Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I, Part 5

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

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Personally appear'd Thos. Thompson, & brings a certificate from Dr. Wig- gins that he is subject to the Fits. Is therefore excus'd this Tour.

Personally appear'd Jno. Donald, & from his Indisposition of Body as certify'd by Dr. Simonton, as well as his Poverty, is excus'd this Tour.

Personally appear'd Wm. Ashcraft, & complains he's unable to pay, & is re- moving to a place he has rented. Is ad- judg'd to pay $20, or serve.

Personally appear'd Jno. Aghy, from Inability of body on acc't of a lame Hand, is excus'd this Tour, if he comes in eight days and pays his allegiance to the State.

Martin IIemberly will come in two or three days & pay.

John Castle, the same.

John Miller, do.

Wm. Duncan, do. Geo. Lerue, do.

Personally appear'd Jacob Creamer, & says he has sent part of his Goods to Sun- bury, & is to move altogether in ten days. Is cxcus'd on his producing a Cer- tificate that he is enroll'd in the first Class where he goes.

Personally appear'd Mich'l Shaver & complains of Inability of Body as well as Poverty; is excus'd this Tour,

Personally appear'd Jos. McElraith & complains of Poverty & the Indisposition of his Family; is excus'd for two Months.

Personally appear'd Rob't Ferrier, & that he liad performe'd liis Tour by Wag- goning in the service; is adjudg'd to pay

£22:1:6, or perform his Tour immedi- ately.

Jno. Bechmond appears and says Major Forster sold the substitute, & he's to look to him for the substitute money.

Personally appear'd Valentine Snider, & complains of deafness, & the rupture ; is excus'd this Tour.

Personally appear'd Jacob Nass & complain'd of Inability of Body & pov- erty. Is excus'd this Tour.

Personally appear'd Robt. M'Cord, & complains of Inability of Body. Is cx- cus'd upon paying £20.

Personally appear'd Jas. Means, and complains of Inability of Body ; is ex- empt'd this Tour, upon his paying alle- giance to the States.

Jno. Cochran appear'd the 25th of May, 1778, & fully satisfy'd me, by the Evidence of Thos. McArthur, Francis Ellis, & Janc Cochian, that he is above the age of fifty-three years. Is there fore dischiarg'd from Military Duty.

OLD HANOVER CHURCH.

[The sketch which follows, the writer entitled "The Deserted Church." Shortly after his visit, the building was de- molished even to the very foundations. ]

The section of country originally com- prising the townships of Paxtang, Derry and Hanover, in Dauphin Co., Pa., was in progress of settlement prior to 1719, by emigrants (for the most part) trom the north of Ireland and Scotland, who were usually called "The Scotch Irish." Possessing the qualities indispensable to successful pioneer settlers-strength of body and mind combined with unflinch - ing courage --- they were alike vigorous in the occupations of peace and in the arts of war. Following up the outposts of the acquisitions of the land by Penn from its tawny occupants, they hoped to be- come the owners and tillers of its soil. This they did, but not without the loss of many a helpless child, of many an endeared wife, father, mother, and rela- tive and friend for many fell victims to the relentless cruelties ofthe savages who marauded the frontier settlements.

These pioneers brought with them there . ligious faith and practices of their forefath- ers, and established their houses of worship with the beginning of their settlements.

Historical and Genealogical.

The congregation of Presbyterians which we are now about to commemorate, once prosperous, now deserted-had its begin- ning on Monada, now Manada Creek, then in Laneaster county, Penn. The first record of it known, is from the min- utes of a meeting of Donegal Presbytery (organized Sept., 1732, ) held Nov. 18th, 1735. Lazarus Stewart appeared there to proseeute a supplieation of the people of Monada Creek for a new ercetion and sup- plies. In answer to this supplieation the Presbytery appointed Messrs. Anderson and Galbraithi, of Derry, and Wm. Max- well of Paxtang, to perambulate the bounds between the people of Derry and those of Monada Creek. These commis- sioners recommended and Presbytery or- dered that the people of Monada Creek be ereated into a distinet congregation, and that the place where now they have begun to build a house is the most eon- venient place for a meeting house for this people. In May. 1736, it was ordered by Presbytery and agreed to by the people of Monada Creek and Derry, that those living on the borders of these two con- gregations that are between the two meet- ing houses, and north of Swatara Creek, should on or before the 1st of November next ending deelare in an orderly way whether they would connect themselves with the congregation of Monada Creek or Derry.

