John Stephen Craig - a new find!

Way back in 2013, I wrote a post sharing the first newspaper articles I had ever seen regarding the murder of my great-great-grandfather John Stephen Craig. Since that was written, I have discovered other articles, containing very little additional information, and that seemed to be all there was.

But last weekend I was exploring Newspapers.com, and a number of articles showed up in my search results. I wasn't even looking for articles about his death; but they matched my search terms and appeared anyway. Most of these I ignored, as clippings I have examined and reexamined. But a few grabbed my attention, appearing in a newspaper I had never before accessed. It was the Omaha Daily News, and I diligently looked at every article that popped up from that press, although with little expectation of learning anything new.

One front-page article announced his death and its circumstances, giving much of the same information that I have already seen, yet adding a number of details I had not seen. I read with interest:

FIND BODY OF MURDERED MAN IN VACANT LOT
Say Robbery Not Motive for Killing of John Craig, 70, Expressman.
MONEY IN HIS CLOTHING
Home Where He Lived With Son Shows Apparent Evidence of Struggle.
MAN'S SKULL CRUSHED

John Craig, 70, an expressman, Eleventh and Paul streets, was slain by an unknown assassin some time Wednesday night. His body was found with the skull crushed in a vacant lot near his home at 6 a. m. today.

He had been dead several hours in the opinion of Policeman Antone Franel. Robbery is not believed to have been the motive for the crime as Craig had not been robbed of a gold watch and $7.95 in money, which Franel found in his clothing.

The injury could not have been received accidentally, according to police, as the body was not lying near any hard object against which Craig could have struck his head in a fall, and the victim could not have walked to the spot after receiving the injury, which is believed to have caused death instantly.

Evidence of Struggle.

Examination of the one room hovel, Eleventh and Paul, where the old man had lived for thirty eight years, showed that the door had been broken in. The room also bore evidence of a struggle, a can, containing two loaves of bread, being found under the bed, and the other furniture being disarranged.

Detective John Dunn, accompanied by Matthew Craig, 3818 Franklin street, a son, were unable to find a sum of money, which the latter's father was believed to have hidden in the hut.

Among the personal effects found on Craig's body were two tickets to the Orpheum theater for last night.

Police are undecided whether Craig had started to the theater and was struck down, where he was found, or whether he was slain by a man who broke into the cabin.

Harry Craig, another son, who resided with his father, could not be found this morning. He and been operating a small store, owned by his father, a few feet from where they lived, while his father conducted an express business

Go to Daughter's Home.

During his search for Harry Craig, Dunn went to the home of Mrs. Harry Stroesser, 417 North Fortieth street, a daughter. She said she had not seen her brother or father for a long time, that they had been forbidden to come to her home by her husband.

Stroesser, however, said he saw his father-in-law in Micky Gibson's saloon at 5 p. m. yesterday with three men, Stroesser is a city carpenter.

"I did not speak to Craig when I met him," said Stroesser. "We never spoke to each other."

Matthew Craig told police today that he had a premonition of danger last night while eating dinner, and that he was unable to finish his meal.

"I felt as though some misfortune were impending, but I didn't know what it was," he said.

He said his father had driven a negro robber from his store about a year ago with a pistol and that the negro threatened to "get revenge."

County Attorney Magney announced that an inquest will be held Friday or Saturday.

As I scrolled down the page to read, something stunning caught my eye. The article was interrupted by a photograph. Could it be? Could it really be a picture of John Craig himself? Forcing myself to submit to the suspense, I focused on the task at hand, allowing myself to scroll to the bottom of the picture only after reading the words above.

And there, at the bottom of the picture, was his name. It truly was a portrait of my 2great-grandfather, the first I had ever seen.


 

I stared in shock. It really was him. After a few moments to realize what I was looking at, I zoomed in and tried to take him in. Strangely, I could see little family resemblance. But I could appreciate his magnificent mustache, and wonder at his piercing eyes. Is it merely a fluke of the newsprint, or did he have heterochromia? It looks as though one eye was a light color like blue, and the other eye was a dark color like brown.

This extraordinary visual image was not my only discovery, either. I also found an article that gave a much clearer explanation about why John's son Harry, who was held for the crime, was released.

EXONERATE SON OF MAN FOUND MURDERED

Harry Craig, Held for Investigation, Proves an Alibi at the Inquest.
Harry Craig, held by police for investigation in connection with the murder of his father, John Craig, 62, found dead Thursday morning, his head crushed, proved an alibi and won his freedom at an inquest Saturday afternoon.

Craig accounted for his actions from late in the afternoon preceding the murder until the following day and was released by order of County Attorney Magney.

He proved to the satisfaction of the jury that he was at Micky Gibson's saloon at 7 p. m., the night of the murder to keep an appointment with his father, who did not come to the saloon; that he was at the Millard hotel at 8 o'clock; in a pool hall at 9 and in bed at the Millard at 10.

