USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Littlestown > History and directory of the boroughs of Gettysburg, Oxford, Littlestown, York Springs, Berwick, and East Berlin, Adams County, Pa. : with historical collections > Part 2
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Gettysburg > History and directory of the boroughs of Gettysburg, Oxford, Littlestown, York Springs, Berwick, and East Berlin, Adams County, Pa. : with historical collections > Part 2
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > East Berlin > History and directory of the boroughs of Gettysburg, Oxford, Littlestown, York Springs, Berwick, and East Berlin, Adams County, Pa. : with historical collections > Part 2
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Oxford in Adams County > History and directory of the boroughs of Gettysburg, Oxford, Littlestown, York Springs, Berwick, and East Berlin, Adams County, Pa. : with historical collections > Part 2
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > York Springs > History and directory of the boroughs of Gettysburg, Oxford, Littlestown, York Springs, Berwick, and East Berlin, Adams County, Pa. : with historical collections > Part 2
USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Berwick in Adams County > History and directory of the boroughs of Gettysburg, Oxford, Littlestown, York Springs, Berwick, and East Berlin, Adams County, Pa. : with historical collections > Part 2
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THE FORMATION OF ADAMS COUNTY.
The subject of a division of the county of York was agitated as early as 1790, and soon eventuated in a spirited controversy between the inhabi- tants of the lower end and those of the upper end. The county was large, and the distance from the upper end to the county seat very great. There had always been a jealousy between the Irish and the Germans from the time the former were promised the fertile lands of the latter provided they were removed. They differed in language and habits as well as in poli- tics. At the first election held in York county, in October, 1749, a fight occurred between the adherents of Hans Hamilton, candidate for Sheriff from the upper end, and those of Richard McAllister, the candidate of the Germans of the lower end. The Irish were driven from the polls, and McAllister had an overwhelming majority, but Hamilton, being a friend of the Executive, was commissioned as Sheriff of the county of York, and continued such until Oct. 10th, 1752.
After ten years of agitation, during which "long and ardent debates en- sued, essays for and against the division were published and industriously circulated," the Legislature passed an act, Jan. 22d, 1800, dividing Adams county from the western part of York. The commissioners appointed by Gov. Thomas McKean to mark and run the line, were Jacob Spangler, deputy surveyor of York county, Samuel Sloan, deputy surveyor of Ad- ams county, and Wm. Waugh. The county is bounded on the west by Franklin county, on the north by Cumberland, on the east by York, and on the south by the State of Maryland, and is included within the follow- ing borders: "Beginning in the line of Cumberland county, where the road from Carlisle to Baltimore leads through Trent's Gap; thence along the said road to Binder's; thence a straight line to Conowago Creek, oppo- site the mouth of Abbott's run ; thence along the line of Manheim and Ber- wick townships westwardly, until it strikes the road leading from Oxford to Hanovertown; and from thence a due south course until it strikes the Ma-
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THE FORMATION OF ADAMS COUNTY.
ryland line; thence along the Maryland line to the line of Franklin county ; thence along the line of Franklin and Cumberland counties to the place of beginning." The area is twenty-four by twenty-seven miles, con- taining five hundred and thirty-one square miles ; three hundred and thirty- nine thousand eight hundred and forty acres of land, of which over fifty- six thousand, one hundred and thirty-three acres are in forest. The pop- ulation in 1800 was 13,172; in 1810, 15,152; in 1820, 19,370; in 1830, 21,329 ; in 1840, 23,044; in 1850, 25,981 ; in 1860, 28,006; in 1870, 30,315; in 1880, 32,476.
The first Court of Quarter Session for the new county was held on the second Monday of June, 1800, before William Gilleland, John Agnew, and William Scott, Esqs., Associate Judges, &c. Nicholas Gelwick, High Sheriff for the county of Adams, attended. The list of constables were called as follows : Berwick, Jacob Noel ; Mountpleasant, Joseph Lindsay ; Mountjoy, Samuel Adair; Cumberland, Emanuel Ziegler ; Heidelberg, Ja- cob Trine ; Hamiltonban, Henry Ferguson; Reading, Valentine Hollinger, (who served until his death, 1845); Straban, S. M. Reed; Franklin, Chas. Good; Huntingdon, John Weirman; Menallen, Daniel Rice; Tyrone, Nicholas Wertz ; Germany, Martin Hoffman.
