv:ii-d to tne head of the liranche;--, and westwara to thf. : -ctttintj sun, and from its mouth to tne Kittatiunv hills. On i the 2ot]i of .October loilowing the Indians in Council admitted that the cieed ot the llth was intended to mcluue the lands on the Delaware, and westward tc ihe Kittatinnv hills. Auirust 28, 1737 the purchase known as the '"vvalKing purcnase" took place, which extf-nded from the westerly branch of the JSesti- aming up tht; Delaware as tar as a m.iii coula walk in a day i, and a half. August 22, 1749, the twenty- fourth Inuian deed '} was made for lan<ls trom the Kitiatinny mountains to Mahanoy mountain and between Susquehanna and Delaware rivers ou

10 iiiSTor.Y OF Gi:!:i:xic countv.

the nortli side of Lackawaxen creek. 'Tuly 6, 1754, a deed was made at Albany for the hinds on the west side of the Susque- hanna from Kittatinny mountains to a mile above Penn's ci'eek, thence northwest as far as the Province extends to its western boundaries. October 23, 1758, deed for lands from Penn's creek northwest a:id by west to Buffalo creek, thence west to Allegheny mountains and along the east side thereof to the western boundary of the Province. November 5, 17C8, at a great treaty held at Fort Stanwix on the present site of Home in the State of New York, a deed was made by the Iroquoise Indians for the lands west of the Monongahela river, commonly called the new ])urcha:^e. Under this puix-hase the Penn's oj)cncd their land otncc in Philadelphia on the 3d of A|)ril. 17G0 for the sale of lands in the new })urchase. During the first montli numerous a])i)lications were made for patents for land by parties who were already on the ground, having begun to make their tomahawk marks as early as 1760, while as yet the Indian title to this domain had not been extinguished. This last menlioncd purchase at Fort Stanwix, it will readily be seen, Avas the tdl-important one for Greene County. On the 21st of Januaiy, 1785, a deed was made for all the Indian lands in the bounds of this Commonwealth, including those purchased at Fort Mcintosh on the 23d of October, 1784.

After following up the puTchases until we arrive at the time when our own county was purchased from the Indians, we find ourselves under the necessity of going back in order to ascer- tain what were the other personal transactions of the worthy old Quaker who so conscientiously purchased, at different times, so much of the teriitory for which he already held the title from the King of Great Briton. One of his first acts towards white men was to assemble all the freemen of this province at Chester, as well as those of the three teritorries, as they were then called, of New Castle, Kent and Sussex. At thismeetinrf

INTIIOULCTION.

11

-an act of ITnion was passed, aniiexinc;- the tlirce torritones to the Province of Pennsylvania for Ici^-islative pnrposes. William Penn. h}- and with the advice and consent of this first assenv ' bly cl the freemen, divided the Province of Pennsylvania into- three connties, viz : Plnladf.lphia, l>ucks and Chester. For each of the connties and tonitories, Sheriffs and other necessary officers were appohited hy the proprietor, hut the Council and Assemblymen were elected by the people. On jNIarch 10. 1683, ilie Council and Assembly met in Pliiladelphia, ca -h county liavinu retuiMicd three membei-s for'the Council and nine for the Asseml)ly. William Penn returned to Eni^land in 1G84, after ■u>ponn!n<4 a T^resident to administer his affairs in his absence. i )issiitisfaction arismg-, the three counties that had been annexed tcilne T*rovince, withdrew, and in IfJOl elected a leti'islaturo :■! their <!wn and Mere henceforth known as Delaware. ^\'iIllam Markman was now apjiomted Deputy Governor linh'i \\'i!liani I'cnii. In Auuust, P.-.99, William Penn returned ',-■ lh(> Province and reassunied the reins of o-overnmont, to the ■j:vq:\{ ioy of the people who seem always to have had more con- li^'^'.i:-'^ in him ihan any one he could place over them. On the- ■^Sfh of •ctobi.M. 1701. he ])resented the Council and Assembly with a new charter of ])rivileges, and havinu- appointed Andrew liamihoii as laeutenant Governor, he again departed for Eng- iand. This cliaiter continued the supreme law of the land until ! lie Declaration of Independence was ^promulgated on the 4th .Inly. 1770. A convention then assembled on the 8th of July '.■»r the ])urpose of forming a constitution for the State.

