THE JOURNAL OFTHE

Lycoming Clounty Historical Society

VOLUMEXX liBEL NUMBER'l'WO 1984

ARCHAEOLOGYIN INCOMINGCOUNTY

$ 1.1gz0 JOURNAL ofthe INCOMING COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Published SemiannzzaZZy in W:ZZfam$pad, Pe7}71syZoanfa Museum Office - 858 West Fourth Street Telephone(Area Code 717) 326-3326

BOARDOFTRUSTEES RALPHR. CRANMER WILLIAM E. NICHOLS,JR. HARRY H. KING I.eganCoumeior JOHN L. BRUCH, JR. MRS. JANE W. INGERSOLL JOHN B. McMURTRIE Cufrerlt Sodety Prafde? t

BOARDOFGOVERNORS MRS. JANE W. INGERSOLL, PfesMerlt JAMES P, BRESSLER, .bf I/ice Pregdent JOHN E. PERSON 111,2nd Vice PfesMent JAMES R. WEHR, Treamrer MRS. DAWN M. KEIPER, Sea'efa7'

D83 - H85 D84 - D86 MRS.ARLENE HATER MRS.GERTRUDE BITNER MRS.JOANNE BENNETT DR.KENNETHE.CARL ROBERTA.ESPOSITO DR. CLAD\ENCER. MUTCHLER ROBERTC. IAULHAMUS ROBERT D. SMINK

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF WILLIAMSPORT MRS. CHRISTINE RUPERT

THE GREAIER WILLIAMSPORT COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL EUGENEE.LANDON

HISTORICAL SOCIE'lY ST:AFF MRS. MABEL NEVER, Elecutioe Secretary

VOLUMEXX li:ALL NUMBER'l'WO 19M MUSEUM STAFF MUSEUM ENDOWMENT FUND

Director Joseph J. Zebrowski A long planned project was launched this Fall with the creation of an Endow- ment Fund for the Lycoming County Historical Museum. This fund, adminis- Assistant to the Director Everett W. Rubendall tered by Commonwealth Bank, will insure the continuing operation ol the mu- seum by creating operating monies not dependent on government grants or out- Gift Shop Manager and Receptionist Miriam S. Mix side funding sources. Monies will be deposited in a secure account and only the interest from the fund will be used. The endowment is being created by donors Genealogists Albers. Lorsong who may make a cashgift to the fund(aU gifts are tax deductible), or by Will Nancy P. Lorsong bequests.The following is a list of donors to whom we owe our most gracious William Parker thanks. Won't you pitch in and join them in this worthy project? 1. ClarenceR. & Evelyn Antes Mutchler - $5,000. This gift to be listed as the Gibson G. Antes Memorial Fund in the Lycom- ing County Historical Museum Endowment Fund and shall be a continuing memorial to him. (Mr. Antes was a past president of this Lycoming County MUSEUM VOLUNTEER STAFF Historical Society.) 2. Harold L. TonkinEstate - $5,000 Registration Committee Miss June Foresman, Chairman 3. Anonymous [)onor Mrs. Stanley Bassett 4. HowardR. Baldwin Miss Ethel Ertel 5. Dr. William R. Brink Mrs. Frederick Snell 6. Elizabeth Carson 7. Mrs. Grace Ferguson Curatorial Departments: 8. Dorothy Fitzgerald 9. Ann nellie 10. Sandra Klotz Archaeology JamesP Bressler,Chairman William Turnbaugh ll. Ida B. Kohler Karen Rockey 12. Mr. & Mrs. Laurence P. Maynard RicksMaietta 13. John McMurtrie 14. Hazel Newcomer Archives & Records Miss Gladys Tozier, Chief 15. Raymond S. Pepperman Miss Jean Little 16.John F. Piper,Jr. Miss Phyllis Briel 17. Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Stables, Jr. 18. Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Strunk Fine Arts Consultant Dr. June E. Barkin 19. Chauncey repel 20. Tetley, Inc. Firearms & Edged Weapons William W. Kennedy 21. Dr. & Mrs. Robert A. Updegrove Civil War Historian David L. Richards 22. Mrs. Anthony Yetsko World War I & ll Historian David Kristopher Angle Industrial Exhibits Francis Maneval

Minerals Lewis Harper

Textiles Mrs. Norman Ingersoll Mrs. Patricia Lockspeiser Mrs. Cristine Brown

D. Vincent Smith Collection Harry L. Rogers

2 CONTENTS GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK

Dear Members Greetings from the President'sDesk 5

Pages of Dirt 6 I know you will all enjoy this Journal. It is almost completely the work of the lama P. Breuler Society for Pennsylvania Archaeolgy North Central Chapter Number 8. They have worked hard and have given us a very interesting and inllormative Journal. A Brief History of the North Central Chapter #8 of the Our first meeting of the year with Dr. George Wolf as our speaker was a great Societyfor PennsylvaniaArchaeology 7 Han'y Rogers success.Not only was it a wonderful program but it was a chancefor many of his old friends to seehim. Dr. Wolf enjoyed the day as much as the rest of us. The letter he sentthe following week is up on the bulletin board for all to read Some Important Milestones in Lycoming County Archaeology 11 when visiting the museum lama P. Bressier The museum is a very busy place these days. The genealogy room is not quite Archaeological Time Periods in Pennsylvania 18 finished but is already in use. We have our first customer. Gary L. Fogelman We are planning our second Victorian Christmas afternoon for December 9 Colonial& Indian Forts of the Upper West Branch Valley 21 Mark the date on your calendar. Zom Shrefnm We are also going to be part of the American Association of University Wo Artifacts & Historical Societies 25 men's Holly Trail this year. That, of course, will be in November. BarryC. Kent Now, lwould like to thank you aUfor your contributionsto all the requests An Invitation 29 the past few months. lwish lcould personally thank each one of you; you have aU been so generous. Joseph ]. Zebrowski

Sincerely,

COVER Members of the North Central Chapter #8 Society for Pennsylvania Archaeolo- gy at work on the Canfield Island ExcavaUon(36 LY 37) during the 1984Field JaneW. Ingersoll, Season.Photo by Tom Shreiner, chapter president. Pres£derlt

NOTICE The Lycoming County Historical Museumnow offers a GenealogySearch Service. Our staff genealogist will conduct research on the name, or person re- questedfor a fee of$25.00. Pleaseenclose a check and as much background in- formation as possible.Send it to the Museum; Attention: GenealogyStaff. The Museum, for $2.00each, will copy Civil War or World War I discharges that were registeredin the Lycoming County Court House. Thesecopies will be the samesize as the Court House records. If it is to be mailed, include a SASE. otherwise it can be picked up at the Museum. 4 PAGESOFDIRT kingdom with strange tribal customs, witch doctors in hideous costumeslike by lama P. Bveuler ghostsin the flicker of a campfire performing antics to drive the evil spirits from the sick and the wounded. He can see brown skinned savages spearing fish in the Rare indeed is the person who has no interest or curiosity about some phase of Loyalsock or the Susquehanna,squaws grinding maize on stone mortar or history. To most ol us the word history takes on the school age atmosphere of a scraping hides for winter clothing. He seesa single file of dusky warriors creep- book from which we study factual data about things past. Actually history is an ing through the dim half light ol our mountainvalleys, bound for a distant land account of anything past, whether written or not. You, as a person, are becom- to make war on a hostile tribe. He puts each arrowhead into the bow of some ing history in a sense,every moment you live. ancient hunter and tries to picture the mission that lost the arrow to be found a The archaeologist looks at written history too. In addition he reads a book thousand years later. These thing he must see by himself, for the Indian had no that is written in a different fashion. Furthermore he has ever so much more written history otherwise.Archaeology is more than finding stones. latitude in which to maneuver.While we take suchjustifiable pride in the histo- Cultivation of the fields in which the ancient villagesstood has broken up ry of Lycoming County and the exciting part it played in the growth of a nation, many of thesepages of dirt and he must dig below to find more accurate read- we are actually confined to lessthan 200 years of recorded historical facts, give ing. As he does so he knows too that these pages can be read only once for he or take a few years. To be sure more has happened in that short time to affect must destroy one to get to the next. The deeperhe goesthe older the story and the physical appearanceand human population of this river valley than occur- the words becomemore obscure. He must record and photograph as he goes, red in aU the days before. These events are all recorded in a fashion that makes it and even at best he cannotbe sure of all his translations.He deploresthe real, and gives it life and feeling. Then again, this is history of our own people, depredations of his well meaning but poorly informed friends who destroy his and how we got what we have. That in itself involves us direcdy through our pages of dirt merely to find strange and curious objects without recording the ancestors.It is the history of our time. facts he needsto read the real story. The archaeologiston the other hand, goesback in time as much as l0,000 Here in the SusquehannaValley and in the hills about rest in silencemany of years or more -- 50 times the span of our recorded history. He alone knows the the secretstories that are just as thri]]ing, just as vital a part of our cultural language of this history book, and the skill he must develop to read it. Really he heritage as the recordedhistory of our times. With this motive in mind local hasa frontier all his own, trying to put a puzzletogether from the most meager people interested in archaeology have organized so that some of the unwritten history may be studied and preserved so that all may learn. Our historical socie- ty has a direct interestin this for it becomesthe medium wherebythis evidence can be displayed and the story told. Many people in all levelsof societyfind this field a refreshing relaxation and are excitingly rewarded in material and cultural enrichment. We hope the inter- estwill grow, for it is already late to begin writing the story of our ancient past. The evidence is rapidly being gathered up and the pages are becoming fewer. And yet there is time to help in this work if you are willing to learn a new lan- © guage -- written in pages of dirt.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NORTH CENTRAL CHAPTERN0.80FTHE SOCIETY FOR PENNSYl;VANIA ARCHAEOLOGY by Harry Rogers Material jot thb article wm obtainedb'om "Ttw Histov'yof the None Central Chaptw

