LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ROSBRUGH, A TALE OF THE EEYOLUTION, OR LIFE, LABORS and DEATH REV. JOHK 1^( )SBRUGH, Patifar i)f (I rccnwich, Oxford and Mam^ficld Woodhoune {WoMhingfon) I^rcfihi/ferioii chiircln' N. J., from 17G4 (o 1769; and of Allen Tou'iif^hip churcL Pa., from 1769 to 1777 ,• CHAPLAIN IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMY ; CLERICAL MARTYR OF THE REVOLUTION. Hillefl by Hessians, in llic battle of Assun2nnh- , at Trenton, Aetr ^Jersey, Jan. 2d, I77'i Fmnidrd upon a paper read before the New Jersey lihiorieal Soeleli/ at it.-! meeli)/;/ in- Trenton, January ^■)fh, 1880; to vhieh in appcndeel (jcnealogieol data of all the Roshriif/hx of the connection in America: REY. JOHN C. CL¥BE, A. M., Author of ^^PLidory of Allen Township Prenbyterian Church" — of vhieh Mr. Rosbrucjh ua.^ pastor when killed — and of "Qeneedogies, Necrology and Reminiscences of the Irish Seidemenf, Northampton county, Pennsylvania" — where Mr. Rosbrugh recruited his company. EASTON. 1880 ■:,,0;,. ''■'^"' -^'/J Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1880, by JOHN C. CLYDE, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Cxj v/-ru^' Facsimile of autogn/ph, enlarged in the proportion ofl to 2, made in the Allen Township Church book, November 22d, 1774. PREFACE. This Tai,e ok the Kevoeution, or historical sketch of one who figured in, anil lost fiis life amid tlie scenes connected witli that ever memorable struggle, has the following history, viz.: The author was invited to make an address, in August, 1879, at tiie Har- . vest-home of the Greenwich Presbyterian churcli, in Warren county, New Jersey. The. spot designated for the festivities was upon the banks of the Pohatcong creek, one-half or three-fourtlii of a mile from tlie site -of the original Greenwich church, in whicli Kev. •John Eosbrugh was ordained to tlie christian ministry. The author thought it might be appropriate and interesting to speak of the beginnings of things among tlie people in whose festivities he had been invited to participate. He accordingly spoke of their lii'st pastor, Kev. John Rosbnigii. A request was made the same day for a copy of the manuscript that the address might be published. As it had been entirely of an extemporaneous character, this request could not be complied witli. Tlie public press however, took up and published an out- line of the remarks made, by which means it came to the attention of an officer of the New Jersey Historical Society. A request Avas preferred by him jthat the subject-matter of the address be put into a suitable form for reading before the IJistorical Society. Ac- cordingly the author prepared tlie address and read it before the Society, at its meet- ing in Trenton, Jan. 15th, 18S0. As the author subsequently received a number of applications for copies of the address, he decided to put the same in print, and tliei-efore the following pages, founded upon the paper read before the Historical Society, are in the hands of the reader. The address as presented here, has been divided into short diaplers for the conve- nience of the reader; and at the head of each i>age is given a brief statement of the main subject-matter of that page. All ilic facts are preserved which were presented to the Historical Society, and in addition, many tilings in greater detail than time and circum- stances then would justify the author in entering upon. The final chapter has been added in order that the wliole of the Fiosln-ugh connection in America might in this brief manner be linked together; and this was thought to be a suitable ending, since tiie two brothers who came across the sea arc brought forward to- gether in the opening of the address. As additional infornui'.ion was continually coming to hand whilst tlie work was going through the press, on a number of points explicit statements will bo found in the latter pages, wliich were passed over as uncertain or unknown, in the early part. The sources from which the author has drawn information, outside of his own personal researches, are duly recognized from time to time as they appear, in thebody of the work. Bloojisbury, N. J., June, 1880. J. C. C. CONTENTS Fac-simile of autograph, enlarged in the i)roportion of 1 to 2, niadi' in the Allen Town- ship Church book, November 22d, 1774. Map to illustrate early liistory of Kosbrughs in America. Map to illustrate the position of the American and British armies previous to the battle of Trenton, Dec. 26th, 1776 — at which the Hessians were captured — and the battle of Assunpink, or second battle of Trenton, Jan. 2d, 1777 — at which Mr. Roshrugh was kill- ed. Map to illustrate the march of the American army after the battle of Princeton, to the winter-quarters at Morristown, in 1777, which closed the campaign in which Mr. Rosbrugh's company participated. Diagram to illustrate the battle of Trenton, Dec. 26th, 177G— at which the Hessians were captured — and the battle of Assunpink, or second battle of Trenton, Jan. 2d, 1777 — at which Mr. Rosbrugh was kill ed. Diagram to illus; rate the battle of Princeton, where Mr. Rosbrugh's comimnv fought, Jan. od, 1777. Preface, PAGE. CHAPTER I. EARLY LIFE. Name. Nativity. Education. 1 CHAPTER 11. PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY. A beneficiary. Licensure. 4 CHAPTER III. FIELD OF LABOR IN NEW JERSEY. Preaching points. Old Greenwich. Mansfield Woodhouse. Oxford. 8 CHAPTER IV. MINISTRY IN NEW JERSEY. Marriage. James Rosbrugh born. Ecclesiastical fidelity. Discouragements. 12 CHAPTER V. TRANSITION TO ALLEN TOWNSHIP PENNSYLVANIA. Letitia Rosbrugh bom. Call to Allen Township. Negotiations for transfer to Allen Township Church. Allen Township Church transferred. Installation. 17 CONTENTS. CHAPTER V I. MINISTRY IN ALLEN TOWNSHIP PENNSYLVANIA, Field of labor in Pennsylvania. Mirthfulness. Anecdotes. 21 CHAPTER V I I. INCENTIVES TO PATRIOTISM. Patriotism. Synodical urging and admonition. Friends and neighbors enter army. Siege of Fort W;i.shington. Washington's retreat. Excitement in Pennsylvania. Increased excitement. Heroic preparations. Families provided for. Schools and i)laces of business closed. General Howe arrives at Princeton. Washington dictatorial. Washington's summons to Northampton. 26 CHAPTER V 1 1 1. THE MARCH TO THE SEAT OF WAR. Mr. Rosbrugh takes the decisive step. Tlie patriotic sermon. Last will and testa- ment. The military company formed. Arrival at Philadelphia and first letter to wife, Scarcity of salt. Commissioned cliaplain. Colonel Siegfried commiss- ioned. 3g CHAPTER IX. ACTIVE MILITARY DUTIES AND DEATH. Distribution of the American army. Preparing to capture Hessians. Washington's Crossing. March on Trenton. Battle of Trenton and capture of Hessians. Gen- eral campaign. Plan of campaign. Favorable providence. The last letter. Brit- ish move on Trenton. Battle of Assunpink. Circumstances leading to death. Mr. Rosbrugh killed. Tlic burial. Ecclesiastical records of death. 46 CHAPTER X. THE COMRADES AND BEREAVED FAMILY. Preliminaries to the battle of Princeton. Americans arrive at Princeton. Battle of Princeton. Mr. Rosbrugh's company return home. Provision for soldiers' wives and children. Mrs. Rosbrugh's trials. Petitioning the Executive. Mrs. Ros- brugh granted redress. Orphans Court proceedings. Mrs. Rosbrugh's death and burial. Genealogical record of Rev. .lohn Rosbrugh's descendants. 61 CHAPTER X I. WILLIAM ROSBRUGH'S FAMILY. Historical and genealogical record of the family, in the United States and Canada. 82 APPENDIX. A. Thatcher family. B. "A relic of >forthampton county."' C. Robert Rosbrugh family. JOHN ROSBRUGH, CLERICAL MARTYR OF THE REVOLUTION CHAPTER I. EAJtLY LIFE. The evil that men do, lives after them; But the good is oft interred with their bones. Shakespeare. If illustrations were sought to prove that the reverse of this is true in many cases, perhaps no more suitable one could be found than may be drawn from the life and death of the one who is made the subject of this sketch, and whom we may appropriately desig- nate Clerical Martyr of the Revolution. Amid all llic liulit thrown upon his career socially, ecclesiastically and politii'allv — by tradition and historical record — nothing but the good he did lixcd after him, whilst the evil was interred with his bones — so \\w ;i.h known no blot rests on his fair name. Si: — "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. " If: — "It is sweet and glorious to die for one's country-. " Name. John Rosbrugli tasted of that sweetness, and had the patriot's glory, ilis unmarked grave deserves a tribute of respect from every true ATnoriciin who is in the enjoyment of the lil)erties which he died to secure. His name and record are worthy of a place, not only in the archives of written history, but in the thankful remembrance of every lover of human liberty, along with the other Revolutionary patriots who died that a nation might be born and live. The records of many of his compatriots have long since been written, but these have been largely devoted to the perpetuation in memory of the courage and prowess through Avhich these warriors were enabled to march to glory or death in the face ofa foreign foe. This man's record is unique in that whilst he was a noncombatant, he met, we may perhaps truly say, the most cruel death of them all, in his eiforts to subserve with them the great cause of American freedom. We are then to trace the life and character of the man, not so much in the light of the soldier, as in the light of the patriotic and devoted citizen and minister of the gospel who shared the lot and died the death of the Revolutionary soldier. We are to make a record of the man's life and character as rettected by tlie motives which impelled, and the circumstances which surrounded him, in his career. It is to this task we now address ourself. In order that his name may be correctly quoted and written by future generations, we first settle its orthography. This has been, in the minds of some, an unsettled question for nearly one hundred and twenty years. In the minutes of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, between the years 1761 and 1777, it is spelled once " Roxburrow, " once " Roxborough, "' and nineteen times " Rosborough. " In the Reords of the College of New Jersey it is spelled "Rosbrough." Mr Headley in his papers on "The Nativity. 3 Clergy of the Revolution," under date of August 12th, 1875, in the J^ew Y^k Observer," wrote o{ him as "Rev. John Rossburgh " Kev. D. X. Junkin, D. D. in the same paper, under date of August 26th, attempting to correct Mr. Headley's orthography, spelled it Roseborough. " In Ellis's history of ^Northampton county we find It Rosebury." We would state that there are still in existence letters written and signed by Mr. Rosbrugh, and his autograph may be seen also in the records of the Allen Township Presbyte- nan Church, of which he was the pastor at the time of his death ±rom these sources it is ascertained the correct spelling is "Ros- brugh.'' The name however, in latter years is by his descendants and other branches of the family, spelled -Rosebrugh," and so pronounced. John Rosbrugh was not a native born American but belonged to that sturdy class known as the Scotch-Irish, who have furnished so large a proportion of the brains, backbone and muscle which bave been indispensable in shaping and maintaining our nationality. He was of the number of those who, for conscience sake, left Scot- land and went to the ^rth of Ireland, and who have made that part ot Erm s Isle present socially, religiously and politically so marked a contrast with its more southerly portion. He was born in the year 1714, shortly before the family left Scotland, or shortly after they arrived in the Korth of Ireland, the exact date of the mi- gration not being now attainable. Of the family to which he be- longed we have no definite information further than that he had an older brother William. It seems that the same impulse which constrained the family to migrate from Scotland to the [N^orth of Ire- land, impelled this William Rosbrugh, together with his brother .Jolin-though the latter was young in years-to take their depart- • ure for a land more inviting, beyond the sea, in America. Just when they came to America is not now definitely known Education. Collateral circumstances however, would point to the probable tim^ at which they came. It was doubtless at the time those Scotch; Irish Settlements were formed in the Middle States, which figured so prominently in colonialhistory and the early history of our nation. They settled in New .Jersey, but in what particular part we are unable to decide. John's first marriage took place about the year 1733, when he was nineteen years of age. His wife's christian name was Sarah, but the surmame has been lost. He has no descendants by this marriage, the wife dying at the birth of their first child, which also died at the same time. For the next twenty-seven or twenty-eight years we have very little information with regard to the family. The elder brother William, died, leaving two sons, Eobert and John. The latter, after his father's death, and until he was of age, made his home with his brother John, for w^hom he was called. Abner A. Rosebrugh, M. D., of Toronto, Canada, is a descend- ant of "William, the brother of the Subject of this sketch. CHAPTER 11. PREPARA TION FOR THE MINISTR Y. What private advantages Mr. Rosbrugh had for obtaining an education, is now unknown. He however pursued his studies in A Benejidary. 5 the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, graduating there, as the records show, in 1761 in the class with David Caldwell, Lawrence Van Derver, David Gillespie, Isaac Handy, Thomas Henderson, William Jauncy, Nathan Ker, John Lefferty, Thomas McCracken, David Rice, Samuel Sloan, Jacob Thompson and Jahleel Wood- bridge. What incentives constrained him to seek the christian minis- try will now perhaps never be known, but that his attention was so directed the sequel shows. It seems also that he was not possessed of sufficient pecuniary means to obtain that thorough education which was required of those who would enter the sacred office in his day. But there was a beneficiary fund in connection with the College of New Jersey, and to this he turned for aid. The condi- tions upon which aid could be obtained from this fund settled the question as to the beneficiary's character and qualifications. On the afternoon of Oct. 3d, 1755, Gilbert Tennent and Samuel Davies presented the following report to the SynodofNew York, convened in the city of Philadelphia. " To the Beverend Synod of New York, " The annual interest of the following donations was appropria- ted by the donors, for the education of such youth for the ministry of the gospel, in the College of New Jersey, as are unable to defray the expenses of their education, who appear, upon examination, to be of promising genius, Calvinistic principles, and in the judge- ment of charity, experimentally acquainted with a work of saving grace, and have a distinguished zeal for the glory of God, and sal- vation of men." Following this was a list of thirty-four names, showing a sub- script on amounting to £357 4s 6d, the donors being residents of the mother country. 