AREA HISTORY: History of Adams County, Chapter V, 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/ _______________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886 _______________________________________________ Part III, History of Adams County, Pages 17-23 CHAPTER V. SECOND ARRIVALS-PENN’S PURCHASE-”MANOR OF MASKE”-SURVEY-OBSTRUCTIONS-COMPROMISE- “CARROLL’S DELIGHT”-LIST OF EARLY SETTLERS OF THE MANOR, AND WARRANTEES-“OLD HILL” CHURCH-PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION IN CUMBERLAND TOWNSHIP. In the year 1736 William Penn purchased all the region lying west of the Lower Susquehanna from the Indians. There is strong evidence that as soon as the purchase became known to the borderers east of the river, they began to move across to these rich and beautiful lands. Prior to that time, doubtless, some of them had, in friendly visits to the Indians here in their hunting and trapping expeditions, looked from many of those elevations about us over the enchanting sweep of the valleys, the gently rolling hills, and drank of the cool crystal waters that went rippling down nearly every hill side. They had described what they saw to their friends and a few of the most adventurous came across. There is no record or tradition now to tell exactly who they were or when they first came. In 1739-40, as the Dutch then were rapidly coming, Penn laid out, in what is now Adams county, a reservation for himself and family, and called it the “Manor of Masque,” after the title of an old English estate belonging to some of his distant relatives. He had laid out “manors” before this in the eastern part of the State. *He, Penn, sent surveyors to run out the “Manor of Masque” and the order for the survey, bearing date June 18, 1741, is as follows: PENNSYLVANIA S. {seal} BY THE PROPRIETARIES These are to authorize and require thee to survey or cause to be surveyed a tract of land on the Branches of Marsh Creek on the West side of the River Susquehannah in the County of Lancaster containing about thirty thousand acres for our own proper use and Behoof and the same to return under the name and style of our Manor of Maske in the County of Lancaster aforesaid into our Secretary’s office, and for so doing this shall be thy sufficient warrant. Given under my hand and the seal of our Land office at Philadelphia this eighteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty one. THOS. PENN. To Benj. A. Eastburn, Surveyor-General. But the matter must have been determined upon at an earlier date than the issue of the order, for in the archives of Pennsylvania is a letter dated June 17, 1741, from Zachary Butcher, a deputy surveyor, in which he alludes to his effort, two weeks prior to that, to make the survey. The whole letter has interest for the descendants and the successors of the “unreasonable Creatures” who then inhabited this region, and it is as follows: Sir:-I was designed about two weeks ago to have Laid out the Mannor at Marsh Creek, but the Inhabitants are got into such Terms, That is as much as man’s Life is worth to go amongst them, for they gathered together in Conferences, and go in Arms every Time they Expect I am anywhere near there about, with full resolution to kill or cripple me, or any other person, who shall attempt to Lay out a Mannor there. Yet, if the Humble Proprietor shall think fit to order such assistance as shall withstand such unreasonable Creatures, I shall be ready and willing to prosecute the same with my utmost Endeavor, as soon as I come back from Virginia. I am going there on an urgent occasion. I am yours to serve, CONEWAGO, June 17, 1741. ZACH. BUTCHER, Dpt. Below is a list, as printed at the time, of the settlers on Marsh Creek, who obstructed the survey, 1743: 1 Wm. McLelan, John Eddy, Jos. Farris, 8 John Eddy, Jr., Hugh McCain, 9 Edw’d Hall, 2 Matw. Black, 10 Wm. Eddy, 3 Jam. McMichill, 11 James Wilson, 4 Robt. McFarson, 12 James Agnew, Wm. Black, John Steen, John Fletcher, Jr., John Johnson 5 Jas. Agnew (cooper), John