USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 16
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Mr. Penn, as well as myself, were much obliged to you for remarking to us, that the paper you wrote on, was the manufacture of Ephrata. It had, on that ac- count, great merit to us ; and he has desired our friend, Mr. Barton, to send him some specimens of the occupa- tion of some of your society. I heard him say, that he rejoices to hear of your and their welfare.
It is I, that should beg pardon for interrupting your quiet, and profitable moments, by an intercourse so little beneficial as mine; but trust your benevolence will in- dulge this satisfaction to one who wishes to assure you, sir, that she is, with sincere regard, your obliged and , faithful well wisher.
JULIANNA PENN.
'TO PETER MILLER, PRINCIPAL OF THE SOCIETY OF DUNKERS AT EPHRATA."
Th' Eternal God from his exalted throne, Surveys at once, earth, heav'n, and worlds unknown- All things that are, before his piercing eye, Like the plain tracings of a picture lie- Unutter'd thoughts, deep in the heart conceal'd, In strong expression stand to him reveal'd- Thousands and twice ten thousands, every day, To Him or feign'd or real homage pay- Like clouds of incense rolling to the skies, In various forms their supplications rise.
Their various forms to him no access gain-
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Without the Heart's true incense all are vain ; The suppliant's secret motives there appear, The genuine source of every offer'd prayer.
Some place RELIGION on a throne superb, And deck with jewels her resplendent garb ; Painting and sculpture all their powers display, And lofty tapers shed a lambent ray. High on the full-ton'd organ's swelling sound, The pleasing anthem floats serenely round ; Harmonic strains their thrilling pow'rs combine, And lift the soul to ecstacy divine.
. In Ephrata's deep gloom you fix your seat, And seek Religion in the dark retreat ; In sable weeds you dress the lieav'n-born maid, And place her pensive in the lonely shade ; Recluse, unsocial, you, your hours employ, And fearful, banish every harmless joy.
Each may admire and use their fav'rite form, If Heav'n's own flame their glowing bosoms warm. If love divine of God and man be there, The deep-felt want that forms the ardent prayer, The grateful sense of blessings freely given, The boon, unsought, unmerited of Heav'n, 'Tis true devotion-and the Lord of Love, Such pray'rs and praises kindly will approve, Whether from golden altars they arise, And wrapt in sound and incense reach the skies ; Or from your Ephrata, so meek, so low, In soft and silent aspirations flow.
Oh! let the Christian bless that glorious day, When outward forms shall all be done away, When we, in spirit and in truth alone, Shall bend, O God! before thy awful throne, And thou our purer worship shalt approve, By sweet returns of everlasting love.
What yet remains of Ephrata, is worthy a long journey to be seen; "its weather beaten walls; upon
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which the toothli of time has been gnawing for nearly one and a half century, are crumbling to pieces, render- ing it more interesting from its antiquity. "Many traces of the olden time remain, but its life has departed .- There are, however, many delightful associations con- nected with the mouldering walls, and like some of the dilapidated castles, which are apparently falling to the ground, deserted and given to the rooks and owls, yet it contains many habitable and comfortable apartments." These are occupied by several single sisters, one of whom, sister Barbara, has been here fifty-five years; but under different Government; in former days the whole property and income belonged exclusively to the single brethren and sisters ; but now by legislative enactment is invested in all the members, single and mar- ried. The sisters, since this enactment, in the convent, are not supported out of the common stock and their common labor, but each has house-room, which all the married members are entitled to, who require it, as well as firewood, flour and milk, from the society, who still possess some land and a mill, and their labor they apply to their own use, or dispose of it as they see proper."
We state, with regret, that the prescribed limits of this work, preclude a detailed account of this highly in- teresting association.
The descendants of those who were connected at an early date, are numerous, and many of them influencial in society. The principal ones connected with the society, in early existence, were Conrad Beissel, Urner, Landis, Lang, Meylin, Graff, Weber, Grebil, Funk, Eicher, Naegly, Frey, Wolfart, Gass, Hildebrand, Hoehn, Sigmund, Landart, Peter Miller, Conrad Weiser, Heur- man, Zinn, Hoecker, Pettikoffer, Gorgas, Mack, Ries- man, Eckstein, Kinsing, Eckerlin, Heipel, Koch, Meyer,
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Hordie, Stretch, Pearcol, Derborough, Griffyth, Peas- cify, Rogger, Seymour, Hackly, these were English- Philip Beusel, Lohman, Kimmel, Sangmeister, Hoellen- thal, Martin, Horn, Koenig, Beller, Hummer, Senseman, and others, who all were members prior to the death of C. Beissel, who died June 6th, 1768.