We know nothing more about the church edifice that was in process of erec- tion at this period, only that it stood nearly on the same spot where the pres- ent one now stands, perhaps a few yards north of it. The location of the church, we are about attempting to describe, lies fifteen miles east of Harrisburg, Pa., and two miles north of a public road leading from Harrisburg through Jonestown to Reading, and is on a road leading from Palmyra crossing Swatara Creek at Dix- en's old ford, to Manada Gap, the gap by which Manada Creek passes through the First or Blue Mountain. The church lies in a very secluded part of the country, although access to and from it in olden time was made easy by many roads and cross-roads.

In 1736 the Rev. Thomas Craighead was sent to supply the churches of Man- ada Creek, Paxtang aud Conedoguinet.

In 1736 the township of Hanover was erected out of Laneaster county, Pa., and the congregation now assumed the name of Hanover. In 1737 a supplieation to- gether with a call was made to the Rev. Richard Sankey by John Cunningham and Robert Grier, commissioners from Hauover congregation. They were also authorized to promise Mr. Sankey as an annual salary, sixty pounds, one half in easlı, the other half in flour, hemp, flax, linen yarn or cloth at market price. He was the first stationed preacher of this congregation, and at the time of his set tlement, there was a glebe farm belonging to the congregation. This farm the trus- tees of the congregation took the author- ity upon themselves to present and deed, probably under the impression that his settlement and stay among them would be permanent. But after remaining with them about three years, he left them, sold the farm, and removed to Buffalo in Vir- ginia. This is the tradition current al- ways among the older members of the congregation.

The glebe originally comprised one hundred and sixty acres of wood land which the proprietaries of Pennsylvania granted and donated to the English Pres- byterians to have and to hold forever, as the property of a church and school house to be erected somewhere upon it. There are yet, however, some seven or eiglit aeres of land belonging to the con- gregation, ineluding the church and grave yard.

From 1750, (a) the time Mr. Sankey left, there is a considerable length of time about which there is nothing par- ticularly known, but history says that from 1750 to 1765, imagination eannot conceive the perils with which the settle -. ments of Paxtang and Hanover were sur- ro unded. To portray the scenes of hor- ror would be impossible-the heart shrinks from the attempt. Many, very many, were driven from their homes, Old Parson Elder, of Paxtarg and Derry. remained at his post during the whole time, often preaching with two rifles in the pulpit, and each of the members with riffe in hand, and sentinels at the door and around the church. On the 19th of August, 1757, fourteen people were killed in Mr. Sankey's congregation.

Historical and Genealogical.

In November 1762 the Rev. Robert Mc- Mordie received and accepted a call from Hanover congregation with the promise of eighty pounds for his support, to be secured by bond. He appears to have had some difficulty in the congregation at this time, for in 1764 several petitions were sent to Presbytery and read, rc- questing a dismission of the petitioners from the pastorship of Mr. McMordie until they could see their way clear to join IIanover congregation again. Presby- tery allowed the petitioners, for the pres- ent, to put themselves under the care of any neighboring minister belonging to Presbytery, so that they might enjoy church privileges. Mr. McMordie witli drew from the pastorship of the congre- gation in 1768.

Again a lapse of thirteen ye rs occurs of which we know nothing. They may have had a pastor or pastors, during that time or they may not, but as the mem- bers were a church going people, it is hardly presumable that they were so long without a pastor.

In 1781 the Rev Matthew Wood re- ceived and excepted a call. Mr. Wood is buried in the grave yard attached to the church. The following inscription appears on his tombstone:

"In memory of the Rev. Matthew Wood, who died Sept 13th, 1784, in the 27th year of his age and third of his min- istry. During the short time of his min- istry he proved himself a diligent and faithful servant of Christ, In him were united learning, judgment and humility. This Marble Slab was a donation of his affectionate people. Serve Christ humbly on Earth, if you expect to reign triumph- ant in Heaven."

In Mr. Wood's time there was a Latin School under the control of the trustecs of the Church, taught in the study- house adjoining the Church. This, it is believed, was the case with all the pastors connected with the first churches.

The first charter of Hanover church was granted Sep. 7th, 1784, but being afterwards lost, it was renewed in 1846.

A new study house was built at the church in 1784 costing £11 9s. 3d., Penn- sylvania currency. A stone fence was built around the grave yard in 1797, and

the cost of it was apportioned among one hundred and eight families.

