had the proud distinction of being the brother of William Maclay, one of
the first United States Senators from Pennsylvania. The Maclays are the
only brothers to ever sit in the highest legislative body of this
country. The third brother, John, was also prominent and served in the
Senate of Pennsylvania.
The imposing shaft was erected by Pennsylvania at a cost of only $1000,
which included the contract for the marble shaft and the reinterment of
the Senator’s body.
Miss Helen Argyl Maclay, of Belleville, a great-great-granddaughter of
Samuel Maclay, unveiled the monument assisted by her two brothers, Ralph
and Robert Maclay. Rev. A. A. Stapleton, D. D., delivered the principal
address. Other speakers included Frank L. Dersham, then the
Representative in the General Assembly from Union County, who introduced
the bill for this memorial; Alfred Hayes, now deceased, also a former
member of the Assembly, who represented the Union County Historical
Society; Captain Samuel R. Maclay, of Mineral Point, Mo., a grandson of
Senator Samuel Maclay.
Lieutenant Governor Robert Murphy attended the ceremony, as did many
distinguished citizens from this and other States, school children and
military, civic, historical and patriotic societies. There were
thirty-five representatives of the Maclay family in attendance.
Perhaps the strangest emotion during the preparation of this shaft and
its unveiling was caused by the seeming lack of knowledge of this
statesman, farmer, frontiersman, soldier, surveyor, citizen, who was an
officer in the Continental Army during the Revolution, who was a
foremost actor in the actual development of the interior of the State to
commerce, one who sat in the highest legislative councils of this
Commonwealth and presided over its Senate, who represented his State in
Congress and later in the United States Senate, and so serving was the
compeer of men whose names are radiant with luster on the pages of
American history.
Yet, strange to say, the memory of this man had so completely faded from
public view that college professors, members of the General Assembly and
men who held some claim to be styled historians asked in wonder, when
the bill was before the Legislature, “Who was this man?”
The ancestors of Senator Maclay came from Scotland, where the clan
Maclay inhabited the mountains of County Boss in the northlands.
When the darkest chapter of Scotch-Irish history was written in tears
and blood, emigration was the only alternative to starvation, and among
the 30,000 exiles who left for these shores were two Maclays.
These two exiles were sons of Charles Maclay, of County Antrim and
titular Baron of Finga. Their names were Charles, born in 1703, and
John, born in 1707. They set sail for America May 30, 1734.
Upon arrival they first settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where
they remained nearly seven years, when they removed to what is now
Lurgan Township, Franklin County, on an estate, which is still in
possession of their descendants.
Here John, son of Charles, the immigrant, built a mill in 1755, which,
with modern improvements and alterations, is still operated by the third
succeeding generation. This mill was stockaded during the French and
Indian War, as it was located on the well-traveled highway leading from
McAllister’s Gap to Shippensburg.
During the Revolution every male member of the Maclay family, of
military age, was in the service, and every one an officer.
John Maclay, the younger of the immigrant brothers, married Jane
MacDonald in 1747. To this union were born three sons and one daughter;
John born 1748, a soldier of the Revolution, died 1800; Charles, born
1750, a captain in the Continental Army, who fell in the action at
Crooked Billet, 1778; Samuel, born 1751, also an officer, fell at Bunker
Hill; Elizabeth, wife of Colonel Samuel Culbertson, of the Revolution.
Charles Maclay, the elder immigrant brother, died in 1753. His wife,
Eleanore, whom he had married in Ireland, died in 1789. To them were
born four sons and one daughter: John, born in Ireland, 1734, for many
years a magistrate, and in 1776 he was a delegate to convention in
Carpenters’ Hall, Philadelphia. He also served in the General Assembly,
1790–1792 and 1794; William, born in Chester County, July 20, 1737,
whose sketch appears in another story; Charles, also born in Chester
County, in 1739, was a soldier of the Revolution, died in 1834 at
Maclays Mills; Samuel, the subject of our sketch, was born June 17,
1741.
Samuel Maclay was educated in the classical school conducted by Dr. J.
Allison, of Middle Spring. He also mastered the science of surveying,
which he followed for years. In 1769 he was engaged with his brother
William and Surveyor General Lukens in surveying the officers’ tracts on
the West Branch of the Susquehanna, which had been awarded to the
officers of First Battalion in Bouquet’s expedition.