NOTE .- We shall close this chapter with a list of the names of land-holders (not before mentioned) who settled at an early date, within the present limits of the county, some before, others shortly after, Lancaster county had been erected. For the want of information, the list is necessarily limited. Those named, all settled prior to 1735. Among these, in various parts of the county, were the Roddyes, Craigheads, Towsten- beriers, Cooksons, Mayes, Jervis, McCawlys, Storys, Greens, Whitehills,( Hermans,) Irwins, Wolfs, Bezoars, Venericks, Ritters, Millseps, Royers, Woolricks, Houslemans, Byerlys, Simons, Palmers, Poutchs, Kitchs, Travengers, Linders, Verdrees, Wises, Barnetts, Ringers, Stoners, Alberts, Beards, Pendalls, Kores, Owens, Eaves, Thornburys, Marshalls, Brickers, Lertys, Jacksons, Beesons, Nessleys, Swoops, Bears, Emmets, Herseys, Astons, Steers, M'Nabbs, Smiths, Beckers, Forneys, Rowlands, Weidlers, Elroods, Stumps, Snevelys, Eberles, Oikelbergers, Wypreights, Finks, Longs, Lindseys, Kings, Reads, Wells, Blyths, Fullertons, Moores, Francis, McKanes, Dehoofs, Goughnours, Lines, Dyers, Hietts, Stam- bach, Bumgarners, Hoffs, Noacres, Lytles, Darbys, Douglas, Sturm, Echman, Guy, Philips, Basler, Shinover, Scroop, Varner, Mackrells, Shillys, Turners, Hoffmans, Knowls, Whit- mers, Kinrighs, Burkhards, Leepharts, Pleystows, Weightmans, Burkhunters, Andersons, Piggots, Wiesenants, Blacks, Leon- ards, Steels, Ramsays, Sypes, Lyncks, Lowdons, Musselmans, Matthews, McClanaghans, Staigys, Bradens, Burtons, Gales, Cowens, Robinsons, Murrays, Bensons, Shannons, Browns, Kellys, Allisons, Eddys, Fultons, Mitchells of Sadsbury, Fos- ters, Graypeels, Shryers, Clinehaws, Harnist, Webbs, Reiffs, Watsons, Montgomerys, McCardys, Le Rues, Adlumns, Clem- sons, Conodes, Plumbs, Shieffers, Warders, Dennings, Reists, Slemmans, Armors, Templemans, (McConnels,) Sensineys, Tillers, Hustons, Meixells, Geers, Wolfspaniers, Baughmans,
20* 1
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Ters, Hennings, Andrews, McNealys, Rudeneglee, Kitzmillers, Le Chaars, Bushans, Roodes, Birshings, Jacks, Flemmings, M'Clellands, Howards, Ellmakers,'Adams, Haines, Haltzingers, Tettenhauers, Hokenbracks, Davisons, Bishairs, Seldenridge, Saunders, Sherrards, Molers, Stinsons, Rancks, Keysers, Sherks, Davids, Paxtons of Sadsbury, Robertsons, Coxs, Heis- tandts, Pences, Painters, Pouts, Livistones, Kellers, Wingers, Lightners, Bombergers, Kreils, McGarrys, Shallybergers, Hig- genbothems, Evalts, Walters, Middletons, Hanricks, Heys, Baldwyns, Campbells, Vanleres, Stiles, Musgroves, Balls, McKimms, Phillips, Pegellis, Brittans, Dyers, Dieffenbachs, Gillmores, Boyds, Overs, Georges, Lambs, Bishops, Stritchs, Krebs, Hastings, Alexanders, McNealys, Kahoons, Hudsons, Wendels, Feezers, Westhavers, Cuffroots, Weitmans, Lloyds, Lyncks, Hewstons, Berriers, Buchanans, Saudters, Sherricks, Perrys, Cumptons, Reynolds, Moffats, Moodys, Allinsons, McClenns, Littles, Shennons, Classprinners, Klings, Griffiths, Shizlers; Hendersons, McClures, Hughes, Thomes, Walters, Duffields, Stetters, Kates, Cralls, Hollers, Crawfords, Dennys, Scotts, Baltens, Brackens, McPhersons, Pennocks, Rippys, Daws, Walkers, Rohrers, Richardsons, Linvilles, Walls, Gaills, Ross, Postlewhaits, Pughs, Beckott, Encks, Imbles, Boosons, Kyles, Bauds, Elis, Blackshaws, Doughertys.
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LANCASTER COUNTY.
THIRD PART.
FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF LANCASTER COUNTY, ONE' THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE.
