USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania, 1755-1855 > Part 29
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ENATOR, SAMUEL MACLAY ; elected Speaker of the Senate, December 7. On the 14th of December he was elected United States Senator. Members, Jesse Moore, Jacob Fulmer, Daniel Montgomery, and Simon Snyder. County Treasurer, Christopher Dering. County Commissioner elect, Flavel Roan. Andrew Albright, Postmaster, Lewisburg.
Hotels: Adam Wilt, Narrows; Richard Van Buskirk, Youngmans- town; C. Baldy, Cross-Roads; Isaac Latshaw, Lewisburg ; John Metzgar, Andrew Albright, at the ferry.
Residents in Straubstown, or Freeburg.
Alspice, Doctor Henry ; Felmly, Jacob; Hackenberg, Michael, joiner ; Long, Peter ; Moore, Andrew ; Moore, Philip; Myer, Mi- chael ; Myer, Jacob, son of Stephen ; Myer, George ; Nagle, John ; Reigert, Paul; Roush, John, tan-yard; Rupert, John ; Schock, Jacob ; Smith, John, weaver ; Straub, George, son of Peter ; Stump, Abraham ; Weaver, Michael.
Swinefordstown-Aurand, John, joiner ; Epler, John ; Fry, David, shoe-maker ; Fry, Jacob, senior; Kennel, Mark; Lechner, Jacob, inn-keeper ; Leist, David; Mertz, Isaac; Mussina, Zacha- rias ; Nelson, John ; Smith, Martin, cooper ; Smith, Robert ; Spade,
331
332
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
[1802.
George ; Spade, David ; Swineford, George ; Weller, John ; Wiant, Michael ; Wittemyer, Michael, clock-maker.
Selinsgrove and Weisertown-Clymer, Isaac; Drum, Charles ; Dusing, John; Etzweiler, George; Fisher, Peter ; Four, Joseph, weaver ; Gaughler, Nicholas ; Gemberling, Charles; Gettig, Fred- erick; Good, Adam; Hegins, Charles, tavern ; Hughes, Widow ; Kemerer, Christian ; Krider, Isaac ; Laudenslager, Valentine, tavern ; Meyer, Widow ; Mewhorter, Henry, tanner ; Myer, Jacob; New- mauer, Michael ; Oberdorf, Henry ; Price, Thomas ; Rhoads, Fran- cis ; Rhoads, Henry ; Rhoads, Daniel; Reim, Nicholas ; Robins, Alexander, tailor ; Roop, George ; Silverwood, James ; Snyder, Simon ; Tryon, Frederick ; Ulrick, George.
Mahantango Township-Bergstresser, John, millwright ; Christ, Valentine ; Derstein, Michael; Gordon, Willis; Hagerty, Robert ; Heimback, George and Jacob; Holtzapple, Widow ; Light, Adam ; Richter, Widow; Richter, John; Stees, Frederick, adds fulling- mill and smith shop; Walter, Conrad.
Additional Residents in East Buffalo-Barbin, Joseph ; Bellman, Henry; Benner, John ; Bickle, Leonard ; Billmyer, Jacob; Bill- myer, George; Brouse, Peter ; Cummings, James ; Coser, Andrew ; Dale, James; Dale, Samuel, junior ; Dreisbach, John, gunsmith ; Dreisbach, John, carpenter ; Elder, Robert, on John Kelly's place ; Freeman, Widow, on John Wiggin's place; Hull, Thomas, on Conrad Reedy's place ; Irwin, Andrew ; Jodon, James, on Andrew Struble's place ; Maclay, William P .; Maclay, Charles ; Markley, John, junior ; Messinger, John ; Reedy, Andrew ; Shoemaker, Jacob; Slough. Christian ; Tietsworth, Jacob, on Simington's place ; Wolfe, George Wendell ; Winegarden, Peter; Young, Abraham.
Lewisburg-Brice, John; Donachy, John, weaver; Franklin, Daniel ; Hartley, Thomas, carpenter; McKinty, Barney ; Russell, David, mason.
New Berlin-Himmelreich, Peter; Mussina, Zacharias; Rem- inger, Peter, shoe-maker ; Speddy, Jeremiah, shoe-maker.
White Deer-Armstrong, John, on Margaret Blythe's place ; Bayard, Benjamin ; Blackeney, John ; Bowers, John ; Bowers, Bar- bara, widow; Criswell, Joseph ; Espy, John, shoe-maker ; Lawshe, John, still-house, on George Derr's place ; Marr, David, on Riddle's place ; Servey, Christian ; Weikel, George.
