Surnames: Conwell, Craft, Stokely, Gilmore, Van Kirk, Fulton
Jehu Conwell, a successful farmer and member of a family identified with the history of Luzerne township since its earliest Anglo Saxon occupation, is a son of Yates S Conwell and Anna Craft Conwell and was born in Luzerne township, Fayette county, Penna, June 25, 1820.One of the early pioneers of Fayette county was his grandfather, Jehu Conwell, born in Sussex county, Delaware, in 1749. Jehu Conwell with brother, Captain William Conwell, migrated to Luzerne township in 1767 and purchased 700 acres of land from James Bredin. Jehu endured many
hardships and in 1772 returned to Delaware and was married by Gilbert Parker, J P, to Miss Elizabeth Stokely, daughter of Yates Stokely. He brought his young wife to his Luzerne home where they endured many hardships and privations. He was instrumental in 1774 in building a fort below Merrittstown to resist Indian attacks; enlisted with his brother, Captain William Conwell, in the Continental army in Independence year and fought throughout the war.Jehu's home was headquarters for westward bound emigrants from Delaware. He was generaous and liberal in his views, conscientious in all his deeds and was honored and respected by his neighbors and all who knew him. He built a log grist mill, erected a distillery, and died in 1834. He left four sons: Shepard Conwell, Yates T Conwell, John Conwell and George Conwell.
Yates T Conwell, the founder of Heistersburg, was a farmer and was commissined an ensign August 1, 1814, in the Eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Militia. He died Christmas, 1865. His wife was a daughter of David Craft of Redstone township. They had five sons and two daughters.
Jehu Conwell, son of Yates T Conwell, was reared on a farm, attended Luzerne's subscripton schools and Madison College. He married Miss Elizabeth Fulton, daughter of Thomas Fulton of Redstone township. To their union have been born ten children: Thomas Conwell, dead; Emily Conwell, wife of Winfield Gilmore; Elizabeth Conwell; Margaret Conwell, dead; Annie Conwell, dead; Estelle Conwell, wife of Johnson Van Kirk; William Conwell, Annette Conwell, dead; Nathaniel Conwell and Mary Conwell.
Jehu Conwell has been engaged since leaving school in farming and stock raising. Politically he was a whig and on the disbanding of that political organization became a republican. His nearest approach to being a democrat wass in celebrating for many years Jackson's victory at New
Orleans.Mr Conwell owns two hundred acres of fertile and productive land, and resides in the old stone mansion built by William Ewing about 1790. Mr Conwell has been justice of the peace for fifteen years, is a member of the Presbyterian church, and is one of Luzerne's prosperous farmers.