Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I, Part 57

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I > Part 57

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

[We are under many obligations to our correspondent for the information here. with given. We wish, however, the ex act date of death of Capt. White, and his age. A proper biographical sketch of him should be prepared, as also of those other heroes, Bull, Gallo way and Wendt. ]

IN THE REVOLUTION.

[The following terms of association in the Juniata region during the war of the

Revolution is an interesting paper. By it our readers will see that boycotting is not a new thing .]

Terms proposed to the freemen of this company for granting some assistance to our frontiers, as follows, viz :

That four men be raised iminediately and paid by this company in grain after the value thereof at three pounds per month during the time they shall be in actual service, and also provisions the time they shall engage to serve not less than one month, and the method for pay- ing the men aforesaid shall be by levying a proportionable tax on all and singular the taxable property of each person re- siding within the bounds of Captain Minture's company, and if any person shall so far forget his Duty as to refuse complying with his Brethren in the afore- said necessary proposals, he shall be deemed an Enemy to his country and be debarred from the Privileges of a subject of the State by being excluded the bene- fit of all Tradesmen working for him, such as Millers, Smiths, etc. etc.

We, the subscribers, do approve of the above proposals and bind ourselves by these presents to the performance of and compliance with the same. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 21st day of May, 1780.

N. B .- Wheat to be 5s., rye and corn 3s. per bushel.

We also agree that Capt. Minture's company shall muster on Wednesday next at Wm. Sharron's.

Wm. McAy, Thomas Mellroy,

Wm. McAlister, Jas. Harris,

Hugh McCormick, Thomas Willey,

James Purdy, Wm. Willey,

Robert Nelson, Jas. Astien,

Samuel Sharon, Jas. Patterson,

Ehinitus Hart,

David Nelsons,

John Henderson,

Samuel Mitchel,

John Watson, Robert Carnaghar,

Hugh McAlister,

John Lardy,

Wm. Carnaghan,

Andrew Douglass,

John Riddel,

Andrew Nelson,

Robert McLear,

Wm. Harris,

George Green, James Dickey,

Hugh McAlroy,

W. Stuart, Jr.,

Jas. Armstrong, WVm. Mantir,

Sam l McLaine,

Alex. Armstrong,

Thomas Howard, James Nelson,

John McCarleD,

Anthony Trimmer,

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Christian Lvntner, Wm. Citson, John Gill,

Mathias Stull,

George Moore,

Wm. Canaghan,

Rob't McDowell, James Smith,

Henry Marton, Charles Blair,

Hugh Sharon,

James Banks, John Henderson,

Wm Wright,

Thomas Pals, David Walker,

Wm Sticht, Wm. Henderson,

Wm. Brown.

To receive the Grain or Shooss, or Shirting Cloth, of the marching party, John Purdys at his mill; Robert Nelson at his house; Hugh McAlister at his house; Wm. McAlister at his house.

An agreement made by the under named persons, viz: That we will serve as militia volunteers along the frontiers for the space of one month, commencing from Monday, the 29th inst., to meet at David Nelson's on said day and to march from thence.

Given under our hands this 24th day of May, 1780.

JAMES TAYLOR, JAS HARRIS, EHINETIS HART,

THOMAS WILLEY, JAMES PURDY, JAMES ARMSTRONG.

GENEALOGICAL NOTES.

BARTLETT.

John Bartlett d. prior to August 1761, leaving sisters as follows:

¿ Rachel, m William Mills. ii. Mary. m. Matthew Chambers.

iii. Bathsheba, m. John Baily. iv. Rebecca. v. Martha.

What is known of these families ?

BARCLAY. William Barclay d. prior to 1761, at that time his widow Esther being the wife of - -- McIntire. William Bar- clay's children were-

i John. ii. Hugh. iii. Stephen.

iv Joseph, v Mary.

vi Margaret vii. Martha. viii. Esther.

CRAIG.

John Craig d. prior to September, 1760, and left issue : ¿. Sarah, m. David Alien. ii. Mary. iii. Isabel. iv. John.

