mountain to Honesdale, and thence by canal to New York. The coal was formerly wrought by laying bare the surface of the stratum; but is now excavated by means of drifts, and side chambers; it is sent away as fast as mined. About 300 miners are employed; they are paid by the ton, two men contracting for a chamber in the mine. The use of the neighboring land is allowed them free for the purpose of building shanties. The miners are principally Irish and Welsh, and compose a large part of the population of the place. Their shanties are crowded together on two hills, Irish hill, and Welsh hill, and from the village have the appearance of the camp of an army in winter-quarters. The dwellings of the mercantile and professional citizens in the village are neat, and pleasantly adorned with trees, and the place has quite a bustling, business-like air. There are here Catholic, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, Welsh Baptist, and Independent Welsh churches. The annexed view shows a number of the churches on the left. The Catholic church is that with a

steeple. The shanties of the miners are seen on the hill in the distance. Population of the town and township in 1840, 2,398. The lands in this vicinity were originally owned by Mr. Russell, a wealthy English gentleman, who resided with or near Dr. Priestley, at Northumberland. He took up large tracts in the north part of the state. (For a history of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, &c., &c., see Wayne co.)

CONYNGHAM is a pleasant village, situated in the Nescopeck valley, on the Berwick and Mauch Chunk turnpike, about 20 miles from Wilkesbarre. The "warrior's path" across the mountains between Wyoming and Gnadenhutten, passed not far from this place. The town has a considerable trade with the contiguous valley, which is chiefly settled by Germans. NESCOPECK is a pleasant village on the Susquehanna, opposite Berwick, with which it is connected by a bridge.

STODDARTSVILLE and WHITE HAVEN are on the Lehigh river, in the midst of the great lumber-country. The latter place promises to increase by the trade with the railroad from Wilkesbarre, here communicating with the Lehigh Navigation.

LYCOMING COUNTY.

LYCOMING COUNTY was taken from Northumberland by the act of 13th April, 1795. It then comprised all the northwestern part of the state beyond Mifflin, Huntingdon, and Westmoreland counties, and as far as the Allegheny river. Its limits have been curtailed by the successive establishment of Centre, Armstrong, Indiana, Clearfield, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga, and Clinton counties. Length 60 miles, breadth 30; area 1,500 sq. miles. Population in 1800, 5,414; in 1810, 11,006; in 1820, 13,517; in 1830, 17,636; in 1840, 22,649.

The West branch of the Susquehanna flows through the southern portion of the co., receiving as its principal tributaries, on the left or north bank, Pine, Larry's, Lycoming, Loyalsock, and Muncy creeks; and on the right bank, Nippenose, Black Hole, and White Deer Hole creeks. Nature has divided this co. into two distinct portions, forming a perfect contrast to each other. One, and by far the largest portion, comprises the wild, rugged, and sterile region of Allegheny and Laurel Hill mountains, which sweep in a broad belt across the northern and central parts of the co., rising to the height of 1,500 or 2,000 feet above the lower country. This region can only sustain a very sparse population along the narrow valleys of the streams. It contains, however, several valuable beds of bituminous coal and iron ore, and vast forests of pine timber. The other portion of the co., comprising the lovely valley of the West Branch, with the subordinate limestone valleys to the south of it, and Muncy valley on the east, is not surpassed in picturesque beauty or fertility by any section of Pennsylvania, and promises to sustain a very dense population. The valley of the W. Branch is shut in on the south by the continuation of the Bald Eagle mountain, which separates it from Nippenose and White Deer Hole val leys. The southern boundary of the co. is the White Deer mountain.

The Nippenose valley presents a very curious formation. It is an oval limestone basin, about ten miles long, surrounded on every side by high hills, the streams from which, after descending a short distance towards the centre of the valley, lose themselves under the surface of the limestone rocks. Nippenose cr. collects their waters from springs bursting up from the rocks on the north side of the valley, and conveys them away to the West Branch.

