USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County : to which is prefixed a brief sketch of the early history of Pennsylvania > Part 8
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New York, Aug. 10th, 1709, Recorded in the Secre- tary's office of the province of New York, in the Book of General Records, Lib: No. L. Folio 141 & 142.
Copied from the original, word for word, and concord- ing thereto as a sworn evidence.
JOHN CONRAD CODWEIS, Interpreter.
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
New York, 27th day of August, in the year 1709, diligently compared and examined this true copy.
JOHN CONRAD CODWEIS, ( Deponent,) San me tendering the oath.
Before me,
D: PROVOOK.
Signed with the Great Seal of Great Britain.
After spending some time in New York, they went, according to tradition, to Esopus Settlement, in Ulster County,* about seventy miles from Albany. Here they
*That there was then a settlement in Ulster county, N. Y. of those who always made " profession de la pure religion re- formee," is a matter of history. The following extract of a letter, from our friend, Edmund Eltinge, to us, dated New Paltz, Feb. 25, 1843, will go to strengthen the tradition in the main facts. Speaking of the Huguenots when leaving France, says, "The greatest proportion went to Germany and a party of them settled at a place called Paltz on the River Rhine .- This was about the year 1650, A. D. Here they remained ten years, and in 1660 emigrated to New York, then under the Dutch Dynasty. What number came at this time, I cannot say -probably hundreds. The most opulent settled in New York city and on Long Island .. The second class in point of wealth at New Rochelle, and those who were poor came to Kingston, (formerly Esopus R.) in this (Ulster) county, then called Wildwyke (Wild-retreat) and inhabited by the Dutch.
The names of Huguenots who came to Kingston, twelve in number, were Louis Du Bois and his sons Abraham and Isaac, Christian, Doaice or Deys, Abraham Hosbrouch, Andries Lefevre, Jean Brook or John Hosbrouch, Lewis Berier, Antonie Crispell, Hugo Freer and Simon Lefevre. Eleven of these came in 1660. Abraham Hasbrouch accompanied them as far as Eng- land, where he remained for a year or two, and while there joined the army, and formed the acquaintance of Edmund An- dros, who was subsequently the Governor of this colony-when Ire came-he and those who accompanied him, went into Canada -where they located I cannot say-Mr. Hosbrouch was how-
9*
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remained about two years. Whence they proceeded to Pennsylvania, where (as is evident from documents) Martin Kendig had taken up for Maria Warenbuer, widow of Daniel Ferree, two thousand acres of land, as appears from the minutes of the commissioners, Sept. 10, 1712, quoted at large :- See pages 90, 91. "The said Martin Kendig now (Sept. 10, 1712) appearing desirous that the said (2000 acres) land may be granted and confirmed to Maria Warenbuer, for whom the same was taken up or intended, &c."
This tract was then in Chester county, Conestoga township, now East Strasburg, in this county. It composed the farms now owned by Henry A. Carpenter, Ferre Brinton, John C. Lefevre, Joseph L. Lefevre, Jacob
ever informed that his brother Jean Brook was in this county, and he came hither.
The Huguenots of Ulster spent a few years of unsettled life at Kingston and in the meantime explored the country. They finally concluded upon purchasing a tract now enclosed within the boundaries of this town, and comprising about two-thirds of its surface. The purchase was made from the Indians, sub- ject however to the claim of the Government. The Indians, though so universally charged with treachery, yet in this instance observed strict fidelity to their covenant, and the Huguenots were never molested by them on this soil. In order to get a perfect title it was necessary to obtain a cession from the Government of these lands, and Abraham Hosbrouch who was entrusted with the commission, being acquainted with Edmund Andros, obtained letters patent in 1677, Sept. 29th. confirming to the twelve individvals above named their purchase without charge. This tract comprised about ninety square miles." * * "Some of the Huguenots' descen-
* dants, who reside in your county, (Lancaster), emigrated from this county, or rather their ancestors. The name of Lefevre and Du Bois, is from here. One by the name of Lefevre was in Congress some years since, whose ancestors resided in this town."
