Stories of Pennsylvania; or, school readings from Pennsylvania history

Preface

PENNSYLVANIA, in many respects the most important of ^ the original colonies, has an unwritten history. This vohime is a series of sketches, taken chiefly from our unwritten history, but typifying ahiiost every important phase of our growth.

The basis of all the incidents rests upon the best authority. In most cases the Colonial Record ;, the Pennsylvania Archives, and the collections of the Pennsylvania Historical Society have furnished the data.

Most of the sketches deal with colonial life., because the individual, the hero, for whom the young have most regard, grows less prominent in the increasingly complex social and institutional life of the state. The reader will prize all the more his own rich social, political, educational, and religious environment after becoming familiar with the struggles of an ancestry not so highly favored. The complex life of to-day will be more clearly comprehended from a view of the initial fjrces producing it.

Four sincere and noble classes united to build up the commonwealth : —

William Penn and the Quakers, bringing from England, Wales, Holland, and (jermany a sturdy and pious body of citizens united by a common religion ;

The Germans or Pennsylvania " Dutch," attracted to the ]irovince by the peace principles of the founder, and a zeal to establish homes in a land of civil and religious liberty ;

The Moravians under Zinzenlorf, carrying the Bible to the Indians, and living a community Hfe, singularly devoted to the welfare of the humblest and poorest of their faith ;

The Scotch- Irish, earnest, aggressive, and fearless, det}-ing nil restraint ani fearing no hostile neighbors, pushing to the frontier with farm and school and church, and training by hardship their sons for heroic ser\ice in the siate.

The common tie wliich held all these diverse elements together was religion. While Penn and his German allies were in the m jority the peace poHcy of the Quakers dominated the life of the colony. The fostering, fro n conscientious motives, of the n«>n-combative spirit made Pennsylvania notably conser\ative in offensive movements. This infliie ice prevailed until the close of the stniggle for indej)en.lence, a strangle th t brought new forces to the front ami createil a m jre aggressive i)olicy. It was this newer influence thai »»rginized the state under the Constitution and place i Penn.>ylv.mia in closer touch with her sister states.

Border friction i>etween the colonies, and especially between the frontiersmen md the Indians, mide Pennsylvania rich in Indian tales. Here wealth of stmrces made selection and rejectiom the task in presenting this phase of colonial life.

The authors have <-onsrio:isly o-nitted much that is alrealy familiar, or within easy rcich of the reader. Special effi>rt has been made to present the less fimiliar but by no mems less important incidents in the development of our state. For this reason no life of Penn is attempted, and Franklin's career is not treated. With such familiar names as West, Muhlenberg, Logan, Dickinson, Morris. Decatur, Girard, Meade, Hancock, Kane, Fulton, Perr>-, Taylor, Reed, Buchanan, Blaine, and many others, ever)' teacher is acquainted.

The illustrations are almost without exception historically correct. Many of them are for the first time presented to the pulilic. In their preparation the authors owe a debt of gratitude to Julius F. Sachse of the Pennsylvania Historical Societv, whose wide acquaintance ifc-ith the histor>- of our commonwealth is abundant proof of their value.

It is hoped that this Httle volume will arouse an inteUigent and abiding interest in the histor)- of the grand old Keystone State.

CONTEXTS.

Before the Coming of Penn. _ ^_

The Naming of Pennsylvania o

Penn in Holland and Germany i -

Tohn Humphrey »_

The Trial of '"the LA>ng Finne " . ^ . . ->-• Penn and the Qlakekj.

Sally Brindley's Letter 2-

William Penn's Manor House ....... -i

Bartram's Garden ....

The Walking Purchase -.n

The- Germans in Pennsylvania.

The Voyage of the Sura Ma ria

Conrad Weiser and the Indians . . ;; i

The Last of the Kelpians ■•■...-%

The Pious Schoolmaster on the Skippack • - . . . 6i

The Greatest Books of Colonial Pennsvlvania . . . . ^r

Peter Miller 1^^

THER Pioneers.

The Moravians . » -.

Count Zinzendorf in the Wyoming ....... -q

^ The Log College S-'

The Natives «^f Pennsylvania.

