Preface

©PrefaceEarly Times

The time was a few years after the end of the Revolutionary War. Pennsylvania and the other former English Colonies had just been united under the Articles of Confederation and the Continental Congress. The country had no Constitution, not even a President. Cornwallis had surrendered at Yorktown only a year or so before. The Constitutional Convention was yet to convene, not meeting until 1787. George Washington was yet to become President, not being selected until 1789.

The place was a part of Bedford County, (now Fulton County) Pennsylvania. Fulton County is located north of the Maryland/Pennsylvania border; south of Huntingdon County; east of Bedford County and west of Franklin County. Currently, there are eleven townships in Fulton County, i.e., Ayr, Belfast, Bethel, Bush Creek, Dublin, Licking Creek, Taylor, Thompson, Todd, Wells and Union.

The ancestral surname is Hess . A common variant of this name is Hesse. Hess is an old and honored surname, of German origin. When surnames come into general use the residents of Hesse, a state in Southwestern Germany surrounding Hesse Castle, used Hess as their surname.[1]Later Hess families resided not only in Hesse, but also in other parts of Germany, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Bavaria, and Silesia. All of these were probably of German origin.

Several early Hess families lived in that section of Bedford County, Pennsylvania that is now Fulton County. Fulton County, Pennsylvania was formed out of Bedford County in 1850. Bedford County was formed from Cumberland in 1771, which was formed from Lancaster County in 1729 that was formed from the original county, Chester, in 1682.

One-third of the population of Pennsylvania was of German ancestry.[2]The first U.S. Census of 1790 listed sixty-seven persons by the name of Hess/Hesse who were residents of Pennsylvania and heads of families up from forty-five in 1780.[3]Later in 1850, the U.S. Census for Pennsylvania listed six hundred and twenty-six persons by the name of Hess/Hesse, as heads of families or who resided in a household of a different surname. Thirteen of these families along with two Hesses from other households lived in Fulton County.[4]

Early settlers of Fulton County when still a part of Bedford County mostly likely followed one of two paths to the region, i.e., Braddock's Road or Forbe's Road.[5]Those roads were old military roads that predated the Revolutionary War. Braddock's road followed the Potomac River from Alexandria, Virginia, to Cumberland, Maryland, then on to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Potomac's most northerly extent is at Hancock, Maryland, just across the Pennsylvania/Maryland border from what is now Fulton County, Pennsylvania. Forbe's road ran westward from Philadelphia following roughly the current path of the Pennsylvania and earlier turnpikes thru northern Fulton County.

Although, probably not the first settlers in western Pennsylvania, Hess ancestors were here before the Revolution, certainly no later than 1774. How much earlier it is not certain. Many of the families related to the Fulton County Hesses were from New Jersey. Among those that had New Jersey roots were the Clevengers, Daniels, Fishers and Pittmans. These New Jersey families moved to Fulton County, Pennsylvania just before the Revolutionary War. Among these New Jersey families that were direct ancestors of the Hesses were the Clevengers, Daniels and Fishers.

Both Pennsylvania and Virginia were destinations for the early migration from New Jersey. The natural route from New Jersey to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia was through southern Pennsylvania. During times of Indian raids, this migration was severely curtailed or essentially disappeared.

Settlers were always discouraged by the English and by the colonial governor of Pennsylvania. Even so, settlers were in the Fulton area in the early 1700's. Local Indian raids often drove them from their farms and homesteads into Fort Lyttleton. At times it was necessary to flee eastward as Carlisle for protection. During the French and Indian War, many of the homesteads were completely abandoned and many settlers did not return. Many factors influenced the early westward movement. With the defeat of the French and the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the French and Indian War came to an end. France relinquished claims of all land east of the Mississippi. With separate treaties with the Indians, most Indian hostilities ended.

Leaving early in 1770, a number of Families from Burlington, Essex, Monmouth and Morris Counties, New Jersey settled in what is today Somerset, Bedford and Fulton Counties of Pennsylvania and in; the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. This early settlement in Fulton County was general known as the Jersey Settlement.[6]Of the families that intermarried with the Hesses in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, the earliest presence in Fulton County were the Fishers and Clevengers. John and Frances (Kuhl) Fisher's third child Paul was born in Bethel Twp., Bedford County, Pennsylvania in 1767. Abraham Clevenger was in Fulton County in 1774.[7]Although these New Jersey families are closely tied to the Hesses, no evidence at this time indicates that the Fulton County Hesses were from New Jersey.

There were, of course, other factors influencing emigration to Fulton County. The economy was basically agricultural. They heavy influx of settlers combined with prolific families created a tremendous demand for land, for new families. Younger sons in large families who could not support themselves on "the home place." These were, also adventuresome people who were drawn by prospects of cheap and fertile land to the west. In established counties in the eastern regions of Pennsylvania, many times disputes between ethnic groups of the earlier and later settlers often occurred. In fact in Lancaster County, it was so bad that the Proprietors would not issue land grants to the Irish due to conflicts with the earlier German settlers. Thus, the Irish settled much of the westward land.

Most of these early Hesses and related families were farmers and their daily life centered around the home and farm. A farmer would work from sunrise till sunset. Occasionally they met with their neighbors at such times as barn raising, corn husking, and weddings. There were occasional trips to the nearby village where news and gossip were exchanged at a mercantile store. The church also served as a social center as well as a place of worship.

