Miscellaneous News Items From Pennsylvania and the Surrounding New England States from the Past
Transcribed and Donated by Nancy Piper - except where noted.
| Capt. Lewis's
Exploration of Louisianna and the Visit of the Osage Indian Nation to
Washington - Taken From the 1804 Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
Captain Lewis and Captain Clarks Party of Discover and Expediton to the Pacific Ocean - Taken From the 1805 Centinel, Gettysburg PA and From the 1806 Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA Miscellaneous Marriage and Death Notices for Pennsylvania Great Indian Walk - The Walking Off of Land to Purchase from Teeyusscuing The Exploring Expedition of Major Long (Expedition from Philadelphia throught the Northern Territories and back home in 1823.) |
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The Adams Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
March 3, 1802
Gettysburg
March 3
On Tuesday, the 23rd ult., in the senate of this commonwealth, the motion, relative to fixing the permanent seat of the government was taken up. The vote was first taken on Columbia, for which there appeared 11. Next for Philadelphia, when 9 rose. Then on Lancaster, which had also 9. And lastly on Harrisburg, for which there were 14.
The Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
June 29, 1804
The honorable Gideon Granger esq., Postmaster General, has made arrangements for conveying the mail from Philadelphia to Pittsburg by stage - this line it is said, will commence running by the first of next month.
The Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
July 13, 1804
Lancaster, July 3
A new line of United States Mail stages from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, commences running this day. The first stage will leave Philadelphia this morning, arrive in Lancaster between 4 and 5 o'clock, and proceed to Mr. Cochran's at Big Chicquies, this evening. Tomorrow, it will pass through Harrisburg and Carlisle; and arrive and Chambersburg, on Tuesday, at 11 o'clock in the morning.
A second stage will leave Philadelphia on Friday morning, pass through Lancaster between 4 and 5 o'clock, and arrive at Mr. Cochran's that night. It will proceed next morning, passing through Harrisburg, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Bedford, Greenburg, arrive at Pittsburg on Thursday evening.
The next Wednesday morning, it will leave Pittsburg; and, returning by the same route, arrive at Lancaster on Monday evening; and pass on to Philadelphia the next day.
The price of passage from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, is 20 dollars, or 16, from Lancaster; and same returning.
The Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
Union, April 15 1805
On the 18th of July, 1755, the army of General Braddock was defeated and himself killed by the French and Indians within 10 miles of Pittsburg. The ground on which the battle was fought is known by the name of Braddock's Field. The general received a musket shot through the right arm and lungs, of which he died in a few hours, having been carried off the field by the bravery of lieutenant colonel Gage, and another of his officers. His body was buried at the encampment of the rear division of his army, 9 miles eastward of this place.
It seems that the Great Road leading from Fort Cumberland to Union Town, was accidentally laid out as to pass over his grave. The road having been much cut up with wagons and the earth swept away by rain, the bones of the general have been lately discovered in the bottom of the road, and taken up; several of them are now in this town. They appear sound and are very large - from the best information it appears unquestionable, that the place from whence the bones were taken, is the spot in which the body of the general was interred.
The Centinel, Gettysburg, PA
September 25, 1805
Philadelphia Sept. 18
By a gentleman from Chester County, Pennsylvania, we learn that on the morning of the 28th ultimo, a tremendous fall of rain took place in the upper end of that and adjacent parts of Lancaster county, such as the oldest inhabitants of the neighborhood never before experienced. Our informant states, that for some time it appeared as though the sluices of the great deep were broken up; that the water descended in torrents, swelling the rivulets and large streams to an enormous height, and rolling impetuously down the hills, swept with resisters fury for all that opposed its progress in the vallies below, bearing down fences and enclosures, as well as mill dams of every description and some buildings; among the latter are mentioned one forge and one coal house totally washed down, another forge nearly washed down and two more much injured; one saw mill carried off, and two others materially damaged and removed from their foundation; one valuable flour mill and one nail factory completely torn to pieces and almost entirely washed away; and three valuable bridges, two of them stone piers, swept off together with sixteen valuable mills and four dams entirely leveled to their foundations, all within a distance of about fifteen miles, principally on the Brandywine, and the smaller streams emptying therein. One or two families were obliged to fly for their lives; leaving their houses and furniture to the mercy of the furious elements; fortunately no lives were lost. The destruction of fences, our informant adds, is almost inconceivable. The best idea he can furnish on the subject is, that on the meadows of one person, nearly 30,000 rails are deposited.
