History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 83

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1320

USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 83

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CHAPTER LX1.

LANCASTER TOWNSHIP .!

LANCASTER was one of the original townships, and its boundaries as defined in 1729 were as follows: "Beginning at the 'Old Doctor's' Ford ( Dr. Hans Henry Nell'), thence down the west side of Conestoga Creek to the ' Manor Line,' thence by said line to Little Conestoga Creek, thence up the said creek by Hemp- field township to Manheim township, thence by said township to the place of beginning." The Old Doc- tor's Ford was at Samuel Rank's mill, and at a point where the Grailstown road came to the creek. This is an older road than the Philadelphia road, which crossed at Witmer's bridge, half a mile farther down the creek. In area Lancaster was the smallest of the original townships.

When the county-seat was permanently located, a town-site two miles square was cut out of its northern part, which divided it- territory into two parts. This has always been an inconvenience to the citizens of the township.

The land bordering on Big and Little Conestoga

Creeks is of a gently rolling character. At frequent intervals it is broken with ravines, through which flow streams and rivulets, whose waters mingle with the Conestoga.

A thick growth of heavy timber, such as hickory, oak. and walnut, originally grew upon the high ground. Small sernb-oak and hickory and hazel- bushes grew in the swampy ground, in which several streams had their origin (now within the city limits). ! A rich loam was underlaid with a clay subsoil. Lime- stone was abundant, but did not interfere with the cultivation of the soil. Nearly every farm had upon it a spring of water or passing through it a running brook.

The present area of the township is four thousand' and forty-five acres. There are a very few aeres called " cripple land," and not tillable.

Early Settlers .- The assessment-list for the year 1751 is the earliest one now on file in the commis- sioners' office. At this time every one of the Swiss Mennonite pioneers who settled in the township in 1717-20 had gone to their long home :

John Musser, Henry Besh, John Christy, George Heney, James Webb, Abraham Neff, Martin Walk, John Thomas, John Kough, John Braston, Jacob Tombough, Benjamin Hershey, Abraham Myers, Widow Tushman, Christian Plumbarge, Rudy Hare, Jacob Muenangh, John Shirick, Conrad Miller, Abraham llare (collector of taxes 1751), Christian Hare, Peter Musselman, John Shirick, John Stewart, Jacob Hostetter, Jacob Fetter, Jacob Greider, and Christian Shank, Michael Shank.

The descendants of but three or four of those named on this assessment now live in the township.

The following is a return of all males between six- teen and fifty years in the year 1776 : . Valentine Bass- ler, Andrew Bausman, Hans Behler, Conrad Blygert, Henry Christy, Hans Christy, Hans Detty, Daniel Erisman, Jacob Edeneiser, Jacob Greider, Martin Greider, Michael Greider, Henry Greider, Hans Greider, Jacob Greider, Abraham Grinewald, Hans Getz, William Gram, Henry Herr, Rudolph Herr, Emmanuel Herr, Christian Herr, Jacob Hostetter, Hans Hostetter, Lawrence Klopfer, Henry Lemon, Nicholas Loeb, John Mendebach, Henry Miller, Adam Martin, Joseph Shenk, Christian Shenk, Hans Shenk, Christian Shenk, Henry Shenk, Hans Shwenk, Frederick Weber, William Webb, James Webb, Jr.

Sketches of Pioneer Settlers .- When the " new surveys" were made on the west side of the Cones- toga, in the year 1717, the pioneers came into the township. Commencing at the northeast corner of the township we find Dr. Hans, Henry Neff, who settled where Samuel Rank lives, at Big Conestoga Creek, at the southeast corner of Manheim township. In the year 1717 he erected a small grist- and saw- mill at the mouth of " Boring Mill Run," which empties into the ereck at that point. In the year 1722 he received a patent for three hundred acres of

1 By Samuel Evans, Esq.

906

HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

land where he was then settled from the English Land Company, who had five thousand five hundred and fifty-three acres, most of which lay in Lampeter township. The doctor's land was on the west side of the Conestoga, which fell into Manheim and Lancaster townships. In the year 1738, Dr. Nell' and his wife, Franca, sold one hundred and fifty aeres to Sebastian Graffe, shopkeeper in Lancaster townstead. The homestead farm, grist-, saw-, and oil-mills he gave to his son Abraham, who also soll to Sebastian Graffe, in 1750. Dr. Neff was the first regular practicing physician in the county.

