Turbett Township Sketches
Port Royal Times
Thursday, February 20, 1879
written for the Times by D. E. Robison, Esq;
Sketches of the History of Turbett Township
The tract of land that now embraces the farms of Lawrence Whetzler, Philip
Strouse and James
North was taken up under a warrant issued to Capt. William Patterson, Feb. 5,
1755. It was
surveyed June 3rd, 1763. The survey contained 336 acres and allowance. 42o
was the
consideration. Capt. Patterson settled where Mr. Whetzler now resides and built
a fort for defence
against the Indians soon after he took up the land. When the assessment of
property was made for
the year 1767, he had 20 acres of his land cleared, also 2 horses, 3 cows, and 2
negroes. He seems
to have been an active, energetic man, and was no doubt a prominent actor in
the stormy scenes
of those early times. The fort stood a few rods west of Mr. Whetzler's house, the
site may be seen
yet. It was built partly of logs and partly of stone. It was in existence but a few
years ago, being
used for many years as a corn crib. Capt. James Patterson, who settled at
Mexico, and Capt. Wm.
Patterson both died before the Revolutionary war.
Philip Strouse came into possession of the above tract of land about the
beginning of the
Revolution. He no doubt built the house in which Mr. Whetzler resides, likewise
the warehouse
which stood to the right of the lane which leads from Mr. W's house to the
Juniata. It was a log
building, two stories high, and about 20 feet square, used for the storage of grain
during the
winter. From this point most of the grain raised in the valley above was sent
down the Juniata in
arks to find a market.
Judge Milliken in his narrative, read at McCoysville, July 4, 1876, speaks of
this
warehouse in the following words: "The first and only road which run through the
valley is the
one called the mountain or back road, leading from the extreme upper end of the
valley to the
Juniata River near or below where Mexico now stands. Over it all the grain was
hauled to the old
Strouse warehouse at the terminus of the road, being thence transported on arks
or boats to its
destination. No competition at that time disturbed the markets. The only dealer
being one, Barney
McDonald, who, for many years, made an annual tour of the valley and bought of
all, setting his
own price. The seller to deliver at Strouse's warehouse."
Philip Strouse was married to Savilla Kepner, sister of the late Benjamin
Kepner. Their
children were David, John, Sidney and Catharine. Sidney was the wife of the late
Peter Hench.
Catharine married Richard Wilson. She was the mother of Mrs. Sidney Groninger
and Mrs.
Hannah Crozier, of Missouri. David Strouse married a Miss Holman. Their
children were Philip,
George W., Holman and Matilda. Matilda is the wife of James North, Esq., of
Patterson, Pa. Geo.
W. Strouse married Miss Sidney Kepner. Mr. Strouse represented this district in
the Pennsylvania
House of Representatives two terms. He died at Port Royal, Pa., in March 1870
in the 49th year
of his age. Philip Strouse married Euphemia North. They had three sons, David,
James, and
Philip. He died in 1844, aged 31 years.
David Strouse, son of Philip, was a young man of brilliant talents. His earthly
career was
short, but full of usefulness. He entered the employ of the P.R.R. Co., when he
was about 16
years old, and filled various positions of trust and responsibility with honor to
himself and profit
to the Company. When the war of the rebellion began he was appointed General
Superintendent
of Military Telegraph lines at Washington City. His labors were arduous, and
hastened the
ravages of a disease already in his system. He was obliged to relinquish his
position owing to
failing health and return to his mother's home at Mexico Station, P.R.R., where
he died of
consumption Nov. 17, 1861, in the 24th year of his age.
A short time previous to his death he wrote the following beautiful lines:
Gentle river, ever flowing,
Where my early days were passed,
Like your waters I am going,
Sadly to the sea at last.
To that Ocean dark and dreary
Whence no traveller comes again;
Where the spirit worn and weary,
Finds repose from grief and pain.
O'er the world I long have wandered
Now a stranger I return;
Hope and health and manhood squander'd
Life' last lesson here to learn.
Calmly on thy banks reposing,
I am waiting for the day,
Whose calm twilight softly closing,
Bears the trembling soul away
Thus he passed away lamented by all who knew him.