Considerable damage has also been done on the Octorara creek, in Lancaster county, as well as on the streams composing Eds river in Maryland - particulars not ascertained.
On the Brandywine, which presented such a scene as the neighboring inhabitants has never before witnessed, the water in less than eight hours rose twenty feet perpendicular.
Several letters have been received in town, corroborating the above account, one of which says, that this was absolutely unequalled in the annals of American floods.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
June 9, 1819
State Capital
The corner stone of the Capital of Pennsylvania was laid at 12 o'clock on Monday the 31st of last month, by Stephen Hill, architect (contractor for the execution of the work); William Smith, stone cutter, and Valentine Kergan and Samuel White, masons; in presence of the commissioners and a large concourse of citizens of Harrisburg; and was followed by three discharges from one of the public cannon.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
March 17, 1819
About 70 houses (including two warehouses and the Masonic Hall) were destroyed by fire, in Petersburg, Va., on the 8th inst.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
December 1, 1819
Mortality among Governors
Another Governor deceased - The Delaware Watchman announces the death of Henry Molleston, Esq., governor elect of that state. This is the seventh governor; whose death has been recorded within the last few weeks, viz.
- National Advocate
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
May 17, 1820
Losses by Fire - On the night of the 4th, a fire broke out in Reading, Pa., which destroyed six valuable houses and their appendant buildings.
On the night of the 28th ult., the grist mill of Judge Brown; on the night of the 1st, instant, the house of Mr. Thomas Bronson; and on the afternoon of the 3d, the valuable mills owned by Messers Junkins - all of Mercer county, Pa., were destroyed by fire.
The soap and tallow chandlery and peari-ash works belonging to Messers. Abbot and Wilson, near Zanesville, O., were burnt down on the morning of the 3d, inst. Loss estimated at $5,000.
A cooper's shop, a grocerty store, and a fish-house containing upwards of 1100 barrels of shad, were destroyed by fire, in Baltimore, on the night of the 8th inst.
Lewis, Connelly and M'Guire
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
May 3, 1820
On Wednesday night, the 19th ult., an attempt was made by two men, to rob the house of a Mr. Beshore, who resides in the lower part of this county - they however, failed in their object, and in endeavoring to effort their escape, one of them was caught, and on Thursday morning, lodged in the Carlisle jail; he proved to be the notorious counterfeiter and robber, David Lewis, who in company with Connelly, escaped from Bedford prison, some months since. Lewis' companion, who eluded the vigilence of the neighbors, is supposed to have been Connelly.
Lewis and his companion were seen in the neighborhood of Mr. Beshore several times, in three or four weeks, previous to the attempted robbery; and from enquiries made by them of the neighbors of Mr. Beshore, concerning his peculiary circumstances, a suspicion was excited, that they intended to rob him, of which he was informed; it was thereupon agreed, if an attempt was made to rob him, that he should sound a horn, and the neighbors would hasten to his assistance.This arrangement was no doubt, the cause of Lewis' apprehension; for, had not the neighbors of Mr. Beshore been called to his assistance, by the appointed signal, it is certain, this celebrated character would yet be at large.
After his confinement in the jail of this county, which was affirmed by some, to be insufficient for his safe keeping, he was removed thence on Tuesday morning last, by Sheriff Ritner, to the jail of Franklin county, which is said to be the strongest in the state. Carlisle Volunteer.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
July 11, 1820
Robber's Taken
Mifflin, July 8
Lewis, Connelly and M'Guire have all been taken near Shammahone, on the north
branch of the Susquahanna, in Clearfield county, on Friday the 3rd ult. They
were overtaken by a party from Bellefonte, while amusing themselves by shooting
at a mark. They refused to be taken, and a general field battle ensued, both
parties were armed with guns - Connelly was the first that was hit. They
were at length overcome; Lewis and Connelly both being severely wounded.
