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2. GEORGE2 GRUBB (HEINRICH1) (#161) was born in Switzerland CA 1710. GEORGE died September 1753 in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa., at age 43. His body was interred September 1753 in Oak Grove Cem. E. Coventry, Pa.. He married MARY date unknown. (MARY is #1348.) She married HENRY DASHER date unknown.
GEORGE GRUBB was a blacksmith and owned considerable land in East Coventry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He had come to East Coventry Township with his mother, two brothers, ABRAHAM and JOHN and his sister ELIZABETH, after his father Heinrich had died and his mother had remarried Jacob Frick
The land that GEORGE GRUBB owned was next to his brother ABRAHAM GRUBB. Maps in my files show the location of these properties. His other brother JOHN who had come at the same time, also owned considerable land . In all the three brothers owned over 600 acres.
When I visited the area in 1995 I was shown an old stone building on Fulmer Road which is supposed to be the building where either GEORGE or JOHN did their blacksmith work.
In 1747 EDWARD PARKER purchased a Public House (tavern) from Jacob Free and had to apply for a license before he could sell liquor. This happened every time a tavern changed ownership. This tavern was located on the Schuylkill Road between the William Moore and Martin Urner properties. The procedure was to get a number of petitioners to request the granting of a license. In this case about 20 men signed and among them was GEORGE GRUBB.
GEORGE GRUBB made his will on 22 September 1751 but didn't die until September 1753. He left the use of his house and farm to his wife MARY as long as she remained his widow. If she remarried she was to receive one third of the value of the estate ten years after GEORGE had died and the rest was to be divided equally between his 3 children ELIZABETH, ABRAHAM and DAVID. Actually MARY did remarry to HENRY DASHER. For her personal use MARY was to receive their clock, bedstead, a brass kettle and her choice of a horse with her side saddle.
All his blacksmith tools were to be sold as well as a house he evidently owned that was occupied by his brother ABRAHAM. The proceeds were to be divided equally among the 3 children. His widow MARY and his brother JACOB GRUBB were designated as Executors of the Will When HENRY DASHER and JACOB GRUBB took the inventory it amounted to £877 3 shillings and 9 pence. But by the time the Will was probated on 8 January 1772, after MARY had remarried, the actual distribution was only £297 2 shillings and 2 pence.
The above Will is found in the Philadelphia County Will Book K Page 116 Will #75 and is held by the Philadelphia Register of Wills in Philadelphia, Pa.
GEORGE GRUBB's two children, DAVID and CATHARINE, received £20 from the will of his brother CONRAD GRUBB when he died in 1798. Taken from Montgomery County Will Book "N" 2 Page 590 will # 2124 dated 13 February 1786 proved 29 May 1798.
JANICE DASHER of California was kind enough to send me the following interesting information.
"In addition, I came across something you might find interesting. I have the estate documents of Ludwig Bloom (Blum), Innkeeper of Coventry who died in 1751. He named George Grob the executor of his estate along with James Ingels. In an Orphan's Court document which was included in the Estate Documents, George Grob wrote: "To all to whom these presents shall come know ye that where as Lodwick Bloom of Coventry in Chester County deceased hath appointed me George Grob to be one of his executors I do hereby refuse it and decline entirely "---' from being Exec. of the Estate of L. Bloom aforesaid given from under my hand and ... this 22nd day of April 1751, signed Georg Grob" (Linton, I have kept this rendition true to the spelling as it appears on the original document.)
"In your history of the Grob/Grubbs you mentioned that perhaps George was ill and sold land to his brothers and I thought this might add credence to that supposition. Perhaps George refused to act as executor due to ill health. James Ingels was the sole administrator on the account Administration filed 2/19/1755. Jacob Frick, Dan. Switzer, Martin Umer, Edward Parker, and other familiar names are among those listed.
"After doing a little googling on Ludwig Blum I learned he was a house father and one of the educators during the early years of Ephrata. He had formal training in music. He was a Householder, who came in about 1738. He was appointed the Choral Director by Beissel and he taught for 2 years from 1740 to 1742 during which time the sisters told Beissel they would learn all they could from Blum. Then, they requested that Blum be relieved of his duties so that Beissel could be director of the Choir. This choir became quite well known during the years Beissel led it with about 1000 musical pieces in their repertoire.