Pennsylvania has been very justly called the Keystone State in consequence of having about an equal number of the origin- al colonies on each side of it. On the southwest, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Dela- ware; on the north east. New York, Connecticut, Phodo Island, Massachusetts. New Ilam))shire and ?ilaine. As this State io

12 IllSTOKV OF GREEXK COUMTV. V

situated in the center of the original arch, with Kew Jersey at its eastern end to keep it from falling out, it deserves special \ notice in its different forms of government, as follows: 1681, William Fenn, Proprietor; 1684, Thomas Loyd, President of Governor's Council ; 1688, Captain John Blackwell, Lieutenant Governor; 1690, Thomas Loyd, Deputy and Lieutenant Gov- ernor", 1693, Benjamin Fletcher, Captain General and Lieuten- a'.it ; 1698, William Markman, Lieutenant Governor; 1700, William Penn again dieting as Governor; 1701, Andrew Hara- iiton, Deputy Governor ; 1703, Edward Shiphen, President of Couucil; 1704, John Evans, Deputy Governor ; 1709, Charles ^Jookiii. De])uty Governor; 1717, Sir William Keith, Deputy (ioveniur, 1726, Patrick Gordan, Deputy Governor; 1738. George Thomas, Lieutenant Governor; 1747, Anthony Pal- mer, l-*residenL of (.,^ouncil ; 1748, James Hamilton, Lieut.Gov.i 17.')4, i»ubert Morris, Lieutenant Governor; 1756, William DGiiny, Lieutenant Governor; 1759, James Hamilton, Lieu- it-nant Governor ; 1763, John Penn, Deputy Governor; 1771, I'irliiird Penn. Governor ; 1773, John Penn, Governor; 1775, iJeiijamin Fi'anklin. Presulent of Council; 1776, Thomas Whar- ton, l^x-sidcnl of Council; 1777, Joseph Peed, President of (.'ouncil ; 1781. William Moor, President of Council; 1782_ .Tohn Dickson, President of Council; 1785, Benjamin Franklim President of Council; 1788, Thomas Mifflin, President of Coun- cil. Under tlie new constitution of 1790, Thomas Mifflin was ciecred first Governor , over Arthur St. Clair by a majority of •24,522 votes. In 1793, Thomas Mifflin Avas again elected Gov- ernor over F. A. Muhlcnburg by a majority of 8,890; in 1796, Thomas Mifflin w;\s elected a third time, defeating F. A. Muhl- enburg, this time by a majority of 20,018 votes. In 1799 I Thomas McKean was elected Governor over James Ross by a majority of 14,601 votes. In 1802, Thomas McKean was again ; elected by a majority of 30,748. Thomas McKean was elected

INTRODUCTIOX.

13

a third time in 1805 by a majority of 4,766. In 1808, Simon Snyder was elected Governor by a majority of 24,386. Simon Snyder was again elected Governor in 1811 by a majority of 47,035. In 1814, Simon Snyder was elected Governor a third term by a majority of 20,605. William Findley was elected Governor in 1817 by a majority of 7,048. In 1820 Joseph Iliester was elected Governor by a majority of 1,584. Andrew Sliultz was elected in 1823 by a majority of 25,709, and re-elec- ted in 1826 by a majority of 70,361. In 1829, George Wolf was elected Governor by a majority of 16,433, and re-elected in 1832 by the small majority of 3,170. I remember this elee. tion very distinctly. The parties were dividc<l into "Masons" and ''Anti-Masons." Mr. Wolf was accused of being a ^lason^ consequently his diminished majority. In 1835, Jose[)h Kitncr was elected as the Anti-Mason candidate : the whole number of votes polled was 200,413. Of these, George Wolf received 65,804, Joseph Kitner, 94,023, and Henry A. Muhlenburg, 40,586, making Ritnor Governor, agreeable to the provisions of the constitution, although he lacked 12,377 votes of having a majority of the Avhole vote. In 1838, David R. Porter was elected over Joseph Ritner by the small majority of 5,496. Al- though there were but the two candidates in the field, the con- test was a fair one, and the unprecedentedly large vote of 250,- 146 was in consequence of the intense excitement of the cam- , paign. In 1841 a new party began to make its a])pearance, called the Liberty party. Dr. Le Moyne, of Washington, Pa., I was a candidate this year on this ticket for Governor, and re- \ ceived 763 votes ; John Banks was also a candidate and received ! 113,473; David R. Porter received 136,504 votes, making him l«Governor by a majority of 22,245. In 1844 Francis R. Shunk was elected by a majority of 1,716, Dr. Le Moyne receivingthis year 2,566 votes. In 1847 Francis R. Shunk was re-elected by ia majority of 4,819. In 1848 William F. Johnston was elected