Lewis had his arm broke and wounded in the thigh. Connelly was shot in the
head and through the lower part of his body, the ball passing through his
hip or thigh, of which he died on Sunday evening; it is thought that Lewis's
arm will have to be taken off. Lewis remains where they were taken, confined
to bed and unable to be removed. - Eagle.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
July 11, 1820
Chamberburg, July 11
Lewis and M'Guire are both in the Bellefonte Jail - Connelly died of his
wounds shortly after being taken. It was said by a gentleman in this place,
who was at the funeral of Connelly, that he ran upwards of a mile and swam
the river after receiving the wound, which was through the lower part of
the abdomen, from which part of his entails were hanging out when taken -
he died heroically without uttering a word of complaint or even a groan.
Lewis' wound is said by the Bellefonte Patriot, to be, also mortal, and that
they were taken on Friday of last week. M'Guire was taken before the other
two: he had hired at a farmhouse as a laborer, and had a bundle at the time,
the same evening he produced another, and on the next morning a third, which
raised the suspicions of the employer, who apprehended him and on examining
the bundles, their contents were found to consist principally of silks and
other fine articles. He was taken to the Bellefonte jail, where he confessed
his name was M'Guire, and that the bundles contained his part of the plundered
wagons &c. Franklin Republican
Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
May 13, 1821
Mr. Fenner Ward, of this town, has seven ewes which brought seventeen lambs! This season, of which fourteen are living and doing well - Cautaque Gaz.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
January 23 1822
Page 4
Will – The New Brunswick Times has published that part of the late Elias Boudinot’s will, which contains bequests to religious and charitable uses. They amount altogether to 23,400 dollars in money, and 37,403 acres of land, in the counties of Warren, Luzerne, Lycoming, Bradford, Northumberland and Centre, in Pennsylvania, which, valuing the land at a low rate, will make a total amount of at least 60,000, bequeathed by this great philanthropist. Independently of these bequests, there are four items, the amount of which cannot accurately be ascertained; one of them is the testator’s library, and another the residue of his estate after very liberally satisfying his family friends and relations.
Among the bequests are 200 dollars to be laid out by the New Jersey Bible Society, for spectacles, for the use of indigent old persons, to enable them to read the scriptures; 3270 acres of land to the managers of the Philadelphia hospital, for the use of poor and destitute foreigners, and persons from other states than Pennsylvania, to enable them to gain admittance, when necessary, into this institution, and 13,000 acres of land to the mayor and corporation of Philadelphia to form a fund for supplying the poor of this city with wood on the lowest terms. - Frank. Gaz.
For more information on Elias Boudinot see Wikipedia.com - Elias Boudinot
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
March 27 1822
From the New York National Adv.
Molly Macauly, who received a pension from the state of Pennsylvania for service rendered during the revolutionary war, was well known to the general officers as a brave and patriotic woman. She was called Sergeant Macauly, and was wounded at some battle, supposed to be Brandywine, where her sex was discovered. It was a common practice for her to swing her saber over her head, and huzza for "Mad Anthony", as she termed General Wayne. It was not an unusual circumstance to find women in the ranks disguised as men, such was their ardour for Independence. Elizabeth Canning was at a gun at Fort Washington, when her husband was killed, and she took his place immediately; loaded, primed and fired the cannon with which he was entrusted. She was wounded in the breast by a grape shot. It would be interesting to collect anecdotes of the services rendered by women during the revolutionary war.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
November 20 1822 Page 1
The courts of oyer and terminer And general quarter sessions of the peace terminated their sessions on Friday evening last. At this term the grand jury passed on the following bills, viz.
Of which the following were returned true bills, viz.
The session of this grand jury was distinguished for the number of bills on complaints of assault and battery returned ignoramus, and directing prosecutors to pay the cost, by which however much some of the parties may dislike it, they have rendered an acceptable service to the court & county, as the first were saved the trouble, and the latter the expense of traversing the indictments.