James Strouse died in 1875, aged 34 years.
Philip Strouse married Miss Alice V. Witherow, daughter of Mr. John
Witherow, near
Bloomfield, Perry county.
A man was shot while engaged in digging a foundation for a house near the
site of the tool
house at Mexico Station by an Indian who was posted on the point of the
ridge.
Jesse Kline was division boss at Mexico Station for more than 20 years. Mr.
W. D. Oyler,
fills that position now.
Many years ago a house stood in James North's field south of Old Olive
Branch School
House. A cleared place there was long known as the Gabriel
Meadow.
Port Royal Times
Thursday, March 13, 1879
written by D. E. Robison, Esq;
Sketches of the History of Turbett Township
Among those who took up tracts of land within the bounds of Turbett township, at
a very early
day, was Capt. James Patterson, who was settled at Mexico as early as the year
1751. He took up
the tract of land embracing the farms of Philip Kilmer, George Boyer, and James
McLaughlin,
Esq., (late the farm of Daniel Flickinger, dec'd,) in 1755. He bought of Thomas
Lowery in 1766
the tract which was afterwards divided into the farms of Wm Kohler, D. T. Kilmer,
and the
Robisons. In 1767 he took up part of the tract on the Juniata from which the
farms of Peter
Kilmer, Wm. Turbett, Mrs. Barbara Hartman and A.J. Turbett were formed. As
Capt. Patterson
was a very early settler and a prominent man in his day, some account of him will
be interesting to
the readers of these brief sketched. --He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and came
to the Juniata
from Cumberland valley accompanied by a few other settlers. He settled where
Mexico now
stands and his companions settled near to him. It is said they erected a log
building or fort for
defence against the Indians. Patterson obtained a warrant for a large tract of land
in that locality,
Feb. 4, 1755. And here he and his associates began the arduous task of clearing
out farms for
themselves. But they were surrounded by dangers. They had constantly to be on
their guard
against attacks from the red men. --Capt. Patterson was a brave, fearless man,
and understood
Indian nature very well, and early took means to impress them with fear. It is said
that in order to
make them believe he was unusually skillful with the rifle he kept a target, the
center of which was
pierced with bullet holes at short range, standing against a tree at a considerable
distance from the
door of his house and when he would see a party of Indians coming about would
take his gun and
fire away at the target, taking good care to stop shooting when they were near
enough to detect
the trick. They would of course examine the target, and very naturally conclude
that Patterson
was a dangerous customer. --He thus obtained among the Indians the name of
the "Big Shot."
But the ruse did not always last. The French and Indian war was approaching.
The Indians ceased
to visit Patterson for the purpose of trading, and began to prowl around armed
with rifles and
tomahawks. These were ominous signs to Patterson and his neighbors, they took
the alarm, left
their settlement and went over to Sherman's Valley. They did not return until the
danger had
passed by. Capt. Patterson has been represented as a bold squatter, holding in
contempt the Penn
treaties and the Proprietary Government, and as squatting upon and improving
lands without the
formality of warrants and surveys. But nothing is further from the truth. He may
not have been in
sympathy with the authorities that existed at that time, but he was a man of more
prudence than to
proceed to make the improvements that he is known to have made without a
legal title to his
lands. In the assessment list for the year 1767, (recently published by Prof.
Guss,) it appears that
he was assessed with 500 acres of patented land in the neighborhood of Mexico,
13 acres of
which were cleared, he also had a grist mill, a saw-mill, a distillery, 3 horses, 4
cows, and 4
Negroes, all of which goes to show he was no squatter, but a prosperous, law
abiding citizen. He
traded with the Indians for furs. It has already been stated that he took up part of
the tract from
which Peter Kilmer's and the Turbetts' farms were formed. That was in the year
1766. June 20,
1771, Patterson sold his tract containing 103 acres to James Potter, Esq., of
Cumberland county.
Mary Patterson, widow of Capt. Patterson, and executrix of his will, made the
deed to Potter,
August 23, 1772. Hence it appears that Capt. James Patterson died in the latter
part of the year
1771, or early in 1772. It would be interesting to learn more of the history of such
men as Capts.