Justice to the Indians ••••..... S-

Eliza Cartlidge ••■••.... go

Standing Stone . oj

A Dog Feast at Standing Stone ^;

Troubles on the Border.

Cressap's Capture qp

Captain Jack, the Wild Hunter of the Juniata . .10-

Regina ,0-

Sawquehanna, or ■• the White Lily " H2

Washington and the Half King 116

Captain Stobo ......... 126

The Half King at Aughwick .

Paxinosa ......

Colonel James Smith at Fort iJuquesne

How a Cow's Tail saved Jane Maguire

Connolly's Plot ....

Captain Ogden and the Penn\ mite War

Mary (^uinn and the Great Runaway

Opontopos, or " Little White Head "

Thompson the Captive Incidk.nts of the RevolutiOxNaky War.

Carpenters' Hall ....

The Philadelphia Tea Party

Rodney's Ride ....

The Old Liberty Bell . .

The First Fourth of July Celebration

Captain Percy at the Battle of tlie Bran

Washington and Lafayette's Escape

General Anthony Wayne .

Wayne's Camp at Yellow Springs .

Light-horse Harry ....

Wayne's Letters to his Wife

A Good Man suffers for his Religion

Narrow Escape of Lieutenant Tilly .

Uncle John's Letter to his (irandson

One of the Doan Boys .

After the Wyoming Massacre .

Later Incidents.

Rev. Manasseh Cutler in Philadeli)hia

Franklin entertains Mr. ( "utler

Grays Ferry Inn

Tom the Tinker ....

Charles Baptiste .Ariel, or "Old French Cluir

The Old Pike

Founders of the Free Schools .

A School in the Early Ua.s .

The Undergrt)und Railroad

Rachel Harris and the Undergroun.l Kailroad

William Parker and the Underground Railroad

Lincoln's Midnight Ride through Pennsylvania

Reynolds at Gettysl)urg ...

In the Rear at Gettysburg . . . .

William Pcnii's Burial I'lace . . . .

STORIES OF PENNSYLVANIA

BEFORE THE COMING OF PENN.

THE NAMING OF PENNSYLVANIA.

EVERY child of Pennsylvania loves the grand old state. Her soil, her history, and her name are sacred. The land was given to William Penn, son of Admiral Penn, by Charles II. of England, who owed William's father 16,000 pounds sterling for services against the Dutch. To pay the debt the king gave William a large tract of land in the New World. Penn decided to name this land New Wales, but the king's secretary, a Welshman, struck it out. Penn then suggested Sylvania, because it was a great forest (the Latin for forest is sylva). The king said, '* No ; I shall call it Pennsylvania."

WilHam Penn sailed for this great land in 1682, and every one knows how he came to Chester, and then to Philadelphia, where he made a famous treaty with the Indians under the old Elm of Shackamaxon. As we think of this solemn meeting, let us remember that the Elm lO

Treaty was never broken. The Indian never forgot his pledge to Penn, whom he called " Brother Onas," and the great Quaker leader never broke his faith with the red man.

To most of us, Pennsylvania is known as the Keystone State. There are four reasons given for the adoption of this name : —

Penn's Treaty.

(i) If you look at a map of the thirteen original states, you will notice that they form an irregular arch. Pennsylvania is located at the center of this great arch, and may be called for that reason the Ke\stone of the Arch of States.

(2) In the early days Pennsylvania was the most imj^ortant state in foreign trade. Hundreds of vessels spread their white sails to the breezes of the Delaware River, and Philadelphia was the greatest center of trade in the New World. It may be that Pennsylvania was given the title of Keystone State because of its commercial prominence.

(3) Before the year 1800 a French major, L' Enfant by name, laid out the city of Washington as the capital of the nation. The stones for the new capitol building were not all needed, and some of them were used to make a bridge over Rock Creek, a small stream flowing between Washington and Georgetown.

Thirteen stones of the arch were visible, and the cunning Frenchman carved on the faces of these stones abbreviations of the names of the states. " PA." was cut on the central or key stone, and some claim our state is called the Keystone for this reason. It is probable that L' Enfant chose this stone for Pennsylvania in honor of the position and importance of the state, and in honor of the part Pennsylvania took in the adoption of the great Declaration of Independence.

