GEORGE DAVIS BROKAW

George Brokaw was born in Raritan, Somerset, New Jersey on the 29th of March in 1755. He was baptized on the 27th of April 1755 at the Dutch Church in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The first people to settle the Raritan Valley were the Naraticongs, a peace-loving branch of the Lenape who were part of the Iroquois Nation. Numbering about 1,200 the Naraticongs lived mostly along the north side of the river. They roamed the forest to hunt, fished in the river, and planted corn in the fertile valley.

In 1683, when the Dutch and English arrived, the Naraticongs met them with friendly advances and a ready sale of land. The Dutch shortened and altered the name of the Naraticongs and named the area Raritan, or “forked river” Other versions of history state that Raritan translates  to “where the stream overflows”.

The Dutch, English, and French Huguenots were drawn to the area for the same reasons the Lenape found appealing: the rich, fertile soil and the navigable river. The Dutch also realized they could establish their own church, the Dutch Reformed Church, and live in freedom. These opportunities played a major role in the establishment of the town of Raritan. Raritan became a trading center for neighboring farmers. Central Jersey, particularly around Somerset County, was known as an early Dutch settlement. George's ancestors were French Huguenots who intermarried with the Dutch in Holland, the Huguenots' place of refuge in the 1600s.

 At age 21, in November 1776, George served as a private in Captain Peter D. Vroom's Battalion in Somerset, New Jersey.  A few months later, on the 10th of June, 1777, he married Jane Custard in Walpack, Sussex, New Jersey where Jane resided. Their marriage ceremony was at the Walpack Dutch Reformed Church. George and Jane reared a family of a dozen children!! The first four children were born in Somerset, Somerset, New Jersey. Some time before 1786, the family moved to Beavertown, Fayette, Pennsylvania where the next two children were born.  The next five children were born in Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania.  Last, but not least, the twelfth child was born in Jefferson County, Ohio.

Next, we find George, age 47, and his family settling down in Harrison County, Ohio. On the 11th of October in 1814, George, age 59, is an elector on The Roll Book of the Election in Cadiz Twp., Harrison, Ohio. In Flushing, Belmont County, Ohio (not far from Cadiz), George is the head of a household in the 1830 census, age 75. Twelve years later, George's death is recorded as the 27th of June in 1842, in Flushing, Cadiz Twp., Harrison, Ohio and he was buried at the Crabapple Presbyterian Church Cemetery, near Cadiz.

GEORGE DAVIS BROKAW

BORN: 29 Mar 1755 Raritan, Somerset, NJ

MARRIED: 10 Jun 1777 Walpack, Sussex, NJ

DIED: 27 Jun 1842 Flushing, Cadiz Twp., Harrison, OH

BURIED: Crabapple Presbyterian Church Cemetery, near Cadiz, Harrison, OH

SOURCES: Researchers, Norma Custer and Susan Custer at www.genforum.genealogy.com re Census  and Military records; Roll Book of the Election, www.rootsweb.com; Book: "Our Brokaw/Bragaw Heritage" compiled by Mrs. Elsie E. Foster

ANNA EVA LOY

Anna Eva chose to be called "Eve". She was born in Greenwich, Berks County, Pennsylvania to Michael and Maria Lampert Loy, on the 9th of June in 1782.  Some of the facts of her life were discussed in her first husband's story last week. There is some controversy about how Henry and Eve and their family traveled to Ohio. I had the idea that they walked that long distance from Loysville, and  the two youngest children rode on a horse. Other descendants say that Henry and Eve came to Ohio in a covered wagon, bringing with them a blanket chest, called a 'mule' chest. It stands to reason, then, that since large chests and other historic treasures were brought from Pennsylvania, they would need a wagon to carry them. They probably rode when they could, and walked aplenty, too.

Here is the list of Henry and Eve's children:
Martin Barnhisel (1799-1875) Our ancestor 
John Barnhisel (1803-1859)
Henry B. Barnhisel (1803-1872) The original owner of the Barnhisel House built in 1840, in Girard, Ohio
Catherine Barnhisel (1806-1888)
David Barnhisel (1809-1859)
Elizabeth Barnhisel (1811-1899)
Jacob Barnhisel (1813-1854)
Margaretta Ana Barnhisel (1815-1889)
Mary Barnhisel (1817-  ?    )
Samuel Loy Barnhisel (1820-1860)

Most of the children were born in Pennsylvania. It's probable, at least, that Mary and Samuel were born in Ohio.

In 1831, Eve married James Jonathan Truesdell (1774-1851) and they lived in a log house close to McKinley Heights, in Trumbull County. Eve's step-son, Julius Truesdell, was living with the couple in 1850 in Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio. Eve died on the 5th day of September 1854 and was buried next to her first husband, Henry Barnhisel, at the Union Cemetery in Girard, Trumbull, Ohio.

Anna Eva Loy
Born: 9 Jun 1782 Greenwich, Berks, PA
Married: 1)  1798 
               2) 1 Feb 1831 Girard, Trumbull, OH
Died: 5 Sep 1854  Vienna, Trumbull, OH
Sources: Census Records: 1800-1850; Connie Boyer's B/B book;
Hysell/Hisel Newsletter, editor, Phil Hysell, added a source citation of the Truesdell marriage record.