On the 25th of Sept. 1784, a resolution was passed by the trustees of the congre- gation appointing Capt, James Wilson and six others to collect the balance of the Rev. Matthey Wood's salary, and that the collectors be authorized to sue all those in arrears.

On the 7th of Aug., 1787, it was an- nounced from the pulpit that the Trus- tees meet and prepare a call for the Rev. James Snodgrass, and on the 28th of March, 1788, the articles for building the present church edifice were entered into and signed by Hugh McCulloch and David Embich, of Lebanon, contractors, and seven trustecs of the congregation. The cost of the building was £183, 7s, 3d.

The Rev. James Snodgrass became pas- tor in 1788 as appears from the inscription on his tombstone in the graveyard;

"Rev. James Snodgrass, Pastor of the Presbyterian Congregation of West Han- over during the period of fifty-eiglit years and two months. He was born in Bucks County, Pa., July 23G, 1763,, Li- censed to preach the Gospel by the Pres- bytery of Philadelphia, Dec., 1786, or- dained and installed by the Presbytery of Carlisle in May, 1788, and departed this life July 2d, 1846, in the 84th year of his age. Your fathers where are they, and the prophets, do they live forever, Zech. 1st, 5th."

Mr. Snodgrass entered upon the respon- sible duty of the ministry in the 24th year of his age. This was his first and last congregation. He was also the only stated preacher in the present church building. His last sermon was preached not long before he sank into eternal rest. Perhaps his very last cffort at preaching was the funeral of his son-in-law, Doctor William Simonton, who died May 17tlı, 1846. Since that period the church has been entirely forsaken. No voice for mercy is therc offered up unto Him who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

This congregation was strongest from 1790 to 1800. It then contained about 120 families. Some of these lived ten or fif- teen miles distant from the church, yet they went to their house of worship just as regularly and much more so, than those who now live within a stone'

Historical and Genealogical.

throw of their church. They knew it was their duty, as it is the duty of every frail mortal to attend, whether it was sun - shine or rain, summer or winter. In this age of improvement a little matter suffiees as an excuse for non attendance at the house of God, if the distance be but one- half so great. And now they consult their ease in their rocking chairs at their homes. At that period you could see every Sabbath morning almost innumera- ble and endless strings of riders, (for then traveling was done on horseback) going toward the house of worship, urging on their weary steeds already tired from the past week's labor.

For some years before this reverend pastor departed this life, the congrega- tion had become so much reduced by death of the older members-and by re- movals to the far west, the few who were left were unable longer to pay him his salary. Yet he continued to preach the Gospel, while able, to the remnants of the some half dozen families that were left. His salary never large, perhaps $400, became reduced, so that in 1830 he was paid $153 60, in 1842, perhaps the last received, $143 56.

The church was built of stone, sixty- six by forty-eight feet, in a plain but sub- stantial, and at that time a fashionable style. It was erected in 1788, as appears from a stone in the south side of the building near the centre; "Hoc Tem- plum ad Modum Rev. Jacobo Snodgrasso corporatione Hanoverensi a Johane Mc- Fadenne aedificatum A. D. 1788." On the south side of the church was a beau- tiful and charming grove ol trees. This was used for pasturing the horses during the preaching and as a shelter for them from the scorching suns of summer and the blasts of winter. A few of the old oaks, about 20, are still remaining near the church, lifting their sombre heads over the house; others having become infirm with weight and years, have fallen in wild heaps around it. Solitude and silence surrounds all.

The walls of the building are as good and straight now as when first put up- and will probably withstand the furious northern blasts and the thunder storms for years to come, though it be roofless, as it now almost is. The interior of the

church is entirely a mass of ruins ; the glass in the windows are broken ; the sash broken, or nearly so ; the broken stones are strewn over the decayed and perforated floor, and the pews are topling over. The pulpit is so shackling as to be unsafe to enter, while the six or eight steps that lead up to the pulpit and their hand railing, merely hanging together.

What feelings occupy the mind whilest wandering through this ancient house of God, in ruins. These pews once held the venerable forms of our mothers and fore- fathers, who have long since been laid in their tombs and no member of the former worshippers now living save one, Mr. John McElhenny. now 85 years of age, and boin in the congregation. In yonder pulpit for more than half a century the man of God delivered, his exhortations and in eloquent strains pointed his hearers to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world. Yes, here, where the voice of the pleader once ascended to Ileaven in fervent accents, herc where the flock once surrounded the altar and received the bread of life, now the only sounds come from the cricket, the owls and the bats that have full possession as they flit mournfully over the forsaken pews, once filled with devout worship- pers, with eyes fixed upon the earnest servant of Jesus Christ, and eagerly drinking in the words as they fell from his lips.

