THE SUGAR LOAF MASSACRE. Copy of a Letter Written by Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Balliet to President Reed in 1780-Also a Letter Sent to the Same Gentleman by Colonel Samuel Rea, In the July issue of the RECORD (p. 125) was an interesting historical sketch of that portion of Luzerne County known as Sugar Loaf Valley, from the pen of the late Mr. John C. Stokes, some 20 years ago. As bearing up. on the Sugar Loaf massacre therein related we take pleasure in reprinting from the Hazleton Sentinel some correspondence extracted from the Pennsylvania Archives: NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, Sept. 20, 1780.SIB: I take the earliest opportunity to acquaint your excellency of the distressed and dangerous situation of our frontier inhabitants, and the misfortune happened to our volunteers stationed at the Gnaden Hutts, they having received intelligence that a number of disaffected persons lived near the Susquehanna at a place called the Scotch Valley, who have been suspected to hold up correspondence with tbe Indians and the Tories in the country. They sat out on the 8th inst., for that place to see whether they might be able to find out anything of that nature, but were attacked on the 10th at noon about eight miles from that settlement by a large body of Indians and Tories (88 one had red hair) supposed by some forty and by others twice that number, they totally dispersed our people, twentytwo out of forty-one have since come in several of whom are wounded. It is also reported that Lieut. John Moyer had been made a prisoner and made his escape from them again and returned at Wyoming. On the first notice of the unfortunate event the officers of the militia have exerted themselves to get volunteers out of their respective divisions to go up and bury the dead. Their labor proved not in vain. We collected about 150 men and officers from the Colonels Kern, Giger and my own battalions, who would undergo the fatigue and danger to go there and pay that respect to their slaughtered brethren, due to men who fell in support of the freedom of their country. On the 15th we took up our line of march (want of ammunition prevented as from going sooner). On the 17th we arrived at the place of action, where we found ten of our soldiers dead, scalped, stripped naked and in a most cruel and barbarous manner-tomahawked, their throats cut, eto., eto., whom we buried and re. turned without even seeing any of their black allies and bloody executors of British tyranny. I can't conclude withoat observing that the Cols. Kern, of the third battalion, and Giger, of the sixth, who is upwards of sixty years of age, together with all the other officers and men, have encountered their high and many hills and mountains with the greatest satisfaction and discipline imaginable, and their countenances appeared to be eager to engage with their tyrannical enemies who are employed by the British Court and equipped at their expense, as appeared by a new fuse and several gun barrels, etc., bent and broke in pieces with the British stamp thereon, found by our men. We also have great reason to believe that several of the Indians have been killed by our men, in particular one by Col. Kern and another by Capt. Moyer, both of whom went volunteers with this party. We viewed where they said they fired at them and found the grass and weeds remarkably beaten down, though they had carried them off. So Í conclude with remaining your Excellenoy's most humble servant, STEPHEN BALLIET, Lt. Col. 1st B, N. O. M. The following extract is from a letter written by Col. Samuel Rea to President Reed, and bears date, "Mount Bethel, Oot. 24, 1780:" "Col. Balliett informs me that he had given council in relation of killed and wounded he had found and buried near Nescopeck. As he W88 at the place of action his account must be 88 near the truth 88 any I could procure, though since that Lieut. Myers, who was taken prisoner by the enemy in that unhappy action, has made his escape from the savages and reports that Ensign Sooby and one private was taken with him and that the party consisted of thirty Indians and one white savage; that they had thirteen scalps along with them, that several of them were wounded and supposes some killed." Mrs. Mary Dettrick's Death. The death of Mrs. Mary Deitrick, wife of the late George H. Deitrick, occurred at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. George Brotherhood, on Tuesday, Angust 21. Deceased, who has long been an invalid, was 68 years of age. She has seven children living, three daughters and a son residing in this vicinity. They are Mrs. Elia G.Turner, of this city; rs. B. J. Walker, of Plymouth; Mrs. George Brotherhood, of South Street, and Harry Deitrick, of this city. The others are Mrs. Charles Derby, Wichita, Kan.; Mrs. George