6 A Beneficiary. This fund was placed in the hands of the officers of the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, and the Synod by committee, from year to year examined beneficiaries and disbursed the interest of the fund. From 1758, the year in which the Synods of New York and Philadel- [)hia united, till 1765, no regular report was made to the united Syn- od of the disbursements of the interest of the fund. In this year however, the committee in charge of the same made a report covering the whole period. The record is as follows : "The committee appointed to dispose of the money in the hands of the treasurer of New Jersey College, appropriated for the education of poor and pious youth, brought in a state of their ac- counts since the year 1758, which is as follows: 1758, Nov. 23. Paid by the treasurer to Mr. William Teunent for the use of Mr. Leslie, For Mr. Carmichael, - - - 1759, Nov. 23. To Mr. Carmichael, - 1760, June 11. To President Davies, for use of Mr. Blair, 1761, Aug. 3. To Mr. Rosborough, per order, - 1762, May 25. To do per order, - 1763, Aug. 26. To Mr. Robert Cooper, per order, 1764, July 5. To do per order, " Nov. 13. To Samuel Leak, per order, Thus wo see John Rosbrugh at Princeton College in 1761 and 1762 — though^well on in years — classed as a poor, pious, promising Calvinistic young man, giving evidence of a work of grace in the heart, and having a distinguished zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of men. £13 14 15 1 10 00 , 20 00 30 00 14 00 20 00 13 00 40 00 £174 15 1 iMiensure. %■ Having been received under the care of Presbytery, May 22d, 1762, as a candidate for the ministry, by Aug. 16th, 1763, he had so far progressed in his theological studies that the Presbytery of New Brunswick saw their way clear to license him to preach the gospel. This fact appears also in a subsequent record made with reference to it. On the forenoon of May 17th, 1764, there was in- serted in the minutes of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, convened at Elizabethtown, the following : "The Presbytery of New Brunswick report that since our last, they have ordained to the work of the ministry, the Kev. Messrs. Amos Thompson, Jacob Kerr and Nathan Kerr; who being present took their seats in the Synod ; and that they licensed Messrs. David Caldwell, Francis Pepper and John Roxburrow, to preach the gos- pel." It is probable Mr. Rosbrugh further pursued his studies after his licensure, and at the same time exercised his gifts as a preacher. By December 1764, the Presbytery was so well satisfied with his qualifications that they proceeded to his ordination. A reference to the minutes will show that this took place Dec. 11th, 1764. It was reported to the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, con- vened in Philadelphia, on the afternoon of May 15th, 1765, as fol- lows: " The Presbytery of New Brunswick report that they have or- dained Messrs. James Lion and John Roxborough to the work of the ministry, and that they have licensed Simon "Williams. " The place at which Mr. Rosbrugh was ordained was the old S Old Greenwich. Greenwich Presbyterian church, now within the bounds of the Presbytery of Newton, in Warren county, New Jersey. CHAPTER III. FIELD OF LABOR IN NEW JERSEY, In referring to the old Greenwich church, formerly known iu the neighborhood as the Tennent or Brainerd church, we must not confound the building and locality with the present Greenwich Presbyterian church, though the latter has occupied its present site for more than a hundred years. The spot where Mr. Rosbrugh was ordained was a half or three-fourths of a mile;^to the south or south- \\'est. Leaving Phillipsburg for New York by the Cen. R. R. of N. J. the traveler is brought by a journey of about five miles, to the Pohatcong creek. As he passes over the high embankment by which the carsjare carried over the bed of the stream, if he will look to the south-east, his eye will rest upon the site of the original Greenwich church, which is but a few hundred yards distant. It stood upon what is known as the Reily farm, now owned by lion. II. R. Kennedy. If the traveler will go upon the spot, he will behold a scene of marvelous beauty. To the south he will sefe the Musconetcong range of mountains, with the stream of the same name flowing at its base. To the south-west and west he will see Preaching Points. ^ a broken range of hills, stretching far away across the Delaware into Pennsylvania. To the north-west and north, across the Pohat- cong creek, will be spread out the fertile valley of the Delaware, in "Warren county New Jersey, and Northampton county Pennsylva- nia, the whole circumscribed by the Kittatinny or Blue-mountain range, twenty miles or more away. To the nort-east and east will appear the valleys of the Pohatcong and Musconetcong creeks with the range of hills which separates them. Such was the scene that met the eye of John Rosbrugh in December 1764, when he repaired to the old Greenwich church to receive ordination to the christian ministry. Nothing remains of the log church in which he reverently knelt except the foundation stones, which have been built into a lime kiln, which may now be seen near by. It is probable that at the time of his ordination, Mr. Eosbrugh entered upon regular pastoral labors in the congregations of Green- wich, Oxford and Mansfield Woodhouse. Although there had been more or less preaching at one or other of these points by various clergymen as missionaries or supplies by appointment of ecclesias- tical courts, for perhaps twenty-five years previous, Mr. Rosbrugh seems to have been the first settled pastor — at least of the Presby- terian order — north of the Musconetcong mountains, in the bounds of what is now "Warren county, New Jersey. These three points of his charge seem to have been the earliest localities in the region, from which the principles of the christian religion were dissemina- ted. By following the early records from 1739 on, it will be found that preaching was supplied from time to time at Mr. Green's — then Green's Ridge — then Greenidge — then Greenage — and finally lower Greenwich, which meant the place where Mr. Rosbrugh was or- dained. Likewise contemporaneously, preaching was provided at " Mr. Barber's neighborhood, near Musconnekunk. " " Mr. Barber's. " was supplanted by the name "Mansfield Woodhouse," doubtless to 10 Mansfield Woodhouse. correspond with the name of the township in which it was located, . or to designate it as being at a particular woodhouse in Mansfield township. * This was some eleji^en or twelve miles above lower Greenwich, and like it, in the Musconetcong valley. The traveler takino- thc^ cars of the Delaware Lackawanna and "Western Railroad, at Hampton Junction on the Central Railroad of Kew Jersey, and riding toward Washington, passes through the bounds of the old Mansfield AVoodhouse congregation. As he leaves the station he will see in the valley below, surrounded by white tombstones, the present Musconetcong Valley Presbyterian church, which is one of the dauo-hters of the original Mansfield "Woodhouse church. As he sweeps around the point of the hill a half mile further on, he will see across the valley, upon the hill side, two or three miles distant, the white tombstones in the graveyard where once stood the mother church. On arriving at Washington he will see as one of the most prominent buildings of the place, the present First Mansfield or Washino-ton Presbyterian church, which is the other daughter. Repairing to the old graveyard just indicated, now lying a half mile south of him, he will see all that remains to call to remem- brance the labors of the Revolutionary pastor there. ]!To stone, we believe, now chronicles the burial of parishioner or friend during his ministry, but the western part of the burial ground is filled with nameless graves, by the side of some of which he doubtless stood and performed the last rites of christian burial for the departed. Standino- here upon the side of the hill which separates the Musco- netcono- and Pohatcong valleys, a beautiful prospect is spread out before the eye. To the south and south-west, three or four miles away, is seen the irregular range of the Musconetcong mountain * Two other petitions from the Towhships of Greenwich and Mansfield- Woodhouse, in the County of Sussex, both of the same purport as above; were also read, and ordered a second reading. — Minutes Provincial Congress of New Jersey, Oct. 12. 1775. beyond the stream of the same name, whilst in the intermediate landscape are seen fertile fields, comfortable farm-houses and invi- ting groves. Oxford, the other part of the charge, was near Belvidere, the county seat of Warren. In early days it was known as "Green- wich upon Delaware," "Upper Greenwich,"" Axford's," — which name may still be seen in the burying ground and heard in the com- munity — and finally " Oxford. " It is now known as the First Ox- ford Presbyterian church, Presbytery of Newton. Two miles from Belvidere, upon a little eminence, just where a small stream flows out from among the northern spurs of Scott's Mountain, we find the site of the original Oxford church. Standing at the modern church amid the graves of past generations, to the south-west, west and north, stretch out beautiful hills and vales in upper Northamp- ton county, Pennsylvania, and AVarren county, New Jersey. Fol- lowing the range of the Kittatinny mountains as they are seen pro- jected against the sky, the Delaware Water Gap soon comes promi- nently into view to the right, whilst the New Jersey fjot-hills stretch away to the east in broken profusion. Little or nothing re- mains at the site of the church to call to remembrance the first pastor and the days of the Tievolution. Thus we see Mr. Rosbrugh in 1764, practically in charge of all the interests of the Presbyterian church in that large and prosperous region now known as Warren county. 12 Marriage, CHAPTER IV. MINIS TjR Y in new J ERSE Y. It was at Mansfield Woodhouse that Mr. Kosbrugh made his home. Whilst occupied with the regular duties of his charge, he was appointed from time to time to supply neighboring congrega^ tions. On April 16th, 1765, Presbytery appointed him to supply two Sabbaths between that date and the third Tuesday in October, at Upper and Lower Hardwick — now Yellow Frame and Hacketts- town, respectively — in the Presbytery of Newton, "Warren county, New Jersey. On May 29th of the same year, he was appointed to supply two Sabbaths at Deep Run, near Doylstown, Pennsylvania, twenty-lve or thirty miles distant. On October 16th, 1765, he was again appointed to supply two Sabbath at Upper and Lower Hard- wick — twenty to thirty miles distant. On April 16th, 1766, he was appointed to supply one Sabbath at Upper Hardwick and one at liedminster — in Somerset county, twenty-five to thirty miles distant. Having entered upon the full work of the ministry, he felt that he ought to take to himself again a wife. Belonging to the class known as the Scotch-Irish, it was most natural for him to seek a helpmeet from among those who were of similar origin. Some twenty miles away, in Allen township, in *' Forks of Delaware," now Northampton county, Pennsylvania, had been for nearly forty years, a settlement of the Scotch-Irish. To the Irish, or Craig Set- tlement as it was called, therefore, he looked for a wife. It was not long till he had found and won the object of his desire. He be- came intimate with the family of (fames Ralstou, an elder in the JaafMS Rostimgk Bom, 1,^ Irish Settlement, or Allen Township Presbyterian church. The family was composed of the following members, we believe, viz: Samuel, John, Mary, Jane and Letitia. As living descendants of this family, among others, we might mention Rev. J. Grier Ealston, D. D., of Norristown and the Ralston families of the old Brandy- wine Manor Presbyterian congregation, Chester county, Penn'a. The wife of the venerable Rev. J. K C. Grier, D.D., for forty years pastor at Brandywine Manor, was also a descendant. Mr. Rosbrugh married the daughter Jane of this family, and took her to their home in the bounds of the congregation at Mansfield Woodhouse. The time at which the marriage took place we have not been able to learn, but conjecture it was in the early part of 1766. He was absent from the meeting of Synod, which convened in New York, May 21st, of that year. We conjecture he silently rendered his ex- cuse, whilst absent, in the words of Nehcmiah (6:3) "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down." — I am getting married,' In Philadelphia, May 20th, 1767, he gave to Synod his reasons for the previous year's absence, and for aught we know, gave them as here indicated. On the 24th of April, 1767, there was born to him a son, whom he called James, doubtless for his wife's father, James Ralston. Between the time of his marriage and the birth of his son, we find him engaged in numerous labors beyond the bounds of his own charge. On October 21st, 1766, he was appointed to supply at Upper and Lower Hard vick the first Sabbath of December, 1766, and first Sabbath in January and February, 1767. April 21st 1767, he was appointed to supply two Sabbaths in May, at Lower Hard- wick, fourth Sabbath in July at Upper Hardwick, and fourth Sab- bath in September at Bedminster. These labors in May, outside of his own charge, together with the journey to and attendance upon the meeting of Synod in Philadelphia the same month, show the arduonsness of the service he rendered. \ie find Mr. Rosbrugh was a man careful to obey the behests 14 Ecclesiastical Fideliiy. of the ecclesiastical courts which had jurisdiction over him. The Synod of New York and Philadelphia had taken steps to secure a fund for the propagation of the gospel among the poor. They had enjoined upon the members to make collections for the purpose. On the afternoon of May 22d, 1767 — the Synod then being in sess- ion in Philadelphia — the members were called upon to render an account of their faithfulness in the matter. When the list had been completed, the following minute was made, viz : " The Synod are obliged to declare that it is a matter of real grief to them to find that so many of their members have paid so little regard to the authority of Synod, enjoining a liberality for so pious and important a purpose. " Mr. Rosbrugh however, escaped this censure, for among the reports from the Presbyteries, the following came from the Presby- tery of New Brunswick, to which he belonged, viz : " Of New Brunswick Presbytery. Mr. Keed, - - £1 10 Mr. Hanna, - - 1 Mr. Kirkpatrick, - 2 17 1 Mr. Rosborough, - 1 £6 7 1 Pro. cur. " Thus he appears as one of four, in his Presbytery, who were f^iithfiil under the injunction laid upon them. On the 28th of May he obtained leave of absence for himself and elder, John Maxwell, from further attendance upon the sessions of the Synod at that meeting, and started upon his journey home- ward. Having returned to his duties at home, he doubtless in con- nection therewith, performed the extra service in July andSeptem- Discouragements, 15 ber, to which he had been appointed by Presbytery in the spring. We find that at the fall meeting of Presbytery, on October 20tb, 1767, he was appointed to preach one Sabbath at Upper Hardwick and one at Smithfield — the latter being now within the bounds of Lehigh