Josiah Fassett whose descendants are numerous in the township was bork in Windham Co, Conn. August 10, 1761. A teacher and artilleryman during the Rev. War. he married Abigail Stevens, sister of Jonathan Stevens, in 1788, in the summer of 1795 they left their home in Connecticut and started on a trip to Wilkes-Barre, Penn. and eventually to Hemlock Bottom. With them were their three children Jasper, Sarah and John, two teams of horses and as much of their goods as they were able to bring. the trip required about 3 weeks of traveling, but they camped out serveral nights on the way. The family and belongings were left at Wilkes-Barre while Josiah went up-river to find a site for the new home. He returned and all were moved up the river on a Durham boat. The family lived on the boat until a shelter were built. The Durham boat was so called because it was built at Durham on the Delaware River. Boats of this type had a length of about 60 feet, a breadth of eight and a depth of two, and with fifteen tons of lading they drew about 20 inches of water. They had decks at each end and running boards for poling at the sides. Masts with sails were erected on them when a favorable wind blew and a steersman and two poles on each side constituted the crew. Towing paths were constructedwhere there was rapids. Durham boats were used to bring settlers into this area for Wyoming Vaally. Josiah Fassett purchased his farm from Jonathan Stevens, his brother in law. It contained 3,000 acres and cost him about $350.00. Jonathan had cleared about two acres of it, A long cabin was built near the river bank in what was then Braintrip township Luzerne. Co. In 1803 he built a double house and opened a tavern which liberally patronized by raftsmen and boatmen for 6 or 7 years. He and his sons cleared a large portion of his farm and he became comparatively wealthy. it was on Josiah's farm that Colonel Pickering was held as a prisoner in a log cabin and fed on mush and milk from a sap trough. Col Pickering was hired to try to convince the Connecticut settlers that his land did not belong to them but to Willima Penn. History states that the king of England had granted the same land to borth parties. pickerings's men seized the Connecticut leader. John Kenkins, roped his legs and tied him on a horse. they took him to Philadelphia to be tried for treason. more to come [email protected]