Isaac BaldwinFamily. . . . . .continued

Cornplanter found that the Americans had sent him a teacher in the person of Capt. Waterman Baldwin ~ Merle Deardorff

Waterman Baldwin in the final Yankee Pennamite War

We wrote about ongoing land disputes between Pennsylvania and Connecticut, known as the Yankee-Pennamite Wars, in our "The Isaac Baldwin Family" post. The people in the Wyoming Valley, where the Baldwins had settled, were definitely tired of the influx of Yankees into their territory. Shortly after settling there, Isaac and his three older boys found themselves caught up in the fierce conflict raging between Connecticut and Pennsylvania over land titles. The Baldwins, coming as they did from Connecticut, were definitely among those not welcome in the Valley. This dispute over land became known as the Yankee-Pennamite Wars. Former Connecticut native Isaac Baldwin (3C7X) and his four sons had placed themselves in the thick of the conflict with their move to the Wyoming Valley in 1774.

The hostilities had continued throughout the war and only escalated when the war ended. When the Pennamites renewed their efforts to evict the Connecticut Yankees, Isaac and two of his sons, Thomas and Issac, Jr., relocated just across the New York border to a town called Chemung. Isaac, Sr. lived there until his death in 1791 at age 61.

(1) Wyoming Valley, PA (2) Chemung, NY

Isaac's son Waterman (4C6X), decided to take his chances and remained in the Wyoming Valley. Trouble began in earnest 1884 when close to a thousand Yankees were forced off their land by the Pennsylvania milita. The Yanks, however, weren't going to give up without a fight. No information is available as to whether Waterman was one of those evicted from his home. In any case, as a Connecticut native, he threw his hat in with the Yankees against the Pennamites.

On August 2, 1784, Cousin Waterman was involved in a skirmish between the two factions that took place at Locust Hill. Several men were wounded in the fracas and one Pennamite man was killed. Six days later, Colonel John Armstrong returned with 315 Pennamite militiamen to arrest the Yankees involved at Locust Hill. Outnumbered, the Yankees, Waterman among them, surrendered and were marched, bound with cords, to the Easton jail.

An article in the April 17, 1888 edition of The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, PA listed the men captured in that fracas and recounted the story under the headline "The Pennamite War: Some Unpublished Correspondence Relating to One of the Events of the Unhappy Struggle, as Preserved in the Diary of Christopher Hurlbut."

There are thirty on this list. . .They were made prisoners by Armstrong after they had laid down their arms according to terms agreed upon with Col. Armstrong, in violation of his pledged honor as a gentleman and a soldier to secure peace in Wyoming. These particular men had driven back a detachment of soldiers in a skirmish at Locust Hill. . .and some of the soldiers had been killed in the fight and Armstrong charged these men with murder. He sent them, ironed two and two and tied to a long rope, with a soldier on each side of every pair with orders to shoot any one that attempted to escape. Three of them, however, did escape, viz.: Major Abbott, Waterman Baldwin and William Roes. This was somewhere about the 8th or 10th of August 1784. All the others but one broke jail on the 17th of Sept and escaped.

The Yankee-Pennamite wars lasted until 1794 when the Yankees were finally accepted and became law-abiding citizens of Pennsylvania. Waterman, himself, stayed in the Wyoming Valley as a "leading merchant" until 1798 when he joined his brothers in Chemung, NY.

Waterman Baldwin, Indian agent

In 1790, the government of the United States, with George Washington as the newly elected president, was making efforts to improve relations with Native tribes in the country. Chief Cornplanter of the Seneca, with other Native leaders, met at a conference in Philadelphia.

From the preface to A Nineteeth-Century Journal of a Visit to the Indians of New York by Merle H. Deardorff and George S. Snyderman:

The Chief asked Washington to recommend men of good will who might be willing to teach the Indians good habits. Washington suggested Quakers. Before the Quakers had time to act the government commissioned one, Waterman Baldwin. . .During the Revolution he had been a prisoner of Cornplanter.

Waterman definitely had a history with Cornplanter. One story making the rounds says that that Chief Cornplanter had adopted Waterman as a son:

During his last capture it was decided that he must be burned and preparations were begun to that end. The ceremony had proceeded so far that Watt, as he was familiarly called, had shaken hands as a last farewell to many of the prominent braves and was about to grasp the hand of Cornplanter, the famous Indian Chief. His wonderful coolness and intrepidity at such a moment so struck the great chief that he refused to allow the burning to take place, and adopted Waterman Baldwin at once as his son.