A coincident fact is that the remains of this distinguished patriot lie
buried on the allotment awarded Captain John Brady, who drew the third
choice, and which was surveyed for him by Maclay.
Samuel Maclay, November 10, 1773, married Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel
William Plunket, then President Judge of Northumberland County, and
commandant of the garrison at Fort Augusta. They took up their residence
on the Brady tract in Buffalo Valley. To this union six sons and three
daughters were born.
From the moment Samuel Maclay became a resident of what is now Union
County until his death he was identified with the important history of
the valley.
Samuel Maclay was one of the commissioners to survey the headwaters of
the Schuylkill, Susquehanna and Allegheny Rivers. The others were
Timothy Matlack, of Philadelphia, and John Adlum, of York. They were
commissioned April 9, 1789. These eminent men were skilled
hydrographical and topographical engineers and completed the first great
survey of Pennsylvania.
The journal kept by Maclay is interesting and valuable and relates many
thrilling experiences quite foreign to those of present-day surveyors.
He was lieutenant colonel of the First Battalion, Northumberland County
Militia, organized at Derr’s Mills, now Lewisburg, September 12, 1775.
In 1787 Samuel Maclay was elected to Pennsylvania Assembly and served
until 1791, when he became Associate Justice of Northumberland County.
In 1794 he was elected to Congress. Three years later he was elected to
Pennsylvania Senate, where he served six years. He was elected Speaker
in 1802 and he served in this capacity until March 16, 1802, when he
took his seat in the United States Senate, where he continued until
January 4, 1809, resigning on account of broken health.
He died October 5, 1811, at the age of seventy years. His wife,
Elizabeth Plunket Maclay, survived her distinguished husband until 1835.
----------
Amusing and Memorable “Battle of the
Kegs,” January 5, 1778
In January, 1778, while the British were in possession of Philadelphia,
some Americans had formed a project of sending down by the ebb tide a
number of kegs, or machines that resembled kegs as they were floating,
charged with gunpowder and furnished with machinery, so constructed that
on the least touch of anything obstructing their free passage they would
immediately explode with great force.
The plan was to injure the British shipping, which lay at anchor
opposite the city in such great numbers that the kegs could not pass
without encountering some of them. But on January 4, the very evening in
which these kegs were sent down, the first hard frost came on and the
vessels were hauled into the docks to avoid the ice which was forming,
and the entire scheme failed.
One of the kegs, however, happened to explode near the town. This gave a
general alarm in the city, and soon the wharves were filled with troops,
and the greater part of the following day was spent in firing at every
chip or stick that was seen floating in the river. The kegs were under
water, nothing appearing on the surface but a small buoy.
This circumstance gave occasion for many stories of this incident to be
published in the papers of that day. The following account is taken from
a letter dated Philadelphia, January 9, 1778:
“This city hath lately been entertained with a most astonishing instance
of activity, bravery and military skill of the royal army and navy of
Great Britain. The affair is somewhat particular and deserves your
notice. Some time last week a keg of singular construction was observed
floating in the river. The crew of a barge attempting to take it up, it
suddenly exploded, killed four of the hands and wounded the rest.
“On Monday last some of the kegs of a singular construction made their
appearance. The alarm was immediately given. Various reports prevailed
in the city, filling the royal troops with unspeakable consternation.
Some asserted that these kegs were filled with rebels, who were to issue
forth in the dead of night, as the Grecians did of old from the wooden
horse at the siege of Troy, and take the city by surprise. Some declared
they had seen the points of bayonets sticking out of the bung-holes of
the kegs. Others said they were filled with inflammable combustibles
which would set the Delaware in flames and consume all the shipping in
the harbor. Others conjectured that they were machines constructed by
art magic and expected to see them mount the wharves and roll, all
flaming with infernal fire, through the streets of the city.
“I say nothing as to these reports and apprehensions, but certain it is,
the ships of war were immediately manned and the wharves crowded with
chosen men. Hostilities were commenced without much ceremony and it was
surprising to behold the incessant firing that was poured upon the
enemy’s kegs. Both officers and men exhibited unparalleled skill and
prowess on the occasion, whilst the citizens stood gaping as solemn
witnesses of this dreadful scene.