James Webb settled upon the land adjoining Dr. Neff on the south. Ile was a member of the Legis- lature for twenty-two years, commeneing in 1757, and ending in 1778. Ilis son, James Webb, Jr., was elected sheriff of the county for the years 1767, 1768, and 1769. Hle married the second time Jane Park, widow, who survived him, and died in 1781. William, son of James, Jr., was a magistrate for a number of years, and a member of Assembly for the years 1790, 1805-6. This family was a prominent one. The earlier members of it were Quakers. The name has for many years disappeared from the assessment-rolls of the county.

Peter Lemon, a Swiss Mennonite, in 1717 settled upon what is now the county farm, which contained one hundred and ninety acres. He died in 1744. lle married the first time in Switzerland. After he set- tled at the Conestoga he married the widow of Lloyd, or Light, who resided in the township of Caernarvon. He had one son by his last wife, but he gave his step- children an equal share of his property. He left a son Jacob, who died without issue, and daughter Bar- ' 1750 sold to John Christy, who in 1779 sold to John bara, who married Daniel Beidler, of Hellam town- ship, York Co., whose descendants are numerous there.

John Lemon (1743-1824) married Anna, daughter of lIenry Baer, son of Henry Baer, who settled in Conestoga township, at the mouth of a run which enters Conestoga Creek at the village of Rockville. He purchased several hundred acres of land in

Ilis son John (1783-1823) married Elizabeth Baer (1785-1868). They had one son, John (1809-51), who was a prominent citizen. He was a member of the Legislature for the years 1836 and 1837. He was an active, intelligent, and useful business man. He

grist- and clover-mill and a farm. He died in 1808, and gave all of his property to his nephews, Samuel and Martin Light, who were the sons of his brother, John Light, who resided in Lampeter township. This mill was on the Conestoga Creek, at a point where the road leading from Lancaster to Martie Forge and Burkholder's Ferry at the river crossed the creek, which was probably at or near Reigart's landing.

Margaret, alias " Cradle," a daughter of Mrs. Lemon, formerly Light, married Adam Zell, of Caernarvou township.

It was a very unusual cirenmstance in the early days of the settlement to devise property to those not of the blood of the testator. In this case there was no discord between Mr. Lemon's children and his step-children. They divided the property amicably. John was a son by his last wife. He was born only a year before he died.

Francis Nell' was a brother of Dr. Hans Neff. He was a Swiss Mennonite, and settled about a mile far- ther down the creek, below his brother's location, in 1717, and took up two hundred and twenty-five acres, the largest portion of which lay in the bend of the creek below Witmer's bridge. About seventy acres lay on the southeast side of the creek, in Lampeter township, which ran to the old factory. He built a grist- and saw-mill in 1728, the water-power of which is now owned by the city of Lancaster.

Ils died intestate in the year 1740. In the year 1741, Thomas Cookson, Esq., his administrator, sold his land to Ludwig Stone, a tavern-keeper in Lancas- ter, and the father of Sheriff Ludwig Stone, who in Witmer, Jr., and George Ross, Esq., who in 1802 sold to John Swarr, miller, of Hempfield township, who in 1805 soll one hundred and fifty-nine acres to Jacob Miller, who built the old factory upon the tract.

Francis Neff left sous, -- Francis, Henry, Daniel, and John.

Daniel left a son Henry, who married a Miss Ober- Hempfield township, near the village of Hempfield. ! holtzer, who had John, Daniel, David, Jacob, Henry, and one daughter. John died in 1760, and left Bar- bara, Elizabeth, Anna, Henry, and Johu.