The following were Grand Jurors at a Court of Quarter Sessions held on Monday, Aug. 4th, 1800: Alex. Russell, Walter Smith, John Dickson, James Beier, Geo. Lasshells, David Scott, Thomas Abbott, Peter Ickes, Robert Doyle, Jacob Wertz, Alex. Cobean, Henry Kuhn, Wm. Baily, Samuel Russell, Henry Walter, Nicholas Deitrich, Robert Campbell, Ja- cob Greenamayer, Alex. Irwine. John Lees, Wm. Miller. At the same time, the following persons were appointed overseers of the poor: Cum- berland, Adam Black, James Sweeney; Hamiltonban, Robert Ray, Thomas Merideth; Liberty, Barnabas McSherry, John Adcur; Franklin, Nicholas Peasecker, Chas. Schisler; Menallen, John Wright, Henry Pot- ter ; Tyrone, Wm. Walker, John Duffield; Huntingdon, John Muntorff, Benj. Wireman; Reading, Jacob Brough, John Vance; Berwick, John Null, Peter Marshall; Straban, Robert Graham, John Graft; Mountpleas- ant, Nicholas Sheely, Cornelius Lott; Mountjoy, Francis Allison, Jesse McAllister ; Germany, Joseph Stealy, Leonard Seitzinger.
Among the overseers of the Poor appointed for the several townships March 26th, 1750, were the following for the townships now in Adams county : Cumberland, John M'Farren, David Porter; Tyrone, Robert McIlvaine, Finley M'Grew ; Straban, David Turner, James Stevenson ; Menallen, John Gilliland, John Lawrence; Hamiltonban, James Agnew, Wm. Waugh ; Mountjoy, James Hunter, Wm. Gibson; Germany, Jacob Koontz Smith, Peter Little ; Mountpleasant, Wm. Block, Alex. M'Carter ; Huntingdon, Isaac Cook, Archibald M'Grew; Reading, Wm. Wilson, Matthias Maloon. -
The following townships, now of Adams county, were formed before York was separated from Lancaster county : Huntingdon, Reading, Ty- rone, Straban, Menallen, Cumberland, Hamiltonban, Mountjoy, Germany, Mountpleasant and Berwick.
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THE FORMATION OF ADAMS COUNTY.
The South Mountain sweeps around the northern and western boundaries, which, with Abbott's run on the east, are the only natural boundaries. South Mountain is the principal eminence-the first great chain of hills west of the seaboard-the spurs of which rise from one thousand to twenty-one hundred feet above the level of the sea. Round, Wolf's, Spangler's, Culp's, Harper's, and the Pigeon Hills, are among the other elevations. Through the central part of the county "trap dykes" occur, which are upheavals of some great revulsion of nature, and are composed of "Syenitic rocks." The rocks of the mountains are principally silicious sandstones, while the hills and valleys are composed of blue, red and greên shales and gray sandstones. Limestone abounds in Oxford, Cono- wago, Germany, Union and Mountpleasant townships; copper has also been found, and now and then rumors of gold and silver are heard, but the kind of gold that has made an El Dorado out of Adams county, is a "peculiar mixture of lime and red shale."
The southern and middle sections of the county are drained by. Rock and Marsh Creeks, and the northern and eastern parts by the sources of the Conowago-Latimore, Bermudian, and Opossum Creeks. The union of Marsh and Rock Creeks, near the Maryland line, constitutes the Mono- cacy River, which goes to the Potomac. The Conowago Creek rises south of Green Rigde, and receives in its course Opossum Creek, Plum run, Miley's run, Beaver dam run, Brush run, Swift run, Little Conowago, Deep run and Beaver Creek, and running north and northeast, enters York county between Paradise and Washington townships, and empties into the Susquehanna. The Bermudian rises in Cumberland county, runs through Tyrone, Huntingdon and Latimore townships, receives in its course Latimore and Muddy Creeks, and empties into the Conowago in York county.
