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Facts and Events
American Revolutionary War
- Under Royal Order from Charles III of Spain, Bernardo de Gálvez continued the smuggling operations to supply the North American rebels early in 1777. The British blockaded the eastern colonial ports, and the route from New Orleans up the Mississippi River was an effective alternative. Bernardo de Gálvez worked with Oliver Pollock, a North American patriot, shipping gunpowder, muskets, uniforms, medicine and other supplies.
- The importance of Bernardo de Gálvez's campaign from the American perspective was that he denied the British the opportunity of encircling the American rebels from the south, and kept open a vital conduit for supplies. Bernardo de Gálvez also assisted the American revolutionaries with supplies and soldiers, a good deal of it through Oliver Pollock.
- Colonel George Rogers Clark from Virginia, with Governor Patrick Henry's help, recruited Scotch-Irish and German frontiersmen from Southwest Virginia, and from Washington and Greene Counties Tennessee (then in North Carolina) and rafted his men 1000 miles down the Ohio River from Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania in winter to make a successful surprise attack against British installations in present -day Illinois and Vincennes, in present-day Indiana.
- Colonel George Rogers Clark captured that vast territory for the United States in the American Revolutionary War. He received ammunition and other munitions aid from Oliver Pollock and the Spanish Governor Bernardo de Gálvez in New Orleans which was helpful.
Records in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
- SILVER SPRING TAVERN - Oliver Pollock Tavern - Location - 6395 Carlisle Pike - Tavern - Standing - 2-story stone - :Built 1797 - Tavernkeepers were John McCurdy 1771-1776, David Briggs 1796-1804.
- History - The original tavern burned in November 1796. The new tavern 40’ by 33’ was built by Oliver Pollock before 1798.
- Robert Callender, the original landowner on which Silver Spring Tavern is built, died in 1776. The executors wrote in the Pennsylvania Gazette dated 2 Oct 1776,
- "TO BE SOLD - 1,200 acres of excellent limestone land situated in East Pennsborough Twp. on great road leading from Harris Ferry to said town of Carlisle whereon are erected and built an excellent merchant mill and sawmill adjacent... now in tenure of Mr. Francis Silver, on a never failing stream of water known by name of Silver Spring. Oliver Pollock purchased the property.
- Reverend Manasseh Cutler traveling to the Northwest Territory stopped at the tavern. He was the founder of Marietta, Ohio. He says "We went 7 miles from the Susquehanna River to Pollock’s Tavern. A fat Irishman gave us a grand dinner, but one horse fared badly; intolerably dear."
- During David Brigg’s tenure as tavernkeeper, a disastrous fire occurred. It was reported in the 11 Nov 1796 edition of Klines - "CONFLAGRATION - the Silver Spring Tavern, property of Oliver Pollock, Esq., which was kept by Mr. Briggs, took fire and was consumed. Charles Smith, Esq., one of the lodgers and in adjoining room went where several Indian chiefs lodged who joined him in the cry to the other lodgers."
- SAMPLE, Samuel on the 01 Aug 1766 applied for 300 acres of land on the Little Juniata, adjoining land applied for by Joseph Silver of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Francis Silver applied for the land in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on Apr 1, 1766.
- Samuel Semple Sr., also operated a Tavern in Carlisle, before he and his son Samuel Semple Jr., began operating the Tavern at Fort Pitt.
- Discussions of speculator James Silvers' land purchases in now-Cumberland County c.1735 dismiss warrants to Joseph Silver as a "straw man," that is, Joseph was not a brother but a front for additional warranting by James himself. But it should be noted that one of the George Brandons, possibly this Joseph Silver's father-in-law, was at a vendue in the Silver's Spring area in 1739 and that Presbyterians from York County travelled to Silver's Spring for church until the Monaghan congregation at Dillsburg was given the go-ahead in 1760.
- Schaumann, Merri Lou Scribner. Taverns of Cumberland County Pennsylvania 1750-1840. (Lewisberry, Pennsylvania: Cumberland County Historical Society, 1994).
- Samuel Semple Jr. also operated a Tavern in Carlisle, before operating the Tavern at Fort Pitt.
- 30 Dec 1772 Order to Pay Samuel Semple, Jr. - Order (Logstown, Pa., 1772 Dec. 30) instructing Robert Callender to pay Samuel Sample Jr. twenty pounds, and letter (Fort Pitt, 1781 Sep. 7) to an unknown addressee regarding the supply of provisions to Fort Pitt.
References
- Clan Pollock International.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hayden, Horace Edwin. Pollock genealogy : a biographical sketch of Oliver Pollock, Esq., of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States commercial agent at New Orleans and Havana, 1776-1784: with genealogical notes of his descendants : also genealogical sketches of other Pollock families settled in Pennsylvania. (Harrisburg, Pa.: L.S. Hart, printer and binder, 1883).
