USA > Pennsylvania > Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. II > Part 8
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"KNOW YE: That reposing special trust confidence in his well and prudent manage- ment for said Deacons and the County, I do hereby constitute, empower and appoint him, the said William Edmonds to be storekeeper or factor at the house lately erected for that purpose in Plainfield township, County of Northampton, and Province of Pennsylva- nia." He relinquished this position in Oc- tober of 1772, to take charge of the store in the village of Nazareth, to which its stock had been removed. Here he died 15th Sep- tember 1786. He was a whole-souled patriot in the struggle for American Independence. J. W. J.
NOTES AND QUERIES.
Historical, Biographical and Genealogical.
CCV.
TIOGA POINT. - We learn that Rev. David Craft, of Wyalusing, Pa., is preparing a history of this important historic spot. No
one is hetter qualified for this work than the very able historian of Northern Pennsylva- nia.
MEGINNESS' HISTORY OF THE WEST BRANCH VALLEY is becoming exceedingly interesting as the work progresses. No. 5 of the serial issue now on our table, displays the pains-taking research of the author, and it is fondly hoped that his labor of love will be properly appreciated.
DEATHS OF NOTED PENNSYLVANIANS.
PIPER, Gen. John, d. January 31, 1816, in his 87th year, in Hopewell, Bedford county.
CLUNN, Col. Joseph, of Bucks county, d. May 17, 1816, aged 70 years.
WORTH, Col. Caleb, President of the So- ciety of the Cincinnati, d. November, 1840, in Chester county.
HOYER, George, d. May 25, 1845, aged 85 years, an early settler in Harrisburg.
WILLIAMSON, Peter, d. at Halifax, of typhus fever, March 9, 1816.
ARMOR, Lieut. Dill, of the U. S. riflemen, d. Sunday, March 17, 1811, at Carlisle.
BATES, Tarleton, prothonotary of Alle- gheny county, fell in a duel Jan. 8, 1806.
BENSELL, George S., a member-elect from the county of Philadelphia, to the Pennsyl- vania House of Representatives, d. at Ger- mantown Nov. 23, 1806, in liis 26th year.
BRIGHT, Gen. Michael, d. at Philadelphia, February, 1812.
BOWIE, Ralph, d. at York, Oct. 22, 1816, "an eminent lawyer of that place."
WILSON-STERRETT.
JAMES WILSON came from the North of Ireland with his parents at the age of seven years. His first wife was Martha Sterrett. After her death he married Ann His children were:
i. William; m. Elizabeth Robinson.
ii. Hugh; m. Isabella Fulton.
iii. Martha; m. David Hays; removed to Shippensburg, Pa.
iv. Joseph; m. Margaret Boyd.
v. Mary; m. James Todd, of Hanover, of whose family we believe we have a pretty full record.
vi. Andrew; b. 1759; d. September 11, 1806; m. June 3, 1788, Martha MeClure, b. 1768; d. Dec. 20, 1814.
vii. James; d. unm. at Reading; was an iron master.
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Historical and Genealogical.
viii. Elizabeth; m. James Stewart. ir. Samuel; m. Eleanor Bell.
As the foregoing connects with a number of the early Scotch Irish families of this re- gion, we will be pleased to receive any infor- mation concerning those here given.
MADAME MONTOUR.
