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BARTON, EDWIN MICHELET

History of Columbia County, Pennsylvania-

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HISTORY

OF

COLUMBIA

PENNSYLVANIA

Volume One

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS

EDWIN M. BARTON

COUNTY

I

III

HISTORY

OF

COLUMBIA

COUNTY

PENNSYLVANIA
Volume One

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS

Sponsored by the Columbia County Historical Society
and

Commissioners of Columbia County

Prepared by

Edvvi n

M. Barton,

Historian of the Columbia County Historical Society,
1958

Copyright by Edwin M. Barton,

I9?8

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PREFACE
Herewith Is submitted to the general public of
Columbia County, in tentative form, the first six chapters
of a history of this county, designed also for school use.
Distribution to ninth grade students of our county high
schools is also being completed at this time.
Rather than being an excursion into narrow
provincialism and pettiness the history of one's locality
and region touches the broader history of one's commonwealth and country in many places and in many ways.
In some occasional instances these contacts
At others such
are at critical and decisive points.
contacts are representative manifestations of our
larger history, clarifying and sharpening it by
In addition
instances in the reader's own home land.
achievements
of
advantages
and
the
the heritage of
them
us
face
and
and,
yes,
let
leaders
others
the
make
up
and
scars,
tensions
also the heritage of
Knowing our own community
Vi/e
live here.
our region,
the better, v>'e can become better community builders
and more loyally attached to it.

with these objectives in mind that
this history has been attempted.
It

is

The standard sources have been combed, and
diligent effort has been exerted to uncover new sources.
An additional objective of this tentative publication
Are there
is to uncover sources not hitherto available.
persons who have reliable traditions, letters, diaries,
manuscripts, which would be helpful? Pictures, newspapers, clippings, catalogues, anything that will
contribute to a more effective account of our cherished
It is hoped that such sources
region, are requested.
These are requested both for the
may be made known.
period prior to I87O, and also for the period I87O to
items dealing with
To be more specific:
the present.
mining, lumbering, quarrying, farming, industry,
religion, education, any significant aspect or detail.

Careful efforts have been made to avoid
errors, errors of omissions, of ni s-statements, or
Friendly criticism is welcomed.
of any other type.
Responses to this request will be utilized fully to
improve a final edition planned in 1959 in standard
printed form.

May we have your help?
Send responses to the author,
Edwin V\. Barton
c/o Columbia County Historical Society
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

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USEFUL BOOKS FOR REFERENCE AND WIDER READING

These books are all out of print. There are many copies around the county.
Friends of our schools should aid in having copies given to our school libraries.
They are, in some cases, somewhat more costly than currently published books.
The public libraries of Berwick and Bloomsburg and of the Columbia County
Historical Society have reference copies.
Battle, J. H., ed. History of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania.
Chicago: A. Warner, 1887, h parts. Part I, General history of Pennsylvania to
1886,"' 152pp,
Part II, History of Columbia County in General, followed by
chapters on the political subdivisions, pp, 1-318. Part 111, Biographical
Part IV, History
sketches, arranged by political subdivisions, pp, 32l-?i|2.
of Montour County, pp. 1-138; Montour biographies pp, 138-220,
Table of contents, no Index. The parts on local history and biography contain
much that is Interesting and valuable, more so for Columbia County than Montour
County,
Freeze, John G, A History of Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, Pa,
This history does not treat all matters with
Eiwell and Bi ttenbender , I883.
On certain topics. It contains much factual information.
equal thoroughness.
It elves considerable attention to county and township division and very
extensive attention to the topic of draft resistance in the county during the
Civl

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Vi/ar.

Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania,
The history of the two counties is given
2 vols.
Chicago:
J, H. Beers, I9I5.
separately, largely drawn from the J. H. Battle work, but condensed. Some new
material is also added, especially covering years 1887-191^. A biographical
section is given. Tables of contents, historical index and biographical index.
As In the case- of the J, H. Battle reference, there is much that is useful and
nterest inc.
I

Certain works centered primarily around Berwick or Bloomsburg, not only gTve
Interesting material In regard to these two communities, but much of what Is
included bears on the history of their regions or of the county as a whole.
Berwick
Bevilacqua, Howard P. The Story of Berwick, Written and compiled for the
Berwick Sesqulcentenni a Celebration,
1936,
1

Works Progress Administration, Manuscripts of the 'Writers' Project, 193^,
Many manuscripts and transcripts, available no where else are in these collections
Depositories of these
and are open to teachers, and properly qualified students.
County
Columbia
Bloomsburg,
and
the
items are in the libraries of Berwick,
County
Columbia
by
the
has
been
prepared
Historical Society. An Index of them
Historical Society, available at these depositories.
B loomsburg:

I79t-19F1. Atlas and Directory of the Town of Bloomsburg,
Duy, A. W., Jr.
Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Maps with indexes, Town-Fax, Bloomsburg, Pa,
Especially fine collection of pictures and maps, many of county-wide Interest.

The Pennsylvania Archives and Colonial records are available at all three
For certain references, where a student is given adequate guidance,
libraries.
to consult a report as written by a public servant to a governing body or
superior, may give a sense of vividness and realism not possible from a secondhand account.

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CONTENTS
Chapter
THE COLU/ABIA COUNTY REGION WHEN !T WAS
INDIAN COUNTRY
1

Chapter
PIONEERS, PATRIOTS, AND TORIES IN THE
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS
I

I

Chapter 111
PIONEER SETTLEMENTS IN THE

I

10

29
"NEVi/

PURCHASE"

Chapter IV
TRANSFORM! MG THE rRONTlER INTO CIVILIZED

58

CO/A'AUNITIES

Chapter V
CANALS, RAILROADS, AND INDUSTRIES

55

Chapter VI
SOME MID-CENTURY CONFLICTS

69

Outline Map of ColumUia County

78

(Consecutive page numbers at bottom of pages)

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THE COLUIffilA COUNTY REGION VIHEH IT WAS

IlffllAN COmJTRY-«-

Evidences of Indians
Dwellers in Columbia County are reminded in in?ny ways that our
beautiful region was at one time the home of people different from
Europeans. The main river flowing through our county is called the
Susquehanna. Both the name and the river are considered, respectively,
among the most beautiful in the United States. The name is Indian.
We are not sure whether it meant river where-the-water-makes-the-rocksIndian grind-on-the-banks, or the long and crooked river, or even the muddy
Times river. Fishing Creek is a translation of the Indian name, Name see sepong,
meaning stream-of-fish, or merely that its water smells fishy.
Catavdssa may have meant growing-fa t-frora-food or the place of pure
water. Roaring Creek is probably a translation of the Indian,
Popemetunk. Briar Creek was knox-m to the Indians Kawanis honing.
Not only names but stone implements and crockery, usually
fragments, have been found in our rer.ion in large numbers. These
are evidences that people were living here before the coming of the
Europeans, Such things are still being found. Many persons have
large collections of such things, we call them artifacts.*""
Such articles were found at or near sites of Indian villages.
These were at places where hills with a southern exposure would give
protection from the cold north xdnds of mnterj or on high ground
overlooking streams, high enough to be beyond flooding but close to the
stream for fishing and canoe travel; or on level meadows where crops
could be planted and cultivated with the cvude wooden and stone tools.
Such places have yielded many evidences of Indian life of long ago.
These evidences may be human bones associated with animal bones,
stone tools, spear points, arrow points, grinding stones, scrapers,
They may be jumbled together,
borj-ng stones, and pieces of crockery.
embers
of fires, long, long since
with
charred
often
in
layers
but are
gone out end grovm cold. Some places may have a number of layers,
The oldest layers, it can be argued, wore on
others only a few.
The record that one deposit may
the bottom, the least old on top.
sh*w may be carried further by another deposit at another place.
Some of the oldest deposits yield bones of animals that have not
existed here for many centuries, although they were plentiful at one
time
i^Turn down folded pnrt of page 9 so that you can refer to diagram as you read.
•^;^An especially fine collection is at the museum of the Columbia
County Historical Society where school students and others may viev:
them. If any one should find Indian relics, he should note carefully
where the find took place and then report it to the Secretary of the
County Society in Bloomsburg, Much that is knovm has been learned by
giving careful study to the location of Indian finds and how they lie.
The authorities at the Pennsylvania State Historical and Museum
Commission will almost surely wish to know more about any important
discoveries of Indian artifacts.

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The stone implements in the levers that sre not so deep are
of definitely better workmenship.
They liavc finer points and
keener edges. Tlie earlier, or older deposits and burials indicate
that those Indians had not yet invented bows and arrows.
The Indians had been in America for many Centuries .
Just recently~The scientific principle of radio activity has
been discovered. Your science teacher irri-ll explain this more fully
if you ask Mm. By this means, scientists are able to take articles containing carbon, examine them ijith a geiger counter, and
then tell fairly accurately how old they are. Very old things that
were once alive, contain some carbon, llni s is true of the bones of
animals or human beings, and also of the charred remains of partly
burned wood or roasted grain. Using this discovery, scientists are
able to tell us thct human beings have been in North America, and
possibly in the Susquehanna valley, thousands of years, possibly
eighteen thousand years.
This conclusi'i on confirms the knowledge gained from the examination of Indian village sites and deposits in certain overhanging
rock shelters
Vlhere did the Indians come f r om?^
The chain of islands, the Aleutian Islands, extending from
Alaska westward to a point close to Asia, suggests that primitive
people made their way by stages from one island to another, until
they reached the mainland of North America in modern Alaska, From
here, they spread throuf-hout North and South America. Different
groups ijith different languages almost surely came at times centuries
apart. The skin color of the Indians resembles that of the mongolians
and suggests that the Indians originally came from regions close to
China, There are^ and have been, many different kinds of Indians,
These Red Hen differed from each other much as Europeans from England,
Italy, Greece, and Poland, as examples, differ from each other, and
from other i^uropeans. Different groups of Indians could not understand each other's language any more than a frenchman can understand
Kore than this
a Dane, unless he has studied the DanJ.sh language,
we knox'j that the Indian groups have been here for an enormously long
time, some groups much longer than others.
Such groups naturally
must have differed in languages and customs,
VJhy study India ns ?
It is interesting to know about the people who lived here before
the Europeans, Furthermore, the historj of our countrj', and county,
too, would undoubtedly have been far different if it had not been
for the Indians, The wtdtes, too, had a v^ry great effect on the
life of the Indians, With the exception of a small number, the
Indians no longer live in Pennsylvania at all,
In the centurj'- or so following the discovery of America by
lk92
Columbus in lh92f Europeans sent expeditions to the New VJorld for
exploration, for conquest, and finally for settlement.

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Smith
1608

Indians
The first explorer who has left a -mpitten account of the
evidences,
are
There
Smith.
John
was
in the valley of the Susquehanna
man's
however, that the Indians had rlread;/ been receiving the white
proporwell
and
greet
"Such
goods before this time. Smith vn-ote:
tioned men are seldom seen for they seemed like giants to the
English, A^ea, and to the neighbors, yet sceiTied of an honest and
sounded
simple disposition..." He also said that when speaking they
people
fine
what
recorded
slso
"as a voyco in the vault..." Others

these Susquohannoclcs were,
We need to Icprn about this "mighty people" once in our valley,
their neif-;hbor tribes, and what became of them all. We vail find
that they" had an important influence on our early history.
The earliest white nan of whom we have any knowledge to visit
Etienne
the North Branch valley of the Susquehanna was a Frenchman,
Brule'
powerful
and
young
(Broo-lay), in 1617 and I6l8. Brule , a
Brule
1617
had
man, had already lived with the Indians north of Lake Erie. He
1618
can
Vfe
woodcraft.
learned their language and had become skilled in
that
at
Indians
piece together from several very brief account of
seen
time, and our knowledge of the river, what Brule must have
.

and experienced.
Valley
Susquehanna
The
They
the Susquehannock Indians as companions and guides.
had
He
from
travelled either in elm bark canoes or dugouts. They started
Cerantouan, a strong stockaded fort of these Indians near the modern
passed
town of Athens, Pa, Paddling and floating dovm the river, they
through deep gorges which were forest covered at all places except
of
the steepest ones. Here the bare rock was visible. Below one
Wapwallopen,
reaching
before
just
Bluff,
Council
such precipices.
the valley widens. On the north, over the tree tops they would be
Knob
able to catch a glimpse of the mounta^.n we call Lee, ending at
river
forested
the
in
openinc,s
the
through
Mountain. To the south
bluffs another mountain could be seen, Llescopeck Mountain. Following
Narrows,
the river as it cut south through what we call the Cataxd.ssa
impressively
loomed
have
would
i-.ountain
the T-jestern end of Catamssa
alternating
on their left. The stream would have then borne them past
of
site
the
to
lorestec^
bluffs and more open country, mostly
forks
great
the
reach
vrould
they
down
modern Danville. Then farther
than
smallar
slightly
of the Susquehanna where the West Branch, only
great
a
make
to
flow
the North, would have been seen joining its
The Indians called tlriis place of joining of the two branches,
river.
Shamokin, where both modern Sunbury and Northumberland are located.
From there the trip of many days took the travelers to the Cheasapeake,
Followj-ng, they would then have had the return trip, this time
paddling or poling against the current.
Th e Susquehannocks
Here and there where the canks ;^ero slightly higher than ordinary,
usually near a branch stream, would have been a clearing, the site
of an Indian village. Such were to be found at or near the present
locations of ^'apwallopen, Nescopeck, Beriack, Mfflinville, Bloomsburg,

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Curious and watchful
Cataifd-ssa, and probably other plpces, too.
Indians must have paddled out to learn aboiit the strange boatmen.
They would have been assured that the travelers were friends, in fact,
"brothers" of the same tribe, with Brule as their guest.
Indian hospitality would have been offered and accepted. Not
to accept would have been an affront, leading to unfriendliness and
even actual attack. Shelter would have been provided for the night.
It is probably true that the travelers had counted on securing such
shelter along the way.
Their huts were probably oblong, made by forcing saplings in
the groxind, benc'ing them to come together at the top in the center
and lashed into position. These were covered with large mats of
bark, lashed to the upright sapplings, sides and overhead. Smoke
from their fires escaped through a hole in the roof. The Indians
themselves were not very clean, and their dogs were less so.
These habitations, it can be guessed, could be smelled by an
approaching traveller before they could be seen.
Crowded, eyes often smarting from smoke, skin red from bites
of fleas and lice, pnd also mosquitoes in surimer, the discomforts
must have been great. We can understand why, when the Indians
were exposed to new diseases of the VJhite Men, they died off in
large numbers. But the Indians of this time knew no better and
Brule seems to have become hardened. In fact, most of his later
life was spent with the Indians,
From John Smith and others we learn further about the
Susquehannocks, They were gracious and friendly to those who
were friendly to them, but fierce and corageous against their enemies.
They v;ere respected and feared by all their neighbors. They once
controlled the whole valley of the Susquehanna and its tributaries,
extending north to its headwaters. The Susquehannocks belonged to a
large group of tribes called Iroquois, The Susquehannocks were at
this time one of the strongest of these tribes.
The Iroquois Confederation of Five (Six) Nations
The northern headwaters of the
Susquehanna, in modern New York,
were close to the tributaries of the Mohawk river. A canoe traveler
could carry a canoe from one river system to the other. The Mohawk
river flox^^s from west central New York into the Hudson river at the
east. Five nations of the Iroquois, urn.tod in a loose, but strong
confederacy occupied this Mohawk valley. At the time our history of
Pennsylvania is opening up, this confederacy was making itself the
strongest Indian power in North America, It called itself the Long
House, This diagram shows the members and their arrangement.
THE IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY OF FIVE NAHONS (After 1711, Six Nations)
West
East
s
Senecas: Cayungas : Onandagas :Oneidas
Mohawks :
Mohawk Rjv.-Keepers :Younger
:Tenders of :Younger :Keepers of :Hudson
Headwaters: of the
Brother ;the Central: Brother :the Eastern river
:Vfestern r
: Council
Gate
i
:
:Gate
:
Fire
:

LONG

HOUSE

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:

;

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After 1711, at the south. The Tuscaroras, on the Cradle Board

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- 5 -

White Men and Indians carry on trade
Trade between the Indians and European sterted very early, in
many cases, the earliest explorers found that these traders had been
here before them. In I6O8, for instance, John Smith stated that the
Susquehannocks had hatchets, knives, pieces of iron and brass.
Certainly European traders were actively trading with the Indians
before the first settlements were made. This trade continued to be
of great importance throughout our colonial period, and for many
years after.
As soon as the Indians saw the vihite man's materials and goods
for trade, he realized how much superior they were to his own.
Steel axes, hatchets, and knives were better than those of stone.
Brass and iron pots and kettles were better than fragile earthenware
pots, better shaped, with better handles, Se^^^.ng with steel needles
and awls was far easier than using crude flint, bone, or horn awls.
Woven blankets were much desired hj the Indians even though the
Indians preprred soft and comfortable deer skins. Brightly colored
cloth was much in demand. The white traders also brought porcelain
and glass be?ds to take the place of the shell beads, wampum, of the
Indians, The vrhite man's fire arms were eagerly sought, also. The
Indians, or at least many of them, quickly developed an unoontroUahn e
appetite for intoxicating drinks, which they called fire water.
Usually this was in the form of r\im or wljiskey.
The Europeans early discovered that trade could be highly
profitable in securing the pelts of fur bearing animals, which would
bring a high price in Europe, The goods the Indian wanted, were not
nearly so expensive, some of them, such as the beads and some kinds
of cloth, were cheap. The Indians on their part found that what the
white traders wanted was, at first, very plentiful snd cheap to them,
Thus there actually was a basis
the pelts of the fur bearing animals.
for valuable trade, each had things cf great value to the other.
In many cases, however, the white traders were scoundrels, and
cheated the Indians in many ways, Tiiere were a3.so soonndrelly Indians,
There were also upright traders wiio dec It fairly with the Indisns, but
they seem to have been in the minority.
Very quickly this trade reached enormous amo\ints, Vfe have a few
records to show this. In just one year, 1683, the Swedish traders
located on the lower Delaware sent to the home land 50^000 pelts.
These must have been secured from the Indians in the Delaware and
Susquehanna valleys. The English at the south, the Dutch in the
Hudson valley, the English in Nevr Engla.nd, and the French of Nevi
France, were also engaged in this trade, Ife can be sure that this
trade year after year from all of those regions must have been
enormous. Of course it wss valuable to both the Indians and the
wlutes. Largely on account of ri">'alry for the fur trade, the Dutch
conquered the Sijedish settlements in 1655. Then in l66it the English
conquered the Dutch and New /jnsterdajn became New York, This left the
English and French as sole rivals. This nvalry between the English
and French resulted in wars lasting, off and on, for over half a
century. As you have probably learned, the English were finally
victorious. This victory has a good deal to do with the history of our
region. The Indians played an important part in these wars. Let us
see how tliis came about.

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The SusquGhannocks Destroyed
The fur trade also brought rivalry to the Indians, How many
tnousands of hatchets, knivts, hoes, needles and g\ins, ^nd blankets,
how much woven goods and firewater must have been exchanged for
these thousands of fur pelts? Naturally, the Indian became dependent
on the white man's goods. In order to secure them, he hunted and
trapped the woodlands so closely that t'dth the passage of years
the eastern woodlands no longer were able to supply enough. The
Indians farther west wt,re brought into tliis trade. Now the Indians
north of the Great La.kes and St. Lawrence river became rivals of
the Five Nations, ^^^len the Susquehannocks as rivals of the Five
Nations, also sided with tixc St. Lavrrencc Indians, tiie Hurons, bitter
and long continued warcfaro started between the Susquehannocks and
the Five ifations. At first the Susquehannocks were victorious but
the English turned against them. Their numbers were not as great as
those of the Five Nations, They were seriously weakened when large
numbers of them died from disease, probably small pox. Long
continued attacks wore them down. Finally, their last stronghold
was captured in 1675. The few survivors either fled south or were
adopted into the Five Nations. The result was that there were few
if any Indians living in our valley for many years after this conquest,
Pennsylvania Founded
Just seven years later, 1682, William Penn started the Quaker
settlement at Philadelphia. He found the Delaware Indians* dwelling
in the Delaware valley and, trying to be especially fair, he
purchased land from them. It was to be revealed later that the
Delawares had been held subject to the Susquehannocks , Then after
the Five Nations had conquered the Susquehannocks, the Delawares
were compelled to accept the Five Nations as their rulers. This
fact is important in understanding Indian troubles in our region at
a later time.
As we know, settlers came to Penn's Holy Experiment, the colore
of Pennsylvania, in large numbers and for many years. William Penn
and, after his death, his sons and heirs purchased land again and
again. Altnough at first the Delawares were friendly, they gradually
became embittered. After each purchase the Indian was required to
leave and go farther west. William Penn xras always very fair, but
this cannot be said of his heirs in later purchases. The Indians
were often made drunk in order to iiiake an unfair bargain. Thus they
were often cheated out of a fair price. By 1750 the settlers were
advancing to the mountains.
Land Frauds
An especially unfair transaction was the so-called Walking
Purchase in 1737. According to previous treaty, it had been agreed
that the Pennsylvania authorities would be able to purchase a
section of land to be determined by the distance a man could walk in
a day and a half.
This was to be measured from Virightstown.
K-In their ovm language, the Delawares called themselves Lenni
Lenape (Lefi-ni Le-na-ptiy), meaning in their language, the real men.

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Instead of a
The Indians, however, were tricked in several ways:
leisurely valk, as the Indians had anticipated, trained athletes
"No eat, no smoke, no sleep,
were hires vrho, as the Indians said:
no walk, just lunl lunl lun'." Instead of measuring the distance
parallel to the Delavrare River, the line was marked out more
westerly, so as to include a greater amovuit of land. The distance
covered was sixty miles, mere than twice the distance anticipated
by the Indians. Finally, instead of draxdng the far boundary due
east to the Delaware river, the line was turned at right angles so
as to make it go much farther north and thus include still more
land than the Indians had expected.
In nk2 the Six Nations, rulers of the unsold territory in
Pennsylvania demanded that Pennsylvania drive back the squatters
from the unsold western lands. This the Pennsylvania authorities
agreed to do. In turn, Pennsylvania asked the Six Nations to
require the Delawares to leave the area of the walking purchase.
This scene then took place in council in Philadelphia between
the Pennsylvania authorities and Indian Chiefs, Canassetego, a
Seneca chief, spokesman for Lhe Six Nations, addressed Nutimus,
Delaware chieftain in the disputed lands;
"We conquered you, we made women of you, you know you
are women and can no more sell land than women. This land
you claim is gone,..,We therefore assign you to Wyoming of
Shsmokln, This Wampum is to forbid you, your children and
grrndchildren to the latest posterity, from ever meddling
in land affairs, neither you, nor any, who descend from you
are hereafter to presume to sell any land,"
At the conculsion of this speech, Conassetego seized Nutimus by
his hair and ejected him from the Council, The Delawares shortly after
departed from their loved homelands near modern Stroudsburg for the
North Branch regions. I^nd ttere was bitterness in their hearts
Further purchases were tc follow. The Six Nations secured the purchase
money. Often there was bribery. The Delawares, and other groups who
had come into the Susquehajina valley were the ones compelled to move.
The once friendly Delawares finally became bitter enemies of the VJhite
man.
Six Nations Control the Susquehanna Valleys
Besides compelling the Delawares to go to Shamokin or Wyoming,
the Six Nations had a policy of compelling other defeated and dispossessed groups of Indians to take up lands in the Susquehanna
valley, after the destruction of the Susquehannocks , TMs was to
keep the white settlers from coming into unoccupied lands. The
Tuscaroras, referred to above, who made up the Sixth Iroquois Nation,
were settled at the headwaters of the Susquehanna, The Nanticokes,
gave their name to mv-dern Nanticoke, as did a Delaware group, the
Munsees to lyiuncy. Other Delawares were settled for a time at
Nescopeck and probably 'apwallopen , Conoy or Gangawese were at
Catamssa, The Shawnees gave tlieir name to Shawnee flats below V/i Ikes
Barre, They may have dwelt in the Columbia County region for a t^dle.
As the lands crme to be successively sold, the tribes gradually moved
farther west and eventually out of the State, although some of them
were involved in later wars
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The Six Nations sent a representative, Shikellainy into the
Susquehanna valley to control these subject groups and to deal ;ri.th
the Vliite ^^en, traders, and others. He loade his home at Shamokin,
Here, at the junction of the North and West Branches of the
Susquehanna K.ver, he exercised control for the Six Nations over
all the subject Indians in the valley.
The bitterness of the Delax-jares was shared by other subject
groups. Land purchases brought enrichment in money and goods to
the Six Nations, often xath bribes besides, but the subject Indians
always had to move west.
The last of the intercolonial wars between the French and
English broke out in 175i4. As you know, this is called the French
and Indian Var, Just previously, in nh9 a purchase was made that
brought the frontier of the purchased lands tlirough the southern
part of OUT present Coliimbia County. In 1755 another purchase was
made. This was west of the Susquehanna including modern Selinsgrove,
In this year also occurred Braddock's defeat in the vicinity of
Fort Duquesne, Thj s was the signal for the embittered Indians to
wreak their vengeance on the white settlers, the ones who were to
be made to pay with their blood and suffering for the fraudulent
practices of the Penn's sons and heirs, Foior months after Braddock's
defeat a war party of Delawares attacked wiiites at the mouth of
Penn's Creek, near modern Selinsgrove, killed fifteen, and carried
ten into captivity. This massacre was merely a small sample of what
In 1763 Indians attacked
xras taking place all along the frontier.
settlei's in the Vfyoming valley, near modern i/Jilkes-Barre. Fifteen
Ihese
or more were killed here, and others carried into captivity.
outrages did not touch the region of our county at this time for the
reason that there were probably no settlers here then.
In 1763 the French and Indian xjar was brought to a successful
conclusion by the complete defeat of France. The following year
marked the complete and overwheLning defeat of the Indians who had
participated in Pontiac's bloody uprising.
New Purchase
Then in 1768 a very important council of English and Colonial
authorities with the Indian cliiefs \-73S held at Fort Stam^dx, near
modern Rome, New York. For us, this meeting is especially important
because an extensive tract of land in Pcniisylvania was purchased by
This was an irregular strip of
the Penns from the Six Nations,
land extending from the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania to the
southwestern corner of the state. It included all of Columbia
County's future area, not previously purchacec" in 17li9j and also the
neighboring regions. It xras called the "Nevj Purchase".