“In truth, not a chip, stick or drift log passed by without experiencing
the vigor of the British arms. The action began about sunrise and would
have terminated in favor of the British by noon had not an old market
woman, in crossing the river with provisions, unfortunately let a keg of
butter fall overboard, which as it was then ebb tide, floated down to
the scene of battle. At sight of this unexpected re-enforcement of the
enemy the attack was renewed with fresh forces, and the firing from the
marine and land troops was beyond imagination and so continued until
night closed the conflict.
“The rebel kegs were either totally demolished or obliged to fly, as
none of them have shown their heads since. It is said that His
Excellency, Lord Howe, has dispatched a swift sailing packet with an
account of this signal victory to the Court of London. In short, Monday,
January 5, 1778, will be memorable in history for the renowned battle of
the kegs.”
The entire transaction was laughable in the extreme and furnished the
theme for unnumbered sallies of wit from the Whig press, while the
distinguished author of “Hail Columbia,” Joseph H. Hopkinson,
paraphrased it in a ballad which was immensely popular at the time.
This ballad is worthy of reproduction and is given almost in full:
THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS
By JOSEPH H. HOPKINSON
Gallants attend and hear a friend,
Trill forth harmonious ditty,
Strange things I‘ll tell which late befell
In Philadelphia City.
‘Twas early day, as poets say,
Just when the sun was rising,
A soldier stood on a log of wood
And saw a thing surprising.
As in a maze he stood to gaze,
The truth can’t be denied, sir,
He spied a score of kegs or more,
Come floating down the tide, sir.
A sailor too in jerkin blue,
This strange appearance viewing,
First d—d his eyes, in great surprise,
Then said “some mischief’s brewing.
“These kegs, I‘m told, the rebels bold
Pack up like pickl’d herring;
And they’re come down t’attack the town
In this new way of ferry’ng.”
The soldier flew, the sailor too,
And scar’d almost to death, sir,
Wore out their shoes, to spread the news,
And ran till out of breath, sir.
Now up and down throughout the town,
Most frantic scenes were acted;
And some ran here, and others there,
Like men almost distracted.
Some fire cry’d, which some denied,
But said the earth had quaked;
And girls and boys, with hideous noise
Ran thro‘ the streets half naked.
“The motley crew, in vessels new,
With Satan for their guide, sir,
Pack’d up in bags, or wooden kegs,
Come driving down the tide, sir.
“Therefore prepare for bloody war,
These kegs must all be routed,
Or surely despis’d we shall be
And British courage doubted.”
The cannons roar from shore to shore,
The small arms loud did rattle,
Since wars began I‘m sure no man
E‘er saw so strange a battle.
The rebel dales, the rebel vales,
With rebel trees surrounded;
The distant woods, the hills and floods,
With rebel echoes sounded.
The fish below swam to and fro,
Attack’d from ev’ry quarter;
Why sure, thought they, the devil’s to pay,
‘Mongst folks above the water.
The kegs, ’tis said, tho’ strongly made
Of rebel staves and hoops, sir,
Could not oppose their powerful foes,
The conqr’ing British troops, sir.
From morn to night these men of might,
Display’d amazing courage—
And when the sun was fairly down,
Retir’d to sup their porrage.
A hundred men with each a pen,
Or more upon my word, sir,
It is most true would be too few,
Their valor to record, sir.
Such feats did they perform that day,
Against these wicked kegs, sir,
That years to come, if they get home
They’ll make their boasts and brags, sir.
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Bishop Cammerhoff Started Journey Among
Indians on January 6, 1748
John Christopher Cammerhoff was a Moravian missionary who undertook
several hazardous trips to the Indians along the Susquehanna and to
Onondaga, and of whom there is an interesting story to be told.
He came to America in the summer of 1747, in company with Baron John de
Watteville, a bishop of the Moravian Church, and son-in-law and
principal assistant of Count Zinzindorf. They were also accompanied on
the voyage by the Reverend John Martin Mack and the Reverend David
Zeisberger, the latter also an interpreter, and each of these figured
very prominently in the early history among the Indians of the great
Susquehanna Valleys.
Cammerhoff was born near Magdeburg, Germany, July 28, 1721; died at
Bethlehem, Pa., April 28, 1751. He was educated at Jena and at the age
of twenty-five was consecrated Bishop in London and came to America.
His greatest success was among the Indians of Pennsylvania and New York.