James and William Patterson, but more than a century has passed away since
they died and but
little can be learned now concerning them or their associates.
Alexander Denniston took up the tract of land lying between and adjoining that
of Capt.
William Patterson and that of Capt. James Patterson on the Juniata, Feb. 5,
1755. It contained
over 200 hundred acres. --Denniston owned this tract until June 27, 1772, when
it was sold by
Ephraim Blaine, Sheriff of Cumberland county, to James Potter, Esq., of said
county, for the sum
of 270o, or about $720. James Potter having secured both the above mentioned
tracts, sold them
Dec. 5, 1773, to John Bonner. Bonner becoming advanced in years, willed this
land, in November,
1784, in equal shares, to his wife Sarah, and his five children, David, William,
Judith, Margaret,
and Sarah. Judith became the wife of Thomas Ghormley, Margaret the wife of
William Curren.
William and Sarah died unmarried before the year 1802. In that year David
Bonner sold his
interest in said land to Ghormley and Curren. They divided it into two tracts
again, March 11,
1811. Ghormley getting 122 acres and allowance, and Curren 159 acres and
allowance, the
widow's portion remaining in the latter tract. The widow of John Bonner married a
man by the
name of McCord. She and Curren sold their tract to Philip Kilmer, May 16, 1811,
for the sum of
$3359. This is now the farm of Peter Kilmer. Ghormley sold his part to Michael
Brandt, April 23,
1818, for $4900. This is now the farm of Mrs. Hartman and W. Turbett and part of
that of A.J.
Turbett. Ghormley built the stone mansion house in which W. Turbett now
resides about the year
1812. The Currens and Ghormleys moved to Ohio. The stream of water which
passes down
through these tracts is still known as Bonner's run, although the man whose
name it bears was
laid in his grave nearly a century ago. It is nothing more than right that those who
endured the
privations of pioneer life in these valleys should be remembered in some
way.
John Turbett, who it is said was a brother of Col. Thomas Turbett, took up a
tract of
mountain land adjoining the above tracts on the south-east in the year 1793. He
willed this land to
Priscilla Turbett and the above mentioned Sarah McCord. --These women moved
to Chillicothe,
Ross county, Ohio, about the year 1812, and were residing there when they sold
the said Turbett
land to Michael Brandt, August 25, 1813 for the sum of $724. IT was a son of
Thomas Ghormley
that wrote the poem entitled "Ghormley's Farewell," that was published a few
weeks ago. This
young man displayed considerable poetic genius, and seems to have been more
successful in
courting the muses than he was in courting the young lady who broke his heart. It
is a pity that he
did not adore the muses more and the lady less. The following lines from that
poem are certainly
very beautiful and expressive:
A limpid fountain of crystal water,
Brought forth a prattling in Emry's brook,
On a mossy bank near this fountain's border,
With pen and paper my seat I took,
To write my mind in a doleful letter,
To her that reigns in my tortured heart,
Tis the last sad letter I mean to send her
Before that she and I do part.
This young man's agony of soul was certainly most intense, it was a
consuming flame that
burned to the very depths of a "tortured heart," and the remorseless grasp that
was tearing his
heart strings asunder as he penned the line, "Before that she and I do
part."
Tuscarora station, on the P.R.R. is located on the Capt. James Patterson
tract. It was
made a block signal station in 1876. The R.R. company has a large reservoir to
supply their
engine with water. Mr. W.W. Wilson has been division boss at this station for
many years. The
Roaring Spring is a short distance below Tuscarora station. Before the rail road
was made over it,
a large stream of water issued from the crevices of the rocks with such force as
to cause a loud
roaring sound that could be heard more than a mile, hence the name Roaring
Spring. The flow of
water is still accompanied by considerable sound. Near this spring there are the
remains of what
seems to have been an ancient fortification, but by whom it was constructed and
for what used no
one can tell. On the opposite side of the river on the Wilson farm there exist the
remains of an
Indian mound. Bones, tomahawks, beads, arrow-heads, &c., are frequently
found. These remains
are found near the log tenant house which stands a short distance from the
canal.