Mrs. Harry Stroesser, a daughter, testified that she knew of no enemies of her father. The verdict was that Craig was killed by a blow on the head, inflicted by an unknown person.

Funeral services will be held at 4 p. m. today.

Sources:

"Find Body of Murdered Man in Vacant Lot," Omaha Daily News, 22 Feb 1917, p. 1, col. 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 16 Feb 2025).

"Exonerate Son of Man Found Murdered," Omaha Daily News, 25 Feb 1917, p. 1, col. 5; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 16 Feb 2025).

 

Amanuensis Monday: Abraham Steinbruch will, 1801

This is the will of my 6great-grandfather Abraham Steinbruch (also spelled Stainbrook). I love how, reading it aloud, you can practically hear his German accent in his misspellings of various words. It does, however, make it somewhat difficult to read. In this transcription, I have added bracketed "translations" whenever it seemed a particular word might cause consternation. (Bracketed words or phrases followed by a question mark continue to indicate an uncertain transcription, as usual.) There are, I admit, still a few places where I remain puzzled. What, for instance, is meant by "one Hough the jois"? I suspect "Hough" may be a misspelling of "half," but that doesn't seem to quite work in the context of the passage. It doesn't help that I have no idea what "jois" could mean. Still, I think I have managed to make sense of most of this will.

Abraham Steinbruch's Will, In the name of God Amen I Abraham Steinbruch of Penns Town-
ship County of Northumberland in the State of Pennsylvania Yeoman, being, weak in Body but of
sound and perfect mind and memory considering the uncertainty of this mortal life Do make and pub-
lish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following - ( that is to say first I Give
and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Eva my best bed and bed sted and one cow the Joise
in the Stock and however those come on my place to live is to find for said cow sufficient
and good food and baster [pasture] for said cow and one Sworm of Bees, one Iron pot her spinnen weel,
ten buchel of weed ten buchel of Rye fore Buchel of buckweed fore buchel of Indian corn
one Hough the jois one quarter of acer of flacks [acre of flax] to be sowed in good Ground the said
witto [widow] to find the sack one Protor tick fore Buter spones [Butter spoons] and also to live in my Dwell=
ing House to have and to hold all the above artigles ass long my said wife Remains
a witto & no longer _ Item I Give and Devise unto my son Jacob Steinbruch his Heirs and
assigns for ever one hundred and twenty five acres my land & allowance of six per Cent un=
divid being measured of from any plantation and to being the same he at present lives on, and
to be cut of in manner to begin at the corner of Philip Jordon then along miller's line and
then to the old place of said A. Steinbruch then a strate line to make up the [Cumparonent?]
of acres of Land as aforesaid and that to be cut of after my Desd. and further is my will that
my son Jacob is to have the above described land free and clear of all the rest of my Children
and in the rest of my Estate my son Jacob is to fall in with the rest Schare & Schare alike _
Item I Give and Devise unto my Son fridrig his Heirs and assigns forever the sum of thirty
pounds which is all he is to have and now more becose he went and dit live me fore years be=
fore his age _ Item further is my Will that my sons that is to say Aberham & Beter is
to have of out the rest of my Estate Share & Share alike _ Item further is my will that my
Dathers that is to say Barbara and Mery and Catharine is to have of out of the rest of my
Estate Share and Share alike to them or to their heirs or assigns _ And further I do appoint my
Dearly and beloved frands John Prentzius and John Herman my whole and sole Exeds. of this
my last will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made and Gave
them bower [power] to act in my Estate the same as if I was present my self In witness whereof
I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the fifteenth Day of April in the Year of our Lord
one thousand eight Hundred and on, 1801. Abrah Stein bruch (seal) Siened Sealed published & Declared
by the above named Abraham Stainbrook to be his last will and Testament in the presence of us
who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the Testator [no at least?]
under tint the words forever before sinet [signed] Jacob Bishop Johannes Zoutour Johannes Herman
Northumberland County ss,, Be it remembered that on the fourteenth Day of may in the year of our
Lord 1801. before me Jeremiah Simpson Register for the County afsd personally cometh Jacob Bishop, John
Pontius & John Herman the three subscribing witnesses to the foregoing will who being duly sworn accor=
ding to Law, saith they were personally present & did see Abraham Stinebrook the Testator sign seal
and declare the foregoing writing to be his last will & Testament, and that at the time of his so pub=
lishing the said Will he was of sound and disposing mind & memory as the Deponents do believe accor=
ding to the best of their Knowledge._ And that they repectively subscribed their names as witnesses
at the same time in the presence of each other._ and further saith not Jacob Bishop Johannes [Pontius?]
Johannes Herman Sworn & Subscribed the day & year afsd; cer. Jacob Simpson Regr.
Be it remembered
that on the Fourteenth Day of May in the year of our Lord 1801. before me was proved
and approved the last will & Testament of the said Abraham Steinbruch Deceas'd, Of which the forego=
ing, Record is a true Copy, and Letters Testamentary issued in due and Common Form of Law to John Pontz=
ius and John Herman, Executors therein named, on the same Day, Witness my Hand._

Jeremh. Simpson Regr.

