The Wyoming Valley Massacre
An Abbreviated Descendancy of Samuel Gore, Sr.
A more detailed descendancy of Samuel Gore, Sr. is to be found in the main body of this
genealogy. It is highlighted here in the Appendix because this branch of the Gore line was
so much involved in the massacre by Indians of the settlers in the Wyoming Valley of
Pennsylvania which occurred on 3 July 1778. It was one of the first battles of the
Revolutionary War and is said to be the first battle in which the new American Flag was
flown. It was also the first of many later battles in which the British enlisted the aid
of Indians and Tory's to fight for them. Of particular interest is the text of two letters
(see below) written to Nathaniel Gallup who was a Captain in the Revolutionary War; one of
them was from Obadiah Gore, Sr. and the other from his son, Obadiah, Jr.
Microsoft's "Encarta 96" Encylopedia contains this about Wyoming
Valley:
A valley
in northeastern Pennsylvania, extending along the northern branch of the Susquehanna
River. A
beautiful and fertile valley, it is
about 34 km (about 21 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide and is rich in anthracite
coal. The valley was claimed by
both Connecticut and Pennsylvania in colonial times, but was not settled until
1763, when the Susquehanna Company
of Connecticut, which had purchased the land from the Native
Americans in 1754, sent out a
number of settlers. In 1768 Pennsylvania also bought the tract from the Native
Americans and established a
settlement (1769). In 1775, at the start of the American Revolution, the settlers
expelled a few of their number who
were Tories and thus sympathetic to the British cause. In 1778 the expelled
Tories, assisted by an additional
British force and Native American allies, invaded the valley. The settlers took
refuge in Forty Fort, near
present-day Wilkes-Barre. A force of about 400 of the settlers attacked the invaders
and were completely defeated;
two-thirds of them were killed or captured. Many of the prisoners were tortured
and killed, and on the following
day the fort was surrendered. After the massacre, the surviving settlers returned
to the valley in small numbers, and
the old controversy between Connecticut and Pennsylvania was renewed. In
1782 the U.S. Congress decided in
favor of Pennsylvania, but conflicts continued among the settlers until 1788,
when the Pennsylvania legislature
confirmed their land titles.
In addition, Samuel Gore's line is continued here to present the the story
of Christopher Gore and his connection with Harvard College, and Hannah Gore's line is
continued to Levi Gallup to show the origins of the Gallup family migration into the State
of New York.
First Generation
1-1. Samuel GORE , Sr. was born in 1652 in Roxbury, Suffolk, MA. He died
on 4 Jul 1692 in Roxbury, Suffolk, MA. Samuel married Elizabeth WELD, daughter of John
WELD and Margaret BOWEN, on 28 Aug 1672 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA. Elizabeth was born on
14 Nov 1655 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA. She died Bet. 1716~1725 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co.,
MA.
Samuel, the 6th great grandfather of Winfield Dyer GALLUP, was a Lt. in the
Military Company of Roxbury, MA in 1689 when he took part in the revolution that overthrew
the government of Sir Raymond Andrus. He was one of the twelve proprietors (original
owners) of the Mathamoquet Purchase (later Pomfret), Windham County, Connecticut which had
been granted to them by Connecticut in October, 1687. He was a carpenter by occupation and
he was a Selectman of Roxbury at the time of his death. Through his son Obadiah, he was
the great grandfather of Christopher Gore who was a governor of Massachusetts and a very
early benefactor of Harvard College. It is this family line to Christopher to which the
entry in the original 1893 edition of the Gallup Genealogy refers under Hannah Gore, wife
of Nathaniel Gallup, with the note that "Her ancestors were among the founders and
early officers of Harvard College." As this is not an ancestral line of Hannah's,
Christopher Gore being but a cousin of hers, the genealogical note is technically wrong.
They had the following children:
+ 2-1 Samuel GORE ,Jr. was born on 20 Oct 1681 and died on 27 May
1756.
+ 2-2 Obadiah Gore was born on 13 Jul 1688 and died on 8 Oct 1721.
Second Generation
2-1. Samuel GORE ,Jr. (Samuel) was born on 20 Oct 1681 in Roxbury,
Suffolk, MA. He died on 27 May 1756 in Norwich Twp., New London Co., CT.