"In the Chronicon Ephrateuse there is a passage recounting the events of the time:
"Now those of the Solitary, of whom about seventy of both sexes were in the Settlement, were selected who had talent for singing, and the above mentioned Ludwig Blum, together with the Superintendent, arranged a singing-school in the settlement, and everything prospered for a time. and as soon as they saw that he had mastered the art, they dismissed their schoolmaster, at which he took such offence, that he left the Settlement, and did not walk with them any more, and when asked why he had left the Settlement he said: "The singing broke my neck." Before he left he made the following declaration to the Superintendent: "A king's daughter took a peasant's daughter into her company, because she was gifted with various arts and abilities; however, after she had learned all her arts, she thrust her off and banished her into misery. I therefore ask the Superintendent, whether the king's daughter treated the peasant's daughter justly?' The Superintendent thereat showed him all kindness, and promised him, since there was not anything more for him to do in the Community, he would go with him in spirit, and remember him in his prayers before God."
"Obviously when Blum left Ephrata, he joined up with the Congregation in Coventry under Martin Umer and established close affiliations with George Grubb and James Ingles."
SOURCE of INFORMATION
COVENTRY - The SKOOL KILL DISTRICT by Estelle Cremers published in 2003 by the Masthof Books in Morgantown, Pa.
MRS. JANICE DASHER, California, USA.
GEORGE GRUBB and MARY had the following children:
7 i. DAVID3 was born 01 January 1749
ii. ABRAHAM (#26105) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa. CA 1751. ABRAHAM died 21 August 1769 in Vincent Twp., Chester Co., Pa., at age 18.
ABRAHAM GRUBB, son of GEORGE GRUBB, died on 21 August 1769 when he was only about 18 years old. He had been living in Vincent Township, Chester County, Pa. at the time of his death. He was evidently too sick and weak to write his own Will so it was written and read to him by Ulrich Reinhard and Martin Urner. They appeared before the Court on 8 November 1769 to swear that he was of sound mind and understood the will which they read to him.
His brother DAVID was to receive the wearing apparel and £50 in Lawful Money of Pennsylvania. His step father HENRY DASHER was to receive half of the corn and hay which was in the barn and the grass which was in the meadow as well as half the Indian corn growing in the field..
His sister CATHARINE was to receive half of the estate but not until she reached the age of 21 years.. The inventory amounted to £135 14 shillings.
The Will is #32 in the Philadelphia Will Book O Page 430 dated 8 November 1769 and is held by the Philadelphia Register of Wills in Philadelphia, Pa.
iii. CATHARINE (#18974) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa. CA 1753.
3. HEINRICH2 GRUBB (HEINRICH1) (#160) was born in Switzerland CA 1716. HEINRICH died 14 October 1791 in Frederick Twp, Montgomery Co. Pa., at age 75. His body was interred after 14 October 1791 in Leydich Cem., Frederick Twp. Montgomery Co.. He married ANNA MARIA date unknown. (ANNA MARIA is #22394.)
After HEINRICH SR. died his widow CATHERINE ADDIS remarried JACOB FRICK 1 March 1737. They sold the home farm to Catherine's son HEINRICH. Copy of this deed is in my files taken from Philadelphia Deed Book "G" Volume 11 Page 217.
Heinrich then purchased two plots of land from Jacob Christman, which were beside the original property of his father and mother in Frederick Township, Montgomery County, Pa. on the Perkiomen Road, just east of the Great Road, now called Skippack Pike or Highway #73.. He paid £1000 in gold and silver coin. One plot was 62 1/2 acres and the other one 105 acres. This purchase was on 21 June 1760 but the deed wasn't registered until 16 June 1786. Shown in Montgomery County Deed Book 2 Page 565.
Heinrich in turn sold half of both properties to his brother CONRAD. This is shown in the deed dated 26 April 1743 Philadelphia Deed Book "G" 4 Page 318.
HEINRICH and his wife ANNA MARIA had three children baptized at the Falkner Swamp Reformed Church in New Hanover. He had purchased property in Hanover Township after he sold the properties in Frederick to his brother Conrad.
