1843 History of  Clinton County, Pennsylvania

CLINTON COUNTY

Clinton County is of recent origin, having been separated from Lycoming and Centre by the act of 1839. Bald Eagle, Lamar, and Logan townships were taken from Centre, the others from Lycoming. The co. forms an irregular figure, about 50 miles long and 20 wide, with an area of about 1,070 square miles. The population in 1820 (by estimate) was 3,894 ; by the census in 1840, 8,323. It comprises an important portion of the West Branch valley, including the mouths of the Sinnemahoning and Bald Eagle creeks, and of several minor tributaries. In the lower part of the co. the W. Branch of the Susquehanna breaks through the great Allegheny mountain, which at this point seems to lose much of its loftiness, as if in courtesy to the beautiful stream. The Bald Eagle mountain, a remarkably straight and distinct ridge, runs close along the right bank of Bald Eagle cr. and the W. Branch. The valleys of these streams below the mountains contain lands that for beauty and fertility will compare with any in the state. Northwest of the mountains, and on the headlands of the streams, the valleys are narrow, the surface broken and precipitous, and the soil but of middling quality, being composed of the conglomerates and sandstones skirting the great coal formation. The Allegheny mountain forms the eastern limit of that formation, the coal bearing rocks reposing upon the coarse conglomerate that forms the bold eastern front of that mountain throughout the state. This part of the co. will probably never be settled by a dense population. Scattered settlements of farmers, miners, and lumbermen exist at intervals along the margin of the river and on the tributary valleys.

On Queens and Lick run, and on the Tangascootac, seams of coal have been found of excellent quality, together with a thick bed of fire-brick clay. Iron ore, also, and limestone occur, but not in quantity and quality to justify exploration. The ores and limestone for the great furnace at Farrandsville were brought from other counties. The numerous streams of this co., tumbling down as they do along the ravines of the mountains, furnish an ample amount of water-power. The co. is still but thinly settled in proportion to its area ; the greater proportion of the population is concentrated at the lower end.

Late in the fall of '77, Job Gilloway, a friendly Indian, intimated that a powerful descent of marauding Indians might be expected before long upon the head-waters of the Susquehanna; and near the close of that season the Indians killed a settler by the name of Saltzburn, on the Sinnemahoning, and Dan Jones, at the mouth of Tangascootac. In the summer of 1778, the officer in command at Fort Augusta (Sunbury) ordered all the families on the W. Branch to abandon their homes, and repair for protection to Northumberland. The flight which followed in obedience to this order, is known in the traditions of the W. Branch as the big runaway. A more detailed account of it will be found under Lycoming county.

All the old settlers on the Susquehanna are familiar with the names of Moses and Jacobus Van Campen, or, as they were usually called, Moses and 'Cobus Van Camp. Major Moses Van Campen was still living at Dansville, N. Y., in 1838, when he petitioned congress for a pension. His petition records deeds of heroism rarely equalled.

The following passages relate to this region:-

"In Feb. 1781, I was promoted to a lieutenancy, and entered upon the active duty of an officer by heading scouts ; and as Capt. Robinson was no woodsman nor marksman, he preferred that I should encounter the danger and head the scouts. We kept up a constant chain of scouts around the frontier settlements, from the North to the West branch of the Susquehanna, by the way of the head-waters of Little Fishing cr., Chillisquake, Muncy, &c. In the spring of 1781, we built a fort on the widow M'Clure's plantation, called M'Clure's fort, where our provisions were stored. In the summer of 1781, a man was taken prisoner in Buffalo valley, but made his escape. He came in and reported there were about 300 Indians on Sinnemahoning, hunting and laying in a store of provisions, and would make a descent on the frontiers; that they would divide into small parties, and attack the whole chain of the frontier at the same time, on the same day. Col. Samuel Hunter selected a company of five to reconnoiter, viz.: Capt. Campell, Peter and Michael Groves, Lieut. Cramer, and myself. The party was called the Grove party. We carried with us three weeks' provisions, and proceeded up the West Branch with much caution and care. We reached the Sinnemahoning, but made no discovery except old tracks. We marched up the Sinnemahoning so far that we were satisfied it was a false report. We returned; and a little below the Sinnemahoning, near night, we discovered a smoke. We were confident it was a party of Indians, which we must have passed by, or they got there some other way. We discovered there was a large party-how many we could not tell-but prepared for the attack."

