Polsgrove, Palsgrove, Paulsgrove, Posgrove, Paltzgraff, Pfalzgraf and
Pfaltzgraff
CHRONOLOGY
BIRTH: 1748 DOB per confirmation data, Falkner Swamp Reformed
Church, Whitsunday, 1766 and abstracted backwards, Philadelphia Co., (since
1784, the year Jacob left PA for VA [now W. Va.] Montgomery Co., PA). The family
were members of New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church, but the confirmations were
recorded in the Falkner Swamp church records. All of them took place on
Whitsunday of their respective years.Several of the confirmations of George's
children, recorded in Falkner Swamp church records, did not take place until
they were in their teens. Two, Jacob and Jacobina, after their father George
(who died in 1757) had died. Some have not been found. Henry was an exception,
baptized in 1755. See the Fritsch connection at the link below for Mary and an
explanation of why people were members of one church and yet baptisms were
recorded at a different church.
DEATH of FATHER: 1757 Death of George, Sr., between 30 May and 1
Aug 1757. George's widow, Anna Maria Barbara (Kamm) Palsgrove later married
Leonard Trumbower or Drumbauer, sometime between 1757 and 1778.
WILL of FATHER: 1757 Named as heir in his father's will, 30 May
1757; probated, 1 Aug 1757, Philadelphia Co. (now Montgomery Co.), PA. Will is
on file at City Hall, Philadelphia, PA.
CONFIRMATION: 1766 DOConfirmation, Whitsunday, May 18, 1766, age
18, recorded as "son of George, dec'd" in records of Falkner Swamp Church, but
the family were members of the Goshenhoppen (New Goshenhoppen) Reformed
Church.
SPONSOR: 1768-1-1 Sponsor at baptism of Johan Jacob Steiner, son of
Heinrich Steiner and Catherine, (Jacob's sister) with Elizabeth Bader, Christ
Church, Biebers, Rockland Twp, Berks Co, PA. [Elizabeth Bader was not Jacob's
wife].
MARRIAGE: 1774 About 15 years ago I employed a professional
genealogist to find the marriage of Jacob, Sr, in Pennsylvania. She did a lot of
research, and you see some of the results on this webpage. She even checked the
church records where he was married but reported there was no record there. A
year ago I received an email from a member of the Paltzgraff family, the
descendants of John, (son of George-2 Jacob's older brother), who moved to Ohio.
Because he was looking for the specific spelling "Paltzgraff" he found the
marriage record, but took no special notice of it because he did not know who
most of the Palsgroves were at that time. It went into his data files, but not
into a gedcom. This man is David Schiltz and all of us who are descended from
Jacob, Sr, owe Mr. Schiltz a great debt. The reason is because he did not search
only the index of these church records, but he read the entire book. My hired
researcher did not do that. This is the reason you will never find this record
on a CD-Rom from all these exploiters of our families' records and histories for
money. They only copy the indices. I had to independently confirm this record
for my own satisfaction and because I am not into knowingly publishing
non-proven and questionable data. So I gave the info to a lady named "Sparky"
who does look-ups and she found it within a minute by going right to the date of
the marriage. So here it is for all of us to share:
JACOB PALTZGRAFF,
of New Hanover, married 13 December 1774 at St. Gabriels's Episcopal Church to
BARBARA BIDDLE, of Douglassville. [No pastor's name, no witnesses'
names.]
St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church was originally a German Church by
a different name. But as English settlers began entering that part of Berks
County, it became Episcopalian. Germans continued to come there. The Church is
located in Douglassville which is next to New Hanover.
Many of the families were employed in the furnace business (Valley
Forge, and so on) and when the tax records say that Jacob was a laborer they
meant he was a furnace man. Further down this page is an item about James
Lincoln Palsgrove who retired from work at Hopewell Furnace which is now a
National Park. He died in 1959. He was a descendant of George-2.
When
you follow Jacob to Virginia, he located at Capon Bridge and North River where
there was a furnace business and mills. It is not strange then to find him in
Kentucky at Crooked Creek where there were also mills and furnaces. Finally,
when you go digging around Polsgrove Landing, KY, look for where the mills and
furnaces were located as the reason for being at that place.