333
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
1802.]
Improvements-John Hoffman, saw-mill; Seth Iredell, three- story stone grist-mill, Anthony Morris having recovered the pro- perty of the Widow Smith. The mill had two pair of overshot wheels. A new saw-mill was added, stone dwelling-house and barn were on the premises, and an excellent shad fishery.
West Buffalo-Baxter, Robert ; Blunbaum, Conrad ; Boop, John; Boop, Davidson, George ; William ; Deal, Henry; Deering, Christo- pher ; Englehart, George ; Gill, Isaac, on Robert Barber's place ; Gutelius, Frederick, cooper; Heise, Solomon; Imhoof, John; Leberick, George, tanner; Shultz, Daniel; Smith, Melchior, saw and hemp-mill on Laurel run ; Spigelmoyer, John. The stone house on Mather's place, in Limestone township, built.
St. Peter's Church.
The church known as St. Peter's Lutheran church, in Kelly, was built upon land donated by Philip Stahl. Jacob Lotz, his executor, by deed, dated August 13, 1802, recorded at Sunbury, in deed book L, pages 712-713, conveys to Christian Zerbe and George Reininger seven acres and ninety-one perches, in Kelly township, in trust to and for the use of building or erecting a school-house and a German Lutheran church on the same, and for a burying-ground, by the fol- lowing bounds and measures : beginning at a line of Henry Neese ; thence S. 88° W. 78, to a post ; thence S. 2° E. 22, to a post ; thence N. 80° W. 80 perches, to a post ; thence N. 2° W. II, to beginning.
Ray's Church.
Ray's church, in Lewis, was founded by a gift of one acre of land by Mr. Ray. The first church was never finished. The timbers furnished seats in the gallery up to the time of the building of the new church.
September 24, Bishop Newcomer again visits the Valley, preached in Youngmanstown and at Aurand's. 25th, quarterly meeting com- menced at Martin Dreisbach's. Brother Kempt preached the first discourse, and Brother Farley, a Methodist, spoke in English.
Republican standing committee, General William Montgomery,
334
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
[1802.
Henry Vanderslice, Simon Snyder, Robert Giffen, and Christopher Baldy. April 2, Northumberland, Lycoming, and Centre made a congressional district. September 16, meeting of delegates at John Metzgar's, in Lewisburg, John Barber, chairman. Nominated An- drew Gregg for Congress.
Saturday, 18th. The following delegates met in convention at Lewisburg, at Metzgar's hotel : Augusta, Charles Maus ; Shamokin, Jesse Simpson ; Point, Robert Irwin ; Chillisquaque, James Straw- bridge ; Mahoning, Mathew Collum; Penn's, Charles Drum; Derry, George Langs ; Turbut, Bethuel Vincent ; West Buffalo, John Dreis- bach ; East Buffalo, Andrew Albright ; White Deer, Andrew McLan- achan. Thomas McKean nominated for Governor ; Samuel Maclay, for Senator; Jesse Moore, Jacob Fulmer, John Bull, and Daniel Montgomery, junior, for Assembly ; Solomon Markley and John Wilson for Commissioners.
ELECTION RETURNS, 1802.
GOV'NR. CON SEN
ASSEMBLY.
Thomas Mckean.
James Ross.
Andrew Gregg.
Samuel Maclay.
Jesse Moore.
Jacob Fulmer.
D. Montgomery.
Simon Snyder.
Samnel Dale.
John Bull.
Sunbury,
180
26
189
194
200
199
180
133
12
87
Northumberland,
133
35
152
153
140
138
65
32
36
112
Buffalo,
201
14
211
209
205
156
97"
143
191
5
West Buffalo,
194
17
210
210
206
203
11
74
79
9
Berlin,
136
1
136
139
137
137
1
136
138
1
Swineford,
119
121
129
112
121
1
111 102
118
Bloom and Brier,
95
20
114
112
112
20
108
111
Milton,
347
21
356
352
366
323
356
53
36
175
Selinsgrove,
231
9
232
234
234
227
59
217
152
41
Mahanoy,
139
2
140
140
134. 140
74
45
101
52
Washington,
340
337
342
341
335
343
164
20
159
Catawissa,
66
63
100
111
118
125
125
4
121
Mifflinburg,
63
65
65
65
65
65
3
62
Beaver, .
