Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I, Part 41

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: s.n.
Number of Pages: 618

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THE FAMILY OF FRITCHEY.

[There have been two families of this name in our county. Out in Wenrich's church graveyard lie the remains of the older family, and we shall at some future time refer to them. The following infor- mation coming to our hands relating to the family still represented here is of in- terest ] :

JOSEPH FRITCHEY was a native of Huf. ingen, Grand Dukedom of Baden, Ger. many, where he wasa merchant at the time of the Napoleonic wars. He was a member of the town council and treasurer of Hufingen. During the war in the winter of 1814-15, when a great many soldiers were quartered in the place, an epidemic broke out, and while engaged in his efforts to provide for the care of the sick and the

burial of the dead, he fell a victim to the disease. His widow, a most exemplary woman, died in the year 1851, aged 90 years and four months. They had four children who were all born and reared in Hufingen-Franz-Joseph, John-Bap- tist, Francis Xavierand Maria-Ann.

After the death of the father, the eldest son, Franz Joseph Fritchey, took charge of the business for the support of the family. He subsequently married, was appointed by the government tax receiver of the town, which position he had until his death in 1870 at the ag of seventy two years.

The daughter, Maria Anna Fritchey, married George Raible, a schoolmaster of Braumlingen. They had two sons. Lewis and John Raible, both of whom came to America, and settled in Indianapolis, Indiana. John Raible died there in 1871 and Lewis in December, 1879.

JOHN BAPTIST FRITCHEY, who had learned clockmaking, emigrated to Amer- ica in 1823 and located at Harrisburg, Pa. He died there in 1831, leaving a widow and two sons, Joseph and John F. The former died young-the latter resides in Harrisburg, and the father of Dr. John A. Fritchey, a member of the City Coun- cil.

Francis Xavier Fritchey, the youngest son of Joseph Fritchey, was born March 3, 1806, in Hufingen. After the death of his father he resided with his sister at Braumlingen, where he was educated, and learned the trade of watch and clock making. In the year 1825 he followed his brother John Baptist to Pennsylva- nia, and for four years traveled through Western Pennsylvani+ and Ohio selling clocks. In 1929 he settled in Harrisburg, where he remained with his brother for some time. With a man named Avis, who also worked for his brother,

he entered into partnership in the city of Pittsburgh, where he con- tinued about three years, in the clock and watch making. He afterwards removed to Zanesville, Ohio, and in July 1834 to Coshocton in that State where he went into business on his own account, and was residing in 1880. He married at Coshocton, April 30, 1835, and his children were:

i. Mary Elizabeth, b. Feb. 7, 1836; d.

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July 13, 1877, in Denver, Col .; m. May 13, 1862, Mr. Williamson; and left five sons.

ii. Alexander Harper, b. Nov. 3, 1837; m. Nov 12, 1861. Gertrude Sharpe; re- resides at Columbus. O.

iii. Lydia Ann. b. Dec. 3, 1841; re- sides at Massillon; m. Mr. Myers who died in 1875.

iv. Sarah- Ellen, b. October 8, 1843; m. Mr. Howard; reside at Coshocton, O.

» William Burns, b. April 14, 1847 ; m. Sophia Muth, of Pittsburgh, Pa., where they reside.

vi. Emma Frances, b. August 25, 1849; d. July 12, 1880, in New York city ; m. Mr. Griste, of Allegheny City.

NOTES AND QUERIES

Relating to the History of Dauphin County.

LXXVII.

FORT MANADA .- We are informed that a portion of the walls of old Fort Manada can yet be seen. We will be under many obligations to any of our readers, if they will furnish Notes and Queries with a statement in regard to this subject, giving a description, with exact location.