TO FIND OUT HOW EFFECTIVELY YOU HAVE FJiAD
1. How do we know about the Indians of our region after the time of Columbus?
How long have Indians been in North /.merica? How do wc know?
2
3. Where did the Indians come from? How do we know?

:

.

,

- 9 -

did the Indians help the Europeans? How did the Europeans help the
Indians? Ha-ve you learned of these helps from other history study?
5, Explain the Indian situation in Pennsylvania when VTilliam Ponn came.
6, Why did the Pennsylvania Indians chenge from friends to enemies?
Etienne Brule, John Snu th, Shikollair^y,
7, Identify or connect witli our history:
"Long House", WaHcing Purchase.
li,

1,

2,
3,
h.
5,

6,

7,

8,

9,

10,

Hovi

INTERESTING THINGS TO DO
This chapter introduced you to certain Indians, List them,
List all the Indlen place names of our region. Locate them on a map.
Reproduce the diagram of the "Long House". Show on a map where it was.
If you learn of a new site of Indian artifacts incite a letter reporting it
to the Columbia County Historical Society.
Volunteers should bring Indian artifacts to class, and explain where they
were found. Perhaps the reports of students niay show where there are
hitherto unknown sites of Indian villages or caj:ip grounds. Report such a
find in a letter to tlio Secretary, Columbia County Historical Society,
Eloomsburg
Excursions;
to an Indian site near your school, to the museum at the
Columbia Couhty Historical Society, or to an expert on Indian lore in
your neighborhood,
Locate the 175^1 line in southern Columbia County, Locate the area of the
"New Purchase"
For the whole class:
on a long sheet of paper, wrapping papt^r vail do, make
a time chart similar to that on the bottom of tliis page, only about four
feet instead of ? few inches. Now you have room for mar^ more entries of
events than could be riiade in the book. It would help your understanding
Settlement of St.
to include events from the broader American History,
Augustine, Florida, might be one. Discuss additional entries and then
add those that seem worthiriiile, Sijnilar time charts will be suggested for
other chapters.
For the camera hobbjdst - photographs of Indian village sites in your
in your immedj.?te region, especially any recently ciscovered and not noted
on existing maps,
Possible class reports: dwellings of the Susnuehannock Indians, their boats,
warfare between the Susquehannocks and tne Five Nations; description of the
VJalking Purchase; tlie Penn's Creek Massacre; the Wyoming Massacre of 1763,
(Students utilizing the school library or a public library should have very
definitely in mind their instructions as to the topic they are searching for
and the steps to trke in order to find it.
When you make a class report, you must do more than prove to the teacher
that you have been diligent end thorough. The class as a whole must leaxn
from what you present,)

Check your vocabulary;
artifacts
implement,
precipice
awl
scoundrel
posterity
Score
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12 - 15 good

site

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mongolian
habitations
vengeance
heir
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impressive
squatters
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PIONEERS, PATRIOTS, AND TORIES IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS

Chapter II.

Conflicts and Their Causes
The New Purchase at the Treaty of Fort Stanxdx in 1768 marks
the end of our region as Indian country, although the Indians did
1768 not all leave it iirmiediately. The lands of the North and West
Branches had been purchased and the French rivals defeated. The
fur traders were to move farther west, following the Indians and
seeking areas vjhere fur animals and game had not been so nearly
killed off. The area was definitely open to Pennsylvania settlers,
or so it seemed at that time. But actually, terrible events were
in the maldng. The colony of Connecticut laid claim to the northern part of Pennsylvania and endeavored to settle it with Connecticut
people, VJitliin seven years, also, the war of the Revolution was
to break out. These two conflicts were interriiingled and both
involved our region in bitter struggles. And many Indians, reluctant
to leave these lands, joined against the settlers to bring destruction and bloodshed to the people of these valleys. These struggles
will now be explained.
Early Explorations in the North Branch Country
Long before 17 b8, information about the Susquehanna lands
had been gromng. Fur traders journeyed deep into Indian country,
1728 They reached the Forks of the Susquehanna at an early date. In 1728
one of these traders, James LeTort vjrote from Catamssa about a
fight between the Shawnees and "some back inhabts" , This is the
1737 first written mention of Catawissa, In 1737 Conrad Weiser, the
great Indian interpreter, came down the North Branch from a journey
to the Six Nations, He reported traders in the Wyoming Valley, and
also three men, Germans, from the Delaware region, who were hunting
land . The following years, missionaries visited the Indians and
endeavored to convert them to Christianity, This they failed to do.
However, their trips increased the knowledge of the region. Soon
one of these travelers was to T-irite that the river at Catawissa was
the "most beautiful he ever saw" . Friendly Indian guides and the
1756 several hundred soldiers sent to garrison Fort Augusta, during the
French and Indian Vfar, were able to tell about these lands.
Conflict with Connecticut
From all these reports people learned that there were rich
lands beyond \he first mountains in the upper valleys of the
Susquehanna, These stories were carried far and wide in
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and even to Connecticut, In Connecticut,
there was not much land to expand into. People were seeking other
areas to settle. Its boundaries as originally granted had extended
to the "South Sea", which meant the Pacific Ocean. But since that
grant of 16^2, other charters had granted land due west of
Connecticut's settled boundaries to New York, to New Jersey, and
to William Penn, By the middle of the 1700's these sections in
New York and New Jersey were well advanced in settlement and were
in the control of strong provincial governments. But in the upper
IJ

- 2 -

valleys of the Susquehanna there were no settlements at all.
These Pennsylvania lands were almost as far away from Philadelphia
as they were from Connecticut, The Quaker government at
Philadelphia had given such weak support in the French and
Indian war that the Connecticut people rasy very well have thought
that they could take possession of this land without much difficulty from Pennsylvania, even though this meant reviving claims
that had not been asserted for alraost a century and also "leapfrogging", as it might be termed, over the parts of New York and
New Jersey between, A land company for the settling of this
region was formed. Settlers were induced to migrate to the Wyoming
Valley, first in 1762.
Connecticut People Settle in Wyoming
This was in the region of modern VJillces-Barre, The first
result was to anger the Indians. In 1762 this land had not yet
Pontiac's been bought from the Indians and the Pennsylvania government had
War 1763 promised the Indians that they would not be disturbed. In 176.3 an
embittered group of Indians, Delawares mostly, attacked the
First
settlers, killing a number, and taking other prisoners. The
Wyoming
remainder fled back to Connecticut,
Massacre
In 1769 the Connecticut settlers tried again. Land was
cleared.
Towns were laid out. Forts, houses, and barns were built,
1769
and also grist mills. The Pennsylvania authorities ordered them to
leave, Wlien not obeyed, Pennsylvania repeatedly tried to eject the
Connecticut settlers by force, but without success. However, there
First
were armed conflicts with some loss of Life on the part of both the
Pennamite Yankees or Connecticut settlers, and the Pennamites, as tlie
VJar
Pennsylvania ns were called. After the outbreak of the Revolution
in 1775j both contenders were instructed by the United States
government to devote their entire efforts to xcLnning independence.
This they both did, but not without some friction and suspicion
on the part of both, as we shall see later.
Trenton
Looking ahead of our story, we may note here that the conflict
Decree
was finally decided in favor of Pennsylvajiia by a special court,
1781
convened at Trenton, in I76I, But further friction, and even
conflict arose. These conditions grew out of land holdings which
Later
were disputed between claimants who bought from Connecticut and
Pennamite those based on Pennsylvania grants. After years of bitterness and
Wars
more armed conflicts some of these settlers were given money damages
for lands that they were required to vacate, usually the Pennsylvania
holders, while the other claimants, mostly those from Connecticut,
were allowed to stay in possession of the lands, if they could show
a valid grant from Connecticut,
Connecticut's Claim Included Part of Columbia County
This contest was centered in the Uyoming Valley and northwards
as far as the New York State line , The southern line of the
Connecticut claim was the forty-first parallel of latitu-^e, which
extends east and vjest through the mouth of Fn-shing Creek, Thus if
Connecticut had been successful, Berwick and Eloomsburg as well as
the larger part of Columbia County, the northern part, would now be
part of Connecticut, Two of the towns organized by Connecticut were

11

- 3 -

Huntington and Salem, The boundary of Salem Towiship adjoining
Columbia County in Bermck and Briar Creek Township is the old
bound?ry of the former Connecticut Town of Salem. The name
Huntington is derived from Samuel Huntington, one-time governor
of Connecticut and one of her signers of the Declaration of
Independence, His name is also attached to the tributary of
Fishing Creek joining it at Forks, and the mountain along whose
northern slope it flows.
This whole Connecticut effort at settlement brought four
or five thousand settlers to the upper Susquehanna, some of
whom were to help build up our county, once the violence of the
conflicts had been settled. These settlers were mostly Connecticut people, but considerable numbers from New York and New Jersey,
and even from Pennsylvania, had bought land from Connecticut's
Susquehanna Land Company, Probably the most important result from
the Yankee-Pennamite conflicts was that it made the Pennsylvania
authorities bestir themselves to bring about settlement of our
region more rapidly, if they were not to lose it to the Connecticut claimants. Now we can return to other conditions after the
" New Purchase
I!
Locating the Desirable Land
The Proprietors of Pennsylvania^ the sons of William Penn, had
sent exploring parties into the region of the "New Purchase, even
before the Treaty of Fort Stanmx, Trips were made with canoes;
along the river, up Fishing Creek as far as Huntington Creek, and
probably up the other considerable streajna Locations for surveys
were made at the mouths of the several streams: Green Briar Creek,
Catawissa Creek, probably Roaring and Nescopeck Creeks. Early in
1769 1769 parties of surveyors were on the ground. For instance, land
on both sides of Nescopeck Creek at its mouth had been surveyed
by February, 1769. Other surveys were extended rapidly. These
early surveys followed the bank of a stream as one boundary, with
the foot of the hills as the opposite boundary, the other boundaries
adjusted so as to make the grant contain about 300 acres. These
surveys before the Revolution extended well up the streams. For
instance, those in the Fishing Creek Valley were carried beyond
Knob Mountain up both the main stream and also Hvintington Creek,
The Surveyors
These early surveyors usually went out in the spring and
stayed all summer in the wilds. The party consisted of the head
surveyor, who carried the sighting instrument, called Jacob's
Staff, and two chainmen for measuring distances. One of the
chainmen carried a small ax for marking boundaries on trees; the
other a rifle for defence against the wild animals and also in
order to shoot game for food. They might find rude bark huts or
rock shelters, or they might need to construct their own shelters
for warmth and as places to prepare their notes and records, VJe
in our day cannot realize the trials and hardships of the surveyors
in their work in the unmapped woodlands. There were no roads and
few paths, the settlements were few and far between. They had to
travel great distances through the wild'?rness.
.

- h -

Who VJould Want to Take up Land in the Back VJoods?
Cheap lands, new lands, even if uncleared of their dense
covering of trees, attracted hundreds of Pennsylvanians, in
greater numbers, probably, than those from Connecticut, The
area aj?ound Philadelphia, northwestwardly to the movintains, was
getting crowded and land prices higher,'"' The large families of
those days meant that many younger sons could not be provided
with an inheritance of extensive acres. Mechanics and other
craftsmen in the towns in the vicinity of the Delaware valley
had saved enough money to buy lands. They were used to hard
work. They knew, too, that if they cleared their newly purchased
lands, built a house and barn, they would increase their wealth
very much, Pennsylvania was still attracting immigrants, chiefly
from Great Britain and Germany. Some, having come as indentured
servants, wished to strike out for the wilderness and cheap lands
as soon as their terms of service were completed. Often they and
others would mark out a few hundred acres of land and occupy it
without paying anything for it. They were squatters, They^
cleared the land as best they could, a small portion at a time,
built a log shelter for their family. They might later pay for
it, or they might be able to sell their improvements to the
rightful owner before they moved on to try the same process
further into the wilds. Some settlers bought their land in the
regular way from the Pennsylvania land office. Much of our
frontier land in Pennsylvania was settled by former laborers
and craftsmen, as well as by farmers. (Additional: Mch land farmed f»r
a century was less productive.)
The Speculators
who bought from
hoxrcver,
There were many actual settlers,
called then.
were
they
land speculators, or land jobbers, as
riches
in the prosperous
These were wealthy persons who had gained
city of Philadelphia, or similar places. It may have been from
trade mth the Indians, or by importing and exporting over seas.
Certain manufacturers had been prosperous. Also business and
professional men in many cases had grovm rich, and had money to
invest. Frontier lands that could be bought cheaply and sold
at a marked advance in price seemed attractive investments when
there were many actual settlers vtio vrished to buy lands. Handsome
profits might be made. The Susquehanna Land Company of Connecticut was largely organized by such speculators. We have seen how
this company was important in bringing in hundreds of settlers
to the Wyoming Valley.
How to Pui'chasc Land
Pennsylvania speculators were also influential in bringing
settlers to the frontier lands. The speculators actively sought
out the best lands by getting information from travelers, soldiers,
traders, surveyors, ond also special explorers in their employ,
"spotters" as they were called, Svich persons had to be paid for
their irork. For information gathered in these various ways, the
speculator would learn that there was land at the mouth of one or
another of the creeks. An old indian villa^^e, conspicuous trees,
or other natural features were noted. Ax marks, called blazes.
'"'

- 5 -

were slashed on trees to maTk boundaries. The old deeds recorded
in the Register and Recorder's office in the Court House at
Bloomsburg, mention these early landmarks. On the basis of these
landmarks persons desiring to secure land would make an application
to the Land Office to have it surveyed. This office would then
issue a warrant to the official surveyor to survey the land applied
for. After the survey had been completed, a patent would be issued.
This gave the applicant full possession of the land. An individual
applicant was expected to apply for three hundred acres of land.
This amount would necessarily be approximr.te, because the exact
amount could not be specified until the survey had been made. The
purchaser would be charged about five pounds per hvmdred acres, or
fifteen pounds for the regulation amount of three hundred acres.
This would be equj.valent to twenty-five cents an acre,-'- Under the
proprietors there was also an annual quitrent of one penny per acre.
Speculation in Land - Opportunities and Risks
Speculators, however, by various means would secure possession
of thousands of acres of land. In some cases it might be for special
services, as in the cases of soldiers on the frontier during the
French and Indian war. In other cases j favoritism or trickery was
used. As an instance of trickery: A speculator would persuade
friends or relatives to make applications. Then after the patents
had been issued, such lands would be sold to the speculator for
the amount of money expended. Undoubtedly, the speculator furnished
this expense money. Various speculators by such means secured
thousands of acres which they hoped to sell at profit, some times
at exorbitant profits. But the speculators also had risks.
Although the land prices were low, when thousands of acres were
secured, large amounts of money would be necessary, money that was
borrowed in some cases. Expenses in holding it were not great
for a single plot. Rents for immense holdings, the taxes, and the
interest on borrowed money would become high, Aj»* when thousands
of acres were owned, the quit' rents would mount up. There were
also the charges of surveyors, spotters, and forms of advertising
to secure buyers, all of which added up to burdensome expenses,
VJhere the land could be sold without undue delay, large fortunes
were made. This was not always the case, Robert Morris and James
Wilson, both revered statesmen in winning the War of Independence
and securing our Constitution speculated in frontier lands, some
of them in our region. 2 They became deeply involved.
They could
not meet their debts. They both died in financial ruin.

Date
1765

1779
1784

IThere were chanties in the prices charged at various times.
Amouat allowable
Quit rents
Price
2^ per acre 300 acres customarily
5 pounds per 100 acres
25^ per acre
1789 Pennsylvania Cancelled •wnership *f the
Penns with liberal compensation
l,CtO acres
abolished
30 pounds per 100 acre
$14.50 per acre
2james rtilson at one time owned the land where Fort Jenkin « was
builij.
Robert Morris owned land in the Catawissa Valley,

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Effects of 3pe culation - Go o d and Bad
There were cases of sharp dealing and in some cases there was
outright cheating^. Mot all speculators by any means were scoundrels
or persons endeavoring to gain undue profits. Their efforts in many
cases, probably a majority of cases, would class them as community
builders. By learning where the good lands were, having them explored,
paying the initial costs, and spreading the knowledge of them,
settlers were induced to come. Some of these services were necessary
and deserved compensation, to some extent, at least. Many of the
early settlers bought land from such speculators, some of whom will
be mentioned later. Speculation with sll of its good and bad aspects
seems to have been a necessary part in bringing about the settlement
of frontier lands.
The First Settlers
Very probably they
VJho were the first settlers in our region?
were squatters, although this has not been definitely proved. There
is a family tradition that a Vfilliam Hartman, coming direct from
Germany, settled on a farm near Catawissa about 1760, Note that
this date vias before the area was open to settlement by Indian purchase. Tradition states further that he was a tanner by trade,
and that he tanned hides for the Indians. We have no sure records
to prove this.
In August, 1770, a traveler reported several settlements along the river above Fishing Greek, "chiefly German", This
same traveler noted many sections of land marked on trees with
numbers, taken to be the numbers of "Letts" , In the available
records of the next few years there are references to families near
Catawissa, Nescopeck, Knob Mountain, varying distances up Fishing
Creek, across the river from Fort Jenkins, in one case referred to
as a compact settlement. The numbers of settlers to be inferred
from such references in reports of military comrianders and other
statements must have been considerably larger than the recorded land
holders, ¥e do not know the names. Such people were almost surely
sqxiatters.
The Scotch-Irish
Jaiiies McClure is known to have been at the mouth of Fishing
Creek on Wedjiesday, May 10, 1769, At this place he notified a
representative of Governor Penn, then traveling up the river, that
he and four others were an advance group of a hundred going to
join the New England men in settling' and defending the Wyoming
Valley, This shows that James McClure was to some degree joining
with the "Paxtang Boys", These "Paxtang Boys" were not boys at
all, but Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster Coimty, near Harrisburg,
They had becorae openly rebellious against the Pennsylvania governing class in Philadelphia because the government had not given
the settlements along the frontier adequate defense against the
Indians dui^ing the previous wars. These "Paxtang Boys" had
murdered peaceful Conestoga Indians, in defiance of the government,
on suspicion that these Indians had been guilty of certain outrages
against the white settlers. Many of these Scotch- Irish were glad
to join the Connecticut settlers.
Under their leader, Lazarus
Stewart, they took a leading part in defending the Connecticut settlements against the Pennsylvania authorities.

^See page 8 for reference to Samuel Wallis

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Lazarus Stewart had married a daughter of Josiah Espy residing
in Lebanon county and James McClure had married another daughter.
McClure had acquired an extensive tract of land near the mouth of
Fishing Creek under the authority of Connecticut.
Northumberland County
On ¥larch 21, 1772, the county of Northumberland was set up
with Sunbury, formerly named Shamokin, as the county seat. This
county then comprised a vast extent of land north and west of
the junction of the two great branches of the Susquehanna river.
The increasing population of the frontier regions required a
county seat closer than Reading or Easton, the previous county
seats for this area. The governing authorities probably also
reasoned that the attempts of the Connecticut settlers could be
resisted better at a base of operations nearer to the area in
dispute, McClure must have been impressed with this change for
he then re-purchased his land under Pennsj^lvania authority in
1772. This tract first called "Beauchamp" (beautiful field) was
renamed "McClure 's Choice". McCliire immediately built a log cabin
for his wife and family. Here in 1772 was born James McClure, Jr.,
the first known white person to have been born in our county as
established by records.^ Pioneer life seemed to be too harsh, for
McClure, Sr, died only a few years after his settlement.
The Quakers, Little Fishing Creek
The Quakers were a second most influential group in settling
our region, Tliere were three especially important leaders in the
Quaker settlements.
The first of these Quakers was John Eves. A Quaker, born in
John Eves Ireland, he emigrated to America in 1738 and settled at Mill Creek,
on Little near Newcastle, in Delaware, He early won respect of his neighbors
Fishing
and x\ras chosen for several offices in vjMch he showed great ability.
Creek
According to family traditions, he journeyed to Little Fishing Creek
in 1769, Having come up the Uest Branch to a small settlement near
the present site of Milton, no one was able to direct him to land
of the McMeans, for which he was loolcing. Finally two Indians
guided him along the trail between Great Island, on the VJest Branch,
and Nescopeck on the North Branch, tlirough the valley of the
Chillisquaque, VJhen he reached the high hill overlooking modern
Millville, now called Fairview, Eves recognized the land that had
been described to him. After examining the timber and soil, he
returned to his Delaware home. The next summer he returned with
his oldest son and built a log cabin. In the third summer, 1772,
1772
he brought his family. At this time he did not own the land and
would therefore have been considered a squatter. We can surmise,
however, that there was some understanding mth the owners about
his intentions to buy the land. This is borne out by the fact
that in 177i;, according to a deed on record in the Court House,
he purchased 1200 acres. These acres took in the present site of
Millville, as well as a very considerable area around it. This purchase was made from Reiijoi Haines, a prosperous Philadelphia brewer
and manufacturer who went into land speculation,

^The site of the McClure homestead and the later fort is maintained
as a park and museum by the Fort McClure Chapter, Daughters of the
American Revolution, River Road, west of Town Park, Bloomsburg,

Haines bought up thousands of acres of land. At one time he owned
all of what is novi the borough of Northumberland ,

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Haines was a Quaker. This may explain how Eves came
Haines had bought four tracts of about
to purchase from iiim,
300 acres each fro four different persons, one of thera being
'

McMeans, just mentioned. The costs for the 1200 acres from
these persons combined, at five poirads sterling per hundred
acres, can ^-e assumed to have been sixty pounds. Eves paid
The difference between these amounts,
llr5 pounds sterling.
HBking due allox-jances for other expenses should, give some
idea of the amoimt of profit that a land speculator m^ght
be able to secure in these frontier lands.
The Quakers at Catawissa
A second of the important Quakers in settling our region
was Moses Roberts. Land speculation had i,:uch to do with his
Samuel VJallis was a speculator in the lands up the
cor.iing,
West Branch, although he dealt somewhat vath lands in our
region also. He was one of the less honest speculators. He
secured, or tried to secure, lands in the v3.cinity of modern
Muncy, These Vforc lands the Proprietors, the Penns, claimed
for themselves. Needing some representative to investigate
the situation, the Proprietors selectee a ^oung Quaker of
Exeter who had attracted attention as an able man, as a
speaker in Quaker Meeting, and in other ways. This man was
Moses Roberts. He journeyed to the disputed lands in 1772.
He reported that VJallis had no right to the lands, Wi&t is
of most interest to us is that he went by the way of Catatdssa,
He wrote in Ms journal in part:
"I went with the sheriff and others to view the
Moses
land at Muncy. And t^hen we came among the inhabitants
Roberts
of the New Purchase, I lamented the loose and unreligious
lives ajid conversation of the people. Yet there was
some tiling that attracted my mind to that country
and some time after I returned home, I felt the
drawings of love in my heart to visit some friendly
people about Catrwcsey and to have ? meeting amongst
them for the worship of God...."
^
Permission to have a weekly meeting was granted in 1775*
After Roberts had made several additional visits,
he purchased land from Ellis Hughes and buj.lt his log house
Ellis
in 177ii, But he was not the first because in his journal,
Hughes
quoted above, he observed people already settled there in
1772.
The Ellis Hughes, from whom Roberts bought his land,
had purchased a large tr?ct around the mouth of Catawissa Creek
from Edi-rard and Joseph Shippen, who were engaged in very
extensive land speculations in other sections of Pennsylvania,
as well as in our ot-m region.
Since Hughes bought land vihich
he planned to sell to others, he was also a speculator.
Hughes and Roberts persuaded other Quakers from the vicinity
of Oley, Exeter, and Maiden Creek, all near Reading, to migrate
to Catrmssa, Most of these settlers purchased their land
from Hughes, There is no record th?t Hi^gh.es, although a
speculator, secured unreasonably high prices for the land,
Quakers at Other Places
A third important Quaker can merely be introduced at this
Evan Owen p]^ce, Evan Or-ren in 1771 vras living in a dwelling house,
almost surely of logs, on the point of land at the mouth of
Fisliing Creek,
6

Perr.iission to

hold monthly meetings was not granted until 1795

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This land he had purchased from the County Commissioners,
It was called HcClurc's Retreat. At about the same time,
two other Quakers, Samuel Boone and John Doan joined Owen,
taking out land in the same vicinity, jf:oone at the "point"
and Doan on a tract up a small stream later to be called
Snyder's Run, Both adjoined IteCluxe's land. Here thus
were three neig.iboilng faiaJlies Trdth strong indication of
others nearby, Germans and Scotch-Irish,
Boone stayed, giving. Ms name to the important Fishinj_
Creek dam, constructed later, Owen, presuiuably fearing
floods in -fclie swa/iipy land, explored farther up the river and
probably at tixis time chose t.ie hir.h land opposite the mouth
of the Nescopeck Creek as a Letter si'.te for a settlement and
town, lie returned to Philadelpiiia aboit 1771.1. The original
idea of Doan, Eoone, and Owen seems to have been to form
a Quaker co},ij-imnity at the mouth of Fishing Creek,
The American Revolution Occvu's,
1765 Stanp Act passed by Parliament of Great Britain, quarrel irjith Mother
Country started
April 19, 1775 J the Battles of Lerinj^ton and Concord riiarked the opening of
our Revolutionary V'ar for Independence
July h) llT^f oujr Declaration of Independence
1783 Peace xras s^:.cured and our independence acknowledge "^^

~
Had Li ttTe~Eff ecT on~the'^"'r'ontrersT ~
During the first years of the Revolution, speculators
and ii.imigrants to the frontier seem to have paid little attention
to it. 7
Families definitely named in records and other records
definitely referring to individuals anci fajir.lies but not
naming them, show that settlers continued to come during these
early years of the viar for Independence, By 1778 the prexdously
untamed region of forests end streams, ST-jamps idth fexj meadows,
hills and mountains, still supported a few scattered bands of
Indians, But little settle:aents and Individual clearings of
pioneers, squattcvrs, and legal purchasers, werf>to be found at
a nvxdher of places.
At tiie mouth of the Cata'dssr Creek
there-; must have been a dozen fc.uliies or more.
Still others
were to be found as far up as Beaver and Scotch valleys.
Settlers were above the mouth of Fj.shing Creek on the river,
extendinf', with long gaps of unoccupied la.nd, fjrobably up as
far a.s modem Espy and beyond. Other settlements extended up
Fishing Creek v/ith similar interruptions as far as Knob
Mountain, A fairlj/ compact settlement seems to nave been
just below modern Light Street, Cn botn sides of the river
at modern I-afflinvillo there were setolers;, vc-th still others
back in the IxJ-lls, around Cabin Run, There xras interest also
in settlements on both sides of tne river at Nescopeck falls,
and quite a settlement on the ri\'-er flats nearby. The John
Eves f?jiL:.ly was settled up Little Fishing' Creek vdth three or
possibly inore fariiilies near modern Jcrsoytown for nei£;,hbors.
Others wore farther west in the Chillisquaouc valley. There
are incb.caticns of families in the Roa^i-ing Greek valley at this
early date.