Abraham Witmer was probably the grandson of Benjamin Witmer, who settled upon the London tract in Lampeter township in 1722, and took up two settled up many estates in the neighborhood. He , hundred and fifty acres of land, about one mile east left a son Harry, who was elected to a seat in the i of Conestoga Creek, at a point where the Horse-Shoe State Legislature in 1861-62, and is now deputy re- corder, and a director of the Farmers' Bank of Lan- caster. He owns a plantation near Landisville, in East Hempfield township.

road interseets with the old Philadelphia road. He was a Huguenot, and for many years he and his family were agents for the London Land Company. The subject of this sketch was one of the most prom- inent and public-spirited citizens of the county. At the close of the Revolutionary war he removed from Lampeter township to the west bank of the Conestoga Creek, where he erceted a hotel at the point where

By her first husband, Mrs. Peter Lemon had a son, Henry Light, to whom his step-father gave the county farm and a grist- and clover-mill. He gave the farm to his son, John Light, who sold it to Matthias Slough, in 1796, for £3000. Henry's son Jacob received the . the Philadelphia road crossed that stream.

Hans

Pupather

700 Acres

Allonce 42.

Christian

Hersey

nout

Benj.

Hersey

Hans

Pupather

Christian Stoneman

200103100

1000 Acres

Allowce 60. .

Hans

Tubert

Isaac

Coffman

Melker

Erisman

LITTLE Y

675 Acres

+ Allowce .

ORIGINAL SURVEY OF LAND IN

LANCASTER TOWNSHIP

907

LANCASTER TOWNSHIP.

In the year 1789, Witmer purchased seventeen acres Michael Greider also purchased two hundred and of land adjoining his hotel from William Webb, Esq. . fifty acres of land at the mouth of Conestoga Creek, on the Manor side. One of his sons moved to Chikis Creek, at John Moore's mill. The descend- ants of Michael Greider are numerous, and are seat- tered over' this and the adjoining counties. Safe Harbor is built upon the Michael Greider tract, at the mouth of Conestoga Creek.

In the year 1812 he and John Graff ( who was a descen- dant of John Graff, one of the first purchaser, in the London tract in 1722) purchased one hundred and forty-two aeres and laid out the village of Giraff's- town, adjoining the eastern boundary of Lancaster, and also ninety acres of land on the east side of Conestoga Creek, and opposite to the first-mentioned tract (upon which there was a grist- and carding- mill), from Andrew Graff, Esq., son of Sebastian Graff, for fifty thousand pounds. At this time Wit- mer also owned two hundred acres of land on the Susquehanna River, which he purchased from Charles Smith, E-q., who built " Hardwick" and owned that farm. He also owned eleven hundred acres of land at the mouth of Clearfield Creek, on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, which he pur- chased from Josiah Matlaek in 1799, and six hundred aeres below Clearfield Town in 1803-8.

In addition to these tracts he owned a thousand aeres'on the West Branch of Pine Creek. At the mouth of Clearfield Creek he laid out a town into fifty-eight lots, which he called Old Town (as it was the site of an Indian village). The town is now known as Clearfield, the county-seat of that county.

Witmer was caught in the reaction which followed the speculative period of the war of 1812. lle bor- rowed large sums of money from the Lancaster Trading Company and the Farmers' Bank of Lan- caster. He paid this indebtedness in 1837. Mr. Witmer was a member of Assembly in 1791.

Jacob Hostetter was a Swiss Mennonite, and came : inheritance, and the other two-fifths by purchase.

with the Greiders and Brubakers in 1717 and settled on the Conestoga Creek. He and Michael Greider took up a tract of land bordering on Lancaster City on the south, and west of South Queen Street. When Conestoga Manor was divided and sold to actual set- tlers in 1735-38, Mr. Hostetter purchased five bun- dred acres of land along the West Branch of Little Conestoga Creek. The land is a little northwest from the centre of Manor township.

