Hans Line’s Conestoga Tract

On 22 November 1717, Martin Kendig (Kendick, Kendrick, Cundigg) and John Herr (Heer) were warranted 5,000 acres in Lancaster County by the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania. They, in turn, transferred this land to their fellow immigrants. Among these was Hans Line.

John Taylor surveyed 200 acres on a branch of Pequea Creek for Hans Line on 20 8ber [October] 1728 in right of Martin Kendig and John Herr.1  Adjoining landholders at the time of the survey included: Jacob Boyer (formerly Christian Stone), Abraham Smith (formerly Martin Boyer), and Christian Prenaman. Hans Line patented this tract on 14 April 1735.2 (See lighter blue section on map below.)

Hans Line Conestoga Tract

On 21 December 1750, John Line was warranted 23 1/2 acres, adjoining the 200 acre Hans Line tract.3 This tract was surveyed 23 December 1750 and patented to John Line on 9 April 1753.4,5 (See dark blue section on map above.) At the time of the survey, this tract adjoined land of Henry Boyer, Ulric “Hower” [Hoober], and John “Hower” [Hoober].

The following spring, on 24 March 1754, John Lyne and Barbara his wife sold 200 acres to John Lyne Jr.6 John Lyne Jr. was apparently the son of John and Barbara Lyne. The deeds where John Lyne [Jr.] transfers this land state “…the said John Lyne the father…did grant…unto the said John Lyne (party hereto) by the name John Lyne Jr…

Christian Line and Henry Line tracts

Figure 2: Christian and Henry Line tracts

John Line Jr. apparently decided to retire from farming in 1785. On 8 Dec 1785, he divided the 200 acres his parents had sold him between Henry Line and Christian Line.7 (Refer to map above.) Neither of the deeds refers to John’s wife, nor did she sign either deed, indicating that she was already deceased.

Christian apparently took responsibility for caring for John Line as John sold him the additional 23 1/2 acres he’d patented in exchange for “good and decent boarding, washing, lodging, and apparel for him the said John Lyne Sr.” for the rest of his natural life. 8

According to the deed, Henry’s tract adjoined Jacob Boyers, Christian Brenneman, and John Lyne’s other property. However, by 1785 Jacob Boyer(s) had sold his adjoining tract to Jacob Boyers Jr.9 Jacob Boyers Jr., in turn, sold it in two tracts to Rudy Miller and Henry Boyers.10,11 The tract indicated for Christian Brenneman (if it’s the same as in the survey), was patented to Jacob Huber in 1759.12 He left it to his son Christian in his last will and testament.13 Christian then sold it to John Jacob Gochenour, whose heirs released it to his son Jacob in 1780.14

Christian’s adjacent neighbors were listed as Abraham Smith and Jacob Boyer. The transfers of Jacob Boyer’s property have already been mentioned. Abraham Smith’s tract, meanwhile, had passed to Henry Boyer by 1750.15 Henry Boyer’s heirs sold it to their new step-father Rudy Miller in 1776.16

John Line apparently passed away sometime shortly before 25 November 1805.17 The online will abstract lists as children: Henry, John, Jacob, Mary (wife of Jacob Warner), Ann (wife of Jacob Shallenberger), Christian, Abraham, Barbara (wife of Michael Shenk), and Elizabeth (wife of George Markley).18

On 21 July 1813, Christian and Feronica Line sold to their son Christian Jr. 23 acres two quarters nine perches, adjoining Henry Boyer, Henry Resh, the widow Brenneman and Christian Line Sr.19 This deed specifically outlines the passing of the land from John Line to his son John Line to his son Christian Line Sr. and then to his son Christian Line Jr., stating the tract was granted “…unto a certain John Line (Grandfather to the said Christian Line Senr.).”