While Waterman had certainly been captured and released by the Seneca, I can find no evidence that an adoption ever took place. His former relations with the Seneca, however, made him a valuable asset. Colonel Thomas Proctor was instructed by Secretery of War Henry Knox to escort Waterman to the Seneca. Proctor kept a journal which recorded the entire expedition and his entry for March 20, 1791 describes his first encounter with Waterman:

This day we set forward for Captain Waterman Baldwin's, arrived there in the evening, halted for him part of two days, as I had orders to take him with me to the residence of the Cornplanter, at which place he was intended to act as instructor of the Indian youth, as also a director in the mode and management of agriculture, for the use and benefit of the Indians. This gentleman was made prisoner by Cornplanter, during the late war, and was treated by him with remarkable tenderness, until legally exchanged. . .expense at Baldwin's, 30s.

March 26th. We arrived at the Ferry at Tioga Point. . .I was compelled to purchase a pack horse, as the route we had to take from the Painted Post to the Genesee, was not inhabited . . .Captain Baldwin also purchased another horse, the better to enable him to carry on the farming business for the Cornplanter, and for which I advanced him 75s., to be accounted for by him in his settlement with the Secretary of War. From hence, I also took a guide named Peter, in his own language Cayautha, there being nothing but a blind path to the Genesee river; so that my retinue, at this time, amounted to three white men, one Indian and five horses.

On the 27th of March, Proctor and Waterman had reached Chemung, NY and stopped in to see Waterman's father Isaac. It turned out to be a lucky visit as Isaac died less than three months later.

Dined at Mr. Isaac Baldwin's, and halted for the night, and reviewed the ground on which the British and Indians were entrenched, for better than a mile, against the forces under the command of Major General Sullivan (the Battle of Newtown). I also saw many traces made by our round and grape shot against them, and a large collection of pieces of 5 1/2 inch shells, which I had the pleasure of formerly causing to be exploded amongst them. Expenses at Mr. Baldwin's for present diet, provisions, and forage, 53s. 910d.

March 29th. Continued our route by the aforesaid path. . .Captain Baldwin, while leading our forage horse, was by a sudden check, brought backwards from the horse he was riding and immersed in the water, so as to be entirely covered. The same fate had nearly happened to myself, my war horse's feet fastening between two trees which lay on the bottom, of which he fell. All this night we had rain, and with much difficulty could light a fire, at the same time piercing cold.

April 6 I then desired that they (Seneca Natives) would furnish me with a canoe and a guide. . .Upon which, they sent five miles to procure me a canoe, and by day light, two young Indians attended me, with whom my interpreter and Captain Baldwin went for French creek, distant about one hundred and thirty miles, and arrived on the 8th day of April. . .

Waterman met Cornplanter on April 8 and went back with him to the village to work as a teacher and interpreter. Cornplanter then sent a letter to his first choice, the Quakers saying that "as General Washington had sent a Schoolmaster amongst us, Mr. Baldwin. . . we mean to let him teach them a little first..."

Waterman was still with the tribe in February of 1792 when he received a letter from George Washington's Secretary of War, Henry Knox:

Sir:

You have herewith delivered to you a message from me to the New Arrow, Cornplanter, and the other Chiefs of the Seneca Indians. . .which you are to deliver and explain to them. The standing object of the United States, is to be at peace with the Indian tribes; but the bad conduct of the Western Indians renders it impracticable at present. In this situation of affairs, the Seneca Indians, at Buffalo Creek, have been invited, and are expected at Philadelphia. . .It is doubtful, however, whether they may think their families safe, during their absence, and therefore decline to come.

If this should be the case, you may assure them of the decided friendship of the United States. That if they can be answerable for their young men not joining at all the war, they had better remain quiet. But if they think the young men will join one side or the other, they had better join ours, which conduct will cement our friendships, and render us as one people. In this case, we will furnish them with arms, ammunition, provisions, and besides, will pay them as shall be agreed upon.

But it is my desire that, if possible, the chiefs, Captain Snake included, should repair to this city, in order to make a general arrangement; if they will consent to this measure, you are to accompany them, together with Joseph Nicholson, the interpreter, to whom I have written.

If the said Chiefs come here, you will pay their expenses on the road; and in order to enable you to do so, I shall direct that upon your return to Fort Pitt, Major Craig shall furnish you with two hundred dollars for your expenses and I now give you one hundred dollars for your expences. As soon as you get the answer, you are to return here to me with all possible despatch.

