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Rev. Christian Frederick Post
—AND—
Peter Humriekhouse,
— AND—
Some of the Latter's Family,
BY
HARRY H. HUMRICHOUSE.
1913
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To My Grand-father,
Charles William Humriehouse.
INTRODUCTORY.
I am chiefly indebted to my esteemed uncle, Dr. James Walker Humrichouse for whatever I may have accomplished in the following pages. He had made notes from time to time concerning different members of the Humrichouse family, and without these, and the information he gave me, derived from ac- tual knowledge and hearsay, my task would have been impossi- ble. I am grateful to Mrs. Harry H. Humrichouser of Plymouth, Indiana, Mr. James R. Johnston, of Coshocton, Ohio, Mr. J. C. Humrichouse of Kokomo, Indiana, Mr. Wm. Licklider of Shepherdstown, W. Va., Mr. Charles Licklider, of Baltimore, Miss Anna K. Humrichouse, of Hagerstown, Miss Maria V. Humrickhouse, of Washington, D. C, Professor Albert Lick- lider, of Dartmouth College, Mrs. Wallace Delafield, of St. Louis, Mo., and William Kealhofer, Esq., of Hagerstown, Md., and others for information they have given me.
PART I.
In the quaint old graveyard in the rear of Zion Keformed Church, a beautiful edifice of Gothic architecture, situated on North Potomac Street, in Hagerstown, Maryland, formerly known as the German Reformed Church, the visitor can see several graves, marked by plain old marble slabs on which are inserted the following :
1. '' Sacred to the memory of Mary Margaret Post, Consort of the Rev. Christian F. Post, who de- parted this life March 7th, 1810, Aged 77 years."
2. "Consecratus Memoria de Peter Humrick- house, who departed this life 13th February, 1837, in the 84th year of hi^. age."
3. "Sacred to the memory of Mary Humrick- house, Consort of Peter Humrickhouse, who departed this life October 7, 1839, in the 83rd year of her age. ' '
4. "Mrs. Eliza O'Ferrall, wife of John O'Ferrall and daughter of Peter and Mary Humrickhouse, who died at Berkeley Springs, May 21, 1835."
5. "Maria B. Humrichouse, daughter of Peter Humrickhouse, died June 18, 1828, 42years of age. ' '
6. "Mrs. Margaret, Consort of Dr. Hanenkampf and daughter of Peter and Mary Humrickhouse, Died February 14, 1827. Aged 45 years.
These graves take the observer back to the days when the City of Hagerstown was but a mere village, without railroads and telegraph, when electric cars and telephones were not even dreamed of. The first, as mentioned above, links Hagerstown with the days of Indian Massacres, when the husband of Mary Margaret Post, the Rev. Christian Frederick Post, concerning whom we will dwell more at length, was serving his colony of
Pennsylvania in his efforts to keep various Indian tribes friend- ly to the English, during the French and Indian War.
The second grave directly connects Hagerstown with the American War for Independence; for Peter Humrickhouse was one of those, who, in the very beginning of that great struggle, risked his all, — life, jn-operty and happiness — in the cause which he believed right, and which, Washington after seven long, hard years brought to success. For further information concerning these persons who today sleep beneath the sod in this little grave-yard, let us turn our thoughts back about a century and three-quarters to the City of Philadelphia.
About the year 1740 when Benjamin Franklin was engaged with the duties connected with his Printing and Publishing House, a certain Mr. Gottfried Miller, who originally came from Manheim, Prussia, was fortunate enough to be in the employ of Mr. Franklin, who was then rapidly becoming one of the leading citizens of Philadelphia. Concerning this Gottfried Miller, the writer has very little information. He had three sons, all of whom served in the Revolutionary War. Their names were Peter, George and Jacob. It was probably this same Peter Mil- ler who went to General Washington at Valley Forge to inter- cede for the pardon of Michael Whitman as mentioned in Wa^me Whiffle 's Story Life of Washington, Vol. 2, p.. 31, published by John C. Winston Co., Philadelphia. Of Gottfried Miller's fam- ily little is known. It is certain that he was married prior to 1733, for he had a daughter whose name was Mary Margaret Miller, who was born in the year 1733. This daughter grew up, and she may have been fortunate or unfortunate in matrimonial affairs, for it is known that she married three times. Her first husband's name was Stadelman, or Stadleman or Hadelman, who may have been Captain John Stadleman, who commanded the GeiTnantown Blues in the Revolutionary War, or possibly a brother of Captain Stadleman. (See Hotchkin, in Germantown, Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill, page 62). By this marriage, there was a daughter born in the year 1756, whose name was also Mary, who, as we will see later, became the wife of Peter Humrick- house. In or about the same year (1756), Mr. Stadelman died, but in a few years his widow, Mary Margaret Stadelman, mar- ried a gentleman by the name of Bolinger who died soon after his marriage. This young and attractive widow, then in the prime of womanhood, met a gentleman who almost immediately fell beneath the swa)^ of her charms. She in turn became inter- ested in him. His strong personality and fine character, and
the services he had rendered to his State, had made him much loved and respected by his fellow-countrymen, as well as by the Indians among whom he labored so many years as a Missionary. After some hesitation, the young widow accepted his proposal of marriage, and became the wife of Rev. Christian Frederick Post in the year 1763 (1767 according to Christ's Church Regis- ter, Philadelphia) ; this being the third marriage for each of them. Post's second marriage having been to a Delaware Indian convert by the name of Agnes in 1749, who died two years later, and his first marriage was also to an Indian convert by the name of Rachel in 1743, who died four years thereafter. There is no record of Post having become the father of any children by any one of these marriages.
Rev. Christian Frederick Post was born in Polish Prussia in 1710 at Dantzig. "He early came under the influence of the Moravians whose remarkable missionary movement was just beginning to germinate. The first attempt of this Church to christianize the American Indians in Georgia having failed be- cause of Spanish hostility, the Moravian disciples removed to Pennsylvana (1739), and were granted land on which to estab- lish their colony at Bethlehem. Thither in 1742 came Post, eager to help in evangelizing the Indians for which purpose he was sent among the Mohegans and Wampanoags in New York State. The work spread to the neighboring Indian villages of Connecticut, and Post was assigned to a circuit in Litchfield County. Here in his zeal for the service, he married a convert- ed Indian woman (1743) and endeared himself to all the tribe. But persecutions began to assail the humble brethren, and Post who had been on a journey to the Iroquis country (1745) was arrested at Albany and sent to New York, where he was impris- oned on a trumped-up charge of abetting Indian raids.
"The Missionaries were forced to retreat back into Penn- sylvania and settled near Bethlehem. It was during his stay at this place that Rachel, his Indian wife, died (1747) and there two years later, he married a Delaware convert, Agnes, who lived only until 1751. In this year Post was summoned to Labrador where a company of four Moravian brethren were sent to begin a mission to the Eskimos. An accident rendered this project futile; a large part of the crew of the vessel which had trans- ported them having been lost, the Captain impressed the mis- sionaries to carry his ship back to England.
"Thereupon Post again sought his home in Pennsylvania, dwelling principally at Bethlehem, until called upon by the
Pennsylvania authorities to assist in public affairs. The first mention of him in the Public Records is in connection with a message which he was emi)loyed to carry (June 1758) in con- junction with Charles Thomson to Teedyuscung at Wyoming in northern Pennsylvania. (Colonial Records VIII, p. 132; Penna. Archives III, pp. 412-422).
*'0n his return to the settlements he was immediately com- missioned to go back to Wyoming with a message from the Cherokee auxiliaries, who had come to join the army of Forbes, and whose presence caused consternation among Pennsylvania's savage allies. With but five days respite, Post again started on a journey beset with perils on every side, through the wilder- ness of Northern Pennsylvania, At Teedyuscung 's cabin he met two Indians from Ohio, who declared that their tribes were sorry they had gone to war against the English. On receipt of this important information, the council at Philadelphia debated to what use it might be put in furthering the plans for Forbes' advance. Post was desired to accompany the Indians and he readily consented to go. (Penna. Colonial Records VIII, p. 147).
"Antiquarians and historians have alike admired the sub- lime courage of the man, and the heroic patriotism which made him capable of advancing into the heart of a hostile territory and into the hands of a cruel and treacherous foe. But aside from Post's supreme religious faith, he had a shrewd knowledge of Indian customs, and knew that in the character of an ambassa- dor requested by the Western Tribes, his mission would be a source of protection. Therefore, even under the very walls of Fort Duquesne, he trusted not in vain to Indian good faith.
"The results of this embassy were most gratifying. The report of his mission coming during the important negotiations at Easton, aided in securing the Indian neutrality which made the advance of Forbes so much less hazardous than that of Braddock. But the work was only begun ; and to complete it Post's renewed co-operation was necessary. This time he was not to venture alone. Two militia officers volunteered for the service, and having joined Post at Reading, all proceeded with Indian com])anions in their van to overtake the army and reach the Ohio in advance of the column." His course took him through Carlisle, Chambersburg, Fort Louden, Fort Littleton, near the present McConnellsburg, Fulton County, to Bedford, and thence to Ohio.
"Their mission was not in time to prevent the Indian feroc-
10
itv at Grant's defeat: but it contributed to assure the French that aid from the neighboring Indians was dubious, and that in retreat lay their only safety:" The French finally retreated down the Ohio, leaving Fort Duquesne an easy conquest to the English.
In 1761, Post proceeded alone to the Muskingum to start a mission, and built the first white man's cabin within the present limits of the State of Ohio."
In 1763, August 27th, Post married for the third time, a Mrs. Mary Margaret Bolinger, who was Mary Margaret Stadel- man, or Hadelman, and whose maiden name was Mary Margaret Miller, daughter of Gottfried Miller, of Philadelphia. In 1764 the ecclesiastical authorities sent Post to the Mosquito Coast and to Jamaica, where he stayed two years, making a second visit in 1767. During his stay at Jamaica, there was an insur- rection of the natives who burned the house he lived in, which resulted in the loss of his personal effects and those of his fam- ily. His step-daughter, Mary Stadelman, or Hadelman, who later became the wife of Peter Humrichouse, would often tell her children about her stay at Jamaica, and how one day when playing in the sand near the water with a native girl who was her nurse, a large alligator caught the nurse and devoured her.