14: lIlSTOr.y OF CIZEKNK COUNTY.

■by the small majority of 225. In 1851 William Bigler was elected by G,539 majority. James Pollock was elected in 1854 ^ by a majority of 34,604. William F. Packer was elected in 1 1857 by 14,527 of a majority. In 1860 Andrew J. Curtain was placed in tlie Governor's chair by a majority of 32,110, and re- elected in 1863 by a majority of 15,333. John W. Geary wa;? elected in 1866 by a majority of 17,178. He was re-elected over Asa Packer in 1869 by the small majority of 4,596, (for the size of a majority must be reconed by the number of votes polled.) On this occasion the number was 576,508, whereas for the firsl Governor, Thomas MifHin, in 1790, there were but 30,528 votes all told. An idea can from this be formed of the rajjid p-owtli of the State in ninety-nine years, Having now prepared the minds of our readers by this outline liistory of the State, I invite their attention to our existance during fifteen ycai-s as the eastern part of Washington county, our interests being identi- cal Avith theirs. The preamble to the Act of the 2Sth of 3Iarch is in these words:

"Whereas, The inhabitants of that part of Westmorland comity which lies west of the Monongehela river, have rejire- sented to the Assembly of this state the great hardships they lie under from being so far remote from the present seat of judi- cature and the public offices ; " To remedy these inconveni- encies, they therefore passed tlie Act of Separation, which is in eighteen Sections, the preamble being numbered the first. Section second gives the boundaries of the county. Section third gives the same rights and i)rivileges to the inhabitants as enjoined by other counties of the State. Section four author- I izes the Trustees to take assurance of ground whereon to erect a Court liouse and prison, and divide the county into to\vn.ships before July 1, 1781. Section five empowers the inhabitants to .elect Inspectors, two Ilepresentatives for the Assembly, one \Oiember of the Suprsrie Executive Council, two persons for

I1ISTC>HV OK Cr.Kl'.M-: COlNTV. 15

Sheriff, two for Coroner and tliroe for Coiiiinissioiicrs. The election w:u^ ordered to be lield ;it tlie liouse of David Ilogo ut tlie place called ''Cattish Cainji.'' Swtion six declares th:ir Justices of the Supreme Court shall have likei)o\ver and author- ity in Washington County. Section seven and eight, provides for the election of Justices of the Peace, to he ht'ld on the I'jxh of July, 17S1, for the various townships (after Judges and In- spector have been elected). Section nine pi'ovides for Justice.^' uf the Peace to liold Courts of (rcneral (Quarter Sessions and ('•ioal Delivery. Section ten ])rovides that James Elugnr, Ilug'.-. Scott, Van Swearingcn, Daniel Lect and John Armstrong, shall I>e appointed Commissioners to pnrchase ground for a Court house, as provided in Section four. Sections eleven and twelve 1-rovides for the mode of defraying the exi)enses of the jiublic i)uildings. Section thirteen provides for the continuance of huits commenced in the original county. Sections fourteen., rifteen and sixteen, provide for the appointment of a collector <^f the excise, his powers and fees. Section seventeen directs ihe Sheriff and Coroner of Westmorland county to officiate un- til these officers could be chosen in the new county. Section eighteen directed the amount of the security to be given by llie Sheriff' and Treasurer. Under the provisions of this Act, Greene as part of Washington Co. Avas governed up to the 9th of Feb. 1796, when an Act was passed dividing the territory into two parts, leaving the townshijis of ]V[organ, Cumberland, Frank- ■ lin, Greene and IvichhilK to constitute the new county of Greeno. Of these five townships, Morgan and Cumberland were organized en the loth of July, 25, 1781. Greene was organized on the ' 6d of April, 1782. Franklin Avas organized on the 10th of July 1787, and Kichhill was organized ."Man-h 18, 179;l These iOriginal townships have been sub-divided into Jefferson, Morris, jAleppo, Dunkard, Monongahela, Springhill, Jackson, Gilmorc, i^entr(?, Marion, Washington, AVayne, Whiteley, Perry.