pieces of evidence. His language is one of stone and bone, and his pages are writ- £bv.3=RIR=S3'f£=$'29'R£B'&nEH\=,HmZ=:!£W ten in dirt, layer upon layer as the red man left it. From the artifacts he finds, Society :fot Pennsytoania Archaeology' issued in Odoba, i956. the position in which he finds them, the prints of ancient huts, the burials of the On July 10, 1955a group of interested people met in the Director's Room of dead, the refuse heaps, their pottery of stone and clay, the wicked and deadly the local Y.M.C.A. in Williamsport, I)A to discussa new chapter of the Society arrowheads,all these and many more are his words and teU his story. He must for PennsylvaniaArchaeology. The meeting was openedand the group was ad- be able to dream a little too, for his whole book, age by age is one of the imagi- dressedby JamesP Bresslerof Williamsport, who talked of the needsof a nation based on what he finds. He must truly put flesh on the bones and make chapter of the Society in the north central area of our state. R Schuyler Miner, them live. He seesfierce combats of the wild; of man against a vast unbroken president of the state organization then spoke of the activities of the parent wildernessfull of wild beasts,wars of annihilation, the wild beauty of a savage group and the operation of other local chaptersin Pennsylvania.Following this 6 7 Museum basement, were affected. The Chapter decided to temporarily keep the artifacts in the Richardson Building on West Third Street in Williamsport, where the Historical Society was keeping its display items as well. In 1961the Chapter elected its first woman president, Miss Mary Belle Lantz. During her year in office shewas responsiblefor enacting many new committees to fit the needof the Chapter. Among thesewere the Field Survey, Education, Finance and Nominating Committees. The most active was the Field Survey or Mapping Committee. Site mapping consistedof locating and mapping aU known Indian sites in the area. The Site Map Book was filled with topographicaldata which tells of the location, soil conditions, various types of artifacts found there as well as what cultural periods to which they belong. The project furnishes a valuable record of information for historical and archaeolog- ica[ purpose. By 1965it contained approximate]y ]30 ]isted sites and was sti]] growing. Membership in the Chapter was still increasing in the early 1960'seven though dues were increased.Although the membership did not increasewith the samefrequency asin the fifties, it did have a substantial gain. By 1965North Central had a membership of 139, which made it the largest in the state. These figures are a bit conservative, because the Chapter enacted Family Member- ships,which were very popular becausethe price was the samefor two people. It was during this period that we start to see people from out of the state of talk, Mr. Vincent Mrozoski, the Societyfor PennsylvaniaArchaeology secretary, Pennsylvania becoming members. Mailing addresses from Maryland, Wat outlined the procedure for organizing a new chapter. Mr Miller presiding, the Virginia and California appear on the membership list. It was not unusual ior a group moved and voted unanimously to form a local chapter. The name "North guestspeaker of the Chapter to join after he had come to speak.This was how Central Chapter" was oHiciaUy adopted. SPAsecretary Mrozoski said the new Dr. Louis Leaky, the famous anthropologist whose fame came about througl his chapter would be the eighth chapter formed in Pennsylvaniaand, hereafter, study of eady man in Kenya, Africa, became a member. It is interesting to note wou[d be known asthe North Central Chapter No. 8 of the parent society. that Vincent Price, the actor, joined during theseyears, aswell assome Lycom- The following slate of officers was elected lor a term of one year, with the task ing College professors. of forming a constitution and by-laws: president, JamesP. Bressler,Williams- In 1957the annualmeeting of the SPAwas hostedby the North Central port; vice-president, John S. Koch, Williamsport; secretary/treasurer,Ray L. Chapterin Williamsport, and again in 1961.At that time representativeswere Taylor, Milton. Serving on the first Board of Directors were Dr. Lloyd E. sent from the ]2 chapters of the Society. Other than slide shows and dissertations Wurster of Williamsport, William A. Remaly,Berwick and Frank W. Bauder of on the SPA, the annual meetings were a time when the famed Archy Award SouthWilliamsport. would be given by the Slid. This award would be given to someonewho, Miss Katherine W. Bennett of the JamesV. Brown Library offered the useof through their efforts, had increasedknowledge or did outstanding work to the the Library's Community Room, which was accepted.It was decided to hold betterment of the SPAand archaeologyin general. North Central's own James meetings there on the second Friday of each month. Membership dues were Bresslerwas the recipient of 1961.It is ironic to note that in 1962and 1963North agreedupon, with active membership of one dollar per year. Centra[ members Bi]] Turnbaugh and Wi]]ard Sche]] wou]d also receive this In October of 1956 the Chapter started publishing a quarterly Newsletter. prestigiousaward. This publication was regarded asone of the finest in the state. It proved to be so The early 1960'sproved to be very prolific for the Chapter. In the Tenth Anni- good that many people joined the Chapter just so they could receive the versary Newsletter,editor Bill Turnbaugh wrote of the optimistic oudook of the Newsletter.Members did not necessarilyhave to live in the north central areaof future. The previous years produced a host of activities that developedNorth Pennsylvaniato becomea member and receivethe publication; and as a result, Central into a leader in the stateorganization. The successof the period was due by the end of the fifties, memberswould come from Northumberland, Clinton, to the interest the members had in the Chapter and archaeology.Many mem- Union, Snyder and Lycoming Counties. bers had attended nearly every meeting, somehaving traveled up to forty miles In 1960a few problemsarose which had to be overcomeby the Chapter. Dur- and somecame by bus and were forced to wait hours to get home. Somemem- ing the year there were three changesin the offices of president, vice-president bers were from out-of-state and joined year after year. Many wrote interesting and secretary, as well as somevacancies on the Board of Directors. Also, the articlesto inform the readersof the Newsletter: worked at each excavation and Chapter ran into many problems in balancing their budget. This financial diffi- servedas Chapter and stateofficers. However, this optimism was not to be real- culty was due to the fact that for the first time they paid guestspeakers to come to meetings, yet still tried to keep the dues low. Soon though, with raising of The period from 1965-68was to seethe Chapter's decline and eventual death. duesand increasein membership,they got out of the red. Also, 1960was the There were many reasonsfor this turn around. First, there was a shift in the year of the fire which all but destroyedthe Lycoming County Historical Muse- membershipfrom local to outside areas.People were joining just to get the um. About 20% of the artifacts kept there, in the Chapter'sheadquarters in the Newsletter and were in no other way contributing to the Chapter. It is ironic