Samuel, Jr., was called "Captain" and he is recorded as being a yeoman
(farmer) and as having been a "Fence Viewer and Surveyor" for Roxbury, a
significant and responsible duty in those times. He and his son ,Obadiah, became members
of "The Susquehanna Company" and as owners of one right, or share, each, their
names appear among the names of the grantees in the Indian deed of July 11, 1754. His son
and grandsons figured prominently in Wyoming Valley Massacre of July 3rd, 1778. (See
below). Samuel's death date has also been reported as 27 Mar 1756 but this is probably
just a typo for May. His wife's death has also been reported as 27 May 1741 but it seems
unlikely that they died on the same date. Samuel married (1) Hannah (or Harriet) DRAPER,
daughter of Moses DRAPER and Hannah CHANDLER, in 1703 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA. Hannah
was born on 8 Apr 1686 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA. She died on 11 Jul 1741 in Norwich,
New London Co., CT. Hannah's place of birth is uncertain. Some sources give "Suffolk
Co., Massachusetts" and others give "Norwich, New London Co., Connecticut".
Since her mother was born and died in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA, it is the more likely that
Hannah was born there. Samuel and Hannah had the following children:
+ 3-1 Obadiah Gore Sr. was born on 26 Jul 1714 and died on 10 Jan
1779.
+ 3-2 Hannah GORE was born on 30 Dec 1720 and died on 19 Mar 1810.
Samuel also married (2) Mrs. Dorcas Blunt on 13 May 1742.
2-2. Obadiah Gore was born on 13 Jul 1688 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA.
He died on 8 Oct 1721 in Boston, MA.
Obadiah was the grandfather of Gov. Christopher Gore of Massachusetts. He married
Sarah Kilby on 26 Oct 1710. Sarah was born in 1691/1692 and died in 1787. Two birth years
are reported for Sarah, 1691/1692 and 1704. The year 1691/1692 is somewhat unlikely as it
would have her living to the long age of 95 years but 1704 would have her married at the
ridiculous age of 6 years old. Obadiah and Sarah had the following children:
+ 3-3 John Gore was born on 29 Dec 1718 and died in Jan 1796.
Third Generation
3-1. Obadiah Gore Sr. (Samuel, Samuel) was born on 26 Jul 1714 in
Roxbury, MA. He died on 10 Jan 1779 in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania from smallpox. He
married Hannah L. Parke on 4 Nov 1742 in Plainfield, New London Co., CT. Hannah was born
on 22 Jun 1721 in Preston, CT. She died on 14 Aug 1804 in Sheshequin, Bradford,
Pennsylvania and was buried in Gore Cemetery, Sheshequin Twp. Bradford Co. PA.
Obadiah Gore, Sr. was the 4th great granduncle of Winfield Gallup. A member of the
Committee of Safety of Wyoming, PA/CT. He was called "Captain" and arranged the
capitulation after the Wyoming Valley Massacre. He lost three sons and two sons-in-law in
that massacre but his son (Judge) Obediah, Jr. survived the massacre and wrote a letter
about it to Nathaniel Gallup. (See Obediah, Jr. note.)
On 22 June 1778, just days before the massacre, Obadiah, Sr. wrote a
letter to Nathaniel Gallup. From it we can sense that Nathaniel and wife, Hannah Gore,
must have been close to Obadiah and his family.:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Westmorland June 22nd 1778,
Dear Brother and Sister
After our love to You and your children these few lines may inform you of our health
through the Divine Goodness. It is a time of health in general though some difficulty with
the Indians and torys. About 30 miles up the Susquehannah there has been a number taken by
the Enemy and carried to Niagery fort - perhaps 20! and we have had some suspicion of some
of that number Killed, but not certain. 16th Inst Capt Robins son Miner [?] and one Joel
Phelps and four more went up the river about the afor mentioned distance in two canoes,
and came near a number of Indians and torys, the number not known, who called to them and
bid them surrender but our men thought not best to be made prisoner - made off in the
Canoes as fast as possible! The indians shot at them a large number of Guns, and wounded
the aforesaid Robbins and Phelps, and shot a great many bullets, which struck the canoes
and paddles, and the four other men remained unhurt: they came down the River, and the
next morning Mr Robins died - being shot through the belly, and Phelps was shot more on
the side - there seems some hope of his recovery. We have forts. We Keep a watch and have
sent to the Board of war for help - My two oldest sons are in Continental service. Obadiah
a Lieut in Col [?]yth's Regiment, [?] of Daniel Lieut in a Company raised for our defense
here, under Capt Detrick Hewitt. Remember my love to brother Hobart and family, and all
inquiring friends: I take it a good deal hard of you that you never write to me. - I want
to know whether you ever hear from brother Samuel or Moses and want to hear of any thing
that is remarkable. So no more at present but remain your sincere friend and loving
brother.