At this term, John M'Niel, for passing counterfeit notes on the Harrisburg bank, was arraigned, and plead guilty to the count in the indictment for passing the notes, for which offence, the court on two several indictments, sentenced him to the penitentiary for 4 years on each. The prisoner was very much affected when he found he was doomed to 8 years servitude in the penitentiary. Having plead guilty to what was his first offence, and to the commission of which he was led by others, he expected a milder sentence. He has since he is sentenced promised, on condition of a pardon and the commonwealth paying him 500 dollars, (after all he is not so dumb as he looks) to disclose a nest of counterfeiters. That he has associates, there can be little doubt, but whether he can in his present situation disclose such facts and circumstances as would be worth a pardon and $500 is extremely doubtful. If he could disclose anything of moment that would bring greater rogues than himself to punishment, a pardon would be a sufficient reward, and this ought not to be granted until it is pretty evident that his confession is founded in truth and will amount to something more that a stratagem on his part to evade the sentence of the law.
Capt. Joseph W. Schmidt, was put on his trial for the same offence, and having passed but two notes, and these under circumstances, which left it reasonably doubtful whether he knew them to be counterfeit or not. He had however a narrow escape; the jury were out upwards of 10 hours, when they came into court with a verdict of "Not Guilty."
Emanuel Bugh was arraigned for committing a rape on a young girl of between 13 and 14 years of age. She told apparently an artless story in her testimony. She said, that having refused to comply with the prisoner's desires, he had at 5 different times whipped her with something in the shape of Cat-o-ninetails. This instrument of torture, the like of which we thought was only to be found in the Algerine and other Barbary states, was produced in court.
It has six lashes or leather thongs of about 12 inches long, and at each of the lashes are pieces of sharp tin, that but a slight application of it would draw the blood from any part of the body. Though it is 9 months since he accomplished his purposes with it, the prosecutrix swore that the marks where it had been applied were yet visible. Bugh is considerable of a mechanical, but at the same time also a visionary genius, who has been pursuing that ignus fatuus in mechanism, Perpetual Motion. He, like Redheiffer, realized something out of his scheme from the credulity of a man by the name of Hummel, whom he had the cunning to persuade, that by giving him his wife for 7 years, he would be able to make a perpetual motion. Hummel surrendered his wife to Bugh, we suppose in the delusive hope, of participating in the profits of the invention. Bugh made some machinery, but like those of all others before him, it failed in the self-moving power. It it appeared to go very near perpetual motion. The girl who is the prosecutrix is the daughter of the woman whom he had leased for 7 years, and having nearly succeeded with perpetual motion with the mother, he artfully pretended he could accomplish it if he could fulfill his desires with the daughter. The daughter testified that Bugh told her "I must have a child from you, or I cannot finish my "Eternal Work." The jury found him guilty, and the court sentenced him ten years to the penitentiary, a time sufficient to complete his eternal work.
John Baker was convicted of burglary and sentenced to undergo an imprisonment of 6 years in the penitentiary.
Charles Wade, (black man) was convicted of burglary, and sentenced to undergo an imprisonment of 6 years in the penitentiary.
Matthew Dunkin was convicted of Larceny and sentenced to undergo an imprisonment of 6 calendar months in the county jail. - ib.
