Fort Bosley was situated in the forks of the Chillisquaqua, at
Washingtonville, Derry Township, Montour County, and was the gristmill of a Mr.
Bosley, who moved here from Maryland a few years before the Revolution, bringing
his slaves with him. He built the mill, it is said, in 1773; it is supposed he
fortified (stockaded) the mill in 1777; upon the Indians becoming troublesome it
was garrisoned by troops and recognized by the military authorities as of
importance. After the fall of Fort Freeland it became more' so, holding the
forks of the Chillisquaqua and defending the stream below it.
The Chillisquaque Valley and its surroundings are among the most beautiful in
the State. At Washingtonville, the main stream is formed by one considerable
branch coming from the Muncy Hills, following through the rich lime stone lands
to the south. The east branch here joins it, making a fine stream that then
flows southwesterly to the river. This great scope of fine arable lands
attracted settlers early, Bosley's Mills became a necessity, and, situated as it
was, within the forks about sixty to eighty rods above the junction of the
branches, on the east bank of the North Branch of these streams. It soon became
widely known; roads and paths led to it as a central point, and on the Indians
becoming troublesome and the mill fortified, it became a haven of refuge at
which the wives and families could be placed in safety at alarms, while the
husband and father scouted for intelligence of the foe or defended the fort. As
Bosley's Mills do not appear to have had a heavy garrison of troops (twenty men
at most) at any time, the garrison was most probably augmented by the near set
tiers, of which there was quite a number. It must have been strong, as we have
no account of any attack on the place, lying as it does below the great war path
through or over the Muncy Hills, it must have been looked upon by the foe as
strong.
Col. Hunter to Prest. Reed dated Fort Augusta, June 26, 1779, says: "Your favor
of ye 2d Inst. I received by Mr. Martin and I am sorry to acquaint you it was
not in my power to send any of the Ranging Company to assist at Guarding the
stores up here from Estherton, as what few men Capt. Kemplon had under his
command was stationed at Bosley's Mills on Chilisquaqua." (See Pennsylvania
Archives, vol. vii, p. 510.)
Lieut. Col. Weltner to Board of War dated Northumberland. April 9, 1780, says:
"I have this moment received an express from the West branch, about 12 miles
from this Town that the Indians have killed and scalped one man and two
children, took one woman prisoner, but she happily made her escape from them in
the night. The country is very much alarmed, and likely to go to the flight as
they cannot be supplied with provisions, ammunition or flints, as these
commodities being so very scarce. I have manned three material outposts, viz:
Fort Jenkins, Fort Montgomery and Bosley's Mills. It is out of my power to
scatter my men any more, as I have scarcely as many in Town as will man 2 pieces
of artillery."
The site of the old mill is recognized readily by the race and mill site and is
on the land of Jesse Umstead, Jr., at the lower end of the built up town of
today. The headrace has been continued on across the road and utilizes the old
dam site and head race for a modern mill.
Notes About Book:
Source: The Frontier Forts Within The North and West Branches of the Susquehanna
River Pennsylvania, BY Captain John M. Buckalew, Read Before The Wyoming
Historical And Geological, Society, October 1, 1895. Reprinted From The State
Report, 1896. E. B. Yoruy, Printer, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Notes about Online Publication: This manuscript has been ocr'd and heavily
edited. Many of the Native American words have been reproduced as clearly as
online publication will allow us, but not all are exactly the way they were in
the original work. The structure of this manuscript has been changed to allow
better online presentation.