Obah Gore.
They had the following child:
4-1 Judge Obadiah Gore
Jr. was born on 7 Apr 1744 in Norwich, New London Co., CT. He died on
22 Mar 1821 in Sheshequin Twp., Bradford Co.,
Pennsylvania and was buried in Gore Cem., Sheshequin
Twp., Bradford Co., PA. He married Anna Avery on 22
Mar 1764 in Norwich, New London Co., CT.
Anna was born on 18 Dec 1744. She died on 24 Apr 1829 and was buried in Gore Cem.,
Sheshequin
Twp., Bradford Co., PA.
A mosaic picture of Judge Gore is inlaid in the Court House wall in
Wilkes Barre. He was the first judge of Luzerne County and married the first couple there.
Obadiah Gore, Jr. & his brother Samuel lived in Sheshequin Twp., Bradford Co., PA; the
third surviving brother, Daniel, lived in Luzerne Co., PA.
Obadiah, Jr. wrote the following letter to Nathaniel Gallup, husband of his aunt Hannah
Gore concerning the Wyoming Valley Massacre.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Westmoreland 7th March 1779
Sir:
I have been in the Continental Service Ever since the beginning of August 1776 and was at
the
White Plains when the Enemy cut off this place last July. You doubtless have heard the
particulars of
the Action in Which I lost three of own brothers. Viz: Silas, Asa and George, and two
brothers in law
Timothy Pierce and John Murphy --- Daniel and Samuel was in the battle but escaped, ---
Our families
were all drove out from this Settlement without the help of horses and cattle, and with no
more than what
they could carry out through the wilderness on their backs. And our buildings all burnt
and our
household Furniture and clothing all carried away or destroyed, but we have got the
possession again
and have about 140 Continental Soldiers here, besides a number of inhabitants that has
returned, and
we have a very strong fort with Artillery and provisions plenty....... Father moved back
his family in Nov.
Last and he took the small pox of which he died the 10th of January last--- Mother and the
children has
had it by inoculation and recovered and now live with me. Daniel and his family &
Silas widow and her
children are here,-- Asas, widow and her child is at Preston, Hannah and her children is
at Plainfield.
Lucy and her children are at Canaan.... It is a healthy time with us at present. We have
no news or
nothing, nor nothing new happening here since the 10th of last month when a party of
Indians came
down & and killed 3 men, and wounded another who has since recovered. The Indians lost
one killed
dead on the spot and two others badly wounded as apparent by the blood, but we could not
catch them
-- I desire to be remembered to Aunt and all my cousins. Mother desires to be remembered
to you
and your family.
I remain yours,
Obadiah Gore
To: Capt. Nathaniel Gallup
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We do not know who owns the original of this letter. In my possession is a second
or third generation copy from an old photostat of an ancient hand-written letter. It was
received from Larry L. Kimmel, 6532 Trinette Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92845-2247. He added
the note: "Photostatic Copy by Forrest Gore Smith of the original. Copy received from
Paul Gore in 1968 to F.W. and Marion Gore. Typed [transcribed ?] 19 October 1998 by
Patricia M. Gore Palmer, Alaska. I made a digital image from my copy and gave it to Carmen
Johnson, a woman who maintains an extensive genealogical file on the internet. She used it
to include an image of the letter on one of her web pages.