^-^ First,~R'e'v'olutro'n

i\Tot

issued

entirely truc^ for a declaration of independence was
a group of settlers in the Pi'ie Creek re._.ion.

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War comes to thu Frontier
Forces were at work which were to briig fighting and
bloodshed to the whole American frontier x-iixle some special
causes made thie situation especially dangerous in the upper
valleys of the Susquehanna,
Which side would the Indians take ?
At the outbreak of the Revolution the AmericanP had endeavored
to persuade the powerful Iroquois Coiifederation of the Six
Nations to remain neutral. However, these Indians had been
accustomed to the leadership of British agents. These agents
remained loyal to the mother country and continued to have great
influence >iith the Indians. The British authorities early
planned with the help and leadership of Tories to enlist the
help of the Indians in order to quell their rebellious colonioa.
This meant savage warfare on the frontiers, north and south.
What we can learn in detail about this warfare should help us
Saratoga understand better what was happening else^^rhere in Pennsylvania
1777
and on the Indian frontiers in the rest of the country. But
our region, along with that of New York, "KSS among those
most exposed. The Iroquois, and especially the Senecas,
Ooined the British in the fighting of 1777 in the Valley of
the i'lohawk River and vath them suffered severe defeats at
French
Herkimer and Fort Stamrdx, Their hostility increased vrhen
Alliance the Americans allied themselves x-ith the French, enemies
of the Iroquois for a long time,
1777
Wyoming
The majority of Connecticut's settlers in the Wyoming
Valley were strong supporters of the Revolution. But there
were Tories here who joined with Tories in New York to plan
attacks on Wyoming, Shaxmees, and especi?lly Dela wares,
remembered how they had been tricked out of their lands and
compelled to leave. For these reasons, the situation of our
region was one of the most critical aii:. dangerous on the
whole frontier.
Forts Are BuJ-lt
The western part of the State, and then the West Branch
settDementfl received the first blows. These came in the forms
of ambushesj attacks on isolated homesteads^ i.iurdersj scalpingsj
burnings of buildLngs; and devastation of crops. The years
1775, 1Z7^J ^^ I'i''^'^ passed with no attacks on the North
Branch," But the disasters elsevihere led the authorities to
strengthen the frontier with a rim of forts. Fort Augusta,
built twenty years before became the headquarters for the
frontier defense. Forts in our immediate region were Forty
Fort and others in VJyorning; Eosley's I-Iills at the forks of the
Chillisquaque, modern Washing to nvi 11 ej Fort Rice near modern
Montgomety ; and FreeHand fort near modern Watsontown,
Fort Jenkins
Late in 1777 or early in 1778 tlic ho;iio of a settler named
Jenkins across, and a little do^wn-river, from the Jlifflin
flats was stockaded and thus became Fort Jenlans,? The
garrison ranged from fifty to a hundred men at various times.

n

^A man, Harger, had been captured on Catawissa Creek in
1777, and escaped, after having been carried into New York,
9a marker now indicates the site.

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Moses Van Campen and Fort VJhoeler .
The building of our next fort introduces to us a distinguished
Revolutionary fighter, Moses Van Campen, He had been brought
TO.th his parents to their settlement along Cabin Run, probably
in 1773. Moses Van Campen took part in an expedition of
Pennamites to expel the Connecticut settlers in 1775. The
expedition was defeated, but Van Campen was not hurt. In
the Revolution he first served under Washington and then
had been on frontier duty on the West Branch, Promoted to a
Lieutenant, e?rly in 1778, he was ordered with his command of
twenty men, to build a fort on Fishing Creek about t&ree miles
above its mouth, at the Vfhceler farm, Tliis was in order to
protect a compact settlement in that vicinity. The site of
this fort WES some littlo distance below modern light Street,
Thia fort, as were many others, vjas a framework of logs,
probably upright, to form a stockade. It is recorded that
it was covered over with mud and was called the "mud fort".
This may mean that it was chinked ndth mud. In May, before
the fort vjas completed, a scout warned of an approaching band
of Indians. All took refuge in the fort, but their homes
and buildings were ransacked and then burned, including those
of the Van Campens,
The fort was hastily strengthened by
surrounding it with a barrier of interwoven brush and
sharpened sticks pointed outward, at about sixty feet distance.
The Indians soon opened up ^^dth fire arms and such a brisk
fire was carried on that the powder and bullets of the garrison
After nightfall, two soldiers volunteered
wfts almost all used.
to sneak through the besiegers to Fort Jenkins, eight miles
across coujitry to secure more powder and lead. They were
successful. Returning before daybreak, tiie lead was melted
into bullets and the garrison was readj?" fca" fresh attacks.
But the Indians having had enough withdrew without any traces
except bloodstains.
In June there was another attack. The cows recovered
from the previous attack were sheltered in a special stockade.
The women were milking them at the close of day, A watchman
discovered a stealthy party of Indians advancing to surprise
the milkers. Van Campen quickly orgardzed a counter attack.
The Indians were the ones surprised. Van Canpen shot and
killed the leader, A volley from the remaining soldiers
drove them off. The milkers, not knomng of the threat, were
also severely frightened at the sudden noise of fire arms.
In a wild scramble, mi!k pails rolling hither and yon, they
ran at top speed to the fort.
Battle nf Wyoirlng
These attacks, it is thought, may have been to distract
attention from an attack gathering up river in New York and
thus prevent the forts lower down from sendj.ng assistance.
Early in 1778 friendly Indians and scouts brought disquieting
news. Outrages, attacks, killings, and scalpings occurred far
up the river. Six hundred or more Seneca Indians, with l^CO
or more Tories, with British officers, were reported to be
1778
advancing on %"oming. Many were Tories from Pennsylvania
and New Y ork» Early in July outlying points had been attacked
and Forty Fort with its hundreds of refugees also faced attack,
20

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simmoned from dovn the river; from Cap La.! n Clingaitian
at Fort Jenkins, from settlers in Salem and Huntington, and
fpopi an advancing company of soldiers for strengthening the
forces. This vras in the morning of July 3. In the afternoeai
it Was all over before any but slight help could come. Under
the rash insistence of Lazarus Stewart, the defenders made up "^f 300
of militia end briefly trained old men snd boys marched out
to meet the attackers, not realizing that they were heavily
outnumbered. The Americans were quickly out-maneuvered and
thrown into confusion. In the massacre that followed almost
all were liilled or captured. The officers died bravely
leading their men. That night most of the soldiers taken
Wyoming
prisoner vjere tortured and killed by the Indians, The
failure of the British and Tories to prevent these outrages
M.'sssacre
helped to embitter feelings tar the remaining years of the
war, and after.
The remaining forts were surrendered. The non-combatants,
women, children, surviving men, what few there were, vrere to
be protected, according to agreement. But the Indians could
not be prevented from further plundering and some further
killings. The survivors fled their homes in terror. Some
made their way on foot over]a nd through rugged mountain"^ snd
Others took
s-^'^amp;.--. where an estimated two hundred perished.
the river route, some by the rough road along the river.
The
The \<jidow of Captain Stewart gathered her belongings and
Survivors floated dovjn river on a raft supported by two canoes. She
Flee
reached tiie home of widow McClure, her sister. The accounts
of this catastrophe at Vlyoming led 'ilrs, llcClure to entrust
her family jnid heatily gathered belongings to a similar
craft. They both then floated down the river to the shelter
of Fort Augusta. A friendly Indian warned John Eves the
day after the battle. He loaded what he could on a wagon
and had r^ de his way \rith his family to Bosley' ^ Mils by nightfall that same day. From there he returned to his old DelawTare
home.
The "Ggiaat Runaway "
The news of the battle and massacre spread far and wide
through the entire frontier. The settlers were panic-stricken.
They deserted their fields and houses to take refuge at Sunbury,
H arrisburg, or even at points farther away. This was the
"Great Runaway", We have an eyewitness account, -^o
"I left Sunbury, and almost my vihole property on
Wednesday last. I never in my life saw such scenes
of distress. The river and tlie roads leading dovm
were covered with men, women and children, fleeing
for their lives, many without aiiy propertj'- at all,
and none who had not left the greater pert behind.
In short, Northiomberland county is broken up. Colonel
Hunter alone remained! using his utmost endeavors to
rally some of the inliabitants, and to rake a stand,
however short, against the enemy, I left him mth very
few, probably not more than a himdred men on whom he can
depend, Wyoming is totally abandoned.
Hftlp

Tsras

This was written by William McC3ay, a distinguished
man in the history of Pennsylvania, then at Sunbury,

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Scarce a family remained between that place and Sunbury,
when I came away. The panic and flj.ght has reached to this
place, (Paxtang) , Many have movec. even out of this township,,.,
For God's sake, for the sake of t.;e county, let Colonel
Hunter be re-inforced at Sunbury, Send him but a single
The miserable example
company, if you cannot do more
of the Wyoming people, who have come doi-m absolutely
naked among us, has operated strongly and the cry has been,
'Let us riiove while we may, and let us carrj'- some of our
Something ought to be done
effects along with us'
objects
that crowd the banks of
.le
misera
for the many
those
who
fled from Wyoming. They
especially
the ri-ver,
I
did
use to love, but now I
you
knoi'j,
net
ere the people
distress,.,."
most sincerely pity their
Another word picture, although from tiie West Branch, gives
an idea of the panic conditions over the entire Susquetianna frontier:
(History of the Junieta and Susquehanna valleys, vol. 1, p. 108),
"I took my family safely to Sunbury, and cajno back
in a keel-boat to secure ray fux'niture. Just as I rounded
a point above Derrstown (Levasburg), I met a whole convoy
from the forts above. Such a sight I never saw in my
life. Boats, canoes, hog troughs, rafts hastily made of
dry sticks, every sort of floating article had been put
in requisition and were crowded mth women, children
and plunder, '-1 VJhenever any obstruction occurred at a
shoal or rip^Dle, the women would leap out into the water
and put their shoulders to the boat or raft and launch it
again into deep v.'ater. The men ca^^ie dorai in single file
on each side of the river, to guard the women and children.
The whole convoy arrived safely at Sunbury, leaving the
entire range of farms on the West Branch to ravages of
the Indians,"
The America n F ights Back; Hartley's Exped ition
Upwards of a thousand Continental line troops and militia
were immediately ordered to our frontier, Vlyoming was re-occupied
and some of the settlers returned in August, The frontier vjas
patrolled, Earlj^ in September a force of two hundred men under
Colonel Thomas Hartley proceeded from iiuncy, up Lycoming Creek,
across the divide into the North Branch valley. They twice
encountered Indians, killing ten or more. Four men of the expedition
were killed. Queen Esther's Town and neighboring villages of the
Indians were destrxjyed, in the region of Tioga Point, just south
of the New Yoi-'k line, Returm.ng a brief stop was made at Wyoming,
the victims of the July Massacre were buried. Half of the force
was left as a garrison. The return to Sunbury with the remnant of
the force was accomplished October 5»

Plunder in this case means hastily gathered belongings.

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Three hundred miles of frontier country had been traveled in two
This brought a measure of security to the frontier and
I
allowed soiiie crops to be harvested,
Indian Warfare Con t iniies
There had been much devastation on the frontier farms but
there vxere still crops remaining to be harvested. In spite of
dangers settlers endeavored to return and salvage what they could
of crops and cattle and rebuild their homes. With the widespread
destruction of crops there vras also grave danger of famine. Near
famine conditions are recorded for families near modern Light
Street and Espy.
Indian War Parties a Threat
Roving bands of Indians were a constant menace. Patrols were
sent out from Fort Augusta, but the country was too wild and the
area too great for the patrols to be effective. Tories acquainted
with tlie region were often the guides. The Peter Melick family
fled from their home in September of tliis year, taking refuge
at Fort Wheeler. Their house was burned. In plundering this
house before setting fire to it, a feather bed tick was tied to a
pony, also stolen. The pony became frightened, e^scaped from his
captors, and ran to the fort, thus restoring the prized tick to
its rightful owners. Wyoming was again under threat that autumn.
In November a roving band of seventy Indians was seen advancing toward
Chillisquaque. Later in the same month a band was seen between Fort
Jenkins and Wyoming
Continuation of Frontier Warfare
In April, 1779, "two or three" families were taken prisoner
near Fort Jenkins, A rescuing force was sent out and the prisoners
were recovered after a sharp battle xc.th the Indians but only with
the loss of three soldiers killed and foujr wounded. Several
1779
houses were burned and several horses taken. Fort Freeland was
attacked the next day, probably by the same band.
A few weeks Ipter in May, across the river from Fort Jenkdjis
but concealed from it by a heavily wooded island, a family
of six lived. Two children had been sent to Catamssa for supplies.
They thus escaped when a band of Indians killed and scalped all
the rest of the family and burned the house.
v?eeks

A General Frontier Plan 1778-9
1, Helped by George Rogers Clark's victories in Ohio-Illinois Country 1776-9
2, East: Sullivan's advance up Susquehanna Valley against Seneca-Iroquois
Broihead's expedition up Allegheny River also
3, Western Pennsylvania:
devastated Seneca Country
Sullivan's Expedition
In July nevjs of an expedition into the Indian Country must
'of
have been carried to the frontier. A little later s flotilla
I3I4 boats, heavily laden with provisions and military supplies w^s
dragged and polod up the river past the settlement in our area.

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A strong' expedition was being gathered at Wilkes-Barre, Men and
supplies also arrived over the mountains frora Easton, This was the
expeditj.on. ordered by General Washington and placed under General
Sullivan,
VJhile this force was gathering, Fort Freoland was attacked.
It is thought that thj s xijas in order to tvrn the Wilkes-Barre force
away from attack ud the river. After several men of the garrison
Fort
had been killed, the remaining twenty-one men were captured. The
Freeland women and children were allowed to go free to Sunbury, The mother
Destroyed of one sixteen year old boy, as yet unbearded, hastily clothed
him in a woman's clothes. He thus escaped also. Shortly after
the capture of the fort, a relieving force of men coming to the
rescue V7as supriscd, half of them killed and the rest added
to the number of prisoners
General Sullivan, was not to be turned aside. With an
overwhelming force he advanced up the North Branch and then on into
The
the Seneca country.
He carefully avoided being ambushed.
Indians aided by Tories and British were attacked near Wellsburg,
Battle
N. Y. , and soxmdly beaten,
of
Then the expedition advanced to the Indian villages, in the Seneca
Newtown
country. These had been deserted. These villages were made up of
August
vfell constructed houses and barns, fine fields and orchards,
29, 1779 remarka.bly rich and productive. Buildings weru burned, crops
were destroyed, orchards were cut down. The destruction was
Iroquois complete. The survivors were compelled to flee to the British
Seneca
at Fort Niagara, The power of the Six Nations was destroj-ed.
Country
although this was not immediately evident. On the return trip there
D'evsstated were some skirmishes and some small losses. The pxpedition was
back in Wilkes-Barre early in October,
Limited Succe ss
Sullivan's expedition, although highly successful, did not
immediately end the pattern of Indian attacks: the stealthy
attack on isolated families^ killings and scalpingsj burning of
buildi.ngs^ destruction of crops.
The Inc'ians were seeking revenge,
and also bounties for the scalps that they could bring in.
Frontier Difficulties
Let us review the difficulties of frontier war. Settlers
cabins were far apart. Settlers themselves were rash in going into
the unprotected frontier but we must remember that in most cases
such cabins were their only homes anc' that the pioneers had
already invested hard work and savings in their location. They
felt that they must work their fields or face famine. They wore
slow to seek protection of the forts, forts T-rriich vrere inadequate
at the best. The troops could not patrol the mdely extended
frontier. Often they would arrive at a threatened location only
to see the burning embers of a one-time habitation, and bury the
mutilated bodies of the victiras. The troops were too few. Many
of them were Siiort term militia without sufficient training.
Sentinels, guards, and scouts were neglected or inadequate.
Soldiers' Pay
The pay of the soldiers, whether in th.-; militia or regular
Continental troops was poor in comparison with the earning of
craftsmen making guns or other needed equipment. It was poor also
in comparison with the prices which could be obtain^ by farmers
21;

- 16 -

and others for needed supplies. This vias especially true when such
supplies were sold to the British arroies for gold in comparison with
the almost worthless Continental money»^2
Pennsylvania
Burdens
Moreover, Pennsylvania had special difficulties greater than
those of Jiiany of the otner States. The cariual of the country was
in Pennsylvania, either at Philadelphia or, when it was occupied by the
British, at one of our other cities. Both the British and the American
armies xirere in Penns;ylvrni? for much of "the time. As the war progressed,
the Americans came to have growing nujiibers of prisoners of war to care
for. In various ways, all these circu.. 'stances placed heavy burdens
on the PennsylvanJ.a government.
Pennsylvani-a Factions
In Pennsylvania there was danger from the Tories, as we have seen.
In some wa:-'S this fact made our VJar for Independence resemble a civil
war. This was true in all the States, On account of this bitterness,
the Quakers were open to suspicion as being Tories. They were
molested by Indians less frequently, or not at all. Was this because
they were not on the frontier, and therefore were indifferent to the
outrages sujffered by the pioneers? The Scotch-Irish, as we have
seen, were bitter against the Quakers on account of these alleged
reasons. None of these suggested reasons was completely true but
there was undoubtedly some degree of trutn in all of them. But
many believed tueiii true and tMs explains the difficulties in securing
full cooperation among the people, 13
The hostile feelings betwee-^i the Yankees and the Pennamites had by
no means ended. This made full cooperation difficult.-'-'^ It is
probablj' true that certain persons interested in securing land from
Pennsylvania were -vailing to have tht Connecticut settlement destroyed,
even if it should by means «f the cruel Indians, President Reed of tJrie
Pennsylvania government ordered that supplies going up the river for
the Wyoming region should be stopped at Sunbury, He vias overruled. So great dj.d this friction become thst Cogress orr^ered that the
Wyoming garrison shoiild be made up of troops from outside of the
State, When German troops were used, they seemed unwilling to leave
the forts. Scouting was left to militia and volunteers.
Frontier Da ngers
fii 1780, one of the darkest periods of the whole war, Indian
1780
attacks were renewed. As previously they came from the New York
region in large parties. When tnej reached the tributary waters of the
Susquehanna, thej broke into smaller parties to attack the isolated
settlements. Early this year
Salraon was held prisoner, to be
released a year later.
'

12iyii.litia soldiers were under urgent need to get back home to
protect their farailies and get in their crops to prevent famine.
Is it any wonder that it was difficult to keep the ranks of the armed
forces fullj enrolled?
^i^call Lazarus Stewart end his defiant conduct. The Quaker
population seems never to have left Cstaxcissa during the entire period
of the Revolution, However, we recall thet the Eves family fled.
Also, the John family, up Catawissa Creek, although Quakers, had to
flee on two occasions.
'^Why did Captain Clingaman, althoU;;^h asked on the day of the

battle.

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This same party of Indians, it seems ^ killed a family of two or
more at the foot of Knob Mountain, In March, the Whitmoyer
family i^ns murdered near modern Jerseytown. Cnly a son, absent
at a sugar camp escaped.
Van Campen Family
The men of the Van Campen familj"-, late in March ventured to
1??^
return to their burnt homesite and resume their life there. They
were surprised by a raiding party of Indians on the thirtieth.
Tomahawk, knife, and spear quickly snuffed out the lives of father
and one son, Moses, who was with them, barely escaped the same
fate. This was because the Indians were able to over-power him
and take him prisoner, A younger brother, and a man named Pence
were also taken prisoner. On their return trip, a sugar camp was
attacked in the Huntington region, but the four men there defended
themselves in their cabin, so the Indiaxis passed on. At the
headxraters of the Hunlock, they captured Abraham Pike, but let
his mfe and cliild go free. The Indians had now accumulated as
prisoners, three men find tvro boys, a Rogers boy having been taken
prisoner previous to the Van Campen attack. As they journeyed
northward. Van Campen feared that they were destined for torture
and death. Opportunity for conversation vras offered when they
were collecting firewood for their captors. At such times Van Campen
persuaded his companions to try to ld.ll their captors and eScape.
The attempt was made near the mouth of the Tunkhannock Creek,
Using a knife inadvertantly dropped by an Indian, the prisoners in
turn vrere able to cut each other's bonds at night when the captors
were asleep. Guns and tomahawks were used to kill nine of the
ten captors. A tenth engaged Van Campen in a desperate struggle
in wliich the Indian was badly wounded, but was able to escape,
A raft was built as soon as it was dawn and loaded with the three
men, two boys, and much of the plunder which the Indians had
gathered. Their raft gave way and they saved little else but
themselves and the guns. They were able to seize another raft
from a party of Indians who had left it unguarded while they were
hunting. With this they made their vray to Wyoming and eventually
to Fort Jenkins,
F'^rt Jenkins Destroyed
In September, Fort Rice on the Chillisquaque was attacked by
It was beaten off,
a party of 300 or more Tories and Indians,
A relieving force from Sunbury pursued the Indians through the
Fishing Creek valleys and up Huntington creek, where the invaders
divided into small parties and made their escape. One band went
around Knob Mountain and then across country. They burned the
Aikman house at Cabin Run and continued to Fort Jenkins. This
fort had been abandoned by its garrison to go to the relief of
Fort Rice, The fort and the neighboring houses and other buildings
were burned,
Sugarloaf Massacre
The attankers left hurriedly. It is thought that this was
because they heard of an advancing company of American soldiers in
the Nescopeck valley. This American force had been sent to
investigate reportc of a Tory HtilLleiuciib -in p^n+oh V.qTley,
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to send help from Fort Jenkins, fail to try? By the time
the request came, it was too late, Mas it also on account of the
Yanlcee-Pennamite friction? Was it because he felt he had too few
soldiers to gunrd his own fort?

- 18 -

The forty-one soldiers, tired from a long, hot inarch were resting
at ease at a cool spring. The Indians, advancing around Sugar loaf
Almost half of them
iViountain, completely surprised the A:neric?ns,
were killed with a few prisoners taken. Only twenty-two escaped.

Fort McClure
Moses Van Campen reported for duty after his return from
capture. He was made lieutenant of^Ran^er company. One of his
first assignments was to fortify Widow ^'•'cClure s home with a
stockade, A view up and dovm the river was heae provided. It does
Cornvsllis not seem ever to have been attacked, but there were traditions of
surrender lurking savages irjith alarms and hrsty flights. This fort became
at
headquarters for supplies and expeditions,15
Yorktown
After 1782 the brunt of Indian attacks fell on our neighboring
Oct, 19,
regions. The British assured that the savages had been recalled,
i78l
Indian depredations did not end abruptly but dwindled gradually
'

av.'ay.

Last Indian Troubles
An Indian camp ^ras established at Catawissa about 1782, This
resulted in some quarrels and threats to peace, A man was barely
able to escape hostile Indians by taking refuge in the river,
Froclama- although he could not svum. A family was killed across the river
tion of
from Catat-dssa, parents and three children. Three older sons
Peace,
escaped, having gone for flour to the mill at Sunbury.
April 1783
The
last '.'trage was in 1785. A party of Indians returning to
New Ycrk murdered parents and small child on Mfflin flats. This
vias part of a group and they had pushed ahead of a main party of
immigrants.

•^5lt is interesting to note tnat T-ter hoses Van Campen
married Margaret, one of the McClure daughters. Van Campen'
services were continued on the West Branch, He was again
captured by the Indians and was in grave danger of his life when
the Indians cans to realize that he had been their prisoner before
and was the one who had killed Indians in his attempt to escape.
However, the British authorities in Canada treated him as a
prisoner of war. He was finally exchanged near its close.

TO FIND OUT HOW EFFECTIVELY YOU HAVE RE^JD
l^^^y was it important to Columbia County?
VJhat
other purchase involved our county's area?
(Refer to Chapter I, also.)
2. How did our region come to be known and mapped?
3. Give an account of the conflicts mth Connecticut over Pennsylvania territory,
including causes and outcome. How was our own history affected bv these
conflicts?
It. Who, kinds of people, were interested in frontier
lands? Why? Why did
farmers, especially, vdsh to leave cleared and settled land for the frontier?
5. How could would-be land-owners secure possession of frontier land?
1. What was the "New Purcliase"?

o

7

PIOHEERS, PATRIOTS, AND TORIES IN THE SUSQUEHANHA VALLEYS

Chapter II.