16 msTonv of greene couxty. «

Before we leave that part of our history that is identical Avith , Washington county, it is but proi>er that we notice the state of '; public sentiment in this region of country about the time the ' mother county was formed. It must always be born in mind

' that this section of country west of the Monono-ahela was set-

I

j tied largely by persons favorable to Vii-ginia rule ; that colony

I claimed the territory as her rightful domain, and the majority no doubt thought the claim was just. They therefore brought

: their slaves vrith them as part of their pi'operty, feeling confi- dent that they Avould be pennitted to hold them in perpetuity.

• Their indignation was unbounded when in 1780 the legislature of Pennsylvania passed an Act for the gradual abolition of slavery. The first ebullition of contempt that manifested itself was the preparation of those that were footlose to irmnediately depart for Kentucky, which was now in its turn the new "El- dorado of the West." This interference with what they pleased to call their "domestic rights,"' was immediately visited upon the devoted heads of the Quakers in the old counties of Phila- delphia, Bucks, Chester, &c., until the curses were loud, long and bitter. Discontent and alarm also, existed almost every- where with reference to the final result of the revolutionary war. Cornwallis was not as yet overthrown. A Quaker govei"nment was much better adajited to a condition of peace than one of war. All that had ever been done for these backwoods settlers (they said) had been done by Virginia. But now since they find themselves no longer in that State, they are ready to show their dislike in every possible way. "Old England," they say» '•did once protect this western section from the Indians and French both, and is willing to do so again, but now the Indi- ans murder our families with impunity, and our State authorities do nothing for our preservation.'' "Huzza for King George,"*

was the disloyal expression that often fell from the lips of those

i (

who thought themselves deeply wronged. This is not a pleas- .

HISTORY OF (JRKKXK COUNTY. 17

ant theme on Avhich to dwell, and yet a sense of duty should prompt the historian to write the truth whether H be pleasan:, or otherwise. I therefore make a few quotations, to prove that I am not slandering our ancestors. On the 7th of December, 17S*0, General Broadliead who commanded the U. S. troops at Pittsburg, writes: "I learn more and more of the dir.affection of the inhabitants on this side of the mountains. The King of Britain's health is often drank in company." He gave it as the opinion of many of his Virginia officers well acquainted in this part of the country, among them Col. John G'bson, "that should the eneray approach this frontier and offer protection, half the inhabitants would join them ! Gen^^l Irvir.c writes from Fort Pitt in November .1781, saying, "I am comidtnt that if this post- was evacuated the bounds of Canada woidd be extended to the Laurel Hill in a few weeks." Still further on this unpleasant Fubject is a letter from General Washington himself, dated April 25, 1781, in which he says : "I have received the follow- ing intelligence : Col. Connolly (who it will be remembered made his escape to Canada) with his corps is to proceed to Quebec as soon as possible, to be joined in Canada by Sir John Johnson with a number of Tories and Indians, said to amount to three thousand. Their route is to be by Brick Is- land, Lake Ontario and Venango. His object is Foil Pitt and all the adjacent ports. Connolly takes with him a number of commissions to persons now residing at Pittsburg ; and several hundred men at that place have agreed to make prisonei-s of Col. Broadhead and all friends of America." As I have already intimated that the movement to abolish slavery was one of tho causes of complaint on the part of those who tliought they were settling on Virginia soil, but who afterwards found themselves in Pennsylvania, I deem it proper at this point to give tho reader a little insight into this subject which has in the Last score of years assumed such immense jiroportions. ::i order that'

is

HISTORY 01' GREKNE COUNTY.