CHAPTER I.
Erection and organization of the county-Boundaries of-Seat of Justice -- James Annesly-Boundaries of townships-First court held at Postle- whaites-Extracts of court records-Morris Cannaday indicted-Found guilty and sold-Constables, Overseers and Supervisors appointed- Applicants to be Indian traders-Petitions for license to sell rum-First court held at Lancaster-Conrad Weiser, notice of-Notes, &c.
SETTLEMENTS on both sides of the Susquehanna, especially on the eastern, having been extended and greatly augmented by the influx of a mixed population ;. emigrations from abroad and natives of the province; the inhabitants of the upper parts of Chester county deemed it necessary as early as 1628, to avoid inconve- niencies arising daily from the want "of justice at every man's," to petition the proper authorities, to erect and establish a new county. Petitions were accordingly forwarded to the council at Philadelphia, February' 6th, 1728-9, and received due consideration.
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"At a council held at Philadelphia, February 6th, 1728-9: Present, the Hon. Patrick Gordon, Esq., Lieut. Governor of Pennsylvania, and James Logan, Richard Hill, Isaac Norris, Samuel Preston, William Fishbourn, Clement Plumsted, Samuel Hazle, Esquires ; a petition of the inhabitants of the upper parts of Chester county was laid before the board and read, setting forth that by reason of their great distance from the county town, where courts are held, offices are kept, and annual elec- tions made, they lie under very great inconveniences, being obliged, in the recovery of their just debts, to travel near one hundred miles* to obtain a writ; that for want of a sufficient number of justices, constables and other officers, in those parts, no care is taken of the high-ways; townships are not laid out, nor bridges built, when there is an apparent necessity for them; and further, that for want of a gaol there, several vagabonds and other dissolute people harbor among them, thinking themselves safe from justice in so remote a place; and therefore praying that a division line be made between the upper and lower part of said county, and the upper part thereof erected into a county, with all the immu- nities, rights and privileges which any other county of this province does enjoy.
" The board taking the same into consideration, are of opinion, that the Governor is fully empowered by virtue of his commission, to grant the prayer of the petition, if the same shall appear necessary; but as it is a matter of some moment, and will require a mature deliberation, it
*The courts, &c. were held at Upland or Chester, on Dela- ware river, 15 miles S. W. from Philadelphia. Upland is an ancient place. The first adventurers under Penn landed here, Dec. 11, 1682. It was also the seat of the first legislature after the arrival of William Penn.
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was moved and agreed that the further consideration thereof should be deferred till to-morrow at nine o'clock, beforenoon, to which time the council is adjourned."
"Council met next day-the minutes of the three pre- ceeding councils being read and approved, the board according to order entered into the consideration of the petition in the minutes of yesterday, touching the division of Chester county, and after the same had been fully considered and debated, the board came to the following resolution : That, as well for as reasons set forth in the said petition, as the security, peace and good order of the whole government, there doth appear a real necessity that a new county should be erected, according to the prayer of said petition ; and although the power of erecting counties is wholly vested in the proprietary, and therefore in the Governor, or his lieutenant, yet, in- asmuch as this will require the establishment of courts of judicature, with other alterations, for which a due provision will best be made by a law; it may be convenient that the government acquaint the House of Representatives now sitting, with the application made to him, that the same may be carried on with, and strengthened by the joint and unanimous concurrence of the whole Legislature."
"At a council held at Philadelphia, February 20th, 1728-9. The minutes of the preceeding council being read and approved, the Governor informed the board that pursuant to the resolution of the last council, he had acquainted the House of Representives with his inten- tion to erect the upper part of the county of Chester into a separate county, in which they had concurred and desired that an equal number of the inhabitants of the lower and upper part might run the division line; and therefore, he was now to recommend to the board to
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chose fit and well qualified persons for that service, and to consider of proper directions for their guidance therein; and after due consideration thereof:
'TIS ORDERED That, Henry Hayes, Samuel Nutt, Samuel Hollingsworth, Philip Taylor, Elisha Gatchel, James James, John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Samuel Blunston, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Edwards and John Musgrove, or a major part of them, calling to their assistance John Taylor, the surveyor of Chester county, meet at some convenient place near Octoraro creek or river, and cause a marked line to be run from the most northerly or main branch of the said creek northward, or to the east or west thereof, as it shall be found most con- venient, to the next high ridge of barren or uninhabited hills that lead from thence to Schuylkill river, keeping as near as may be to the right of said hills, and to proceed along the ridge thereof, yet with as few changes in the course as their situation will admit, and fixing the same to the most conspicuous, natural and durable marks, that may be least subject to uncertainty or variation; to be bounded southward by the southern bounds of the prov- ince, and eastwardly the said Octoraro creek ; and from thence the northern line to be by them run as aforesaid, to the said hills, from thence the said line along the said hills to Schuylkill, and from thence to the main northern or easterly branch thereof, above the forks of said river, to lie open on the westward, till further orders shall be given therein; and to make report of their proceedings to this board.