On the 28th of June, 1744, while in at- tendance at the Indian Treaty held at Lan- caster, Witham Marshe, Secretary to the Maryland Commissioners, went to see Madame Montour. We give his account of his visit:
"I went to the cabin where I heard the celebrated Mrs. Montonr, a French lady, (but now, by having lived so long among the Six Nations, is become almost an Indian) had her residence. When I approached the wigwam I saluted her in French, and asked her whether she was not born in Canada ? of what parents ? and whether she had not lived a long time with the Indians ? She answered me in the same language very civilly, and after some compliments were passed betwixt us, told me in a polite man- ner that she was born in Canada, whereof her father (who was a French gentleman) had been Governor; under whose adminis- tration the then Five Nations of Indians had made war against the French and the Hurons, and that government (whom we term the
French Indians, from esponsing their part against
the
English, and living in Canada) and that in the war she was taken by some of the Five Nations' warriors, being then ten years of age, and by them was carried away into their country, where she was habited and brought up in the same manner as their children. That when when she grew up to years of maturity, she was married to a famous war captain of those nations, who was in great esteem for the glory he procured in the war against the Catawbas, a great nation of Indians to the southwest of Virginia, by whom she had several children; but about fit- teen years ago he was killed in a battle with them, since which she has not been married. That she had little or no remembrance of the place of her birth, nor, indeed, of her parents, it being nearly fifty years since she was ravished from them by the Indians. She has been a handsome woman, genteel, and of polite address, notwithstanding her residenee has been so long among the Indians, though formerly she was wont to accompany the
several chiefs, who used to renew treaties of friendship with the Proprietor and Governor of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, the me- tropolis of that Province; and being a white woman, was there much caressed by the gentle-women of that city, with whom she used to stay for some time. She retains her native langauge by conversing with the Frenchmen who trade for fur skins, ete., among the Six Nations; and our language she learned at Philadelphia, as likewise of our traders, who go back into the Indians' country. In her cabin were two of her danghters, by the war-captain, who were both married to persons of the same station, and were then gone to war with the Cataw- bas before mentioned. One of these young women had a son about five years old, who, I think, was one of the finest featured and limbed children mine eyes ever saw, and was not so tawney or greased as the other Indian children, but were on the contrary. His cheeks were ruddy, mixed with a delicate white, had eyes and hair of an hazel eolor, and was neatly dressed in a green ban-jan, and his other garments were suitable.
"Madame Montour has but one son, who for his prowess and martial exploits was lately made a captain and a member of the Indian Council, and is now gone to war against the Catawbas with her sons-in-law. "She is in great esteem with the best sort of white people, and by them always treated with abundance of civility; and whenever the went to Philadelphia (which formerly she did pretty often) the ladies of that city always invited her to their houses, enter- sained her well, and made her several pres- ents."
THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY.
Contributions to Its Biographical History.
ALLISON, WILLIAM.
William Allison, b. November 12, 1693, in the north of Ireland, came to America in company with his brother Robert in the year 1730, and was among the first settlers in Antrim township, Cumberland, now Franklin county. He took up a large traet of land on a portion of which the pretty town of Greencastle is located, hav- ing subsequently been laid out by his son, Col. John Allison. Upon the organi- zation of the county of Cumberland, he was commissioned one of the justices. During the French and Indian war a fort was built
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Historical and Genealogical.
at his residence. He was a prominent man in the pioneer history of the Valley, and one of the founders of the Presbyterian Church. He died on the 14th of December, 1778, "far advanced in years, " as he says in his will, leaving a wife Catharine, and children as follows :
i. John.
ii. Patrick.
iii. Agnes; m. Robert McCrea, and had William.
iv. Robert.
v. Cutharine; m. James Hendricks.
ARMSTRONG, JOSEPH, SEN.
Joseph Arinstrong, a native of the North of Ireland, of Scotch parent- age, came to America abont 1731, settling in the Cumberland Valley in what was subsequently Hamilton township, now Franklin county. He became a very ac- tive man on the frontiers, and when the French and Indian war broke out was com- missioned a captain in the Provincial forces, serving almost continuously from 1755 until the Forbes expedition of 1758. He was with his relative Col. John Armstrong at the de- struction of the Kittanning, and was Pro- vincial agent in the building of the great road from Fort Loudoun to Fort Pitt, and repre- sented Cumberland county in the Assembly from 1756 to 1758. He died at his residence n January, 1761, leaving a wife Jennett, and children following:
i. John; to whom he left his plantation in Orange county, North Carolina.
ii. Thomas.
iii. Joseph.
ir. James.
v. William.
vi. Catharine ; "otherwise Catharine Courey."
vii. Margaret.
ARMSTRONG, JOSEPH. JR.