Barbara
Biddle: Having no further information about Barbara, I can say she probably
lived in Douglassville, was related to CHRISTOPH BIDDLE ( a
daughter), a Palatine immigrant, who also lived there, whose name was originally
spelled "Buetel" and was probably not one of the English "Biddles" of
Berks Co. for whom there are available records to check.
It is not
strange then to find in Scott County, KY, a village named "Biddle" and it is not
strange to find a marriage for a Richard Biddle in Pendleton Co, KY, in 1815.
It is probable that this Biddle family of Pennsylvania was not related
in any way to the Beadles family of Weakley Co, TN, from which three of Henry's
children found spouses.
Barbara Biddle was Jacob's first wife. She
died between 1785 and 1792 and Jacob married a 2nd time to "________ (________)
BROWN" in Virginia, before son George was born. (See below).
CHILDREN: by Barbara Biddle 1775-1783 Births of three daughters:
Margaret b. 1775-1780, PA Catherine b. 1777-1781, PA Mary b. 1779-1783, PA
FINAL DISPOSITION of FATHER'S WILL 1778 Sold his interest in his
father's estate along with his LIVING sisters and brothers. Philadelphia Co.,
(now Montgomery Co.), PA.: "George Pfaltzgrove buys in 1752; heirs sell in 1778.
Children [LIVING]: Eve m. Henry Steiner; George; Jacob; Henry; Mary m. John
Frick [Fritsch]; Margaret m. John Hartman; Barbara, spinster." [Jacobina wasn't
mentioned in will because she hadn't been born when George, Sr., died in 1757
and there is no evidence that she had died by this time, 1778--but see link on first page!]; Fronica may have
died, or married and moved away. Christina m. Paul Bower, and had already been
provided for. Vol. 6, No. 1, Jan. 1928, Perkiomen Region.
TAXPAYER RECORDS: 1779 Taxpayer: Philadelphia Co, PA., laborer, 2
cows, New Hanover Twp., Valuation 1, p.h.'d 5, County of Philadelphia, page 594,
3rd Series, Vol. 14, Penn Archives.
1781-active
duty: 1. Proof of Service and Source: [Not on the internet yet-copies of
original report such as for the exemption records which are available and can be
seen below.] Service report: PVT, Class 3, Philadelphia County Militia,
Capt. Benjamin Markley, Cmdr., 4th Company; Lt. Col. Anth. Bitting, Cmdr., 4th
Battalion; 3 days duty. Return of 8 Oct 1781. Sources: (1) Penn
Archives, Ser. 6, Vol 1, p. 791 (2) Perkiomen Region, Vol. III, p. 66, Nov,
1900.
1779-excepted duty report: 2. 26 Feb 1779 Philadelphiia
Lieutenancy: 6th Battalion 4th Company Capt. Philip Hawn 3rd Class Remarks:
"Appeals and is to "turn out" in the 5th Class." Source: Court of Appeal
1781-excepted duty report: 3. October, 1781 Philadelphia
Lieutenancy 4th Battalion 4th Company Capt. Benjamin Markley 3rd Class Remarks:
"Turned out, but arrived at camp after the others was [sic] discharged. Excused
for this tour." Source: Court of Appeals 1st-4th Classes, 4th Bn, Oct.,
1781
Other Revolutionary War information: (Record Images for 2 and 3 above)Click
Here
TAXPAYER RECORDS: 1782 Taxpayer: Philadelphia Co., PA., State
Supply Tax, New Hanover Twp., Valuation 106 Tax 13.3, page 260, 3rd Series, Vol.
16, Penn Archives.
CHILDREN: by Barbara Biddle 1784 Birth of Henry in
Pennsylvania.
REMOVAL to VIRGINIA: 1784 Removal to Capon Bridge, Virginia
(Hampshire Co, now WV)
1784 Occasion for removal at this time: "PA Militia 1784" Pay for
military service was often long delayed. Thousands of militiamen returned from
tours of active duty unpaid, bearing only a slip signed by a commanding officer.