Conflicts and Their Causes
The New Purchase at the Treaty of Fort Stanvdx In 1768 marks
the end of our region as Indian country, although the Indians did
1768 not all leave it iumjedlately. The lands of the North and West
Branches had been purchased and the French rivals defeated. The
f\ir traders were to move farther west, following the Indians and
seeking areas vrhere fur animals and game had not been so nearly
killed off. The area i-Jas definitely open to Pennsylvania settlers,
or so it seemed at that time. But actually, terrible events were
in the maldng. The colony of Connecticut laid claim to the northern part of Pennsylvania and endeavored to settle it with Connecticut
people, VJithin seven years, also, the war of the Revolution was
to break out. These two conflicts were interriiingled and both
involved our region In bitter struggles. And many Indians, reluctant
to leave these lands, joined against the settlers to bring destruction and bloodshed to the people of these valleys. These struggles
^all now be explained.
Early Explorations in the North Branch Country
Long before 17 08, information about the Susquehanna lands
had been groi-dng. Fur traders journeyed deep into Indian country,
1728 They reached the Forks of the Susquehanna at an early date. In 1728
one of these traders, James LeTort vn-ote from Catawissa about a
fight between the Shawnees and "some back Inhabts", This is the
1737 first written mantion of Catawissa. In 1737 Conrad Weiser, the
great Indian Interpreter, came down the North Branch from a journey
to the Six Nations. He reported traders in the Wyoming Valley, and
also tliree men, Germans, from the Delaware region, who were hunting
land. The following years, missionaries visited the Indians and
endeavored to convert them to Christianity, This they failed to do.
However, their trips increased the knowledce of the region. Soon
one of these travelers was to ^-jrite th?t the river at Catawissa was
the "most beautiful he ever saw" . Friendly Indian guides and the
1756 several hundred soldiers sent to garrison Fort Augusta, during the
French and Indian War, were able to tell about these lands.
Conflict with Connecticut
From all these reports people learned that there were rich
lands beyond the first mountains In the upper valleys of the
Susquehanna. These stories were carried far and wide in
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and even to Connecticut, In Connecticut,
there was not much land to expand into. People were seeking other
areas to settle. Its boundaries as orifcinally granted had extended
to the "South Sea", which meant the Pacific Ocean.
But since that
grant of 16^2, other charters had granted land due west of
Connecticut's settled boundaries to New York, to New Jersey, and
to William Penn. By the middle of the 1700' s these sections In
New York and New Jersey were well advanced in settlement and were
In the control of strong provincial governments. But In the upper
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PIONEER SETTLEMENTS IN THE "NEW PURCHASE"
Chapter III

Obstructions to Settlements Removed
We recpll that migration to the lands of the "New Purchase"
probably never stopped completely during the entire years of the
Revolution. VJhen peace viith Great Britain finally came in 1783,
this migratj.on increased to very large amofiits , It resembled the
surging waters of a broken dam. In this case, the dam which had
obstructed the migration had been the war. The fear of Tory and
Indian attacks, actually carried out in many cases in our region,
held back would-be settlers. Moreover, England had tried to
prevent expansion into the western lands. This, in fact, had been
one of the causes of the Revolution,
VJhen these obstructions were removed, lands occupy ed before
the war were reoccupied. New settlements I'lere pushed farther and
farther into the unoccupied lands up and down the whole American
frontier. From now on lands of the "New Purchase" in Pennsylvania
rapidly filled up.
Travel Route; River Route from Harrisburg to Sunbm-'y up the North Branch
There were certain main groups of settlers who came by
certain routes of travel. It will be helpful to learn about
these groups and their routes. Several groups of settlers came
generally from the south-east, from the vicinity of Philadelphia,
Reading, and Lancaster. As far as Harrzsburg, they could journey
through countrj well advanced in settlement i-dth passable roads.
From Harrisburg to Sunbury the Indian trails along the river
had been i.aproved to provide for groxd.ng trafiic, especially
d\iring the last two wars, the French and Indian, and the Revolution,
These roadway^s had also been improved to some extent as far as
Loyalsock and Lycoming Creeks on the West Branch, and on the North
Branch, past Fislxing and Nescopeck Greeks, to 1/yoming,
North Branch Bottom Lands occupied early from Sunbury
Before the Revolution, as we have already learned, Germans,
Scotch-Irish, and Quakers had made settle;iients along the river.
They had probably come from Sunburj' anc Harrj.sturg, either by boat
or by land. These lands to vjhich tney caiiic were a belt of flat
lands a mile or so, often less, fro;: the river bank to the line of
hills. The; are called bottom, lands, .ore accurately they are
flood plains, built up by the deposit of river sediments during
floods from ages past. At places they were swam.py, as seems to
have been the case near the mouth of Fisk ng Creek and on up tne
river. Malaria was known to be prevalent in such regions. It
was attributed to the damp air. Miasmas, rather than mosquitoes as
we know now. Furthermore, swampy lands could not be cultivated
until drained. At other places they might be very sandy and stony.
For the most part these alluvial flood plains were made up of
rich, deep soils. These lands were the first surveyed and usually
the first to be occupied.

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Such alluvial flood plains are to be found at other places
along the river and up the various tributary streams: some
distance below Cataw.ssa on both sides of the river , at Light
Street, above Orangeville, at Benton, Central, at MHville and
lola, at I'lainville, Slattovm, at Mifflinville, and at other
places also. Usually such lands were hi^nly desired.
Travel Rou t e; West Branch - Chillisquaque - VJarrior Run Route to Little
Fishing Cree k
As we already know, Quakers were araong the earliest of settlers,
John Eves, in his various journeys and also flight from Indian
danger at the time of the Great Runaway^ had used the West Branch
route. Coming up from Sunbury, v.'hich was probably reached
overland, a fairly well-traveled route led up tliis branch beyond
Montour Ridge. Mere a broad valley opens up, watered by
several streams. Eves followed up the valley of the Chillisquaque
Creek to its headwaters. Here one can reach the region of ilUville
by crossing some low hj lis or Little Fishing Creek could be
reached readily through Spruce run.
Valley Lands: Greenwood Valley
Once in the valley of Little Fisiiing Creek, another broad
valley opens up. It is almost a continuation of the valley of the
Chillisquaque and Warrior Run. This is the Greenwood valley. It
is composed of gentle slopes, with much of the land almost level.
Being higher than the flood plains, the soils are derived from
The soils
the decay through long a^es of the underlying rock.
Eves,
John
following
have made fine farming lands. Quakers
settlers
the
viere
using largely his route for their journeys,
who mainly built up this valley.
Extension to the North Branch
Before taking up another section of the region, it is
convenient to notice that at the east, through gaps in the hills,
access could be had to Big Fisi'dng Creek at the foot of Knob
Mountain, From thj.s point Indian trails and later travel routes
led farther along either side of the mountain. North of Lee
MountaJ.n, through Shickshinny gap the North Branch was reached.
From here one could then proceed to Wyoming, To the south
another route led to the headwaters of tiie Briar Creek and to the
North Branch opposite the Nescopeck Cr-^ek, These interconnecting
valleys were much used by Indians and whites in travelling between
the North and West Branches.
Quakers at Catawissa and Roaring Creek; North Branch Route
The second large settlement of Quakers was at Catawissa and
nearby regions. VJe have already told ?bout Moses Roberts and
Ellis Hughesj and also the Johns near raodern hainville
It seems that the Quakers of the Cataid-ssa region never left during
Shortly after the Revolutionthe troubled years of the Revolution.
1787, Hughes laid out a toim in building lots and persuaded other
Friends to buy and settle there. The town wrs first named Hughesburgj
but the name was changed later to Catawissa,

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Roaring Creek Valley
These Quakers journeyed up the river from Harrisburg, either
by boat or by the riverside roads, Otlaers following the same
route, did not stop at Catawisss, but turned southwards over a
mild elevation where a valley, somewhat siiiiilar to the Grsenwood
Valley opens up. It was, and is, simlar in soils and in its upland fields of gently rolling or level laiid. But wnere the
Greenwood valley had easy access at both the east and west end, the
Roaring Creek valley was rimmed at nortli, east, and south, by
a mountain formation in the shape of a horseshoe. At the
north, it is Catawissa Mountain, which as it continues to the
east bends sout.iwsrd to Join Little Mountain which forms the
southern part of the horseshoe. Although Catavrissa fountain comes
to an abrupt end, the northern line of the "horseshoe" is continued
by a range of steep liills. At the vrestern and open end of the
"horseshoe" access oould also be obtained from the region of
modern Danville, and at the southwest, at a break in Little
Mountain, Bear Gap,
Quakers Come Early to Roaring Creek Valley
This Roaring Creek Valley, see.Tiingly less accessible than
many other parts of the county, was, however, one of the first to
be settled. Records point to settlements there before the
Both at Catawissa and in Roaring Creek valley Quakers
Revolution,
continued to arrive in the 1780 's and 1790' s. Their meeting
houses, the one at Catawiss^ built probably shortly after the
Revolution, and the one in Roaring Creek in 1796, were probably
the first religious buildings in the county, and the oldest ones
still standing. Both are log structures,
Quakers Move Away from Catawissa - Roaring Creek
But the Quakers in the Catawissa and Roaring Creek regions did
not stay long. Apparently prospering tlirovgh the 1780 's and
1790' s, shortly after 1800 most of them sold their holdings, and
left for Ohio or sections of Canada north of Lake Erie, As has
often been the case with pioneers, these Quakers probably thought
they could gain advantage by selling their jjuproved land and takirg
up cheap land farther nest on the developing frontier.
There are many persons in ovr county today who trace their
aixestry from the Millvi.lle and Greenvrood Quakers, Only a few
families of the Catawissa and Soaring Creek settlers have left descendants
in our region,
Pennsylvania Germans - Overland Route
Although some Germans seem to have been among the earliest
settlers, the larger number came after tlie Quakers, In some cases
the Quaker holdings were bought, in others, the Germans came as
pioneers. The Germans, at first came across the mountainous country
to Sunbury, The Indians had e well developed path, the Tulpehocken
trail, Tdiich avoided some of the mountains by making use of gaps.
Later, a xra.y was developed to Bear Gap, The Germans spread through
the Roaring Creek valley so that it became predominantly a region
of Pennsylvania German people.

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Settlements Opposite the Nescopeck Creek - Overland Route from the East
Evan Ovren, after giving up liis first plans of a settlement near
the mouth of Fishing Creek, turned his interests to the high land
opposite the Nescopeck Creuk. He explored the region about 1780, He
finally returned about 1783 and laid out a town which he first named
Ox-jensburg,
Later it was named Bermck for Berwick-Upon-Tweed, He
gave land for a Quaker meeting house. He actnvcly worked to bring
about the sale of his lane". Marsy of the Bertrrick settlers came from the
region of Easton along the Delaware River, These journeyed up the
Lehigh River valley, continued through Beaver headows and on to the
valley of the Nescopeck Creek, Bermck was the first of the towns
of Columbia County to be laid out, although not, apparently, the first
town site to be settled for a number of others, it seems, had settlers
at an earlier time.
While certain routes seem to be favored by the earlier immigrants,
different groups used different routes at different times. In later
years certain routes were no longer to be associated with certain
groups of settlers.
Thus by 1790 or 1600, the region's settled sections had recovered
from the disasters and losses of the frontier wars. Furthermore, new
areas were constantly being settled and opened up. They extended
farther up the valleys and into the uplands of hilltop regions. This
is a process that was largely completed by l850. However, it is true,
that th<^re are woodlots and mountain sections that have been
lumbered but never been converted to farm Hands, In fact, in 1958
there were two, possibly more, small plots, that have never been
lumbered.
Earliest Pioneer Hardships
The later pioneers had the experience of the first ones to aid
them. The first pioneers in loneliness and danger, carved out of the
mid frontier their homestead and laid tlie first foundations of the
communities wMch were to develop later. Let us learn about their
hardships and dangers. We have no complete account of any pioneer.
From various incidents and accounts we can put together what the
life must have been like during the first critical year. We shall
picture a comparatively young man and vafc, he already an experienced
farmer, she well trained in the duties of a farm wife. Both were
strong and hardy, the frontier was no place for weaklings.
The Pioneers Journey to the Frontier
The pioneer vhom we shall try to picture had saved enough money to
secure three pack horses. They have carefully reduced their baggage
to the very smallest amount possible. On one horse rode the wife
carrying a small infant in her arms, A bat containing cooking utensils
and table ware was attached to the saddle, T;ie second horse carried
a store of provisions and the essentials of farm implements, plough
irons and other things that could not well be fashioned out of vrood
later. Balanced on a third, on either side, xiias a hamper type of crate,
made of hickor^f mthes. These nampers contained bedding, with a small
child tucked safe and secure in each, with only its head showing.
Two cows xirere led or driven ali,ng for ;^alk. The father strode ahead
carrying gun and ax. The i-dfe could advise him if the pack train,
the second and third horse, each tethered to the one in front, was
advancing properly. When the trails had been widened to rough roads,
carts, or even wagons, dravm by oxen, would have been used.

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Cn the frontier, the slow but powerful ox was superior to the
horse for ;nuch v;ork. In the settled sectj.ons the advance would be
rapid. Soon the region of no roads was rerched. Narrow trails of the
Indian and fvr trader would be encounterec. The pioneer's ax had to
be readjr to cnop the trail clear of fallen trees or branches.! One
or more mountains had to be crossed. Tlie trail at places was steep
and narrow. It was danj erous where steep drops were to be passed.
There were no bridges, the streams had to be forded; swampy places
might make other difficulties. Five or ten miles might be a day's
journey. If conditions were favorable, possibly more might be
accomplished.
Shelter at Night
At the end of the day, animals had to oe tethered so that they
could feed, the cows milked, and an evening meal prepared from food
supplies carried. Firewood must be gathered for cookin(_ , for warmth,
and for protectr.oii ap.a?nst wild anj.jncls. Boughs must be gathered to
make a crude bed imder the stars. Tliis was for fair weather. If it
rained, a crude shelter mrlght be found left by some previous traveler
or one might be fashioned from bark and saplings. Shelter at times
was available in an owner's cabin along the way. If so, the
accomraodations probably included sleeping on a dirt floor, so crowded
•with the owner's famjly and the gaests, that tiiere was a minimum of
privacy and barely room on the floor for all to stretch out. The
fatigues of the 63-^, probably brought sleep to all despite the almost
universal presence of fleas and bugs.
Need for Haste
After five or ten days of such trevel, the destination would be
reached, barring accidents or disasters on tne way. There could
be no tarrying. The family must reach their new homesite as early
in the spring as possible, after the end of severe weatner. Before
the coming of autumn, there were urgent tasks to be completed. Land
must be cleared and crops planted to carr;-' tne family over the winter.
After a teiiipcrarj^ shelter had been provided for the mild weather, a
house mi-st be constructed that would sl';elter the family tiirough the
bitter wT'.nter that was to be expected in cvt region.
Some pioneer families had sons and daughters old enough to assist
their parents. They may have been able to drive orcn to help in the
work. Chickens and pigs may also have been brought, i^t the other
extreme we have records of man and i-afe alone, advancing barefoot
along the trails, carrying all their possess:' ons on their backs I
Choosing Land; Signs of Good Soil
If our pioneer had been careful^ he had already inspected the lie
of the land and the soj.l. He would choose a homesite near a spring
in order to have a secure source of water. There were signs of soil
fertility x^lxi.ch he would note. Black walnut trees were taken as signs
of limestone soils, the most desirable ,3

llie had to be ready with gun to protect from wd.ld animals or
replenish food supply,
2Compare John Eves, ch. , p.
3We in Columbia County have only narrow bands of limestone soils,
and those mostly on two rather steep ridges, one on either side of
Montour Ridge, See ch, p.

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soils. Big, well grown trees
White oaks were signs of deep,
This was especially true of
soil.
generally nesnt deep and fertile
difficult to cut doi-m and
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were
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pioneers
Some
to fashion into useful articles.
hemlock, but
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pine and
In
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in opening up
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hemlock forests there was less
plots for crops.
However, the Jlifflin flats, over grown with pines, were at first
considered pine barrens. Later, they were proved to be among the
most fertile of lands.
It was also important to find a location that promised a plentiful
supply of i«ald game. This was especially true for the first few years.
The rich game resources of the Sugarloaf township region probably
accounts for settlement there at an early date. These early settlers,
about 1792, passed by unsettled richer sections in order to take up
land in ne of the less promising sections. They also found trees
of splendid size.
The First Shelter
Having come in the spring, brrk wc.s easily pealed in order to mcke
a crude imitation of the Indian hut for the first shelter. Saplings
stuck into the ground and bent together at the top would support the
bark roofing. The work might be reduced ry building under an overhanging cliff or into a steep bank. The front might be left open,
to be heated by the camp fire.
Planting
Quickly, a clearing must be provided so that grain and garden seeds
could be planted. The quickest way was to girdle the trees by
removing the bark for a considerable height clear around the trunk.
The trees died, then the sun light could get to the ground beneath.
Other trees were felled to provide logs for the cabin, Sm^ll
roots and underbrush would be grubced out. Seeds would have to be
planted and cultivated in spaces between the dead trees and stumps.
The untilled soil was so rich, that usually a Lood crop could be
expected, in spite of the limited cultivat.Ton that x^as possible the
first year. Much underbrush and branches would be burned. The
ashes helped further to enrich the soil.
Fish and Game for Food
I'llhile crops were maturing, additional food had to be provided.
Usually there was much mid game, and the streams were teeming mth fish,
The father, and any older boys, were under the necessity of eking
out the food supplies by these sources from the wilds. The vjife,
besides her other housewifely duties, cultivated the garden and
gathered its produce as it matured.
The Cabin
A more durable shelter had to be built. The logs would be cut
into proper lengths, notched at the ends. If only the man and his
id.fe were available, they could use only the shortest and lightest
logs to provide a cabin of minimum size. This type of log cabin
was learned from the Swedes who introduced it into Pennsylvania and
New Jersey, The logs would be piled on each other vath the notches
making them stable,
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The first roof was probably merely long strips of bark, held in place
from a ridge pole by stones or heavier timbers. Chinks in the log
were filled with mud, possibly
sides, and possibly in the roof
mud mixed with moss. A hole might be left in the roof for smoke,
or the chimney of logs chinked with clay, with also a clay facing
on the inside, would be provided for the open fire. The first door
was a deer or bear skin hung in the door openj.ng . An opening for a
window roight be provided. If so, it was covered with greased paper
which let in some light. At best tMs cab:".n vras dark. The first
floor was the dirt, trampled hard. Hooks were pegs driven in the
chinks of the logs. After tnere had been tiiue to split logs for
crude boards, some slight advance tovrard concert could be made, A
door, on wooden hinges could be provided. It would have a latch
with the catch on the inside. To enable it to be opened from the
outside, a string was provided, extendin^^ t.jro-o^h a hole to the outside. Pull the string, the latch would be raised, and the person
could enter. When visitors were not desired, the latch string was
pulled inside ,h

Tradition has handed down many of the hardships which the pioneers
in our own region experienced.
In 1772 Isaac John and wife built tiaeir log cabin along the
Catamsss Creek in what is noxr Main Township, Its entrance vias
through the roof which was reached by a ladc'.er. They apparently
never built another. According to tradJ.tion they raised their
large family in this cabin.
Abou.t 1780 or shortly after, Henry Long with wife and children
descended the river from New York by canoe, having stopped over at
Wilkes-Barre for a time awaiting the end of the Indian dangers. They
occupied a deserted log cabin vdthin the liinits of modern Light
Street, They planted a cleared acre of ground to potatoes but were
compelled to dig out the seed for food. According to this story,
they kept alive searching out w? Id potatoes in the swamps. These
finds wore roasted for welcome food.
Nearby, Levi Ailmen about this time, gathered a bag of grain, his
first harvest. He sent his son in a canoe to Sunbuiy to have it
ground there at the mill. On the return trip, young Aikman consigned
his last crust of bread. His journey wa.s ended at the V/ebb Riverlanding at nightfall, i^irs. Webb would gladly have given frontier
hospitality to the young man, but there was no food in their house.
As a result, young Aikman dipped into hj.s bag of round grain to help
out the Webbs, and also certain others, according to tliis tradition.
In 1782, Zarbcth Brittain, on a trip to examine Susquehanna
lands, perisiied from small pox. The
same misfortune happened to
the son of John Bright, journeying from Northampton countj in search
of land here.
The Berwick region affords another frontier experience, John
and Robert Brown, with their families, were piorsuaded by Evan Owen
to purchase land from his holdings.
Coming overland to Cataxidssa,
the BroTfjns there transferred their belongings to canoes for the
journey to the falls of the Nescopeck, Here they landed, toilsomely
carried their goods to the top of the bluff when rain started in
before they could make any shelter. This hardship added to the
others was more than the mothers coc.ld endure j they broke down and wept.
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%'e h^ve the expression still, when we wish to indicate welcome,
to tell our friend, the l^tch string hrngs out for you.

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Down the river at I'Hfflin flats Peter Yohe settled at an early date.
Before his first crop matured he had to jcurney by canoe to WilkesBarre for a bushel of corn, to escape starvstion.
Abram Kline, about 1785 led a party fro.i New Jersey across
Broad Mountain to the mouth of the Nescopeck;, thence to Fishing
Creek. Finally journe;>ing up this stream, cutting their way through
the imbroken forest, they reached the foot of Knob Mountain. The
party consisted of Kline, his vdfe, and children, some of whom were
grown and acconpanied with t.ieir oim families. The first summer,
they lived in their wagons and a tent. They subsisted on milk from
the cows they had brought as well as the usual game and fish from
the wilds. By the second and third suii-uners a considerable amount
of land had been cleared by their united ei-orts and a sizeable crop
of grain was raised. This was transported to the river by pack train,
where it was loaded on flat boats to be floated to a grist mill at
Sunbury, thirty five miles distant from tneir home.
Elisha Barton, came to Hemlock about I78I. He lived with his
family in their wagon until their cabin was constructed.
About 1698, near Bear Gap, some silver buttons and Spanish dollars
vjere found.
These were connected xdth Alexander McCauley who had
disappeared in I783 after ha-ving journeyed from Beaver Valley
in search of strayed horses. McCauley was laiown to have had both
silver buttons and to have used Spanish dollars. Was he the victim
of Indians or wild beasts?
A nurnber of traditions relate dangerous conflicts of our
frontier hunters wi.th panthers.
Vlhen the Leonard Rupert family canie to the mouth of Fishing Creek
about 1788, they used the route across the moimtains to Catawissa,
From here their goods were taken across the river in canoes. The
wagons were supported each by twc canoes. The pair of wheels on
either side were placed in a canoe, one pair to each canoe. The rowers
were under the wagon, presumably on some Idnd of crude seats and
bracing, A landing, two m:.les up rLV3r was affected, just below the
mouth of Fishi.ng Creek.
As late as 1788, according to a tradition, Peter Brugler had
an adventure with an Indian. Having followed a circuitous route
in hunting, he came upon his own previous ti-acks in the snow, with
those cf an Indian stalking him. This forewarned, he x-^as able to
hide in a tree trunk and kill the Indian instead of being killed
himself.
Success or Failure
^Jith such expedients and make-shift devices, our pioneers made
themselves ready for the first winter. If they were not successful
in getting these first tasks completed, at best they might merely
have to journey back to civilization aiid in some way make a fresh
start there or somewhere else. At worst, t^iey were confronted viith
death from starvation or freezi^ng. Probably raany cases of one or
the other were disguised by sickness and death brought on by such
hardships. But thousands of such pioneers in our region and on
other frontiers, did succeed
establis..:.ng themselves through the
fii'st critical year.
Only persons of great phj^^sical vigcT and high
courage co Id undergo such hardsi'dps and dangers. A fuller account
of the dangers and hardships will be given in the next chapter
where we shall lea in how the pioneers tamed the frontier.

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EFFECTIVELY TOU HAVE READ

1, What were the main routes used by pioneer settlers in migrating to

the North Branch regions?
2, Describe the chief areas of settlements in tlie fifteen or twenty years
after the Revolution.
3, What were the main groups of settlers before 1800, To what extent
can they be associated with definite areas?
ii. VJhat live stock were most valuable for the pioneers? Why?
5. What were the signs the pioneers looked for in choosing a place to
settle?
6. Why vjas haste very important after the pioneers started their journeys
to the frontier?

INTERESTING THINGS TO DO
1. Using a road map, try to identify modern autOiiiobile route nimbers
l/\hat natural
with routes used by (a) Indians, (b) pioneer settlers.
features (mountains, valleys, streams) aided or obstructed the modern

mutes as well as historic routes?
2. Are there any additional traditions of early pioneer experiences in
your family? You are requested to vjrite a report to the Columbia
County Historical Society about them. Read your report first to
3.

h.

5.

6.
7.

your class.
Students who live on one of the original farms might tell about it and any
interesting evidences of early and long continued occupations.
Requested: students report new facts to the Secretary of the Columbia
County Historical Society.
Similarly, any students should report unlumbered areas in the county;
an original log cabin still in existence, any implements of pioneers,
Requested by County Historical Society;
Photographs and picture collections to be offered or lent to Society
showing big trees in an unlumbered section.
Compare a modern camping trip with the pioneer journey and first lodging.
In Battle and Beers, investigate detailed experiences, not included
in this text, that occurred in your to-vm or to^mship,

CHECK YOUR VOCABULARY:
alluvial
flood plains
sediments
pioneer
gap

hamper (noun)
withe
distination
to eke

chink

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TRANSFORMING THE FRONTIER INTO CIVILIZED COMMUNITIES
Chapter IV

This chapter deals vdth gradual developments. They all were going
on at much the same time, with no exact beginning or ending. Such
developments were earlier some places, later at others, but the general
conditions they reflect were common to the American frontier.

