Autobiography of Charles Biddle, vice-president of the Supreme executive council of Pennsylvania. 1745-1821. (Privately printed.)

Front matter

Pilii It' *' : i

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Chapter I

1 T .ttf>r from mother to Mrs. Lux, 2— Boyish pranks, 3—

"„; „„ .oarL S«ow to ,e.„,.„ .o^e, li-L,euteo»t Ne.m.th take. co»- „aud of a Snow ; goe. a. secoud mate m Let, 15-Sails tor Ant.gua and Ho„-

of McFunn: buraiiig of a black, ^i— smpwieciv^ .

XT- H 1 « with them ^2-27-Fil-st mate to Charleston, as captain to rr^r: ndH n::,:;,%S, ^-.^e..^.> »■.«• e„„.>n .„.n ScuU: r, e :tepin. sUve.. 3.-E...,k, o. board t.e K.ng Geojge for Ph. adelpWa 176r,85-San. as one-quarter owner and eapta.n to G repada 37- ITl: duel at Chlpcoteague, 38-At Lisbon, 1788, nearly sb.pwree.ed, .» -Arrives 2aofMay«tPl,i.adelpb,.,«-Sails to ra,al;afrol,e,tl-Pre«.nt

to b m ealled Bo, Captain, arrives in PMladeipbia, 43-Eefuses to e«r, , .Les 48-Sails in the Auu to Honduras and bacit ; narrow escape Irom

drrning. «-«oes again to Honduras ; trial of McCarty. " eye of .be law" ; a„°Is- B nedict Arnold, 4.^Arrives in Pbil.de.pbia; taltes eo,nn,.nd of l°pforPortauPr,pee; yellow feyer, «-Sai.s tor Pbiladelplua, =d Fe ru Z r770 arrived 30.b ; bet with Hepburn. 49-M.lte, another voyage to Por't"! Prince and returns. 50-T..es comnrand of " C'.^nupg Nancy

. •, ■„ f^r Port au Prince ; French deserters, 5-3— Troubles

in 1772 and sails affain loi roii au xiiu^o,

wi.bLncb offlcei, 56-Bcsolves .0 leave off a had habit o str*,ng h,s 2, 57_28th March. 1773. sa.is for Philadelphia. 58-A ErenCn.an s grei. 59_S.lls again to Port au Prince ; refuses to haul down pennant. 60-D,fh culty ith ;rcnch captain. 61-Hisrese,uhlance to Cap..>uT Allen and consenuences. 62-S.ils for Philadelphia ; another voyage to Port au Pn ce. and sais P ruary,.771. for Phi.adelpbia. OS-Saves DuBeld's sugar irom th^ cttol HouJe' omcer.. 66-I.iscovers the robher of Ben. a^ r..s on 7 A ^ -r. ■ pn siQile in brif Swilt for the Mole, ana rtiurub,

vovage to Cape Franfois, 09— bails in Dri,, ow

69^In 1775 purchases part of brig Greyhound; sails to Marugalant ad DonLiica, 70-From thence to Hispaniola ; ^Captain Stephen Decatui passeuger ; returns to Philadelphia, May, 177.), 71.

VUl CONTENTS.

Chapter II

Difficulties with Great Britain ; disorderly conduct of our people, 72 — Shooting at a mark with Captain Graydon ; a child struck, 73 — Edward Biddle, his brother, 74 — Sails with Captain John Craig for L'Orient to buy powder and arms, 75 — A man overboard ; arrives at L'Orient, 76 — Goes to Nantes, 77 — Returns by land to L'Orient, 78 — Sails for Philadelphia, 79 — Stops at St. Eustatia ; meets Captain James Craig, brother of John, 80 — Detained by sickness sails in another vessel for Philadelphia ; dangerous voyage, 80 — Arrives at Philadelphia 9th January, 1776 ; joins Captain Cowperthwaite's company of Quaker light infantry, 82 — English ship of war Roebuck in Delaware Bay and River ; ship sent down to attack her; volunteers as seaman, 83 — Reading of the Declaration of IndeiJendence ; Thomas Paine's Common Sense, 86 — Goes to Elizabetbtown in the company, 87 — General Mercer, 89 — Judge Allen, 90 — Sailed for Port au Prince in brig Greyhound ; taken by the English frigate Antelope, and carried to Jamaica, 90 — Violence of the Admiral ; is ordered to be put in irons, 92-3 — Base conduct of Midshipman Crathorne, a Philadelphian, 93 — Escapes and is recaptured, 95 — Again escapes ; goes to Nicola Mole, 96 — Starts for any port on the coast in schooner Three Sisters ; goes into Beaufort, North Carolina, 98 — Meets for first time Miss Hannah Shepard\ journeys to Reading, 99 — Goes to Charleston, South Carolina, to see his brother Nicholas ; then to Beaufort, and starts home, 99 — Stops at Baltimore ; British fleet in the Bay ; then goes to Philadelphia, 100 — Battle of Braudywine ; goes to Trenton in his brig, carrying refugees from the city, 101 — Mr.

