USA > Ohio > Ohio early state and local history > Part 20
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June 12, 1778, Moses and Susannah Donaldson, being warned of the coming of the enemy, started with their family in a canoe for the block-house at Huntingdon. At the mouth of Silver's Creek, they halted while Moses went to warn the family living there. During his short absence, the Indians carried away and killed Susannah and two of their children. The oldest boy, Andrew, born June 25, 1770, escaped by fol- lowing the hired man, who, left with the family, fled into the the woods.
The said Susannah Donaldson assisted in establishing Amer- ican Independence while acting in the capacity of a patriot woman on the Pennsylvania frontier in the Juniata Valley.
All who are eligible on Susannah Donaldson's record descend from the one little lad who escaped the Indians and followed the man who so ignobly deserted his mistress.
This is the only woman's name that our Chapter happens to have on the Honor Roll, and we are consequently very proud of her.
William Mathews, who was born in Ireland in 1754, served his adopted country in the Revolutionary War, having enlisted at Pittsburg, October 1, 1776, under Captains Onory and Brady, Colonels Mackey and Broadhead, in the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment. He served for three years and was a pensioner.
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Daniel Killen, born in Ireland, came to this country and settled in Pennsylvania in 1770. He was a member of the Cumberland county Militia, Seventh Company, and was called upon for active service in the summer of 1782, under Captain Thomas Askey, Lieutenant Robert Quigley, Colonel James Dunlap.
James Boyd served in the Revolution, with rank of Major, in Colonel John Seigfried's and Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Kern's Third Regiment of Northampton county Militia, having received his discharge July 21, 1782.
Peter Tittle, who was born in Cumberland county, Pennsyl- vania, October 20, 1746, served in Captain John McClelland's Company of Rangers on the frontier, from 1778 to 1783. He lived for some years with his father, Peter, Sr., in the Tittle Block-House.
Peter Tittle and his wife, Sarah Whiteside, are buried in Unity Cemetery, near Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and his grave has been marked with a D. A. R. Marker, and is cared for by his descendants, who are members of the Wm. Kenly Chapter of Latrobe.
Jonathan, the son of Peter Tittle was a soldier in the war of 1812, and his son Jonathan Allen, served in the Civil War.
Jonathan married Susannah Beatty, whose father, Benja- min Beatty, was also a soldier of the Revolution, being one of the men who crossed the Delaware on Christmas day, 1776.
Jonathan Kinsey was another patriot who served his country during the Revolution, having served as a private in the Bucks County, Pennsylvania Militia, in the Fourth Com- pany, under Captain Thomas.
Jacob Bacher was another soldier during the War for Inde- pendence, serving as a private in Colonel Geiger's Regiment, Captain Peter Rich's Company, Pennsylvania Militia. He also served in Colonel Stroud's Regiment, under Captain John Krum, and also under Captain Adam Stahler. He served two months in 1776 and 1777. Again in 1778 he served more than four months, and later served for some time. He received a pension, his claim having been allowed October 23, 1832,
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Another, who served in the Revolution, was Daniel John- stone, of Trenton, New Jersey, whose descendant married into the Tittle family. The later generations of the Tittle's, are all buried in Rock Creek Cemetery, Seneca county, Ohio.
The member of our Chapter who descends from these men, has in her possession Colonial currency that belonged to Daniel Johnstone, and a piece of mirror that was shattered in Phila- delphia during the War. She has, too, a small wooden chest that was the property of Peter Tittle, Sr., and said to have been used as a safe deposit box. It is of artistic workmanship, and fitted together without nails. On the bottom is engraved the date "1749."
To have served seven years in the War for Independence, is a record of which one may well be proud. Such is the record of William Martin, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1754, and died there in 1820.
He enlisted as a private in Captain William Buller's Com- pany, under Colonel St. Clair in 1776. He took part in the battles of Brandywine, and Germantown, and received his discharge in 1783. In 1818 he was granted a pension, the last payment of which was made to his administrator, Robert M. Martin, March 4, 1820.
With all honor and credit to both the Scotch-Irish, and English, there never were better emigrants to any land than those who came to Pennsylvania in great numbers during the Eighteenth century, from Holland and the German Empire. They were not, generally speaking, an aggressive population, but when times of strife came to their adopted country, they were ready and willing to take up arms in her defense.
Dr. Charles Hickman, an emigrant surgeon, emigrated from Holland and settled in Washington county. He was born about 1725 and his name appears on the rolls of those Revolutionary soldiers who received depreciation pay for their services up to January 1781.
