William Lusk (1742 - 1799)

Born 1742 in Cumberland, Pennsylvania

Died 25 Aug 1799 at about age 57 in Dickinson, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Captain William Lusk served with Cumberland County Militia, Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolution.

William Lusk is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A071775.

William was born in 1742 in Cumberland, Pennsylvania. He was the son of John Lusk and Esther Whitlow. He died on Aug 25, 1799. William Lusk served as as a Captain with Cumberland County Militia. ^[1]

He lived in Dickinson, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, and owned a large amount of property, some of it bordering the the lands of Michael Ege, as stated in his will. He would have been a contemporary and peer of John Arthur, Michael Ege, and Robert Thornburgh, all involved with Pine Grove Furnace, as was William, himself. Because William was a bachelor without children, his property was distributed to relatives upon his death. A transcription of the will can be seen below.

One of the beneficiaries of this will was his brother-in-law Samuel Henry Weakley (1751-1829) who was married to William's sister Hester. (The Weakley's son was William Lusk Weakley, who married Martha Washington Ege, daughter of Peter Ege and Jane Arthur.) From the will: “I give and devise to my Brother-in-law Samuel Weakley & Thomas Campbell all my share of a Saw mill Tract of land purchased of David King subject to their paying the remainder of my share of the purchase money and all encumbrances on said Land (which tract of Land was purchased in partnership with William Leeper)....

There is a fairly new large notice concerning William Lusk at Big Springs Presbyterian Church, Newville, Pennsylvania, which states that he died in 1790 (an incorrect date, unfortunately). However, the rest of the inscription is interesting: IN MEMORY OF / WILLIAM LUSK / A SOLDIER OF THE REVOLUTION / MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF CINCINNATI / HE FREED HIS SLAVES / DIED JUNE 1790.”

Below is William's obituary:

LUSK, WILLIAM: Col. William Lusk, d. Aug. 25, 1799, at Newville, and was there buried. “He always maintained a fair and irreproachable character; having actively contributed his part in the Revolutionary War for the establishment of our liberty and independence, and ever since proving himself a firm friend to the government and laws of his country. Mild and easy in his manners, steady in his friendships, exemplary in his conversation, the public have lost in him a steady advocate for the best interests of society, and his friends an agreeable, sincere and benevolent companion.” (Ancestry: Notes and Queries Historical and Genealogical/Chiefly Relating to Interior of Pennsylvania, Annual Volume 1898, p. 172)

William was buried at Big Springs Presbyterian Church, Newville, Pennsylvania (Section C-3; Lot No. 169; Range No. 41).

Cumberland County Pennsylvania Wills 1779-1803 vol D-F; V. F p. 145 FHL#0,021,079

William Lusk - Last Will and testament 601

In the name of God amen I William Lusk of Dickinson Township Cumberland County and State of Pennsylvania being Sick and weak in body but of sound mind memory and understanding (blessed by God for the same) do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following VIZ

Principally and first of all I commend my Immortal Soul unto the hands of God, who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors herein after named and as such Worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and dispose of the same in the following manner VIZ I order and it is my will that all my Just debts and funeral charges be paid and adjusted as soon as possible after my decease I give and devise Five Hundred Acres and the usual allowance of the farm whereon I now live to my nephew William Lusk Weakley including the mansion house and orchard to be laid off the said Plantation by a line beginning at the mouth of John Arthurs land and running fifty perches the same course of the road laid out through said Land and from thence a course supposed to be nearly North west in such manner as will be most advantageous to both Tracts of the said Land also I give and devise to the same William Lusk Weakley one half of a tract of Land in the south Mountain adjoining Lands of Michael Ege and my sword and diploma – I give and devise the remainder of the aforesaid tract of Land whereon I now live adjoining Lands of Alexander McBride & Samuel Woods on the East to my nephew William Lusk Campbell and also the other one half of the aforesaid Two Hundred acres of Land in the south mountain adjoining lands of Michael Ege in Dickinson township the aforesaid lands to be clear of every incumbrance and in no ways subject to any bequeathments- contained in this will- I give and devise to my nephew John Lusk Five Hundred acres of donation Land lying in Westmoreland County in the State of Pennsylvania I give and devise to my Brother in law Samuel Weakley & Thomas Campbell all my share of a Saw mill Tract of land purchased of David King subject to their paying the remainder of my share of the purchase money and all of the incumbrances on said Land (which tract of Land was purchased in partnership with Wm Leeper) I order and it is my will that the use and possession of the mansion house and the Lands devised to William Lusk Weakley shall be in Samuel Weakley until his son is twenty one years of age and that the use and possession of the Lands devised to William Lusk Campbell shall be vested in Thomas Campbell until his son is twenty one years of age- I give and devise to my brother David Lusk ten Pounds to my sister Mary Fifty pounds to my sister Elizabeth Ten pounds to my sister Ann Ten pounds and to my sister Isabella Ten pounds to my nephew William Piper Fifty Pounds and all my Books and my clock – To my nephews John Lusk and John Weakley I give and devise all my wearing apparel to be equally divided between them by my executors To my niece Mary Weakley I give and devise my best feather bedstead and Bed Clothes and also my mahogany Tables- And as touching all the rest residue and remainder of my estate real and personal of what kind or nature so ever the same may be in the County of Cumberland aforesaid or elsewhere I order and it is my will that the same shall be disposed of to the best advantage at the discretion of my executors and the monies arising there from after paying all my just debts and Legacies aforesaid the residue (if any) I give and devise to my Brother David and sisters Elizabeth Piper and Ann Swaney share and share alike- and I do order and it is my will that my Negros be Free at the expiration of four years which time they are to serve Samuel Weakley – And lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my dearly beloved and trusty Brothers in law Samuel Weakley and Thomas Campbell executors of this my Will hereby revoking all other wills Legacies and bequests by me heretofore made and declaring this and no other to be my last will and test ament In Witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this 12th day of February 1799 –

