Kindly
submitted by: Judy McElderry
Part 1.
Robert McDaniel was b. August 28, 1756 in Maine, his origins
there have not been found. By 1770, according to his obituary he
came to Philadelphia. The text below regarding the information
in the "History of Carbon County Pennsylvania" by Matthews and
Hungerford shows he was placed with the Longstreth family as an
apprentice. I have included notes on early families in the area
who were involved with Robert's early years in Bucks which might
help other researchers. By 1783 Robert McDaniel had come to
Carbon, then Northampton County. A Bucks County man, Septimus
Hough bought the Gilbert Mill in Carbon County from Joseph
Longstreth or from his estate before 1820,
when he appears in the Carbon County Census living adjacent
to Robert McDaniel. Septimus Hough's relations married early
into the Ditterlines, and
that line went south in the late 1700's, and one of Robert's
descendants married a Ditterline in the early 1900's, so we come
full circle in 250 years.
The information regarding Robert I have found from many
sources is below:
It is not known where Robert came from in Maine. The area
stated to be "near
the Penobscot falls, Maine", ("History of Carbon Co. PA"
Mathews and Hungerford, pub. 1884}, was an Indian Village in
1756. The nearest white settlement to the falls was Castine,
about 30 miles south of the falls on the Penobscot. 1762 was the
year the first known white child was born in Castine. I did find
one notation in my Maine research which stated that there were a
few white settlers in the area of Bucksport prior to 1762, but
that their names are unknown.
There were falls and lumbering mills near Salmon falls on the
Piscataqua River which defines the border between N. NH and S.
Maine near Berwick ME.
This was a settled area in the year Robert was born, and
there were McDaniels in nearby villages. There were also
McDaniels in Gorham, Cumberland Co. ME from about 1742 on. These
McDaniels were also from NH. To date I have not discovered who
Robert's parents were. It is also possible that his family was
from somewhere else, possibly MD, VA or NJ, and that for
some reason they or the father of Robert was in Maine. A hint
in the obituary below is that New Hampshire is mentioned in the
obit, and at that time NH was part of Massachusetts, not Maine.
Anabaptists were not welcomed in New England, Baptists, Quakers
and Presbyterians were "encouraged" to leave for more "friendly"
areas. A Daniel McDaniel married Ann Boags, June 12, 1755 in
Suffolk Co., Boston MA.
According to Robert's obituary of 1847 he removed to
Philadelphia County in 1770, where he lived until 1785. The
History of Carbon County states he was apprenticed to Joseph
Longstreth, a Quaker in the Warminster PA area, by his
father to; "learn the trades of tanner and currier". Joseph
Longstreth and his brother Isaac owned a tannery in the Hatboro
area:
Information regarding the Longstreth tannery comes from; From
"Land Tenure in Hatboro and Vicinity", Spruance Library,
Doylestown PA.
"When Moses Vancourt left Hatboro, about the year 1758, his
cooper-shop and tanyard were taken over by an unidentified
purchaser, probably Joseph Longstreth of Warminster, who held
that title in 1776. In that year he deeded the property to his
younger brother Isaac (Md 6, 426), who had already paid the
assessment for at least two years. Isaac Longstreth is known to
have lived in Hatboro as early as 1768, when he obtained title
to the present Wunderle house (Md 3, 324). It remained his
residence until 1787, when he moved to Chester county. The
property had previously been occupied by John Bond, a brother of
Abraham and a cooper by trade, who may have had charge of the
cooper-shop after its sale by Vancourt.
Isaac Longstreth was known as a tanner throughout his
residence in Hatboro, and the cooper-shop, during his ownership,
is believed to have been managed by William Wilson, a son-in-law
of Isaac Bellew." ( Note: The intermediate ownership of this lot
(lot # 13) provides the background for an interesting episode,
brought out in the minutes of the Union Library Company. It had
been sold by John Harrison's estate to Bartholomew Longstreth,
and after his
death had been inherited by his children as
tenants-in-common...). Joseph and Issac were the sons of
Bartholomew Longstreth and Ann Dawson.
Regarding the residence of Robert McDaniel with the
Longstreths in the Philadelphia area, a mention in the will of
Mary Kirk of Moreland PA
follows:
The will of Mary Kirk:
Kirk, Mary, Moreland Co. of Phila., Widow.
