CONOY is in the
northwestern corner of Lancaster County.
It is bounded on the north by Dauphin County, on
the east by West Donegal township, and, on the
south and southwest by the township of East
Donegal and the Susquehanna River. It is
crossed in the southern part by Conoy Creek, on
which
are several mills, and in the northern part by a
small stream called Brubaker’s Run, on which are
a grist-mill and a saw-mill. Another
smaller stream, called
Stony Run, crosses the township still farther
north, and Conewago Creek forms its northern
boundary and separates it from Dauphin County.
The surface
is undulating, and the soil is exceedingly
fertile, producing the great staples of this
region, wheat and tobacco, in abundance.
This township enjoys excellent facilities for travel
and transportation. The Pennsylvania
Railroad and Canal pass through it along the
Susquehanna River, and several principal
highways cross it from east to west. The
river road, which was an early thorough-fare,
traverses the township in a northerly and
southerly direction along the river.
The name of the township was derived from that of a
tribe of Indians that formerly inhabited the
region, though it is believed that this name is
somewhat corrupted.
Conoy was separated from West Donegal and erected into
a township in 1842. Its population in 1880
was two thousand one hundred and fifty-five.
The justices of the peace elected in the
township since its organization have been:
Magistrates. - The
justices of the peace in Conoy have been:
Thomas Eagan, 1843; Jacob Foreman,
1844; M. W. May, 1847; Jacob Foreman,
1849; John Filbert, 1852; Joseph
Engle, Joseph Foreman, 1854;
Christian S. Erb, Jacob Foreman,
1859; C. S. Erb, Jacob T. Bare, 1864;
Jacob T. Bare, 1869; C. S. Erb, Frank
McNeill, 1874; Frank McNeill, 1879.
Members of Assembly. -
Bertram Galbraith was the first citizen
within the present limits of Conoy township who
was elected to the Assembly.
Frederick Hipple was a county commissioner in
1842, and was at one time a member of the
Assembly.
Jacob Foreman, a native of Maryland, was a
merchant in Bainbridge. He was elected to
the Assembly in 1840-42.
Pioneer Settlers. - The
first white settlers and land-owners were Indian
traders.
The following letter of James Logan to
Isaac Taylor, the surveyor of Chester
County, gives the date when the first surveys
were made in the township. All of those
named lived in the neighborhood for a number of
years prior to the date of this letter.
What is known in early history as “Old Peter’s
Road" was thus named from Peter
Bizaillon, who had a trading-post at Conoy
Indian Town, and which ran from "Moor's Mill,"
at Downingtown, Chester County, to Conoy Town.
This letter was a private one, and not intended
for old Peter’s eyes:
"PHILADa,
4th, 9 mo., 1719.
"ISAAC
TAYLOR:
"Loving ffriend.
"Thou wilt receive from Peter Bizaillon himself
the warrants on orders for surveying
a thousand acres of land to his wife
and her brother, in executing of
which I doubt it will be difficult
to reconcile his and Anne Le Tort's
expectations, but I request thee to
use thy endeavours.
Peter will talk high, but generally
harkens to reason. However,
his an M. Combs' conveniency
are principally to be regarded, tho'
on the other hand I am very desirous
the old gentlewoman should have some
land that she may be fixed, and
leave something to her
grandchildren. Pray see that
it be laid out of a sufficient
depth; I think a mile and a half or
a quarter, at least, is little
enough, but this is left to three,
and thou art by no means to produce
or mention this letter.
"J. Le Tort is also to have 500 acres laid out
in the same manner, but remember
that if any person whatever shall
pretend to say that if they cannot
have it in such or such a manner
they will have none, doe thou appear
willing to take them at their word,
wch is ye only way to
make them easy. Keep this
wholly to thyself.
"They real friend,
"J. LOGAN." |
In pursuance of
these instructions Mr. Taylor
proceeded to the Susquehanna River in the fall
of 1719, and commenced his surveys at or near
the mouth of Conoy Creek, and located three
hundred acres for James Logan,
which he afterwards let Jonas
Davenport have, who never took out a patent
for the land, and was compelled to part with it
again. Immediately below Logan’s
tract he laid out four hundred and fifty acres
for Moses Comb, who was a brother
of Martha Bizaillon, and who sold
or conveyed the same to his brother, John
Comb.
