A FAMILY OF PREACHERS.

A Clipping From a Western Paper That Suggests Some Interesting Data as to a Branch of the Bowman Family.

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[Sharon Springs (Kan.) Times.] Mrs. Susan B. Bowman, mother of Mrs. McMichael, landlady of the Sharon Springs Hotel, of this town, is now in her 88th year, and is quite smart for a woman of her age. Her father, Thomas Dodson, settled near Shickshinny, Luzerne County, Pa., about 120 years ago, in the then howling wilderness and among wild animals and savage Indians. Her grandmother was carried off by the Indians and was kept by them some four years along the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. Her folks found out where she was, and with a large posse of armed men, one dark night, stole in among the wigwams and captured her after somə yere fighting. She had been among the Indians so long that she had become accustomed to their ways and could handle the bow and arrow with accuracy; but on her return home was overjoyed to be on the little side-hill farm, instead of the small wigwam among the bloody savages. She said she never expected to see her parents again. Mrs. Bowman's father's house in Luzerne County, Pa., was burned twice by the Indians in mid-day. They saw the Indians coming, and heard the sounds of their war whoops, and fled, her mother carrying her in her arms many miles. Mrs. Bowman has all of her faculties except being a little hard of hearing, but she reads every day without glasses. She has been a true, consistent member of the M. E. Church for more than 70 years, and is an aunt to Bishop Bowman, of St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Bowman is the mother of nine children and has outlived all of them but two, Tipstaff Charles M. Bowman, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Mrs. McMichael, of Sharon Springs, Kan.

[The lady mentioned was Miss Susan Dodson, of Town Hill, Luzerne Co., Pa., and her husband (whose death occurred at Rock Island, Ill., in 1871) was George Bowman. The latter was one of 10 children of Rev. Thomas Bowman. The latter was born in 1760, in Bucks County, Pa. Married Mary Freas, 1782. Moved to Briar Creek, Columbia Co., in 1793. He was a local preacher in the M. E. Church, and in 1807, together with his brother Christopher, was ordained a deacon by Bishop Asbury at Forty Fort.

He was a powerful preacher and traveled on horseback up and down the Susquehanna for many years. He died in 1823 at Briar Creek. Thomas Bowman had 10 children: Christopher. Jr., b. 1783, d. 1850. Henry, b. 1785, d. 1805. John, b. 1786, d. 1843.

Jesse, b. 1788, d. 1880.

Sarah, b. 1790, m. Samuel Millard, d. about 1830.

Wesley, b. 1793.

George, b. 1795, d. 1871.

Sophia, b. 1797, m. Judge Gearhart, d. 1880.

Susan, b. 1799, m. Rev. Shadrach B. Laycock, d. 1875.

Thomas, b. 1803, d. 1808.

Of these, John, who died near Berwick in 1843, was the father of Rev. Thomas Bowman, who rose to distinction in the Methodist Church, being made a bishop in 1872, a relation which he still holds.

Jesse was the father of our former townsman, Caleb Franklin Bowman, Esq., whose death occurred in Wilkes-Barre in 1873. The latter's widow, born Isabella Tallman, is still a resident of our city. Caleb's brother, Gen. Samuel Millard Bowman, attained distinction in the United States Army, and died of a paralytic affection in June, 1885, in Kansas City, at the age of 70.

Within the last few weeks the same affection which caused the death of Gen. Samuel M. Bowman and C. F. Bowman, has prostrated another brother, John Wesley Bowman, at his home in Nanticoke, his right side being paralyzed. Mr. Bowman is the ninth child and the seventh son of Jesse Bowman. He was born in 1825 and by vocation is a farmer. In 1872 he married Mary Victoria Hughes, of Tamaqua.

For most of the data used above we are under obligation to the handsome volume entitled "The Bowman Family, a Historical and Memorial Volume, from the earliest traditions to the present time." Published in 1886 at Harrisburg, for private circulation. It is from the pen of Rev. Shadrack Laycock Bowman, professor of systematic theology in De Pauw University, Ind., and Rev. Jesse Bowman Young, of Harrisburg. It is a volume of 258 pages, elaborately illustrated with phototypes. Among the portraits are those of the late C. F. Bowman and his widow. It is a valuable contribution to local history and to the history of Methodism.EDITOR.]