8 9 that the publication which had helped get the Chapter off the ground would SOME IMPORTANT MILESTONES IN also helpldll it. Also, the membersdepended too much on the efforts of a few INCOMING COUNTY ARCHAEOLOGY and thus "went a]ong for the ride". ]n 1966the membership was at ]21; yet min- by Jamb P. Bressler utes of the meetings reveal that, in most cases,no more than fifteen came to the meetings. In 1966there were over 100 members, in 1968there were 50 and in It is difficult to describethe archaeologicalhistory of our county without be- 1969, after the Newsletter died out, there were six members. It was not unusual coming overly detailed since many people, over a span of over 160years are in- to see a meeting without a president, vice-president or secretary present, so it volved. We shall try, therefore, to avoid unessentialdetail and merely present a becameimpossible to carry out the businessof the Chapter.Leadership was chronological sketch of what has been accomplished in our quest to understand definitely lacking. Many of the dedicated charter memberswere old, and the human activity in our county since man first came here after the great lce Age. new breed of amateur archaeologistswere basically young and willing to dig, No one can say with certainty how archaeological inquiry began here. Prior yet did not want to be bothered with meetings. to 1800memories of Lycoming Countian's were yet filled with imagesof horror Another causewe must look at is the effect of the lossof the two most domi- about how raiding parties of British and Indians swept down from the North to nant forces in the Chapter, JamesBressler and William Turnbaugh. In 1967 kill and plunder during the Revolution. Even during the westward push toward Bresslerwas named Dean of Williamsport Area Community College, which the Mississippifollowing the wal, there was little interest in the Red Man except along with his other obligations, took up most of his time. Turnbaugh, a Har- to seehow best he could be gotten rid of. vard doctorate and Newslettereditor, had to quit the publication becausehe Then, too, the last of the residentIndians then living in Lycoming moved was in the processof writing a book. No one elsewas willing to take the job of westward to join the French in the Ohio Valley in 1755in the conflict between editor. With the demise of the Newsletter in 1968, there was no incentive for out- the Frenchand the British for control of the New World territory. Having of-state members to rejoin. They would get nothing for their membership chosen the losers as allies, the Delawares and Shawnee never returned to the dollars. It worked like a domino effect, no membersat meetingsmeant no East. So there was really very little first-hand contact between Red Man and voting for officers or digs, and no Newsletter meant lessmembers and, in turn, White to stir up seriousscientific interest in our aboriginal history. no money and no purpose. Finally a membership committee was enacted in The first written accountof any cu]tura] interestcomes from John 1968,but this could not aid the sinking ship, becausethere were bad feelings Meginness'shistory, which statesthat in 1839orson Fowler, a phrenologist, visited the Indian Mound at Hans Station in searchof crania for scientific study. among the members themselves. Summer digging was done by both amateurs and professionalsalike. Disputes The mound in question thus became host to the first deliberate act of excavation arose between the groups asto who should dig where and who should interpret of which we have any record. data and assessany significant artifacts. As a result, there was no unanimity of Other than the isolatedactivities of specialistslike Fowler, peopleof the Wat purpose, and the Chapter was disbandedfor sevenyears. Branch Valley were probably much too busy carving out an agricultural and in- In February 1975some amateurs in the area began pushing to start up the dustrial baseand cutting down its vast foreststo spend much time in such mat- Chapter again. These people contacted Mr. Bresslerand others who had been ters as exploring the remains of its former residents.However, toward the latter membersof North Central. This small group convinceda portion of the old half of the 19thcentury archaeologybegan to form a definite pattern in the lives members that it might be profitable to reenact the Chapter with a more local- of a few men who began collecting Indian curios in earnest.We shall mention a ized purpose in mind. Once former Chapter members became aware of this, few of the more prominent onesalthough many more are known to have been many rejoined. It was not difficult for the group to start again becausethe SPA active; however, we have no written account of their work. had never removed the charter or stopped identifying it. According to the SI)A Tile miY COLLECTORS the Chapter had just been in a dormant state. Sothe Chapter once again becameactive, but interest never really recovered Dudley Martin to its heightsor the early sixties.It is ironic to find that the peoplewho had The first seriouscollector we know of was pushed to start the Chapter again quit almost the instant it did. At the end of Dudley Martin of DuBoistown, whose activities 1975there were 46 active members. This number remained basically the same began in the late 1800's.Many of the artifacts he dirough 1980. recoveredalong the river on sitesfrom Williams- At present there are 32 members. The officers are: Thomas Shreiner, presi- port to Lock Haven are presently housed in the dent; Robert Hitler, first vice-president; James Bressler, second vice-president Lycoming County Historical Museum, thanks to and Jane Schell, secretary/treasurer. the generosityof the late Dr. L.E. Wurster who The Board of Directors are: David Gilson, Robert Kern and Rudolph Ben- purchased much of the collection as it became nage, Jr. A Newsletter is issued quarterly, edited by Ricks Maietta. avaHable, and donated it to the museum. Dud- Meetings are held once a month during the winter months at the JamesV. ley Martin, who himself was part Indian it is Brown Library. During the summer months the members assemble once a week said, befriended many members of western on Canfield Island where the Chapter has been excavating for several years tribes and becamean adopted son in one of under the leadership of Jim Bressler.These meetings are usually well attended. them Through the years the Chapter has conducted many digs, the history of He had the uncommonforesight to attach notes to many of his artifacts, which is relatedin an accompanyingarticle in this Journal. designating their exact origin and so began a catalog of immense value. Many of the sites he describes are since destroyed. 10 U Emerson Hyman Williamsport as its hub. The chapter becameaffiliated with the Lycoming Another early collector, whose activities began with the finding of a six-inch County Historical Society as a base from which to conduct its operations. spearpointwhile a boy hoeingcorn on his father'sfarm aboveMillers Run But first let us look at someearly excavationsin the county that set the stage (where C.A. Reed now is) in 1907, was Emerson Hyman. He acquired an im- for excavationsconducted by North Central Chapter in more recentyears. mensecollection of local artifacts to which he later added some choice pur- chased pieces J:rom western sources. Fortunately, he shared his vast knowledge about the sites he visited quite freely, so that we have fairly good records of sites SOME EARLY EXCAVATIONS IN INCOMING COUN'IY now destroyed or lost. For sometime during his later yearshe exhibitedhis collecUonin a building he built himself(he was a stone mason by trade) . This was the Sheshequin Trail Museumlocated on Wold Run below Trout Run. Upon hk death, the collection was sold at auction and dispersed to all parts of the country. His descriptions of siteslaid bare by the 1936,1946 and other floods are almost beyond belief, and much of his collection was made at such times. J.M.M. Gemerd Another name often associatedwith early Indian history of the Muncy area is J.M.M. Gernerd, businessman and newspaper editor (2\4uncyNato and Thm) 8. FortRel eld E a gle who is reputed to have had a collection of over 7,000 choice artifacts from the Muncy area. Sincehis collecting activities spannedthe middle to late 1800'she Among the first "formal" digs in the county were those conducted as make- may rank with or precedeDudley Martin as a pioneer in the field. We are not work projectsby the Works ProgressAdministration(WA) around 1937during aware of how his collection was passedon. Someof the 1880proto And I'hell the Great Depression.While the methodsemployed would leaveone gasping issuesprovide interesting insights into someof his spectacular finds. when compared with modern techniques, they nevertheless established kohn Koch documented records of a few local sites that local collectors had carefully kept to A contemporary of Emerson Hyman, with whom he often shared site infor- themselves. The total records of four excavations conducted in the county by mation was John Koch, Jlormerlyof Newberry and later of Elimsport. A charter WA is composed of several pages of notes and diagrams along with a few pho- member of North Central Chapter, John amasseda huge collection from a tographs. somewhatwider area than that of Emerson Hyman. Upon his death his collec- tion, too, became dispersed. Other Collectors:

Somecollections made by J.H. Mcminn, Collins and Arthur Peppermanare .\ partially or wholly in the Lycoming County Historical Society.Little is known about their method or time of collection.

While there were undoubtedly many more who made artifact collections around the late 1800'sand early 1900's,their work is not documented, but the groundwork for more seriousinquiry was being laid by theseearly collectors. It remained now for the state and other groups to organize and formalize the sci- ence of archaeology so that experiences could be exchanged and documented. Without such media, archaeology as a sciencecould not have become effective in our county

