USA > Pennsylvania > Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. II > Part 9
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ir. Edward; d. in 1816, at Landisburg, Perry county, was twiee married, and his children were, William, who died in IIarris- burg in 1882 at an advanced age, the father of Rev. William A. West, of this eity; George, Edward, Henry; Nancy, m. Rev. David Elliott, D. D., and Armstrong.
v. Dorothy; b. October 23, 1759; m. Pat- riek Kinsloe, of Juniata county, Pa., and whose descendants remain in that locality.
Mr. West was a brother-in-law of Col. Alexander Lowrey, of Laneaster county, his sister Ann, the widow of Herinanus
Alrieks, being the second wife of that Rev- olutionary patriot.
NOTES AND QUERIES.
Historical, Biographical and Genealogical.
CCVIH.
KEAGLE. - John Keagle, b. July 14, 1794, near Harrisburg, Pa. ; removed to Ohio, and after some years, in 1835, to Sangamon county, Ill. He died there in June, 1872. What is known concerning this family ?
PRIVATEER ALABAMA .- A correspondent asks the question why this vessel was called "290." In answer would state that she was thus callel because she was fitted up by two hundred and ninety English merchants, for the purpose of preying upon American com- merce. She sailed from England under that name, but the rebel government gave her the name of Alabama.
THE POLITICAL CONVENTIONS OF 1860. - In reply to "HI. B., " who inquires when and where were the Presidential conventions of 1860 held, and who were the principal ean- didates before those bodies, we have the fol- lowing: The Republican convention met at Chicago, Illinois, ou the 16th of May, and with the exception of some of the extreme Southern States, there was a full represen- tation of all sections of the country. After the third ballot, Abraham Lincoln, of Illi- nois, was nominated for President, he re- eeiving 2313 votes ; W. II. Seward, of New York, 180; S. P. Chase, of Ohio, 243; Ed- ward Bates, of Missouri, 22; and others seattering. "Breaks" in the various delega- tions gave Lincoln 354 votes at the elose. IFannibal Hamlin, of Maine, was nominated for Vice President. The regular Democratie convention met at Charleston, South Caro- lina, April 26th. After fieree debates on the question of a platform, the rabid pro-slavery members withdrew. The convention then took fifty-seven ineffeetual ballots for Presi- dent, and finally adjourned to meet in Balti- inore on June 18th. On reassembling in that eity, the convention nominated Stephen A. Douglas for President on the second ballot. At Charleston his chief competitors had been James Guthrie, of Kentucky, and Senator Hunter, of Virginia. The Southern seceders from the Charleston gathering assembled at
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Baltimore on June 28th, and unanimously nominated for President John C. Breekin- ridge, of Kentucky, and for Vice President Joseph Lane, of Oregon. The representa- tives of the Constitutional Union party had also assembled in Baltimore on the 9th of May, selecting as its candidate for President John Bell of Tennessee, and for Vice Presi- dent Edward Everett, of Massachusetts. At the polls the Lincoln and the Douglas tickets received most of their support from the North; the Bell and Breckinridge tickets most of theirs from the South.
CUMBERLAND VALLEY WORTHLIES.
Contribution to Its Biographical History.
FORSTER, ARTHUR.
ARTHUR FORSTER, son of an apothecary of Berwick upon-Tweed, eonnty of No.th- umberland. England, was born there about the year 1720. Ile studied law in London, and came to America abont the time of the erection of Cumberland county. We have no knowledge as to when he was admitted to the bar there. Ile seems to have been quite prominent in his profession and a gentleman of excellent acquirements. lle died rather suddenly at Carlisle in De- eember, 1757, and was there interred. His estate, which was considerable, he devised first to his brother William Forster, an apothecary of Hexham, county of Northnm- berland, England, but should he refuse to come to America to his brother Thomas Forster, of Norham, near Berwick-upon- Tweed, England. In case he also refused it was to go to his executors, who were "Fran- eis West, Esq., and John Smith, merchant, both of Carlisle."
UNDERWOOD, JOHN.