At its last annual meeting the American Historical Society adopted a recommendation in favor of a due observance in 1892 of the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. Their memorial was referred to a committee f Congress, which has reported in favor of the commemoration of the event by an international exhibition of the industries and products of all nations. The report of the committee recommends a joint committee of the Senate and House to prepare and report a suitable bill.

THE WYOMING BLUES.

Some of the Rules of that Ancient Military Company and a Call for an Election of Officers.

One of Wilkes-Barre's earliest military companies was the Wyoming Blues, though just when it was organized nobody knows. James A. Gordon says they had a quasi organization as early as 1798. They certainly existed as early as 1800 as shown by an old weather-beaten document in the possession of the RECORD, it being a printed blank, filled in with a pen. It reads as follows:

MILITIA ELECTION.

Notice is given to the Volunteer Company called the Wyoming Blues, attached to the Second Battalion in the 35th Regiment, commanded by Lieut. Col. Ransom, that an election for a aptain, Lieutenant and Ensign will be held at the house of 1 awrence Myers, Esq'r, in the township of Kingston, on Thursday, the 19th day of June, inst, 1800, between the hours of 10 in the forenoon and six in the afternoon, where those concerned are requested to attend, to elect by ballot, the said officers.

WILLIAM ROss, Brigade Inspector of the Second Brigade, composed of the Militia of the counties of Northumberland, Lycoming and Lu

zerne.

Wilkes-Barre, June 10th 1800.

The old paper is handed us by George H. Butler, Esq., and is one of the batch found a couple of years ago among the effects of Zebulon Butler, son of Col. Z. Butler.

There are also a couple of sheets of paper pinned with the same pin that fastened them together 80 years ago, giving what appears to be the original organization of the Wyoming Blues, their rules, uniform and first roster. It is so torn and soiled that some parts cannot be deciphered. pend it, though not vouching for the correctness of the signatures as given:

We ap

The undersigned, belonging to the Wyoming Blues, pledge ourselves to comply with the following rules, to wit:

That we will furnish ourselves with such uniforms, etc., as shall be agreed on by the company by the day of

That anyone who in the least does not equip and attend agreeably to the rules of the company.

Zeb. Butler, George Chahoon, W. M. Robison, Samuel Brown, Calvin Edwards, Edwin Tracy Josiah Bennet, Elijah Adams,

Natton,

John J. Ward, Godfrey Perry,

Charles Miner, Isaac A. Chapman, Isaac Bowman, Luman Gilbert, Nehemiah Waters, James S. Lee, James Wright, Lyra Landon, Jacob

George Hendler,
Jacob Kiethline,

Andrew Vogle, Conrad Rummage, George Espie, Daniel Downing, John L. Bargel, Joseph Shafer,

Jesse Crissman, Francis Rainow, Benjamin Perry, John Hannis, James Foster,

Hugh H. Anderson.

Resolved that no member shall have leave to withdraw unless by consent of the company, unless urgency requires it sooner than the company can meet, and in such case he shall have leave of the officers. Passed.

Resolved that the uniform of the company shall be as it has formerly been, except the coat, which shall be a short skirt coat or a coatee, and those who have an uniform at this time may wear their present coats. Passed.

Resolved that we will be uniformed at or before the next general review. Passed. The uniform shall be,

1, A crowned brimmed black hat black bear skin, with a white red lap.

and

2, Deep blue coatee, faced and trimmed with red.

3, White or buff vest.

4, Deep blue pantaloons circled with red. 5, Either boots or black shoe and black gaiters. Passed.

He

Death of Ex-Judge Barnum, About 11 o'clock am., Tuesday, Jan. 11, Charles T. Barnum, a former associate judge of this county, died at his residence, on the shores of Harvey's Lake, after a brief illness of inflammation of the bowels. For many years past he had lived a quiet, retired life at his comfortable home on the Lake. was born in Kingston Jan. 8, 1813, and was therefore a few days past 74 years old. In his early manhood he took an active part in public and political affairs. He served one term as county commissioner and was for some time afterwards commissioners' clerk. He was elected associate judge and sat on the bench with the late Judge Conyngham. He was widely known throughout this and neighboring counties, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. He was a genial and kindhearted man and will be sorely missed by his more intimate friends.

Funeral services will be held at his home at the Lake to-day at 10 am., after which the remains will be removed to the home of his son, Benjamin F. Barnum, on South Welles Street, from whence the interment will be made on Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Another son who survives is Prof. James Barnum.-Daily Record, January 12.