Joseph Armstrong, son of the preceding Joseph and Jenuett Armstrong, was born in Hamilton township in 1739. Like his father he became very prominent in military affairs and one seems to have been invariably confounded with the other. When the war of the Revolution opened he raised a company of associators, and was subsequently (July, 1776,) placed in command of the Fifth Bat- talion of Cumberland county, serving in the Jersey campaign of this year. Ile was a man of considerable prominence, and among
the strenuous advocates for the erectiou of the new county of Franklin. He died Au- gust 29, 1811, and is buried in the graveyard of Rocky Spring Presbyterian church, of which he was an elder. Of his descendants
we have no knowledge.
NOTES AND QUERIES.
Historical, Biographieal and Genealogical.
CCVI.
"FOLK-LORE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS," by W. J. Hoffman, M. D., in the second number of the Journal of Ameri- can Folk-Lore, would be a very interesting article, were it not for the many false state- ments contained in it. Either the author did not know what he was talking about, or he was misinformed by other writers with vivid imaginations. We believe that we are as well acquainted with the history of the Germans in Pennsylvania as the most of writers. Ten or twelve years ago the New York Sun printed an article of over two columns, entitled "Dutchland in America, " which was so full of the grossest false- hoods, that we essayed a reply refuting all the statements made by that self-made villifier. The writer of the article referred to, seems to have taken his ene from this Sun article. Hle charges the Pennsylvania Germans with continuing a custom, which common decency prevents us from inention- ing. That there were instances, it is true, but it was not indigenous to Pennsylvania. It was transplanted, what there was of it, from the Dutch settlements of New York and the Puritan plantations of staid New England. It seems to be the chief aim of New England and New York writers to belittle and begrime the German, as well as the Seotch-Irish settlers of Pennsyl- vania whenever they can. It is about time that this insolence is stopped.
CUMBERLAND VALLEY WORTHIES.
Contributions to its Biographieal History.
DUNNING, EZEKIEL.
Ezekiel Dunning, son of Robert Dunning, sen., was born in 1708, in the north of Ire- land. llis father was among the first set- tlers west of the Susquehanna. He was well advanced in years when his parents emi-
218
Historical and Genealogical.
grated, receiving a fair education in the land of his nativity. When the county of Cum- berland was organized he appears to have been on the first grand jury. During the French and Indian war he was commissioned lieu- tenant of Captain Byers' company, April 27, 1758, and was upon the Forbes expedition of that year. He served as sheriff of Cumber. land county from 1750 to 1753, and again from 1762 to 1765. He died at his residence July 5, 1796, and in a brief notice of his death the Carlisle Gazette said: "He was one of the first settlers in this county, and always maintained a respectable character as a good and useful citizen. Ile was an affec- tionate husband, a good neighbor, and an honest man."
DUNNING, ROBERT.
Robert Dunning, eldest son of Robert Dun- ning, senior, was born in Ireland about the year 1700. 1Ie seems to have been a man of enterprising spirit, and was quite prominent in the carly days of the Province. He was a licensed Indian trader, and several years were thus spent among the natives. This, however, he shortly relinquished. Dur-
ing the early French 1747-8, he held the commission of lieutenant colonel of associators. When the county of Cumberland was organized, he was ap- pointed one of its first justices, March 10, 1749-50. He died in July, 1750, leaving a wife Mary, and children as follows:
i. James; m. Elizabeth Nugent, daughter of William Nugent and his wife Esther [Chambers].
ii. Mary.
iii. John. iv. Ann.
2. Margaret
Ilis brother Ezekiel, and son James, were executors of his estate.
MCCOY, ROBERT.
Robert McCoy, son of Robert McCoy, sen., was born in Peters township, Cumberland now Franklin county, about the year 1740. His father was among the earliest settlers of the Valley, dying in May, 1777, having the following children :
i. John.
i. Margaret, m. - Ralston.
iii. James; was in the army of the Revo- lution, and killed at the capture of Fort Washington, Nov'r. 16, 1776.
iv. Robert, the subject of this sketch.
o. Hannah; m. -- Craig.
vi. Mary; m. -- McDowell.
vii. Martha; m. - Mcclellan. viii. Jean; m. - Wallace.
