The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-03-05
The Frontier Forts.

point commission of FIVE persons
who should make inquiry as to the
location of the forts erected in Penn
sylvania prior to 1888 as defence
against the Indians. Capt. John M.
Buckalew of Fishingcreek was APP
pointed one of these commissioners
and to him was assigned the district
between the branches of the Susque-
hanna. The first volume of the re-
port of the commissioners is before
us. 1t includes the paper of Capt.
Buckalew. His report is especially
clear and shows much research and
| investigation. The Governor made
no mistake when he appointed the
Captain.
The forts in this section that are
described in this volume as located in
Columbia County are Fort Jenkins
on the Jacob Hill farm, in Center
twp. now owned by G.. w. Creveling
estate. This fort was probably the
most pretentious and was built in the
fall of I777 or early spring of 1873.
Fort Wheeler located near Shew
Paper Mill on Fishingcreek in Scott
township which was built by Lieut..
Moses Van Campen in May 1873.
Fort Mcclure or McClure's fort was
situated on the Douglas Hughes
farm in Bloomsbury and was con-
structed by stockading the residence
of Mrs. James Mcclure in 1880 after
the destruction of Fort Jenkins by
Lieut.. Van Campen after his return
from captivity. A second volume of
the researches of this commission is
to be published. The legislature
should so step further and should
appropriate money and authorize this
commission 10 erect monuments or
markers on the sites Of these forts.
In recital of the history of Fort
! Jenkins Capt Buckalew incorporates
the story of massacre of family
opposite the Fort on the South side
OF the Susquehanna River in 1870 as
related by Mr.. c. f. Hill of Hazleton.
We do not wish to take issue with
Mr.. Hill but if his story be true, there
were two massacres about the same
time within one mile of each other
AS it is generally known. the editor
of the Republican, is a native OF
Miflin township and has distinct
recollection of men who were in turn
personally acquainted with those who
figured in that locality in those
troublous times. From the lips of
these old men, notably George Yohe
and Others he gathered the facts of a
massacre which we here relate. In
the year 1879, probably, family
named Winpigler (as we recollect it)
made an effort to settle on what has
for more than one hundred years
been the Brown homestead. The
family came up from either the lower
counties of Pennsylvania or from New
Jersey and stopped at the present
site of Catawissa. The father, mother
and one son proceeded ahead of the
remainder of the party by the hill
road to a cabin that was located in a
small clearing that is now included in
the orchard field on the Brown farm
and about two hundred or two hun
dred and fifty yards south of the
buildings. The other members OF
the party with some furniture followed
on from Catawissa the next day.
When they came to point of the hill
overlooking the Mifflin flats, they saw
the cabin in flames and divining the
cause they at once retraced their
steps to Catawissa. After the lapse
OF 4 few days party was organized to
so up to make an investigation. They
found the father and mother dead
and scalped near the site of the cabin
and the body of the boy scalped and
lying just on the edge of the woods.
He had evidently made an effort to
escape but was overtaken and killed.
Their bodies were gathered together
and buried in one grave and rude
stones placed at the head and foot to
mark the site. The writer has 4 dis
tinct recollection of seeing this grave
and the stones marking its location
They were maintained in place unit
the introduction of the modern NOW
ing machine when they were not re
placed when they fell down, as they
interfered very much with the opera
ton of the mower over that ground
This same band of Indians passeC
the night after the massacre in 4 cabir
near where the Jacob Yohe mill wa.
: located while the owner of the cabir
, occupied 4 cave or potato hole in tn,
bank some distance from the cabin
During the night he stealthily crawle'
, up to 4 window and peeping in saw
! the Indians lying upon the floor. Gu
1 old informant George Yohe was ac
4. quainted with this man who thus es
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