Below that tract seven hundred acres was surveyed for
Martha Bizaillon, and adjoining
this last-mentioned tract on the east, nine
hundred acres was surveyed for James
Le Tort, who, after occupying it for
a few years, sold it to James Logan,
who took out a patent for it for the first time.
This last-mentioned tract extended a short distance
below Groves’—Shock Run. When these several
tracts of land were sold and by whom purchased,
is fully described elsewhere.
As a general rule the frontage on the river was about
one-third of the depth of the land. Le
Tort’s tract was, however, nearly square.
As has been already shown elsewhere of the
Indian traders, it is not necessary to give a
more extended sketch. The land upon which
Conoy Indian Town stood was upon the McComb
purchase.
Peter “Bezellon” died July 18, 1742, aged
eighty years.
John Combs died Sept. 12, 1736, aged
seventy-eight years.
Moses Combe, the brother of John,
died about the same time.
Martha, the wife of Peter Bizaillon,
died about the year 1746. She was the sister of
the Combes. All
---------------
1. By Samuel Evans, Esq.
[Pg. 749]
are buried at St. John's Episcopal Church
burying ground at the "Compass," a few yards
east of Salisbury township.
Bertram Galbraith was the son of James
Galbraith, Jr., and Elizabeth
Bertram (the only daughter of the Rev.
William Bertram, the Presbyterian minister
who located at Swatara, and preached at Paxton
and Derry Churches in 1729). He was born
in Donegal in 1738. He received the best
education the schools of that period afforded.
In connection with his other studies he was
taught surveying, and became an accomplished
land surveyor, which is fully attested by the
large number of his surveys now on file in the
Land Department at Harrisburg. While yet
in his minority he raised a company of "Rangers"
during the French and Indian war of 1755-58 and
marched to Fort Hunter, located along the left
bank of the Susquehanna River, several miles
above Harrisburg. He displayed a great
deal of military talent, which, in connection
with his patriotic spirit, was of incalculable
service to his country, which he served
faithfully during the trying period of the
Revolution. Before this conflict came, and
during the repose which pervaded the province
between the Indian wars and that period, he was
one of the foremost, and rendered the most
valuable aid in behalf of the improvement
of the navigation of the Susquehanna River.
When the tocsin of war was sounded at Boston Harbor he
raised a battalion of troops in the township of
Donegal and vicinity. He was appointed the
first lieutenant of the county whose business it
was to organize, equip, and place troops in the
field. He was required to meet every
requisition made upon him by the Supreme
Executive Council or other proper authority.
In cases of emergency he was compelled, upon
short notice, to select a quota of militia from
the various classes and put them in the field.
He had sub-lieutenants in various sections of
the county, who rendered valuable assistance.
They met with great opposition in half of the
townships in the county from the farmers, who
refused to pay their military tax, and in many
instances used physical force to prevent the
enlistment and calling out of the militia.
Col. Galbraith was in the saddle night
and day often in performance of his onerous
duties.
In the spring and summer of 1777 the republican cause was in
great peril. Several drafts of militia in
the several classes were called out and
additional excise tax levied. Bertram
Galbraith writes to President Wharton
from Donegal, May 19, 1777, as follows:
"By
this I'm to inform you that I have hitherto lost
no time in endeavoring to embody the militia of
this county, since my appointment, but find it
an arduous task - I have got Six Batallions out
of Nine formed, the three yet to form are in the
heart of the Mininists Settlements in our
County, who pamper with the Constables and
prevent them of making their Returns, by which
I'm rendered unable to do anything with them; I
have heard it reported that they mean to
withstand the measures . . . . If your
Curiosity should lead you to enquire further
into the State of this County I refer you to
Col. Lowrey, who will be with you and can
inform you particularly."
Again he writes to
Mr. Wharton, June 2, 1777, stating that
he called a meeting of the sub-lieutenants
appointed to his assistance, and that he divided
the county into nine districts, and that on the
5th day of April last he issued warrants to the
constables of the different townships for
returning to him the names of all the male white
persons between the ages of eighteen and
fifty-three years.
