John Harbaugh and Rachel Hammond Harbaugh

There's a story posted on ancestry.com concerning John Harbaugh.  It originated with a Cyrus Harbaugh who recorded it in 1930. It goes something like this:

Somewhere between the years 1780-1785*, a family of Harbaughs, traveling west through Bedford County by wagon, stopped at Thomas Griffith for a rest probably on account of sickness. They left two of their children (John and Sophie) there, saying they would come back after them. They never returned. It is speculated that they were killed by Indians or met death in some other way. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith raised these children at his home near Fishertown. Sophie married Amos Penrose. John was a miller by trade lived at the Blackburn Mill. He married Rachel Hammond.

 It was determined that the father of the family passing through Bedford County was Peter Harbach of Berks County, PA.  In 1946 this information was passed on to Cyrus who indicated that he was related to that Harbach family and, as a young man, would travel to Berks County to visit his cousins.

  *John was born in 1781 and his sister, Sophia, was born in 1782, so if this story is true it would have had to have happened after 1782.

This could or could not be true as there are several ways to look at it.  The Griffiths were active members of the Quaker community in Bedford County.  If two very young children were left in the Griffith family's care and were ultimately abandoned by their parents, the Griffiths family couldn't very well leave them home unattended while they went off to their monthly church meeting. The Harbaugh children could very well have been raised Quaker and had become fully converted to the Quaker faith.  They were certainly immersed in the culture. Afterall,  the Blackburn family, one of whom owned the mill where John was employed and lived, were long-time Quakers.  The Hammonds, the family from which John would find his future wife, were prominent members of the Quaker community as well.  The problem comes, though, when we learn that John was not a member of the Society of Friends at the time of his marriage.  We know this from the minutes of the Quaker records indicating that Rachel Hammond had married outside the faith. 

Dunning's Creek Monthly Meeting 16 July 1806

"Complaint being brought from the women's Meeting against Rachel Harbaugh, late Hammond, for

accomplishing Marriage with a Man not a member of out Society before a Person holding the

Commission of a Justice, and they requesting the Company of some Men[allen] Friends in a Visit

to her:  John Thomas and Jonathan Bowen are appointed to that Service and to report to next Meeting."

"At Dunning's Creek Monthly Meeting held the 13th of the 8th Month 1806
the Representatives being present.

"The Friends appointed to unite with Men[allen] Friends in a Visit to Rachel Harbaugh report
they had a opportunity with her and she appeared very desirous to condemn her misconduct
and retain her right among Friends, for which purpose she produced a Paper of Acknowledgment
to this Meeting condemning her outgoing which was read and accepted."

"To Dunning's Creek Monthly Meeting to be held the 13th day of the 8th Month 1806.

"I the Subscriber having had my Birthright amongst the People called Quakers,
but for want of a strict adherence to the Dictates of Truth have given was to a
libertine Spirit so far as to be joined in Marriage with a Man not a Member of our
Society, - for which I am sorry and wish Friends to continue my under their Care
hoping in future to live a more circumspect Life.

"Rachel Harbaugh"

Of course, it's even more complicated than that.  We also know from Quaker church records that his sister, Sophia, married Amos Penrose within the Society of Friends.  She was a member of the church in good standing and Amos was very prominently mentioned in the church records multiple times.There's no indexed church record showing John's disfellowshipment.  He may or may not have been a member in good standing previous to his marriage.  We just don't know for sure.  

The most credible resource to verify the validity of this story was to figure out the relationship between Cyrus and John.  Among John and Rachel's 9 children was a set of twins, John and Jonah, born in 1817.  Jonah was my 3rd great-grandfather.  Cyrus (actually named John Cyrus) was the 2nd youngest son of John Jr., which would make John Sr. his grandfather.  Cyrus was born in 1860 and John Sr. didn't die until 1870, so Cyrus very well could have heard the story first-hand from his grandfather himself.

The history books indicate that the Blackburn grist mill (where John was employed) was a log building with a frame addition added in 1839. It was located in Springhope, a small borough near the southern edge of East St. Clair Township. It was erected by Joseph Blackburn and subsequently operated by Thomas W. Blackburn and George W. Blackburn. Contrary to the history books, an obituary for Anna Border Cuppett published in the Bedford Gazette on 15 March 1901 states that it was her great-grandfather, Thomas Blackburn (my 6th great-grandfather), who erected the grist mill in Springhope in 1770.

We didn't make it down to Springhope, nor is there any record indicating the burial places of John and Rachel.  Apparently he didn't even leave a will, making John and Rachel's story quite incomplete.