130
130
130
130
130
130'
129
Shamokin,
173
150
159
172
127
179
134
72
Fishing Creek and Green- wood,
96
4
99
96
106
101
106
55
42
Total,
2674 221 2746
2766 2778 2556 1749 1536 1054 1007
.
. ..
.
...
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DISTRICTS.
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ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
1802.]
For this schedule, and other political statistics, I am indebted to the papers of Flavel Roan, carefully preserved by the late Flavel Clingan, of Kelly, his nephew. Flavel Roan was general scribe for the Valley, clerked at the election meetings of return judges, wrote the obituary and marriage notices, &c.
On settlement, Frederick Antes, late treasurer, allowed a credit of $15 36, paid for hanging Edward Jones.
December 22, Samuel Maclay presides at the trial of Judge Alex- ander Addison.
23d-24th, a fire in the night occurred at Nesbit's, on the east side of the river. It was noticed by Andrew Albright. The night was fearfully cold, and, observing no one stirring at the house, he mounted his horse and swam him, through the floating ice, across the river, awakened the family, and thus saved them from destruction. Barnaby McMaster, the weaver, lost his loom and all he had, barely escaping with his life and family.
In November, Reverends Messrs. Graham and Moody preached as supplies at Buffalo Cross-Roads church.
At November sessions, a road was laid out from Milton, by way of the ferry at Orr's or John Boal's, (Miller's place now ;) thence through Boal's and Heckle's land, crossing Little Buffalo at William Clingan's, Buffalo creek, near Chamberlin's mill; thence to the Derrstown and Mifflinburg road.
Deaths.
George Frederick. His daughter, Catherine, was Tobias Sheck- ler's wife.
George Ray, of West Buffalo. Children: the late John Ray, first sheriff of Union county, George, William, Barbara, Margaret, Sarah, Nancy, and Catherine.
Phœbe Jenkins, widow of James, the elder.
William Jordon, White Deer. Left widow, Jane, and twelve chil- dren : Thomas, Mary, married to James Hill, Margaret, Daniel, Andrew, William, Samuel, James, John, Elizabeth, George, Jane.
Edward Tate, of West Buffalo. Children : Edward and Thomas. Hugh Beatty took the land at the appraisement.
Joseph Green died in the spring of this year. He was a promi-
336
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
[1802.
nent citizen of the Valley, and one of its first settlers. He resided first where Benjamin Thompson, junior, lives, east of Mifflinburg, then built the mill of late known as Bellas', which was sold from him. He then removed some distance up Penn's creek, and built a saw-mill, where he died. He was buried in the Lewis grave-yard. His first wife's name was Margaret, and his second, Mary. He was a surveyor, and dealt largely in lands. Was prominent in the rev- olutionary struggle. His first wife died in 1783, and in 1784 he married a widow, Mary Irvin. His children were : Elizabeth, mar- ried to Henry Shively ; her daughters, Margaret, married Jesse Mat- thews ; Elizabeth, Ephraim McMullan ; Sarah, Eli Landis ; and one was married to Robert Barber. Alice Green married James McCoy. Joseph Green's sons were : John, Timothy, Joseph, William, Tho- mas, George, and General Abbot. The sons all went West, except General Abbot. John went to Louisiana, and one of his sons was in Congress from that State, some years ago. Joseph Green's widow had a son, James Irvin.
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1803.
JENKINS' MILL ROAD-ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS-FLAVEL ROAN'S JOURNAL.
AMUEL MACLAY, Speaker of the Senate. Simon Sny- der, of the House. March 16, Honorable Samuel Maclay resigned the office of Speaker of the Senate. County Commissioners, Flavel Roan, David Taggert, and Solo- mon Markley. John Frick, Clerk. Sheriff, Andrew Albright, com- missioned October 24. Thomas Youngman, Postmaster, Mifflinburg.
January S. Andrew McClenachan, justice for White Deer and Washington.
Road from Jenkins' mill to Michael Smith's, (first house east of Farley's now,) in East Buffalo, laid out.
Additional Residents of White Deer-Anderson, Samuel, (miller ;) Baker, Michael; Candor, Josiah; Hayes, John, justice ; Mole, Christopher ; Musser, Joseph, from Strasburg, Lancaster county, in place of Walter Clark, who moved to the western part of the State ; Spotts, Peter ; Steens, Ephraim ; Wallace, William.
West Buffalo-Bliler, Michael; Brown, Christian; Clark, Aaron ; Gable, Jacob; Getgen, Adam; Larrabee, Doctor John; Roush, George ; Rudy, Abraham ; Withington, Peter, junior.
