Rader
Ramblings
James
Lee Rader --
15th
Issue Winter 1994-95
Rader
church, Branson,
Rader, Webster county, MO
Casper Reeter
settled 100 acres of land - 1765
At that time it was
This
land is currently divided by interstate 81 and the county line between
Schuylkill and
Many settlers on the frontier just squatted
on land. They built their home and cleared land for farming. The Penn family
wished to collect rent from people in their colony so they accepted
applications beginning August 1, 1766. This little known way of obtaining title
to your land in colonial PA was called the "East Side Application"
process.
The survey was dated 8 May 1766 numbered
A-40-149. The land was not patented until 11 Mar 1831 and by then the owner was
William Power. The land office notes dated 16th August 1765 describe 200 acres
"over the blue Mountains on Swatara Creek and
Trout Creek and Land adjoining the United Brethern in
Who claims this
There are the towns of Roedersville
and Roeders, Schuylkill co., within 10 miles of the
above land. These towns span the area of several townships;
The tax records for Pine Grove township, Schuylkill Co., exist for 1752, 1772, 1775, 1782
and 1790. They don't include any Raders of any
spelling.
New
Publications
The Cumberland County Historical Society has
published
food
"Americans think it an honor to be the
first to leave the table"
stage coach travel
1837
"The large
body is hung from four so-called springs, which are nothing but four pieces of
iron set at right angles to the axels and holding up the vehicle by means of
very long braces, whose movement might very easily make you, in a fatal
moment of distraction, pop out of the door. You can hang on, grip on, cling
on as much as you are able, you will land every evening shattered, bruised,
done up"
The remaining pages are very well done with
the detailed descriptions of each known tavern. There are multiple photographs
and diagrams on each page. If you want to be more familiar with the conditions
of the early 1800s this book will help.
$34.95 (plus $2.10 sales tax PA residents only) $4.00 postage & handling.
Cumberland Co. Historical Society -
To Die in Chicago confederate prisoners at
My Great-Great Grandfather Died in this camp
as did thousands of soldiers form the North and the South. If you want to flesh
out your family history this might be the book for you. If you need anything from
the Civil War era this bookstore might be able to help you!
Abraham Lincoln Book Shop -
$25.00 plus $4.00 S&H. published by Evanston
Publishing, Inc -
Lebanon county Warrant, Patent &
Survey Records Booklet by James B. Wolfson. He has done seven booklets, each containing one or
more Townships.
North Lebanon, North Londonderry and Palmyra,
West Lebanon Cleona North Cornwall and Lebabon City,
North Annville and Annville, South Lebanon, South Annville
His newest work is Bethel Twp:
This booklet includes an 11" by 22"
foldout Warrantee Tract Map that has 146 surveys plotted on it. The Booklet
lists Warrant, Patent & Survey references and associated dates, Warrantee
& Patentee Names, Area of Survey, Tract Names & lists 96 related
surveys and associated information.
The map on page 3 was made by scanning a
portion of Mr. Wolfsons map into the computer. Then rescaling it to match the scale of a United States Department
of the Interior 7.5 minute quadrangle map. Then I printed the new map on
plastic making an overlay. With the overlay on the Quad map I then scanned the
finished map.
$12.00 plus $2.00 S&H
(CA residents add $0.93 sales tax)
order from James B. Wolfson -
Early Adventures on the Western Waters, The new River of
As I have mentioned over the years Mary has
over 14 books in print covering
$59.00
from Kegley Books,
"Harkerader
vs
The Rader/
Mary Kegley has provided us many details over the
years. Those of you who have purchased any of her over 13 books on
You are aware of Chancery Court records, in the
west these courts are called
In boxes in the basement of many court houses are bundles of papers. Those
bundles are made up of ledger sized pieces of paper. The pages are first folded
in half which creates a legal sized paper consisting of 4 surfaces. After they
have been written they are then folded in thirds which makes a
8 inch by 5 inch packet. All of the notes, dispositions, surveys and judgements for one case are placed together and a ribbon
tied around them. On the outside of each case is the name of the case like
"Harkerader vs
-----------------------
Steven
1. Majors and his sister Hannah wife of
Robert Davis each own half
2. Gasper Rader, Jacob Rader, Samuel Crocket
and others are neighbors.