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
Hershey, Christian Leman, Henry and Jacob Brackbill, Theo. Sherts, Isaac B. Burrowes, Jacob Eshleman, Chris- tian Hershey, Messrs. Witmers, R. Conyngham, Esq. R. Taggart, Philip Foster, Henry Shertz, John Shertz, F. S. Burrowes, D. Lefevre ..
While speaking of the family of Ferrees, it will not be out of place to direct the attention of the reader to two other documents; one is an inventory of goods and chattels of a farm of the early times, being the list of appraisement of the personal property of Andrew Ferree, the same person who is mentioned as the eldest son of Daniel, the first settler. It shows the prices of articles at that time. The reader will find in it plenty, of all the useful and necessary food, and implements, of a farmer ; but will seek in vain for the fine furniture of the present day .* The other document- is the marriage
* Inventory of the goods and chattels of Andrew Ferree, deceased.
To wheat in the stack at £8-wheat and rye in the ground, £6, £14 0 0
To great waggon, £12-little waggon, £5, 17 0 0
To a plow and two pairs of irons, 1 10 0
To two mauls and three iron wedges, 9s-to four old weeding hoes, 4s, 0 13 0
To a spade and shovel, 8s-to a matoek and three dung forks, 10s, 0 18 0
To two broad-axes, 12s-to joyner's axe and adze, 7s, 0 19 0
To Sundry carpenter tools, £1-sundry joyner's tools, £2 5s, 350
To seven duch sythes, 0 12 0
To four stock bands, two pair hinges, sundry old iron, 0 14 0
To a hand-saw, £2-to five sickles and two old hooks, 0 11 0.
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of Daniel Ferree, Jr., who was a son of the first settler; but born in this country, with Mary Carpenter or Zim- merman. It is somewhat in the form now used by the Society of Friends. Many of the present citizens of the vicinity will recognize the names of their ancestors, in the list of signers and guests at the wedding.
To a cutting box, two knives, £1-to twenty-two baggs, £2 10s, 3 10 0 To two pair chains, 14s, two hackles, £1 10-to five beles, 12s, 2 16 04
To four smal chains and other horse geers at
140
To other horse geers at £1:10-to a mans' saddle at £1 10, 300
To three falling axes at 10s-to two fowling pieces, ", £2, 2 10 0
To a large Byble, 200
To two fether beds at £6-to wearing cloaths, £7, ... 13 0 0
So sundry pewter, £2 8-to a box iron, 4s, 2 12 0
To sundry iron ware, £2-to a watering pot, 6s ;. 260 To sundry wooden ware at £1-to two iron pot -.. racks, £1, 2.0 0
To four working horses, £24 -- to a mare and two colts, £11, 35 0 0
To six grown cows at £15-to ten head of yong .. cattle, £13 10, 28 10 0
To eleven sheep, £3:17-to swine, £1 10, 5 7 0
To two chests, 15s-to a spinning wheel, 8s, 1.3 0
To sley, 6s-to cash received of Samuel Tayler, 2.80
To cash received for a servant girles time, ., 3 0 0.
£152.8 6.
As apraised this 24th day of the month called November, 1735. HATTIL. VARMAN, SAM'L JONES.
NOTE .- THOMAS MAKIN; in his Descriptio Pennsylvaniae, , Anno, 1729, describes most graphically the rural state of affairs , at that time : :
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
" WHEREAS, Daniel Feire, Junior, of the county of Lancaster and province of Pennsylvania, yoeman, and Mary Carpenter, daughter of Henry Carpenter of the county and province aforesaid, spinster, having made due publication of their intention of marriage as the law directs :- These are therefore to certify all whom it may concern that on the first of May, Anno Domini, 1739, before me Emanuel Carpenter, one of his Majesty's justices of the peace for the said county, they, the said Daniel Fiere and Mary Carpenter appeared in a public and solemn assembly for that purpose appointed and meet together at the dwelling house of the aforesaid Henry Carpenter, where he the said Daniel Fiere did
Providus in morem formicae alimenta reponit Rusticus hiberni frigoris usque memor. Aestivo reputans quodumque labore lucratur, Quae mox insequitur, longa vorabit hymens ..
