Married John Spendergrass & Elizabeth Cribin December 2, 1728
Born, James Spendergrass son of John & Elizabeth Spendergrass 23 November 1729 Born Eleanor Spendergrass to James and Rebecca Spendergrass, 15 May 1729 Born John Spendergrass son of Robert & Elizabeth 10 December 1734.

Richmond County, VA Order Book 1721-1732  Pugh Ack to Spendergrass Lewis Pugh came into court and acknowledged his deeds of lease and release for land and bond for performance of covenants unto John Spendergrass which was admitted to record; Ann Pugh came into court, wife of Lewis and relinquished her dower in the land conveyed in the deeds to John Spendergrass which is also admitted to record.

 6th March 1727/28 Richmond County, VA Order Book 1721-1732

Tillery vs Spendergrass March 2, 1731/32In an action of debt between Richard Tillery plt & James Spendergrass dfdt 230 lbs of tobacco ...

 November 7, 1732 Tillery vs Spendergrass

April 2, 1733 Spendergrass will approved Stanley Gower, George Taylor, Nath Thrift, John Dozier, or any three of them between now and next court appraise the estate of John Spendergrass decd.
 
 April 2, 1733 Elizabeth Spendergrass appointed Executrix to John Spendergrass, dscd.

 April 4, 1733 James Spendergrass to pay Richard Tillery 230 lbs tobacco

 4 June 1733 John Spendergrass appraisement of his estate recorded.

Sheriff Luke Milner against Robert Spendergrass 530 lbs tobacco, 18 yards of conteloons, 2.4 yards montross sheeting, 8 bushels corn due ... didn’t show up, so ordered to pay.

3 May 1736 John Watts against Daniel Spendergrass 597 lbs tobacco.  Continued to next court.

7 June 1736 Daniel Spendergrass to serve Tobias Pursell for xix years and 7 months to pay his debts. August 1737William Heartly against James & Robert Spendergrass 628 lbs tobacco & ¾ quarters.

Also from A Selection of Some of the Most Interesting Narratives of Outrages committed by the Indians in their wars with the white people by Archibald Loudon, pub. 1811, page 195:  The following list of persons killed by the Indians, we have been furnished with by John M'Cullough, Esq. whose Narrative of his captivity has been given in the first volume.  June 24, 1757:  Alexander Miller killed and two of his daughters taken from Conococheague; John Kenedy badly wounded, and Gerhart Pendergras's daughter killed at for Littleton.  "From "The Life and times of Thomas Smith, 1745-1809, A Pennsylvania member of the Continental Congress.  "About two years later it is known by the name of another settler, Garrett Pendergrass, also a Scotch trader with the Indians, whom the natives drove out in 1755."

That the King's Generals made the Fort Bedford on your Petitioner's Improvements, and an Inclosure for pasturing Horses & Cattle.  And that since the King's Troops evacuated that Forst, and the Avenues thereof, the Improvements of your Petitioner have been surveyed, under your Honor's Warrant afsd, for the use of the Honorable the Proprietaries.  That your Petitioner humbly, and with submission to your Honor's own Judgment, conceives that by his Adventure of Building & Singling a House, clearing & enfenceing 40 or 50 acres of Land, he and his Heirs, under that ancient and well known Right of Occupancy & Improvement, (by which all colonies and establishment sin the World have, and especially your Province of Pennsylvania, has, increased and bettered,) and under the custom of the Province, are entitled to the quiet Possession of their Improvements, and a competent Quanity of Land to accommodate the said Improvements, paying to the Lords of the soil the Rents accustomed, &c. 

That your Petitioner is far from entering into any Contest with the Honorable the Proprietaries about their or his own Right to the said Improvements, & Land adjoining thereto; But that he puts his Confidence entirely into yoru Honor's sentiments of Justice and equity, so that you will make him a suitable Recompence for his Labour & Losses.  And your Petitioner shall every pray, as in Duty bound.On his Behalf, signed By Gerard Pendergrass Anne Pendergrass

This Crossing is two Miles from the aforesaid Mill & the Road bad as it likewise is to Killams, the Country being very Hilly & stony. From Killams to Fort Cumberland is the same distance that it is to the Crossing above mentioned, & the Road from thence to Jolliffs by the old Town much better. Pendergrass's Bottom was purchased by Lawrence Washington from Garret Pendergrass, probably when Pendergrass, an early settler and trader in the area, moved to Pennsylvania about 1752. In his will Lawrence left the land to his brother Augustine Washington (20 June 1752, DLC:GW).

