Finding clues to the life of a little-known landowner and gunsmith LQWKHWLPHRIWKH3HQQV\OYDQLDORQJULÁH

Christian Hess, Mennonite Gunsmith

By R. Martin Keen 1

Christian Hess (1727-1794) of Conestoga and two miles north of the Hess family home. Hans Hess Donegal Townships, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is had prior dealings with the Mylin family. Martin Mylin an almost unknown gunsmith. No mention of him can Senior (d. 1749) was a witness, along with three other be found in Arms Makers of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania individuals, to the will of Hans on April 10, 1733. 4 The by Wood and Whisker, 7KH 3HQQV\OYDQLD.HQWXFN\ 5LÁH naturalization of 206 residents of the surrounding region by Kauffman, and 7KH.HQWXFN\5LÁH by Dillon. Christian occurred on April 1, 1728, at the home of Martin Mylin is listed in Arms Makers of Colonial America by Whisker, Sr. The signers included Hans Hess and his eldest son, 5 7KRXJKWVRQWKH.HQWXFN\5LÁHLQLWV*ROGHQ$JH by Kindig Jacob. In 1718 a tract of one hundred acres was surveyed and 7KH3HQQV\OYDQLD5LÁH by Dyke, all with the extremely to Hans Hess, a little less than one mile north of Martin short entry of only ÒLancaster Borough, 1794.Ó He is Mylin Sr.Õs (d. 1749) homestead. Hans Hess probably DOVRPHQWLRQHGRQWKH.HQWXFN\5LÁH$VVRFLDWLRQ·VOLVW never settled there and never made any payments on of gunsmiths with the same information. All of these this land. On May 16, 1729, Hans transferred his right on 6 entries are based on Samuel E. DykeÕs list of gunsmiths of the one hundred acres to Martin Mylin Sr. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from 1728 to 1863. The only book with any other information is Early American Gunsmiths, 1650-1850 by Kauffman. This entry lists one 1. Preparing an article requires the help of other people. I would of the releases from ChristianÕs estate in the Lancaster like to thank Kevin Shue of the Lancaster County Historical Society and Carolyn C. Wenger, editor emeritus of Pennsylvania Mennonite County deed books. Heritage for their assistance. Kyle Keen of Codoba Consulting, LLC, Christian, born on August 28, 1727, was the ninth Lancaster, Pa., helped to prepare the maps and illustrations. NQRZQ FKLOG DQG ÀIWK VRQ RI +DQV DQG 0DJGDOHQD 2. Gravestone, Hans Hess Cemetery, Willow Street, Pa., and R. 2 Martin Keen, ÒCommunity and Material Culture Among Lancaster Hess. His parents were immigrants in 1717 to what Mennonites: Hans Hess from 1717 to 1733,Ó Pennsylvania Mennonite would become Conestoga Township, Lancaster County, Heritage 13 (January 1990): 2-25. Pennsylvania. At the age of 6 in 1733, ChristianÕs father 3. Inventory (John Hess, 1733), Lancaster County Historical died, leaving his mother to care for a family of 10 children, Society, Lancaster, Pa. Hereafter LCHS. 4. Will A-1-11, Lancaster County Archives, Lancaster, Pa. ranging in age from approximately 2 to 20 years of age. Hereafter LCA. Only one son had married and left home at the time of 5 2DWKV RI$OOHJLDQFH 4XDUWHU 6HVVLRQV 3DSHUV )HE  the fatherÕs death. Magdalena never remarried and died Chester County Archives, West Chester, Pa. in 1767 at the age of 79. 6 2IÀFHRI5HFHLYHU*HQHUDO/HGJHU% QR  Day Book no. 1 (1719-1738), 68, and Purchase Journal B (no. 1), 135, Hans Hess was a shoemaker but also did simple Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg, Pa. Hereafter PSA. blacksmithing and most likely made his own nails for the 7. Inventory (John Hess, 1733), LCHS. The inventory was taken shoes. His estate inventory of 1733 lists some smith tools, on May 17, 1733. 3 8. Gravestone, Hans Hess Cemetery, Willow Street, Pa. Her seven pounds of nails, and a hammer and anvil. As a gravestone gives her age as seventy-nine years in 1767. The year span young child, Christian would have seen his father doing is based on the date of her inventory. blacksmithing. When Christian became a young teen, he 9. Inventory (Magdalene Hess, 1767), LCHS. MagdalenaÕs would have been apprenticed to a gunsmith, beginning inventory was taken on March 3, 1767. 10. Pennsylvania Archives, ser. 2, vol. 19, 746. On December 2, about 1740. The most likely candidate would be Martin 1726, Hans Hess requested land for his son Jacob, who was probably Mylin Junior (d. 1751). His gun shop was a little over eighteen years of age.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 18 April 2012 Hans and Magdalena Hess Family

H Hans Hess, d. ca. May 1, 1733 7 m. Magdalena, b. bet. Mar. 1, 1687, and Mar. 1, 1688; 8 d. ca. Mar. 1, 1767 9 H1 Jacob Hess, b. bet. 1708 and 1710; 10 d. ca. Mar. 10, 174111 H2 John Hess, b. bet. 1710 and 1713; 12 d. before 1792 13 H3 Michael Hess, Apr. 22, 1715 14 ÐMar. 25, 1760 15 H4 Magdalena Hess, b. Mar. 28, 1717; 16 d. bet. 1762 and 1792 17 m. Jacob Stauffer H5 Abraham Hess, ca. 1719 18 Ðca. Sept. 1, 1803 19 H6 Anna Hess, b. ca. 1721; 20 d. bet. 1762 and 1792 21 m. Christian Mylin, d. ca. May 1, 1760 22 H7 Barbara Hess, b. ca. 1723; 23 d. bet. 1762 and 1785 24 Map of Hess family homestead in Conestoga Township m. Samuel Boyer (also Beyer) (currently Pequea Township) indicating (A) the probable site 25 H8 Elizabeth Hess, ca. Sept. 27, 1725 ÐMar. 14, 1800 of the Samuel Hess farmstead and the most likely location m. Michael Greider, d. ca. Jan. 9, 1788 26 where Christian lived; (B) the farmstead of ChristianÕs H81 Michael Greider, July 12, 1759ÐAug. 9, 1825 27 nephew, Christian Hess (1756-1818), where he lived after his H9 Christian Hess, Aug. 28, 1727ÐFeb. 28, 1794 28 marriage in 1775; and (C) the Hans Hess Cemetery, where Ha Veronica Hess, Aug. 22, 1729ÐOct. 7, 1814 29 gunsmith Christian, his father and mother, brothers Samuel Hb Samuel Hess, Apr. 9, 1731ÐAug. 25, 1788 30 and Michael, sister Veronica and nephews Christian and m. Esther Bowman, ca. Apr. 1734Ðca. Sept. 23, Henry are buried 180231 32 33 Hb1 John Hess, ca. 1754 Ðca. Feb. 1, 1813 acres of the land surveyed on November 9, 1720. 