G. H. R. Plumb, Esq., left recently to make some hasty researches throughout New England and the South in matters concerning his "History of the Plumb Family in America,"

WILKES-BARRE'S RESOURCES.

Facts Taken From the Tenth Census Statistics of Population,

Volume 18, of the tenth census, treating of the social statistics of cities, has just been received at this office. It bears date of 1886. Nine pages of the volume are devoted to Wilkes-Barre, and the article on our city is illustrated by a diagram showing the distance and direction of New York, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburg and Buffalo, and by a map of Wilkes-Barre.

A foot note states that Sheldon Reynolds, Esq., of Wilkes-Barre, is the author of the historical sketch, and also transmitted a large proportion of the detailed information concerning the then (1880) condition of the city. It is, however, due to Mr. Reynolds to say that the blunders with which the report abounds are not his, but the result of bad typesetting and worse proof reading. None of the proofs reached the author. For instance, our people of Connecticut extraction should not deal unkindly with Mr. Reynolds because his article says that Wyoming was first settled in 1762 by a party of men from Cincinnati. Nor should they be misled by the "secret attempt" of the Susquehanna Company in 1769 to take possession, for second attempt is meant. The completion of the North Branch Canal in 1813 is, of course, a misprint for 1830. The river common, instead of having a maximum width of 3,500 feet, has only 350, and the river has not washed the rest away, either, in spite of one or two local alarmists. The table of population by decades is badly mixed. The figures should be as follows: 1820, 755; 1830, 1.201; 1840, 1,718; 18 0, 2.723; 1860, 4,253; 1870, 10,174; 1880, 23,339. Apart from these the blunders are mainly examples of the Government type setters assuming to know more about grammar than the author.

The latitude is 41 degrees, 14 minutes north; longitude 75 degrees and 56 minutes west from Greenwich; altitude 511 to 731 feet.

Total valuation, $3,134,180; per capita, $134. Net indebtedness, $95.097; per capita, $4 07. Tax per $100, $3.83.

An interesting sketch is given from the earliest settlement down to 1880 and a description of the city as it appeared in that year-its railroad communication, tributary country, togography, climate, streets, water works, public buildings, pleasure grounds, places of amusement, drainage, cemeteries, markets, sanitation, infectious diseases, municipal cleansing, police and manufactures. As seven years have elapsed since these statistics were prepared, and our city has doubled in population, it would serve no good purpose to reprint them now in these

columns. If they could be brought down to date and published in pamphlet form together with the historical sketch, they would form a most valuable document for the Board of Trade to distribute. They convey a vast deal of information that is too valuable to be locked up within a public document.

The volume is compiled by Col. George E. Waring, Jr., of Newport R. I.

Index of Government Publications.

A most valuable publication has lately been issued from the Government printing office, a copy of which reaches the RECORD through the courtesy of Congressman Osborne. It is a descriptive catalogue of all the Government publications of the United States from 1774 to 1881, a period of 107 years. It is a volume of nearly 1,400 pages, 9x111⁄2 inches, and is compiled by the well known Washington correspondent, Ben: Ferley Poore, clerk of printing records.

The greater portion of the volume is devoted to a list chronologically arranged, of the many thousand publications, legislative, executive and judicial, giving each a very brief summary of a few lines. This of itself would furnish the investigator scant help in tracing up a subject of finance, political economy, or other historical matter. But search is rendered easy by means of a detailed index.

For example, suppose one wants to refer to the efforts made half a century ago to indemnify the people of Wyoming Valley for losses sustained during the Revolutionary War, the following interesting references are given in connection with "Wyoming:"

"Memorial relative to Wyoming claims. Citizens of Pennsylvania. Dec. 27 1837. Ex-Docs. No. 52, 25th Congress, 2d session, Vol. 2 8pp. 8 vo. In behalf of the sufferers by invasion of the Wyoming settlement by the British and Indians during the Revolutionary War; praying for a grant of lands to the survivors and to the heirs of those that are dead.

Resolutions relative to claims of Wyoming sufferers. Pa. Legislature, Apr. 16, 1838. Ex. Docs. No. 358, 25th Congress, 2d session, Vol. 10. In favor of the passage of a law granting compensation to the sufferers by the Wyoming massacre during the Revolutionary War.