General financial confusion and the collapse of wartime currencies made prompt
payment impossible, but eventually, under an act of April 1, 1784, Pennsylvania
compensated such payment for their active service and settled accounts with
certain other public creditors by passing to them interest bearing Certificates
of the funded or Militia Debt. These certificates (bonds in the modern sense)
were ultimately redeemed at face value. Unfortunately, when redemption came many
of the original holders had long since sold their certificates at heavy
discounts. [NOTE: It is my opinion that Jacob waited until he received FULL
compensation for his Militia service and only then left for Virginia. It is
equally significant that older brother George permanently moved to Berks Co.
this same year.JEB]
TAX LIST, VIRGINIA: 1784 Census (i.e., Tax-roll of Elias Poston)
Hampshire Co, VA (now Hampshire Co, WV) 6 White souls, no property, one
dwelling. His name was spelled Jacob Posgrove. People did not believe this was a
different spelling of Polsgrove and jumped to many false assumptions. See
discourse of spellings of Polsgrove further down this page.
CHILDREN: 1785Approximate date for the birth of Jacob in Virginia
(Hampshire Co.) by Barbara Biddle.
MARRIAGE (2) TO WIDOW BROWN IN VIRGINIA: Jacob's first wife,
Barbara Biddle, died and somewhere between 1785 and 1792/3 he married a widow
whose name was " _____ (________) BROWN." We don't know her first name or maiden
name. We don't know her deceased husband's first name. We know they had
children, but only know the name of one-a girl named Franky Brown. It is probable that Jacob's son-in-law, Nathaniel Brown, was also his step-son. And her first name may well have been Frances.
WITNESS to a DEED: 1792 Witness to a deed, property at North River,
Hampshire Co, VA (now WV)North River Bridge was between 5 and 10 miles north of
Capon Bridge and was the location of some mills and furnaces. This is the type
of work that occupied Jacob and is probably where he lived.
CHILDREN: 1792/1794 Birth of George in Virginia (Hampshire Co). Now
we know that GEORGE was a son of Jacob's second wife. We know this from a
marriage record in Shelby Co, KY, in 1813, where this George is named as surety
to the marriage of his HALF-SISTER Franky Brown.
REMOVAL to KENTUCKY: 1795-99 Removal to Scott Co., KY
When we
say KY it now comes clear that the removal was to a place in the region known as
"Crooked Creek" which is now in the SE corner of Grant Co, and sw corner of
Pendleton Co, (both areas were in Pendleton Co, until 1820 well after the family
left) and were in the civic areas known alternatively as Scott, Campbell,
Pendleton and Grant Counties, but always one and the same place.
Generously
Transcribed & Submitted by Nancy Bray Thanks Nancy!
Source: Abstracted County Court Records. Vol. 1 Pease Abstracts
Publications Compiled by Janet K. Pease Published by: Grant County Historical
Society Williamstown, Kentucky 1985
Pendleton County, Kentucky Order
Books & Minutes Book A. 1799-1805 (Abstracts) 8 February,
1801 Page 71 William Downard reported a road survey on the lands of
Randolph Dial. Ordered Jacob Palsgrove be appointed road surveyor in the
place of Wm. Owens. 8 February, 1802 Page 114 Jacob
Palsgrove is appointed a road surveyor. Deed from William Arnold and
Lucey Arnold to William Sanders. Stephen Thrasher is appointed a road surveyor.
10 January, 1803 Page 156 James Littell and William Owens are
to set apart the hands and fix the precinks between Jacob Palsgrove,
William Laton, Joseph Holiday. 14 February, 1803 Page 161
James Littell and William Owens are precinct commissioners; their report
mentions Joseph Holliday, Nathan Robinson, John Zinn, William Denney.John
McClenachan, John Roberts, Sack Robinson, Aaron Adams, James McMeans, William
DeHart, William Laten, William Owens, Jacob New, Derias Laton, Cyrus Lyton,
Negro Isaac, Jacob John, Samuel Wilson, Jacob Palsgrove, Francis Myars,
Andrew Myers, Henry Palsgrove, Simon Denney, Jacob Monnehan, James
Hamerly, Mynus Leyton. 8 August, 1803 Page 185 William Laton,
Jacob Palsgrove, Joseph Thompson, and Charles Zinn are to appraise the
estate of John Reed. 14 May, 1804 Page 229 Philip
Hufman appointed a road surveyor in place of Jacob Palsgrove, Minor
Laten, George Hufman, Jacob Palsgrove Jr.,Jacob Palsgrove Sr.,
Durias Laten, Syrous Laten, to go past lands owned by Jacob, Sr., Jacob, Jr.,
and Henry Palsgrove. Page 234 James Lanier is paid $3.00 for
services. Philip Hufman is appointed a Constable, with William Owens as
security. 11 June, 1804 Page 238 John Gladwell and George
Myars are also affected by the Philip Hufman road survey.