After the time allowed for making their returns, he
waited at Lancaster for the receipt of them, and
received returns from Lancaster borough and
twenty-four townships out of thirty-three; eight
townships remained unreturned, and seemed to
give violent opposition to the measures.
He sent a guard for two of the constables, whom
they arrested. They had to give bonds for
their appearance at court to answer. Six
hundred of these militia were ordered to march
to Chester. A number of persons opposed to
bearing arms assembled in different sections off
the county to oppose the march of these militia
to Chester. He offered ten pounds per
month for substitutes, but could not procure
them. In eight townships violent
opposition was made to the draft and the payment
of taxes.
John Bayley writes from Donegal, June 27, 1777,
stating that armed resistance was made by
Samuel Albright and twelve or fourteen
others to the collection of the tax, and they
killed one of the militia who went to assist the
constable.
On the 28th of June, 1777 Col. Galbraith writes again
from Lancaster, stating that he alone, with a
few individuals, became the “butts” of the whole
county, and that he had been threatened, but
paid no attention to them. He also says
that unless something spirited is done, “I know
not whether I may be safe, as they have begun
with so much violence.” On the 5th day of
August, 1777, in answer to a pressing demand
from President Wharton for troops,
he stated that he sent expresses to the several
colonels of battalions to get their companies
together and march as quick as possible to
Chester. 0n the same day he would have a guard
in readiness to receive the prisoners of war and
Tories at Anderson Ferry on their arrival- They
were being Sent to Frederick, Md.
On the 14th of August, 1777, he writes to the President
that he set nearly three-eighths of the
battalions on foot for the camp at Chester.
This number was supposed to be one thousand.
The militia of Lancaster borough were detained
to guard the prisoners. The gunsmiths
wanted nine pounds for "musquetts and bayonets,"
a shocking price. He also says he had to
ride eighteen miles that day to hold an
election.
On the 19th day of August, 1777, he writes that he
ordered double guards for prisoners in
Lancaster.
On the 2d of September, 1777, he writes that the
Hessian prisoners were sent to Lebanon, and that
it took three companies to guard them.
The letters give but partial account of the trying
times of 1777. Councilman Bayley
writes from Don-
[Pg. 750]
egal in 1777 that Col. Galbraith and
Col. Lowrey were in the saddle night and
day, and were worn out.
In July, 1778, he called out four hundred militia.
Many of these militia were sent to the frontiers
to protect the settlers from the Indians.
On the 28th day of February, 1738, his cousin, John
Galbraith, took out a warrant of survey
for four hundred and forty acres of land, which
he located at the mouth of Conoy Creek, the bulk
of which laid upon the west side. On the
29th day of December, 1757, John
Galbriath and his wife, Dorcas, sold
three hundred and eighty-three acres of this
tract to his cousin James, the father of
Bertram. This part of the tract lay
on the west side of Conoy Creek.
On the 8th day of March, 1760, James and
Elizabeth Galbraith sold this land to
Patrick Work. It was
afterward sold by the sheriff and purchased by
Samuel Scott, who kept tavern at
Big Chikis Creek, on the old Paxton and
Conestoga road, for nineteen hundred and fifty
pounds. Samuel Scott died in
1776, and left his large estate to his nephews
and nieces, among whom were the children of his
brother, Josiah Scott, whose
daughter Bertram Galbraith
married, and through whom he came into
possession of this valuable farm at Conoy Creek.
On the 4th day of August, 1735, James
Logan took out a patent for four
hundred acres of land adjoining John
Galbraith’s tract on the west. On the
same day Logan sold this tract to
Christian Grofl' and Jacob
Hertzler, and on the 4th day of October,
1758, the heirs of James Logan and
Jacob Hertzler sold two hundred
acres of the four hundred acre tract to
Michael Graff, of Martic township.
On the 25th day of March, 1760, Michael Grafl'
and his wife Elizabeth sold this tract to
James Galbraith, Jr., who on
June 4, 1773, conveyed the same to their son,
Bertram Galbraith. Logan
had established a ferry where Bainbridge now is.