37 An Hb2 Christian Hess, June 26, 1756ÐJuly 5, 1818 34 35 DGGLWLRQDO  DFUHV DGMRLQLQJ WKH ÀUVW SDUFHO ZHUH Hb3 Henry Hess, Oct. 23, 1768ÐFeb. 21, 1827 surveyed on October 20, 1730. 38 After the death of Hans in 1733, the farm would have been operated by his Hess Family Homestead widow, Magdalena, and the older sons still on the farm. ChristianÕs younger brother Samuel received a patent The farm where Christian lived as a child and deed for 320 acres on November 26, 1739. 39 Samuel was for most of his adult life consisted of about 315 acres only eight when he received title to the farm from the in Conestoga Township. 36 His father, Hans, had 120 Pennsylvania commissioners of property.

11. Inventory (Jacob Hess, 1741), LCHS. JacobÕs inventory was from the other female siblings in both wills. The order of birth for taken on March 26, 1741. Abraham, Anna and Barbara has not been documented. 12 2IÀFH RI 5HFHLYHU *HQHUDO /HGJHU & QR    DQG 'D\ 24. Wills B-1-522 and E-1-301, LCA. Book no. 1 (1719-1738), 192, PSA, show that John Hess paid £15 due 25. Greider Cemetery, Lancaster Twp., cemetery transcription by on the estate of his father on April 13, 1736. Warrant no. 207, Lancaster William Worner, vol. 3, 36, LCHS. The death date of Elizabeth on her Co. [May 17, 1739], PSA, shows that a John Hess warranted 360 acres gravestone is March 14, 1800, and the age at death is 74 years, 5 months in Lebanon Twp., Lancaster Co. and 17 days. 13. Will F-1-557, LCA. 26. Johannes Bachman II (1746-1829), Day Book, 1769-1828, 128, 14 *HQHDORJ\FDUGÀOHDQGVXUQDPHIROGHU/DQFDVWHU0HQQRQLWH photocopy of original, LMHS Archives. Historical Society, Lancaster, Pa. Hereafter LMHS. Surname folder, 27. Greider Cemetery, Lancaster Twp., cemetery transcription by LCHS. William Worner, vol. 3, 37, LCHS. 15. Gravestone, Hans Hess Cemetery, Willow Street, Pa. 28. Gravestone, Hans Hess Cemetery, Willow Street, Pa. See also 16 *HQHDORJ\ FDUG ÀOH DQG VXUQDPH IROGHU /0+6 6XUQDPH transcription by William Worner, vol. 13, 428-433, LCHS. Today the folder, LCHS. LQVFULSWLRQLVYHU\GLIÀFXOWWRUHDG&KHFNHGE\DXWKRUFLUFD 17. Wills B-1-522 and F-1-557, LCA. 29. Ibid. 18. Patent A-13-85, PSA, states that on June 6, 1746, Abraham 30. Ibid. Hess patented 188 acres of the 360 acres warranted to his brother John 31. Ibid. Johannes Bachman II (1746-1829), Day Book, 1769-1828, in Lebanon Twp., Lancaster Co. 226, photocopy of original, LMHS Archives. 19. Inventory (Abraham Hess, 1803), LCHS. AbrahamÕs inventory 32. Date of birth is an approximation based on ChristianÕs birth. was taken on September 15, 1803. 33. Inventory (John Hess, 1813), LCHS. JohnÕs inventory was 20. Wills B-1-522 and F-1-557, LCA, for Magdalena Hess and taken on February 11, 1813. Christian Hess (H9), respectively; some of the children are probably 34. Gravestone, Hans Hess Cemetery, Willow Street, Pa. mentioned in order of birth by male and female groupings. Anna is 35. Ibid. listed between Magdalena and Elizabeth in both wills. 36. In 2012, the farm would be in Pequea Twp., Lancaster Co.. 21. Ibid. 37. Taylor Papers no. 2617, and Warrants and Surveys, Penn Mss., 22. Inventory (Christian Mylin, 1760), LCHS. ChristianÕs 32, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. inventory was taken on May 10, 1760. 38. Survey D-82-18, PSA. 23. Wills B-1-522 and F-1-557, LCA. Barbara is listed separately 39. Patent A-10-11, PSA.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 19 April 2012 constructed for the couple. In 1798 and 1815 there was a one-story log house of approximately 42 ft. x 22 ft. and an older dwelling of wood. 47 The older dwelling of wood was most likely the original log cabin and was probably the home of Christian. Samuel and Esther had three sons who reached adulthood: John, born about 1754; Christian, born on June 26, 1756; and Henry, born on October 23, 1768. All three did blacksmithing and were probably trained by their uncle Christian, but none became gunsmiths. 48 ChristianÕs brother Samuel died on August 25, 1788. After the death of Samuel, the youngest son, Henry, inherited the eastern half of the Hess homestead, containing the original log house and barn, while the middle son, Christian, inherited the western half of the farm, where he had been living since his marriage in 1775. 49 A small stream, today known as GoodÕs Run, has DOZD\V ÁRZHG WKURXJK WKH IDUP 6DPXHO HUHFWHG D dam on the stream with two separate raceways. A 1790 deed listed the purpose of the raceways as watering the meadow. 50 Did the raceways also serve another purpose? On the 1771 and 1772 Conestoga Township return, Samuel is listed as having a gristmill. 