(4) July I, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was reported to the Continental Congress. The patriots knew that our country could not be free and independent unless the Declaration was adopted. The final vote was delayed three days to give Franklin and Samuel Adams a chance to bring Pennsylvania into line for the measure, and to give Caesar Rodney time to ride from his home in Delaware to cast his vote and his state's vote for freedom. On July 4th, Delaware was ready to vote, and the roll was called. All the states voted "Aye," until Pennsylvania, the last state, was reached.

Five of her delegates were present. Franklin and Wilson voted "Aye," Humphreys and Willing voted "Nay." Here was a tie. John Morton was outside, listening to a crowd of friends who were begging him to vote " Nay." The president, John Hancock, began to talk, and did not stop until he saw Morton enter the hall Then Morton's

name was called, and he voted " A\c." Thus for four days the noble men of that Congress had been building the great arch of human liberty, and John Morton's vote made Pennsylvania "the Ke\'stone of the Arch of Liberty."

The next day, John Adams of Massachusetts, almost wild with joy. wrote to his wife these words : —

" The dav is past. The fourth of Julv, 1776, will be a memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forever."

The Morton Tablet.

PENN IN HOLLAND AND GERMANY.

HAVE you ever wondered why so many Germans came to Pennsylvania in the days of Penn ? We think of William Penn in England, of the voyage on the good ship Welcome, of the great treaty, and of Penn in his own colony ; but we too often forget that Penn was in Germany as early as 167 1, preaching the religion he loved, and winning honest men to the church of his choice. Again, in 1677, he traveled over Europe with Keith and Fox and Barclay, preaching the principles of peace to a war-weary people.

It was this great missionary journey that made Penn a power among the Germans and Pennsylvania a refuge for so many of them. In this important mission no other man was so loyal and so helpful to Penn as Benjamin Furly, the merchant and scholar of Rotterdam.

Furly was born April 13, 1636, and at twenty-four became a merchant in this quaint old city of Holland. He married Dorothe Graigne, and their home was a refuge for scores of learned men. He collected a fine library of rare books and rarer manuscripts. His home was a welcome resort for such men as Le Clerc, Limbroch, Edward Clarke, John Locke, and Algernon Sidney. The last of these, in his will, gave to his friend Furly a fine silver goblet.

Early in life Furly became a Quaker, and he was the first man in Europe to urge and aid Dutch and German families to go to America. He often spoke in the Quaker meetings when it meant imprisonment to do so. He was

Penn and Fox at a Quaker Meeting in Furly's House.

even bold enough to write to the magistrates of the city, demanding of them protection for the pious people of his faith, who met in silence to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences. This letter closes as follows : —

"At Rotterdam the eighth day of the month which we call July, 1675."

Two years later, when Penn and his c^iipanions landed in Holland, Benjamin Furh' was the first man to greet them, and it was in his home that they were entertained. From here they set out to preach the gospel and to invite all oppressed people to the New World. On this great journey up the Rhine and through the Palatinate, Furly was their fellow-traveler and faithful interpreter. To him

Penn submitted his famous Frame of Govermnent for advice and correction. Furly, in advising Penn, wrote the first protest against slavery in America. Read the words of this great forerunner of Garrison, Whittier, Mott, Phillips, and Lincoln: — "Let no blacks be brought in directly. And if any come out of Virginia, Maryland, or clscv.-hcrc in families that have formerly brought them elsewhere let them be declared (as in ye west jersey constitutions) free at 8 years end."

Furly aided in founding the great Frankford Company; and it was the agent of this comp:iny, Francis Daniel Pastorius, of Germantown, a German Quaker, who wrote, in 1688, the first protest against slavery ever drafted on this side of the Atlantic. Who will say that P\niy w^as not the hero who moved Pastorius and the Up de Graffs to take this noble action .^

Penn and his company landed in Holland July 26, and in seven days, at Amsterdam, was held the first Yearly Meeting of Friends on the Continent. What a meeting this was ! Dutch Quakers from' at least six cities of Holland, and German Quakers from as many cities up the Rhine, heard William Penn and George Fox, Robert Barclay and George Keith, preach the peaceful gospel of a godly life.

