Earliest Landowners; 1860 Buildings 1-10 in East Region of Springettsbury Township
Surnames: Ferree, Fritz, Miller, Strickler
This is the same illustration that began my post 1860 Buildings 1-10 in East Region of Springettsbury Township; with one exception. A faint transparent overlay of the corresponding section of Neal Otto Hively’s Connected Draft Warrant MAP 20 of The Manor of Springettsbury is shown over the 1937 Aerial Photo.
The Rev’d Dr. Neal Otto Hively has created connected property maps, for the earliest settlers, covering all of York and Adams Counties. His books on original land records and accompanying connected draft warrant maps are based on his original research. In a phenomenal effort, Neal Otto Hively secured copies of original land records from multiple locations, then collated, organized and indexed volumes of information to publish the results in a series of books and to create the maps. His books contain details associated with each numbered map parcel. These details include: who the settlers were, when they arrived in that area, where they settled and a host of other facts. Check out Hively’s web site here. The York County Heritage Trust is a location that sells Hively’s books and maps.
In tracing deeds of property ownership from the present owner back to the Penn Proprietors, one occasionally hits a deed that has not been recorded, especially during earlier times; causing a break in the research chain. The utilization of Neal Otto Hively’s books and maps often allows one to complete the property ownership chain. In many instances, overlaying Hively’s maps on 1930s aerial photos shows that some roads were located on early property lines and that some property lines have not changed from the time of the earliest settlers through the 1930s.
For Springettsbury Township, Neal Otto Hively’s references are:
- BOOK: The Manor of Springettsbury, York County, PA, Its History and Early Settlers, York County Original Land Records, Volume 6.
- MAP: Connected Draft Warrant MAP 20, The Manor of Springettsbury.
In my previous post, I noted four of the ten (marked) 1860 buildings still stand at these present addresses:
- [e2] – 3901 Stuart Drive
- [e6] – 3601 Concord Road
- [e8] – 1755 Williams Road
- [e10] – 3400 Concord Road (on York County Prison property)
Continue reading for details about the earliest landowners associated with the buildings at these four addresses.
From the Hively references, the [e2] building is within Survey 231. In 1736, the earliest ownership begins with Nicholas Kahn’s 253.8-acres, that he called “Chestnut Level.” The land passes to Henry Kahn, who sells the land to Andrew Ferree in 1796.
In 1796 this 254-acre parcel of land was in Hellam Township. Spring Garden Township was formed from this part of Hellam Township and a part of York Township in 1821. This 254-acre parcel of land is now located in Springettsbury Township. This occurred due to the formation of that township from the northeastern part of Spring Garden Township in 1891.
Andrew Ferree purchases the 254-acre tract in 1796; Andrew is my Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather. I wrote about the Ferree connection in these posts:
- Location of Andrew & Mary Ferree’s 254-Acre Property in York County
- Enhancing Family Histories Part 3, Reunions: Smith, Ferree, Anstine, Barshinger
From the Hively references, the [e6] and [e8] buildings are within Survey 221. In 1736, the earliest ownership begins with 400-acres to Joseph Evans. The land passes Michael Koontz before being divided in 1785, with 117-acres going to Philip Fritz and 283-acres to Michael Miller.
From the Hively references, the [e10] building is within Survey 220. In 1734, the earliest ownership begins with 400-acres to Thomas Doyle. In 1741, the ownership for the land passes to John Davis, who sells 212.8-acres of this tract to Ulrich Strickler in 1742. Ulrich begins building the farmhouse which still stands today on part of the York County Prison property in Springettsbury Township..
[e10] is known as the Strickler Family Farmhouse; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 21st, 1991. The {ownership years} and owners (with year born-died) are from the National Register nominating document:
- {1742-1749} Ulrich Strickler (died 1749)
- {1749-1772} John Strickler (1744-1777), eldest son of Ulrich
- {1772-1835} Henry Strickler (1746-1835), second son of Ulrich
- {1835-1850} John Strickler (1770-1850), eldest son of Henry
- {1850-1855} Salome Treichler Strickler (1783-1855), widow of John
- {1855-1890} John Strickler, Jr. (1818-1890), son of John & Salome
- {1890-1905} Frederick Strickler (1842-1905), son of John, Jr.
- {1890-1926} Mary Strickler (1849-1937), daughter of John, Jr.
- {1905-1926} Amanda Strickler, widow of Frederick
- {1926-1943} Ambrose N. E. Miller
- {1943-1943} John C. Miller
- {1943-Present} York County Institution District