NEW!! Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), July 30 1823 Page 3
Died at Grenada, on the 8th ultimo, A. F. Webster, esq. in the 43d year of his age. This gentleman was a native of Grenada, and highly respected in that community. He was most uncommonly large and stout in his person, as may well be imagined when his corpse weighted 555 lbs. It was impossible, from its bulk, to get the coffin into the door of the house where he lay; his body was therefore put into it in the street and carried to the grave by 20 persons, although the place of interment was not many yards distant.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 30 1823 Page 4
The Providential Journal states that 7 girls, employed in the factory of Messrs. Greene, Tillinghast & Co near Wickford, from the 22d to the 28th ult, both days included, on 14 looms, wove 3910 years of sheeting, No. 15, 33 inches wide, making an average of more than 45 yards per day, on each loom. The greatest quantity woven by one girl in the week was 624 yars, and the least 500 yards.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 17, 1825
The barn of Jacob Housel, Esq. of Berlin, in this county, was consumed by lightning on Tuesday the 12th instant. Mr. Jacob Coldenbaugh, and his two apprentices, John Anthony and John Koons, were in the barn cleaning grain when it was struck. They were all stunned by the shock, but Mr. Coldenbaugh immediately recovered and went to the house for assistance - which arrived in time to save the lives of the young men, tho' the fire had already begun to fall about them. The lightning struck one of them on the left shoulder, where it was divided - one part going down the left side, and the other, attracted by a knife in the right side pocket of his pantaloons, passing across his body, searing the skin severely in its course, particularly where the knife lay. The other was struck across the right side.
On the same evening, the Shop, Stable, barkmill, and bark house of John Weidman, Esq. of Jonestown, Lebanon County, together with about 70 cords of bark and a quantity of hides, were destroyed by fire - one of the buildings having been struck by lightning.
On the same day an excellent barn, the property of Mr. Michael Brenneman, of Annville township, in the same county, was also struck by lightening, and consumed, together with its contents, consisting of about 2000 dozen sheaves of grain, hay, &c. Mr. Brenneman and two of his workmen, who were in one of the stables, were stunned by the lightning, but soon recovered and escaped.
Two barns, one the property of a Mr. Worthington, and the other belonging to Mrs. Smith on Carroli's Manor, Frederick county, Md were also consumed by lightning on the same evening.
Star and Republican Banner (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
August 14, 1832
The brig America sailed from Norfolk for Liberia on the 25th ult., having on board 127 free people of color – 102 of them liberated slaves, whose former owners have furnished them with an ample stock of clothing, groceries, agricultural and household utensils and tools of every kind necessary to assist them on their arrival in Africa to furnish their settlements. 16 of those, who are very valuable, were emancipated by Mrs. Page of Jefferson county, Virginia, the sister of Bishop Mead.
Charles Thomson - Man of Truth
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 22 1822 Page 3
Albany, N.Y. July 2
A gentleman of this city lately visited the venerable Charles Thomson, secretary of the continental congress in the revolutionary war, at his seat, 12 miles from Philadelphia, on the old Lancaster road. Mr. Thomson has reached the advanced age of ninety-three, enjoys tolerable bodily health, and walks with apparent ease and pleasure to himself. His sight is so good as to enable him to read without spectacles, but he hears with difficulty. His mind is evidently in decay; it is the ruins of superior intellect. Far from being puerile, it still bears the impress of greatness, and a familiarity with the best ancient and modern authors. He dwells with peculiar interest on the scenes of the revolutionary war, and relates, with great precision, many anecdotes of its prominent characters.
On being asked what caused such implicit faith to be put in the documents signed by him, he answered "It was well known that he had resolved, in despite of consequences, never to put his official signature to any account, for the accuracy of which he could not vouch as a man of honor," and so well was this understood, that when Mr. T. was adopted by the Six Nations of Indians, they emphatically named him "the man of truth."
Taken From the Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
September 6 1826
Some interesting reminiscence of the early history of Pennsylvania, has lately been published in the interior of this state. It is related that Thomas Penn, who came over to make a settlement in Pennsylvania in 1732, contracted with Teeyusccuing & some others, whom the Indians said had a right to sell, for a certain sum, the Indian title to all the land to be taken off by a parallel of latitude from any point, as far as the best of three men could walk in a day, between sunrise and sunset, from a certain chestnut tree at, or near Bristol, in a north west direction. Great care was used to select the most capable for such a walk. The choice fell on James Yeates, a native of Bucks, a tall slim man, of much agility and speed of foot. Second, Solomon Jennings, a yankee, a remarkable stout and strong man. Third, Edward Marshall, a native of Bucks, a noted hunter, chain carrier &c., a huge, heavy set and strong boned man,
The day was appointed and the champions notified. The people collected at what they thought the first 20 miles on Durham road to see them pass. First came Yates, stepping as light as a feather, accompanied by T. Penn and attendents on horse-back. After him, but out of sight came Jennings, with a strong, steady step; and not far behind, Edward Marshall, apparently careless, swinging a hatchet in his hand, eating a biscuit – bets ran in favor of Yates.
