AREA HISTORY: History of Adams County, Chapter XXXVI, 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 283-286 CHAPTER XXXVI. HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP. The principal streams of this township are Marsh Creek, which forms a part of its eastern boundary, and Little Marsh Creek, which flows into the parent stream just south of the old cemetery on the hill. There are many small streams found throughout this township which flow by many a dell into the two creeks named. In the western part of the township the foot-hills of South Mountain rise up as if to hide the proud Sugar Loaf of Hamiltonban from the Eastern traveler. Throughout the township are hill and dale, rivulet and creek, fine farms, good farm buildings and comfortable homes. The rocky outcrops are greenish sandstone, sandy blue shale, red shale, trap. Argillaceous sandstone charged with epidote. The population of Highland Township in 1870 was 421, including 13 colored, and in 1880, 524. The number of tax payers (1886) is 135; value of real estate, $213,403; number of horses, etc., 161; of cows, 188; value of moneys at interest, $28,750; value of trades and professions, $2,765; number of carriages, 82; of gold watches, 3; of silver watches, 2; of acres of timer land, 760. In 1857 Jacob King erected a wooden bridge over Muddy River on the Gettysburg and Fairfield road for $280. The Harrisburg Junction, Harrisburg & Gettysburg Railroad skirts along the northern boundary line of the township. The greater part of this township was outside of “Carroll’s Delight” and within the boundaries given to “The Manor of Maske” in 1740. Here many of the Marsh Creek settlers made their homes between 1733 and 1741, and here also was enacted that agrarian drama, which ultimately won for the cultivator his ownership of the soil. A list of entries in this portion of the manor, made in 1742 and recorded April 2, 1792, gives the following names of settlers: John McFerran and William McFerran in May, 1741; John McDowell, April, 1741; Samuel Agnew, May, 1741; Henry Rowan, June, 1739; William Scott, John Stuart, John Kerr, John Cishinger, all in April, 1741; James Orr, May, 1739; John Scott, Matthew Dean, James Inniss in May, 1740; William Irwin and Robert Creighton in September and June, 1739; James Reed, August, 1738; John Carson, in April, and John Little and James Agnew in May, 1741; Jacob McClellan, Thomas Shannon, Thomas McCracken, Charles McMullen and William Ramsay in May and September, 1740; John McKeen’s children, March, 1738; John Darby’s children, March, 1740; Thomas Paxton, March, 1741; John Reed, November, 1740; John McNitt and Elizabeth Thompson, April, 1741; Mary Read, John Beard’s heirs, September, 1740; James McGaughey, Andrew Herron, April, 1740, and James Orr, April, 1739. With these settlers were a few who located in “Carroll’s Delight,” all of whose claims for ownership of the land were settled in 1802, sixty two years after the subject was first agitated. Christian Byers, the first German settler in the western part of the county other than Cishinger, built his home in 1769 at Clearfield, in Highland Township near the Gettysburg and Fairfield road. This tract is now known as the Byers and Wintrode farms, and on it is what is known as the “Byers Grave-yard.” The Armstrong family settled on “Mount Airy” in Cumberland Township, now the Thomas F. Norris property. CHURCH. The Presbyterian Church of Lower Marsh Creek is in Highland Township, five miles from Gettysburg, on the road leading to Fairfield. The present edifice is of stone, and was built in 1790, but the organization (the exact date of which cannot be ascertained) is much older. It can be traced, however, to within the limits of a decade, somewhere between 1741 and 1749. The first building stood on the banks of Marsh Creek, about two miles northeast of the present church edifice, and near the burying ground known as the “Marsh Creek Grave-yard.” Rev. Andrew Bay was the first pastor of this church. He was a Scotchman, and was what was then called a “New-side man.” His salary was £60. How long he was pastor is not known. After his resignation the church was supplied by Revs. Balch and Roan. In 1765 Rev. John Slemons was called to the pastorate of the church. He was installed by the Presbytery of Carlisle October 30, 1765. He remained in charge nine years. After the death of Mr. Slemons the congregation was again supplied for a time by Dr. Martin. In 1780 this church was united with the church of Tom’s Creek to form a pastoral charge. In 1781 these churches called Rev. Mathew Woods, who declined the call. In 1783 they united in a call for Dr. McKnight at a salary of £180 and a gratuity of fifty bushels of wheat, from each congregation. He accepted the call, and was installed in November, 1783. Dr. McKnight lived on a farm in what is called “Carroll’s Tract,” which was cultivated for him by his people. He was dismissed from this charge in October, 1789, to accept a call to be co-pastor with Dr. Rogers in New York City. After a vacancy of two years this church with Thom’s Creek, called the Rev. William Paxton, a licentiate in the Presbytery of New Castle. He accepted the call, and was ordained and installed October 3, 1872. After four years of his pastorate the union between this church, and Tom’s Creek, was dissolved, and Dr. Paxton continued pastor of the Marsh Creek Church only forty- nine years. His salary was £149 11s. 4d. He was in his eighty-first year when he resigned the charge, and died at his residence in Fairfield, April 16, 1845. The next pastor was Rev. Dr. Clark, who was installed in June, 1843. During Dr. Clark’s pastorate the church was remodeled to its present appearance, which is more modern that its former style. Dr. Clark remained in the charge thirteen years, when he resigned, and after his resignation Marsh Creek Church was united with the church of Great Conowago to form a pastoral charge. These churches called Rev. John R. Warner to be their pastor. He was installed April 23, 1858. During his pastorate the battle of Gettysburg was fought. He exposed himself to great danger to witness the fight, and afterward wrote a lecture on the battle which was well received. He resigned, and the relation was dissolved June 12, 1867. For two years these churches were without a pastor, during which time they had supplies, the principal being Rev. E. Ferrier, D.D., then professor in Pennsylvania College. On the 3d of February, 1869, a call was made out for the present pastor, Rev. W. S. VanCleve, who entered upon his duties April 1, 1869, but was not installed till May following. This gentleman is now in the eighteenth year of his pastorate. CEMETERY. Lower Marsh Creek or “Sanders’” burying ground, is located near the junction of Big and Little Marsh Creeks, in Highland Township. The first burials date back to 1749, and the names of the aged people whose remains lie in the Lower Marsh Creek, or “Sanders’ Cemetery,” together with the dates of death, are given as follows: John Cunningham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1776 Elizabeth Cunningham . . . . . . . . . . . . 1783 David W. Cunningham . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1809 Robert Cunningham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1825 Martha Cunningham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1833 Hugh Kygn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1767 David Blythe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1849 David Blythe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1831 Michael Finley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1785 Margaret Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1786 Andrew Hart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1792 Mary Hart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1785 Mary Crughton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1772 Barbara Hoover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1843 Frances Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1760 Mrs. Frances Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . 1771 John Leard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1766 John Crawford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1771 James Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1793 Mary Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1784 Samuel Knox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1808 Dr. Samuel Knox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1821 Mrs. Dr. Samuel Knox . . . . . . . . . . . . 1843 Alexander McKesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1771 Sarah McKesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1821 Ebenezer P. McConnell . . . . . . . . . . . . 1772 William McKesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1826 John NcElnay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1841 Mary Brown (his wife) . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800 James Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1824 John Kerr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1749 John Kerr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1837 John Kerr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1772 Mary Kerr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1855 Mary Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1770 Joseph Kerr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1790 William Kerr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1791 George Kerr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1815 John Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1771 Hugh Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1849 Jane Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1813 James McClain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1813 M. S. [rough head stone] . . . . . . . . . . 1771 William Johnston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1858 Robert Slemons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1823 Rachel (his wife) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1801 Robert Slemons, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1863 Rachel Slemons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1860 Rev. John Slemons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1773 James Rulfion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1769 Hugh Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1844 Margaret McCleary Scott . . . . . . . . . . . 1789 Jane McClean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1785 William McClean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1787 Archibald Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1751 Elizabeth Withrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1774 Jeremiah Lohry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1749 Capt. David Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1846 Thomas Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1840 Mrs. Grizzle Peden . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1843 James Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1805 Andrew Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1853 Capt. Samuel White . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1869 Rev. Alexander Dobbin . . . . . . . . . . . . 1809 Andrew Weckert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1871 Samuel Parden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1802 Robert Linn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1772 Isaac Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1796 Robert McGinsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1799 James Agnew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1825 David Agnew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1797 James Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1776 James Agnew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1770 Rebecca Agnew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1759 Abram Agnew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1753 William Lawden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1851 David Waugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1816 Dr. William Patterson . . . . . . . . . . . . 1806 Francis McGlaughlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1798 Abram Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1834 Capt. James Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1806 Andrew Hart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1775 Agnes Quiett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1774 Edward Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1775 James Maginley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1762 Murzant Maginley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1770 Jean McGaughey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1773 Jane Waugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1770 Matt Dill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1812 Martin Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1852 Mary Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1867 Amy Chamberlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1813 Lewis Chamberlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1825 Hannah Coshin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1833 James Bigham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1854 Rev. William Paxton . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1845 James Watson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1870 Dr. John Paxton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1840 William McCullough . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1880 John McCullough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1875 James Thompson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1801 Sam McCullough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1778 Greggery McCullough . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1749 Margaret McCullough . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1752 Eliza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1821 Jean Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1769 Arch Boyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1825 James Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1845 Abram Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1870 Elijah Seabrook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1848 Sam Witherow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1832 Hugh Culberton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1876 Benjamin Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1828 Israel Irwin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1871 John Irwin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1822 Rev. David Pfoutz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1849 Christian Shulley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1858 Mrs. Christian Stoner . . . . . . . . . . . . 1846 Barbara Bennett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1866 George Dougherty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1861 David Stewart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1741 Jane Stewart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1857 James Douglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1818 John Morrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1811 Jeremiah Morrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1758 Margaret Morrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1837 Anne Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1815 James Cunningham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1857 The Bushman Cemetery, near the line of Cumberland Township, holds the remains of fourteen pioneer settlers.