" At a council held at Philadelphia, May 2d, 1729 :-- Present, the Hon. Patrick Gordon, Esq., Lieut. Governor Richard Hill, William Fishbourn, Clement Plumsted, Thomas Lawrence and Samuel Hazle, Esquires. A return being made by the order, dated the 20th February
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last, for running a division line in the county of Chester, and settling the boundaries of the county to be erected in the back parts of this province towards Susquehanna, pursuant to the minutes of council of the 20th of said February, the same was read, approved and confirmed, and is in these words:
"Pursuant to a warrant from the Hon. Patrick Gordon, Esq., Lieut. Governor of the province of Penn- sylvania, and counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex, upon Delaware, bearing date the 22d day of February last past, We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, met together on the 17th day of March, 1728-9, near the head of the northern branch of Octoraro creek, and with the assistance of John Taylor, Surveyor of the county of Chester, run a line from the said branch to the river Schuylkill, according to the courses following, viz: Beginning on a corner marked white oak standing on the eastern side of the said branch, on the land of John Minshall, thence north-east by north, five hundred and eight perches to a chesnut oak standing on the top of a barren mountain at the head of the branches of the said Octoraro creek, thence along the said mountain, north- east by east, three hundred and forty perches to a chest- nut tree, thence north north-east, four hundred and forty perches to a white oak by a branch of Pequea creek, thence continuing the same course along the said moun- tain four hundred and eight perches to a chestnut oak, thence north by east seven hundred perches to a white oak near a small branch of Brandywine creek, thence north by west six hundred and sixteen perches to a chestnut tree standing on the top of a mountain at the head of the western branch of the said Brandywine creek, thence east north-east along the said mountain two thousand two hundred and twenty perches to a
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chestnut tree near the western branch of the French creek, thence northeast by east three hundred and fifty perches to a red oak, thence north east one hundred and ninety perches to a chestnut oak near another branch of the said French creek, thence north east by north two thousand one hundred perches to a corner marked white oak, standing by the said river Schuylkill, about three quarters of a mile below the house of John Burroughs.
Henry Hayes, Samuel Hollingsworth, Philip Taylor, Elisha Gatchel, James James, John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Samuel Blunston, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Edwards, John Musgrove.
"And the upper parts of the province described as aforesaid, are hereby declared to be erected, and are accordingly erected into a county by the name of LANCASTER COUNTY .* And 'tis ordered that the same be signified to the House of Representatives, and the return laid before them for their direction in describing the boundaries thereof in the bill now before them for establishing courts of judicature, &c. within the same.
"May 8th, 1729, the governor recommended to the board to consider of proper persons to be appointed justices of the peace of the said county of Lancaster, and the following persons were named justices, viz :- John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Samuel Blunston, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Edwards, Caleb Pierce, Thomas Reid, and Samuel Jones, Esqrs.
*Lancaster county was named by John Wright-" When Lancaster county was laid off from Chester, my grand father, says William Wright of Columbia, in a letter to George Ford, Esq., gave it, its name, after the county he came from in Eng- land." Wright came from Lancashire, England, in 1714, and settled in Chester; in 1726 he moved to, and settled on the Susquehanna, at Columbia.
LANCASTER COUNTÝ. , 241
Robert Barber was likewise appointed sheriff, and Andrew Galbraith, Coroner ; and commissioners were ordered to be proposed accordingly.
" May 10th, 1729, the House of Representatives waited on the Governor, and the Speaker presented a bill passed into a law, which was accordingly by the Governor passed into a law of this province. Be it enacted, That all and singular the lands within the province of Penn- sylvania, lying to the northward of Octoraro creek, and to the westward of a line of marked trees, running from the north branch of said Octoraro creek, northeasterly to the river Schuylkill, be erected into a county, and the same is hereby erected into a county, named, and from henceforth to be called Lancaster County ; and the said Octoraro creek the line of marked trees. From the sub- sequent organization of other counties the original boun- daries of Lancaster have been altered.