Port Royal Times
Thursday, April 3, 1879
written by D. E. Robison, Esq;
Sketches of the History of Turbett Township
In the year 1766, Thomas Lowery took up a tract of land which forms
in part the
farms of Wm Kohler, D.T. Kilmer and the Robisons. He sold it the same year to
Capt. James
Patterson. Patterson sold it to William Cochran, (alias Corren or Curren), of
Lancaster county, in
the year 1770. He and his wife Eleanor, conveyed it to Philip Kilmer of the same
county. August
21, 1786, for the sum of 250o (a sound Pennsylvania currency being about
$266). Kilmer moved
to this land soon after he bought it, and resided first in a little cabin that stood
near the sink in
D.T. Kilmer's field. Here the late Samuel Kilmer was born in the year 1790. Within
a short
distance of this spot he lived for the long period of 80 years, and the stone that
marks his grave
may be seen from the same place. At his birth the land was covered with the
primitive forest, with
here and there a little opening among the giant trees where stood the humble
dwelling of some
early settler; at his death the change is known to us all. Kilmer soon after he
came here put up
buildings where the Robisons live. He erected the stone barn in the year 1802.
Mennonite
preaching was held in this barn for a number of years. --The Rev. John Graybill
was one of the
ministers. Jacob Lemey bought a part of this tract of land from Kilmer, but sold it
in a short time
to Hugh McLaughlin. Hugh McLaughlin and his wife Elizabeth conveyed it in the
year 1804 to
their son James. Wm. Kohler purchased and moved to this farm in 1850. In the
year 1772 the
above named William Curren took up a tract of land which was afterwards
divided into two parts,
one of which is owned by Mrs. Sidney Groninger, the other by Noah Hertzler. --
He obtained a
patent for it from Thomas and John Penn in the year 1773, being the 13th year of
King George
the Third. It was customary in colonial time to give the year of the King's reign,
likewise to give
names to tracts of land when patented. The Curren tract being named
Williamsburg. It is
interesting to notice the care and precision with which deeds and patents were
written in those
early days, and the beauty of the hand writing in many documents now more
than a hundred years
old. Curren sold this tract to Philip Kilmer, August 21, 1786. --Kilmer sold it to
Sohn Shupe in
1791 for the sum of o187. He sold it to Philip Strouse about the year 1800. It
was conveyed by
the executors of Strouse's will to Richard Wilson in 1814. Wilson was married to
Catharine
Strouse. Their two daughters, Mrs. Groninger and Mrs. Crozier divided it into two
parts in 1850.
--Noah Hertzler purchased Mrs. C's part in 1858. The above named John Shupe
lived at the old
orchard on Mrs. G.'s land. He moved west many years ago. Kilmer bought of
John Shupe the
ridge land of the Robisons in the year 1800 for o35. It was taken up in 1799, and
patented in
1802, being named Manchester. It was stated in the last sketch that Philip Kilmer
bought the farm
now owned by Peter Kilmer from William Curren in the year 1811. He likewise
bought a large
tract of mountain land from James Cummin. Most of this land now belongs to
D.T. Kilmer. At the
time of his death he owned about five hundred acres of valuable land in this
neighborhood.
I shall now notice briefly the descendants of some of the persons named in
this and the last
sketch.
Philip Kilmer was of German descent; his father, Henry Peter Kilmer, came
from Germany
in the year 1754. He was an energetic, thrifty man. He was twice married. His
first wife died
about the year 1791. --After her death he married Mrs. Susanna Stoner, of
Lancaster county. She
was the mother of the venerable Abraham Stoner, of Fermanagh township. She
died in the year
1841, aged 73 years. He died about the year 1815. He and his first wife had
children as follows: I.
Isaac, II. John, III. Philip, IV. Elizabeth, and V. Samuel. Isaac was a minister of
the Mennonite
church. --He was married to Eve Shelley. In the division of his father's estate he
obtained the farm
now owned by Peter Kilmer. In the year 1832 he sold it to his brother Philip, and
moved with his
family to Ohio, where he died. His descendant's are in Ohio and Indiana. John
and Philip Kilmer
had learned the trade of pump-making from their father, and John was killed
many years ago while
engaged in putting a pump in the well at the Jacobs' House, in Mifflintown. III.