Report on petition of heirs of the Wyoming victims July 2, 1838. Reports of committees, No. 1032, 25th Congress, 2d session, Vol. 4, 2 pp., octavo. House Revolutionary Claims Committee reports adversely to allowance of compensation for losses sustained.

Petition relative to Indian depredations. Citizens of Wyoming, Feb. 18, 1839. Ex

Docs. No. 203, 25th Congress, 3d session, vol. 4, 40 pp., 8 vo. Praying compensation for losses and sufferings occasioned by the attack of the Indians on the town of Wyoming during the Revolutionary War".

Under date of March 25, 1836, reference is made to the recommendation by the House Revolutionary Claims Committee of allowance to heirs of Dr. Wm. Hooker Smith, of Wilkes-Barre, for his services as acting surgeon during the Revolutionary War. This petition was taken to Washington by Dr. Andrew Bedford, who, after the lapse of 50 years, is alive and well at his home in Waverly.

The measures taken in regard to Frances Slocum, "the lost sister of Wyoming," are as easily traced, as also the measures introduced by our several Representatives in Congress.

Every event in our Nation's history can be traced easily, provided one has access to the public documents themselves, many of which can be found in the library of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, which is at present one of the official depositories of all the Government publications. The index alone affords interesting reading. Under such heads as "Jefferson Davis," "Slavery," "Revolutionary War," "George Washington," "Tariff," "Public Land," and hundreds of other topics one can find as much to interest as he could by consulting a cyclopedia.

The work of preparing the volume occupied two years and was performed by Mr. Poore and 14 assistants. They found and catalogued 63,066 books, pamphlets and documents, ransacking the libraries of Congress, of the Senate, of the House, of the seven Executive Departments, of the Departments of Agriculture, the Smithsonian Institution, of the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the other scientific surveys, as also the public, library of Boston.

The work is not too wieldy for reference and will greatly facilitate an examination of the books, pamphlets and documents published by or purchased by the Federal Government since its inception, many of which have been virtually unknown to publicists and the students of questions to which they relate. Mr. Poore is to be congratulated upon the fidelity and thoroughness with which his work has been done.

On the occasion of the inauguration of Gov. Beaver, the Harrisburg Telegraph published a series of biographical articles of all the Governors of Pennsylvania, from the fertile pen of Dr. W. H. Egle. By the way, Dr. Egle has been busily ergaged reading the proof sheets of volume 13 of the Pennsylvania Archives.

Col. Plunkett's Expedition. Dr. W. H. Egle, of Harrisburg, sends the RECORD an interesting document pertaining to the Plunkett invasion of Wyoming Valley in 1775. The doctor promises a sketch of Plunkett for a subs quent issue. We may premise the old document by remarking that Plunkett was sent in 1775 to Wyoming by the Pennsylvania Assembly to effect the arrest of certain of the Connecticut claimants who were charged with illegal practices. He accordingly marched on Wyoming with 500 men. At Nanticoke they were given a warm reception by the Connecticut settlers, and beaten back with a loss of two killed and several wounded, the fight accurring on Christmas Day. The expedition accordingly returned down the river without effecting its object. Plunkett is mentioned in the bill as Doctor, he having been a druggist, and perhaps a practioner of medicine, though as to this, Dr. Egle will doubtless enlighten us in his promised sketch. The Province of Pennsylvania

To Cant. Thomas Gaskin For a large Boat Lost in the Expedition with Doctor William Plunket returning from Wyoming.. To Six large Socket polls Lost at the same time...

Dr,

. £18 0 0

250

Northumberland County ss:

On the 20th day of November Ano Dom. 1789, Before me John Simpson esquire one of the Judges of the Court of Common please for the county afores'd, personally came Thomas Gaskins, who being duly sworn on the holy Avangilists of Almighty God, did declare and say that the account as above stated is just and true; and that he never received it nor no part thereof, and further saith not. THOMAS GASKINS. Sworn and subscribed the day and year afores'd, Before me, witness my hand and seal.

}

[The foregoing is endorsed, "Thomas Gaskins' account against the Province of Pennsylvania" and also "Received a Certificate No. 16,749 for twenty-eight pounds five shillings, W. Wilson." Col. William Wilson, was then a member of of the Supreme Executive Council from Northumberland County. Who was Thomas Gaskins ?]