BUCHER-FRITCHEY .- On a recent visit to Old Wenrick Church east of Lingles- town, we noticed the grave of Casper Bucher as also of thosc connected to him. As he was the head of a family, more or less prominent both in the male and fe- male line, we give the record as we find it:

CASPER BUCHER, of Paxtang, was born in the year 1733, and died June 11, 1799. His wife Catharine born February 16, 1742, died on the 31st of January 1821. Their children were as follows :

i John Casper; was a minister of the Gospel, and the ancestor of Judge Bucher, of Lewisburg, Pa.

ii. Elizabeth; m. Jacob Engel.

iii. Catharine; m. Henry Goetz.

iv. Anna Maria; m. Dr. Samuel Chris- topher Wiestling, the ancestor of the family here.

v. Dorothea; b. Nov. 1, 1770; d. Dec. 23, 1853; m. Godfrey Fritchey, b 1756; d. 1821. They had a large family of children, several of whom became quite

prominent in the church. The remains of these worthies lie in the grave-yard of Wenrick church. This family settled very early in this country, and are of different origin to that noted in the last number of Notes and Queries.

vi Magdalena; m. Henry Shiley. vii. Jacob.

It any of our readers can furnish addi- tional information as to the descendants of either of the foregoing families they will confer a favor.

HARRISBURG IMPRINTS.

[Frome time to time as we receive them, we propose giving a list of Harris- burg imprints. Those sending us infor- mation will be kind enough to include along with a copy of title in full, size of book and number of pages. ]

Johann Huebner's zweymal zway und funfzig auserlesene Biblische Historien aus dem Alten und Neuen Testamente versehen mit 1' 4 Kupferstichen, und den noethigen Registern; Der Jugend zum Besten abgefasset, nebst Einer Vorrede des Autors. Erste Americanische Auflage. Harrisburg; Verlegt und gedruckt by Wm. Wheit und Wm. Boyer, 1826.

[Translation.]

John Huebner's Twice Fifty-two se- lected Bible Histories, from the Old and New Testament, embellished with 104 copper plates, and the necessary Index. Composed in the best manner for the young, together a preface by the Author. First American Edition, Harrisburg; printed and published by Wm. Wheit and Wm. Boyer, 1826. 16 mo., 360 pages. The names of the subscribers to the book are given; 170 are from Harrisburg and Dauphin county . H. Miller, a Harrisburg book-binder, took 12 copies. The preface states that the book was written in Hamburg in 1714. The cover is of oak wood covered with leather, with two clasps attached. S

Psalms, carefully suited to the Chris- tian Worship in the United States of America, being an Improvement of the Old Versions of the Psalms of David. Allowed by the REV. Synod of New York and Philadelphia, to be used in Churches and Private Families. Harris- burg. Printed by John Wyeth, 1799.

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The following books were published by Rev. John Winebrenner. V. D. M. :

1. Der Entdeckte Beynahe Christ : [ Almost Christian, translated from the English work of Matthaeus Mead, Lon- don, Oct. 12, 1661]; 1830.

2. Prayer Meeting and Revival Hymn Book; 25 cents per copy.

3. A Brief View of the Formation, Government and Discipline of the Church of God, in English and German; price 50 cents.

3. A Treatise on Conversion by Rich- ard Baxter; price 182 cents.

4. Fuller on Backsliding; 12} cents.

5. Young Christian's Guide; price 37} cents.

6. Baxter and Fuller, bound up in one volume; 25 cents. R. F. K.

TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS

In Old Paxtang Church Graveyard. X.

ELIZA daughter of Joseph & Mary SHERER died Oct'r 4th 1822 aged 11 months

Here lieth interred the body of JOSEPH SHERER who departed this life the 4th day of March 1824 aged 38 years & 6 months.

Sacred to the memory of ANNE STURGEON who departed this life October 28, 1811 aged 34 years 9 months and 2 days.

Sacred to the memory of JEREMIAH STURGEON who departed this life March 11th 1826 aged 57 years 11 months & 1 day.

SAMUEL SHERER died December 26th 1821 aged 66 years

In memory of GRACE STEWART & child who departed this life Jan'y 31st 1787 aged 39 years

In Memory of WILLIAM SWAN who departed this life September 25th, 1782 in the 37th year of his age

In Memory of MOSES SWAN who departed this life September 11th 1822 in the 41st year of his age

In Memory of MARTHA SMITH who departed this life May 27th 1817 aged 62 years [The foregoing is interred beside the Swans and Major Ingram. ]

In Memory of ELIZA ANN Daughter of William & Eliza TRULLINGER, Died March 26, 1862, Aged 6 years & 6 days.