The internal improvements of the co. are the state canal along the left bank of the West Branch, extending into Clinton co.; the Williamsport and Elmira railroad, finished as far as Ralston, 26 miles from Williamsport; and an excellent stone turnpike along the West Branch.

Agriculture and lumbering form the principal occupations of the citizens; there are several iron works along Lycoming cr. and its tributaries. The census of 1840 enumerates in the co. 4 furnaces, 3 forges, bloomeries, rolling-mills, &c., 20 tanneries, 10 fulling-mills and woollen manufactories, and 11 distilleries.

The population of the co. was originally composed of Scotch-Irish and Quakers, from the lower counties of the state, and their descendants still occupy the valleys, together with many Germans and others from Pennsylvania and New York.

The purchase of land by the proprietary government at the treaty of Fort Stanwix,* Nov. 5, 1768, then known as the "new purchase," opened the way for the settlement of the whites on the West Branch. Previous to this date, the valley had been occupied by a few straggling bands of Shawanee and Monsey Indians, who had retired from the lower valley of the Susquehanna; and occasionally parties of the Senecas came down to hunt, or more commonly to fall upon the defenceless families of the frontier. The Indians dwelling here were visited by David Brainerd, and by the Moravian missionaries, about the years 1744 to 46. The terms and boundaries of the purchase were as follows:

We, Tyanhasare, alias Abraham, sachem or chief of the Indian nation called the Mohocks, Senughsis of the Oneydas; Chenughiata of the Onondagos; Gaustarax-of the Senecas; Sequarisera of the Tuscaroras; Tagaaia-of the Cayugas, in general council of the Six Nations at Fort Stanwix, assembled for the purpose of settling a general boundary line between the said Six Nations, and their confederate and dependant tribes, and his majesty's middle colonies, send greeting, &c. In consideration of ten thousand dollars, they grant to Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, all that part of the province of Pennsylvania, not heretofore purchased of the Indians, within the said general boundary line, and beginning in the said boundary line, on the east side of the East branch of the river Susquehanna, at a place called Owegy, and running with the said boundary line, down the said branch on the east side thereof, till it comes opposite the mouth of a creek called by the Indians Awandac, (Tawandee,) and across the river and up the said creek on the south side thereof, and along the range of hills called Burnett's hills by the English, and by the Indians on the north side of them, to the heads of a creek which

runs into the West branch of the Susquehanna, which creek is by the Indians called Tiadaghton, and down the said creek on the south side thereof, to the said West branch of Susquehanna, then crossing the said river, and running up the same on the south side thereof, the several courses thereof to the fork of the same river which lies nearest to a place on the river Ohio, called the Kittanning, and from the said fork by a straight line to Kittanning aforesaid, and then down the said river Ohio by the several courses thereof to where the western bounds of the said province of Pennsylvania cross the same river, and then with the said western bounds to the south boundary thereof, and with the south boundary aforesaid to the east side of the Allegheny hills, and with the said hills on the east side of them to the west line of a tract of land purchased by the said proprietors from the Six Nation Indians, and confirmed October 23d, 1758, and then with the northern bounds of that tract to the river Susquehanna, and crossing the river Susquehanna to the northern boundary line of another tract of land purchased of the Indians by deed, (August 22d, 1749,) and then with that northern boundary line to the river Delaware at the north side of the mouth of a creek called Lechawachsein, then up the said river Delaware on the west side thereof to the intersection of it, by an east line to be drawn from Owegy aforesaid to the said river Delaware, and then with that east line to the beginning at Owegy aforesaid.