Ncar and north of the church is the graveyard, sixty-eight by fifty- four yards, surrounded by a good stone wall five feet high, well covered with plank and painted. The oldest stone visible was inscribed: "Memento Mori. In memory of James Walker, who deceased April 23d, 1749, in the 40th year of his age." He is supposed to be one of the many killed about that time by the Indians. This head stone was rather a remarkable one. It was about two feet high and made of black slate, but some sacriligious scoundrel or seoundrels with villainous hands, in the winter of 1858-9, broke it off near the ground and carried it away. (b.) Is it not possible that in a few more years the tomb and head stones may be found at the doors of houses serving as entrance steps.

A few steps from the one just noted,

Historical and Genealogical.

is another now visible, and inscribed as follows: In memory of John Craig and Isabella his wife, who were killed by the Indians October 27, 1756. The spot marked by a tree yet standing in a field not far distant from the church, where these unfortunate persons fell in defend- ing themselves from the cruelties of the savages, is yet said to be known and is pointed out. The grave yard is said to have been dug over at least four times in many places. Many of tlie graves are now covered by rank grass, weeds and briers, where formally friendly hands had planted flowers and sweet thyme, and tombstones have been thatched over with brown moss so as to render illegible the incriptions in memory of beloved parents and brothers and sisters.

Many of the tombstones have sunk to thc level of the surface and doubtless otliers have gone out of sight; sinee in the olden times they were not more than 20 or 24 inches above ground. Many stones are bent over and tumbling down and others have fallen and lic scattered around.

Herc, side by side, repose the mortal remains of fatlier and mother, husband and wife, brother and sister, awaiting the sound of the last trump. Then and not till then shall they start forth from their sleep of death to mect the Judge of all.

It is a lamentable fact that this once populous and flourishing church, where- in generation after generation had as- sembled to worship the God of their fath- ers, should have come to this so deserted and forsaken condition. The last of its pastors, who for so many years broke the bread of life to h s attached flock, has been gathered to his fathers, surrounded by many of his fold. The remnant have removed to find homes far away among strangers, and with their descendants worship at other altars.

Reflecting upon these things, and upon the memories of these worshippers of the long, long ago, we are forcibly reminded of our own mortality. As those eon- neeted with the erection of this venera- ble edifice, and their descendants who worshipped under its roof, are all gone.

So too with us. A few short years will quickly pass, and as with eagle's wings, we ourselves soon will enter the eternal futurc, and meet there those worshippers of the olden time of this now ruined and deserted church of Hanover, in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. J. G.

HARDIN CO, KY., July 29th, 1859.

The above items, facts, &c., have been gathered from many sourees and records. In speaking of old Parson John Elder, who had the charge of Derry and Pax- tang churches from 1738 to 1791, and was Colonel of what was called the Paxtang Boys or Rangers, it was made his, with his regiment, an indispensable duty to range the country and protect the people from the savages; and the duty was well performed by him both as a preacher and as Colonel of the rangers. The people of Paxtang and lIanover suffered more from the Indians than those further south. The savages came down the river, did their work and then passed eastward near the mountains and through Indian Creek Gap back to the mountains again.

Rev'd Dr. Matthew Brown (Hanover), Rev'd Samuel Bell ( Hanover) and Dr. John Moody (Derry ), all studied theology with Mr. Snodgrass. J. G.

NOTES:

(a) This is an error. The Rev. Rich- ard Sankey was installed the first pastor of Hanover, August 30, 1738, and con- tinued in charge of that congregation twenty years. He received a call from Virginia on the 6th of June 1759 which he accepted, removing thither the follow- ing year.

(b) No better cvidenee is wanted than this very statement-that if the record of the dead is to be preserved, the tomb- stone inscriptions in these old graveyards shoulds be printed. We have carefully trancribed all in Derry and Paxtang, which in some future numbers of Notes and Queries, we propose publishing. When the weather will allow, we intend visiting old Hanover graveyard, and sev- eral of the old Lutheran and Reformed burial places in the country, with the same view.

Historical and Genealogical.