In Memory of WILLIAM ALVAN Son of William & Eliza TRULLINGER, Died Aug. 3, 1858, Aged 12 years, 10 mon & 12 ds.

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In Memory of JAMES IRA Son of William & Eliza TRULLINGER, Died July : 0, 1858, Aged 10 years, 6 mo & 4 ds.

MARY LOUISA daughter of William & Eliza TRULLINGER, Died April 2d, 1842, Aged 1 year 4 months and 13 days.

CLARA ESTHER, daughter of William & Eliza TRULLINGER, Died July 9, 1851, Aged 10 months & 4 days.

In Memory of ANDREW EDGAR, Son of William & Eliza TRULLINGER, Died April 26, 1855, Aged 10 mo & 15 ds.

HARRIS' FERRY.

Border Recollections of One Hundred and Thirty Years Ago.

[In 1854 George Vanartsdalen, Esq., of Bucks county, was at Harrisburg, and called upon Dr. Robert Harris, jr., a grandson of the founder of Harrisburg. He also visited the grave of the first John Harris, and bore off with him a block of wood from the stump of the tree which at one time cast its shadow on his grave. He was also favored while here with the following "recollections" of Charles Cist, Esq., of Cincinnati, Ohio. In these Centennial days the article as originally published in the Cincinnati Advertiser thirty odd years ago is worth preserva- tion in the Notes and Queries of to-day.

My readers have doubtless noticed a narrative of the remarkable escape of John Harris from being burnt alive by the Indians, on the spot where Harris- burg, the seat of government of the State of Pennsylvania, has been since built. That publication has been the means of bringing to light several interesting in- cidents connected with Harris and his wife, one of those pioneer mothers in whom the danger and exigencies of the frontier life, develope the highest degree of daring, compatible with the exercise of that sound judgment which is of yet greater importance in the sphere of ex- istence.

Harris, as has been stated in the narra- tive referred to, was a trader among two or threc savage tribes, whose head-quar- ters secm to have extended along the West Branch of the Susquehanna, even n this day of improvement embracing some of the wildest mountain, and river scenery in the United States. The wolf and the fox still disputes possession of ex- tensive tracts in this region with the set- tler, and even the panther and the bear are occasionally tracked to and shot in their retreats by the hardy mountaineers, who vary the toils of husbandry with re- laxations - as they deem it-of the chase, rendered here by the character of the country, the most arduous species of it in the world. One of these tribes, be- lieved to be the Muncies, an off shoot of the Delawares, had built their wig-wams and settled their families, at the junction of the West and North branches of the Susquehanna, on the site of the present village of Northumberland. The towns of the others receded further into the wilds along the West Branch.

It will be recollected, that a chain of posts was established during the provin- cial government of Pennsylvania, proba- bly in 1756, by Gen. Forbes, extending from Philadelphia to Fort Pitt, near Pittsburg. One of these was where Har- ris resided, who occupied a trading house, and had rendered himself, in those early days, acceptable to the Indians, who found it a great convenience to trade their peltries for powder, lead and such other things as they needed, in their own neighborhood. Here he had bought a plow, the first ever seen on the banks of

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the Susquehanna, with other implements of husbandry, and made a little clearing sufficient for a kitchen garden, and here was born John Harris, the founder of Harrisburg, believed to be the only indi- vidual ever existing that laid out a town at his birth place, and who, as the first child of white parents, received from that circumstance four a grant hundred acres of land, offered as a premium by the Proprietaries, * for the settlement west of the then fron- tier parts of Eastern Pennsylvania- Berks and Lancaster counties.