Marshall took biscuits to support his stomach, a hatchet to swing in his hands alternately, that the action in his arms should balance that in his legs – as he was fully determined to beat the others or die in the attempt. He said he first saw Yates in descending Durham creek, and gained on him. There he saw Yates sitting on a log very tired – presently he fell off, and gave up the walk. Marshall kept on and before he reached Lehigh, overtook and passed Jennings – waded the river at Bethlehem hurried on faster and faster by where Nazareth stands, to the Wind Gap. That was as far as the path had been marked for them to walk on, and there was waiting the collection of people to see if any of the three would reach it by sunset. He only halted for the Surveyor to give him a pocket compass and started again. Three Indian runners were sent after him to see if he walked it fair, and how far he went. He then passed to the right of Pocono mountain, the Indians finding it difficult to keep him in sight, till he reached Still Water – and he would have gone a few miles further but for the water. There he marked a tree, witnessed by three Indians. The distance he walked between sun and sun, not being on a straight line, and about 30 miles of it through the woods was estimated to be from 119 to 120 miles. He thus won the great prize, which was five pounds in money, and five hundred acres of land anywhere in the purchase.
It is added that James Yates, who led the way for the first thirty miles or more, was quite blind when taken out of Durham creek, and lived but three days afterwards. Solomon Jennings did not hold out but a few years. Edward Marshall lived and died on Marshall’s Island opposite Tinicum township, in the Delaware, aged about ninety years. He was a great hunter, and fortunately made a more productive walk than he did for Thomas Penn; for he found a rich silver mine, that rendered him and his family connections affluent, yet he carried the secret, where it was, out of the world with him.
Back to Pennsylvania Trails History and Genealogy
Death Before Slavery
The Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 22, 1833
Page 3 Column 1
A few days since, as the laborers employed on the Providence Aqueduct were at work in excavating the earth in the rear of Dyer’s Block, Broad street, they fell upon the bones of a human being, apparently belonging to a man of the age of thirty or forty years. The finding of the bones elicited a variety of conjecture, and whilst one was of opinion, that they belonged to some poor creature who fell a victim to Masonic vengeance, another was decidedly impressed with the belief, that they were the bones of one who had been murdered for his money.
In the midst of all this speculation, the venerable Captain Turpin Smith, from the stores of his memory shed a flood of light on the subject. According to Captain Smith, the bones unquestionably belonged to an unfortunate negro, who preferred the repose of the grave to a life of suffering and bondage. Thus was Capt. Smith’s story:
About the year 1758, seventy-five years ago, a sloop came to this port, from the Island of Curacoa, commanded and manned by three men of color, descended from the fathers of Africa. The sloop, in consequence of some informality in her papers, was seized, and the companions of her voyage were adjudged to be "contraband goods:, and it was decreed by the colonial courts, that they should be sold in perpetual bondage, for the benefit of his Majesty of England.
The day of the sale at length arrived, and the unoffending negroes were offered for sale at public auction "at the foot of the hill" near the place where the bones of which we have spoken were found. – When the Auctioneer had commenced the sale, one of the blacks stepped forward, and in the presence of the throng that had assembled, said, that if he were sold, he would kill himself on the spot, and thus escape that slavery to which he was not entitled. The Auctioneer considered the avowals of the black were rant and bravado, and in a few minutes sold him to a speculator in "bones and sinews." The moment the auctioneer had declared the sale, the indignant and despair-stricken negro, thrust a dagger to his heart, and instantly died on the spot! A hole was soon dug, into which he was thrust without ceremony, and there he has probably reposed until removed by the excavation a few days since. – City Gazette.