A. Kent, Binghamton, and Mr. M. F. Deitrick, Binghamton. The funeral took place Thursday at 8 o'clook pm., from the residence, No. 27 South Street, Rev. H. L. Jones officiating. Interment in Hollenback Cemetery. COL. JAMES E. GAY DEAD. He Expired Suddenly Aug. 14 at Midnight, at a Hotel in This City-A Leading Kepublican and a Good Citizen Lost. The RECORD has to announce the startling intelligence of the sudden death of a sterling citizen of this county, Col. James E. Gay, of Laflin, the paymaster and secretary of the Laflin Powder Co. Col. Gay had been in town Tuesday afternoon, and about 6 o'clock went into Wm. J. McLaughlin's Hotel for his supper. He ate with the proprietor, and it was noticed that he seemed nervous, dropping his coffee cup twice. Mr. McLaughlin asked if he felt unwell, he answering that he did not. After supper he consented to go up stairs and sit in the parlor by a front window, and later Mrs. McLaughlin persuaded him to lie down on the lounge. About 10 o'clock the proprietor's sister-in-law informed him that Col. Gay seemed to be breathing very heavily, but as he is a stout man and Mr. McLaughlin knew that this was not unusual with him, no further notice was taken until 12 o'clock, when the place was closed up and Mr. McLaughlin went to arouse the sleeper and have him go to bed. He found him struggling very hard and saw that his condition was serious, and went immediately for Dr. Long. The physician was on the spot in a few minutes, but Col. Gay was dead. Apoplexy is the probable cause. The deceased has lived in this vicinity for about 18 years, and is widely known, especially in the northern end of the county. Few men are more generally known or loved, he being a genial whole-souled gentleman. During his residence here he has been in the employ of the powder company, and he has taken an active part in politics, being a staunch Republican, and a leader of his party. For many years he has been an auditor of the Pittston Poor Board. Deceased was a native of Sharon, Connecticut, aged 63 years, and unmarried. He has two sisters living in his native State. H. D. Laflin, of the Laflin Powder Co., arrived here at 12:20 am. Thursday, accompanied by William A. Gay, of Mountain View, N. J., a brother of Col. Gay, who is connected with the Laflin Rand Powder Co., They were met at the depot by Mr. McLaughlin and Supt. Rouse, of the Laflin Powder Co., and were escorted to the hotel where the deceased had died. An Old Citizen Dead. Henry Schappert, a well known citizen and a man widely related in this city, fell a victim to cholera morbus August 15 at 7 o'clock at his home in Newtown. His illness dates only from last Saturday and his death will be a shook to his many friends who last heard of him as well and hearty. The deceased was a native of Bavaria, 57 years of age and had resided in this country thirty-one years. He leaves a wife and six children. They are Mrs. Mary Hoffman, of this city; Sister Landeline, of Malinkrodt Convent; Henry Schappert, of Nanticoke, and Misses Maggie, Annie and Sophia Schappert, of this city. Deceased was a brother of John, Peter, Jacob, Michael and George Schappert, all well known citizens of Wilkes-Barre, and Mrs. Anthony Raver, Mrs. John Schwab and Mrs. Adam Scheidel, also of this city. Another Veteran Dead. At 9:50 Wednesday, Aug. 15, occurred the death of Conrad Futterer, of cholera, at his home on North River Street. Mr. Fatterer was for 31 years a resident of Wilkes-Barre, though a native of Germany. He served during the war as a volunteer in Co. G., Eighth Regiment, P. V., and was a member of Ely Post, G. A. R. He would have been 59 years old the next Tuesday. He leaves a wife and three daughters. They are Mrs. Theo. G. Boettcher, Mrs. George Dessel and Mrs. Thomas McDermott. The funeral was conducted by Ely Pest and by the Odd Fellows, of which organization he was a member. Died at Eighty-two. Dr. J. S. Smith, who has been for a number of years a resident of Wilkes-Barre, died July 27 at 6 o'clock am., aged 82 years. Dr. Smith practiced dentistry with Dr. Wheaton the first few years of his residence in this city, and for the last few years has lived with Dentist Frank A. Selover, on Scott Street. For many years Dr. Smith has been mentally unbalanced, his delusion being that he was the inventor of all the important dental instruments now in use, and that jealous rivals robbed him of the results of his inventions by getting into his apartments and chloroforming him. The A few years ago he explained his claims in great detail, in the advertising columns of the local papers, they being written in very wretched doggerel verse. He invented a system of book keeping for dentists. figure of Dr. Smith was until quite recently a familiar one on our streets, his bent form having become very tremulous, and his features