Jacob Hostetter left a son Jacob, who had a son John, who had John, Ann ( Kauffman), Barbara (Greider), Jacob, and Christian. His other children were Abraham, Anna ( Brubaker), Barbara ( Hershey ), Elizabeth ( Bomberger), Margaret (Greider), and Cath- arine. Some of Mr. Hostetter's descendants live upon and own part of the Manor farm. From this family have branched many who still retain the name.

Henry Hostetter, who was a member of Assembly in 1829, and who was the last Democrat elected in the county until the advent of the "Know-Nothing" party in 1854, suddenly dropped polities and joined the Seventh-Day Baptists at Ephrata, and became one of their most prominent preachers. One of the youngest and most promising members of this family is a member of the Lancaster bar, and is rapidly rising in his profession.

Hans Tubert was a Swiss Mennonite, and settled on the east bank of Little Conestoga Creek in 1717. He and Isaac Kauffinan and Melchoir Erisman took up seven Imndred and fifteen aeres of land, which joined the Brubakers' land on the south. Tubert's share of this traet was two hundred and four acres, which lay in Lancaster township. These persons held this land as tenants in common, and he did not get his patent until Nov. 11, 1734, when it was made in the name of his daughter Ann, who died in her minority, unmarried. The property became vested in the wife of John Stauffer, who was the sister of Hans Tubert, and the only living heir of Ann Tubert. John Stauffer, at this time, was living in Germany, but shortly after the death of Ann Tubert came to America and settled in Lancaster County, where he died, leaving a son John, who remained in Germany. Samuel settled in Caernaryon township. Barbara married John Klick, who settled in Manheim town- ship, upon the farm now owned by John S. Hostetter. Elizabeth married Henry Heishberger, who had Christian, Jacob, and Elizabeth. Magdalena mar- ried Benjamin llershey, Jr. (the grandson of Chris- tian Hershey), who got three-fifths of this land by

On the 30th day of June, 1784, he sold the farm, containing two hundred and four acres, to Andrew Bausman, which is now owned by one of his descend- ants. This is one of the finest farms in the county. The meadows are large, and the remains of ditches around their sides ged to conduct water to irrigate them more than a hundred and forty years ago are plainly visible yet.

Felix Landes, who was one of the pioneers, died in 1740, and left a widow Rosina and the following- named children : Fronecka (Myers), Felix, Ann, and Barbara.

Eby Family .- Theodorus Eby, the head of the family in America, was a Swiss Mennonite, and came with the Brubakers, Lemons, et al. On the 10th day of May, 1718, he took out a warrant for three hun- dred acres of land among the new surveys at Cones- toga, at the rate of one shilling quit-rent per hundred acres per annum. The survey was made on the 13th day of May, 1718, on the west side of the Conestoga Creek, adjoining the lands of Henry Funk and Michael Shank. Theodorus Eby remained upon this land five years, when he purchased another tract of land upon Mill Creek, near the ofil Peter's road, and a short distance south of Earl township line, which is now known as Roland's mill. Theodorus Eby died

908

HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

intestate and before he paid any of the consideration money for the land at Conestoga. He probably died in 1730. This land he seems to have sold to Hans Musser, but never conveyed a title to him. His chil- dren (all of whom had attained their majority), for tlie sum of seventy pounds, made a quit-claim deed to Hans Musser on Feb. 20, 1734. Their names were :

1. John.

2. Peter, who got the grist-mill and mansion farm at Mill Creek. Of the descendants of Peter, who set- tled in Earl and Leacock townships, Peter Eby and Peter Eby, Jr., Samuel Eby, Henry Eby, and John Eby enrolled themselves in Capt. Roland's company of associators in 1775 and served two or three years. They were not then members of the society of Men- nonites.

3. George, who had children,-Christian, George, John.

4. Christian, married first Magdalena Mayer, who died in 1787, and settled along Hammer Creek. He died in 1756. Johannes, remained in Warwick. Barbara, married Jacob Hershey, who then lived in Warwick (he afterwards married her sister Elizabeth ) ; Peter, married Margaret Hess ; Anna, married Chris- tian Stouffer ; Andrew, remained in Warwick ; George, remained in Warwick; Elizabeth, married Jacob Hershey, who resided in Donegal ; Sammuel, located in Cocalico; Michael, removed to New Castle County, in the State of Delaware; Jacob; Barbara, married Henry Bare; Mary, and Ann.

