Mercer-Fayette County PA Archives Bible Records.....Family Record, Bible Dictionary of Alexander HUNTER (b. 1761), jpeg images, Courtesy of Jean Eisman Copyright Date 1807 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Jere Becker jerebecker@gmail.com December 6, 2012, 4:12 pm HUNTER Bible Dictionary 1807-1873 Family Records transcription Family Record, Bible Dictionary of Alexander HUNTER (jpeg images), Courtesy of Jean Eisman (original bible dictionary in possession of Jean Eisman, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; jeaneisman@gmail.com; received 1 Nov 2012 JereBecker@gmail.com, used by permission), Publication, Inscription, Marriages, Births, Casualties, and Deaths pages. This bible dictionary was passed from Alexander Hunter, to his son James, to his son Silas, to his daughter Mary, to her niece Elizabeth (Dennison) Andrews, to her daughter Jean (Andrews) Eisman. Permission granted for free non-commercial use and distribution, in an unmodified, cropped, or excerpted form only, conditioned upon inclusion of the above citation and this notice with image and/or text. Permission file: Jean Eisman HUNTER photos & scans Note on Citation: 1. Excerpt from 14 November 2012 email from Jean Eisman: “About the chain of ownership of the dictionary, I think it always stayed on the farm and went from Alexander to James to Silas to Mary Hunter, my Grandmother Alice Dennison's unmarried sister who always lived on the Hunter farm along with her brother Jim who also never married. After Jim died, a neighbor John Lizska ran the farm for Aunt Mary, but when he got married, he quit. My great Aunt Mary, unable to find a replacement, sold the farm to my mom and dad for I think only about $8000, but with the stipulation that she would always have a home there at the farm. And she did. I remember her well. If you are interested, I'll send you some pictures of the farm.” (note added 15 November 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) Transcription and Notes: General transcription note: ( by Jere Becker, 9 November 2012) I have compared the handwriting by sampling out the names of months and also the capital letters and the numbers to try to determine who wrote what. More samples from other sources would be helpful, but I have presented my thoughts for whatever they are worth. I am not a handwriting expert by any measure. 1) Publication information: John Brown, "A Dictionary of the Holy Bible", 2nd edition, 2 volumes, volume 2: Pittsburgh, Ecclesiastical and Literary Press of Zadok Cramer, 1807. 2) Inscription page: Transcription: “Alexander Hunter his Book 1807” Inscription Note:Written in a beautiful, elegant, controlled, calligraphic script (see “Name Samples” image on annotated transcript file). Two additional items have been used to try to determine whether the inscription was written by Alexander Hunter or someone else, the signature on Alexander’s will (allowing for difference of age), and Alexander’s name as written on the “Deaths” page of this same book. Comparison of the “x” and the “r” appear to match more closely to the “Deaths” page, and considering the addition of the “his Book” to the inscription – which does not seem like a phrase someone would write in their own book – it may be that it was written by someone else. Comparison of the “H” matches the will more closely, however, and the flourishes under the signature also match the will. More known samples of writing by family members would be helpful. (9 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) 3) Marriages page: Transcription: Family Record Marriages This is now bone of my bones – therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife ; and they shall be one flesh, Gen.ii 23–24 . Alexander & Marget Hunter October the 2nd 1786 Jean to Thomas Gilliland January the 18th 1810 James to Sarah Dowlin February 23d 1815 [2nd digit of day of month blotched*] Betty to James Mossman April the 18th 1815 Mathew to Elizabeth Etcheson May the 13th 1817 Betty to Robert Brion June the 25th 1818 Peggy to John Mossman May the 4th 1819 [entries for Peggy & Ebby braced and single date entered] Ebby to Hugh Mossman May the 4th 1819 [entries for Peggy & Ebby braced and single date entered] James to Isme North July the 27th 1820” -transcribed 5 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker * based on superscript, ending in d [not nd], 23rd Marriages Note: Based on the handwriting, all of these entries seem to have been made by the same person over time, likely as they occurred, based on a comparison of the handwriting and ink. (9 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) 4) Births page: Transcription: Family Record Births. Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, Gen. ix 1. Alexander Hunter November the 15th 1761 Marget April 1768 Jean November the 5th at 1/2 after 7 A.M. 1787 James December the 5th at 1/2 after 11 A.M. 1789 Mathew April the 6h at 1/2 after 5 A. M. 1792 Betty May the 22nd at 4 A. M. 1794 Peggy August the 9th at 10 P.M. 1796 Ebby October the 20th at 6. A.M. 1799 Alexander September the 23d at 4 A.M. 1801 Hiram July the 12th at 10 P.M 1803 Elliott 1st April the 18th at 11 P.M 1806 Elliott 2nd July the 14th at 1/2 after 8 P.M. 1807” -transcribed 5 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker Births Note: 1) These entries appear to have been written all at once by the same person using the same ink. (9 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) 2) Deaths page gives Margarets death information: “Margret Hunter April the 8th at 12 A.M. 1838 [Age] 70 & 1 day” and therefore, while her exact birthdate is not given on the births page, calculated from the age at death, her birthdate would be 7 April 1768. (15 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) 3) Note that my transcription of Alexander’s birthdate differs from that of Ethel Bates, as hers says August 13th rather than 15th. (9 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) Transcription note on Alexander’s birthdate: (Jere McCormick Becker, 15 November 2012) I transcribed first, then compared my transcription to Ethel Bates’ transcription. I corrected a couple typos I made after checking my result to hers, but one item of difference remains; I think the birthdate for Alexander is properly read as November the 15th, and she has it as November the 13th. I wrote to Jean (Andrews) Eisman and asked her to double-check the date on the original for me since given the accuracy of Ethel Bates’ transcription otherwise, I didn’t know whether to believe that my reading of the scanned copy differs from what one would see in person, or whether Mrs. Bates’ transcription contained a typo. Jean wrote back: “… I'm also attaching a cropped and enlarged scan of Alexander's birth date recorded in the bible dictionary. I'm pretty sure the day is November the 15th, 1761.and my husband agrees, even though the day given in the 1888 Mercer County History is November 13th, 1761. What do you think?” You can view an image of the 5's and 3’s from the births page on the annotated transcription file in the figure named "Numbers from Births page". Looked at together, it seems very clear to me that Alexander’s birthdate is November the 15th, and not November the 13th as stated in the 1888 History and as repeated in Ethel Bates’ transcription. Added to the opinion of Jean Eisman and her husband, Eugene Eisman, who have the original to look at, I have no doubt at all that the family record does indeed say that Alexander Hunter’s birthdate was November the 15th, 1761. So how do I explain the difference in the published report and Ethel Bates’ transcription? My opinion is that Ethel Bates either made a simple typo or else she – who was very well familiar with the 1888 History and its contents – remembered the date from the history as she was transcribing and that her recollection influenced her transcription. (Apparently, my memory is not as good as hers was. Whoever thought that could be a good thing?) So why is the 1888 History different? That could be a typographical error, or whoever provided the information to the publishers could have made the same error Mrs. Bates did in reading the family record; either way, just because it is printed in a book doesn’t make it right. I trust the original more than the subsequently derived records, as one should. (Jere McCormick Becker, 15 November 2012) 5) Casualties page: Transcription: Family Record Casualties. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich : he bringeth low, and lifteth up, 1 Sam. ii. 7. Alexander Hunter & Marget his wife left Crevanmore parish of drummaugh and County tyrone Ireland June 16th ___ 1788 left & sailed from Londonderry June 30th _ 1788 Landed at Philladelphia [sic] August 22nd _ _ 1788 Left Philladelphia [sic] August 16th ___ ___1790 For Cumberland County Newton township Left Newton township Cumberland County November _ __ __ __ __ __ __ 1793 for Franklin township Fayette County Left Franklin township (otherwise Dunbar) Fayette county April _____ 1812 For West Salem township Mercer County” -transcribed 5 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker Casualties Note: Appears to have been written all at once by the same person using the same ink, but not the same person who made the entries on the Marriages and Births pages. Underscores in original, for apparent purpose of aligning years at right margin. (9 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) 6) Deaths page: Transcription: Deaths. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, - they may rest form their labours ; and their works do follow them, Rev. xiv. 13. Elliott 1st July the 21st at 11 P.M. 1806 Age 3 [months *] James Mossman May the 11th at 12 A.M. 1816 [Age] 25 Sarah Dowlin April the 5th at 4 A.M. 1817 [Age] 22 Isabella Mossman October the 13th at 5 A.M. 1834 [Age] 35 [*] Margret Hunter April the 8th at 12 A.M. 1838 [Age] 70 [*] Margret Mossman July the 24th at [space left to add time but not filled in] 1844 [Age] 48 [*,**] Alexander Hunter March 24th 1847 [Age] 86 [*] Jane Gilliland Jan 13th 1859 James Hunter May 4th at 4 P.M. 1869 [Age] 79 Betty Parker September 30th 1873 [Age] 79 James Hunter would be 92 years old if living, at December 5, 1881. [markings at bottom of page – unknown – but not an entry]” * following marginal portion not in image ** looks as though age was written over and may have said 68 first (headstone says 47) Deaths Notes: 1) Ages written in margin. With the exception of the age at death portion, these entries appear to have been made over time, likely as they occurred, based on a comparison of the handwriting and ink. (The ages at death appear to have been added later by one or more persons.) The first three death entries appear to have been made by the same person, the following three by a different person, the entry for Alexander Hunter by yet another person (who probably wrote the inscription as well), Jane Gilliland by another person, or possibly by the same person who wrote the entry for Alexander Hunter, and the final two entries by a single other person, who may have also written the note at the bottom of the page. (9 Nov 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) 2) Ethel Bates must have viewed the original bible dictionary at some time prior to the death of Elizabeth Dennison Andrews, and made note of the marginal death ages that are not visible in my scanned copy. This is an excerpt of her transcription: “DEATHS: Elliott (1st) at 11 PM 07/21/1806, age 3 mo.; James Mossman at 12 AM 05/11/1816, age 25; Sarah Dowlin at 4 AM 04/05/1817, age 22; Isabella Mossman at 5 AM 10/13/1834, age 35 & 77 mos.; Margret Hunter at 12 AM 04/08/1838, age 70 & 1 day; Margret Mossman at __ 07/24/1844, age 48 & 16 days; Alexander Hunter, 03/24/1847, age 86; Jane Gilliland, 01/13/1859; James Hunter at 4PM, 05/04/1869, 79y; Betty Parker 09/30/1873, age 79; James hunter would be 92 years old if living, at December 5, 1881.” (from: Transcript of Alexander Hunter Bible (1807) by Ethel Bates, received from Edna Park Waller (Edna Park Waller, aewaller@bellsouth.net), original bible owned by Mrs. Dale [Elizabeth Dennison] Andrews (died 1997), descendant, received 30 Sep 2012 JereBecker@gmail.com) I wrote to Jean (Andrews) Eisman, the current owner of the bible dictionary, and she replied (12 Nov 2012) that the age of death portions that Ethel Bates transcribed were “correct except for Isabella Mossman should read 35 years and 7 days rather than 7 months.” (Obviously, the person who calculated this age and wrote it in the bible dictionary made a small error, as calculated from her birth Isabella “Ebby” Hunter Mossman would have been a week shy of her 35th birthday when she died.) (Note added 13 November 2012 Jere McCormick Becker) 3) Excerpt from 12 November 2012 email from Jean Eisman: “I've been thinking about the note that James Hunter would have been 92 on Dec 5, 1881. I wonder why the writer mentions that. James died May 4, 1869. Would his living 12 more years have had some special significance? Jean “ Reply 12 November 2012 JereBecker@gmai..com (me!): “I also wondered about the possible significance of the 1881 anniversary, but there don't seem to be any particular events that would have triggered the recollection that year. Isabella could not write (according to the 1880 census), but if she was thinking about her deceased husband on his birthday certainly someone could have written it for her. “ Transcription and notes November 2012 JereBecker@gmail.com. Permission granted for free non-commercial use and distribution, in an unmodified, cropped, or excerpted form only, conditioned upon inclusion of the above citation and this notice with text. Additional Comments: Transcription and notes November 2012 JereBecker@gmail.com. Permission granted for free non-commercial use and distribution, in an unmodified, cropped, or excerpted form only, conditioned upon inclusion of the above citation and this notice with text. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 15.4 Kb