wan and haggard. He had an aneurism of the aorta. MR. SWOYER IS DEAD. He Passes Away with an Oceau Between Him and His Family A Victim.f Rheumatic Mening tis. The readers of the RECORD were apprised Monday of the fact that Mr. J. H Sojer was lying at the point of death and that the end was hourly expected. The prediction of his physicians was fulfilled for he sank into the sleep of death shortly after 10 o'clock the same forenoon. The cause of death was cerebral meningitis, of rheumatic character, the disease having transferred itself from the upper extremities to the brain. Mr. Swoyer took his family to Germany a year ago for a two years' residence in Leipsic, he returning last spring to superintend his coal operations here. It was his purpose to return to Germany during the present month of September, spend the winter in Leipsic and then return next spring and resume his residence in Wilkes-Barre. Some bix weeks ago Mr. Swoyer suffered a renewal of his gouty trʊable, but it was no more aggravated than in previous attacks and no solicitude was felt as to his condition until Saturday, when delirium set in, followed by until unconsciousness, which continued death, on Sept. 10. to John Henry Swoyer, was born in Berks county, Pa., 56 years ago Christmas Day, his father, John Swoyer, still living in Maxatawney Township, Berks Co.,at the ripe old age of 86 years. Mr. Swoyer came Wilkes Barre in 1859, and since that time he has always been prominently identified with the coal interests of Wyoming Valley. At the present time his coal interests are cen tered in the Wyoming Valley Coal Co., of which he was president, and one of its largest stockholders. When the Wilkes Barre militia went to Antietam during Gen. Lee's first invasion of Pennsylvania in 1862, Mr. Swoyer was first lieutenant in Co. I, 3d Regiment, of which company Stanley Wood. ward was captain. Mr. Swoyer was a representative of private mining, rather than that of corporation mining, and he was always bold, and generally successful He was courageous to a degree,aud was able to float enterprises that would have driven many man from the business. It is thought that he went through Vicissitudes enough to kill dozen men, and it is not at all unlikely that overwork was a factor in his breaking down while yet in the prime of life. He was a whole souled, generous man, true to his friends and forgiving to his enemies. employer he was a favorite always. Men who obtained positions under him and attended to their work seldom had any reason A-an for seeking employment elsewhere. He was a bon vivant, a royal entertainer, devoted to his family, full of sunshine and good cheer and the last man who ought to have had his latter years made miserable at times with painful attacks of rheumatism. His first wife was Miss Albertina, daugh. ter of Major John Reichard, by whom he had these children, all living: Jessie E.. aged 22; Anna C., aged 20; Marie L., aged 19; J. Henry, aged 17, and Wilhelm T., aged 15. His second wife is also a daughter of Major Reichard, Mrs. Magdalena J Holmes. Their only child is a little fellow, Alfred Edward. Mrs. Swoyer has a daughter_by her former marriage, Miss Marie A. Holmes, who is a member of the same household. Mr. Swoyer has five brothers, J. J. and J. K. Swoyer, Philadelphia; D. H. and Francis H., of Bower's Station; Allan Swoyer, of Swoyerville, Berks County. A Pennsylvanian Dies in Illin is. Someone hands the RECORD a copy of the Chicago Legal News announcing the death on September 9, of a leading Illinois lawyer, Hon. Amos B. Coon. Deceased was born in Towanda, Bradford Co., Feb. 12, 1815, and Was the youngest of a family of twenty-one children. He was one of the oldest settlers of Northern Illinois, having settled in McHenry County in 1835. In 1845 he opened a law office in Marengo, and from the start took a prominent part in public affairs. He was Provost Marshal during the and at the time of war, his death was Master iu Chancery. He also held the same position from 1846 to 1862. He was State's Attorney two different times. He was exceedingly well read in the law, and had a remarkable memory, and was a cose student up to the last. He took an active part in the counsels of the Republican party in county, distriot and State Affaire. He married Harriet A. Damon, of Onio, May 11, 1846. They had three children, two of whom are now living, Mrs. Coro Gilmore and Adelbert B. Coon, who is the Dominee of the Republican party for the office of State's Attorney of McHenry County. Josiah Gray's Widow Dead. Mrs. Elizabeth Gray whose serious illness was mentioned in these columns a few days ego, died Saturday evening. She was the wife of the late Josiah Gray, who many years was a successful baker on South Main Street. She leaves four children, Mrs. George Gruver, Mrs Wm. Garrison, and John O., of