In the January 1913 number of The Penn Germania, in an article entitled '* Christian Frederick Post's Part in the Capture of Fort Duquesne and in the Conquest of the Ohio," Rev. George P. Donehoo, D. D., a member of the Historical Society of Penn- sylvania, says: "To Christian Frederick Post, Ambassador of Christ, more than to any military leader or armed force, was due the honor of making the capture of Fort Duquesne possible in 1758. The unburied skeletons of the soldiers of Braddock's Army, the disfigured bodies of Major Grant's Highlanders were mute witnesses of what the Indians had done in the previous at- tempts to take the French fort. That the army of General Forbes would have shared the same fate is almost certain — had not these Indian allies been kept away from the scene by the ef- forts of Post.
"And yet how few people know these facts in the history of the taking of Port Duquesne in 1758. The capture of this fort and the driving away of the French army made possible the great Empire which now sweeps westward to the Pacific Ocean. But for the winning of the Indians on the Ohio to the English interest, the winning of the West would have been delayed for many years.
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"The figures of General Forbes and of Washington stand out so prominently in the foreground of action in the capture of Fort Duquesne, that the figure of Christian F. Post, pleading witli the Indians in the shadows of the camp fires on the banks of the Ohio, is scarcely seen. And yet, but for the quiet, heroic efforts of tliis man of God, there would have been a larger force of Ked ]\Ien on the banks of the Ohio to contest the pathway of the English than there was when Braddock, or Grant made their attempts to drive the French from the Beautiful River. * * *
**At the Forks of the Ohio, where Washington first stood in 1753 and saw the vision of what might be there in the years to come, where Edward AVard surrendered his little force to the French commander; where Fort Duquesne once stood; where Fort Pitt was builded, and where the city of Pittsburg now stands at the Gateway of the West, facing the waters of 'La Belle Kiviere,' there should be erected a monument to the mem- ory of Christian Frederick Post, whose Peace Mission to the Western Indians made possible the bloodless capture of Fort Duquesne in 1758."
Towards the close of his life, Post retired from the Morav- ian sect, and entered the Protestant Episcopal Church. He died in Germantown, Pa., in the year 1785, where his grave can now be seen.
(See Thwaite's Early Western Travels, Vol. I;
Parkman's Conspiracy of Pontiac, Vol. I, p. 149;
Pennsylvania's Archives III, pp. 412-422 et seq.
Pennsylvania Colonial Records, Vol. VIII, p. 147
etc.)
His marriage to Mary Bollinger can be seen on the Regis- ter of Christ's Protestant Episcopal Church, Philadelphia. He was married bj' Bishop White, the first Episcopal Bishop to the Colonies. Mrs. Mary Margaret Post, his wife, remained in Philadelphia until 1798, the year of the epidemic of Yellow Fe- ver, when she moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, with her daugh- ter and son-in-law, Mary and Peter Humrichouse. Mrs. Mary Margaret Post died in the year 1810 in Hagerstown, and sleeps today in the old graveyard in the rear of Zion Reformed Church.
Some of the Post silver-ware is now in the possession of Mr. Wm. Kealhofer, of Hagerstown, and Dr. Humrichouse has Post's Bible.
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PART II.
About the year 1750, when Gottfried Miller and his daugh- ter, Mary Margaret Miller, lived in Philadelphia, there resided in Manchester Township, in the County of York, Pennsylvania, a very respectable gentleman, John Humrickhouse, by name whose wife's first name was "Barbara." They became the parents of six children in the following order: John, Peter, Catherine, George, Anna Maria, and Jacob. (See Eagles Notes and Queries, Vol. 1900, p. 126). (P. 79, Penna Notes and Queries 1898).
Their second child, PETER, was born October 10th, 1753. Of the other children and their parents little is known. The child-hood days of this second child, Peter, were spent in and around York County Penna. At the age of eighteen, his father, John Humrickhouse, moved his family to Germantown, Pa., in 1771, where the father died the following year. May 27, 1772.
As Peter Humrickhouse was developing into full man-hood, the independence of the people of the Thirteen Colonies was steadily growing. The colonists had fought shoulder to shoul- der with the trained regulars of England against the French and Indians during the Seven Years ' War, and this made them real- ize their ability as soldiers, which equalled, and in many in- stances surpassed that of their brethren from the mother- country. As a result of her wars with France in Europe and America, England incurred an enormous debt. To meet it, the majority of her statesmen thought that the colonies should also help. The English Parliament thereupon passed a series of acts, laying duties on exports and imports from and to the Col- onies. Immediately, a storm of objection burst forth. Meet- ings were held, and the questions were debated and discussed everywhere.
The colonists maintained that there should be no taxation
13
without representation; that they were willing to help to pay the (.l('l)ts, hut that they themselves, in their own legislative as- semhlies, shouhJ levy their own taxes, and not be taxed directly by Parliament in which they had no voice to be heard. The King and Parliament held to the contrary, believing that such a policy would give the colonies too much freedom and independ- ence. Daily the conflict grew more bitter, until finally, the pas- sage of the Stamp Act, and the famous Boston Tea Party brought on the Revolutionary War.
Fired by the spirit of patriotism for the cause which he deemed to be right, realizing, no doubt, the dangerous undertak- ing in which he was about to embark, knowing full well that if his cause failed, prison or death, and the confiscation of his property awaited him, probably against the advice of many friends, and some of his relatives, and at the very beginning of the crisis, when the responsibility was fraught with the greatest danger, Peter Humrickhouse, acting from the dictates of his own conscience, in the month of May, in the year 1776, entered the American Army as a volunteer in a private company that was formed in Philadelphia County, Pa., under the command of Captain Thomas Dunking, to fight and die, if need be, in the cause for American Independence.
His was the first company of soldiers that left Philadelphia for the front. Arriving at Trenton, New Jersey, they marched to a place called Blazing Star near the Sound, where they could watch the movements of the British who were then stationed on Staten Island. After a short time his company was or- dered to Perth Amboy, where Peter Humrickhouse made appli- cation for an Ensign's commission in the Flying Camp, then commanded by General Mercer which did gallant service throughout the war. In July, 1776, the same time that the peo- ple of the Thirteen Colonies declared themselves free and inde- pendent of the mother-country, Peter Humrickhouse obtained his commission. His field officers were Colonel John Moore, Lieut. Col. Smith and Major Bush. They were ordered to New Ark and thence to Fort Lee, opposite Fort Washington. Gen- eral Greene was in command of the American forces on the Jersey side with headquarters at Fort Lee, while Washington commanded Harlem Heights. The British Commander, General Howe, unable to dislodge General Washington, resolved to carry the war into New Jersey.
The British finally succeeded in capturing Fort Washing- ton on November 16, 1776. Following up his successes, Sir Wil-
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liam Howe sent Earl Cornwall is with 6000 men against Fort Lee which was defended by a much smaller number of men. General Washington, in order not to lose part of his army, or- dered the garrison from Fort Lee to the main army at Hack- insac. Being now in a level country, where defense was diffi- cult, pent up between rivers, and pressed by a force double his own, Washington was forced to retreat towards the Delaware, through New Ark, Elizabeth-Town, to New Brunswick, thence to Princeton, and finally to Trenton, and there crossed the Del- aware. In the retreat there were a number of skirmishes, and the Americans suffered intensely from the want of clothing and food. Peter Humrickhouse was with the army in this retreat all the way from Fort Lee. He then became a Lieutenant.
The retreat caused a general despondency throughout the Colonies. In the midst of these scenes of trial and discourage- ment, Washington and his faithful followers stood firm. From the moment Washington crossed the Delaware, his thoughts were turned upon devising some method to retrieve his losses. At length he resolved to hazard the bold experiment of re- crossing the Delaware, and attacking the enemy on their own ground at Trenton. The night of the 25th of December was fixed on for making the attempt.
At dusk, the Continental troops selected for the service by General Washington in person, amounting to 2500 men, with twenty pieces of artillery, began to cross at McKonkey's Ferry, nine miles above Trenton, and it was supposed they would all be crossed over by mid-night; but the floating ice retarded the boats so much, that it was not until four o'clock in the morning before the whole body, with artillery, were landed. The British and Hessians were taken by surprise and tried to retreat to- wards Princeton, but were checked. Finding themselves sur- rounded, they surrendered, about a thousand in all. Peter Humrichouse was with Washington on this occasion as will be seen from his sworn statement in making application for a pen- sion in the year 1832, the original being on file in the Pension Office, Washington, D. C.
After the fight. General Washington appointed Peter Hum- rickhouse Officer of the Day, and was sent with a flag of truce to the enemy's lines to bury the dead. The Americans again re-crossed the Delaware the same day with their prisoners. The victory did much to revive the spirits of the American army and the people generally. After the battles of Trenton and Princeton, Lieutenant Humrickhouse remained a few weeks
15
until his term of service expired. He then returned to his home and family in (Jermantown, Pa.
On February 20, 1777, he married Mary Iladelman (Stadle- man or Stottieman), the daughter of Mary Margaret Hadelman and granddaugliter of Gottfried Miller and stepdaughter of the Rev. Christian Frederick Post. It appears she had two sisters, who may have been step-sisters.
(Copy made from original on file..) LECORI BENEVOLO SALUTEM. I DO CERTIFY That Peter Humrickhouse of Germantown, Philadelphia County, Bachelor, and Mary Hadelman of said plac*«. Spinster, were lawfully joined together in Holy Matri- mony on this day, the twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy-seven. Given in (Springfield) Township, Philadelphia County. WITNESS my Hand and Seal.
MICHAEL TATLER.
AVith his country in need of every able-bodied man, this patriotic citizen and soldier was not content to remain at ease at his own fire-side ,and in the month of September, 1777, Peter Humrickhouse again enlisted in the Army, as a Captain in the 2nd Battalion of Philadelphia, under Generals Potter and Hul- gate. After staying at Skippack, Montgomery Co., Pa., a short time, they received orders to meet the British at Germantown, and be in readiness to defend Philadelphia.
The Battle of Germantown was fought October 4, 1777. It was not a victory, but it was notwithout its good effects. It re- vived the hopes of the Colonies by proving, that, notwithstand- ing the recent successes of the enemy, neither the spirit, resolu- tion and valor of the troops, nor the energy and confidence of the Commander-in-Chief had suffered any diminution. They were as prompt to meet their adversaries in battle as at the beginning of the campaign. In the battle, the Brigade in which the 2nd Battalion was x)laced, was located on the right of the army and stationed along the Ridge Road. After the Battle, the Brigade was ordered over the Schuylkill to prevent the British from for- aging, and went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. In this Battle (Germantown) Peter Humrickhouse said: "Our men suf- fered extremely." (See his application for a Pension.)
