Tag: Land Warrants

Huber/Hoover Map of Lancaster County, PA

I’m in the middle project on the Huber/Hoover family, specifically looking at Lancaster County and Fayette County, Pennsylvania and Washington County, Maryland—with the likelihood of branching out to additional areas like Somerset County, Bedford County, Franklin County, Dauphin County… A big undertaking!

I’ve started by looking at deeds and land warrants for Lancaster County. Being a visual person, I wanted some way of seeing spatial relationship between the locations from these records. I tried combining data from the warrantee township maps, but decided to try a simpler approach.

I put together a map of the original townships of Lancaster County that were within its current boundaries. Lancaster originally included much more land, including parts of Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks, Cumberland, York, Adams and Franklin counties. For my purposes I wanted to focus on a smaller area. On this map I plotted the approximate locations of Huber/Hoover tracts from the land warrants prior to 1800.

Lancaster County Huber/Hoover land warrant tracts

I can’t guarantee that I’ve got everyone correct. John Jacob and Jacob Huber in Conestoga (now Pequea) could have been the same man. The two tracts adjoin. Since the patents were for John Jacob Huber (from Martin Kendig, 1736) and Jacob Huber (from John Smith, 1759), I indicated them separately.

Also, I haven’t determined if all the tracts in Warwick and Manheim Townships were to the same Jacob Huber. Jacob Huber (ca 1708-1767), the founder and ironmaster of Elizabeth Furnace, did own substantial amounts of property. So, it is likely the same man.

I must caution that proximity does NOT necessarily always indicate a relationship. According to Harry Hoover’s book on the descendants of Hans Hoober of Earl Township, Hans’ son Jacob owned property in Martic Township—he was likely the John Jacob Huber—quite a ways away from his father’s land. Hans and Martin of Earl Township are, however, grandfather and grandson.

Pennsylvania Warrant Township Maps

I’m always looking for new ways to research my family. Living in New England, I’m a long way away from sources of Pennsylvania information. So, I especially love to find FREE sources of information ONLINE. The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission and State Archives usually have something good.

Jacob Hoover's German twp property

Jacob Hoover’s German Township property

In the past I’ve used the online Pennsylvania Warrant records and Patent indexes and the Copied Survey books to find surveys for land my ancestor settled. On my most recent visit to the site, I noticed that they’ve added PDF files of the Warrantee Township Maps.

These show the all the original land purchases within the context of the present-day townships. You can see your ancestor’s property in and amongst their neighbors. The map also provides the name of warrantee, name of patentee, number of acres, name of tract, and dates of warrant, survey and patent. It makes a nice summary and geographical index of the warrant/patent information of each township.

Please remember that the townships are shown by present-day boundaries. I spent some time looking in the townships referred to in the surveys I’ve obtained. Several townships later, I finally found what I was looking for. So, make sure you look in the current township.

While you can download these file to view, you can’t print them. However, if you’re interested in getting a paper copy, you can purchase one from the archives.

Drop me a reply and let me know what you find!

Friday Finds: Adam HACKER’s Land Warrant

Johan Adam Hacker's Land Warrant

Johan Adam Hacker's Land Warrant

This is the land warrant for one of Adam HACKER’s properties in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. I originally found it at the Lancaster County Courthouse, but you can also find the warrant indices and copied Warrant book online at the Pennsylvania State Arcives website.

I also found records for George HACKER, Adam’s brother; Martin WEIDMAN, Adam and George’s father-in-law; and Lawrence HOUSEHOLDER, Adam and George’s brother-in-law, in Lancaster county. In Fayette county, I found records for Andrew HOOVER, Jacob HOOVER, and George HOOVER, sons of Andrew HOOVER Sr.; and William KERNS, George HOOVER’s son-in-law. Armstrong county records yielded the warrants for Christian and Philip HOOVER, son and grandson of George HOOVER.