Still later Pendergrass transferred to his son, Garrett, Jr., "the land on both sides of the Raystown, containing 300 acres," but did not long remain here and there were, evidently, no more English-speaking white settlers until the section was occupied by the vanguard of General Forbes' army in 1758, when the fort was erected. About that time the first taverns were built and soon the town became a stopping place for traders. Here was born William Frazer, the first white child born in the county. A number of whites were massacred by Indians in this section.

As first related, that Ray was the first settler in that section, we have data showing that with him came one Garrett Pendergrass, who, by consent of the chiefs of the Six Nations, took up his settlement at this place, made improvements, and it was supposed that he did a thriving business with the Indian traders, and set up his claim for three hundred acres of land, which included the three springs, but by an account furnished later, on account of the French and Indian wars, he sought safety at some other point eastward.
 I think Mr. Adams is mistaken as to the date when Ray was taken to Powell's house in saying it was in 1756; it must have been early in 1752, for in that year Garrett Pendergrass opened his trading post, erected three buildings and cleared 50 acres of land, and from that date Ray's Post was generally called "Pendergrass' Place" by the traders, Indians, and especially by Harris in his letter of 1754. However, the fact that he first settled at Raystown has passed his name down a century and a half and probably it may continue to go down through future centuries, well marked by four natural monuments--Raystown, Raystown branch of the Juniata river, Ray's Hill and Ray's Cove, over all of which passed the great Indian trail from Harris' Ferry, through Raystown, to the Ohio river. (In the early records this cove was

(p. 24)

called "the Harbor," from its enclosure on the north by Harbor Mt., which really is a mountain and is a northwest continuation of Ray's Hill.)

The second settlement was made by Garrett Pendergrass in 1752. It is very probable that Pendergrass was of Norman-French extraction, whose ancestors passed over to England with William the Conqueror, for the name appears in English history, and from thence he came to America with the Scotch-Irish and with them settled in Cumberland Valley. The name also appears in the records of Cumberland county during the Revolutionary War. After the defeat of General Braddock's army, Pendergrass fled with his family to Fort Lyttleton where, in 1757, his young daughter was mercilessly killed and scalped by marauding Indians in sight of the fort. It is very probable that Pendergrass returned to Raystown soon after General Forbes' army reached the place in 1758."he lived in Colerain township in 1772 and soon thereafter died."

One Hancock who lived with Gerrard Pendegrass of Ray's Town came frequently among us and as I apprehended he was well acquainted with all that part of the Country, I entred into Conversation with him on that Subject, and from him learn't that there was a path from Fort Cumberland thro Ray's Town to pensilvania behind any of the Maryland Settlements, being thus advised I deserted in the Month of January with one Willoby Willett of Captain Rutherford's Company intending to go thro Ray's Town and pursue the Road that Hancock had described to us.

When they returned to their post, all that remained was the stone first floor.  By then the Penns had the town of Bedford surveyed, taking most of the Pendergrass' land.  Then Indians who sold it to him felt to sad about their brothers causing Pendergrass to lose his land that they gave him what they called worthless swamp between the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, the present "Golden Triangle" of Pittsburgh.  The deed for this land is in Deed Book "A" in the Bedford County Court House, and is signed by a circle within a circle and a turtle. 

When Pendergass went to claim his new land, squatters were already living on it. pg. 71:  The Black People Negroes may have come to this area the same time as the white men or soon afterwards.  They did not enter as pioneers clearing the wilderness and no records were kept for posterity of their activities.  Since they were forced to come, forced to work, they must have played an important role in the early development of the county - without recognition.  The earliest date found concerning their arrival was in Harvey Allen's book, Bedford Village, where he wrote that in 1763, Negroes were owned by Garrett Pendergrass, already an established innkeeper living near Fort Bedford.  [My Note:  As most if not all of Harvey Allen's book was fiction that he himself professed was so, I can not guarantee the above is the 'truth'.  There are no sources in this book (The Kernel of Greatness) so I am not sure where the description of the Inn came from and if it's accurate or not either.