FOSTER. W. T. Sehr 2,145

David Foster, of Derry, d. prior to 1765, leaving a wife Catharine and chil- dren as follows : i. John; d. in 1765, leaving a wife and children as follows:

1. David. b. 1750. 2. C.tharine, b 1752.

3. Margaret, b. 1755. 4 John, b. 1757.

ii. Robert. iii. David.

iv. Joseph. v. William. 2, 1718 d. 1764

vi. Anne. vis. James. viii. Mary.

GILLILAND.

Hugh Gilliland d prior to 1751, leav - ing a wife Anna and children:

i. Robert.

iz. Mary.

iii. Eleanor.

These were above fourteen years of age and chose their uncle, John Gilli- land, their guardian.

iv. Ann. v. Elizabeth. vi. Agnes. vii. Hugh.

GEIGER. Christian Geiger, of Warwick town- ship, Lancaster county, d. prior to 1779, leaving issue:

i George

ii. William, d. prior to 1779, and left issue.

iii. Elizabeth, m. Peter Leib. iv. Margaret, m. John Bender. v. Anna Maria, m. George Unger.

vi. Christina, m. Michael Wyland.

A WHITE SAVAGE,

[The following deposition concerning the unprovoked murder of two Indians by a white savage, which occurred in

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Western Pennsylvania prior to the Rev- olution, comes to us from New York. Perchance our friends Isaac Craig or William M. Darlington, Esquires, can give us some information as to the facts here presented. If true, it is a piece of cruelty which puts to shame that of the savage red men. ] Bedford 38.

Richard Brown being duly sworn ac- cording to Law deposeth and Saith that Mathew Haley an Indentred Servant be- longing to him the said Brown had been run away for some time, that he went in pursuit of him, and came up with him near Redstone Fort about Two Months after he went off; that as he was bringing him home the said Mathew Haley made the following Declaration falling upon his knees at the time of doing it:

I have done a very bad action to you, but I have done much worse since I nave been away from you. I have killed Two Indians. This Deponent charged him with telling lies, threatened to beat him, and asked him what he could intend by such a Story; but he the s'd Haley persisted in the same Declaration making solemn protestations to the truth of it, saying also that if he must be hanged for it he could not help it, for it lay so heavy on his Conscience he could not conceal it. This Deponent then asked him how he did it and what could induce him to it. Haley answered, that after he had es caped from Andrew McConnell he over- took the Two Indians that had taken him up, and brought him into Col. Croghan in company with another Indian Man and Whoman, that they received him kindly, gave him a Tomhawk, and a pair of new Mocosons and promised that they would not take him to the White People again, that the third Indian man the Morning after he ( Haley) joined them gave him a Bridle and told him he must go with the other two and steal horses from the White People, that they travelled that day to the Kittanning, where the Indians burnt the Doors of a house to get the Locks and Hinges; that next day they travelled into the Woods and towards evening they killed a Bear and a Deer; that next day they then en- camped and made a Fire and cut the Deer into small thin pieces and stuck

them upon small sticks round the Fire to barbecue; that one of the Indians stayed by the Fire to cook the kettle and take care of the meat, and that the other In- dian and he, the said Haley, went some distance off to strip Bark to make cover for their sleeping place -; that the Indian had cut a Tree round at the upper part, and he the said Haley was cutting it at the Lower part, when the Indian got a kind of Handspike to force the Bark off with, and when he was employed about that and stooping to it, he the said Haley struck his Toinhawk into his head and repeated the Blow a great many times 'till he was quite dead and the Blood spurted all over his Arm and the Tom - hawk, so that he was afraid to return to the fire where the other Indian was lest he should discover it; but to conceal as well as he possibly could, he thrust his Arm and Tomhawk into a Roll of Bark they had taken from a small Tree and carried it in that manner to the Fire, that he laid the Bark down behind, the Indian was then stirring some Flour in a tin Cup over the Kettles, that the Indian looked round, smiled and made signs of Appro. bation at the Bark he had brought, and turned about again to mind his Cooking; that then he the said Haley Drew the Tomhawk out of the Bark and struck it into the head of this Indian also and re- peated the blow 'till he was motionless; that he was immediately seized with such Fear that he could not stay there, but that he took a Tomhawk, Two Powder horns, a Rifle Gun, Two Blankets and a Britch Cloth, a Brass Kettle and a tin Cup, and hid the other Gun and Tom- hawk and some other things in a hollow Chestnut Tree about half way between where the Indians lay (which was about the distance of 150 yards apart); that he tied up what things he chose to take in one of the Blankets and then set off and traveled Eight Days without seeing the face of a living Person and at last fell in upon one John Miller, who lives about five miles from Fort Pitt up the Allegany River; that Miller's people concealed him two days, for which he gave them the Kettle, the tin Cup and the Britch cloth; that he grew tired of carrying the rest of the things and threw them away, all but a

