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WHO WAS - Benjamin Strawbridge
in Plum Township
Venango County, Pennsylvania
By Howard Strawbridge March 16, 1957

Benjamin Strawbridge, a true pioneer indeed, was born in Cherrytree Township on Sept. 27, 1802. He was the oldest of ten children of John and Elizabeth Lucas Strawbridge. The father was the third settler in Cherrytree Township, arriving in 1798 on a large farm on the road between the villages of Cherrytree and Breedtown. The mother came to America from Ireland as a stowaway aboard a ship when she was 11 years old.

While his father served in the Erie sector in the War of 1812, young Benjamin cut down saplings for firewood and hauled the wood to their cabin with a grey mare. Thus the boy had distinct recollections of this wartime period.

Benjamin went to school and learned to read and write, being unlike so many of the contemporaries who had no education whatever. Still preserved is an old paper on which he wrote facts and figures during his schooling. A date of 1821 is on the paper. It is owned by his granddaughter, Mrs. Carrie Peebles of Titusville, RD 3. Mrs. Peebles can recall of her late mother, Mrs. Margaret Lonctot, telling some anecdotes of the old gentleman.

On Nov. 2, 1826, Benjamin married Elvira Sheffield. James Ross, a justice of the peace, married the couple. Elvira was born at Stonington, Conn. When she came to Pennsylvania, she rode from New York City in a wagon drawn by oxen.

The couple began housekeeping in a log cabin with a quilt hung for a door in Plum Township. Their farm was located over a mile east of Wallaceville. Benjamin's father had acquired this uncleared farm from Samuel McElroy. It is the place now owned by Charles Patterson.

Benjamin and Elvira endured the hardships experienced by most settlers. At night they would keep their livestock penned, then build fires and throw fire-brands at the threatening wolves to keep them away.

They had 11 children who were: Mrs. Elizabeth Buchanan, John Strawbridge, Charles Strawbridge, Mrs. Freelove Thompson, Mrs. Maria James, Mrs. Sarah Jane Prather, Elvira A. Strawbridge, Mrs. Margaret Lonctot, Mrs. Lucy Ellen Alcorn, George W. Strawbridge and Benjamin S. Strawbridge. Two of these died young: little Elvira died May 1, 1841, aged one, and Benjamin died Jan. 17, 1859, aged 10.

It is said that the children attended the old Fairview school in a group and carried a well filled lunch basket.

A log-rolling bee was held near Wallaceville. Sides were chosen. Benjamin, because of his size, was the last one chosen. This somewhat angered him and he jumped into the air a few times, clicking his heels together twice each time, (a trick not many young fellows can do), and said to the men on his side - "Come on boys, we'll show them!" At the end of the day his side was far ahead.

Some of these anecdotes were told by a grandson of his, also named Ben Strawbridge, of near Diamond who died in October, 1955. He could recall his pioneer grandfather quite well.

The elder Benjamin hunted quite often. Once he shot a deer with his muzzle-loading gun, wounded it, and it kept going. So he put his son, John, on a horse and told him to follow the deer until he found it. John found the deer in the swamp located between the present farms of Floyd Proper and James Brenner. Also Benjamin used to send John with a sack of grain on a horse to a miller in Titusville. Then there were only a few houses and a mill in the town.

Benjamin did most of his visiting on horseback. Often he visited the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. John Lonctot, who began housekeeping in a log house in Troy Township. One time, Mrs. Lonctot, when about to prepare a meal, discovered that she was out of potatoes. She became rather gloomy, thinking of a long trip to a store to get some. Just then she happened to look out the window and there coming on horseback was her father with a bag of potatoes slung over the horse.

Benjamin and Elvira kept geese. One time these geese strayed over to the John M. Peebles place in Cherrytree Township. The Peebles family sent their son, Jessie herding the geese back to Strawbridges. When he arrived there, Mrs. Strawbridge gave a coin to him as a reward.

Benjamin bought more land adjoining his own farm until he had in the neighborhood of 225 acres. He bought some from Samuel Richey in 1860, and some from James Peebles in 1874. In May, 1865, Benjamin sold two acres to Simon D. Hayes for $400. He sold this for oil interests because he reserved one-twenty fourths of all oil that might be obtained there.

In January, 1853, he bought some of the Huidekoper tract east of Diamond, but never lived there. In 1874 he deeded part of it to his son, John, and the other part to another son, Charles.

Benjamin was township assessor in 1850, and was an assistant assessor in the years of 1853 and 1856. In 1867 he was a pathmaster in Plum Township. His district was No. 8, a road in his area under his care.

On Nov. 2, 1876, Mr. and Mrs. Strawbridge observed their golden wedding anniversary at their home with many people on hand.

Mrs. Strawbridge was a kind and good hearted woman, esteemed by all who knew her. In size she was middling heavy, so a grandson, the late W. J. Strawbridge, said a few years ago. She died at her home on Feb. 23, 1879, aged 73. The following item was in a newspaper concerning her passing: "The funeral of Mrs. Elvira Strawbridge of Plum Township took place at the Fairview M. E. church Tuesday, Feb. 25th, Rev. T. W. Douglas delivered an able discourse. The deceased was a noble woman and beloved by all her neighbors. The funeral was in charge of A. B. Childs (of Hall's furniture and undertaking house of Titusville) who is an expert in the business, and a gentleman in every sense."

Mr. Strawbridge continued living at the old home with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Buchanan.

A stray cow came to his farm on July 20, 1881. She was a brown cow with white underneath, and about four years old. Mr. Buchanan sent word in their area about the cow. On Aug. 3 the owner came, proved property, paid charges, and took the animal away.

Mr. Strawbridge made a visit one day to his son John's place. After a while they started to walk from John's house to the "other place," located across the road from the Grove Guild residence. The old gentleman, though nearing eighty, said to his little grandson, Ben, that he would run a race with him there. They did, and the old fellow won the race.

During his last year or two he walked with a heavy hickory cane. this cane was made by Sam Phillips, a neighbor and a man who specialized in making canes. The head of an eagle is carved on the end of the handle of this particular cane. It is still preserved by a great-great grandson, this writer.

Benjamin Strawbridge died on Nov. 9, 1883, at his home as the result of a stroke. On the day of his funeral two of his grandsons, both aged 5, got into a quarrel and one tossed the other into the spring. Their Aunt Freelove rushed out and gave a stern lecture to them on behavior, especially at grandfather's funeral.

He was buried in the Fairview Cemetery, Cherrytree Township.

Transcribed by Penny Kulbacki Minnick
minnick862@verizon.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription ofinformation from both early and late (current contributors) work.