After Braddoek's defeat, one of the British officers on his way to Philadel- phia, called at Harris' station, for the purpose of staying all night. Through the negleet of the person whose duty it was to attend to elosing the port-holes at sundown, they had been on that day left open. The officer was engaged in conversation with Mrs. Harris, with his back to the port-holes, and she facing them. In this position and looking over his shoulder, she heard the elick and saw the flash of a rifle. Without any excla- mation of surprise, or saying anything to interrupt his disclosure, she leaned to one side where the candle stood, and blew it out. The next day the officer fell in with an old Indian chief and his attend- ant, who acknowledged to him that he had aimed at his life, but the weather be- ing drizzling his powder had got wet and the piece hung fire; and he was unwilling to repeat his fire after the eandle was ex tinguished, for fear of injuring Mrs. Har- ris. f

At a somewhat later date, when Penn- sylvanians had extended themselves west of the Donegal settlement, in Lancaster county, and had formed a settlement on Paxtang creek, the Indians began to enter- tain great fear of being finally expelled the country, and concerted measured with their usual secrecy, for the extirpa- tion of the whites. Having aseertained that they collected once a week for relig- ious worship, they made their arrange- menls to attack Paxtang Meeting house, and cut off all the inhabitants at a single blow. They rendezvoused in considera- ble numbers at a spot west of the Blue Mountains, and poured in on the settle- ment through Manada Gap, about four.

teen miles from the Susquehanna, with such celerity and seeresy as to station themselves in the thicket around the meeting house, without the least suspi- eion having been formed by the settlers of any sinister designs. They had, how- ever, missed one day in their reckoning, and taken Saturday in place of the Sab- bath, for their abuscade. As the usual hour passed without any of the whites making their appearance, the Indians be- gan to suspeet that they had in some way or other been put on their guard, and fearing injury to themselves, they broke up and made their way home without loss of time, and as quickly and secretly as they had found their way into the set- tlement. The next day the number and character of the tracks around, revealed to the settlers the threatened danger, as well as the hostile intentions, generally of their savage neighbors. A council was held on the spot, and it was deter- mined to despatch Harris, with some forty others, well armed, to visit the In- dian villages, and ascertain if possible their purposes.

*The John Harris, who first located on the Susquehanha, entered the Indian trade in the early years of the Province of Pennsyl- vania. In January, 1705, he received his li- cense from the commissioners of property authorizing and allowing him to seat him- self on the Susquehanna, and "to ercet such buildings as are necessary for his trade, and to enclose and improve such quantities of land as he shall deem fit." It is probable his "plow" was the first ever seen on the Susquehanna north of the Conewago hills- but not the first on the river as stated in Mr. Cist's recollections. There were Maryland settlers near the mouth of the river prior to that date.

The second John Harris was not the first white child born on the Susquehanna, as we have satisfactory evidence. There were possibly hundreds born prior to the year 1725, when the founder came upon the stage of life. Neither did he receive a grant of four hundred acres of land from the Pro- prietaries on that account. The land which was in possession of the second John Harris, came to him through his; father who pur- chased the same.

In the light of our present knowledge of the life of the Harrises, father and son, and of the history of this section of our State, it is proper that this statement is made. Tra- dition has been so much at fault not only here but everywhere, that even in reprint- ing old stories and reminiscences of half a century or more ago, the errors be pointed out and corrected. E.

tThis was Mary MeClure Harris, the first

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wite of the Founder, whose daughter be- came the wife of William Maclay, the first United States Senator from Pennsylvania. She was a remarkable woman in many re- spects-and one whose memory should be tenderly cherished by her descendants.

NOTES AND QUERIES

Relating to the History of Dauphin County.

LXXVIII.

SWAN-SMITH .- Martha Smith, whose remains rest within the shadow of old Paxtang church, it is stated, was the widow of William Swan, she subse- quently marrying Casper Smith. Is this the person referred to by "H. R." in "Reminiscences of the Old Home" given in N. and Q. No. 76 ?