End
of Order Book A, Pendleton County, Ky.
MARRIAGE of DAUGHTER: 1803 Jacob's oldest son Henry was a witness
to Margaret's marriage, Harrison Co, KY.
Phillip Huffman and Margaret
Polsgrove. Bond #369 Harrison County, KY Bond Date September 19,
1803 Bondsman: Henry Polsgrove The groom signs his name as Phillip HOFMAN
on bond. Marriage date: Sep. 22, 1803. In 1st Marriage Book, Page
9. Bride's name given as Margret Palsgrove
This leagal info courtesy
of Wanda Caldwell
This marriage took place in Harrison Co., KY, only a few months before Philip
Hufman arrived in Pendleton Co., according to the dates above.
Deed from Philip and Margaret-Harrison Co, KY, 1808Harrison Co, KY Deeds,
p. 150 Book 3, pg. 40, Oct. 13, 1808-Philip Huffman and wife, Pegy of
Pendleton Co., Ky., deed to Maximillian Robinson of Harrison Co., Ky.
Although I don't have the marriage record yet, this deed record should
suffice to prove that this daughter was named Margaret (i.e., Peggy). It was
either at this time, or shortly thereafter, that Philip and Margaret left for
Henry Co., KY.
MARRIAGE of DAUGHTER: 1804 Jacob, Sr. Consents to daughter's
marriage, Pendleton Co., KY, Catherine to Nathaniel Brown, 18 Oct 1804, Attested
by Philip Huffman, who also was bondsman, Pendleton Co., KY.
MARRIAGE of SON: 1804+/- Marriage of son Henry to 1st wife:
UNKNOWN
MARRIAGE of DAUGHTER: 1805 Marriage of daughter Mary to John
Wilson, (attested by Philip Huffman) 9 July 1805, Pendleton Co., KY. Jacob not
mentioned on marriage record. [Phillip Huffman is specifically connected to
Margaret, Catherine, Mary, father Jacob, and Henry Polsgrove in a deed, two
marriages and a census record]
With the addition of the Pendleton Co, Ky, Court Orders (above) 1799-1805, we
now have Jacob, Sr, linked with Henry, Jacob, Jr, Philip Hufman, and by marriage
records and a deed with all three daughters. There is only one so far that does
not have such a firm link and that is the brother, George, b. 1792, and was
still a youth in the era.
Pendleton Co. Henry Polsgrove m. (1) ____________________ Henry was
probably married no later than March, 1807 and no earlier than March, 1805, if
he waited until he was 21 years old to marry. No one knows who Henry married
first and any story you hear that is not accompanied with substantial
documentation should be treated as speculation.
Shelby Co. Henry
Polsgrove m. 31 Aug 1818 (2) Nancy Lewis
Franklin Co./Henry Co. Jacob Polsgrove m. 5 Aug 1811 Nancy Coulter
Henry County George POLSGROVE, m. 29 Oct 1813 Eliza COLSTON
5-19-00 Pendleton County, KY, Records: Marriages: Catherine Palsgrove, m. Nathaniel Brown, 18 Oct 1804 Bond # 81. Bond
date: 17 Oct 1804. Bondsman: Philip Hufman, who signs as Philip Hofman.
Consent of Jacop [sic] Polsgrove for the marriage of "My daughter
Catherine." Attest: Philip Hofman. Married on 18 Oct 1804. (pages 8 & 10)
[Proof that father Jacob was still alive at this time and was the ancestor of
all Kentucky Polsgroves] Mary Palsgrove, m. John Wilson, 7-9-1805
John (X) Wilson and Mary Palsgrove. Bond # 95. Bond date: 8 Jul 1805.