the Adams Express, and Wm. S., of Raeder's binding establishment to mourn the loss of a kind and loving mother. The funeral took place from her late residence, 11 South Welles Street, Tuessday afternoon at two o'clock. Deceased was in her 62nd year. Formerly a Wilkes-Barre Rabbi. The Albany Argus of Aug 5, points a biographical sketch of Moses Strasser, said to have been a Jewish Rabbi in Wilkes-Barre years ago. The sketch is appended: Moses Strasser, one of Albany's oldest citizens, died yesterday. Aug. 4. He was born December 14, 1809, in the town of Floss, in Bavaria. He was the descendant of rabbis, and accordingly he received a very fine education. In 1845 he came to this country, intending to enter business, but he accepted the position of rabbi over a congregation at Wilkes-Barre, Penn. In 1851, however, he left Wilkes-Barre, and coming to Albany, engaged in the tobacco trade. From that day to this he was known in the community as a man of the highest integrity. Previous to his coming to Albany, in 1847, he had married a Miss Feltman, of Philadelphia, who has for years been president of the leading Jewish benevolent and charitable society of Albaoy. Moses Strapser himself was very devout in his faith,and was well known for practical deeds of charity. He was an enthusiastic musician and had arranged or composed much of the music used in the synagogues in this зountry. For thirty-five years he was reader for the Anshe Emeth congregation, and for years he has been trustee of the synagogue here. His death will be greatly mourned, not only by the people of his own fai.h, but by the whole community. He leaves a wife and four sons, Benjamin, Solomon, David and Isaac. A Former Wyoming Valley Man Dead On Saturday, Sept. 1, occurred the death at his home at Niagara Falls, of Stoughton Pettebone, elder brother of the late Payne Pettebone, of Wyoming, whose death oocurred March 20, 1888. Mr. Pettebone was a native of Wyoming Valley, having been born here April 9, 1812, he being a year or two older than his brother Payne. Mr. Pettebone was engaged at the time of his death and for years previous in the manufacture of paper at Niagara Falls. He was a regular reader of the RECORD, and was fond of contributing his reminiscences of the home of his youth to its columns. His many friends here will be saddened to hear of his demise. He leaves a family. many A Dallas Pioneer Dead. Elijah Ayers, of Dallas, died August 31, 1888, aged 84 years. His death resulted from dysentery. He was one of the first settlers north of Dallas Borough and bought and cleared up a large farm. He was one of the best farmers in this region. He came here from the State of New Jersey when quite a young man and married Catharine Honeywell, a daughter of Richard Honeywell. He leaves a family of one son and four daughters, namely: Alfred Ayers; Margaret Aun, wife of Sidney Worden, of Dallas; Emma, wife of Thomas Shepherd; Jane, wife of Spencer Worden. and Lydia, wife of Charles Crispel, of Beaumont. The funeral took place on Sunday. Whose Bones They Were. EDITORS RECORD: I noticed in last Saturday's issue of your paper an account of the building near the new Hungarian Church, on North Main Street, human bones enclosed in the remains of a rude coffin, which was regarded as a great mystery by the people liv ing in that vicinity. It is strange indeed that important local events so soon become obliterated from the minds of the people dwelling in their immediate vicinity. The plot of ground referred to, was formerly used as a family as well as neighborhood burying ground by the Hollenback family living in the old house down by the mill, since destroyed by fire. Fifty years ago the lots, some one hundred feet square, was enclosed by a picket fence, and here were buried the grand parents and father and little sister of the late John M. Hollenback, together with many others dwellers in that vicinity. I should say that twenty five or more bodies were buried there. The Hollenbacks were removed to the new Hollenback Cemetery, but all the others probably remain where they were first laid to rest in their humble graves. Indian Relics Exhumed. W. J. The other day, while a party of WilkesBarreans at Triangular Lake, formerly known as Three Cornered Pond, in Wright Township, were pitching quoits near the water's edge, on W. C. Shepherd's lot, they came upon some roundish shaped, flat stones, with a piece chipped out of two sides. Upon digging carefully they found some 50 or more of these stones, arranged in the form of a circle some eight feet in diameter, each stone standing on edge. It said that Indian relics are quite numerous in the locality and the presence of such a collection of these stones would seem to indicate that the aborigines were fond of resorting to this pretty little lake on the top of the