THE LAST TOLL GATE .- The Philadel- phia Press, of July 12, contains an ar- ticle on "Old Toll Gate Roads," and we wish the that its state- ment that last toll gate .on the road between Philadelphia and Pitts- burgh has been removed," was correct. The writer of the article is not well posted on toll-gates or turnpikes, or he would not have made the statement. Had he limited this to Philadelphia it would have been proper, but all along the old turnpikes between the two cities named, are these relics of a past age. That they ought to be abolished at once is true, but unfortunately, the im- pecunious stockholders are deter- mined to make out of their small in- vestments all they can. The courts in every county where thesc toll-gates are should declare them nuisances, and promptly abate them. The pikes are in very bad repair, not near as good as the ordinary township roads, and in proof of this assertion we need not go farther than Steelton on the Lancaster pike to satisfy any one that what we say is correct. The time has arrived when the Toll Gate must go. R. B.

TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS

In the Fisher Graveyard, Lower Swatara.

[On what is now the Nissley farm, in Lower Swatara township, is located the Fisher family graveyard. From the

stones therein we have the following in- scriptions. Adjoining the first one given is a limestone on which are the letters "P. F.," who was the father of Daniel. It is desired that the dates of his birth and death, as also those of his wife whose grave adjoins be furnished Notes and Queries. ]

Hier Ruht DANIEL FISCHER wahr geborren den 25th December 1765 und starb den 14 November 1836 erbrachte sein alter auf 7 Jahr 10 monat und 19 Tag.

Hier Ruht DANIEL FISCHER sohn von Daniel und Anna Catharine Fischer war gebobren den 17 May 1799 und starb 1837 den 28 Jenner sein alter war 37 Jahr 8 monat und 10 tag.

Hier Ruht SARAH Tochter von Adam & Esther FISCHER starb 1844 den 10 October war alt 4 Jahr 9 m. & 5 tag.

Hier Ruht BARBARA FELTS starb 1846 den 28 Juni alt. 86 Jahr 6 m. & 8 Tag.

THE FETTERHOFF FAMILY.

I. Two miles northeast of Halifax, is a Lutheran and Reformed church, which is named for this family. FREDERICK FETTERHOFF, b. August 6, 1765, proba- bly in the Palatinate, Germany, settled first in now Lancaster county. About the beginning of the present century he removed with his family to Upper Pax- tang township, and established a mill in what is now Jackson township. Here he died on the 16th of July, 1837. His wife was SUSANNA HECKERT, a

native of Lancaster county, b. June 27, 1768, and d. June 28, 1831,

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in Jackson township. They were the ancestors of the Fetterhoff family of Dauphin county. Besides three children died in infaney, they had issue:

2 i. Philip, b. Sept. 2, 1788; m. Eve Boyer.

3. ii. John, b. Oct. 12. 1790; m. 1st, Elizabeth Snyder; 2dly, Katharine Haines. 4. iii. George, b. May 3, 1795; m. Mary Zimmerman.

II. PHILIP FETTERHOFF (Frederick) b. Sept. 2, 1788, in Laneaster county, Pa .; d. Sept. 4, 1833, in Jackson township, Dauphin eo , Pa. He was brought up to the occupation of his father. In the last war with Great Britain he commanded the company from his neighborhood which marehed to the defense of the city of Baltimore in 1814. After his return he was chosen colonel of one of the militia battalions. He was elected eoro . ner of the county of Dauphin, serving from October 24. 1821, to November 20, 1824, and filled a number of local offices . Col. Fetterhoff, m. about 1811, EVE BOYER b. June 27, 1792; d. Jan. 11, 1889. They had issue:

i. John, b. July 18, 1812: resides near Fisherville.

ii. Susanna, b. July 20, 1813; m. Henry Willvert.

iii. Elizabeth, b. November 19, 1815; d. June 7, 1860; m. John Fowber.

iv. Mary [Polly], b 1817; m. Henry Hoover.

III. JOHN FETTERHOFF (Frederick), b. Oct. 12, 1790; d. June 27, 1829; was twice married; first to ELIZABETH SKY- DER, and they had issue:

i. Susanna, b. March 23, 1814; m. George Enders.

Mr. Fetterhoff m. secondly, KATHA- RINE HAINES, b. June 18, 1791; d. Dec. 6, 1º62, and they had issue:

ii. H. Elmira, b. Jan. 15, 1817; d. March 30, 1875; m. Dec. 10, 1835, John Shepley.