Riche and Mr. Kirkbride, 103 — Goes to Reading; starts for Charleston with CoUinson Read ; anecdotes of the journey, 103 — Meets his brother Nicholas ; takes a short cruise with him, 104 — Fire in Charleston, 105 — Goes to Newbern to fit out a vessel, 106 — Loss of frigate Raridolph ; challenges Captain Morgan, 106 — Notice of Nicholas Biddle, 109 — A French adventurer, 111 — Sails in armed brig from Newbern, 22d September, 1778, 113 — Arrives at St. Eustatia, 114 — Returns to Beaufort ; meets Miss Shepard, 116 — Marries Miss Shepai-d November 35th, 1778, 117— Meets Mr. William Hodge ; his imprisonment in the Bastile, 117 — Passes the winter at Newbern 119 — A prize case, 119 — Sails from Beaufort 1st August, 1779, for St. Thomas 123 — Proposed attack on Tortola, 124 — Return to Beaufort, 135 — Narrow escape from drowning, 126 — Death of brother Edward and character, 127 — 6th October, birth of son called Nicholas, 1779, 127 — Anecdote of Judge Peters, 128 — Disturbance of Captain Gibbons, 128 — Chosen captain of militia company, 128 — Disturbances at Beaufort, 131 — Drives Gibbons from the place, 134 — Elected to the Assembly from Carteret County, and goes to Newbern, 134 — Goes after an English privateer, 135 — Returns to Newbern, 138 — Sends out Joseph Biddle, son of his brother James, in command of a schooner, 138

CONTENTS. IX

— Never heard of, 139 — William, son of his brother James, comes to Beaufort, 140 — Sends William to sea ; never heard of, l-H — Debates in North Carolina Legislature, 142 — Major John Stewart, anecdotes of, 143 — Opinion of the Indians ; comfort administered to his brother Edward by an Indian chief, 144 — Starts by land, with his wife, for Philadelphia 1st June, 1780, 145 — Governor Nash's certificate, 146 — Meets Baron DeKalb, 147 — Arrives at Reading, 149.

Chapter III

General Richard Butler, 150 — Anecdotes of Captain Bowen, 151 — February, 1781, son born at Reading ; sails for St. Thomas in brig Active, 152 — Dr. Standley and the Hessian wounded, 153 — Fever on board, 155 — Taken by the Chatham, Captain Douglas, 157 — Opinion of British officers, 158 — Ship on fire, ISO- Lands at New York, 1783, 161 — Samuel Shoemaker, 161 — Jersey prison-ship, 162 — Goes on parole to Flatbush, 164 — Is exchanged and arrives at Reading ; Captain Furman, 166 — Roderick Random gave him first inclination for the sea, 168 — Prepares to take command of Friendship, large armed vessel, from Baltimore for San Domingo and Mediterranean, 169 — Captain Wilson, ]?71 — Count de Benyowsky passenger, 172 — Suicide of Captain Craig, 172 — Sails from Baltimore 15th July, 1783, with one hundred and thirty men, in company with French frigate Sybil, 173 — Quarrel with Benyowsky; arrives at Cape Franf ois, 175 — Sells his vessel, 176 — Count Benyowsky ; purchases a brig called the St. Patrick, 177 — Captain Whitehead's case before a judge, 181 — Sails from the Cape, September, 1783, 183 — Two French women passengers ; their ill manners, 184 — Arrives at Baltimore, 184 — Arrives at Reading with Mrs. Lux ; February, 1783, Mrs, Biddle has a eon called James after his brother ; Yankee story ; goes to New York, 185 — His brother John, 186 — Sails as passenger to Port au Prince, June, 1783, 186 — Goes to Cape Francois bj' land, 187 — Sails from Cape Francois August, 1783 ; arrives at Wilmington, and goes thence to Reading, 188 — Mr. James Collins marries Lydia Biddle, daughter of his brother James, 189 — Collins & Truxtun become bankrupt ; honorable conduct of Commodore Truxtun, 189 — Captain Thomas Allen lost at sea, 190 — Elected a member of the Supreme Executive Council from Berks Coiinty, 191 — Trial and execution of Welsh for robbery, 193 — Elected Chief Burgess of Reading, 194 — Leaves Reading for Philadelphia 20th October, 1784 ; John Dickinson President and General James Irvine Vice-President of Council, 194 — Election of Captain Graydon Prothonotary for Dauphin County ; Constitutionalists and Republicans, 19.5 — Octo))er, 1785, chosen Vice-President by Council, 197 — Arrival of Dr. Franklin from France ; he is chosen President, and Charles Biddle Vice-President ; their election confirmed by the Legislature, 198 — Execution of Elizabeth Wilson for child murder, though innocent, 199 — Republicans and Constitutionalists, 203 —

X CONTENTS.

