Where there's a will! Finding Margery McQuiston Trindle McConnel

For years I have been looking for any record of Margery after the death of John Trindle.

I knew that she had remarried, various documents from the estate of John gave her married name, such as this one from the Spring court session 1790 of Cumberland Co. PA.

An additional Clue came from the 1800 Census where a Matthew McConnel was listed directly above Widow Paxton (John and Margery's daughter Agnes who had married Samuel Paxton) and James Holmes (husband of John and Margery's daughter Jane).  Matthew is listed with a female who is the correct age to be Margery.

East Pennsboro, Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Roll: 38; Page: 62.

But, there I have been stuck for way too long.  But a few days ago, I happened upon an index to wills in Cumberland County and found the following entry.

McCONNELL, MERGERA.   May 25, 1815.   H. 333.

Well, that could be Margery McConnel. Right?

I knew the early wills for Cumberland county were available on FamilySearch, so I immediately headed there and found.

 Last will of

Mrs. McConnel dec

Know all men by these presents that I Mergera McConnel of Mifflin township, Cumberland county, State of Pennsylvania being very sick and weak in body but Blessed be God sound of memory and Judgement I do make this my last will and testament in the year of our Lord one thousand eighteen hundred and fourteen it being the sixth day of March.  In the first place I do Recomend my soull unto God who gives it and my body to be intered in a decent christian manner. First all my just debts to be payed then what remains is to be disposed of in the following manner, I do bequeath unto my daughter Mergera all of my moveable property. First I bequeath my case of drawers, second my bed and bed clothes, third my table and chairs, fourth all the money that is due unto me, fifth my half of the cow sixth all the books, allso all the kitchen furniture, also the looking glass, allso my spinning wheel and Rull, allso the two Best Bedsteads, allso the cupboard with all the furniture Belonging to it. In testimony thereof I have set to my hand and seall the day and deat above written in presence of us Samuel Hannah c James Pettigrew                                                                         her                                                                                                                                                                         Mergera (M) McConnel                                                                                                                                                                  mark

Cumberland County Ss Personally appeared before me Geo Kline Jr dep for Geo Kline registrer for the Probate of Wills and granting of letters of Administration in and for said county Samuel Hannah and James Pettigrew the subscribing witnesses to the instrument of writing to which this is annexed purporting to be the last will and testament of Megera McConnel de       cd. and being duly sworn according to law acknowledge the said instrument of writing as and for the last will and testament that at the time of her so doing she was of sound mind memory and understanding that they wrote their names as witnesses at the request of the testatrix in her presence and in the presence of each other

Sworn and subscribed 25 May 1815                                                 Samuel Hannah

Before me Geo Kline, dep regr                                                        James Pettigrew

Be it remembered that on the 25 of May AD 1815 the last will and testament of Margary McConnell was legally proven of which the foregoing is a true copy and letters of Administration to Margary Johnston no executor being named in said will.

As I read I kept wondering if this was the right will.  Margery had seven children.  Would she leave everything to just one daughter?  It was only with the final sentence that I could be certain this was the correct record, for we knew that Margery's daughter Margery had married Samuel Johnston. 

By 1814, some of Margery's family were gone from Cumberland County.  The youngest, David, died during the War of 1812.  Her eldest daughter, Ann, had married Samuel Lamb and moved to the Shenandoah Valley.  Alexander had moved to Ross County, Ohio about 1807.  The whereabouts of Agnes is unknown.  The widow of Samuel Paxton had most likely remarried by this time.  She is listed as "Porter" in her brother John's probate in 1821.  

Still in Cumberland county are Margery's eldest son John and her daughter Jane (James Holmes).  Perhaps everything went to Margery, because Margery was living with her?  That would explain Mifflin township, which does not show up in other Trindle records.  But a quick search for the 1810 and 1820 census shows the only probable Samuel Johnston family is in Allen township which is on the opposite side of the county, so why Mifflin?  Why Margery only?