3. Gasper Rader on 28 September 1802 got a
patent to his land
4. The land is in "The Cove" or
"Crockets Cove" near
5. Steven
6. Steven
7. Steven
The documents that follow include typed copies of the actual records. The originals are actually The originals. Two of the Land Warrants are actually the Sheep Skin original! These old documents are now grey in color, I don't know what color they were originally.
--------------------
I did not try to modernize, correct spelling, correct
composition. I tried to capture the flavor of the original handwritten
documents. The Judge has written some notes and a judgement
which are almost unreadable. Mary Kegley is going to
try to translate for us. We owe her for her years of work on these records. The
least you should do is buy her books !
First I include the deposition of the person who filed the suit. He tells his story in detail. Notice his description of the process
To his honor John Brown judge of the High Court of Chancery holden at Wythe courthouse, humbly complains showeth your orator Jacob Harkareeder
that one Major
one for 295 acres granted the 23d hous??dier 1802,
another for 135 acres granted on the 28th day of Joly 1788
and one for 24 acres granted on the 10th of January 1799
the other moiety being claimed by Hannah a sister of the said Major
When the bond had been executed and the said 130$ paid and your orators obligations given for the residue of the purchase money, the said Williams & your orator in walking along the street meet the postmaster, who informaed your orator that there was a letter for him in the post office
immedately
your orator observed to William that it was probably a letter from
Your orator will further state that Robert Davis and your orator got a person skilled in surveying to divide the land, and Davis attended to a part of the mimmind & when he departed, left instructions that if he did not attend the next day, the land should be divided into equal moieties, which was done, only giving the said Davis a few acres the most, yet he refused to stand to the division, so that your orator has no title either for a distinct or an undivided moiety.
Your orator will further state that he is well satisfied that a large part of the 295 acres tract which is held by survey dated 6th May 1800 in included in an older survey for about 75,000 acres made for Robert Pollard and granted by patent.
The The prayer & your orator is that Major
May it please your honor to grant the commonwealth unit of opae
This day Jacob Harkarader personally appeared before me a justice of the piece for the county afoersaid and made oath that the allegeor him in the foregoing bill so far as relates to his own actings and doings are true & that so far as they relate to the goings and doings of others he believes them to be true
Given under my hand this 18th May 1825
Then I include the story as seen by others involved
In pursuance of a notice we have proceeded agreeably thereto to take the
affidavits of the following witness on behalf of Jacob Harkreder
to be read as evidence in the Injunction depending the Wythe Superior Court of
Chancery wherein the said Harkri.der is Clt. and Major
Dabney Painter of lawful age being sworn on the
holy evangelist deposeth & saith
that the Pltff & Robt.
Davis & Wm Hownshell the Surveyor came to my
house in the fall of 1823 to survey & devide
the land between the pltff. & Robt.
Question by pltff.
- did not you hear Robt.
Ans. he said if he did not come you should go on and run the devision line & got me to carry the chain & I heard Hownshel say that he throw'd some more land on Davis side then in to the pltffs part.