Additional Residents, East Buffalo-Cooper, Daniel ; Epler, John, (miller ;) Grier, David, on Reverend H. Morrison's land ; Hinely, John ; Housel, Joshua ; Kaufman, John ; Kessler, George; Musser, Jacob, on Thomas Wilson's farm; Nyhart, David ; Reber John ; Ritter, Philip ; Simington, Thomas ; Slear, Charles ; Stearns, John.
22
337
338
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
[1803.
Lewisburg-Ely, John; Gucker, George ; Moore, John, black- smith.
New Berlin-Hackenberg, Peter ; Haughawaut, Leffard ; Lucas. Robert ; Solomon, John ; Spyker, Daniel.
Candidates for Assembly-Simon Snyder, Robert Giffen, Leonard Rupert, Jacob Fulmer, John Bull, M. Withington, James Forster, Jacob Haller, Joseph Hutchinson, William Stedman, James Laird, Richard Sherer. Simon Snyder, (who received 3, 187 votes, nearly every vote polled,) Robert Giffen, Leonard Rupert, and Colonel John Bull were elected.
Flavel Roan's Journal.
In order to have a picture of the social enjoyments and domestic events, I will quote from Flavel Roan's diary, still extant, at Mr. Flavel Clingan's. It is complete for the year 1803, commences again with 1807, and extends to the close of 1813. It is as beautiful as copper-plate engraving, and the letters are so small it requires a magnifying glass to read. He made accurate observations of the weather three times a day. It is said he wrote with a crow-quill.
Monday, 3d. I taught school in Derrstown. Eighteen scholars. Went in the evening with William Hayes and William Wallace to Mrs. Williams', where we had a social hop. 4th. Spent the evening at Andrew Albright's, where upwards of sixty children held a ball. About forty spectators. Some of the parents well pleased with the acting of their children. 6th. Spent the evening at widow Mary Har- ris' with the Wilson and Hayes families, and had a social hop. 7th. Posting books for John Dreisbach's lottery. 11th. Attended a social hop at Hugh Mclaughlin's. William Hayes, Miss Mussers, and Mr. Black there. January 13. Ball at Colonel Baldy's, Cross-Roads. 26th. Spent evening at Musser's. Fifteen persons present.
February 1. John Foster came down from Penn's valley, and wanted a ball gotten up at the stone house ; spoke to Edward Morton to be manager. 3d. The ball came off ; over one hundred persons attended. 6th, Sunday. Mr. Graham preached : text, Luke xviii : 1. N. B .- I make it an established rule to put up at Baldy's. Sth. Met Mr. Graham, Billy Maclay, and others at Hugh Wilson's. 14th. Spent the evening socially, at Mrs. Harris', with twenty others.
339
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
1803.]
18th. Shearer, McClure, and Fruit returned with their wagons from Philadelphia ; away above three weeks. 2Ist. Mrs. Stedman died. Sun eclipsed. Harris and Wilson's families had a social hop at Hugh Wilson's. 25th. Ball at Colonel Baldy's. 28th. Frolic at Billy Poak's to-night.
Tuesday, I. March comes in like a lion. Thinking about Billy Poak's. 3d. Breakfasted at George Clark's, with McCord, Dale, James Dunlap, and Mrs. Young. Taggart called with a petition to sell the old jail. 6th. Mrs. McLanachan buried. 8th. At L's in the evening ; about twenty playing cards there. 9th. With Squire Kelly, Hayes, Gray, Clarke, and Colonel Baldy, at Billy Poak's. Ioth. Quit school-keeping, and moved my things to Caleb Fairchild's. IIth. William Brady's barn burned ; seven horses and two cows burned. Spent the evening with Foster's girls, at Dunlap's. James Thompson came there in the evening. 13th. Richard Sherer's wife had another daughter. Mr. Jackson preached at Buffalo Cross- Roads. 15th. John W. Clark very sick. I went down for the doc- tor ; not at home ; he and Mr. Jackson at Stedman's. Stayed until all was blue ; good company.
Deaths.
James Jenkins, of East Buffalo, aged forty, buried at Northumber- land, father of Miss Harriet, still living at Northumberland. He left a widow, Sarah. Children : Thomas S., Mary, Sarah, Harriet, and Elizabeth.
1804.
CONTEMPORARY NOTICES OF THE PEOPLE OF THE VALLEY-HENRY SPYKER'S . FORM OF WRITING THEIR WILLS-DOCTOR JOSEPH PRIESTLY-COLONEL WILLIAM COOKE.