Probably my favorite part of finding this record is the very unique spelling of Margery's first name. Does it perhaps give a indication of it's pronunciation? I noted that the will was signed with her mark.  Who was the scribe?  

The will as written in the register does show the importance of looking for all spellings, Margary and Mergera are both used in the same document as are McConnel and McConnell.  

John

b. abt 1731
d. 11 Jan 1784 Cumberland Co., PA

William claimed John, his eldest son,  as his beloved son in his will.  John followed in his father's footsteps running a tavern that served as a stopover for wagons waiting to cross the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg while on their way to Philadelphia to sell livestock.  The river, which had to be forded, was sometimes too deep to cross and layovers could become lengthy. Besides the tavern John owned the pastures where the herds would graze until they could continue, he also owned a repair shop.

John like the rest of his family was a staunch church supporter.  He pledged support of 75 pounds a year to the Silver Springs Presbyterian Church.  This was a huge sum of money in the late eighteen hundreds.

In 1768 John was taxed on 3 horses, 3 cows, 4 sheep, 200 W and 60 C. In 1769 there were 2 horses, 33 cows and 5 sheep, 300W and 50C; however, a second John Trindle is listed, this can not be a son as John's son John was not born until 1768.  The second John has 3 horses and 3 cows, 150 W and 50 C.  It might be relavant to note that a John Trimble listed in 1768 is not in the 1769 listing.  In 1770 the only listing is 3h, 2c, 6s, 150W, 50L, 60C.  There is no Trimble listing.

In 1778 we find John Esq'r with 183 acres, 3 horses, 5 cows paying 18.12.0 and John with 22 acres 2 horses and 4 cows paying 7.3.4

In 1777 the Supreme executive council of Pennsylvania appointed an entirely new board of justices when some of the old ones failed to take the oath of allegiance, John was one of those that did take the oath. In 1778 he was appointed a Captain of the Cumberland County Militia and in 1780 was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant (leader of a battalion) in the Continental Army.  John served throughout the Revolution.

Like many men of the time,  the war seemed to have taken the last of John's strength and he died at the age of 53 in 1784. He is buried in the Silver Springs Presbyterian Church Graveyard. The tombstone, which is still standing, says  "Here lies the body of John Trindle, who departed this life , the 11th day of January, AD 1784  53 years."

Upon his death, John's estate was held up by the presence of minor children. Final papers were not signed until about 1803 when those children had come of age.  In some cases their spouses were named.  It is fortunate for us that this is the case, some of the unknown descendants were tied in using these Orpan Court Papers. The city lot of John Trindle's estate was bought by Adam Longsdorf who built a new hotel on it.  The Trindle Inn, a two story-three brick thick hotel built in 1800, stood in place until 1962 when the main road encroached upon it's foundation.  During the spring floods, residents would move to the second floor to escape the water. Part of the land that John Trindle owned was occupied by a housing development called TRINDLE MANOR in the 1960's.  It is along one of the original Trindle Springs.

"Cumberland County, The commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the sheriff of Cumberton County greeting.  Whereas Joshua Myers of the county of Cumberland preferreda petition before the Judges of the Orphan Counrt of the said county on the 22 day of October AD 1800 then sitting in the Borough of Carlisle setting forth that John Trindle late of the county of Cumberland died Intestate leaving a wido Margery Trindle, and seven children vis, Anne Trindle now intermarried with Samuel Lamb Jane Trindle now Intermarried with James Holmes, John Trindle, Alexander Trindle, Agness Trindle intermarried with Samuel Paxton. margery Trindle now intermarried with Samuel Johnston and David Trindle and being in his lifetime and at the time of his death seized in his demesne as of fee of and in one certain tract or parcel of land containing three hundred and twenty acres more of less situate in Alen and East-Pennsborough Townships in the County aforesaid bounded by lands of the Heirs of Alexander Trindle the Heirs of Wm Trindle the lands of Matheas Sailer and John Stear and others and that he died intestate so there of seized.  And whereas Alexander Trindle aforesaid one of the children of the said John Trindle deceased and his wife Sarah Trindle by their deed of Indeture bearing the date of April 1795 did transfer and convey to the said Joshua Myers all their Interest right title claim and demand whatsoever in and to their undivided share of the above mentioned tract or parcel of Land reference being had to the  said deed more fully appears.  And whereas Margery Trindle aforesaid one of the children of the said John Trindle decd intermarried with Samuel Johnston by their deed of Indenture bearing date the twenty first day of January 1800 did transfer & convey unto the said Joshua Myers all their right, title, interest, claim and demand whatsoever in and to their undivided share of the above mentioned tract or parcel of land being had to this said deed more fully appears...."