John Underwood, b. in 1728 in county Antrim, Ireland, was educated at Belfast, and came to America about 1772, locating at Carlisle, where he entered mercantile pur- suits. The war of the Revolution breaking out shortly after, he took an active part in the struggle for independence, and was with the associators at Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and Germantown. At the close of the war he resumed business at Carlisle which had been greatly de- ranged thereby. He died at Carlisle on the 8th of September, 1827, in the 79th year of his age. Mr. Underwood's sons,
William B. and James, founded the Carlisle Volunteer, a paper which yet survives in a green old age. The elder son, who died No- vember 9, 1834, served in the war of 1812. The younger brother continued the Volunteer several years, when he disposed of it. We have not the date of his death.
SMITH, JOHN.
John Smith, b. in 1759 in Middleton township; d. October 7, 1839, in Carlisle. His father, John Smith, was an early settler of the Cumberland Valley, and held some im- portant offices after the organization of the county of Cumberland. The son settled at Carlisle in business. When the war of the Revolution commenced he entered into the Continental service. He was commissioned an ensign in 1777, and participated in the hard-fought battles of Brandywine and
Germantown. For gallant and ineri- torious conduct he was promoted to a lieu- tenantey, and retired at the elose of the struggle for freedom with a captain's com- mission. From that period until the close of his long life he resided at Carlisle, "re- speeted and beloved by all his aequain- tances." His remains were interred with the honors of war. No doubt there are those yet living, who remember well this funeral of about the last survivor of the war of the Revolution at Carlisle.
FAMILY OF SNIVELY.
I. JOHN JACOB SCHNEBELE, born A. D. 1659, in Switzerland. He undoubtedly emi- grated to America on the ship Friendship of Bristol, John Davies, master, all being Pala- tinates, and numbering, with their families, about two hundred persons, and landed at Philadelphia October 16, 1727. In the list we find the name of Jacob Sneppley and Heinrich Sehnebli, and it is to the former we wish to follow with a brief record, some of whose descendants reside in Dauphin, Lebanon and Franklin counties.
John Jacob Snively was naturalized at Philadelphia Oct. 14, 1729. He settled near what is now the present town of Greeneastle, Franklin county, Pa., where he died Aug. 24, 1766. IIe m. twiee; by the first he had issne two sons: He m., secondly Barbara Eberly and they had issue:
i. Henry; b. 1739; m. Barbara Whitmore and had issue, Peter, Elizabeth, Henry, Jacob and Joseph. All but one married and left issue residing in Franklin county, Pa.
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2. ii. Joseph ; b. Dec. 19, 1748; m. Magda- lena Stoner.
iii Andrew; b. Jau. 4, 1751 ; d. Feb. 25, 1813; m. first Susannalı Funk and had issue. He m. secondly Mary Magdalena Shenk and they had issue, and the descendants from both wives are quite numerous, scat- tered all through the States, some becoming in their day quite prominent; three in one family are ministers in the Protestant Epis- copal church.
iv Michael; b. Jan. 25; 1757; d. unm.
v. Jacob: b. Nov. 15, 1763; m. Eva Cole- man and had issue, many of whose descend- ants reside in Canada.
II. JOSEPH SNIVELY (John Jacob) b. Dec. 19, 1748; d. 1835 in Franklin county, Pa., where he resided all his life and followed farming. He married Magdalena Stoner. They had issue :
i. Barbara; b. Jan. 12, 1774; m. Martin Bechtel.
ii. Jacob; b. Feb. 7. 1776; m. Eliza- beth Stoner; they had issue:
a. Mary; m. Martin Newcomer.
b. Susannah; m. Samnel Snively and. left issue residing near Greencastle, Pa. c. Eliza, m. George Besore and had Clara, Abraham and Alfred.
d. Nancy, m. Dr. John Lambert, of Chambersburg, Pa., and had (surname Lambert) Ann Eliza, Bruce and Ellen, m. William Bard.
e. Rebecca, m. John Oaks, of Chambers- burg, Pa., and had issue.
f. Catharine MI,, m. James Chariton, resid- ed in Dwight, Ill.