Question by pltff. - do you know how we found out how big the survey inter'd with the land we was running -
Ans I hear'd you & Hownshel talk that the big survey did interfere - & further this affaiant saith not
Dabney Painter
John Brown of lawful age being sworn deposeth & says that it is his impression that his patton'd land will run into the lands of the pltff & further he says not
John Brown
Sarah Harkreider of lawful age is sworn and deposeth & saieth
Sam l Williams came to my house & enquir'd of
my mother wether my father was at home -- she asked
him wether he had any particular business with him -
he so that he wanted to sell him the land & then ask'd
wether my father had recd a letter from Major
Question by pltff did you hear him say that if he traded he would trade just & honest & my father said he wanted to do the same & further the effiant saith not
Sarah Harkreider
Geroge Orey being sworn deposith & saith
Question by pltff did not you recieve two letters from Tennesee at the same time one for Saml Williams & one for myself
Ans there was two leters from Tennessee in my post office at the same time one was for Saml Wiliiams & one for Jacob Herkreider & Harkreider told me to take notice of the contents of his letter & I think the letters were taken out of the office on the same day but Williams took his letter some time before Herkreider got his
Question by Pltff
did I not when I took the letter tell you that I was afraid Williams had taken me in
A. I think that was your observation & you got me to read the letter & I told you it was as you suppos'd adwis'd you to take the oppinion of an Attorney on it & and further saeth not
George Oury
the above Affadavits were
sworn to & subscrib'd before us on this 15 th day of October 1825 at the house of John P. Nye below
Town of
John L. Lindenberger
Next the letter that was a little
Mr Jacob Harkreder
Since I recieved your letter concerning my land in the Cove it is too low at price I offered it when I was in Virginia but I am now living here at a distance from the land -- that I have not the same chance to sell it as if I was living there so I have concluded to let you have it for the four Hundred dollars in Silver and One hundred Dollar in South Carolina money so you may be ready for me about the middle of July I will Either come myself or send David Williams Empowered to make you a right for the land and fetch me the money nothing more at present but remain yours
Majors
And the note signed by Harkerader
Harkerader
===========
A
know all by these presents that Mr
Majors
The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above bound
Majors
But it is especially understood that the said Harkerader
is to have the it divided at his own expence and
ascertain the boundaries of the moiety whereof, land which may fall to him on a
division so as to enable the said
In testimony whereof the said
Majors
by Samuel Williams his agent
What did father-in-law Williams have to say ?
Samuel Williams
ad
Jacob Harkrader
filed 31 Oct 1825
To the Honorable John Brown Judge of the Superior Court of Chancery holdem at Wythe court house,
The seperate answer of Samuel Williams to a bill of
complaint exlubited in this Honorable Court, by Jacob
Harkrider against this respondant
& others, this respondant saving to himself the
usual exceptions to the said Bill, for answer saith,
that sometime in the year the complainant applied to this respondant
to know where his son in law Major
After the arrival of this respondant and the complainant at Wythe Court House, this respt. had his house put up at a tavern where he intended to stay all night, and the complainant then came to this respondant, to go to Capt. Mathews, the clerk of Wythe county court, to have the writings drawn, Capt Mathews not being in his office they were drawn by Mr. John Foster the deputy clerk to the satisfaction of both parties and were executed. the complainant did appear to be in a hurry saying he wished to go home that evening, that he was very busily engaged with his harvest, but this respondant denies expressly that he hurried the complainant to prevent him from searching in the post office for a letter.
After the writings were executed, the complainant did go to the post office
and recieve the letter marked B. after the receipt of
the letter the complainant come to this responant and
said this responant had taken him in. this respt. asked him how, or in what
manner? the complainant then produced the letter, this responant
on reading the letter, asked the complainant, if he was prepared to pay the money
in hand, as that was clearly
After this conversation the complainant perposed to leave it to some person to say whether he should abide by the contract, and proposed to submitt it to Capt. John P Nye, to which this respondant agreed. the said Nye being in town, the letter B. was shewn to him, and the contract stated by both parties, and the said Nye informed the complainant that he could discover nothing unfair in the transaction, and advised him if he could borrow the oney to do so, and pay it in time to get the discount of the fifty dollars.-
It was stipulated on the part of the complainant that he should have the land surveyed or divided at his own expense, and to furnish the courses so that a deed could be made to him, and he has never yet furnished the courses & so that a deed could be made to him.
Your respondant has understood from the complainant that sometime after he had made the purchase that a line dividing the land was run and he requested this respondent to go with him to Robert Davis whos wife was entitled to one half of the land, to get saidDavis to let the complainant have the part of the land on which there was a certain large spring at which the complainant wished to settle and the said Davis did agree that the complainant should have that part of the land, the complainant then declared himself well satisfied with his contract. And this respondant has understood and believes, has settled on the said part of the land.
This Respondant knows nothing of the title or the
quality of the land, he never having been on it, but the complainant resided in
the neighborhood, and at the time of the contract this respondant
informed the complainant, that he knew nothing about
This respondant saith
that he had no interest whatever in the sale, but that his son in law Rader,
was at that time in great want of money, and this respondant
believed, nd still believes that $500 in good money
in hand, would have been worth as much to
This respondant denies that he practised, or intended to practice, any fraud or swindling on the Complainant, that he made any false statements, or suppressed the truth. And having fully answered he ass to be hence dismissed with his costs
Drafter for Rept.