'l'HE SOCIETY FOR PENNSYl;vANIA ARClIAEOLOGY "adore ard a#m af NazisA/ot&td, ]936/7 W:PA. acaoafion The organization of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology in 1929 under Halls Mound the [eadershipof Frances])orrance was a major milestone in crysta]izing inter- est in archaeologyin the state. Further, the new societyissued a quarterly maga- The first WA excavation involved digging into what remained of the well- zine that allowed membersto keep up-to-date on work being done in the Com- known Indian mound at Halls Station. A number of artifacts and the sparserec- monwealth. It also provided a forum for the exchangeof ideas of interest to ords of this effort are in the museumcollection. The mound was apparently a members. Archaeology was no longer simply relic hunting but was on its way repository for the dead from a Clemsons Island village adjacent to the mound, toward becoming a disciplined sciencewithin the fi'amework of Anthropology. but contained artifacts as grave goodsfrom other cultures as well indicating its More importantly, perhaps, the parent organization in time organized local useover an extendedperiod. Since the work was done with pick and shovel chapters centered in those areas where strong interest and activity could be mainly, it was more an exercisein hunting artifacts than it was a scientific in- identified. ]n August, 1956the North Central Chapter No. 8 was organized with quiry D 13 One has to remember, though, that the archaeologyof the time was limited than his reports and documentation are infinitely more professional and useful by a lack of time perspective.No one had much idea about the tremendous than those of the WA projects. C depth of time over which cu]tura] evidencewas spread.Ear]y archaeo]ogica]re- ports recognizedonly two major groups- Algonquin and Iroquoian, and any ar- tifacts found were assignedto one or the other of thesetwo divisions. With the advent of more aggressiveand more scientific methods cultures were further Following extensiveresearch, he determined the delineated; and with the development of radiocarbon dating the framework for probable location of the fort. This project was later expandedby the help of someWA labor but Kah- a more reliable time scale ior human activity in our valley was realized. ler was able to obtain and control accurate records But this was 1937and timeswere depressed.Workmen were hired not as trained archaeologistsbut becausethey neededwork. The chief object of these of the fort and its stockade. The square stockade measured 50 x 65 ft. and con- projects, then, was to create work, and if anything of archaeological interest tained the Brady houseand another building as well as accessto the spring was discoveredin the process,that was incidental. A complete description of this project is found in severalissues of North Cen- tral Chapter'snewsletter(Spring 1963and Summer 1963). Halls Village Wolf Run Earthworks Adjacent to the mound in the large river-bank field was an Indian site that As early as 1934Kahler began his preparations for the excavation of the Indi- was "excavated" by digging a trench in a corn field. From the pottery recov- an fort on Wolf Run, an unusualmonument left by an unknown tribe agesago. ered, we assumethe village site to have belonged to a Clemsons Island group, Clark consulted with T.B. Stewart and others regarding his plans. As a result of although the site was also used by much earlier cultures. ClemmonsIsland Indi- careful groundwork, the excavationmethods were quite thorough, with the re- ans were likely the first farmers to occupy this site, and lived here around 1000-1200A.D. sult that during the several years of the dig as complete a record as could then be obtainedwas plotted for the fort and its stockade.A complete accountof this dig can be found in the newsletters of North Central Chapter for Winter, 1961-62; FORT MUNCY Site of Fort Muncy Spring, 1962; Summer, 1962; and FaU, 1962. A third excavation on the same property as the The fort was a stockadedvillage, last occupied by ShenksFerry Indians and mound was the site of the Revolutionary War Fort much like the Bull Run stockadeexcept that aRifact preservation was much bet- Muncy. A considerable amount of material recov- ter becauseit was located on better drained ground. Kahler believed then that it ered from this dig is in the museum collection, some was built by the Andaste, but we must remember that at that time the Shenks of it on display.A map of the original fort, which Ferry had not yet been isolated as a separateculture. was burned by the Indians and later rebuilt, was While the fort and its structuresare well documented.we are not aware of ako furnished but it is not known whether is was what happenedto the artifacts. Mr. Kahler, now in his 80's is living in Hon- based on excavation data, or on archival records. Saldl©rs B .urasr O t tIGer's Qu a rt C. Store Haul EXCA\WrlONS BY NORTH CENTRAL CHAPTER NO. 8 Reach Road Burial Ground Sinceits organization asa regional chapter of the Society for Pennsylvania Ar- A fourth, but lessextensive excavation conducted by Harry Schoff,head of chaeology,North Central Chapter has conducted nine major di© and three the WA digs, was conducted near a small one room school houseon Reach resting operations,all of which obtained important new information. Artifacts Road adjacent to the present Vitolin farm. from these ventures are stored for research purposes at the Lycoming County It consisted of a series of burials that yielded some grave goods with the Historical Museum. skeletons. This site was classified as Shawnee but it is not stated how this iden- A synoptic description of these eHorts follows: tification wasarrived at. How they were able to tell Shawneefrom Delawareon such meager evidence is unclear. First Brock Testing Operations On the riverbank bluff at Halls Station near the site of the WA trenching, THEKAHLEREXCA\HTIONS membersof the chapter excavateda refuse midden laden with bone and lithic Severalexcavations conducted in the vicinity of Muncy by Clark B. Kahler material from ClemsonsIsland times (ca. 1000A.D.). The site number is 36 LY about the sametime as the WA digs at Halls, involved the stockadedhouse of 1. A spectacularfind by Clark Kahler and John Koch on this samesite was a John Brady on Glade Run and the Wolf Run Earthworks or Indian fort de- carved bone effigy face with fresh water pearls for eyes. scribed by Conrad Weiner in his travels of 1737. SecondBrock Excavation FortBrady An organizeddig was conductedon a mixed site, but largely Archaic on Clark Kahler, amateur archaeologist, took great interest in the historical Turkey Run(36 1;Y6) . While the artifact yield was limited, the dig servedas an assetsaround Muncy, especially the site of the Revolutionary War fort, Brady. early training school for surveying a site and using proper techniques. From the start, however, Clark allied himself with someof the best known pro- First Canfield Dig fessionalsof his time, namessuch as Ritchie, Parker. Witthoft and Butler. From Under difficult conditions, the first Canfield dig(36 LY 37) was successfulin these he obtained opinions and directions regarding his methods and finds so excavating approximately 15 squares(25 sq. ft. each) to depths of up to 70 inch- 14 15 MAJOR INDIAN PROJECTILE POINTS OF CENTRAL PENNA.

Paled Archaic Transitional Woodland Contact 8,000 B.C. 1,000-8,000 B.C 800-1 00 B.C 1.000 B.C A.D 1,500 A.D. 1 ,780 10,000 B.C A.D. 1,500 @ l BIFURCATED l