Hamilton Henry McDonath, 13 Hugh Logan John Alexander, John McWharten (says he shall move soon) 6 Moses Jenkins, Hugh Swainey, 7 Rich’d Hall, Titus Darby, Richard Fossett, Thomas Hooswick. Adam Hall, Declares yt if ye chain be spread again he would stop it, and then took ye Compass from ye Surveyor-Gen. “The first thing which strikes me,” says Mr. McPherson, “is the number of persons in this list of ‘settlers,’ whose names do not appear on the only authentic records yet found of the settlement. Of the twenty-nine persons named, nearly one-third represent families of whose settlement there is now no trace; and there are some mistakes in names. ‘McLelan’ stands for McClellan; ‘McCain’ for McKean; ‘McFarson’ for McPherson; ‘Swainey’ for Sweeney; ‘Hooswick’ for Hosak; ’Eddy’ for Eddie.” No further steps were taken in the direction of a survey of the manor until 1765. A compromise was effected early in that year through the agency of James Agnew and Robert McPherson, who acted as a committee for the settlers, and who secured the concession that the lands taken up prior to 1741 should be subject to the “common terms,” and that the others should be liberally treated. The boundaries of the manor were thereupon marked in 1766, and were made to include 43,500 acres instead of 30,000 as originally ordered. A list of names of the first settlers, with the date of their settlement, was returned to the land office, to prove the incipiency of their title. After the resistance of 1741 and 1743 no warrants whatever for land in the manor were granted by Penn’s agents. But in April, 1765, thirty-seven were granted; in May, nine; in June, three, and in other months of that year twelve, making seventy-one warrants in all. The manor is separated by a narrow strip from Carroll’s tract, or “Carroll’s Delight,” as it was named. This was surveyed under Maryland April 3, 1732, and patented August 8, 1735, to Charles, Mary and Elinor Carroll. It was sold to some extent and warrants given by Carroll’s agents, they supposing it lay in Frederick County, Maryland, and to be a part of Lord Baltimore’s grant from the King. The Carroll tract contained about 5,000 acres. The early settlers upon the Manor of Maske located on March Creek. A paper published in the Compiler, January 16, 1876, gives an interesting account of an old record paper found in the possession of the county surveyor. It is a report to Penn’s agent of a list of settlers on the manor who had filed their claims upon lands, and included those who had taken out warrants as well as those who had not. To this valuable list of early settlers are added the names of those who took out warrants between 1765 and 1775, as appears on the records of the Department of Internal Affairs at Harrisburg. Agnew, James and Thomas Douglas, in trust for Presbyterian meeting-house in forks of Plum Run, 5 acres, April 17, 1765. Agnew, James, September, 1739. Agnew, James, 500 acres, April 15, 1765. Agnew, James, Jr., 250 acres, April 16, 1765. Agnew, Samuel, May, 1741. Agnew, Samuel, 125 acres, April 16, 1765. Anan, Rev. Robt., May, 1741. Armstrong, John, April,1740. Armstrong, Quintin, April, 1740. Armstrong, Q. (Mount Airy), 800 acres, October 7, 1765. Baird, W. (surveyed to Robert McPherson, 200 acres), October 7, 1765. Beard, John, heirs of, September, 1740. Biddle, James, May, 1740. Bigham, Robert, 50 acres, October 8, 1774. Block, Robt., heirs of, March, 1738. Block, Robt., May, 1740. Block, Robt., 400 acres, June 22, 1773. Block, Robt., May, 1740. Block, Robt., 400 acres, June 22, 1773. Block, Robt., heirs, 300 acres, May 18, 1765. Boyd, John, March, 1740. Boyd, Thomas, heirs, March, 1741. Boyd, William, 200 acres, May 15, 1765. Brown, John, May, 1741. Brown, Samuel, May, 1741. Brunfield, Robert, September, 1739. Buchanan, John, 400 acres, May 15, 1765. Buchanan, John, May, 1740. Buchanan, Margaret (widow), May, 1740. Buchanan, Walter, September, 1739. Carson, John, April, 1741. Catecart, William, 300 acres, April 20, 1778. Catton, Henry, April, 