g. Daniel, unın.
iii. Anna, b. Jannary 22, 1780; d. 1863; m. Isaac Garber.
iv. John, b. December 5, 1783; m. Cath- arine Poorman. He resided and died in Franklin county, Pa. They had issue:
a. Elizabeth, m. Adam Grittinger; they had issne residing in Lebanon county.
b. Mary, m. John (son of William, son of John, son of Johannes) Early ; they had issue (surname Early) :
1. Louisa; m. Henry Light; resides in Lebanon, Pa.
2. Jacob.
3. Benj. F .; married, and resides in Marion, Fla.
4. Mary; resides in Dauphin county, m. John Shouffler.
5. Joseph; m. Maggie Buck, and resides in Cumberland county, Pa.
6. Lucretia; resides in Lebanon county, Pa. 7. Ezra, resides in Lebanon county, Pa. 8. Anna, resides in Lebanon county, Pa.
c. Melchi, m. Elizabeth Newcomer; re- sided at Shady Grove, Pa.
d. Catharine, m. William Malavary, re- siding at Greencastle, Pa.
2. Joseph, b. December 12, 1786 ; d. An- gust 22, 1872; m. Nancy Baechtel; had issue; nine children; all leaving large families ex- cepting the oldest, Isaac, who died in 1831 while attending Yale College.
New Haven, Conn. E. W. S. P.
NOTES AND QUERIES.
Historical, Biographical and Genealogieal.
CCIX.
ALLEN .- Samuel Allen married Rebecca Smith. After his death she married Caldwell. The children of the former are giveu in Egle's Pennsylvania Genealogies. What was the Christian name of Caldwell ?
PATTERSON'S ISLAND. - This island, con- taining 24 acres of land, was located two miles below Harrisburg. Can any of our readers inform us which one of the islands opposite Steelton this refers to ?
BUCHANAN .- Robert and William Bu- chanan, brothers, resided in Middle Paxtang township in 1800. Can Mr. Meetch furnish N. & Q. information concerning them ?
HAMAKER .- Among the very early set- tlers on the Swatara and Derry township was Adam Hamaker. He died prior to 1793, but in that year there were living of his children the following:
i. Adam, and wife Mary.
ii. Henry, and wife Mary, of Mifflin county, Pa. iii. Abraham.
iv. Peter, of Lancaster county, Pa.
v. Isaac.
vi. Daniel, and wife Ann, of Virginia.
vii. Eve, m. Francis Groff, of Lancaster county.
viii. Elizabeth, m. Anthony Shoemaker, of Lancaster county.
ir. Salome, m. Adam Lambert, of Vir- ginia.
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Historical and Genealogical.
x. Ann, m. John Etter, of Lancaster county.
xi. Christian, and wife Ann.
xii. Samuel, and wife Ann, of Franklin county, Pa.
WHO FIRST DESCENDED THE SUS- QUEHANNA.
[We are indebted to a gentleman well versed in the aboriginal history of the coun- try for the following notes, which are well worth perusing and preserving.]
In regard to your inquiry as to the parties first descending the Susquehanna, the ac- counts are found in different works as fol- lows:
First. Three Dutchmen (one name Kleyn- ties) accompanied a party of Mohawks in 1614 from Fort Nassan (afterwards Fort Orange, now Albany, N. Y.), in a war ex- pedition against the Carantonans, as then called by the French, but known to the Dutch as Minquas. The great town of this tribe was then located at so-called "Spanish Hill," near Waverly, and a smaller town on Sugar creek, near North Towanda. The attack was unsuccessful, and the three Dutchmen were captured.