Presbytery, in Monroe county, Pennsylvania, beyond the Kittatinny range of mountains, twenty or thirty miles distant. We present these details of labor that an adequate idea may be formed of the arduous and patient services rendered by the subject of this sketch. Mansfield Woodhouse and Oxford were each ten or twelve miles from Greenwich, and five or six from each other. Ilemem- bering this, and also that in addition to the labor of serving thesf^ congregations under such circumstances, he traveled far and preached much in the regions beyond, we have some forecast of the indomi- table courage, perseverance and devotion to duty which manifested itself in severer trials in after years. In all this work there was doubtless little encouragement, at least in a worldly point of view. The discouraging phase of his experience is reflected in a represen- tation which he made of his charge to Presbytery on April 19th, 1768. The record is as follows : " Mr. Rosborough represented to the Presbytery, that Mans- field Woodhouse, one branch of his present charge, through the re- moval of sundry of his members out of the congregation, and by other means were now become so few and weak as not to be able to contribute their quota towards his support, and that sundry of them had consented to his leaving them. And that seeing the other branches of his charge were not able to make up the deficiency of that now mentioned; and as his circumstances are straightened and necessitous, these things laid him under the disagreeable necessity of asking to be wholly dismissed from his present charge. " T!ie consideration of this matter was laid over till the next day. It then came up and the following record was made with regard to it. 16 Discouragements, "Mr. Rosbrugh's request for a removal from his present charge, came under consideration, and the Presbytery after hearing and consideving the reasons for said motion, do judge that the matter is not yet ripe for proceeding to his removal, as it does not appear to us that Mansfield Woodhouse, the branch of the congregation which it seems is most deficient in supporting Mr. Rosbrugh, have been formally notified of Mr. Kosbrugh's design at this time to sue for a dismission from them; neither is there any representative here to answer for them; neither is there any one here to represent Oxford congregation, which is another branch of his charge; and as the re- moval of a minister is a weighty matter, and not to be rashly done, we would proceed with all possible tenderness and caution in it. We therefore think proper to defer the matter till the fall Presby- tery, and in the mean time order that Mr. Rosborough give due notice to the people of Mansfield Woodhouse that unless they dis- charge their arrears and pay their quota as usual, his labors shall be taken from them ; and should they decline to bear their part as before, then Mr. Rosborough is to preach one half of his time till next Presbytery, at Greenwich, and a third part at Oxford, and the remainder at discretion. " Such was the status of his affairs in April, 1768. At the same meeting of Presbytery when the above action was taken, he was appointed to supply one Sabbath at Smithfield and one at Allen, town, in the Irish Settlement, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, and preach as often as he could at Upper and Lower Hardwick, be- tween that time and the spring meeting of Presbytery. At the fall meeting of Presbytery, October 18th, 1768, the report was brought i?i that Mansfield Woodhouse had failed to make up their quota of Mr. Rosbrugh's salary, and that he had accordingly preached one- half of his time at Greenwich, and one-third at Oxford. The Pres- bytery adjourned to meet at Oxford on the third Wednesday of LeUHa Rosbrugh Bom. 17 November to further consider the case. At this meeting it seems some arrangement was made and certain conditions specified upon which Mr. Rosbrugh was to remain in charge of Greenwich and Oxford. At the spring meeting of Presbytery however, April 18th, 1769, it was reported that Oxford and Greenwich had failed to com- ply with the conditions upon which he was to remain with them, and he was accordingly dismissed from all parts of his charge. CHAPTER V. TRANSITION TO ALLEN TO WNSHIF FUNNS YL VANIA. The foregoing circumstances would seem to indicate that the immediate future was dark and uninviting to the churchless pastor. But such was not the case. Within a week previous to the meeting of Presbytery at which he was released from his pastoral charge his heart was cheered by the birth of a daughter. This happy event occurred April 12th. He called his daughter Letitia, doubtless af- ter the mother's sister, Letitia Ralston. With the little boy James two years old, and the babe, we may suppose he spent many happy hours. But another circumstance added much to the dispellino- of any misgivings which he may have had for the future. At the slme meeting of Presbytery when he was released froiti his pastoral charge, a call was presented to him to take charge of the Allen 1^ Call to Allen Township, Township Presbyterian Church, iu connection with Greenwich. Thus he was to be provided with a home in the Irish Settlement, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, among the Scotch-Irish, the stock from which he himself had sprung, as well as his wife. He was now called to the congregation in which his father-in-law, James Kalston, was an elder, and his wife's family were members. This matter had been well forwarded before the meeting of Presby- tery which convened to dissolve the pastoral relation at Oxford and Greenwich. March 29th, 1769, the Allen Township people asked permission of the First Philadelphia Presbytery — to which they be- longed — to present a call to Mr. Rosbrugh of the New Brunswick Presbytery ; showing that they had decided at that time, to call him. They were advised to secure, in connection with Mt. Bethel, as much of his time as they could. Mr. Rosbrugh had expressed his willingness to accept their call, as early as April 3d., and the follow- ing record was made in their church-book, viz.: " The Rev. John Rosbrugh accepted the call to Allentown con- gregation, the 3d. day of April, 1769; that is to allow the congrega- tion two-thirds of his time for * * * pounds per annum. " The contemplated arrangement then doubtless was to give to Greenwich one-third, and Allen Township two-thirds of the minis- ter's time. With this arrangement in view, the matter was brought before the Presbytery of New Brunswick, where it was duly con- sidered, April 18th, 1769, and it was decided to make such arrange- ment, provided the Allen Township Church was "regularly set off to the Presbytery of New Brunswick," it having been under the care of the Presbytery of Abington from 1751 to 1758, and from that time on, under the First, or old Presbytery of Philadelphia, [n pursuance of the stipulation ofthe Presbytery of New Brunswick, tlie Allen Township people petitioned the Synod of New York and Negolmtiom for Transfer io AUen Township Church. 19 Philadelphia, convened in Philadelphia, to set them oti' to New Brunswick Presbytery. The petition came up for consideration on the afternoon of May 23d., 1769, and the following action was ta- ken, viz. : "A petition from the congregation of Allentown, in the Forks of Delaware, to be taken from under the care of the First Presby- tery of Philadelphia, and to be put under the care of the Presbytery of ITew Brunswick, was brought in and read. After the committee on behalf of the congregation and both Presbyteries concerned were heard, it appeared not expedient for the present to grant the prayer of the petition. But the Synod order the First Presbytery of Phil- adelphia to inquire more particularly into the state and connection of that congregation, and empower said Presbytery to set them off to the Presbytery of New Brunswick if it should appear expedient; or if it should appear more expedient to set off the congregation of Greenwich to the First Presbytery of Philadelphia, the Presbytery of New Brunswick are empowered to set them off. " Notwithstanding this delay, Mr. Rosbrugh doubtless devoted his time thereafter almost exclusively to Allen Township and Green- wich. This is confirmed by a record made October 19th, 1769, by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, which is as follows: " That Mr. Kosbrugh be a constant supply to the people at Greenwich and Allentown, except 3d. Sabbath to Mt. Bethel, till our next. " At the spring meeting of his Presbytery, on April 17th, 1770, be was appointed to supply one Sabbath at Mt. Bethel, one at Ox- ford, one at Baskingridge, at Lower Hardwick one, and administer the Lord's Supper, in addition to his regular labors at Allentown- 6hip and Greenwich. In accordance with the action of the Synod 20 Allen Township Church Transferred. in 1769, the matter of the transfer of the Allen Township Church to the Presbytery of New Brunswick, came up on the afternoon of May 21st, 1770, in the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, con- vened in New York, when the following action was taken: " The First Presbytery of Philadelphia reported, that in com- pliance with an order of Synod last year, they had, in conjunction with the Presl)ytery of New Brunswick, inquired particularly into the state and connections of the congregation of Allentown, in the Forks of Delaware, and it is the unanimous opinion of both Presby- teries that it is at present most subservient to the interests of relig- ion in those parts, for the Presbytery of New Brunswick to take under their care, not only the congregation of Allentown, but also the congregation of Mt. Bethel, both which are in the Forks of Delaware, and both which have been under the care of the First Philadelphia Presbytery. The Synod therefore order the Presby- tery of New Brunswick to take both the said congregations under their care for the future. " The conditions upon which Mr. Rosbrugh was to be allowed to accept the call to Allen Township and Greenwich, were thus met. Notwithstanding this, he did not at that time express to Presbytery his acceptance of the call. This may have been owing to troubles which arose about this time in the Mt. Bethel church, which was doubtless to constitute a part of his charge. In October, 1771, he was appointed to supply this latter place on the fourth Sabbatli of that month and administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and preach three more Sabbaths at his discretion. At the spring meeting of Presbytery, April 15th, 1772, he expressed his acceptance of the call to the Allen Township church, but for some reason no preparations were then made for his installation. If we mistake not, Greenwich was not included in the call as accepted by InstaUaMm, ^^ Mr. Rosbrugh in 1772. On October 13th, 1772, the Allen Town- ship people renewed their request for his installation, which was « cheerfully complied with." It took place October 28th, 1772, at 12 o'clock. Rev. John Guild presided and preached the sermon. The other members of the committee of installation were Rev. John Hanna, Rev. Jacob Van Arsdalen and Rev. Samuel Kennedy.^ CHAPTER VI. M2NISTR Y IN ALLEN TO WNSHIP FENNS YL VANIA. At what particular time Mr. Rosbrugh removed his family to the bounds of the Allen Township congregation in Pennsylvania, is now not known, but it was most likely shortly after the dissolution of the pastoral relation between himself and the churches to which he ministered in New Jersey. It is not probable that he remained long in the bounds of the Mansfield Woodhouse congregation after the unhappy state of affairs which we see existed there in the latter part of 1768. The most natural place to which we would expect Mm to remove as soon as he conveniently could, would be the Allen Township congregation, where his wife's people lived. There we may suppose he took up his abode therefore, in 1769 or 1770. After his removal there were born to him two daughters, one of whom he called Mary, doubtless after his wife's sister, Mary Ralston , 22 . Field of Labor in Pennsylvania. who had died, a blooming girl of sixteen, November 20th, 1748, and whose body lies in the Allen Township burying-ground. The other he called Sarah, perhaps in memory of the deceased wife of his youth. Another son was born to him here also, whom he called John, doubtless after his wife's brother, John Ralston. K the traveler will go to a little hamlet near Weaversville, in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, he will be surrounded by the scenery amid which Mr. Rosbrugh spent the closing years of his life. The purling brook still flows by. The old mill-site is still there. The rocky ascent of the highway up which he marched with his parishioners when starting to the seat of war, is still there. The old Allen Township stone church, erected in 1812 and '13, — now hidden by a wooden encasement — is there, within a hundred yards or so of the site of the building in which Mr. Rosbrugh preached. Just up the stream a few steps, is the old burying-ground where lie the remains of his wife, by the side of Barbara Hays, Mary Craig, Thomas ITerron, Mary Ann Walker, Mary Lykens, Hugh Wilson, Mary Ralston, — his own mother-in-law — Jane Clen- dinen and Mary Hays, together with others whom he laid in the grave during his ministry there. Leaving the church and going eastward, the traveler finds himself upon the elevated highway along which Mr. Rosbrugh traveled week after week as he toiled in the work of the Master. Away to the south-east, south and south- west may be seen the Lehigh mountains, with the river of the same name flowing at their northern base. Here and there as the eye wanders over the landscape, may be seen ascending at Catasauqua, Allcntqwn, Bethlehem and other places, the smoke of the iron fur- naces of the Lehigh Valley. To the east and west stretch out the fertile and beautiful hills and vales of Northampton and Lehigh counties; whilst away to the north, against the sky, may be seen the symmetrical range of the Kittatinny or Blue mountains. Hav- ing gone a mile perhaps, a sharp descent in the road brings the MirthfaMss. 