Signed, sealed Published Pronounced and declared by the said testator as his last will and testament in the Presence of JOHN ARTHUR THOMAS WEAKLEY PETER EGE

I William Lusk the Testator of the foregoing and annexed Will do make the following Codicil hereto – I do hereby empower Samuel Weakley and Thomas Campbell my executors herein named or the survivor of them to sell and dispose of to the best advantage a certain part of the tract of Land I now live on Beginning at the mouth of John Arthur’s lane and running along the Carlisle Road by a Spanish Oak Tree (marked this day) to a large white oak stump near a bridge and from thence to a marked white oak tree in Alexander McBrides line (marked this day) and continuing the said line the several coarses thereof to a corner post between Alexander McBride John Arthur and my land and from thence along the line between John Arthurs land mine to the place of beginning whatsoever the same may contain with the Appurtenance to assign and convey to any Purchaser as fully and amply as I myself could or would do and the monies arising by virtue of such sale to apply to the payments of my Just Debts In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this31st day of May 1799 – Signed sealed and Pronounced

In presence of JOHN ARTHUR PETER EGE } William Lusk [SEAL]

Be it remembered that on the 28th day of August AD 1799 the last will and testament of William Lusk deceased of which the foregoing record is a true copy was legally proved and Letters Testamentary issued in common form to Samuel Weakley and Thomas Campbell the executors there in named on the same day Inventory and Account to be exhibited into the Registers office in the Borough of Carlisle in the time appointed by Law Witness my hand William Lyon Regr.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-28757-8400-87?cc=1999196&wc=9PM8-SP6:268498501,271104401

Sources

1. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Feb 22, 2018), "Record of William Lusk", Ancestor # A072467.

Name: Wm Lusk Home in 1790 (City, County, State): Hopewell, Newton, Tyborn, and Westpensboro, Cumberland, Pennsylvania Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1 Number of Slaves : 2 Number of Household Members: 3 Source Citation Year: 1790; Census Place: Hopewell, Newton, Tyborn, and Westpensboro, Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Series: M637; Roll: 8; Page: 12; Image: 531; Family History Library Film: 0568148 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1790 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

Name: William Lusk Application State: Pennsylvania Applicant Designation: Bounty-Land-Warrant Application File Archive Publication Number: M804 Archive Roll Number: 1602 Total Pages in Packet: 2 Save Cancel Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Surname: William Lusk Description: Deceased Event: Death Date: 25 Aug 1799 Title: Colonel Place: Cumberland Co., PA Church: Marriages and Deaths from the Carlisle Gazette and the Western Repository of Knowledge, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1786-1800 Remarks: Aug 28, 1799: Remains were interred at Newville.

Source Information Lineages, Inc., comp.. Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Church Records [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

Name: William Luske Veteran of Which War: Revolutionary War Registration County: Cumberland Cemetery Name: Big Springa Presbyterian Cemetery Location: Corporation St, Newville, Pennsylvania Save Cancel Source Citation Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929-1990; Series Number: Series 1

Information on burial card says: Big Springs Presbyterian Cemetery, Corporation Street, Newville, PA; Grave location: Section C-3; Lot No. 169; Range No. 41 Source Information Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1777–2012. Digital Images, 3–5. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau of Archives and History. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.