William Hepburn (1753 - 1821)

Born 7 Apr 1753 in Donegal, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Crecy (Covenhoven) Hepburn — married 1777 in Williamsport, Lycoming, Pennsylvania, United States

Husband of Elizabeth (Huston) Hepburn — married about Feb 1801 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 25 Jun 1821 at age 68 in Hepburnville, Lycoming, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Janet Payne [send private message]

Biography

Captain William Hepburn served with Northumberland County Militia, Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolution.

William Hepburn is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A053994.

William Hepburn is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-180010
Rank: Colonel

William Hepburn was an early settler in Pennsylvania.

William Hepburn was born 7 April 1753 County Donegal, Ireland - died at age 68 on 25 June 1821 Williamsport, Lycoming Co, Pennsylvania and was buried Wildwood Cemetery, Lycoming Co, Pennsylvania 56 according to ^[1][2]

William Hepburn is regarded as the "Father of Lycoming County" in various historical accounts by^[3]

William Hepburn immigrated to America in 1773 with his brother James Hepburn. He had an acquaintance in Ireland by the name of Andrew Culbertson who preceded him to America and who had purchased a large tract of land, which now is the site of the borough of Duboistown. ^[4]

William Hepburn was a member of the Secret Society of Masons. He was the first Worshipful Master of Lodge 106 F&AM, Williamsport as elected in 1806, 1807, 1811 and 1815. William Hepburn was a member of the Newberry Presbyterian Church in 7th ward Williamsport. ^[5]

Military

William Hepburn enlisted in 1775 and served in the Northumberland Co militia. He was Captain of the 3rd and later the 4th Battalion, 5th Co. in August 1778 ^[6]) under the Reg. commanded by Colonel Samuel Hunter and he fought in the Pennamite War and in May 1778 under Col Cookson Long. ^[7] Col. Hunter's Company at 9 August 1778 had been: Capt Wm Hepburn, Lieut. Paul Ricketts, Ensign John Hall, Sergt's Robert Covenhoven and Andrew Flatt, and the privates: Joseph Wyckoff, Israel Parshall Jr, Joseph Sutton, Joseph Harber, James Covenhoven, George Barkley, Benj Bart, David Berry, Oliver Silver, Wm Hall, Erasmus Burch, Peter Burns, Albert Covenhoven, Cornelius "Vanader," Robert Robb, Elizial Brown, Albert Polhemus, A Blackly, Zach Iresch, Charles Bignall, Ralph Slak, Joseph Webster, Joseph Larison, Peter Jones, Ockly Stepsion, Nimrod Pennington, William Jones, Henry Silverthorn, John Hollingsworth, Michael Craell. Ref. Meginness p 126. In 1790 William Hepburn was Colonel of the Third Battalion with HQ at Fort Muncy. ^[8]24 April 1785 Return of the Co Officers Lieut. Joseph Wickoff dated 24 April 1775 while under the Command of Lt Col William Hepburn, 3rd Battalion, Northumberland. Ref. ^[9] 17 Dec 1788 Northumberland Town: ^{[10] [11] [12]}

Hepburn, William DAR Ancestor #: A053994 Service: Pennsylvania Rank: Captain Birth: 1753 Donegal, Ireland Death: 6-25-1821 Williamsport, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. ^[13]

Will & Estate

William Hepburn's will was probated on 28 June 1821 before Joseph Foulke, Register & Recorder ^[14] The will and the abstract thereof mention his still and vessels thereto...to wife Betsy and children of his late daughter Eliza Stewart half shares...to children of his late daughter Jennet Wilson a tract of land called "Fairfield" which was patented in the name of Jennet Wilson. He refers to his partnership in a store with his son Samuel and the four thousand dollars advanced therein. Jenny's children: Mary, Samuel and Matilda Wilson. The probate of the will was completed in June 1832 by his sole surviving son and executor, James Hepburn (born 1799). A notice for a sale of his property at the house of his son Charles Hepburn on 24 November 1828 at 10 a.m. was in the "Lycoming Gazette" some days earlier for - horses, cattle, sheep, harrows, two stills and necessary vessels for distilling, an eight-day clock, a secretary, bureaus and desks, beds, bedsteads, bedding, tables and chairs, and a variety of other household items. ^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ Abstracts of Graves of Revolutionary War Patriots Series 11999, Vol 8.
2. ↑ Entered by Janet Payne, Nov 25, 2011
3. ↑ "The Genealogy & History of the Hepburn Family of the Susquehanna Valley" by John F Meginness, Williamsport PA 1894, Gazette & Bulletin Printing House.
4. ↑ "The Genealogy & History of the Hepburn Family of the Susquehanna Valley" by John F Meginness, Williamsport PA 1894, Gazette & Bulletin Printing House.
5. ↑ Newberry Presbyterian Church Records, Lycoming Co, Pennsylvania.
6. ↑ PA Archives 1778 Series II Vol XIV page 788-9
7. ↑ Northumberland Co p 654 and Wm H Egle's Penn's Book.
8. ↑ Penns Archives 1778 Vol XV page 654 and 1790 Vol III page 917.
9. ↑ FHL film 1759097.
10. ↑ A Return of the Co officers 3rd Battalion Northumberland Co.
11. ↑ Pennsylvania Archives
12. ↑ Notes and Queries Historical and Genealogical /Chiefly Relating to Interior of Pennsylvania.
13. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed February 9, 2017), "Record of HEPBURN, William", Ancestor # A053994.
14. ↑ Pennsylvania Will Book A page 136.
15. ↑ Lycoming Gazette, Pennsylvania.

Acknowledgements

• Janet Payne.

• Biography, DAR, military, will and sources entered by Meehan-411 January 2017.