Philip Kilmer was
born in the year 1785. In the division of his father's estate he obtained the farm
on which the
Robisons live. He sold this place to Thomas Robison in 1832, and bought his
brother Isaac's farm
as has been stated above. He married Mary Rice, daughter of Peter Rice and he
died in 1843. She
lives with her son Peter an dis now far advanced in years. Their children are as
follows: 1. Peter
married Fanny Shelley. Their children are (a) George Washington, who married
Arahima P.
McConnel; (b) Mary, wife of A. Y. McAfee; Emma, first wife of J.P. Johnson, Jr.;
(d) Eliza J.,
wife of Thompson Kepner; (e) Philip, who married Elizabeth Rice, of Perry
county; (f) Dr. John
S., who married a lady of Mifflin county and (g) Maggie, wife of James Kirk. Peter
Kilmer, after
the death of his first wife married Julia Ann Bender, now deceased.
2. Eliza, who was married to the late John Hartman, of Walker township. She
is the
mother of Henry Hartman.
3. John, who married Catharine Rice, daughter of Jacob and Mary Rice. They
moved to
Ohio. Their son William edits and publishes the Shiloh Review in that
State.
4. Philip, who married Mary Ann Koons, daughter of George and Mary Koons.
Their
children are (a) Margaretta, wife of T.H. McClure, of Turbett township, and (b)
George,
deceased.
5. Mary, wife of James Shoaf, of Port Royal.
6. Abbie, deceased.
7. Rebecca, she was married to David Kepner, and after his death to Mr.
LaFayette Lyons.
They reside in Ohio.
8. Sarah, deceased.
9. Margaretta, she was married to James Hill, of Chester county, and after his
death to
Daniel Winfield. --They reside in Kansas.
IV. Elizabeth Kilmer was married to John F. Rice, "the last survivor of Perry's
victory."
They moved to Ohio. She died in 1860. John F. Rice enlisted in Capt. Mathew
Rodger's company
and served in the war of 1812. (Capt. Rodgers was the grandfather of Mathew
Rodgers, of
Walker township). Rice is about 90 years old. He is said to be the last survivor of
Perry's victory.
He still resides in Ohio. He is a son of Peter Rice, who came from Chester county
to Perry county
about the year 1790, who purchased from Abraham Wells in the year 1797 the
farm now owned
by Judge Koons, and moved to it the same year. He was the father of Peter Rice,
who is now in
his 93rd year.
V. Samuel Kilmer married Sidney McCulloch, daughter of William McCulloch.
In the
division of his father's estate he obtained the farm now owned by his son David
T. Kilmer.
Samuel Kilmer died in 1870, in the 81st year of his age. Sidney, his wife, died in
1866, aged 71
years. Their children are as follows:
1. Mary Jane, who married to Dr. Kirk, of Waterford. They had one son,
Samuel Kilmer
Kirk, now residing in Illinois. They are both deceased.
2. Elizabeth, who married Isaiah Rice, of Port Royal. They are both deceased.
Their
children are (a) Hannah Catharine, who married David Reese. They live in
Wyoming Territory;
and (b) Jennie, deceased.
3. David T., who married Elizabeth Moss, daughter of William Moss. She was
the mother
of Howard Kilmer. After the death of his first wife, D.T. Kilmer married Priscilla
Jane Boyer,
daughter of Michael and Eveanna Boyer, of Perry county. Their children are (a)
Sidney Catharine,
(b) James C., who married Laura Baker, Alice C., Samuel B., Della and
Ira.
4. Catharine, first wife of David Koons.
5. Susan, first wife of Joseph Kessler.
6. William A., who married Mary Yohn. He is now deceased.
7. Sidney, first wife of R.E. McMeen.
The name Kilmer is sometimes erroneously written Gilmore. They are
separate and
distinct names. --Philip Kilmer wrote the name "Kilmer" a century ago. The
Kilmers have been
from first to last a thrifty, industrious, upright, hospitable people--good citizens.
The writer has
not at hand data from which to write a fuller sketch of the family. This sketch has
grown to such
length as to make it necessary to defer notices of any other families to a future
time.
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