Source:

Northumberland, Pennsylvania, Wills, 1772-1907; index, 1792-1930, Abraham Steinbruch's will, p. 245-246, vol. 1 (image 143 of 811 "Wills, no. 1-3 1772-1845"); digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 30 Dec 2024).

William Wade in the Revolution

For this post, I owe a debt of thanks to my friend Debbie, who, while we were talking genealogy the other weekend, looked over my 5great-grandfather William Wade's WikiTree page. It had been quite some time since I have closely examined it, and she pointed out something I had not noticed.

"You've looked at his DAR info?" she asked.

"DAR?" I wondered. I had no notes or recollection of him serving as a patriot.

She clicked the link, and together we examined his entry in the Ancestor Database. Somehow, if it ever occurred to me that he had served in the Revolutionary War, I had long since forgotten. The revelation caught me by surprise. I noted that his entry provided a source for his service, and planned to research it soon.

Last weekend, I began to delve. These are just my initial ponderings and discoveries. I know that they are far from fully thought out, and, honestly, I am finding this research rather confusing. This post is less intended to share conclusions than it is to help me lay things out and make some sort of sense of them. So take any genealogical information in this post with a great big heap of salt. 

The Agreement

 

Following up on the source for William Wade's service cited in the DAR database, I located the following document transcription (hereafter referred to by me as "The Agreement"):

Agreement on the Part of Some of the Inhabitants of
Monongalia County to Submit to Future
Military Orders.
[Draper MSS., 51J59.--D.S.]
Hardins Mill Monongalia County
June 19th 1781.

We the subscribers being Accessary to a Riot in Suppressing a
draught in this county on the 12th Inst Being Sensible of our Error
and as a security of our future good conduct do hereby Engage to
Serve Ten months in the continental Service in case we should
be guilty of like misdeminor, Or acting against the Legal Laws
of any State or perticular Resolves of congress or saying anything
against the Genl Insterest of the country as witness our hands the
day & date above mentioned.

John Rorkley
Jesse his X mark Worthington
William Wade
Benjamin his X mark Deane
Daniel Robbens
John Lucas
William Robbens
John his X mark Harden
Peter his X mark Peekenpaugh
test B. W
Robert Harding
William his X mark Murfy
BW
Richd Lucas
John his X mark Worthington
Benjamin Brooke
Thomas Wade
George Robbens
Hezekiah Wade
George his X mark Wade
Isaac Robins
John Wade
Wenman his X mark Wade
Samuel Haily

As I understand it, William Wade (along with several other Wades, probably related, and a number of others) was involved in a riot on 12 June 1781 in Monongalia county, trying to suppress a military draft. They either signed this document as a promise of their good behavior, saying that if they should again be guilty of breaking the law or even just speaking against the country, they would serve ten months in the Continental service, or they signed it promising ten months in the Continental service to prevent them breaking any more laws. I find the language somewhat ambiguous.

At any rate, the idea that my 5great-grandfather participated in an anti-draft riot fascinated me, and my next step was to try (unsuccessfully) to find information on the referenced riot. That failing, I moved on to trying to find information on Hardin's Mill, the location cited on the document, as well as several of the other names signed, both Wades and some of the other surnames. I was finding such small bits and pieces of information, and so little that seemed relevant to my question, that I have utterly lost track of the sequence of research. This was not a case of one piece of information leading to another. Rather, it is like scattered pieces that may or may not belong to the same puzzle.

 

Pension File: George Wade

The Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters, an invaluable website for researchers of patriots in the southern states, notes that George Wade's "pension application was not found," but contains a transcription of a report by District Attorney W. G. Singleton. In it, George Wade provides a narrative in which he states:

I was nineteen years the month I first went into the service - I then resided in Fayette County Pensylvania [then claimed by VA] - was there drafted & marched under Capt Jno. cross... the second summer after I returned from the preceeding campaign, I served one month at Martin's Fort Mon'ga Cty... I cant tell in what year the preceeding service was done.

The part about Fayette county, Pennsylvania threw me at first, but I quickly discovered that the present Fayette county adjoins the present Monongalia county, which is currently in West Virginia, and was at the time of the Revolution in Virginia. The part about being drafted seemed at first blush to contradict what I had read in the Agreement, but then it occurred to me that perhaps he had rioted because he had been drafted.

The transcription goes on to refer to a suit for the recovery of money paid on false papers. First rioting, and now fraud? I am intrigued. Some notes follow:

Age 72 in 1833. Born in one of the lower counties of MD 25 Sept 1760. His father moved to Augusta Co. VA when he was 6-7 years old, and to Monongalia Co. when he was about 15. Drafted in 1777. Indian Spy guarding the frontiers 1779-83. His brother, Wenman Wade now lives in Monongalia Co.