For our region these conditions were from the close of the Revolution
to about 1825, or about forty or fifty years.
Time Chart for Chapter IV

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Early Conditions
The pioneer life for man, woman, and child was lonely, dangerous, and
herd.
Recalling Some First Steps
VJe have already looked at the pioneer traveling with his family and
few belongings to their new wilderness home. We shall want to look further
at the dangers and hardships for the many years needsd to change this
wilderness to a more civilized life. As neighbors came, loneliness was
reduced. To secure the needed supplies and coinforts, more would have to
be produced - more for home consumption and more products to be sold or
exchanged for the things needed. It was not enough to produce more, means
to transport the products to places where they could be sold or traded,
markets were necessary. These improvements will be studied in this chapter,
A garden patch and the first small field would need to be enlarged to
Clearing tlie land might be by chopping,
a real farm and adequate garden.
or the trees might be girdled. After they had died they might be burned
down by building a fire around the base. In this the wife might help.
Actually^ a woman could burn do\m more in a day than a man could chop dox-m
in several days. The resulting logs needed to be piled. Before neighbors
had become plentiful, man and wife had to do the best they could to make
these piles.
Flour was produced in the Indian fasliion, ^oj placing small amounts of
grain in a basin-like hollow of a large stone or st;imp as a mortar and then
using a cylindrical stone, a pestle, to pound and grind it. Often an

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Ch. IV

especially heavy pestle stone would be tied to a bent-over sapling to
lighten the Isbor. V/hen a stump was used, the clump, clump, clump of the
pestle on the mortar could be heard a long distance, A course, gritty flour
suitable for porridge or flat bread baked
could be produced in this way,
on the heated hearth.
Kettles of several sizes, were stood in the fireplace. Stews and
porridge might be prepared in them. The farmer's livestock included for
food, chickens, cattle, and pigs. The breeds were quite scrubby. Pigs
viere especially valued because they would largely support themselves from
acorns and other forage from the forest. If attacked and killed by bears,
a trap might be attached to the mutilated caror.ss with the result that
the family might have bear meat instead of pork for the bear usually
returned for a second meal from the carcass. From cattle milk could be
secured. The ox was slow, unexcitable, and very powerful. It was preferred
to the horse as a work animal on the early farm. For riding and the pack
train, of course, the horse was the better. Cattle also supplied meat from
time to time
Food From the Wilds
The profusion of game is referred to in all accounts of pioneer life.
At times there might be more than could be eaten, and at other times
settlers might be near starvation. In Berwick, Evan Owen as Justice of the
Peace, required that every bear killed should be brought before him to be
divided equally among the different families.
Most of the wild game animals and birds known to the pioneers are still
with us, but there are some exceptions. Panthers, which were at one time a
serious threat to the farmer's live stock, have been exterminated. Seldom
did they attack human beings, although there are traditions of adventures
and a few tragedies, usually involving children.
Besides game^ settlers learned very early from the Indians to make
maple syrup and maple sugar. ^ Maple sugar sold from six to ten cents a
pound, A tree m3.ght yield five pounds, a hundjred-tree grove, 500 pounds, -j^OO
t?arrels of sap had to be boiled down to yield this amount.
Bees were to be found in hollow trees and large stores of honey were
often secured by chopping down such a tree. These two products were the
main sources of sweetening and they might also be sold or bartered at the
growing villages.
Nuts and berries were to be found in proper season, valued as a tasty
addition to food supplies, and useful also for sale or barter.
Wild Pigeons
Wild pigeons came at certain seasons of the year, especially nesting
time, in flocks so large that we of a later dsy can scarcely believe this
to have been possible. An eye-witness from the nearby VJilkes-Earre region
ha ^- this record:
"The whole heavens were dark with them, the cloud on wing
continuing to pass for over an hour or more and cloud succeeding cloud.
There were not millions bu myraids ,, .Towns were built by then, for five
or six miles in length along the Meshoppen
every branch or bough of every

Recall the Indian outrage at Jerseytown^, I78O, when a settler escaped
because he was at maple sugar grove,
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Ch. IV

tree holding a rude nest." In a Berwick newspaper item in l8iiO we can
"We have never seen such a quantity of pigeons as were flying
reads
about our pl?ce. The greater portion of our toxrnsmen were engaged in
pursuit of them, none returned without their hands full, Mr, F, Nicely
succeeded in shooting 80, He fired twice into one flock and killed 37.
Beat that you who can." At a later time the extermination of the
passenger pigeon was completed by market hunters slaughtering them in
wholesale manner and sending them to city markets by the ton. Often the;
masses were so thick on the branches that they could be clubbed to death.
For the pioneer such plentiful and easily secured food was a welcom.e
addition to their diet and a resource for barter in a nearby town,
Ghad and Other Fish
In the earlier days, great masses of shad swam up the Susquehanna,
and other north-east coast rivers also. They sought the small headwaters
to spawn. From tiie very first the pioneers learned from the Indians to
net shad. Early in the spring it has been told that watchers reported
the coming of the shad in great masses like a sparkling wave crest
advancing up the river. Soon nets were placed. Special fisheries were
located near Catawissa, nine or more places above the mouth of Fishing
Creek up to Mifflin rapids. At least tiTO were in the vicinity of Bend-ck,
After the Berwick bridge had been built, in I8I/;, the fish seemed to shun
the shadow of the bridge and jammed into what seemed a solid mass of fish
that could be shoveled out. Nets were placed. Numerous reports like the
following are rocordod: Hauls at the Boone fishery above Bloomsburg were
so immense that great quantities could not be disposed of and the surplus
was scattered on the fields for fertilizer. At a Luzerne county fishery,
farther up the river, and therefore not so good as those in Columbia,
10,000 shad were taken in a single haul. People came to the river from
all points to buy fish, bringing in exchange produce of every descriptioncorn, meat, peach cider, whiskey, mead, and other produce. From the
tenth of April to the tenth of June almost every man, woman, and child
within twenty miles of the Susquehanna feasted and fattened on fresh shad,
and every family salted down from one to tliree barrels for use during the
remainder of the year. In I8OO a price of $18.00 per hundred weight was
quoted. Of course prices f luctuated^ but gradually became higher as the
fish became scarcer. At Catawissa in the early iSCO's shad were bartered
for salt at the rate of six cents each. Seining VJas forbidden on
Thursdays, in order to allow some fish to get through to spaim. There
were other types of fish that were also of great value, sturgeon, and
Dams in the
others, but not to compare with great quantities of shad.
river, and later various forms of river pollution have destroyed this
valuable food fish for our river. If modern principles of conservation
of resources had been applied, pigeons might still be important. The
earlier shad would have remained as a resource as valuable, probably, as
the salmon of the west coast rivers, adding every year to the wealth of
Pennsylvania.
Although there might be plentiful food at times, in general,
conditions were hard. This wes true for the labor on the part of all but
It was gruelling, at times, .Idterally killing.
the very youngest.

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Ch. IV

In geniu-ty Fostere d
The pioneers had very little—very little in the way of furnishings,
tools and ir,ipleriients, and help. It was necessary to make the best with
what they had. Mussel shells might serve as spoons. Hollowed-nut gourd
shells served as cups and possibly other uses, Wooden implements, whittled
and fashioned around the winter fireplace, served for various utensils,
especially rakes, and hay forks. Dishes vjere wooden. A plain board,
possibly hollowed out slightly, served perhaps as a common dish. It was
called a "trencher", A hearty feeder at the table is still called a good
trencheriiian.
Of course, living in a cabin iiiade of logs and getting what
food they could from forest and stream, was also getting along with what
they had.
This lack of tools and implements and the scarcity of labor led the
pioneer to contrive and invent. The pioneer passed down a tendency of
the American to be inventive and ingenious.
Basic Meeds
Certain things the pioneer had to have, but could not provide for
himself: metal implements and tools, not forgetting his gunj salt2,
not only for its savor but as a preservative; gun powder and lead for
bullets; suggest such needs. These and others could not be provided
(l) more products which the pioneer
until two advances had been made:
farmer could sell or trade and (2) means by which the goods could be
transported back and forth from or to distant markets. These improvements
also came little by little. We will find out first about the increases
in products for trade or sale. We can realize better how great this
need must have been if we recall that in many cases the pioneer had
used most of any money he had in the purchase of Ms land and in getting
himself and family with their few belongings transported to the frontier.
Pot Ash
Securing Commodities for Trade:
The very first work provided an article for sale or exchange. The
great amounts logs burned in clearing the land resulted in large amounts
of wood ashes, A container such as a barrel or a hollowed tree trunk in
about the size of a barrel was secured. An opening must be provided at
the bottom, if not already there, which was covered over ;\dth a plentiful
matting of straw. The whole outfit was placed over a sloping trough.
The container was filled with wood ashes. Water was poured over it
repeatedly. The result was that an alkaline solution was leached out.
This solution dripping into the trough was led to another container.
This solution produced lye, useful in making soap. If the solution was
evaporated, a greyish powder resulted, called pot ash. If dissolved and
filtered, and then evaporated again, a better grade, called pearl ash
resulted. Both of these products were in demand in the cities and in
foreign trade, as well as in the home comrAunities. From every ten acres
of forest land cleared, a ton of pot ash might be secured, worth about
This alone was enough to pay for clearing the land.
two hundred dollars.
Pot ash was an important frontier product for many years.

^The lick Rions of Pine and Locust Townships suggest that there were
some traces of salt at certain locations,
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Ch. IV

Grain and TJhiskey
As more and more land was cleared and crops produced, there was a
surplus of grain over and above what the family needed. The grain crops
were usually wheat, corn, and rye, Lrrge crops were secured from the
virgin land, Hye and com v:^r<^ f ed to the live stock and when ground up,
wore used for food for the family in the form of coarse bread, cakes, or
porridge. The wheat was saved to be sold.
Grain was biilky for transport for any great distance. It might sell
for fifty cents a bushel and only a bushel or two could be transported by
a pack horse, ¥iskey sold for $1,90 to $2,50 per gallon and a bushel of
grain would make three gallons. Peach brandy, apple "jack", and mead
might also be made for sale.
Salt Meat
As the aiiiounts of livestock increased, especially hogs, there would
be meat that could be smoked or salted doxm, ThD.s surplus made a trade
item. Hides from slaughtered live stock and larger game, deer and bear,
and the pelts from f\ir bearing animals also provided trade articles.
Grist Mills and Flour
Improved means for production meant that there would be more goods
for trade. Not for long did the pioneer put up with gritty flour ground
or pounded from crude mortars and pestles in Indian fashion, nor with the
tedious labor required in such production. Trips to Sunbury or WilkesBarre were long and time consuming by canoe or peck horse and the amounts
that could be transported too small. Experienced and skillful millwrights
soon arrived and "harnessed" the water power of oiur numerous streams to
the heavy grinding' stones, "buhr"' stones, he\^In from native rock found in
our region. The machinery needed to be especially designed in each case
to the amount of the stream's flow and the fall or "head" available at
each mill site.
As early as 1771; a crude mill seems to have been constructed at
Gatawissa, It was often out of repair,-^ B3'' 1800, one or more mills
were constructed on each of our creeks and their more important tributaries,
The lower reaches of our largest creek, FisMng Greek, were not "harnessed"
vmtil later. Being the largest, the difficulties of constructing a dam
and the other mill works vrere grentor.
In 1827 Samuel Boone, ii built the Aqueduct Mill and the locally famous
Boone's dain to provide the necessp.ry water power. At one time or another
there were an estimated forty- three mills in operation in the county.
Streams or main
Mills known
Tributaries
Roaring Creek
Briar Creek
Catawissa
Ten Kiile Run
Fishing Creek & Branches

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Ch. IV

Most of the mills now operating have been changed to use some other
kind of power, steam or electricity. Some still use water power in part,
In the summer, especially
althovigh the stream flow is not as dependable now.
the reduced flow caused the closing of many riiills.
But going back to the early days to learn how the grist mills helped
More and larger farms
to "lift" the early settlers out of pioneer life:
meant more farm products to sell. It was not many years until large amounts
of flour were being sent to the southern and eastern markets.
Logs into Lumber
Water power was soon utilized to save another type of labor. The
early carpenter squared logs with broad ax and adze, both heavy tools.
The adze, xath its hoe-like form and operated lath strokes toward the
worker was extremelj'^ dangerous and resulted too frequently in painful and
maiming accidents. Boards were sawed out by two men using a two-man saw.
One man worked above the logj the other in a pit underneath the log. It
was hard work, and especially dirty for the man that had to work with the sawdust falling on him. Many grist mills were also saw mills, some were probably established in that form. James Masters may have built the first
sawmill in the county on Spruce run in modern Madison Toimship. The date
given is 1788, The following early mills were both grist mills and sawmills:
John Cleaver near the mouth of Roaring Creek, 178? j Thomas Linville
in modern Slabtown,^ 1789; William Rittenhouse built a mill a mile or so
up the Briar Creek, 1800. These early saw mills consisted merely of an
up-and-doim saw operated by a simple mechanism a.ttached to the water wheel.
There was a device to advance the log after each stroke. Several saws
might be arranged in a "gang" so that two, three, or more planks could be
sawed at one time ,
With saw lumber becoming plentiful, there was now
lumber that could be sold.
Lumber Floated Itself to Market, and Cargoes too
The lumber of the forest surrounding the pioneer was of great value,
Soon
if it could only be gotten to the markets where it could be sold.
the North Branch settler adopted the plan that had been used before on the
Delaware and other eastern rivers, and was to be used for many years to
come on the rivers to the west.
This plan was to float the lumber doxm
the rivers and have the floating lumber carry frontier products as cargo.
Canoes
In 1771 the Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania passed a law
requiring that the Susquehanna should be considered a navigable stream.
This meant that no dams or obstructions could be placed in it. The first
navigation was by canoes. In 1772 Ellis Hughes at Catawissa contracted to
make a dugout canoe forty feet long, three and one~half feet wide and
eighteen inches deep. For this he was to receive five poixnds and ten
shillings, a job that was to take about forty days of work. Such a canoe
could carry seventy-five, a hundred, even a hundred and fifty bushels of
grain. Birch bark canoes were lighter and not much used in the southern
and central parts of the state. Soon rafts and larger boats replaced the
canoes, rafting being the earlier.

PThe slabs resulting from the operations of this mill have given one
of the names used by the pretty village that developed here,
"Circular saws were not invented until 1805, were not in general use

until much la.ter,
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Ch. IV

Rafts

We do not know when the first rafts were floated down the North
Branch, but in 1796 thirty rafts passed VJilkes-Barre, The first rafts
were probably entirely of logs fastened together. The timbers were
pine logs, sixty or eighty feet long, in great demand for spars and m?ipts
for sailing sh3.ps. Tirabers squared by hand or by early mills were fastened
together in a squared raft. On such rafts a shanty might be constructed
as a shelter for the raftsmen and a considerable cargo of frontier produce
carried. Often they might be hitched end to end and two side by side.
Plank rafts, twelve or sixteen feet square lath each course or layer of
planks laid side by side and the whole raft consisted of eight or ten of
such courses criss-crossed on top of each other. These also might be
combined to make ; longer raft in "single" file, or two-by-two. Large
two-man oars were placed, one each, at front and back, for steering.
Arks
The next improvement was to construct flat boats of heavy planks.
Sometimes called arks, they might be fifty or more feet long, about
fifteen feet \ridc and would probably draw from eighteen inches to two
feet when loaded. It was guided as it floated down current by two great
oars, one each at front and back, each oar worked by two men. Arks
seventy feet long seem to have been built in the 1820' s or earlier, "at
the deep hole" in Fishing Greek at the western end of Bloomsburg, from
which the completed boats could be floated to the river. Costing $60.00
or more when completed, such a boat contained 6,000 board feet or more of
two-inch planks. An ark might carry 1600 to 2000 bushels of wheat, $l600j
hOO to kSO barrels of flour, |2000j or 100 to 120 barrels of whiskey, $3000.
Durham Boats
It was not long until the traders of the Susquehanna adopted the
Durham boat, designed first for the Delaware river traffic and first
constructed at Durham on that river. Sixty feet long, eight feet wide,
and two feet deep, when loaded with fifteen tons of cargo, it drew only
twenty inches of water, A boat for the Susquehanna was necessarily of
shallow draft. Guided by oars, it floated doT-m river. Occasionally
sails were fitted, especially for up-current, for this boat was designed
to come back upstream. Its main form of propulsion was polers, who set
iron pointed poles in the river bottom and pushed as they walked from
bow to stern, VJalking ledges were built along the gunwales. Besides
using sails or poles, they might be "bushidiack^d", which meant that the men on
the boat grabbed branches along the bank and pulled on them as they walked
toward the stern. Or long towing ropes were usee" by men on shore hauling
the boat. Again, a long rope was fastened to a tree several hundred feet
up stream. Then those on board would haul in the rope either by hand or
by windlass. Are we surprised to learn that rivermen needed to be strong
and hardy
Down river thirty or forty miles might be made with the ciirrent. Up
river, six or eight iniles mj.ght be made in a favorable day. It might be
only two. However, like rafts and flat boats, Durham boats might be
broken up at their down river destination for the lumber that they
contained.

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Ch, IV

The River Traffic

Rapidly melting snows hastened by rain, meant rising waters in the
spring. Now the rafts, or boats that had been labored over by farmers and
boat bviilders up the little tributaries, were readied on high banks and in
back
eddies. Barrels of flour, grain, whiskey, pot ash, salt meat,
lumber, especially in the forms of barrel staves and headings, and also
shingles were loaded. Hay was sometimes shipped. The experienced "skippers"
waited until the freshet has passed its crest, Tliis meant that water was
flowing back into the channel from the flooded lowlands and tended to keep
the floating cargo carrier in the channel. For a week or ten days, at
freshet time only, therefore, for fifty or sixty years, the watchers on the
banks x-jould see continuously large numbers of these craft floating down the
river, coming in from the many creeks. Rafts predominated at first. Soon
large numbers of flat boats were to be seen. Towards the middle of the
century, only a broader type of Durhain boat was used for cargo, although
rafting on the Susquehanna as a means of transporting logs and large timbers
continued for a number of years after 18^0, There might be a summer freshet.
A fall freshet was usually counted on. Accidents from the hazardous rapids
on the river resulted in a loss of boat or raft and its cargo in about one
out of every twenty ventures. Lives were lost, too. Arks seem to have been
more of a hazard than other types for one out of three of these craft might
be lost,
A record from 1826 indicates the extent and value of this trade:
1037 arks, value,
$1,037,000
l6ii keel boats, (somewhat lighter
than Durham boats, provided
with a keel. Also speedier
l61i,000
than Durham boats)
1090 rafts of lumber
327,000
$1,528,000
Columbia County Participates
There are records to show that our region joined heavily in this traffic,
William McKelvey and John Barton were the largest dealers in grain at
Bloomsburg and usually shipped the ark and its cargo. Both were sold at
the down river destination. Wharves of dealers and wholesalers were located
at Berwick, From a Danville newspaper of l32li, when Danville was in Columbia
County, we learn that 100,000 bushels of wheat, 3,000 bushels of clover seed,
3,000 barrels of whiskey, 250 tons of pork, and a small amount of lumber
were sent doxm the river by means of arks and rafts.
Land TraffL-^: Firs'b Roads
The rough Indian trails, improved here and there by the occasional
efforts of imiidg rating settlers, were soon to be made over by organized
work. Ben^dck end Catawissa took the lead. In 1787 Evan Owen secured the
contract for the construction of a road from the Lehigh region to Nescopeck,
This was completed in two years. Sixteen years later heavy expenditure was
incurred in grading and leveling it. The Tioga Turnpike was undertaken in
1806 and was completed north across Lee and Huntington mountains through
Jonestown to Towanda by I8l8, The first bridge across the river in our
vicinity, and one of the first on any part of the Susquehanna, was completed
at Berwick in l8l[,i

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During the same years roads were being constructed south from
Catswissa:
The Old Reading Road was built along the southern side of
Catawissa Moiintain in I789. In l80ij and I805 other roads connected
Catawissa with Slabtown and from there across the southern mountain
ridges. Another branch led to Bear Gap and thence southeast. Other
improved roads, and especially those north of the river were slower in
coming, for the most part. However, roads developed here too. In 1778
there was a road of some sort from Northumberland to Wilkes-Barre
Traffic was siifficient on this road to waa-rant the establishment of a
hotel midway between Berwick and Eloomsburg. By I8OI there was a road
from Buckhorn through Frosty Valley. At an early date there were roads
from Berwick to itilton and from Bloomsburg to Muncy, possibly as early as
1820.
The iron ore of Hemlock, discovered in 1822, was hauled to the
Roaring Creek furnace for over twenty years, There must have been a road
for such use. A road across the Mount Pleasant hills from Bloomsburg
to the Greenwood valley had been surveyed as early as 1798. This vras the
those'
portions of the county until 1856, That year
only road to
the Legislature made appropriations for a road from Bloomsburg north
through the valley of Little Fishing Creek. Previously the Klines at
Orangeville had opened a road from Light Street, This vjas gradually
extended by the settlers up the valley of the bigger creek, although exact
dates are not known. Bloomsburg and Berwick both became jiinction points
for stage lines. Jerseytown and Buckhorn irere points of importance on
Such
the Muncy line, while Jonestown was important on the Towanda line.
became
they
roads were passable in the sum^iier; in the i-rLnter and spring
almost impassible. "The wheels of the vehicle sank in the mire to the
hubs, VJhen further progress became impossible, the impatient passengers
alighted unceremoniously,.., and assisted the team in surmounting the
obstacle.,., Sometimes a fence rail vras hastily impro-vised. ,. .to pry the
wheels from the mud." Vfith what effect on the clothing of the passengers,
we can only guess. We can also imagine the jolting of coaches lacking any
but the most primitive of springs.
With these changes, the settlers could get their products to market
in ever increasing amounts. They had, therefore, the means to secure many
more needed supplies by bujdng or exchange, -he tilings they could buy in
turn, improved household implements and farm tools, made them more
productive
Continued Flow of Set tlers t o Columbia County
These impro'ved roads meant also that it was easier for new settlers
to come.
The region continued to build up with new settlers in the years
immediately follomng t?ie Revolution, 1783 to I8OO, and for the thirty
or forty years following in the nineteenth century.
Routes from the south converged at Bear Gap, From this point many
additional settlers of German origin settled in the Roaring Creek Valley.
These came largely from the vicini-ty of Reading and Lancaster. Other
Germans from ihe lower valley of the Lehigh River came to the NescopeckBerwick terminus and spread from there into the Beaver valley. These two
valleys were settled predominately by Germans, German descendants are
widely distributed in the county, more so south of the river than north,

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However, Dutch valley is appropriately named, undoubtedly being a corruption
of "Deutsch" (Doich), meaning German, and applied because so many German
(Deutsch) were settled there. Frosty Valley also received many of this
industrious people, l"Iany settlers from New Jersey came to Madison township,
The
a fact perpetuated by the name of its principal coniiaunity, Jerseytown.
Bloomsburg
McClures
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Scotch Irish idth their first representatives
also contributed importantly, especially in the northern section as represented by the iicHenry family. English settlers also contributed, although
in smaller numbers. Revolutionary soldiers came, some veterans of the
patriot forces, some former members of tlie English forces. Some former
prisoners of viar captured by the patriots^ both Hessian and English,
settled here. For instance, Benjamin Fowler, a British soldier, captured
when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, was a settler who gave his name
to Fowlersville, Settlers from New York, Ohio, and Virginia also built
up our county. On account of the conflict with Connecticut a considerable
number of settlers were brought to the Bermck and the eastern border
regions of the County in Briar Creek, Fishing Creek, Benton and Sugarloaf
toTmships. The up-the-river route and the Chillisquaque-Spruce Run route
also continued to give access to the settled regions and as means of
travel for incoming settlers.
More settlers meant that the region would provide buyers for merchants
and patrons who viould employ all manner of craftsmen. In fact, in our
region, as elsewhere certain persons bought land because they believed
that they could sell it to such merchants and tradesmen. Should we call
them speculators or community builders?
The Town Planners -» Evan Owen
Evan Owen is an especially good example of such far-sighted men who
risked considerable money and were especially energetic and industrious.
After being discouraged with the sviampy appearance of the land in the
vicinity of the mouth of Fishing Creek* Owen chose high land near the
"falls", really rapids, above the mouth of the Nescopeck' Creek, at the
terminus of a route from the south. In I786 by his own efforts he laid
out the main streets. He marked out the lots TO.tliin the blocks thus formed.
He presented building lots to the first chiorches. Being a trained surveyor,
he did not need to hire someone else to do tiir.s work. In the folloxdng
years he went "to the region of the lower Lehigh and Delaware rivers and
tried to sell his lots. We can be fairly sure what his sales talks were
like, although we actually have no record of them. They must have gone
something like this: "The North Branch country is rapidly being taken up.
All kinds of artisans are needed. Any skilled industrious workman will
soon have all the xork he can do, Owensburg is splendidly located on
high ground just at the end of the well traveled road from the Lehigh
river across Broad Mountain to the valley of the Nescopeck, I'ie have a
ferry now and will have a bridge before lorg , Traffic up and down the
river will also stop to transfer for trade at our splendid place." Can
we not alnost hear him saying, "There is not a better place on the whole
North Branch, than right there at Nescopeck Falls," IJhatever he may have
said as a salesmen, he was successful in inducing numbers of people to
settle and lay the ioundations for modern Beridck,

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Ch. IV

William Hughes
Vfilliam Hughes at Catavdssa laid out tlat tox-m in 178?. We can be
fairly sure that he spoke about the splenc'id water power available from
the Catawissa Creek and how his toifin of Hughesburg had splendid advantages
of a ferry in the river ad access to the valleys of Roaring Creek and
Catawissa Creek,
Although Bloorasburg region was among the first, if not the very first,
to be settled^it built up slowly. The swampy flats along the river may
have been the cause. Ludwig Oyer , it is thought, was disturbed to see that
his property was not building up as fast as Bermck and Catawissa, H^- tli^u^ht
he could sell Ms land faster if he laid it out. He laid out Bloomsburg in

1802.