51 No other document has been found that lists a mill on the property. Samuel, his sons, his father Hans or his brother Christian have never been mentioned as millers. Could Land in Donegal Township that Christian bought from his the mill have been a boring mill or a large smith shop brother Abraham in 1755 (A) and 1762 (B) used by Christian? In 1798 a smith shop is listed, but no mill on the portion of the farm that had been SamuelÕs home. 52 The size of the smith shop was not given. No After the formation of Lancaster County in 1729, other mention of a smith shop has been found on any WKH ÀUVW H[WDQW WD[ OLVW IRU &RQHVWRJD 7RZQVKLS LV WKH document. 1751 assessment. Magdalena Hess is listed as ÒWiddow 40 HesÓ and is taxed £0.6.1. The next known tax list for Land in Donegal Township Conestoga Township is the 1754 assessment. Samuel Hess is assessed £0.4.0, and his brother Christian Although Christian Hess appears to have lived most is assessed £0.3.6. 41 In 1756, only Samuel is on the of his life on his brotherÕs farm in Conestoga Township, assessment with a tax of £0.7.6. 42 The following year, he purchased two hundred acres in Donegal Township. in 1757, Christian is listed as a freeman and pays a tax He did live on his land for a relatively short period of of £0.10.0. 43 Throughout most of his life Christian lived time. Today this land is located in East Donegal Township on his brother SamuelÕs farm in Conestoga Township. Living with his brother but not owning any land in &RQHVWRJD 7RZQVKLS &KULVWLDQ ZRXOG EH FODVVLÀHG DV 40. Tax List (1751 Assessment), Conestoga Twp., LCHS. an inmate on most tax lists. Many of the extant tax lists 41. Tax List (1754 Assessment), Conestoga Twp., LCHS. for the township do not include a list of the inmates. He 42. Tax List (1756 Assessment), Conestoga Twp., LCHS. 43. Tax List (1757 Additional Kings), Conestoga Twp., LCHS. is listed on the 1775 assessment as an inmate with a tax 44. Tax Lists (1775 Assessment, Provincial), Conestoga Twp., of £0.1.0, but his name is crossed out on the inmate lists LCHS. for the 1775 provincial and county taxes. 44 On December 45. William Henry Egle, Notes and Queries Historical, Biographical 5, 1775, his nephew Christian (1756-1818) married and DQG*HQHDORJLFDO5HODWLQJ&KLHÁ\WR,QWHULRU3HQQV\OYDQLD$QQXDO9ROXPH 45 1897 (Harrisburg, Pa.: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1898), 27. began living on the western half of the Hess homestead. 46. Tax Lists (1778 Continental, State & County), Conestoga Twp., In 1778, Christian along with his nephew Christian are LCHS. listed on the continental, state and county tax lists. 46 This 47. Federal Direct Tax (1798), Conestoga Twp., microcopy no. 372, roll no. 6, book 116, no. 47. Direct Tax (1815), Henry Hess, Conestoga LVWKHODVWWD[OLVWWKDWFDQEHLGHQWLÀHGZLWK&KULVWLDQ Twp., LCHS. being taxed. After 1778 only one Christian appears on 48. Inventories (John Hess 1813, Christian Hess 1818, Henry Hess the tax lists, his nephew Christian. 1827), LCHS. Christian lived on the farm where he was born, along 49. Will F-1-46 and Deed L-3-339, LCA. with his younger brother Samuel, sister Veronica and 50. Deed L-3-343, LCA. 51. Tax Lists (1771 and 1772 Returns), Conestoga Twp., LCHS. mother Magdalena. Samuel married Esther Bowman 52. Federal Direct Tax (1798), Conestoga Twp., microcopy no. 372, in the early 1750s and a new home was probably roll no. 6, book 117, no. 47, Henry Hess, LCHS.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 20 April 2012 and one boundary fronted on the Susquehanna River. others. In 1779, Chrisly Hese of Lancaster County is ChristianÕs parcel of two hundred acres was a listed as the landlord of two hundred acres occupied portion of seven hundred acres that was originally sold by Michael Albright. 62  0LFKDHO $OEULJKW ÀUVW DSSHDUV to Martha Bizaillon (1693-1764), wife of the Indian trader on the 1769 return with forty acres cultivated and 160 Peter Bizaillon (1662-1742). The land was surveyed to acres uncultivated. His rent was paid in crops. 63 On the her on November 12, 1719, on a warrant that was issued  'RQHJDO UHWXUQ 0LFKDHO KDV ÀIW\ FXOWLYDWHG DQG March 25, 1719, by the commissioners of property. 53 150 uncultivated acres. 64 The amount of cleared land Peter Bizaillon purchased a small improvement on increases to seventy acres in 1775. 65 In 1785 Michael this land from Nathaniel Christopher. Peter wanted to Albright appears for the last time as living on two purchase seven hundred acres that would include the hundred acres on the Donegal return. 66 improvement, and the land was to be in his wifeÕs name. In ChristianÕs will, written on August 25, 1792, The purchase price was £70 for the whole tract or £0.1 the farm is Ònow in the occupation of a certain (decimal equivalent) per acre. 54 Payment for the land Musselman.Ó 67 The administrative account for the estate was made by deducting the sum from PeterÕs account lists three payments of £0.13.0, £0.12.6, and £2.0.0 to a with James Logan. 55 Logan paid the £70 on October 20, Jacob Musselman. 68 On the 1787, 1788, and 1789 Donegal 7KHODQGZDVÀQDOO\GHHGHGWR0DUWKD%L]DLOORQRQ returns and valuation, Jacob Musselman is listed as December 3, 1728, by the commissioners of property. 