James McTeer Sr. (abt. 1697 - abt. 1785)

Born about 1697 in County Down, Ireland

Husband of Margaret (Anderson) McTeer — married 1731 in Cumberland, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 16 Feb 1785 at about age 88 in Cumberland, Pennsylvania

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Biography

"James McTeer came from County Down Ireland with a wife and a number of children. The voyage was made in an old sailing vessel, requiring a great length of time. An epidemic broke out on board the ship. He saw one child, then another, and at last his wife's body lowered into the watery grave. His grief was such that the convulsions caused such upheavals of the breast, that the buttons were torn from his silk satin vest."^[1]

Illness and Death

Sometime about 1730 James McTeer left Northern Ireland with a wife and family. On shipboard his children fell ill and died one by one, then his wife succumbed also; so the grief-stricken young man arrived alone in Pennsylvania. This same traditional story has been handed down from generation to generation in both Tennessee and Ohio. Though the story is essentially the same in both branches, the number, sex, and names of the children vary, and no one has presumed to suggest a name or identity for this first wife.^[2]

A Homestead in Pennsylvania

On 16 Jan. 1746/1747 James McTeer took out a tract of land in East Pennsboro Twp., Lancaster Co., 304 acres 120 perches on Warrant #117; on 8 Nov. 1760 he took out two additional adjoining tracts containing 72.5 and 37.5 acres, which additions were described in the survey as 'but thin and ordinary land.' At the time of the first survey on 10 Nov 1760, the land was in East Pennsboro Twp., Cumberland Co. and the abutting property owners were Anthony McCue, James McMeen, Peter Leester and Rowlan Chambers. On 13 May 1767 James took out still another 70 acres southeast of the preceding tract and abutting on Yellow Breaches Creek; this land was not surveyed until much later, but is mentioned in James' will as 'warrant land.'^[3]

This homestead was successively in East Pennsboro Twp., Lancaster Co., until the formation of Cumberland County in 1750; then in East Pennsboro Twp., Cumberland Co., until 1766, when Allen Township was formed. When Allen Township was divided in 1850 the McTeer land fell in Lower Allen, 'on the road from Lisburn to Silver Spring Meeting House.'^[4]

In relatively modern terms the location is between St. Johns Road on the east, Slate Hill on the south, the Upper-Lower Allen Township line on the west, and another range of hills on the north. Identification of exact landmarks within the area has been singularly complicated because the property is now traversed by the Lisburn Road, the Reading Railroad, The Pennsylvania Turnpike, as well as by other local roads coming from New Cumberland on the east and proceeding southward to Fairview Twp., York Co. across Yellow Breaches Creek.^[5]

Soon after completing his title to the property with a patent dated 11 Nov. 1760, James McTeer built a store house near a large flowing spring, probably at about the point where Lisburn Road crosses Cedar Run. A Cumberland Co. map of the 1860s shows at that time seven houses on what had been the original McTeer grant; owners along the southern border were C. Musselman and John Strong, who had two Dwellings, one at the junction where Lisburn Road came in from the south; then on Lisburn Road going north again after the jog, James Dunlap had two houses; David Hurst was still further north but somewhat west of the roadway; at last an unidentified building was located east against the hill.^[6]

Records of the Pennsylvania Direct Tax of 1798 for Allen Twp., Cumberland Co., list James McTeer's original house then owned and occupied by his son Samuel McTeer, as a stone dwelling, 16 by 22 feet, one story with four windows containing 48 lights (panes of glass); the accompanying kitchen was shown as an outbuilding 16 by 12 feet with two windows containing 12 lights; and the whole property including two acres of land was valued at $600.^[7]