The railroad facilities in the county, are the Gettysburg branch of the H. J., H. & G. R. R., and the East Berlin Branch Railroad, built in 1878 and 1879. Surveys on the Gettysburg Railroad were made as early as 1850. The road was opened to travel as far as New Oxford in 1858, and to Get- tysburg in 1859. The Littlestown Railroad, passing through the southern portion of the county, was built about the same time. There is also an unfin- ished railroad (the Gettysburg Extension) which was designed as a connect- ing link between the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad at York, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal near Wil- liamsport, Md. Over half a million dollars were spent in grading this road, when it was abandoned. From its circuitous route, it has been styled the "Tape Worm." A number of Turnpikes pass through the county : one from Hanover to East Berlin; another from Carlisle to Hanover by way of Petersburg ; the Chambersburg and Baltimore pike; the Gettysburg and York pike ; and one from Gettysburg to Mummasburg.
In 1740, there was surveyed for the use of the proprietors of Pennsyl- vania, a large tract of land in what is now Adams county, which was called the "Manor of Maske." This tract was nearly six miles wide and
I3
SCHOOLS IN ADAMS COUNTY.
about twelve miles long. The southern line was near Mason and Dixon's, and the northern between Mummasburg and Arendtsville. The Manor covered Gettysburg, Mummasburg, Seven Stars, almost all of Cumber- land township, nearly the whole of Freedom, part of Highland, "the southeast corner of Franklin, the southern section of Butler, the western fringe of Straban," and a strip of Mountjoy, and was separated by a nar- row strip from "Carroll's Delight." Previous to 1740, many settlements had been made on this tract, and some dispute arose concerning the title. A compromise, however, was effected in 1765, through the agency of Wm. McClellan, when the boundaries of the manor were marked, "and a list of the names of the first settlers, with the date of their settlement, was re- turned to the land office, to prove the incipiency of their titles."
The section of country around Fairfield is known as the "Carroll Tracts" -upper and lower-or "Carroll's Delight." These were large tracts, con- taining about 5,000 acres, which were surveyed under Maryland author- ity, April 3d, 1732, and patented Aug. 8th, 1735, to Charles, Mary and Eleanor Carroll.
SCHOOLS IN ADAMS COUNTY.
The schools of Adams county prior to 1800, were few and for the most part inferior. About 1747, Michael Schlatter established a school at Christ Church, in Union township. German was exclusively taught in the first schools. An English school was opened in East Berlin, 1769, by Robert John Chester. The first classical school was established in Gettys- burg about 1773, by Rev. Alex. Dobbin, who owned a large tract of land known as the "Dobbin Farm." This school gained a wide reputation "for breadth and thoroughness of instruction," says Mr. A. Sheely, Superin- tendent of Public Schools in Adams county, from whose report of 1877, we make these extracts. This school was discontinued in 1801. An In- dustrial school was opened in Gettysburg, May 4th, 1801, by Anne Cory, who taught "Sewing, Flowering," &c. By the united efforts of the citi- zens, an English school was started in Gettysburg in 1803, with sixty-four scholars. Robert Horner was the first teacher. The building was of logs, "small, dingy, and poorly furnished." The "Gettysburg Academy" was established by act of legislature, March 19th, 1810, and an appropriation of $2,000 made, half of the sum to be applied in the erection of a suitable building, and the other half to compensate "a teacher or teachers for the gratuitous instruction of a number of indigent children, not exceeding four, that may, at any time, apply for admission to said school." The first teacher was Samuel Ramsay, A. M. The institution becoming involved in debt, the Legislature, March 24th, 1817, repealed the first part of the act of March 19th, 1810, relating to the investment of the $1,000 for the use of the school, and directed the trustees to apply said fund to the liqui- dation of the debt. Rev. David McConaughy assumed charge of the school in 1820. The academy was purchased in 1829 by Rev. Dr. Schmucker, who converted it into a preparatory department, under the
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GETTYSBURG.
title of the Gettysburg Gymnasium. Rev. David Eyster purchased the Academy in 1856, and established a Female Institute.