56 paying the tax on two hundred acres. 69 In 1787 when Peter Bizaillon died in 1742 and his widow, Martha, -DFRE0XVVHOPDQLVÀUVWOLVWHGDVOLYLQJRQWZRKXQGUHG sold the entire seven-hundred-acre tract to Christian acres, Michael Albright is taxed for just nine acres. Brenneman (d. 1757) for £600 in 1746. 57 This would be ChristianÕs will stipulated the farm was to be sold £0.86 per acre in its decimal equivalent and an increase and most likely the farm was put up for public sale. In of 757% for Martha Bizaillon. Christian Brenneman paid the account for the estate, two payments were made to RQ$XJXVWDQGWKHÀQDO RQ2FWREHU John Albright & Co. (Johann Albrecht & Co.) for £1.2.6 13, 1746. and £0.10.0. 70 Johann Albrecht was a printer and the On March 23, 1749, Christian Brenneman sold four publisher of the German-language newspaper Neue hundred acres of this tract to Abraham Hess (d. 1803) of Unpartheyische LancŠster Zeitung. The larger payment Conestoga Township, the older brother of Christian, for was probably for broadsides publicizing the sale and 58 £350 or £0.88 per acre. Christian Brenneman is listed as advertisements in the newspaper. living in Martic Township on this deed. Abraham sold On April 4, 1795, the two-hundred-acre farm was 150 acres of the four-hundred-acre tract to his younger transferred to Conrad Ziegler of Donegal Township brother Christian on November 21, 1755, for £131.5.0 or for £3181.10.0 in gold or silver coin. 71 The payment was 59 £0.88 per acre. The price of this land had not increased, £15.9 per acre or an increase of 1140% over the original even though it had been subdivided twice since Christian purchase price of £256.5.0 for the two hundred acres. Brenneman purchased it from Martha Bizaillon nine years earlier. When Christian Hess purchased this land, he was listed as living in Donegal Township on the Christian Hess, Banker deed. Christian does appear on the 1758 Donegal tax list Before the advent of local banks and even after, the as Crestian Heas and paid a tax of nine shillings. 60 The need for available cash was often supplied by individuals entry was added later than most of the names and in in the community who had money to lend. Christian a different hand. This is the only extant tax list where Christian appears as residing in Donegal Township. The 1759 tax list is in such poor condition that the names are 53. Survey A-106, PSA. illegible for the H entries. No tax lists exist for Donegal 54. Pennsylvania Archives , ser. 2, vol. 19, 652. Township between 1759 and 1769. 55 2IÀFH RI 5HFHLYHU *HQHUDO /HGJHU % QR     DQG Purchase Journal B (no. 1), 99, PSA. $EUDKDP+HVVVROGDQDGGLWLRQDOÀIW\DFUHVWRKLV 56. Patent A-6-88, PSA. This is an extremely rare occurrence 61 brother Christian on August 20, 1762. This land adjoins where a married woman owned land in her name only. his previous purchase and increased the farm to two 57. Deed G-261, LCA. hundred acres. Christian paid £125 for this land or £2.5 58. Deed C-86, LCA. 59. Deed D-353, LCA. per acre, an increase of 184% per acre over his previous 60. Tax List (1758), Donegal Twp., LCHS. purchase seven years earlier. The farm was an elongated 61. Deed G-405, LCA. rectangle, almost a quarter mile in width and nearly a 62. Tax List (1779 Return), Donegal Twp., LCHS. mile and a half in length. The Susquehanna River formed 63. Tax List (1769 Return), Donegal Twp., LCHS. 64. Tax List (1771 Return), Donegal Twp., LCHS. the southern boundary and todayÕs Stackstown Road is 65. Tax List (1775 Return), Donegal Twp., LCHS. the northern boundary. ReichÕs Church Road forms a 66. Tax List (1785 Return), Donegal Twp., LCHS. portion of the western boundary and BeattyÕs Tollgate 67. Will F-1-557, LCA. Road forms a portion of the eastern boundary. 68. Administrative Account (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. 69. Tax Lists (1787, 1788, and 1789 Returns), Donegal Twp., LCHS. Although Christian may never have lived for any 70. Administrative Account (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. length of time on the farm, he did rent the farm to 71. Deed TT-199, LCA.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 April 2012 Christian HessÕs willÑwritten August 25, 1792, and signed with an XÑis the only document from ChristianÕs lifetime that LGHQWLÀHVKLPDVDJXQVPLWK

+HVVZDVMXVWWKLVVRUWRILQGLYLGXDO(LWKHUWKURXJKULÁH due £82.6.10 in smaller book debts. Not all of ChristianÕs making, his farm or both, Christian had cash on hand. On money had been loaned to others; he still had £208.18.6 May 29, 1773, he purchased the mortgage of John Moser in cash when he died. 78 from Henry KŠgy. 72 John Moser purchased a 209-acre farm in Conestoga Township from Henry and Barbara KŠgy of Conestoga Township in 1768 for £1275. 73 The Estate of Christian Hess agreement was fairly complicated in its payment terms. The only known documents identifying Christian as All the terms are not explained in the deeds but can be a gunsmith are his will and other documents from the reasonably deduced from the available information. The purchase price of £1275 is a combination of principal HVWDWH2QGRFXPHQWVSUHYLRXVWRKLVZLOOKHLVLGHQWLÀHG as a yeoman. Christian wrote his will on August 25, and interest that was spread over 17 years in various 1792, and must have been in failing health. 