Champlain, in 1615, accompanied a party of Hurons in a war expedition against the Onondagas, and sent Stephen Brule, a French- nian, with a party of Hurons to make ar- rangements with the Carantouans to send 500 warriors to aid the Hurons, &c., in their war against the Onondagas. The expedi- tion was unsuccessful, and Brule returned with the Carantouans, and wintered among them. The next spring he descended the river, as he says, to the sea, and afterward, in attempting to return, was captured by the Iroquois. and not until 1619 did he find Champlain, who then wrote ont his account. The Carantouan account of this capture of the Dutchmen, and of the expeditions is found in Champlain's works. These books as originals are very rare. A reprint, second edition, in French, was published at Quebec a few years since, by Geo. E. Des- barats, but this is now obtained with great dif- ficulty. The Prince Society of Boston, have recently translated and published a beauti- ful edition of all the works of Champlain, in three volumes. The Dutch account of the capture of these men and of their ransom will be found in vol. 1 of the Docu- mentary history of N. Y., p. 14. This is exceedingly brief, however. Additional
faets will be found in the two maps in same vol. at pages 10 and 12. On the second one the Susquehanna appears as far down as Towanda. This was made as I think in 1614. On the 1st, made as I believe in 1616, the same river appears, fairly correct- as far down as Shamokin, and incorrectly below that point, and is made to flow into Delaware Bay to the West of the De'aware. Neither of these maps as yet, has been cor- rectly interpreted inany published work. I have prepared an analysis, but it is lengthy, and must be re-written before it is fit to read even.
You will find two maps d seussed by Mr. Brodhead in the N. Y. H. S. Proceedings for 1845, pp. 182-192. IIe failed, nn- fortunately, in his analysis, and since that date I am not aware of any one attempting the discussion, and, possibly, I may regret making the attempt. If you take the trouble to examine the question, you will find that my interpretation is something original and entirely new. If I can ever find time to visit your place I will bring along all my notes and discuss the Susquehanna question fully. I expected before this to send you an artiele for your Notes and Queries on CANAWAGA, or CONEWAGO as yon write it, followed by one on CONESTOGA, and another on SUSQUEHANNA, but have been unable to do so as yet. If you can find the exact lo- cality of the "Sasquahana Indian Fort" (see map in your Hist., p. 92, and Moll's map 1715, Herrman's 1670) it will be an in- teresting discovery. It will be found on a. high hill-on the south bank of the river- with a level space or nearly so on top of not less than 3 or 4 acres, a short distance below the "great falls, " possibly between Great and Little Conewago, but certainly between two streams of some character. I could find it in one day's search, in my opinion.
CUMBERLAND VALLEY WORTHIES.
Contributions to Its Biographical History.
POTTER, JOHN.
John Potter, of Scotch parentage, was a. native of county Tyrone, Ireland, where lie was born about the year 1705. He emi- grated to America in 1741, and located in Antrim township, now Franklin county. In the early Freneh war of
in 1747-'48 he was the service as first lieutenant, and took an active part in the Indian war following Braddoek's
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Historical and Genealogical.
defeat, on the 17th of February, 1756, fol- lowing being commissioned a captain in the Second Pennsylvania Battalion. Upon the organization of the county of Cumberland he was appointed the first sheriff, and was again commissioned in 1753. He died about 1758. His children were: James, a major general in the ariny of the Revolution; Samuel, Thomas, Margaret in. George Lattimore, Annis m. Alexander Young, Catharine, Mary, Hannoh and Isabella. In January, 1761, his widow Martha was the wife of Thomas Brown, of Brown's Mills, also of Antrim township.
REYNOLDS, WILLIAM.
William Reynolds, eldest son of John and Mary (Magaw) Reynolds, was born in Hope- well township, now cumberland county, in 1730. We Erst hear of him during the French and Indian war when he was con- missioned December 19, 1757, a lieutenant in .Col. James Burd's Battalion of Pennsylvania troops. He was wounded at Grant's defeat near Fort Duquesne September 17, 1758. Never fully recovering, he resigned March 17, 1750. Ile died after a short illness in Feb- ruary, 1769, at his residence in IIopewell township. IIe married Margaret William- son, son of John and Mary Williamson, of the Cumberland Valley. She was there- fore a sister of the Rev. Hngh Williamson. Their children were Mary, Agnes, Margaret, and one not known.
TALBOT, JEREMIAH.