Samuel and Obadiah's brother Daniel, who escaped from the massacre, and his father
are associated with the following historical footnote from Minor's History of Wyoming
Valley, PA: of Daniel and his father, "Among the emmigrants were two of the
Gore family of Norwich, Conn, Obediah Gore, the father and Daniel Gore, his son,
(blacksmith by trade) who were full of order and replete with Yankee ingenuity. They
conceived the design of adding to Ordinance a new cannon. A large pepperage log was
fashioned and bored, then hooped from breech to muzzle, but on the second discharge the
cannon split". Several books describe how Daniel and his brother Obediah were the
first to use Anthracite Coal as a fuel in their blacksmith's forges by giving the coal the
necessary draft. This discovery paved the way to the industrial revolution.
3-2. Hannah GORE (Samuel, Samuel) was born on 30 Dec 1720 in Norwich,
New London Co., CT. She died on 19 Mar 1810 in Stonington, New London Co., CT and was
buried in Whitehall Cemetery, Stonington, CT. She married (1) Nathaniel GALLUP, son
of Nathaniel GALLUP and Margaret GALLUP, on 24 Nov 1742 in Stonington, New London Co., CT.
Nathaniel was born on 29 Apr 1718 in Stonington, New London Co., CT. He died on 11 Jan
1786 in Stonington, New London Co., CT.
Nathaniel is the recipiant of the two Gore letters, above. He lived in Stonington,
CT, was a guard at Long Point, Stonington, and a member of the local draft board for
troops, 1775-1783. (DAR Vol. 82 p. 191)
Nathaniel and Hannah had the following children:
4-2 Samuel GALLUP
was born on 9 Aug 1746 in Stonington, New London Co., Conn.. He died on
25 Apr 1826 in Knox, Albany Co., NY and was buried in High Point Cemetery, Altamont,
Albany, NY.
Samuel married (1) Jemima ENOS, daughter of John ENOS and Mercy HALL, on 1 Jan 1769 in
Stonington, New London Co., Conn.. Jemima was born in 1746 in Stonington, New London Co.,
Conn.. She died on 15 Dec 1795 in Knox, Albany Co., NY and was buried in High Point
Cemetery,
Altamont, Albany, NY.
Soon after the close of the Revolutionary war, Samuel,
with his brothers Silas, Levi and Ezra, their cousin, John Gallup, son of Joseph Gallup,
and several other families from the towns of Groton and Stonington, Connecticut,
established the settlements of Knox and Berne in Albany County, NY. Others from the same
area established the nearby town of Gallupville, NY. The descendants of these four
brothers are still numerous in that vicinity, many of them being prominent citizens. Of
the sons of Samuel, Nathaniel was the grandfather of Albert Gallup, Treasurer of Albany
County, NY; Joshua was the great grandfather of Ezra Twichell, Sheriff of Schoharie
County; John Enos, father of Justice John J. Gallup of Albany and Nathan was the father of
Prof. Henry Gallup of Poughkeepsie, NY.
"Old Homes in Stonington" by Grace Denison Wheeler,
1903, has: "Mr. Gilbert Fanning sold his house to Mr. Samuel Gallup who married
Jemima Enos, a Seventh Day Baptist of Rhode Island. He put up a dam and sawmill on
Mustuxet Brook about 1768, a few rods above where the old grist mill stood."
Samuel also married (2) Sary or Sara (Mrs. Samuel Gallup). Sary died on 1 Sep 1802 in
Knox, Albany Co., NY and was buried in High Point Cemetery, Altamont, Albany, NY.
"Sara" is the spelling we find in some documents, including the Gallup
Genealogy, but her name was spelled "Sary" on her gravestone. They had the
following child:
4-3 Levi GALLUP was
born on 26 Mar 1760 in Stonington, New London Co., CT. He died on
18 Feb 1850 in Jefferson Schoharie Co., NY and was buried in Old Jefferson Cemetery. He
married
Abigail PACKER, daughter of John PACKER and Hannah AVERY, about 1785 in Stonington, New
London, CT. Abigail was born in Aug 1761 in Groton, New London Co., CT. She died on 11 Jul
1826
in Jefferson, Schoharie Co., NY.
Levi enlisted [in the Continental Army] on November 7th 1782 and served with the
companies oc Capt. Prentice and Capt. William Stanton, of Col. McClellan's Regiment of
Militia, State of Connecticut in 1782. He was discharged Jan. 5, 1783. In 1785 he married
Abigail Packer of Groton, Connecticut, who was born in 1758. In about 1797 Levi and
Abigail removed to Albany County, NY. From there he was recorded as an early settler of
Jefferson, NY in "The Records of Henry Cady of Schoharie, N.Y" (Historical
Room of the Middleburgh Library) where he is listed as having come there in 1807.
