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1916 by J. W. Ingham
Photos by Joyce M. Tice Retyped for Tri-Counties by Anne PRATT Slatin
(Joyce's Third Cousin)
Many thanks to the Tri-Counties guest who sent this book to Joyce and who wishes to remain anonymous. See Author's Obituary at bottom of page |
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Table of Contents
Death of Louis XV, and the Accession of this Grandson, Louis XVI.
The Old Parliaments Revived.
Act Passed Abolishing the Privileges of the Nobles and the Clergy.
The Revolution that Followed.
The Reign of Terror.
Robespierre at the Head of Affairs.
The King Put to Death.
The Revolution in San Domingo.
A Great Number of Refugees Fled to America.
M. Charles Felix Bue Boulogne and Adam Hoops Sent to Select the Site
for a Town.
They Arrived August 27, 1793.
Judge Matthias Hollenback of Wilkes-Barre, Accepts Their Letter of
Credit.
The Schufeldt Farm (Asylum) Selected.
October, 1793, M. Boulogne Makes the First Purchase and Is the First
Settler.
Robert Morris Purchases the Desired Lots For the Settlers.
M. Talon Arrives at Asylum.
He Becomes General Manager of the Contemplated Improvements.
The First Grist Mill Built.
Two Stores Are Started.
An Inn, or Hotel, is Established.
Catholic Church Services are Conducted.
The D'Autremonts Move to Asylum from "The Butternuts," New York.
A Settlement Begun at New Era (Terry Township).
Houses and Gardens Described.
Dupetithouar, the Founder of Dushore.
John Keating Comes to Asylum.
Habits, Dress and Amusements of the French Exiles.
The Town Described By an English Traveller.
Charles Felix Bue Boulogne Drowned in the Loyal Sock Creek, Sullivan
County.
Tallyrand Visits Asylum.
Louis Philippe, Duke of Orleans, Afterward King of France, Visits Asylum.
Duke de Rochefoucauld de Laincourt Visits the Colony and Writes About
It.
The Price of Lands, Etc.
The First Wedding.
A Theatre is Built.
Discouraging Obstacles to Be Overcome.
The Clearing of an Acre Costs Thirty Dollars.
The D'Autremont Family and the Lefevres.
M. Bue Boulogne, and Incidents of the Lefevre Family.
Charles Homet, Senior, B. Laporte and Others.
The Postman Brings Joyous News to the Colonists.
Most of Them Return to France.
Appendix.
The Laports, Homets, Lefebres, d'Autremonts, and Their Descendants in
America.
THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
The writer began this history about twenty years ago, at which time
he gathered the material and prepared the manuscript for "A History of
the Susquehanna
Valley." This work contemplated covering the whole North Branch valley
from Wilkes-Barre to Tioga Point. Such a history, to be correct, must naturally
contain
the matter pertaining to Asylum and the French Refugees. I, therefore,
prepared at that time much of the matter contained in this booklet.
The Reverend David Craft, long a resident of Terrytown and Wyalusing,
Pa., and well known as an historian, had written a History of Bradford
County in 1878,
which contained a brief history of Asylum. Mr. Craft later moved to
Angelica, N. Y., at which place resided some descendants of the French
Refugees, formerly
of Asylum. After writing his history of Bradford County, Mr. Craft
published a pamphlet entitled "A Day at Asylum." He came into possession
of additional
historical matter after moving from this county, which he very generously
sent me. I am therefore greatly indebted to him.
Mr. Miner, in his history of Wyoming, had also written something about the French Refugees, and to him I wish to give due credit.
My grandfather, Joseph Ingham, came to what is now Bradford County in
1793, at about the time the French Refugees came to Asylum. He settled
on the
Susquehanna River, about eight miles south of Asylum. His house was
in plain sight of the river which was then the principal highway by which
settlers came into
this territory, and it was also the means by which goods and merchandise
were transported in Durham boats which plied up and down the river. Naturally,
he
learned much about the new settlement at Asylum and its people. Some
years later, being a practical millwright, he assisted Charles Homet, Jr.,
in building a
gristmill at Asylum. From him and other members of our family there
was handed down, by tradition, considerable information about the French
settlers.
About twelve years ago, (1904) my brother, the late Thomas J. Ingham,
of Laporte, Sullivan County, wrote a history of the county, which was later
published. He
invited me to assist him in the work, and it was necessary to incorporate
in that work all that was known about the French settlers at Dushore and
Hillsgrove (in
that county) who were a part of the Asylum colony. Some data was obtained
at that time, which has been presented in this history of Asylum.
Still later, or about ten years ago, Mrs. Louise Murray, of Athens,
a descendant of Bartholomew LaPorte, one of the French settlers at Asylum
wrote a brief
history of "Asylum," and to her I am also indebted. This booklet is
not designed, or expected to supersede Mrs. Murray's excellent work. It
could not do that, for
she has specialized and after much painstaking search, procured documentary
matter of great value, which is contained in her book. Her history will
continue to be
read and valued as highly in the future as in the past.
Mr. John A. Biles, a well known surveyor, whose home is in the near
vicinity of Asylum, after a long search found the original map of the town
of Asylum,
prepared by a French engineer. From studying this map, and after careful
examination of the ground, he has been enabled to locate the position of
the most
important buildings which were erected there, of which there are no
traces remaining at the present time. Mr. Biles has also contributed much
to the history of
Asylum.
