Jacob and Abraham Smith

Abraham Smith

With the defeat of Gen. Braddock’s Army in July of 1755 near Pittsburgh, the Indian revenge was started. In November, Gnadenhutton was attacked and burned to the ground with many deaths. This was followed by the massacre of the Hoeth family in December near Kresgeville in then Towamensing Township. Bethlehem and especially Nazareth became the refuge for the homeless.. The Smith name is not found in the lists of refugees that streamed over the mountain. While Jacob is later known to have resided in Lower Smithfield Township, it is doubtful that that area would have been considered as a safe haven from the Indians. Other historians have indicated that Jacob may have come from the Easton area and could have had friends or other relations there with which to seek shelter. In addition Jacob had received a warrant for 25 acres located “Forks of the Delaware” (Northampton Warrant Index S); which could mean anywhere north of Easton. While he never pursued this land he could again have had friends or relatives in the area.

There is no record of Abraham’s activity until 1763 when the Indians were again threatening the settlers. Abraham Smith along with six other settlers sent the following petition to Easton. (Monroe County Historical Society files)

We, the undersigned, have agreed to find out from Mr. Horsefields if we could have about 20 soldiers quartered in our houses. If that can not be done, we will have to leave. Lately unknown Indians have been making their way through here, for their safety, because soldiers are garrisoned along the Lehigh River. And if we go, the whole Fork will be gone from their homes. If we have that many men, we will stay. We are now the last inhabitants, otherwise everyone is gone. If we get no help, we will have to leave, and that would be a great shame. Thus we petition the Major and _____ Mr. Horsefields.”

Signed: Heinrich Silvius, Abraham Smith, Heinrich Christman, Georg Spielman, Wendel Uhlrich, Balthaser Mayer, Heinrich Arnelt

It is noted that four of the seven men signing the petition in 1763 were listed on the Towamensing Township tax list as Chestnut Hill had not yet been formed. A fifth petitioner had returned to the Chestnut Hill tax roll by 1765. Jacob was living in Lower Smithfield Township at this time and didn’t return to Chestnut Hill until the following year. (All tax and assessment lists are from microfilms in the Pennsylvania Land Records Office in Harrisburg.

An indication of his residency occurred on 20 September, 1763, when Abraham was commissioned constable for the newly formed Chestnut Hill Township. He would have already established his reputation and been know to the Northampton County Officials in Easton to warrant the appointment. His appointment is the first mention of the erection of Chestnut Hill Township and was found in the Quarter Sessions Docket.

In all likelihood the Smiths, as did reportedly all the other settlers, leave the valley for an undefined period, and returned before 1763. Historians frequently recognize that the year 1763 marks the return to normalcy north of the mountains, though there were still some continuing Indian skirmishes.

Jacob had warranted land about two miles from Meniolagomeka, and would have been living there some or all of the time, in order to retain his rights. Abraham probably grew up there as a youngster until the time he was married. Living so close to the Indian village Abraham would have been well aware of the attributes of the land. There is no way to tell when he learned of the legal status of the 170 ¾ acres, former Indian village and mission site; that a warrant and survey had been completed, and all that remained was to satisfy any outstanding purchase fee for the issuance of a patent. He certainly would have moved onto the land, once he had decided to purchase it, and it could have happened ten or fifteen years before the patent was finally issued in July of 1774.

In 1765 Abraham is assessed on the basis of having 40 acres cleared and 160 acres of woodland. The 40 cleared acres is the largest cleared property in all of the township, then called Towamensing Township. This is probably a result a work accomplished by the Indians at the former Village/Mission as well as himself. By the next year he had cleared another 5 acres with the woodland reduced accordingly.

1765 was the year that the Land Office officially changed the policy, permitting ownership by settlement and improvement. Indications are that the practice had been going on for a long time, especially in the wilderness.

Abraham’s first child, Johannes was born on 15 October, 1758 and therefore we can assume he was married about 1757, probably south of the Blue Mountain in a safer environment. At this time he would have left his father home and been living on his own. with his wife Anna Margaret Altemose. The earliest available tax list is for 1763 and he is listed as a freeman and property owner. Having started a family in 1757, Abraham was probably born about 1734-1736, which would have probably been before his father immigrated to Pennsylvania.

On July 20th, 1774 Abraham Smith obtained a mortgage from the General Loan Office of the Province of Pennsylvania in the amount of 112 £s. As security Abraham pledged his 171 ¾ acre tract. The mortgage covered the full payment due to the Proprietors and thus the Patent was issued on July 18th, 1774. The mortgage payments were due annually on the first of September starting the following year, 1775. The first payment was 7£ plus interest of 6£ 5s 8p with the interest reducing each year over the 15 year period. The mortgage indenture was signed in Philadelphia on July 20, 1774, but the signature space was covered with a small piece of paper obscuring Abraham’s mark or signature. An accompanying sheet indicates that the mortgage was paid in full on schedule, on June 4, 1790, approximately 5 years after Abraham’s death.

This document may be quoted for local and family research but not for commercial use.
Credit must be given with name and date.
Bob Rowland
3 Cornell Drive
Camp Hill PA 17011
Goofybob@aol.com