When Major Will A. McTeer of Maryville, Tenn., visited the locality a century later this house was still standing and still owned by a McTeer descendant, Mrs. Ellen Saxton. The Major wrote his impressions in a letter from Mechanicsburg, dated 30 July 1898; 'We got here last night. A beautiful town of five thousand inhabitants, nestled down in the richest and loveliest little valley I have ever seen. I am just now back from a visit to the old homestead of my great, great grandfather, four miles out. The main part of the old stone house is still standing but very old and dilapidated. The old farm is of the very best. A barn as big as Texas ... filled ... with oats by the six horse load. I drank from the old spring that slaked the thirst of my ancestors.'^[8]

But only a few weeks after this encounter the old place was torn down; so a neighboring farmer could use the stones for the foundation of a milk station. In Mrs. Saxton's words, 'It was hard for me to make up my mind to it but thought it best to lay sentiment aside as it was getting unsightly and useless and possibly dangerous.'^[9]

Wars

During the French and Indian War James McTeer was a captain in the local militia. He and his lieutenant John Anderson, both of East Pennsboro Twp. were commissioned in 1747-1748 in the Associated Regiment of Lancaster Co. Over the River Susquehanna. By the time of the American Revolution he was well past 70 years and so was not included in any of the militia lists of that time; nor is there any evidence of his providing other specific assistance to the cause of Independence. Yet, since his five sons and three sons-in-law all served with the Pennsylvania troops at various times during the war there can be no doubt where his sympathies were in that conflict.^[10]

Out of his 400 acres James McTeer provided a farm for each of his four sons who remained in Allen Township. On 8 Dec 1770 'for love and affection' he deeded 100 acres to his son John; on 21 Dec. 1770 he made a similar conveyance to his son William; and by his will he also gave land to sons James and Samuel. Son Robert moved to Fermanaugh Twp., Cumberland Co., soon after his marriage and had already gone on to Tennessee before his father's death. Since he received in the will only a token legacy, it is clear that Robert had in some way received his share at an earlier date, but the nature of that inheritance is now past recovery.^[11]

Last Will and Testament

The will of James McTeer Sr. of Allen Twp., Cumberland Co., written 2 Aug. 1764, probated 16 March 1785, bequeathed to son James. 'the land he now liveth on as it is divided by John Creigh', one half 'the warranted land adjoining to be divided according to quantity and quality', also 'the meadow that is fenced off for his use'; to daughter Elizabeth Boyd, five shillings; to son Robert McTeer, five shillings; to daughter Alce Caruthers, five shillings; to sons William and John, five shillings each; to daughter Sarah Pauly, five shillings; to granddaughter Elizabeth, daughter of son James, 'my chest of drawers'; to son James, 'my table'. Any remainder after payment of the legacies and expenses from the sale of personal property to be divided between sons James and Samuel McTeer. They to be Executors. Witnesses: Hugh Laird, John Worden.^[12]

An untotalled inventory of the 'Goods and Cattels of James McTeer Sen deceased', made on 26 Feb. 1785 by Hugh Laird and William McMEan, includes only personal property; one horse at 17 pounds; a red cow with a white face at 4 pounds; seven pewter plates at 14 shillings; a case of drawers willed to granddaughter Elizabeth 3 pounds 15 shillings; a table willed to son James, 15 shillings; other furniture, table, chair, dough chest, walnut chest and bedstead totaling 1 pound 2 shillings 6 pennies; two featherbeds, pillows, coverlets and blankets, 15 pounds 5 shillings and 2 pennies total; wearing apparel, 2 pounds 10 shillings; old books, 1 pound 1 shilling 6 pennies; a few tools, flax hackle, pruning chisel and draw knife, 7 shillings 6 pennies; pot rack, tongs, fire shovel, two basins, spice box and frying pan, 16 shillings; a buckskin, 10 shillings; 'a pair of specks and tobacco box', 2 shillings 6 pennies.^[13]

Sources

• McTeer - Mateer Families of Cumberland County Pennsylvania, Frances Davis McTeer, 1975, p 7, 23-26.

References

1. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
2. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
3. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
4. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
5. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
6. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
7. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
8. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
9. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
10. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
11. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
12. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families
13. ↑ McTeer - Mateer Families