(However, the Gallup Genealogy records that their son Silas "moved to Jefferson, NY,
with parents in 1806 and operated a 430-acre farm there.") Levi was also listed as
being in Highway District #2 in 1811. He was an Overseer of the Poor in the year of 1814.
Six children were born to this couple and today there are his descendants living within
the town of Jefferson. Levi died at the age of 89 years 10 months and 24 days. Abigail
died in the 68th year of her life. Both are buried in the Old Jefferson Cemetery. A family
bible purchased by Levi is in the possession of Rebecca L. Gallup, his 4th great
granddaughter.
3-3. John Gore (Obadiah Gore, Samuel) was born on 29 Dec 1718 in Suffolk
Co., MA. He died in Jan 1796. John married Frances Pinkney, daughter of John Pinkney and
Elizabeth Gretian, on 5 May 1743. Frances was born on 20 Sep 1726.
John Gore was a painter and merchant. They had 14 or 15 children, nine of whom
lived to be married. He was an addresser [?] of [General ?] Gage, went to Halifax in 1776,
was banished in 1778, and pardoned by the Legislature in 1787.
They had the following child:
4-4 Gov. Christopher
Gore was born on 21 Sep 1758 in Boston, MA and was christened in Brattle
Street Church. He died on 1 Mar 1827 in At Home, Cambridge St., Waltham (Boston), MA and
was
buried in Granary Burial Ground (next to Park St. Church), Boston. He married Rebecca
Payne,
daughter of Edward Payne and (wife) Amory, on 11 Nov 1783. Rebecca died on 22
Jan 1833.
In the Gallup Family Genealogy of 1893 it is written of Hannah Gore, wife of
Nathaniel Gallup, that her "ancestors" were benefactors of Harvard College. I
(LWG) tracked down the basis for this remark to be Christopher Gore. Hannah Gore was his
1st cousin-once removed, as it turned out, so the claimed ancestral connection is
unfortunately false but her cousin was certainly a very interesting man. Christopher Gore
was a graduate of Harvard and became an eminent statesman and lawyer. His wife,
Rebecca, came from one of the finest families in Boston. President John Quincy Adams once
described Christopher as a "very fortunate man" who had won remarkable success
in his profession and whose family connections had "been extremely serviceable to
him". During his life, Christopher gave financial aid and other assistance to
Harvard College (now "University") on several occasions. At his death he left an
endowment to Harvard which was the largest they had yet received, $100,000. When the
Harvard library burned on the night of January 24th, 1764, it was not until 1837 that a
permanent replacement was built and it was Christopher Gore's money endowment that was
used. The library stands today, Gore Hall, an all-stone building, fireproof and of
enduring architecture. Christopher served as an overseer of Harvard and was a Harvard
Fellow. He and Rebecca were childless but it is known that they were a doting uncle and
aunt to the children of both the Gores and the Paynes. In fact, Christopher and Rebecca
educated one of their nephews, John Gore, at Harvard. (About whom I have failed to find
anything more.)
The following biographical note is from the files of the U.S. Government:
GORE, Christopher, 1758-1827
Years of Congressional Service: 1813-1816
Party: Federalist
GORE, Christopher, a Senator from Massachusetts; born in Boston, Mass., September 21,
1758;
graduated from Harvard College in 1776; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced
practice
in Boston; member of the State constitutional convention in 1788; member, State house of
representatives 1788-1789, 1808; United States attorney for the district of Massachusetts
1789-1796;
commissioner to England 1796-1803; Charge d'Affaires at London 1803-1804; member, State
senate
1806-1807; Governor of Massachusetts 1809; appointed and subsequently elected to the
United States
Senate as a Federalist to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James Lloyd and
served from May
5, 1813, until May 30, 1816, when he resigned; overseer of Harvard University 1810-1815
and a fellow
1812-1820; died in Waltham, Mass., March 1, 1827; interment in Granary Burying Ground,
Boston, Mass.
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