SOURCE of INFORMATION
WANGER MANUSCRIPTS. By George F. Wanger and produced in the early 1900s. Held by Montgomery County Historical Society in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
HEINRICH GRUBB and ANNA MARIA had the following children:
i. SUSANNA3 (#107965) was born in Hanover Twp., Montgomery Co., PA 30 November 1752.
8 ii. HENRY (HEINRICH) was born 26 May 1755
iii. JACOB (#107966) was born in Hanover Twp., Montgomery Co., PA 16 July 1757.
4. JACOB2 GRUBB (HEINRICH1) (#165) was born in Frederick Twp, Montgomery Co. Pa. 17 October 1718. JACOB died 19 November 1797 in N. Hanover Twp. Montgomery Co. Pa, at age 79. He married BARBARA date unknown. (BARBARA is #1352.)
The 1779 taxables for New Hanover Township show JACOB GRUBB as owning 170 acres with 2 horses and 4 cows.
JACOB GRUBB was a cordwainer (shoemaker) and owned two sizeable farms. One was 130 acres and 26 perches which straddled the boundary between New Hanover Township and Limerick Township in Montgomery County, Pa. It was just north of Fagleysville. This land was deeded over to his son ABRAHAM on 23 January 1792. However it hadn't been registered by the time Jacob made his will on 16 December 1792 so it was reaffirmed in the will. ABRAHAM also received £25.
The second property was 200 acres in New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pa. and had been deeded to son GEORGE on 23 February 1792. Here again it hadn't been registered by the time Jacob made his will on 16 December 1792 so it was reaffirmed in the will. GEORGE also received the family Bible and the Sermon Books.
JACOB GRUBB in his will left £25 "of gold and silver money of Pennsylvania" to his wife BARBARA along with "the household goods which she owned before our marriage". BARBARA was also given the use of a "house in town which he had purchased from the widow Neuman" for the extent of her widowhood and £6 annually. The house was in Pottstown.
Daughter SUSANNAH had been holding a loan note for £25 from her father. This was to be forgiven and SUSANNAH was to receive an extra £20.
After the death of wife BARBARA, the house in Pottstown was to be sold and the proceeds divided equally between the children of son GEORGE.
The Executors appointed in the will when it was made out in 1792 were sons ABRAHAM and GEORGE. However ABRAHAM is crossed out by the time JACOB died in 1797 so maybe ABRAHAM had died in the meantime. GEORGE conducted the inventory by himself and it is most interesting as it is all in German. It amounted to £494 15 shillings and 11 and three quarters pence. However there is also an English translation, obviously made at the same time as shown by the spelling of many words. Mirror is shown as "luukin glas". One dozen spoons are shown as "one duzand of spuns".
The will #2241 is shown in Montgomery County Will Book 2 Page 26 dated 16 December 1792 and proven 11 December 1797.
SOURCE of INFORMATION
THE PERKIOMEN REGION by Henry Dotterer. Volume 1 Number 12 August 1895.
JACOB GRUBB and BARBARA had the following children:
9 i. ABRAHAM3 was born CA 1750
ii. SUSANNA (#22003) was born in N. Hanover Twp. Montgomery Co. Pa 30 November 1752. SUSANNA died 24 July 1832 in N. Hanover Twp. Montgomery Co. Pa, at age 79. Her body was interred after 24 July 1832 in N. Hanover Reform. Ch. Cem. Mo. She married PETER STELTZ date unknown. (PETER STELTZ is #22004.)
5. JOHN2 GRUBB (HEINRICH1) (#162) was born in Frederick Twp, Montgomery Co. Pa. CA 1723. JOHN died 23 April 1772 in Frederick Twp, Montgomery Co. Pa., at age 48. His body was interred after 23 April 1772 in Leydich Cem., Frederick Twp. Montgomery Co.. He married ANNELENA CHRISTMAN 12 December 1749 in N. Hanover Reform Ch. Montgomery. (ANNELENA CHRISTMAN is #1349.) ANNELENA was born 29 October 1728. ANNELENA was the daughter of DANIEL CHRISTMAN and CHRISTINA. ANNELENA died 25 September 1800 in Frederick Twp, Montgomery Co. Pa., at age 71. Her body was interred after 25 September 1800 in Leydich Cem., Frederick Twp. Montgomery County.