- Clan Pollock, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Oliver Pollock, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Oliver Pollock, in Find A Grave.
- Virginia. General Assembly. House of Delegates. Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Washington, D.C.: Samuel Shepherd, 07 Dec 1835)
Page 45, 07 Dec 1835.
Commissioner's Adjustment.
Office Of Commissioner Of Revolutionary Claims Of The State Of Virginia, Richmond, January 16, 1835.
I have examined the claim of Francis Vigo of Vincennes, and state of Indiana, for supplies furnished to the "Illinois regiment," in the fall of the year 1778, to the amount of eight thousand six hundred and sixteen dollars, evidenced by a sett of bills of exchange, drawn by George R. Clark on Oliver Pollock at New Orleans, for the said sum of $ 8,616, (which said bills have been lost or mislaid,) and which the said Vigo alleges, remain unpaid at this day.
I have examined, also, every public document within my reach, which I believed would give information respecting the transaction, in which the claims of individuals against the state of Virginia, for supplies furnished to the Illinois regiment originated, and especially respecting the claim of colonel Vigo. In this examination and investigation, I have ascertained the following facts, to wit:
1. That Francis Vigo was the " Spanish merchant," as he has been called by way of honorable distinction; who was renowned for his integrity, liberality and benevolence, as well as for his firm friendship for, and disinterested and efficient support of, Virginia in the war of the revolution.
2. That being then the subject of a foreign power, he warmly espoused the cause of the colonies against the mother country, and made large sacrifices in supporting the western troops of Virginia.
3. That bills of exchange were drawn by general Clark in the year 1778, upon Oliver Pollock, at New Orleans, in favor of Francis Vigo, for upwards of $ 10,000, for supplies furnished by him to the "Illinois regiment" in that year. That these bills were protested by xMr. Pollock (who was the agent of the state) for "want of funds;" that some of them were sold by Mr. Vigo, and afterwards paid by Virginia. That one amounting to $ 298 was paid by the said Pollock to the said Vigo. That the bill for $ 8,616 was one of those which was not parted with by Mr. Vigo, but remained in his possession (that is to say, the second of the sett remained in his possession, the sett consisting of Nos. 1 and 2, and the first having been lost,) until he suffered with a long and severe illness, commencing 1802, and continuing for several years. That during this illness, he handed over the said bill for $8,616 to judge Jacob Burnet of Ohio, to obtain something, if possible, from Virginia, upon it. (See statements of Francis Vigo, Pierre Menard, Jacob Burnet, all on oath.) And also as proof of the credit which should be given to the statements of the said Vigo, (see the affidavits of John Badollet and Nathaniel Ewing, and statement of general Harrison, and letters from generals Wayne, Clark and Knox, &c. &c.)
4. That the said bill of $8,616 was drawn for supplies actually furnished to the "Illinois regiment" under the command of general George Rogers Clark, by the said Francis Vigo. (See the memorial of Francis Vigo, which has been sworn to, and the affidavits of Pierre Menard and J. Badollet.)
5. That this bill of exchange (both 1 and 2) have been lost. (See here also, Francis Vigo's statement on oath, and the affidavits of Jacob Burnet and Nathaniel Ewing.)
6. That the said amount of $ 8,616 remains at this day unsatisfied and due to the said Francis Vigo. (See said Vigo's statement on oath, and the affidavits of Pierre Menard, John Badollet and Nathaniel Ewing; also certificates of the auditor and treasurer of Virginia.)
T. That all general Clark's bills on Oliver Pollock, at New Orleans, were for specie. (See general Clark's certificate, journal of the house of delegates, May session 1783, page 73.)
8. That the smaller bills which were drawn in the latter part of the year 1778, by general Clark upon Oliver Pollock, in favor of Francis Vigo, and which he says in his memorial were parted with by him and afterwards paid by Virginia, are proved by the " Illinois documents and papers," now in my possession, to have been paid by Virginia. But these documents and papers furnish no proof whatever of the payment of the said larger bill of $ 8,616, the amount of which is now claimed by Francis Vigo.
In conformity with the foregoing facts, which are set forth in the first part of this paper, I have adjusted this claim. It gives me pleasure to be able to make a favorable adjustment, and to ascertain the sum of money due from the state of Virginia to a man who has rendered the most important services to his adopted country, and who (if his neighbors, who are the most distinguished men in the part of the United States in which he resides, are to be believed) is one of the most upright and honorable of men.
- Schaumann, Merri Lou Scribner. Taverns of Cumberland County Pennsylvania 1750-1840. (Lewisberry, Pennsylvania: Cumberland County Historical Society, 1994).
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