Stramine tecta replet Cerealibus horrea donis Impeger, et curat condere quicquid habet :
Despicit exoticas que dapes, vestesque superbas, Contentus modicis vivere pace suis.
Eşuriens dulces epulas depromit inemptas, Et proprio vestis vellere texta placet,
Parva humilisque domus, latos quae prospicit agros,, Parta vel empta, sibi sufficet atque suis.
Utilis est illi, si non opulenta supella ;; Res sapiens omnes utilitate probat. O ! mihi si liceat sylvas habitare beatus, Et modico victu, non sine pace, frui.
TRANSLATION.
The farmer, provident, amidst his cares, For winter, like the prudent ant, prepares ; Forekno wing, all that summer doth produce, Is only for consuming winter's use.
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openly declare that he took the said Mary Carpenter toi be his wife, promising to be unto her a loving and faith- ful husband till death should separate them, and she, the said Mary Carpenter, then and there in the assembly, did in like manner openly declare that she took the said Daniel Fiere to be her husband, promising to be unto him a loving, faithful and obedient wife till death should separate them, and for a further confirmation thereof, both the said parties to these presents have hereunto in- terchangeably put their hands, she after the custom of marriage, assuming the surname of her husband; and, we whose names are hereunto subscribed, being wit- nesses present at the solemnization thereof, the year and day first above written.
Witness : DANIEL FIERE,
EMANUEL CARPENTER, MARY FIERE.
Henry Hanes, Elizabeth Kemp, Paulus, Peter Apfel, Henry Carpenter, Salome Carpenter, Lawrence Hayn, Daniel Le Fevre, Henrich Zimmerman, William Buffing-
He fills his barns and cellars with good cheer, Against that dreary season of the year.
He scorns exotic foods, and gaudy dress, Content to live on homely fare, in peace.
Sweet to the taste his unbought dainties are And his own home spun he delights to wear.
His lowly dwelling views his large domain, Improv'd in part, where peace and plenty reign.
Plain furniture, but useful, he doth chuse ; And wisely values ev'ry thing for use.
In these blest shades may I delight to be ; Here little is enough, with peace, for me. [motto was:
These were days of peace and plenty-the German's:"
" Selbst-gesponnen, und selbst-gemacht ;
Rein dabei, ist Bauern Tracht"-which he practised.
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
ton, Daniel Zimmerman, Hans Hauser, Gabriel Zimmer- man, Jacob Carpenter, Theophilus Hartman, Christian Zimmerman, Hani Hartman, Isaac Fiere, Peter Fiere, Johann Conrad Kaempf, Isaac Le Fevre, Daniel Har- man, Johannes Volkaemmer, George Philip Dollinger, Christian Harman, Maria Herman, Abraham Fiere, Susan Zimmerman, Hester Le Fevre, Jacob Fiere, Philip Le Fevre, Samuel Le Fevre, Salome Harman, Leah Fiere, Mary Hain, Jonas le Rou, Rachael Fiere, Isaac Fiere.
This tract, spoken of before, had been taken up, or intended, for Maria Warenbuer. At a meeting of the commissioners, 10th, 7th mo. 1712, Martin Kendig, the widow, her son Daniel, and son-in-law Isaac Le Fevre, appeared before them, Kendig desired that the land mjght be granted and confirmed by patent to Maria, the widow : -" but upon further consideration of the matter, it was agreed among themselves that the said land be confirmed to Daniel Fierre and Isaac Lefevre-and the considera- tion money, one hundred and forty pounds, at seven shillings per hundred acres, having been for some time due, but was to be paid down in one sum, it was agreed they should only pay ten pounds for interest, that is one hundred and fifty pounds."