As far as is known, Captain Humrickhouse served until the end of the War, according to Scharf 's History of Washing- ton County in the biographical sketch of Peter Humrickhouse,
16
which was written by his son, Frederick Humrichouse, and as would appear in the application for pension in which Peter speaks of taking a cargo of powder to Yorktown and Freder- icksburg, Va., by request of General Washington.
General Washington, realizing the valor and ability of Cap- tain Humrickhouse, ordered him to take a cargo of powder for the American troops who were stationed at Yorktown and Fred- ericksburg, Va. This powder was put into tight whiskey barrels to prevent any suspicion should they meet the enemy. The company, including drivers, amounted to thirty-six hale, hardy, young men. The powder was delivered safely to the American troops, for which Captain Humrickhouse received the thanks of the Commander-in-Chief, which circular, together with his three commissions were filed with the Department August 2, 1832. It took three months to deliver the powder and there were eight four-horse wagons in the expedition. This was undoubtedly in the year 1781 when the American army was around Yorktown, and not immediately after the Battle of Germantown as would at first appear from the application for a pension. (See supple- ment at end of book).
Captain Humrickhouse remained in the service until the close of the War, when he returned to Germantown or Philadel- phia, to his family, where he remained until the year 1798, when an epidemic of Yellow Fever broke out from which about 4000 persons died out of a population of 40,000, which caused him to remove his family from that city. They came to Hagerstown, Maryland, where Peter Humrickhouse established the business of coach-making on North Potomac Street, near the Reformed Church, The coaches were made of wood from trees of his own selection, and the iron and leather he fashioned in his own shops. It is said one of his coaches he sold to a Congressman from Ohio, who gave him a governmental patent of land at Coshocton, Ohio, which land Peter gave to his son, Peter, Jr., whose descendants now live upon it. Another statement is that this land was given to him by the Government as a reward for his services in the War, which land he sold to his son, Peter, Jr., which is probably more correct, having come from one of the descendents of Peter Jr., who lives in Coshocton.
When Peter arrived in Hagerstown from Philadelphia, he bought a farm near the town for $5000.00 Continental money.
Peter Humrickhouse died in the year 1837, and his wife, Mary Hadelman Humrickhouse, died in 1839, both of whom are buried in Zion Reformed Grave-yard, in Hagerstown.
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PART III.
(1) JOHN, Peter's brother, raised a large family in York. He was a farmer and his wife was also named Barbara. He bought from his brothers and sisters their respective interests in the 150 acre farm in Manchester Township, York Co., Pa., of which their father died seized as shown by two deeds dated May 14, 1788, and April, 1792. Just how long John remained near York is uncertain. In 1821, he was living in FairlSeld Co., Ohio, having at that time eighty grandchildren, according to a letter written by Thomas S. Humrickhouse, of Coshocton, Ohio, in 1882 to Ebenezer Humrickhouse of Indiana, the former being a son of Peter Jr., who visited his uncle John, Peter Sr.'s brother.
The writer has practically no information concerning John 's children. He is inclined to think that it was his nephew, named WILLIAM, born in Burlingburg, Germany, about 1795 who settled in York, Pa., about 1812. When a young man, he left York with his wife Rachael Thompson and settled in Ash- land County, Ohio, about the year 1830. Here it was that the *'k" was dropped from the name and "r" added. On Septem- ber 27, 1849, William was killed by a runaway horse, being fifty- four years of age.
The children of WILLIAM and Rachel Thompson Humric- houser were eleven in number:
1. ANDREW married : His children are Wil- liam of Ashland, Ohio, and Frank and others of Cherokee, Kans.
2. SUSAN married Michael Miller. Their children are Hulbert, Charles, Snyder and Delia, who married Mr. Pearson, and their children are Maud and Jennie, who married Mr. Wm. Moore.
3. CHRISTIANA married John Miller whose children are Orland, Lester and Caroline, all of whom are married.
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4. CAROLINE married John Guipe. Their children are A<?gp:ie, Henry Lawrence, and Florence Bell. Aggie married a ;Mr. Miller of Elkhart, Ind., and Florence married Mr. Kruger.
5. HENRY married Rachel Hunter and had two children, William I. and Harry Howard. The former died early in life and the latter married Winnie Lawrence and their children are Lois M., Erma K., Henry L. and Carol I.
6. JACOB, died 1846, typhoid fever epidemic.
7. WILLIAM F., died 1846, typhoid fever epidemic.
8. LOUISA, died 1846, typhoid fever epidemic.
9. ELIZABETH, married Norman S. Woodward. Chil- dren are: Fannie married Charles Read, Ft. Wayne; Lillian married Dr. Street, Chicago; Charles married Miss Goodwin, Dayton, 0.; Pearl married Charles Wilding, Ft. Wayne; and Daisy.
10. ISAIAH married Martha Dietrich. Shot eleven times in Battle of Chickamauga. Charles, of Illinois, is his son.
11. AGGIE married Jacob Brubaker, Ashland, 0. Guy, their son, married and lives in Detroit, Mich.
The fifth child, Henry, was born October 29th, 1829, in York, Pa. W^hen just twenty he left his father's home in Ash- land Co., Ohio, and went to Plymouth, Indiana, where he re- mained for a year and returned to Ohio from whence he started in 1852 on an overland journey to California. After three years passed, he returned in 1855 to Pl}Tnouth, Indiana, with sufficient capital to enter business. In 1858, he married Rachel Hunter, of Ashland Co., Ohio. Nature endowed him with a fine physique, six feet in height, broad shoulders, good health and a large brain. AVitli industry and determination he fought his way to success and wealth. In his communitj^ he came to be regarded as a man of great strength and character, and a Chris- tian gentleman. In 1877, he retired from active business and in 1903 his wife died, leaving him an old man to follow in her path. Finally, on December 23rd, 1909, he died at the age of eighty, and Plymouth lost one of her honored and useful cit- izens.
Mr. George Humrichouse ,of Danville, Illinois, seems to come from another branch of the family. His grandfather, George, came to America from Prussia as a small boy between 1810 and 1820 with his father whose name was John. Jolm settled in York, Pa., and raised a family of twelve children — George, Jacob, John, Daniel and Eli and seven daughters. This
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family was undoubtedly related to John and Barbara Humric- house who lived in York about 1750. The writer has no proof that Mr. George Humrichouse's great grand-father John, was Captain Peter Humrichouse's elder brother. He may have been.
(2) PETER was the second child of John Sr. and Barbara Humrickhouse.
(3) CATHERINE, their third child, married Henry Dun- dore and lived in York.
(4) GEORGE, the fourth child, married Elizabeth Brun- ner December 11th, 1780, at Zion Reformed Church, York, Pa. In 1788, he was living in Rockingham County, Virginia, accord- ing to an old deed filed in York, Pa., and he was the only brother of Peter Humrickhouse who was living in Virginia at that time. In all probability Jacob Humrickhouse, born in Caroline Coun- ty, Va., February 19th, 1788, was the son of George. If this be true, George, the father, died soon thereafter and his wife mar- ried again. Jacob, when a mere boy, left the home of his step- father and after making a trip down the Mississippi River wandered to Hagerstown, Maryland, and served an apprentice- ship at this place with a carriage-maker who was undoubtedly the boy's uncle, Peter Humrickhouse, who served through the Revolutionary War and who was engaged in that business for a number of years in Hagerstown, Md.
Jacob served in the War of 1812 and then settled in Fair- field County, Ohio, where he married Elizabeth Larimer. In 1829 he moved his family into Indiana. Seven children were born to them. His wife was the daughter of Ebenezer Larimer, and was born September 3, 1816, and died March 6, 1864 in Miami County, Indiana. Jacob died January 24, 1871 in same County. Their children are:
(1). John Larimer Humrickhouse, born July 1, 1817, and died in Carroll Co., Ind., May 8, 1899. He married Catherine Bryner March 16, 1841. To them were born six children.
Jasper Bryner, resides in Seattle, Wash.
Jacob Henry, resides in Bennetts Switch, Ind.
John Edwin, resides in Camden, Ind.
Edward Wright, resides in Camden, Ind.
Mary Alice, deceased.
Newton, deceased.
(2) Martha, born March 17, 1819, died Sept. 2, 1830.
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(3) Effie, born Jan. 3, 1821, married Philip Schiiler, of Washington Co.., Indiana, November 8, 1843. She died March 16, 1846. They had one child — Mary Elizabeth, who died in infancy.
(4) Catherine Ann, born Sept. 12, 1822, married Judge Green, October 30, 1866, and died October 29, 1875. No children. Buried near Tipton, Ind.
(5) Ebenezer, named after his grandfather Ebenezer Larimer, was born Nov. 7, 1824 and died Jan. 13, 1886. He married three times, first to Minerva Ann Lewis, by whom he had two children — Effie Catherine Rayburn, born May 13, 1854, and John Charles Humrickhouse, who was born June 3, 1860. This son is a successful business man and well-known through- out his State. He now resides in Kokomo, Indiana. The moth- er of these children died May 5, 1864, only 28 years of age.
Ebenezer 's second marriage was to Catherine M. AVilson, Jan. 9, 1865, by which there were two children :
Ebenezer Wilson Humrickhouse, born Feb. 8, 1866, and Mrs. Katherine A. Stedman, born March 29, 1869, both of whom are living. Their mother died April 17, 1875, at the age of twentj'-nine.
His third marriage was to Elizabeth Hall Dickson, March 23, 1876. She died in Henry County, Missouri, Jan. 13, 1897, eleven years after her husband. She was 65 years old.
(6) William Martin, born Oct. 2, 1826, died Sept. 2, 1828.
(7) Martha, born April 27, 1828, died Sept. 2, 1830.
In 1829, when the father, mother and seven children moved from Fairfield, Co., Ohio, they settled near Lafayette, Ind., but only remained there a few weeks, when they located at Delphi on the Wabash River. In the spring of 1830 they moved near Camden, Ind., where the father pre-empted a Quarter Section of land. This farm is now owned by Mr. Edward Wright Hum- rickhouse, having been in the family for 83 years.
(5) ANNA MARIA, the fifth child of John Humrickhouse, Sr., and Barbara, his wife, married Peter Bentz.
(6) JACOB, the Sixth child, died when a mere boy, un- married.
The children of PETER and MARY HU]\IRICKHOUSE were thirteen in number as follows :
George, born 1777, November 21. Died Jan. 12, 1782.
John, born 1779, August 29. Died October 1814.
22
Margaret, born 1781, September 5. Died Feb. 14, 1827.
Peter Jr., born 1783, August 26. Died in Coshocton, 0., 1837, February 13.
Maria, born 1785, June 29. Died June 18, 1828.