Irish brogue, 20.3 — Duel of Dean and Dr. Linn, 20.5 — Execution of an Indian and of John McDonald, 206 — Disputes between Pennsj'lvania and Connecti- - cut settlers in Luzerne County, 207 — General Armstrong, 208 — Execution of two men for murder in Franklin County ; pardon to Mr. Mathias Aspden in 1786, and of Phineas Bond, 209— Re-elected Vice-President October, 1786, 212 — Tench Coxe, 212 — Breaks his knee-pan, 213 — Executive Council meets at his house, 215 — Captain William Craig, 216 — Disturbance in Legislature about Federal Constitution, 217 — McCalmont and Miley forced to attend, 218 — Removal of seat of government to Lancaster ; reasons for, 219. —

Chapter IV. •

Captain Craig arrests John Franklin, Connecticut settler, in Wilkesbarre, 221 — Society of Political Inquiries, Dr. Franklin, President, 223 — Elected secretary to Council, October, 1787 ; anecdote of Dr. Franklin, 224 — Elected member of Legislature from Berks County ; declines it, 225 — Grand festival procession, July 4th, 1778, 22.5 — Colonel Oswald committed for contempt of court July, 1788, 228— Action of the Legislature, 229— The Adopted Sons of Penn- _- sylvania ; duel of Oswald and Matthew Carey, 231 — Levi and Abraham Doan taken ; their history, 232 — October, 1788, his brother James made Prothonotary of Court Common Pleas, 235 — Notice of him, 236 — Continental money and Virginia money, 236 — State Island money, 238 — February, 1789, again breaks his knee, 239 — Convention to alter constitution, 240 — Death of his mother, 1789 ; paper left by her ; notice of her, 240 — Death of his niece, Mrs. Catharine Lux, at his house, 1789, 242 — Loses a daughter, fifteen months old, 24.3 — Death of Dr. Franklin in 1790 ; his character, 243 — Election of General Mifllin as Governor under new Constitution ; Constitutionalists and Republicans, 244 — Executive Council abolished ; difference with Governor Mifflin, 24.5 — His brother James made Judge of Common Pleas, 247 — He is appointed Prothonatory, 248 — Visit to Cape May, 249 — Travelling in N#w Jersey, 2.50 — Reception of M. Genet, Minister from Republic of France, in 1793, 2.51 — Vice-President of Democratic Society ; David Rittenhouse President, 252 — Dinner to Genet, 253 — Goes to Long Branch ; engagement of French frigate Ambuscade and English frigate Boston off that place, 2.54 — Yellow Springs ; Judge and Mrs. Jones, Montgomery County, 254 — Yellow fever in Philadelphia ; sends family to house of Mr. William Lardner, husband of Mrs. Biddle's sister, 254— Death of Dr. Hutchinson September 6th, 1793, 25.5— Captain Stephen Girard's noble conduct; Mr. Peter Helm's also, 2.57 — " Fears of the brave," 257 — Judge Biddle opens and adjourns his court, 2.59 — Treatment of yellow fever, 260 — In November people return to Philadelphia, 260 — Difficulty about excise, and western insurrection, 261 — Hugh H. Brackenridge's account of the insurrection in western Pennsylvania, 263 — Severe illness, April, 1796, 264 — Operation performed, 265

CONTENTS. Xi

—Governor Mifflin, 266— Death of brother Judge James Biddle in 1797, 367 —Goes to Ballstown and Saratoga, 267— Long Branch ; hears of yellow fever in Philadelphia, 269— Major Andre, 270— Yellow fever in Philadelphia, 1798, 271— Stays at Judge Jones's and Mr. Lardner's ; robbery of Bank of Pennsylvania ; Patrick Lyon, 272— Has a bill passed making judgments a lien for only Ave years, 275— Purchases in 1799 country seat in Islington Lane, 275— Difficulties with France ; defence association, 276— Commodore Truxtun captures frigate Insurgent, 278— Appointed prize agent, 279— Builds at country seat ; Truxtun's resignation from navy, 281— Truxtun's commission returned ; Ellsworth and Davis sent to France, by President Adams, 282— Governor McKean elected ; Charles Biddle continued in his office, 282— General Craig ; Marks John Biddle ; Alexander Graydon removed, 283— Governor Mifflin's character, 283— Anecdote of family likeness, 284— 14th of December, ^y 1799; death of General Washington, anecdotes of him, 284— 14th of February, 1800, James and Edward enter navy, 286— Go to New York to sail in frigate President ; stay at Colonel Burr's, 288- Election of President and Vice-President Adams and Jefferson ; Burr, 289— Votes of electors from Pennsylvania, 289— Mr. Thomas Biddle informs him of his son Edward's death, 290— Notice of Edward Biddle, 292— Goes to Warm Spring in Virginia with Jwdge Jones, 294— Colonel Washington and Colonel Henry Lee, 294— Moves from Market Street to Chestnut Street; anonymous letter, May, 1802, 296— Suit of Dr. Glenn versus James King for services in amputating his leg, 297— December, 1802, purchases Chestnut Street house, $9200, 298— James taken at Tripoli in frigate Philadelphia, 299.