79 He signed payments. Henry KŠgy probably received £300 when the document with an X but had previously written his the deed was issued on May 28, 1768. For the remainder name in German script on a power of attorney dated of the money due, a mortgage agreement was issued to June 4, 1785. 80 The will was witnessed by John Mylin and John Moser on May 28, 1768, with £975 due to Henry Martin Manterbach. John Mylin was probably the son of KŠgy in 16 different payments. 74 Christian purchased this Martin Mylin Jr., the gunsmith. 81 mortgage from Henry in 1773 for £358.16.0, the amount ChristianÕs health had been declining and on of principal due at the time. 75 The total payments, February 28, 1794, he died. 82 Doctor Christian Neff was principal and interest, due to Christian Hess from John paid £9.0.0 by the estate for his services. 83 Moser was £575 over the remainder of the mortgage. The  7KH FRIÀQ was made by the Mennonite joiner Johannes Bachman interest rate would appear to be 5% simple interest. on February 28 th for Den alten Christian Hš§ at a cost of At the conclusion of the mortgage in 1785, Christian £2.5.0.84 Christian was buried in the family cemetery gave his younger brother, Samuel, power of attorney Òto appear before the Recorder of DeedsÓ and Òacknowledge satisfactionÓ of payment by John Moser. 76 Samuel appeared in Lancaster on June 4, 1785, and signed the 72 7KH WUXH VXUQDPH RI -RKQ 0RVHU LV GLIÀFXOW WR DVFHUWDLQ ,W appears as Moser, Mosser and Musser in legal records. He signed his original mortgage agreement made by John Moser in name as Johanes Moser on an unrecorded deed (private collection). 1768, acknowledging payment to Christian. 77 73. Deed CC-496, LCA. At the time of his death in 1794, Christian had loans 74. Deed M-380, LCA. 75. Deed W-305, LCA. RXWWRÀYHLQGLYLGXDOV-DFRE*RFKHQDXHUKDGERUURZHG 76. Deed W-313, LCA. £75 and owed 11 months simple interest at 5%. Martin 77. Deed M-380, LCA. BucherÕs loan was for £30 and 11 months of interest at 78. Inventory (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. 79. Will F-1-557, LCA. 6% was due. An Abraham Hess borrowed £40 and had 80. Deed W-313, LCA. £24.15.0 of interest due. At 5% simple interest this would 81. John Mylin (1739-1823), the son of Martin Mylin Jr., would be 12 years and 4 months of interest due. A Christian have been a young boy when Christian Hess was an apprentice. Hess borrowed £50, and David BeghtlyÕs loan for £15 82. Gravestone, Hans Hess Cemetery, Willow Street, Pa. 83. Administrative Account (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. with 4 years, 10 months, of interest at 6% was due. 84. Johannes Bachman II (1746-1829), Day Book, 1769-1828, 172, %HVLGHVWKHVHÀYHERQGVWRWDOLQJ &KULVWLDQZDVDOVR photocopy of original, LMHS Archives.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 22 April 2012 on the farm where he had been born and lived most of Samuel: his Òanvil and vice, a pair of bellows and my his life. The headstone and footstone that still mark his silver watch.Ó The silver watch went to his nephew grave were made by Jonas Metzger Jr. for £5.1.0. 85 Henry Hess and was listed on his inventory of 1827 with a value of $5. 91 John Hess received the anvil and pair of Will bellows. JohnÕs inventory of 1813 lists one pair of bellows for $16.50 and one anvil for $11. 92 At a value of $16.50, Christian never married and consequently left his the bellows would have been large enough to operate a estate primarily to his siblings or their descendants. forge. No vise was listed on the three inventories of the It was an extremely complicated estate. The executors children of Samuel and probably was not selected. A vise were his brother Abraham and nephew Michael Greider valued at £1 is listed on ChristianÕs inventory. Esther, the (1759-1825).86 As executors they received a 1% payment widow of Samuel, received ChristianÕs Òfeather bed and of £37.16.4 out of an estate that totaled £3,782.1.5. 87 To all thereunto belonging.Ó settle the estate, 29 releases, 3 powers of attorney and 2 DSSRLQWPHQWVRIJXDUGLDQZHUHÀOHGWRWDOLQJSDJHVLQ Inventory the Lancaster County deed books. 88 All estate documents list Conestoga Township as ChristianÕs residence. Six An inventory of ChristianÕs possessions was taken of the releases identify Christian as a gunsmith while by Heinrich GŸth and Heinrich Dietrich shortly after his the other 23 list him as a yeoman. 89 The releases were GHDWK7KHLQYHQWRU\DQGZLOOZHUHÀOHGLQWKH/DQFDVWHU signed from May 20, 1794, until March 18, 1796, and County Courthouse on March 8, 1794. 93 All items are were entered in the deed books on April 20, 1799, and listed with their original spelling as they appear on the December 24, 1803. inventory. In his will he left £100 to the poor with instructions 7KHFORWKLQJRIWKHGHFHDVHGLVRIWHQWKHÀUVWLWHP that his executors were to Òdivide and distribute on an inventory, and that was the case with ChristianÕs. among such poor people as they shall judge to be most In most inventories all the clothing is simply listed as deserving thereof.Ó His unmarried sister, Veronica; the wearing apparel. A few additional items are included children and heirs of his deceased brother, John; and the on his inventory: shoes, shirts and a handkerchief. The children and heirs of his deceased sister, Barbara, late listing of a handkerchief and the material used in its wife of Samuel Boyer, each received £100. The remainder construction is very rare. of the estate was divided among his seven other siblings or their descendants. Each of the seven groups received £471.4.10.90 Clothing Value in £ per Item his Wearing Appearell 8.11.7 &KULVWLDQ VSHFLÀHG WKDW D IHZ RI KLV EHORQJLQJV 1 pair Shoes 0.6.0 should go to the children of his deceased brother, 1 Muslin Hankerchifs Cotton 0.1.1 6KLUWV  VKLUW Total 11.8.8

