The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
THE HISTORY OF A TITLE.
First and Second Pennamite Wars.

youth. when her life was full of ad-
venture and stirring deeds, and only
the sound of the axe and the rifle broke
the stiffness of the forest. One of the
most interesting Of her adventures was
fought out in this part of Pennsylva-
mia. in the valleys of the Lackawanna
and the Susquehanna. The story be-
gins in England in the time of King
James the First, when that monarch
divided the English discoveries in the
New World into South Virginia and
North Virginia, or New England, and
granted the latter. in 1920. to forty
noblemen, calling themselves 1.-THE
Plymouth Company" This company,
In 1881. decided that section of the terri
tory now occupied by the state of Con-
necticut and extending west as far as
the South Sea, to Lord Say and Seal,
Lord Brooke and others. Numerous
settlements were made in the new coun-
try, and by 1861 there was a sufficient
number of people to purchase the land
from the proprietors, and to incorporate
1t into 1.-The English Colony of Con-
necticut. In New England. in America"
For almost hundred years the col
ony was so taken up with her home in
terests, that she gave no thought to the
territory she claimed toward the Pa
citic ocean. An occasional trader or
hunter would come to her settlements
and tell Of beautiful valley In her
western land, rich in game and timber,
and fertile as Canaan Of old, and some
of her people restless under the re-
straint of the towns, or tired Of their
stony fields. listening to these men,
would murmur to 60 forth and possess
the land. This unrest gradually grew
until 1853, when six hundred COnnecti-
cut people formed themselves into
"The Susquehanna Company" to settle
the valley Of Wyoming. AS there were
three requisites for perfect title.-"a
granted charter from the king, pur-
chase of the soil from the Indians and
possession, and as this company had
the first Of these, they proceeded to get
the second in 1754, at conference held
by the British government in Albany
with the chiefs Of the Six Nations.
For the sum of two thousand pounds
the Indians sold the whole of the wy
oming valley and sufficient other terri.
tory to cover tract of five million
acres. The colony Of Pennsylvania
sent commissioners to oppose this pur-
chase. as she claimed the same terri
tory was covered 10y 4 grant given to
William Penn In 1881, by Charles the
Second, and also by a deed made with
tne6e same llQllNS III 1850.
THE FIRST COLONY.
The Susquehanna Company had now
all the requisites for a title except pos
session. The French and Indian war
soon broke out, and interfered with
any efforts at colonization until 1862,
when settlement was made on Mill
Creek above Wilkes-Barre, which was
totally destroyed the next year by hos
tile Indians. This disaster SO discour-
aged the Connecticut people that no at
tempt was made to enter the valley for
five years. In 176S the company re-
solved that five townships, five miles
square should be surveyed and grantee
each to forty settlers, being proprie-
tors, on condition that those settlers
should remain upon the ground, man
their rights, and defend themselves,
and each other, from the intrusion Of
all rival claims" Accordingly forty
settlers for the first township, Wilkes
Barre, started toward Wyoming in the
dead Of winter travelling in OK carts or
on horseback, exposed TO many hard
ships. One month before their arrival
the proprietors Of Pennsylvania grant
ed the same territory to three gentle
men, one Of whom was the sheriff Of
Northampton county, on condition of
defending the lands from the Con-
necticut settlers" With force Of ten
men these Pennamites took possession
in January, Of the old stockade of the
first Connecticut settlers. The Yankees
arrived in February, and at once be-
sieged the temporary fort. They would
have been successful, but for strata
membering the Yankee love Of argu-
ing" suggested conference, by means
of which three Of the Connecticut lead
ers were enticed into the ck-house,
arrested and carried prisoners to Eas-
ton. Friends bailed them out, and they
We're allowed to return, only to be car
ried back with the other settlers by the
sheriff and a large posse. They were
soon released, and on their return were
joined by two hundred Yankees VINO
had come to take possession Of the re-
naming townships. The victorious
Pennamites were at once driven out,
and thus the struggle went on, each
side building forts, and according as
their numerical strength preponderat-
ed, driving each other out of the disput-
spilled. and much suffering caused to
innocent women and children.
THE ORIGIN OF PROVIDENCE.
In spite of this struggle the Susque-
hanna Company succeeded in settling
seventeen townships with q population
of three thousand persons. The sixth
township has an especial interest to us,
as 1t includes our city within its boun-
daries. 1t was laid out in 1910 and
called Providence. after the Rhode
Island town of that name. thirty of its
settlers belonging to that colony. They
| a fret ppynrppd thap, ca1yoc 1,1,o sra,,
eral council which met at stated inter-
walls. and they allowed only those to
settle who would be good, wholesome
inhabitants" but later, as the conflict
deepened, Connecticut took up the
struggle, and In 1774 erected the terri
tory into the town of Westmoreland
attached to the county of Litchfield
Three companies of troops were sen,
out from this town to the army OF
Washington, forming part of the Twen-
ty-fourth regiment of the Connection,
line.
THE FINAL DECISION.
In 1915 the dispute had become OF
such national importance that the Con-
tinental Congress interfered. and re.
quested Pennsylvania to deslst from
her claim. This she did until the close
Of the revolution, but promptly after
toned for settlement OF the difficulty
A commission was appointed which
met at Trenton in 1852 and decided that
the territory belonged to the State OF
Pennsylvania and that Connecticut haG
mo right to the land in controversy, ,
1.-THE Decree Of Trenton" merely end.
ed the contest between the states; there
were still to be satisfied individual Con.
necticut settlers, who claimed the lan6
by possession, and the grantees of the
proprietors who claimed the land b,
purchase. The Yankees, asked the AS.
sembly of Pennsylvania for title tc
this territory (which their hands hat
cultivated and for which their blood
had been shed in the cause of thell
country" The influence Of the Penna
mites was very strong at Harrisburg
and in consequence a commission was
appointed by the state, which decided
that the Yankees must give up theil
land. The unhappy settlers at ono,
rebelled, and q cruel insolent unrea