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Subseries I: General, 1758 - 1841

 Sub-Series

Dates

  • 1758 - 1841

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

From the Collection: 17 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Subseries I: General, 1758-1841

Subseries I: General, 1758-1841, is arranged chronologically and contains manuscripts, notes, lists, notices, meeting minutes, decrees, ledgers, letters, certificates, newspaper clipping, and memorandums written and created by various historical figures who had made significant contributions to the establishment of not only the Wyoming Valley but Luzerne County, Pennsylvania as a whole. Historical figures included in this general subseries 1 are John Durkee, John Sullivan, Ezekiel Pierce, Nathan Dennison, Zebulon Butler, Obadiah Gore, Johnathan Trumbull, Benjamin Stoddert, Matthias Hollenback, Timothy Pickering, Samuel Kirkland, Thomas Mifflin, Clement Biddle, Louis Marie De Noailles, Antoine Omer Talon, Isaac Dewitt, Le Ray De Chaumont, and Archibald McCall. This general subseries I encompasses a wide range of events and affairs beginning with the establishment of the Susquehanna Company in the early 1700s ,which laid the foundation of the Wyoming Valley with the help from figures such as Zebulon Butler, Obadiah Gore and Nathan Dennison. Various notices written by these figures are included in this series and highlight their involvement in community interests and the establishment of cities, most notably Wilkes-Barre, and creation of the County’s infrastructure. The committees at the time also took responsibility in building homes for people who were moving from Connecticut to the Wyoming Valley, managed the settlements along the Susquehanna River, and for a long time decided many legal affairs before a court was formally established. It is important to note that there is a significant amount of notices and letters written by Zebulon Butler included in this subseries, which were deliberately included due to the nature of these letters and notices highlighting his affairs in the Wyoming Valley as both a colonel and member of various civil offices. While these items are located physically within the General subseries from the Wilkes-Barre, Wyoming Valley, Luzerne County series, there are many other manuscripts written by Zebulon Butler found in the Butler Correspondence subseries within the American Figures series. Two other key figures heavily referenced in this series are Matthias Hollenback and Timothy Pickering. Most notably a letter from Matthias Hollenback to Timothy Pickering including a detailed story of Hollenback’s capturing of John Hyde, who had previously broken into Pickering home and captured him during the Yankee-Pennamite Wars. Various other letters and notes written by Matthias Hollenback and received by him, highlights his significance to the history of Luzerne County. From being one of the successful business men of his time, owning several stores along the Susquehanna River while also being a soldier fighting at the Battle of Wyoming, to his involvement in the French Asylum, and ending with his honorable career as a judge this series encompasses it all. A prominent theme in this subseries is the Battle of Wyoming. The Battle of Wyoming was a military engagement during the American Revolutionary War between Patriot militia and a force of loyalist soldiers and Iroquois warriors. It took place on July 1778 in what is known now as Luzerne County.Along with Zebulon Butler’s involvement in the lead up to the battle, this series also includes documents such as Elisha Blackman’s letter to the publisher of the National Gazette, claiming that their narration of the Battle was incorrect and Eliphalet Follet’s (Jr.) writings to the Wyoming Claim Committee to tell the story of his father who died in battle and of his mothers journey taking care of him and his siblings while grieving the death. This series ends with a Memorandum written by the Ladies of the Monumental Association who were seeking out funds to finish the construction of a monument that would honor those who had fallen during battle. To this day there is a yearly celebration at the monument to honor those individuals who heroically fought to Wyoming Valley. Other themes within this subseries I include the effects of Indian attacks on the Wyoming Valley, affairs regarding Matthias Hollenback’s farm, now known as Kirby Park, military orders, the Sullivan Expedition, affairs involving the French Asylum including figures such as Louis Marie De Noailles, Antoine Omer Talon, and Archibald McCall, and the building of the Centre Turnpike and Eastern and Wilkes Barre turnpike road.

Related Names

Creator

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository

https://archivepublic.wilkes.edu
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)

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