The receipts for the purchase of this tract and quit- rents for several years, signed by James Logan, and others, are yet in existence, carefully preserved .* Much care manifests itself in the business of this family.
In this methodical and regular manner was the emi- gration of our earlier German settlers conducted; and in
*We here present a copy of a reciept: "Philadelphia, 11, 7, 1712, Received of Maria Warenbuer, twenty shillings sterl- ing, for one year's quit-rent of two thousand acres of land, laid out to her at Strasburg, in this Province.
JAMES LOGAN, Receiver."
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the present instance, it is a fine commentary on such honest proceedings to find the land thus obtained to be still in the hands of the lineal descendants of such worthy ancestors. HENRY A. CARPENTER, from whom we have obtained the foregoing documents, is now the owner of the old Ferree Homestead,* containing two hundred and forty acres, and nearly all the owners of the other farms makingup the tract of two thousand acres, first purchased by Daniel Ferree and Isaac Le Fevre, are either relatives, or closely connected with the Ferrees. H. A. Carpenter is the fifth in descent from Daniel Ferree. His father was Abraham Carpenter.
Before closing this chapter, we shall introduce a tra- ditionary account of the Ferree family, furnished us by Joel Lightner, Esq., of Leacock township. It was written, in answer to several inquiries put to Mr. Lightner, in 1822, by the Hon. Abraham Shreiver, Esq., of Frederick county, Maryland. We have added a few notes .- Shreiver's mother was a Ferree.
"An account of the ancestors of the Ferrie family, as given by John Ferrie, aged 84 years, (in 1822) Joseph Le Fevert and Leah Lightner,¿ aged about 63, (in 1822), and from some of the original title papers to the lands purchased from the Hon. William Penn, preprietor of the province of Pennsylvania.
*Mary Ferree, whose maiden name was Warenbuer, died at an advanced age, in Conestoga township, 1716. On her death, Peter Evans, Register General for the probate of Wills, and granting Letters of Administration, in and for the province of Pennsylvania, &c. granted Letters of Administration to Mary's sons, Daniel, Philip and John, the 20th of September, 1716.
+Joel Lightner's wife's father.
#The mother of Joel Lightner.
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
In the reign of Louis XIV. King of France, the pri- vileges of the Protestants were openly violated, mission- aries were sent for their conversion, supported by dragoons, and severities were exercised which excited the horror and indignation of all the reformed states of Europe. In 1685, the revocation of the edict of Nantes, first granted by Henry IV. and confirmed by Louis XIII. deprived the Protestants of all exercise of their religion, and tore them from their children to be educated Catholics. The tyrant, at the same time, issued his decrees against emigrations, and placed guards on his coasts; nevertheless, vast numbers escaped from his machinations and carried their arts and industry to foreign and hostile nations.
Louis became ambitious of the fame that would attach to the extirpation of heresy from his kingdom. Calvinism in France, since the victory over it by Riche- lieu had become a peaceful separation from the national church, and its sectaries were useful citizens, chiefly attached to manufactures and commerce. Influenced by a spirit of intolerance and bigotry, he undertook to put an: end to it. About this time the husband of Mary Ferrie . or Verre resided in the town of Lindau, not far from the river Rhine, in the kingdom of France; his family con- sisted of himself, his wife, three sons and three daugh- ters; the names of the sons were Daniel, Philip and John, the daughters' names were Catharine, Mary and Jane. Mr. Ferrie, the father, was a silk-weaver by trade, his religion Calvinistic; consequently he became one of the sufferers under those decrees. The troops had entered their town and commenced murdering the Protestants, taking and destroying their property, they had no other shift but to take flight, leaving behind them all their property except some trifling articles, and some cash ;
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HISTORY OF
they made flight into Germany, not far from Strasburg, where they resided two years. On their leaving France, they were accompanied by a young man by the name of Isaac Le Fevre, who stated that his family were nearly all put to death by the soldiers, that he himself escaped with difficulty, unhurt: he continued as one of the family until they arrived in America and married one of their daughters, Catharine Ferrie, and from whom, as far as we can learn, all the names of the Le Fevres, in this county, spring.