This day Samuel Williams made oath before me the subscriber a Justice
of the piece for the county aforesaid, that the Statement contained in the
foregoing answer so far as they made on his own knowledge are true, and so far
as they are made on the information of others he believes to be true. Given under my hand this 24 of Octr.
1825.
What did the surveyor think about the situation
By virtue of a commission to me directed from the Superior Court of Chancery
holden at Wythe courthouse I have on this 20 th day of May 1826 at the said Courthouse proceeded to take
the Depositions of the following Witnesses on behalf of Jacob Harkerader to be read as evidence in a suit defending
in Said Chancery Court Wherein Said Harkerader is Plt. and Majors
William Hounshell of lawful age being Sworn & interogated Saith:
Question by Pltf attorney - Have you as a Surveyor ??? rounded the tract of land owned by Majors
Answer I am not a legal surveyor but understand the use of the compass - I have run round the land spoken of agreeably to the patents produced to me and I found nearly all the courners and lines.
Question by Same Please to look on the plat marked AA and now produced by you and say if it does exhibit a figure of the land.
Amswer by including the three ?atenly and bringing them all under one as I was ordered to do the best of my Skill & Judgement it does.
Question by Same Which parts of the figure is the land sold to Harkerader
Answer the parties were not agreed as to the division line lenh Harkerader lives on the piece marked 377 area
Question by Same Have you tried the lines of a tract of land surveyed for and granted to Robert Pollard ???erpering with the tract of land in question
answer I have run a line which was said by the neighborhood to be a line of Pollard land and found it to interfere with the land in question
Question by Same Did you find the line marked
answer I found the greater part of the line marked I run about 520 poles out of which I think there were not more than 150 poles of the distance not marked
Question by Same what was the course of the line which you run Supposed of Pollard Survey
answer South 69 West 520 poles
Question by Same What proportion of the area 377 acres would Pollard Survey include Supposing said Survey is Pollard
Answer as near as I can answer the question witness a calculation the double dotted line will show the interference
Question by Same which of the land as laid down on the figure marked AA would Pollard survey take supposing it was a line thereof you run
Answer If the information reviewed by me from the neighborhood be correct it would take the north side of the double dotted line
Question by Same how much of the residue of the area of 377 acres is taken by a Survey of John Brown of 230 acres.
Answer the black lines on the figure well show some thing like the interference I cannot state the quantity
Question by Same Have you seen Browns title
Answer I have seen browns patent which is dated 28 September 1802 and the date of the suevey on which it issued is 10 April 1800
Question by Same look at the courses marked 66 and see if they are the same by which you made the plat marked aa
Answer I have looked at the cources and they appear to read the same as the different patenty from which I made the Survey
Question by Defts Counsel by whom were you
requested to run the lines of the lands belonging to Robert Davis & wife
& Majors
Answer I was requested by Mr Harkerader and I think also by Robert Davis but as to being
requested by
Question by Same Was Samuel Williams and Majors
Answer no sir
Question by Same Were you requested by Majors Harkerader & Davis to make a division of the land between them and if so did you do it
Answer I was requested by them to make a division but before the same was made some alteraccation took place between them relation to the lines the division was not made at that time -- They appointed another day to make it at which time I attended was met by Mr Harkerader at whom request I went on and made the division - Mr Davis did not attend on the last mentioned day
Question by Same was It agreed between them that Harkerader should have choice of the parcels of land after the division
Answer No sir I cannot say it was -
Question by Same At the time you met upon the land when Davis & Harkerader were present was the supposed interferance of Pollard & Brown land known to the parties.
AnswerI believe there was nothing known of it
Question by Same How long after you meet to make the division was it that you run the line which you suppose to be Pollards
Answer On last Tuesday I run Pollards lines and the time we met was shortly after the agreement between Williams & Harkerader
Question by Same At what time did you first hear Mr Harkerader speak of the interferance of Pollard & Brown lands
Answer It was on the second day we were employed in running the land and the first time we met for that purpose at least I have nothing said by him on the first day to the best of my recollection - on the Second day we came near a marked tree on which Mr Harkerader observed that he was sure the big survey would interfere.