" At a council held at Philadelphia, Feb. 18, 1729-30 .- The Governor acquainted the board that whereas, by the law for erecting Lancaster county, John Wright, Caleb Pierce, Thomas Edwards and James Mitchell, or any three of them, are empowered to purchase for the use of the said county, a convenient piece of land to be ap- proved of by the Governor, and thereon to build a court house and prison, and that now the said John Wright, Caleb Pierce and James Mitchell, have by a certificate. under their hands, signified that they have agreed upon a lot of land for the use aforesaid, lying on or near a small run of water, between the plantations of Rudy Mire,* Michael Shank and Jacob Imble, about ten miles
. * Rudy Mire had settled here about the year 1712. It is said, his son Abraham was the eighth white child born in Lancaster county. Abraham was a minister of the Mennonite denomi- nation, and the first German Scrivener in Lancaster. Though
21
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from Susquehanna river, and prayed his approbation of the same. The Governor therefore referred the matter to the consideration of the board, whether the situation of the place those gentlemen had pitched on for a town might be fit to be confirmed, and that a town should accordingly be fixed there. But the question being asked to whom the land they had made choice of now belongs, and who has the property of it, because it may be in such hands as will part with, or at least, on reasonable terms for that use, and this not being known by any at the board, it was deferred till such time as that could be ascertained. But as it is presumed for any thing that is yet known, to be unsurveyed land, and that the right is only in the proprietor, it is the opinion of the board, that it is more proper to be granted by the proprietor for such uses, than by any other person.
Mem .- "The Governor having understood that the right of the land pitched upon for the townstead of Lan- caster, remains yet in the proprietaries, was advised to approve of the place agreed on by Messrs. Wright, Pierce and Mitchel, and the same was confirmed ac- cordingly by a writing dated May 1st, 1730.
According to tradition, it appears, "that on the division of the county, a contention arose as to the most suitable location for the seat of Justice. Wright's Ferry was
Abraham was a defenceless Mennonite, his son Christian took a decided and active part with the Whigs in the Revolution ; he was an officer in the army. The sword, with which he so val- iantly defended his country, was presented by his widow, to a relative, to Capt. George Eichholtz, while in the service of the United States in 1814.
John Jacob Eichholtz, grandfather of Capt. George, was married to Christian Meyer's sister. Mr. Eichholtz was wag- onmaster at the time of Braddock's defeat; and it is said, upon good authority, the first brick-maker in Lancaster county.
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strenuously recommended. So confident was the first sheriff of the county, who resided at Wright's Ferry, that the seat would be fixed there, "that he had a strong wooden building put up near his residence, which was intended for the county jail. It is only a few years since' this building was pulled down."*
"Postlewhait's, from its being an old settlement, (now Jacob Fehl's, Esq.,) the original site of an Indian wigwam, appearing to possess superior advantages, a temporary court house of logs and jail were there erected." Courts, as will appear from the records, were held at Postlewhait's, till August term, 1730, and after- wards at Lancaster.
" Governor Hamilton made an offer of two places, the old ' Indian Field,' 'High Plain,' 'Gibson's Pasture,' 'Sanderson's Pasture;' the other the 'Waving Hills,' embosomed in wood, bounded by "Roaring Brook,' on the west. The road from Philadelphia to Harris's Ferry, passed through the centre. Gibson resided near a fine spring, with a large hickory tree before his door .- This was the favorite tree of the Indian tribe who lived in the vicinity, and were called by the whites from that circumstance, the ' Hickory Indians.'
"There were two swamps, one called the 'Dark Hazel Swamp,'t nearly in the centre of the proposed
*Rev. D. Goheen.
t " The Dark Hazel Swamp was attempted to be cleared from wood, and a drain made to carry off the water, in the year 1745."
NOTE .- "James, afterwards Lord Altham, was confined in the prison erected at Wright's Ferry. The history of this indi- vidual is curious, and illustrates the remark, "Truth is stranger than fiction," The individual, the subject of this note, came to this country in 1728, when quite young, and served his time as
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town; the other, 'The Long Swamp,' running from a south westerly direction through the northern limits to. ' Roaring Brook.'"'
After the county had been erected, justices, sheriffs, and other officers appointed, a meeting was held the 9th of June, 1729, by magistrates and inhabitants of the county, to settle and agree upon the names and bounda- ries of townships. The following names and bounda- ries were agreed on, and confirmed by the Court of Quarter Sessions, held the first Tuesday in August, 1729.
DRUMORE .- The township of Drumore, beginning at the south line of Sadsbury by Octoraro, thence down the said creek to the province line towards Maryland, thence up the Sasquehanah to the mouth of Muddy run, thence by the said. run to Richard Booson's land, and from thence on a direct course to the south-west corner of John Kyle's land on Sadsbury line, and by the said line to the place of beginning.
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