2^ traveler to Reuben Beavers. This was the home of Rev. John Ros- bi-ugh in 1776, and the home of his sorrowing family after his death. Just below it was the old Ralston estate, and blockhouse or fort for the defence of the settlers prior to and during the French and In- dian war. Such were the surroundings of Mr. Rosbrugh after he removed from N"ew Jersey to Pennsylvania. From his installation in 1772 onward for several years, he seems to have been quietly occupied with his ministerial labors. He attended the meeting of Synod in Philadelphia in May, 1774. He attended the meeting of his Presbytery at Bound Brook, April 23d, 1776, and was chosen Moderator. He also attended the meet- ing of Synod in Philadelphia in May of the same year. On Octo- ber 9th, 1776, Presbytery appointed him to supply two Sabbaths at Mt. Bethel, and one at Greenwich. This however, was the last opportunity his Presbytery had of assigning him to duty. Before proceeding however to the darkest and sadest part of his career, let us take a glimpse at the bright and cheerful charac- oeristics of his nature. Mr. Rosbrugh was fond of mirthfulness, and was accustomed to entertain his friends with such anecdotes as i*he following : At the first meeting of Synod in Philadelphia, two young clergymen attended on horseback from Virginia. On the way, arriving at a village, near night, they inquired for a Presbyterian, hoping to find lodging for the night. They were directed to the principal man of the place, the owner of a mill at which many were employed. He gladly received them — showed them great attention — had their horses taken care ofand supper prepared for themselves. After a long evenings talk, instead of asking the young ministers to lead in devotions, he thought it would be a good thing to show them how well he could do it himself. His method was patriarchal. He first read a chapter in the Bible, which he explained to the fam- 54 Anecdotes, ily, then a version of the Psalms — lining it in singing — ^before pray- er. This night the chapter in course was the fourth of Numbers, the fifth and sixth verses of which are as follows : " And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it : and shall put thereon the covering of badger skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. " "Badger skins" he read beggar skins. When he had finished reading, he turned to the family and said: There is nothing of par- ticular importance in this chapter, it merely goes to show the bless- edness of the gospel dispensation, for now each man can enjoy his religion under his own vine and fig tree, but then, just as soon as a man became too poor to pay his tithes, oft' went his skin to be used in covering the articles in the tabernacle. Mr. Rosbrugh, in making his pastoral visits, once came to a widow living alone. He found her at her devotions and did not disturb her until she was through. She read the Scripture, then lined a Psalm as she sang it, before prayer. He asked her why she lined the Psalm, as there were none to hear her when she was alone. "Ah!" said she, "it is sa quiet I fain would 'dight my gab twice wi'it." PatrioHsni. [AFTER VII. INCENTIVES TO PATRIOTISM. These were Revolutionary times, and Mr. Rosbrugh was filled with the spirit of freedom. It was the heavy yoke, politically and religiously, which the Mother Country had imposed upon her peo- ple, that drove him and many of his class from the heather, hill and dale of Scotland, to their new homes in America. That the same yoke should be imposed upon them in their new home, seemed to him like the pursuit and oppression of the innocent and suffering by a natural enemy. Aside from this general incentive which fired his zeal, there were special reiisons why he should be intensely in- terested in his country's welfare. The Synod of New York and Philadelphia, to which he belonged, at its meeting in New York on May 20th, 1775, had sent out l>y pastoral letter, burning words of christian advice and patriotism to all her ministers and congre- gations, in view of the disheartening aspect of political affairs. Beside urging recognition of God in all the trials of the hour, and to duly repent of transgressions; to respect their allegiance to the British crown so far as might be consistent with the securing of their just rights, politically and religiously; to abstain from lawless- ness and excesses in social life, they said : " Suffer us then to lay hold of your present temper of mind, ^nd to exhort especially the young and vigorous, by assuring them that there is no soldier so undaunted as the pious man ; no army so formidable as those who are superior to the fear of death. There zi6 Synodical Urging and Admonition. is nothing more awful to think of, than that those whose trade is war, should be despisers of the name of the Lord of hosts, and that they should expose themselves to the imminent danger of being im- mediately sent from cursing and cruelty on earth, to the blasphe- ming rage and despairing horror of the infernal pit. Let therefore, every one, who from generosity of spirit, or benevolence of heart, offer himself as a champion in his country's cause, be persuaded to reverence the name, and walk in the fear of the Prince of the kings of the earth, and then he may, with the most unshaken firmness, expect the issue either in victory or death. " "Be careful to maintain the union which at present subsists through all the colgnies. Nothing can be more manifest than that the success of every measure depends on its being inviolably pre- served, and therefore, we hope that you will leave nothing undone which can promote that end. In particular, as the Continental Congress, now sitting at Philadelphia, consists of delegates chosen in the most free and unbiased manner, by the body of the people, let them not only be treated with respect, and encouraged in their difficult service, not only let your prayers be offered up to God for his direction in their proceedings, but adhere firmly to their resolu- tions, and let it be seen that they are able to bring out the whole strength of this vast country to carry them into effect. " Thus Mr. Rosbrugh would feel that he was under moral obli- gation, with all Presbyterians, to lend his aid to repel what seemed to him an unjust demand on the part of the Mother Country. These feelings which doubtless possessed his soul in 1775, were in- tensified when some from his own congregation and family connec- tions entered actively into the task of repelling the enemy, both in the halls of legislation, and land and naval forces of the country. If we look into the old burying-ground in the Irish Settlement, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, we will find this inscription : "Dr. Matthew McHenry died December thirteenth, seventeen hundred and eighty-thi^ee, in the fortieth year of his a^e." If we look into the minutes of the Council of Safety of Penn- sylvania, for April 13th, 1776, we there read: "JRe50/ye(/, That Doctor Matthew McHenry be, and he is hereby appointed Surgeon to the Provincial Ship Montgomery. " His father was. Rev. Francis McHenry, and his mother Mary Wil- son, daughter%ugh Wilson, one of the oldest, most respected and influential citizens of the Irish Settlement. In the minutes of the same body, for September 24th, 1776, we read: "An order was drawn on Robert T rowers, in favor of Messrs Jacob Strowd, Neigal Gray, Abram Miller, Simon Dreisbach, John Ralston, Jacob Arndt and Peter Brinkhalter, members of Convention for Northampton county, SOOft) powder, and 60(»lb lead for the use of said county." Thus we see Neigal Gray and John Ralston, Avho were members of Mr. Rosbrugh's congregation, and the latter his brother-in-law, actively engaged with the military affairs of the country. Further, with others, we find the following Irish Settlement names as con- nected with the Revolutionary service, viz.: Major George Nagle, Lieutenant Robert Gregg, Ensign William Craig, John Craig, John Boyd, Andrew Boyd, William Young, William Weals, Henry Epple, General Thomas Craig and Robert Brown, afterwards known as General Brown, and who was a Representative in Con- gress from Northampton county, Pennsylvania, for nearly twenty years after the Revolution. Captain Benjamin Wallace, who mar- ried Letitia Ralston, Mr. Rosbrugh's sister-in-law, also entered the conflict on the field of battle. John Ralston— brother-in-law also as we have seen— became a member of the Constitutional Conven- tion which framed the first constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in 1776, by which the people were to have no longer 28 Skge of Fort Washington, a government of a Colonial cliaracter, but that of a free and sover- eign State. He was a member of the Continental Congress and. also, we believe, a member of the committee or convention which, framed the Articles of Confederation. Thus Mr. Rosbrugh became more closely identified with the Revolutionary cause from consider- ations alike of an ecclesiastical, social and political character. As the conflict progressed, circumstances more and more conspired to arouse his patriotism. General Brown, and his brother-in-law Cap- tain Wallace, Avith others, were sent to the front, and shared the the misfortunes of the war previous to the siege of Fort Washing- ton. They were of the number of those put into that ill-fated stronghold by General Washington, with orders to defend it at all hazards — it, was the forlorn hope. The enemy marshaled their for- ces and laid siege to the place. It was superiority of numbers and munitions of war, against courage and devotion to ajust cause. On the 15th of November, 1776, Lord .Howe, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces, made a demand for the surrender of the fort, un- der penalty of putting all to the sword if the demand was not acce- ded to. An attack commenced on the morning of November 16th, and continued till three o'clock, P. M., when a, second summons was sent by Lord Howe for the surrender, the stipulations being that the garrison were to be held prisoners of war, giving up their arms, ammunition and stores, and that two field officers were to be sent to the British head-quarters as hostages. As further successful resistance was deemed hopeless, the troops surrendered, and Colonel Robert McGaw, of the Fifth Pennsylvania battal ion — to which be- longed the companies containing many of Mr. Rosbrugh's neighbors — and who was in command of Fort Washington, General Brown, (then First Lieutenant in Captain Rundio's company,) and Captain Wallace, with the others, fell into the hands of the enemy. The following was the form in which the summons and capitulation were made: Washington's Betreat. 29 " The Commander-in-Chief demands an immediate and catagor- ical answer to his second summons of Fort "Washington, The garri- son must immediately surrender prisoners of war, and give up their arms, ammunition and stores of every kind, and send two Field- Officers to these quarters as iiostages. In so doing, the General is pleased to allow the garrison to keep possesion of their baggage, and the officers to have their swords. Agreed to : J. Patteeson, Adjutant General. Egbert McGaw, Colonel of the Fifth Pennsyl- vania Battal ion, Commanding at Fort Washington. " * The following is General Brown's parole, given in his captiv- ity, a year later : "We whose names are hereunder written, do pledge our faith and honor to General Clinton, that we will not depart from ye house we are placed in by the Commissary of Prisoners; nor go be- yond the bounds prescribed by him; and further that we will not do or say anything contrary to the interests of his Majesty or his Government. Robert Brown On board of ye Ship Judith, December 10th, 1777." f The effect of the disaster at Fort Washington upon the minds of Mr. Kosbrugh and his people may well be imagined. Now followed that hasty and disheartening retreat by the Continen- tal army across New Jersey, with which the historian is familiar. * Genealogies, Necrology and Reminiscences of the Irish Settlement, p. 258 — By the Author of this Paper. ^ t Ibid p. 259. 30 Excitement in Pennsylvania. No place of safety was found until they had crossed the Delaware and placed this turbid and ice-clogged barrier between themselves and the pursuing foe. With the fall of Fort Washington it was felt something must be done and done speedily to prevent the ene- my from marching on and capturing Philadelphia, where the Con- tinental Congress had been sitting. If we now transfer ourselves to the chamber in Philadelphia where the Council of Safety of Pennsylvania were wont to meet, and imbibe the political atmos- phere which they breathed, we will be better litted to appreciate the circumstances and feelings through which Mr. liosbrugh was brought to Jiis tragic end. The Plying Camp had been formed, equipped and forwarded during the summer of 1776, The Irish Settlement had furnished her quota therefor. The air was full of alarms from time to time. By November 7tli, an express rider had been sent out "to Northampton and Bucks counties, to request the Commanding Officers of the militia to hold themselves in readiness to march to this city at an hour's warning. " By November 11th, "In consequence of intelligence received that part of General How's army was making amove this way, the Council to get things in for- wardness to make a defence, came to the following rsolutions, viz. : 1. That twelve expresses with horses be provided, to be in readiness to send. 2. That Col. Gurney an1. Kirkbridge, to view the fords of the river Delaware above the Ineremed ExcikmeM. H filllS. 6. That Mr. Biddle be appointed to write to the Del^w^re l^f^, and lower parts of New Jersey, and acquaint them with the ititelligence received. 7. That Mr. C. S. Morris be appointed tp ^irrite to Mr. Parr, Mr. Tilghman and Mr. Lukens, and order them to remove the public papers in their hands. 8. That Mr. Robert Irmne be sent for and directed to engage a number of wagons, in order to remove the military stores from this city to the country. 9. That Col. Mifflin be sent for and requested to assist in directing the mounting all the small guns that can be procured, on carriages, in and near the city, that are fit for that purpose. 10. Mr. Towers be directed to provide a larger quantity of musket cartridges than is now on hand, and employ as many people in making them as can be procured. 11. That the boom be fixed to the piers near Fort Island, without delay. " November 13th finds the organized mili- tia notified "to march to New Jersey. " On the 14th "intelligence was received by express that several hundred transports had sailed from New York, and steered their course to the southward, and ex- pected to be intended for this city; whereupon the Council wrote a circular letter to the Commanding Ofiicers of the battalions of mi- litia, earnestly requesting them to march their respective battal ions to this city immediately. " " The Board of war was requested to send for Captain Strohbogh and the company of artillery under his command, lately sent to Fort Montgomery, in New York Govern- tnent. " " Resolved^ That Col. Bayard be requested to get ready im- mediately as many of his battal ion as are necessary to guard the iState prisioners to Lancaster and Reading. The Commodore was not to suffer any sea vessel to pass through the Chevaux-de-Frise, Ordered that Commodore Seymore do immediately station one o,t the armed boats belonging to this State, at or near Gloucester point, siiid exert their utmost vigilance in preventing all shallops from ■j^sgitig down the river. " But matters became more critical. The last ^ronghold, Fort Washington, is taken, as we have seen, on the 32 Heroic Preparaiwns, 16th of November. By the 18th, the Chester and Berks county militia are ordered to Philadelphia. The 2()th finds the Bucks county militia also ordered to the city. The troops from Lancaster and York counties receive their marching orders by the 22d. Now the sphere of action widens. It is no longer the authorities of Pennsylvania alone who are moving for the defence of their soil, but the Continental Congress takes up the matter and cooperates with them. On November 23d, Congress takes action looking to the calling out of all the militia of the country in defence of the city where they had been sitting. Accordingly on the 25th of No- vember we lind renewed efforts on the part of the Council of Safety. They say " In consequence of a meeting with as many of the Field Officers of the battaUons of the city of Philadelphia as could be convened, it was, upon consideration, agreed on to present a memo- rial to the General Assembly on the resolves of Congress with re- spect to calling out the militia, and on the present state of the mil- itary Association ; and a committee of this board was ordered to prepare a draft of such memorial, to be delivered to the House to- morrow morning. " The memorial was presented to the Assembly on the 26th, and the arrangement made seems to have been to bring pressure to bear upon the people's patriotism in the great peril of the moment, and thus obtain volunteers indiscriminately from the militia, for the reinforcement of the Continental Army. As an inducement to volunteer, one month's pay in advance was offered. We read November 27th, *' Agreeable to the Resolution of Congress of 23d instant, respecting the calling out of part of the militia of this State, an order was sent down from Congress on Mi- chael Hillegas, Esq'r., Treasurer to the Continent, dated the 25th inst., for thirty-five thousand dollars, for advancing a month's pay to each man who shall enroll himself to serve till the 10th March next, unless sooner discharged. " To further urge and encourage the matter, the families of volunteers are provided for, as seen by Mrnlks Promded For. ^^ ^ii^ 'following action taken mvember 29th. " Besolved, That this bbuncil will provide generously, and in the least exceptional man- 'iier they can devise, for the families of the Associators, who shall 'inarch into New Jersey to join General Washington, exclusive of their pay, out of such moneys as they have at their disposal, unless the House of Assembly shall, before that time, make the interposi- tion of the board unnecessary.'