Albert, born 1787, May 5. Died July 12, 1864.
Jacob, born 1789, August 12. Died Aug., 1793.
Frederick, born 1791, June 29. Died Oct. 5, 1876.
Augustus, born 1793, February 19. Killed by lightning 1795.
William, born 1795, January 29. Died Sept. 30, 1823.
Charles, born 1796, November 19. Died in Illinois about 1855.
Eliza, born 1798, September 2. Died May 21, 1835, at Berkeley Springs.
Samuel, born 1801, June 5. Died February 1842.
[1] Their first child — George — was born November 21, 1777, and died Janaury 12, 1782, only five years of age.
[2] John was born August 29, 1779, and died October, 1814. Mary Chaponil was his daughter.
[31 Margaret was born September 5, 1781, and married Dr. Arnold Hanenkampf. By this marriage a daughter, Mary, was born who later married Mr. George Kealhofer of Hagers- town.
Their children were William Kealhofer, Esq., who now resides in Hagerstown, having recently retired from the prac- tice of law. Mr. Kealhofer is an able lawyer and ranks among the foremost leaders of the Washington County Bar, being a Director and Attorney of the Hagerstown Bank, and having been counsel for a number of corporations, including the West- ern Maryland Railroad. Mr. Kealhofer is a gentleman of charming manners, possessing a vast store of information de- rived from extensive reading and a great amount of travel. He was born in the year 1842.
Dr. Richard Hanenkamp Kealhofer, another son, grew up in Hagerstown. He married Miss Isabella Crowe, of St. Louis, in which city Dr. Kealhofer practiced medicine until his death in the year 1900, having reached the age of 56 years.
Louise Kealhofer, a daughter, was born in 1840, and mar- ried Mr. Wm. Fell Giles. Two daughters were born to Mr. and
23
Mrs. Giles, Mary, who married Mr. Harry Blunt, of Montgomery County, Maryland, and Sarah, who now lives in Hagerstown.
Dr. Arnold Ferdinand Ilanenkampf was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, the father of Mrs. Mary Kealhofer and Richard Pindell Ilanenkampf, who was the father of Rich- ard P. Ilanenkampf, Jr., Mary Haneukamp, George William, Lucy and Elizaheth.
(1) Richard P., Jr., married Miss Lily Gray. Their chil- dren were Ethel Gray and Ralph Gray, both deceased.
(2) George AVilliam married Miss Emma Coates; their children are George W., Jr., Richard P.; Irene, who married Charles Davidson and their children are, Claude and Elizabeth; and Frank is the youngest of the four children.
(3) Mary Hanenkamp — unmarried.
(4) Lucy Hanenkamp married W. E. Fallon. Their children are W. Edward Jr., who married Elizabeth N. Doerr, Richard H., who married Katherine Ryan ; and Lucy H.
(5) Elizabeth Hanenkamp married Mr. Wallace Delafield. Their children are: Mary S. who died June 26, 1876; Agnes, who married A. W. Niedringhaus, and their child is Wallace D. ; Wallace Deiafield Jr. married Amanda Offutt; Edith, Eliz- abeth, and Edna S. are unmarried.
[4] Peter, Jr., was born August 26, 1783. In 1814 he left Hagerstown with his family for Brownsville, Pa., and settled later in Coshocton County, Ohio, in 1832. He married Sarah Shuman. Eleven children were born to them:
(1) Thomas Shuman, born April 25, 1809, in Hagerstown, Md., and graduated from Washington College, Pa., and prac- ticed law in Coshocton, and was also engaged in the nursery business and raising fine sheep and cattle on his farms. He married Sarah Jolmson on November 3, 1834. They had no children. He was a very intelligent and useful citizen in his county and died October 28, 1891.
(2) George Augustus, born Sept. 2, 1811, married Julia A. Fawcett, March 11, 1845. They lived in East Liverpool, Ohio, and later went to St. Louis, where he died June 11, 1850. Pie was a merchant and close friend of Richard Ilanenkampf . Two children were born to them, George Augustus, Jr., and Julia. The former was Post-Master at East Liverpool and married Clara Pusey, having one daughter — Rest Humrick- house, who married F'rank M. McLane, August 1, 1908, Pitts-
24
"burg. The latter, Julia, a lovely girl, died unmarried. Both- are buried in East Liverpool.
(3) Mary Susan, born in Hagerstown, married Joseph Kerr Johnston, November 4, 1834, by whom she had five chil- dren, two of whom, David M. and John H., are now living in Los Angeles, Cal. She died August 2, 1890, and is buried at Woodlawn, New York City.
(4) Samuel, born in Brownsville, Pa., June 23, 1816, and died at Coshocton, November 9, 1843. Merchant.
(5) Elizabeth born August 7, 1819, at Brownsville, Pa., went to Coshocton in 1834. Married William Kerr Johnston on February 2, 1836, and became the mother of eleven children. She died July 28,. 1908. Their children were:
(a) Sarah Humrichouse Johnston, born in Coshocton, April 3, 1837, and married James P. Collier, by whom she had two children: Elizabeth Jolmson Collier and Sarah Evans Col- lier.
(b) James Eenfrew Johnston, born Feb. 21, 1839, married Anna W. Hogle, June 28, 1882. Their children are Frederick Dallas Johnston, James Eenfrew Johnston, and Margaret Jolmston.
(c) Thomas Humrickhouse Johnston (Civil Engineer on Penna, R. E.) was born January 12, 1841, and married Martha E. Patterson, October 28, 1868. Three children were born to them: Bessie Denmead, born Oct. 25, 1873, William Kerr John- ston, born August 19, 1878, and Margaret, born August 16, 1880.
(d) William Kerr Johnston, born January 1, 1843, died Feb. 27, 1844.
(e) Elizabeth, born March 5, 1845, died Dec. 21, 1907, mar- ried William K. Crawford, June 30, 1875. Their only child is Agnes K. Crawford.
(f) George Humrichouse, born Sept. 26, 1847, died Sept. 15, 1848. (Twins.)
(g) Harriett Julia, born Sept. 26, 1847, died Sept. 15,
1848.
(h) Willis S., born July 25, 1849, died March 16, 1854.
(i) Samuel Augustus, born March 9, 1853, died May 9, 1854.
(j) Anna Margaret, born Jan. 3, 1856, died April 12, 1895.
(k) Joseph Kerr, born Jan. 7 ,1859, died Dec. 12, 1902.
25
He married Mary Hack June 25, 1885. Three children : Edith, Mary and Joseph Kerr.
(G) The sixth child of Peter Jr., was Harriett, born Sept. 29, 1821, married John Johnston, March IG, 1839, who was a member of Congress, 1850-1852. No children. Still living.
(7) The next child was John Humrickhouse, born March IG, 1823, and died at Boydton, Va., Aug. 29, 1890. Practiced medicine and later became a farmer. He married Rose Ann Hershman. Their children were :
(A) Thomas Shuman, who married 1st, Viola Robinson, by whom he had two children, Thomas and Ralph; 2nd, Ida Anderson.
(B) Mary, who married Chas. Mason.
(C) Isabel, who married Chas. Parks.
(D) John, now living at Boydton, Va.
(E) Sarah, who married Geo. W. Brown.
(F) Rose, unmarried.
(8) Margaret, born Dec. 24, 1824; married Robert C. Kinkead, April 1, 1847; Postmaster at Greenfield, Ohio. Died Feb. 29, 1912. Their children were James Hazlett, George Sarah, Lambert, Joseph, William, Mary, Frances and Annie.
(9) Sarah, born June 1, 1826, died Jan. 19, 1906. Mar- ried John G. Stewart, merchant, Dec. 24, 1844. Their children were :
(A) Isabel, who married Wm. Ells, by whom she had two children, Lulie (Shefler) and Bessie (Johnson), New York City.
(B) Harriett Johnson Stewart lives in Coshocton.
(10) Ann Isabel, born March 12, 1828, married James Irvin (lawyer) June 26, 1852. Live in Coshocton. Their chil- dren are :
(A) Sarah, who married Leroy Stover, the mother of Alice (Loos), Bell (Crawford) and Harry Stover.
(B) Samuel, who married Ann Anderson. Their children are : Agnes and James Irvine.
(C) Mary, who married Chas. E. Anderson. Their chil- dren are: Ann, Irvine and Sarah.
(11) William, born June 30, 1830, died May 5, 1895. Un- married.
[51 The fifth child of Peter Humrickhouse, Sr., was Maria
26
B., born June 29, 1785, and died June 18, 1828. She never married.
[6] Albert was the sixth child of Captain Humrickhouse. He was born May 5th, 1787 and later settled in Shepherdstown, Va., now W. Va. He owned a line of mail coaches which ran from Boonsboro, Md., to Winchester, Va., and thence to the Ohio River. He married Elizabeth Weis, March 26th, 1811. Their children were :
(A) John Ferdinand, born July 18, 1812, and was drown- ed October 20, 1814.
(B) Albert Post, born March 12, 1814 and was killed by the stage upsetting while accompanying Henry Clay to Win- chester.
(C) Maria Christiana, born Dec. 4, 1815, married Smith Hunsicker, October 23, 1833, and after his death, married W. B. Kerney, May 23, 1850.
(D) Elizabeth Augusta, born Sept. 1, 1817; married Bev. Henry Bishop, Dec. 15, 1841, whose children were : Luther, Mrs. Wm. R. Percy (Nannie) William, Jennie, (Mrs. Warner, of De- troit) William A., Mollie and Harry.
(E) Margaret Catherine, born Aug. 30, 1818^ married James W. Pendleton. By this marriage two sons were born — > Benjamin S, and Albert. Benjamin lives in Shepherdstown, and served as courier to Stonewall Jackson through the Civil War. Albert was killed in the first Battle of Manasas, being in Stonewall Jackson's Brigade. After her husband's death, she married Franklin H. WTiite. By this marriage two children were born — Henry and Elizabeth. Henry was drowned in 1861. Elizabeth still lives on the old Humrickhouse property in Shep- herdstown.
(F) James Jewett, born May 13th, 1822, died April 15, 1824.
(G) Amanda Samanna, born Oct. 24, 1824, married G. T. Licklider. Six children were born to them : Charles A., of Bal- timore ; Betty P., now Mrs. Rentch, of Shepherdstown ; Edward T., Annie D. and Wm. P., all of Shepherdstown; and Mollie, the youngest child, died in 1865. Professor Albert Licklider, of Dartmouth College, and Mr. Templin Licklider, of Norfolk, Va., are sons of Mr. Charles A. Licklider, of Baltimore.