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Gun, a Powder horn, and a blanket of which he made Leggins.

These Circumstances induced the De . ponent to believe there might be some truth in what he told; he therefore left him the said Haley in the Care of another person, and went down to Fort Pitt to acquaint Coll. Croghan and enquire if there was any account of the murder there; there had been no Complaint made of it at that time, and Coll. Croghan did not believe it; but he this Deponent had still some suspicion that it was true; he therefore went to John Miller's where Haley said he had left the things, to see if that part of his story was right and took Andrew McConnell along with him; that McConnell asked Miller if he had seen anything of Brown's Servant, for that his master was come and that he (McConnell) was like to suffer by his having escaped from him; Miller and his wife both denied then having seen him, but said that Capt. Montour had told them that he had gone up the Alle- gany and that the Indians who brought him in were but a little way be. fore him. McConnell told them he was sure Montour had not told them so, for he had spoke with Montour himself, on which this Deponent s'd to Mrs. Miller, I know who told you so, it was my ser. vant himself when he returned to your house, and left a Brass Kettle, a tin cup and a Britch cloth with you; but Miller and his wife solemnly denied it and offered to take a Voluntary Oath (reach ing to a Bible at the same time) that they knew nothing ahout him; that then this Deponent told them he knew certainly that he had been at his house and had left the things mentioned; but that it they would give them up he would take no farther notice of them, but if they would not he would prosecute them to the ex- tent of the Law, on which they imme- diately produced and delivered them. And further this Deponent saith, that the Gun which Haley carried off from him this Deponent he Haley had given to an Indian Man, and that Coll. Croghan got it again for him, and that Haley had a Rifle when he took him up which is the same he now delivers with him and that the Kettle and Tin Cup are the same he

got from John Miller, which he owned Haley had left with him.

(Signed ) RICHARD BROWN. Sworn and subscribed before me the 7th of Sept., 1771.

(Signed) AR. ST. CLAIR.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Historical, Biographical and Genealogical.

CVIII.

FRANCIS CAMPBELL -"D. K. W." makes inquiry concerning Francis Camp- bell, another of the unknown "men of mark" of the Cumberland Valley. We have in our possession considerable data, not only in regard to Campbell, but to a number of other worthies. Yet, at this time, in view of the publication of another History of the county of Cumberland, we do not feel like giving away our am- munition. At no distant date it is our intention to perform a cherished duty, the preparation of the Provincial and Revolutionary history of the Cumber land Valley.

ALLISON .- Richard Allison, of Lan- caster county, removed to the Juniata Valley prior to the Revolution. Of his children, Mary m. John Allison, son of John Allison, probably a cousin; a daugh . ter married James Sterrett, and they are the ancestors of the Sterrett family of Kishacoquillas valley; and John, who was a ruling elder in Donegal Presbyterian church and served as a justice of the com- mon pleas court for Lancaster county. What is known concerning the descend- ants of these families ?

"HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIR- GINIA," is the title of the latest publica- tion of the Virginia Historical Society and a copy kindly donated to our local organization. The editor, R. A. Brock, Esq , has been a faithful gleaner in this- SO long neglected harvest field of American history, the Huguenots in America. Recently considerable atten . tion has been paid to this emigration, and a Huguenot Historical Society been organized. In Pennsylvania as well as Virginia, there was a large in. flux of the French refugees, but.