^ The following further action is taken November 30th. ^^ Besolved, That money be sent immedi- ately to the Colonels of the militia of Chester, Philadelphia, Bucks and Northampton counties, and city of Philadelphia, to aupply the families of such Associators as go into actual service and may stand in need of the same; and that each battalion do choose two subalterns, substantial freeholders, who are to re- ceive from the Colonels of their respective battal ions the said money and distribute it amongst the said families, from time to time, according to their need, in the most discreet manner, for which money they are to account with this board. " The same day •'William Parr is directed to remove all the records and public pa- pers in his possession to Lancaster immediately." " Capt. New- man is permitted to take one or two of the field pieces in the State House yard, and proceed with them and his men to the assistance of General Washington. " On December 1st " Resolved, That Mr. William Richards and Mr. Matthew Clarkson be appointed to pro- vide every necessary for accommodating the militia on their passage from here to Trenton ; to have oars fixed to each shallop, and pro- portion the number of men each can carry. " " Dispatched express- es to Chester, Philadelphia, Bucks and Northampton counties, to hasten the march of militia to reinforce General Washington in New Jersey. " " Besolved, That Major Proctor do send fifty of his privates with proper ofiicers, under the command of Captain Thom- as Forrest, to General Washington without delay; that they are to take with them two brass field pieces belonging to this State, and Major Proctor is to lay before this board an estimate of stores, wag- "34 Schools and Places of Business Closed. ons and camp equipage necessary for that service, that they maybe supplied without delay." December 2d., '■^ Mesolved, That it is the opinion of this board, that all the shops in this city be shut up; that the schools be broken up, and the inhabitants engaged solely in providing for the defence ofthis city at this time of extreme danger. " December 3d. " Ordered, That the ferry-men of this city and Lib- erties, do immediately take over to Cooper's ferries all their boats, and the two large flat bottom boats belonging to this State, now at Kensington, under the care of Captain Benjamin Eyre, to transport the Maryland Flying Camp across the Delaware to this city. Re- solved, That the members in General Assembly for the counties of Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks and Lancaster, be applied to immedi- ately, to recommend proper persons in their respective counties to he employed by this board to hire all the wagons in their counties. Hesolved, That this board will furnish any persons who may form themselves into a Troop of Horse, with a brace of pistols and broad- sword; and it is recommended to the persons so forming a troop, immediately to choose their officers and prepare to march to join General Washington with all expedition in their power." Decem- ber 4th, '■'■ Resolmdy That tFacob Hinraan and John Clew be permit- ted to continue at the old ferry, it being expected that troops trom New efersey will pass over to this city, and they may be wanted." The 5th linds expresses sent out " to call the militia, and hasten their march to join General Washington." The 7th brings heroic words of admonition. " Whereas, The safety and security of every state depends on the virtuous exertions of individuals in its defence, and as such exertions can never be more reasonable and necessary than when a people arc wantonly invaded by a powerful army, for the avowed purpose of enslaving them, which is at present the un- happy situation of our neighboring states, and which may hourly be expected in this, therefore. Resolved, That no excuse ought to be admitted or deemed sufficient against marching of the militia at this General Howe Arrives at Princeton. ^ tim«, except sickness, infirmity of body, age, religious scruples or $03 absolute order from authority of this State. liesolved., That it is the opinion of this board that every person who is so void of honor, virtue and love of his country, as to refuse his assistance at this time of imminent public danger, may justly be suspected of designs in- imical to the freedom of America; and where such designs are very apparent from the conduct of particular persons, such persons ought to be confined during the absence of the militia, and the officers ot this State to have particular regard to the above resolve and act ac- cordingly, with vigor, prudence and discretion, reserving appeals to this Council, or a committee thereof, where the same is requested. " In the Council, startling news is broken at 2 o'clock A. M., Decem- ber 8th. "Aletter was laid before the ])oard from Col. Bayard to Mr. Andrew Kodge, dated at Trenton, 2 o'clock yesterday after- noon, informing thut General Howe was advancing at the head of his army toward Head-quarters at Princetown; whereupon Com- modore Seymore v, as sent for and directed to order all the armed boats to be dispatched to Trenton immediately to assist in removing the stores, and any other service they may be required." "Order- ed that the several ferries over Schuylkill be put in a condition to give the utmost assistance to the citizens and others, who may have occasion to pass and repass in this time of danger. " In the after- noon "Letters were dispatched to the Colonels or Commanding Officers of the several battal ions of militia in this State, informing them of the movements of the enemy, and entreats them to march with their battal ions to succor General Washington, and empower- ing them to impress wagons to assist the inhabitants of the country to remove their effects, if not to be had without. " On the 9th "An order was drawn on Mr. ISTesbit in favor of Philip Boehm, of Northampton county, for one thousand dollars, for the use of the militia of that county. " It was also " liesolved, That our treasury and the books of that office be removed to Lancaster, and that a 36 Washington Dictatorial, 'v wagon be procured to-morrow morning early for that purpose. " By December 10th, matters had reached such a crisis that General Washington took upon himself to order out the militia of Pennsyl- vania, without waiting for the sanction of the State authorities, and " The Council being informed by General Washington that he had given notice to the several Colonels of Bucks county militia with- out delay to march their men to Head-quarters, and as it appears to this board that the measures takeuj by the General are essentially necessary at this critical time, it is terefore — Resolved, That the Colonels or Commanding Officers of that county comply with the General's request without delay, any order of this board before, notwithstanding." The 11th brings the forcible impressing of citi- zens into the public service, for the defence of the city. "General Washington having applied to this board to give Major General Putnam all the assistance in our power toward throwing up works of defence for this city, which are absolutely necessary; and as ma- ny of its inhabitants have not taken up arms to defend it against the invasion with which it is now threatened, whose indispensable duty it is to contribute in some way to the common defence, there- fore — Besoloed, That all able-bodied men, inhabitants of this city and environs, do contribute their equal proportion of labor, either by themselves or their substitutes, towards raising the necessary works of defence, the persons so employed to have the same pay and rations as the militia in the held, and in case any person shall neglect or refuse to serve in his turn, the Commanding Officer, or such person as he shall appoint for that purpose, is hereby author- ized to seize and make sale of the goods and chattels of the respec- tive delinquents, to the amount of such sum as shall induce another person to perform the work in their stead; and it is recommended to the General to call forth the inhabitants to this service by regu- lar rotation, in such manner as may most effectually promote the sumc. " If the Colonels of militia, who bad been ordered out, were Washington's Summons to Northampton. ^7 not able to bring onto the field their whole commands, they were .«Krected to forward as many men as they could, as is seen by action taken the 13th. ''Resolved, That the officers of militia who can raise indiscriminately, out of any battalion or battalions, a number of men to join General Washington-s army, are hereby fully author- ized and empowered so to do; and it is recommended to all the said officers to use their best endeavors to forward this salutary business, agreeably to the Kesolves of the Honorable House of Assembly of yesterday, for which purpose they shall be paid all reasonable expenses."' On the 17th we find matters urged in Mr. Rosbrugh's county by the offisr of advanced pay to those who would enlist to save the imperiled country. "An order was drawn on Mr. Nesbit in fiivor of David Dashler for 2000 dollars, to be paid to Peter Rhoads, Esq'r., of Northampton county, for the purpose of paying a month's wages advance to the militia of the said county. " The same day it was—" Resolved, That it be recom- mended to General Washington to issue orders immediately for the militia of Bucks and Northampton counties forthwith to join his ar- my, and to disarm every person who does not obey the summons, mid to seize and treat as enemies all those who shall attempt to op- pose the execution of this measure, and likewise every person in those counties who are known or suspected to be enemies to the United States." Accordingly General Washington sent from his Head-quarters in Bucks county, the following letter to ColonelJohn Siegfried of Allen township, where Mr. Rosbrugh and his congre- gation were located : "Sir: The Council of Safety of this State, by their re- solves of the l7th inst. , empowered me to call out the militia of Northampton county, to the assistance of the Continental army, tliatbyourjoint endeavors, we may put a stop to the progress of 188 Mr. Hosbrugh Takes the Decisive Step. . i '^the enemy, who are making preparations to advance to Philadel- phia as soon as they cross the Delaware, either by boats or on th« ice. As I am unacquainted with the names of the Colonels of your militia, I have taken the liberty to enclose you six letters, in which you will please insert the names of the proper officers, and send them immediately to them by persons in whom you can contide for their delivery. If there are not as many Colonels as letters you may destroy the balance not wanted. I earnestly entreat those who are so far lost to a love of country as to refuse to lend a hand to its support at this time, they depend upon being treated as their baseness and want of public spirit will most justly deserve. , I Am, Sir, Your Most Obedient Servant : George Washington." CHAPTER VIII. THE MARCH TO THE SEA T OF WAB. The general excitement revealed by the foregoing records, in which Mr. liosbrugh's community in common with others shared, together with the direct appeal which General Washington's letter made to the members of his congregation as residents of Allen toiYuship, where Colonel Siegfried lived, were enough to bring the The Patriotic Sermon. S9 patriotic pastor to definite action. He assembled hia congregation arid read to them the call for reinforcements. He reasoned with and urged them to action. Having ascended the pulpit in the old church he took for his text Judges 5 : 23, "Curse ye Meroz, eaith the angel ot the Lord; curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; be- cause they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. " Having finished the sermon he told the peo- ple he could die in the full faith of what he had preached, the next moment. He had intended to go with his people to the field of bat- tle in his proper capacity of Chaplain, if they would consent to march to the country's rescue. After sermon the people expressed their willingness to go if he would be their commander. This was ti position he had not thought of occupying, and in which he would be exposed to more danger than if acting as Chaplain. He desired therefore to consult his beloved wife before acceding to the people's desire. Thus the congregation separated for the day. Let us now follow Mr. Kosbrugh to the home in the little hol- low in Allen township. Let us look in upon the interesting family upon this cold December night. Here is the wife, with heart full doubtless, at thought of the trying circumstances by which they were surrounded. Her sister's husband was a prisoner of war, con- signed to the tender mercies of the enemy. Some of her neighbors were sharing his hard fate. Her brother John was in Philadelphiu devising means, with the other members of Congress, whereby their families might be protected from the cruelties ofan invading foe. Here are the little children, James, Letitia, Mary, Sarah and John, the oldest only nine years of age, too young to appreciate the sad circumstances surrounding the parents. The father makes known to the mother the desire of the people that he should go to the field of battle as their commander. She knows that the position is at- tended with many dangers, and in view of the recent sad news, she knows not but that the husband might ere long be slaiii in battle or 40 Last Will and Testament taken prisoner, as her brother in-law had been , and what would then become of herself