Monongalia county was formed from part of Augusta county in 1776, when George would have been about 15 or 16, so, depending on where the family was living, the "move" to Monongalia may have required no actual moving at all. However, the other dates cause some confusion. The riot was supposed to have occurred on 12 June 1781. If he had already been drafted in 1777 and was drafted again in 1781, that might be some cause for rioting, but wouldn't working as an Indian Spy from 1779-83 preclude his being drafted? Why, then, would he be rioting?

I rejoice to see the mention of his brother Wenman Wade, who also signed the Agreement. It seems verification that this pension statement refers to the correct George Wade.

The notes continue,

Ensign Pearce, Capt. Cross.... Charged with false swearing and for recovery of money paid on false papers. Defendant died just prior to 4 April 1840

and later, dated 12 Sept 1840,

G. Wade, who purports to be deceased, is still living.

The intrigue increases. Rioting, then fraud, and now false death? Am I reading all of this correctly?

The transcription contains yet more, some letters apparently written after George Wade's real death. As I understand them, George's sons were claiming that George had received a pension for several years, and then the pension was withheld, "as they conceive illegally and unjustly." His pension had been approved on the proof of "a respectable citizen named Amos Morris." His name was later stricken from the pension list, along with Peter Haught and Zachariah Piles, who were "engaged in the same kind of service," and "whose names have been restored to the Pension List."

It seems that W. G. Singleton embarked on prosecutions against these three veterans which

were cruel, highly repulsive to public sentiment at the time, and resulted in nothing but the loss of thousands to the government to secure a few hundred dollars, and to the parties prosecuted to more sacrifice and loss than the arrears claimed by their heirs will reimburse.

W. G. Singleton "was the laughing stock of the legal profession and never even obtained a mediocre standing at the bar."

The final note at the conclusion of the transcription explains the entire situation:

Haught, Piles, and Wade, were pensioned, through an agent named John Brookover, assisted by a Mr Wilson or some other attorney in Morgantown. The parties refused to pay Brookover an exorbitant fee he demanded. Brookover took offence, visited Clarksburgh and informed W. G. Singleton, Esqr U. S. dist. attorney that the pensions were fraudulently obtained. Brookover was a cunning and unprincipled man, but very ignorant.

So it seems that the entire fraud accusation was untrue, based only in the petty revenge of a dishonest agent.

As fascinating as this pension statement was, it provided no evidence of George Wade's relationship to William Wade, let alone evidence that the William Wade who signed the Agreement is my William Wade. It did help slightly in fleshing out the relationships of some of the Wades who signed the Agreement, proving that George and Wenman were brothers.

 

Pension File: Hezekiah Wade

The Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters does not have any transcriptions for Wenman Wade or William Wade, but it does have one for Hezekiah. There are also transcriptions for men by the names of Thomas Wade and John Wade, but on reading them I am less certain they are the same men who signed the Agreement.

Hezekiah's record declares that he, too, served as an Indian spy, beginning in April 1776 at Augusta, Virginia, now Monongalia, West Virginia. After three months' service he was discharged, and then ordered out again in March 1777. This time he served eight months. He volunteered again in March 1778 for a period of five months. For each of these periods of service, some details of the action were given, but this third one includes a heartbreaking incident which also contains some genealogical information:

Upon one of his Spying excursions had discovered the trail of a large number of Indians... affiant hastened to Stradlers Fort on Duncard Creek, to alarm the people of what he had discovered... On his approach to said Fort the marks of distress was obvious - the night preceeding the enemy Consisting of one Hundred warriors discryed a number of about twenty Five men, a working some Corn &c... the Savages placed themselves in ambush on each side of the path leading from thence to the Fort, and on the passage of the laborers to the Fort... they were fired at, by the savages and Eighteen of their number, were killed dead on the ground amoung whom was affiants Father, Joseph Wade, Jacob Stradler... the Fort was kept closed, until time had proved their Departure, when affiant amoung others repaired to the ground upon which the bloody deed was committed, and intered the mangled limbs of those who fell at the Charge of the enemy.

So now we could possibly infer that Hezekiah Wade's father's name was Joseph, and that Hezekiah had to see what no child ever wants to see. However, Hezekiah's WikiTree page gives his father's name as George. It seems that "affiants Father" and "Joseph Wade" are two different people, the latter perhaps a brother or an uncle to Hezekiah. However, that George Wade's WikiTree page gives his death date as about 1816 in Maryland, so there is obviously some error to clear up.

At any rate, Hezekiah was "feeling himself so much aggrived at the distruction by the Savages and hurt at the loss of his Father" that he volunteered again in March 1779 for nine months. He was ordered out again in April 1780 for a month, and April 1781 for six months. This last period of time overlaps the Agreement above, making the Agreement even more confusing.