The "Gettysburg Female Academy" was started in 1830, principally through the liberality of Mary and Catharine Lackey-Rev. J. H. Marsden being the first teacher.
An English Classical School was established in Gettysburg in 1840, by Herman Haupt.
The "Hunterstown English and Classical Academy" was organized in the central part of the county in 1851, principally through the efforts ot Rev. I. N. Hays, then Presbyterian pastor at Hunterstown.
The public school system met with great opposition in Adams county, and required much tact and prudence on the part of its friends to save it from defeat. At the first joint convention of County Commissioners and Directors, held in Gettysburg, Nov. 4th, 1834, only seven townships voted to accept the school law. The county superintendents were, David Wills, Esq., elected June 5th, 1854; W. Lee Campbell, May 4th, 1857; J. Kerr McIlhenny was commissioned Sept. Ist, 1858, and John Ellis in Oct. of the same year, and elected in May, 1860. In May, 1863, Mr. Aaron Sheely was elected and reelected in 1866. J. Howard Wert was elected in May, 1869, and upon his resignation, P. D. Hankey assumed the office. Mr. Sheely was reelected in May, 1872, again in 1875, and also in 1878. He is an energetic and competent superintendent, and the schools under his supervision are attaining a high degree of perfection. Educational meet- ings were occasionally held from 1834 until the county Institute law went into effect, since which time the county Institutes are regularly held, and aid greatly the advancement of education.
GETTYSBURG:
ITS CHURCHES, COLLEGE AND SEMINARY, BATTLE, NA- TIONAL CEMETERY, &c.
Gettysburg, the county seat of Adams county, is situated in a beautiful plain, between two ridges,-Seminary Ridge on the west, and Cemetery Hill on the southeast,-and lies in the middle of a district, which with its low hills and fertile valleys, has been termed the Piedmont of the Atlantic watershed, probably because it forms the foot of the South mountains, be- tween which and the sea there are no other great elevations. The town was laid out about 1780, became the county-seat of Adams in 1800, and was incorporated in 1807. It is rather in the southern part of Cumberland township, between Marsh and Rock creeks, nine miles north of the Mary- land line, fifty-two miles from Baltimore, one hundred and eighteen from Philadelphia, and thirty-five from Harrisburg: latitude 39º 49' 18", longi- tude oº 14' west from Washington, and longitude 77º 17' west from Green-
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GETTYSBURG.
wich. The population of Gettysburg in 1830, was 1,473 ; the present pop- ulation is 2,814. When the division of the county was first agitated in 1790, James Cunningham, Jonathan Hoge, and James Johnston were ap- pointed commissioners to fix upon a site for the county-seat. They selected a tract belonging to Garret Van Orsdal, in Straban township, "between the two roads leading from Hunter's and Gettys' towns to the brick house, including part of said road." The subject was again agitated in 1791, when Rev. Alex. Dobbin and David Moore were appointed trustees for the county of Adams, "with full powers, for them or their survivors, to take assurances of all offers for the payment of money, or the conveyance or transfer of any property, in trust for the use of erecting public buildings in the town of Gettysburg." On the 24th of January, 1799, Gen. James Gettys deeded to these trustees two hundred quit rents and a lot for a "gaol," upon the condition that the seat of justice be established at Gettys- burg. The following deed of Gettys to Dobbin and Moore, and that from them to the County Commissioners upon the fulfillment of the condition made by the first, are taken from a recent number of the Gettysburg Compiler, where they appeared under the signature of "H. J. S.":
This Indenture, made the twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, between James Gettys of Gettystown, Cumberland township, in the County of York and- State of Pennsylvania, and Mary his wife, of the one part, and the Rev'd. Alex'd. Dobbin and David Moore, Sen'r., of the township, county and State aforesaid, of the other part, Witnesseth that John Penn, Junior, and John Penn, Esquires, late proprietaries of Pennsylvania, had for the con- sideration therein mentioned, granted, bargained, sold, aliened and con- firmed unto the said James Gettys, a certain plantation or tract of land, (part of a larger tract known by the name of Manor of Maske,) lying and being situate in the county of York, aforesaid, Beginning