HENRY ADAM BARNHISEL (1776-1824)

Even though Henry's life was short, it was full and prosperous. He was born on the 18th of October 1776 in Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was baptized at the Bethel Corner Church in Albany Twp. on the 16th of November 1776. 

Some Barnhisel relatives participated in the Revolutionary War, to include Henry's 10 year old brother, Jacob Barnhisel. Sometime before 1796, the Barnhisel family moved to Cumberland County where poor Jacob, at age 30, was thrown from his horse and later died from his injuries. In 1798, Henry was paid 20 pounds and signed his release for his share from his brother's estate.

Also in 1798, Henry married his childhood sweetheart, Anna Eva Loy, in Loysville, Cumberland, PA where Henry and "Eve" (the name she used) grew up. As a matter of fact, Loysville was named after Eve's father. They were married at the Lutheran Church. The church and cemetery in Loysville are located on a 2 acre tract of land that was donated by the fathers of Henry and Eve.

Henry and Eve are on the Communion List at the Lebanon Lutheran Church in Loysville in 1804 and on the 25th of March 1804, they became confirmed members of this church.

It is recorded in Barnhisel records that Henry and Eve moved to Ohio by 1816. However, Henry was busy in land deals in Loysville and in Liberty Twp., Trumbull County, Ohio beforehand. First, he sold his land in Loysville to the directors of the poor in 1810. In Liberty Twp., he acquired 315 acres in 1813. Then in 1815, he bought 86 more acres and he sold 1 acre for $1.00 to the Dutch Presbyterians for a church, school, and cemetery in Liberty Twp.

I have a letter in my possession about their move, stating that the two youngest children of Henry's family were seated in baskets on both sides of a horse. The rest of the family walked the whole distance from Loysville to Liberty Twp. The young children tried not to complain too much about the scratches on their little legs caused by the thorny brambles in the woods that the horses trampled through. 

Henry and Eve had eleven children, some were born in Loysville before the move to Ohio. They all lived in a substantial house in what is now known as Girard, Ohio.

Henry continued to buy land in Trumbull County: 89 acres in 1821 and 145 acres in 1824.  But, Henry died on the 21st day of October 1824, age 47, near Girard, in Liberty Township, Trumbull County, Ohio. Henry is buried in the Girard-Liberty Union Cemetery. The photo of his grave stone is shown at the top of this story.

 Henry B. Barnhisel, son of Henry Adam Barnhisel, built a  lovely new home on the Barnhisel property in 1840 and it has been recently restored and is used as the Girard Historical Society's meeting place. The photo of the placard (see photo above) placed in front of the house, tells more history about the Barnhisels. (Try clicking on the photo to enlarge it for easier reading.)

Henry Adam Barnhisel
Born: 18 Oct 1776  Albany, Berks, PA
Married:        1798             , Cumberland, PA
Died:  21 Oct 1824 near Girard, Trumbull, OH
Sources: Census 1800-1830; Church records in Albany, Loysville, and Girard; Book: "History of Trumbull & Mahoning Cos." Tax list of Trumbull Co. 1825; Clegg's Trumbull Co,, Ohio, Newspaper Obit. Book: "Barnhisel/Bernheisel Lines" by Connie Boyer.

RHODA ROSE

Rhoda Rose, the third child of David and Hannah Par Rose, was born in New Jersey on 26 Apr 1749. She married Morris Lewis and by him had one son named Morris Lewis, Jr. Her husband drowned in the Susquehanna River near the mouth of the Juniata River. She afterwards married Henry Goucher in July 1781 at Zebbornick's house (a neighbor, I suppose), in Lancaster, PA, and by him had three sons and two daughters. Her sons were John, Henry, and Robert, and her daughters were named Ann and Elizabeth.

Rhoda, nicknamed Rodey, lived 92 years. She died on the 14th  day of June 1841.

Rhoda Rose

Born: 26 Apr 1749 , , New Jersey

Married: 1) abt, 1765 , Lancaster, PA; 2) Jul 1781 ,Lancaster, PA

Died: 14 Jun 1841

Sources: Rose Family Bulletin, Vol IX, Jun 1974, pg. 938:a partial manuscript, prepared by the late Judge James E. Rose of Auburn, IN in 1888 entitled "Genealogical Biographical and Historical Sketches and Reminiscenses from Records and Traditions of The Rose Family. It was located and copied by John R. Scoville of Rural Route No. 1, Butler, IN 46721 in 1972.

MORRIS LEWIS

Susquehanna River

The birth of Morris Lewis, about 1745 in New Jersey, is recorded in the Ancestral File at the Family  History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.  At age 20, he married Rhoda Rose, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania around 1765.  Their place of residence in 1777 was on Shelley's Island, adjacent to Hill Island, in the Susquehanna River. Their only child, Morris Lewis, Jr. was born in December 1777.

According to the manuscript of Judge James E. Rose, Morris Lewis was drowned in the Susquehanna River near the mouth of the Juniata River in 1787, at age 42.  His son was only 10 years old when his father died.

Morris Lewis
Born: abt 1745  , , New Jersey
Married: abt 1765 , Lancaster, PA
Died: 1787            , Lancaster, PA
Sources: Family History Library's Ancestral File birth records; Book: "History of Trumbull and Mahoning" re the John Lewis family on page 496. Manuscript of Judge James E. Rose.