The wife of JOHN GRUBB was ANNELENA CHRISTMAN but some say her name was ANN ELIZABETH CHRISTMAN and some say ANNA MARIA CHRISTMAN. I have finally found a document which straightens out this confusion. It is a deed from JACOB CHRISTMAN to HENRY GRUBB dated 16 June 1786, Montgomery County Deed Book 2 Page 565 copy of which is in my files.
In it JACOB CHRISTMAN repeats the details of the original transaction between his father DANIEL CHRISTMAN and HEINRICH GRUBB. He names all of his father's children including "ANNELENA GRUB (late, ANNELENA CHRISTMAN since intermarried with JOHN GRUB). That should end this controversy which has plagued genealogists for years.
JOHN GRUBB and ANNELENA CHRISTMAN were married at the Falkner's Swamp Reform Church by the Rev. John Philip Leydech on 12 December 1749..
JOHN GRUBB was a blacksmith and owned considerable land in East Coventry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He had arrived in Coventry Township with his mother, after his father Heinrich had died and she had remarried Jacob Frick
The land that JOHN GRUBB owned was next to his brother ABRAHAM GRUBB. Maps in my files show the location of these properties. His other brother GEORGE who had come at the same time, also owned considerable land . In all the three brothers owned over 800 acres.
When I visited the area in 1995 I was shown an old stone building on Fulmer Road which is supposed to be the building where either GEORGE or JOHN did their blacksmith work.
The history of the land that was finally owned by JOHN GRUBB is interesting. The first 100 acres was acquired by Samuel Brooke on original patent from the William Penn proprietors. Shown in Patent Book A Volume 9 Page 16. This is dated 12 March 1738.
On 23 November 1742 Samuel Brooke and his wife Margaret sold the land to GEORGE GRUBB, JOHN'S brother. GEORGE must have been hard up for cash as on 2 April 1751 GEORGE GRUBB and his wife MARY sold the 100 acres to David Davis. But only 2 years later, 27 November 1753, David Davis and his wife Rachael sold the property to JOHN GRUBB. He added another 49 acres to his property on 28 July 1764 when he purchased this from Michael Hillegar and his wife Henrietta.
JOHN GRUBB made his last Will and Testament on 21 October 1771 and died shortly after, on 23 April 1772. He stipulated in his will that the land should be appraised by "three good, honest and understanding men" appointed by all the children. His wife ANNELENA and brother CONRAD were appointed Executors. His three oldest boys, Daniel, John and Henry, in that order, had the chance to take over the property at the appraised value and this money would then be paid into the estate to be divided between all the children. His daughter ELIZABETH who was a minor had a guardian appointed who was John Rinehart.
The widow, ANNELENA, was given a long list of goods which were not to be included in the appraisal of the estate. These lists were interesting and throw light on what was considered most valuable in the 18th century. The list included the best bedstead and bedding, all furniture she wished to choose, one mare and saddle, one cow, three sheep, pine chest, two iron pots, 2 pewter dishes, 4 pewter plates, 6 pewter spoons, a spinning wheel, all the rye and corn in the barn and any grain that would be harvested for the next years. Of course she received all of this if she remained JOHN's widow and did not remarry. Also whichever son took over the plantation had to supply her with firewood and keep the farm in good repair.
As it turned out the eldest son DANIEL turned down the offer to take over the property at the appraised value. The next son JOHN GRUBB JR. offered to pay £580 for the 149 acres and the other children all signed off their claims after receiving their share of this estate. The two daughters CATHARINE and ELIZABETH would receive their share when they became of age at 21 years.
The above Will was found in the Philadelphia County Will Book P Page 272 and is Will #173. It is held by the Philadelphia Register of Wills in Philadelphia, Pa. It is a very long a detailed will.
A copy of the lengthy deed which showed the transfer of the land to JOHN GRUBB JR., is in my files. It was found in Chester County Deed Book A3 Page 211. The interesting part of some of these old Pennsylvania deeds is they trace the land from the original Patent from William Penn down through the various owners.