3 mo. 18, 1782, S.133
Children: Ann Sams, Mary Walton, Susanna Walton, Sarah
Harding.
Son-in-law: Nathaniel Sams
Grandchildren: Children of Daughter (Ann Sams).
Exec: Son-in-law-: Isaac Walton, Daniel Longstreth
Wit: Joseph Longstreth, Robert McDaniel, Susanna Longstreth.
(Philadelphia wills, online)
(Notes regarding Mary Kirk: Mary was the daughter of John
Shaw and wife Susanna, b. November 26, 1710. She married Thomas
Kirk, son of John Kirk and
Joan Elliott on October 28, 1728. Thomas Kirk was born
February 26, 1703/04 in Darby Twp., Delaware Co. PA. Their
Children were:
Ann Kirk, b, 14, June 1734, at Moreland, married Nathaniel
Sams; Mary Kirk, b. March 3, 1736/7 married Jeremiah Walton;
Susanna Kirk b, November 11, 1740 at Moreland, married Isaac
Walton; Joseph Kirk b. December 23, 1745 Sarah Kirk b. December
1745. The Kirks and Longstreths were Quakers.
Elizabeth Hicks or Johnson, wife of Robert and her daughter
Elizabeth were also stated to have been Quakers in the Carbon
County History).
In the 1790 census there are McDaniels in Bristol and in
Abington PA, nearby
communities, and I believe in Nockamixon Bucks County. No
connection has been made to date. There was also a Daniel
McDaniel in the militia lists of Southampton Twp., Bucks County,
then Philadelphia County, no further record found. (Davis'
History of Bucks County PA). Daniel McDaniel may just be a clue,
as Joseph Longstreth owned land in Southampton Twp., Bucks
County, and
I have found information that a Daniel McDaniel, wife Ann
Boags married in Boston in 1755.
The Gilbert family was also from the area of Hatboro, this
family moved to near the Gnadenhutten settlement on the Mahoning
Creek to establish a mill there in 1775. Benjamin Gilbert's wife
was the widow Elizabeth Peart, formerly Elizabeth Walton. On
April 25, 1780 the family was kidnapped by Indians who raided
the property and captured the family, taking them by land
over the mountains to Canada. The captured were: Benjamin
Gilbert, age about
69 years, (died in captivity), Elizabeth, his wife age 55,
Joseph Gilbert his son, Jesse Gilbert, his son, Sarah Gilbert
wife of Jesse, Rebecca Gilbert a daughter, Abner Gilbert, a son;
Elizabeth Gilbert, a daughter, another daughter age 12, Thomas
Peart son of Elizabeth Peart Gilbert, Benjamin Gilbert a son of
John Gilbert of Philadelphia, Andrew Harriger a German worker at
the mill, Abigail Dodson, daughter of Samel Dodson who lived on
a farm about a mile away. (From "Annals of Philadelphia" by
Sims).
The family was slowly redeemed and Benjamin Gilbert's widow
sold the mill property in Carbon Co. to Joseph Longstreth. About
this time Joseph brought Robert with him to Carbon Co. PA
Since Robert came to PA in 1770 at age 14 he was of age to be
apprenticed as
stated in the history. By the time of the Revolution many
Quakers were expelled from the colony and left for VA or MD.
This may be the case with Robert's unknown parent(s),
Obituary of Robert McDaniel
Carbon County Gazette, June 26, 1847
Dimmick Library, Jim Thorpe PA
"On Monday last, in Mahoning Township, Mr. Robert McDaniel,
at the advanced age of 91 years.
Mr. McDaniel was at the time of his death, the oldest
inhabitant of the township in which he resided. He was born in
the state of Maine on the 28th.
day of August, 1756, at that time the province of New
Hampshire. In 1770 he removed to Philadelphia County, where he
lived until 1785, when he moved to Mahoning Township in this
county. He arrived there on the 25th. day of January, and
continued to live at the same place until the day of his death.
Mr. McDaniel was rather an extraordinary man. He partook a
good deal of the qualities of Daniel Boon. He was a man of
intelligence and had gone through all the dangers of a pioneer's
life, and many were his hair-breadth escapes.