The end of the deed was signed by the drawing of a turtle and a circle within a circle. Both signatures are now so faded and worn from countless fingers of those who have viewed this deed over the years that they can no longer be identified. According to the stories handed down through the years, the Indians, who originally sold the land here in Bedford, felt sorry for Pendergrass because these lands had been taken from him by the English, and therefore gave him the deed for the tract of land located between the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers. This deed was for land which today includes the 'Golden Triangle' in Pittsburgh. As a sad note, before Pendergrass could settle on this tract, others had moved there and claimed title to it. This transcription (above) came from this web site and it al so has a detailed history of the area (Bedford) where Garrett Pendergrass (my paternal 7th great grandfather) lived.

 page 55

 Adventure of a Kentucky Settler -  The late John Haggin, Esq., of Mercer county, came to Kentucky at an early period.  On his arrival the few inhabitants resided principally at Harrodsburgh and Boonesborough.  Lexington had not then been settled.  Mr. Haggin, desirous of commencing the cultivation of the fertile land in this region of country, made some entries, that is, purchased several tracts from government; among the rest, one at a place near where Harrison, Bourbon, and Fayette counties unite.  He commenced the improvement of the place, removed some of the trees, erected a small log house, and brought to his new residence some furniture; among other things a few iron kettles, to be used in making sugar from the sugar trees, which were then, and are now abundant in that country. 

 Owing to the want of roads and means of transportation, heavy iron utensils were of great value, and but few persons had or could procure them.  Shortly after Mr. Haggin commenced working on his new place, the hostility of the savages became so alarming, that he was constrained to abandon his cabin and seek security in the fort at Harrodsburgh.  Previously, however, to his departure, he used the precaution of burying his kettles.  He was accompanied to Harrodsburgh by his wife and one child, a daughter, who is now residing in Woodford county, united in marriage to a gentleman of respectability.  Mr. Haggin spent the winter with his family in the fort, where they were somewhat incommoded by the crowd of persons within so small a place. 


 In the spring, perceiving no indications of the savages in the vicinity, and desirous of getting out of the fort, he erected a cabin in the valley near the stream leading from the Big Spring towards the fort, on the side next to where the town of Harrodsburgh now is situated, less than a quarter of a mile distant from the fort, (the fort being on an eminence,) but directly in view.  Mr. Haggin and his family spent the summer at their little tenement, engaged in domestic concerns, and cultivating a small portion of land; released, to be sure, from the confinement of the fort, but under continual apprehension of a visit from the Indians.  Each morning, before the door was unbarred, they peeped out of the cabin, "illuminated by many a cranny," to spy out the insidious enemy, who, it was feared, might be lurking about behind logs and trees, ready to rush in and under the family.  They remained, however, in a great measure, uninterrupted until fall, when Mr. Haggin determined to revisit his place on this side of the river, for the purpose of removing some of his kettles to Harrodsburgh, preparatory to making sugar in the winter.  He set out in company with an active woodsman that he had hired to assist him.

 On the second day, they came in sight of Mr. Haggin's place, in the edge of what is now Harrison county; they were riding slowly and cautiously along, watching for enemies, when, looking forward to the place where the cabin had stood, they perceived that it had just been burned down, and saw three or four Indians sitting near the ruins.
 Haggin proposed to his companion that they should fall back and prepare themselves, and then return and give the Indians battle.  They retreated a few hundred yards, dismounted, took off their exterior clothing, retaining only their shirts, leggins, and moccasins, tied their other clothing on their horses, and turned them loose, intending, in case of a retreat, to regain their horses; but if they could not succeed in that, they deemed it prudent to be lightly clothed, that they might fly with more celerity.  Having examined their rifles, and seen that every thing was in order, they set out to attack the enemy.

 It was arranged that Haggin should proceed on foremost, fire his gun at the savages, and retreat to a tree; that his companion should reserve his shot until the enemy approached, and then fire and retreat; thus they would fire and load alternately.  But this well arranged plan, like many others equally sagacious, proved abortive.  Whilts Haggin and his companion were engaged in a council of war, it did not occur to them that the savages had seen them and were concerting plans also.
 Mr. Haggin, agreeable to the mode of attack agreed on, advanced slowly, his body bent down, casting his eyes forward, intently watching for a sight of an Indian, to get shot at.  He heard a low voice behind him; he listened; his companion cried out in a quicker undertone, "Haggin, don't you see we are about to be surrounded?  let us retreat."  Haggin cast his eyes around and saw tow hundred Indians rise up from among the cane, having nearly surrounded him.  He immediately fled; they pursued, but did not then fire, lest in shooting across, they should kill each other.

The two flanks of the ambuscade began rapidly to close upon Haggin.  he directed his steps towards his horse, which was quietly feeding on the cane.  Haggin was a very active man and a fleet runner; but some of the savages appeared to equal him.  He reached his horse, and sprung from the ground, intending to leap into the saddle from behind.  As he placed his hands on the horse's rump, and Indiana ran the muzzle of his gun against Haggin's side, and fired.  That moment Haggin leaped; at the same instant the horse, being alarmed, sprang also; Haggin fell, and thought he was mortally wounded; but feeling no pain, rebounded to his feet and fled, exerting his whole strength. 