mountain. One stone there has a cutting edge, like a deer skinner, another is a fossiliferous stone with impressions of shells. It is generally believed that this kind of stone was used by the aborigines as a net sinker. They are the simplest in contruction of all the relics of the stone age and required no skill whatever in their production, L IMPROVED ST. STEPHEN'S. The Congregation Take Possession of Their Kejuvenated Edifice Some Beautiful Frescoing and Decorative Windows-Parish History. Worshipers at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church who had seen nothing of the interior work that had been going on during the summer had a complete surprise Sunday, Sept. 16. That such a complete change could be wrought in the mere matter of decorating would scarcely have been believed. What was formerly an interior of a seeming preponderance of black, red and yellow brick, has received such an artistic handling, that there is a blending into a harmonious whole, and the brick work of the dado, arches and chancel, is only an incident, and a pleasing one, too. The particular frescoing employed would not be appropriate for any other than a brick base, and there would be no way of completing the brick work without some such frescoing as this. It is safe to say that nearly all who oriticised before, will be delighted now. THE DECORATIONS. The brick dado which rises some 10 feet to the base of the windows and made of varicolored bricks, has just above it a dark green band of decorated work, a foot or two in width. Above this is a broad band in terra cotta frescoing, six or eight feet in width. From this there extends to the timber and Georgia pine paneled ceiling a band in olive, about as wide as the terra ootta. All these bands are decorated with figures taken from old cathedrals of Europe. Alongside the chancel arch are two Byzantine seals illustrating the parable of the mustard seed becoming a tree on which the birds of the air found a resting place. In the terra cotta band are Greek crosses, each arm of which has another cross. Between the windows are gold shields bearing the Alpha and Omega symbols. terra cotta frescoing over the middle entrance is broken so as to include the Ross window and is carried to the ceiling, the Circular window being flanked by palm branches. The smaller of the Richard Sharpe windows is balanced at the opposite extremity of the front wall by a frescoed window, the tower making it impossible to place an actual window at that point. The chancel ceiling has been gilded, a marked departure from the former canopy of oeralean blue and stars of gold. NEW FURNITURE. The The old oaken pulpit so familiar for many years has given way to an antique brass palpit, the base of which is of massive oak. The pulpit bears this inscription in a single running line: "Trinity, A. D. 1888. For the preaching of the word of God and in memory of George W. Woodward, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania and twice member of Congress of the United States. Died May 10, 1875, aged 66 years. Erected by his daughter Mrs. Eben Greenough Scott." Within the chancel is a bishop's chair of antique oak and bronze,given in memory of the Rt. Rev. William Bacon Stevens, and an antique oak communion table to correspond. A brass tablet, the gift of Mrs. Bishop Stevens, and bearing the appended inscription has been placed upon the wall above the memorial font given by Mrs. W. L. Conyngham: To the Glory of God and in loving memory Hop. John Nesbitt Conyngham, LL. D., a vestryman and warden of this parish. "The large minded and law-obeying citizen, the wise and upright judge, the sincere and earnest Christian, Ruth Anne Butler Conyngham, faithful and loving in all the relations of home life, MEMORIAL WINDOWS. Conspicuous among the new features is a memorial window given by Mrs. Col. A. H. Bowman and her daughter, Mrs. Col. E. S. Otis, in loving memory of the latter's son, Miles Bowman McAlester, who died Jan. 13, 1887, aged 17 years. It was made in London, after Hoffman's celebrated painting, "Christ among the doctors in the temple.' The execution is pleasing in the extreme and the coloring 18 in the highest style of glass decorative art. It is a somewhat singular coincidence that young MoAlester's grandfather, Col. A. H. Bowman, was related to no less than five of the people who figured in the early history of the church, as reconnted in the subsequent historical discourse: Bishop Samuel Bowman was a brother of the colonel; Bishop Kemper was father-in-law; Rev. Dr. May married his sister; Henry Denison was his cousin; and Eleanor Stewart Bowman, who was one of the organizers of the first Sunday school, was his mother. Capt. Samuel Bowman, father of Bishop Bowman, was an aide to Gen. Washington and walked beside Major Andre to the place of execution. |