(H) Thomas Oscar, born June 12, 1826, died July 12,
1826.
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(I) Henrietta Francis, born Sept. 2, 1827, died Nov, 15, 1827.
(J James Reeside, born March 30, 1831, died Feb. 20, 1833.
[7] Jacob was the seventh child of Peter Sr. and Mary Ilumrickhouse. He was born Aug. 12, 1789, and died Aug., 1793.
[8] Then came Christian Frederick, born June 29, 1791. He later became one of the prominent men of Washington Coun- ty, Maryland. He was one of the early Directors of the Ha- gerstown Bank, and rei:)resented his county several terms in the Maryland Legislature. AVhen a small boy, he met Jonathan Hager, the Founder of Hagerstown, at the Marsh Run on the Williamsport Pike. Hager gave the boy a whipping, and then handed him a dollar to soothe him. He told the boy he whipped him so that he would remember where the town limits extended, and needless to say the boy never forgot it.
Frederick Humrichouse was born July 6, 1791, died Octo- ber 5, 1876.
Hannah Harrv (Frederick's wife) was born January 24, 1797, died April 25, 1880.
Frederick and Hannah Humrichouse were married Nov. 17, 1814. Their children were:
Jacob, born March 11, 1816, died Feb. 2, 1891. Never mar- ried.
Louisa, born Jan. 9, 1818, died April 28, 1898; married Simon Knode, born Jan. 4, 1811, died May 3, 1868. Their children :
Clinton, married Ella Rayfield, had two children, Howard and Lottie. Lottie married Dr. Campbell. Clinton and Ella are both dead. Edward not married.
Mary married Rev. Hartsock, born Oct. 3, 1842, died March 5, 1867.
Nettie married Charles Birch, had two children, Arthur and Blanche.
Annie married J. H. Beachley. Their children: Harry, married Alice Taylor. William married Nina Bitner. Frank married Annette Shupp. Louise married Dr. Hartlove. All living.
Charles and John, sons of Louisa, died in infancy.
Sarah Ann Humrichouse, born April 7, 1820, died October 12, 1888 married Henry Miller.
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Their children: Frederick, Robert, Emma, Hannah, Mollie, Harry and Anna,
Frederick married a Miss Miller.
Emma married Henry Lovett.
Hannah married H. R. Rahn. • Mollie married William Crawford.
Anna not married, she and Emma being dead.
Catharine Maria Humrichouse, born Dec. 21, 1822, died April 12, 1893; married Wilfred McCardell. Their children: W. H., 0. D. ; Adrian, Mary, Thomas and Lutie. Mr. W. H. and Mr. 0 D McCardell are successful business men of Hagers- town The former is president of the Hagerstown Bank. Wil- fred H. married Sue Cranwell. 0. D, married two sisters by the name of Brewer, first time Ida, and the next time Margaret.
Mary married Abraham Seidenstricker. Adrian married Alfretta Stonebraker.
Thomas married twice, the first time a Miss Biershing. Lutie not married. All living.
Mary Ellen Humrichouse, born November 7, 1825, died June 8, 1859. Married William Duvall. Their children:
Ziddie, William and Mary. Ziddie married a Mr. Ritchey. William married. Mary not married.
James Frederick Humrichouse, born March 12, 1828, died Feb. 2, 1891. Twice married, the second time to John Humric- house's widow. Had no children.
William Augustus Harry Humrichouse, born Oct. 10, 1830, died Nov. 20, 1877. No children.
John Richard Humrichouse, born Nov. 9, 1833, died Oct. 25, 1884. Married. His children are: Margaret, Harry, John and Mollie.
Edward Peter Humrichouse, born Jan. 22, 1837, died April 8, 1891. Married Amelia I^ode, born April 16, 1840, died Sept. 11, 1910. Their chilren are :
Frederick, married Annie Miller. Had four children: Helen, Ruth, William and Richard. All living.
Susan Hannah, married Benj. Diehl. No children.
Mary Ellen, died in infancy, Nov. 14, 1865.
Clara Amelia, married Edgar Byer. One child, Paul. All
living.
29
Hattie or (Harriet Maud) married Adolpli Gentes. No children. Both living.
Edgar, married Anna Aucker. One child, Dorothea. All living.
William, died in infancy, April 20, 1871.
Eva, Anna, Charles and Claude, not married. All living.
[9] Augustus, their next child, was born February 19th, 1793, and died in 1795, a mere infant.
[10] William was the tenth child and is supposed to have died in September 30, 1823, having been born January 29th, 1795. Whom he married the writer does not know. He had a son whose name was Peter who inherited his father's in- terest in the estate of the grandfather. Captain Peter Hmnric- house.
[11] The eleventh child of Peter and Mary Humrichouse, was Charles, born November 19, 1796, in Philadelphia. As a yoimg man he went to Frederick, Maryland, where he married Maria Levy, daughter of Leonard and Catherine Sturm Levy, of Middletown, Frederick Co., Md., September 4, 1821.
Leonard Levy was the son of Leonard hevy, Sr., whose family was very wealthy, and lived in London, England. As the result of this marriage, a son was born, Charles William Humrichouse, who was a first cousin of William Levy, whose parents died when he was an infant. He was one year younger than Charles W. They played as boys together in Frederick, and always remained on intimate terms. Mr. Levy now resides at Falling Waters, W. Va., with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. John Stehley.
Charles, the father of Charles W., was not successful in business. He was in the Mexican War and went west to seek his fortune, leaving his wife and young son in the care of rel- atives. He located in Illinois where he probably died before returning to his home.
Charles W. Humrichouse, their son, was born March 13, 1824, was educated at the Frederick Academy, leaving school at the age of thirteen. He worked on the **Mail" newspaper at Hagerstown, and carried mail for his uncle Albert on horse- back between Hagerstown and Shepherdstown. At the age of twenty-one, he married Mary Hawken and removed to Balti- more where he had been previously employed with the Baltimore Sun. In that city, he later engaged in the retail grocery busi-
30
ness, and in 1847, he embarked into the wholesale sugar busi- ness on Commerce Street. His enterprise prospered, and he continued in that occupation until 1879, when he retired to his country home, Springfield Farm," near Williamsport, Mary- land, formerly owned by General Otho Holland Williams, who served on General Washington's statf during the Revolutionary War, and who founded the town of Williamsport.
Mr. Humrichouse was a man of great force and determina- tion, with excellent business judgment, and he usually carried through to a successful termination any undertaking in which he embarked. Probably no one in Western Maryland was better known, and his advice and counsel was sought by many. He was a devout Christian man, and a member of the Lutheran Church. He was one of the earliest friends of the Western Maryland Railroad, and a director in the company from its be- ginning until his death. He was the first President of the Washington County Agricultural and Mechanical Association, and a director of the Hagerstown Steam Engine and Machine Company. He was president of the Washington County Or- phans' Home, and a director of the Lutz Orphans' Home, of Frederick County, and a Trustee of Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg.
In his early years he was a Democrat in politics and later a Republican. He owned valuable real estate in Hagerstown, and his home, "Springfield Farm," is one of the most pictur- esque in Western Maryland. He died at "Springfield Farm" March 1, 1903, at the age of seventy-nine years, loved by all who knew him.
The Baltimore Sun said of him editorially: "He was a man of purity of life, and was always doing good to his fellow- citizens. As a business man in Baltimore, he gained the respect and esteem of business circles. When he retired to his farm in Washington County, he made 'Springfield' a model farm, and set an example in methods of farming which was an advantage to the whole community. After he had embarked in the whole- sale trade here and had amassed a considerable fortune, he never lost interest in his early work. It was his custom, for a long time before the days of the linotype, to visit the Sun com- posing-rooms once a year and set a stick of type."
Mary Hawken, the wife of Charles W. Humrichouse, was born March 27, 1827. She married her husband on May 6, 1846. She was a daughter of William Hawken and Leah (Cramer) Hawken. Four children were born to them: William,
31
James "Walker, Leah ]\Iaria and Mary. In the year 1896, May 6th, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. llumrichouse celebrated their 501 h weddinp: anniversary at their country home. Mrs. Hum- ric'house came from the prominent Hawken family of England, who settled in V^irginia and Maryland in the middle of the 17th century. She lived a life of usefulness and unselfishness, and died at "Springfield" March 18, 1906.
Catherine Hawken, the younger sister of Mrs. C. W. Himi- richouse, was born in the year 1829, and married Andrew G. Boyd on March 7, 1849. Their children were Alice, Wyvil Mar- maduke, Walter and Georgia. Alice is still living, the other three having died early in life. Alice married Walter Mobley, now deceased, and their children were Lind, and Leah. Lind died when a young man, and Leah married Henry Weber, both of whom live in Hagerstown. They have a son whose name is Lind.
The father of Mary and Catherine Hawken was born in Hagerstown in 1798. William Hawken was a splendid Christian gentleman. As a young man, he helped his father, Christian Hawken, wiio was the inventor and maker of the famous Haw- ken rifle, which was used by American soldiers in the war of 1812, and also upon the western frontier, and by many of the Rocky Mountain trappers. Christian Hawken 's wife's first name was Julia. The father of Christian Hawken was Nicho- las Hawken, who came from Virginia, and his parents came to America from England.
William Hawken married Leah Cramer, July 17th, 1821. Leah Cramer had a sister who married a Mr. Miller, who at one time was Sheriff of Washington County, by whom she had sev- eral daughters, — Margaret Miller, who was born about 1819, re- siding during the latter years of her life at "Springfield Farm," where she died about the year 1898; — Malvina Miller married a Peter Humrichouse who was a grand-son of the first Peter Humrichouse and died in Patterson, New Jersey, about 1895; Katherine Miller married a Mr. Hawk, by whom she had a son. The husband and son are now deceased, but Mrs. Hawk, who is ninety years of age, is still living in Hagerstown.
The eldest child of Charles W. and Mary Humrichouse is William Hawken Humrichouse, who was born in Baltimore, April 15, 1847. Educated in the public schools and at St. James' College in Washington County, Maryland, he went into the wholesale sugar business with his father in Baltimore, which he carried on after his father retired to "Springfield Farm." He
32
V
married Annette Hart, of Annapolis, Maryland, daughter of Dennis and Antoinette Hart, and grand-daughter of Daniel Hart, who served in the War of 1812, and who was a prominent citizen of that town, owning considerable property and living on West Street. Mr. Humrichouse was always a careful and indus- trious business man, and was held in high esteem by his many friends during the long period of his business career. He re- tired to "Springfield" in 1905.