The transcription ends with lots of genealogical information, mostly regarding Hezekiah's wife and children and therefore of little relevance to my current investigation. However, there was one tidbit that could aid in my research:

A letter dated 22 July 1845 states that two brothers of Hezekiah Wade had died while living in Monongalia County within a week or two of each other.

I don't know exactly how this knowledge will help me, especially since it does not share the names of the brothers, nor when or how they died. It could have been in childhood, during the war, or after. Was it sickness, warfare, or mere coincidence?

Sources:

Daughters of the American Revolution, "Ancestor Search," database, DAR Genealogical Research Databases (https://www.dar.org/ : accessed 16 Nov 2024), William Wade, Ancestor #A202206.

 

James Alton James, editor, Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, vol. 8, Virginia Series, vol. 3: George Rogers Clark Papers 1771-1781 (Springfield, Illinois: Trustees of the Illinois State Historical Library, 1912), online images, HathiTrust (https://www.hathitrust.org/ : accessed 16 Nov 2024), 568 (image 770).

 

Will Graves & C. Leon Harris, Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters (http://revwarapps.org/ : accessed 16 Nov 2024), Pension Application of George Wade S7829, transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris.

 

Will Graves & C. Leon Harris, Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters (http://revwarapps.org/ : accessed 23 Nov 2024), Pension Application of Hezekiah Wade W6387, transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris.

Amanuensis Monday: 13 Feb 1797 deed from the Heirs of Absalom Fox to David Fox

This deed immediately follows the deed presented in last week's post, and was created on the same date of 13 Feb 1797. Again, the heirs of my 6great-grandfather Absalom Fox were granting land to one of their own, this time to my 5great-grandfather David Fox.

 

[p. 682]

The Heirs of the

Estate of Absalom

Fox deced

To

David Fox

This Indenture Made this thirteenth Day of February

in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Ninety seven

Between Christion Fox (widow) Charles Fox and Mary his wife Bonham

Fox and Temperance his wife, Sampson Sargant and Ivy his wife, David

Sutton and Anker his wife, Mary Fox, Jonathan Fox and Rebekah Fox all of the

County of Washington and State of Pennsylvania of the one part and David Fox

of the same place of the other part Witnesseth that the said Christion Fox (widow)

Charles Fox and Mary his wife, Bonham Fox and Temperance his wife,

Sampson Sargant and Ivi his wife, David Sutton and Anker his wife,

Mary Fox, Jonathan Fox and Rekah Fox has this Day Bargained Released and

[p. 683]

Confirmed unto the above mentioned David Fox his Heirs and assigns

for ever a Certain Tract of land Situate on the waters of Ten Mile Creek

Beginning at a Walnut Tree thence by land of Philip Friend North Sixty seven

Degrees East forty three perches to a white Oak thence by land of James Graham North

Twenty eight Degrees West One hundred and twenty two Perches to a Hickory

thence by land of Henry Shidler North fifteen Degrees West One hundred and

twenty perches to a Stake, thence by land of Henry Hash South fifty two

Degrees West Sixty one perches to a Black Oak Noth thirtyseven Degrees West

fifty nine perches to a Stake, South thirty seven Degrees West One hundred

and thirty two Perches to a Post, thence by land of Tobias Friend South

thirty four Degrees East Seventy six perches to a Post then by land of

David Fox South Twenty eight and a half Degrees East One hundred and

Sixty nine perches to a White Oak North fifty degrees East One hundred and

thirteen perches to a State & South fifteen Degrees East Twelve perches to

the Beginning Containing Two hundred twenty eight acres and seventy

one perches and allowance of [CPCent?] for Roads &ca which land was Survey

ed in pursuance of a Warrant Granted to Absalom Fox the Seventeenth Day

of November (1787) for which a Patant Issued for the Land Office of the State

aforesaid to Absalon Fox Dated the Seventeenth Day of January (1792) and

was Inrolled in the Rolls of for the State of Pennsylvania Patent Book No 18.

Page 329. To have and to hold the said Tract and parsel of land with

the appurtean thereunto belonging unto the said David Fox and his heirs

To the only proper use benefit and behoof of him the said David Fox his

Heirs and Assigns forever from us and each of our heirs and from any person

or persons Claiming or to Claim in under through or by us or any of our

Heirs shall and will Warrant and forever Defend In Witness whereof

the said Christion Fox (widow) Charles Fox and Mary his wife, Bonham Fox

and Temperance his wife, Sampson Sargant and Ivy his wife David

Sutton and Anchor his wife Mary Fox, Jonathan Fox and Rebekah Fox

lawful Heirs of the Estate of Absalom Fox deceased has hereunto Set their hands

and Seals this Day and year above written_ Christion her x mark Fox (seal)