&KULVWLDQ PLJKW KDYH KHOSHG SURFHVV ÁD[ RQ WKH farm for spinning, though, as a single male, Christian would not have spun thread for use in making various textiles. Cotton and linen cloth was purchased so a local seamstress could sew the clothing and bedding he needed. His maiden sister, Veronica, was a seamstress and probably made his clothing and bedding. 94

85. Administrative Account (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. Minutes of the Commissioners of Lancaster County, March 25, 1795, LCA. Jonas Metzger Jr. was hired as one of the masons to cut stone for WKHSXEOLFRIÀFHVRI/DQFDVWHU&RXQW\ 86. Will F-1-557, LCA. 87. Administrative Account (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. 88. Deeds I-3-18 through I-3-85, P-3-417 through P-3-422, LCA. 89 Deeds I-3-27, P-3-417, P-3-418, P-3-419, P-3-421 and P-3-422, LCA. All list Christian as a gunsmith. 90. Will F-1-557, LCA. Administrative Account (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. 91. Inventory (Henry Hess, 1827), LCHS. The Christian Hess headstone in the Hans Hess Cemetery is 92. Inventory (John Hess, 1813), LCHS. now largely unreadable and no complete transcription exists. 93. Inventory (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. A footstone, still standing nearby, is marked ÒC. H.Ó 94. Inventory (Feronica Hess, 1814), LCHS.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 23 April 2012 Textiles Value in £ Value per Item ULÁHVDUHSUHVHQW7KHWKUHHLURQURGVIRUGUDZLQJULÁHV ô\GV&RWWRQ6WULSWV  \G FRXOG EH XVHG IRU FXWWLQJ WKH ULÁLQJ JURRYHV LQ D QHZ ö\GV&RWWRQ6WULSWV  \G EDUUHORUIRUIUHVKHQLQJWKHJURRYHVLQDQROGHUULÁH 101 \GV/LQQHQ  \G He had a box with brass mountings. As Christian aged, feather bed and all its textiles will Total 6.17.10 KH SUREDEO\ QHHGHG WKH ODPS ERWWOH WR GR ÀQH UHSDLU 7KH RQH ROG ULÁH YDOXHG DW RQO\  PLJKW KDYH EHHQ WKH LQLWLDO ULÁH WKDW &KULVWLDQ PDGH DW WKH HQG RI KLV It is impossible to determine with whom Christian apprenticeship. Between the late 1740s, when Christian might have been living at the time of his death. Both of ZRXOG KDYH ÀQLVKHG KLV DSSUHQWLFHVKLS DQG  WKH his nephews, Christian and Henry, had more than one /DQFDVWHU &RXQW\ ULÁH KDG HYROYHG D JUHDW GHDO +LV male over the age of sixteen living with them in 1790. 95 LQLWLDOULÁHZDVSUREDEO\PRUH*HUPDQLFLQVW\OHKHDYLHU Wherever Christian was living, he did own a complete and lacking many of the brass accouterments found in set of furniture but no cooking implements. The eight- ODWHUULÁHV7KHSDWFKER[FRYHUZDVSUREDEO\DVOLGLQJ day clock and case is the single most valuable item wood cover instead of the later hinged-brass patch box. he owned. At £13 the clock would not have been the Like their penchant for clocks, the Hess family also simplest clock and case available or the most expensive. owned guns. ChristianÕs father owned a gun valued The case was most likely a Chippendale style with a at £1 in 1733. 102 Although a gun might be considered scroll pediment hood, carved rosettes, corner columns a requirement on the frontier, only six out of twenty DQGÀQLDOV,QDFDVHRIWKLVW\SHZRXOGKDYHFRVW inventories surveyed from the area between 1724 and 96 approximately £8 in Philadelphia. The clockworks 1742 had a gun. 103 Besides ChristianÕs father, three of would add another £5. Ownership of a clock was a Hess- KLVÀYHEURWKHUVRZQHGJXQV-DFREKDGDJXQYDOXHG family trait. ChristianÕs father, Hans, owned a clock at £1.5.0 in 1741, MichaelÕs gun was valued at £1.10.0 in 97 valued at £4.10.0 in 1733. 7KUHHRIKLVÀYHEURWKHUVDUH 1760 and Samuel owned one gun valued at £1 and four also known to have owned clocks: Jacob (clock at £5 in guns at £0.4.0 in 1788. 104 No gun is listed on AbrahamÕs 1741), Michael (clock at £10 in 1760) and Samuel (clock inventory, and John had no inventory. 105 and case at £1 in 1788). 98 AbrahamÕs 1803 inventory does 99 not list a clock, and John had no inventory. Christian Gun Smithing Value in £ per Item had the highest-value clock of all the Hess brothers. Sundry Small Gun Smith Tools 0.16.0 The desk was probably a Chippendale-style slant &KLVVHOÀOHV 6XQGU\ front with about four drawers. It was his second most woolen yarn 0.3.0 valuable piece of furniture. 1 Vice 1.0.0 ChristianÕs room or home was warmed by a ten-plate Old Coppar 0.3.0 stove. The pipe was used between the stove and the inlet 1 Box with Brass mountings into a chimney. Ten-plate stoves were introduced about for Guns 0.15.0 ,URQ5RGVIRU'UDZLQJ5\IHOV  URG 1765 and were used for heating but could also be used for 1 Old Ryfel 1.0.0 100 baking on a small scale. Although some baking could 1 Old Anvel & Iron 0.10.0 be done in the stove, it would appear that Christian did 1 Lamp Bottle & Looking Glass 0.2.6 no cooking. The inventory contains no cooking utensils, 1 anvil, 1 pair of bellows will kettles, pans or pewter. Total 4.18.3