Farm children learned first hand about agriculture and livestock. The boys learned to use and repair tools, to make furniture, and to grow and market the products of the farm. The girls learned to cook, spin and weave cloth for rugs and clothing, nurse the sick, and care for children. The girls also learned to make preserves, butter, cheese, soap, and candles. Senior citizen housing, nursing homes, hospitals and social security were unheard of since our early ancestors cared for their sick, elderly and unfortunate within the family. Servants, apprentices, and adopted orphans were taken into the circle of the family; and children grew up and for the most part remained on the farm. A typical household lived pretty much to itself. Its members were neither lonely nor discontented. The group consisted of many people with a variety of common interests in subjects and activities leaving little time for boredom.

By today's standards, the pioneer women kept their households running with only crude utensils. Their homes hummed with the spinning wheel, the frequent task of candle making and meal preparation. Huge kettles of hot water had to be lifted on and off the swinging pothooks. Smaller kettles were used for soup or pot roast. Occasionally a venison steak was browned on a round iron grill. The aroma of baking bread would permeate the whole home. Butter was churned in a dasher churn and any idle minute could be put to good use by scouring pewter plates, or by rubbing the furniture with a bee’s waxed cloth. On a wall hung the warming pan that was used to thaw out chilled beds. Nearby a gun and powder horn were always ready for protection or a quick shot at a passing rabbit or deer to provide meat for the table.

The parents were the real teachers. Their lessons were taught in practical ways. At this time samplers became popular as a test of a girl's skill at needlework. The schoolmasters of the day taught little more than reading, writing and arithmetic. An unmarried female was regarded as an economic liability. Girls commonly married while still in their teens and a widow generally accepted a new suitor a short time after her husband's death. There was a strong prejudice against bachelors, and special taxes and restrictions were placed on them.

Valuable genealogical information was obtained during the search for my Hess roots that took me to Pennsylvania's Bedford and Fulton Counties. Abraham Hess was identified as my ancestor in a previous book.[8]In that book, William Hess was mistakenly identified as Abraham's father. This mistake was made since only one Abraham Hess had been identified as being in Bedford/Fulton County. William had identified an Abraham as a son and heir in his will. It was also known that Abraham was married to Anna "Ann" Fisher. The History of Tonoloway Baptist Church identifies Abraham's wife as Eleanor and the speculation was that somehow her name was really Eleanor and came to be called Ann.[9]This led to the search of the Bethel and Belfast tax records and it was found that from 1802 to 1808 there was an Abraham in Bethel Twp. as well as an Abraham in Belfast Twp. The latter was identified as my ancestor. Since William Hess resided in Bethel Twp., this most likely identifies the Bethel Twp's. Abraham Hess as being a son of William Hess. Based on the above I have ruled out William Hess of Bethel Township as my ancestor. During my search, I have been able to identify several of the early Bedford/Fulton Hes-Hess-Hesses Families. This book not only serves to update the previous Hess book,[10]but also provides a guide to the early Hesses of Bedford/Fulton County. Therefore, the reader may use the book for more than an enumeration of my Hess roots. It is hoped that by documenting the early Hesses, other researchers will be helped by the vast amount of research that was necessary to document my roots. Mainly, these early Hesses include the descendants of William Hess of Bethel Township, John Hess of Ayr Township, and my ancestor Abraham Hess of Belfast Township.

The 1783 tax of Bethel Township,[11]listed William Hess, John Hess, Baltzer Hess, Peter Hess and Henry Hess. William and John also appeared on Militia Rosters in 1783.^([12])The surname Hess appeared in Bedford County as early as 1773.[13]That year Samuel Hess obtained a warrant for land in Brothers Valley (now Somerset County, Pennsylvania). Similarly a warrant was issued to George Hauss in 1774.[14]This name with various spellings also appeared on other tax lists. However, in later land records George's son Peter is identified as Peter Hess. This latter appears to be a mistake on the part of the recorder and the name is in reality Hauss. Henry Hess was identified by the 1783 tax list as a non-resident of Bethel Township and does appear elsewhere in Bedford but not in present day Fulton County. A John Hess is listed in 1780 Census for Bedford County, Pennsylvania from Frankstown (now Blair County).

Therefore, William, John, Baltzer and Peter Hess who appear in 1783 are the first Hesses to appear in Bedford County in the area of present day Fulton County, Baltzer and Peter Hess are thought to have later moved to Monongahelia, Virginia, (now West Virginia).[15]John has not been further identified. William Hess appears frequently in Tax, Land and estate records up to his death in 1817.[16]

Another Balser Hess appeared in Bedford Township, (now in current Bedford Co., Pennsylvania) in 1784.[17] Since both Balsers are listed at the same time in different Township's (Bedford and Bethel) and neither is identified as a nonresident, they are two different Hesses. The Balser of Bedford is further identified and is the subject of the book "George Balser Hess and His Descendants.[18]

Abraham Hess first appeared in 1789 in Bethel Township.[19]Edward and Polser also appear in 1790 in Bethel Township. Polser may well be the same person as the previously identified Balser Hess since this variant frequently appears in old records.[20]Hendrey Hess also appears in the 1790 census. However, he is identified as being in what is now Somerset County.