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the data

is just as widely scattered as in the Old Dominion. For years we have been gathering all the in- formation possible relating to them, and propose at some future time to publish it, but as yet the record is incomplete. Mr. Brock's volume is certainly a creditable and valuable one, and a timely contribu . tion to the history of the French refugees in this country. At no distant day others will follow the footsteps of the distin - guished Baird brothers and the no less scholarly Brock.

INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.

The following letter from Major Jasper Ewing, then on military duty at Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh, to his uncle, Judge Jasper Yeates, has never been published. It is valuable in connection with the his- tory of Western Pennsylvania:

FORT PITT, Aug, 26, 1777.

HOND. SIR: Scarce a day passes with . out some Instances of Savage Barbarity. Nothing but an Expedition in their Coun . try will induce them to listen to Reason. Every Preparation is making for it & the only obstruction that we shall meet with is the want of Flour. The General pro- poses to engage the men for 6 months from the first day of September next & has made a demand of 1,500 men from the Colony of Virginia. The remainder is to be taken from the Counties of Westmore- land and Bedford.

Among all the numerous Tribes of Indians the Delawares are the only Na. tion firm to our interests. They left a Family here as Hostages for their Friend- ship & Seem in every way heartily at- tached to us. Present my duty to Aunt, & Love to all the Children, & am, Sir,

Your much hon'd Nephew,

J. EWING.

JASPER YEATES, E.q, per favor of Col. Steele.

GENEALOGICAL NOTES.

GINGRICH. John Gingrich of Warwick township, d prior to 1772; his wife Barbara prior to 1785. They had issue :

i. Christian. ii. David.

iii. Emanuel.

iv. Joseph, m. David Forney.

v. Henry vi. Jonathan.

viii. George.

ix. Elizabeth, m. Leonard Smith, x. Benjamin. From which branch does the Dauphin county family spring ?

GRAHAM.

Samuel Graham of Hanover d. prior to 1772, leaving a wife and children as fol- lows :

i. William, b. 1741.

ii. Mary, b. 1743.

iii. Jan., b. 1745.

iv. Martha, b 1747.

v. Ann, b. 1750.

vi. Samuel, b 1752.

vii. John, b. 1754.

HOWER.

Christopher Hower, of Paxtang, d. prior to 1784, for at that date his widow was the wife of Frantz Peter Lorentz, The Hower children were:

i. John.

ii. Catharine.

iii. Jacob.

iv. Susanna.

MEESE. Philip Meese d. prior to 1762, leaving a wife Louisa and children as follows:

i. George.

ii. Christian.

iii. Barbara.

iv. Casper.

v. Philip.

vi. Paul. vii. Balzer.

STEDMAN.

Richard Stedman d. prior to 1776, leav- ing issue: i. John

ii. Sarah, m. John Cox.

iii. Ann, m. Samuel Brown.

iv. Jan es.

v, Elizabeth.

vi. Esther.

vii. Susanna.

viii. Benjamin.

SNODGRASS. William Snodgrass d. prior to 1763, leaving a wife Sarah and children as fol- lows:

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Historical and Genealogical.

i. Robert.

ii. Samuel.

iii. James.

iv. Sarah.

STEWART.

John Stewart, of Hanover, d. prior to 1763, leaving a wife Frances, and chil- dren as follows:

i. William.

ii. Mary.

iii. Lazarus.

iv. Jane

v. George.

vi. James.

vii. John.

TWEED.

Robert Tweed d. prior to 1771, leaving

a wife Agnes and the following children: i. John.

ii. Robert.

iii. Margaret, m. James Galbraith.

iv. James,

v. Archibald.

vi. Joseph.

vii. William.

viii. Elizabeth.

TATE.