Star and Banner (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
February 2 1849
New Counties
An interesting feature of the present session of our State Legislature, is the number of projects, for new counties, to be formed out of parts of old ones. The following list of them is not uninteresting: "Lackawana" from the upper part of Luzerne, Carbondale to be the county seat; "Penn", out of part of Berks, Chester and Montgomery, Pottstown to be the county seat; "Conestoga", from parts of Lancaster and York, with Columbia for the county seat; "Tionesta," from parts of Venango, Crawford and Warren; "Carroll," from parts of Allegheny, Westmoreland, Fayette and Washington, with Monogahela city at the county sea; "Lawrence," from parts of Mercer and Beaver, Newcastle the proposed county seat.
EACH VETERAN IS ALLOWED TO BRING A FRIEND ALONG
Government Will Pay Expenses of Both To Gettysburg Reunion
(From the Freeport Journal Standard, (Freeport, Stephenson County IL) 27
May 1938
Donated by Christine Walters
If you know a Civil War veteran sunning himself on the front porch, persuade him to take you on a 10-day or two week vacation to Gettysburg - and the government will pay all expenses. The offer is open to not only Union Veterns but to
Confederate Veterans as well.
The offer may sound fantastic, but a fact is a fact and here is the situation. July 1 - 3, 1938 is the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, the so-called "high-water" mark of the mark of the confederacy. On that memorable occassion, General outfought General Lee. (We are accepting our school history on this. We have no dispute with southerners who thing otherwise. And anyway, Meade did so poorly on the pursuit after the battle that even Lincoln had to chide him a bit).
As part of the celebration, the government is inviting veterans of both sides to come to Gettysburg from June 29 to July 6. Each is to bring an attendent and the government is to provide railroad transportation for both as well as $6 a day each for expenses.
A glance at statistics would indicate that it could be the last of the very few times Confederate and Union soldiers ever have mingled freely together. The Army, which is in charge of the party estimates the average age of the veterans as 94 years. One of the provisions in the invitation is that if a veteran is taken ill on the road a doctor will be paid by the government for caring for him.
There are approximately 10,000 surviving veterans, north and south, and the army expects 5,000 will attend. Any Civil War veteran is illegible whether he served only a few hours in either army or years. To date less than 2,000 have accepted invitations. Some of the veterans have indicated they haven't cooled off much in the past 75 years. One Union veteran said he would come only if no Confederate Flag would be flown. One cocky lad of 117 winters said he was chipper and eager and would bring his youngest son who is 54 as attendant. His eldest son, 94, is too feeble.
Gettysburg is sacred ground, made so as much by Lincoln's historic speech, as by the battle that marked the first real setback to the southern forces. At that time the Confederates had swept far north of Washington and were invading Pennsylvania. From a military standpoint Gettysburg was a beautiful place for a battle, with the opposing forces arranged on high ground facing each other across a valley that at one place was only a few yards across. The old soldiers that knew Gettysburg will find the place not greatly changed. Some trees have grown and perhaps some bushes. A cathedral "quiet" about the place impresses even casual tourists.
So elderly are the surviving veterans that it seems like some who come will not live to get back. The army has made preparations to send home those who die these many years after the battle.
The Exploring Expedition of Major Long
Transcribed by Nancy Piper
The Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, PA)
5 Nov 1823 Page 2
Expedition of Major Long
The exploring expedition, conducted by Major Long of the United States army, took its departure from Philadelphia on the 30th of April last, with the view of traversing the American territory in a northwesterly direction, and returning by way of the great northern lakes. The gentlemen composing the expedition accordingly proceeded by way of Wheeling, Fort Wayne, Chicago, Prairie du Chien and Fort St. Anthony, to the source of the river St. Peter. They then traveled down the valley of the Red river, to its junction with the Assinniboin, having ascertained, agreeably to their instructions, the point at which the forty-ninth degree of north latitude, the northern boundary of the U. States, crosses that river. By this it appears that a considerable portion of the country occupied by the Colony of the late lord Selkirk, or that part of it called the Pembina settlements is included within the territory of the U. States.