ACOB FULMER, Senator; Speaker of the House, Simon Snyder. Sheriff, Andrew Albright. County Commis- sioner, George Bright.
East Buffalo, Additional Residents-Brown, John ; Bucher, John, ferry ; Dimpsey, James ; Frederick, Jacob ; Gibbons, William ; Hill, Daniel; Kremer, Frederick; Lloyd, John ; Pan- coast, William ; Reichly, Conrad; Renner, Frederick; Shock, Peter ; Swinehart, Henry; Wormly, George. Single men : Lin- coln, John ; Machamer, Daniel; Morton, Edward.
White Deer_Gillespie, Edward ; High, Jacob ; Laird, William ; Robb, Eleanor ; Robb, James, blacksmith ; Smith, Boyd.
West Buffalo-Gable, Jacob ; Glasgow, William ; Glover, John, taxed with a slave ; Jones, Ezekiel ; Miller, John ; Mingle, Andrew ; Reeser, William; Roush, Jacob; Roush, George ; Royer, John, smith ; Spiegelmyer, John, junior ; Thomas, William. The David Smith mill passed into the hands of Robert Barber, Esquire. Thomas Frederick, who had been of the rangers, in the Revolution, and whose name appears on the tax-list in 1782, settled originally on the Thomas Paschall tract, (on Laurel run, lately owned by George Fees,) where he built a saw-mill, and made considerable money farming and rafting down Penn's creek. He sold out to Ezekiel Jones, and moved to Ohio this year, where he founded the town of Fredericks- burg, Wayne county, Ohio, and built the first mill there.
340
341
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
1804.]
Michael Brown's Recollections, &c.
John Brown, father of Abraham, Michael, &c., came to the Valley this spring from Pine Grove township, Berks county. He bought the Andrew Edge warrantee, (late Michael and Christian Brown, Getz, &c.,) of Henry Spyker, for £8 per acre. There was then an old log cabin on it, in which Peter Spyker, son of Henry, lived. Michael Brown, late county commissioner, who was then seven years old, stated that he had eight children when he came, John, who went to Ohio; Elizabeth, married to Simon Christ, moved to Ohio ; Christena, married to Philip Frederick; Peter, who went to Ohio ; Abraham, lately deceased ; William, Christian, Michael, and Jacob. Their mother died in 1806, the father, 1838, and both are buried in the Dreisbach grave-yard. He was born in Pennsylvania, served in the Revolution, was in the battle of Brandywine. His father came from Germany. Our neighbors were Lorentz Barn- hart, who lived where Peter Getz lives ; Kreighbaum, at David Schrack's; Christopher Weiser had a fulling-mill where Peter Wolfe now lives; Henry Poeth, father of old Henry, late of Lewisburg, was the sole inhabitant of Smoketown, which was a part of Spyker's land. He made there all the brick that were used in Lewisburg. Edward Morton lived where A. Frederick's barn now is; Bailey on R. Laird's place ; John Zellers, where Samuel lately lived ; John Aurand, on the Aurand place, now owned by John Zellers ; Chris- tian Gundy lived where John W. Brown now lives. From our place to Derrstown only ten acres were cleared where George Wolfe now lives. The road commenced at Spyker's, (now James S. Marsh's,) at the river, passed through part of the cemetery, the lane at Chamberlin's, came out at George Wolfe's, passed through Smoke- town, skirted the ridge at Ellis Brown's and along by Morton's, (Schrack's now,) crossed the present pike above Beale's tavern ; that, with the road to the cross-roads and the one up along the river, were the only three roads I recollect of. Jacob Musser lived on Meixell's place. The streets in Lewisburg were laid out, but the lots not fenced in. Black had a ferry near the dam. Valentine Miller was the undertaker of that day. John Beeber, lately living at Lewisburg, told me he came with his father this year to get a wagon at Jacob Stahl's, near the Union church. He was the wagon-maker
342
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1804.
of the day. People came from Muncy and all around the country to get wagons made by him. He said, also, the locusts were so plenty, that while riding along with his father above Milton, they made so much noise he could not hear what his father said. At Miller's place they crossed the ferry ; were polled over by two of George Hoffman's daughters. Ernhart, at Mifflinburg, ironed their wagon. John Stahl had one son, Enos, and a daughter, Salome, married David Herbst. Charles Hall, Esquire, built the stone house and barn now owned by Martin Rishel's heirs. Daniel Shappell moved into the house as tenant.