Joseph Tate, of Donegal, d. prior to 1779 leaving a wife Margaret and chil- dren as follows:

i. Matthew.

ii. Jane, m. James Anderson.

iii. Adam.

iv. John.

v. Margaret, m. David McQueen.

vi. Sarah.

vii. Benjamin.

WILLSON.

I. Joseph Willson, of Hanover, d. prior

to 1769. His children tben living were- i. James.

ii William.

iii. Hugh.

iv. Rosanna m. - McAllister.

v. Jane, m. John Walker, of Derry.

II. William Willson, of Paxtang, d. prior to 1762, leaving a wife Eleanor and children as follows :

i. John.

ii. Jane.

iii. Martha.

The executors of the estate were Thomas Rutherford and John Willson.

TROUBLES OF EARLY SETTLERS IN YORK COUNTY.

[The following facts in relation to the early settlements west of the Susque- hanna are from Squire Evans, of Colum- bia. They are of great interest and value, and embrace information not here- tofore in print. ]

Prior to 1727 the Penns gave no patent for land west of the Susquehanna river, until finding that the Proprietary of Maryland determined to fortify his claim to all the land west of the river, and as far up as the mouth of the Codorus creek by throwing his Roman Catholic subjects into the rich valleys, and maintain the occupation of the land thus violently obtained by force

of arms. The Penns, in anticipating this manoeuvre, first had the land surveyed as a Manor in 1722, with the consent of the Indians, who had not then relinquished or sold their right in the hope that this movement would prevent settlers from moving upon the land. In this both parties were disappointed, for in 1727 several families moved from the lower part of Chester county into "Conojohela Val ley" (four miles below Wrightsville). These, it seems, maltreated and abused the Indians most outrageously ; when the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania had them eje cted, and James Patterson, an Indian Trader who resided in Conestoga Manor, was given permission to occupy a portion of this land for a pasture for his pack horses.

Finding, however, that the Marylanders intended to occupy this section, the Penns decided to promote settlements west of the river; but instead of encouraging the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians to settle there, they sent some Quakers and non resident Germans, who were not the kind of set- tlers to resist the encroachments upon their land by the Roman Catholics of Maryland, who rode "ruft-shod" over them Had permission been given to the Scotch-Irish of then Donegal to settle upon this land a somewhat dif- ferent reception would have been ac- corded the Maryland outlaws.

In March, 1732, Thomas Cresap was sent up in advance, by the Maryland au. thorities, and made a settlement three

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Historical and Genealogical.

miles and a half below .John Hendricks. On the 29th day of January, 1733, John Hendricks and a few others made a feeble effort to get Cresap away. On the 5th day of February, 1733, Robert Gordon, Esq., one of the justices of the Provincial Court of Maryland, issued a warrant for the arrest of the parties sup- posed to have been concerned in the at- tack upon Cresap.

On the 19th day of February, 1733, Robert Gordon directed the following missive to the high sheriff of Anne Arundel county :

"Maryland, 88:

"To Mr. Nicholas Manubbin, High Sheriff of Anne Arundel county :

"Herewith I send you the bodies of John Hindrek and Joshua Minshall, Brought before me by the Sheriff of Baltimore County, as being accessorys in the riot committed upon Thomas Crissop, of

Baltimore county, on the night ot the 29th day of January last, Commanding you to take them into custodie and them safe keep till they be further examined and for so doing this shall be your warrant. Given under my hand and seal this 19th day of Feb'ry, 1733.

"ROBERT GORDON."

The foregoing was followed by a pre- cept from the Provincial Council of Mary- land, especially directed against Joshua Minshall as the principal offender. "Maryland, 33.

"Whereas, it appears to the subscribers, members of his Ld. pps. Honourable Council met in council at the city of Annapolis the 21st of February, 1733, that Joshua Minshall hath fomented divers Riots and Dis- turbances, and frequently disparaged the title of the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary of Maryland to the said Province; and hath given out threaten- ing & menacing Speechcs that he would shoot his Lordship or any person who should dare to by

act vir- tue of any authority derived from his Lordship, against the Peace. These are therefore in his Lordship's name to will and require you to take into your custody the body of him the said Min- shalt and him safely to keep until he shall be discharged by due course of law, for

which this shall be your sufficient war- rant. Dated at Annapolis this 21st day of February A. D. 1733.