Bondsman: Ralph (X) Collins. Married on 9 July 1805. Bride's name given as
Polsgrove. From another register: Married 9 July 1805. "Proof of Mary being
of full age made by Philip Huffman." Bride's name spelled Palsgrove. Pages
11 & 13. Ben Benson [the person who sent me these documents]
Harrison Co, KY Marriages: (as yet not found by me) Marriage: Margaret Polsgrove m. Phillip Huffman, 22 Sep 1803. [This was reported to me
by a member of the Hoffman family]
Transcribed and submitted by Bonnie Snow Source: Kentucky County Court
Records Volume VIII Pease Abstract Publications compiled by Janet
Pease Published by The Grant County Historical Society The compiler notes:
"These records were abstracted from the original Pendleton County tax books, as
microfilmed by the LDS Church. Some information as given in the original lists
has been omitted in this listing - items such as the number of horses, cows, and
the type of land owned....." My note: I did not include everything that is
listed in the Pease abstracts. This includes the number of whites/blacks in the
household; the name the land was entered, surveyed and patented; and the date
the tax list was taken.
1804 May 3, 1804 - Philip
Hufman, living on Crooked Creek.
Pendleton co, KY, Tax Records:
Beginning about 1807 Hufman, George – 300 acres, Crooked
Creek Hufman, Philip – 1030 acres, CROOKED
CREEK Palsgrove, Jacob – 120 acres, Crooked CreekThis is Jacob,
Sr. 1807 Tax List: Jacob Palsgrove 1-1-0-0 120 acre, Crooked
Creek, Walker Land Survey 29 July 1807. Paulsgrove, Henry 1–0-0-0 no
acreage29 July 1807 1808: Jacob Polsgrove 1-0-0-0 120 acres
Crooked Creek Beal Survey 8 July 1808 Henry Palsgrove1-0-0-0 no
acreage 8 July 1808 Wilson, John – no acreage 1809: Jacob
Polsgrove1-0-0 120 acres Crooked Creek Bell [Beal?] survey 22 July
1809 Henry Polsgrove 1-0-0 no acreage 22 July
1809 1810: Jacob Palsgrove1-0-0 120 acres Crooked Creek Walker
Survey 21 July 1810 Henry Palsgrove1-0-0 no acreage 21 July
1810 1811: Jacob Palsgrove 1-0-0-0 no acreage 14 June 1811 No
Tax listings after 1811
This carries Palsgroves in Pendleton up to
1811 in Pendleton Co, Ky, and after that they must have all moved to
Henry/Franklin Cos KY. Since Polsgrove Landing is on the County Line, I'm sure
this is where they went first. This also means thatJacob, Sr probably went there
as well. I don't know how to rate the tax info, i.e., 1-0-0-0 as
yet.
Delinquent Tax List for 1807 Where Removed
To:
1809 Philip Hufman rem to Henry County
1810
PAWLSGROVE, HENRY -rem to- FRANKLIN COUNTY,
KY.
1811 Henry Paulsgrove rem to- [not known, but must mean
Franklin Co.]
1815 Harrison Co., KY Deed Index A-D
1794-1894 (SLFHL 0216845) p229 4/452 1815 Coulson, John from P.
Huffman 400 A Crooked Creek. 1829 Pendleton Co., KY
Deed Index 1798-1931 C-G (SLFHL 0272778) E/551 1829 Coulson, John from
William Huffman 80 A South Fork
This is the first recorded
association I have found linking the Coulson and Polsgrove families. The
youngest brother, George, b. 1792/94, married Elizabeth Coulson.
DEATH OF JACOB, SR., still don't know, but must have been after 1810.
THIS INFO MAKES THIS A VIABLE WEBPAGE.
THERE IS SUFFICIENT
DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE THAT JACOB, b. 1748, WAS INDEED THE ANCESTOR OF THE
KENTUCKY POLSGROVES.
THERE HAS BEEN A DIFFERENT VERSION WHICH HAS NEVER
BEEN SUPPORTED BY ANY "FACTS" KNOWN OR OTHERWISE.
IF THIS OTHER VERSION
WERE TRUE, ITS SUPPORTERS WOULD HAVE BEEN OVERJOYED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVEAL
THE DOCUMENTED PROOFS TO THE CONTRARY, SOMEWHERE.