The son, Robert, was a captain in the Sixth Battalion of Cumberland County As- sociators, and served as sub-lieutenant of the county, March 12, 1777. He was killed at the Crooked Billet, May 1, 1778.
THE SIMPSONS OF PAXTANG.
I. JOHN SIMPSON, of Scotland, settled in the north of Ireland after the battle of the Boyne, where he died and was buried. Of his family, we have the names of two of his sons, who were early settlers in Paxtang, coming to America in 1720. They were:
2. i. Thomas; b. 1683; m. and had issue. ii. John; b. 1680; m. and had issne; d. in October, 1738, in Paxtang; in his will is designated "of Fishing Creek."
II. THOMAS SIMPSON (John), a native of the north of Ireland, where he was born in 1683, emigrated to America in 1720, and settled in Paxtang, then Conestoga township, Chester county, Penn'a; he died in Paxtang in June, 1761; was twice married; by first wife there was issue :
3. i. Samuel, b. 1706; m. and left issue: ii. Joseph, b. 1708; m. and left issue:
iii. William, b. 1710.
iv. Rebecca, b. 1712. v. John, b. 1714.
By second wife, SARAH. there was issue: vi. Mary, b. 1732; d. October 3, 1786; m. Rev. John Elder.
vii. Jean, b. 1734; d. February 20, 1777; m. William Kelso, b. 1737; d. Nov. 26, 1788; both buried in Paxtang church grave-yard. 4. viii. Thomas, b. 1736; m. and had issne.
ix. Michael, b. 1740; became quite promi- nent in the Revolution, and concerning whom we have given a biographical sketch in Notes and Queries.
III. SAMUEL SIMPSON, (Thomas, John,) b. 1708, in Paxtang; d. in December, 1791, in Paxtang, leaving a wife and the following issne :
i. Jean; b. 1730.
ii. Margaret; b. 1732; m. Oet. 4, 1752, William Augustus Harris; b. 1730; d. about 1760; leaving issne, John and Simpson, both d. s. p.
itt. Sarah; b. 1734; m. Col. William Cooke, of the Revolution.
iv. Samuel; b. 1736.
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Historical and Genealogical.
T. Rebecca; b. 1738; m. Thomas Cavet. vi. Nathaniel; b. 1740; m. Sarah
vii. Mary; b. 1742; m. Robert Taggart, of Northumberland county.
IV. THOMAS SIMPSON (Thomas, John) b. 1736, in Paxtang; d. February, 1777; m. Mary - They had issue:
i. Michael.
ii. Thomas; m. Mary- who after be- ing left a widow, married William Stewart. iii. Rebecca.
COLONEL WILLIAM PLUNKET.
The statement has been made by Hon. John Blair Linn, in his "Annals of Buffalo Valley" (p. 275) that Colonel William Plun- ket, of Northumberland county, Pa., was an uncle of the late William C. Plunket, Lord Chancellor of Ireland and the brother of "David Plunket, who settled at Baltimore and was lost at sea, &c." This statement, repeated by Mr. Meginness in his "Historical Journal," I presume Mr. Linn may have re- ceived from the family of Colonel Plunket. Two years ago a letter written by a descend- ant of Colonel Plunket, stating these points, was referred to me for reply by the family of the late Lord Plunket, with the statement that they knew of no such relationship. Colonel Plunk
died Sunbury, at 1791, "aged about 100 years," says Mr. Meginness in the "Historical Journal" therefore born about 1691. He may have descended from the Plunket family of Ire- land, of which family O'Hart, in his Irish Pedigrees, gives four lines, ie., the Plunket family of "Baune, County Louth" -- that of the "Lords of Fingal"-that of the "Lords Dunsany," and that of "Irishtown, County Meath," all having the same stem, and who are by O'Hart traced back to Adam. In this way he is doubtless connected with the family of William, Lord Plunket, but the exact relationship does not appear. The father of Lord Pluuket was an only son.
