AREA HISTORY: Historical Notes, Hopewell Township, York County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ _______________________________________________ History of York County, Pennsylvania. John Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886. _______________________________________________ HISTORICAL NOTES AND INCIDENTS – Page 756 William Sinclair, an officer in the Revolutionary army, owned what is now known as Henry’s Mill, in the township. His death occurred in 1817, and his remains were interred with the honors of war, in the old “Round Hill Graveyard.” The Pennsylvania Herald, printed at York, in its issue of May 2, 1798, has the following: “On Saturday, the 21st of April last, Capt. Collins’ company, in Hopewell Township, in this county, at the usual place of muster, on hearing the President’s (Adams) message to both Houses of Congress, respecting the reception of our Envoys to the French Republic, unanimously agreed to turn out Volunteers on the shortest notice, well equipped at their own expense, in defence of their country.” The York Republican, of September 20, 1843, contains the following: Died at his residence in Hopewell, in this county on the 16th of September, Mr. Alexander Thompson, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, six months and sixteen days. Mr. Thompson was a soldier of the Revolution, and his death diminishes the number of the small remnant of the heroes and patriots of that era. He resided during his long life at the homestead in which he was born and he was interred in his native soil on the Sabbath after his decease, his remains being attended to the grave by a large concourse of his friends and neighbors. He was the father of Archibald Thompson of Hopewell and grandfather of A. Duncan Thompson, late clerk to the county commissioners. Hon. James Purdy, for sixty-five years a member of the Mansfield (Ohio) bar, was born in Hopewell Township, November 24, 1793. In 1811 he moved with his parents to New Hopewell Township, Ontario Co., N. Y., to which place a great many families from York County moved about the same time. He was a soldier on the Niagara frontier in the war of 1812-15. In 1820 he located at Mansfield, Ohio, where he has since practiced law, and for many years has been president of the Farmers National Bank of Mansfield. August 29, 1885, he stated in a letter to the writer: “To-day I drafted a bill in equity, my last professional case.” He was then ninety-two years old. Thomas Jordan, Esq., of Hopewell Township, died on the 8th of December, 1819. “He was an active friend of his country during the Revolution. For many years he was a prominent justice of the peace, and was highly respected in his neighborhood.” (York Gazette.) Joseph Allison was appointed a justice of the peace by the Governor to succeed him. Maj. Gemmill was called the “King of the Barrens” after the death of Capt. Andrew Finley. Samuel Cameron was accidentally killed while firing a salute in front of the house of Maj. Gemmill, May 19, 1826. He and others were on their way to a military parade. Lieut. Kurtz was accidentally killed in York by a bayonet, on the same day. The first battalion of Col. Robert Colvin’s regiment was trained and exercised at the house of Capt. William Allison in Hopewell on Tuesday, May 9, 1820, and was inspected by Brigade Inspector A. S. Jordon. On the second Monday of December, 1819, the same regiment, the Sixty- fourth Pennsylvania Militia, met and drilled at the house of Abraham Miller, in same township. The same regiment on May 4, 1821, was inspected by Gen. Jordon at the house of Samuel Smith. “The Mechanicsburg Rifles” was a volunteer military company, organized in 1835, and drilled fourteen years. Hon. Adam Ebaugh, now strong and vigorous at the advanced age of eighty-two, was captain of this company. One of the traditionary stories of Hopewell is as follows: Some time before the Revolution an Indian came to the blacksmith shop of William McClurg, who followed this trade on the place now owned by John Blake in Winterstown. The red man wanted his gun repaired, the blacksmith told him that he had no coal. The Indian then said “Give me a basket and mattock and I will get you coal.” They were furnished him and he went in the direction of Sinclair’s Mill (Henry’s). McClurg desiring to find out the secret, quietly followed the Indian, but fearing he might lose his way returned to his home. The Indian soon after returned, bringing with him the desired coal. Some time later, during a flood of the Codorus, which brought down drift wood, a large stump had tightly grown around it fine specimens of anthracite coal. The stump was exposed by the flood. This is supposed to be the place the Indian got his coal. We give this story for the benefit of the reader and let him judge for himself whether it be true. The geological formation of Hopewell would not indicate that there ever was native coal in it. “We will sell this story as we bought it.” William Douglass of Chanceford shot a wild bear in Hopewell in 1828. It was the last one seen in the lower end of the county. Deer were shot as late as 1833 and wild turkeys somewhat later. James Logan shot a white deer in Hopewell in 1830. A wolf was killed in 1828.