He lived a life of usefulness, and died at a good old age,
enjoying the confidence and esteem of a large circle of friends
and aquaintences."
The entry in Robert's burial information, (Reverend Bauer's
Records, LCHS), is given the number of living children,
grandchildren and great grandchildren at the time of the
decedent's death. Robert's record states he
had 9 children living, 27 grandchildren living and 27 great
grandchildren living in 1847. Elizabeth's obituary states that
in 1844 she had 9 children,
28 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren.
One known daughter of their son James, Amanda, b. abt. 1843
died July 30, 1845. That brings the number of grandchildren back
to 27 as in Robert's obituary. Total possible number of
grandchildren known to the couple in 1847
is 19, including POSSIBLE grandchildren Lyman and Amos of
Pottsville, suspected to be sons of James but possibly of one of
the missing sons, the unknown daughter of Rachel and Charles
Haney, Pierce suspected son of Charles and Rachel and Henry, the
suspected son of Mary and Conrad Solt. So this number of 19 is
all inclusive even with all POSSIBLE grandchildren included.
This would leave 8 GRANDCHILDREN MISSING, 3 of those born
between
1844 and 1847. Out of 9 children of Robert and Elizabeth, 4,
Nancy, Robert, unknown female and unknown son show no children
found. The included possible
grandchildren is purely speculative at this point, the
calculation is made to show the maximum number of "found"
grandchildren, including suspected individuals, not proven.
I have a 1937 LDS record placed at a mass baptism in 1937
which lists the Carbon County McDaniel family. This is a listing
of about 200 individuals declared to be relations by a John
McDaniel who placed the listing. This listing has many McDaniel
names and others, John lists our McDaniels as one of his direct
lines of ancestors. No information on how he descends shows in
the record. The earliest McDaniel in the listings is a
Timothy married to a Margaret Smith in Philadelphia in 1737. No
further information on Timothy has been found. There was a
Timothy McDaniel who arrived in Maine from an unknown location
in the early 1770's. His wife's name was not Margaret as far as
I know. I believe this man was accused of Loyalist leanings and
may have gone to Canada, or his son went to Canada. The only
possible explanation I have found for an Indiana McDaniel
connection is that in J. T.
McDaniel's obituary of 1906, (Lehighton newspaper, Dimmick
Library, Jim Thorpe PA), there are given two sisters of J. T. as
still alive in 1906. One
is Adeline Schuler, who has been traced and proved, the other
is given as "Miss Adeline McDaniel", obviously a typesetter's
error in the given name. I
have not found a single un-married female McDaniel in the
1900 or 1910 Indiana census records whose age corresponds to the
age range of James lifespan in Indiana.
There is a Robert McDaniel, b. 1820 living in Towamensing
Twp., Carbon Co.
PA. This man may be a descendant of the family but there has
been no documented linkage to date. As usual placing out of
children may have occured with this man. See Jackie Pacholke's
genealogy online for more information about Robert McDaniel, b.
1820. I have placed Robert under James
McDaniel, 1793's family line. This is done for research
purposes at present,
though it seems he is likely a descendant of the family from
a male line.
Text from "History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon in
the Commonwealth of PA", Matthews and Hungerford, 1884, page
744.
"It will be remembered that Capt. Joseph Longstreth purchased
the Gilbert farm in 1783, and at that time Robert McDaniel came
to the valley with him.
He was born Aug. 24, 1756, in a small lumbering village near
the Penobscot Falls, Maine. He was apprenticed by his father to
Capt. Joseph Longstreth, of Philadelphia, to learn the trade of
a tanner and currier, and lived in that city some years. After a
residence of a year or two at the mill with Capt. Longstreth in
the valley, he bought a tract of land not far from the Gilbert
mill, now partly owned by Samuel Moser, and married Elizabeth
Hicks.
She was born in 1766, and is said to be a native of Lizard
Creek Valley, and
when very young was placed in charge of William Thomas, who
lived near where
the Benn Salem Church stands. No other knowledge of the Hicks
family is obtained. They settled upon the farm, and lived many
years. They died there,
and were buried in the Benn Salem churchyard. Their children
were Rachel, Nancy, Lydia, Elizabeth, Robert and James. Rachel
became the wife of Charles
Haney, and settled in the township. Mrs. Henry Arner , (no,
granddaughter of
Rachel and Charles), is a daughter. Lewis Haney, for many
years a teacher in
the township and the first coroner of the county, was a son.