Charles Fox (seal) Mary Fox (seal) Bonham Fox (seal) Temperance

Fox (seal) Sampson Serjant (seal) Ivy her x mark Sargant (seal) David

Sutton (seal) Anchor Sutton (seal) Jonathan Fox (seal) Mary

Fox (seal) Rebekah Fox (seal) _ Signed Sealed and Delivered in presants

of Isaac Leet jur _ Mary Sutton _ Isaac Leet

 

[p. 684]

Washington County Ss

(seal) This Day Personally appeared before me the Subscriber one of the

Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Washington Christion Fox widow

of Absalom Fox deceasd Charles Fox and Mary his wife, Bonham Fox and

Temperance his wife, Sampson Sargant and Ivy his wife David Sutton

and Anker his wife, Mary Fox, Jonathan Fox and Rebekah Fox and all

Ackowledged the within Indenture well knowing it to be a Deed of Conveyance

to be their Act and Deed the women being examined seperate and apart from

their Husbands each one for themselves acknowledged that they became a party

thereto of their own free will and accord without the controul of their Husband

or any other person and allowed the same to be Recorded as such In Testamony

whereoff I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this thirteenth Day of

February 1797                                            Isaac Leet

Recorded and compared with the Original the 21st February 1797.

Samuel Clarke Recorder

 

As mentioned above, this deed was created on the same date as the one to Jonathan Fox presented last week. It was also witnessed by the same witnesses, so I will not repeat my comments.

Somewhat strangely, there is one more similar record I have found, created on the same day, but recorded not on a consecutive page, but actually in a different deed book. But that will come later.

Source:

Washington, Pennsylvania, Deed books, 1781-1886; deed index, 1781-1924, 1M-12: 682-684 (images #379-380 of 420), The Heirs of the Estate of Absalom Fox to David Fox, deed, 13 Feb 1797; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "Deeds v. 12, 1M 1796-1797," FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 Sept 2024).

Amanuensis Monday: 13 Feb 1797 deed from the Heirs of Absalom Fox to Jonathan Fox

Last week I alluded to the number of deeds regarding the Fox family in 1797-1798. Three have been found, all dated 13 Feb 1797, in which one of the heirs of Absalom Fox is granted land by the remaining heirs. However, there were more than three heirs of Absalom Fox, so I will need to look into whether the land was divided only three ways and the other heirs perhaps had other inheritances, or whether there are more of these deeds that I have yet to find.

Absalom Fox was my 6great-grandfather, and his son David was my 5great-grandfather. This first deed is to David's brother Jonathan. I love how these deeds name all the heirs.

[p. 680]

The Heirs of the )

Estate of Abolam )

Fox )

to )

Jonathan Fox )

This Indenture Made this thirteenth Day of February

in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Ninety seven

[p. 681]

Between Christion Fox widow of Absalom Fox decd. David Fox and

Sarah his Wife, Charles Fox and Mary his Wife, Bonham Fox and

Temporance his wife, Sampson Sargant and Ivy his wife, David

Sutton and Anchor his wife, Mary Fox, and Rebekah Fox, all of the

County of Washington and State of Pennsylvania of the one part and

Jonathan Fox of the same place of the other part Witnesseth that the said

Christion Fox Widow, David Fox and Sarah his wife, Charles Fox and Mary

his wife, Bonham Fox and Temporance his wife, Sampson Sargant and

Ivy his wife, David Sutton and Anchor his wife, Mary Fox and Rebekah

Fox Hath bargained Released and Confirmed and for ever Quit Claim of

and to a Certain Tract of land hereinafter described unto Jonathan Fox his

Heirs and Assigns forever a Certain Tract of Land Situate on a Branch of

Ten Mile Creek Beginning at an Elm Tree Thence by land of David

Sutton North Seventy Degrees West Eight perches to a Stone North forty

Degrees West Seventy six perches to a Stone North fifteen degrees West

Tenty eight perches to a white Oak Thence by land of David Frazee North

thirty degrees East Seventy eight Perches to an ash, Thence by land of Philip

Luallen South forty seven degrees East Two hundred and two Perches to

a Stone Thence by land of Charles Fox South Twenty six Degrees West

fifty two Perches to a Stone thence by land of sd. David Sutton North

forty six and a half degrees East Ninety six perches to the beginning

containing Ninety eight acres and three Quarters of an acre Strict Measure

being part of a Tract of Land Called "Fox Hill" which was Surveyed in

Pursuance of a warrant granted to Absalom Fox Dated the 26th of January

and by Pattant 14th Day of October in the year 1788 which is Inrolled in the

Rolls Office for the State of Pennsylvania in Patent Book No.  Page

To have and to hold the said Tract and Piece of Land with the Appurten=

=ances thereunto belonging or in anywise appurtaining thereto unto the said

Jonathan Fox his Heirs To the only proper use benefit and behoof of him

the said Jonathan Fox his Heirs and Assigns for ever from us and

[ower?] heirs and from any Person or Persons Claiming or to Claim in under

through or by us or any of our heirs shall and will warrant and Defend

for ever. In Witness whereof the said Christion Fox as above David

Fox and Sarah his wife, Charles Fox and Mary his wife, Sampson Sargant

 