S U S Q U E H A N NA CLOVIS BARE ISLAND SNOOK KILL l LEVANNA

JACKS REEF MEADOWOOD BRASS l ARROWHEADS

BREWERTON CANFIELD PLANO OTTER CREEK ORIENT l FISHTAIL l MADISON FOX CREEK VOSBURG ADENA KIRK LAMOKA l DALTON PERKjOMEN

PALEO PERIOD -- Small bands of nomadic ARCHAIC PERIOD -- Localized small TRANSITIONAL PERIOD - A carry-over of WOODLANDPERIOD - The introduction of CONTACT PERIOD - The coming of white hunters f ollowing migratory big game groupsdedicated to a life of small the Archaic Period with a mixture of crop cultivation ultimately leading to man and adoption of European styles, such as mastadon, musk ox and caribou gamehunting and food gathering. hunting and gathering still prevelant. the establishment of the semi-perma household articles and weapons. Vil Other diagnostic artifacts include Camps were generaly seasonal. Other Occupational areas more frequently oc- nent village environment . Sometimes lage life continuesbasically as scapers) chopperss knives and travers diagnostic artifacts include grooved cur along major rivers suggesting more villages were stockaded f or protectiorb bef ore. Other diagnostic artie acts all basically related to the demise axes, atlatl weights, adzes & stone use of riverine resources. Other Other diagnostic artie acts include: include: Iron axes, brass kettles, and butchering of the animals they drills. diagnostic artie acts Include soapstone Ceramic pottery, stone hoes, pipes and blass trade beadsand guns. stalked. cooking vessels, end notched net sinkers net sinkers. and grooved axes. es. Several strata were then recognized which have since been more thoroughly Willard Schell and the author. This unique shelter was apparently a pottery explored. Only one of the original crew is still active(the author) . dump where for a reasonknown only to themselves,the ClemsonsIsland people The several cultural strata embracing the so-called Transitional Period of brought their broken pottery for deposit in one special place. Such dumps are 1200-]500B.C. and the now-christened Canfield Levels (1600-2000B.C.) were known elsewhere,especially in New York state and may have had a ceremonial the important levels. purpose. Besidesover 700 pieces of pottery, the shelter contained a large pit, a Daugherty's Run fireplace, and an assortment of stone tools. A portion of an Early Woodland Meadowood component (200-700B.C.) was It is believed that the SheshequinTrad ran along the bench of the mountain excavatedjust eastof the confluenceof the run and the river. It yielded a flat on which this shelteris located. mortar and some Vinette type pottery, an early type cordmarked on the inside After excavation, the site was carefully restored to its original contours, but and outside. Hammerstonesand other householdtools were also found. word leaked out and by next spring this shelter was completely wrecked by van- a Fort Antes Excavation AbbottsRun Cliff Shelter During the 1964-65summer seasons an extensivetrenching operation was conducted in a]] those areas above the site of the Antes mill where the fort might Under an imposingcliff where Abbotts Run emergesfrom the Mcintyre have been located. This involved the hill to and beyond its crest and eastward to plateau we discovered artifacts from an Indian campfire of probable proto- and beyond the only spring which could have servedthe fort. Susquehannocktimes of around 1550 A.D. Becausethe camp was built on a Only in the vicinity of the spring had postmoldsfrom the fort survived. baseof broken rock it was well drained sothat all bone material and pottery was Elsewhere on the open hill previous farming operations had so eroded the soil well preserved. Deer and elk bone suggeststhe kind of game they hunted. This is that no traces of postmolds remained. It was our conclusion that the fort was lo- the most spectacular shelter we have ever seen in the east. A Mesa Verde style cated immediately above the mill and possibly connected to it. The hill has since cliff, together with a high and natural waterfall only 50 feet away makesthis a been largely removed for road building materials. scenicpart of ourlandscape. The Rail Site The Bull Run Site As a sequelto the Fort Antes dig, the Rail Site(36 LY 76) was gridded and During the 1976-77seasons the chapter was engagedunder contract with the partially excavated.This site begins at the baseof the Fort Antes hill and stret- Army Corps of Engineers and PennDOT in excavating the Bull Run site(36 LY chesto Antes Creek. It is a Late Archaic camp of considerable size and was pro- 119).This was a stockadedShanks Ferry village built over an ancient bably used for centuries as a favorable fishing locus. Somepostmolds were dis- Transitional-Orient village. Carbon dates for the ShenksFerry people ranged coveredbut they did not form morethan a semi-circle.A descriptionand from 1230to 1480A.D., and 1220B.C. for Orient. analysisof this dig is found in the book, Man, I,and, and Time, by Dr. William Data obtainedfrom this site illuminated further the Late Woodlandstory in Turnbaugh. the West Branch VaHey and brought into focus the Stewart phaseof Shenks Ferry, heretoforepoorly understood. Sylvan Dell Tank Farm Salvage The SecondCanfield Excavation At the time when Gulf Oil Corporationexcavated a basefor its huge oil tanks, evidence of Indian occupation was uncovered by the bulldozers. Subse- Now in its seventhseason, the Canfield Island excavationscontinue to yield quent salvagedigging revealedburied living floors of what we would now call important new evidenceconcerning the total schemeof human developmentin Laurentian or Late Archaic (2000-3000B.C.) cultures. While no formal layout our valley. was possible under such circumstances chapter members excavated numerous Currently chapter members are working(when weather permits) on strata buried featuresand got a preview of what was to come later directly acrossthe that were occupied seasonallyabout 5000 B.C. and are seekingeven earlier river on Canfield Island. campsbelow. Here also was discovered a faceted lump of coal, now on display in the muse- Especially important was the finding of what are now called Canfield cul- um asthe first known use of coal by man. tures in a stratified position that allows comparison with both earlier and later components. The Airport Site As the dig winds to a conclusion it is hoped that some of the highlights from Chapter members under the direction of Robert Higgins and later Dr. Wil- Canfield can be translated into interesting and informative displaysin the muse- liam Turnbaugh excavated a site in 1964(36 LY 34) on or below the airport com- um. A major objective of the North Central Chapter is to usethe resultsof such plex which was in imminent danger of destruction for sand and gravel removal. excavationsas Canfield and others not yet planned, to enhanceeducation re- It yielded the entire postmold pattern for a ClemsonsIsland housealong with garding the total history of man in Lycoming County. numerous arUfactsand burials of that period. Someartifacts recoveredpertain- ed to a white European settlement but later than Madame Montour. Some pits on this site also contained sherdsof Shenks Ferry pottery but of the earlier Blue Rock phase,indicating extendeduse of this site over centuries. The Grays Run Rock Shelter In 1975 a rock shelter was discovered on Sugar Camp Mountain several hun- dred yards from its base near the lower end of Grays Run. It was excavated by 18 19 ARCHAEOLOGICAL TIME PERIODS IN force could be obtained due to the lengthening of the throwing arm than with a PENNSYL\ANIA hand thrown spear by Gary Fogetman Fishing was important to most groups, as evidenced by the great amount of There are presently 4 recognized archaeological time periods. These are net weights, or sinkerstonesfound on some sites of this period. The boca, con- Paled,Archaic, Transitional and Woodland. A brief description of each follows sistingof 3 or more thongswith a stonetied to the end of each, was usedto bring Keep in mind that dates are tentative. down animals and waterfowl. This hunting-gathering-foraging way of life was widespread and lasted for a long time. Many of the artifactual remains found ])CLEO INDIAN PERIOD - 12,000to 8000 B.C. today are from this period. Currently, the earliest period for which identifiable tools and life-styles are THE TRANSITIONALPERIOD - 2000to 800B.C. known is termed the PaledPeriod. There are intimations of earlier cultures, but The term Transitional is somewhat misleading, as all of prehistory is a series at presentbona fide information or tool forms are lacking of transitions. However, this period is highlighted by the onsetof pottery mak- The Paleo Period is characterized by sparsepopulations inhabiting large areas. It is felt that these earliest people came acrossthe Bering Stj'ait from ing, beginning with the use of one-piecebowls chiseled oui of steatite (soapstone), and evolving into stone and shell tempered clay vessels. Siberia, following migrating or wandering herd animals into the North Ameri- can continent. They continued southward, eventually populating North, Cen- This period is also characterizedby large projectilestermed Broadpoints, tral and SouthAmerica. As the southern climes of North America becamemore which evolve into slender "fishtailed" points at the close of the period. Assemblagesof artifacts from this period also show that people of this time had hospitable,more evidenceis found in the south and southwestareas of the Unit- ed Statesthan the northern climes. decided preferencesin the materials they used for their weapons, often trans- porting and traveling great distancesto obtain them. Paled Indian lifestyles relied heavily on herd animals for existence.These in- Theirs was stilla settled way of life, relying again on seasonalfoodstuffs, cluded some animal speciesthat we know today, such asdeer, bear and caribou, fishing and hunting. Peaceful conditions prevailed, as there is not much evi- but ako included some now extinct speciessuch as wooly mammoths, mastodonsand others. denceof warfare. Tool types and weapons, besidesthe Broadpoints, were axes, drills, strike-a-lites and scrapers.Beads, gorgets and pipes can alsobe related to It is believed that Paled Indians traveled in groups of no more than 25-30 peo- this time. ple, consistingof an extendedfamily of parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins,etc. Bandsprobably migrated in loosely-definedterritories fol- THE WOODLAND PERIOD- 800B.C. to 1500A.D. lowing herd animals and supplementingthis hunter lifestyle by also gathering The Woodland Period has many facets setting it apart from previous times. available nuts, berries and other vegetal foodstuffs along the way. The bow and arrow came into general use. Crop cultivation was widely prac- Due to sparsepopulations, warfare was minimal, and most bands probably ticed, with fishing, hunting and foraging complementing it. had peaceful relations with each other. It is also surmised that bands would A larger population could be supported now. and large encampmentswere gather occasionallyfor feasts,rituals and finding mates. not uncommon. Trade routes developed at some stages, and materials and arti- Weaponsincluded hand held and hand thrown spearstipped with a distinc- facts from far-ranging areas can occur. tive type of fluted or groovedprojectile point. Also known are scrapersand flake Competition became intenselor resourcesand territory, and large palisaded tools and possiblydrills. villages indicate that warfare was ever present. As the enwionment changed and populations grew, the next time period, the Archaic, came to be. This was a gradual process,and occurred at different times in different areas. THE ARCHAIC - 8000to 2000B.C. Environmental changesand hunting pressuresaw the demiseof many of the large herd animals. Population growth demandeda different lifestyle. Man came to depend more on smaller animals, and a more confined area from which to subsist. With new resourcesto draw upon, suchas fishing and the harvestingof nuts and berries,the band could tolerate more people. A seasonalpattern developed, with the group returning again and again to favorite spotsfor fish runs and nut and berry harvests. Due to competition for resources,warfare did occur, but not as often as it would later on. Neighboring bandsin most caseswere related. Dwellings were bark huts or lean-tos. Weaponsincluded a wide variety of stemmed, sidenotch- ed and corner notched projectaes. The notched and grooved ax began to appear. The atlatl, or spearthrower,reached its zenith as a weapon. This consistedof a wooden shah, approximately 