Question by Same Do you know of your own knowledge that Pollard has any grant for land in that neighborhood
AnswerI do not
Question by Same Has not Mr Harkerader resided a considerable time in that neighborhood
Answer I have this moment heard him say that he has resided in the neighborhood about sixteen years
Question by same Does Mr Harkerader remain in the peacable and undisturbed possesion of this land
Answer As to all the land except what Brown claims I believe he has peacable possesion whether Mr. Brown would permit him peacably to possess what he claims he can say himself
and this deponent not being further interogated saith not
William Hounshell
John Brown of lawful age being sworn & interogated saith
Question by Pltf. Attouney
Have you a grant for part of the land claimed by the heirs of Stephen
Answer It appears my line runs through it
Q Can you state the dating - you m entry survey & grant
Answer the dates of the survey & Patent are as given by the witness William Houndshell - I do not know the date of each entry
Q Are you by yourself or a tenant in possesion of that tract of land
Answer by a tenant
Question by same Do you maintain your claim against that under the
heirs of Stephen
Answer I do maintain my claim
Question by Deft Counsel Do you not feel interested in establishing a better right in yourself than there is in any other person ?
Answer Of course I am
Question by same Have you or a tenant of yours actual possesion of that part of the land in Which
you suppose there is an intererference with the land
formerly Claimed by Stephen
Answer none of the disputed land is cultivated inclosed or improved by any person
and this deponent not being further interrogasted saith not
John Brown
The foregoinmg depositions now sworn to & Subscribed before me and in the presence of the Plt. & his counsel and Defts. counsel
Porten ??
The witness claim one days allend and each and I was engaged three hours
JPtosten coun?
---------------------
on back --
So much of William Houndshells deposition is excepted to as speaks of a grant to Pollard, and a grant & survey to Brown if there be such grants Surveys they they ought to be produced or copies of them, it alos objected to because the survey made by Houndshell & to which he refers was made in the absence of the defendants & without notice to them -- John Browns desposition is execpted to by counsel he is interested and because his grant if he has one ought to be produced
I Draper
May 22, 1826
The kids needed cash so father-in-law sold Harkeraders
note to a local merchant who now wants his money !
To his honor John Brown Judge of the Superior Court of Chancery holden at Wythe Court house for the district of Wythe &
the separate answer of John M. Preston to the bill of complaint
exhibited by Jacob Harkerader in said court
against him, Major
This respondent saying the usual exceptions for answer to said bill sayeth that he is a stranger to the contract made between the complainant and the other defendants about the tract of land having no participation whatever in the said contract.
About the 19 th of September 1823 the
defendant Williams came to town of Abingon where your
respondent resides & carries on the mercantile business, and proposed
selling him a note of $ 200 executed by the Correpl. to the deft.
Your respondent purchased the said note for a valuable consideration & shortly afterwards sent it myself Spiller at Wythe Co house to be presented for payment when at maturity. Your respondent understood the said Spiller appraised the Compla. of the transfer of the note before it became due, and that the said Compl. told him he expected he would have to pay it.
Some time after the said note became due a Suit was instituted on it by the direction of the respondent, this respondent being a bonefied purchaser of the said note, having given for it a valuable consideration, and having no participation whatever in the Contract between the Compl. & the other defendants, himself conceives that he ought not to be precluded from collection of his money, more especially as the other defendants are quite able to make good to the complt. any los he may sustain, or may not sustain by the fraud which he charges against him, of which this respondent protests that he knows nothing.
Your respondent having answered as much of the compl. bill as he is advised is material for him to answer prays to be hence dismissed with his costs.
This day John M. Preston personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace for the county aforesaid and made oath that the statements contained in the foregoing answer so far as they relate to his own actings & doings are true, and that so far as the relate to the actings and doings of others he believes them to be true. Given under my hand this
22nd say of October 1825
The defendants had to post a bond !
Know all now by these presents that ?? Samuel Williams & John Mcchur? our heirs and family bound unto Jacob Harkrader in the sum of One Hundred Dollars to which payment were and truly to be made We laid our ?? ??? Sum, Ex??ton and administration jomcty Severally finly by there presents sealed with our seals and dated the 25 th dat of October 1825.