1741. Catton, Henry, 200 acres, October 2, 1765. Cishinger, John, April, 1741. Clugston, Joseph, April, 1741. Craig, James, May, 1741. Craig, John, heirs, April, 1739. Creighton, Robert, June, 1739. Darby, John, heirs of, April, 1739. Davis, Hugh, April, 1739. Davis, Hugh, 60 acres, October 7, 1765. Dean, Mathew, May, 1740. Douglas, Thomas, 200 acres, April 17, 1765. Douglas, Thomas, May, 1740. Douglas, Thomas, 200 acres, April 16, 1765. Dunwoody, David, April, 1741. Dunwoody, David, 400 acres, April 16, 1765. Dunwoody, Hugh, April, 1741. Dunwoody, Hugh, 400 acres, April 16, 1765. Edie, Samuel, May, 1741. Erwin, James, September, 1739. Erwin, William, September, 1739. Evans, Duncan, October, 1786. Ferguson, James, September, 1741. Ferguson, Hugh, September, 1741. Fletcher, John, June, 1739. Fletcher, John, 800 acres, April 16, 1765. Fletcher, Robert, May, 1741. Frazier, David, March, 1788. Gettys, Samuel, May, 1740. Gettys, Saml., on Middle Creek, May, 1741. Gettys, Saml., 250 acres, June 17, 1765. Gibson, Jean, May, 1741. Gibson, Jane, 100 acres, April 16, 1765. Gibson, Robt. And William, October, 1786. Gibson, Samuel, October, 1786. Gilmore, Jennett, 200 acres, August 27, 1765. Hall, Edward, March, 1741. Hall, James, April, 1741. Hamilton, Hance, April, 1741. Herron, Andrew, April, 1740. Hosack, John, March, 1740. Hosack, John, March, 1740. Hosack, John, 150 acres, April 22, 1765. Hosack, Thomas, 300 acres, April 22, 1765. Innis, James, May, 1740. Jenkins, Moses, May, 1740. Jenkins, Moses, 200 acres, October 7, 1765. Johnston, Ephraim and Isaac Robinson, William McClean, James Stevenson, Stephen McCorkle, Samuel Knox, 150 acres, April 22, 1765. Johnston, Robert, April, 1741. Johnston, Robt., 150 acres, April 16, 1765. Karr, George, 350 acres, April 16, 1765. Kerr, George, October, 1740. Kerr, John, April, 1741. Leard, John, September, 1739. Latta, Thomas, May, 1740. Latta, Thomas, 200 acres, April 16, 1765. Latta, Thomas, 350 acres, October 7, 1774. Latta, Thomas (called Rapho), April 16, 1765. Levenston, Andrew, May, 1740. Livingston, Andrew, 100 acres, September 16, 1765. Linn, Adam, May, 1741. Linn, John, April, 1740. Linn, Robt., 150 acres, April 13, 1767. Little, John, May, 1741. Long, Robt., September, 1739. Long, Robert, 200 acres, April 16, 1765. Lesley, Hannah, April, 1741. Martin, Thomas, May, 1741. Miller, John, April, 1741. Moore, David, March, 1741. Moore, Joseph, March, 1740. Morrow, John, 200 acres, April 16, 1765. Murphy, James, 200 acres, May 21, 1765. Morrison, Archibald, May, 1740. Morrison, Archibald, heirs, 200 acres, April 19, 1775. Morrison, John, 300 acres, Sept. 11, 1765. Morrison, Joseph, 200 acres, June 27, 1765. Morrison, Robert, 200 acres, June 4, 1765. Murphy, John, April, 1741. Murphy, John, 160 acres, August 13, 1767. McAdams, Quintin, April, 1741. McAllister, Gabriel, April, 1741. McCarley, Moses, April, 1739. McCarley, Moses, 200 acres, May 15, 1765. McCleary, Thomas, May, 1740. McClelland, David, 300 acres, April 16, 1765. McClelland, Jacob, May, 1740. McClelland, William, May, 1740. McClelland, William, 800 acres, August 30, 1767. McCluer, James, in right of William Davison, September 26, 1740. McColcock, Samuel, May, 1741. McConaughy, David, Hans Hamilton, Robert McPherson, Samuel Edie, John Buchanan, in trust for Presbyterian Church, in Cumberland Township, 100 acres, May 25, 1765. McCormick, Benjamin, October, 1736. McCracken, Thomas, September, 1740. McCracken, Thomas, 800 acres, Oct. 7, 1765. McCreary, William, April, 1740. McCreary, William, 300 acres, April 27, 1774. McCulloch, Samuel, 160 acres, April 16, 1765. McDonald, Duncan, assignee, 120 acres, September 15, 1766. McDonough, heirs, April, 1739. McDowell, John, April, 1739. McFarlan, John, October, 1738. McFerran, John, May, 1741. McFerran, William, May, 1741. McGalvey, John, 450 acres, April 16, 1765. McGaughy, John, April, 1741. McGaughy, James, April, 1740. McKean, James, 12 acres, April 23, 1775. McKean, Alexander, March, 1738. McKean, John, heirs of, March, 