During several years previous to the purchase, the Scotch-Irish rangers of the Kittatinny valley had often visited the valley of the West Branch, extending their excursions as far up as the Big island, for the purpose of cutting off hostile parties of Indians, and their practised eyes had not failed to notice the extreme fertility and beauty of the land. Accordingly, no sooner was the purchase known, than a crowd of these adventurers flocked in, and when the land-office was opened in April following, it was besieged by a great number of applicants, and it became necessary to decide the priority of location by lottery. The purchases were limited to 300 acres for each individual, at £5 per 100 acres, and one penny per acre quit-rent. An allotment was made of 104,000 acres to the officers of the provincial regiments, who had served during the Indian campaigns, and who were desirous of settling together. Soon after the purchase of 1768, a question arose between the settlers and the government, whether Lycoming cr. or Pine cr. was the English name for the stream called Tiadaghton in the treaty; and the question remained unsettled for sixteen

* Fort Stanwix occupied the present site of Rome, on the Erie canal, in New York.

years, when, at another treaty at Fort Stanwix, in 1784, it was learned from the Indians that Tiadaghton meant Pine cr. In the mean time, says a note in Smith's Laws, vol. 2—

There existed a great number of locations of the 3d of April, 1769, for the choicest lands on the West branch of Susquehanna, between the mouths of Lycoming and Pine creeks; but the proprietaries from extreme caution, the result of that experience, which had also produced the very penal laws of 1768 and 1769, and the proclamation already stated, had prohibited any sur veys being made beyond the Lycoming. In the mean time, in violation of all law, a set of hardy adventurers had from time to time seated themselves on this doubtful territory. They made im. provements, and formed a very considerable population. It is true, so far as regarded the rights to real property, they were not under the protection of the laws of the country; and were we to adopt the visionary theories of some philosophers, who have drawn their arguments from a supposed state of nature, we might be led to believe that the state of these people would have been a state of continual warfare; and that in contests for property the weakest must give way to the strongest. To prevent the consequences, real or supposed, of this state of things, they formed a mutual compact among themselves. They annually elected a tribunal, in rotation, of three of their settlers, whom they called fair-play-men, who were to decide all controversies, and settle disputed boundaries. From their decision there was no appeal. There could be no resistance. The decree was enforced by the whole body, who started up in mass, at the mandate of the court, and execution and eviction were as sudden and irresistible as the judgment. Every new-comer was obliged to apply to this powerful tribunal, and upon his solemn engagement to submit in all respects to the law of the land, he was permitted to take possession of some vacant spot. Their decrees were, however, just; and when their settlements were recognised by law, and fair play had ceased, their decisions were received in evidence, and confirmed by judgments of courts.

The process of ejection, when any person refused to comply with the decrees under the code of fair-play, was to place the offender in a canoe, row him down to the mouth of Lycoming cr., the boundary of civilization, and there set him adrift. The "seat of justice" of the fair-play-men is said to have been at Chatham's mill, now Ferguson's, near the mouth of Chatham's run. After the true construction of the treaty had been learned, a law was passed, allowing the settlers between Lycoming and Pine creeks a pre-emption right to not over 300 acres each, on proof of actual settlement previous to 1780. This pre-emption was granted, as the law declared, in consideration of " their resolute stand and sufferings during the late [revolutionary] war." Many cases subsequently came before the courts under this law, in which it became necessary to prove by oral testimony the usages of the fair-play men. While Chief-justice McKean was holding court in this district, partly, perhaps, from curiosity, and partly with reference to the case before him, he inquired of Bratton Caldwell, a shrewd old Irish pioneer, if he could tell him exactly what the provisions of the fair-play code were? Bratton's memory did not serve him as to details; he could only convey an idea of them by comparison. "All I can say is," said he, "that since your honor's courts have come among us, fair-play has entirely ceased, and law has taken its place."

During seven years after the purchase, a state of peace prevailed on the frontier, and the pioneers of the West Branch were permitted quietly to build their cabins and clear their fields. Scarcely, however, had they begun to enjoy the comforts which their industry had secured, when the alarm of the opening revolution called them to a new field of duty. The change was not great from the life of the hunter and backwoodsman to that of the soldier. Always patriotic; accustomed to war by long training in the frontier campaigns of 1755 to '63; and having been ever the decided opponents of royal government, even as a substitute for that of the proprietaries, the Scotch-Irish of the West Branch eagerly seized their

arms in the cause of independence: and although their own homes were exposed to savage invasions, and their families but poorly provided with the necessaries of life, they cheerfully left them for the scenes of active service at Boston.