Jeremiah Talbot was a native of Talbot county, Maryland. He was descended from George Talbot, closely related to the Propri- etary of Maryland, and who laid out Sus- quelianna Manor in that Province. Jeremiah Talbot came to Pennsylvania about 1770, and settled in Hamilton township, now Franklin county. When the war of the Revolution began he raised a company of volunteers for the Sixth Battalion of the Pennsylvania Line, Col. William Irvine, of which he was commissioned captain January 9, 1776. Ile participated in the Canada campaign of that year, and was slightly wounded at Three Rivers. At the expiration of the term of service, his company re-en- listed for three years or during the war, and was attached to the Seventh Regiment of the Line. He was promoted major of the Sixth Regiment of the Line, September 24, 1777. He
continued in service until the re-arrangement of January 1st, 1781, when he was retired. He then returned to his home in the Cum- berland Valley. When the new county of Franklin was erected in 1784, he was ap- pointed its first sheriff, elected in 1785, and again in 1786. He was commissioned county lieutenant, December 1, 1787, serving until the office was abolished. He seems to have shared the fate of nineteen-twentieths of all who filled the sheriff's office in the early times, and became financially embar- rassed in his latter davs. IIe died at Chambersburg, January 17, 1791, and is buried in the Presbyterian grave yard at Falling Spring. His widow and children af- terwards removed to the vicinity of Mercers- burg. Major Talbot was one of the bravest of our Revolutionary heroes, a man of prom- inence and influence in the early history of Franklin county, and one whose memory should be preserved and cherished by its peo- płe.
NOTES AND QUERIES.
Historical, Biographical and Genealogical.
CCx.
PRESTON. - A correspondent from Indian- apolis makes inquiry concerning the family of Preston in Pennsylvania. By reference to Fnthey and Cope's History of Chester county he will find that he is descended from Wil- liam and Jane Preston, "of Bradley in the parish of Huthersfield, Old England," who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1717 and settled in Buckingham, Bucks county.
FISHBURN .- Philip Fishburn was one of the first settlers of Hummelstown. He was a gunsmith, and did good service in the Revolutiou repairing and making guns for the patriot army. He was born May 7, 1722, ard d. Feb. 22, 1795; his wife Catha- rine. b. Sept. 7, 1724, d. Dec. : , 1788. The children surviving were:
i, Margaret; m. Peter Greiner. ii. Philip. iii. Ludwig.
iv. Peter. v. Deitrick.
vi. Magdaline; m. John Reigart.
vii Catharine; m. Daniel Baum.
viii. Anna Maria; m. John Greiner.
.
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Historical and Genealogical.
SKETCH OF THE ELIZABETH FOR- NACE ESTATE.
[The following brief sketch of one of the most valuable estates in Pennsylvania was furnished the Editor of Notes and Queries several years ago. Since then some in- queries have been made requesting the in- formation, but until the present we have not had space for it. ]
Some time previons to the year 1755, Jacob Haber, who then owned the tract of land upon which these works now stand, erected a small furnace there. Like all other new undertakings of this kind. com- menced and condneted with but small ex- perience of the besiness, Huber soon found it expedient to dispose of his establishment. Accordingly he parted with all his estate of the furnace tract and such other lands as he had acquired to a company composed in (Baron) Henry William Stiegel, Charles Stedman and Alexander Stedman. The Stedmans living at a distance, Stiegel be- came the active owner and manager of the estate. lle accordingly took passession, erected a new furnace and carried on the works for the space of abont eighteen years, during which period he acquire i for the use of the company a considerable addition to the furnace lands, and also made some pur- chases in his own right.
In the meantime, Mr. Stiegel became em- barrassed in his cirenmstances ; he fell largely in debt to David Bennezet, of Philadelphia, for the security of which he mortgaged all his undivided third part of the Elizabeth furnace estate to Mr. Bennezet, and not hav- ing paid the money, proceedings were Lad upon the mortgage; a levari fucius, issued upon a judgment obtained thereupon, by virtue of which a sale was made by John Ferree, Esq., high sheriff of Lancaster county, to Daniel Bennezet, the mortgagee, who received a deed for the mortgaged premises, dated the fifth of May, 1775. Daniel Bennezet also became the purchaser at two other and subsequent sheriff's sales of other lands belonging to Mr. Stiegel, and re- ceive I sheriff's deeds therefor, all of which are described and conveyed in Mr. Bennezet's deed to Robert Coleman.