I. The Reverend Patrick Plunket, a Pres- byterian clergyman of Glennan, County Monaghan, Ireland, died 1778, whose wife was a granddaughter of Sir William Welles, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, had only one son :
II. Rev. Thomas Plunket, who in 1749 m. Mary Conyngham, the daughter of Captain David Conyngham, of Letterkenny, County Donegal, Esquire, and his wife, Catherine O'Hanlon, daughter of Redmond O'Hanlon, a celebrated Irish chieftain whom the British
had outlawed, having robbed him of all his possessions. David Conyngham was the great-grandson of the Bishop of Argyll, 1539, of the noble house of Glencairn. Mary Conyngham was the sister of Redmond Conyngham, of Letterkenny, Esquire, who came to Philadelphia and established the firms of J. M. Nesbit & Co., Conyngham, Nesbit & Co , which were so prominent dur- ing the American Revolution. Redmond Conyngham was the grandfather of Hon. John Nesbit Conyngham, LL. D .. of Wilkes- Barre, Pa , and of Hon. Redmond Conyng- ham, of Lancaster, Pa. The Rev. Thomas and Mary (Conyngham) Plunket had :
i. Patrick, M. D .; who never came to the United States.
it. David; who came to the United States about 1772, settled in Baltimore, Md., where his cousin, David Stewart, had also located; was second lieutenant sixth company, Col. Smallwood's regiment, 1776, having raised his company in Baltimore; was captain 1777. served through the Revolutionary war, and was subsequently "lost at sca while on a voyage to the West Indies, " and is especially spoken of as his brother in the "Life of Lord Plunket."
iii. Robert; who never came to the United States.
iv. Catherine.
v. Isabella.
vi. William Conyngham, b. 1764, made Lord Plunket, 1827; Lord Chancellor of Ireland, 1830-1841, and whose eldest son is the present Archbishop of Dublin.
This disposes of the claim that Colonel William Plunket was of the immediate fam- ily of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland; as the above pedigree is based on family record.
HORACE EDWIN HAYDEN. Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
[We may state in this connection that the father of Col. William Plunket was named Patrick Planket, but who he was is not known. ]
NOTES AND QUERIES.
Historical, Biographical and Genealogical.
CCV.I.
ORIGIN OF GETTYSBURG. - From the New York Columbian, of March 28, 1815, we glean this item: "Died, in Gettysburg, (Pa.), Mrs. Isabella Gettys, in the 84th year of her age: and on the evening following,
.
220
Historical and Genealogical.
her son, Gen. James Gettys, proprietor of that borough in the 56th year of his age."
GRAFF, GROFF AND GROVE .- To show how surnames change we give the following, according to the records of each family :
I. ABRAHAM GRAFF came from Germany about 1725 and settled near Ephrata, Lan- caster county, where he died in 1788. He left five children.
II. JACOB GROFF, son of the foregoing, born in 1751, removed to near Hummels- town, Dauphin county, about the year 1800. He married Nancy Kneisley [Nissley, no doubt] of Ephrata, and they had sixteen children.
III. HENRY GROVE, a son of the fore- going. b. October 20th, 1784, removed to Springfield, Illinois, in 1836, where he died January, 1863. He married June 7th, 1808, Eve Hammaker, of Dauphin county, b. January 9th, 1791, d. November 6th, 1862. They had twelve children. We are under the impression that these have added a final s, to their names, making it Groves. Is it any wonder that the genealogist sometimes be- comes confounded ?
REMINISCENCES OF SECOND AND STATE STREETS.