Here, too, Penn learned that far away to the east, where the sluggish Vistula mingles with the Baltic, in Danzig, Poland, the seeds of the Quaker faith had been planted in true hearts by William Ames. Persecution soon tried the souls of the converts. The defender of Vienna, John Sobieski, who in 1683 sent the Turks flying to the east, was King of Poland. To this great leader Penn wrote, pleading for his brethren: — i6

"O King! When did the true religion persecute? Were not her weapons prayers, tears, and patience ? Can clubs and staves, swords and prisons and banishments reach the soul, convert the heart, or convince the mind of man? In 1576 there sat on your throne, Stephen, who declared, 'I am king of men, not of consciences; king of bodies, not of souls.' "

Earnest words were these. Sobieski's reply is lost. It would be of great interest to know what the conqueror of the Turk had to say in reply to the noble Penn.

The cruel Count of Bruck had a pious daughter, who was anxious to meet Penn. The village schoolmaster carried word to the countess of Penn's desire to convey to her "the message and testimony of truth." A meeting was arranged for Sunday in the house of the village preacher at Muhlheim. As Penn was passing the castle to reach the place of meeting the pompous count came out for a walk. When he saw that Penn and his company did not remove their hats, he became angry, called his soldiers, and ordered Penn and his followers to be driven out of the country. Late at night they came to Duisburg. The gates of the city were closed. Penn and his companions were obliged to sleep out in the open fields. They arose at three o'clock and began to speak again of "the great and notable day of the Lord dawning upon Germany," and were glad to suffer for religion's sake.

At Cologne Penn ])reached to Docenius, the minister of the King of Denmark, and the minister's heart opened. He followed. Penn to Rotterdam and the Hague. In 1783, Docenius wanted to remove to Penn.s\ Ivania, but his wife put an end to this by saying, — " Let well enough alone.

Now I can ride in a carriage from house to house. In America, who knows but I should have to look after cattle and milk the cows ? "

It was no small task to preach and suffer in a strange land. Penn did this so nobly that he won the love and gratitude of many Germans and Hollanders. With them he always kept his word as sacredly as he did with the Indians. It was a great moment in Penn's life when he faced the Indians unarmed under the Shackamaxon Elm. It was a greater moment when he preached his way into the hearts of the Germans along the Rhine.

This is why Pennsylvania became the most important German settlement of the New World. The true history of their mutual love and helpfulness is the unwritten story of the rapid growth of the grand old Keystone State.

JOHN HUMPHREY.

OTHER, mother, won't thee tell brother Charles and me about Uncle John ? We could listen to thee tell about him all evening."

Mother Hannah sat down before the roaring fire of hickory logs. Charles and his sister were on the floor, with their arms in mother's lap. In a few minutes the other boys gathered around until eight eager faces made up her audience. The baby was asleep in the cradle, and Father Daniel Humphrey sat near, reading from a big, worn, leather-backed Bible.

"Remember, children," said the mother, "that John

M

Humphrey was your great-uncle. He and Grandfather Samuel lived in Wales. At that time they did not have the comforts we enjoy here in Merion. If five Friends over sixteen years old were found in meeting together, they were in danger of being arrested and taken to prison."

" I wouldn't have gone," said Charles, with flashingeyes ; '* I'd fight first."

Merion Meeting House

"Nay, my son," said Mother Hannah, "thy temper should not rule thee. Friends believe that love and kindness can do more than guns and blows.

" In 1661, at Glwvn Grivill, the officers came and drove all the j^eople out of a meeting where Uncle John was. Our dear Friends were forced into a penfold by the highway side, where men were drinking and swearing. The}' scoffed at the Friends, calling them Quakers, and asked if the little dog which followed them was the spirit which led them. Because the Friends held their peace, saying not a word, their persecutors grew more angry and drove them two miles by the seashore, slapping them with their swords and forcing them to trot before their horses.