Henry Line died sometime between 2 or 7 August 1815 and 11 November 1816.20 His property was passed on to his son John who sold five acres to Christian Hess on 16 April 1819.21 John is the only child mentioned in the will abstract. His wife is named as Anna, and his executors were Martin Funck and Henry Rush. Henry Rush was most likely a neighbor (see Christian Line’s deed above) and Martin Funck was most likely his brother-in-law. A deed pertaining to the settlement of a Martin Funk of Manor Township lists Anna, wife of Henry Line of Conestoga Township as his daughter and Martin Funck as his son (among others).22

Footnotes

  1. Hans Line survey (1728), Pennsylvania Copied Survey Book D78:4, Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of the Land Office, Records Group 17, Copied Surveys, Series #17.114, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  2. Hans Line patent (1735), Patent Book A7:500, Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of the Land Office, Records Group 17, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  3. John Line warrant (175), Lancaster County Warrants L260, Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of the Land Office, Records Group 17, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
  4. John Lyne survey (1750), Pennsylvania Copied Survey Book C105:275, Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of the Land Office, Records Group 17, Copied Surveys, Series #17.114, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  5. John Line patent (1753), Patent Book A17:379, Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of the Land Office, Records Group 17, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  6. John Lyne & ux to Henry Lyne (1785), Lancaster County Deed Book MM:304 (online), Recorder of Deeds
  7. John Lyne & ux to Henry Lyne (1785), Lancaster County Deed Book MM:304[,[8. John Lyne Sr. to Christian Lyne (1785), Lancaster County Deed Book MM:306 (online), Recorder of Deeds
  8. John Lyne Sr. to Christian Lyne (1785), Lancaster County Deed Book MM:309 (online), Recorder of Deeds
  9. Jacob Boyer Senr. to Jacob Boyer Jur. (1772), Lancaster County Deed Book S:383 (online), Recorder of Deeds
  10. Jacob Boyer to Rudolph Miller (1782), Lancaster County Deed Book 14:397 (online), Recorder of Deeds
  11. Jacob Boyer et ux to Henry Boyer (1782), Lancaster County Deed Book NN:327 (online), Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds
  12. Jacob Huber patent (1759), Patent Book A20:346, Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of the Land Office, Records Group 17, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  13. Hoover, Harry M., The Huber-Hoover Family History (Scottsdale, Pennsylvania: Mennonite Publishing House, 1928), page 22
  14. Jno Jacob Kochenaur heirs to Jacob Kochenauer (1780), Lancaster County Deed Book M3:475 (online), Recorder of Deeds
  15. This Henry Boyer(s) is NOT the same Henry Boyer who purchased land from Jacob & Mary Boyer, originally patented by Jacob Boyer Sr. This Henry died prior to 2 December 1766 when an Orphans Court recorded the disbursal of the balance of his estate to his heirs—Elizabeth Byer (the widow), Jacob Byer (eldest son), Anna Byer, Barbara Byer, Margaret Byer and Henry Byer; Wevodau, Edward N., Abstracts of Lancaster County, PA Orphans Court Records 1742-1767 (Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 2001), page 151.
  16. Jacob Boyer et al to Rudolph Miller (1776), Lancaster County Deed Book R:204 (online), Recorder of Deeds and Jacob Lehman et al to Rudolph Miller (1777), Lancaster County Deed Book 14:391
  17. John Line will abstract, “Abstracts of Lancaster Co., PA, Wills, L-M Surnames, 1729-1819,” Lancaster County Wills (online), Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives, http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/lancaster/wills/willabstl-m.txt
  18. I have not seen the will itself, so I can not vouch for the contents of the abstract. I have seen instances where the abstract does not include all the heirs from the will.
  19. Christian Line & et ux to Christian Line Jr. (1813), Lancaster County Deed Book 7:46 (online), Recorder of Deeds
  20. Henry Line will abstract, “Abstracts of Lancaster Co., PA, Wills, L-M Surnames, 1729-1819,” Lancaster County Wills (online), Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives, http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/lancaster/wills/willabstl-m.txt
  21. John Line & ux to Christian Hess (1819), Lancaster County Deed Book 11:234 (online), Recorder of Deeds
  22. Martin Funk’s Executrs et al to Jacob Funck (1791), Lancaster County Deed Book 5:267 (online), Recorder of Deeds

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, "Hans Line’s Conestoga Tract," A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy, the genealogy & family research site of Kris Hocker, modified 16 Jan 2018 (https://www.krishocker.com/hans-lines-conestoga-tract/ : accessed 19 Mar 2024).

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