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Samuel was a pioneer all his life, never enjoyed the convenience ofcivilization. In both KY and OH the family lived either in abarricaded fort for protection against the Indians, or in a barricademade by rounding up the wagons of the settlers while their log cabinswere being constructed. He served in the NC troops during the Revolutionary War and with PAtroops during Indian uprisings. Positions he held in the Army were: 1777 As a private, corporal, and sergeant in Capt James Gibson's Coof Cumberland Co troops under Col James Wilson. 1778 As a private again, this time in Capt Robert McTeer's Co. 1779-80 As ensign in Capt McAllister's Co - 1st Co, 7th Batt underCol James Purdy, whose daughter would become his wife. He claimed KY friends: Benjamin Harrison, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Daniel Boone (In 1776, Daniel's wife was the 1st white woman inKY and retained that distinction for 2-3 yrs.) Andrew Jackson David Crockett James Bowie Samuel devoted his whole life to his family and it was one of which hecould be proud. Of the 8 sons who reached adulthood, all becamedistinguished in their home city and the 3 daughters married men whobecame equally prominent. Residences & other events in his life: 1775 Cumberland Co, PA. He was among the county's signers of aremonstrance (protest) to the General Assembly. 1778 Fermanagh Twp, Mifflin Co, PA, where his home was on thefrontier. He was included in a list of taxables, having 21 acres, 1horse and 2 cattle. 11/22/1779 Lewistown, PA. He bought his deceased father's farm nearthe present site of Mifflin by buying out the interest of hissiblings: "Jean McElvain, Samuel Tennis and Violet Tennis, his wife, convey toSamuel McElvain their interest in the tract of 190 acres on LostCreek, Fermanagh Township, Cumberland County PA....it being theirright to that tract of land which wa surveyed to Agnes McElvain inpursuance of a warrant from the Proprietaries of said State, bearingdate at Philadelphia, the 17th day of May, 1768." 1779 His property was growing, he was taxed for the 190 acres he justbought, 2 horses, and 4 cattle. He also bought land from his father-in-law, James Purdy. 1780 Apparently he had sold a few acres or forgot the tell the taxmanthe exact figure, paying taxes on 140 acres, 3 horses, and 4 cattle. 1785-7 He paid taxes for three years for land, back up to 190 acres,2 horses, and 3 cattle. He also had a servant worth 10 pounds. 1/21/1786 He purchased more land from his mother "Agnes McElvain andher son Robert two-fifths of the 190 acres which she had warranted andJan. 23, Samuel and his wife Elizabeth deeded to Agnes McElvain andher son Robert, during their lives, the same tract. Witness tosignatures reads 'Now comes Col. James Purdy, who acknowledges,' etc."Robert is not mentioned in later transactions. KY It is thought that Samuel preceeded his brothers to KY. Thehistory of Lexington recorded that when Samuel arrived in KY,Lexington was a metropolis and Indians were numerous and dangerous. Woodford Co, KY. He joined brothers, Moses and John, who were alreadythere. Bourbon Co, KY. 2/6/1789 Together with brother, John, he bought 300 acres from ThomasLogwood of Bedford Co, KY. Harrison Co, KY. When his current residence became part of HarrisonCo, he and Benjamin Harrison were among the first twelve Magistratesof the new county. 4/29/1791 He sold the farm back in PA to John Boris of Lower Paxton,Dauphin Co, PA, for 700 pounds. The tract contained 201 acres and wasresurveyed by James Herrick. "said land was first surveyed for Agnes McElvain in trust for herselfand her children by her husband, Moses McElvain, deceased, and SamuelMcElvain, her son, having purchased from the other children, is nowthe sole owner of said plantation or tract...the said Agnes now beingdeceased." Signed by Samuel McElvain and Elizabeth McElvain. 4/5/1796 Harrison Co, KY. Samuel was among those present for court.Part of the proceedings included a deed transfer from John Smith,attorney in fact for William Woods, to Samuel McElvain, proved by JohnMcIlvain, witness. 