Furniture & Stove Value in £ Value per Item &KDLUV  FKDLU 1 Table 0.7.0 95. Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in 1 Eight day Clock & Case 13.0.0 the Year 1790, Pennsylvania :DVKLQJWRQ*RYHUQPHQW3ULQWLQJ2IÀFH 1 Cubbert 0.5.0 1908), 130. 96. Scott T. Swank, Arts of the Pennsylvania Germans (New York: 1 Desk 4.10.0 W. W. Norton and Co., 1983), 121, 152. 1 Chest 0.15.0 97. Inventory (John Hess, 1733), LCHS. 1 bedstead will 98. Inventories (Jacob Hess, 1741), (Michael Hess, 1760) and 1 Ten plate Stove & Pipe 4.5.0 (Samuel Hess, 1788), LCHS. Total 23.10.6 99. Inventory (Abraham Hess, 1803), LCHS. 100. Horace M. Mann, The Bible in Iron or Pictured Stoves and Stove Plates of the Pennsylvania Germans (Doylestown, Pa.: Bucks County Late in life Christian was probably no longer making Historical Society, 1941), 140-45. 101. Eliot Wigginton, )R[ÀUH *DUGHQ&LW\1<$QFKRU3UHVV ULÁHVRQO\UHSDLULQJWKHP,QKHFRXOGQRORQJHU Doubleday, 1979), 230, 238, 262-63. write his name, which he was capable of in 1785. The 102. Inventory (John Hess, 1733), LCHS. inventory would indicate he was no longer constructing 103. R. Martin Keen, ÒCommunity and Material Culture Among ULÁHV$EVHQWDUHVOHGJHVWRQJVKDPPHUVIRUJLQJWRROV Lancaster Mennonites: Hans Hess from 1717 to 1733,Ó Pennsylvania a bick iron and other large blacksmith tools. There are Mennonite Heritage 13 (January 1990): 23. 104. Inventories (Jacob Hess, 1741), (Michael Hess, 1760) and no tools for making gun stocks, such as saws, planes (Samuel Hess, 1788), LCHS. and draw knives. The tools and materials for repairing 105. Inventory (Abraham Hess, 1803), LCHS.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 24 April 2012 payment from his renters was probably in use throughout ChristianÕs life. Every year Christian would have crops to sell or use as he thought best. The exact terms of the rent are unknown. It could have been a percentage of the FURSRUDÀ[HGQXPEHURIEXVKHOVRIJUDLQSHU\HDU:KDW amount of the rent is represented by the wheat and corn on the inventory and account is unknown.

Agriculture Value in £ per Item %XVKHO,QGLDQ&RUQ#  EXVKHO %XVKHO,QGLDQ&RUQ#  EXVKHO account Details of inventory of ChristianÕs gunsmithing possessions, %XVKHO:KHDW#  EXVKHO ÀOHGLQWKH/DQFDVWHU&RXQW\&RXUWKRXVHRQ0DUFK Total 16.4.0

The items on the inventory were sold at public sale. Five entries on the inventory are for sundries that Advertising for the sale probably appeared in Johann total £1.6.3 and give no indication of the items. The gold AlbrechtÕs newspaper Neue Unpartheyische LancŠster scale and weights would be used primarily for weighing gold and silver coins to determine their value. Coins of Zeitung and printed broadsides. The payment of £0.10.0 the period were often well worn or had been shaved to Johann Albrecht & Co. is most likely for advertising or cut. In Pennsylvania the value of a coin was based the sale of personal items. The total value of all items on its precious metal content and weight, not its face sold was £11.18.3 less than their appraised value, £65.2.0, 111 value. 106 Face value might give an indication but was on the inventory. not accepted as its true value. The quantity of silver or gold in a coin would vary, depending on what country Estate Summary minted the coin. An accurate weight of the coins would The vast majority of ChristianÕs estate was in his EHUHTXLUHGWRSXUFKDVHDULÁHSURGXFWRUDQ\VHUYLFH Christian did some reading, but with an average two-hundred-acre farm in Donegal Township. He value of £0.2.5, his four books were not very big. A large initially paid a total of £256.5.0 for the land. When it Bible or Martyrs Mirror would be valued at £1.10.0 to was purchased in 1755 and 1762, there was probably no £1.15.0. A New Testament could be valued at £0.4.0. 107 cleared land or buildings, but by 1775, seventy acres had A case with razors would have been used for been cleared. Land values increased dramatically during shaving. His brother Samuel also had a razor and hone, ChristianÕs lifetime and, with a large amount of cleared valued at £0.3.0. 108 land, the increase was even greater. In forty years, from Besides his eight-day clock and case, Christian also 1755 to 1795, the value of his land increased 1,140%. The owned a silver watch. With his two timepieces he must farm had average buildings for the time period. In 1798 have always known what time it was, whether he was at there was a two-story log house, 28 ft. x 25 ft., with only home or away. The need for a precise time during his era two windows and log barn, 65 ft. x 28 ft. 112 LVDELWEDIÁLQJ%HLQJDVNLOOHGPHWDODQGZRRGFUDIWVPDQ ChristianÕs household furnishings, tools and he may have been intrigued by the high degree of skill clothing made up a very small part of his total net worth. required to build a timepiece. The gunsmith Martin Only 1.7% of his total estate was in these items. Mylin Jr., with whom Christian might have apprenticed, owned a clock valued at £8 and a watch valued at £7 in 1751.109 A. Total Estate Value in £ % of Total Land 3181.10.0 84.1 (B) Money 535.8.8 14.2 Other Items Value in £ Value per