2-2ly2feet in length, with a hook at one end. The butt of the spearwas set againstthe hook, and the spearthrown. Much more 20 COLONIALANDINDIANFORTS OF THE UPPER WEST BRANCH \ALLEY by Tom Shreiner When the first permanent settlersmoved up the Wat Branch Valley in the mid-1700's they soon discovered that, as in alllrontier areas, a need existed for communal gathering points, whether it be for protection from foes or for any other reason. It was this basic need that spurred the building of several forts or fortified dwellings in Lycoming County. With the exception of Fort Muncy all of the following fortifications were private ventures c(instructed by groups of pioneers interested in protecting then: families and possesions. It must, however, be statedthat there is every indication that the settlershad the total support of the military in their personnel occupying these so called private forte during hostiletimes. Perhaps the most perilous event to occur during this time period is that of "The Great Runaway". During the summer of 1778b force of approximately 100 British soldiersand 200 Indiana entered the valley destroyinge+6rything in their path..Upon hearing of the impending danger, Colonel MriUiam liepbuin, com- manderof Fort Augusta, ord;red the'WarBranch Valley abandoned.The ord- er could not have came at a worse time, as many of the settlershad just finished their placesof abode and were preparing to harvest their first crop of wheat. In compliance with the order they dmpped everything and proceededdown river to Fort Augusta via anything plat would float. Their move was none too soon, as right behind them cametile British and Indians destroyingeverything left be- m The following text is devotedto the descriptionof all of the known frontier forts in Lycoming County. Although as facilual as possible, in many casesa judgement had to be made between conflicting bits 6f data in order to reach a plausible conclusion and ultimate description. FORTBRADY Fort Bradywas locatedon a small tract of high land a little distancefrom what is now Glade Run. The SusquehannaRiveilies about 1,500yards to the west and the Muncy Creek 500 yards to the north. Captain John Brady settled in the Muncy area in 1776on a parcel of land giv- en to him aspartial paymentfor his servicesin the BouquetExpedition. Upon arriving in the area, Capt. Brady built a sturdy log cabin and tonk up the lice of a farmer. Within severalmonths of his arrival, Capt. Brady was miistered into the Continental Army and given a captain'scommission. He was attachedto the 12th Pennsylvaniaand was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine. During this time period the Indians were making constant raids into the val- ley spurred by the continual provoking of the British. It was determinedby General Washington that something must be done to help the settlers. Not being able to send troops because of the war effort, General :Washington decided t6 Common tool forms include the cdt, or groovelessax; thin, well made corner muster out several officers who, in his opinion, would be able to organize the re- and side notched points often made of the finest of flints; and the common maining settlers.It was to this end thai Capt. John Brady was dischargedfrom triangle point. Pottery and smoking pipes reached their highest degree, and oft- the Continental Army in the fall of 1777. en various groups can be distinquished by pottery shape and decoration. Upon returning home, Capt. Brady immediately erected a stockadearound This presents a simplified overview of not only Pennsylvania prehistory, but a his home to be usedas a place of refuge for his family and the surrounding set tiers. The stockade measured approximately 65 feet by 50 feet, and was entered much wider area as well. A fifth period, the Contact Period, can also be men- from the southwestvia an eigli{ foot wide' swing gale. The stockadewall was tioned. This was the time immediately following contact with white man, and constructed of a double row of posts rangng in height from 10 to 12 feet. Within Indian camps of this period are characterizedby the occurrenceof trade goods the stockadewall were constructed two i)t16r buildngs. One was believed to be such as beads,silver items, guns, etc.. a trading post and the other a storageshed. It should also be pointed out that all groups used items made of many No history of Fort Brady would bi complete without the story of how Capt. substancesor materials that do not preserve well. These include bone, shell, Brady met his untimely death. On April 11,1779, Capt. Brady and a companion antler, wood and fabrics. traveled to the Wallis homestead(now called Mun6y Farms) to obtain provi- 22 23 sions. On the return trip Capt. Brady decided to take a short cut, which took ing which time the British and Indians descendedupon Fort Freeland. The fort him over Wolf Run near its mouth. It was at this spot that Capt. Brady was shot was rebuilt, and then destroyedagain at a later date. The last record of the fort dead by an Indian war party. actually being inhabited is in the form of a birth certificate issuedto the Hon. Fort'Brady precededthe closeby military post of Fort Muncy by about one William Cox Ellis, who was born in the fort in 1787. year, serving ai the only place of safety the Colonistshad to rely on during that Remainsof the fort's embankmentsand stone structures were said to be visi- time perio(r lts brief life cameto aii abrupt end when it wis burned{b the ble until 1840. During the absence oll Mr. Hall, the owner, his over-zealous ground during the second"runaway" in the summerof 1779. farmer decided to clear what remained of the site in order to make room for FORTMUNCY more farm land. Needlessto say, Mr. Hall was furious when he found out what Fort Muncy has the distinction of being the only fort in Lycoming County happened, as he had planned to preservethe site as an historic landmark. that can truly be termed as having military origin. It was placed at a point FORTANTES about midway between the military outpost of Fod Augusta and the defensive Fort Anteswas built by Lt. Col. Henry Antes in 1778on the eastside of the works of Fort'Reid at Lock Haven. 'The fort servednot oHy as a place of refuge Nippenose Creek overlooking the Susquehanna River. It was the most important during Indian attacks, but also as a central distribution point for everything the fortification after leaving Fort Muncy, located about 25 miles up river. Fort settled neededsuch as guns, ammunition and most other day-to-day needs. Antes was sort of ajumping off point for the Indian lands on the west sideof the The fort was located about a half mile above Halls Station, on a small rise of river. It also servedas a rallying point for the people of the region during times land(brecdy in front of the famous Wallis stone house erected in 1769. lts site ol of danger. construction was ideally chosen, as Jlrom its bastions one had a commanding Conrad Weiser may have convinced Col. Antes to settle here asearly as 1772. view of the entire area.'it was built in the summer of 1778by Captain Andres At this time a mill sita was selected at the mouth of a stream which still bears his Walker under orders from Colonel Thomas Hartley: There are conflicting re- name. The mill was probably erected about 1773, along with another crude ports as to the exact length of time.it took to build the fort. However, one can building. The fort itself was erected in 1777 about the same time the Indians of ;afely say that is was begun in early August and ready for occupancy by mid the area became restless. It was located within a rifle shot's distance on a hill Sept8mthr. lts speedof construction was truly amazing for that time period, es- overlooking the mill. pecially when one considersthe !ize of the fortification. Captain Walker was later commendedfor being so industrious in his construction of the fort. lts cons€iuctionwas the usual standard oll the day. A trench four to five feet deep was dug. Heavy logs 15 to 18 feet long were then placed in an upright posi- The fort was constructei] in standard Fort Augusta style, the stockadebeing IT.==#df=£E'WU=JHH===£l=UH: =::$:#U fabricated from 12inch(hameter by 12foot long timbers set deepin the soil. An structure. The completed fortification was 10 to 12 feet high with notchesto interval smaller three inch post was set between each of the larger timbers, the hold rifles in the tops of the logs. The fortification coveredthe area of approxi- smaHerpost cut short to allow for alternating rifle loop holes. Constructed at mately iyi acre and is thought to have had a cannon. The latter cannot be con- each of the four corners was a clay and earth spearhead-shapedbastion. The firmed. However, a cannon ball was found in the area directly outside the fort: overall size of the stockadewas approximately210 feet by 153 feet. The fort During the "Creat Runaway" the fort was abandoned, as all inhabitants of water sourcewas located a small €1iitancefrom the southeastbastion and was the valley evacuatedsouth to F:ort Augusta. Following the exoduslirom the area said to have had a coveredwalkway leading down to it. The fort's main en- by the settlers,the whole region was put to the torch by the Indians. Upon !e- trance was always thought to have been to the east, which was found to be un- tiirning to the area it was discoveredthat the Indians were unable to bum the due. During the WA excavationof December1936, the 15foot wide main gate heavy bak logs of the stockade,nor did they take the time to try and pull them was found in the center of the western waU. Inside the fort there were three out of their aim foundation. The fort was restoredby the local citizens,but soon principal structures, a soldiers' barracks,.officers' quarters and store. Minor fell into decayas peace settled on the area. structures consisted of a small blacksmith shop and powder magazine. The fort Chapter #8 of the Societyfor PennsylvaniaArchamlogy, in conjunction with was large enough to garrison 200 soldiers. the JerseyShore Historical Society,has since conducted a field surveyof th! area Fort R'lundy'idefenies were quite extensive. Aside from its usual accompani thought to have contained the fait. Very few signsof the fort were found. There ment of rifle-bearing soldiers, ii had one four-pound cannon and three swivel was iiiscovered,however, a seriesof postmoldsleading down to an ancient guns. A Jiarmer,farmer, whilewnue diggingaigging a fence postholeoostnoie near thetne Capt.\-aDt. Johnlinn Bradyuraav spring. It is theorized that the subject postmolds are in Tact the remains of an GrangeHall at Pennsdale,is saidto havefound a one-poundshot. Hanfl endo;ed walkway, which offered protection when going for water. wrought from a heavy square iron bar, the two-inch diameter baUis thought to The conclusion of the survey indicated that sufficient evidence was not pres- have been fired from on6 of the swivel guns at Fort Muncy.[)irect]y outside the ent to firmly state the existenceof a fort, at least at the location given by Megin- stockade was dug a deep trench, the dirt being thrown up against the base of the ness. It is speculated, however, that the fort may simply have been a stockade waU,wau, thustnus creating a steepslope andana preventing thetne enemy from hidingniaing at thetne erected around the mill and homestead. bottom of the waU. The remaining soil from the trench excavation was thrown FORTHORN outwardly forming a slope on which an "abattis" of large trees was Fort Horn was the next fort upriver from Ft. Antes. It was on the south side of laid down. The trees were defoliated with all small branches being the SusquehannaRiver, or on \mat was cared the PennsylvaniaLands. The removed. AU remaining projections were then pointed creating a lands odthe opposite side of the river were referred to as the Indian Lands. The formidable obstruction. Beyond this were thrown hundredsof two- land beginning at the western bank of Lycoming Creek was outside the Pur- inch barbs that were known as "crotofoat' chaseof 1768ind, assuch, was off limits to the white settlers.The "off limits It is thought that the fort was destroyed and rebuilt on was being farmed at that time by some Scotch-Irish settlers. The fort was a at least two subsequent occasions. The first time occurred much-needed haven to them and tile settlers on the Pennsylvania side of the river. during the secondrunaway in the summer of 1779,dur- The fort itself enclosedthe log cabin of Samuel Horn and contained approxi- mately iH4acre of land. It was located on a section of land that butted into the 24 25 l