Columbia County Towns Icic. cut:
Present -Name
Naine first given
Town Planner
Bermck
0>rensburg
Evan Owen
Huf^hesburg
Catawissa
VJilliam Hughes
Mff linsburg
Mifflinville
Christian Kunchel & William
179ii
Rittenhouse
Liberty, Espytown
1800
Espy
George Espy
Bloorasburg'
Bloomsburg
1802
Ludviig Oyer
Light Street
Williamsburg
PMlip Seidle
1617
Orangeville
Orangeville
1822
Clement Ricketts
Leestown, New Media
1833'
Numidia
Elijah Price
Centra lia
Cent ervi lie
Survey of Streets by
1855
Alexander Rea
Other towns seem to have grown without any town plan, at least, at
first. The owners of land merely selling off building lots from time to
time.

Date
1786
1787

Town Pla ns
Since towns were invariably planned at places of special advantage junction points on travel routes, stoppages
river traffic, fords or
ferrying places - these features almost always e:ci:lain the basic street
pattern that was to be followed to the present, Bend-ck's north and south
route gives Market Street while tlie east and west route determined Front
Street, Catarassa's main street leads back from the river until it coines to
the three way "fork" where streets mark routes to Roaring Creek, l^iainville,
and Bloomsburg, Bloomsburg 's main east anc- west street follows what must have
once been the main river road, but well back from the river to avoid
swampy land. It was the time of horses for travel. Thus many town plans
provided for alleys so that easy access coulc. be had for a horse stable
placed on the rear, vdthout an entrance necessary at the front of the lot.
This is especially true of Cataidssa and Bloomsburg, William Penn's plcn of
square blocks with streets at right angles is followed in most of our towns.
His plan provided for allocs, and also a central square, as in Philadelphia,
Bloomsburg, is tiie only town in the coimtj- to have a central square
similar to that of PMladelphia, but much sraallex", of course, Bervdck does
not have the system of alleys. This is probably because Evan Owon provided

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Traditions give the najne Eyerstaedtel and incacatc this name following
1802 was used. All deeds after 1802 use the mine Bloomsbiirg,

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Ch. IV

a system of in-lots for residence, of h9,S^ x l8l', and out-lots of much
larger size 2[t7,5« x 1412.5' where extensive gardening might be done, or
small scale farming. It is probable that his plan was that horses would
be kept there. It is interesting to note that both Bloomsburg and Catawissa
have streets with the name "Ferry"

Craftsmen and Artisans
By bringing in various trades, the pioneers out on the clearings were
benefited. Needed things could be made and bought in the growing neighborhood villages. The first settlers included many such skilled workers and
tradesmen, Berwick is a good example because of a complete record there.
At an early date, although we do not know exactly when, the following trades
are listed:
a tailor, a chairmaker, a tin smith, a tanner, carpenters^,
a cooper, a blacksmith, a cloth dyer, a butcher (probably a dealer in fresh
meat) , a weaver, a cabinet maker, a saddler, a wheel-wright, a miller, a
gun smith, and a silver smith,
Catawissa, Bloomsburg, and to some degree the crossroads villages at
little
other places must have resembled Berwick in these early days:
country settlements with shops near the humble houses, log cabins for the
most part at first. The shops were mostly one-man affairs. The owner
cultivated his land when he did not have jobs to keep him busy at his
trade. Some of these trades have disappeared. Others have been transferred
to large factories, here or elsewhere.
Inns and hotels were needpri
established very early at the smaller villages as well as the larger towns,
A record of Catawisssj
also fairly typical, indicates that it had fortyfive houses mostly log, but one of stone, Berxd.ck was probably no larger,
but other towns were not to achieve this size for years. Let us look more
closely at certain exomples of the work in these villages.
The Cooper and Cooperage
Containers were needed by the pioneer ~ spoons, cups, dishes, pots,
kettles, caldrons, kegs, barrels, measures. A few would have been brought.
As they were lost, broken, worn out, how were others provided? How were
they to get additional ones needed? Wood was used for buckets, kegs, and
barrels. Here is where the work of the cooper was very important on the
frontier. Wooden pieces, staves, were accuxately beveled and steam-bent
to proper size and shape, grooved on the inside to take ends, a bottom if
a bucket, both ends, headings, if to be a keg or barrel.
The cooper needed
to be a skillful worker in wood.
His products were in the greatest demand.
He could also be sure of a ready market if he shipped his headings and
staves in "knocked down" form for use in the distant cities. Large numbers
of barrels were needed for flour, whiskey, and grain, which soon were
shipped in great quantities to the cities,
A century and more ago, rubber and other plastics were unavailable.
Leathpr
Leather^ still a preferred item for certain articles such as shoes and gloves
was at that time put to many other uses also:
coats, leggings, boots, belts,
belting for machinery. Harness for horses and oxen required heavy leather
of the finest sort.

"The first settlers, the Browns, were carpenters.

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Ch, IV

The Tanner and Leather
After the first season, the pioneer farmers begin to accumulate hides
from game aniriials and from livestock butchered for meat, A solution of lye
was used to loosen the hair after any of the flesh adhering had been
scraped off. For the actual tanning, tannic acid was needed. This was to
be secured from the ground-up bark of oak and hemlock trees, especially
hemlock, A series of soakings in stronger and stronger solutions of tannic
acid then followed. Fine leather resulted when the process was carried
out by experienced and skilled craftsmen. All the ingredients were found
on the frontier.
Harness makers and shoemakers were able early to make a living. At
first they might go from farm to farm. At each stop they would use the
leather of the owner. The owner might have tanned it himself, or he might
have had it tanned at the early tannery in the neighborhood, paying for it
by leaving a portion of his raw hides or pelts, Kow the traveling craftsmen, if harness maker, repaired the harness or made a new set or sets as
might be needed. If a shoemaker, he made and fitted shoes to the family
feet as needed and repaired others. His pay in part vrould be "putting
him up" for the time he was there. He might also take leather in part pay.
The rest would have to come from money. This was hard to come by, but
supplies were gradually increasing as the pioneers were able to sell more
and more of their products.
Is it any wonder that the whole family might go barefoot much of the
time in mild weather? We also learn that, by common frontier practice,
maidens on their way to churchy walked barefoot until they came in sight
of the church, when they put their shoes on. After church, the practice
was reversed, ¥c don't learn about the swains, maybe they did the samel
Tanneries also produced leather that could be sold if shipped to the
cities. Harness makers might also produce goods for sale at a distance.
Shoes were sold directly from maker to user.
Certain examples reflect vividly frontier conditions.
Actual Experiences of Early Tradesmen
John Snyder completed an apprentice sliip as a saddler in Allentown.
After follo\ang his trade briefly in several cities, he settled in Berwick
in 1808, and later became prominent in the life of Berwick, He served in
the Vlar of l8l2, reaching the rank of major,
Daniel Snyder, no relative of John just noted, became dissatisfied
with farm life in Northampton County after he and his older brother had
taken up the fajnily farm on the early death of their father. He took up
work in a tannery in order to learn the trade. In I8IO, at the age of
twenty-seven, he came to Bloomsburg and bought twenty-six acres east of
Catherine and North Streets, then just beyond the town limits. He paid
050 English pounds, equivalent to $2,673, A day laborer might be paid
30 to $0 cents for a day's work, A skilled worker might get 75 cents a
day. These figures suggest the burden of such an investment for a young
man trying to get a start in his trade. He returned to his former home
for his eighteen year old bride, when rumors had it that the brook running
through his newly bought property occasion? II3' would run dry. This meant
disaster for his tanning project. Squire Hutchison passing through with a
load of wheat for Easton, assured Snyder that the stream was a never-failing

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one. With tliis assurance, Snyder arranged vdth the Squire to haul him, his
young bride, and their possessions back to Bloomsburg, According to later
incidents, a young heifer must have been led also, the bride's dowery.
Arriving at Nescopeck after dark, it was deemed best to make the crossing
that night, VJhen the young woman saw the swollen condition of the river
the next morning, she vowed that she would never have risked the cow if she
had known how dangerous it was. The heifer was forced to swin behind the
ferry.
The Snyders took up residence in a log cabin at the corner of what was
later East and Second Streets, But their troubles were not over. After
the tannery had been erected, Snyder had only a hundred dollars left.
The leather he had bought he could only sell on trust, but to secure hides
for his business he was required to pay money. His industry and pluck
inspired confidence and money was lent him with wliich he established himself as a fine business man and community leader. We shall hear more about
him. His wife vjas a loyal and industrious helper. She made several rolls
of butter each week from the milk supplied by the heifer. The butter was
sold or bartered. One of the items bartered was the shovel with which
Snyder dug his tan vats.
Sometime in I8I6 a stranger, by the name of James Wells, "put up" for
the night at a Bloomsburg hotel. He said that he v;as a Yankee wagon maker.
On suggestion, he stayed to make a wagon for the landlord. But Wells had
difficulty in borrowj-ng tools because there was still animosity for New
Englanders on acco\int of the Connecticut troubles of fifteen or twenty years
previous. William Sloan lent him tools and work bench. Seasoned wood was
secured from old fences on Sloan's farm. 1-Jhen completed, it was the town's
first one-hoi:se vehicle, and the first to h?ve been constructed here. It
is stated further that the wagon industry of Sloan and Hendershott resulted.
Towns also early had merchants. But even before merchants, there were
the peddlers. They made their appearance at an early day and were part of
the farm scene for many years, even into the twentieth century. In fact,
certain kinds of "merchandising" in door to door canvassing are still to be
found. At first the peddler may have come by canoe, later by pack horse.
At one time he may have carried his meagre stock of goods on his back. When
roads developed he would have a peddler's wagon wi-th an ever-widening stock
in trade. Included were articles of necessity: woven cloth, tin or iron
cooking utensils, needles, tools. Trinkets vrould also tempt the lonely
pioneer wife. Always he carried with him a stock distributed free, the
latest news and savory gossip to lighten the loneliness of the "back woods,"
He had to be willing to take frontier goods in trade, especially pelts,
rags saved up for the paper maker, and other articles, for money was scarce,
Paul Thomson, an early Berwick maker of pottery, sold his products of
crocks, jugs, and other course utensils, from his flat boat along the river.
The stores came very early. There was possibly one at Catawissa before
the Revolution," Merchants, for example, are mentioned in Ber\d.ck shortly
after I786 and at Bloomsburg, before I8IO, In 1791 John Funston in modern

^Chapter II, page
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ch. IV

Madison Townslxi.p, sent his son to Reading vath grain for sale. The son
bought six wool hats and sold them so quickly on his return that the older
Funston began to supply the neighbors with goods. This wag the start of
the Funston store. Around it grew up the toi-m of Jerseytown on the
Bloomsburg-Muncy road.
While the settlers were trying to produce articles for sale or trade
and while they were working to improve the means of transportation, they
also learned that they could exchange each other's labor, that is they
could join in sharing work.
Sharing in Work
In clearing land, numerous logs resu.lted too large to be piled by one
man, or by man and wife. As soon as there were neighbors within convenient
distance, they would be told that on such and such a day there would be a
log rolling. On the appointed day all families witliin reach of the call
gathered together at the designated farm. The men chose two captains, and
these men alternately chose their sides. When the teams were completed,
both went to work with a will to see which team could pile up the most.
There was much coarse fun spiced with the danger of handling big logs with
heavy log hooks.
Meanwhile the women were having equally jolly times, preparing the
food partly brought and partly supplied. Older children helped or took
care of the younger ones. After a day of jolly companionship and hard work,
the owner saw his fields well cleared with piles of logs that he could burn
at his convenience. The Germans called such jolly work parties froehlich ,
meaning happiness or jollity. We have the sirailar word, "frolic", English
speaking people noted how busy like bees everybody was. Their name often
given to such neighborly work parties was "bee'".
Cabins, Houses, and Barns
The next frolic or bee woiild probably be the raising of s house or
barn. Building the second shelter, better thaji the first required help.
The logs used were longer and heavier. On the house raising day teams
would be chosen, some were to notch the logs so that a four square house
could be built. Willing hands and strong made the walls rise. At the
gable ends, stout wooden sticks or pins kept these logs in place, A
ridge-pole supported the roof timbers on wMch bark was laid and weighted
with stones or other timbers. Or home split shingles might be used later,
Windows and doorway were cut and a door was hung i-dth wooden hinges. No
known cabins of round logs as they came from the trees are known to the
writer to be in existence in our County, Usually the second shelter was a
log house, rather than a cabin of crude round logs. For the house, the
logs were squared with broad ax and adze, both operations reqiu.ring strong,
skilled men. Such squared logs, notched one-quarter of the thickness at
each end would fit together to make a solid building vath a minimian of
chinking necessary. There are at least three splendid examples of this
better type of construction existing in our county:
the Quaker Meeting
Houses in Catawissa and on the hill road from Slabtown to Newlin in Locust
Township, The barn on the Howard Esler property in Montour Toimship, a
short distance north of the old Route 11, is an especially fine example of
such construction,
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Ch. IV

The first log cabin probably became a live stock shelter when the
better house had been built. Still another ty^e of building required the
help of a bee or a frolic. For this type, the owner, or his carpenter, had
put together mth careful joints well braced the heavy squared beams for
each side and end of the building, laying them on the ground, next to their
place-to-be in the completed building. Such a set of timbers could only be
raised into place by the combined help of the neighborhood in a frolic or a
bee. If the carpentry was good, these sides would fit exactly into the
joints prepared previously, holes would be bored, and stout wooden pins
inserted which would hold the whole heavy framework together. There are
still many old houses and barns around the county that must have been constructed in this way .10
There were also corn-husking bees, bees or frolics for butchering, and
possibly pther types of work. The women often got together to share the
essentially women's work: quilting, spinning and weaving, and possibly others.
By 1830 or I8i40 the older sections of the county had been fairly well
settled. Some settlers could look back to fifty or sixty years of development, especially in the bigger river towns, at fiillville, Light Street, and
Neighbors were fairly close by in the country as
the more open valleys.
well as in the villages. Loneliness was largely overcome. The dangers of
Indians were no more. Wild animals were no serious menace, at least in the
settled sections. The settler had an improved house and livestock, especially
horses and oxen. Various crafts and trades were established in the nearby
tovms. Transportation was still hard and dangerous and undependable, but
still it was greatly improved over the first days. Life was still hard for
farmer, housewife and craftsman, because a great deal of work still had to
be done by manual labor. But conditions were much improved.
In the more distant and out-of-the-way places, the life of the pioneer
still confronted the new settler, but even for them totv^ns and villages, and
neighbors \<cvc not at such great distances. They did not have the loneliness,
danger, and hardship of the first pioneer.

This skill will be referred to when we tell about early bridges.

TO FIND OUT HOW EFFECTIVELY YOU HAVE READ
1, What three words describe pioneer life at first?
Tell some of the ways their food differed
2 , Hovr did the pioneers secure f ood?
from ours. Especially recall differences in food secured from the wilds,
3, Tell about the different kinds of shelters and how they were made,
k. Ifftiat were the articles or commodities which the pioneer had to secure from

others?
5, If a day laborer was paid 35^ a day, what could be said about the prices
paid for various commodities mentioned in this chapter. Or, putting it
another way, how many hours or days of work were necessary to buy one or
another of such items?
6. What ware articles which the pioneor could secure or make; articles which
they could trade or barter?
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Ch. IV

first kinds of mills that V7erc constructed? Can you explain
Where were they located? Why importcnt? At what kind of site?
Hovr were products disposed of?
8, Vfhat did those mills produce or make?
for
of
river craft, rafts, arks,
Consult
the
encyclopedia
pictures
9,
Durham boats,
10, Wh?t important rords and stage routes were established in these early
jesrsZ Trace them on an outline map or road itiap,
11, Tell about the settlers who arrived in these years and where they settled,
12, Tell important facts about the Town planners, who they were- and what were
the towns they planned,
13, Using time line on paf.e 1 as model, make a larger one showing items and
details that had to be omitted on this small one, both our state and national
history above the line and our local history below. This might be a comrlttee
project.
li(. How did the village dwellers help the pioneer farmers?
In turn, how did
these farmers help the village dwellers?
15. Why were the cooper's and the tanner's trades especially important?
16. How do the experiences of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Snyder, of James Wells,
of John Funston reveal pioneer conditions and experiences in our region?
17. Describe frolic or a bee (work bee) and why were such gatherings important^
18. liJhat is the difference between a log cabin and a log house?
7, IVhst were the

why?

lOTERi^STING THINGS TO DO
1, The basic reference books, which your teacher knows about, probably

contain additional interesting details about the particular borough, town,
or township, in vjhich you live. Read about your own district. You may find
interesting points to report to the class on the topics of this chapter, and
on the topics of later chapters,
2, An excursion to a grist mill, or saw mill, A visit to one with early
machinery would be especially interesting,
3, Interview a miller and bring to class an account of early milling and
modern milling
of the housekeepcjr,h. Prepare an exhibit of early articles and utensils:
farmer, perhaps craftsmen's tools. Even one or two lent to your class
would prove interesting,
5, Try to bring pictures for class exhibit of life, activities, utensils of
the times,
6, Write letter to County Historical Society tolling about any interesting
items or pictures,
7, Some such items may be seen at the Columbia County Historical Society,
arrange a trip to the Society's museum,
8, We are not sure our list of towns as they were laid out is correct.
igttcrg telling us of errors or omissions are requested,
9, Letters calling our attention to any items for correction are requested.
.

Check your vocabulary:
ingenuity, forage, spawn, barter, mead, pollution, conservation, alkaline,
solution, porridge, buhr stone, a stream's head, to bushwhack, ingredients

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Chapter V
CANALS, RAILRO/DS, AND BUDUSTRI^S

Christian Brobst, a Community Leadar
Christian Brobst of Catawissa was an important leader in bringing
improved transportation to the North Branch of the Susquehanna. Born in
Berks county, he settled at Catawissa in 1795j at the age of twenty-«ight.
He had accepted continpntal money as his share of inheritance from his
father. Like all continental paper money, this became worthless,
Brobst early showed his enterprise and energy. The owner of the first
grist mill seems to have been unobliging, apparently thinking that he had
a montpoly.
As Brobst expressed it, he becaiiie "..too sassy." He borrowed
This mill was a
a large sum of money and built a second mill in 1801,
substantial building and equipped to produce flour, feed, and plaster.
Transportation Needs
In the three or four yesrs becinning about I8OO Catawissa sent more than
13,600 barrels of flour to Reading, More would have been sent if the roads
had been better. There seems to have been some form of boat transportation
on the Susquehanna at this time for communities in the region and on the
West Branch, but none to the distant corrnnmiities. Transportation overland
by horses and wagons was slow and expensive, A ton, possibly a ton and third,
might make up a wagon load. The river traffic WcS practically all down
stream, and then only at freshet times, two or occasionally three times a
year.
Why not use Steamboats on the Susquehanna?
Steamboats had been operating on the Huc.son river since I8O7 and on the
Ohio since I8II, Several attempts were made to establish steamboat transportation on the Susquehanna, but all in vain. It was at Berwick that it was
finally proved to be impracticable, A steamboat, "The Susquehanna" was
built at Baltimore. After trips to Danville and liilton in 1826, Berwick was
approached on a trip planned for the upper reaches of the North Branch, A
number of proininent iiien, including Christian Erobstj were on board, A full
head of steam had been built up by means of pine logs as the Berwick rapids
were approached. The boat's progress was stopped by the current. It turned,
striking a rock. Then the boiler exploded. It is thought that someone had
held down the safety valve. Col. Joseph Paxton of Rupert, one of the
passengers, has left this description: "I stood on the forward deck with a
long pole in my hand, and was in the act of placing it in the water hoping
to steady her, vhen the explosion took place . Two young men standing near
were blown hjgh in the air, and I vjas hurled several yards into the water,
Tvro persons were
I thought a cannon had been fired, and shot my head off."
others
Brobst
and Paxton
and
burned
by
escaping
steam,
killed outrif.,ht,
seriously
injured.
were not
This disaster turned attention away from steam navigation in the river,
except for locrl navigation on shorter stretehes of quiet or slack vrater, as
in the vicinity of Sunbury and Northumberland,
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Will Canals Meet the Need for Better Transportg tion? Brobst' s Plan.
The Erie canal had been but recently constructed in New York.^ It had
proved to be a great success. As a result many canal schemes originated in
Pennsylvania to overcome its many transportation (difficulties. Christian
Brobst came up i.dth an original and daring scheme. This was to follow the
valley of the Gatawissa Creek to its headviaters, where by crossing a three
mile divide the upper reaches of the Schuylkill river valley would be reached,
giving access down that valley to the rich and populous south east. His
full plan Kould have continued the route by river to Northumberland, up the
West Branch and beyond that river by means of another canal to Erie, Tliis
plan, after having given much study, was given up.
The North Branch Canal
But canals were not given up, Pennsylvrm.a, about 1828, started to
build what eventually became a system of canals on all the major streams of
The canal on the North Branch mzight have been delayed or
the Commonwealth,
omitted if it had not been for Brobst, The "down-state" men wished the
main stem canal at the south to be constructed first. Probst, as a member
of the State legislature to which he had been elected, was influential in
securing the early construction of the North Branch canal. In fact, Brobst,
along vdth other up-state representatives, blocked action in the legislature
until the branch lines also were assured.
A humerous bit of dialogue has been preserved: A down-state representative, learning that Brobst was a carpenter, asked if he had ever built a
house by constructing the roof first. To which Brobst responded by asking
his opponent if he had ever dug a well by digging the bottom firstl
Construction of the North Branch canal was started at Berwick in 1828,
It was opened along the river as far as Pittston in l83h. The whole North
Branch system vias not in full operation to New York until 1856, The cost
was $1,598,379.35. Soon the canals were carr^dng a very large amount of
traffic. Our North Branch canal was finally abandoned in 1901. This was
at about the same time that the other parts of Pennsylvania's vast canal
system were given up. The state never got back more than a mere fraction
of the millions of dollars it put into its canal system.
Importance of the Canal
While the canals were at their height of patronage they carried an
immense amount of traffic. For our region, they helped get our farm
produce to market.
Almost iiPiiiediately ^'^'^^the canals were be[,un conditions through our
region became more prosperous. Work was provided for farmers and teamsters
and hundreds of worki.ien were brought in to dig the channel and pile up the
embankments, to construct the locks, and to build the bridges , to carry
roads across the canal, and to build other special types of bridges,
aqueducts , to carry the canal across streams ,1
1/Jhen the canal was finished, many of the worlcnen became workers on it,
boatmen, lock-keepers, and repairmen. Besides maldng cur farm produce more
valuable by helping it to get to market more readily, the products of our
early industries, tanneries, sawmills, and others, also could be marketed

One of the largest was the aqueduct whD.ch caiTicd our canal across
Fishing Creek, at Rupert,

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more readj-ly. New industries were started, especially, boat building, A
number of canal boats were built at the "ark building site" at the westerly
part of Bloo-.sbujTg in the early days of the canal. But Espy early became
the location of a number of firms for the building of canal boats of
excellent design and construction. These works continued as long as the
canal system lasted,^
The Canal at its Height of Impcrtcncc
About 1850, if we could have gone dox-m I'larket Street in Bloomsburg,
we would have come to the high bridge crossing the canal. If instead of
crossing the bridge, we would have gone a little west we vrould have come
to a widening of the canal with whairves and bortliing docks for canal boats.
This was Port Noble, Here dsa boat covered mth a deck, from the hold of
which a mixed cargo is being taken: salt, zh-y goods and groceries for the
various stores in town and the region. At another wharf a boat is taking
on reddish rocks, iron ore, for shipment to Beriack for the Nescopeck Forge,
Billets, or blocks, of pig iron from the Blooxiisourg furnaces are loaded.
At another location, several boats are unload-iiig anthracite coal, some for
the Bloomsburg furnaces, some
for local dealers who will retail it to
householders for heating and cooking, Vfe also see qxij.te frequently the
passage of other boats in twos,
one behind the other, pulled by teams of
two or three mules, hitched one behind the other. If these large boats
moved too fast, their wash damaged the banlcs of the canal, so any speed
greater than four miles an hour was forbidcsn under penalty of a fine,
Down the canal, that is with the current, many of the boats are carrying
coal for the Danville iron furnaces and for markets as far away as Harrisbvirg
or Columbia,
Up current boats are apparently carrying mixed cargoes simj.lar
to those being- delivered in Bloomsburg,
This
Vlhile we are watching, a packet boat from Wilkes-Barre comes in.
is pulled by six horses and goes much faster, about six miles an hour. It
draws up at the dock, Vihile some passengers leave, others embark. The
horses are changed in order to maintain its tight schedule and reach
Northumberland in about three and a half hovurs, so that passengers for
Harrisburg and Philadelphia can make connections mth the Williarasport-to-'
Philadelphia packet boat. We hear one passenger, who must make a lengthy
stay in Philadelphia, complaining that he mil need to return by stage
coach because the canal will be closed for the winter before he can return,^
It is not difficult to realize the similar scenes of activitity taking
place at the canal ports of Berwick and Danville and also at the hundreds of
other places served the the great canal system, then at its height of
importance.

2

^See below for further reference to the Espy boat.

Being much lighter and narrower than the big freighters, a packet boat
could go faster without damage to the canal banlcs.

