| Notes |
- "At the Courthouse of Philadelphia, September 23d, 1734. Forty-Nine Palatines, who with their Families, making in all One hundred twenty seven Persons, were imported in the Ship Hope, as by Clearance thence, were this day qualified as usual." From the Minutes of the Provincial Council, printed in Colonial Records, Vol. III, p. 570.
Palantines Imported in the Ship Hope, Daniel Ried, Master, from Rotterdamn, but last from Cowes, as by clearance thence. Qualified Sept 23, 1737
Josht [X} Shmidt
Johann Peter Schmitt
List 37 C: At the Courthouse of Philadelphia, Sept 23d, 1734. Present The Hon Patrick Gordon, Esq, Lieu governor, Thomas Griffits, Esq, Mayor, Charles Read, Esq
The Palantines whose Names are underwritten, imported in the Ship Hope, Daniel Reed, Master, from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes, did this day take and subscribe the Oaths to Government:
Jost [X] Shmith
Johann Peter Schmitt
http://www.skippack.org/revwar_headquarters.htm
SKIPPACK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Box 9, Skippack, Pennsylvania 19474
SKIPPACK ENCAMPMENT and HEADQUARTERS
Researched and written by Mike Dickey
Historian, Skippack Historical Society
Skippack Pike and Evansburg Road
As mentioned in a previous section, the Joseph Smith house was noted as being Washington's headquarters at Skippack. The Smith farm was located along the east side of Skippack Creek, between Skippack Pike and Hedrick Rd. However, a long time tradition in this area believes that the "Palmer house" was used as his headquarters. It is most probable that it did play some role in the encampment. Below, will be evidence that the headquarters house was more likely on the neighboring Joseph Smith farm to the east of the Palmer property, across the Skippack Creek and also owned by the Park.
Dambly explains that the rest of the story was discovered as a result of a celebration in 1927, the year of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Germantown. A member of a society in Germantown asked, "Who was Joseph Smith?" Here, the Montgomery Transcript used its columns to ask the same question of its readers. An answer was received by Robert B. Souder of Souderton whose father, Jacob G., used to farm part of the of the headquarters farm up until the early 1920's. Mr. Souder had a number of old papers including a draft of a farm owned by Joseph Smith prior to the Revolution. The draft was made in 1775 for Joseph Smith by David Schultz, a Schwenkfelder from East Greenville area, who was a widely known and respected surveyor. The draft is of a farm having 127 acres and one set of buildings. "The tract had a frontage of more than 4000 feet on Skippack Road?it had a uniform depth of 1280 feet." The farm must have extended from the center of the Skippack Creek towards the township line near Cedars, and possibly included parts of the south side of Skippack Pike, given the 7 property owners of the farm after being divided. Names include Bean, Wilkie, Cassel, Kerr, Kulp, Speller, and Kulka. At the time of his writing, the owner was Francis F. Kulp, of a farm reduced to 45 acres. Dambly writes that "a public road (Kerr Rd.) has been cut through the farm from Skippack Road, near the milestone, in an easterly direction to the Towamencin line. The length of this cross-road is about ΒΌ of a mile." The map of 1893 shows the owner as "W.J. Fuss, 46 acres" which extended to Kerr Rd., and "John P. Detwiler, 39 acres" on the east side of Kerr Rd.
It is likely that Joseph Smith purchased his 127 acres from George Merckle (Markley) prior to 1762. The Merckle farm of 150 acres extended east from Forty Foot Rd. Merckle had sold off land from his farm, ending up with 20 acres, house and tenement, as Heckler indicated.
"The 1766 assessor's list of Skippack Township contains the name of Joseph Smith, Sr., tailor. His children were Jacob, Henry, Joseph, Katherine, and John. Joseph Smith, Sr. died August 8, 1782 at age 76 years, and is buried at the Lower Skippack Mennonite cemetery." (Dambly)
Joseph Smith had two sons enlisted in the war. Dambly suggests "this may be the reason for Washington choosing the Smith home as his headquarters. (He probably felt assured that the Smith family was in support of the Revolution, not every family was in favor of it.) Joseph's son, John Smith, was captain of a company of militia from the region of Skippack. Captain Smith was killed or wounded in the Battle of Germantown. His other son, Joseph, served in the regiment of the Pennsylvania artillery commanded by Colonel John Fyre, and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Germantown."
Dambly wrote that the Joseph Smith house was of stone, "plastered during the recollection of the oldest residents?there was a date stone, covered over. From several sources, I have it that the house was built between 1700 and 1800. All agree that it is the same house that stood when Washington was there. Descendants of the two former owners of the farm inform me that the house had one-story frame addition; that this frame part was moved about a hundred feet and placed over a walled-up spring and that Washington occupied that springhouse as well. In another location, not far from the house, stood a log house that is still well remembered by the oldest residents with whom I recently spoke." He also mentions the close proximity to the creek as being favorable to Washington. (It had been thought by others that Washington may have favored his headquarters to be on the opposite side of a creek from his army. At Pennypacker's Mill it is argued that the headquarters house was on the west side of the Perkiomen Creek, while his army camped at Pennypacker's on the east side.)
Dambly includes this supporting data from "Washington's account books, as annotated by John C. Fitzpatrick, Assistant Chief of the manuscript division of the Library of Congress, a trustworthy source, furnishing the link that connects the entire story and removes all doubt of its authenticity. These records say that on October 2, 1777, Washington paid Joseph Smith 2 pounds and 15 shillings 'for use of house and trouble caused' while quartered there. Under the same date, there is the record of an additional payment made to Joseph Smith of 11 pounds, 19 shillings and 6 pence for sundries - evidently supplies of various kinds." At this time, we can not say if there are more entries related to the Skippack encampment that might include other houses, etc. Dambly mentioned that Washington died three years short of time allotted to man, and twenty-two years after the army encamped at Skippack.
He adds, "the headquarters tract was marked by three signs and a flag when the pilgrimage was made during the Germantown Anniversary celebration, October 1, 1927."
The headquarters home on the Joseph Smith farm was included in the purchase of Evansburg State Park. It was demolished in the mid 1970's.
Ruins of a stone structure on the Joseph Smith Farm (2003)
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1688 - 1783 (95 years)