Susquehannaat a point where the river made a great bend. This gave a com- fort goes by no name but is simply referred to as "a small defensive work at the manding view up 'and down the river for about one mile. A small mountain mouth of the Lycoming Creek'' Searchas we may, no other data came to light stream rin along'the western side of the stockade.supplying ample water for the on these two forts. settlers' use. It G speculated that an enclosed walkway was constructed for pro- tection from prowling foes. INDIANFORTIFI(]ArlONS The fort was garriioned by troopsfrom either the local militia or the Con- Great mystery has always surrounded the so-called Indian fortifications that tinental Army, depending upon the needsof the time. are dispersedthroughout the upper Wut Branch Valley. Although all tracesare gone today, omg! historians milk reference to the Indian forts iitheir writing. Meginness, in "History of the West Branch Valley" makes reference to the uEis- tence of three such forts.and aU, Imight add, at i,ery predictable locations: one each at the mouths of the Muncy, Lycoming and Pine Creeks. As is generally the casewhenever bomethiiig is unknown, romantic specula- Uon abounds, .and the Indian forts definitely fill into this cal:emory.Some of the more exotic theories dealt with the fortifications being coiitricted and in- habited by a superior race, or by a tribe of white Indians. The only true facts are

''1 that the fortificationswere all 'of similar constructionand in the samestate of # decomposition when first discovered in the mid-1700's. By the time archaeological practices were in use, only one such structure re- mained; this being.the foitificition at the mouth ofMuicy Creek. Through the eHortsof.Mr. Clark B. Kahler, charter member of North' Central ChapGr #8, Sl:A: this.last !$maining structure was methodically excavated during thb spring of 1934.Mr. .Kahler's finding indicated.the fort €o be of SusquehEhnock'(Ai; daste) manufacture, circa A:D. 1650. The entire structure covered an area of about iH4acre. It consistedof a perimeter trench with the excavateddirt being thrown up to the inside creatingb low mounded wall. To the top of the wall was l :.J . Fl&f "Tiadaughton Elm, Fair Play meeHng dte, nmr Jamey Shoe.' added a double row of posts c;eating a palisade, the gate bei;ig located at the southeast corner of thi palisade. :inside the lortifi8ation Gere found the One significant event that cannot go unmentioned happenedwithin sight ol postmqldsof the small round bark huts so typical to this time period. Fort Horn. On July 4, 1776,as the Continental Congressbet in Philadelphia to Artifacts recoveredwere alsofound to ba typical of the i.ate Woodland sign the Declaration of Independenceof the United States,the "Fair Play Men epoch. Predominantly they consisted of ceramic pottery sherds, triangular and were signing their own "F'ine Creek Declaration of Independence;'from notched projectile points, celts, scrapersand net sibkers.'There were al;o signsof England. It was ironic that both were signed the sameday hiindreds of miles colonial contact by the presenceof ;ome undefinable iron objects and a sclitter- apart, with each group acting independently of each other. ing of European poUery ' Fort Horn wai bu;ned tJ the ground by the Indians during the "Great Upon making the determinationthat the fortification is from the Late Runaway". There is no record that the fort was ever rebuilt. Woodland Period, one can make a reasonable assumption asto its purpose. Dur- ing the early to mid-17th Century, the area directlyto our north &as controlled FORTjiEID by the Iroquois, an extremely ambitious and warlike people. To the south lay Fort Reid was the most westerly fort on the Susquehanna.It was the last in a the main tii)dy of the Susqu6hannockempire. The upper'West Branch Valley chain of forts that were built as an early warning systemfor Fort Augusta, and was sort of a no-man's land, or buffer zone between nib two nations. With the was a rallying point for the scouts and settlersin that part of the state. above facts in mind, it can then be assumedthat the fortifications existedas a The fort consistedof the houseof Mr. William Reid, which wasstockaded in northwestem gate to the Susquehannockempire. Though no written proof has the spring of 1777.It was located in the area at the mouth of the old Bald Eagle everbeen found, it can be speculatedthat the loris weredestr(dyed and Canal, on what would now be Water or River Street. Originally a large Indian :Xstlmatically abandonedwhee the Iroquois invaded the south du;ing the mound existed here. It was said to be as large as a two-story house an(twas sur- S rounded by a series of smaller mounds. Fort Reid stood directly east of the mounds. The defensefor this fort, as with most of the others, consistedof settlersfrom the local area. Troops were stationed here when the Continental Army could ARTlliIACTS and HISTORICAL SOCIETIES sparethem: Col. John Kelly's regiment of Northumberland County militia spent by Ban'y C. KerLt six months here in the summer of 1777. Scouting duties and guarding the l&)als was the primary responsibilityof the militia during their stay. Dr. Kent b StateArchaeologist at ttw William Peitn Memos'iatMuseum in Hal'ris. burgr MISCELLANEOUS COLONIAL FORTIFICATIONS There are two fortifications that came to light during our researchthat, due Most people accumulate objects of one sort or another relating to their own to our lack of information, should possibly not even be mentioned. Both struc- specialexistence or to the world around them. Things which are not usedfre- tures were referred to in Lloyd's "History of Lycoming County" and were in ex- quently, but which somehowseem to have a possiblefuture utility often wind istenceduring the "Great Runaway". F'ort Harris was located at the mouth of up in the back of a drawer or in an old box. When rediscoveredin a few years the Loyalsock Creek in the borough of what is now Montoursville. The other items such as a half used pack of matches, an empty bullet casing, a letter fmm a 26 27 friend, the photo of a forgotten place, etc., etc., are often discarded as junk and making more comprehensiblethe general way of life of human beingswho which is taking up space.However, it seemsthat somepeople rarely discard formerly lived here. Historical reconstructionsof prior ways of life dependupon anything, even worthlessjunk, usually becausethey just never get around to it. surviving documents, and to a lesserextent upon objects, which iHustrate fomier Others of us purposefully collect things -- especially items of sentimental or per- patterns of culture(ways of life) . sonalvalue. Many are gatherersof bits and pieceswhich seemto have some- Archaeologists who attempt to unravel the cultural patterns of native thing of the past -- of history -- associated with them. Americans, who left no written record of their existence, depend almost entirely These personal treasures, real or otherwise, can meet several ends. Like any upon understandingthe manfacture, use, and age of any and all surviving ob- property they can be bequeathedto someoneelse; in which casethey may be jects resulting from their way of life. Ususally the artifacts are those made of kept together,or they may be disposed.Those which survivethe generationsof non-perishable materials such as stone or ceramics. OccasionaHy less durable inheritance or bestowal may eventually be considered "important" collections of things such as those made of wood, bone, shell, even plant fibers somehow sur- antiquesor artifacts. When, asit almost inevitably happens,there are no longer vive the ravagesof time and are preservedin the pla(xa where they were lost or any kin or friends upon whom to bestow a collection, the collector or possessor buried by Indians. In any event, the understandingof them dependsupon may disperseit through sale or other means.But often there is a strong urge to knowing precisely where such artifacts were found and the direct associationof somehow preserve or "keep it together." This is where museums come into the them with one another. For example, a particular shape of arrowhead which k chain of bestowals and acquisitions. repeatedly found in associationwith a certain shape of stone axe or pottery In a hundred years, or less, even a half usedpack of matches, or a personal vessel,etc. would eventually enable archaeologists t8 equate those tools as part letter, etc. , may have(to someone or some institution) a degree of historic or an- of the way of life of somespecific group of Indians. The discoveryof any one of tique value. Historic value is especially apparent if an object(or collection) can those objects in association with charcoal or other dateable materials could tell provide some sort of new or improved insights into a past way of life. This is not us when they were made and used. to say the way of life of a singleindividual, although that too is often considered Indian artifacts, like the products of our own culture, were made and used significant, but rather a general or broad pattern of human life in someformer according toj'egularly adhered to patterns. Eventually these patterns changed, time just as the patterns for thing in our own way of life change. It is the discovery of The ability of an old object or group or artifacts to add to the understanding thesearrays of tools and their changing forms at various points in time and at or appreciation of former ways of life dependslargely upon certain conditions. different places on the landscape which make possible a reconstruction of the First, it should somehowbe unique, pointing to somethingwhich is not already broad patterns oflndian life. I(nown. For example, the pack of matches might reflect a method of making We now know that Indians have lived in Pennsylvania for at least 12,000 matchesheretofore unknown(or unrecorded), or they might bear an advertise- years. Gradually we are collecting the bits and pieces which show the distinct ment for some forgotten industry or commercial endeavor. An important condi- patternsof life as well as their changesthrough time. The processof developing tion is that the object(s) has some sort of associateddocumentation as to its thesehfstodes of Indian cultures is glow and tedious and depends largely upon place, time or nature of manufacture. The pack of matches might carry most of finding and analyzingthe associationsof artifacts. that information with it in the form of manufacturer's name, etc. Likewise, an A few county historical societieshave staff or affiliated personswith the abili- old chair, particularly one of unusual construction which had associatedwith it ty to undertake archaeological studies. However, the greatest contribution a bill of sale or some other documentation would have far more historical signif- which any county historical society can make toward this endeavor to under- icance than one without such information. stand the past is to properly direct the collecting activities of its donorsand County historical societies have become one of the most common repositories patmns. Part of the responsiblity of museums, especially those which are as close for such collections.By and large theseinstitutions accessioncollections perti- to the public as are the county historical societies, is to educate collectors nent to their particular county and so it should be. Usually the registrarsand through lectures, publications, and exhibits as to the absolute necessityof curators at these museums or societies will accept almost any object pertaining documenting collections. to their region. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in Harrisburg, the There is one classof old things which are frequently collected by many indi- CarnegieMuseum in Pittsburgh,a few local institutions like the Lycoming viduals, but which all too often have no accompanyingdocumentation. This k County Historical Society, and especially the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeol- the categoryof objects commonly called Indian relics. There is no county in the ogy are all working toward this kind of improved public awareness.However, state where these artifacts of the past do not occur and yet in every county they the successof our efforts to educatethe public as to the importance of preserv- have been widely gathered with no record as to specifically where they were ing, recording, and understandingour cultural heritagewU dependon enlisting found the aid of aH historical societiesand museumsthroughout the state. The act of collecting Indian artifacts without recordinglocation is anti- Much can be learnedfrom artifacts gatheredon the surfaceof the ground scientific and anti-historical. Indeed it is downright destructive. Artifacts picked providing they are carefully recorded or catalogued as to location. Anyone can up in various places and carelesslymixed together in an old cigar box are, from do this, and most will, provided they understand its importance. an historical and anthropological point of view, worthless. The excavationof artifacts from the earth where they may be in very special Almost every county historical society has stored away assortmentsof such In- and important associationswith one another is clearly not something to be per- dian artifacts. Unfortunately their only useis to vaguely illustrate that Indians formed by just anyone. Excavations which result in useablearchaeological in- once inhabited, and lost things in some ill-defined area of the state. formation are very sensitiveand require special skills and training. Digging by Anthropology(and archaeology), like history, is concerned with discovering untrained, unsupervised persons in unsanctioned excavations, is (devastating. 28 29 Here too historical societiesand museumscan and must play a major role in ANINVITATION educating the public as to the destructive effects of digging for relics. If and by Joseph ]. ZebTou)ski when such remains are exposedthrough constructionor other earthmoving, local societiesshould call in trained expertsto record and salvageas much as .Soyou've finally found an arrowheadl Maybe you've beenlooking for one for possibleabout thesefragile and rare indicators of the former ways of life on this a long time. Maybe it was just there and you couldn't miss it. EiQler way it earth doesn;tlessen the pleasureyou feel with your' find. You turn it over in your hand Improved understanding of our past dependsgreatly upon the cooperation and note the fine workmanship and delicate shaping of a tool that wab made by and sensitivity of the individuals who encounter the evidence. a man $olong ago. You try to imagine what kind ofperson made this tool, ho& he lived, did he think the same as you do? How can you find out more about this ancienttool maker?Are you interested? Comex-Mine totu an Archaeology/ucnaeuiugy Society)ocletv meetingsmeeting! We vve are peopleDeoDle justlust likelIKe youvou whowno are interested in the anciei:t peoples. And nE;,we don't all'have college'degrees, nor are we.professionalarchaeologists. We simply have a common i;iterefi and meet together.to share our information. Alm(3st everyone in the Club began with an arrowheadfind. If you've gone this far, you will find out that Club membersuse a systemfor gathering information. When arrowheads and other tools are found concen- When reading archaeological reports the reeder will always find mentioned trated in an area, it is called a site, meaning a living area. The location of these the "site numbe?'. An example is the number for our current excavation, Can- sites is recorded at the state museum in Harrisburg. Every site is given a number field Island, 36 LY 37. The first number refers to Pennsylvania.Each state has a so that relics from it can be identified as being f(ihnd there. Wrhe this number number. The "LY ' refers to Lycoming County. Each county of each state hasa on your arrowhead. This increasesthe scientific value of it. Anyone who wants two-letter abbreviation. The last number meansCanfield Island was the 37th to study.your.find in the future will know from where it camel.Bring your ar- site recorded for Lycoming County. rowheadto the Lycoming County Historical SocietyMuseum whee; you can This number is obtained by registering the site with the state museum. They compare it with the points in the exhibits. You will learn that your point'is made will provide papersto be filled oti. A map should alsobe sent in to pinpoint the !q a veil specific style, and has a name that tells it apart from all other types. location of the site. It is important that every archaeologicalsite be registered This will till you how old it is and how it was used. T\rough the agesthe lidi- with the state archaeologist Before any type of municipal construction takes !ns changed styles of their points at different times to suit specific purposes. place(roads, sewage,buildings, etc.), the stale alchaeologis!!eviews the pro- Somewere for hunting big game with a spear, some for harpooning'fish, and BESg?ap=:;i=Ht:==:'$' il;.UIT:S;l:=::1;tt;=li=:,=if:; small triangle shaped points'\were used for arrowheads. You see, not aU points been registered, it will be destroyedl were arrowheads, most were spear points. You should also learn what other tools the Indians used, and how to identify them. Sometook were usedfor scrapingfat and flesh from hides.These arb called scrapers-.There are hammerstohes,'oval or round stoneswith shallow pits in the centers that were used for - you guessedit - a hammer. Some flat, sm;tll, round stoneshave notcheschipped injhe sidesor ends. These are fishing ne{ sinkers. Arqyou getting more iiierested?.b'maybe even excited? Then join thb Ar- ghaeqlogyClub. Come to a meeting at the JamesV. Brown Library the second Tuesday of each month. You will see movies about how the Indians made the toolsyou are finding and how they usedthem. Speakerswill tell you how pro- Did you know that ------only the small triangular plojectilqpo4nts of the fessional archaeologists work and how you and th6 professionals http each other. Woodland time period are really arrowheadsused with a bow. All others were Indian relics are exhibited and discussedat every meeting. ' speartips. If you are ready for the next step, maybeyod would Ihe to work on an ar- chaeological excavation: \bs, we d(i have'thee right here in Lycoming County. Club memberswill teach you how to excavateand you don't have to be over 21 or under 65 to do it. Now doesn'tall this soundlike a bit more fun than just keeping your relics in a cigar box in a drawer? Come to the next meeting. Call the Museum or the J.V. Brown Library for information. Postmold" is a very common word to the archaeologist.It refers to the mark Join usl Archaeology can be fund left in the ground where a building or fence poet oncewas. The postmold could be ringed irith charcoal, as the Indians often burned their posts to a point. It could be simply an areawhere the dirt "inside" the post hole is different in color or texture fred the surrounding dirt. By recording the position of postmolds at an excavation, the archaeologut can plot the location, shapeand size of dwell- CouneW ol Imho AMjad Magazine, ing, fen(xa, cooking racks aid any other type of structure using a post. Will Hoff 30 October 1984