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We strike up a conversation with an old men, obviously too feeble to
work. He tells us th?t he came to Bloomsburg ss part of the pick-andshovel and wheelbarrow gang that constructed the canal in this section,
Many are the
Vlhen the canal vias finished, he secured a job as boatman.
Of the trip in vjhich his outfit traveled with two
tales that he can tell:
boat loads of coal which i-iere being towed across the Nanticoke dam, how the
strong current carried them so close to the dam that the steamboat cut them
loose and the boats were carried over the drm, but were saved by the skillful
steering of the pilot* Another time he was on an outfit that was being
towed across the Chesapeake bay, loaded with anthracite coal from Luzerne
county, A storm came up. Other boats in the convoy collided with each
other and some were sunk, ffis boat was di'iven aground at the shore. IrJhen
the storm abated, the crew dug a channel, floated their boat, and were able
eventually to enter it into Delaware river and by canal transport it across
New Jersey for deli.very on the Atlantic coast. Other adventures he also
told:
The ti:iie a gang of robbers jumped on the boat from en overhead bridge,
but were beaten off by tlie pilot who had kept a gun handy. The pilot had
heard how another boat had been held up and tho. crew robbed just recently
at the same place. He told of the hardsiiips of the mule boys on the cold
days late in the fall when drizzle turned to sleet and one of the men had
to relieve the little fellow until they could find a place to tic up for the
night. Our "old-timer's" account is interrupted as an especially trim outfit
comes into view, ¥e can imagine him saying some tiling like this: "See that
outfit. That's an Espytown outfit, just abo^i.t the best in the whole country.
See the pointed ends, see the big chains holding the two boats together.
When the steersxiian turns that big vrheel, it tujrns the rear boat just as if
it was a rudder, I tell you them's about the best boats anywhere, and
they're made right here in Espytown,"
Or again, "Ohl I remember about one outfit. It was late at night,
coming into the down-river locks. The boatman missed the snubbing post with
his hawser. The boat smashed into the lock walls and the gates. They were
smashed and the lock tender was shook right out of bed. He thought there
had been an earthquake. The canal vras blocked until the gates and masonry
walls could be repaired. That outfit had to pay damages and a heavy fine,"
"Those there packet
Resuitiing his stories, the "old-timer" goes on:
boats is too stuck up. They are given the right of vray over the freighters,
i'T:iy, one
time xre were in a lock, and they hitched up their horses to our
boats and pulled them right out and went through -the lock first. The
freighters bring more tolls to the canal than the packets. We would have
knocked the packet crew into the canal, but all the men passengers, eight
or ten, jumped out and told us we had better not or we would be the ones
knocked into the canal. They looked tough, too, and we were only two and a
boy. All we could do was swear, which you can believe we did,"
Lots of times in the summer, boys irould drop on the boat from an overhead bridge, and ride along to the next one x±ierc they would swing off, VJhen
food got monotonous, we x^ould sometimes di^op off a boat and sneak some
roasting ears or apples. It was too bad if a duck or chicken wandered too
close to the canal, it might find itself in the stcvjing pot.

~ S -

Ch. V

It isn't as much fun now. Many of the outfits have a woman cook.
It's a family affair. The boy drives the mules, Vhen a boy is old enough,
he becomes a boatman, I know of one outfit that started up in Lockhaven,
went down to Duncannon, from there up the Juniata canal, across the incline
railroad and finally into the Ohio, That boat ended up in New Orleans,
I've been told our canal has so much business that it can't carry it
all. Just last year the tolls on our division from Wilkes-Barre to
Northumberland took in over $100,000.00 and it has been increasing every

year since the canal was built."
Such were the scenes and conversation that ndght have been experienced
about 1850, every detail of which is recorded at some place or other. If
we had really been living back in the 18^0' s, we vrould have had to break off
our conversation and make our long way back up to town through wee (^ at the
side of the road, dodging as best vre could the clouds of dust which the
lumbering dray wagons made hauling their loads to and from Port Noble,
Apparently the peak of prosperity for the canals was in l86ii during the
last year of the Civil War when the amount of ^j181,1j08,00 in tolls was
reached for the North Branch section, " I hear they're planning a railroad
dovjn the river from Scranton to Bloomsburg," might have been old timer's remark
The canal followed the north and west banlc of the river, Catawissa,
Mifflinville, and other towns on the east and south bank did not have
ready access, VJhere bridges had not already been constructed, people began
to demand them in place of rope ferries. A bridge at Berwick for the
highway from the Lehigh Section to Tioga had been completed in l8llt. This
will be referred to again. With no other bridge above Sunbury and below
Wilkes-Barre, many leading men in the county and others wishing better
comriunications with the down-state regions beca:ne active in advocating a
bridge at Catawissa. Christian Brobst again V7as one of the leaders. This
bridge was constructed and opened for traffic in 1833, A bridge at Danville,
agitation for which had been started at about tiie same time, was completed
in 1829.
Stock Companies and Toll Bridges in Place of Ferries
The state government aided in many public improvements at that time.
The procedures in the construction of the Catarassa bridge afford an
excellent example. The legislature appropriated ten thousand dollard to
purchase bridge company stock on condition that private individuals vjould
secure the necessary additional funds to complete the bridge. The entire
cost eventually was $26,000, The subscribers held stock, that is shares.
Tolls were charged and the shareholders received dividens from the income
after necessary expenses had been met. The state later sold its stock and
used the income to constnict a wagon road along what is now called the

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Covered Bridges as Engineering Achievements
These bridges were of wood, as were most brj.dges constructed at that
time when labor for stone bridges was scarce and wood was plentiful. Gradually the carpenters v;ho had learned to use Yvecyy timbers in barn construction,
learned how to make longer and longer and longer bridges. Eventually, some
of the longest came to be remarkable feats of engineering, Columbia county,
at one time or another, had some of the more remarkable of these wooden
bridges, although never a "record breaker".

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between the banks of the stream. When the load
became greater, or the span wider, or both, a
dangprous sag would indicate the need of strengthen-

Ch. V

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ing.
2 This might be by diagonal braces underneath,
but they would obstruct the water when tho stream
was at flood,
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3 This was overcome by a king post and braces,
or king-post truss. This would enable the bridge
to span a greater distance with greater strength.
Still greater length was secured by a queenIt
post truss. This is a Queen-post truss,
5 A series of queen-post trusses might carry the
bridge over a still wider span, but there were
limits to the length of such a span. Theodore
Burr, a famous engineer, who built many frraous
bridges of great length and strength, originated '^k~2!\~/>
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the Burr king -post arch truss,
6 One of his first bridges and one of the firsts
on the Susquehanna anjrwhere was the nctod brid^^cr-'^;
at Berwick constructed in iSli;, of this Burr arch
truss.
Our bridges were roofed over to protect the timbers from rotting.
These brid>_,e^
testimony to the ability of our forebears, are gradually
disappearing under the stress of automobile and autc-truck traffic.
Pennsylvania still has a large number of them at tMs time, 1958, and
Columbia county is among the Pennsylvania coimties that still have the
larger number.
Covered Bridge Memorial
The County Commissioners some years ago agreed to preserve the covered
bridge at Stillwater as a memorial to these splendid structures. All
vehicular traffic is blocked off, now, but it is open to pedestrians living
across the creek. It is the
second longest span wooden
bridge ever constructed in the County, l8h9 . Eelow Blocnsburg, a bridg'e
now gone since the late 1920' s was unusual in that it had two passages,
seperated by heavy structural timbers in the center. It was called the
"Double-track Bridge" and was a very long single span. This bridge was
built in 181;0 at a cost of ^;>2,150, The three-span reinforced concrete
structure to replace it in 1923^ cost more than ten times as much. The
longest single span bridge in the county, aiid the longest span over any
streams other than the river, is the bridge across the creek at Rupert,
185 feet k inches long. These last three bricges mentioned are or were
all of the Burr arch and king -post type of bridge.
It is considered that the inventor's skill of these bridge builders
led later to the construction of truss bridges using structural steel
instead of wooden members. Many other types of trusses were also developed.

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Railroads in Our C o unty; The Oatawissa Railroad
respite "tlie great benefit of canals, there were many regions that did
not have ready access to them. Mines for coal and iron and quarries for
stone, to be told about belovj, were in especial need for better transportation. The first railroad to be completed in Pemiisylvania, and one of the
first in A^nerica was from Mauch Chunk to Suiiuiiit Hill, in 1827. Christian
Erobst, five years before, was advocating s railroad, again planning it
for the route up the valley of the Catawissa Creek, and then reaching the
upper Schuylkill valley by means of a tun:icl. He devised home-made
surveying instruments by which he took levels and marked out routes in the
rugged terrain along the Catawissa Creek, Later, trained surveyors were
to marvel to find that the levels as Brobst had marked them out were never
out of true by more than six feet. Brobst </^^s able to interest other men
both in the region and in Philadelphia, Money vds raised and construction
work started in 1835 and continued for several yocrs. Then a Philadelphia
bank, which had been giving financial aid, failed. Other financial
difficulties at the time of the great panic of 1837 caused the work to be
given up, not to be resumed until 1853 by a new company. The road was
pushed through to completion and extended from Catawissa and thence to
Rupert and Danville. Col. Paxton was active in securing this extension,
planned originally to reach Williamsport, but never carried farther than
Milton, Col, Paxton was also instrumental in having the charter for this
extension in 1850 contain the provision that the road should not "diverge
more than one mile from the mouth of Fishing Creek," This required the
route to pass his property and continue through Dutch valley rather than to
follow the river to Danville. By 1851 trains wore running from the head of
the Schuylkj 11 valley to Milton on the Vest Branch.
Besides being the first railroad built serving our county and region,
this Catawissa Railroad was noted formerly for the beauty of the scenery
afforded in the wild covintry in the upper Catawissa valley as it carried
the passengers over bridges of breath-taking height until the terminus in
the Schuylkill valley was reached. It is now part of the Philadelphia and
Reading railroad system.
Other Railroads
In but a few years, citizens of Wilkes-Barre joined with those from our
region in raising money to finance a road from Lackawanna "Creek" to
Bloomsburg. The road was constructed as far as Rupert in 1858 and extended
to Northumberland in l859.
Berwick, Blocmsburg, Danville as well as Catawissa were all benefited
greatly by these improvements. As in the case of the canal, the construction
workers brought prosperous conditions, and many stayed to increase the
population, Rupert especially became an important junction point and freight
depot idth facilities of canal and two railroads. This is what Col. Paxton
intended.

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- 8 -

Ch. V

Although it takes us a little ahead of our story, it will be convenient
to list the other railroad ventures in our county region.
1870, The Sunbury, Hazleton, and Vfilkes-Barre was constructed up the river
to Catavdssa, thence up the creek valley through Main and Beaver Townships
to the coal regions of Hazleton,
The section from Cetawissa to Hazleton
was later abandoned.
1881, This road was extended on the south side of the river tn Wilkes-Barre,
Both of the last two enterprises came under the control of the Pennsylvania
system. The Sunbury to Wilkes-Eerre continues to be an important segment
of that system,
1888, The Blcomsburg end oullivan railroad was constructed up the valley '^f
Fishing Creek primarily as a means of getting out the lumber of the North
Mountain region. The section from Benton to Jamison City was abandoned
when the luinber was exhausted. The reaminder is now controlled by the
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad.
1891. The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick (S.B.&B,), now part of the
Pennsylvania system, connects the West Branch at V'atsontown with Millville,
21oomsburg, and Boaraick through the valleys of Cabin Run, Big and little
Fishing Creek, Spruce Run, and Chillis qua que, A branch formerly reaching
Orangeville was soon abandoned.
Importance of Ra i Iroads
At the*'turn of the century, 1890, 19OO, I9IO, what scenes of activity
were to be noted at the railroad jimction points! At Bloomsburg four times
a day passengers patronizing the Lackawanna facilities up and down the river
would change to and from those using the Bloomsburg and Sullivan from "up
the creek", meaning Big Fishing Creek. At Paper Mill, now the location of
the Bloomsburg Sand and Gravel, it was possible to take the S.B.&B. train
for points between Berwick and Vatsontown, Mllville, and Wsshingtonville,
At Rupert the Lackawanna made junction with the Reading, This Reading branch
brought passengers to or took them from Danville and Milton and points
between and also to Catawissa, Mainville, Ringto^m and on to Pottsville, At
Catawissa also, the Pennsylvania lines excha.nged passengers down the river
with its c-m branches to Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, Up at Nescopeck, still
another line ox the Pcnnsylvani.a took the passengers up the N':;Scopeck
Creek Valley to reach eventually into the Schuyllvill Valley. Local and
distant passengers gathering in the waiting rooms, exchanging the latest
gossip, meeting some acquaintance xinexpectedly, the unfamiliar passenger
nervously consul tj.ng his time table in fear thrt he might take the i-o-ong
train
all of these made the stations at Rupert and Catawissa as vjell as
at Bloomsburg, scenes of col'^rful activity that hardly can be imagined in
triis day of neglect of the railroads.
At the same time, over in the freight
stations, there was also much heavy work as the freight cars were loaded and
and unloaded or shifted from one road to another. With five railroads,
Bloomsburg, it was prophesied, would become an important railroad point, and
Catamssa, with its extensive railroad repair shops, vrould not be far behind.
Car shops were started at Bloomsburg, but the largest industry of the region,
the American Car and Foundry Company, dependent on railroads, developed at
Berwick, Other industries were aided in almost all the towns also.

—

i i.r^

Ch. V

_ 9 -

Iron

Iron was needed by the pioneer settlers. It w?s indispensable. Horses
and oxen needed to be shod and re-shod as their shoes wore out. The
implements, whether for household or for farm, especially plough nhares
would wear out, would get lost, would be broken. The blacksmith was one
of the first craftsman to establish himself. But he had to have material
to work vjith. Transporting heavy iron stock or implements by pack horse
was extremely
the only transportation at first
or horse-drawn vehicle
expensive and inadequate for the needs. Even after the coming of the canals
and railroads, the expense was such that the early settler hoped for a
source of iron near at hand.
Iron Ore and Making Iron
Our county, similar to other sections of central Pennsylvania, had
generous supplies of the materials for the first establishment of the onetime important iron industry, VJhat are these materials?
First: Earths or rocks which will yield iron in paying quantities, i.e.
iron ore.
Second: Fuel to melt the ore and separate the iron from its impurities.
Charcoal was needed for this purpose although it was later found that
anthracite coal or coke could be used.
Third:
Certain types of impurities in the ore need a substance called a
flux in order that the ore may be separated from them. Lime stone provides
such a flux.
The early iron industry in older parts of the State gave experience to
persons vjho were able to provide beginnings in our region.
Charcoal Furnaces and Bogs
In 1815 John Kauck built and operated a charcoal furnace on Furnace Hun
near Catawissa Creek, At this site was the vrater power needed for the blast
and an abundance of wood for charcoal, (See diagram) He built a corduroy
road across the swamp in Espy and scci.u'cd bog iron
^^'^l"th^ft',fx~^-^
ore from the north side of the Espy swamp. It was
::;;^:V-!-i^::''':y.^Ti>sy-'<^
i'}^'"'.
hauled by horse teams and wagons over this road,
/^/ /ir=;^~;r^'\
The river was crossed at this place by means of
i',^V\
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rope ferry, and thence to the Mainville furnace ,u
( /'^!'^^J^\
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this furnace
leads to
operation
''/
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inference that the quarrying of limestone must
a'':
.•.''»';'.-.•>';'•,••?
Scott
have been started at such early date in S
•i-,--Vr-'',u.'''-i'/
Township, and that it was also haulciJ across
acr
?^
"-T,^ Tt'e J-, /
the ferry at Espy, The completion of the
Reading Road from Catawissa and the construction
V>'-*'t»^'
of Mne Gap Road led to the hauling of bog iron ore from the swamps on the
summit of Locust Mountain near modern Ccntralia, The teamsters, it is
related, habitually added water to their alreadj damp product when close to
Mainville in order to increase its weight and thus secure a higher fee.

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inconsistent mth the statement that the first discovery was in 1822 in
Hemlock, see below.

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- 10 -

Ch. V

ouch a furnrce produced pig iron, which w&s sent to Reading to be forged
into usable products. The Mainville forge for uie same purpose was constructed nearby in 1826, Although Mainville was later to have the benefit
of two railroads, these early iron enterprises after lasting about sixty
years, both were given up about i860, the furnace earlier than the forge.
The construction of the Reading Road (181?) led also to the opening
(If opened before l822, it would have
of Esther Furnace probably in 1822,
used availcble bog ore,) This was a charcoal fiu?nace and its product was
'Exclusively pig iron. The abundance of wood for charcoal as well as
Roaring Creek for power led to tliis Ircation, During the Civil VJar days,
a shipment of pig iron sent to New Jersey and thence south, was captured.
This event combined with a location distant from railroad and canal both
for raw materials and for markets led to its abandonment. Its ore and
limestone had to be hauled from the region of Blooms burg.
Discovery or Rook Ores
Iron ore had been discovered by a farm helper ploughing in a field near
Fishing Creek in Hemlock Township in 1822, mnes were speedily opened here
and at other places west on Montour Ridge, Similar rock formations in the
hills north and east of Bloomsburg led to further mining ventures. Soon
these hills east and west of Fishing Creek and far west beyond Hemlock Creek
were pock marked with drift and pit openings. In the fifty years following,
while the accessible ores were mined, millions of tons were secured.
Similar discoveries in the Danville region led to the opening of a number
of furnaces, the first in 1837, In the Blooi.isburg region the ores were at
first shipped to the furnaces already opened south of the river, and to
others at a distance, Mhy was this the case? ITe can infer that wood \\^as
getting scarce in the immediate vicinity. Power was necessary for bellows
to create a forced draft in a furnace, and for forging machinery.
The
smaller streams seem to have been "harnessed" earlier than the larger ones
to provide this povjer,
Columbia Furnace at Foundryville
In 1825 George Mack established a small foundry on a branch of Briar
Creek, a site soon named Foundryville, It was called the Columbia Furnace,
It changed hands a number of times and finally f riled about l8i45.
Incomplete
records show that thousands of tons of ore were secured from mines in the
neighborhood of Bloomsburg and smelted. Not only was pig iron produced for
shipment to other foundry's but iron stoves and various utensils were cast.
Large orders of plates were sent to the Lancaster and Columbia Railroad, then
building. The rails rested on these plates,^

-^It is interesting to note that a few years later, the Danville
furnaces originated the improved "T" rail, so called because in cross
section it resembled the letter "T", This type of rail has become standard,
and our neighboring town equipped hundreds of ituIgs of the new railroads
then being built with these rails made from iron ore in the Danville region,
ore of the same type und from the same rock formation as curs.

Ch. V

_ 11 -

An Iron Plantation
Foundryville became a fine example of the "iron plantation" less well
represented at "Morgantown" in Bloomsburg, at Euckhorn, "Wedgetown", and at
Danville,^ The establishments were called "iron plantations", because,
like southern cotton or tobacco plantations tliey bccaine largely selfsufficient. This Columbia Furnace had 2i|00 acres of land, two furnaces of
different tj-pes, but both charcoal users, at least nne foundry, extensive
vroodlands from which wood for charcoal was secured, charcoal storage house,
a store, a grist mill, a blacksmith shop, and a comiion bake oven. Our
records do not tell us if Foundryville was typical of an iron plantation
in all respects. If it had been typical, soi.ie workers would have been out
in the woodlands cutting timber. The larger sizes would have been marketed.
Their chief objective was to secure cordwcod. Other workers would have been
"burning" the wood for charcoal, 7 Farm workers were cultivating and
harvesting field and garden crops for food. There was heavy hauling to and
from the canal, ore one way, the finished prod^i.cts the other. Limestone
for flux also had to be brought from canal or quari-y. Foundryville had its
store. Teachers and a minister, possibly more than one, were secured.
The owner lived in a superior house, "the mansion house","
Bloomsburg Furnaces
With all its riches of iron ore, Bloom.sburg finally established two
furnaces. The first was at Irondale, completed in 181^5. V^ater power was
secured by dam.iing Fishing Creek at Arbutus Park, It used charcoal. It
was immensely profitable during Civil War days when the government
needed great quantities of iron and steel for £uns and other equipment.
Its prosperity declined id.th the exhaustion of the iron mines begirjung
about 1875, It finally closed in I850.
To produce a ton of pig iron, ijOO bushels of charcoal were required.
To secure this much charcoal the wood from an acre of woodland was needed.
Hardwood, especially oak and hickory, was best,
5*

'^The rows of similar houses in Morgantoini and on Mil Street, Danville
continue as reminders of the one time floiirishing iron industry. The piles
of slag drawn off from the furnaces, called cinder tips, were at one time
accumulated in huge piles near the furnaces, Onl; a small part of the two
such cinder tips etill remain at Bloomsburg, But the remaining part is
still impressive as testimony to the large industry at Bloomsburg, The
material has been largely used in road-making. The new Danville High School
has been biu.lt on the site of its once immense cinder tip. Impressive
accumulations of slag at other furnaces, Esther, Hauck, and Foundryville
testify also to this former iron industry,
'To make charcoal, this cordwood was piled on end in the form of a cone.
The sides and top wore covered with earth, except a vent hole at the top, and
small draft holes at the bottom, so as to provide just enough air for the
wood to smoulder and char but not to burn to ash. The charcoal burner had
to be both skillful and watchful. Ha' lived in a hut nearby, and for days and
weeks must watch each batch "around the clock" until the batch was complete.
His job was lonely.
Such an o-wner's house still stands and is occupied at Irondale, in
Bloomsburg,

^The production of such great amounts
up timber supplies. Cutting of timber for
of land for farms, was responsible for the
Blacksiriths, rnd other metal workers, req\iired
to be used.

of charcoal, year after year, used
charcoal, more than the clearing
exhaustion of the nearby wc^dlands,
chajrccal, luitil real or coke cajno

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Ch. V

Anthracite Coal for Iron Fiirnaces
As wood becaiae scarcer, efforts were early made to use anthracite coal.
These efforts were finally successful. The first anthracite furnace in our
region was built near the mouth of Roaring Creek, on the Montour County side
in 1839, Such a furnace in Bloomsburg, named the Bloom, started production
in 18514, on the canal, near Ferry Road, In the first fifteen years, including
Civil Vfer years, its product amounted to almost 18,000 tons. It was much
increased later, but with the exhaustion of the readily accessible ore, it
followed the Irondale Furnace into decline and stoppage about I69O,
Importance of Bloomsburg 's Iron Production
We have daily recordsof the Irondale furnaces showing production of
thirty tons of pig iron a day at its height of prosperity. This meant 97.5
tons of ore, sixty tons of coal, almost fifty tons of limestone had to be
hauled to the furnace. The tons of finished product added to the traffic.
Old timers' stories recall the continuous traffic of creaking wagons hauling
ore or limestone j or others hauling the finished products, A narrow gauge
railroad from Port Noble helped carry the traffic. The Bloom furnace of
course added greatly to the activity in and around Bloomsburg.
POPULATION GROWTH, 1820 - I85O. (Columbia
County was erected in I6I3)
Popu at ion
I

of :-

30,000

25,000
20,000
15,000

Year:-

1

Production statistics
nc h* 10 ,000 bushels
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L Wheat,

Corn
Potatoes
Rye
Buckwhe at

2"23.373
2 ill. 000

208J4OO

161^480^
l537gli^
50,58U

Value of Certain P

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If we Icok behind these b?re statistics we see a rich ?gri.cultural
county producing bountifully. We understand its need for ever improved
transport, Vfe see also the many small craft shops then still existing,
but, in addition, more substantial enterprises, forerunners of the mammoth
industries to come at a later date. The wealth that these figures also
show explain how better buj.ldings were replacing the log cabins and houses
of the earlier decades. Some of the older business buildings may go back
to this period. Many of the substantial brick houses with their simple
and beautiful U.nes can be traced back to the periods of business and farm
prosperity of the forties and fifties of the last century.
Immigration
Immigration to the farms had been steady, as the figures above indicate.
The character of the immigration continued to be i.mch the same as that of
Pennsylvania German, Scotch-Irish, English, The
the earlier decades;
older states, especially New Jersey, contributed important numbers. The
iron industry in the vicinity of Blooiusburg and in Hemlock Township
attracted experienced miners from Vfales,^^
It Vfes Farm Life For Most Peorl*^
The farm population, as can be inferred from the above figures, was far
larger than that of the little towns. The farmer had a busy life the year
round, ploughing, seeding, harvesting, stowing into barns, caring for his
live stock. Between times he could gain additional income from hauling ore,
chopping trees for lumber or cord wood,-^-'- butchering, sugaring from maple
groves, hunting, fisliing on the large scale then possible, provided variations
in kind of work, but it was mostly all hard.
The homemaker not only had the house to keep in order, the children to
cere for, including often the rudiments of their education, and the meals
to prepare.
The garden was usually her task. She also helped at butchering
and sugaring. Further, she spun the flax and wool, she wove the linsey
woolsey, her needle and scissors prepared the clothing in large part,
(See page 12, value of goods made at home) Well might she recall the couplet:
Man vrorks fri*-m sun to sun
Woman's work is never done.

The influence of other construction and enterprises were noted

previously,

wood for

a

long time continued to be the chief fuel for homestead,

shop, and kiln.

TO FIl'TD Om HOW EFFECTIVELY YOU HAVE ItL'iD
1, What different enterprises or activities did Christian Brobst engage in or
attempt?
2, ^'Jhy wore bettor forms of transportation needed?
3, What influenced leaders to advocate canals for transportation?

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- 11 -

h. Describe c?n?l boat traffic, kind, smount, end interesting aspects. How
important was it for our region*
Consider them from stand point of
5, Why were oiir covered bridges important?
transportation, engineering, and lumber resouj-ces, VJhy were they covered^
roof and sides?
Show by map, or
6, VJhy were railroads needed after the canals had been built?
otherwise, our network of railroads.
7, Locate the earliest furnaces and forges, then the later ones. Why were these

locations used^
8, Locate the sources of iron ore.
wish to read further.)