Bertram Galbraith erected a large
stone ferry-house and mansion, which was
destroyed by fire some years ago. Its
bleak and ponderous walls stood for many years
after the fire did its work, a reminder of the
once magnificent and costly structure. The
walls were torn down within a year or two, and
the material was used in the construction of
other houses.
Melchoir Breneman, the
pioneer settler of that name in the county, was
a Mennonite preacher, and was born in the Upper
Palatinate. With other
friends of this denomination he fled from the
religious persecution then prevalent in Europe,
and came to Lancaster County with the
Brubakers, Hostetters, Greiders, Hersheys,
Stonemans, Leamans, Swarrs, Tuberts, Kauffmans,
and other Swiss Mennonite refugees, early in the
fall of 1717. On September 7th, in that
year, he took out a warrant for five hundred
acres of land, and subsequently two more tracts
adjoining this on the east, one of which
contained ninety acres and the other about one
hundred and twenty-five acres. This land
is located due south from Lancaster borough, and
lies upon both sides of Mill Creek.
On the 3d day of December, 1728, Melchoir
Breneman purchased seven hundred acres of
land from Martha Bizaillon, which
was situated on the western boundary of the Le
Tort-Logan tract. On March 30, 1730,
Melchoir Breneman and his wife
Elizabeth conveyed to their son Adam
one hundred acres of the first mentioned tract.
Adam died in 1753.
In 1719 there was surveyed for John Combe,
brother of Martha Bizaillon, four hundred
and fifty acres, adjoining the latter's tract of
seven hundred acres on the west. Both of
these tracts lay along the river below Conoy
Creek.
On the 5th day of April, 1738. John Combe
conveyed his tract of land to his sister
Martha, who, on the 14th and 15th days of
March, 1739, conveyed the same to Christian
Breneman, who resided upon the
Bizaillon tract, purchased by his father in
1728.
On the 2d day of August, 1746, Melchoir
Breneman (No. 1) conveyed to his son, the
aforesaid Christian, seven hundred acres,
the same which he purchased of Martha
Bizaillon.
On the 7th day of May, 1751, Christian
Breneman and his wife Susannah conveyed to
their son Melchoir one hundred and
eighty-seven acres, which was made up and taken
from the Combes and Bizaillon
tracts; and on the same day and year be conveyed
one hundred and eighty-seven acres to his
son-in-law. John Stoneman (Stehman).
Prior to this time Mr. Breneman
and his wife conveyed four hundred acres of the
Bizaillon tract to Abram Hess.
Melchoir Breneman (2d) was a
Mennonite minister. He died in the year
1809, aged eighty-three years, and was probably
buried upon his own land.
There is nothing to mark the spot where his
remains were interred.
Jacob Haldeman, the ancestor of that
branch of the family in this vicinity, was born
in German Switzerland, Oct. 7, 1722, came to
America with two brothers, and settled in Rapho
township between the years 1740 and 1750.
He died in the summer of 1783. John,
his son, was one of the boldest and most
successful business men in the State. He
surmounted every difficulty and impediment which
stood in his way and threatened to wreck his
financial ventures. He gradually increased
the number of his acres and extended his
business. In 1790 be erected a large
grist-mill at the mouth of Conoy Creek. He
also carried on distilling ‘extensively.
He sent his flour and produce down the river in
keel-boats as far as "Wright’s Ferry," thence to
Philadelphia. He in vested his surplus
means in the purchase of lands in various
sections of the State. He purchased
several hundred thousand acres of land in North
Carolina. He was elected to the
Legislature in 1800.
He gave his eldest son, John B., the mill and
homestead at Conoy Creek, which was subsequently
conveyed to his fourth son, Henry.
[Pg. 751]
After a successful business career he retired to a life
of ease and leisure in Columbia. He took
his youngest son, Peter, with him, and
established him in the mercantile business in
1812, which is now carried on successfully by
George W. and B. F. Haldeman, sons of
Peter. Some idea of John
Haldeman's extensive business ventures may
be gleaned from the fact that between 1812 and
1815 his deposits in the office of discount and
deposit in Columbia amounted to two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars.
