The Whiskey Rebellion of 1791-1794
A Major Test of Federal Authority
The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 was a major uprising of farmers and distillers in protest of a whiskey tax enacted by the federal government. It was centered in the area of western Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh and the Monongahela Valley. In the early 18th century the area was sparsely settled mostly by farmers and veterans of the Revolutionary War and for all practical purposes considered the last substantial bastion of civilization on the way to the mostly unexplored “Wild West”. For reference it should be remembered that the Lewis and Clark expedition was not until 1804.
For the farmers, the principal crop in the area was rye, which was distilled into whiskey for easy transport to the East. It dawned on me and noted Monongahela historian Walter Seal we had a unique insight into the Whiskey Rebellion since most of the historical markers in both the South Hills of Pittsburgh where I live deal with the Rebellion, and Seal had keen insights and artifacts of the Whiskey Rebellion centered on the area of major rebel activity near Monongahela.
One of the early pioneers of the area was a man named Joseph Parkinson, who with his wife Margaret and ve sons settled in 1760 beside the Monongahela River, where the present city of Monongahela is situated today. The sons would be major players in the area with Joseph operating a ferry allowing travelers to travel east across the river. Benjamin, brother of Joseph, would be a principal rebel in the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion. Benjamin built a home and developed a farm in the area in 1792. An early artifact belonging to Benjamin is his powder horn with the date 1783 attributed to his purchase in New Orleans.
James and Jacobus Devore were two other early settlers who ran a ferry across the river. It was said the ferry was important for travelers headed the French occupied lands and Spanish New Orleans. George Washington used the ferry to inspect land he acquired in the area. The ferry crossing would also become a meeting spot for rebels during the Whiskey Rebellion.
In the South Hills area of Pittsburgh is the rst home of General John Neville. It’s called the Woodville Plantation and is located near near Bridgeville, Pa. Built in 1774, the home would later it be given to John Neville’s son Presley after the John built a larger nearby house on Bower Hill. The larger home would also become a key spot in the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.
The Woodville Plantation home is an example of a Virginia gentry-style house and is believed to be the oldest building constructed as a home in Allegheny County. Often many of the
western settlers in this area of Pennsylvania felt that the federal government had failed to protect them from Indian raids or succeeded in opening up the Mississippi River system in order for them to ship their produce down the river to market. In 1791, with the urging of then Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, a national excise tax on whiskey which was passed by Congress. The trouble was that tax hit hard for the farmers hard who barely enough cash for the necessities of life. They were not pleased with this new “obnoxious” tax.
Most of the distillers at the time were located in the Appalachian regions of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky. The farmers grew rye and wheat and distilled the grain into whiskey for easier transport to East Coast markets. Whiskey in the 18th century was far from a luxury item and was consumed on frequent occasions, both social and political. Nearly every home had a jug of rye whiskey for “medicinal purposes”. For many people, whiskey was used as freely as we use aspirin today.
There was a strong resistance to the tax since especially in western Pennsylvania. Many of the settlers were veterans of the Revolutionary War and had fought against taxation without representation. Many protestors used violence and intimidation to prevent federal of cials from collecting the tax. In one instance a tax collector was tarred and feathered.
Gangs of resistors calling themselves “Tom the Tinker’s Men” threatened distillers who would pay the tax, sometimes destroying the stills of those who paid up. Rebels would often
shout “Tom” at rallies to remind everyone that loyal opposition to the resistance of paying the tax was disallowed.
The actual “Tom the Tinker” was believed to be John Holcroft, who lived near Mingo Creek, not far from the Monongahela Valley. His burial site is at the Mingo Creek Church cemetery in the heart of the Mon Valley. This was also the site of the founding of the Mingo Creek Society. The Society had some of the most ardent supporters of opposition to the excise tax. Resistance grew even stronger through 1792-93 when Alexander Hamilton insisted that the law be enforced in western Pennsylvania. To make his point, two distillers were arrested for violating the law. They were marched to Philadelphia for trial and more than 75 other violators more were issued summonses.
By early 1794, General John Neville, a prominent landowner, Virginian and friend of President Washington, had agreed to take the job of tax collector. Neville aroused a nal storm when he accompanied Major David Lennox to serve papers on William Miller, whose farm and still Lennox had missed. At the same time, the Mingo Creek militia was drilling at the Mingo Creek Church and heard of the affair. With John Holcroft as leader, they stormed toward Pittsburgh and Bower Hill, the handsome plantation of Neville and that was considered the nest home in western Pennsylvania.
