BIO:  Francis BREAM, Cumberland Township, Adams County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/adams/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Pages 397-398

FRANCIS BREAM (deceased) was a son of Henry Bream, whose father came to this 
county, from Germany, early in the eighteenth century.  Henry Bream was born and 
reared near Ground Oak Church, on Bermudian Creek, two miles from Idaville, in 
the northeastern part of Adams County, now Huntington Township.  Here he 
married, and followed agriculture, owning the farm, which still belongs to one 
of his grandchildren.  Here he lived until he was an old man, having reared 
three sons and several daughters, of whom Francis was the second son.  Our 
subject was born in July, 1806, was reared on the farm, and received a common 
school education.  He used to say that the first thing he undertook, when quite 
a young man, was to chop 200 cords of wood for the furnace, which was then in 
operation near Whitestown, now known as Idaville.  When yet quite a young man he 
and a friend took a trip to the State of Ohio, then considered the far West, 
going on foot by way of Pittsburgh, and after remaining through the winter they 
concluded to return to this county, and, having made some money during their 
stay threshing out rye with a flail, they bought a pair of horses and rode home.  
A few years later he was elected constable, it then being the custom for one 
officer to do the business of several townships, which kept him busy almost all 
the time.  After serving as constable several years, he kept hotel in Idaville.  
In 1842, while living at Idaville, at the age of thirty years, he married Miss 
Elizabeth Slaybaugh, a daughter of an old resident of German descent, living in 
the same neighborhood.  The following fall he was nominated and elected sheriff 
of Adams County, and made a very creditable officer.  His term of office having 
expired, he bought the old and well-known Marsh Creek farm and “Black Horse” 
tavern, then the property and home of the McClellans, an old and well-known 
English family, who were among the first settlers on Marsh Creek.  This property 
is two and one-half miles west of Gettysburg, on the Hagerstown road; the farm 
contained over 400 acres, the buildings being situated on the banks of Marsh 
Creek, which runs through the middle of the farm.  Here he followed farming and 
kept a hotel, and, also, several years later, bought the Mineral Mills property 
adjoining his place on the south, which property contained a large flouring-
mill, saw-mill, and seventy acres of land and two sets of buildings.  Being 
honest, upright, and a good manager, he was able, in his older days, to become 
the owner of two more farms in his neighborhood.  Mr. Bream and his good wife 
were blessed with a large family, having reared six sons and two daughters.  
Several years before his death, becoming old and not caring to have so much 
business to attend to, he ceased keeping hotel.  He also divided his large farm 
into three parts, he remaining at the home place, and two of his sons, Harvey D. 
and R. William, each taking one of the others, which are now very finely 
improved properties.  His sons had by this time all married, and gone into 
business for themselves, except his youngest son, Robert, who lived with his 
father until his death, and now owns the old homestead.  Mr. Bream was a very 
heavy loser during the battle of Gettysburg, his growing crops and fencing all 
being destroyed, and all his buildings used as hospitals for several weeks after 
the battle.  His damages were afterward appraised at $7,000, for which he never 
received any compensation.  His death occurred at his home in 1882.