AN OLD TIME ACCIDENT .- At the re- view of Lieut. Col. John A. Hanna's Battalion of Militia of Dauphin county on the 6th of May 1789, George Bene dict, gunner to the artillery, was injured by the premature discharge of the gun. in his hand and arm. Dr. Benjamin Fenton attended to the injury, but Mr. Benedict lost the use of his hand. Lieut. Col. Hanna, Dr. Fenton and John Glon- inger, Lieut. of the county, certified to the facts as here stated. in the application to the Supreme Executive council for relief; but that body wa's deaf to all such appli- cations.

WHO WAS PATT MCCANN ?- (N. & Q. x.) We are indebted to Mr. J. E. Rutherford for information which enables us to ans- wer the above query. Patt was an Irish waif, taken to raise by J .mes and Marga ret Rutherford, who were childless, but who are entitled to the credit of having acted the part of a father and mother to several young people, one or two of whom were of their kith and kin, whilst others, like Patt McCann and Bill Finney, had no special claim upon them. Patt early evinced a strong desire for learning, and labored diligently in season and out of season to acquire an education, and was placed by his patrons under the care of Master Allen. He was doubtless of Ro- man Catholic parentage. but became a convert to Presbyterianism, and when he appeared for baptism requested that his name might be changed from Patrick to William. The feeling which in- spired this can request hardly be appreciated by the present generation of Americans, but in the eighteenth cen- tury and among Irishmen was well un derstood. For, notwithstanding the fact that Ireland had been repeatedly over. run by the Protestant armies of England, her lands confiscated, and her Roman Catholic citizens disfranchised, still the great body of her people adhered to the church of Rome, and her Priests suc- ceeded in appropriating to that church all the traditions of Christianity in the island. Patrick, the great Apostle of Ireland, was canonized and became a saint in the calendar of Roman Catholic . heroes, and the influence of his name was wielded solely in the interests of the

hierarchy. And for a Protestant Irish - man to call his son Patrick, was to pro- claim his own heterodoxy, and to cast over his son a baneful shadow Only the venturesome ran the risk. Patt Mc- Cann, therefore, to relieve himself from an incongruity, changed his name to William. He was a youth of consider- able promise, but died before reaching manhood. and was buried in Paxtang grave yard. W. F. R.

ELIZABETH PARTHEMORE. - From the Milford Centre. O., News of the first of March, 1884, we cull the following:

Aunt Betsey Parthemore, as she was familiarly called by the citizens of this place, died at the infirmary last Monday and her remains were brought to Milford and laid in the vault Tuesday morning. Miss Parthemore was one of the oldest citizens in our town. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1795 and came to Mil- ford in 1817, where she resided until about two years ago, when she became an in- valid and was taken to the infirmary. Elizabeth Parthemore, of whom the fore- going is an account, was born in Dauphin county, Pa., July 2, 1794, and died in Milford Centre, Union county. Ohio, Feb. 25, 1884. She was the daughter of John Parthemore (1764-1846) and Catharine E. Shell (1767-1828), who was a daugh- ter of Martin Shell. In this connection it is given as truth and not tradition. that after John and Catharine Parthe- more settled below Milford Centre, O., which was about the year 1815, having previously resided near Chilli- cothe, Ohio, whence they immigrated from Augusta county Virginia, where they had resided from 1796 to 1812, she hearing of the serious illness of her mother, MIrs. Shell, who resided in Lower Pastang or West Hanover, Dauphin county, Pa., and learning that a gentleman in Colum- bus, Ohio, by the name of Heroff (this may be a descendant of Ludwig Heroff who was assessed as a non-associator in 1779 in Derry township, (Dauphin) Lan- caster county, Pa. ) was coming East and her husband, John Parthemore, accom panied her to Columbus where she was to be accompanied to Penna. by Mr. Heroff, but on arriving there the gentle- man was sick and could not pro-

3.4

Historical and Genealogical.

ceed on his journey. John endeavored to pursuade his

wife to return home with him, but she said, weeping, that she must see her mother once more and after some coaxing she persuaded her husband to return home and care for the children, which he did, and she made the journey, over 600 miles from Columbus, O., to Harrisburg, Pa., on horseback and unaccompanied. On her return to her own home in Ohio she filled her pocket with apple seeds before starting, which she had gathered at the old cider press, and taking them with her she planted them in the nursery and now there is a plot of ground of three acres of an apple orchard from those seeds, not more than two trees bearing the same kind of fruit and the yield a never failing one. E. W. S. P.

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Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I, Part 5

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

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