Erb Family .- There were four brothers of this family, all Swiss Mennonite refugees, of whom Jacob came to' America, and settled in Lancaster township prior to its organization, in 1728, and set- tled upon the present site of Lancaster City. Hle was a cooper by trade.

It is probable that he was acquainted with the Brubakers before the latter left Switzerland, and he manufactured four-barrels for Hans Brubaker's mill, ' the Mennonites, and entered most heartily into the afterwards Stoneman's, on Little Conestoga Creek, and that when John Brubaker, son of Hans, moved to the land his father gave him at Hammer Creek in 1730, and erected a grist-mill, Mr. Erb and his two sons in a year or two thereafter followed them.

In 1732, Christian, the youngest son of the ekler Erb, was born in Lancaster, and in the same or the following year he moved to Hammer Creek, in the vicinity of the Brubakers, and Christian remained at the latter place until 1806, when he removed to Canada. lle had seven sons and live daughters, to wit: Joseph (who died uumarried ), Christian, Daniel, John, Jacob, Abraham, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Mary, Susanna, Nancy, Magdalena.

Christian Erb, dr., settled in Cumberland County, and had five sons, to wit: Abraham, Christian, Jacob, Daniel, Benjamin.

This family remained in Cumberland County or in the vicinity.

Jacob, the third son of Christian, Jr., is a minister in the United Brethren Church and an ex-bishop. Ile has great power in the church, and is esteemed one of its greatest preachers.

Elizabeth, the first daughter of Christian, married . Joseph Lohn, who is still living near Clay, aged eighty-four years. Catherine, the second daughter, married Jacob Shirk; Mary, the third daughter, married David Martin. This last was a child by Christian Erbs' second wite. John, the fourth son of Christian Erb, Sr., removed from this county in 1806 with his father to Canada. He had four sons born in Lancaster County, to wit : Samuel, Henry, John, Joseph. All of whom settled in Canada. Jacob Erb, the fifth son of Christian, Sr., settled in Franklin County, Pa., and in 1805 he removed to Canada. lle had five sons and eight daughters, of whom the former, David, Jacob G., Abraham, Isaac, Benjamin.

Daniel settled in Canada, and had two sons, one of whom settled in the State of New York, and the other one in Michigan.

Jacob G., who is a minister in the United Brethren Church, is now eighty-one years of age, and resides in Lancaster in the State of New York, and has two sons and three daughters.

Abraham has five sons, two of whom are settled in Canada, and three in Michigan.

Isaac has one son, both settled in Michigan.

In 1834, Peter, Daniel, and Emanuel Erb and their cousin, John Erb, descendants of the Erb who settled in Baden, came to this country and settled near the city of Buffalo, N. Y.

Jacob, the oldest son of the Erb who settled in Lancaster township, was born in 1724. Hle married a Miss Johns. He was also a Mennonite, but his patriotism overmastered his religious views upon the subject of non-resistance and the bearing of arms, and in consequence he severed his connection with contest which ended in our complete independence.

In 1767 he purchased two tracts of land of one hundred and eighty-two acres and two hundred and ten acres on Middle Creek, from John Hlostetter, the only son of Oswald Hostetter, who took up the land in 1736. The old Paxton and Philadelphia road ran through this land, which lies about the western limits of the limestone belt; and in 1782 he purchased the grist-mili and one hundred and sixty- eight acres of land which belonged to l'eter Weiland, and is where the thriving village of Clay is. He was elected to the General Assembly in 1786-90. Ile was one of the most prominent members of this large and respectable family, from whom many families of the name are now settled in Warwick and neighboring townships.