SAM'L OGLE, W. P. WARD, BENJ. TASKER, PHILIP LEE, EDW'D JENINGS.

"To Mr. Nicholas Manubbin, High Sheriff of Anne Arundel County."

Minshall and Hendricks, hurriedly sent forward the following letter to Pennsyl- vania:

"Annapolis, Feb. ye 22d, 1733-4. "Honourable Proprietor:

"Wee, your Tenants, Joshua Minshall and John Hendricks both of Langkester county, now lyeing in the Goal! of Annap olis, being brought down by a Provinciall warrant and Strictly examined before Governour and Councell, the orders is wee are to be close confined until such time as we

have a Delivery by a Due course of law. Wee are but Strangers here and as we have Endeavoured to stand and maintain your rights wee humbly begg your Honour will be pleased to send us a line with your candid advice which way to proceed or behave, for wee are here amongst our Enemys and noe friend to depend upon in any manner of respect but Intirely like unto soe many lost Sheep amongst a parcell of ravenous Wolfs.

"Wee have proceeded to the uttermost of our judgements, and does not intend to proceed farther until such time as wee hear from your Honour which wee take to be our Protector in that which is just. Wee hear send you our Committments to satisfy your Honour how and after what manner we are detained here.

"The Messenger being just agoeing of that wee had noe time to write any more, but with Sincerity do sub. scribe our selves your Honours most true and Loyall Tenants

"JOSHUA MINSHALL, "JOHN HENDRICKS."

This letter was probably sent to the Governor of Pennsylvania by a messen- ger through Samuel Blunston at Wright's Ferry, who sent remittances and an- swered Minshall's letter. They again wrote, this time to Blunston:

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Historical and Genealogical.

"ANNAPOLIS, March ye 10, 1733-4.

"FRIEND SAMUEL : This comes to accqt thee yt all are in good health and is in close confinement ; still we could have Beale enough but those yt would Beale us is afraid to give any offense to the government, wee are advised to pet. ym but are not willing to submit to ym or any of their laws with- out further advice. We have had no letters as yett butt what wee received from thee. In our last to thee wee mentioned yt wee sent to our Proprietor but we are Dubious of our letters being De-

livered, for the Bearer being a a liver here and their being soe deceitfull that we scarce know how to behave or yett express our words. Wee endeavour to he as frugall as may be but the place be- ing so extravagant yt for one maile a day are obbliged to pay three shillings. Such a place you never see. Wee cannot believe but they use us soe oute of perfect Spite and malice. ffriend Onions being now in townc told us what wee had a

mind to write he would give it

a safe passage Wee desire

thee would write to us by bis man and he will directly send it to us, for he comes back the same week, which will be as speady a passage as thee can have. The confinement is very disagreeable. Wee are nineteen days here. Wee are informed yt wee shall have noe hearing until the Pro- vincial court meets which will be in May next. Wee are afraid the warm weather with close Confinement will preju- dice our healths being so many in number that wec scarce have room to stirr; having noe more to add att present wee conclude with our love to thee and all our friends and neighbours in gener- all.

"Written in the Goall of Unhappiness and Delivered to friend Onions.

"JOSHUA MINSHALL, "JOHN HENDRICKS."

"To Samuel Blunston."

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Historical, Biographical and Genealogical

CIX.

THE ELDER JEFFERSON .- The follow- ing brief notice of the death of the elder

Jefferson is from the TELEGRAPH of Au- gust 7th, 1832:

"Died on Saturday last [ August 4th ] in this borough, Joseph Jefferson, sen., known for many years as one of the greatest comedians in America, aged 62 years

THE ADMISSION OF MISSOURI .- From a letter written by Gen. James Wallace, then a member of Congress, to the wife of Col. Robert Clark, we have the follow - ing data concerning the proposed admis- sion of Missouri as a State:

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Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I, Part 57

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

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