Early on July 16, 1794, a group of 30 farmers and sympathizers rode to Neville’s house to appeal for the end of the summonses. In the confrontation, Neville and his workers, including slaves, red on the group, killing Oliver Miller, the nephew of William Miller. Several of the protesters were wounded and Holcroft decided the house was too well forti ed and retreated down the hill. Later in the afternoon, John McFarlane, a Revolutionary War hero who was well respected on the frontier, and 500 rebels moved up the hill and took positions 100 yards from Neville’s Bower Hill plantation and home.
Unknown to the rebels, Neville was hiding in a ravine after he secured help from his son-in-law Major James Kirkpatrick,
and 10 soldiers to defend the home. McFarlane’s rebels put on a show by beating drums as they assumed their positions around the house. McFarlane, under a white ag, asked for Neville to resign. Kirkpatrick responded by saying it was not possible since Neville was not there. Under a second white
ag, the rebels asked to search the house for Neville’s documents, with Kirkpatrick again refusing. The rebels came under a third white ag requested all woman and children be evacuated so the battle could commence. The women left and moved down the hill to Neville’s son Presley’s Woodville plantation. The rebels red and the battle began.
During one of several temporary truces, McFarlane saw a white ag waving from the house. He temporarily stepped from behind a tree to order the rebels to stop ring, and at that moment took a musket ball in the groin and died almost instantly. At this point all discipline disappeared and the rebels started to burn the estate’s outer buildings. Kirkpatrick saw the situation was hopeless and surrendered. The rebels let the soldiers go, but took Kirkpatrick into custody (he was eventually allowed to return to Pittsburgh). The angry rebels burned Neville’s Bower Hill his and all the out buildings. It has been said the rst to torch the house was a cousin of John Holcroft, the notorious Tom the Tinker.
The death of Captain James McFarlane radicalized the rebel cause and he became a martyr. His body was transported back to Mingo Creek near Monongahela. McFarlane was given a hero’s funeral on July 18 and is buried at the Mingo Creek Cemetery.
The next move by the rebels proved to be disastrous. They robbed the federal mail going from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to obtain the names of those who favored and who opposed the armed insurrection. The mail carrier was waylaid 22 miles east of Pittsburgh, with the rebel attackers taking only the letters of interest under the direction of radical David Bradford. The letters were rst taken to Benjamin Parkinson, who in turn gave
them to David Bradford. Parkinson would later be pardoned by President Washington for involvement in the mail theft when the rebellion ended.
On August 1, 1794 Bradford and some 5,000 militiamen marched toward Pittsburgh with plans to take the city, Fort Pitt and perhaps capture Neville. With leaders like Albert Gallatin and general John Hamilton, the march was orderly. The people of the area wanted to avoid burning and looting and greeted the force with food, whiskey and good humor. The strategy worked and the armed band dispersed with many of the rebels returning to their farms.
With this escapade, President Washington’s patience came to an end. He ordered militia and federal troops from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia to march into Western Pennsylvania. With over 12,000 troops marching toward the de ant farmers, Washington issued a proclamation requiring all the insurgents to peacefully return to their homes.
On August 14, farmers from six western Pennsylvania counties met at Parkinson’s Ferry on the Monongahela River to respond to Washington’s decree. After much discussion the participants agreed to moderate their strategy. They hoped to send two representatives to meet with Washington and Secretary of the State Hamilton, who were now on their way from Philadelphia in advance of the army.
A second meeting was held on August 23 at Parkinson Ferry (Now Monongahela City) at a location called Whiskey Point. At that meeting, Albert Gallatin was elected to lead a committee of 12 whose purpose was to hold a conference with a state peace keeping delegation to appease the approaching army of federal troops. Although Gallatin sided with the rebels, he eloquently spoke to the protestors. He advised them to con ne their objections to peaceful means and blocked the more radical proposals of rebel leader David Bradford. Representatives of the committee hoped to meet with Washington, but arrived too late and the federal troops soon descended upon Parkinson Ferry (Monongahela).
With this rst occupation of an American city by federal troops, about 150 rebels were rounded up, with the army sending 20 of the ringleaders to Philadelphia to stand trial. The federal court found most of the rebels not guilty, but in July 1795 two of the men were sentenced to death for treason. With the rebellion over, Washington would later pardon both men.
The Whiskey Rebellion showed that the federal government had the will and ability to suppress violent resistance to the nation’s laws. The whiskey excise tax still remained dif
cult to collect, however, and was later modi ed by Congress to make it more agreeable and affordable. Historians noted that it helped Thomas Jefferson become president when he completely repealed the tax. It should be noted that Albert Gallatin established himself as a Jeffersonian Republican and was Jefferson’s logical choice to be Secretary of the Treasury. In his role as Secretary of the Treasury, Gallatin helped nance the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis & Clark expedition.