Alexander

b. 22 Oct 1772  Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
d. 23 Sep 1832  Ross County, Ohio

What was once a tight knit enclave of Trindle cousins in Cumberland County, PA was no longer.  John, William and Alexander, the three sons of original settler William Trindle had led their troops through years of revolution.  Each returned home with a decimated body and each expired within a year of the others in 1784-1785.  Children and wives remained.

Over the next twenty years the wives remarried, the children grew up, Orphans Courts released the estates, the cousins married and the lands were sold.

Alexander, the son of John,  had married Sarah Crockett in the town of Carlisle, Cumberland, PA on 19 Dec 1793.

First Presbyterian Church, Carlisle PA, Records of the First Presbyterian Church, Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1785-1800 (1785-1800).

By 1800, Pennsylvania's population had swelled to 602,000 people.  German emigrants were rapidly taking over the area from the original Ulster Scotch Presbyterian settlers.

The Northwest Territories became a draw to those leaving Pennsylvania.  Ohio with a population of 42159 in 1800 became a state in 1803 and saw a five fold increase in population by 1810.  Indiana Territory was created in 1800.  Congress reduced the amount of land that was allowed to be sold under the Northwest Ordinance to 320 acres and allowed payments to be made over a period of time.(2)

The location of Alexander in 1800 is not known for certain.  There is a listing in the census for Alexr Trimble showing one male between 26 and 45 (Alexander would be 28), two males between 16 and 26 (brother David and brother-in-law Andrew Crockett both fall in this range) and one male 0-10 (son James was born in 1798).  There were two females listed one 26-45 (we believe Sarah was only 24) and one 0-10 (daughter Eliann was born in 1794).(1)

By 1806, the last of his father John's estate settled, Alexander found himself one of the many leaving Cumberland County.   The following entries can be found in the records of Paxton Township, Ross County, Ohio where he settled. "An election was held at the house of Thomas Edmonson, on the sixth day of April 1807 for the purpose of electing township officers, when the following persons were chosen.... Alexander Trindle....Supervisors of highways..."  " ......at John Comb's house 4 April 1808.....Alexander Trindle, overseer of the poor....." "....in the house of _____ on the second day of April 1810 .....Alexander Trindle.....Supervisors of highways" , "___day of April in the house of ____ (Bainbridge) Alexander Trindle, treasurer.....", "5 April 1813 in the house of Elishe Kelly.....Alexander Trindle, treasurer...." The records in this source go for a few more years, but it seems Alexander had fulfilled his civic duties as his name does not appear again.(2)   


No census records survive for Ross County in 1810 (or 1800), but Alexander can be found on tax lists starting in 1809 indicating that he did own land, although the earliest land record found to date is for 1818 when he purchased the warrant to part of a Virginia military land grant that had been given to William Royall.   Perhaps this was a choice piece of land, found as he surveyed the roads for the government, perhaps it was the land he had lived on all along, now officially his.  Lying along Paint Creek in the present Ross county the land was a deciduous forest laced with creeks and rivulets.

(1) Alexr Trimble Household, Middleton, Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Second Census of the United States, 1800.  NARA Microfilm publication M32-38 p. 84
(2) About Patents, Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records http://www.glorecords.blm.gov
(2)  A History of Ross and Highland Counties Ohio; Williams Brothers 1880 p.325-326; No Libel, The Ohio Supporter, 6 Jul 1811 pg 1


See Documents page for links to Alexander's documents. 

To be continued