18TH CENTURY LAND WARRANT BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP MIFFLIN COUNTY MARY LEAN
An 1810 copy of an original land warrant dated 1794 for Mary Lean, Marsh Creek, Bald Eagle Township, Mifflin County, with a drawing of the plot at the top. Mary Lean's land is surrounded by Susana Rees, Sarah Lean, John W. Godfrey, and William Lean.
"Situate on the waters of Mash (sic) Creek in Bald Eagle Township in the County of Mifflin surveyed on the 22nd day of May 1794 for Mary Lean by virtue of this warrant bearing date on the 25th day of January 1794 containing four hundred six acres one hundred forty two perches of the usual allowance."
Signed by Daniel Brodhead Esq., Surveyor General
Joseph J. Wallis, Deputy Surveyor
"In testimony that the above is a copy of the original remaining filed in the Surveyor Generals Office. I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said office at Lancaster July 2nd 1810--Andrew Porter, SG"
Andrew Porter, was born in Worcester, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. His father, Robert, emigrated to this country from Londonderry, Ireland, in 1720, settled in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and afterward bought land in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. At the advice of his friend Dr. David Rittenhouse, in 1767, Andrew opened an English and mathematical school in Philadelphia, which he operated until June 19, 1776, when he was appointed by congress a captain of marines and ordered to the frigate "Effingham." He was soon transferred to the artillery, in which he served with efficiency. He was captain until March 13, 1782, and then became major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel of the 4th Pennsylvania artillery, which post he held at the disbanding of the army.
In 1783 he retired to the cultivation of his farm in Norriton Township, Pennsylvania, (now Norristown) a plantation called Selma, building an addition to the small house there and creating Selma Mansion. In 1784-87 he was engaged as commissioner to run the boundary-lines of Pennsylvania, and he was also interested in the completion of the western termination of the Mason and Dixon line, although he was not a commissioner. He was made brigadier-general of Pennsylvania militia in 1801, was subsequently major-general, and in 1809 appointed surveyor-general, and holding the post until his death in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1813.
His eldest son Robert, was president judge of the 3d judicial district of Pennsylvania, fifth son David Rittenhouse Porter served as the 9th governor of Pennsylvania. George Bryan Porter, the sixth son, was, appointed by Andrew Jackson, governor of Michigan territory and James Madison Porter, the seventh son filled the offices of president judge of the 12th judicial district of Pennsylvania; was secretary of war under President Tyler, and president judge of the 22d judicial district of Pennsylvania.
Daniel Brodhead (IV) (October 17, 1736 – November 15, 1809) was an American military and political leader during the American Revolutionary War and early days of the United States. He was born in Marbletown, New York, the son of Daniel Brodhead (III) and Hester (Wyngart) Brodhead. Brodhead's father moved his family to what is now East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1737. Life in the frontier settlement was difficult, and clashes between the settlers and native tribes were common. The Brodhead homestead was attacked by natives numerous times during Daniel's youth. Brodhead had a relatively unremarkable career before the Revolution. He farmed, ran a grist mill, and worked as a deputy surveyor for Pennsylvania. Brodhead married Elizabeth Dupui (Dupuy) in April 1756 and had two children. In the years leading up to the outbreak of hostilities, Brodhead began to take part in the protest movements against British taxation. In 1774, Brodhead was elected to represent Bucks County at a provincial meeting held in Philadelphia on July 15, 1774. In 1776, Brodhead was commissioned as an officer of the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment of colonial troops with the rank of lieutenant colonel. After the war, Brodhead, by then a widower, married Rebecca Mifflin, the widow of General Samuel Mifflin. Brodhead was one of the founders of the Society of the Cincinnati. He later served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. On November 13, 1789, he was appointed Surveyor General of Pennsylvania and held the post for the next eleven years. He died at Milford, Pike County, Pennsylvania, and was buried in Milford.
Joseph J. Wallis, along with Benjamin Davis, Maj. Lawrence Keene on July 26, 1784, entered into an agreement to take up a large body of lands in Centre County. The cost of the lands were to be defrayed by Benjamin Davis, the locating and surveying by Messrs. Keene and Wallis, Davis’ interest to be one-half, and Keene’s and Wallis' one-quarter each. Joseph J. Wallis was deputy surveyor. The agreement covered twenty-four tracts which had been applied for before, and warrants issued for July 1, 1784.
The development of the iron interest of Centre commenced with the purchase by Colonel John Patton, of the tract upon which he erected Centre furnace, now in Harris township, and twenty-eight other contiguous tracts from Mr. Wallis, May 8, 1790. He built Centre furnace in the summer of 1792.
[Reference: Linn's History of Centre and Clinton Counties]
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