JOHN GRUBB and ANNELENA CHRISTMAN had the following children:
i. CATHARINE CHRISTMAN3 (#18291) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa..
11 ii. DANIEL CHRISTMAN was born 09 November 1750
12 iii. JOHN CHRISTMAN was born 11 March 1753
13 iv. HEINRICH CHRISTMAN was born 21 November 1755
14 v. JACOB was born 01 July 1757
vi. ELIZABETH CHRISTMAN (#18293) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa. CA 1765. She married DAVID WAMBOLD date unknown. (DAVID WAMBOLD is #18306.)
ELIZABETH GRUBB, wife of DAVID WAMBOLD and daughter of JOHN GRUBB and ANNELENA CHRISTMAN, received £25 from the will of her uncle CONRAD GRUBB when he died in 1798. Copy of this will is in my files taken from Montgomery County Will Book "N" 2 Page 590 will # 2124 dated 13 February 1786 proved 29 May 1798.
6. ABRAHAM2 GRUBB (HEINRICH1) (#143) was born in Frederick Twp, Montgomery Co. Pa. 19 May 1726. ABRAHAM died 27 July 1808 in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa., at age 82. His body was interred after 27 July 1808 in Oak Grove Cem. E. Coventry, Pa.. He married ELIZABETH FREY 01 January 1752 in Frederick Twp, Montgomery Co. Pa.. (ELIZABETH FREY is #148.) ELIZABETH was born 06 June 1734 in Frederick Twp, Montgomery Co. Pa.. ELIZABETH was the daughter of WILLIAM FREY and VERONICA MARKLEY. ELIZABETH died 02 October 1823 in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa., at age 89. Her body was interred after 02 October 1823 in Oak Grove Cem. E. Coventry, Pa..
When ABRAHAM GRUBB SR. was born on 19 May 1726 in Upper Frederick Township, Philadelphia County, (now Montgomery County) in Pennsylvania, it was about 3 months after his father had died. His father HEINRICH GRUBB died in 1726. By 1737 his mother CATHERINE had remarried to JACOB FRICK. They sold the home farm to her son HENRY and departed for East Coventry Township in Chester County on the west side of the Schuylkill River. This is only about 15 or 20 miles west of where they had been living in Frederick Township. They took with them 3 of the sons, George, John and Abraham as well as daughter Elizabeth.
JACOB FRICK had arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 at age 16 on the ship Pennsylvania which had sailed from Rotterdam. His brother JOHN arrived with him and they settled on the west side of the Schuylkill River in the north end of Chester County. This side of the river was developed a little later than the east side in Frederick Township. Philadelphia County (later Montgomery County). where HEINRICH GRUBB had originally purchased his land.
The Lenni-Lenape Indians, who were part of the Delaware Tribe, were still living in the Coventry area when CATHARINE ADDIS GRUBB married JACOB FRICK and moved to Coventry with 3 of her sons and one daughter. These Indians were very friendly to the new settlers. One group of about 300 had a village beside the land settled by GERHARD BRUMBACH (later changed to Brownback). This was less than half a mile from where ABRAHAM GRUBB and his brothers took up their land. GERHARD was impressed with the physical abilities of the Indians and would engage them in wrestling bouts and other contests. The peninsula formed by a loop in the Schuylkill River was a favourite hunting area for the Indians. It still retains the name of Turkey Point to this day.
Most of the Coventry area had been sold to land speculators who had acquired plots of 1000 to 3000 acres. Most of them did not live on their land but gradually sold it off in smaller plots of 90 to 200 acres. The very earliest white inhabitants in the area, were two fur traders who in 1690 had a trading post on the Schuylkill River at what is now Pottstown. They were Pierre Bizaillion and Jacques Letort, both of them French Canadian and born in Quebec, Canada.