Mr. and Mrs. Humrichouse are the parents of six children, all of whom are living:
Mary (Mamie) Humrichouse, born July 16, 1874, married William E. P. Duvall, January 19, 1898. They reside at Sud- brook Park, Balto. County, Maryland. Their daughter, Mary Post Duvall, was born November 5th, 1901.
Charles W. Humrichouse, named after his grand-father, was born October 28, 1876. Educated in Baltimore and at Penna. College, Gettysburg, he engaged in the sugar business with his father, and later in the same business in Detroit, Michi- gan, with the firm of W. H. Edgar & Son.
William Hawken Humrichouse, named after his great- grandfather, was born March 22, 1880. After graduating from the Phillip Exeter Academy, he spent a short time in the life insurance business in Boston, and about one year in the hard- ware business in Texas, after which he entered the business of- fices of the Baltimore News. After several promotions, he is now Assistant to the General Manager. In 1908, June 17th, he married Mabel Vinton Wardwell, of Baltimore. Their daugh- ter, Marjorie, was born July 14, 1909.
Harry H. Humrichouse was born April 8th, 1882. He grad- uated from the Johns Hopkins University in 1904, when he became Private Secretary to Senator Louis E. McComas, under whom he studied law and attended the lectures at the George- town Law School, graduating in 1907, and was admitted to practice in the District of Columbia the same year. Having been a law clerk in the legal department of the District of Co- lumbia from 1906 to January 1909, in which month he was ad- mitted to practice in Maryland, he then located in Hagerstown in the law office of Mr. William Kealhofer, with whom he re- mained two years, until he formed the law firm of McCauley & Humrichouse, whose offices are now in the First National Bank Building of Hagerstown.
Levis Minford Humrichouse, born November 25, 1885, at-
33
tended Phillips Exeter Academy, and in 1903 engaged in the coal business in Baltimore, and later in Philadelphia. He mar- ried Jean Stockton liuse, daughter of Captain Huse, U. S. N., October 10, 1908, at Mt. Washington, Baltimore County, Md. Their children are Anne Stockton, born September 13, 1909, and James Walker, named after his uncle. Doctor James Walk- er, llunirichouse, born April 8, 1911.
Antoinette or Nettie Hart Ilumrichouse, was born Septem- ber 10, 1887, and resides with her parents at "Springfield Farm."
The second child of Mr. and Mrs. Charles William Humrich- ouse, was James AValker Humrichouse, who was born in Balti- more March 7, 1849. He was educated at St. James College, Washington County, Maryland, Pennsylvania College at Get- tysburg, from which he graduated in 1869. He then studied medicine at the University of Maryland, from which he received his degree in 1873. The following five years he pursued his pro- fessional studies in Europe, at Wurtzburg, Strassburg, Vienna and Berlin. He then returned to Hagerstown where he began the practice of his profession. Dr. Humrichouse is a member of the American Medical Association, Trustee and Ex- Vice- President of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, one of the organizers of the Medical Society of Washington County, also of the Cumberland Valley Medical Association, one of the Staff of the Washington County Hospital, and a Medical Expert Examiner of the United States Bureau of Pensions. He is a Vestry-man of St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church, Hagerstown. He was the first to use diphtheria antitoxin and to practice inturbation in Laryngue Diphtheria in Washington County. Of late years he has largely confined himself to the treatment of the diseases of the eye. In 1883, February 1st, he married Miss Bessie Roman, daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Sarah (Jaques) Roman, of Green Spring Furnace, Wash- ington County, Maryland, whose ancestors were among the early settlers in Western Maryland. They have one daughter, Louise Roman Humrichouse.
Louise Roman Humrichouse was born November 19, 1883. On October 26, 1907, she married John Ridgely, Jr., of "Hampton," Baltimore County, Maryland, where they now re- side. A son, John the 3rd, was born on the 3rd day of May, 1911.
The third child of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Humrichouse was Leah Maria, who was born January 27, 1851, in Baltimore.
34
Educated at Kee Mar College, Hagerstown, she later married Louis E. McComas, a lawyer of Hagerstown, on September 23, 1875. Mr. McComas served four terms in Congress as a Repre- sentative, and was appointed by President Harrison Associ- ate Justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. In 1898, the Maryland Legislature elected him United States Senator. When his term ended in 1905, President Roosevelt appointed him Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia. In 1904, just prior to his leaving the Senate, Mrs. McComas died in Washington, April 14th. Judge McComas married for the second time in June, 1907, a widow, whose name was Mrs. Hebe H. Muir. As the result of his first marriage, two children were born, — Mary Emory, on November 2, 1877, and Katherine, August 7, 1879. Katherine died in childhood at the age of thirteen.
Mary Emory married Mr. Clinton Goodloe Edgar, of De- troit, on the 5th of December, 1900, in Washington. They have two children, Katherine, born October 25th, 1902, and James, born in 1909.
Judge McComas died in Washington, November 10, 1907.
Mary Humrichouse was the fourth child of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Humrichouse. She died December 4th, 1872, at the age of nineteen, and unmarried.
[12] The 12th child of Peter Sr., and Mary Humrichouse was Eliza, born Sept. 2, 1798. She married John O'Ferrall, of Berkeley Springs, W. Va., where she died May 21, 1835, and is buried in the Reformed grave-yard in Hagerstown. General John W. O'Ferrall, of the Confederate Army, their son, lived at Enterprise, Miss., where he died aged 73, in or about the year 1895. Ignatus, another son, went to California in 1849
and there accumulated wealth. He married Amelia and
their only child is Madora, living in Chatfield, Minn. John O'Ferrall, after the death of his wife in 1835, married again, by which marriage a son was born — Charles O'Ferrall, who later became Governor of Virginia, being half brother of Gen. JolmW. O'Ferrall.
[13] Samuel, the youngest child of Peter and Mary Hum- richouse, was born June 5, 1801, and married Eliza Rickard, of Shepherdstown, Va., (now West Va.) ; they had six children, as follows :
George W., Marie E., James C, Samuel Post, John Richard and Ellen L., all of whom are dead except Samuel Post and
35
Ellen L. Samuel Post is still living in Shepherdstown. He married Susan V. Bowen, they had four children, as follows:
Marie E., born September 1, 1852. Dead.
William C, born July 8, 1854. Dead.
Charles B., born April 23, 1857.
Florence B., born May 1859. Dead.
Charles B,, married Emelie DeSaules, of Washington, D. C. They had the following children :
Corinne Post, born September 5, 1882. Dead. Breslin R., born October 6, 1893. Unmarried. Willis, born July 31st, 1887. Dead. Marie V., born August 19, 1895. Unmarried. Samuel's two sons — George and Post, served through the Civil War in Stonewall Jackson's Brigade without a wound.
Now, in conclusion, my patient readers, by looking again at the inscriptions on the graves mentioned in the beginning of this biography, you will realize more clearly the many events and persons that they suggest.
36
SUPPLEMENT.
EXHIBIT A.
War Office Department.
Pension Office, December 12, 1838.
I,Peter Humrichouse, was born in York County, State of Pennsylvania, on the 10th of October, 1753. I removed to Ger- mantown, Philadelphia County, Pa., at the age of eighteen years. In May, 1776, I entered the Army as a volunteer in a private company under the command of Capt. Thomas Dunging. Our other officers were 1st Lieut. John Bethell, 2nd Lieut. James Hasslett, Ensign George Bringhurst. This was the first company that left that County. We marched to Philadelphia where we took water for Trenton in the State of New Jersey. From there we marched to a place called the Blazing Star, near a place called the Sound. The British at this time were on Statan Island. While here we had very many skirmishes. After remaining on the island two months, we were ordered to Perth Amboy. I there made application for an Ensign's commission in the Fly- ing Camp, which commission I obtained July, 1776. Our field officers were Col. John Moore, Lieut-Col. Smith and Maj. Bush. We were ordered to Newark, from there to Fort Lee opposite Fort Washington, where we remained until Fort Washington was taken by the British. We were then forced to retreat to New Ark, from there to Elizabeth Town, from there to New Brunswick, from there to Princeton and from there to Trenton. In our retreat through those and on the road we had many skir- mishes with the British and our sufferings were extreme for want of Clothing and food. At Trenton we crossed the Dela- ware and remained there until the 26th of December, 1776, when on that night we crossed the Delaware again and took a number of Hessian prisoners, who were in Trenton. After the fight I was appointed Officer of the Day and was sent by Gen. Washington with a flag of truce to the enemy's lines to bury our
37
dead; we then crossed the Delaware where we remained until our Six Months Term of service expired. We then marched to a ])lace called New Town in Bucks County, Pa., where we deliv- ered up our arms. I then returned home to my family in Ger- man Town, where I remained until September, 1777. In the month of September, 1777, I again entered the Army as a Cap- tain in the second Battalion of Philadelphians. Our Field Offi- cers were Genls. Potter and Hulgate. We laid a short time at a place called Skippack in Philadelphia County, Pa., but now Montgomery County, Pa. We left that place to meet the Brit- ish at German Town. At the Battle of German Town our Brigade was placed on the right of the army, and was sta- tioned along the Ridge Road. After the Battle our Brigade was ordered over the Schuylkill to prevent the British from Foraging. In this Battle our men suffered extremely. After the Battle of German Town, I was appointed by Genl. Washington to take a Cargo of Powder for our troops who were stationed at York Town and Fredericksburgh, Va. This Powder was put in tight whiskey Barrels to prevent any suspicion should we meet any of the enemies. Our Company including Drivers, amounted to thirty-six hale, hardy, young men on whom I had the pleasure to Command. For our Enterprise in deliver- ing the Powder safe to our Troops on the lines we received the Thanks of the Commander In Chief, which Circular together with my three Commissions I herein enclose to the Department. This expedition took us three months to perform. We had eight four horse wagons. During the Battle of German Town our Familys suffered very much from the abuse of the British soldiers while after plunder frequently threatened with the point of the Bayonet if they refused to inform them where they could obtain plunder, and during our march through the Jersey my men for want of Shoes could be Tracked for Miles through the snow, the blood running from their feet.
(Signed) PETER HUMRICKHOUSE,
July 17th, 1832.
Washington County, State of Md., ss :
The Declaration was sworn to before us this 17th of July, 1832.
(Signed) BENJAMIN YOE,
JACOB SCHNEBLEY,
Justices of the Peace for the County Aforesaid
38
The above is a True Copy filed in the War Office, Aug. 2, 1832.
(Signed) J. J. EDWARDS,
Chief Clerk Pension Office.