Nancy became the wife of Samuel Solt, and settled in Lehighton.
Lydia married Joseph Musselman, lived for a time in the
township, and moved to Ohio. Oliver, a son, remained with his
grandfather, and taught school in the township, was elected
register and recorder in 1846 and 1849, and later moved to Ohio,
where he is now a journalist. Elizabeth became the wife of
Christian Klotz (who came from Lowhill, Lehigh Co.), in 1816.
They settled near the homestead, and in 1823 moved to what is
now the Hoppes mill, where she died in 1826, aged thirty-one
years. Robert, son of Robert, emigrated to the West. James, the
youngest son, settled in the township, and died there. His son,
J. T. McDaniel keeps the old Freyman Hotel, and is postmaster.
The sketches given thus far are of families who settled in
the Mahoning Valley between the years 1750 and 1785. From the
latter year, to 1805-6, no settlements seem to have been made,
and but one or two of the famiies that were there remained. In
fact, the descendants of Robert McDaniel are the only ones whose
ancestors were in the limits of the present Mahoning township
prior to 1800."
Corrections and notes to the text above:
1. Elizabeth Hicks may be Elizabeth Johnson. That surname is
in the burial records of Rev. Bauer in Rachel McDaniel Haney's
burial information, in the comments section. Rachel's
information states she was the wife of Charles Haney, and that
she had 3 children, 27 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren
at the time of her death in 1855. Only 1 child. Lewis has been
proven. Another son might be Pierce Haney who moved to Nobel Co.
Indiana shortly after Rachel's death.
2. As Quakers there would be no burial markers on the graves.
So while it is
stated that Robert and Elizabeth were buried at Benn Salem
Church in E. Penn
Twp., there are no burial markers to find for this couple.
3. No proof of Nancy McDaniel or any further information has
been found on her.
4. Mrs. Henry Arner is Harriet Haney, a great - granddaughter
of Robert and Elizabeth.
5. No burial for Lydia who married Joseph Musselman has been
found. Joseph is stated to be buried at Indianland Church,
(information from Carl Musselman), and while they may have gone
to Ohio that is not certain. The burial location of Joseph is
uncertain, and may not be where indicated. I believe Lydia
appears as a baptismal sponsor in an 1845 baptism at Ben Salem
Church. Unnown as to where or when she died.
6. Oliver Musselman left Carbon Co. about 1855 and moved to
Warsaw, Indiana with his wife Wilhemina Long and children.
Notes on Joseph Longstreth:
Joseph Longstreth was the son of Bartholomew Longstreth and
Ann Dawson.
Joseph was born Dec. 11, 1744, (11 years older than Robert
McDaniel), died May 18, 1803, buried at Horsham; m. at Abington
Meeting April 16, 1772, Susanna Morris daughter of Joshua and
Mary Morris of Abington, b. Sept. 1, 1746, d. August 14, 1814.
Buried at Abington. Joseph's brother Isaac, who co-owned the
tannery with Joseph was b. Feb. 16, 1742-3, d. April 12, 1817,
buried at Pikeland buring ground; m. at Horsham, Nov. 15, 1770.
Research by Dale Berger states:
"Extracts from the Journal of Samuel Preston, Surveyor,
1787". In his accounting of his travels of 14 June 1787,
Preston, accompanied by Isaac Longstreth, rode to Gnadenhutten
on Mahony Creek and then over the Lehigh to
Col. Weiss' near where Fort Allen formerly stood. then he
says "Here I parted with Isaac Longstreth, and started for
George Hoods. I proceeded over
the Barrens along up the N. W. side of Head's Creek about 7
miles, where I crossed it just below a saw mill. they raft 6 and
7000 feet of boards at a time down from this mill. I then kept
up the Barren Hill, on the S. E. side of the creek, and passed a
few little houses. The land is exceedingly poor and I could
obtain no provisions for myself or creature until I reached the
place where Fort Norris formerly stood, where I got a cup of
milk and bread and let my mare bate in the meadow. Here lives an
old woman, the widow Serfass..."