The journey thus far was performed by land, the party being furnished with a sufficient number of horses for the transportation of their baggage and other uses.
At this place the expedition embarked on board of bark canoes, in which they descended Red river to its mouth, crossed the southern extremity of Lake Wenepeck, ascended Wenepeck river, proceeded through the Lake of the Woods, Rainy river and Lake, and down the Thamana Tekoea, to Lake Superior.
Here they exchanged their canoes for a bateau, in which they traversed the Lake to its outlet. During their voyage through the Lake, from the 15th to the 30th of September, the weather was exceedingly boisterous, snow squalls having occurred daily for nine days in succession. On the night of the 20th of September, the snow fell more than 3 inches deep, and the ground remained covered with it through the day following.
They pursued their voyage to Mackinaw in the same craft, and there left lieutenants Scott and Denny, and the guard detailed at Fort St. Anthony for the service of the expedition, with orders to join their regiment on the Mississippi.
They then sailed for Detroit on board the revenue cutter A. J. Dallas, where they embarked on board the steam boat Superior, and landed at Buffalo.
Pursuing their journey homeward, they took their passage on board one of the New York canal packet boats at Rochester on the Gennessee river, and traveled on the canal to Albany, whence they took the customary route to Philadelphia.
We are happy to learn that no accident or misfortune worthy of particular notice has happened to the party; that they were, for the most part, treated civilly by the natives, and with the utmost hospitality at the establishments of the Hudson Bay Company, several of which they passed on their route. Their tour extended to the fifty-first degree of north latitude, and embraced a circuit of more than 4,600 miles, upward of 3,000 of which were through a savage wilderness remote from the abodes of civilization. This long and hazardous expedition has been completed in the short period of three days less than six months, and greatly redoan is to the credit of the distinguished scientific office by whom it was conducted, as well as to his intelligent brother officers and companions. It will also, no doubt, add much to the stock of knowledge of our northwestern territory and its resources. – Frank. Gaz.
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Long, Stephen Harriman, 1784–1864, American explorer, b. Hopkinton, N.H. As an army engineer, Long was sent on several exploring and surveying expeditions. The first in 1817 was to the region of the upper Mississippi and the Fox-Wisconsin portage; it is recorded in his Voyage in a Six-oared Skiff to the Falls of St. Anthony (1860). A journey to the Rocky Mts. in 1819–20 provided much new knowledge of the mountains. He climbed several peaks, including Long's Peak, and explored the regions of the Platte and Arkansas rivers. Edwin James's Account of an Expedition from Pittsburgh to the Rocky Mountains (2 vol. and an atlas, 1822–23) tells of that journey. In 1823, Long led an expedition to determine the source of the Minnesota River and to study the United States–Canadian boundary W of the Great Lakes. Some of his notes were used in W. H. Keating's Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of the St. Peter's River (1824). Chosen to select a route for the Baltimore and Ohio RR, he made a survey that resulted in an authoritative railroad manual, with tables of grades and curves. (source: www.answers.com)
Pennsylvania Finds 7 Other Declarations
Taken From the Charleroi Mail, Charleroi, Pennsylvania
July 26, 1943
Harrisburg, Pa (UP) - A search of Pennsylvania archives disclosed that seven other "Declarations of Independence" were signed in this state on the same day or prior to that drawn in Philadelphia, the anniversary of which was celebrated July 4.
The State Department of Commerce recounted that on July 4, 1776, unaware of the action at Philadelphia, the "Fair Play Men" of Pine Creek, 275 miles northwest, met under an elm and put their signatures to a declaration of independence.
That tree, estimated to be more than 500 years old, still stands just west of Jersey Shore and is known by local historians as the "Tiadaghton (Indian for Pine Creek) Elm".
Earliest of the "declarations" was that of East Hanover, near Harrisburg, June 4, 1774, and other were at Hummelstown, June 11; Lebanon, June 25; Reading, July 2; Lancaster, July 9, all in 1774, and in Hannastown, north of Greenburg, May 16, 1775.
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