What were the Id.nds? (A science student may

Note
9, What were the importance and extent of our local furnaces and foundries'?
similar
some
respects
V/hy
in
Danville
Danville,
vja.s
distinctive
from
a
product
to Bloomsburg?
10, What are your impressions of the county's production about 18/^0; amounts,
variety (think of home, factory, and shop, farm, quarry and mine)? How does

farm production compare with a current year?
11, Summarize or describe farm life of the l8i;0's and 1850' s,
12, Did the Panic of 1837 have any effects in Coluiabia County?
INTERESTING THINGS TO DO
1. On outline map, preferably the one you used for Indian trails, mark first

wagon roads or turnpikes, then the railroads and/or canals,
2. Are there other obstacles to boat traffic, nat'xral or man-made, on the
Susquehanna besides the Berwick falls?
3. The Columbia County Historical Society wishes scale models of our disappearing
covered bridges. We suggest scale of 1":1', This equals 1:1^8, approximately
1:50.
kt Compare conflicts over railway and canal routes with our current conflict
over automobile highways,
5, Bring to your class, or lend to the Columbia County Historical Society some
of the ingenious contrivances of the early bla.cksridths of our region. The
Society has several such interesting implements on display,
6, Excursions to one of our present Foundries: Harrington or S, & B, or the A.C.F,
canal operations, locks. Espy boat building,
7, We desire pictures for loan:
unpublished pictures of packet boats, canal bridges, Rupert aqueduct, the Espy
boat, canal boats or arks built at the Bloomsburg "Ark building site", old
railroad engines, trains, bri.dgcs, especially on Reading (old Catawissa)
Railroad, a rope ferry, of iron works at the various places mentioned, an ore
wagon, accounts or descriptions of the scenes and operations, newspapers or
clippings, letters, diaries.

Check your vocabularj'-:
turnpike
divide (of drainage)
lock (canal)
aqueducts
packet boat
pig iron
smelt

rudder
to snub
stock company
truss
diverge
pit
kiln

terrain
junction
corduroy (road)
plantation
gauge
drift

i;.t°

dit'.r

SCtE MID-CENTURY

COiJi^'LICTS

Chapter VI
I. C»unty Divisi»n;

Nor th^junber land County

When Northumberland County was established back in 1772, there was only
a sprinkling of European settlers in the rei[,:.on of the county seat, Sunbury,
There were fewer and fewer as one might have gone up the two main branches
of the Susquehanna. The extent of Northuinberlrnd Coimty at its greatest
was vast, includ?.ng in part or in whole, the territory of thirteen present
counties. It was larger than a number of present states. The necessity to
travel many mj.les to care for county business ot the county seat, sc»n
aroused insistent demands that new counties should be erected. Luzerne was
carved out of Northumberland in 1786, and Lycoming in 1795.
New Counties Need ed.
The regions west from Lewisburg and Selinsgrove, and east from Danville,
were soon deroanding a more convenient division "nd a county seat closer at
hand. Sunbury interests were opposed to further division, and were able to
block it for a number of years. The towns in the new county mr counties to
be created, could net agree among themselves where the county seat or county
seats were to be located. This conflict prevented further division until
the groups which were later to constitute Uriion County, west of the West
Branch, and those to be in the later Columbia County, joined forces and
succeeded in establishing new counties.
Advantages _to a Town Made a County Seat
In the case of Columbia County, we have already noted that Danville
was very definitely forging ahead of all the towns between Sunbury and
Wilkes Barre, To become a county seat of a co^mty was a most attractive
possibility for any town. The Judge and other county officers w*uld live
there or use hotel accommodations. Lawyers woulr. take uji their residence
there. Owners of real est?te, the town founders such as Evan Owen, Ludwig
Oyer, William Hughes, George Espy, Christian Kunchel and William Rittenhouse,
or their heirs and followers, c«uld anticipate selling lots and at higher
prices. In fact, Kunchel and Rittenhouse in 17fii, noting that their property
was midway between two county seats already established, Wilkes-Barre and
Sunbury, thought it was almost a sure thing that their town, Mifflinville,
would become a county seat. 3o the plan lor their town provided the \iri.dest
and handsomest street widths of any town in the region. How many of our
larf,er toims noij wish that they had streets planned on something*^ like these
generous widths, Willi?m and Daniel Montgoracry^ were among leaders in
securing the creation of Union and Columbia Counties, along with Leonard
Rupert and others from both sections. These persons worked for the two new
counties and also to bring one of the two county seats to his own town.
1/Jhere Ghoald the County Seat Be?
Berwick, Bloomsburg, and Danville were not so obviously the choices in
1813 as they would seem to us more than a century later.
Catawissa,
Mifflinville, Washington (Washingtonville), Jorsoytown, also came in for
attention. In l8l3 the act creating the new county was passed, along with
the creation of the companion county. Union, to the west.
Patriotic fervor

Danville is named for the latter, meanj.ng Dan's ville.

69

- 2 -

Ch. VI

of the war times led to the names of Union for one, and of Columbia, inspired
by the then very popular song, "Hail Columbia", for the other. The
boundaries of Columbia extended on the north and west to the West Branch of
the Susquehanna, excluding, however, the region near the town of Northumberland (Point Township). Otherwise the area was much the same as the present
combined territories of Columbia and ifentour counties.
Three "discreet and disinterested persons, not resident in the counties
of Northumberland, Union, or Columbia," were appointed to fix the site of
the county seat of Columbia County, "as near the geographical center as the
situation will adrnt," At the meeting called for this purpose, one of the
three was absent, who, tradition states, favored Bloorasburg. The two
members present gave the decision to Danville,
Why were the Boundary Lines Shifted Back and Forth?
The act which assigned substantially the territories of Turbot and
Chilisquaque Townsliips to the new county met with great opposition from
their residents, and shortly after, the toxmships were reassigned to
Northumberland County, The effect of this v/as that Danville, far from the
geographical center of the county when created, was now more conspicuously
than ever, at one edge rather than at the center of the county. But by
1816 what are now substantially Limestone and Liberty Townships were restored
to Columbia, reducing in some measure the charge that Danville was not central.
Opposition from Central and Eastern Sections
The action of the County Seat Committee aroused strong opposition in the
central and eastern portions of the new county, Nuinerous and strongly
supported petitions to allow a preference vote wore brought before the
legislature. These requests and petitions wci^e looked upon with favor, but
by being referred to committees or "laid on the table" for future action,
which never came, the influential leaders from Danville were able to prevent
referring a matter to the voters where, it is presumed, they feared that they
would lose. After repeated failures for ten or fifteen yea.rs, the
dissatisfaction subsided, but never died out, Berwick became a possible
factor with a project of combining the eastern section of Columbia along
with western parts of Luzerne, naturally in close and convenient social and
trade association with her> into a new county.
New Support for Elooinsburg
About ItiijO, the weary workers for the removal to Bloomsburg, were
given new encouragement by a young Presbjterian clergyman who came to the
Bloomsburg charge of these churches, the Reverend D, J, Waller, Sr, The
State Senatorial district, which included Luzerne along with Columbia, was
represented by William A, Ross from Luzerne, It is to be inferred that he
saw that he could protect Luzerne from the loss of territory to Berwick by
giving his support to the Bloomsburg cause,

Bloomsburg 's Arguments
At the same time, the Bloomsburg interests were put before the public in
an especially strong statement. It showed that:
1,200 taxables (taxpayers)
were more conveniently served at Danville, while over 3^000 were mere
conveniently served at Bloomsbxxrg, Of some of the more distant taxables,
more than I8OO must travel fourteen to thirty-five miles to reach Danville,
and must pass through Bloomsburg to do so. Being far from the center of
business, far more of the county's business was transacted in Bloomsbvirg than
at Danville, Whether these arguments, or the backing of influential men
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Ch. VI

like Senctor Ross, was the more iraport?nt, it is hrrd to sey. But in iSkS
the natter was a^^ain before the legislature, and the Danville partisans, as
s last ditch arguraent, noted the costs of building new buildings and acquiring land for them in Bloomjburg. Bloomsburg citizens met this argument byagreeing to provide both at no cost to the tax payers. With these promises,
the law was passed which provided for a preference vote, and, in case the
decision was favorable to Bloomsburg, the citizens of Bloomsburg should
erect "at their oim proper expense" suitable bulldilngs and secure the
necessary land for them at no cost to the public.
Election and Removal of County Seat to Bloomsburg
The election was held in the fall of lui|5. The result was overwhelmingly
in favor of Bloo:iisburg , 2,913 against 1,571 for Danville, and seventeen
townships for Bloomsburg against six for Danville, Bloomsburg citizens
immediately proceeded to redeem their prom-ises. Land was donated. This
included the land now occupied by the county Court House, and also the
present playground property of the Bloomsburg Ili^h School, -vrfiich was
utilized for the first county jail. It is a tradition that Dpniel Snyder,
one of the active workers for the removal of the county seat, had been
taunted by Danville people that Bloomsburg didn't have any bricks, to which
Snyder rejoined that he would make the bricks liimself , The record states
that the court house was built with bricks bvirncd by Daniel Snyder, The
necessary buj.ldings were built, the records were transferred from Danville
in l8[i7, and the first court vias held in Bloomsburg in 181^8,
Valentine Best Pledges Support for the new County
In Ibu? delegates of the Democratic Party for Columbia County met in
Bloomsburg in order to nominate a candidate for State Senator from the
senatorial distinct. Valentine Best, a proriiinent leader and newspaper
publisher in Danville, as a candidate for this nomination, published a
statement to the effect that,... "as it is now the wish of all well disposed
members of the Democratic party to lay aside local feeling and sectional
jealousy...! am opposed to any alteration of the removal law (the law chaJiging
the county scat) and also to any division or dismemberment of the county."
It is to be inferred from this thft already certain persons were considering
a division of the county, an inference supported by Danville authority.
However, Best's statement was accepted as sincere. He was nominated and
subsequently elected, presumably because the ma.jor portions of the coxinty
were glad to offer a peace tribute to the defeated western section.
The Petition for Division
In l8it9 a petition was presented to legislatfjre to sot off the County
of Hontour, This petition alleged that certain townships and Danville were
inconvenienced by the newly located county scat ajid that Bloomsburg
residents had not met the full costs of the new buildings as required.
At the same time, those opposed, filed a remonstrance citinR that the county
was already small, and denying the charge of failure to pay the proper costs.
The legislature was opposed to dividing the already small county. Here the
matter would probably have come to rest had not a peculiar situation developed.

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"Log Rolling" in the Legislature; Montour County Er ected
In 1050 the Vrhigs were defeated in the bte.te elections. The House of
Representatives was overwheLningly Democratic and the Senate had sixtefin
Whigs to seventeen Democrats, The term of Governor Johnston, a Whig, had
another year to run. This situation gave Lest sjn opportunity, although it
meant the violation of his pledge as given pre-ir_ously at his nomination.
To enable the I'Mgs to control legislation, probably redistricting
the
State and matters of Budget, Best, a Democrat, proinised his support to
their measures if the VJhigs would secure his election as Speaker
(presiding
officer) of the Senate and aid him to secure the creation of the proposed
Montour County. These bargains were kept, although with great difficulty.
Montour County thus came into existence in I850. vith a few further
changes, the boimdaries of the two counties becar.ie permanent. Best
remained
popular in the Danville region, but nowhere else. The bitterness
created
by this long contest gradually subsided. Certain adjustments
of county and
township boundaries were made to bring them to those established
at present.
Certain obvious injustices and inconveniences still remai^yincluding in
the several counties of Schuylkill, Northumberland, Montour,
Columbia, and
Luzerne, territories that would better have 'oeen included in
a neiehborine
^
*
county.
I JCivil War Brought Local Problems;
Earlier Wars
ine war of lfil2 and the Mexican War, l8ii6-i).8, did not seem
to have
much effect on the growth and development of Columbia County.
However, the
Columbia Guards, recruited at Danville from the whole county
before its
division, rendered important and excellent service in the
Mexican War.
Civil War - Columbia County Played Honorable Part
The bitter sectional controversies leading up to
the Civil War did not seem
to .-ffect seriously the County's development,
until the actual armed conflict
broke out follo^dng the attack on Fort Sumpter in I86I.
W. W. Ricketts,
later to become a colonel, a former cadet of West Point,
speedily raised a
company of volunteers at Orangeville. The final summary
of the part that
Columbia County took in the war to preserve the Union
shows that it was a
worthy and honorable one. As the first wave of enthusiasm
subsided, however,
and the war dragged on through its four years of terrible
loss of life, the
draft quotas became harder and harder to fill in
all parts of the country,
as ^11 as in our county.
Columbia County had been decidedly Democratic
in ail the elections since its creation. Loral
sui^porters of the national
Union, here as elsewhere, volunteered for tiie
armed services or cheerfully
accepted the draft.

Opposition Developed
As the fearful costs and loss of life mounted,
hope waned,
borne Democrats in the country at
large, as well as in Columbia County,
disapproved of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation
and argued that the
character of the war had been changed to one
to free the slaves rather than
to preserve the Union.
The partisan criticism by those Democrats opoosed
to tno war, called Peace Democrats,
became so extreme, that in the light of
iatcr n±story, a reader could not but
wonder if volunteering and the draft
had not been made more difficult. It was
maintcaucd by one newspaper that
Lincoln could have preserved the Union in "one
month" if he had given up

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Ch. VI

freedom for the Negro. ^ Such newspapers insistently urged, "..vote out
the Lincoln covernment,"
Opposition to the Draft
There was draft evasion and obstruction in other parts of the country
and in other counties of Pennsylvania. In some cases this opposition was
terrible and alarming-^ with rioting and loss of life, as in New York City.
A considerable number of men in the northern townships and in the nearby
portions of Luzerne refused to report for duty. Groups, possibly informal
considered resisting, evading, or avoiding the
meetings, seem to have
draft. As part of conditions generally known, the draft was not always
fairly or honestly administered.
Evidences of Opposition
In the spring of 186U, the enrolling officer in Mifflin Township
encountered what seemed a threat of resistance, but after a conference, the
enrollment was allowed to proceed. Mlitary authorities were led by
official reports to believe that there were large bands of deserters and
delinquent drafted men, armed and organized for resistance. These reports
were given greater weight, when in August a lieutenant with a squad of
eight men was on patrol near Raven Creek after midnight. A group of
unknown men was encountered and ordered to halt. Firing broke out. Accounts
are conflicting as to which side fired the first shot. The lieutenant was
killed. The civilians were able to make good en. escape. Another incident
associated with these bitter times, although th exact timing is not known:
The barn of a farmer who was fully loyal to the war effort was burned and
a coffin left on the house porch.
Troops to Columbia County
Such developments here and elsewhere led govornraent leaders in
Pennsylvania to feel that all draft resistance must be checked. The first
of several counties in which resistance was to be over-awed was Columbia,
On i^ugust 13 a detachment of United States troops arrived in Bloomsburg.
Leaders in Bloomsburg assured the military commander that there was no
organized resistance. J. G, Freeze,*^ a prominent Democrat, consented to
inform the delinquent conscripted men that the charge of desertion would
be dropped if they reported within five days. The conscripts did not report.
Arrests and Trials
The soldiers then marched to the Benton region^ and after a few days
of quiet, some hundred men were arrested at their hemes. About forty~four
were later marched to Bloomsburg, and finally transferred to Fort Mifflin
in Philadelphia. These prisoners, some of them elderly, were treated with
insufficient consideration. All suffered from long marches, poor and scanty
food, and filthy and unhealthy conditions of imprisonment.
They were

The student needs to compare this statement with the authenticated
policy of Lincoln and the rest of the governraont as it developed.
^Consult liistories of the county and of Pennsylvania,, also p. 7, this Ch.
freeze had been appointed aid to the Governor with the rank of colonel.
He is frequently referred to with this titlo.
5a group of persons in carriages, followed frojn Biocmsburg, presunifiMy
to witness the outcome,
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Ch, VI

ch?rged with conspirrcy to obstruct the drei't and wore tried by military
courts. Only seven were convicted. One paid a fine of $500.00. The
remaining six xjere later perdoned by the President, Numbers had been
disch?rged on account of sickness, almost surely incurred from the harsh
conditions of transportetion and imprisonment. One died, probably es a
result of such conditions. Others were discharged, presumably for lack of
evidence against them. The persons arrested, in general, were persons
esteemed in their communities and looked up to as loaders. Many had
endeavored by persuasion and personal subscription for bounties," to help
fill the draft quotas of the county. They caiae to be knoi^m as the Fishing
Creek Martyrs,
The Milligan Case
Here is where our local history touches further that of the country
as a whole.
In Indiana, one, Milligan, had been arrested and convicted by
military authorities of traitorous conduct, i'lilligan's case was appealed
and came before the Supreme Court of the United States. Charles R. Buckalew,
then a United States Senator, one of our co\mty's famous leaders and a
Democrat, was familiar with the whole situation here. He advised with the
ihis attorney has stated that
attorney for the prisoner in this case,
Buckalew' s advice was very helpful to hdra in vanning the case. The decision
in this case is part of the established lavj of the land. It is that where
the civil courts are open and functioning and not in the immediate area of
military operations, military arrests and trials of civilians are unconstitutional. This decision was rendered in 186?.
Wild Rumors and Probable Facts
Certain additional events must be recounted back in our county. Search
was made for a fort with mounted cannon, i-diich, according to wild rumors,
had been constructed in the fastness of North liountain. The soldiers, after
weary searches through the difficult terrain, came to the sam.e conclusion
that we reach:
There was no such fort. But thi.s is not to say that there
were no plans and no wild talk for resistance aJ.ong with some plans, more or
less matured, to support them. On the contrary, it should also be recalled
that at a meeting in the Benton region, after the soldiers had arrived in
Bloomsburg, the so-called Rantz meeting, certain persons indulged in wild
talk of resistance, VJiser heads, however, advised all to return to their
homes, go about their peaceful occupations, and offer no resistance. Some
persons giving such counsel of prudence and non-resistance were later
arrested, as noted above.
Abuses
In carrying out the search for "draft evaders, the soldiers, all too
frequently, were harsh and cruel. One teen-age boy, Leonard Cole, was
suspended briefly by means of a rope around his neck, in order to make him
confess where his father was. This the boy refused to do, even though he
was suspended until he lost consciousness, ilis loss of vision with early
death was attributed to this experience. It is also alleged, probably truly,
that the soldiers raided the farms for chickens, hay, pigs, and sheepj that
they cut sugar trees and robbed fences for firowoodj they they even commandeered pies and cakes from kitchens.

It was legal and proper to pay for a substitute for one who was
drafted or to help fill out a quota

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Ch, VI

Soldiers at Elec t ions
Although there was a law forbidding the presence of troops at elections,
detachments of soldiers appeared at polling places in most of the townships
This action seems to have
of the northern and central parts of the county.
It was contrary
commander.
of
the
local
responsibility
been solely on the
there would be
officers
that
the
superior
by
given
to assurances and orders
effort to
this
action
as
an
interpreted
Democrats
no such interference ,
voting in
Democrats,
and
Repu.blicans
both
of
intimidate them. The numbers,
the
carried
Democrats
the
although
reduced,
this election were sharply
against
the
Republicans
of
guarding
election locally. The possibility
intimidation by the Democrats, must also be kept in mind although we have no
direct evidence to that effect. The action was clearly illegal and a case
of exceeding his authority on the part of the local comiaander. To give
further details: The only remaining election officer in Benton, after the
previous arrests, was arrested. Certain persons, a few, were arrested on
the way to vote. Election returns were demanded by officers in two cases,
being refused in at least one case. Even the Sheriff and Clerk of the County
Commissioners i-rere arrested and taken to Harrisbvrrg, until they were
released within a few days, after forceful protests.
Summary
By December 1, I86I4, the last of the soldiers left, most being transferred
The so-called Fishing Creek
to other locations where resistance was feared.
Confederacy never existed. That there were draft evasion and bitter
opposition to government policies is undoubted. This was fomented by
partisan newspapers and almost surely exaggerated by government supporters.
That the government was justified in doing sometli: ng is a fair conclusion
to draw. The troops were sent to over-awe resistance and to "remain until
ever deserter, delinquent drafted man and abettor of rebellion be arrested
or run out of the county."
In performing such service, soldiers and
subordinate officers were guilty of unnecessary harshness, ruthlessness,
and cruelties, and of grossly exceeding their authority. The whole
procedure was at a cost of
The scars
^ million dollars.
half
of this i\hole episode were long in healing.
III. Disturbances in the Coal Regions
Beavor and Conyngham Townships at the southeast and south, respectively,
were discovered to contain coal measures, a continuation of the more extensive
deposits Ox the neighboring Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties, These will be
referred to later. Certain disorders vhich broke out in these coal regions
in the years following the Civil War created serious disturbances in
Conyngham Townslup also. These were all associated with some Irish immigrants
in the coal regions. This is no more a reflection on all Irish, than the
outrages associated with the draft disturbances of the County, just previously
described, are a reflection on well balanced and law abiding persons, whether
Democrats or Republicans.
Mollie Maguires
Among Irish iranigrants before the Civil IJar were numbers who had become
accustomed to violent resistance of the exorbitant rents charged by their
English landlords in Ireland. Carrying this tradition of violence to
America, an organization grow up called the Mollie liaguires, a name brought
over from their home land. During the Civil War, the opposition to the draft
in Cass Township, Schuylkill County, was so extreme, that the draft could not
be properly enforced there without bloodshed, which the authorities did not
wish to incur,
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Ch. VI

Labor Troubles and Rnign of Terror
After the w?r, the Kollie Maguires joined in resistance on the part of
laborers to low -Hagos and dang(;rous working conditions. For a time such
resistance centered around the "i^iollies". Their procedure was to intimida.te
by threats followed up with murder of mine officials, and especially of
mine supervisors. In the late sixties and early seventies, practically
a reign cf terror developed, especially in the regions of Schuylkill and
Horthumberland Coiintics adjoining our County, Murder was organized. Men
Passenger trains
of high standing and respect were slain in cold blood.
were given special gucrds. Juries were intijiiidatcd, so that when persons
were brought to trial they could not be convicted. The "Mollies" boasted
that they so controlled the general government that even if convicted they
would be released by pardon or othend.se
Re a Murdered
On Sunday, October 8, 1868, Alexander Rea, agent for the Locust Mountain
Coal and Iron Company of Centralia, was murdered near the road to Mt, Carmel,
The motive vras to rob the victim of pay he was thought to be carrying to
the workers. This brought the violence into the territory of Columbia
County. After certain arrests were made and trials held at Bloomsburg, the
persons accused were acquitted. This result resembled the pattern all too
common in other counties.
New Arrests and Trials
Years passed. Then a new series of arrests were made and accused
persons vrere brought to trial in Pottsville and i'iauch Chunk, the county
seats, respectively of Schuylkill and Carbon Counties. This time the
results were different, A quiet looking witness was called to the stand.
The accused "Mollies" were dumbfounded. They recognized him as James
McKenna, one of the loudest boasters and threateners of their group, who
had spent considerable time endeavoring to "float" counterfeit money. If
they had searched their memories carefully, they viould have been able to
recall that thj.s McKenna had actually never participated in any murder, and
that in some of their seemingly carefully laid plots, the intended victim
seemed to have been viarned or had been able to escape.
Their McKenna, on the vrltness, stand revealed that he vjas John licParl.T;
that he had been able to become a member and actual secretary of one of tiie
"Mollie" branches, that he had feigned lawlessness and comiterfeiting, f.nd
that he had given regular reports to the Pinkerton detective forces from
whom he had accepted this highly dangerous m.ission. His testimony, in large
measure, brought about conviction and sentencing of many of the "Mollies"
with prison terms and death. The condemned were confident that they would
be reprieved or that judges or the Governor would liberate them. No such
action took place. Armed soldiers prevented any attempt at violent liberation,
In due time six were hanged at Pottsville, aiid four at iVIauch Chunk,
New Trials at Blocrasburg
Apparently these events led one of the desparadoes, a certain Daniel
Kelly>
who was serving sentence of imprisonment for larceny, to fear for his
life, Juspicion pointed to him as implicated in the Rea murder. He offered
to turn state's evidence in return for a promise of immunity.
In order to
secure evidence, he vja.s given this promise. A.s a result three men were
arrested and tried in one of the most sensational trials ever held in Bloomsburg. Larrely on the basis of Kelly's evidence,' the accused were found
guilty and hanged by means of gallows borrovrad from Carbon County for the
purpose and set up on what is now the playground of the Bloomsburg High
School. This took place in 1877. V.'ith the Bloomsburg trials and executions,
the terrible power of the Mollie Maguires was broken forever.
"1

'One of the convicted men later confessed that Kelly's testimony was
substantially correct.

76

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Ch. VI

- 9 -

TO FIND OUT

HOVJ

EFFECTIVELY YOU HAVE READ

1, What was the one-time size of Northumberland County?

Why were new counties

needed?
2, VJhy was it an advantage to a town to be a county seat?
3, Recount the strivings and contests for the county seat of Cclumbia County,
h* Explain the er^^ction of Montour County,
5. V/hat reasons can be given to account for the sending of troops into our
County during the Civil War? Give an account of the incidents connected
with the presence cf soldiers in Columbia County during l86ii.
Explain how events in Columbia County aided
6. Who were the Iiollie Maguires?

in suppressing them,
INTERESTING THINGS TO EO
1, What counties have been formed from old Northumberland, sometimes called
Mother of Counties?
2, What was the approximate territory included in original Columbia County?

3,
h.

5,

6,
7,

Describe it in terms of stream valleys,
In what ways riiight boundary lines of Columbia and her neighboring counties
be improved?
Using Battle, History of Columbia and Montour Counties - mark cut on a map
changes in townships along the western boarder of present and former
Columbia County,
Discuss the possible influence of exaggerated statements and unjustified
criticism of persons, goverrjnent officers and public policies. Should war
time conditions be treated differently from peace time conditions?
Discuss legality of the action of soldiers sent into our county under (a) state
law; (b) elections; (c) policy cf U, S, Governmentj (d) Mlligan decision,
Give report on Pinkerton Detective Agency,

Check y^ur vocabulary!

county seat
partisans
conspiracy
feigned
taxable
emancipation
fastness
dumbfounded

petitions
civilians
intimidated
fervor
dismemberment
delinquent
deserter

T7

^11^7

remonstrance
VJhigs

acquitted
discreet
log-rolling
presumably
exorbitant

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