Perhaps Isaac Longstreth went to the Gilbert mill when he
left Samuel Preston? The mill was likely still the property of
Joseph Longstreth at that
time, sold later.
No baptismal records for the children of Robert and Elizabeth
have been found. This is a strong indication that they were
Quakers or of another Anabaptist sect originally, later
generations practised the Evangelical and Reformed religion.
New England Research Notes:
The Name Robert McDaniel shows in various locations in N. New
Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts. The following have been
found though no reationship
to Robert in PA is implied or has been proven. The following
Roberts appear in various records.
Robert McDaniel, male, Christening: June 6, 1759 Harpswell,
Cumberland Maine, Father Walter McDaniel. From Vital Records:
Harpswell, Maine, Elisha Eaton Account, Author Rev. Elisha
Easton, 1754-1764 and his son Samuel Eaton, V.D.M., 1765-1843.
Post by Martha Croasmun under Harpswell, at Ancestry.com
Matt Combs Genealogy page states among his lines Nehemiah
McDaniel, b. abt.
1715 in Durham NH. It is believed that this man had a son
Robert. Nehemiah McDaniel, age 61 in 1830 appears in Cornville
Somerset Co. ME, possibly a son of Nehemiah. Nehemiah had a
daughter Elinor who married William Knox, b.
1752 in Pembroke NH, Elinor was born in 1757 in NH, both died
in Pembroke NH.
Mannasseh McDanals expelled from Maine 1751, no reason in
Constable's record, possibly Quaker or other Anabaptist removal
as was the practise with
the law in those days. The next page in the indictment
states:
York Co. ME, warning to Richard Welch, Manasseh McDonald and
John Wilmington
transient persons lately come into this town not being
inhabitants thereof forthwith to Depart out of the limits of the
same on pain of being proceeded
with as the law in such cases directs.
Isaac McDaniel b. 20 July 1734, son of Timothy and Elizabeth
McDaniel. Wife of Timothy McDaniel died October 22, 1766,
Timothy died Nov. 11, 1766.
"One MacDaniel was in the 1732 census of NH, and an Arthur
MacDaniel of Dover, petitioner 1733 petition to Jonathan
Belcher, information contained in NH State Archives". From Ted
Chadbourne, 2002. There is a McDaniel cemetery at the McDaniel
house on the University of NH campus in Durham.
This is a few miles from Dover.
A Daniel McDaniel appears in the militia in the Revolutionary
War in Northampton Twp., Bucks County, in 1778.
Other Bucks County PA McDaniels, 1790;
Cupid McDonald no twp. given.
Alexander McDaniel, Bristol
Benjamin McDaniel, Bristol
David McDaniel, Abington Twp., Montgomery Co.
Robert McDaniel and family Census Records:
1790 census, Penn Twp.
Shows as Robert McDonald
1 male 16 and up
3 females
1800 census Robert McDaniel:
2 males under 10
1 male 10 to 16
1 male 45 and up
1 female under 10
2 females 10 to 16
1 female 16 to 26
1 female 45 and up
1810 census Robert McDaniel:
2 males under 10
1 male 10 to 16
1 male 26-45
1 female under 10
2 females 10 to 16
1 female 16 to 26
1 female 45 and up
1820 census Robert McDaniel:
1 male 10 to 16
1 male 45 and up
2 females 10 to 16
1 female 26 to 45
1840 census Robert McDaniel:
1 male 10 to 15
1 male 30 to 40
1 male over 80
1 female over 80
Note: From a PA history at State Library, Harrisburg PA, by
Sherman Day, published 1843, page 191.
"The premises, (reference to the Gilbert Mill in Mahoning),
where stood the dwelling and improvements of the Gilbert family,
were in 1833, occupied by Mr. Septimus Hough, on the north side
of Mahoning creek, on an elevated bank
about forty perches from the main road, leading from
Lehighton and Weissport
to Tamaqua, and about four miles from the former. Benjamin
Peart lived about
half a mile further up the creek, and about 1/4 mile from the
same, on the south side. Mr. Robert McDaniel lived on the place
in 1833. "