REMOVAL TO FRANKLIN COUNTY, KENTUCKY
1809-1819
Further up this page you can find specific dates
for the removal of Philip Hufman and Henry Polsgrove to Franklin and Henry
Counties, which was,I believe, specifically to the place that is now called
"Polsgrove Landing" in what is now Franklin County. Father Jacob, Sr and sons,
Jacob,Jr. and George, came later. Jacob, Sr., died before 1820 as he is in no
census. The following census data show where the 3 brothers were:
Second
Census (in which Henry appears): 1820 KENTUCKY Henry Palsgrove: Henry Co,
KY, 265 NTL Brothers of Henry: Jacob Palsgrove: Henry Co, KY, 265
NTL George Bolsgrove: Franklin Co, KY, 112 Lawrence [In records
his mis-spelled last name is reason no one ever found George before] I have
not seen the data [numbers] for these.
An Excerpt on the Background of
"Polsgrove Landing"
Franklin County, Kentucky Bald Knob
Area
The once small communities of Flag Fork, Flat Creek, Harp,
Harvieland, Honeysuckle, Lebanon, Mt. Zion, O'Nans Bend, Polsgrove Landing, St.
John, Stoney Creek and Union Store comprise today, the section of the county we
know as Bald Knob. Bordered by the counties of Henry and Shelby on the west and
the Kentucky River on the east, this rural area of Franklin County holds many of
the characteristics know to eastern Kentucky. The land is poor, consisting
mainly of hills, only good for grazing. Through the years, erosion from the
hills made fertile bottom land which was good for growing corn and tobacco. Life
was hard and left little time for social events. Socializing was done in the
form of work; a barn raising, hog killing, hay cutting or tobacco housing. The
women and young girls would bring and prepare food, perhaps quilt while the man
completed the task at hand. The early inhabitants of Bald Knob migrated from
Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. They were a strong people, independent and
self-reliant; many of whom were of German, Irish and English ancestry. Their
faith in religion, belief in hard work and family values sustained them in day
to day life.
Although still a rural area, in the past few years Bald
Knob has experienced renewed population growth. Good roads, city water and
available land is making the Bald Knob area a very attractive place live. Many
young families from the city are now making their homes in the area. Flag Fork
and Bailey's Mill Located on U. S. 421 just north of Frankfort, around a bend
where the road levels out a bit, once stood the little community of Flag Fork.
Today, only a road marker stating "Flag Fork" and the old frame building that
was once the general store and post office remain.
Bailey's Mill is
located just up the road a piece from Flag Fork. It was named for Americus A.
Bailey, Jr., who once ran the mill and general store there. James A. Violette,
lawyer and postmaster at Bailey's Mill was also involved in the sale of
hardware, groceries and dry goods. Americus and his family still remain at their
beloved Bailey's Mill. Located at the intersection of Harp Pike and U. S. 421 is
the BAILEY GRAVEYARD.
Flat Creek and Polsgrove
Landing
Early settlers came to Bald Knob by way of the river.
Around 1800, James Brewer, Thomas Brewer, William Harrod, and William Lewis
came down the river from Harrodsburg, Kentucky to claim land along the banks of
the Kentucky River. They brought their families and began to build log homes.
The fertile fields of the river bottom lands were plowed and planted with corn
and tobacco. This raw, untouched land began to sustain a good living for the
early pioneers. The river, which had brought them to this land was now their
road to transport their good to market.
NOTE: There are no
Polsgroves in the above. The dates we have are the facts given above, where
Jacob, Sr, is in the Pendleton County records all thru the decade: 1800-1810. So
it is "anachronistic" to put him in Franklin Co, KY, any earlier.
The
Palzgraff's; Jacob and his wife, Nancy, a German family, came down river and
settled the area known as Polsgrove Landing. NOTE: JACOB, Jr., was in
Pendleton Co, KY, in 1810 and he and NANCY were married in 1811 in Franklin Co.,
KY.
In the years to come, Polsgrove became a busy river port. A post
office was established, churches, stores and lodge halls were built. Charles B.
LeCompte, was the proprietor of a local dry goods and general store. A tobacco
warehouse on the river at Flat Creek was operated by M. I. Baker and James
Sanford a building contractor.