The savages perceiving that he had escaped and was ahead of them, commenced firing on him, and perhaps one hundred bullets were commissioned to kill, but none took effect.  The chase was kept up for some hours, when the Indians, finding it fruitless, ceased the pursuit. 

Haggin being very hot and much fatigued, went into a creek to cool his limbs.  After he came out he sat down at the root of a tree and fell asleep; when he waked, he discovered that it was snowing, and the air had become cold, and he was much chilled.  Having time now to think, the horrors of his situation arose to his view; he had lost his horse, gun, and clothes, he was forty miles from Harrodsburgh, and twenty-five miles from the nearest other station, which was Boonsborough, without food or the means of getting any, night coming on, snow falling, no blanket to keep him warm, nor means of striking fire; he might perhaps freeze to death.  He determined to steer for Boonsborough.

After indescribable difficulty in making his way through the cane, loaded with snow, and suffering from cold, loss of sleep, and fatigue, he reached Boonsborough the next morning.  Having eaten something, he laid down and slept from that time until the following morning.

In the mean time, the man who accompanied Mr. Haggin, had got to Harrodsburgh, and reported that he was killed, overwhelming his wife with the distressing intelligence.  Haggin, on the day of his arrival, set out for Boonsborough, accompanied by a Mr. Pendergrass, for Harrodsburgh.  The wife of Mr. Pendergrass had been staying for some time with Mrs. Haggin, in a little tenement near the forest at Harrodsburgh.  Haggin had supplied himself with clothing and a gun, before he left Boonsborough.  The two friends journeyed on without interruption, until they arrived at a little eminence near Mr. Haggin's residence.  On casting their eyes to the spot where they expected to find what was most dear to them on earth, their wives and children, what mush have been their astonishment and horror, when they beheld the cabin a smoky ruin, and one of two hundred savages around the place.  Haggin's feelings were now wrought up to desperation; he called on Pendergrass to follow, saying he no longer valued life, now his wife and children were murdered; that he would die, but sell his life dear to the enemy.  Pendergrass accompanied him; they rushed directly up to where the Indians were standing.  The reckless manner in which they approached, excited the surprise of the savages; they stood inactive, not making any attempt to injure the two desperate men.  At this moment, one or both the them, cast a look towards the fort, and saw or thought they saw, their wives on the wall of the fort, waving their handkerchiefs to them.  The desire of living immediately returned to their hearts.  They changed their course and sprang towards the fort.

The Indians raised the yell, darted after them, and many guns were fired.  Both of the white men fell, in full view of the fort; the wives screamed, believing their husbands were slain.  In a moment Haggin was on his feet again; he rushed forward, the savages in close pursuit; one struck him on the back with his tomahawk, it proved harmless; the gate flew open, and he was received with a shout of joy in the arms of his wife, having escaped entirely unhurt; his fall had been accidental.  But poor Pendergrass fell to rise no more.  His friends, from the fort, saw the savages take the scalp from his head. Another mention of the incident:

Captain John Haggin (1753-1825) Draper MSS IICC257-263 Interview of William McBride in Bourbon County Kentucky."John Haggin was the man whose family escaped to the fort (Harrodsburg), while the Indians were burning the cabin.  Haggin was on this side of the Kentucky River somewhere, I think on Licking, and Pendergrass with him.  They got back while the cabin was about half burned.  The others in the fort, seeing them coming, hung out a handkerchief or a flag at the east end.  They made for Harrodsburg, but Pendergrass was killed.  (Hugh) McGary went out and brought in Mrs. (Nancy) Haggin on a sled.  Mrs. Haggin said she felt uneasy, the turkeys walked about the yard and yelped.  She said she would go if she could get there.  McGary went to the fort and fixed up a sled and moved them, (the wife and two children) (one of afterwards my wife).  Just as they entered the fort-gate, the Indians fired the cabin.I  n April 1775, John Haggin settled about 8 miles above Cynthiana, on Hinkston, or Stoner, I don't know which, and planted a crop there. Col. John Hinkston was uncle to Mrs. (Nancy) Haggin. Hinkston had come there that same spring, only a little before Haggin. Hinkston had built some block-houses, and had (not his family, but) some hired men with him. It had been a time of peace with the Indians and a good many Indians Haggin had seen. He had come up Licking in a canoe. His wife and child (afterwards my wife, then three months old, born 5th January,) and two men only were with him. They went along, some eight or ten canoes. They stopped and talked with the Indians, but was in nowise interrupted. (of these two men, one was Alexander McMillan.) The first they heard of any Indian depredations, one Sunday Mrs. Haggin was picking beans. Perhaps two men were on their way to Haggins, through the woods. When five or six miles from there, one of them was killed. The other came in. Haggin now went to Hinkstons, and from there to McClellnads fort, and thence to Harrodsburg. Hinkston brought out his family to Haggin's Station, some six or seven years after. Hinkston's Station was then burned.
 