The following people have helped make this Journal possiblethrough their generouscontributions. Thank you aU. Mr. & Mrs. Clyde C. Bastian Mr. & Mrs. SamuelM. Long Leslie E. Bower Mr. & Mrs. Clay Mccormick

Mr. & Mrs. John J. Brandt Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Major Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Case Mr. & Mrs. Francis Maneval Ralph R. Cranmer Mrs. F W. Mankey, Jr. John C. Decker Wilhelmina Mikusinski R. Eldon Drink Martha L. Mussina Louise M. Gibson Dorothy S. Parsons Paul G. Gilmore Paulhamus Litho, Inc. Caroline B. Grieco Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Pepperman Louis S. Grieco Mrs. Martin Pestel Rollin E. Hah Mr. & Mrs. Charles Plankenhorn Helen M. Hannen Clara L. Robison Mr. & Mrs. George K. Harris, Jr. Harry Rogers ThomasW. Haste Mr. & Mrs. FredricG. Rohm Ruth S. Heim Clara M. Rosemerski

Jean T. Heller Mr. & Mrs. Paul Schalles Margaret C. Horn E. Blanche Shafer Mr. & Mrs. John W. Hospers Mr. & Mrs. LaRue C. Shempp Ruth S. Housel Frances K. Skeath Mr. & Mrs. Donald H. Jackson C. HeleneSnell Mrs. William H. Jarrett Mr. & Mrs. Walter Spofford Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. King Dr. & Mrs. William D. Todhunter WinnifredL. Knights Gladyslazier Isabel B. Krebs Unknown Donors Helen1. Lewis LouiseC. Veith

Mr. & Mrs. John Lindemuth Maryellen Waldron Jean E. Little Mrs. Lester Waltz Mrs. CharlesA. Lucas Mrs. CharlesR. Winter ll JosephN. Lyne 32