The Iroquois adopted him into the Turtle Tribe of the Oneida Nation, and
gave him the name of Gallichwio or “A Good Message.”
Accompanied only by Joseph Powell, he set out from Bethlehem for
Shamokin on the afternoon of January 6, 1748, and reached Macungy, now
Emaus, by night. The next day they traveled through deep snow, sleeping
that night at the home of Moses Starr, a Quaker. Early next morning the
Schuylkill was reached, which was partly frozen over. A crossing was
effected with great risk over the thin ice, leading their horses, which
broke through and nearly drowned. They passed through Heidelberg, Berks
County, and reached Tulpehocken, where they slept at Michael
Schaeffer’s.
Next morning they arrived at George Loesch’s and here determined to
leave the mountain road via the Great Swatara Gap and Mahanoy Mountains,
and to travel along the Indian path leading from Harris’ Ferry, which
they were to meet at the river.
They got as far as Henry Zender’s, where they spent the night, and next
morning set out for Harris’ Ferry, a long day’s journey along the Great
Swatara, which they reached at noon. Seven miles from Harris’ they got
lost in the woods, but the missionaries arrived at Harris’ at 7 o’clock
and found there a great company of traders.
Next morning, January 11, they proceeded toward Shamokin, following the
path made by some Indians who the previous day had traveled from
Shamokin to Harris’ Ferry. They passed by Chambers’ Mill, at the mouth
of Fishing Creek, seven miles above the ferry. They proceeded, after a
sumptuous noonday meal, and in a few hours struck the base of the
mountain, which marked the northern limit of Proprietaries’ land. They
passed over Peter’s Mountain, then forded Powell’s Creek, and,
completely exhausted, arrived at Armstrong’s house, which was at the
mouth of the present Armstrong Creek, above Halifax.
In spite of a hard storm during the night they pressed on the next day
and nearly lost their lives crossing Manhantango Creek, which was very
high, reached the house of Captain Thomas McKee and passed the night.
At 3 o’clock next day they reached Mahanoy Creek, which they forded at a
place McKee had advised, and night overtook them five miles from their
destination, but in the moonlight they pressed on, and descending the
steep hills they encountered a miraculous escape, and again at Shamokin
Creek were carried nearly 100 yards down stream by the raging current.
Here Missionary Mack and others, anticipating their approach, met them
at 9 o’clock at night and cheered them on the last two miles of their
long and tedious trip. They arrived at Shamokin (now Sunbury) at
daybreak on Sunday, January 14.
Shikellamy went to see Cammerhoff and expressed his regret that he had
such a fatiguing journey, and during his stay at that great Indian
capital showed him every attention.
Following the great conference at Philadelphia, in August, 1749, it
became necessary the next spring for the Moravian missionaries to visit
the Great Council of the Six Nations at Onondaga.
It was arranged that the Rev. David Zeisberger, who was then at
Shamokin, should join Bishop Cammerhoff at Wyoming and accompany him on
this journey. The latter, having obtained a passport from Governor
Hamilton, set out from Bethlehem on May 14, accompanied by John Martin
Mark, Timothy Horsfield and Gottlieb Bezold. They journeyed on foot up
the Lehigh to Gnadenhutten, then over the mountains to Wyoming, where
they arrived May 20, 1750, and “at once went to Nanticoke town; there
they were kindly welcomed, and where they awaited the Indian who was to
guide them.”
When the Cayuga chief arrived, accompanied by his wife, his son, aged
fourteen, and his daughter, aged four years, they departed in canoes on
the afternoon of May 28. “David and I, with the boy and girl, set out in
our canoe and the Cayuga and his wife in their hunting skiff,” records
Cammerhoff.
On June 6, they passed Wyalusing Falls, and then came to Gahontoto, the
site of an ancient Indian city where a peculiar nation once lived.
Traces of their former Indian city were discernible in the old ruined
corn fields. The Cayuga chief told the Bishop that the Five Nations had
fought and exterminated the inhabitants of this city long before they
fought with guns.
They proceeded up the Susquehanna and then into the Tioga or Chemung
River, and disembarked at Gandtscherat, a Cayuga village near Waverly,
N. Y. Thence they traveled overland by way of Cayuga to Onondaga, where
they arrived June 21, the very day the big council was to convene, but
its actual assembly was delayed because a majority of the Indians got
drunk.