at a post on the side of the York road, thence crossing the same, and extending by Samuel Gettys' land, north nineteen degrees, west seventy-two perches to a post, thence south eighty-three and half, west seventy-two perches to a post, in the side or near Black's Gap road, thence by the said Samuel Gettys' land south seventy-one degrees and three-quarters, west forty perches to a post, thence fifty-one degrees and an half west, seventy-seven perches and seven-tenths of a perch, re-crossing the said York road to a post, in the side of the same, thence by the Rev'd. Alex'd. Dobbin's land, south sixty degrees, east thirteen perches and a-half to a white oak stump, thence south forty-nine degrees one hundred and forty-nine perches to a white oak, thence extending by Robert Scott's land, north forty degrees east, re- crossing the said Black's Gap road, fifty-eight perches to a black oak stump, thence north twenty-five degrees, east sixty-three perches and an half to a black oak, and north forty-one degrees east eight perches to the place of beginning, Containing one hundred and sixteen acres and the usual allowance, together with all and singular the ways, woods, waters, water-courses, and whatsoever thereunto belonging, or in any ways apper- taining, To Have and to Hold to the said James Gettys, his heirs and as- signs forever, as in and by the said recited indenture, recorded at York, for the county of York, in Book D. D., page 505, &c., reference thereunto being had it will be more fully and at large appear; and whereas the said James Gettys has laid out two hundred lots, in the form of a town, which
.
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GETTYSBURG.
is known by the name of Gettystown, a considerable number of which are improved upon, reserving to himself and to his heirs, executors, adminis- trators and assigns, the yearly ground rent of seven shillings and six pence upon each and every lot laid out as aforesaid, to be paid on the tenth day of January, each and every year ; and whereas, also it is in con- templation by the legislature now assembled, to divide the county of York, and also to fix upon a suitable place for the seat of justice, for the new county, Now Know Ye, that for and in consideration of the advantage which we may derive from the increase in value of the remainder of our property by Gettystown being fixed upon for the seat of justice, we, for ourselves, our heirs, executors, administrators and asssigns, do bargain, sell, assign, transfer and set over unto the said Alexander Dobbin and David Moore, Sen'r., their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, the following property in trust for, and to the only proper use and behoof of the said county, so to be erected, viz., all our right, title, interest and claim whatsoever, of, in and to the ground rent aforesaid, which may accrue after the fourth day of Jan'y. 1779. And also, our right, title, interest and claim to a suitable lot of ground for the purpose of building a Gaol thereon, To Have and to Hold the ground rent above mentioned, and lot of ground with its appurtenances, unto the said Alexander Dobbin and David Moore, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, in trust as aforesaid, for- ever, on condition that Gettystown aforesaid be fixed as the seat of justice. And the said James Gettys and Mary, his wife, for themselves, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, doth promise, grant and agree to and with the said Alexander Dobbin and David Moore, Sen'r., their heirs and assigns, by these presents, that the said Alexander Dobbin and David Moore, Sen'r., their heirs and assigns, shall and lawfully may from time to time, and at all times hereafter, peaceably and quietly have, hold, use, occupy, possess and enjoy the said rent and lot of ground, with its appur- tenances, in as full and ample a manner as we ourselves now enjoy the same interest as aforesaid, hereby granted or intended to be granted, with- out the lawful let, suit, trouble, hindrance or molestation of the said James Gettys and Mary, his wife, or either of them, their or either of their heirs, executors &c., or of any other person or persons whatsoever, by or with their or either of their acts, means, consent, privity or procurement. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, the day and year first above written.
JAMES GETTYS [LS.] MARY GETTYS [LS.]
The deed was signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of James Dickson, and Henry Hoke, and acknowledged before A. Russell (father of Hon. S. R. Russell.)
