Wyoming Valley

Wyoming Valley, a beautiful, fertile valley on the Susquehanna River, in north-eastern Pennsylvania, about 30 miles long by 5 wide, its name supposed to be a corruption of the Indian Maugh-wanwama—'large plains.' It was purchased (1754) by a Connecticut company from the Six Nations, but the settlers were soon dispersed by hostile savages. In 1769 forty pioneers came from Connecticut, but found a party of Pennsylvanians in possession, and for several years there were continual contests between the rival settlers, the Connecticut colony finally proving successful, and their town of Westmoreland growing to 2000 inhabitants. On June 30, 1778, when most of their men were serving or had fallen under Washington, a force of 400 British provincials, or 'Tories,' and 700 Seneca Indians, led by Colonel John Butler, entered the valley, and were opposed by 300 men, under Colonel Zebulon Butler. On July 3 the settlers were driven to the shelter of Fort Forty (named after the pioneers), with the loss of two-thirds of their number, many soldiers and inhabitants being murdered; a half-breed Indian woman, called Queen Esther, having, in revenge for her son's death, tomahawked fourteen prisoners with her own hand. On the 5th the remnant of the troops surrendered, and they and the inhabitants were either massacred or driven from the valley, which was left a smoking solitude. Campbell's Gertrude of Wyoming, founded upon this disaster, contains exaggerations and misstatements, notably that of attributing the leadership to Brant (q.v.), who was not in the expedition. The disputes between the Connecticut and Pennsylvanian settlers were not finally settled for several years after. The valley is now one of the most flourishing districts in the state, and very rich in anthracite coal.