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All original content, images, commentary, etc. copyright © by Joy Denison 2015-2016.  All rights reserved. All writings, poems, speeches, essays, images, scans, likenesses, etc. by Adam Ickes (b 1845) as well as personal histories, images, and all other content by all persons referenced and discussed within the pages and posts in this blog may not be copied, shared, or reproduced in any way without expressed permission by the owner unless included here from other referenced sources or are historical records already considered to be in the public domain. 

Nathan Hammond and Rachel Blackburn Hammond

If you look closely at the pedigree chart above you'll see that we're now following Elizabeth Ellen Harbaugh's ancestral lines.

I don't have any information about Peter Harbaugh and his wife Sophia so I'll have to skip them. Next in line would be Nathan Hammond and Rachel Blackburn.

Rachel is the sister of Thomas Blackburn, one of Adam's ancestors, so all the family information I posted about Thomas also applies to Rachel.  That actually makes things just a little bit weird.  Adam Ickes is the descendant of Thomas Blackburn.  Adam's wife, Elizabeth Ellen Harbaugh, is the descendant of Thomas' sister, Rachel Blackburn.  Both Thomas and Rachel are the children of John Blackburn, so if you follow both Adam's and Ellen's lines back to the Blackburn family they converge with John Blackburn and from there back have exactly the same ancestors.  John Blackburn is Adam's 3rd great-grandfather and Ellen's 2nd great-grandfather.  That makes Adam and Ellen not only husband and wife, but also 3rd cousins once removed.  If I continue to follow both lines down to me, that makes me my own 7th cousin once removed.

Here's what it looks like:

I guess that would also make my siblings my 7th cousins once removed, my children would be my 8th cousins, and my grandchildren are my 8th cousins once removed.  OK, I gotta move on to something else. This is giving me a headache.

Rachel Blackburn married Nathan McGrew in 1767.  Here's the references to the marriage as recorded in the minutes of the Quaker monthly meeting:

10 Oct 1767     "Nathan McGrew & Rachel Blackburn appeared at this meeting & signified their Intentions of marriage with each other, John Wright & Benjamin Loan are appointed to make the necessary enquirey into his conversation & from all others on that account & report to next meeting."

11 Nov 1767     "Nathan McGrew & Rachel Blackburn appeared at this meeting & signified that they continued their Intentions of marriage with each other & nothing appearing to obstruct they are left to their liberty to accomplish the same according to the good order used amongst friends, & John Wright, & Benjamin Loan are appointed to be it so accomplished & report to next meeting, & produce the marriage certificate to be recorded."

12 Dec 1767     "The friends appointed to attend the marriages of Nathan McGrew & Rachel Blackburn, & Moses Blackburn & Mary McGrew reports they were orderly accomplished & they produced the marriage certificates to this meeting."

Rachel and Nathan McGrew had one daughter named Rebecca who was born in 1768.  It's likely Rebecca never knew her father as it is presumed he died in 1768.

Rachel married Nathan Hammond in 1771. The Hammonds were also active, devout Quakers as Nathan's father, John, was often assigned the task of seeking out and reporting on church members whose conduct had been put in question. According to the Quaker records, Rachel's marriage to Nathan Hammond wasn't nearly as joyous and celebrated as was her first marriage. 

13 April 1771     "Manallen meeting informs this that Nathan Hammond & Rachel McGrew had accomplished their marriage by the assistance of a Priest (they being precautioned) this meeting appoints Samuel Wright & Benjamin Wright to prepare a testimony against them & produce it to next meeting."

1 May 1771     "One of the friends appointed to prepare a testimony against Nathan Hammond & his wife produced one which is as follows Viz Whereas Nathan Hammond & Rachel his wife having had their Education amongst us the People called Quakers, but for want of faithfully adhearing to the directions & guidance of the Spirit of Grace in their own hearts, gave way so far to a libertine spirit as to be guilty of dancing, & likewise went & was joined in marriage by the assistance of a Priest (or some such way) for which Evil conduct we deny them the said Nathan Hammond & Rachel Hammond to be any longer members of our Religious Society until their future conduct recommend them worthy, which that it may is our desire; which was approved of & signed on behalf of this meeting by the clerk & John Wright & George Wilson  are appointed to shew it to them give them a copy if desired with notice of the Priviledge of an appeal which if they decline then to be it read in a Publick meeting at Manallen & return it to next meeting."

It wouldn't be until November of 1778, 7 1/2 years and 4 children later, that Nathan and Rachel would request re-admittance to the church.