Charles Hickman's grand-daughter, Rebecca, married George Hemming, whose family had originally come from Strat- ford-on-Avon, England. Thomas, the son of George Hem- ming, took for his wife Margaret Huston, whose father, John, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and served under General
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Harrison, and marched through Findlay, the Black Swamp, Perrysburg, Fort Ball, and Upper Sandusky, and was for some time stationed at Fort Meigs.
George and Henry Meyers, were a father and son who fought in the Revolution. George Meyers was born in Switzerland, and came to America, while a youth, in 1745. He was Second Lieutenant of the Putnam Battery, while his son Henry was commissioned First Lieutenant, September 14, 1778.
The Lotts came originally from Holland, and settled in Bucks county, where, about 1755, Jeremiah, the subject of this sketch was born. His record as a soldier in the War for In- dependence, is an enviable one. He enlisted at the age of twenty and served throughout the war, as is shown by the records of the Pension Bureau at Washington. He took part in the battles of Stony Point, Brandywine, Germantown, Chestnut Hill, Trenton, Princeton, Monmouth, Eutaw Springs, and others. He received a sword wound on his right shoulder, a bayonet wound in his right thigh, and a gun shot wound on top of his head.
He enlisted first in August 1775, in the Militia known as the "Bucks County Associators for the township of Solebury" under Captain John Corryell. He again enlisted on March 18, 1779, as a Trumpeter, in Captain Heard's Company, Colonel Stephen Moylan's Fourth Regiment, Light Dragoons, serving until July 12, 1783.
It is a well founded tradition in the family that he was in close personal relations with General Washington, acting as his "Trumpeter," and also as a spy. While engaged as the latter, it is told by a descendant-he was taken prisoner by a British officer and placed behind him on his horse, thus pro- ceeding to the British camp. The prisoner manifested an indifferent spirit to allay suspicion and, at an opportune time, drew a knife which he had concealed in his boot-leg, and killed the officer. He fled, indignantly pursued by the English. For several days and nights he concealed himself and horse, whilst the enemy were tirelessly searching for him. When finally discovered, he turned his coat, that was lined with red, inside out, and for some time this ruse deceived the enemy; but when they saw their mistake, he was even more hotly
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pursued, and it was only owing to the fleetness of his good horse that he escaped. When he reached the American camp, it is said the whole army sent up a shout of rejoicing and he was the recipient of special acts of courtesy from the Commander- in-Chief.
The English Government offered a reward of forty Guineas for the head of Jeremiah Lott, showing that the officer he had killed was held in high regard.
The experiences of this soldier were surely those of a hardy patriot. It is said that he frequently went barefoot over the frozen snow at Valley Forge, the blood tracks showing the path he had trodden. There were, history tells us, only too many went barefoot over the frozen snow during the winter at Valley Forge. Of such indomitable spirit are heroes made, and their memory handed down from generation to generation, is worthy of emulation.
Then it was a question of duty, of principle, of patriotism, and not of self-aggrandizement, or mercenary pursuit.
The courage of Jeremiah Lott was equal to the demands, and well may his descendants look back upon his bravery with pride and admiration. After the War he moved to Blooms- bury, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, where he resided until his death in 1822.
About 1785 he married Elizabeth Laycock, an English girl, who died about 1820. To them were born nine children: Bartholamew, Mary, Lavinia, John L., Reuben, Henry, Nancy, James, and Sarah.
He, with his wife, are buried in the Greenwich Presbyterian cemetery near Bloomsbury, New Jersey.
He always dressed in regular Continental style, with knee breeches and buckle shoes, a buckle still being in the possession of a grand-daughter living in Bloomsbury.
Once a year it was the custom, at that time, to hold patriotic services in what was called the Old Straw Church, five miles west of Bloomsbury, and three miles east of Easton, Pennsyl- vania. These occasions Jeremiah Lott regularly attended, attired in full military uniform. He was always especially hon- ored, and as a mark of distinction, invited to sit on the pulpit platform with the pastor.
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The Kaup family emigrated from Holland to America some time before 1753. They were of French origin, but during the time of the Huguenot persecutions, fled to Holland, where the name was changed from Coup to the present form of Kaup.
They settled in Berks county, where Christian, and his brothers Peter and Andrew, were born. Christian, in 1753, enlisted as a private in the Continental Line, Berks county, Militia. His brother Peter, also was a Revolutionary soldier, receiving a pension for his services, October 27, 1832. Prob- ably Christian was not living at that time or he too would have applied for a pension, as they were both living and own- ing property in the same township. John Kaup, son of Christian, was born at McKeensburg, Pennsylvania, in 1783, and married Hannah, daughter of the Honorable Frederick Bensinger. They are buried in the old graveyard at Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.