When the council finally met at Onondaga, the design of the proposed
negotiations, as made known to the visitors, was that emissaries of the
French were endeavoring to entice the Six Nations from their compact
with the English.
During the course of the conference, Cammerhoff presented to the Council
a petition from the Nanticoke Indians at Wyoming, to the effect that
they might have a blacksmith shop, under Moravian auspices, set up in
their village. This request was denied by the Council, and the
Nanticokes informed that they could avail themselves of the services of
the blacksmith at Shamokin. This smith was Anthony Schmidt, who was sent
to Shamokin from the Moravian Mission at Bethlehem. He arrived there
August 3, 1747, accompanied by his wife. He remained there many years
and performed his task to the general satisfaction of the Indians who
traveled 100 or more miles to have a gun barrel straightened or the
firelock repaired.
Their business at Onondaga being finished, Cammerhoff and Zeisberger
journeyed overland to the Susquehanna, where they embarked in a canoe
and floated down the river as far as the village of the Nanticoke, which
they reached Sunday, August 2, 1750. They tarried only a day and then
proceeded to Shamokin, where they arrived August 6, having traveled more
than 600 miles on horseback, afoot and in canoes.
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Bank of North America, First Incorporated
Bank in the United States, Commenced
Business January 7, 1782
The first incorporated bank in America was the Bank of North America,
and its operations commenced January 7, 1782, in the commodious store
belonging to its cashier, Tench Francis, on the north side of Chestnut
Street, west of Third.
In 1780 the Assembly of Pennsylvania made a strong effort to relieve the
people from the withering blight of the Continental money. It tried to
redeem it by taxation at the rate of 1 to 40. But neither this nor any
other measure prevented the coinage of the phrase, “It is not worth a
Continental.”
To assist Congress in providing for the army, Robert Morris and other
financiers of the State established the Bank of Pennsylvania, the first
bank in America. The last attempt to prolong the life of the
“Continentals” was made by the Supreme Executive Council in May, 1781;
but the remedy proved fatal. Pelatiah Webster said of the proceedings:
“Thus fell, ended and died the Continental currency, aged six years.”
During the Revolutionary War the country was extremely poor, with few
industries but agriculture, and was quite denuded of the precious
metals, owing to a heavy and long continued adverse foreign trade, so
that the Congress of the United States experienced great difficulties in
providing the requisite means for carrying on the hostilities.
On May 10, 1775, soon after the battle of Lexington, Congress made
preparation to issue Continental paper, $2,000,000 of which were put in
circulation on June 22 following.
From month to month these issues, which in the aggregate reached three
hundred millions, depreciated, until eventually they became entirely
valueless, notwithstanding the passage of laws making them a legal
tender for the payment of debts.
On May 17, 1781, a plan for a National Bank was submitted to Congress by
Robert Morris, of Pennsylvania, the principal provisions of which were
as follows: The capital to be $400,000, in shares of $400 each; that
each share be entitled to a vote for directors; that there be twelve
directors chosen from those entitled to vote, who at their first meeting
shall choose one as president; that the directors meet quarterly; that
the board be empowered from time to time to open new subscriptions for
the purpose of increasing the capital of the bank; statements to be made
to the Superintendent of the Finances of America; that the bank notes
payable on demand shall by law be made receivable for duties and taxes
in any state, and from the respective states by the treasury of the
United States; that the Superintendent of Finances of America shall have
a right at all times to examine into the affairs of the bank.
On May 26, 1781, Congress adopted the following: “Resolved, that
Congress do approve of the plan for the establishment of a National Bank
in these United States, submitted for their consideration by Mr. R.
Morris, May 17, 1781, and that they will promote and support the same by
such ways and means, from time to time, as may appear necessary for the
institution and consistent with the public good; that the subscribers to
the said bank shall be incorporated agreeably to the principles and
terms of the plan, under the name of ‘The President, Directors, and
Company of the Bank of North America,’ so soon as the subscription shall
be filled, the directors and president chosen, and application for that
purpose made to Congress by the president and directors elected.”
On December 31 following Congress adopted “an ordinance to incorporate
the subscribers to the Bank of North America.”
The first president was Thomas Willing, and the cashier was Tench
Francis. The bank became at once a most important auxiliary in aid of
the finances of the government, and so continued to the end of the war.