June 22, fast day. Mr. Bryson lectured in the morning. Mr. Dunham preached in the evening.
On 26th of July, Mr. Hood arrived. He introduced Watts' ver- sion of the Psalms. Members were offended on that account, and whether he would accept the call or not was doubtful. Reverend Mr. Morrison died September 13, and in December Mr. Hood again visited the congregation, and it was understood that he would accept the call.
In December there was great rejoicing over the election of Presi- dent Jefferson. Maclay's boys went to Derrstown, where they had large bonfires, fired cannon, and burned up their hats. Old Judge Wilson and Nathan Stockdon took the back road home by Baldy's, at the cross-roads. Their dearborn was loaded with china and crockery. Getting a little too much cider oil on, they upset at the little bridge, a few rods east of the hotel. The broken china and crockery laid there for years after.
Abel Owen lived near Rengler's. He was a lame man, but could whip any man in the Valley, so it was said.
John Betz kept school at the Dreisbach church school-house. He and wife were celebrated as a very handsome couple.
Marriages.
March 27, by Reverend John Patterson, William Thompson to Susan, daughter of John Linn.
Deaths.
Knowing something by tradition of the prominent characters of these
3+3
.
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY.
1804.]
times, the highly pious strains in their dying testimonies somewhat startled me. On examination, however, I found they were all writ- ten by Henry Spyker, Esquire, and from the mouths of all, saints and sinners, flowed his churchly rhetoric : "I commend my soul into the hands of God, hoping, through the merits of my Saviour's sacrifice, for the remission of my sins and a happy admission into heaven."
February 6, Doctor Joseph Priestly, aged seventy-one. Epitaph : " Return unto thy rest, oh my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bounti- fully with thee. I will lay me down in peace, and sleep until I awake in the morning of the resurrection." His remains were re- moved to the new cemetery, near Northumberland, a few years since. Binns, in his Autobiography, says Doctor Priestly published nearly one hundred moderate sized octavo volumes, on a great variety of subjects. He had an extensive library and chemical labo- ratory. He rose early, retired at ten, P. M. He slept on a cot in his library. (His wife died September 11, 1796, aged fifty-five.) He played chess and back-gammon, a few games nearly every day. Some time before his death, when he was very ill, I occasionally sat with him during the night, in a large arm chair by his cot. He was then writing and I was publishing his " History of the Christian Church," in six volumes. The fourth or fifth volume was printed. " I should," said he, " have been gratified if it had pleased God to spare me to finish my History of the Church. I should have nothing more on earth to do or regret at leaving undone." He recovered so far as to finish and correct the proof of his history. Some months after, when very feeble, at the dead hour of the night, he asked me if I had recollected what he said about the history. I said I did. He said I wished to remind you of it, and to say that I have now nothing unfinished-nothing that I feel uncasy about, and I am ready to depart when I am called hence. Some hours after, sur- rounded by his family, he departed. On his death bed he expressed himself to me, in substance, as follows: " Reflecting on the Divine love of the Creator, and the felicities of a future state, I have thought that when the immortal portion of the human frame should be called hence, that it would be conveyed to a region of blissful enjoyment, proportioned to its capacity and preparation, there to remain until, from its superior opportunities and acquirements, it should become
344
ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY. [1804.
better prepared and more capable of yet sublimer and more spiritual enjoyments ; whence, through Divine mercy and love, it would, from time to time, be removed from one region of bliss to a higher, and yet a higher, until it should attain the most sublime and perfect state of felicity, of which our most improved nature should be made susceptible ; enjoyments becoming more and more blissful without end." It will be noticed that Binns wrote his Autobiography in 1854, and asks for reasonable allowance for the errors of an octo- genarian. He continues : " Doctor Priestly told me he had written four volumes of commentaries on the laws of England, which were burned by the " church-and-king " mob in Birmingham, 1791 and I792."
February, Daniel Rees of Buffalo.
April 16. Died on Monday last, (April 16,) at his country seat, adjoining Harrisburg, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, William Maclay, Esquire, a member of the Legislature of this State.
April -. Colonel William Cooke, twelfth Pennsylvania. His children were John, (father of Jacob Cooke, of Muncy, Robert, of Howard, Centre county;) Rebecca Stedman ; Jane, married to Wil- liam P. Brady, son of Captain John; Mary, married to Robert Brady, brother of the former; Sarah McClelland, and William, father of William L. Cooke, of Northumberland.
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