he may draw his own conclusions and intelligently contrast the ^present Avith the past. I find my authority for these statements ' in Creigh's History, Page 362. April 30, 1781, thg; estate of I Alexander McCandless sold a negro girl for sixty pounds- May 16, 1781, Jacob Johnson bequeathes to his wife Mary a negro woman slave named ''Sukef to his daughter Elizabeth ^ Pierce, a n-L'gro girl named '"Zelph," and her futui-e increase to his daughter Eleanor Decker ; the first child, male or female, of Suke, to his daughter Esther Johnson, at the death of her moth- er, the above named Suke. Should the said Suke have no ■children, one hundred pounds in the hands of John IJuchanan is to be divided equally between his daughters ; but if children are born to the slave Suke, the money is to be divided equally among his five children. On the 3d of June, l79o. Reason Pumphrey sells his slaves at the following prices : Lot, aged 18 years, for seventy j)ounds. Ben, aged 14 j-ears, for one hundred pounds. Dinah, aged 10 years, for seventy-five pounds. March 20, 1795, John Moor manumitted two sla\es. Abraham ^nd Jonas. In the Beporter of March 8, 1813. is the following advertisement : For sale a negro boy A\hc has thuteen years to sen-e ; he is stout and healthy. Apply at the office of the Reporter. On the 29th of December. 1823, the first meeting of citizens of Washington County was held to form a society for "the abolition of slavery. October 2, 1835, the citizens of this I county met to express their disapprobation of the cause of the abolitionists. This meeting was presided over by Hon. Thos. H. Baird. Rev. Thomas Hoge, R. H. Lee, Alexander Reed, W, iv. McDonald and Dr. John Wishart, were appointed a com- taittee to report resolutions, one of which was, that any com- ^ bination of citizens of one State organized for the purpose of , disturbing the civil institutions of another State, is a violation •of the spirit of the Union and of the enactments of the Federal .Constitution and must tend to dissolve the L^nion. This with

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

19

Other resolutions of the same spirit was unanimously adopted. But it is difficult to get the descendents of the men and women who lived in "the times that tried men's souls" to understand the numerous difficulties by which their ancestors were sur- rounded. Two parties, known at that time as the Virginia and Pennsylvania parties were uncompromisingly hostile. The headquarters of the Virginia party was alternately at the Court House of Youghiogheny Co. near West Elizabeth, and Hi Fort Dumore (Pittsburg). The headquarters of the I'enn- ■sylvania party Avas at Hannatown,* about three miles north of •Greensburg, Westmoreland county. Here the first Court foi the counties west of the mountains was held. In the jail here ■Connolly himself was incarcerated until released on bail for h;>; appearance at Court. When the day of trial arrived Connolly put in his appearance (backed*by a numerous band of Tory m:- iitia), defied the Court, and finally ejected them from the house and locked the door before their faces. As a reprisal the Pennsylvania party from Hannatown swooped down on Fort Dunmore, broke the jail and rescued the Justices and tax col- lectors there imprisoned, when in turn the Virginia party led on '•by Simon Girty, with a band of Tories and Indians, came sud- denly upon Hannatown, while nearly all the men were ab- sent in the harvest fields, and soon the Court house, jail and all the dwellings were in flames. This was in July, 1782. By .this time our readers will be willing to admit that the wound was incurable and that the original parties to the quarrel could never become reconciled unless by some compromise measure. This compromise came in the way of a proposition to form a "New State," to be called "Vandalia." Exactly what bounda- ries were demanded for this new Connnonwealth has never been revealed. It was evidently a pet theory of. the Virginia parti- sans by means of which they could at least play the "dog in

* KobertHanna was a lineal ancpRtor of mine, the founder of llannatown.