But you are to keep your business a secret from all other persons, excepting Captain Cass, at Fort Pitt, to whom you are to communicate in confidence.

Your activity and fidelity have been approved, your discretion and judgement are now tried. I hope they will be equal to the duty assigned you.

                                                                                     Henry Knox, Secretary of War

Merle H. Deadorff in his book The Religion of Handsome Lake suggests that there was another underlying agenda in Waterman's relations with the Seneca:

He (Waterman) brought horses, a plow and a Bible. Ostensibly he was sent to help the Indians learn farming, reading and writing. Actually he was a spy for the Americans, as were all of his kind at the time.

Whether Waterman was teacher, spy or both we'll never know. What is known is that he was no longer with the Seneca by 1798 after the Quakers took over the "educational and missionary work" for the tribe.

life in New York

Waterman may have stayed with the Seneca until the Quakers took over because it was the year 1798 when he moved to Chemung, NY where his brothers lived. In 1808, he was recorded running a sawmill and store in the town of Starkey on Lake Seneca, 45 miles north of Chemung.

The next year, with his health failing, Waterman sold his business and moved to Southport, NY where he died in April of 1810 at age 53.

One newspaper in the area, The Elmira Daily Advertiser, gave this account of their famous son:

Waterman. . . was a remarkable character. It is believed he filled to the full his measure of usefulness during: the Revolutionary war, (in a capacity similar to that of Harvey Birch, whom Cooper has made immortal in the novel of the " Spy,") and under the immediate eye of Washington himself.

Note: it is widely regarded that the character of Harvey Birch is based on our cousin Enoch Crosby (4C9X). We wrote of Enoch in our "Revolutionary Stories Part IV" post.

At least Watt, as he was called, prided himself as "one whom Washington had trusted." He is the hero of Chedayne, in the novel of Ausburn Tamer, entitled "Chedayne of Katono," He possessed a silver-mounted saddle, which had been given him by the officers of the army, and a horse, called Roanoke, which performecl some feats that were prodigies. . .He did not take very kindly to the ways of civilization, preferring life on the mountains and in the woods, taking care of himself with his rifle and his knife.

Waterman is buried in the Knoll (aka Baldwin) Cemetery alongside his father, Isaac, mother, Patience and two of his brothers, Thomas and Isaac.

Thomas Baldwin

During the Revolutionary War, Thomas served as a sergeant in the Pennsylvania militia. The only other story of note about him comes from the Elmira Advertiser:

Thomas Baldwin, or Sergeant Baldwin, as he is known in the "History of Wyoming" was one of our most noted Indian scouts during all the struggles between the settlers at Wyoming and the marauding Indians. He was first among the foremost of that class of men. The pages of Wyoming history everywhere tell of his daring and successful exploits, on of which Mr. Miner thus gives:

"On Fr 7th Sept 1781 a band of Indians made an attack on the Hanover settlement, and took off Arnold Franklin and Roswell Franklin, Jr. . .who had shot an Indian the preceding June. Several horses were stolen and much grain. . .consumed by fire. In April following (1782) the Indians still burning with rage and intent on vengeance, rushed into Lieut. Franklin's house and took off his wife and four remaining children, one an infant; set fire to the building. . .

Sgt. Baldwin led seven men in pursuit. When they caught up with them 'the attack was instantly commenced.'

A mutual fire was opened, and continued for some time with spirit, and yet with caution--the Indians being desirous to get off with their prisoners and plunder, and the pursuing party being afraid of hurting Mrs. Franklin and the children. In the midst of the firing, the two little girls and the boy sprang from their captors and found refuge with their friends. Instantly the savages shot Mrs. Franklin and retreated. The chief. . .raised the babe on his shoulder, and thus bearing her aloft, fled. Having recovered three of the children, and seeing the bleeding remains of the mother, the Yankees suspended pursuit. . .Two of the men, Sergeant Baldwin and Oliver Bennet, were wounded, the former severely, by the enemy's fire."

Thomas had seen much service in the Revolutionary war and with his brother Waterman was at Yorktown for the surrender of Cornwallis.

Note: I can find no proof that the Baldwin brothers were at the surrender in Yorktown.

Thomas died in 1810 at age 54 and was buried in the Knoll Cemetery in Chemung with his parents and brothers, Waterman and Thomas.