By 1703 lumbering companies from Philadelphia were active cutting trees along both sides of the Schuylkill River. They floated the logs down to the Philadelphia saw mills. At that time there were no roads from the Coventry area to the southern end of Chester County. Only the Indian Paths were available for travelling south on the west side of the river. The name Schuylkill was given to the river by the Dutch traders who travelled from New Amsterdam (New York) to Philadelphia. The river was hard to locate where it emptied into the Delaware River so they named it Schuyl, meaning "hidden" in the Dutch language and Kill which is their word for "River". So it was the Hidden River. The area around Coventry was known as the Skool Kill District until 1720 when the original Coventry Township was recognized.
The 3 brothers acquired considerable property (probably with the help of their step-father Jacob Frick). It was in the Pigeon Creek area on what is now known as Kulp Road in East Coventry Township, Chester County. There did not seem to be any deeds in the Chester County Land Registry and I could not find any original Warrants for the land. A Mrs Cremers who is a local historian helped me solve the mystery. It turns out they purchased Warrants that had been issued to other people. Therefore there were no Warrants in the Grubb name. Also because the subsequent Patents had been issued from original Warrants the records were in the Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg instead of the Chester County Land Registry Office.
In the case of ABRAHAM GRUBB the original Warrant had been issued to Joseph Connen 16 February 1738/9. Brother George picked up part of this and Abraham the rest. ABRAHAM'S part was 92½ acres on both the south and north side of Eberhare Road and both sides of Kulp Road. The survey is found in Survey Book "C" 53 Page 236. The Patent is from Patent Book "P" 14 Page 151 dated 1788. These are held in Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg but copies are in my files.
I visited the area in 1994 and again in 1995 to try to pin down the exact location and see if any original buildings remained. On the corner of Eberhare Road and Kulp Road there is a small stone barn with a date-stone of 1804. ABRAHAM GRUBB SR.would still be alive by then as he did not die until 1808. Down by a small creek there is a stone spring house and except for the roof is probably original. On the north side of Eberhare Road west of Kulp Road there is a large white house. The present owner thinks it was built circa 1820 but has had several renovations. They remember stories of an old log house in the woods but nothing remains in 1994. In my files are photographs of the house, spring house and barn taken in 1994.
It is interesting to note that ABRAHAM GRUBB'S father HEINRICH and ELIZABETH FREY'S father WILLIAM both owned property within a mile of each other back in Upper Frederick Township and undoubtedly that is where they met.
ABRAHAM SR. shows in the Coventry Township tax records as a "taxable" in 1753 but by 1774 shows as a "land owner".I could not understand why in the Patent it said 92½ acres whereas all the tax records showed about 70 acres. When I plotted the land shape from the metes and bounds described in the Patent I found there was an error in the north side boundary. This chopped off about 20 acres so all those years he was only taxed on the smaller area even though he owned the full 92½ acres.
ABRAHAM received £70 from the will of his brother Conrad when he died in 1798. This was spread over 3 years. Copy of this will is in my files taken from Montgomery County Will Book "N" 2 Page 590 will # 2124 dated 13 February 1786 proved 29 May 1798.
Tax records for East Coventry Township, Chester County are taken from the Chester County Archives in West Chester, Pennsylvania as follows.
1765, 77 acr,1 hs,2 cws,4 shp.
1766, 71 acr,2 hs,2 cws,2 shp.
1767, 70 acr,2 hs,1 cw, 2 shp 0-2-7, 1 dwelling 0-3-7.
1768, 70 acr, 1 hs, 2 cws,
1769, 70 acr, 1 hs, 2 cws, 3 shp.
1771, 70 acr, 1 hs, 1 cw, 4 shp.
1774, 70 acr, 1 hs, 1 cw, 4 shp
1779, 70 acr, 2 hs, 2 cws.
1780, 0-18-2
1781, 70 acr,2 hs,2 cws. 1-15-2
1783, 70 acr, 1 hs, 2 cws, 3 shp. 1 dwelling, 1 barn, 11 persons.
1802, 80 acr, 1 hs, 3 cws 7-0-1 1 dwelling, 1 barn.
NOTE- There seems to be some error here as it shows "widow" whereas ABRAHAM GRUBB SR. did not die until 1808 according to the proving date of the will. Copies of all these tax records are in my files.