7 Nov 1778     "Manallen Meeting Informs this that Nathan Hammond and his wife appear to be defirous to be reconciled with Friends, and he appeared at this meeting and offered a paper of acknowledgment which is left under consideration till next meeting."

12 Dec 1778     "The case of Nathan Hammond and his wife being considered in this Meeting, it appears to be most safe to appoint some Friends to have an opportunity with them and report their sense to next Meeting, Therefore William Underwood, William Garretson, Benjamin Underwood, Harman Updegraff, and Peter Cleaver are appointed to that service."

9 Jan 1779  "Three of the Friends appointed in the case of Nathan Hammon and his wife reports that they (with some women Friends) had a prity seasonable opportunity with them and that they did not find anything in their minds to discourage them from attending this meeting and they appeared and offered the following acknowledgment /viz/ (attachment unavailable) which was read and accepted."

13 Mar 1779  "Manallen Meeting informs this that Nathan Hammond requests that his four children (to wit) Deborah, Sarah, John and Mary may be received under Friends care, which is granted."

The history books indicate the Hammond family from which Nathan descends immigrated to America from Sussex County England in 1702. Centuries prior to that they hailed from a Viking Chieftan who raided England's Norfolk and Suffolk Counties in the 9th Century. This was especially interesting to me since a completely different family line of mine came from Norfolk and Suffolk Counties and immigrated to Utah in the 1880s. (But let's all hope and pray I don't turn up any more inbreeding.)

Nathan & Rachel moved from Adams County to Bedford County sometime before 1790 and by 1794 Nathan owned 400 acres of land in Bedford County.  His will indicates that his son, Samuel, had taken over the farm, but it was collectively inherited by all of Nathan's children until Samuel paid his siblings a predetermined amount of money as their fair share of the inheritance.  

The 1861 map shows a location of the farm owned by the "Hammond Heirs" in Bedford Township, northwest of the Borough of Bedford.

The area of Nathan's farmland today was relatively flat and wide open.  If I didn't know better I almost would have thought I was back home in Texas.

Nathan and Rachel had at least 7 children.  There could have been more who didn't live into adulthood.

Here is Nathan's will:

In the name of God Amen, I Nathan Hammond of the Township and County of Bedford in the State of Pennsylvania, being somewhat weak in body but of sound mind memory and understanding, do make and publish this my last will and testament as follows, I commend my soul to God that gave it and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors herein after named.  And as to my worldly estate both real and personal I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner to wit I direct:  that all my just Debts and funeral expenses be paid by my executors, out of my personal estate as soon as convenient after my decease, I give and bequeath unto my son Samuel Hammond two horses, of his own choice with hears for the same, my wagon, one plough, and one good bed and bedding, which is to be his full of his share of personal estate, I direct all the residue of personal estate to be sold by my executors, and the proceeds thereof I bequeath and devise as follows, to my son Nathan the sum of sixteen dollars, to my daughter Rachel Harbaugh the sum of forty Dollars and the remainder after paying my Debts funeral expenses and the legacies to Nathan and Rachel as aforesaid, to be equally divided among all my children (except my son Samuel).  I give devise and bequeth unto my son Samuel Hammond this plantation and tract of land whereon I now live, with the appurtenances in the township of Bedford aforesaid adjoining land of Henry Kuntz, and others, and out of which my said son Samuel is to pay the following legacies, to wit, to my son Nathan Hammond the sum of five hundred dollars, three hundred dollars to be paid two years after my decease, one hundred dollars three years after my decease and one hundred dollars ten years after my decease – to my son John Hammond three hundred dollars four years after my decease – to my daughter Rachel Harbaugh two hundred dollars six years after my decease.  To my daughter Deborah  Camron two hundred dollars eight years after my decease to my daughter Sarah Wolf two hundred dollars nine years after my decease all the legacies aforesaid to be a lien upon the tract of land aforesaid until they are paid.  And lastly I appoint my son in law John Wolf and my son Samuel Hammond Executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made and declaring this and no other to be my last will and testament, In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twenty fifth day of October A.D. 1816.

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All original content, images, commentary, etc. copyright © by Joy Denison 2015-2016.  All rights reserved. All writings, poems, speeches, essays, images, scans, likenesses, etc. by Adam Ickes (b 1845) as well as personal histories, images, and all other content by all persons referenced and discussed within the pages and posts in this blog may not be copied, shared, or reproduced in any way without expressed permission by the owner unless included here from other referenced sources or are historical records already considered to be in the public domain.