The above statement is a copy of a copy made in 1838 at the War Office and found by Mr. Albert Licklider in an old trunk in the garrett of his great-grandfather's old home in Shepherds- town, W. Va., who was Albert Humrickhouse, son of Captain Peter Humrickhouse. As further evidence of the correctness of the above-statement the writer knows from the records of Washington County, Md., that Benjamin Yoe and Jacob Schneb- ley were Justices of the Peace for said County in the year 1832.
The original of this statement is not at present on file in the Pension or War Office, nor the Commissions and letter of thanks from the Commander-in-Chief, which apparently have been lost.
EXHIBITS B. & C.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
PENSION BUREAU,
WASHINGTON, D. C, April 22,1913.
I, J. L. DAVENPORT, Commissioner of Pensions, do here- by certify that the accompanying pages numbered 1 to 3, are truly copies from the originals now on file in the Pension Bureau.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscrib- ed my name, and caused the seal of the Pension Bureau to be affixed, on the day and year above written.
J. L. DAVENPORT,
(seal) Commisisoner of Pensions.
In the NAME and by the AUTHORITY of the FREEMEN of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, (seal)
THE SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL of said Commonwealth, To PETER HUMRICKHOUSE GENT.
We, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Patriot- ism, Valour, Conduct and Fidelity, DO, by these Presents, con-
39
stitntp and appoint you to be Ensip^n of a Company of Foot in tlic St'.ond liattalion of Militia, in the County of Philadelphia — You are therefore carefully and Diligently to discharge the Duty of Ensign — by doing and performing all Marnier of Things thereunto belonging. And We do strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under your Command to be obedient to your Orders as Ensign.
And you are to observe and follow such Orders and Direc- tions as you shall from Time to Time receive from the Supreme Executive Council of this Commonwealth, or from your superior Officers, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, and in Pursuance of the Acts of Assembly of this State. This Com- mission to continue in Force until your Term by the Laws of this State, shall of course expire.
GIVEN under the lesser Seal of the Commonwealth at Phil- adelphia, this Twelfth Day of May, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy- Seven.
No. 5. ATTEST. THO. WHARTON, Jun Pres.
J. MATLACK, Secy.
State of Marvland,
Washington County, ss:
On this 18th day of September 1832, personally appeared in Open Court before the Judges of the Orphans' Court of Hagers- Town, now sitting, Peter Humrickhouse, Resident of Hagers- Town, of the County and State aforesaid, aged 79 years, who being first duly Sworn according to law, doth, on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein Stated,
In May 1776 I entered the Army as a Volunteer in a private Company under the command of Captain Thomas Dungins; 1st Lietuenant John Bethell ; 2nd Lieutenant James Haslett, and Ensi.gn George Bringhurst. We marched to Philadelphia from whence we embarked to Trenton, from thence to a place called Blazing Star. The British were then on Staten Island.
We were orderd to Perth Amboy where we remained nearly two months. Then I made application for an Ensign's Com-
40
mission in the Flying Camp, which I obtained ; the Commission I have lost.
I know of no companion in Arms now alive and within reach of me who can furnish proof of my services. The field officers under whom I served during the campaign were Col. John Mooore, Lieut. Col. Smith and Major Bush. From our last rendezvous we were ordered to Newark and then to Fort Lee, opposite Fort Washington, where we remained until it was taken by the British, from whence we retreated to Newark— from thence to Elizabeth Town — to New Brunswick — to Prince- ton and from thence to Trenton.
During the retreat we had many skirmishes and our suffer- ings were great. We crossed the Delaware at Trenton and remained on the opposite side until the 26th December 1776 and in the night we crossed the river and took a body of Hessians lodged in Trenton. On the next day I was appointed officer of the Day to bury the dead. We again recrossed the Delaware where we remained until our six months service had expired. Then we marched to a town called, at that time. New Town, where we delivered up our arms and then I returned to my home in Germantown where I remained until Sept. 1777.
In September 1777 I again entered the service of the United States in the Second Battalion of Philadelphia County Militia. Our field officers were General Potter and Col. Hulgate.
We encamped a short time at a place called Skipback which was then located in Philadelphia County, but I believe it now lies — Montgomery County. From thence we marched to meet the Enemy at Germantown where we met them and engaged in battle. During the engagement our Brigade was placed on the right of the Army along the Ridge road. After the battle our brigade was ordered over the Schuylkill to prevent the Ene- my from foraging. Our sufferings at this time were also great. We remained at this station until our time of service expired. The length of time I was in the Service of the United States dur- ing the War was ten months. The original Commissi on accom- panies this and furnishes the only proof of m}^ having been in the service of the U. S.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and date aforesaid.
PETER HUMRICKHOUSE.
41
Tlie second statement (Exhibit C) differs from the first one slip:litly, oniittinc: the word "Captain" and the conveying the powder to Yorktown, and adds that his length of service was ten months. Jt does not even state that he was a Lieutenant, al- though the Pension Kecords show that he was a Lieutenant, and this was in December 1776 according to Exhibits F. and G.
The terms of enlistment were short. It frequently happen- ed that an officer would re-enlist after a lapse of time out of the army with a lower rank.
Exhibit (H) states that he filled divers other stations in a satisfactory manner, probably under some special arrangement. This suggests that he had other service besides the ten months for which he wa.s avowed a pension.
In the book — "Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution, Associated Battalion and Militia, Volume I," Peter Umrick- house is listed in the 3rd class of the 4th 0 ^mpany of the 7th Battalion. Jacob Miller is also associated with him. He was the son of Gottfried Miller. In the old account book of Peter Humrickhouse in the writer's possession, the name appears a number of times as "LTmrickhouse." This tends to show he had other service than that in the Private Company, in the Fly- ing Camp and in the 2nd Battalion of Philadelphia County.
EXHIBIT D.
PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, SS :
I do hereby certify, That Peter Humrickhouse, Ensign of the 2nd Battalion, Philadelphia Militia, hath voluntarily taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, as directed by an Act of Gen. Assembly of Pa., passed the 5th day of De- cember, A. D., 1778.
AVitness my hand and seal the 21st day of March, A. D. 1779.
(Signed) JOHN MOORE, Com.
EXHIBIT E.
Among the Pension Records also appears the Affidavit of Martin Shoemaker, May 30, 1833, stating he was personally ac- quainted with Peter Humrickhouse, who resided in Germantown, and that he knows of his own knowledge in May 1776, Peter Humrickhouse entered the army as a volunteer and that in 1777
42
lie was also in the army as an officer in the Militia of Philadel- phia County.
EXHIBIT F.
HUMRICHOUSE, PETER, served in the Philadelphia Bat- talion of the Flying Camp, in the summer of 1776 — 2 months as Private, 6 months as Ensign, and 2 months as Lieutenant. (Penn. Archives: Third Series, Vol. XXIII, p. 463).
EXHIBIT G.
EARLY RECOLLECTIONS OF MR. FRED'K HUM- RICHOUSE, son of Peter Humrickhouse, Sr., taken from the latter 's diary and published in the Hagertsown Mail, Friday, June 26th, 1874, which the son possessed at the time, together with his father's sword, both since having been lost:
In May, 1776, two months before the Declaration of Inde- pendance, my father offered his services and entered the army as a private in the first company that was raised in the County of Philadelphia. They were marched to many points in the State of New Jersey, and had many skirmishes with the British, whose main army was then stationed on Staten Island, and were finally ordered to Perth Amboy, N. J. My father says :
"At this place I made application for an Ensign's com- mission in the then called Flying Gamp. I was successful in obtaining this commission. It bore date July 1776, the original of which is now amongst the records in the War Office at Washington. Our field officers were Col. John Moore, Lieut. Col. Smith and Major Bush. We were then ordered to Newark, N. J., and from there to Fort Lee, oppo- site Fort Washington, where we remained till Fort Wash- ington was taken by the British. We were then forced to retreat to Newark, from there to Elizabeth Town, to New Brunswick, to Princeton, to Trenton. During our retreat we had many skirmishes with the enemy and our suffering was great. We recrossed the river at Trenton and re- mained on the Pennsylvania side. During our stay there, I made application and received a Lieutenant's commission. On the night of the 26th of December, 1776, we were ordered to cross the river in frail boats, and surprised and took a body of Hessians, who were then encamped at Trenton, and
43
re-crossed the river with our prisoners. On this occasion I was appointed Officer of the Day to bury the dead. This was a bold and darin£2^ undertaking, for be it remembered that at the re-crossing of the river we had to force our way through large bodies of floating ice which the river was then jfilled with. AVe remained at this point until our term of service had expired; this was in December, 1776. I then re- turned to Germantown and was married on the 20th of Feb- ruary, 1777, and remained there till September of the same year, and I then again entered the army in 2nd Battalion Philadelphia Troop."
Father was also in the hard fought battle of Germantown. Some two months before that battle took place my mother had a hole dug in the garden some ten feet square and about same depth, in which was placed all of their most valuable articles cov- ering the same with straw and filling the balance with earth, smoothly raked over. This precaution w^as taken to deceive the enemy should they take the town and rob the citizens. After that bloody battle had ended my mother, with other women of the town, was engaged in handing water and rendering other services to the wounded as they were carried through the streets.
Gen. Kniphousen was carried by on a litter; he was shot through the throat, cutting off his tongue at the root ; the tongue protruding some three inches out of his mouth, the sight of wiiich was too much for poor mother. She, having just come out of a sick-bed, fainted and fell to the pavement and was carried into the house. I mention this circumstance to show that our mothers, as well as our fathers, were possessed of a spirit of patriotism in the early and dark days of the American Revolu- tion.
***''Our army, whilst it lay at Valley Forge, near Phila- delphia, was in one of the coldest winters on record, with snow 18 inches deep. Many of Washington's enlisted sol- diers were destitute of shoes or stockings, and whilst on camp duty could be tracked by the blood oozing out of their frozen feet. The camp at Valley Forge was surrounded by a dense forest. The smell and offal of the camp caused very many squirrels to congregate in and around it, and it was quite conmion for the soldiers — poor fellows — to kill, skin and draw the warm hides over their frozen feet."
Think of it, such was life in the early days in our struggle for liberty.
44
After the War my father went to Philadelphia ; he lived in Arch Street, opposite Christ Church burial ground, where Franklin's grave now is. It was in this house that I was born in the same house my elder brother, nearly two years of age, was being nursed by my mother. About 12 d 'clock noon he was put down from her lap. He made for the front door. In an in- stant he was stricken down by a flash of lightning, and what was very remarkable there was neither thunder or lightning after or before this one clap. He had a fine head of flaxen hair. In ex- amining his body not a mark could be seen except behind his right ear. A large lock of his hair was colored a dark brown. In June, 1794, my father with his family and workmen were driven out of Philadelphia by the yellow fever; stayed out till November. The same thing occurred 1795- '96- '97, and he deter- mined to leave. He arrived in Hagerstown on the 7th of June, 1798.
