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.