The Bensingers, a large family, emigrated from Prussia and settled in Montgomery county.
Frederick Bensinger, Jr., who was born in Berks county in 1747, served as a soldier in the Revolution, being a private in the Berks county Militia. He was also in the list of those who received "Depreciation pay," for their services. He and his wife, Mary Weiman, were present at the baptism of their grand- son, Solomon Kaup, the son of John and Hannah (Bensinger) Kaup, who was born October 4, 1813, and was the father and grand-father of the present generations of Kaups in Tiffin.
Frederick Keller, with his three sons, Henry, Frederick, and Christopher, came from Germany and settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. All of the sons served in the Revo- lution. Henry was a private in Captain George Hudson's Company, Lancaster county Militia in 1775.
On April 6, 1784, he married Catherine Seitz, whose parents came from Germany in 1765. In 1808, they emigrated with their entire family to Fairfield county, Ohio, where they lived until their death.
Their eldest son John, at the Delaware land sales in 1821, bought the land now owned by John Keller, residing north of Tiffin, and which has ever since descended from one generation
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of Kellers to the next. The original patent, signed by James Monroe, is still in the possession of the family. The John Keller family moved to Tiffin in 1828, and it is said that he planted the first orchard in Seneca county.
His children, Levi, Lewis, Joel, Sarah Einsel, Catherine Bowlus, and Mary Lease, lived in Seneca county, excepting Mrs. Bowlus, who lived at Fremont. The sons became large land owners and one son, Joel, continued the milling business of his father very successfully. J. M. Beckley owns the mill now, which Joel Keller built on the site of his father's mill. Joel Keller also owned the mill now owned by Frank Bacon.
The Kellers were noted for their mechanical skill and main- tained a smith's forge on the old homestead.
Some of the descendants of Joseph Keller, a younger brother of John, reside in Seneca county, two of the sons, Reuben and Amos, being millers.
Nearly all of the Kellers have been farmers or millers, and were the kind that helped to make a reputation for Seneca county as a rich agricultural tract.
Among the early settlers of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, was the Reeme family.
The pioneer ancestor of the Reeme family in this country, was Abraham Reeme, who with his wife Christine, lived in Lancaster county, he dying in 1777.
Their fifth child was Daniel, born 1745, died 1822, and is buried in the Wenrich Church-yard near Linglestown, Pennsyl- vania. His grave has a D. A. R. Marker on it, and is decorated on Memorial day by that organization. He served as a private in Captain Abraham Scott's Company, Seventh Battalion, Lancaster county Militia, 1781.
The eldest son of Daniel and Mary Elizabeth Reeme, was Daniel, born in 1779, who married Ann Maria Wenrich. They were the parents of Dr. E. W. Reeme, who at one time was one of the leading physicians of Tiffin; of Benjamin and Jonas Reeme, and of Mrs. Frederick Crum, all of whom came to Tiffin about 1857, and spent the remainder of their lives here.
Now, very few of the Reeme family reside in Seneca county, the descendants being scattered over the States farther west.
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Among the first settlers of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, were Jacob Souder and his wife Anna. They came from Ger- many early in the Eighteenth century. The will of Jacob Souder is on record in the Lancaster county court house. It was made March 8, 1733, and he died that same year. He left three children, Mary, Susanna, and John. John inherited the land his father owned and lived in Lancaster county until he died. About 1751, he married Anna Bowman, also of Ger- man descent, and to them were born eleven children.
The descendants of two of the sons, Jacob and David, came to Seneca county, in 1826. They had gone to Frederick county, Maryland, in 1810, and from there they moved to Tiffin. David is buried in Greenlawn cemetery. Rev. John Souder, Mrs. Ezra Baker, and Mrs. Jonathan Kemp, were the children of Jacob Souder and were all pioneer settlers of Seneca county.
Their grand-father, John Souder, served in the Lancaster county Militia, in Captain Carr's Company, Fourth Battalion, commanded by Colonel Zeigler, in 1781, during the American Revolution.
The Wolfe family came from Germany, and their history in America dates from the arrival of the ship "William and Sarah " at Philadelphia, September 18, 1727.
On this vessel was John Bernard Wolfe, and George Wolfe, who located in Tulpehocken township, Berks county, Penn- sylvania.
The grand-son of John Bernard Wolfe, George Wendell Wolfe, served with credit in the Revolution, rising from a private in Captain Michael Furner's Company, Colonel Patton's Regiment, Berks county Militia, to Captain of the Fifth Company, Northumberland County Associators. In 1793, he disposed of his property in Berks county, and pur- chased a thousand acres of land in Buffalo Valley, a few miles south-west of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1826.