The condition of the above Oblegation in such that
whereas a suit in defending in the Superior Court of Chancery holden at Wythe Court house in which the above named Jacob Harkrader is plaintiff and Major
J.E. Brown Saml Williams
J.B Mathew
The Judge orders a survey !
Jacob Harkeraders Clb.
against
Majors
By the consent of the parties by their councel It
is Ordered that the Surveyor of Wythe County do go upon the land in the Bile
mentioned Sold to the Complainant by the Defendant Williams as agent for the
Defendant
Acopy
teste
JE Brown
And the survey is performed
Purseant to an order of the Honorable Superior court of Chancery holden at Wythe court house for the district of Wythe on
Wednesday the 24th of May 1826. I have proceeded to survey and lay off
the lands as directed a platt
of which is hereunto annexed and explained as followeth,
to wit, the land Included in Stephen
Beginning at three white oaks corner to the land of Samuel Crockett (station A) and with his lines N75W16 poles to three Spanish oaks (sta B) S84W56 poles to a pine + white oak at the foot of the big ridge (Sta C) S23W140 poles to a double white oak saplin Gasper Raders corner (Sta D) and with his lines N74W7a poles to a white oak in a gap of Sa Ridge (Sta E) S66W148 poles along the top of said ridge to a white oak (Sta F) S84W112 poles crossing a branch to two white oak saplings (Sta G) S9E42 poles to a stake on said line (Sta H) and leaving the same S82W 70 poles to four black oak grubes (Sta I) N5W100 poles to two white oaks (Sta K) N75E6 poles to two white oaks (Sta L) N82E140 poles with his own line to three white oaks his corner (Sta M) and with his lines N46E 100 poles to a white oak(Sta N) N65E152 poles to 3 white oaks (Sta O) N30W50 poles to a locust + white oak (Sta P) S65W30 poles to a red oak + white oak saplin (Sta Q) thence leaving said lines N5W20 poles to a white oak (Sta R) N75E48 poles to a red oak Henry Capells corner (Sta S) S15E46 poles to a spanish oak (Sta T) S79E116 poles crossing a branch to a white oak (Sta U) S51E16 poles to a white oak (Sta V) and S46E56 poles to Sta A the Beginning.
Two hundred acres of said survey is within the bounds of Pollards Survey and is explained by the letters K.L.M.N.O.P.Q.R.S.T.U.V.k where Pollards line intersects the line V.A. thence with Pollards line to the intersection of the dotted line c l at h Thence with the dotted line to its Intersection with the black line I.K. at i and with Sa black line to K the Beginning.
The dotted lines + letters as followeth describes a survey made in the name of Gasper Rader
of 230 acres. Beginning at two white oaks on William Finleys
line (Station M) and with the same N25E94 poles
to a black oak (Sta a) N69E125
poles to a pine tree corner to his pattent land (Sta b) N9W84 poles with his line
to a red oak and white oak saplin on the side of a
ridge (Sta c) West 250 poles binding on Stephen
Gasper Rader survey includes 25 acres in the bounds of Stephen
B the two surveys one of 135 acres + the other of 24 acres has no bareing with the land in dispute.*
Robert Adams swe
Oct 1826
* why not they are included in Pollards survey
--------------------------------
Harkerader vs
Surveyor report filed 17th May 1827
The within report is excepted I because it does not
uphea? or is what manner A
has been asalasmed
Dheffey
the above note is not readable to me, if
it makes sence to you let the rest of us know what it
says !!!!!!
The surveyor's bill
Jacob Harkrader vs Rader & others in Chancery
to Surveying 1162 poles long measure $7 - 58
to calculating and connecting four different surveys 6 - 36
to a copy of said connected plot returned to court 5 - 57
to traveling 5 miles & returning -
50
$20 - 0
Robert Adams 1827
The rest of the case, with maps, will
be in Next quarter's newsletter
Rader Ramblings (ISSN 1069-0905) is published quarterly by James Lee
Rader,
POSTMASTER send address changes to publisher.
Copyright © 1993 James L. Rader. Permission is granted to other Genealogists for reproduction in whole or in part for internal, non-profit use, provided that credit is given to Rader Ramblings and to the authors of the reproduced materials.