Ile died in 1810, and left two sons, to wit : John, who married Judith Hull, and settled where now is the village of Clay. In 1787 he also purchased a

909

LANCASTER TOWNSHIP.

tract at Clay from Bernhard Gardner. He had six | sons and four daughters,-Jacob, John, David, Sam- uel, Isaac, Joseph, Mollie, Elizabeth, Catherine, Nancy.

Jacob, the first son of Jacob Erb, settled in this county and had one son, Joshua, and four daughters, of whom one, Leah, never married. Joshua and his sisters moved to the State of Illinois.

John Erb, Jr., the second son, married Barbara Berchelbach, and settled in Clay, where he kept a store for several years, carried on milling, and also conducted a hotel (which is now owned by his son- in-law, George W. Steinmetz). He had three sons and one daughter, -Iliram, a merchant at Clay ; John B., a resident of Lititz, and president of the Lititz National Bank ; Henry, died in 1877; Priscilla, died in 1870; she was married to George W. Steinmetz, a merchant at Clay.

David, the third son of John, moved to Indiana, and had one son, Harrison, and three daughters.

Samuel, the fourth son, had one son, Jacob, who died unmarried. Catherine, married Isaac Stauffer ; Lucinia, married Timothy Konigmacher. This fam- ily remained in this county.

Isaac, the fifth son, had two daughters. Amelia married George Bentz; Eliza married Jacob Fry.

Joseph, the sixth son, died single.

Mollie, daughter of Jacob Erb, married Abraham Erb, of Canada, a first cousin of her father. Eliza- beth married Michael Shepler, who had three sons and four daughters; Nancy married Abraham Bair, and had two sons and seven daughters, all of whom settled in this county ; Catherine married Joseph Weidman, and moved to Indiana.

Christian Erb, the second son of Jacob, settled at Hammer Creek, and had two sons, to wit: David, who had five sons and two daughters ; Jacob, who had one daughter.

Benjamin; the fifth and youngest son of Jacob Erb, who went to Canada, also settled there, and from thence he went to Illinois.

Abraham, the son of Christian, Sr., first settled in Franklin County, in this State, and in 1806 went with his father and brother John to Canada. Ile married Mollie Erb, his cousin.

Benjamin, the seventh son of Christian, Sr., also settled in Franklin County, and in 1822 moved to the State of Ohio.

Of the fifth daughter of Christian Erb, Sr., Su- sanna married Jacob Brubaker and settled near the " gravel hill," now known as Brubaker's Valley, near Hammer Creek, ia Elizabeth township. They had four sons and two daughters. Of the sons, John moved to Canada, and Henry, Jacob, and Christian settled in the valley which bears their name.

Mary, the second daughter of Christian, Sr., mar- ried Jacob Snyder, and had five sons and five daugh- ters, all of whom settled in Canada.

eight sons and three daughters, all of whom settled in Canada.

Naney married John Bricker, and had five sons and five daughters, all of whom settled in Canada.

Magdalena, the youngest and fifth danghter, mar- ried Samuel Eby, and had one son. They all settled in Canada. Jacob Erb, son of Christian, was a mem- ber of the Legislature in 1833, '34, '35.

Wabank Hotel .- Thirty years ago a number of publie-spirited citizens of Lancaster City united their interest and erected a very large four-story frame hotel near the Conestoga Creek, about three miles below Lancaster City. It was intended as a summer resort to accommodate the citizens of Lancaster City prineipafly, who desired to spend a few weeks in a most delightful spot, where they could also be near their business. The experiment of establishing a watering-place or a summer resort near Lancaster was a failure for a year or two, and until Mrs. Ann Haines, the widow of Capt. Frederick Haines, of Donegal, and the daughter of John Guy, the head of that famous family of hotel-keepers, took charge of the establishment, when it became a success for two years, after which she removed to Baltimore, when the hotel went down rapidly. It was sold to a gentleman in Lititz, who took the building down and removed the material to Lititz, and re-erected the building. It could accommodate three hundred guests. A few years ago it was totally destroyed by fire.

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History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 83

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1320

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1320