Stockade forts were erected at each important settlement along the river, as places of refuge for families in times of invasion. Some of these were garrisoned by continental or provincial troops; others were defended by the settlers of the neighborhood. There was a blockhouse near the site of Lock Haven, commanded in 1778 by Col. Long. Samuel Horn's fort was on the right bank of the West Branch, a little below Chatham's mill, and three miles above the mouth of Pine cr. Antis' fort was also on the right bank, at the head of Nippenose bottom. Fort Muncy was between Pennsborough and the mouth of Muncy cr. Fort Menninger was at the mouth of Warrior's run, and Freeland's fort was four miles up the run.* Fort Schwartz was one mile above Milton; and Boon's fort two miles above Milton, on Muddy run; Fort Bosley, on the Chillisquaque, near where Washington now is; Fort Jenkins near Bloomsburg, and Fort Augusta at Sunbury.

Lycoming co. during the revolution was a part of Northumberland, and much of its history will be found under the head of that county. One of the most important events that occurred on the West Branch at that epoch was the big runaway, as it is called by the early settlers. The following account of it was given to the compiler by the venerable Robert Covenhoven, (usually called Crownover,) an aged pioneer, who still lives in the neighborhood of Jersey Shore :

In the autumn of 1777, Job Gilloway, a friendly Indian, had given intimation that a powerful descent of marauding Indians might be expected before long on the head-waters of the Susquehanna. 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 spring of 1778 Col. Hepburn, afterwards Judge Hepburn, was stationed with a small force at Fort Muncy at the mouth of Wallis' run, near which several murders had been committed. The Indians had killed Brown's and Benjamin's families, and had taken Cook and his wife prisoners on Loyalsock cr. Col. Hunter of Fort Augusta, alarmed by these murders, sent orders to Fort Muncy that all the settlers in that vicinity should evacuate, and take refuge at Sunbury. Col. Hepburn was ordered to pass on the orders to Antis' and Horn's forts above. To carry this message none would volunteer except Covenhoven and a young Yankee millwright, an apprentice to Andrew Culbertson. Purposely avoiding all roads, they took their route along the top of Bald Eagle ridge until they reached Antis' gap, where they descended towards the fort at the head of Nippenose bottom. At the bottom of the hill they were startled by the report of a rifle near the fort, which had been fired by an Indian at a girl. The girl had just stooped to milk a cow-the harmless bullet passed through her clothes between her limbs and the ground. Milking cows in those days was dangerous work. The Indians had just killed in the woods Abel Cady and Zephaniah Miller, and mortally wounded young Armstrong, who died that night. The messengers delivered their orders that all persons should evacuate within a week, and they were also to send word up to Horn's fort.

On his way up Covenhoven had staid all night with Andrew Armstrong, who then lived at the head of the long reach, where Esq. Seward now lives. Covenhoven warned him to quit, but he did not like to abandon his crops, and gave no heed to the warning. The Indians came upon him suddenly and took him prisoner with his oldest child and Nancy Bunday: his wife, who was enceinte, concealed herself under the bed and escaped.

Covenhoven hastened down to his own family, and having taken them safely to Sunbury, returned in a keel-boat to secure his household furniture. As he was rounding a point above Derrs. town (now Lewisburg,) he met the whole convoy from all the forts above; such a sight he never saw in his life. Boats, canoes, hog-troughs, rafts hastily made of dry sticks-every sort of floating article had been put in requisition, and were crowded with women, children, and "plunder”— there were several hundred people in all. Whenever any obstruction occurred at a shoal or rip

* For an account of the capture of Freeland's fort, see Northumberland county.