IV. GEORGE FETTERHOFF (Frederick) b. May 3, 1795; d. March 16, 1862; m. MARY ZIMMERMAN, b. March 5, 1798; d. August 1, 1863; daughter of Christian Zimmerman. They had issue:

i. Joseph, b. April 22, 1816.

ii. Catharine, b. Oct., 1819.

iii. Samuel, b. Feb. 26, 1821; d. Feb. 26, 1866.

iv. Philip, b. Nov. 3, 1825.

v Susannah, b. 1827. vi. Mary, b. April 7, 1828; d. Oct. 14, 1877. vii. Margaret, b. 1830. viii. Abby, b. April 28, 1833.

[We will be pleased to receive addi- tions to this brief record. W. H. E.]

HARRIS' FERRY.

Border Recollections of One Hundred and Thirty Years Ago.

II.

The company set out next day, and cn reaching the town on the opposite bank of the Susquehanna*, found a war party assembled in ecuneil painted and arrayed with war-clubs. This, of course, left no doubt of their hostile designs, but in the taee of these signals, the Indians dis- elaimed any unfriendly feelings towards their white neighbors, and asserted their paeifie intentions, the design being if pos sible to put them off their guard. The party of the whites reposed no confidence in these protestaions, but prepared for their return, their road being well known to the Indians. They had to cross the river some distance be low, at the mouth of a little ereek, where Selin's Grove is now built. Harris had withdrawn for a short distance from the camp, and was returning to it, when he met an old Indian whom he recognized as an individual who had onee been indebted to him for his life. The savage with- out halting or turning his head, or even glaneing at Harris, for he was aware, on account of his friendly feeling to that in- dividual, that he was narrowly watehed, passed him, and in a hurried manner, said "John Harris, don't you cross the river !"

After starting for home. Harris men- tioned to his company this warning, as he understood it to be, of a meditated ambuscade on the other side, and sug- gested the propriety of going down on

*The Indian town alluded to could not have been directly opposite Harris' Ferry. It was higher up the river, probably beyond Shamokin, now Sunbury, on the West Branch, whither the perfidious Shawanese had gone, as the white settlements increased on the lower Susque- hanna. E.

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the west side of the Susquehanna. The party gencrally judged it rather a decoy to induce them to rush intodanger, which they supposed was actually on that side. Harris then explained to his friends the relation in which he stood to the Indian, avowing his conviction that he was sin- cere, and appealing to the party whether they were not convinced that they owed it their thorough preparation for battle, that they had been permitted to leave the Indian camp, instead of following the friendly advice. The party, however, were obstinate, and rather than separate from them, Harris, against his better judg. ment, accompanied them on their route.

Scarcely had the first boat in which they crossed touched the opposite shore, when a destructive fire opened on them from the bushes which lined the bank. Harris was the only one of the party that escaped to tell the tale, the residue being either shot down in the boats or over- taken at a disadvantage. He swam the river three times to baffle the pursuit made in his case.

Harris generally rode a horse which was well known to the Indians. On an. other occasion while the whites and In- dians were on unfriendly terms, he had been with a party of settlers hunting on the west side of the river, who had im. prudently, by some circumstance, become separated from their rifles, The Indians attacked the party, after detaching a few warriors to intercept their retreat by a narrow defile. The bank of the Sus- quehanna is very precipitous in that region, and this afforded the only opening to the ford opposite the settle. ment. Harris was as usual mounted, and making his way down to the pass, when he found himself confronted by an old chief, well known to him as Indian John, who stood in the pathway with his rifle raised to shoot. He was compelled to risk the shot. Leaping instantly to the ground he ungirthed the saddle, held it by the girths twisted over his arm, and vaulting on his horse's back, stooped forwards raised the saddle, and holding it in front so as to form a shield, he rushed at his enemy at the top of his speed. The Indian sprang to one side, disconcerted by the sudden movement, and, fearful of missing, reserved his fire.

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Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I, Part 41

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: s.n. Number of Pages: 618

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: s.n.
Number of Pages: 618