During their residence in Germany, the father died, and Mary Ferrie, the widow, (it is singular that after she came to America, she was not pleased to be called by any other name than that of Mary Warrinbuer, that being her maiden name)-hearing of a fine province, called Pennsylvania, in North America, that the pro- prietor, William Penn, resided in London, determined to set out for that place, that if she could find sufficient encouragement from Penn, she would try to get to America; she accordingiy set out for London with her family, and when she arrived there, she employed a person to direct her to William Penn's residence. When on their way, her conductor pointed out to her Penn's carriage, which was just meeting them: she being of a persevering disposition, called Penn, who immediately stopped his carriage, and he being well acquainted with the French language,* which was quite gratifying to her, as she could neither speak nor understand the English .- Penn having learned the nature and object of her call,
*Penn, while in France, in 1662 and 1663, studied Theology and French, under the instruction of Moses Amyraut, a Calvi- nistic or French Protestant divine, a native of Bourgeuil; a man of unbounded charity and compassion. He inculcated these principles into all his students, and exemplified them in
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invited her into his carriage, as he was then on his way home, when he would be more particularly attentive to what she had to say. Penn told her, he had an agent in Pennsylvania, that to him, he would give her a recommen- dation, so that her business, he hoped, might be done to her satisfaction.
Penn treated her very kindly whilst at his house .- They remained in London about six months, when a vessel was about to sail for the North river, in which they took passage. On their arrival at New York, they moved up the North river to a place called Esopus,* where they remained about two years, then moved to Philadelphia ; thence into Pequea settlement. Previous to which they had taken up a large tract of land. Be- fore they sailed from London for America, a variety of implements of husbandry was presented to them by Queen Anne, which they found of great use when they commenced clearing land.
Philip, one of the sons, was now about twenty-one years of age, and had a desire to earn something for himself ; and having formed an acquaintance with several families at Esopus, he made for that place, where he hired for one year with a respectable farmer, by the name of Abraham Dubois, whose daughter Leah he
his actions ; during the last ten years of his life, he bestowed his whole salary, which was considerable, upon the poor, without distinction of Catholic or Protestant. Amyraut was a man of moderation and candor, and had the rare fortune to be esteemed by men of all sects. His Theological works are numerous. He died in 1664.
*Esopus was an early settlement, between eighty and ninety miles north of the city of New York. It was also formerly called Wildwycke, now Kingston. The village of that place was burned by the British under Vaughan, in October, 1777, when great quantities of stores were destroyed.
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HISTORY OF
married at the expiration of the year, and brought her to his people in Pequea settlement, where he comr menced improving a tract of land on the north side of Pequea creek, (on part of which Joel Lightner, Esq., resides at present) which land had been previously allotted to him by his mother .*
Some of their first labor was to cut grass in the woods for the purpose of making hay,t no land being cleared on that part-for a shelter, house and barn, they placed timbers, forked at the top, into the ground, laid poles across them, built their hay upon the frame, which served as a roof to their house, under which they lived several months; during their "substack stay," in this rude shelter, their son Abraham, was born.
They lived to raise eight children, five sons and three daughters ; the names of the sons were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Philip and Joel ; the daughters' names were Lena, who intermarried with William Buffington; Leah was married to Peter Baker, and Elisabeth to Isaac Ferrie .- Abraham, first born, was married about the year 1735 or 36, to a woman by the name of Eltinge, from Esopus, her parents were Low Dutch. Abraham lived on part of the land owned by his grand-mother, Mary Ferrie. They had several children .¿ He died at an advanced *From a communication to us, dated Dec. 21, 1842, by Isaac F. Lightner, it appears, Abraham Dubois patented one thou- sand acres of land, in Lancaster county, which he gave to his daughter Mary, who had married Philip Ferree. The patent was granted May 7, 1717.