20 HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

the manger." If ive cannot have the territory in dispute, Penn- ' sylvania shall not have it. But the New State project liad Other advocates beside the Virginia partisans. Some good hon- est Pennsylvanians saw in it an end to their troubles, for tlte ' Virginia element was far in the majority. So much so that if a man wanted to have his "election made sure" in the bound:s of Washington, and what afterwards become Greene, county, his safest plan Avas to declare himself either in favor of Vii-- ginia or Xew State rule. Among the aspirants who were will- ing to climb either of these political ladders, none were more prominent than John Cannon and Dorsey Pentecost, men whcin tlie people of this territory in a special manner delighted to honor. Hence Judge Veech, himself a son of Greene county, >::iys v.-ith reference to the Xew State project : "In 17S2 tl-.e most active if not the most open promoters of the scheme were <.'olonels Cannon and Pentecost,* each of whom had taken the iron-clad oath, the former as Assemblyman, the latter as Goun- cllor." "Pentecost attempted a noisy disclaimer of this, but 1 hereby afforded only more convincing proof of its verity." In order to establish this contradicted assertion, "Hugh Henry Jirackenridge testified on oath that he heard Pentecost on his return from the Council in July, 1782 say that the line never \vould be run, and that this country never would be Pennsyl- vania nor Virginia, but a Xew State." [See Pennsylvania Ar- chives, IX, 572.]

Previous to 1872, this Xew State project had been looked upon as mere effervescence of maddened and disappointed Virginia partisans, and it was hoped that the whole matter would expire by its own convulsions. At this stage of affairs, however, the disease assumed a new form. Virginia now offers to cede to the United States the Northwest Territory, on the condition that all her claimed territory east of the Ohio, sliould be granted to her. This, as will be seen, was a virtual

niSTor.Y OF c.ni.KXK county. 2l

reopening of the boundary controversy, tliat it was hoped had been settled by the Conference at Baltimore. Congress very wisely refused to make the guarantee demanded, and left Virginia to establish her claims as best she could. As the Northwest Territory has noc been accepted on Ih.e terms (mi which it was offered, it is now proposed that a large portion of this Northwest Territory shall be taken into the New Stnte, and that instead of making the Allegheny ?>Iountaiiis the eastern boundary with Pittsburgii for its capital, that tl;t' Mor.ongahcla river shall be the eastern line, and that its capital shall be a new city to be erected somcAvhere on th.c Tuscarawi^ branch of the Muskingi;m river, perhaps on the site of thi' ."Moravian town^5 that had been recently depopulated by tlie disgraccfid slaughter of the peaceful Indians in the Wil- Jiamson expedition. In April, 1782, General Irvine wroie lo Governor Harrison, of Virginia, and also to the Suj)ren.o Executive Council, in 3Iay, saying, "An expedition niucli talked of, is to emigrate and set up a new State. A day is appointed to meet for the purpose. A certain Mr. John- son, who has been in England since the commencement • if the present war, is at the head of the emigrating party, and has a form of Constitution ready for the new gov- ernment. I am well informed that he is now in the East trying to procure artillery and stores. Sojue think he is too trifling a being to be worthy of notice. l>e tliis :is it may ; he has many followers. ^\nd it is highly jirob- able that men of more influence than he are ])rivately at woi'k. Shoidd they be so mad as to attempt it, I tliink tliey will cither be cut to ])ieces or Ix; comjielled to take protectit ii from and join the British. Perhaps some have this in view, thofigh the majority, I tliink, are well meaning people, who have at present no other views than to acquire large tracts of land." [See Craig's Olden Times, II., 3:^7.]

22

HISTORY OF GREEXE COUNTY.