John W. Mix, Esq., of Towanda, a decendant of Anthony Lefevre, one of
these pioneers, had also acquired some valuable date, and to him I am also
greatly
indebted.
Within the past year, a movement has been started, fostered by the Bradford
County Historical Society, and the George Clymer Chapter of the D. A. R.,
of
Towanda, to place a permanent stone marker at, or near, the site of
one of the more conspicuous buildings of Asylum. It is proposed to have
an anniversary
gathering upon the ground in June, 1916, at which time there will be
the unveiling of this stone or marker, and suitable addresses to commemorate
the event. In
anticipation of this event, much important data was placed in the hands
of Mr. D. M. Turner, editor of the Towanda Daily Review, from which he
was requested
to prepare an article on Asylum, to be printed for that occasion. Mr.
Turner, knowing that I had written several articles on the subject, and
that I was in possession
of additional matter, placed this data in my hands with the request
that I write the article. In accordance with this request I undertook the
task with some diffidence,
fearing that Mr. Turner had over-rated by ability along this line.
After undertaking the work, I soon learned that the subject could not
be suitably treated in a short article. It has been thought proper, therefore,
to have the matter
contained herein printed in book form. This booklet is a mere fragment
of the manuscript as at first prepared for the History of the Susquehanna
Valley. The
portion selected for publication embraces the territory of Asylum,
Wyalusing,
Terry,
and Wilmot Townships. In this
section I was born and here I have lived all my life. Many of the pioneers
whose names appear in these pages, of the second generation, were personally
known to me. Their sons and daughters of the third generation were my acquaintances
and friends. The descendants of the French Refugees made their homes in
all of the four townships mentioned herein. They are intermarried with
the descendants of the pioneer families of the whole section covered by
this history. Hence it is, that I discovered that the History of Asylum
could not be easily separated from that of the adjoining townships.
Of necessity, there are some repetitions; neither township would be complete
in itself, without
this repetition to some extent. In cases where the different accounts
of the same incident are conflicting, and wherein dates differ, I have
endeavored to arrive at the
truth through the preponderance of evidence. I do not claim, however,
to be infallible, and, no doubt, errors may be discovered.
J. W. INGHAM
Towanda, Penn'a., May 20, 1916.
The text under the photo of Mr. Ingham said, "J. Washington Ingham of
Towanda, today, October 21, observes the 93rd anniversary of his birth.
Mr. Ingham is in fairly good health, still wields the pen which he has
used so fluently and intelligently for man, many years, and takes a lively
interest
in all the affairs of the day. Keen of mind, seeing farther than
the average man, he is fond of analysis, and in the discussion of public
questions is second to none. Here is hoping that Mr. Ingham's health
continues good and that he may enjoy many more years of life."
Joyce, I accidently picked up the wrong book at the library (ASYLUM AND THE FRENCH REFUGEES) and found the author's obituary glued in the front. The death date of his wife was hard to read, so I'm not absolutely sure it's right.
Submitted by Deborah Smith
(Handwriting at top looks like it says "Bradford Star, May 31, 1917")
J. Washington Ingham Dead
Joseph Washington Ingham, the county's "grand old man" and marvel of intellectual capacity, died very suddenly Thursday, May 24, 1917 at the home of his son, Geo. T. Ingham, Towanda, in his 94th year. Though being a cripple and getting around on crutches for more than four years, he kept busy with pen until the very last, there being no faultering of his brilliamnt mind and wonderful memory.
This remarkable man was the son of Thomas and Eunice (Horton) Ingham and was born October 21, 1823 at Sugar Run, Wilmot township on the farm settled by his grandfather, Joseph Ingham in 1795. He was of English-Quaker descent, his ancestors having settled in New Jersey about 1732. He received a good common school education and attended one term at the Athens academy. He taught two terms of school, practiced land surveying, 'tended store, worked in the lumber woods, drew logs, 'tended saw-mill, rafted and ran lumber down the Susquehannah river to Maryland. Early in life he devoted himself to farming, it being an occupation more congenial to his taste, and giving him more enjoyment than any other business in which he ever engaged. Upon the death of his father in 1855, he assumed the duties of his father's estate, which included a grist-mill, saw-mill, farm and timber lot. Eventually he became the owner of the farm and labored diligently and successfully to make it richer and more productive. He was the first Worthy Master of Wyalusing Grange and represented it several times in the State Grange. For four years he was postmaster at Sugar Run. He early took an active interest in politics and was the last of the original Abolitionists in the county. He was a total abstainer and a life-long champion of Temperance. In middle life he commenced literary work, writing upon agriculture, history, and other topics of public interest. He was a contributor to the New York Tribune, the Ohio Farmer, The Country Gentleman and other farm papers and magazines. He had a fondness for local history and many of his reminiscences and interesting articles have appeared in the local press and have been given before the Bradford County Historical Society. He also wrote an exhaustive history of the Indian tribes of Eastern Pennsylvania, "Asylum and the French Refugees" and history of Wyalusing, Wilmot and Terry. The last half of his life was afflicted with deafness, a handicap, which deprived him of many pleasures. He was the last of the capable links who could carry us back and make vivid pictures of the times when our country was new. His work is done, but so faithfully and well, that it will ever stand as a monument to his memory.
Mr. Ingham married in 1849, Miss Mary E., daughter of Rev. Geo. Taylor;
she died in 1896. His son, Geo. T. and several grandchildren survive.
Funeral services, largely attended, were held from the Ingham home, North
Main street, Saturday afternoon and the remains taken to Wyalusing for
interment.
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