and these little ones. But the country call- ed and none should refuse. The people desiring her husband to go with them — not as Chaplain but as commander — she said " Then go. " The matter being now settled, let us look in upon the man of God us he puts his house in order as if foreseeing an early death. Let us follow his pen as he makes his last will and testament. Let us note his words of sorrow and manly devotion. * " Last will of John Rosbkugh. In the name of God, Amen. December ye 18th, 1776 — I, John llosbrugh, of Allen township, Northampton county, and Province of Pennsylvania, being in perfect health, sound judgment and memory, through yo. great and tender mercy of God, but calling to mind that my dissolution may be near at hand, and that it is ap- jiointed for all men once to die, therefore I constitute, ordain and appoint this to be my last will and testament, in ye form and man- ner following: In ye iirst place, having received many and singu- lar ble-isings from Almighty God, in this the land of my pilgrimage, more especially a loving and faithful wife and five promising chil- dren, I do leave and bequeath them all to ye protection, mercy and grace of God, from whom I have received them, being encouraged thereto by God's gracious direction and faithful promise, Jer. 49 : 11 "Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me." Secondly: I appoint my beloved wife and faithful companion, Mrs. Jean Rosbrugh, to be my lawful attor- ney to require, demand and sue for and by all lawful means and ways to recover all and singular, ye debts due to me either by bonds, bills, notes or book accounts or otherwise; and also I do will and Will Book No. 1, Northampton County Records, p. 149. Last Will and Testament 41 appoint my above attorney to pay all ray just and lawful debts, to take receipts and give discharges as amply and fully as if I were personally present. And further I will and bequeath to my deceas- ed brother's sons, Robert Ilosbrugh and John liosbrugh — to Robert ye sum of live pounds, and to John the sum of ten pounds, to be paid to them out of my estate, as soon as may be conveniently done after my decease. And as for the remainder of ray estate, I will leave and bequeath to my beloved wife, Mrs. «rean Rosbrugh, and to my dear children; and it is my will that it remain undivided, to be used and improved for ye benefit of ye family, at ye discre- tion of my wife, until some riiaterial alteration may happen in ye family — that is to say, either her death, or if in process of time my widow should see fit to change her condition by a second raarriage — then I appoint my executors to make a division, giving to her and to each of the children, such a part as they shall in justice and reason, judge proper, without any regard had to former customs or usages, but still regard is to be had to merit and circumstances of ye parties, and then I appoint ye executors to be the guardians for the cliildren, but if she continue as my widow till ye children come of age, I desire that she, with the advice of ye executors, just give such a part to each of them as her circumstances will admit. And I ordain, constitute and appoint the Rev'd Mr. Alex'r Mitchell, ray faithful and dear brother in ye gospel of Christ, and ray faithful and dear brother in-law, Mr. John Ralston, to be whole and sole executors of this ray last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 19th day of December, 1776. John Rosbrugh. [Seal.] Signed, sealed, pronounced and declared to be my last will and testament, in presence of us, John WALKER. William Caruthers." 42 The Military Company Formed. The will written, we may suppose the father and mother retire for the night, but more to ponder than to sleep. The morning- dawns and we see the father take his eldest boy, and with him ride ovcr^to the church, upon the faithful gray horse, which was toper- form this accustomed service now for the last time. The people as- sembled at the church, but having been home with their families, and having more fully "counted the cost" of going to war, thus leaving their families in a manner unprotected, they hesitated to take the final ste}). The pastor having decided to accede to their request to take command of them if they would go, told all who felt it their duty not to enlist, to go home and take care of their own aifairs and look also to the interests of those who went. At the same time he told all who felt as he did, that duty called to the country's rescue, to follow him. He now put a musket to his shoul- der and nuirched out to the highway, and all fell into line and fol- lowed. The little boy James, rode the gray horse by his father's side till they passed over the brow of the hill, just east ot their home, as we suppose. Then the father took him from the horse, kissed him and bade him go home to his mother, and be a good boy till he should return — he never saw his father's face again. In this company, amotig the rest, were John, Robert, James and Francis Hays, sons of John Hays, who had immigrated to the Irish Settlement in Northampton county, from West-Donegal in Ire- land, in 1732. The eldest son, John, had married Barbara King, daughter of James King of the Irish Settlement. John Ralston, member of Congress, also had married a daughter of Mr. King, named Christiana. Thus the two men were brothers-in-law to each other, whilst Mr. Rosbrugh was brother-in-law to Mr. Ralston. The company doubtless marched eastward from the church, past Mr, Rosbrugh's home, till they came to the cross-roads at Jack- sonville, in East-Allen township, where they turned southward to- ward Philadelphia. They doubtless crossed the Lehigh at or near Arrival at Philadelphia and First Letter to Wife. 4S Bethlehem, and followed the old "Bethlehem road" to the city. Here they arrived probably on the 24th of December, 1776. The following from the minutes of the Comicil of Safety, December 26th, doubtless applied, at least in part, to them: " Order drawn on G. Bickman to pay ten pounds seven shillings and sixpence, for victualing the first division of third battallion of Northampton county militia. " Thus in eight days from the time the Council of Safety issued their call for troops, Mr. Rosbrugh and his parishioners, as a military company, were upon the field ready for action. As Mr. Rosbrugh's brother-in-law, John Ralston, was in the city in connection with his duties as a member of the Continental Congj-ess, with him the pa- triot pastor spent the night of the 24th of December. The next day, Cliristmas, he wrote the following letter to his wife: * " My Dearest Companion : I gladly embrace ye opportunity of telling you that I am still yours, and also in a tolerable state of health, thro' ye tender mercy of our dear L jrd. The important crisis seems to draw near, which I trust may decide the query whether Americans shall be slaves or free men. May God grant ye latter, however dear it may cost. An engagement is expected in a few days. All our Company are in Pliiladelphia in health and in good spirits. They are under the command of General Putnam, and it is expected they will be ordered to ye Jerseys to-morrow or next day. I cannot write much at present, only that we have had some encouraging news from ye Jerseys, but whether true or false we cannot determine. My dearest creature, ye throne of Grace is free and open; I trust you have an interest there; it will be to your ^- Genealogies, Necrology and Reminiscences of the Irish Settlement, by the Author of this Paper, p. 267. 44 Scarcity of Salt. interest and happiness to live near ye Throne; you will find ye way of duty ye only way of safety. Farewell for a while. Please to present ray compliments to Stephen and Nancy f and to all ye chil- dren. Praying that God may pour out his blessing upon you all, this from your truly affectionate husband: Jno. Rosbrugh. P. S. Last night I lodged with Jno. Ralston; he is well. Philadelphia, December 25th, 1776." Whilst he periled his life for the common welfare, he was not unmindful of the particular needs of his own family and friends at home. This was manifested in the exertion he made to secure for them that prime necessity of life, salt, which it was difficult to ob- tain in those Revolutionary days, and of which there was a great scarcity. The great depot for this commodity was at Germantown. With regard to it we find such regulations as follows, viz.: "i?ridge. O. Spot where Mr. Rosbrugh was killed. P. Road to Ijordentown. Q. Assunpink creek. Distributiim of Amerkaa Army. ^ enemy occupied Trenton. The British army dared not attempt to cross the Delaware, filled as it was with floating .ce, to parsue fur- ther their flying foe. They waited for the flood to -^-de and the waters to free.e, that they might thus ''-^^ ''. ""/-f.^^'-'^ff Xr which to cross, crush their enemy, enter P'^'l-f,;'!''"^' ^"^^ "^J capture or disperse the Continental Congress. 'I h.s delay, to them wTs dangerou' as the sequel show. The army was eonven^en ly distributed to await the opportunity for a hnnvard movement The e w^ere detachments at Burlington, Bordentoun Mount IM y a d Black Horse, whilst divisions had been left ''' rrn.cetou and ^ew Brunswick. The special charge, however, ot fifteeti l'"»f ';™ ians and a company of British Ligbt-horso, stut.oned -t Tre o waste watch the movements of the Contmentul ar.ny. '^ ■^""- ton wasea-erly awaiting reinforcements; but be d.vmed that an oirrtanTtP would be aferded for striking an cttoct.ve blow, upon h'e tdvent'of the Christmas holidays. The H--- -- |;™"„'- drinking and carousing at this tbne, and W-l""?!" ft'* j^;*' ' opportunity was to fall upon then ,n the nudst ot tl en i^»t>v,t,cs and crush tbent when least prepared and ^"-^^ ''^'^^""1^.^^ military forces bv wind, this was to be aceon.pbsbcd. were vanous 'tributed. The ren.nant of the Continental arn.y was h General Washington, on Decen^bor 2511, 17-6, -«'''n-' '-- Tavlorsville, on the west bank of the Delaware The . e wa then known asMcKonkey's t«-y-"'-f ■«"'•"" f';'-.'-^-f''rYrd. ton There were troops also, under General Dickin.on, at \ .ad evville and son.e detlchn,en.s ocan.ped further up the nver stdb Th Pe n,svlvania levies-tbe exertions for theforwardmgot whu^ we have al eadv pointed out-were collected in tw., M.^.^ti^ Irent points. 0,^ body was at Morrisville, d.rectly oppos e T u- ton, under the command of General Ewn.g, or rwtne The ori,c^^ was at Bristol, under command of General Cadwalaer. Genera Washington's plan was for General Ewing to cross the river at or 48' Preparing to. Capture Hessians. jtist below Trentoti, will 1st General Cadwalader was to cross still further down, on the night of the 25th of December, and thus cut oif the Hessians from a retreat to the British troops stationed at Bordentown and Burlington below, whilst he would cross at Mc- Konkey's ferry, eight miles above, and fall upon them from the north and east and cut ofl' their retreat to the troops lying at Prince- ton and New Brunswiclc. Generals Ewiii": and Cadwalader how- ever, failed in their part of the arrangement. On the morning of December 26th, General Cadwalader wrote from Bristol as follows: * "Gentlemen: There was a general attack to be made last night, The river was impassable here, and we made the attempt at Dunk's ferry, but found it impracticable to get over our cannon. Wo returned ihis morning to Bristol about four. I this moment have an account by Mr. McLane, (a man of veracit}',) that he was at Trenton ferry this morning and heard a very heavy firing on the river and Pennytown I'oads, that lead to Trenton — the heavy tiring- lasted about one-fourth an hour and continued to moderate for about three-quarters. The Light-horse and Hessians were seen fly- insT in ffreat confusion to vards Bordentown, but without cannon or wagons, so that the eneni}- nuist have lost the whole. A party of our men intercepted about a dozen Hessians in sight of our people on this side and brought them to the ferry and huzzaed. I have ordered the boats from Dunk's, and shall pass as soon as possible. We can muster here about 1800 men if the expedition last night in the storm does not thin our ranks. Has General Putnam crossed, and with what number? Pray, let me know, everything of this kind gives confidence to the troops. I have no doubt of the report, a heavy firing was heard at this place. An attempt was made to * Pennsylvania Archives, p. 136. Washington's Crossing. 4^ pass at a little below Trenton ferry, but could not get over, that would have made the victory still more complete. " Later in the day he wrote : " Gentlemen : I wrote this morning to General Washington , directed to General Ewiiig at Trenton ferry, who informs me that he cannot yet ascertain the particulars of this morning's action. One wagon loaded with arms was brought down^to the ferry (Hess- ian arms) and safely lauded on this shore, and six Hessians. We have taken fourteen or sixteen pieces of cannon, a considerable of stores and c^otliiiig. The number of killed, wounded and prisoners is very considerable. " The same difficiiltv which General Cadwalader met, was expe- rienced by General Ewiiig, as we see intimated in the above letter. Of this. General Washington also, said: * "General Eving vas to have crossed before day, at Trenton ferry, and taken possesion of the l)riwever, they soon learned that the Continental army had safely recrossed the Delaware with their prisoners and booty. Learning this, they returned to Princeton. But circumstances now conspired to bring on speedily a second conflict between the two armies. As Trenton was cleared of its British garrison, it would be a comparatively easy matter, under favorable circumstances, for the Americans to cross a sufficient force at that point to cut off and capture those troops which were stationed below at Bordentown, Mount Holly and Burlington, as was doubtless originally designed. This fact therefore would rouse the British officers to push forward from Princeton and New Bruns- wick all their forces as soon as possible to provide against further disaster and make amends as far as possible for the loss sustained at Trenton. Another circumstance transpired calculated to call forth all the energies of both British and Americans to accomplish the ends which they resfiectively had in view. When General Washington first crossed into Penns3'lvania, early in December, he was careful to keep all boats and other means of crossing, out of the hands of the British. The enemy were deterred therefore from crossing by the openness of the weather and the tempestuousness of the river, added to the lack of means of transportation. This is clearly intimated by Washington's words in his letter to Colonel Siegfried of Allen township. But the storm of sleet and snow of the 26th, terminated in bitter cold. So cold did it become that be- fore the captured Hessians and Continental troops could be crossed Ui the Pennsylvania side on that day, some of Washington's soldiers. The Last Letter. 