Bourbon County Court Order Book (this is the same ref. as the deposition by John Sellers in my last e-mail, this deposition came after Sellers') The deposition of William McCune being of full age and duly sworn deposeth and saith that he was at the place where the letters aforesaid were marked in the [year] 1782 and that there then stood a cabbin which was called Townsends Cabbin. Question by Palmer: When was the covered cabbin which was built by John Townsend where you now live Burnt & Answer I believe in the fall 82. And further saith not. Signed William McCune. Teste David Clarkson. John Smith. Thomas Mahan.
 
Other records 1 haven't seen yet: John Hinkson, James Cooper, John Woods, John Townsend and William Huskins mentioned in Bourbon County office of the Clerk, Box 757.

From the Letters of George Rogers Clark (1752-1818):

March 6-26, 1777, Diary excerpts at Harrodsburg: (my note:  Garrett Pendergrass, according to all accounts, died on March 28th; so I'm not certain if I transcribed the diary date wrong here or what, but several sources cite March 28th.

"Thomas Shores and William Ray killed near Shawnee Spring. . . A small party of Indians killed and scalped Hugh Wilson. . . Archibald McNeil died of wounds . . . A large party of Indians. . . killed and scalped Garret Pendergreet; killed or took prisoner Peter Flin." That's 6 heads of families in three weeks. There were only about 200 people in Harrodsburg at this time.  Draper interviewed a "Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas" "She emigrated to Kentucky in 1775 and was at the seige of Harrodsburg in 1777.  Regarding Pendergrass:  "He was killed within 100 yards of the fort, his wife and family at the time looking out of the window and seeing it.  Thinks Pendergrass was lame.  "Draper Manuscripts MSS 12 C2b-29 and MSS 4CC85Published October 1929, Filson Club History Quarterly, Vol 3

Pennsylvania Run, 26 September 1840 “ At a meeting of the elders, trustees and others, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted."1. Resolved first, that owing to the pressure of the times we judge it advisable not to call on the subscribers to the new church for any money during this present year.2. Resolved secondly, that if there be any persons however, who feel inclined and ready to pay their subscriptions, that the money will be thankfully relieved and employed in procuring materials for the building.3. Resolved thirdly, that those persons who have subscribed for the support of the gospel during the past year, and not yet paid the amount, they are respectfully requested to pay it over to the trustees to aid in building the church, or it will be taking in work, which ever may best suit the individuals.

The above list of names and the subscriptions attached are of much interest to many of their descendants, two of whom are Mrs. Anna M. Renegar, our editor, and Mrs. Gertrude Nealy, the latter a great grand-daughter of Robert L. Woodrow, and Mrs. Renegar a descendant of the McCoys.

The entire list is still remembered by their neighbors descendants and many of them reverenced by many of us as worthy Christian leaders and Sunday school teachers. The writer belonged to the bible class of Beulah church taught be Mr. Jacob Johnson and she shall never forget his forceful teaching of the scriptures there, nor the influence of his consistent Christian life on the young.

Elizabeth Moore Pendergrass in the 1810 Jefferson Co., KY Census after her husband Jesse had died in 1813.

 
1 male under 10 (born 1810-1813)
1 male 16-26 (born 1794-1804)
2 females under 10 (born 1800-1810)
1 female 10-16 (born 1794-1810)
1 female 16-26 (born 1784-1794)
1 female 26-45 (Born 1765-1784)
1 female over 45 (born before 1765)

2 males under 5, this would be James Francis and Austin.
1 male 20-30, this is James Francis Pendergrass, MD.
1 female under 5, I have never heard of this child, and she must have died young?
1 female 20-30, this is Dorthea Miller Pendergrass

Three children born between 1825-1830

James Francis Pendergrass in the 1840 Jefferson co., KY census as follows:

Dorthea died before 1840; she had a daughter, Matilda, die young and it might have been at the same time Dorthea died giving birth.

2 males under 5, (1835-1840) Garrett, Robert?
2 males 5-10, (1830-1835)  Patrick, James Francis?
2 males 10-15, (1825-1830) Austin and John
1 male 40-50, (1790-1800) James, father
1 female 5-10. (1835-1840) Virginia