In my file is a copy of a page from the history of the BAPTIST BRETHREN CHURCH at PARKERSFORD. It shows ABRAHAM GRUBB and his wife ELIZABETH as among the 40 members in 1770. It appears that two or more denominations joined and formed the UNION CHURCH. It is located on the west side of Old Schuylkill Road just north of Parkersford, East Coventry Township, Chester County. In 1994 it is known as OAK GROVE CHURCH.
It is in the cemetery of the above church that ABRAHAM GRUBB and ELIZABETH are buried. The Grubb Family Association erected a monument here which was unveiled 24 October 1908. In my files are photographs taken in 1994 of the monument, the church and the cemetery.
In 1798 Pennsylvania imposed a Direct Tax. It was sometimes called "the window tax" or "glass tax" as they assessed value on the number of window panes in the house as well as the size of the house and acreage. Not all counties preserved their records but luckily Chester County still has theirs. They are held by the Chester County Historical Society in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
For ABRAHAM GRUBB it shows the following.
Log house, 20 X 18, one floor, 3 windows of 6 panes.
Kitchen included, 2 windows of 4 panes.
Stone spring house, 10 X 11,
1 old barn, 20 X 30, 70 acres,
Value of barn and acreage $ 940.
Value of house and spring house $ 250.
The house and property was owned by JOHN BAUGH so ABRAHAM must have been just renting. At that time there were 11 people living in this small log cabin including all the children. Just stop and think what life must have been like in a one storey cabin only 20 feet by 18 feet and this included the kitchen area.
WILL of ABRAHAM GRUBB SR.
Dated 19 May 1804 Proved 16 August 1808
Chester County Will Book 11, Page 223, Will #5483
"In the name of God Amen, I Abraham Grubb of the Township of Coventry in the County of Chester and State of Pennsylvania being very weak in body but sound of mind and memory and understanding bless be to God for the same considering the uncertainty of this transitory life, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner form following, to wit, First and foremost I commend my immortal soul to the hands of God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christianlike manner at the discretion of my executors hereinafter named and as to such worldly estate where with it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and dispose of the same in the following manner, to wit, I do hereby order that all my just debts and formal charges be first paid and discharged by my executors whom I shall hereinafter nominate and appoint.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth Grubb the third part of ny personal estate besides her bed, her clothes and linen the clothespress, the tin plate stove and pipe and the clock in the house. I also give and bequeath unto her during her life the room in the dwelling house where we now live in, as also to have the third part of all the hay, pasture, grain and whatsoever shall grow or be raised on said place in Coventry and have a free ingress, egress and regress on said place and premises during her natural life as aforesaid.
Item: I also order that after the decease of my said beloved wife Elizabeth, my place in Coventry shall be setup among my children and the highest bidder shall be the buyer. I also order my executors to make and execute a good sufficient deed of conveyance to the purchaser his or their heirs. and assigns forever.
Item: I do hereby order that after my decease the remainder part of my personal estate (except such a part as is above left and bequeathed to my beloved wife) shall be sold and equally divided amongst my children share and share alike and that after the decease of my wife and my place being sold by my executors that then the money arising from the sale of my place shall be equally divided amongst my children share and share alike and I do also order that my executors or heirs shall not make any charge or account against my son-in-law Peter Maurra for any rent for the time he lived with me until my decease as it shall be considered recompense for furnishing me with all things I wanted from him when required. I do also order and it is my will that my son-in-law Peter Maurra shall have a right to draw his share or dividend as before mentioned first and foremost and then my sons and then my daughters and I do hereby further order that none of my children that are owing any sums or money to me or my estate shall be charged with any interest for the same. And lastly I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my trusty friends Rudolph Harrly and Martin Rinehart. to be my executors of this my last will and testament and hereby revoking all other wills, legacies and benefits by me heretofore made and declaring this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four ------1804."
Signed Abraham X Grubb
his mark
Signed, Sealed Published, Pronounced and
Declared by the said testator as his last will
and testament in the presence of us who in his
presence and at his request have subscribed
as witnesses.