In the year 1776, possessed of bnt a small capital, and recently married, Robert Cole- man took a lease for the Elizabeth furnace estate for the term of seven years, not an- ticipating at that time that before the expiration of the lease lie should have
it in his power to become the owner in fee simple of the whole or greater part of the estate. Snecess, however, crowned his en- deavors, a new and regular system was adopted, by which the business of iron works was made to resemble more a well- conducted manufactory than the seenes of confusion and disorder, which had before that time prevailed in that business.
During the continuance of the lease Mr. Coleman made several purchases of lands contiguous to the estate, and in the year 1780 purchased from John Dickinson, Esq., the one undivided third part of Elizabeth Furnace and lands thereto belonging, he hav- ing before that time become the owner of all the estate and interest which Alexander Stedman held in the same, as appears by the sheriff's deed to Mr. Dickinson, and by his deed to Robert Coleman, dated the 30th of December, 1780.
In the year 1784 Mr. Coleman purchased ont Mr. Charles Stedman, who also held an undivided third part of the estate, as appears by his deed, bearing date the 25th of Febru- arv, 1784. The remaining third part of the original estate was not purchased by Mr. Coleman from Daniel Bennezet until the year 1794, he either not being inclined to sell or asking more than the former thought it expedient to give.
llenry Wilham Stiegel estimated the quan- tity of land belonging to Elizabeth Furnace at upwards of 10, 000 acres at the time of his concern therein, as appeared by a list of the tracts in his handwriting found among the papers, which upon a partial survey thereof afterwards made, was found erroneous, and falling far short of that quantity. Here it may be remarked that the original title pipers in the partnership lands ean be traced to their source with all the certainty which is desirable. So far, however, as they ean be traced they will be found in bundle marked "Elizabeth Furnace, " old papers, in posses- sion of the Coleman estate.
In the year 1782 William Scull, the emi- nent land surveyor, was employed by Robert Coleman to make a survey of the furnace lands, which he accordingly eommeneed, and made a general draft thereof upon pareh- ment in his handwriting, and now among the papers, which draft represents, nearly all the original traets of land belonging to the estate at that time, and are numbered thereon from No. 1 to No. 24 inclusive. William Seull, however, died before he completed the draft.
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From the year 1778 down to the present time various purchases were made and added to this estate.
ROGERS FAMILY OF HANOVER.
I. ROBERT ROGERS, an emigrant from the North of Ireland, settled "on the Estu- rara, " (Swatara) in then Hanover township, Lancaster county, Province of Pennsylvania, in 1733. He died there prior to 1750, and with his wife lie buried in old Hanover church graveyard. They had among other children :
i. Robert; d. November, 1745, leaving a wife Elizabeth.
ii. George ; m. and had among others: 1. Robert.
2. Seth ; who in 1766, resided in Au- gusta county, Va.
iii. Seth ; d. May, 1758; laving a wife Katharine, and had:
1. Robert; d. prior to 1763.
iv. Joseph; removed about 1750 to North Carolina, where he died, leaving among ·other children :
1. Robert. 2. William.
2. v. Hugh; m. and left issue. vi. [A dou.]; m. - Ilunter and had Robert. vii. [A dau.]; m. -- McCormick, and had Seth.
viii. [A dan.]; m. - Wilsou, and had Francis, of North Carolina.
II. HUGH ROGERS; b. in Ireland; m. and had issue, among other children :;
i. Robert. ii. John; d. prior to 1803, and had :
1. Margaret, m. David Hayes. 2. Mary. iii. Elizabeth.
[In addition to the foregoing we have the following connected therewith, but have no information than given. ]
I. JAMES ROGERS, b. 1735, in Hanover, d. April 18, 1790, and is buried in Hanover Church graveyard. He married and left is- sue :
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