John George Overmeyer, from the time of his arrival in Philadelphia, September 16, 1751, to the time of his retirement from public life in 1796, filled many offices of service and trust in the State of his adoption. From the time of Braddock's
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defeat, Captain Overmeyer (until 1783) discharged varied and arduous duties for his country. He took part in subduing the Indians, his house often serving as a Fort. He rallied men and led many expeditions against the savages. He was a Captain against the French and Indians.
Charles Weitzel, Secretary, gives his name among the Captains of Companies in service at intervals, and previous to and during the Revolutionary War. As a Member of a Committee of Safety, he assisted in selecting members of the First Colonial Congress.
He was one of three from Buffalo township in 1775, as a Committee to provide for organizing and drilling military companies. In December 1776, he volunteered in Captain John Clark's Company and served during the campaign of Trenton and Princeton.
He was at the head of a Company against the Indians, and later against the British in 1776 and 1777.
On January 3, 1777, he left Reading in Colonel Potter's Second Battalion, under Lieutenant Colonel Murray, and on January 8, joined Washington at Morristown. He assisted in gaining Newark, Woodbridge, Elizabethtown, and all the rest of the enemy's posts in New Jersey, except New Brunswick and Amboy. He also participated in the Battle of Valley Forge. In 1781 he was Captain of the Third Company, First Battalion, of Northumberland county Militia, com- manded by Colonel Kelley.
He was one of the Captains ordered home by Washington after the surrender of Cornwallis, to influence the people to sustain themselves until other relief could be offered. He organized and led squads of men in protecting the frontier, up to 1783, when he was elected one of the Overseers of Northum- berland county, serving until 1796.
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Pennsylvania Honor Roll and Descendant Chapter Members.
ALEXANDER, JAMES:
Tolmie, Rose Oswalt (Mrs. James).
ANDERSON, CAPTAIN PATRICK:
ANDERSON, LIEUTENANT JAMES: Sneath, Laura Stephenson (Mrs. Samuel B.).
BACHER, JACOB: Krout, Eva Bacher (Mrs. C. A.).
BENSINGER, FREDERICK: Atkinson, Maude Stanley (Mrs. W. H. S.); Fiege, Cora Belle (Miss); Stanley, Elizabeth Kaup (Mrs. William B.).
BOYD, MAJOR JAMES:
Gries, Carrie Gibson (Miss); Gries, Bessie Martha (Miss); Robinson, Alice (Miss);
Steele, Mary Louise (Miss); Steele, Martha Alice (Miss).
BROWN, LIEUTENANT COLONEL. ALEXANDER: Tolmie, Rose Oswalt (Mrs. James).
COE, ENSIGN MOSES:
COE, LIEUTENANT BENJAMIN: Gries, Carrie Gibson (Miss); Gries, Bessie Martha (Miss); Steele, Mary Louise (Miss). Steele, Martha Alice (Miss).
DONALDSON, MRS. SUSANNAH: Williams, Gertrude D. Mathews (Mrs. James A.)
HARRIS, CAPTAIN SAMUEL: HARRIS, WILLIAM: Atkinson, Maude Stanley (Mrs. W. H. S.).
HICKMAN, DR. CHARLES:
Norton, Adaline Hemming (Mrs. James A.); Norton, Clara A. (Miss).
KAUP, CHRISTIAN: Atkinson, Maude Stanley (Mrs. W. H. S.); Fiege, Cora Belle (Miss); Stanley, Elizabeth Kaup (Mrs. William B). KELLER, HENRY:
Crum, Nora (Miss).
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KILLEN, DANIEL: Houghton, Bertha Killen (Mrs. Harry G.). KINSEY, JONATHAN: Robinson, Alice (Miss).
LOTT, JEREMIAH: Lott, Louise Abbott (Mrs. John L.).
MARTIN, WILLIAM: Martin, Minerva (Miss); Strohm, Nannie E. Frazier (Mrs. Edwin R.).
MATHEWS, WILLIAM: Williams, Gertrude D. Mathews (Mrs. James A.).
MEYERS, LIEUTENANT GEORGE:
MEYERS, LIEUTENANT HENRY: Meyers, Ida Mays (Mrs. S. S.).
OVERMEYER, CAPTAIN JOHN GEORGE: Beam, Ida Rosalie Loose (Mrs. H. L.); Loose, Mary (Miss).
PARKER, CAPTAIN ROBERT: Peter, Louise Williard (Mrs. Jacob F.).
PAULL, CAPTAIN JAMES:
Sneath, Nannie Hurst Moore (Mrs. Ralph D.)
PRICE, LIEUTENANT JOHN: Robinson, Alice (Miss).