55 it is said, were frozen to death. The river doubtless then became frozen over — for which the enemy had been waiting — and the nat- ural bridge was thus formed for them to cross upon at any time or place and march upon Philadelphia. The same advantage was af- forded for the Americans to cross their armies, which had been lying at Taylorsville, Morrisville and Bristol, and throw them be- tween the detachments of the enemy at Bordentown, Mount Holly and Burlington, thus cutting them oif from the main body at Prince- ton and New Brunswick. General Washington was not slow to make the most of this advantage. Jle proceeded to transfer the troops to the New Jersey side of the river, at Trenton. In doing this he would naturally hurry up all the troops in the vicinity, and it was doubtless on this account that Mr. Rosbrugh and his compa- ny, under command of Captain Hays, were sent in haste from Phil- adelphia up to Bristol. Accordingly we lind him at Bristol ferry on December 27th. Here he wrote the following letter, doubtless on horseback, the brackets showing where the paper is gone. It is yellow and much broken. * " [Friday] morning, 10 o'clock at Bristol Ferry, Decem[ber 27th, 1776.] 1 am still yours [but] I havn't a minute to tell yo[u that by God's grace our] company, are all well. We are going over to ]S'[ew Jersely. You would think strange to see your Husband, an old man, riding with a French fusee slung at his back. This may be ye la[st letter] ye shall receive from your Husband. I have counted myself you[rs, and have been en]larged of our mutual love to God. As I am out of doors [I cannot at present] write more. I send my compliments to you, my dear, and children. Friends, pray for us. From your loving Husband, Jno. Kosbkugh. " * Genealogies, Necrology and Reminiscences of the Irish Settlement, by; the^ Author of this Paper, p. 269. 56 British Move on Trenton. This letter is addressed on the back: "To Mrs. .Fean Rosbrugh, Delawr Forks. " "The last letter. " The words " The last letter, " are no doubt in the handwriting of the bereaved wile. This is the last piece of writing known to have come from his pen. As we have already seen, the energies of the Americans were now directed to the concentration of their forces at Trenton. This doubtless went on with vigor between the return of the British to Princeton on the 27th, and the 2d. of January, 1777. By this time Mr. Rosbrugh, and the company he led out, with the others, had arrived at Trenton. Cornwallis, having hastened back from New York, whither he had gone to embark tor England, supposing the contest in America was about ended, moved forward from Princeton and precipitated the battle of the Assunpink, or second battle of Trenton, which, to the British army, was one of the most bloody and disasterous of the many conflicts in which they engaged during the Revolutionary struggle. It was withal, one of the most important in its bearing upon the interests of American Independence, thouffh it has ever been lightly passed over by the historian. Little do the many thou- sands of passengers, who travel over the Pennsylvania Railroad between New York and Philadelphia, think, as they halt at the Green street depot in Trenton, that they are upon the spot where was the thickest of the fight in the hotly contested battle of the Assunpink. Little do they think as they gaze upon the sluggish waters of the stream as they flow by that once they ran red with British blood. Yet such are the facts. This memorable contiict occurred on the 2d. of January, 1777. As might have been expec- ted, the British at Princeton and New Brunswick were hurried for- ward with all speed, to retrieve as far as possible, the loss sustained in the capture of the Hessians on the 26th of December, by General Washington, Their exertions would be intensified by learning that the Continental army, largely reinforced, had crossed the Del- aware and occupied Trenton. Having massed as heavy a column of Battle of Assunpink. SSipi. as plisaiMe thefe,%ey pusM forward to T^^'^ measuring ihe strength: of ihe'enemy/deemed ^ ,t P™'i^" *" ;.^^, draw to the south eidVof the Assunpink, and take ''yiuteP. 60 The. Burial. evening settled down upon the sad scene, his lifeless body became rigid in the icy embrace of death. The British officer at whose command he had been put to death, repaired to the house which Mr. Rosbrugh had so recently left, and there exhibited the dead Chaplain's Avatch, and boasted that he had killed a rebel parson. The woman of the house having known Mr. Rosbrugh, and recog- nizing the watch, said: "You have killed that good man, and what a wretched thing you have done for his helpless family this day. " The enraged officer, threatening to kill her if she continued her re- proaches, ran away as if afraid of pursuit. It was not long until Captain Hays was apprised of the death of his pastor, upon which he hastily wrapped the body in a cloak and buried it where it lay, being under necessity to hurry forward with the rest of the troops in the night march which precipitated the battle of Princeton the next morning. Sometime afterward, Mr. Duffield, subsequently Dr. Duffield, pastor of the Old Pine-street Presbyterian church, Philadelphia, who was a brother Chaplain in the Continental army, took up tlie body and reburied it. The re- markable circumstance of fresh blood flowing from the body, is said to have attended the reinterment. There have been various tradi- tions as to the place where the body rests. A common one is that it lies in the burying-ground at the Old First Presbyterian church in Trenton, Another is that the widow and her daughter went to the scene of his death to identify the body, and that the second burial took i)lace at Father Cooly's grave-yard, a few miles from Trenton. This is highly improbable, as the oldest daughter was at this time less than eight years of age. Beside, the oldest son — then nearly ten years of age — in after years testified that he knew nothing of this journey on the part of his mother, or the burial at this place. Mr. Rosbrugh's descendants believe that the body was: taken to Philadelphia, but where buried they have no means of as- certaining. The patriot pastor having been laid in his last resting- • 3?S ton. To Illustrate the march of the American army after the battle of Princeton, to the Winter-quarters at Morristown, in 1777, which closed the campaign in which Mr. Rosbrugh's company participated. / OS DIAGKA^f, To illustrate the battle of I'rincetoii, wLore Mr. Rosbruglj's company touglit, January 3d, 1777. Ukference.^. A. Bridge on old Trenton road, and Worth't; mill, now owned by Mr. Joseph Brewer. B. Friend's Meeting-house. C. Thomas Clark's house, now the residence of Mr. Henry Hall, where (leu Mercer died. D. Where Gen. INIercer fell, mortally \\ ounded. E. Head of column when lirst discovered by British. F. Head of col- umn after Gen. Mercer's engagement. G — H. British 17th Regi- ment. I — J. Gen. Mercer's command commencing the action. K — L. British 17th liegiment formed to dislodge Cap. Moulder's battery. M — N. The Pennsylvania militia — doubtless including Mr. Rosbrugh's company — under Washington. 0. Hitchcock's regiment. P — Q. Pursuit of Americans. R — S. Retreat of Brit- ish. T. Where battle commenced, now the residence of Mr. Post. ^clemstiml Mficor^ of ]Omtk. pl,^ce, pij Aiprjl 22d., 1777, tbe Presbj.tery of '^.^w jB.rwQg;vtfick, U> W)^^V hl^ tkelojp^ed, ,m.a,/ married Robert Ralston, her cousin, who was the son of her mother's brother John, the member of the Continental Con- gress. They had an only child, a daughter, whom they called Christiana. 2. Lcfj'fta, b)rn April 12ch, 1769, f married Samuel Ralston, her cousin, son of her mother's brother Samuel. We believe they have no descendants. Her husband died January 11th, 1795, in the twenty-fourth year of his age. She never married a second time, but removed to Western New York, whither her brother, Judge James Rosbrugh had gone, in the latter part of last century. After living in widowhood about fifty years she died at the advanced age of nearly ninety, and Wiis buried near Dansville, Livingston county, New York. 1. James, born April 24th, 1767, at Mansfield Woodhouse, now Washington, Warren county. New Jersey, is the only one of Rev. John Rosbrugh's children by whom the name in his branch of the family has been preserved. He remembered the scenes in Allen township connected with his father's raising the military company and their de^iarture for the seat of war, and dictated these with other things, to one of his sons, before his death, by which means we have written testimony from him with regard to them. When he had grown to manhood, Xhe felt the need of a better * Genealogies, Necrology and Reminiscences of the Irish Settlement, by the Author of this Paper, p. 128. t Ibid p. 118. t Ibid, see p. 317 et al. Second Generation. ^ education than was afforded by "The Settlement," in which he lived, and began to look around for the means of obtaining the same. He could not leave his mother with his three sisters and a young brother to go to a distant school, consequently he must en- deavor to establish a superior school in his own vicinity. It was necessary to raise money to build a house and hire a teacher. He went among his neighbors and friends and succeeded in getting the means for building a commodious stone structure, known to this day as "The Academy. " If the traveler by the Lehigh and Lack- awana Rail-road, going from Bethlehem to Bath, will look out of the car window to the east, when within about a mile of the latter place, he will see this building, which is still standing. An accomplished teacher was employed and the project was a success, many receiving within its academic walls such advantages in learning as before could only be had by going away from home to a distant city. Many of its scholars were fitted for usefulness, some became distincruished — amono- others Georije AVolf, the cele- brated Governor of Pennsylvania. When he went to old Mr. Wolf to get his subscription for the building and teacher, and to get him to promise to send George to school, he first met with a refusal. Mr. AVolf said George had already as good an education as he had, and he had done well enough. But, said young Kosbrugh, "dont you want to give George a chance to rise in the world ? If he has an education he may become Governor of the State." Mr. Wolf laughed at the idea of his George being Governor, but he subscribed. George went to the school and became one of its best graduates. Having studied law, he became a member of the Legislature and subsequently Governor. October 12th, 1792, James Rosbrugh married Margaret, daugh- ter of Charles and Margaret McNair Wilson, of the Irish Settle- ment, Northampton county, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Margaret Wilson Rosbrugh was born May 15th, 1768, and died January 21st, 1.857. 78 Third Generation. In the year 1795 the family removed to what was called the Genesee Country, in Western New York, arriving at what was af- terwards their home — now Groveland, Livingston county — about the iburth of July. Mr. Rosbrugh became naturally a leader among the people, acting as Justice of the Peace, and representing the great county of Ontario — which covered all the territory west of Cayuga bridge — in the State l^eglslature at Albany. During the war of 1812, he went home from Albany and raised a company among his neigh- bors as volunteers, was elected Captain and went with them to the frontier under proclamation of General Smith, who proposed an immediate invasion of Canada. Strange as it may seem, he here met, enlisted under the banner of the enemy, his cousin John Ros- brugh — William's son — who had visited him in his home in Wes- tern New York, twelve years before, as lie journeyed with his fam- ily from New Jersey, to take up his abode in Canada. He continued to perform his legislative duties at Albany, after the war closed, and was elected a member of the convention for the revision of the organic law of the state, in 1821. When Livingston county was formed out of Ontario, he represented it in the Legisla- ture — was one of the county Judges, and also the first Surrogate — which latter office he held many years, and which terminated his public life. He died Novembor 18th, 1850, at his home in Western New Y.>rk. * TIIIRD GENERATION. Aside from Judge James Rosbrugh's children, it seems that Rev. Mr. Rosbrugh had grand-children only through his daughter Mary, who married Robert Ralston. This daughter, as we have Been, had an only child, Christiana. She married Robert Neely, we * With the third generation wc adopt the modem spelling of the name, viz. : Rosebrugh. believe. Whfen ^he died, or where she was buried, we liave fio* been able to learn. The grand-children through Judge James RosbrUgh were as follows: 1. Jane, born ISTovember seventeenth, seventeen hundred and ninety- three, married William Learning, May twenty -fifth, eighteen hundred and nineteen. 2. John, born October twenty-eighth, seventeen hundred and ninety-five, married Mary Gohene, September seventh, eighteen hundred and eighteen. 3. Charles W., born May twenty-second, seventeen hundred and ninety-eight, married Maria Miles, June sixth, eighteen hundred and twenty-one. 4. Hugh W., was born June fifteenth, eighteen hundred. 5. James Ralston, born July twenty -fourth, eighteen hundred and three, married Christiana Kelly, February sixteenth, eighteen hun- dred and thirty-one. 6. Ezra, born June tenth, eighteen hundred and seven, married Charlotte M. Bloss, February third, eighteen hundred and thirty-six. 7. Margaretta, born June twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and nine, married Nathaniel A. Baldwin, May thirtieth, eighteen hundred and thirty. FOURTH GENERATION. The great-grand-children of Rev. John Rosbrugh, so far as we have been able to learn their names, are as follows: The Neelys. If we have been correctly informed, the children of Robert and Christiana Ralston Neely were as follows : 1. Wa-sAm^tow, of Findley, Hancock county, Ohio, who married Agnes Grier, daughter of Rev. J. N. C. Grier, D. D., of Brandy- 80 Fourth Generation. wine Manor, Chester county, Pennsylvania, and whose children are Oletha and Nathan I^Teander. 2. John, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 3. Robert, ot'Brandywine Manor, Chester county, Pennsylvania. The Leamings. The children of William and Jane Rosebrugh Learning Avere 1. James B., born February twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and twenty. He is Dr. Learning of :N"o. 160, West 23d. St., New York. 2. Margaret, born March twenty-third, eighteen hundred and twenty-two. 3. Sarah, born December first, eighteen hundred and twenty-four. 4. Let'dia Ralston, born June tweuty-third, eighteen hundred and twenty-seven. 5. Thomas J., born May sixth, eighteen hundred and twenty-nine. 6. Jane R., born March fourth, eighteen hundred and thirty-three. The Baldwins. The children of ISTathaniel A. and Margaret Koscbragh Baldwin were 1. Martha M., born March sixteenth, eighteen hundred thirty-one. 2. Margaret R., born Aug. nineteenth, eighteen hundred thirty-five. 3. Henrg ^., born Sep. thirtieth, eighteen hundred thirty-eight. 4. Jane 7?., born Sep. thirtieth, eighteen hundred and forty. The Rosebrughs. The family of John and Mary Gohene Rose- hi'ugh, of Tecuinseli, JiCiiuwee county, Michigan, were as follows: '^'1. Amanda, l)orn March sixth, eighteen hundred and nineteen. 2. James, born Scpteniber sixth, eighteen hundred and twenty- oju', resides wt Amboy, Lee county, Illinois. 