The Early History of Zanesville
by E.H.C.

For the Courier,

[CONTINUED]

    The enemy passed over the James river the next day after paroling the wounded officers, and offered us an opportunity of burying the dead. The brigade pursued them as far as the Apamatox river, where we rested a few days. The enemy having retreated to Norfolk, found that the French fleet had blockaded the Chespeake, were immediately embarked aboard their fleet and moved back to the town of York, on York river, and commenced fortifying. In the meantime we were ordered back across the James river, when we were introduced to the officers of the French division of troops. The enemy were now blockaded in York. Shortly after General Washington arrived from the north with the main army. The siege and surrender of Lord Cornwallis followed: about 6,000 or 7,000 prisoners.

    On the reduction of a regiment at Jamestown, and the retiring of Gen. Hampton, he urged me to return with him to Philadelphia. Seeing that Gen. Wayne still refused to appoint me Captain of McClelland's company, and still preferring actual service to recruiting, I declined returning with the Colonel, who was displeased on account of it. After the surrender, some time, when we were ordered to the South, Gen. Wayne appointed me to command Capt. Henderson's company, he being sick, absent in general orders. I remonstrated against it and refused. He ordered me in a peremptory manner, to comply, or take leave of absence until further order. I accepted the latter, and returned to Philadelphia. I called upon Col. Hampton to interpose, and aid me in procuring my rights. After torturing me a little while, for not returning with him, we let out to the War Office, and after an hour or two my commission was obtained for the company Capt. McClelland had resigned in the 2d regiment of Pennsylvania line, looking back to the time of McClelland's resignation.

    The regiment having marched to the Carolinas, I was ordered by Colonel Hampton to recruit for the regiment, and continued recruiting until the peas of 1782-3, which terminated my military career. Being, through exposure, in a very feeble state of health, I had recourse to medicine, a strict regimen, traveling, &c. Recovering slowly, I took my father's farm at a valuation, vix: 170 odd acres, on which I was raised; paid off the legacies of my brothers and sisters, five in number, and thus made the farm my own. Soon after I settled on the farm I married the widow of Isaac Marple, daughter of Samuel John, deceased. What she inherited from her father's and husband's estates, aided me in commencing my agricultural and mechanical employments, and placed us in comfortable circumstances. After having lost about $1,500 in Government stocks, for back pay, &c., for my services in the army of the Revolution, by an unprincipled officer in Philadelphia - Lieut. White - who, to obtain the interest, broke up and sold my stocks.

    My industry and friendly intercourse with my neighbors, mostly Quakers too, soon procured me to be elected a Justice of the Peace for Solebury township in Bucks county, in which I lived under the first constitution of the Pennsylvania. After serving as such a few years, I was elected by the county, Coroner, which I served four years. About the year of 1795-6 I was elected to the House of Representatives, where I served five or six years, and resigned on the last day of the session, to avoid the importunity of my fellow citizens to serve them longer. And as party politics ran high, I was much censured by the Republicans for withdrawing from their service. My defence was, that the principal of rotation in office should not be violated any longer by me.

    My defence produced a reaction, and in the fall of the year I was nominated by delegates from Bucks, Montgomery, and Northampton counties, to supply a vacancy in Congress, occasioned by General Muhlenburg, he being elected to the Senate of the United States. I was elected by several thousand majority over my opponent, Col Jos. Clung, of Bristol, of the same county, (Bucks.) I took my seat in Congress, Dec. 1801. Mr. Jefferson had come into the Presidency in March, previous. The prosecution of my enemies continued and caused my friends to elect me a second time, contrary to my arrangement, which was to have moved to Ohio, at the expiration of my first two years. I however served out my second term of two years and prepared to move to Ohio in 1805.

    Some of my friends in Congress, understanding I was about moving to Ohio, recommended me to the President for the office of Receiver of Public Money of the Land office of Zanesville. Mr. Swearinger having signified his wish to resign some time previously. I was accordingly appointed to that office shortly after the adjournment of Congress and repaired to my post soon after I got my commission, and held that office until December 1826, when my son, Bernard, was appointed my successor. This have I passed through life, mostly in some public employment from my 22nd year of age; about forty six or forty with years of service, and am now, (1831), in my 78th year. The suffering and privation during the Revolutionary war, and the enmity and persecution I have occasionally met with since, in my civil employment, although great, are comparatively light, compared with the success, prosperity and peace of mind I have enjoyed during a protracted existence, a considerable part of which has been characterized by a partisan warfare in politics emanating from our popular form of Government.