Polsgrove Cemetery Located on Highway
12, near Polsgrove this cemetery has approximately 100 graves, most marked only
with field stones. There are only three with legible stones.
Slattery,
James Aged about 60 years died - May 24, 1881
Polsgrove, Jacob born -
July 10, 1771 died - January 13, 1862
Polsgrove, Nancy, wife of
Jacob born - December 24, 1798 died - December 11, 1862
NOTE:
There is a huge problem with this birth year of 1771. No one seems to know who
put the stone there with this date on it. It conflicts with all extant census
records and with the dates accepted by descendants of Jacob and Nancy. See the
next item.
1983 Polsgrove Family Reunion at Polsgrove Landing,
Franklin Co., Kentucky NOTE:This invitation was sent to me
personally by mail in 1983. I didn't find it only recently on the "magical"
inter-net. JEB.
Dear Polsgrove Cousin:
Your responses to the
questionnaire about a family reunion in 1983 have been overwhelmingly favorable.
The Labor Day weekend was preferred by more of you than the other two dates,
although Memorial Day was almost as popular as Labor Day. Since Labor Day was a
clear choice of those living outside Kentucky, we have decided on that weekend
for the reunion.
The reunion will be held on Sunday, September 4th,
beginning at noon with dinner to be served at 1:30. The event will be at my
family's Polsgrove Landing house and yard which is the old Rodger's Place, the
second house beyond the Polsgrove Post Office run for so many years by Mr. Ollie
Harrod. A map providing directions to the site is enclosed.
During the
reunion, we will have one table set aside for the collection and distribution of
information related to family history. We hope that every one will fill out a
chart tracing their own Polsgrove ancestry and providing other information as
well. Those of you who are doing active family research may want to write me
with suggestions about collecting and distributing family history information. I
would hope that we could go ahead with the information gathered to put together
a family history.
I should make it clear that when I talk about
Polsgrove family history I am referring to the descendants of three men, Jacob
Polsgrove, 1785 1861; William Henry Polsgrove, 1784 1842; and George W.
Polsgrove, 1794 1865.
It is believed though not established that
these three were brothers who came to Franklin County, Kentucky, by way of
Virginia from Pennsylvania around 1810 - 1815.
William Henry moved to
Hickman County in the 1820s.
Many believe that these Polsgrove men were
descended from George Pfalzgraff, a German immigrant who arrived in Philadelphia
in 1732.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Polsgrove NOTE: Does
Robert M. Polsgrove's version of the Polsgrove family's migration to Kentucky
agree with the documented facts found on this website, or do they tell a
different story?
An Earlier Palsgrove's (living in New Jersey) version
of who our immigrant ancestor was:
August 1956
Regarding the
passing of our dear beloved President, who was the leader of the Palsgrove
Reunion for so many years past, the following article written by Franklin Kemp
of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and re-published in the Reading, Penna. News-Times
of May 21, l956 in the column of Arthur D. Graeff, gives you a beautiful cross
section of our dear friend's active and full life.
"The recent death of
James Lincoln Palsgrove in Atlantic City, N. J. closes the final living chapter
of Hopewell Village. Mr. Palsgrove was the last survivor of the employees who
worked at the National historic site when it closed down in 1883.
The
Palsgrove (Paulsgrove, Palsgraf, Pfalz-graf) family extends its roots deep into
our Pennsylvania German lore. Originating in the sunny Palatinate, like so many
of our families, the first Palsgraf arrived in America, September 11, 1732.
Further research would be required to determine the family relation to Palatine
nobility since the name infers "Count of the Palatinate."
On the Rhine,
just below the small town of Bacharach and between Bingen and St. Goar stands a
castle called "Pfalzgrafenstein" (Rock of the Palatinate). It adorns many German
postcards and was likened by Victor Hugo to a "stone ship -- eternally at anchor
in the Rhine."
"Pfalzgrafenstein" was built in 1326 by Emperor Louis the
Bavarian who maintained his solvency by stretching a chain across the river and
charging a toll to all passing, high or low according to the state of his
pocketbook. There is but one entrance to the castle - a door six feet above the
river and reached by means of a ladder. The interior is well preserved today and
a remarkable well can be seen drilled through the rock down to the riverbed.
However, the water is of a different chemical composition than that of the
Rhine.