Item (C) Total Goods 65.2.0 1.7 1 Case with Razors 0.2.6 Total 3782.0.8 1 Gold Scales & Weights 0.4.6 %RRNV  ERRN 1 Box with Sundries 0.6.0 To Sundries 0.1.6 106. John J. McCusker, Money and Exchange in Europe and America, 1600-1775: A Handbook (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina To Sundries 0.3.9 Press, 1978), 8-10, 175-81. Sundries 0.7.6 107. Inventory (Martin Greider, 1785), LCHS. 1 Box with Sundries 0.7.6 108. Inventory (Samuel Hess, 1788), LCHS. silver watch will 109. Inventory (Martin Mylin, 1751), LCHS. Total 2.2.9 110. Tax List (1769 Return), Donegal Twp., LCHS. 111. Administrative Account (Christian Hess, 1794), LCHS. 112. Federal Direct Tax (1798), Donegal Twp., microcopy no. 372, In 1769 Christian received his rental payment for his roll no. 6, book 120, Conrad Ziegler, 59, and book 121, Conrad Ziegler, farm in Donegal Township in crops. 110 This method of 81, LCHS.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 25 April 2012 A fair amount of ChristianÕs worth, 14.2%, was in cash and loans. A total of 39% of his money was in cash. This would have been in gold and silver coins. Unlike his fatherÕs inventory, there is no indication of where he kept his money. Hans HessÕs cash was in his chest. 113 Nearly half of ChristianÕs money was loaned to family, friends or neighbors. On this money he was earning 5 or 6% simple interest. The book debts are money due to Christian for services and products and would not have generated interest. They could include JUDLQVROGDQGULÁHVPDGHRUUHSDLUHG$OWKRXJKRI his money was either in loans or debts, all of the money due was paid to the estate. There was no adjustment on Gravestones in the Hans Hess Cemetery (Willow Street, WKHÀQDODFFRXQWIRUEDGGHEWV Pennsylvania) for Hans and Magdalena Hess, foreground, with ChristianÕs grave behind his motherÕs on the right B. Money Value in £ % of Total Cash 208.18.6 39.0 Loans 244.3.4 45.6 Book Debts 82.6.10 15.4 Initially he may have lived there in order to clear landÑ Total 535.8.8 increasing its rental value. Renting out a large farm was not a common occurrence in the 1700s. Low-priced land was always available on the frontier. At his death, Christian had very little in personal Rather than live on his farm, Christian chose to belongings. The high value of cloth is apparent when his stay with his younger brother, Samuel, on the Hess clothing and textiles represent 28% of the total value of homestead in Conestoga Township. Both farms are all his belongings. If his bedding had been included on located in Lancaster County and are about twenty miles the inventory, this value would have been even higher. apart. The farm in Conestoga Township was much closer His furniture and stove were the most valuable group of to the town of Lancaster while the Donegal Township personal items on the inventory, and 92% of this consists farm was more accessible to people traveling west to of just three itemsÑhis eight-day clock and case, desk York or Harrisburg. and ten-plate stove. Although Christian was a gunsmith, Having no immediate family of his own, Christian the value of his gunsmithing tools and equipment is left his estate to the poor of the area and his brothers very low. The gunsmithing items would be higher if the and sisters or their descendants. In all, sixty-seven Hess anvil and bellows could be included. family members received cash in the form of gold and silver coins. Payments ranged from £5.7.1 to £471.4.10 per person. The money was divided among one brother, C. Total Goods Value in £ % of Total Clothing and Textiles 18.6.6 28.2 two sisters, twenty-one nephews, six nieces, eight great- Furniture and Stove 23.10.6 36.1 nephews, eighteen great-nieces and eleven relatives with Gun Smithing 4.18.3 7.5 no recorded releases. Relatives with recorded releases Other Items 2.2.9 3.3 lived in Lancaster, Dauphin, York, Franklin, Bedford and Agriculture 16.4.0 24.9 Westmoreland Counties, Pennsylvania. They also lived Total 65.2.0 in Washington County, Maryland, and Shenandoah and Augusta Counties, Virginia. Little is known about Christian Hess as a gunsmith. It is apparent that Christian had not constructed His role in the production and development of the ULÁHV RU DQ\ JXQ IRU TXLWH D ZKLOH 1R JXQ EDUUHOV 3HQQV\OYDQLDORQJULÁHZLOOSUREDEO\QHYHUEHNQRZQ JXQVWRFNVLURQRUÀQLVKHGULÁHVDUHRQWKHLQYHQWRU\ Another indication of his failing health is the absence 1R ULÁH RU JXQ KDV EHHQ LGHQWLÀHG DV EHLQJ PDGH E\ of any horse, saddle and bridle. Also missing are any KLP 'LG KH SURGXFH FXVWRPPDGH ULÁHV ZLWK H[WUD agricultural implements. HPEHOOLVKPHQWVRUMXVWVLPSOHULÁHVDQGPXVNHWV"+RZ long did he work as a gunsmith? Were any gunsmiths trained by Christian? As a Mennonite did he produce Summary ULÁHV IRU WKH 5HYROXWLRQDU\ :DU" 8QOHVV KLV OHGJHU RU D ULÁH PDGH E\ KLP LV IRXQG WKHVH TXHVWLRQV ZLOO JR Christian was successful as a gunsmith and unanswered. R landowner. The total value of his fatherÕs estate was £396 in 1733. Sixty-one years later ChristianÕs estate was worth £3,782, nearly ten times as much. He purchased a two-hundred-acre farm in Donegal Township but probably never lived there for any length of time. 113. Inventory (Hans Hess, 1733), LCHS.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 26 April 2012