[p. 682]

and Ivy his wife, David Sutton and Anchor his wife, Mary Fox and

Rekah Fox Heirs of the Estate of Absalom Fox decd. have hereunto set their

hands and Seals this Day and year above written Christion her X mark Fox (seal)

David Fox (seal) Sarah Fox (seal) Charles Fox (seal) Mary

Fox (seal) Bonham Fox (seal) Temperance Fox (seal)

Sampson Serjant (seal) Ivy her X mark Sergant (seal) David Sutton (seal)

Anchor Sutton (seal) Mary Fox (seal) Rebekah Fox (seal)

Signed Sealed and Delivered in Preasants of us  Isaac Leet [poz?]

Mary Sutton   Isaac Leet

Washington County [sall?]

This Day Personally appeared before me the Subscriber a Justice of the

Peace in and for said County Christian Fox widow of Absalom Fox decd David

Fox and Sarah his Wife, Charles Fox and Marah his wife Sampson Sargant

and Ivy his wife, David Sutton and Anchor his wife, Mary Fox and

Rebekah Fox and acknowledged the within Instrument of writing it being

a Deed of Conveyance to be their Act and Deeds the several Women being

examined Seperate and apart from their Husbands, each one for themselves

acknowledged that they became a party thereto of their own free will and

accord without the controul of their Husbands or any other Person allowing

the same to be Recorded as such In Witness whereof I have hereunto set

my hand and seal this thirteenth Day of February 1797

Isaac Leet

Recorded and compared with the Original the 21st February 1797

Samuel Clarke Recorder

 

One of the witnesses, Mary Sutton, was probably related to both David Sutton (the husband of Absalom's daughter Anchor) and Sarah Fox (the wife of Absalom's son David Fox). They were siblings, and also had a sister named Mary. I have no marriage recorded for Mary, so her surname may still have been Sutton at this point. Their mother was also sometimes called Mary, and I have no death date recorded for her, so she may still have been alive at this point. She would have been about 53 years old, so it seems likely. Those two seem to be the most probable candidates.

 

The very next deed in the book is to my 5great-grandfather David Fox, but we will look at that one later.

Source:

Washington, Pennsylvania, Deed books, 1781-1886; deed index, 1781-1924, 1M-12: 680-682 (images #378-379 of 420), The Heirs of the Estate of Absalom Fox to Jonathan Fox, deed, 13 Feb 1797; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "Deeds v. 12, 1M 1796-1797," FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 Sept 2024).

Amanuensis Monday: 1798 deed from William Wells Esquire to David Fox

This deed could prove quite interesting when I get to the point of analysis, as there are a number of deeds within the Fox family during this and the previous year. Most of them are in Washington county, Pennsylvania, but this one is in Hamilton county, Ohio. The buyer, David Fox, is my 5great-grandfather.

 

[p. 256]

This Indenture made the sixteenth day of Feb-
-ruary in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and ninety eight between Wil-
-liam Wells Esquire of the county of Hamilton
in the Territotory of the united States north west
of the River ohio of the one part and David
Fox of the same place of the other part wit-
-nesseth that the said William Wells for and
in consideration ot two thousand and eighty
Dollars to him in hand well and truly paid
at or before the ensealing or Delivery of these pre-
-sesnts by the aforesaid David Fox the receipt
whereof the said William Wells doth hereby ask-
-nowledge and thereof & therefrom doth acquit exon-
-erate and discharge the aforesaid David Fox
his heirs and assigns forever, have given granted
bargained sold aliened, released enfeoffed conveyed
and confirmed and by these presents do give grant
bargain sell alien release, enfeoff, convey, and con-
-firm, unto the said David Fox his heirs and
assigns forever. All that entire section numbered
Thirteen, situate lying and being in the fourth Town-
-ship in the third or military range in the miami
purchase in the county of Hamilton and Territory
aforesaid containing six six hundred and forty
acres. To have and to hold the above described
premises to the said David Fox his heirs and
assigns to the only proper use, benefit and behoof
of the said David Fox his heirs and assigns
forever. And the said William Wells for him-
-self his heirs executors and administrators doth
covenant grant and agree to and with the said
David Fox his heirs & assigns that all and singular
the above described premises against all and every
lawful claim and demand whatsoever to the said
David Fox his heirs and assign will forever
warrant and defend by these presents. In Witness
whereof I the said William Wells have hereunto set my

[p. 257]

hand and seal the day and year first above written.
Signed Sealed &c )
in the presence of ) Wm Wells (seal)
Jno. S. Eano )
Levi Woodward ) Territory of the United states
North West of the River ohio Hamilton ss.
Before me Aaron Cadwell Esq. one of the Jus-
-tices of the court of Common pleas in the county
aforesaid came personally Wells Esquire the within
grantor who acknowledged the within Instrument
of writing to be his voluntary act and Deed for
the uses and purposes therein contained agreeable
to the statute &c In Witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal at Sin-
-cinnati the seventeenth day of February in the year
of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and
ninety eight.
Aaron Cadwell (seal)

Source:

Hamilton, Ohio, Deeds 1787-1877 ; index 1787-1878, C-1: 256-257 (image #145 of 557), William Wells Esquire to David Fox, deed, 16 Feb 1798; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "Deeds v. C-D 1796-1807," FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 28 Sept 2024). 