3. Sarah, born Feb. thirteenth, eighteen hundred and twenty-four. 4. Atom l/.,born July thirteenth, eighteen hundred twenty-six. 5. Chas., W. born Aug. twelfth, eighteen hundred and thirty-one. Fourth (rencTdtion, 81 6. Francis A., born May eighth, eighteen luinrlred j\nd thirty-five. 7. Margarets., born May twentietli, eighteen bundled thirty-eight. 8. Patience R, born Dec. fourteenth, eighteen hundred forty-two. We believe one of tlie daughters of ihis family married P. C. Hosmer of Tecumseh, Michigan. Another married Clinton Black- mer of Cambridge, Lenawee county, Michigan. A third married A. D. Hosmer of Rochester, Olmstead county, Minnesota. The family of Charles W. and Maria Miles Kosebrugh, of Free- port, Stephenson county, Illinois, were 1. Henrietta, horn Sep. eighth, eighteen hundred and twenty-three. 2. Caroline, born Oct. twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred twenty-five. 3. Letice R., born Aug. sixth, eighteen hundred twenty- seven. 4. Ezra, born May first, eighteen hundred and thirty-tive. The family of James K. n-id (Miristiana Kelly Kosehrugh, were 1. Moses K., horn Mur<-h twenty-third, eighteen hundred and thirty-three. He studied l:i. married and settled in Ohio, where he died. 2. -Bevjaniin F., born >" biuaiy ninth, eighteen ln.ndred and thirty-five. 3. Darnel K., born January thirty-first, eighteen hundred forty. 4. CAm^/r//^ tin, Minnesota. APPENDIX. A THE THATCHERS. As we have seen, page 84, William Rosbrugh'.s son John, married, Feb. 5th, 1789, as his second wile, Susanna Thateher, grand-daughter of Samuel or Elijah Thatcher. The old Thatcher homestead was in the Pohatcong valley, Warren county, N. J ., eight or nine miles from Easton, Pa. It lay at the northern base of the range of hills vrhicb lie between the Pohatcong and Musconetcong creeks. Standing at the ancient residence and looking to the north, the eye falls upon a beautiful landscape, filled with fertile fields and inviting homes. In the midst of the valley is seen the Morris and Essex division of the Delaware, Lackawana and Western Railroad; at the further side, against the hills, is seen the Morris Canal; to the left lies Newvillage, whilst in front and near at hand is Broadway; then stretching far to the east and west is seen the enchanting valley of the Pohatcong. The Thatcher fiimily in early days were ardent adherents of the Methodist church. The old homestead was long famous as a place for holding camp-meetings. A stone church was built, which is now dismanteled and fast crumbling into ruins.' It stands in a cultivated field, a hundred yards or so from the public road. Near by is the old Thatch- er burying-ground, protected by a substantial stone wall, erected by the present genera- tion who have descended from those whose bones rest there. Here doubtless are buried the first of the family who (;i!me to the region, but no inscription remains to designate their resting place. t)f the family we have gathered the following items of information. It seems the original Elijah or Samuel Thatcher had at least (me son, whose name was Thomas, and whose wife's name was Susanna. It seems further, that this Thomas and Susanna Thatcher had at least two sons, viz. : Thomas and Elisha, and four daughters, viz.: Sarah, Susanna, Clorinda, and a fourth whose name we have not learned. Of this Thomas Thatcher Jr. and his family, we have learned nothing further than the following tombstone inscriptions : "Sacred to the memory of Thomas Thatcher, son of Thomas and Susanna Thatcher, who departed this life April 13th, 18^0, in the 77th, year of his age." "Sacred to the memory of Aner Thatcher, wife of Thomas Thatcher, who departed this life August, 1845, in the 87th year of her age." Sarah married Garrett Howell, we believe, who resided near the Delaware Water Gap They emigrated to Canada in the year 1801, where their numerous descendants now re- side. They with a number of other families from New Jersey, settled in the county of Wentworth, and one of the villages of the county is on that account called Jerseyville. Susanna, as we have seen, became the second wife of john Kosbrugh, nephew of tfce Clerical Martyr of the Revolution. Clorinda died single, and the following is her tombstone inscription, viz. : "In memo- ry of Clorinda Thatcher, who departed this life January 28th, A. D. 1826, in the 67th year of her age." 90 The Thatchers. "Vain world, farewell to'you, I feel ray soul released Heaven is my native air; From her old fleshly clod, I bid my friends a short adieu, Bright guardian, bear me up in haste In hopes to meet them there. And place me near my God." We see a namesake of her in the person of the oldest daughter of her sister Susanna Thatcher Rosbrugh. The fourth daughter mirrieJ Andrew Kitchdn, we believe, but we have learned noth- ing definite of the family. Elisha married, Oct. 25th, 1796, Mary Coleman, who was born Feb. 1765. The fol- lowing ara th^ inscrlpfcioas on their tombstones. "Sacred to the memory of Elisha TliaLcli-ir, whi wjs boni Feb. 2]d, 176J, aal departed this life Nov. 13th, 1845 ; aged 76 years, 8 months and 20 days." ''The hour of my departure's come, I liear the voice that calls ma home ; " At last 01 Lord, let trouble cease. And let thy servant die in peace." ■'in memory of M;irj Tbiteher, wif3 of Elisha ThatdvJ'-, who departed this life April 28th, 184.3, in tlie 79th year of her age-" My friends, I bid you all farevreli, I cannot longer with you dwell, My God fi'oni pain Iiatli set me free, Prepare for death and follow me." Th: children of Elisha aid Miry Coliinia Tn.U.chn- wer3 Samuel, b.jrn Oil. 2)th 1891, deceased, as the fallowing tombstone inscription indicates: "In memory of Samuel, sou of Elisha and Mary Thatcher, wlio died S^p. .l9th, 1832, agad 11 months." Aaron, deceased, as the following ins'^ription indicates: "In memory of Aaron, son of Elisha and Mary Tliat^her, born March 16tli, 1810." Susanna, deceas"!'!, as -shown by the following inscription: "Susanna, daughter of Elisha and Mary Tliatclier, who departed this lifj Aug. 23d, 1823, aged 12 years, 4 .no's, and ISiays." "My kindred friends, weep not for me When'in this yard my grave you see, My'days were few but Christ was he That called me to eternity." Thomivs, born ,May 26th, 1797, who married Elizabeth Lantz, Nov. 22d, 1822— both deceased. Mary, who manied Jacob Vlief, Oct., 1820— both deceased. John, born Jan. 19th, 1799, vvho married Almira and removed to Ohio. The children of Thomas and Elizabeth Lantz Thatcher, were George L., who married Emily Adalinc Boss, March 25th, 1857, and who resides on the south side of the Pohat- >ng valley, at)out two miles west of the old Thatcher homestead. ne Tiiatchers. 91 Catharine, who is single, residing in Bloonisbnry, Hunterdon county, !>. J. Mary Ann, deceased. Her tombstone inscrii^tion is as follows: "In nieinoiy ofMaiy Ann , danghter of Thomas and Elizabeth Thatchei-, who died Feb. 1 9ilt, 1 S30, need 18 d's." "An infant to its parents dear, Beneath this silent tomb lies heic, lis spirit is with Christ above. To dwell in endless seas of love." The children of Jacob and Mary Thatcl er Vliot weic Susanna, Chettie, Mary, Lydia, Garrett. Elisha, David, John, William and Abiam. This family resides a^ Blocnisbnry, X. J. One of the daughters niairied Mr. Ada:n AVarne, wlio now owns and lives on the original Thatcher homestead. The children of John A. and Almira Thatcher were, Elisha, who is married, lias a family, and resides on the southern slope of the range of hills whicii separate thePohat- cong and Musconetcong valleys, about three miles east of Bloomsbury, N. J. He has in his possession the old Bible containing the family record of his grand-fathei-. Elisha- The Bible which is supposed to have contained the family record of the Thatchers pre- vious to the generation to which Elisha belonged, was in his possession also until within a few years, but is now believed to be destroyed, nothing i)eing left but a few i>ictures which were in it. Elizabeth, born Sep. 2.id, 1822, who married William Tounner; and Aseneth, who married Jolin Fishbaugh, both of whom reside at Ilaekettstown, Warren county, N. J. Abrara, who married Catharine , who resides at Belle Vernon; Alfred, who married Drucilla , residing at Upper Sandusky; Mary, born July 25th, 1824, who married Mr. Rummell ; Thomas, deceased, who married Miss Gibson, resi- ding at Tymochtee — all in W^yandot county, Ohio; Amanda, who married Robert Gibson, cousin to Thomas's wife; Samuel, who died single; John, deceased, as the following in- scription shows, ''In memory of John, son of John A. and Almira Thatcher, who died May 3d, 1844, aged 11 days." ; Susanna, deceased, as the following inscription shows, "In memory of Susanna, daughert of John A. and Almira Thatcher, wlio departed this life Nov 11th, A. D. 1821, aged 2 months and 6 days.", and Sarah, deceased, as the fol- lowing inscription shows, "In memory of Sarah, daughter of John A. and Almira Thatch- er, who died May 11th, A. D. 1840, aged 2 years and 5 days." B The following appeared in the Bethlehem Times, Bethlehem, Pa., under the date indicated. "A RELIC OF NORTHAMPTON COUNTY. Weaversville, Jan. 1. 1877. "Editors Daily Times: Following is a copy of a receipt in my possession, original in the handwriting of Rev. John Rosbrugh : 'March the fourth one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, settled with the Rev- erend Mr. John Rosbrugh Minister of Allen Township Congregation for one year from the first day of May 1775, which I have Rec'd in full of my Steeping (stipend) from said 92 Additional as to the Roshrucjhs. Congregation, and there is in mv hand this day 15£ 19s. Sjd, as witness my hand this day and date above. (Signed) " ' JOHN ROSBRUGH.' * * "The following cironmstances relative to the death of Rev. Mr. Rosbrugh, who was killed at Trenton on the evening of the 2d of January, 1777, are given in the affidavit of Rev. George Duffield, taken from the Penmyh'ania Evening Post of April 29., 1777: 'As a party of Hessian Yagers marched down the back of the town after the Americans had retreated, they fe]l in with him, when he surrendered himself a prisoner; notwithstand- ing which one of them struck him on the head with a sword or cutlass and. then stabbed him several times with a bayonet, whilst he implored mercy and begged his life at their hands. This account was given by a Hessian who said that he had killed him (save only that hi' did not know ilr. Rosbmgli's name, but called him a d d rebel minister) and that Couriland Skinner and several other officers, who were present at the relation of the fact, highly applauded the perpetrator for what lie had done. After he was massacred he was stripped naked, and in that condition left lying in an open field, till taken up and buried near the place by some of the inhabitants.' "His widow afterwards received a i)ension from the Government. We find that the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, in pursuance of an act passed March 27th, 1790, caused an order to be drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of Mrs. Jane Rosbrugh, widow of Rev. John Rosbrugh, for the sum of 204£ l.^s, being the amount of pension due to her from the 18th of May, 1788, until the 18th of May, 1790, according to the Comptroller General's Reports and an Order of the Orphans' Court of Northampton Co." c ROBERT ROSBRUGH FAMILY. We have obtained the following information relative to the family of Robert Rosbrugh, nephew of the Clerical Martyr of the Revolu- tion, who removed south in 1783. He had at least one son, named Hilkiah, who lived in Ohio, but died in Va., when about 40 years of age, leaving a son, Robert, in Va., and 5 or 7 other sons in Ohio — e. g. Henry Rosebrugh, Logan ville, Logan Co., O. — whilst some may be found in Indiana. Robert died in Bedford Co., Va., Nov. 1st, 1877, in a good old age, an elder in the Presbyterian church, respected by all. He left four daugh- ters — all married — the youngest of whom is the wife of Rev. John Ruff, pastor of the Presbyterian church of Buford, Bedford Co., Va. < The pastor of the Mossy Creek Pres- byterian church, Augusta Co., Va., is also a descendant, we believe, of Robert Rosbrugh who went to North Carolina in 1783. ADDENDA. The following additional items of information relative to the descendants of the Cleri- cal Martyr of the Revolution, came to hand too late for insertion in tlieir jiroper place. They have been furnished by Mr. James Rosebrugh. Amboy, Lee county, Illinois. 2d Generation. James, it seems, was married October 18th, instead of 12th, 1792. 3d Generation. Jane (Learning) died March 12th 1833. John diedOctoberOth, 1874. His wife, Mary Goheen (not Gohene), was tlie daughter of I<:dward and Christiana Go- heen. She was born July 29th, 1800, married September 8th, instead of 7fli, 1818, and died May 22d, 1880. Hugh Wilson died May 17th, 1802. James Balston is dead buttlic date of his decease we have not learned. He had four children, all of whom are dead. His only surviving descendant is a little grand-son, who resides with his mother in Grove- land, Livingston county. New York. The family record, we l)elieve, is in the possession of Mr. George Kelly, brother of Mr. Eosebrugh's wife. His wife, Christiana Kelly, was the daughter of Major Daniel and Mary Kelly. Ezra died Februarv 2d, 1877. Margaret (Baldwin) died October 11th, 1840. 4th Generation. Miranda (not Amanda), daughter of Jolin and Mary (Joheen, was born March 16th instead of (5th, 1800, married Bazaleel Alvord, born June 4th, 1814, son of Chester and Susan Alvord, July 27t]i, 1837, :n;d died IMarch IGth, 1838. 3amrs married, November 8th, 1849, Sarah Lucretiu Bottom, l)orn January 12th, 1822, daught- er of David and Lucretia Bottom. Anni Marin nuirried, October 30th, 1854, John Wesley Norrls, born July 23d, 1828. He died July 12Lh, 1852. She married, April 2d, i^v2, Clinton A. Blackmer, son of Cherles and Eleanor Blaeknier. John Ralston, a son whose name we had not learned, born January 5th, 1829, married, Noveml^er 9th, 1852, Julia E., born February 14th, 1832, daughter of Ashel and Elizabeth Taylor. Charles. Wilson died at Camden, South Carolina, February 27th, ISCo, wliile with Sherman on his march upon Richmond. He entered the service in the 13tli Illinois vohuiteers, serv- ed his three years and reenlisted for the war. Margaret Baldwin married, December 25th, 1867, Alonzo Dee, born April 13th, 1835, son of Alonzo and Asenith Hosmer. Pa^('ence E'/m(6rf/( married, December 25th, 1867, Sylvester Perry (not P. C.) Hosmer, brother of Margaret's husband, and who was born October 11th, 1842. 5fh Generation. The children of James and Lucretia Bottom Rosebrugh of the 4th generation were, Theron Alexis, born August 12th, 1851. Kate Add, born September 18th, 1853, married, December 24th, 1879, Frederic Lyman Geddes born November 10th, 1850, son of Norman and Laura Casey Geddes. James C. Clark, born May 8th, 1857. The son of John Ralston and Julia Taylor Rosebrugh of the 4th generation, is Harry Pierponi, born July 31st, 1853. The daughter of A lonzo Dee' and Margaret Baldwin Rosebrugh Hosmer of the 4th generation, is Mary Rosebrugh, born September 19th, 1868. The children of Sylvester P. and Patience Elizabeth Rosebrugh Hosmer of the 4th gene- ration, are Asenith Beddlecome, born December 9th, 1868, and John Bosebi-ugh, born Jan- uary 28th, 1872.