" As soon as it wag dark we new-primed our rifles, sharpened our flints, examined our tomahawk handles; and all being ready, we waited with great impatience till they all lay down. The time came, and with the utmost silence we advanced, trailed our rifles in one hand, and the tomahawk in the other. The night was warm : we found some of them rolled in their blankets a rod or two from their fires. Having got amongst them, we first handled our tomahawks. They rose like a dark cloud. We now fired our shots, and raised the war-yell. They took to flight in the utmost confusion, but few taking time to pick up their rifles. We remained masters of the ground and all their plunder, and took several scalps. It was a party of 25 or 30, which had been as low down as Penn's cr., and had killed and scalped two or three families. We found several scalps of different ages which they had taken, and a large quantity of domestic cloth, which was carried to Northumberland and given to the distressed who had escaped the tomahawk and knife. In Dec. 1781, our company was ordered to Lancaster. We descended the river in boats to Middletown, where our orders were countermanded, and we were ordered to Reading, Berks co., where we were joined by a part of the third and fifth Pennsylvania regiments, and a company of the Congress regiment. We took charge of the Hessians taken prisoners with Gen. Burgoyne. In the latter part of March, at the opening of the campaign in 1782, we were ordered by congress to our respective stations. 1 marched Robinson's company to Northumberland, where Mr. Thomas Chambers joined us, who had been recently commissioned as an ensign of our company. We halted at Northumberland two or three days, for our men to wash and rest From thence Ensign Chambers and myself were ordered to Muncy, Samuel Wallis's plantation, there to make a stand and rebuild Fort Muncy, which had been destroyed by the enemy. We reached that station, and built a small blockhouse for the storage of our provisions. About the 10th or 11th of April, Capt. Robinson came on with Esq. Culbertson, James Dougherty, William M'Grady, and a Mr. Barkley. I was ordered to select 20 or 25 men with these gentlemen, and to proceed up the West Branch to the Big Island, and thence up the Bald Eagle cr. to the place where a Mr. Culbertson had been killed. On the 15th of April, at night, we reached the place, and encamped for the night. On the morning of the 16th we were attacked by 85 Indians. It was a hard-fought battle. Esq. Culbertson and two others made their escape. I think we had nine killed, and the rest of us were made prisoners. We were stripped of all our clothing excepting our pantaloons. When they took off my shirt they discovered my commission. Our commissions were written on parchment, and carried in a silk case hung with a ribbon in our bosom. Several got hold of it; and one fellow cut the ribbon with his knife, and succeeded in obtaining it. They took us a little distance from the battle-ground, and made the prisoners sit down in a small ring ; the Indians forming another around us in close order, each with his rifle and tomahawk in his hand. They brought up five Indians we had killed, and laid them within their circle. Each one reflected for himself-our time would probably be short; and respecting myself, looking back upon the year 1780, at the party I had killed, if I was discovered to be the person, my case would be a hard one. Their prophet, or chief warrior, made a speech. As I was informed afterwards by the British lieutenant, who belonged to the party, he was consulting the Great Spirit what to do with the prisoners-whether to kill us on the spot, or spare our lives. He came to the conclusion that there had been blood enough shed; and as to the men they had lost, it was the fate of war, and we must be taken and adopted into the families of those whom we had killed. We were then divided amongst them, according to the number of fires. Packs were prepared for us, and they returned across the river, at Big island, in bark canoes. They then made their way across hills, and came to Pine cr., above the first forks, which they followed up to the third fork, and took the most northerly branch to the head of it-and thence to the waters of the Genesee river."

Van Campen observed that he considered himself a prisoner of war to the British; that he thought they possessed more honor than to deliver him up to the Indians to be burnt at the stake; and in case they did, they might depend upon a retaliation in the life of one of their officers. The officer withdrew, but shortly returned and informed him that there remained no alternative for him to save his life but to abandon the rebel cause and join the British standard. A further inducement was offered, that he should hold the same rank in the British service that he now possessed. The answer of Van Campen was worthy the hero, and testified that the heart of the patriot never quailed under the most trying circumstances: " No, sir, no-my life belongs to my country; give me the stake, the tomahawk, or the scalping-knife, before I will dishonor the character of an American officer."' '

In a few days Van Campen was sent down the lake to Montreal, and afterwards exchanged, when he returned to the service of his country.