I have thus given you a history of the private and public life of my father.
EXHIBIT H.
The Hagerstown Mail, under date of February 17, 1837, published the following:
DIED.
'*0n Monday, the 13th instant, at his residence in Hagers- town in the 84th year of his age, Mr. Peter Humrickhouse a na- tive of York County, Pa., and for many years a respected citi- zen of this place. The deceased took an active part in the Rev- olutionary War with Great Britain which resulted in the achievement of our glorious independence. In the early part of his life he entered the army as a volunteer at Germantown un- der Captain Dunkin and was soon promoted to a lieutenancy. He participated in the skirmishes with the enemy at Fort Wash- ington, was at the Battle of Trenton (where he was appointed Officer of the Day to bury the dead) and many other skirmishes in which he experienced extreme sufferings. At the close of his term of service he returned to his family at Germantown. In 1777 he again entered the army as a lieutenant and was engaged in the Battle of Germantown where he and his family again experienced many privations; and he filled divers other sta- tions in a satisfactory manner until his time of service again ended — when he returned home and in 1798 removed to Hagers- town where he has since resided. The above sketch of his mil-
45
itary career was considered due to our departed friend, and in similar instances the same respect should be extended to all those worthies at their decease who have staked their lives and for- tmies in defense of their country."
The writer thinks that Exhibit (A) is entirely correct, al- though the dates may not be, and that Peter Humrickhouse did convey the powder to Yorktown, not immediately after the Battle ofGermantown, but in the year 1781 or 1782 ;that his Commissions and letter of thanks were sent to the Department; and finally, that because he probably could prove only ten months actual service, for the reason that most of his contem- poraries were dead, the War having ended fifty years prior thereto, and that his records were incomplete, he therefore made a second statement of his service to confonn to the actual amount of time he could clearly prove and for which he was granted a pension.
The family name appears to have been spelled in a number of ways: In some old deeds in York County as "Homrighaus- ser," and "Humrichhousser," and in an old account book of Peter Humrickhouse it appears as "Umrickhouse" and "Hum- rickhouse. " It is now spelled in several ways : ' * Humrichous- er," "Humrickhouse" and " Humrichouse. "
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
of PETER HUMRICKHOUSE.
In the name of God Amen. I Peter Humrickhouse, of Washington County, and the State of Maryland, being weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and understanding con- sidering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and thereby being better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me hence do thereby make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in the manner and form following, that is to say,
First, and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named and after my debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows:
Item. It is mj' Will and desire that all of my Bank Stock together with all my real estate shall remain unsold during the
46
natural life of my beloved wife Mary, that the dividends or profits of said Bank Stock and the rents and use of my real es- tate shall be for the benefit of my dear wife during her life sub- ject to her paying all taxes and keeping said real estate in repair. I further give to my said wife as much of the household and kitchen furniture as she may think necessary for her use to be hers during her life.
Item. Wheras I have made large advances to my children which they stand charged with by notes or book accounts and for the purpose of finally closing those accounts and to give my Executors as little trouble as possible it is my will that none of those charges or advances shall be brought into account in the settlement of my estate, nor any claim made by my Executors against my children or their representatives for such charges and advances that may appear against them.
Item. It is my will and desire that as soon after my decease as may be practicable that my Executors shall sell all my per- sonal estate except such part as is before devised, including my Negroes except old Anthony and his wife whom it is my wish are to serve my dear wife Mary during her life, and after her death they are to be supported out of my estate in the event of their not being enabled to support themselves and it is my will that one-half the amount of said sale shall be paid over to my dear wife Mary for her support, use and benefit, and the remaining half of the aforesaid sale I hereby direct my Execu- tors to divide equally among my children and grand-children, share and share alike, that is : One share to my deceased son John Humrickhouse' children. One share to the children of my deceased daughter, Margaret Hanenkampf. One share to my son Peter Humrickhouse and his heirs. One share to my son Frederick Humrickhouse and his heirs. One share to my son Albert Humrickhouse and his heirs. One share to my grand- son Peter Humrickhouse, son of my deceased son William. One share to my son Charles Humrickhouse and his heirs. One share to my daughter Eliza O'Ferrall and her heirs. One share to my son Samuel Humrickhouse and his heirs, making in all Nine shares which entitles the child or children of any one of my children who are deceased to such a share as their parent would have been entitled to if alive at the time of my decease.
Item. It is my will that after the decease of my beloved wife that all my real estate, my Bank Stock and the personal prop- erty that may not be consumed in the use thereof by my wife
47
shall be sold by my Executor Frederick Humrickhouse, or in the event of his death by my son Peter Humrickkhouse, either at public or private sale and to convey the same to the purchaser or purchasers and the proceeds of said real and personal estate to be equally divided among all my children and the child or children of my deceased children share and share alike. That is to say, to the children of my deceased son John Humrick- house One share. To the children of my deceased daughter Margaret Ilanankampf One share. To my son Peter Hum- rickhouse and his heirs One share. To my son Albert Hum- rickhouse and his heirs One share. To my son Frederick Hum- rickhouse and his heirs One share. To my grand-son Peter Humrickhouse, son of my deceased son William One share. To my son Charles Humrickhouse and his heirs One share. To my daughter, Eliza O'Ferral and her heirs One share. To my son Samuel Humrickhouse and his heirs One share, making Nine shares which entitles the child or children of any of my deceased children to such share as their parent would have been entitled to if he or her had survived me.
Item. It is my will and I hereby appoint my son Peter Hum- rickhouse Custodian to all my grand-children that may be minors at the time of my decease.
Item. I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my beloved wife Mary Humrickhouse and my son Fredrick Hum- ri(-khouse Executor and Executrix to this my Last Will and Tes- tament hereby revoking and annuling all former Wills by me heretofore made, ratifying and confirming this and none other as my Last Will and Testament.
In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and af- fixed my seal this Twenty-eighth day of August, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty-three.
PETER HUMRICKHOUSE. (Seal.)
Signed, sealed, published and declared by Peter Humrick- house the above-named testator as and for his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us and in the presence of each oth- er and at his request we have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
JOSEPH GRAFF. S. HERBERT. I. SWOPE.
In the Name of God Araen : Whereas in my Last Will and Testament to which this is the first codicil, I did give and be- queath to my son Charles an equal portion with the rest of my
48
children of all of my property as stated in the said Will, this is to declare my full and entire revocation of so much of my Last Will as contains the devise above stated and of all such other parts of my Last Will as contain any devise of my property, real or personal whatsoever to my said son Charles, and it is my will and intention that my said son Charles shall have no part of my estate, real or personal after my death and no interest in the same whatsoever, either in action, in possession, in remain- der or in reversion. And now also this is to declare further that all the parts or portions of any estate intended in the clause of my Will above revoked that have been given to my son Charles I do give and bequeath to my grand-son Charles Hum- rickhouse, son and heir of my said son Charles so that whatever my said son Charles would have been entitled to under my Will before the revocation aforesaid, my grand-son Charles Hum- rickhouse shall now take and I do further appoint that my Ex- ecutors shall have charge and custody of the share of my said grand-son Charles Humrickhouse as above given him until his full age of Twenty-one years, and that they shall at their option and within such reasonable time such settlement of my estate and other circumstances will permit, place the same upon inter- est which interest they shall apply to the proper maintenance and education of my said grand-son Charles Humrickhouse, and my Executors shall not be accountable either for principal or interest or any part thereof to any one serving as Guardian or Prochein Amming of my said grand-son, but only to my said grand-son Charles Humrickhouse after his full age of Twenty- one years aforesaid, and if my said grand-son Charles Humrick- house shall die without attaining his age of twenty-one years, then and in that case it is my will that all the part and portion of my estate herein devised to him shall go share and share alike as prescribed in my Will to my children or their lawful heirs, always excepting my son Charles, who shall take nothing.
Signed, sealed and published as a codicil to my Will this Second Day of December, A. D., 1834.
PETER HUMRICKHOUSE.
John E. Hoffman. J. Swope. Fred'k Miller.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, TO-WIT :— On this 6th day of March, 1837, came Fred'k Miller and Jacob Swope and made oath, etc., that they did see the testator named in this codicil sign and seal the same, that they heard him publish, pronounce
49
and declare the same to be his Last Will and Testament, that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehen- sions of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, that they subscribed their names as witnesses to this codicil in the presence and at the request of the testator, and in the pres- ence of each other and that they saw John E. Hoffman, the other subscribing witness do the same.
Certified by
DAN SCHNEBLEY, Reg'r.
Copy of letter to Albert Humrickhouse from Henry Clay:
At Mr. John Zombros, July 6, 1834. DEAR SIR :
I lament extremely to have to communicate to you a most disastrous and melancholy accident which has just occurred. In descending a small hill about one mile from Brucetown at this house, there were no lock chains, the horses ran away with the stage and throwing the whole on the side of the bank upset- ting it on the opposite side. Your son was sitting with the driver and endeavored to assist him in obtaining command of the horses but unfortunatelv got somehow entangled, fell and received the entire weight of the stage upon him. The horses pulled off the four wheels and ran away, the driver pursuing them. There was in the stage my servant, a lady and myself. Perceiving your son was caught under the stage we got out as soon as we possibly could, raised the stage and drew your son out but, alas, is was no avail. His neck was broken, his entrails seriously injured, he bled profusely at the nose and never spoke. He breathed but expired about twelve o'clock, a few minutes after the accident occurred. I know not how sufficiently to ex- press to you my deep and sincere regret on this occasion. T of- fer you all the condolence that can possibly be felt or tendered u]ion such circumstances. Yon have lost a. fine son. I was much interested in him during our short acquaintance and jour- ney as he manifested a constant desire for my personal comfort while we were together and I feel grateful for his friendly at-
50
tention. We are now engaged in making the best arrangement we can to have his body taken care of and restored to you and his family. Except a slight scratch on one of my legs those of us who were in the stage, as well as the driver, escaped with- out material injury. Wishing that yourself and your family may bear this heavy affliction with Christian resignation and manly fortitude, I am, with profound sympathy,
Your obedient servant,
HENRY CLAY.
To A. Humrichouse.
[FINIS.]
51
FAMILY RECORD.