One Hundred Years Ago!
Centennial Celebration of the Settlement of the
Susquehanna Valley at Sidney Plains
Chenango Telegraph, June 19, 1872
Continued from posting of August 6, 2017
From what is called Moses hill, bare of timber from having been burned over to facilitate the chase of game by the Indians, was afforded an excellent look out. The valley could be surveyed for miles, and doubtless from this eminence the Johnstons often overlooked their estate, then mostly covered with timber, and perhaps anticipated the time when instead of forests they would behold green pastures and meadows, and fields of waving corn and wheat, as we do now, and yet they could have scarcely seen in imagination the landscape as we see it today. I know of no section of country presenting such a succession of beautiful landscapes as does the valley of the Susquehanna, and nowhere in this beautiful valley a more charming view than from a point half a mile west of the spot where we now stand, and where at a glance you have the Susquehanna and Unadilla rivers flowing together--small islands fringed with willow--broad meadows and plains--the Midland Railroad sweeping round the base of Old Moses' Hill, and the valleys stretching up and away on either side. Nowhere does the Susquehanna flow so gently and sweetly as here, and notwithstanding that attachments have formed elsewhere, and that most of my life's work has been done elsewhere, here I first saw the light and would for the last time see the sun go down.
The Johnston family remained improving their farm, and encountering such trials and privations as their situation distant from settlements of civilized people involved, until the summer of 1777. There was no mill nearer than the Mohawk and no highway but the river. For several years their only meal or flour was obtained by pounding corn in a mortar, which they did every morning for the day's supply. On Saturday a double portion was invariably prepared. The first grist mill in this vicinity was built by Carr, on Carr's Creek, a few miles east of this place, on the site of what was afterwards Baxter's mills. The upper or running stone is a curiosity, and is exhibited here today. (The stone was raised upon a box before the speaker, and constituted the desk or table. It would scarcely be used at this day for the purpose to which it was once put). The date of the construction cannot be given.
After the Declaration of Independence, and in the summer of 1777, affairs began to assume a threatening aspect in this valley, though far removed from the theatre of regular military operations, The Johnstons were warmly attached to the Colonial cause. The Six Nations, with the exception of the Oneidas adhered to the king and became dangerous neighbors. Brant, the Mohawk chief, with his warriors traversed the Susquehanna Valley and the adjacent country and neither families or settlements were safe from hostile incursions unless protected by a military force.
The speaker proceeded to detail much of the history of those early days, but we have not the space to follow him in his ample narration. Tradition states that Brant met Gen. Herkimer in the summer of 1777, with 110 warriors, encamping on the high table land, a mile below here, and Gen. H., on the Huyck flats two miles above. They held their conference on the Bradley farm, a little east of the railway station. Mr. Johnston met Brant, at first friendly, but very likely the interview ended in anger and high words. Of this interview little can be known.
Soon after this, the Johnston family removed for safety to Cherry Valley. Before leaving, they secreted such articles as they could not carry with them by burying them in the ground.
On the 11th of November, 1778, occurred the cruel and bloody massacre at Cherry Valley under lead of Col. Walter Butler, of infamous memory, and the Mohawk chieftain brant. The allusions to this even msut be confined to the Johnston family. Col. Alden was in command of the fort, and had received notice on the 8th of November, of an intended attack by the Indians, but he treated it lightly, and denied the request of the inabitants to remove into the fort. On th night of the 10th the enemyencamped on the hill at the southwest and on the 11th the massacre took place. Witter Johnston was then in the service and probably at the fort on duty. Hugh, a boy of fourteen, was present when a man rode up with his arm shattered and gave the alarm. The boys started to warn their family, but for some reason unknown, Witter did not go and Hugh reached home alone. Dominie j. refused to leave, but finally did so at the urgent request of his children. Besides these there was a boy seven years of age named McMaster (and subsequently known as Captain). (He was th efather of the speaker). By their alert mvoements they all escaped the terrible massacre which followed. The speaker paid a high compliment to Hugh, the lad whose sagacity saved the entire Johnston family. All lived to a good old age; al brought up families, and a numerous posterity still survive. Many have passed away.
"Part of the best have crossed the flood,
And part are crossing now"
Capt. Hugh Johnston, the heroic boy, lived here after the war about fifty years, universally esteemed. He died in October 1833, at the age of seventy. Mr. McMaster related many anecdotes illustrating his character for energy and promptness in emergencies, which we cannot repeat. Others of the family exhibited the same characteristics, as many now living well remember. An original letter was read and exhibited, written by Col. Witter Johnston, in which he announced the capture of a thief named McCoy and the infliction of one hundred lashes as a punishment.
Mr. McMaster followed his very interesting sketches of the Johnston family with some relative to other early settlers. But time and space fail us and we pass over all of these by simply giving some of the names which are remembered. Among them are Samuel Rogers, the father of the President of the day, Dea. Israel Smith, Gold Bacon, Justice Woodworth, and some others.
To be continued
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