REEME, DANIEL: Crum, Nora (Miss).
SNOWDEN, QUARTERMASTER ISAAC: Harmon, Margaret Snowden (Mrs. William); Jackson, Ethel Snowden (Mrs. George Cleo). SOUDER, JACOB: Crum, Nora (Miss).
STEPHENSON, SERGEANT JOHN:
Sneath, Laura Stephenson (Mrs. Samuel B.).
STEWART, LIEUTENANT WILLIAM: Sneath, Laura Stephenson (Mrs. Samuel B.). TITTLE, PETER: Ragsdale, Mamie Tittle (Mrs. Thomas E.).
WOLFE, CAPTAIN GEORGE WENDELL: Schroth, Rosa Wolfe (Mrs. George E.).
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MARYLAND.
"Peaceful Maryland" is the soubriquet which attached to this Colony, just prior to the Revolution.
In fact, she had no reason for complaint, for herself, against the English Government, and the people were greatly attached to the Royal Governor, Robert Eden.
Shortly before the meeting of the Continental Congress, when it became necessary to act, her honorable sympathy with the United Colonies caused her to vote unanimously that "the true interests and substantial happiness of the United Colonies in general, and this in particular, are inseparably in- terwoven and linked together."
One of the men most instrumental in bringing about this result was David Shriver, Sr., the son of Andrew, who had lo- cated at Little Pipe Creek in 1760. He was a prominent man of Frederick county. "At a meeting of the inhabitants quali- fied to vote for representation in November 1774, he was elected one of the Committee to carry into execution the association agreed on by the American Congress. June 24, 1775, he was elected one of the 'Committee of Observation,' with full power to prevent any infraction of the said Association, etc."
The disputes between the Colonies and the Mother country early attracted David Shriver's attention and he became an active Whig. So ardent was he in the support of the right of his country, that his friends were alarmed for his safety, and his clergyman emphatically warned him to beware. He was indeed a marked man, and more than once there was a price set on his head by the men of "King George." He treated all admonitions with utter contempt and persevered, taking an active part on committees of "Vigilance" and "Public Safety," and urging his countrymen to vindicate their rights. He was in consequence elected a member of the Convention of 1776 to frame a Constitution for Maryland, and was afterwards continued a member of different branches of the Legislature for thirty years, until the infirmities of age admonished him of the propriety of retirement.
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Rear-Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, of Santiago fame, was a great grand-son of David Shriver. In a series of articles telling the story of his life, which he wrote for the Cosmopoli- tan Magazine, beginning in December 1911, he says: "My great grand-father, David Shriver, served in the War of the Revolution with the Maryland troops, as a Lieutenant Colonel, under General Washington." Admiral Schley also in speaking of the heritage given him by his ancestors, says: "The dis- advantages and adversities of our forefathers of old, seemed to inspire in us a willingness to serve our country, and it is a matter of pride that we have been honorably connected with every war of the Republic, from the Revolutionary days down to the War with Spain in 1898."
Abraham, the third son of David Shriver, at the time of the establishment of the present Judicial System (1805), was ap- pointed Associate Judge of the Fifth Judicial District of Mary- land, in which office he served for forty years. Judge Shriver was one of the original founders of the Democratic party in his State; men such as Badger, Taney, and Marquis de Lafayette, being his intimate friends.
Edward, son of Judge Abraham Shriver, was educated for the law and practiced in Frederick, Maryland. At the time of the raid of John Brown at Harper's Ferry, he, with the Frederick Militia, who were doing police duty, held John Brown in the Engine House until the arrival of Colonel Robert E. Lee, with the Marines, from Washington.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was in sympathy with the Union, and he used his influence with Governor Hicks (they were good friends) and prevented Maryland from seceding.
It does not occur often in the history of a State that one family produces men in two generations who, at a critical time and against prevailing opinion, with unselfish loyalty, were able to guide their State into making the only right and honorable decision.
Edward Shriver was appointed by Governor Bradford to furnish men to serve in the Union Army and was also ap- pointed by the same Governor to serve as Judge Advocate General of the Court for the protection of the citizens of Mary-
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land. He was also postmaster at Baltimore under the Johnson Administration.
John McDonough, Sr., (born 1737) was a man of considerable property, and one of the most useful citizens of the City of Baltimore, in which city, it was a proverb-"As honest as John McDonough."
At the age of eighteen, he was a soldier under Washington, in the unfortunate Braddock campaign, and accompanied Washington in the retreat, after the death of Braddock.
He served with Washington during the greater part of the Revolutionary War. The Commander-in-Chief was an inti- mate friend of John McDonough's, and was a frequent guest at his home.
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