Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-03-11
Fort waIIenpaupaoIs.

Fort WaItenpauPaCk.
The following account is given of
this fort by John NJ. Buckalew, one
of the Commissioners appointed to
make inquiry concerning the early
defences of this section.
In Palmyra Township, Pike Co.,
the Connecticut settlers erected a pal
isaded fort about the year 1774 as
defence against the Indians. The
settlement and fort were on the
"Manor of Wallenpaupack," being
tract 9S in Palmyra in Pike Co. The
Manor was surveyed Oct. IA, 1851,
on a warrant dated June 25, 174S,
for the use of the proprietaries of
Pennsylvania" and as if in marked
defiance of the proprietaries these
Connecticut men selected it for their
settlement. This fort, which was
probably somewhat primitive in its
structure, was a field containing
about an acre, surrounded by q
trench into which upright pieces of
hewed timber were firmly fixed.
The spot was selected from the cir
cumstance of its containing living
spring. The fort was erected on the
Eastern side of the Sterling road, al
ms ! Immediately opposite the point
where the road leading through
Salem, over Cobb's Mountain, and
along the Lackawanna to the Wy
oming settlements, called the "Old
Wyoming Road" branches off from
the Sterling road. 1t is six miles
southwest from the place known as
Wilsonville and on the Calvin Pei
lett farm. Within the inclosed
space was blockhouse, also built of
squared pieces of hewed timber, upon
the top of which was a sentry box
made bullet-proof. There was, be-
sides, guard house, standing just
east of the block house.
The defenses were so constructed
that a rifle ball fired from the high
ground on the East into the fort,
would strike the palisades on the
opposite side above a mans head,
After the rumors of the Indian
troubles on the Susquehanna, the
settlers constantly spent the night
in the fort.
On the afternoon of July 4th,
1778, the news of the Wyoming
tragedy of the previous day reached
the settlement of Wallenpaupacl,
and before sunset the terrified in
habitants were fleeing toward the
Delaware and thence made their
way to their former homes. The
settlement was entirely deserted.
Some time in the winter of 1778-79,
the fort was destroyed by the In
dians.
The settlements along the Della
ware had built forts, as they were
called, but in reality their prepara-
tions for defense consisted in simple
stockades around several of the
stronger dwelling houses. One of
these was at Dingman's, one at
Capt. Johannes Van Etten's, three
miles above, which stood just north
of the well in front of the present
residence of H. M. Courtright, and
probably the well was within the
stockade; another, Fort Decker,
about three miles below Dingman 8,
on Hornbeck Creek and still an
other was Fort Brink, where John
and Garrett Brink lived, two or three
miles above the Bushkill. Emanuel
Gunsaules (Gunzales) lived at
Bushkill, and his house, too, was
placed in as good condition for de-
fense as was possible.
eve should be pleased to have
persons knowing anything definite
concerning the location of any of
these forts, when, and by whom
built, or any facts, tales OF legends
} connected with them, to furnish
} such matter for publication. Some
} of the older people doubtless have
heard their forefathers describe their
locations or relate incidents con-
nected with those earlier days, and
these reoollections would be of inter-
est and should be preserved. The
everlasting silence is fast falling
upon those who were permitted in
their younger days to talk with men
not more than a generation removed
? from those who were active par
ticipators in the stirring events
: which caused the erection of these
places of refuge, and what some old
= grandfather or grandmother said
! would be of moment as affording
some light on questions which will
5 soon, or even now, may be beyond
definite solution. Ed. Pass,