[Pg. 752]
[Pg. 753]
[Pg. 754]
[Pg. 755]
stands at Locust Grove, on Conoy Creek, near the
Susquehanna River, a mile below Bainbridge.
The tract of land on which this mill was built
was taken up by John Galbraith in
1738, purchased by Mr. Haldeman in
1786. It is worthy of note that Bayard
Taylor’s grandfather, who was a mason,
worked on this mill when it was erected.
It was burned about 1800, but was at once
rebuilt, larger than at first, by Mr.
Haldeman. It had four runs of stones,
and it has had only ordinary repairs since it
was rebuilt. It is a large building, and
has facilities for storing large quantities of
grain. It has always been both a merchant-
and custom-mill.
Henry Haldeman, a son of John, succeeded
the latter in the ownership of the mill, and his
son, Cyrus S. Haldeman, inherited
it from him. In 1855 it was purchased by
John H. Smith, who sold it to John Wiley,
the father of Henry H. and John E.
Wiley, the present owners.
The Lutheran and
Reformed Church of Bainbridge1
was
Church of God.
-
[Pg. 756]
Bainbridge
Methodist Episcopal Church1 was
Methodist
Episcopal Church of Falmouth -
River Brethren.
-
Bainbridge
Cemetery. - At an early day interments were
made in a cemetery within the present limits of
the town of Bainbridge, but when the town was
laid out some of the streets were made to pass
through this burial place, and two stables now
stand on a portion of it. Another
graveyard was on a hill one-fourth of a mile
north from the town, on land now owned by
Christian Herr, butt this has ceased to be
used. After the town came into existence
the Lutheran churchyard was used as a place of
burial and the town owned two lots therein.
In 1874 an association was formed and incorporated
under the name of the “ Bainbridge Cemetery,”
with a capital of two thousand five hundred
dollars in shares of fifty dollars each.
The corporators were Israel M. Grofl, Henry
C. Fahs, John Hykes, John Marlrley, Thomas
Haden, Samuel Hackenberger, George W.
Hackenberger, Harrison Hipple, Peter Sides, and
George Beane. Of these Samuel
Hackenberger, George Beane,
John Markley, Henry C. Fahs, and Harrison
Hipple were the first directors. A
lot of‘ five acres, just south from the town,
was purchased, inclosed, and laid out for a
burial-place, and interments have since been
made there.
The remains of many who had been buried elsewhere have
been removed to this more tasteful and better
kept cemetery, and the place is assuming more
and more the attractive appearance which is
generally given to modern cemeteries. The
presidents of the association have been
Israel M. Grofl' and Samuel
Hackenberger, the present incumbent of the
position.
Bainbridge Lodge,
No. 627, I. O. O. F. - This loge was
instituted in the spring of 1868, with Dr.
George T. Deseman, N. G.; John B. Small,
V. G.; R. G. Galbraith, Sec.; John
Markley, Treas.; and E. K. Davis, H. C.
Fahs, A. M. Smith, A. K. Stoner, Jefferson G.
Galbraith, Dr. George D. Beane, John F.
Galbraith, Henry Isaac, John H. Finley, B.
Doyle, John Killinger, Jacob Piper, G. H.
Feltenberger, Frank Feltenberger, Simon C.
Camps, and James Murphy, charter
members.
The Noble Grands have been Dr. George T. Deseman,
John B. Small, John Markley, A. M. Smith, H. C.
Fahs, B. G. Galbraith, Henry Isaac, John F.
[Pg. 757]
Gailbraith, B. Doyle, Jacob Piper, G. H.
Feltenberger, Frank Feltenberger, Joseph H.
Walton, Jacob Shoaff, Jacob R. Brenner, A. K.
Stoner, E. Fullerton, M. Ressler, George E.
Good, George Walton, E. Walton.
The lodge has enjoyed uniform prosperity, and although it
has paid large sums in benefits it has now in
its treasury about two thousand dollars.
It
has also a lot in the town, on which the
erection of a hall is contemplated.
---------------
1. By Rev. J. E. Granley, pastor
[Pg. 757]
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