David Grubb
Peter Maurra
A photocopy of the above will is in my files. It shows the original signature of Abraham Grubb Sr. although the will itself must have been written by someone else as his signature is very shaky. In my files are the detailed inventory and accounts as presented by the executors. These extremely detailed inventories are very interesting as well as a valuable source for understanding what a family would have in their log cabin in the early 1800s. The total value of his inventory was £205 1 shilling and 4 pence. The executors were Rudolph Harley and Martin Rinehart, both of them neighbours of ABRAHAM. Also in my files are historic and modern maps showing the location of the properties. The names of Grubb descendants show on the Historical Atlas Map but Abraham Grubb Sr property was purchased by a son-in-law and was split up.
SOURCE of INFORMATION
Mrs. Estelle Cremers, R. D. 2, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, 19464. Particularly for help on the deeds and the "glass tax".
THE GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN by Martin Grove Brumbaugh published in 1899. Copy of this book is held by Chester County Historical Society in West Chester, Pa. I have copies of the pertinent pages in my file.
TAX RECORDS OF COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY from 1765 to 1802. Copies of these records in my file are taken from the Chester County Archives in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
GEORGE P. WANGER MANUSCRIPT. This hand written manuscript is the work of George P Wanger who was intermarried with the Grubb family. His research was done in the very early 1900s and the manuscript is held by the Montgomery County Historical Society in Norristown, Pa. It contains correspondence with the Rev. Nathaniel B. Grubb who was a Bishop of the Mennonite Church in Philadelphia. He also had done considerable research on the Grubb families and had turned over the files of his grandfather JACOB GRUBB with much detail on deaths of various members of the family.
George P. Wanger had seen a family record book of ABRAHAM GRUBB and his wife ELIZABETH FREY. He says it was a book 8 1/4 inches by 13 inches with a marbled cardboard cover containing 8 pages. The first 3 pages in German were in beautiful Gothic hand lettering. It then gradually is lettered in English. George P. Wanger has copied all this by typing in German where the original was in German. and then switches to English.
This book must be considered the most authentic document detailing the birth dates and names of the children of ABRAHAM GRUBB and his wife ELIZABETH FREY. It is the first time I have seen a record that names her MARIA ELIZABETHA. It would be interesting to know if this book still survives and if so who is holding it today.
ABRAHAM GRUBB and ELIZABETH FREY had the following children:
i. HANNAH3 (#145) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa. 08 July 1753. HANNAH died 30 September 1823 Ohio, USA, at age 70. She married ABRAHAM RINEHART date unknown. (ABRAHAM RINEHART is #1341.) ABRAHAM died date unknown Ohio, USA, at age unknown.
ii. CATHERINE (#146) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa. 02 September 1755. CATHERINE died 26 October 1822 in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa., at age 67. Her body was interred after 26 October 1822 in Oak Grove Cem. E. Coventry, Pa.
CATHARINE GRUBB died on 26 October 1822. There is no record of her being married. As she died Intestate Administrators had to be appointed. Her widowed mother ELIZABETH FREY GRUBB who was still alive at that date, revoked all her rights of administartion and asked the court to appoint her two sons Conrad Grubb and David Grubb to administer the estate.
The Administration File is #7193 and is held by the Chester County Archives in West Chester. The estate amounted to $1271.92 and a detailed inventory of assets and debts is in my files. It doesn't show who received this estate but presumably it was Conrad and David Grubb, her brothers.
15 iii. CONRAD was born 04 September 1757
16 iv. HENRY was born 01 January 1760
v. ELIZABETH (#150) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa. 30 October 1761. ELIZABETH died 04 October 1769 in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa., at age 7.
17 vi. ESTHER was born 15 January 1764
vii. ABRAHAM (#152) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa. 12 February 1766. ABRAHAM died 29 September 1769 in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa., at age 3. His body was interred after 29 September 1769 in Oak Grove Cem. E. Coventry, Pa..
18 viii. DAVID was born 19 July 1768
19 ix. ABRAHAM was born 4 February 1771
x. ELIZABETH (#22422) was born in Coventry Twp., Chester Co., Pa. 19 February 1773. ELIZABETH died date unknown Virginia, USA, at age unknown. She married JOHN HARLEYMAN date unknown. (JOHN HARLEYMAN is #1343.) JOHN died date unknown Virginia, USA, at age unknown.
20 xi. SUSANNA was born 03 April 1777
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