After the peace of 1783 with Great Britain, the settlers in the Bald Eagle country returned with more confidence and in greater numbers. Gen. Potter had been engaged, during the revolution, in the campaigns with Gen. Washington, in the lower country. After the peace, it appears from documents still in possession of the family, he came up the West Branch, as agent and surveyor, in the employ of a company of land speculators, consisting of Col. Timothy Pickering, Tench Coxe, Ingraham, and Hodgdon. Their instructions to him refer to the intended introduction of a colony of settlers at some point not mentioned: they speak of allowing the choice of 200 acres, at a fair price, to the first person who would build a saw-mill-set apart lands for a minister, church, &c, with the hope that it might entice a moral class of settlers-and speak of a road to be made " from second fork of Sinnemahoning to the centre of the settlement," &c. This was after the second treaty of Fort Stanwix, in 1784, which ceded all the northwestern section of the state. Where this new settlement was to be made, whether in Clinton or some more remote county, the papers do not show.

The first county commissioners were Col. Kleckner, Hugh White, and Robert Bridgens. Mr. Church made a liberal donation of land for the public buildings, a few squares back from the river ; upon which there has just been completed an elegant courthouse of brick, ornamented with a cupola, and a colonnade in front. Near the courthouse is the office of Mr. Church, elevated upon posts set in the ground, with a gallery round it. It is a unique and original piece of architecture, quite characteristic of the owner.

In addition to the county buildings, the place contains 80 or 100 dwellings, including stores and taverns; an academy, endowed by the state with $2,000 ; a large steam flouring and saw mill; and, to use the worthy founder's expression, " two meeting-houses and one Church,-" the meeting-houses being Presbyterian and Methodist: the church rather inclines to the independent order. The dwellings display great neatness and taste ; the hotels are spacious and well kept. The principal business street extends along the river bank, and is shaded with the stately elms of the primitive forest. Much credit is due to Mr. Church for having preserved these trees, in laying out the town. Most town-makers would have commenced operations by leveling them to the ground. Mr. Church has built a curious rookery 10 or 15 feet from the ground, under the shade of these elms, in which, with his friends, to smoke his cigar and read his newspaper in the long summer afternoons, and watch the passage of the boats and rafts, and the gentle flow of the lovely Susquehanna. By the construction of the state dam the river is here expanded to a capacious basin. The West Branch canal is completed as far as this point; and only five miles remain to be finished to complete a canal communication with Bellefonte. A long chute, walled with timber, permits the numerous rafts of the upper Susquehanna to pass the dam. On the side near the town an ample power may be used from the river. It is not yet improved. The scenery around is romantic and picturesque. Looking down the Susquehanna may be seen one of the most luxuriant valleys in the state, with the river and canals meandering through it, the high mountains stretching in long perspective on either side, and the landscape softened and enriched with the foliage of the graceful locust or acacia trees. In the other direction the towering crests of the Allegheny and the Bald Eagle mountains shut in the landscape, imparting grandeur and sublimity to the scene.

Lock Haven already furnishes a desirable residence, and evidently has the elements of becoming a flourishing town.

While the dam near this place was in progress of erection, a serious riot occurred between the Irish laborers, principally Corkonians, and the German laborers from Mahantango, who were boating stone for the dam. There were some black eyes and flesh wounds exchanged on the occasion, and one or two men were wounded with shot guns. Major Colt's shantee was torn down, and he had like to have been beaten to death, but for the interference of an Irishman who protected him. Capt. Hunter Wilson's company of horse, and other companies, assembled and restored quiet.

Lick run is a strong, steady stream. On it is erected a large nail establishment, capable of manufacturing from the pig metal ten tons of nails per day : an air and cupola furnace, which in the last six months have turned out nearly 300 tons of castings; mills for sawing different descriptions of lumber, shingles, lath, &c.; an establishment for manufacturing railroad can on a large scale. There are now three veins of coal opening, and the shutes in; 50 coal cars finished, and in the best manner, and two miles of railroad, communicating with the different mines and the basin, finished. One track of the road leads to the nail-works, which are calculated to consume 5,000 tons of coal per year. An extensive rolling-mill is in progress, and a furnace for smelting iron ore with coke will be erected in a short time, immediately below the nailworks. Farrandsville proper is situated on the Susquehanna ; on the mountain where the coal mines have been opened, there are a number of buildings, where the miners and their families reside, with a street running between them town-fashion ; and at the foot of this mountain, at Lick run, there are also large boarding-houses and habitations for artisans and their families. These three separate towns, however, all belong to the community of Farrandsville, which contains a large hotel, far advanced in the erection, two reputable taverns, three large boarding-houses, and upwards of 90 tenements, each calculated to render a family entirely comfortable. Here are inexhaustible mines of iron, with the bituminous coal for smelting it, and all the elements for building up a manufacturing establishment capable of supplying iron in all its forms to our widely extended and populous country.