A Connecticut Local History. A 96-page pamphlet recently received by the RECORD bears the following title: "Historical Sketch of the Congregational Church and Parish of Canton Center, Conn., formerly West Simsbury, organized 1750. Compiled by Rev. Frederick Alvord and Miss Ira R. Gridley. Hartford, 1886." It opens with a historical sermon preached by Rev. Jairus Bart in 1851, the only connected history of the church up to that time. The settlement of Simsbury began in 1737, and the place was constituted a parish in 1750. The first settled pastor was Rev. Evander Morrison, 1750, and the second was Rev. Gideon Mills, 1759; third, Rev. Seth Gage, 1774; fourth, Rev. Jeremiah Hallock, 1785 to 1826. A curious document is given, relative to the pastor's retirement, he signing a paper discharging the 80ciety from any liability as to his salary, and "I ye said Mr. Morrison do acquit and discharge the society from all demands from the beginning of the world to this day and forever after. Received in full -I say received per me-as witness my hand." The pamphlet traces the church and the parish down to the present and gives brief sketches of such citizens as become prominent in business or in the professions. It closes with a historical poem by Miss Ida R. Gridley, who was a Wesleyan graduate in the class of 1885 and is now a student of medicine. The pamphlet is a valuable contribution to Connecticut local annals and is of interest as well to students of Wyoming history, some of our pioneers having come from the region described.

Eighty-Two Years Old
[Daily Record, Jan. 4.]

The host of Col. Charles Dorrance's friends, should they meet him to-day, would be glad to extend him their hearty congratulations at having reached the ripe age of 82 years. The event will be quietly celebrated by a family gathering. Col. Dorrance is hale and hearty and shows hardly a trace of the paralytic attack which affected him some time ago. He is therefore in good trim for enjoying the event and having his children and grand-children around him again. The colonel takes pardonable pride in coming from the old Connecticut stock which first peopled this fruitful valley and who had first to drive out a savage foe and then seek to maintain an unequal conflict for title against the power of what was believed to be oppression on the part of the State government. Col. Dorrance is president of the association which meets annually at the foot of the monument tocom

memorate the bloody fight of 1778, and in which his grandfather, Lt. Col. Geo. Dorrance, was so badly wounded that he was on the following day killed by his savage captors.

Col. Charles Dorrance-he gets his title from having been an officer in the old Wyoming Volunteers-is a liberal patron of everything which goes to build up Wyoming Valley and to elucidate its early history. At the 3d of July gatherings he has a fondness of making them as impressive as possible, and always insists on taking to the annual dinner as his guests the several clergymen who may be present, and not only so, but he does the newspaper men the compliment of including them in the same select circle of guests.

Col. Dorrance is a son of Benjamin Dorrance and a brother of the late lamented and beloved Rev. John Dorrance, of local fame in Presbyterian circles. He was born Jan. 4, 1805, and has ever since lived in the ancestral home, where he has a model farm and where he is surrounded by everything that wealth and a discriminating taste can supply. In his advancing age he is not alone, but his good wife, whom he married in 1845, is spared to enjoy his company. Their home is visited almost daily by some one or other of their children or grandchildren. His son, B. F. Dorrance, Esq., lives with his family near the paternal home and his daughter Annie Buckingham, wife of Sheldon Reynolds, Esq., lives in Wilkes-Barre. Of his other sons, J. Ford Dorrance is practicing law in Meadville, John is farming in Missouri and Charles,Jr., is a clerk in Chicago.

Col. Dorrance has been prominently identified with local affairs. He was. among many other trusts, a leader in the Luzerne County Agricultural Society, a jail commissioner and he holds the presidency of the Wyoming Bank, a position filled by his father half a century before him.

Col. Dorrance has indeed been favored by fortune and by health, and now, with his family around him and with a well-earned reputation for industry and integrity he ought to be able to enjoy his 82d birthday with an unusual degree of pleasure.

The Old Sullivan Road.

The second of a series of articles running in the Guardian, a Reformed Church publication printed in Philadelphia, appears in the December issue of that journal. The editor-Rev. H. M. Kieffer, A. M.-relates the story of the massacres at Wyoming and Cherry Valley in 1778, and the determination of Washington to avenge these atrocities, the article closing with a brief sketch of Gen. Sullivan, who was selected to chastise the savages.