As all manias, no matter how wild and extravagant, have some extenuating thing that can be said in their favor, so had' this. Previous to the adoption of tlie Federal Constitution in. 1788, there was no positive prohibition by statute or otherwise, to prevent the erection of a new State anyv»-here on the public domain, provided it did not ar.sail the integrity of the chartered limits of an already recognized State. Hence this project (•ould not have been regarded as objectionable if confined en- tirely to the Territories that were not Avithin their chartered lunits. But it Avas the unconquerable determination that this Xew State must have all the land between the Monongahcia and (.)hio rivers attached to it, that made the thing so exceedingly heinous. Although this territory Avhich is now so valuable .-is the counties of Washington and Greene, it could not at that early day be regarded in that light, and hence the animus of the conspirators became so self-evident, that it only failed to be discovered by those who are "blind because they won't see." .Opportunely, a Court of Congress under one of the Articles of (.Confederation, Avhich was sitting at Trenton, had unanimously decided against Connecticut in her dispute Avith Pennsylvania — in Avhich the Yankees had gone so far as to set up and people a town called "Westmoreland," on the east branch of the Sus- quehanna.) The plea of Connecticut Avas that she had na western boundary described in her charter, and consequently' she claimed all due-Avest of her to the Pacific Ocean, and as part of Pennsylvania lay Avest of her, of course it belonged to her, as her charter Avas antecedent to that of Pennsylvania. This Court maintained the integrity of Penn's Charter, and iu order to conciliate Connecticut in vieAV of her supposed losses, they granted her that portion of the Northwest Territory lying north of the forty-first degree north latitude, extending about one hundred and tAventy miles west from the Pennsylvania line,, usually called the "Western Reserve," which has since been.

"^ iiiSTOKY OF r,r.i:i:NK colnty. ' 23

divided into the counties of Trumbull, Ashtabula and Portage. As it was known that tlicre were other Colonies that had no well defined western boundary, and in view of the fact that' this might eventually give trouble and perplexity, this Couri»! for the purpose of crushing out all schemes foi' dismembermenl; or intrusion, present or future, an Act was passed on the 2d '.'f December, 1782, declaring that any attempt to set up a new State in whole or in part on her (Penns^-lvanias) territory shouli? be '■^reason,'' and punishable accordingly. The Pennsylvania authorities anxious to avoid difficulty sent oxit IIcv. James Fin- ley (the ancestor of the family of that name, still in Fayctle county) into Fayette, Washington, and what afterwards becan-.o Greene counties. He arrived in Llarch, 1783 armed with a hundred copies of the Act of Deccnd)er, 17S2. In his report he says, "I was six weeks in the disafl'ectcd country, that por- tion east of the Yougli in th.e Fayette part; being mostly 0]>- posed to the New SLate, I ])r.ssed them by. A considerable number of those, between said river and the ilonong-iiiela, ns well as a greater part of Washington county, I found to b«: favorable to it, being misled by a few aspiring, and I suspect, ill-designing men, or by men vrho had not thcronghly consid- ered the whole matter, which latter was the case with some of :he clergy." Mr. Finley's mode of operating wiis to caution the people after sermons ; talk to the ministers aiid other gen- tlemen, and write argument! vely, an;l i)ursuasively to other>', but never disclosing his agency. "The New State men alleged I was too officious. Tiie law intimidated and discouraged tho populace. Even the ringleaders were for eating their own words." He hoped he had done some good, "yet the jjcoplc seemed rather hushed than convinced." He feared that being disappointed as to a New State, they would try to avoid the payment of taxes, ludess in tlour to be run by n State Agent to Orleans. "For." says he. "those setthnnents are nUnost desti-

24 insTonY of G::i:rxK county.

>i

' tute of cash."* "Tliis suggestion,' says Judge Veech, "was adv^ising the same measure of relief wliich Robert Morris had proposed h\ 1782, but whicli Pentecost, (a strong Virginia par- tizan and a Kew State man) had o})enly resisted."

I have thus far dragged out the weary length of this boundary controveroy andXew State agitation in order to show the inhab- itants of Greene county liow near they came at one time to being located as denizens of Virginia. And at another tiinc.