1738. McKeeman---, September, 1740. McKinley, William, April, 1741. McKinney, Robert, May, 1740. McMullen, Charles, May, 1740. McMullen, Mary, May, 1741. McNair, Alex., April, 1741. McNair, Alex., 150 acres, October 30, 1772. McNair, Alex., 250 acres, October 30, 1772. McNaught, James, May, 1740. McNaught, James, 100 acres, Jan. 16, 1767. McNea, John, April, 1741. McNeil, Robert, April, 1740. McNiel, John, March, 1740. McNutt, John, fifty acres, May 18, 1765. McPherson, Robert, 222 acres, Oct. 9, 1788. McPherson, Robert, 800 acres, Oct. 17, 1765. McPherson, Robert and Samuel Edie, in trust for heirs of Thomas Boyd, 150 acres, January 16, 1767. McPherson, Robert and David Grier, 217 acres, October 17, 1767. Nealson, Thomas, March, 1741. Orr, James, May, 1739. Parke, David, march, 1741. Parke, John, March, 1741. Paxton, John, March, 1741. Paxton, John, 140 acres, May 27, 1765. Paxton, Samuel, Sr., March, 1741. Paxton, Thomas, March, 1741. Pearson, Henry, April, 1741. Peden, Samuel, May, 1741. Poe, Alexander, May, 1741. Poe, Alexander, 200 acres, April 16, 1765. Quiel, William, Sr., April, 1741. Quiel, William, Jr., April, 1741. Ramsey, William, May, 1740. Reed, James, August, 1738. Reed, John, November, 1740. Reed, Mary, September, 1740. Riddle, James, 300 acres, January 16, 1767. Rowan, Henry, June, 1739. Rowan, Henry, 200 acres, April 17, 1765. Russell, James, May, 1740. Russell, John, May, 1740. Scott, Hugh, September, 1740. Scott, Hugh, 180 acres, April 16, 1765. Scott, John, May, 1740. Scott, John, 125 acres, April 16, 1765. Scott, William, April, 1741. Scott, William, 300 acres, April 17, 1765. Shannon, Thomas, September, 1740. Shannon, Thomas, 300 acres, April 16, 1765. Sipes, George, 130 acres, April 16, 1765. Simple, John, May, 1740. Slemons, Rev. John, Hugh Ferguson, Amos McGinley and John Alexander, in trust for use of Middle Presbyterian Church, in Hamiltonban Township, joining lands of said Slemons and James Kimberlin, 10 acres, August 13, 1767. Slemons, Rev. John (choice), 214 acres, August 18, 1767. Slemons, Thomas, 165 acres, Aug. 12, 1765. Smith, Robert, April, 1741. Smith, William, April, 1789. Smith, William, Boyd B., March, 1740. Spear, Robert, 192 acres (part in manor). Steele, John (part in manor), Sept., 1740. Steel, John (part in manor), 240 acres, April 16, 1765. Stevenson, Samuel, May, 1741. Stevenson, William, May, 1741. Stewart, Robert, 100 acres, May 30, 1765. Stuart, Alexander, April, 1741. Stuart, John, April, 1741. Stuart, John, 250 acres, April 16, 1765. Stuart, John (Marsh Creek), March, 1741. Sweeny, Myles, March, 1741. Sypes, George, April, 1741. Tedford, James, May, 1740. Thompson, Andrew, May, 1741. Thompson, Andrew, 125 acres, April 16, 1765. Thompson, James, May, 1741. Thompson, James, 260 acres, Oct. 7, 1765. Vance, Charles, 300 acres, April 16, 1765. Walker, Alexander, April, 1740. Walker, James, May, 1740. Watt, George, 186 acres, December 3, 1773. White, James, 150 acres (part in manor), April 16, 1765. Wilson, James, 600 acres, April 16, 1765. Wilson, James, 588 acres, Feb. 28, 1767. Wilson, Joseph, March, 1788. Wilson, Thomas, 418 acres, June, 1765 and October, 1765. Wilson, Joseph, 200 acres, Jan. 16, 1767. Wilson, Thomas, 200 acres, June 21, 1763. Winchester, Wiloughby, November 28, 1740. Woods, Hugh, March, 1741. Work, Robert, 400 acres, April 15, 1773. Young, James, 200 acres, April 16, 1765. Young, Margaret, April, 1741. The church referred to as in the “forks of Plum Run,” is now the “Old Hill” Church, in Freedom Township, which, to this day, has its “five acres.” The Manor line, when finally run out, passed through these five acres. The tract given to the “Presbyterian Congregation in Cumberland Township” in 1775, became, in 1785, the “Upper Presbyterian Congregation of Marsh Creek,” as is fully told in the chapter concerning that church. *Extracts from notes by Hon. Edward McPherson, who has a collection of old records and family papers which is now largely the only insight into the history of the early settlers, extant.