Previous to 1809, when the Legislature was sitting at Lancaster, before the borough of llarrisburg was selected as the seat of government, the site now occupied by the public buldings, was included in the farm of William Maclay. Here it was that the exe- cution of murderers took place. These were John Hauer and Charles McManus, in 1798, for the murder of Francis Shitz, in Hei- delberg township, Dauphin county, now a part of Lebanon county, and James Me- Gowen and James Jamison in 1806, for the murder of Jacob Eshleman, who lived at Round Top, near Middletown. No execu- tions took place from that date until July Ist. 1818, when the erection of the publie buildings having been commenced, the place of execution was changed to a field now at the corner of Second and State streets. The limits of the borough ended at South street, and all above embraced the land of Mr. Ma- clay. A publie road continued from Second street, which was afterwards converted into the Juniata turnpike. It passed on the east side and through the farm. A large and ancient chestnut tree stood near the road, under which were executed James
London, August the 8th, 1818, and Benja- min Stewart on February 6th, 1824. The gallows at that time had no drops, but were constructed with two upright timbers, with a cross pieee above, to which the rope was fastened. The culprit was placed in cart with the eoffin, and a
after the rope was adjusted around his neck, the eart was removed and the man left. dang- ling, dying of strangulation. All executions were public, and attended by military com- panies and large numbers of people, many coming from the neighboring country and towns. Frequently much disorder prevailed. It was in this field also that the annual mi- litia trainings were held, where under and around the large chestnut tree the tables of those who soldl refreshments were stationed. These militia trainings were looked forward to very anxiously by all, and considered one of the important occasions of that time. They were called "battalion days," and en- abled the field and staff officers to exhibit themselves in military uniforms and on horseback. The old tree remained for some years after State street was opened, and un- til it was removed to make room for the buildings which ocenpy the west corner of Second and State streets. OLD TIMES.
CUMBERLAND VALLEY WORTIHES.
Contributions to its Biographical History.
FOULKE, STEPHEN.
Stephen Foulke, son of Stephen, and his wife Esther Willis, was born in Glamorgan- shire, Wales, October 15th, 1732. The par- ents came to Atnerica in 1740 and settled in the Cumberland Valley. The son was one of the first iron manufacturers west. of the Susque- hanna river, and it is stated, but on what authority we know not, that he built the Mt. Holly iron works. Ile died upon his farm adjoining Carlisle, November 20th, 1800, and was interred at Huntingdon, York county. The Gazette said of him that he "was in an advanced stage of life, and one of the first set- tlers of this county." Mr. Foulke, m. June 10th, 1777, Sarah Delap, and their children were :
¿ Susanna; m., April 3, 1792, Richard Sheldon, ironmaster, of Cumberland county. ii. William; b. 1779; d. January 17, 1811, at hisresidence, Petite Bourgon, Island of Trinidad, whither he had removed ten years before; left a wife and three children.
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Historical and Genealogical.
iii. George-Delap; b. November 12, 1780 ; d. August 14, 1849; was a physician; m. Mary Steel, daughter of Ephraim Steel, of Carlisle.
iv. Lewis; a merchant of Baltimore, m. Dee. 18, 1805, Susan Fonderan of that city. ". Eneas; d. May 21, 1806, in the prime of life.
ci. Sarah; m. July 25, 1809, James Hun- ter of North Carolina.
vii. Priscilla; m., March 24, 1811, James Weakley.
WEST, FRANCIS.
Francis West, a native of Seotland, born about 1715, emigrated to Ireland, where he married Mary Wynn. He came to America in 1754, and settled at Carlisle. Being a man of education, he was appointed one of the justices July 13, 1757, an office he held for almost a quarter of a eentury. About 1765 he ereeted a house and mill yet standing, on Shearman's ereek, whither he removed towards the begin- ning of the war of the Revolu-
tion. He was active and promi- nent in publie affairs and his name is fre- quently met with in our Provincial records. A stauneh Presbyterian, he was a strong ad- voeate for independenee. Ile died at his residenee, on Shearman's ereek, in December, 1783, leaving the following children, his wife having died prior thereto :
i. Ann; d. Feb. 9, 1809; m. Col. George Gibson; d. Dee. 11, 1791, in his 47th year; and whose children were Francis, Gen. George, John Bannister, chief justice of Pennsylvania, and William.
ii. William; d. in 1797, at Baltimore; un- married.
iii. Mary; d. July 23, 1840, aged about 100 years; m. Gen. David Mitehell of the Revolution.
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