*' It was the intention to take them to an island or sand bank in the sea, and there keep them over night in order to have them together for a drive of twenty-four miles the next day to a prison where some Friends were already confined.

"The officers had no warrant for the arrest of our Friends. Some of their neighbors rode up that night on horseback and demanded the warrant for such an arrest. When the papers could not be produced, the prisoners were allowed to go home.

** Not long after this, Uncle John dreamed that his brother Samuel, who was your grandfather, children, was in jail with three other Friends, and the keeper placed meat before them, saying that whether they ate or not he would make them pay.

" In those days the prisoners were charged a big price for everything they ate. If they were in jail very long, it often took all their property to pay the jailer's bill.

** Uncle John took out his notebook and wrote down the day and hour of this dream. Not long after this, word came that Grandfather Samuel and those three Friends were before the jailer the same day and hour that Uncle John had his dream. Uncle John also heard that the jailer had threatened to starve them into eating his meat, that he might have the profit of their keeping and therefore put off the day for trial.

" * This dream,' said Uncle John, ' is the Lord's doings.' "

" Why was Grandfather Samuel in jail ? " asked Charles.

** Because he refused to take the oath in court and declared that our Savior has said, ' Swear not at all,' " said Father Daniel, who had been listening for some time.

** Why should the law make people swear.?" asked Charles. " I have heard thee say that we should never swear."

** I know, my son, I have. The law thinks that an oath will force men to tell the truth ; but, my boy, we should always tell the truth, and the day is coming when a man's simple affirmation will be accepted in any court in the land.

"Because your grandfather and these men would not swear, they were put in irons and chained together two and two, with their hands bound on their backs. In this manner they were driven twelve miles through the storm to a prison. Here they would have starved had not some of us who were at home carried meat in biskets to the jail. When the keeper was away, we put chunks of meat on the end of a long pike and stuffed them through a little hole in the wall."

** Why didn't thee shoot the jailer, father.?"

" Indeed, my boy, I was often sorely tried. But let me tell thee it takes a braver man to keep his temper than to fight. We high-mettled Welsh were just learning Christ's blessed lesson of peace. The magistrates told us if we would give up our meetings they would not disturb us. Some of the weak-kneed ones wanted to give up the meetings, or at least hold them in secret.

"When your grandfather got out of jail, several of us with Uncle John consulted together. We concluded that we would die before we would give up our meetings. One Sabbath we were having a precious meeting. Uncle John had spoken. Many hearts were touched and many eyes were moist. Suddenly the doors were flung open, and a party of men, cursing and swearing, rushed in with swords and staves. They broke up the meeting and drove us all off to the magistrate.

" There was a young girl with us who began to cry. She said that her mother was a cripple, alone in bed, and could do nothing for herself. If the house burned down, she could not get out. The magistrate was a kind man, but he said he dare not show any tenderness, because the people would say he was not faithful to the law. He told us that this was the second offense, and the third time meant banishment. If we would pay the fine and promise to hold no more meetings, he would let us go."

" Was thee there, father ? " asked Charles, eagerly.

" Yes, I was there, my son, and it was hard at times to keep still ; but the mercy of the Lord prevailed. When we were sent to the Quarter Sessions for trial, six justices sat on the bench. They mocked and scoffed at us, saying, ' Here are the Quakers. Now we'll make 'em quake ! ' Uncle John's hat was seized by one of the crowd and flung into the air. Soon all the plain hats were thrown from our heads. Then Evan Ellis, in a loud voice, told the magistrates that they took more delight sitting in the seat of scorners than on the bench of justice and judgment For this, and the oath which we all refused to take, we were sent to jail.

*' It was now late, and the county prison was a long way off, so we were shut up in a close room. That night, by the light of the moon, both the sheriff and the justices, save one, came before the door and made merry over us. They were all drinking to the king's health, and demanded the keeper to open the door. Then they offered us something to drink. They threw the liquor in our faces and spat upon us. They got a fiddler and kept up a commotion nearly all night.

Going to Quaker Meeting in Colonial Days.

** Uncle John whispered to me to remain still. The spirit of submission worketh wonders. I was young, and grew violently angry, but through the mercy of God was spared from striking a blow. I resolved then and there to leave Wales and England forever. After serving out our time we were released from jail.