1797 With a party of surveyors headed by Lucas Sullivant, Samuel andhis young son, Andrew, went north to survey a Virginia land grantwhere they laid out the lands at the Forks of the Scioto River. Theylaid out the town of Franklinton in August and to encouragesettlement, appropriated the lots on "Gift" Street as donations toanyone who would come. One history of the trip says the party was surprised by Indians andthey narrowly escaped by separating and hiding out in differentdirections. They succeeded in getting back together and finallyreturned home. Fall 1797 Chilicothe, Ross Co, OH. Having sold his interest in thefarm, he moved the family north, along with the Hunters and others,stopping for the winter at Chillicothe, the capital of the OhioTerritory. He purchased 2 lots, apparently planning to build a house but then decided to move on instead. Spring 1799 Franklinton, Franklin Co, OH. His was one of the firstten families to settle Franklinton, now Columbus and was said to havehelped raise the first corn in the county by whites. The Indians werenumerous but friendly at that time. Another history said the "familylocated, soon after 1800, on the farm just north of where W S Shrumnow lives. They subsequently moved to Columbus." Son, Andrew, said his father erected the first "meal-makingestablishment." It was "a hominy block - a hole burned in a stump,with a sweep so fixed that two men could pound corn into meal. Thesifter was a deerskin stretched over a hoop, with small holes made therein with a small hot iron. And that block mill supplied the firstsettlement of Franklinton." 9/8/1803 Samuel was at a meeting of the court of Common Pleas when heand two others were appointed as commissioners to "view a road to leadfrom the northeast end of Gift Street in Franklinton in as straight adirection as the situation of the ground will permit of a road towardNewark in Fairfield county." They each received $1/day for theirservices for a total of $3. Samuel was appointed again later andreceived $5 for 5 days' service. Before 1804 Clinton Twp. Samuel's family and others settled in thisarea, one of the original surveyed townships of five miles square anddesignated on the plats as TI, R18, US Military lands, appropriated byCongress in 1796 to satisfy claims by the officers and soldiers of theRev War. Samuel and the family probably expected to receive a sharein the Virginia Land Grant for his services in the Revolution andIndian Wars but for some reason they never proved the title. Even though they were farmers, it was necessary to live in thesettlement and go back and forth to work due to Indians. The BlackHawk tribe was "warlike, treacherous, and made frequent raids" intothe area. Samuel had descendants living in the Cynthiana, OH, area as late as1945 and perhaps even today. |
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At the time of his birth, the Indians were still troublesome to settlers. |
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Theirs was a Revolutionary War romance, Samuel marrying the Colonel's daugther, then living in the same neighborhood with the old gentleman for the next 11 years. |
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Samuel died intestate and administrators of the estate were his wife,Elizabeth, with son, William,
and son-in-law, Samuel King, in additionto John Dill, Thomas Moore, and Samuel King. The estate
was appraisedby John Lisle, Baltzer Hess, and son-in-law, Arthur O'Harra, whoaccounted for
everything down to the smallest items worth as little as25 cents, reporting their findings
on 4/16/1806. In the administrators' report was a bill from Elizabeth for a coffin =$7.00. In the sale of personal effects on 4/29/1806, some of thebuyers were: Elizabeth; sons, William and James; Arthur O'Harra andSamuel King; John Lytle (Lisle); and James Marshall. Elizabeth signedher last name with an "I". On 2/15/1810 guardians for his "infant" sons, Joseph and Purdy, wereappointed but there was no mention of his "infant" daughters,Margaret, Cynthia, and Matilda. Guardians appointed were ThomasMoore, John Dill, and Solomon Moore. Two days later, Samuel King waschosen by son, Andrew, "infant heir" over 14 years old, to be hisguardian. On 12/15/1826, Andrew was appointed guardian of brothers, Joseph, 11,and Samuel, 9, along with Joseph Hunter and Robert Brotherton. |
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The cemetery is situated on the banks of the Scioto River, now between the banks of the river and the railroad opposite a packing house. |