+The great flats of Pequea were natural meadows on which grass grew luxuriantly, which proved a great source of com- fort to new settlers .- Conyngham.
#Their children were, Cornelius, Israel and Rebecca, Cor- nelius settled in Virginia; Israel married a Miss Dickey; Rebecca was married to David Shreiver, father of the Hon. Abraham Shreiver, of Frederick county, Md.
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age, and was buried in a place now called Carpenter's grave-yard, about one mile from where he was born- the burial ground was pointed out by his grand-mother, Mary Ferrie, where she and several of her family were buried .* After Abraham's death, his widow married one Curgus or Circus-they moved up the Susque- hanna, and I cannot tell what became of them after- wards."t
This year, 1712 or 13, the Five Nations received into their confederacy, the Tuscororas.
We would ask the indulgent reader to follow us in an apparent digression from the main narrative, while a few relevant facts are adduced to show how the Tusca- rora nation came to unite with the Five Nations.
In 1712, the Tuscaroras, the Corees, with whom Baron de Graffenried, Governor of the Palatines, in North Carolina, mentioned in a preceding part of our narrative, made a treaty in the town of Cort and other Indian tribes, in North Carolina, formed a conspiracy to exterminate the English. To be secure themselves, the chief town in the Tuscarora nation, was enclosed by kind of stockades; within this enclosure, 1,200 bowmen, of different tribes, met. Under the mask of friendship,
*"Mary Ferrie vested in Trustees a piece of land near Para- dise, as a burial place for the use of the settlement. It is neatly walled and kept in good condition by the neighbors, whose ancestors repose within its limits."-Redmond Conyng- ham.
+"I have found a copy of a will of Abraham Dubois, dated Oct. 1st, 1731, among his grand-father, Joel Ferrie's papers, which had been some time in possession of his son Isaac Ferree, from which it appears that a person by the name of Roeloff Ellsting, as spelt in that instrument, is recognized as a son-in- law, married to his daughter Leah.
#Williams' N. C. I. 287.
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small parties went in various directions into the settle- ments, and after night, committed the most atrocious murders. Near Roanoke, they killed a great number of the Palatines, who had come to America with Graffen- ried, and many others. This distressing intelligence coming to the ears of Governor Craven, who immedi- ately despatched Col. Barnwell, with 600 militia and 366 Indians, to the relief of the settlers. As soon as Barn- well and his men arrived, he attacked the Indians, killed 300, and took about 100 prisoners. After this rough encounter, the Tuscaroras retreated to their fortified town; Barnwell pursued and surrounded them, killed a considerable number, and obliged the living to sue for peace. About one thousand of them were killed, wounded and taken.
Most of the Tuscaroras, after this defeat, abandoned their country and repaired to the Five Nations, who received them in their confederacy, and made them the Sixth Nation.
Gov. Spotswood, in a letter dated Williamsburg, January 25, 1719-20, speaking of the Indians on the Susquehanna: Your Indians were actually in these parts (Virginia) assisting the Tuscaroras, who had mas- sacred in cold blood some hundreds of the English, and were then (1712 and 1713) warring against us, and they have at this very day (1719) the chief murderers, with the greatest part of that nation, seated under their pro- tection, near Susquehannah river, whither they removed
* Jefferson's Va. 138.
NOTE-"1717, the Rev. Mr. Wayman, missionary to the Welsh settlements of Radnor and Oxford, frequently visited Pequea, Conestoga, and the Indian settlements of Conestogue. He baptized many children of Quakers, and some who had been Quakers."-R. C. Lan. Intell. & Jour.
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