This Indenture, made the twenty-third day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one, between the Rev'd. Alex- ander Dobbin and David Moore, Senior, of Cumberland township, in the county of Adams, and State of Pennsylvania, of the one part, and Robert McIlhinny, Jacob Greenamire and David Edie, Commissioners of taxes, &c., for the time being, in and for the said county of Adams, in the State aforesaid, of the other part, whereas the Honorable John Penn, Jun'r., and John Penn, Esquires, late proprietaries of Pennsylvania, by indenture un- der their hands and seals, duly executed, bearing date the seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, for the consideration therein mentioned, did grant, bargain, sell and convey unto James Gettys and to his heirs and assigns forever, a certain tract of land, being part of Mask Mannor, situate in Cumberland township aforesaid, containing one hundred and sixteen acres and allow-
a d
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GETTYSBURG.
ance of six per cent. for roads, &c., as in and by the said in part recited in- denture, recorded at York, for the county of York, in Book D. D., page 505, reference thereunto being had may more fully and at large appear ; and whereas the said James Gettys did lay out, on the land aforesaid, two hundred lots, in the form of a town, which is known by the name of Get- tystown, a considerable number of which are improved upon, reserving to himself, and to his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, the yearly ground rent of seven shillings and six-pence upon each and every lot laid out as aforesaid, to be paid on the tenth day of January, each and every year; and whereas, also it being in contemplation by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, at that time to divide the county of York, and to fix on a suitable place for the seat of justice in the new county, the said James Gettys and Mary, his wife, by indenture under their hands and seals, duly executed and bearing date the twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of your Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, for the consid- eration therein mentioned, viz., the advantage which they might derive from the increase in value of the remainder of their property by Gettys- town being fixed on for the seat of justice, did grant, bargain, sell, assign, transfer and set over under unto the said Alexander Dobbin and David Moore, (party hereto) and to their heirs, executors and assigns, in trust for and to the only proper use and behoof of the said new county, so to be erected, all their right, title, interest and claim whatsoever, of, in and to the ground rent aforesaid, which might accrue after the tenth day of Jan- uary, 1799. And also their right, title, interest and claim to a suitable lot of ground, for the purpose of building a Jaol thereon, all on condition that Gettystown aforesaid should be fixed on as the seat of justice, as in and by the said in part recited indenture, recorded at Gettysburgh, in the office for recording of deeds in and for the county of Adams, in Book A., vol. I, page 66, reference being thereunto had may more fully and at large ap- pear; and whereas, the Honorable the legislature of Pennsylvania, by a law enacted the twenty-second day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred, did divide the said county of York, and erect part thereof into a separate county, to be called and known by the name of Adams county, and did also therein fix upon Gettysburgh aforesaid, as the seat of justice, in and for the said newly erected county, Now This Indenture Witnesseth, that the said Alexander Dobbin and David Moore, in pursuance of the trust reposed in them, and also for and in considera- tion of the sum of five shillings, to them in hand paid by the said Robert McIlhinny, Jacob Greenamire and David Edie, at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowl- edged, have granted, bargained, sold, assigned, transferred and set over, and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, assign, transfer and set over unto the said Robert McIlhinny, Jacob Greenamire and David Edie, com- missioners as aforesaid, and to their successors in office forever, all their right, title, interest, use, possession, property claim, and demand whatso- ever, of, in and to the yearly ground rents, and lot of ground so conveyed to them in trust as aforesaid, To Have and to Hold the ground rents and lot of ground before mentioned, with their appurtenances as the same are before described, mentioned or intended so to be, unto the aforesaid Robert McIlhinny, Jacob Greenamire and David Edie and to their suc- cessors in office, for the time being, to the only proper use, benefit and be- hoof of the said Robert McIlhinny, Jacob Greenamire and David Edie and their successors in office, in trust for the sole and only benefit and ad- vantage of the said county of Adams forever. And the said Alexander Dobbin and David Moore, for themselves and their heirs, do covenant, promise and grant to and with the said Robert McIlhinny, Jacob Greena-
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