The Pfalz is owned by the state, and local boatmen row visitors
out to it. On the right-bank, across the river, lies the little town of Caub.
Present day Palsgroves claim a family connection with "Pfalzgrafenstein."
Georg Palsgraff arrived in America on September 11, 1732. In the
"History of Goshenhoppen Reformed Charge," page 14, Pennsylvania German Society
Proceedings, volume 27, can be found a list of the earliest Reformed settlers in
the Goshenhoppen Valley. George (spelled without an "e") was there as early as
1736. In addition, the Hinke-Strassburger PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN PIONEERS lists
only two Palsgroves as coming to America. They are the Georg already mentioned
and another George who arrived in 1741. [NOTE: These two were one and the same
person, George having returned to Europe about 1738 on some business. JEB]
Up until the date of his death, January 14, 1956, J. Lincoln
Palsgrove was active and in good health. He had a charming sense of humor. If
you would remark about his longevity and vitality, he would slap you on the back
and say, "You're good for another fifty yourself." Lincoln was born at Hopewell
Village on November 5, 1863, the son of Joseph and Kathrine (Millard) Palsgrove.
He had three sisters -- Annie, Mary and Minnie. The family was a member of the
Pine Swamp Evangelical Church. [NOTE: I believe that this Katherine was a
descendant of a Millard line which was in the same line of descent from Abraham
Lincoln's ancestors as he was--someone needs to pursue and complete this line of
inquiry. I have tried, but have not yet found the connection.].
Lincoln's
parents were, no doubt, influenced by our Civil War president when it came to
selecting a name. Strangely enough, just a few miles from where Lincoln was born
is the home of Mordecai Lincoln, great-great-grandfather of Abraham Lincoln. It,
like Hopewell, is today a national shrine.
NOTES: All notes are
from John E. Bristol, myself. I found this document in the same files which held
the other Palsgrove papers at the Montgomery County Historical Society in
1969. I had to re-transcribe all of them as they were not scanable.
The Migration Myth
In the migration myth, the story is
that Jacob was born in 1771, George was born in 1775 and Henry was born in 1784.
The 1784 date is the only correct date here.
For the correct dates,
see Robert M. Polsgrove's dates, given above, which agree with all known data
sources.
Mythical Parent of the Three Brothers:
It has
even shown up on a GedCom on the internet, that the parent of these three boys
was George, the older brother of Jacob. That this could not have been so is
shown by the dates of birth of some of his children:
Partial and
Pertinent List of Children of John George Palsgrove of Pennsylvania, son of Our
Immigrant Ancestor, John George from Niederbronn.
Children: John
George, b 9 Feb 1770 Maria Catharine, b 11 Oct 1771 NOTE:
Definite date conflict here, lack of a record to prove otherwise [re: Jacob, b.
10 July 1771] 3 months gestation isn't enough time to pull off this
miracle--Eliminates Jacob. Maria Barbara, b. 1773
Henry, b 28 Mar
1775 NOTE: Definite date conflict for a George, b. 1775. No record to
affirm otherwise. AND this Henry is the man who went to Martinsburg, VA, about
25 miles from his brothers in Franklin County, PENNSYLVANIA, and married Caty
Miller. Eliminates George. John Jacob, b 6 Jan 1777 [The son George
was living with when he died] of Schuylkill Haven, PA. John, b 28 Jan
1779 NOTE: Their son John who was born in 1779 died young, then they
had another son in 1787 also called John--the John who as a young adult lived in
Kutztown, Berks County, Pennsylvania, and in 1832 migrated to Trumbell County,
Ohio. Andrew, b 4 Oct 1780
John George, [the brother of our
ancestor, John Jacob, who brought our family to Virginia, then to Kentucky]
died an honorable death in Pennsylvania where he lived with his son Jacob, b.
1777, see above, and was given a Revolutionary Soldier's burial at
Schuylkill Haven, PA.
Final Words About the Myth
This
concludes what I need to say about the facts versus the "Migration Myth".
JEB
CONTINUATION of CHRONICLES of HENRY, JACOB and GEORGE
POLSGROVE
CLICKHenry
of Hickman County, KY CLICKJacob
of Franklin County, KY CLICKGeorge
of Franklin County, KY