** These are but a few of the things, my children, which led the Welsh to leave their dearly-beloved homes in old Wales and come to the land of William Penn.

"^3

'* We bought this great cract west of the Schuylkill and south of the hills which bound the Great Valley on the north. Here we are very thankful for our many blessings."

THE TRIAL OF "THE LONG FINNE."

MANY years before William Penn came to America "the Long Finne," a Swede, lived on the banks of the Delaware, then called the "South River." The Finne was tall and strong, and loved his people well. He could remember when only the blue-eyed, light-haired Swedes lived on the banks of this beautiful river. But now (1660 to 1669) things were changed. First came the Dutch and took the government from the Swedes, then came the English (1664) and took the government from the Dutch. Long Finne sorrowed when he saw his people quietly submitting to these invaders.

" This country is mine," he said. " There is royal blood in my veins ; I am born to rule. Was not the great Connigsmarke of Sweden my father .? Shall I fold my arms and let these English and Dutch rob my people of their own ? Never," said the Long Finne. " Lll arouse the Swedes. There's Henry Coleman ; he's rich and well known ; he will help me stir the Swedes to rebellion. The fair daughter of poor old Governor Printz will also lend me aid. The preacher at the little Swedish church encourages me. Soon all the Swedes will arise, and we'll drive out these Dutch and English, and the west bank of the river shall be mine." So thought the Long Finne as he stirred up rebellion in and below Upland (now Chester). Governor Lovelace, in behalf of the Duke of York, governed at that time on the " South River." He heard of the Long Finne and his much talking.

''This must be stopped," he said. "We must get this tall Finne into prison." Men were sent with irons to take him. The Long Finne was surprised. He looked for his many friends. Henry Coleman, the rich man, had fled and hid himself among the Indians. Armgart, the Swedish governor's daughter, sent him no hjlp. The preacher said not a word. The Long Finne found himself without friends, surrounded by an English sheriff and his men.

" Lay down thy gun. Long Finne," they said. " We have brought irons to take thee to prison." And before the proud Swede could strike or run they wer^ riveting irons on his ankles, and irons on his wrists, and chaining them together. They carried him away and threw him into jail. During the beautiful autumn; the Long Finne looked wearily out between the iron bars in his little window, or rattled his chains, as the long dreary hours wore away. Little did he know that he was to be tried for his life before an English court on charge of stirring up a rebellion. Already Governor Lovelace had written to England for advice. The wise men had decided that the Long Finne deserved to die ; but, fearing lest all the Swedes might rise up to avenge his death, they concluded to have him whipped in public, and the letter " R " burned into the skin of his face, and stitched into the breast of his shirt. Then he was to be sent to Barbados and sold as a slave.

Having first decided in secret what his sentence should be, the EngUsh brought Long Finne out of his jail into the court room for trial. This was on the 6th of December, 1669.

When the Long Finne came in, he was the tallest man in the court room. The irons on his ankles rubbed him sore, but he held up his head like a free man. He heard a tipstaff call out, " Oyez, oyez, oyez ! silence is commanded in the court whilst His Majesty's Commission aresitting, upon pain of death." Then they read several papers which Long Finne did not understand, except the names of His Royal Highness, the Duke of York, and the Right Honorable Francis Lovelace, Governor. He scarcely knew his own name when he heard them reading *' Matthew Hinks or John Binkson or Marcus Connigsmarke." When they called out, inviting any one who had anything to say against the prisoner to speak now, the Long Finne leaned forward and listened, while his eyes rested on a big crack in the floor. Then the jury was called. " Twelve good men staunch and true " were ordered to stand up, one by one. If Long Finne nodded his head, the man was told to step into the jury box ; if he shook his head, another and another man was called, until the Long Finne did nod. Finally twelve men were chosen, and the trial commenced. Long Finne was ordered to stand up before the bar, and a man in a loud voice called out, "John Binkson, what hast thou to say for thyself ? Art thou guilty of the charge or not guilty.?" And then the Long Finne raised his blue eyes to the court and said, " Not guilty."