 

Amanuensis Monday: 6 May 1813 deed from Josiah Lockhart and Nancy his wife to Josiah Wade

I don't really have much to say about this one. Apart from Josiah Wade, who is almost certainly my 4great-grandfather, none of the names of either the sellers or the witnesses ring any bells for me. I have yet to do any research on the land, so there is nothing for me to comment on there. So I guess I'll just dive in.

[p. 266]

Lockhart to Wade
Recorded October 27th 1813
Joseph Darlinton Recr A.C.


This Indenture made
this 6th day of May in the year
one thousand eight hundred and
thirteen between Josiah Lock-
hart and Nancy his wife of the county of Adams and
State of Ohio of the one part and Josiah Wade of the county
aforesaid and State aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth
that the said Josiah Lockhart and Nancy his wife for
and in consideration of the sum of two hundred and forty six

[p. 267]

Dollars current money of the United State of America to them
in hand paid the receipt whereof we hereby acknowledge and
forever acquit and discharge the said Josiah Wade his heirs Exe-
cutors and administrators have granted bargained sold aliened and
confirmed and by these presents doth grant bargain sell alien
and confirm unto the said Josiah Wade his heirs and assigns
forever and all that tract or parcel of land lying and being in the
county of Adams and state of Ohio situate and lying on Kites
fork of Eagle Creek apart of the tract No 651 entered in the
name of William Holliday and Patented to Robert Lockhart
and conveyed by deed to the aforesaid Josiah Lockhart bounded
and described as follows Beginning at an ash and Ellem near
a branch the East corner to said Survey runing [sic] West on hun-
dred and eighty poles to a sugar tree and Maple thence north
One hundred and forty poles to two ashes thence East one hun-
dred and eighty poles to two hickerys [sic] thence south one hun-
dred and forty poles to the beginning containing one hundred
and fifty seven acres and Eight poles Together with all im-
provement water courses profits and appurtenances whatso-
ever to the said premises belonging or in any wise appertain-
in and the reversions remainders and profits thereof and all the
estate right title interest property claim and demand of
they the said Josiah Lockhart and Nancy his wife of
in and to the same To have and to hold the lands hereby convey-
ed with all and singular the premises and every part and parcel
thereof with every of the appurtenances unto the said Josiah
Wade his heirs and assigns forever to the only proper use and
behoof of him the said Josiah Wade his heirs and assigns for
ever And the said said Josiah Lockhart and Nancy his
wife for heirs executors and administrators do covenant pro-
mise and agree to and with the said their heirs
and assigns by these presents that the premises before mentioned
now are and forever hereafter shall remain free of and from all
former and other gifts grants bargains sales dowers right and
title of dower judgments executions titles troubles charges and
incumbrances whatsoever done or suffered to be done by they the

[p. 268]

said Josiah Lockhart And the said Nancy Lockhart his
wife and their heirs all and singular the premises hereby
bargained and sold with the appurtenances unto the said
Josiah Wade his heirs and assigns against him the said
Josiah Lockhart and his heirs and all and every other per-
son or persons whatsoever doth and will warrant and for
ever defend by these presents In Witness whereof We the
said Josiah Lockhart and Nancy Lockhart hereunto
set our hands and seals the day and year first above written
signed sealed and delivered in the presence of us } Josiah Lockhart (seal
Nancy Lockhart (seal)
Matthew Campbell Aaron Moore
State of Ohio Adams County ss
This day the within named Josiah Lockhart and Nancy
Lockhart his wife personally appeared before me the sub-
scriber a Justice of the peace for the county aforesaid and
severally acknowledged the within signing and sealing
to be there act and deed for purposes therein mentioned
the said Nancy Lockhart being by me first fully in-
formed of the contents of the within deed also examined
seperate [sic] and apart from and out of the hearing of her hus-
band declared that she executed the same and relinquished
her right of dower to the premises therein mentioned freely
and of her own voluntary will and accord without the co-
ersion or compulsion of her husband In Witness whereof
I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 20th day of
May 1813 Aaron Moore (seal)

Source:

Adams, Ohio, Deeds, 1797-1900, 7: 266-268 (images #515-516 of 575), Josiah Lockhart and Nancy his wife to Josiah Wade, deed, 6 May 1813; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "Deeds, v. 6-7 1806-1814," FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 5 Aug 2024).